“...” Lucina was silent as she stared off into the distance. I had finished relaying her father’s message, which was the cause of her currently spaced-out state.
“That’s troubling.” She finally said after a long pause. Lucina, Reya, Viina, Raiden, and myself were back in the cabin we had started out in. Winter had returned after checking up on the crew, but was sent back to make sure that they prepared for our imminent departure. In her place, Raiden had come when news concerning his family had been brought to him.
“What is? Viina asked. “It sounds like your siblings are going to get us off this death contraption. How is that bad?”
Lucina shared a look with me, and then turned to Reya, who seemed just as confused as Viina. The eldest in the room sighed, and briefly held her head in her hands before looking up.
“Normally I’d be reserved about sharing this information with someone from another kingdom, but considering the fact that she has a contract very similar to the others working under you, I’ll make an exception.”
She sighed, and sat up straight, looking directly at Reya. “Reya, do you know what our last big event of the year is?”
The younger princess looked like a deer in headlights momentarily, before finding her confidence and stating, “Yes. It’s our final war game against The Empire of the Sun. Why?”
I tried to remember which country that was, before X helpfully reminded me that it was a cluster of countries in South Africa.
“...” Lucina paused, seemingly stunned for a moment before responding. “Did father never tell you about our contingency codes?”
When Reya shook her head, Lucina let out a long sigh. “I see. I suppose that makes sense. That explains why father only asked for me.”
“Enough stalling,” Reya said, a hint of annoyance slipping into her voice. “Just get on with your point, Lucina.”
“If you were listening, you probably could have guessed father’s message.” Lucina shot back, frowning.
“The server is overloaded.” Viina began, rubbing her chin. “One admin has moved to another.”
“The server in this case is the Metronian Kingdom.” Lucina said. “The server is overloaded, meaning there are too many people in the kingdom. More specifically, there are too many parties with claims to rule the kingdom. Too many influential people. Because of that, an admin has left to go to another server.”
“One of the rulers has betrayed the Kingdom.” I whispered, realization dawning on me. “Probably using top-level information to buy their way into good graces.”
Lucina nodded, while Reya just stared down at the table, dumbstruck. “Do you have any clue who it could be?” Viina eventually asked.
Lucina shook her head. “Obviously it isn’t the twins, Reya, or Myself. Raiden is off as well. That leaves either Brice or Venus. I don’t think Brice is in a mental state to question anything told to him right now, which means-”
“Venus betrayed us, right before we were supposed to do our war game with her.” I supplemented. Lucina gave me a nod and turned to Raiden.
“Unless you want to own up to anything.” Raiden didn’t even twitch at the accusation, and merely rolled his eyes.
“Grow up Lucy. I’m not stupid enough to sell out the kingdom out of spite.” He gave me a look. “Although a certain Paladin makes it easier to cave in than not sometimes.”
I shrugged, and turned my focus back on Lucina, who nodded. “In that case, let’s assume she’d go to whichever place would pay her the most for her services right now. That would be-”
“The Empire of the Sun.” Viina said. “They’d pay an exorbitant amount of money for information on our paladin, technology, and military knowledge.”
“But why would she do it?” Reya asked. She told me She never got along with Brice, Raiden, or Venus, so the thought that her sister could betray the kingdom must have never crossed her mind.
“For personal gain, if I had to guess.” Raiden sighed. Lucina nodded, the two being in agreement as the only siblings older than Venus.
“Venus was obsessed with ruling the Kingdom. Whereas I didn’t care for the title itself, and Raiden felt obligated to answer the expectations of those around him, Venus felt like it was her god-given right to rule.”
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Lucina took a moment to briefly organize her thoughts before continuing. “When she started her project to reclaim the Rong city underworld and organize it to her benefit, our parents were skeptical. She started out in sixth place in our weekly rankings with it. However, she kept on cultivating the brothels, love hotels, and drug trade to a point where the economic growth was impossible to ignore. Raiden and I had been above her in the rankings for most of our lives, but she would have surpassed us in the next two years, had we done nothing.” Lucina explained.
Raiden nodded in assent, adding, “When Reya became the crowned princess, she went ballistic. I believe she was hoping Joshua would fail here so she would have more command over her own war game with him in the future. However, seeing as Paladin Cole dominated this event, that hope of hers was blown to the moon.”
“I can’t believe it.” Reya sighed. “Was that all really enough to send her over to the enemy?”
