The journey to the de Lys estate in the capital felt too long for Sera's liking, but with her mana sealed for the second time, she could only sit in the carriage with her father and Rowan. A long line of royal guards was marching behind them, as if they were afraid that she would disappear in plain sight.
Sera shut her eyes, aware of the gaze of her father and Rowan set upon her. She wanted to yell at them to look somewhere else, but considering they came to her rescue, Sera supposed she could let them off the hook for now.
"Sera, why didn't you send someone to inform me what happened to you?" she heard her father ask.
Sera cracked an eye open and frowned to show her displeasure. She wasn't the type to ask favors from others; that was Anna's approach. If she wanted something to be done immediately, she would have done it herself. It was foolish of Anna to believe that Cedrick would have some sympathy for her and agree to help her.
"I did," she answered, "Go ask your adopted son why he never sent a word when I asked him to."
Duke Lysander looked at her in surprise, while Rowan's eyes darkened but didn't utter a word.
"Where is Cedrick right now?" The duke of Lysanthia asked Rowan, his tone had a hint of urgency and disappointment. He honestly hadn't expected that Cedrick would abandon his daughter at a desperate time.
"From what I heard, he went to the church to check on Saintess Liliana," Rowan answered.
"Saintess Liliana? He chose the saintess over his sister?" Duke Lysander laughed incredulously. When he left to protect the borders, he asked Cedrick to look after Sera during his absence.
"He is not my brother." Sera clarified, "I don't remember mother giving birth to him."
The duke immediately stopped talking. He knew from the start that Sera didn't want Cedrick to join their family, but because of the promise he made to his dying friend, he took the young boy under his wing. He hadn't expected Cedrick to choose the outsider over helping Sera. Perhaps it wasn't too late to change things and put things in the proper order.
"I'll talk to him. You don't need to worry about him anymore," he whispered, enough for Sera to hear.
Sera glanced at her father and yawned, her eyes glinting. Duke Lysander thought she was trying to stop the urge to cry, but Rowan thought otherwise.
"Do as you wish, Father, but do not forget that I have to settle scores with him."
[PSYCH PROFILE: LYSANDER DE LYS]
» Emotional State: Paternal Guilt (78%), Rage (15%), Strategic Reassessment (7%)
» Loyalty to Host: 92% (Volatile. Driven by duty & newfound guilt.)
» Observed Inconsistency: His surprise is genuine. Subject Cedrick's betrayal was unforeseen.
» VP OPPORTUNITY: Encourage his guilt. Isolate him from other attachments.
The system's words made Sera curious. So even this corrupt system knew how she could get more out of her situation and turn the tables to her favor. The system doesn't care about familial reconciliation; it sees a chance to manipulate the Duke's loyalty for a VP gain, pressuring her to perform a specific emotional response.
Duke Lysander understood. Because Sera was a true blood de Lys, she also lived by the motto of the family, 'A de Lys' favor was never free. ' Regardless of whether it was kindness or betrayal, a de Lys would surely remember it and return it a thousandfold. Since Cedrick had greatly offended Sera, it would be dealt with as a family matter as soon as possible. Duke Lysander also didn't want someone around them who was not trustworthy and couldn't uphold their word.
The carriage stopped before the grand estate of the de Lys family. However, Sera wasn't allowed to step out yet as the mage-knights sent by the king set up several barriers that would forbid her escape. Sera inwardly laughed at their attempts. Didn't they know that there were several ways to escape the estate without relying on magic?
She was slightly off guard when she found Rowan staring at her when her father stepped out to talk to the captain of the royal guards. From the moment she'd seen him, something was odd about him, but she couldn't tell what it was. Did Rowan suspect her of something? Did he know she wasn't the same Sera that the crown prince imprisoned?
'Assess Rowan Ashgrave for me,' she told the system.
The system took several seconds before responding to Sera's command.
[THREAT ASSESSMENT: ROWAN ASHGRAVE]
» Physiological Response: Pupil dilation, suppressed mana.
» Analysis: Inconclusive. The data contradict. Physical readings suggest controlled rage, but the magical signature reads as... placid. Incompatible datasets.
» Demon-Blood Resonance: SCAN FAILED. An anomalous energy signature shields target's core.
» WARNING: All readings are unreliable. Target is either a perfect void or a perfect mirror. Assume maximum threat.
[ADVICE: Do not probe. Do not trust. Observe only. Any interaction is a potential risk.]
