“Sometimes, a single word is enough to save a life, or to shatter a destiny.”

  [ 01st Lumiran 1749 | Eltar | 03:21 | Streets of Sumerenn ]

  We arrived in Sumerenn in the dead of night, and it painlessly absorbed us into its fluid structure. The false light of a thousand oil lamps did not illuminate it—it merely etched upon the wet stone the geometry of illusion and deceit. The nocturnal city did not sleep; it continued to function according to its own hidden, shadowy laws.

  The figures of guards in full armor, flashing in the night, were merely ritualistic instruments of this mechanism, its official but faceless shell. Beneath it thrived a well-oiled symbiosis: public executions of petty thieves for the crowd—as a confirmation of function—and a profitable inaction regarding systemic crime: brothels, smugglers, dens. The price of blindness was a convertible resource, maintaining the equilibrium of this rotten yet perfectly functioning machine.

  Perhaps this city would never awaken from its slumber, for its inhabitants were like sleepwalkers, moving by inertia in a flow of entropy, unaware that their trajectory had long since been calculated, their future merely a statistical anomaly in a system that could either preserve them until the next day or dispose of them without a sound.

  The city streets flickered past the carriage windows, taking us farther and farther from the Palace of the Two-Faced, where Evelina refused to spend even a single night. Her gaze was directed somewhere into the distance, and it seemed she was contemplating something important and troubling, known only to her.

  Unlike Evelina, Nova sat in silence, watching me with a glazed expression. For hours, she had been fighting off sleep, digging her thumb nail into the pad of her index finger. The method may have been effective for a human, but it did not solve the fundamental problem of exhaustion.

  I, for my part, sat silently, leaning back against the seat. Although I could control my body’s needs, I was forced to feign fatigue, as we had stopped only a few times during the entire journey to use the latrine. Moreover, I was well aware of the stagnant state of my body’s circulatory system and, while periodically staring out the window, I would flex my hands or feet so as not to draw undue attention from my companions.

  About an hour after arriving in Sumerenn, we reached a modestly decorated estate on the outskirts of the city. The driver stopped the carriage and, opening the door, helped the heiress out. Nova followed. The cold night air quickly brought her to her senses, and after taking a deep breath of oxygen, she stepped out. It was left for me to be the last to exit and silently follow her and Nova to the entrance of the estate, where a middle-aged man and woman, who were apparently the owners of this building, were already waiting for us.

  “Your Highness! We are so glad that you have graced us with your presence,” said a stocky, middle-aged man with snow-white hair, dressed in the formal military uniform of Valtheim. “Please allow me to introduce my wife, Elizaveta Lenford.” He indicated a buxom woman with red hair and green eyes, standing beside him in a green dress.

  “Your Highness! It is a great honor for us that you have chosen us to assist you!” Elizaveta exclaimed with enthusiasm. “We have already prepared everything as you requested!”

  Evelina smiled at Elizaveta, then looked at the head of the Lenford family. “Kiron Lenford, I am grateful to you and your wife for your help in this important matter.”

  Kiron Lenford smiled, and his blue eyes twinkled in the light of the night fires. “Your Highness! You know that we could not refuse you in this matter. Please, come in, we will escort you and your companions.”

  Kiron turned, his servants opened the door to the estate, and, following him and his wife, we stepped inside, where we were met by a stark contrast between the mansion’s exterior and its interior decoration. Here, everything was done in the opulent style so valued by the wealthy. Gilded fittings, marble floors, furniture made of rare mahogany, and other luxury items greeted us from the very threshold.

  We ascended a wide marble staircase to the second floor of the estate and were led to the east wing, where behind a set of double doors, an entire section of rooms prepared for our presence awaited us.

  There was a large meeting hall, four bedrooms, and a spacious guest area for daily leisure. It was clear to the naked eye that Kiron Lenford had spent a large sum of money to furnish this space to meet Evelina’s stated requirements.

  “Your Highness, I hope you and your companions will like it here.” Then Kiron’s gaze shifted to Nova, but he did not dare to ask the question that had arisen in his mind before Evelina answered.

