Memoir 1

The Orientation Reportage

1

A metal nib produced an incessant, meandering noise as it scraped across the coarse texture of the paper. The text was flawless, adhering to the perfect format it should possess. He persisted in recording his thoughts on the same sheet of paper, his gaze fixed on the notes detailing the challenges he currently confronts, within the confines of the report paper.

He paused and put his pen down beside the paper. He took a deep sigh and laid back to his seat, then stretched both of his arms as his joints made a clacked-like sound.

“Sigh….. Just a little bit more, before I presented it… Phew and done.”

In a moderately sized room, there are about four pieces of antique furniture, each adorned with cushions upholstered in a uniform light green stripe pattern.

He looked unfazed as his skin was quite a bit of pale. Namely, he had never gotten the chance to rest since the day he’d started. Despite being tired he always had his head high, determined As though weariness won't impact him, he had previously affirmed to himself that he would complete it by tomorrow.

“Huff. Well, I can’t have myself slacking off while working—”

“— You looked peckish right now, Master Metaphor. Care to rest?”

His ears heard the voice of a female in a serious tone, he turned his head towards the speaker. Standing beside him was a lady in black long sleeves with a white accent and a white cap surrounded with laces on her head. Besides her outfit, she noticeably had a small chunk of her hair tied into a ponytail in the center top of her light brown hair, and her hair strand stretched to the far right side of her face.

“Ah, miss. Merianada, I was hoping you could’ve said that. Ah. Ha. Ha.”

The female servant was struct with a dissatisfied response making her head irritated to what she’d seem.

“Ahem, may I bring you the finest and most delightful refreshment for you?”

The man felt his head more light than ever, he let out the tiredest reaction towards the named servant —Merianada—. As he laughed subtly with unnerving sweat dripping down his head, The servant opened her bright red eyes and shot a blank gaze at her master.

“ Ah sure. Hmm, let me think...”

“......”

Her master lowered his head, fingers stroking his chin, while she was left in a state of inertia. All she had to rely on was her impassive expression and the disciplined directive to prioritize her tasks.

“How about a glass of water and a nice baked potato.” Said Metaphor with a chirping voice.

“Tck. Ve- very well then, Master. I’ll fetch the cooks on your behalf.”

“Thank you. By the way, if you stumble upon Simi, kindly convince her to arrange her chamber with due diligence.”

The maid walked forward and bowed in front of her master before turning her back against him, she resumed towards the door and stopped momentarily.

“Is something the matter?” Metaphor asked.

She turned her head at her master and scowled.

“Yes.”

“What is it? May I hear it?”

“Why water? You should’ve been drinking with luxury. Take a delicate wine for example. A King like you should've been drinking those beverages than plain old water.”

What she said is true, why would Metaphor order plain water despite having stocks of luxurious liquor fitting for a monarch like him; just as every monarch enjoyed their lavish lifestyle? Metaphor rearranged his seats and dragged forward, aligning the center table. He placed his hands on top of the table, there he clasped and put his hand right below his chin.

“I see, you were concerned about my well-being.” He closed his eyes and slightly knitted his brows, “If you don’t mind, but I wanted to avoid drinks for a while.”

The maid’s eyes flickered once for a moment, at the same time dumbfounded. With her master's words uttered to her ears, she doubted his words weather is a lie to excuse himself as he wasn’t aware of the value of taking the delicate wine on to his taste buds to refresh himself from his stressful state,

“I see, so that's what it is. Would it be—”

“— Do. You. Hear. Me. Miss. Merianada? As simple as water can save time for keeping me straight. Don’t you agree?”

The servant counters his reply only to be interrupted in the short run. Metaphor knitted his brows tight, but not too tight, and glared at Merianada as he spoke in a toneless manner before calling her name. He quickly smiled and stared at the adult-maid where he spoke about his opinion, in a canonical sense. The sound of his voice right now was lighthearted as orotund.

“I agree with you, Master… For now.”

She turned her head towards the front, the sound of her heels clacking through the doorway, she exited her master’s office followed by a loud thud coming the heavy door closed by itself. Though it wasn't automatic that the door closed by itself, Merianada closed the 2-way door by herself.

“Sigh… running the country with the preliminary government has taken a toll on my mental health, say?” He turned his head towards the left corner of the table, “If only I found a special gift for you both; A way to return to how our lives were before.”

He held a small wooden picture frame and lifted it in front of his face; He lowered his brows as he smiled wryly at a young girl right next to the older female right beside her in the photo.

