IX-2

"Thank you all for your hard work. This has been a very productive day. Let's give it our all tomorrow, as well".

Risélla clapped her hands once, then she turned around on her heel and adjusted her ponytail. There was sweat in between her fringes and her forehead, as well as small bruises from the intense exposition to heat and irradiating materials that had been used throughout the day. Nothing that a tier 2 spell and a good night sleep couldnt fix, she thought. However, her tired body badly needed more than the usual four hours of rest.

"Thank you too, big sis! You did great! Whenever I hear you speak I feel so tingly in my tummy!" little Mako, who had been working harder than anyone else, jumped on her dress covered in charcoal. The patriotic engineer whose age barely granted him the ability to use a hammer, held on to her waist in a tender embrace.

"I have to commend your efforts, Risélla. At first I thought you couldnt deliver on your promises, but your leadership skills have truly improved as of late. Keep it up and soon you wont need Plurimo's directives any longer".

"You are too kind Laor-f'ha. I dont think... no, nevermind that. I will see you tomorrow".

The eastern veteran greeted her with a small bow, then they parted ways. As it often happened, they did not have to stay together for long, because their resting time would be small and prearranged. Therefore it was best for them to drop any unnecessary formalities and just go straight to bed. They would've seen eachother again the next day anyhow, an occurrence which had started a few months prior and kept escalating until the breaking point. And they were quickly approaching it.

The reason being that as mere mortals, their bodies simply couldnt go on much longer without considerable sleep or proper food. The circumstances however dictated that all 3 of them needed to work doubly hard to meet governmental deadlines.

Without Plurimo around, everything had become harder, more tiresome and stressful. Of course they used clandestine labour to assemble large quantities of muskets and rifled guns, but they couldnt possibly rely on the same batch of manpower for more than a couple hundred at most. That was because most of the immigrants and poor people employed in this activity wasnt trustworthy and thus the risk of either having the location of their facility being disclosed or worse, someone working for the Sorcerer King to undermine their efforts, was far too high.

Even so, that evening... Risélla simply had enough. She wanted to escape that oppressive situation just for a moment. She needed a small window of time where she could find solace, a breathing space where she could cry, sleep, and wake up the next morning as if nothing had happened. Afterall, she wasnt unaccustomed to the situation; during her school days, her fragile personality could hardly sustain bullying no matter how small the offense, so she had often cried herself to sleep, secluded herself in an empty classroom, or voluntarily gone behind the teacher's desk while sitting at its innermost end.

Even though she was a member of house Brennedt, her family did her no favours. Her mother was a strong proponent of equality among children and young adults of all races and facets of society, therefore she would not intervene even when she got bullied.

"The girl should learn to stand up for herself and fend off her assailants" she had been heard saying, "there's no use for a Brennedt who cannot fight back when pinched against the wall. Our prestige needs to be maintained at all times. She may hate it now, but I'm sure she will thank me later on in life".

Because she had been directly informed about this, Risélla had resented her mother for the longest time. Until three years prior, when on a mundane night of late winter, a tragic accident occurred. A barrel of what was supposed to be wine exploded as her parents' carriage was passing by, killing her mother in the process.

The local authorities had labelled it as a mere mismanagement of resources and had one of the merchants' guild members arrested. However, nobody really believed it: it was clear to all but foreigners that it was most certainly an act of terrorism conducted by a rival family. Whether the Falsjagos or the Drykvens, nobody knew.

Since then both internally and externally, the whole city had been in a constant state of silent, subtle turmoil. The three factions were waiting on each other's next move; the whole upper strata of the citizenry was a powder keg ready to detonate.

It was in such a state of affairs that Risélla, caught between two fires, had sought after some sort of support, either material or spiritual, to help her go past her fears and reach a moment of stability.

That support had a name. His name was Plurimo. An insecure, silent, strange boy with a perpetual aura of defeatism on his visage.

Yet... she felt compelled to reach him. Whenever things became truly dark, he was the first to lend a hand. When she needed help, he would offer advice and comfort. In a moment of restless anxiety, he came up to her puffing up his chest and tried to dispense reliable counseling. Of course, being a little emotive and not very used to talk to people himself, her first impression of him was that the blonde broomstick she was facing reminded her of a scared little kitten trying to act as tough as a wolf. But the more time passed, the better she understood his mannerism.

As she moved away from the municipal R&D, her gaze caught up with a small café not too far from there. She had always wondered if she should ever ask him out for a change of pace. Not a real date, just a friendly chat between colleagues.

"Even boys may be charming at times. Often it is not their own doing... they look inept and juvenile. But still... there can be benefits to such a way of doing things, from time to time" she thought to herself.

The large elevator reached the surface. Then, a familiar face appeared just outside its first line of defense.

"Good evening lady Risélla. The carriage is ready to go".

"Right right, thank you Rufus. I can see it from here".

"Of course, I wouldnt dare doubt your excellent eyesight for a second".

"...just shut up and let me pass".

"Naturellement".

Risélla gracefully came forth one step at a time, careful not to ondulate too much to the left nor to the right. She had been taught to do so for as long as she could remember; posture for a woman of her lineage meant the difference between a commoner and a renowned benefactor.

Of course when nobody could see her, she walked around normally. There was no social stigma at her workplace either as both Mako and Laor-f'ha were supportive and approved of her more informal way of doing things.

But, despite Rufus being her personal assistant and bodyguard, she could not afford to show herself weak or unbecoming of his attention. "Subordinates must be kept in check at all times", so she had been instructed by her father "to avoid scandals and exploitative behaviour". She was fine with that, although she could not possibly understand why Rufus would do anything harmful to her.

