Eostia: Harem Quest

by EostianScribe

The Gods have given mortals the power of The Gamer as a pass time. A hobby. A means to compete and relax. One goddess, however, sees it as a means of salvation; starting with one world. As such, she rolls the dice... (Harem, Citrus and Eventual Dark Content Warning)

55. Act II-Ch XXXI: Sudden But Inevitable

[ - Author's Note - ]

So... Twenty-two thousand words. No, it's not a combat chapter; or at least not a heavy one. That said... Things happen. This will be the last chapter in Rad with Maia, save the Interlude chapter of course.

What I will say is that when it comes to House Insidiae... Let's just say say the aim for them is to make House Adelle looks normal in comparison.

Do I pull it off?

Let's find out, shall we?

[ - Act II - Chapter XXXI: Sudden But Inevitable - ]

One of the few Trials by War in Eostia was between The County of Xenera, led by the Traditionalist House Insidiae, and the Barony of Hopkins, led by abolitionist House Daphne, taking place at around 878 AF. The spark was when Kendra Insidiae was kidnapped by operatives, later found to be hired by House Daphne, and sold to slavers in Caul and wouldn't be recovered for three years. The reasons was as a means to force her father, Count Axel Insidiae, to confront the effects slavery had on people. Nobility being nobility it was fully lost on them. When House Insidiae demanded a Trial by War House Daphne was told, in no uncertain terms, that if they refused they would be deposed and executed to the last member for what was done to Kendra.

House Daphne decided a small chance was better then no chance, even against a more powerful foe. By the rules of the Trial of War both sides had a full month to prepare themselves allowing both sides, Daphne in particular, to raise more numbers for their armies and prepare. Being heavily outnumbered House Daphne prepared to wage an asymmetrical war; instead of allowing for a head on fight they instead used prepared defenses such as wooden spears hidden in grass that were lifted up to slay horses and their riders, forest side ambushes, leading Insidiae forces into dry grass soaked with oils and set alight and many other tactics that while not honorable did much to even the odds they faced.

One of the most notable events, however, was that two of Axel Insidiae's most trusted commanders, John K. Zanderbelt and Victoria Congress, would betray their lord at the Battle of Wendy Flats; slaying him, his heir Thomas and his spare Henrietta, dealing a massive blow to House Insidiae's forces and nearly achieving a victory for House Daphne. In spite of this Daniel Insidiae would rise to occasion he was thrust into, retreating and regrouping his forces before engaging House Daphne in a fighting retreat, bleeding their strength before going into a full counterattack.

In the end House Insidiae would win; beheading all of House Daphne... Save a few that were rumored to escape; young Joseph and Lina Daphne were left unaccounted for until they reappeared, having been smuggled to neighboring Coxworth by loyal retainers. One of the few adult survivors would be Alexandria Daphne who, at the time, was married into the Minor House of Wayne and took the children in. When she was widowed due to his sickness she, her two children, Joseph and Lina would restart House Daphne, although as city nobles.

Xenera would absorb Hopkins as part of it's territory as Daniel would begin to focus on recovering from the war; it lasted over two years by the end of it and his own house was gutted. His sister Kendra was no longer alive; as House Daphne gained momentum she would hang herself in fear of being made a slave once more. What was left of House Insidiae besides himself was his mother, Ronda, sisters Rey and Sarah as well as his cousin Lisa. He would keep his family close to him and would claim to use maids to birth new children into the house but raised by his female family.

Indeed; it is tradition now for House Insidiae's leader to not marry and instead take a slave or maid to impregnate, give birth and then have the child be raised by a female member of the family. However over the course of it's history Insidiae would become a bit... Odd. Two hundred years after imposing slavery on it's captured territory Nicolas Insidiae would end the practice in the territory... Then restart it twenty three years later... Only to end it nine years later...

Indeed from then on the status of slavery would flip and flop back and forth as if it was a flavor. While Xenera is (As of this writing, anyway) a slave state and House Insidiae is (As of this writing, once more) a Traditionalist ally it has been unreliable in both positions and, as such, leading most slave traders to avoid the region altogether and few within keep slaves. The ruling Count or (Rarely) Countess of Xenera is often considered paranoid and odd. Indeed a vote in the Council of Lords of whether or not to depose House Insidiae was planned but delayed when Garan attacked for the first time. Their contributions to the first incursion, arguably, spared them from such dismissal.

Even so calls for dismissal are made now and then with their Traditionalist allies being one of the few things shielding them from it, the other being the foes of the Traditionalists seem to think House Insidiae was more of a liability to the Traditionalists then a help.

Still, if I may allow myself a moment to write an opinion as opposed to a normal, historical fact I think the question isn't 'if' House Insidiae will be removed but rather 'when' as well as 'how'.

~Dominic James Pencraft, The Eostia Historia

[-]

We went nearly due south of Alcanth when we left, crossed the Aladan Bridge over a river and with hills to our west rode down towards the Capital of Xenera, Raven Leer City. The ride only took a little over a couple of days and was mostly cozy. Interestingly enough Terra would ride with us on the second day; mostly talking with Miria but asking me the odd thing as well. She retained some of her grouchiness but was civil and, while it took awhile, did ask about her mother.

Both myself and Miria talked about what had happened with her after Terra had left the manor with a few, odd stories. It was then another of our carriages occupants, Riri, began talking about how she trained under her and how they had similar backgrounds. It was easy to forget that Sora was half dark elf... Kinda... Sorta...

Sora's mother was human but she herself was almost a full blooded elf in terms of physiology. It was something that rarely happened with elven/human offspring; most of the time you got a half elf but in rare occasions (No one knew how often but less than one percent of the time was the estimate) the offspring was a near full blooded elf or full blooded human. The cases were rarely documented because of this; doubly so when it happened in Garan. The term used for these sort of people were 'full half elves' and Terra herself was simply called a 'half elf' because...

Things would get over complicated otherwise.

Interestingly in Garan where Sora came from such a distinction almost didn't matter; nearly full blooded or not she was dubbed a 'halfborne' which by itself was just a term... But would be said with the same sort of callousness one might have at calling a Latino a 'wet back'.

Hint; it's considered to be an impolite term.

Raven Leer was a... rather heavily fortified city. Like overly so in some cases. For starters there were four sets of walls, fifty, sixty, seventy and eighty feet around the city (Bare stone), all with towers. Each gate had a drawbridge with a pit of iron spikes under where they dropped... each forty feet deep. The idea of tackling this city in a siege must induce nightmares in military planners. More over the amount of land covered was semi nuts too; it included four different large farms within the walls... And that was before getting into the castle.

Planted on a hill, surrounded by a moat that was fifty feet wide with another fifty feet of space separating it from any building beyond guard houses the castle bore another three walls that were sixty, seventy and eighty feet tall (Also bare stone), all with towers and a keep that bore one hundred and twenty foot towers; one in each corner. I wondered where all this stone came from. More over why did House Insidiae build this much defense? The first layer of city and castle walls were Imperium era, as was the keep but the other walls plus the keep's towers were all built after the Xenera/Hopkins Trial War. The only foreign nation nearby was the Rycall Republic; an ally that was right next door. Balanar was quite a distance away as was Nyrau. In addition Garan was on the other side of the kingdom.

It was often accredited to the general paranoia of House Insidiae; they were known for having no real friends, few trading partners and 'allies' that they weren't close with. Regardless, over the gates was a massive carving of the House Insidiae Banner; It was a knight's shield with a flat top that went straight down half way before curving to a point. Green stripes down the middle vertically and horizontally cut the banner into quarters. The upper left had a yellow background with a brown griffin silhouette on it with a blue eye. The upper right bore a dark blue background and bore a white pegasus silhouette with a cyan eye.

The lower left bore a red background and held a treasure chest of brown planks, brass trim and going coins in it. Finally the lower right bore a dark purple background and held a dark gold crown with red, rounded jewels set about it and a scepter under it; the same color with silver designs on it and rounded jewels around the head. It was an... interesting mish-mash of imagery. This emblem was made after the defeat of House Daphne with Daniel making it in the honor of his surviving family; the crown and scepter for his mother, the chest for his cousin and the two, winged beasts for his sisters.

Once in the walls of Raven Leer City we, like usual, moved right to the Adventurer's Guild first. The usual would happen; talk to the receptionist, make nice, go to the roof and find a good spot, screw it down and we were good. Which means...

[(⸜∕ ) Place Booster in Xenera]

[Quest Complete: Boosting Rad]
[Gain 3000 XP]
[+1 to All Stats]

Ahhhh... Stats... That meant Constitution and Agility were both at sixty and ready for the Class Upgrade and the rest were a little closer. Nice. Now came the debate as we moved to the carriages as I asked the question. "Do we go to Castle Xenera and ask for hospitality?" I asked the collected group.

"Ughhh, do we have'ta?" Maia let off with a sigh, asking with all the enthusiasm of a child told to eat her broccoli. "I mean... They're a weird bunch over there... Super weird..." She let off... And I had no reason to think she was lying; the Shield Princesses were expected to know the local lords to at least a decent degree... So I could trust her on this opinion.

"Anyone else here deal with House Insidiae?" I asked as the collected Ruby Roses squirmed. After a moment Esmerie spoke up.

"Enough to not want to... But I do have to point out something..." She said with a sigh as her ears flattened down. "They are a paranoid bunch... If we ask for hospitality they might think we're up to something and take offense while never showing it... If we leave before asking for hospitality they might take offense and think we're planning something against them." That was... something to consider as well. We could be in a bit of an odd situation here thanks to their paranoia...

"Beg your pardon." We heard, turning to see a blonde woman walking to me in a very official looking outfit. She bore shoulder blade length hair pulled back into a ponytail and blue eyes. She wore black pants tucked into black boots and a navy, blue skirt that hung just past the knees as well as a bit of an apron like cover over the front; white with some vertical blue stripes and white gloves. The main thing was her coat; it looked like something pulled from the Napoleonic era; navy blue and falling to the calves it was open over the legs and closed over the torso with double, brass buttons that extended down the length of the front. Epaulettes were on each shoulder with tassels, all gold with more gold tassels along the bottom trim of the jacket. Over the end of the left sleeve was a set of gold lines, one over the wrist and one closer to the middle of the forearm while the right sleeve boasted white stripes in the same places but three, red stripes filling the gap between them. "You were speaking of meeting House Insidiae in their home, were you not?"

"Yes, Miss...?" I let off, confused as to who she was.

"Victoria Excelsior-Daphne, Minister of Xenera, at your service." She said, standing with her hands behind her back at attention. "And may I assume you are Lord James Noxdecus and company?"

(-)

Name: Victoria Excelsior-Daphne
Title: Minister of Xenera
Class: Samurai
Level: 31
Alignment: Neutral
Reputation: 37
Status: Healthy, Calm, Thoughtful

Romance Rating: 84
Corruption Rating: 22

Known Traits
[?]
[Sword Master] You are a master of any sword set to your hand. +2 Damage to all one handed swords in your use, +4 Damage to all two handed swords in your use.

[Gunslinger] You have the ability to use pistols as a Secondary Weapon.

Born to a father of House Excelsior and a mother descended from House Daphne she grew up as the niece of the Baron of Ellis. As opposed to becoming a wife of another noble she decided to apply herself in the studies of warfare, swordplay, economics and politics. She would be hired as a bureaucrat of Gold Grail City, capital of the Duchy of Coxworth, before being hired as Minister of the County of Xenera, even as she bore the name of Daphne with pride.

(-)

"I'm sorry; but you're descended from House Daphne?" I let off, blinking at the woman. "I mean given given the history of Houses Daphne and Insidiae I'm surprised you'd be hired as a minister here."

"Indeed, it surprised me too." She said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Regardless; Baron Daniel Insidiae the Fifth is well aware of your arrival and asked that I escort you to their home." Oh. Well then... "I am well aware of the House's... reputation, but they are insisting you visit and enjoy their hospitality."

"Wellllll, shit..." Maia huffed out as I sighed.

"Well then... I guess we're all off to Castle Xenera, aren't we?"

[-]

Later
Northeast Tower, Xenera Castle

"I don't understand..." A man let off, black hair matching the long, thick mustache with wiry ends on his face as he looked to the convoy of carriages heading to their home with pink eyes. "What does Daniel expect to gain from this... invite?" Standing a five foot ten he bore a slight gut but otherwise fit, muscled limbs that was hugged by black pants and a yellow great coat with long coat tails and black trim. Set on his forehead was a set of black goggles with yellow lenses. He stroked his chin as he thought. "Is he planning to use the Noxdecus boy as a pawn? As a cat's paw? Or... Or does he wish alliance? Or to marry Nicole to him? Hmm... That is an option, yes, yes, yes... Well, no, not marrying his cousin to him, no, no, no... More likely she'd be paired with Vander..." He let off, his eye twitching. "Hmm... But mayhaps I can use this? Yes, yes, yes, turn him to my aide, make him my pawn... And then... Then... He he he he he he he... The game is afoot, one and all."

The man turned on his foot to walk to the door to descend down the tower...

And missed the figure in a deep blue cloak as he leapt from the roof of the tower and onto the keep's roof, covered head to toe in slightly loose cloth of the same color; even the head leaving only a pair of gray eyes visible. With a combat art he made the landing with grace and without harm before moving to the end of the keep's roof, leaping once more and landing on a slight balcony, rolling into an open window across the floor and into a kneeling position.