Furthermore, he oddly gets sentimental just by gazing at the small wooden. It filled his mind with reminiscent of the past that the black and white photo, contains his days as a prince along with his 2 other siblings, the background image was taken in a twilight zone as the flowers surrounded the characters involved in their garden. It was a sibling photo commemorating their ancestor's beloved land. Seeing the photo would make Metaphor all tear up, but not weeping over a photo of a past.

He gently placed the small frame down and straightened his seat forward, as his face towards the closed door. Left in the confined room, alone, with nothing to talk to as he wrote the remaining words in the paragraph of his report. He felt the necessity that at least one he could talk to, but decided to ignore it and focus on the focal point of his writing.

2

It had been 20 minutes after the maid had left to fetch her master Metaphor’s meal. No news has yet to come nor hear the clacking footsteps coming from outside the door. He leaned his back against the chair and stared towards the crescent-pattern ceilings.

He gazed with an unfazed look, there wasn’t any particular that happened the moment the maid was taking too long for his meal or perhaps there was trouble in the kitchen; He only did it in his free time stare and thought back about his plans for the future and the memory of his bond with his siblings.

“Sigh… I wonder what’s taking her too long. At the same time, I want to know what my sisters are doing right now.” Metaphor murmured.

He turned his seat 90-degree angle left towards the window. The moon shone through the glass panel, there were dozens of seas of crystals painted the midnight blue sky, twinkling down on earth.

“!! Ah! Right…|

Metaphor jolted his head as his eyes slightly widened in utter shock, he immediately turned his chair around and reached his hand towards the desk drawer as he recalled that had an important schedule —

“... I have a schedule of meeting with the Marshals and the Governor of Luceaburgh today. What time was it?”

He turned his head 35-degree angle left towards the corner of the room. There, he saw a tall, freestanding long wooden case sitting alone right behind the light green couches. Inside the wooden case, there was a pendulum moving back and forth sideways to no end; It was called the long case clock.

It makes sense for him to search what time is currently after all he felt hours had passed as he wrote an entire report that he’ll submit to the preliminary officers and the senates. It passes time and he never notices how long he’s been writing a 56-page long report that is to be submitted by Monday.

Metaphor dialect his eyes towards the face of the long case clock, As he gazed, the short black hand struck 9 while the long black hand placed in 4. To his face, he was astonished that it was already 9:21 P.M., at first he assumed that he was writing slowly and thought that the report would never reach the 80th page while never noticing the report paper kept stacking up. When he looked up the clock, his face was in a dept of surprise that the report he had written was almost complete as he only took 6 hours to get up to 56 pages—

—Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!

There was a series of sounds as the wooden doors were repeatedly violated that traveled all across Metaphor’s office. Metaphor raised his head and was caught off guard as his face was dazed like a bee.

“Who is it? Miss Meriannada?”

He asked and called the person who he taught the most obvious one behind the door.

“It’s me, Master. I’ve brought you your meals just as you told me.”

“Oh----- It’s finally here. You may—”

“—Also The Eclipse is here, Master. They like to see you in person.”

“!!!”

Meriannada spoke, confirming that she was the person behind the hard wooden doors. Metaphor ‘Ohh’ in relief, he curved his mouth into a slight-large smile; He was deeply excited that his servant had arrived from the long journey to the kitchen, as if he was impatiently to feast the meal she’d brought for him.

Yet… The word ‘Eclipse’ echoed through his ears, and the moment of silence had begun; He raised his brows momentarily, and his eyes quickly shifted into daggers as he rearranged his colors and brushed off dust onto his black leather coat sleeves. He clasped his hands and placed them on his desk.

“You may enter, Everyone.”

The sounds of metal clunks of the bronze knob turning, the doors made a creek-like noise as they opened. Meriannada waltzed inside the office carrying the tray filled with food in hand as she made her way towards the table. Behind her were 2 fellows dressed in cloaks of shades as their entire bodies were shrouded in an ominous aura in the room, they soon followed after the maid and remained standing in front of Metaphor’s table.

Meriannada placed the tray, filled with a plate of roasted potato then a glass of water along with two pairs of silverware; on the table towards the left side of her view. She turned her gaze at Metaphor with a worn-out expression and asked.

“Would it be alright to place your meals here, Master?”

“Sure. I won’t mind.”

Metaphor closed his eyes and gave a smile at his maid with the utmost respectable reply he could give.

The maid stepped back right behind the table before giving a slight bow. Metaphor gazes at the 2 men in black cloaks and says.

“Anything news you have brought me, Gentlemen?”

The two men kneeled at their leaders before raising their heads again.

