—Aaaaa, let go of my arm, I’ve already told you I don’t know!

A few minutes had passed since the ESCORE (Sword of Lightning Cut) had unlinked from the Second Legacy Cole Darkwood, and instead had bonded to me. First, there were a few minutes of shock before Investigator Carlo shouted to the nearby guards to arrest me immediately. Although I am part of the nobility, that doesn’t exempt me from being arrested when the Empire requires it.

My small personal guard was quickly subdued after being caught off guard by the order. Christian tried to reason with the investigator, but in his eagerness to be heard, he got too close to Carlo and was quickly knocked out by a guard.

Now we were in one of the makeshift tents, inside of which were some guards, the investigators Casarrubias, Christian (who was still unconscious), and me. Investigator Carlo held my arm tightly, enough to prevent me from moving (not that I intended to) but not so tight as to cause me pain. His gaze emanated a myriad of emotions that I was not entirely able to identify. The red of his iris seemed to want to consume every part of my being; his fangs were showing in what I assumed was fury. If I could say one thing for sure, it was that he was desperate. His expression changed once a hand rested on his shoulder.

—Let him go, Carlo. It’s clearly some kind of automatic bonding. Obviously, one of the Superior Treasures must have some kind of enchantment mechanism that cannot be replicated in our time.

Carlo held my gaze for a few more seconds. I swallowed, and he finally let me go, releasing my arm. I let out a long sigh and turned to look at Christian. If it weren’t for the situation we were in, I would probably say he looked cute sleeping, “though him being knocked out doesn’t really take away from how cute he looks sleeping.” I’d probably have to visit Emilia when we got back to the mansion.

—Alex, when—

—Alexander, —I quickly interrupted him— Sorry, I don’t like being called that.

—…I understand. —Jake looked at me with surprise— Alexander, when you touched the sword, you had a very strange reaction. You stared at the Second Legacy’s corpse for a considerable amount of time. Do you have any idea what caused that reaction?

I closed my eyes, trying to clearly remember that moment. No memory came to mind; however, I felt a sense of happiness for some reason. My lips inevitably formed a smile as I continued to focus on pulling that feeling towards me. Something moistened my upper lip, and suddenly I felt dizzy. I swayed backward, and hands caught me by the shoulders.

—Alexander, are you okay? —It was Jake who was holding me— What did you see?

—The truth is… I didn’t see anything. I only have a feeling from the memory… I don’t know if I’m really getting across, but it’s like I feel something happened that makes me happy, although I don’t know what it is…

Jake seemed to calm down a bit after hearing me. He took a cloth from his robe and handed it to me.

—Your brain probably blocked the memory. Although… that usually only happens with traumatic memories, it’s strange that you say you feel… happiness —Jake looked at me with curiosity.

—Maybe if we torture him, we might get something out of him! —Carlo looked at us with enthusiasm— What?

—I doubt that will help at all. You saw the exaggerated reaction his body had trying to remember. If we force him, we’d probably just kill him.

—If we do that, we could get another Bearer.

—And risk the weapon rejecting thousands of bearers or never finding another one again? Not a chance. Maybe that same mechanism prevented there being another Bearer before the Second Legacy.

—Perhaps we could make the current Bearer transfer it to us —Both looked at me at the same time.

—Huh? I… suppose I can try.

We spent a good while trying to make the weapon unlink from me, but nothing worked. I focused on getting rid of it as much as I could, but in the end, it always came back to me. I said all kinds of deactivation phrases I could think of, but none worked. I threw it with the intention of getting rid of it, but still, nothing worked.

—It might be some sort of security mechanism of the weapon. We don’t yet have a real understanding of how all the superior treasures work.

—The Empire only possesses two of the eleven Superior Treasures, —Carlo added— And only one of the nine Inferior Treasures, so our research on these weapons is still very behind. Even so, the research has yielded some rather… well, interesting results hahaha… hahaha!

Carlo began to laugh uncontrollably while raising both arms in the air. "How the hell did someone like this get his position?" I glanced towards Christian, who seemed to be starting to wake from his trance, turning to look at me, confused about the situation we were in. Jake came closer to me to say something quietly.

—Don’t worry about this, it happens sometimes.

—Hahaha, young Rayfield, you’ll soon see firsthand the fruits of our Great Empire’s powerful military hand! Be glad you were born in this era. I’m sure that, now that you’re a Bearer, you’ll serve our nation well.

—What do you mean by serving the nation? —Christian had finally managed to stand… half-way, leaning on a soldier’s shoulder while staring at Carlo.