"Well... What have you learned?" Before him, in the empty room was a lone woman wearing a light blue dress with a gold necklace that hung over her shoulders and a pair of gold earrings in each ear. A short, blonde bob hung about her head as brown eyes looked to her operative. She stood some five foot four and looked aged as if she was in her mid-forties.

"Lady Olesia. Ivo seems to be under the impression that Daniel will use the Noxdecus boy against you." The woman chuckled as she smirked turning her back to him as she hummed.

"Does he plan to use the boy as a pawn himself?"

"No, M'Lady." The man in blue said.

"Interesting... Does Ivo have another plan in that overstuffed skull of his? Hmmm..." She let off as she walked to the door. "Let's see how the game plays out, shall we?" She said as she reached the door. "Dismissed." She said as she left, the man nodded before turning to leap out the window once more...

And missing the shimmer as a gray cloth appeared from nowhere, quickly rolled up, folded and tucked under the cloak of a man in gray, loose clothing who glanced about before moving to the other wall, reaching up and giving a soft push to a brick there, a trap door opening under him as he landed in a kneeling position as the door shut.

"The crone didn't notice you, correct?" There before him was a red haired man, green eyes looking to the servant in gray as he smoked softly on a pipe, his beard short and well trimmed and matched the color of the leather gambeson he wore. He was seated in a large chair in the sitting room that was plush and comfortable.

"No, M'Lord. She never knew I was there."

"Excellent...And the report?" The man said as he took a drag on his pipe.

"She thinks Ivo plans to use the Noxdecus lording as a pawn, as does Daniel it seems. She's planning on making him her own pawn in her game."

"Hmmm... Sounds about right for her, yes... Yes." The man said as he sighed. "Leave me... I must consider things."

"Yes Lord Vander." The man said before moving to the window of the room and leaping out as Vander sighed and took a drag of his pipe once more.

"To play the game one must know where the pieces are and will be... Before they are played..." He said, chuckling as he stood up and walked to the door, exiting...

Only for the padding of his chair to be pushed of as a dark red clad man with a matching cloak stood up from under them, quickly replacing the cushions before moving to the fireplace in the room. Glad it was off he crawled inside and pulled a switch, the fireplace spinning him about to the next room, climbing from that fireplace and moving to kneel inside of a small library.

"Huhhhh... Report... Huhhhh..." Before him was an old man standing before a chess board... with three chess boards set next to it in a two by two formation and pressed up into one another with chess pieces of black, white, red, blue, green, yellow, rainbow and tan set on the board in random places, or at least to most they were random; to him they seemed to have meaning. Standing at six foot three he wore a set of full, black colored, plate armor but one with a large, purple, four inch long, four inch wide, two inch deep spell stone set to the breast plate. His head was bald with various, colored splotches about the top of it and the left side of his face, blue eyes looking to him. Over his mouth was an odd, mask like device with a purple, one inch wide, one inch tall, half inch deep spell stone in it's center. The enchantments in both allowed the old man to move with ease and with great power and strength while the stone in his mask helped with his quality of breathing. "Huhhhhh... What have you learned? Huhhhhhh..."

"Lord Jupiter. Ivo, Olesia and Vander all seem to be making plans on using the Noxdecus lad to their own ends."

"Huhhh... Of course they are... Huhhhhh... That's how the game is played, isn't-huhhhhh-it?" Jupiter said with a grin. "Huhhhhh... Well then... Maybe I should re-huhhhhh-mind them who was playing the game-huhhhh-before them..." He said before starting to walk to the door. "Huhhhhh... Dismissed... Huhhhh..."

As the man left the room the red clad man stood and moved back to the fireplace, soon swapping back to the other room... As a purple clad man climbed out of a space between the top of two book shelves near the center of the room, landing on the floor and dashing to another book shelf by the wall. He reached up and pressed in four separate books in an order as the shelf started to lean upwards as he stepped back. Dashing under it he grabbed a pole waiting for him, sliding down it several stories before letting go as it ended, falling past an illusion of a ceiling down to a floor and landing on his feet; a Combat Art used to avoid harm as he knelt down into a war room.

"Ahhhh... That didn't take long..." The man in the room was in his thirties. He wore a green great coat with black sleeves, black pants and a red cape around his shoulders. White boots and gloves were on his feet and hands as he held a glass of wine in his hand. His blonde hair was cut short as was his beard and mustache, blue eyes looking over to the man who dropped into the room as he stood at his full, six foot height, his gold circlet shining in the light of the room. "And?"

"You were correct, my Count." The purple clad man said. "They have all assumed he is a piece in your game."

"Excellent... I look forwards to seeing who will respond first... Those pitiful, pitiful fools..." Count Daniel let off as he smirked wide. "Ensure our guests are well cared for... And watched... Once the plan begins we must be ready to respond."

"And the potions, M'Lord?"

"Mmmm... Don't tamper them yet..." He let off after a moment. "That could tip our hand... No, no... besides, I'm sure Ivo is swapping his for mine... No risk undoing myself... Not while there is a need for it..."

"Of course, M'Lord."

[-]

The courtyard of Castle Xenera was... interesting. There was a series of flower planters along they way to the castle... arranged like a hedge maze with mostly sunflowers in them... And I saw maids spying from them... On the guards... Why were the maids spying on the guards? Were they interested in them? I mean this is Eostia; horny women don't play coy, they walk up to you and tell you, directly or not, 'let's fuck'. And then... I saw a couple guards on a balcony... Spying on the maids...

Okay, second verse same as the first, even in reverse...

And then I saw someone in one of the towers of the outer walls spying on the guards on the balcony... Who were being spied on by maids by another window of the keep who were being spied on by...

What... The fuck is going on? I looked to Victoria and blinked. "Is it just me or is everyone spying on someone in this place?" I asked her as she sighed deeply.

"It's amazing anyone gets anything done in this place." She said with another sigh. "House Insidiae pays well so everyone is will to play 'the spying game', as they like to call it. And yes; I am well paid and yes I do spy as well. I possibly will on you and yours for your stay so I do apologize in advance for the...issues and discomforts I may cause you and yours." I blinked at her some more before she blushed. "It's fun now and then and helps ease the lords... paranoia."

Ease or indulge?

Hoo boy... I am not ready for this shit...

We would arrive in front of the double doors of the keep and stepped out, being led out of our carriages and to the door. I asked Victoria to step in without us for a moment and she went inside I looked over my group and the Roses. "Okay. This House has a weird reputation but they are a noble house with some influence. Try to stay calm, try to not provoke anyone, not smack an idiot in the face and do not split up too much. Someone always stays with someone else, no matter what, got it?" I said, laying it out as everyone started to nod and agree before we walked into the doors. Victoria was awaiting us, hands behind her back in a professional pose as I saw a blonde haired, bearded man in a green greatcoat as he walked down to us, arms wide.

"Ahhh, welcome, welcome! I am Count Daniel Insidiae, fifth of my name! It is so... wonderful to have the rising star of Eostia in my home!" He let off, grinning to me... A false sort of grin, to be frank. "A pleasure to have you here!" He let off as I used Observe on him.

(-)

Name: Daniel Insidiae
Title: [Redacted]
Class: Hero
Level: 29
Alignment: Unknown
Reputation: Unknown
Status: Unknown

Known Traits
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]

[Redacted]

(-)

...

The fuck?

This is... new and I didn't know what to make of it. I was used to question mark titles as a warning but what did a Redacted title mean? Or backstory? Or unknown traits as opposed to question marks? Observe told me a good chunk of who someone was but aside from class and level I got jack shit from it here. Either way I stepped forwards to meet him part way as I tried to contain my worry.

"A pleasure to meet you as well, Count Insidiae-"

"Please, please... Just Daniel will do!" He said as he came close enough to shake hands; specifically the 'grab by the wrist to check for blades' version... That transitioned to him patting up my arms with his other hand. "Really, given your current status there's no reason not to befriend one another's house, yes?" He said... Still checking my sleeve for weapons.

Yes, I was wearing my gambeson that didn't have the ability to deploy blades from the sleeve due to a lack of space. Finally I gently, but firmly, pulled my arm back and shook it twice before speaking. "Indeed. Better to have friends then enemies." I said as I tried not to show annoyance.

"Oh, of course." Daniel said before leaning in and speaking in a low, dark and grim tone. "You keep your enemies closer. Easier to watch them. And give them more enemies. And have sex with them; ever have hate sex? It's fucking amazing."

...

I... I had... I... What do you say to that!?

"Ah, our guest is here!" I heard as another man entered, half strutting over, looking to my confused group and... Errr... He kinda looked like Doctor Eggman... The Jim Carrey one if the Sonic Movie ended with him keeping his hair and just growing the classic mustache; color differences aside. And Daniel's eye twitched a bit; in what I didn't know. "Let me introduce myself; I am the Count's good brother... Sir Ivo Insidiae, at your service." He said, bowing deeply with a hand over his chest and one held out.

Ivo? His name is Ivo? Little on the nose there...

(-)

Name: Ivo Insidiae
Title: [Redacted]
Class: Machinist
Level: 28
Alignment: Unknown
Reputation: Unknown
Status: Unknown

Known Traits
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]

[Redacted]

(-)

...I... The... Twice!? In a row!?

The fuck!?

Okay... This is a bit of unexpected weirdness... I don't get it... [Olivia? Is Observe working correctly?]

[Indeed; I ran a diagnostic after you scanned Daniel. The ability functions as it should. I have... No explanation to this. I apologize.]

Oooooooookay...

Something is... off here... I was already feeling off balance, even as I tried to not show it.

"A pleasure Sir Ivo." I said as he chuckled as the man chuckled and walked up to me and draped an arm over my shoulder in an overly friendly manner, his other hand patting my chest... as if checking for something.

"Ahhhhhh, come now my lad! We need not have titles between new friends!" He let off in an overly friendly manner as I looked over my shoulder. I could only easily see Maia but the look of pity was clear. Very, very clear...

"Riiiiiiight..." I let off slowly as I patted his shoulder as I stepped aside to slide out of his grip. "Well then Ivo-"

"Ah, our guest is here, is he?" I heard as an older woman came down from another hall... Wait, did she... did she just step out just now? I swear I saw a hint of her dress around the corner there... "Permit me to introduce myself; Daniel's Aunt, Olesia Insidiae. I help over see the treasury."

(-)

Name: Olesia Insidiae
Title: [Redacted]
Class: Summoner
Level: 28
Alignment: Unknown
Reputation: Unknown
Status: Unknown

Romance Rating: Unknown
Corruption Rating: Unknown

Known Traits
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]

[Redacted]

(-)

My eye twitched and not just because she grabbed my arm with one hand and had the other patting my thigh. Not feeling me up, as if giving a subtle pat down to check for something. Okay; more redacted and unknown, plus unknown romance and corruption ratings... What... the hell... is going... on here? I could see Miria from the corner of my eye now as she was laughing softly but not in the 'this is hilarious' type of laughing but the awkward 'I don't know what's going or what to do here' laughing as she looked to Cress who was pinching his nose and cringing. Oh god...

Just... Just... just... What in the fuck!?

Once more I gently extracted myself from an Insidiae's grip and before I could say or do anything a set of heavy footsteps came from the stairs. "Huhhhhh... So, our young guest has finally-Huhhhhhh-arrived. That is-Huhhhhh-good to see." I heard as I turned to see... Ummm...

Fantasy, old man Darth Vader, minus the helmet while keeping the mouthpiece and with darker colored patches of skin on his head that I imagined was a sign of his advanced age. I could feel the enchantments on his armor and the fairly sizable and high quality spell stone set to the front of his armor; I had to imagine that those enchantments acted to make his armor into a magical form of a powered exoskeleton. While I knew it was possible it wasn't really done; one reason was it difficult to balance the empowering spells to help the user even move in the armor and balancing the weight of it to ensure enough protection.

The problem was these enchantments worked to boost strength but limited the speed and mobility of the user due to, for lack of a better term, input lag which would render the wearer slower and less agile making them a target for powerful spells and attacks. You couldn't use the same kind of spell as a prosthetic limb as that more or less took the place of a limb's nervous system and used a stone to, for lack of a better term, talk to the rest of the limb that was still there. Attempting to use such a spell on armor with a normal arm still in it created, for lack of better term once more, cross-talk that would cause jittery motions, inaccurate movements and even reflexes doing nothing or overdoing it and risking doing things like smacking yourself in the face when you flinched at a loud noise.

This meant other enchantments had to be made for it and so far no one came up with anything that worked well enough and anyone using them is stuck with the input lag and required something to mitigate the lack of mobility. Of course if you stack on heavier armor that would limit the strength gained, requiring a more powerful spell stone which made it more expensive which was the other reason it wasn't done; even for nobility such an armor would be expensive; as in 'just buy Mana Armor' expensive.

Of course if you were a frail old man who had troubles moving anyway the limitations were acceptable to gain the benefits. I had the implication that he was smiling but I couldn't tell under his mask... Nor how honest that smile would be if one was there. "Huhhhhh... It's good to see-huhhhhh-a young man so dedicated to the-huhhhhh-enchanting arts. I am-huhhhhh-Daniel's Grand Uncle Jupiter. A-huhhhhhhh--pleasure..."

