17th Red Ash Moon, 908, Sundown

With the day nearing its end once more, Lucient, the brothers, and the apprentices returned to the inn to gather their findings. Melissa and Jason had yet to return, likely still exploring the catacombs. Since they had time to kill, Lucient began the meeting.

"It seems Yukimura's activities yesterday drew in suspicion from the king, at least enough to post guards around their circus," Lucient explained. "One knight is even stationed behind the stage keeping an eye on all of them. They seem ready to shoot to kill if given ample reason to."

Felix glared. "Buuuut they have no proof Yukimura was acting in accordance to their demands."

"Exactly, and they're keeping the carnival running despite the scare. A ton of people didn't show up today."

Victoria nodded. "We've been seeing more of that around the city. Less crowds than usual."

Wyatt crossed his arms and glared. "I don't get it. If they're worried about a criminal on the loose, why keep the carnival going?"

"Public relations," Avel said. "The king has a reputation to uphold, and Echo Bell is known as the Kingdom of Revelry. The crimes here don't go unnoticed in the shadows, yet everyone tries to their best to ignore them. Some people may end up being upset about closing the carnival than a criminal running loose."

"That's insane!"

"But it is true," Lucient said. "Believe me, some people are willing to believe a lie over the truth. King Visconti wants to keep the peace by distracting everyone from yesterday's events. He's only posting guards in case the circus becomes a threat. They're under investigation, but that's as far as it'll go until something happens."

Victoria tilted her head. "So, if they're being watched twenty-four-seven, that means they can't blow up the kingdom?"

"I wouldn't go that far. They're probably thinking of a way to sneak past the guards' notice." Lucient glanced at the four. "But enough about that. How was you investigation on Castle Visconti and Grim Deadlock?"

Wyatt shrugged. "You tell us. We haven't seen anything remotely suspicious all day."

Avel nodded. "Aside from the fact the younger princesses had to be escorted by knights, no one left the castle all day. And there isn't a whole lot we can do to uncover Grim's true identity without raiding the castle first."

Lucient frowned. "How strange. Still, based on our reasoning, the only likely suspects would be Princesses Evangelina and Azelia. Though, perhaps the king and queen could be placed under investigation."

"The king?"

"Well, think about it. Perhaps he's so lax about the crime here because he's the one executing criminals at night. Same logic could fall on the queen."

Felix shook his head. "I don't think so. Wouldn't someone eventually notice the king slipping away after a while? For that matter, are we absolutely certain it's even a Visconti? They constantly have knights watching over them. Their guards would've noticed a pattern of disappearing by now."

"You have a point. Eventually, someone would notice the odd activity. That could only mean it's a knight. It's the only other explanation for accessing the castle's wine cellar. Still, if that's the case…"

"What?" Victoria asked.

"I can only imagine the repercussions. Imagine if they knew Grim Deadlock was one of their knights." Lucient glared. "A knight would have the benefit of doubt if they were in good graces with the king and queen. Any accusations would have some bias against them if the rulers found them unfavorable. If anyone ever knew Grim Deadlock was working directly under the Visconti or using the system to their advantage…"

"A revolt would start," Avel finished uneasily.

Victoria gasped. "That's horrible."

Lucient nodded. "It's precisely why King Talbot fired most of his knights that had criminal records in the Senbo Kingdom, in case something bad turned up. I imagine some were spared just through bias alone, but any criminal history those knights had wouldn't compare to the infamy of Grim Deadlock."

Wyatt grimaced. "Well, that's a downer. So, what do we do if we uncover their identity? If that information causes more problems than intended—"

"If I were Jason, given our situation, I would use that information to blackmail King Visconti." The apprentices and brothers gasped. Lucient sighed. "It's cruel, but it makes the most logical sense. That information cannot be leaked to the public. It could help solve our food crisis, and I wouldn't put it past Jason to pull an underhanded move like that."

"…" Avel sighed. "These are the lengths we must go to stay on top."

Lucient nodded. "Even if we were blamed for a crime we didn't commit, we're not angels." He looked down at the floor. "Jason knows what he proposed about a reform for the Foresters. Some actions need to be stained red to get the job done. Perhaps when he and Melissa get back from the catacombs, he'll have a straight answer for what we do with this information."

"Let's hope so."

Unbeknownst to the Foresters, they weren't as alone as they thought. Though not a physical form stood outside or inside their room, something moved with undetectable silence. A shadow on the floor that slipped out from the shadows on the wall and under the door.

What Lucient didn't know was that someone caught eye of his snooping and tagged his shadow just before returning to the inn. That same shadow slithered out from the inn and traveled down the street back to its place of origin.

Ugh. Absolutely fan-freakin'-tastic.

Underground Catacombs

Through one of the secret entrances she was familiar with, Melissa and Jason traversed the capital catacombs in search of its forgotten secrets. Jason led the way via lantern light while Melissa examined her notes and map. They searched throughout the day, stopping every so often to take a break.

Jason perked his ears up, listening to the noise above. "Hmm. Activity's quieting down. It must be sundown already."

"Already?" Melissa asked. "I didn't realize how much time passed." She glared at her map, tracing her finger along the network of tunnels. "I should've guessed it would take us too long to examine every inch of this place."