She reached the carriage, sat with modesty and composure at the forefront of her thoughts, and then ordered her next destination.

"I wish to eat cake today".

"Oh? That is an unusual request, to be sure. What kind of cake would you like?"

"An exotic one. Something... from the far east. A dish Laor-f'ha would eat".

"Hmm, an interesting proposition. Très bien, I shall arrange for a special cake then".

"...would you be willing to eat it with me?"

"No lady Risélla, of course I cannot. But if you feel threatened then I shall ask the cook to taste it beforehand. There are no reports of recent criminal activities from either the Falsjagos nor the Drykvens, however-"

"I know! Just... forget it. I understand. Nevermind, pretend I didnt say anything".

With that, the conversation was suddenly brought to a halt. Several minutes passed, in which only the horses and the rattling sounds of baggages could be heard. Risélla distractedly looked at the mesmerizing dusk just outside the city walls. The whole sky had turned pink, with small spots lingering towards crimson red in the far distance.

"It's beautiful isnt it?" words escaped her mouth, unnoticed.

"I agree with you. Fascinating. In ancient times, many used to take advantage of such an occasion to write poems, essays or haikus. Does inspiration visit you often?"

"... not anymore, no. Maybe one day" she answered bitterly "I feel like a bird trapped in a cage".

"I sympathize with your affliction. More I cannot and will not say".

"You have your orders, that is fine. Thank you".

Not long after that, the ride stopped. Rufus hopped off the carriage and unrolled a small portable carpet, putting it in front of Risélla's shoes.

"Please be sure to clean yourself as soon as you enter. Your father is home today".

"What a unique event. Very well, I'll be ready for dinner. You can save the cake for tonight".

"Are you sure? I must remind you that your previous arrangements required that you sleep at least six hours a day. Your schedule seems unusually tight today. Would you-"

"... just let me eat a piece of cake. It doenst have to be the whole thing. Just a bite will do".

"Très bien".

Before entering the large estate in front of her, Risélla sighed heavily. She knew she couldnt afford to do that once she had entered the building. Every second counted. Every chance to get off of herself some stress was precious.

She closed her eyes.

The heavily ornate double doors moved away, revealing a large entrance full of colours. The carpets were red, the oil lanterns attached to the walls had a magical blue tint applied to them, while a wide variety of sweetly-scented candles were adorning the stairways to the upper floor where guest rooms, gambling parlors and bedrooms were located.

Two maids wearing large crimson sashes immediately came to greet her. They bowed deeply while caressing the hilt of their swords.

"Welcome back, lady Risélla. We've been expecting you. Please come quickly, your washbowl is ready".

"Thank you. Is father home already?"

"Yes indeed. He has been entertaining some guests for a while now" one of the two maids spoke "but you should probably hurry, master seemed very tired. It wont be long till dinner is served".

"Guests huh... at this hour? It must be important" she thought to herself while moving on to the large bathroom on the upper floor.

Risélla loved that specific bathroom. Even though her family could afford six in a single floor, she only ever used the one. That was because her most treasured memories all came from there. Passing moments when her mother would give her comfort, or kiss her on the cheek, comb her hair. Little things, so very important. Among these, there was her earliest memory of Rufus. He had been promoted several times for his excellent services. Starting out as a simple dishwasher, he had been rehired with a variety of different roles. One such role had been that of bathroom attendant. She was only 3 years old when their eyes first met and the lady of the house let him take her to the basin.

As she entered, an explosion of scents filled her nostrils with a soothing sense of peace.

She quickly took off her kneesocks and proceeded to wash her own legs and feet. The process would have been an endearing spectacle for any boy her age as her slender legs and smooth skin were the pride and joy of her father, whose attentive eye for beauty granted her unrivaled cuteness among her peers. Or so she had been told.

"What are you doing lady Risélla? Please allow me. I cannot bear to see you do this" one of the maid who had just entered the bathroom immediately seized her ankles and rested her little mistress' soles on her knees.

"This is no problem, you know? Really I'll be fine. I can take care of my own body at the very least" Risélla protested, squeezing an eye due to how ticklish her zealous assistant made her with a sweep of the towel.

"No way. This is unacceptable. I'm sorry but as long as the master is here I cannot let you do that".

"...you have your orders, I understand. Thank you".

She spoke almost mechanically. Sometimes she felt like an automaton had took hold of her body.

"You've been walking quite a lot today. You should take more care of yourself lady Risélla. If you keep this up you will most certainly wear your heels out".

"That is the last of my concerns at this moment. Do not get too involved in my activities please".

"I apologize. You are right I misspoke".

"... no. Wait, I probably exaggerated. Thank you for your concern. Umm... would you tell me something?"

"Anything lady Risélla. Ask away".

"Umm... how was your day?"

The maid stopped massaging her feet for a brief moment, then she reprised as if nothing happened.

"W-Well of course it was a great day to be working for the Brennedt family! I love it here. There's nothing more fulfilling than being with you lady Risélla".

"Did father tell you to say that?"

"No, of course not. It truly is an honour to be here. How could I ever be unhappy being next to such a lovely young lady".

Risélla could see it. A long, disgusting stream of lies. It came out of the maid's mouth in the form of a bleeding river of honey. In her mind, she truly could picture it. A putrid, yellowish river. There were big chunks of sugar sprinkled in there, vomited out of her throat. Suddenly, the maid's pristine attire was more akin to a cadaver's remains, still moving up and down as if clinging to the barest thread of life left in it.

