St. Coraline's Academy, 10:15 AM

"...And lastly, we will have a word from Carmine Baruna, the student council president of St. Astraia Girls' School."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Carmine walked up to the podium as the audience welcomed her with a round of applause. "It is truly an honor to be asked to represent our school today. Our institution is founded upon the ideals laid by St. Astraia herself, which are to remain charitable and be hospitable to all people…"

Carmine continued her brief introduction of St. Astraia Girl's School, occasionally looking down at her note cards. Coming up was the part for which she had practiced for hours in front of a mirror, where she would talk about the school's most recent accomplishments and what they hope to bring to this exchange program. However, she couldn't talk about those things without first addressing the elephant in the room. St. Astraia Girls' School was one of the only institutions present to have opened its doors to commoners, and that meant that people were going to be more critical of them. Even now, the decision to make St. Astraia's, which was historically a school reserved for the nobility, was scrutinized by those of the upper class.

The nerves were beginning to simmer deep within her. She was only a baron's daughter, one of the lowest-ranking student council presidents in the school's history in terms of social status. How could someone like her hope to bear the responsibility of such a prestigious position?

"You've come quite a way since then. I am certain the road to becoming president wasn't easy, yet here you are. You should be proud of yourself."

'Lady Laura…' The memory of Laura's comforting words warmed Carmine's body. She took a deep breath in the middle of her speech and thought back to her days at her father's trading outpost. A merchant's job was to be the center of attention; if you couldn't find what made you unique, you wouldn't be able to attract customers. Public speaking was little different from advertising one's merchandise.

And besides, if Lady Laura herself had voiced her approval, then who was she to doubt?

She brushed her auburn hair aside and resumed her speech. "Our student body has grown more diverse than it ever has in the school's history, and it has presented its own set of challenges. But through it all, our core identity remains the same. Nay, the moment we opened our doors to girls of all origins, we ourselves were once again humbled by the teachings of St. Astraia, which are to maintain 'honorable poverty' and provide meaningful 'service to others'. Upholding the noblesse oblige is important, but we must also never forget the needs of the people we are meant to oversee. We must ask not just what others can do for us, but ask what we can do for others. It is my hope that we will take these words to heart as we continue our activities into the afternoon. Thank you."

The entire auditorium erupted into applause.

"Ask not what others can do for us, but ask what we can do for others…" Elise repeated, seated in the audience with the rest of her group. "As a baron's daughter myself, I can empathize greatly with her speech."

"Yet there remains a few who don't take kindly to the context," Lea muttered bluntly, her eyes squinting at those who halted their applause earlier than the rest.

Princess Alfin giggled behind them. "Heehee! Prose is still prose; no matter their political affiliation, nobles will always be susceptible to its succor. At the very least, it will give them something to chew on throughout the day."

The headmaster of St. Coraline's Academy returned to the stage for some closing words before she dismissed everyone to their respective groups. The students representing St. Astraia's welcomed their president back and congratulated her for her speech. As the mood in the auditorium gradually became more casual and the students started to mingle with each other, Alfin gradually became the center of attention, with even girls from other schools clamoring for a chance to speak with her. It grew to a point where President Carmine and her associates had to step in and block people from getting too close, and Alfin was finally able to slip past the crowd and out of the auditorium.

"There you are, my lady. I trust everything went well in there?"

Alfin turned and smiled at the black-haired maid who had just turned up beside her. "Welcome back. Did you have fun while we were away?"

The maid smiled. "The other servants and I struck up some pleasant conversations. The mixing pot of noble families from all over makes for some VERY intriguing gossip."

"Do tell…" Alfin looked all around them to make sure no one was eavesdropping on them before motioning the masked maid to follow her. The two of them made their way down the hallway under the pretense of going to use the restroom, and after double-checking to make sure the coast was clear, they both ducked inside.

"Now then…" the princess said, locking the door behind them. "What does the situation look like outside?"

The maid's smile faded. "Security is airtight, as we had surmised. Whoever set this up clearly doesn't want anyone coming in or out before the appointed time."

"And the afternoon events?"

"I snuck a peek at the groups. They are structured in a way that those whose families have mostly remained neutral have been paired with one or two girls who belong to proponents of the upper class. Perhaps not the most splendorous or important, but certainly the loudest and most vocal. And as for those whose families are vocal dissidents, well… Let's just say that they will be the minority in their groups."

"Does that mean what I think?"

"An outlet to spread Noble Faction propaganda. It could be a coincidence, but given the timing of Duke Cayenne's recent activities, the pieces are aligned a little too well.

"But why would he go about garnering support in such a roundabout manner? Using what was meant to be an expression of goodwill across the entire empire…"

"'Arise, O youth, and become the foundation of the world,'" the maid recited. "Perhaps he took one look at the Thors motto and decided to adopt it for his own means. After all, adults are more likely to listen to their own children than the words of another noble. Especially when it's those children's futures at stake."

Those chilling implications left Alfin shivering down to her spine. "And how about you? How are you feeling?"

"If I'm being honest? I feel like I'm having the time of my life. There's nothing like a little life on the edge to keep your days from wallowing in monotony. I truly owe both you and Prince Olivert for helping me see this plan to fruition."

Alfin chuckled and smiled. "It was the least we can do, given your situation. However…" Her expression returned to a more serious one. "You know that's not what I meant."

Her maid solemnly nodded her head. "Egrets are wild birds that feel at home by the riverside, not in some gilded cage. I may not have set foot in it for a long time, but Ordis is still my home. The empire is in a delicate situation, and both Uncle and the Imperial Liberation Front are at the very center of it. There's no telling what will happen once all Gehenna breaks loose; that's why I had to come back to assess the situation myself, no matter the risk. I will be able to give my own informed opinion after we are allowed outside, but what I can say right now is this…"

She walked to the end of the bathroom, where the natural sunlight was shining down onto the floor. Upon walking into the light, she removed the butterfly mask from her face, revealing a flawless, unscarred face with lilac-colored eyes.

"All the pieces are in place for a full-scale conflict. The only thing we can do is assemble pieces of our own and prepare for when the storm approaches."

