"There's nothing at all that makes me feel small~"
Now that her intense and brain melting breakfast had come to an halt, Rose decided to move on with her plan, the one she'd spent the last night crafting, meticulously too at that. As of now, she'd decided on using certain elements that were unknown to many, and the smallest change she could form as of now, but she knew too well about how the course of the story might change, a shift too maddening.
Therefore, with an uneasy mind, she stood there in wait for her brother, and her maid. She had requested her father for access to the Teleportation-Gate, and when asked why, she had answered rather uncertainly. Maybe due to this fact, the Emperor had asked his youngest to accompany his daughter, but whether he was here to keep an eye on her or not, she'd not cared much about it.
"So, how are you doing, Princess Daniela?" the words of magnanimity came from the tall silver-haired man. With a moustache as sharp as swords extending to both sides, a piercing yet soft gaze, and a well framed structure with broad shoulders, and wide chests that came as result of years of training — General Thomas looked at her, draped in his long black overcoat, and a white shirt with the top few buttons left free.
Despite her black hair, which was a sign of resignation from the battle to the throne, he did not ask much about it.
"I am feeling quite alright." Rose answered. "How have you been, General? Taking care of yourself, or having you been eyeing another dame?" she poked at the General as if they were closed friends, which Princess Daniela actually was.
"Oh, my." The General faked a gasp, and continued, "The Princess had grown a lot, enough to patronize this old man, huh?"
"Not at all, General." Rose shook her head. "It is a very useful skill, heck I'd even call it a great skill, to be able to seduce anyone with a gaze."
Rose was referring to how he'd been considered to be a "stupendous" swinger, and how he'd often capture the gaze of even ladies who barely enjoyed men's company. Since Rose had been almost thirty years old back on her world, she could see an attractive side of the older man.
"So, Princess." Breaking her out of her star-struck daze were the General's words. "Why do you wish to meet Principal Shia?"
"I got something good enough for her." Rose answered confidently.
The purpose of her asking for access to the use of the Teleportation-Gate was to visit the Principal of Nexuslairon. Now, why would Rose like to meet such an esteemed figure as the "Archmage" Han Shia? Of course she had a reason. The plan she worked so hard to craft last night. And the first one was "a simple recruitment", one she knew the Principal of Nexus Tree academy was greatly looking to.
Since the academy had three classes; Mage, Knight, and Manakai, there held a multifarious of weighty and effectual personal. Well, at least for the Mage and Knight classes. Not for the Manakai on account of the actuality that the class was nothing more than a "slop", "an experiment", and how even the base after which it was taken from — the Magic-Swordsman was exceedingly preferable than being a Manakai.
As of now, no applicants had ever applied for the Manakai class, until the year – 1564 — the current year. The child that Elder Duke Laurent Thorn had adopted suddenly had the crazy idea of wanting to be a manakai. Considering how there were very few Manakai in this world, and how there were none to depart their expertise down to the newer generations at Nexuslairon, Han Shia had been put in a tough spot.
That was until Rose came by. She knew a certain "someone" that no one cared about, heck! If someone even remembered him for his achievements and not for his tumult, then that would be himself, and Rose knew this very well. Since she held this information, she wished to help out Han Shia, not that she wouldn't have considered it. No. What Rose was attempting was just an unadorned poke.
"Shall we leave, Princess?" the quaint and pleasant voice of her handmaiden — the same one from last night asked Daniela.
Rose had not noticed when she's gotten so close to her, and when she asked, it gave her quite a fright, which she tried her most-excellent not to show. "Yes." Rose nodded back, only to see the statuesque handmaiden wore an utterly doleful countenance.
"Wyge Steinfield," Rose swiftly thought. "She's not a simple person, no. She's a mage, and the youngest [Four-Star] too at that, and I can already guess why she's got that expression on her face. It's because of my hair."
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"Phew!" wiping the sweat off his forehead, Finn let out gentle exhale, and made his way back over towards the lumberjack's minimal cabin. He was done with his "toil" and was returning for his pay.
Once again, after he'd reached, the brown haired man greeted him with an altruistic grin, and paid the boy in full amount. But even after he counted, and made sure the man was doing anything but trying to rip-him-off, he had a hard time accepting the fortune. Originally, he thought the man was somewhat cagey, and might belong to a posse. That was until...
—Growl-Grrrr!
Finn's insides growled out in defeasance, crying out to him for provender. And before Finn could say anything, the man yet again beaming, invited him in for lunch now that it was late.
"You should eat more, you know?" the brown-haired man spoke to Finn. "A young man such as yourself shouldn't be this laid back, and starve yourself. I suppose you were saving it up for a reason, though I'd advice against starving yourself, especially depriving yourself off your morning meals."
Finn nodded, embarrassed after he'd been caught. Although he was collecting most of the ryūs he could find for the assessment, he needed more to sustain himself. After all, he was a pauper without much to say was "his".
The brown-haired man placed a bowl of orange mishmash and two pieces of toasted bread before Finn, and smiled, "Try it. These are from the pumpkins I grew and harvested myself. I'm not that great of a chef, but I'd say it tastes pretty good."
