Hi guys! Emperor93 here!
Although I know I’m late, Merry Christmas and while I’m there, I wish you a happy 2022!

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***(Third person's POV)***

In the internal garden of the palace, under the rays of the sun, two elves were enjoying the afternoon tea while they were observed by the servants, always ready to move at their every request or fill the teacups if empty.

"Today they will be visiting the Lifeless Vault." said king Vulas taking a sip "Who knows what they are doing~"

"Certainly not what you are thinking, dear." queen Shael stated "After your stunt, they no longer composed mixed groups for the task of analyzing the frescoes."

The event that Shael refers to, dates back to their days at the academy. The trip to the Lifeless Vault is a recurring event since it was cleared of the goblins and used as an opportunity to teach, albeit covertly, that it is necessary to interpret what is shown... to interpret what message is hidden in the paintings... or in the words.

During their excursion, then-prince Vulas was in a group with Shael and a few others, and using an excuse as a pretext, Vulas had taken Shael to a secluded place to do... 'extracurricular activities' as he had defined them. Needless to say, the teachers caught them red-handed.

"I remember." he began and then took her hand "Despite everything, you liked it."

"*Cough* I don't know what you're talking about." Shael said, flushed with embarrassment

Chuckling, King Vulas stood up and after he stood by Shael's side he whispered to her

"How about having another baby... or better yet a baby girl~?"

"N-not now!" she exclaimed looking away, all red

Not only Vulas but also the servants and the guards who watched them from the distance found the queen's reaction very cute.

Usually, Shael always appears as a strong and confident woman, perfectly playing the part of a determined and righteous leader for her people. After all, all of this is a result of her training during the time she was still Vulas's fiancé. However, on these rare afternoons when she manages to spend time with her husband, she goes back to being a woman and such scenes are quite common.

"YOUR MAJESTY!!!" they heard scream immediately after the sound of a door slam

an elven messenger ran at breakneck speed towards the rulers, pursued by some guards. Other guards in the garden stood in front of him, blocking him and then being caught by those who pursued him.

"Forgive the hustle and bustle, your majesty!" one of the guards apologized "Let us get this inept away immediately."

"Do it." Vulas said annoyed "The tea with my wife was abruptly interrupted."

“WAIT MAJESTY! I HAVE TO MAKE AN URGENT REPORT!!"

"To the point of interrupting my intimate moment with my wife?" he asked keeping the annoyed tone "Take him to the office."

"Given how desperate he is, I'd say it's worth hearing."

"Shael?" the monarch looked at her puzzled "And our time alone?"

"It has now been interrupted." she said raising her cup of tea, “Speak up. What do you have to tell my husband?"

“THE LIFELESS VAULT HAS SUFFERED A COLLAPSE!! SOME STUDENTS OF THE ACADEMY ARE IMPRISONED INSIDE!!!"

“?!!! *Pffft*" Shael spat the tea "WHAT?! WHEN DID IT HAPPEN?!" she snapped in panic

"This morning! I spurred the horse to report the news to you as quickly as possible! I'm here to beg your intervention."

"How bad is it?" Vulas asked calmly

"We do not yet know the true extent of the damage to the tomb, but some nobles and a foreign princess are still imprisoned in the building."

"Who is the foreign princess?"

"Her Highness Belmon-"

“TELL MY ESCORT TO PREPARE FOR THE TRIP IMMEDIATELY! GATHER AS MUCH MEDICAL MATERIAL AND SUPPORT AS YOU CAN! WITHIN ONE HO- NO, WITHIN 20 MINUTES I HAVE TO LEAVE!!!"

Without even allowing the messenger to pronounce her name, Queen Shael jumped to her feet and white as a sheet, she gave those orders with a passion and authority never seen before. But behind her orders, Vulas sensed terror.

Although taken aback, he took his wife by her arm and took her a little away from the table, and asked in a low voice.

"What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?"

“I have to leave immediately for the Lifeless Vault. I must take command of the situation and rescue Lady Belmont as soon as possible."

"You don't need to go yourself." Vulas tried to reassure her "We have officers a lot-"

"There's no time!" she said desperately "If we don't get her out of there before the scheduled end of the tour, terrible things could happen!"

“It will take weeks for the news to reach Cudding. And I'll make sure- "

"The Belmont's household reaction is not the problem!"

"But then what-"

“Guardian,” she stated trembling with terror. “Ever since Lady Belmont came to the academy, Guardian was with her too. Now he's back to Thirus, but if when he comes back he hears about the news *Gulp..." she swallowed heavily "I have no idea what he could do to save her... and above all, what he could do to us."

Hearing that simple phrase, Vulas at first had a surprised expression, but soon after, his face too went white.

"Do whatever it takes, but try to stay clear-headed, honey."

With those words, Shael ran out of the garden followed by some guards and maids. Vulas instead ordered the messenger to follow him to get the details. But in both of their hearts, they kept obsessively reciting the same prayer, "Mighty Aphy, make sure we get her out of there safe and sound!"