Juno Naval Fortress, 10:30 AM

"…That's why I think we should put Gaius in the front together with Millium. You can't go wrong with the classic spear and shield combination."

"Okay, and if we did that, then where would we put you? Your shotgun fires in a spread in front of you, so you'll have to take your shots carefully."

"That actually may be for the best. Fight smarter, not harder. Isn't that what our instructors are always teaching us?"

"Ahem!"

The group looked up from the small chessboard they were huddling around to find their instructor standing in the doorway to the infirmary. "Sounds like a fun little discussion," she noted. "What brought this on?"

Morgan chuckled nervously. "Kind of a long story…"

She then went on to summarize what happened while the students received first aid. The infirmary had a tabletop game collection that patients could peruse through to pass the time. After some digging around, Machias came across a chess set and offered to teach Millium the rules, but the younger girl couldn't sit still through the lesson. Morgan happened to be passing by and offered to play a mock game with Machias as a demonstration. Eventually, the discussion turned towards the use of gambits to set up a winning formation that could capture the king, and Morgan used the fight against General Le Guin as an example. Machias and Morgan started talking about strategy, everyone else joined in, and soon the chess game devolved into one big strategy meeting.

Their violet-haired instructor smirked as she heard the story. "And here I thought I was gonna have to cheer you guys up. But you're already back on your feet. That's what I like to see. Oh, and you're gonna want to be careful of how much you slouch, Morgan. Wouldn't want you to hurt your back again."

"Right…"

Morgan affectionately rubbed her back. Orbal treatment and healing balms were able to get her back to tip-top shape, but she also knew that back injuries had a high tendency to become chronic. Or at least, that was what Old Man Omar told her.

"You sure you don't want to sit this afternoon out?" Gaius asked.

"Don't worry! I'm A-OK!" Morgan straightened her posture and gave her classmates an enthusiastic thumbs up. "So what's next on the agenda, Instructor?"

"We're going on a tour through Juno Naval Fortress. See the sights, catch a few glimpses of the army in action, and cap things off with lunch in the canteen. Sounds pretty relaxing, don't you think?"

"...You're kidding, right?" Machias looked at their instructor dumbfoundedly, as did everyone else in Group B.

"Yeah, you're right. There's more to it than that. But boy was it worth it to see your reactions!" Sara started laughing to herself, but once it was clear that she was the only one who found her little ploy amusing, she stopped. "Okay, what's ACTUALLY going on is that the general wants our help in testing out some new orbal technology they recently got their hands on. The provincial army can be a bit behind the Imperial army because they want to 'uphold tradition' and all that, but recently they've had a change of heart. Guess they've had it with being viewed as inferior to the government."

'Or maybe they're gearing up for something big,' Morgan thought. She glanced at the rest of her classmates, and it looked like they were all thinking the same thing.

"Since we're more familiar with orbal technology, they want us to help with all sorts of things," the instructor continued. "Testing the latest orbal communications devices, auditing incoming supplies of weapons, introducing the concept of the orbal net, et cetera, et cetera. It just so happens that all the places they want us to check out are all key locations of the fortress. So to keep it from feeling like another boring romp of requests, you can view it as a guided tour of the place with some hands-on activities sprinkled in here and there."

"So does that mean you will be accompanying us as well, Instructor?" Emma asked.

"That's right. Just a little while longer, and we'll all get to return to the city by the afternoon. As for what happens after that, well… That's for me to know and for you all to find out! So chop, chop! Let's get ready to go in five! These guys aren't going to fix their problems themselves, if you know what I mean!"

With their directives issued, the students started gathering their belongings.

"Daraen. A word?"

"Sure, Jusis. What's up?"

Internally, Morgan was snickering that she was now acting so casual with one of the sons of the Four Great Houses. At the start of the school year, she and the others sans maybe Machias were careful to speak properly when around someone of his status, but after sharing many life-or-death experiences together, those walls had broken down. Of course, it also helped that Jusis was more willing to share his own family experiences, and after the rest of the class learned his past, perhaps he saw no reason to put up a front around them anymore. Oh, how the times have changed…

"It's about what you said to the general earlier," the blond noble said, causing Morgan to refocus her attention. "You asked her if she knew what lay at the end of the road to absolute perfection."

"Ahaha…" Morgan scratched her cheek, feeling a bit embarrassed from the memory. "Yeah, I don't know why I did that. It just sort of…came to mind."

"You should take care to monitor that filter. Having one loose cannon whose name starts with the letter 'M' is already taxing enough."

"S-Sorry…"

Jusis waved his hand. "Personally, I myself was rather curious about where the Golden Rakshasa's allegiances lie. How someone with her background would willingly comply with Duke Cayenne's affairs…"

"She was a Thors graduate, too," Morgan recalled. "Gaius mentioned it yesterday. I wonder if she was the same in school, too."

"I cannot say," said Jusis. "But Rufus told me that she was among the few in Thors history to graduate in a single year."

"Did something happen to her family?"

"Her father had been wounded during the Hundred Days' War, which necessitated an accelerated learning curriculum so she could take her father's place. Following graduation, she became the new commanding officer of Lamare's provincial army, while also setting her sights on mastering the Arseid and Vander styles of combat."

"So her goal to become the strongest warrior in Erebonia probably stemmed from sometime around then…" Morgan muttered. "I guess one thing's for sure, though."

"That being…?"

Morgan looked down at her hand. "She is prepared to walk that road. A lifetime of indentured servitude to the expectations of others means nothing if your end goal is your own self-fulfillment. That's something no one can ever take away from you."

Jusis raised his eyebrows in response. "That's shockingly profound coming from you. Are you certain the general didn't hit you on the head as well?"

"Hey, need I remind you that I'm twenty? I can be profound when I want!"

"Hm, yes. A twenty year old with the body and mind of a fifteen year old." Jusis pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "Truly, people whose names start with the letter 'M' are cut from the same cloth."

"Would you care to repeat that, Jusis Albarea?"

Jusis and Morgan stopped in their tracks to see an ill-tempered Machias blocking their path while cracking his knuckles.

