It isn't easy being a border guard. In the whole kingdom of Aurum, the only place that can make this seemingly idle work become stressful is this humongous stone rampart they are guarding, the wall standing as a wedge between Sleeping Forest and the kingdom.
From sunup to sundown, dusk till dawn they must keep their eyes towards the enemy lair. Without the Fortification, they can only wait in anxious suspense whether or not those monsters make a great exodus to terrorize the land. Thankfully, the Fortification came and supposed to have made their work easier but— it was only for a short while. Rare and intelligent beasts showed signs of interest eyeing the wall with different expressions of excitement, disdain and loathing.
It was worse before those monsters would stampede towards it, it was worse now that those mythical creatures would blatantly taunt them on the border periphery. The guards could only wipe the tears in their hearts.
Indeed they are not attacking, but by being there standing and glaring at them is already enough to make an adult man weep. Then one day, the unexpected happens.
A black shadow shot out from the depths of the forest towards the border wall and instantly vanished as it hit an invisible film of the barrier. Everyone expected for the splatter of blood but they were left mouth agape and confused as it simply melted upon impact.
Like a drop of water on the calm surface of a lake.
Inside the Kingdom of Aurum, there are several deep old jungles that have beasts and monsters as well. At this moment, the group of E-rank Lightning Lynx lying in wait to attack the party retreated meekly and left.
One girl is standing beside the knights with her hands raised towards the sky glowing red. It so happens that when the girl started to activate her magic, the monsters began acting strange leading some of the knights to wonder.
"They left?"
"It seems like it."
"Did you see? When Lady Regina came out they all showed fearful expressions and scrambled to escape."
"A job well done my lady!"
It wasn't known who among the soldiers said it but the comment left an indelible impression to the people present. Regina who neither showed surprise nor fear serenely stood and accepted the admiring gazes given by everyone. It was as if the shower of compliments did little to flatter her.
The image she gives off is of a calm-tempered child with a graceful bearing of a flower but with a strong character. She did not mind joining the fray even when faced with foes many levels higher than her. Their favour rose more when she did not show a slightest smug expression.
But everyone, unfortunately, missed the shadow of pride in her eyes.
"As expected of the most favoured candidate."
"It won't take long until she advances higher than her peers."
"Is everyone alright?" The captain of the guards protectively surrounding the group of girls inquired. His face taut and there was a hint of anxiety in his voice.
A lady's maid wearing a full white robe spoke, "The Hallowed Ones are unharmed."
A sigh of relief was heard from the captain. It is his squad's duty to protect them, if anything happens to these girls, even having nine lives will not be enough to shoulder the wrath of the whole kingdom.
They left the royal capital Aurea about two days ago to bring these girls to the Heraldic Order's headquarters in Anfang City. Aside from a group of knights, the girls were welcomed by one priest and about two dozen deacons upon arrival. People had always known that novices mostly start their beginners' journey here because this is where plenty of low-level monsters spawn which is perfect for them to practice.
Anfang is a flourishing city filled with shops from handmade to rare weapons, potions to everything every novice needs hence making Anfang City a target of my aspirants as a gateway to their dream. Most novices needed to scrape up for experience in order to ascend their class, and the arrival of Hallowed Ones who are accompanied by a squad of soldiers armed to the teeth is met with a mixture of envy and admiration. Aside from the soldiers, there are Healers as well to make sure they feel secure.
Odette feels otherwise. Of all things today, she had to trigger 'aggression' from the most unlikely fellow she didn't wish to encounter.
"If Maelys is here, she would be more amazing." Odette sighed while stabbing the lowest rank slime with a stone spear. While everyone stopped to offer platitudes to their forerunning candidate, her hands continued to work until she hit the core and killed the jiggly thing off.
One slime for almost an hour. Aye, truly lamentable. She was lucky that the monsters momentarily stopped resisting and obediently froze to get killed.