  “Thank you, Kiron. Your service will be duly appreciated when I ascend the throne,” Evelina said, walking through the space and examining all the details that interested her. “We would like to rest, and tomorrow I will be ready to discuss our common issues with you,” Evelina said, turning to Kiron, who was following her with his wife.

  “Of course, Your Highness! We will not disturb you. The only thing, may I ask your companion, Nova Cross, for a brief conversation regarding my daughter, Beatrice?”

  Evelina looked at me and Nova, who were standing by the doors, and only then replied, “Of course, but not for long, please. We are tired after the journey.”

  Kiron approached me and Nova, first casting an appraising glance into my eyes, and then said, “Lady Nova, please follow me and my wife. We need to discuss a matter that has been kept silent for quite some time.”

  Nova gave a cold look and, clenching one hand into a fist, followed Kiron and Elizaveta to another wing of the estate.

  Evelina, seeing that we were alone, came closer to me. “Arta, it’s time for us to go to bed. We have much to do tomorrow,” Evelina said, trying to sound like a kind friend.

  “Very well, but I would like to wait for Nova,” I replied, feeling no great desire to follow the command I had been given.

  Evelina shook her head. “Believe me, she is in for an unpleasant conversation, and it will hardly be limited to a few minutes,” Evelina replied, a note of weariness in her voice. “But if you wish, you can wait. After all… you work well together.” Evelina smiled and headed toward the far-right bedroom. “Good night, Artalis.”

  Nova returned only half an hour later, her face tired and pale. We closed the door leading to this part of the mansion. Only then did I ask her what had happened.

  Nova shook her head and said wearily, “Let’s go to the common room. I’ll tell you in a few words,” Nova said coldly.

  We proceeded to a distant window with a view of a well-tended but small park located on the estate grounds. The streetlights were gradually beginning to go out, and in the houses of the townspeople opposite, candles were being lit, signaling the beginning of a new day, despite the fact that the stone streets of the city were still practically empty of people.

  “So what happened, Nova?” I asked, feigning a slight interest in my voice.

  “Ah…” Nova sighed. “It’s about my roommate, Beatrice,” she answered sadly.

  “Did something happen to her?” I asked, trying to look like an interested interlocutor.

  “Yes…” she sighed again. “The thing is… Reina happened to her.”

  “What do you mean by ‘Reina happened to her’?” I inquired.

  “Arta, you know that Reina is fond of novels from Anix, and not just from Anix…” Nova paused. “She… sometimes I think she believes that all girls should be like her… It’s as if Reina looks for psychological portraits of other people in her books and then tries to find correspondences in the real world.”

  I nodded with understanding.

  “So she thinks she can use the plot tropes of such unconventional works and apply them to other people?” I clarified, looking Nova in the eye.

  “Yes, you’re right…” Nova shifted her gaze out the window. “So…” she continued with a slight sigh. “Reina has been talking to my new roommate, Beatrice, since the beginning of the year, and she started drawing her into all of this,” she finished coldly, looking at me again.

  “And Kiron and Elizaveta believe that you are also to blame for this?” I asked.

  “Yes…” she answered, wrinkling her nose slightly. “They heard from Beatrice that I’m dating Reina and consider me the root of their daughter’s problems.”

  I just shook my head. Sharp statements against Reina could attract the attention of Chaotic Light, and I just replied with a light phrase: “Unfortunately, that is to be expected.” I deliberately sighed. “If I can help you with anything, let me know.”

  Nova nodded and smiled slightly. “Of course, Arta, you…” Nova paused. “You’re a true friend.”

  “And now let’s go to sleep. We have a lot planned for tomorrow, and we only have a few hours left to sleep,” I replied, smiling at her.

  “You’re right,” she said, smiling back. “I need to switch gears to be useful tomorrow,” she added, looking toward the bedrooms.

  With those words, we went to our rooms. I chose the room closer to the doors, and Nova—the one closer to Evelina. Perhaps she thought that sleeping next to her cousin would help her escape the reality that loomed over her more quickly. However, the true difficulties were being prepared for us by the coming day, and my body had to at least stabilize a little before facing the problems that would unfold in my immediate vicinity.

