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In the previous chapter, Umbrine visited the tree-house.
Chapter 16
Incarceration
Violet held the bars of her cell, staring at her sister with a reproachful look.
Umbrine’s Dungeon Castle
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“Can’t you ask my opinion instead of kidnapping me like that?”
Umbrine shrugged, comfortably seated on a wooden chair in the prison corridor.
Sovereign
Umbrine
“I stopped paying attention to such irrelevant things. Though, I didn’t expect the harpies to defend you so vehemently. What did you do to them?”
Violet blew through her nose arrogantly and crossed her arms.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“What? They’re just my friends, they like me so much.”
Sovereign
Umbrine
“Color me surprised. I didn’t know you were capable of befriending anyone considering how you fared as a sovereign.”
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“Hey, my relationship with my subjects is strictly business. Civilians aren’t my friends. It’s give and take, even if I have to take it by force. By the way, what did you do to the harpies?”
Sovereign
Umbrine
“They’re fine. I brought them along and gave them a place to live in my Dungeon. The children were inconsolable, but they’ll forget with time, considering all the shiny new things to discover in my territory.”
Violet staggered and sat back on her bed with a sigh. The picture of the nestlings stubbornly clinging to her leg flashed in her mind.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“I hated taking care of the kids, but now that they’ll just go on with their lives and forget me, I feel really sad.”
Sovereign
Umbrine
“Do you like children? I’ll bring kittens next time.”
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“Forget about it. Why did you take me here?”
Sovereign
Umbrine
“Our Monarch finally approved the request to brand Lorely as a criminal rook, so the mage guild will learn about the tree house after interrogating her. Since I recently became sovereign, I decided to hide you at home.”
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“Lorely was arrested? Is she alright?” She exclaimed, full of worry.
Sovereign
Umbrine
“Yes, she’ll be stuck in prison for a while, but she’s fine.”
Violet let out a breath of relief.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“When can I see her?”
Sovereign
Umbrine
“Never, I won’t let anyone visit you. It’s too dangerous for everyone.”
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“What?! How could you?” She shook the prison bars in outrage, but all she managed was shaking herself.
Sovereign
Umbrine
“Too many people want you out, not only the mage guild but your friends too. I don’t want you to blow up my castle in an attempt to escape or protect yourself.”
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“What am I going to do? You won’t let me starve, right?”
Sovereign
Umbrine
“Yeah, don’t worry. Pawns will deliver some entertainment and writing tools to send letters. Just sit back and relax. Tell me if you need anything.”
Umbrine treated Violet well. Maids always brought generous amounts of food, and a healer regularly performed spells on her.
Weeks later…
Later, Violet did receive the stationery and letters. A reassuring message from the flock made its way to her cell.
She stared at the ceiling, sprawling on the bed.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“The harpies made it in life. They found a home where they can receive the protection of a Dungeon. I bet they must be so happy to get what I couldn’t give them.”
Getting accepted in a good blessed town wasn’t easy. It was a life-changing chance that many could never experience.
A faint smile appeared on Violet’s lips, but regrets pricked her heart. It would have felt so much better if she was the one to provide them comfort, in Umbrine’s place.
Destitute Sovereign
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Violet
‘What am I thinking?’
She entertained the idea of being a sovereign for a moment until she remembered her current situation.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
‘I’m just a pile of wasted potential.’ She had many chances to build a great queendom before her childhood even finished. Everyone had invested so much in her after witnessing her stellar growth. Yet, it ended up all for naught.
Her failures weren’t limited to her childhood. Even her recent journey to the Underground proved her inability. It wasn’t only because of her summoning spell failing during her escape.
She should have acted more cautiously with the apothecary, using thorough disguises, forging fake identities, hiring human escorts instead of exposing her strange relationship with Lorely. It was too strange seeing a harpy hag bow down to a human.
Putting all that in perspective, Violet couldn’t keep denying the damages she had inflicted on her own camp due to incompetence.
In the end, she was sealed like a hazardous monster despite all the great advantages she benefited.
On the other hand, Umbrine, from the control group of the ‘ersatz warlock experiment’, was a natural human. Yet, she clawed her way up to reach the highest status in society. She became a sovereign through her own efforts.
Who was the most qualified to grant the harpies happiness? The competent traitor Umbrine or the smooth-brained dictator Violet?
She grimaced as she reached her answer.
Violet sat upright and scanned her surroundings. At least, the cell across the bars was unoccupied for Violet’s comfort and intimacy.
But she remained alone in this prison. No one sought her, needed her, or cared about her. Even the pawns who acted as maids were indifferent.
The days passed, blurring into weeks, months, and years. During the course of her detention, Violet went through various stages of distress.
She flipped her table. Paper sheets fluttered before crashing on the ground.
She was angry and resentful towards her grandmother who used her daughters as experiments, towards the people who dragged her on the path of sovereignty, towards the ones who discarded her. She was robbed of so many things, yet none of these sacrifices paid off.
She smashed the furnitures, yelling and crying until energy ran out.
She dreamed of a pleasant life where she wasn’t born as an Ylenward, a life where she wasn’t misled towards a purpose, a life where she was needed for her talents.