Oh hey, he didn't grab me out of the blue, how ni-

Wait...

I just felt some odd mana wash over me... Did he use some spell or part of his armor to scan me? I... What... What is with these people!?

(-)

Name: Jupiter Insidiae
Title: [Redacted]
Class: Knight
Level: 28
Alignment: Unknown
Reputation: Unknown
Status: Unknown

Known Traits
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]

[Redacted]

(-)

Okay, not surprised anymore... Mostly... Still found this all to be very weird though...

"A pleasure, Jupiter." I said, smiling as I tried to keep my composure. I mostly did. Mostly.

"Huhhhhh... The pleasure is as I--Huhhhhhhh-said mine." He wheezed out with a chuckle. "Huhhhhh... Perhaps you'd like to speak on-"

"Ahh, our guest is here!" I heard as I saw another person walking in from a back hall... I think? I... I didn't really see. He was a redhead in leather gambeson as he walked up to me and grinned, clapping me on both shoulders firmly as he then, moved his hands to pat down my arms for a moment. "I am Vander Insidiae! Daniel's cousin!" He said with a large grin. Too large a grin.

(-)

Name: Vander Insidiae
Title: [Redacted]
Class: Samurai
Level: 28
Alignment: Unknown
Reputation: Unknown
Status: Unknown

Known Traits
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]

[Redacted]

(-)

"N-nice to meet you." I said as I stepped back from him, trying to maintain my composure and semi-succeeding at it.

"Come!" Vander barked our with a grin. "Let us retire for some tea and-"

"If I may inject." Victoria said as the room turned to look at her. "Lord Noxdecus and his party have traveled quite a bit. Perhaps we should assign quarters first, grant refreshments second and then speak with him." I was grateful for her intervention; I needed a moment to consider... a lot of things here and regain my composure.

"As she said. Let's have the maids help get things moved, shall we?" Daniel said, clapping his hands twice.

Nothing happened.

He clapped them twice more, firmer then before.

Nothing happened. After a moment Cress coughed slightly.

"Sire..." Victoria began. "All the maids are... occupied with your... directions." Victoria pointed out in a soft, annoyed tone.

"Ah... yes. Of course. I knew that." The Count said without a hint of shame. "We'll have the guards do-"

"They are also carrying out your directions."

I gave a long, long, long sigh.

These guys made the Adelles look sane and normal by comparison.

[-]

Victoria, at my request, made sure everyone had at least one roommate if not two and we brought our own stuff in. Maia and Makoto, in particular, were roomed with me, Miria with Aeris and Riri, Cress with Ur'Akara and Esmerie and so on. And yes; Cress was sharing a room with Ur'Akara and Esmerie while I shared one with Maia and Makoto; I was too worried about the 'maybes' to split up people too much regardless of gender and wanted a well balanced trio in each room in case shit turned sour.

I knew House Insidiae had a reputation but not like this.

While I wanted to just hole up in my quarters until the morning came I knew I had to play nice with them. So Maia and Makoto joined me in a sitting room as my guards on the third story of the keep with a balcony overlooking the back courtyard. I made sure to check the tea and snacks with Detect Toxin, just in case... As did Olesia, as Daniel and Vander (Subtly) sprinkled something into their cup and watched it for a time before moving to sip it. Jupiter scanned it with his armor and Ivo used a spoon he took out of his coat and stirred his tea... And it was a gold colored spoon with small, rice sized spell stones at the top and one flashed before he moved to sip his tea.

Well... Okay then... I mean a little paranoia about your drink isn't unreasonable (I'd be a hypocrite if I said otherwise, plus I have first hand experience with attempted poisoning; three attempts even!) but that all five felt the need to make their own checks was odd. The conversation was prompted by Daniel asking me about the voxlux and the boosters. At first I was confused as I thought Daniel was at the last Council meeting but he clarified that due to 'concerns' (That he didn't elaborate on) he remained in Xenera and sent Victoria to the Council in his stead. She, of course, reported about it to him upon her return but he and the rest of the family wanted to hear it from the source since I was here so... I explained it to them which wasn't unusual; I had done it before.

What was unusual was various questions about it. I expected questions on it's security but no, that wasn't it... They asked about what inspired me to make it; which no one else had done which caught me a bit flatfooted. I couldn't tell the truth as it was (That I died and got shunted into another world with a built in gamer system and knew how valuable instant communication could be) so I told a partial truth; I wanted to make something that benefited Eostia and I wanted to challenge myself in making something no one else had. They seemed to mostly accept it... mostly...

Then came more questions...

"Can we spy on other countries with this?" Daniel.

"Can I keep an eye on my underlings with this?" Vander.

"Can I use this to help powder my face?" Olesia.

"Huhhhhhh... Can I send women pic-huhhhhhh-tures of my dick with it? Huhhhhh..." Jupiter, of course. Fucking old creep...

"Does it have a far sight spell built into it?" Ivo.

"How easy is it to slide under most doors?" Daniel, once more.

"Can I modify it to look inside someone?" Olesia on this one.

"I can record conversations, right?" Vander again.

"Huhhhhhh... Mmm, I bet I can leave this in a-huhhhhhhh-hot springs..." Guess who?

"You could rule Eostia with such magic!" Ivo... Who would cough into his hand after saying that. "Errr, if one were to be evil of course, not saying an... alliance would be an issue."

...

Oh my lord...

I answered as best as I could (While telling Jupiter it's not meant to be used to spy on and harass women and telling Ivo that was a funny joke... Even if I was sure he wasn't joking but I gave him an out for his comment) while picking up on other things they were doing. Like how Ivo angled a hand to the window in an odd way before I noticed he was tapping his finger to the side out of sight of anyone in a pattern (I only noticed because I picked up on his hand moving slightly), as if in Morse Code or something. Likewise Olesia flexed her mana in one hand in a likewise pattern.

Jupiter was making a show of ogling Maia and Makoto... But would then look off to some random direction for an extended period. And when Vander thought no one was looking he swapped his full cup of tea with Daniel's... despite having checked it for poison earlier. What was odd was Daniel would swap cups with Vander and then Ivo when he thought no one was looking. And then Olesia swapped cups with me...

What a headache... And yes, I checked my cup again just in case. I was trusting this lot less and less. That feeling got more acute as their questions became less focused... And more weird.

"Your sister is a Catalan? Adopted yes? Was she brought in to... interrogate the mice in your home or to command them?" Olesia.

"Ahhh, a dark elf maid, yes, yes? That must mean... Hmmm, I see... Keep your enemies close, yes..." Vander.

"Such a small territory... On paper... Hmmm... Oh, forgive me just wondering what you might be hi-holding in reserve." Ivo.

"Huhhhhhh... If I can ask what sort of-huhhhhhh-spell stone mines does Mungale have? Huhhhhh..." Jupiter, of course.

"Ahh, yes... I've hear you are close to Princess Prim... How close exactly?" Daniel.

"What about Iris Sofia? Were you close to her before her... demise." Vander, to my annoyance.

"Perhaps you know something of her... demise...?" Ivo let off as Jupiter scoffed.

"Huhhhhh... As curious as I am of-huhhhhhh-the topic it is taking us off pre-huhhhhhh-vious points."

"Hmmm, fair." Daniel let off as my eye twitched. Why did they ask about her of all people?

Iris Sofia was the previous Shield Princess of Ur; hailing from a family of knights in the eastern part of the Barony of Cameron near the border with the Ur she rose up in the ranks of a smaller order called the Knights of the Runes formed of knights who fought with both weapons and spells she was better known by her nickname 'Dragon's Eye Iris' which she gained... because she was a dragonborne. Indeed she was the most famous and heralded dragonborne hero of the last century and a half and was one of the few people known to have fought Olga Discordia more then once (Four times, in fact) and drove her back twice. She was well respected and considered quite powerful in her own right; comparisons to Claudia are still common.

She was close to the Grand Duke and his family and acted as something of a mentor to Prim. Based on the memories I gained I met her twice when she visited Mungale; once when I was close to ten and once a half year after I saved Prim from the goblins; the second meeting was when she thanked me for helping the princess and she even prodded me towards the Adventurer's Guild as a means of gaining experience. She was a graceful, humble and honest woman and considered a hero of the people...

And then she was murdered.

She had left with a pair of knights to the Bemul/Camafran border to resolve a dispute between two barons and had smoothed things over and began a return towards Ur... and then never arrived. Once people noticed she was missing search parties were sent covering nearly all of Bemul, Cameron, Rockquarry and Ur. Even northern Pinewall and southern Pulca was searched before finally her body was found beached in a village next to the Long Drip River in Blackwell. Her body was nude and stripped bare of her mana armor and weapons. There were no signs of sexual assault but she had several wounds; including one deep wound on the side of her neck that likely killed her. In addition both of her eyes were pulled from her skull. As for her escort nothing was ever found of either of them.

Prim was devastated and my whole family went to Ur to attend her funeral before her body was returned to her home in Cameron and buried with the highest of honors with a bronze statue over her resting place. There was a plaque on it and I'd even seen it once and what was written on it.

'The dragons fought and roared for our sake, seeing what mankind could become
if given the chance to rise up. They believed we could reach the heavens not on
wings of leather or feathers but by our will, our ingenuity and our ability to
learn, teach others and strive towards better dawns. Friends, we have much to
live up to but I know in my heart that we can meet them all and grasp wisdom.
Onwards and upwards.'

Sadly who attacked and killed her is still unknown.

Once the tea had run out I decided to excuse myself as I moved towards my quarters but fell short and ducked into another room (Another sitting room) and pinched my nose as I started to pace about in annoyance as I took a moment to calm down.

"Are... Are you alright, James-sama?" Makoto asked me as she and Maia both followed me over into the room, stopping to watch me pace for a moment.

"Yeah, yeah... I'm okay." I said as I sighed, pacing another circle before stopping and turning to face them. "I had heard the... rumors that House Insidiae was... A bit out there but this is far, far beyond what I expected..."

"Indeed." Makoto said with a sigh. "I had known paranoid lords in my homeland but they simply kept a weapon close, a bodyguard closer and checked all food for poison. I am... Are these people well?" She asked as both myself and Maia paused to give her a long, long, long deadpan stare. "...Yes, of course, clearly they are not."

"This is why I avoid Xenera like the fucking plague." Maia said with irritation. She had been quiet during that meeting; as if refusing the risk to call attention to herself by the Lords of the Castle. Yes, she was a wallflower for all of this. Maia. Fucking Maia.

"I'm starting to see why..." I groaned out.

"So why have they not been deposed by Celestine-sama or the Council?" Makoto asked... As Maia and myself gave her another long, long, long deadpan stare. "...Politics..?"

"Politics." I said, sighing. "Celestine might be the most powerful woman in the kingdom but much of that power is exercised through the lords. As such there needs to be a level of trust and respect between her and the Council so deposing a House of local lords is not to be done lightly. Insidiae has the backing of the Traditionalists, as you might guess, but they also have some support from some Conservatives and Royalists who wants to keep the bar of dismissal high. As such as long as they don't do anything too stupid or reckless they have a solid chance of retaining power."

"Not to mention if Celestine started to toss out Insidiae for being a bit nuts more then a few nobles would start to worry if she'd toss them for being incompetent or what 'a bit nuts' could be considered to be." Maia added as well with a fair level of insight (She had to attend Council meetings, after all). "What's the phrase... slippery slope?" I nodded to her and she nodded back. "Yeah, they're worried that there'll be a slippery slope that'll be followed with them being tossed out into the cold."

"And so they'd rather put up with... with... with..." She let off as he head started to turn to one of the walls. Maia blinked, turned to look to the wall before looking back to Makoto before blinking once more and looked right back to the wall. I looked to the wall about to ask what the issue was before doing a double take.

The wall bore a brick pattern with gray bricks. Nothing unusual.

There were shelves and a few stands for vases. Still nothing unusual.

There was a slight bulge in the bottom of the wall with the toes of boots peeking out. That was rather unusual.

I drew mana to my hand as the three of us moved our hands to weapons. I hung back as Makoto moved her hand to the wall with her left hand, Maia across from her as she waited. My bodyguard wriggled her fingers before grabbing and pulling... And a cloth pulled away from a man in a gray clothing from head to toe was standing there, a small, wire rack attached to his shoulders that held the cloth up for him. He stiffened and looked to us. Looking to the cloth I could now feel the enchantments in it; credit to who made it; it was subtle enough I couldn't tell until I was focusing on it.

"Err... I... I just work here, really..." He said as he looked between us nervously.

"You just... Stand in a random room... Hiding... And eavesdropping..." I let off as I looked to him, tapping my foot in irritation.

"...It beats working in the mine. I... could never bring myself to whip the slaves." He said as I felt my eye twitch.

"Let's just go..." I said with a sigh, Maia and Makoto starting to follow me out.

"Can I have my cloth back? Please?"

[-]

Later
Hidden Room Inside Castle Xenera

"So you were spotted?" Ivo Insidiae let off as he looked to the man in gray as he knelt before him, the wire rack off of his shoulders. The small room was one of many boasting metals, screws, tools, two work benches and a wooden chicken by the door. The man never knew why a wooden chicken was in each of Ivo's hidden rooms but there always was one in the little workshops. "I hadn't realized Lord Noxdecus and his company were so... Observant. What were they speaking about before then?"

