Ringo-chan❤︎

THE WITCH’S DREAM OF THE DOLL

I felt something that time.

Red strings, all about my elbows to my wrists and the tips of my fingers.

That night, I twirled and danced with that black shadow, and it was the happiest moment of my life.

What happened that time, though? Why did I feel… happy? Why is that emotion so vivid where others weren’t?

…

Ringo’s body felt nothing but cold and wind, and then a rush of warm air enveloped her body as she felt herself floating down into a white void. A soft, sort of heavy air cushioned her fall, and she did not have the energy to question her surroundings. She didn’t need to; this was a familiar place, but whether or not it was a good thing was debatable.

As Ringo steadied herself, there it was, face-to-face with her with a blue shine protruding from its center, the tips of its limbs and its facial features the same, and a drooly, crescent smile that never left its mouth.

There she is, Ringo Ando, in the white void facing the black shadow.

“Myyyyy, my, my. Hehe, what do we have here? Miss me, my dear Ringo?”

Its high-pitched, sing-song voice called out to her, and the heavy, condensed air of its shadow floated to her side, glowing blue fragments dripping from its chest and following its overall shape. The nameless black shadow giggled, and floated in a circle around her. “You’re rather pretty-looking today, aren’t you? Usually you’re in your pajamas when I see you.. what could you possibly be doing tonight?”

“It’s you,” Ringo started, peering at its familiar form. “I- I think my appearance is the least of our concerns! How did I get here? How did you get here? One minute ago, I was falling in the sky, but now I’m in that weird place again, in my dreams…? Am I dreaming? Where am I, and how did this happen?”

The shadow snickered, and slipped into nothing. “Well, you sure aren’t dreaming! Maybe it was his doing. I sure don’t control how you got here this time around, sorta,” it replied cryptically, the lighthearted tone taking away from the serious nature of her situation. “But, I know for a fact that you are totally, perfectly, 100% safe in here! Unless that dingbrain like, forgets, which won’t happen. That wacko’s always, aaaaalways thinking about you! Weirdo.”

“Always? That sounds like a little bit of a stretch, don’t you think? And how would you know? How are you here, anyway?”

“I just am! Can’t explain it, even if I did, don’t wanna! Teehee!”

“Don’t ‘teehee’ me! That doesn’t explain anything–though, you said you didn’t know, so I can’t blame you there, I suppose. Regardless… how am I still alive? Unless I’m dead- ouch!”

The black shadow phased through her body and in a matter of seconds, a small object hit her back. Ringo turned to see what it was, only to find nothing; how, then, could that have happened. “Huh… That’s weird I felt like a rock had hit me,” she mumbled. “Um, by any chance, did you throw a rock at me? How’d you do that? There’s nothing here!”

“Simply will a rock to appear from the aether,” the shadow chirped, its bright and drooly smile reflected in the corner of her eye. “It’s not hard to do! And it only proves you sure are alive, Ringo. Not sure how you’re gonna get out of here, but with a bit of magic maybe you’ll get out the same way you came in.”

Magic? Did Ecolo know how to use magic? This was probably something she should’ve noted down, or even thought to ask. Upon thinking about it, Ecolo had never cast any magic that she’d seen before. Perhaps she should ask them to perform some–or, actually, she should ask the black shadow, since it knows so much about them.

“Does… Ecolo know how to use magic? It’s the only explanation as to how I got here,” the redhead started, turning to walk towards the black shadow, slight hesitance in her steps. “Ah- But you don’t know who Ecolo is, I think. And somehow, you know much about them… You’re rather confusing yourself.”

“He sure dooooooes! Very, VERY basic though. Only knows how to make stuff appear and disappear. We’re kinda friends-ish so I know lots about ‘em!” it proudly shouted, smug snickers escaping its crescent, drooly mouth. “As to how you got here, well, find out for yourself! I sure don’t know! I know that guy real well, but it’s not like I know everything about that clown. I wish I could tell you, I really do.”

The way it described them was so light and happy Ringo could not feel it in herself to take it seriously. Though this information drop was quite useful, if not almost plot-breaking for her, if Ecolo could only make things appear and disappear, how did she end up here?

“If they know how to make things disappear, could it be possible he made me disappear, or threw me into a pocket dimension like Raina?” she asked, reaching out her hands to feel for potential walls, which strangely seemed to solidify and disintegrate at the same time. “Oh- My apologies. The former Duchess, Her Grace Raina Hallieu, sealed herself away in a “pocket dimension” in a handbag… Could this be similar, black shadow thing?”

The shadow shrugged, and smirked. “Who knows? Ask the guy yourself! This sure is similar to a dream world and less like a pocket-whatever, but they’re already similar in their own right,” its voice echoed, as the white void around faded into a black at the edges of the makeshift horizon and the shadow with it. “Maybe you are dreaming. Maybe I did visit you. Maybe all of this never happened. Maybe even, I didn’t visit you in the first place. Don’t ask me! That’s not my job, Ringo dear.”

Ringo felt the ground tremble and break apart as everything drowned in black so far that she could not see herself or the silhouette of her hands before her. The blue light around her swirled and mixed, and then blinked out to nothing.

“Well, haven’t you gotten curiouser and curiouser. You were rather pitiful when we first met, not knowing anything.”

The high-pitched, playful, somewhat shrill voice…

Falling, falling, falling, onto something like wood and fabric…

Some kind of liquid fell from the side of her face down to the ends of her cheeks, and green eyes met a familiar servant’s blue, that ever-present wide, drooly smile and the voice that changed tones every other sentence.

“Rise and shine, Ringooooo! You recovered quickly, didn’t you?”

~~🌺~~

“Man overboard!”

The shouting of sailors and the bright lights faded out as the youth with long turquoise hair was carried into the sickhouse, thin and latticed net still encasing their unconscious body drenched in seawater, and he watched as they were laid down in a cot next to him.

“Who’s that?” he asked, somewhat cold fuschia eyes peering at the equally-somewhat-formally dressed body next to him gasping for air. “Sorry, I really don’t know anyone in this town. Miracle if everyone I know survived. By the Six, I hope they’re okay.” He shivered sitting up, dusting off excess sand from the inside of his wrinkled silk shirt.

“Not sure. We’ve been having quite a few newcomers in the kingdom recently, including you,” the blonde-haired wizard replied, preparing a cup of water and a handful of some strange-looking blue, grassy plant as a floating spirit-creature just as blue followed him. “Though, I do believe there are people you know in the kingdom right now, but I’m not sure where they are. After all, you were carried in by this odd chatterbox girl in green, and a pair of twins skipping at her side hand-in-hand. Tee, was your name? Take it easy. You’ve got plenty of time to find your way back to where you came.” 

The boy in the silk shirt, Tee, took a deep breath and looked back and forth between the silence of the room, the disappearing scuffle of the harbor, the wizard grinding up the plants in a bowl, and the youth stirring in their sleep. “A girl in green and a pair of twins…? Did you ask where they went, or know where they went after this?” he asked, attempting to stretch before a sudden jolt in his shoulder kept him sitting neatly in his plain cot. “I know them personally. I’m worried for their safety…”

“They’re likely worrying in the hallway. Though, after I prepare some medicine, I will let them know you’re conscious. I’m surprised you didn’t drown, and are actually somewhat healthy. In spite of the minor head injury and your bleeding-out shoulder, wasn’t nothing a little healing magic couldn’t fix,” the man replied, before walking towards in Tee’s general direction, medicine in hand. “You know, those three from before were sighted yesterday afternoon asking your whereabouts, alongside where they could find a dog, a floating yellow ball, and a mechanical box. They found you this morning unconscious on the shore, strange trio they are. Being missing a full day and coming out alive? What a miracle.”

The man set down a small wooden bowl of ground blue paste and the cup of water on a table next to the disheveled youth, whose eyes fluttered awake before they bolted up with such vitality that Tee was hesitant to accept they had just fallen into the sea. Their expression, though, said otherwise. 

“Where am I? What year is it!?” their low, somewhat breathy voice croaked out, heavy breathing following as they wiped seawater and sweat from their forehead and looked around nervously. “Hey, I’m alive! That’s cool! But uh, who are all these people? And where’s Ringo!? I- Huh? What?” 

Their observance of the area turned into frantic searching, before they stopped, looked behind them to see nothing, and smiled. Frankly, it was something of an ominous smile.

Though nothing happened and it was a little off-putting to smile at nothing, Tee felt himself shiver in place…

“Ringo… Oh, you mean the girl whose parents run the grocery store. I’ve seen her, once or twice, but she isn’t here. You’ll have to look elsewhere” the man replied, a warm smile at the upturn of his lips. “My name is Rozatte. I’m a medical professional–at least, enough to run this sickhouse. You’re here because you fell into the ocean from, well, somewhere, and the sailors out there fished you up. And you are?” He picked up the bowl of ground paste and handed it to them, the latter of which took in their hands without bothering to look at it.

“I’m Ecolo! Nice to meet you, Rozatte!” they chirped, licking every bit of blue grass medicine in the bowl without hesitation before gagging and gasping for air. “I- PBBBBFFTFTFFTTTTTT– Wow, this is really bitter!! What is this!? I mean, I get that medicine is real bitter, but EUGH-” Rozatte and Tee stared in horror at the unprecedently dramatic reaction as Ecolo grabbed the cup of water, chugged it down, and hung their head, still defeated. “I need more water… Help, maybe?”

