"Not all lies are worth the effort needed to make them seem convincing."

(by Imperial Hand Spymaster Talil Lunzow, ~340 After Calamity)

Chapter 2: A Sheep Amongst Wolves

Cecilus had studied the blade, mastered it, even.

He knew how to deftly wield any sort of sword that he got his hands on. Sure, katanas were his favorite, and this one he currently wielded - inconspicuous as it may be - was among his most prized possessions, solely for being a gift from Rowan, but he could still handle just about any weapon so long as it was at least fifty percent blade and had a handle or a hilt or whatever.

He took pride in being the best swordsman in Vollachia, maybe even the world, though he would only claim the latter once he truly confirmed Reid Astrea was dead. In his experience, the grander the legend, the more likely the subject was still alive and kicking. So long as the Sword Saint was around, Cecilus was fine with being in second place.

That did not mean he planned to stay there though.

It was his responsibility, his duty, to rise to the very top, no matter the cost. He was born to achieve the Heavenly Sword, the pinnacle of swordsmanship, and become the strongest person alive. He was the world's rising star, its lead actor, and he was going to be the only one at the top.

Everyone else could fight for second place, like he had.

Getting to the top was a life's work, though, and despite being the fastest man alive, he had to climb the ranks slowly. That was fine. He could be patient.

Which was why he was currently sitting on a rock, drawing on the dirt with his sword.

His drawing was almost finished when a voice behind him spoke, "Princess said to keep an eye on you."

Cecilus did not exactly jump because that would be undignified but he did turn around in surprise as the Spirit Eater glared at him. It was unsurprising that she found him, given that any soldier nearby could have given her directions, but she also appeared to despise him, and that was reason enough for Cecilus to assume that they would never meet again. "Heya, lil' doggie! Your princess didn't come with you?"

"She told me, 'Keep an eye on that clown my brother hired.' I took that to mean…she was referring to you." She turned her gaze to the drawing in the dirt, and a flicker of confusion flashed across her face, followed swiftly by pure scorn. "What…is that?"

The Blue Lightning scratched his head. "Well, yours truly took some artistic liberties, you see!" His trademark smirk formed on his lips. "Of course, I don't mean to be a critic here - far from it, I only mean the best! - but you won't draw a crowd if you don't learn to smile a little! I suppose those garments help, but clothes don't give an actor their charm, you know?"

Arakiya looked at the drawing, then back at him, then back at the drawing. Her expression remained the same. "What are you even talking about?"

Raising an eyebrow, he gestured at her. "You mean you don't see it? You can hardly go up on stage and deliver your lines all…all gloomy, like you!" He snorted. "I mean, you can, but the audience's not gonna love you!"

Furrowing her brow, the Spirit Eater stared into his soul and quietly inquired, "Is that supposed…to be me?"

"That's right!" came the blue-haired youth's response as he snapped his fingers. "I think that smile suits you much better! Don't you agree?"

The drawing hardly resembled Arakiya at all, aside from the droopy ears, especially since the poorly-drawn Spirit Eater displayed a joyous smile not unlike the Blue Lightning's own. If Cecilus had not outright confirmed it, hardly anyone would have guessed his…masterpiece was inspired by Prisca Benedict's most loyal enforcer.

Said enforcer glowered at him with an unreadable expression, and Cecilus found himself half-glad that she did not have her wand at the moment. Not that he would have shied away from a fight - quite the opposite - but he wanted to preserve his work of art for as long as possible, and she held enough power to obliterate it in the blink of an eye.

His grin grew wider as he realized that his art was safe from any reprisal, and he opened his mouth to make a smug comment about it just as the ground below him exploded upward, raining dirt and rocks upon him. He was unharmed, of course, but he got some dirt in his mouth, and that sucked!

While he was spitting out dirt and trying to rid himself of its taste, Arakiya took a couple steps backwards and crossed her arms. Her expression never changed.

A couple seconds later, Cecilus realized his beautiful art piece had been reduced to a crater in the ground.

"'Like the Pleiades?'"

Chisha's tone was frigid, and sharp enough to slice cleanly through anything, including that fool woman who brought him this report. What was the meaning of this? Was it some terrible joke in poor taste? Who, in their right mind, reported to their superior such an unbelievable tale?