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

  『 ?? 』━━━???━━━『 ? 』

  [ 01st Lumiran 1749 | Eltar | 07:21 | Lenford Estate ]

  After a few hours of sleep, we woke up, and I, having put on the mage-guardian’s mantle, went out to Evelina and Nova. There was no time for breakfast, and we headed to the exit of the estate, where a carriage was already supposed to be waiting for us.

  The Lenford family was not asleep. They were already dressed in black clothes and were likely planning to attend Conrad Cross’s funeral as a sign of respect for the future queen. They were, as yesterday, just as friendly and courteous, and only when we stepped over the threshold did Elizaveta cast a sidelong glance at Nova, as if reminding her of yesterday’s conversation.

  The last obstacle on our way to the carriage was a gate made of black metal. There were no patterns on the bars, only a functionality that hinted at the dual policy of the mansion’s owners. Two guards in leather armor reluctantly and slowly opened the gates for us, and we, without another word, got into the carriage to, without wasting another minute, set off for the Palace of the Two-Faced, where Evelina was to see her family before we all went to the Temple of Life for Conrad Cross’s funeral.

  The morning city, as if awakened from a nightmare, was a chaotic spectacle. The streets were filled with residents who were hurrying about their business, not even looking at what was in front of them. Cafes, restaurants, shops, and other establishments were slowly opening, and customers or shoppers were gathering in them. In some places, due to the large number of people hurrying about their business, the carriage’s movement was difficult, but despite everything, we managed to arrive at the Palace of the Two-Faced exactly at eleven and immediately went up the long staircase to the entrance of this symbol of the sacrifice of the two twin queens.

  The high dark vaults of the palace, the servants who were going about their business, and even the royal guards standing with glassy eyes looked as usual, and it seemed that nothing spoke of the royal family’s tragedy. Perhaps the matriarchal nature of power did not consider the death of even the closest men important, or perhaps it was a matter of the current queen’s personal worldview, but in any case, there was a feeling here that simply no one cared about anything. Of course, in some ways this was correct, but looking at Nova, who was staring at the floor, I got the impression that people here had very different attitudes toward such matters.

  Walking on the floors made of black marble, we, obediently following Evelina, headed to the eastern part of the palace, where Queen Margaret’s chambers were likely located. Moving further through the vast spaces of the palace, we noticed the silhouettes of Frederik and Vespera, who, not noticing us, were walking ahead. Frederik was dressed in a black uniform, and Vespera—in a dark, unremarkable dress, which, surprisingly, did not match her usual appearance. As they say, one will do anything to conform to human society and its rituals.

  A couple of minutes later, we reached the staircase leading to the upper floors, but our way was blocked by a pair of guards in black armor with the golden coat of arms of Valtheim, which depicted a swordsman who had plunged his sword into the head of a huge basilisk.

  “Your Excellency, the path for your companions is closed,” one of the guards said in a bass and slightly displeased voice.

  “Do we have new rules? Or why is Vespera allowed to go upstairs, but my companions are not?” Evelina asked in a cold voice.

  “Such is the Queen’s order. Vespera Tenembraight has been granted access, as she is officially Frederik’s future bride.”

  Hearing this, Nova frowned in surprise, and Evelina, not believing her ears, asked again:

  “Frederik is marrying Vespera? And when is the wedding?” Evelina’s voice was slightly nervous.

  “Your Excellency, we are simple royal guards and do not know all the details, so please, leave your companions here,” the man with the bass voice replied.

  Evelina turned and looked at us and Nova, a slight degree of confusion in her gaze. “Please, wait in the reception hall, I’ll try not to be too long.” Evelina pointed to a closed door of black metal, decorated with gilded patterns.

  “Alright,” Nova nodded.

  Evelina looked at me, I also nodded, and only after that did she go up the stairs, and we went to the “reception hall.”

  Opening the door, we found ourselves in the reception hall, where, despite the large space, there were only a few people today. Perhaps this was due to the upcoming funeral, which was to begin in a few hours, or perhaps the reason was that those present here were not seeking an audience with the queen but were here on completely different business.