"... young lady? Please wake up".

A distant voice called her back to reality. She blinked a few times, then she stood up.

"I'm sorry. I must've been drifting off a little. Are we done here?".

"Yes. Your body is in perfect health. Please be sure to apply this cream before going to bed. And remember to wear more comfortable shoes".

"I got it I got it. Rest assured I will do as you say". Risélla replied with a spiteful, yawning tone. Of course nobody would've listened; the maid had already gone downstairs, as she was mentally preparing to lick her master's boots.

Alone again, with nobody but her little self to listen to, she recited a small prayer. Then, she changed her clothes and moved back downstairs.

The hall was now deserted. Only a lone servant running up and down with a large bottle of liquor passed by her.

She could hear her father's voice, then sudden laughter. She timidly approached the dining hall and knocked politely.

"Please excuse me, my daughter just came back from her errands. Take your time to think about it, if you so desire. I'll be seeing you tomorrow night".

Her father's voice was powerful and solemn. He was a tall man with large dark moustaches, the ones she had often seen depicted on kings and princes' portraits. Despite this, whenever he looked at her she could feel his genuine love.

That was reason enough to be lonely whenever he was away, which occurred quite often.

The door to the dining hall opened. A maid bowed politely as she escorted Risélla inside.

"Oh! Good to see you Risélla, how have you been? Does my precious jewel among jewels resonate with her inner self today?"

Her father stood up immediately as she entered. Seeing how ecstatic he was to see her, she couldnt bring herself to give him bad news.

"Of course father. I have been well, and how are you?" she forced a smile. It probably was not the most convincing act of her life, because her father's expression darkened a little.

"Well I... I have been well too! Even more so now that I have seen you. Please take a seat".

A silent procession of maids and servants gathered around the two. Double servings of creamy dishes filled the table.

"You've always had a sweet tooth so I took the liberty to ask the cook for more. I hope I did not interfere with your dietary routine".

"Oh not at all father, I am grateful. Although I did order a cake for later..."

"Cake huh? What kind of cake?"

"Exotic, something my foreign colleague could enjoy".

"Oh, by lady Hilda's grace, that... individual?!"

"Please father dont start this again..."

"Hmph! He's lucky I'm too busy to go there and confront him! How dare he approach my precious jewel like that. You should find a better employer".

"But my employer is the municipal college. What can be better than that, at this point in time?"

"Someone that doesnt involve our noble family with dark skinned individuals".

"Laor-f'ha, father. How many times-"

"And he stinks too! Too much melanin, I tell you! These people need to be stored in some place more appropriate for their kind. For example a pig farm or-"

"Please stop it... can you leave this topic alone for just one day?"

"Hmm, you are right sweetheart, sorry. It's just that between them and these damned elves and their foul smell I just cant take it. I'd rather have the whole dwarven kingdom immigrate here than those animals''.

A minute of absolute silence ensued, interrupted solely by fork and knife clinging on a plate.

As the atmosphere returned more formal, Risélla spoke.

"Umm, is there something you'd like to tell me?"

The master of the manor snapped his fingers. After a couple seconds all servants and maids left the room and closed the door behind them.

"There's... going to be some changes. I'm afraid I will need to ask you to take a few days off".

"A few days off? Father, do you know what my role is? I cant just ask them for permission to take a vacation".

"You wont be asking. You will take however many days off you need, and that's the end of that".

"But I cant... there is a well defined command structure and orders to be executed, procedures to be observed to the letter, people I have to answer to... you need to at least give me a few weeks to prepare!"

"Risélla, lower your voice please. I dont like that tone" her father gazed in her general direction with severity and uneasiness.

"I'm sorry. I-I just dont know what to do". She started to panic; whenever her father did not approve of her, she felt compelled to please him immediately. That was only natural since he was her only real contact with the external world that wouldnt regard her as a nobody. Up until that point she had been considered at best a professional coworker, and at worst a little noblewoman in the making, with all the bad connotations commoners associated with the title.

Her father took a deep breath.

"To be honest with you, I too did not know how to approach this at first. But I realize that, above all, it is imperative that our family survives the incoming storm".

"What does that mean? Are we in trouble?"

The man stood up and moved towards one of the many large windows at the western side of the table. His gaze met the placid sunset.

"Someone... has ended uncle Carola's life. Your cousins, too".

These words echoed in Risélla's brain like distant ocean waves breaking in the middle of a tornado.

"Uncle... is dead?"

"Yes, dear. His whole family is gone. Someone has wiped it out of existence, just like that. The few survivors of the massacre came to me just a few hours ago to beg for a place to stay. Faithful servants and a few bodyguards I have seen at my brother's side for decades. So naturally I have accepted. They informed me about the current state of affairs... It appears that either the Drykvens or the Falsjagos have hired someone very powerful and ruthless. A rumor has spread among the rank and file, they call this person The White Witch".

"The... white witch? Why?"

"It is said that she is an ally of the devil himself. She dresses in white, like the Falsjagos, but she also wears two large decorative horns on her head. Yellow eyes full of malice and resentment. In a word... a beast.

She is probably an assassin from the far lands behind the desert. Who knows what kind of devious machinations this creature is capable of".

Risélla lowered her head, deep in thought. The possibility of a family feud never left her mind, but the idea that the leaders of the other houses would actually resort to such a brutal assault without declaring war first was totally foreign to her. Perhaps...