“I- My, I’ve never seen someone react so badly to my fever medicine aside Klug, so this is new,” Rozatte commented, reaching to refill their cup. “I’ll get you some more water. Ecolo, was it? Lemres mentioned you having a very strong personality once or twice; you’ve only been in this kingdom a few weeks now, haven’t you? The day you were employed was right after the night Feli went blind, and I most distinctly remember Lemres being so distraught over it he couldn’t think straight…” 

His voice trailed off the farther away he got, and eventually Tee zoned out. His thoughts drifted to Ess, Jay, and Elle; he was glad they were safe and awaiting his recovery, but O, Ai, and Zed were still missing… If they were adrift at sea that would be a huge problem, because that would mean the crew would lose both the sea long and an engineer. Had Tee the energy to ask Jay and Elle to find them–if he could even convince them– he would, but his joints and energy levels said otherwise.

“Hey, hey! What’s your name?” Ecolo’s voice, suddenly high-pitched, called out from his right as they jumped up. “Guy with the weird bangs! You! How’d you get here? What’s your name? Where are you from? You don’t look familiar, but then again, nobody here does! Ahahahaha!”

Strong personality was right.

“I-I’m Tee. Captain Tee of the HMMV Tetra. I’m from Lidyn, that country on an island. I uh, regret to inform you I was shipwrecked and half our crew is potentially lost at sea,” he started, taking deep breaths between phrases. “Fortunately, we currently have the resources to locate them. Unfortunately, we haven’t traveled past Erian ports before. And who knows if they’re even alive… One can only hope, I suppose.” He shivered in place, forcing his breathing and his posture to stay steady and straight.

“Whoa, that’s kinda cool! I’m Ecolo! And I got here a few weeks ago from who knows where!” they shouted happily, swinging their head back and forth. “I work at this nice place called Cafe Circe, and lots of people come to see me for no reason! Nice to meet you, Tee!”

Rozatte’s footsteps became louder as he and his blue pet-thing came closer to the two. “Now, Ecolo, this is a sickhouse. It may be so that everyone is asleep, but keep your voice down. Wouldn’t want to bother anyone’s recovery,” he pointed out, setting down the newly-filled glass of water next to them. “Tee, I’ll tell your friends you’ve awakened; they, too, should keep their voices down.” The wizard doctor walked towards the room’s exit behind Ecolo, as the latter loudly sipped his water and breathed out a sigh.

The room felt darker as Rozatte left to turn the corner into the hallway. Tee could feel cold shadows crawling along the thin fabric covering his arms; to the cot on Ecolo’s other side, he saw flat shadows giving a more solid form, meshing and building a specific shape, and disappearing just as fast to reveal a redheaded, pigtailed girl, like how a curtain unveils a work of art.

“Wh- Huh- Huh? What’d you do!?” Tee exclaimed suddenly, prompting the attention of the servant before him. “She- That girl, she just appeared! Did you do something? Your shadow moved-“

“What did I do!? You’ve been staring at me for a while, what’s going on?” Their confused expression quickly switched to surprise as they turned around to see the girl, and then happiness. “Oh! Ringo, my darling! Kinda, we’re friends but I like to give her pet names. Anyway, how’d she get here? I’m glad she’s safe, and next to me at that… hehehe.”

So Ecolo didn’t know either. Tee disregarded the idea further; in spite of the chills that ran down his spine, perhaps this was a normal occurrence in Eria, shadows teleporting people places.

“Tee! Oh, thank the Six! I- you’re alive?! I’m glad!- but also, how DARE YOU?”

The shrill pitch of a teenage girl burst into the room and resonated, stirring others nearby in their sleep, and a green-haired, petite girl stomped over to the boy in his tight, black silk shirt. “You’re such a dummy, Tee! You’d leave us to all get on an emergency boat towards the nearest landmass, and stay on your tattered, breaking ship!? How are you alive? I’ve been worrying for days!” she ranted, and Tee could sense the obvious irritation in Ecolo’s narrowed blue eyes beside him. 

“I tried to make sure everyone was alive and well,” Tee protested. “Although… any news on Zed, Ai, and O? Seeing as you and the twins are well, I'm mainly worried for the others’ safety…”

Ess nodded frantically, and got closer to Tee—in his personal space, which was slightly annoying—with hands on her hips. “We did! We found them! Or Jay and Elle did,” she exclaimed, piquing a surprised “what?” from Tee. “We don’t know if they’re alive though, because they haven’t moved positions, and we don’t know anything about this city at all! Therefore, as the extra-cute, super duper reliable, actually useful navigator of the HMMV Tetra, I will personally see a map of this city made through!” She posed proudly, smug smirk on her face for half a second.

A cold sweat ran down Tee’s neck—was it Ess’s loud voice screaming into his ears, or the status of half his crew?—and he forced a smile. “That’s really great to hear. Thanks, Ess,” he replied, chuckling before a sigh. “I just hope that they’re alright. I’m currently not allowed to leave the sickhouse, according to Rozatte.”

Ess pouted, and hmph-ed disdainfully. “Useless captain, as per usual,” she muttered, turning her back on him. “Well, if you can’t do anything, fine! I will! We don’t have time to wait for you, so I’ll look for them myself with the twins!” She strutted away arrogantly, not even bothering to turn towards him, and Tee breathed out a sigh. Ecolo looked at him worriedly, giggling nervously.

Something moved from Tee’s side, and he turned his head to look for the source until Ecolo’s sing-song voice broke the somewhat-silence again. “Teehee! Rise and shine, Ringoooo! You recovered quickly, didn’t you?”

The girl named Ringo stirred, and her eyes opened slowly. “Where… where am I?” she croaked out, sighing deeply. “I, we, we fell into the ocean, didn’t we?”

Ecolo nodded happily. “We sure did! But I said I’d keep you safe, didn’t I?” they commented, holding the ends of a long, white dress. “Dry and clean as they come! It’s almost like you never fell into the ocean! Pretty neat, right? I’m a magician, hehehe!” Ringo barely moved, raising a hand to feel her own dry skin, and held one of the white sheets under her. 

“What happened to Amitie and Arle?”

Who?

Ecolo tilted their head, lost in thought, and perked up. “Oh! Funny-Hat Girl and Ginger Lockpicking Wacko! Yeah, I really don’t know what happened to them, but I know someone who miiiiight!” they sang, turning to Tee with a wide smile that made him flinch. “Tee, you’ve been here longer than I have. You wouldn’t have happened to see a tiny girl with fluffy blonde hair and a taller one in orange, with a yellow pet thingy?”

“Huh!? That was sudden… No, unfortunately, I haven’t.”

Ringo jumped up suddenly, and inhaled, wide-eyed. “Actually, where ARE we? What kind of medical expert is Rozatte anyway!?” she cried, rubbing her head possibly to jog some kind of memory. “Arle and Amitie… they must have come through here, right?”

“I don’t know. According to him, this is where all maritime accidents are treated. Like if someone falls into the sea, or an accident happens at harbor, all those people get sent here, like me.”

“So you’re sure you didn’t see two girls here?”

“I’m certain. If you’re looking for them, it likely means they survived, or were too far away for someone to see them and didn’t.”

The way Tee said it was cold. Ringo could only hope for the best; those two were incredible mages, but given that Amitie had cast both Fairy Fair and Accelerate, the second possibility wasn’t unlikely. 

ACONITE AND KITCHEN KNIVES

Ringo’s scream was much more terrifying than Amitie had previously imagined.

She’d heard her scream before. Ghost stories at Arle and Silvana’s place, tales of spirits from other lands from Ally, and the drunk idiots who parade around town from the Witch Doctor Tavern; she’d made some interesting squeals before, almost inhuman and not even sounding like screaming, but this was different. This time, it was painful to listen to, mixed in with the tall people in black uniforms and the cat dashing away at the foot of her dress. Amitie recognized one soldier as Minotaur, who was always by Her Highness’ side; the other was a shorter man with silver hair and a single horn.

Amitie shuddered, looking around. People noticed the source of the sound and stared at her and the soldiers moving upwards the stairwell, and didn’t do anything. Some were scared, some didn’t hear it, but no one came to help her.

The cat stopped and blinked. “I- I mean-” –the cat looked between Ringo’s red hair that disappeared around the corner, and Amitie’s just as red hat– “Well, nyot like I expected anything more from those clowns,” it mewed in its usual shrill voice. “I guess taking this girl works in the end. All still goes according to plan! Nyahahahaha!” The cat ran in the same direction, skipping steps to follow as Amitie stood frozen, her hands shaking as violently as her legs, and she stared at the sign at the base of the stairs, which read “restricted”.

They were after her, but Ringo took the fall…

By the Six, Amitie! Now’s not the time! Forget about yourself just go!

The feather-haired girl swallowed her fears and instinctively followed the two soldiers, sprinting as fast as her two legs could carry her without tripping. “Heyyyy!! Come back here!” she screamed, only to find there was nobody on the fourth floor . “What archmage? Why‘d you take her!? Take me! I’ll go in her place! Stoooooop!! …Is anyone there?”

No response. The two soldiers taking Ringo and the cat had completely disappeared. Amitie couldn’t even hear their footsteps on the cold, wooden floor. The sound of people“Ringo? Arle? Hellooooooo? Anyone?” she called out, to no one’s response. “No one’s here… I should probably look for Arle as ASAP as possible, then! Righty-o, then! Let’s gooooooAAAAAAAAAH!”