“Your Majesty, Forgive us for intruding.”

“We’ve brought unfortunate news, that you’d like to deal with them.”

“The News that you must take immediate action as they already violate the law.”

The 2 men talk in turns, speaking a piece of information they had gained. Metaphor was pleased to listen to the pair as he opened his eyes and said.

“Unfortunate news, Hmm? Let me see your reports.”

The 2 men reached their arms underneath their cloaks, There was a pile of papers bundled with a rubber band inside the pocket. They take out their own bundled papers and stretch their arms out on the table.

“Here are the reports compiled with the other Eclipse Member.”

“This includes ours too. This is all the information we had gatherers for the entire week.”

Metaphor nodded his head as a re reply, he briefly stared at the papers in their palms. With all the collection gathered in one place, He rose from his seat and swiftly collected the papers. He sat down again and immediately took a look at the Eclipse’s findings.

Page by page, he thoroughly scanned through all the paragraphs before he shifted the paper to another. Reading all the sentences made him gain new information that he didn’t know before. However, reading had a price that he must overcome the obstacle that he was going to discover.

“This. Is…” Metaphor clenched the paper gently.

“Based on the report provided by our informant, we discovered crates containing unregistered firearms being loaded onto an unlicensed truck. As we pushed into their territory, we encountered numerous adversaries within the facility. The Eclipse ultimately triumphed as we seized control of the location, although some managed to escape with the crates. No survivors were left for interrogation; many fought fiercely, while others chose to take their own lives to safeguard their hive from falling into our hands.”

“Among the bodies, the law enforcement shared with us, there were mixed races in the facility. Such as 17 Humans, 26 vampires, 19 Elves, and 22 unidentified humanoid beasts. The co-leader had already fled before we arrived and Most importantly they shared with us, was the information on the person who runs the facility. To summarize their report, It was governor, Mikhael Der Guillotyn.”

“I can’t believe it…” His eyes were brimming with disturbance as it was widely open for the onlookers to see, “How could he…” His body was becoming heated as it was fueling with flames.

Meta curled his hand into a fist tight, before pausing for a brief moment. With his fist strength quivering, he unclenched his hand and let out a deep sigh as he lowered his head.

“My apology, my liege. We were surprised to learn the Governor of Luceaburgh is secretly working with the rebellious faction.” The first man in the cloak replied, feeling bitter in his tone.

“Was it certain that he works with the Maiorpars?” Metaphor shifted his gaze below the table with a scowl.

“No. We assumed Mikhael Der Guillotyn was working with the rebels. Based on the informants and evidence against him.”

“We, The Eclipse, had been suspicious of him ever since he missed four of the senates' hearings and was caught leaving outside Nachtsylvania without a permit .” The second man in the cloak replied after the first man.

The room briefly went silent. Metaphor sunk to his comfy seat and turned against the window pane. He casually admired the great view of several trees of the forest of Luceaburgh. His mind relaxed to the eminent view as he took a deep breath before excelling.

He turned his seat towards the front again, in the presence of his members.

“I still hold on to that belief, that Governor Guillotyn didn’t turn against his nation.” Metaphor knitted his brows.

Having personally acquainted himself with the governor, Metaphor reluctantly clings to the hope that his fellow politician hasn't veered onto the path of righteousness. He sensed nothing untoward about the governor during their encounter.

“Is that so, my liege?”

“So, are you implying that our evidence is inefficient to hold a case against him?”

The second man grabbed a clothes and took off his hood, revealing his face underneath it.

He had light orange hair, with his bangs covering most of his nasal areas. He shot a foul scowl as if he had tasted soured cuisines.

“Not necessarily. Your report is straight and solid enough to unravel the nature of the governor. However, even if the report was true, I'd like to confirm his behavior by observing him.”

Metaphor opened his eyes with a stern look.

After he made such a speech, the room was overflowed with flabbergasted, three of the people in that room felt outrageous in his speech. Adding further that Metaphor has turned his speech into some form of mockery.

The first man took his hood off and immediately interjected, “That’s absurd your Highness.”

“Hm? How’s that?” Asked Metaphor.

“Letting a suspected traitor roam free with no action from us is by far the worst possibility for the country’s future! We wouldn't waste seconds of killing him.”

“I agree with my eldest brother, Your Majesty. Letting the governor get close to you, may strike an opportunity that may be the domino effect. It is a major flaw for letting the enemy take advantage of your kindness—”

“—Who would anyone think that I’m kind, Hm?” Metaphor curved his mouth into a smirk, “I’m aware my kindness will jeopardize the Asteri Dynasty. But, that wasn’t my point for defending him under my volition.”