"Do we know who ordered the deed? Do you think the Falsjagos are in on it?" she timidly asked.

Her father turned around to face her. His visage portrayed a sense of uneasiness and guilt. Risélla braced for the worst.

"No. I dont know anything at this time. And that is the scariest prospect of them all. Despite my connections and the good relations I have entertained with both houses, there are plenty of rotten people willing to eradicate us. And that is why I have taken a drastic decision... which involves you directly.

You will take those days off indefinitely. Starting tomorrow... you will be engaged to Pyotriksen-Baumar, firstborn of house Falsjago. You will pack your things and move into his manor".

"What? But... this is absurd! Why? Why him of all people?!"

"I know the situation is not clear to you right now. I wish I could have found a better solution, however things have turned for the worst way too hasty. Rumor has it that the White Witch has taken uncle Carola's manor for herself and is establishing a foothold on our territory. If she intends to expand inward then... this manor will be next.

I want you to be as safe and secure as possible so Pyotriksen was the obvious choice".

"But father, that man doesnt love me. He just wants our money and gambling parlors. If I become his fiancee there is no telling what the Falsjagos will do to you. They might want it all immediately".

"No Risélla. I know for a fact that him and his brothers are men worthy of my trust. They are people of honor, the few who are still standing on this green earth that I can actually consider peers. Love in this case is secondary; you will be protected, fed, and dressed in a dignifying manner. That is all I can ask for".

Risélla closed her eyes. Her hand lost all strength, the fork she was holding fell on the empty plate.

The room fell silent. Only a tiny whisper could be heard from outside.

"What you are asking... is impossible. If I go through with this... there is a non zero chance that the whole city will be wiped out in the coming weeks. Father, I beg of you, please reconsider. The position I am in right now wont allow me to obey your order, even if you force me to".

"Risélla, I love you way too much to give a damn about what the city will fall to. As long as you are safe, nothing else matters".

The man seemed adamant that his plan be followed to the letter. Risélla knew those eyes far too well. They were clouded by genuine fatherly love. Just looking at them made her heart weigh so much more.

"I understand father... I think I have had enough food. Please let me retire to my room. I need to sleep".

"Very well. Rufus will be guarding your door tonight. Do not worry, I too will stay up late to finish some business. The servants will all be called off duty for the time being beside our trustworthy bodyguards and the cooks. Should you need anything, you will find me in my study".

Risélla bowed and left the dining room with both hands covering her chest. She wanted to cry and scream, but her body desperately needed a bit of peace and quiet. Just hearing her father's words had soothed her spirit; despite the facade she always put up with strangers, she could not keep it up in her own house no matter what she had tried. Even the terrible news and the nefarious acts of this "white witch" could not move her to put up a brave, stoic mask.

Night soon ensued. The cold embrace of the bed sheets kept her from falling asleep immediately.

She started dreaming. Suddenly her surroundings were elegant and refined, akin to that café she wanted to visit. The amazing aroma of freshly brewed coffee felt very pleasing. In front of her, a familiar face looked at her tiny hands with interest.

"What's wrong Plurimo? Quit staring, it's rude" she said.

But he just wouldnt stop. Plurimo's hands reached hers. That moment of contact breached hear defenses. Her fragile heart was exposed.

Unfortunately, a murmur in the distance broke the idyllic atmosphere. Risélla's ear seemed to have been pierced by something unusually persistent.

"A fly?" she wasnt sure, however her hand made the decision for her. She slapped her own earlobe thus awakening immediately.

Still drowsy and annoyed, the girl sat on her bed facing the dim light projected by the oil lamps down the street.

The city was still asleep. Soon, she would have had to make a decision. One that would not be pleasing.

She reached for her portable wooden clock. The hour hand was just past 5. She took a deep breath and exhaled with resolution.

With a small hop her feet touched the ground. She moved on tiptoes and reached for her work bag. She pulled out a scroll with a special seal known only to the staff members of Plurimo's entourage. With a light press of her thumb, she broke it.

A tenuous blue light enveloped her surroundings in a circular area. She could hear the faint sounds of ocean waves nearing her position, interrupted by static noise similar to radio frequency signals getting sharper and then fading into noise again.

"This is chief planner Risélla Brennedt speaking. Come in operator".

"Lieutenant Krauber at the ready. Please state your request lady Breneedt".

"Ah, thank lady Hilda its you. Listen carefully, I need you to rely a message for me. An unknown entity has started breaching Brennedt's territory by means of violence. I have reason to believe this hostile individual might be involved with the Sorcerer King. Moreover, I am being forbidden from leaving my home. I will make a more detailed report later, suffice to say that I need assistance. Please send a convoy to take me away from here. I need to make arrangements with lord Bormeliar".

"Understood. Dispatching four officers right away".

The communication stopped immediately. The light faded and all sounds vanished. Risélla sat on her heels, looking far away in the distance. "I'm sorry father. This is the only way" she thought to herself.

Giving herself a few minutes to collect her thoughts and pack her things, Risélla was then fully clothed and ready to leave the manor. Despite her tiny body not being suited for carrying heavy weights, her resolution compelled her to hold a large bag full of classified documents and supplies on her shoulder. Normally she did not take home such important information, however her schedule had been so densely packed that her very own private time had to be condensed to the point that work and self care had soon blurred into one.

She opened the large window leading to her personal balcony, and mentally prepared herself to receive the officers that would surely appear below her location. Rebuilding her mask and putting it on again was harder than usual. It took all her willpower to accomplish that one simple task.

