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Nora and I found Prince Mito pacing restlessly just beyond the threshold of the King’s secluded chambers.
“Your Highness?” I called, realizing he was too engrossed in his thoughts to acknowledge our appearance. As soon as his eyes fell upon the sword in my hand, he drew himself up haughtily.
“Captain, I demand to know your purpose of bearing Holy Celestia!”
I looked down at the resplendent holy sword in my hand, its intricate hilt catching the dim light. “The King gave it to me,” I replied with a shrug, still feeling a little wary about the events that had led to it becoming my temporary possession.
He folded his arms. “And for what end?”
“He said to have it blessed by Relias so I can use it to fight off any high-level demons we encounter on our journey. It seemed like a reasonable request, so I accepted it.”
“What other orders did he give you?”
“Nothing. He just said to make sure you get to Chairo safely.” Sure, he asked me to do something with it later, but he never once used the word ‘order.’ And I wasn’t even sure I’d be subject to them if he had. In all likelihood, I wasn’t a citizen of Amantia, let alone Ecclesia. I might have some responsibility to the crown through my religious connections, but Relias was much too ill to bother with such a silly question when I was going to do what I wanted to anyway.
The wrinkle in his brow signified he didn’t entirely accept my explanation, but he was far too distracted by the night’s events to continue his questioning. “See to it that the sword does not leave your possession,” Prince Mito advised in a low voice. “There are many who would commit unspeakable crimes to obtain it.”
“I’ll be sure to take good care of it,” I assured him.
“What of Count Matthis? Did you convince him to let him go?”
“He didn’t need any convincing,” Nora answered. “Your father’s as sharp as a tack. His screaming for him to be locked away immediately probably saved his life.”
The prince pondered momentarily, rubbing his chin. “You mean to say... he does not hold the Count culpable for tonight’s attack?”
We shook our heads in unison. I began recounting the tale of the King’s first wife, Flamina. Nora chimed in with whatever details I missed about what he told us. At one point, when I said Anhinga’s name out loud, Price Mito stiffened and interrupted, “You should not utter that demon’s name again. He may have been banished, but once he reforms, he may strike again. Let’s not give him our location so easily.”
“Ah…” I replied sheepishly. “You’re right. For some reason, I keep forgetting about that.”
“I wonder why Count Matthis was on tonight’s guest list in the first place,” Prince Mito questioned after our tale was complete. “I thought his long-standing behavior would have excluded him from the festivities… but perhaps my father felt a certain kinship as a widower himself.”
Nora shrugged. “Considering he had been possessed for years, it seems the demon made some effort to behave or at least put on airs. My guess is he was keeping an eye on Amantia for his Mistress.”
Prince Mito concurred with a sigh. “Indeed. Goddess knows what secrets he has learned over the years. Certainly not through any official channels, but tavern gossip can be the fastest communication method.”
“It’s not very reliable, though,” I added hopefully. “Maybe she got some misinformation, too.”
“I suppose we can hope for that. Chaos to the Masters of Chaos,” he muttered before straightening up. “I should go and assist Duke Chadwick now. The soldiers ought to be wrapping up their patrol soon, and I’m sure two people listening to the nobles’ complaints would be better than one.”
I grimaced, making my best stony expression. “Do you want me to go with you? I could stand there with my arms crossed, you know, like one of those stoic, no-nonsense heroes.”
Prince Mito chuckled. “I appreciate the offer, Captain, but I think you’ve put in more than your share of hard work this evening.” He looked at Nora, then shifted his gaze to me. “Surely you two must wish to check on Relias’s condition?”
Oh no! In all the pandemonium, I hadn’t given his safety a single thought! Was he left all alone when Nora came to our rescue?!
As unbridled panic spread across my face, Nora placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Vernie’s with him… ahh…” She pulled at the black ichor that had come off my shirt and stuck to her fingertips. “You definitely need to get cleaned up, though. This stuff might be toxic!”
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We skirted around the illuminated center of the inner courtyard by sticking to the outer walkways cast in shadow, trying to avoid contact with the lingering guests. I glimpsed Tetora and Aleph engaged in deep conversation with Tim and Allen, their human counterparts from the play. To my surprise, Tetora had a tight grip on Allen’s shoulders in a show of close comradery. He said something that caused Tim to erupt in laughter. Meanwhile, Aleph simply rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his smile while Allen shook his head with a chuckle. Some of the other nobles moved closer, curious about what they were talking about so openly. A few even joined the discussion fearlessly, and I heard more than one noble express their thanks for protecting them earlier.
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Good for them! Although I wasn’t able to oversee everything that had happened, I knew the earlier battle wasn’t just a one-woman show. It took the whole team, so I was glad the kudos could be shared equally. Well… except for Nora.
“Great job tonight,” I murmured to her as we entered the hallway back into the central area of the palace. “It’s a shame so few know how lucky they are because of your efforts.”
“Oh please,” she waved her hand. “I don’t care about praise.”
