In the back of my mind, I could imagine it.
Fairies being forced to use their powers.
Their elements being drained.
Their bodies being used as tools to stain minerals with color.
My stomach turned.
"How in the world were you able to get this information?"
Cassien smiles.
I looked back at the papers, something Rey once told me suddenly came to mind. A myth. A children's story about minerals, fairies, and the colors they carried before they became spirits.
I crossed my arms and looked back at Cassien.
"Why are they collecting bornite in the first place?"
"It's popular among nobles, my lady in the Southern West."
"It seems they're also aiming to spread their influences through the North, The Lysanthir Kingdom."
'Here.'
"They say it gives the wearer a sense of calm. Some claim it attracts fairies as if it was by some miracle, they say its the easiest way to lure them."
"That is ridiculous."
"They made it sound like the fairies were like fishing, attracting them with colorful rocks like a penguin."
I cross my arms in disbelief.
Cassien looks at me confuse as I mention penguin but suddenly his gaze turned serious.
"Blood, my lady."
The room went cold.
"What?"
"They infuse blood into the mineral ores to create artificial bornite."
I stared at him in disgust.
For a moment, I could not even express what I was feeling. The sickness in my stomach rose so sharply that I almost gagged.
My hand slammed against the table.
The papers jumped beneath my palm.
"That Duke Drek bastard."
Cassien startled slightly, his expression tightening into something close to a terrified smile.
I grabbed the papers and flipped through them, my hands shaking so badly that the edges almost crumpled beneath my grip.
Suddenly, I reached the last page.
It was not a ledger.
It was a copied newspaper clipping from another country.
A broken carriage was printed across the page.
Elie Heliath.
Not Amerist.
'Again.'
Fury burned through me all over again.
"Why is she Heliath here?"
"And why does it say all these false accusation of her and even tried escaping cause she stole money!?"
Cassien did not answer immediately.
The silence made my grip tighten around the paper.
"The carriage route Lady Elie took on the day of her death was changed that morning."
"Instead of taking the normal route, it was ordered to pass through the cliff road from there the incident happened."
"The maid, the courier, and even the horses were all found dead."
A cold laugh almost rose from my throat.
It died before it became sound.
"He really planned it well."
"And Duke Drek called it an accident."
I laughed once, dry and bitter.
"Ha."
Cassien watched me carefully.
"What are you going to do now, Lady Velora?"
I remain quiet for a moment as I gather my thoughts.
A duke was not easy to touch.
In this world, that title meant something. Influence. Protection. People willing to look away. People willing to bend records until a murder could become an accident.
I slowly lowered the newspaper clipping.
"Who do you think is connected to Minerila and Duke Drek's plans?"
Cassien slowly shook his head.
"For now, this is all I have collected."
I let out a long, controlled breath.
It did not calm me completely, but it kept me from tearing the documents apart.
"Thank you, High Priest."
Cassien nods while smiling happily.
Suddenly, the earth fairy in the corner comes closer.
It starts looking through the documents, stopping at the part about where Lady Elie's carriage had fallen.
I look at it curiously, wondering if it will show some sort of emotion.
Instead, it simply takes its time staring.
A moment later, it looks at me.
'Huh?'
It comes closer, nearly reaching my face.
As if curious once again, the round, fluffy beam of light stares at me with its beady eyes and tiny wings.
When I try to reach for it, it suddenly flies away again.
Cassien looks confused.
"What is it, my lady?"
"Ah."
"An earth fairy has suddenly started clinging to me."
"An earth fairy?" Cassien murmurs.
His expression shifts and covers his mouth.
"Don't tell me…"
I let out a scoff and cross my arms.
"That is exactly what I am thinking."
"Have you tried forming a contract?"
"A contract?"
"Yes. Do you know how?"
"No?"
"Blood."
"Blood?"
"Yes."
I look at Cassien in confusion.
I abruptly stand up.
"Are you kidding me!?"
I look at Cassien strangely, but he appears so serious that it begins to unsettle me.
Suddenly a thought appears in my head.
"Wait. Did you not say I possess light and dark elements? Why would you want me to form a contract with an earth fairy?"
I stare at Cassien.
"I really feel like you're using me as an experiment at some point"
Cassien merely smiles.
"YOU DID NOT EVEN DENY IT!?"