"It was worth the effort, though I doubt we'll find anything at this rate." Jason raised the lantern and gleamed at the path ahead. "Perhaps the clown was exaggerating about the secret passages down here."

"No, there's definitely something down here. If the accounts of that earthquake two hundred years ago are true, a lot of history was buried with it. Since Echo Bell borders on the ruin's, it wouldn't be surprising that they have most of the lost history."

Jason sighed. "True, but that still doesn't give us much to work with. We've been walking around all day checking every wall of this place for secret passages. We're not even a quarter of the way done investigating. Maybe we should call it a day and head back up to the surface."

"Maybe." As Melissa looked over her notes, she asked, "What was it like living in the ruins, anyway?"

"Hmm?" He leaned against the wall and scratched his chin. "It's…dilapidated, I guess. Not a lot of fertile land, ruined buildings, a constant veil of dust hanging in the air, and…just a shadow of its former self."

She shivered. "Sounds like the cursed lands rumored by everyone. Are they…well, really cursed?"

He smiled bitterly. "Cursed? In their own way, I suppose. Honestly, I can't begin to explain why the ruins freaked me out. Even when I had my eyes set on revenge, the ruins were a constant threat on my mind. Too forever to sleep inside them. There were a few times I considered leaving, but my uncle taught me how to calm my mind. He says the ruins will do anything to drive out intruders."

She frowned. "But are they actually cursed?"

"…" He looked away. "I don't know what's with the ruins, but I do know it's not all in my head. They wouldn't have stayed unclaimed for two hundred years if something wasn't pushing us away. Something definitely doesn't want us getting too close to the truth."

"Hmm." Melissa shuffled through her notes and paced between the walls. "There's…one other thing that's been on my mind. About what happened on the train." She glared. "Why would someone try to kidnap Pandora?"

"The Ghost…" Jason growled.

"I've heard that name so many times, but I don't know much about this ghost."

"Not a ghost. The Ghost." He straightened up. "They are an old legend that was said to dispatch justice since the founding of Virdis. A lone wanderer keeping the peace of the world, acting as an agent outside the law in service to the crown. Their infamy was beyond comprehension, remembered as a boogeyman of the law. However, the council and I did propose the theory he's working for Last Autumn."

Melissa glared. "So, if that's true, Last Autumn needs Pandora."

"They need someone who shares the blood of MacGyver specifically."

"Who is MacGyver?"

"Who knows exactly? We don't know if he's after Pandora or her entire bloodline. I'm not sure if you know this, but Pandora's bloodline are descendants of the arbiters."

"The Original Thinkers…" Melissa gasped.

"Some believe those descended from the arbiters are gifted with unparalleled genius. Highly specialized. It means now we need to keep a special eye on her in case something like this ever happens again. Pandora may be a crackpot inventor, but I've seen her blueprints. Believe me, the things she thinks up are…horrifying. If she had access to all the materials and resources to make her imagination reality, she could easily destroy an entire region."

Melissa frowned. "And you still took her into the Foresters?"

"We needed that mad scientist intellect on our side. Better us than a warring kingdom." He glared down the tunnel. "I can't imagine what Last Autumn would need someone like her for."

She shivered. "The more I learn about my friends, the more I'm glad they are my friends."

"You have no idea…"

"Hmm?"

"Nothing."

She shrugged and shuffled through her notes again. She frowned at something. "Huh, forgot I wrote this."

"What?" He lifted the lantern as she showed him another version of the map, this time with dates scribbled over certain passages.

"When I was researching the catacombs, I took note of when they were built and what went into the construction efforts. There are entire books dedicated to the construction and history. Anyway, if the catacombs were built over the course of Echo Bell's development, that means they built over any ruins buried by the earthquake."

Jason raised his brow. "Uh, yeah. I already knew that."

She grinned. "But look at this." She tapped on the center of the map, where a few tunnels led. "According to a book I found, this particular area took much longer to construct. The originally made the catacombs under the castle as secret escape tunnels. This is in the center of the city, and it took far longer to build than under the castle. The reason cited in the book claims it was due to some tough rock underground."

Jason glared. "That's…oddly vague."

"But believable and boring enough that no one would question it."

"…" He grinned and snapped his fingers. "They weren't excavating around rock but building the catacombs around something they discovered during the excavation."

"Something that they would want to preserve so only the royal family would have access to it!"

"You think a secret passage was built there?"

"We haven't checked this area yet. I say we make one last stop over there and examine it before we check back in with the others." She traced her finger along the map. "We'll have to double back and take a route closer to the castle. If a passage was built, they would want the easiest route between there and the castle."

Jason laughed. "Well, look at you, brainy bunny. I guess you put more effort into your heist than even you realized."

She blushed sheepishly and laughed. "Heh, I did do a lot of ambitious writing assignments for Theobald. Let's hurry!"

"Right!" They raced down the tunnels, holding onto hope they'll find something at their destination.

Capital Square

Though the day was wrapping up, Angelo kept to his post as the Cirque du Madness packed up for the evening. He sat on a crate and observed the workers as they moved across the stage. To pass the time, he chiseled at a stone he found in the morning, more than capable of working on it and keeping an eye on the performers at the same time.