"The easterner was asking how your House had held onto power for so long in spite of it's... reputation." The servant said as Ivo hummed for a long moment.

"Do they seek our overthrow... No... No... No... Daniel would not invite them over if that was the case... Unless..." Ivo let off with a long hum. "Unless he thinks it will spur someone else into pulling the trigger on their plan to obtain the County... But who's plan? Mine? Vander's? Jupiter's? Rex's?"

"Isn't Rex your pet goldfish, sire?" The servant asked as Ivo glared at him.

"You fool! He merely wants you to think he's always forgetting what's said around him every other minute! ... Gah!" He let off, reaching into his coat and pulling out a small vial of a golden liquid, sipping from it. "Gah... I need to visit Elrand for more potion..." He said, looking to see only a quarter left inside of the long, glass tube. Setting it away he sighed. "Dismissed... And keep me informed..."

"Sire!"

[-]

Hidden Room Inside Castle Xenera

Hidden in Ivo's wooden chicken was a small spell stone, buried in it's eye with a light illusion over it to hide it. It sent a signal to a tube made of spell orb hidden in the walls that traveled past three rooms to another to send it to another spell orb before Daniel on his desk. He of course would need to have someone unlock the secrets of the voxlux if only to get a leg up on spying on his... 'close' and 'loyal' family. After all, if it wasn't for the tubular spell glass he couldn't get this signal past the anti-scry defenses of Ivo's workshops; something the voxlux could do.

"Sir... He's onto your plan!" The knight behind him exclaimed, looking to him in worry. Daniel grinned wider in response. "What will we do!?"

"Calm yourself... Because that is the plan." The Count said with a grin. "Now that he knows our plan he'll be planning around our plan... So now we can plan around the plan he's planning around our plan!"

"Sire! That's... genius!" The knight exclaimed as Daniel opened a drawer in his desk, opening the small vial of potion up and having a small swig.

He'd need it to stay ahead in the game...

[-]

Later
Hidden Broom Closet Inside Castle Xenera

"I knew it..." Olesia let off, grinning in the broom closet, looking to the voxlux in her hand as it played back the recording her red clad servant captured by hiding in under the desk in Daniel's secret office. "So, that's his plan!"

"And what will your plan be, M'Lady?" A knight asked standing behind her... close enough her rump pushed into his codpiece.

"Isn't it simple?" She let off with a smirk. "As Ivo plans around Daniel's plan and Daniel plans around the plan he's planning around his plan we'll be planning around both of their plans with our own plan!"

"Genius!" The knight said as the woman pulled out a vial to sip from...

[-]

Later
A Room Inside Castle Xenera

"Huhhhh... You heard it all from out-huhhhhhh-side the broom closet then? Huhhhhhh... Good work... Huhhhhhh..." Jupiter let off as he squatted under a table in the knight's barracks.

"Indeed, that's what she overheard and said." The blue clad man said to him, kneeling and tucked in under the chair before him.

"Huhhhhh... Then our motion is clear... Huhhhhhh... As Ivo plans around Daniel's-huhhhhhh-plan and Daniel plans around the-huhhhhh-plan Ivo is planning and Olesia-huhhhhh-plans around both their plans we-huhhhhhh-must plan around all their plans by-huhhhhh-planning our own better plan of-huhhhhhhh-superior planning! Huhhhhhhh..."

"Sire..." A knight said, standing next to them all with a lampshade around his helm. "That's genius!" He said as Jupiter set a small funnel to the top of his mask, pouring a golden potion into it.

[-]

Later
A Place Inside Castle Xenera

"A plan around a plan around a plan around a plan around a plan?" Vander let off... Laying in a crawl space facing a purple clad man who nodded.

"Yes. They never spotted me, hiding atop the table." He said.

"Hmm... Guess we'll have to plan too." Vander hummed.

"..."

"No, I'm not going to say I'm planning around Jupiter's plan around Olesia's plan around Daniel's plan around Ivo's plan around Daniel's plan. I prefer something more... straight forwards." Vander said as he squirmed to get his vial near his mouth in the tight space.

"That's genius sir!" A knight behind him said.

Phhhhrrrrrrrrrrrrrrttttttttt!

"Not me." The knight said at the sound of the fart.

"Nor I." The servant said.

"Well it wasn't me!" Vander let off as he finally got the vial near his mouth.

"Sorry!" Someone else they couldn't see let off.

"Oh... Well it happens." Vander sighed.

[-]

I was a bit annoyed as I got back to my room. Someone went through my stuff. That was upsetting to say the least. If nothing else my work on Shadowblaze Weapon and my current Holy/Fire spell work wasn't something I wanted to share right now... But... they'd been ignored oddly enough. I also had quite a few expensive books with me with Wicker Zauberei's and Victroia Oxwell's being stand outs but neither, as far as I could tell, were touched. Then there was my little toy wagon test platform that was, likewise, untouched save that someone had played with it briefly. Not 'figured out how the remote worked' but rather 'left a small, double line on the bed sheets by using it as a toy car' way. No it was the chess board that was pulled out and examined; I could tell because the spell stones had been pulled out and reset given that each of the fasteners wee off from how I usually did it, the board was pried out and set back in as the filler that was used between the board and rest was off color as it had been and... It was half way through a game before we got back.

I set up privacy spells as Maia and Makoto made a sweep of the room followed by me doing a sweep of the room... And adjusting the spells I cast four times to account for various little spying or recording spells in the place.

"I fear using the baths lest these odd ones violate me with their eyes." Makoto let off with a sigh. "Indeed; I should call the others and inform them of... this." She said before moving aside and pulling out her voxlux.

"Do so." I said as I groaned, looking to Maia. "Once we're out of here both of us report this to Celestine. Even if she can't do anything about it I want this shit on record." I let off as she nodded. I was irritated but keeping calm enough to keep my composure. I might hope for some bandits or something to stumble over us on the way out so I could engage in some refreshing, stress easing overkill on targets that deserve it, even if I wouldn't express it openly.

"Ughh... Think we can skip lunch and dinner with these guys? Eat in our rooms?" She asked as she gave me a hopeful look.

"It could be seen as rude; we'd need to at least attend dinner."

"Shit." She let off as her shoulders sagged.

"Yeah, that sums up my feelings as well."

"Well at least nothing will get and weir-"

Tap-Tap-Tap

I blinked and looked to the window to see... Ummm... Ivo there... Wearing a... contraption. What else could I call it?

It was a brass backpack that looked like a retro style jetpack minus the jets; rather it bore a pair of airplane like wings sticking out some four feet in either direction that was flapping up and down like a bird.

...

I... didn't know that existed. I didn't know it could exist! How does it exist!? How does it even work? I couldn't feel enchantments coming from it! I moved to the window, opening it up. "Ivo, what are you doing here!? What is that!?"

"He he he, a brilliant invention of mine! But enough of that-here!" He said before shoving a... thing into my hand; a small, brass disk about the size of six Gamecube disks stacked atop of each other with a dial on the top in the center.

"What is-"

"You'll know what to do when the time comes!" He said, pulling his goggles over his eyes before grabbing cylinders over the shoulder straps of his inventions with a hand on each before flying upwards!

...

I kinda wanted one. I know I can fly myself but I still-

BOOOOOOOOOM!

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" I heard as I could see Ivo fall into a tree on the grounds of the courtyard, smashing through several branches before hitting the ground, his invention somehow no longer attached to him and smashing to the ground next to him with a thunderous crash as he slowly moved to all fours, rubbing his head.

Never mind, I don't want one.

"We leave tomorrow." Maia said firmly; the first time I heard her speak with absolute seriousness. "First light."

"No arguments from me." I let off, pinching my nose.

[-]

After that bit of ''''''''''''fun'''''''''''' in our quarters (Note all the quotations around fun, please and thank you) Riri came over along with Ur'Akara to ensure nothing else of mine was tampered with and Maia locked the both of them in the room as I went out with Makoto to find Victoria; mostly to ask how in the name of fuck did anyone put up with this shit!

My status: Irritated.

Luckily Victoria managed to pick up on it and invited the two of us out of the castle to a cafe in Raven Leer as I took the chance to toss Ivo's... thing out of the window along the way over. It was a small, cozy spot in the edge of the market district that specialized in sandwiches and soups. Pepperoni was a thing in Eostia and was used for sandwiches; a foot long in this case with lettuce, tomato, mozzarella, a sauce that was not unlike a butter chicken sauce without the spice paired with a tomato soup was my own order. Victoria took on a what was more or less a BLT with sliced cherries added in coupled with a vegetable soup. Makoto, by contrast, favored a ham and cheese one with a vegetable noodle soup.

"Yes... They likely did all of that." She said as I referred to my stuff being turned over and what they did to the chess board. "They play the spying game but part of the game is to have something to report. I imagine they made a choice to ignore anything more... sensitive to avoid offending you overmuch and likely saw a chess board and decided it was the least sensitive thing to investigate. Although a chess board that has pieces made and animated with illusion... It's quite curious..."

"Thank you... But I find this behavior... disturbing even if I can't blame the servants for doing as told." I said as I looked to her. "I will be reporting this to Celestine and while I have no intention of casting shade on you yourself the Lords of the House you serve is another matter entirely."

"Of course; such is your right and I would not stop you." She said pausing to eat her sandwich for a moment. "I do not make excuses for House Insidiae and I admit despite how long I have served them I... fail to understand them in full... Sometimes even in part." She said with a sigh. "There are issues with House Insidiae. No one can deny that. But like yourself I can only do so much."

I sighed deeply as I took time to eat my sandwich as I thought it over. "What in the hell is wrong with this place...?"

"Maybe it started after the Trial War?" Victoria let off as Makoto swallowed her own food.

"What do you mean by that?" Makoto asked as she looked to her then me. I had, on route, explained a bit of Xenera's history including it's conquest of Hopkins to Makoto so she wasn't fully in the dark this time.

"Well, Daniel Insidiae, the first, was one of his House's few survivors. His mother, two sisters and cousin were the only other survivors." I said as I frowned in thought, starting on my soup as I thought it over. "...And no one knows exactly who birthed his children; it's said he impregnated maids in the castle and had his family raise them but rumors have abounded that he impregnated his mother, sisters and cousin." I mused looking to my bodyguard. "Of course it's a rumor so one must take it with a handful of salt."

"While I will say incestuous relations are disgusting most nobility has engaged in it to some degree; even in my homeland." She admitted with a sigh, stirring her own soup with a spoon. "But I doubt there's a tradition of such in this House; or at least enough explain the behavior. If such incest was common in the House the physical signs would appear on one or more of the Insidiae members we've seen."

That was true. Back in Foeh when we visited House Draken in Ironheart we got a first hand look at what a long history of incest could do to a line; there's a reason Habsburg Jaw was called Draken Jaw in this world. Dempsey Draken had Draken Jaw and Jason Draken had Draken Jaw Plus. For all the... mental issues House Insidiae clearly suffered from there were no physical or visual signs of birth defects that'd you'd expect of constant incest. Whatever the reason was it wasn't incest; or at least not only incest.

Whatever. It wasn't my problem, I don't care, I never wanted to come back and the sooner I could put this County behind me the better.

[-]

I brought everyone sandwiches back with me to the castle (Two extra for Maia, having seen her appetite first hand) and spent time trying to work on my spell... Away from window. And doors. Maia and Makoto played some card games (They started on chess but Maia didn't care for the game so they turned to poker) until dinner. And once there...

Oh fucking hell with a ski jump, what do you think happened!?

"So... How... close are you to Feoh's Princess Alicia? Have you ever been able to peek... Into her documents cabinet?" Vander.

"Ahhhh, you know Claudia and Klaus? Close to them? Snuck into their bedroom... and read his secret books, right, right?" Ivo.

"Huhhhhhhh... Spent some time with Cele--huhhhhhhh-stine, have you..? Huhhhhhhh... So... Does she have anything under--huhhhhh-the loincloth? A dagger or two, per-huhhhhhh-haps?" Jupiter, as always...

"So now you have been escorted by five of the seven Shields... Been... seducing the women around them? To your ends?" Olesia... who was smiling far too wide for the topic she brought up.

"How far can you reach your sp-ahh-people once your network is up?" Daniel.

"Huhhhhhh... Your stable hand isn't plotting with-huhhhhhhh-the horses behind your back, right? Huhhhhhh,,," Guess who?

"I heard you fought a hobgoblin? Was it a hobgoblin really or three normal goblins in a greatcoat?" Vander.

"Oh, a ship full of pirates? They let you steer their boat, didn't they!?" Olesia with an oddly... accusatory tone.

"Ahhh, a chess board with illusion spells... What golems does it control?" Ivo said far too excited.

"Join me... and we can rule the Kingdom... Powerful line, isn't it?" Daniel, the host who said that with far too much gusto.

This wasn't a Noble House, this is a Madhouse! And worse yet was the fact that the inmates were running the asylum!

Fuck, fuck, fuccccccck...

Fuck.

Well at least dinner was a nice, roasted, non-poisoned duck and eating was mostly sane... Save how often Vander and Ivo swapped breast meat when the other wasn't looking and Olesia pretending to be drunk despite never touching her wine.

I'd rather be visiting House Draken again. I never thought I'd hold that opinion before now... Oh lord...