Lucina put a hand on Reya’s head, and began stroking her hair. “You underestimate the lust for power that our sister has. It’s an unhealthy obsession. One that has stayed with her for most of her adult life.”
Reya took a shuddering breath, and opened her mouth to speak. Just then, however, a warning message appeared in my notification feed.
“It seems like they’re here.” I said, getting out of my chair. Everyone else followed me, standing up from their seats. “I just received a warning that a ship is approaching at a fast pace. Viina, please go down to the living quarters with Raiden and direct the soldiers to the front of the craft. Reya and Lucina, you both come with me to meet the twins. From what I remember, you’re both the friendliest with them, so that’ll help out a ton.”
“One thing first.” Reya said as Viina and Raiden left the room. “Call them by their names, Gina and Kuro. They hate being collectively referred to, even more so if you use the term, ‘the twins.’”
I sighed. “Duly noted.”
---
In what was my first meeting with the royal twins, I had pretty low expectations. Who could blame me? In the entirety of my time in Ethia, any royalty I’d met had tried to control me, to murder me, or steer my future to fit their own political agenda.
“Master, you’re just projecting.” X grumbled, coming into existence next to Lucina, who was walking in front of me.
“Don’t talk out loud. She can’t see me right now. I can choose to show her, but I can easily make the opposite decision.”
Oh yeah? I wouldn’t have pegged you for being secretive. I intoned sarcasm into my thoughts, causing the feminine A.I. to shake her head.
“I take after you, Master. Any fault you find with me, you can surely find in yourself.” I rolled my eyes, but she told the truth.
Why did you come out now? I suppose you must have something to tell me then? I phrased it as a question, and waited for her response, but she just looked at me strangely, saying nothing.
What? What is it? She still remained silent, and floated around my shoulders. She manipulated my nerves to simulate the feeling of her resting her head on my shoulder.
“Do I need a reason to see you, Master?” I ignored her cooing tone and spoke in a measured voice when I replied.
What are you planning? There’s no way you don’t-
“Gina, Kuro, are you there? I can’t see you over any of your escorts.” Lucina’s voice caught me off guard, and I looked up to see a cluster of guards on a ship across from us. They were all armed to the teeth, and formed a ring around two figures.
Speaking of the princess and prince, I could barely see their hair. They were the same height, with the figure on the left rocking a deep green mohawk, and the person on the right had a blue colored bob.
“Are you making fun of our height, you titty monster!?” A high-pitched voice shrieked at Lucina.
“Really, I don’t know what happened to mother to give birth to people so much shorter than the rest of the family.” Lucina shot back, a small smile creeping its way onto her face.
“Please, refrain from teasing Gina.” A slightly lower pitched, but still androgynous voice replied. “You know how similar the two of you are. If you don’t act like the adult in the conversation, things will only escalate.”
Reya pushed past me onto the deck of the aircraft. “Gina, Kuro! It feels like I haven’t seen you in so long!
“Hi, Reya!” A boy with a blue bob stepped forward. “It has been a while, hasn’t it. The last time we really interacted was during the Paladin’s match against… whatever his name was. Two months, give or take.”
“Yeah, it’s actually nice to see you, Reya.” Gina stepped forward, her green mohawk adding significantly to her height. She and Kuro both had to have been under five foot 9.
“Unlike a certain aging princess.” Gina finished her thought. I briefly saw Lucina’s eye twitch, but in a split second she was back to her normal expression.
“Oh my, if it isn’t my favorite gremlin. I see you changed the color of your hair to reflect what you look like after you take off your makeup.”
“What d’ya say, bitch!?” Gina sneered, and she looked like she was about to jump ships and fight Lucina, if it wasn’t for Kuro’s intervention.
“Paladin Cole,” I started a bit at Kuro, who had begun talking to me. “Can you please keep my sister in check? I’ll do the same for Gina, if you wouldn’t mind.”
“Don’t worry.” I said, causing Reya and Lucina both to look at me. “If she doesn’t behave, I won’t give her what she wants, and I don’t think she’s willing to jeopardize that.”
Lucina gave me a sultry look before making a locking gesture with her hands over her mouth, and throwing away her imaginary key.
“Good.” Kuro said, letting go of his sister. “In that case, we can begin evacuations right away. We’ll be staying in a hotel chain owned by Gina and I, if that’s acceptable to you.”
I was about to reply, when I received a notification of a message from Lucina. I sighed and replied to her, allowing her to speak.
“I have a safe house in this town. The Paladin and I will be staying there. Let’s keep the business for tomorrow morning, shall we?”