This annoyed the circus troupe greatly.

Not only was Angelo keeping an eye on the troupe, Benvenuto was keeping a close eye on the knight from a distance. The vigilant eyes of him and the knights that were standing guard throughout the day threw off most of their plans. They were only able to sneak out five barrels of Iris' explosive compound. They were nowhere near enough to cause pandemonium to the capital.

On top of that, Angelo was insistent on meeting with the ringmaster, forcing Benvenuto to come up with increasingly tedious excuses to keep him away. The ringmaster was busy, he didn't do well around new faces, he had a crippling phobia of authority figures, etc.

What else could he say other than he was also one of the most wanted men in Virdis?

The master of ceremonies found himself at his wit's end with the Raboot's nosy attitude. They had a schedule to keep, especially if they wanted an answer for the heir system. They couldn't keep going on like this all day.

Benvenuto sighed and approached the knight, putting on his best showman grin. "Good sir, there is no need to stay out so late on our account. We are more than capable of packing up without your supervision. Why don't you head back to the castle and give your report to the king that there is nothing to worry about? The deal with Yukimura was simply a lapse of judgment on my part, and I take full responsibility for her criminal behavior."

Angelo ceased his chiseling and glanced up at the mime. "Hmm. No, I don't think I will. I think I'll stay here a bit longer, just until you all finish packing."

Benvenuto kept his calm demeanor, though couldn't help huffing through his nostrils. "Good sir, I don't know what else to tell you. Yukimura let her hatred of the west get the better of her, and your acquaintance confirmed I was settling the rent dispute yesterday. There is nothing to concern yourself over."

Angelo glared. "Funny, I remember saying something quite similar to a friend once. Paranoia over nothing can be bad for the soul."

"Yes, exactly—"

"Problem is, the one time I said that, I ended up the fool." He aimed his chisel at Benvenuto pointedly. "So, you'll have to forgive me for being thorough in my investigation."

Benvenuto hid his clenched teeth and laughed behind his hand. "I always figured the Echo Bell Kingdom was full of the suspicious sort, but to have such dramatics shuffled in. We are only here to spread happiness to the good people of this kingdom. You have nothing to fear."

"Mhmm." Unconvinced, Angelo returned to his chiseling.

Benvenuto turned away and growled under his breath. I curse the name of the Visconti family for sticking so much suspicion onto us. Or maybe I should curse Yukimura for blowing her cover. Now we have the kingdom and who knows what on our tails. Why, just why, didn't she keep her cover?

As he thought to the ice ghost's actions yesterday, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye: a shadow slithering through the shade. A pair of red eyes gleamed from the darkness, and a hand stretched out, waving the Mr. Mime to follow.

Benvenuto glared over his shoulder before cheerily spinning around and saying, "Well, I have some business to attend to with the ringmaster. Please, make yourself comfortable until you leave, Sir Angelo." He tipped his hat and walked off.

Angelo looked up from his chiseling and glared. "Hmm…"

It seemed Benvenuto wasn't the only one called by Itzal's will. He, Iris, Paride, Ansaldo, and Chihiro (who hung upside-down in the corner) joined their master inside his trailer, shutting the blinds and locking the doors to avoid the prying ears and eyes of their unwanted guest. Once all had gathered, the shadow rose up across the throne, and Itzal made himself whole.

He picked up his scepter and leaned forward on it, glaring at his crew. "How's the investigation going?"

Iris groaned. "Terrible! I haven't been able to get nearly enough of the compound unloaded today. Those stupid knights are ruining everything." Her cheeks flushed red as she giggled madly. "My chance to make the beautiful flames dance across our largest canvas~!" She growled and stomped angrily. "It's not fair! I put up with embarrassing myself in front of a crowd for nothing?!"

Ansaldo tipped his hat and sighed. "I hate to say it, but Yukimura screwed us over yesterday. We could've gotten through this incident-free if she didn't start that riot the other day."

Benvenuto scratched his head with his cane. "It doesn't make sense. Who would stir Yukimura up enough to go on the offensive like that?"

"The Foresters." Everyone's eyes widened at the ringmaster as he reclined back in his throne. He drummed his fingers on his armrest and glared at his crew. "They're here in the capital. They've been here since the carnival started."

Benvenuto frowned. "How do you know that?"

"…Basil paid me a visit."

Benvenuto gasped. "Basil?! Wait, he's here, too?"

Paride crossed his arms. "Damn. That little freak's showing his face again."

Ansaldo narrowed his eyes. "Basil? Isn't he one of your old performers? He left before Iris and I joined, right?"

Itzal nodded. "And I have knowledge that he wound up with the Foresters. His appearance here can't be undersold. He's untrustworthy, and any reason he's here doesn't bode well for the rest of us."

Chihiro snickered. "Difficulty controlling your underlings, Itzal?"

He hissed at the assassin. "Don't get cocky with me. Basil cannot be underestimated. I'm not sure if he kept his word or not, but the Foresters now know something is going on with us. They sent one of their own to spy on us during today's performance. I had the fortune of tagging his shadow and finding out where they all are. I also have word Jason Stormbreaker is in the city, too."

