In the year since becoming a citizen of the Clover Kingdom, Ellie settled into her new life fairly easily, feeling a sense of safety and security that she hadn't felt before. She grew as a mage and worked closely with Julius and his assistant Marx, helping them in any way that she could. Mostly, she'd help with bringing reports in or delivering messages when Marx was too busy, and when Marx couldn't find Julius he would ask Ellie to go look for him since she seemed to have an easier time doing so. And this time was no different.
Ellie sat in Julius' office like she did every day and read one of the many books he had filling the bookshelves. It was a fairly quiet day, but there was lots of paperwork to finish and Julius was nowhere to be seen.
"Ellie, have you seen him today?"
Ellie looked up from her book and shook her head as Marx stepped into the office. "Need me to go find him?"
"Would you mind? We have so much still to get done."
Ellie chuckled and set the book aside, standing. "Sure, I'll track him down."
Marx sighed but gave her a grateful smile. "I don't know how you do it, but I'm glad we have you."
Ellie patted his shoulder and returned his smile. "It's easy enough when you've figured out his patterns. I'll bring him back as soon as I can, I promise."
Marx thanked her again as she left and Ellie quickly made her way through the palace, searching the usual hiding spots within the palace walls first before moving on to the capital.
As Ellie searched the halls, though, she bumped into a small group of white-haired mages- each of them wearing cloaks of silvery-white feathers with blue adornments and the crest of the Silver Eagles Magik Knights Squad upon the right breast.
"Watch where you're going, wretch."
Ellie glared at the one who spoke, the younger of the two men. "Perhaps you should do the same, instead of strutting yourselves about like prideful peacocks."
"Quite the sharp tongue for a commoner," the woman said, narrowing her eyes at her as she looked her over.
"Status has nothing to do with it," Ellie replied, getting rather irritated at this point. Her eyes shifted to the older man as he stepped forward.
"You would do well to show some respect when speaking with royalty."
Ellie rolled her eyes. "I will show respect to those who deserve it. Being royalty doesn't mean you get a free pass for being insufferable, entitled, pompous twats."
The three Silver Eagle mages watched as Ellie hurried off and quickly disappeared, then the older man turned to one of the servants nearby and asked who she was.
"That's Lady Elinora Hallewell, Captain Nozel, sir. She works for the Wizard King."
Nozel's eyes narrowed. "And why have we not seen her around before?"
The servant balked a bit under the cold glare of the Silver Eagles Captain. "S-She was saved by the Wizard King when he found her injured just inside our borders. She has been in his care since."
"She's an outsider?"
"S-She was, sir," the servant said, "she hailed from the Diamond Kingdom before King Augustus granted her citizenship just last year."
"I see. You are dismissed."
The servant bowed to him before scurrying off.
Ignoring his brother and sister's questions or remarks, Nozel looked back the way Ellie had disappeared down and processed the new information.
'So she was from the Diamond Kingdom originally? We need to keep a close eye on her. What was Julius thinking? What was the king thinking? She could be a spy!'
"Nozel?"
Nozel turned away from where he had kept his gaze. "We're leaving."
His brother and sister followed after him, wondering if he was thinking the same as they were about Ellie.
Ellie couldn't find Julius anywhere in the palace, so she moved onto the capital and searched in every place she knew that Julius liked to hide out in. She had to admire him, though, because he wasn't just fucking around and shirking his duties; he was actually observing the people and helping out where he could- even in disguise. Julius was able to learn about the people of the Clover Kingdom, observing the many different issues that arose in the kingdom as well as the many different types of magik while he was off "galavanting"- as Marx put it.
Eventually, Ellie decided to wait for Julius to come to her instead- a tactic she didn't have to use often. She found a somewhat secluded spot where she could keep an eye out for him but also just observe the square below.
"Ellie, you're looking well today."
Ellie glanced up as a tiny old lady approached. "As are you, Julius."
The old lady chuckled and shifted into the form of the Wizard King, offering her a guilty smirk. "Marx sent for me, didn't he?"
"You're avoiding paperwork again," Ellie replied, shaking her head.
"I just needed a break," Julius tried to explain, his hands up in mock defeat.
Ellie shrugged and rolled her eyes, chuckling for a moment. "You don't need to convince me, Julius."
Julius noticed that Ellie seemed a bit off and came to stand next to her. "What's on your mind? Did something happen today?"
Ellie sighed and turned her gaze from his. "It's nothing I can't handle."
"Come now, Ellie, I can't help if you don't tell me."
Ellie didn't want to really bother him with it, but she wasn't used to the way nobles acted. "Why are nobles such arrogant jerks who think they're better than everyone else?"
Julius' shoulders sagged a moment seeing her expression as she asked her question. "Some nobles feel like their title and wealth can buy them whatever they desire, including the respect of those around them. They do not know the same hardships that the commoner folk do, so they do not understand." Julius looked down at the square, watching the evening crowd starting to gather below. "Not all nobles are like that, though, and they treat everyone with the same amount of respect as they would ask for themselves. They take the time to walk among the commoner folk, to talk with them and learn from them."
"I guess I just haven't met any nobles like that, yet."
Julius put a hand on her shoulder and offered her a reassuring smile. "One day you will, and maybe even change the minds of other nobles along the way."