"I say Odette," Bernice had heard her mutterings and personally came to berate the little girl. "Why mention unrelated people? It dampens the mood. She withdrew and it was her choice. If you have time to admire other people, why not use that for yourself instead?"
Odette put down her spear, "Lady Bernice, instead of coming to me to find a sense of existence you might as well work hard to catch on Lady Regina."
"That Regina," Bernice seethed. "That strange spell she invoked, it was taught by the Heraldic Order! I'm sure of it."
"Are you jealous?"
"You— I'm not! I have no reason to."
"Oh, so you're not then you also did not come here to pick on me."
"Of course not."
"Could it be that you came here to shed tears and solicit my concern?"
Bernice's face flushed in anger, "Lady Odette! How dare you speak to me this way?"
"Why not? Don't you often speak to people like this as well?"
She really had to commend this girl's ability to find fault at every turn. Odette knew she was angry because another chance was snatched away by Regina while she wasn't looking. Oftentimes, she would find a random girl to nitpick to let out her annoyance and the receiving end could only bow their head and cry silently. Unfortunately, that doesn't apply to her.
"I can speak however I want because I'm Lady Bernice Vallis and you were just a bunch of commoners!" The angry girl reasoned crookedly.
"Aye, aye, don't we all know who you are?"
Odette cannot be bothered by her tantrums. Today is a good day to hunt low-level slimes and shrieking mushrooms. Compared to this spoiled child, these monsters were a lot cuter. She turned her back and found another slime to poke on making Bernice's face twist with frustration.
"If you really wish to advance," Bernice persisted, going as far as hitting her target slime with Windcutter purposefully stealing her target. "Why not fight with higher classed monsters instead of these things? No wonder you barely made progress."
Odette sighed wearily. When will this glue stop sticking to her?
Everyone was busy on their task when all of a sudden, the sky dimmed and all the monsters stood still. Different from what happened a few minutes ago, this one was a sight to behold when every creature from the largest to the smallest stopped as if making a salute.
They seemed to sense something greater about to break in from the horizon.
Later that night at the mansion they are staying at, the deacons of Heraldic Order convened a meeting to talk about the unusual occurrence this afternoon.
"A sacred beast you say? Why would such a being come?"
"Brothers, it was only speculation on the Head's side. His predictions could sometimes be not accurate. After receiving the same report from other territories, he ruled out the idea of Lady Regina's said miracle." The priest explained.
"Does that mean that the head wanted us to clear up the misunderstanding this afternoon?"
When the atmosphere stagnated a few hours ago, Lady Regina happened to be performing a divine spell she learned from the priests of the Heraldic Order. There were plenty of witnesses during this afternoon and others began associating the strange phenomenon to Lady Regina as some sort of miracle. However, soon the Head of the Order sent a message that it had something to do with a sacred beast, not at all related to Regina Stolz. The speculation outside is growing wider, if this came out of hand people might believe that what occurred was related to the hallowed maiden.
Do they want to clarify?
"No." The priest said.
"I'm afraid I don't understand what my fellow brother wants to convey..." If they have no plans of fixing this, what will happen to their candidate later?
With their backing into grooming her to be the ideal maiden, the people are growing more and more attached to her. Once they realized they were fooled to believe some false miracle her reputation will surely sink. The people will lose faith in them for purposefully manipulating and proliferating false information.
"The Head wanted to make sure if it truly was a sacred beast. While the Order sends people to investigate the real source, we should act no differently from before." The priest said meaningfully. "If everyone has come to their own conclusion, there is no need for us to interfere."
Just let people believe what they wanted to. As long as they neither deny or admit its authenticity, Heraldic Order cannot be held responsible as a source of unsavoury gossip cropping up. People are entitled to have their own opinions, and they are likely to form various conclusions with just a single event.
It's just that, by keeping this will greatly damage the image of their chosen candidate. Does the Order really want her to ascend on top?
For that alleged sacred beast on the other hand. How great would it be if it turns out to be real? The Magic Bureau, the Chivalric Order, and Heraldic Order, though they try to tolerate each other for hundreds of years, the friction between these factions can be clearly felt between their respective leaders.