“Wha– what were you trying to say?”

“I’m completely at a loss here.”

The maid behind her king stood silent as her eyes firmly closed. She listened to the entire conversation without uttering a word. Not even eagerly to speak against her king's decision to let the traitors do the things they were supposed to do, type of behavior.

As the two brothers stared at their king in dazed. Metaphor rephrases his words earlier to make them clearer for everyone.

“I’ll say it again. We need a little more hindsight on the matter of the subject, involving the Governor of Luceaburgh, correct? Despite strong evidence against him. I was thinking of testing him, not to waste our time to stalk him, but rather to buy more time to observe him before you made your move. I indicate to be intuitive when it comes to my subjects, I’ve wanted to learn his perspective from a different angle.” As Metaphor explained, “Do you get it, Eclipse.” He intently made a sharp gaze.

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The two brothers slowly turned their heads at each other and discussed what they gained from their king’s insight. It didn’t take long before they turned their head again and faced their king with a ready-like look.

“I understand where you are coming from. But are we letting him off just this once?”

“Not necessarily letting him go. More of uncovering something he hadn't grasped on.”

Metaphor tilted his head and rested on his backhand. He lightly smiled as he let out a calm tone.

“!?”

"What is it?”

The two shot a dumbfounded look.

“Something I’ve been thinking earlier, like before we make our move on Mikhael. Say to pursue his associates and then his belongings from his office right after.”

“Ah! We're going to conduct an entrapment operation to his associates." The second man replied.

“Precisely! We’re commencing another joint operation with all the available ranks left. That is why I'm tasking you two and the other squads to infiltrate Mikhael's associates and interrogate them for any involvement in his activity.”

"Hang on, This task is only for his associates. What about him? The governor himself. After we'd raided his suspected lackeys, what are you going to do with him? After the ordeal”

Metaphor turned his attention to the first man with a face of What is it expression?

“About him…” He rose from his seat and walked around the table, “The governor is mine to deal with. You guys should go and tailed his associates until they led you to their stronghold.”

“And then we captured their members if they surrender or prevent them from taking their own life as possible.”

“To be fair elder brother. The enemy we’d come across were persistent in protecting their friends’ information from ever leaking. Hence, they took their lives right in front of us or fought to the very end.”

As the second man looked at his elder brother. Metaphor walked in a circle as the clack of his boots echoed through the brother’s Ears.

“Now you understand the situation you’re in. You must at least bring back any, one, or two of his associates alive. Prevent them from committing suicide for us to push the investigation further to uncover the person who’d run the revolutionary group.”

He immediately paused right at the center of the doorway.

“That’s why I want all of you, your entire squad, to capture Mikhael’s associates immediately right before the news of the raid went public tomorrow morning as it would notify him that something had happened to his business.”

Metaphor proudly smiled with a brimming confident expression.

The two nodded at the same time, agreeing to their leader's command every inch of his words.

“One thing. What are you going to do with the governor right after we’ve raided his associates?” The first man asked.

“Since I have a political meeting with the governor this evening…”

“—Meeting?!”

“... It would be more appropriate to confront him first without him knowing that this would be the last day of his freedom.”

“However, you don’t have someone to accompany you, my liege.” The second man quickly replied to Metaphor’s statement.

“Don’t have someone to accompany me?” Metaphor glances flabbergasted, “But I have Merianada here who will accompany me, and then my adored—” his mouth later curved into an unwavering smile with the gaze of a confident tiger.

Till a shout interjected his voice.

“—ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!!!!?” The first man stood out from his knees and lashed out in rebuke.

Metaphor shot an unfazed look. He heard his plea loud and clear but remained silent as the man continued to hurl his speech.

“Brother!! I know who you're referring to, But please. Use your inside voice—”

“Be quiet!— Sir! Are you sure… You are going to bring, her?! With you? You must think this through. She’s stubborn, She’s selfish and pushes everyone aside for the sake of her own needs. Not only we've been disregarded, but she also disregards you—”

“THAT’S!! Enough… Kigai–”

A voice of a woman, behind the Metaphor, had resonated throughout the entire they were in. Merianada raised her voice in frustration at the first man.

“–I will no longer tolerate your behavior any further in his presence!!” She knitted her brows and exclaimed, “If you have any objection to the king’s decision, then I have no choice but to arrest you for treason! As one of Metaphor’s highest officers!!”

Merianada dug her hands into her left sleeve and tore the edges with ease. She retracted her nails as they grew in a slight inch.

