My Half-baked Mental State

❥ Knight Alexis is Lord Kaiser’s brilliant personal attendant, and the most skilled runecaster in the entire palace excluding those who are assigned to Emperor Noa. You’ve always admired his work from afar, keeping your dwindling skills sharp by trying to figure out what materials and casting methods he used in his spells during your time as an attendant. Working with him makes him even more impressive, though, and he often grows flustered when you watch him cast with wide eyes filled with admiration. You’d been warned by Grim in the past that Alexis tends to get territorial where his work and his lord are concerned, and though you’d gotten that impression at first, it’s hardly there anymore. He doesn’t mind working with you at all— if anything, he seems to perk up at the sight of you crossing into the Cerulean Pavilion, and loves to present his other projects to you for you to give feedback on (and, hopefully, to praise).

Emperor Ego's Court

❥ Lord Isagi is the shining hope of Emperor Ego’s heirs, the poster child of what every successor should strive to be. Polite, charming, skilled, and above all else, genuine, Isagi Yoichi is definitely your top pick for the throne, and you don’t even live in his kingdom. And just when you think he can’t get any better, you catch him heatedly arguing with Lord Kaiser in the Cerulean Courtyard— and winning. Lord Isagi spends a lot of time in the Gold and Ruby Pavilions, so it’s not uncommon for him to seek you out and ask to be trained in casting, since it’s his weakest point. You don’t think he’s giving himself enough credit, though; he’s a very quick learner and performs new spells almost as if he knows exactly what he’s doing, but checks with you to make sure he’s doing it right, just in case.

❥ Lord Itoshi— Rin, that is— is a picture-perfect snapshot of elegance, grace, and beauty, up until the point where he opens his mouth and proves to everybody in the palace that the condescension runs in the family. His behavior is incredibly similar to his brother’s, though he seems to be a bit more openly competitive and aggressive than Sae— at least, that’s the impression you develop of him when you run into him while carrying out an investigation for Sae that he insists he can perform and solve for his brother quicker than you can. Against your will, it ends up becoming a recurring thing, and at this point, you can’t tell if he’s seriously trying to solve the case faster than you, or if he’s actually trying to work with you. It’s not like you can ask him— you like him better when he’s being cooperative and would rather not piss him off, thank you very much.

❥ Lord Reo— Mikage, really, but he insists against being called that— is charismatic, sociable, and was raised to be royalty from the moment he was born. However, you hear from the servants of Ego’s other heirs that he’s a deeply jealous individual, which can sometimes be as inhibiting to him as it is encouraging. You bear witness to this when he’s prickly with you during your first meeting, obviously upset that his personal caster is cooking up the stupidest spells known to mankind with you rather than tending to his young master. However, things seem to smooth over after that, as he comes to be impressed with the work you get accomplished with Nagi, and even the work that you accomplish for him on your own— which he seems to be requesting you do more these days. Nagi often whines that you’re gonna replace him, which you think is a joke, until Lord Reo insists that two personal casters are better than one. Well, if he’s serious, he’ll have to take it up with Noa, you suppose.

❥ Lord Chigiri possesses the kind of beauty men start wars over, and his confidence in his skills and appearance only draws others in more. To your delight (and surprise— the prettiest heir around these parts is also the prickliest), he’s also rather friendly and loves gossiping, often bribing information about Noa’s heirs out of the palace attendants. You’re no exception to this, and the first time he requests your assistance, a spell that should only take a single morning to execute ends up taking the whole day because you’re too busy complaining to him about all the arrogant heirs and relaying to him your most dismal encounters with them. Your gossip sessions end up becoming a weekly meeting, disguised as “tune-ups” if the other heirs ask. Lord Reo ends up attending them at some point, and after overhearing a conversation between the two while actually working through a spell, you suspect that the two are scheming to convince Ego to try and get Noa to release you to their palace.

❥ Knight Bachira is a bundle of energy that you believe would fuel a million spells if he could be harnessed. Eccentric and cheerful, he somehow both contrasts and compliments Lord Isagi perfectly as his personal attendant. One day, when Lord Isagi approaches you with a private request, you’re surprised to learn that Bachira’s power doesn’t come from runecasting, but rather, from a curse— he was born with a demon latched onto his spirit, which had caused him and his mother to be exiled from their village. Bachira ends up becoming interested in you when start teaching Isagi spells meant to help Bachira control and coexist with the beast rather than suppress it. He can be a bit much to handle when you’re trying to carefully brew a spell, but you can’t bring yourself to be upset when his laughter never fails to brighten up your workshop.

❥ Knight Nagi is just as brilliant of a runecaster as Alexis is, though he has one fatal flaw: he’s lazier than a dog. Your first few assignments from Lord Reo are agonizing, as he doesn’t help you at all and you have to do the work of two casters all on your own. It’s not until he catches you crouching behind some bushes in the Gold Pavilion, cackling to yourself as you put together a new spell to be used in your and Charles’s escalating prank war, that you finally catch Nagi’s interest. After that, Nagi can often be spotted with you crouched over a brewing station, the overgrown man draped over you as you two bicker over which combination of ingredients would yield the most sinister effects.

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Furthermore, Lord Loki is also a polite and agreeable individual, also treating those within his section of the palace grounds with utmost kindness. He can be a bit arrogant at times, but it doesn’t apply to those serving beneath him and that’s what you’re concerned with, anyway. Besides— arrogance comes with the title of being one of the emperor’s potential heirs, and Loki is the one of the four heirs who has the greatest control over his pride. 