Ansaldo and Iris' eyes widened. "S-Stormbreaker? The Fairy Knight?!"

Paride grinned. "Ooh, now that's interesting."

"He and…" Itzal closed his eyes for a moment. "He and someone else are investigating the catacombs at this very moment. If they really were spying on Benvenuto during the meeting—"

Benvenuto grimaced. "They're looking for the ruins buried beneath the catacombs. That means…"

"They'll be one step closer to the truth," Chihiro said, jumping down from the ceiling. "Those ruins contain remnants of Virdis' old history. Meaning they'll likely find information on the Elysivine Kingdom and the sacred treasure."

Itzal shook his head. "We cannot allow them to uncover the truth. For as much as I despise Terrowin, giving the Foresters an advantage over us will ruin my own plans."

"Oh, hell no!" Ansaldo exclaimed, backing away. "No, no, no. I'm willing to do a lot of things for you, Itzal, but I draw the line at confronting one of the Three Deadly Storms. Making a deal with Grim Deadlock alone is enough to make me shed scales. I'm not getting my ass fried by that living thunderbolt of death."

Iris winced. "Yeeeeeah, I serve your will to the end, Ringmaster Itzal, but I prefer to be alive to see the Scarlet Flame. Or at the very least actively conscious."

Benvenuto crossed his arms. "The Fairy Knight is dangerous. None of us would stand a chance against him."

"That's because you're all fools." Everyone glanced at Paride as he stepped forward, flexing his muscles. "I'm not scared of a little electricity. I say let him come and fight. I'll swat him like the insignificant insect he is."

Chihiro glared. "I find that saying rather offensive…"

"You know what I mean."

Itzal smirked. "Well, good to have a volunteer. Very well, Paride, I want you to head down to the catacombs and eliminate the Fairy Knight and his compatriot. Make sure there's not a trace of them left."

He saluted. "Of course, sir."

"Though, just in case…"

"Hmm?"

"I do have one other request in mind before you leave." He chuckled to himself. "It…concerns something I overheard."

"Hmm. Of course, Ringmaster Itzal."

Benvenuto crossed his arms. "That's all well and good, but there's still the matter of Basil and the knights."

"You let me worry about Basil," Itzal said. He glared into his scepter, stoking the flame inside. "As for the knights and our plan, we may need to take…drastic measures to get the compounds loaded." He glanced over at Chihiro. "Isn't that right?"

Chihiro smirked and licked the edge of his bladed arm. "Oh yes, of course~. I'd be honored to help you with that~."

Castle Visconti

Asterio sat hunched over his desk in the dark with a candle in the corner, meticulously sketching letters onto parchment. On his right were an assortment of papers with words on them, while on his left was a book titled Cultural History of Arcania.

As he was through the first side of the page, he set his quill down and massaged his tentacle. "Ugh…" He picked up the papers and stuffed them into his desk, then placed the parchment he was writing on into a separate drawer. He psychically flung the book back into its spot on the bookshelf before rising up from his seat and out onto his balcony.

He rested his tentacles over the railing and gazed out over the city. The festivities were dying down for the day, bringing the capital back into a state of silence. His head was still ringing from earlier. Somehow, Monica convinced him to go out to the carnival again, and he couldn't say no to her.

It was more excitement he was used to absorbing, but he kept going along because it made Monica happy. Seeing her so blissful and carefree put him at ease, if only slightly, knowing everything he did was worth her smile. That's all he could ask for at the end of the day: knowing his efforts to make her happy paid off.

He rested his chin on the railing and sighed. "I just wished I was that carefree…"

"Sulking in your alone time, dear brother?" He glared over his shoulder as Evangelina popped up behind him. She grinned. "It's a miracle rainclouds don't follow you."

"Ever heard of knocking?" He groaned and straightened up. "What do you want?"

"Nothing in particular. Just thought I'd check on you." She noticed him massaging his wrist. "Busy writing, I take it?"

"Yeah. I wanted to do some metalworking with Angelo, but he's out on duty today."

"So I heard." Evangelina folded her tentacles behind herself and gazed out over the capital. "I am astonished by you."

"Oh?"

"Convincing you to go to the carnival once was a miracle itself, but twice in a row? Are you sick or something?"

He closed his eyes and groaned. "Are you here to mock me?"

"I'm more surprised than anything." She shot him a sideways glance. "Your nerves aren't getting the better of you, right?"

"You're the one who suggested taking Monica out, so don't go blaming me if I'm losing my nerve."

She shrugged. "Alright, alright. I take part of the blame on that one. It's just…I know how much you enjoyed the carnival when Rubina was here. You two looked so happy together. Ever since she left us, you've been…well, more of a downer than usual."

"…" He closed his eyes and sighed.

"You're not falling in love with Monica, are you? To make up for how much you miss Rubina?"

"…I just want to make Monica happy, that's all."

"Hmm. Well, try and keep it that way, for your sake. The heart is a tricky thing, and it can make us do things when we aren't prepared. Though, I shouldn't have to lecture you on following your heart."

"…" Asterio closed his eyes and let his mind drift with the breeze.