Uttering a threat that endangered his life. The man’s expression did not falter at such a threat. His heart grew more annoyed than ever when the maid threatened him.

“OOHH!! You’re on her side, Merianada. You’re forgetting that she violated the Eclipse’s Vision and Values.” He lowered his head then clicked his teeth and lip, “Tch, as expected for a maid protecting her fellow com—”

“Quiet you!! I have the right to defend the king’s decision with no disapproval. You know that, do you, right?”

“Okay then…” Kigai clapped, “.... Why? Are you defending Her?” The man pursed her lips as he intently glared at Merianada.

“If you mean Shairlita,” She let out a sigh. Opening her eyes and turning her gaze to him, “I’m afraid my master wasn’t referring to her—”

“— Oh Ho You’re trying to protect her, are you? By pretending to be stupid!”

“Again. Shairlita is unnecessary to this conversation. There was no point in uttering her here.”

“Huh?! Don’t play dumb on us, you have forgotten what she had done to our unit!”

“Oh please!” Merianada rolled her maroon eyes, “That was five months ago. Everyone from the Căutător has already moved on from that incident—”

“— MOVE ON!!?” He angrily interjected.

“Brother, Please keep your voice down. Your voice might cause commotion outside of this room.”

The first man named —Kigai— turned to his partner and paused for a moment. While processing what he had to say momentarily, he took a deep breath and exhaled all of his rage as he spoke in a modulated tone.

“Let me remind you of something that happened five months ago…”

Metaphor calmly glanced at the two without a single word spoken for a minute. Merianada glared intently at Kigai. She had her hand hovered on her lower sleeves.

“... You recall that joint raid operation right? If you do, yes it was one of the biggest raids between us, the Căutător, and all three ranks from the Eclipse. I was hyped to fight alongside our comrades– and a few rookies.”

“Yes, I remember that operation…. More vividly. Members of the Ornio ranks were certain to record everything that had happened on that day of the operation.”

“Then you recall how noble is Ssshhairlita! Don’t you.”

“Whatever your aim here. She did, what all had to do as part of the Eclipse.” Mirianada slightly lowered her eyelids. Complying with her principal, she wasn’t having any of the words from him, entered her thoughts.

“Oh by violating the Eclipse’s code?! Preposterous!!”

Metaphor took a big bite of his baked potato off of his fork, in the middle of 2 of his trusted officers and servants arguing over something that had happened months ago. The face of Mirianada was rather sulk in the entire conversation with Kigai’s stubborn spout, almost as if she wanted to move on from this conversation.

“That’s quite a big assumption there. What did she violate?” Asked Metaphor.

“My King, what she violated the number one rule of our code, Nay act insubordinate to one another. We were organized till she decided to stray from our group and killed the person of interest. I was told to not kill them, in any circumstance, but to capture him alive. Many of our friends were injured from the assault, dealt by the enemy, Miss. Hellcat was assigned to take the wounded yet, she left them six feet under.”

“I see…” Metaphor Sullen.

“Not only did she violate our code. You recall the high counselor held the first division leader, our leader, accountable for what she’d cause.”

“— Okay that’s enough.” Mirianada Interjected.

“Our division’s reputation plummeted after the ordeal. Everyone disdains our division with a scornful look on their face.”

“Kigai, That’s enough,”

“Many people were staring at us, looking back at us, vexed, some were wary of us, for we were responsible for the life we had lost, and many enemies had gotten away. That’s why I implore you to not assign her for this operation—”

Mirianada grabbed a nearby wine glass from his master’s table. She winded up her arms at her back and—

Crash!

Something unpredictable had happened. The glass shattered upon impact, fragments of the glass drooped on Kigai’s shoes and scattered everywhere. The fragment covered his shoes, and his cloak was soaked in dark blood. On his far left forehead touched by his hand, he retracted his hand and flipped his hand to his palm. Upon staring at the sight of his palm, there was a small blot of red liquid on his palm, freshly made from his forehead wound.

He turned his view to Mirianada, seeing her pair of sharp canine teeth flashing through his eye. With the expression of a lion, there’s no doubt she was furious at him.

“I told you, HOLD your tongue!!.”

Everyone in the room was stunned by her stunt as if they were about to gasp.

“Oh my. Miss Mirianada, what have you done!”

The second man named —Mapai— while processing what had happened was frozen in place, the scenario was as fast as had occurred when the complaints turned violent to one another making him think so much longer than a minute. Mapai turned his head to the maid with an overwhelming thought of unanswered emotion. With his eyes widened along with his face turned pale.