Once back in our shared quarters myself, Maia and Makoto came up with a sleep order so one of us was awake and guarding the rest. I didn't trust these people as far as I could throw their castle.

House Insidiae? More like House Insanity.

At least we'd be gone come the morning... That thought helps keep me sane...

[-]

The Next Morning
Northeast Tower, Xenera Castle

"He he he he..." Ivo Insidiae let off, setting four items onto the crenelations of the tower. Each looked like a grail with a clear orb set into it filled with liquid. "Don't think you can just escape this place just yet, Lord Noxdecus... No, no, no... Until I see what Daniel's plan is you can't leave... Not yet..." He let off tapping each item, a Rain Caller, on their top. "I call upon the rain to fall." He said, activating each of them with a trigger phrase; smokey clouds billowing out from each one of them them as he chuckled. "Yes... Yes this will... ... Wait..." He said as he looked to the side.

There was more of that same, billowing clouds rising up from the side of the keep; from a balcony perhaps?

And other on the inner most castle wall?

And the outer most wall!?

And the garden!?

And the back courtyard!?

And the barracks!?

And the outer most wall of the city!?

"... It's time to get an umbrella..."

[-]

The sight was one of horror to me. Absolute horror. It was raining. That by itself wasn't the cause of my blank, dead stare of dread out of the window.

No, no, no... It was that it was raining sheets. Like a waterfall appeared overhead of the keep. As if Thor, Zeus and Susanoo collaborated with one another then made a bet of who could generate the most rain. So, how much rain was falling?

There was an entire two feet of water flooding the courtyard. No, I am not joking. And it was filling further. The two inner gates of the castle's three walls was opened too; Victoria was reluctant on opening the outer gate of the castle lest she flood the city which was already flooding. That said the gates of the city were wide open to let the water out of the place.

The keep's doors were shut and mages with ice spells sealed it water tight while servants, maids and guards were bailing the bottom halls with buckets, cups and whatever else could be found as mages swapped to fire based spells to evaporate the water quicker or water based spells to move the water outside. I could only imagine what any cellars looked like.

Everyone in my party and the Ruby Roses gathered in my quarters as I turned to face them "This... This is not natural. Not even excess mana in the air could explain this; this is beyond what's normally possible."

"Maybe, but I saw something from one of the outer walls." Riri pipped up, standing to one side of me. "The steam of a Rain Caller being used."

"Wait... I saw it too..." Terra let off surprised as she looked to my maid. "But... It came from a tower."

"It looks like rising smoke, right? Thick smoke?" Shana asked me as I nodded. "I saw something like that from the barracks..."

"Okay... Hold on..." I let off, blinking. "Sure, if you wanted to make enough rain to, say, delay our departure you'd need to use three to five of them But this is well, well, beyond that!"

"What if... what if multiple people came to the same conclusion?" Esmerie asked as I blinked at her. "Each member of House Insidiae seems to be weird and think there's some plot or scheme or whatever that you're a part of or a pawn of... What if each of them came to the same idea and used enough to delay us each." She said as I felt the blood drain from my face.

Five members of House Insidiae (That I had dealt with) times three to five Rain Callers each meant fifteen to twenty five Rain Callers being used.

That... could explain the flood...

"If they got to use at least twenty of them at once at least I can see it." Aeris chipped in. "The question is this; what do we do about this?"

That was the thousand platinum question, wasn't it? "Unless they get openly hostile; there's not much we can do." I said with a deep sigh as my eye twitched, showcasing my growing agitation. "We can report it to Celestine but right now we must be on our guard. I presume their plans are mostly harmless, at least to our physical condition, but given the mental state of these people I don't want any chances taken. Not one."

"Aye, aye..." Conleth let off with a huff. "Give the good lord's and our boss' status I imagine they'll need to deal with the bloody crazies but I say the rest of us stick to the quarters as much as able. If Victoria is amicable enough then we ought to get our food brought in..."

"Good idea. And keep voxluxs close in case you need to call for help." I said with a nod as I turned to Makoto. "I do apologize, but I will need you to join me if I am dragged to dinner or such."

"I will protect you with my life if needs be, James-sama." She said, patting her chest as she smiled to me.

"Protect me?" I let off with a nervous chuckle to her confusion. "I might need you to stop me from throttling one of these jackasses or flattening their faces in."

"They're getting under your skin, huh?" Miria sighed before smiling to me. "Relax... Rain Callers take a long time to recharge, right? Once the water drains out we can leave. Just... Put up with it for another day, okay? Brave face."

"I know, I know... But damned if this isn't going to be a headache..." I groaned out. This was going to be a hell of a day.

Oh, I had no idea just how right I was...

[-]

Later
Hidden Room Inside Castle Xenera

"This is a bit... Unexpected..." Daniel admitted as he frowned. "Ivo, Olesia, Vander and Jupiter all reacted in the same way..." He said, steeping his hands over his desk. "I had expected them to keep him here, but all in the same manner..? This is troubling... Did they all come to the same idea or... ... It couldn't be..."

"Sire?" A knight said, standing on the other side of the desk.

"... My evil twin brother, Gabriel... He must be a part of this plot..." Daniel said as he clutched his hands to fists. "He has stayed quiet in all of this up until now, hasn't he?"

"Errr, isn't Gabriel in Rycall?" The knight asked as he blinked under his helm.

"It's never stopped him from plotting before, has it? No... No... In fact I would be unsurprised if he had returned, unannounced and is hiding here in the castle..." The Count said banging his hand on the desk before he opened a drawer, quickly downing an entire vial of a gold colored potion. "...I want him found."

"Of course sire!" The knight said with a salute as Daniel stood up and walked out of the room through a hidden door...

"Daniel, Daniel..." The knight heard, turning his head as a part of the wall was pushed open as a man stepped out with a grin; wearing a purple great coat with a blue cape, black pants and matching boots along with white gloves he was the spitting image as Daniel. "My foolish twin... You are clever enough to guess but not smart enough to open your eyes to see." He said as he pulled something from his coat as he spoke to the knight. "Heh. He hasn't heard that our sister Audrey is here as well?"

"No, M'Lord."

"Good..." Gabriel said as he pulled a vial out and took a swig of it. "Mmmm... Heh... Just cause you farted out of mother's womb first doesn't mean you should be Count..."

[-]

Later
Hidden Room Inside Castle Xenera

"Well, we overdid it on the rain..." Olesia let off with a sigh as she tapped the rim of her wine glass. "I never expected that the others would come up with the same plan as I..."

"M'Lady..." Victoria said, standing behind her in the broom closet a she sighed while doing her best not to squirm while nearly pressed up into her. "Is there not a more spacious and comfortable room to meet in?"

"Nonsense. Who would expect we'd meet here?" The noblewoman said.

Achooooo!

"Bless you, Victoria." Olesia said as she held her glass up, snapping the fingers on her other hand.

"If that was me I'd have sneezed on you, M'Lady." She said, pulling a vial of golden potion from her coat, pouring half of it into the wine glass.

"My bad!" A voice came from above them.

"You can't help it." Olesia sighed before she sipped her drink as Victoria's eye twitched. "Hmmm... Whatever... What's done is done. Either way my plan goes apace."

"Plan, M'Lady?"

"Don't fret... You'll see... My stupid sister, picking that brat of hers as Count... Bah... A correction is in order." Olesia told the minister before walking out of the closet.

"...Aren't you going to leave as well?" The voice came from above Victoria.

"If I did that I'd likely be dragged into more of this inanity." Victoria said with a sigh.

"Ah, fair..." The voice said before she heard him scuttle away.

"Grin and bear it... Grin and bear..." Victoria told herself. "One way or another it all comes to an ends... And with luck, soon..."

[-]

Later
Hidden Room Inside Castle Xenera

"Mmmmm Mmmmm... Always a pleasure, Audrey..." Ivo said as he redressed fully, smirking a bit in the strange, small and hidden bedroom as he adjusted his mustache. There were no windows but at least a nice painting that simulated a window! On a sunny, not-rainy day... Unlike today.

"Ohhhh, Ivo... You're such a man... Unlike my brother Daniel..." The woman in the bed let off; nude and covered only in a bed sheet, her waist long blond hair looking combed and still held by her braided crown of hair despite the sex they just had. "Once he's dealt with then we can rule this County... Side by side..." Blue eyes looked back at him as she pushed the sheets off her, standing to her full five six height, her B-Cup breasts on full display.

"Heh... Count Ivo and Countess Audrey... Has quite the ring to it..." Ivo said with a chuckle. "Is it all ready?"

"Yes... Tonight's dinner will be Daniel's last..." She said giggling as Ivo moved to the door of the room, opening it.

"Until dinner then..." He said before leaving and shutting the door as Audrey grinned... And grinned wider as the picture swung wide, revealing another person stepping in.

"Huhhhhhh... Ivo is unaware of your real-huhhhhh-allegiances, yes?" Jupiter said as he walked up behind her, his eyes moving over her frame.

"Ohhh, please, he's too blind to see whom my real lover is..." She said sweetly as he the older man chuckled as he reached out, swatting her rump firmly.

"Huhhhhhhh... Few know that I-huhhhhhhh-still got it... Huhhhhhhh... Once the others are dealt-huhhhhhhh-with we will have a good-huhhhhhhh-long rule... Huhhhhhhh..." He let off with a chuckle as he moved to the door. "Huhhhhhhh... Tonight... We rise... Huhhhhh..." He said before leaving.

"Indeed..." Audrey let off as she giggled. "Well... At least one of us will."

[-]

Later
Hidden Room Inside Castle Xenera

"Wh-what do you m-mean 'b-be prepared', Sire?" The elven man said as trembled a bit. He bore a mullet of black hair that had an unwashed look to it. Standing at five nine he wore a white, sweater like top that covered him from his wrists and waist to the top of his neck, simple black pants, brown boots and an open, white greatcoat that bore various, old stains. The room was full of ingredients in the forms of herbs, mixtures, animal parts and more. On a rack was a series of vials filled with golden colored potions as well a second rack, this one baring a set of red potions that swirled inside their vials and mixed and unmixed with a purple tint.

"What I mean..." Vander let off, frowning at him as he tapped his fingers on a table, the elf watching him with red eyes. Two tables were laid out close to the center of the room; far enough apart for someone to walk through comfortably. Both bore chains that led to binds; one resting near each corner. "Is that... events shall be happening soon... And as such you will need... To ensure your loyalties..."

"I-I-I am bound to serve the House of Insidiae, I cannot-"

"When I rule House Insidiae that will mean you're bound to me alone!" Vander bellowed out before he chuckled for a long moment. "And of course I expect you to say nothing of what I told you to anyone... You've no choice in it, after all." He said before chuckling and moving to the door. From there he went through the short hall, lit with dim spell orbs and climbed a series of stairs. Reaching up he set his hand on the trap door that hid the room and looked out into the kitchen. Seeing it empty he fully exited and left; grabbing an apple in case someone asked why he came from the kitchen.

A moment later the trap door opened once more; a black clad man checking to see if anyone was there himself before leaving to report and let his mistress know that things were ready for the plan.

[-]

As I left to attend dinner with Maia and Makoto at either side of me I had an... odd feeling. Something about the situation had me on edge. ... Well, more on edge then before; House Insidiae has been rather strange to say the least since I arrived and their behavior has only moved to utterly bizarre since then. So far the events have been harmless to us (Save for my mental state) but I had a bad feeling about things... Maybe I was wrong, maybe all this weirdness had me on edge but something felt... off. This was heightened as I walked into the dining hall.

The dining hall was what you's expect; a large room with a very long table in the center. Whitewashed walls with gold colored trim, oak planks covered the floor and was polished to a bright sheen, chairs with plush, red cushioning upon them and servants laying out plates, utensils and glasses as one guided us to our seats and the Insidiae clan...

Was sitting there and behaving themselves.

They were just sitting there, not speaking, smiling and not checking for poisons or hidden items, not eyeing each other with suspicion and aside from a wave said nothing as a greeting. This was... oddly enough the most frightening thing I'd seen since I arrived.

I took in a breath as I was led to the seat at the foot of the table with Maia and Makoto seated to either side of me. Daniel was at the head of the table with Jupiter and Olesia on his left side and Vander and Ivo on his right. Daniel was the first to finally speak. "Good day, everyone. Victoria has declined to grace us; a meeting in town was planned but due to the... unfortunate weather she's retired to her room with one of our guest's voxlux to remotely have said meeting. At most she'll arrive late. So... let us enjoy ourselves, shall we?" He said, snapping his finger once. Soon maids came from a room behind the dining hall, the kitchen, with carts loaded with several, covered platters. One was set behind everyone as I looked to mine and...

...

There was something enchanted under mine. A little on edge I set a finger to it as I used my magical senses to look at it, the motion making Maia and Makoto look to me with some concern although they did their best to control it. There was a spell set to a trigger that would...

...

Wait, why that?

I gave Maia a confused look and she blinked. She (And Makoto) caught on I wasn't scared of what I found but still knew it was off. "And now... We begin dinner with... A hell of a bang!" Daniel cried out and...

baaaaang...

pewwwww...

boooooom...

pewpewpewwwww...