Emperor Noa had taken control over the land not by bloodright, but through power and admiration. At a very young age, he’d become a decorated war lord and genius general who outlived the previous emperor and his sons, and was unanimously recommended by both the emperor’s remaining council and the people to become the new ruler of the kingdom. Apparently, the man did not wish to have any children, for he did not believe the title of emperor was something that should be claimed through bloodright alone; thus, the four courts were created on the palace grounds, and Emperor Noa invited the kingdom’s most notable youth to try their hand at claiming a seat as one of four heirs, and ultimately fight for the right to become his only successor. 

The Gold Pavilion takes up the southern part of the palace grounds and, of course, is overseen by Lord Loki, a skilled knight who had rapidly ascended the ranks due to his wit and masterful interweaving of magic into his combat. He’d been recommended into the palace by Emperor Noa’s very own former teacher and had secured his place on the Gold Throne seemingly overnight with his amiability, tenacity, and talent.

The eastern palace grounds are home to the Opal Pavilion, overseen by Lord Luna. The eldest of the heirs by quite a few years, Lord Luna had actually served in the military with Emperor Noa for a time and is the only heir to have been permitted into the heir ranks on his own recommendation. Though his charm is not as genuine or convincing as Lord Loki’s, he is still outwardly kinder than the other two lords, and reserves his most scathing criticisms for his rivals rather than his subordinates or other palace hands that reside off of his grounds.

The Jade Pavilion occupies the western palace grounds and is overseen by the controversial Lord Itoshi. Itoshi Sae had been recommended by Emperor Ego— the ruler of an allied kingdom— to serve under Lord Luna as an apprentice, and he had excelled in that position enough in the mere span of a year to receive recommendation from one of Lord Luna’s own councilmen to become an heir himself. Emperor Noa’s acceptance of the recommendation had been met with an uproar, many a people discontent over the thought of a foreigner potentially seizing the throne one day, but the emperor swiftly shut down their complaints, claiming that an heir’s origin did not matter so long as they proved capable of bringing prosperity and glory to the kingdom. Lord Itoshi’s blatant arrogance and condescension certainly does him no favors in winning over public favor, but at the very least, his cold and detached demeanor make him far more tolerable than his more flamboyant, obnoxious counterpart in the northern part of the palace.

The northern palace grounds house the Cerulean Pavilion, overseen by the equally admired and loathed Michael Kaiser. The man possesses a reputation that precedes him, word of his massive ego that is justified by his ever-improving skills in magic, combat, and strategy reaching every ear on palace grounds and even extending well beyond it. He was rather notorious for switching between cold neutrality or cruel mockery when it came to his treatment of others, which is why you steered clear of the Cerulean Pavilion whenever you could help it. Though his recommendation is of unknown origins and his background is something his rivals try and fail to pry into time and again, he still somehow managed to secure his place on the Cerulean Throne and is the heir who receives the most personal training from Emperor Noa. 

“It’s all just formalities at this point,” General Lavinho had said one day as you served him beer during one of his impromptu visits to Snuffy. “We all know that the throne’s as good as Kaiser’s. Noel doesn’t even try to hide that the bastard is his favorite little pet.”

“Lord knows why,” Councilman Prince muttered under his breath, which Lavinho raised his glass to.

So, needless to say, you find yourself rather content with your place in the Gold Pavilion, experiencing each day with ease as you partake in pleasant chatter with your fellow palace hands and tend to the needs of a kind, aging general.

Today’s work finds you strolling into the central palace grounds. You watch as the pathway lined with marigolds slowly transforms into rows of deep red calla lilies, marking the end of the Gold Pavilion and the beginning of the Ruby Pavilion, residence to Emperor Noa himself. It’s not often that you leave the grounds of the Gold Pavilion, but today, you’re being sent to fetch some supplies for an upcoming training session being held by Lord Loki.

The runesmith of the palace has a small workshop set up by the southern entrance of the Ruby Pavilion, much to your convenience. You’ve met the elderly man a few times during one of his tune-ups on Snuffy’s equipment, and he was quite sweet, having the habit of sneaking the servants some pre-charged runes that could be used to make completing daily tasks easier. However, the man is always busy and can hardly ever be found within his own workshop.

Which is why when you enter the smithery, you’re met with his apprentice instead of the man himself. Charles Chevalier waves to you enthusiastically from behind the desk separating the lobby from the back of house where all the runes are stored. You’re quite familiar with him, as he also resides in the Gold Pavilion when he’s not working for the runecaster; he’s the only runecaster in all the pavilions that Lord Loki had seen fit to take under his wing and provide individual training to. You offer Charles a smile and curt nod as you stride up to the desk—then, you promptly startle when you realize who’s standing next to you.

The other apprentice, Benedict Grim, stands beside Charles at the counter, reviewing a rather lengthy list that the person beside you had handed to him. At your arrival, Alexis Ness turns to you and offers a polite smile, something uncanny that, prior to this encounter, you’ve only ever heard people say doesn’t quite sit right on his face. (Now, you can confirm such sentiments yourself.)

Alexis is the designated runecaster for the Cerulean Pavilion, in addition to being Lord Kaiser’s personal attendant. One of the highest-ranking runecasters at the most esteemed magic school in the kingdom, Lord Kaiser had scouted him and requested for him specifically to serve him during a diplomatic outing with Emperor Noa. The man takes his duty very seriously, and stops at nothing to ensure that Lord Kaiser is always as safe and comfortable as possible. 

