The office of Claudia was located in the middle of the tower. Inside the office, was Claudia racking her brain on what she would do. She was feeling exhausted, and her mind was cloudy. Her office was filled with documents, papers, and reference books that sat on the tabletop. Not far from her desk, was Rufus sleeping with a book covering his face.

“Hello, Princess,” a voice said.

Claudia’s eyes widened, she pulled her sword out, channeled magic into it, and slashed at where the voice was. The person, who said that, drew his dagger and smashed the flat part of Claudia’s blade. Her sword was deflected and bounced on the floor. Claudia stood back, and saw a young man standing near the window, behind him were the clouds, his face had a slight grin.

“Einar Elior!” She hissed like a cat. “I told you to inform me first when you visit! Do you plan to die by my hand?”

“Not that I am a cocky bastard, but you know me better than that, Princess.”

Claudia exhaled loudly, “So? What are you trying to stir?”

Einar sat on the couch across Rufus, “Nothing much, I’m done with the dance, and have nowhere to go.”

“So you come seeking for me,” Claudia went back to her seat, and leaned her elbows on the table. “I don’t have people for you to kill or strung at the moment.”

“Do I look like a killer?”

“Yes.”

Einar smiled, “That’s right, I do your dirty work while Rufus does paperwork and connecting through people, seducing ladies, and etcetera.”
Her frown became deeper, “I’ll skin him if he uses my name to attract women to bed. I will not accept any shameless man to my party!”

Einar shrugged, and looked up, “Princess, is the tower going to be a problem?”

“It will not be. For a thousand years none has broken the tower. Do you think that it will break so easily?” She started going through the paperwork. “The tower has been sealed and our arch wizards are now guarding the tower. Do not worry about something breaking out of the tower.”

“Overconfidence can be disastrous.”

She glared at him, “It is not overconfidence. It is a simple fact that we have maintained the symbol of unity while the monsters are below us.”

Einar picked up a document, “Looks like your work is getting bothersome. Being a Princess, trying to stop an inquisition against you, and many more. Really, Princess, why do you bother proclaiming that you are a heretic so loudly? I never really understood your reason for that.”

“I believe in self-determination. I don’t tell people what Gods they want to believe. They are real and they are helping my people. I am not too boorish to mock them. However, I believe that one should rely on your own self-determination. The Gods watch over us but we must do our own labor. If we rely on the Gods too much and they abandon us. What would we do? We can only cry! We can only despair that we relied on them! They call me heretic me because I don’t believe in relying too much upon them!”

“Yet you use us.”

“Because I can. Can you hold many items with only two hands? I can’t! That’s why I am relying on you all because I know that thinking I can do it all by myself is foolish! I am not blind to reality or would I ever turn my eyes away from it! I need people that I can trust and can lessen the burden. That’s why I am trusting you.”

“Trust is a funny word.”

“You keep surprising me! How would I know what is up with you! What do I do if you were paid to kill me!?”

Einar put down the document, joined his fingers, and trained his gaze on her, “I do not enjoy killing, no, I hate harming my friends. We are friends, right?”

“We started differently and it was violent. I admit that having a former enemy like you as my friend sounds strange. But I assigned you these tasks because I trust you. Rufus trusts you, and that is enough.”

“It doesn’t help you from being paranoid against us.”

“I know my flaws. But give me a break, you don’t how vicious court politics is. It would be odd if I didn’t turn out like this.”

“No need to explain that to me,” Einar leaned on the couch and pointed at Rufus. “Looks like he has it tough. Princess, you really are working him hard.”

Claudia looked at Rufus, her eyes softening, “I have to. I promised that whenever he would feel lazy. He’d be scolded by me alone. Really, what an idiot?”

Einar widened his eyes at the way Claudia looked at Rufus. Claudia had a perpetual look of annoyance and the bag on her eyes were noticeable. However, the look that she had was beyond what Einar from her. It was shocking that he couldn’t help but gawk. Claudia noticed Einar’s half-widened stare and look away, trying to dispel the look on her face.

Einar grinned, and stood up with a jump, “So it wasn’t unrequited! Looks like-”

Claudia glared at him like a tiger. Her eyes burning with shame and embarrassment. “Keep it quiet! I will have your head if you continue!”

Einar couldn’t stop grinning while alternately looking at the both of them. Then, his face suddenly mellowed, there was a soft smile on Einar’s face. It was a sudden change that calmed Claudia’s heart.

“What?”

“If you can, please grab him by the reins. And never let go no matter what, cherish your duty, but never cast him aside. Rufus is a loyal man, far loyal and far too secretive. He will by your side always and that’s why,” Einar lowered his head, “please don’t hold back and grab that string of happiness.”

Einar didn’t know why he said those things. He couldn’t explain why but seeing their case he couldn’t but get involved.

Claudia lowered her head, and said, “I will keep that in mind.”

Einar had nothing left to say. He took a leap of faith outside the window. While falling he thought how he just couldn't stand seeing fools making excuses. For he know what the soul inside of him had to go through because of such foolishness.