Metaphor was in a situation when tension rose. His mind was transmitting his conscience, whether he should act and prevent the two parties from ever going out of hand.

Insulted by the latter, it was unclear to him what was going on in his head. His blood was boiling, his skin was steaming, and there was nothing he could do to express his well-being as he intently focussed on Mirianada.

“So…” He tilted his head, “you were looking for a fight.”

The cut from his far left forehead skin suddenly joined back together and patched on its own in an instant. As if time had rewound, but it never did.

Kigai raised his palm, facing towards her.

“Magic… Formula, complete! Binary settled.”

“Oh ho, I knew you had it in you.”

Mirianada stretched her arms at the end of her left wrist, she grabbed the end sleeves and ferociously tore off the piece of fabric from her wrist.

With the sharp nail of her thumb extended, she punctured the surface layer of her skin. From the punctured wound she made, spewing a small amount of blood. In just a short time, the blood engulfed half of her wrist, scowling as she faced Kigai.

“I can take you on and obliterate you like a toothpick, Wench!!.”

As the two gaze at each other in a hostile manner, breaking the peaceful relationship in the room, slowly engage in their combat stance, resembling two wolves disputing over their prey.

After carefully coming up with a proposition, to simmer the two down back to their senses. Metaphor squinted his eyes, unsure, and thought even deeply as his proposition might worsen the situation, prematurely damaging the relationship as an ally.

He took a deep breath and exhaled out the air. He reached his right hand into his vest pouch, inside was a carved-out flat, pancake-like pebble.

— I'd rather not spend a significant amount of my Ether on petty disputes among children. Hopefully, this approach will be effective.

He pulled out the pebble and flicked it with the tip of his thumb as he stroked his finger in a straight line. Flying forward straight to the center table between the two people in conflict. He shouted—

“ISA!!”

The pebble came into contact with the marbled floor as it made a thud. Metaphor channeled all of his wits, visuals, and skills, as the Ether inside the room had bent and clumped together within the pebble which is called—

“A rune?” Mapai muttered.

A series of lights dance around the pebble as it violently flashes everyone's face, it projects waves of thick ice within the center point of its creation.

Accordingly, the ice billowed in all directions, engulfing a small portion of the room, including the table itself.

“That’s enough, you two. As your king, master, and leader. I can’t allow you to ravage this room built by my father before him.”

Metaphor sulks at his officers. It was justifiable why he’s upset 2 of his officers fighting over a person they’d disagree with nor defend. Seeing her master summon an ice in here, Merianada bent to her knees and lowered her head, defeated, submitting to her master's order.

Kigai, on the other hand, reacted the opposite of what the maid had presented.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, Master Metaphor. It was childish for me to let my judgment get the best of me.”

Metaphor took a slight glance from her and never responded before moving his head to Kigai.

“You still haven’t changed your mind ‘bout that Imp!? The mission wasn’t designed for her anyway.” He was exasperated as he looked away at the end of his sentence.

“You’re right. The raid wasn’t suited for my dear, Shairlita. Instead, She’ll be accompanying me along with the Ornio.”

“That doesn’t make it any better than before!! Sir.”

—Showing how desperate his situation is, Kigai continuously begged as he pleaded to lead the operation a success without having this person –Shairlita– messing up on board. He wasn’t entirely wrong, nor he was entirely right, but a hunch to avoid any further mistake they had been previously ashamed of in the past.

“Please think twice, Sir. Open your eyes and see the outcome if you’re willing to choose her over our team, squad mates, or anyone from the Eclipse. It will ruin your name and your reputation, ell it will worsen your little sister’s name while in exile.”

Upon hearing that last sentence. Metaphor’s thoughts hit with a cue as if his words dug up memories of his.

“____”

While listening to Kigai’s complaint, Metaphor’s eyes deepened with overwhelming thoughts, ridiculing the last sentence he heard.

As the minutes dragged on, the words of the conversation became hazy as flashes of images filled his thoughts, seeing a young girl dazzling in her frilly dress in a twilight zone somewhere on the hilltop. The only noticeable part from her was the sun ray dancing to her luxurious platinum hair, smiling gracefully that’s filled with life.

“I’ve explained whhhyyy I don't want her around, To summarize, she’ll perform something reckless without your consent, and the damage she made is permanent.”

The king broke out from his thoughts, he steadily looked at Kigai’s orange eyes with a firm expression.

“Now, do you understand my pleas? Right?”

