G6 and Edmund arrived at the West Villa's main entrance to find a carriage waiting, its polished wood gleaming.
"What's this?" G6 asked.
"Most efficient transport. I will be your coachman." Edmund opened the door with a flourish. "Please."
G6 stepped inside, settling into plush velvet. The door closed with a solid thud.
Whoa. Now I feel like I'm in a proper fantasy novel. A wry smile touched her lips.
She slid open the small window to the driver's perch.
"We shall depart." Edmund clicked his tongue. The carriage rolled forward.
They moved through grand gates, onto a long, tree-lined stone path flanked by meticulous gardens.
"We are still within palace grounds," Edmund's voice carried through the window. "The West Villa is at a significant distance from the Main Palace."
"Why the hell is our villa so far from everything?"
"Strategic placement. The journey from the Collegium gate to the capital takes a quarter-hour by carriage. The complex is vast. Security is paramount."
"Yet I don't see many knights."
"The Collegium entrance has a powerful magical barrier. The main palace gate is the sole, heavily fortified point of entry. Security is concentrated there."
"Why not hire commoners as knights?"
"No perceived need. No foreign kingdom threatens Einston. Commoners with combat aptitude join the Adventurers' Guild—internal threats: demons, monsters. A division of labor. Noble knights are for military expeditions and policing perilous territories."
G6 fell silent. This kingdom isn't peaceful. I just haven't seen the full picture yet.
After fifteen minutes, they halted before a modest, well-kept building. Two women in simple, elegant uniforms waited. Edmund opened the carriage door.
The women offered deep bows. "Welcome to the Utility Magic Department, Lady Reise."
"Proceed inside. Have the stablehand attend to the carriage at the rear," Edmund instructed.
"Understood, Sir Edmund."
"Shall we?" Edmund turned to G6.
She nodded, strode inside. Edmund followed.
Hmm. Utilitarian. And… very few staff.
"We were informed of your visit by Sir Edmund. I am Felicia." A warm, professional smile.
"A pleasure, Felicia. Glad to have capable assistance." Her tone was regal, appreciative.
"You are too kind. If any issues arise, inform us immediately with these." Felicia presented a small, velvet-lined box.
Edmund accepted it, opened the lid. "Excellent. Precisely what I requested." He handed a simple silver ear cuff to G6, took its twin.
"What's this for?"
"Communication artifacts. A collaborative invention from Sanctum and Omnia. Powered by ambient mana. A sliver of wind magic trapped within the metal allows clear communication over distance."
Earpieces. Convenient. Smart.
"Everything is prepared upstairs. Please return before the Fifth Bell chimes," Felicia reminded.
"Thank you, Felicia." The woman's smile seemed to say, 'Anything for you.'
Edmund and G6 ascended to the private preparation room. Phase one: underway.
They entered a spacious common room with two doors opposite each other—a suite with private chambers. Without a word, they moved to their respective rooms.
Inside, G6 found the garments she'd designed laid out neatly. She placed Brenda's jewelry box and the communication artifacts on a table, retrieving the black bucket hat and sunglasses.
She stripped off the elegant black gown—the costume of Lady Reise. The fabric pooled at her feet like a shed skin. She tossed it onto the bed, followed by the impractical heels.
Standing in her undergarments, she assessed her reflection. A focused whisper of wind magic altered her hair: dead-straight strands revealing its true length. She braided the top half into a sleek bun, leaving the rest down her back.
She pulled on the black cargo pants—unique cut, strategic open zipper revealing a sliver of skin, V-shaped waistline accentuating her petite, powerful frame. The black and grey long-sleeved cropped top. Sturdy, battle-efficient boots.
A layered choker-necklace. Several sleek silver rings on her fingers. She removed Earl's ring. With clinical precision, she pierced a new hole in her ear for the communication earring. No flinch.
Final touches: the cap pulled low, sunglasses large enough to obscure her eyes completely.
A sharp, predatory smile. "This turns me on."
She exited. Edmund waited in the common area, transformation complete.
"Wow. Who would guess you're a butler?" Genuinely impressed.
Gone was the impeccable steward. Edmund was an adventurer: multiple earrings, white button-down with voluminous sleeves, collar open, bright blue suspenders. Black cargo pants with blue accents and straps. Black fingerless gloves. Rugged combat boots. A simple black cap.
"As are you, Lady Reise." A hint of a smile.
"Plan." G6 settled on a couch.
Edmund sat opposite, unrolled a detailed map of the palace complex.
"Only one gate is operational. Problematic… if not for your skills."
G6's smirk returned. Cool confidence. "I've mastered Eclipse-Step. Doesn't just mask presence. Renders me completely invisible. Transparent." Matter-of-fact. "But my body's adjusting. Two minutes max without significant strain."
"That will suffice. Your horse is ready. Certain you know how to ride?"
"You doubt me?" A glint of amusement. Please. I've trained in everything from equestrianism to piloting jets. All for a clean extraction.
"I am beginning to wonder if there is anything you cannot do."
"You will ride with me. Do not be concerned. I frequently use this route. The knights are accustomed to my comings and goings. No suspicion."
"I thought no knights."
"That was the Collegium. This is the Main Palace gate. Security is… substantial."
"So, plan?"
"No magical barrier at the main gate—defense is the knights themselves. You use Eclipse-Step, walk out beside me. They see only me."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"Let's go." G6 rose.
Descending, the UMD staff waited to see them off.