—Hahaha, you didn’t think the Empire would let such a powerful weapon gather dust on a shelf while its armies march to war, did you? —Christian stared at him intently, slowly realizing the implications of those words— You already know how the weapon works; even in death, it doesn’t leave its owner. Even if we sacrifice young Rayfield, we still wouldn’t be certain it would abandon him to be with a… more capable warrior.

—But that would only happen if the Empire goes to war, right?

—Hahaha, if it goes to war? Clearly, you don’t know this nation well enough. There’s always a war; if not with the East, it will be with the West.

—But we’re at peace with the West!

—First of all, remove that ‘we’re’ from your vocabulary. You’re not part of our people. If the Rayfield family has provided you protection after your people lost, it’s something I find admirable, but don’t think for a second that you’re anything like us, dirty Smith —Those words shook Christian strongly; I could see his mask slowly falling along with his tears.

—This is insulting! —I shouted at Carlo— When my mother…

—What? Do you think they’ll relieve me of my duties? No noble has power over me, unless they find a better engineer than me. I’m indispensable to the Empire; in our nation, meritocracy is everything! You’d better start accepting your fate now, Alex.

Carlo handed me the written report along with the sword in a sheath that seemed to be made for it. Jake and some guards escorted us to the door. I took a fleeting glance at Christian, who had a distant look. I had never seen him like this. No, I had seen that look before; it was the same one he had when he talked to me about his former life.

“What is this supposed to mean? Am I going to be sent to war with the West? None of this makes sense. I thought I’d have more time to prepare. Damn, I shouldn’t have come here, I shouldn’t have taken that sword in my hands. Why the hell did I do it? My mother is going to be angry with me when she finds out. I was only supposed to take these papers and come back. Wait a moment, what about Christian? I don’t know if he’s okay.”

—I’m sorry for the inconvenience your visit caused, Alexander, —Jake said before we left the tent— I hope you can forgive my brother; he can be quite insensitive sometimes. He’s only interested in the truth, even if it’s cruel…"

I didn’t respond, just turned my gaze away from him. Jake seemed to understand my rejection and simply nodded before going back inside. Christian and I met up with our guard waiting for us. The trip out of the park was terribly quiet; no one said anything, the sound of metal clinking with each step I took.

—Damn, this sword is heavy.

Our carriage was waiting for us at the park entrance. I told the driver to take us to the Grand Forest Embassy. Christian climbed into the carriage, and before I entered, I asked our guards for some privacy, which they granted by mounting the rear and front of the carriage. Once we were moving, I moved to the seat next to Christian, who had already regained his usual expression, though I could still sense a different aura about him.

—Hey… —Christian looked at me expectantly— Are you okay?

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

—Are you asking me? They’re going to send you to war.

—I know, —I said, then bit my inner lip.

—So why do you think it would be okay?

—Chris… you’ll be fine. My mother…

—You don’t understand, do you?

I looked at him confused. I knew for sure that my mother would never be able to get rid of Christian; she had also grown fond of him just like I had. Christian was undoubtedly quite useful within the mansion. My mother would never part with him, even if he were to die in the war.

—But you'll be okay...

—This isn’t about me, Alex! —I looked at him a bit puzzled by his response and tone— Alex... are you okay with going to war?

—Well... it’s not like I’m exactly thrilled about it, but after all, it was my destiny. My mother is a Legacy; if I wanted to take her position, I had to pursue a military or political career. I just didn’t expect it to be so soon...

Christian’s gaze took on an unfamiliar quality. He seemed to look through me, as if I were a glass pane in the middle of his true focus. The light filtering through one of the carriage windows illuminated his brown eyes at an angle that made them almost look golden. Finally, after a moment, he turned his gaze away from mine. The rest of the journey passed in uncomfortable silence.

Trying to calm my thoughts, I started reviewing the notes from the report until I came across some paragraphs that caught my attention. “…Witnesses who were willing to cooperate with the investigation indicated that the suspect was a grizzly bear […] the ether levels in the crime scene suggest that the attacker used dye to mask his status.” Apparently, the marks on the ground weren’t the only evidence that it was a Protector.

“…There is suspicion of a possible member of the Union's High Militia due to his combat ability and tactical knowledge reported by the guards who were attacked… […] Due to the pattern of the craters and the arrangement of the footprints and skid marks, it is suspected to be a single attacker, ruling out the possibility of an ambush…” So, a member of the High Militia makes sense; it must have been an elite warrior to take down a Legacy.