But her whimpers remained unheard.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
‘There’s absolutely no one to care about me. Of course, why would anyone give a wretch like me the time of day?’
Deprived from her greatest asset -magic-, she was a useless husk rotting in prison. It made little difference whether she lived or died.
Long days passed, regardless of Violet’s sadness.
There was little to do, except reading novels while waiting for death. At first, each passing day pained her with the realization that death approached while she achieved absolutely nothing.
Then, slowly, she accepted the fact that her life would be vain until the very end. Her self-esteem plummeted, and her faith in the future dissolved. Discarding her worry about the past and future, she was now a creature who lived day by day to fulfill her needs.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
‘Maybe I should just hurry and die? No one would be inconvenienced anyway.’
She laughed alone, but remembered someone.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
‘I’ll wait until Lorely switches to another sovereign. It doesn’t matter if I die a little later anyway.’
Bored, Violet requested magic ingredients to study the fields of magic that had always fascinated her.
Umbrine accepted as long as she didn’t create a familiar in her territory, though she posted more guards to kill whatever eldritch abomination would accidentally come out from her cell. After all, one of Violet’s familiar had destroyed a continent over the past few years.
With that, Violet came to terms with her situation. She felt liberated and satisfied. She had a shelter, hobbies, and all the food she wanted. It was a luxurious life by the standards of the commoners.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
‘Wow, why was I even complaining before? I was such a drama queen.’
Ironically, it was only after she settled in happiness that she received Lorely’s letter.
It was exciting to hear news after more than a century of separation. But her initial joy gave way to dread.
In the letter, Lorely conveyed how she had been working with Umbrine as a scout to expand the territory. They ran into a deadlock with opposing forces, so they switched their strategy to establish remote bases in unclaimed lands. Since it was a risky mission in hostile territory, Violet would have the opportunity to become a pioneer.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“What? No, I don’t want to!” Violet’s face paled. She had gotten used to living in unearned luxury provided by her sister. If she left the comfort of the cell, she would live in poverty again.
She burned the letter in haste, and hid herself under the bed. But her fear became true when Umbrine visited her.
Sovereign
Umbrine
“Alright, stop this charade and come out.” Umbrine opened the cell, and dragged Violet out from her hiding spot.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“Reeeeeee! Leave me alone, this is my home!” Violet screeched, clawing at Umbrine’s warding aura in vain.
However, Umbrine didn’t come alone. An expression of shock appeared on the surprise visitors.
Embarrassed, Violet coughed and stood up.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“To what do I owe the pleasure for this visit, my dear sister?”
Lorely jumped at Violet, locking her in a tight embrace.
Violet’s Rook
Lorely
“MIIIIIISTREEEEEEEEESS!” Tears of happiness flooded the harpy’s face. She showered Violet in firm kisses, as if she pecked her.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“Lorely, I’m glad that you look healthy.” Violet hugged her back.
Violet’s Rook
Lorely
“I’m sorry, I should have returned earlier, but the mage guild was on my track.”
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“Forget about it, it’s all in the past.”
After settling down, Violet glanced at the visitors.
Umbrine handed Violet a stack of papers.
Sovereign
Umbrine
“It is time to make yourself useful, Violet. The Monarch gives you a new mission.”
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“Uh? oh really?” Violet feigned ignorance.
Sovereign
Umbrine
“You’re in charge of a new town across the mountain, situated in a crystal mine. You can read the details in the papers, I only came to introduce the people who will go with you.”
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“Hold on! You imprisoned me for centuries, and now, you evict me? This is outrageous!”
Sovereign
Umbrine
“Look, you’re too dangerous to roam in our lands, but it’s not a problem if you mess up an enemy territory. You’re getting exiled, got it?”
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“No, no, no. What if I get angry and rebel against the Dungeons?”
Sovereign
Umbrine
“What are you gonna do? Cast a spell? You’re already about to croak, I don’t think your body can handle a spell at full power.” Umbrine shrugged.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“Don’t send me into enemy territory if I’m about to croak! What am I going to do?” Violet yelled.
At Umbrine’s signal, a minotaur servant stepped in and opened a small chest full of sigilcarved accessories. After wiping an accessory, he offered Violet to try them one by one.
Sovereign
Umbrine
“Don’t worry, I’m giving you magic seals to regulate your magic power. You’ll easily win small skirmishes with sealed spells, but you can’t face an entire army with those, alright?”
Violet collapsed on a chair. She rotted in her cell for so long that she forgot how to function as a normal human being. What was she supposed to do after being released from captivity? She’ll just get randomly eaten!
Sovereign
Umbrine
“Before you get lost in an internal monologue, let me introduce your temporary rooks. Their contracts are mine, but I’ll nominate you as my representative. Don’t accidentally dismiss them because they’ll be free to do whatever they want under my authority instead of listening to you.”
Sovereign
Umbrine
“This is Milia -a minotaur-, and Shaki -a troglodyte-.”
Rook
Milia
“Heya! Looking forward to working with you.” The minotaur winked.
Rook
Shaki
“Nice to meet you, ma’am.” The troglodyte nodded.
Destitute Sovereign
Violet
“Nice to meet you, haha…” Violet whimpered, haggard.