Stepping on the edge of her silk dress, Amitie fell face-first into the floor, a ringing sensation in her head. “Yikes… that hurt a lot,” she mumbled, rubbing her forehead. “Owowowowow…. Wood floors sure hurt a l-”

“Incoming! Out of the waaaaay!”

Amitie looked up to hear a high-pitched, masculine-ish voice in a woman’s body…? Or was that a man? She didn’t know, but it was probably a man–a stretch because he looked pretty young, maybe as old as Lemres. A whirlwind of green, blue, black, and white jumped down the stairs she was on her knees injured at the base at, and both realized the situation they were in.

Like it or not, that boy was right about to crash into her.

“Ow!”

The boy in black and blue–quite literally in clothing, and now in shape to some degree–landed on his side and his thin body rolled past Amitie before making a complete stop. Surprisingly, no impact was made between the two; that boy seemed to be in much worse shape. The girl stood up–thankfully her dress wasn’t damaged, but a few threads were coming loose where she tripped–dusted herself off, and approached the boy… girl… it was really hard to tell.

“H-Hey, are you alright?” she asked, outstretching her hand. “You look real beat…? Yikes, are you okay!?” Examining him further revealed reddish-brown leaking out on the side of his pants, from where he fell, and the stranger got up and stretched himself like it was no big deal.

“All good, thanks!” he replied with a sunshiny energy. “It’s just a scratch. I don’t have a sheath or anything, especially for a kitchen knife, so it can’t be helped.” He squinted at her with neon-blue eyes and raised an eyebrow before gasping. “Oh! I know you!”

“Say, did you see a girl with red pigtails that curl like thiiiiiiis?”

Amitie nodded fervently. “Wait, you know Ringo!? Get real!” she exclaimed. “How’d you know she’d be here? And how’d you know to ask me that?”

“I saw you with her and the other girl, at one of the back side entrances. Now speak up,” he snapped. “Where is she? I heard her scream and I’m super worried about my cute little Ringo!”

Amitie sniffed and broke into sobs, which made the young man jump in place before sighing disdainfully. “Ringo was kidnapped!” she screamed. “I-I-I- Waaaaaaaah!! She was k-kidnapped by these two guys and one of them was Minotaur the other has a golden horn andthecataimedfirmdbutRingogottakeninmyplaceandIchasedthemdownupthesestairsbutthey’regonenowandRingotooandIcan’tfindthemaaaaaaaaaaa!!”

The boy stood silent, expressionless as he was motionless. “But she’s still on this floor, right?” he finally asked. “We just don’t know what room she’s in. Easy! Check every room! I’m a genius!” He dashed off to the left, and before Amitie could protest the idea of the rooms being locked, he pulled out his kitchen knife to jam it into a padlock and effortlessly open the door. Then he moved on to the next room.

The way this was going was far too slow… What if Ringo has gotten hurt during the time he was searching each room, one-by-one?

“Wait, sir!” Amitie shouted, chasing him. “Can I help you? I’m also looking for Ringo, and I know someone who can speed up our search!” She reached to grab the side of his navy blue vest, getting his attention. “I mean… I’m really worried. She’s my friend. And I want to help as much as I can!”

His bright, shiny blueish pink–or something, the colors didn’t quite blend–eyes sparkled, and he dropped his knife to aggressively shake Amitie’s hand. “Of course, of course!” he cheered and pointed to the hallway ahead of which they came. “I’m Ecolo, by the way! Say, Miss Funny-Hat Girl, grab your friend who can help us right now, and search the other two hallways on this rectangular floor. I’ll take this one and the other around the corner to the right? Got it? You do know how to lockpick, right?” He picked up the bloodstained knife from the ground, red dripping from it and staining the wooden floor– not good, at all–and motioned his eyes from it and the broken lock of the room he was standing next to.

“Funny-Hat Girl…. Uh, I actually don’t, and if I did, I don’t have anything,” she replied anxiously. “U-Umm… Nevertheless! It’s alright because bestie Arle knows how! I’ll get her and help like you said, Mr. Ecolo!”

The petite little girl dashed off and ‘round the corner to search for Arle to help search for Ringo at the behest of this Ecolo lad. Flames in the candles flickered at the speed that Amitie’s hair flew as she ran past candelabras on the walls, down a set of stairs, and made a straight left-right turn before slamming open the door.

“Arle!?” she screamed, shocking the mage girl and her familiar before her. “I need help! Super-duper-duuuuuper! Like, really real, Arle! Ringo’s gone and she was taken by these two dudes when they were trying to get me! Don’t ask any questions and just come with me!”

“Gu!!” Carbuncle squeaked, hopping to Amitie’s side and bouncing up and down, and motioning for Arle to follow along. “Gugugu! Gugu gu gugu!!”

Schezo stepped up and went silent in thought. “Ringo… Ah, the little redheaded girl,” she mumbled. “I’m not surprised. Archmage Accord has been looking for her for a long, long time now. I’m not sure why or how, though. Wait, Arle, what are you-”

Arle grabbed the hilt of the man’s Dark Sword, chopped the boar in half with a single swoop, smearing it with blood, and threw both hastily onto a table, to the jaw-drop of the knight. “Sorry, Schezo, but solve your own problems,” she said, dashing away with Amitie and Carbuncle back to where she came from. “I’ve got life-or-death matters to attend to, literally!”

Schezo’s red face could not be seen by the three best friends running down the hallway and up the nearest stairwells, the shorter one dragging the other by the wrist up them with the yellow creature hopping along behind, and Schezo sighed, defeated. “By the Six, gods damn it,” he growled and looked back to the bloodied-up sword and the boar in worse shape. “I guess I really will have to cut this boar with my sword. I don’t know how to use a knife…” He picked up the shorter blade, weighed it, and threw it across the room, where it landed neatly into the wall.

“Though, that little girl raises a question. Why does Accord care so much about that pigtailed lass? It’s definitely got something to do with that Hallieu girl, that’s for sure…”

~~🌺~~

Ringo felt some kind of consciousness upon hitting her head against the wooden floor.

“Uh, oops. Didn’t mean to drop you so hard,” someone’s voice said in apology. “I should’ve placed her in bed. Rulue would hate me if I told her I injured an innocent civilian. I kinda think we got the wrong girl.”

“But she’s not innocent! She’s a high-bounty target, and I definitely heard the archmage’s voice call to get her- ugh, whatever. Leave her in there and let the archmage and the Princess decide what to do,” another voice replied. “We’re just Her Highness’ lackeys, after all. It’s not like we know who to capture, and it sure isn’t OUR problem if something happens, say, she escapes by some miracle.”

The door slammed shut, accompanied by a clicking noise, and the two voices—probably of the two soldiers that captured her earlier—got farther and farther away until there was nothing but cicadas chirping in the afterglow of sundown.

“What the heck…?” Ringo mumbled in a daze, rubbing her head, struggling to get up only to fall forward again, catching herself with the palms of her hands flat on the strangely clean floor. Maybe even spare rooms are cleaned often?

Spare room? Actually, where WAS she?

Her body sat limp as green eyes focused on the very pretty, very neat room and the belongings in it: there were books upon books in tall wooden shelves, a clean and almost unused curtained bed to her left, a burnt candle and a handbag on a table next to it, more books, not a speck of dust, and even more books…

As much as Ringo loved learning and reading, there were only books in this room!

No work desk, or any tools to carry out any sort of profession, just books, and more books, and more pages, and more books! Ringo loved learning and reading too, and would be able to read this had she any speck of magical capability in her but wasn’t this a bit much?

“You’re here too? Amusing. No one has visited for a good many years.”

A mature, feminine voice came from somewhere , something like Rulue’s but also not really, it sounded more like Raffina…?-

No way.

“AAAAAAASJGJHAGJDGJSSJAKAJJDKAAAAAAAUOAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! GHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“...G-Ghost? I’m not a ghost, though… Ah, but you probably can’t see me, can you?”

“Go away! Goawaygoawaygoaway!! I’m actually interested as to how ghosts work but right now I need some time!”

“I’m not a ghost, though? I’m still alive… I suppose.”

Ringo perked up, eyes narrowing in on the source of the voice. “You’re… alive?” she asked, turning to every wall in the room but seeing no one but herself. “I-I don’t see you… Can you um, show yourself?”

“I’m right beside you. You can’t tell, but I am. I see you. Miss Ringo, is it?” The voice called out again, and Ringo looked to her side. Was she in… a book, perhaps? Or really a ghost? That would just suck. Maybe she couldn’t see the ghost, and… Ringo shivered. What else was there? The candle, the handbag-

“Correct! Hello, can you hear me? You can’t see me exactly, but I'm here.”

Ringo stared at the handbag, carefully approached it, and opened it to find nothing inside–scarily enough, it was as clean as the room around here, not a speck of dust–and sighed happily. No ghost waiting to jump her, it seems. “Are you… really there, Miss?” she asked, green eyes peeking into the handbag, then its exterior. “Is this a trick? Are you going to scare me- and as it may turn out, you ARE a ghost in the end!?”

“Dear, I am in the handbag itself. One with it, and it is one with me,” the voice replied, confusing Ringo. “Imagine it has a pocket dimension inside. It’s not physical. And I reside in the pocket dimension, within the handbag’s existence. Understand?”

“V-Vaguely…” Ringo replied, taking a seat and searching for things she could use. There was nothing in the room that could get her out of here, such as anything sharp or anything that can be made sharp. “Hmm, I want to use one of those books to break the door, but they look really valuable and I don’t plan on getting myself arrested by the royal guard or either of the noble houses. Also, I think locks are stronger than books could break.”

