Hilda and Marnie advance along the narrow stone corridor that forms the secret shortcut. Halfway down the path the captain stops, looks over her shoulder at the girl, and breaks the silence asking Marnie if she knows how to use the [Obedient Doctrine].


    "Huh, um, this, Arrax claimed to have a control spell stored in case the Dungeon Core got... got out of control. But he never showed it to us, saying his creation was improbable to fail" Responds the disciple with a hand close to her throat, while trying her best not to make eye contact with the decapitated head of her old teacher. "Perhaps in the archives in his room are notes about it... Do you want me to go and search?"


    Hilda considers the idea for a few seconds, until she decides and says:


    "For now, no"


    Hilda resumes walking. Marnie speeds up to keep up with the woman''s hurried pace. She blinks repeatedly when seeing a black line running down from Hilda''s patch without the woman seeming to notice.


    "You''ve got... You''ve got something there," she says very quietly, instantly regretting opening her mouth. Crosses her fingers, wishing Hilda hadn''t heard and thus avoid a probable reprimand for meddling. But the woman observes her, implying that she did hear, and runs a finger over her face, sweeping away the black substance.


    "Not important. Let''s continue" Hilda says.


    ...


    "Renata!" exclaims Queen Gineber. Unable to contain the joy that swells her heart, she hurries down the left staircase of the hall, coming in front of the messenger and melting in an hug. When the hug ends, Gineber does not separate completely, but leaves the hands clutched in the arms of her familiar. "I have been looking forward to your arrival. Please tell me you will stay with us for a while"


    "I am sorry, sister. But I must leave as soon as I deliver the message to your husband," Renata replies with a bitter smile, covering her sister''s fingers with her hands in an attempt to transmit tranquility.


    Gineber lowers her face, but the next second she looks up again and her eyes sparkle, refusing to give up with her disposition.


    "Father agreed to my demands? The dark elves breached these walls without warning and may do so again in any of these days. Me and my children are not safe inside this dusty castle"


    Renata''s expression does not reflect optimism.


    "Father thinks you''d better stay here for now"


    Gineber recoils as if her sister''s touch burns her, and turns back.


    "Where here? Where am I miserable, but moderately useful?!" The queen sinks the face between her palms. "More than his daughter, I look like one of his spies!"Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Renata places a hand on Gineber''s shoulder. Both sisters know that when Lord Bastion, their father, comes up with an idea, much easier to build a mountain with earth buckets than to make him change his mind.


    Renata feels a look on her. The Rider''s attention quickly shifts to a hunched figure watching them from above, standing on the balcony that connects to the staircase arches. Upon making eye contact, Marc begins to move.


    "Lord Marc..." Renata murmurs.


    When Gineber hears the mention of the king, she hastens to straighten the back and to arrange her face with the fingers. With a very dignified attitude that turns her into an apparent ice statue incapable of crying, she stands next to her sister showing an attitude of complicity, almost as if they were joining ranks against the man descending the stairs.


    "Renata, long time no see," Marc says as he stands in front of her. "I hope my father-in-law is healthy"


    "Well, I have fantastic news for you, my father is healthy like a graceful deer" Renata flashes a smile of perfect white teeth. "He will surely live for many decades to come"


    Marc nods, not looking happy or sad about the longevity prophecy. He asks Renata what her business is in the Stoicus kingdom, though Marc already suspects the reasons and prefers not to ask how the council learned of the secret in the basement. Renata slips a hand between the folds of her armor''s neck, coins jingling, pulls out a parchment rolled by a scarlet ribbon which she hands to Marc.


    Marc pulls the ribbon of the scroll gently, it lights up. After the imbued magic recognizes that the touch belongs to a figure of authority, it relents and Marc unrolls the contents. The king''s eyes travel over the text, and Renata repeats it aloud so that her sister is aware of the message.


    "We will take your court mage and all his books and reports with us. It is essential that this valuable knowledge be shared and replicated, thus obeying the defense cooperation treaties and the knowledge exchange between the 13 kingdoms"


    Marc continues to scan the scroll with a neutral expression. Retana, uneasy at not receiving an answer, speaks again.


    "The timeline is one week to have the journey ready, Lord Bastion will be in charge of all the preparations and security costs. As tradition dictates, your brave and successful defense of the Stoicus kingdom against the infra-dark invaders, will be rightly rewarded with riches and magical items, Lord Marc"


    "There are only 6 stamps" Comments Marc without taking his eyes off the paper, evaluating more specifically the circular marks at the bottom of the document.


    Renata keeps silent.


    "With yours would be 7 stamps, darling," says Gineber, "More than enough to get the minimum majority and turn the proposal into a resolution"


    "The wizard king did not vote?" Marc ignores his wife and stares at the messenger.


    "The magical council assured that the wizard king was too busy with his studies," Retana''s smile disappears as she responds.


    "And the opinion of the kings who refused to approve the proposal?"


    "Make more experiments with the Dungeon Core, or directly destroy it" At this point, Renata shows a frown.


    "I see..." -Marc rolls up the paper and hands it back to Renata. "Obviously this is a delicate matter, and opinions are divided. I choose to be cautious, next time, communicate to the council that I need a clear stance from the wizard king before meeting any demands"


    "Are you sure you will act this way, Lord Marc...?"


    "Very sure"


    Renata accepts the parchment, hugs her sister in goodbye, makes a half-hearted bow to Marc, and retreats out the hall to mount her pegasus and fly away. Marc watches the pegasus fly into the clouds, and when he returns inside the castle, his wife is waiting with a disdainful look.


    "If you wish to murder me with your decisions, it would be more efficient to order your witch or your knights to stab me in sleep"


    "Murder? You should go less to the theater," Marc replies while stroking his beard. "I am only trying to do what is best for the kingdom, that''s all. I don''t care about your father''s ambitions"


    "Obviously, you''ll never understand that. Because unlike you, darling, he is a true king" says Gineber and leaves.