"Go on. Say that again. I dare you."

"And I DOUBLE dare you!" Millium suddenly jumped out from behind Machias, bearing the same accusatory expression that he was.

Jusis could do nothing but swallow his words and mutter, "Aidios have mercy on us all…"

As Gaius and Emma briefly stepped in to make sure both Machias and Millium didn't start mauling Jusis on the spot, Morgan was left wondering at the sentence she just made a few minutes ago. The thing that kickstarted these turn of events in the first place.

"A journey towards self-fulfillment… Was that the secret?"

Morgan shook her head. Why was she thinking about secrets all of a sudden?

St. Coraline's Academy, 11:00 AM

The secret to pulling off an effective disguise lay in the subtle details. Everything, from the way your outfit draped over your body to the way you breathed, had to be deliberate yet immaculate. Every movement you made had to be calculated to perfection, lest everything you stood for crumbled like a castle built on a foundation of sand.

For Mildine Juzalith de Cayenne, however, those concerns were trivial. After all, as morose as it sounded, living a lie was second nature to her. The Butterfly Maid had never been one to speak up normally, so it wasn't difficult to mimic her breathy way of speaking, and the mask also allowed Mildine to freely observe her surroundings. She did have to make sure her head was facing forward and her neck completely straight so as to not draw attention, however.

"Your Highness, may I ask how Prince Olivert is doing? Those terrorists attacked the trade conference last month, didn't they?"

Ah, yes. Mildine remembered that. The first part of the conference had been rudely interrupted by a coordinated assault from Calvard anti-immigration terrorists and Erebonia's own Imperial Liberation Front, likely targeted at the leaders of both those respective nations. Meanwhile, the Liberation Front would also target the railway guns at Garrelia Fortress and destroy Crossbell via long-range bombardment in case the first assault fell through. It was a good strategy, hitting the Imperial Army when their forces would have been focused on the trade conference. And it probably would have succeeded, too, had the terrorists not been repelled by the timely appearance of Class VII.

And how did Mildine know about this? Well, being friends with Princess Alfin has its benefits.

"Thank you for your concern, Melody," the princess replied. "He's been doing quite well these past few weeks. In fact, with everything else that he went through in Liberl, it's almost as if being attacked by terrorists doesn't even faze him anymore!"

"But what about that declaration of independence from Crossbell? Why isn't anyone paying more attention to that?"

"My father dismissed it as a fit of delusional raving from the mayor of Crossbell's part. As far as I could tell, both the Imperial government and the Noble Faction have felt similarly about it."

'Crossbell…' Mildine softly muttered to herself. Given that the trade conference took place in the city-state of Crossbell, it was a given that the topic of Crossbell's status as a city-state would arise as a point of contention sooner or later. But what Mildine didn't foresee was Crossbell taking matters into their own hands. True, the city-state had its fair share of clout thanks to the International Bank of Crossbell, which oversaw the flow of commerce and money for the entirety of western Zemuria, but in terms of political power it was nowhere near as prominent compared to the likes of Erebonia, Calvard, Liberl, and Remiferia. Why choose now of all times to make such a radical declaration? And most importantly, what events would transpire if Crossbell actually followed through with their claim to independence?

"...What do you think about all this, Morgan?"

Mildine shifted her head slightly towards the princess, her eyebrows furrowing underneath the mask. "You want…my opinion?"

"Of course! It looked like you were thinking long and hard when the topic of Crossbell came up. I'd love to hear your insight."

Putting her on the spot even when she was supposed to be incognito. Typical of Princess Alfin to skirt on the line of danger without missing a beat.

"To be honest…" Mildine deliberately paused, emulating the Butterfly Maid's rather breathy way of speaking. "I'm more curious about what Crossbell has in its back pocket."

"Are you insinuating that that city-state is hiding something?" one of the other students asked skeptically.

"Crossbell doesn't stand a chance…in terms of numbers, that is," Mildine continued. "Why go through the trouble of provoking the two most powerful nations in Western Zemuria…unless they were confident they could repel both of them at once? With what? I cannot say. But I doubt Mayor Crois would bluff in front of the four great powers of West Zemuria."

Her theory promptly silenced whatever dissenting opinions the other girls were about to make.

"M-My apologies… I did not mean to bring down the mood, Your Highness-"

"There's no need to apologize, Morgan." Alfin simply smiled reassuringly at her. "I asked for your insight, and you gave it. And for what it's worth, you made a very valid point. I hope this inspires the rest of you to do the same at home."

"You mean…conversing with our servants?"

"What reason would we have to do that?"

"I agree with Her Highness."

A voice spoke up and someone stepped forward, revealing to be Elise. "President Baruna reminded us about the notions of honorable poverty and service to others. Maybe we lack the influence of our parents, but we can start small. Our decisions today will pave the foundation for tomorrow."

"Elise…"

"It sounds like such a simple proposition…yet not once have I ever considered it before…"

"I always just followed my parents' lead on these matters…"

The girls continued murmuring among themselves. Some began to show agreement with Alfin and Elise, while others remained skeptical.

Eventually, the topic of the conversation shifted once again to something more lighthearted as the break period came to a close.

"You looked really inspiring for a moment there!" Alfin said to her friend. "Almost like a true leader!"

Mildine giggled. "Taking a page out of the Thors motto was a stroke of genius. I think Lady Elise would make for a wonderful candidate for student council, wouldn't you say?"

"I wasn't trying to make myself appear better than I am…" said Elise. "I know that Rean is doing his best, wherever he is this month. I need to make my own strides to ensure that he doesn't have to worry about me."

"Ah, the blossoming love between siblings! Truly beautiful, wouldn't you say, Morgan?"

"Indeed, my lady. If I could take off my mask to wipe my tears, I would!"

"Oh, you two…!"

Elise pouted at the pair. As if being on the receiving end of one person's teasing wasn't bad enough…

"Pardon me, Your Highness…"

The three of them quickly regained their composure. One of the guards from the provincial army had approached. "I was asked by the headmaster to retrieve you. If you could please come with me…"

"I believe the school has already made it abundantly clear…" Princess Alfin staunchly replied. "I am a representative of St. Astraia's, first and foremost. Therefore, I am not to receive any preferential treatment for this excursion."