“Noble houses…?” the voice asked quizzically. “So... Hm. Tell me, little miss, how is House Hallieu? Unless you are a commoner, then I do not expect you to have an answer.”

Ringo thought a little, making thinking sounds to herself, and moved closer to the bag. “Well, Nina is very sprightly. She’s the duchess, and might be getting married? She has a good eye for detail, but also picky and I think doesn’t do her job to sneak out and mingle with civilians like me,” she started, now trying to bring up memories of Raffina, or stories told by Amitie about her. What did she know about Raffina? Come to think of it, her quartet didn’t see her OR Rulue today. “And Raffina… I don’t know. Amitie told me she’s very hardworking and hates to associate with commoners, almost resenting Nina. They’re polar opposites. Also, something about her arranged marriage with the Marquis of Salwin? But if I recall right, Raffina doesn’t have an inch of magic in her body. And Raina, uh, is missing.”

“Raffina, married to the Marquis of Salwin? How strange,” the girl in the bag replied. “Wouldn’t Nina be engaged to him? I knew Aya long ago, and I don’t think he and Raffina are quite right for each other.”

Ringo fell backward, laying starfish-like on the sheets of the bed. “Yeah, well, I don’t know. Nina was going to be engaged to the Marquis—I think you called Aya—at the time, but he disappeared a few years after Raina,” she started. “Raffina’s being set up with the current Marquis, Klug. And Nina tried to negotiate with the prince of Lidyn, but nothing happened.”

The voice sighed and muttered something to herself. “Disappeared… Has it been so long? What a wonderful world you live in, miss,” the voice murmured. “Nina is the Duchess, Raffina is going to marry the new Marquis... It’s been quite the while, hasn’t it? I knew it the moment I cast this spell. No one could find me here, and in exchange, I’d never be able to meet anyone else. I do not know of current events.”

Find her where now?

The redhead tilted her head to the side. “I don’t understand,” she commented. “What’s your name?”

“Who else but Her Grace Raina, Duchess of Hallieu?”

Raina…?

“You’re Raina?” Ringo asked, startled. “But you went missing… that’s what Nina told me!”

“I sealed myself in here,” Raina replied, a twinge of sorrow in her tone. “The archmage at the time, Accord, wished to see if you could teach some types of magic to someone who cannot use it naturally, and I was her test subject… I escaped into here after a year or two of study.”

“It must have been really bad…” Ringo muttered, playing with her pigtails. “And now, here I am as well. Perhaps whoever wants me here is going to do the same; I don’t see any reason why not.”

“May I ask your name, first?”

“That was sudden… I’m Ringo. Ringo Ando. It’s um, nice to meet you."

“Ringo… I’m unfamiliar. A pleasure to meet you. Somewhat, I suppose. There was a girl who lived here who looked a little like you,” Raina continued, the only sound in the room her voice amidst the coming darkness outside. “Red hair, long and wavy that reached past her waist, and I never saw her face unless she went to get another book because it was always buried in a book in the first place. She never spoke, never talked back, and never smiled, and Accord practically forced her awake to keep reading and keep casting spells to manipulate light… She was a truly pitiable girl, if not a creature. Then, one day, she disappeared. I never saw her again.”

Ringo’s mind instantly clicked.

“How long were you… watching over her, I suppose you could say?”

“Three or four years, at most.”

Ringo was expecting a different number, so if her hypothesis of the girl in question was her, it could make sense, but she didn’t fit most parts of the criteria, nor did she know anyone that did. “You’re a good storyteller, Your Grace,” she responded slowly. “You’ve seen much, and learned more… Couldn’t you get out and tell people about the things you’ve seen?”

“My knowledge is abundant and I would like to be free. After all, I am most fit as the eldest daughter,” she said, breathing out an exasperated sigh. “Alas! I can’t. That is how I designed my sealing. Accord could not track me down, but I wouldn’t be able to get out. At least tomorrow, I will be able to support Raffina from the sidelines—that’s enough for me.”

“You will? That’s really good, Raffina is a little insecure about herself,” Ringo confessed, feeling a little bad she was talking about someone to her sister. She then fell silent in thought. “But if you cannot leave, may I ask how you’ll help her?”

Raina giggled lightly. “Hehe, by my enchantment, this handbag turns natural magic in the earth, the wind, and the sea into something more tangible,” she explained. “Raffina is not naturally talented like Nina, but she is a hardworking and resourceful girl. I’m sure she’ll be able to figure out a use for it, especially as she is very close with Rulue.”

Ringo widened her jaw and eyes in awe and grinned. “You must love helping people, Your Grace,” she commented. “You’re very kind!” She thought it was strange that she had mentioned Rulue–as Rulue was not related to Raffina’s growth as a mage in any sort she could think of–but discarded the idea.

“Indeed! Not one person has lost when I side with them. My support is enough, and my talent even more,” the former duchess proclaimed proudly, giggling to herself. “Of course, anyone would be happy to receive my help, or, in a more general perspective, from anyone. Likewise, helping others has a multitude of gains.”

“How about you, Miss Ringo Ando? Do you have someone you enjoy helping, or someone that has helped you?”

Ringo did not need to think to answer that question. “Of course! Arle and Carbuncle helped me get used to living normally and adapting to conversations, and Amitie helps make every day a little brighter for everyone! They’re my closest friends!” she rambled happily, smiling at the thought of them. “I hope they come soon. They’re both versatile in their own ways, and I don’t have a speck of magic in me. Of course, um, there’s this servant boy-girl-I don’t know I met two days ago, and they’re a little flirty but really kind t-”

Ringo jumped and caught herself falling forward as the lock on the outside of her door rattled and she screamed. “Aaaaaugh! Someone’s here! They’re back!”

Raina could be felt shivering. “They…? Oh, the ones who threw you in here?” she asked somewhat nonchalantly. “I think it could be anyone. Someone might’ve heard you and wanted to free you.”

“How would they know to find me here?” Ringo cried, and ran towards the door. “Hello? Is anyone out there?”

“Ringo? Ringo, my darling beloved, are you alright!?”

“I’m not your darling be- Wait, Ecolo? Is that you!?”

~~🌺~~

“How did you get Ringo kidnapped? You didn’t think to use magic, at all?”

Arle and Amitie dashed through their second hallway, the former quickly picking every lock there was, and had found nothing in their first. Still, there was nothing. Where was Ringo kept, anyway? Unless she wasn’t at all?

“Uh, well, I- I’m not good at magic like you are, Arle!” she cried, following Arle around without doing much of anything. “What if I fail completely? And even if I did succeed, wouldn’t I just hurt Ringo?”

“Guguu guuu…” Carbuncle said dejectedly, hopping to Amitie’s side to comfort her before quickly hopping back to his best friend.

Arle sighed and moved on to the next-next room. “Carby’s right! I could scream at you to have more confidence in your talents, but now’s not the time,” she muttered, and jammed her lockpick into a lock and opened it with a *click!*, only to show the same guest bedroom they’re seen about six or seven times now. “Empty too? But this is the last one in the hallway. Those soldier clowns must be really good at hiding people in rooms…”

“Funny-Hat Girl! And uh… Ginger-Golden Duo!” The loud footsteps of a slightly-bloodied-up boy in blue rang louder as the four met up where the two halves of the floor they searched ended. “You didn’t find anything, I guess?”

Arle’s jaw dropped, her gold eyes darting from the beaten-up, large kitchen knife in the servant’s hand, to their very bright blueish-green hair, to the blood at the side of their body, and their tall stature…

“Who are you? ” the adventurer finally decided to ask. “Also, this sounds super insensitive but uh… are you a guy or a girl? You look like… kinda both?”

They strutted towards her and leaned in too close for personal space, cocking their head to the side. “What’s the difference? I don’t know anything about that,” they started and backed off to giggle loudly. “I’m a guy, a girl, I’m neither and both and all of the above, all at the same time! I kinda don’t know, so I don’t really have an answer for you. Why should that matter? On the contrary, we should be searching for my cute and clever darling Ringo, shouldn’t we?”

Amitie gasped in awe. “I-I always thought you were a boy! But you’re both? And neither and all!?” she exclaimed, jumping up and down. “That’s so cool!! You’re super-super interesting, Ecolo!” The petite girl and the taller servant shared a high-energy high-five, and Carbuncle jumped to join them.

Aside from the cute camaraderie, the first thing Arle realized was that this dude was a chaotic mess.

Ecolo, was it? Ringo, their “cute and clever darling”? Was she missing some context? Arle made a mental note to interrogate Ringo later—usually the latter’s hobby, but not this time. Also, the way they talked made it much more confusing to discern their gender; although they had a point, it didn’t really matter. At least, not to them and the situation they were all in. And plus, where did all that blood on their side come from?

“Right! Let’s get to finding her! Onward!” they cheered, dashing towards the nearest upwards stairwell. “My princess waits for meeeeee! I am, after all, preeetty fit for a hero, don’tcha think? Ahahahaha!”

“Wait a second there, Ecolo-I-think-your-name-is,” Arle shouted, and they abruptly stopped to look at her for a second. “I think we should formulate a plan of action fi-”

Keyword: second, as Ecolo quickly dashed up the stairs and their long turquoise hair tied up by a red ribbon with them and around the corner. “He- They- They’re right!” Amitie shouted, and followed them as fast as she could. “There’s no time for plans! We’ll make one up if we have to! Right now, we gotta find Ringo and save her!” The maid girl ran up the stairs, nearly tripping on one heel and losing the other, all while trying to hold up the edges of her dress, possibly to prevent tripping from that…

Man, why’d they have to execute a search-and-rescue mission in formal wear and heels?

