《Seeking Elysium》


 Volume 1 Chapter 0: A Finished Story

    I opened my eyes and saw wood. A wooden floor, decorated with a strange pattern drawn in what seemed to be some sort of finely ground powder. It looked vaguely like a Chinese bagua pattern, and I found myself in its center. The room¡¯s walls seemed awfully thin, with light filtering in through thin membranes which covered large, unpaned windows. Thick, sturdy wooden beams were clearly visible in the corners of the room. The people, however¡­ the people were what caught my attention.


    The first thing that struck me were the men. There were many of them, many more men than women. The men were mostly muscular and well-built. I suppose another girl, an older girl, might have found them attractive, but I was utterly unimpressed. Despite being a fourteen year old in the midst of puberty, I had never quite submitted to the type of gushing my peers seemed so eager to engage in. In the interest of maintaining my friendships, I had eventually made efforts to learn what was considered physically attractive in a male, but these characteristics never inspired more than indifferent academic curiosity in me. These muscular men that dominated my field of vision wore clothing that was cloth overlaid with metal armor. They looked just like the ancient Oriental warriors that populated the picture books of my childhood. They stood, staring at me in silence, bombarding me with a silent pressure.


    The feeling of a trembling hand in mine caused me to look down and to my right, where my seven-year-old sister stood, clutching my palm in a white-fingered grip. She was visibly shaking, fear etched into her features, too afraid to even cry. Naturally, I was afraid as well, but I forced myself to remain calm, to prevent it from showing. If Eury saw that her dependable older sister was afraid, she would certainly break down. Consciously trying to stop my knees from shaking, I was about to offer hollow words of reassurance, but I was startled out of my efforts by a deep, imperious voice.


    ¡°You two?¡±


    The men were arrayed in two rows, one on each side of the room, and there was a singular man with a wholly different atmosphere who sat between the heads of both rows. Elevated above the others by virtue of a platform flanked by magnificent sets of stairs on each side, the man was sitting upright in an ornately carved throne that featured carvings of dragons, cast in an excessive amount of gold. Just from a glance, it was clear that this man held the most authority in the room. It was he that spoke. The moment when he opened his mouth was the moment when I realised that this place was not my world. The language he spoke was unfamiliar yet nostalgic. It was certainly not English. It sounded slightly like Chinese, but was distinctly different. Yet, though it was my first time hearing this language, despite recognising it as a new, unknown tongue, I was able to understand what he said. The man stood up from his throne and descended the steps, keeping his gaze fixed on me.


    ¡°We called for a hero, priestess.¡±


    Though he looked at me, his words were directed at one of the few women in the room. The women in the room were all dressed in clothing that seemed woven from silk, ornate white robes that folded across their bodies and draped along the ground, long sleeves obscuring their arms. They all wore their hair in the same style: chest-length black hair, fringe neatly trimmed to end just above their eyebrows. The woman that had been spoken to differed from the others slightly in that she held an long, unadorned wooden staff in her hand and had a flower brooch pinned to the shoulder of her robe. She bowed deferentially and responded in a soft windchime-like voice.


    ¡°Indeed you did, my lord. This is the hero you sought.¡±


    ¡°This? I asked you to summon a warrior, not a maid! She¡¯s a child, a girl! Look at her, can she even hold a sword? She looks liable to topple over from her own weight! You expect me to believe this girl is the hero that will lead us to victory?¡±


    My prideful side wanted to defend myself, but I remained silent. It was true. I had never lifted anything heavier than my schoolbag, and I certainly never tried lifting a sword, nor had I ever felt the inclination to do so. However, the priestess spoke up, assuaging the man¡¯s concerns.


    ¡°Emperor, this is the hero the gods have sent you. Despite her appearance, she has most certainly received the blessings of the the gods. She is the hero that is meant to lead your armies into battle.¡±


    ¡°I suppose the gods are mocking me then. A child, as a hero. Ridiculous! In that case, Priestess, if she is a hero, do tell me: what blessing does she possess?¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    The man ¨C the emperor ¨C sneered as he retorted. The priestess quietly brought her staff forward, intending to tap me on the forehead. I wanted to slap it away, to try and claim some degree of power over this situation, but the immense pressure that the emperor and the other armored warriors were exerting prevented me from moving a muscle. Unable to resist, I could only watch as the staff lightly touched my head and began to glow. The priestess promptly withdrew the staff and spoke in a clear voice that carried throughout the hall.


    ¡°Armsmaster.¡±


    The emperor raised an eyebrow, stroking his goatee. The warriors that surrounded us began murmuring restlessly, the previously quiet hall now abuzz with discussion. The murmuring abruptly died down as the emperor opened his mouth.


    ¡°Is that so¡­? Jingce.¡±


    One of the warriors, the one closest to us, stood up abruptly, keeping his head bowed.


    ¡°Lend me your sword.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my emperor.¡±


    The warrior, Jingce, drew his sword and reverentially presented it, hilt-first, to the emperor. The emperor wordlessly took the weapon and placed it on the ground in front of me. I simply stared at the weapon, confused. Surely he did not expect me to wield it?


    ¡°Pick up the blade.¡±


    The emperor fixed me with a harsh gaze as he spoke in a commanding tone. Surrounded on all sides by men with swords, I had no choice but to be do as I was told. I moved to step forward, but I was jerked backward by Eury¡¯s fingers, clinging tightly to my right hand. I turned to look at her, but she was staring at me in worry, frantically shaking her head. I tried to comfort her with a smile, but there was no disguising the trembling that overtook my hand.


    ¡°Pick up the blade, would-be hero.¡±


    The emperor repeated his order. All around me, several of the warriors placed their hands on the hilts of their weapons, outrage plainly visible on their faces. Left with no choice, I stepped forward and picked up the sword in my left hand, keeping my right hand joined with Eury¡¯s hand. The moment I picked up the sword, I felt a jolt of recognition: somehow, I knew how to use it ¨C not just the simple slashing and thrusting motions I had seen on television, but I properly, truly knew how to use it ¨C I knew how to balance its weight, how to angle it to protect the edge, how to move to maximise the cutting power. It was knowledge I should not have possessed. As I stood back up, the emperor dashed toward me, drawing his sword and slashing with it in a single motion. My body moved on its own. My arm, holding the sword, expertly parried the attack, then parried the next three strikes. After a flurry of blows, I found myself holding the blade pointed at the emperor¡¯s throat, his own sword lying on the ground some distance away. As I returned to my senses, my eyes widened in shock. Somehow, without trying to, I had fended off and disarmed a hardened warrior with an unfamiliar weapon, without letting go of Eury¡¯s hand even once. Me, who had never touched a sword in my life.


    The men in the hall began to draw their swords and approach as I was preoccupied with trying to understand what I had just done. However, they were stopped by the emperor, who raised his hand to stop them while staring down the length of the blade. He looked right into my eyes, causing me to shiver. A fierce fire burned in those eyes. One which burned with ambition and pride. The emperor spoke.


    ¡°Very well. You will suffice, hero. You will lead our armies into battle.¡±


    Perhaps it was the feeling of having the blade in my hand that emboldened me, but I was finally able to speak for the first time since I appeared in that room. Yet, my first words were not the inquiry about my situation that I intended. Instead, what I spoke was a challenge, lured out by the emperor¡¯s unwavering gaze.


    ¡°Why should I listen to you? What if I were to pierce your neck right now?¡±


    The emperor responded in a way I did not expect: he laughed. He laughed, then turned his head to the side and lightly pricked his neck on the tip of the sword. Even as I gasped, horrified, I heard Eury¡¯s voice from behind me, a sharp cry of pain. When I turned to look at her, I saw rivulets of blood leaking from a puncture in the side of her neck, in the same place where the emperor had been injured.


    Horrified, I dropped the sword and hugged Eury as she began to cry. While holding her to my shoulders, I glared at the emperor, who simply watched on with the confidence of someone who knew he had power. His face betraying no hint of emotion, he spoke again.


    ¡°As you can see, it is in your best interests to serve me. If you lead my armies to victory, I promise that girl will come to no harm. If, however, you refuse¡­¡±


    He turned to the priestess, who nodded and tapped her staff to the ground. As she did, Eury¡¯s body went rigid, her screams of pain tearing through the air. She convulsed and twisted, tears freely flowing, screaming in agony. Panicking, I shouted at the emperor.


    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll do it! Now stop hurting her!¡±


    The emperor nodded to the priestess, who tapped her staff on the ground again. Just as abruptly as it had started, Eury¡¯s body relaxed, flopping forward into my waiting arms. She was unconscious, but she was alive. I breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to the emperor in anger, posing a question through gritted teeth as I felt her weight in my arms.


    ¡°Why Eury? Why is it that she is the only one that feels the pain? Why not me? You keep calling me a hero. If I¡¯m a hero, then what is she? Why is she here with me? Is she a hero, as well?¡±


    The emperor¡¯s answer was short and simple.


    ¡°There is only one hero for each nation. That girl is simply leverage.¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 1: In Memoriam

    <div>


    I woke up to sunlight stabbing at my eyes through the gaps in the curtain. I groaned and sat up, blinking the sleep out my eyes and taking in my surroundings. I was lying on the sofa in my dimly lit apartment, the curtains across the windows drawn, my laptop open on the table next to me, showing a black screen. I must have fallen asleep while watching some movie ¨C I could not recall what it was. Slowly sitting up, I groaned as I felt the kinks that resulted from sleeping on a sofa. With my left hand, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, while I reached over and tapped the spacebar with my right. No response. I tapped it several more times. Nothing. I groaned and glanced to the battery indicator. It was unlit.


    ¡°Great.¡±


    I forced myself into a proper seating position on the sofa, yawning and stretching to work out the kinks. I placed my feet on the cold parquet flooring, kicking away the empty beer cans, and groaned as I contemplated the impending task of clearing up. I quickly shook my head and got up. One problem at a time. I picked up my laptop and brought it over to the other side of the room, next to the television, plugging in the charger. I picked up the adjacent remote and clicked it, causing the lights in the room to come to life. I covered my eyes briefly, sheltering them from the sudden intrusion of bright lights, but they adjusted quickly. I stepped over to the window and peered through the gap, glancing down at the road, noting the number of cars. More than usual. I sighed. At least I had the day off; I could wait for rush hour to end before leaving.


    I bent down and began picking up the empty cans. One, two, three¡­ I had apparently finished off a six-pack of beer on my own in one night. I shook my head ¨C chastising my own indiscretion ¨C and tossed the cans into a trashbag. Heading to the kitchen, I poured myself a glass of water and filled the kettle, setting it to boil. I glanced at the date on the calendar, casually sipping from my glass as I came to a decision.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll take a shower.¡±


    I placed the glass back on the kitchen counter and stepped in to the bathroom, turning the tap and enjoying the comforting feeling of warm water striking my back, paying special attention to my hair, draping down over my shoulders. Perhaps it was time to cut it again. The length was getting a little annoying to handle. I did not bother to draw the shower curtains ¨C I lived alone, after all. As I washed off the sweat and dirt of the previous day, my thoughts turned to the dream. It was the same dream again. That same dream that had haunted me for so long. I probably had that dream because I had been thinking about Eury the previous night. Today was, after all, her birthday.


    Towelling myself off, I walked over to my bedroom and opened the wardrobe, revealing a rack that held mostly pantsuits. There were a few dresses, reserved for social events, but it was largely a wardrobe dictated by practicality, with black and white being the dominant colours. There was one particular piece of clothing which stood out amidst the rest, a traditional Chinese ruqun. The base robe was a lilac colour, starting from a lighter shade at the top and gradually getting darker toward the bottom. The waist skirt was a pale lime green which contrasted beautifully with the rest of the garment. The robe was adorned with white embellishments, white flowers embroidered into the silk-like fabric. The material was light as silk and similarly soft to the touch, but sturdier and stronger. It was not a material which could be found in this world. Across the back of the garment, in stark contrast to the otherwise feminine design of the robe, was an embroidered motif of a white, double-edged sword, its blade pointing downward, surrounded by flower patterns. Instead of long, billowing sleeves, the robe had sleeves which flared out to a size only slightly larger than my arm ¨C an unorthodox design choice for a robe of its like. The strangeness of the garment was completed by the inclusion of a loop on the side of the waist skirt, meant for a sword belt.


    I sighed and took the robe down from its hanger. Although I found the garment beautiful, I was always hesitant to wear it. It brought back bad memories. Nonetheless, on this single day, every year, I would wear this garment. I looked ridiculous during the first couple of years; it was far too big for me. I had finally grown into it three years ago, and it now fit me snugly. Just as it had all those years ago. Remembering my lessons on etiquette, I slowly and gingerly slipped it on, careful not to damage or crease it.


    Walking over to the table which held my car keys, my eyes briefly settled on the large, brown envelope I had received the previous day. My fingers brushed along its surface, tempting me to read it, to reconfirm its contents, but I stopped myself. Today was not about me. Today was about those whom I had left behind. It would do no good to dwell on my own worries. I took my keys and smartphone, briefly checking my messages. Four inquiries about ongoing projects, including one with a particularly large cosmetics firm. I briefly replied the most urgent message with a request to leave the copy on my desk for vetting, and grinned in self-admonishment as I briefly imagined Eury scolding me for working on my day off.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    The drive was rather smooth: rush hour was over, so I didn¡¯t have to worry about traffic congestion. I reached my destination in short order, shivering in the air that signalled the coming of autumn. The ruqun I was wearing did nothing to keep out the cold, but I endured it. Eury would probably have gotten mad at me for doing something so silly, but it didn¡¯t feel right to come here without wearing the garment she had painstakingly made for me. Besides, I had withstood far harsher climates while garbed in less. This much cold was inconsequential.


    I made a quick detour to a nearby florist, picking up a bouquet of carnations. My unusual choice of dress caught the eye of several people, but thankfully, the area was largely free of human presence ¨C not many people visited graveyards on weekday mornings. I quickly found the plot I was looking for amidst the many rows of headstones. Two headstones, side by side, with a third, smaller one next to them. The two larger headstones bore the names ¡°Ling Zhanxi¡± and ¡°Rachel Ling¡±. I placed the bouquet down in the centre of the graves, running my fingers over the carved names. I whispered to them, wondering if they were watching me from some afterlife, telling them the recent developments in my life, telling them how I was being considered for promotion again. I told them that I was still single and unmarried; I had yet to find anyone who could make my heart race. I did not tell them what the doctor had told me the previous day, if only because I had not yet come to terms with it.


    When I had finished speaking to my parents, I moved over to the third headstone ¨C it had the name ¡°Eurydice Ling¡± carved into it. The grave was, of course, empty. According to the family register, Eurydice Ling did not exist. There was nobody to bury. I could not even be sure of whether she was still alive. Still, I knew I would never see her again. That was why my first paycheck had gone toward paying for this headstone. It was my little way of coping with my loss. Gathering up the skirt of my robe, I sat down and leaned against the smaller headstone, imagining that it was the familiar back of my sister that rested against my back.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Eury. 13 years, huh¡­¡±


    It had been 13 years since I last saw Eury. I wondered how she was doing, whether she was still alive. Of course, she could have died a long time ago, and I would have had no idea. Time flowed differently over there. As I sat on the grass, watching birds cross the sky, my thoughts left my mouth in a whisper.


    ¡°I miss you, Eury¡­¡±


    I tucked my knees to my chest, burying my head in them. The image of the brown envelope appeared, unbidden, in my mind. Tears began to leak from my eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s no fair, Eury. It¡¯s no fair that you made me leave without you. You¡¯re unfair.¡±


    I could lie to anyone else, even my parents. But I had never been able to lie to Eury.


    ¡°I¡¯m dying, Eury. I¡¯m¡­ dying. Alone. There¡¯s nobody here. Nobody with me. I¡¯m alone, and I¡¯m dying.¡±


    The tears would not stop. I sat there crying for a good twenty minutes. When I finally got over my emotional outburst, I simply sat and chatted with her, imagining her reply. With each statement, I imagined her responding, I pictured how she would respond. I did this every year, on this day. I talked to her, and imagined her responding. Occasionally I would ask her about the few friends I had made in that world, but naturally, I would receive no response. I imagined her telling me about having fun with them, leisurely spending their days in the empire that I had helped to unify.


    When several hours had passed, I pushed myself off the grass, lingering with one hand on the headstone.


    ¡°Goodbye, Eury. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to come again next year. Wherever you are, whatever you¡¯re doing, I hope you managed to find your happiness.¡±


    With those parting words, I left the graves behind and headed back to the car.


    As I entered the car, I checked my phone. It was four in the afternoon. The same project team that was handling the cosmetics advert had messaged me again, asking me whether it was possible to review the copy by today. I sighed, setting my car on the path to the office. It would hardly be the first time I went to the office on a day off. I could probably cancel the remainder of my off day ¨C it was mostly over, anyway. As I absentmindedly pondered the possibility of planning a round-the-world trip within the limited time I had left, I failed to take proper notice of my surroundings. It was a rare lapse in focus, brought on by a combination of my emotional state and a lack of sleep. As such, I did not notice when the traffic light at the junction turned red. The last thing I heard was a blaring horn and screeching tires.

 Volume 1 Chapter 2: An Annoying Person

    <div>


    Blackness. That¡¯s all I could see when I next became aware of my surroundings. I use the word ¡°aware¡± loosely here, because there was nothing to be aware of. I was intensely cognizant about vast stretches of nothingness stretching out all around me, in that way that one who has trained for years in picking up on the slightest shifts in air currents and physical presence will feel the absence of these signs far more keenly than an untrained individual. On any given day, if I closed my eyes, I could still give an estimate of the number of people in a limited radius, the number of living and inanimate objects, the types of wind currents, and even, on occasion, the types of emotion that people around me were emanating. That last seems a little far-fetched, but people show signs when they have emotional shifts. Their breathing changes, their pulse quickens, their voices change ever so slightly ¨C all these signs were signs I had learned to read instinctively. Not by any choice on my part. But you don¡¯t spend ten years in battle and walk away learning nothing. It¡¯s just not ¨C well, it¡¯s not exactly impossible, but it¡¯s highly improbable, at least.


    Anyway, I could pick up none of these signs around me at that time ¨C a welcome change, for certain, since they usually bombard me to the point where it takes a conscious effort to tune them out. Once I had taken the time to relish in the peace that came with silence, I began to attempt to piece together where I was. The last thing I remember was¡­ running a red light. And getting hit by a large vehicle. And then nothing. Coupled with the current nothingness that surrounded me, it didn¡¯t take me too long to figure out that I was probably dead. Which implied, of course, that the blackness around me was some form of afterlife. My first thought upon reaching that conclusion was about how anticlimatic the Great Beyond was. Of course, that might have been due to me believing in the wrong faith or something. I mean, if I wanted guaranteed passage to an afterlife, I could have prayed to Yingquan. She told me so herself. I even know her prayers by heart ¨C even though I¡¯ve never recited them, myself. But, as strange as it may seem, despite having met a deity, I refused to pray to her. Something about having the chance to meet her and speak with her and even play chess with her made it somehow harder for me to accept her as a divine being.


    As I mused on this, whom should appear before me but Yingquan herself? Clad in her favorite green robes, she materialised out of the nothingness, her long, blue hair and violet eyes as annoyingly beautiful as I remembered. She materialised just ahead of me, and started to walk through the void toward me, the emptiness beneath her feet turning into cherry blossoms with every step. Her long robes trailed behind her as she walked, and she wore that annoying serene smile that never seemed to leave her face. She radiated beauty and divinity, and any who looked upon her would feel compelled to bend the knee. I felt my knee threatening to buckle, but I willed myself to stay standing and did not move from my spot. Yingquan continued to walk toward me, until she was right in front of my face. Her powerful, commanding eyes bored into mine, silently demanding worship. I crossed my arms and waited. I certainly wasn¡¯t going to speak first.


    After a few moments ¨C or it could have been an eternity; in a land with nothing, what does time matter? ¨C Yingquan sighed and gently patted my head with a resigned smile, as if I were a wayward child.


    ¡°I see you haven¡¯t changed one bit, Elysium. Still the stubborn girl who thinks she can take on the world.¡±


    ¡°I did take on the world. And I won, if you¡¯ll recall.¡±


    Yingquan closed her eyes and nodded, all the while retaining that smile.


    ¡°Of course. We gods and goddesses do not forget. It is because of you that I hold my current position.¡±


    ¡°Enforcer, wasn¡¯t it? In charge of maintaining balance and forestalling disasters throughout the worlds, or something like that.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I am now Enforcer Yingquan, though I will request you to not use my title ¨C we¡¯re too close for that, surely.¡±


    I saw no need to respond to that ¨C I had never intended to append her title, though the reason was far from something like intimacy.


    ¡°But enough about me. We¡¯re here today to discuss you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m dead.¡±


    My deadpan response seemed to catch Yingquan off-guard. Her eyes widened ever so slightly before they returned to their regular, neutral appearance. She beamed with pride.


    ¡°Of course. I should have expected my chosen hero to confront death with dignity.¡±


    I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°So where is this? Afterlife? Can¡¯t be yours, since I¡¯ve never worshipped you.¡±


    Yingquan winced, to my great delight.


    ¡°Such harsh words. Harsh because they are true.¡± She suddenly perked up. ¡°Of course, perhaps you mean that our relationship is far too intimate to be categorised as worship. After all, I see you as a friend, not a supplicant. Yes, it does hearten me to know that you value our friendship so greatly.¡±


    I buried my palm in my face and groaned. Her face was beginning to show signs of breaking her serene facade and showing her truer self. Problem: her actual personality is generally much more annoying to deal with.


    ¡°Anyway, you haven¡¯t answered the question. Is this the afterlife?¡±


    Yingquan shook her head excitedly.


    ¡°Nope. Because you¡¯ve done so much for me, I decided to pull a few strings and send you to this space between worlds. I never really properly rewarded you for helping me win that war, after all. I figured it was the least I could do. So I dragged you here. And I¡¯m here to give you a choice.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Finally, we were getting to the important things.


    ¡°What choice?¡±


    ¡°A choice of where to go, of course. Normally, when someone dies, their soul goes to the afterlife of whichever faith they follow ¨C unless it¡¯s a faith for a deity that doesn¡¯t actually exist, in which case they get tossed into the afterlife that most resembles that they were promised ¨C assuming, of course, they were generally good people. For people without faiths, like yourself, we basically pick an afterlife at random and send you there. Makes things less of a burden on the administrators.


    In your case, however, I¡¯m going to make an exception ¨C there¡¯s a legal precedent, of course, but that was several millenia ago ¨C and let you choose from one of three options.¡±


    ¡°And these options are¡­?¡±


    ¡°Calm down, I¡¯m getting there. Option 1: Afterlife. You don¡¯t really worship me, but I can make an exception for you since we¡¯re such close friends. I can grant you access to my exclusive afterlife. First-class citizenship. Good lodgings, good location, great choices for entertainment, tons of fairies for servants, great food. I¡¯ll even get you a house close to mine! We can meet for lunch, and dinner, and play chess and gossip just like we used to! It¡¯ll be so fun! What do you say, hm?¡±


    I suppressed the urge to scream out my indignance as she referenced those little lunch sessions she had whisked me away to on a whim ¨C she once did it while I was in the middle of a siege. It had cost us that battle, resulting in hundreds of lost lives and setting our campaign back months. I could feel my eyebrow twitching as I tried to prevent my anger from boiling over and spoke.


    ¡°Yes, it does sound¡­ wonderful. But what are the other two options? Just for discussion¡¯s sake?¡±


    Yingquan pouted.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ve already ordered the plans for the renovation to be drawn up¡­! Fine. Option 2: Eternal servitude, option 3: Transfer. Boring, right? Option 1¡¯s the best after all!¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait. Please. Clarify. Eternal servitude?¡±


    Yingquan replied in a bored voice.


    ¡°Yes, yes. Eternal servitude. As Enforcer I have a duty to keep the balance across the multiverse. To help me do that, I have a personal corps of warriors who help me to keep this balance. If you pick this option, I¡¯ll enlist you into my ranks. You¡¯ll get god-like powers, but you¡¯ll be bound to serve me and carry out my orders for the rest of eternity. Sounds dreary, right? Sounds boring, right? So you should totally go with option 1.¡±


    I kneaded my brow, starting to be annoyed at the lonely goddess pushing me to spend the rest of eternity as her gossip receptacle.


    ¡°And what about Transfer? What do you mean?¡±


    Yingquan frowned.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­ Basically I restore your life. You can come back to life. But not on your world. That would be disrupting the flow of time in your world. If you choose to live again, you will live on another world, one unknown to you. You wouldn¡¯t know anyone, you wouldn¡¯t have any friends. You¡¯d be all alone. So surely you¡¯d pick Option 1, right?¡±


    I caught something she said.


    ¡°Wait. Unknown to me? Why not just send me back to that previous world? It¡¯s under your domain, no?¡±


    Yingquan shook her head.


    ¡°Nope. That world was destroyed.¡±


    I blinked. Then I blinked again. Then I shouted.


    ¡°Wait, WHAT?! When?!¡±


    Yingquan winced as I raised my volume.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. That¡¯s classified information, above your clearance level. Sorry. It happened a while ago.¡±


    My heart sank. Did that mean¡­?


    ¡°Eurydice. What about Eurydice? What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, your cute little sister? She died. Not with the rest of the world, but before that. Assassinated by her son. Real shame.¡±


    I felt like crying but didn¡¯t. It was a strange feeling. For years I¡¯d acted like she was dead, but I¡¯d always held hope that somewhere, in another world, Eurydice was alive and well. But now, finding out that she was truly dead, it seemed that I had no more tears for her. I had spent so long crying over her assumed death that I had none left for its confirmation. I gripped my heart, not out of pain ¨C there was no sensation of pain in this realm ¨C but out of instinct. Yingquan looked at me with eyes filled with compassion and pity.


    ¡°Yes, A real sad way to go. She was sobbing uncontrollably when I brought her here.¡±


    ¡­Wait. I turned my gaze away from my feet and stared sharply at Yingquan.


    ¡°¡­You gave her this choice too.¡±


    ¡°Eep!¡±


    Yingquan jumped and frantically looked around, then shook her head, then nodded, then shook her head, then finally sighed deeply and nodded firmly.


    ¡°Yes, I did. I wasn¡¯t supposed to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Which did she pick?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to tell you that, either.¡±


    ¡°Why not?!¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s the precedent. In all the cases where such a choice was offered, the option selected by the candidate was kept secret. As such, I need to stick to that, or I risk running afoul of celestial law.¡±


    I ground my teeth in frustration. My sister was dead. She had been given an option. She was now either in Yingquan¡¯s afterlife, living another life in another world, or bound in eternal servitude as one of Yingquan¡¯s soldiers. There was another chance here, another chance for me to be a proper sister. I simply had to go to wherever Eury had chosed to go. But there was no way of knowing which option that was.


    Then it dawned on me. I didn¡¯t need to know which option she picked. I simply had to pick the same one. I turned to Yingquan.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made my decision.¡±


    Yingquan laughed and clapped her hands excitedly.


    ¡°Of course, it has to be option A, right? The others are all so¡­ bleargh. Option A¡¯s definitely the most fun. I¡¯ll go tell the architect fairy to get started right awa-¡±


    ¡°Take me to the same world as Eury.¡±


    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±


    ¡°You said you weren¡¯t allowed to reveal her choice. I¡¯m not asking you to. I¡¯m asking you to repeat her choice for me. I¡¯ll pick whichever she picked. This way, I can choose to go to her, and you don¡¯t have to breach confidentiality. It¡¯s perfect.¡±


    Yingquan stared at me for a few moments. Then she sighed, the levity fading from her face. For perhaps the second time since I¡¯ve met her, she spoke to me with a serious expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ correct. That should not pose a legal issue. And I can understand that you would want to be with your sister. If this is what you truly wish, I shall grant that wish for you. A promise is a promise. Your choice is your own. But know that this choice is irreversible. Even my powers have limits. The option your sister chose may not be the option most favourable to you. Do you still wish to do this?¡±


    I looked Yingquan in the eyes and nodded.


    ¡°¡­I see. Very well. I only hope you don¡¯t come to regret this decision.¡±


    Yingquan lifted her hand and placed it on my head. I felt my body filling with warmth, like a cup of freshly brewed tea in autumn.


    ¡°Go then, with the blessing of the Enforcer Yingquan lighting your path.¡±


    She gave me a light push, and I felt myself falling, and falling, and falling, and falling. I kept falling, further and further, into a chasm with no floor.


    Then I heard the sound of insects, of wind, of animals in the distance. I heard the nearby rustling of the grass, I heard the calls of the birds above me. A gentle breeze tickled my nose, bringing scents reminiscent of the first days of autumn. I felt the sun beating against my back. But I could not find the strength to open my eyes and observe my surroundings. Absorbing the wealth of sensory information around me, I slowly drifted to sleep.

 Volume 1 Chapter 3: A New World

    <div>


    I woke up feeling grass under my skin, with the sun bearing down on me in an insufferable barrage of heat. Slowly blinking myself awake, I pushed myself into a seating position and took stock of my surroundings. Where was I? I was seated on part of a field of yellowed grass, right next to a road ¨C not the roads of asphalt that I had grown used to; it was a road paved with stone, much like those I had traversed in that other world, years ago. I tried to stand up, but my legs collapsed beneath me ¨C they were still asleep. How long had I been lying here?


    As it turned out, there was no reason for concern ¨C though a number of carriages and men on horseback passed by me, none of them seemed to notice I was there. I sat with my legs stretched out, trying to get the blood flowing through them again, when I realised that they were slightly different than I remembered. More muscular, as if I had still been living in that time where I did daily training. I touched my fingers to my forehead ¨C the wrinkles were gone. I felt¡­ younger, more energised than I had in years. I glanced to my hands ¨C slender, firm, and yet covered in battle scars. Scars that I remember vanishing when I returned to my own world. Finally, I recalled the conversation I had with Yingquan in that space between worlds. I remembered that I had chosen to be reincarnated. I had chosen that option for a reason¡­ but¡­


    I couldn¡¯t remember.


    Why did I choose to reincarnate? I had a vague feeling of purpose, a strange, fuzzy sensation. I felt like I was searching for someone. But I couldn¡¯t remember who. I couldn¡¯t remember why I had chosen this option ¨C which was strange, considering I clearly remembered everything else about the conversation that had taken place, including the last moment when Yingquan bestowed on me a blessing. I remembered everything but one crucial detail, the composition of which eluded my grasping, slipping out of my reaches, unwilling to be remembered. I ground my teeth. What kind of stupid trick did Yingquan pull this time.


    Slowly, cautiously, I got to my feet. I wobbled a bit, but I managed to keep my balance this time. As I rose, a small card dropped from the folds of my clothing. It was a white card, about A5 sized, with cherry blossom motifs decorating the edges. The side that faced upward was blank. I reached down and picked it up, causing the smell of cherry blossoms to assault me the moment I touched the card. I wrinkled my nose in distaste ¨C not because of the scent itself, but because of the associations it brought to mind. I gingerly flipped it around, allowing me to see that a message had been scribbled across it in an elegant hand that depicted inelegant words.


    ¡°I still think you should have picked my Afterlife :/ We could have had so much fun ></img> Oh well, maybe the next time you die. Anyway, I¡¯ve brought you to the world you wanted. As a little extra service, I decided to revert your body to its prime, just the way I remembered you when I first saw you home. Aren¡¯t I a generous and benevolent deity? But it was nothing for my favorite hero in the whole multiverse <3 So yay! You have a 17-year-old body again! And, just like how you kept it in your own world, you still have my Armsmaster gift ¨C I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be super helpful when you eventually start beating up bad guys :3The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Don¡¯t worry about the whole comatose-for-3-days thing, I made sure to wrap you up in a protective field. Nobody can see you, and anyone who happens to run into you will pass right through you. So you can sleep safe and sound. As long as you don¡¯t move away from this spot. If you do, well, you¡¯re on your own :v


    Anyway, this world isn¡¯t technically under my domain, so my level of interference is limited. There were certain things I couldn¡¯t really do that would help you fit in ¨C uh¡­ you¡¯ll probably find out what those are soon >.> But, uh¡­ I believe in you, you can do it! Oh, and I should probably have changed your clothes to fit the new world, but that would be such a waste of a wonderful gown, no? You look so pretty in it! Sure, it might get a few odd looks, but you¡¯ll definitely be the talk of the town, yep!


    Finally, enjoy your new reborn life! Make the most of it! Can¡¯t wait for your soul to get up here again <3


    Hugs and Kisses,


    Yingquan (Your favorite goddess <3 )


    P.S. You might be experiencing a bit of amnesia about why you decided to come to this world. Sorry about that. Rules are rules. Transfers are supposed to make the most of their new lives, so the process removes all memory of the reason you wanted to come to this world so that you don¡¯t get caught up in it. Don¡¯t worry too much about it. If your reason is important enough to warrant going to another world, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure it out. Eventually. Good luck!!¡±


    I read over the note. Then I read over the postscript. Then I angrily tore the note to shreds. Of course, it instantly started to reassemble itself. Divine paper was hard to get rid of. Still, the tearing was cathartic. I cursed under my breath.


    ¡°¡­Yingquan. I am so going to get back up there and kill you. I swear.¡±


    I decided to casually ignore the fact of goddesses being immortal for a while and sat there amusing myself by fantasising about increasingly brutal ways of killing Yingquan. Then I sighed and began to take a step forward. As I did, I realised that I was still wearing my ruqun. I touched the material, confused. This really wasn¡¯t my style of clothing. I had always gone for more practical clothing ¨C on the other hand, this ruqun was uncharacteristically easy to move in, even if the colour was a bit too flashy. It was a style of ruqun that was unconventional yet fitted me perfectly. It had been given to me as a gift, that much I recalled. I felt a strange conviction when I ran my fingers over the smooth material. I was wearing it¡­ for some reason. It was important to me. Somehow. Touching it made me feel a sense of comfort, assurance¡­ and sadness. This garment had been given to me by someone very important to me¡­


    ¡­but who was it? I did not remember. Which, based on the note that Yingquan had left, suggested that whoever it was had been my reason for coming here ¨C I was searching for that person. But try as I might, I could not recall who this person was. It felt like there was a void in my heart and soul, a void that refused to be filled. I kneaded my brow, frustrated. Then I resolved myself. Goal or not, I would not achieve anything remaining in this spot. I stepped out of Yingquan¡¯s barrier, feeling it collapse behind me, and started walking along the road, hoping to find out more about the land I had found myself in.

 Volume 1 Chapter 4: Thirst

    <div>


    How long had I been walking? Counting the nights, it should have been three days ¨C but it felt much longer. My garment had lost its impeccable lilac color, the soft tones fading away under a layer of sand and dirt. Sweat plastered my hair to my scalp and neck, the weight of my waterlogged locks pulling on me. My cracked lips stung each time a breeze struck them, the skin on the back of my hands was starting to peel. I felt a throbbing ache all throughout my body, particularly in my calves, an ache which threatened to make me collapse to the ground whenever I took a step. I felt dirty and sweaty and generally uncomfortable under my clothes, feeling the accumulated grime of three days on my skin.


    These were sensations I was used to. For years I had lived my daily life in similar conditions. These sensations were like an old, forgotten friend ¨C they held for me some nostalgic value, but mainly I just wanted them to stop bothering me.


    Still, these factors were not what most troubled me ¨C my long acquaintance with them had long since rendered them little more than minor nuisances. Nor was it the distance and time that I had travelled ¨C a three-day-long march was nothing new for me. The hunger, that was a little annoying; but it was bearable ¨C I had experienced similar when sitting through a siege. No, what truly bothered me was thirst. I had not had anything to drink for those three days, and it was beginning to take its toll on my body. My muscles refused to cooperate, my consciousness grew faint in spells, my throat felt as dry as a desert scorched by magical fire. The thirst became a voice constantly whispering to me to give up, to stop and rest and wait for rain, rain that did not seem likely to come. A voice that constantly urged me to curl up and just waste away, a voice that took the strength from my legs and channeled it into a nagging awareness of my parched throat.


    I had only three options available to me: the first, to find a traveller on the road and ask to share their drink. The second, to find a village and seek help there. The third, to hope for a bout of rainfall. The first was unlikely ¨C three days without coming across a single person or carriage meant that this was an infrequently travelled road. So relying on that would be wishful thinking. The third would be slightly less unlikely under ordinary circumstances, but there had been not a single drop of rain for the last three days ¨C and, by the look of the landscape around me, for quite a bit longer than that. Flanking the road on which I walked, fields of shriveled plants decorated the cracked earth. Far as I could see in any direction, there was not a single green plant. The land was likely experiencing a drought ¨C a protracted one, from the looks of it.


    So meeting another person on the road was unlikely, and hoping for rain would be an exercise in both faith and futility. The only logical route left was to find a village. But that was easier said than done. I had no idea where I was; I had no idea what kinds of settlements lay around me. This road could go on for hundreds of kilometers, or it could end right after cresting the next hill ¨C I could not know. As I continued to trudge my way forward, the urge to succumb to despair grew in me. Why did I keep walking? I was supposed to be dead, anyway, so what did it matter if I died here and now, without taking another step, without accomplishing anything? Sure, I had come here in search of something, but did it really matter when I couldn¡¯t even remember what ¨C or who ¨C it was? If it was someone I could so easily forget, did it really matter? Thoughts like these echoed in my head, threatened to overwhelm me.


    But just as I was on the verge of giving in to my weakness, fighting with all my strength to continue walking, I heard the clopping of hooves and rush of wheels against the ground. I looked up and squinted, catching the glimpse of something in the distance ¨C a horse-driven cart, headed towards me, kicking up a cloud of dust.


    A miracle.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    I stopped in my tracks, falling to my knees. As the cart approached, the driver ¨C a beautiful blue-eyed, brown-haired woman wearing a heavy brown cloak that obscured her figure ¨C pulled on the reins of her horses, slowing to a halt. She called out something that I didn¡¯t quite catch. I looked up and noted that her face showed concern ¨C was she perhaps asking after me? I didn¡¯t know, but I decided to take the chance.


    ¡°Water¡­ Do you have any water¡­?¡±


    My voice, used for the first time in days, came out raspy and unclear as I choked on my words. The woman tilted her head in confusion. Perhaps she had been unable to decipher my plea through my ruined voice. I tried again, trying to sound as clear as was possible with a throat that was desperately in need of water.


    ¡°Water¡­ Please¡­?¡±


    Her look changed from one of confusion to one of puzzlement. She raised his hands helplessly and shrugged as she spoke in a language I couldn¡¯t understand. That was when I realised the problem ¨C a language barrier. A problem that I had not had to deal with in my previous world, but which was evidently now becoming an issue. Were I in a mental state less fueled by desperation, I would likely have cursed Yingquan for not informing me of this detail sooner, but I had not the time to engage in such frivolity. I sought out something in her cart that might help me illustrate, and laid eyes on a barrel sitting in the back of the cart. Urgently, I pointed at the barrel, then at my throat, adding a rasping sound to try and emphasise my point. Understanding dawned on the woman¡¯s face as she watched my pantomime, causing me to slump in relief.


    Then she shook her head apologetically and my heart sank. I slumped on my haunches, ready to collapse on the ground, despair overtaking me. The woman gave me a troubled look, then waved her hand in front of my face to get my attention. I looked up to see her pointing at the road, in the direction from whence she had come ¨C the direction in which I was headed. She made sure that I was looking at her, then pointed in that direction again and motioned with her fingers. A one and a zero. Ten. She was trying to tell me something lay ten units in that direction. Ten miles? Kilometers? Or some other unit of measurement? Who knew? And what lay there? An oasis? A village? A ruin? I had no way of knowing, but at this point, I was desperate enough to chase even the inkling of a chance. The woman helped me back on my feet, before she boarded her cart again. I nodded in gratitude, causing her to smile and call out something before she set off again. Purpose renewed, I began again on my long trek.


    As it turned out, ¡°ten¡± meant ten kilometers. It was only a short time after parting ways with the cart driver that I caught sight of a village in the distance. Ignoring the burning of my throat, fighting off the muscle aches, I forged forward, dragging my way into the village, one that ¨C for some reason ¨C had no guards. By the time I had entered the village, it was long past sunset, and most of the houses had lights shining through the windows ¨C the streets were largely deserted.


    Entering the village, I trodded through the streets, heading for the center ¨C if there was a well in this village, that was where it would be. And there I found it ¨C a stone well, covered by a wooden roof, a lamp illumnating the structure. I rushed to the well¡¯s edge, my legs giving out as I approached. Unwilling to give up after coming so far, I used my arms to crawl the last five meters to the well, hooking them over the edge of the well and pushing myself up, that I might glimpse at my salvation.


    ¡­Empty. The well was empty. Dry. A simple look, aided by the lamp, was all I needed to know that such was the case. The bottom of the well was dry as could be ¨C and judging by the layer of dust and cobwebs, had been for some time. I let go of the edge of the well, slumping down on the ground next to it, unable to move a muscle. My breathing grew weaker. So far, so much hardship, and yet the promise of salvation at the end was a lie. I would have laughed at the cruelty of it all had I the strength to do so. I felt myself drifting out of consciousness.


    I guess this is where I end, then. In a foreign land, surrounded by strangers, not knowing my purpose for being here. A bit like my home plane, come to think of it.


    I closed my eyes and started to drift. I think I might have heard the brief pattering of footsteps. I felt something cold pass my lips ¨C I didn¡¯t know what it was, but by that point, I was too far gone to care. I let the darkness take me.

 Volume 1 Chapter 5: An Unfurnished Room

    <div>


    When I next regained consciousness, I knew I was in a different place ¨C an unfamiliar place. The air smelled different, the temperature was different. Falling back on my instincts developed years ago, I kept my eyes closed as I attempted to ascertain whether there was anyone in the room next to me. I focused on the sounds, listening for the telltale whisper of breathing. I found none ¨C none in the room, anyway. I could hear the sounds of life somewhere below, the static of conversation someone would find in a bar back home, or a tavern in that previous world. However, this static was too soft, more like a murmur than a chorus. If this was indeed a tavern, then business was slow.


    The nature of this establishment notwithstanding, there was nobody in the room with me; as such, I judged it safe to open my eyes.


    I was greeted with a simple, gray, undecorated ceiling. Based on what little I had seen of the town while I was desperate for water, it was likely concrete, or some similar material. A bit strange, considering that from what I had seen thus far, the technology level of this world was closer to the age when houses were still built from stone and wood, but I suppose that in a parallel world, anything is possible.


    There was something soft under my back ¨C a mattress. I was lying on a bed. I slowly sat up, gritting my teeth as I felt the accumulated muscle pains of the trek hit me all at once. Recalling the trek, it struck me that I was not feeling as thirsty as I ought to be. I experimentally swallowed and was surprised to find that my throat ¨C while still dry ¨C did not feel as uncomfortable as I expected. I turned my gaze to the side, eyeing a small table next to the bed, atop which sat a covered jug of water and an overturned glass. Leaning neatly against the side of the jug was a small card with some kind of message written in an elegant hand ¨C but, as I could not understand the language, I had no idea what it said.


    I pushed my legs off the bed, resting them on the floor ¨C each movement brought pains and cramps which hurt like hell. It felt like my muscles had been overworked, then left to do absolutely nothing for a long period of time. Which, as it were, might have been the case. I had no idea how long I had been out for. When I had staggered into the town, it was nighttime, and now it was evening, the orange light of sunset filtering through the blinds across the single window in the room, facing the bed. So I had been out for at least a day.


    As I moved into the new seating position, I noticed something odd ¨C namely, that I felt clean. When I had crawled into this town, I had been covered in dirt and grime and sweat and dust ¨C and the crawling would certainly have added to the mess. But now I felt clean, too clean, even. Like I¡¯d just come out from a full-body spa treatment and steeped myself in a bath of disinfectant. I touched my hair, expecting it to be a clumped-up mess of tangles and dirt, but I found that it was smooth and silky to the touch, a better result than any shampoo had ever given me. Confused, I turned my attention to my ruqun ¨C it was pristine, completely clean, as if I had just taken it out from my wardrobe. The scratches and stains it had accumulated on the road were nowhere to be found. I was mystified. If it had just been my body that was clean, it might have made more sense ¨C whoever saved me might have taken the effort to remove my clothes and give me a sponge bath, and my hair could have been settled with a bucket of water, shampoo, and dedication. But removing my garment, cleaning my body, then fixing up and cleaning my garment and putting it back on? That was far too much effort to expend on a stranger. It was possible that my host and savior was some altruistic, well-intentioned person with a bleeding heart and more compassion than any other individual I had ever met, but that was unlikely. I overturned the glass on the table to its correct orientation and poured myself a glass of water, downing it in gulps. The thought of the water being poisoned did, naturally, occur to me, but I dismissed it ¨C anyone who had taken such great pains to nurse me and tidy me up was unlikely to do it just so that I could choke on poisoned water and die.


    Setting the empty glass back on the table and pouring another round, I gazed around the room ¨C much like the ceiling, it was simplistic and practical. It was sparsely furnished, the main furnishings being the bed, the bedside table, a larger desk sitting by a mirror on the wall, a lamp on said desk, and a bookshelf filled with various books, all with titles I could not read. A number of clothing hooks lined the wall next to the wooden door, atop a small raised platform that I presumed was meant for placing folded clothing.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Returning my attention to the water, I was about to gulp it down, but then recalled the signs of drought I had seen on my way. I glanced at the jug of clear water I had been given ¨C clearly, this water was precious. It again caused me to wonder exactly what kind of person my savior was ¨C what kind of person would show such hospitality to a ragged stranger of unknown origin? Such behaviour was naive at best, or suicidal at worst. What if I turned out to be a thief, or a murderer, or some other sort of legal undesirable? My curiosity triggered, I sipped at the water while waiting for my host to show up, as I had no doubt she would.


    Several hours later, when the sky had turned dark, I heard footsteps at the door. I had thought of lighting the lamp on the desk, but I had no idea where to find fire, and besides, it hurt like hell to move. So when my host arrived to check on me, the light from the candle she held caused me to wince, the intrusion of light into darkness hurting my eyes. I knew from her gasp that it was a woman ¨C that, or a man with a woman¡¯s voice. The light from the candle was, however, too dim for me to make out her features. She hurried to the desk and used her candle to light the desktop lamp, then fiddled a bit with it to cause the flame to grow in intensity and brightness, until it filled the room with light. I raised an eyebrow in surprise ¨C a gaslamp? Another piece of technology I had not expected.


    Nonetheless, with the room lit up, I could finally see the face of my savior ¨C and what a face it was. Beautifully angled cheekbones flanked thin lips and a pair of hazel eyes. Her hair, tied in a low ponytail, was a startling, deep red that reminded me first of berries, then of blood. I could tell she was not wearing any makeup, but she certainly did not need it. She was beautiful. However, what really caught my attention was her expression ¨C relief was present on her face, along with clear delight, but her eyes sparkled with curiosity ¨C not the casual, passing kind like mine, but the feverish sort of curiosity that would not stop until it had the answers it sought. I became slightly more guarded. Curiosity in and of itself was a harmless enough motivation, but anything taken to an extreme was dangerous, and this woman¡¯s curiosity seemed close to extreme.


    Noting that I had tensed up, the woman frowned and stayed where she was, putting up both hands to indicate that she had no intention of visiting harm upon me. She said something, presumably something reassuring, but I had no way of knowing what it was. I shrugged and replied, in my own tongue.


    ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t speak your language.¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyes widened, and I could almost see her curiosity intensifying. I frowned. Was it so unusual to meet someone who spoke a different language? Perhaps the woman interpreted my frown to be affront, but she quickly shook her head and said something which I, again, could not understand. Confronted with my blank stare, she frowned, placing a finger to her lips ¨C she seemed to be deep in thought. Then she nodded and waved to get my attention ¨C not that it had ever left her. She pointed a finger to herself and spoke what I presumed was a single word.


    ¡°Rosalind.¡±


    It sounded like a name. An English name, in fact. Was this her name? As I watched, the woman repeated her action and her utterance. Given her behaviour, and assuming the dictates of courtesy in this world were similar to those in my previous two worlds, the logical conclusion was that she was giving her name. I repeated it and pointed to her.


    ¡°Rosalind.¡±


    She smiled and nodded excitedly, then stepped closer to me and held out a slender, beautiful hand ¨C a handshake? I eyed it for a while, unsure if that was a custom in this world. Rosalind, noting my hesitation, laughed and demonstrated, grasping her left hand in her right in a firm handshake ¨C though it was reversed. Briefly, I wondered whether reversed handshakes were the norm in this world, but I decided not to care. Likely she had simply done so since a normal handshake was impossible on one¡¯s own. I pushed myself off the bed and to my feet, fighting the urge to let the pain show, leveraging my years of training to keep my struggle hidden. I stood firmly on my feet and, ignoring the pain, took hold of her hand in a firm handshake.


    ¡°Elysium.¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 6: In Pursuit of Knowledge

    <div>


    ¡°You¡¯re still reading, Ely?¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s voice broke through the silence that reigned over my room. I looked up from the open book on my desk and saw my host standing by the door, a look of disbelief on her face. She wore a white nightgown, and her normally tied-up hair was allowed to flow freely around her neck. Based on her tired expression and lax attire, she seemed about to retire to bed. How late was it? I had been reading all day, and had lit the lamp when it started to get dark, but I had not been keeping track of the time as I did. I glanced down at the book I was currently reading, taking note of how many pages there were left. It would probably take me another half hour to finish it up. I turned to Rosalind again.


    ¡°I was going to stop after this book. What time is it?¡±


    ¡°About three hours past midnight.¡± She rubbed at her eyes and smiled a little. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met anyone else who reads this much ¨C well, apart from myself. What are you reading?¡±


    ¡°A History of Continents ¨C ah, watch your step.¡±


    Rosalind, who had began moving closer ¨C presumably to take a look at the book ¨C stopped where she was and looked down, surprised. She had narrowly avoided walking into a stack of books. She stepped over them and walked to my side, shaking her head.


    ¡°And to think just three weeks ago you didn¡¯t speak a word of our language.¡±


    I laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m a fast learner.¡±


    It was true ¨C though not because of my own merits. The day after we had exchanged greetings, Rosalind had begun the endeavour of teaching me her language. However, I was an exceptionally fast learner. Within three days, I was able to keep up with her in rudimentary conversation. Within five, I was speaking fluently. Within a week, I was able to converse, read and write in the language as well as if I¡¯d grown up speaking it. Even my vocabulary filled itself, seemingly without assistance. If I ever needed to find a word in this new language to express an idea, it would rise naturally to my mind. Languages were one of those things that I picked up inhumanly fast ¨C likely because of the ¡°Armsmaster¡± gift that Yingquan had bestowed upon me.


    Armsmaster ¨C one of the six gifts bestowed to the six champions in that bloody War of the Six. Six nations, representing six deities, summoning six heroes from my original world to fight their war for them. Each of us was granted a gift by the deity who had summoned us. The goddess who had summoned me was Yingquan. The gift she gave me was the ability to instantly learn and master any weapon. There were only two requirements ¨C first, that I had a teacher to impart the basics to me. Second, that the art I chose to learn was something I could picture myself using to hurt others. If these conditions were fulfilled, I could instantly learn any feasible art I wanted, and I could become a master with a week of study. With a month of constant study, I could be a peerless expert of that art. After I had won the war, after I returned to my own world, I had retained this gift.


    During the ten years I had spent fighting in the War, I had mastered a countless number of weapons, but it was only after I returned that I realised the gift extended to more than conventional weaponry. It extended to other fields I could use to harm people, such as verbal manipulation, or psychology. I used this gift to great effect, quickly rising to stand among the greatest in the world of advertising. However, it was particularly useful for learning new languages ¨C few weapons were as sharp as a barbed tongue.


    It was this gift that had allowed me to pick up the language ¨C called Gam ¨C so quickly. And so I had quickly set to reading the many books in the house ¨C those on the shelf in my guestroom, as well as a couple from Rosalind¡¯s own collection that she deigned to lend me. I had made it my temporary goal to learn as much as I could about this world as possible. Interestingly enough, it seemed the people of this world spoke only one language ¨C Gam. So picking it up first was probably a good idea. Over the course of the last two weeks, I had been educating myself about the world. I was currently reading the history of the world, starting with the continent I was on ¨C Nilfrinth. What I had did not paint a pretty picture.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Nilfrinth was a continent divided into three completely unlike landscapes ¨C a third of the land was covered in meadows and fields ¨C this region was known as Mercynth. A third of the land was a large, dense forest flanked by mountains ¨C these forests were the Runi Wilds. The last third of the land was an arid desert ¨C this was the Lley Desert. Separating these regions was a large tract of scorched land in a Y-shape. The village we presently resided in was part of Mercynth, under the rule of the Mercynth Empire. The road upon which I had found myself when first arriving in this world led to the border wall, a wall which ran the length of the Mercynthian border, ending at the edge of the scorched land.


    Based on what I had read, the wall was meant to keep citizens from wandering out, as well as to keep inhuman races from the Wilds and the Desert from trespassing. None of the books actually elaborated on what exactly lay in these regions ¨C ¡°inhuman creatures¡± was as specific as they got. From what I could piece together based on obvious gaps in information, whatever lived in those regions had at one point been at war with the humans of Mercynth, and the scorched land was established as some sort of neutral zone. None of the books really dealt with the border and the other regions of Nilfrinth, mostly concerned with events that occurred internally within Mercynth. I didn¡¯t like it. The hand of media control by authority was very clearly at work here.


    Frustrated with the omission of information I wished to know, I had turned to a different field of study ¨C that of the world as a whole. Open in front of me was a world map, showing five main land masses, four of them named Nilfrinth, Gemaris, Sankthold, Jin-Asalys. The last was unnamed, to the East. It was this map that Rosalind currently stooped over to see. I shifted to the side a little to make space and pointed at one of the continents, an unnatural-looking continent shaped like a vertical eye.


    ¡°I find this one interesting. Jin-Asalys. The book said that it¡¯s a continent of learning, with a University City ¨C a giant school. That sounds like a really unique place ¨C where I come from, there aren¡¯t any schools that are big enough to be considered cities.¡±


    I carefully watched Rosalind¡¯s face as I spoke. The instant I mentioned coming from somewhere else, I saw a brief twinkle of curiosity in her eyes, one that briefly vanished. This happened every time I referenced my homeland, or even just the fact that I came from somewhere other than this country. I was beginning to formulate a hypothesis as to why she had put in so much effort to help me, but I decided to keep it to myself until she chose to broach the subject. Nonetheless, I was surprised to see her bite her lip when I mentioned Jin-Asalys. She laughed and scratched her head.


    ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯ll never find out whether it really was like that. That map¡¯s outdated. About thirty years ago, that continent was invaded and overrun by demons. The humans were chased out. Some of them even escaped here. About twenty three or twenty four years ago, there was a large army sent to fight them, but they were defeated by the Demon King. Then he chased them all off and closed the borders. Nobody¡¯s had any contact with them since. We call it the Demon Continent now. Nobody dares go near, for fear of angering the Demon King.


    The ex-soldiers who survived will tell you all sorts of stories about the Demon King ¨C he seems like a terrible man. One customer I had told me that he tore off the heads of soldiers and started devouring them while fighting. It¡¯s pretty scary to think about ¨C but also kind of exhilarating, no?¡±


    I burst out laughing. Eating heads on a battlefield? No matter how savage one might be, that was just impractical ¨C and therefore unlikely. War stories had a habit of becoming distorted over time, even when told by eyewitnesses. I had first-hand experience of this ¨C some of my enemies during the War of the Six were apparently convinced that I had eight arms and rode a giant bat into battle. One of our prisoners even hallucinated that I had eight arms when he met me in person. It was an understandable urge. The more powerful you made your enemy seem, the more vicious you portrayed them, the more valorous and skilled you would seem for surviving. Many war stories were not to be taken at face value, and so I highly doubted that this Demon King, no matter how evil he may be, would take the time to enjoy a snack while fighting.


    Rosalind glared at me, seemingly offended that I had started laughing, but then her expression softened and she giggled lightly. She pointed at another continent on the map.


    ¡°Enough about the Demon Continent. It¡¯s bad news, all in all, even if the war stories are false. This here is Gemaris; my parents were born here¡­¡±


    The rest of the night passed in this way, with Rosalind sitting on the bed, detailing the history and finer points of Gemaris (as told by her parents; she had never been there) to me as I sat and listened. As the night faded and turned to day, I noted to myself how lucky I was to have found such a kind host in this foreign land.

 Volume 1 Chapter 7: On the Applications of Magic

    <div>


    Night-time one week after my foray into the history of the land saw Rosalind once again finding me reading her books by lamplight. The book I was reading was on the origins and theory of magic ¨C a particularly thick tome, with extremely small print. The language it used was excessively academic. I suspected that even a native speaker would have trouble deciphering it, but my gift, as well as my academic background, allowed me to easily understand what was contained within. I briefly felt the temptation to thank Yingquan for her gift, but quickly crushed the thought. She would never let me live it down. Knowing her, she¡¯d probably use this little mercy to coerce me into doing what she wanted. Even though I had no intention of agreeing if she did, it would still be pointlessly annoying. My musings were interrupted by Rosalind¡¯s voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a really difficult book. You can read it? Even I have trouble understanding bits of it, and I¡¯ve loved reading since I was a girl.¡±


    ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s definitely harder than the rest you¡¯ve let me borrow. I was able to understand most of it, but I¡¯m a special case.¡±


    ¡°Good with languages?¡±


    ¡°Good with learning, in general.¡±


    I closed the book and reached over to turn the dial on the lamp, dimming it. Thanks to the thick tome I had just finished reading, I now knew how it worked. I had assumed it to be gas-operated; I was wrong. The inside of the lamp was inscribed with a number of carved spells that kept a lit flame alight. Turning the dial controlled how much magical energy ¨C mana, they called it ¨C flowed through these incantations and thus controlled the brightness of the fire. It needed to be charged with mana about once per two days of continuous use, but once it was charged, no mana was needed to regulate the fire. It was a technology much like a gaslamp, but they used magic instead of fossil fuels. Now that I was paying attention to such things, I began to think about a number of things I had seen around me that operated on magic, and realised just how large a part magic played in the lives of the people of this world. I ran my hand over the leather-bound cover and smiled at Rosalind, who was again in her nightclothes.


    ¡°Done for today?¡±


    Rosalind yawned and stretched. The first few days I had been here, Rosalind had kept up appearances and treated me politely, and with caution, but she had since seemed to have gotten used to my presence and loosened up. It was a development I welcomed. In a brand new world with brand new rules, I needed all the allies I could get. Rosalind ended her yawn and rubbed her shoulders.


    ¡°Yep. Bit later than usual, had one guy who refused to go home. As it turns out, he caught his wife in the act of cheating. Poor man was sobbing the whole evening. Nearly made me want to waive the charge, but I¡¯m running a business here.¡±


    Rosalind casually spoke about one of her customers¡¯ fractured love lives, though in her line of work, it was likely a pretty common thread. Of course, some men were apparently more clingy than others ¨C Rosalind was a real beauty of a lady. Tonight¡¯s incident seemed to be one of those.


    ¡°Is he a regular?¡±


    ¡°Yep, comes in more or less every night. So I couldn¡¯t exactly force him out tonight, I¡¯d be losing good business.¡±


    I grinned.


    ¡°I wonder what his wife thinks when she sees him come in here every night.¡±


    Rosalind glared at me briefly, then relaxed. A smile playing around her lips, she changed the topic.


    ¡°Have you taken a shower?¡±


    ¡°Nope. We¡¯re in a drought, no? Water¡¯s too precious to waste.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you it¡¯s no problem, we have a separate supply.¡±


    ¡°Also I want to see you do that again.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Rosalind sighed and snapped her fingers. Instantly, I felt the dirt and sweat of the day disappear from my skin and clothes, leaving the clothes crisp and fresh, as well as my skin clean and grime-free. I marvelled at the feeling, no doubt wearing an expression of wonder.


    ¡°Is it really that amazing?¡±


    Rosalind folded her arms and leant against the doorframe as she asked a skeptical question.


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s amazing! It¡¯s magic!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really only useful for hygiene and laundry though. There are people doing actually amazing things with magic out there, like shaping light into hard objects, or moving things with their minds. Unfortunately, with my Cleansing affinity, all I can do is this little trick. It¡¯s convenient, don¡¯t get me wrong, but hardly anything impressive.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t use magic, so this much is already impressive to me.¡±


    Again I saw the curiosity flare up in her eyes. This time, I knew the reason.


    This was a world of magic. Everyone could use magic. The extent to which they could use it and their innate mana capacity differed between individuals, but all humans could use at least some magic. Most people had an affinity, a branch of magic that they were able to tap into more easily and more readily than a counterpart without the same affinity. The range of affinities was vast, encompassing things like Rosalind¡¯s Cleansing affinity ¨C magic related to cleansing and purification ¨C while also including impressive-sounding affinities like Gravity, or Pressure. There was also a minority group known as Paragons ¨C people who had absolute mastery in one branch of magic, at the expense of being utterly incapable of using any other form of magic ¨C but their numbers were small enough and their appearance infrequent enough to be negligible. The general population possessed an affinity while also being able to use other kinds of magic, albeit less effectively.


    And then there was me. Try as I might, I could not use magic. No matter how many books I read, I could not use a single iota of magic. Rosalind had even told me that she could not detect any mana in my body. Therefore, unfortunately, it seemed that I could not use any magic at all. It was likely because I was not born a denizen of this world, and thus the gifts they enjoyed were not shared by me. It made me more than a little envious, but I had decided to let it go. I had gotten on fine without magic for the entirety of my life ¨C I did not need to be able to use magic. Still, this inability made me marvel whenever I saw Rosalind cast her cleansing magic ¨C simple though she claimed it was. It was apparently the spell she had used to clean my body and clothing while I was unconscious, and I could not help but wish I had access to such convenient methods of hygiene back when I was fighting in the War of the Six. At the end of a two-month siege, there was little I craved more than to be clean.


    In any case, the curiosity in Rosalind¡¯s eyes was likely due to my strange circumstance. I could not use magic, and I was likely the first person she had ever heard of with an inability to use magic, ubiquitous as it was in this world. No doubt, an anomaly like myself piqued her interest. If there was one thing I had come to understand about Rosalind over the last three weeks, whether through conversation with her or by reading the notes she had left in her books, it was that the woman had a nigh-insatiable thirst for knowledge and a keen sense of curiosity. I decided she had done more than enough for me. It was time to give her what she wanted. I pushed the book to the side, placing it neatly alongside the other books on the table. Then I crossed over to the bed and sat down, patting the space beside me. Rosalind¡¯s eyes widened, but she hurried to join me, sitting down next to me. I leaned back and lay on the bed with my arms behind my head, speaking.


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯ve taken extremely good care of me for the last three weeks, teaching me the language, giving me books to read, even helping me clean myself off. It¡¯s high time I repaid you.¡±


    Facing the ceiling, I couldn¡¯t see Rosalind¡¯s expression, but judging from the sounds in the air, I knew she was shaking her head frantically.


    ¡°Oh no, I need nothing in return. We¡¯re friends, are we not?¡±


    I chuckled. Friends. How loosely she used that word. Nonetheless, she was the only person in this world that I knew, and I did not find her presence undesirable, so I supposed it was not imprudent to call us friends at this point.


    ¡°I suppose that we are. Now, at least. But not at first. At first, you didn¡¯t know me. You didn¡¯t know a thing about me. Yet you saved me, gave me water, nursed me back to health. There¡¯s a reason you took pains to teach me the language despite not knowing a thing about me. You wanted something from me. So what was it? What did you want to know? What do you want to know?¡±


    There was a moment of silence. I suspected that either Rosalind had not imagined I would have seen through her intentions, or otherwise had not thought that I would bring it up now. I decided to believe it was the latter, if only because I wanted to believe that my friend did not think me a fool. As I lay there, waiting for a response, I was beginning to drift to sleep when finally she spoke again.


    ¡°I want to know everything. I want to know where you came from, why you can¡¯t speak Gam, why you can¡¯t use magic. I want to know your story. I want to know about you.¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 8: Intentions and Stories

    <div>


    I grinned as my suspicions were confirmed. I decided to continue my line of questioning, just to see if I had correctly guessed the underlying reason for her curiosity.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why¡­what?¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to know about me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m interested.¡±


    ¡°But why are you interested, is what I¡¯m asking. What part of me caught your interest? I would understand if you¡¯d said my inability to speak Gam or my inability to use magic was what caught your attention. But back when you saved me, at the well, you didn¡¯t know either of those facts. So why?¡±


    Rosalind remained silent for a good while. Then she answered in a seemingly tangential manner.


    ¡°You know, I really like stories.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at what sounded like a deflection, but I held my tongue and let her go on.


    ¡°Since I was young, I¡¯ve loved stories. Whether they be stories contained within the pages of a book, or stories passed on by word of mouth through generations. Of course, the stories in books are all well and good, and I love them ¨C more than I can describe ¨C but reading a story in a book isn¡¯t the same as hearing the story in person. Hearing it from the mouth of a person, especially if it¡¯s a first-hand account, has a certain charm, a certain magic to it, that the stories in books can never capture. I¡¯ve grown up hearing my share of stories. I told you before, didn¡¯t I? My parents were adventurers-turned-mercenaries, fighters who were hired to fight the Holy War more than two decades ago in the Demon Continent. They told me plenty of stories, of their days adventuring in the various dungeons around the world, and then of their struggles after that, when the Adventurer¡¯s Guild dissolved. Oh, how I loved when they would tell me about¡­¡±


    As Rosalind began to descend into a recount of how her parents had regaled her as a little girl with tales of monsters and adventure, I recollected what I knew about adventurers, based on what I had learned from my reading. Initially, many major cities in the world had fifteen years ago had housed Dungeons, home to monsters and treasure, holding materials and lost treasures that promised a fortune to those brave enough to seek them out. However, shortly after the failed Holy War, the entrances to these Dungeons had all been sealed shut at the same time, with nobody able to enter the Dungeons. Those who had been within the dungeon at the time of the sealing found themselves unceremoniously ejected, landing at the entrance. Nobody knew why exactly the dungeons had closed off, though several scholars had proferred theories ranging from plausible to delusional. My personal favorite was one particular conspiracy theory that suggested that governments had magically sealed the labyrinths in order to drive up the pricing of goods made using monster materials, establishing a collusive monopoly on the trade. It was utterly ridiculous to think that every government in the world would unilaterally perform such an action at the same time, especially considering the potential loss to be incurred should one party decide to re-open their dungeon and attract vast numbers of adventurers and treasure seekers.


    Whatever the reason, the sealing of the dungeons had left Adventurers out of a job. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild had initially been established to provide logistical support and job sourcing for would-be adventurers who were willing to brave the depths of the dungeons. The sudden removal of the organisation¡¯s purpose, as well as the hit to its credibility it had taken after it elected to support a failed war, had caused the organisation to rapidly collapse, with the top officials resigning from their positions and branch offices around the world rapidly closing down. Those adventurers who had lost their livelihoods were thus left to fend for themselves. According to the journals and papers I had read, some of them received support from the state ¨C at least in welfare states. A good number found work in other professions, such as milling, farming, or business. However, a large number turned to banditry and thievery. As expected, the increase in banditry sparked a boom in demand for mercenaries and guards, and hence the majority of ex-Adventurers were currently in the mercenary business. Rosalind¡¯s parents were a member of this last group, who had taken up mercenary work.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°¡­Hey, are you listening?¡±


    I shook my head clear of my thoughts and refocused on our conversation. It seemed that Rosalind had noticed me spacing out. I frowned inwardly. Evidently, my ability to pretend I was listening was rusty.


    ¡°Sorry, what was that?¡±


    Rosalind looked like she wanted to say something, but then sighed.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s my fault for going on a tangent. I was talking about how much I loved stories, especially stories told by mouth, in person. That¡¯s why I opened a tavern when my parents passed away. When they passed, two years ago, I felt so lonely, so pained. The stories in my books weren¡¯t enough to deal with it. I longed to hear stories from people¡¯s mouths ¨C and a tavern is the best place for that. That¡¯s why I used the money they¡¯d left me to set this place up. When I hear stories from people who stop by, people who travel all over the land, it¡¯s like¡­ it¡¯s like they¡¯re telling me about their adventures again. It¡¯s like I¡¯m hearing my mother resting my head on her lap, telling me about how she tore apart a golem with her bare hands. Hearing stories lets me feel their presence, and that¡¯s why I love stories. The more exotic the tale, the more exciting the tale, the more my heart pumps, the more I enjoy myself. I¡¯ve given away a night¡¯s worth of drinks in exchange for a single tale before. And that¡¯s why I wanted to hear yours.¡±


    Rosalind turned her gaze and settled it on my ruqun, folded neatly on the wooden platform beneath the clothesrack, next to the door.


    ¡°You appeared in the middle of town, with black hair ¨C a rare colour ¨C and a dress the likes of which I have never before seen in my life. You dragged yourself to the well and tried to drink, but did not know it was empty. You arrived on a road that few travel, a road that leads only to the garrison by the wall and nowhere else. Even when you lay by the old well, only a few meters from me, I could not sense any magic in you. You were battered and bruised, your skin burned from the ravages of the sun. To any who saw you, you were like a living corpse. But even so, in such a state where I believed anyone else would have long since given up on life, you fought and crawled to live. It was inspiring, it was sad¡­ and it was also intriguing.


    What was it that drove you, that allowed you to keep pushing forth? What was it that gave you strength? Where did you come from? How did you end up here? All these questions blazed in my mind when I saw you. You had a story, an exciting, exotic one. One completely new. A story the likes of which I had never before heard, and would likely never again hear. I knew you had a tale, unique to you, that could regale me as my parents¡¯ did. That¡¯s why I saved you. I simply had to know your story. Nothing else would be able to satisfy the curiosity that had awakened within me.¡±


    Though she had been sitting upright on the bed this whole time, Rosalind now lay back on the bed, next to me, turning to face me, that spark of curiosity burning in her eyes.


    ¡°Well then. I told you my reasons for wanting to hear stories, and in particular, my reasons for wanting to hear your story. I¡¯ve put all my cards on the table, I have no more hidden motives or intentions. So will you indulge me? Will you tell me your story?¡±


    This time, it was my turn to sit up. I sat cross-legged on the bed, getting comfortable. This was going to be a long story, and it would not do if I were to fall asleep while telling it. Rosalind quickly mirrored my seating posture, facing me. I would do as she asked. There was no harm in telling her what had already passed, and after all she had done to help me, it was the least I could do to tell her an otherworldly, engaging story. There were some parts I could not remember, such as my reason for fighting in the War of the Six, and there were numerous social events that I could not seem to recall the details of, despite remembering very clearly that I had attended. Still, I remembered enough to give a glossing summary of my experience, and Rosalind would have to settle for that; if she wanted to know any more, she would have to ask me again at a later date, when I had retrieved my stolen memories.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start with an unbelievable statement. I swear it¡¯s true, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll believe me. Still, I can¡¯t start my story without first clarifying this, and I think it¡¯ll answer a lot of your questions. It¡¯s up to you if you choose to accept this statement, but I¡¯ll continue my tale under the assumption that you do. Because it¡¯s the undeniable truth. Ready?¡±


    Rosalind nodded. I took a deep breath.


    ¡°Okay. So. Here goes: I¡¯m not from this world.¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 9: A Tale of the Past

    <div>


    As expected, my declaration got me an uncomprehending blink from Rosalind.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t mean to question your linguistic capabilites, but maybe since you¡¯re still unfamiliar, you might have made a mistake. When you said ¡®another world¡¯, did you really mean ¡®another country¡¯?¡±


    I resisted the urge to laugh at Rosalind¡¯s attempt to chalk my unbelievable proclamation up to an unfamiliarity with her language.


    ¡°No, no. I meant another ¡®world¡¯. Another¡­¡± I wanted to simplify things by saying that I came from another planet, but the language had no word for extraterrestrial bodies, apart from stars. It seemed that the people of this world had yet to turn their gazes beyond the confines of the sky. I decided to improvise. ¡°In any case, another world. If we define the ¡®world¡¯ as all of these continents and every land mass on the map, as well as all the oceans and stars and skies, then I come from outside all these. My home is not of this world.¡±


    ¡°You come from¡­ the stars?¡±


    ¡°Well, technically, no, but that¡¯s one way to put it. I suppose. I actually come from a place that¡¯s beyond the stars.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a god.¡±


    I choked. The sheer surprise at being called a god was one reason, but it also stemmed from a general revulsion towards divinity. Yingquan was sort of an exception, in that usually I could ignore her divine aspect due to how ungodlike she acted, but a good number of the gods had a high-and-mighty, holier-than-thou attitude which annoyed me. Of course, they were generally quite literally holier than me, what with being divine and all, but that was besides the point. Regardless, I hurried to correct her misunderstanding even as she began to jump off the bed and prostrate herself.


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not a god. I¡¯ve met them before, but I¡¯m not a god.¡±


    I caught Rosalind¡¯s arm before she could finish bowing and pulled her back on the bed. She looked at me with fearful eyes, causing me to sigh. I quickly jumped off the bed and retrieved a notebook and pencil from the desk. I drew two circles, level with each other, and a line above both of them. Using this as a visual aid, I explained.


    ¡°This here is your world.¡± I pointed to the left circle. ¡°This here is the world of the gods.¡± I pointed to the line. ¡°This is my world.¡± I pointed to the other circle. ¡°So no, I¡¯m not one of the gods. I¡¯m simply from another world that¡¯s different from this one. I¡¯m human, too. Just not a human from around here.¡±


    At this, Rosalind clapped her hands together, exclaiming, ¡°I see! You¡¯re from another _____!¡±


    She used an unfamiliar word. The fact that my gift was unable to immediately understand what it was indicated that it was not technically a part of the language ¨C a made-up word, or a new word. I raised an inquisitive eyebrow, prompting her to explain.


    ¡°A world that¡¯s similar to ours, yet different, where people live their lives in different ways. These worlds are as inaccessible as those of the gods, yet they are populated by people much like us. The Many Worlds Theory, as Ruth put it.¡±


    I blinked, surprised. At this moment, the meaning of the word she¡¯d used, as determined by explanation and context, appeared in my consciousness. The closest approximation was ¡®plane¡¯. Somehow, the people of the world had derived a theory about other planes of existence, before coming up with one about other planets. Furthermore, this was not mentioned in any of the books I had read, meaning that it was likely a recent theory. More pressingly, I heard an unfamiliar name.


    ¡°Ruth?¡±


    ¡°Ah, a family friend. She had been friends with my parents for years, and she started visiting me more frequently a while ago, after my parents passed away. If not for her, I think I would have wallowed in depression for a long time. She¡¯s a merchant and a scholar, and she checks in from time to time. I¡¯ll introduce her the next time she¡¯s here. She¡¯s published a few papers, and the one she was working on the last time she came by was the Many Worlds Theory.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh.¡±


    So it was a new, unpublished theory. That explained why I had been unable to initially conjure up a meaning for the word. I decided to set that tidbit aside and continued.


    ¡°Anyway, so we¡¯ve established that I hail from a different wor- a different plane from yours. If you¡¯ve accepted this, I can continue.¡±


    Rosalind nodded, falling silent. That hurdle was a lot easier to cross than I expected, though I suspect I had this Ruth to thank for that. I continued.


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯m just going to give a quick overview of my story. A ton of stuff happened to me in the interim, but I¡¯m not going to try and compress ten years of experience into a single night¡¯s tale. So for tonight, all you¡¯re getting is a summary. Okay?¡±


    She nodded again, her eyes alight with excitement. Clearly, the whole thing about me being from another world had only served to further amplify her interest.


    ¡°Well then¡­ since we¡¯ve established that I¡¯m from a different plane, the next thing to clarify is that this isn¡¯t the first plane I¡¯ve visited, apart from my home; it¡¯s the second. I could talk about my life on my home plane, but if we¡¯re talking about my story, and how I came to be here, it has more to do with the other plane I¡¯d visited.


    When I was a younger girl ¨C fourteen years old, to be exact ¨C I was abruptly spirited away from my home plane. One moment I was walking along the street, enjoying a snack. The next, I found myself in an unfamiliar hall, surrounded by unfamiliar men, all in armor. I didn¡¯t have time to be shocked. Mere moments after meeting them, I was told to pick up a sword and duel their leader; Emperor Xiefang. Somehow, when I picked it up, I found myself able to use it, and use it perfectly. I had never used a sword in my life, but it felt completely natural in my hands. I wielded it masterfully and defeated the Emperor in three strokes. Me, a girl of fourteen, who had never used a weapon in my life. My first time handling a sword, and I was able to handily disarm a seasoned warrior. I was surprised, of course, but I soon found out the source of my prowess.Stolen novel; please report.


    As it happens, these men ¨C the warlords of the Ershan Empire ¨C had performed some sort of ritual, a ritual that had summoned me, had plucked me from my world and deposited me in theirs. A ritual that had given me a special power: the ability to instantly learn and master any weapon. For what purpose did they summon me? Based on the fact that my gift was limited to weapons, the answer should be obvious. I was summoned to fight in a war.


    The Ershan Empire was at war with five other nations. Each nation had a patron deity, and each nation in turn performed a summoning ritual that called forth a hero from another plane, plucking others like myself from our native worlds, and depositing us in that plane. The object of the war was domination ¨C the winning faction would hold dominion over the entire plane.


    The other prize for grabs was not one for the people, but for their patron gods. The six patron deities of the six factions were embroiled in a war of succession ¨C a higher ranking deity had stepped down, and these six deities were thus left to vie for the position. At some point, they had come to a consensus to wage a war by proxy ¨C the deities were forbidden from fighting each other outright, so instead they had a contest ¨C each of them would grant their respective faction a hero, with otherworldly gifts. Whichever deity¡¯s faction achieved complete dominion over the land would be awarded the title. And that was the event that served as the spark that began the ten-year long war that would become known as the War of the Six.


    Each of the deities riled up their followers, calling them to arms in the name of their gods. The six nations already had strained ties, so this call to arms rapidly escalated into an all-out, six-way war. All of this, I learned from Yingquan ¨C the goddess who had facilitated my summoning. She¡¯s nice enough, but can get a little annoying.


    Anyway, so I was thrown headfirst into this war, where suddenly I found myself the commander of an army, diving into battlefield after battlefield, killing people all around me. I almost died, myself, many times, but each time I emerged ultimately victorious. With every battle, word of my deeds spread, and I quickly became known to all ¨C and in turn, feared by all. My enemies, if they were not accompanied by their own heroes, would retreat at the mere sight of me. My allies, seeing what I was capable of, either cowered in fear when I walked among them, or otherwise bowed respectfully. I ate my meals alone, because nobody was courageous enough to join me. I trained alone, because nobody was able to keep up with me. I stood alone, atop a mountain of felled enemies. It was¡­ a lonely ten years. I did not particularly mind. My priority was winning the war. After all, Yingquan had promised to send me home if I could secure victory for her. The thought of returning drove me. It gave me strength, so the loneliness did not crush me.


    Of course, I did make friends. I met several good people, made friends with them. We were comrades-in-arms. I had friends on the battlefield, who served as my lieutenants. I had friends back in court, advisors and commanders who were different from those who sought to manipulate me for their own gain. I did make friends. But I always kept a certain distance, because I knew I would one day have to leave them. And it¡¯s a good thing I did. Many of my lieutenants died in battle, attempting to fight by my side. More than a few died shielding me from otherwise-fatal wounds. When I close my eyes and sleep, I can still see their dying faces, I can still hear their faded breaths. But I can¡¯t distinguish them anymore. I see so many faces, hear so many voices, that they¡¯ve blended into one big mass, and I can¡¯t hope to separate them anymore.


    In any case, the war lasted for ten years. Ten long, arduous years. It was trying on all of us, especially the six heroes. Many of them were like me. Ordinary people, displaced from our ordinary lives and forced to fight in the name of a god that we¡¯d never heard of. One of them ¨C Julian, the hero of Zyptheria ¨C committed suicide four years in. He was the first to fall. Convenient, I suppose. He had a very troublesome gift.¡±


    I recalled Julian¡¯s bespectacled face as I spoke. He was from my world, a teacher by profession. His gift had been the ability to control the weather. And anyone who could control the weather could control the battlefield. He could make a dry plain muddy and wet with a single storm, rendering it hell to traverse. He could force a drought on an encamped position, dehydrating our soldiers and forcing a retreat. He would have easily won the war in less than a year if not for the fact that he was a man of excessively gentle disposition. He would never participate in attacks on enemy borders, only participating in defensive battles. For four years no enemy could gain any ground in Zyptherian lands. He took that time to convince his nation¡¯s leaders to hold peaceful dialogues with other nations. When all five of the other nations summarily refused, he had committed suicide, causing myself ¨C and the other heroes ¨C to breathe collective sighs of relief.


    Of course, I had been partly responsible for driving him to suicide, but Rosalind didn¡¯t need to know that. She clearly had a good opinion of me, and I wanted to avoid ruining it as much as possible. I had no defence for my actions. It was wrong, and I would do it again. I continued speaking, omitting this detail.


    ¡°After he fell, Zyptheria quickly fell to the might of myself and my armies. We had attained the first victory of the war, and thus the fighting in all theatres intensified. Over the next six years, I faced each of the other heroes in battle numerous times. Sometimes I would emerge victorious and gain ground. Sometime I would be forced to retreat. Of the remaining four heroes, one of them was killed in battle, a battle in which I was not present. The other three were murdered by my own hand. Ten years after we had all arrived in this land, I finally killed the last hero in battle. I was twenty-four at the time. She was seventeen. I¡¯ve¡­ never been able to forget her face ¨C and the look it bore as I stole her life. Rachel ¨C that was her name. She was a cheerful, friendly girl. If we had met under different circumstances, I¡¯m certain we would have been fast friends, even with the age gap. Unfortunately, that never happened.¡±


    I fell silent as I recalled the young, lively necromancer who would always apologise to her soldiers when she raised them from the dead. I had never been able to forgive myself for ending that life ¨C Of all the people I had killed over the course of the war, her death was probably the one I regretted the most. And yet I knew that, given the same situation and the same circumstances, I would do it again.


    ¡°Anyway, with the war won, I was returned home, my body reverted to the age I had been when I left. I returned to my ordinary life. I went to school, graduated, got a job, worked hard at it for time, got promoted. Anyone who saw me would never have guessed that I had been to another world and fought in a war for ten years. But that¡¯s because they never saw me struggling to sleep at night. They never saw me getting out of a bed to sleep on the hard floor because I was more used to it. They never saw me screaming out and retching in the morning, remembering the faces of all the people who had died, by my own hand and in my name. I never told anyone, because they would never have believed me. I had no proof, after all. I never felt the need to tell anyone. Why would anyone care? Did it matter if nobody else knew? I lived out my life normally, falling into an everyday rhythm, and before I knew it, I was twenty-seven.


    One day, ironically the same date as when I had been tossed into the War of the Six, I died. An unfortunate accident, nothing special. I found myself in a white room, where Yingquan appeared before me. She offered me the chance to live another life, in another plane. I accepted, and soon after I found myself in this plane, on the road, in the middle of a prolonged drought. I started walking along the road, and it eventually brought me here ¨C which is when you found me. And that¡¯s pretty much my story.¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 10: Gaps

    <div>


    I closed out my brief summary of my experiences. Of course, I had many other tales to share about things that happened during those ten years, but they were hardly necessary to understanding the gist of how I came to be where I am, and what I had done in the place I had been. Rosalind wanted my life story. I had just given her a condensed version of it.


    A brief silence passed between us as she watched me. I could tell from her unfocused, yet attentive eyes that she was sifting through her list of questions ¨C a list that was undoubtedly very long ¨C in order to find one that I would be willing to answer, given what she had heard of my tale. There was much that I had left unsaid. What could she ask about that I might be willing to reveal? In truth, I did not know. Whatever question she asked, I would answer as I saw fit. There was no point ¨C or need ¨C to predict her questions.


    Finally she seemed to settle on one and spoke.


    ¡°You sounded like¡­ you didn¡¯t like fighting. Like if you had the chance, you would have rejected the honour of being a god¡¯s chosen warrior.¡±


    I laughed in derision. ¡®The Honour of Being Chosen¡¯. How often I had heard that phrase. How deeply it made my blood boil.


    ¡°Honour, you say? There¡¯s nothing honourable in taking another life. In burning down towns, in killing women and children. There¡¯s nothing honourable in what I did ¨C what I was forced by circumstance to do. The looks of villagers, led away in chains, watching as I burned down a town to deny the enemy the chance to rest and take shelter ¨C those looks are not gazes to be turned on honourable courses of action. I did so many things, committed numerous atrocities, for the sake of survival. Does that sound like an honour to you? Does it?!¡±


    Losing control of myself, I slammed a fist into the wall next to me, leaving a large crater in it. Rosalind flinched away. Blood began to trickle down my palm. It seemed that Yingquan¡¯s blessing had enhanced my physical strength as well ¨C though it had done nothing for the toughness of my skin. I took deep breaths as I calmed myself down, then fixed my eyes on Rosalind, whose face had begun to show signs of fear.


    ¡°See? You flinch.¡±


    I brought my fist back to my side, letting it fall limply next to my hip, blood dripping on the sheets as I averted my eyes. I had not intended to show Rosalind such a display. It had been years since I had lost my temper like that; perhaps it was the familiarity of the situation which drove me over the edge. Regardless, I had made an error. I fixated my gaze on the floorboards, certain that Rosalind would distance herself.


    I felt a gentle touch on my bloody hand. I turned my head back towards Rosalind, and saw that she had taken my hand in her own, a soft pink light diffusing from her palms as my wound sealed itself up. She stared straight at me, her eyes bearing a gentle gaze that I could only suppose was motivated by compassion. She shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for flinching. I was¡­ surprised, is all. It was very sudden, and I certainly wasn¡¯t expecting the bookworm in my guestroom to punch a hole through my wall.¡±


    Her attempt at humour elicited a chuckle from me. I felt the tension diffusing. She continued.


    ¡°Perhaps it was wrong of me to think of your situation as an honour. For that, I apologise. But if nothing else, I do think you yourself are a very honourable person ¨C or you would not feel so strongly about what you did.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    I gave a noncommital reply and tested my healed hand, slightly embarrassed, but also gratified that she thought of me as such. I decided to return to the topic at hand.


    ¡°That statement, about me not wanting to do it. It was a lead-in to a question. What was the question?¡±


    Rosalind bit her lip, slightly uncomfortable. Clearly, she thought that the question she had intended to ask might be seen as offensive, now that she knew my aversion to what I had done. But she looked me in the eye and asked it anyway.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to be the Chosen Hero, then why didn¡¯t you refuse?¡±


    I blinked. It seemed like a question with an obvious answer.


    ¡°Because I needed to go home. I fought so I could claim passage back to my home plane. I couldn¡¯t very well say no.¡±


    Rosalind shook her head.


    ¡°But you could. You said that you were the greatest warrior of the kingdom. Surely, it would have been simple to turn your blade against your Emperor and force him to return you to your home. So why didn¡¯t you?¡±


    I froze. She was right. And I knew for the fact that during my ten years there, there had been many occasions when I had that exact same thought. Yet I never acted on it. Why? What had stopped me? It felt like there was a great void in my memory, that I could not recognise, that I skirted around without knowing it ¨C a gap that I could not feel, except when I tried to search for something that should be there, but was not. I could feel it lying at the edges of my consciousness, but try as I might, I could not reel it in. There was a reason I had to obey the emperor¡¯s orders ¨C not because of magical compulsion. It was something¡­ baser. Simpler. But what was it?


    As I tried to think, as I tried to remember that fact, that important fact that had bound me to the Emperor, I felt a splitting headache. I clenched my teeth and doubled over, my hands clutching my head. Rosalind tapped me on the shoulder.


    ¡°Ely?! Ely, are you okay?¡±


    I could not respond through the pain. I felt Rosalind¡¯s hands touch my temples. I felt the pain recede as pink light entered the corner of my vision. The pain ebbed, from a stab, to a throb, to an ache, until finally it was gone. I breathed heavily, covered in sweat. I turned my head up to glance at Rosalind, who was watching me with concern.


    ¡°¡­Thanks.¡±


    I slowly sat up and collected myself. Rosalind continued to watch me, likely trying to see if I showed any signs of relapsing. Then she began to push herself off the bed, speaking as she did so.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t need to know. You should get some rest.¡±


    For the second time that night, I grabbed her wrist, preventing her from leaving. I shook my head.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    I fixed her with a focused gaze. I needed to tell someone. It was tearing me apart. Perhaps she could sense this, because she nodded and sat down. I took a deep breath, then spoke.


    ¡°I had to follow the Emperor¡¯s orders. I wasn¡¯t magically compelled to or anything, but there was a reason I could not disobey¡­ I just can¡¯t remember what it is.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t remember?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And I think I know why. When Yingquan brought me to this world, she erased a part of my memories. I had come here in search of something, but she erased my memory of exactly what I was searching for. According to her, it¡¯s to allow me to ¡®enjoy my new life to the fullest, without any worries¡¯. No doubt, these gaps in my memory are related to that. Whatever enforced my obedience to the Emperor is related to what I came here to find. I just don¡¯t remember what it is right now.¡±


    Having said my piece, I let go of her arm. She stayed on the bed, looking at me, but she seemed to be deep in thought. After a few moments, I could not stand the silence any longer, so I spoke up.


    ¡°Well? Was my story as interesting as you imagined?¡±


    Rosalind started. Perhaps I had interrupted her train of thought. She nodded quickly and replied.


    ¡°Yes! Of course! That was a one-of-a-kind story if I¡¯ve ever heard it. Perhaps I should forbid you from telling it to anyone else, so it can be mine alone~¡±


    She spoke in a cheery manner, but I could tell there was something else.


    ¡°¡­What is it?¡±


    I decided to cut to the heart of the matter. Rosalind¡¯s smile faded as she gazed at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ you came to this world, and you were searching for something, but you¡¯ve forgotten what it is. You had a goal, but now it¡¯s been lost. So¡­ what are you going to do now? Where are you going to go?¡±


    I bit my lip, thinking. I had spent the last month or so absorbed in Rosalind¡¯s books; so absorbed that it had not occurred to me to think about where I should go from here. I enjoyed my time here, but it was clearly a temporary arrangement. I could not in good conscience continue to freeload off Rosalind¡¯s goodwill. Soon, I would have to bid her farewell, and set off on the road again¡­ but to where? I had no direction. I sighed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I should be searching for something, but I don¡¯t know what it is. So I don¡¯t know where to start. I don¡¯t know where to go. I suppose I¡¯ll wander where the wind takes me. I hadn¡¯t really thought about it. But I should.¡±


    Rosalind silently nodded and got up from the bed, but I could tell she was still deep in thought. She walked over to the lamp and switched it off. Shortly after, I heard her voice from the doorway.


    ¡°Goodnight, Ely. Thanks for sharing your story. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Ros.¡±


    As her footsteps resounded from the corridor, marking her departure from my temporary lodgings, I lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. What did I want to do? Where did I want to go? Those thoughts churned around my mind as I fell into a turbulent sleep.

 Volume 1 Chapter 11: New Employment

    <div>


    I stood in the middle of the battlefield, surrounded by corpses. All around me, the bodies of soldiers lay ¨C some of them my allies, most of them my enemies. Scattered among them, numerous undead soldiers were unmoving, slowly fading to dust. My polearm was firmly lodged in the ground a short distance away, its wooden shaft broken by my using it as a foothold. The dagger which I usually kept hidden along my calf was in my hand, submerged to its hilt in its target. Her hands went limp at her side and her eyes began to flutter. I felt a weight on the dagger ¨C it was the dagger, along with my strength, that held her upright. Slowly, gently, I placed my free hand under her back and rested her on my free arm. I carefully extracted the dagger from her chest, her body convulsing slightly when it exited. Her fresh blood dripped from the tip, staining her perfectly white clothing. I slowly lowered her to the ground as her breaths grew weak. She looked at me, her youthful face ¨C seventeen, give or take a couple months ¨C showing me a look of gratitude. Seventeen. Something about that number disturbed me. It felt¡­ familiar, painful.