"Please, be careful, Lady Reise." Felicia's concern evident.
"Need not worry, Licia. I will see to her safety," Edmund assured.
"Don't worry. If this goes sideways, I'll make sure you're not implicated." Blunt.
"We are willing to do anything for you." A deep bow.
G6's eye twitched. Such devotion is inefficient. Dangerous.
"Then, I'll see you later." Final. She glanced at Edmund. They moved toward the rear.
A stablehand waited beside their carriage and a single saddled horse. "Sir Edmund." The man handed over two long, hooded coats.
"Here. Wear this until we reach the town outskirts." Edmund passed her a long, black-brown coat that fastened at the neck with a cord, deep hood.
G6 threw it on—like a cape, designed to conceal entirely. Edmund did the same.
"Take care of things here, Nel."
"Understood. Please take care of the Lady." A bow.
A curt nod. They walked to the horse. Edmund mounted with practiced ease, offered his hand. G6 took it, swung up behind him in one fluid motion. A click of his tongue. They set off toward the palace gates and the freedom beyond.
❈.❈.❈
The horse moved at a gentle trot along the secluded, tree-lined path. Minutes later, the imposing main gate came into view.
Edmund guided the horse behind a large oak. "Two mid-ranked knights at the gate. Two more on the ramparts above." A whisper over his shoulder.
G6 peered around him. "Make it quick. Two minutes. Starting now."
<
Her presence vanished from behind him. Edmund nudged the horse back onto the road, urged it into a brisk trot toward the gate.
A guard signaled halt.
"Reveal yourself."
Edmund pushed back his hood just enough. "Edmund Saiden." He produced his identification.
"I see. You have been quite busy."
"Indeed. I am in something of a hurry."
"Very well. Proceed. Return before the gate is sealed for the night."
"Understood." He made to move forward.
A voice from the ramparts above. "Are you alone?"
"What kind of question? Do you see a ghost?" another guard scoffed.
"I feel… a disturbance in the air. As if another presence is there." Confusion tinged the voice.
Crap. That one is from a branch family of House Worthon. Edmund's grip tightened imperceptibly.
"Come now, Sir, there is nothing. Edmund, proceed."
A curt nod. Edmund urged the horse into a canter, putting distance between them and the gate without appearing to flee.
"Edmund is strangely rushed today."
"Leave him be. His hands are full with errands for that new mistress."
Edmund didn't slow until they were well out of sight.
"So, he was a Worthon?" G6's voice materialized as she deactivated her skill.
"A distant relative. Father married into a minor branch. Possibly inherited a minor wind affinity. Enough to sense disruption, not the source."
Edmund pulled the horse to a stop beside a large tree. A second horse tethered there.
G6 swung down, untied her horse, coiled the rope, mounted in one fluid motion.
They looked at each other. They were out.
"The capital is just ahead."
"Lead the way."
Edmund nudged his horse forward. G6 fell in behind. Anyone observing saw not a delicate noblewoman, but a figure born for the saddle—grounded, efficient, a seasoned combatant.
The first barrier was behind them. The pristine palace world gave way to the dusty, vibrant road leading into the beating heart of the capital. With the wind at their backs and disguises firm, the steward and the reaper rode toward their destination—the Adventurers' Guild. The first real taste of freedom.
「QUEEN'S CHAMBER」
The Queen sat in the profound silence of her private study. Her gaze was fixed on an ancient, leather-bound tome open on her desk. It detailed the terrifying, near-mythical wonders of Cryomancy—the one-in-a-million magic she was certain her new protégé possessed.
I wonder what is taking my master so long to respond. A weary sigh. The silence was disconcerting.
Her eyes drifted to an ornate box on the corner of her desk. Within it, the latest reports on G6's capabilities and progress.
"What exactly are you?" A whisper into the quiet. "You are far too much… and yet not nearly enough… to be the Reise I knew."
A firm knock. "Your Majesty, it is Leo."
"Enter."
Leo entered with impeccable grace, offered a deep bow. "Your suspicion was correct, Your Majesty."
"So, she has broken out." A slow, mischievous smile. Not anger. Profound, calculating interest. "I wonder what will happen when an untamed lioness is finally set loose upon the world."
"Your orders?"
"Do nothing." A tone leaving no debate. "She is too perceptive, too guarded. You only confirmed her departure when you inquired with the gate knights after Edmund had already left, correct?"
"Yes."
"That proves any attempt to tail them directly would have failed. It would only put us on her bad side—a place I would very much like to avoid." Her mind was several steps ahead. "Let her be. Let us observe what kind of person she truly is when she believes no one of consequence is watching."
Her gaze returned to the open book. A terrifying illustration: a blade forged of glacial ice, violently sharp, radiating an aura of absolute zero. Her finger traced a line of text beneath it.
'Only one who kills can wield.'
She read the words aloud. Their weight hung heavy. The ancient text was clear: the Vessel for Cryomancy—an affinity believed legend—could only be one who had died once and been reborn. And another, more chilling prerequisite: it demanded a killer's soul.
High in her secluded chamber, the Queen closed the ancient tome. A web of prophecy and suspicion tightened. The game had escalated beyond political maneuvering. Her pawn was a wild card, moving of her own volition into a city teeming with danger.
As the sun climbed higher, two journeys were underway: one into the chaotic heart of the unknown, the other into the treacherous depths of ancient magic and dark revelation.
The hunt for truth had begun. The hunter, for the first time, was also the hunted.
—To Be Continued…—