"We understand. But you see, Duke Cayenne has expressed a desire to meet with you in person."

"Duke Cayenne?" Alfin looked confused, as did Elise. "But I thought he would be away from Ordis today."

"Frankly, I don't know the details myself. I'm the lowest rank in my squadron…" the officer admitted. "But from what I could surmise, his previous engagement ended quicker than anticipated, so he will make the return trip this afternoon. To make the trip more efficient for everyone, the headmaster has sorted you into another group."

Mildine was completely silent. Her uncle was coming back. The person who had sentenced her to a lifetime of elementary classes at St. Astraia's. Certainly a cause for concern…if she hadn't also planned for this eventuality in advance.

"...Very well," Princess Alfin said. "I understand that Duke Cayenne is a busy man. If he wishes to have an audience, then the least I can do is greet him on behalf of our school."

"Your Highness!" Elise stepped forward, but she was stopped by Alfin shaking her head.

"It's alright, Elise. However, can I add one condition?"

"Anything, Your Highness."

The princess turned to Mildine. "I would like my servant to accompany my friends in my stead."

Mildine deliberately acted uneasy. "My lady…"

"With all due respect, Your Highness…" the provincial army officer spoke. "Why would you not want your servant to remain by your side?"

"She doesn't get to venture outside the palace very often these days, so I want her to cut loose and see the sights while she can. And besides…" Alfin flashed her prettiest smile to the officer. "I'm certain that the esteemed Lamare provincial army already has the place under control in case something occurs. I can even offer to put in a good word to the emperor after all this is finished."

The officer blinked rapidly, almost confounded by the request. But eventually, he regained his composure and responded enthusiastically, "That's absolutely correct, Your Highness! You can leave your safety with us!"

Mildine smiled to herself on the inside. Just the reaction she had intended.

"Well, that'll be that! Elise, I leave my attendant in your and Lea's care. I'll give you a call once I'm all done." Alfin ended her statement with a playful wink, just to make sure that Elise picked up there was more going on than she was aware of.

"R-Right…" Elise complied, still a bit concerned and confused by Her Highness's actions. She leaned over to Mildine's ear and whispered, "Did you plan for this as well?"

"Backup plans for your backup plans, I always say," Mildine whispered back before stepping forward. "Do you know when the duke will arrive in Ordis? I…I would like to know so I can pick her up as soon as possible."

"If Her Highness hasn't returned by the time the free period ends, then you can come by the duke's estate," the officer replied. "I will let my superiors know to let you in once you arrive."

"That is…acceptable. Thank you, good sir." Mildine bowed to her "master." "Please take good care of yourself, my lady."

"Thank you, Morgan. Have fun with everyone! And be sure to give the Egrets my regards."

"Y-Yes, Your Highness…"

And thus, the lie continued without a hitch.

With one act coming to a close, it was time for her to plan out her next move…

Juno Naval Fortress, 12:30 PM

"...Did you end up attending last week's opera?"

"Yes! Ah, Vita Clotilde never disappoints!"

Morgan's ears perked up. She and Millium playing a round of Blade in the canteen after finishing their lunch when she overheard a group of soldiers talking on their way outside.

"I've had the honor of having her arias bless my ears once before. Ah, it was truly heaven on earth!"

"The next time she comes into town for the arts season, we should all go!"

"But the last time she came to Ordis, tickets sold out instantly!"

Vita Clotilde, a soprano who joined the Heimdallr Opera House several years ago. She became an instant sensation virtually overnight, and those lucky enough to have heard her singing described it as if they were being entranced by a magic spell. Despite being a resident of Heimdallr, Morgan had never seen the elusive diva in person. The Imperial family had been invited to her performances on several occasions, but they hadn't attended during the year of Morgan's tenure.

"There! A '7'!"

"Oh, shoot!" Morgan's eyes darted back to the playing field. "Uh, here's a '6' to reset everything!"

Both students pushed the fat stack of cards to the side and each drew a card from their own respective piles. Unfortunately for Morgan, her opponent drew a '7' that easily dwarfed her measly '2' card. She looked at the four cards currently in her hand: Mirror, Bolt, '1', and '3'. Millium also had four cards, so the game was practically even. Morgan's only shot would be to whittle down her opponent's hand while keeping her own side healthy. Should she go for the Bolt card to bait out a high card or a '1'? Or should she switch the playing field with a Mirror…

"Bolt!" The score became 0-2.

"One!" Millium restored her card, returning the score to 7-2.

"Mirror!" The numbers shifted to become 2-7 in Morgan's favor.

"Bolt!" 2-0.

"One!" 2-7.

"Seven!" 9-7.

"Three!" Morgan triumphantly pumped her fist, barely edging out Millium with a 9-10 score victory. "Whew! Close one."

"Awww…" Millium angrily pouted. "One more! Gimme one more!"

"I see you're all enjoying yourselves."

A deep female voice practically penetrated through the air and struck fear into Morgan's heart. Aurelia Le Guin had entered the canteen.

"Hey, General! Wanna play a round of Blade?"

And of course Millium continued to do things at her own tempo.

General Le Guin looked over Morgan's shoulder. "What a quaint little game. Made by Brandish, which is currently based in Jurai. What led you to come across this game?"

"What led us?" Morgan found the question odd. "One of our classmates introduced it to us, and it sort of became our de facto way to pass the time."

"Interesting…" The general stroked her chin, appearing to be intrigued by Blade. "Very well. Enlighten me on how this game works, Orion. Daraen."

"Eh?!" Both Millium and Morgan exclaimed.

Naturally, this garnered the shock of everyone else in the room. Was the Golden Rakshasa actually interested in playing a children's card game?

Aurelia simply sat down next to Morgan in response. "A warrior never stops looking for opportunities to broaden one's horizons. If nothing else, this will make for an amusing respite."

