The sun was already high, beating down relentlessly on the roof of our carriage.
During the monotonous trip, I noticed a weathered road sign pointing toward a small town nearby. When I read the name of the town, a memory sparked in the back of my mind. I remembered it clearly from the reddish book—the book of my fate.
Immediately, I leaned toward the small window connecting the passenger cabin to the coachman's seat.
"Adel," I called out through the gap, tapping on the wood to get her attention. "Go to that town."
At first, Adel didn't even turn her head.
"We have just ridden for six hours, and My Lady wants to stop by in this small town?" she asked, her voice dry with skepticism. "I am sorry, but we need to continue the trip."
"NO!!!" I shouted, pressing my face closer to the opening. "Go to that small town quickly. We won't stay the night there, just a small stop-by."
Adel sighed loudly enough for me to hear over the rattle of the wheels. "My Lady, again… the trip is five days. It is better not to waste any time, especially since it is a Royal Decree for us to go there as quickly as possible."
"I know about that," I insisted, pouting my lips. "But just this time… you need to cooperate with me."
I leaned my chin on the window frame, widening my eyes and fluttering my lashes, showing my most pitiful, pleading face to Adel's back.
She glanced over her shoulder, saw my expression, and groaned.
"Sigh. Huhhh… okay then. But just a small stop-by."
"I know! Now let's go there," I cheered, settling back into my seat with a satisfied smirk.
..
A few minutes later, we reached a crossroad, and the carriage turned toward the small town.
"Can you find the tavern in this town?" I asked Adel. "And stop in front of it."
"A tavern?" Adel slowed the horses, her tone sharpening. "What business does My Lady have in a place like that?"
"Just do it. You will see after we are inside."
The carriage rolled slowly into the town. Adel scanned the streets, her eyes narrowing as she assessed the rough surroundings. Finally, she found a sign with a faded tankard symbol swinging in the wind. A moment later, we pulled up in front of the modest, somewhat run-down building.
Adel hopped down, smoothed her skirt, and opened the carriage door for me. I stepped out onto the dusty street, the hem of my dress brushing the dirt.
"Now, let's go inside the tavern."
Adel stepped in front of me, blocking the path for a second. She leaned in close, her hand hovering near her hidden daggers. "Be careful in there, My Lady," she whispered, her eyes darting to the dark windows.
"Well, you are staying beside me. Of course, there is nothing I am afraid of," I said, brushing past her.
"It is not about th—"
"Cut the talk. We go inside."
I walked toward the heavy wooden door and pushed it open with both hands.
Creak.
Immediately, the chatter inside died down. The silence was heavy and thick. Heads turned. Rough-looking men and women paused their drinking to look at us.
I kept my chin high, fixed a polite, noble smile on my face, and walked straight toward the counter. Adel shadowed my every step, her posture rigid and alert. Step by step, the patrons' eyes followed us, heavy with suspicion and predatory interest.
In front of the counter, I took a seat on a stool, smoothing my skirts. The master of the tavern, a burly man polishing a glass with a dirty rag, stopped and stood in front of me. He looked me up and down.
"What do you want, Little Lady?" he grunted, leaning his weight on the wood.
"Little Lady??" I tilted my head. "Is that for me?"
"Who else?"
"I will take that as a compliment."
"So what do you want?"
"Nothing. I just want to wait here for a few minutes."
He frowned, tossing the rag over his shoulder. "Any drink? Or else?"
"Ahhh… hmmmmmm…" I tapped a finger on my chin theatrically, then turned to Adel behind me. "What does a tavern always have?"
Adel didn't look at me; she was watching the room. "Usually they have drinks like wine and ale," she recited perfectly, her voice cold. "And for food: stew, bread, cheese, or whatever ingredients the tavern has on hand."
"Hmmmm, it is better to ask him then." I turned back to the tavern master, clasping my hands. "So what have you got, Old Man?"
"First of all," he leaned over the counter, eyeing the fine fabric of my dress, "I want to ask you something, Little Girl. It seems you are a noble, and you are with your maid. Which family are you from?"
Adel quickly leaned down, her lips brushing my ear. "Don't tell anyone about your real name or the family name, My Lady!" she whispered urgently.
I gave a tiny nod to Adel, then turned my head back to the man, offering a sweet, innocent smile. "Just an ordinary family, Old Man. What business do you have knowing about me? Now just tell me! What do you have?"
He huffed, clearly annoyed by the evasion. "Like your little maid said, we have ale and wine for drinks. Stew, cheese, bread for food."
"Then I order stew. And is there anything besides ale or wine for drinking?"
"Milk. We have that for a little girl like you."
"Great then, I'll take that."
The man grunted and disappeared into the back to fetch the order.
I looked around. The patrons were still staring at us openly, whispering behind their hands.
"Adel," I murmured, keeping my gaze forward, "these people keep staring at us, from when we entered until now. What is going on?"