As soon as her foot touched the metallic floorboards separating the manor's interior from the balcony, she froze in place. Someone was behind her.

"Where are you going? You seem to be in a hurry".

"I'm... just taking a stroll outside. Dont worry about me Rufus. It's not like I can fly or anything".

"You know I cant allow that. Your father's orders are absolute".

"... you've always been such a faithful servant to him. But tonight, I cant be your loyal dog. I wont obey anyone's orders but my own conscience".

Risélla turned to face him with a determined expression. However, what she saw made her blood freeze.

Rufus was armed with a pocket knife, from the looks of it it had been used quite frequently in the past. He didnt seem to care about her response in the slightest.

"Lady Risélla, please be at ease. I will not hurt you. But you need to step into the manor and give me that bag. I cannot let you go outside".

"Since when did father authorize you to threaten me with a weapon?! I will report this to him right away!"

"Oh? But the master is not here any longer. He left a few hours ago, he told me to instruct you on your next assignment as soon as you'd wake up. That is why I am in your room at the moment. Now if you'll excuse me-"

"No! You lie. Father said he would stay up late. Why are you doing this?"

Instead of moving towards him, Risélla took several steps towards the edge of the balcony. She grabbed her bag and put it in front of her chest as if to protect it with her life.

"Hmph. Truly a spiteful bitch you are" the person who seemed Rufus suddenly changed their tone of voice, "All you have to do is give me that bag and then rot with the rest of your pathetic dynasty. Now, toss it over and nobody will get hurt".

"You... you're not Rufus are you?"

The figure came towards her at a faster pace. Under the fading moonlight, she could spot different features from their visage.

"T-Tier magic...!" Risélla understood the trick. She jumped on the metallic handrail separating the balcony from the garden below.

"Lady Risélla please. We can solve this amicably..." the man licked his lips with excitement.

"What... have you done with Rufus?"

"He's taking a nap right now. Your father too. Both are unharmed, I swear on my honor. We dont want an all out war right about now, do we? So if you give me that bag and release all of your documents, I can just take my leave and never disturb you again".

Risélla didnt answer. Instead, she let herself go; reciting a fast tier 3 spell she hovered briefly over the tall shrubs and then clumsily fell on the ground.

"I will never learn how to properly use those" she thought while hurriedly recouping her balance.

The garden seemed deserted. She ran towards the double gates leading to the manor's main entrance, taking a passing glance at her father's balcony. Nobody there either.

She made a quick turn and reached the other end of the corner; two large carriages were parked right outside the gates. She froze in place, desperate to analyze the situation. Black markings on the ground seemed to indicate that several explosions had taken place in that area. Even so, she hadnt been able to hear anything. Moreover, several blood trails led to groups of darkened bushes at the far ends of the manor. Yet, there were no bodies in sight.

"What on earth is going on..."

As she frantically tried to hide and wait for an opening, both carriages moved away a few meters. Behind them, several people wearing modest clothes entered the manor and began assaulting it with makeshift weapons.

"Break a few statues, take whatever you want and then leave. Dont harm the occupants".

A familiar voice emerged from the crowd. Risélla peeked just enough to warrant her suspicion.

"A Drykven lord... what does he want?"

A man clad in black clothes came closer to the gate. Once a recurrent guest at the manor, that person had been banished from entry several months prior due to allegations of meddling in the Brennedt's own financial reports.

He seemed to be interested in Risélla's balcony in particular; his gaze met her window several times before finally concentrating on the manor itself, now fully open and exposed to everyone's greed. It seemed clear that the assault had been his idea.

"Risélla Brennedt! I know you are still inside the mansion! Come out, no harm shall be done to you nor your father. We need to speak privately. There is no need to stir up trouble in the middle of the night. Let these fine citizens sleep peacefully".

As he spoke, Risélla could see several of her own bodyguards emerge from amidst the crowd. Evidently, her father had been far too trustworthy.

"There's at least 50 people outside... I need to get out of here, but how?"

The girl decided to scale the manor's walls, which were far easier to reach from her current location than the fully guarded gates. By intertwining several sturdy vines, she attempted to create a makeshift ladder for herself. One step at a time, laying down beneath the bushes, taking advantage of her own short height and resilience.

Several minutes later, her chance came about; the attempt was successful, and the vines proved themselves hard enough to support her weight.

"This is taking too much time. We should have been able to locate her by now" the Drykven lord commented on his own progress with a hint of disappointment "Found anything?"

"She jumped off the balcony my lord. I couldnt reach her on time. But she shoud be near this location".

The search party intently looked for any clues. Due to the proximity of her assailants, Risélla decided to jump off the vines halfway through and hide once again. The Drykven lord consulted one of his men, contemplating a note scribbled on a dirty paper.

"Who's next on the list?"

"It's just some eastern engineer. He lives at the embassy. Exponentially more difficult to reach, a true pain in the rear to fight against most likely".

"Hmm. What a terrible state of affairs. The municipal college seems so careless at times. More reason to crush this dated and unreliable institution as fast as possible".

Risélla kept quiet, listening to any tidbit of conversation that might have been useful. Apparently she was just one pawn in the game, they would soon hunt down all of Plurimo's staff members.

"There's a mole among us. I cant believe it... I guess it was bound to happen at some point, but what horrible timing!"

A ringing noise in Risélla's ears made her aware that the time for her escape had finally come.

She sprinted to the vines and hopped onto them with all her might, climbing as fast as she could.