  Nova and I sat on a velvet bench not far from the doors and, it seemed, were ready to start a conversation, when a man I knew approached us gracefully and smoothly, as befits an aristocrat from a noble lineage.

  “Miss Artalis,” the man said politely. I immediately recognized his voice; it was Darian Merivald. He stood in a formal black coat, and there was a slight glint in his eyes. “Won’t you introduce me to your companion?” he asked politely.

  I stood up from the chair and politely introduced Nova: “Nova Victorian Cross, my friend and Her Highness’s cousin.”

  Nova raised her eyebrows slightly, she was probably surprised by such formalism on my part, and a few moments later she stood up and nodded her head. “A pleasure to meet you,” she replied coldly, without a trace of any emotion.

  Darian smiled and, with a slight bow, introduced himself: “My name is Darian Weir Merivald,” he said politely. “I sincerely express my condolences to you on the death of your uncle, Conrad Cross,” he added, lowering his eyes slightly.

  Nova nodded in response, not wanting to get into a long discussion, and added a simple, “Thank you for your support.”

  Darian looked at me, and then returned to Nova. “You wouldn’t mind my company in this tedious wait for an audience with Her Royal Majesty Margaret?” he added in a businesslike tone.

  Nova looked at me. She was clearly not in the mood for conversation on such a day, but it would have been impolite to refuse, and to avoid negative reactions, I said, “Of course, Lord Darian, we wouldn’t dare refuse your wish.”

  Darian smiled and took a seat on the armchair opposite me and Nova. We sat back down on the bench, but before I could look at him, Darian asked another question: “Lady Artalis, am I correct in understanding that you are wearing the uniform of the mage-guardian of the future Queen Evelina Valtheim?” Darian asked thoughtfully, looking at my mage-guardian’s mantle.

  “Yes, you are right, I am the mage-guardian of Her Highness Evelina Valtheim,” I replied coldly, as I saw not a drop of nobility in this title.

  “Thank you for the clarification, that changes a lot.” Darian’s eyes sparkled with a joyful glint. “But before we move on to the official matter, I would like to ask you how your friend Catherine Holu is doing?”

  “She is well,” I answered his question. “As you know, we are students at the Academy of Duality, and we have a lot of academic matters.”

  “I understand. In that case, please give her my best regards and my wish to meet with her in a more informal setting, if she is ready for it.”

  “Of course, I’ll pass it all on,” I replied, deliberately smiling.

  Meanwhile, Nova, who was sitting next to me, was clearly uncomfortable with the fact that she didn’t understand how I knew Darian, and he knew Catherine, and I was forced to explain this point: “Lord Darian was present in Liranis when Catherine and I were on winter holidays with her parents. Lady Celeste Holu, Catherine’s mother, introduced Darian as one of the candidates for her hand.”

  Nova nodded, and then, looking at Darian, said, “But you’re not here because of Catherine Holu, are you? What is the official matter that you so quickly decided to discuss with us, instead of waiting for an audience with the queen? Or are you about to tell us that your love for Catherine Holu has so turned your head that you now seek comfort from her friend?”

  Darian smiled and, adjusting the sleeve of his coat, replied, “You are very perceptive, Lady Nova. Of course, realizing that Artalis is Evelina’s mage-guardian, I changed my plans slightly.” Darian looked directly into Nova’s eyes. “But plans are plans because they can change, aren’t they?”

  Nova smiled back, but there was nothing kind in her smile. “So tell us, why have you come?” she asked, still in a polite voice, but now with notes of aggression.

  “I see you are impatient,” Darian sighed ironically, and then a polite smile appeared on his face again. “Alright, in that case, let’s get straight to the point.” Darian looked up at the ceiling, probably trying to choose his words. “As you know, the country is now divided into factions, and I, as a representative of one of the noble families, do not like this at all.” Darian paused.

  Nova, seeing where the conversation was going, began to get angry, probably trying to stand up for Evelina in advance, not even understanding the essence of the proposal, which is why I was forced to get ahead of her and ask a preemptive question before she could comment on anything. “And you consider yourself the one who can create a third force?” My voice was calm and measured, and even Nova, hearing it, seemed to calm down a little.