That was what it had to be. There was no other explanation. Certainly, the report could not be true.

First-Class Soldier Taitus, the cyclops woman who had come in here to inform him of this, seemed on the verge of passing out from fear. It was only the fact that other soldiers would think her weak that kept her from displaying her terror. Chisha would hardly punish her for this - he did not believe in slapping sense into people - but his fellow officers did not share this particular opinion. Had Taitus brought the report to anyone other than him, she might have found herself with her reputation more than ruined.

"I am reporting the facts as they were…given to me, General," she stated, taking a deep breath. It was a good response. "The boy said those exact words. Montier - the soldier - showed as much surprise as anyone else there. I doubt there's a connection between the two of them."

Chisha sighed. For all his cunning, he was finding it hard to keep his cool in such a situation and not send the woman off with a warning to never come to him with such a story again. "Montier…is not the focus of this…conversation. I must say, I am…skeptical of your claim, First-Class Soldier. Everyone here…knows how far…House Godwin is willing to go for a single…victory. This might as well be…a ruse to divert our attention."

"I am aware…General. It is due to Godwin's cleverness that we can't discard the possibility of this being real. This is too pathetic to be fabricated! What do they gain by having a child lie to us?"

Pursing his lips, the famed Chisha Gold gave a weak nod. "Bring them here. Both the boy…and Montier. I would like to question them…and find the truth myself."

The cyclops bowed and swiftly left his presence, walking as fast as she could without running.

This situation was truly…perplexing.

Today was doubtlessly a day of celebration for House Abellux. Lamia Godwin, their greatest obstacle on the path to the Crystal Palace, was dead, turned into ashes by the Yang Sword's might. Her top advisors and commanders had either been captured or killed, save for one lucky lizardman who was still being hunted down, and her army was broken. Tonight, House Abellux and its allies would feast.

But before that, there was the small matter of cleaning up, and House Godwin had left quite the mess. Now, an even bigger mess had landed on his lap, one that might just grow too big to handle…for him and for everyone else.

Taitus, for all her loyalty, did not know how deep this particular pond was. She had thrown the word "Pleiades" around like it was nothing, and now it was his responsibility to ensure that nothing terrible came out of it.

There were rumors surrounding the Pleiades Watchtower, and the Great Sage. Rumors that dated back to before the Great Calamity, and the First Emperor Vollachia. Very few knew the truth - Chisha not among them - and that made the situation all the more perilous. If, if, Godwin had hidden a child connected to the Great Sage in their manor without him - or anyone else, for that matter - finding out about it, that was cause for alarm. If said child's connections ran deep, that was cause enough for more than alarm.

As much as he hated to admit it, perhaps the boy was better off in the dark. Should his identity come to light, all enemies of the future Emperor would rush toward him, and that would leave Chisha with the biggest mess the Sacred Vollachian Empire had ever seen.

There was no room for error, here. He was walking a tightrope above a horde of mabeasts. The most negligible lapse in judgment would turn him and the entirety of House Abellux into little more than a footnote in the history books.

And yet, if by some miracle handed down to him by the Observers, he managed to cross that tightrope successfully without bringing ruin to his liege…

His thinking was cut short as Taitus pulled back the curtain that separated his part of the tent from the rest and stepped through after bowing. Behind her came a man and a child.

Criff Montier was not what Chisha expected, but then again, he did not have much of an image in his mind as to what the man should look like. He was only a couple years older than Chisha himself, at most, with a scrap of youth in his face, hidden behind a mask of dried blood that had cascaded down from a large gash on his forehead. Given a bath and time to recover, he might have come across as handsome, but his too-bright curly yellow hair gave Chisha the impression that the other man was wearing a fluffy egg yolk on his head, and his crooked nose seemed his most noticeable facial feature.

The boy, on the other hand, was every bit the enigma he had envisioned. His hair was black, much like Vincent's, with a few spikes at the front. His clothes were the strangest Chisha had ever laid eyes on, and bore runes in a language he could not understand. The boy, although clearly afraid, gave him a challenging scowl. That was going to be a problem. Chisha could hardly afford to let the boy go off and pick a fight with Cecilus, or Arakiya, or literally anyone else. He knew for a fact that most Vollachian Generals had no qualms with sending a child to an early grave.