You’ve heard of Alexis’s casting—it’s difficult not to, given that his spells incorporate elements that make it damn near impossible to invade the Cerulean Pavilion. The man somehow manages to masterfully weave herbal essences into his magic to further reinforce the barrier surrounding the Cerulean Pavilion; this additional factor of natural magic reads into an individual’s soul, meaning that those who enter the pavilion with ill intent will be affected by a poison or incapacitating spell of some kind. Nobody is quite sure what exactly Alexis uses to pull of such a thing, but its efficacy has certainly been confirmed; Lord Luna never officially commented on the fiasco and Emperor Noa never pushed him for one, but the Opal Pavilion soldiers who had turned up passed out from a mild poison just outside of the Cerulean Pavilion were enough to dissuade anyone else from attempting to infiltrate again. 

You can only speculate what kind of spells Alexis interweaves into typical protective runecasting to trigger such a result; you figure there must be a high concentration of finely-ground lily of the valley involved, since they can be used to read the purity of an individual’s soul when ingested. The opal soldiers who had turned up weren’t covered in any kind of powder, though, so he had somehow managed to integrate into the barrier’s very constitution so that it couldn’t be bypassed. Knowing for certain would mean investigating the barrier up close, and you’d sooner transfer to the Opal or Jade Pavilions than be caught acting suspicious near the Cerulean Pavilion, thank you very much.

However, your own preconceptions about the Cerulean Pavilion and its ruler aside, you do still deeply admire Alexis’s work, and you can’t quite help yourself from eavesdropping on his conversation with Grim while Charles disappears into the back to fetch the items from your own list.

“What does his royal highness need juniper for?” Grim asks, setting the list down. “You’ve never worked with that before. Those aren’t even in season right now.”

Alexis’s smile grows a little tighter. “We’re trying something new,” he answers vaguely. “I’ve determined that juniper is the only flower that will yield the desired effect.”

Grim lets out an exaggerated sigh and pushes himself away from the counter just as Charles returns from the back with a box full of runes and manuals. “So he’s paranoid again,” Grim mutters under his breath, which Alexis chooses not to respond to. “We might not have all of this, but I’ll see what I can do. Give me a minute.”

A comfortable silence falls over the room as Charles helps you sort the runes and other materials into smaller bags that will be easier to hand out during the lesson, and as Alexis awaits Grim’s return.

“I heard from Julian the other day that we’re gonna have visitors soon,” Charles says eagerly as you turn a rune over in your hand. It’s one used in more sophisticated protection spells—seems Lord Kaiser’s not the only paranoid one around here.

You raise a brow at Charles and spare a quick glance at Alexis, but he seems to be paying you two no mind. You know that Lord Loki doesn’t care if Charles is casual with him, but he could get in trouble for being so informal outside of the Gold Pavilion. “I would assume so,” you respond, placing the rune into the leather bag and pulling the drawstrings to close it. “Would it be so odd, with the Sunrise Festival right around the corner?”

The Sunrise Festival is an extravagant gala held every year that takes place over the course of three days. It’s a celebration of the anniversary of the day Emperor Noa slayed the corrupt king of the neighboring kingdom and brought an end to the years-long war that had plagued his own kingdom since he was a child. The nobility of all allied kingdoms were always in attendance, along with noteworthy merchants, generals, and courtesans.

“I’m talking about after the festival,” Charles says, pausing to wave a hand through the air animatedly. “Though, these visitors might be here for that, too. But, anyways, he said that Emperor Noa has agreed to let some of Emperor Ego’s own apprentices study here for a prolonged period of time.”

More egotistical young men vying for a throne of some sort? You can already feel a migraine coming on. “How lovely,” you say airily, but Charles picks up on your disdain immediately and starts laughing.

“It should be fun,” he says, eyes sparkling with mischief. “I hear that Mikage merchant’s son will be with them. Lord Itoshi’s younger brother, too.”

You sigh, and Grim’s return saves you from having to force some kind of positive comment on the presence of yet another Itoshi on palace grounds.

“I managed to find everything but adder’s tongue,” Grim announces as he places a bundle of flowers and a bag of runes on the counter. 

You furrow your brows. Adder’s tongue is an extremely common item used in medicinal casting, so it’s usually always on hand here. It’s scarce this time of year, but there should be at least a bit in storage. Alexis seems confused by this as well, for he asks, “How are you out of adder’s tongue?”

Charles and Grim share a look. The corners of Charles’s lips twist downward as Grim answers, “Our supply went missing a few nights ago. We’ve informed Emperor Noa, but the investigation is still ongoing.”

That just confuses you even more. Who in the world would need to steal adder’s tongue? If the injury is that bad, they should just go to the infirmary. As Grim continues to go over Alexis’s requested materials, you and Charles pack the bags into a larger box for easier transport. As you lift the box into your arms, Charles bids you a cheery farewell. 

The events of that day have faded into the back of your mind by the time the Sunrise Festival arrives.

You and every other attendant are running around the Gold Pavilion in a frenzy. It’s early morning during the first day of the festival, and you all have just a few hours to get the pavilion in top shape before guests start arriving. 

Your diligent work the past year and a half has caused you to be one of the few servants entrusted with the position of overseeing all the other attendants during the festival. Whenever you aren’t pointing in a direction and giving orders, you’re running around ensuring that not a single flower in the yard is out of place, and that the festivities being held in the Gold Pavilion have everything they need to run smoothly.