    Though it was plain to see that speaking hurt her greatly, she motioned for me to come closer. Suspicious. We had been fighting to the death until just a few minutes ago, after all. However, I was not one to deny a dying girl her last words. I leaned in close, bringing my ear to her mouth. I owed her that much.


    ¡°Finally¡­ I don¡¯t need to fight anymore. Thank you¡­ Perhaps, now that I¡¯ve joined them in death, those poor soldiers I had to raise will forgive me¡­¡±


    One of the undead soldiers who had been crumbling away slowly turned ¨C a magic-using type. It wore a mask ¨C it had been one of the strongest and fastest. It had given me no end of trouble whenever it appeared. Its hood and mask shrouded its face, but judging by the clothes it wore, in life, it had been a woman. The undead started shambling towards us, with no trace of the threatening speed it had previously displayed. Cautious, I quickly stepped away from Rachel and readied my dagger in case it attacked. But it was unnecessary. The undead moved over to Rachel¡¯s side and stopped, slowly kneeling down. It brought one bony hand to Rachel¡¯s face. On her part, Rachel reached up and touched her hand to its mask. Her voice didn¡¯t carry to me, but somehow I knew what she said.


    ¡°¡­Mother. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Then her hand dropped to the ground and she moved no more. The masked undead instantly crumbled away, as did the remaining undead soldiers. Then I was the only one left on the battlefield. I glanced at the dagger in my hand, still blood-soaked. Rachel¡¯s peaceful face as she died flashed across my mind. Resisting the urge to retch, I threw the dagger aside, burying my face in my hands, feeling wet, warm tears under my fingers.


    I was woken from my dream by the sound of footsteps passing through the doorway toward me. Alarmed, I clasped my hand to my chest, searching for the sword that I always kept close at hand ¨C only to remember that I no longer slept with a sword. I had not done so for years. My heart raced as I tried to confirm the number of enemies and their level of equipment by the sound they were making ¨C but as I calmed down, I remembered where I was. I was sleeping in Rosalind¡¯s home, in her guest room. The sound of the footsteps matched hers. Rosalind was¡­ not a hostile entity.


    I took deep breaths to calm myself, then pushed myself up on the bed, shielding my eyes against the glare that came in through the window. Judging by the amount of light, it was probably sometime in the early afternoon.


    Blinking the sleep away, I turned to the doorway, where Rosalind was frozen, watching me with concern while a large tote bag hung from her left hand. My first thought was that it contained a weapon of some sort ¨C maybe an explosive ¨C but I forced my paranoia down. It was that dream that was bringing back all my old habits. That old dream that I had thought myself free of. A memory of a time long past. Perhaps recounting my story had brought it to the surface once again to haunt me.


    Seeing that I had calmed down somewhat, Rosalind spoke.


    ¡°Are you okay? When I came in, you suddenly jolted.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You just surprised me, that¡¯s all. I had¡­ an old dream. It had me on edge.¡± I narrowed my eyes. This was an unusual situation. ¡°Still, this is the first time you¡¯ve woken me up at this time of the day. Isn¡¯t this the time you normally start preparing to open the tavern? I always hear you shuffling about downstairs.¡±


    Rosalind blinked, evidently surprised. Perhaps she had not thought that I would be aware of her daily habits. Whatever the reason, she smiled thoughtfully.


    ¡°Hmm. You have a good sense of perception ¨C though I already knew that. You¡¯re right. I should, in fact, be preparing to open the tavern right now. But before that, there¡¯s something important I have to do.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°I suppose this is the part where you show me the bill I¡¯ve accumulated over the past three weeks and threaten me with slavery if I don¡¯t pay up, knowing full well that I have no money?¡±


    I was only half joking. Even as I said this, I was measuring the distance between myself and the open window, calculating how long I would have to make a break for it before Rosalind could react. I had no doubt I could overpower her in a physical fight, but she had magic and I didn¡¯t. Magic made all calculations problematic. Additionally, in preparation for this moment, I had spent much of my first day surveying the street outside the window. I was on the third storey, but there was a one-storey building just across the road ¨C given my enhanced physical capabilities, the jump would not be a problem. I took care not to tense up, not to give any indication of running, but Rosalind shook her head quickly.


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯d never do that. Besides, slavery is illegal. Officially, anyway. Though you¡¯re correct in that what I have to say concerns your continued living here.¡±


    ¡°So, eviction, then?¡±


    ¡°No! Ely! Stop interrupting me!¡±


    I shut my mouth. It was the first time I¡¯d actually seen her mad. It was kind of cute. Exasparated, she sighed before continuing.


    ¡°You¡¯re my friend. I wouldn¡¯t want to turn you out. But I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the kind who would be willing to freeload off people, either¡­¡±


    I smiled. She was right. I had been preparing to pack my bags and leave, just so I could stop being a drain on Rosalind¡¯s resources. She had no obligation to host me, and I would rather not trouble someone who had shown me nothing but kindness. I expected her next sentence to be along the lines of how it was okay to freeload, and I steeled myself to refuse her.


    ¡°¡­So I was thinking, why not come work for me? I¡¯ve been thinking about getting some help around the tavern, after all, and this way, you wouldn¡¯t be freeloading anymore! Of course, money¡¯s kind of tight nowadays, what with lower traffic and rising prices¡­ so I can¡¯t pay you a wage¡­ but in exchange for working for me, I¡¯ll keep you fed, and you can continue living here! How does that sound?¡±


    I blinked in surprise. I had not expected that. Clearly, Rosalind was more resourceful than I had given her credit for. I mentally reassessed my opinion of her ¨C kind, generous, compassionate, but also shrewd. Excellent.


    I mulled over her offer. It was certainly a good compromise. It would allow me to stay on without worrying that I was being a burden ¨C earning one¡¯s keep was always a good feeling. I decided to seek clarification.


    ¡°When you say work for you, what do you want me to do? I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯m no more than an average cook, and I certainly can¡¯t tell my alcohols apart.¡±


    She shook her head.


    ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t expect you to do those! We use original recipes, so you¡¯d need to take time to learn them anyway, and since you¡¯re from another world, I can hardly expect you to know how to prepare our food ¨C nor can I expect you to know the differences between our types of alcohol. That would be unreasonable.¡±


    If anyone but Rosalind had said that in any other situation, I would have found it condescending. But in this case, it was the truth. I said nothing and waited for her to proceed.


    ¡°So I¡¯m going to have you wait tables. A lot of the time I get swamped between delivering and preparing orders, and end up messing things up. If you can take and deliver orders for me, I can focus on preparing the food ¨C would make things much easier. And it doesn¡¯t require a lot of training, either! You¡¯d just need to memorise the menu. What do you say?¡±


    I put a finger to my lips as I thought. It was true that if it was just waitressing, it was well within my capabilities ¨C I had done more than my share of waitressing in college. Furthermore, I did owe a lot to Rosalind, and this was a prime opportunity to pay her back¡­ there was no reason to refuse. However, in my experience, it was a bad idea to seem overly eager, so instead, I posed a problem to which I already had an answer.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good offer, and I do owe you a lot, but¡­ I came to this world to find something ¨C not to settle here. I should be looking for something¡­ and when I don¡¯t even know what that is, I don¡¯t think I can afford to take the time and work¡­¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s eyes glinted, like a hawk catching its prey. I resisted the urge to grin. This prey knew the trap, but wanted to be caught.


    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t know where to start, isn¡¯t this even more convenient? It¡¯s a tavern near the border. Plenty of different people pass through here: merchants, soldiers, mercenaries. If you want to find something unknown, something mysterious, and you don¡¯t even know where to look, isn¡¯t the tavern the first place that crosses your mind? While you¡¯re working, maybe you might hear people talking about something that strikes that chord of familiarity! Come on, I do need the help, and this will probably help you get to where you need to go, too! And you can quit whenever you want, no obligations. What do you say?¡±


    I allowed a smile to creep unto my face. Exactly the response I had been expecting. I made a show of giving in.


    ¡°Fine, fine, you win. I¡¯ll give it a try. No guarantees that I¡¯ll be good at it, though.¡±


    Rosalind grinned at my acceptance. Then her grin took on an aspect that I could only describe as mischievous, as she set her tote bag down on the table and began rummaging in it.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get you in your uniform~¡±


    My blood went cold at the sound of the word uniform. Uniform? What uniform? The only uniform I¡¯d ever worn was for schooling ¨C and that could hardly apply in this context. I suddenly recalled that back in my home country, it was popular for caf¨¦s to dress their waitresses in frilly maid uniforms ¨C surely not? This was a tavern, not a caf¨¦. Such a uniform would look out of place in such an establishment¡­ right? However, as I watched Rosalind glancing inside the tote bag and laughing with malevolent mischief, I felt a sense of foreboding.


    Surely not¡­right?

 Volume 1 Chapter 12: A New Aesthetic

    <div>


    ¡°Eh¡­ Ros, this is a little¡­¡±


    ¡°It looks perfect! The mature look really does suit you!¡±


    My attempts at protest were cut off by Rosalind¡¯s excitement. Slightly uncomfortable, I tugged at the collar, loosening it a bit, the base of the glove brushing over the silk crossover tie. After she had passed me the set of clothing, she had briefly left the room to get changed as well, and returned shortly after to evaluate my appearance.


    Thankfully, my worst fear had not been realised; I was not wearing a frilly maid outfit or anything nearly as outlandish. In fact, the clothes I wore were similar in feeling to what I would have worn to work, back at home ¨C sort of. A black pair of leather shoes were accompanied by a pair of fitted black pants, held in place by a black leather belt that sat below a white, formal, button-up shirt. Over this shirt I wore a black vest, and over the vest I wore a black blazer. The ensemble was completed by the black crossover tie and the white gloves.


    Indeed, there was no other way to describe it ¨C I was presently dressed in a butler¡¯s outfit.


    Well, back in my world, when I worked waitress jobs at classier places, I¡¯d worn such attire as well ¨C without the gloves ¨C but¡­ this was a tavern. A pub, so to speak. You don¡¯t exactly see barmaids dressed like butlers. Not in my experience, at least. Perhaps it was a cultural difference thing. I decided to clarify.


    ¡°Um. Ros, is it common for waitresses in taverns to wear clothes like these?¡±


    ¡°Nope. You¡¯d look extremely weird and out of place.¡±


    ¡°¡­And knowing this, you still chose to put me in this outfit.¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    I groaned.


    ¡°You know, I really think it would have made more sense to get me an outfit like yours. Do you have an extra? I can go and-¡±


    Rosalind usually changed into her sleeping clothes ¨C or otherwise her non-working clothes, ¨C before she came upstairs, so this was the first time I had seen her in work attire. She, at least, looked like she would have fit into a tavern-type atmosphere. She wore an orange one-piece dress with a skirt that was of a perfect length ¨C short enough to attract gazes, but long enough to protect her modesty. The hem of the skirt itself had a black patterning, and the skirt was flanked by long, black strips of cloth that looked like the ends of ribbons. A large ribbon was secured around her waist, holding the dress firmly to her body, but it was concealed by a long, white apron that naturally extended from beneath the flap over her chest. The bared shoulders and general feel of the dress reminded me somewhat of traditional barmaids from a certain country in my world, and that simply added to my feeling that it was a costume which belonged in a tavern. Unlike mine.


    Rosalind shook her head, denying my suggestion.


    ¡°No. That was the original plan, but then I pictured you in this outfit and didn¡¯t really like it.¡±


    ¡°E-Eh? Why?¡±


    ¡°Too girly.¡±


    I blinked. I¡¯m fairly certain a pained expression crossed my face. That was an unexpected attack. Although I had no illusions about the fact that my behaviour and appearance were far from being the epitome of traditional femininity, it still kind of stung. Rosalind noted my expression, but did not apologise. Rosalind had a habit of being brutally honest when it came to offering advice. I was grateful for it, but it still stung. Nonetheless, she continued to explain.


    ¡°Your appearance and manner, the way you conduct yourself, I tried to imagine that in my outfit. Didn¡¯t work. As expected, mature, serious-looking clothing suits you best.¡±


    I could make no argument. It was a fact that feminine clothing and myself did not get along. Even my ruqun ¨C a traditionally feminine garment ¨C had been modified to hold a sword belt and to have a lighter, less obstructive skirt, two distinctly unfeminine modifications. I resigned myself to the fate of being a woman who looked best in unfeminine clothes, and decided to focus on the positives instead.


    For one, this outfit was extremely easy to move in. If push came to shove and I needed to deal with a rowdy patron, this outfit would not get in the way. The only part of the ensemble that could be grabbed ¨C the jacket ¨C could be easily removed, and the fitted leggings meant I could throw kicks at leisure. While I still had¡­ difficulties with holding weapons, I could handle myself in a fistfight just fine. Of course, it would be best if no fighting was necessary, but it was reassuring to know that I could fight if I had to.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Furthermore, the outfit was extremely comfortable. It fit me perfectly. The waist and inner leg were just the right circumference, the sleeves were just the right length, and the shirt and vest both fit snugly over my chest without constricting me. The suit was a perfect fit, as if it had been order-made for me.


    ¡­Wait.


    I narrowed my eyes and glared at Rosalind.


    ¡°¡­How long have you been planning on employing me?¡±


    Until now, I had been under the assumption that it was a snap decision made after last night¡¯s talk. So how was it possible that she had a suit ready for me? Something was off. I did not want to start being suspicious of my only friend at this late juncture, but ten years on the battlefield had taught me the fallibility of trust. I carefully watched her as I asked my question, but Rosalind, unperturbed, simply answered with what I already knew.


    ¡°Uh, just last night, after you said you had no idea where to start.¡±


    There was no perceptible sign of lying. Either she was telling the truth, or she was very good at hiding a lie. I had no idea of knowing which was the case, thus I continued to press her.


    ¡°Then how did you manage to have this suit ready?¡±


    ¡°I had it lying around. I think it used to be my mom¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°But this suit is a perfect fit. Along with the pants. And the shirt. I¡¯ve never met your mother, but I doubt she had exactly the same sizes as me.¡±


    Rosalind tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°Well, of course. I altered it after I decided to employ you. Ely, what¡¯s this about? Do you really hate the suit that much?¡±


    Still no sign of a lie. Even though it was plausible that she had managed to alter the suit in such a short time, that left one big mystery. I asked the most important question.


    ¡°Rosalind, when did you take my measurements?¡±


    Rosalind froze as my tone shifted to one that was far more guarded, more hostile. A look of understanding dawned on her face ¨C perhaps she realised why I was asking all these questions.


    I do not remember her taking my measurements at any point. It was impossible for her to have done it in my sleep, either, as I would certainly have woken up. That meant that the only possible time she could have taken my measurements was when I was first brought here, unconscious. However, at the time, she would have had no reason to take such measurements ¨C if she had indeed taken the measurements at that time, it would mean that from the start, she had intended to have me work here ¨C which would mean that the reason she gave for rescuing me was a lie. And if that was a lie, there might be other untruths in her behaviour and words.


    I fervently wanted her to offer me an alternative explanation, but I knew that it was impossible. There was no other way she could have taken my measurements. I could not trust her. Biting back sadness at losing my first friend, I steeled myself to make a run for it, but unexpectedly, Rosalind replied in a calm voice.


    ¡°I saw your measurements.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡¯saw¡¯?¡±


    I was taken by surprise; I thought she would have been speechless. Anything she said now would certainly be an excuse. I had to leave ¨C but a part of me didn¡¯t want to. I sighed. I would at least listen to her excuse. Rosalind seemed to notice I was no longer on the verge of jumping out the window, and continued.


    ¡°Yes. ¡®Saw¡¯. I can tell things like sizes, depth, length and distance just by looking. For example, I can tell you that the bird over there¡± She pointed through the window at a faraway bird, ¡°is flying at 82 kilometers per hour. I can tell you that it¡¯s 315.87 meters away from us and heading southward. I can tell you that it¡¯s flying 152.4 meters above the ground. That¡¯s how I knew. I could tell. It¡¯s always been this way. Just by looking at something, I can know a lot of things about it. I don¡¯t know why I can do this ¨C though it¡¯s helpful for mixing drinks.¡±


    I said nothing, my desire to accept her explanation conflicting with my distrust. Her explanation was ridiculous, but I wanted to believe it ¨C I rationalised that the world had magic. Perhaps my common sense did not apply. Rosalind, perhaps hoping for a response, spoke again.


    ¡°Ely, please trust me. I¡¯m telling you the truth. I¡¯ve told you nothing but the truth. I really did see your measurements just by looking at you. Please, you have to believe me.¡±


    ¡°¡­How do I know you didn¡¯t make those numbers up?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t. Exactly.¡±


    I sighed. There was no way to confirm whether Rosalind truly had some kind of special vision, or whether she was lying and simply tossing out random numbers. But the numbers she gave were too unusual ¨C if she had made them up on the spot, they would likely have been rounder, nicer numbers. Of course, this was purely speculation ¨C there was no evidence to back up this claim. It was entirely possible she had chosen unusual numbers to make herself less suspicious. There was no reason to take this claim at face value. But¡­ I took it. I took that justification. I wanted to trust Rosalind. It had been so long since I had trusted someone else, so long since I had wanted to trust someone else. Now that I had found someone, a friend, who was able to re-ignite my desire to trust, I was loath to let her go. Perhaps I would come to regret this decision later. But for now¡­ I chose to trust Rosalind.


    I met her worried eyes and smiled.


    ¡°Come on, then, Ros. You need to teach me the ropes before we open, so we haven¡¯t got a lot of time.¡±


    Rosalind blinked, her mouth agape, surprise clearly evident on her features. Regaining her composure, she stared into my eyes for a moment, possibly searching for doubt. I do not know if she managed to find any, but whatever the case, she also broke into a grin.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to whip you into shape.¡±


    The two of us shared a warm silence as we descended down the stairs.

 Volume 1 Chapter 13: The First Night

    <div>


    ¡°Table Five requests an order of lamb shank!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    The tavern was abuzz with the sounds of conversation as patrons continually filtered in and out. Though there were six large tables within the tavern, much of the space was occupied by standing patrons. There were also those standing by the bar, behind which Rosalind worked at cooking up all the dishes to order, along with serving drinks whenever she could find an interval. Within this establishment ¨C whose name I had recently learned was The Serene Ezov ¨C customers were allowed to stand or sit as they pleased, but food was only served to seated customers. Rosalind said that this arrangement was to prevent customers from being a nuisance to each other, as the unfortunate incident of bumping into someone carrying a plate of food while standing could be avoided. The result was that the patrons who came for drinks stood at the bar, or otherwise in the empty space between tables, while those that wished to dine would be seated.


    At that time, all the tables were fully occupied, and there were a good many people who were crowding around the occupied tables, waiting for a space to open up so that they could sit down. The bar was largely unoccupied, and a surprising number of people were sitting down to order food, even though people usually came to a tavern to drink, not to dine. People were shouting over each other in the tavern, the entire place a mess of sound, a depiction of pure chaos.


    Naturally, due to the rule about only eating while seated, the only person who had to suffer the pains of navigating through this chaos while carrying plates loaded with food and mugs brimming with drink was myself.


    Thankfully, as a result of Yingquan¡¯s gift, I was possessed of a superhuman level of perception and agility, so while it took some effort, getting the plates and mugs where they needed to be without spilling anything was certainly within the realm of possibility. When I had taken the job, I had been far more worried about messing up the types of food on the menu. As it turns out, the cooking here was rather similar to the food served back in my home world, so I quickly had the menu memorised. Furthermore, while the tavern technically served three types of alcohol, it appeared that she only served one type on any given night, rotating between them based on the day of the week. So I did not need to worry about mixing them up.


    As a result, my first night of work had started smoothly ¨C since this was a town that was reasonably small, business was generally slow. Rosalind had informed me that, being one of only three taverns in the town, we tended to get just enough patrons to stay afloat, but not enough to make a lot of profit. Especially since it was an unusually cold night, most would not be leaving their homes this night. Rosalind told me to expect a slow night and long intervals between patrons.


    She was terribly, horribly wrong.


    At first, only a few patrons came in, mostly men, tired and shivering. I guessed that they had simply stopped by for a drink while on the way home ¨C a fact I later managed to confirm with them. They seemed to be regulars, as Rosalind gave them a friendly wave. I greeted them politely.


    ¡°Will you require a table, or is simply a drink fine?¡±


    Each of the men had stared at me, dumbfounded ¨C not that I could blame them. It was their first time seeing me, after all, and few things looked as out of place as a girl wearing a butler¡¯s outfit in a tavern. However, each of them soon replied with a request for a table and a meal.


    In our establishment, Rosalind would sit at the tables and interact with her guests whenever she was not dealing with another order ¨C it was a sort of added service in return for purchasing food and therefore paying more than for a mere drink. In my new capacity as the waitress, this duty fell to me, so I carried it out, sitting down and chatting with the patrons whenever there were a lack of orders. It quickly became evident that they were curious about me, and their decision to order food had thus been made out of a desire to speak to me. Their orders were interspersed with numerous questions which I answered in a deadpan, excessively formal manner befitting my appearance. After all, entertaining the patrons was part of the job description.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you come from, lass?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not a question I¡¯m authorised to answer.¡±


    ¡°Are you a lass or a lad?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m reasonably certain I¡¯m a girl, though now that you ask, I¡¯m forced to question myself¡­¡±


    A round of laughter ran through the tavern. I allowed a slight smile to creep onto my face, to make it clear that it was an act. A person who spoke like a butler could be perceived as prudish, but a person who pretended to do the same was more commonly perceived as playful. The questions continued as I shouted the order to Rosalind in a sharp, loud voice that contrasted greatly with the polite tone I had been using.


    ¡°How¡¯d a striking young lady like you end up in a backwards town like this?¡±


    ¡°I was carried by the wind, just as Milady Rosalind was.¡±


    ¡°Miss Rosalind was born here, though?¡±


    ¡°Please keep it down. It¡¯s rude to shatter the dreams of a young lady.¡±


    I added a conspiratorial wink with the last statement, causing another round of laughter within the tavern. Rosalind made a show of pouting, but she quickly broke into a smile as well. It was likely she had not expected me to be this good at entertaining ¨C but I had ample experience receiving guests in both of my previous worlds, in situations where the lives, or jobs, depending on the world, of my subordinates depended on my successful hosting of the other party. This much, at least, was well within my capabilities.


    However, shortly after the first group went off, back to their homes, we were swarmed by a second group ¨C larger, but still manageable. It was an unexpected number of guests, but still manageable. Surprisingly, many of them wanted to order a meal as well. Furthermore, this time, there were more women mixed in with the predominantly male crowd. Unfortunately, there were only six tables, so we started allocating them on a first-come-first-served basis, with large queues forming around each table, with people waiting a turn to be seated and served. For several hours, I went from table to table, recieving orders. The patrons would talk to me while I took their orders, and I would respond in that same excessively polite manner.


    Rosalind, standing at the bar without a chance to rest, preparing dish after dish, seemed perplexed as to the influx of business. Of course, I knew the reason. I worked in marketing, after all. I would be a failure if I didn¡¯t know the power of word of mouth.


    No doubt, the patrons who had visited earlier had spoken to their friends or neighbours about the curious new waitress at Rosalind¡¯s place. Having their interest piqued, these people would then come down to look for themselves. Their wives, worried about their conduct, might have followed them ¨C explaining the increased numbers of women in the tavern. That was the second wave. I was expecting a third wave to enter shortly, people who saw the second wave either entering or leaving the tavern, and wondering what was happening, who would pop in to take a look. Additionally, there would be those who heard about us from the second wave, and decide to come take a look. Therefore, the third wave would have even more people.


    Sure enough, just as the second wave of customers began to thin out, a third wave emerged, with even more people than before. This time, the queues spread outside the tavern, with people waiting in line outside, wrapped up in warm clothing. It got to the point where there were orders coming from everywhere at once, and it was near impossible to manage. Frustrated, I decided on a system: I would sit at each table for three minutes at a time before moving to the next. During that time, I would take orders and make conversation. After three minutes had passed, I would stand up, pass the orders to Rosalind, and move on to the next table. Each customer was allowed up to 10 minutes at a table per item ordered, starting from when the food was delivered. If they exceeded this time, I would continue to talk to the rest of the table while ignoring them. Since people started ordering more and more dishes and leaving them uneaten, we imposed a hard limit of two dishes per person. In this way, we dealt with the crowds slowly, a bit at a time, all the way until the last person finally left at 7 in the morning, four hours after our purported closing time.


    Once we closed the door and switched the sign from ¡°open¡± to ¡°closed¡±, Rosalind and I both collapsed to the floor at the same time, exhausted. Rosalind spoke first.


    ¡°Well, this was a first.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I haven¡¯t felt this tired since I participated in that one-week-long defence.¡±


    We turned to face each other. Her appearance was ragged and beat, and I was certain mine was as well, but we shared a grin. My first night had been an unexpectedly huge success.

 Volume 1 Chapter 14: Cleaning Up

    <div>


    When we had recovered enough to move again, we set to cleaning up. Following Rosalind¡¯s directions, I gathered up the dirtied crockery and tableware, stacking them neatly inside the sink. Following that, Rosalind and I each took up a broom and dustpan, and began sweeping up whatever had been left on the floor. We dumped all the refuse into a barrel, which we covered up and left outside the door, for collection and incineration later in the day. With that, all that was left was wiping the tables and washing the floor. I cast my gaze around for a tablecloth or a mop, but could only find the tablecloth. I briefly wondered how the floor was cleaned, but decided to focus on what I could do. I reached out for the tablecloth, but Rosalind¡¯s hand caught my outstretched arm. She shook her head while laughing.


    ¡°No need for that!¡±


    I tilted my head quizically, seeking an explanation. But instead, all she did was to step up to the center of the room. Then she began to hum a tune. Her voice had a soft, gentle feeling to it. Listening to it was like being enveloped in warm blankets. Hearing her sing was like lying on the shore of a beach, listening to the steady rhythm of the waves striking the shore and receding back. It was a voice filled with warmth, compassion, kindness ¨C but above all, it was a voice that was filled with strength. The strength to carry on, the courage to start anew. Listening to her made me feel all those things. It made me feel strong, it made me feel secure, it made me feel like there was infinite hope in the world, that all bad things pass, that it was okay to keep going and to keep trying and to keep striving. It was that kind of song. It made me feel a sense of comfort and calm. Just listening to it made me feel like I was at peace.


    Evidently, however, what was being cleansed was more than just my troubles. As Rosalind¡¯s voice washed out over the tavern, the oil and grime which coated the floor and tables disappeared without a trace. Similarly, the plates, stacked in the basin, were completely wiped clean, returning to a shine that gave them the appearance of being brand new. This was why there was no need for mops in this establishment ¨C Rosalind¡¯s magic could clean the whole place at one go. Within seconds, the entire tavern had been restored to the state it had been yesterday afternoon, before we had opened. Rosalind stopped singing and looked around, then nodded, satisfied. When I began applauding, she started.


    ¡°Magnificent. You have a beautiful singing voice.¡±


    ¡°E-Eh? No, I¡¯m just¡­ slightly above average. Nothing special.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°No, no. You most certainly have uncommon talent.¡± Or rather, my impression was that it was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. But in this context, it would sound like flattery, so I held back. Regardless, there was something I was curious about.


    ¡°Why did you suddenly start singing, though? If you were singing while cleaning, I would understand, but isn¡¯t magic something that requires concentration?¡±


    ¡°Well, ordinarily, that would be the case. But for me, I use singing as a catalyst for my magic. It¡¯s a lot harder to use wide-area magic if I don¡¯t sing while doing it.¡±


    I nodded in understanding. However¡­


    ¡°But, you don¡¯t sing when you use the magic to clean us up, right?¡±


    In lieu of showers, we had been using Rosalind¡¯s magic to clean up for some time due to my unwillingness to leave my assigned room. However, at those times, she had not sung. Rosalind giggled.


    ¡°Well, there were only two targets in that instance, so there was no need for my catalyst. It was more efficient to direct the magic manually. In this case, however, my target was ¡®everything in this tavern¡¯, and such a vague target requires me to perform my magic through a catalyst. Hence the singing.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Interesting.¡±


    I knew from my studies in magic that a catalyst could be used to help a magic user channel their mana more easily and efficiently. Nobody quite knew why, but channeling one¡¯s magic through an external action or item allowed one to amplify its effect. The best catalysts were those items and actions that were held close to the user¡¯s heart. Of course, it was often hard to know what one truly held close to their heart ¨C and most people were afraid of touching something that raw. As a result, most mages used some common catalysts that had been proven to be reasonably effective even with no actual emotional connection, catalysts such as incantations or magical items. For those who used personal catalysts, its form varied depending on the mage, with an absurd catalogue of forms that ranged from ancient magical artifacts to things as mundane as hand puppets. It seemed that in Rosalind¡¯s case, singing was that catalyst. Either it meant that she really, truly enjoyed singing and enjoyed it more than anything in the world, or it meant that the act of song was in some other way significant to her. Naturally, I was curious as to which it was. I wondered if I should ask, but quickly decided to hold my tongue. It was not particularly important, and it had only been a single day since we had mutually revealed a part of our pasts. Better to take things slow. As such, I took a seat on one of the chairs by the bar and turned the conversation to the hectic night we had just weathered instead.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°That was some crowd, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Rosalind took up a chair next to me and nodded in agreement.


    ¡°The biggest I¡¯ve ever had, I think. You were amazing!¡±


    I placed one hand on my chest and bowed my head, using the tone I had adopted for most of the evening.


    ¡°I thank you for your praise, milady. But I dare say that milady is the truly impressive one for being able to keep up with all the orders.¡±


    Rosalind laughed, leaning back in her chair.


    ¡°Yeah, that was rough. I don¡¯t think my hands have worked that hard since¡­ well, ever.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you get tired? I don¡¯t think I saw you take a break.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ kind of? It was mentally exhausting, for sure.¡±


    Strange phrasing. It implied that the work was not physically tiring. A girl who ran a tavern, could see magic, could tell distances by sight and who didn¡¯t get tired. The number of mysteries surrounding Rosalind kept increasing. I decided to ignore it for now.


    ¡°Still, I guess it¡¯s a day of rest, then we¡¯ll have to do that all over again.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh. Actually¡­¡±


    Rosalind made a worried face. I sent her a probing glance, inviting her to continue.


    ¡°¡­We won¡¯t be able to open tonight. We¡¯re out of food.¡±


    ¡°¡­huh. Won¡¯t that be a problem for profits?¡±


    She shook her head.


    ¡°Nah. The amount we made in the last night alone is about the same as three weeks¡¯ worth of my usual clientele.¡±


    ¡°As expected, that amount of people was unusual, then. I was wondering about it, since you mentioned you enjoyed stories, and it didn¡¯t exactly seem like you could hear many stories in an environment like that.¡±


    ¡°Well, the tavern¡¯s usually only about quarter-full. On good nights, maybe five of the six tables would be occupied. It¡¯s usually more relaxed and much slower-paced. Last night was an anomaly. What kind of magic did you use? And what was with the polite tone? I thought you believed the outfit to be out of place in a tavern.¡±


    I grinned.


    ¡°The magic of novelty. My appearance was already at odds with the setting, so I took it the whole way. Naturally, customers would be curious and want to find out more about this strange gentlemanly lady who suddenly appeared at their bar, so they would be more likely to order food to have the chance to talk to me. In doing so, I had the opportunity to charm them and entertain them, giving them an entertaining story to share with their friends and family when they arrived home ¨C friends and family who, having heard this story, would want to see me with their own eyes. Then those who passed by on the street and noticed non-regulars coming to this place in reasonably large numbers would naturally enter as well to sate their curiosity. A three-step plan to increase consumer traffic via word of mouth and value-added service. Well, the objective was to do it over several days, anyway. The fact that it worked so fast was rather surprising.¡±


    Rosalind stared at me, mouth agape.


    ¡°So¡­ this was the result of a plan?¡±


    ¡°Not so much a plan, more of a¡­strategy? Well anyway, it¡¯s not going to last. Novelty wears off fast, so within the month we should be back to your original clientele size ¨C though perhaps with a few more regulars. You can go back to hearing stories at your leisure, then.¡±


    Rosalind was still staring at me with a shocked expression.


    ¡°Were you a merchant? In your own world?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not really, but I won¡¯t say I was entirely isolated from that industry, either. I didn¡¯t buy or sell anything, but my job was to get more people to buy the things my clients sold.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ how do you make money, then?¡±


    ¡°My clients pay me to convince other, unrelated people to buy their products.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they be losing money? Why not do it themselves?¡±


    Rosalind tilted her head, confused. It seemed that the idea of outsourcing had yet to propagate in this world. Understandable, I suppose, as markets were not big enough in this world to justify outsourcing. Most merchants operated within a region, or otherwise focused on a specific type of good. I doubt a diversification of portfolio was a priority in the minds of most merchants. I decided to handwave the details away.


    ¡°Well, my world had different circumstances. Suffice to say, my job made sense in the economy of my world, but not of this one. If you hadn¡¯t hired me, I¡¯m not sure what I would have done. The skills I acquired from that job aren¡¯t very transferable to jobs in this world¡¯s economy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you would have found your way anyway. Maybe gone on to be a successful merchant. Possibly a bodyguard. Maybe a mercenary? Whatever the case, I¡¯m sure you would have been immensely successful. So, in celebration of my snatching you up before you could run away and become famous¡­¡±


    Without warning, she vaulted over the bar and landed on the other side, skillfully retrieving two glasses and placing them on the bar. While I watched, she opened the lower cupboard with her foot, using the same foot to hook and retrieve one of the bottles stored there, tossing it into the air while her right hand opened a drawer and retrieved a lever-like device meant for popping corks. She caught the bottle mid-descent and behind her back with her free hand, rapidly popped the cork with the device in her right hand, then poured out part of the blood-red contents into the two glasses. All this happened in the span of about seven to ten seconds. I was thoroughly impressed.


    Winking when she noticed my expression ¨C likely one of slack-jawed amazement ¨C she quickly recorked the bottle and rested it neatly on the table next to the glasses. I could tell from the bottle that this wasn¡¯t one of our regular beers ¨C it was one of the wines we saved for special occasions. Rosalind continued speaking, playing the part of the classy bartender.


    ¡°Sacramental Rose, the perfect wine for celebrating new employment. The spicy kick with a sweet aftertaste brings to mind the turbulence of a new beginning, but also reminds you of the good that will no doubt arise from the endeavour. The best batch of this is the 493 vintage, but unfortunately, we lack the funds for an expensive wine like that. This is the 508 batch, but hopefully it will suffice.¡±


    I laughed at the tone of voice Rosalind was using ¨C it was way too different from her usual voice. She joined me in laughing.


    ¡°See? I can do a posh accent too!¡±


    Still laughing, I picked up the glass and raised it high. She followed suit, tapping the drink against mine.


    ¡°To the continued success of The Serene Ezov.¡±


    ¡°To a fruitful partnership.¡±


    ¡°¡±Cheers.¡±¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 15: A Second Meeting

    <div>


    I was woken up by the sound of someone knocking on our front door. Still half-asleep, I sat up and rubbed at my eyes, listening to the sound of the door being opened, followed by a general exclamation of surprise. Was Rosalind already awake? I pushed myself off the bed and glanced at the table, where my working uniform sat neatly folded and cleaned, next to a set of more casual clothing: a tunic and skirt combination, in simple grey tones. I turned my gaze outside the window, where the orange tint of the setting sun informed me of the time. It seemed I had slept most of the day away. Considering my new job, I should have been downstairs preparing to open the tavern, but as Rosalind had clarified, we would not be opening for that night. I briefly considered getting back into the bed and sleeping the rest of the day away, but I also felt a degree of curiosity as to Rosalind¡¯s visitor. I had been staying with Rosalind for more than a month now, and this was the first time I had heard a visitor come knocking outside of operating hours. Furthermore, the tone of pleasant surprise I had heard from Rosalind indicated that the visitor was a friend ¨C or at the very least, a favoured acquaintance. I thus held a desire to see what this friend of Rosalind¡¯s was like.


    I quickly slipped on the casual clothing, wondering how long Rosalind had been awake, if she had taken the time to clean and fold my clothes. I descended the stairs, hearing the sounds of conversation coming from one of the tables. As I reached the last step, the sight of Rosalind sitting at the table across from a brown-haired woman reached my eyes. Rosalind was wearing clothes that were similar to mine, though hers were a light blue in colour. However, what drew my attention was the person she was speaking to ¨C I recognised her. It was that merchant, the one on the cart that had found me on the way here. The one who had been unable to give me water, but instead had pointed me in the direction of this town. Her brown hair and brilliant blue eyes were unmistakeable ¨C moreover, she was wearing the same heavy brown cloak that she had worn on the road. Now that she had pulled off her hood, I could see her features more clearly ¨C my first impression of her face as one of great beauty was not mistaken. It was rather angular, with sharp contours ¨C it gave her a very mature, detached beauty that was accentuated by her short hair.


    As I stepped off the staircase, she turned her head sharply and glanced right at me, wearing a look of surprise, which quickly turned into a slight smile. Rosalind turned to follow her gaze and grinned as she saw me.


    ¡°My, Rosalind, is this the new helper you¡¯ve been telling me about?¡±


    ¡°Yep. She¡¯s amazing! She brought in so many customers that we actually completely ran out of ingredients. Can you imagine? We actually sold so much that we don¡¯t have anything left for tonight.¡±


    ¡°My, that¡¯s certainly something. I don¡¯t suppose you want to restock from my supplies?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be glad to take your wines off your hands, but our normal suppliers already agreed to send us a restock tomorrow, so we¡¯ll be fine~¡±


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll let you look at my selection in a bit. I managed to get a couple rare ones on my way in. But more importantly, introduce us, will you?¡±


    The woman laughed and beckoned me over. As I approached the table, she stood up, her cloak shifting to reveal a tunic and pants beneath it, both in shades of light brown ¨C along with a sword, sheathed at her hip. Naturally, my attention in the brief moment of the reveal was drawn to the weapon. Its sheath and handle were completely wrapped in cloth, obscuring any design detail which might grant information about the weapon. All I could tell about it was that based on the length of the hilt, it was likely meant to be held in one hand, and based on the length, it was likely a shortsword ¨C assuming the weapon filled the entirety of the scabbard. Furthermore, when the woman stood up, her left hand went right to the sheath, gripping it through her cloak briefly before releasing it, the right side of her body facing forward ¨C from that posture, she could draw and engage in moments. Her movements were those of someone who had stood on the battlefield, a veteran for whom fighting was as natural as breathing. Seeing this, I tensed up. She raised an eyebrow, a grin playing around her lips.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Rosalind seemed not to notice this subtle shift in atmosphere, introducing us as the woman had requested.


    ¡°Elysium, this is Ruth ¨C the family friend I told you about.¡±


    Ruth ¨C the one who had proposed the theory about multiple planes. So a fighter as well as an intellectual? What a frightening combination. I felt myself grow even more wary ¨C this woman was a mysterious figure. There was something unusual about her. I could feel my instinct screaming that fact. Meanwhile, Rosalind turned to Ruth.


    ¡°Ruth, this is Elysium ¨C my new helper. She¡¯s looking for something, and staying with me in the meantime.¡±


    Ruth extended a hand for a shake. I casually took it, but I could feel strength in her grip ¨C I responded by gripping firmly as well. She withdrew, her left hand hovering at the part of her cloak which concealed the sword. On my part, I subtly adjusted my stance, shifting my body weight. We held eye contact for several seconds of silence. Then Ruth spoke.


    ¡°Elysium, was it? Rosalind was telling me about how you managed to drastically increase sales in the course of a single night. I had wondered what manner of merchant you might be, but¡­ you¡¯re not a merchant, are you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Unfortunately, I¡¯m no merchant. But then again, neither are you, it seems.¡±


    ¡°Oh? But I am most certainly a merchant. I trade goods for a living, going up and down to different locales, buying and selling depending on the price. Does that not make me a merchant?¡±


    ¡°Yet your stance and atmosphere suggest otherwise.¡±


    ¡°No, no. I do enjoy engaging in a little swordplay, but I am most certainly a merchant.¡±


    ¡°¡­Your level of skill is clearly much higher than that of a mere enthusiast.¡±


    ¡°Oho. But to be able to ascertain that just by sight, clearly your own martial skill must be great. In fact, I believe I would greatly enjoy a bout with you ¨C as a fellow enthusiast, of course.¡±


    ¡°Er¡­um¡­¡±


    Rosalind cut in with a nervous stammer, seemingly lost for words. Ruth laughed and relaxed her stance, her hostility vanishing.


    ¡°But now is not the time for that. Come, sit down.¡±


    With that, she once again sat at the table. Seeing that the immediate threat was gone, my body loosened up. I sat at the table across from her, next to Rosalind, who was still looking at us with confusion. I thought to reassure her, but Ruth beat me to it.


    ¡°No need to worry, Rosalind. It was merely a friendly greeting between enthusiasts.¡±


    I was tempted to correct her referral to me as an enthusiast ¨C I did not take joy in fighting ¨C but I let it pass. It would be pointless to further complicate the matter. Seeing Rosalind breathe a sigh of relief, Ruth turned her attention back to me.


    ¡°Still, I am surprised that you ended up here. Certainly, I did point you in this direction, but to think you would end up at Rosalind¡¯s home¡­ truly, a great coincidence. And you can speak our language now. That¡¯s rather impressive. I do wonder how you managed to learn it so well in such a short amount of time¡­ Perhaps you had some special learning technique?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Have you two met before?¡±


    Rosalind cut in, surprised. I nodded.


    ¡°I met her when I was wandering on the road. It was¡­ my third day of wandering, I think. I had not seen any people, I had not seen any sign of civilisation. I was dying of thirst, and came upon Ruth on the road. I begged her for water ¨C which was no easy task.¡±


    Ruth laughed.


    ¡°Certainly, it was very confusing for me. Everything you said sounded like gibberish to me ¨C it took me several seconds to realise you didn¡¯t speak our language. Though your current fluency is truly a great mystery¡­ or perhaps a miracle? Regardless, I only managed to understand what you wanted when you desperately pointed to a barrel of tar in my cart.¡±


    ¡°Wait, tar?¡±


    ¡°Yes, tar. I had been carrying tar for the garrison on the walls. It was not, unfortunately, water. I would have given you water, were it not for the fact that I had none with me.¡±


    ¡°Not even for yourself?¡±


    She shook her head.


    ¡°None. For the entire time I was out there, I did not drink a drop of water.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. That was highly unlikely. No prepared traveller would set out on a journey without stores of water. Ruth caught my glare and took a sip of the wine in the glass before her, glancing over the rim of the glass.


    ¡°I am not so callous as to let a stranger die of thirst if I have the means to save them. I speak the truth. Believe what you will.¡±


    She set her glass down, its contents drained.


    ¡°Rosalind, dear, could you get me a refill? And a glass for Miss Elysium, too. There should be an unopened bottle of Saphiz Scarlet somewhere in my cart ¨C let¡¯s open that. A welcome drink for the new hire.¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s eyes sparkled at the mention of the wine¡¯s name ¨C was it her favorite? Regardless, she nodded frantically and nearly ran out the door, leaving me to watch the swinging door with growing confusion. Ruth laughed and explained.


    ¡°It was her father¡¯s favorite wine. More importantly¡­¡±


    She leaned back in her chair, her face taking on a serious expression.


    ¡°¡­tell me about your plane.¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 16: Of Gods and Faith

    <div>


    Tensing up, I gripped the edge of the table, hard, to stop myself from lashing out at Ruth ¨C her sudden question had me on edge. She had very clearly said ¡°plane¡± ¨C that unfamiliar word that referred to another world. I had no reason to fight her, but if she was asking me such a question, it meant she knew more about me than she had let on ¨C she was concealing information, and that was dangerous. I answered in a low voice, letting my hostility creep into it.


    ¡°¡­Did Rosalind tell you?¡±


    Seeing my display of hostility, Ruth chuckled and remained seated, unfazed.


    ¡°Oh, so she knows it too? Did you tell her? I suppose it was wasted effort to get her out of the vicinity.¡±


    I glared at her, but she simply met my gaze with a calm stare, not even flinching. I searched her eyes, trying to find some clue of what she wanted, what intentions she bore, but I could find nothing. Her eyes were as an inpenetrable inkwell, denying me any sort of ingress. I could feel no hostility ¨C but against an opponent of this level, that meant nothing. Judging from her reaction, Rosalind had not told her, either. Meaning that she had reached that conclusion on her own.


    ¡°¡­How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t very hard to guess. A girl in the middle of nowhere? Wearing unfamiliar clothes? Not speaking the common language? And more importantly, a girl who had no magic? There were only a few possible explanations, and as it turns out, a separate plane is the least irrational. I am, in a sense, the foremost authority on the Multiple Worlds Theory, after all.¡±


    So Ruth, like Rosalind, could tell that I had no magic. Rosalind had said that it was a rare trait, but I was finding that increasingly difficult to believe. I contemplated making a run for it, but decided quickly that it was pointless. I could tell just from looking at her ¨C I¡¯d never make it out in time. Furthermore, while it might have been possible to fight her off if I chose to stand my ground, I was unarmed. The safest course of action was to tell her what she wanted to know. I slumped forward on the table, defeated. Since she knew I was not from this world, there was no reason to hide the fact. Besides, I was dead in my original world ¨C I had no reason to keep information from her. Rosalind trusted her, so I decided that I would as well.


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    Ruth smiled, seeing that I was willing to give in.


    ¡°Anything. Everything. It¡¯s not everyday a scholar gets to meet living proof of their far-fetched theories. I want to learn everything about your world ¨C how it¡¯s different, how it¡¯s the same, whether the people are different, how many races there are, how you fight your wars, what your technologies are like, everything.¡±


    I immediately refused.


    ¡°That¡¯s way too much. I can¡¯t tell you about everything, because I don¡¯t know everything, and besides, there¡¯s no way I could explain everything in a single day. Pick a topic. Just one.¡±


    Ruth placed a finger on her lips, deep in thought.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ You¡¯re kind of a miser, aren¡¯t you¡­? Well then, tell me about your gods. I find that the beings a civilisation worships says a lot about that civilisation. What kind of gods do your people worship?¡±


    I frowned. This was a pretty hard question. I thought about it for a while, but decided to answer as best as I could.


    ¡°Well¡­ it varies from person to person, really.¡±


    ¡°¡­it varies? You mean, what god they worship?¡±


    Ruth tilted her head, confused. From my studying, I knew a bit about the state of religion in this world ¨C there was basically one large, polytheist religion, comprising of a pantheon of gods that they all worshipped. It was possible to worship a different god from another person, but all of the gods in this pantheon were universally believed to exist. Which god one worshipped was basically a matter of which god you preferred to receive blessings from. I decided to clarify.


    ¡°Kind of? Different groups of people worship different gods¡­ Some of them believe there¡¯s only one god, that no other gods exist, and worship that god¡­ but there are also some groups that believe that thousands of gods exist, and worship them equally. There are those who don¡¯t believe that gods exist at all. And there are those like myself, who believe that gods do exist, but don¡¯t worship them.¡±


    Ruth¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°You¡­ believe that there are gods, but you don¡¯t worship them? Why not?¡±


    ¡°Mainly because I don¡¯t feel like they¡¯ve done anything to deserve my reverence. I haven¡¯t had an easy life; and I don¡¯t feel like worshipping any gods who are big enough assholes to thrust all this shit on me. Maybe my soul is condemned and doomed to rot for all eternity, but hey. I¡¯ll cross that bridge when I get there.¡±


    Ruth still looked stunned. Was the idea of a free thinker that alien to her? She asked another question.


    ¡°This¡­ attitude. Believing in the gods but not worshipping them. Is this¡­ common, in your plane?¡±


    I thought about the question.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think you can really call it common, but it¡¯s not exactly rare, either. The majority of people are religious, but there¡¯s also a significant number of us who aren¡¯t.¡±


    Ruth brought her finger to her lip, reflecting on my words. She bore an expression of wonder and shock. Was my dismissal of the divine somehow offensive? I quickly spoke up to fill the silence.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just how my plane is. I can understand if those of this plane find it hard to comprehend. We have very different cultures, after all. I apologise if I¡¯ve offended you in any way.¡±


    Ruth shook her head.


    ¡°No, not at all. In fact¡­ I¡¯m glad. I¡­ share a similar sentiment, as regards the gods. I¡¯m simply overwhelmed that there would be another human who felt the same ¨C and not just a human, but a whole world of them¡­!¡±


    Her joy was evident on her face, as if she¡¯d found an answer to a question she had been asking for a long time. Her next line was spoken so quietly I had to strain my ears to hear it.


    ¡°So humans can live without the aid of the gods¡­¡±


    I scratched my head awkwardly, feeling as though I had just pointed out to some stranger a path to enlightenment and peace. I had simply spoken the truth. While I was willing to be friends with Yingquan, I had no intention of worshipping her. Nor did she, I suspect, prefer that I do so. I felt slightly bad for depriving this world¡¯s gods of a follower, but it was not my native world ¨C and therefore I had no reason to care for the well-being of its gods.


    After a few more moments of basking in joy, Ruth spoke again.


    ¡°Sorry for being this dramatic. It¡¯s just that I never thought that humans could live without the gods ¨C I was worried all this time that my line of thinking was flawed, or deficient, or dangerous. You¡¯ve just reassured me that it is, in fact possible, to live independently of those gods which rule over us. For that, you have my gratitude.¡±


    She seemed to have regained her composure ¨C she smiled at me in that enigmatic, unfathomable way that denied me any entry to her contemplations.


    ¡°That¡¯s two of my theories you¡¯ve proven in one day. Truly, our meeting on the road was a fortunate one.¡±


    At that moment, Rosalind burst through the tavern door, a blue glass bottle in her hand. Ruth smiled and beckoned her over, casually making conversation, making no more mention of planes or gods.

 Volume 1 Chapter 17: Stirrings

    <div>


    Rosalind sipped away at her glass of Saphiz Scarlet ¨C a wine that, contrary to what the name might suggest, was not at all scarlet in colour. The liquid that swirled about in our glasses was of a vivid blue coloration that seemed to sparkle in the late afternoon light. The taste of the wine was¡­complex, for lack of a better descriptor. It had a hint of spiciness to it that undercut the sweetness, and it left a distinctive buzzing on the tip of the tongue. I found it rather difficult to drink, but Rosalind seemed to like it a lot ¨C inherited taste, I suppose. As she drank, a look of fond remembrance blossomed across her face, a look that Ruth was watching with no small deal of affection. The merchant was clearly fond of Rosalind, and it made me feel somewhat like an interloper ¨C after all, I had only known Rosalind for a little over a month, and here I was, sharing a drink with two long-time acquaintances. A degree of discomfort was inevitable.


    After finishing off her first glass ¨C mine was still about two-thirds filled ¨C Rosalind posed a question to Ruth.


    ¡°So, Ruth, will you be staying over tonight again? I could prepare a room.¡±


    Ruth shook her head.


    ¡°No, I need to get going. I have reasonably urgent business elsewhere, so I can¡¯t stay too long.¡±


    Rosalind frowned.


    ¡°If you were in a rush, you didn¡¯t have to stop by¡­ you could have always come by the next time you swung around¡­ now I feel kind of bad for holding you here¡­¡±


    Ruth laughed and patted Rosalind¡¯s head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I had to pass through this town, anyway, so stopping by wasn¡¯t a very hard decision to come to. Besides, there¡¯s a reason I had to come by: my next job will take me¡­ pretty far. I won¡¯t be able to drop by for a while, so I decided to check up on you one more time before I left.¡±


    ¡°How far is ¡®pretty far¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s face became downcast, while Ruth gave her an apologetic look. Confused, I decided to cut in.


    ¡°Sorry, but where¡¯s your home again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m headed to Saphiz.¡±


    I blinked, surprised. I had assumed she was going to another part of the country, but if she was going to another continent, that was a different matter. Considering that travel in this world was still done by sea, going to another country would take weeks, or even months. Clearly, Rosalind knew this as well ¨C she was visibly upset. She asked the natural question.


    ¡°So¡­ When will you be coming by again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll be away for a few months, at least. Maybe even a couple years.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Years?¡±


    Rosalind had a look of veritable horror on her face ¨C it was clear she did not welcome the thought of being separated from her friend for so long. Considering the circumstances under which she had come to know Ruth, that was unavoidable. Ruth scratched her head, troubled.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ that¡¯s why I dropped by today. To tell you, and make sure you¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    ¡°I totally won¡¯t be okay.¡±


    Ruth laughed and flicked Rosalind¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie. You have Elysium now. You¡¯re not alone anymore, Rosalind. As long as you¡¯re not alone, there¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t overcome. Wasn¡¯t that what your father used to say all the time?¡±


    Rosalind bit her lip and cast her gaze down, holding her silence for a while before nodding.


    ¡°So you¡¯ll be fine. I swear, sometimes you still act like a child. Come on. Chin up.¡±


    Rosalind obediently lifted her head and met Ruth¡¯s eyes, tears beginning to well up.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Don¡¯t cry. Come on. I¡¯ve been away for way longer before. I didn¡¯t even get to see you for most of your teenage years. You¡¯ll be fine without me, especially now that you¡¯ve got her,¡± She motioned at me, ¡°to take care of you. Though¡­ I suspect you¡¯ll need to teach her quite a few things, as well.¡±


    I shot Ruth a glare. I was fully aware of how little I knew about this world, given my background. I had read plenty of books, I knew lots of tiny trivia and theoretical things. But the extent of my experience had thus far been limited to the road and this tavern. I knew that I had much to learn, but there was no need for Ruth to point it out so clearly. Trying to get back at her, I derailed the conversation with a jibe.


    ¡°You know, Ruth, I forgot to ask; how old are you, exactly? When Ros told me about you, she introduced you as a friend of her parents. And from what you¡¯ve just said, you were there to see her grow up. Given that Ros is around my age, wouldn¡¯t that make you an old woman? How old are you, exactly?¡±


    ¡°Come now, Elysium. It¡¯s rude to ask a lady her age, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware ¨C or maybe not. Forgive me, I did not realise you had yet to be educated in basic etiquette that a five year old should know.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Unfazed, Ruth easily evaded the question and counterattacked. Impressive. But I had more up my sleeve.


    ¡°Ah, but that was meant to lead-in to a compliment, you see? I¡¯m impressed by your youthful looks. You must be what, ninety? How does an old lady like you manage to look so young? What¡¯s your secret? It¡¯s magic, after all, isn¡¯t it. Ah¡­ as someone who can¡¯t use magic, I¡¯m jealous¡­¡±


    Ruth barked out a laugh.


    ¡°Ninety? Was that your best shot? I must say I¡¯m rather disappointed. But I suppose I can tell you my secret: I bathe in the blood of my fallen enemies. Easy~¡±


    The last line was spoken with a conspiratorial wink, but I felt a chill run up my spine. Based on what I had garnered of her combat ability from the way she carried herself¡­ it might not necessarily have been a joke.


    Meanwhile, Rosalind had stopped crying, and was instead watching our conversation with a bemused smile. Seeing a lull as I tried to formulate a response, she cut in.


    ¡°Actually, Ruth, I¡¯m curious as well. How old are you?¡±


    Ruth sighed theatrically, shooting Rosalind a pained look in response to her betrayal. She reached out and patted Rosalind¡¯s head again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when you reach my current age, girl.¡±


    Rosalind chuckled and nodded. Ruth, however, took on a serious expression.


    ¡°Well. That takes care of the first reason I¡¯m visiting ¨C to check on you and tell you I¡¯m leaving. Now for the second.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another?¡± The surprise was evident in Rosalind¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Yes. A warning.¡±


    I sat up straight, alert. Warnings meant danger. Danger required vigilance.


    ¡°This is purely speculation on my part, based on what I¡¯ve heard and seen in various towns on my route, but¡­ there seems to be an uprising brewing.¡±


    ¡°Against the King?¡±


    ¡°Yes. A number of nobles are frustrated with his taxation policies, as well as his neglect of the peasants.¡±


    Rosalind winced when Ruth mentioned taxation, but I could only tilt my head in confusion. I was aware that this country operated under a monarchy, but I had no idea about the policies implemented or the political situation of the country, other than that overseas trade was strictly regulated. Ruth explained the gist of it to me.


    ¡°Three years ago, when the previous King died, the current King ascended to power by winning favor from the noble houses, buying their endorsements over his brother, the original crown prince. While he hasn¡¯t changed many of the existing laws ¨C thank goodness ¨C he implemented higher taxes in the name of making the country richer. The increased coffers were used to pay back the many favors he owed to the noble houses, and he continues to shower money and gifts on them to maintain their support. The result is that the middle and lower classes are taxed heavily, while the rich grow fat on these taxes and pay none of their own.¡±


    I blinked, astounded. That made no sense. It was basically an inverse progressive tax. It was literally a direct worsening of the income gap.


    ¡°Thankfully, since this country operates under a feudal system, the citizens are not taxed directly ¨C the lord that owns their land is taxed by the King, and the lord in turn levies taxes from the citizens to pay that tax. The problem of taxing the poor still remains, for those lords who have to pay the most are the least powerful or least wealthy of the nobles. Even so, many of them try to make the burden on their citizenry lighter by paying a part of the taxes out of their own coffers. It makes them poorer, but it keeps the citizens from starving. This region is under one such kindhearted lord. That¡¯s the gist of the situation.¡±


    It was somewhat reassuring to know that there were at least some decent people within this system. It was a sign of hope, that the country was not completely lost to corruption and avarice. Still, it was an unsettling state of affairs.


    ¡°So I¡¯m guessing these smaller lords have had enough?¡±


    Ruth nodded.


    ¡°Many of the smaller nobles are dissatisfied with the King and his policies, and wish to push for reform ¨C but they are not given an ear in the court of the King, for he prefers to surround himself with those nobles that do nothing but flatter him and support him in exchange for money and power. It¡¯s not a pretty situation, and these nobles want change ¨C but the uprising seems to be in the early stages. The current lord of this region, Lord Dyfern, has, as far as I can tell, maintained neutrality on the matter. But that might change.


    If he decides to side with the rebels, it is likely all the citizens under him will be called to action to support the effort. If that happens, I want you to refuse. Stay out of this. Keep your heads low, wait for it to blow over.¡±


    I stared at Ruth, saying nothing, trying to get a read on her intentions. Rosalind, meanwhile, creased her eyebrows in confusion.


    ¡°But why? If the lord wishes to make our lives better, surely supporting him would be to our advantage.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because she thinks the rebellion will fail.¡±


    I answered for Ruth. Based on how she had approached the topic of the rebellion ¨C as a warning ¨C it was clear she did not think the uprising would be a successful one. Ruth nodded, confirming my suspicions.


    ¡°Something feels off. Uprisings are rooted in outrage, but also hope. From what I¡¯ve heard of the uprising, it¡¯s definitely motivated by outrage, but nobody¡¯s passing around messages of hope. An uprising like this is bound to make a misstep somewhere along the line, and when that happens, I don¡¯t want you to be anywhere near it. Got it?¡±


    Rosalind fell silent. Clearly, the idea of simply keeping her head down and passing by an uprising unnoticed was an uncomfortable one.


    ¡°Promise me, Rosalind.¡±


    ¡°¡­I promise.¡±


    ¡°Good girl.¡± She smiled warmly. ¡°Well then, I really should get going ¨C I¡¯ve a long trip ahead of me.¡±


    Ruth stood up and walked toward the door, Rosalind trailing behind her, with myself behind Rosalind. We walked her out of the tavern and to her cart, where she turned around, holding out her arms. Rosalind quickly entered them and hugged Ruth, holding her close for several seconds. Rosalind whispered a few words to her, at a volume I could not catch. I averted my eyes to prevent myself from reading her lips ¨C it would be rude to intrude on the intimacy of such a moment. Still, from the brief amount I had seen prior to turning, it seemed to be a simple goodbye.


    ¡°Elysium.¡±


    Ruth caught my attention by calling to me ¨C Rosalind was still hugging her. I turned to her.


    ¡°Make sure you keep Rosalind safe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll protect her at the cost of my life.¡±


    ¡°No you won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll protect her as long as it doesn¡¯t involve putting my life on the line.¡±


    Ruth grinned.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for me.¡±


    The confidence with which she spoke¡­ I could feel a hidden message in that grin. She seemed to have made an assessment of my ability. ¡®If it was me, the situations which could be life-risking were few and far between¡¯ ¨C that was the sort of message she was sending me. It was an affirmation, as well as a challenge. The corners of my mouth upturned in a smirk. It was not my choice, but like her, I was a fighter at heart. There was no way I could refuse this challenge.


    ¡°Come now, Rosalind. If you detain me any longer I might miss my ship.¡±


    Finally, Ruth pushed Rosalind away, laughing. Rosalind took a few steps back and stood at the doorway.


    ¡°Farewell for now, then. I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take, but I¡¯ll be back. I promise.¡±


    Waving one last time, Ruth got on her cart and gently patted her horse, starting on the long road toward the port. As she left, Rosalind continued watching her, trembling. She was on the verge of tears again. I placed a hand on her shoulder, and she leaned against it. Like that, we continued watching Ruth until we could no longer see the shape of her cart.

 Volume 1 Chapter 18: Shopping

    <div>


    As it happened, the world in which I had found myself was temporally structured in a similar fashion to my original world: twenty-four hours made a day, seven days made a week, fifty-two weeks made a year. Unlike my world, however, they did not have names for the days of the week ¨C Wednesday was ¡°the third day of the week¡±, Friday was ¡°the fifth day of the week¡±, and so on.


    Considering that it is a mouthful, I will, for simplicity¡¯s sake, refer to the days of the week by the names I had learned in my previous world from this point onward. I do not know who may end up reading these memoirs, but in anticipation of the possibility that it is a denizen of this world ¨C rather than of my own ¨C who is reading this, the days of the week, from the first through the seventh, are as follows: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. If, at any point, my usage of the above names confuses you, refer back to this section.


    It was on a Sunday, three days after Ruth departed from our town, that I stepped out of the tavern for the first time since I had started living with Rosalind. She had decided that it was unhealthy that I should remain cooped inside my room all the time, and so had requisitioned my help with the shopping. Naturally, I was hesitant ¨C I had grown so used to the comfort of a familiar space that leaving it was an untantalising prospect. For the first time, I felt a semblance of what it must have been like to be voluntarily unemployed. However, recognising that I stayed with Rosalind by her good graces alone, and feeling a sense of obligation to at least answer her efforts, I had grudgingly agreed.


    So it was that we ended up walking along the streets of the town, with Rosalind pointing out various landmarks.


    ¡°Over there is the fountain square. It¡¯s the town¡¯s centre, so if you¡¯re trying to find your way to a specific part of town, it¡¯s always a good idea to start looking from here. In the interest of public safety, horses and carts aren¡¯t allowed on it, so those have to take a detour around the square ¨C that¡¯s what that large track is for. The fountain itself uses a fascinating network of pipes to keep the water flowing, but we don¡¯t really turn it on much these days because of the frequent droughts. The seers apparently claim that the drought will end after another two months, so perhaps we¡¯ll be able to see it then. It¡¯s a wonderful sight. That said, even with the fountain disabled, the square, as you can see, is still a popular place for the children to play, as well as for young couples discovering the passions of love.¡±


    Indeed, the fountain square was crowded with little children running around and playing. Furthermore, there were several couples seated on stone benches that littered the square. Several of them were momentarily preoccupied with locking lips, publicly displaying their affection for all to see. However, what caught my attention was not those couples, but the people who were glaring at them.


    ¡°¡­Is there a reason there are guards in armor glaring at the kissing couples?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Oh, they¡¯re making sure the couples don¡¯t start having sex in public.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what was that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s an old superstition that if you have sex on the fountain square, your love will be eternal and fertile. There are several conflicting accounts as to the origin of the practice, but personally I think some couple just invented it as an excuse when they were caught. Either way, it¡¯s still public indecency to have sex in public, so the guards post people here to keep the lovebirds in line. Even then, there are still about ten couples arrested for it every year. Anyway, we¡¯ve wasted enough time here. Let¡¯s move on.¡±


    ¡°What kind of superstition is that¡­¡±


    I shook my head in disbelief and followed along after Rosalind, who had already resumed walking. We passed by the school, the merchant district, the prisons and numerous other landmarks as we made our way to the market, with Rosalind pointing out public institutions to me whenever we came across them and sharing information, along with occasional trivia. I found it rather telling that she was focusing on public institutions rather than tourist attractions or historical sites; it meant that either she recognised it was more imminently important that I should know where these services were located, or that the town itself had little in the way of tourism and history.


    One building in particular caught my eye as we passed it ¨C it was a large building that resembled the courthouses back in my world. Large, white pillars supported a perfectly symmetrical white roof. As far as I could tell, the building had no windows, but there was a slight gap between the roof and the top of the main building, suggesting that it was a construction meant to allow ventilation without the need for windows. It was a large, imposing building. I liked it. I stopped Rosalind as we passed by.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Ros, what¡¯s this building?¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is the Town Hall. It was built by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to be a branch office, but they never moved into it, for some reason. Probably figured that a town so far from the main port didn¡¯t need a branch. Whatever the reason, they sold it off cheap to the lord of this region, so he converted it into a Town Hall. We hold emergency meetings there if the lord calls for it, but that rarely happens. For the most part, it serves as a form of employment. Even though nobody uses it, the lord maintains a group of workers to keep it clean and orderly. If I recall, he also opened it up to the people¡¯s use ¨C anyone can pay a fee and reserve the venue for a week. Nobody does that though. There are very few activities that require such a large space. Regardless, we should keep moving. If we take any longer, the market will close.¡±


    I nodded and hurried along to the market, where Rosalind showed me how to pick vegetables ¨C our meats were directly supplied to our storefront every Friday, but Rosalind preferred to make the trek down to the market for greens. The day after Ruth had left, Rosalind had spent the morning with me, teaching me how to inspect the meat that was delivered. Additionally, she had spent the last two days teaching me how to cook food from this world ¨C a skill which, as expected, I picked up very quickly. It still confounded me why my gift considered cooking to be a skill which could be weaponised, but I certainly was not going to complain. The meats of this world were similar to those of my world, and the cooking methods were familiar as well ¨C by the second day, I could cook just as well as Rosalind.


    In any case, between the cooking lessons and this trip, it was clear that Rosalind was pushing me to be able to help her out with more aspects of the tavern business ¨C which would in turn allow her to spend more time hearing stories. I did not particularly mind. I did owe her many favors, and cooking was a useful skill to have.


    Moving through the market, we picked up numerous different types of fresh produce, stacking it all in a basket that I carried, being the stronger. I watched Rosalind as she playfully bartered with the grocers, earning her deep chortles and friendly slaps on her shoulder. My butler outfit, on the other hand, had gotten me several incredulous looks. I decided to ignore them. I was wearing it by choice. As much as I had rejected the idea at first, I had quickly come to realise that I rather liked the butler aesthetic. It was a clothing style that managed to stay close to what I had worn for most of my adult life.


    When Rosalind had finally selected the last of the produce, we started to head back to the tavern; we were due to re-open tonight, and we had preparations to complete. As we walked, I complimented her on her demeanor.


    ¡°You¡¯re really popular, aren¡¯t you? Those grocers all looked like they enjoyed talking to you.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course. I¡¯m a tavern girl. It¡¯s basically my job to ensure the people I talk to enjoy our conversations. Besides, I¡¯ve known most of them since I was a little girl. I know they¡¯ll give me a fair price. They¡¯re all good people.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Come to think of it, you¡¯ve spent most of your life in this town, huh. Though I suppose that must be rather common for this world.¡±


    Rosalind looked at me questioningly.


    ¡°Is it uncommon in yours?¡±


    ¡°Well, it depends on the person, really. We spend most of our lives in one place or another, but most of us have gone to another country at least once. Of course, there are exceptions. I¡¯ve done a fair bit of travelling myself, but I¡¯ve always found myself most comfortable at home.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see¡­ Travelling the world¡­ it sounds nice.¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s eyes seemed to go out of focus, as if she were looking at some far-off object. I quickly spoke up.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not as glamorous as it sounds, really.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­? Still, I¡¯d like to try it at least once¡­¡±


    Rosalind sounded unconvinced. I frantically tried to think of something to say to cheer her up, but found my attention drawn to a crowd gathering in the fountain. Rosalind, roused from her contemplative silence by the clamor, watched the commotion with growing curiosity as well. I turned to her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡±


    She nodded, and we joined the converging crowd. A guard was holding up something and shouting.


    ¡°This cloak was found in the wreckage of a looted cart two days to the West of this town. We suspect that its owner was attacked by bandits, but we found no signs of them ¨C the horse team pulling the cart was also missing. The make of the cart seems to suggest that the owner was a merchant. If anyone has any information on any cart-driving merchants leaving this town in the last three days, please step forward.¡±


    Feeling a sense of dread, I narrowed my eyes and scrutinised the cloak ¨C it was a brown cloak, with strands of short, brown hair ¨C a lighter shade ¨C resting on it in various places. It looked just the same as when I had seen it three days ago, except for the fact that it was tattered and damaged in various areas, and parts of it had been dyed with what was unmistakably blood.


    Next to me, Rosalind collapsed to her knees, her hand cupped over her mouth. I tried to think of something to say, but no words came.

 Volume 1 Chapter 19: Nursing Wounds

    <div>


    I knocked on the frame of the door to Rosalind¡¯s room, carrying a tray of food. The door was open, but I knocked to announce my presence anyway. Rosalind roused from her sleep, her hair disheveled, her clothes in a mess. She sat up on her bed, which was my cue to carry in the meal I had made ¨C a loaf of bread and some soup. Her appetite was still pretty bad, so this was about as much as she could handle. I set the tray down on her bedside table, whereupon she moved wordlessly, shifting her position such that she sat in front of the tray. Slowly, absentmindedly, she began to tear off pieces of the loaf, dipping it in the soup before consuming it. I sat down on the chair and watched her eat, taking note of the telltale trails on her cheeks that suggested she had been crying again. She ate vacantly, her eyes unfocused, as if she was not seeing anything.


    I sighed. No improvement. It had been about four days since Ruth¡¯s bloodied cloak had been brought to the town ¨C Rosalind had not spoken a word since. I had supported her and helped her get back home, but she had entered this vacant, unfocused state of mind shortly after. I had been handling her meals and seeing to her few needs, but with her in this state, we couldn¡¯t exactly open the tavern. The floor of the tavern was starting to collect dust ¨C a situation unaided by the lack of a mop or broom within the premises.


    I watched as Rosalind finished off the bread and drank the last of the soup, then sluggishly returned to her sleeping position, curled up tightly like an infant. I had seen something similar before, in young children who were sent to war for the first time and saw their friends die. Rosalind was far out of the usual age demographic that suffered this level of shutdown, but it was possible that losing her closest friend so soon after her parents had caused a form of mental regression. These symptoms usually passed after enough time, but there were also cases where the victim had never fully recovered. That said, considering that Rosalind had not actually seen or experienced the moment of Ruth¡¯s death first-hand, I doubted the trauma would be that lasting. Until she recovered, however, I had no choice but to look after her; I owed her that much. I covered her up with her blanket and patted her head, but she did not respond to my attentions.


    I heard knocking on the door downstairs. Picking up the now-empty tray, I hurried down to the ground floor and quickly deposited the tray in the kitchen sink, before answering the door. Standing there was one of the grocers from whom we had bought goods on the day when Rosalind had shut down. The man sighed when he saw that it was not Rosalind, but I, who had opened the door.


    ¡°She¡¯s still not feeling better?¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°She¡¯s eating now, at least.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Are you going to bring her to the doctor?¡±


    ¡°No point. Hers is an ailment of the mind, not the body.¡±


    Medical science in this world was advanced enough to differentiate between physical illnesses and mental sicknesses, but no treatments or procedures for mental ills had as of yet been pioneered. Since most mental illnesses could not be treated via magic, most people considered treating a mental sickness to be a lost cause.


    ¡°I see¡­ Well, I brought these for her ¨C maybe they¡¯ll give her some strength.¡±


    He handed me a basket of apples, which I accepted gratefully.


    ¡°Tell her I¡¯m wishing for her quick recovery.¡±


    ¡°I will, once she starts hearing me again.¡±


    The grocer averted his gaze, then shook his head slowly.


    ¡°Ah¡­ To think that Miss Rosalind knew the dead merchant¡­ So soon after her parents, too¡­ it¡¯s¡­ unfortunate. Give her my condolences.¡±


    With that, he turned around and walked away. I quietly closed the door and inspected the apples ¨C they seemed to be ripe and safe to eat. No signs of rot or insects. I smiled. This gift was the latest of many ¨C I had to turn away the regulars with the explanation that Rosalind was unwell, and the news of Rosalind¡¯s grieving soon spread throughout the town. Grocers and merchants had been coming to our door often to bring gifts of food or wine ¨C Rosalind was evidently a well-loved figure in this community. It was convenient, at least. With Rosalind in this state, I couldn¡¯t exactly leave her alone to go shopping for groceries.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    As I placed the apples in the kitchen, I picked up the basin by the sink and went to the well in our yard ¨C since Rosalind was presently incapable of using her magic, I had to do the dishes the old-fashioned way. I fetched a small amount of water, just enough to get the job done, and began to scrub the tray. As I worked, my mind drifted to thoughts of Ruth as well.


    The report from the soldiers was odd. Presumably, the cart had been looted and the horses killed. There had been blood all over the cart and across the ground. The cloak had been left on the cart, but no bodies had been found. From what I had managed to get out of the guard, the amount of blood indicated that more than one person had bled ¨C furthermore, marks on the cart and ground apparently indicated that a struggle had occurred. The guards had decided that Ruth had been waylaid by bandits on the road, and had put up a fight, but had ultimately been killed, and her cart looted. However, if that was the case, Ruth¡¯s body should have been found with the cart. There was no merit to taking her body if she was already dead. There were two logical hypotheses that could be constructed given this information.


    The first was that Ruth had been captured by the bandits and taken alive, possibly to be sold as a slave in another country or as a type of loot for the bandits¡¯ leader. If this was the case, then they would have needed to drag her to a vehicle of some sort, or otherwise take her away in chains. The first would have left tracks on the road, or in the vicinity. The second would have resulted in a trail of blood leading away from the scene. Yet when I pressed the guards for these details, I had learned that there were no such tracks found nearby, and that while there was indeed a trail of blood, it led away from the main road for several meters before abruptly stopping, as if whoever leaving it had disappeared. Given the lack of evidence, it was unlikely that Ruth had been taken captive.


    The second, infinitely more morbid possibility was that her dead body had been taken away for some purpose, possibly for the purpose of necromancy or for some mad researcher¡¯s whims. If this was the case, they could have stemmed the trail of blood by wrapping up the corpse and transporting it like any other good; but doing so meant that they would have had to transport the rest of the dead bodies from those of their own who would have been killed in the fight as well. Doing so would certainly have weighed them down and left visible footprints on the dirt roads, but the guard had mentioned that the footprints they could find were shallow and erratic. Furthermore, from what I knew, necromancy had been attempted numerous times in the past, and was each time met with failure. There were no records of any successful necromantic spells. As such, this possibility was also unlikely.


    I had considered the possibility of the guard lying about these details to me, but I could find no merit in his doing so ¨C if he was working with the bandits, he would not have brought the cloak to town in the first place. Ruth was not a citizen of this kingdom ¨C aside from Rosalind, she was likely to have few ties here. If the guard had not brought the cloak to this town, Ruth would have simply vanished for unknown cause, with no possibility of the bandits coming under suspicion.


    In the first place, even if the bandits had somehow managed to kill her or chase her away, why had they left the cart? It would have made more sense to requisition the cart along with all its goods; this way they would have a safe way to transport their loot without leaving such an obvious piece of evidence at the scene of the attack. Yet the cart had been left there ¨C it was a decision that made no sense.


    This led to a third hypothesis ¨C if Ruth was neither captured nor dead, it meant she was alive. It was possible that she had fought off the bandits and later escaped. I recalled the way she carried herself and the sword clamped at her hip ¨C I could tell that her abilities were of a similar level to mine, and mine were literally god-given gifts. A horde of bandits would be of little trouble to me ¨C and therefore, she should not have had any trouble with them either. However, the question remained: If she had managed to drive them off, why was the cart looted? Furthermore, how had she disposed of her enemies¡¯ bodies? I had no answer to these questions.


    Too many things did not add up. Something else was happening here. The fact that the cart remained, the missing bodies, my personal evaluation of Ruth¡¯s skill ¨C there were too many factors that prevented the construction of a complete picture. I had a strong conviction that Ruth was alive ¨C my evaluation of her skill prevented me from believing that she could have lost to bandits. Yet if she was alive, this entire setup suggested that she had gone off the road and into hiding for whatever reason. I briefly recalled her warning us about the brewing uprising ¨C perhaps her disappearance was linked to that. I could think of reasons for both sides to attempt to capture an outsider who seemed to have information about the uprising. It was possible she had faked her death to escape capture.


    The more I thought about it, the more likely it seemed that Ruth had faked her death to avoid some sort of political trouble. If that was the case, it would cause many things to add up, especially the way the warning she had given us seemed to come so randomly and urgently. If my theory was correct, Ruth was alive. However, I decided to keep this information from Rosalind. If Ruth had indeed disappeared because of the uprising, then it might be something dangerous to probe into ¨C and I had, after all, promised to keep Rosalind safe.


    Nodding to affirm my resolve, I continued to scrub away at the tray, working through various what-if scenarios and developing contingencies in case Rosalind¡¯s life should come under threat.

 Volume 1 Chapter 20: Recovery

    <div>


    I was awoken by the sounds of footsteps and the vaguely audible ruckus that ensued from rummaging through ceramic. I bolted up. Thieves? Unlikely. I was certain I had locked up all possible openings that morning, before retiring to bed. Furthermore, the light from the window indicated that it was the height of noon ¨C quite possibly the worst possible time to carry out a burglary. Besides, based on the sounds of the footsteps, there was only one person, whereas thieves often operated in groups. Pulling on my clothes, I cautiously poked my head through the doorway, glancing in the direction of Rosalind¡¯s room.


    The door was open.


    I blinked once as I comprehended what was happening. Then I bolted downstairs, dashing toward the kitchen, where I had heard the rummaging. Sure enough, Rosalind was standing in the kitchen, wearing her barmaid outfit, sorting through shelves and looking over all the get-well gifts we had been given with a troubled eye. As I approached, she looked up from her sorting and glanced at me, smiling radiantly.


    ¡°Good afternoon. Did you sleep well?¡±


    I stayed in the doorway, unable to believe my eyes. Despite a week with no visible improvement, despite acting and living like a doll with strings cut for the last seven days, she was suddenly up and energetic again ¨C it was as though the grief she had shown me over the past week had simply vanished. I tentatively opened my mouth to confirm her condition.


    ¡°¡­Are you alright now? Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    Rosalind rested her hands against the edge of the counter, the expression on her face faltering slightly. Glancing at her hands, I could see her tensing, gripping the table. She gave me an answer through a pained voice.


    ¡°¡­Of course I¡¯m¡­not. Ruth was the only tie I had left to my family. She was the only one I could turn to when I¡¯d lost my parents. Ruth was the last living reminder of my parents and who they were. And now that she¡¯s gone, it feels¡­ like something¡¯s been cut. It was bad enough when it was just her leaving ¨C but I was able to hold it in. When the possibility of her being dead appeared, though¡­ it was too much.¡±


    She gave me an apologetic smile.


    ¡°Sorry for the trouble I¡¯ve given you over the last week. It must have been hard, taking care of me. I have these¡­ moments, you see, where I sort of lose control. I retreat into myself, and I become only vaguely aware of what¡¯s happening around me. This is the second time it¡¯s happened. The first was when my parents died. The one who looked after me that time was Ruth¡­¡±


    She looked like she was about to tear up, but her grip on the counter tightened and she shook her head furiously, affirming her resolve, seemingly for her own benefit as well as my own ¨C her tone was one of beratement, scolding herself.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve done enough crying. Ruth wouldn¡¯t have wanted me to dwell on this. If she were here, maybe she¡¯d even bop me on the head for acting this childish. I need to move on with my life. She¡¯ll never forgive me otherwise.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    She bit her lip and turned back to the crockery.


    ¡°Anyway, since you¡¯re up, help me with these. We¡¯ve been closed for too long; we need to re-open soon or we¡¯ll start losing our regulars.¡±


    As she spoke, her hands resumed the process of sorting. I hesitated for a moment, but decided to speak up. Rosalind was an intelligent woman. She would likely have come to the same conclusion I did, after she had sorted out her emotional turmoil.


    ¡°¡­Hey Ros. About Ruth¡­ You know, I don¡¯t think-¡±


    ¡°Stop right there.¡±


    Her hands paused as she cut me off mid-sentence.


    ¡°I know. There¡¯s the possibility. There was no body, the cart was left behind, too many things are inconsistent. And there¡¯s the issue of her strength. You acknowledged her as an equal, and you managed to punch a hole in my wall. So¡­ I know. I know the possibility exists. But¡­ I don¡¯t want to consider it. If I consider it, really consider it, I won¡¯t be able to move on. I¡¯ll cling on to it, I¡¯ll become a prisoner to it. I don¡¯t want that. I know for a fact that Ruth doesn¡¯t want that. So¡­ I¡¯m going to pretend that I don¡¯t recognise that chance. And if possible, I¡¯d like you to pretend the same. Or, at least, don¡¯t give me hope that¡­ it might be true. Or I won¡¯t be able to carry on.¡±


    Her hands were trembling. She seemed on the verge of crying again. I quietly walked over to her and placed my hand over hers until it became still.


    ¡°What are you talking about? I was just going to say that I don¡¯t think this plate goes here. See? The depth is different. I did a bit of reorganisation while you were out, so it¡¯s understandable that you might be confused.¡±


    I felt the hand beneath mine tense, then relax. Rosalind responded in a tone of feigned annoyance.


    ¡°Well now, moving things without my permission? This is my shop, you know. Aren¡¯t you getting a bit too comfortable with this place?¡±


    ¡°Well, it was precisely because I was uncomfortable that I did the reorganisation. Seriously. When I saw that you had basically no sorting method for the plates, I almost fainted. How do you even find anything?¡±


    ¡°I memorised the location.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Even though it would be far simpler to just sort them according to type, depth, size and usage. When I was trying to cook dinner for you, I had to spend almost twenty minutes attempting to locate a pot of the correct depth. The kitchen was a mess. Therefore, as was my duty,¡± I gestured to the butler outfit Rosalind had provided me, ¡°I took the liberty of rearranging everything into a more sensible order. After all, it¡¯s the duty of the butler to ensure the preservation of order within her employer¡¯s estate.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought you were against the idea of a butler outfit.¡±


    ¡°What can I say? The look suits me. And it¡¯s a clothing style I¡¯m familiar with. And playing the part is an interesting experience, too.¡±


    ¡°Well then, my dear butler, as your employer, I order you to put everything back to the way it was.¡±


    ¡°I refuse. It would tarnish the pride of our establishment.¡±


    Rosalind set the plate she was holding down onto the counter and stepped back, breaking into a smile that was equal parts playful and grateful.


    ¡°Well then, at least show me where everything is. Give me the grand tour.¡±


    I bowed theatrically, placing one hand across my chest.


    ¡°As you desire, Madam.¡± I picked up the plate and strode across the kitchen, opening a shelf. ¡°As you can see, all the shallower, smaller plates that we use for plating appetisers are over here, next to the¡­¡±


    I continued explaining the new placements and arrangement, though I was cognizant of the fact that I only held a part of Rosalind¡¯s attention. I could see in the corner of my eye that she was staring at me, but she seemed somewhat unfocused ¨C it was clear she was not really listening. As I strode past her to the other side of the kitchen, she spoke quietly.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I did not acknowledge it ¨C it seemed imprudent to do so. Instead, we continued on the explanation of the kitchen, and we did not speak again of Ruth¡¯s fate.

 Volume 1 Chapter 21: Peaceful Days

    <div>


    Much of life can be described as routine.


    Most of a person¡¯s life is spent doing the same thing, over and over again, without fail, every day. There are, of course, moments when this routine is broken, when something irregular happens, but it is precisely the deviation from the routine that lends these events lasting impressions or special attentions. Yet, after these events, once the dust clears, all that is left is, again, routine in some form ¨C though perhaps it might be somewhat changed.


    A marriage is one such break from routine. The couple, living routine lives, enter into their engagement period, a sum of months to years which displays another routine. At the end of this period, they are married and have their honeymoon ¨C but after the magic of the honeymoon fades, what remains is the routine of married life. Perhaps they then have a child, signalling another break, but shortly after they settle into the routine of parenting. Perhaps one of them should die early, but then the other ¨C after the initial mourning period ¨C settles into the routine of being a widowed spouse.


    This cycle of routine-deviation-routine extends to all fields ¨C businesses operate within these cycles, though they recognise it more clearly as the fiscal cycle of boom-recession-boom. Militaries operate within this cycle. Governments operate within these cycles. None are free from the tyranny of routine.


    Naturally, this tyranny extends to other worlds, as well.


    Everything that had happened to me from the moment I found myself in this world ¨C Rosalind¡¯s hospitality, the start of my work at the tavern, the arrival and departure of Ruth, as well as the subsequent conjecture of her death and Rosalind¡¯s period of mourning ¨C were breaks from routine, a succession of events out of the norm. However, once all that had passed, I quickly gave in to the tendency of humanity and settled into a routine.


    Every day started with me waking up at noon. Rosalind was usually already awake and downstairs by then ¨C I had never actually seen her sleep. Donning my work attire ¨C which was invariably laundered and neatly folded on my desk when I awoke ¨C I would make my way down, where Rosalind would greet me with a smile while doing a check on our remaining stocks. The two of us would work together to get the tavern in shape to open in the evening, and when that was done, I would go and flip the little board that sat outside our house from ¡°Closed¡± to ¡°Open¡±.


    Of course, even though we opened early in the afternoon, nobody would come in for drinks until it started getting dark. As a result, we sat by the counter and chatted for a bit, where I would tell her tales of my exploits and battles in the War of the Six, or otherwise of the life I had left behind in my original world. In return, she would share stories of growing up in this small town and her life here. She would speak with wistfulness about her desire to leave the town and travel around the world, like Ruth, but was unable to do so due to two reasons: first, she lacked the finances necessary to make such a trip. The idea of travelling the country on foot was romantic, but impractical, especially with bandits and thieves roaming the countryside. Even disregarding the added convenience that a vehicle would provide, it was necessary, if one wished to travel in safety, to either hire mercenary escort or to learn the sword. Rosalind had not the money for the former, nor the aptitude for the latter, so this presented an obstacle. The second reason she was unable to leave this town was the Ezov ¨C she couldn¡¯t bear to let this tavern, built on the capital inherited from her parents and supported by the business connections of Ruth, close down. If there was someone she could count on to run it in her place, it would be a different matter, but she lacked the money to hire someone to manage the tavern. Besides, tavern patronage was largely based on familiarity and connections. If Rosalind was to leave, she would likely lose a good number of regulars.


    Of course, my presence could alleviate one of these difficulties. I was skilled in combat, and I was more than willing to tag along with her if she should choose to travel the world. After all, it would tie into my own objective of finding out whatever I was supposed to be searching for in this world. If she would only ask, I would accompany her and travel ¨C but that left the problem on the tavern. So even with my presence, she was trapped in this town by her own volition. However, every time we spoke of this matter, she would end the discussion with a resolution that she would make it work somehow ¨C she would make the tavern successful enough to be left to a hire, then travel the world. It was a simple goal, but simple goals were often the best.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Occasionally, while we chatted in this manner, a customer would enter the tavern. Getting off our barstools, we would each set about our duties ¨C I would entertain the guest, while Rosalind would prepare the food. On these occasions, the patron was the only one in the tavern ¨C often, the patron would be in low spirits. After all, to be in a tavern at that kind of timing usually indicated that something untoward had occurred ¨C such as losing one¡¯s job, or perhaps arguing with one¡¯s spouse. It would be a different matter if this tavern were in a big city, where people were constantly coming and going, but in a smaller town like ours, daytime patrons were rare.


    On those occasions, when there were no other customers to worry about and our only customer was feeling down, Rosalind would try to cheer them up with a song. Her beautiful, sweet voice bore with it a special quality that touched the listener¡¯s heart ¨C even if a patron came in with a grim face and frustration in his eyes, if they listened to Rosalind¡¯s song, they would invariably calm down and leave with a lighter step, a more hopeful step. Whenever I heard her sing, I, too, found myself falling into a stupor of serenity. Her voice made me feel like anything weighing me down, all my worries and troubles, were nothing; her song made me feel a sense of hope. It was a bizarre effect that I could only attribute to Rosalind¡¯s magic. Her special magic was one which ¡®Cleansed¡¯ objects of stains and taint ¨C perhaps it also ¡®Cleansed¡¯ the listener¡¯s heart of worries.


    Going back to the routine, when the crowd started pouring in at night, the tavern got livelier by far ¨C people started arriving in droves. The novelty that had caused my first night to be a resounding success had, as expected, worn out after a fortnight, and so the crowds were much thinner on average, but we still did reasonably well. Since I had reached the level where I could cook as well as Rosalind, we started taking 2-hour shifts of cooking and entertaining the guests, allowing us both to hear the stories we desperately wanted to ¨C Rosalind because she wanted to know more about the world, myself because I was constantly listening out for anything which might ignite a spark of recognition. At night, due to the volume of guests, Rosalind did not sing ¨C she was too busy handling orders or speaking with guests to sing. As such, the only people who knew about her beautiful voice and its strange power were the few regulars and the unusual people who visited during the day ¨C and those people preferred to keep that information to themselves. It was, in my opinion, a shame that her voice went unheard, but I, too, could understand the desire to monopolise it. It was a beautiful voice.


    Speaking with the guests, many of them came to know me by name, and I came to learn their names in turn. The women seemed especially interested in me, for whatever reason. I might have imagined it, but several of them seemed a bit disappointed to find out I was a woman myself. Still, they shared with me tales of their troubles at home, troubles which I honestly could not sympathise with ¨C being an unmarried woman with no children ¨C but that I lent a listening ear to nonetheless. Many of these ladies joined our group of regulars, amusingly taking turns with their spouses. Their husbands would come in while it was Rosalind¡¯s turn to entertain, and would be replaced by them when it came my turn to mingle.


    The last patron usually left the bar at about three or four in the morning, whereupon we cleaned up, had a light drink to celebrate, then retired to bed. Or at least, I retired to bed. Rosalind preferred to spend some time in her room penning down the stories she had heard. It amazed me that she was able to be so energetic while seemingly not getting nearly enough sleep, but I shrugged it off as more magic that I could not understand. Perhaps she ¡®Cleansed¡¯ her fatigue, or something similar ¨C that was my belief.


    My days passed like this, following this routine. We opened every day of the week. Once a week, we would wake up a little earlier to meet the merchant who supplied us meats. Twice a month, we would go to the market and shop. In this manner, days, weeks, and then months passed. Settling into this routine, before I knew it, a year had passed from the day I arrived in this land. While I had never forgotten my initial objective of trying to figure out what I was supposed to be looking for, the lack of progress was astounding, and I had pushed the matter to the back of my mind, such that I would not fall into frustration at the fact. I was content with this routine I followed, this simple, yet somehow satisfying life. I was always able to hear new, fresh stories, and I enjoyed my work of interacting with the guests. Furthermore, Rosalind and I had bonded and grown into great friends, who took comfort in each others¡¯ presence. Even back in my world, there was nobody I had grown close to in the same way that I had grown closer to Rosalind, and so I was undaunted at the possibility that I would never find what I had forgotten ¨C in its place, I had Rosalind by my side and a fulfilling job, and that was enough to make me content. It was a peaceful life ¨C perhaps it would be okay to simply live quietly in this world, passing my days by working and talking with Rosalind. That was the conclusion I had reached.


    Unfortunately, fate is never quite that simple.

 Volume 1 Chapter 22: On Misfortunes

    <div>


    Broadly speaking, misfortune makes itself known to us in two modes: the first, as a sudden, unexpected impact, where the misfortune reveals itself without warning, striking in the hour you least expect. The second mode is more subtle, more gradual. It is misfortune that creeps up on you, inching closer and closer, making itself known bit by bit, revealing aspects of itself, teasing its imminence, such that when it finally arrives, it seems inevitable, unavoidable, and in its seeming inevitability, it is all the more dreadful.


