The crescent moon hung high in the cloudless sky, illuminating the darkened capital with its pale and cold light. Even so, humans had learned to rely on their own light, as shown by the ballroom Marina had arrived at. The inside was lit by magic stones, to the point that it was as bright as day. The outside, however, was given gas lamps instead, a recent ingenious invention by the dwarves, utilizing fluorescent air that would emit light if heated up. At first, they weren't that popular in the neighboring human kingdoms, being dismissed as just another useless dwarven engineering that would be useless for the common folk, but eventually, people realized they were much better than the usual torches or candle lamps, making them spread like wildfire. Now, the king himself ordered gas lamps to be installed all over his capital, and for people to be hired to light them up every night.

A butler opened the carriage door for Marina and her grandfather, placing his right hand on his left chest and bowing in the process. A perfectly elegant bow.

"Thank—"

Marina bit her words. No. Emma told me not to thank any servants. Has to act all cold and unapproachable to the so-called lower class.

Hmph. This is why so many people think the nobility consists merely of arrogant buffoons and unpleasant snobs.

She kept her hand linked with her grandfather's as she walked across the red carpet, making sure that she matched the speed he walked, not faster or slower.

"Announcing the arrival of Earl and Lady Archimond!" A crier yelled, as another opened the large oaken door for them.

The inside of the ballroom was filled with light and warmth, to the point that it blinded Marina's eyes a little. The room was decorated in utmost lavishness, from the soft fur carpet, the flawless glass chandelier, and the flower pots placed on the edges of the room, filling the space with the fragrant scent of spring. There were also copious amounts of food and drinks being served at the west and east end of the room—far more than all of them could eat and drink. 

As always, the nobility never thinks twice about wasting food. It was just one of the many ways they showed off their wealth. 

What would Mother think of this lavishness, I wonder? I still remember how she would frown whenever any of us didn’t finish our meals. An interesting attitude, considering her own background. Then again, perhaps the Church’s upper class still follows the frugal teachings of their Saint.

...Hmm, there aren't that many guests around. As it should be. This ball is supposed to be a private affair. Only those the king has chosen to come are welcome, meaning, the closest and most influential nobles to the throne. Part of the “elite”.

And none of them seems to be coming here to greet us.

...I see their game. They’re doing this as a display of their superiority, that Grandfather’s status as a mere earl of a backwards region of the kingdom makes him unworthy of their attention.

I understand now why Emma told me to reign my anger. These pitiful nobles… thinking they can look down on Grandfather in this manner… even though with just a single spell, I can turn them into garden decorations…

...No. That is the way of the Magocracy—to rule over others with magic.

But, perhaps, they have a point. If I were to be ruled by someone, I would rather be ruled by those with true strength, rather than cowards who hide behind their wealth and influence.

"Come," her grandfather whispered, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Let us introduce ourselves to the crown prince."

He took her to the far end of the room. It didn't take long until Marina's eagle eyes figured out where the prince was. He was the personage being surrounded by the other nobles—a tall golden-haired man wearing an all-white blazer-trouser combo.

Marina glanced towards her grandfather, who responded with a curt nod, confirming her suspicion.

So he’s the crown prince. He looks like a character you would find in the story books. Tall and attractive, with a smile that can melt any woman’s heart.

...No, that last part isn’t right. His smile—it doesn’t reach his eyes.

Those cold, sapphire orbs… such a stark contrast to Hugo’s.

He was the first to notice their arrival. As smoothly as butter sliding off a spoon, he extracted himself from the crowd. 

"Ah! The guests of honor finally arrived!" Annoying, gaudy voice. I dislike him already. "First of all, let me give you my most sincere apology for not noticing your arrival sooner, Lord Archimond." He gave a short bow. "I am simply too preoccupied with entertaining Lord Treble and his entourage."

Sure you are. You are just doing what the other nobles did.

And Lord Treble. So that’s the man that ended up marrying Luna.

Before Marina could look closer at him, however, the prince blocked her sight.

“So she’s your long lost granddaughter! I am truly happy that you have found her at last! It’s a tragedy, truly, what happened with that ungrateful son of yours.”

Ungrateful? He perhaps believes Grandfather still hates Father.

That, or he’s a tactless idiot.

"Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness." Grandfather bowed, his expression neutral. I'm sure it would have been a scowl if he doesn't have to hide his emotions. "You are correct. This here is my granddaughter, Marina Archimond. After the death of my son, she went all the way here to meet me. So she's quite the traveler, despite her looks." He let out a small chuckle. I believe that was a praise for my looks. Still, I don't quite approve how he said it.

"Greetings, Your Highness." Marina lifted the hem of her dress and curtsied. "It's a pleasure to meet a personage such as yourself." Emma said that I am supposed to smile here, but I just can't bring myself to do so. I would rather not smile at all than to force an obviously fake one, which the Prince, if he's not a fool anyway, might see as an insult.