"There!" one of the assailants spotted her. The goons nearby immediately bolted to her location, however, they halted upon hearing the ringing noise themselves. A bell, producing an almost imperceptible sound, was constantly being spun around to emit disturbance in a large radius. Such an instrument of distress had been mounted on a fortified wagon powered up by a single horse: that was because the vehicle was actively being carried by a steam engine mounted beneath it, with two large pumps pouring out long streams of greyish smoke. That was the convoy Risélla was waiting for. As an experimental municipal device specifically designed to disperse a dense crowd of protestors, it did exactly what it was intended for; the noise kept growing, subtly forcing most of the bystanders on their knees.

"Over here!" Risélla waved at the driver, jumping off of the ledge.

A pair of strong hands reached out of the wagon's window and promptly grabbed her. In a moment's notice, she was comfortably seated in front of her saviors.

"Go, now! Dont bother with them, we must reach lord Bormeliar as soon as possible!"

The four officers nodded and did as they were told. The mysterious Drykven lord however did not wait for her to get away.

"Follow that vehicle. Dont let them escape. It's just a small convoy, you wont have any trouble. Make use of your new gifts and press on the pursuit".

As the convoy moved with ever growing speed through the mostly deserted streets, the pursuers jumped from pole to pole, from roof to roof, in order to precede them and lay down their traps.

Finally at a crossroad, someone recited a spell; a wall of flames enveloped the cobbled road, lighting several nearby trees on fire.

The horse became agitated and the wagon abruptly steered to its left, crashing against a building. Still, due to its fortified sides, nobody was hurt and the escape could be resumed, albeit significantly slower.

"What the hell do these psychos want from you, lady Risélla?" one of the officers prepared his flintlock pistol with two high caliber shot loaded in.

"They're targeting the R&D's staff members. I saw a Drykven lord among them, but it could be a trap. I... I dont know who to trust anymore" she remarked bitterly.

The vehicle reprised its rush towards the military installation where lord Bormeliar resided at that moment.

No matter how fast the convoy was, the pursuers seemed to be one step ahead at every corner. The officers could see them jump around from street to street, ruthlessly attempting to break the windows at any given opportunity, going as far as to throw their daggers at the horse. Eventually, even the strongest equine could not resist all that pressure. With a loud clang, the driver detached the animal from the convoy and proceeded to rely solely on the remaining power still stored in the steam engine.

Risélla was seated between two officers, with the other two sitting in front of her. All four had their pistols drawn. They were regularly shooting covering shots to confuse and disperse the assailants, but there was no way for them to actually hit their opponents unless they were close to their location.

"This is bad. We wont be able to make it" the driver took a scroll out of his pouch "Lady Risélla, you have to make a decision, now".

She knew what that entailed. With her heart pounding fast, she took the scroll in her hands.

"All I wanted was a moment of peace... a bit of freedom. To think that it would end like this...".

The officers silently looked at her with pure stoicism. Even so, she could tell that they were not pleased with themselves.

"You dont have to do it right away. Lets wait a little longer" one of them dared speak.

"How far are we from the base?"

"We arent even out of the residential area yet. If we manage to reach the bridge, we might be able to stop halfway through. Then we would need to cover a great distance on foot. There's barely any cover from the bridge to the base".

The driver was right: between the bridge connecting the residential area to the eastern walls, a small artificial oasis had been built as attraction for foreign tourists. The area was completely barren, save for a panoramic parapet made of stone and the crystalline water beneath it. The military installation where lord Bormeliar resided was past that point.

"Then we might as well start removing our gear and prepare for swimming" the officer continued, "we arent done just yet. Come on people, protect the lady. That's what we're here for".

The other members of the rescue squad started taking off their coats and attach their essential gear to their belts. They all looked extremely determined. Risélla was deeply grateful, even though part of her felt responsible for their safety.

After several rash evasive maneuvers, the convoy reached the bridge. Passing by the last two buildings that the pursuers could still use as hiding spots, the officers peeked outside and shot their final bullets.

Six assailants jumped onto the convoy's roof and to its sides. Completely surrounded by enemies, the driver pulled the brakes and jumped off the window, rolling on the paved road to avoid damage.

The vehicle ended its race abruptly. The driver had expected it to crash on the parapet and land at the bottom of the oasis, however it had just stopped right beside it as if an unknown force had prevented it from falling.

He did not have the time to address the situation however, as a dagger flew through his shoulder and pinned his body to the ground.

Risélla found herself wearing only her safety shorts, blouse and heavily ornate leather belt. The four officers shielded her from all sides, hastily reloading their weapons. They too had taken off most of their clothes in preparation for an almost unavoidable dive into the artificial oasis.

The black clad assailants had them cornered. They themselves were exposed to the officers' guns, but none seemed to mind. Taking a quick glance at their gear, Risélla could infer that they were trained assassins.

"You are stubbornly resilient, lady Brennedt. I like that. A woman who can witstand danger is precious in this day and age" one of them spoke to her directly "But now it is time to surrender. Drop your bag and come with us peacefully and you wont be hurt".

"You lie. The Drykvens are not to be trusted" she replied, arching her eyebrows ``disperse at once and I promise you wont be charged".

"Hmph. Drykvens?" the man laughed maniacally as if that notion was so absurd he couldnt even conceive it, "you think those lowlife thieves could even comprehend what this is all about? Well then... I will tell you this much. If your hatred towards them is genuine, you will soon have a chance to deal with them. Our lord is a generous man. If it's revenge you seek, you shall have it".