Kigai’s plead had foamed into an unstable resentment from his throat. A box that couldn’t hold with the amount of grudge had built up, waiting for the opportunity to explode. Clenching his hands tight as the fingers of his, sunk through his palm, dripping fresh new blood that stained the floor.

“I understand your complaint, Kigai. However, Shairlita hasn’t been active lately, approximately a month after being promoted to the Glaux It’s unfair to prohibit her from joining this mission. .”

“Sir!!!” Kigai exasperated.

“Shairlita needs to be in this mission!”

“Sir…”

A serene voice spread across the room. Picking up his eardrum, Metaphor turned his eyes towards the speaker.

“... That's not what my brother meant,” Mapai spoke up. He gazed unpleased to Metaphor.

He Briefly paused for a moment, taking a deep breath with an irritated look. As he exhaled his breath he walked and stood beside Kigai.

“You know, our Division endured insult and humiliation from her months after the last operation. Let’s be honest, she could have done the same again to the Glaux. It’s for the best, to pull her out of this mission. Who knows what’s brewing inside of her thoughts? You have to come up with a better reason, for us—”

“How about this? Right after I shared the raid mission information with her. I’ll have a long talk with her. Relating to the complaints you had filed.”

Despite his members were against having the girl, who’d tarnish their reputation, to be tasked. Metaphor insisted on assigning the troubled girl with the lack of intention had yet to share.

He offered a proposal to Mapai, suggesting a way to have Shairlita in the raid. Displaying no sign of turning back his words as he persisted in making up a solution for both parties to be dissatisfied.

“Not just only you two had complained, but another member, about six to eighteen members, from your divisions denounced the same person we’d recently mentioned. So I’m thinking we could settle by asking little Shairlita and her attitude.” Metaphor professionally smiled.

The bitterness slowly grew within Kigai, which bore strong resentment. As blood boiled through his veins the further his king went on. Yet… He couldn’t grasp the situation any longer.

“You think talking can allllwwwways work on that Hellcat? You’re wrong—”

“—Wait Brother!! I believe his proposal might work for Lady Shairlita.”

“HMM??! Are you NUTS?! The Hellcat wouldn’t lend an ear to him. Even he’s among the highest rank on earth!”

Kigai shifted his left hand as he secretly pointed his palm to Metaphor.

“Now hold on, let’s jump to the conclusion. Hear me out. It’s hard to tell what was Shairlita thinking as we cannot read her thoughts. If we did then we would have got the definite answer needed. Since we’re speculating, I believe she admired our king in her way.”

“.....” Kigai nodded his head.

“The entire premise of this organization was entirely in the thoughts of ‘put our trust and devotion’ to you, Your Majesty. And the High Counselor. She must have felt the same as us.”

“Sigh…. Alright. As much as I hate to say this… We’ll let her in on this mission. In two conditions… one, never show her face and ask our assistant ever again. Two, have a chat with her and convince her to freshen up that behavior of hers. Viewing us her disposal tool is unspeakably disgusting.”

He walked towards Metaphor with each step he took, clacking in a rhythmic pattern.

“I can tell in just a glance of her sorry, unfazed face~~”

The man stopped on his trail as he grabbed Metaphor’s shoulder before leaning through his ear and whispering. The voice blew, faint, soft, yet eerie through his eardrum. Kigai deeply stared into his soul with the face of a killer as he curved into a smirk.

“What are you doing?” Mirianada asked.

“I understand. Could you let go? It’s unsettling to see you more… eccentric.” Metaphor lowered his eyelids as he glazed.

“Oh, my bad. I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

Kigai quickly reverted to his normal self and smiled, blissfully. He apologized for making him uncomfortable, and not long after he faced away, and casually returned to his post as if it never happened.

Mapai looked his brother straight in the eye with a wary look as he frowned.

Looking back, It would seem the tension had slowly died down as Kigai remained quiet in his spot, never having spoken a word. This made Metaphor sigh in relief, he turned his attention to Mirianada and found her dusting off the dirt from her skirt.

He shifted his head again, toward the right, at his grandfather clock. Looking at their face, the long-hand was placed in the number 9, while the shorthand had struck 11. Telling Metaphor that it was already 9: 55 P.M.

“Well, If you’ll excuse me. I’ll better bring the others in this room for our small orientation.”

Metaphor turned his back on them and turned his view at the door. He stretched and took his black leather coat from the coat rack, ready to waltz out of the room…. Till—

“—Wait! Should I accompany you, Master?” Mirianada query.

He stopped and turned his head at the maid. There wasn’t any reason to accompany him at the palace. Instead, he smiled contentiously.