"Ahh. Thanks." Finn nodded, expressing his gratitude for the small meal. "And, what's your name, Mister?"
"Well, you can call me Jack." He chuckled lightly. "What's yours kid? Haven't seen you around here, and I know most of the people around here."
"Ah, you must've seen my grandpa, but not me cus I don't go out as much," Finn said, hiding behind an awkward smile. "And my name's Finn."
"Finn. That's a great name." Placing a hand on his chin, he thought and asked, "Are you perhaps Valeson's grandson? No wonder I haven't seen you much."
The rest of the conversation went about commonplace discourse, while Finn enjoyed a hearty meal, one he hadn't had in many weeks since his grandpa jilted for an unknown globe-trotting. Of course, he promised to be home by the end of the "Third Moon of Thunder", but this left Finn wonderstruck at what sort of expedition he'd left for.
During his chatter with Jack, he picked up certain words, and the way the man spoke. It certainly seemed familiar, but not from this time — a point he remembered.
At the same time, a faint whisper of an earthy but ghastly whimpered fearfully inside Jack.
–Hoo-Hoo! It's changing, yet again. But I guess you won't have to worry about it...
While the voice cackled inside his cranium, Jack had a mismated deliberation. His countenance gnarled as he looked at the young boy before him happily enjoying the soup he provided.
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"Eugh..." the young lady groaned, and let out her morning breakfast. Rose felt a palm gently tap on her back during the release, letting her stabilize.
After she got back up, the handmaiden who'd been tapping her back, handed over to her a bottle of water. "Here, Milady," she said softly, yet despite the tender voice, beneath it hid layers of grief, unease, and sadness, one Rose could hear.
"Thus isn't your first time using a teleportation gate, is it?" the question came from the young Gabriel who was confused after watching his sister's nausea. "Your brain should have already been accustomed to it by now. Yet..." he left the words there.
Teleportation Gates were one of the greatest inventions to ever exist as far as many were concerned. Four upstanding pillars gilded with Lacuna sigils, symbolising the runes of space which were able to transport something from one gate to another gate — a receiver gate. Since this involved moving through space via warping, it often gave the travellers quite the throbbing headache, and vomiting later. But, the side-effects in general came to naught after the first two travels. Which was why, Gabriel was curious to know the source of Daniela's nausea as she'd already grown accustomed to it. Little did the Third Prince know, she was no longer his sister.
So; even if her brain were to be accustomed to the mechanism, Rose couldn't process the undulation of data that ran by her in that moment.
Promptly, Rose after having washed off her existent weariness, got up with the help of her handmaiden. She took one good look at her, and instantly remembered about the deal Wyge had with Daniela. It wasn't a run-of-the-mill compromise — no! To Wyge, it was her lifeline. Forgotten promises, and broken dreams.
Wyge Steinfeld, the youngest [Four-Star] mage from the continent of the Golden Sun. Having graduated from Nexus Tree Academy, she was already a [Three-Star] by then, and the reason was solely not because she was talented, which she was. No. The reason was because of her family. Wyge came from the prestigious Steinfeld Clan known for their long produce of mages that excelled in all fields. So, why was she working as a handmaiden for Daniela?
For the sake of rebuilding her clan. The one that lost its legacy, eminence and year long history, and all living members except her to the pernicious and savage battle against the invaders.
"Good Morning, Y'all!" An excited voice came from a lady wrapped in a blue suit. The suit tightly wrapped around her, accentuating her sharp curves. Her long and brown hair toppled over her shoulders, and complemented her beautiful face, with sharp cheekbones, and a sharp chin. "Well, how have you been, Thomas!" she said, further adding and punching the General's shoulder.
"Fine. Let's skip the pleasantries and—" as he was speaking, she caught on his robust arms and swung and swung around identical to how a child swung around with tree trunks. The silver-haired man shot her a glare, especially at how she'd been acting — childishly.
Countering his glare, she answered, "Still using pine and jasmine fragrances? You still got some unique tastes." After saying that, she turned to face the number of guests, especially the one that caught her eyes. "How are you, Princess Daniela, Young Prince Gabriel, and Wyge?"
Wyge gave her a respectful bow, while Gabriel slightly nodded.
"Good morning," Daniela nodded back reverentially.
"Good morning to you too," she greeted yet again, a style unbefitting of her appearance of her amassed womanhood. She had a quirky personality that not many found likeable, but that did not stop her from expressing her selfhood. "What brings you here, Princess Daniela? I never knew you liked our little establishment so much that you'd visit us during your vacation."
Mustering up her courage, the one she'd been gathering throughout, she opened her mouth to answer; "Well, so, about the little manakai situation the academy is facing, I might know someone." She went straight to the point.
When Shia heard her words, the edges of lips rose, revealing a grin, "Oh-ho, since the Princess has already given up her succession for the throne, I take this is for more than just winning favours."
Rose found the situation flowing just as she'd wanted, albeit, the character of Han Shia being more troublesome than she had expected it to be.
"Yes. Miss Shia." Rose said to Shia.
"Well then, let me hear it, who is this lucky person the Princess wishes to recommend."
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