“This is a very bad idea, but it’ll work itself out,” Arle mumbled to herself, tying the bottom edge of her dress into a single knot as she would a shirt, and taking off her heels to leave them at the stairwell’s base. “Let’s go, Carby! We’ll think of something on the way!”

“Gugu!” Carbuncle affirmed, bouncing up the stairs at her side.

...

~~🌺~~

Why did this all come to happen, anyway?

Klug’s head was held high, and he only glared up at the pretentious failure of a noble before him.

“For someone whose bloodline is soooooo esteemed and so noble, especially for raising mages, you’ve not a single drop of magic in your veins, do you?” he asked, snickering in between to the Raffina’s very apparent disgust. “How do you possibly handle all that negative stigma? A Hallieu descendant having no magic? How will they ever cope with their honor? A miracle you have two sisters before you.”

“Silence, you disgusting wench,” Raffina snarled, eyeing him down the same way. “Look at you, not a single drop of nobility in your veins, hmm? You are respected by nobody of this class–or your own, frankly–except for trusting-to-a-fault Amitie and that florist’s girl who dares not talk back to anyone.”

Klug scoffed, daring not to meet eyes with her. “At least I have talent, and it’s far more powerful than you would have ever imagined,” came his reply, seething with a sort of venomous pride. “After all, I was tutored by the Comet Warlock Lemres himself, so I’m only getting better! And you? No magic to speak of? No skill? Imagine that! Uhyahyahya!”

This brat…

Raffina flipped her hair to the side ignorantly, trying to tune out the boy’s words. “You place a lot of worth on talent and magical skill, don’t you? I, for one, hear I am inheriting a family heirloom right around tomorrow that will make my magical prowess something for you to fear. And plus, I wonder how you have any sort of social life, thinking all the time about skill,” she shot back, half-smirking. “Oh, but you did have friends, didn’t you? What a shame you pushed them all away the moment you threw yourself into study. Remember when the four of us exchanged all those flowers?”

“I recall no such thing, nor do I recall ever being friends with you,” Klug responded passive-aggressively, pushing up his glasses and neatening his blue, collared suit. “Frankly, I don’t recall having to or needing to be associated with someone such as you. And I seriously oppose this arranged-marriage thing. I’d think you and I are alike in that respect, madam?”

“In some ways, perhaps. In some ways, perhaps not. Why should you care?” the little lady snapped, crossing her arms and turning the other way. “It’s not something in my control. I shouldn’t be the one at fault, nor do I have the right to change it.”

Poor Raffina, if only she actually opposed it. She knew Klug had a kind heart–and frankly, a weak and immature emotional constitution–below all the arrogance, and felt this childhood need to protect and love him. But dealing with the boy in front of her, who acted more like a court jester than a marquis, started to convince her she was going insane.

She probably was.

~~🌺~~

There was a throne at the center, and seats at the side, but that was about it.

Blue silk and gold thread adorned every seat, decoration, and curtain, but there was nobody but them to observe it—if, at this moment they even wished to.

“There’s nothing here! We’ve reached a dead end!” Arle shouted, surveying her surroundings. “You don’t think we’re searching the wrong floors, right? Maybe we should backtrack to the third, or split up.” A miracle that the castle was five floors tall; House Hallieu’s was only three not counting the keep, and Salwin’s two not counting the cellar, but each paled in comparison to the sheer size of the royal palace. On the contrary, that could also mean Ringo could be anywhere…

“If they carried Ringo to the third floor, wouldn’t they have just run off to another hallway, or wouldn’t we have heard something about it? You know these nobility fools love to talk,” Ecolo pointed out, and put their hands in their pockets. “Though, you make a good point. Where else would my Ringo be, if not here?”

Amitie shivered and looked around as well. “What should we do? If we yell for her, maybe she’ll respond!?” she suggested and inhaled loudly. “RIIII-“

Arle quickly shut up the blonde by shoving her palm to her mouth. “We can’t do that, Amitie!” she cried. “If we scream for her, we’ll draw too much attention, and if we cause too much trouble Nina will have all our heads!”

Amitie backed off and pointed to two doors at the side of the throne in the back. “We can check those weird rooms to the side first, if there’s nothing, we can go back,” she started again. “O-Of course, if there IS a wild Ringo in there, then, um, we should probably get out of here as soon as possible! I’m getting scared staying here!”

Carbuncle bounced to the side room on the right side with a spring in his step and jumped up and down at its base. “Gugugu gugu!” he cried, pointing back and forth between both rooms with his small limbs. “Gu gugu gu gugugugu gugu gu!”

Amitie and Ecolo stood motionless for a moment, not understanding a thing before Arle dashed to Carbuncle. “You’re right! Let’s check these rooms, find Ringo, and get the heck outta here!” she shouted, spinning her lockpick in her hand. “Amitie, you come with me! Ecolo, you pick the other door!”

Ecolo motioned a bright OK with their gloved hand, and Amitie followed up after Arle. “Arle, you should be careful! We don’t know if there’s something scary waiting,” she cautioned, “Also, I think you’re missing shoes! And your dress is all wrinkled- Those don’t belong to you! I’m gonna get in massive trouble!”

“Yeah, well, Raffina can blow off some steam and I don’t care,” the mage countered, turning her lockpick around and opening the door with ease. “Ringo’s safety is ten times more important than some fashion item-“

“Aaaaaugh! Someone’s here! They’re back!”

…?

It could only be her!

Amitie, Arle, and Carbuncle froze in place to turn around to see Ecolo also flinching in shock. A bout of silence followed, and her voice repeated itself again. “How would they know to find me here?” she cried out, footsteps bearing the other side of the door. “Hello? Is anyone out there?”

“Ringo? Ringo, my darling beloved, are you alright!?” Ecolo shouted, knocking on the door and placing their face right up to the door.

“I’m not your darling be- Wait, Ecolo? Is that you!?” Ringo’s surprised shock was apparent even without seeing her—though, it was also quite obvious nobody but Ecolo was accustomed to hearing her being called “darling beloved”—and she hastily knocked on the door. “It’s locked from the outside. You’ll need to find a key of some sort-”

“Don’t worry, Ringo,” the valet cried, jamming their kitchen knife into the lock. “Your prince is coming to save you… Huh? This one won’t open. That’s really weird.”

Arle dashed towards Ecolo, flashing her thinner lockpick, and they moved to the side. “You see, Ecolo, a thinner lockpick with jaws at the end is more versatile. You can make one out of a hairpin,” she started, shoving her pick in and with a little struggle, clicked it open as a faint crack bridging both rooms made itself clear. The servant’s jaw dropped in awe, and their smile widened. “Bam. Perfectly done, kinda.”

Ecolo ran into the terrifyingly neat room to jump up and embrace Ringo in a sort of spinning hug, one of which the latter found both surprising and unwarranted. “E-Ecolo!? How’d you get here? And Arle? Carbuncle? Amitie?? How’d you find me here, or know how to?!”

Amitie giggled nervously and stepped inside the room slowly to approach the very neat girl and the androgynous servant clinging onto her. “Hehe… We actually got kinda lucky,” she admitted, scratching the back of her head. “But I’m glad you’re safe, Ringo! That makes me really happy!”

Arle was third to enter the room, failing to coax a strangely hesitant Carbuncle to follow. “Ringo, I think you owe us an explanation,” she started, thinking a little before speaking. “Why’d they kidnap you? And also, who’s this Ecolo guy who’s so interested in you?”

“They were trying to get me, Arle! The cat’s instructions were so vague they got the wrong person!” Amitie shouted, and chuckled nervously. “Of course, I’m not sure how the cat could talk, or where it’s from, so don’t ask me. On the contrary, who IS this guy, Ringo!?" Olive-green eyes sparkled a shade of saturated lime, and she peered at the two of them expectantly.

Ringo shuddered and forced off Ecolo’s grip on her arm. “I’m- uh- Um, this is Ecolo. A friend of mine, I guess.”

“Yep, yep! Ringo’s my best friend, hehe! She’s such a cutie~”

“Gugu… gugu guuu gu!”

“What’s that, Carby? That sounds like bad news…”

“So are you two dating or something!? Eeeeeeee!!!!”

“!? No!?!?!? We’re just friends!!!”

“Whoa- Okay, Weird Hat Girl, as much as I love your sense of imagination, maybe we could take it down a notch?”

“Umm, Amitie? Ringo? Ecolo? We really should-”

“Aw, fiddlesticks. It would’ve been cute! I’ve met so many romantic people today-”

“Freeze! Don’t move a single step!”

The five stopped their banter to turn around to see a silver-haired, horned man and a minotaur ready in a battle position. Between them, strutting to the front, in a black dress and pink hair tied in a bun…

“I-It's those soldiers again! And Nina!? I can explain! No- Wait- We can explain!! It’s not as bad as you think!” Amitie pleaded. “There was this cat or something and they tried to take me but got Ringo instead!! It’s not her fault!!”