    In my limited experience, sudden misfortune is more common. It is not unusual to have some plan of action completely upended by a single stroke of bad luck. Sudden misfortune hits fast, hits hard, but once you weather its assault, you can pick up the pieces and rebuild. Not so with the less common, creeping misfortune. The chill along your spine, the small misfortunes, in themselves so inconsequential yet altogether so damning ¨C being subject to such a misfortune is like seeing your plans and dreams being peeled apart, slowly and painfully falling to pieces. Bearing witness to that, who can muster the strength to pick up the pieces? Who can avoid falling into numbing despair?


    In the case of the misfortune that upturned the peaceful routine I shared with Rosalind, it was certainly one of the creeping variety.


    The first signs came in the form of the whispers from our patrons.


    It was a night just a little over a year from the day I had started working for Rosalind. Everything went as per normal, we had opened the store and the customers were coming in at alternate times ¨C the men entering when it was Rosalind¡¯s turn to entertain, the women flooding in when it was mine. By that point I had accepted that, for whatever reason, the women of the town were as charmed by me as the men were by Rosalind. I had a theory that it might be because there were few men in town who carried the air of refinement which I played up while acting as a butler, and thus they grew enamoured with the figure of myself, who acted the part of the refined manservant ¨C though I was a woman. Whatever the reason, I had grown to simply accept the phenomenon ¨C it was bringing in more business, and that was always a good thing. Often the women would talk to me about their husbands, or about each other ¨C only when the concerned party was absent, naturally. It became a sort of routine for me to listen to their stories about their children, or their complaints about their home lives, or their baseless condemnations of the government ¨C it was frivolous talk, but I knew the importance of having an outlet to vent, and so I took it upon myself to be the best possible such outlet.


    As a result, I felt a distinct sense of unease on that night, when many of them came in with worried faces. I had the first shift for the night, so the tavern was largely devoid of men. I figured that my customers perhaps had troubles with the families ¨C though the likelihood of such occurring to all of them was rather low. Therefore, I put on my best service smile and courteously offered them a seat, taking their orders and preparing myself to hear their complaints about their spouses or children. Accordingly, I was taken by surprise when they all voiced their shared concern about the health of the local Lord.


    This country, the Mercynth Empire, followed a feudal system, where the land was split into twenty parts. Aside from the capital, which was directly controlled by the Emperor, the remaining 19 tracts of land were distributed among the 19 noble houses of the country, all of which answer directly to the Emperor. Each of these 19 houses paid a tax to the Emperor every year, with the lords of the noble houses levying taxes from those living on their lands. The amount of tax levied from the lords was fixed, but each lord could decide how much they wished to take from their subjects, and how much they were willing to furnish from their own coffers. As Ruth had once mentioned, the lord who presided over our land ¨C Lord Erick ¨C was a kind lord who took most of the burden of the new Emperor¡¯s harsher taxation policies. Furthermore, he was said to be of gentle disposition and modest in manner. As a result, he earned considerable goodwill from the people living on his land. In the thirty years he had presided over this land, there had not been a single uprising. Meanwhile, the people often gave him a large portion of the fruit of their harvest when the time came, as a show of gratitude. I had never met the Lord, myself, but I could tell from the stories that he was an astute politician ¨C there were few easier ways to control the masses than to be generous with one¡¯s coffers.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    However, based on what my patrons of that day told me, I came to know that this same Lord Erick had fallen seriously ill. Our town was on the edge of the territory, so the news took some time to get here, but apparently the Lord had been bedridden from sickness for a little over a week. The gossip from the ladies informed me that it was apparently an incurable illness which had surfaced suddenly and unexpectedly. Some of them even suspected it was poison ¨C it was unlikely, given how much the people liked him, but hearing the circumstances of his sickness, it was hardly impossible. Naturally, taking the fact that I was relying on the gossip of housewives for information, my source could hardly be considered reliable, but that was when I first started to feel the gentle nudging of impending misfortune. Hearing the ladies expressing their worries and praying for the recovery of the Lord Erick, I started to feel uneasy. No matter how loved the man was as a ruler, it was hard to believe that the women in a small, isolated town on the border of the territory, who had never even seen his face, could feel such concern for his health. Thinking upon it further while continuing to listen to the ladies, I came upon the answer.


    Lord Erick was loved as a kind and benevolent ruler, but his son Rishard was not. Rishard had a notorious reputation, even out here in this isolated town, as a man who was frivolous with his money and haughty in disposition. He spent his days gambling and buying whores, ignoring his studies, uncaring of his position. One famous story was that he once drew his sword and killed a barkeep for not carrying his favorite brand of liquor. Lord Erick had later profusely apologised to the barkeep¡¯s family and offered generous compensation, and out of respect for Lord Erick, the family let the matter drop, despite Rishard¡¯s unrepentent attitude. From what was known, Rishard was given a weak reprimand, and nothing further. Lord Erick was a virtuous man, but his weakness was his tendency to spoil his only son. If Lord Erick were to pass away as a result of this current bout of illness, Rishard would undoubtedly succeed him as the Lord of this land ¨C and just that possibility was enough to make any honest citizen feel uneasy.


    For the rest of the night, every group that entered the tavern wore that same expression of concern, to the point where the tavern was saturated with an atmosphere of anxiety and gloominess for the whole night. Rosalind was, of course, pleased with the fact that many of her patrons were drinking far more than usual, but she was uncomfortable with the heavy atmosphere. She tried her best to keep her patrons in high spirits, but apart from several appreciative smiles, her efforts were largely unheeded. Rosalind would later complain about it at length to me, who was forced to listen.


    After that day, the misfortune began to reveal more of itself, inching closer and closer, until when the misfortune finally struck, it felt inevitable ¨C we could do nothing but await its arrival, knowing all the while it was coming.


    A week after the news of Lord Erick¡¯s illness, a messenger rode through the town proclaiming that the Lord had died from sickness.


    Three days later, at the funeral, it was announced that Rishard would be recognised as the new Lord of the region.


    One week later, another messenger was dispatched to our town, informing us that Lord Rishard intended to implement what he dubbed ¡°economic reforms¡±.


    That same week, the number of patrons who arrived at our tavern started to decrease.


    Two weeks after that, a month after Lord Erick¡¯s death, the tax collectors came knocking.

 Volume 1 Chapter 23: The Tax Collector Cometh

    <div>


    Rosalind and I were drinking coffee in the tavern, waiting for the first guests to arrive. It was a little past two in the afternoon, but we had been open for several hours. In those days, with decreasing patrons, we had been closing up earlier, and thus going to bed earlier ¨C as a result, we ended up waking up earlier, and therefore opening earlier. Not that there was much point to doing so. Nobody came to a tavern in the middle of the day. As a result, we spent our time idly, an air of gloom settling over us. Both of us knew why our patrons had decreased ¨C the new tax increases had cut down on the amount of disposable income our patrons held. There was simply less money to spare for frivolities like drink. Due to the initial popularity of our shop, we were still sitting rather comfortably above the cost line, but those customers that came were often rowdy and noisy, spending all their money on drinking to forget some grievance or other. Our female customer base had declined considerably, such that Rosalind and I adjusted our shifts such that she spent more time entertaining, while I spent more time in the kitchen.


    However, while we had not yet entered into the red, there was no guarantee that such a situation would last. The continued decline of our consumer base was one issue, but on top of that, we had yet to be re-evaluated by the tax agents. Due to constitutional rules, the new Lord Rishard was unable to make changes to existing tax percentages for a period of at least three years. Instead, what his purported ¡°economic reforms¡± had done was to introduce new taxable items, and tax agents were thus being sent to every household in the land to do a reassessment of the tax amount owed by each household. We passed every day awaiting the arrival of this agent, whose evaluation would then decide our fate.


    As Rosalind and I were making small talk at the counter, the door opened. We turned towards it, taking in the polished shoes, the black slacks, the white tunic and the smart black necktie of the tax agent that stood there. Rosalind greeted him first.


    ¡°Mister Edgar. It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    The tax agent, Edgar, took off his fedora and placed it across his chest, revealing his slicked-back brown hair and his sharp green eyes. He bowed his head slightly.


    ¡°Miss Rosalind. Miss Elysium. I¡¯d like to say ¡®always a pleasure¡¯, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve come on rather unsavoury business.¡±


    Edgar placed his fedora on a hook by the door and took a seat at one of the tables. As the tax collector assigned to this town, I had met him on a number of occasions, each time when he came by to collect the monthly taxes. He struck me as a professional, well-mannered man who took pride in his work, but not necessarily in his job. I briefly wondered what manner of fate led him to become a tax collector, when his disposition and abilities seemed to lend themselves to bureaucracy. Putting that aside, I went over to the table and sat down next to him ¨C I was better at business talk than Rosalind.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re here to perform the tax evaluation?¡±


    Edgar smiled at me apologetically.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. However, if it¡¯s possible, could I perhaps have my meal before making the evaluation? I¡¯m rather afraid you might poison me otherwise, and I¡¯m terribly hungry.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°That bad?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. The grocer tried to lock me in his storeroom ¨C would have done it, too, if his wife hadn¡¯t stepped in. And the butcher took up his knives with a dangerous look ¨C suffice to say, I left as soon as I could. So you can see my concern.¡±


    I looked with some amusement at the troubled expression that was showing on Edgar¡¯s face. But at the same time, I felt a tinge of worry. What kind of tax additions could spark off such a response? I decided that I would at least help the man relax.


    ¡°Well then, good sir, may I take your order?¡±


    While Edgar recited his order, Rosalind looked at me in surprise ¨C clearly, she had expected me to refuse, so as to get the matter with as quickly as possible. In truth, that was my first instinct. But seeing Edgar, sitting in the chair and sighing, well¡­ my heart went out to the poor guy. He had a hard job. I looked at Rosalind and met her eyes, trying to convey my intention to at least help him calm down. Maybe she understood, but Rosalind gave me a smile and nodded.


    Once Edgar¡¯s lunch and drink had been served and consumed, he coughed and sat up straight. Rosalind and I both watched him attentively. He pulled out a piece of parchment and read off it.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°In the name of the lord of the region, Lord Rishard, I shall hereby reveal the results of the tax bureau¡¯s evaluation of this premises. First off, may I have your income declaration for this month?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Rosalind, rummaging through the drawer hidden behind the counter, pulled out a sheet of parchment with this month¡¯s expenses and earnings handwritten on it and placed it in Edgar¡¯s waiting hands.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Edgar confirmed the contents, then tied it off with a string and placed it in his bag. He then pulled out another piece of parchment, one that had a table on it, and began to read off items from it while glancing around the shop.


    ¡°Business tax, 15%¡±


    That was normal. The business tax was the tax we paid for being allowed to do business on the grounds of this town. That was what we had been paying all along, so there was no change there.


    ¡°Land tax, 10%¡±


    This was the tax that we paid as citizens living on the land owned by the Lord. Once again, this was an older item, so we had been paying this tax the whole time.


    ¡°That is all for the old tax items. Next is for the new taxable additions.¡±


    As expected, there was no change from the existing amounts for the older taxables. So far, we were sitting at the old amount of 25% of profits being due as taxes. Of course, the moment of truth would come after this ¨C just what were Rishard¡¯s new taxes, and how would we be affected? Edgar continued speaking.


    ¡°Employee tax, 10%¡±


    ¡°Employee tax? What¡¯s that?¡±


    Rosalind raised a voice in question. Of course, in my home country, we had employee taxes, but that was largely for foreign workers, meant to be a disincentive for companies to import labour. It seemed counterproductive to national employment to impose a tax on hiring local workers. Edgar put on an uncomfortable expression while explaining.


    ¡°Well, according to Lord Rishard, ¡®being able to hire an employee means you have money to spare. If you have money to spare, you should be giving it to me.¡¯ Of course, there are¡­ many big problems with his reasoning, but he refuses to listen to counsel, and it¡¯s unfortunate, but the right to set taxes in this region ultimately falls to him, so that¡¯s the way it is. We did, at least, convince him to exclude family members from being considered as hired help, but it¡¯s still rather unreasonable.¡±


    I frowned. This was clearly an abuse of power. Since it only affected a small amount of the population, most of us would just endure it ¨C and 10%, while being non-negligible, was not devastating, either. But I could foresee a future where if Rishard continued abusing power like this to fatten his coffers, he might face an uprising sooner or later. I looked at Rosalind, who was looking similarly troubled. We met gazes and shrugged in unison. 10% of profits would hurt, but we could still deal with it. I turned back to Edgar.


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    Edgar fidgeted around, clearly unwilling to carry on. However, as we silently waited for him to speak, he sighed and stowed away the parchment.


    ¡°Alcohol tax¡­ 40%¡±


    ¡°¡±?!¡±¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s jaw dropped; I spontaneously stood up from my seat at the table. We were a tavern ¨C our main product was alcohol. We had been selling alcohol for years ¨C to suddenly impose a tax, and more to the point, what was with that ridiculous number, 40%?! That was too much, way too much. Edgar shrank back. I glared at him, even though I knew that it was not his fault.


    ¡°¡­explain.¡±


    ¡°W-Well, Lord Rishard claims that the number of alcoholics in our land is too high, and so he¡¯s imposing a tax to try and drive the price up so that shops will stop selling it; he says he intends to make the country sober.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is the tax imposed on the product cost or on our sales?¡±


    ¡°¡­it¡¯s 40% of your sales.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit.¡±


    A tax on alcohol had its merits as a demerit tax, and if the intention was truly to sober up the country, a demerit tax on alcohol was common ¨C however, such a tax was usually levied on the purchase of alcohol, that is, a flat tax on alcohol bought from suppliers ¨C this would cause retailers to offset the increased cost by selling at a higher price. But taxing the retailer based on a percentage of earnings did nothing, aside from possibly causing the retailer to simply cut alcohol from its shelves. However, would the Lord Rishard who supposedly killed a barkeep for not carrying his favorite brand of alcohol truly want all the taverns in the land to stop selling liquor? It didn¡¯t add up. Even if his only intention was to fatten his coffers, this method was too irrational. However, before I thought on it further, Edgar spoke up again.


    ¡°And¡­ the above, new taxations¡­ are taxations on your earnings, not your profits.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Rosalind raised a shout from inside the kitchen and stormed out, looking like she intended to punch Edgar. Edgar took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, as if preparing to get hit. I held my arm across, blocking Rosalind¡¯s way. Rosalind glared at me, but I returned her stare with calmness, keeping my anger bottled inside.


    ¡°Ros. Calm down. He¡¯s just doing his job. Hitting him won¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Edgar breathed a sigh of relief and crossed over to the door, collecting his fedora.


    ¡°Because of the sudden changes, you have a month to raise the money. I¡¯ll be back a month from now to collect the taxes for this month, but if at that time you are unable to pay according to what you¡¯ve listed here, well¡­ I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to confiscate your property.¡±


    Rosalind surged forward, but I held her back by forcefully clamping a hand on her shoulder. I bowed my head slightly.


    ¡°Thank you for the consideration. Please take care on the road.¡±


    Edgar donned his fedora while opening the door.


    ¡°Yes, thank you for understanding. And¡­ well¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    With that, the door closed, leaving Rosalind and myself in the empty tavern. Rosalind walked over to a chair and slumped down, holding her head in her hands.


    ¡°50% of earnings¡­ that¡¯s way too much.¡±


    Leaning on the wall, I crossed my arms and said nothing. I was too busy thinking.

 Volume 1 Chapter 24: Personal Finance

    <div>


    I flipped through our account books, looking through the amounts listed, double-checking and triple-checking to ensure that the amounts were correct. The conclusion to which I was led was grim. I turned to Rosalind, who was seated across the table from me sorting through her own pile of documents, and grimaced.


    ¡°Yep, no dice. Assuming we get the same level of business as we did last month, we can safely keep ourselves afloat with our current savings for about a year, but after that we run dry.¡±


    Rosalind showed a pained expression.


    ¡°Well, we were operating on a low profit margin already anyway, so that¡¯s not much of a surprise.¡±


    The new taxes that had been levied totalled 50% of our monthly earnings. After taking into account the price of the ingredients and alcohol we used, we generally came out with a monthly profit of approximately 35%. In other words, we were effectively being taxed a higher amount than what we were bringing in. We were bleeding.


    In this situation, where we were being asked to pay money we did not make, our only recourse was to use the money we had saved up through prudent management to pay the outstanding taxes.


    ¡°Well, if we look at it positively, we have enough money saved up to pay the taxes for a little while, at least, but¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not sustainable. I know, Ely. Even if we could keep going longer, there¡¯s no point to running a business if it¡¯s going to lose us money.¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm. Not to mention that the tax increases on our patrons might cut into our profits even more. We might not even be able to last a year.¡±


    The new taxation laws were being imposed on the whole region. We were hardly going to be the only people affected by it. These taxes would put a strain on the disposable incomes of our patrons, so it was likely that we would soon see a decline in demand. However, even if the demand eventually recovered to its current levels, it did not change the fact that we were being taxed for more than our profits.


    In other words, the saved-up reserves were, at best, a means to buy time to come up with a more lasting solution. The problem was trying to discern this solution.


    ¡°Well, maybe we can cut costs somewhere?¡±


    ¡°We would need to cut costs enough to increase our profit margin by at least 15%, and even that would be just breaking even. Not to mention that it¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll be able to do much, considering we¡¯re already purchasing ingredients exactly at market value and that I¡¯m not technically paid for my services. Any cuts now would affect our quality.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ what about lowering the prices on our items? Since it¡¯s a tax on earnings, that should lower the payable amount, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It would also lower our profits. We would still be in the red.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Maybe we could under-report our earnings?¡±


    ¡°Ros, that¡¯s illegal. Also dangerous. If we get found out you might have your land confiscated. You might even go to prison. And it¡¯s not like it¡¯s easy to hide, either. Under-reporting it by maybe 5% would be insignificant enough to cover up, but that 5% wouldn¡¯t make enough of a difference to pull us out of this problem, and anything more would be easily found out through observation or inspection. I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s not an option, but that should be our last resort, if we really can¡¯t think of anything. As far as possible, it would be wise to stay within the bounds of the law.¡±


    Rosalind leaned forward and planted her face on the table, sighing. All her suggestions had been shot down.


    ¡°Ely, weren¡¯t you on my side¡­?¡±


    I giggled a little, in spite of our dire situation.


    ¡°Of course I am. That¡¯s why I¡¯m shooting down the stupid ideas, so that you don¡¯t have to waste time dwelling on them.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m no good at this. Ely¡­ what should we do¡­? I don¡¯t want to close down¡­¡±


    Well, in all honesty, Rosalind was doing remarkably well for a business owner who had only plied her trade for a couple of years. The current situation was just one that was beyond the norm ¨C even an experienced merchant was unlikely to be able to deal perfectly with such an unanticipated tax spike, and Rosalind was far from experienced. That said, I was no expert when it came to matters of running a business. I just handled advertising. I did, however, have some experience with tax evasion ¨C though the methods I was familiar with back in my world could not be replicated here due to technological and bureaucratic limitations. Even when I tried to apply the principles behind them, they did not quite work out in this situation.


    I glanced at the dejected Rosalind and voiced the option that was obvious, but infuriating.


    ¡°Well¡­ it seems we don¡¯t have a choice¡­ We should stop selling alcohol.¡±


    A long sigh escaped Rosalind¡¯s lips. Certainly, that was the fastest way to resolve this. The biggest component of the tax that had us worried was the 40% alcohol tax. If we stopped selling alcohol, there would be no justification to make us pay this tax. The employment tax was far more manageable, and if we could just avoid the alcohol tax, it would resolve most of our problems. It was a simple solution, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. Rosalind¡¯s next words, spoken without lifting her head from the table, confirmed that she felt the same.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°So, in the end, we¡¯re doing what that asshole wants, huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s annoying, but yes. We don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡±


    The true intent of Lord Rishard¡¯s alcohol tax was clear as day to me. I was not sure whether it had been quite as obvious to Rosalind, but despite her relative inexperience, my friend had a sharp mind. It was unlikely that she had missed the subtext.


    A tax on the earnings made from places which sold alcohol was a strange way of imposing a demerit tax. Normally, if one truly wanted to inflate the price of a good and thus make it undesirable, one would simply impose a tax on the good itself ¨C the people who sold alcohol would pay a tax based on the price of the item for each item sold. This would cause taverns and other providers to drive up their prices in the name of preserving the profit line. It made no sense to tax a business¡¯ earnings merely on the basis of it serving alcohol. Even if the building sold no alcohol in a month, it would still suffer a penalty for simply having it on the premises. In other words, the people who happened to sell alcohol were being unjustly punished for it.


    Let us ignore for the moment the economic contractions that depriving one¡¯s people of their livelihoods would cause, and instead assume that the ruler in question is seeking to unjustly tax the citizens to fill his own coffers, uncaring of what happens to the country. If that was the case, having such a clear-cut premise of ¡°selling alcohol on the premises¡± was counterproductive to that goal. It was a premise easily avoided, as one could simply stop selling alcohol, and thus completely avoid the tax. If anything, that seemed to be the point of this tax: to get businesses to stop selling alcohol.


    If we assumed ¨C for argument¡¯s sake ¨C that Rishard truly wished for the country to sober up, this tax would make a modicum of sense, but would still be flawed in its execution. Alcohol was a vice that permeated society to its roots. In creating a situation where it made no financial sense for honest businesses to sell alcohol, those that would benefit the greatest were dishonest businesses. I suspected that it would not be long before black markets dealing in alcohol started to appear and prosper. For if the citizens could not indulge their vices through legal means, they would turn to illegal ones.


    Regardless of how inexperienced or foolish the new Lord was, he was still a man who had received a noble¡¯s education. Furthermore, he was surrounded by advisors who had been around since his father¡¯s time ¨C advisors tempered by age and experience. Even if he had not realised the problems with his tax, surely the advisors would have come to the same conclusions as I have. Furthermore, given the rumours and tales which surrounded Rishard, his initial premise ¨C that he wished for the land to sober up ¨C was likely to be complete nonsense. Therefore, if he still imposed this tax ¨C nearly a ban, as it were ¨C while recognising the problems with it, it meant that he had some other intention behind it.


    ¡°Ugh. Hey Ely, how long before we start seeing his name on the liquor bottles?¡±


    ¡°Eh. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be that blatant about it. Probably just ¡®special licenses¡¯ issued to people whom he declares virtuous enough to be exempted from constant taxation.¡±


    In other words, Rishard¡¯s plan here was likely to monopolise the alcohol trade. He could come up with any reason to grant tax exemptions, earning favours or money in return. It was an infuriating scheme, but one we could do nothing against, given the difference in our status.


    ¡°Hey. Ely. Go beat him up, please. Take over as the Lord.¡±


    ¡°¡­As much as I¡¯d like to do the first, I¡¯m going to have to say no. And the second is just out of the question.¡±


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do a good job of governance.¡±


    ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m a pacifist. Not interested in fighting. Much less insurrection.¡±


    ¡°¡­Welp, there goes that plan¡­¡±


    We mutually vented our annoyance in casual banter. Then Rosalind looked up and matched my gaze.


    ¡°Well, if you say we should stop selling alcohol, then we¡¯ll stop. Looks like there¡¯s no other way, anyway. But then¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about the shop, right?¡±


    ¡°Yep. A tavern that doesn¡¯t sell drink¡­ that¡¯s ridiculous, no matter how you spin it.¡±


    ¡°Well, we could always rebrand ourselves as a restaurant.¡±


    ¡°Ely, did you forget the reason I set up a tavern in the first place? A restaurant doesn¡¯t have the same atmosphere. People are a lot more reserved. They don¡¯t open up to me. If I convert this to a restaurant, I won¡¯t be able to hear the stories I so deeply cherish.¡±


    I leaned my head on my palm, resting my elbow on the table, thinking.


    ¡°Well, maybe you can turn it into a cafe?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ the place you mentioned, that sells only coffee and tea, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, usually it serves confections and light meals as well, but that¡¯s the gist of it.¡±


    Rosalind shook her head.


    ¡°Maybe the concept works in your world, but over here it¡¯s different. People don¡¯t gather to drink coffee or tea; that¡¯s done in private, in one¡¯s own home, when idly passing the time with family or when entertaining guests. Nobody makes the effort to go out purely for coffee. Such a store wouldn¡¯t survive.¡±


    ¡°Well then, we¡¯ll just have to change that, won¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?! I said that it won¡¯t work!¡±


    Rosalind slammed her hand on the table, narrowing her eyes. I glared at her disapprovingly. Clearly, she was a lot more on edge than she let on. Realising that she was being unreasonable, she averted her gaze.


    ¡°¡­sorry. I¡¯m just really annoyed right now, what with that idiot¡¯s scheming. I know you¡¯re trying to help, but it doesn¡¯t help when you¡¯re suggesting ideas that I know won¡¯t work.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms, fully displaying my displeasure.


    ¡°And exactly how do you think I felt when you brought up dumb ideas like under-reporting our earnings?¡±


    ¡°¡­I have no comment.¡±


    Rosalind was visibly reddening from being made aware of her own hypocrisy. Well, I did not quite blame her for her outburst. I myself was feeling rather irritated ¨C I had simply gained many times more experience in controlling my emotions than she had. I crossed the table to her side and patted her on the head.


    ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying. People in this world don¡¯t go out for coffee. They drink it at home. So all we have to do is to change that. Well, to be honest, it doesn¡¯t have to be coffee. It can be anything. We just have to make them want to come to this store even if we stop selling alcohol.¡±


    Rosalind looked up, catching my eyes. I do not know what kind of expression I was wearing, but whatever it was caused the doubt in her eyes to fade.


    ¡°Do you have an idea?¡±


    ¡°Well, at the very least, I have the seed of one. Leave this to me. Making people want things is, after all, one area in which I have considerable expertise.¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 25: An Alternative

    <div>


    That night at the Serene Ezov was one of its busiest.


    People completely filled the tavern, with several even standing outside, in the cold, for lack of space. The place was abuzz with chatter, with Rosalind and myself rushing to meet the many orders that came in. Without exception, each patron held in their hand a large mug of beer, taking deep swigs while complaining loudly about the new taxes. Looking carefully, it was clear that few, if any, of the patrons had ordered food, and the vast majority had ordered naught but a drink. Even so, it was a sight unthinkable for a tavern in a small town, just a week after the announcement of new taxes that affected everyone. And yet, despite the fact that business was booming, Rosalind ¨C the owner of this establishment ¨C had a troubled look on her face.


    When a temporary lull in orders presented itself, Rosalind pulled me to the side and whispered.


    ¡°Oi, Ely, are you sure about this? We¡¯re losing way too much money here.¡±


    ¡°Ros. If you want great results, you have to take great risks. Half-hearted measures will only delay the inevitable. Trust me. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    ¡°¡­I certainly hope so. If whatever you¡¯re planning falls through, we¡¯re going to have to cut our forecast for the amount of time our savings will last.¡±


    Of course, if I had to give the reason as to why we had such great business that night despite the sudden cut to most individuals¡¯ disposable income, the answer would have to lie with the large board I had set up outside the tavern.


    Scrawled across the black slab of wood in chalk was the announcement:


    [All Beers, 75% off! This week only!]


    On the chance that our patrons couldn¡¯t read, I had further paid several children to run around town throughout the day, spreading the news. In my own world, I would have put out an advert in the news, but mass media had yet to be invented in this world. Either way, given such incentive, it was only natural that such a crowd would form.


    Of course, it was also a truth that we were losing a lot of money. Even discounting the amount I had paid for the word-of-mouth advertising and a certain special order from the tailor, we were currently selling beer at under half of cost price. Every mug sold was a loss. Rosalind¡¯s concern was understandable. I tried to reassure her.


    ¡°It¡¯ll work. Probably.¡±


    ¡°Probably?!¡±


    ¡°Well, there are no guarantees in business. Still. I¡¯d say we have about a 40% chance of success.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfavorable, isn¡¯t it?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s higher than zero.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re ruined¡­¡±


    ¡°Look, Ros, just trust me on this. Oh, and go put this on. I can handle things here for a bit.¡±


    I placed a paper bag in her hands.


    ¡°Eh? What¡¯s this?¡±


    I grinned and ushered her out of the kitchen.


    ¡°Just go upstairs and put it on, then come down once you¡¯re done. It¡¯s essential for my plan.¡±


    ¡°It would be nice if you could actually tell me what your plan was.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a secret. You¡¯ll find out soon.¡±


    Rosalind gave me a suspicious glance, but nonetheless did as I said. It was not so much that I did not want to divulge the details to Rosalind, but more that I was not in a position to do so. For the plan to work, it was better for her to be thoroughly unprepared. Of course, I had no evidence to support that conclusion. It was largely a gut feeling.


    ¡­Along with maybe just a tiny bit of revenge for surprising me with a butler outfit a year ago. But that was certainly not my primary intention. That would be petty.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    As Rosalind went upstairs to get changed, I made the full use of my superhuman physique to keep up with the orders. I deftly balanced six to ten mugs of beer with each trip, memorising orders and moving faster than any human had the right to.


    ¡°Oi, Miss Elysium, where did Miss Rosalind go?¡±


    ¡°Stay put and find out~¡±


    ¡°Selling beer this cheap, won¡¯t you go broke?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re that worried, why not pay the full price?¡±


    As I moved, several people called out to me, asking trivial questions. To each of these I gave only a teasing answer. What came next would be a surprise to everyone. Something new, as it were. Unheard of in this world, from what little I knew of it. It was a solution I had come to after putting together everything I knew of this world, my knowledge of Rosalind and her tendencies, as well as my understanding of the dispositions of our regulars. It was for the purpose of the upcoming spectacle that I had suggested we swallow the bitter pill of lowering the price of our beer for the week. It was imperative that as many people as possible saw what was to come.


    After several more minutes of frenzied service, I finally heard the faint footsteps of Rosalind walking down the stairs. A smile played across my lips as the buzz in the tavern began to slow down, the patrons captivated by what they saw.


    Rosalind, slowly descending the spiral stairs, had traded her practical bar dress for a long, elegant one-piece. The V-shaped neckline displayed just enough of her bare skin to incite the imagination while protecting her modesty, striding the line between sensual and risque. As she walked down the spiral stairs and was forced to turn, the back of the dress was shown, displaying a low cut that left much of her bare back exposed. The sleeves of the dress, reaching her wrists, billowed about as she moved down, shimmering like the water in a fountain. The striking blue of the dress clashed wonderfully with her flame-red hair ¨C as well as her rapidly reddening face. She stepped down the stairs barefoot ¨C as per the instructions I had left on a card in the paper bag. Her visage was every bit that of an ephemeral nymph descending from a higher plane ¨C exactly as I had envisioned it, even surpassing my expectations. A few whistles sounded from within the crowd. One of them was mine. Hearing these, Rosalind flushed bright red. Deciding that it was probably unsafe ¨C and unsanitory ¨C to let her walk onto the floor of the tavern barefoot, I leapt up onto the staircase railing and pulled myself in, landing next to Rosalind. Casting a glance at the silent, stunned crowd, she whispered fiercely into my ear.


    ¡°Ely, what¡¯s all this? Why did you make me wear this?! Wait, when you said you needed to get something from the tailor¡­ how much did this cost?!¡±


    ¡°Er. Well. It wasn¡¯t cheap, to say the least.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already struggling, and you wasted our money on something like this?!¡±


    ¡°Calm down. This dress is necessary to the plan.¡±


    ¡°What plan?! What could me wearing this possibly accomplish?! Why couldn¡¯t you wear it, instead?!¡±


    ¡°Well, I could wear it, but I lack the necessary talent for the next part, see.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me, right now, what the next part is. No more surprises.¡±


    I grinned mischievously.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. I was about to reveal the next step right now, anyway.¡±


    I pulled away from Rosalind¡¯s intense glare and turned to face the crowd of patrons, who had begun whispering among each other. I cleared my throat and spoke with a loud voice, honed by ten years of making myself heard over the sounds of war.


    ¡°Ahem. Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming tonight. I can tell you¡¯re enjoying yourselves, though I suspect that much of that might just be due to the cheap alcohol.¡±


    Loud cheers of affirmation ran through the crowd. I smiled.


    ¡°Now, I have little doubt that most ¨C actually, probably all ¨C of you are here because of the cheap beer. Some of you asked me whether it was really okay for us to sell it so cheaply. Not that you¡¯re complaining, of course.¡±


    A few chuckles, particularly from those that had posed the question.


    ¡°Well, if you had to ask me why we¡¯re selling it so cheap, it¡¯s because we¡¯ve found something more valuable than alcohol. Something better. Alcohol lets you forget your problems. Trust me, I understand. I, too, occasionally drink a sip of the stuff. Just a bit, though. I¡¯m a light drinker.¡±


    There was much more laughter this time ¨C in my short year here, I had gained quite the reputation for drinking any challenger under the table. It was a skill I had to hone out of necessity back in the other world, where negotiations often began with drinking challenges. Taking in the laughter, I continued.


    ¡°But what you¡¯re about to experience dwarfs the power of alcohol. Drink lets you forget your problems, but what you will see next lets you accept them and move on. Something that, to me, is far more valuable than whatever alcohol can provide. Sounds hard to believe, I know. But experience it for yourself, and you¡¯ll see that I¡¯m speaking the truth.¡±


    I stepped aside, gesturing at Rosalind, who wore a cramped expression as she glared at me. She knew, based on my preamble, what I intended for her to do. At the same time, she made no rebuttal. She probably decided that objecting at this late juncture would accomplish nothing. She sighed and shook her head, but her lips curled into a smile as she stepped forward such that the patrons could better see her. She waved a hand, and several balls of light emerged from her palm, floating above her head and illuminating her like a spotlight. I withdrew from the light, and, once I had ascertained that the gazes of the audience were fixed on her, I completed my introduction.


    ¡°Madam Rosalind, owner of this establishment, my employer and my friend, will now sing for us. Please relax and enjoy her performance.¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 26: Opening Night

    <div>


    Why do people drink alcohol?


    If one considers the whole, long list of reasons why one might have cause to drink, it quickly becomes clear that the justifications for drinking are contradictory and vague in nature. Sorrow and pain are causes that justify drinking to forget, but at the same time, we also drink in celebration. Perhaps we consider it a social activity, where one drinks in a group as a matter of bonding. Yet how do we explain the myriad of people who drink on their own, in the privacy of their homes, with no partners around them? If we consider the many conflicting reasons as to why people drink alcohol, it seems that many of them are closer to excuses than actual justifications.


    With that in mind, the question that follows is as such: what makes alcohol so alluring, such that mankind makes excuses for the sole purpose of drinking? Alcohol dulls one¡¯s senses and loosens one¡¯s tongue. It lets one forget ¨C however temporarily ¨C one¡¯s troubles and the pressures that society forces on an individual. And in forgetting these pressures, one is better able to express those things which society would like suppressed ¨C those inner thoughts and troubles that plague the mind. The removal of inhibitions further allows one to truly express their joy when it comes to celebrations. Alcohol provides a sensation of catharsis and liberation.


    Therefore, if one is to offer a substitute for alcohol, it has to provide that same degree of liberation; it has to provide that same sense of catharsis. However, the allure of alcohol exists precisely because such a sensation is difficult to duplicate through other means ¨C the closest equivalent would be other narcotic substances. The problem of how we were to keep our alcohol-loving customers even when we stopped serving alcohol could be solved by providing an alternative. In our situation, the most readily available alternative was Rosalind¡¯s singing.


    The crowd in the tavern fell silent as Rosalind took a step forward in her blue dress. An air of quiet anticipation ran through the tavern, as all eyes fell on her, waiting for her to begin. She took a deep breath in and out, then closed her eyes as the song left her lips.


    A night of amber; a night of birth


    Two hearts entwined, yet bore no mirth


    The sound of tears was that night¡¯s refrain


    That night when love was split in twain


    Then anger burned and raised its head


    Dried up the countless tears they shed


    That girl, resolved, no longer cried


    Waged war, with vengeance by her side


    The world knew not that force she bore


    That power which crushed foes on a whim


    Across the field of war she tore


    Thus sang her cruel battle-hymn


    A chorus sung from vengeful curse


    A bridge ignoring valor¡¯s worth


    A clash of wills thus formed the verse


    A coda born on bloodied earth


    Then there was left a single foe


    Once friends, no mercy would they show


    Too deep a rift had since been cleft


    Two monsters, fighting to the death


    The girl, victorious, claimed her prize


    Above all others did she rise


    But her heart was discontent


    For her lover was her lament


    A night of amber; a night of birth


    Two hearts entwined, yet bore no mirth


    The sound of tears was that night¡¯s refrainThe story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    That night when love was split in twain


    Though the contents of the song¡¯s lyrics were rather unusual ¨C and morbid ¨C I felt my heart lightening. Rosalind¡¯s voice carried through the tavern, and a quick glance at our patrons told me that they were feeling the same way ¨C many of them had relaxed, and those who had seemed agitated before the performance had calmed down considerably. As the last notes of the song faded away, a comfortable silence blanketed the tavern, as if the patrons were taking time to allow the song to settle in their souls. I, myself, felt my troubles ebbing away ¨C the problem of our finances stayed in the back of my mind, but for the moment, they became a secondary consideration. I had been elevated to a state of peace and clarity of mind that I had been unable to attain even with proper meditation and contemplation.


    Such was the power of Rosalind¡¯s voice. Perhaps due to her affinity of Cleansing, hearing her sing cleansed one¡¯s heart of the things that troubled it. She had proven it time and again in the short performances she often gave in the earlier hours of the day to her few patrons, and she had once again proven it in front of the audience gathered in the tavern ¨C her voice had the power to grant a type of peace that no liquor could replicate.


    A grin playing around my lips, I began to applaud, the sounds of my clapping echoing throughout the space. After a few seconds, someone else from amidst the crowd began to clap as well. The two sets of applause became three, then five, then ten, and soon enough, every patron in the tavern, man and woman alike, was standing up and clapping fervently. Hearing this, Rosalind¡¯s eyes snapped open, gazing at the crowd with a look tinged with wonder.


    As the crowd began to call out Rosalind¡¯s name with excited whistles, the intensity of their applause refusing to die down, I ceased my own applause and instead placed a hand on Rosalind¡¯s shoulder. She turned to me in surprise, her mouth opening to say something, but I shook my head and instructed her.


    ¡°Take a bow. Actually, do a little curtsey. That¡¯ll set them off.¡±


    Confusion flitted across her face for a moment, but she splendidly masked it and turned back to the crowd, gracing them with an elegant curtsey, her mouth betraying the hint of an appreciative smile. As expected, the applause renewed in intensity, and the patrons became clearly more excited. I leaned in casually and whispered into her ear, such that she could hear me above the crowd.


    ¡°How does it feel? Performing in front of a crowd like this? Being adored like this?¡±


    ¡°It was ¨C is ¨C exhilarating. You can hear my heart, can¡¯t you? You can hear it pounding, right?¡±


    It was true ¨C thanks to our proximity, I could currently tell, even through the background noise, that Rosalind¡¯s heart was beating faster than ever before.


    ¡°Yes I can. Did you like the feeling?¡±


    ¡°¡­I loved it.¡±


    Casting a sideways glance at her eyes, I could see the spark of intoxication dancing in her pupils. She was hooked. What caught her was unlikely to be the popularity ¨C she had enjoyed considerable popularity even before this performance, and had never shown that kind of look. No, rather, this was a look that I knew, a look that I had seen countless times, on foolhardy heroes who loved battle and lived for war. Rosalind was, in a sense, one of those people ¨C she was intoxicated with the thrill of performance.


    A voice called out from within the crowd,


    ¡°Once more! Sing one more time!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Once more!¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t stop now! Give us one more!¡±


    The call began to spread throughout the crowd, and soon more than half of them, and shortly after all of them, were chanting the same words. Rosalind, her face positively shining, stepped forward, ready to answer to their expectations. However, she found herself restrained by my hand, on her shoulder. She shot me a glare.


    ¡°What, you want me to stop now? This was your idea, Ely.¡±


    I chuckled. Her expression was just like that of a battle-loving hero who had been told to retreat. The sensation was almost nostalgic.


    ¡°Calm down. You¡¯ll get your chance. But let me say a few things, first.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine.¡±


    Grumbling, Rosalind stepped backward, out of the magical spotlight she had created, and I stepped into it. I cleared my throat and held my hands behind my back, saying nothing, carrying myself with the dignity of a supreme commander. The chanting began to quieten down slowly, diminishing every second, until it finally became a space of silence, where all eyes were focused on me.


    ¡°Well then, I suppose that I don¡¯t need to ask you fine folk whether you enjoyed the performance.¡±


    A roar of affirmation rang out. Perfect.


    ¡°Now, I hear what you¡¯re asking, and I get it. You want Milady Rosalind to sing again. Truth be told, so do I.¡±


    Another roar.


    ¡°But before she does that, there are two things I need you to do. The first is to learn a new word: ¡®encore¡¯.¡±


    I deliberately used the word from my own language, rather than using the closest Gam equivalent. A wave of confusion swept through the crowd, and a quick glance backwards showed me that Rosalind was staring at me with an uncertain gaze. A few members of the audience began to test out the word on their tongues, attempts which were met with ridicule by those around them. It was an expected response ¨C though the fact that some members had immediately started testing the word showed exactly how much they desired another song. I decided to do what I could to allay their misgivings.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much ¨C it¡¯s a made-up word we came up with. It means ¡®we want another song¡¯. Easier to say one word than four, no? But if everyone shouts ¡®encore¡¯ together, Lady Rosalind will understand that all of you want another song. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    I abruptly turned to Rosalind. Despite the complete lack of preparation, she adapted extraordinarily quickly and nodded without any visible hesitation, affirming my statement. I could see in her eyes a glint, an expression of trust ¨C she was going to leave this to me. To do as I wished. That was how much she trusted in me.


    Well, it could also have just as easily been an accusatory glare, but for the sake of my pride, I assert that it was an expression of trust.


    Anyway, I then turned back to the crowd and spoke again.


    ¡°So, if you people want to hear Rosalind sing again, then let us hear it! Encore!¡±


    ¡°Encore!¡±


    A few people shouted the word, but the vast majority simply looked around sheepishly, trying to see if any of their compatriots were playing along. I shouted again.


    ¡°Encore!¡±


    ¡°¡±Encore!¡±¡±


    More voices this time. People were starting to pick up the call. I could see looks of resolve on several faces ¨C looks like soldiers facing insurmountable odds. They were going to get their second song, even if they had to embarrass themselves to do it. I also noted a few looks of admiration and surprise on the faces of those around them. Just a few more times, then.


    ¡°Encore!¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±Encore!!¡±¡±¡±


    ¡°Encore!¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±Encore!!!¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±


    ¡°Encore!¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±ENCORE!!!!!¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±


    ¡°Not enough! Chant it! Encore!¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE!¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±¡±


    The crowd as a whole took up the chant, repeating the new word in voices that increased in volume and intensity. The sheer zeal with which they chanted was unbelievable ¨C it was as if they were a mob, taking up the chant of freedom and vindication. Unsurprisingly, Rosalind¡¯s eyes widened ¨C their earlier applause was nowhere near as intense as this chanting.


    As the chanting reached a high, I leapt down from the stairs and vaulted over the bar counter. From there, I shouted in a voice that rang out strongly for everyone to hear, despite the chanting.


    ¡°Well then, that¡¯s the first hurdle cleared! Time for the second! If everyone here buys another drink, Rosalind will sing one more time!¡±


    Even as the chant of ¡®encore¡¯ continued to ring out, countless orders were placed, with people rushing to the bar, ordering one, two, five more drinks. Midway through, I hiked the price back up to 50% of its original ¨C it did not matter. In one night, we managed to completely deplete our entire stash of alcohol.

 Volume 1 Chapter 27: Afterglow

    <div>


    ¡°Thanks for your patronage! We¡¯re all out of alcohol, but Rosalind will still be singing tomorrow night, so do feel free to come down, we¡¯re open at the usual times!¡±


    With that, I ushered out the last patron and flipped the sign on the door from ¡°open¡± to ¡°closed¡±. Shutting the door, I turned my head back to watch Rosalind, who had already begun tidying up the place, singing to remove the dirt and grime.


    When she was done, she sat down at one of the tables and stared into the distance. A slight grin played around her lips. I casually sat down across from her and rested my face on my palm. It seemed that she was extremely distracted ¨C she did not react to my sudden appearance for maybe half a minute, before she jolted and pushed herself upright, face reddening. I laughed.


    ¡°Did you enjoy it? Singing. Getting adored. All your fans, clamoring for you.¡±


    ¡°Do you really need to ask? That was amazing. I loved every second of it.¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s quick reply was accompanied by a dreamy gaze, as if reliving her moment of glory. It was understandable ¨C a common reaction for many people who performed for the first time. It was an expression I was familiar with ¨C I¡¯d seen it before somewhere¡­ but who¡­? I did not meet any performers in both my former worlds¡­ I felt the inkling of recognition tugging at the edge of my consciousness, but I could not bring forth any image to the forefront. I shrugged and decided to leave the enigma be, for the moment. As I did, Rosalind continued to express her enjoyment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always loved singing ¨C singing the songs that Ruth taught me, that my parents taught me. I¡¯m certainly aware of the fact that there might be people who enjoyed hearing my song ¨C you, for example, or those rare customers that visit in the afternoon, all seem to enjoy hearing me sing. But¡­ even so, I never thought that so many people would cheer that much for me. I mean, I have no training. I¡¯ve never been in a court. I¡¯m not qualified to be a bard.¡±


    Bards did exist in this world, but as a rule, they were employed by nobles or other equally wealthy individuals ¨C most bards were attached to a single employer, and made music for the listening pleasure of their clients. To have a bard in one¡¯s employ was a sign of wealth and prestige, and to enter the profession required connections to either existing bards, or otherwise to potential employers. Additionally, within this country, a license from the Guild of Bards was required if one wished to perform as a bard, and attaining this license involved studying for a written examination, and qualification for this examination was based on reccommendation. In other words, the bardic trade was nigh-impossible for someone with no connections to gain a footing in. Furthermore, the difficulty with which bardic licenses were granted meant that few, if any, bards performed their songs outside the court of their employer.


    Rosalind¡¯s performance ¨C a public performance, open to the unwealthy population of this small town ¨C might have been the first of its kind in recent history.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re certainly not a bard. You¡¯re definitely a born performer, though.¡±


    ¡°Not a bard, but a performer? What does that make me then?¡±


    ¡°Not a bard, because you¡¯re not stuck in some manor somewhere singing for stiff old men with nothing better to spend their money on. But make no mistake, you are definitely a performer. That feeling, that exhilaration you felt when you sang? You felt it, right? I saw it in your eyes, in your manner, in your words. That feeling is proof that you are born for the stage.¡±


    ¡°¡­While that¡¯s true, I¡¯m still not sure what you mean by a performer who is not a bard.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Due to the lucrative nature of the bardic trade, there were no professional singers other than bards ¨C those with the talent would seek work as a bard. As such, it was unsurprising that the idea of a ¡°performer¡± should be almost indistinguishable from that of a ¡°bard¡±. I tried to come up with a name for what she was doing that was a bit more impactful than merely ¡°singer¡±, but I could really only think of one analogue.


    ¡°¡­A singer, a public performer, someone who did what you just did ¨C in my world, such a person could be described as an ¡®idol¡¯.¡±


    Well, the term did not originate from my home country, and it was really only one other country that embraced the idea, but it fit. Of course, it was not a perfect fit ¨C idols in my home plane placed as much emphasis on their appearance and mannerism as on their singing, to the point where the singing was sometimes secondary. In the case of Rosalind, it was the other way around ¨C her performance was focused on singing, and the rest was less important. But it was a more impactful name than ¡®singer¡¯, and did not carry the negative connotations of, say, ¡®diva¡¯.


    ¡­And her appearance would likely have passed idol standards, too, so if I ever wanted to explore that avenue as a source of revenue, the option would be open to us.


    Rosalind rolled the word around on her tongue.


    ¡°¡®Idol¡¯¡­ I like it. It sounds simple, but distinct. I¡¯m an idol. Well, I guess I¡¯m still a barmaid, but now I¡¯m an idol as well. Your world has so many interesting words¡­¡± She blinked and glanced at me, as if she had remembered something she wanted to ask. ¡°Speaking of new words, what was with that ¡®encore¡¯ thing? Weren¡¯t the audience already asking for another song? Was there really a need to make them learn that new word?¡±


    I felt my face contort into a smirk. It was a wholly involuntary action, but it made Rosalind shrink away from me somewhat. I hurriedly tried to fix my expression, tweaking it back to a gentler, less villainous smile.


    ¡°A trick of the trade. See, these people all know the word ¡®encore¡¯ now, and they all know it means ¡®one more song¡¯. But nobody else knows. If they use the word in any other setting, it would be effectively gibberish. This strengthens the group identity ¨C as of now, all your fans are members of the social group that denotes ¡®fans of Rosalind¡¯. The introduction of a context-specific term that only members of this social group would know helps to strengthen the impression of group membership ¨C think of it as a secret password, or code word, that identifies them as a part of this social group. The more they use it, and the more often they come into contact with a crowd that uses the word, the stronger this sense of belonging will become, until eventually, it becomes an integral part of their identity ¨C and this will, in turn, ensure that they keep attending your performances, because that is the only way to affirm their group identity. So you can think of the word ¡®encore¡¯ as a seed, a seed that will eventually sprout into a reliable source of support and a consistent revenue stream.¡±


    As I finished my explanation, I noticed that Rosalind had since left my table and was currently sitting at the next table over, staring at me with some trepidation.


    ¡°¡­What kind of manipulative villain are you¡­?¡±


    I indulged in an exasperated sigh and waved my hand in dismissal.


    ¡°Ros, please. I¡¯m not a villain. I¡¯m just a professional. Besides, I¡¯m just an amateur when it comes to manipulation; Shenqu was way better at it.¡±


    I decided to mention Shenqu, my tactician back in the War of the Six, in an attempt to divert Rosalind¡¯s unease. I learned everything I knew about manipulation from him, but he was still far better at it than I. Shenqu was a name I had not yet mentioned to Rosalind, and her innate curiosity about my past worlds should have caught it and latched on to it. However¡­


    ¡°Shenqu¡­? Who¡¯s -! No! I¡¯m not falling for it! And you called me ¡®Ros¡¯ there, are you trying to make me drop my guard or something?¡±


    ¡°Ros, I always call you that in private. Like how you call me Ely.¡±


    ¡°But what¡¯s with that timing? Calling me a nickname and bringing up someone new for no reason? You¡¯re trying to manipulate me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I stayed silent. She wasn¡¯t exactly wrong.


    ¡°You¡¯re not denying it! I knew it! You¡¯re tricking me!¡±


    She hurriedly left her table and moved one table further away while pointing an accusing finger at me. I laughed and pushed off my own chair, closing the distance in the blink of an eye, putting one hand on her head.


    ¡°Calm down, Ros. Even if I¡¯m a manipulative villain, I¡¯m still your friend. I value my friends. Now let¡¯s go upstairs and get some sleep. We¡¯ve got another big night tonight.¡±


    She glared at me, seemingly angry at my changing the subject, but her eyes and lips held a twinkle that proved her jest. Without saying anything more, she complied with my suggestion. And thus ended Rosalind¡¯s first day as an idol.

 Volume 1 Chapter 28: Questionable Practices

    <div>


    The next night, we put out a notice that the tavern was all out of alcohol, and would, from that night on, no longer sell alcohol. Instead, we would be selling mainly coffee and tea as beverages, though the rest of our menu was unchanged for now ¨C I had plans to shift to a model that focused more on sweets, but we would need the knowledge of a patissier for that, so it would come later. In any case, we made it clear that the only drinks our customers would find were non-alcoholic in nature, despite Rosalind¡¯s worry that doing so would reduce our clientele.


    Nothing changed. The crowd did not abate. The crowd on that night rivalled the crowd that had attended Rosalind¡¯s first performance ¨C in fact, the crowd exceeded it. The same people who had previously attended informed their friends and family, and thus spread the word of Rosalind¡¯s amazing voice. The people who were in attendance spilled out of the tavern into the night, but while upset that they could not see her in person, most were content simply to listen to her voice.


    Well, all that was as according to plan, but there was one slight complication: people weren¡¯t spending enough.


    I made it a point to chase out anyone who stayed for too long without purchasing anything, but almost all the patrons simply bought the cheapest drink available and used that single cup as an excuse to stay in the tavern ¨C or, well, I suppose it was now a caf¨¦, since we only sold coffee and tea instead of alcohol ¨C for the whole night. I suppose it was inevitable, as coffee and tea were not our specialties, and the blends we used were nothing special, so expecting the customers to instantly fall in love with it was unreasonable.


    Still, while Rosalind was perfectly happy with this, still intoxicated with the rush of performance, I was not. I considered it a challenge to my abilities as a marketing executive. With this much of a captive audience, if I could not at least make our earnings match that of out initial alcohol revenue, I would bring shame upon my entire profession.


    My solution? Rework our business model. Drawing upon the nightclubs of my world as an example, I charged our patrons an entry fee, rather than per drink. Upon paying a nominal fee that was slightly higher than the median cost of drinks on our menu, the customers would be allowed entrance to the venue. To make the entry fee slightly easier to stomach, we also provided a complimentary cup of our cheapest blend to those who paid the fee. Each patron was given a number tag, to denote their order of entry. Payment of the entrance fee entitled a customer to 90 minutes in the venue, extended by 30 minutes per drink ordered, capped at a total of three hours per customer. The venue was able to accommodate roughly 20 seated and 50 standing patrons at once, causing any customers after the initial 70 to be forced to wait outside until someone left and a space opened up.


    After a few days, I managed to commission a travelling group of magic merchants to cast a soundproofing enchantment on the door, preventing those outside from hearing what was on the inside. Furthermore, we arranged it such that only Rosalind¡¯s voice would be filtered out, allowing those outside to hear the cheering and laughing of the crowd, but not Rosalind¡¯s song. This drastically reduced the number of people who loitered outside the tavern without entering, while also increasing the length of the queue significantly. It was a heavy investment, but one that paid off remarkably well.


    Of course, the mention of the above expenditure should indicate that my plan worked perfectly. Customers would queue up outside for hours just to get into the tavern ¨C from my understanding, several of them even paid friends to hold a spot in the line for them. Even after paying the entrance fee, more than half of our customers bought at least one drink to extend their time, with a small minority purchasing three drinks to enjoy the maximum possible allowance of three hours.


    Occasionally, I would see children with their parents loitering around outside, clearly curious, though their parents would not join the queue. On those occasions, I would make a big show of allowing the children free entry ¨C though I charged their parents as per normal. Of course, the children could not stay without parental supervision, so if the parents refused to pay, I would send the children off as well. Fortunately ¨C for me, at any rate ¨C the disposition of children was such that they would throw a tantrum if their parents tried to leave. Seeing this, I would feign sympathy and offer a special, one-time discount, allowing them in at half the normal price. Of course, I never forgot a face. One family was only entitled to this discount on their first visit, and their subsequent visits ¨C since a majority were converted to fans of Rosalind ¨C were charged full price.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    During those days, when I fully displayed my capacity for manipulation and exploitation, I thought I caught Rosalind staring at me with fearful eyes on multiple occasions, but I managed to convince myself that I was probably imagining it. Maybe. Hopefully. In hindsight, that was rather obnoxious, but business is business.


    In such a way, I completely revitalised our shop and turned our fortunes around. When Edgar (the tax agent) came round again at the end of the next month, we had money to pay him and plenty to spare, even after setting aside a good amount for renovations. It was during that same visit that we submitted our declaration of being alcohol-free, which led to a quick inspection the next week confirming that fact. When Edgar asked how we were managing to stay afloat as a tavern without alcohol, I offered him free entry for a night. We obtained another fan that day.


    I understand that some of my readers might find the detailed description of the above somewhat horrifying, but I think it important to give a full, truthful account of our early days, when we were just starting our tale. And that, of course, includes the account of how we managed to swindle our way from obscurity into fame. Well, it was mostly me. Rosalind was mostly an accessory to the crime, though I¡¯m not so kind as to absolve her from guilt.


    If any of you readers were among those customers from our early days ¨C unlikely as that is ¨C then I apologise for manipulating you like that. I would also like to assert that I would do it all over again if I had to. Well, to be fair, you people enjoyed yourselves, right? You thought you were getting your money¡¯s worth, right? So it¡¯s fine. Take it as a lesson in being wary of merchants and our scheming ways.


    Speaking of schemes, I should probably mention that, as expected, three months after declaring the tax, Lord Rishard announced a new license that would allow for selected merchants of ¡°virtuous character¡± to sell alcohol while ignoring the tax. From my understanding, it caused quite a stir in other towns within the territory, but nobody really cared in ours. That was simply because the other two taverns had already closed down, and Rosalind¡¯s singing had become known as having a greater soothing effect than alcohol. When Rishard¡¯s new merchants came around peddling beer that cost significantly more than our modest entry fee, the townspeople paid them no mind. Thanks to our efforts, the town had inadvertently become the most sober town in the region. Which is somewhat ironic when considering Rosalind¡¯s taste for fine wines.


    As an amusing aside, Edgar tells me that the lord attempted numerous methods to shut our caf¨¦ down, but was stopped by his advisors due to a lack of justification ¨C we were providing wholesome entertainment that was completely legal. Constitutionally, he could not change the law without a valid justification, and any changes which outlawed us would impact all bards and performers in the territory ¨C an act which would in turn anger the Guild of Bards, which had connections to numerous nobles in the land. His position was too tenuous to risk that. As a result, we were left well alone. In all honesty, it was our efforts that prevented civil discontent from building in this town, so we were doing him a favour, really. Not that the idiot would have been clever enough to realise it.


    Anyway, through a combination of my questionable deeds and Rosalind¡¯s abundant natural talent, business boomed. We were flooded with customers every night. Even after we bought over the adjacent two shops and turned them into part of our caf¨¦, even after we renovated our caf¨¦ such that it had a more pleasant and classy atmosphere with enough seating space for a full 150 people, there was a perpetual queue outside our door. Even though many left disappointed, unable to get a chance to enter, they would reappear the next day without fail, in the hopes of getting in early. To maintain fairness, we only allowed two tables to be reserved per day, and were strict about the alloted time. We were making so much money that we even managed to hire staff to help with the brewing of the coffee and the management of the crowd ¨C we hired a total of three girls: Anna, Caren and Veronica. Within eight months, the Serene Ezov had grown and evolved from being a small tavern in a backwater town to being a large, well-furnished specialty caf¨¦ which had become known as the pride of the town and its main attraction. Word of Rosalind¡¯s singing had spread through the efforts of passing merchants and soldiers, and people started coming from nearby towns and cities to listen to Rosalind¡¯s song, often queueing up long before opening hours to ensure that their trip was not a wasted one.


    One morning, a messenger came in bearing a request for a reservation made two weeks in advance. Upon learning the identity of the sender, I immediately knew that our big break had come. Earnestly accepting the request, I waited until the messenger was out of sight before rushing to Rosalind¡¯s room, which we had refurbished to double as a changing room. There, I saw her checking her appearance in front of the mirror, whereupon I whirled her around to face me. I waved the reservation request in front of her face, unable to stop myself from grinning.


    ¡°It¡¯s time! It¡¯s finally time! We¡¯re going to hold a ¡®concert¡¯!¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 29: Opportunity

    <div>


    ¡°Calm down, calm down. First off, whose reservation is that? Secondly, what¡¯s a ¡®concert¡¯?¡±


    Rosalind, flustered, tried to get me to slow down. I took several deep breaths to collect myself and regulate my heartrate. I forgot that the idea of a ¡®concert¡¯ was foreign to this world. Rosalind watched me, and after a few moments ¨C presumably when she recognised that I had calmed down ¨C she sat down next to her desk and spoke up.


    ¡°Now, explain.¡±


    I scratched my chin, slightly embarrassed at being so excited, but then sat myself down on her bed and waved around the reservation slip.


    ¡°This is a reservation for a Mister Hager Bainel. You might recognise his name from the Bainel Trading Company ¨C he¡¯s the owner.¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s eyes widened as she heard the name. Not surprising ¨C I had the same reaction. The Bainel Trading Company was one of the five merchant firms in the Kingdom which were allowed to do business with other countries. Necessarily, this also meant that it was one of the five richest merchant firms in the Kingdom. The owner, Hager Bainel, was known to have a fascination with the unusual, and had an eccentric habit of travelling around the country at a whim, looking for new business opportunities even in the obscure reaches of the Kingdom. In hindsight, I suppose it was inevitable that our paths would cross, given that we were exactly the sort of opportunity that he sought, but at the time, we recognised his reservation request as a great stroke of fortune ¨C if we could somehow convince him to enter into a partnership with us, the possibilities for expansion were vast.


    I watched as Rosalind¡¯s expression evolved from surprise, to amazement, to joy, and finally settling on a calculating expression that betrayed her thoughts about how best to exploit the opportunity. It was an expression that she had only started wearing in recent times, an expression she had never shown when she was but a simple barmaid.


    ¡­Perhaps I had been a bad influence. I felt a mild twinge of guilt about turning this earnest girl into a calculating merchant, but I ignored it. I had plenty of things to be guilty about without adding more to the list. More importantly, we had to discuss our plans. Rosalind was the one who initiated the discussion.


    ¡°So, how are we going to do it?¡±


    ¡°Same way you always do it. You sing. If he likes it, we win. If he doesn¡¯t, we lose. He¡¯ll be on guard against us as well, so the plan is to dazzle him with your voice, let him stew on it for a day, then engage him. We want to avoid seeming desperate or impatient ¨C that puts us in a weaker position. We need to convince him that he needs us, and that we don¡¯t need him. Leave the actual terms to me. You just need to focus on the performance.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ if you say that then I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±


    ¡°Yep. You just think about the set list and which dress you¡¯re going to wear.¡±


    As I spoke, I turned my gaze to the rack tucked away at one side of the room. In addition to the blue dress Rosalind was currently wearing, we had further comissioned two other dresses, one a fiery, passionate red one-piece with a half-skirt, the other a subdued, quieter green dress adorned with shimmery sleeves. We tended to swap the dresses around to fit the mood of the setlist, but we had not had much occasion to use the red dress ¨C Rosalind¡¯s music was usually more soulful and relaxing than upbeat and passionate.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Leave that to me. On another note¡­ you mentioned something. A¡­ ¡®concert¡¯? What¡¯s that?¡±


    Oh, right. I had intended to explain the idea to her. Naturally, in this world, where music was exclusively the domain of the rich and titled, the idea of a performance catered specifically to a large mass of people regardless of social standing was something unheard of. Thinking, I attempted to formulate an explanation in the simplest terms I could conceive.


    ¡°Well¡­ Think of it as what you do normally, but in a bigger venue ¨C and to a crowd of several hundred at once, but with no food or drinks provided.¡±


    ¡°¡­Eh? Then what¡¯s the point? Isn¡¯t the point of the singing to draw in crowds to buy our drinks? If we¡¯re not selling the drinks, why sing?¡±


    I stared at Rosalind, dumbfounded. Did she really not understand the idea? Her perplexed look stood testament to her incomprehension. Perhaps I had not corrupted her quite as much as I had assumed. I sighed and explained my reasoning.


    ¡°Come on, Rosalind. You know for a fact that our customers couldn¡¯t care less about the drinks we serve, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s plain as day. Most of them don¡¯t even touch their cups.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. They¡¯re all coming to listen to you sing. In fact, the drinks and food are basically just an excuse to come hear you sing. In that case, why not simply remove the need for these excuses?¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying that, rather than charging for the food with my singing as an extra, we should charge them directly for the right to listen to my voice? Would people pay for that? Food and drink, at least, is something they can touch and taste¡­¡±


    ¡°What good is having food and drink that can be touched and tasted if none of our clients actually touches it? They would basically be paying for the same thing they¡¯re paying for now, except without the flimsy pretense.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯m a bit uneasy.¡±


    Well, her unease was not misplaced; it would be a foreign concept for many of our clients ¨C by no means rich nobles ¨C to consciously pay for something intangible, even if they had already been doing so without recognising it. In that case, all we would need to do was to offer a tangible premise. At the same time, I wanted to divorce the idea of Rosalind as a singer from the food and beverage industry ¨C being tied down by the expectation of a ¡°singer in a caf¨¦¡± would only hinder her continued growth as a performer. So we would need to provide some form of tangible incentive for purchasing a ticket that was unrelated to the food industry. There were several options available to us, but I would need to conduct more market research to settle on one. Furthermore, while the dream of a concert was finally within reach, it was not yet within our grasp. There was a large hurdle we had to circumvent before we could start thinking about how to maximise our concert revenue.


    ¡°Well, leave it to me. I have several ideas to make it work. In any case, we don¡¯t have the funding to hold a concert right now ¨C we need the support of the Bainel Trading Company for publicity, prestige and the venue funding. If we can secure that, I can almost guarantee you a successful concert. Of course, if the deal falls through, all of these ideas will come to naught, so to prevent that from happening, we¡¯ll both need to do our best to negotiate.¡±


    I looked into Rosalind¡¯s eyes, holding her gaze.


    ¡°If we can pull this off, our lives will change. The intoxication of performance you¡¯ve experienced these last 8 months ¨C that was just a glimpse of the world I¡¯ll bring you into. I¡¯ll take you to greater heights, to new limits, if you¡¯ll just believe in me and cooperate. Do you trust me?¡±


    Rosalind locked eyes with me for several seconds, before she flashed me a confident smile.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s too late to start not trusting you, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve already turned my quiet life upside down. I¡¯ll be in your care, my dear friend.¡±


    She held out a hand, in a similar fashion to when we had first met. Silently, I grasped it with a firm grip, affirming our bond of friendship once more.

 Volume 1 Chapter 30: The Eccentric Merchant

    <div>


    If I had to describe Hager Bainel in a word, I would likely refer to him as a dandy. He dressed smartly, wearing a crisp coat over a neatly maintained shirt that paired with unruffled pants. His hair was slicked neatly to the side in a parting which came close to bring a center parting, yet somehow managed to barely miss the mark in an almost imperceptible manner. His unassuming build, no different from the average man on the street, concealed a refreshing eccentricity that only showed itself when he spoke.


    ¡°Ah, Miss¡­ Elysium, was it not? It is a displeasure to only now make your acquaintance; were that I had met a woman of such remarkable beauty years ago, I might be a content man now ¨C though that would have rendered this meeting impossible, so perhaps we should call it fortunate that I have been thusly misfortunate. Hager Bainel, demanding your service. Of course, you already knew that. I made a reservation.¡±


    When I was greeted with such a line, my first reaction was bemusement. My second was wariness. One thing I had learned in my years at the negotiating table was that merchants rarely, if ever, are truly eccentric. The eccentricity is usually a front, a trick to throw the other party off-kilter. Even if the merchant is acting eccentric out of habit, it is likely that this habit was cultivated for the purpose of deception. A merchant had to keep their cards to themselves until the opportune time, and what better way to do that then to convince their partner that they play a different game?


    I flashed Bainel a smile and gestured toward the interior of the Ezov with a gloved hand.


    In the months past, we had redecorated the Ezov to fit the more refined atmosphere that befitted an establishment of its ilk. The walls were still made of the same wooden panelling, but rather than having long beer tables, we now had numerous smaller round tables, fit for parties that ranged from 2 people to a maximum of 8. The long benches had been replaced by comfortable individual chairs, and we had placed upon the tabletops small, magical candles to add to the ambience of refinement. Additionally, lining the walls and pillars were several counters, where one could stand and watch the performance. Opting to stand was, of course, a cheaper option, but it was also our most popular option. In the center of the building, connected to a spiral staircase that led to our rooms, was a raised platform that served as the stage. Slightly to the right of it was the only part of the interior that had been unchanged ¨C the counter. Though it used to dispense beer and house our liquor, it now bore several bags of coffee beans and several jars of tea leaves, keeping the company of the two girls we had hired as employees. They glanced at me and bowed their heads in respect, but otherwise seemed rather bored. Understandable ¨C there were no customers today. Bainel had reserved the entire shop. For now, at least, he was the only customer, and since I was personally attending to him, the girls had nothing to do.


    Of course, I had no intention of going along with his request to reserve the whole shop, but I compromised and told our regulars that we would be opening an hour later. This meant that the crowd would come in while he was still enjoying the performance, but that tied in to my negotiation strategy as well. I led Bainel to his seat, facing the stage, but of middling distance from the edge of the stage ¨C neither too close nor too far, the optimum position from which to watch Rosalind¡¯s performance. As I waved to Caren, signalling her to bring over the tea cart, I engaged in conversation with the guest. Rosalind, staying upstairs, was listening to our conversation, though that fact was hidden from Bainel. We had arranged a cue for her to reveal herself, so the timing was up to me.


    ¡°You flatter me, Mister Bainel. It is rare that I receive compliments regarding my feminine charms. A part of it is the uniform, I believe.¡± The butler uniform was, after all, a traditionally male piece of attire. ¡°That said, I assure you that no matter how beautiful you believe me to be, Rosalind herself possesses more beauty by far.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. The famed songstress. I happened to be passing through one of the border towns when my ears caught wind of someone ¨C a young man, as I recall, an excitable youth of maybe twenty years ¨C sharing his experience in this place with his friends. I went up to- oh, perfect, nothing better to fuel a conversation than a good cup of tea. Let¡¯s see now¡­ hm, you don¡¯t seem to have Springflow, so¡­ I suppose the Lakeside Red will have to do.¡±


    Interrupted by Caren sidling up next to us with the tea cart, Bainel had effortlessly appraised our stock of teas in but a moment ¨C it spoke volumes of his experiences as a merchant. I picked out the tea leaves he had decided on and began to brew the tea, setting the teapot on the table as I gestured for him to continue.


    ¡°Where was I¡­ oh, yes, I had heard about a woman who sang in a tavern in this small town. I¡¯d passed through here before, but this was the first time I¡¯d heard of such a thing ¨C a bard who sang in public! Who would have thought. I¡¯ve long held the view that the appreciation of music has nothing to do with your birth or wealth, but society seems adamant on disagreeing. Well, society itself is rather disagreeable, so I¡¯m not particularly surprised. Regardless ¨C a bard who sang in a public place, a bard not in the employ of a noble. What a novel idea! How talented is she? How did she make money? Why did she not enter the service of some noble house? My curiosity was roused, and thus I sit here before you today. So come, then. Show me what it is you¡¯ve invented ¨C show me something the world has never seen.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    A smile played across my lips. The situation could be described as close to ideal: Bainel was driven by curiosity and a desire to see something new. He was an explorer, hoping to unearth some hidden innovation that could be turned into profit. It fit perfectly well with the plan of action I had set forth. In a way, I could not have asked for a better partner.


    ¡°Well then, I promise we won¡¯t disappoint. Allow me to introduce the star of our establishment, Rosalind.¡±


    ¡®The star of our establishment¡¯. That was our cue. Rosalind began descending the spiral staircase, clad in her blue dress, the same one she had worn on her first performance. Any of her dresses would have been fine, but this dress was special to the both of us, and its relative simplicity implied that our new brand of bard ¨C our ¡°idol¡± ¨C cared little for the lavish fashions and colourful prestige of serving in the courts of nobles. The bard certainly played a large role in politics and held great prestige within educated circles, but the idol cared nothing for such trivialities ¨C she simply desired to sing.


    Her act long since honed to perfection, Rosalind began to sing while descending the stairs, keeping her gaze focused on Bainel, the only member of her audience. I stole a glance at him, recognising that he was no longer paying any heed to me ¨C his eyes were transfixed on Rosalind¡¯s performance. The mask of shrewdness, of aloof eccentricity, had been lost, and he looked on with a sincere wonder present in his eyes. When I saw his expression, I knew ¨C Rosalind¡¯s talent had pulled through. This was our win.


    Rosalind performed several other songs, while Bainel continued to watch on ¨C his initial entranced state faded quickly, but he continued to watch silently, with a look of admiration. Of course, that expression of composed admiration dissolved when the other patrons started coming in.


    About an hour after his arrival, I opened the doors to the other patrons, who had already been queueing outside the shop. As the shop flooded with people, Bainel shot me a look of clear irritation.


    ¡°I thought I made a reservation for the entire day.¡±


    I simply smiled calmly ¨C his ire was within the scope of our plan.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we have a strict reservation policy ¨C three hours is the absolute maximum, but I decided to open the doors after an hour to show you what a performance is really like. You¡¯ll be compensated for the reduced time, of course.¡±


    ¡°What a performance is really like, you say? Do you mean to say that what I just saw was not the genuine article?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but also no. What Rosalind will be doing is identical; she will not change the way she sings, moves, or acts. But the crowd will make all the difference. I do believe that you¡¯ll find the difference of great interest.¡±


    Bainel furrowed his brow, clearly disgruntled, but silently sat back in his seat. I could sense his curiosity ¨C who would not be curious, when confronted with a statement as vague as that I had just delivered?


    Rosalind resumed her performance, singing to the cheers and clapping of the audience, her voice somehow managing to carry over their shouting. Somehow, the idol culture from my world had begun to develop here, as well, and the audience had gotten into the habit of clapping along to the beat for songs, while some took the effort to sing lines from Rosalind¡¯s songs in tandem with her voice, particularly at memorable chorus lines. Some of the more extreme aspects of the subculture had yet to appear here, and I found myself constantly struggling to decide if I should forcefully introduce them, as I had with the encore call.


    ¡°Encore!¡±


    As Rosalind¡¯s song faded to an end, a single voice about midway from the stage was the first to call for an encore, earning its owner angry glares from those around him ¨C being the first to issue the encore call had somehow taken on aspects of a trophy, as if it were some great feat worthy of celebration. Just another oddity of the subculture that had begun to bud surrounding Rosalind¡¯s performances. Nonetheless, the crowd quickly took up the encore call, until almost everyone in the building was echoing the same word. I glanced at Bainel, who seemed to be the sole exception. The look on his face changed rapidly, from surprise, to understanding, and then finally to consideration. Any semblance of his eccentricity forgotten, his face was that of a purely profit-driven, calculating merchant as he surveyed the crowd that was charged with excitement. Clearly a merchant as practiced as he could not fail to notice the wonderful business opportunity I had taken the liberty of presenting.


    He turned his head and met my gaze, and the two of us regarded each other for a while. His face betrayed not a hint of his inner thoughts, and to the best of my ability, I endeavoured to do the same. After several moments, just as Rosalind was starting into her next song, he nodded and made to leave.


    ¡°You¡¯ve given me much to ponder. Perhaps I could stop by again tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Oh, certainly. In fact, feel free to come before we open. I¡¯ll treat you to a cup of tea. Think of it as an apology for cutting your reservation short.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hm. Perhaps I shall.¡±


    With those words, unassuming words that confirmed the date and time of our negotiations, Hager Bainel walked out into the street, stroking his chin the whole way.

 Volume 1 Chapter 31: Negotiations

    <div>


    Hager Bainel sat across from us, his attentive eyes focused wholly on us ¨C but mostly on me. Rosalind had made it clear that I was to take the lead in negotiations, and so the onus of securing a good deal lay upon me. I felt that perhaps she placed a little too much faith in my abilities, but I decided to do my utmost in responding to her trust. The noontime sun peeked through the curtains we had drawn across the windows; we would have allowed it in, were it not for the fact that we wished for the business negotiations to be conducted discreetly, at least until we had agreed upon a deal. It would not be fair to Bainel if his rivals should somehow hear of our discussions before they were finalised ¨C we might perhaps be able to squeeze additional profit out of a deal, but we would lose Bainel¡¯s faith ¨C and I felt that to be too great a loss, given his influential standing.


    It was for this reason, as well, that we had given our three employees strict instructions to only report for work when we opened in the evening (they often came earlier to make small talk among themselves). Also owing to this arrangement, I found myself preparing and serving the tea, for there was nobody else to do it ¨C Rosalind was lacking in this area. She had no sense for the right temperatures required to draw out the flavours of the different tea leaves. I, on the other hand, had learnt tea ceremony as part of the etiquette required by ladies of the Imperial Court. Though my regular capacity of service was as a warrior and general, my gender forced certain additional expectations upon me in court. I was not even allowed to wear proper armor when in attendance, and it had taken me months of threats and an enemy attempt on my life just to get permission for a modified dress ¨C the ruqun that lay in my room, upstairs. I still recall the looks of disapproval that everyone ¨C men and women ¨C gave me when I walked into the palace with a sword belted to my side. Only the Emperor ¨C ever the pragmatic man ¨C approved of my form of dress. The emperor, and¡­


    Was there someone else? I could not remember.


    Regardless, as a result of that etiquette training, I was versed in the ways of tea preparation ¨C though I employed what the people in my world would likely term the Eastern method of brewing. It was a method that Bainel spared no time in pointing out.


    ¡°Hm? Miss Elysium, the teapot you¡¯ve selected seems to be rather small. Have you perhaps made a mistake?¡±


    He spoke up with indignation as I filled the ceramic teapot with hot water. He was clearly a lover of tea. Perhaps I should have expected it, from his appearance and manner. Of course, it is unwise to profile based on appearances. I completed my task while responding,


    ¡°No, I¡¯m quite sure this is the right size. This is a method of brewing tea that¡¯s from¡­ my hometown, as it were. I promise you, it lends quite a different flavour to the leaves.¡±


    I turned to Rosalind, hoping for some affirmation, but she just shrugged ¨C she knew not the difference.


    Bainel looked on skeptically as I poured his cup for him.


    ¡°Surely you haven¡¯t steeped it long enough! I hope you don¡¯t intend upon serving me some bland excuse for tea!¡±


    I simply smiled and urged him to take a sip. As he did, his eyes widened, staring at the cup.


    ¡°Why this¡­ this is exquisite! Strong, filled with character, and sweet. What leaves are you using, may I inquire?¡±


    ¡°Shaln Red.¡±


    His eyes widened further. Next to me, even the clueless Rosalind stared at me with mouth agape. Shaln Red was a common, cheap type of leaf, known for being extremely bitter, such that children hated to drink it. Its main purchasers were families of commoners who wished to seem wealthier than they truly were. I had chanced upon it at the market and purchased it due to the low price, to the horror of Rosalind and our three employees. Of course, I soon realised that the bitterness arose from the way in which it was brewed ¨C the usual method, which involved steeping it in a large quantity of water for long durations, caused its bitterness to infuse into the water. On the other hand, the Eastern method of brewing, which steeped the leaves in smaller quantities for short durations, brought out the strong sweetness of the brew while not giving enough time for the bitterness to emerge, resulting in a blend that could rival even high-quality teas. In view of an opportunity such as this, I had not taught the method to anyone else, and it was the first time I had given a cup to someone else. The effect was as expected: Bainel quickly stood up, and shook my hand reverently.


    ¡°Please, Miss Elysium, you must teach me the method you use to brew! To make even Shaln Red taste like the sweetest of fine teas, it is revolutionary! You have opened my eyes to a new world!¡±


    I grinned.


    ¡°Well, if you say that I have opened your eyes to a new world, it is only fair that you should do the same for us, is it not?¡±


    Bainel froze, the knowledge of his error creeping across his face. He did not bother to hide it; possibly because he knew I had already seen all I needed to. I now held something he desired. The first bout was my victory.


    Bainel coughed and collected himself.


    ¡°Yes, of course. Our main course of business. I presume you wish to propose a partnership?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. You¡¯ve seen Rosalind¡¯s performance, as well as the crowds. In that case, you should have noticed something rather interesting about the crowds, yes?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I have never seen a crowd of strangers quite so fervent as that which I saw yesterday. Certainly, their cheering was loud enough to drown out the march of an army. And that call ¨C ¡®encore¡¯, was it? An invention of yours, no doubt. Though I cannot quite grasp the intention behind it, the way they rallied behind that cry was, frankly, frightening. But what of it? Do you intend something for their irregular fervour?¡±


    ¡°What if I told you I was thinking of monetising that fervour?¡±


    ¡°I would call the idea dreadfully enticing, yet thoroughly deluded. How do you intend on twisting something as intangible as that into profit?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°The same way sellers of religious items capitalise on the belief of the masses.¡±


    ¡°Those religious items are tangible. They are able to claim the blessing of divinity ¨C though such blessing rarely exists, the zealot is easily convinced of its efficacy. What do you intend to do ¨C sell sculptures of Rosalind? She may be beautiful, but she is by no means a god.¡±


    ¡°While that would be nice to consider in the future, I am not foolish enough to believe that we could accomplish it at this time.¡±


    ¡°So what, then, do you propose?¡±


    ¡°Mister Bainel, what do you suppose is the greatest limiter on our profits right now?¡±


    ¡°I suppose it would be space. I saw a long queue upon leaving yesterday ¨C I doubt you were able to serve all of them before the night ended. There must have been a few who left for home, disappointed. If you had a larger space to work with, you would be able to bring in more customers at a time and thus make more profits off their purchases.¡±


    ¡°I am in agreement. Space is the limiting factor. With that in mind, we intend to hold a concert next month ¨C yes, I¡¯m aware it¡¯s an unfamiliar term, allow me the leave to explain. A concert is a one-time performance in a designated space. Rather than performing in the Ezov, we will book the Town Hall for a night and stage a performance there. The performance will be longer than usual, and thanks to the larger size of the Hall, we will be able to accommodate a larger number of people, thus massively increasing our profits for a night.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, taking such actions would allow you more profit ¨C but only slightly more than usual. I can hardly imagine that booking the Town Hall is a cheap venture, and the fact that nothing will change regarding your clientele aside from how many you can accommodate at once does not seem like it would be sufficient to generate a profit once you deduct the costs of rental and preparation. Besides, all this seems like something you could do on your own; I have yet to hear what is to be my part in this scheme.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but you have just hit upon the problem we would like you to help us resolve. Your company has a monopoly on the mining of Resound Jewels, as well as a trade partnership with the Craftsmen¡¯s Guild, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. You¡¯ve done your research.¡±


    ¡°Well, to further increase our profits, we intend to sell special merchandise inspired by Rosalind¡¯s image, at the concert. Nothing as expensive as statues, as you suggested, but trinkets; pendants or wooden carvings made in her image. Items small and inexpensive enough to be affordable.¡±


    ¡°¡­and though each piece may bring in little profit, the sheer volume of merchandise sold would generate large amounts of revenue. I see. Certainly, it is not unlike the smaller religious trinkets bought by the masses, as you¡¯ve said. It¡¯s risky, but looking at the crowd yesterday, there is a reasonable chance of it turning a profit. And it would certainly lend more credence to the benefits of holding the ¡®concert¡¯. That explains why you require my connections to the Craftsmen¡¯s Guild. But what of the Resound Jewels? Surely they¡¯re far too expensive for you to sell on a whim ¨C they are a specialty item, and thus prohibitively expensive.¡±


    ¡°Even if we hold the ¡®concert¡¯ in the Town Hall, there¡¯s no guarantee that we will be able to house all of Rosalind¡¯s supporters. Furthermore, we would like the Ezov to continue functioning independently, even while Rosalind is at the Town Hall. As such, I wish to install a large Resound Jewel in the Ezov, attuned to a smaller one that will transmit Rosalind¡¯s voice.¡±


    Resound Jewels. A type of mineral unique to this world. By running a blast of mana through two jewels, it was possible to form a link, allowing for sounds to be transmitted through them. Additionally, it was possible to encode a main-slave hierarchy, such that only sounds received from the main jewel would be transmitted to the slave jewels, while blocking input from the slave jewels.


    In other words, it was perfect for a makeshift microphone-speaker system.


    By installing a Resound Jewel in the Ezov, even people who were unable to secure tickets to Rosalind¡¯s concert would be able to listen to her, provided they paid the customary entrance fee to the Ezov. This would allow us to earn profits from two sources at once, thus minimising our opportunity costs. Bainel nodded his head in understanding, quickly comprehending my intention. However, when he next spoke, it was with a tone of triumph.


    ¡°I now understand what you intend to do, and why you need my help. Certainly, no other merchant would be able to meet your needs.¡±


    It was my turn to curse my foolishness. In my description of our plans, I had made it clear exactly how much we needed his help. This second round was my loss. However, I had a secret weapon.


    ¡°Ah, your cup is empty. Allow me to brew a second. After all, I am the only one in this world who knows this method.¡±


    I said this with an air of nonchalance while pouring the water into the teapot in a convoluted pattern ¨C it was a pattern that truly served no purpose, of course, but it would do nothing to the taste. I handed the cup to him and smiled sweetly.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find that it tastes different this time. Still pleasant, but in a different way. That is, after all, one of the benefits of my method.¡±


    Bainel flinched, and gazed at his cup ¨C clearly he was debating whether to drink it or not. Eventually, his love for tea won out over his love for money, and he took a sip, before setting it down and collapsing into his chair with a defeated look. Now that he had tasted of the forbidden fruit, there was no turning back. A smile played across my lips as I surveyed my victory. Seemingly determined to make some last struggle, he spoke up.


    ¡°Miss Elysium, I do hope that you realise you¡¯re asking me to take an immense risk here. What you ask for is going to cost me a lot of money ¨C money that I have no guarantee of seeing again. To lend such expensive aid to a business in which I have no stake is unheard of! This is not an easy decision to make, madam.¡±


    I delivered my final blow.


    ¡°Ah, but I¡¯m not so unreasonable as to ask you to invest in something when you have nothing to gain. We would like to sell you the rights of ownership to the Ezov.¡±


    Bainel¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry? Sell me the Ezov? Certainly, if I had ownership of the establishment, I would be able to earn greater profits from my investment, and if it failed, I could repurpose the shop to something more profitable. But are you sure you¡¯re fine with selling it to me?¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course, there will be numerous conditions which we¡¯ll have to work out, and we¡¯ll have to negotiate about Rosalind¡¯s appearances, but-¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Rosalind, who had been sitting quietly beside me the whole time, spoke up for the first time, uttering a sharp rejection in a low tone. Bainel and I both turned to her ¨C I could see anger smoldering in her eyes, anger directed at me. I tried to calm her down.


    ¡°Rosalind, please, let me handle this, you said-¡±


    ¡°I said no. I¡¯m not selling the Ezov.¡±


    Her eyes, firm in their conviction, seemed to be boring holes into mine. Her face held host to an expression I had never before seen on it, proving to me just how much she disapproved. She broke her gaze away and turned to Bainel, who shivered.


    ¡°I apologise, Mister Bainel, but I¡¯d like you to leave for now. Clearly, Miss Elysium and I are as of yet unagreed on certain points of this deal. We¡¯ll contact you at a later date, should you still wish to do business with us, but for now I¡¯d like you to leave us.¡±


    Bainel took a look at the tea, then at the two of us, who were staring each other down. Then he glanced back at the tea with a look of resignation and longing, before taking his coat and giving us a cursory nod.


    ¡°Very well, I shall take my leave. When you two have sorted out your stand, please feel free to call upon me at the Ram¡¯s Abode inn. I shall be staying for the rest of the week. I do sincerely hope that you too can resolve your differences and present me a united case ¨C you have gotten me quite interested in this proposal of yours.¡±


    With that, he shut the door behind him, leaving me alone with Rosalind, the embers of outrage dancing behind her lids.

 Volume 1 Chapter 32: Disagreement

    <div>


    Facing an irate Rosalind, I felt my own anger starting to bubble forth, to grow. It had been going so well ¨C I had Bainel cornered. Then she had to ruin it by shouting some nonsense about not wanting to sell. In retrospect, her anger was entirely understandable ¨C I had, after all, just attempted to sell her shop without consulting her beforehand. But in the heat of the moment, burning from letting the deal slip through our fingers, I ended up being the first one shouting.


    ¡°What the fuck, Ros?! I had him ¨C he was on board, he was going to agree! Why¡¯d you have to go and say something like that?!¡±


    ¡°You know bloody well why, Ely. Sell the Ezov? Are you serious? The entire point of these business deals, of the changes we¡¯ve made, was to keep the Ezov afloat. And now you say you want to throw it away?!¡±


    ¡°You just said it ¨C it¡¯s seen changes. The Ezov isn¡¯t the same as it was a year ago. So why are you clinging to it so hard?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s changed because of what you¡¯ve done to it, Ely! I¡¯ve allowed the changes in the past, but that was because they were necessary for theEzov to survive. But this ¨C this is too far. I refuse to sell the Ezov.¡±


    ¡°You said you would leave the negotiations to me, that you would trust me. So why change that now?¡±


    ¡°Because you just tried to sell my shop! The Ezov is my last inheritance from my parents ¨C it¡¯s the place I grew up in, it¡¯s been my home my whole life. I¡¯m the owner, not you! You have no right to sell this shop!¡±


    My blood ran cold, dousing the flames of anger within me with a cool sensation of indignance.


    ¡°No right? No right?! I¡¯ve spent the last year constantly thinking about the Ezov, thinking aboout how to increase our profits, how to make ourselves more successful, how to keep us alive. I may not have the legal rights to the place, but the Ezov in its current state is just as much mine as it is yours. Making this sale tears me apart just as much as it does you!¡±


    ¡°So why are you attempting it?!¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s the only way you¡¯ll be able to travel!¡±


    Rosalind, who seemed about to dispense a prepared response, froze when she heard my shout. Understanding that I had her attention, I continued speaking, clarifying my intention.


    ¡°You told me before ¨C you said you wished to travel the world, to see the world beyond this small town. You told me you wanted to go, and you told me what was holding you back ¨C the danger, and the need to take care of the shop. I can handle the danger, but that leaves the problem of the shop. Can¡¯t you see? This is our chance to solve that problem!¡±


    ¡°E-Eh?¡±


    ¡°Even if we hired someone to watch over the shop in our absence, if the patrons who visit can¡¯t hear your voice, they¡¯ll stop coming. That¡¯s why we need the Resound Jewel ¨C that¡¯s why we need Bainel. It¡¯s all so that you can travel while still allowing your customers to hear your voice by visiting the shop. I had intended to negotiate a deal with Bainel to give us a portion of the profits from the shop, but the management of the shop itself would be taken over by him ¨C allowing us leave to travel. Don¡¯t you see? If we sell the shop, we get to travel around the world, and the shop itself, by the guidance of Bainel¡¯s experience, will grow and flourish. It¡¯s the best solution!¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°¡­Even so, I don¡¯t understand the necessity of selling the shop. Could we not simply pay him to manage the Ezov for us?¡±


    I growled, my exasperation leaking out.


    ¡°No. We could not. He is not some simple accountant ¨C he is a renowned merchant with numerous businesses across the country. He would not spare a thought toward managing a business in which he had no stake ¨C and therefore we needed to grant him a stake, by letting him take ownership of the shop. This way, he has the incentive to make the business flourish, and he¡¯ll have more reason to put his experience and intellect to use in the management of the Ezov.¡±


    Rosalind fell silent, the anger in her eyes fading away. I kept mine focused on hers, however, and she responded in kind by keeping eye contact.


    ¡°So¡­ it was all so that we could travel?¡±


    I nodded. I hoped that she now understood why I felt it necessary to sell the shop ¨C if she would simply acquiesce to it, I would immediately run to find Bainel and confirm the deal. However, when she next spoke, it was with a tone that was slow and exceedingly gentle.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t just thinking about the shop, but about my dream as well¡­ that¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m grateful. I¡¯m truly blessed to have found a friend like you. I now understand why you felt the need to sell the shop ¨C and I¡¯m glad for the intentions behind it.¡±


    She turned her lips in a resigned smile.


    ¡°Be that as it may, I¡¯m not selling the Ezov. Call it stubbornness if you will, but I have no desire to pawn off this place ¨C this shop filled with memories ¨C for the sake of fulfilling this dream. I¡¯d like you to consider that dream abandoned ¨C I care more for what I have in my grasp now, what I hold in the present, than for something uncertain that lies in the future. Continue negotiating with Bainel, or don¡¯t ¨C I¡¯ll leave that decision to you. But I will not sell this shop.¡±


    With that, Rosalind turned away from me and ascended the stairs, indicating that she had no more to say on the matter.