"What!?" Daniel let off as the sounds of weak, anemic sounds that sounded like watered down fireworks... More specific it was a spell called Fireworks because... well, it looked like fireworks. It was a spell meant to put on a show and wasn't an offensive one; I mean if you put enough mana into it at point blank range you might knock a man off his feet but that's it. "How!?" I lifted the cover up and on the plate was a bunch of dry rice and a lone, red spell stone... about the size of a grain of rice. Yeah, that wasn't getting anything. It glimmered weakly but it's spell was finished already. "But... what!?"

"Ah ha!" A voice came out as the door to the kitchen burst open and out walked... Ummm..

Another Daniel Insidiae? The hell?

(-)

Name: Gabriel Insidiae
Title: [Redacted]
Class: Hero
Level: 29
Alignment: Unknown
Reputation: Unknown
Status: Unknown

Known Traits
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]

[Redacted]

(-)

"My evil twin brother! Gabriel!" Daniel let off, standing up and turning to face the man and pointing to him in an over dramatic way as his twin laughed at him. Which was evil twin was up for debate; both wasn't out of the question.

"You thought spell stones with explosive spells would eliminate your enemies, but you weren't prepared for my plan dear brother!" Gabriel let off as he clapped his hands as...

The maids shrieked and ran to the sides of the room as goblins jumped out from under the carts (Four to a cart, amazingly, making twenty in total) who drew weapons and climbed atop the table as everyone stood up and backed up from the Aberrant. "Curse you Gabriel and your sudden but inevitable betrayal!" One of the goblins had pulled out a wand who started casting and...

Fired a Magic Missile at Gabriel who dodged. "What!?" Daniel's evil twin let off (Possibly equally evil as he, by the looks of things) as he gawked. Myself, Maia and Makoto had hands on weapons but yet to draw... Mostly because... how do you comprehend this?

"Ha ha ha ha!" Ivo let off, leaping onto the table and he pulled something out that looked like a brass remote control and flicked a switch... And tiles in the roof opened up as steam punk looking, brass turrets lowered down with spell stones set to the end of short tubes. I couldn't sense any enchantments on them though, so what did they-

He flicked another switch and the stones started to glow. It took me a moment to realize that however his device worked (Likely some mana based enchantments controlled it but that would be inside the device and I couldn't really sense it) the spell stones here would be used as a focus for raw, directed magical energy in a cannon-like manner that was a bit crude but effective.

These sort of steampunk devices, based on what I knew, were a mixed bag in terms of usage. On the one hand you could make robots, self moving cannons and coffee machines with the sort of steampunk contraptions like these. On the other hand however they worked they were a bit fragile; even if the outer armor was undamaged a good enough hit could render one inoperable as something inside was knocked loose. Halfling machinists were at the forefront of this and trying to make it usable... And may the god of your choice help us all when they do...

"I should have guessed..." Gabriel let off as Ivo laughed from his place on the table. "Dammit it... Curse you Ivo and your sudden but inevitable betrayal!" He shouted out as a turret moved and... Fired at Ivo, just missing him and smashing into the table next to where he stood upon it, dropping him onto the hole made as he shook out his head before looking dazed at the spell stone in a machine aimed at him now.

"Wh-whaaaaat!?" Ivo let off before...

"Ha ha ha-huhhhhhhh-ha ha... Huhhhhh... Oh please, Ivo... You thought no one would-huhhhhhhhh-see your toys scattered about the room? Huhhhhhh..." Jupiter let off as he stood, holding up a steel covered device like a remote control; much like what Ivo had. "Huhhhhhhhh... I will be the one to cont-huhhhhhhh-rol Xenera, as I should have years ago... Huhhhhhhh..."

"You senile old man!" Ivo let off shaking his fist at him. "Curse you Jupiter and your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"

...

What was I watching?

No really, what was I watching!?

Jupiter let off a dark laugh... Before his remote exploded in his hand, making him cry out and step back, clutching at his hand with the other as he looked to it in shock. "Wh-huhhhhhhh-at!?" He let off as... The doors to the dining hall behind me was kicked in as a cute blonde with long hair woman strode in, holding her own remote, shaking it in one hand with a smirtk as she walked past up as I blinked at the situation before noticing she was being flanked by two, fully armored male centaurs with lances. "Aud-huhhhhhhhh-rey!?"

Who dis?

(-)

Name: Audrey Insidiae
Title: [Redacted]
Class: Cleric
Level: 24
Alignment: Unknown
Reputation: Unknown
Status: Unknown

Romance Rating: Unknown
Corruption Rating: Unknown

Known Traits
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]
[Unknown]

[Redacted]

(-)

...

No, really, who dis?

"Oh, please, Jupiter... Decent as you are in bed, for an old, senile man, did you really think I'd play second fiddle to the likes of you?" The newcomer said with a grin.

"Huhhhhhhh... After all we've done... Huhhhhh... After working so hard to cuck-huhhhhhhh-Ivo you betray me!? Huhhhhh... Curse you Audrey and your sud-huhhhhhh-den but inevitable betrayal! Huhhhhhhhh..." He let off as Audrey laughed deeply...

Only to have one of her bodyguards block a throwing dagger as a figure burst through the middle of the table from underneath and threw it at her, said figure being... Ummm... It was... What..?

What..?

What..?

It was... a ninja orc...

A pig orc dressed as a ninja.

A seven foot, fat, piggish orc covered in the classic all black, head to toe outfit (Well, navy blue. Because real ninja wear blue) although it's gut was showing somewhat. Oh, and it had a Naruto style headband with a metal plate on the front of it. With an angry, cartoon pig's face carved into it. My grip was slipping off my weapon in disbelief; had I drawn it out it would have clattered to the floor. Audrey glared at the ninja orc as she backed up... And another ninja orc dropped through a panel from the ceiling. And another from a hidden panel in a wall... And another from a trap door in the floor. And another from under the table...

Am... Am I trippin'? Did I eat magic mushrooms? Am I high? Did I eat some herb infused brownies?

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE!?

"Did you all think I'd stand by and not take what is mine by right!?" Vander let off, standing up as two ninja orcs (NINJA ORCS!?) moved to flank him on either side.

"Damn you fucking ginger bastard!" Audrey let off, her face twisting in rage. "Curse you Vander and your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"

My eyebrow twitched as I hoped this didn't get weirder...

It then got weirder. And it also got worse.

Much worse.

Olesia reached up and snapped her fingers and then... a tile came down from the ceiling, crashing into the table and blood poured out in a torrent. Now that wasn't the problem. Yes, I know saying 'blood poured out' from a direction called 'the ceiling' and using 'torrent' to describe the rate of it's pour into the room might sound hideous and horrifying but that wasn't the problem.

The problem was when all this blood started to move and pull themselves into several humanoid figures. With one of them much larger and denser.

"Oh please... You think I'm not prepared for this either?" Olesia let off with a wide smirk as I backed the fuck up!

"Fucking old hag!" Vander let off as he grit his teeth. "Curse you Olesia and your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"

"Curse her all you want, blood sack." The largest of the lot said. "I've been promised a grand feast!"

(-)

Name: Royal Blood Slime
Title: Drinker of the Warm Blood
Class: Monster/Slime
Level: 28
Alignment: Hostile
Reputation: 1
Status: Healthy, Hungry, Aggressive

Known Traits
[Slime Body] All physical damage is reduced by 99%

[Vampiric Healing] You can heal by enjoying a good meal of blood. Heal damage based on the amount of blood you drink. +1 to all stats when you drink blood for the next hour
[?]

A highly vicious creature a blood slime is created when a slime feasts only on blood for extended periods. As such they are aggressive hunters of any living species. In addition when they grow enough to become a royal slime they also gain intelligence and cunning to hunt with greater effectiveness... And the ability to enjoy slowly killing a prey to taste their suffering as well.

(-)

Oh shit! Oh shit! "That's a Royal Blood Slime!" I let off as I now drew my weapon and quickly; it had been a while since I fought a slime of any kind, but this!?

To put it in short Blood Slimes was the worst kind you could fight; they were known to be aggressive and nasty to their prey. A Royal variant?

Oh yeah, this was Bad.

Capital B mandatory.

Before I could decide on what to do I felt my gambeson was grabbed by the neck (Yes, I wore armor to dinner, can you blame me here!?) as Maia physically pulled me back hard as she made a break for the door. "Fall back, now!" She barked as I got my feet under me, dashing with her as Makoto followed and we weren't alone; the maids made a break for it when the slimes came out (Why they hadn't before then likely speaks to how conditioned they were to this shit). Once we were out of the dinning hall Makoto and two maids shut the doors as Maia looked to me and pointed to them. "Seal it!" She didn't have to ask twice; I collected mana and started casting ice spells to seal the doors shut... Just as the turrets could be heard opening fire as well as other sounds of combat. "Makoto! Call the others, get them down here!" She barked out; gone was any sense of joviality and relaxed attitude; she was all business as she pulled out her own voxlux. "Call Celestine." She told the device as it started to ping, a pair of maids running down the hall, screaming for guards.

I had the doors to the dining hall coated in a solid layer of ice and thickening it on the bottom as Celestine picked up Maia's call. "Maia, what pleas-"

"I need permission to bring Insidiae to heel, now." The redhead let off, cutting the High Queen off mid-word, firmly and suddenly. I could see Celestine's image blink at her.

"That is... a serious request... What happened?" Celestine asked her.

As I continued to ice up the door Maia started, professionally and concisely to report into her voxlux to Celestine; from the list of oddities yesterday to the heavy rain this morning, to the further oddities and insanities and finally what could only be called the attempted assassination of other Insidiae family members along with myself and Maia, the sudden and rapid backstabbing between House Insidiae, how goblins, centaurs and ninja orcs were brought in and then how the Blood Slimes had arrived on the scene.

Even through the voxlux you could see Celestine pale as my group and the Ruby Roses finally arrived... Except... "Where's Miria and Riri?" I asked as everyone arrived, Cress being the first to speak.

"W-we couldn't find her." He let off, panting lightly; they had nearly ran here after all. "We were hoping they were with you when they weren't in their quarters." He said as I felt the blood drain from my face as I pulled out my voxlux and searched for Miria's, zooming in to get an idea and...

Turned to the door I had just iced up as that's where it pointed. "Oh no..."

"Err, M'Lord..." One of the maids let off as she saw what I was looking at. "If I am correct from what I can see on that device she's in the kitchen... But I'm sure I didn't see her, I'd have noticed a Catalan in there." I did my best to stay calm as I clamped down on my emotions as best possible; if Miria and Riri were in trouble now wasn't the time to fly off the handle. If anything I needed to focus. The two maids who ran off calling for guards quickly returned; about a dozen guards in tow with the maids letting off what happened to them.

"If it was any other House but Insidiae I might struggle to believe you..." Celestine finally said as she digested Maia's report, mulling over it for a moment with eyes shut. Once she opened them she started to speak. "Very well. Maia; deputize anyone and everyone you can. You have permission of the High Throne of the Seven Shields Alliance to engage the members of House Insidiae to the aims of ending this... insurrection and restore quick and good order. You have permission to use whatever means are at your disposal up to and including lethal force if the need arises. In addition the Blood Slimes must be eliminated before they can escape and cause harm to the populace at large."

"Understood." Maia said with a nod.

"Furthermore; if the possibility arises to investigate what in the hell is going on in that place I want to know." Celestine continued as she gave Maia a stern look. I was surprised she use a swear word; even as weak as 'hell'. "House Insidiae's behavior has always been unusual; there must be reason for it."

"Understood. It'll be done." She said as the call ended, Maia setting her voxlux away and looked to the guards of the castle. "You. You either join us and stop this insanity or stand aside. Get in the way and I'll cut you down; I'm in no mood for more bullshit." The guards looked to each other for a moment before one raised a hand.

"We'll join in, thank you. Paid as we are... This is a bit much, even for Insidiae." He let off as Maia nodded.

"Good. You guys secure the entrance when we go in." Maia ordered. "Nothing gets out. Esmerie, Aeris, you're with me; we're putting down the Blood Slimes. Shana, Take Conleth and sweep the left side of the room. Cress, take Makoto and Ur'Akra and sweep the right. James, push through to the kitchen and find your sister and Riri and make sure they're okay. Everyone understand?" There was no dispute; we all nodded or gave a single word affirmation as Maia took command before she drew her weapons, pointing one to the doors as both came alight with Blazing Weapon. "Mages! Blow the doors in so we can go in and beat sense into this crazy House!"

She didn't need to ask twice.

I used a good old fashioned Fireball as Aeris and Esmerie gave off a wind spell each and we blew the doors off their hinges and send splintered wood flying as we charged. I'd say all hell broke loose but it already had, we were just driving into the fray. I prepared mana for another attack as Maia led the charge into the chaos as she cut a goblin apart straight away. Turrets firing at everything with one goblin getting a hole blasted into it's chest, Blood Slime Girls attacking with one drilling a spike into a ninja orc before Esmerie blew it away with a lightning spell. The Royal Slime was tangling with Jupiter (Who had slapped on a helm pulled from who-knows where; kettle style which was a bit fitting...) who's armor seemed to generate a long sword with a built in Arcane Weapon spell... and slapped Shocking Weapon on it for good measure sending purple colored lightning up and down it's length and tinting the blade's glow a matching color making him look like a new Star Wars villain! Honestly, it was so cool it cut through my panic, if briefly.