There is always a hard competition going on behind the public's scrutiny. When Magic Bureau gained a promising student, they immediately flaunt it in front of the monarchs like a trophy, every time Chivalric Order hears one of its knight orders gaining merits they would urge for a commendation as well, and it is always done in great fanfare. Will the Heraldic Order, known as the pillar of faith of the kingdom be left out? Never.
That sacred beast, whether it is real or not, there is no doubt that the Heraldic Order will exhaust all means to investigate— and acquire it.
Back in Nachtwald…
"How long are you planning to stay here in the southern territory?"
Behind the ancient tree, a man in a maroon swallowtail coat and wispy black hair with golden eyes came out. His question is directed to the boy languorously leaning on a trunk while playing with an orc head.
"Solis, you arrive early." He said.
"I only left for a few days but why does it seem that you have become lazier than before? Did you finish the task your father entrusted to you?"
Pressing his thumb and forefinger, he made an 'okay' sign. His eyes, however, are staring into a far off place. "He is in the royal capital. We set off in a few more days."
"Why not leave now?" The man called Solis asked suspiciously. "And what did you do to that place inside the Sleeping Forest four days ago? I told you not to cross the barrier or you will be alerting their guards."
"Don't worry, I used your Dragonblood ring to bypass the old Behemoth's barrier. I can go in and out as I please without the Obsidian knowing. That person hiding in the royal capital can wait, there is no need for us to directly get involved for now. If my calculation is correct, we won't even need to waste our time dealing with him. Someone more capable will mete out judgment sooner or later."
"Since when are you a believer of providence?" Solis asked dubiously, his on of his eyebrows rising. If not for his identity as a son of that person and his own sworn brother he would have slapped the brat into a meat paste by now.
"Just recently. I seem to have stumbled upon a miracle."
"You and your nonsense. If I hadn't known, you are probably picking on some unwilling victim again to pass your time. I don't have to remind you again and again that you cannot do anything reckless while here in Aurum. Leave the issues of this kingdom to its people, just focus on your own task. Once we return to the empire, be assured that I will increase your training regimen ten times harder."
The boy did not seem to mind the threat and just continued to lounge under the warm sunshine.
"Say, Solis, why did you make a deal with the little Nachtwald?" He asked, diverting the topic.
Solis's thoughts drag him back three years ago. He smiled then.
"Because the girl is brave enough to step inside Golden Leaf and offer something of equal value despite knowing its reputation. Never mind merchants, even those wealthy families back at the empire wouldn't even dare make this kind of frontal approach. At the most, they will try to flatter and entice the Golden Leaf of their merits first before sending those professionals to negotiate."
Solis remembered that grey-eyed imp that bullied Manager Roux three years ago. The middle-aged man ran to him while at the verge of tears saying that someone disdained their best dish. Solis did not care about the troubles of the business of course. There are plenty of branches raking in profit for them but he could not just let the manager continue with his wailing without giving a proper solution.
"Let the person provide something more enticing than the one we are serving within one day. If he or she cannot comply, cut off the tongue!" He ordered ruthlessly.
To be daring enough to take on something more than one can chew, the person is either a pompous idiot or someone with a hidden motive.
Thus, Manager Roux ran back downstairs unaware that this little outcome has long been calculated to make them helplessly fall into a delicious trap.
Provide something more enticing within an hour? Did they really think they could beat the owner of both Lost Recipe and Herald's Eyes?
From ten percent, her share of Golden Leaf's annual revenue has now grown to thirty. Not to mention she also has Omnia and a clear monopoly on all the spices and ingredients they use! Even Solis himself did not expect that a girl at a tender age of nine could pull off this deal alone.
"Do you have any complaints with Lady Nachtwald's method?" Solis eyed him sharply.
"No." He said with a shallow smile.
"Good to know, I won't have you messing with the young lady. I happen to be fond of that rare golden egg."