"Allow me to assist you, Lady Velora."
Cassien suddenly extends a hand toward me.
"Absolutely not."
I growl at him.
"Just once?"
Few minutes later, I look at Cassien while breathing heavily from my outburst.
After some time, he finally stops, as if teasing me.
"Ahahaha."
I glare at him and he clears his throat.
"Lady Velora, next time, do not speak of the whereabouts of fairies so casually."
"Eh? But its you."
"I'm grateful for trusting me, Lady Velora but the walls have ears."
"Aren't you able to see where the light hits?"
Cassien falls silent for a moment before smiling as if frightening.
"How are you sure, Lady Velora?"
'Ah... I forgot he never told me about it.'
"W-well..."
I scratch my head.
"You said before that you're blind so I thought that maybe wherever there's light, you'll be able to see without even looking at your back."
I start to sweat while explaining.
'I hope I don't sound suspicious...'
Cassien relaxes.
"I see, you're very observant Lady Velora."
"I knew your intelligence is unique yet it seems to understand common sense."
"HA!?"
'Is he insulting me!?'
"Do not worry, make ease, A lot of people knew about my ability."
"Oh."
'Its bugging me from how he said it, it feels like I'm missing something.'
"As for the earth fairy."
"Why not observe it for now, Lady Velora?"
"Observe it?"
"Perhaps it simply wishes to remain near you."
I look at the earth fairy again.
"If I may ask, Where did you find it?"
"When I visited Elie's grave."
"Ah. From what I have heard, Lady Elie possessed the earth element. This must have been her fairy."
"I suppose so."
"How peculiar that it has become attached to you."
"Do you have any idea why?"
"No. I cannot see fairies that do not belong to me, my lady."
"Can your fairy not see the earth fairy?"
Cassien looks toward his white fairies.
The white fairies only look at him and me.
"It would seem not."
"Well, at the very least, we may learn what happens after a contract ends with its former contractor."
I stare at him.
"So I suggest you observe it for now and see what happens."
"Are you suggesting that I monitor your experiment, you psycho?"
'Talking about taking blood and all, I feel like he's joking.'
I cross my arms as I stare at Cassien.
"Ahaha. You may put it that way, my lady."
"My lady, may I?"
Cassien gestures toward the documents.
I understand what he means and hand them over.
He sets them alight with a lighter.
The papers burn away, disappearing as ash drifts into the air.
"As for the next matter, it concerns your business, Lady Velora."
"Ah!"
I take the papers happily.
During my time in that old manor, I remember the drinks I used to enjoy during hot weather and ask for ice to kel.
—Few months ago—
I lay down in bed, using a fan to relief myself from the hot weather.
"Kel, do we have any fruit punch."
"Fruit punch, what is that?"
"Huh?"
"Fruit juice?"
Kel looks at me confused.
"How about ice since I'm tired."
"Ice? Unfortunately a person with ice skill isn't available in our household."
"What no. In the drink!"
Kel looks at me with worry.
I panic hard that it means to drink some cold beverages but it seems like it is never a thing in this world.
'Tea is widely consumed, but it appears no one has given much thought to fruit beverages.'
And from that a bright thought comes in mind.
—poof—
Cassien hands me another set of documents.
"Here are the sales records. It appears to be thriving."
I had asked Cassien about a good place to start a business on and specifically he mentioned within the territory of the wind element, which I knew since it's the homeland of the knight male lead. It is a peaceful region, close to where many people seek refuge.
Because of that, I am able to establish the business under a false name.
Cassien handles the rest for me.
At this point, I am beginning to wonder whether he is truly only a High Priest or something far more.
Cassien suddenly explains and brings out another set of paper.
'He knows far too much to just be a normal Priest.'
I look through the papers.
"What?"
My eyes widen.
"It is a success?"
I smile widely.
'I didn't know it will increase that much!?'
'I finally have money if I ever need to run away under a fake name too.'
I went into deep thought.
'That means I can leave early on since I'm not that needed in the real story.'
My expression brightens.
Cassien smiles as he sees my shifts of emotions and stands up.
"Well, I must take my leave now. I have other matters that require my attention."
He bows politely.
"Until we meet again, Lady Velora."
Cassien and I bow to one another.
Cassien finally leaves the room alongside his companion.
A few minutes later, a loud explosion shakes the manor.