"Leave us," he commanded, and Taitus obeyed in a heartbeat, vanishing the way she came as if she had never even been there. "I must say, you're not quite…what I expected."

Montier crossed his arms. "I wasn't expecting House Abellux's best…urgh, best tactician to be a bedridden clown." His expression showed discomfort.

"Do you find yourself…alright, sir Montier? Perhaps…you would benefit from…recovering a while longer."

"One of yours…urgh, hit me with a dart. I'm still waking up from that."

"My condolences." Taking a deep breath, the General continued, "I had you…brought here to discuss an important topic. Namely, one you must be familiar with." He turned to the young boy. "You…more than him, I presume."

The boy took a step back and looked down at the floor.

Before Chisha could press him further, Montier sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Urgh…so, I guess the secret's out, then. What a mess…I'm guessing we'll be brought…urgh, before Lord Abellux, too."

Chisha smiled softly. "I would not waste His Highness's…time with rumors and tall tales. I must say, that's really all…your story is to me at the moment. I would like for you to change my mind." Almost as an afterthought, he added, "And I would quite like…to hear from the boy as well."

There was silence for a few seconds until the boy realized he was supposed to speak. "Um, my name is, it's Natsuki Subaru, mister…sir. I, um, I was, erm, Miss Lamia's personal…assistant?"

"Ah," Montier interrupted, licking his lips nervously. "That is…urgh, a more affectionate way of saying…"

Chisha raised an eyebrow. "Of saying…?"

A pause. "Of saying…well, how about we get onto a more…urgh, important topic? Namely, the Pleaides."

"Indeed," Chisha nodded, motioning with his hand for the boy to continue. "Try not to…leave anything out."

"Yes, sir, um…I was from a country to the east, when…Miss Lamia found me. Mister Montier is…em, was, my superior, and he…um, tried to get me away from the batt-"

"I am not interested…in the battle, young…Subaru, was it? Tell me more of this 'country to the east,' please."

"There are…um, a lot more things there. Like, there's cars, and phones, an-"

"I must say, I am…unfortunately not acquainted with…these terms. Would you kindly explain them to me?"

Subaru looked up, but avoided meeting Chisha's gaze. "Well…uh, phones are…these thingies that you can use to…speak to people far away."

"Like conversation mirrors," Montier added unhelpfully.

The boy went on. "And cars are…vehicles, and you get in them, and drive them, and they take you really far, really fast, and there's a lot of types of them."

"They do not need animals to pull them," came the First-Class Soldier's voice. "Is that not…urgh, fascinating?"

Chisha raised his hand, ordering them both to stop. "A child's imagination is a wonderful thing…sir Montier. All you have convinced me of…is that the child is very creative."

"General Gold, I-"

"You, Montier, are an enemy of House Abellux. Subaru will be spared any punishment, I'm sure…but you remain a hostile combatant."

He looked into the soldier's eyes, watched countless emotions pass through his face. Closing his eyes, Criff took a deep breath and mumbled, "Stars…"

"What?"

Subaru looked up at him, clearly confused, but Criff continued, "The boy…he reads the stars…I've seen him do it. Urgh, did you think House Godwin was bestowed divine luck?" He gave a dry and forced chuckle. "He is…was…Lady Lamia's greatest asset, and biggest secret."

"Is that so?" A frown formed on the General's face. "Why, then I'm sure sir Fondalfon will be more than…glad to confirm such a claim."

"Indeed, General. I'm sure…he will."

The General inhaled, held his breath for a moment, and exhaled. "I must say, I doubt…you will deny my suspicions. Perhaps you are telling the truth…and I intend to find out…but I doubt it. You may leave."

Upon hearing those final words, the soldier bit his lip and patted Subaru on the back, motioning for the boy to follow him, and walked away.

"A 'Stargazer?'"

Subaru looked up at Criff with confusion and fear plastered all over his face. His eyes shone with tears. With his hair and clothes in disarray, he looked as much of a mess on the outside as he probably was on the inside.

Criff had to remind himself once again that the boy was a temporary necessity. After all, he would not consider adopting strange children found in forests to be an enjoyable hobby.

"Stargazers are a myth," he responded, adding a tad of a bite to his words. "There's little proof they're even real." You're going to act like one, though. And you best keep those bastards entertained. After all, the more eyes were watching the supposed Stargazer, the fewer there would be to look after Criff himself.