Five Years Ago…

Asterio clutched the bouquet of roses close to himself and took a deep breath. Right around the corner, having just finished her visit to Castle Visconti, was Rubina. She came over to discuss her travel plans for Arcania, which was a few weeks from now. This may have been his one chance to catch her alone.

However, his nerves kept him glued in place.

"I-I cannot do this," he mumbled.

"Sure you can, mate!" Asterio had the forethought to have someone back him up: his mentor, Sir Salvo, and the squire/Asterio's friend, Angelo. The Raboot patted his side and whispered, "Just walk out there, give her the flowers, and ask her out to the carnival."

"I c-c-can't."

"You have nothing to fear, Your Highness," Salvo said. "I can tell Rubina fancies you as well, so it's worth the effort."

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one sweating buckets!"

Angelo groaned. "You're being a coward. Look, once she goes to Arcania, she's going to be gone for a long time. If you want your last moments together to be special, taking her out on a nice date is the best start. The carnival is next week, so this is your best chance."

"…" Asterio took a deep breath and floated out from behind cover. "A-Alright."

"You got this, buddy!"

"Good luck, Your Highness."

Asterio hurriedly floated after Rubina as she approached the front door. Before the knights escorted her out, he called out, "Rubina, wait!"

She stopped and turned around with a smile. "Oh, Your Highness. A pleasure to see you today. I was just on my way out. Did you need something?"

He twisted the roses in his grip and took a deep breath. "R-Rubina, I…I just wanted to tell you that I am going to miss you when you leave at the end of the month."

She blinked in surprise. "Oh, uh…a little early to be saying that, but thank you—"

"No, I…I mean to say that…" Asterio gulped and handed the roses to her. "I was hoping we could spend some time together before your trip."

Her eyes widened, and her cheeks bloomed red. "Asterio, I…"

"Rubina, if you are available, would you like to accompany me to the Misty Lights Carnival next week?"

She stared at him and the roses for a long while, making him feel even more self-conscious than he was before. He looked back to Angelo and Salvo, who peeked around the corner and motioned for him to wait. He was glad he asked for their guidance, because he was ten seconds away from fleeing and burying himself in his bed chamber forever.

"I…I would be honored."

Asterio's eyes widened. He looked back to the Alcremie in surprise. "Y-You're what?"

She reached out and took the roses from him with a smile. "I was kind of hoping to spend time with you, but I didn't expect this. I never expected you to make the first move." She sniffed the roses and smiled warmly up at him. "I'd be happy to attend the carnival with you, Asterio."

His face turned red. "R-Really?"

"I could use the distraction. The last week before I leave is going to be busy with preparations, and spending some time with you may just be the thing I need before I get to work."

He relaxed himself and smiled back awkwardly. "I…I am glad to hear that. I look forward to attending the carnival with you."

She giggled and turned toward the door. "See you next week, Asterio~." The knights pushed the door open for her, and she sauntered out, casting one final wink over her shoulder before they closed behind her.

All the stress exhaled out from Asterio's body as he collapsed to the floor. "She actually said yes…"

"AHA!" Angelo ran out of hiding and hooked his arm around the prince's neck. "See? You did amazing!"

Sir Salvo walked out and nodded. "I'm proud of you, lad. Enjoy the opportunities in front of you while you can. Regardless of what happens on the date, at least enjoy the memory and the moment. You and Rubina have a lot of work to do in the future."

"…" Asterio took a deep breath and smiled at the door. "Yeah. Yeah, I will."

"Ah!" Rubina smiled as she looked out at the streets packed with carnival goers, dressed up in the finest of colorful costumes. In contrast to her rainbow body, she wore a dark cloak with a spooky skeleton mask over her face. She lifted the mask to get a better view of the stands and attractions. "Asterio, this looks amazing!"

The Shiny Frillish floated diligently behind her, wearing a half-and-half red and blue cloak around his body and a similarly styled jester mask over his face. "Mother and Father booked some good attractions this year. We wanted to keep it a surprise."

She grinned up at him. "It's lovely. Oh, I'm so glad you asked me to attend. I would've been cramped up at home stressing over my trip."

Asterio lifted his mask and frowned. "Are you parents still giving you a hard time over your decision?"

She waved it off. "I told them off and made it clear I was going. As if I'm passing up an opportunity like that."

"Well, as long as it's your decision…"

She laughed. "Oh, quit worrying about the small stuff, Azzy! Come on, fun and games are dead ahead!" She grabbed him by the fin and dragged him into the crowd.

"Ah, Rubina! Wait!"

PLINK!

"Oooh, better luck next time, pal!"

Asterio grinded his teeth together at the Sudowoodo operator for the ball game. It was simple: three shots to knock over the six stack of bottles and win a prize. Why was it so difficult?!

The Sudowoodo grinned smugly. "Unless you want to try your luck again."

Rubina pulled on Asterio's cloak. "Azzy, just stop. You tried three times already—"

"I promised I'd win you a prize, and that's exactly what I'm going to do!" Asterio slammed down another three bits. "Set me up."

The Sudowoodo shrugged, took the coins, and placed down three balls. "Good luck, pal." He chuckled to himself and turned away to deposit the coins.