Nina stopped the two soldiers with a wave of her hand. “Stand your ground. These girls seem guilty, but I’d like to ask questions for now,” she ordered. “Now why would a cat of all things—unless you mean Popoi—want to capture you, unless you committed some heinous deed? You’re a cute and wonderful young lady, Amitie, and so are Miss Silvana and Ringo as well, but I don’t see why to send the royal guard unless something really extra serious has happened.” She folded her arms and eyed each one specifically, her last falling to Ecolo.

“Who’s Silvana…? I don’t know a Silvana here,” they asked innocently, stunning the quartet into shock. “I mean, I’m not great with names. But I’m pretty sure that’s Arle, right? Not Silvana?”

Yiiiiiiiikes!

“Arle… Arle Nadja? Arle Nadja of Islen District? You? ” Nina hissed and smiled warmly in stark contrast, her eye twitching. “It’s a pleasure meeting a troublemaker such as yourself, and it would be an honor, but given the circumstances, I’ll have to detain and question you and your friends. After all, things are serious when four idiots who don’t know their place sneak in to cause unwanted trouble.” She turned to Minotaur and the other man and stepped aside.

“You may capture them.”

The two charged towards the open door and slowed down as the five were backed to a wall. “Don’t resist and we’ll make it easier for you,” the horned man said. “Rules are rules, and I gotta throw you in another room for a while.”

Amitie whimpered, nearly breaking into sobs, Arle comforted her, looking just as apprehensive as the rest of the five.

“I’ve got it,” Ecolo whispered, and pushed three girls plus Carbuncle aside to break the window and its frame behind them at the wall they were cornered at with their heel and back of the kitchen knife in hand. Shards of glass and wood crashed down into the room, cutting their bare arms and grazing Ringo’s, and they jumped up from a stack of books to the windowsill. “Shut up and follow me! We’re jumping out this window!”

“That’s insane!” Ringo pleaded. “We’re almost fifty feet up! We’re not going to surv-“

“Ringo, just trust me on this,” Ecolo replied, taking her hand in theirs. “I’ll keep you safe. I know I will. Follow me.” The redhead hesitated, but eventually gave in to jump out the window, part of her hair getting stuck in the broken frame.

“Wh-what now, Arle?” Amitie stuttered. “Do we jump out the window too? I’m scared, and it’s so high up…”

“Well, we have no choice. If Ecolo’s plan sucks I’ve got one ready,” Arle responded, grabbing Amitie by the hand to dash up and out the window. “Ready, steady, go! We’ll figure out a way!” The two girls disappeared out the window, chased by the soldiers who reasonably did not follow, and Nina screamed.

“Aaaaaaagh! They jumped out! They’re going to die! ” the Duchess wailed, and turned to the two soldiers. “They’re not going to survive. Find your captain and get him to prepare to find the bodies of three teenage girls and a teenage boy-“

“Accelerate! Fairy Fair!!”

Nina ran towards the broken window, pushing Minotaur to the side, and stared appalled. The four of them plus the yellow creature were high in the sky, in one pair and a group of three, speeding towards the harbor in view, lit by lanterns and stars. But even with all this height, they were going to crash into the sea…

“Change of plan!” she declared, leaving the room and not bothering to look. “They’re mages, which I somewhat expected. Pretty impressive; they’ll survive if they value their lives. I mean, I didn’t even accuse them of anything yet, and they dare escape me? Hmph, how dare! Find them, and when you do, capture all four alive! ”

…

“Yeah, so I don’t have a plan.”

The three girls stared blankly at the giggling server’s silhouette as the four-plus-one of them were about to tumble into the dark sea, with no bottom to stand on. “Guguguuuuuu!?” Carbuncle cried, fluffy ears flaring up expressively.

“I didn’t hear that right, but basically everyone for themselves,” Arle mumbled dejectedly, and held the shivering Amitie’s hand tighter. “I have an idea, and it’s probably gonna work. Amitie, could you…?”

…

Ecolo held Ringo’s hands, one in each of his, and smiled. “You know, you do look rather lovely under starlight,” they commented, holding her in a tight embrace. “I would ask if I could have this dance… if we were not about to fall into the sea.”

“You don’t have a plan, Ecolo! We’re not going to survive!” Ringo cried angrily, tears forming at the edges of her eyes. “Amitie and- and Arle are too far away to find us and it’s too dark to know where they are. What were you thinking!?”

“Of protecting you. I told you to trust me, Ringo,” Ecolo responded, holding her tighter. “I promised I’d keep you safe, didn’t I? So ready up, because things are about to get reeeeeeal weird!”

The world seemed to spin around Ringo, as Amitie and Arle’s figures in the distance faded away into a blur, the light of ships and lanterns faded to nothing, the castle lights seemed to dim-

HIDING HER FACE IN THE CROWD

"I nearly forgot the cakes- I'm really, really sorry."

The dirt-covered, soot-stained redhead gasped for air as she finished sprinting a mile to get to a side door at the base of the castle keep. Sundown had fallen upon the Erian royal castle, its shadow representative of its towering above both those of House Hallieu and House Salwin, and consequently the entire kingdom. Wide, steep steps decorated the front as one approached its arches and iron gate, hardly welcoming in any respect, but the three–actually, three plus one–of them were thinking of other ways of getting in.

"No worries, Ringo!" Arle affirmed, lightening her burden. "It's all gone exactly to plan. We've got the cake-offering-bribe-snack, our costumes, and our entry and escape points. All we need is an empty room with a lock; difficult, because I don't know anything about the castle interior aside from Schezo mentioning the ballroom once or twice. He sounded pretty angry." She shivered in place, recalling the booming voice and strictly serious demeanor of the captain of the Erian royal guard.

The little yellow creature named Carbuncle accompanying her bounced up and down, calling out a "Gugu!" before hopping to her side, bringing back her smile and the redness in her cheeks. "You're right, Carby," the ginger replied, giving him a headpet. "That pervert is no threat to us! Especially not when he can't recognize us."

Ringo fell silent, as if deep in thought. "Wait, why are doing this?" she inquired, raising her head to face the two girls before her. "I never really understood why..."

"Well, that was sudden. To have fun, of course! And because we have nothing better to do, ahaha. The better question is, why wouldn't we infiltrate Rulue's party if it meant a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? It's your chance, Ringo! We'll all get to learn a little more about the extravagance of high class!" the mage shot back, and proudly puffed her chest. "Besides, I have faith in my plan. So long as we find a dressing room or a lockable, empty room, we'll be set."

"Well, we'll find one," Ringo replied, looking in the nervous? Amitie's direction. "Amitie can help us recognize the kinds of rooms inside. They must be similar, no? ...Amitie?"

The normally bubbly and overly talkative Amitie was uncharacteristically silent amidst the chirping of cicadas and rush of the harbor a ways off. "Umm, guys, can I just say something? Real quick?" she asked, and Ringo nodded, giving her the go-ahead. The blonde breathed deeply, hands to her heart, and she bowed hastily to the both of them.

"I'm really sorry Raffina found out about our plan because I opened my big mouth when I gave her tea and cakes and I don't possibly know how she found out butIthinkRulueandNinamightknowaboutittooandtheycouldkickusoutpleaseI'msosorryhavemercyonme!"

...

"Excuse me?"

"Gugu?"

Amitie squeaked meekly and rushed behind Ringo to hide from Arle's golden glare. "Eeeeeep! I'm super-duper sorry!" she squealed, tears welling up at the edges of her eyes. "I'll make you tea and cakes if you want me to!"

Arle dismissed the comment, and put her hand to her chin, evaluating the situation. "Nina and Rulue know of this?" she continued, putting her palm to her cheek. "Well, Rulue might tolerate it, but Nina will definitely have our heads. Not really. She'll hate us for sure." She shivered again at the thought of the middle Hallieu sister: cute, dainty, but supposedly pretty ruthless when cracking down on those who oppose her. "Gugu..." Carbuncle added, his fluffy ears drooping.

Ringo shook her head. "I don't think Raffina is the type to snitch," she mumbled to herself. "I mean, she WOULD snitch. But given the circumstances, probably not this time. Besides, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary if the princess was expecting us."

Arle raised an eyebrow and sighed, giving a shuddering Amitie a feel-better pat. "Well, what's done is done," she stated, letting go to move towards the door. She twirled around some thin, metal rod creation, slid it into the door, and with a bit of twisting and turning a crack of white light peeked through to the darkening sky around them. "We can scream about whether Nina knows later. Right now, we've got a mission to fulfill, don't you think?" The golden-eyed girl checked everything in possession: cakes for emergency bribes, dresses and accessories borrowed from Raffina, makeshift lockpick, cover stories, emergency escape route...

Ringo nodded excitedly, and Amitie quickly followed suit. "Absotively!" the caped redhead exclaimed, charging for the door as she ran past Amitie and her hair flying upwards with the wind left in her wake. "Let's go, let's go! We've not a moment to-"

Arle's firm grip on her upper right arm stopped Ringo and the trailing behind Amitie in their tracks. "Not like that, young lady," she replied, pointing at Ringo's dirt-covered brown dress and cape. "Pat yourself down clean and then we'll find a place to change. And make sure to stay quiet, but keep your toes light. Who knows how many people are at that party, and in the castle in general."

Amitie peeked into the crack in the door; there was barely anyone in the hallway they were at, but there were a good deal of them filing down the stairs, plus armored guards standing at every stairwell's base. "Yikes, that's a lot of people," she whispered and turned back to the other two. "Think we can really make it past them? I could probably distract them... somehow..."