  Darian smiled once again, then he began to speak again, looking me in the eye: “Artalis, you are surprisingly smart. That’s right, but I can’t tell you all the details, so I’ll ask you as the mage-guardian of Evelina Valtheim to give her this letter.” He took a letter from an inner pocket and handed it to me.

  “And what makes you think we should do this?” Nova snapped slightly.

  “The fact is that I do not want Valtheim to disappear as other states that were located here before the reign of Greyvan once disappeared.”

  Darian smiled and looked at his silver wristwatch. “Please, take this seriously,” he added and stood up from the armchair. “Artalis, I hope that you will deliver the letter, believe me, this is not a joke.”

  I nodded to him in response, and Darian smiled again. “And now I must leave, we will definitely meet again,” he said and, with a polite bow, left the room.

  As soon as he disappeared from view, Nova forcefully grabbed my sleeve. “Arta, what the hell are you doing? Why are you getting involved in politics where you shouldn’t?!” Nova asked indignantly.

  I calmly turned my head to her and slowly replied, despite the volcano of emotions that had erupted inside her. “Nova, understand this correctly, information is a resource. It is important to familiarize yourself with it and keep it in mind. In the end, it will be Evelina who makes the decision, not you and I.”

  Nova froze and let go of my sleeve. “Are you serious?…” Nova opened her mouth slightly, trying to say something else, and only after a few moments did she shake her head and add. “I didn’t know, I’m sorry, Arta…” Her tone was filled with regret.

  “Nova, I am well-versed in the mechanics of power. I am not a naive debutante,” I replied ironically.

  “Oh, Arta, I…” She swallowed before continuing. “I never thought you were a naive girl, it’s just… when it comes to matters concerning Evelina, I’m a little biased.”

  “Nova, I have nothing against that, but I’ll give you one piece of advice: a blind and loyal ally is good, but a seeing and loyal ally is far better,” I deliberately smiled at her after finishing the sentence.

  Nova blushed upon hearing this comment. “You think I blindly follow Evelina, don’t you?” she mumbled a little incoherently.

  “I think that you should use not only your devotion but also your mind when it comes to matters related to Her Majesty.”

  “I understand, that’s another thing I have to think about…” Nova replied with a sigh.

  “Thinking is always useful,” I replied with a smile, turning my gaze to the nearest window on my right.

  “Arta, sometimes I wish we…” Nova broke off the sentence. “In short, I want you to teach me to be like you. Is that possible?” Her voice held notes of inner suffering and a conviction that she needed this.

  “Like me? Anything is possible, Nova,” I replied dryly, and then, after a pause and shifting my gaze to her, I added, “It’s a matter of training and self-control.”

  “So that means yes?” she asked in an uncertain voice.

  “If only it were that simple,” I replied with a deliberate smile, “perhaps, if I find some time, I will help you with this matter.”

  Nova smiled at me sincerely, as if it meant more to her than just a promise. “Thank you, Arta!” she exclaimed enthusiastically. “Sometimes I really regret that we didn’t meet earlier.”

  “I have no doubt, if we had met earlier, I could have saved you from a lot of trouble,” I replied, hinting to her soul about the inseparability of her cycle with Reina.

  Nova relaxed and leaned back in her chair. “Arta, I wanted to ask, you don’t like the theater?” she asked, without looking up and without looking at me.

  “The theater?” I repeated, trying to understand what she wanted.

  “Yes, the theater,” Nova continued. “In the theater of Sumerenn right now, they say, one of the most interesting and popular plays is running, ‘The Gardener and the Queen.’ Will you keep me company?”

  I looked at her. I had no great desire to waste time on such primitive things, but I had to support her endeavors to fulfill my mission, and for that, as always, sacrifices were required. “Yes…” I replied in a deliberately uncertain voice. “I’m ready to keep you company, Nova.”

  “Alright,” she replied and looked at me with kind eyes. “I’ll buy the tickets when I have the chance. And now let’s wait for Evelina. The funeral is soon, and with every second, my heart grows heavier.”

  I nodded in response, and we began to wait for Evelina to return.