It was a genius plan. All he needed was a bit of time and money…and cooperation from his newfound accomplice.

The boy scratched his head and sniffled, looking to the outside of the carriage they were being held in. "But then…how am I one?"

Holding back a sigh, the blond man explained, "Stargazers…'read' the stars, whatever that means." He waved his hand with a scoff. "Some claim they can, uh, read the future as well. To me, it's all a bunch of crap…but - as it stands - it's our only way out of here."

It's MY only way out of here, the First-Class Soldier mused to himself. Better make some friends among these filth, kid. You'll be with them forever.

"So…" Subaru's voice was low, as if he was afraid to get in trouble. "How can I…help?"

That's better. "Keep up this whole…thing you've got now. The scared face and all. This Chisha prick will be one step behind us the whole time…as soon as he can walk. Very few people aside from him would keep an eye out for either of us. You play the mystical prophet and I'll play…your caretaker." A smile formed on his lips. A smile for his freedom. "We'll slip away from under their gazes together."

The kid's eyes widened in amazement, and Criff almost laughed. The start was the roughest part. As soon as he was out of this carriage, it would be as easy as selling a leaf to a Kararagian.

His enthusiasm fell apart when he recalled Chisha's words. "Ah…there is a small problem…"

"What is it?" Subaru asked. His innocent expression made Criff almost feel bad about what he was planning. Almost.

"Berstetz Fondalfon."

"Bersten…huh?"

Criff frowned. Such disrespect in one so young. "Lord Fondalfon is…was Lady Godwin's top advisor. He is a captive, much like us. I do not know if he will aid our plan…especially since he knows nothing of it."

Subaru looked at him with the dumbest stare Criff had ever seen on another living being. "But…if mister Fudelphone doesn't know about us, how can he help?"

"That's precisely the issue: I…don't think he will." A smile formed on the soldier's lips despite the situation. "Most likely scenario's that I get executed anyway, and you get…well, I don't know what they'll do to you."

There was silence for a few seconds as he pondered the realization that his life might as well be over now. In the next few minutes, someone would come get him and drag him to the chopping block, so that he could feel the headsman's blade for the short instant it took to behead him.

He was dead either way.

He would die a liar, ensnared by his own desperate scheme. No revenge would be carried out by his hand, no shield of fate would form between him and his executioners. Salvation was beyond his reach. Survival, as it stood, was a grander dream than any other he could hope for.

Criff had never been a religious man, but at this moment, a silent prayer was all he could give to hope for the best.

Chisha was getting some much-deserved rest when the soldiers escorted their prisoner to where he lay.

There was a slight shuffling noise as someone pulled the only stool in the room close to the General's bed. Once that was over, he opened his eyes at last and - enduring the almost-blinding pain - turned his neck to meet the newcomer's gaze.

Berstetz Fondalfon was, in almost every way, Chisha's complete opposite. It was as if the General were looking into a dark mirror of himself. The man was old, with a mellow appearance, and dressed in a rather simple long orange robe. His bushy mustache, when added to his habit of keeping his eyes almost closed all the time, made him come across as a sweet grandfather. The only thing they shared was their white hair, though that was something Chisha himself had recently acquired.

Since the start of the Emperor Selection Ceremony, Chisha had found himself constantly at odds with Lamia Godwin and her army, who seemed to know his every move before he even thought about it. The mastermind behind such strategies was none other than Berstetz, and the General had gained respect for his senior counterpart.

A part of him wondered if the sentiment was mutual.

Recent revelations - or, rather, rumors - sowed doubts within his mind that Berstetz had been as cunning as he had first appeared. Now was the time to dispel said rumors…or, in the worst case, confirm them.

"Thank you for accommodating my requests," Godwin's advisor spoke in a soft voice. His tone, directed at Chisha, was akin to that of a father speaking to his estranged child. "I wish to offer you congratulations, first and foremost. Your victory is…well-earned. I would bow, but my bones are hardly what they used to be. I fear if I do so…well, I may never stand straight again."

"It is good to find you…in such humor." Chisha regarded the man carefully. No one should be so…jovial after their master's death. Either he was up to something, or Chisha had greatly overestimated his loyalty to House Godwin. Both could prove troublesome. "As for your requests…they were nothing out of the ordinary. His Highness…has authorized me to…grant you anything within my power, save for your freedom or death. That…is up to you."