Risélla could not understand the situation clearly, yet she tried to piece it together. She was certain that their boss was a Drykven lord, yet it appeared that he himself didnt want to associate with his own family. Moreover, the men who had been assaulting her father's manor didnt seem to harbor any particular affiliation with them either.

"So you are a group of rebels gone rogue, is that it?"

"Oh we are far more than that. We will be the future inheritors of this city. If you want to be part of our grand revolution, I suggest you cooperate. Otherwise..."

The man indicated one of the officers, at which point the other 5 assailants quickly flipped their mantles and revealed several batteries of steel barrels mounted on their torsos.

"... we will start picking your bodyguards one by one. You dont want to be responsible for their deaths, do you?"

"Scum! You think that's enough to get rid of us? We are trained professionals!" the four officers bolted in opposite directions, rolling to the sides to avoid incoming bullets. Two of them shot first, hitting one of the assassins on the leg. The second shot missed.

"Big mistake" the leader of the assassins gave the signal. A hail of bullets poured out of the mechanism mounted on the men's torsos, followed by the remained of the throwing daggers they still had at their disposal. One officer was shot dead, his lifeless body oozing blood from every orifice. Two others charged at the assailants while the last one grabbed Risélla's hips and carried her over to the convoy.

"Pardon me lady Risélla. If you need to use that scroll... now it would be a good time to do so".

"I know. Tell my father... no, never mind".

She was about to break. Her fragile state of mind and barely rested body were desperately asking her to put a stop to all that. A final moment of rest. Yes, she was ready. She would need to break the seal, let out the scroll and recite the spell. Then, her life would be over. In exchange, nobody would ever be able to access her secrets.

The parapet was so close to her now. She could see the water down below, glazed by the reddish aura of dawn.

Several shots echoed in the distance. Men screamed, the strong smell of black powder and blood penetrated her nostrils. The officer carrying her around lost strength and put her down roughly. Risélla's body flew against the parapet and hit it hard with her shoulder blades. She lost consciousness for a moment, just enough for her to witness the officer being murdered in cold blood, his throat tore asunder with vicious slashes of a rusty knife. She weakly pulled up her scroll. Within a few moments her body would be set on fire, and all her documents would vanish.

"...lady Risélla..." the driver, still bleeding profusely, tried to wave his arm to get her attention. The girl turned towards him with empty eyes.

"What the... who are these two?"

A small elf and a tall blonde human girl were gazing at the artificial sea. They both seemed completely unaffected by anything around them. During the chaotic chase, none of the officers had even noticed they were there.

Just at that moment Risélla realized that the elf's back was pressed against the vehicle. But, after further inspection, it looked like it was the other way around: the convoy had stopped because of his presence. The front seat as well as the reinforced steel doors had been bent upon contact with him and resembled his bodily shape.

"This is impossible. Am I dead already?"

The human girl diverted her attention for a moment. Her eyes met Risélla's. She smiled.

"Oh! Look, look! Another person!"

The elf turned his gaze towards her. He too started smiling.

"You, you are right. Maybe they want to enjoy the view as well. Hey! D-Do you, ummm, wish to partake in our viewing session? The sun is rising, it is beautiful!"

Risélla raised her arm in a desperate plea of help. Three of the assassins quickly surrounded her, ready to take her away. Their companions remained behind as backup, observing the newfound couple with suspicion.

"Look, look! More people! And they are all covered in blood!" the human girl excitedly pointed at them "Are they bad or good?"

"Hmmm... I guess we could find out" the elf responded, leaving the parapet.

"Hey, umm, are you good or bad?"

"Hmph. It depends on who's asking" the leader of the assassins backed away, urging his men to reload their weapons "we dont have any business with civilians. Scram, you're in the way".

"Sorry but I cant do that. I'm enjoying the view". That said, the little elf moved towards Risélla, kneeling in front of her.

"You seem in distress. Are, are you okay?"

"Please... get me out of here..." she murmured with the last of her strength "I beg you... find help...".

"Look, look! She fainted!" the blonde human girl pointed at her with even greater excitement than before "Wow! I get to witness all this emotion so fast! Thank you very much Mare, sir!"

"Dont, dont call me sir please. You, umm, you dont have any obligation towards me" the elf took Risélla by the shoulders and shook her a little "Hmm, it is true, she really fainted..."

"You little... get the hell away from her. She's mine!" one of the assassins came closer to them brandishing his rusted knife, still dripping fresh blood.

"Look, look! The scary man wants to harm you! So much passion in his craft!"

"Oh. You are correct. Umm, sorry, I think I need to stop him".

As the assailant was about to slash, Mare grabbed his wrist and broke it with a gentle push of his thumb. The goon's hand, now completely limp, looked as flexible as a piece of cloth. The man screamed in agony, unable to sustain the sudden surge of pain.

"The hell...! Shoot him! Shoot!" the leader of the assailants moved away, ready to jump on top of the convoy at the first opportunity.

The other three assassins quickly turned to face Mare and pointed their concealed barrels at his chest. A swarm of lead fell in all directions, none hitting their target.

The little elf simply dodged the bullets as if they had been shot in slow motion, moving gracefully towards the group's center. He pulled out his staff within a single motion and with it, he hit all three. The human girl applauded and laughed tenderly as the assailants' heads got ripped off their bodies and a massive gush of blood sprouted from their torn necks. The bodies fell on the ground like useless sacks of meat. The remaining two assassins fled in a panic, screaming and cursing as if they had been struck by the wrath of the gods.