The Royal Slime was attacking him aggressively but not overly so as his mana made and lightning charged weapon was not something she wanted to touch and while his reflexes were dulled with age with his armor not helping that he showed experience; moving in anticipation of what was to come and when that failed he trusted his armor to protect him. Olesia found herself, however, fighting a Blood Slime Girl with a summoned wolf made of ice (And of course she bellowed out 'Curse you slimes and your sudden but inevitable betrayal!' Good lord...) while Ivo pulled out what looked like a sawed off, steampunk style shotgun with a barrel magazine (I wish I was joking!) and firing at nearly everyone; causing no harm to the slimes, killing a pair of goblins outright and forcing the ninja orcs back under the buckshot barrage as their layers of fat protected them somewhat from the assault; firearms were nerfed in this world for some reason and he was firing on a tougher then normal opponent in the orcs. Still two dead orcs, two dead goblins and a bloody, shot ridden centaur proved that nerfed or not firearms were not to be trifled with in this world. Daniel and Gabriel were now fighting side by side against the other centaur with a navaja folding blade each; both weapons a foot long (Likely brought as they were sword-like and easier to hide then most blades of similar reach) but never turning their backs to their twin.

Audrey was fiddling with her remote until Cress was in range of her and delivered a haymaker to the back of her head that would make Mike Tyson whistle in respect as she was knocked out before stomping on the remote and causing the turrets to go offline. Maia would end up going straight for the Royal Slime as Aeris and Esmerie carved her a path with their magic; myself and Terra following in their wake. I noted Vander was missing and tried to keep ice from gripping my heart. As Maia engaged the Royal Slime (And Jupiter moved to fight her as well, making a melee-a-trois) I broke off towards the kitchen door in the back. Aa I did a Blood Slime girl got in the way. I let her know, politely, my opinions of her attempted obstructions.

With a Dark Flare to the chest.

Turns out blood can both explode and burn at the same time. The more you know.

I reached the kitchen door and used a kick to break it open as I stopped to look about quickly. Vander was there, clutching his hand as he and three ninja orcs turned to face us. "Ahhh... Lord Noxdecus..." He let off as I glared at him, Terra moving to flank me. "I am full glad to see you... I would invite you to join me; I just came into a bit of a... prize... And would like to join forces with you-"

Prize? Prize?

Miria's voxlux came from here?

Prize? Prize?

Where was she? What happened to her!? What about Riri!?

Prize? Prize?

Where are they!?

WHAT DID THIS BASTARD DO TO MY SISTER!? TO RIRI!?

[-]

"-join forces with you, form an alliance and being to bring this nat-"

Anything he had to say was cut off as one James Noxdecus snarled, leapt forwards under the effects of Physical Burst, Adrenaline Rush, Reflex Boost and Heroic Leap and clearing the distance between them, tackling him as the D-Guard of his rapier, the Unicorn's Horn, slammed into his face; catching him off guard and sending them to the floor, James atop of him as he slammed the D-Guard down before using a Power Punch boosted left hand to slam his face; alternating left and right punches with an unarmed hand and the guard of his weapon.

The ninja orcs turned to assist their master only for one to squeal out as a sword was thrown into the side of it's neck, staggering it as Terra's form seemed to shimmer before she used a Combat Technique, cutting the second's head off, rebounding to the first to grab her blade and pull it free. As she flipped forwards off the orc it clutched in's neck before falling over, blood slipping free from it's wound. The third rushed her, a katana in it's hand that she deflected to the side. She knew she couldn't match muscle with it so slid to the side as it pivoting for a quick slash. It rushed her and made a surprisingly agile leap forwards with a flip, weapon glowing with a readied combat art.

She rolled forwards, lifting up into a cartwheel, landing on her feet. Both readied a combat art, turning and leaping at the other. Both swung with a weapon but Terra holding a second allowed her to deflect the orc's, her wide attack lengthened by her Art, slicing through intestines and sending them spilling from it's gut as it slammed into the floor. She looked around, glancing to see if there were further threats...

Only to see her nephew still beating on Vander's head; the man clearly unmoving, clearly no longer a threat and clearly dead with a caved in skull that was becoming flatter. She sheathed her weapons before quickly moving to him. "Hey! Hey! That's enough, he'd dead! He's dead!" She let off, grabbing him around the chest and physically pulling him off the corpse, forcefully pulling him back and clinging to him. "That's enough, it's okay! He's not going to hurt anyone again? Okay? Okay? Calm down... Take it easy..."

[-]

I was panting hard and trembling, needing a moment to realize that, yes he was dead and that I made him that way with brutal savagery as I did my best to reduce his head into two dimensions. Really, the only thing I had to compare it to was Cress' beating of Kull'Karna. I finally noticed that Physical Burst was on and let it turn off as I looked to my left hand, coated thick with blood before shaking it off, splattered over it on the floor. "Are you okay?" Terra asked me as I softly pulled away.

"Not yet..." I said softly as I looked around. "...Where are they?" I asked as I looked about.

"Look..." She said as she moved over to a spot under a counter meant for food preparation. There, sitting on the floor... Was a voxlux.

Shit.

Terra picked it up as I used mine, now scanning for Riri's and... She was further ahead but... lower? I reported it to Terra as she was the more level headed of us right now (A few days ago that might had sounded odd) as she hummed and reached out.

"I wonder..." She let off, knocking on the floor near the voxlux's placement. The sound... was hallow... Her hands prodded the floor before something shifted under them and a part of the floor lifted up. "A trap door..." She let off as she moved down as I quickly moved to follow her. A simple Blazing Weapon spell on the Unicorn's Horn gave us additional light to see as I moved ahead of her down a short hall to a door.

I grabbed the door and shoved it wide open as we stepped in, showcasing what looked like a moderate sized magical lab with a focus on alchemy and-

Miria and Riri were laying on two separate tables out cold, shackled to them as an elven man was babbling at a work bench fiddling with a number of vials and beakers.

I was seeing red. But this time I could see them; they weren't moving but they didn't look hurt, I could see them breathing. It was the only reason I didn't respond to the situation with instant murder. I looked straight to the distracted, elven man before bellowing out loudly at him. "You!" He jumped as I stormed over to him as he jumped then shirked back eyes wide as he scrambled to the side.

"W-wait! Please!" He begged off as I moved closer as he literally cornered himself; pressing himself into the two walls where they joined. "I-I've done nothing but what was demanded of me! I can't refuse! I can't! Please!"

Under different circumstances I might have listened to the man and his pleading but I was pissed off from the last two days of all the general, ongoing, continuous insanity Xenera Castle had been dropping into my lap since I had arrived and have had every single nerve I had stepped on... And this was a step too far. Which is why the point of my rapier, still alight with Blazing Weapon, slammed next to the man's head, his eyes darting to it as he went utterly still save a soft, fearful tremor.

"I am in no mood for excuses." I hissed at him, glaring as I leaned towards his fearful face. "I. Want. Answers. Now." I let off. Terra was behind me, checking on Miria and Riri as I turned the tip of my weapon where I planted it's point, making a soft, grinding sound.

"P-P-P-Please! I can't... I have no... I beg you!" He let off as my patience was at it's limits as reached with my free hand, grabbing him by the neck pushing him back...

And instantly sobered given what I felt under my hand. As he trembled and shook in fear of me I pulled the neck of his tunic down with two fingers to reveal... a slave collar.

…

Fuck...

My right hand trembled a bit as I forced myself to calm down and finally channeled enough mana for an unlock spell on the collar and after a moment it opened and I tossed the thing behind me as he looked shocked at what I just did for him. Finally I found my voice as I pulled my weapon back and moved to sheathe it. "With due respects sir, I have been on edge for two days and recent events have found me with a lost temper. I fully intend to apologize when I am in a calmer mood and in better control of myself." Anger and rage still rolled off my tongue but the words seemed to calm him. "You should not have been the target of it, but the point stands. What. The fuck. Is going on in this madhouse?" I let off, clenching and unclenching my hands.

"Ah, y-yes sir. Thank you for taking that thing off..." He let off, panting a bit as he rubbed his throat. "O-one moment, I beg, so I may collect myself." I nodded and took two, deliberate steps back as I took deep breaths myself.

"They're asleep." Terra said as she walked to my side, one hand moving to my back and rubbing softly. "Otherwise they seem unharmed." Likely she said that to calm me further; it did help.

"Y-yes... I was... forced to create the drug that did this; applied to darts or food I imagine." The elven man said. "I am Elrand Shinestar. My father was chief alchemist here as well; as reluctant as we were."

(-)

Name: Elrand Shinestar
Title: Alchemist of Xenera
Class: Cleric/Alchemist
Level: 14
Alignment: Neutral
Reputation: 23
Status: Healthy, Frightened, Calming

Known Traits
[?]

[Mix & Match] You can create new kinds of potions; provided the time and materials. +5% to the effects of all potions made. +35% to research and development of new alchemy products

Born in Whitewell to famed alchemist Elturn Shinestar he would find himself orphaned when his mother died at the same time his father vanished. He would enter his father's field to the point of earning the title of Grand Master in the Spellcaster's Guild... Only to be kidnapped by House Insidiae, enslaved and forced to work side by side with his likewise enslaved father... Before he was killed for finding a way to get his collar off. Since then Elrand was forced to work alone with an improved collar around his neck.

(-)

Good lord... He's more a victim then anyone else here.

"He was killed once he created a potion that neutralized the magic in the collars..." He said with a sigh. "We spent a mere century together after six apart when he was kidnapped."

"He spent over six centuries in slavery?" Terra let off as she looked at him, paling. As a half elf herself a life in slavery could be quite long if a collar was ever slapped on her.

"Indeed. We were often called 'the heirlooms' by them." Elrand said with a shudder. "But yes, explanations. Father told me how all this... started. Tell me; are you aware of House Insidiae's state after the Trial War with Hopkins?"

Being calmer (If only somewhat) I was able to answer him with a more even and calm tone now. "Daniel the First was the only male of the house to survive with his mother, sisters and cousin."

"Yes. And you are aware of the betrayals of the war too?" He asked as I nodded.

"Yes, Zenderbelt and Congress betrayed him at Wendy Flats." I replied... As he, to my surprise, shook his head.

"It was more then just that." He said as I blinked. "Hollis Vandersky and Ken Sanders also back stabbed him, attempting a coup inside of Xenera Castle. House Daphne managed to appeal to several enemy commanders sense of morality and convinced them to turn their coats. Vandersky and Sanders attempted to take the castle and killed Kendra as well as Carter Insidiae."

"I... never heard that before... I was told Kendra Insidiae committed suicide..." I said, surprised.

"Daniel came up with the cover story; they managed to suppress the insurrection inside the castle in the end thanks to Commander Gabriel Amarriner." Elrand said with a sigh. "They suppressed the facts as they feared that if word escaped then more betrayal would come... Which is why when the war was over he choose to have his children sired... by his family..."

"Wait... I mean there are rumors but House Insidiae is incestuous?" I let off as Terra spoke up next.

"But in humans aren't there defects when that occurs? Maybe not right away but at least within a few generations, right?" She let off as Elrand nodded.

"Not are they only incestuous, sir, they are more so then House Draken, as they do not breed outside of their own clan, ever." I must have looked dumbfounded as I stared at him blinking.

"But... that's... That's impossible!" I let off. "There isn't a hint of physical deformities!"

"Indeed... and that is the very reason they kidnapped my father..." He said as I blinked at him. "My father, Elturn, was brilliant and a famed alchemist at the time... And after his abduction he was forced by Daniel the First to create a potion that would prevent such defects when drank before and during pregnancy." He said before moving to a rack on the side of the room, reaching out and pulling out a strange, red and purple potion that seemed to mix and unmix on it's own. "Daniel the First knew what inbreeding could do to his line; House Draken was living proof of it. That what he needed my father for; to produce and continue producing the potion. However after a few generations unwanted... side effects started to make themselves known. I imagine you can guess what it is."

"Their paranoia." I let off as I frowned.

"Either the potion was responsible or the inbreeding effected their minds as well. My father couldn't figure out a solution so once I started rising as an alchemist they kidnapped me as well; both to force my father to work harder and to gain my assistance. Three hundred years ago, even after he was killed, I pulled it off... The golden potions..." He said moving to another rack and pulling off another vial; this one of a golden potion. "It needed to be taken regularly but it curbed their disorder... For... for a time..."

"For a... time?" Terra let off as Elrund sighed.

"I... I hadn't expected an issue that developed over the generations; House Insidiae slowly developed a resistance to the potion." He said, shuddering. "I think it had an unexpected reaction with the potion that prevented their deformities. Not only did the potion do less and less over the last few generations but the members of House Insidiae became more and more unstable overtime... Then the effects of the potion dropped drastically over the last three years... And then more so now; over the last two weeks the potions are now little more then placebos now! I... I don't know what happened... But over that time these people have become more and more unhinged... I've tried fixing things but... Nothing worked... But I guess if people like you are here now... something gave way..."

"That's one way to put it..." I grumbled with a sigh. "We'll need you to testify. We're bringing all of House Insidiae into custody to figure this shit out..."

[-]

Thankfully Elrand had a counter drug for Miria and Riri and once they awoke (And I hugged both hard) we brought them up to speed; turns out it was their food that was tainted. I should have done something to help them detect things in their food...