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    I kicked a nearby chair, sending it flying. Then I ran after it and caught it before it could slam into anything else ¨C incurring a maintenance cost due to a fit of rage would be foolish.


    I sat down on the displaced chair and rested my head on my arms.


    ¡°So she refuses to the end¡­¡±


    Now that Rosalind had made clear to me her refusal to budge on this matter, I had three courses of action open to me: the first, I could go ahead with the deal anyway behind Rosalind¡¯s back ¨C I knew where the title deed was kept. However, I immediately discarded this option. Rosalind had placed trust in me, and I would not betray that. The second option was to give up on the deal with Bainel. The Ezov was doing very well, and even without his assistance, we would likely be able to thrive if we simply kept to what we were doing, and avoided taking unnecessary risks. The third option was to come up with a new proposal that somehow granted Bainel a stake in our future, while retaining ownership of the shop.


    Between the second and third options, the second was far more tempting. It was easier by far, and would not cause us to lose much ¨C though it would not result in any gain, either. It was the simpler choice, and the safer one. However, even with the allure of the second choice, my mind kept coming back to the third ¨C a proposal that could give Bainel a stake while we retained ownership. I would need to construct the model from scratch, but I felt convinced that this was the route to maximum profit. As far as I knew, there was no model for joint ownership in this world, but I had the advantage of experiencing two other worlds, with their own models. If there was anyone who could develop a new model of ownership in this world, it was likely me.


    Resolved, I grabbed a set of pen and paper, and began scribbling.

 Volume 1 Chapter 33: Franchising

    <div>


    Our town, Monspiere, was well enough out of the way that we received very little traffic in and out of the town. Aside from relatives of the people staying here, most of the people that passed through were either soldiers marching toward the wall, or otherwise travelling merchants trying to find a good deal in the countryside. Even then, the merchants who passed this way were usually relatively unknown individuals charmed by old tales of merchants finding some novelty or other in a secluded town and leveraging that novelty to become successful. Most of them stopped coming by after realising that those tales were lies invented by older generations of merchants to prevent new competition from encroaching on their territory. Established merchants like Ruth and Bainel visiting this town were a rarity, but when they did stop by, they invariably stayed in the Ram¡¯s Abode inn.


    The Ram¡¯s Abode offered a magically heated bath, round-the-clock room service, three meals prepared to specifications with the freshest available ingredients, a vast variety of alcohol in the cellars, a private courier service, privileged connections to various mercenary firms if an escort were required, a live-in tailor and a squad of highly-trained guards that handled security. All of this, on top of the magically enchanted room which kept the temperature at a constantly comfortable level, was available for the low price of 70 Miry a night!


    ¡­Or so the tagline went. 70 of the gold Miry coins equalled 7,000 Ciry silver coins. As a frame of reference, the average monthly income of a household with two working adults and a single working child tended to fall within the range of 6,000 to 8,500 Ciry. A single night¡¯s stay at theRam¡¯s Head would obliterate the monthly income of a small family. And the place only offered single rooms. Double rooms were 100 Miry per night. In other words, the price of the place was ridiculous.


    People often wondered how the place managed to stay afloat when it received less that ten guests per year, given the location of Monspiere. Rumours had surfaced that it was being financed by either a member of the nobility or some hyper-rich criminal syndicate, as a front for something else. While the rumours had some substance to them, I did not concern myself with them. If it were the case that they were being funded by some external party for some unknown purpose, no good could possibly come out of being involved with them. It was none of my business. Rather, my business in visiting the Ram¡¯s Head on that day was with its sole guest, Mister Bainel.


    I clutched the rolled-up parchment in my hand and approached the innkeep, a young lady around my age who wore an outfit not dissimilar to my own butler uniform ¨C though it was far less worn and seemed to be made of a higher-quality material. Her blonde hair was cropped into a neat bob, and a pair of spectacles rested on her nose. She inclined her head slightly in greeting as I approached.


    ¡°Good morning, can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here to meet with Mister Bainel, of the Bainel Trading Company. Tell him Elysium is here to speak with him; he¡¯s expecting me.¡±


    ¡°Please wait one moment.¡±


    With that, she walked out from behind the desk and trod up the stairs that led to the upper landing, presumably to relay my message to him. As I waited, my eyes fell on the guard who stood watch by the foot of the stairs. A man who seemed to be slightly older than me, his muscular build was clad in a set of light armor, with metal plating only around his vitals. His light brown hair cast a shadow over his sharp green eyes, constantly darting around in vigilance. A shortsword was sheathed at his side, one hand resting on its handle. Looking at his build, he was a fighter who favoured agility over strength ¨C he was muscular but not bulky, and his choice of armor seemed to indicate a style that required easy movement. His manner of standing was light and vigilant, his weight shifting from foot to foot rather than remaining evenly distributed. The shortsword was likely a choice made with the consideration of indoor combat, but it might also have simply been the weapon he was most familiar with using. I could tell that his overall ability was higher than the average soldier, but his combat experience lay in brawls and not war ¨C he would not fare well in a situation where he was heavily outnumbered.


    I decided that based on my assessment, if I were to fight him, I would probably win easily, partly because of my enhanced physical abilities, but also because my level of skill was simply far beyond his. Satisfied, I nodded to myself, then shook my head to clear away these distracting thoughts. My old habits were coming back at an inconvenient time. I was no longer a soldier. There was no need for me to evaluate the fighting ability of every warrior I met. I had other things to worry about now.


    While I was distracting myself with these pointless thoughts, the receptionist had finished her business and descended the steps, and promptly showed me to the door that led into Bainel¡¯s room, before returning down the stairs. I knocked twice on the door, at which I heard Bainel¡¯s voice bid me enter.


    On entering into the overly luxurious room ¨C I shall omit the details of its splendour for fear of an inability to do it justice, and instead suggest that you should stay a night, if you are ever in the area and have the money to do so ¨C Bainel received me with wide eyes.


    ¡°My word! You look terrible, Miss Elysium.¡±


    I laughed, letting a hint of my tiredness creep into my voice.


    ¡°Do I? I spent most of last night working on my new proposal, and have not yet had the chance to look at myself in a mirror.¡±


    That was a lie. I had in fact spent a good fifteen minutes in front of the mirror, making sure I looked every bit as tired as I actually felt. I had even applied some eyeshadow to enhance the effect. Seemingly unaware of my subterfuge, Bainel quickly brought me over to a chair and offered me a seat.


    ¡°Perhaps that is for the better. Seeing yourself in such a state might prove a shock. Tea?¡±


    I shook my head, and instead held up the rolled-up proposal.


    ¡°Not today. Our meeting the last time ended on a rather abrupt note, but here is my new proposal.¡±


    He took the paper from my hand and set it aside, on the table. I looked at him with half-lidded eyes, silently demanding an explanation for not looking at the work I had done. He laughed and waved his hand to dismiss my concerns.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°No, no, I¡¯ll look at it later. But first, I¡¯d like to ask¡­ I notice the young Miss Rosalind isn¡¯t here with you. When I left, the two of you were engaged in a disagreement. Before we can proceed, I must inquire: is it resolved?¡±


    ¡°Resolved? ¡­In a sense. We¡¯ve spoken about it at least. I can¡¯t say that we¡¯ve come to an agreement, but we¡¯ve both firmly stated our stances.¡±


    Bainel frowned and cast a glance at the proposal.


    ¡°¡­I hope you¡¯re not going against her wishes with your new proposal. Business is one thing, but my forty years of life have taught me the importance of friends. New business opportunities will always come, but friends are few and far between. I am, after all, a merchant, so it won¡¯t affect my evaluation of the proposal, but it would weigh heavily on my conscience if your friendship were to end on my account.¡±


    I allowed my lips to curve up into a smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ve taken her wishes into account while drafting the new proposal.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Impressive. Come. Tell me about it ¨C I shall read the full proposal later, but I¡¯d like to hear it in person, first. I trust you will find that advantageous, as well.¡±


    I struggled to hide my surprise at his generosity. If I could make him agree to the broad terms of the proposal before he even looked at it, I would be able to avoid tripping over any weaknesses in the proposal that I might have otherwise overlooked. He had placed me in a very advantageous position ¨C but also a very perilous one. This put the burden of persuasion on my pitch, but I had confidence in my idea.


    ¡°Well then. My original proposal was to have you buy the shop from us and ascribe a fee for Rosalind¡¯s continued services as a performer. This would relieve the burden of management from our hands, and allow for us to travel freely without worrying too much about the continued prosperity of the Ezov. Unfortunately, that plan failed due to Rosalind¡¯s refusal to give up the deed to the shop. So instead, under the new proposal, we¡¯ll retain ownership ¨C but you¡¯ll receive the profits.¡±


    ¡°Oh? How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We will continue to own the shop in name, that is, we will keep possession of the title deed. However, we¡¯ll sign a contract with you that pledges 70% of the Ezov¡®s profits to you. We would leave all management and hiring decisions to you, but Rosalind and I will have the right to contest or make decisions about the shop if we are in unanimous agreement. Does that sound reasonable?¡±


    ¡°70% is certainly a good proportion, but I¡¯d much rather have 100%. This proposal is clearly more disadvantageous to me than your initial proposal of selling me the shop. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s going to be hard for me to agree unless you can detail the benefit in this arrangement for me. Your revenue is the revenue of but one shop, in a secluded town. I doubt that the amount I would have to invest into having it properly managed and staffed would be made up by 70% of the profits, at least not for several years.¡±


    My eyes glimmered as we got to the main part of the proposal.


    ¡°Ah, but that¡¯s where the proposal gets interesting. The profit right now might not be particularly awe-inspiring, but think of this as a long-term investment. You¡¯ve seen firsthand the power of Rosalind¡¯s voice, yes?¡±


    ¡°As you¡¯re well aware, I have.¡±


    ¡°Then do you agree that if others would only hear her sing, they would become as enamoured with her as her current supporters?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but it¡¯s a likely outcome.¡±


    ¡°Ergo, what do you predict would happen if we were to travel around the country and sing at various towns?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah. Certainly, you would gain followers all over. Her name would spread far and wide.¡±


    ¡°And those people who have once heard Rosalind sing would have the incentive to visit the Ezov ¨C both for the privilege of listening to the recording and live broadcasts of her performances, as well as the opportunity to buy our special Rosalind-inspired merchandise. Merchandise that would, naturally, be sold exclusively at the Ezov. If you think of it in these terms, do the possible future returns not far outweigh the present cost?¡±


    ¡°While you may be right, it remains the fact that the Ezov is located in an extremely secluded area. Even if you were to attain these new supporters, it¡¯s unlikely that more than a small percentage would have the financial ability and the inclination to travel all this way, no matter how devoted they may be. As long as the Ezov remains in this town, I don¡¯t see how this plan of yours will bear fruit in the long run.¡±


    I smirked.


    ¡°Ah, but the Ezov¡®s not going to stay in this town.¡±


    ¡°¡­Elaborate.¡±


    ¡°I plan to buy over several other taverns or shops, one in each major city, and open each of them as a branch of the Serene Ezov.¡±


    Bainel¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°A branch¡­ for a tavern? This is certainly a first.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but it¡¯s not quite as groundbreaking as it seems. There are already branch offices for guilds and trading companies, are there not? Your own Bainel Trading Company has branch offices in several towns ¨C as well as in other countries. I¡¯m simply taking the concept and applying it to the Serene Ezov.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but our trading companies and those guilds are all large-scale organisations that hold influence all over the country. To do the same for a single shop is¡­ ridiculous! You don¡¯t have the scale of influence that would warrant such a move.¡±


    ¡°Yet. You¡¯ve seen Rosalind. You know it¡¯ll work.¡±


    Bainel seemed prepared to retort, but fell silent as he properly considered the issue. Indeed, based on my observations of Rosalind¡¯s fans, if we could simply have her perform in more locales around the world, it was certainly possible to reach the same level of influence as a large organisation. As I left him to struggle with the concept, I pressed on.


    ¡°Of course, acquiring the shops to rebrand as branches of the Ezov would be expensive, and we would require your financial support on that matter, but once it gets started, we¡¯ll install Resound Jewels in all branches, and grant these branches exclusive rights to sell our merchandise. This should allay your concern about our supporters being unwilling to travel to this town. In addition, I¡¯ll teach you the method I used to brew the tea that you so enjoyed, and we can arrange for all branches of the Ezov to employ that method, providing yet another unique product to attract crowds. With that, it is highly unlikely that the branches will fail to earn profits, and under the contract for ascribing 70% of the Ezov to you, you¡¯ll receive 70% of the combined profits from all branches. Surely, you can imagine how much money that will amount to. I expect that you will recoup your investment within the year ¨C no, rather, within 6 months.¡±


    Ending my pitch, I faced the dumbfounded Bainel with a confident grin.


    ¡°Well then, Mister Bainel, there are several more details that I¡¯ve outlined in the proposal, but that¡¯s about the gist of it. What I¡¯m doing is the equivalent of a revolution in how businesses operate ¨C we¡¯ll be the first non-organisation to establish branch offices. Years from now, perhaps centuries, the Ezov will be spoken of as the brave pioneer of a new business model ¨C but only if you are willing to lend us your support. There will be risk, of course, but great ambition will always bring along great risk.¡±


    I extended my hand.


    ¡°What do you say, Mister Bainel? Will you take the risk with us? Will you join us in the creation of a new industry?¡±


    Bainel stared at my hand for several moments, then sighed and clapped it in his own with a tired smile.


    ¡°You¡¯ve hooked me now. I can¡¯t deny that the idea intrigues me ¨C part of me thinks that the risk is too much to take. But a larger part of me wants to see what results your gamble will bring. When you reach my age, you start thinking on legacy, on leaving things behind for future generations. If your idea works, we will both go down in the annals of history as pioneers. You¡¯ll have my support as far as is reasonable ¨C both for the production of merchandise and the procurement of funds and Resound Jewels for the branches.¡±


    He took the rolled-up proposal and spread it out on the table, holding down the corners with inkbottles.


    ¡°Now, walk me through the details.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. This right here is a map of the cities where I intend to establish branches¡­¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 34: Reconciliation

    <div>


    <div>


    By the time I had completed my discussion with Bainel, the Sun had begun to set. Having acquired his signature, I hurriedly left the inn and returned to the Ezov ¨C having been unopened yesterday, it was imperative that we at least open our doors today, or our reputation would suffer a hit. The queue was already starting to form, but I politely navigated my way through the crowd and entered the Ezov.


    Rosalind was already dressed ¨C she had chosen the red dress for the evening. She glared at me as I closed the door behind me.


    ¡°¡­You went to see Bainel.¡±


    I paused. I had a lot I needed to say to her, but we currently had a crowd waiting outside ¨C it would not do to keep them waiting.


    ¡°¡­Yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°Without telling me.¡±


    ¡°I was going to, but you didn¡¯t answer your door when I knocked on it. Time was of the essence. We couldn¡¯t let Bainel wait too long.¡±


    ¡°And? How did you manage to sell the shop without the approval of the owner?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± I glanced at the clock ¨C it was close to six. I sighed and scratched my head. ¡°Look, I managed to work something out that didn¡¯t involve selling the shop. I have the documents with me, I can run you through them later ¨C but right now, both of us have a job to do. I promise that nothing¡¯s been finalised. I¡¯ll talk with you after we close up.¡±


    Rosalind held my gaze for several seconds. Then she closed her eyes and calmed herself down.


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll speak later. Open the doors once I head up.¡±


    She quickly ascended the stairs to the waiting room above, following which I opened the doors as she had instructed, admitting the flood of customers.


    We both went about our work that night as we always did, but there was an air of distance between us ¨C the three girls in our employ occasionally showed a glimpse of concern, before the bustle of work carried them away. I was able to do my work as waitress and doorwoman as per usual, but the uncomfortable, invisible tension between us was unpleasant. I resolved myself to seek Rosalind¡¯s forgiveness at the earliest reasonable opportunity; I could not imagine continuing to work in such an environment for long.


    When the night had ended and the crowds dispersed, rather than cleaning up with her song as she usually did, Rosalind pulled up a chair and set it up in front of the stairs, seating herself in it as if guarding the entrance to the bedrooms.


    ¡°Well?¡±


    I washed my hands to cleanse off the sweat and grime of a night¡¯s work, then retrieved the signed documents from the locked cabinet behind the counter. Having allowed the uncomfortable air between us to fester all night long, frustrated with how Rosalind acted, my frustration had been building for some time. Perhaps it might have been better to act a bit more amicably, but at the time I was too frustrated to restrain myself ¨C I tossed the bundle at her and grabbed another chair, seating myself across from her.


    ¡°Bainel and I have signed it; so all that¡¯s left is your signature. Read it ¨C I think you¡¯ll find no problems with the contents of the deal.¡±


    Rosalind placed the papers on her lap, but showed no signs of opening it or reading it. Instead, she fixed her gaze on me.


    ¡°No. Tell it to me instead. Tell me the contents of the deal. Tell me with your own words how you went and sold the shop without my consent.¡±


    My annoyance, my anger, and my discontent with the uncomfortable tension bubbled forth and burst ¨C my next words were shouted.


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, I already said I didn¡¯t sell the fucking shop! I told you that the moment I came in.¡±


    Rosalind continued staring at me, her face devoid of expression. I exhaled deeply, trying to keep my frustration under control. Then, in a low voice, I continued.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry. Okay? I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have presumed to offer the sale in the first place, and I shouldn¡¯t have gone today without informing you. It¡¯s¡­ I¡­ I¡¯ve always been this way. I get too carried away with some idea or another, and can¡¯t see anything else around me ¨C not the people around me, not their circumstances, not the consequences my ideas hold for them. I end up hurting those around me. So¡­ I¡¯m sorry. But this is different. Believe me when I say that the new deal doesn¡¯t involve selling the shop. I¡¯ve taken your wishes into account when drafting it ¨C if you¡¯ll just read it, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll agree. Above all else, I don¡¯t want you to hate me, Ros. This tension ¨C I sure you feel it too. I want to get rid of that.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Rosalind¡¯s face softened.


    ¡°¡­Tell me anyway. Tell me about the deal.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°So I can forgive you. So I can hear the same voice that betrayed my trust regaining it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I found it unnecessary, but also understood her intentions. Rosalind was a figure more emotional than most would think. I could, to an extent, empathise ¨C I had been her emotional support for the past year or so, ever since Ruth left, and I had suddenly pronounced something as shocking as to sell the house where she had grown up. I should have known better, I should have taken it into consideration from the start, but what I should have done did not change the fact of what I had, in fact, done. Therefore, though I felt her insistence on my giving voice to the proposal to be slightly superfluous, I complied.


    ¡°We¡¯re signing over the duties of management of the Ezov to Bainel ¨C he¡¯ll take over the day-to-day logistics and bookkeeping. We¡¯ll still own the Ezov in name, but Bainel will be the one who keeps it running. He¡¯ll receive 70% of the profits from the Ezov, while the remaining 30% will come to us. In exchange for having the majority share, he¡¯ll assume responsibility for paying all costs associated with running the shop. In the event that he wishes to make some non-administrative change to the operation of the Ezov, such as changing its menu or adjusting our non-alcohol policy, he¡¯ll need to seek our unanimous consent. He¡¯s also offered to stock our shelves with high-quality tea and to provide training to our employees regarding etiquette and brewing techniques. He¡¯s also offered to source for a talented chef to help to improve our menu. Both of these are non-administrative changes, so he¡¯ll need your approval as well ¨C the document is among that bundle.¡±


    Rosalind stared at me blankly.


    ¡°Joint ownership? That exists?¡±


    ¡°Well, as far as I can tell, not yet, no. We¡¯ll be the first.¡±


    ¡°Is this another idea from your world?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Well, I¡¯m just referencing existing models in my world, and the economic climate is rather different, so I had to adapt it a bit, but it should work perfectly fine in this world, as well.¡±


    Rosalind looked at the papers in her hands, unbelieving.


    ¡°And Bainel agreed to this? It seems like he¡¯ll be putting in a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably just how much he values this operation. That¡¯s not all he¡¯s offered to do. There¡¯s another part to the proposal, regarding our future.¡±


    ¡°Our future?¡±


    ¡°Yep. I told you that I was trying to make sure you had a way to travel, as you always wanted to do, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what about it?¡±


    ¡°I managed to figure out a way to turn that into even more profit ¨C and Bainel wants in. Before the year ends, we¡¯ll depart this town and travel around the country. While we travel, we¡¯ll stop at every major city and hold a concert ¨C which Bainel has agreed to fund, under the condition that the tickets be sold only at the Ezov. Our ticket sales will count as a part of the Ezov¡®s income, so as per the agreement, he¡¯ll receive 70% of the revenue from ticket sales. Naturally, the concert will be broadcasted back to the Ezov via Resound Jewel, for your fans staying here to watch.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait. Hold on. How are the people in the other cities going to be able to purchase tickets if we only sell them in the Ezov? This town isn¡¯t exactly easy to visit.¡±


    I was impressed. The surprised look on her face clearly demonstrated that the idea of holding concerts in other cities had not occurred to her ¨C but even so, she had immediately picked up on what seemed to be the biggest flaw in the plan. She had a good head.


    ¡°Ah, but that¡¯s also part of the proposal. You¡¯re aware of the guilds, and how guild branches operate, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re going to set up branches of the Ezov. In every major town, no less. Under the name of the Serene Ezov, we¡¯ll set up numerous branches around the country, where we can sell merchandise and tickets for your concerts ¨C naturally, the Resound Jewels that recieve the broadcasts of your concerts will also be installed in these branches. The name of the Serene Ezov will spread across the country, and might even become a household name. And Bainel has generously agreed to fund the establishment of these branches. We¡¯ll be famous! ¡­And rich, but mostly famous! Bainel¡¯s also agreed to sponsor all our concerts ¨C but that just shows how much profit he imagines that we¡¯ll make.¡± I leaned back and crossed my arms with a grin. ¡°So? How about it? Do you have any complaints with how I¡¯ve handled it? Your dream is within reach, Rosalind. Your dream of travelling, and of making the Ezov a success. You once told me how you felt conflicted about choosing between the two. Well, with this, you don¡¯t have to choose. You can do both!¡±


    Rosalind stared at me, presumably stupefied. I laughed.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m a bit worried about whether your silence indicates awe or disapproval. It might be nice to grab a hint.¡±


    Her response was to fly out of her chair and fling her arms around my neck. I could feel a trace of a warm, wet sensation on my shoulder. I slowly patted her flame-red hair that matched the color of her dress. She spoke, her words muffled by the fact that her mouth was pressed into my shoulder.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ Thank you! This is¡­ This is amazing¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You get to ¨C no, rather, we get to fulfill our dreams.¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 35: Errands

    When she had sufficiently recovered, Rosalind deftly unfurled the bundle of papers that had been left on her chair and brought them to the counter, signing them with an elegant hand. I spoke up, surprised.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to read it?¡±


    She looked at me and smiled ¨C the tension that had existed between us had dissolved. She rolled up the papers and handed them back to me as she answered.


    ¡°Nope. I trust you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you. I¡¯ll make sure not to betray that trust again.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t. I¡¯d rather not have to forgive you a second time.¡±


    With that, she began to sing, causing the space around us to clean itself up. I played with the documents, idly tossing the bundle in the air and catching it as it fell, as I waited for her to finish; when she was mostly done, I casually made a remark.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll need to get you down to see the seamstress sometime this week.¡±


    ¡°Hm? What for? Three dresses are more than enough, really. I usually wear the same one, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but it would be good to get you something fresh for your first concert. We¡¯re planning to hold it at the end of next month, after all.¡±


    She blinked at me, seemingly uncomprehending. Then her face lit up.


    ¡°Wait, next month?! Isn¡¯t that a little soon?!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, not at all. I discussed it with Bainel. This is the most effective timing. It¡¯s unlikely to happen, but it¡¯s always possible that the excitement surrounding you will die down ¨C already we¡¯re seeing signs of slightly dwindling crowds. We need to hold a concert quickly, both to keep the flames alight, and to rekindle those that are beginning to dim. A month and a half should provide more than enough time to complete our preparations ¨C with the money and name of the Bainel Trading Company behind us, it should be a non-issue to secure the items we need. Bainel¡¯s leaving later today to head to one of the cities to send out a messenger to send orders for the merchandise and the Resound Jewel ¨C and in the meantime, he¡¯s also agreed to help us spread the news that you¡¯re holding a concert. Most of the preparations will be completed on his end ¨C on our part, I need to handle the venue and ticketing, but your main job is to rehearse.¡±


    ¡°Rehearse? Can¡¯t I just do what I normally do?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± I shook my head testily. ¡°This is a concert, your first concert! It¡¯s far bigger than any performance you¡¯ve put up before. You need to do something special, something new! A new song, possibly, or maybe a dance?¡±


    ¡°A-A dance?! I¡¯ve never danced in my life!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie. I¡¯ve seen you dance at festivals.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s different! I don¡¯t think I can concentrate on both singing and dancing at the same time! Besides, who would be my partner?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Well, back in my world, performers like yourself danced solo, so I guess a partner would be unnecessary?¡±


    ¡°You want me to dance alone?! No way! That¡¯s too embarrassing, any way you spin it!¡±


    ¡°Eh, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Rosalind shook her head vehemently. I sighed.


    ¡°Fine. But at least come up with a new song.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll work on the details of the concert closer to the date. For now, you just need to work on the new song, and probably find some free time to practice. I¡¯ll work on the stage, the venue, and the post-show events.¡±


    ¡°Post-show events? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it~ You¡¯ll find out in due time~¡±


    ¡°¡­That worries me. Greatly.¡±


    Despite her apparent reluctance, Rosalind nonetheless did not pry further and adjourned upstairs, leaving me alone in the shop to make my plans.


    That same day, I went to meet Bainel at the Ram¡¯s Head and showed him the signed documents, sealing the deal with a handshake. Then, after receiving a sum of funding from him and a note of guarantee, he left, and I began my preparations in earnest.


    The next few weeks were a flurry of activity. The very next day, Rosalind and I went to visit the seamstress, whereupon we imposed on her to create her most stunning dress yet. The seamstress, like many in this town, was a fan of Rosalind¡¯s as well, so she was eager to help. She offered us a discount, which I, of course, reluctantly accepted out of due respect and acknowledgement for her goodwill. When asked about the specifications of the dress, Rosalind requested something with black as the dominating colour, which I found to be a rather questionable decision, but we had previously agreed that she should be allowed to decide the design for her dress, so I held my tongue.


    For the duration of the preparatory period, I left more of the shop¡¯s management to our three young employees, such that I had more freedom to move about during the day, without affecting our business operations. So it was that while Rosalind was busying herself with singing in the shop, I was flitting around town, negotiating with various people and running various errands. I even took a two-day round trip to the nearest city, Kroenlig, as our little town did not possess a printing press. There, I ordered for the printing of three hundred and fifty tickets, along with several hundred flyers advertising the concert date, time, location, and the information that tickets could be purchased from the Ezov starting from the week before the concert. It was particularly hard trying to think up lines that could sell a concert when nobody even knew what a concert was, but I ended up just pitching it as a ¡°novel, one-of-a-kind performance. Come listen to a bard who performs not for the nobles, but for the common folk.¡±


    I hired several children to help me spread the flyers through the city, before finally departing in the early afternoon with the receipt for the tickets in tow.


    I further managed to secure the use of the Town Hall as a concert venue, which was a task more arduous than I had expected. Even though the cost to rent it was a fixed price and thus needed no negotiating, and the legal framework for the rental was established, I was literally the first individual who had bothered to exercise this option. Accordingly, I had to suffer several hours of waiting for various bureaucrats to decide who was supposed to be in charge of the whole thing, then had to wait several more hours as they scrambled to either find or recreate from memory the documents which were required to authorise the rental. By the time everything had been settled, the sun had set and I was unable to do anything else that day. Needless to say, I was rather annoyed by the end of it.


    Bureaucracy aside, the rest of the preparations went smoothly. I made another trip to Kroenlig to hire some mercenaries for security ¨C I could have probably done it myself, if necessary, but I preferred not to divide my attentions too heavily. I gave them their deposit ¨C half the fee ¨C and the travel expenses. They were a bunch of earnest young lads. They looked like decent fighters, but nothing extraordinary. Still, they were new to the trade and had a good reputation for being reponsible, so they would do. This trip was also when I collected the tickets I had ordered from the printing press, and I dropped in to a couple of taverns to see how my attempts at advertising had went ¨C what I heard was encouraging. Most people were curious about what a concert was, and several of them, especially those who knew people staying in Monspiere, had already made preparations to travel to Monspiere to purchase a ticket.


    When Bainel returned to Monspiere, he brought with him a large, polished, oval-shaped Resound Jewel. We installed it in the middle of theEzov, but draped a cloth over it ¨C we would unveil it the week before the concert. He also assured us that the production of the wooden carvings made in accordance to his description of Rosalind was proceeding smoothly. I was a bit worried about the quality, but I decided that in the worst case, I could just refuse to sell them ¨C or, even better, I could use them to egg on aspiring artists to try and create a more flattering portrayal of Rosalind ¨C artwork I could then buy and use as the basis for new merchandise. Since the idea of copyright had not yet emerged in this world, that meant that I would not even have to pay royalties ¨C perfect!


    Preparations on the part of all three of us continued to proceed smoothly, and in the blink of an eye, a month had passed, and we found ourselves with a week left before the day of the concert.

 Volume 1 Chapter 36: Prelude to Destiny

    <div>


    ¡°Do a little turn.¡±


    Rosalind complied, spinning around in a tight circle, causing her skirt to flare up around her, matching her movement.


    ¡°Well?¡±


    The dress Rosalind had received from the tailor was a high-cut piece that stopped just above her neckline. A sleeve extended down her right arm, while her left arm was left bare from the shoulder downwards. The fabric that encased her upper torso and arm was elastic and sheer, similar in texture to nylon. The sleeve was made from several overlapping layers of fabric, granting it the appearance that emulated waves breaking upon a shore, or perhaps the tongues of fire, licking away at each other, competing for dominance. The skirt was arranged in a similar manner, layers of overlapping fabrics embracing each other in an ensemble that fell to the floor, exposing only a peek of her feet, enclosed in a pair of black slippers, laced across the top. The dress was a deep black colour, as I had heard her mention to the tailor ¨C but what I was not expecting was the trim. A vine-patterned grey trim ran the length of the dress, spreading across the torso and encroaching into the skirt. It spread to the sleeved arm as well, granting her arm the appearance of being entangled in grey vines. Despite the occasional thorn that appeared along the vine motif, the patterning lent the dress a sort of ethereal beauty, a juxtaposition of the formlessness of black with the restraining liminality of grey. It was a breathtaking piece.


    ¡°¡­If the colors indicate what I think they do, I must say that I¡¯m flattered. And somewhat concerned.¡±


    Incidentally, I had black hair and grey eyes.


    Rosalind chuckled.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re thinking that I based this colour scheme on you, you¡¯re absolutely correct. I did.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Rosalind looked away as she answered my question with an unsure voice.


    ¡°Well¡­ I suppose it¡¯s me saying thank you, in a way. It was a whim, really. I just thought it might be nice if the dress I wore for the concert was something reminiscent of you. After all, you¡¯re the one who introduced the idea to me. You¡¯ve given me a lot ¨C too much, really ¨C and I¡¯ve not been able to repay you. So this is just my small way of showing appreciation, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°¡­and why are they vines? In particular, why do they have thorns?¡±


    Rosalind looked back at me and grinned mischievously.


    ¡°They¡¯re dangerous to be careless around. The slightest misstep might get you pricked, but they feel almost sinister in how they encroach upon the blackness. But even so, you can¡¯t help but admire their beauty, you can¡¯t help but want to navigate your way through the thorns. Even though they might be constraints, one can just as easily see them as embracing. Doesn¡¯t that sound just like you? There¡¯s constantly an unspoken air of danger around you ¨C that¡¯s the feeling I get. When I speak to you, I¡¯m struck by fear of triggering that danger, but even so, I can¡¯t help but want to brave the thorns, to navigate the labyrinth of your thoughts. That¡¯s why I picked this design.¡±


    I sighed. I wanted to refute her, but I knew her words to be true ¨C I was constantly on alert, vigilant for new dangers, new threats. Ten years of living a normal life had been unable to expel the habits ingrained in me by ten years of fighting for my life. I could not help but remain hyper-vigilant about my surroundings at all times. It made me snappy, paranoid, unsociable. I had lost more than one friend on account of my eccentricity. Rosalind was probably the first person in several years that I could consider a close friend. I could not deny that associating with me was much like attempting to associate with a wounded animal. I usually managed to keep my exterior expressions of paranoia in check, but Rosalind was a good judge of character. She had likely seen right through my act ¨C and despite that, she conducted herself as my friend. As she said, the patterning on the dress served as a good visual representation of the kind of existence I possessed. As such, I decided to shift the conversation on a different path instead.


    ¡°In any case, it¡¯s a beautiful dress. I¡¯m tempted to pay the seamstress a bonus.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not going to.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. Why would I pay extra for anything based on sentimentality? That¡¯s a sure way to incur unnecessary losses.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, your love for money scares me.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Allow me to correct you on that point: I don¡¯t love money. I simply recognise its necessity, and therefore seek to acquire as much of it as I reasonably can, to avoid the situation of being rendered impotent due to a lack of it.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not seeing the difference.¡±


    ¡°The difference, Ros, lies in my priorities. If I loved money, then the acquisition of money would be an end in itself. But instead, for me, money is simply the means to an end. Resultantly, if I had the option to earn money by sacrificing the safety of those I hold dear ¨C the aforementioned end ¨C I would not take the option. Conversely, an individual who loved money might instead exercise the alternative choice.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like an arbitrary distinction. Well, it¡¯s not like it matters. I know that you¡¯re only rambling on in that explanatory way of yours to get me to change the topic to debate about your love for money.¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    I cursed at Rosalind being able to easily discern my intentions, which caused her to laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯ve known you for over a year now, Ely. It would be a demonstration of my ineptitude if I had not at least learned to recognise your attempts to redirect a conversation. That said, there¡¯s no need for such antics right now. I¡¯ll change the topic for you: How go the ticket sales?¡±


    I shot her a glare, slightly annoyed that she was acting magnanimous by changing the subject. Still, I was not so foolish as to let my pride stop me from seizing the opportunity offered.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re not quite sold out yet, but we still have three days to go, so we should be fine. In fact, the numbers we¡¯ve generated are extremely impressive, considering we only started selling the tickets two days ago.¡±


    Two days prior, I had made regular announcements at one-hour intervals, explaining that Rosalind would be performing at the Town Hall the next week. I made these announcements throughout the night, clarifying that the shop would be open in the afternoon the next day for the sole purpose of selling tickets, though Rosalind herself would only be singing at night, as usual. I had further explained that the ticket, which was a small card that had Rosalind¡¯s name printed on it along with the time and venue of the concert, would be necessary to gain entry to the concert.


    This alone had some of the crowd clambering forward to buy the tickets, but to further increase the frenzy of desire, I talked at length about the production of Rosalind-inspired merchandise, namely the wood carvings which Bainel had acquired from the craftsmen¡¯s guild at my request. In fact, they seemed quite taken by Rosalind¡¯s image ¨C they had further produced fifty folding fans, which portrayed a painting of Rosalind¡¯s likeness. Bainel had apparently initially thought of refusing the fans ¨C they had not been in the original contract, and he was thus unwilling to pay for them. But when the craftsmen had offered it at a low price, he had accepted the offer and promptly brought the fans to me, to discuss what to do with them. I was, predictably, ecstatic at the sudden development.


    I had been thinking for some time about what kind of gift to give to the especially devoted fans, but the answer had eluded me. Idols in my home world did handshake sessions, but that would not have the same impact, given that Rosalind met and shook hands regularly with the people of Monspiere. The other common option was a photo session, but that was impossible here fore self-evident reasons. Ergo, I had to turn to the third method ¨C limited merchandise. But just as I was thinking about what we could give out as special gifts, Bainel had approached me with the fans. I immediately had Rosalind sign them ¨C all fifty. Of these fifty, we set aside forty to sell as higher-priced ticket bundles. The remaining ten would be given out at random, based on lucky draw ¨C the tickets each had a unique serial code, and I had the full list. We would thus pick ten lucky winners to receive a free fan. It was a tried and tested model, and I saw no reason to change that.


    ¡°I¡¯m surpised that you managed to sell all of the Tier A tickets, Ely. I had my doubts that anyone would buy them.¡±


    ¡°Aha. You underestimate the power of your popularity.¡±


    We had split ticketing into three tiers. Tier C was simply the ticket itself, and cost 400 Ciry. Tier B was the ticket, as well as one wooden carving, randomly chosen from among the three designs, featuring Rosalind in various poses. Individually, these carvings cost 150 Ciry apiece, so we priced our Tier B tickets at 530 Ciry. Tier A tickets included the tickets, the carving, as well as one of the fifty signed folding fans. As the fans could not be bought normally, we were free to set a higher price for the Tier A tickets, and so we set the price for these tickets at 1,000 Ciry, or 1 Miry. We sold all our Tier A tickets within the first day of sales, and were already running low on the Tier B and C tickets. All in all, our ticket sales were doing ridiculously well.


    I grinned and looked at Rosalind.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be a problem. You¡¯ll have a full house. My job¡¯s more or less done. From now on, it¡¯s on you. You just need to give the best performance you can give. Do you have your new song prepared?¡±


    Due to the numerous errands I had to run, I had not been able to spend much time with Rosalind. As such, I had no idea about the progress on her new song. Furthermore, I had not heard her practice it, even once. Understandably, I was thus concerned about whether she would have it ready in time. In the worst case, she would have to stick with her usual repertoire ¨C which was not entirely a bad thing, but it would cause her first concert to lose a bit of impact. However, her response was unexpected.


    She blushed and averted her gaze.


    ¡°¡­Yes, I do. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a very good song, but¡­ it¡¯s the best I could come up with.¡±


    I pondered for a bit about how I could reassure her. I settled for simply ruffling her hair.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much. If you¡¯re not confident, just let me know ¨C we don¡¯t need to have a new song for this.¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s blush seemed to deepen as she silently nodded her head in agreement. I briefly wondered what kind of song she had prepared ¨C but I decided not to pursue the issue. It would just make her more nervous.

 Volume 1 Chapter 37: First Concert

    <div>


    I knocked gently on the door to the room we were using as a dressing-room.


    ¡°Ros, it¡¯s me. Can I come in?¡±


    ¡°Uhhh- One minute!¡±


    I looked to the mercenary who stood watch outside the door. He met my gaze, then quickly averted his eyes with a gulp. I heaved a sigh.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine for now. Go help the others out at the entrance ¨C it¡¯s probably going to get rowdy soon.¡±


    The young man nodded, as if relieved, and departed with excessive haste. He was the leader of the mercenaries I¡¯d hired as security for this event, but he was always on edge when I was around. I recognised the behaviour as fear ¨C he was afraid of me, for some unknown reason. It puzzled me, in honesty. I did not recall doing anything to earn terror of this degree.


    As I contemplated the retreating form, the door to Rosalind¡¯s dressing room opened and revealed its tenant, who was wearing that black dress which she claimed to have modelled after me. She watched the mercenary¡¯s flight with bemused interest for several moments, then turned to me with a question in her eyes. I gave her my answer without having to hear the query.


    ¡°I told him to go help with ticketing, since he looked like he wouldn¡¯t be able to do a good job anyway if I was nearby. I honestly don¡¯t understand why he¡¯s so scared of me. Him, as well as all the other mercs.¡±


    Rosalind raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Uh. Didn¡¯t you find out his address and threaten to kidnap his family?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that was because he tried to raise the price under some nonsensical pretense. It was justified! Besides, if he was so worried, he could have just had his band attack me. I¡¯d expect him to be more angry than afraid.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ they did attack you. You broke the arms of two of them and ran a wooden stake through the leg of a third. Unarmed. I think that¡¯s a pretty good reason to be scared.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, now that you mention it, I think I do recall something of that sort happening¡­¡±


    Rosalind sighed, but I could see the smile that lay beneath her show of exasparation. She stepped back from the door, permitting me entry to the dressing room. I showed myself in and seated myself on one of the chairs by the mirror, regarding Rosalind.


    ¡°Well? How¡¯re your nerves?¡±


    ¡°Shaking like mad.¡±


    I cast a glance down to her palms and saw that they were indeed trembling. I laughed.


    ¡°Come on, you¡¯ve been at this for a year. There¡¯s no need to be nervous.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯ve never performed in front of so many people.¡±


    ¡°Fifty people, Five hundred people, what¡¯s the difference?¡±


    ¡°About a factor of ten.¡±


    I took her hands in mine ¨C indeed, now that I had direct contact, I could tell that she was far more nervous than I had ever seen her. I had two options to alleviate her nerves ¨C the first, I could talk to her slowly and try to calm her down by reassuring her about the show. The second, I could direct her thoughts elsewhere and distract her from the imposing imminence of the concert. I decided to adopt the second option.


    ¡°Hey, remember when you picked me up off the street?¡±


    ¡°When you put it like that, you make it sound like adopting a pet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not entirely wrong, is it? You took me in out of sheer curiosity.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes. Profit was the furthest thing from my mind when I brought you home. It was just a whim. But look where we are now. Who would¡¯ve thought that the random stray I picked up would change my life so dramatically?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for certain. Of all the things I thought I would end up doing when thrust into another world, becoming the producer of the world¡¯s first idol was not one of them.¡±


    ¡°Idol? Is that another word from your world?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s what we call performers like you, back at home. Though since you don¡¯t dance, the label doesn¡¯t quite apply. Perhaps it would be more apt to call you a songstress. Well, doesn¡¯t really matter. Bottom line is, I¡¯m just as surprised by this turn of events as you are.¡±


    A silence fell over us, for just a moment. Then Rosalind spoke up.


    ¡°Hey, Ely. Why did you do so much for me? When the shop was in danger of closing down, you could have simply left ¨C why didn¡¯t you?¡±


    A good question. Of course, it was one I was well-prepared to answer; I had thought the same numerous times in the past, but had always reached the same conclusion.


    ¡°Self-preservation and friendship. Working for you, I had an occupation to pass the time, and shelter and food was readily available ¨C leaving would have deprived me of these and forced me to expend resources to acquire them again. Therefore, I stayed on out of self-interest. But the other reason is that you¡¯re a friend. My only friend in this world, really. It would have been remiss of me to abandon you to your plight.¡±


    ¡°Ely¡­¡±


    ¡°Whoa, hold on, don¡¯t start crying now, Ros. You¡¯re going onstage soon. We can¡¯t have you sniffling and puffy-eyed.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Rosalind blinked away the tears that had started to form. Odd. She was usually less emotional than this. Perhaps it was a combination of nerves and sentiment. As I ruminated upon this, a knock sounded on the door, prefacing the voice of the mercenary leader.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am. The hall is completely full.¡±


    ¡°Got it, thanks. Tell the others to go on standby.¡±


    As I heard his booted footsteps heading away from the door, I turned to Rosalind.


    ¡°You ready?¡±


    She looked back at me with eyes that held a trace of hesitation ¨C a trace that quickly disappeared, confidence taking its place. She took a deep breath and nodded. I opened the door and took her hand, leading her up to the stage we had prepared, where a crowd of hundreds waited, chattering among each other. Ideally, I would have liked to hold the concert at night, for the sake of establishing a good atmosphere fitting for Rosalind¡¯s surreal voice, but that was impossible due to a lack of lighting ¨C the town hall had artificial lighting, but it was largely weak and scattered, and Rosalind¡¯s image would be completely drowned out by the darkness if she were to perform at night ¨C a fact unaided by her black dress. As a result, the light of the afternoon sun streamed through the windows, illuminating the hall.


    It was hardly an ideal stage for Rosalind¡¯s first large-scale performance, but there was nothing we could do ¨C I had looked into hiring a magician with an Affinity for light for the duration of this performance, but while the Affinity itself was common, its manifestations tended to be weak and ineffectual. There was no magician-for-hire in the area that possessed the ability at the level we required.


    Such thoughts raced through my mind ¨C thoughts about what could have been done better, what could have been done without, all the ways in which something could go wrong. But the moment Rosalind let go of my hand and strode onto the stage, these thoughts vanished, leaving me preoccupied with nothing but the sound of her footsteps on the wooden flooring ¨C footsteps that echoed loudly throughout the hall that had abruptly gone quiet. Such was the nature of her confidence, of her aspect ¨C Rosalind¡¯s poise drew the attention of all. When she strode forward, it was impossible to look away.


    Her footsteps continued to echo as she walked to the center of the stage. Facing the audience, she delivered a deep bow. Then she took a breath and began to sing.


    ¡°O beautiful vine,


    encroach then upon me.


    Bind me to you;


    a bond everlasting.


    Please don¡¯t let me go,


    please keep by and chain me.


    Your thorns, though they pierce,


    so sweetly they hurt.


    I found you alone,


    exhausted and thirsting.


    A black-haired unknown,


    robes dirtied yet fine.


    A curious void,


    a sight not yet seen.


    Taken by mystery,


    I then took you in.


    O beautiful vine,


    encroach then upon me.


    Bind me to you;


    a bond everlasting.


    Please don¡¯t let me go,


    please keep by and chain me.


    Your thorns, though they pierce,


    so sweetly they hurt.


    You told me you hailed


    from a land far afield.


    I asked for its name,


    you laughed as you said:


    ¡®A name I can¡¯t give you,


    but I¡¯ve travelled afar.


    Would you not rather hear


    of my journey thus far?¡±


    O beautiful vine,


    encroach then upon me.


    Bind me to you;


    a bond everlasting.


    Please don¡¯t let me go,


    please keep by and chain me.


    Your thorns, though they pierce,


    so sweetly they hurt.


    The months, they flew by,


    a flurry of laughter.


    You lent me your aid,


    you showed me new heights.


    The friendship we shared,


    was a sight like no other.


    But fate, in its envy,


    tried to tear us apart.


    O beautiful vine,


    encroach then upon me.


    Bind me to you;


    a bond everlasting.


    Please don¡¯t let me go,


    please keep by and chain me.


    Your thorns, though they pierce,


    so sweetly they hurt.


    We struggled and strove,


    to find a solution.


    The future seemed dark;


    I could not see a path.


    You gave me the answer,


    you made us a plan.


    The key was my voice,


    and thus we began.


    O beautiful vine,


    encroach then upon me.


    Bind me to you;


    a bond everlasting.


    Please don¡¯t let me go,


    please keep by and chain me.


    Your thorns, though they pierce,


    so sweetly they hurt.


    The world spreads before us,


    my dream is at hand.


    You¡¯ve brought me so far yet


    I can give naught but thanks.


    So let me just give you


    these verses I sing.


    I sing of our friendship;


    I pray for your dream.


    O beautiful vine,


    embrace, then, this victim.


    Thus bound to you;


    a bond everlasting.


    Please don¡¯t let me go,


    please keep by and chain me.


    And I in return will continue,


    to sing.¡±

 Volume 1 Chapter 38: Start of a Journey

    <div>


    ¡°Is that everything?¡±


    I sat on the driver¡¯s seat of the cart, idly holding the reins of the horses in hand. The individual I had addressed was, naturally, Rosalind. She peeked out from behind the back of the loaded cart, her body obscured by the many items we had loaded onto it ¨C supplies, clothes, Rosalind¡¯s dresses, several drawers¡¯ worth of cosmetics, navigational tools, bedding, and numerous other items ¨C the list was extensive. It was, in short, everything we would need to live on the move, without much of a place to call home. From here on out, we would be travelling a lot, going to a lot of different places, living in various inns as we moved from one city to the next, to spread Rosalind¡¯s name. If it were up to me, I would have gotten a more well-equipped cart, complete with kitchen, bedroom and other facilities, such that we would never need to worry about finding space in an inn and could instead sleep comfortably in the cart. Unfortunately, that was nothing but fantasy ¨C no such cart existed, and even if it did, the amount of horsepower needed to move it would be unreasonable.


    I was shaken from my vehicular fantasies by the distinctive thump of something heavy, large and presumably hardcover upon the wood of the cart. I looked back and sighed in exasperation as I spotted Rosalind loading her books on to the cart.


    ¡°Ros, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°You said you were okay with me bringing a couple of books along.¡±


    ¡°Yes. ¡®A couple¡¯. Seventeen is not ¡®a couple''¡±.


    ¡°Well, you should have specified.¡±


    Rosalind matched my annoyed tone with one of her own. I sighed again. I knew how much Rosalind enjoyed reading and learning, so I figured we could take along one or two of her favorites to pass the time on the road and in our inns, but I had cautioned her against the dangers of bringing too many of them. The weight and possibility of damage due to the environment aside, many of her books were extremely valuable, academic texts. They were worth a lot of money, and worst of all, they weren¡¯t insured. We had taken an insurance policy out on the cart when we purchased it, but due to the ease of incurring damage, nobody was willing to insure books. If we lost or damaged the books on the road, there would be no way to salvage some sort of gain from the situation. That was precisely the reason why I was hesitant to bring along that many books, because the nature of such things was that higher quantities were harder to manage.


    That said, Rosalind did not appear likely in any way to back down. Well, if she was that insistent, I could not stop her. We would just have to do our best to protect the tomes.


    ¡°Fine. Wait here.¡±


    I jumped off the cart and headed back into the Ezov, where Bainel was discussing refurbishing prices with a designer he had brought in from Kroenlig. He gave me a cursory tip of the hat as I entered, without breaking his conversation with the designer. I had taken a look at the proposed design the previous night, alongside Rosalind, and we had both given our approval ¨C it maintained the aesthetic feel of the Ezov while allowing it to be more well-lit and spacious. There was no cause for complaint.


    I headed past the stage area and walked past the large, smooth, oval Resound Jewel that was installed in the middle of the stage. From what Bainel had told me, the unveiling was a success, with many of the dejected people who had been unable to afford tickets to the concert being pleasantly surprised by the fact that they could listen to Rosalind sing even when they were not physically at the concert. He had, however, informed me that the sound quality was rather soft, probably owing to the fact that Rosalind was unused to the Resound Jewel microphone I had prepared for her ¨C she probably held it too far away. It was something we could remedy with practice, but even then, holding a microphone would be problematic for whenever she started to incorporate a dance ¨C which I still planned to manipulate her into doing eventually. I had several ideas, but none of them could be immediately put into practice, so I had focused on the other, more immediately pressing issues instead ¨C such as packing.


    I climbed the stairs and entered the storeroom, locating and extracting a single wooden chest. I quickly inspected it, the same way I once inspected the hulls of warships, concluding that it was reasonably waterproof and relatively sturdy. I lifted the thing in one hand and strode back down, heading toward the door, but was stopped by Bainel calling out to me, having finished his business with the designer.


    ¡°Miss Elysium, a moment, if you would.¡±


    I turned towards him and tilted my head, questioning. He started to walk toward me, but froze and blinked at me when he saw the large, heavy chest that I was carrying over my shoulder. He shook his head and walked up to me.


    ¡°Manners compel me to offer my aid, but I am reasonably certain that lifting such a chest is beyond my abilities ¨C and therefore, I shall refrain.¡±


    I laughed.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never been much for manners, but I appreciate the sentiment. Putting that aside, is something the matter?¡±


    Bainel coughed and straightened his coat.


    ¡°Ah, not quite. I had simply thought to wish you a pleasant journey ahead, and to give you this.¡±


    He reached into the recesses of his coat and pulled out a pouch, clearly filled with money. I gratefully received it and opened it up to take a quick peek at the contents. There were easily 200 Miry coins in the bag. I quickly tied it up and tied it around my waist, then returned my attention to Bainel.


    ¡°And this is¡­?¡±


    ¡°Your share of the profits. And a bit extra, for travel expenses.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°The profits? But we already took our cut of the ticket sales.¡±


    In any other circumstance, I might have kept quiet about the mistake and taken the money, but I intended to form a longstanding partnership with Bainel ¨C as such, it was important to be honest. On occasion, at least.


    Bainel shook his head and smiled.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s the profits from the merchandise sales.¡±


    ¡°Oh? We¡¯ve sold this much already?¡±


    ¡°Yes ¨C it seems that many of the guests who attended the concert ordered numerous copies of the carvings ¨C especially those from other cities. One of the Kroenlig guests actually ordered seventy copies. I¡¯ve already filed additional orders with the craftsmen, but it seems the response was even greater than we anticipated.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I thought something like this would happen eventually, but for her to be so popular after just her first concert¡­¡±


    Rosalind was exceeding all my expectations for her. I felt a swell of pride, but I quashed it. I had nothing to be proud of. This was not my achievement, it was hers.


    ¡°I also wished to give you this¡­¡±


    Bainel produced an expensive-looking jewellery case. I took it and asked him, jokingly.


    ¡°Is this a proposal?¡±


    Bainel laughed.


    ¡°Unfortunately, charming as you are, Miss Elysium, I am irrevocably married to profit.¡±


    I gave him a grin and opened the case. Resting in it, carefully held in place by folds of soft velvet, was the device I had asked Bainel to procure for me. An elegant, thin, metal frame consisting of a thin, flexible rod supported two small Resound Jewels, one on either side of the rod. It was a simple hands-free microphone, whereby both the microphone and speaker were replaced with Resound Jewels. The frame additionally included a hook-like portion, to secure it to the user¡¯s ear. There were two of these headsets within the case, as per my specifications. The frames were a different color ¨C one was red, one was black.


    ¡°I presume the black one is mine.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Fitting, is it not?¡±


    I decided to take his words as referring to my hair colour, rather than as any sort of comment about my moral integrity.


    ¡°Are they already tuned?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. As you requested, the Jewel in your mouthpiece is paired to that in Rosalind¡¯s earpiece, and I have already had Rosalind¡¯s mouthpiece paired to the Jewel in this shop.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Still, you got this ready a lot faster than I expected.¡±


    ¡°The credit for this achievement must go to the craftsmen. They were inordinately excited when I told them of your request ¨C for good reason, I should think. This is certainly the first device of its kind.¡±


    ¡°It must have been expensive.¡±


    ¡°Oh, painfully so. I very nearly collapsed when I heard the price.¡±


    ¡°And yet you paid for it.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t remind me. Ah, yes. One last gift for you.¡±


    He handed me a rolled-up parchment, with a seal. I looked at him in surprise. I had some idea of what it was, but I was not expecting him to give it so readily. I took it, but voiced my uncertainty.


    ¡°Is this¡­?¡±


    ¡°A letter of introduction. It reads that you are a business partner of mine, and grants you permission to use my assets in the various cities for the stated purposes of opening branches of the Ezov, securing lodgings, and funding concerts. With this, my associates will not require a response from me before lending you their aid ¨C which should significantly assist you on your travels.


    ¡°It certainly will. You¡¯re just letting me have this on faith? I haven¡¯t produced anywhere near enough profit to warrant this much assistance.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. That is how much faith I put in our enterprise. I hope you shall live up to my expectations ¨C though I doubt I have cause to worry, on that front.¡±


    I grinned and held up a hand, which Bainel took with a firm grasp.


    ¡°Thank you for your assistance. Let¡¯s make this venture work.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I wish you all the best on your travels ¨C for my sake as much as yours.¡±


    With that, I left him behind ¨C the handover process for the Ezov was long since complete, and so there was no need for farewells. As long as our fortunes were intertwined as they were, we would doubtlessly cross paths again.


    I toted the wooden chest I had been carrying and threw it on the back of the cart. Rosalind looked at me questioningly.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡±


    ¡°Had some business to settle with Bainel.¡± I pointed to the pouch of coins at my side. ¡°He¡¯s seen fit to give us even more help.¡±


    ¡°Really? Wow. I didn¡¯t think he was such a nice guy.¡±


    I laughed.


    ¡°Nice? No. He just knows an opportunity when he sees one. Anyway, we¡¯ll use this chest to keep your books safe from the weather.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. That does make sense.¡±


    I jumped atop the cart and motioned for Rosalind to hand her books to me. She passed them to me one at a time, and I neatly arranged them in the chest, stacking them neatly atop each other. When I had finished, I realised that there was still a good amount of space left in the side. I briefly wondered what I could fill it with, but then an idea came to me.


    ¡°Hey, Ros, do me a favour and go grab me a couple of rolls of blank parchment from my room. Oh, and some ink and pens.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking of doing a little writing.¡±


    ¡°I doubt you¡¯ll have the time to write while we¡¯re on the road.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll have the time to read?¡±


    Rosalind coloured, evidently cornered by my words. Then she burst into laughter.


    ¡°Oh, that was good. Alright. Your room, was it?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    She hurried into the Ezov as I began to arrange the items on the cart, distributing the weight evenly. When she had returned, I carefully placed the parchment in the chest, alongside the books, and shut the chest tightly. As for the inkbottles, there was a fear of leakage ¨C so I used one of my shirts to form a makeshift pouch, and placed the inkbottles in that, before stowing it in another chest ¨C one that held my cosmetics.


    I leapt off the cart and spread a large cloth over it, completely covering everything that was loaded onto the cart. This cloth I then fastened with ropes, both to secure the items to the cart during travel and to dissuade theft.


    By the time I returned to the driver¡¯s seat, Rosalind was already there, waiting for me. I jumped up to the seat, and saw that she was holding the reins.


    ¡°Give them here.¡±


    ¡°Why? I want to drive.¡±


    ¡°Sure, you can drive later, but for now, give them to me.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I sighed. I had hoped for it to be a surprise, but if she was going to be this stubborn, I had no choice.


    ¡°Your fans are waiting to see you off at the gates to the town. You¡¯re going to need both hands to wave at them.¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s eyes widened. She smiled, then frowned, then smiled again. Then, seemingly conflicted, she relented and passed the reins to me.


    ¡°Fine. But after we get about halfway to Kroenlig, you¡¯re letting me drive.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡±


    I laughed. Since I had been reborn into a younger body, Rosalind was technically older than me ¨C but sometimes she behaved like a child. It was endearing in its own way, so I simply chalked it up to the difference in mental age. I settled myself more comfortably into my seat, then gripped the reins firmly.


    ¡°Well then, Ros, are you ready to go see the world?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s going to be tiring. Tiring, occasionally painful, often boring. It might not be all you¡¯ve imagined it to be.¡±


    Rosalind moved herself closer to me, until our arms were touching. Then she laid her head on my shoulder.


    ¡°Eh, I think it¡¯ll be fine. As long as you¡¯re with me, Ely, I highly doubt anything can be boring. Miss Stranger from Another World.¡±


    I allowed myself a wry smile. I cracked the reins, and the pair of horses began to trot, pulling us towards our future.

 Volume 1 - A note from the Editor

    <div>


    Once, many years ago now, I walked in on Ely writing.


    It was a pleasant night, as I recall. Near the start of our journey together, in Leisfelt. We were in the inn, we had just finished making preparations for the opening of the Ezov¡®s Leisfelt branch. We slept in different rooms, at her insistence. Said she didn¡¯t want to risk disturbing my sleep. We had followed the same arrangement throughout our journey, booking two adjacent rooms, much to my chagrin. Anyway, I walked in on her to see her seated by the table, writing something on the parchment she had told me to get her at the last minute, before we left. I asked her what she was writing. Her response?


    ¡°Just some memoirs. I figure that after you get super famous and well-known all throughout the country, there might be people willing to shell out decent money for a first-hand account of our beginnings and journey. So I¡¯m writing it beforehand, while everything is fresh, so that it¡¯ll be ready to ship when the day comes.¡±


    At the time, I could only laugh at the silliness of it all. Who would be interested enough to shell out money to read about a lowly singer such as myself? If I were some great, dragon-slaying hero, maybe, but I was just a lowly bargirl-turned-singer. I could not imagine a day when anyone would want to read about my life.


    The fact that you¡¯ve picked up this book is, of course, proof that I was wrong. I was very wrong. Ely was right, as she so often is. Over the years, I¡¯ve been plagued by requests from various people to publish something similar to this book. I had initially thought to keep it to myself, as a memento of my departed friend, but that would have been contrary to her intentions in writing these memoirs. As such, I made the decision to publish this book, but instead of publishing it as a free work like many had asked, I decided to charge a price for it ¨C much like Ely herself would have done.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    And that is the story of how this first volume about the tale of my life came to be. This part of my life, at least, is best told by Ely, given how much she influenced it. For various reasons, the volumes that follow will not be those penned by her ¨C my decision to leave out a majority of her work is motivated by personal reasons as well as practical concerns. Personal reasons in that I do wish to keep some of her work to myself, and am loathe to share her with the world at large. Please forgive me for my selfishness.


    The other, more practical concern is simply that it would not make for a good story ¨C Ely is not the optimal choice of narrator for the next part of my story. For that, another pen must take center stage.


    With that, this volume draws to a close. I would like to dedicate this volume ¨C nay, this entire work ¨C to Elysium Ling, my close friend, the woman who changed my life and opened the doors of fate for me. It pained me to see you leave, but wherever you are, I hope you¡¯re keeping in good health ¨C I know we¡¯ll meet again, someday.


    As to you, dear reader, I thank you for picking up this book, and for taking the time to learn about my life. I can¡¯t guarantee it¡¯ll be an entertaining story, but I can at least affirm that it is my story. I welcome you to come walk with me through these pages, to retake the path I once trod ¨C a path covered in vines. My life, like that of so many others¡¯, was a path of vines ¨C filled with thorns, but also filled with beauty.


    O beautiful vine,


    encroach then upon me.


    Your thorns, though they pierce,


    so sweetly they hurt.


    -Rosalind


    Editor¡¯s Note: As a final note, the first three chapters of this Volume were added after the rest of the volume was completed, after Ely had regained her memories ¨C She wrote them in for the purpose of providing a bit of context as to her origins. Also because she wanted to, as she put it, ¡°brag about pointing a sword at an emperor¡±.

 Volume 2 Chapter 1: A Brief Introduction

    <div>


    <div>


    I don¡¯t remember my birth, or my first year or so of life. Then again, who does? But because of that little, common defect, I can¡¯t tell you where I came from, nor who my parents were. All I know is that before I knew it, I was living in the alleys, sleeping on the streets, stealing from shopkeepers, from tourists, from housewives at the market, from other thieves. I¡¯ve heard tales of noble thieves, dashing men and women of upright character and firm conviction who stole from the guilty and corrupt, while leaving the common folk unmolested. My belief is that these thieves likely never existed, and even if they did, they likely stole just for fun, rather than for survival. When you¡¯ve gone a week with no food, you don¡¯t have the leisure to choose your targets ¨C you steal from anyone, the moment an opportunity presents itself.


    Of course, I¡¯m not disparaging such a code of conduct ¨C if people get a kick out of stealing, that¡¯s their problem. Not mine. I¡¯m just making it clear that I wasn¡¯t in so comfortable a position as to be able to adopt such a code. I spent my days watching the streets, keeping an eye out for easy targets, tourists or nobles who were careless with their money. You can¡¯t tell whether a mark is easy or not without taking the time to observe. There are signs, of course. Beginners tend to think that a pouch clipped at the side is the sign of an easy mark. Sometimes, they are. But to be sure, you have to watch. You have to trail them, to see how often they pat the pouch to check that it remains at their side. Often, those who keep their pouches in their coats are the easier marks ¨C they¡¯re so convinced of its safety that they drop their guard. The way the people carry themselves can tell you a lot about how careful they are with their money ¨C it takes experience to learn the signs, but I¡¯ve had close to ten years¡¯ worth of experience under my belt. I used to ¨C and still do ¨C pride myself as a very careful thief ¨C after I¡¯ve chosen my mark, I spend an hour or two tailing them, to make sure that they¡¯re as careless as they seem. Even if I did get noticed, I had my secret weapon to get me out of it ¨C and so I¡¯d never been caught. I¡¯m pretty well-known among the thieves in Frunzeit. They liked to call me the ¡°invincible coward¡± because of my love for caution ¨C I¡¯d never been caught, but because I only go for easy marks, my hauls generally weren¡¯t as impressive as the others¡¯.


    I should probably dedicate a line or two to my fellow thieves ¨C if they could only see me now, they¡¯d probably enjoy a good laugh at my expense. They say that company makes any endeavour more tolerable. Naturally, that applies regardless of the legality of the endeavour. Since Frunzeit was a reasonably large city, the network of thieves was large. We had a nice and organised system, where different groups of thieves selected different areas of the city, and each group acknowledged these areas as marked territories. Once having claimed a territory, the group would stick only to that part of the city ¨C trespassing and stealing in others¡¯ territory was considered taboo. While the groups rarely interacted, those thieves who made up each group tended to form almost familial connections. It was possible to refuse membership in any group, but group membership came with many benefits, such as assistance with larger-scale jobs, shelter when things went south, and often even monetary handouts for those who were struggling. Choosing not to be a part of a group meant you were not restricted to territories, but also meant giving up on all these advantages.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I was one of those rare thieves who chose not to join any group. Since I was in the habit of tailing my marks for hours, I would often have to cross territories, so a group membership would have hindered my methods. Even so, I kept up good relations with many of the groups in the city ¨C I was, after all, intruding on their territories, and it was always wiser to have more friends than enemies.


    Since we¡¯re thinking of publishing this book someday, I¡¯ll refrain from giving names or details of my old friends ¨C I¡¯d rather not betray their trust in this way, and most of them have moved on to other cities or other lines of work anyway. Knowledge of their names and activities is irrelevant to the tale that I¡¯m about to tell. The only person I shall incriminate in this work is myself ¨C and even then, only because I have since been granted a pardon for my past crimes. For those of you I¡¯ve stolen from in the past: I¡¯m not sorry. I had to do it to feed myself. Please understand. I would appreciate if you could simply take it as a lesson to be more mindful of your belongings. Though even if you choose to hate me for it, those I stole from wouldn¡¯t have been able to recognise me as the thief, so it¡¯s not like you could take me to court ¨C and even then, I have a pardon. So I¡¯d advise letting go of the pointless grudge.


    In any case, perhaps I should write a bit more upon my past ¨C that first paragraph might not have been sufficient as context. As I¡¯ve previously written, I never met my parents. Perhaps they died. Perhaps they abandoned me. I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t really care. I¡¯ve met others in my position who chose to lament that their parents abandoned them ¨C one or two of them even made it a life goal to meet their unknown parents. An unrealistic goal, certainly, but I understand the intent ¨C when you¡¯re living by the day, unsure of tomorrow, it can be immensely helpful to set a goal to force you to stay alive and push your way through the infinite tomorrows that rule your life. And so I understand why some might choose to set themselves a far-off, unrealistic goal.


    That said, I never did the same. My parents were gone, nothing I could do would change that. I had no name to go off, no heirlooms or traces I could follow, no indication of whether they were even still alive. Attempting to seek them out would be like trying to identify a single flower in a meadow of flowers without knowing what it looked like. As such, I never entertained such exercises. They were a waste of energy, and they took my attention away from other, more urgent concerns, such as where my next meal was to come from. Of course, for the sake of convenience, it was necessary to name myself ¨C an act which I undertook as soon as I realised it was necessary. Basing my name off my inborn magic, I named myself Glint. No surname, since I never found it necessary to possess one. Not back then, anyway. I¡¯ve since given myself one, but that¡¯s a tale for another to tell.


    So that was my life. No parents, drifting between groups, with a self-given name, stealing to survive, going for the easy targets. Not a very exciting life, but I was fine with that ¨C I knew no other, and ¡°boring¡± was better than ¡°dead¡±. If nothing had happened to shake that up, I likely would have lived out the rest of my life in that way, and would probably have eventually died in an appropriately unremarkable fashion.


    Of course, as you¡¯re no doubt aware, something did happen to shake that up. Something big. It started the day I decided to steal from Elysium Ling.

 Volume 2 Chapter 2: Initiative

    I had heard about them long before our first meeting.


    <div>


    A pair of women, one with exotic black hair, one with flaming red hair. Nobody really knew much about the black-haired one, except that she was the attendant and friend of the other. Rosalind¡¯s name, however, had gained immense fame in the span of eight months ¨C the rumours spoke of a woman with a voice so beautiful, simply hearing it was a better comfort than any other. Based on the information that had reached our ears, the pair moved around from city to city, holding ¡°concerts¡± in the larger cities. ¡°Concert¡± ¨C a sort of performance that involved singing on a stage to a large audience. The word¡¯s status had rapidly risen from being unknown to being a buzzword in a few short months ¨C everyone knew what it was, and simply mentioning the word was enough to spark a conversation.


    The pair had never visited Frunzeit, but even so, news about them had spread to us, as well. I remember several of the other boys being excited about it ¨C they were scheduled to hold a concert in Frunzeit, and many of the thieves had already started setting aside money from their thefts to buy the tickets, scrimping on their meals and going for riskier but more rewarding marks. Even the Syrens ¨C an all-girl group of thieves with beautiful voices who distracted marks by singing on the streets ¨C had begun to talk about how they wanted to go hear this Rosalind woman sing.


    As for myself, well, I admittedly found the whole thing rather silly. Why would I want to pay to hear somebody sing, at the cost of starving myself? If I wanted to hear someone sing, I could always do it myself, or sit by the wells and listen to the tunes of housewives, or maybe ask some of the Syrens to sing for me. Perhaps if I had the money to spare, I would have been open to the idea of spending it to hear a stranger sing, but my poverty kept me from entertaining the whim. Instead, as the other thieves were getting excited about Rosalind¡¯s imminent arrival, I could only wonder at what kind of devilish magic had been cast to enthrall so many people and make them so willing to pay for a voice they had only heard of, rather than heard.


    As fate would have it, I would have the opportunity to meet the practitioner of said devilish magic in person.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t know it was her ¨C not at first. What I saw was a pair of women passing through the market, casually browsing through the offerings at each store. That they were tourists was clear to see ¨C they were clearly unfamiliar with the area, and they stopped every few minutes to admire some sight or merchandise that caught their attention. Of the two, one was wearing a hood, with her face hidden. She would occasionally turn to the other woman ¨C a tall woman with golden hair, dressed like a male servant ¨C and say something, but other than that, she remained silent, allowing the other woman to lead the way. Despite that, however, I got the feeling that the relationship these two shared was one of mutual, equal friendship ¨C despite the fact that appearances seemed to portray the hooded figure as subservient to the other woman.


    The individual who caught my interest among the pair was this other woman ¨C she seemed to be holding on to their collective purse. Whenever they stopped to make a purchase, it was the unhooded woman who paid ¨C taking the money from a heavy-looking purse attached to her waist via a hook. The pouch clearly contained a good amount of money, and yet the woman brazenly displayed it at her side. Gripped by temptation, I decided to tail her for a while.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    I followed the pair for close to two hours, going through various different market districts, with differing specialties. I kept a careful eye on the golden-haired woman, and found that apart from making payments, she paid no mind to her purse. She never even glanced down to check whether it remained at her side. She seemed completely mindless of her money, and walked while animatedly talking to her companion and to the shopkeepers that spoke up. She didn¡¯t even check the purse after she bumped into a pedestrian ¨C if that man had been me, her purse would have been lifted in the instant of contact. In other words, all indicators suggested that she was an easy mark. An easy mark with a large return. It hardly warrants mentioning that I could not ask for a better target. I made my decision and waited for my opportunity.


    It took several more hours for that opportunity to present itself ¨C in that time, the pair continued to explore the city, visiting a good number of shopping districts and seeing the sights. My optimal situation was to conduct the theft when the mark was in the middle of the crowd ¨C they would be less likely to notice it, and they would find it harder to identify me if or when they did notice. Unfortunately, the places they went to after I had made my decision were those districts that were slightly less popular and had fewer crowds, such as the upmarket shopping street, the amphitheatre, and the building that had once been a branch of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, before the whole thing collapsed. I was about to despair when they stopped in front of an inn ¨C I assumed that they were done for the day, and were going to retire to their rooms. But just as I was about to give up, I saw the hooded figure disappear into the inn, while my mark instead turned back and began walking in the direction of the market street where I had first seen her ¨C and the pouch was still dangling at her waist. Praising my good fortune, I continued to tail her.


    Finally, my opportunity presented itself as the sky was beginning to tint orange. The market street she had chosen to return to was the busiest in the city, and crowded at all times of the day. I slipped into the crowds and casually closed in on her, making sure not to stand out. The plan was to casually walk past her and, as I passed, quietly lift the pouch off its hook. With luck, she wouldn¡¯t notice until it was too late, and by then, I would be far ahead of her. I continued to close the distance until I was almost right behind her, then reached out my hand for the purse.


    I have often thought about why some rich people were so careless about their money. Money was an important resource to have, perhaps the most important. People were willing to kill in the name of money. And yet, why did some people ¨C the easy marks ¨C still walk around without minding their funds at all? The conclusions I had come to were that such people were either rich enough that the loss of the money meant nothing, or that such people were so naive as to think that nobody would attempt to steal from them. Sometimes, it was a combination of both.


    But on that day, in that single encounter, I learned of a third explanation for carelessness.


    My mark was not naive. Nor did she consider the money at her side to be insignificant. Her carelessness was not because of some belief that none would endeavour to steal from her. Her carelessness stemmed from her confidence that none who attempted that theft would succeed.


    As my hand closed in on her pouch, just centimeters from touching it, I found a slender set of fingers wrapped firmly around my wrist. I froze and glanced up ¨C the woman was still looking forward. I was clearly not in her field of vision. And yet it was a fact that her hand was restraining my wrist, keeping me away from her pouch. She stopped walking and turned her head to face me, her deep grey eyes betraying her amusement, her grip unrelenting. Her features were unusual ¨C I had never seen an arrangement quite like hers. She flashed me a smile, clearly enjoying herself.


    ¡°A theft, is it? Took you long enough. I was wondering when you would make your move.¡±


    That was my first encounter with the monstrous woman known as Elysium Ling.

 Volume 2 Chapter 3: Pursuit

    <div>


    Well, perhaps calling Miss Elysium a monster is a bit harsh. But that was undoubtedly my first impression of her. She had managed to catch me in the act of theft without even looking back, without giving any indication that she had noticed my presence ¨C furthermore, from her words, it seemed that she had known of my presence for some time, possibly even from the moment I had started tailing her. And despite noticing, she had not taken any measures to prevent the theft or change her behaviour, instead choosing to catch me in the moment of the act. In other words, she had absolute confidence in the fact that no matter what I tried, she would be able to stop me. For the fourteen-year old me, at least, it seemed that a monster had appeared in human skin.


    Said monster continued smiling at me ¨C the scene was starting to draw attention from the bystanders. Not good. I was stuck in the middle of the crowded street, clearly caught in the act of stealing ¨C my hand was still outstretched and was clearly reaching for the purse at the woman¡¯s side. The entire endeavour was a failure. I had to fall back. For the first time, I was cornered into using my magic ¨C my ability to manipulate light.


    Without warning, a burst of magic filled the area, bathing the street in bright, white light. It wasn¡¯t intense enough to cause permanent damage, but it would blind the gathered people for a few seconds, at least. The woman shielded her eyes with her arm, startled into letting go of my hand. Perhaps she was wearing an expression of surprise ¨C I didn¡¯t stay to confirm it. The moment my hand was released, I turned and dashed down the nearest alley. Even though I had been exposed to the light as well, my vision was unaffected ¨C it had been that way for as long as I could remember. No matter how powerful I made it, I could not be blinded by my own light.


    As I ran along the alleys, I cursed my misfortune ¨C I had done everything properly, the way I always did, how the fuck did she notice me? This was the first time I¡¯d been caught. My heart pounded, alternating between indignation and fear. Did she get a good look at my face? Would she be able to provide a description? Did the others around us manage to catch a glimpse of my features? No, the amount of time I had stood in shock shouldn¡¯t have been enough for the others to get a good look ¨C but the woman had made eye contact with me. It was highly likely she would remember my face. I would need to lay low, keep an ear to the ground to see if the authorities were looking for me. Worst case, I would need to relocate to another city.


    But more importantly, I needed to get away ¨C the woman would only remain blinded for a few seconds, at best, and if she caught me, then my future in a locked cell was assured. Furthermore, it was clear the woman was no ordinary woman ¨C she couldn¡¯t be, if she could so astutely catch me while still acting perfectly unaware. Likely she was some sort of military personnel, perhaps a mercenary, maybe even an assassin. My imagination ran wild, speculating about the nature of the woman who had caught me, but I quickly forced myself to focus. Regardless of her background, one thing was certain ¨C she was no ordinary individual, and if she were to pursue me, it was doubtful that I would be able to escape. I can¡¯t really explain how, but my intuition told me that I would not be able to outrun her under normal circumstances. Fortunately, inhuman capability aside, the woman was a tourist who had kept to the main streets ¨C I was a thief who had grown up amongst these alleys. I knew these alleys by heart, knew where each turn led, knew what was the fastest route between any two points, and which route would take me to which streets. This was my home territory, I had the advantage.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I reached a cross junction of alleyways, and immediately took the right turn with only a moment¡¯s consideration. The forward path led to a dead end, and the left route led to an open square around the corner and down a stretch of road from the main market street. If I wanted to make a quick escape and move to another part of the city, that was the fastest and most efficient route, as I could go anywhere else in the city from there. But the fact that it was near the market street meant that if the woman intended to head me off, that was the most likely place for her to lie in wait. So instead I turned right and headed deeper into the network of alleys. This way, it would be harder for me to leave this part of the city, but that was to my advantage ¨C though I moved around between territories, this sector of the city was my main hunting ground.


    I navigated the labyrinthine network of alleyways, making similar decisions at every junction, avoiding those paths that would lead me to dead ends or to the main street, keeping to the alleyways. Finally, when I had been running for a good fifteen minutes, I stopped and crouched down, panting to catch my breath. I strained my ears to listen for footsteps, but couldn¡¯t hear them anywhere in my vicinity. I collapsed against the wall and breathed hard, waiting and listening. Still nobody came. I heaved a sigh of relief. Either the woman had elected not to give chase, or I had managed to lose her among the alleyways. I was on the South side of the sector, far enough away from the market street that it was basically a different part of the city ¨C far enough, in fact, that there was another, different market street just two turns away from my current position. Unless they knew the alleyways as well as I did, nobody would think that I had run here ¨C it was too far away, and there was no obvious means of traversing the distance in as short a time as I had. It was impossible for anyone to guess that I would have reached the other market street in a mere fifteen minutes.


    When I had caught my breath, I decided to exit the network via the second market street ¨C it was far more secluded than the first, and while it wasn¡¯t as convenient as the other exits, I could still make my way to any other part of the city. I slowly walked along the alleys, heading for the turns. Once I made the first turn, the absurdity of my situation set in, and I started to laugh ¨C to think I had taken such precautions just on the off chance that some stranger would chase me! It was absurd. A clear overreaction. I had no indication that the woman actually intended to chase after me, and even if she had, she would probably have given up once I had gone deep enough into the alleyways ¨C she would have recognised that following me through such unfamiliar territory would have been pointless. Perhaps she would have attempted to head me off at one of the exits to the alleys, but I had avoided all the exits that would have made the most sense as escape routes, and so, by the grace of my foresight, I had avoided such a scenario as well. Now I was home free. I just had to make the second turn and exit onto the main street.


    When I finally reached the turn and made my way around it, I found myself confronted by the sight of that same woman, leaning casually against the wall. She turned her head to face my way, and again flashed that terrifying smile, framing her words that were spoken in a matter-of-fact, strong, confident voice.


    ¡°Ah, so my guess was right. I¡¯ve been waiting.¡±

 Volume 2 Chapter 4: Confrontation

    <div>


    ¡°How the fuck?!¡±


    I blurted that out immediately, before turning on my heel and dashing back the way I came. I didn¡¯t get far. I felt a gust of wind blow past me as the woman jumped off the ground, ran along the wall, and landed in front of me, blocking my path. My instincts kicked in before my surprise could ¨C acting quickly, I created another blast of light right in front of her eyes, before darting under her arms to get past her.


    My attempt at escape was rudely interrupted by the feeling of being jerked back ¨C the woman had caught hold of my collar just as I passed her. How? She should have been blinded! Her voice, completely calm, sounded next to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m all for sticking to what you¡¯re good at, but at least try to use it in more interesting ways.¡±


    Trembling, I chanced a look at the woman ¨C her eyes were closed. She¡¯d managed to accurately grab my collar, just as I ran past, without even looking. Not to mention that ridiculous speed and the fact that she¡¯d managed to run on a wall. I was completely outmatched. What was this woman?


    Still, I wasn¡¯t ready to give up. If I couldn¡¯t get out of this situation with my physical abilities, I simply had to resort to my mental abilities ¨C trickery. I slumped down, feigning defeat, and turned to face her, watching her closed lids carefully. This way, she would think I had given in. The moment she opened her eyes, I¡¯d hit her with my brightest light. No matter how fast she was, there was no way she would be able to react in time. When she noticed that I had gone slack, her facial muscles relaxed, easing into a smile. Good. Any moment now, she would open her eyes. I began to prepare my magic ¨C brighter lights required a bit more preparation.


    The next moment, a sharp impact erupted in my chest, sending waves of pain through my entire body. My focus shattered, the magic I was about to cast undid itself. I shouted in pain and convulsed in the air, still held in the woman¡¯s grip by my collar. She let go of my collar, causing me to drop to the ground, doubled over, gasping for breath, hand clutching the part of my chest that had been struck without me seeing the attack.The woman watched me, not saying anything, presumably waiting for me to recover enough to talk. Well, I wasn¡¯t going to give her that opportunity. I desperately cast another burst of blinding light and scrambled to my feet, intending to run for it.


    ¡°You are one stubborn thief, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The calm voice sent chills up my spine. Just as I got to my feet, I felt a sharp strike against my right shin. Almost immediately, I lost all sensation in that leg and crumbled to the ground in a messy, sweating heap. The light faded, and I turned up to look at the woman. Her gray eyes ¨C eyes which I could not help but call beautiful ¨C gazed at me, bemusement etched on her features. I met her gaze with my own, defiant glare. I couldn¡¯t move my right leg at all ¨C I couldn¡¯t feel it.


    ¡°What the fuck did you do to me?!¡±


    ¡°Calm down. I only made your leg go numb for a while. Kind of your fault since you kept trying to run away. I normally refrain from hitting children, but I¡¯m afraid you forced my hand.¡±


    I felt myself becoming irritated, for a different reason.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a child. I¡¯m fourteen. And looking at you, you can¡¯t be that much older than me, either.¡±


    I spat out a rebuttal, realising as I uttered it exactly how childish I was being by making that statement. Still, the woman couldn¡¯t have been older than nineteen, maybe twenty. Hardly old enough to call me a kid. To my indignation, the woman just laughed.


    ¡°Why, I¡¯m glad you think so.¡±


    Then she crossed her arms in front of her, shifting her weight such that she stood on one foot. She cocked her head and posed me a question with a grin.


    ¡°Now, do you want to try again, or are you finally ready to listen to me?¡±


    I scowled and gestured to my useless leg.


    ¡°You say that like I have a choice.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I couldn¡¯t get away with both my legs working ¨C there was no way I was going to be able to escape with only one. I crawled to a wall and slumped agaist it, setting my numb leg in front of me and beginning to massage it. I directed another glare at the woman. Something had just occurred to me, and it irritated me. A lot.


    ¡°Since you say you want to talk, answer me this. You could have caught me back at the market street. Why didn¡¯t you?¡±


    It was clear to me now that this whole chase had been a farce. With her capabilities, I never had a chance of getting away. She could have caught me just as I entered the alley, or possibly even before I managed to slip into it. In other words, she had let me go, just to corner me here. All my running and chasing had been pointless. The woman flashed me a wry smile as she answered.


    ¡°Well, I already knew you were no ordinary thief. Any other thief would probably have lost their patience sooner and approached us as we returned to the inn. The fact that you didn¡¯t meant that you had a cool head on your shoulders ¨C and the fact that you picked the most opportune moment to make your attempt meant that you were a clever thief, as well.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, not smart enough, since you noticed.¡±


    I sighed. So she had noticed right from the start. The woman giggled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. I have some¡­ unusual circumstances. I¡¯m sure that if it had been any normal human, your attempt would have gone perfectly. Simply a matter of choosing the wrong target.¡±


    ¡°So does that mean you aren¡¯t human?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve often asked myself that question.¡±


    The smile slipped a little from her face as she replied in a quiet voice. I saw something in her eyes ¨C for a brief moment, they looked like the eyes of one of those retired soldiers, those old men who had fought in the crusade more than two decades ago and now lived humble lives. The eyes of one who had killed not one, not two, but tens, hundreds of men and women. Eyes that sought atonement and solace. Those eyes inspired a twinge of sympathy in me for my captor ¨C but soon they were gone, replaced with her mask of bemusement, and I felt my sympathy disappear as well. The woman recovered and continued speaking.


    ¡°Anyway, it was clear you had a good head, and that intrigued me. In my experience, it¡¯s rare to find a thief of such acumen. Well, that all became secondary. But more on that later. Do you have any other questions? I¡¯ll speak my piece after you have my answers.¡±


    ¡°How did you know to wait for me here? There were any number of other exits from the alley network I could have used, many of them objectively better as escape routes. There should have been no way to know I was coming this way, especially since you¡¯re just a tourist.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a simple one. Earlier, as I was walking through the streets, I made a mental map of the city. Based on your footsteps, I knew which alleyway you had entered. From there, it was simple to deduce where you would exit. The other, objectively better exits were too obvious ¨C perfect for ambushes. I simply imagined which path I would take, were I in your position. Well, it was still a gamble. I trusted in your cleverness. If you had taken any of the other exits, that simply meant that you weren¡¯t as smart as I had thought. I¡¯m glad to see that my faith was not misplaced.¡±


    I stared at her, jaw agape. She had said some incredible things. First of all, she had managed to make a mental map of the city just by walking the streets once?! An outrageous statement. And further, she claimed that she, a tourist and stranger to the city, had been able to emulate my thought patterns ¨C me, a thief who had been born here, who had grown up amidst the alleyways! It was absurd. The woman took note of my disbelief and laughed again.


    ¡°Like I said, I have unusual circumstances. Anything else?¡±


    I closed my jaw and slumped back down, deciding that attempting to pry any further would be dangerous for both my pride and my sanity. Whatever the means, she had managed to outwit me on my home territory. I was completely, utterly defeated. When I spoke again, it was with a weak, resigned voice.


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to me now? Are you going to turn me in?¡±


    I found it hard to believe that she would go through so much trouble just to turn me in to the guards. More likely, she had some ulterior motive. That, or she wanted to kill me as punishment for daring to steal from her. Either way, I couldn¡¯t see a bright future ahead for myself. The woman grinned and clasped her hands together, looking just like those fat, self-absorbed merchants did when they launched into a spiel about how much they sympathised with the plight of some poor impoverished soul, right before charging them extra for the sympathy. The look of a merchant who had caught someone in their trap.


    ¡°Well, as it happens, the answer to that question is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about! Ah, but first, common courtesy. Introductions. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you normally supposed to introduce yourself first when asking for a name?¡±


    ¡°Ah, ordinarily, yes. But we¡¯re currently in an alley, you¡¯re a thief whose fate rests in my hands, and I¡¯m a woman who managed to outwit you on your own turf and subdue you. Suffice to say, I don¡¯t think the ordinary applies.¡±


    I scowled as she reminded me of our current position. I reluctantly gave my answer in as defiant a voice as I could muster, given the circumstances.


    ¡°¡­Glint.¡±


    The woman grinned again, the expression of a predator that had caught its prey.


    ¡°Well then, Glint. I am Elysium. Elysium Ling. A pleasure to meet you.¡±


    She then adjusted her posture, redistributing her weight and uncrossing her arms, bending over and extending a hand to me. Her face softened, her smile losing its mocking aspect, becoming one that radiated genuine warmth.


    ¡°Glint, I would like to hire you.¡±

 Volume 2 Chapter 5: Employment Pitch

    <div>


    I blinked at her, understandably confused.


    ¡°Hire? As in a job?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a job. Is something the matter?¡±


    Elysium tilted her head, as if she couldn¡¯t understand my confusion. Her hand remained outstretched.


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait. Firstly, I just tried to steal from you. You would trust someone who was about to lift your wallet?¡±


    ¡°Well, the theft didn¡¯t succeed, so I guess that¡¯s a moot point¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, no, isn¡¯t it the intention that counts?!¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose so, but I don¡¯t think I have to worry about you trying anything funny, right?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes as she said this. The atmosphere noticably got heavier. I felt chills running down my spine. I immediately gulped and shook my head frantically. Elysium relaxed, and the atmosphere returned to normal. I heaved a deep sigh of relief.


    Well, she was right. After her earlier display of power, only an idiot would think of trying to con her. I wasn¡¯t that stupid. I moved on to the second question.


    ¡°Well, why me? You don¡¯t even know me. Why would you possibly want to offer me a job?¡±


    ¡°Because you have talent. If you have talent, then I have need of you. Heh. I always wanted to say that.¡±


    Elysium smiled to herself, as if amused. I stared at her, uncomprehending. She glanced at me and seemed to realise that she was appearing extremely strange to me, and so she corrected her posture and cleared her throat, her cheeks turning a little red.


    ¡°A-Anyway, I saw what you could do, and you have exactly the skills I need for this job. That¡¯s why I chased after you in the first place. The whole chasing thing only proved that you had what it took.¡±


    She saw what I could do? But the only thing I had shown her was my ability to sneak around and steal things. And even that failed. And the chase proved that I had the skills she wanted? Perhaps she was referring to my decision-making at all the turns, but even then, she had been able to predict my movements at every turn. Why did she need me? The natural conclusion was that it was a job where sneaking around, theft, or fast decision-making was relevant, but one that she was for whatever reason unable to do herself.


    In other words, it was probably something shady or illegal.


    Perhaps she wanted me to steal from someone. Or maybe kidnap someone. Or maybe even assassinate someone. Dirty work that she could do if she wanted to, but preferred to delegate to keep herself clear of suspicion. I¡¯d heard the stories. They were pretty popular among the thieves. Now and then some merchant or noble would hire an assassin to take out a rival merchant or noble, paying good coin for the service. We used to make bets on these hires, betting on whether the would-be assassin would succeed. Like the majority of us, I always betted on failure. I¡¯d never lost.


    Something like that was risky work. The target was usually well-protected. For the cowardly me, who went for the easy targets, it was work that was wholly incompatible with my nature. If possible, I wanted to avoid it.


    Still, it was a fact that my life and freedom were quite literally at the mercy of this devillish woman who had cornered me. If she wanted me to kill someone, I would have to explain my lack of ability to do so ¨C and hopefully weasel my way out of it by doing that. Cursing my ill luck, I turned to conversation to the subject of the job.


    ¡°So? What¡¯s the job?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Does that mean you¡¯ll take it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid enough to accept a job when I don¡¯t know what it entails.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ Given the situation, I¡¯m not too sure you have a choice?¡±


    ¡°Whether I have a choice or not is irrelevant. Would you rather have a willing collaborator who will see the job to its completion, or an unwilling ally who would cut corners? If you tell me the scope of the job, I can tell you whether or not I can do it. You seem to have a high opinion of me, but I¡¯m really just a cowardly, bottom-feeding thief.¡±


    ¡°And I think you have too low an opinion of yourself. But, well, fine. I want you to help me with a certain matter.¡±


    ¡°What sort of matter?¡±


    ¡°I want you to be my light technician at our next concert.¡±


    On edge and anxious, when Elysium finally outlined the job details, I initially misheard her as saying exactly what I expected to hear. As such, my response was fast, concise, and entirely unrelated.


    ¡°Ah, I thought so. Sorry, Miss, but I don¡¯t think I can kill anyone. If it was just a theft, maybe, but an assassination is out of the ques-¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Uh. When did I say anything about an assassination?¡±


    ¡°¡­eh?¡±


    Elysium was looking at me with a raised eyebrow, clearly bemused. I blinked, displaying my confusion.


    ¡°I said, I want you to be my light technician at our next concert.¡±


    That was a lot of unfamiliar words. But I decided to tackle them one at a time.


    ¡°A light technician? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Hmm, how to explain this¡­ Basically I need you to use that light magic of yours to create pretty patterns.¡±


    My magic? She had barely seen me use it though. All I did was try to blind her twice.


    ¡°Wait, so when you said you had use of my talent, you were referring to-¡±


    ¡°Your magic, yes. Did you think I was talking about your sneaking around?¡±


    ¡°¡­I might have been.¡±


    Elysium laughed.