“Then… what reward would you ask for, if you could?”
She stopped walking. “Reward?”
“Yeah. A good leader rewards team members for a job well done, and a better one ensures the reward is meaningful to those receiving it.”
Nora knitted her brow. “A girl’s day out, like we used to do!”
“I’ll see what I can do… Maybe once we settle for a bit in Chairo…” Honestly, though, that’s what I liked to do. Look around, window shop, and eat some tasty food. “Are you sure that’s what you want, though?”
Nora nodded. “Definitely.”
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Vernie opened the door to Relias’s room before I could even knock. “He’s sound asleep,” she whispered as she stepped out into the hallway, closing the door silently. We moved away from his room, huddling up so our exchange wouldn’t be easily overheard. “I didn’t tell him about the demon—I just said something blew up in the kitchen earlier.”
What kind of culinary catastrophe blows out a stone wall?!
“And he believed you?” I asked with my right eyebrow at full attention.
“He wasn’t exactly coherent,” Vernie replied evasively. “Right now, the less he knows, the better. If we tell him everything, he’ll try to use his powers, and given his current condition, it would do him more harm than good.”
Nora folded her arms. “We need Father Irijah to recheck him as soon as he wakes up. In fact…” She looked at me with serious eyes. “I think we should bring him to Chairo, regardless of what Relias has to say about it.”
I could understand her unspoken reasoning for both suggestions. There was a possibility that Anhinga had caused unnoticed, even permanent harm to Relias, so I had no objections to conducting another health assessment. However, bringing him along on our journey had its pros and cons. Although my trust in him was still quite limited, having another skilled priest could prove beneficial. He was also a witness to what had happened here, and maybe, just maybe, he genuinely wanted to earn my trust. On the other hand, if he decided to throw Relias under the bus during our inevitable encounter with Pravum, his presence could be a major hindrance.
Vernie gently tapped my shoulder as I cycled through a series of scrutinizing scowls, considering Nora’s suggestion. “I’ll keep an eye on him,” she promised.
“We’ll all need to be vigilant, but it’s probably our best bet. But let’s make sure there are other priests here at the castle. I’m still not convinced the demon won’t return here.” It was a lie, of course, but Vernie hadn’t heard his final words about wanting to return to Aziza’s side. Besides, there was no guarantee that someone else wouldn’t take advantage of the current situation.
“Reginald’s taking care of it,” Vernie advised. “He’ll make sure there are at least two on rotation at the castle at all times.”
I folded my arms, stifling a yawn. “I saw Aleph and Tetora talking to the theater troupe but didn’t get a chance to circle back to them. Are they alright?”
Vernie nodded. “Aleph’s going to switch off with me in a little bit, and Tetora will take the last watch.”
I turned to Nora. “I’m sure I’m forgetting something… My mental list is a little hard to read at the moment.”
Nora glanced back and forth. “Well—”
“You two should try the baths before the fires die out for the night!” Vernie interrupted. “It’ll help you sleep.”
“A bath? Sleep?” I questioned. “There’s too much we need to follow up—”
“No, you need a bath. Now. You’re quite… ripe!” Vernie emphasized her declaration by wrinkling her nose.
Nora cleared her throat. “Well, maybe I should—”
“Go with her and keep her company? That sounds great!” Vernie started pushing us down the hallway together. “Last door on your right, and go down the stairs at the end of the hallway. You can’t miss it!”
We stumbled forward a bit, then turned around to give Vernie a stern look. She ignored it and gave us an exaggerated wave before returning to Relias’s room. The door locked with several intentionally loud clicks and jiggles.
“What the heck was that all about?” Nora asked, scratching her head in confusion.
“Oh, I think she knows there are some things we should talk about…” I confessed as I headed towards the baths.
I should tell her I’m okay with the two of them… you know.
“You mean, like, if we’re going to tell Relias about what the demon said?”
“That’s not what—wait, what do you mean, ‘if?’ Shouldn’t we tell him the truth?”
“If he knows the Mistress is actively after you…” Nora shook her head. “He’ll just limit your authority and freedom even more.”
My freedom… and authority?
Did she mean it, or was this some sort of test?
“I don’t know anything about the Mistress,” I admitted slowly. “She was never a direct antagonist in the novel. But if that demon can share the secret of stripping priests of their powers… I’m not the only one in danger. And what if he can teach others about how he escaped Naught?”
Nora made a rueful face. “Those are the reasons I said ‘if’ and not ‘you shouldn’t’…” she conceded in reply.
“I think keeping this a secret from him will cause more trouble than it’s worth. Even if it makes him… uh…” My words trailed off, and I tried to think of a way to word it without insulting him directly.
“Even more overbearing?” Nora suggested with a smirk.
How could she mock him so openly? Weren’t they… Unless this was all a farce to keep their relationship secret? She could be a little tsundere at times…
“Your words, not mine,” I concluded as we entered the baths, walking the line between honesty and innocence.
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