In an unknown location… 

 

Three cloaked figures stood around the large hall, each one a skilled assassin. With their hoods and masks on, they were nearly indistinguishable from one another, save for their voices. 

 

Their attention was directed toward a hooded man in the center of the hall. 

 

“You called for us, boss?” 

 

“Make your preparations. We’re heading to the North.” 

 

There were a few grunts of disapproval, then a voice rang out. 

 

“Whose our target?” 

 

“Sable Marten.” 

 

“The Marquis’s daughter?” 

 

The head assassin nodded. 

 

“Yes. She was believed to be dead, but we now know that she’s alive and well in the North. Our only goal is to find her and kill her. If anyone gets in the way, you may eliminate them as well.” 

 

“Do we know where she is hiding?” 

 

“Likely at the Grand Duke’s castle, but we will be surveying the surrounding villages for any sign of her.” 

 

“All of this for one little girl?” One of the assassins scoffed. 

 

“Do not underestimate her. She has claimed responsibility for ruining the plan in the North, and we do not know how she obtained information about our plans nor do we know if she has information about any of our other plans.” 

 

There was a brief moment of silence. 

 

“What… What does the Master think about this?” One of the assassins looked past the hooded man and at the empty chair at the end of the hall. 

 

“Hm?” A feminine voice suddenly responded and a figure of a woman emerged from the shadows. 

 

Immediately, the assassins kneeled on the floor, none daring to look up. 

 

“What do I think about all of this?” The woman playfully repeated the question. “I’m quite excited, you know. It’s been so long since I’ve found something so entertaining.” 

 

The woman giggled to herself. 

 

“To think that she would find someone so interesting to play with.” There was a subtle hint of madness underlying her tone. 

 

“All of you, do your best to kill her.” 