    ¡°Glint, you¡¯ve got the skill, that¡¯s for sure. But it¡¯s unrefined. Unpolished. As you are, you¡¯re a decent sneak, but you¡¯re not great by any means. If I needed sneaking done, I¡¯d be much better served by doing it myself. With some training and formal instruction, you have the potential to be a great sneak, but not right now.¡±


    I felt my eyebrow twitching, a little annoyed with how she was casually dismissing what I considered to be my most polished and reliable skill. But, it was a fact that she had caught me, and gloating was the victor¡¯s right. I decided to change the subject.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never even seen my magic, how do you know it¡¯ll be of help?¡±


    ¡°You can create light, yes?¡±


    ¡°As you¡¯ve seen, yes.¡±


    ¡°And you can control it, manipulate it, make it do things?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never tried.¡±


    I worked hard to keep the details of my magic a secret. Even the other thieves only knew that I had some way of making a glint of light blind my targets ¨C they were under the impression that I could only generate a spark of some sort, nothing more. I was the only one who knew that in truth, I could create enough light to illuminate a large room in an instant. It was imperative, when living among thieves and sneaks, to keep a trump card or two hidden. The necessity of this concealment therefore meant that what I could do to experiment with my magic was limited. I had never tried to actively manipulate the light, so when Elysium asked me that question, I could only indicate my ignorance.


    ¡°Well, you probably can, but that¡¯s not all too relevant at the moment. For now, as long as you can generate light, that¡¯s more than enough for me. I just need you to light the stage at our concerts, after all.¡±


    That was the second unfamiliar word. ¡®Concert¡¯. Unlike the first, however, I had heard of this one. This was what they called those large performances by that recently famous singer, Rosalind. If Elysium was talking about concerts, then either she was an aspiring copycat, or otherwise¡­


    ¡°Miss¡­ Elysium, when you say ¡®concert¡¯, you¡¯re referring to those performances, right? The ones by that Rosalind woman.¡±


    Elysium grinned.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve heard of us.¡±


    ¡°I doubt there¡¯s a single person in the Kingdom who hasn¡¯t. The other thieves were making plans to steal money for tickets.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Really, now? I¡¯m not too sure how I feel about accepting stolen cash¡­ eh, money is money. Anyway, yes. Allow me to append that to my introduction, then. I am Elysium Ling, Rosalind¡¯s manager. I¡¯m responsible for settling all the logistical work that goes into preparing for concerts, as well as handling all other logistics and scheduling issues, such as lodging, food and hiring assistance. In this capacity, I¡¯d like to formally hire you to light up our stage, as it were. Right now we have to hold our concerts in the day, because we don¡¯t have any way of lighting up our stage at night. If you were to lend your assistance, however, we could then hold concerts at night, as well, and people who were working during the daytime could then attend.¡±


    ¡°Why not just hire a trained mage? I¡¯m just an amateur ¨C I¡¯ve received no formal training. I¡¯m sure they could do a better job.¡±


    ¡°Mages with an affinity for light are too expensive. It¡¯s too expensive to hire a trained professional, especially since we intend to make this job offer a long-term one. Much cheaper to hire an unqualified mage such as yourself. If necessary, I could probably arrange for you to receive instruction down the line, and it would still likely be cheaper than hiring a trained mage off the bat.¡±


    ¡°And all you need me to do would be to create light during your concerts?¡±


    ¡°Well, that, and maybe some miscellaneous errands. Nothing too hard. Certainly nothing I wouldn¡¯t be willing to do myself.¡±


    Well, if she just needed me to make light, the job seemed simple enough. And as she¡¯d already said, I didn¡¯t really have much of a choice in my current situation. Of course, if she expected me to work for free, that would be a problem, especially if it was, as she put it, a long-term job. I needed to feed myself, after all. Certainly, I couldn¡¯t demand anywhere near as much as a professional, nor was I in much of a position to negotiate, but I needed to earn at least enough for one meal a day.


    ¡°How would I be paid?¡±


    Elysium¡¯s smile fell a bit and she scratched her head.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the thing ¨C I¡¯m not intending to pay you.¡±


    I felt my eyebrow twitching. Noticing this, Elysium hurriedly continued, to assuage my concerns.


    ¡°I¡¯m not intending to formally pay you, but! In exchange for your services, I can guarantee you food and shelter. You¡¯ll get three meals a day and a room at the inn. You¡¯ll have your meals with us, and you can sleep in and make use of one of the rooms we rent. Of course, this applies to any other towns we go to as well. Oh, and I¡¯ll give you a spending allowance every month.¡±


    ¡°Wait, how is that any different from paying me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to pay taxes if you¡¯re not formally employed.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± A practical woman. ¡°Anyway, you said ¡®other towns¡¯. So we¡¯ll be travelling?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. I should make that clear: If you take this job, you¡¯ll have to leave this city. Our work takes us all over the country, so you¡¯ll need to follow us to the other towns and cities to put on concerts there. We can arrange visits back here, if schedule permits, but no promises about that. You might get a little homesick, but I¡¯d like you to think of it as a way to gain a global perspective and¡­¡±


    I tuned her out as she began using a lot unfamiliar words like ¡®CV¡¯, ¡®Transferable Soft Skills¡¯ and ¡®Advancement Prospects¡¯. She had me at three meals a day and shelter. The thought of not having to worry about my next meal and being assured of an actual, proper room during the cold months was a far greater temptation than my street-rat¡¯s heart could bear. If she could truly offer me those, I could foresee myself following her anywhere. I had no ties to this city, anyway. It was where I had grown up, nothing more. I was not part of a crew. I had no close friends. I would forget this place, and they would forget me, in a matter of weeks. Asking me to leave it behind was barely an imposition.


    By now, my leg had fully healed. I stood up, interrupting Elysium just as she was saying something about ¡®Employee Shares¡¯ and ¡®Dental Benefits¡¯. This time, I was the one who extended a hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll take the job.¡±


    Elysium broke off from her spiel and smiled widely, taking my hand in hers.


    ¡°Glad to have you on board, Glint. I look forward to working with you.¡±

 Volume 2 Chapter 6: Banter

    <div>


    Elysium and I walked through the streets, with Elysium¡¯s inn as our destination. It was all rather abrupt, but she had arbitrarily declared that my term of employment had begun the very moment I had taken her hand. And then she had insisted that, per the terms of my employment, I spend the night in their inn. Well, not that it mattered; now or later made no difference to me. Besides, if it meant I could sleep in an actual room tonight, on an actual bed, I had no grounds for objections whatsoever.


    It had gotten dark out; there were only a few people in the streets. The only shops still open were the taverns and the inns. Well, that¡¯s not quite accurate. The brothels were still open, as well. But the streets along which we walked were among those considered more respectable ¨C no establishments of that ilk lay on our path. The inn lay about an hour¡¯s walk away from the street where I had exited ¨C not an easy trek, after all the running I¡¯d done. Still, I kept my complaints to myself. I was fully aware that Elysium was slowing her pace to match mine, so it would have been remiss to complain to my new employer on the basis of such a trivial thing.


    As we walked on in silence, I could feel a number of gazes on me, directed from numerous individuals hiding in the shadows of alleyways, or on the rooftops. Of course, I knew who most of those glances belonged to. My fellow thieves were quietly watching me, no doubt curious as to what I was doing. It made me a little uncomfortable.


    ¡°Friends of yours?¡±


    Elysium spoke up, interrupting my train of thought. No doubt she had noticed my unease. I shook my head.


    ¡°Nah. Well, not in any meaningful sense of the word, anyway. Acquaintances, maybe.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have many ¨C if any ¨C friends among the thieves. Sure, I knew most of their names and faces, but if I had to give away their hiding spots and identities to protect myself, I would do it in a heartbeat. Which was probably why even those thieves who called themselves my friends took care not to let me see their hiding places. Of course, it goes without saying that nobody had ever offered to share their sleeping places with me. I spent my nights hiding out in whatever small shelter I could find ¨C a ledge, an untended stall, things like that. Those were the exceptions. Mostly I slept out in the open. It was the reason why the offer of shelter was so tempting for me ¨C I had no refuge among the others of my kind. I could see a bit of shuffling happening within the alleys. I heard a crinkling sound ¨C someone had stepped on a bit of broken glass, probably. I withstood the urge to call them out for their carelessness. Then I heard muffled voices as those around the offender chided them for the mistake, and was unable to prevent myself from breathing out a sigh of disappointment. Elysium glanced at me and laughed.


    ¡°Well, in any case, it¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re here with me then. If I was alone, maybe they would have attacked me by now! How scary¡­¡±


    She hugged her arms, stooping over, her eyes worriedly shifting from side to side, as if she were genuinely afraid of such a possibility. I shot her a glare, disapproving of her exaggerated pantomime of fright. She immediately righted herself, laughing once more as she clapped my shoulder with a gloved hand and pulled me closer to her. Annoyed, I tried to push myself away, but quickly gave up once I realised I had no hope of winning against her strength. So, instead, I was forced to suffer the humiliation of walking down the streets, watched by my fellow thieves, while clasped to the side of an older woman ¨C though she was admittedly an attractive lady. I heard wolf-whistles sounding from the darkness ¨C they had completely dropped the pretense of trying to stay hidden. I felt myself blushing, and was about to request to be seperated, when Elysium interrupted me with a request, spoken in a low voice.


    ¡°Well, tell me about yourself.¡±


    Her question threw me off. I wasn¡¯t expecting it, especially in this situation. Perhaps she was posing it to take my mind off the many pairs of eyes watching us. It then dawned on me that the reason for this setup was so she could ask this question, while ensuring we weren¡¯t heard by our invisible crowd of spectators ¨C at the same time preventing me from dodging the question. Unfortunately, I was afraid I would have to disappoint her. I answered in an equally low voice, such that only she could hear.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much to tell. I¡¯m just a regular orphan thief. That¡¯s pretty much all there is to me, really.¡±


    ¡°Then tell my about your magic.¡±


    ¡°My magic?¡±


    ¡°Yep. That¡¯s what I¡¯m hiring you for, after all. Would probably be a good idea to find out more about what I¡¯m paying for.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ as you know, I can use light-related magic. I can create it and vary its intensity. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±


    ¡°Can you remove light as well as create it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never tried.¡±


    The alleys were dark enough without any kind of magical assistance, after all.


    ¡°When did you learn of your magic?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I guess I kind of¡­ always knew it was there. Isn¡¯t that how it normally is for everyone?¡±


    ¡°Is it? Huh. Interesting. Wonder how that feels.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it the same for you? As far as I¡¯m aware, everyone should intuitively have at least a vague idea about their Affinities.¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, I can¡¯t use magic.¡±


    The casual way in which she stated that impossibility made me miss a beat and trip. Elysium caught me firmly and righted me, while continuing to walk without even slowing down. I felt myself lifted a bit off the ground for several seconds as she waited for me to recover, before setting me back down, allowing me to continue walking as if I had not tripped at all. Feeling extremely embarrassed about this lack of motor coordination, I covered my shame by raising a question.


    ¡°What do you mean can¡¯t use magic? I¡¯ve never heard of something like that!¡±


    ¡°As I said, I have-¡±


    ¡°¡­special circumstances, right.¡±


    ¡°Mmhm.¡±


    We continued walking for a while, then she asked me another question.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you sign up with a magic school? I hear light Affinities are rare. If you attended school, you could probably have gotten a decently-paying job. Wouldn¡¯t have to resort to thievery, at any rate.¡±


    I snorted.


    ¡°Right. Sorry to break it to you, but school is expensive. If I could afford that, I wouldn¡¯t be accepting your job.¡±


    ¡°Hm? I was under the impression that the Kingdom offered scholarships. And I hear the aptitude examinations are free. Couldn¡¯t you have done well on one of those and secured yourself a scholarship? Sure, you would have had to study hard, but you don¡¯t seem the type to shun hard work.¡±


    I stared at her. She knew nothing of how the Kingdom operated. Did she have a sheltered upbringing or something? But something told me that was not the case. Something of the way she carried herself shattered any possibility of considering her sheltered. Well, regardless, I took it upon myself to educate her in the ways of the world.


    ¡°The aptitude exams are free to take, yes. They¡¯re also only conducted for children up to the age of 9. Any older, and they claim it¡¯s too late to start studying magic. And a major component of it is a written exam. In case you weren¡¯t aware, around four-tenths of this country is illiterate. That¡¯s higher than some other countries, yes, but that¡¯s still almost half of the Kingdom who can¡¯t pass the exam. And on top of being literate, you have to study for the exam ¨C unless you¡¯re naturally gifted, of course. Time spent studying means time not spent working, time not spent making ends meet. So in the end, the only people who can take the exam are those literate people, whose families or situations can afford allowing them to not work. And to get the scholarship, you have to score within the top 5 of the exam. It should be clear how impossible it is for an illiterate orphan like myself to earn a scholarship. And that¡¯s even without taking bribery or politics into account. To the best of my knowledge, in the last decade, there has only been a single instance of a scholarship being awarded to someone who wasn¡¯t in some way related to nobility ¨C and she was a real genius, I hear. Six years old when she took the exam, got a perfect score.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What happened to that person?¡±


    ¡°Topped the academy for two years, then was expelled when the 2nd place student accused her of cheating on an exam. No proof, of course, but the accuser was a nephew of the King, so they couldn¡¯t exactly dismiss the charge. She had her scholarship revoked. Nobody¡¯s seen or heard of her since. She just disappeared.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡±


    We lapsed into silence. I snuck a peek at Elysium¡¯s face, hoping to see the look of horror that was undoubtedly plastered across her face as she realised the brutal unfairness of our Kingdom¡¯s nobility. I¡¯m not entirely sure why I was disappointed when I saw that she had no expression of the sort. I should have known that she was far too unusual to care about some unfairness that didn¡¯t directly affect her. What I saw on her face was not shock, but thoughtfulness. She seemed to be turning over an idea in her head, so I left her to it. If nothing else, the talk had allowed me to forget about the many pairs of eyes that were lingering on us. Perhaps she was thinking about the country¡¯s situation, and coming up with ways to improve it. Perhaps she was musing on the unfairness of the system. Perhaps she was thinking what she wanted to eat for dinner.


    Whatever it was, it was none of my business.

 Volume 2 Chapter 7: First Impressions

    <div>


    I had not paid much attention to the inn where Elysium and the other woman ¨C who I deduced was Rosalind ¨C had stopped as I was tailing them earlier, but now that I was approaching it in a different context, I began to notice several things about it.


    The first was that it was a rather modest establishment ¨C especially considering the amount of money that Rosalind¡¯s concerts no doubt brought in. Her tickets were priced at levels that bordered on being unaffordable, and if the rumours were true, she had a full house at every concert. Based on the vague information that circulated among the thieves, I expected that someone with such a position as Rosalind would stay in the upmarket district inns, with their heated baths, their high-class food and their private security forces. Instead, the inn I found myself at the entrance of was situated in the middle-class districts, on the outskirts of the city center. It had an unassuming exterior, its outer facade lacking the large signs and golden gilding that the more expensive inns tended toward. It was situated within the residential rather than the commercial district, and didn¡¯t really stand out: if not for the small signboard placed above the door that read ¡°The Restful Willow¡±, there would have been no way to differentiate it from the houses on its left and right. Elysium seemed to note my surprise, as she laughed and clapped me on the shoulder.


    ¡°A bit less fancy than you expected? Sorry about that. Well, the outside¡¯s pretty boring, but the inside is nice and cozy. And it¡¯s a roof over our heads, at least. And the rooms are pretty big. Is this insufficient?¡±


    I shook my head. Of course it was sufficient. That didn¡¯t make it any less surprising. To be completely honest, I¡¯d been expecting to be made to sleep in the stables or something, so it was heartening to know that she intended for me to have an actual room.


    ¡°No, no, this is more than enough. I¡¯m just curious, I expected as someone with as much money as you to stay in one of the bigger inns, for reputation or prestige, that kind of thing. If nothing else, wouldn¡¯t it be safer to stay in one of the larger inns, since they hire guards?¡±


    Elysium placed a finger to her lips in thought.


    ¡°Hm. Well, you¡¯re right in the fact that we do make a decent amount of money, even after paying off our sponsor¡¯s cut. We¡¯ve got more than enough cash to stay in the bigger inns if we want to, that¡¯s true. But while we¡¯re currently rich, neither Ros nor I were born rich. I¡¯m from a comfortably middle class family, and Ros used to be a barmaid. Neither of us would feel very comfortable staying in one of those big places. Too gaudy. Too high-profile. Makes it hard to move around, basically. As for the security issue, well¡­¡± She chuckled. ¡°Yeah, they do hire guards. Just not very good ones. I took a look at them ¨C I could probably take on ten of them at once without much effort and win.¡±


    ¡°¡­I feel like using yourself as a basis for comparison is a little unfair to them.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s probably true. I¡¯m sure that they¡¯ve all put in lots of hard work to reach their current levels of proficiency, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯re much better fighters than the average civilian, maybe even the average soldier. Still, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I can do a much better job of protecting Ros than they can, so their presence really didn¡¯t factor into my evaluation of those inns¡¯ security. And once you take the guards away, well, those inns are just asking for trouble. Large, in the open, with no buildings near them. Obvious and gaudy. It¡¯s like a giant guiding sign for any potential assailant, and if we do get attacked, there¡¯s nowhere to escape or hide. Something inconspicuous and quiet like this inn is much better for our purposes, no?¡±


    I nodded in response, forming an evaluation of Elysium in my head. Despite her overwhelming strength, she was behaving as a thief would, making choices that would allow her to avoid fighting. That intrigued me. It was generally the case that those who excelled in combat wouldrarely take measures to avoid it, for they were often confident in their ability to triumph. Yet Elysium, possessed of such strength that it was unlikely any ordinary human would be able to triumph over her, behaved like one who lacked strength and relied on deceit for survival. No doubt, it was due to the ¡°unique circumstances¡± she kept mentioning, and I found myself increasingly curious as to what these circumstances were. I resolved myself to ask her about them once I had gotten to know her better.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    She led me through the door and into the inn, where I could see for myself what she meant when she called the place cozy. It was tastefully decorated, with a simple interior that was highly practical. Any furniture in the reception area had some practical purpose ¨C there were no purely decorative pieces. Tables and chairs doubled as decorations, made of polished wood carved with intricate patterns. The room was lit by magic lanterns that radiated warmth, bathing the room in an inviting shade. The reception counter was made of polished wood, with a young woman behind it ¨C she couldn¡¯t have been much older than me ¨C smiling warmly at us. As I returned a tentative smile, a word came to mind to describe the place: warm. It was relatively simple architecture, but I could tell from the way the surfaces were polished and the way the furniture was arranged that whoever owned the place was meticulous in taking care of it. The girl behind the counter nodded in welcome to Elysium.


    ¡°Welcome back, Miss Elysium. Will you like me to have dinner sent up to your room?¡±


    ¡°Has Amy already eaten?¡±


    Amy? I instinctively glanced at Elysium, but then directed my gaze upwards, as if I were admiring the design on the lamp that hung above my head. Presumably, Amy was a fake name that Elysium used for Rosalind. Understandable, if she wanted to avoid attention. That would also probably explain the fact that her companion that morning wore a hood for the whole day. While I thought on these things, the receptionist answered Elysium¡¯s previous question.


    ¡°Yes, your companion had her meal brought up to her room earlier.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Please send the meal to my room ¨C oh, and make it two servings, if you will.¡±


    ¡°For this young man? Certainly.¡±


    ¡°While you¡¯re at it ¨C my room is a single room, but would it be possible for Glint here to stay in my room with me?¡±


    The woman hesitated a bit before replying.


    ¡°Um, it¡¯s fine if you¡¯re just sharing a room, but if you want a second bed, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to upgrade you to a larger room. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°No, no need. One bed is fine.¡±


    The woman blushed furiously, but quickly recovered her composure in a remarkable show of professionalism. For my part, I had, of course, noticed the implications of sleeping in a single room with a single bed, but I didn¡¯t particularly care. I was too happy at the prospect of sleeping in an actual room to raise any objections. Besides, it was nothing I hadn¡¯t done before. If anything, I was more used to sleeping that way. I slept in a similar situation whenever I could convince one of the thieves to share a room with me. Sometimes I stayed with a girl, other times with another boy. Either way, it didn¡¯t really bother me much.


    If I had a roof over my head, having to sleep on the floor was a small price to pay.


    As I stood stewing in the indifference born of my innocence, Elysium finalised the details of the meals and lodging with the receptionist, then gestured me to follow her up the stairs. Our rooms were located on the third floor. Our room was right next to the stairs, but she told me that she wanted me to meet Rosalind, first. So we knocked on the door next to our room. After a few seconds, the door opened, revealing a woman wearing a white shirt and comfortable-looking shorts. Her red hair splayed out behind her in an untended ¨C but not untidy ¨C mass. She was taller than me ¨C just like Elysium ¨C and so I had to look up to see her eyes. They gazed at me, blinking, curious, their golden pupils fixed on me. She looked to Elysium.


    ¡°Ely, this young man is¡­?¡±


    ¡°The one who¡¯s been following us all day.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. A thief. Caught him red-handed.¡±


    ¡°¡­you caught him?¡± She turned her gaze to me. Her eyes seemed to bear a hint of pity. ¡°You poor thing. That must have been terrifying.¡±


    ¡°Hey. What¡¯s that supposed to mean? And you, Glint, stop nodding so enthusiastically!¡±


    At her request, I stopped nodding my fervent affirmation. Unwilling to leave it at that, however, I spoke up.


    ¡°Yeah, it was really scary. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll forget something like that in my lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Oi, you¡­!¡±


    ¡°Right? Ely can be so scary sometimes.¡±


    ¡°You- you- Ugh, fine, whatever. Glint, Rosalind. Rosalind, Glint. You¡¯ll be seeing a lot more of each other in the future. So let¡¯s hurry up and move into the room, before someone notices you¡¯re here.¡±


    Rosalind answered Elysium¡¯s concern with a frown.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, Ely, stop being so paranoid all the time.¡± She then turned to me and extended a hand, which I promptly took in mine. ¡°Glint, was it? A pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Rosalind. Ely¡¯s friend. I do hope you¡¯ll forgive her, she¡¯s a bit rough, but she¡¯s really a nice girl.¡±


    ¡°Why are you acting like a mother apologising for a misbehaving child?¡±


    Rosalind ignored Elysium¡¯s objection and flashed me a grin. It was a brilliant smile, one that seemed to light up the corridor, filled with a welcoming warmth. It was the most dazzling smile I¡¯d seen in my life. Nothing came close. Still feeling the warmth of her hand in mine, I gave my reply, the reply of a child who had never once experienced genuine warmth.


    ¡°¡­Glint. I¡¯ll be in your care.¡±

 Volume 2 Chapter 8: Homecoming

    <div>


    <div>


    ¡°Really? Running on the wall? Did you have to go so far, Ely? I¡¯m pretty sure that you could have caught up to him just fine without cornering him like that.¡±


    The three of us were seated around a small, round table, with a veritable feast arranged in plates that dominated the center of the table. I had just finished describing the circumstances of our meeting to Rosalind ¨C a process during which she forbade Elysium to speak. It seemed that my initial evaluation of their relationship was accurate ¨C though Rosalind had kept mostly to herself and let Elysium lead the way when they were walking through the city, the relationship they had was one of equals. Neither considered herself subject to the other, and their friendship seemed to be one of mutual respect ¨C a friendship attested to by the banter that was occurring next to me as I happily indulged in the meal set before me.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s really fast, I might not have been able to keep up!¡±


    ¡°¡­Really.¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°¡­You, the woman with superhuman speed, strength, reflexes and sensory capabilities, would have been outrun by a 14-year-old boy?¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, so I got a little carried away. My bad.¡±


    Technically, I was fifteen, but I let the mistake pass for the moment ¨C I was far too engrossed in the beef steak on my plate to care. It was beef, actual beef! Not leftover beef, not the untasty bits, not cheap poultry being sold as beef. It was real, meaty, tender, proper beef! I had eaten something like that maybe twice in my entire life, and neither of those instances held a candle to the quality of the food I was receiving at that moment. It was an almost revelatory experience, the scales falling from my eyes, driving home the point that meat of such tenderness and juiciness existed. When they later told me that the beef I had eaten was in the middling range of quality, I could scarce believe my ears; to think that food which surpassed such perfection existed ¨C surely any who ate of it would die from the exposure to such divinity!


    Those were the thoughts of my young self, receiving his first proper, decent meal. I have since sampled various cuisines, many of them objectively superior to that first beef steak, but I have never been quite able to recapture the rapture I felt during that meal ¨C I still remember my wonder as if it were yesterday. But unheeding of my revelatory experiences, the conversation between Elysium and Rosalind continued.


    ¡°Ely, you really have got to do something about your habit of getting carried away. It¡¯s going to get you in trouble eventually.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I do not have such a habit.¡±


    ¡°That time from our first concert when you impaled a man¡¯s thigh for requesting a pay raise would seem to disagree.¡±


    ¡°Urk.¡±


    ¡°Or how about that time when you destroyed the reception desk at the inn after you found out that they had no rooms?¡±


    ¡°Guh.¡±


    ¡°And that time when a snatch thief tried to rob us and you punched him through a wall?¡±


    ¡°Urgh.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also that time when-¡±


    ¡°Okay! Okay, I get it. I get it, so please don¡¯t say any more. I¡¯ll try to control myself, so drop it, okay?¡±


    Rosalind, who had begun counting off these somewhat terrifying yet admittedly amusing anecdotes on her right hand, grinned and placed that same hand on a dejected Elysium¡¯s head, patting it slowly. Elysium¡¯s face was bright red, as if she was embarrassed of having these instances of lost control recounted to me. I was thankful for it ¨C her embarrassment made her feel a little more human.


    When Elysium seemed to have recovered sufficiently enough for Rosalind to remove her hand, the conversation turned to me and my circumstances. This happened to coincide with my finishing off the last of my share of the food, so I was able to turn my full attention to the matter at hand. Both of them glanced at my empty plate, surprised ¨C perhaps they hadn¡¯t expected me to finish it so quickly. Elysium laughed and pushed her plate towards me, tempting me.


    ¡°I suppose you like the food, then?¡±


    I reached out my hand tentatively toward the proffered plate, but hesitated before taking hold of it. I had already finished my share, and Elysium had yet to eat hers ¨C if I were to accept this food now, I would be depriving her of her meal. Perhaps she noticed my hesitation, because she laughed again and gave me reassurance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, eat up. I¡¯m not that hungry, anyway, and I¡¯m just glad that you¡¯re happy with this type of food. I was a little worried that you might demand for something better.¡±


    ¡°Better? This is the best I¡¯ve ever tasted!¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Neither Ros nor I are particularly fond of luxurious foods, are we, Ros?¡±


    ¡°Eh, I wouldn¡¯t say that I¡¯m not fond of them ¨C I love expensive food as much as the next person. But we¡¯re more used to simpler fare, it¡¯s true.¡±


    Having no reason to refuse, I meekly took a small portion of Elysium¡¯s food and placed it on my plate, before pushing the plate back towards her. This elicited another round of laughter from her.


    ¡°Leaving this much for me? A thoughtful young man, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Good character, sharp wits, and a rare magic. You¡¯ve come across an amazing find, Ely.¡±


    ¡°Right? He¡¯ll need a little instruction, but he definitely has the potential for greatness.¡±


    While the two women casually spoke compliments about me, I resumed my culinary crusade to empty my plate anew. Under ordinary circumstances, I might have blushed at having a pair of pretty women talk about me like that, but I was far too busy trying to savour every last bite.


    ¡°What will you do for lodging? Are you going to get another room?¡±


    ¡°Nah, unnecessary cost. He¡¯ll sleep in my room.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Just the two of you?!¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ he¡¯s a guy! Even if he¡¯s young, a man and woman sharing a room is a bit¡­ Actually, doesn¡¯t him being young make it worse?¡±


    ¡°Hm? I don¡¯t see what¡¯s wrong; we¡¯re just sharing a room. Men and women share rooms all the time.¡±


    ¡°In what context?!¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry too much about it. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to share a bed.¡±


    ¡°Eh? You expanded to a 2-person room?¡±


    ¡°Nah, that would have cost more. One of us can sleep on the floor, it¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I¡¯m sure we can spend a bit more on a third room, or a room expansion¡­¡±


    ¡°We could, but it¡¯s not necessary, really. We shouldn¡¯t spend money just because we have it.¡±


    Elysium looked at the clock on the wall. I followed her gaze and noted that it indicated that it was currently the 9th hour of the afternoon.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late. We should get to bed.¡±


    She finished off the rest of her plate at an astonishing speed and stood up. That was the cue for all of us to stand. Rosalind saw us to the door and bent down slightly ¨C she was a bit taller than me ¨C to speak to me.


    ¡°Sleep well, Glint. If Ely bullies you just let me know and I¡¯ll set her straight.¡±


    She drew back up to her full height and matched Elysium¡¯s exasparated gaze.


    ¡°Ros, drop it already.¡±


    Rosalind giggled and hugged Elysium.


    ¡°Good night, Ely.¡±


    ¡°Night, Ros. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡±


    Elysium extracted herself from the hug and walked across the corridor, unlocking the door to our room. She beckoned to me, and I followed. Suddenly, Rosalind¡¯s voice called out from behind us.


    ¡°Oh, wait for a bit. Glint!¡±


    I turned around, a question evident in my manner. Rosalind giggled and took in a deep breath, than sang a single note in the most beautiful voice I had ever heard. As she sang, I felt a wave of¡­ something wash over me, and the stains and dirt on my clothes vanished, as if they were as new as the day I had gotten them. As I watched, the dirt and grime on my arms disappeared, and I felt my hair combed through with that same something. I touched my fingers to it and, to my surprise, it felt like the excess of oil and dirt that had built up in countless weeks had disappeared without a trace. For the first time in a long time, I was clean. Rosalind waved good night and closed the door, leaving me gaping in wonder at what I had just witnessed.


    ¡°Ah, I forgot how surprising that could be. You¡¯ll get used to it. Come along, now.¡±


    Obeying Elysium¡¯s instructions, I crossed the threshold into the room I was to sleep in. The room was, naturally, identical to the one I had just been in, but where the previous room had been covered in various articles of clothing and cosmetics, this one was sparse and bare. I glanced at a corner, where there were a pair of opened trunks ¨C presumably, Elysium¡¯s luggage.


    ¡°Make yourself at home.¡±


    Elysium¡¯s voice sounded from my left, causing me to instinctively turn in her direction ¨C then immediately turn away, flustered, my fingers covering my eyes


    ¡°Wha?!¡±


    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s the matter, Glint?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    I had inadvertently seen her in the midst of changing, catching a glimpse of her completely naked. That was a shock; even when I¡¯d shared rooms with girls in the past, they¡¯d always made me stay outside the room whenever they had to change.


    ¡°Hm? Ah, I see. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°How can I not worry about that?!¡±


    She laughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen a reaction like that. Ahhhh, that¡¯s refreshing.¡±


    ¡°Why am I the only one being embarrassed here?!¡±


    ¡°Uh, well, I¡¯m used to it. I used to change together with the men in the field. Anyway, it¡¯s safe to look now.¡±


    I tentatively turned around, peeking through slits in my fingers, only taking my hands away when I confirmed that she was fully dressed. She had swapped out her butler-style clothes for a simpler combination of a tunic and a pair of shorts. She had untied her hair, setting it loose from its braid and letting it splay out behind her. She was beautiful. There was no other word for it. Flustered, I began scanning the room to find a good spot on the floor to sleep, settling on a small space next to the opened trunks, along the wall. I walked over to that spot and tested the floor ¨C it was wooden and hard, but at least it was sheltered, and not rotten. Contented, I prepared to lie down, but was stopped by a hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°Sorry, but that¡¯s my spot.¡±


    I turned to find Elysium smiling at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re sleeping over there.¡±


    She pointed at the bed.


    ¡°Eh?! No, I can¡¯t, I¡¯m already relying on your hospitality, I can¡¯t make you sleep on the floor- ah!¡±


    While I was voicing futile objections, Elysium hoisted me up by the collar and brought me to the bed, setting me gently upon it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so reserved. When¡¯s the last time you slept on a bed?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s helpful for me too if you have a good rest, so just enjoy the bed, okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I nodded and lay down on my side, feeling the softness of the bed beneath me, the pillow sinking in to accommodate my head. That softness was too much for me. As I closed my eyes, I felt tears begin to pool. I heard Elysium¡¯s voice next to me, and felt a shift in the mattress as she sat down on it, next to me.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Glint? Why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ this bed. This food. This whole situation. My clothes ¨C being clean¡­. it¡¯s not¡­ I¡¯ve never experienced such¡­ warmth. And I¡¯ve not done anything to deserve it. I¡¯m so afraid that I¡¯m going to wake up and realise that this was all¡­ a dream.¡±


    I felt a warm hand wipe the tears from my eyes. I felt a slight brush of a finger against my forehead ¨C Elysium was patting my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a dream. You¡¯re one of us now. Welcome home.¡±

 Volume 2 Chapter 9: A Spot of Exercise

    <div>


    I felt someone lightly shaking me. I bolted upright, feeling the bed shift beneath my sudden re-distribution of weight.


    ¡­Bed? Since when did I sleep on a bed?


    As I rubbed the sleep and confusion from my eyes, I slowly began to remember that I now had a new position and a new set of circumstances ¨C a roof over my head was one; an employer was another. I turned my head to see said employer standing by my bedside, a kind smile gracing her features.


    ¡°Good morning. Sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Yep. So, what do you need me to do?¡±


    I climbed out of the bed as I gave my reply, unused to the feeling of not having my muscles stiff and aching from sleeping on a hard surface.


    ¡°Oh? You caught on quickly. Good. Put these on.¡±


    Elysium handed me a bundle of clothing, consisting of a simple white shirt and long blue pants. Elysium herself had already slipped out of her nightwear in favour of a similar white-and-blue ensemble. Her long hair was tied back in a ponytail, her bangs tied back such that they kept out of her eyes. The light from the lamp on the table cast half her body in light and the other in shadow. Her eyes ¨C her grey eyes ¨C seemed to absorb the light, the light emphasising its contrast with her black hair. Her posture was strong, confident, dignified, more brash than the subdued confidence she bore in her butler outfit. She directed a wry smile at me and pushed the bundle toward me again.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s rude to stare.¡±


    ¡°So-sorry!¡±


    I jolted and shook my head, apologising. Then I took the bundle from her hands. Elysium considerately turned around as I began to change, letting me have a bit of privacy. As I slipped off the shirt, I spoke up.


    ¡°So, what are we doing? For that matter, what time is it?¡±


    The only source of light was the lamp ¨C the world beyond the window was still draped in darkness. It made me wonder what we woke up so early to do ¨C clearly, the lack of light would hinder us.


    ¡°It¡¯s about an hour to dawn. As for what we¡¯re doing, well, just a bit of exercise to start off the day. I do this every morning, and from now on, as long as you¡¯re with us, you¡¯ll do the same. So try and get used to waking up at this time.¡±


    I nodded, even though she couldn¡¯t see me. Yes, it was early, but I was feeling well-rested. That was the best night¡¯s sleep I¡¯d had in several years. A spot of exercise would be no problem.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m done changing, Miss Elysium.¡±


    ¡°Drop the ¡®Miss¡¯. Elysium is fine.¡±


    She beckoned me to follow and walked to the door, picking up a strangely-shaped bundle on the way ¨C I couldn¡¯t quite make out what it was, owing to the dim light. She led the way up the stairs, opening the door onto the flat rooftop of the inn. She dropped the bundle she was carrying to the floor and motioned to me.


    ¡°Glint, could you light this place up?¡±


    Ah. She wanted to observe my magic.


    ¡°What kind of light?¡±


    ¡°Just enough to let us see ¨C something that lasts for a while. If possible, concentrate it just to this rooftop. Oh, and it should be something that isn¡¯t a large drain to sustain.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I should be able to do that¡­ I don¡¯t know about keeping it to this rooftop, though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. If you would?¡±


    I nodded and focused. I held out my palm, and a tiny ball of light sprang up in it. I began to shape it, feeding magic into it, making it grow larger, until it was about the size of my head. It emitted a soft, pale glow, enough to allow us to see without actually illuminating the night. I tossed it up, causing it to suspend itself a couple meters over our heads. Elysium nodded, satisfied.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°I presume you can make it larger or brighter, if needed?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    I expanded the light slightly and increased the intensity, then returned it to its previous state, to demonstrate.


    ¡°And would it be possible to spontaneously create the light in that position, rather than have it float there slowly?¡±


    I frowned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I¡¯ve never tried. It should be possible, but I might need some practice.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Elysium placed a finger to her lips, thinking. Then she shrugged.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t really help you when it comes to magic-related things. We¡¯ll have to get a tutor for you, somehow. In the meantime¡­¡±


    She bent down and untied the bundle she had brought, causing it to open up and reveal a collection of wooden weapons. She set the weapons out neatly in a row, then took a step back.


    ¡°Hm? Elysium, what¡¯s with all this? What¡¯re we doing?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I suppose this is a good time to explain. As you¡¯ll recall, when I hired you, I said that your main job will be helping out with lighting at our concerts ¨C but you¡¯ll also be helping out with various other things.¡±


    ¡°Um, yes, what of it?¡±


    ¡°This is one of those other things. I want you to protect Ros.¡±


    ¡°Me? Why? Aren¡¯t you much better-suited for the task?¡±


    ¡°I am, for sure, but I can¡¯t be with her all the time. My duties as her manager often take me away from her side ¨C I need to prepare concert venues and negotiate logistical issues, and she need to practice and rehearse. She can protect herself, to an extent, but I¡¯d feel more at ease if I had someone by her side that I can trust to keep her safe. You¡¯re just the right man for the job. So I thought I¡¯d teach you how to use a weapon.¡±


    I straightened up a bit when she called me a man, a hint of pride entering my heart. Thinking back, I really was an easily manipulated boy.


    ¡°Leave it to me ¨C I¡¯ll keep her safe in your stead.¡±


    Elysium chuckled.


    ¡°Good to see you¡¯re spirited about it. Well then, pick a weapon.¡±


    I walked over to the bundle and ran my eye over the collection of weapons ¨C it was a large variety. There was a spear, several swords of varying size, a pair of daggers, a number of blunt weapons, and numerous strangely shaped weapons I couldn¡¯t name. There were easily twenty weapons laid out before me. I hovered over the sword section for a bit, then finally picked out one that seemed a bit longer than the rest. Elysium raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°A bastard sword? Hm. Not the worst choice, but¡­ no, better that you see for yourself. Are you done choosing?¡±


    I nodded and hefted the sword in my hand, testing the weight. The blade was about a meter long and doubled-edged. It was a little heavy, but nothing I couldn¡¯t handle. Of course, the whole thing was wood, so it worried me slightly about whether I¡¯d be able to handle the weight of a proper, steel version of this weapon.


    Elysium chuckled and stepped away, positioning herself near the middle of the rooftop.


    ¡°Well then, since this is your first lesson, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got. Attack me.¡±


    She placed both hands behind her back and stood facing me.


    ¡°I won¡¯t block or move from this spot. If you can hit any part of my torso, it¡¯s a pass.¡±


    I looked uneasily at her, then at the sword in my hand. In all honesty, even with her hands and movement sealed, I doubted I¡¯d be able to land a hit. But still, if she wanted me to try, there was nothing for it. I grasped the sword and ran at her, using my momentum to swing the sword up as I reached her position ¨C causing her to casually tilt her body, the swing cutting through thin air. Worse, the momentum of the blow remained, and I was carried along, causing me to totter precariously for several moments as I tried to regain my balance.


    ¡°Keep a stronger grip on the sword. Control the weight, don¡¯t let it control you. Try again.¡±


    I tried another swing. And another. And another. Each time she completely dodged my attack by just slightly twisting her body in some way or another. Eventually, I let the sword drop from my hands, exhausted, the sweat dripping down my face. Elysium laughed and walked up to me, ruffling my hair.


    ¡°This is why you don¡¯t pick a weapon outside your weight class. The bastard sword is a good, versatile weapon, yes ¨C if you have the strength to use it. You have a smaller, slimmer build, so picking a sword is a good way to tire yourself out quickly. I saw you in that alley ¨C you¡¯re fast, but not strong. Picking a weapon that¡¯s too heavy for you will basically negate your greatest advantage.¡±


    She picked up the sword and walked over to the bundle as I stood behind her, trying to catch my breath, my right arm aching from the exertion. As I watched, Elysium picked up the daggers and tossed them in my direction. Reacting quickly, I caught them mid-flight and watched her questioningly.


    ¡°Try using those instead. They¡¯re lighter and more suitable to a hit-and-run style. They should fit your build perfectly.¡±


    Unlike the sword, the daggers were much lighter. I reversed them in my hands, such that the blades were facing downward, and tried an experimental slash in the air ¨C it was much faster than slashing with the sword. In addition, because the dagger was lighter, I didn¡¯t feel nearly as much strain as with the sword. I looked at Elysium, who had returned to her previous place in the middle of the rooftop. She beckoned to me.


    ¡°Same rules apply. Come on, Glint. Show me what you can do.¡±


    I crouched low, gripping the daggers tightly. Then I rushed forward. And so my days in Elysium¡¯s employ began.

 Volume 2 Chapter 10: Tailors and Tutors

    <div>


    I ran toward Elysium, knives in hand. I entered in a low stance, attempting to feint an attack aimed at her torso, before slashing diagonally upward with all my might, seeking out her neck. She casually tilted her head back, causing the wooden blade to swing past her throat harmlessly, but as the momentum carried me upward, I reversed my grip on my second knife and twisted my upper body to go into a spin, slashing laterally at her chest, but this she avoided by dropping into a crouch. As my slash sailed pointlessly through the air, she straightened herself, her shoulder positioned slightly below my abdomen. With my body off-balance as a result of the recovery from that last attack, I ended up being thrown over her shoulder, landing painfully on my back for the sixth time in an hour.


    ¡°Nice adaptation. But your movements are too big. You¡¯re telegraphing too much. I could probably see the path of your attack even with my eyes closed.¡±


    I groaned and stayed on the floor, unwilling to get up and subject myself to another round of failure. It had been approximately two hours since my first training session started, and in that time I had tried and failed to hit Elysium too many times to reasonably count.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, it¡¯s my first day. You can¡¯t expect me to have everything down that quickly!¡±


    ¡°¡­Right, I forgot. Normal people take time to learn things, right.¡±


    I resisted the urge to point out that she had just implied that she was abnormal, and instead focused my attention on trying to not pay attention to the pain that spread across my back. Elysium stretched out a hand to me, offering to pull me to my feet as she had the previous five times I had ended up on the floor. I hesitated for a few moments, going through three sets of thoughts. The first, that I really didn¡¯t want to take her hand if it meant another round of sparring ¨C I was at my limit. The second, that for the first time, I had fallen to the ground while still holding on to one of my daggers. The previous five times, the impact had caused me to lose my grip on them, and I probably only managed to hold on to them this time because I expected the impact. As such, I briefly contemplated using the opening presented by the proffered hand to attempt to land a strike. The third set of thoughts was a dismissal of the first two, on the grounds that trying to get the jump on her would be a terrible idea and would likely result in another moment of intimacy between myself and the cold stone floor.


    I took her hand and pulled myself up into a standing position, then returned to a fighting stance, making sure to let some of my reluctance show on my face, hoping Elysium would take the hint. She just looked at me with an expression of surprise and laughed.


    ¡°I was about to say we were done for the day, but if you want to go another round¡­¡±


    I quickly dropped my knives and shook my head furiously.


    ¡°I thought so. Come on then, help me pack up the weapons.¡±


    We moved over to the sheet of cloth spread out near the entrance to the rooftop and deposited the wooden daggers in it. As we rolled the bundle up and tied it off at both ends with twine, Elysium provided her evaluation of my first training session.


    ¡°That was pretty good, considering you¡¯ve never had any training in fighting with weapons. I hadn¡¯t expected you to start using variable attacks and feints for another couple of weeks, at least, so that was a surprise. You definitely have the combat instinct ¨C you made mostly good decisions, which is more than I can say for maybe half of the people who claim to be able to fight. With enough training, you could probably surpass most mercenaries in a one-on-one fight.¡±


    ¡°Only one-on-one?¡±


    ¡°Well, your weapon of choice is a dagger ¨C those don¡¯t really have the reach or the power you want in a many-against-one situation. A sword or a spear is usually a better choice for that. You¡¯re at a disadvantage if you enter a fight with multiple enemies. Keep that in mind.¡±


    As we descended the stairs from the rooftop, we found Rosalind outside our door, patiently waiting for us.


    ¡°How was it?¡±


    ¡°I have a good idea of where he stands. He shows a lot of promise.¡±


    ¡°Oh? That¡¯s good, then. What about you, Glint? How was your first training session? Did Ely bully you too much?¡±


    I was tempted to nod my head, but I ended up shaking it instead. Throughout the session, Elysium never pushed me to my limits; she left the pace of the thing up to me. I could tell she was adjusting her dodging to force me to think through my attacking pattern in different ways. Rather than teaching me a form, the morning¡¯s session had been designed to help me develop my own form. She was an excellent instructor, and I really had no complaints about her instruction.Stolen story; please report.


    Rosalind invited us into her room for breakfast, whereupon she hummed a single note again and somehow magically cleaned all our clothes and removed the grime from my body, just as she had done the previous night. It felt a little strange to be feeling sweaty and dirty one moment and suddenly feeling clean and unblemished the next, but it was a nice feeling, so I had no complaints.


    ¡°So, Ely, what else are you going to be doing today?¡±


    As we ate, Rosalind and Elysium casually conversed, while I focused on my meal ¨C sausages with a side of eggs, served with tea. It sounds simple, but the combination of the exertion from the morning¡¯s training and the fact that I usually skipped breakfast made the simple meal take on the aspect of a kingly feast in my mind¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Ah, the original plan was to scope out a couple of the possible locations for the Ezov, but now that Glint¡¯s with us, I think it¡¯s better if we go over to the tailor and get him some new clothes. Even if you can clean them with a single note, it¡¯s still not very good for our public image if he keeps wearing the same clothes over and over again. I¡¯ll probably also start looking out for a magic tutor.¡±


    ¡°I see. And the matter of the Ezov?¡±


    ¡°Well, that can wait. we¡¯re not in a rush to get it up and functional, and we haven¡¯t decided on a venue for the concert, either, so we don¡¯t really have a proper deadline for that issue at the moment.¡±


    ¡°So today is Glint day?¡±


    ¡°I suppose you could call it that, yeah.¡±


    True to her word, after breakfast, Elysium brought me out to the city and listed out a couple of tailors she had located on her romp around the city the previous day ¨C she asked me for a reccommendation of which tailor to visit, figuring that as a local, I would know more about it that she did.


    Unfortunately, I had to disappoint her. I had never cared for clothing and appearances, so when it came to rating tailors, my primary criterion was whether they would be willing to fix a hole for free, and how likely they were to run off with your clothes and sell them to someone else. When it came to the things that Elysium requested information on, such as the price-quality ratio and the specialties of each tailor, I knew about as much as the next illiterate street rat ¨C that is to say, absolutely nothing. I was, however, able to help her instantly disqualify a few tailors that were known to jack up their prices for foreigners, so I supposed my aid wasn¡¯t entirely meaningless.


    Given that I had nothing meaningful to say about the different tailors, in addition to the fact that Elysium herself was an outsider and therefore knew nothing about the tailors, we ended up picking a name at random from the list of tailors she had found, the dishonest ones already excluded from the list.


    The business with the tailor went quickly, Elysium already had an idea of the type of clothing she wanted me to wear, so it was mostly a matter of taking measurements and describing this outfit to the tailor. She insisted that I wait outside as she discussed the specifics of the outfit ¨C she probably intended for it to be a surprise. I passed the time idly, watching the people walk by on the streets, performing silent assessments of them, trying to identify which were the easy marks. Of course, when I found my thoughts drifting in that direction, I reminded myself that I now had a proper job, and had no more reason to steal; but somehow, my mind kept returning to that exercise of evaluating the people walking by.


    When our discussion with the tailor had ended, the next order of business was to find me a magic tutor. Generally, people who wanted to learn magic would enroll in a magic school. Those who wanted to learn magic but did not enroll tended to be either those with a poor apititude for it who were unable to meet the entry requirements for the school, or otherwise were individuals who were illiterate. At the time, I fell into the latter category. Magic tutors were freelance individuals, often graduates of a magic school, who offered to teach magic to those who wished to learn it but were unable to due to illiteracy. Of course, because the cost of hiring a magic tutor tended to be more than the cost of attending a magic school in the first place, the majority of individuals who sought out magic tutors were those who wanted to use magic, but had a low aptitude for it, rather than the illiterate. As a result, magic tutors were often looked down upon for deigning to teach students of such limited potential, but Elysium seemed to pay no heed to this reputation.


    Generally speaking, if one wishes to hire a tutor, one can do so through three methods. The first was through the magic schools themselves. The schools often have magic tutors affiliated with them ¨C they pawn their weakest students off on these tutors, allowing the main school to focus on improving the abilities of those with natural talent. If one wished to hire a magic tutor, it was possible to submit a request through a school. The second was to use one of the many noticeboards in the city. There were occasional written notices from tutors desperate for work, though those were reasonably rare. The third method was to go to an agency, a shop that had the contact information for numerous tutors, and served as a point of contact between the tutors and their potential clientele. One would put in a request for a tutor, and the agency would send that request to all tutors registered with them, to see if any are interested in taking the job. This third method is by far the most common method used to find a tutor.


    In my case, we didn¡¯t employ any of these three methods. Our search for a tutor began, not in a school, not at an agency, and not at a noticeboard, but in a tavern.

 Volume 2 Chapter 11: Disturbance

    <div>


    The tavern we found ourselves in was an establishment that served a largely lower-class clientele; the place was noisy, as taverns often are, and the whole shop reeked of alcohol. When we opened the door to enter, numerous eyes turned toward us, the largely male collection of individuals turning their attention to our entry. Unsurprising, considering that a beautiful woman had just walked in accompanied by a boy who was clearly a teenager. Most of the people packed into the tavern were men, with the tavern¡¯s owner being a large, well-built man with a bald head and a large scar running across his face. I recognised a couple familiar faces in the crowd, all thieves and conmen and generally men of the unsavoury sort. There were very few women in the crowd, with the token few either wearing decidedly inappropriate clothing, or otherwise exuding an air of danger that eclipsed that of the men.


    As it was that time of the day when afternoon was turning to evening, the tavern was extremely crowded. I scanned the room, looking for an empty space ¨C but every table was occupied. My eyes settled on the counter, where there were two empty seats. Elysium followed my gaze and nodded, walking gracefully toward the open seats. A couple of wolfwhistles accompanied her strides, but she simply ignored them with a pleasant smile. As we approached the seats, however, our path forward was blocked by a large man, his arms crossed as he smiled at Elysium with a gap-toothed grin.


    ¡°You¡¯re a pretty one, miss. Who¡¯s this kid? Your son?¡±


    Seeing that the man had no intention to move aside, Elysium sighed and pulled me closer to her, pressing me in against her side. If not for the tension in the room, I might have blushed. She answered the man, her smile not wavering.


    ¡°No, no. Not my son. A friend.¡±


    ¡°Ha! What, you into runts like him? Send him back home, and I¡¯ll show you what a real man can do.¡±


    The man¡¯s answer resounded throughout the tavern. A few of the women gave him disgusted looks, but mostly they watched Elysium closely to see how she would respond.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m just here for a drink, I really don¡¯t need your overused pickup lines and the generic bluster. I would appreciate if you¡¯d avoid making this any more complicated than it has to be and just let me and my friend here to the seats.¡±


    I paled. If my suspicions about the turn this conversation had just taken were correct, it was about to end very painfully. I silently implored the man not to do anything inappropriate.


    ¡°Eh? C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be like that! I can give you a real good time, better than this kid here, anyway.¡±


    With that, he reached out and grabbed hold of Elysium¡¯s shoulder. I sighed, my worst fears having come to pass.


    It was too quick to see. One minute, the man was holding Elysium¡¯s shoulder. The next, he was doubled over, blood flowing gratuitously from his nose, his arm twisted in an awkward position, his face frozen in an expression of surprise. The only sign that Elysium had moved was her sudden change in stance and the ruffles that had appeared on her sleeve ¨C ruffles that she immediately straightened as she righted herself. She sidestepped him nonchalantly and sat at the counter, pulling me along. As the man began to howl in pain, she asked the bartender for a list of drinks. Impressively, the man passed it along, seemingly unaffected by the scene that had just occurred. I shrank down into my seat, hoping that the man would take the hint and avoid doing anything possibly life-threatening. I was quickly disappointed.


    ¡°You fucking BITCH!¡±


    Elysium sighed again and turned around in her seat to face him ¨C I followed suit, if only to see what happened next. If the man was dumb enough to throw away his life, I figured I should at least respect his resolve by watching his last moments. The man staggered towards us, rage in his eyes. Elysium said nothing as he approached, just watching him with a neutral expression, right until he was right in front of us. Then she broke into a pitying smile. That was too much for the man ¨C he roared in anger and raised his fist.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Before he could bring it down, a thin sheet of metal appeared at his throat. Well, more accurately, it was a stack of metal sheets, with edges that glinted in the light of the tavern¡¯s lamps. A bladed fan. The man¡¯s eyes widened in fear, and he let his fist drop, looking toward the person holding the weapon ¨C a blue-haired woman with dangerous, green eyes. She was dressed in a one-piece slit dress, her shoulders and back bared, the skirt providing alluring flashes of her fair thighs.


    ¡°Come now, Glint. Letting a beast like this threaten your woman? And you call yourself a man?¡±


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s not my ¡®woman¡¯. She¡¯s just a friend.¡±


    ¡°Huh. I see.¡±


    Anneliese ¨C the leader of the Syrens ¨C turned her eyes to the would-be assailant, who shrank back immediately, breaking into a cold sweat as she edged the fan closer to his throat.


    ¡°As for you. Are you an idiot? You felt this woman hit you. You think you¡¯ll survive if you actually attack her seriously? Is your brain as small as your balls?¡± She narrowed her eyes, causing them to appear even more dangerous. ¡°Get the fuck out, fuckwit.¡±


    The man, clearly afraid, took several steps backward, his face pale. Then he turned around and hurriedly left the tavern. A quiet silence spread through the tavern. Then the men started to break out into laughter, and the women began chatting with their companions once more. Anneliese turned to me, gave me a cursory nod, then turned to Elysium.


    ¡°Sorry about that. The fucker¡¯s a real bastard, thinks he¡¯s real tough. In truth, he¡¯s got balls the size of peanuts. And I mean that literally. It¡¯s a joke among the whores, in fact. Well, you looked like you could handle yourself, but we can¡¯t have you killing someone around here. Would ruin the mood.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem. I wouldn¡¯t have killed him. Probably. Anyway, you seem to know Glint, over here.¡±


    Anneliese tousled my hair in a painfully familiar manner, causing me to blush a little.


    ¡°Yep. The kid¡¯s helped me out on several occasions. If you¡¯re hanging out with him, that means you already know what line of work I¡¯m in. Name¡¯s Anneliese. I head the Syrens ¨C we¡¯re a bunch of girls who help to lighten the burden of the people who have too much money to spare, if you catch my drift. You should come attend one of our concerts. Maybe you¡¯ll like them. Would advise you to keep an eye on your purse though ¨C we don¡¯t discriminate.¡±


    A smile played across Elysium¡¯s lips.


    ¡°A concert, you say?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Got that idea from that new performer ¨C Rosalind, y¡¯know. I got to attend one of her concerts, when I was running an errand. Loved it, of course, but also realised that a distracted audience was easy pickings.¡±


    A tap on her shoulder caused her to turn around ¨C one of the other women, dressed in a similar fashion, gave her a meaningful look. She nodded, then turned back to Elysium.


    ¡°Welp, I gotta get going. You take care of Glint, okay? He¡¯s a good kid, if a bit of a lone wolf.¡±


    She then turned her attention of me.


    ¡°And you, Glint. Make sure you don¡¯t do anything to make this nice lady cry.¡±


    ¡°I told you, we¡¯re just friends!¡±


    With that, she laughed and left the tavern, a group of girls following behind. Elysium and I turned back to the counter, whereupon she spoke quietly.


    ¡°¡­I like her. Seemed like a nice person.¡±


    ¡°She is, she¡¯s just a bit¡­ overbearing sometimes.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought you had no friends.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ not really. We help each other out, from time to time. I help her get information on possible good marks passing through the area, and she lets me sleep in her room on occasion, when I¡¯m in the area and need shelter from a bad night. It¡¯s just a matter of us being useful to each other, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±


    Elysium said no more on the topic, and instead waved over the bartender.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a jug of the Kinsgate, and¡­¡±


    She looked to me, waiting for my order. I briefly considered ordering beer, to prove my masculinity, as it were. But then I remembered that the last time I drank beer, I had behaved in ways that are best left unsaid.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll have an apple cider.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so that¡¯s it then. Get us a jug of Kinsgate, a glass of apple cider, and two glasses.¡±


    As the bartender walked off to prepare the drinks, I turned to Elysium questioningly.


    ¡°Now will you tell me why we¡¯re here? I thought we were looking for a magic tutor. Why are we in a tavern? For that matter, why did you ask me to guide you to ¡®the seediest tavern in the district¡¯?¡±


    She grinned, my confusion clearly a source of amusement for her.


    ¡°Well, that was the original plan, but¡­ circumstances changed. We¡¯re here to meet someone.¡±


    ¡°Meet someone? Who?¡±


    At that moment, the bartender returned with the order, and I realised a fact that slipped my notice ¨C Elysium had asked for a total of three glasses. As I was about to ask her who the third glass was for, she picked it up and held it up, above her shoulder and behind her.


    ¡°So you finally decided to show yourself.¡±


    The voice that responded was quiet and clearly feminine, with a bell-like quality to it.


    ¡°I should have known you would notice me.¡±


    The proffered glass was received by a tall figure wearing a set of dark robes, a hood casting a shadow over their features, which were further obscured by a white mask which left only the figure¡¯s lips exposed.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Ruth.¡±

 Volume 2 Chapter 12: An Old Acquaintance

    <div>


    The woman took a seat next to us, keeping her hood on.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this ¡®Ruth¡¯ you¡¯re talking about? I believe you¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else.¡±


    ¡°Come on. We both know that¡¯s not going to work. The way you carry yourself, your posture, and above all the immense amount of danger I can feel from you just sitting here is unmistakeable. Even with the mask and your efforts to change your voice. So let¡¯s just cut to the chase and get down to the reason you were following us.¡±


    The woman swirled her cup for a bit, the sound of the drink sloshing within it seeming to drown out the surrounding chatter. Then she sighed and placed it down on the counter. She pulled back her hood, revealing a head covered in long, flowing, meticulously maintained brown hair, then reached up to her white, featureless mask and removed it to expose a pair of startlingly blue eyes. She placed the mask on the table and took a long gulp of her drink, then spoke to Elysium.


    ¡°Y¡¯know, you¡¯re awfully calm about the fact that you¡¯re talking to a dead woman.¡±


    Elysium snorted.


    ¡°Please. I never believed for a moment that you¡¯d died. There¡¯s no way a group of bandits would have been able to beat you.¡±


    ¡°How would you know? You¡¯ve never seen me fight.¡±


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    ¡°Though now that you mention it, I do want to go a bout with you. I wanted to then, I still want to now.¡±


    A chill ran through the air, rattling through my bones. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. As the two women watched each other with quiet smiles, my instincts blared out, warning me that immense danger was imminent.


    ¡°¡­Sorry, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to pass. Destroying the city would bring a bit too much attention to me. More than I care for at the moment, anyway.¡±


    ¡°True, it wouldn¡¯t do to accidentally tear down the city we¡¯re due to perform in. Would be bad for reputation.¡±


    The two women laughed and clinked their cups together as their little jest dispelled the tension in the air.


    Or at least, I desperately wanted to believe it was a jest. No matter how strong they were, there was no way they¡¯d be able to accidentally destroy the city¡­right?


    Seemingly oblivious to my soft muttered self-assurances, Elysium and the new woman resumed their conversation.


    ¡°So, Elysium, aren¡¯t you interested in what I¡¯ve been up to?¡±


    ¡°Not really. What you do is your business. And that¡¯s not the reason you¡¯ve come here today.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It isn¡¯t. I¡¯ll get to that in a bit. But first, humour me for a while. Tell me about her. How¡¯s she doing?¡±


    If this woman knew of Elysium, then it was likely that she knew Rosalind as well ¨C from what I gathered of their conversation, I deduced that they were talking about Rosalind. They continued to ignore my presence as they conversed.


    ¡°About as well as you¡¯d expect. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard people talking about her.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah. I always told her she was destined for great things, but this wasn¡¯t exactly what I had in mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What did you have in mind, then?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not this.¡±


    ¡°You know, your silence on the matter just makes me more curious.¡±


    ¡°I know, but it changes nothing. I will say nothing more on this.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Elysium narrowed her eyes, but she let the subject drop. Then she began speaking about something completely unrelated.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°After you left us, when we heard the news¡­ she was devastated. She refused to get out of bed for a week.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so¡­?¡±


    The woman bit her lip, her eyes glancing away.


    ¡°You have to understand, Elysium. There were¡­ things I had to do. Things that necessitated my departure.¡±


    ¡°Running from the law? Did you cheat a noble of their money or something?¡±


    The woman laughed, a clear and sharp laugh.


    ¡°Well, feel free to assume that, if you¡¯d like. It would be difficult to explain the real reason, and besides, I¡¯m not at liberty to reveal that to you ¨C nor do I feel such an inclination. Regardless, I would appreciate it if you could refrain from mentioning this meeting to that girl.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Why- Ah, I see. Hm. You want her to stand on her own.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That girl is like a sister to me. An adorable, precious younger sister. But she¡¯s always relied on me, perhaps too much. And maybe I¡¯m at fault for that as well, for spoiling her. But after I left, with your help, she got past it, and is now achieving things I never thought she¡¯d achieve.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re afraid that if she learns you¡¯re still alive, it¡¯ll undo her progress.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like to believe that she¡¯s grown strong enough that even learning of me will not cause her to regress, but there¡¯s no guarantee of that. Besides, I¡¯m not going to be staying around here for long. It would be cruel to reveal myself to her, only to leave again later. Of course, the request to keep silent about this meeting applies to you as well, young man.¡±


    With her last sentence, she finally turned to me, fixing her piercing blue gaze on me. I froze, a chill running through my body. There wasn¡¯t any malice or ill intent in her gaze, but somehow, I felt like I was in danger, simply from her looking at me. I rapidly nodded my assent. She smiled at me, which only made me shiver in fear. Then she turned back to Elysium, releasing me from her gaze. I breathed hard, and took a long swig of my cider, trying to calm my nerves. Elysium glanced at me, amusement in her eyes, and spoke to Ruth.


    ¡°I take it that I can skip the introductions? I presume the person that¡¯s been following us for a while is you.¡±


    ¡°You are correct. I¡¯ve been watching you since you arrived in town.¡±


    ¡°I thought so. Well, I didn¡¯t know it was you until you stepped through that door, but I knew at least that someone was watching my first meeting with Glint over here.¡±


    I froze once more. This woman had been watching me as Elysium cornered me? And I hadn¡¯t even noticed? No, wait, in the first place, our confrontation had been in a narrow, dark alley. There should have been no way for a third party to escape my notice. And yet Elysium claims that this Ruth had been watching us since that time. What kind of ridiculous individuals was I associating with?


    ¡°You know, Elysium, I think you were a little too hard on the poor boy.¡±


    ¡°She said the same thing.¡±


    A smile played around Ruth¡¯s eyes. Elysium continued.


    ¡°Anyway, I presume the reason you approached us concerns Glint over here? Otherwise you would have approached me when we were separated. The fact that you came into this crowded bar means that whatever you have to say concerns him as well.¡±


    ¡°An excellent deduction. I noticed you were looking for a magic tutor for the boy. I would like to volunteer myself for the position.¡±


    I blinked, surprised. Elysium seemed unfazed ¨C in fact, her grin suggested that she had anticipated this result.


    ¡°Oho. Interesting. Might I ask why you¡¯d like to teach him?¡±


    ¡°Two reasons. The first, because even though I don¡¯t want that girl to know I¡¯m alive, I still want to help her in any way possible. Financial aid is out of the question, since even anonymous donations might arouse suspicion ¨C and besides, you already have a sponsor in the form of Bainel, who can provide you with far more help than me. But if it¡¯s lessons in magic for your little assistant here, I can certainly provide them. I am, after all, a scholar of magic as well as a merchant. I daresay I have a better grasp of the fundamentals of magic than most mages in this country. And therein lies the second reason ¨C Glint here has an affinity that is remarkably similar to mine. I can teach him how to refine it into a skill that can be used for both your performances and for combat. Of course, I will request no payment. And I can provide him better instruction than most. I do not think you have much of a reason to refuse.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m fine with it. What about you, Glint?¡±


    Ruth was making some very bold claims ¨C but Elysium didn¡¯t seem to have any doubts about them being truth. Whatever their relationship was, she clearly trusted the woman. There were some other details about her faking her death that I had overheard earlier, but they didn¡¯t particularly concern me. Everyone had secrets. It was a pointless exercise to uncover them all. If Elysium trusted Ruth, that was enough reason for me to do the same. Besides, if her instruction would allow me to avoid being a financial burden on Elysium, I had no reason to refuse. I nodded my head.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it if you are, Elysium.¡±


    Elysium turned back to Ruth.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s settled, then. But we¡¯ll be holding our concert in about a month, and we¡¯ll be leaving two weeks after that ¨C that¡¯s all the time I can give you to work with him. I need him to be on the same level as a professional before the concert.¡±


    Ruth¡¯s eyes narrowed. Her lips parted in a defiant grin.


    ¡°Is that a challenge? I¡¯ll take it as a challenge. If you¡¯ll let me have him for four hours a day, I¡¯ll have him ready within a month, no problem. He might even be able to beat you in a fight.¡±


    Elysium laughed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that. So how should we arrange this?¡±


    ¡°Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll meet him at the entrance to this tavern every day, two hours after noon. We¡¯ll train for 4 hours a day. Simple enough.¡±


    ¡°You okay with that, Glint?¡±


    Elysium crossed her arms and looked to me. She wanted me to be the one to confirm the arrangement, probably because it was one that concerned my own future. I nodded and held out my hand toward Ruth. Ruth laughed and took it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal, then. Be warned, it¡¯s not going to be easy. I¡¯m a strict teacher. I hope you¡¯re ready, Glint.¡±


    ¡°Bring it on.¡±

 Volume 2 Chapter 13: Practical Demonstration

    <div>


    So it was that I found myself approaching that same tavern the next day, a little before the second hour after noon. Seeing my approach, Ruth ¨C standing at the entrance to an alleyway next to the tavern ¨C waved at me and beckoned me over. Her hood and mask obscured her features, and her large, black robes masked her figure. She was an enigma to me ¨C try as I might, I could not come to any conclusions about her physical ability or her readiness to fight. That worried me. Her stance was as impenetrable as Elysium¡¯s, preventing any potential enemies from gleaning any sort of relevant information about her. I briefly recalled the short exchange Elysium had shared with her the previous day, when they had casually joked about destroying the city as a manner of collateral damage. Something in me, something primal, told me that if it was this woman, such a result was entirely possible. A chill of fear ran through me, but I grit my teeth and headed closer to her nonetheless. When I was finally next to her, she smiled at me, her lips the only part of her face exposed by the mask.


    ¡°Nice to see you decided to go through with this.¡±


    ¡°Well, after everything I said yesterday, I could hardly go back on my word.¡±


    ¡°A man of honour. Consider me impressed.¡±


    ¡°Enough of that. What will we be doing? I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s some purpose to you standing by this particular alleyway?¡±


    ¡°An excellent ¨C and correct ¨C guess. The place we¡¯ll be training is down this alleyway.¡±


    I ran through my mental map of the city¡¯s alleys. If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, this alley led down into a central, connecting area where a total of twelve alleyways met; a large, open space obscured from the eyes of the public. If this was indeed her intended location, I could draw several conclusions about the nature of her training. First, that it was one she would prefer to go unseen. Second, that it would require space to move around in, and third, that it would probably not result in large-scale destruction that would require a fully open area. There, was, however, one thing that concerned me.


    ¡°Y¡¯know, that open space you¡¯re thinking of is secluded, but all of us lowlifes know about it ¨C it might not be as private as you¡¯re probably thinking.¡±


    Ruth waved her hand dismissively and continued walking.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. If anyone drops by uninvited we can just include them in our training.¡±


    I really didn¡¯t like the sound of that.


    We eventually reached the open space and, as expected, she stopped and turned around.


    ¡°As you¡¯ve probably gathered by now, this is where we¡¯ll be training. You¡¯ve probably already figured out why I chose this place, so I¡¯ll spare you the details and get right to it. Show me what you can do.¡±


    At her request, I narrowed my eyes and concentrated, just as I had done the previous day on the rooftop. I felt the light gather around my fingertips, ebbing and flowing, forming a vaguely sphere-like object that refused to hold its shape, constantly changing and morphing. Ruth frowned.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ you¡¯re certainly not lacking in power, but you¡¯re lacking in focus.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°How do you visualise the light formation?¡±


    ¡°Visualise? In what way?¡±


    ¡°What kind of image do you use to form your light.¡±


    ¡°Image¡­? I don¡¯t know. I just kind of¡­ do it, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Hm. To be able to achieve manifestation so naturally ¨C you do have talent. Well, try this. Dismiss that light and close your eyes.¡±


    I did as I was told and squeezed my eyes shut.


    ¡°Steady your breathing, settle into a rhythm, try to feel your heartbeat.¡±


    In, out. In, out. One heartbeat. Two heartbeats. Three heartbeats.


    ¡°Now try to form the light again, but this time pay attention to where the light is originating from.¡±


    Mildly confused, I did as I was told. I called forth the light within me, trying to focus on its source. I felt a warm pulse from my heart as I began to call on my magic, infusing my heartbeats with added intensity ¨C I felt a warm light in my chest. I gasped in surprise ¨C this was a sensation I had never noticed. The surprise broke my concentration, and the magic faded, causing my heartbeat to return to normal.


    ¡°Good. You found it. Now call on your magic again, and focus on it. Find the light within you and guide it. Trace its path, from its source to your fingertips, from your fingertips into the air.¡±


    I focused within myself, calling upon my magic once more ¨C the light sprang to life once again, warming my chest, filling my heart. I imagined it flowing outwards, along my chest, down my arm, along my fingers, into and out of my fingertips. As I imagined this route, I felt the light within me shift to follow the same path. I directed the light out of my fingertips and into the air, where I still felt the pulsations of the light as a part of me. I collected the light together and imagined myself compressing it, shaping it into a tightly packed ball.


    ¡°Good. Open your eyes.¡±


    I did as I was told and saw that, within the palm of my hand, a small, perfectly round orb of light was nestled. It had none of the indeterminate haziness that usually characterised my magic, and was instead refined and flawless. I ran my fingers across it and found that it was smooth and hard to the touch. I poked at it in wonder as Ruth laughed.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Well, I was going to save the technique of compression for later on, but I guess you¡¯re even more of a natural than I thought. Congratulations. You¡¯ve just made a ball of hard light.¡±


    ¡°Hard¡­light?¡±


    ¡°Light that¡¯s been strengthened and compressed by magic, to give it a physical presence.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, a physical presence?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s faster to show you. Lob the ball at the ground. Do it hard.¡±


    Unsure what throwing light at a solid object would do, I shrugged and complied, expecting it to dissipate harmlessly upon contact. I was wrong. The orb of light smashed into the ground and dispersed, but not before leaving behind a tiny crater, with a depth about half the size of the ball. I stared at the hole, my jaw agape, unsure what I had just witnessed. Ruth giggled.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shock, I know. To think that something so immaterial could come to bear so much weight. But that¡¯s the power of elemental affinity magic like ours. We can take something usually insubstantial and grant it substance.¡±


    I opened my mouth to ask her what her affinity was, but I was interrupted by a loud voice from behind me.


    ¡°That was a nice fireworks show you had going on there, kid. Real pretty. Not sure it¡¯d be much good in a fight.¡±


    It was a voice I vaguely recognised. Resisting the urge to groan, I turned around to face the person who had intruded on our training session. As I suspected, it was the same man who had tried to hit on Elysium the previous day. One arm was in a brace, but his other arm held an axe. Presumably, he was out to seek revenge for his humiliation or some nonsense like that. He¡¯d probably noticed me in here with Ruth and gone to get some friends to beat me up, taking Elysium¡¯s absence to be a chance to get at her through me. He¡¯d never seen Ruth before, so he probably assumed she was just some random magician who could be overwhelmed by numbers. I waited for him to begin bragging about how he was going to teach me a lesson with his friends, watching him with bored eyes. He sneered.


    ¡°I notice that other woman¡¯s not with ya today. Lucky me. I owe her one for breakin¡¯ my arm like that, when I wasn¡¯t ready for it. Saw ya in here without her, figured I¡¯d teach her a lesson by sendin¡¯ her little boyfriend back without an arm. Maybe a leg, too. I dunno who¡¯s that other person with ya, but hey, not like it matters. I¡¯ve brought a couple of friends, too.¡±


    As if on cue, men emerged from the alleyways that led into this area. Each of them were armed in some way, some with swords, others with clubs. Including the taunter, there were twelve of them in total. The man spit on the ground and directed a crooked smirk at me.


    ¡°Nothin¡¯ personal, kid. If ya want to blame anyone, blame your whore of a girlfriend for crossin¡¯ the wrong guy.¡±


    I sighed. It was as if he was trying to be as laughably predictable as possible. If I were on my own, I might have been intimidated into fleeing. But on this occasion, well¡­


    I turned to Ruth, whose mouth was curving upwards in a shadow of a vicious smile. I knew it. She was waiting for something like this to happen. She spoke, loud enough for everyone to hear.


    ¡°Well, this is fortunate. We can work these fine men into our training regimen. I was hoping I would be able to provide a practical demonstration. Please do try not to disappoint me, good sirs.¡±


    The leader of the group¡¯s face contorted with rage, likely due to the fact that he felt he wasn¡¯t being taken seriously ¨C and to add insult to injury, the tone and pitch of the voice made it clear that he was being challenged by a woman.


    ¡°You¡­ you fucking bitch! Get her!¡±


    At this cue, one of the other men, armed with a sword, raised a loud yell and dashed forward, slashing downward at Ruth. Ruth waited till the last moment, then casually sidestepped the blade. As her would-be assailant staggered forward from the unconnecting blow, she swiftly delivered a sharp kick to his side, sending him reeling backwards. The men all froze, and Ruth took off her mask, revealing her beautiful face, twisted into a cruel smile. She turned to me and spoke, loud enough for everyone to hear.


    ¡°You saw that man try to attack me, correct?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Therefore I am currently under attack. In other words, anything I do from this point forth is legitimate self-defence.¡±


    The men froze, then as one, they shouted with anger and rushed her all at once. She calmly avoided all their attacks, redirecting those that would have hit me, and spoke in an even voice, addressing me.


    ¡°Now, you¡¯ve already seen that it¡¯s possible to compress your element¡­¡±


    She dodged beneath three blades that passed over her, and delivered three swift jabs that sent the attackers staggering back.


    ¡°¡­but so far, you¡¯ve only been able to form a single sphere.¡±


    She caught a club aimed at her head, and used it as a handle to throw its owner back in the direction from which he had come.


    ¡°But with enough training and time¡­¡±


    She struck the arms of two men swinging down at me, sending the path of their swords away from my body, then delivered two palm strikes to send them flying.


    ¡°¡­you¡¯ll eventually be able to shape them into more complex forms¡­¡±


    With a flurry of jabs and kicks, she sent the remaining eight assailants flying, causing them to join the ring of the twelve men around us who were currently on the ground and groaning.


    ¡°¡­like so.¡±


    She snapped her fingers. Immediately, twelve spears manifested above the assailants. Three were made of fire, blazing and burning bright. Three were made of water, fluid and changing, yet still maintaining a fixed, unmistakeable shape. Three were made of rock, rough and flaky, but sharp enough to kill. The final three were made of wind, concentrated little tornados of wind that looked ready to drill holes into their victims. She snapped her fingers again, and all twelve spears slammed down into the ground, eliciting twelve screams of terror that echoed through the alleys. I instinctively closed my eyes at the moment of impact, not quite willing to witness the gruesome scene which no doubt awaited, but when the sound of flesh being torn apart never came, I opened my eyes again. All twelve spears were buried into the ground next to their targets¡¯ heads. A miss? Not possible. Not at that range. This was a mercy.


    Ruth snapped her fingers again. This time, a veritable legion of spears manifested around her, surrounding her on all sides. Tens, no, hundreds of spears, comprised of magic and some element, forming a defensive wall around us, their tips pointed at the men. Ruth spoke again, a hint of amusement entering her voice.


    ¡°Well? That was quite the disappointment. You¡¯re free to try again, but I honestly would advise against that. Might have adverse effects on your health. What¡¯ll it be?¡±


    The men, as one, scrambled to their feet and bolted away, down the alleys. Once the last sounds of their footsteps faded, Ruth gave a wave of her hand, and the nest of spears disappeared.


    ¡°Well then, that was just a practical demonstration of what is possible with an elemental affinity like yours. You might not be able to achieve quite the same volume, but I¡¯m confident that you¡¯ll be able to generate at least a few weapons of hard light, given enough training.¡±


    I was only half-listening. I was too astonished by what I had just witnessed.


    ¡°Ruth¡­ who are you?¡±


    Ruth tilted her head quizically, as if she didn¡¯t understand the question.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a travelling merchant from another land. Nothing more. Shall we continue?¡±


    I hesitated, then closed my eyes and nodded. I had a vague feeling ¨C a conviction that Ruth¡¯s identity was something I was better off not knowing.

 Volume 2 Chapter 14: Night Lessons

    <div>


    I dragged myself back to the inn, utterly exhausted. I felt my magic burning within me, raging against the sudden overexertion after years of using it sparingly. As it turned out, Ruth¡¯s idea of training was highly similar to Elysium¡¯s. In other words, her idea of training me to use my magic was to get me to try and attack her with it. Her reasoning was something along the lines of how learning to hone my light into an attacking form was the most efficient way of teaching me to shape it to my will. I guess it made sense. To create a magical weapon like Ruth¡¯s spears required me to exert a fine degree of control over the shape of the magic, as well as forcing me to condense it enough that it could be counted as an attack. If the shape of the attack was hazy, it would be insubstantial and fail to connect. If the mana wasn¡¯t condensed heavily enough, it would dissipate on impact. All magic is, at some level, the shaping and compression of mana. In that sense, Ruth¡¯s training was ideal for learning to use magic in a short period of time. Objectively speaking, it was the best regimen I could ask for.


    And it fucking hurt.


    Just drawing the mana out of my body so many times, in such quantities, at such short notice, was enough to cause my body to ache all over. Each time I cast the magic, I felt like fire ¨C or I guess light, in my case ¨C was coursing through my veins, threatening to erupt through my skin. It didn¡¯t help that Ruth was rougher than Elysium ¨C against Elysium, if I messed up an attack, I got thrown. Against Ruth, on the other hand, if I messed up an attack, I got counterattacked by a blast of elemental magic. It was never strong enough to do any actual damage to me, but the frustration of attempting an attack only to be met by a blast of cold wind knocking me back cannot be understated.


    So it was that when I knocked on the door to Rosalind¡¯s room, I was lamenting the fact that I would have to train with Elysium in the morning and Ruth in the afternoon ¨C two hellish training sessions per day, every day for maybe a month, possibly two ¨C that was how long Elysium had said she would be staying in the city. I contemplated the very real possibility of my body breaking under the strain, and involuntarily released a large groan just as Rosalind opened the door. She glanced at me quizically.


    ¡°Glint. Welcome back. What was with that groan; is something the matter?¡±


    I reddened, slightly embarrassed, and shook my head frantically.


    ¡°No, nothing¡¯s the matter. I¡¯m just a bit tired from the training, is all.¡±


    ¡°O-Oh, was it that taxing? Hmmm¡­ maybe this was a bad idea¡­¡±


    She glanced to the side, as if trying to avoid my gaze. I tilted my head quizically, but before I could ask anything, my stomach loudly interrupted me. My hunger having been brought to my attention, it was only then that I realised exactly how hungry I was. Seeing that Rosalind didn¡¯t seem to be making any move to let me in, I cleared my throat.


    ¡°Uh, sorry, but could I get a little dinner? I¡¯m getting a little hungry.¡±


    Rosalind reddened and stepped aside, ushering me in. I sat myself down by the table, where there were several plates of food laid out, along with two empty plates ¨C one for Elysium, and probably one for myself. I glanced at Rosalind with an unspoken question, at which she nodded.


    ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ve already had my dinner.¡±


    Having thus attained her approval, I dived into the meal, frantically devouring the food. As I ate, I felt the strength returning to my body, and I also felt the magic within me begin to calm down. It was as Ruth had said ¨C magical energy was replenished in the same manner as regular energy. That is to say, it was replenished by food and rest. I had always assumed that everyone had some sort of finite store of magic, and that after using up magical energy, it just disappeared forever. That belief was one reason why I had avoided relying on my magic, all these years. Discovering that I had been wrong all along was a shock, as well as a relief. Prior to that day, I¡¯d never had to use so much magic in one day that it would cause me actual exhaustion, so the knowledge that I could replenish it was extremely welcome.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    As I ate, I glanced around the room, and noticed that a writing desk with paper and ink was placed in the middle of the room. The paper was blank, and the whole thing was arranged very neatly. I turned to her.


    ¡°Were you writing something, Rosalind?¡±


    She let out a small squeak, surprised by my question, then turned to look at me with a guilty gaze.


    ¡°¡­no, this writing desk is for you.¡±


    ¡°Me? But I can¡¯t write.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know that. That¡¯s why I was planning to teach you how to write at night. I figured, train your body in the morning, train your magic in the afternoon, and train your mind at night. It sounded like a perfect plan in my head, but then I saw how tired you were. I¡¯m sorry, I should have been more considerate¡­ Ely¡¯s training in the morning was rough ¨C I¡¯ve been through it too ¨C and whoever¡¯s your magic tutor was approved by Ely so I¡¯m sure they¡¯re rough, too. After two sessions of intense training, of course you wouldn¡¯t have the mood or energy to study¡­¡±


    She slumped onto the ground, clearly feeling terrible about herself. For a moment I was tempted to take the out I had been offered. It was a fact that I was tired. If I had a bed before me right then I might have immediately collapsed on it and fallen asleep. But at the same time, I knew that Rosalind was trying to look after me as well, to teach me and make me stronger, in her own way. It was the same as Elysium and Ruth. All of them wanted to strengthen me. All of them wanted to help me. The price I was being asked to pay for food and lodging was to improve myself and learn new things ¨C this was a deal that wholly benefitted me alone. It would be remiss to not take advantage of it. But most importantly, I couldn¡¯t bear to see Rosalind¡¯s beautiful face marred by disappointment, as it was at that moment.


    ¡°Please teach me. I want to learn.¡±


    ¡°Eh? But you were so tired. There¡¯s no need to push yourself for my sake. We can¡¯t have you falling sick, Glint. Forget about this whole idea, it was selfish of me; I guess I just wanted a way to kill time.¡±


    ¡°No, Rosalind, please. Teach me to read and write. I want to be useful to you and Elysium. I can be more useful if I can achieve basic literacy. I¡¯m not pushing myself, I promise. Please teach me.¡±


    Silence ensued as Rosalind looked me up and down, probably assessing my physical condition. Then she sighed and nodded with a smile.


    ¡°Alright, then. If you¡¯re sure you¡¯re okay. But the moment you feel unwell, you tell me, okay?¡±


    I nodded and got up, leaving the food behind and approaching the writing desk. Rosalind sat down next to me and began to teach me the basic letters of the alphabet, teaching me how to read them. She worked slowly and methodically, providing each letter with a context in which it was used and various examples, to get me accustomed to seeing how letters joined together to find words. We slowly worked on learning to spell my name, with myself writing it over and over to remember how it went. Rosalind, like Elysium and Ruth, was a very patient teacher; but unlike them, she was also very forgiving when it came to mistakes. If I made a mistake, she would laugh and point it out, then apologise for laughing. It was a very different type of learning from what I had done for the rest of the day, and frankly speaking, I found it less efficient than the training with Elysium and Ruth. But I also found it far more enjoyable.


    When Elysium walked in through the door later that night, I gave her a cursory glance and a quick wave, then went back to focusing on my letters. Sneaking a few glances in her direction as she ate, I noticed her watching me learn with a serene smile on her face ¨C reminiscent of an older sister looking at a younger sibling. Her eyes were unfocused, as if she was watching a scene that was taking place somewhere else. I briefly wondered, once again, about her history and her background, but then put that aside and focused on writing my name once more.

 Volume 2 Chapter 15: Theoretical Possibility

    <div>


    Over the next fortnight, my days were reasonably structured. Training and learning, from the time I woke up till the moment I slept. In the morning, before the sun rose, Elysium would train me in the use of the dagger, forcing me to attempt to land a hit on her. In the process, I naturally found myself becoming stronger and faster. I had always had a rather lean build ¨C in part due to malnutrition. The daily exercise, in addition to the regular meals, had started to fill me out ¨C skinny, weak arms were replaced with lean, muscular ones. Legs which were already well-trained from a life of running and chasing gained an additional layer of muscle, adding strength to my kicks. It was still in the early stages, but my body was starting to turn from that of a lanky, starved street rat into that of a lean, trained fighter.


    In the afternoon, Ruth would work with me on my magic, teaching me to shape and control it, to bend the light to my will. She also taught me a bit about the nature of magic and the theory of magic, though a lot of it went over my head. What I was able to digest was that magic was fundamentally information; when I gathered light in my hand, what I was doing was sending information to the light in the area, to bend it to my will. When I created light from nothing, what I was doing was sending information to the world at large, to force it to enact a change such that light was created. All very interesting and fancy in theory, but I thought it to be of little practical use. What was the point of knowing the nature of magic, if the way I called on it remained unchanged? When I brought this up to Ruth, however, she only smiled and assured me that time would allow me to see the value of this information. I wasn¡¯t particularly convinced, but this little lecture had replaced one of the regular grueling training sessions, so I was thankful for it nonetheless.


    Finally, at night, after all my physical and magical learning was done, I would turn to the books with Rosalind, to learn how to read and write. This was a task which I performed with great eagerness. I had always wished to learn to read, at least, if not write, but had never had the time nor the money to find someone to teach me. The other thieves were little help on that front ¨C none of them could read, save for a few of the leaders. Anneliese, of the Syrens, had the ability, but she was constantly on the move, negotiating with the other leaders and settling disputes, and therefore was too busy to spare time to teach the other Syrens, much less an outsider like me. Anneliese was the only leader I was friendly with, so my options on that front were limited, as well. Therefore, Rosalind¡¯s offer to teach me letters came as a golden opportunity to learn and to improve myself, and I dedicated a great amount of time to the craft ¨C at meals, I would trace out the letters in my head. While on the move from the inn to the tavern every afternoon, I would recite lists of words and imagine how they looked like in writing. As a result, I learned very quickly. After just a fortnight, I had fully memorised the alphabet and was able to write a simple letter ¨C though my penmanship was rather lacking at the time. Rosalind had expressed hopes that given the fast pace of my learning, I might be able to start reading full books by the end of the year ¨C a prospect which excited me greatly. Looking back, I daresay that learning my letters was by far the most enjoyable part of my training ¨C though Elysium¡¯s and Ruth¡¯s teachings were, of course, extremely valuable.


    Over the course of these short two weeks, I found out more about Elysium and Rosalind ¨C I found out about their old tavern, the Serene Ezov, and how they had turned to music as a way to make up for the revenue loss caused by the alcohol tax from the previous year. I learned of their ties to Hager Bainel, their plans for expansion, and the stories of their first concert. I heard about how they went around the region, setting up branches of the Ezov in major cities, holding concerts to promote these branches. I won¡¯t go into detail about their journey, as the tales they shared would fill perhaps ten of these volumes. In addition, some of their tales were rather embarrassing in nature, and therefore I could not share them with others in good conscience. However, I will state that throughout this period, despite sharing about their beginnings, Elysium remained staunchly quiet about her life prior to their first meeting. Whenever I brought it up, she would quietly shift the topic and avoid the question. For a while, I was convinced that she didn¡¯t exist prior to their first meeting, but I knew that was a ridiculous notion. Eventually, on our travels together, she did tell me about her past ¨C but again, that is not for me to divulge. I will write no more on the matter.


    I resume this tale on a morning about a fortnight after Elysium took me under her wing. As usual, we were sparring on the rooftop, with the sun slowly creeping up over the horizon. Seeing my improvement, she had upped the difficulty level ¨C the goal was still a single hit, she was still required to stay in one spot, but her hands were no longer held behind her back. A simple modification, but it made the task several magnitudes harder.


    The dagger in my right hand lunged toward Elysium¡¯s head. She deftly turned her head aside, her arms moving around my outstretched arm to throw me. Seeing this, I immediately swung the dagger in my left hand laterally, aiming for her open side. Keeping one hand on my arm, she struck downward with her right arm to knock away the strike. With my balance disrupted and precarious from the failed attack, she used her elbow to redirect my momentum and tossed me over her shoulder, releasing my arm. Suspended midair, I forced my legs beneath me to act as a spring, and the moment she let go, I turned from forward fall into a somersault, landing some distance away, knives at the ready. She laughed and applauded.


    ¡°Good. Your recovery is getting better. Always remember: in a fight, the first one to fall on the ground loses. If you¡¯re prone, you-¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°-expose all my openings, yes. I know. I heard you the first ten times.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see you¡¯ve gotten comfortable enough around me to crack jokes. Well then. You¡¯ve only failed fifteen times today. We have time for another fifteen more.¡±


    I gritted my teeth and forced myself to think. For two weeks I had been at this, and I had yet to land a single hit. Her reflexes were just too ridiculous. There had to be something, some way to secure an advantage. One hit. Just one hit. I didn¡¯t care where it landed, I just needed to land a single hit, just to prove that she wasn¡¯t wasting her time.


    Elysium¡¯s advantage lay in her immense combat experience and her superhuman physical capabilities. Those were unsurmountable, unless I could leverage on my own advantages.


    So then what were my advantages? The fact that my opponent¡¯s movement was constricted¡­ and the fact that I had magic at my command. Through Ruth¡¯s training, the speed and accuracy of my magic had improved by leaps and bounds, and I was now able to form solid shapes with mana. If I could weave my magic into my attack, I stood a chance. But that wasn¡¯t enough. I knew instinctively that just using magic like that wasn¡¯t enough to land a hit. I needed something else, a trump card.


    I thought back to what Ruth had taught me about the nature of magic. Simple theory, nothing worthwhile, nothing that was of use. So what if I knew that magic was information? So what if I knew that casting magic meant sending information to create light? What use was that?


    Then, with a flash of inspiration, it dawned on me. Magic was information sent to the world, to cause certain phenomena. In that case, what if it worked the other way round? In other words, if it was possible to create phenomena using information, it should also be possible to store phenomena as new information.


    I ran over my plan in my head. The theory was sound. I didn¡¯t quite know how to invoke the magic in the way I wanted, but I had an inkling of what I needed it to do. I would have to rely on instinct. All that was left was to see if I could put it into practice.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good look, right there. Did you think of something?¡±


    Elysium interrupted my thought process with a bemused observation. I said nothing and nodded.


    ¡°Well then, show me what you¡¯ve got.¡±


    Taking that as my cue, I ran toward her, knives in hand. But just before I reached slashing range, I threw myself low, sliding across to her other side. As I passed her, I materialised a sword of light at her right side, sending it slashing laterally across her abdomen. At the same time, I materialised a second sword behind her, slashing at her back in case she tried to avoid the first strike by leaning back. Her face coloured with surprise for a fraction of a second ¨C but only a fraction. Reacting with inhuman speed, she ducked down below both attacks and, in the same motion, reached for my collar while I was still being carried forward by my slide. But at the moment she was about to touch my collar, I split into four copies of myself, each of us ducking away from her outstretched hand and quickly moving to surround her.