"Oh, my heart is overjoyed to meet you too, mademoiselle. Never before have I seen a woman as beautiful as you are." He took Marina's hand and kissed it. A scowl of disgust promptly appeared on Marina's face, but she quickly recovered, returning her expression back to a neutral one.

Urgh. I'm glad I wore gloves.

"Truly, I am honored—to be meeting with the Verdant Witch of Death herself."

!!!

Marina's heart skipped a beat. The prince's face was now adorned with a sly smirk.

He knew.

"Lord Archimond." He returned his attention to the Earl, whose face had turned pale. "Our court mage wishes to speak with her tomorrow, after the negotiations. If you would be so kind as to lend her."

"I…"

"I shall go," Marina interrupted before the Earl could even speak a word. "It would be my pleasure to meet her."

They knew. 

I shouldn't be surprised, and yet, for it to be revealed like this…

He must have done it on purpose, to catch me and Grandfather off-guard. 

How sly of him. I suppose he's no idiot after all.

Then, there's no point in running away. I would only trouble Grandfather by doing so.

This court mage… if I have to guess, she wants me to be part of her magic corps. A mage my caliber would be a great asset to her country after all.

I would have to refuse such an offer. I'd rather use my magic to improve Grandfather's region.

"Well, now that I've delivered my message, I shall leave you for the moment, mademoiselle. I have other guests to greet after all."

With a noble's bow, the man left the two, earning a sigh of relief from the Earl.

"Do not fear, Grandfather," Marina said to him. "Everything will be just fine." As long as I have my wand hidden under my dress, and my familiar hidden outside monitoring anything that might go wrong.

He chuckled, wiping his sweat with his handkerchief. "You're much braver than I am, my dear granddaughter. Now come. We have to meet the other nobles. We'll talk about the court mage later."

Marina nodded, linking her arm back with her grandfather. He's right. That comes later. For now… Her eyes narrowed towards the black-haired woman nearby. I want to meet her first.

Walking closer to her, she finally had her chance to have a good look at her.

Beautiful. If I have to describe her in a single word, that will be it.

Her long raven hair goes all the way down to her waist, a perfect fit for her crimson blood dress. Her large chest is proudly displayed by her bustier, no doubt attracting the sight of any men who glance over her.

If Father had known she would grow up to be a woman with such features, perhaps he wouldn't have left.

...No. He loved Mother not just because of her beauty, but her kindness as well.

This woman… has she grown to possess the kindness Mother had? Or does she remain the cowardly brat she once was?

Something’s odd though. She doesn’t seem to be speaking to anyone there. She’s just standing there with that forced smile on her face.

When Marina approached the group, their conversation immediately shut down. How convenient. I wonder what they’re happily chatting about before our arrival.

“Greetings, Lord Treble. Apologies for interrupting your conversation.” The Earl gave a court bow. As I expected, Grandfather ends up being the one to start the conversation. Unlike the Prince, this duke doesn’t even try to hide his feelings of superiority over him.

“Ah, Lord Archimond! Welcome!” The Duke opened his arms wide. He was a portly man, wearing a fur jacket that looked two sizes too big for him. He held with him a walking stick in his right hand, made out of the finest, most polished oak. He also donned a monocle and a short goatee, with cheeks that made him look like a puffer fish. In short, he’s—

Ugly. Compared to Father, he is like a large, oversized gremlin.

That’s what she deserves, I suppose, for doing what she did.

 “How was the trip? I hope it’s enjoyable. It must be hard, traveling all the way here from up north.”

He smiles like a toad. How repulsive.

“Yes, it was quite enjoyable,” the Earl smiled, letting the stealth insult not bother him in the slightest. “Thanks to the company of my granddaughter, my trip has become much more bearable.”

“Ah yes, the granddaughter!” He shifted his gaze towards Marina. “The famous, or, should I say, infamous, Witch of Verdant Death herself! I’ve heard the stories, how you caused quite the chaos in the city of Musa before you came here. Now, none of us here are friends of that backwards southern nation, but I’m still curious to hear nonetheless on the true account on what happened.”

A frown appeared on Marina’s lips. He’s not holding back in the slightest, is he?

“Lord Treble, please, it was a—”

“It’s fine, Grandfather. I’ll answer him.” Ignoring the worried look on the Earl’s face, Marina locked her gaze on the Duke’s before continuing. “I did what I did to save Erika, my little sister. A bunch of filthy kidnappers saw it fit to kidnap her to make her a slave. And so, I had to turn the entire city upside down to find her whereabouts. And when that kingdom’s army came bearing down upon me, I made short work of them as well. I have no regrets on what I did, and I would do it again, if anyone dares to bring danger to my family.”