"Actually, that's a much better idea than plain trying to slip by," Arle affirmed, giving a strong thumbs-up. "You could ask something like, 'I'm Amitie, do you know where Lady Raffina is?' and we can slip by no problem!"

"That's a wicked plan! Alrighty, then I think we're all right and ready!" Amitie cheered loudly, and then covered her mouth to lower her tone to a whisper. "I- I mean, that's pretty wicked!"

The clanging of metal and iron started and approached them with each passing second.

"Gugu, gugugugu!" Carbuncle shouted, pointing toward the sounds coming from beyond the door. "Gugugu gu gu!" Arle gasped, her eyes widening, and shook the other two awake to grabbed both of them, one hand in each of hers. "Ringo, Amitie, they know we're here!" she hissed and ran backward to turn the corner, where a firm grip dragged the other two along to the back of a wall, where a shadow hid their silhouettes. "We gotta wait until the guy steps out and goes back to his original post for this to work."

The three girls' backs lay flat against the stone wall as Ringo poked her head around the corner ever so slightly as a bulky, armored man with an out-of-place, adorable blue cap donning his head stepped outside, looking to his left and right, and stared at the lock on the wooden door. "Huh. No one there. And I wonder how this got unlocked," he mumbled before turning back to attend to his post. "Oh well. Maybe Rulue forgot to lock it. I don't have the keys, unfortunately."

Amitie pointed at the barely-open door. "Now's our chance!" she whispered, but Ringo had already sped forward to slip in, followed by Arle and Carbuncle. "Hey- Wait up! Get real, why am I always the slowest to catch on?" She sprinted as fast as her legs could take her, and barely managed to fit in right after the yellow creature.

The blinding white light reflected off equally blinding white hallways were bright, to say the least, but rather elegant. Paintings were strewn here and there, and chandeliers decked every intersection in the area. And this was only the ground floor. "Huh, surprisingly there isn't a lot of security on the sides of the castle," Ringo mumbled, looking around and focusing her sight on the source of most of the sound. "Most of it seems dispatched in the front, and on higher floors where I assume most of the action is. I reckon we won't need the cakes in the end, but we should still keep them."

Arle nodded, quietly shutting the door behind her and fiddling with it again to lock it as silently as possible. After confirming it was locked, she looked around to observe her surroundings—no one in sight but the armored man from before, who was far away and stationed at another hallway and whistling absentmindedly—huddled with Amitie and Ringo. "Right, so Operation: Party Break-In is now in session," she started. "Let's go! We don't have a lot of time!" The other two nodded affirmatively, Amitie whispering a very quiet "Yay!" followed by "gugu"s from Carbuncle as the four of them dashed off to slip by the guards in a hallway to their right.

An amnesiac with a thirst for knowledge, a noblewoman's trusted servant and rival, and a warrior princess from the slums with her familiar-sidekick-creature crash a party hosted by the ruler herself.

Nothing bad could possibly happen.

~~🌺~~

"You know, getting past that guy wasn't as difficult as I thought. I knew I saw him somewhere!"

The bustle of people chattering and walking around in the floors above them could be heard beyond polished walls, stone ceilings, and tall stairwells, as the four of them made routine, alternating checks of the crack in the door. It was a miracle they had found an empty guest room so soon on the second floor; though, in hindsight, where they were going to go from here was a little bit unplanned.

Arle sighed and put on a pair of brown heeled boots. "Well, lucky break, we overestimated the threat," she replied, giggling quietly. "If he even is a threat. Didn't you mention he was a nice guy?"

Amitie nodded, heels clapping against the ground as she jumped up and down. "He's a really nice guy, and not a threat at all! Tarutaru's kindness comes from the very, veeery bottom of his big heart! If we just told him we wanted to attend the party, he'd let us in with no issues!" A smile radiating pure trust was weaved upon the feather-haired girl's lips.

"We might have avoided that altogether if you had told us in advance," Ringo commented, patting down her unnaturally poofy, white dress with one hand. The other held four hazelnut cakes in a tall, neat wooden box, a lot lighter than she'd expected it to. "All's well though because we can consider this an exercise into judging the danger level of a thre- wow, this dress is really lacy." Silk draped along her legs as she held up her dress from the pinch of her fingers–even then, the bottom edge was still barely touching the bottom.

"About that, well, just act as naturally as possible. We'd be in a lot of trouble if you got caught after tripping on a piece of fabric," Arle assured her, tiptoeing to the door to peek through the crack of light between it and the wall, making sure not to step on the blue velvet of her own gown. "Once you're done, Amitie, we can get out. Coast's clear, but remember, we gotta act as naturally as possible."

"Gugugu gu?" Carbuncle asked, skipping over to Arle and spinning itself around. The mage fell silent for a moment, and then she gasped, pulling off the white ribbon keeping her ponytail neat and tying it into a bow around one of Carbuncle's ears. "There you go, Carby," she replied, adjusting it to fit snugly but securely. "How's that?" The yellow ball of fluff did a happier twirl and posed rather cutely. "Gugu guuuu!"

Amitie hopped over on one foot to the other two waiting at the door in the unlit room, putting on one of her heels and a long glove simultaneously. "Coming, coming!" she cried and quickly silenced herself upon realization. "Oops, I did it again. I should really check my voice level. Indoor voices, everyone! O, ohohoho!..." Amitie pulled out a bright blue silk fan–contrasting pretty badly with her ankle-length pastel pink dress, and waved it openly to no one before switching it with a white, flowery one.

Her acting was pretty bad; maybe it was better if she stayed the same Amitie as she always had been.

Ringo opened the door, bright light illuminating her and Amitie's figure, Arle following behind after hastily kicking the wooden costume box under a bed with her foot, Carbuncle at her side. "Yeesh, I think I might've damaged something inside," the latter mumbled, eyes wide as she breathed out a sigh to herself. "Why is everything in that box made of silk, anyway? Eh, Raffina won't notice or care. Those dresses will be fine."

"You could've taken the time to put it away nicely," Ringo responded, taking so much care to make her steps look elegant and keep steady the cake box simultaneously she started to look a little awkward. "If that comes back to bite us, it sure won't be my fault. Though, I guess you have a point. That box probably kept them safe. You didn't break it, did you?"

Arle shook her head as the four started their walk up two flights of stairs sheltered between thick walls—or in Carbuncle's case, his surprisingly elastic body bounced up them—a piano's waltz making itself more apparent upon reaching the third floor. The quartet found themselves in a much more elegant corridor than the nearly identical past two floors; red carpet lined the floors and the yellow glow of candles dotted every inch of the hallway to keep them all bright. And most importantly-

"There are a lot of people here."

Tall gentlemen, tall ladies, regardless, to a group of girls of whom not one was above 160cm, the third floor was a forest. Groups of people dotted every place in view; those who weren't were paired up and walking toward the large arched entrance to the girls' right.

"Wow, we really stand out," Ringo muttered to herself, noting the three out-of-place teenagers and golden rabbit-like creature, before turning to Arle and pointing to the general traffic flow. The redhead led the charge–or she would have if Amitie had not been on the same wavelength–towards the grand halls that everyone seemed to be walking to. "Well, it's okay. We've got the whole shtick down, right? No? if not, we'll make it up as we go alo-"

"And who are you?"

Amitie stopped dead in her tracks, leading the unsuspecting Ringo to nearly crash into her, and Carbuncle into the two of them. Before them was a girl about the same height as Arle, if not a little shorter. Neatly-cut pink bangs, a frilly, lacy black dress—five times larger below the corset than Ringo's, somehow—and a round, pale face impeded their progress, and sharp golden eyes examined their dress, walking a full 360 degrees around them.

"Blue velvet with gold accents, ooh, stylish... plain white cotton ribbon? Your familiar, I take it, so it gets a pass, I guess... white silk with black lace? More white silk, with hints of red? Ooooooh, stylish! And what a pretty little fan-" –holding up Amitie's fan in her own hand– "-the colors could use work, but I can see your obvious taste in style. It's very plain, but the little decals add lotsa charm! Well done," she rambled and stepped back with a nervous smile. "Oops, my apologies. You see, I have a habit of commenting on others' attire. Though yours is a style that I've never seen before, it still works! May I please get your names?"

The chitter and chatter that came out of this girl alone–perhaps no older than herself–reminded Ringo of a certain servant at a certain cafe, but that last statement worried her. So sudden, and so out of the blue...

"Lady Nina!?" Amitie's shriek came suddenly, as the shiver–or sparkle?–in her eyes expressed her surprise, which carried over to the other four in the vicinity. "It's really nice to see you here! I usually don't see you anymore, because I've taken to taking care of Raffina. How've you been?"

It was now the pink-haired girl's–Nina, was it?–turn to be surprised. "Oh, Miss Amitie! I take it you chose the outfits for these companions of yours? Well, it seems like your style. But I must say, you did rather splendidly," she started, eyeing the other two—especially Arle, with a hint of a squint—slowly. "Mind introducing me to them?"

Amitie stood frozen, and stuttered out incomprehensible babble, making eye contact with the other two. It seems she wasn't aware of their cover stories...

Arle stepped up, and forced herself to bow and flash a smile—Ringo noticed the sheer amount of pain she was in trying to pretend to be courteous. "I am... Silvana, of House Salwin," she began, motioning a hand to put Carbuncle and Ringo in the spotlight. "This is Carbuncle, my friend and companion; Ringo, my coworker also of House Salwin. We were recently placed in their employ, so if you do not recognize the names I do not blame you." Carbuncle jumped up and down, hopping to his best friend's shoulder and nesting himself nicely next to her cheek.