    Well, technically speaking, what I had done was to take my image and store it as magical information, then I had sent three copies of that information outward as clumps of magic. Under the influence of this information, light had been created and shaped into three identical copies of myself ¨C and I could dictate how they moved by sending pulses of information. I¡¯m not entirely sure how the whole thing worked ¨C I just told myself I needed the light to do exactly that, and it just happened. I suppose I can chalk it up to natural talent or something.


    Anyway, even though there were four of me, only one was substantial ¨C the others were just images. I didn¡¯t have the familiarity with magic to be able to grant the copies physical weight ¨C though I knew it was theoretically possible by applying the same principle as my swords of light. Only my real self could land the hit ¨C but with four of me, there was no way for Elysium to know which was the real me, and she now had to deal with six possible attacks at once ¨C two from the swords, and four from me. She couldn¡¯t dodge them all, and I was the copy in her blind spot, so it was less likely that she would attempt to dodge mine. It was my win.


    Or so I thought.


    As I slashed forward, I felt a brief weight on my shoulder. The next moment, Elysium disappeared from my encirclement. I then felt the sensation of a finger pressed against the back of my neck.


    I sighed and released my magic ¨C the copies and the swords disappeared. I hadn¡¯t been able to see it, but my guess was that she had vaulted over my shoulder to take my back. I was more than a little disappointed. All my effort had come to naught. Elysium chuckled and ruffled my hair.


    ¡°Well done. That was clever. The swords were one thing, but the illusions? That could have been dangerous. They seemed so real.¡±


    ¡°If they were so real, how did you know which was me?¡±


    ¡°Two mistakes you made. First, you tried to go for my blind spot. That¡¯s the obvious choice. The moment you surrounded me, I knew you were going to try and attack my back. So naturally I would assume that would be the real you.¡±


    ¡°Wait, but how did you know there was a real me?¡±


    ¡°That was your second mistake. Your copies were pretty good, yes, but they didn¡¯t have shadows. So I immediately knew they were insubstantial.¡±


    ¡°Eh? But the sun hasn¡¯t come up ¨C there shouldn¡¯t be enough light to cast noticeable shadows at all, how would you tell?¡±


    She laughed.


    ¡°Glint, dear. Your swords were pretty bright, you know.¡±


    I slid my face into my palms and groaned. Of course. I was an idiot. Elysium patted my head.


    ¡°Now, now. Cheer up. You made mistakes, but this is your win.¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t manage to hit you.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not, but you did manage to make me move out of my spot. That¡¯s arguably harder than hitting me, especially since I was resolved to stay in that spot. But your plan and the way you executed it was masterfully done. Good work.¡±


    I blushed, unused to praise.


    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll call it a day. You deserve it. Besides, I need you to come into town with me today. I¡¯ve already told your tutor to give you today off.¡±


    I tilted my head questioningly.


    ¡°Hm? What are we doing?¡±


    Elysium packed up the weapons with a grin and walked toward the stairs.


    ¡°Just follow me and you¡¯ll see.¡±

 Volume 2 Chapter 16: Resound

    <div>


    I tugged uncomfortably at the collar of my new shirt, unused to the sensation of having a piece of clothing pressing into my neck. I turned to the mirror in the fitting room and looked myself over. A white collared shirt, overlaid by a black jacket. A black vest. A pair of black trousers. A pair of white gloves. A black tie to join the collar in constricting my neck ¨C or it was supposed to be a tie. I had no idea how to tie the thing, so it just limply hung on both sides of my neck as two black strips of fabric.


    In case I haven¡¯t made it sufficiently clear by the above description, the outfit that Elysium had ordered for me was a butler outfit.


    I had groaned the moment I saw it. A part of me had suspected she would pull something like that, but I hadn¡¯t thought she would really go and do it. Matching outfits? Really? Besides, she had the grace and the manners to be able to pull off the butler look ¨C I didn¡¯t. I looked extremely out of place, even with my typically unruly hair having been straightened and combed. I stared at myself in the mirror and saw a fourteen-year-old street rat trying to pretend to be someone he¡¯s not. I looked ridiculous.


    I turned around a couple times, trying to figure out how I could make this work. Aesthetics aside, the outfit was already paid for, and refusing Elysium¡¯s goodwill in having it made for me would be inconsiderate and dangerous. Inconsiderate for obvious reasons, dangerous because my continued food and lodging depended on my remaining in her good graces.


    Biting my lip, I experimentally turned around jerkily, testing to see if the outfit was liable to tear in the midst of my training with Elysium or Ruth. Immediately I found that the vest was very restrictive. It also trapped heat, making the outfit even more uncomfortable than it already was. I quickly removed the vest and placed it on a hook in the fitting room, breathing a sigh of relief as my torso was freed from its bindings. Looking at the mirror again, I found that with just the black jacket over the white shirt, I looked much more natural. But the fact that my shirt was tucked in without the vest ruined the look. So I removed the shirt¡¯s hem from the waist of my pants and let it rest over the waist instead. Then I looked myself over again. Much better. Now I looked more like a reckless, abrasive butler-in-training, rather than a scruffy kid forced into a butler outfit. Which admittedly wasn¡¯t much of an upgrade, but I was willing to take whatever I could get.


    I took a deep breath. I wasn¡¯t sure what I would do if Elysium disapproved. If she asked me to wear it properly, there was little I could do to refuse ¨C though refusal would be my ideal outcome. Well, if she really insisted, I was resolved to follow her instructions, given how much I owed her.


    I pulled aside the fitting room curtain, revealing Elysium, who had been patiently waiting for me to get changed. Her eyes swept over me from bottom to top, clearly evaluating my appearace. Then she nodded in approval.


    ¡°Forgoing the vest was a good choice. You don¡¯t quite look as professional as I had expected, but the way you¡¯re wearing it suits you.¡±


    I blinked in confusion.


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re okay with me wearing it like this?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Why not? Better than being a regular butler. That¡¯s boring, and doesn¡¯t bring in the cash. Much better for our public image to have a collection of unusual individuals ¨C this way, people are less likely to forget about us.¡±


    I sighed as I realised her approval was not founded on aesthetic approval, but rather on economic concerns. In all honesty, I should have seen it coming. In the short two weeks I had spent with Elysium and Rosalind, I had quickly come to realise that Elysium prioritised pragmatism in all things. Except when it came to Rosalind. But when engaging in any activity that didn¡¯t directly involve Rosalind, she was constantly thinking about how said activity could be used to turn a profit. Naturally, the issue of my clothing would be no different. I decided to change the topic.


    ¡°Anyway, I doubt you told my teacher to give me the afternoon off just to collect this outfit. What else are we doing?¡±


    ¡°Good catch. Ros told you about our business model, right?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to bring you to the place we¡¯ve bought over to use as the local branch of the Ezov.¡±


    ¡°Eh? You¡¯re setting one up in this city?¡±


    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s large and well-positioned; since it¡¯s on the border between three duchies, there¡¯s a lot of traffic. Barring the lower class district, public order is generally good. Theft rates are high, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware,¡± She winked at me and continued. ¡°But actual violent crimes are relatively rare. The guards seem well-disciplined, and the city¡¯s walls are well-fortified ¨C a necessity, I think, given the geographical position of this place. These factors make it perfect for a branch ¨C people moving from one duchy to another will be able to stop by, I¡¯ll have to spend less on security, and that means a higher profit margin.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°Huh. Makes sense, I guess. And what about me? What am I doing here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I just want you to watch. It would be good for you to know exactly what kind of business we do and how we operate.¡±


    I shrugged and followed her out of the store, giving a grateful nod to the tailor who had assisted us. Four main streets and probably ten or more turns later, we found ourselves in the middle-class district, standing before a large storefront. The sign which declared its name had already been removed, but judging by the fact that its storefront had only two windows, both easily covered by curtains, I suspected it had been either a restaurant or a tavern. Shops that sold actual products tended to have spaces in the shopfront to display the types of wares they sold, or otherwise had large, magically-strengthened glass windows to allow visitors to see the goods on sale.


    Stepping into the building proper, the presence of a counter and a kitchen confirmed my suspicions. It was at this moment that Elysium spoke up, as if reading my thoughts.


    ¡°As you¡¯ve already surmised, this used to be a tavern. Whenever we set up a new branch, we try to buy over a restaurant or tavern. Since we serve food and beverages in addition to our Ros-related products, a restaurant or tavern will have the necessary infrastructure in place for us to begin operation without having to install plumbing or knock out new rooms for the kitchen. Saves us a lot on renovation costs.¡±


    Several of the workers looked up as we came in and nodded in acknowledgement to Elysium. One of the men ¨C a supervisor, judging by the massive stacks of paper he was sorting through ¨C raised his head and waved us over.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am. I suppose this boy¡¯s the new hire?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I brought him over to take a look at how the business works. I hope that¡¯s no trouble?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. We don¡¯t really have much to do, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Then I suppose you won¡¯t object to me lowering the payment for the job.¡±


    ¡°Come now, ma¡¯am, I have a family to feed.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. I was just joking. More importantly, how are things going?¡±


    ¡°As well as you can see. We¡¯ve got the wooden tiling more or less done, and the kitchen is about halfway done. The podium for the Jewel¡¯s already up, too, so I¡¯d say¡­ give it another week, maybe nine days, and we should be finished.¡±


    ¡°Oh? That¡¯s reassuring. That means we might be able to open before Ros¡¯s concert.¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Speaking of that, when does it start? The wife¡¯s pretty excited about watching it, and she keeps bugging me to get tickets for us.¡±


    Elysium laughed.


    ¡°Well, nothing is set in stone yet. But I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re one of the first to know. I¡¯ll even give you a discount.¡±


    ¡°Much appreciated. Anyway, given that you¡¯ve personally come down today, I take it that you¡¯re here to oversee that?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± She turned to me. ¡°Okay, so you remember how I told you about Resound Jewels and using them to broadcast Ros¡¯s concerts all over the country?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Well, today is the day one of the Resound Jewels come in, so we¡¯re going to install it. Well I say install, but it¡¯s really a lot simpler than that. You¡¯ll see.¡±


    A Resound Jewel. I knew what it was, but I had never actually seen one in person. It was prohibitively expensive to purchase, so ordinarily a street rat like myself would never have gotten the opportunity to see one. Needless to say, I was more than a little excited at the prospect.


    Elysium and the supervisor chatted for a while more, talking about various things such as budget and possible compromises, while I patiently listened and made sure to absorb everything I could. It might prove useful in the future, perhaps if Elysium needed me to conduct these negotiations in her place ¨C after all, if she had brought me along today, clearly she expected me to need this information at some point.


    After about an hour of this, a knock on the door heralded the entry of a group of burly men, carrying a large round object, with a cloth draped over it. They were accompanied by another man, slender in build, wearing long, grey robes. A magician, probably in the employ of the noble class. These magicians served in the courts of nobility, doing various odd jobs in exchange for research funding and access to the nobility¡¯s excessively large libraries. They tended to be extremely proficient in magic, often the top of their respective years in the magic schools. They were also very expensive to hire. I briefly wondered what the man was here to do, but the sight of the cloth being removed from the Resound Jewel made me unable to focus on anything else.


    It was beautiful. A single, spherical crystal, its surface perfectly polished. It seemed to contain a rainbow within it, the orb containing an explosion of colour shining from within. The men placed it carefully atop a wooden podium with a hollow in it, and then stepped back. Elysium stepped forward and produced a single, smaller Resound Jewel from her pocket and handed it to the magician. The magician touched it to the larger orb, and a high-pitched ring echoed through the room for a split second. Then the magician passed the smaller Jewel back to Elysium and began to etch a magic circle into the ground around the podium ¨C a protective spell.


    After a few minutes of watching him work, I felt a tap on my left shoulder. Turning around, I saw Elysium, holding up a pair of smaller Resound Jewels, each about the size of an egg.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving these to you. Ask your tutor how to pair them up, then use them for practice. I¡¯ll be counting on you for that in our next location. Oh, and I don¡¯t know how effective your light magic is going to be at it, but maybe ask her about protection magic as well. If you can do all that, we can save on costs the next time.¡±


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and instead gratefully accepted the Jewels. Economic benefits aside, I was genuinely interested in learning how these crystals worked ¨C watching them sparkle so radiantly had given me more than a few ideas, and I was eager to have the chance to put them to the test.

 Volume 2 Chapter 17: Sounds Magical

    <div>


    Two to my left, four above, one to my right, three in front. A wall behind me. Right was my best option. I dived to the right, avoiding the incoming blasts of magic from the other directions, and intercepted the one coming from my right with a palm-sized disc of light, stopping the blast in its tracks. Immediately, another barrage of ten blasts honed in on me, all targeted at the spot where my dodge had landed me. I grit my teeth and generated ten discs of light, blocking all of the blasts with pinpoint accuracy. My assailant didn¡¯t let up. Another barrage, followed by another. First ten, then twenty, then thirty, then too many to count. I tried to keep up, creating ever more discs to block the flight paths of the missiles, but the number was too overwhelmingly large to perfectly account for every attack ¨C eventually, I would miss one, and that would be the end of it.


    When the miss did finally occur, I had only a split second to squeeze out a curse before my body jolted, magic running through my body like liquid fire. At the moment of impact, all the other blasts of magic abruptly disappeared, and I was left to crumple on the ground, exhausted, in a cold sweat. A gentle voice brought me back to my senses.


    ¡°Thirteen minutes. That was pretty good. I¡¯d give you a 7 out of 10.¡±


    I steadied my breathing and pulled off the blindfold, coming face-to-face with the woman who was my teacher, squatting next to me with a grin on her face.


    I painfully pushed myself into a sitting position and replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that if I¡¯d gone another direction, I might have gotten an 8?¡±


    ¡°More or less, yeah. When an opponent leaves such an obvious weak point in the encirclement, it¡¯s a safe assumption that it¡¯s a trap. How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Ugh. Are you sure those blasts are non-lethal? Certainly doesn¡¯t feel that way.¡±


    Ruth laughed.


    ¡°Well, think about it this way, if it was lethal, it wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    ¡°¡­valid point. Still, could we take a break? That was brutal.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. Let¡¯s take a ten minute break.¡±


    She sat down next to me, looking up at the sky. A look of longing ¨C or was it melancholy ¨C crossed her face as she took in the clouds. Ruth had a strange habit of looking to the sky whenever we had these moments of peaceful silence between sparring sessions. The woman who had volunteered to be my teacher was a strange one indeed, but it was none of my business. I had enough on my plate just trying to survive her lessons.


    I groaned and massaged my neck. My body felt like it had just run a marathon. I ached everywhere. The training I had just undertaken was, according to Ruth, intended to help me learn to use my magic defensively.


    The objective was to survive her onslaught for fifteen minutes. To make matters worse, I had to do it blindfolded ¨C I had to rely on my ability to feel magic gathering in the air to determine the direction of her attacks. To this end, she didn¡¯t use the four elements that she was accustomed to, but instead used blasts of concentrated mana. This way, it would be easier for me to detect them ¨C it was also less dangerous than, say, hitting me with a spear of fire. But that also meant that the magic didn¡¯t produce sounds or changes in the temperature of the air that could clue me in. Everything hinged on my ability to accurately pinpoint concentrated mana.


    The first few sessions had ended instantly ¨C I had never tried to do something as abstract as feel the presence of magic before, so I was at a loss when we started. Ruth gradually beat the awareness into me, such that by the end of the first day, I could accurately and almost subconsciously pinpoint her blasts. Incidentally, by the end of the first day, I had thrown up thrice and had trouble walking back to the inn.


    Of course, knowing where the attacks came from was of no use if I couldn¡¯t do anything about them. Ruth had taught me the basics of forming an elemental barrier, so on the second day I had attempted to cover my entire body with a barrier of light. It worked, for about eight minutes. Problem is, sustaining a large-area elemental barrier like that takes a toll on your body. A massive toll. After eight minutes, I collapsed from exhaustion ¨C we had to end our training early that day.


    As the week passed, I learned to form multiple tiny shields instead of one large one, and instead of sustaining it for the whole period, I formed it only to block a specific missile and let it dissipate once the missile¡¯s magical energy was completely dispelled. This way, the drain on my body was much less pronounced and I could keep up the defence for a longer period of time. Of course, it required more attention on my part to the direction of the attacks, but after nearly a week of being pummelled by magic, it was almost an unconscious effort to note the coordinates of each attack. With this new method, I thought I had a chance of winning¡­until Ruth attacked me with a blast the size of a large tree. It was too powerful for my barrier to stop and ended up knocking me unconscious. Hence why I had decided to mix evasion into the technique today. It was working well, too, until I made that fatal mistake at the end and allowed myself to be cornered.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I let out a deep sigh and took out the small Resound Jewels that Elysium had given me, holding them up to the sun and admiring their shine. It was something I had taken to doing in my free time, though this break was the first time in a week I had free time in the company of Ruth, so this was her first time seeing them.


    ¡°Oh, a Resound Jewel. That brings back memories. Did Elysium give that to you?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Oh, actually, that reminds me. I was supposed to ask you how to link them together.¡±


    She placed a finger to her chin, a pondering look crossing her face.


    ¡°Hm. Well I could do that, or¡­¡±


    ¡°I already don¡¯t like where this is going.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I was just going to say it would be better for you to figure it out yourself.¡±


    ¡°Knew it.¡±


    She gently flicked my forehead. It hurt. A lot.


    ¡°I mean, that¡¯s just how teaching works, Glint. It¡¯s always better to let the student figure things out. Especially a student with your level of talent. That said, it¡¯s the teacher¡¯s job to guide the student there. So, first off: tell me what you know about Resound Jewels.¡±


    I rubbed my forehead and dutifully answered.


    ¡°They can be paired up, a single ¡°master¡± jewel can be linked to several ¡°slave¡± jewels, and they allow for the transmission of sound between two paired jewels.¡±


    ¡°5 out of 10. Not wrong, but not exactly right, either.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Resound Jewels indeed do allow for the transference of sound, but that is not their primary function.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not?¡±


    ¡°Think about it. What is sound?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Sound is just¡­ I don¡¯t know, sound, I guess. Everyone knows what a sound is. It¡¯s the thing you hear when something happens.¡±


    ¡°Not good enough. Go one level higher. Think in terms of abstractions. What does it mean to hear something?¡±


    I mused on it for a while, thinking aloud.


    ¡°Well¡­ to hear a sound means to become aware of the sound, I guess? Like, hearing a crash in the distance means knowing that there is a sound resulting from a crash in the distance.¡±


    ¡°Very good. You¡¯re almost there. Make the leap, Glint.¡±


    ¡°So to hear the sound is to become aware of the sound, and by extension, to become aware of the fact that something has happened to produce the sound. For example, hearing a roar in the distance would inform me of the fact that there is-¡°


    I stopped mid-sentence as I suddenly realised where Ruth was going with this. I looked to her, my mind rapidly working to comprehend the implications of the revelation. She nodded encouragingly, silently urging me to bring this line of thought to its natural conclusion.


    ¡°¡­Sound is information. And information can be encoded as magic.¡±


    I looked back down to the Resound Jewels resting in my hands.


    ¡°¡­Resound Jewels don¡¯t transmit sound, they transmit magic.¡±


    With that concept in mind, what was required to pair them became clear. I closed my eyes and held the stones together, making sure they touched. Then I directed a small amount of pure mana through the two stones, making sure the point of contact didn¡¯t shift. When I was done, a channel had been created between the two stones, a faint ripple of magic that I could only detect by carefully searching for it.


    Ruth clapped her hands excitedly.


    ¡°Perfect! 10 out of 10! Resound Jewels are great catalysts for the transfer of magic. Explaining how it works would be a bit too technical ¨C it involves natural resonance and mana frequency ¨C but it¡¯s enough to know that it sends magic, not sound. It¡¯s a recent discovery, too. As it turns out, the mineral that it¡¯s made of happens to be an excellent natural converter of sound to magic, so for the longest time, it was assumed that it only transmitted sound. Trying to transmit anything else through it requires a conscious effort, and the idea itself was so absurd that it seems nobody ever tried it. Pass those over here.¡±


    Ruth held out her hand, and I placed the paired jewels in her open palm.


    ¡°Of course, being the clever student you are, you¡¯ve probably surmised that what I¡¯m about to show you is theoretically possible, but a practical demonstration can¡¯t hurt.¡±


    She then tossed the two jewels in different directions, one straight above, the other directly in front of her. She opened her palm in the direction of the jewel in front, and immediately a spear of fire materialised in front of her hand and struck the jewel. The moment it touched the surface of the jewel, the fire disappeared, as if it was sucked into the jewel. Then, from the jewel above, an identical spear of fire erupted out, flying off into the sky to barbeque some poor, unsuspecting bird.


    I could only watch her, flabbergasted. I mean, she was right, I had been thinking along those lines, but seeing it actually happen in front of me was another matter entirely.


    Moving faster than I could follow, she caught both jewels before they hit the floor and turned to me, holding them out.


    ¡°Now, I had cast that spear with the intent for it to pass through the jewels. If I hadn¡¯t consciously done that, the magic wouldn¡¯t have been transferred and the jewel would just have been struck normally. So I¡¯m afraid that if you¡¯re thinking of making some sort of shield from the jewel, it¡¯s not going to work. That said, I¡¯m sure you can think of numerous applications for this discovery. I look forward to seeing what you come up with.¡±


    She jerked her outstretched hand, a signal for me to hurry up and take the jewels. I retrieved the jewels and pocketed them, then turned to her with a feeling of dread deep in my stomach.


    ¡°Come on, break¡¯s over. I want to get in another three rounds, at least. With your current level, you should be able to succeed before the day¡¯s out.¡±


    I breathed a deep sigh and prepared for another round of desperate evasion and blocking. Somewhere, a voice inside me screamed that I was crazy for continuing with this routine, but I ignored it.

 Volume 2 Chapter 18: A Final Test

    <div>


    Light clashed against fire in the middle of the large space which sat between the alleys. Ruth and I both fired out barrage after barrage of magic, her spears of fire matching and intercepting my blades of light. It was the final day of my lessons with her, and as a graduating test of sorts, today¡¯s session was an all-out brawl. No more focusing on only defence or offense. My task today was to land a fatal hit without being hit myself. The notion of fatally wounding my teacher might be a cause for some concern, but it was a fact that I had no chance of even hitting her if I didn¡¯t earnestly go for the kill. I had to throw everything at my disposal at her, or I had no chance. Even though Ruth was restricting herself to using only as many spears as I did swords, it took all I had to keep up with her, even when she held back.


    Over the course of a single month, between the training with Elysium and the lessons by Ruth, I¡¯d developed the beginnings of a fighting style I could consider uniquely my own. It mostly involved me charging into close range of an opponent and staying close, using my magic to form swords or shields to protect me or to assist my assault where applicable. It was a style built around flexibility: if I met a physically superior opponent, I could use my magic to blind, distract or overwhelm them. If I met an opponent who was more specialised in magic, I could rely on my knife strikes to physically hurt them instead. In the event that my opponent was well-versed in both physical and magical combat, it would come down to a test of skill between us, to see who was better at mixing the two.


    Of course, the above didn¡¯t apply at all to Ruth, who was my superior in both respects. And for Elysium, well, her inability to use magic hindered her and almost got me a win the first time I tried it in our sessions. Then she picked up a weapon, and I ended up on the floor with numerous bruises. My teachers were both rather abnormal in terms of their strength. As a result, I, the pupil, learned a lot about fighting people stronger than me ¨C though I¡¯m not sure whether to celebrate that result or to mourn the many scars and wounds I sustained over the course of that month.


    Returning to the session at hand, it was quickly apparent that even though I could keep up with Ruth¡¯s assault, it was only a matter of time before she overwhelmed me. She was more experienced and more powerful. I had no chance if I let it drag. And yet she refused to show me even the glimpse of an opening, not even a feint. Her guard had no weaknesses. But if I wanted to win, I needed an opening.


    Therefore, I had to make one for myself.


    As I dashed past her, sword striking spear, I flicked one of the two daggers I held, throwing it in Ruth¡¯s direction. Not even missing a beat, she tilted her head slightly away, causing my perfectly-aimed shot to just barely miss her neck, embedding itself in the wall behind her. While still fending off my magical assault, she spoke up.


    ¡°Come now, Glint. You can do better than that.¡±


    I said nothing and grit my teeth, creating and launching another sword of light at her. At the moment she materialised her own spear of fire to match it, I quickly tossed something in my empty hand upward, in the path of the moving sword ¨C I tossed a Resound Jewel. Ruth¡¯s eyes widened for a split second as the sword vanished into the Jewel, as if sucked in by some unknown force. I saw the tip of the sword emerge behind her from the other Resound Jewel, tied around the handle of the weapon I had thrown at her. The next thing I knew, I was on the other side of the clearing, thrown against the wall, my abdomen hurting beyond description. It happened too fast for me to be sure, but I surmised that she had kicked me away at the last minute.


    On the other side of the clearing, where our exchange had taken place, our constant movements had kicked up a large cloud of dust. I could see no movement within. My heart skipped a beat as I comprehended, for a fleeting moment, the possibility that I might have killed Ruth.


    Of course, such worries were entirely unfounded. When the dust cloud settled, the figure of Ruth emerged, unharmed. Her sword was unsheathed and positioned behind her, its blade directly in the path of where my sword of light should have emerged. The impact had blown away the bandages that covered it, revealing, for the first time, the appearance of my teacher¡¯s weapon. It was completely white, from the handle to the blade. The whole weapon seemed to be made as a single piece, with no discernable difference between the different parts of the weapon. Even the blade¡¯s edge was white, made of some material that I¡¯d never seen in my life ¨C possibly some kind of metal, but certainly not steel. Small lines ran along the surface of the weapon, too orderly to be cracks. The whole weapon looked like some kind of puzzle, made from numerous pieces fitted together. Even without its wrapping of bandages, it was as much a mystery as its owner.


    Ruth sheathed the sword, then walked across the lot to me and extended a hand. Her spears of fire had all been extinguished, so I took that to mean that the bout had ended. I sighed and took the hand, letting myself be helped to my feet.


    ¡°I suppose that means I failed?¡±


    Ruth laughed and shook her head.


    ¡°Oh, no. Certainly not. You passed. By a large margin, I should add.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Hm? But I never did land a hit.¡±


    ¡°No, but if you did, I would be dead, no? The fact that you made me use Myriad stands testament to the fact that my life was genuinely in peril. The moment I drew this blade, I was no longer holding back. So take pride in that.¡±


    I basked in the praise for a moment, then seized upon the unfamiliar name.


    ¡°Myriad?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Ruth bit her lip. ¡°Well, I suppose that telling you would suffice as a reward.¡±


    She unhooked her sword from her belt and retrieved a roll of bandages from within her coat, starting to wrap it up once again as she explained.


    ¡°This over here¡¯s Myriad. My constant companion and benefactor. She¡¯s seen me through a lot.¡±


    ¡°Why do you go out of your way to hide it?¡±


    ¡°Her design tends to draw a lot of unnecessary attention. Attention I¡¯d rather avoid.¡±


    ¡°It certainly doesn¡¯t look like any weapon I¡¯ve ever seen. Was it custom-made?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d venture to say she¡¯s the only one of her kind in the world. She was made for me by my- by someone very special to me.¡±


    I wanted to ask about that obvious pause, but decided against it. It wasn¡¯t my place to pry into Ruth¡¯s private affairs. I decided to ask one last question, to close the discussion off.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you call it Myriad?¡±


    Ruth grinned as she put the last touches on the bandage wrapping of the weapon.


    ¡°I sincerely hope you never learn the answer to that question.¡±


    With that done, Ruth clipped Myriad back on to her belt and sat down and the ground, gesturing for me to sit next to her.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re more or less done with our lessons. I¡¯ve taught you all you need to know ¨C you should now be perfectly capable of experimenting and developing new ways to use your magic, beyond what I¡¯ve taught you. That Resound Jewel trick was a good improvisation. You might want to think about using a method that doesn¡¯t require you to let go of your weapon, though. Now, we¡¯ve got a couple hours before Elysium swings by to pick you up, so let me play the part of teacher for the last time. Do you have any questions about what I¡¯ve taught you? Anything to clarify? This is your last chance, you know.¡±


    For the next two hours, I asked all the questions I could think of. Some I already knew the answer to, others turned out to be irrelevant. But that was unimportant. The thought that my time as a student to Ruth was coming to an end filled me with distress. It wasn¡¯t because of any kind of personal attachment to her ¨C I didn¡¯t know enough about her to form attachments like that. But it was more the fact that someone had, for the first time, gone out of their way to teach me magic. Something I had always wanted to learn, but an opportunity I had always been denied. Finally, someone had stepped up to give me this opportunity, and our time together was coming to an end, and that filled me with melancholy. That was the extent of it. To that end, I sought to use our time together to the fullest, to cram into those last two hours the curiosity of fifteen years.


    Our discussion dwindled to an end just as Elysium emerged from one of the alleyways, strolling towards us. Ruth and I both stood up and went to meet her. Ruth deliberately nudged me forward, an action that was a confirmation that our sessions were at an end. I nodded and went to stand beside Elysium, facing Ruth. Elysium watched this in silence, then addressed Ruth.


    ¡°Your one month¡¯s up.¡±


    Ruth laughed.


    ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t disappoint?¡±


    ¡°Certainly not. He¡¯s become quite the adept mage. He¡¯s even started to give me trouble in our daily sparring sessions.¡±


    ¡°Maybe soon you can start holding back less.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to continue being his tutor? If it¡¯s a matter of money, we have more than enough. And Glint seems inclined to your company, as well.¡±


    I nodded, but said nothing. I didn¡¯t want to impose on either of them, and besides, Elysium was negotiating. Butting in would only annoy her.


    ¡°Tempting, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to refuse. I have my own matters to tend to, and I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve already tarried for too long.¡±


    ¡°I see. What are you going to do now?¡±


    ¡°I have a couple of private matters to attend to. Can¡¯t tell you more than that, for both our sakes.¡±


    ¡°Would your private matters have anything to do with the reason why you¡¯re going out of your way to teach Glint combat magic?¡±


    The air turned chilly all of a sudden. Elysium was clearly issuing a challenge. But Ruth just smiled and responded in an even tone.


    ¡°Some of those matters are, in fact, related, though they¡¯re not exactly high on my list of priorities.¡±


    She stopped smiling and displayed a serious expression.


    ¡°Something¡¯s going on. The King¡¯s being too much of a fool. Resentment is increasing, the flames of unrest are beginning to burn. Hopefully it fizzles out, but I wouldn¡¯t bet on it. This country is going to find itself in the grip of conflict sooner or later, and when it does, I¡¯m counting on you ¨C on both of you ¨C to keep Rosalind safe. That¡¯s all I ask. Steer clear of trouble. I want to say keep your heads down, but since Rosalind is apparently well-known now, that¡¯s not exactly an option. That¡¯s why I trained Glint in magic ¨C so that in the worst case, he can take over as her protector.¡±


    Elysium raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Hm? You doubt my ability to keep her safe?¡±


    Ruth laughed and shook her head.


    ¡°No, no. As long as you¡¯re by her side, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be fine. That is, as long as you¡¯re by her side. What happens if there ever comes a time where you¡¯re not able to be with her? No matter how strong you are, you can¡¯t be everywhere at once. That¡¯s a lesson I¡¯ve learned. A very painful lesson.¡±


    A hint of sorrow crept into her expression, but quickly disappeared, replaced with a grin.


    ¡°Anyway, the time has long come for us to part ways. I¡¯ll be keeping an eye on your progress. We¡¯ll probably meet again some day, one way or another.¡± She turned to me. ¡°When that time comes, I hope to see how much you¡¯ve grown, Glint.¡± She turned back to Elysium. ¡°I still want to duel you. Someday, maybe, when things have settled down. Look forward to it.¡±


    With that, she crouched down and leaped, jumping on top of a rooftop in a single bound, waving once before disappearing over the edge. Elysium waved back and flashed a broad grin, clearly accepting Ruth¡¯s challenge.


    Meanwhile, it took all I had to stay conscious after briefly considering the aftermath of a duel between these two women. It was something I hoped I would never have the chance to witness.

 Volume 2 Chapter 19: A Sound Idea

    <div>


    ¡°Wait, wait. I don¡¯t get it. How is firing it with a Resound Jewel as a focal point any different from just forming the sword in that same spot?¡±


    It was about a week after my lessons in magic had ended. My schedule had shifted a little, but it was still packed. Mornings were still sparring sessions with Elysium, but afternoons were now spent following Elysium around town to learn how our business model worked. On this particular occasion, we were having lunch while seated in the newly renovated, but not yet opened Ezov. The lunch was prepared by a chef that had been sent by Hager Bainel, and served as a means to test the quality of the food that was to be served at this branch. Of course, with a chef sent by the owner of the Bainel Trading Company, the quality was never really in question, so really it was just an excuse for us to get free food, in a move of thriftiness typical of Elysium.


    Over lunch, our casual talk had moved to the topic of my training, and from there, I was recounting the final test that Ruth had given me. I had just gotten to the bit about my trick with the Resound Jewels when Elysium interrupted me.


    ¡°What do you mean, how is it different? It¡¯s another process entirely.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, why not just form the sword behind her, rather than using the Resound Jewel as a focal coordinate? She should have been within your twenty meter effective range, no?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you seem to be misunderstanding something. Actually, come to think of it, I never did share with you what I learned about Resound Jewels, did I?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I figured it didn¡¯t matter as long as you knew how to use them.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Well, let me correct you on one point; I didn¡¯t use the Resound Jewel as a focal coordinate, I used it as a gate of sorts. A tunnel between the two Resound Jewels. What I did was to send my attack through the Resound Jewel I held on to, so that it would emerge from the other one and catch her by surprise. If I had simply materialised the attack from behind her, she would have been able to detect the mana converging, and so the surprise would have been ruined. The way I did it, the mana convergence would have occurred on my end of the tunnel, so to her, it would seem as if the attack had spontaneously appeared from nowhere without any prior preparation. So the move was necessary to take her by surprise, and- uh, Elysium? Are you listening?¡±


    I broke off from my explanation as I noticed that Elysium was staring at me with a dumbfounded expression. She blinked several times as I called for her attention, then shook her head vigorously.


    ¡°Sorry. Let me clarify: you said that you used the Resound Jewels as a tunnel? That you sent your attack through the Jewels? I thought the Jewels could only transmit sound!¡±


    ¡°Ah, about that; that was my impression too, but as it turns out, it was wrong. Apparently, Jewels don¡¯t transmit sounds; they transmit information in the form of magic. It just so happens that the makeup of a Jewel naturally encodes sound into magic without external influence; it is hence possible to send other forms of magic through a Jewel, though it would require a bit more effort on the sender¡¯s part.¡±


    ¡°¡­So, you can send any kind of magic through the Jewels? Not just sound?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. Any information that can be encoded as magic can be sent through the Jewel.¡±


    ¡°¡­your illusion things, the fake copies of yourself that you keep creating during our sessions. You mentioned that the spell worked by encoding the image of yourself as magic?¡±


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s a bit more complicated than that, and it took me half a day to figure it out, but in a very general sense, that¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°So, theoretically speaking, could you send an image of yourself through the jewels?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Not just in theory, either. I can show you.¡±


    I casually tossed one of the Resound Jewels across the empty Ezov, waiting for it to stop bouncing and come to rest at the other side of the room, then I activated my illusion spell ¨C directing the magic through the paired Jewel I held in my hand. Instantly, a life-sized image of myself sprung up next to the thrown Jewel, giving us a small wave before fading away as I ended the spell.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Just like that. It took me a while, but I¡¯m pretty confident in my ability to send any spell through the Jewels now. Illusions, phantasmal swords, anything that I know how to form.¡±


    I puffed out my chest in pride, expecting a little praise, but I quickly corrected my posture when I set eyes upon Elysium¡¯s expression. Her brows were furrowed in thought, her thumb clenched between her teeth as she bit it furiously. In between bites, I heard traces of muttering.


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe it¡­ Revolutionise the industry¡­ change the game¡­ now? No, too soon¡­ Need to market this well¡­ Next time. Maybe¡­ Need to confirm if live images work¡­ Need to keep strain in mind too¡­ test first¡­ implement later¡­¡±


    In the past week, I had seen this sort of behaviour with surprising regularity. This was the way she acted whenever she needed to make a major business-related decision, though this was the first time I had seen her quite this deranged. She was like a woman possessed. I silently watched her and kept my distance ¨C I had learned that she reacted rather violently when interrupted during these little sessions of deliberation.


    After several more minutes of barely coherent rambling, Elysium suddenly removed her thumb from her lips and sat up straight, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened ¨C anyone who chanced upon us now would have laughed at the notion that the currently calm and composed woman was muttering to herself just seconds before. It seemed that she had come to a decision, whatever that decision was. Then she hugged me. Hard.


    ¡°U-um, Elysium, what-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad I picked you up. Taking you on was the best decision I¡¯ve made in months. I usually don¡¯t believe in fate, but what can this be if not fate? Oh, Glint, I¡¯m so glad I met you.¡±


    ¡°Um, uh, thanks, I guess? I don¡¯t really understand, but I¡¯m glad to be of service¡­?¡±


    I could feel my face heating up from the suffocation, and tapped Elysium¡¯s arm twice, coughing to make my point. She quickly seperated from me and held me at arms¡¯ length. I caught her gaze ¨C her eyes were filled with excitement. Clearly, she saw some way of monetising the ability I had just demonstrated, though I hadn¡¯t the faintest clue about what she intended for me to do. I decided to break the silence with a clarification.


    ¡°So, uh, I suppose you want me to do something involving Resound Jewels during the concert?¡±


    To my surprise, Elysium shook her head.


    ¡°No. Not this time, anyway. I don¡¯t have enough time to set the stage. We¡¯ll implement it for the next concert, so that I have the time to do the prep work.¡±


    ¡°In other words, you do want me to do something involving Resound Jewels; just not this time.¡±


    ¡°Yep. We need to be careful about the timing for this. It won¡¯t have quite as much impact after the first instance, so we need to make full use of that opportunity.¡±


    I nodded my assent, and she let go of my arms. I walked across the room to pick up the fallen Jewel. At the moment I stooped down, a girl ¨C slightly older than me, I believed ¨C stepped out from the kitchen and said something to Elysium. Elysium listened carefully, then nodded twice. The girl placed a large briefcase on the table in front of Elysium and walked back to the kitchen. As I returned to my seat, I snuck a glance at the contents of the briefcase. Many small, neatly bundled stacks of paper sat within, each with Rosalind¡¯s name on it in an elegant cursive, framed by a decorative border. Each slip had a letter on the bottom left, either A, B or C. Apart from the border, the name and the letter, no other decoration adorned the slip. Elysium caught me glancing at the briefcase and laughed.


    ¡°Tickets, for your first concert. Your first rehearsal will be next week, so it¡¯s about time for me to open sales of these as well.¡±


    She finished her cursory inspection of the tickets and was about to close to briefcase, when she paused and looked at me.


    ¡°Oh, right. I almost forgot. If you want, you can have a couple of tickets to give away for free. A perk of working with us, if you will. Our other employees get two free tickets each, but for you, I think we can spare a couple more. Maybe ten, at most.¡±


    ¡°Ten? Wouldn¡¯t that be a loss for you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing that the rest of the sales won¡¯t make up. Besides, you¡¯re worth at least that much, with all the money you¡¯re going to help us make from now on.¡±


    I responded to the cold evaluation of my value as a monetary asset with a dry laugh, then considered her offer. I sincerely doubted whether I had a single friend ¨C much less ten of them ¨C but I did know someone who would be overjoyed to get a free ticket, and since I owed her a couple of favours, I figured it was a good way to settle the score.


    ¡°Tickets, huh¡­ I can give them to anybody?¡±


    ¡°Yep. You have anyone in mind? A special someone? A girlfriend waiting in the wings, maybe?¡±


    I laughed.


    ¡°Heh. I do have a person in mind, and it is a girl, but she¡¯s definitely not my girlfriend.¡±


    A flash of blue hair and green eyes invaded my thoughts. Well, if I was going to end up leaving the city after this concert to follow Elysium, it was probably best to at least go pay her a visit and explain why. I owed her that much.


    ¡°Can I have seven tickets? And if I could have the day off tomorrow, that¡¯d be great.¡±

 Volume 2 Chapter 20: Anneliese

    <div>


    My destination was a lone house, its door along an alleyway in the lower-class district of the city, just a couple blocks away from the tavern where I had first met Ruth. Its facade was a faded green, the paint peeling off in places. The door was made of old wood, well-maintained despite its age. I adjusted my collar and checked that the tickets were still safe in my pocket. Then I knocked on the front door. After a few seconds of waiting, the door opened, just a crack. A shockingly green eye peered at me from the darkness behind it, then the door opened fully to reveal Anneliese.


    She was wearing her casual clothes ¨C that is to say, a shirt and nothing else. Her hair was a tangled mess. When it came to her manner of dress, she tended to waver between two extremes: when working, she dressed daringly, wearing higher-cut dresses and cultivating a sensual, captivating appearance. When she was off the job, she dressed daringly in another way, often not bothering with wearing anything more than the bare minimum. That she had not answered the door in her underwear was a stroke of good fortune. The first few times I had seen her like this, I had been shocked and anxious, but I¡¯d long gotten used to her slovenly ways.


    ¡°Well, well. Look at you, Glint. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you dress this nicely before.¡±


    ¡°I never had the reason to. Or the money, for that matter.¡±


    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s kind of weird, seeing you dressed so nicely. A very big departure from your old look. Don¡¯t you think the switch is a bit too drastic?¡±


    I shot her a glare. She was hardly one to comment on drastic changes in appearance.


    ¡°¡­Are you going to invite me in, or are we just going to stand here and show the entire street your underwear?¡±


    Anneliese grinned and made to unbutton her shirt, still standing in the doorway. I hurriedly pushed her back through the doorway and shut the door behind me. She put up no resistance when I pushed her, but once the door was closed, she looked at me with her eyes upturned, her body turned away from me bashfully.


    ¡°Oh my, how forceful. Pushing a young lady like myself through the door and closing it, so that nobody sees¡­ so that it¡¯s just the two of us¡­ Am I to lose my innocence here and now, to this beast of a man¡­?¡±


    I rubbed my temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache.


    ¡°Fuck¡¯s sake, Anneliese. If you ever had any innocence, you probably threw it away the day you were born, I swear. And you¡¯re supposed to be older than me?¡±


    Anneliese dropped the ridiculous act and burst into laughter, ruffling my hair.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. It¡¯s just fun to tease you. I¡¯ll head into the kitchen and get us something to drink, go wait for me in the dining room.¡±


    Having slept several nights in this house, I had no need to be shown around. I headed right to the dining room ¨C though considering the area it denoted, calling it a room was generous. The house was essentially made of four rooms: a kitchen, a washroom, a dressing room, and a single room that functioned as a bedroom as well as a dining room. It was a reasonably-sized room with seven beds crammed into it, with an old table in the middle, such that the foot of each bed was touching the table. That was where the Syrens ate and slept. Seven beds for seven girls, Anneliese included. I stood, wondering where I should sit. The last time I had been here, there were only six beds. The inclusion of the seventh left the table with nowhere for a guest to sit ¨C my only option was to sit on one of the beds, but I didn¡¯t feel right about sitting on a girl¡¯s bed without permission.


    As I was considering this, Anneliese emerged from the kitchen with a tray containing two dirty glasses, a bottle of beer, and a pitcher of water. She saw me standing by the table and quickly deduced my problem.


    ¡°Ah, just sit on my bed. I¡¯ll sit on Lianne¡¯s.¡±


    A name I didn¡¯t recognise. Probably the seventh and newest member. I knew that the Syrens had added to their number, but I knew nothing about the girl they had brought into the fold. Not that it was my business. More importantly, I kept my eyes fixed on Anneliese. Now that I had gotten over her state of dress, I realised that she was looking a little pale. Moreover, I could see her shivering slightly.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Anneliese, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Uh, yeah, I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me. Hurry up and take a seat.¡±


    To prove her point, she strode forward with the tray ¨C only to have her legs buckle beneath her. She lurched forward, the tray flying out of her hands. Moving quickly, I caught her before she hit the ground. As for the tray, a tree of condensed light materialised to hold it steady, with branches wrapped around the bottles and glasses. I hurriedly ferried Anneliese to her bed ¨C the one closest to the door ¨C and laid her down, then swiftly retrieved the tray and its contents. I could condense light into solid form, but I was still working on trying to make it last longer ¨C at my current level of ability, I could only maintain the shape for several seconds, at most. I rearranged the glasses on the tray and set it on the table, then moved over to sit by Anneliese¡¯s side. I placed the back of my palm against her head, then sighed in relief as I noted that her temperature was normal.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Anneliese pushed herself up into a sitting position.


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m fine. Just tired.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look fine. What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I had to pay rent yesterday. He brought friends.¡±


    My eyebrow twitched. I was well aware of the arrangement between Anneliese and her landlord. It was the only way she was able to actually live in a house, rather than out on the street.


    ¡°You could have refused his friends.¡±


    ¡°He offered to waive the rent for next month.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    This was her choice. Even if I didn¡¯t approve of it, it wasn¡¯t my place to say anything. What she did, she did to protect the Syrens ¨C her family.


    ¡°Have you told the new girl ¨C Lianne, was it?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet. She¡¯s only nine. She doesn¡¯t need to know about this arrangement. We¡¯ve told her I work a side job ¨C which isn¡¯t technically a lie. We¡¯re just keeping quiet about what that job is.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re the only one here today?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the others took her out shopping. So she wouldn¡¯t see me like this. Such darlings, the lot of them.¡±


    Anneliese clapped her hands and shook her head, then crawled forward on the bed, positioning herself at the foot of the bed, such that the table was within reach. She cracked open the beer and poured it into one of the glasses, downing it in a gulp before turning back to me.


    ¡°Well then, that¡¯s enough about me. Let¡¯s talk about you. What the fuck was that speed? And that light thing? I don¡¯t remember you ever being quite that athletic.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been training. I found a pair of teachers, they¡¯ve been teaching me how to fight, and how to use my magic.¡±


    ¡°And I suppose your girlfriend from the other day is one of them? She certainly knew her way around a fight. A little old, though. I never knew you liked older women, Glint!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right in that she¡¯s one of my teachers, but I¡¯ll say it again, she¡¯s not my girlfriend, or lover, or anything like that. She¡¯s my employer.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ a sugar mommy? My word. To think the child I found on the streets would grow up to be such an incubus¡­! It makes mommy sad¡­¡±


    Anneliese raised her hand to her eye to wipe away an imaginary tear. I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Sorry, but a five year age gap isn¡¯t quite enough for you to be my mother. And no, not a sugar mommy. An actual employer. Like, I got a proper job.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What kind of job?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a lights technician.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still not entirely sure, but apparently I¡¯m going to be using my magic to create light for a concert.¡±


    Anneliese froze.


    ¡°Wait, by concert, do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Rosalind¡¯s concert, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so your new employer is-¡±


    ¡°Rosalind, more or less. It¡¯s technically Elysium, who handles her schedule and such, but I¡¯m basically working for Rosalind now.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you got to meet Rosalind? And talk to her?¡±


    ¡°We have dinner together, yeah. She stays in the room across from mine at the inn. She¡¯s also been teaching me how to read and write.¡±


    I thoroughly enjoyed her sight of Anneliese staring at me slack-jawed. But, Anneliese being Anneliese, she recovered from the shock frighteningly fast.


    ¡°Well, well. Looks like you¡¯re moving up in the world, Glint.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. I guess you could say that.¡±


    ¡°So why¡¯d you come to visit today? Knowing you, it can¡¯t have been for idle chatter. You¡¯ve always been too serious for your own good.¡±


    I fished the tickets out of my pocket.


    ¡°Two reasons. The first is to give you these.¡±


    ¡°Wait, these are-¡±


    ¡°Tickets to the concert. The second-highest tier, too, so you¡¯ll be right in front. Seven tickets, for seven Syrens. We would have given you the highest tier, but they¡¯re already sold out.¡±


    I held the tickets out to her. She looked at them apprehensively, then snatched them away, eyes going wide as she confirmed that they were indeed the second-tier tickets. Then she hugged me.


    ¡°Thank you, Glint. Thank you so much. The girls are going to love this!¡±


    I patted her back as she hugged me, and continued speaking.


    ¡°Well, that was the first reason. The second reason¡­ is to say goodbye.¡±


    Anneliese provided no discernible reaction. Then she spoke, while still hugging me.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re leaving?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I work for Rosalind now, and she travels around. Naturally, that means I¡¯ll be travelling too. I¡¯m going to leave this town. I might not be back for a while.¡±


    She said nothing for a while, holding me tightly. I felt something warm drop on my shoulder.


    ¡°¡­Glint, do you remember the day we met?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    I had been lost and alone, wandering the streets. I had wandered into this city from outside ¨C I don¡¯t remember from where. I had tried to steal an apple from a stall, but got caught. I had run, and run, and run, down numerous alleyways, and I didn¡¯t know where I was, or how to get out, or even where I could go if I did find my way out. I had slumped down by a wall, accepting that I was going to starve to death. And then a girl, just a little older than me, had come up to me and offered her hand. She taught me how to steal, and showed me how to navigate the alleys. That was Anneliese, back when she was still just a member of the Syrens, and not its leader.


    ¡°Glint, do you remember the question I asked you back then?¡±


    Back then, in that dark alley, when she extended her hand, she had posed me a very simple question that I had no answer to.


    ¡°I remember.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you could answer it now, if I asked you again?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, here goes: What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°I want to go out, and keep learning, and keep growing, until the day I can stand proudly as an equal to Rosalind and to Elysium. I want to become someone who can help them, who¡¯s more than just a drain on their resources. That¡¯s what I want to do.¡±


    Anneliese pulled away from me. Her eyes were still a little wet. She grinned and ruffled my hair.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good answer. You¡¯ve really grown up, Glint.¡±


    Then she hugged me again.


    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work out, feel free to come back. I know you¡¯ve never thought of us this way, but to me, you¡¯ve always been my troublesome little brother. You¡¯ll always have a room here.¡±


    ¡°You mean the dressing room?¡±


    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a bed in it now.¡±


    We both laughed and shifted to talking about matters of little significance, a flame of gratitude burning in my heart the entire time.

 Volume 2 Chapter 21: Improvisations

    <div>


    Rosalind¡¯s clear singing voice echoed through the empty hall. Where the audience should have been, there were rows upon rows of chairs ¨C rows that were still being constructed, for that matter. Even while she sang, several pairs of hired hands were bringing in countless stacks of chairs and arranging them. The defunct guild building had been chosen as the venue for this concert, due to both its location near the center of the city as well as its considerable size.


    Rosalind reached a lull in the song, and began to dance as Elysium played a musical interlude on a violin. Rosalind¡¯s movements were nothing too elaborate, but they were clearly very well-practiced: she matched the rhythm of the violin, swaying with its lilts and speeding up when it did. Her steps took her to the front of the stage, and as she moved, I made sure that the orb of light above her followed along, keeping her figure illuminated. At the same time, I created another orb above Elysium, illuminating the figure of her playing the violin, bearing a dignified poise, eyes closed as her hand deftly manipulated the bow. Of course, I kept the light on Elysium noticeably dimmer than the one I shone on Rosalind; Rosalind was the star of this show, after all.


    Today¡¯s rehearsal marked the seventh day since we had started rehearsals. My schedule had adjusted accordingly; Morning was still physical training with Elysium, but afternoons all the way to the evening were dedicated to rehearsals. We often ended late; returning to the inn after midnight had become a regular occurence. I quickly learned that while Rosalind was generally a gentle, quiet woman, she was just as harsh as Elysium when it came to matters of her performances ¨C both on herself and on those who supported her. On the first day, she spent three hours practicing a single step, just because she didn¡¯t perfectly match the beat. I suppose that as a self-taught dancer, that degree of discipline was to be expected, but that intensity took me off guard when I first saw it, since I had only known the quiet, smiling Rosalind.


    That intensity extended to her rebukes of those who worked with her, as well. She had basically stared down Elysium until Elysium played the melody flawlessly thrice in a row ¨C that took us nearly an entire day. And as for me, she raised her voice and scolded me once when I missed my cue to move my light¡­ though that was largely the only criticism that had been directed at me.


    I¡¯d like to say it¡¯s because of my natural talent leaving no room for critique, but in truth, it¡¯s simply because my role in the performance didn¡¯t have much to critique. I had been a little confused about what Elysium wanted me to do when I took the job, but as it turned out, my job was basically just creating orbs of light to illuminate Elysium and Rosalind. As long as I paid attention and created or dispelled the light when needed, my job was done. It was an exceedingly simple job, barely a drain on my magic and with very little opportunity for error.


    It was also incredibly, unspeakably boring.


    A full week of rehearsals had left me frustrated. Seven days in a row of doing nothing but producing orbs of light in the same locations over and over had left their mark on my patience. The boredom was one thing, though that was nothing too distressing; I had spent longer periods of time doing nothing while trailing potential marks, often with no payoff. So the boredom, I could deal with. What bothered me was my belief that I could do more. I felt like my magic was being underutilised.


    Looking back, that was likely a sign of my immaturity, the foolishness of a child. Having heard Rosalind sing and Elysium accompany her, I was swept off my feet ¨C the two of them were producing something special, some kind of magic beyond magic. Hearing the performance made my heart feel light, made a warmth spread within me. It was like listening and watching to them washed away all my anxieties and worries, so that I could focus only on their performance. There was a definite something inherent in their performance, and I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to be a part of that special performance, and as more than just a glorified lamp. I wanted to actively contribute.


    So I did. On that day, during that seventh day of rehearsals, after the interlude, when Rosalind began singing the chorus, I did as I was supposed to and cut the light on Elysium, increasing the brightness of the orb illuminating Rosalind. But while I did, I also prepared the image for a second spell in the back of my mind, relying on my subconscious familiarity with the sequence to handle the timing for the lights.


    The song Rosalind was practicing was a crowd favorite, ¡°Bound Rose¡±. It was the song that she had sung at her first concert, one that had received an enormously positive reception. I tailored my mental image to fit the chorus.


    ¡°O beautiful vine, encroach then upon me.¡±


    When Rosalind reached this line, I activated the spell, forming light into my mental image and projecting it. Immediately, a mass of light, shaped like a giant rose that was easily twice her size, materialised behind her. Her eyes opened wide in surprise, but impressively, she didn¡¯t falter in her song or dance, continuing on as if nothing had happened.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Bind me to you; a bond everlasting.¡±


    A set of chains, comprised of slightly dimmer light, emerged from the ground and snaked around the rose, hovering above the surface of the illuminary flower. The radiance of the flower emanated through the chains, illuminating Rosalind from her back, granting her a soft glow as she continued to sing.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t let me go, please keep by and chain me.¡±


    The chains jerked and clamped down on the rose, constricting it. Even then, the rose continued to shine brilliantly through the gaps in its cage of chains.


    ¡°Your thorns, though they pierce, so sweetly they hurt.¡±


    The light of the chains slowly changed, becoming brighter and warmer, until they matched the glow of the rose. Then they melded into the rose, leaving Rosalind beautifully illuminated once more.


    This was the last chorus for this song, so as Rosalind moved on to the verse, I allowed the flower and chains to disperse. Then I groaned as I thought about how Elysium would react to my improvisation. I could already see her glaring at me, even as she continued playing her violin.


    The rest of the song went by without incident, ending with Rosalind in her final pose, with both hands clasped together and her eyes closed, as if in prayer. Then she gave a deep bow to her imaginary audience and gracefully strode off the stage to the applause of the many men who were helping move the chairs. In accordance to the performance directions, she walked toward the right wing of the stage, opposite the wing where I was stationed. Meanwhile, Elysium, also moving in accordance to the directions, moved past her, walking briskly toward the left wing. Once she crossed the line which marked the furthest point where the audience could still see her, she turned on me, a ferocity burning in her gaze.


    ¡°What was that? That wasn¡¯t in the plan, what the fuck was that?!¡±


    I hurriedly tried to make excuses for myself, but was quickly silenced by a stinging pain across my cheek. Her right hand was held across her body, its palm open and firm. She¡¯d slapped me ¨C at a speed that I hadn¡¯t been able to catch, no less. She was angry. Very angry. She caught my chin with her hand and jerked my face up to meet hers. I kept eye contact with her, knowing that averting my gaze now would only make her angrier.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking mess with the performance plan. What if you¡¯d surprised Rosalind, and caused her to miss a step? What if she¡¯d been distracted and sustained an injury? What the fuck were you intending to do if that happened, huh?!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I said nothing. I had no excuse. There was no reason for me to do that improvisation, and it could have jeopardised the entire performance.


    ¡°There is one, and only one, reason that you should ever deviate from the plan: when something goes wrong. If the performance is going well with no problems, like just now, you do not introduce rogue elements like that. Am I clear?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Am. I. Clear.¡±


    Her tone dropped dangerously low. I felt a chill in my veins. I was filled with the conviction that if I didn¡¯t answer correctly, and quickly, my life would be forfeit. So I nodded vigorously, both out of self-preservation, and because I sincerely recognised that I had messed up. She let go of my chin, and the pressure of her gaze disappeared. Then, to my surprise, she ruffled my hair.


    ¡°Good. Now, I might have said all that, but that¡¯s not to say I disapprove entirely. You messing with the plan was absolutely uncalled for, but the whole flower of light thing was actually a pretty good idea.¡±


    ¡°Wait, really?¡±


    ¡°Yep. I¡¯d been planning to have you do that for us eventually, but I didn¡¯t realise that your ability was already at a level where you were able to create such images without a physical reference with such ease. You know, if you¡¯d really felt like your abilities were under-utilised, you could have raised the issue with myself or Rosalind. We would have heard you out.¡±


    I hung my head in shame: she¡¯d accurately deduced the reason for my impulsiveness.


    ¡°Well, in any case, now that I know you¡¯re actually capable of light tricks like that, we¡¯ll just advance our schedule and work those into our performance. Just one song for now, though ¨C we don¡¯t have the time for more. You¡¯ll need to come up with more images and handle the choreography, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯re capable of it.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so I can keep doing that?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I said I liked it, didn¡¯t I? If you have any other ideas for how to make the performance better, make sure to let us know ¨C but do it before or after the performance. So that everyone involved knows what¡¯s going on. Most importantly, make sure you clear it with Rosalind ¨C this is her show, so we can¡¯t have your magic stealing the spotlight. And don¡¯t ever pull a mid-song improv like that, unless you want to see what I¡¯m like when I¡¯m really angry.¡±


    She said that last line with a smile, but I felt my blood run cold. A properly angry Elysium was something I couldn¡¯t imagine ¨C and I felt like that was a good thing.


    At this moment, Rosalind came walking toward us, crossing from the right to the left wing via the backstage area. Then she flicked my forehead, hard. An explosion of pain erupted between my eyebrows, causing me to double back and clutch it in agony. As I writhed, she glared at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s for messing with the plan.¡±


    Then she placed a palm over my forehead and hummed a clear note, causing the pain to disperse. When I looked up, she was wearing that gentle smile she often wore while teaching me.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s get to work on mixing those images into my dance. That flower of light thing was brilliant.¡±


    After this, Elysium left to head to the Ezov, where she would be handling ticket sales for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, Rosalind and I sat down and discussed what kind of images I could generate to make her performance the spectacular finale it deserved to be.


    It was not lost on me that Rosalind and Elysium had basically thought the exact same thing about my little stunt. It was a testament to how synchronised they were when it came to this performance, despite the many little differences they displayed on a daily basis. It was clear that Rosalind¡¯s concert meant a lot to both of them. And now, I was a part of that performance. The thought brought me no small amount of pride.

 Volume 2 Chapter 22: A Field of Stars

    <div>


    I peeked out from behind the curtains, trembling as I did. The venue was completely full. A few lamps installed along the sides of the seating areas and on the aisles provided enough light for the audience to find their seats, while also allowing me to get an idea of exactly how many people had gathered to watch. It was enough to make anyone anxious ¨C and I, performing my role for the first time, was no exception.


    By rough estimates, there were maybe 250 people in the hall. Some were seated, some were standing. It was obvious that those seated were those who were wealthier ¨C with the exception of a group of seven girls seated near the front. The Syrens were wearing their best clothes for the occasion, but it was clear that they didn¡¯t belong ¨C the worn state of their clothing aside, the others around them were noticeably uncomfortable with their presence. They didn¡¯t mind it, though. They just chatted with each other, their excitement almost visible in its intensity. Anneliese looked up, as if she noticed something, and turned her head to match my stare. She gave a little wave. I quickly ducked my head back behind the curtains ¨C if she could see me, so could everyone else.


    I was to be the hidden magician of this show ¨C I would have no turn in the spotlight, even when it came to my light tricks for her final song. This was for two reasons: the first, because Rosalind was, ultimately, the star of the show. Hence why even Elysium¡¯s accompaniment was given the dimmer light. The second was because Elysium wanted to keep my power a secret, as far as possible. It was alright for me to act as her assistant, but that was the only capacity in which Elysium was willing to let me be seen. She didn¡¯t want to reveal that the light magician behind her shows was me. It was inevitable for me to be exposed during rehearsals, but our hired help were all provided by Bainel ¨C who was in on the whole deception. She even paid a dummy sum to the Bainel Company as supposed payment for a light magician subcontract ¨C payment that was sent back to her within a week.


    When I asked her about why she was going to such lengths to conceal my abilities, she answered to the effect of having me hidden as a trump card. Part of it was concern that potential competitors might harrass me, or otherwise that someone with an eye on my magic ability would do the same. The other part was that she considered me to be a vital component of her combat potential, and was averse to exposing the full extent of her fighting force. Of course, that raised the question of why, exactly, she needed combat potential, but she avoided answering the question, giving me a vague remark about precautions and not being certain of anything. It was troubling, but there was nothing I could do about it. The daily sparring sessions made it very clear that she was training me to be a fighter, so it wasn¡¯t like her desire to have combat potential was hidden. As for the reason, I trusted she would tell me once she felt it was necessary.


    I shook my head clear of distractions as hired ushers dimmed the lamps, casting darkness across the entire hall, obscuring the crowd. I gulped, as the introduction of darkness meant that my role had begun, and the nerves flared up again. At that moment, I felt a squeeze on my hand. A gentle squeeze, one that reassured me and expressed complete faith in my abilities. Given the darkness, I couldn¡¯t see who it was, but based on my placement on the stage, it was undoubtedly Rosalind. I took a deep breath and calmed myself, then nodded to nobody in particular. Rosalind let go of my hand and walked past me, heading onto the stage. She was perfectly capable of navigating in the dark, and so she swiftly took her place in the centre of the stage. Once I heard her footfalls stop, I focused my magic and lit a small globe of light above her head, the size of a pea, casting a pale light on her. It was barely enough to show her silhouette. Then, she began to hum. A single note, the starting note of her song. Her clear voice rang out within the silent hall. As she hummed, she began to spin on the spot, a move that I had seen her practice countless times over the last week. With each spin, I strengthened the light, making it grow larger and brighter, until it was the size of the wheel on a carriage, with the light properly illuminating her features. Then, she spun to a stop, her voice similarly pausing. In that instant, I sent the light upwards, near the ceiling, and increased its intensity threefold, casting a dazzling bright upon the stage, a light that enveloped her and made her sky-blue dress sparkle. Then she began to sing.


    I breathed a sigh of relief when I managed to pull off our opening display without issues. The accomplishment gave me confidence, and my part for the rest of it was much simpler ¨C at least until the final song. That still worried me a little, but we¡¯d rehearsed that song countless times, until our coordination was perfect. I could perform the routine with my eyes closed. By all accounts, I had nothing to worry about, but I was still uneasy. It was undoubtedly the pressure of this being my first show, but I held strong. I resolved to play my part perfectly to the end. I wasn¡¯t going to let Elysium and Rosalind down.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    As Rosalind finished her first song, I directed the light choreography according to plan. After four songs, Elysium walked on stage, wearing her usual butler outfit, violin in hand, at which I created the dimmer light above her. There was some applause and shouts of support as she took the stage, but it quickly died down ¨C Rosalind was undoubtedly the star.


    As they performed the song together, I continued to stick to the programme, performing only simply maneuvers with the lights, until they had performed three songs together, and were left with the final song ¨C the finale, ¡°Bound Rose¡±. Rosalind was supposed to address the audience at this point, so I dimmed the light on Elysium and made the orb above Rosalind the only source of light upon the stage. The audience, still clamoring and calling from the aftermath of her previous song, slowly quietened down as it became clear that she intended to address them. She flashed a dazzling smile at the audience and spoke calmly, her voice carrying across the entire hall, despite its size.


    ¡°Everyone, I would like to thank you for taking the time out of your night to come and watch my concert. It truly moves me to see all of your gathered here, in this time of darkness. I also know that many of you have come from other towns, just to watch me today. I am honoured, truly. This is the first time that I have held a concert in the night, and I am truly gratified that all of you have come to watch, despite the possibility of not having been able to even see me as I sang. Once again, for your faith and support, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡±


    She took a deep bow, at which the crowd began applauding and calling out to her. She smiled and waited for the applause to quieten before continuing.


    ¡°I hope that I have been able to make your visit worthwhile ¨C that my songs have been able to lift at least a bit of the burdens from your hearts. Unfortunately, our time together for tonight has come to an end.¡±


    Gasps and sighs of disappointment issued from the audience. Even so, from the light that illuminated Rosalind, I could see many of them smiling. Even this reluctance to part had become a part of what it meant to be Rosalind¡¯s audience.


    ¡°My next song will be the last one for tonight ¨C a song that all of you know well. A song of binding, and a song of farewell. A song to remind us that though we may part ways for tonight, we are always bound together by the power of music ¨C a song expressing the hope that, though we may be alone, nobody will be lonely. The hope that, like the chains that bind the rose, my song will latch on to each and every one of you, and help you shine brighter, help you strive against difficulty, help you bloom in the midst of adversity. For our last song, we present to you: ¡®Bound Rose¡¯.¡±


    The moment she spoke the song¡¯s name, the audience erupted into a frenzied cheering, chanting her name and shouting various phrases of support. Elysium had told me earlier that of those that had bought tickets, many of them had attended her concerts before ¨C thus their behaviour was to be expected. But even those who were first-timers were swept up by her voice and joined the cheering ¨C not a single member of the crowd remained silent. It was an amazing sight.


    I quickly shook my head clear and extinguished the light above Rosalind. The crowd quietened slightly, but remained abuzz with anticipation. I focused my mind and went through the routine in my head. Elysium began to play the opening notes on the violin, but I did not illuminate her. Instead, I gathered light on the ground around Rosalind, making it seem like a cloud of light had collected, with Rosalind¡¯s feet as its center. Then, a thin strand of light emerged from the gathered cloud, extending upwards into the darkness behind Rosalind. The strand pulsed once, twice, thickening each time, and on the fourth pulse, it erupted into the shape of a large, leafy tree ¨C globes of light appeared on it like fruits, dangling precariously from their branches of light. They shook, and trembled, then fell. Just before they hit the ground, the tree disappeared, leaving only the glow beneath Rosalind¡¯s feet. Then the globes hit the ground and bounced inwards, towards Rosalind. They bounced toward each other, finally touching each other and melding together, forming the giant rose that had appeared in my previous improvisation. At that moment, a smattering of tiny orbs of light appeared across the stage, like a sky full of stars. Rosalind glanced at me, giving me a slight smile that was slightly different from what she had shown the audience ¨C this smile was one filled with warmth and faith, one reserved for her close associates. I returned the smile as she directed her gaze back to the audience. Then as one, she began to sing and dance, while I began to manipulate the lights, the two of us forming an otherworldly dance of a lone singer frolicking among a field of stars.

 Volume 2 Chapter 23: A New Start

    <div>


    A long, winding line of people that doubled back on itself numerous times was created in front of the entrance to the defunct guild branch. A table with a lamp and a pen was set up, with Rosalind seated behind it, still in her concert dress. At her side stood Elysium, hands behind her back as she watched the approaching people with a smile. On my part, I stood at the front of the line, ushering the people in the line forward whenever it came to their turn.


    All of them clutched in their hands a woodprint painting in a wooden frame that bore Rosalind¡¯s likeness, depicting her with her eyes closed and her lips open, hair splaying around her, as if she were in the midst of singing. There was a conspicuous amount of empty space on the left side of the portrait, which was perfect for this little event.


    One by one, the people in the queue stepped forward, bearing their woodprints. As they stepped up to her, Rosalind smiled at them and signed in the empty spaces on the woodprints with a flourish. As she signed, she also struck up a conversation with the audience member whose turn it was, accepting and thanking them for words of support. If the individual was one who had attended a prior concert, she would address them by name. If this was, instead, the person¡¯s first time attending, she would ask for their name. She perfectly remembered all of their names, not hesitating for even a moment before addressing them. It was an extremely impressive feat of memory.


    So as to keep the light-hearted atmosphere, none of us wore a watch, nor was there a timepiece anywhere in sight. However, to prevent any one customer from taking too much time, after Elysium had approximated thirty seconds, she would gently inform the customer that their time was up. If they attempted to argue, Elysium would simply repeat her request, but in a much lower voice, one that carried a clear warning. Most people backed down after that. Those that didn¡¯t were forcibly removed.


    Incidentally, both the woodprint provided and the privilege of having it signed by Rosalind were opportunities accorded to those who had A and B tier tickets. B tier tickets were approximately double the price of C tier tickets, the lowest tier, and the only difference between B and C tiers were the availability of a chair and the right to this signature. A tier tickets provided the same benefits as B tier, with the inclusion of having their seating area be isolated from the rest of the crowds and placed at the optimal distance for watching the stage. A tier ticket-holders were also entitled to a handshake with Rosalind on top of the signature. For those few, minor advantages, A tier tickets were priced at double the price of B tier tickets. I found it remarkable that Elysium had managed to get patrons to pay large amounts of money for a service that objectively served no purpose. Remarkable and also a little frightening. That woman understood how crowds behaved, she knew how to manipulate her audience. I had the suspicion that if she ever decided to, she would be perfectly capable of destroying a country through the power of words alone.


    As the hours passed, the crowd dwindled as each individual was given their purchased right to Rosalind¡¯s signature. The A tier ticket holders were given priority, followed by the B tier ticket holders. Finally, the line trickled down to the last seven people in the queue: the Syrens. They had lingered around outside for some time, waiting for the crowd to disperse before joining the queue. With the exception of Lianne, the youngest girl, they were all wearing similar clothes ¨C a low-cut dress that showed a generous amount of cleavage, with a slit along their skirts that revealed a flash of their legs. As for Lianne, she was wearing a cute pink dress that seemed designed to accentuate her young age. In addition, she was clutching on to a large teddy bear, about half her size. The teddy bear¡¯s skin was uneven and lumpy, as if whoever had the job of stuffing it had made a mistake with the amount of cotton to use. Of course, that was just how it looked. I caught Anneliese¡¯s eyes and gave her a grin as she walked up to Rosalind, pointedly looking at the teddy bear. She sighed and rolled her eyes, but otherwise returned my grin.


    Instead of ushering them in one at a time, I ushered in all seven girls to speak with Rosalind at the same time. Then I glanced at Elysium. She nodded her approval, so I had one of Bainel¡¯s men take over my initially appointed task of stowing the cordons that had formed the outline of the queue, then walked over to stand beside Elysium, waiting for the Syrens to be done speaking with Rosalind. Once they had received their signed portraits and thanked Rosalind, they turned around, making to walk off, but Elysium spoke up with a wry smile.


    ¡°So, how was the haul?¡±


    The Syrens froze and tensed, ready to run, but Anneliese breathed a heavy sigh of resignation and turned back to face us. Then she reached her right hand into the area between her breasts and withdrew a small pouch filled with coins. Seeing her, the older Syrens followed suit, with Lianne finally placing her teddy bear on the ground and untying a ribbon on its back, opening a seam that revealed a large number of purses and coins. Anneliese addressed Elysium.


    ¡°Well, there you have it. I guess you¡¯re going to turn us in?¡±


    Elysium laughed and shook her head.


    ¡°No, no. These are your spoils.¡±


    Anneliese blinked, surprised.


    ¡°¡­Eh? But I thought you said not to steal anything during the concert.¡±


    That was the warning Elysium had told me to give them ¨C if she caught them stealing anything during the concert, she would report them to the guards. And yet she was now showing leniency. Of course, I had gotten to know Elysium well enough to know what she was up to, and why she didn¡¯t intend to turn them in. So, with that in mind, I spoke in her place.


    ¡°Indeed, you were warned not to steal anything during the concert. But the concert is now over, is it not?¡±


    ¡°Glint is exactly correct. I was watching you throughout the concert. You never left your seats. Therefore, it stands to reason that any theft you performed was performed after the crowd had begun to disperse ¨C which means that by that point, the concert had already ended. Anything that happens after the concert to our patrons¡¯ belongings is no longer our responsibility, and therefore none of our business. Rather, the fault lies on them for not taking care of their own belongings. That said, I hope you didn¡¯t steal too much from our less wealthy customers. They have a hard enough time affording our tickets as is.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Anneliese finally recovered from her surprise and laughed.


    ¡°No, no. We made sure only to target the A tier and B tier ticket holders while waiting for our turn to queue.¡±


    ¡°Then all is well. Still¡­¡±


    ¡°Still?¡±


    ¡°While I may be lenient, others may not be quite as kind. If you stay on this path for much longer, you might one day end up in a situation you can¡¯t escape from. For example, if I had decided to be more vindictive, you and your family might have been imprisoned. And especially for girls as young as you, that¡¯s hardly a desirable outcome. The life you lead is a dangerous one. And, for you, Anneliese, an unfortunate one.¡±


    Anneliese shot me a glare.


    ¡°What the fuck, you told her?¡±


    I averted my gaze. I had, in fact, informed Elysium of Anneliese¡¯s circumstances. There were various reasons for it, foremost among them being because I wanted to ask a favour. Anneliese¡¯s eyes bored into me for several moments, but the fire in them was abruptly extinguished as she slumped, resigned. Meanwhile, Lianne tugged on Anneliese¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Anne, what did she mean?¡±


    ¡°¡­She just means that I¡¯ve been doing this longer than the rest of you, so I¡¯ve gone through more hardship.¡±


    ¡°¡­it¡¯s okay Anne, I¡¯ll always be here to help you out!¡±


    Then she hugged Anneliese tightly. Anneliese¡¯s face relaxed into a smile as she patted Lianne¡¯s head. Then she turned that same, sad smile toward us, and responded to Elysium¡¯s statement.


    ¡°¡­Be that as it may, what choice do we have? We can¡¯t read or write. Nobody wants a shopkeeper or a barmaid from off the street. All that¡¯s left are jobs which involve physical labour, and nobody¡¯s willing to hire women for those jobs. Girls on the streets ¨C girls like us, they become whores. I refuse to let that happen to my family. I refuse to let that life befall Lianne. And so, all we can do is steal. There¡¯s no other option. There¡¯s nothing else we can do.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but there is something else.¡±


    Anneliese barked out a laugh.


    ¡°What, pray tell, might that be?¡±


    ¡°Tell me, do you know about the Serene Ezov?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Of course I do. It¡¯s the chain of shops the two of you set up to sell tickets and¡­ wait¡­ you don¡¯t mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d understand. As it happens, we are in dire need of staff for the Ezov, and since we will be leaving this city soon, we don¡¯t have a lot of time to find capable personnel. If you¡¯d be so inclined, I¡¯d like to offer the position to you girls.¡±


    The Syrens looked to each other and murmured in low voices, surprise evident in their expressions. Anneliese herself was slack-jawed, surprised by the sudden offer. I felt my lips curling into a smile as I got to watch her astounded face. It was a rare sight indeed. She quickly collected herself and spoke again, though she was trying to hold back her excitement.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t joke with us. We can¡¯t read, we can¡¯t write. We don¡¯t know the first thing about running a shop. There¡¯s no way you¡¯re serious about this¡­ is there?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m plenty serious. You girls are bright. Very much so. You decided to wait outside the queue and commit your thefts, because you knew that the crowd, caught in the excitement of meeting Rosalind, would be less attentive of their purses. You in particular, Anneliese, should give yourself more credit. The fact that merely attending our concert was enough to give you the idea of holding your own as a distraction to steal with ease ¨C that fact belies your wit.


    Of course, you won¡¯t be alone. I¡¯ve consulted Bainel on the matter, and he¡¯s agreed: he will be arranging for a teacher ¨C someone to teach you how to read and write, as well as someone who will teach you the basics of managing a business. If it¡¯s you girls, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll pick it up quickly. That is, if you accept. What do you say? Will you come work for the Ezov?¡±


    ¡°Of co-¡±


    Anneliese immediately opened her mouth to reply, but Elysium cut her off by placing a finger on her parted lips.


    ¡°Not now. This is a major decision. Accepting this means you¡¯ll have to give up theft ¨C you¡¯ll have to give up the life you¡¯ve been living up to now. You¡¯ll stay in the living quarters above the new Ezov ¨C that¡¯s a requirement for all our employees. That you would not be allowed to steal from the customers should go without saying, but you will no longer be permitted to steal at all. We cannot allow the Ezov to be associated with criminals, after all. If I hear that you have been carrying out illegal activities while in the employ in the Ezov, be assured that I will not be lenient. In many ways, your new job might be harder than theft, but it will, at least, be a proper job. By accepting this offer, you agree to give up your current way of life. It¡¯s not a decision you should make on your own.¡±


    Elysium withdrew her finger while she continued to speak.


    ¡°Go back for now and discuss this with your family. Discuss it well. If all of you agree to throw away your current way of life and embrace a new one, then come to the Ezov tomorrow, two hours after noon.¡±


    With that, she turned and left to follow after Rosalind, who had long since departed for the changing room, leaving myself alone with the Syrens. They looked at one another, and then at Anneliese. Then Anneliese looked at me. Her lips parted, and she spoke, her voice hoarse. Her eyes looked a little wet.


    ¡°¡­Glint, did you do this for us? For my family?¡±


    Anneliese, overwhelmed with emotion, looked more vulnerable than I had ever seen her. I was sure that if I answered in the affirmative here, she would have hugged me, or kissed me, or some combination of the two ¨C she looked on the verge of doing so even as I considered my answer. Indeed, it was true that I had asked Elysium whether it was possible to give the Syrens the job, as a favour. It was also true that if I had never raised the issue with Elysium, this opportunity would never have presented itself to the Syrens.


    But Elysium had rejected my request. Rather, she had said that she would make the decision based on the conduct of the Syrens at today¡¯s concert, on the condition that I was to keep the fact that they were being tested a secret. We had both predicted all their actions, right up to the point where we had offered them the chance of running with their loot or turning it in to us. If they had chosen to run, it would have meant that they were little more than common thieves, and we would not have made the offer. However, they chose to face the consequences of their crime. And that meant that they were more than just criminals, that they could be made to be more. In other words¡­


    I stepped in close to Anneliese and placed a gloved hand on her head, enjoying the opportunity to play the role of the older brother, a reversal of our usual position. When I had come up right next to her, I spoke into her ear, lound enough for the Syrens to hear.


    ¡°No, Anneliese, you did this for your family. All I did was prepare the stage.¡±


    Then I let my hand fall back to my side and turned away from the Syrens, following after Elysium, whose back was still barely in sight. Behind me, I heard joyful chattering and the soft thump of someone getting hug-tackled.

 Volume 2 Chapter 24: Lingering Attachments [END]

    "Are you sure about this, Glint? It¡¯s still possible for you to back out, you know.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve got no real attachment to this city, and I¡¯ve already said my goodbyes. Besides, without me, who¡¯s going to do your lights?¡±


    ¡°We could manage. Get another mage. It would be more expensive, but judging from the buzz of the town, it would be well worth the investment.¡±


    ¡°Right. Not to sound arrogant, but you¡¯re not going to find someone with the same kind of training as I¡¯ve received ¨C as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well aware.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re sure you want to tag along, then I have no objections. Not that I had any intention of letting you go, anyway. I¡¯ve spent too much time and money on you to have you run off. I was going to take you by force if you¡¯d said you wanted to stay.¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s the kind of thing you would do, after all.¡±


    Elysium and I laughed together as we prepared the cart for departure. Today was to be the last day of our stay in Frunzeit, and soon we would be on our way to the next city. Over the last two months, Elysium had taught me so much, shown me so much, given me amazing opportunities to learn and grow. I owed her a lot, and if it meant continuing to work with her, and to continue developing my own abilities, I was more than willing to leave my city life behind. It wasn¡¯t a particularly comfortable one, anyway.


    Anneliese stepped out from behind the cart, moving over to us. She bowed deeply to Elysium.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯ve finished loading up the supplies. This should be more than enough to last you till you get to Holfarthen.¡±


    Unlike her usual low-cut, slitted dress, Anneliese was dressed in a much more tasteful attire, with a long skirt that reached below her knees, a blouse that had actual sleeves, and a white apron across her front ¨C she looked like an innkeeper at a quiet inn, a far cry from her previous dress which could almost be considered that of a whore. Elysium laughed and patted her on the shoulder.


    ¡°Thanks for the hard work. No need to be so stiff, Anneliese.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we owe you so much ¨C this opportunity, this chance to find a better life for ourselves, we owe it to you. Good, honest work in a nice district, in the employ of the singer we adore ¨C we couldn¡¯t ask for any more than this. So please, accept our gratitude.¡±


    Elysium lifted Anneliese¡¯s chin, making eye contact with her.


    ¡°Gratitude is one thing, but this show of servitude is another. I didn¡¯t hire a simple maid. I hired a witty, strong-willed young lady with a fire in her heart. You may be in my employ, but you are not in my service. Stand proud, Anneliese. I want you to stand alongside me, not to follow behind me.¡±


    Anneliese¡¯s eyes started to water, but she didn¡¯t let them flow. Instead, she brought herself upright, standing with dignity, and nodded.


    ¡°Very good. Now, keep in mind your duties, manage this place well, and help it thrive.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, Elysium.¡±


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t.¡±


    With that, Elysium turned toward the cart and boarded it, sitting in the driver¡¯s seat next to Rosalind. I crossed around to the other side, where an empty seat was reserved for me next to Rosalind¡¯s other flank, but as I was about to clamber on, I caught sight of Anneliese ¨C she was looking in my direction, staring at me, and her eyes looked like she had something she wanted to tell me. I stopped my ascent midway. I looked to Rosalind, who just chuckled and pre-empted my request.


    ¡°Go. We¡¯ll wait for you. You¡¯ll come back, won¡¯t you?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°Of course I will.¡±


    With that, I climbed back down and walked over to Anneliese. She broke into a sad smile as I approached.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re really going.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you, you know.¡±


    ¡°I would be lying if I said I didn¡¯t feel the same.¡±


    Anneliese had always been the only one in this city who came close to being my friend. If she hadn¡¯t found me on that day¡­ I shuddered to think what might have become of me. Dead in a ditch, perhaps. If I had any reservations about leaving Frunzeit, they could be traced to a worry about what would become of her and her family. But now that they had entered into Elysium¡¯s employ, just as I had, I could leave with no worries. Still, I would miss her teasing company.


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be the same without you, Glint. This city. You¡¯ve always been a part of Frunzeit, in my mind, and now that you¡¯re leaving, it¡¯s like I¡¯m suddenly in a foreign land.¡±


    ¡°Even if it is a foreign land, it¡¯ll be okay. You have your family. They¡¯ll guide you and protect you against the ravages of your environment.¡±


    ¡°When did you become such a poet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been studying.¡±


    Anneliese quietly took my unresisting hand in hers and held it up, resting my palm against her cheek.


    ¡°Your hand¡­ it¡¯s so large now. So warm. You¡¯ve grown up into a magnificent man, Glint.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d hope so. I can¡¯t stay the dirty, starving boy forever.¡±


    I briefly wondered what was going on, but quickly realised the direction in which things were developing. I felt a twinge in my chest as I prepared for what was to come. Anneliese looked at me with upturned eyes.


    ¡°Glint, I love you.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Whatever I felt for Anneliese, it was not romantic in nature. I saw her as a friend ¨C at best, as a sister. Perhaps it was simply that I had never been in love and thus didn¡¯t know what it felt like, but somehow, I instinctively knew that I did not possess the same affection for her as she was professing to me. I gently removed my hand from her cheek, escaping her hands, and wiped away her tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Anneliese. I don¡¯t think of you that way. You¡¯re like a sister to me, but nothing more. I¡¯ve yet to find anyone I care for in that way. I hope you can forgive me.¡±


    Anneliese sniffed and wiped away the tears that she had refused to show Elysium. She addressed me with a pained expression.


    ¡°Ah, I think I sort of knew it would end up this way. It still hurts, though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Stop apologising. It¡¯s fine. I knew you didn¡¯t feel that way, but¡­ I had to get it out anyway. Since you¡¯re leaving. I needed to say it. Ahhhh, getting rejected hurts.¡±


    I said nothing more as tears continued to stream down her face, simply watching. After a few moments, when she¡¯d sufficiently calmed down, she pulled herself back upright and addressed me with a smile.


    ¡°There. Got it off my chest. Now I can properly see you off.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°You take care, you hear me? Don¡¯t get caught up in anything strange. Listen to what Elysium says. Don¡¯t get involved with anyone suspicious. Be wary of strangers. Don¡¯t-¡±


    I quieted her by hugging her tightly. She seemed so small. She was the older, but at some point, I had grown taller than her. As we were now, her head reached to just below my chin. I hugged her and spoke.


    ¡°Come on, Anneliese. I¡¯m not a child anymore. I can take care of myself.¡±


    From my vantage point, I could see her face turning crimson. Her expression changed from one of shock, to one of resignation.


    ¡°¡­yeah, you¡¯re not a child anymore. When did you get this tall? And I thought you said you didn¡¯t love me back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hugging you as a lover. I¡¯m hugging you as a younger brother, worried about his awkward older sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re cruel.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    I kissed her on the forehead.


    ¡°I¡¯m going now, Anneliese.¡±


    ¡°¡­Safe travels, Glint¡­ my troublesome younger brother.¡±


    I separated from her and strode back toward the cart. When I ascended it this time, Anneliese again caught my attention, but this time she was waving goodbye. As I settled in, she shouted to me.


    ¡°Make sure to write to me and tell me how you¡¯re doing, okay?¡±


    I grinned and gave her a quick nod. Then Elysium took the reins and set the horses off at a trot. After we had traveled some distance, such that Anneliese could no longer be seen, she and Rosalind shared a look. Then Rosalind placed her hand on my head, ruffling my hair.


    ¡°My, since when were you such a ladykiller, Glint?¡±


    Elysium chimed in, as if they had rehearsed this.


    ¡°Oh my, we should be careful. What if he steals our hearts next?¡±


    I rolled my eyes at their teasing and issued a blunt retort.


    ¡°Right. That¡¯s not happening. First, there¡¯s no profit in it, so you¡¯d never fall for me, Elysium. Second, Rosalind, you¡¯re so in love with your singing that there¡¯s barely space for anyone else. And third, I¡¯m not interested in older women, sorry.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, is that why you rejected Anneliese? The poor girl. Right, Ros?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, to think that her first love was shot down for such an impure reason. Shame on you, Glint.¡±


    Elysium and Rosalind instantly fired back, masterfully ignoring my barbed comments. The back-and-forth went on for some time, but despite my display of annoyance, I was in high spirits. This looked like it was going to be a fun trip. I looked forward to what kinds of new experiences awaited me on this path.

 Volume 2 Editors Note

    <div>


    And so we come to the end of the 2nd volume. This volume was initially going to be narrated by myself, but I decided to leave it to Glint, instead. This is because, well, this part of the journey was really more about him than anyone else. Our worldwide tour was largely uneventful ¨C fun, but uneventful. So an event like Ely picking Glint up left a rather big impression ¨C we felt it wouldn¡¯t be fair for this part of our adventure to go unrecorded, and so I had Glint record down his impressions of the events surrounding our meeting. As it happens, he claimed to recall them in perfect clarity, calling them ¡°the events that changed my life¡±. I want to call it an exaggeration, but reading what he¡¯s written here, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t really make that claim with confidence.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t find out about Ruth¡¯s survival until much later. In hindsight, I should have guessed it ¨C Ely trusted his teacher, which was rare enough in itself. On top of that, his teacher was a woman and well-versed in magic. Furthermore, Ely went to great pains to obscure the identity of Glint¡¯s teacher from my knowledge, changing the subject whenever I brought it up. I¡¯d decided not to mind it at the time, but it¡¯s true that the clues for me to make the deduction were all present. Perhaps I did realise it, but chose to stay in the dark. I was still fragile back then. If Ruth had appeared before me, I¡¯m not sure how I would have reacted. I might even have decided to give up on the tour.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Ah, but I digress. This volume is largely about Glint, and for good reason. Even after all this time, he¡¯s continued to stay by my side, supporting my actions and protecting me. Even though the one he feels closer to is most certainly Ely. Such a diligent man. He¡¯s proven time and again to be a reliable aide ¨C and a good friend. Without his help, I most certainly wouldn¡¯t have been able to achieve all that I have.


    I should probably say a few words about Anneliese. I was a little worried about her when Glint rejected her ¨C they were good friends, and I worried that the rejection would ruin that friendship. As it turns out, my worries were largely unfounded. They continued to maintain correspondance while we were travelling, and she even came to properly congratulate him on his wedding day. I remember him agonising about inviting her, so I¡¯m glad that worked itself out.


    Looking back on those days always brings a smile to my face. Those days when Glint first joined us, when the most we had to worry about was our performance routine, and the greatest danger to us was being unable to find a concert venue. Would that such days of bliss could have lasted forever. Alas, as the next volume shall detail, it was not to be.


    -Rosalind.

 Volume 3 Chapter 1: Opener

    <div>


    <div>


    I took deep breaths, in and out. I could feel my heart pounding, slowing its rapid movements, slowing to a state of calm. Even though I¡¯d experienced numerous concerts by this point, I still got nervous each time. There was just something terrifying about doing something in front of hundreds of paying viewers ¨C something terrifying, nerve-wracking, and yet strangely addictive. And that was just from standing behind the curtains, out of sight of the audience. I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how much more intense the fear ¨C and the excitement ¨C had to be for Rosalind, the woman who drew the attention of everyone in the hall.


    I shook the distractions from my mind and focused on the task ahead of me. I placed a hand on the large spherical Resound Jewel before me and infused it with my magic, chasing down its connected trail to the other Jewel, installed in front of the stage. I took hold of my magic and pulled, retrieving the visual information that the secondary Jewel was recieving from the scene on the stage. I manipulated the thread of magic, circulating it within the primary Jewel and channeling it into the other path, the path that connected this Jewel to all the other Jewels in the various branches of the Serene Ezov around the country. The visual information would be collected from the Jewel on the stage and sent to the Jewel under my hand, from which it would be projected onto the air in all the branches of the Ezov around the world, allowing audiences to watch her performances even without being in the concert hall. It was a massive commercial success, with revenue numbers almost tripling on concert days. I confirmed that the flow of magic was properly established, then turned my attention to my primary task ¨C the visual information would continue to circulate as long as I provided mana to the crystal, allowing me to focus on other things.


    Rosalind reached the middle of the stage and turned to the audience. Then a single light appeared, illuminating her and her dazzling turqoise dress, the fabric speckled with tiny, glittering jewels, undulating and dancing as Rosalind twirled on the spot.


    A field of stars


    illuminates the night.


    The shadow of doubt,


    banished by the light!


    From the orb of light above her head, countless other orbs burst out, spreading across the entirety of the hall and bursting into light, painting the previously dark hall with a warm glow.


    A fire burns,


    a life so short, yet bright!


    Burns away the darkness,


    Burns away the fright.