Berstetz brought a hand to his chin and thought for a moment. "Dear me, I fear this talk of death makes me quite nervous. It is true, I am beyond my prime, but that is no thing to tell an oldster like myself." His lips curled up ever-so-slightly. Anyone other than Chisha might have missed it. "And this 'freedom' you speak of, well…even paradise can be a prison, if one is not allowed to leave."

The pale General allowed himself a smile, though he was far from pleased. "Lord Fondalfon, surely you don't…compare our Empire to a prison. Our offer to you would make it…quite the opposite…if you would take it, that is."

"I cannot help but be skeptical of your intentions, General Gold." The old man stopped, coughed into his hand, and continued. "Hours ago, you would have been content to see my head on a pike. Now, you wish to grant me more power than any, save the Emperor and a select few. Such offers are most often bait, with hooks that kill whoever falls for it."

"His Highness prefers to see…the good in people, despite any…grudges he may be advised to hold toward them. Your role as Lamia Godwin's advisor…can be easily overlooked. Both the Emperor-to-be and I would…hate to see your wisdom discarded in favor of pride."

"How odd. Were you in my position, General Gold, would you take such an offer?"

"I would not…trust Lady Lamia to keep such a promise."

Berstetz chuckled drily. "I cannot trust you, either. I can respect you, and acknowledge that you have bested me and my liege, but that does not signify trust."

"I must say, I understand," Chisha nodded. "That doesn't mean I am not…disappointed, to say the least. Shall I…give you more time to think about it?"

There was silence after that. Berstetz did move in the slightest. Chisha was beginning to think the man had died sitting like that when he spoke his reply.

"That will not be necessary, General," the old man proclaimed. "I have reached a decision. Consider me at House Abellux's command."

Chisha felt a massive weight leave him, and he let out a breath he had not known he was holding. He imagined that, despite his horrid injuries, his skin would have regained its color.

Berstetz sat defeated, with a frown on his face. He was the very image of subservience, willing to bend the knee to those who had bested him.

In a calm tone, the General said, "This is a great relief. I have…the utmost confidence in your abilities, Lord Fondalfon. The Empire will be…in your capable hands…as soon as we clear up one final issue."

As expected, Berstetz did not show any reaction to the sudden revelation. "If it is something I can assist you wit-"

"I believe it is." Crossing his hands over his chest, and careful to avoid placing them where he had been run through by the Spirit-Eater's wand, Chisha spoke, "I would like to inquire as to a Stargazer in your former liege's service."

"Only the young believe in Stargazers," he responded. "Lady Godwin did. I did not."

"Hmph…protecting your former master is…for naught. She's gone, and you no longer…serve her."

"I say this not out of loyalty to her, or out of hatred to you, but out of ignorance: I do not believe Lady Godwin ever had access to a Stargazer's wisdom. In my years serving her, I never came across one with such a gift."

Chisha almost burst into joyous laughter, until the old man finished.

"Though…it would not be entirely impossible for House Godwin to have possessed such an individual."

There was a faint smile on Berstetz's face. The General raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak, but ended up coughing violently.

"I understand your doubts," the old man clarified, "but I held the belief that Lady Godwin had a powerful source of information even before you asked that." His smile grew a tad as he stroked his chin. "Indeed, I had my suspicions. I must thank you for reinforcing them."

Once he regained the ability to speak, Chisha inquired, "But…did you not say that, to your knowledge…there was no Stargazer affiliated with…your liege?"

A nod. "I did, indeed, but Lady Godwin never did share everything with me. I was aware of about seventy percent of what she planned, and ten percent I figured out myself. It is a far cry from what I could do in my youth." As if reminiscing, the prisoner shook his head. "Nonetheless, I am glad to see someone else shares my misgivings."

"This is all based on…speculation and circumstantial evidence." Without thinking, the General tried to stand and was forced back onto the bed by his wound. Clutching his chest, he managed to croak, "You are either…lying…or misinformed…"

"Lying? Goodness, no. I would not do such a thing to the man who so graciously spared my life. I am merely providing my own opinion. I believe the Emperor would appreciate it if I did not hold things back from him."