“A-Ah, I see.” The Duke averted his gaze, sweat trickling down his balding forehead. “Then you don’t have to worry, young lady. We in this kingdom have nothing against your family.”

Hmph, another cowardly noble. Just a little threat like that and he already melts.

Go on. Slander me all you want after this. I am fine with being a villain, as long as it keeps those I care about safe.

The Magocracy retains its stability for a thousand years, for other kingdoms and nations are too afraid to incur the wrath of its mages.

The nobles of this kingdom—they should learn to fear the wrath of the Verdant Witch.

“Well, let me introduce you to others,” the Duke continued. “These two are my lovely wife and daughter. Why don't you two introduce yourselves?"

"Of course, my dear.” The black-haired woman stepped forward. Placing her right hand on her chest, she introduced herself. “My name is Luna. Luna Treble. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord and Lady Archimond.” She gave a small curtsy.

Again with that forced smile. Why is she so nervous? Don’t tell me she’s suddenly feeling all guilty, seeing me in the flesh?

“As for me, I am Lilian Treble. I'm honored to meet such a powerful mage as you, Lady Archimond."

The daughter also curtsied with a smile. She was around the same age as Marina, with brown hair inherited from her father going down her waist and blue eyes from her mother. Her dress was dyed in blue and white, a stark contrast with her father's black and her mother's red.

Her smile looks far more honest than her mother's, though I can't help but feel a tinge of arrogance coming from her expression.

"Now, since we're comparing daughters," The Duke placed his right hand on Lilian's left shoulder, causing the poor girl to flinch. "She might not be a great mage like your daughter is, but she's a genius in handling our family business. Even at her age, she's already my right hand woman, taking charge of our Treble Company. Why, just a few months back, she struck a deal with the Rinea Corporation—the greatest and most powerful merchant organization in the Holy Continent—nay, the whole world!" The Duke burst into a laugh. Marina, however, was not amused.

Rinea Corporation? That merchant empire led by the First Princess of the Holy Empire? Its influence reaches all the way here?

Perhaps it's not necessarily a bad thing. The Empire isn't a friend of the Magocracy after all.

"I shall be the representative of the house of Treble tomorrow morning, as Father is preoccupied in his other businesses." Vivian placed her hand on her chest. "I will be looking forward to our cooperation, Verdant Witch of Death."

This girl… she's just as arrogant as her father.

Their conversation was put short by other nobles finally deigning to greet the Earl. They were dukes of other territories, less powerful than Duke Treble, but still dukes nonetheless. They were all eager to greet Marina as well. Fear, apprehension, suspicion; I can see all that on their faces.

Then, it was time for the obligatory dance. The musicians, hired by the crown prince himself, began to play their instruments. There were three of them—one for the piano, one for the harp, and the other for the flute. Hmph, I have to hand it over to them. They have good taste in music, at the very least.

"May I have the first dance, mademoiselle?"

Seemingly out of nowhere, the prince appeared in front of Marina, giving her a bow as he asked for her hand.

Eliciting an internal groan from the earth mage.

Of course, he had to be the first to ask me for a dance.

I'm glad I persevered with Emma's training. I'll hate it if I embarrass myself in front of him.

Not having any other choice, Marina took his hand.

The two took center stage, garnering attention from the rest of the guests. Marina locked her eyes on the prince's, not wanting to show any weakness. The prince himself kept his smile as he took the charge on their waltz.

"I'm surprised. You're quite the fine dancer. Nothing like our dear court mage."

“Thank you for your praise, Your Highness," Marina replied, her tone a deadpan one.

"Why the frown? What do I need to do to see you smile, my lovely witch?"

Marina had to resist her urge to puke.

Calm down, Marina. It will be over soon.

She opted not to respond, focusing on her dance instead, making sure that her feet would land on the right place at every move. Little did she know that she was drawing the jealousy of other bachelorettes in the room.

Soon, the music slowed down to a halt, signalling the end of their dance. The prince bent forward, whispering these words to her ears.

“You’re a naughty one, aren’t you, little witch? Your familiar—our court mage caught her in the act.”

Marina’s heart skipped a beat.

The dance ended, and the prince gave one last bow and a kiss to her hand. With a smirk, the prince spoke, “She’s waiting for you. Outside, in the gardens. Oh, and it’s been a pleasure to have a dance with you, mademoiselle.”

Marina didn’t need to be told twice.

--------------

She made her way outside with a hurried gait, though she couldn’t move that fast thanks to her cumbersome dress. She lifted the hem of her skirt upwards, flashing her panties to no one as she was in an empty corridor, taking out the wand she had hidden there.

Nysa? Nysa? Are you there? Can you hear me?

...No response. She really has been captured. There are certainly magic one can use to trap a familiar in place, making them unable to vanish back to their origin.