    The moment she said the word ¡°fire¡±, all the orbs instantly changed to a bright orange colour, flashing twice before disappearing. Elysium, standing behind the curtains, began to play a musical interlude on her violin. Waves of dim, blue light appeared around Rosalind as the light above her faded into nothingness. She looked around the stage, miming fear and unease. The blue light settled around her like a mist, and patches of deeper blue lights cast wolf-like glows amidst the mist of light, prowling around slowly.


    A thousand shadows, lurking near, enemies abound.


    A constant fear distorts my ear ¨C I jump at every sound.


    Elysium suddenly played a jarring note on the violin, and Rosalind jolted, miming desperation.


    I don¡¯t know when they¡¯ll come for me; I don¡¯t know where they hide!


    This shadowed mist that plagues my days, Why won¡¯t it leave my sight?!This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Elysium¡¯s music increased in intensity as Rosalinds¡¯ movements became more erratic, more fearful. Then, as the music reached its peak, Rosalind collapsed to her knees, with the light mist covering her and obscuring her from view. Then the music cut off, leaving the hall in silence for three seconds. Then, concurrent with Elysium¡¯s resuming the melody with a more hopeful tune, a sword made of brilliant white light emerged from within the blue light mist.


    A blade of light cuts through the dark,


    The shadows start to flee!


    A single knight steps through the mist,


    extends her hand to me.


    In tandem with the lyrics, an armored figure made of pure light appeared out of the mist, holding the sword. Long strands of hair made from light billowed out behind her helmet. She held a glowing hand out to Rosalind, which Rosalind grasped, pulling herself upright. Then she and the figure began to dance together, Rosalind¡¯s an elegant, graceful dance, while the figure danced with the sword, slashing away the blue mist.


    She leads me through the darkened night,


    She claims a path for me.


    But when at least we leave the mist,


    She crumples to her knee.


    The figure knelt on one knee, supporting herself with her blade. Rosalind, her face a picture of concern, rushed forward and held the figure¡¯s hands in her own.


    Her power spent, she fades away,


    unheeding of my plea.


    Yet when I asked her for her name,


    She prompted me to flee


    Her armor shattered as she fell,


    her face was plain to see.


    She had my eyes, my lips, my nose,


    The armored knight was me.


    All at once, cracks appeared in the armour of light, and then the armor disappeared, leaving behind an image that was an identical copy of Rosalind. The image lingered for a while, then faded away. Immediately, the blue mist reappeared, the darker figures within it emerging once again.


    The sword of light fell to the ground,


    the darkness rushed back in.


    I reached my hand out to the sword,


    to cleanse the land of sin.


    The moment Rosalind¡¯s hand grasped the manifested light that formed the sword, Elysium changed the melody on the violin, switching from a slower, more emotional melody to a faster melody, filled with vigour and life. Meanwhile, Rosalind began to brandish the sword, dancing around while striking at the blue mist. As she moved, an armor of light began to appear across her body, covering all of her, up to her neck.


    I am the blade that cleaves the dark. I am the blade that rends the night.


    I am the blade the shadows dread. I am the blade that conquers fright.


    I am the blade of light that sings. I strike the sins that hide from sight.


    I am the blade destined to die. Come and face judgment by my light!


    Elysium played a musical interlude while Rosalind continued to move through the stances and slashes, fighting off phantoms hidden in the deep blue light. As she fought and turned, the armour of light spread further and began to cover her head, until she was completely armoured, the spitting image of the earlier armoured figure. Finally, as the last of the blue light was dispelled, she fell to a knee, supported by her blade, just as the knight had done. Elysium switched back to a sombre melody, matching the one that had opened the song.


    A field of stars


    illuminates the night.


    The shadow of doubt,


    banished by the light!


    A fire burns,


    a life so short, yet bright!


    Burns away the darkness,


    Burns¡­ away¡­ the fright¡­


    Rosalind¡¯s head slumped further down as she sang the the last line, her body sagging forward. Then, when she had uttered the last word, she pitched forward and lay unmoving. The armor and sword vanished, and the hall was bathed in complete darkness.


    A few moments passed, then someone in the audience started applauding. Then came another, and another, until there was a wave of applause rolling through the crowd. I created another orb of light above Rosalind, who had since stood back up, and she bowed to the audience whose applause continued to increase in intensity. She glanced toward me and winked, to which I responded by giving her a thumbs up, before wiping off the sweat that had pooled during that entire sequence.


    Creating an image of Rosalind, while maintaining a sword of manifested light, while manipulating a different-coloured light to simulate darkness, while manifesting the armour of light, while subtly controlling the light in the hall to render the scene visible ¨C it was ridiculously tiring, but somehow we¡¯d managed to pull it off.


    I shook my head clear of distractions ¨C this was only the first song, we still had an entire concert to get through. I turned my attention to the stage, where a wave and smile from Rosalind had elicited an even greater amount of applause from the crowd. Then I dimmed the lights, and the next song began.

 Volume 3 Chapter 2: Wrap Party

    <div>


    ¡°Cheers!¡±


    The three of us clinked our glasses together and downed the contents in one go. The various hired hands that had contributed to the successful concert joined our toast, raising their own mugs. A trio of beautiful girls in the barmaid¡¯s attire of the Serene Ezov scurried around with jugs of beer, refilling those mugs which were empty. Ours, too were refilled in due time. Elysium glanced at me with a look of concern.


    ¡°You doing okay, Glint? You don¡¯t have to drink another glass.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Elysium. I¡¯m not a child. I can hold my drink.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still a child to me. It hasn¡¯t even been two years since we picked you up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop teasing him, Ely. Can¡¯t you see you¡¯re hurting his pride?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you, Ros. Don¡¯t you still fuss over his clothing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different. That¡¯s a matter of presentability.¡±


    ¡°And this is a matter of making sure he doesn¡¯t collapse, dead-drunk.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and made a show of downing my refilled glass of beer. The cold liquid sloshed around in my mouth before descending down my throat, leaving a warm feeling in its wake. I scraped my tongue against my teeth, trying to dispel some of the bitterness from the aftertaste. It had only been a month since Elysium had finally given me the permission to start drinking, after nearly two years of being in her employ, and I had yet to become used to the taste of the drink. I was indifferent to the drink itself ¨C I neither liked nor disliked the taste of beer. But I drank in order to show Elysium that I was no longer a child ¨C that she no longer had to spend so much time looking out for me. I could see it in her actions, and in the exchange that had just occurred ¨C she still fretted about me, even though she claimed to acknowledge my adulthood.


    Seeing my empty glass, Elysium and Rosalind smiled at each other, cutting off their banter, and emptied theirs as well. One of the Ezov girls ¨C Jasmine ¨C moved up to us and refilled our glasses instantly. I nodded in appreciation. They were all new hires in this branch, and were eager to make a good first impression. I knew all of them by name, as I had been responsible for teaching them the details of their new jobs. The task had been pawned off on me by Elysium, along with most of the other jobs that dealt with business administration for the Ezov. Elysium had, about half a year prior, declared that I was ready to take over the business and logistics side of things, leaving her to focus on preparations for the concerts instead. I would have complained, if not for the fact that I knew first-hand how much work was involved in preparing the concerts, and therefore I was more than willing to take some of that off Elysium¡¯s shoulders.


    While Elysium and Rosalind descended into idle chatter, one of the hired hands who helped set up the stage came walking towards us. He was one of the group that had been hand-picked by Hager Bainel, and had helped us with setting up the stage on numerous occasions. Elysium, who had more contact with the concert-related help than I, spoke up as he approached.


    ¡°Ah, Adam. Good work with the security detail. I hope there weren¡¯t any disturbances?¡±


    ¡°Nothing of note. We did have the usual couple of people trying to skip the line for Miss Rosalind¡¯s handshake, but nothing particularly concerning. Anyway, just came over to compliment the kid. That was an impressive light show you put on.¡±


    Elysium ruffled my hair, causing me to duck away, but I nodded my head gratefully, accepting Adam¡¯s praise. While my ability to use light magic was still a secret to the world at large, those that worked for us knew of it out of necessity. Well, the men that Bainel had sent were all of good character, and we had Bainel¡¯s assurance that they could keep a secret, so it wasn¡¯t all that serious for them to know.


    ¡°Ah, but after this is the last concert, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Elysium and Rosalind looked to each other, sharing a meaningful glance. Rosalind answered first.


    ¡°Yeah. The next concert will be the last one in our initial tour plan, marking the end of this four-year tour.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s next for you guys? Going back home to Monspiere?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t really thought about it. What do you think, Ely?¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Well, I do have a plan drafted out for another tour around the country, but nothing¡¯s firmed up yet. Besides, it might be nice to go back to Monspiere and take a short break. I¡¯m sure the townspeople would love to see you again.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve already been making plans for the future.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course I have. It¡¯s my job as your manager, after all.¡±


    ¡°Mmmmm¡­ I guess I¡¯ll think about it a little, too. Only after this next concert, though.¡±


    ¡°Of course. This is the last one. We¡¯ve got to make sure it¡¯s an enormous success.¡±


    Adam chimed in here.


    ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s your first time holding a concert twice in the same city, no? Are you sure people will come watch it again?¡±


    ¡°Oh, people will come. Trust me on that. We¡¯re going to make a big deal out of the fact that this might be the last chance to see Rosalind sing. Of course, it isn¡¯t, but it¡¯ll serve to drive up demand for the show. And we¡¯re in Reissvault ¨C the capital of the Mercynth Empire. One show¡¯s nowhere near enough to satisfy the sheer number of people in this city.¡±


    ¡°Well, Miss Elysium, if you say so, then I¡¯m certain it¡¯s the case.¡±


    ¡°Yep. So be prepared to work like a madman ¨C our next venue is three times larger than the one we just performed in.¡±


    Adam laughed.


    ¡°Yes, well, I¡¯ve been working like a madman since the day I met you, so I suppose nothing¡¯s going to change, is it?¡±


    With that, he raised his mug to us in a toast and sauntered off to join the other men in their revels. Meanwhile, a quiet atmosphere had settled between the three of us, a bubble of silence amidst the sea of noise that filled the Ezov. Rosalind was the first one to speak.


    ¡°¡­What to do from now on, huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Ros, no need to overthink it. You should just do what you want to do. I¡¯ll make it happen.¡±


    ¡°In that case, what I want to do is find whatever you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    ¡°Ros¡­ You know that¡¯s basically impossible.¡±


    Ah, the mysterious feeling of loss that Elysium said she felt. She spoke about it sometimes, how she often felt like something was missing, that she should be looking for something, but that she couldn¡¯t recall what exactly it was. I knew for a fact that she kept her eyes and ears peeled as we travelled for anything that could potentially jog her memory, but so far her search had not turned up any results. She was no closer to figuring out what she was searching for than the day she had started ¨C all she knew was that whatever she was looking for was something extremely important to her. I couldn¡¯t begin to understand how it must have felt to search for something without knowing what it was, so I didn¡¯t try, and simply tried my best to support her in her efforts, informing her whenever I saw or heard about something out of the ordinary.


    ¡°Ely, you can¡¯t give up. It¡¯s not impossible. I¡¯m sure whatever you¡¯re looking for is out there somewhere.¡±


    ¡°The problem is in the ¡®whatever¡¯ and the ¡®somewhere¡¯, Ros. Four years ¨C no, five years I¡¯ve been searching, keeping an eye out, paying attention to anything and everything that could be a clue. Nothing. We¡¯ve travelled all over the Empire ¨C still nothing. Even if it¡¯s out there, it¡¯s most certainly not in this country.¡±


    ¡°Then you simply have to go to another country.¡±


    ¡°And there you go again with the impossible suggestions.¡±


    The Mercynth Empire ¨C though it was now nowhere near large enough to be called an empire, having declined immensely in the last hundred years ¨C was an isolationist country. Travel in and out of the country was strictly regulated, with stringent requirements associated with attaining the necessary documentation. If we were a merchant, perhaps one with the amount of wealth that Hager Bainel possessed, we might be able to attain a temporary permission to leave, but for ordinary people, and even for most of the nobility, leaving the shores of this country was an impossible dream.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure we could make it work. Maybe ask Bainel?¡±


    ¡°No. Bainel wouldn¡¯t agree. It would be nothing but unprofitable risk to send us off to another land, particularly with no guarantee of our safety at sea or our subsequent return. There is no reason for him to support us on such a venture. He may be a friend, but he is a merchant first.¡±


    I had learned from Ruth, my magic tutor, that she had entered the country illegally when she first came here, only receiving travel documents afterward. This implied that there was indeed some route to get in and out of the country without permission, but I elected to stay silent on this, as Rosalind was as yet unaware of Ruth¡¯s survival and of her identity as my teacher. Besides, even if there were an illegal route out, it would be impossible for us to use it ¨C the entire country knew Rosalind¡¯s face. She would be recognised long before we could set out to sea.


    Elysium placed a hand on Rosalind¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Ros, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re trying to think of ways to help me. But I¡¯ve resigned myself to my fate. I won¡¯t give up on finding that ¡®something¡¯, but it¡¯s inefficient to look for it without leads. I¡¯ve made my decision long ago. I¡¯m going to help you fulfill your dream. If, in the course of that, I find what I¡¯m searching for, then perfect. If not, then, well, I¡¯m fine with that, too. You¡¯re a precious friend to me, Ros, and I¡¯d rather stay with you and help you shine than to chase after the vapour trails of something that might not even be out there.¡±


    ¡°Ely, I ¨C mmph!¡±


    Elysium took Rosalind¡¯s glass of beer and pressed it to her lips, forcing Rosalind to take a large gulp.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough melancholy for one night, Ros. This is supposed to be a celebration ¨C of a successful concert, and of a hope for subsequent success. So drink, and laugh, and dream, and make merry. Today is not a day for heavy thoughts. That goes for you, too, Glint. If you want to convince me you¡¯re an adult, prove it by showing me how you drink like one ¨C mmph!¡±


    I rolled my eyes and downed my drink. Meanwhile, Rosalind was presently engaged in the act of returning Elysium¡¯s gesture, forcing Elysium to drink from the same glass with a pout. When Elysium¡¯s lips touched the cup from which Rosalind had drunk, I saw Rosalind¡¯s cheeks flush red for a brief moment, as though drunk on something far more potent than alcohol.

 Volume 3 Chapter 3: Conference Call

    <div>


    Anneliese¡¯s voice rang out from one of the Resound Jewels in the room, filling the space of the small room that was hidden away on the second floor of the Ezov.


    ¡°This is Siren, of the Frunzeit Branch, reporting in.¡±


    I held the Resound Jewel up to my mouth and spoke into it.


    ¡°This is Lighthouse. Authenticate Avalon-32.¡±


    ¡°Siren authenticates 74820.¡±


    ¡°This is Lighthouse. Authentication confirmed. Please switch to Channel Seven.¡±


    ¡°Affirmative, Siren out.¡±


    I switched over to another of the Resound Jewels and spoke into it.


    ¡°All branches have reported in. Commence reports, starting with Kroenlig. Prioritise Topic Indigo.¡±


    A female voice promptly responded across the connection.


    ¡°Kroenlig reporting. No movement reported in the East branches. Discontent continues to grow, but nothing of substance has taken root. There was some talk of rebellion in Felkris, but the Duke promptly sent his army into the city as a show of force, and the dissenting voices were quickly quieted. I conclude my report.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Moving on, Heltshire, your report please.¡±


    This was the darker side of the Serene Ezov. It was certainly a perfectly legal organisation, serving food and drink to its customers around the country, while also serving as a gathering point for fans of Rosalind to meet and make merry. But in addition to the Ezov¡¯s primary function as a monetary venture capitalising on Rosalind¡¯s popularity, it also served as Elysium¡¯s exclusive information network.


    Excluding this branch in the capital, there were a total of 16 branches of the Ezov around the country. Each branch had a small, hidden room filled with Resound Jewels, which was where the heads of each branch made their reports. The 16 branches were divided into regions, with 4 branches per region, and a single branch in each region serving as the main branch of that region: Kroenlig was the main branch of the East, Heltshire was the main branch of the South. Jorgenvale was the main branch of the North, and Frunzeit, where I had met Elysium, was the main branch of the West.


    Once a week, each branch of the Ezov would collate the information it had managed to gather about various topics into a list, which was then relayed to the main branches of each region. Once every fortnight, the main branches would swap information among themselves via the Resound Crystals. Meanwhile, once per month, all four main branches would deliver a regular report to either Elysium or myself, depending on who was available. This occasion here recorded was one such regular report.


    The authentication and codenames we used were Elysium¡¯s idea ¨C she was afraid of our communication network being compromised by a third party, and put these measures into place to ensure that the words we exchanged would not leak out of these hidden rooms. It took nearly five sessions before I was able to get used to these measures, but that spoke volumes about their effectiveness.


    Heltshire delivered its report, then Jorgenvale. Just like Kroenlig, both branches reported increasing unrest among the citizens across the land, but reported that no agitators or would-be revolutionaries had emerged. That the people were unhappy was inevitable ¨C the current Emperor did nothing for his people, spending his days entertaining the nobles and advisors that fawned on him and sought his favour. With the sovereign thus distracted, many of the regional lords were beginning to take advantage of his inaction to impose corrupt practices and self-serving laws on their lands. The country had been in such a state for some time, but recently, the people had grown more verbal in their protests, and Elysium suspected that it was only a matter of time before something broke. It was that breaking point that we were trying to identify. Thankfully, it seemed that while people were complaining, there was yet to emerge any sort of organised movement to correct the situation ¨C and as long as that remained the case, we had nothing to worry about.


    Finally, it came to the Frunzeit branch¡¯s turn to report.


    ¡°Frunzeit reporting. There¡¯s been some suspicious movement, particularly towards the capital. Y¡¯all be careful, Gli- Lighthouse.¡±


    My eye twitched when she almost used my real name.


    ¡°What kind of suspicious movement?¡±


    ¡°People have been seen leaving the city under cover of night. There¡¯s been an influx of orders for weapons, particularly smaller, concealable weapons. There have been some agitators speaking openly in the streets, proclaiming that the current Emperor is corrupt and must be deposed.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Were they arrested?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing ¨C they were arrested, but were set free some time later, without fanfare. No executions, no long-term imprisonment, no whippings or fines. Just arrested without incident, and free the next day. Something stinks.¡±


    I lapsed into silence. As the Kroenlig report had said, the Empire was usually careful to eliminate voices of dissent that grew too public, usually sending in soldiers under the pretense of improving public order. The fact that someone was spreading unrest in Frunzeit ¨C one of the Empire¡¯s biggest cities ¨C and suffered no consequences stank of intrigue. Something suspicious was clearly taking place.


    I made a mental note to consult Elysium about this, then turned my attention back to the report.


    ¡°All branches, I appreciate the report. Continue to monitor the situation, and contact this branch if you find out anything of substance. For the time being, let¡¯s move on to Topic Concord, starting from Kroenlig.¡±


    ¡°Acknowledged. Banditry is on the rise in this region ¨C there have been five reported cases of attacks on caravans, up from only one last month. The local lord has dispatched patrols to guard the routes, but the attacks seem to always occur during the gaps in the patrol schedule. It¡¯s as if the bandits know when the vulnerable times are.¡±


    ¡°Collusion?¡±


    ¡°That is my suspicion, yes.¡±


    I bit my lip and noted this information. The contents of these conferences would be passed to Bainel as well as Elysium, so that we could structure plans around them. We could warn Bainel to divert his caravans away from Kroenlig, but that was only a temporary solution, and would result in a loss of profits for him.


    ¡°Thank you for your report. We¡¯ll pass the information to our patron. Moving on, Heltshire, if you would.¡±


    The other three branches provided their reports on the current affairs of their region, then moved on to information about local economies, such as which regions had a shortage and surplus of which goods, or which regions had experienced good harvests, and of notable changes in commodity prices across the regions. Bainel would be pleased with this information ¨C with this much information at his fingertips, he would be able to turn a tidy profit. As the reports came in, I made notes on a small notebook, so I could pass the information on to Elysium and Bainel at a later time.


    Finally, the reports on the various subjects came to an end, and the meeting drew to a close. Without mentioning details, it seemed that the public order around the country as a whole was deteriorating. Crime rates were on the rise, and merchants were starting to avoid sending caravans without attaching an appropriately large guard detail ¨C the economy was suffering for it. In addition, the drought of the last month had ruined a good number of harvests, and the outlook was bleak. Well, we couldn¡¯t do anything for the failed harvests, but we could do something about the rise in crime.


    ¡°Thank you all for your reports and continued hard work. Before we end this conference, there is one last item on the agenda ¨C an announcement.¡±


    ¡°Is it that? Are we finally doing it?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. From today onward, we¡¯re moving onto phase two of the Ezov Project.¡±


    Three of the four women on the other side of the conference let out audible gasps. Anneliese simply laughed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll begin with Kroenlig ¨C put up a request to find and eliminate the bandits you mentioned earlier.¡±


    ¡°And the reward?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll start it off at¡­ a 12,000 Ciry bounty for anyone who can find and subjugate the bandits, and bring back proof of the act. Tell those interested that they can sign up as individuals or in a group, though the bounty will be the same for both options, 12,000 Ciry for the group to split amongst themselves. While we¡¯re at it, toss in a 20% discount off Rosalind-related merchandise for a year, as well.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°For the rest of you, put up similar announcements in all branches. Let them know that we¡¯re officially in business, and begin telling our customers about the possibility of using us to source for manpower.¡±


    The Ezov Project. The first phase, setting up the branches in each major town, establishing a communications network, and spreading our name and consolidating our customer base was finally complete. With that, we were finally able to enter the second phase. In this phase, we would begin to accept requests from our customers, which would be prominently displayed within the branches. Therein, interested parties such as mercenaries could contact the branch and indicate their interest in the work. The biggest advantage we offered was that jobs would be shared among all branches of the Ezov, meaning that placing a request in one was equivalent to sending a call for help throughout the entire country, which we hoped would incentivise the use of our service.


    With the dissolution of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild some decades ago, merchants had been left to their own devices, forced to seek out protection for their caravans using their own devices, often with disappointing results. The second phase of the Ezov Project intended to use the influence of the Ezov to establish the Ezov as a replacement for the guild, serving as a mediator to connect potential jobs with individuals who sought such work. Rewards would, of course, be provided by the client who offered the job, but we would also occasionally pay out rewards from our own coffers for jobs with no official client, such as the bandit subjugation this time round. The cost was heavy, but Elysium had given the approval for our first request to be from the Ezov itself. She called it a marketing stunt, and we had a seperate budget specifically for that purpose.


    With this, we hoped that public order would improve and the economy would be revitalised, though above all we hoped that the 2% commission we took from all requests would eventually make us rich.


    With this move, the influence and name of the Ezov would spread even farther through the land and, accordingly, our profits would increase.


    I delivered my final instructions regarding the second phase to the four ladies, then fielded any queries they had, and finally breathed out a large sigh of relief as the conference ended and the voices from the Resound Jewel faded. All that was left was to wait and see if people would respond to the call; and if they did, it would be the birth of a new era: the era of Rosalind and the Serene Ezov.

 Volume 3 Chapter 4: Paperwork

    <div>


    I stretched my arms out wide, rotating my neck in an attempt to alleviate some of the stiffness that resulted from sitting in one spot for hours on end with my head bowed over a desk. I set the pen down and shut the ledgers, bundling up the monthly expenditure report I had just drafted. We had spent a bit more than initially intended, an unfortunate result of the increase in price for various ingredients sparked by the poor harvest, but we were still within our permitted budget. It would mean that we would have slightly less in our reserves for this month, but in the first place, those reserves were only used as emergency funds, so it wasn¡¯t an urgent problem.


    Stowing the expenditure away in a top shelf of the administrative room, I turned around and surveyed the state of the room. It smelt of freshly varnished wood and new paper, and was overall a bit of a mess, with paper scattered everywhere and several emptied ink bottles strewn across the desk. I glanced at my own hands, calloused from writing, and sighed as I began to clean up the area.


    When I had first joined Elysium and Rosalind, I hadn¡¯t expected that the majority of my work would involve doing paperwork. Yet, as the current scene proved, I was terribly, terribly wrong. Every time a new branch of the Ezov was established, there was a mountain of paperwork involved, which included ¨C but was not limited to ¨C applying for operation permits, drafting expenditure reports, performing and analysing demographic surveys, hiring multiple new workers, performing background checks on said workers, finding local sources for ingredients, establishing procurement routes for ingredients which could not be found locally, drafting a ledger and the items contained within the ledger, drafting a report about predicted growth for the next 6 months based on demographic trends within the area, determining starting salaries based on current market rates, establishing standard operating procedures for various contingencies, and linking up with various local merchants to establish networks of advertising.


    On top of all that, there was still the additional task of collating all the information from the other branches and preparing two seperate reports, one for Elysium and one for Bainel. Furthermore, those reports were also supposed to include my thoughts on each matter and possible reccommendations if I could think of any. It was a ridiculous amount of strain, one that caused me to accumulate immense amounts of mental fatigue, which was then worsened by the need to rehearse my light routines for Rosalind¡¯s concert, all of which required heavy concentration. If not for the fact that I worked for Elysium, I might have given up long ago.


    What stopped me from giving up was the knowledge that prior to my arrival, Elysium had handled all of this by herself in addition to preparing for the concert. Even when she had first recruited me, she was doing paperwork just like this as I trained with Ruth. And through it all, even though the daily sparring in addition to this sheer workload should have crushed her, she never showed a single sign of weakness. I respected that. I wanted to be like that. Therefore I did my work without complaint. I knew that if I asked, Elysium would likely take some of this work off my shoulders ¨C but that would mean placing them on her own, and I wasn¡¯t ready to burden my benefactor in that way.


    Thankfully, this was the last week I had to do all this paperwork. My function within the Ezov¡¯s operational structure was as a temporary manager ¨C much of this paperwork would usually be handled by the branch manager. The reason why I was laden with paperwork was because the manager for this branch had yet to be selected ¨C our standard practice was to observe the girls we hired for a month, and we would pick the most diligent and most capable among them as the branch manager. This week was the last week of that month, so soon I would be free of these tedious responsibilities ¨C at least until we opened another branch.


    With the administrative room put back into order, I turned to the two bundles of paper on the table that had been tied up and sealed with wax. The reports for Bainel and Elysium, based on what I had learned from the monthly report. Of course, the most troubling bit of news was the emergence of dissenting voices in Frunzeit. It was unthinkable that such behaviour in one of the Empire¡¯s largest cities would go unpunished. As Anneliese had said, it stank of collusion. It was likely that someone in a position of power was in contact with the agitators. None of us particularly cared for the current Emperor, nor would we likely shed a tear were he to be replaced, but it was a matter of concern for us nonetheless ¨C any sort of incident involving the Emperor would cause instability in the country, and instability was bad for business. Still, the problem was that we were only ordinary citizens ¨C Elysium¡¯s monstrous physical abilities aside. There was nothing we could do to counter intrigue in the court, and so the best option was to just make plans assuming the worst-case scenarios. It left a bad taste in my mouth that we might be so subject to circumstances beyond our control, but our powerlessness was a fact, and it was more efficient to accept it than to bemoan it.


    With the paperwork done, I decided to go downstairs and check on the shop itself. With the time creeping toward evening, the Ezov was starting to fill up with patrons. I glanced toward the counter. While there was a single counter that stretched across one wall of the shop, it was split into three distinct sections. The middle section, which was by far the largest, was the food and beverage counter ¨C right behind it was the window to the kitchen, and the shop¡¯s stock of alcohol was housed in the shelves directly under this section of the counter. One of our hired girls, Jasmine, stood behind this counter, calmly taking orders and passing them to the kitchen, her hands skillfully manipulating the many bottles of spirits even as she talked to the customers with a smile. Prior to joining us, she had worked several years at a high-end tavern, and therefore was well-acquainted with the art. However, she lacked initiative. She would perform any tasks she was told to with great efficiency, but she would rarely do more than that. It wasn¡¯t a matter of laziness, but rather just that she wasn¡¯t the type of person to actively think and consider her surroundings, and preferred to go with the flow.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The left side of the counter served a completely different purpose, showcasing a set of stands which displayed rows upon rows of Rosalind-related merchandise: Woodcut prints featuring her, small carved blocks of wood with her likeness, paper fans that bore her image, cosmetics bearing her name and endorsement, among other similar products. For the particularly wealthy, there were also paintings and sculptures made in her likeness. The queue at this counter was particularly long, and the people at the counter were all buying the same thing: our newest product, a blend of tea leaves that we named Rosalina. Even I didn¡¯t know what the exact components of the blend were ¨C only Rosalind, Elysium and Bainel had that knowledge ¨C but at the most recent concert, Rosalind had unveiled it and publicly announced that it was a blend that she had ¡°painstakingly crafted with all her love¡± and that she hoped that ¡°everyone in the audience would feel all the affection and thoughts she put into the blend¡±. Unsurprisingly, the fans came in droves to buy the blends ¨C the report from the four main branches had stated that stocks in all branches were running dangerously low. Meanwhile, we were rolling in profits from the sale. All because we attached Rosalind¡¯s endorsement to it.


    The power of music was scary.


    I turned my attention from the product being sold to the individual who was doing the selling, who was clearly flustered and struggling to keep up with the volume of orders. A brown-haired girl with freckles named Eliza, the sixteen-year old was the youngest among those we employed. She was hardworking and spirited, and most of her coworkers agreed that she was the perfect moodmaker, a girl who made everyone smile just by watching her. She was also quick-witted and dexterous, picking up her job very quickly. But she was timid and easily flustered, causing her to have trouble with handling large crowds of customers, as evidenced on this occasion. She¡¯d grown up in an orphanage, and was unused to large crowds. Given enough time and experience, she would likely overcome her timidity, but as she was now, she would need a lot of work. Still, she had an abundance of promise, and she would likely have the chance for a promotion in the near future.


    Finally, my gaze turned to the third, rightmost section of the counter ¨C where the level-headed Marisa was calmly handling the surge of customers inquiring about possible commissions. Behind her was a board with various posters prominently displayed, listing the various job requests that had started pouring in from the citizens of cities around the country, even though it had only been two weeks since we entered the second phase of the Ezov Project. We were already receiving almost ten commissions a day per region, and the number of inquiries regarding available commissions averaged fifty per day for any given branch. It seemed that the demand for a service like that once offered by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was immense ¨C and yet nobody had taken the step to try and meet that demand. It was probably because until we came along, nobody had a network as extensively connected as what we had established with the Ezov. Regardless of the cause for this lack of supply, our sudden creation of the service was met with an extremely positive response, to the point where many of the girls in the various branches were starting to become overwhelmed.


    Separating the main area of the Ezov into three, based on function, was my idea ¨C I was using this branch as a testing ground, and based on the level of success it met, would reccommend it to the other branches at the next meeting. However, the idea of putting the requests up on a board for the customers to see, as the Guild used to do, came from Marisa. She had approached me with the idea about a week ago, along with a suggestion to increase the prominence of a commission depending on its value ¨C commissions with greater rewards would be displayed more prominently, and therefore would have a higher chance of being fulfilled. This ensured that clients would have a vested interest in offering a higher payment for their commissions, which in turn resulted in a higher level of profit for us. It was a rather ingenious idea, though the drawback was that smaller commissions by less wealthy clients would be more likely to go unnoticed. Nonetheless, from a purely profit-centered perspective, it was a brilliant suggestion.


    This degree of initiative and consideration was the reason why Elysium, Rosalind and I had, after perusing my reports on the performance of all our girls, mutually agreed upon having her be the manager for this branch of the Ezov. She had just the amount of skill and enthusiasm for the job, and having her take over my temporary duties would allow us to move on from this city with peace of mind. I figured that it would probably be alright to inform her at this point, given that the decision was already made, and so I descended the stairs, intending to have someone stand in for her while I ran her through the full scope of her new duties.


    Unfortunately, before I could speak to her, my plans were abruptly interrupted by the sound of horsetrots and wheels on cobblestone coming from outside the Ezov, accompanied by the sounding of a grand trumpet.

 Volume 3 Chapter 5: The Chancellor

    <div>


    The door to the Ezov opened, and a young, blonde-haired man of about twenty-five years strode in. His light blue coat fluttered about as he confidently walked toward the center of the room, perfectly at ease amidst the crowd. Around him, several gasps of recognition ran through the crowd. Of course, I recognised this man as well. Marisa¡¯s eyes met mine, noting my emergence from the upper floor. I nodded briefly and completed my descent down the stairs, walking to face the man. As the rest of the Ezov watched on in silence, I placed a hand on my chest and bowed respectfully.


    ¡°This is certainly a surprise, Chancellor Kronschild. If you had but informed us of your coming, we would have prepared a more fitting welcome.¡±


    ¡°Nay, this is an informal visit. No welcome is expected.¡±


    High Chancellor Julio Kronschild smiled amiably, dismissing my concern.


    ¡°In that case, Chancellor, please follow me upstairs, that we might dine in peace.¡±


    ¡°One second, if you will.¡±


    He turned back to the door and addressed the two lines of soldiers who stood at attention outside the entrance.


    ¡°Gentlemen, I thank you for your services. You may be at ease and enjoy yourselves in this establishment as you will, but mind your conduct as proud knights of the Imperial Guard.¡±


    The soldiers saluted as one, then broke ranks and began to mingle. Kronschild turned back to me.


    ¡°Well then, please lead on.¡±


    The mood of the Ezov had become a little subdued with the presence of such a personage. The guests murmured amongst each other, casting worried glances at him. I was about to say something to remedy the situation, but Marisa beat me to it.


    ¡°Well, it seems that even the good Chancellor¡¯s heard of our fine establishment. Now, who¡¯s up for another round of drinks, eh? Or are you going to say that something good enough for the Chancellor is not good enough for you?¡±


    A bout of laughter rolled through the hall, and it became lively once more. Marisa looked at me and gave me a thumbs up. More confirmation that we had made the right decision.


    I led Julio up the stairs to one of the private rooms, meant for us to meet with merchants and craftsmen to discuss business. Finally, I showed him to a table with two seats, indicating for him to take one. At the same time, I shut the door, sealing out unwanted listeners. Then I took my seat across from him.


    ¡°Well now, if I may be so bold, may I ask what brings the second-most powerful man in the Empire to this humble establishment?¡±


    Julio Kronschild was the 2nd son of the previous Emperor and the younger brother of the current one. His story was a rather famous one amongst the people of this country. Five years younger than the current Emperor, Julio had demonstrated remarkable talent from his youth, proving himself to be his brother¡¯s superior in combat, magic, intellect and charisma. When the people secretly derided the Emperor as incompetent or immature, they would often refer to Julio as their basis for comparison. Additionally, the previous Emperor had doted deeply on Julio, clearly showing him an alarming degree of favoritism when compared to the rest of his brothers. When the old Emperor passed, everyone expected Julio to take the throne based on merits alone, regardless of being the second-born. Unfortunately, Julio was an illegitimate child ¨C his mother was an unknown whore who had died during childbirth. Some higher-ranking members of the nobility refused to accept an illegitimate child as an heir, and thus his brother ¨C the firstborn of the Empress ¨C was given the throne.


    It was seen by many to be a cruel denial of what Julio deserved by virtue of his abilities, but the man in question had, reportedly, simply smiled and said ¡®It is all that a whoreson like me deserves¡¯ in self-derision. Perhaps it was a good thing that he had been so aware and accepting of his position, for when the Emperor put to death the majority of his brothers ¨C at the suggestion of various noble houses ¨C Julio alone was spared. The Emperor, like many others, adored Julio, and installed him as the High Chancellor, in charge of handling the day-to-day affairs of the country.


    Put another way, the Emperor piled all his duties and responsibilities on to Julio while keeping his title. It was a rather sad fate. Julio spent his days cleaning up the messes that the Emperor made. It was also clear that the nobles looked upon him and his birth with disdain, and it was rumoured that many of them went out of their way to disrupt the policies he tried to implement. Throughout it all, it was said that he never complained, and could always be seen with a tired smile on his face. Because of his tireless efforts to improve the country and his amiable disposition, the people of the country often referred to him as ¡°The Charitable Chancellor¡±.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    A person of such esteem presently sat before me. Clearly, this was no pleasure visit ¨C the entourage of soldiers was more than enough evidence to make that conclusion. Ergo, the obvious conclusion was that he had a matter of some import to discuss, in his official capacity as the Chancellor.


    Julio laughed and answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s refreshingly straightforward. You¡¯re surprisingly capable, for a man of your youth.¡±


    ¡°I apologise, but hearing such praise from the man who was hailed as a child genius makes it sound false.¡±


    ¡°No, no. Truly, you are an impressive individual. You easily discerned that I had something to tell you in private without any real prompting on my part. Furthermore, you opened the negotiation by indicating your full awareness of my position and by indicating that you preferred me to state my business without any of the customary duel of words.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, and yet I find us engaging in it nonetheless. Again I ask, what need do you have of our humble establishment?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯d call it ¡®humble¡¯ ¨C the growth of your business in the past four years has been astonishing. When we first heard of Miss Rosalind, we thought it a novel idea, nothing more ¨C a bard performing outside of a court was a curiosity, but just that. Not a matter of import. And now, only after a matter of years, she is now one of the most influential people in the land. There are even some who claim she commands greater loyalty than the Emperor himself.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. That was a threat. A thinly veiled one, at that. Julio was making it clear that at least some elements of the court saw Rosalind as a threat to the Emperor. Whatever his request was, we would have to accede to it, or risk being shut down by the court. Cold sweat collected on the back of my neck.


    ¡°No, no. I fear that rumours of Miss Rosalind¡¯s influence are greatly exaggerated. She is merely a songstress, nothing more ¨C nor does she desire to be anything more. Singing is her life¡¯s work.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have heard many tales about the beauty of her voice, though I have not had the pleasure of listening to it myself. Which, naturally, brings us to the purpose of my visit today.¡±


    I blinked.


    ¡°You wish to attend her next concert?¡±


    ¡°Not quite. Rather, if my purpose were to procure a ticket for myself, I would have simply bought it from your shop like an ordinary customer, as befitting one of my low station. No, I come today on the behalf of one whose significance far outstrips mine.¡±


    I gulped. If it was someone who was more important than the High Chancellor, then it could only be¡­


    ¡°As you¡¯ve no doubt surmised, I come here today as an envoy for Emperor Lucius Kronschild of our Mercynth Empire. His Imperial Majesty would very much like to hear Miss Rosalind sing, and therefore has sent me to secure a ticket at her next concert.¡±


    I felt my face threatening to contort into a frown, but forced myself to remain impassive. The Emperor wanted to come watch Rosalind. While this was a clear indicator of our success, it also brought with it a host of headaches.


    On the one hand, being able to claim that our Rosalind had managed to catch the attention of even the Emperor would do wonders for our prestige ¨C we would be able to double, maybe even triple the price of our tickets without backlash. Furthermore, this would allow us to break into the market of the nobility, the majority of which still boycotted Rosalind¡¯s concerts on the grounds of it being music unfit for nobility. The attendance of the Emperor would quell those complaints, allowing us even greater profits. In truth, if we looked purely at profits, this development was an immense boon.


    On the other hand, having the Emperor in attendance meant that we would need to have airtight security ¨C any harm that befell the Emperor while he was in our concert venue would be seen as an oversight on our part, or perhaps even an act of treason. We would have to exercise vigilance, triple the security, do background checks on everyone in attendance. It would be an immense amount of additional work to add to our already overwhelming list of preparations that needed to be made.


    The other problem was the Emperor¡¯s personality. Emperor Lucius Kronschild was known to be a man beholden to his desires. He had taken no less than five concubines in the time since he had ascended to the throne, and it was not hard to imagine that his desire to attend the concert might be fueled by the intention to add a sixth.


    Weighing the benefits against the detriments, the best option was clearly to refuse this situation, yet we couldn¡¯t exactly refuse a direct request from the Emperor ¨C that would be tantamount to treason. Our hands were tied. Still, I needed to get Elysium¡¯s approval before I made a decision about this. I cleared my throat and addressed Julio.


    ¡°You honour us with your patronage. We are undeserving of such an eminent guest. I hope you¡¯ll forgive my impudence, but I¡¯d like to discuss this with Miss Rosalind ¨C this is hardly an honour I can accept on her behalf.¡±


    Julio gave me a sympathetic half-smile, as if he understood how troubling this offer was.


    ¡°Certainly, please do. I¡¯ll come back in three days to hear your response ¨C hopefully, it will be an agreeable one.¡±


    With that, the two of us stood up, shook hands, and then headed back downstairs. His soldiers collected themselves in quick order and formed ranks outside the store. Then the whole group moved off in the direction of the palace.


    Once the procession had moved out of sight, I let out a deep sigh and kneaded my brow, wondering how I was going to break this news to my employer.

 Volume 3 Chapter 6: For Your Sake

    <div>


    Elysium paced back and forth in front of the street-facing wall of our room at the inn. The curtains were drawn, but the orange light of the sunset still filtered in through the thin fabric. Across the table from me, Rosalind sipped her tea, seemingly unperturbed, but I could see the shadow of a frown on her face. An uncomfortable silence settled between us. Elysium was the first to speak.


    ¡°I think we should refuse.¡±


    I felt the tension leave my body, relieved at the fact that I was not the one who had to put forth that opinion. I wholeheartedly agreed with her, but I felt that it wasn¡¯t my place to make such an assertion. Though Elysium and Rosalind often treated me as an equal in our enterprise, I was still technically just an employee ¨C top-level decisions like these were beyond the scope of my job. Without waiting for our responses, Elysium continued to state her viewpoint.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the possible prestige is worth the logistical nightmare this would cause ¨C we have only three weeks left to the concert. We don¡¯t have the time to do the preperatory work needed to hire another layer of security. Our current workers aside, we won¡¯t be able to conduct adequate background checks on the rest of the hires. Not to mention how we would handle attendance on the day itself ¨C We would need to secure the Emperor a protected route into and out of the venue.If he wants to make his attendance a secret ¨C which is likely ¨C we would have to conceal his attendance while still providing him the best view of the stage ¨C no small feat. We would need to hold the rest of the audience in the venue until he left ¨C and if he asks to see Rosalind before or after the show, we¡¯ll need to arrange security for that, as well. I don¡¯t think the possible benefits are worth the detriments. Glint, your thoughts?¡±


    I jumped at being suddenly called upon. I had expected her to ask Rosalind, not me. I quickly recovered my composure and responded.


    ¡°I concur. I don¡¯t think we should accommodate this request. But even so, this is a direct request from the Emperor¡­ there will be consequences for refusal.¡±


    In the worst case scenario, we might be tried for treason or l¨¨se-majest¨¦ and executed. Even if we avoided that outcome, there were other ways to ruin us ¨C the Emperor could have the operating licenses of the Ezov revoked, or could forbid Rosalind from holding concerts. Either of these outcomes would put a halt to Rosalind¡¯s career, and effectively destroy all she had built up over the last four years. When we took that into account, we didn¡¯t really have much choice in this matter.


    Elysium growled, annoyance apparent on her face.


    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it when that happens. We can arrange for a private performance at a later date, if it¡¯ll appease him.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll be that amicable.¡±


    ¡°I said we¡¯ll deal with it when it happens.¡±


    ¡°We have no way of knowing if he¡¯ll be open to alternatives. If he¡¯s not, it¡¯ll be too late by the time we find out. Even though I agree with your concerns, our hands are tied. We don¡¯t have a choice but to accede.¡±


    ¡°I said, no.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Elysium. Be rational. This isn¡¯t like you.¡±


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, Glint, I said-!¡±


    ¡°Ely, I think we should do it.¡±


    As we began to raise our voices in turn, Rosalind cut into our rapidly escalating argument, her clear voice ringing through the room and silencing us. Elysium turned toward her with a pained look.


    ¡°Ros, not you too.¡±


    ¡°Ely. Glint¡¯s right. We don¡¯t have much of a choice. We have to accede. I¡¯ll help with the logistics, if necessary. You don¡¯t have to do everything yourself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the only problem!¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll deal with the other problems when they happen.¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Elysium walked over to Rosalind¡¯s side and seized her by her collar.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot. I know you understand. The Emperor doesn¡¯t want to hear you sing.¡±


    Rosalind was unresisting, smiling even as Elysium accosted her.


    ¡°I know, Ely. I¡¯ve heard the same rumours you have. It¡¯s likely that his intentions are rather¡­ base. He probably wants to add me to his collection of wives, or at least to see if I¡¯m worthy of that consideration.¡±


    ¡°Then why? Why are you still so willingly agreeing? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re okay with that?! With becoming the mistress of the Emperor?¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. She forced open Elysium¡¯s hand, releasing herself from Elysium¡¯s grip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t insult me. I¡¯m not such a loose woman. Of course I¡¯m not okay with that.¡±


    Elysium let her hands drop, but didn¡¯t apologise.


    ¡°So why? Why aren¡¯t you with me on this? Why do you want to go through with this?¡±


    ¡°Because if I gain the Emperor¡¯s favour, I can convince him to give you a permit to exit the country to look for whatever you¡¯ve forgotten.¡±


    Elysium blinked, bewildered. Then she slapped Rosalind. When she spoke again, her voice was low, her tone filled with anger.


    ¡°This again. I don¡¯t need you to do that ¨C especially not at expense to yourself.¡±


    Rosalind cupped her cheek where Elysium had hit her, but her face bore a soft expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re my friend, Ely. If it¡¯s something that can help you find what you¡¯re looking for, I want to do it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want your help. I told you, I¡¯ve long given up.¡±


    ¡°And I told you that I¡¯m not going let you give up.¡±


    The two women stared at each other for some time. Then Elysium turned her back on Rosalind.


    ¡°I¡¯m against it. This is a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°I know. But I still want to do it.¡±


    Elysium clenched her fists, looking like she was about to turn back and shout at Rosalind again. But then her hands relaxed. She walked toward the door of the room, seemingly indicating that she had nothing more to discuss. I turned toward Rosalind, wondering if she was really fine with this outcome. She was biting her lip, on the verge of tears. I wanted to say something, but decided against it. There would be no point if this quarrel was resolved through my intervention.


    As Elysium placed her hand on the doorknob, Rosalind finally collected herself enough to speak up.


    ¡°You said you would support me in what I chose to do, right? You said that it was up to me to decide what I wanted to do. You said that you would follow me in my decision. In that case, this is my decision, Ely. I want to help you to find whatever you¡¯re looking for, any way I can. And if performing for the Emperor can help me achieve that, then I want to do that, too.¡±


    Elysium paused, her hand on the doorknob. Then she turned it and swung the door open.


    ¡°That¡¯s unfair, Ros. As always, you¡¯re unfair.¡±


    The door slammed shut behind her. Rosalind sunk down, resting her forehead against her arm on the low tabletop. She made no sound, but the shaking of her shoulders made it clear that she was crying. Looking at her sobbing form, I sighed, awkwardly standing in a room with a crying woman. I gently patted her on the shoulder twice in reassurance, then grabbed a long bundle by the foot of the bed. As I walked out the door, I spoke gently to Rosalind.


    ¡°Try to understand, she just cares about you too much. I¡¯m going after her. We¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Try and get some sleep.¡±


    With that, I closed the door softly behind me and headed for the rooftop. Knowing Elysium, that was probably where she went to clear her head. I couldn¡¯t do anything to intervene in their quarrel, but I could at least keep a friend company in her time of need.

 Volume 3 Chapter 7: Rooftop Altercation

    I found Elysium leaning out over the railing on the side of the rooftop, looking down at the street. Without glancing back, she addressed me the moment I set foot on the rooftop.


    ¡°Hey, Glint. Sorry you had to see that.¡±


    ¡°You know she meant well, of course.¡±


    ¡°Naturally. Doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t be angry.¡±


    I sighed, taking in Elysium¡¯s gloomy form. It was a rare sight ¨C the woman was usually chipper and upbeat, even when feeling the stress of an upcoming performance. That she bore such an air of melancholy showed just how much she objected to Rosalind¡¯s acceptance of the job, as well as betrayed her concern for her friend¡¯s well-being. Knowing that nothing I could say would make her feel better, I instead opted to toss the bundle in my hands over by her feet, its contents spilling out as it landed, revealing a number of blunted metal weapons. Elysium glanced down, then turned to me, her face impassive.


    ¡°Now? Really?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re clearly dealing with a ton of worries right now. What better way to work through it than to beat the shit out of me, right?¡±


    What I was proposing was one of our sparring bouts. Since arriving at the capital, we¡¯d had fewer opportunities to spar, leading to our morning routine only occurring every three days or so. That being the case, I figured it would be a good way to let Elysium beat down her worries, while also serving as valuable training for me.


    Sensing my intentions, Elysium¡¯s expressionless face broke into a slight smile, and she selected a weapon from the group in the pack ¨C a one-handed sword. Ordinarily, there should have been a shield to go along with it, but Elysium had neglected to include one in the package of training equipment, so she simply used the sword and nothing else.


    ¡°Still not using a spear?¡±


    Elysium laughed at my taunting query.


    ¡°Sorry, but you¡¯re not quite good enough yet to match me when I¡¯m using a spear ¨C if I went with that, the match would likely be over instantly, and that would hardly prove an effective means of working through my doubts, no?¡±


    I grumbled under my breath at her assessment of my abilities, but did nothing else. It was, after all, an accurate assessment. I had improved to the point where I could match Elysium in a fight if I employed my magic in tandem with my normal attacks ¨C but this was contingent on Elysium using a one-handed sword, which she proclaimed was her least favorite weapon. I doubted I could last ten seconds if she decided to use her specialty, the spear.


    Still, it didn¡¯t mean I could let my guard down ¨C Elysium was ambidextrous, and a large part of her swordfighting technique relied on transferring her sword between her hands to strike in unexpected ways. I narrowed my eyes and watched her closely as she took up a relaxed, forward stance.


    Elysium had the advantage in speed and strength. She had physical abilities that far surpassed those of a normal human. However, she could not use magic.


    I, on the other hand, had magic as my sole advantage. Whereas Elysium was limited to attacking with her physical body, I could attack her from various directions, or even multiple directions at once. I had, indeed, proposed this bout as a way for Elysium to clear her frustrations, but I still intended to win. And my only chance at victory was to fully maximise this magical advantage ¨C I had to pelt her with attacks from all sides, without giving her the time to recover and aim for my head. In other words, if I let her force me on the defensive, it would be my loss.


    I seized the initiative with a full-on dash, blurring my outline with three projected images of myself. At the same time, I materialised a legion of light swords, surrounding Elysium. I sent them flying in on her position at the exact same moment as I reached striking range. With this, I had her trapped. The light swords from all directions left nowhere for her to dodge, and if she tried to block them or fend them off, she would expose herself to my physical attack. The battle was decided.


    Or rather, it would have been decided if my opponent was anyone other than Elysium. Her arm moving faster than I could follow, she destroyed half of my encirclement ¨C she parried the swords into other swords, destroying both, or otherwise she flat-out cut them down with a swing. With the encirclement broken, she was able to freely step into my guard and intercept my dagger with the flat of her blade, diverting it and throwing me off balance. While I struggled to regain my footing, she swapped her sword from her right hand to her left and struck at me in an arc, an attack that I just barely managed to block by bringing up my second dagger. Although I¡¯d managed to avoid getting hit by the blade, the force of the blow sent me flying, tumbling across the rooftop. Without missing a beat, Elysium kicked off the ground and appeared ahead of me, preparing her sword to arc down on my flying body.


    I hastily constructed a barrier of light around me as I passed under her arm, and the downward swing promptly shattered it. Thankfully, even though it broke, the barrier had blocked the strike, and allowed me to roll to a stop, quickly getting to my feet with my daggers at the ready. Immediately, Elysium appeared before me and began to attack, forcing me back. Her attacks were erratic and dangerous ¨C what started as a downward swing could easily turn into an upward slash from the other direction. Fending her off took all of my concentration; her attacks were unrelenting, barely leaving room to breathe.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Feeling myself becoming faint from a lack of air, I desperately materialised four swords of light directly behind her and drove them in. She glanced back and parried them all in less than a fraction of a second, but that short period of time granted me a much-needed reprieve. In the brief instant after she had parried the attacks, I kicked her, using her as a springboard to open some distance. At the same time, I reached to a holder on my thigh and retrieved a set of six knives, throwing them in her direction. She knocked them all away, but they stayed midair, embedding themselves into a set of six blocks of solid light, surrounding her. This was a technique I had worked a long time to develop, and I could only maintain the blocks for about twenty seconds before they dissipated. I hoped that would be enough.


    In the handle of each dagger was embedded a small Resound Jewel, and all six were pointed at Elysium. I held up an additional Jewel, attached to a bracelet around my right hand, and poured mana into it, sending twenty light swords through it. I had configured the swords to always aim at a random other Jewel, and the result was that Elysium was buffeted by a barrage of twenty swords moving in completely unpredictable patterns. Furthermore, I was able to move the blocks of light that held the daggers, and I moved them in arbitrary, random fashion, making it even harder to predict where an attack was going to come from. The downside of this technique was that I was unable to enter the fray of swords myself due to the unpredictable nature of it, but I hoped this would wear Elysium down enough for her to show an opening.


    She blocked and parried sword after sword, but at around the fifteen second mark, I managed a surprise attack from under her and knocked her sword away, leaving her unarmed. She then turned her efforts to dodging the attacks, using minimal movement, and eventually the twenty second time limit was up. The blocks of light lost their form, and the daggers clattered to the floor. Elysium was left standing in the middle of the rooftop, breathing heavily. Her back was turned towards me. She was unarmed. This would be my best chance.


    I leapt towards her, poising my dagger for a downward stab. However, just before it could land, she reached up and grabbed my swinging hand. Then she threw me on the ground and disarmed me, placing the dagger to my throat.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s my win.¡±


    ¡°¡­Again. I don¡¯t even know why I try, to be honest.¡±


    I sighed, defeated. Elysium smiled and helped me up.


    ¡°Give yourself some credit. That last attack was pretty effective. I was actually a little worried for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I figured that since you can read all my attacking intent, I might as well attack with no intent. I wasn¡¯t expecting it to actually work.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a sound theory. It¡¯s harder to defend against something completely random than it is to defend against something with killer intent behind it.¡±


    ¡°Good to know that it wasn¡¯t a complete waste of time coming up with it, I guess.¡±


    Elysium strode over to the edge of the rooftop, where she had been leaning out. I joined her, leaning out next to her.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡±


    ¡°A bit, yeah. You were right. Physical exertion was just what I needed to take my mind off things.¡±


    ¡°So does that mean you¡¯ll make up with Rosalind?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah. I¡¯ll go apologise later. It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t see where she¡¯s coming from. She¡¯s right. This isn¡¯t a job we can exactly turn down, given who¡¯s offering it. It¡¯s just¡­ her life could be at stake, here. Her position. Her career. Her future. I don¡¯t want her to throw that away just to help me.¡±


    ¡°Even if that¡¯s what she wants to do?¡±


    ¡°Even so. I came into her life suddenly, and she took care of me when she had no obligation to. I owe her so much, and I don¡¯t want to see her come into danger for my sake. I¡¯m okay with accepting the Emperor¡¯s request if she wants to do it, but I want her to do it for her own sake, not mine.¡±


    ¡°Elysium, she cares so much about you that anything done for your sake is basically the same as something done for her¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware. Doesn¡¯t mean I have to accept that.¡±


    We lapsed into silence for a bit. Then I decided to bring up something that had been on my mind for some time.


    ¡°Elysium, why do you think Rosalind cares so much about you?¡±


    ¡°Because we¡¯re close friends, and have been through a lot together.¡±


    ¡°A friend? Is that really all there is to it? Is that really all she sees you as?¡±


    Elysium didn¡¯t answer, turning her head away. I opted to continue on this line.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen how she looks at you. And if I¡¯ve noticed, it¡¯s impossible that you haven¡¯t as well. She¡¯s in love with you, Elysium.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    ¡°So why do you pretend not to notice?¡±


    Elysium remained silent and turned around, leaning backward rather than forward over the railing.


    ¡°Elysium.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s because I treasure what we have now. Our friendship. I¡¯ve never had a friend quite as important to me as Rosalind. Well, more accurately, I¡¯ve had very few friends in general. But at the same time, that¡¯s all I feel for her. Friendship. I don¡¯t harbour any romantic feelings for Rosalind, even if she holds some for me. And if I let her know that I¡¯ve noticed, that will lead to her asking me for my answer. And when that happens, I won¡¯t be able to reciprocate. I want to avoid that situation for as long as possible. And so I pretend not to notice.¡±


    ¡°You know that she¡¯s going to ask you anyway, eventually, right?¡±


    ¡°I do. And I dread the coming of that day.¡±


    The two of us fell into a shared silence, watching the stars in the night sky. Then Elysium pushed herself off the railing and tousled my hair.


    ¡°Thanks for coming to find me, Glint. That session really helped me sort out my thoughts. I¡¯ll go apologise in the morning.¡±


    I grumbled and avoided her hand, then helped to retrieve the training equipment. As we descended the stairs to our room, Elysium spoke up one more time.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re going to be even busier from now on. I hope you¡¯re ready to be overworked, Glint?¡±


    I was tempted to respond with a snarky comment about overwork being the norm, but thought better of it.


    ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s make this last performance a success.¡±


    <hr>

 Volume 3 Chapter 8: Hard at Work

    <div>


    I worked furiously in the office of the Ezov, chipping away at the veritable mountain of paperwork on my desk. My eyes rapidly scanned each sheet of paper, my hand signing off when required and seperating them into two piles, one for filing and one for those documents that required further action. Next to me, Eliza ¨C one of our employees ¨C sat next to me, sorting the pile meant for filing into further subcategories, storing them in different folders depending on whether they were expediture reports, manpower requests, progress reports, job applications, revenue reports or miscellanous documents. On the other side of the room, Elysium was sitting in a similar position, poring over paperwork, assisted by Jasmine.


    A knock on the door heralded the entry of Marisa ¨C recently appointed Branch Manager for this branch of the Ezov. On this day, the Ezov was technically closed for business, and we were using it as a central administration office to deal with the logistics involved in setting up the next concert. Due to her competence, Marisa was left to oversee the counter and receive any new documents or address any new contingencies that might prove necessary. People had been coming in and out of the Ezov all day long, bearing important documents that required the perusal of either myself or Elysium. Marisa¡¯s job was therefore to collate these and sort them according to importance, with the more urgent ones being passed to Elysium, while the rest were left to me.


    Marisa entered the room with a large stack of paper in her hands, placing a portion of it on Elysium¡¯s desk, then resting the remainder on mine. Just before she turned to leave, I took my pile of documents that required further action and seperated them into two. One pile was for documents that needed Elysium¡¯s attention, the other was a pile that had some sort of error. I passed the second pile to Marisa.


    ¡°These reports are suspicious ¨C the numbers don¡¯t tally up for some of the revenue reports from the ticket sales, and for the expenditure reports, the numbers or quantities don¡¯t make sense. Help me go through these and see if you can find an explanation for the discrepancy, and if you can¡¯t, contact the contractor that filed the report. Oh, and also make a note of everyone who filed these, I¡¯ll need it later, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Is there anything else you need me to handle?¡±


    ¡°Not for now. Ask Elysium if she has anything on her part she needs you to do.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    She hurried off, while I turned my attention back to the job application I was currently examining. Due to the sudden increase in the amount of security required for the event due to the confirmed attendance of the Emperor, we had spent the last few days sending out recruitment notices for it, and as a result of our efforts, we had mostly filled out the necessary personnel requirements ¨C in addition to the usual ten men we employed for security and crowd control, we had filled out an additional nineteen slots with individuals possessed of good character, with numerous achievements that stood testament to their strength and skill. However, filling in that last spot was proving to be rather difficult.


    I looked over the application, paying attention to the applicant¡¯s name, qualifications, past employment history, and asking salary. The first step was to check the given name against the list of wanted criminals, though we didn¡¯t expect much to come out of this step ¨C anybody on such a list was likely to avoid submitting an application under their real name. Still, it was always possible that the criminal in question was unaware of their notoriety, so doing this quick check would save us some potential trouble later on. Having ascertained that the name of the applicant was not on the wanted list, I moved on to the next check ¨C the achievements.


    Since this was the capital, fighting tournaments and the like were frequently held, some official, many unofficial. Such tournaments were completely legal, though gambling on the outcomes in unofficial tournaments was strictly against the law. Of course, it happened anyway, but for the purposes of our application process, the legality of the matches in which our applicants participated was irrelevant ¨C we just wanted to know if they had achieved anything of note. Many of the applicants had at least participated in such tournaments before, with several of them emerging victorious. One applicant in particular had won ten of such tournaments ¨C an impressive feat. However, seven out of ten of these had been unofficial tournaments, which was a concerning number, to say the least. My suspicions had turned out to be correct: when I checked his name against our dossiers, it had emerged an alarming number of times, usually in relation to acts of violence ¨C he had apparently initiated a tavern brawl with four other men and walked out unscathed. While that was proof of his ability, it also showed an undesirable character ¨C we wanted guards, not thugs. As a result, we had rejected that application.


    The applicant I was currently considering had won two official tournaments, and had not listed any unofficial tournaments, so that was a promising sign. Feeling hopeful, I turned to his past employment history. He had joined the army for several years, before leaving to become a hired escort for a merchant¡¯s caravan. He held this position for five years, but had recently left it due to undisclosed reasons. I furrowed my brow and opened the cabinet holding the rumours we had managed to collect from various information merchants and other regulars in the Ezov. It was a large folder, containing numerous sheets of paper that recorded various pieces of information. Each sheet of paper was a single report, holding all the details we had managed to gather about a given rumour, as well as notes on their credibility. These sheets were then organised alphabetically according to the individuals involved, with all the rumours on an individual forming their dossier, following which they were filed into the cabinet. I scanned the titles of the dossier, finding one that bore the applicant¡¯s name. I opened it and flipped through briefly, then sighed as I read what we had collected about this man.


    Apparently, the ¡°undisclosed reason¡± was that he had stolen from his employer¡¯s caravan while guarding it. The information had come from several of the other guards and assistants who had accompanied the caravan, and had been verified with the merchant in question. Apparently, the merchant had demanded the money back, and because the applicant had returned it, the merchant had chosen not to press charges. As a former thief myself, the man did have my sympathies, but if he had been caught in the act by so many people, it meant that either his ability or his judgment was lacking. I stamped a rejection across the application and slid it into the pile meant for filing, whereupon it was quickly processed by Jasmine. I stretched my arms out, feeling the soreness in my muscles, and decided to take a short break. Seeing that I had stopped working, Eliza followed suit, and immediately got up.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Let me get you some tea.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I appreciate it.¡±


    I glanced over at Elysium, who was still bent over her desk, furiously scribbling. She had been working herself to the bone for the entire week. She didn¡¯t take breaks, except to eat, and even then she only ate with one hand while continuing to peruse her documents. It demonstrated a level of tenacity and stamina that was inhuman, though that was hardly a surprise, given that she so often did things that were beyond the abilities of regular humans. Poor Jasmine, performing for Elysium the same job that Eliza was doing for me, was clearly struggling to keep up with Elysium. I walked up to her and patted her on the shoulder.


    ¡°Jasmine, it¡¯s okay if you need to take a break.¡±


    Jasmine looked up to meet my eyes briefly, on the verge of tearing up, but she wiped her eyes and quickly turned back to her work, shaking her head vigorously.


    ¡°No, It¡¯s not right to take a break when Miss Elysium is still working so hard¡­!¡±


    ¡°Elysium¡¯s a special case. You¡¯re not. It¡¯s plain to see that you¡¯re on the verge of collapse. Take a break. That¡¯s an order. Just take a fifteen minute break to refresh yourself, so you can work more effectively.¡±


    At that moment, Eliza re-entered the room, holding a tray with two cups of tea.


    ¡°Excellent timing, Eliza.¡±


    I took one of the cups and held it out to Jasmine.


    ¡°Here. Drink this, rest up, and let¡¯s get through this together.¡±


    Jasmine looked at me, uncertain, then received the cup from me with both hands. I flashed her a smile, upon which her face coloured a little red. Deciding to spare her from any more embarrassment, I quickly turned my back on her and returned to my chair. Eliza sat down next to me and pouted.


    ¡°Aww, I was looking forward to that.¡±


    ¡°Is that any way to talk to your boss?¡±


    ¡°Eep! I, uh, I meant¡­!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m joking.¡±


    I laughed at her honesty. Eliza was a very earnest, straightforward girl. It made her very popular with the guests, though that was also why she had been passed over for a managerial position. We were about the same age, but despite being an orphan, she had grown up in much better circumstances than I, so perhaps it was only natural that I saw her as childish or immature. I took the remaining cup of tea and handed it to Eliza.


    ¡°Here you go. I never said that the cup I gave Jasmine was yours.¡±


    ¡°E-eh? But then you¡¯d have nothing to drink. You drink it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suddenly find myself not in the mood for tea. Yet you¡¯ve already gone to the trouble of bringing it up for me. It would be a waste to leave this hot tea untouched. Therefore, you would be doing me a great favour by drinking it on my behalf, to avoid wastage.¡±


    ¡°Right. Even if you put it that way¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, think of it as thanks for coming in to work today, even though the shop being closed means you had the option not to. Although you¡¯re the one who prepared the tea and brought it up, the tea leaves were technically paid for by Elysium and I, so I suppose it does work as a show of gratitude.¡±


    Realising that I was not going to back down on the matter, Eliza meekly accepted the cup and began sipping from it. We sat in comfortable silence for a while, but then she spoke up.


    ¡°You know, you really don¡¯t need to thank us. We can all see how much you and Miss Elysium are working, and we¡¯re all fans of Miss Rosalind, too ¨C we want to do all we can to make her next concert a success. So all three of us being here today was a natural conclusion. We want to help you, to make everything work.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    I watched her drinking her tea for a while, then decided to speak to her about what I had intentionally intended for Marisa only.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve guessed from our suddenly increased workload that something has happened.¡±


    Eliza seemed to recognise that I was about to speak about something serious. She put down the cup and nodded.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to share the details of it, but after this concert, it¡¯s entirely possible something bad will happen. We¡¯re all working as hard as we can to make sure it doesn¡¯t, but there¡¯s still a chance that something will occur. When that happens, things might get a bit hectic, and a bit messy. I hope that if or when that time comes, the three of you will continue to place your trust in us ¨C in Elysium and I ¨C and continue supporting us.¡±


    Eliza¡¯s brow creased with worry, but she recognised that I wasn¡¯t intending to say more than I had, so she simply nodded and gave me her answer.


    ¡°I can¡¯t speak for Miss Jasmine or Miss Marisa, but I can assure you that I¡¯ll stand with you. I owe you and Miss Elysium a lot for this job. As long as whatever you¡¯re doing doesn¡¯t put the orphanage in danger, you¡¯ll have my support.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thanks.¡±


    At this moment, Elysium stood up and walked towards us, holding a job application in her hand. She waved it at me, letting me see the blue stamp of approval that she had placed on the bottom of the document. She glanced at Eliza, then back to me. Her mouth curled into a smirk.


    ¡°That¡¯s number thirty. Add this to the rest, and we can go meet with Julio. If you¡¯re done flirting, that is.¡±


    Eliza instantly coloured red and looked down, staring into her teacup. I ignored the jab and took the application, slotting it into a brown envelope with the other 29 approved applications. Standing up, I collected the jacket draped across the back of my chair and threw it on, grabbing my gloves from the drawer built into the desk. I buttoned up the suit and straightened my tie. I tucked the envelope of applications under my arm.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back in a while. Take a break until then, Eliza, Jasmine.¡±


    The two girls nodded their assent, but said nothing. Eliza was still staring into her tea. Leaving them in such a state, Elysium and I left the Ezov. After we had walked some distance, Elysium suddenly spoke, ruffling my hair.


    ¡°First Anneliese, then those girls back in Jorgenvale and Heltshire, and now our three helpers. You¡¯ve grown up into quite the heartbreaker, haven¡¯t you, Glint?¡±


    I extricated myself from her hand and sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested. Never have been. I don¡¯t get why this happens to me every time. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m treating them any differently than I do with other women.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably just because you¡¯re so nice to women in general. Anneliese raised you well. It also helps that you¡¯re pretty good-looking.¡±


    I lapsed in silence, unaware of how to respond. Then, suddenly, something that Elysium had said earlier suddenly came to mind.


    ¡°Wait, just now, did you say ¡®our three helpers¡¯? Not just Eliza and Jasmine?¡±


    Elysium glanced at me and burst out laughing, but gave no reply ¨C there was no chance to reply. We had arrived at our destination: Julio Kronschild¡¯s residence.


    <hr>

 Volume 3 Chapter 9: Alpha

    <div>


    As we stood before the gates to the mansion of Julio Kronschild, the second most powerful man in the Empire, a fully armoured, helmeted guard called out to us.


    ¡°Either state your business or move along, civilian.¡±


    I glanced over at the man. While the armour hid his physique, his posture and presence suggested a high degree of training and discipline. I could see his grip on his halberd tightening. His vigilance was commendable. Elysium nodded toward him in acknowledgement and spoke.


    ¡°Please tell the Lord Chancellor, ¡®Elysium Ling has arrived to discuss the aforementioned affair.''¡±


    The message was deliberately vague, as we were unsure of whether the guards were aware of the matter regarding the Emperor¡¯s attendance. Julio and Elysium had previously agreed to go about the preparations as quietly as possible, limiting the number of people who would know of the Emperor¡¯s presence at the concert. This was, of course, a consideration made in the name of security. The lower the number of people who knew of this arrangement, the lower the chance of it being leaked to someone who might want to take advantage of it.


    ¡°I will pass it on.¡±


    The guard turned to his partner, standing on the other side of the double gates and nodded. The second guard saluted and swiftly headed across the garden, in the direction of the house. After several minutes of waiting, he returned and opened the gates, accompanied by a maid. He took up his position by the gates, while the maid bowed deeply towards us. Her snow-white hair fell around her face as she did, shimmering as it reflected the sunlight.


    ¡°Please follow me.¡±


    Without waiting for a response, she straightened, turned, and strode toward the mansion at a brisk pace. As we followed behind her, I felt Elysium tap me lightly on the back of my hand. I glanced up, whereupon she gave a slight, barely noticeable jerk of the chin in the maid¡¯s direction. I narrowed my eyes and inclined my head slightly in affirmation.


    Of course I had noticed.


    The maid¡¯s physique was not that of a domestic servant. Certainly, she carried herself in an appropriate manner, and she was clearly at home in her black-and-white attire. However, it was plain to anyone who had an eye for observation that her physique was a well-trained one. She had no wasted movements, even in her bowing and in her gait ¨C furthermore, even as she led us through the grounds and toward the house, she radiated a sense of danger and wariness. I had no doubt that if either of us had, for whatever reason, attempted to attack her while she was bowing, she would have been able to respond in kind. She hid it well, but she had definitely received a substantial amount of combat training.


    The maid guided us through the large wooden doors of the mansion. Unlike the grand exterior, decorated in gaudy marble and gold with various sculptures and carvings embellishing the facade, the interior of the Chancellor¡¯s private home was surprisingly bare. Apart from the bare minimum necessary for receiving guests of high stature, the house had no other decoration. The red, carpeted floor was accompanied by white marble on the walls, and the place was devoid of any furniture save for a simple white table and several chairs sitting in the middle of two pairs of stairs that ascended from the entrance hall to a deeper part of the house. The entrance hall was wide in itself, about the same height as both floors of the Ezov, and a large, clear chandelier hanging on the ceiling illuminated the space. Several vases of flowers decorated the base of the two sets of stairs. As I took in the interior, I felt a sense of discomfort.


    The house was designed to conceal information about its owner. Its furnishings betrayed no information about its master¡¯s personality or inclinations, save that he was accustomed to receiving visits from people of high standing. One could glean nothing that could prove useful in a negotiation. If nothing else, it only proved that Julio Kronschild was a very careful man ¨C one who was careful to hide his footsteps. There was a common saying among us thieves: ¡®Fine livery displays some coin, but a shabby cloak disguises a mint.¡¯ The people who deliberately put on the appearance of poverty were very often the ones with the most money. It was a principle that applied equally to the trade of secrets and lies. There was far more to Julio Kronschild than his public face suggested.


    I glanced toward Elysium. Her face remained neutral, but her eyes were searching, scanning the premises. I could see her lip tighten slightly. Without a doubt, she had reached the same conclusion. We would need to stay on our toes for the forthcoming dealings with Kronschild.


    We were led up the stairs and down a corridor ¨C again, undecorated and predominantly white ¨C that held two rows of exactly identical wooden doors. The maid showed us to one of the many unmarked doors, whereupon we were greeted by the sight of a long, bare, wooden table. A large window opened to the outside, facing the garden, flanked by a pair of heavy, red curtains. Several simple chairs were set up around the table, along with a tea set and a plate of pastries. A mana lamp sat on the edge of the table, unlit. However, our host was not present. I turned to the maid quizically. Her expression unchanging, she pre-empted my question.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Master Julio is currently in the middle of resolving a matter of some importance. He sends his apologies, and has instructed me to inform you that he will see you in this room as soon as he is freed from his current task, and to reassure you that he will not be long. Master Julio has further instructed me to fulfill any needs you may have. As such, would you like a cup of tea?¡±


    She moved over to the tea set and placed a hand on the tea pot, prepared to pour for us once we gave our approval. Elysium and I exchanged glances, then Elysium shook her head and replied.


    ¡°No thank you, we¡¯re fine.¡±


    The maid nodded.


    ¡°Very well then. Please, make yourselves comfortable, and let me know if you require anything of me. Until Master Julio arrives, I am at your disposal.¡±


    Having said that, she withdrew to the door, standing next to it, her posture completely straight, her hands crossed demurely in front of her apron.


    Elysium started to move around the room, seemingly examining the patterns in the marble on the walls. Of course, her real intention was to ascertain escape routes and possible places where a means of eavesdropping might be hidden. I did a similar preliminary sweep, but after finding nothing out of the ordinary, my attention drifted to the maid who was standing by the door, unmoving. Of course, she wasn¡¯t just there to serve our needs. She was probably instructed to watch us and see how we acted ¨C and to intervene if we tried to do anything suspicious. Just by looking at her, I felt chills run down my spine. I somehow knew, instinctively, that she was a strong combatant. A dangerous opponent, as it were. If I were to fight her, I wasn¡¯t certain if I would emerge victorious.


    That understanding caused me some anxiety ¨C and even more anticipation. I could feel my fingers trembling. I wanted to test it out. To see which of us was stronger. To see which of us would win. It was the first time I had met with someone who seemed to be able to match me in combat. To that point, those potential combatants I had encountered were either those that I could likely defeat without much trouble ¨C such as the guards at the gate ¨C or those that I had absolutely no chance of defeating, such as Elysium or Ruth. The fact that I was, for the first time, faced with an opponent that could possibly fight me on an even footing was enough to cause my heart to race. I felt my hand twitch, fighting the urge to extract the dagger hidden in the holster on my wrist.


    ¡°Glint.¡±


    Elysium¡¯s calm, cautionary voice broke through my violent urges and restored me to a proper state of mind. I relaxed my hand, releasing the muscles that had been pulled taut. I took two deep breaths, then wiped the sweat off my forehead. I glanced toward Elysium and nodded gratefully, then returned my attention to the maid, though this time I had a different consideration on my mind. Even if it was unintentional, I had clearly directed hostility toward the maid. Elysium had picked up on that and therefore stopped me, so there was no way that the maid ¨C with the training she had undoubtedly received ¨C would not have noticed. Yet her expression never changed, nor did her body tense up. She had simply stood in her spot, unmoving, expressionless. It was a degree of stillness that couldn¡¯t be chalked up to discipline. It was like she was a statue ¨C if not for the rising and falling of her chest, I would have likely been unable to tell the difference. It was unnatural.


    As I mused upon this, Julio entered the room. Seeing that we were already there, he gave us an apologetic smile.


    ¡°Sorry to have kept you waiting. I was resolving a number of requests for tax reforms in the South. Thank you, Alpha. You are dismissed.¡±


    The maid ¨C Alpha, apparently ¨C bowed deeply and withdrew out of the room, closing the door behind her. As her footsteps resounded through the hall, I stared at the door, wondering about all that I found unnatural about her. Noticing the direction of my stare, Julio laughed and addressed me.


    ¡°Ah, I see that Alpha has caught your eye, Mister Glint. Excellent taste. The appetite of a young man certainly is refreshing.¡±


    I shook my head and was about to explain my interest, but caught myself. Better for him to assume I was smitten, than to make him aware of my misgivings. Instead, I made a point of averting my gaze, fidgeting. Elysium laughed and ruffled my hair.


    ¡°Come now, Lord Chancellor. Don¡¯t tease my assistant like that. For that matter, why not have the girl join us? She can eavesdrop just as well from within this room than from outside the door, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Julio¡¯s eyes narrowed, but he laughed and nodded.


    ¡°As you desire, then, Miss Elysium.¡±


    With that, he walked over to the door and opened it, revealing the figure of Alpha, who had not moved away from the room as her footsteps suggested, but had instead remained outside the door. I swallowed a cry of surprise. I hadn¡¯t noticed her. Presence detection was one skill I prided myself on, honing it over the years as a thief, and later improving it under Elysium¡¯s direction. And yet I had been utterly convinced that there had been nobody by the door. It showed just how much I had to learn. Julio spoke to Alpha.


    ¡°Miss Elysium desires that you join us, so come in.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Alpha walked in and closed the door again. We closed the windows and drew the curtains, then switched on the mana lamp, and then, with the four of us present, the meeting to confirm the security details for the concert began.

 Volume 3 Chapter 10: Security Details

    <div>


    Numerous sheets of paper were splayed out across the table, their contents numerous and varied. The folder of people we had selected for the security was still tucked under my arm, unopened. The first matter on the agenda was the security plans and concerns of the venue itself.


    Four particularly large sheets of paper were currently being scrutinised by Julio, while Elysium explained the potential security issues that the venue presented and listed her suggestions on how to eliminate these potential problems. The venue for this concert was to be the Royal Theatre ¨C a completely indoors location, with three floors¡¯ worth of seating. This venue was usually reserved for the aristocracy and the unreasonably rich. Its usual function was as a place to watch various troupes of actors put on plays ¨C long performances that took as their subject matter either works of fiction, or otherwise scenes from history and legend, though these too were often embellished to the point of fiction. It was a very luxurious location, one that most common people would never have the opportunity to enter. The only reason we had even been able to secure this location for Rosalind¡¯s final concert was because the theatre was owned by the Bainel group.


    The advantage of picking a location that was built for the rich and powerful ¨C besides the prestige it accorded ¨C was that it was built with the security of its clientele as a key consideration. Each floor was designed to be reasonably isolated from the others. The first floor had four doors, two at the back of the hall and two to the sides, and there were no means by which an individual from the first floor would be able to ascend to a higher floor without leaving the building. The second floor could only be accessed by two pairs of staircases that led outside the building, and therefore it was similarly impossible for anyone from the second floor to access the other floors without first leaving the building. Finally, the third floor could only be accessed by a single door, connected to a corridor that wound around the outside of the building, ending at a staircase that could only be accessed from an area behind the stage. It was hence possible for people to enter the top floor without anyone on the lower two floors being any the wiser ¨C which was perfect for our purposes. Elysium was currently gesturing at the schematic of the 3rd level while speaking to Julio, who listened with his finger placed thoughtfully on his chin.


    ¡°So, the plan of movement for that day is thus ¨C we¡¯ll have the Emperor moved to a nearby location about half an hour prior to gates opening ¨C you said you¡¯ve a place in mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I happen to own a well-furnished property in the area. It will be sufficiently endowed to keep His Imperial Majesty¡¯s complaints to a minimum, and it is a mere five minutes away from the Theatre by carriage.¡±


    ¡°Alright. So we¡¯ll move him there in secret and have him wait there for some time. I presume you have prepared some means to keep him occupied?¡±


    ¡°No need for concern on that account.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Once doors have closed to the public and the hall has been populated, we¡¯ll have the Emperor taken to the back entrance by carriage, where I¡¯ll leave it to you to direct him up the stairs and toward the 3rd Floor. On this occasion, we have reserved the entirety of that floor for the Emperor and his entourage ¨C he will not be disturbed. Nobody will know that he is there. The moment I confirm that he is seated, we¡¯ll dim the lights, and Rosalind will begin her performance.¡±


    ¡°And how will His Imperial Majesty be leaving the venue?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to have a handshake event immediately after the concert ¨C we¡¯ll use that as a pretense to have the audience wait in the hall for some time, claiming that Rosalind needs time to get ready. In that timeframe, Rosalind will change out of her stage clothes, to furnish our lie, but more importantly, you¡¯ll need to escort the Emperor out of the the building and into your holding location within those ten minutes. After that, the matter of the Emperor¡¯s escort to the Palace ceases to be my responsiblity, and becomes yours.¡±


    ¡°I see. And what if His Imperial Majesty also desires the privilege of a handshake?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the Emperor. If he wants to shake Rosalind¡¯s hand so badly, he can just invite her to the Palace.¡±


    ¡°¡­True enough, though I would advise you to watch your tone when speaking of His Imperial Majesty.¡±


    Elysium gave no reply and simply crossed her arms.


    ¡°Well? Satisfied?¡±


    ¡°Hm. Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master Julio.¡±


    At Julio¡¯s beckoning, Alpha moved from her position by the door and went to his side.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Tell me. Do you see any vulnerabilities?¡±


    He gestured at the schematic of the Theatre¡¯s 3rd floor, causing Alpha to scrutinise it carefully.


    ¡°The limestone of the railings, along with the height differential seperating it from the other floors, means that it should be impossible to mount an attack from within the Theatre. What of the door? What kind of security will be covering the door and corridor?¡±


    Elysium answered her question, stating what we believed should have been self-evident.


    ¡°We¡¯ll station guards just outside the door ¨C a pair of them ¨C and have another group patrolling the corridor itself. We¡¯ll also have guards patrolling the outer perimeter of the building, to identify and detain any suspicious individuals.¡±


    Alpha nodded, then turned back to the schematic.


    ¡°If that is the case, it should be impossible to attack His Imperial Majesty from within the building, or from its immediate surroundings. However¡­¡± She tapped a finger to the window that stood directly opposite the 3rd floor, above the main stage. ¡°This window concerns me. A sniper could be positioned here, who could attack His Imperial Majesty with either a projectile, or with magic.¡±


    Elysium shook her head and pointed to the paper that bore a schematic of the exterior of the Theatre.


    ¡°Not possible. As you can see here, the outside of that window is nothing but a sheer drop down. It is impossible to find any sort of footing from which one might be able to aim at the Emperor. Not to mention, on the day itself, the hall will be close to pitch-dark. Aiming accurately under those conditions should be impossible.¡±


    Alpha nodded her assent, but raised another objection.


    ¡°I accept your proposition that it is impossible to aim at His Imperial Majesty from outside the window, but what if the assailant were stationed further away, such as on the rooftop of the nearby house?¡±


    Elysium shook her head again and pointed out another sheet of paper, this time depicting the layout of the district where the Theatre was located.


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought of that. The Theatre is the tallest building in the district, and in the direction that the window faces, there are no possible vantage points where one might be able to stand and take aim. A simple visit to the site in question should convince you of that fact. In order for anyone to use that method, they would need to be able to stand midair with a steady footing, while also aiming at a target shrouded in darkness. They would have to do it at a reasonable distance, too, given that the patrolling guards would notice a floating individual very quickly.¡±


    This time, it was Julio who responded.


    ¡°And? If such an individual exists, what contingencies do you have for dealing with it?¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, the possibility of such an assailant existing is so low that you might as well ask me if I have any contingencies for the Emperor being struck down by a stray lightning bolt from the sky.¡±


    ¡°I believe I told you to watch your tone when talking about His Imperial Majesty.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall agreeing to do so.¡±


    The temperature in the room seemed to lower by several degrees as Elysium and Julio stared each other down. Finally, however, Julio decided to relent. He laughed and shrugged.


    ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯ll pretend not to notice your insolence. In exchange, I¡¯d like you to humour me. I agree that the existence of a person capable of what you have described is highly unlikely. But hypothetically, if such a person did exist, how would you handle it?¡±


    ¡°If, hypothetically, such a person existed, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about them anyway, because such a dangerous individual would be either in your custody or in your employ.¡±


    Julio¡¯s mouth curled upward in a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re a lot more perceptive than you let on. I like that.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re hiding far more secrets than most people would believe. I can¡¯t say I like that.¡±


    Julio turned to Alpha again.


    ¡°Well? Having heard Miss Elysium¡¯s explanation, what is your verdict?¡±


    Alpha nodded.


    ¡°In that case, there should be no possible danger to His Imperial Majesty¡¯s life, barring foul play.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Thank you, Alpha.¡±


    Alpha bowed deeply and returned to her post by the door. My eyes followed her for a moment, but then I turned my attention back to the conversation. There was a lot about the enigmatic maid that fascinated me, but I had more important matters to deal with. Elysium recrossed her arms and shifted her weight to her other leg.


    ¡°Well? Are you satisfied, Chancellor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, very much so. This was very thoroughly prepared. It¡¯s almost as if you¡¯re used to identifying weak areas and creating contingencies for them. It¡¯s a very military-like way of thinking. Between that and your straight-forward manner of speaking, I might have mistaken you for a general of some sort, if I did not know your actual profession as Miss Rosalind¡¯s manager.¡±


    ¡°Alas, I am not a person of such stature. I am merely an ordinary commoner, who has had the immense fortune of befriending a great woman.¡±


    Julio narrowed his eyes, clearly suspicious, but then he cleared his throat.


    ¡°Well then. Now that we¡¯ve confirmed those plans, I presume we¡¯re finished here?¡±


    ¡°Ah, not quite.¡±


    Elysium gestured at me. I walked up to the pair and presented the package under my arm to Julio, explaining in Elysium¡¯s stead.


    ¡°Lord Chancellor, the documents contained within this package are the profiles of thirty able-bodied men that we intend to employ as guards. They are all accomplished in the martial arts, and have various reccommendations as to their character. We¡¯ve conducted extensive background checks on them and found them suitable, but we decided that it would be best to let you peruse the applications and voice any misgivings you might have. After all, our information is not perfect, and we could well have missed some ill rumour about them.¡±


    Julio looked down at the package in my hand, but instead of taking it, he smiled and shook his head, gently pushing it away.


    ¡°I appreciate your work, but this was wholly unnecessary ¨C the security detail will be provided for by the Imperial Guard.¡±


    There was a brief moment of silence in the room, where nobody moved or uttered a sound. Then, in a flash, Elysium closed the distance between herself and Julio, gripping the collar of his shirt and slamming him into the wall.

 Volume 3 Chapter 11: Actors on a Stage

    <div>


    Alpha and I moved at the same time. She rushed to Julio¡¯s side, a dagger drawn, and thrusted it at Elysium¡¯s throat. I moved to match her and drew my knife, intercepting her attack and parrying her blade away. She showed no surprise, and instead immediately responded by drawing a second knife, slashing at me. I drew my own secondary weapon and parried that as well. I followed up with a series of strikes that she fended off, following which she seized an opening to take the role of attacker. She struck out at me several times, each of which I avoided or parried, waiting for an opening to seize the offensive.


    Our styles of combat were similar, and our level of skill was similar. Several rounds of combat passed in this manner, with each of us trading the roles of attacker and defender, respectively. After tens of blows had passed between us, we broke apart and stared each other down, knives at the ready. Then she lunged at me.


    I tried to dodge out of the way, but I could not ¨C something was holding me in place. I quickly glanced down ¨C tendrils of darkness were wrapped around my feet, binding me to the ground. It seemed to be similar to the physical manifestations of light I used, except that it was shadow that was being given form and substance, rather than light. I immediately understood that Alpha had activated her magic to bind me, and began preparing to cast my own magic as a shield against her incoming attack.


    ¡°Alpha, stop.¡±


    ¡°Glint, stand down.¡±


    Julio¡¯s command interrupted Alpha¡¯s attack, causing her to withdraw out of her battle stance into her initial demure posture. The bindings around my feet disappeared. At the same time, Elysium gave me an order, while continuing to hold Julio against the wall. I nodded and sheathed my weapons, but stayed at the ready. Julio smiled in spite of his situation and addressed Elysium.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to hurt me.¡±


    Elysium glared at him, then sighed and released her grip.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m not. That would be stupid. But I would at least like an explanation.¡±


    ¡°Miss Elysium, in truth, I understand your concern completely. Certainly, if I were in your position, I would be similarly outraged. Unfortunately, His Imperial Majesty refused to concede this matter. He is extremely proud of his Imperial Guard, and he took offence at my suggestion that you might be more at ease with your own guards. Believe me, I argued with him at length, but in the end, I am only Chancellor. He is Emperor. His word is final. My deepest apologies.¡±


    He bowed toward Elysium. Elysium narrowed her eyes and growled, clenching her fists. Then she scowled and walked over to the door while calling out behind her shoulder.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Glint. We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ¡°Please, allow Alpha to show you out.¡±


    ¡°Not necessary.¡±


    ¡°I insist.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Elysium didn¡¯t reply and beckoned me over with her head. I moved over to her side and joined her as we walked through the corridor and toward the gates. Alpha followed us closely the whole way, likely to ascertain that we went straight for the gate, rather than taking any unprompted detours.


    Once we were outside the gates, Alpha bowed and retreated back within the mansion. Elysium sighed and scratched her head. I decided to speak up.


    ¡°What now? Do we go back and work on contingencies?¡±


    ¡°Unnecessary. This was one of the outcomes I foresaw, so I already have a contingency drafted. Let¡¯s go to a tavern. I think I need a drink.¡±


    We headed for a tavern in the middle-class section of town ¨C more reputable than the shady places in the slums, but less expensive than those in the high street. And most importantly, less conspicuous than either.


    We sat down and ordered our drinks, and I watched as Elysium downed several shots without saying a word. By the time I had finished my first glass, Elysium had worked her way through two bottles, and still she gave no indication of bring drunk ¨C a state of affairs that displeased her, if her complaints were anything to go by. I wasn¡¯t quite aware of the details, but it seemed that whatever force it was that granted her superhuman physical abilities also served to immunise her to toxins and poisons, a category that included alcohol.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Watching Elysium staring at the empty bottles as if they had betrayed her, I decided to seek clarification on the matter that had been troubling me for some time.


    ¡°Elysium, why¡¯d you get so mad? I mean, sure, the new arrangement means that all our work was for nothing, but if we step back and look at it again, aren¡¯t there only benefits to be gained? If they¡¯re part of the Imperial Guard, then the guards will surely be of sufficient ability. Furthermore, background checks would be a part of their selection process, no doubt, so there would be no worries on that front. And if the Emperor himself is providing the security detail, we get to save money on hiring our own. I¡¯m not seeing any cause for complaint, to be honest.¡±


    Elysium glanced at me, watching me over the rims of the empty bottles. Then she sighed and shook her head.


    ¡°You¡¯ve still got a lot to learn, Glint.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Elysium shifted the bottles to the side and moved her chair over next to me, so that she could speak to me in whispers.


    ¡°You¡¯re correct on all those points. But just because the soldiers are part of the Imperial Guard doesn¡¯t mean that they¡¯re trustworthy. In fact, I¡¯d be more willing to put my trust in our hired freelancers.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Why? Isn¡¯t protecting the Emperor literally the job of the Guard?¡±


    ¡°Ostensibly, yes. But tell me this. While the function of the Guard is indeed the protection of the Emperor, who is it that actually commands the Imperial Guard? Who handles their salary and training? Who interacts with them on a daily basis? Not the Emperor, for certain.¡±


    ¡°Well, if memory serves, the Guard is under the command of the Vernia House, led by Duke Joseph Vernia, cousin to the Emperor and 15th in line to the throne.¡±


    ¡°That is correct. Are you beginning to see the problem now?¡±


    Indeed, the fact that the Imperial Guard wasn¡¯t under the sole command of the Emperor was a major problem ¨C and one that had surprisingly gone unaddressed. But¡­


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the Duke Vernia on good terms with the current Emperor? Besides, he would gain nothing from threatening the Emperor, given that he is far too down the line of succession to dream of having the throne for himself.¡±


    ¡°Wrong on two accounts. Being on good terms with the Emperor means nothing ¨C he could be currying favour, or faking approval to have the Emperor let his guard down. And you¡¯re wrong when you say that he has nothing to gain. Sure, he has no way of ascending the throne on his own, but he might be in the good graces of someone else ¨C for example, the person second in line to the throne. Such an individual who would be in a position to gain the throne might have promised the Duke a better position or more benefits, which would then incentivise an assassination. Do you now see why there might be a problem?¡±


    I bit my lip and thought about it. Indeed, when she put it that way, I could begin to see why Elysium might be worried. If we went with our original plan of hiring freelancers, we would at least be able to count on them to keep an eye on each other. However, in these circumstances, it was possible that the entire Guard would be involved, as they all served the same employer. That was¡­ troubling, to say the least. The more external elements were involved, the less control we had over the situation ¨C even if that external element was something as seemingly reliable as the Imperial Guard, it still led to unpredictability, and we wanted to avoid unpredictability if at all possible.