“No…” He opened his eyes and averted his pupil, “But I can make up for your absence by cleaning up the ice I’ve created.”

“Sure!! No problem.”

Observing the extensive line of ice for a brief moment, she promptly adjusted her stance and respectfully bowed to her master at her discretion.

Metaphor was hit with a perplexed look, gazing awkwardly at his maid. He then shrugged it off with a smile as if he was seeing a pet being obedient to him in return.

“Alright. I’ll be back in a short minute or two. They weren’t far off from here.”

He turned the knob clockwise, it opened and exited through the 1 way door. Seeing the maid slowly wave her hands back to him while baring with an unfazed look, doesn’t seem to falter anytime soon.

Metaphor gently closed the door as it made a clack, signifying the king had parted the room. He opened his eyes again, scanning around the vicinity and turning his head from left to right. With his sharp glance, the eyes sent back a signal to the brain, letting him know that there wasn’t anyone around him.

— Now what floor is hers…. Oh, It’s right below this floor.

He walked through the left hallway, aiming to find the stairwell leading to the desired floor.

3

Mirianada approached the ice arranged on the central table with measured steps, casually advancing before reaching out her hand to the magical ice's surface. As she drew near, her index finger glided through the glassy surface, and sensed the frigid air emanating from the ice.

“Good thing that, master uses runes instead of traditional magic. Considered yourself lucky.”

The red tip of her nails extended to a degree, long and pointy, sharpened as knives where she gazed to the side. She thrust her hand on solid ice, where the object broke a little piece.

“It seems it’s tougher than I thought. I underestimated these runes.” She remarked openly.

She repeatedly thrust her nails over and over, dozens of times as ice chunks fly out from the foundation. It was a long, tiring process for a cleanup, Mirianada couldn’t help, but shed sweat the more she put more stamina into her arms.

“Brother, have we encountered the activation of a rune for the first time?”

“Huh??? I ain’t remembered shit, the last time I fought a rune user. Why would I care to see Puny Rune in action.”

Mapai turned to his brother and asked for his comment on what he’d witnessed. Considering the last second where the runes immediately detonate upon the call of its caster, Kigai wasn’t appalled in the slightest.

“I see…” Mapai smiled wryly, “I guess it has been a while since we’ve seen one.”

“Hmph, only a talented Magi can learn those from Europa. Tch, I still don’t get where he’d learn such—”

TCHUK!!

The two just felt a gush of wind pass through, between them. It was fast with only just three seconds it took followed by a loud thud. Both had turned their back and saw a chunk of ice.

“Would you be kind enough to lend a help here? I can’t work alone when removing such molds in the room.”

Mirianada called the two brothers who were in discussing on the other side. She gave an unfazed look with sharp eyes while breaking off a piece of ice one at a time in the center.

“Quick Question, Miss. Braam Meijer.” Mapai Asked.

“!?” She turned her gaze with a sharp stare, “What is it?”

“How is, his majesty’s well-being?”

Mirianada heard the last sentence clearly and then was struck with an anxious feeling in the inside.

“Awful… that’s the only word I could describe.” Mirianada frowned.

4

“Sigh, you sure have grown, my dear sister.”

Standing in front was a luxurious door with windows that resembled colored glass. He pressed his thumb against the handle set's lever as it made a monotone click. The sound echoes through the hall as if the place was deserted.

The door slowly opened and his skin felt warm as the temperature had risen in the inside. He gazed at the first thing he saw in the room with an unfazed look where he–

“Hoh?! I didn’t know I had guests this time around.”

The voice of a girl rings across the room. It was majestic and condescending through Metaphor’s ears resembling silver bells chiming the night.

“Hey!! Sim–” Metaphor smiled brightly.

“Why are you here, my liege? Feh”

Interrupting his speech, she swept her long silver luxurious wavy hair, fixing her gaze with dagger-like garnet eyes towards him.

In a timeless oak-framed chair with elegant beige upholstery and a generously cushioned seat sat a girl. She wore a black long-sleeved garment with white accents and a lace-adorned white cap on her head. Unlike typical maids would wear, she donned silk attire around her chest and adorned herself with iron leaves, along with heeled shoes on her legs.

“That is unmannerly impolite to show in front of your elder, Sim–”

“It’s Shairlita!”

“Right, hahaha Shairlita.”

Leaning her right arm on the chair’s armrest. the girl strategically advances the white bishop diagonally to H4 with a piercing gaze toward him.

“Are you here to give me a lecture on those 2 Stooges?"