Chisha caught his breath and looked at the old man in disbelief. This was terrible. Awful. Abysmal. This was what he had feared from the beginning.

Berstetz stood, dusting off his robe. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me, General?"

Licking his lips, the wounded man shook his head. "That…will be all. Thank you for…your time. You have left me matters to…ponder."

He turned his head to look at the priso-, no, he had another title now.

"Thank you for…sharing this information with us…Prime Minister Fondalfon."

With a kind, fatherly smile, the future Prime Minister of the Sacred Vollachian Empire said, "Please, call me Berstetz."

"Consider yourself lucky that you're worth more to me alive than dead, dog."

"Ah! Your Excellency! It's all a misunderstanding! I can explain, I can!"

Arakiya would have smiled at the sight before her if the person getting scolded had been anyone other than Cecilus Segmunt. As it stood, she could hardly glance at him without feeling the urge to throw him against the nearest wall. She wondered what sound that would make…

The situation currently unfolding was already far from the ordinary, even for those of House Abellux. Usually, as far as she knew, it was Chisha Gold who kept the Blue Lightning in line, who served as the brain to his brawn. Unfortunately, with the other man gravely injured, the young swordsman was left to wreak havoc as he pleased.

Or so he had thought.

Clearly, he had been sorely mistaken, for now he was being held by the ear by none other Drizen Vollachia's son, Vincent Abellux.

"Your Excellency!" the azure pest cried, weakly struggling against his superior's grasp. "I can explain! This was her fault! You know I can't do mag-, eep!"

The strongest warrior in the Empire yelped when Vincent pulled on his ear, scowling as usual. "Not accepting blame is the mark of a coward. And here I thought you'd had cowardice beaten out of you. Or were you too stupid to have any in the first place?"

Arakiya glared at them, finding both irritating individuals in their own right. She could barely stand the brainless Blue Lightning, but she had her own qualms against his liege as well. Vincent Abellux was not a man to be trifled with in any way, and even those in his good graces had a mysterious way of ending up with the short end of the stick all the time. In many cases, that meant going under without a grave.

She hardly approved of anyone who placed their lives on the shoulders a nitwit like Cecilus Segmunt, but she approved of the Abellux patriarch even less given his close relationship with Arakiya's master. A relationship which, in her eyes, was bound to end in bloodshed.

It was precisely that bloodshed that she sought to avoid…even if it meant making a deal with a man as untrustworthy as Vincent.

Cecilus squealed again when his master pulled on his ear and reprimanded him. "Pressing matters call for my attention, and that contemptible Chisha finds himself indisposed, so I shall leave your punishment in the hands of your father."

"Anything but that!" The swordsman seemed to be on the verge of tears, but his pleading was in vain.

Vincent turned his gaze away, out a window, to the edges of the camp surrounding them, where a fire raged through the Gairahal Tropics. Countless soldiers were occupied trying to contain it, and the few mages available were trying their best. Here, from the Abellux manor, the full scope of the wildfire was hard to gauge.

While yes, the fire was Arakiya's direct fault, she started it by accident, and only after Cecilus provoked her one too many times.

It had been far from ideal when Vincent invited them to his family's mansion for a post-battle chat, regarding what lay ahead. Despite having made a deal with him, one she was sure she would come to loathe in the very near future, Arakiya was far from elated when she found herself in the very heart of his territory, surrounded on all sides by his army, bolstered by the force of nine or so other cowardly royals. Few would raise a hand against the Spirit-Eater, but direct conflict was not the only way to kill someone, especially when the killer held the advantage of being in his own domain.

Every hallway in the Abellux manor could hide a dozen lethal tricks conjured by some devious assassin, and every object, even the innocuous portraits of the now-deceased Abellux family, appeared as deadly as a poisoned blade pointed straight at her master's heart.

Speaking of…

"You hold your jester on a tight leash, brother."

Arakiya's master, an ever-resplendent girl clad in crimson and sitting to her left, gave a chuckle upon making that comment. Her fiery hair, something she inherited from the previous Emperor, was tied back into a ponytail, and her scarlet eyes, the Imperial shade of red, shone with delight. She could not have been any older than the Spirit-Eater, and yet, her demeanor was the complete opposite.

The young girl, in her early teens, lounged on her half-brother's couch as if she was already Empress. At first sight, one might believe her to be a reflection of the man sitting across from her, but that was an insulting assumption to make. She had all of her brother's strengths, with none of his flaws.