Sera didn't expect the result. The system wasn't just assessing him; it sounded confused and alarmed by its inability to read him.
'Do an affinity scan,' Sera commanded. She wanted to know if Rowan had made some affinity with Anna during her absence. It should give her some insight into why Rowan significantly deviated from the original script.
[SYSTEM COMMAND: INITIATE AFFINITY SCAN]
- Target: Rowan Ashgrave
- Cost: 50 VP
[ERROR: SCAN IMPOSSIBLE]
» Cause: Target's metaphysical profile is not found in accessible databanks. It is either non-existent or classified beyond system clearance.
» Magical Signature: NULL. Reads as a perfect vacuum. All probing spells are absorbed without reflection.
» HYPOTHESIS: Target is a paradox. A living blank slate or a vessel for something that defies categorization.
[CONCLUSION: Analysis is not just blocked; it is conceptually impossible. VP cost refunded. Recommend extreme caution.]
This made Rowan profoundly alien and dangerous in Sera's eyes. What in the world was wrong with this man?
"Is there something you want to say?" She asked, breaking the silence between them, not beating around the bush.
Thinking about it, the Rowan she knew in her past life was different from the one before her. The Rowan she knew dedicated his entire life to studying at the academy, then eventually, managing the magic tower as its youngest master it had ever had. So how come the Rowan before her had chosen to follow her father's footsteps by joining his troop to war against demons?
"Have you finally decided to shed your pretense?" Rowan replied, without breaking their gaze.
Sera felt a cold shiver run down her spine. Rowan must have known something. Was he like her and Anna, who live with a system in this world, or was it something else entirely?
[CRITICAL SOCIAL ENCOUNTER: DEFLECT OR CONFIRM?]
» Target Statement: "Have you finally decided to shed your pretense?"
» Subtext Analysis: INCONCLUSIVE. Target's tone, micro-expressions, and bio-signatures provide no actionable data.
» Target's Likely Theories: UNKNOWN. Probability matrix cannot be calculated.
» RECOMMENDED ACTION: [CHOICE UNGUIDED]
- All outcomes are unpredictable. The System cannot model his reactions.
- VP Gain/Loss: VARIABLE. Depends on the target's unknown goals.
[ADVICE: You are blind. Choose a path and prepare for the consequences.]
The system, Sera's guide and manipulator, threw its hands up. It admitted it cannot predict, model, or guide her because Rowan was a complete variable. This forced Sera to rely entirely on her own instincts. The removal of a guaranteed VP reward makes the choice feel far more risky and personal.
She couldn't analyze whether Rowan was a potential ally or an enemy, but if she could persuade him on her side, he would be an invaluable chess piece she could not afford to lose.
"I don't know what you mean, Sir Ashgrave." She deadpanned, not wanting to give a hint of what she was thinking.
Rowan made a faint, almost imperceptible tilt of his head, as if he was studying her like a rare specimen.
"The defensive maneuver of a cornered animal is to feign ignorance. Or a skilled player's opening move."
He then offered her a ghost of a smile that didn't reach his dark eyes.
"I suppose time will tell which one you are, Lady de Lys." Rowan then turned to look out the window, effectively ending the conversation and leaving her with a chilling implication that he knew something that could be used against her.
[INTERACTION LOGGED: ROWAN ASHGRAVE - RESPONSE: DEFLECTION]
[ANALYSIS: INCONCLUSIVE]
» Target's reaction: NULL. No physiological or magical fluctuations detected.
» Outcome: Status Quo maintained. Host remains an unknown variable to the target.
» VP Assessment: +0. Survival is its reward. No gain for navigating an un-chartable course.
[ADVICE: CEASE PROBING. This entity operates on a logic that this System cannot parse.]
Sera's right eye twitched in annoyance. When did Rowan learn how to play dirty? Rowan was a type of person who strictly abided by laws and had never used blackmail or dirty tricks to win an argument.
On the outside, Sera wore an aristocratic boredom on her face, but internally, every instinct she had was screaming. She didn't like losing to anyone, especially not to Rowan Ashgrave. However, she had to agree with the system's analysis. Probing him would be useless. Worse, it's dangerous.
'Fine.' Sera thought. 'If he wants to observe the player, then he should become a piece on the board. And I decide if he's sacrificed or crowned.'
She deliberately shifted her gaze from him, looking out the window, watching the darkened sky hovering over the kingdom of Solmora. A clear and dismissive signal that their conversation was over. She had matched his energy and withdrawn, offering no more purchase for his probing.