 

~~~

 

Aly’s reinstatement as Sable’s personal maid went off without a hitch. 

 

True to Sable’s words, Aly was a capable maid and she passed the screening test with flying colors. With that, she was able to return to Sable’s side. 

 

“My Lady, who is he?” Aly asked. 

 

“Aly, meet Isaac. He is a member of the Lione Knights and the one who has been acting as my escort during my stay here.” Sable introduced him. 

 

Isaac, who finally returned from his subjugation, was surprised to learn from the Grand Duchess about Sable’s personal maid. He quietly scanned the woman with a watchful eye. 

 

“It is nice to meet you, Sir Isaac.” Aly bowed. “I’ll be in your care.” 

 

“Likewise.” Isaac responded. 

 

Turning away from them, Sable moved to sit at her dressing table. On top, lay her mother’s letter. 

 

Do not contact me again. 

 

The heartless response seemed to mock her, but Bel’s gaze was cold and calculating as if the contents of the letter didn’t affect her at all. 

 

“Her actions are contradictory.” Currently, she was thinking aloud and using Sable as a sounding board. “If she didn’t want to contact us, then she didn’t need to send a response in the first place. And yet, not only did she do just that, but she even sent Aly as well.” 

 

Sable frowned. 

 

“Was she trying to avoid something?” 

 

“Or someone.” Bel corrected. 

 

“The Marquis?” 

 

“Think about it. If Father was keeping an eye on Mother, then he would likely notice if one of her servants went missing for a long period of time. However, Aly, who is unaware of anything, is no longer associated with the Marquis household, so he would not be concerned about her.”

 

Sable glanced at Aly’s reflection in the mirror. 

 

After she passed the screening test, Sable decided to inform her about the Marquis and his actions. Unsurprisingly, Aly was shocked and didn’t believe her at first. She was only convinced when Sable mentioned that her father would claim that she was missing. 

 

It was then that Aly agreed to help her.

 

However, Sable could not trust her just yet, at least, not entirely. 

 

But now that she was her personal maid again, Sable could keep an eye on her. It wasn’t that she was untrustworthy. No, this was done out of a sense of caution. Sable hadn’t seen Aly in months, and aside from her mother, Sable didn’t know who else contacted her personal maid. 

 

Sensing that she was being watched, Aly met Sable’s eyes in the mirror. 

 

“Do you need something, My Lady?” 

 

“It’s nothing.” Sable shook her head and looked down at the letter. 

 

“What do you think Mother intends to do?” 

 

“I don’t know.” Bel answered with a heavy sigh. “That’s what worries me.” 

 

“There’s no guarantee that she will help us, right?” 

 

Bel gave her a nod. 

 

They could speculate all they wanted to, but unless Sable could talk to her mother, they wouldn’t be able to learn her true motives. Her mother was more secretive than her father. For all they knew, Sable could be playing right into her hand without knowing it. 

 

“Let’s not forget that we don’t know what Father is going to do next.” 

 

When they sent the letter, Sable and Bel both knew that the Marquis wouldn’t sit idly by. After some discussion with the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess, they decided to recall the knights back from their subjugation and increase patrols around the surrounding villages. 

 

The subjugations had been mostly successful and the orbs they discovered were quickly destroyed and collected as evidence. There was still the risk that a few orbs remained, but for now they could redirect their attention. 

 

Sable rubbed her eyes tiredly. 

 

Her emotions were a mess, and she suspected that the others knew that they were a mess. She could only pretend to be okay for so long. 

 

Her interactions with the Lione family had only made it clear that her own family was dysfunctional. 

 

Although, it wasn’t all bad. There was a silver lining in all of this that came in the form of support from the people around her. When she talked to them, she didn’t feel the same suffocating feeling in her chest that she got when she talked to her father. 

 

Rather, she felt that they were more like family than hers ever did. 

 

“Sable.” Bel called out to her. 

 

“Hm?” 

 

“Something is happening.” She was staring at something outside the window. 

 

Sable stood up and moved to stand next to Bel. 

 

Several knights were running around the courtyard in a panic. As Sable was about to call out to Isaac, they heard a knock on the door. 

 

Both Isaac and Aly reached for the door when their hands accidentally met one another. 

 

“Oh, uh, sorry.” Aly apologized and stepped back, allowing Isaac to open the door. 

 

He nodded back at her wordlessly. 

 

Before Sable could give their interaction any more thought, her attention was drawn to the person behind the door. 

 

It was Pierce, the head butler. 

 

He had a concerned look on his face as he addressed Sable. 

 

“Lady Sable, would you please come with me.” 

 

Sensing the slight urgency in his voice, Sable furrowed her brows, but nodded. 

 

She made eye contact with Isaac and Aly, and they quickly made their way to the back of the castle. 

 

“What’s going on, Mister Pierce?” Sable asked worriedly. 

 

“He has requested to see you, Lady Sable.” The old butler replied. 

 

“Who…” Her voice trailed off when she caught a glimpse outside. 

 

What awaited her was something unexpected. 

 

Perched on top of the outer wall… 

 

...was Auberon. 

 

The dire wolf was gazing at the knights below him with an amused glint in his eyes. A few of the knights, who recognized him, were trying to calm down the rest. 

 

Grand Duke Lione, Grand Duchess Adelaide, and Isadora were at the front of the crowd watching the dire wolf warily. 

 

When Sable arrived, Auberon locked eyes with her. 

 

“We meet again, child.” He greeted her. 

 

Then his eyes moved over to Bel. 

 

“Would this technically be our second meeting?” Auberon raised a brow curiously. 

 

Both Sable and Bel stiffened in place. 

 

“...You can see me?” Bel’s eyes were wide with shock. 

 

Auberon smiled. 

 

“Why did you call for me, Lord Auberon?” Aware of the questioning gazes directed at her, Sable quickly changed the subject. 

 

“Were you not looking for me?” He tilted his head to the side. 

 

His response made her more confused. 

 

“...How do you know that?” 

 

“Hm.” Auberon thought for a moment, then he looked at Bel once more. “Shall we say, I was instructed by a mutual benefactor. I was unable to detect it before, but you carry the same blessing as I do.” 

 

Bel frowned for a moment. When she realized what he meant, she looked up at him sharply. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but she couldn’t form any words. 

 

Auberon chuckled at her appearance. 

 

“All in due time.” He redirected his attention to Sable. “Now, what is your request, child?”

 

Sable was silent. 

 

“Can we trust him?” 

 

Bel had a strange expression, but she nodded her head at Sable. 

 

“The Winter’s Tear.” Sable started. “Do you know where to find one?” 

 

Auberon’s eyes widened. 

 

“That… is a difficult request.” He paused. “But not impossible.” 

 

“So you can find it?” Sable looked at him expectantly. 

 

“It will take some time, child.” Auberon nodded. He then turned to the Grand Duke. 

 

“My apologies for interrupting you, Grand Duke.” 

 

Grand Duke Lione could only nod his head confusedly. 

 

The dire wolf effortlessly bounded over the edge and across the snowy plain. Soon, his silhouette could no longer be seen. 

 

The entire courtyard was filled with silence, and all eyes were directed at Sable. 

 

Auberon had appeared out of nowhere. For such a large beast, he moved with an uncanny speed and silence. By the time the knights on the wall noticed him, he had crossed the open field and scaled it, and he sat atop the wall as if he was the owner. 

 

When the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess came out to see him, he calmly requested to see Sable. It was an odd sight to see his calm demeanor despite the panicked knights running around him. 

 

What they found even odder was the conversation between Auberon and Sable. Not only were the contents of the conversation strange, but Auberon seemed to be addressing a hidden third person.

 

And Sable seemed to know exactly who it was that he was talking to. 

 

“Sable, what’s going on?” Adelaide finally asked her. 

 

Sable gripped the hem of her skirt and lowered her head. 

 

“It’s... complicated.” She sighed. “Could we go somewhere private?”