You’re giving some younger servant girls advice on how to mix ground up butterfly wings into some water so that the flowers appear shiny and dewy when you hear your name called somewhere behind you. You hand off the mortar and watering can to the eldest of the group, wiping your hands off on your skirts as you turn around.

You gasp, then immediately dip into a curtsy. “Lord Loki,” you greet, dipping your head. “How may I be of service?”

Loki gives you a smile that is equal parts warm and sorrowful. “My apologies for making you do this, but Snuffy and Charles both speak highly of you, so it’s something I feel I can entrust you with.” He reaches his arm up, extending out his hand between you two to reveal a velvet jewelry box. Based on its shape, you presume there’s a necklace inside. “Lord Kaiser had the jeweler on our grounds craft this for the lady he’s been courting. He, of course, had some last minute changes made to it overnight, and she’s meant to arrive today. Could you deliver this to the Cerulean Pavilion?”

You bite down on your lip to keep yourself from openly sneering at the thought of going to the Cerulean Pavilion. You’ve somehow managed to avoid it for damn near eighteen months now, and yet your first trip there would require you to approach Lord Kaiser himself. Great. 

You dip your head again, more to hide your grimace than to show respect. “Of course, my lord,” you say, carefully accepting the box into your hands. “I’ll see to it that it is delivered to Lord Kaiser safely.”

“My greatest thanks,” Loki says, offering you a genuine grin. You startle as he clasps an encouraging hand on your shoulder, which draws a small chuckle out of him. He holds your gaze just a moment longer before setting off to tend to other duties. You shake yourself out of your stupor, then begin the agonizing trek to the Cerulean Pavilion.

You’re dragged out of your misery and bitter mumbling once the pavilion actually comes into sight. It is nothing short of gorgeous, of course; Lord Kaiser wouldn’t accept living in a place any less maintained in beauty than he himself is. But the paths lined with blue roses and elaborate fountains of water aren’t what take your breath away—no, it’s the shimmering, pale blue curtain marking the border of the Opal and Cerulean Pavilions that catches your attention. Alexis has casted the protective barrier to appear almost like a thin veil of water, and when you put your arm through it, it feels like a gust of cool, refreshing air brushes over your skin. You marvel at it; it’s masterful, the way it’s not even apparent that he’s interwoven natural magic into the protective runes.

You sigh as you pass through the rest of the barrier, the full beauty of the Cerulean Pavilion hitting you. You don’t have the time to investigate further, no matter how curious you may be. You follow the main path—a road marked with intricate patterns composed of sapphires—to Lord Kaiser’s residence. As the extravagant villa comes into view, you notice a woman being escorted inside by Gesner, a high-ranking official in Lord Kaiser’s army.

It must be the lady Lord Loki mentioned, though she’s arrived far earlier than everyone else. From your distance, you can’t hear a word she’s saying, but you can see her just fine. A gorgeous pastel purple dress billows around her, the corset pulled tight to flatter her well. Her hair is pulled up into a braided bun, and a few buds of baby’s breath and white cherry blossoms have been delicately tucked behind her ear. 

Lady Petra, you think as you take in her sharp green eyes and pale blonde hair. She’s the eldest daughter of one of the wealthiest merchants in the kingdom. She had resided in the palace for a time before you arrived, when her brother was one of the many young men competing for the Cerulean Throne. Apparently, she had charmed many men while she resided on palace grounds, and her father hadn’t been too upset by his son losing the throne to Kaiser because he figured he could marry Petra off to someone of status. It seemed to be working out well for him.

You reach the villa’s back entrance long after Lady Petra and Gesner disappear inside of it, so you should be able to steer clear of her when getting the necklace to either Lord Kaiser or Gesner—whichever she’s not with at the moment. You rap gently on the door, and the servant that answers the door lights up at the sight of the box in your hands.

“Oh, good, good!” She cheers, ushering you inside. You squint as the incomprehensible amount of marble inside practically blinds you. The whole floor is made of it. “You’re just in time! Come here, quickly.”

You trail after her, marveling at the intricacy of the villa’s interior. Everything within it is grand, from the perfectly polished floors to the elaborate paintings on the walls and spotless pieces of furniture carefully positioned in each room. You can’t even complain that it’s too much, because everything is so meticulously placed and considered that, somehow, nothing clashes.

The woman stops suddenly, nudging you slightly backward and making a shushing motion. You peek around her shoulder and catch sight of Lady Petra sitting in what seems to be a sunroom. There’s an entrance on the other side of the room, where Gesner is speaking in a hushed tone to someone who you can’t see—they’re blocked by the door frame of the entrance the other servant has nudged you away from.

In the center of the floral-patterned couch, Lady Petra’s attendant makes a few last minute adjustments to her hair. She slides one more pin into place to further secure the braid in place. Up close, you now see that on the ear opposite of the one decorated with baby’s breath and white cherry blossoms sits more baby’s breath, with some adder’s tongue weaved into it. The sight of it nags at something in the back of your mind, but you dismiss it as the necklace around her neck catches your attention instead. It’s a simple, delicate thing, a thin golden chain with a garnet carved into a teardrop shape. 

Lady Petra reaches up and runs her hand along the chain. The garnet, impossibly, flickers weakly, a gleaming light pulsing for just a moment before going dormant again.

Your heart plummets into the ground.

