Sera was having an afternoon tea time on the balcony of her quarters, enjoying the rare chaotic events at the de Lys estate. The wine poisoning afflicted the mage-knights sent by the royal palace. With wine being provided by the church, rumors began to circulate that they were trying to take Sera under their jurisdiction by proving how incompetent the mage-knights were.
Charlotte brewed her favorite tea and brought her some desserts for snacks.
"Miss, it seems you are in a good mood today." She told Sera. "The duke was summoned to the royal palace this morning. There was an issue with the mage-knights sent by the palace, so the duke suggested you remain inside the estate until it's settled."
Sera leaned comfortably on her seat and gazed over the garden. The wine came from the church. It was impossible for others to blame the de Lys family, for they had never had a hand with the provisions sent for the mage-knights.
"Well, it's not like I have stepped out of the estate since my arrival." She commented.
Charlotte noticed Rowan walking towards them. She stepped back and excused herself to Sera before leaving to give them some privacy.
"Why did you have to do that and make things complicated?" Rowan asked, not bothering to give her a proper greeting.
"Hello to you, too, Sir Ashgrave," Sera replied, as she brought up her teacup with a posture and elegance expected from a noblewoman like her. She had sensed him coming even before Rowan stepped inside her quarters.
Each mage had an aura that only they could emit, distinguishing them from others. In Sera and Rowan's case, no matter if their mana was suppressed, a small amount of mana was emitted from their bodies. It was rare to see a mage who could perfectly hide their mana.
"Are you still going to deny what you've done?" He narrowed his eyes at her.
Sera didn't bother with the innocent act anymore. She met his narrowed eyes with a calm gaze. She took a slow sip of tea, letting the silence stretch a little longer before answering him.
"You're angry. But is it because of the wine or because I made you my unwitting accomplice?" She paused, watching his expression closely.
Rowan scowled as she answered him with a question.
"Don't turn this against me, de Lys. We both know what you did in the cellar last night."
"And yet, you have no proof to present, Ashgrave," Sera immediately countered him. "Also, I wouldn't bother to deny anything. It seemed you've already made up your mind that it was me who did the deed."
She placed her teacup down at the table and rested her chin behind her hand.
"The results speak for themselves. The Church's wine made the knights ill. It seems their provisions are as corrupt as their priests. A simple, tragic accident. Unless you have proof otherwise?"
"I don't need proof to know the truth, de Lys. You might fool everyone, but you cannot fool me. You have to stop playing dangerous games. Do you think the Church will just accept this? They will send investigators. They will try to pin this against you. Surely, they can fabricate evidence just as easily as they framed you before."
"You know the Church is corrupt. You know they framed me." Sera eyed him, "Do you take me as someone who would just lie down and accept my fate? I wouldn't strike without a plan in mind."
Rowan considered her words. What Sera was doing was dangerous, but he understood where she was coming from.
"You have to be careful," he said after a moment of silence, "Whatever you do, your family would surely be implicated. The de Lys's future depends on you."
Sera tried her best not to roll her eyes at his warning. The House de Lys wouldn't crumble so easily without a fight.
She stood up, losing interest in her afternoon tea time. Rowan had successfully extinguished all the enjoyment she had before his arrival.
"Where are you going? Rowan asked, following her with swift moves.
"Do I have to report everything to you, Sir Ashgrave?" Sera responded with annoyance. She was starting to lose her patience over Rowan's nagging. He was tolerable back when they were in the academy. But since her return, Rowan had been her case at every turn.
"I'm just making sure you aren't trying to do something stupid."
"You don't need to get yourself involved with me. They took everything from me, Ashgrave: my reputation, my freedom, nearly my life. You ask me to stop? Then give me a better weapon. Until you can, I will fight their schemes with my own, and I will do it better. If a few mage-knights have a bad stomachache because of it, that is a price I am willing to pay. Your comfort is not my concern."
Rowan followed her until they reached a massive quarters he hadn't had a chance to see before. It was a room filled with books, old scrolls, and alchemical equipment that only a high mage could possess. He glanced at Sera, who walked away from him to scan a nearby shelf with several books about magic.
The study was a chaotic yet organized mess. Rowan noted the titles: Advanced Magical Theory, Potion-Making, and historical texts on the Church's early days. It was the library of a scholar, not the frivolous sitting room of a noble lady.
He had known a long time ago that Sera's interests were far from those of the other noblewomen, but to see her owning such a massive collection, it was no wonder that despite her using heretic magic, her knowledge about he foundation of magic gave her an edge to create new spells that no one dared to make before.
While Rowan was distracted, Sera pretended to find a specific text. The system didn't fail to help her with her intention.
[ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN: ACTIVE]
Target: Mana Spring Confluence.
Location: Behind the western bookcase. Mechanism: Bloodfire-activated keystone.
Sera ran her fingers along the spines of the books, searching for the "keystone." She was careful not to activate it while Rowan was around. She would rather not allow him to suspect what she was up to and wait for the perfect time to see the spring while he was away.
"What are you up to now?" She heard Rowan's accusing tone.
Sera turned to him with a look of impatience.
"Trying to find a book about warding techniques. Don't tell me even this I cannot do while I'm here?"
Of course, she was bluffing. She was using his suspicion against him, although she was aware he would be more suspicious than before.
Rowan's eyes narrowed. He could feel it—a faint, deep thrum of magic emanating from behind the shelf. It was not an escape tunnel but a power source. His mind kicked into gear. Why did she need access to a raw power source with her cuffs on?
"There's always a reason for your every action. You made sure I know that."
Sera shrugged. He was too perceptive to fool about this. She changed tactics, opting to say half-truths.
"My magic is suppressed, not gone. Even a caged bird needs to stretch its wings, Ashgrave. Or would you prefer I become so weak that the next time the Argenthals send an assassin, I can't even scream?"
"Do you think I'll allow them to hurt you?" Rowan gave her a pointed stare. "If they so wish to send you to the afterlife, I would send them first there myself."
"Why do you even care, Ashgrave? I don't remember us being close when we were in the academy." Sera had been meaning to ask him this. It bothered her that he was hovering over her. She didn't like that his attention was solely focused on her.
Sera searched her memories—both her own and the ones of Anna, who had resided in this body. In none of them was Rowan Ashgrave this persistently present. His protectiveness made no sense to her.
Sera refused to believe that he was putting his life on the line to protect her. The royal family, the church, and the Argenthals were not easy to deal with.
Rowan fell silent. He didn't answer immediately, but instead, he stared at the mana cuffs on her wrists.
"You are playing a dangerous game, de Lys. If you are bothered by these cuffs, simply ask me to remove them. You don't need to plan recklessly."
"You would remove them for me?" Sera was astounded by his suggestion. "But aren't you afraid of being implicated as colluding with me? You are the son of the master of the mage tower, his heir. If people find out you are colluding with a criminal like me, things would be disastrous for you."
"Why would I care about what others think of me? We both know these cuffs aren't enough to stop you, de Lys." Rowan sounded exasperated. "Even with your mana restricted, they failed to consider what other things you are capable of. If you want someone dead, no matter what the circumstances are, you would have to find many ways to deal with them."
"And you know these? How?" Sera dared him.
"Because the Seraphine de Lys I know was far more formidable than most perceive. She doesn't obey the rules; instead, she challenges them. It would be foolish of anyone to underestimate you."