    ¡°So what are we going to do, Elysium? Station our own guards alongside the Imperial Guard?¡±


    ¡°No. We can¡¯t do that. If we do, it might be regarded as a sign of aggression or defiance, and we want to avoid that. There¡¯s nothing we can do to change this arrangement, now that the Emperor himself has made this decision. All we can do is to assume the worst, and to plan for it.¡±


    She downed another shot, and I followed suit. As I felt the burning alcohol in the back of my mouth, I decided to confirm my suspicions with Elysium.


    ¡°Earlier you mentioned that Duke Vernia might be enticed to commit treason by someone who was in the position to take the throne. But of the next five people in line to the throne, four of them are still children, and not of the right age to inherit the throne. Meaning that the only person left who could take over is the fitfh in line, and that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Julio Kronschild, yes. That man is a snake. I could probably throw him a lot further than I trust him.¡±


    That was the impression I had, as well. Julio was a man who had a lot to hide ¨C I was certain that his friendly demeanor was just a performance. He was dangerous, an experienced negotiator and likely a well-practiced manipulator. I would not be surprised if he indeed intended to knock the Emperor off the throne and install himself as Emperor. I recalled the rumours coming in from the rest of the country, that there were public agitators being left unsupressed in parts of the country ¨C if Julio was the one instigating these agitators, then it made perfect sense as to why they were allowed to go free. Julio was clearly up to something, and we had no choice but to dance upon the stage he had prepared.


    And then there was Alpha, the strange maid. The one who displayed such unnatural docility while disguising martial ability beyond the norm. We used the same weapons. We used the same fighting style. We both favoured speed over power. We both served as attendants and bodyguards for our respective employers. We were equally matched in combat. I had only caught a glimpse of her magic, but she seemed to have an Affinity for Darkness ¨C an Affinity that was as rare as my own Affinity for Light. The two of us were shared so many similarities it was laughable, and yet our Magical Affinities were entirely at odds with the other. It was enough to convince me that she and I were somehow fated to meet, that our fates were entwined. How that connection might manifest was something beyond my knowledge. But I felt a deep conviction that either we were destined to be the greatest of friends, or otherwise the worst of enemies.


    As I mused on this, Elysium worked her way through two more bottles, then stood up. Downing the contents of my glass, I followed suit, and the two of us returned to the Ezov in silence, to work out contingencies in preparation for the worst.

 Volume 3 Chapter 12: Crescendo

    <div>


    The Theatre was packed, the number of people within it exceeding its rightful capacity. The first floor, in particular, had people sitting in the aisles, sitting along the sides, standing at the back. The crowd was abuzz with excitement and anticipation, all of these individuals gathered to watch Rosalind¡¯s final performance on her tour.


    On the second level, where the holders of the more expensive tickets were seated, the emotion was more subdued, but there was still still clearly a sensation of excitement among those seated. Though they came from different backgrounds and classes from those gathered on the first floor, they nonetheless shared in their excitement to watch Rosalind¡¯s last act.


    Standing backstage, I took deep breaths to calm myself down. I was a lot more nervous than usual. The regular pre-performance anxiety aside, there was also the matter of the eminent personage that we were scheduled to receive. The sound of the door on the backstage side of the building heralded his arrival. I glanced over at Rosalind, who was looking as she usually did. Elysium had spoken to her in private the previous night, but I didn¡¯t know how much of our suspicions Elysium had shared with Rosalind. Rosalind noticed my staring and smiled, moving over next to me and placing her hand on my head.


    ¡°You ready?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m ready. We¡¯ve been rehearsing a lot.¡±


    ¡°Then why the worried face?¡±


    ¡°Because of that person. Did Elysium tell you?¡±


    Her face clouded over.


    ¡°¡­Yes. She told me about what could happen. She told me of your contingencies.¡±


    ¡°And? Which protocol did you go with?¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t like it, but I went with Crescendo.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. You realise that Crescendo puts the greatest burden on you?¡±


    ¡°I do. But that¡¯s the option I see having the best ending for all with us, so I¡¯m going with that. Hopefully, all the preparing is for naught, and things don¡¯t come to that.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    As we spoke, I kept an eye on the third floor, waiting to confirm the Emperor¡¯s arrival. I spotted the door open, and the Emperor entered the venue. He was a handsome man, golden hair framing a well-defined, slightly pointed chin. His blue eyes glittered with arrogance, pride accompanying every step he took. Objectively speaking, he certainly fit all the criteria by which men are described as good-looking. But the arrogance he exuded with every movement made me sick. This was a man who thought of himself as above all other creatures ¨C and who had been placed in such a position that his self-evaluation was not necessarily unfounded.


    The Emperor was accompanied by a man in armor, a stern-looking man whose eyes swept across the area. He had a sword clipped conspicuously to his side, and he carried himself with an air of practiced vigilance. He seemed to notice my gaze ¨C he turned in my direction and nodded slightly. I returned the gesture and breathed out a small sigh of relief. If the Emperor had such a clearly skilled protector by his side, we didn¡¯t have to worry about him coming to any harm. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean we were safe ¨C if something did happen, we would still likely be implicated in some way. But with this development, we didn¡¯t have to worry about the worst case scenario of the Emperor being murdered on our premises.


    Confirming that the Emperor had seated himself, I turned to Rosalind and nodded. Elysium walked up next to us and placed her hand on Rosalind¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You ready, Ros?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this, Ely.¡±


    I signalled to one of our helpers backstage ¨C the lights in the the Theatre were snuffed out. Rosalind and Elysium walked onstage, Rosalind¡¯s heeled shoes clacking against the polished wood. The audience applauded at the noise, yelling her name and calling out various embarrassing phrases, but the cheers subsided as the clacking ceased, with Rosalind and Elysium in position.


    I took a deep breath and created a large orb of light above her head, illuminating her figure.


    ¡°A field of stars,


    illuminates the night.


    The shadow of doubt,


    banished by the light!¡±


    With that, we launched into the routine for Guiding Light, the same song we had used to open our previous concert. Once that song had ended, I illuminated the stage once again, presenting Rosalind, smiling broadly at her audience. She waited for the applause to subside, before addressing the crowd.


    ¡°Thank you all for coming to hear me today! As I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, today marks the last day of my tour. I¡¯m certain many of you are expecting me to say something about that ¨C and I will. But first, before I speak of the end, I¡¯d like the speak for a while about the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Five years ago, I was in a spot of trouble. Some of you may already know this, but before my performing career began, I was the owner, cook and serving-girl of a tavern. Due to various circumstances, my tavern, the original Serene Ezov, was in danger of closing down ¨C certain articles of legislation made it difficult for us to sell alcohol. I was deeply troubled ¨C the loss of income was, or course, a cause for concern, but the thought of having to close down the tavern that my late parents had left me was far more devastating. For days I pondered what to do, unable to find a solution. I was on the verge of giving up.¡±


    ¡°But then, my close friend Elysium,¡± she gestured toward Elysium, who nodded in acknowledgement, ¡°came to me with a strange proposition. Many of you will recognise her as my agent, managing my schedule and handling my publicity. It should then come as no surprise that she was the individual who introduced me to my current line of work.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been 5 years since then ¨C an amazing 5 years. I never thought that there would be crowds like this ¨C that so many of you would be gathered here today, just to hear me sing. It¡¯s surreal, like I¡¯m dreaming, like I¡¯m about to wake up at any moment to find myself back in my small tavern. But no. I¡¯m not dreaming. This is real. I¡¯m really in the capital, I¡¯m really performing in front of all of you, in the Royal Theatre, no less.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, dream or no, it is about to end. This is the last concert on this tour of mine. I¡¯m aware that there has been some speculation about what I plan to do from now on, about whether I will continue to perform. After much reflection, after consulting with Elysium and with the many good women working on my behalf in the branches of the Serene Ezov all across the land, I have reached an answer. And that answer is yes.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    A roar of applause and cheering erupted through the theatre, echoing around the large chamber. The walls shook with the sound. I glanced upward, toward the 3rd floor. The Emperor was clapping as well, though in a more subdued manner than the masses. He had a pleased look on his face, which I took to imply that he was satisfied with Elysium¡¯s singing. Rosalind waited for the cheering to subside before continuing.


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t be starting another tour immediately. I¡¯ll first return to my home city of Monspiere ¨C I¡¯m starting to feel a little homesick after five years, after all! But once I¡¯ve spent a couple months resting, we¡¯ll announce the plans for my next tour. Until then, you can feel free to drop by Monspiere to listen to me sing. It¡¯s a little out of the way, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do it for me, right?¡± She winked at the crowd, prompting a wave of shouted affirmatives. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get back to the concert, shall we? All this reminiscing has made me a little nostalgic, so the next song is going to be the first song I ever sang in public ¨C what Elysium calls my debut song: Amber Birth.¡±


    We moved through the routines for numerous songs, working through the entirety of Rosalind¡¯s repertoire. Between each song, she would speak to the audience, thanking them and filling the time with banter, hyping them up for the next song, while also giving us the chance to rest and catch our breaths. The concert passed in this manner, until at last, we reached the last song.


    ¡°Now then, we¡¯re reaching the end of this concert ¨C and with it, the end of my tour. Thank you all for sticking with me throughout this journey! Before we end off, there are several people I¡¯d like to thank, before my next and last song. Gratitude is, I think, one of the greatest virtues we can possess. My journey over the last five years would not have been possible without the constant help and support of these people. The first is, of course, Elysium, my constant friend and companion.¡±


    She turned back to Elysium, who smiled and placed her violin on the ground, walking up to Rosalind and hugging her. The audience, by now familiar with Elysium¡¯s figure, applauded the scene as they watched. However, glancing up, I could see the Emperor glaring at them, a clear shadow of anger on his face. As if he was watching something extremely unpalatable. It was such an ugly expression, I felt an urge to send a blade of light in his direction ¨C but I pushed it down. I would not jeopardise Rosalind¡¯s career for an impulse. Besides, with that warrior next to him, I doubted I would be able to launch any effectual attacks. I turned my attention back to the stage ¨C next was my cue.


    ¡°Second, I want to thank Glint ¨C Elysium¡¯s assistant, the man in charge of managing the Serene Ezov ¨C without his efforts, we wouldn¡¯t be able to focus on these concerts. Come on stage, Glint!¡±


    I walked out from my side of the stage and waved at the crowd while smiling, then bowed. Most of the people here had seen my face when they came to the Ezov to buy tickets, so they were aware of my role in the operation. There was some applause, not as much as for the ladies, but then again, that was to be expected. Rosalind mentioned nothing of my handling of the lighting for the concert ¨C we were still endeavouring to keep that a secret. I bowed once again, then stepped back behind the curtains.


    ¡°Now, thirdly, I want to thank all of you ¨C whether you¡¯re long-time fans, or whether this is your first time attending my concert, I hope that you¡¯ve all enjoyed yourselves today. I would not be here without your support, and for that, you have my sincere thanks. Of course, that goes for all you people in the Ezov branches around the country, too. I may not be able to see you, but I would like to assure you that when I sing, I sing for all of you as well. Thank you all for your support, and I hope that it will continue as I begin the next stage of my career.¡±


    She bowed deeply. The audience began shouting, clapping and cheering, screaming affirmation. After holding her bowing position for some time, Rosalind reached up and wiped a tear away from her eye.


    ¡°Now then, to end off today¡¯s concert, I¡¯m going to finish with a song that many of you know, one of my personal favorites: Bound Rose. Please listen closely.¡±


    Rosalind never got to sing that song. The moment she spoke the song¡¯s title, a large bang was heard ¨C the door on the third floor was flung open forcefully, and a figure dressed completely in black dashed out, lunging toward the Emperor with a knife in hand.


    Why?! Why now?!


    I cursed inwardly. We were so close to the end. Just one more song, and this would have ended without incident. Now, there was no hope of that.


    I could only watch in frustration as the armored man next to the Emperor reached out and caught the arm of the would-be assailant, twisting it and disarming the attacker. The attacker let out a scream as they were forced to their knees. Hearing this, some members of the audience began to look up, confused and curious. The Emperor then stepped to the cloaked, hooded assailant and smashed his fist into their face, sending them flying back toward the open door. Then, with a commanding voice, he loudly proclaimed.


    ¡°Fool. I am the Emperor of the Mercynth Empire. Know your place, insect.¡±


    His voice reverberated through the hall that was designed to carry sound.


    ¡°The Emperor? His Imperial Majesty is here?¡±


    Murmurs of that sort began to run across the gathered audience. I glanced up to the 3rd floor again. The Emperor was looking at Elysium with rage. Then his eyes turned to Rosalind, and his mouth twisted into a cruel smile, like that of a victor looking down on his spoils. In other words, he reacted exactly as Elysium and I had predicted. The Emperor left his seat and stormed out of the theatre, picking up the unmoving assailant by the collar as he did. If he was going to do what we suspected he would, then we didn¡¯t have much time.


    I glanced over to Elysium and shared a nod, then Elysium turned to Rosalind. Rosalind met Elysium¡¯s eyes. A moment of silence passed between them, then Rosalind nodded slightly. She turned back to her audience and cleared her throat.


    ¡°It seems the secret is out. Yes, the Emperor was here in attendance today. We had intended to keep his attendance a secret, for security reasons, but that is no longer possible. An attempt has been made on his life.¡±


    More murmurs. Several gasps of shock were heard. People began to converse, urgently, anxiously. Rosalind smiled and spoke again.


    ¡°So it seems that our concert will have to be brought to an early end. I would have preferred to at least sing you one last song before leaving, but alas, it seems that will not be possible. For everyone who signed up for the handshake session, as well: I¡¯m sorry, but it seems I won¡¯t be able to attend it. Once again, I thank you for all your support, and I hope that I will one day be able to sing for you again.¡±


    Bootsteps signalled the arrival of the Imperial Guard, who stormed on from backstage, swords drawn. Their appearance stunned the audience into silence. They surrounded us, four soldiers for myself, two for Rosalind, and ten for Elysium. All of them had weapons drawn and ready. One of them, wearing a sash across their torso ¨C presumably the captain ¨C addressed us.


    ¡°You are hereby under arrest for the suspected crime of conspiring against His Imperial Majesty. Do not resist, or we shall strike to kill.¡±


    His voice, loud as it was, carried through the hall. The gathered audience continued to murmur, their conversation renewed by the accusation that had been levelled against us.


    I glanced at the soldiers and evaluated them. They were well-trained, but nowhere near as skilled as Alpha. If I were to fight them, I would likely win, even if all four of them fought me at once. As for Elysium, ten men of such calibre were unlikely to even qualify as an opponent. Rosalind was the unknown, but she also had the fewest men apprehending her ¨C and Rosalind had also received training at Elysium¡¯s hands, so she should have been able to deal with them easily. In other words, if we so desired, breaking out of this encirclement would have been easier.


    But that was not the plan. Resisting arrest here would spell the ruin for all three of us ¨C we would live out our lives as criminals. The Ezov branches would be implicated. We wanted to avoid them. And so we complied. I obediently put my hands behind my back, allowing myself to be bound with rope. Rosalind and Elysium did the same. Once we were bound, the soldiers began to lead us off the stage. However, as she walked, Rosalind sang out a single note, starting softly, and growing in intensity until it filled the hall to the exclusion of all other sounds ¨C a crescendo.

 Volume 3 Chapter 13: Detained

    <div>


    I suffered a blow across my face. The force of it knocked me sideways, throwing me to the floor. I took care to prevent my head from slamming into the ground, taking the brunt of the impact on my shoulder instead. With my manacled hands, I tried to push myself back into a sitting position, but my attacker struck again, this time kicking my side, forcing me back down. As I grimaced in pain, my attacker ¨C a soldier who wore a veil that obscured his face ¨C continued his farce of an interrogation.


    ¡°Hurry up and admit your crime! The longer you hold out, the more you¡¯ll suffer.¡±


    Taking my time to answer, I tentatively touched my tongue to my inner cheek ¨C it stung. It seemed that the blow had at least caused the skin inside my mouth to tear apart. The tang of blood spread through my mouth. I gathered it up and spit it out in a gob of blood-soaked saliva.


    ¡°How do you expect me to confess to something I have not committed?¡±


    ¡°Again with the fucking lies!¡±


    My interrogator kicked me again, this time in the stomach. I doubled up, the pain lancing through my body. I glared at him, intending to spit out a curse, but I controlled myself and instead smiled at him weakly.


    ¡°Kicking me¡¯s not going to make me any more guilty, you know.¡±


    The man, enraged, began to kick and strike me repeatedly, swearing and cursing as he did. Throughout the pain, I remained resolutely silent, not answering a single one of his questions even as constantly taunted me with promises that a confession would alleviate the suffering. Finally, my body could take no more, and I passed out.


    When I came to, the interrogator was gone, and I was once again alone in my cell ¨C a sparse, gray room made of rock, with only a single barred window, high up near the ceiling, to let in a minimum of light. In the corner of the room was a bucket that, judging by its odor and the stains on it, was to be used as a latrine. On my first day, I had wondered how the waste was disposed of, but I quickly learned that the prisoners took turns to collect and dispose of it every three days. I, certainly, was not anticipating my turn at the task, and thus wished for my imprisonment to end swiftly, before it could come to that.


    I slowly pushed myself up, forcing myself to endure the pain that surged through my body with every movement. I managed to move myself into a sitting position, whereupon I looked down and examined the damage that had been inflicted upon my naked body. Nearly every inch of my skin was bruised or bleeding ¨C only my groin was left unwounded, through some small mercy on my questioner¡¯s part, either directed by orders or by his own conscience.


    How long had I been in that cell? The light that flooded my cell had vanished twice, so if I were to use that as a guide, it meant that two nights had passed. But that didn¡¯t account for the time I spent unconscious. Still, as I had no way of knowing how long my bouts of unconsciousness lasted, it was the closest thing I had to an estimate. So, roughly two nights had passed.


    After we had been arrested at the Theatre, Elysium and I had been seized and detained in separate cells. Rosalind alone had been brought before the Emperor, at his request. I knew not what had become of her, but if everything was going according to plan, I would hear of her circumstances before long. What she had set out to do was hardly inconspicuous, after all.


    Up to this point, everything ¨C including our detention and isolation ¨C was unfolding as per Elysium¡¯s predictions. While it was by no means a desirable situation to be in, I could not help but admire Elysium¡¯s ability. She perfectly understood the character of Julio and the Emperor, based purely on her singular encounter with Julio and the gossip surrounding the Emperor. Indeed, while the details of Protocol Crescendo left a bitter taste in my mouth, it seemed that all parties involved had acted exactly as Elysium surmised, puppets dancing on her stage. If things continued to follow this flow, then I could be assured of my freedom within the next day or so. Still, until that day came, I was stuck in this cell, extremely bored and hurting all over.


    In addition to the periodic (futile) interrogations, Every now and then, a guard would bring a meal to the cell door ¨C a simple meal of stale bread and water. Eating such a mean meal was almost nostalgic, calling to mind the days of thievery and starvation I had left behind. Occasionally, my thoughts would turn to Anneliese ¨C if we were to follow Protocol Crescendo to its climax, she would have a major role to play from here on. All the branches of the Ezov would. It would certainly be far more than they bargained for, but I knew that Anneliese, of all people, would be able to handle it. There was a reason nobody ever made untoward advances toward the Syrens, back in Frunzeit.


    But even more so than Anneliese, as time passed in my cell, I found my thoughts increasingly turned toward the enigmatic Alpha. I wanted to know more about her ¨C who she was, why she acted so unnatural, what her circumstances were. She was a puzzle to me, and I wanted to figure her out. The similarities in our circumstances were too evident for me to be disinterested in her as a person ¨C I felt a deep curiosity about her, about this person who was so like me and yet so unlike me. My thoughts kept turning to her, thinking about how she passed her days, whether she experienced the same problems and trials I did, whether her face was in fact capable of showing any expression.


    Of course, I have now matured to the point where I can put a word to my fascination with her, but at the time, young and inexperienced as I was, the thought never occurred to me ¨C though it was likely that it did, and I merely battered it down in denial. Regardless, I found myself unproductively occupied with such thoughts, and therefore resolved to turn my attention to something more useful ¨C that is, the analysis and understanding of the mode of my confinement.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The large, metal grille that barred the entry to my cell was inscribed with the same markings as my manacles ¨C an engraved spell, similar in function to a magic circle. Its function was to restrict the use of magic within its vicinity. Examining the workings of the spell, applying what I had learned from Ruth, as well as drawing upon my own research about the art of magic inscription ¨C an art that still had many mysteries, even to its most devoted researchers ¨C enabled me to understand the nature of the restriction.


    When I finally deciphered and understood the function of the spell, I burst out laughing, incredulous. Of course, the art of engraving magic in the form of symbols was as yet young and under-developed, and hence nothing too complex should have been expected, but even so, the method by which the shackles obstructed magic was hilariously ineffective. Simply put, the inscription was designed to insert a pulse of foreign magical energy into any spell being cast in the affected area, distorting the mana composition of the magic with impurities, thereby rendering the spell ineffectual.


    To be fair, such a method was effective ¨C any individual who was blindly constructing magic without an understanding of its true nature would have found it impossible to complete a spell that contained mana belonging to two different people. Yet, to anyone who was aware of the nature of magic as information ¨C an understanding that had been drilled into me by Ruth ¨C it was exceedingly simple to alter the nature of the spell such that it would no longer make a distinction between differing sources of mana. This record is not intended to be a textbook of magic, but for the purposes of accurately reproducing my thoughts, I shall explain what I mean through the use of an analogy.


    Think of a spell as a line of squares. What the shackles and the door to the jail did was to insert a triangle into the line of squares. The moment this action is taken, the line ceases to be a line of squares ¨C similarly, the spell collapses in on itself, as its form has been altered. Now, consider an alternative spell: one that was conceived of as a line of shapes, rather than being limited to only squares. Inserting that same triangle into the mix would not cause the form of the line to change, for it would still be ¡°a line of shapes¡±. Accordingly, a spell shaped in such a way would not collapse, and would be activated without issue.


    Of course, preparing one¡¯s spell in such a way had its own share of problems: the least of which being that another, equally savvy spellcaster would be able to interfere with one¡¯s spell, possibly changing its target or its effect. But in this situation, where I was isolated in a cell, that was a moot concern.


    Testing my theory, I formulated a simple light spell in such a manner, and on casting it, was gratified to see my hypothesis proven right. With this, I had a way to escape the prison if necessary ¨C though hopefully, that would be unnecessary.


    Having broken the secret of the anti-magical measures, I inspected the second layer of detainment ¨C the barrier outside the door of the cell. A magical barrier, again using a magic circle, was erected that prevented movement between the cell and corridor. The construction of this barrier was a lot sturdier, as the spell involved was far simpler. That said, it was not a very strong barrier ¨C if I battered it with magic, it was likely to shatter. Unfortunately, for the magicless Elysium, that would not be an option ¨C indeed, it was likely that this barrier would be the largest hindrance to her escape, were she to attempt it. However, it was not without its faults ¨C the barrier was deactivated whenever someone entered the cell, such as the individual who brought me meals, or the man who interrogated me. In other words, if Elysium acted in the brief span of time when the barrier was brought down, she would be able to escape easily.


    Having fully understood my surroundings, I leaned back, the raw skin on my back smarting as it contacted the cold stone wall. How long more would it take¡­? The pain was one thing, but the boredom was the real issue at hand.


    ¡­Odd. When did I become so bothered by boredom?


    I was no stranger to boredom ¨C it was a constant companion for much of my early life. When I had just completed a theft, when I had nothing to do, when it was a slow day with no good marks, boredom was all that kept me company. Back then, if I had been thrown into such a cell, I would likely have spent the day staring at thin air, unthinking. In contrast, I found myself thinking about various things, considering various outcomes, analysing my surroundings, my mind uncomfortably active. When had I begun to spend so much time just thinking? I concluded that perhaps keeping company with Elysium and Rosalind had changed me more than I realised.


    The thought made me smile. My journey with the two ladies had been a spectacular one. I had learned a lot. I had changed a lot. And, if the plan succeeded, the new experiences I was exposed to would only increase in volume and scale from now on. Unable to restrain myself, I licked my lips in anticipation, impatient for the next phase to begin.


    At that moment, the barrier outside my cell was deactivated. A helmeted soldier walked in, bearing the clothes I had been wearing on the day I was detained.


    Finally.


    The soldier spoke, and I could tell from the voice that it was not my veiled tormentor. His tone was haughty and condescending, as if he was some benevolent superior bestowing salvation upon an unworthy lesser ¨C which, admittedly, he probably thought he was.


    ¡°Elysium Ling has confessed to charges of treason. Furthermore, she has testified that you and Miss Rosalind had no part to play in the foul attempt on His Imperial Majesty¡¯s life. In his great mercy, the High Chancellor has ordered your immediate release.¡±


    I displayed the expression of shock appropriate for one who heard that their employer was a traitor to the crown. As I stood unmoving with my mouth agape, miming surprise, the guard dropped my clothes on the floor and, taking a key from the loop on his belt, unlocked my manacles. He walked out of the cell, leaving the door invitingly open, for me to exit as I chose.


    After I judged that the appropriate amount of time had passed to make my performance of shock and betrayal convincing, I hastily got dressed and exited the prison, emerging on the East side of the capital, breathing fresh air for the first time in days. I began to stagger in the direction of the inn where we had stayed, moving in an affectedly dejected fashion. People around me whispered and pointed ¨C many knew my face from my position at the Ezov. As if ashamed, I kept my head down, avoiding eye contact with everyone. Yet, once I was a good distance away from the entrance to the prison, my mouth curled into a smile.


    Well then, let¡¯s begin.

 Volume 3 Chapter 14: Return

    <div>


    As I approached the entrance of the Ezov, I noted a large crowd that had gathered outside the doors of the establishment. Marisa was at the entrance, apologising profusely and trying to answer the myriad of questions that were being addressed to her. As per my instructions, she was not letting anyone into the shop ¨C I had told her not to open the shop until I had returned. However, being seen at that moment would have been troublesome ¨C I didn¡¯t have the time to deal with the crowd, and I wanted to keep the news of my release from prison a secret for as long as was reasonable.


    I darted off into a side alley several streets away, navigating myself into a narrow corridor between two walls. Pushing myself off the walls on either side of me, I climbed up to the rooftop of the building and walked to the edge, plotting my path to reach the Ezov. Three rooftops and a foothold of solid light afterward, I was on the roof of the Ezov. I made my way to the door that led to the rest of the building and knocked on it with a unique combination of short and long knocks. I waited for several seconds, before I heard a series of knocks in return. I waited for the other person to complete the knocking sequence, then spoke.


    ¡°Crossing Fire Eloquence Honeydew.¡±


    A pause, then I heard the sound of the lock being undone. The door opened slowly, revealing Eliza standing behind it with worry etched across her face. Her eyes widened when she saw my state.


    ¡°By the gods, what did they do to you?¡±


    ¡°Basic interrogation. Nothing major.¡±


    She followed me as I walked into the office, then sat me down on my usual chair and began to prepare an ointment for my wounds. I opened my desk drawer and took a glance at my face, wincing. It was no wonder that Eliza had been taken aback ¨C my face was covered in bruises, swollen in various places. Several long gashes on my cheek indicated where my skin had split after getting struck. I pulled open my lips to check my teeth ¨C thankfully, I hadn¡¯t lost any, though the inside of my mouth was bleeding from a multitude of cuts. The rusty tang of blood lingered on my tongue, but I ignored it. I had lived through worse.


    Eliza finished preparing her ointment and applied it to my face. Immediately, I felt the soreness and aching recede. Whatever she had used, it was incredibly effective ¨C too effective, even. I narrowed my eyes and concentrated, perceiving the faint throb of mana flowing through it.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could use healing magic, Eliza.¡±


    Eliza froze in the midst of preparing a second bandage. She turned to me with a forced smile.


    ¡°E-Eh? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon. No need to lie to me.¡±


    Eliza seemed to struggle with something for several seconds, but eventually gave in and sighed.


    ¡°¡­Fine. You got me. Yes, I have an Affinity for Healing. But I didn¡¯t want to flaunt it because-¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°-because you don¡¯t want to join the army.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. I¡¯m¡­ not a fan of violence or fighting or any of that.¡±


    I nodded, understanding her reluctance. Then I got up and walked to the door. I shut the door and locked it, turning back to face her. Her face started to colour a little. I sighed, recognising that she probably misunderstood my actions, but carried on speaking nonetheless.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just us now. No need to worry about being found out. No need for the fake bandages; just heal me directly.¡±


    I undid my buttons and draped my shirt across the chair, revealing my bruised and battered torso. Eliza¡¯s initial reaction to my undressing was, naturally, to avert her eyes, but when she saw my wounds, her face hardened.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe they hurt you so much¡­¡±


    I shrugged.


    ¡°I can¡¯t really blame them. They were just doing their jobs. Of course, I¡¯m still more than a little annoyed. But revenge can wait. First, some healing would be nice.¡±


    Eliza bit her lip, then nodded. She moved up to me and placed her hands on my bare skin, channeling her magic into my body, closing my wounds and healing my injuries.


    When the deed was done, Eliza wobbled a little and staggered forward ¨C she¡¯d used too much energy and lost consciousness. I gingerly caught her and slowly carried her back to my chair, whispering my gratitude into her ear, though I was unsure of whether she was able to hear me.


    I opened the closet and retrieved one of my spare sets of clothing ¨C all my working clothes were of the same, butler-esque design. It was good for branding and eliminated the question of having to select an outfit every day, saving time. Also, I had grown rather comfortable in the getup, so that was another factor that led to my preference.


    Checking that Eliza was sound asleep, I quickly changed my clothes, discarding my blood-soaked set in favour of a crisp, unworn set. We were expecting a visitor, and although she likely wouldn¡¯t care about my appearance, I felt uncomfortable discussing business of any sort without looking the part of the confident negotiator.


    A knock on the locked door prompted me to open it, finding myself face-to-face with Jasmine. Her gaze flickered behind me, where Eliza was lying passed out on my desk, and her mouth curved slightly into a smile.


    ¡°Welcome back, Mister Glint.¡±


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you this for some time, but kept forgetting: ¡®Glint¡¯ is fine.¡±


    ¡°Glint, then. I trust that Eliza helped heal your injuries?¡±


    I hesitantly nodded. I was unsure of whether Eliza had told her co-workers of her ability, and so I was hesitant to say anything of the matter without her permission. But more than that, I could vaguely detect a hint of playfulness underlying Jasmine¡¯s sentence, and suspected that her use of the word ¡°healing¡± was far from innocent. I decided to change the topic.


    ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re here, I presume that means someone is here to see me?¡±


    ¡°Yes ¨C a woman, on the rooftop. She knew the codes, but I told her to wait until I could confirm. She says you¡¯re expecting her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, let her in. Bring her here¡­¡± I glanced backward at the peacefully sleeping Eliza. ¡°¡­actually, no. Lead her to the meeting room. We¡¯ll talk there.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The two of us exited the room, Jasmine heading toward the rooftop door while I moved toward the meeting room. Downstairs, I heard the clamour of the crowd and briefly worried about Marisa ¨C but decided to leave her be. If it was Marisa, there would be no issue. That woman was extremely competent in crowd control and appeasement.


    After I had waited in the meeting room for several seconds, Jasmine escorted a hooded individual into the room. She wore a brown cloak, and a bandaged sword hung from her belt. I nodded to Jasmine, signalling for her to leave us. Jasmine silently shut the door on her way out, leaving just myself in the room with my tutor.


    ¡°Good to see you, Ruth.¡±


    Ruth raised her hands to her hood and threw it back, revealing her stunning blue eyes, set against a delicate-looking face and surrounded by pure white hair that shimmered in the candlelight. She flashed me a brilliant smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Glint.¡±

 Volume 3 Chapter 15: Situation Report

    <div>


    I stared at the white-haired woman in front of me, the woman who had been my magic tutor and who professed herself a friend of Rosalind¡¯s.


    ¡°When Elysium mentioned that she¡¯d secured the help of a collaborator, the thought that it might be you did cross my mind, but I¡¯m still surprised to find that my suspicions were correct. Didn¡¯t you say you had other matters to attend to?¡±


    ¡°I did, but I wasn¡¯t exactly going to miss my dear Rosalind¡¯s biggest concert, was I? Besides, I¡¯ve done all I can with regard to my main objective in this country, so now I¡¯m free to help you out. In fact, I¡¯ll just alleviate your worries a bit by assuring you that I have a vested interest in making sure that this plan succeeds. Rosalind¡¯s safety and happiness is the main reason, of course, but the success of Plan Crescendo will also help me accomplish my main goal.¡±


    ¡°And the hair?¡±


    Ruth laughed and ran her fingers through her pure-white hair, the light from the lamp in the room granting the action an incorporeal, ghostly quality.


    ¡°A little trick to hide my identity. Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that it¡¯s pretty, but how exactly is having such an unusual hair colour going to help you remain anonymous?¡±


    ¡°It draws attention to my hair, rather than other identifying features. If you saw me on the street without glimpsing my face, would you be able to recognise me?¡±


    True enough, the strangeness of the hair colour invariably drew one¡¯s attention to it, rather than to any other identifying features ¨C if I were to describe her appearance to someone else after merely glimpsing it, the hair would undoubtedly be the focal point of my description. If she could then change her hair colour again afterward, it would basically mislead any attempts at trying to find out her identity based on a description.


    ¡°¡­I see your point. Anyway, let¡¯s get down to business. How much do you know of Plan Crescendo?¡±


    ¡°Elysium told me the reasoning and the endgame. She also told me her prediction of the events that are currently ongoing. I have to admit, I really don¡¯t approve of this. It¡¯s a bold plan that¡¯s far more likely to fail than to succeed. Not to mention, it places Rosalind in an immense amount of danger.¡±


    ¡°I agree, and Elysium agreed too. But Rosalind was the one who chose this plan. We decided to respect her decision.¡±


    ¡°As did I, which is why I¡¯m here right now. Besides, Elysium briefly explained the other possible plans she had proposed, and I¡¯ll admit that Rosalind¡¯s character probably wouldn¡¯t have allowed the other two options.¡±


    Ruth descended into inaudible mumbling for several seconds before turning back to the topic at hand.


    ¡°Well, since we¡¯re doing this, we might as well do everything we can to make it work.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. I don¡¯t like the plan all that much either, but we should focus on supporting Rosalind, since she¡¯s fixed her resolve. Well then, your current role in the plan is to bring me up to speed on the situation, so let¡¯s get to it.¡±


    Ruth looked at me with raised eyebrows, clearly surprised.


    ¡°Huh. You¡¯re a lot more confident than I remember. Not that it¡¯s a bad thing, of course.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll start with the situation of the town in general. As you no doubt noticed on your way back, people are confused and want to know more about what¡¯s going on. Word of the attempted assassination has already spread, and is common knowledge at this point. There still hasn¡¯t been any official statement of what happened, but everyone who was in attendance has been circulating rumours and speculation. Some of the more worrying ones are the ones that brand Rosalind a traitor, or the ones claiming that you intended to use one of the audience members as a scapegoat. At this point, your customers are just waiting for some sort of official statement, either from the Ezov or the Crown.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I nodded. The first order of business would have to be reassuring the crowd, and calming them down. They had to preserve Rosalind¡¯s fanbase if the plan was to succeed. Being the man in charge of the Ezov, that duty fell to me. I did have some lines prepared for the occasion: reassurances and half-truths that Elysium and I had jointly devised. Hopefully it would be enough. Noting my acknowledgement, Ruth moved on to the next topic.


    ¡°Now, regarding the fates of Elysium and Rosalind: Rosalind is confined to a part of the palace. She is, thankfully, treated with respect and civility ¨C the Emperor has given her free rein of the building, and she is free to explore the palace grounds as she likes, though she is forbidden from leaving the palace itself. Twice a day, at lunch and at dinner, the Emperor summons her to dine with him, during which time he tries to win her affection through various trifling displays of power. Thus far, Rosalind has responded positively, which only serves to further enflame his desire.¡±


    ¡°You think he¡¯s caught, then?¡±


    ¡°Most certainly. As you¡¯re aware, he was already clearly interested in acquiring Rosalind as one of his mistresses, but after seeing her in person, he¡¯s clearly become infatuated with her. I¡¯d venture to say that Rosalind has a real chance of becoming his proper wife in the future.¡±


    ¡°What of Elysium?¡±


    ¡°Elysium is currently held in isolation, in the most secure prison in the Empire. She has unconditionally confessed to the crime of plotting to assassinate the Emperor, and has renounced you and Rosalind as only ¡°pawns in her game¡±. She has further admitted to several other counts of treason, including inciting the troublemakers in the other cities across the country.¡±


    ¡°In other words, all the treasonous acts that we suspected to be Julio¡¯s work are now credited to her.¡±


    ¡°Correct. In view of her high treason, she has been sentenced to execution.¡±


    ¡°Has a date been fixed?¡±


    ¡°Not officially, but we can probably expect it to be sometime next week. Given the short amount of time to prepare, it¡¯ll probably be death by hanging.¡±


    ¡°I see. In other words, it¡¯s all going according to plan.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. That woman¡¯s foresight is terrifying. I shudder to think what she might put me through if I were her enemy. In fact, she might be even be able to give Mother a hard time ¨C no, Mother would just overpower her.¡±


    Ruth said several things that I didn¡¯t quite understand the context behind, but I decided not to press her. Everyone had their secrets. In any case, everything up to this point, including the Emperor attempting to gain Rosalind¡¯s favour and Elysium being blamed for Julio¡¯s crimes, and even Elysium¡¯s upcoming execution, had been predicted by Elysium on that night when we had drafted this plan. All the players were acting exactly as required, which meant that Ruth¡¯s most important role was about to come into play. It also meant that I could expect a visit from an eminent personage reasonably soon.


    ¡°Thanks for the update, Ruth. I trust that Elysium¡¯s told you about your role in the next phase of the plan?¡±


    ¡°Yes. An audacious plan, certainly, but given her unique limitations, I must say that it¡¯s the best option. Still, what were you going to do if you hadn¡¯t been able to secure my help?¡±


    ¡°I did raise that problem to Elysium, but she just assured me that she would be able to find a suitable collaborator. She seemed rather certain of the fact that she would be able to gain your assistance. But I suppose that if you didn¡¯t agree to it, she would have revised the plan a bit to have me play your role, instead, though that might have made some latter bits of the plan a bit trickier.¡±


    ¡°That was my thought ¨C that if I refused, she would turn to you, which would jeopardise the entire plan. When I considered that, I really didn¡¯t have much of a choice. Which I suppose is what that crafty woman was going for in the first place.¡±


    I laughed.


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re all puppets on this stage, and Elysium the grand puppeteer.¡±


    ¡°¡­I wonder how she would contend against another puppeteer?¡±


    I looked at Ruth inquisitively, but she shook her head dismissively.


    ¡°No matter. It¡¯s nothing of significance. Well then, I should get going. I have a jailbreak to prepare for, and you have an angry mob to deal with.¡±


    I sighed, thinking on what I had to do, and reluctantly opened the door for Ruth, gesturing toward it while saying my goodbyes.


    ¡°Good luck to both of us, I suppose ¨C though your part looks to be far more dangerous than mine.¡±


    ¡°Ha. It¡¯s just the army of one country. I doubt they¡¯ll present me with much of a challenge. It was good seeing you, Glint. You¡¯ve grown up into a fine young man.¡±


    With that, she exited the door. After a few seconds, I peered out into the corridor, but she was gone. I walked back over to my office and found Eliza still asleep. I gently shook her awake, causing her to start.


    ¡°Come on, Eliza. We¡¯ve got work to do.¡±


    Eliza rubbed her eyes for a while, then nodded. I led the way as we joined Marisa and Jasmine on the first floor, then readied myself and rehearsed my lines. Then I stepped through the door to confront the dozens of people who were causing a commotion on our doorstep.

 Volume 3 Chapter 16: Press Release

    <div>


    ¡°Glint! What¡¯s going on?!¡±


    ¡°What happened to Rosalind?!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Elysium?¡±


    ¡°What have you people been doing?!¡±


    ¡°That was the Emperor during the performance, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°What was he doing there?!¡±


    Questions of this nature bombarded me the moment the crowd caught a glimpse of my face. I grimly weathered the initial barrage with a stoic gaze, waiting for them to expel all their impulsive inquiries. Marisa, who was standing several paces in front of the door, nodded in acknowledgement and retreated back inside the door, where she stood quietly behind me, leaning on the door frame. The onslaught of demands and questions continued for some time, before eventually subsiding as it became evident that I was not going to speak until the crowd had quietened down.


    When it became quiet enough that I could finally expect my voice to be heard, I began.


    ¡°Dearest guests, I sincerely apologise for the disruption to our concert. I won¡¯t attempt to say that it was an unanticipated result, but it was unfortunate nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°You mean you knew this would happen?!¡±


    ¡°Not in so certain terms, no. But as long as the Emperor was insistent on attending our performance, it was always a possible outcome. So, it would be deceitful to say that it came as a complete surprise. Particularly in light of the recent revelations that I have received.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you cancel the concert? If you knew this would happen, why¡¯d you go ahead?! Isn¡¯t that basically admitting that you planned this?!¡±


    A well-built, gruff-looking man stepped forward confrontationally as he said that. I was, thankfully, saved the trouble of composing my response by an equally large man who smacked him on the head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot. Why not you go defy an Imperial command and see how that ends up for you?¡±


    I nodded my gratitude to the interceder and returned my attention to the topic at hand.


    ¡°I have, unfortunately, ill news to confer. That it should disquiet you, I have no doubt, but I¡¯d say that it is most disheartening for myself and for Rosalind.¡±


    I took a deep breath, rehearsing my line, then executed it.


    ¡°It has come to our attention that the attempt on the Emperor¡¯s life was orchestrated by none other than Elysium herself.¡±


    The crowd erupted into protestations and disputes.


    ¡°Elysium? Rosalind¡¯s friend, the violinist ¨C that Elysium?¡±


    ¡°Bullshit! No way! She might be aloof, but she¡¯s a perfectly nice woman!¡±


    ¡°Why would she even want to do that?¡±


    ¡°No way she planned it!¡±


    Aware that the crowd, on this occasion, was far less likely to subside naturally, I raised my voice to be heard above the din.


    ¡°Please! Please stay calm and listen!¡±


    The people quietened down, but continued murmuring among themselves. I cleared my throat, and confirmed that I had the attention of all present before proceeding.


    ¡°I can think of no reason for Elysium to have contemplated a plot so foul, nor can I bring myself to believe it ¨C indeed, if it perplexes you, dear guests, imagine how much more it perplexes myself, who have lived with her and worked with her for years, or Rosalind, who considers Elysium her first and dearest friend? Trust me when I say that such an action is completely at odds with the Elysium I know. However, facts are facts; and it is indeed a fact that the Imperial Guard has extracted a full confession from Elysium, one where she claims sole responsibility for the plot ¨C she has disavowed both Rosalind and myself, and has declared us to be only pawns in her larger design.¡±


    For the more sensitive in the crowd, my peculiar emphasis allowed them to grasp my implied meaning, and several faces contorted into expressions of grief and indignation. The rest of the crowd was displaying disbelief and outrage in equal parts. I estimated that about a quarter of them had realised the truth of the incident. I made eye contact with those who had displayed this understanding, and they each returned me some quiet acknowledgement, after which they set about calming those around them.


    When the crowd had calmed down, a younger girl, near the front, flanked by what I presumed to be her parents ¨C both of whom had caught my implication ¨C timidly raised her voice.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°So¡­ what¡¯s going to happen to Rosalind?¡±


    I resisted the urge to bite my lip. This would inevitably drive a wedge between Rosalind and her fanbase, but I trusted that Rosalind¡¯s powerful influence would not be so easily broken.


    ¡°Since Elysium has confessed sole responsibility, Rosalind and myself are no longer under suspicion ¨C we are but victims in this poor affair after all, used and then discarded by a woman that we had thought our friend. I was granted my liberty, and shall soon return to my duties in managing the Ezov, but as for Rosalind¡­ she has gained the esteem and attention of the Emperor.¡±


    The crowd broke out into murmurs again, some excited, some fearful. For many of them, who were Rosalind¡¯s faithful supporters, the thought of her having gained the patronage of the Emperor was a wondrous thing ¨C but for others, who had heard rumours of the Emperor¡¯s character, they received the news with a graveness that betrayed their concern for her well-being.


    ¡°Allow me to assure you that although Rosalind is currently detained in the Palace, she is, by all appearances, not the least bit unhappy. I have but heard vague reports, but it seems that her behaviour would suggest that she is pleased with the Emperor¡¯s affections ¨C I have even heard reports that she gives the appearance of reciprocating them.¡±


    The number of people who understood my hidden meaning this time numbered fewer than before, but that was to be expected. Unlike the previous instance, I was not pointedly emphasising the key points, but my choice of words was enough to inform the careful listener about what Rosalind was endeavouring to do. This time, only about six people, in the crowd of more than fifty, showed any sign of having understood my meaning.


    Without warning, the same large-built man who had interjected at the start of my explanation roared in indignation.


    ¡°How could she?! We were here, all worried for her, and that woman is just sitting around, flirting?! How can she do this to us ¨C to the people who have supported her for so long?!¡±


    Several people glanced at him with distaste, clearly angry at his insinuation ¨C but some of the crowd were nodding their heads in assent. If I didn¡¯t change the flow of the conversation quickly, this could go badly ¨C but as an interested party, interjecting here would only serve to worsen to problem. I slightly tilted my head back, a sign for Marisa. Marisa didn¡¯t give any outward sign of acknowledgement, but stepped forward.


    ¡°Sir, please understand. Rosalind is, in the end, a human, like us. She may be a renowned performer throughout the Empire, but apart from her profession, she is just an ordinary woman. Just as you or I are prisoners to the swaying of our heart, Rosalind too is helpless before its persuasion. If gaining the favour of the Emperor can grant Rosalind happiness and sway her heart, I implore you not to blame her for obeying it ¨C I implore you not to deny her happiness.¡±


    The man, whose expression throughout Marisa¡¯s plea had gradually changed to one of chagrin, mumbled something inaudible and fell back in among the audience. Seeing this, one of the six who had understood my hidden message took the opportunity to speak up.


    ¡°The lady¡¯s right. We¡¯re fans of Rosalind, aren¡¯t we? We swore to support her, didn¡¯t we? If she¡¯s infatuated with the Emperor, if she finds happiness in his attention, I think we should support it ¨C we should support her. As fans, Rosalind¡¯s happiness should be our greatest happiness. Rather than resent her for this, I think we should rather offer our congratulations, and our encouragement.¡±


    Another of the six shouted his agreement, then another. Then another woman ¨C not one of those who had understood me, joined in the affirmation of Rosalind¡¯s choice. From there, the approbation spread, until the crowd¡¯s murmurs were not tinted in the colour of apprehension, but of anticipation. I nodded my gratitude to the man who had spoken up, whereupon he tipped his hat slightly, and continued conversing with those next to him. The mood was generally positive, with several people beginning to speculate on whether the Emperor had any intention to propose to Rosalind, and if he did, what kind of congratulatory present would be best. It was a mood that brought a smile to my mouth, but it was quickly broken by a question, posed by the young girl who had earlier spoken up.


    ¡°Does this mean that Rosalind is going to stop singing?¡±


    Almost instantly, the crowd froze, and turned to me for an answer. Thankfully, I had one prepared.


    ¡°At this point, we can¡¯t be sure. We don¡¯t know how the Emperor intends to proceed. But I assure you that if Rosalind has any say in the matter, she will stop at nothing to secure the privilege of once again singing for your listening pleasure ¨C she is far too in love with her art, and far too appreciative of her audience, to keep away from either for long. It might take a while, but I promise you, you will hear Rosalind sing again.¡±


    Cheering broke out from the crowd, as their deepest anxiety was dispersed. Riding on the wave of positivity, I decided to finish up this dialogue.


    ¡°In the interim, though, the Ezov will still be open, and functioning as per normal. I¡¯m still recovering from my ordeal, so we won¡¯t be opening our doors today, but starting from tomorrow, we¡¯ll be open as per usual ¨C I hope to see many of you there.¡±


    ¡°But if Rosalind¡¯s not gonna be there, what¡¯s the point?¡±


    Though the question had the appearance of an antagonistic one, its speaker grinned as he posed it ¨C clearly, he meant it in good humour


    ¡°Well, even though Rosalind herself might not be disposed to join us, we¡¯ll still be selling our various lines of Rosalind-related merchandise, as well as the tea that we¡¯ve become quite famous for. The job board will also, as usual, be open if there are any customers seeking employment. And, well, if you truly desire a song, I could be persuaded to sing for you, though I doubt my voice can hold a candle to Rosalind¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°You, sing?! Now that¡¯s a sight I¡¯d pay to see!¡±


    ¡°Indeed? Remind me to send you a quote later.¡±


    The crowd laughed and dispersed, the gloomy atmosphere from before completely gone. When the last of them had left the area in front of the shop, I sighed. Having dealt with that, I had just one more duty to perform today, before I could retire to some rest. I called out to the seemingly empty street.


    ¡°Are you going to come in, or did you really just come here to hide in an alley all day?¡±


    For a moment, there was no response. Then, a familiar voice sounded out from the dark alleyway across the street.


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed, Mister Glint. Not many can tell Alpha¡¯s shadow apart from natural darkness.¡±


    A spherical portion of the darkness in the alley stepped forward, dissolving to reveal Julio Kronschild and his fascinating servant.


    ¡°A lucky guess, is all. I figured you might want to speak with me soon.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. You did a magnificent job of handling that crowd, by the way.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to call that my job. Please, come in.¡±


    With that, I received Julio and Alpha into the Ezov, mentally steeling myself for what was likely to be the most strenuous negotiation of the day.

 Volume 3 Chapter 17: Playacting

    <div>


    I guided Julio up to the same meeting room I had used for his first visit here. Alpha paused at the door, but I shook my head and gestured for her to come in. It was unlikely that Julio had come here to antagonise us, but neither was I comfortable with her roaming about unsupervised. I kept alert for any traces of magic being used, while not letting it show on my face beyond an expression of vigilance ¨C a vigilance that Julio would expect, given the circumstances of his visit.


    After I closed the door to our meeting room, the two of us stared at each other in silence. I silently counted off ten seconds, then broke the impasse. I had to speak first, to convince him of my desperation.


    ¡°Lord Chancellor. Good to see you¡­ is what I would like to say, but I¡¯m afraid that you bring bad news.¡±


    I let my voice crack near the end of my statement. I had to appear anxious and confused, beaten into submission. I fidgeted visibly, averting my gaze when he made eye contact. Seemingly satisfied with my response, Julio sighed and clapped me on the shoulder.


    ¡°Mister Glint. I know that this must be hard for you. Please, take a seat.¡±


    I let him guide me into one of the chairs. Once I was seated, I made my arm tremble slightly, as if I were holding back great emotion.


    ¡°Elysium. Is it true?¡±


    Julio nodded his head slowly, sympathetically. It made me want to punch him.


    ¡°Indeed. Though it pains me to confirm this, Miss Elysium has indeed confessed to treason and conspiracy.¡±


    I slammed my fists on the table.


    ¡°I- I can¡¯t believe it. I don¡¯t want to believe it. Not Elysium¡­ not her¡­ why? Why would she¡­?¡±


    I hung my head and started to tremble. I recalled my old days as a thief, when I had faked tears to serve as a distraction. I felt that familiar feeling welling back up, and water collected along the corners of my eyes. Julio, watching me, shook his head quietly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She refused to say. She only laughed and bragged about using you and Rosalind.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit! That¡¯s bullshit and you know it!¡±


    I made a show of pushing myself off the desk and glaring at him through tear-blurred eyes.


    ¡°You were there when she made the plans! She was against the entire concert in the first place! You saw her plan ¨C you approved it!¡±


    ¡°Mister Glint. You will note that I merely said that Elysium confessed to treason, not that she was guilty of it.¡±


    He looked at me with a meaningful glance. I allowed myself what seemed to be an appropriately long period of shocked silence, before responding in a soft voice.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re saying that her confession was forced out of her.¡±


    Julio narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°I said nothing of the sort. I only said that she has confessed to her crime.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that. Fuck your political nonsense. She¡¯s my mentor ¨C my friend. You¡¯re telling me that she¡¯s just a scapegoat. For who? For what? Oh, of course. For your fucking Imperial Guard. The ones that were supposed to be elites, that you insisted be used for the security detail. To let an assassin get past in that kind of closed environment means that they¡¯re either complicit or incompetent. Which is it?!¡±


    I stepped right up to Julio, glaring at him. Alpha, silent to this point, stepped in front of him and faced me, placing herself in my way. Julio touched her shoulder and shook his head ¨C she retreated back to the door. He glared sharply at me.


    ¡°Mister Glint. Please do not put words in my mouth. Any further slander against His Imperial Majesty¡¯s guard of honour will be treated as treason.¡±


    I clicked my tongue and spun away, making sure to display disgust with each movement. It wasn¡¯t particularly hard, it was just a matter of letting my pre-existing feelings about this man bubble forth.


    ¡°It is indeed unfortunate that the guards on detail were co-conspirators with the would-be assassin. Rest assured that they have already been executed for their crimes.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°So why is Elysium still detained?¡±


    ¡°The guards were not working alone ¨C someone had given them the instructions, though they refused to reveal who.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re framing Elysium as the mastermind.¡±


    ¡°It is what she has confessed.¡±


    I snorted and gave no reply. Julio seemed to be waiting for me to say something, but I held my silence. While it was important to act the part of the desperate, lost child, neither could I afford to let Julio see me as just another insignificant pawn ¨C I had to assert my importance as an agent. After some moments of silence, Julio spoke up.


    ¡°It boggles me, though, that Miss Elysium would do something like this, which is of no benefit to her whatsoever. Indeed, I would have expected the orchestrator of this plot to be the person who had something to gain. Instead, the sloppy assassination attempt seems like it was meant to fail all along. It boggles me that she would go to so much trouble to set up this attempt, only to have its pivotal moment be so pitifully executed. I also wonder how she managed to gain influence over the Imperial Guard¡­ perhaps an examination of our recruitment processes is in order.¡±


    I held back my urge to issue a derisive snort. Of course, the orchestrator was likely Julio himself, but he was trying to lead me to the conclusion that the Emperor himself had planned the assassination. In terms of who had the most to gain, it was clearly the Emperor ¨C who had managed to seperate Rosalind from Elysium, thus allowing him to detain and thereby court Rosalind with minimal resistance. But that was just the way Julio wanted it to appear. Still, I had to play along for the moment. I moved on to the next topic that he was expecting, expecting that it would lead him to believe that his attempt at manipulation had succeeded.


    ¡°¡­What of Rosalind?¡±


    Julio¡¯s mouth turned slightly into a faint smile.


    ¡°From what you told the crowd outside, I believe you¡¯re already familiar with her current situation.¡±


    ¡°I have only heard rumours and hearsay. Please tell me. Is it true?¡±


    Julio sighed and nodded.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ my brother has taken her on as a consort. He seems to show particular favour toward her, as well.¡±


    ¡°How is she?¡±


    ¡°Troubled. The news of Miss Elysium¡¯s betrayal has hit her hard. She is frequently seen staring off into the distance. It worries my brother, who is concerned for her health. He thinks she might be upset.¡±


    ¡°Of course she¡¯s fucking upset. Her best friend has been arrested and charged with high treason. I¡¯m surprised that she¡¯s not crying her eyes out.¡±


    ¡°She was, for a while. My brother worked his charms on her ¨C he has quite the way with women. As she spends more time with him, she¡¯s starting to smile a little more. My hope is that she will move past this betrayal in time.¡±


    ¡°¡­So you¡¯re saying that just because the Emperor said a couple nice words to her and gave her some presents, she¡¯s forgotten about Elysium.¡±


    ¡°Now, Mister Glint, I never said-¡±


    ¡°That whore. After all Elysium did for her! She goes and leaves her to die, just because of some fucking man?!¡±


    Railing against Rosalind like that made my heart clench, even though I knew it was necessary. Even though I had rehearsed it beforehand. It hurt, but I forced myself to slander the kindest woman I knew. Julio narrowed his eyes and raised his voice.


    ¡°Control yourself, Mister Glint. I had expected you to know better than to accuse Miss Rosalind of such. She would likely break down if she were to hear you.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck does that matter?! She abandoned Elysium, why should she care about what I think? I was less to her than Elysium was, and look what¡¯s happened.¡±


    ¡°Mister Glint, might I inform you that my presence here today is at her behest?¡±


    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±


    I feigned being dumbstruck. Julio gave me a disapproving glance and continued.


    ¡°Miss Rosalind implored me to speak to you ¨C she wishes to know your condition, and to know that you are safe. She was rather insistent on it, when I went to check on her.¡±


    ¡°She¡­ was concerned about me?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. When I told her of your release, she smiled for the first time since your arrest. Perhaps you would rather hear it from her, but I can assure you that she most certainly is concerned for your well-being. She has far from abandoned you.¡±


    I allowed my tears to flow again and collapsed on my chair. Julio smiled sympathetically.


    ¡°In her soon-to-be-official capacity as Imperial Consort, she requested for me to bring you to see her, and expressed her desire to have you enter the Palace as her attendant.¡±


    ¡°¡­eh? Attendant? Me?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. All Imperial Consorts are entitled to their own entourage of servants ¨C she has requested that you be the first and most prominent of her¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°¡­why me?¡±


    ¡°It is my belief that she intends to allow you to share in her newfound fortune as a Consort, and that she wishes for your companionship.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, she has left the decision to you ¨C but I sincerely believe that accepting the position would be a great relief to her.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have to manage the Ezov.¡±


    ¡°You can still do that in the position of her attendant. In fact, it would provide you numerous resources and connections which I have no doubt you will find useful in the continued expansion of this establishment.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I am here merely as messenger. Miss Rosalind desires you to take this position ¨C she desires for you to stand by her side. Whether you decide to take the position or not is your decision. No need to reply immediately. Think on it for a few days. If you decide to accept this position, come to the Palace gates in three days¡¯ time and give your name to the guards on duty ¨C I¡¯ll make sure they know to bring you to Miss Rosalind.¡±


    Julio stood up and made toward the door. I got up and followed behind, but kept silent the whole way, as if deep in thought. Once I had shown him out the door and watched him walking down the street, disappearing from sight, I shut the door and collapsed on the ground, exhausted. Marisa hurried to me with a towel, her face bearing an expression of concern. I grinned and gave her a thumbs up.


    ¡°A complete success. I¡¯ve got my in.¡±

 Volume 3 Chapter 18: Lies and Secrets

    <div>


    ¡°Halt. State your name and business.¡±


    The gruff-looking man in front of the gate to the Imperial Villa stopped me at the entrance. Hardly surprising, since the Villa served as the living quarters for all Imperial Consorts. It would be more worrying if they weren¡¯t on guard. Naturally, I had an invitation, so I was unworried. I glanced at the man¡¯s face. Most of it was obscured by a large helmet, but based off what I could make out, he was not one of the people that had formed the Emperor¡¯s security detail at the concert.


    ¡°Glint. I¡¯m here to see Rosalind.¡±


    ¡°Family name?¡±


    A strange question to ask, but it made sense in context ¨C if I happened to belong to the nobility, particularly if I was from one of the more prestigious families, it was likely that I had authorisation to enter. The fact that I was nameless did nothing to help my case.


    ¡°None. I¡¯m an orphan.¡±


    ¡°Bah. Another commoner fan? Begone with you. The Imperial Consort Rosalind is not for the likes of you to ogle.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s expecting me. I have her express invitation.¡±


    ¡°Ha. As if I¡¯ve never heard that one before. Begone, unless you want to be arrested.¡±


    ¡°No, really. She¡¯s an old friend. She asked me to come here.¡±


    The guard sighed and placed his hand on the handle of the sword at his side.


    ¡°Look, don¡¯t make this any harder than it has to be. Either you leave, or I¡¯ll-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I called him here.¡±


    The guard jumped at Rosalind¡¯s voice and turned around, catching sight of her walking through the courtyard in a plain white dress. He hastily knelt on one knee.


    ¡°Your Highness! It was unnecessary for you to come out here; I apologise for taking so long to turn this man away.¡±


    Rosalind shook her head serenely and bade the guard rise.


    ¡°Nay, Ignatius. The fault lies with me. I should have informed you about him. This young man is my close friend and attendant.¡±


    The guard lowered his head further.


    ¡°I am honoured that you would remember the name of one such as me.¡±


    He stood up and nodded his head at me.


    ¡°I apologise for my earlier impoliteness. You may proceed.¡±


    I returned his nod.


    ¡°No worries. I¡¯m not about to fault a man for doing his job.¡±


    Ignatius stepped aside, allowing me entrance through the gateway. Rosalind turned and walked away, headed toward the large building in the West of the courtyard. As she walked off, she spoke to me in a voice that exuded warmth.


    ¡°Come on, then.¡±


    I quietly obeyed and followed behind her to the aformentioned building. It was a large mansion, with a white facade and a marbled porch that formed an idyllic picture with the trees that surrounded it. Glancing above the door, I noted a large assembly of diamonds inlaid into the doorway. I briefly wondered what it meant, but put the thought out of my head and followed Rosalind into the mansion.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Inside the house, a number of maids were hard at work cleaning up the place ¨C no small task, given the size of the mansion. The entrance hall was dominated by a large marble staircase that led up to the second floor. As Rosalind led me up the stairs, she greeted each maid on the way by name, offering a kind phrase. I noted several of them blushing profusely and suppressed a wry grin. And to think she called me a ladykiller.


    She led me upstairs and along a corridor with numerous doors, stopping at a room that was third from the back, on the right side. As she made to open the door, I moved in front of her and took the doorknob, graciously opening it and motioning for her to enter. She gave me a small smile, but accepted my gesture and entered the room ahead of me.


    The moment I closed the door, Rosalind tackled me in a strong hug.


    ¡°Glint! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay!¡±


    I was startled for a moment, but then I reached around and hugged her back.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Rosalind.¡±


    Once Rosalind had calmed down and seperated from me, I was able to take a better look at the room where she had led me. Right across from the entrance was a large mahogany desk, framed on each side by large glass windows. The walls were lined with bookcases, mostly empty, though I spotted a couple of Rosalind¡¯s favorite books neatly arranged in one of them. Across from the mahogany desk, next to us, was an ornately carved wooden table, surrounded by large, comfortable-looking chairs with leather backs and wooden armrests. Seeing nowhere else where a guest could sit, I seated myself on one of the chairs. Rosalind looked at me with an expression of mock disapproval.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s rude to seat yourself without permission.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, forgive this orphaned thief for not knowing courtly manners.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯d better be prepared to learn if you intend to serve as my attendant, Glint.¡±


    Laughing, Rosalind seated herself in the other chair, across from me.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing this room is a study of sorts?¡±


    Rosalind smiled and answered.


    ¡°Yes, I told my Lord Emperor that I enjoyed reading, and he was rather pleased with it ¨C he considers a love of reading a sign of noble character. He acquiesced to my selfish request and allowed me to repurpose this room as a study. I am truly honoured by his favour.¡±


    While she spoke, her fingers casually drummed along the wooden armrest. To an outsider, it would have likely gone unnoticed. But for the two of us ¨C and for Elysium ¨C it was a code, a way to send short messages through patterns of short and long pauses. Elaborate communication with this code was, naturally, impractical, but it was perfect for sending short messages unnoticed.


    Elysium. Plan. Progress?


    I responded to her spoken conversation while drumming out my response.


    ¡°I take it that the Emperor is treating you well, then?¡±


    Smooth. Chancellor. Fooled.


    Rosalind broke out into a wide smile, but disguised it by answering my previous question.


    ¡°Indeed. I don¡¯t know what I did to earn the favour of such a great man ¨C I can¡¯t think that I deserve it. But I will do all in my power to repay him for his kindness, as one of his wives.¡±


    She turned away bashfully, blushing as she spoke the last line. It was marvellous acting. I didn¡¯t think we were being watched, but one could never be too careful. Just in case there were eyes on us, I decided to show them what they wanted to see.


    ¡°Rosalind. About Elysium¡­¡±


    Elysium. Execution.


    Tears welled up in her eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she did that! To such a great man! How couldshe, Glint?¡±


    I know. Date Uncertain.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t want to think she just used us this whole time for this opportunity, but¡­¡±


    Escape Prepared.


    Rosalind gave me a weak smile.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t want to believe it, but everything points to it¡­ She confessed, after all¡­¡±


    I walked over and patted her on the shoulder. At that moment, a knock resounded on the door. Rosalind wiped her tears and called out.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    One of the maids entered the room and bowed toward both of us.


    ¡°My Lady, the Emperor has announced his intention to dine here today. He is on his way from the Palace as we speak.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, My Lord Emperor wishes to dine with me? I need to prepare. Thank you for informing me, Celice. Would you mind preparing my blue gown?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, My Lady.¡±


    As Celice left the room, I glanced toward Rosalind.


    ¡°Should I¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Attend our dinner in the capacity of a servant. I¡¯ll need to introduce you to My Lord Emperor eventually, in any case.¡±


    I bowed deeply.


    ¡°Understood. Are there any preparations you¡¯d like me to make?¡±


    ¡°Yes; go down to the kitchen ¨C it¡¯s in a room behind the stairs ¨C and memorise the menu for today. Make sure you learn the details. If My Lord Emperor asks you for details about any dish, make sure you can recite them from heart ¨C you need to prove your ability to serve as my attendant. Also, while you¡¯re there, get someone to teach you the layout of the mansion, you¡¯ll need to be intimately familiar with it as well.¡±


    ¡°How long do I have?¡±


    ¡°Considering the distance from the Palace to this villa, I estimate that you have 24 minutes to do all that. Is that enough?¡±


    I grinned. This amount of information was nothing compared to what I had to deal with on a daily basis as manager of the Ezov.


    ¡°Leave it to me. I won¡¯t disappoint.¡±

 Volume 3 Chapter 19: Rosalind and the Emperor

    <div>


    The servants of the mansion were lined up in two rows, on either side of the central staircase, with Rosalind standing at the foot of the stairs. I stood several steps behind her, indicating my position as her personal attendant. The fluid ease with which the staff assumed their positions was testament to their familiarity with the proceedings. In contrast, I had crammed all the necessary etiquette rules into my memory in the span of ten minutes, and so I was deathly nervous about screwing something up. I kept a handle on my nerves, however, and focused on keeping a calm exterior.


    After several minutes of waiting in these positions, the maid positioned by the window clapped her hands. All of us did any final adjustments and corrected our postures. Shortly afterward, the two maids positioned by the doors opened them, at the exact moment that the Emperor reached the foot of our porch. Once he crossed the threshold into the mansion, the two lines of servants bowed in unison, as well as myself, bowed in unison. Rosalind dipped herself into a curtsey.


    ¡°Welcome, my Lord.¡±


    ¡°It is a pleasure to dine with you today, Rosalind.¡±


    The Emperor walked up to Rosalind and took her hand, raising it to his lips to kiss it. At once, we resumed our ordinary standing positions. It all looked like a large performance, which, in a sense, it was. The rules of Imperial visits to Consorts were well-defined, and the rituals which coded the power hierarchy were largely set in stone. Over time, all the bowing and curtseying had become established enough to be written in a pocketbook of instructions ¨C a book which, incidentally, was nested in my back trouser pocket.


    With the greeting rituals concluded, the servants dispersed to return to their posts. I alone remained, staying silently behind Rosalind. Hand in hand, the two made their way to the dining hall, while I trailed behind. The Emperor didn¡¯t so much as glance in my direction ¨C but at the same time, he didn¡¯t seem to be making an effort to avoid me. This, too, had been written in the pocketbook ¨C it was unbecoming for the Emperor to notice a lowly servant until that servant¡¯s services were imminently necessary. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t be seen as consciously avoiding a servant, as that would imply he was in fact paying attention to the servant¡¯s presence. As such, he had to consciously ignore me while appearing to be acting naturally. No easy feat, though I suppose that such a paradoxical interested indifference towards my presence was, to him, a state as natural as breathing.


    Once they had seated at the long table, the maids began to serve the meal. I stood in the corner, quietly waiting to be called upon. The Emperor engaged in casual conversation with Rosalind, showering her with compliments and promises. The whole while, he didn¡¯t even acknowledge my presence, which was fine by me. The way he was acting toward Rosalind made me want to punch him in the face, but I held myself back. I had a job to do, and I wasn¡¯t going to let emotion hinder me from carrying it out.


    After some time, he finally called on me.


    ¡°You there. Tell me what dish this is.¡±


    Immediately, I stepped forward out of my corner.


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty, the current course is a side of beef drizzled with lemon sauce and garnished with radish. The beef is from Kerswige, an area well-known for raising cows on high-quality feed. While the meat is slightly tougher than most other styles of beef, the flavour packed into it is far beyond other cuts of beef. It has been cooked slightly, leaving it rare, to pack in a more potent flavour. The tang of the lemon is intended to balance out the strong taste.¡±


    ¡°Hoh?¡± The Emperor turned to Rosalind. ¡°My love, I suppose this is the attendant you spoke of?¡±


    Rosalind smiled and nodded.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Yes, my Lord. This is Glint ¨C my close friend and attendant. He is something of a son to me.¡±


    ¡°A son? That is an unusual way to describe a friend.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I picked him up off the streets several years ago, and have been working to teach him writing and reading, as well as the art of management.¡±


    ¡°You truly are a kind soul, my love.¡± The Emperor turned to me and gave me a visual inspection. Then he laughed. ¡°Glint, was it? My brother spoke highly of your abilities, and I see that he was not mistaken. You carry yourself with the poise of a fighter. I¡¯m rather tempted to spar with you.¡±


    I bowed deeply.


    ¡°The praise of the Emperor and the High Chancellor are wasted on one such as I. I greatly doubt that I would serve as a suitable opponent for Your Imperial Majesty, but I am your servant ¨C let it be as you will.¡±


    ¡°I like you. Raise your head, Glint.¡±


    I obediently did as I was told. The fact that he had called me by my name was a sign that he held a high opinion of me. He turned to Rosalind.


    ¡°Very well, my love. I approve of your choice. Speak to my brother about the necessary paperwork to have Glint here formally invested as your attendant.¡±


    Rosalind bowed her head. ¡°Your generosity knows no bounds, my Lord.¡±


    The Emperor reached out and took hold of her chin, turning her head to face him.


    ¡°Anything for you, my love.¡±


    He took her hand and kissed it again. Rosalind¡¯s face showed pleasant surprise and embarrassment, but I saw her other hand clutching the folds of her dress under the table. I couldn¡¯t imagine what she was going through.


    As they continued eating, the conversation moved through various different topics. Rosalind consistently showed interest in learning about the workings of the court, which the Emperor was more than willing to teach her, though he personally seemed rather uninterested in the topic. Occasionally, he would speak to me in the midst of the conversation, calling upon me to offer some opinion. In this manner, the meal continued for some time, before we finally reached the topic of Elysium.


    ¡°My love, about your friend¡­¡±


    Rosalind jolted and bit her lip.


    ¡°That woman¡¯s execution date has been set. She will be executed next week, on the fifth day, at noon.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, is there no other way¡­?¡±


    The Emperor shook his head firmly.


    ¡°No. There is none. We cannot show mercy to traitors. She has turned against the crown, and for that she must die. She is unrepentant, you saw that for yourself.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Glint. You were travelling with these two, so you should know this as well ¨C I brought my love to visit her friend in prison. I was going to lighten her sentence if she seemed remorseful. But you know what she did?¡±


    In fact, I did. It was part of the plan, after all. But I shook my head.


    ¡°She started hurling abuse at my love ¨C this sweet girl who had pleaded for clemency on her friend¡¯s behalf. That woman called Rosalind here a ¡®whore¡¯ and a ¡®harlot¡¯ ¨C words that could not possibly be used to describe a creature of such purity.¡±


    As if on cue, Rosalind burst into tears and buried her face in her hands. The Emperor stood up and hugged her close, kissing her on the forehead.


    ¡°What a trial that must have been, my love. I¡¯m sorry you had to suffer through it. But as you¡¯ve seen, that woman is wholly unrepentant. Execution is the only punishment.¡±


    Rosalind remained silent, sobbing into his chest.


    ¡°You stay in the mansion. I¡¯ll come here immediately after the execution is concluded.¡±


    Rosalind moved away and shook her head.


    ¡°No, my Lord. Allow me to attend. Please.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? A delicate, kind soul such as yourself should not be forced to watch the execution of your friend ¨C it would be cruel.¡±


    Rosalind nodded.


    ¡°Yes. I must witness the moment precisely because she is my friend. Even if she hates me now, or was only using me, I considered her a true friend ¨C and so it is my duty to her to watch over her end, to watch her suffer the consequences of her choices. It is the only thing left that I can do for her.¡±


    The Emperor turned Rosalind¡¯s face upwards, gazing into her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re a strong woman, Rosalind. Very well. I¡¯ll arrange for you to be seated with me at the execution. Of course, your attendant may attend us as well.¡±


    I bowed deeply.


    ¡°I humbly thank Your Majesty for your consideration.¡±


    The Emperor laughed and seated himself once more.


    ¡°Enough talk of saddening events. It ruins the appetite. Let us move on to the next course, and to happier topics.¡±


    Rosalind smiled sweetly and nodded.


    ¡°As you desire, my Lord.¡±


    As they continued to eat and converse, I fought hard to keep a grin off my face. We had secured a seat at Elysium¡¯s supposed execution, and moreover, we would be seated with the Emperor himself. With this, the final preparations were complete, and we could begin the next performance.

 Volume 3 Chapter 20: Public Execution

    <div>


    The crowd that had gathered was immense. The execution ground had numerous stands built around it, for spectators to sit and watch the proceedings. A line of soldiers stood guard, keeping the crowds away from the grounds. In the centre of the stone-paved square was a gallows, its wood polished and shining. Numerous people crowded in around the execution ground, causing a buzz of conversation to run through the stands. No surprise. This was the first public execution in over a decade. Public executions were a sentence reserved only for those guilty of the most heinous of crimes ¨C conspiracy against the throne. It had been a long time since the execution grounds had been used, and so, naturally, many people had come to witness this possibly once-in-a-lifetime event.


    That was part of the reason, anyway. The other part was that many of Rosalind¡¯s fans had come to see the outcome. They knew that Elysium was a part of Rosalind¡¯s entourage, and that they were close friends. They had come to see this little drama to its conclusion.


    Rosalind was seated next to the Emperor in a tower that overlooked the execution grounds. I stood behind her, while Chancellor Julio stood behind the Emperor. Alpha stood slightly to the right of Julio. Our tower was about twenty meters off the ground, designed so that the spectating citizens had a clear view of the Emperor ¨C to observe his dignity as he oversaw the deaths of his enemies. Many in the crowd kept looking toward the tower, though they were not seeking the Emperor ¨C instead, many of their gazes fell upon Rosalind, who was dressed completely in black, as if she were mourning the death of her friend before the fact.


    Rosalind visibly trembled in her seat, causing the Emperor to place his hand over hers, presumably to calm her down. I gripped her shoulder firmly. This was arguably the most dangerous part of the plan. There was no room for error. It was likely that her nerves were the result of the fear of failure, even if she was trying her best to make it seem like she was just dreading Elysium¡¯s death.


    We waited slightly longer for the crowd to file into the seats, with the Emperor speaking words of comfort to Rosalind. After some time, a soldier came forth and whispered into Julio¡¯s ear, who then whispered to the Emperor. The Emperor nodded. Shortly after, a procession of soldiers walked in, leading Elysium along, her arms shackled together with manacles that glowed blue. Her feet were similarly manacled together. She had been stripped naked, to further shame her. Her bare, muscled body bore the bruises and scars of numerous beatings. Some of them were still open and bleeding. To add insult to injury, a bit had been fastened around her head, preventing her from speaking. It was painful for me to watch, and I had no doubt that it pierced Rosalind far more strongly ¨C she shuddered when Elysium came into view. She turned to the Emperor.


    ¡°Please, my Lord, may I speak to her one last time?¡±


    ¡°¡­I doubt that she will have anything good to say, but I will allow it, for your sake. However, you must speak to her from this tower.¡±


    ¡°That will be sufficient. I know how to project my voice. She- She taught me how.¡±


    Rosalind¡¯s voice cracked as she mentioned Elysium. The Emperor nodded and signalled to the guards that flanked Elysium¡¯s side. They saluted and removed the bit around her mouth. Immediately, she began screaming, glaring at the tower.


    ¡°You fucker! You fucking piece of shit, inhuman, scum!¡±


    The guard next to her struck her face, causing her to tumble to the side. She caught herself and stood upright, spitting out blood. Rosalind winced, but stepped forward, to the front of the tower¡¯s platform. Then she called out, in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear.


    ¡°Elysium, my friend. Please. Please stop this. Please apologise. My Lord is merciful. I¡¯m sure that if you apologise, he¡¯ll forgive you. Please, just defeat. Just stop this. For me. Won¡¯t you?¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Elysium turned her gaze from the Emperor to Rosalind. She clearly hesitated for several moments, but then spat out,


    ¡°Shut up, whore! Friend? Ha! You¡¯re no friend of mine! You were just a means, a way to get my chance! You think I¡¯d really bother helping a weak, pathetic woman like you? Well, aren¡¯t you a lucky one? Caught the eye of that fucker, became his woman, didn¡¯t you?! Since all you can do is fucking sing, I guess it¡¯s fitting that you¡¯ve become his whore, isn¡¯t it? Now you can sing for him in his bed! You¡¯d like that, wouldn¡¯t you, you bitch?!¡±


    ¡°ENOUGH!!¡±


    The Emperor stood up out of his chair and strode forward to join Rosalind, who had broken down into tears, sobbing into her palms. He glared at Elysium.


    ¡°It is clear to me that this woman has no shred of decency in her ¨C to thus slander such a gentle creature shows her vile character.¡± He looked to the guards. ¡°Do it.¡±


    He turned his back and put his arm around Rosalind, leading her back to her seat, whispering comforts into her ear. At the same time, the guards shoved Elysium, forcing her to walk toward the gallows to hang. Yet, before she had taken three steps, a loud shout echoed from the entrance of the execution grounds, from whence Elysium had emerged. All of us turned our attention to that entrance in response to the sound, where we were greeted by the sight of a white blur running into the field.


    In a blur of movement, the four guards who had been forcing Elysium forward were knocked to the ground, pinned there by an array of spears crafted from magical fire. The figure stopped in the middle of the circle long enough to show itself as a white-haired woman in a white cloak. A pure-white sword was held in her left hand. The bandages around it were gone, but there was no mistaking that it was the weapon used by my teacher. Although Ruth¡¯s appearance was completely different, it was probably the weapon¡¯s distinctive impression that allowed Rosalind to deduce its wielder¡¯s identity. Too surprised to control herself, Rosalind let out a gasp, but the Emperor paid it no mind ¨C he was staring at the field, dumbfounded.


    In a pair of elegant slashes, Ruth cut away the shackles that bound Elysium and handed Elysium a sword. Elysium accepted it and, in the next moment, moved faster than the eye could follow, letting us see only a blur as she dashed across the field and ran up along the side of the tower, appearing before us. The Emperor, too shocked at her vertical movement to react, could only stare at her snarling face in confusion. Behind us, Alpha moved to stand in front of Julio, but made no move to protect the Emperor. Though he was shrouded in the shadows, I could make out the hint of a smile on Julio¡¯s lips.


    Elysium drew back her sword, preparing to drive it through the dumbstruck Emperor.


    ¡°Stop this!¡±


    Rosalind quickly got up and shoved the Emperor back, putting herself in the path of the blade, protecting the Emperor with her body. However, Elysium did not stop ¨C she seemed intent on piercing through Rosalind and the Emperor together, with a single strike. She drove the blade forward.


    I figured that it was about time to act, and dashed into the small space between Elysium and Rosalind, drawing my knife as I moved. I slashed upward against the approaching blade, knocking Elysium¡¯s attack away. Of course, if she had been using her full strength, a small force like mine would have been insufficient to change the course of her strike, but in truth, she was barely putting any force behind it at all. This was, after all, nothing but an elaborate performance.


    In that brief moment of temporal eternity between each blow when two combatants fight, Elysium gave me a meaningful look. I took care not to show even the slightest response, but answered her unspoken plea with my next strike.


    Protect her.


    You know I will.


    We exchanged several blows before she pushed herself away from us. She snarled at the Emperor, then backflipped off the platform, landing on the ground twenty meters below, next to Ruth. The soldiers crowded in, attempting to apprehend the two women, but were quickly overwhelmed by their frankly ridiculous martial skill. I turned back to the Emperor, seeing him stooped over Rosalind, who had feigned a fainting spell. I rushed to her side and took her hand. As I knelt down, the Emperor caught my eye, and nodded his thanks. He gave me the order to watch over Rosalind until she woke up, then he stood up and barked orders to Julio to have Elysium apprehended. I grasped Rosalind¡¯s hand, and she gave me a reassuring squeeze while maintaining her act of being unconscious. With our performance over, I let myself crack a satisfied smile. Our positions in the Emperor¡¯s good graces had been secured. Now we could finally move into Act 2.


    <hr>

 Volume 3 Chapter 21: Coronation

    <div>


    ¡°Are you ready for this, Rosalind?¡±


    We were in a dressing room in an annex to the Imperial Palace, with Rosalind donning a pure white wedding dress. I had already checked the room for signs of magical eavesdropping, and ascertained that within this room, we were safe to speak at our leisure, so Rosalind was finally able to speak with me honestly. She smiled sheepishly at me.


    ¡°Honestly? No. I never thought I¡¯d get married, and certainly not to a man for whom I feel no affection.¡±


    ¡°Well, this is where circumstances have led us. I must say, I wasn¡¯t expecting that man to make the offer quite so soon.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose that saving his life must have elevated the two of us rather highly in his regard.¡±


    It had been three months since the day of Elysium¡¯s escape. None of the soldiers dispatched had been able to find her ¨C it seemed as though she had just vanished into thin air. Not a trace was found of her presence. From what I had heard, the soldiers had followed the blood from her wounds, but the trail had led to an abrupt dead end, with nothing to give away where she might have gone. It was as if she had sprouted wings and taken flight ¨C which, knowing the woman, was entirely possible.


    She was still wanted all across the country, but she had somehow eluded authorities for three months. It was entirely possible that some fans who sympathised with her were sheltering her, but it was far more likely that she had since fled the country. The next stage of the plan hadn¡¯t actually been set in stone, so we were currently operating based on vague intentions and broad goals. If all went well, Elysium and Rosalind would have a chance to meet again. Until that happened, it fell to each of them to carry out their respective roles, and it fell to me to support Rosalind in hers.


    Shortly after the incident, the Emperor had awarded me a commendation and a title as a reward for my swift action. I was now officially the ¡°Protector to the Rose¡±. In this capacity, I was to continue serving as Rosalind¡¯s attendant, but the title gave me the social standing of a noble, which would let me stay at Rosalind¡¯s side more often. I had also been allocated a room in Rosalind¡¯s mansion, which I had turned into an office of sorts for handling the affairs of the Ezov. The thought of having to move all my documents to the Palace was daunting, but I didn¡¯t have much of a choice.


    A few days after my commendation, the Emperor announced his intention to marry Rosalind. Naturally, this caused a massive uproar. Rosalind was, after all, a commoner, a barmaid who was born to mercenaries. She had no titles, no land, no nobility to her name. It was absurd that the Emperor would debase himself by choosing such a woman as his wife. Many members of the nobility submitted petitions against it, but the Emperor categorically ignored them. The task of smoothing relations over was left to Julio, who reasoned that Rosalind¡¯s popularity with the people meant that marrying her would be instrumental in keeping the citizenry under control. Through his efforts and persuasion, along with several personal visits from Rosalind to appeal to the more stubborn objectors, the nobles gave in and accepted that the Emperor was going to marry Rosalind.


    Another somewhat surprising ¨C but not entirely unexpected ¨C wave of resistance came from Rosalind¡¯s fans. Immediately following the announcement, the Ezov started to receive numerous letters addressed to Rosalind. About half of these were congratulating her on the engagement and well wishes, but the other half were angry letters about how Rosalind had ¡°betrayed¡± her fans by marrying. In response to this, Rosalind had given a public address, where she pleaded for her fans to forgive her for ¡°following her heart¡± and begged for them to ¡°understand her position as a maiden in love.¡± She further reassured them that regardless of her position as Empress-to-be, she held each of her fans to be important, and promised that she would schedule another tour to sing for her fans around the country. We had that speech broadcasted from all the Resound Jewels across the country, and the number of angry letters soon dwindled to a negligible amount, replaced by letters wishing for her happiness.


    With those obstacles out of the way, the wedding preparations had proceeded at an incredible pace, with the Emperor mostly leaving the paperwork necessary to Julio. Although Julio was ultimately the man our plan was intended to ruin, seeing him with dark bags from numerous nights of deskwork made it hard not to sympathise with him, especially since I had, myself, worked sleepless nights before. Nonetheless, my indignation at his attempting to use us for his own ends, and for what he did to Rosalind and Elysium, far outweighed any sympathy that such shared experiences might have engendered.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Rosalind adjusted her veil, making minor adjustments until it stood perfectly centered on her head. She¡¯d always had an eye for detail ¨C even the way she wrote was neat and systematic, each letter perfectly spaced from the next. Rosalind had an inhuman ability to notice even the smallest imperfection in something. She never really imposed it on us beyond what she thought possible, but she was unforgiving on herself ¨C she always took the longest to get dressed prior to a performance, partly because her dresses were the most elaborate, but also because she always took time to make minor adjustments to ensure that she wore it perfectly.


    When she was satisfied with her appearance, she sat down next to me and touched my hand. I squeezed it.


    ¡°Thank you for being here, Glint.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I made a promise ¨C to both of you. I¡¯m going to see this through to the end, then we¡¯ll meet Elysium again, and everything will be as it was.¡±


    ¡°Well, not everything. I¡¯ll be an Empress now, for one.¡±


    ¡°Ah, please forgive my rudeness, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Stop that.¡±


    ¡°Heh. So you¡¯ll have a title. So what? All that matters is that it¡¯ll be the three of us again, working together. You¡¯ll be performing, Elysium and I will be supporting you and marketing you. The stage will just have gotten bigger ¨C and the audience a little more critical. Nothing we can¡¯t handle, no?¡±


    Rosalind giggled.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Empress, performer, what¡¯s the difference, right? It¡¯s just another role to play.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. And we both know how good you are at showmanship.¡±


    ¡°I have Elysium to thank for that. She taught me the art.¡±


    ¡°So let¡¯s make sure to use what she taught us well, so that we can see her again when we win.¡±


    A soft sound of footsteps caused me to prick me ears. I held a finger to my lips. Rosalind nodded, and we both stood up. She stood in front of the mirror, making a show of doing final checks on her appearance, while I stood beside her, bearing a stoic face, my hand on the sword that the Emperor had gifted me to represent my office. Shortly afterward, a knock resounded on the door. Rosalind answered it in a soft voice.


    ¡°Yes, please come in.¡±


    A maid opened the door to the dressing room and bowed deeply.


    ¡°Lady Rosalind, Lord Glint. The Emperor awaits.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Let us go.¡±


    I picked up her bridal train as we walked down the corridor, into the ceremonial hall that formed the majority of the annex. It was a large hall with no seating area, and a large, carpeted central area. Numerous men and women in formal dress stood along the sides of the central area, each one a noble. Soldiers in dress uniforms flanked the central area, facing the middle of the hall with expressionless faces. At the other end of the carpeted area was the Emperor, dressed in a ceremonial battle uniform. Standing slightly behind him to his left was Julio, who was similarly adorned. When he lay eyes upon the veiled Rosalind, the Emperor¡¯s face lit up in a smile. Once Rosalind set foot on the carpet, I let go of her train and stepped back ¨C I was not permitted to approach any closer. Glancing around, I saw Alpha standing by the edge of the carpet, near to my position. She was not wearing her maid uniform, but was instead dressed in a formal dress much like the other ladies of the court. I followed the carpet¡¯s edge and stood next to her. She paid me no notice, not even so much as glancing in my direction. Her entire attention was focused on the ceremony, her eyes showing alertness for any possible threats to security.


    I smiled. Truly, an intruiging girl.


    I turned my attention back to the ceremony. This was not merely a wedding ceremony ¨C it was also a coronation ceremony for Rosalind. Julio was to serve as the witness and official, and so he first began by reciting the customary wedding rites. After a long recitation of various platitudes about marriage and the sanctity of royal marriage, Julio finally asked Rosalind if she would take Emperor Lucius Kronschild to be her husband. The moment she agreed, the Emperor tore away her veil and kissed her. She seemed taken aback at first, but then placed her arms around him and returned it gently. I felt my grip on my sword hilt tighten slightly. I fought hard to keep my instinctive response to attack the man under control. It would not do to lose control now. Not yet.


    With the wedding ceremony complete, Julio began the coronation. He brought forth the Imperial Tiara of the Empress and spoke several lines about the importance of the item. He spoke of the responsibilities that came with the Tiara, and of the importance of the Empress¡¯ role in supporting her husband. Then he handed the Tiara to the Emperor. Rosalind knelt down before the Emperor. At once, everyone else in the hall, myself included, knelt down on one knee and bent our heads forward. Although I was not able to see it, I knew that the Emperor was placing the Tiara on Rosalind¡¯s head. Finally, Julio¡¯s voice rang out through the hall.


    ¡°Hail Rosalind Kronschild, 61st Empress of the Mercynth Empire!¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±Hail!¡±¡±¡±

 Volume 3 Editors Note

    And so, dear readers, you have learned of how I came to power ¨C through deception and, as much as it pains me to admit it, through seduction. Well, to say that I came to power is not quite correct. After all, as Empress, my only role was to support the Emperor as best I could. I was expected to stay away from politics, from the intrigues of the court, from things that were seen as ¡°men¡¯s work¡±. I had no real power ¨C I was simply a courtesan with a title, whose sole duty was to ensure that the Emperor had a warm bed and a loving wife to return to.


    Of course, that wasn¡¯t what I wanted. Just a title wouldn¡¯t be enough to make Julio Kronschild regret that he had ever attempted to use Elysium and I in his little ploys. Thankfully, I eventually got the power I needed ¨C you could even say that Julio himself handed it to me. But that¡¯s a tale for another volume, to be told by another individual who had a far greater stake in his fate than I.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    But first, a word about Elysium. As you have probably surmised, everything Elysium said to me or did to me in the public eye was carefully calculated, and meticulously planned. She was merely playing her part in our little performance, and I¡¯m glad to say that many were convinced. I remember numerous people coming up to me and offering their support for me. It made me feel a little bad for deceiving them like this, but it was necessary for our little stunt to work. If any of you are reading this, I¡¯m sorry!


    Elysium was, has always been, and will always be my greatest friend. That singular fact has never changed. Even after she left us, she¡¯s always been in my mind ¨C and in my heart. She will always be my best friend and the woman I loved.


    Now then, Glint has done an admirable job in recounting our experiences over the last two volumes, but next volume, a new voice takes the stage. It¡¯s someone you¡¯ve already met, though perhaps you didn¡¯t pay much attention to her. She¡¯ll be the next one to carry on the torch of our story, along with¡­ well, you¡¯ll see.


    ¨C Rosalind