Asterio clutched a ball, wound his tentacle back, and punted it straight down the middle. It bounced off the center of the bottles, causing them to shake but not topple over. Outraged, he picked up his second ball and chucked it, only to be met with the same results.

The Sudowoodo laughed. "Keep trying, pal! You'll get it this time!"

Asterio growled. "Stuck-up scam artist…"

Rubina groaned. "Azzy, I keep telling you, some of the operators rig these games. There's no point in—"

"Oh, I'm not done yet." Asterio picked up his final ball and wound his tentacle back. "I'm getting you that prize!"

"That's the spirit, champ!" the Sudowoodo cheered.

Before Rubina could scold the prince, she noticed his eyes glowing purple. The same hue surrounded the ball. Her eyes widened in realization. "Oh sweet Mew, he's actually going to…"

"Take. This!" Amplified with his Psychic, Asterio threw the ball straight toward the bottle stack. It slammed hard, rattling the table they were most likely nailed to, and ricocheted off at high speed.

"Ha! Looks like you—" Before the operator could finish, the ball clocked him across the cheek and sent him spiraling out of his chair and onto the floor.

"Oh heavens!" Rubina gasped.

Asterio blinked at the downed operator in surprise. "Uh…" He reached over and poked him in the side, earning a groggily groan. "Um, he'll be fine." He glanced up at the rack of stuffed toys and psychically called a smiling, pink Minior to his fins.

Rubina glared. "Azzy—"

"I paid twelve bits for this stupid game, and he kept ragging on me. I think I've earned this."

"…" She glanced into the stall one last time before whispering, "We were never here."

After handing her the stuffed toy, they dashed on before the unconscious tree stirred awake. Bystanders would wonder what the costumed couple were giggling about as they ran off.

"Mmm~!" Rubina took a huge bite out of her donut and savored the taste in her mouth. She shivered from the potent raspberry filling and powdered sugar. "Oh, this is good. You have to try one, Asterio."

Asterio, sitting next to her, shook his head. "No, thank you. I don't have much of a sweet tooth."

"Aww, come on. One little bite won't kill you." She held the donut up to his face. "Come on, take a bite~!"

"But you already took a bite out of that one."

She shrugged. "Az, I'm mostly made up of cream. If you're worried about swapping spit with me…"

His face flushed red. "Don't make it sound weird."

"You're making it weirder. Please, just one bite. You'll love it~."

"…" Asterio sighed and took the donut. "Fine." He spun it around to an end that hasn't been bitten into and hesitantly took bite. Immediately, the raspberry filling hit his tongue and assaulted him with a punch of flavor. His face and jaw tensed up. "W-Whoa…"

She smirked. "Was it good?"

"…Uh, sure." He handed it back to her awkwardly. "Yeah. It was good."

"Heh."

"Still not much of a sweets guy."

"Hmph. Makes me wonder why you asked me out. I'm nothing but sweet."

"I don't mean it like that."

She giggled. "Quit worrying so much, you doofus. I'm just messing with you. Sorry I forced you to try it."

"…It's fine. I did enjoy it."

"Hey, just to make it up to you, I'll try something you suggest."

He raised his brow. "Oh?"

"Yeah, totally. Fair is fair."

He smirked a little. "Aubergine casserole."

Her eyes widened. "Eh?!"

"It's something we eat at the castle."

"I'm…not really the biggest fan of aubergine."

"And I'm not the biggest fan of sweets, but I'm subject to change."

She groaned and facepalmed. "Damn you, Asterio."

He laughed. "I can be cruel when I want to."

"Step right up, folks!" a Persian operator standing in a confined battlefield announced. "Do you have what it takes to be a knight? Can you take on the infamous Black Knight of Verde? If you do, you win yourself a free jug of homebrewed ale!"

Asterio and Rubina watched the mock tournament for about a half hour. Many boastful carnival goers tested their luck against the champion swordsman, who was a pale imitation of the true Black Knight. The Simisear in black armor, which looked like a mishmash of painted kitchenware, pranced around the fenced off area with his prop sword in hand. He would do battle with the inexperienced competitors and expertly disarm them into submission.

Asterio rolled his eyes. "This is just sad."

Rubina smirked. "I know. The real Black Knight would've scorched everything in sight by now."

Asterio smirked as well. "He dances like a fairy blessing good fortune onto the local lake."

"Now, now, there's nothing wrong with a grown man taking up the art of dancing, Azzy."

"Well, he has no future in cooking. I believe that skillet he's wearing over his pants is used for cooking sausage."

"Funny. You'd think he wouldn't want to get cooked himself."

They snickered to themselves, but their private joking was cut short by a wooden sword pointing in their direction. The mock knight waved his prop weapon at the pair with his dramatic blustering. "If you can speak so boldly, good sir, perhaps you would like to test your skill in the ring?"

The audience ooh'd at Asterio, making him feel a tad flustered. He covered his face and said, "Uh, I'm not really here to compete. I just—"

"I see we have ourselves a mighty fool in our midst, ladies and gentlemen!" the faux knight exclaimed, backing away into the ring. "He speaks with such conviction, but shrivels up like a child when challenged. Ha! You have no honor, good sir!"