***(Bassilla's POV)***

The room we entered is a masterpiece, to put it mildly, and above all, one you wouldn't expect to find in a tomb. In short, who would ever think of creating a small garden underground?

Once we gathered with Ishgat, we ate some cherries too as there were plenty of them. Even though the hungry we felt had been appeased, the thirst made itself felt. The water that flowed through those channels looked very inviting: crystal clear and without even a trace of impurity. It was always Ishgat who served as the taster, but when she drank it

"It is fresh and delicious!" then throw punches in the air, creating light movements of air “and I also feel reinvigorated. What the hell is this water?"

Since she was confident, I took a sip and when I swallowed, the little hunger I had left faded to the point of disappearing altogether. I felt full of energy and the physical exhaustion I felt until recently disappeared.

"Spirit water?!" Dessielle exclaimed

That surprised question made me turn to her and I noticed that Arryn had a confused expression on her face.

“Spirit water?! Are you making fun of me?!!" Ishgat asked hearing her

"What is Ishgat?"

"Spirit water is such a rare element that it is now considered a legend." Ishgat began. “A single drop is enough to save even those who are close to death. As far as I know, there are only five vials in the world. Once, a civil war even broke out to get even a single drop of this water."

This revelation left me stunned and at the same time frightened me. If it turns out that such a treasure is flowing here, Yedal could run into very serious problems. Pressure from neighboring nations and possible invasions to name a few.

"It can't be spirit water." Arryn calmly stated. “Or at least, it's not possible to say for sure. After all, none of us have ever had the opportunity to drink it... it's practically impossible."

Taking into account what Ishgat just said, it makes sense. If spirit water can be compared to or surpassed the equivalent of a national treasure... or a relic, none of us would have had the chance to just put our hand to it, and during the time I was cursed, almost certainly my parents would have made false papers to get a single drop. If they have not succeeded, it proves how closely guarded it is.

Looking up, I noticed that there was a single fresco painted on the wall whose colors were bright and vivid as if it had been painted recently. It represented what looks like a woman surrounded by six differently colored beings in the center of what looks like a battle. But a common detail of the seven figures is the fact that they had a crown on their heads.

"Who knows how they managed to build such a thing..." I said incredulously

"They certainly used lost techniques, but..." Arryn began and then turned to the sarcophagus "I wonder how important that woman was for creating such a sanctuary."

This was another detail I hadn't noticed when we entered. The sarcophagus was made of marble and the lid was made of what looked like crystal and inside was a woman... no, a beautiful elf: she appeared to be very young, her features were delicate with hair of a light blue and wearing a white robe while holding a white lily in her hands

"She is beautiful." exclaimed Dessille "she Looks like she's almost asleep."

"This person is dead." Ishgat said incredulously "For sure, she is the resident of this tomb, but how is it possible that she gives the impression that she died only yesterday?"

"As far as I know, there is no magic that can do such things." Arryn said thoughtfully

"Maybe it was the spirits?"

"Hmm... a spirit spell, Lady Torkian?" Arryn asked thoughtfully

"It wouldn't be strange." she asserted confidently, “After all, spirits are the guardians of this world. It wouldn't be surprising if they were capable of such a thing."

"However, there have never been any precedents."

"Wait, spirits?!" I asked exclaiming and then turning to the fresco "Maybe the six represented on the fresco are also spirits?"

Everyone turned to that central composition

“The Kings of Spirits...? It can't be… ”Dessielle said incredulously

"The Kings of Spirits?" I asked doubtfully

“They would be the absolute rulers of spirits and many researchers have speculated on their existence,” Arryn said. "According to some theories, in addition to ruling all the spirits of the world, they answer only to the sum Aphy. However, there have never been any contacts or evidence of the existence of these mysterious entities and therefore, they are considered mere legends."

"What if they weren't legends?" Dessielle asked

"As I said, they are just theories and no one has ever seen them."

"But those figures are proof of their existence, aren't they?"

“The figures on that fresco prove nothing, Lady Torkian. They could also simply be high-level spirits."

From there, Arryn and Dessielle started a debate regarding the existence of these sovereign figures. I'm not saying they would have started fighting, but it sure was getting very heated. It's not that surprising. While Arryn is more realistic, Dessielle has always proved to be a person who is easily gripped by feelings and mysticism, often causing misunderstandings or being a victim of these misunderstandings herself. In other words, a girl who doesn't think before she acts... not that I have the right to scold her. Ultimately, when it comes to the people they love, living beings have always been very emotional.

"Even if your verbal confrontation is very interesting..." Ishgat interjected exasperated "I remind you that we are still stuck in this tomb."

Ishgat's statement was enough to put an end to the animated conversation between the two. But I got the impression that Arryn was at a breaking point during their discussion.