It’s no garnet—it’s an illusory rune, one typically used to bypass barriers and the like. Normally, such a thing on its own wouldn’t be able to get through the intricate barrier Alexis has surrounding the pavilion, but it’s been crafted into something that can be on Petra’s person, meaning that can interact with other essences also on her person. Baby’s breath, which in natural magic, represents innocence and purity, along with white cherry blossoms and adder’s tongue, which both signify deception. When combined with an illusory rune, the cherry blossoms and adder’s tongue would work together to mask the true nature of Petra’s soul, utilizing the essence of the baby’s breath to replace her true intentions with the guise of innocence.

Of course, this incorporation of natural magic could combat the pavilion’s elaborate barrier, but that begs the question: how does Lady Petra know the specifics of Alexis’s barrier and how he casted it?

The servant lady clasps a hand around your elbow and drags you away from the room. Your heart races, panic surging through you.

“Come now,” she whispers, “we’ll catch up with Lieutenant Gesner on the other side, and he’ll hand it off to Lord Kaiser when he has a moment away from Lady Petra.”

If that moment ever comes, you think to yourself. The flowers could be chalked up to a coincidence, but when combined with the presence of an illusory rune? Certainly not. Lady Petra had come in here with the intent to bring harm to the Cerulean Pavilion, and needed a way to bypass the barrier that would pick up on it.

“I wasn’t aware Lieutenant Gesner was tending to Lord Kaiser today,” you say. Luckily, the servant lady doesn’t know you well, so she doesn’t pick up on the tremor in your voice. “I figured Knight Alexis would still be in charge of his well being for the festival.” No, seriously, where the hell is that guy? There’s an intruder actively in the pavilion!

“Oh, Knight Alexis is busy with preparations elsewhere.” She waves it off, as if there’s not a massive threat sunbathing with her lord as she speaks. “He reinforced the barrier just a few days ago to ensure that Lord Kaiser would be fine without him at his side.”

You practically choke on your own blood at that. You’re pretty sure that after this, Alexis isn’t going to let Lord Kaiser leave his line of sight ever again.

You round the corner, coming up to the other entrance of the sunroom. Gesner is just about to shut the door completely when he spots the box in your hands. Distracted, he lets go of the doorknob and crosses the rest of the distance to you and the servant lady. The door is still halfway open, and you can see Lord Kaiser sitting beside Lady Petra, facing the door. He’s focused on her, though, exuding nothing but charisma. It’s so abhorrently feigned, but you can’t bring yourself to be disgusted in your state of panic.

“This is it, then?” Gesner says, gesturing to the box in your hands. You open it, but you can’t even take in whatever intricate piece Lord Kaiser has commissioned, because you refuse to take your eyes off the threat sitting beside him. It must be impressive, though, because Gesner lets out a low whistle at the sight of it. “Well, looks like those changes paid off. Hopefully it’s at least a little satisfactory for him.”

You watch as Lord Kaiser turns around, beckoning to a servant on standby. The young boy walks over, and nods at whatever Kaiser whispers to him before heading toward the other entrance. During this exchange, Lady Petra produces a tiny cloth bag from her purse.

“So long as the lady likes it, things will be just fine,” the servant lady responds.

Whatever he requested must be a quick task, for Lord Kaiser doesn’t turn around, waiting for the servant boy to return. Petra spares a quick glance at him before opening the bag and pouring a powdery substance into his glass of wine sitting on the table.

“Of course she will,” Gesner says, but you hardly hear it over the blood rushing in your ears. “He’s far more of a diva than her.”

The boy returns with a slice of bienenstich and places it down on the table in front of Lady Petra, bowing as he does so before retreating to his corner of the room. The woman tilts her head and instead reaches for her own glass of wine, raising it in cheers. Lord Kaiser picks up his own, raising it as well.

The servant lady cries out and Gesner grunts as you barrel past him, flinging yourself forward as quickly as possible. By the time you’ve thrown the door open and crossed the distance from the entrance to the couch, the commotion has caused Kaiser and Petra to both stare at you, the latter in bewilderment and the former in irritation.

Before either one can say anything, you smack the wine glass out of Lord Kaiser’s hands. Petra shrieks as the glass shatters against the floor, the wine spilling all over the white marble floor. Kaiser’s face contorts with cold fury, but you’re already whirling on Lady Petra by the time he’s getting to his feet.

You seize her by the shoulders, grip iron. Petra pales as she stares up at you, both of you knowing exactly why you barged inside. “Did you really think you’d get away with something like this?” You hiss lowly, “Emperor Noa will have your head when he hears about your little scheme.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Kaiser yells behind you, oblivious to what you’ve already put together. Not that you can blame him—even with all his skill, this kind of scheme could only be planned and identified by individuals who have devoted all their studies into magic.

A firm hand comes down on your shoulder, and you grit your teeth from the pain that shoots up your arm. Knowing what’s about to happen, you shoot a hand out and latch onto Petra’s necklace, grabbing onto it just as Kaiser pulls you roughly away from her.

The clasp of the necklace snaps, the rune clatters to the floor, and Alexis’s magic takes hold of her immediately. Petra sucks in a sharp breath before collapsing to her knees, her skin going from white to a pale blue, likely a part of the spell meant to visually mark her as a threat. Her hands come up to her neck as she begins coughing violently. Slow asphyxiation, you think to yourself. It seems Alexis had made the effects of the spell akin to that of an allergic reaction.

“Oh,” you say smartly, watching Petra writhe around on the ground, the poisoned wine staining her skirts. “So that’s what he needed the juniper for.”

Kaiser turns to you. The fury is gone, and so is the faux charm from earlier—in fact, there’s absolutely nothing, just an eerily blank expression as he considers you with guarded eyes. “You knew she came here to hurt me?”