Rubina glared. "[He can easily turn you into mincemeat, Mister Kitchenware!]" she taunted in her native tongue. "Show him, Azzy!"

"I rather not—"

The faux knight laughed. "Is the gentleman so passive that he needs a lady to speak up for him?"

"…" Asterio closed his eyes and sighed. "Alright, now you've pissed me off." The crowd cheered as he entered inside the ring. "I accept your challenge, Black Knight. I do hope my skill is satisfactory."

The Persian operator threw him a sword. "You have five minutes to make your opponent yield. Good luck."

The faux knight spun his sword and laughed. "The heckler has more courage than I anticipated. Now…" He aimed his sword at Asterio. "Fear me, if you dare—"

Asterio whipped his sword across the Simisear's and effortlessly disarmed him. He looked back and forth between his dropped sword and the masked Frillish glaring at him with murderous intent. Or murderous glee.

"Uh…" he mumbled. "I surrender?"

Asterio spun his sword with a little flourish and aimed it at the faux knight. "Oh no. I have four minutes and forty-five more seconds with you, and I don't intend to let you yield quite yet. Now, en garde!"

"Oh sweet Mew!" The Simisear turned and booked it while Asterio effortlessly chased him down. "Can't you take a joke?! I'm sorry!"

Asterio smirked and, against his usual reservations, dramatically exclaimed, "You insulted the honor of my fair lady with your jabbering! Now I must redeem her honor by defeating you in combat!"

"Please! I bruise easily! AAAHHHH!"

The crowd laughed as Asterio chased the panicking knight in a circle. Rubina giggled behind her hand with a tint of red blooming in her cheeks. "My hero~."

The final day of the Misty Lights Carnival drew in, and Asterio and Rubina decided to camp out on top of the castle to watch the fireworks display. They lay down together on a blanket with the Alcremie resting her head against his shoulder.

With a content sigh, she turned to Asterio and said, "I had an amazing week with you, Asterio."

"I did, too."

"I'm surprised at you. I didn't think these kinds of festivities were your thing."

He shrugged. "Well, when you have the right company, even the most intolerable experiences can be made magical."

"I never took you for the romantic type."

"Heh. It's not my specialty. I prefer my isolation when I can."

"And that's perfectly fine. Whatever makes you happy." She smiled warmly. "Still, I'm flattered you stepped out of your comfort zone just to spend time with me. I wasn't aware how much you liked me." She sighed. "It's a shame we won't have time to do stuff like this."

He frowned. "Yeah. You'll be the ambassador to the Arcania Kingdom, and I'll eventually inherit the throne from my father. I may end up having to marry someone closer to my status."

"Well, at least we got to share this moment together while we still could." She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm…kind of nervous about the trip. It's a lot of responsibility on my shoulders."

"I didn't think you could get nervous."

"My parents are worried I'll get hurt in the east. They're worried about the war between New Chariot and Umbra Clock. The fighting's getting worse over there."

Asterio closed his eyes. "To tell you the truth, I'm also worried for your safety."

"Oh, you worry about everything."

"But the east is full of…" He sighed and shook his head. "You know…"

She glared. "Asterio, you should learn to trust others. I know the infighting of the east has garnered a bad reputation, but doing bad things doesn't make someone a bad person. Sometimes we have to do what we can to survive, and I imagine that's what a lot of people in the east are feeling, especially Arcania. They've been losing land for years and even went through a massacre. I can't imagine living like that."

"…It's just hard. Between the Vermin Butcher cases and the crime waves of late, I just…I don't know what good or bad is anymore."

She touched his shoulder. "It's not something that can be decided by the flip of a coin. If we just took the time to understand each other, maybe there wouldn't be so many wars. Compassion and trust get you far in life."

"…" Asterio closed his eyes and sighed. "Can you at least do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"I want Sir Salvo to accompany you on your trip. As your bodyguard."

"Asterio—"

"I trust Sir Salvo, and I know he'll keep you safe."

"But isn't he in charge of the Vermin Butcher investigation?"

"We can easily assign the case to someone else." He sat up and held her hands in his grip. "But I at least want someone I trust to watch over you. You're going to do amazing things in Arcania, and I know you'll change the world for the better. Please, just do this for me. I want some guarantee you'll be safe on your trip."

"…" Rubina sighed, but smiled at him. "Alright. I'll take Sir Salvo as my bodyguard, only because I trust your decision."

He smiled back and gently squeezed her hands. "Thank you."

A loud boom sounded over the sky, and they turned their heads up to see colorful explosions painting the night sky. They lay back on the blanket and watched the colors cascade over them in awe, the shining twinkling off their eyes. The cheers of party goers in the city could be vaguely heard over the noise.

"Hey, Asterio."

"Mhmm?" His eyes widened as Rubina turned his face toward her and gently pecked him on the lips. A sweet, berry taste lingered on his lips. He stared at her in awed silence, which made her giggle.

"I know how much you HATE sweets, so that's a little something to remember this moment. To remember what might've been."

He blinked twice and smiled back. "Yeah. What might've been."