***(Arryn's POV)***

Since we entered this burial chamber, we have been trying to find a way out, but although we kept looking, we found no clues that could be useful to us. However, we discovered something interesting. At some point in our research, the light entering through the skylight had turned white and the ceiling was dyed with many white dots forming what appear to be constellations

"Is it night?" Dessielle asked naively

Ishgat, thinking that maybe the skylight was connected to the outside, had checked if that was the case, but the theory was soon debunked. That skylight was made up of lots of mana-infused crystals, which generated light similar to that of the sun... and in this case, that of the moon.

Tired and with little light, we decided to rest. After all, with a fresh mind, you think better.

Until shortly before nightfall, the temperature of the tomb was optimal, but now it has become colder and so we made do with the little wood that was in the room and surroundings and put together a small bonfire that allowed us to warm up.

I can't sleep. Although my body and head were tired, I couldn't sleep. Sitting down, I looked towards the hearth whose flames were lazily dancing, while the gently flowing water sounded like the musical accompaniment. Grabbing my legs, thoughts about 'are we going to get out of here?', 'How are the others?', 'Is Graeval okay?' and many others continued to pester me. I was flustered and when I looked around for a moment at Dessielle's back, I suddenly felt irritated... angry.

"Can’t you sleep?"

Turning around, I saw Bassilla rise from her bed

"Yeah. You instead?"

"I thought I fell asleep a moment ago, but it looks like it wasn't."

"Fufu. Will you keep me company?"

"Of course."

Scratching her eyes, Bassilla sat down next to me and began to observe the fire with me

"*Sigh* What a day..." Bassilla sighed

"Yeah. I wonder how a simple trip can turn into such an adventure."

"Maybe someone doesn't like us."

"Who knows..." I said instinctively making a sarcastic smile

Our discussion ended there at the moment. Feeling cold, I rubbed my hands and moved them to the fire looking for some warmth. Looking towards Bassilla, I saw her thoughtful... worried. I think I know why

"Are you worried about him?"

"..." Bassilla nodded "And you?"

"As Ishgat told you, I would be more worried about his opponent than about him." I said in a slightly saddened tone

"You did not answer my question."

I had tried to avoid the question because I didn't want to answer it. Bassilla is one of the few that I can call friends and I don't want her to degenerate into a possible love rivalry...... *Hmpf* Love rivalry... I don't even know how I can think of such a thing

"Bassilla..." I called her looking into her eyes "even if you worry about him, I don't think what you feel will be reciprocated."

"You keep avoiding the question."

"What would change if I answered you?" I asked, looking back at the fire. “After all, he loves only his wife. There is no place for anyone else in his heart."

"I knew it. So you too- "

"Yeah." I interrupted her before she finished the sentence "Precisely for this reason, I'm worried about him... and I shouldn't, since I'm already engaged."

"With a bastard who doesn't deserve you?"

"That 'bastard' as you call him, he's my cousin... and believe it or not, we were in love with each other long ago." I stated, “But after my kidnapping... after my return, we ended up detaching ourselves more and more. What I felt for him died after yesterday afternoon."

"... You have given up on love."

"Fufufu. I'm unlucky in that field." I chuckled amused "I'll do my duty as a noble and give up my feelings."

“Why should you give it up?! There is nothing definite!" Bassilla exclaimed

“Unlike you…” I began looking back at her, “I can recognize a defeat when I see it. He will never love us. It will be just a sad one-way love- "

“'Don’t look at what might have happened in the past, but what might have happened in the future.'” Bassilla interrupted me, raising his voice slightly and leaning towards me “Some time ago, he told me these words. There is never anything sure in front of our life, so it is also possible that I will be able to make him love me!"

"*Shhh* Keep your voice down!" I exclaimed

"*Cough* Forgive me." she apologized and then made up again. “Anyway, I love him. I'm not going to give up on him, I don't see why you should."

"*Sigh* Even if I didn't give it up, he'll soon become a father..." I sighed sadly "and even if I succeeded, I would only complicate his position... I guess you know what I mean... right?"

For us nobles, love and politics have always been like water and oil. If we follow love, we risk causing problems for the nation or our loved one. If we follow politics, our arranged marriages can bring enormous benefits to the state, the people, or our family... but the price we will pay... what could that be?

"Besides, I would end up becoming your rival..." I said sadly "and I don't want that to happen."

"Polygamy is allowed."

"Fufufu. But admit it..." I chuckled and then turned to her "sometimes you want to monopolize him, don't you?"

"......"

"Your silence is more eloquent than you think." I said with a sarcastic smile "Besides, I don't want our relationship to be ruined by our feelings."

"But what if these feelings we have for him, make us even closer?"

"Remain friends... despite the rivalry, huh?" I asked thoughtfully "A little too utopian in my opinion."

"But doable for me."

"If you say so."

Silence fell again, but shortly after, Bassilla made a statement that caught me off guard

"By the way, it seems to me that you and Lady Torkian were ready to jump to your throat this afternoon." she began and then moved closer to me "And this afternoon's event, it wasn't the only one."