The embassy was like a mini jungle, a mansion surrounded by dense vegetation. Some vines even climbed the stone structure of the mansion. Throughout Sencity, it was a unique structure. According to Emily, her father and an Alchemist from Sencity had designed everything, from the placement of each plant inside to every column that supported the building.

At the iron gate, some deer armed with spears and shields stopped us. Their green eyes showed no expression. Our driver presented our IDs, and after a brief wait, they let us in. I expected some reaction from Christian when he noticed we were at the embassy and not at the mansion, but he remained as impassive as before.

Inside the embassy was a long stone path wide enough for two carriages to fit side by side. An arch of vines covered the sky, keeping the carriage in the shade. At the end of the path, a roundabout awaited us, leading to the mansion.

It seemed like a somewhat busy day. In front of the mansion, a few carriages were lined up while several deer unloaded wooden boxes that were then brought into the mansion through a door not visible from our position. But from what I could gather, it was at the back.

Finally, we got down, and a doe accompanied us to meet Emilia. The interior of the mansion was decorated with various wooden sculptures resembling masks, while others were representations of deer in different poses. “I know this isn’t the first time I’ve visited Emilia, but the Evergreen family’s taste in the arts never ceases to amaze me."

We were led to a room inside the mansion where we would meet Emilia. The room was adorned with bookshelves on the sides, a small table in the center with a jug and a glass of water, along with a few cookies. There was also an elegant sofa in front of the table. On the sofa, a doe rested comfortably with a book in her hands, wearing a white dress and a jade bead necklace that matched her earrings. Her green eyes peeked out from behind a wooden mask with designs similar to those on the walls.

The doe removed her mask, revealing the fine details of her face—a fine white line starting from her black nose and extending to her tear ducts, where it slightly widened, giving her a rather aesthetic appearance.

—Alex and Christian! —Emilia said finally as she approached to give me a kiss and a hug, which I affectionately returned— My favorite bunny, tell me, what brings you here today? Our next appointment was supposed to be this weekend… Wait a minute, is that sword...?

—I know, it’s just that we had a run-in with some guards, and Christian got injured. I was wondering if you could grant me the favor of healing him. —Emilia’s brow furrowed as if questioning what had happened. I tilted my head and smiled, signaling that I would explain later.

—I suppose I can take a look, but you need to tell me what happened. Come, Christian, sit on the sofa —Christian approached Emilia and sat obediently— Tell me where you were hurt? Ah, on the head? Alright, let me examine that...

Emilia moved aside some of the wool covering the wound area and examined it carefully. She then opened a small drawer in the table and took out a cloth, which she dampened with a bit of water and wiped over the area, then removed it.

—Those guards didn’t hold back at all. There might be a risk of some brain damage. I’ll accelerate the healing process to avoid any possible side effects. You can endure the pain, right, Christian? —Christian nodded slightly, and Emilia placed a hand on his head. I could feel a portion of the ether in the atmosphere concentrate around Emilia. Christian grimaced and then relaxed.

—Is he okay? —I finally asked.

—Yes, he’ll be fine. He needs to rest a bit to recover. The accelerated healing just makes the wounds heal faster, so it also consumes some of the energy of the person being healed. —Emilia put her mask back on— Let’s go to the garden to talk for a moment.

—Oh, and I thought you only allowed me to go on a date with you once a week.

—Yes, you’re right. I guess today I’m in a very good mood. —Emilia extended her hand for me to take. I took her hand, interlacing our fingers. In response, she moved closer to me, and we began to walk.

—Alexander Rayfield, —she said in a slightly seductive tone— what will people say if they find out that the son of a Legacy and the daughter of the ambassador are dating?

—I fear they would condemn us to exile, dear —I replied with a mock solemn voice— But our love should know no boundaries, my dear.

—Oh! But what will we do if we are exiled, dear? What will we eat, where will we sleep?

—We will live on love, my dear. We will live on love.

We both tried to keep a serious demeanor as much as possible. Then we exchanged glances, and I raised an eyebrow and puckered my lips in a failed attempt to make a seductive face, which only made Emilia cover her mouth. After a failed attempt, she finally burst into laughter, and I also stopped holding back my smile and began to laugh with her.

—Hahaha, seriously, Alex?

—Ah... sorry, I didn’t know what else to do.

—Alright, Alex, be serious. We need to talk.

I stiffened and took a firm posture, mimicking Christian’s angry expression, with furrowed brows and crossed arms. Finally, I spoke in an extremely grave voice.

—Serious. —Emilia tried to control herself again but ended up laughing more, to the point of tears. Each time she seemed about to stop laughing, I would say, "Come on, Emilia, be serious," and her laughter would extend further.