Once we were back upstairs things had ended. The Blood Slimes were dead and needed to be mopped off the floor. All the goblins, ninja orcs and centaurs were also down and dead save one of the horse men who had surrendered. Of House Insidiae outside of Vander only Olesia died; impaled by one of the Blood Slimes she smuggled in. Jupiter in particular was huffing hard; his armor stripped off save his face mask. All of the surviving House Insidiae were tied up and detained... including four other members who entered the melee late.

For fuck's sake...

At least I got some XP from it, but I didn't notice the alert because... I was still in a mood, okay?

Cress gave Miria his own firm hug that she returned before we all got to work sorting shit out. Elrand, over voxlux, testified to Celestine who knew his father, to my surprise. In addition she took confessions and testimonies from guards and servants. In the end she made a declaration; House Insidiae was not fit to rule Xenera (No shit!) and the family would be removed from power by her authority. Their actions here was all the ammunition she needed to depose them with minimal grumbling from the Council; attacking another noble (Myself, in this case) wouldn't be taken well they them and I imagine if she hadn't deposed them the majority would have demanded it of her. If some members would be allowed to retain the status of Minor Noble was yet to be determined. That meant breaking out the Succession List of Xenera and seeing who was left on it once you ignored every Insidiae on it.

The Umbral Act of Nine-Seventy AF came after the Classa Civil War and the destruction of House Umbral during it. To avert a succession crisis if something were to cause an entire house to die off again it was decided that each Local Lord needed to make a list of successors that was ten deep and submit it to the High Crown. In addition at least one person on that list had to be from a house not of the currently ruling nobles. The reason was that this way if shit ever hit the fan again leadership could be carried over with little fuss. However, as one may expect, many lords of the day and age took offense to this Act because of the fact someone of a house not of their own had to be listed on it and they didn't like the risk to the power of their houses.

Then about a decade and a half later the Great Pox happened and the Umbral Act, as it happened to turn out, was a bit too limited in scope and as some entire Succession Lists had every name on it die to the pox making those lists as useful as toilet paper overnight.

There was no resistance when the Umbral Act was expanded in one thousand and one AF to double the number of members on each list to twenty and the amount of outside houses to two. Once the morning came and the torrent that was caused finally ended long enough to unflood the streets of Raven Leer City Eostian Regulars were contacted by Celestine to find and locate these two successors; Jason Nemo and Aeron Inanis. Oddly, I noted, that once translated from Latin Nemo and Inanis meant no one and void... And the names were apt.

Because they didn't exist.

Both had manors inside of Raven Leer City's noble district but both only housed servants. As it turned out both sets of servants were told to live there, raise their families there and if anyone asked they served House Nemo or House Inanis, complete with House Banners over the manors... But the manors were owned, funded and staffed by employees of House Insidiae. In other words the nineteenth and twentieth members of the List of Succession of the County of Xenera were falsely listed.

Which meant that there was no one to rule the County!

I don't know if I should laugh or cry.

As that fact was being found out my group moved out of the Castle and, thanks to Victoria, we were helped into the embassy of the Rycall Republic to stay as we helped to sort out this shit. After the lack of successors was found out Celestine gave a long, deep and drawn out sigh as she shook her head, shut her eyes, pinched her nose and said something under her breath that sounded something like a very serious curse word as she thought it over. In the end she named Victoria Excelsior-Daphne as Acting Countess until she could find someone qualified (And more importantly sane) to rule the County or until she could prove herself as a true Countess.

[-]

Four Days After House Insidiae Being Deposed
Castle Xenera
Victoria's Quarters

Victoria sighed, setting her quill back into it's vessel, taking a moment to read what she wrote in her room, lit by the afternoon sun. She didn't know if she would ever have the heart to ever send the message but she felt she needed the words written down on paper. She felt she needed to get her thoughts and emotions on paper, getting them written out into physical form and out of her mind.

---

Dear Lord James Noxdecus

I feel I owe you both apologies and explanation yet I do not feel the courage to speak them to your face. In reality I am not sure if I can ever see this letter sent to you; what you endured within the walls of Castle Xenera was my fault in at least part. I hope that before you judge me for what I have done that you hear my story and understand not just what actions I have done but why I have done them.

As you may have guessed, growing up being descended from one House Daphne I was well educated in the history of Hopkins from it's rise to it's fall and absorption. While I do not agree with what my ancestors did to Kendra Insidiae as it wasn't justified even to the ends they wished to gain I do understand what they meant to accomplish and agree with that at least. Their defense against a stronger foe is a point of pride for us, even if they fell in the end. In spite of House Excelsior having more prestige and honor I took Daphne as my last name for pride at this.

In addition my mother taught me not to attempt any underhanded means to gain power; that I should gain it through honesty, hard work and trust and as I rose upwards in life I stuck to that; I never begrudged House Insidiae for our shared past. I still do not, in truth. They did what they felt they had to do to an injustice done to their House and family; an injustice I cannot question. Indeed; when I was hired by them I felt it was a step towards restoring the name of Daphne. That was the reason I went into their service... Until I started to see what the state of their House really was. And while I never managed to approach him, what they had done to Elrand Shinestar and his father was horrible. I knew the House would fall to it's own insanity sooner or later.

So it was then I choose to betray my values and make it sooner.

Once I had the trust of members of the castle staff I had Elrand's supplies tampered with. I knew that the potions that kept them somewhat sane were failing and thus I accelerated their failure, but not fully. I ordered that some of the effect should remain to keep them from going too far out of line. I wasn't in a position to dislodge their rule; as I took their place in the Council of Lords I knew that various parties were interested in guarding their position in Xenera for their own aims. I needed something to undermine them more fully before I could do more on that front.

And then you appeared before the Council of Lords with your voxlux in hand. And, more importantly, I learned you would come to Xenera, to Raven Leer City and to me and House Insidiae. Coming along with you would be Shield Princess Maia who I had attempted to get into the Castle to force the overthrow of Insidiae before but she refused to enter within. These were the boons I had long sought and knowing this I tampered further with the potions; making the key ingredient useless for Elrand's concoctions. I whispered in Daniel Insidiae's ear to ensure that an invitation with an insistence of accepting hospitality would be extended to you. I made sure as you approached I would be there to guide you to the castle myself and ensure Maia was forced to come along as well. I even gave minor hints of how to keep you, a 'pawn' in their insane games in the Castle using Rain Callers.

That said I hadn't expected that so many Rain Callers would be used at once as some people I hadn't suggested to use them also used them for reasons I do not understand. I miscalculated in this and for that many problems were caused to the people of Raven Leer City by the resulting flooding. This is my fault and mine alone. I also suggested that during the dinner it would be a good time for someone to attempt something they were planning, triggering each of them to enact their plans or counter-plans they had made in their games. That said I had not expected the level of danger and threat. I did not not foresee Blood Slimes appearing; otherwise I would have done more to curb the threat before it occurred. Once more this is my fault and responsibility.

I was also the one that had your adopted sister and maid drugged and moved to hide them near the kitchen so you would find your way to Elrand. However my plans went awry; Vander had them intercepted and placed into the lab for his own ends. What those were I do not know; the lack of sanity means the limits on what he'd do are few. If you wish to showcase your anger and fury to me at this then I accept it. I had not planned to place them in danger but my carelessness placed them there. I am truly sorry for this. Even if this letter is never sent I will find some means to make up for this mistake. This is my fault and I accept that. I deserve your rage and more.

But I knew that once they were triggered to act, to let their insanities take over themselves that they would force Maia's hand making her need to act against them. That the voxlux allowed for Celestine's quick approval and demand for Insidiae's removal with no lag in messaging was a boon I could only have dreamed of when I first began my plots. You made this possible and now all of Xenera is out from under their thumb. I had hoped that Jason Nemo would be able to restore sanity, even though I was never able to find him.

As you now know Jason Nemo did not exist, nor did Aeron Inanis This is another wrinkle in my planning I did not expect and I was at a loss of who would lead, at least until I was selected by High Queen Celestine. I had not expected this; that House Daphne would come to rule any territory in Eostia once more, let alone to the one we lost even if it was absorbed and made a part of another one. That was not a plot of mine. It is a reward earned in dishonesty and manipulation. It is an oddly shameful thought to me.

So, regardless of if I send this letter or not to you this I shall vow to you on my honor and the name of Daphne.

I will become a Countess, acting or otherwise, worthy of the title. I will rule with honesty, integrity and honor. I will protect the people of Xenera to the best of my abilities. I will become as capable an ally to House Noxdecus as I am able. I will rule not with fear or wrath but with kindness and understanding. I will become a woman worthy of your trust; even if you have little reason to do so after my actions.

I hope you will understand. And I will understand if you do not.

~~Signed Acting Countess Victoria Daphne

---

"I never wanted this..." She said sighing as she folded the paper, ink now dry and slipped it into a letter. She would seal it with wax, pressing a seal to it before setting it to the back of the drawer. "I'll send it some day. When I am brave enough. I need what courage I have now to face what's before me in the moment." She said as a knock sounded on the door.

"Countess Victoria." A man said on the other side of the door. "It's time." She sighed, taking a moment to fix her jacket and steel herself before moving to the door. Once she stepped outside the two, waiting butlers would flank her as she moved through the halls to the throne room of Castle Xenera. As she approached the doors were opened by the guards outside of it. She stepped in... and paused.

The room was large, of course, with gold colored support pillars set in place. Marble floors and walls awaited her. A long, red carpet led to a set of steps leading to a platform with a throne on it; made of pure gold and cushioned with red padding. She'd seen the sight before. However the room was lined with the staff of the Castle; maids, butlers, guards and more all looking to her with smiles. Honest, not forced smiles and upon seeing her an applause began from everyone. Finally she started to move forwards step by step. Even the staff who helped her tamper with the potions were giving an honest and eager response. And then she paused again to see what was flanking the throne, hanging from the ceilings; a look of honest shock crawling over her features. It used to be two, long white banners with gold trim that bore the Insidiae Shield Emblem on it, flanking the throne.

Now?

The banners color was the same but it didn't bear the shield emblem of House Insidiae. Instead it was a different one; a circular one with a large, golden ring outlined with dark blue on both sides. The middle bore a cyan background with a brown tree trunk with roots and several green leaves around the upper part of it. The gold ring, however, bore a green laurel, thinly outline with dark blue and a dot at the bottom of it. And at the top, in cursive script font was a single word in green, outlined with a thin line of dark blue.

Daphne.

She was nearly brought to tears form the sight. She never expected to have the banner of House Daphne fly over any territory in Eostia, let alone this one. She didn't even plan for it; it was a strange and unusual twist of fate. She sucked in a breath and tightened her jaw. She was both happy and ashamed in oddly equal amounts given how she ended up in this moment. Even so she was able to find her stride once more and walk forwards once more before acending and reaching the throne. She had stood beside it several times over the last few years but now she wasn't standing next to it. She moved to sit down on it, taking the Seat of Power of Xenera as everyone in the room faced her, their applause slowly ending as the butlers who flanked her now stood either side of her. She held up a hand and everyone went silent as she spoke her first words as Acting Countess of Xenera.

"I thank you for this... overwhelming support." She began as she smiled back to them. "I am sure we are all full glad that the insanity of House Insidiae is behind us now. That isn't to say challenges will not be left in their wake but we, together, shall tackle and overcome them one by one. The healing of the County of Xenera begins now. To that end there is something that must be addressed by us here and now and that is the state of slavery within Xenera."

The room went silent as they looked at her. Once more she spoke. "Xenera's status as a slave state has been changed back and forth on strange and odd whims. With House Insidiae no longer in power and the flip-flopping over I will now declare this; slavery is now banished from this County." She declared as the room broke out into cheers and applause once more. "And as long as I and House Daphne rules it shall not return!" She called out, raising her voice to be heard as the room cried out in approval even louder. She smiled and waved as she waited for them to calm down.

'Perhaps how I came here being through unsavory means will guilt me for years to come if not decades.' She thought to herself as she kept waving. 'But I can do something good with this outcome. I will become a Countess worthy of the title. And from now on I will be worthy of it, even when no eyes are upon me.'

[ - Author's Note - ]

Whew... That was harder then I thought.

The point of the chapter was to write a House of nobles who, even if through no fault of their own (At least in regards to the ones in the present day) were pushed off the deep end and no longer stable and reduced to being nonsensical and barely tethered to reality. In addition, while not a part of my original idea, having James pushed to a rage-breaking point was a fun idea as a result of putting up with House Insidiae for too long.

I do hope I pulled it off right... If I did is up to you, however.

Also; a new fic appeared on FFDotNet's Kuroinu section; Leo and the Seventh Ruin by one francisthewitcher. It's a single chapter thus far but I found it rather entertaining. I do recommend a read.

This will also be the last chapter of the Best Banners of Ken Poll as we'll likely be moving onto the Rad one in the Interlude. It's still up at strawpoll (Dot Com)/polls/w4nWDJQ5WgA and the Strawpoll link can also be found on Twitter eostian. Please vote; it's fun and I'll break down my thoughts on them at the start of the Interlude. Images of each banner will be visible on the Strawpoll.

So, what do I have set for the interlude? Talking a little bit about Iris Sofia, seeing reactions from various parties to what happened in Longroad and Alcanth as well as fall out from House Insidiae's fall.

Until then!

~~Eostian Scribe