“I saw her poison your drink,” you answer, gesturing toward the entrance you came from. “The door was open while I was handing the necklace you commissioned off to Gesner.” It’s not the full truth, but it would have to do.

“You also knew that removing her necklace would harm her.” He looks down at the piece of jewelry, before looking back at you. His gaze is sharper now, sending a chill down your spine and pinning you in place. “How did you know that was a rune, and that it was shielding her from Alexis’s spell?”

Damn it. Of course he would be able to piece together that much.

You open and close your mouth pathetically a few times. Before you can scrape together an acceptable answer, though, a loud cry of rage comes from somewhere beneath you.

You turn just as Petra uses the last of her strength to launch herself at you, slamming into you and tackling you to the ground. Your head smacks against the floor with a sickening crack, and the world around you goes black.

“You don’t have to do this now, you know.”

You sigh heavily. It’s been just about two days since the start of the Sunrise Festival, but all festivities were brought to a grinding halt after Lady Petra’s assassination attempt on Lord Kaiser. When you first awoke, you were informed that Emperor Noa was calling for an emergency full court meeting with you as soon as possible, but understood if you needed time to get over your concussion.

You still feel a bit nauseous, but you’ve heard the other servants talking about how unbearable Lord Kaiser has been since the incident, and how antsy even the other heirs seem to be.

You smile tiredly, but gratefully at Snuffy. “Thank you, sir, but the sooner we get this done, the better.”

He returns your smile, his a bit pitiful. “If you’re sure,” he says, turning back to the doors before the two of you.

You’re standing just outside the entrance of the Gold Pavilion’s strategy room, the only room in the entire pavilion large and elaborate enough to host the Emperor and all his heirs. When Lord Loki visited you this morning, you told him you felt well enough to have the meeting this afternoon—a decision you were now regretting.

Snuffy nods at the soldiers guarding the doors, and they nod back at him before pushing them open.

Immediately, all eyes snap to you, and you feel your lungs get crushed under the pressure of the stares of the most important people in the kingdom.

Likely out of desperation for familiarity, your eyes find Lord Loki’s first. He seems tense, but he still offers you a polite, encouraging smile. Standing behind him is Charles, whose cheery wave feels severely out of place in the suffocating atmosphere of the room.

Sitting next Lord Loki is Lord Kaiser, whose gaze is still as piercing as it was before Petra tried to do you in. He rests his head against his hand, arm propped against the chair’s armrest. Every part of his face is tight, and he looks far more displeased and agitated than you’ve ever seen him be in your time at the palace. Beside him, Knight Alexis stands with his hands clasped behind his back and wears his usual polite smile, but he watches you with a sharp, critical eye.

On the other side of the room is Lord Itoshi, whose face is as blank as ever. He doesn’t seem disinterested, though, which you suppose is because his safety is concerned; an attempt was made at another heir’s life, and there was no saying that whoever planned it wouldn’t go after the others as well. Behind him stood Shidou Ryusei, a warrior from Lord Itoshi’s home who had been brought over to serve him when he claimed the Jade Throne. A smirk spreads across his lips when you lock eyes with him, so you quickly look away and to the left of him.

Lord Luna sits in the chair beside his former apprentice, his polite grin visibly feigned in comparison to Loki’s. It almost borders on a sneer when you meet his gaze, and you feel yourself shrink back slightly. Behind him, Knight Cavasoz gives you a bored look.

Sitting directly across from where you stand, in the plush chair that is usually occupied by Lord Loki, is Emperor Noa himself. His stare is heavy and keen on your shoulders, but not necessarily unkind or untrusting like some of the others.

You suck in a steadying breath, and turn to each person once more as you address them. “Lord Loki. Lord Kaiser. Lord Luna. Lord Itoshi. Emperor Noa.” You bow deeply, folding over completely at the waist. “I apologize for making you wait to have this meeting.”

“Your recovery is of great importance to the Gold Pavilion,” Noa answers. “Rise. We have already collected Kaiser’s account of Lady Petra’s attempt on his life, but there are still missing details that only you can answer for us.”

As you straighten up, Snuffy comes to stand by your side, a steadying presence under all the pressure. 

“Let’s start from the beginning,” Lord Loki says, taking charge of the investigation before any of his less merciful peers can. “Why were you at the Cerulean Pavilion?”

“I was there on business assigned to me by you, my lord,” you answer. “I was asked to deliver the necklace Lord Kaiser commissioned from the Gold Pavilion’s jeweler. According to you, it was meant for Lady Petra, who was arriving that day, and needed to be delivered as soon as possible.”

“And while you were delivering the necklace, what prompted you to rush into the sunroom where Lord Kaiser and Lady Petra were speaking?”

“While handing off the necklace to Lieutenant Gesner, I noticed that he had left the door to the sunroom partially open. When I looked up and inside the room, I saw Lady Petra pouring something from a small bag into Lord Kaiser’s glass of wine.”

“Lord Kaiser did not notice this?”

“His back was turned. He was awaiting the return of a young servant boy, who brought back a dessert.”

“One that Lord Kaiser informed us was requested by Lady Petra. Do you believe this was purposeful?”

“Given that she would need him to be looking away while she poured the poison into his drink, I would say yes, the request was intentional.”

“And once you noticed his drink had been poisoned, why didn’t you say anything?”

“Everything was happening too fast. I saw him lifting the glass, and panicked. By the time I informed Gesner or the servant lady of the situation, he would have already ingested the poison.”

“Then, you took it upon yourself to save him?”