The girl was the one and only Prisca Benedict, one of the former Emperor's youngest children, and Arakiya's master.

A rare smile appeared on Vincent's face when she made her comment, and he countered with, "What ironic wording. I thought that would apply more to you, sister, given who you keep as company."

"I tire of your ambiguous comments. If you have any remarks to make about those in mine employ, make them and be done with it."

"Impatient as ever. It is nothing short of miraculous that Lamia survived so long when she was always provoking your anger."

"That cur had some use, and she outlived it. That situation is one you are all too familiar with, no?"

Vincent scoffed, subtly turning his gaze to Arakiya, who looked away in disgust, though not at him. There was pride in his voice as he spoke, "I sincerely hope you're not thinking of putting me in such a situation, sister. We both know who would triumph, and it would grant me no pleasure to know I was there at your end." He waved his free hand dismissively. "Unlike our dear Lamia, I have no interest in watching fools die, entertaining as it may be."

"And yet, you surround yourself with such fools," the crimson princess retorted. "Mineself will not judge you for employing such jesters, but you cannot possibly expect a clown to provide anything besides entertainment."

"Wise as ever, Prisca. You might just stand a chance in this Ceremony after all."

Prica laughed, and Arakiya looked back at her master's brother to see his gaze was still on her. That smile on his face had taken on another meaning. It was no longer a joyous smile.

It was a threatening one, and aimed at her.

Subaru was terrified.

At this point, he was getting used to being terrified. It had been about three hours or so since he - somehow - came to find himself in this place that people called "the Empire" or "Vollachia," and he was starting to doubt that it was either an awful nightmare or some terrible prank.

It did not help that only one person in the past three hours seemed to genuinely care for him, despite having only known him for such a short time. Criff was very weird, but he said he wanted to get Subaru back home, so at least that was more than anyone else had done thus far.

Subaru just wanted to leave this place. It was scary, and weird, and super humid, and everyone had a mean look on all the time. He was very aware of the concept of "stranger danger," but in this case, where he did not know anyone, he would have to count on any shred of help he could get.

Ever since the meeting with that man on the bed - Chisha, apparently - Subaru had been thinking about the whole situation. He was in the middle of a forest, and it was really hot, and everyone was dressed like they came out of some stereotypical isekai anime, and at least half the people he had seen were bleeding. All evidence pointed to him being utterly and hopelessly lost in some unfamiliar land, with his arrival here still shrouded in mystery, which meant he stood little chance of getting back home unaided.

But there was one thing these "Vollachians" were not counting on: there was more to Natsuki Subaru than one could see at a first glance. Where others saw an eleven-year-old, probably on the brink of sobbing and messy from trudging through the forest, he saw something more, he had something more. There was a power within Subaru that no one, not even Criff, could possibly count on.

It was hope!

He had hope! He knew he was going to get out of here, and get back to his parents, and that he would be at school this time tomorrow, because there was one undeniable truth in the universe: Subaru was his father's son, and anything Natsuki Kenichi could do, Subaru could as well, and Kenichi could do anything.

Subaru was more scared than he had ever been in his life, but he knew there was a way out of this, and he knew he would find it. Before his parents even knew he was missing, he would be back like nothing ever happened. Dream, prank, or reality, this whole Empire was going to be nothing more than a bad memory.

He had to be strong, he had to hold onto hope, or he would just break down where he stood. He had to be as strong as he could be, because he was Kenichi's son, and because he could not afford to break down into tears now.

And yet, when he was brought before the bedridden man once again, his strength seemed to fail him, as if vanishing into mist.

Chisha - if that was even his name - scared him more than everyone else. He was whiter than an egg, with hair the color of bone, and a torn black coat that was held together by stained bandages over his chest. Most of the time, he seemed to just…lay there, not even listening to what was said, or looking at anyone.

Subaru was allowed to sit on the only stool present, and Criff stood next to him, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. His grip was loose, and he was almost shaking. It was easy to forget that Criff also had a family to go back to.

In a shaky voice, Criff inquired, "So? Were we…uh, what did…Lord Fondalfon say?"