They lay their heads back down and cuddled closer together, letting the alure of the moment and colorful explosions captivate this moment of bliss.

"…" Asterio closed his eyes and sighed. "Evangelina?"

"Hmm?" She glanced at her brother. "What is it?"

"Do you ever think a peaceful world can exist? One not brought up by strife or crime, not by deceit and lies? A world where we can look to the future without being weighed on by the mistakes of our past? Or are we just doomed to witness our kingdom and its people crumble away to dust while we watch helplessly?"

"…" Evangelina crossed her tentacles over the railing and looked out over the dark, blue-tinted sky and the setting sun. "I look at it like this. A world like ours is held up by lies and deceit. Nobody wants to see the true face of someone's inner self. We all have our vices. They are not something to be worn with honor in common society." She raised her fin to her face and covered her eye. "Everyone wears a mask to hide their true selves, and sometimes we wear masks so we can become our true selves. The world is cruel and unforgiving. We're all bound to make mistakes."

"Some greater than others…" Asterio mumbled.

"Perhaps so, but that is just life."

"And how long one atones for this mistakes? For their crimes and sins? Their deceit and lies? Their betrayal?"

Evangelina closed her eyes. "You're asking the wrong princess about redemption. I told you, little brother, I'm willing to become the evilest queen in Echo Bell history to restore our kingdom back to glory. There's no room for kindness in this world. It's better to wash away the blood and move on with your life. We are monsters of our own design, and it's easier to embrace that bloodlust and turn it into motivation."

"…" Asterio closed his eyes. "Some of us don't want to be monsters."

"We both know what you hide under your mask, dear brother."

"…" He sighed and picked himself off the railing. "I need to clear my head." He turned and floated toward his chamber door.

Evangelina glared over her shoulder. "Try not to hurt yourself, Az. Just keep looking forward."

"…Whatever." He floated out of his room and shut the door behind him.

Evangelina sighed and looked over the city again, this time with a conflicted grimace. "After all, when you become a ruler, you need to do what's best for your people. Even if they hate you for it."

Underground Catacombs

After retracing their steps and heading down the correct tunnel system, Melissa and Jason found themselves at the heart of the catacombs. Jason lifted his lantern and shined light at the end of the path, revealing a stone wall as aged as the tunnels surrounding it. The sides of the wall were worn as if they were touched and scraped down from years of use.

Melissa approached the wall and pressed her ears up to it, concentrating. "Hmm." She closed her eyes and knocked twice against the wall. "…Yeah. There's definitely a space behind this wall."

Jason walked up behind her and felt around the edges. "I don't see a door handle or anything. And I can barely wedge my fingers through the gaps. How are we supposed to get through?"

"Not sure." She felt around the walls, pressing against the stone tiles. "There could be a secret mechanism that opens the wall or reveals a door handle."

He smirked. "Annnnd you think this because that's how the underground escape tunnels in your castle work?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Still mad you never found them?"

"A smidge."

"Hah!" Melissa resumed her searching. She traced her hand along the wall until she felt a thin gap within the tiles. "I think I found something." She pressed inward and stepped back as the tile swung open. "Yep. Found it."

Jason aimed the lantern at the small hatch and saw metal glimmering in the light. "It's a lock." He swiped his finger across it and examined the reddish stain in his fur. "Rusty, too. Does it even still work?"

"Well, no use not trying." Melissa reached inside her uniform and pulled out her lockpicking kit. "Good thing Shingo taught me how to pick locks." She pulled out a couple tools and jammed them inside the lock, carefully prodding at the internal mechanisms. She frowned. "Huh."

"What?"

"This lock is a lot more modern than I was expecting. It's almost like the mechanisms for the castle tunnels. This might take a moment." She held one of her tools between her teeth and pulled out another.

Jason hung back against the wall and kept the lantern raised over her head. A more sophisticated lock, huh? Only one who would think to make something like that would be an arbiter. Someone must've realized what secrets were below and needed to keep them sealed.

He continued rubbing the rust out from his fur when he noticed something glinting off the floor. He bent down, still keeping the lantern high, and examined the spot. His eyes widened at the dried, red stain in the stone floor. Thin streaks of red that looked like they were being scrubbed away a long time ago. The streaks themselves, by his best guess, indicated something was being dragged into the secret passage.

Is that…blood? He wiped his finger across it and rubbed it between his fingers. Dry, but this is definitely blood. Not sure from how long ago, though. Was this during construction? Or was this recent?

CLICK!

"Got it!"

Jason stood up as the wall started to rumble. Melissa backed away next to him as the wall moved inward. It swung back like a door and sunk into a shallow space on the other side. Once the rumbling stopped, they inched closer. The light showed a stairway leading down.

Melissa shivered. "Oooookay, that's not creepy at all." She shook off her jitters and smiled awkwardly. "You ready?"

Jason glanced one more time at the bloodstain on the floor before nodding at her. "Yeah. Let's see what's down there." Treading carefully, they put one foot forward and descended the steps.

As they walked out of the view of the passageway, a pair of red eyes gleamed from deep within the tunnel. A curved blade gleamed from the darkness, its edge shimmering red.

"How fitting…for them to descend into the underworld for me."