“Yes. I knocked the glass out of his hands so that the wine could not be consumed. Then, I launched myself at Lady Petra, intending to apprehend her.”

“Why did you go for her necklace?”

You turn to Kaiser, who interrupted Loki with a question of his own. “I’m sorry?”

He bristles—you both know you’re being evasive. “When I grabbed you, you grabbed onto her necklace.” He tilts his head to the side, tone accusatory. “You knew it would snap when I pulled you off her. You knew it would allow Alexis’s magic to affect her, which is how you intended to apprehend her. How did you know that?”

“I didn’t know that would happen,” you deflect. “I was going for her neck, but you pulled me back too fast.”

Kaiser’s eyes narrow. “Don't waste my time pretending you didn’t realize what would happen. You even made a comment that the reaction was caused by the juniper Alexis picked up from the runesmith.”

Good grief. Nothing gets past him, does it?

Before you can answer, Noa produces a golden chain from his coat pocket, then places what you recognize to be Petra’s necklace down on the table.

“Kaiser told us that you were able to recognize this as a rune, which Alexis later identified as an illusory rune.” Noa turns his attention to Loki. “Loki, is this subordinate well versed in runecasting?”

Loki spares you a glance, before looking at Snuffy. “Not to my knowledge, but General Snuffy would know better than me.”

Noa turns to Snuffy, who sighs. “She has always been more competent than other attendants at utilizing runes for menial tasks, but besides that, I do not believe so. She did not report having any knowledge or skills in runecasting when she was brought into the Gold Pavilion.”

“So she lied, then,” Luna says, eyeing you with disdain.

Noa holds up a hand, silencing him before he can make any more accusations. He turns back to you, expression terse. “Let me be clear with you. You may have saved Kaiser’s life, but because you continue to deny your knowledge of runecasting, you are being marked as suspicious. Even if you had nothing to do with this assassination attempt, we may have to imprison you, as your motives for this secrecy are unclear.”

Seriously? I saved the most abhorrent heir in this damn palace, and you think I have bad intentions? You sigh, shoulders slumping forward as you exhale. “Then I will answer any questions you have for me, Your Excellency.”

Noa nods, then asks, “Why didn’t you report your prior experience with runecasting when you came to the palace?”

“I was brought here by kidnappers, and I would rather not do anything that gives them a bigger payday. Being a palace runecaster would do just that.”

“Where did you study?”

“I studied under the runecaster of a small village in the south,” you say, expression growing distant. “He took me in when I was quite young and raised me as his apprentice.”

“And where is this runecaster now?”

You avert your gaze to the floor. “Six feet under. After he died, I had no place to go, so I wandered. It’s how my abductors managed to get me. I stayed here because it guarantees me food and shelter.”

“I see.” Noa ponders this for a moment, then continues. “Is there anything else you can tell us about the assassination attempt, based on your experience and knowledge?”

You bite down on your lip, then fess up the whole truth. “Before the servant lady took me to meet with Lieutenant Gesner, I had noticed Lady Petra sitting on the couch with her attendant. Lord Kaiser had not entered the sunroom yet. The attendant was fixing her hair, so naturally, my eyes were drawn to the flowers tucked into her hair and adorning her ears: white cherry blossoms, baby’s breath, and adder’s tongue. Nothing noteworthy on their own, but then I saw the necklace around her neck.”

You gesture to said piece of jewelry laid out on the table. “At first, I thought it was just a garnet, but then she reached up to touch it. It glowed for just a moment, but it was enough for me to realize it was a rune. Based on the color, I identified it as an illusory rune, and from there, the presence of the flowers made more sense. Word gets around about how the Cerulean Pavilion barrier is able to recognize an individual’s intentions, and the essence of white cherry blossoms and adder’s tongue, when combined with the rune, could effectively hide the true intentions of whoever has them on their person. Factor in the baby’s breath, and their intentions are made out to be pure and innocent. It’s a clever scheme, objectively speaking.”

As Noa mulls this over, Loki asks, “How would someone figure out that this would work? Infiltration of the Cerulean Pavilion has failed in the past.”

“The individual would have to know that the barrier is imbued with natural magic,” you answer. “The barrier failed when Knight Alexis first started experimenting with it, and people weren’t aware. Furthermore, they would have to know exactly what flowers are being used in the casting in order to figure out how to counteract it.”

From the other side of the room, Sae hums, then says, “It’s as we expected, then. She had someone on the inside help her.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “Someone from the Cerulean Pavilion?”

“Not necessarily,” you say. “As I mentioned, most everyone knows that Knight Alexis imbues the barrier with natural magic, even if they don’t know the specifics. If we leave it at that, it could be anybody within the palace walls. However, given that this individual knew exactly what plants to use to circumvent it, I would say they are very familiar with the inner workings of the barrier and the casting behind it, which within the Cerulean Pavilion itself, would just be Knight Alexis and Lord Kaiser.”

You turn to Charles. “You and Grim said that the palace runecaster’s supply of adder’s tongue went missing a few days before the Sunrise Festival.” Next, you look to Noa. “I understand that Lady Petra hails from the same region you grew up in, Your Excellency. Is adder’s tongue plentiful there this time of year?”

“It is not,” Noa confirms your suspicions. “In fact, it doesn’t grow there at all.”

“Then I would say whoever helped Lady Petra pull this off is either an apprentice or palace hand serving the runecaster,” you conclude. “They know every material Knight Alexis uses for casting the barrier, and they would be able to supply Lady Petra with everything she needed to bypass it.”