"I will get to that…in a moment," came Chisha's hoarse reply. He did not even open his eyes, yet he sighed and continued, "You have…been lying to me from the beginning. Perhaps…you will find it in your heart…to be forthcoming, now."

Criff remained completely still for a moment, then shook his head. "I have been nothing but honest with you…General. Has Lord Fondalfon…confirmed my claim?"

"He has not."

In the blink of an eye, Criff lost all composure, gripping Subaru hard enough to hurt him and gesturing angrily at the pale man in front of him. "That can't be! That's utterly impo-"

Raising a hand, the General silenced him with a simple wave and a dirty look. "I have no way to…confirm your statement's veracity. Before me stand…either a Stargazer and his handler…or a duo of frauds. For the latter, I might…have you both killed and made examples of."

Before he could continue, the General was wracked by a coughing fit, and Criff stepped away from him warily.

"You two are…mysteries," Chisha continued once he could speak again. "You two…are forcing my hand. None of your other…comrades have told me what…I need to know, so I am forced to…do this."

Subaru took a deep breath, and heard Criff whisper something about falling together, before Chisha finished his claim.

"By killing you…I risk a potential asset. I must say…I would rather keep you alive and…under scrutiny than…have you beheaded. Consider this my first…and final mercy."

"What's that mean?" Subaru asked.

"I will…send you off to a noble of your choosing…so that you may…find residence in their home," Chisha responded, his lips drawing thin. "As I remain…unconvinced of your…truthfulness, I will expect evidence. How old are you, child?"

Subaru did not respond for a moment, but when everyone stared at him, he relented and said, "Eleven."

"How long before…you turn twelve?"

"Um…five months…I think?"

Raising his chin, the pale man said, "Very well. Until a week after…that day, you will be…allowed to remain with any noble of your choosing…so long as they accept to host you. After that…you will prove to me that you are…a Stargazer." He opened his eyes at last, and there was anger in them as he said, "Should you fail…the consequences will be severe…for both of you."

Criff's voice took a disbelieving tone. "You're…letting us go?"

"Quite on the contrary…I am putting a leash on you. I will…know when you eat, drink…sleep, or even talk. You best not seek to…deceive me, or trick me in…any way. Prove the truth behind…your claims and…there may be rewards beyond your dreams."

Subaru could not help but smile, and Criff gave a deep sigh of relief. "Thank you, General," the soldier said. "You won't regret this. You won't."

"I would hope not. Who will…take you in, mister Montier?"

Criff looked at Subaru, then back at Chisha. He could all but see the gears in his head turning. The soldier had not expected this, and now he was in a perilous spot.

He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and spoke, in a nervous tone, "I would like to choose…the High Count Gaoran Peixit, as our host."

AN: I love the Vollachian cast...but I HATE writing Vincent.

I swear, this guy's harder to pin down than anyone else I've ever written. He's a bit more extreme than Priscilla, but just as prideful, and also insults pretty much everyone save for her, and etc, etc...

Thank the Observers I'm giving him a minor role here. If he was the protagonist I'd drop this fic before the 1st chapter was even finished. So if he comes across as OOC, now you know why. EX 4 barely helped me decipher him.

As for a few other things that I fear I did not convey appropriately:

Criff is a First-Class Soldier, which is pretty much the equivalent of a Sergeant/Lieutenant in real ranks (based on my estimate). He's an experienced soldier, sure, but he's like a thousand leagues below Vincent, Chisha, Berstetz, and those guys. His Stargazer lie works out of sheer luck that Berstetz unknowingly went along with it and Chisha is too paranoid to risk killing someone who might be a huge asset later on. Of course, this is going to cause problems later on, but that's for another chapter.

Chisha himself is pretty messed up at the moment thanks to Arakiya giving him the ol' stick-through-the-chest treatment, so he's pretty much incapable of handling the Criff-Subaru case by himself. His offer to let them stay with any noble that'll take them in is, as always, filled with traps.

Lastly, to conclude this senseless rant, the political situation in Vollachia is pretty volatile at the moment. Lamia's death means that there's really only two contenders for the throne: Prisca and Vincent. We all know who wins, but the poor Vollachian aristocrats don't, and their allegiances to either side are hanging by a very thin thread. Gaoran Peixit is a rather obscure High Count from a side story, and if you want a little teaser into where this is heading, look him up.

That's all, then. Hope you enjoyed!