A bead of sweat started rolling down Morgan's forehead. The general's single-minded dedication to improving herself strongly resembled Laura's dedication to the way of the sword. Was this sort of thing common among Arseid students? "Okay, here are the rules…"

Morgan briefly went over the rules of Blade and played a quick match with Millium so General Le Guin could see the cards in action. Afterwards, Morgan offered the general her seat so she could start a fresh game with Millium.

It immediately became apparent that Aurelia Le Guin was, if nothing else, a quick learner.

"W-Wow…"

"Um, are you sure this isn't your first time playing?"

"She completely trounced Millium without going through all of her cards…"

The rest of Group B had gathered around the table to witness the one-sided victory.

"So there are elements of luck involved in this as well…" Aurelia muttered to herself. "Just like in a real battle, the odds may not always be in your favor, but skill and knowledge can more than make up for that deficit."

"I lost again!" Millium complained. "Morgan! You must avenge me!"

"Uh…" Morgan worriedly made eye contact with the general. Sure, she considered herself halfway decent at Blade, but to go up against the Golden Rakshasa? Morgan was beginning to buckle under the general's gaze.

"No need." General Le Guin stood up, sparing Morgan from her fate. "I thank you for introducing me to an amusing parlor game, but alas, it is time for us to return to work. I shall prepare your next few tasks shortly. Instructor Valestein, follow me to my office. And…" Her eyes pointed themselves in Morgan's direction. "I would also like to invite Daraen as well."

That sentence caused all eyes to turn to Morgan, which caused the girl to gulp loudly. "Just me, General? Why?"

"Your questions will be answered in due time. Come."

Morgan uneasily looked at the rest of her group members. "I'm not in trouble…am I?"

"Maybe she wants to apologize for throwing you onto the ground?" Emma asked optimistically.

"If the Golden Rakshasa were to apologize for something like that, then we really would be in the end times," Jusis replied drily.

At least she wouldn't be going alone. The entire journey from the canteen, Morgan made sure to stick by her instructor's side, walking close by her as they followed the silver-haired general.

"Haha! It's like you're the baby duckling trying to stick close to its parents!" Sara joked.

Morgan was less than amused. "You're laughing. The Golden Rakshasa specifically called for me with no explanation…and you're laughing?"

"Hey, you gotta keep that chin up! I thought you'd be more excited at getting to see the office of a strong female commander!" Her instructor tried to lighten the mood by patting her on the back, paying no mind to the curious gazes of passing provincial army officers. "Where'd our budding tactician of Class VII run off to?"

"Oh? You wish to be a tactician, Daraen?" General Le Guin interjected.

"Yes, ma'am…"

"Then what do you say to coming to work under me after your graduation?"

"Wh-What?!" Morgan was completely blindsided by the sudden proposition. "Please, don't joke about these sorts of things, General."

"I do not recall stuttering," the general replied without hesitating, confirming that she was being one-hundred percent serious.

"Oh, no!" Sara quickly threw up her arms to defend Morgan. "No way are you gonna scout my students and think you can get away with it! She's still got a life ahead of her!"

"Connections are just as important as individual merit. To draw from my personal experience, when one of my father's closest friends married his daughter to another noble, I was the flower girl for their wedding."

The thought of a young Aurelia Le Guin tossing flower petals down an alley caused both Morgan and Sara to snort, which did not go unnoticed by the general.

"If that amuses you, then perhaps you will find the next part even more so," she said sternly, promptly wiping the smiles off of both their faces. "Because the noble that his daughter was wed to…would eventually gain the moniker of 'Radiant Blademaster.'"

"Radiant Blademaster… No way!" Morgan gasped loudly. "Viscount Arseid?!"

"Indeed. At the time, he recognized my talent for swordplay and invited me to come join the Arseid school when I was older. Naturally, after succeeding my father as Countess Le Guin, I came knocking on the door of the Arseid training hall and asked to study under him. The rest after that is history."

Instructor Sara whistled. "That's some connections. Never would've guessed it."

"It's…it's an honor to receive this offer," Morgan said, finally finding the right words to respond.

"But the mock battle we had earlier today showed me that there's still a lot that I need to learn about tactics. I'd prefer to wait until after graduation before coming to my decision, if that is alright with you."

"So be it. A warrior's greatest weapon is patience." General Le Guin finally stopped. "We have arrived."

They had finally reached the commander's office, which was blocked by a set of double doors. The general opened it to reveal that the room was very luxuriously decorated. It looked like it was taken straight out of a room from Karel Imperial Villa with a giant window overlooking the sea.

"This is certainly different from the command post at Garrelia Fortress…" Morgan thought out loud.

"I am a noble, first and foremost; anything less than this and I run the risk of growing soft." She turned to some of the officers in the room, who had all saluted upon her entry. "At ease, gentlemen. I would like to talk to these two in private, if you would be so kind."

The officers all promptly cleared the room just as she ordered, leaving the three of them alone.

"Allow me to get straight to the point," the general began. "I just received word that the reigning lord of this province will return to Ordis later this afternoon."

"What?!" Sara looked surprised. "I thought you said the chances of him coming back were almost zero!"

"I myself was made aware of this only recently. His Lordship is like the sea, ever changing and tumultuous. But even putting that aside, this puts your class in a precarious position. I myself still advocate for Class VII's freedom during their field study, but the duke can easily override whatever feelings I have with a direct order. This is why I believe it is in our best interests for Class VII to remain at the fortress until the evening."

"You want to keep us holed up here where you can monitor us, is what you're saying."

"You can feel free to interpret whatever that means, Instructor Valestein."

"Um…" Morgan raised her hand. "Is there a reason why everyone else in Class VII isn't here to hear about this?"

"It was my understanding that you are the group's leader next to Instructor Valestein. As such, I chose you to act as their representative." The general narrowed her eyes. "Am I wrong?"

"Well…"

"Hey, take ownership for yourself!" Sara hissed at her. "She's giving you a chance to speak your mind!"

Morgan looked back at General Le Guin, who was meeting her with expectant eyes. The pressure she was feeling from the older woman was overwhelming, far eclipsing what she felt when she stood up to Lieutenant General Walter one month prior. At that time, she had the urgency of the situation giving her adrenaline and the support of her friends. Now? She was practically all on her own, considering her instructor was also looking to how she would respond.