"What are you doing?! Come back here! We have a job to accomplish!" their leader, still dead set on completing his mission, bolted towards Risélla, who was slowly regaining what little consciousness she had left.

"Look, look! Another one! Can you pop his head off like the rest of them? Pretty please?" once again, the human girl was the first to comment on the action, this time performing little hops forwards and backwards.

"I'm not sure... he doesnt seem to be, umm, a threat to us" Mare took a few steps towards the convoy, perplexed "they are all fairly weak anyway. Come, lets enjoy the view a little while longer. I'm sure Plurimo will want to see you soon, so, so you best learn new things as soon as you can".

"P...lurimo?" Risélla's heart bounced back and forth into her throat. Hearing that name gave her a rush of adrenaline so powerful that for a moment she did not feel any pain.

"Plurimo! Take me... take me to him!"

"Not a chance! You're coming with me!" the vile assailant jumped on top of her. In a few seconds, he would have lifted her by her neck and pulled her on his back.

However, before any of that could happen something entered Risélla's field of vision: a dark figure was zig zagging around her in an almost uncontrollable frenzy. She could distinguish very little, but what she was certain of were the man's screams of pain and anguish.

Finally, the mysterious dark figure stopped. The blonde human girl who had been accompanying Mare was standing on top of the assassin, restraining his arm with both hands. He had been severely beaten up, his face was a mess of purulent violet wounds and bloody marks, his eyes had been repeatedy poked and punched resulting in his irises' colour turning crimson red.

"Look, look! I did it, see? I made it!" the girl happily addressed Mare while twisting and turning the goon's arm like a flexible toy, "Am I being good yet? Do you think master will praise me for this?"

"I uh, I am not certain, but I'm sure he will guide your hand better than me".

"Yay! I know he will! He is such a lovable dummy! Hey miss, look look! Isnt it cute?" the girl broke the assassin's spine, instantly killing him, but she did not stop. Instead, by forcing his limbs to twist unnaturally onto themselves, she created a heart-shaped figure out of him.

"Look, look! It stays up on its own!"

"Good job. Umm, sorry but we have to go now. If, if you want to come see the sun with us, you are free to do so".

A moment's hesitation followed. But, despite the incredible amount of unbelievable feats that just took place, Risélla decided that he best course of action would be to pull herself together and see where all that would lead.

"You... saved me. I will be forever indebted to you. Regardless of the execution, I..."

"Dont worry! Look, look! You're feeling all better now, right? I can tell. I'm feeling better myself! You know, I feel so alive right now!" the blonde girl ran towards Risélla with eyes sparkling with pure happiness, "to tell the truth, I would have probably done it regardless. I still find it difficult to contain myself you know? When I see weird people like that I just... want to break them". She laughed softly, her cold fingers reached Risélla's and gently closed around them.

"You know Plurimo right? Please I beg of you, take me to him. We need him back home. I need to speak to him".

"Of course I do! Master is everything to me!"

"... master?"

The girl nodded firmly, her cheeks slightly red "He... knows everything about me, you know? EVERYTHING. And I know everything about him, too..."

"Wait, what's that supposed to -oooh". Risélla felt like she just tripped barefoot in a field of thorns.

"In any case, we were just about to go see him! It will be my first time as a uh, person? Maybe? Although... he always considered me one so I dont think it matters. Our feelings... are mutual".

"What does that mean? I dont get it".

The girl put one of Risélla's palms on her own chest. "Feel anything?"

"No... my goodness, I dont feel anything. There's no heartbeat!"

"Yes you are right! Look look, I have no heart yet I live! See? The power of love trumps all evil!"

"Incredible... does Plurimo know about this? About you?"

"No, not yet! We are going to have so much fun, I cant wait!" the girl shook her hips while caressing her clavicles and then down to her cold breasts, "You know master too then? Want to see his reaction first hand? I'm in! Oh, by the way, since you spent time with him, can you tell me more about this world? And what does he like? I want every little detail!"

Risélla didnt have much of a choice in the matter. Going back alone was a suicidal prospect, and trying to reach lord Bormeliar required at least a full day on foot without cover nor food. She sighed, as she was used to when put in highly stressful situations, and then spoke.

"Well then. I will join you, and I will help you too. In exchange, I want to be able to talk to Plurimo alone for a bit. It is paramount that I meet him privately. Is that okay?"

"Huh? Are you perhaps trying to steal my love?" the girl started strengthening her grip on Risélla's hands.

"No, of course not! I'm not that kind of woman. Miss...?"

"Oh, me? I'm Bley, pleased to meet you".

"Okay Bley, can you let go of my hands now? You're hurting me".

"Oh. Look look, dont pull any stunts with my Plurimo, understood?" the girl was dead serious. Her stare mercilessly pierced Risélla from top to bottom, looking for any sign of her lying. Only after a scrupulous inspection she finally let go.

"Have you calmed down now? Can we go?" Mare waved at Bley with a small hint of disapproval, "Demiurge warned me to come back before lunchtime. I dont want to disappoint him, especially after I got hit by the snakeman. The last thing I want, is, is for lord Ainz to ground me. Please get moving".

"Look, look! I got sir Mare upset! Aaah how hard it is to find balance with all these emotions!" Bley seemed genuinely concerned about the whole ordeal. Risélla silently followed, hoping to get more out of it. Whether she would live to recount what she had discovered, that remained to be seen. After all, she had a vague idea of where Plurimo could have been, but if her intuition was correct, then she would have to work even harder to get out of harm's way.