I was a fool. I shouldn't have told her to keep watch of the entire venue. I thought she would be safe, staying underground while having her roots do all the work. But this court mage, who I didn't expect to be here tonight, is smart enough to realize my trick. I should've known there's a chance of them guarding the party. Or rather, guarding the guests from me, the Verdant Witch of Death. I thought the lack of extra soldiers meant the king didn't know of my identity.

The garden was empty, with only the sound of crickets filling the air. Marina walked through the dirt path provided for guests, too focused in her current situation to notice the beautiful lunar flowers blooming under the moonlight.

She paused in her tracks, noticing the young woman sitting on the bench across her. A staff rested in her right hand while her left was used to hold up the book she was reading. She wore a black dress, not that far different than the dresses a noble girl would wear. Her shoulder-length raven hair was adorned with a white flower.

That's her. The court mage. 

Marina took a step forward, growing her wand into a staff. 

"Hold it right there." 

Marina stopped. The young woman now gazed straight at her.

"You bring your staff with you. You're not a fool after all."

She stood up, throwing her book nonchalantly to the air before it vanished. Dimensional Storage, Marina noted.

"Marina Archimond, or rather, Marina Greenwood. The Verdant Witch of Death. I've heard many things about you. Not just what you did in Musa, mind you. But also what you and your family did in the Magocracy. To think a Council member can be taken down that easily…"

The young woman now walked slowly towards her, her staff tapping the hard ground every step she took.

She knew everything. Marina's grip on her staff tightened. Even this kingdom, all the way to the north, is spying on the Magocracy. Then there's nothing to gain by lying anymore.

"As a fellow mage, I salute you. To stand up against those powerful mages, you're either a hero or a fool. Or perhaps both. A heroic fool." A smirk manifested on her face. "Now don't give me that look. I am a friend. I too despise the arrogance of the Magocracy. Ah, but where are my manners? I should introduce myself first. Greetings. I am Cecilia Xander, the court mage of the Ferus Kingdom and a first-class Wind mage. Charmed to meet you." The young woman put her left hand on her chest and bowed.

"What do you want?" Marina narrowed her eyes. "And what did you do to my dryad?"

"She's fine. She's simply caught in my anti magic creature rune that I have put all around the building. Clever idea, by the way, to use your familiar like that. Too bad she doesn't know anything about evading traps."

The young woman raised her staff slightly. The tip shone for a few seconds before dimming back.

"There. Try to call her now."

Marina did as she was told, though not without keeping her glare. True enough, the dryad appeared right in front of her.

"Uwaaaa! I'm so scared, Master! I suddenly can't move then it all goes black and I thought I'll never see you again!" She threw herself to the earth mage, hugging herself as hard as she could.

“Please, Nysa, I'm in the middle of a conversation here. I never saw you being this much of a crybaby before.” Marina patted her head with a smile. She doesn't look hurt in the slightest. The trap really was just to subdue, not to harm.

Still…

"I don't appreciate you making my familiar cry like this." Marina frowned at the court mage.

"Oh, please." She rolled her eyes. "You should know that my trap was harmless. And you shouldn't spoil her like that. A familiar is a mage's servant. They have to be reliable."

"She has given her life to me by giving her true name," Marina narrowed her eyes. "She's part of my family now, not just a servant. And I don't tolerate anyone who injures them."

"Hmph, sentimental fool." The court mage shrugged. "But enough of that. Let us get to the main point of our meeting tonight."

Marina raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, and you might want to fix your dress. Your right nipple is visible. Your clumsy familiar had pulled your top a bit too much while she hugged you."

Huh? Marina's cheeks flushed as she looked down. Sure enough, the top had become lopsided, allowing one nipple to slip through. Ahhh! She quickly pulled it back up before sending a glare towards Nysa. You idiot!

"A-ah, I'm sorry, Miss! I didn't mean to!"

"Do not worry." The court mage chimed in with a smirk. "As a woman who appreciates other women more than men, I’ve never seen a nipple as fine as yours.”

What?! Marina groaned internally. Oh great, she’s a weirdo too. What is up with this kingdom’s higher ups exactly?

Still, I can't let my guard down. She might be a pervert, but that doesn't mean she isn't a skilled mage. She has proven that well enough by catching Nysa.

"Come. We can have our discussion on the bench over there." She glanced towards the bench she just sat on. "Or do you prefer us just standing here?"

"I'll take the latter," Marina answered without hesitation. That bench may have a rune trap on it. I can't be too careful.

The court mage sighed. "Suit yourself. You know, we were supposed to have this discussion tomorrow. But thanks to your dryad, I ended up changing my mind. You've taken by curiosity, Verdant Witch of Death." She smirked yet again.

Curiosity. The last time someone grew curious about me, she ended up kidnapping me and forcing me to marry her imbecile of a grandson.

I don’t like where this is heading.