How could someone like her hope to meet a challenge posed by an opponent that was as powerful and domineering as the Golden Rakshasa? She searched through her mental catalog of her father's words, hoping to find the right saying to help raise her spirits. But it proved to no avail. Her knees were getting weak…"

"Is that all you got, Morgs?"

'What?'

Instead of a memory from her distant past, her mind flashed back to right to the night right before the field study, when she and a certain trickster had one last Blade match together…

…

"Lost again…" she bemoaned. "I thought for sure I had you that time…"

"Hey, like my grandfather always said..."

"There's no way to know how a duel is going to end until the last card gets played. I know, I know..." Morgan pouted. "But it's still so frustrating, you know that?"

"Oh, I totally understand. My grandfather taught me everything a guy could know except how to beat him. Never managed to snag a win whenever he got serious."

"Not even once?"

"Nope." Crow stood up and stretched his arms. "And unfortunately, he took that secret with him to the grave."

"Oh..." Morgan frowned. "I'm...sorry to hear that."

"Nah, don't be. I've had a lot of years to get over it." Crow looked out the window, his expression becoming sullen. "Like I said, he made sure to teach me everything a guy could ever know before he passed. I mean, I lost my mom and dad early, so there wasn't a whole lot else he could've done."

"You…lost your parents, too?" Morgan was stunned at how nonchalantly he revealed that tidbit of information. But more importantly, she began to feel sympathetic towards Crow. 'Just like…'

But before she could finish that thought, a big hand suddenly placed itself on her head and started ruffling her hair. "H-Hey! Trickster!"

Crow laughed while grinning at her annoyed expression. "Come on, missing a couple family members isn't exactly new in Class VII. Heck, I'm pretty sure Gaius is the only person in our class with a perfectly functioning pair of birth parents."

"Still…"

"Hey. Don't be getting soft on me now." He leaned down to Morgan's face level and whispered, "You still need to find out my secret, don't you?"

Morgan nodded. "I haven't forgotten about our promise."

Crow chuckled. "You're a smart kid, Morgs. But you're gonna need a lot more than just some notes in an outdated textbook if you want to beat me at my own game."

Letting out a loud snort, Morgan placed both her hands on Crow's wrist. "My father's tactics are not outdated!"

Crow raised both of his hands in defense. "Hey, I never said it was a bad thing! No need to get so defensive about it. Just a little something to think about during the trip!"

Morgan sighed. The night was indeed getting late, and she really needed to get ready for bed. "I'll let you off the hook this time, but I'm not giving up!" She defiantly pointed her index finger at his chest. "I'll get you one of these days, just you wait!"

"Ha! Looking forward to that!

As Morgan passed him on the way up the stairs, she heard him mutter, "So don't lose to anyone until you beat me, you hear?"

…

What she needed right now wasn't guidance… What she needed was a reason to keep pushing forward.

The way Crow's face playfully pushed her to keep going, provoking her to give nothing but her very best… It had irked her at first, but the more she pictured it, the more a strange warmth she had never experienced before began to well up within her.

Morgan took a deep breath and met the general's gaze. "I'm not sure where you heard about me being a leader, but Class VII comes to their decisions as a group. And based on that, I can most definitely say that they won't take well to this arrangement. I know I cannot speak for Lamare, but we've had our fair share of grievances with the provincial army in the past. They've tried to arrest us on several of our field studies, and in the case of Machias and Jusis, they actually succeeded."

"Oh?" General Le Guin raised an eyebrow. "Now that's an interesting tale if I've ever heard one."

"I'm not all that surprised. You said so yourself: first and foremost, you are a noble, and as is always the case in a hierarchical system, the whispers at the top don't always carry to the bottom. Perhaps this alliance His Lordship is trying to form isn't as united as you might imagine."

"Ohhh…" Instructor Sara covered her mouth with her palm.

Okay, admittedly, maybe she went a little overboard with that last part.

The general narrowed her eyes intensely at Morgan. "How very bold of you to insinuate such notions of collusion," she spoke with a harsh undertone.

But Morgan refused to buckle down. "I didn't hear a denial, either…"

Aurelia's face remained as still as ever. She and Morgan were locked in silent combat for what felt like an eternity.

"Then what do you propose, Morgan Daraen?" the general finally asked.

At long last, her opponent was beginning to yield. Now to press the counterattack!

"As far as I remember, Marquis Ballad mentioned that we would be subject to severe penalties should we get in the way of the provincial army. And if one specific member was to get caught sniffing her nose where it doesn't belong, we would be forcibly driven from the province."

"Millium Orion…"

"I understand why you would prefer to keep us where you can monitor us. Millium on her own is a walking security risk for the Intelligence Division. But I must also ask: wouldn't keeping her in this fortress be an even more significant security risk?"

"That child may be a member of the Intelligence Division…" Aurelia replied. "But she is only a child at the end of the day."

"Yes, but if there's one thing you must remember about children, it's that they get bored," Morgan countered. "Millium can be naive, but she isn't stupid; she has enough experience to read between the lines. You can try to keep Millium here, but if you think you can contain her for an entire afternoon without something going wrong, then you are terribly mistaken. All it takes is for someone to look away for one second, and…whoops! There's suddenly a hyperbolic rabbit loose in the fortress! Good luck trying to pin her down; even Instructor Sara has run into trouble reining her in."

"Yup. Can confirm." Instructor Sara raised her hand, reminding everyone that she was still there.

Morgan sighed melodramatically. "Oh, if only there was some sort of event going on in Ordis right now that facilitates a need for extra hands…"

"Hmm… So that's your approach…" the general muttered. "It just so happens that there is an exchange program currently being held at St. Coraline's Academy, featuring guests from all across the Empire. And very soon, several of them will branch off into groups to explore the city. Some of my men will be dispatched to the city to provide security. What does your group of six have to provide?"