“Only high-ranking apprentices and attendants have been allowed to assist Alexis,” Kaiser says, shooting an accusatory glare at Charles.

Loki tilts his head back, meeting Kaiser’s gaze head-on and blocking Charles from his view. “Rest assured, a proper investigation will be conducted at once. Am I correct, Your Excellency?”

“We will start looking into it immediately,” Noa agrees. “Until then, no action is to be taken against any apprentice or attendant, but they will all be placed under supervision until proven innocent.”

Then, the emperor turns back to you. “That only leaves the matter of what to do with you, then.”

You feel your heart skip a beat. “I— I’m afraid I don’t understand, Your Excellency.”

“You’re far too knowledgeable to just let you be Snuffy’s attendant.” Luna scoffs. “It would be wasted talent.”

“He’s right,” Noa says. “I assure you that any earnings you make will now be paid to you in full, and I will have the ones who turned you over to the palace detained. However, I would like to make you a palace runecaster, effective immediately.”

“Pardon me, Your Excellency,” Loki interjects, “but the Gold Pavilion already has a runecaster in training, as do all the other pavilions. Where will she be assigned?”

“She won’t be assigned anywhere. She will be at the ready for any pavilion that may need extra assistance in the realm of casting.”

Kaiser scoffs. “Only a pavilion with an incompetent caster would need help from an outsider.”

Sae side-eyes him. “We’re here because someone bypassed your caster’s barrier and the outsider is the only one who noticed.”

The blonde scowls in response, and behind him, Alexis bristles.

“That’s enough.” The emperor turns back to you, his features smoothing out ever so slightly. “If you wish to continue residing within the Gold Pavilion, that’s fine. But if you are going to continue serving us here at the palace, I would like for you to put your skills and talents to use.”

Uncertain, your gaze slides over to Loki. He gives you a firm nod, and the anxiousness in your heart settles a bit.

“Thank you, Your Excellency.” You bow deeply again. “I am very grateful for this opportunity, and will not disappoint you.”

“I look forward to seeing the results of your work.” He takes a look around the room, then nods. “That concludes this part of the investigation. We will continue to interrogate Lady Petra and investigate the palace runecaster and those in his service. Until then, you are dismissed.”

You stay in your bowed position until Emperor Noa and his attendants pass by you, and you hear the sound of the doors opening. As you straighten up, Snuffy places a gentle hand on your shoulder.

“Good job hanging in there,” he says, giving you a reassuring smile. “I’m sure you’ll make a fine caster.”

“Let’s hope so,” Luna says as he passes you two on his way out. “We don’t want another incident like this happening. At least, not to the Opal Pavilion.”

You and Snuffy frown at his words, but neither of you deign to comment as he leaves. Sae trails out a few feet behind him, both he and his personal attendant sparing you one last glance as they exit.

You’re just starting to relax, the tension slowly leaving your shoulders when Knight Alexis walks up to you, prompting you to snap ramrod straight again. He tilts his head at you, that eerie smile looking even more forced than usual.

“You have my sincerest thanks for saving my lord in my stead,” he says, dipping his head in a short bow. “You’re very skilled. I look forward to working with you in the future.”

“Ah, thank you,” you mumble, flustered. “I look forward to working with you, too.”

His smile appears more genuine as he bids you farewell, his eyes crinkling shut as he grins at you. You have roughly half a second to revel in it before Kaiser enters your line of vision and swiftly tramples over your easing nerves. His gaze is cold and likely meant to intimidate, and his face is tight with a sneer that doesn’t surface fully, for whatever reason.

You blink up at him, unamused. Honestly, would it kill him to be at least cordial with the person who saved his life?

Keeping your face as neutral as possible and your tone dry, you say, “Glad to see you’re safe and doing well, Lord Kaiser.”

Charles snorts from the corner of the room, which is swiftly followed by Loki shushing him. Kaiser’s face twitches, and the sneer overtakes his face as he glares down at you. You smile up at him, pleasant if not for the smug sparkle in your eye. 

Kaiser mutters something under his breath before turning and walking briskly out of the room. Alexis trails out after him, offering you an apologetic smile before he goes.

With only familiar faces left in the room, you sigh heavily, allowing yourself to slump against the wall behind you. Loki and Charles walk up to you, the former appearing a bit weary but still approaching you with kindness nonetheless.

“I’m glad things went fine for the most part.” His smile falters a bit as he asks, “Will you be leaving the Gold Pavilion? If you’re to be of service to everyone, the Ruby Pavilion would be the ideal location for you.”

You can’t think of anything you’d like less than living under the critical eye of Emperor Noa. (That’s a lie, actually—you’d probably take that over the Cerulean Pavilion.) “If it’s alright with you,” you begin, “I’d like to stay in the Gold Pavilion as long as I’m permitted to.”

Loki’s smile softens around the edges. “Of course,” he answers, “we’d be happy to have you. If you’re willing, I’d like it if you could also start administering lessons to Charles.”

You look at the blonde, whose pointy canines are on full display with how wide his smile is. You laugh, and nod. “I’d definitely be willing to do that.”

Charles cheers loudly and latches onto your arm. “I can’t wait!” His eyes glimmer with mischief. “Things are about to get really interesting around here.”

You sigh to yourself. A new position necessitating you to be at the beck and call of all of Noa’s heirs, not to mention the ones that would be visiting in the near future. Interesting would be putting it lightly.

But you would be a mere runecaster, expected to cast your spells and nothing more. Certainly, things wouldn’t get too chaotic where the heirs were concerned, right?