—Enough! —she shouted after my repeated attempts to make her laugh, then tried to catch her breath— Ah… ah… look, I know something is clearly going on here, beyond Christian’s injuries. Normally, we would be mocking how stuffy he is, but today he hasn’t even said a word since we arrived.

—Ah… yes, I suppose you’re right. It’s just that it’s quite complicated. —I began to detail what had happened to us in the morning, how I had obtained the ESCORE, and how Christian had been injured.

—Okay, but I don’t understand exactly what made Christian feel so bad.

—Apparently, he was upset about the possibility of being sent to war. You know, now that I’m a Bearer, it’s likely that I’ll be sent to the battlefield, though it was always a possibility.

—I understands. After all, your mother is a Legacy, right? It’s one of the few options you have to gain prestige in the Empire.

—Yes, I guess they’ll give me time to learn how to use the ESCORE before sending me into real combat, so it’s not like I’m leaving immediately.

—Maybe your departure will come sooner than you think. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but political tensions with the western states are escalating. The latest tax hike on the use of the trade routes has enraged many merchants.

—So, there might be a third Great War.

—That, or a potential civil war. After all, the tax hike also affects the citizens of Sencity.

—But doesn’t the Empire provide financial support to the citizens of Sencity? —Emilia shook her head.

—Only to Warriors or Alchemists born in Sencity. The other races have to try for a meritocratic scholarship, which is beneficial, yes, but not everyone has the ability to earn one.

—Now that you mention it, the forensic reports suggested that the assassin of the second Legacy was a Protector —Emilia’s expression tightened for a moment— So, that’s probably adding more tension to the political situation with the West.

—A user of fourth-degree techniques?

—That’s what the latest evidence seems to suggest.

—That makes sense, not just anyone can kill a Lega…cy… wait a second —Emilia seemed to think for a few moments, her expression hidden behind the wooden mask, but her eyes widened noticeably through the slits— Alex… A Legacy with a superior weapon lost the battle… My eyes widened as I realized what she was saying —"It’s true, it wasn’t just a Legacy, one of the strongest warriors in the Empire, defeated with a superior weapon in their hands.”

—Bu- but that… no… maybe the Union has a Superior weapon too. There's no way a single user could kill a Bearer, especially not a Legacy.

—I suppose you must be right – Emilia stretched a little. – Either way, this only adds more tension to our political relationship with the West. You know they weren’t on board with our invasion of the East either. My father has been quite nervous about it all, he’s even had a few meetings with Union representatives – I sighed at the overwhelming possibilities flooding my mind. – Any way let’s keep that for another time, about Christian…

—What about him?

—Don’t you think he actually cares about you? —I looked at her, puzzled.

—I mean, yes, of course he cares about me, but don’t you think he’s acting a bit too extreme? You seem pretty calm, even.

—Yes, but I don’t… ah… forget it, let’s go back to see Christian —We headed back to the room from before, but just before we entered, Emilia placed a hand on my chest, signaling me not to go in until she gave me the word.

—Doctor stuff. I need to ask him a few personal questions before he leaves… Don’t even think about eavesdropping, long ears —Emilia gave me a deadly glare, and I responded with a grin.

—I would never do something like that. Emilia entered the room, closing the door behind her. I stood in place for a few seconds with my hands behind my back. “What does Emilia think of me? I wouldn’t listen in on a private conversation… about Christian… his private information… I wouldn’t eavesdrop… but, if I happened to overhear something, technically I wouldn’t be eavesdropping.” With a clear resolve, I pressed my head a bit against the door, raising my ear to try to catch something from their conversation inside. A few words slipped through the closed door; it was Christian’s voice.

—…he’s… too observant…another place… - I wasn’t understanding clearly what he was trying to say, but it seemed like he was talking about me.

—…too much time… sooner… - That was Emilia’s voice. A servant passed by, so I had to play it off for a moment before I could resume listening. This time, I pressed myself completely against the door. Emilia was still talking.

—Look, Christian, if something happens, I’ll be your safety net. I’ll buy you.

—I don’t know if it’s the right thing…

—Trust me. Just… do it, and then I’ll handle everything.

—Fine… I’ll do it.

—Okay, then I’ll open the door. For now, just try to act normal.

I quickly recomposed myself, as if I hadn’t been eavesdropping, and looked at Emilia. She had a determined look in her eyes. Then I glanced over at Christian. He was biting his lower lip slightly and avoiding eye contact with me. There was something in his expression. Guilt, fear?

“What the hell is going on here?”