"A safety net of insurance," Morgan confidently replied. "We've been doing this sort of work for almost six months now. We may not have the home field advantage, but we did spend the whole day yesterday becoming familiar with the city, as you requested. I think we're more or less familiar with the territory. And besides…" She paused briefly for dramatic effect. "What better insurance is there than to have the people who valiantly defended Heimdallr against the Imperial Liberation Front on the scene?"

It was small, but the corners of the general's lips were starting to curve upwards. "You strike a convincing bargain, Morgan Daraen. You came into this room appearing unsure of your standing, and now you are brimming with confidence. The spirit of Thors has not yet been lost yet, it appears."

"Well, it sure wasn't the provincial army or the Railway Military Police that rescued Princess Alfin during the Summer Festival. If having the royal family's seal of approval isn't enough to win the trust of your men, then frankly, I don't know what will." Morgan placed her right hand over her chest and bowed with her left arm outstretched. "I rest my case, General."

"...And that basically sums up what you guys are gonna be doing for the rest of the afternoon!" said Instructor Sara.

"'Goodwill ambassadors' of the provincial army…" Machias grumbled. "So we're still going to have to work for them."

"Personally, I find it a much more suitable alternative than what amounts to house arrest in a military stronghold," Jusis added. "Once was already enough."

"Woohoo!" Millium cheered in agreement. "Can't wait to get out of this stuffy place!"

"This all sounds similar to how we worked together with the RMP during the Heimdallr Summer Festival," Gaius remarked. "In which case, we're already used to this line of work."

"We need to make sure to thank Morgan for standing up for us…" Emma turned to where Morgan was and gasped loudly. "M-Morgan?!"

Their friend was slumped against one side of the canteen wall, her head hanging over and the color almost completely drained from her face. The lighting of the room almost made her entire body appear completely blue.

"Guess all the pressure must've finally caught up with her," Sara remarked as Emma ran forward to check on her. "But man, you guys should've seen her! Talking to the Golden Rakshasa like she was having the time of her life!"

"I know the point of these field studies is to encourage us to make decisions at our own discretion…" Machias commented. "But surely you could have provided a little bit of help?

"Call it an instructor's intuition. The moment I saw her dare to try was when I knew I didn't need to intervene. Sure, I could've stepped in, being the responsible adult that I am…" Sara deliberately ignored the skeptical glares her students were directing at her. "But this is still your field study, and with that comes many chances to put yourself out there. Each encounter you make has the potential to become something greater; I can't exactly take those opportunities away from you, can I?"

"That certainly is understandable…" Gaius muttered. "My chance encounter with a traveling priest was one of the catalysts that drove me to seek education outside of Nord."

"It's entirely plausible that the general saw potential in Daraen," Jusis said. "In which case, the rest of us would do well not to fall behind."

The students felt more motivated than ever to see their field study through to the end. Morgan helped to set the stage; now it was up to them to finish the job. Sara went to work assigning them each to one of the districts.

"And as for you…" Sara's eyes drifted to a still unresponsive Morgan. "How long are you going to keep mumbling to yourself in the corner?"

"Ehehehe…" Morgan slowly opened her eyes, revealing that she had been conscious for a while. "You got me."

"How long were you up?"

Morgan rubbed her eyes and stretched her shoulders. "The first thing I remember is Emma watching over me, so around there."

"Then you know what we're gonna be doing for the afternoon. If you want, I can ask the Egrets to look after you until you feel better."

"I-I'll be fine…" Morgan clumsily stood up from the bench, rubbing her temple with her fingers. "Gimme a few minutes. I'll be ready to go in a bit."

"How about this? Once we get back to Ordis, you head on over to the Egrets to see if they have any news about Duke Cayenne. If they have any urgent requests for us, let me or someone else know. If not, then you can move around at your own discretion." Sara winked at her student. "Who knows? Maybe you might find Her Highness along the way."

The mention of her friend gave Morgan a jolt of energy. She had almost forgotten the reason why she wanted to be in the city in the first place. But how would she go about searching for her? Even if her friend was the princess, it would still be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Oh well. She could worry about that later.

"Hey, Instructor?"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't make a fool of myself in front of the general, did I?"

Sara burst out laughing. "Haha! As if! You forgot already? Sure, you were smiling the whole time, but that was because you had her wrapped around your finger!"

Morgan blinked. "I was…smiling?"

"The general said so herself! You were brimming with confidence! A perfect showcase of the Thors spirit in action."

Morgan's hands instinctively reached up to feel her mouth and cheeks, even when she knew it was pointless to check at this point.

"I didn't even realize it…" she muttered to herself.

…

It took about half an hour for Class VII's vessel to return to the Ordis harbor. With their objectives confirmed, all the members of Group B dispersed to their own districts. Since ARCUS functionality was enabled in the city, they could all call on each other should they need additional assistance. In that way, even though they were going their separate ways for the moment, they were still connected.

Morgan walked a short distance to North Street and made a beeline to the Egret estate. The lunch rush had already passed, so there weren't many people surrounding the Sea Breeze Inn. She waved her hand at Strauss, the elderly man who ran the orbal factory.

"Morgan, was it? You wouldn't happen to have a twin, do you?"

The question posed by the old man caused Morgan to halt abruptly. "Beg your pardon?"

"I thought I saw someone with your haircut walking around the street with some other girls in uniforms. I'm just double checking to make sure old age isn't getting to me."

That somewhat concerned her. Morgan may have had memory problems, but she was one-hundred percent sure that she was an only child. Just to be sure, she turned around and asked, "Did you see her face?"

"That's the tricky part, you see…" Strauss said. "I couldn't see her face, but that was because she was wearing a mask shaped like butterfly wings."

Morgan gasped loudly. Did he just say what she thought she heard? "Was she wearing a maid outfit?"

"I was in the middle of work, so I wasn't really paying attention," Strauss admitted, "but I think she was. Maybe she was one of the group member's servants?"

"Was there a girl with blonde hair in that group?!" Morgan half-shouted.