"I think they are mercenaries," Adel replied, her eyes scanning the room like a hawk.
"So why do they keep staring at us?"
"Maybe we look like easy targets for them."
"Hehhhhhhh… And you, Adel? How about you take a seat instead of standing there like a statue?"
"I can't do that."
"Yes, you can. And maybe this stop-by can be longer than I expect."
Adel shifted her weight, clearly uncomfortable. "And why did My Lady want to come here in the first place?"
"You will know later."
Moments later, the man returned. He slammed a bowl of steaming stew and a glass of milk onto the counter.
I reached for the spoon.
Whack.
Adel's hand shot out and slapped my wrist away.
She pulled the bowl toward her. She examined it closely, tilting the bowl to see the consistency, and then leaned down to sniff it carefully. After a tense moment, she pushed the stew away.
"Don't eat that," she whispered, her eyes hardening.
"Why? Is there any poison?" I whispered back, eyeing the food.
"The poison is not harmful to the body, but it can make you fall asleep in an instant."
"What about the milk?"
She glanced at the glass. "There is nothing in there."
I nodded, pushed the stew further away with one finger, and took a sip of the milk. Now we waited.
… .. .
An hour passed. The tavern air was stale. We were still waiting, and Adel hadn't moved an inch from her guard position.
"How long do we need to be here?" Adel asked, shifting her weight slightly, her patience wearing thin.
"I don't know," I shrugged, tracing the rim of my glass.
"But My Lady… we will be off schedule if we stay here."
"It is okay."
A few seconds later, a loud shout erupted from a table in the corner. I recognized the name immediately.
"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO, CASSIUS? WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LEFT!"
I immediately glanced toward the voice. There I found them.
"There, Adel… our purpose," I said softly, pointing with my eyes.
I stood up from my seat, dusted off my skirt, and walked toward their table.
Two people sat there—a woman and a man. The woman had a short sword on her hip, her boots resting on the chair opposite her. The man had a greatsword strapped to his back, his head in his hands. They seemed to be in their mid-twenties, wearing plain white clothes with small leather armor pieces on their shoulders. Both had jet-black hair.
When I stopped in front of them, the woman looked up, glaring.
"WHO ARE YOU? AND WHAT DO YOU WANT?" she barked.
"I just saw what was going on with the loud shout," I said calmly, clasping my hands behind my back.
"Just cut to the chase," she snapped, slamming her hand on the table. "Your attire is noble. There is no such thing as a noble disturbing someone for nothing."
"I just thought you two are in trouble. So I may offer you something."
The man, Cassius, looked up. His eyes were tired. "Offer us? You just need something from us. Just tell us!"
"It seems you two are impatient people, so I will tell you." I smiled pleasantly. "I am on a trip to the Capital City. I heard you guys are in distress or trouble. I offer you a sum of coins to be my escorts to the Capital."
Adel quickly grabbed my shoulder, squeezing tight. "My Lady, are you insane?" she hissed.
I ignored Adel for a moment and focused on the mercenaries. "So what is your price for my escort to the Capital?"
Cassius looked thoughtful, scratching his stubble. "That is a five-day ride from here…" Suddenly, a greedy smirk curled his lips. "What about three gold coins?"
"Just that! I can do that. So do we have a deal?"
The man looked at the woman. They exchanged a silent glance, communicating without words, and nodded to each other.
"Sure," Cassius said, standing up. "We have a deal."
I extended my hand for a handshake. Before he could take it, Adel grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.
"NO!!" she snarled. "We don't need them."
"We need them, Adel," I insisted, trying to pull my hand free.
"No, I don't approve of it."
The woman, Valerie, laughed, leaning back in her chair. "You are just a servant. Let your master decide."
Adel shot a glare at her that could cut glass. "I can accept it, if you two can prove yourselves."
"Wohohoho, a servant just said that," Valerie scoffed, standing up and stretching. "Surely. We can use the backyard of the tavern to test our strength."
They walked toward the back exit. We followed them. On the way, Adel stopped at the counter. She extended a hand to the tavern master, who nervously handed her a small, dull kitchen knife.
We arrived in the dusty backyard. Valerie walked to the center of the yard first, cracking her knuckles.
She drew her short sword from her hip with a flourish. Adel held the kitchen knife loosely at her side, looking unimpressed.
Valerie sneered. "A kitchen knife? You must be joking."
Then, Valerie dashed forward. She swung her sword at Adel's right side, a vicious strike.
Adel didn't block. She stepped in, using the small knife to deflect the blade, bending the attack's trajectory away from her body.
Valerie recovered fast and swung again, aiming for the head. Adel immediately dropped into a crouch, dodging the blade by an inch, and delivered a high kick to Valerie's hand.
Clatter!
Valerie cried out, lost her grip, and the sword flew away into the dust.
I saw surprise flash across their faces. Valerie scrambled over, picked up her sword, and turned back, her face twisted in rage.
