"Again!" Laura shouted, her eyes alight with fierce blaze. Her magic lightning strikes clashed against Camila's fireballs, sending sparks into the air.

The guards, watching from a distance, had gone from enthusiastic to wary, their faces clouded with concern. "Your Highness," they began to mutter, fidgeting with their weapons, "be careful!"

Camila grinned, seemingly unbothered. "Ah, so much concern. What do you say, Laura? Shall we give them a show?"

"Shut up," Laura said with a frustrated expression.

At this, Emil stepped forward, sweat trickling down his forehead. "Ladies, perhaps we should call it a day. You're both skilled fighters, and the point has been made—"

Laura's gaze didn't waver from Camila. "Stay out of this, Emil."

Camila flicked her wrist dismissively. "Emil, my dear, when two warriors are engaged in a battle of honor, spectators should keep their opinions to themselves."

Emil's brows furrowed, worry clouding his eyes. "This isn't a game; if you're not careful, someone could get hurt. We're meant to be your security detail. Maybe I should just stop this by force..." His hand began to inch toward the hilt of his sword.

Just as he was contemplating the best way to intervene without injuring either combatant, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

"Let me do it for you," Lune whispered, a smug expression gracing her features.

Before Emil could react, Lune swung her staff in a fluid motion. No incantation. No chant. Yet, with a shimmer of light, magical ice shackles appeared around Laura's and Camila's wrists, locking their weapons in place and freezing their movements.

Laura fell to the ground, her incantation already forming on her lips to shatter the shackles. But Lune was faster. With another flick of her staff, a binding of ice formed over Laura's mouth, silencing her.

Grant, standing next to Emil, was utterly stunned. "I never knew she was this powerful."

As for the guards, their mouths were agape. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. Shackling a princess? Was this woman mad?

But Lune didn't care. She locked eyes with Ambra, who was watching the scene unfold with a wry smile.

"Don't look at me that way" Lune began, locking her staff into place at her side, "You were about to do the same thing anyways."

Ambra chuckled softly, her eyes meeting Lune's. "Ah, you caught me."

Lune turned to Ambra, her eyes still smug but softer now. She placed a gentle hand on Ambra's head. "You're always so predictable, you know."

Ambra smiled gently, her eyes meeting Lune's with a hint of fondness. "And you're always full of surprises."

Meanwhile, Emil approached the still-grunting Laura, who was squirming around, attempting to free herself from her icy restraints. "That's enough fighting for today," he said softly, drawing a small magical circle in the air with his fingers. With a whispered incantation, the ice shackles around Laura began to crack but didn't fully shatter, surprising Emil.

Across from them, Camila was looking at her own shackles, her face tinged with some frustration. Grant stepped forward, offering his hand. "May I?"

Before Camila could answer, Lune heard Ambra's voice. "Lune, would you be so kind as to assist the Aegis? It seems they're having a bit of trouble with your—ahem—impressive magical constructs."

Rolling her eyes but smiling nonetheless, Lune approached the two still-restrained troublesome mages. "So, are you two going to stop fighting now?" She raised an eyebrow as she looked from Laura to Camila.

Both nodded, albeit reluctantly. Lune wasn't convinced.

Ice crept into Lune's voice, making it colder than the shackles she had conjured. "I'll ask you again. Are you going to stop fighting?"

This time, the response was immediate. Camila and Laura both started nodding their heads, frantically, as if their lives depended on it. "Yes, we'll stop," Camila quickly assured her. Laura, her mouth still bound, could only emit a muffled sound of agreement.

Satisfied, Lune swung her staff in a swift, graceful arc. The magical ice shackles—along with the binding over Laura's mouth—cracked and then disintegrated into icy dust that disappeared into the air.

"As I thought," Lune said, smiling faintly as she walked back to Ambra's side. "Sometimes, lessons are best taught with a firm hand."

"Or in your case, a firm staff," Ambra added, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

Camila and Laura exchanged glances, their faces flushed but their eyes reflecting a bit of respectful panic for the enigmatic hero named Lune who had, quite literally, stopped them cold.

The guards, still in a state of shock and disarray, exchanged uneasy glances. No one had ever dared to treat Lady Camila, the youngest Princess of Altura, in such a manner. Even if the situation was tense, the princess was still royalty.  Their hands twitched towards their weapons, unsure of what protocol dictated in a situation like this.

Stepping forward, Emil finally broke the silence. "Miss Lune, I must ask that you treat Lady Camila with a bit more... diplomacy. Using such spells on her isn't appropriate."

Lune turned to Emil, her eyes narrowing into slits of mild annoyance. "And what was the alternative? Should I have restrained them physically? Would that be less damaging to your royal charge's dignity?"

She paused, looking Emil directly in the eyes as she continued, "Besides, I'm not part of her protection detail, unlike you. I'm here primarily to accompany and assist Ambra. If you're concerned about what we might do, then perhaps you should be more cautious about letting one of your own party members initiate a duel with your 'protection target' in the first place."

Emil opened his mouth to respond but found himself unable to retort. She was right. And the uncomfortable truth of her words hung in the air like a lead weight, leaving Emil feeling somewhat deflated.

Off to the side, Laura had been watching the whole exchange. Catching Lune's eye, she gave a sly thumbs-up, impressed by Lune's verbal takedown. Camila, too, seemed to find the situation amusing, despite being the center of the controversy. A soft chuckle escaped her lips, drawing a few surprised looks from her guards.

Ambra, standing beside Lune, just shook her head in amusement. "Well, it looks like everything's been resolved, more or less. Shall we proceed?"

As the group began to move, Emil couldn't help but shoot one last glance toward Lune. Yes, she was a force to be reckoned with. And though her methods might be unconventional, her efficacy was beyond question.