"Hold your horses, girl. What's gotten you excited all of a sudden?" Strauss said. "I didn't see any blonde hair or whatever. But back to my question…"

Morgan's mind was racing several selge an hour. There was someone who not only looked like her but was also wearing her mask and uniform? And Princess Alfin was nowhere in sight? This looked like a recipe for disaster. But Strauss was looking for an answer, so she replied, "No, I don't have a twin. Do you know where they went?"

"I think they went in that direction. One of them mentioned visiting the Egrets."

"Perfect! Thanks!" Morgan bolted to her destination, determined to find the truth behind this mysterious doppelganger.

When Morgan reached the Egret residence, she tapped her fist on the door. She expected Setsuna to answer the door in a few seconds, but half a minute passed and there was still no response. Odd.

Morgan knocked on the door again, this time a little louder. Still no response.

"Excuuuse me! Is anyone in?" she shouted loudly.

The silence continued.

"Maybe all of them went out…?" Morgan decided to check the door knob just to make sure. To her shock, she was able to twist it all the way, indicating that it was unlocked.

Welp. Too late to turn back now. "Sorry for the intrusion…"

Morgan gently entered the Egret mansion, taking care to close the door behind her. As she had anticipated, no one was in the living room.

And yet, she couldn't quite shake the feeling that she was being watched…

"HEEHEEHEE…"

Morgan gasped softly. A familiar chill shot up her spine like an assassin's dagger, closely followed by the sound of laughter ringing in her ears. She clutched her elbows, shivering at the sudden feeling of her curse. 'But how?! I'm not feeling negative at all!'

But just as quickly as it came, the chill stopped. Maybe it was just her imagination? No, she was sure it wasn't…

"Hello, Morgan. A pleasure to see you at this hour."

If Morgan hadn't already been so shaken from her curse flaring up, she would've jumped out of her boots. Setsuna the maid had made her presence known, almost as if she had appeared out of thin air.

"S-Setsuna! Hey!" Morgan stammered. "Sorry I came in on my own. I wasn't sure if there was anyone inside."

"We were all entertaining some guests upstairs, so we weren't able to hear you at the door. Many apologies for that."

"So that explains it…"

"But actually, your timing is most impeccable," Setsuna continued. "It just so happens that we have a special request for Class VII…"

"Actually, we're a bit preoccupied ourselves." Morgan went on to relay all the events that had transpired at Juno Naval Fortress.

"So Duke Cayenne will be returning by sea vessel."

"Somehow, you don't sound surprised."

"We anticipated this outcome, even though the odds of it were still slim. But still, negotiating with the Golden Rakshasa for an early return to Ordis is no small accomplishment." Setsuna then muttered under her breath, "Did she anticipate this as well?"

"I can forward the request you have to the others if you want. Mind filling me in on what it is?"

Morgan started pulling out her ARCUS, but was stopped by Setsuna shaking her head. "No need," she responded. "You alone should be enough. Come upstairs with me."

"R-Really? But aren't you hosting guests at the moment? I wouldn't want to intrude."

"This group of guests is rather…unique." Setsuna giggled to herself. "You'll see what I mean."

As Morgan followed Setsuna up the right set of stairs, she remembered the other reason she had sought out the Egrets. "Oh, yeah. I've been meaning to ask: Strauss told me that there was someone who looked like me wearing a butterfly mask and a maid outfit. Did you see anyone like that around?"

"A butterfly mask and a maid outfit…" Setsuna hummed to herself. "That's an odd combination to be wearing in public, don't you think?"

"No, it's not!" Morgan said instinctively. Upon realizing her sudden outburst, she stammered, "Er, I mean, you didn't answer my question!"

Setsuna giggled to herself, clearly having a bit too much fun toying with Morgan. Was she always like this, Morgan wondered, or did she only let this side of her show because her masters weren't around?

Regardless of what Morgan thought, Setsuna's only response was to knock on the door leading to an upstairs room and call out, "I've brought Morgan, my lord."

Count Egret's voice was the first to be heard. "Excellent. Come in."

Immediately afterwards, right before Setsuna could turn the doorknob, Morgan could faintly make out some other voices, all young and distinctly female.

"Did she just say 'Morgan'?!"

"You're not referring to…that one, are you?"

"How did you manage to find her this quickly?"

Setsuna opened the door and motioned for Morgan to step inside. When she did, she was met with five pairs of expectant eyes, all of whom were people she knew.

Two pairs belonged to Theodore and Suzanne Egret. To be expected, as this was their home.

Three pairs belonged to a group of students from St. Astraia Girls' School. These included the student council president Carmine Baruna and first year students Elise Schwarzer and Lea Eros.

But the person whose attention Morgan was fully directed towards was neither of them, for there was in fact a sixth person in the room. The only reason she didn't have a pair of eyes to stare at her with was because this person was wearing a mask. To be specific, the same butterfly mask Morgan herself had worn when she was Princess Alfin's attendant. It was almost as if Morgan was staring at a complete reflection of herself, enough for her to wonder if she really did have an identical twin somewhere and her father didn't mention it.

…At least, until Morgan looked tilted her head slightly downwards. Though the imposter Morgan had certainly pulled off a convincing disguise right down to wearing the same uniform, there was one area where the two of them differed. It wasn't a detail that most would notice at first glance, but upon seeing them together in the same room, the discrepancy was all too clear.

'Freaking. Genetics.'

"This is cutting it close, don't you think?" Lea hissed at the imposter Morgan.

"It's alright, Lea," the not-Morgan said. "As fun as it was, I think it's time I ended this little masquerade."

The masked Morgan made her way over to where the real Morgan was and introduced herself with a curtsy. "It's been a long time, Butterfly Maid. Sorry I had to steal your uniform. But it was necessary for the greater good."

"You are…"

Slowly, the girl took off the butterfly mask to reveal a face that was much different than Morgan's. A flawless, unscarred face with unmistakable lilac-colored eyes and a smile that contained an enduring trace of cunning. Then, she proceeded to do the unthinkable by peeling off her hair, revealing it to be a wig that concealed a head of mint green hair tied up in a bun.

"Mildine," Morgan realized.

"Got it in one!" the green-haired girl said excitedly. "Come sit with us! We have SO much to catch up on~"