Suddenly, her right hand began to glow. A deep red hue enveloped her skin, spreading to the hilt of her sword.
I remembered the spar between Lady Octavi and Adel—their hands had turned black.
"Why did her hand become red with her weapon?" I asked Cassius, who stood watching with crossed arms.
"Do you not know about that?"
I shook my head.
"It is Transmutation," he explained, eyes fixed on the fight. "It makes the grip of the hand more proficient and more agile. There are five levels of transmutation, told by the color. First level is Green, Second is Yellow, Third is Orange, Fourth is Red, and Fifth is Blue."
"So that is cheating… if she is against someone who doesn't use that." I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted. "Use it, Adel!"
"That will not be necessary, My Lady," Adel replied calmly, not taking her eyes off Valerie.
"Just use it!! So it is a fair fight."
"Bu–"
"JUST USE IT!!"
Adel sighed, dropping her shoulders. "Sigh. Huh.. okay then."
Adel's hand holding the knife slowly turned pitch black. Glowing glyph runes etched themselves into her skin, pulsing with dark energy.
I looked at Valerie. There were no runes on her red hand. I looked at their faces—Valerie froze mid-step, her eyes wide with terror. Cassius's jaw dropped.
Immediately, Valerie threw her hands up, dropping her sword.
"I YIELD! I YIELD! I YIELD!" she screamed, backing away.
She deactivated her red transmutation, shaking.
Cassius turned his face to me slowly, looking at me with new eyes. "Who the hell are you?"
"Someone from an ordinary family?" I shrugged innocently, smoothing my dress.
"You said that from an ordinary family?" He pointed a shaking finger at Adel, who was calmly letting the black fade from her hand.
"What is wrong with that?"
"You don't know it? I can't even believe what I just saw," he stammered. "When I said there are five levels of transmutation, there are still two other transmutations, but these two are so rare they are myths. They are Black Transmutation and White Transmutation. And now, I see her use the Black Transmutation. There is no way you are from an ordinary family."
"Ahhhh… about that… how do I tell you…" I waved my hand dismissively. "Just forget about me. Do we have a deal?"
"I think you don't need us to escort you. Your servant is just enough to escort you."
"No.. no… I need you guys." I looked at Adel, who walked back to us. "So, Adel! What do you think about them now?"
"Disappointing, My Lady," Adel replied flatly, wiping the knife on her apron.
"Don't talk like that!!" I scolded her. I turned back to Cassius. "Just don't listen to her words. So can we have the deal? I can make it five gold coins if you want...."
Cassius walked over to Valerie, who was still catching her breath. They whispered to each other for a moment, glancing back at Adel fearfully.
He came back to me. "We agree. But we just need one gold coin."
"Huh?? Why do you lower it?"
"After seeing your servant, I think our escort will be worthless. So we lowered it."
"I will give you the three gold coins like you said before."
"But–"
"No buts." I offered my hand again.
"Whatever… you get us." He shook my hand firmly.
"Great." I turned to Adel. "Let's go back to the carriage. We are done here. And can you pay everything? Give these people three gold coins, and pay for whatever we had in the tavern… wait."
I stopped and looked back at them. "We still don't know each other's names formally."
Except I knew you from the beginning, I thought. From the book. Cassius and Valerie. Two of the Twelve Keys.
"My name is Cassius," he said, bowing slightly. "And her name is Valerie."
"My name is… wait a moment." I looked at Adel. "Can I use my name with them?"
"Just do whatever you want, My Lady," Adel sighed, massaging her temples.
"Okay then." I turned back to them, standing tall and projecting my noble aura. "My name is Aurelia Aurelius. And she is Adeline, you can call her Adel."
Again, their faces went slack with shock.
"YOU… from the Aurelius Family??" Cassius gasped.
"Yes, I am."
"So that is why you have her as your servant."
"Now let's get out of here and back to my carriage."
I walked back inside the tavern, Adel following behind me with Cassius and Valerie in tow.
"Why do you need those two?" Adel whispered to me.
"I need them on my side.. for some reason," I replied cryptically, tapping the side of my nose. "You don't need to know it yet."
"Alright then. But I will keep my eyes on them."
"Sure, whatever you want, Adel."
Before we left the tavern, Adel had a brief, tense talk with the tavern master. It seemed Adel paid only for the milk, refusing to pay for the stew. The master tried to argue, but Adel insisted, leaning over the counter and whispering something about the sleeping poison. He turned pale, couldn't say anything to defend himself, and accepted the payment quietly.
We left the tavern. Cassius and Valerie were surprised to see that it was only me and Adel in the carriage for a trip to the Capital without any guards.
They climbed up to the coachman's bench with Adel, and I climbed back inside the carriage, settling into the cushions.
We continued the trip to the Capital.
I have two key people from the Twelve Keys right now… surely it will be an advantage for me.