The group followed the guards through Duke Altair's opulent estate, the sound of their footsteps muffled by ornate rugs and echoing in the cavernous hallways. The guards led them into the wing of the mansion reserved for Camila. Here, the five adventurers—Emil, Lune, Grant, Laura, and Ambra—found themselves in a spacious living area adorned with rich draperies and furnished with plush seating.

Camila sighed and slumped into a particularly inviting couch, visibly relieved to be away from the tension outside. "So, my dear 'protection entourage,' what's the plan now?"

Ambra, who had spent the previous day in easy conversation with Camila, found herself pondering the same question. "I'm curious as well. Are we just going to stand guard over Lady Ca- Her Highness all day? Is that necessary?"

Camila's eyes shone with a strange glint at seeing Ambra call her Her Highness, but her expression quickly went back to normal.

Not noticing the swift change Emil shook his head. "No, we don't have to stand guard constantly. Duke Altair's own security is exceptional, and this wing is well-protected. Our primary task now will be to aid in the planning of the mourning ceremony, in conjunction with the Nuberian envoys."

Lune arched an eyebrow. "So, we're meeting with the Nuberian envoys today?"

Emil seemed to ponder the question for a moment. "They should be arriving at Duke Altair's estate as well. Considering the importance of the mourning ceremony, it's likely they'll want to discuss plans with Her Highness too."

Upon hearing this, Camila sighed again but nodded. "Fine, as long as we get this over with as efficiently as possible. Mourning ceremonies are somber occasions, but the politics behind them can be even more draining."

Laura snickered, finding a seat on a couch opposite Camila. "Well, would you prefer another duel instead?"

Emil let out a wry chuckle, relieved by the lighter atmosphere, but his eyes flitted to Lune momentarily, still a bit wary given her earlier display of magical prowess should these two knuckleheads fight again.

Ambra glanced at Lune, who seemed rather nonplussed by the intricacies of royal ceremony planning. "Lune, were you not informed that the Nuberian envoys would be coming here?"

"Not really, they barely tell me anything. Then again, it's not like I show up much either." Lune shrugged, but her eyes twinkled. "Well, if it's only the speech and security that I have to do, I don't mind."

"Lune, you'll be the one delivering the speech at the Hero's mourning ceremony?" Emil asked, his eyes shifting awkwardly to Ambra for a moment before refocusing on Lune. "How do you feel about that?"

Grant and Laura chimed in with their congratulations as well, although everyone except Camila seemed to be aware of the elephant in the room—that the not-so-dead Hero, in fact, was Ambra.

Camila looked perplexed. "Wait, why is Lune giving the speech? I thought someone from the royal family or perhaps a high-ranking envoy would be more... traditional."

Lune hesitated, her mouth opening as if to respond, but before she could, Ambra spoke up. "That's because Lune is the closest person to the Hero." She said it sheepishly, blushing slightly at her own words.

Camila's eyes widened. "You're the Hero's closest person?" She had heard rumors that a party member of the Hero had come to the city for the ceremony, but to learn that it was Lune—and that she was the Hero's closest ally—left her momentarily speechless.

The atmosphere of wonder was abruptly punctuated by a knock on the door. Emil moved to answer it, revealing a maid standing in the corridor. "Pardon the intrusion, Your Highness, but you have Nuberian guests waiting for you in the great hall."

Camila looked genuinely surprised. "Ah, what a coincidence. They're already here?"

She stood up, smoothing her gown, and looked at Lune. "We'll have to speak more about the Hero later. I'm incredibly intrigued. Please."

Lune rolled her eyes but shot a playful glance at Ambra. "Sure, if you say so, there's so much to discuss," she said, with just a hint of mock annoyance. "But for now, I suppose we have envoys to entertain."

Ambra tugged softly on Lune's sleeve, pulling her aside for a moment. "Won't it be suspicious if I show up before the Nuberian envoys?" she whispered, her eyes tinged with concern.

"We already presented you as a friend. It shouldn't be an issue for you to be present, even with your suspicious cloak" Lune tried to jokingly reassure her.

Ambra shook her head. "Lady Camila knows I'm Nuberian. If I have to disguise my voice to prevent being recognized, she'll get suspicious."

Lune sighed, nodding. "You have a point. It might complicate things."

Turning back to the group, Lune announced, "Ambra will stay behind to watch over the wing. It's best that way."

The Aegis team looked slightly puzzled but chose not to question it. They could sense that the situation was more complex than it appeared, and trusted Lune's judgment. Camila, although slightly confused by the arrangement, nodded her acceptance.

"Very well, if you say so," Camila said, still casting a curious glance in Ambra's direction.

"Then let's move on to meet the envoys," Emil led the way, his voice steady but filled with a sense of urgency.

"I'm sooo excited," Laura said, her voice leaking sarcasm, which made Lune smile in sympathy.

They navigated the intricate corridors of Duke Altair's sprawling estate, finally arriving at the grand hall. There, Marquis Julian awaited them, flanked by two other Nuberian diplomats, all adorned in the official regalia of their homeland.

"Ah, Your Highness, thank you for honoring us with your presence," the Marquis greeted, extending a gloved hand to Camila, who curtsied politely in response. "I'm Marquis Julian Anorei, from Nuberia."

"Marquis Anorei, it's a pleasure. Allow me to introduce my protection detail, the Aegis team, and someone who you probably know already, my guest, Lune," she gestured toward each in turn.

------

Hey!

First chapter of two today. The second one will come out in a few hours!

I really want to see what happens in the next few chapters, a big development is coming up, and of course, the mourning ceremony! It's bound to be big, right? Well, many things will happen in the lead-up to the ceremony, but even then, I can't help but feel excited for what's to come!

Anyway, thank you for reading thus far, I'll see you in a few hours, hope you enjoyed it.

-Fia