Arle, meanwhile, could be felt crying, screaming on the inside as she forced herself to not use contractions. Somebody should tell her it's okay, especially around this loud-mouthed, spunky girl in black.

"Salwin... that circus troupe?" Nina snarled, words seething with contempt. "My apologies, but I cannot stand them. I'm sorry you were looped in with them, I've heard one of the newest and kindest servants in their household was sent away in tears by that peasant-marquis. Granted, their magical prowess has historically been stronger than ours, but so much stuff has happened I don't even know what to think of them."

Ringo raised a thin eyebrow. "I've never heard of such... what makes them so bad in your eyes, might I ask?"

Nina inhaled loudly, and stared into Ringo's emerald-green eyes, her glare dripping poison itself. "Well, let's see," she started and folded her arms.

"When I was about eight Mother and Father tried to marry off my sister Raina to the Marquis at that time—a teenager, to some man who must've been in his late twenties, or so, and I've heard hasn't left his room in ten years!—and then Raina disappeared not long after. Then, they try to arrange my marriage in her place, but the Marquis disappeared when I was about...twelve? As if twelve is a better number! Oddly enough, Mother and Father disappeared around the same time. The guy who was supposed to take the marquis' place skedaddles to pursue baking—baking! cool and all, I like cake, but kinda lame—and got his unfashionable, but apparently super talented student or something to do it for him. Archmage Accord is trying to marry that peasant marquis-to-be and Raffina to end our house rivalry—fitting, because Raffina always needs someone to do stuff for her—so my only prospect for marriage, if I'm even interested at the time, is the boy prince of Lidyn across the sea. Funnily enough, this prince was supposed to show up for today's ball, but he never did! It's supposed to be our engagement- or, I hope it ends to something like that. Way, waaaay too much drama going on for my poor seventeen-year-old self. I just wanna hang around and check out popular stores!"

...What?

"Wow, the nobility's got some serious problems."

Ringo and Arle jumped, Carbuncle nearly falling off his makeshift perch, and nervously stared at Amitie from the corner of their eyes, the blonde girl having made an innocently insensitive remark. "What?" she asked, staring at the two girls reeling from the shock. "I'm not wrong. They should get themselves checked out– 'cause get real! That's really concerning and I'm worried for everyone's safety!"

"I understand your concern, but in a palace filled with gossiping nobles, you can't just say that, Amitie," Ringo reprimanded her in the nicest, least reprimand-like way possible. She turned to the pink-haired girl and raised her other eyebrow "The fact you know all this is strangely suspicious, though... Who are you?"

Pulling out a feathered, black fan from nowhere, Nina waved it in front of the quartet and giggled rather loudly. "Who else but Her Grace, Lady Nina, Duchess of Hallieu," she proclaimed, pulling all nearby attention on her. "You know me. Inherited the title after my sister disappeared, and Raffina's elder sister. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ringo, Silvana, and Amitie."

The second-hand embarrassment was real, except for Amitie whose eyes lit up at such a bold and confident performance–Ringo definitely thought otherwise, and Arle was most certainly not having it–but the more obvious detail were the voices that whispered behind and around her.

"That Duchess Hallieu always likes to stir up trouble wherever she goes..."

"I've heard the youngest sister is far more capable of the position than she and the eldest combined..."

"At least she carries the bloodline. His Lordship the Marquis was replaced by someone from the streets..."

"But she does make things lively, don't you think..."

"Your Grace!"

A loud, masculine voice shouted through the halls as the A-Crew turned around to see another heavily armored man dash from the right, come to a full stop, and hurry along towards them with a red liquid (?) staining his dark leather gloves and the tips of his silver hair. Ringo was less surprised by the man's appearance, and Amitie the same, but Arle seemed a bit frozen...?

"Tch, it's that unrefined, perverted Lord Schezo Wegey," she hissed and folded up her fan along with her arms. "I hope you haven't gone and broken any rules on 'accident', sir."

The man named Schezo clenched his shaking fist, and his face morphed into pure rage. "But they were on accident! And who are you calling a pervert!?" he growled and grabbed the hilt of his sheathed sword threateningly. "Had I been able to shove this sword into something else, I would definitely feel nothing from shoving it into you, too!"

"What? What- what what what whatwhaaaat!?" Amitie said to herself, before breaking into squeals and a wide smile. "That's so- oh! So bold! So confident! I just can't even! Eeeeeeeee!"

"Amitie, now's not the time to be amazed OR impressed by this rampaging man with a strange vocabulary," Ringo replied with a nervous half-grin.

"Get to the point. Just tell me what you want, darling," Nina snapped. "I'm talking to these lovely ladies right now and I can't be bothered to entertain you."

Schezo composed himself, and let go of his grip on his sword. "Rulue- I mean, Her Highness is looking for you," he explained calmly, in stark contrast to not even ten seconds ago. "I don't know what she wants, but it's best if you find her in the Great Hall."

Nina's golden eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands. "Ooooh, my special time to shine must be all ready! After all, we all know why this banquet is being held in the first place," she cheered, yet another complete 180 from her cold aura from earlier, and skipped off in a flash, waving to the remaining five. "Toodle-loo, Silvana! Amitie, Ringo, Carbuncle! We can talk more lateeeeeer!" Her high-pitched voice echoed more the farther she was until her figure spun around the corner into what was the Great Hall.

Between this silver-haired swordsman, and the Duchess herself, they really couldn't catch a break!

Ringo shuffled around nervously. "Well, can't say I expected anything less," she mumbled. "I guess Mr. Perv Swordsman here doesn't have the greatest of reputations or word choice." The cacophony of noise continued around them, but no one spoke a word as Schezo examined Arle in the same way Nina had the four of them. Amitie held the latter's hand tightly, and Ringo simply watched, unaware of what was actually going on.

"Silvana? But you're... Well, you're twins, so I could be incorrect but aren't you Arle?" he asked, peering at the shorter girl.

No way.

Arle snapped out of her daze and gulped, and laughed nervously. "No, I'm- I am Silvana. You may have the wrong person, sir," she stuttered, looking to Carbuncle at her side. "Gugu!" the rabbitlike creature affirmed, jumping up and down very quickly.

The knight shook his head, navy blue eyes eyeing her intensely. "No, you're definitely Arle. I can just tell, especially with that clown of a Dark Prince and Rulue always talking about you for differing reasons," he asserted. "Your tone of voice, your disposition, and your magical potency compared to your sister... I couldn't mistake you for anyone else."

Arle hung her head, defeated. "You got me," she murmured and steeled her gaze, looking right back up to meet his. "Right, then. What do you want, Schezo? How much for your silence? You want cake?" She pointed to the wooden box in Ringo's hands, and the man raised a thin eyebrow.

"Depends," he responded, his voice and posture unshakeable. "What's it supposed to be?" He reached his hand to take the box in his hand before Carbuncle nabbed it first to his shock and gave it to him personally. "Gu gu gu!" he called out, jumping away and opening it in a single motion.

"Oh, a chocolate cake?" he said, before a wide grin and bright eyes took over his expression, almost in a terrifying respect. "The cream looks well done, and the chocolate decorations look like little kitties, and the decorations are adorable! Squeeeeee! I'll take one- no, your whole stock!" He gently closed the top of the cake box and slowly picked it up, staining the sides faintly with red.

Amitie blinked once. "So, what just happened?"

"Business, Amitie." came the reply from the redhead beside her, slowly inching herself away towards the wall.

Schezo coughed out an "ahem" and straightened himself. "Well, Arle! It seems rumors are true. Trouble and action follow you as fervently as you have cunning. I wasn't thinking you'd be here of all places–in fact, you are just in time." The man reached out a gloved hand–Ringo beginning to think it may have been blood, and meeting Arle's eyes saw she thought the same–and placed his other to his chest as one would imagine a swordsman would.

"Tonight, I have come to ask for your consent to beat my meat!"

...

"ExCUSE ME?"

"GUGUUUUU!?"

Schezo jolted upwards at Arle's half-confused, half-angry remark as the three red-faced girls and the scarily red-faced yellow creature stared at him awkwardly, wide-eyed and suffering from secondhand embarrassment. The hallways fell silent, whispers arising from the young man's declaration. Some knew what they expect, some didn't. Either way, this was an awkward situation to be in. "This is a new low, Schezo," Arle said monotonously. "I know you have a habit–maybe a talent–for this, but this, you're just built different."

"Oh my... He truly is bold! Going straight after her like- like... You can't get any more confident than that, Lord Wegey!" Amitie shouted, somewhat swooning at the swordsman and the mage. "How do you have this confidence to confess to your true love like this!? I really, really gotta know!"

"Y-You misunderstand!" he claimed, shouting even louder. "I mean- I want your consent to assist me in preparing a piece of meat!"

"That doesn't make it any better!" Ringo replied, scratching the side of her head. "That's- Yikes, I think we as a collective require more context, sir."

Schezo sighed, his face still betraying his embarrassment, and unsuccessfully attempted to calm himself down. "I- well-! You see, her Highness tasked me to kill a boar for this banquet," he started, the energy getting calmer and the background noise getting louder. "Something-something she can't do it herself because she needs to manage everything else, but she'd really like to, so I did it for her. Problem is, I believe I sliced it so hard it was not slewn as neatly or as properly as I imagined... You have experience with cooking, don't you? Could you possibly help?"

Arle narrowed her eyes, raising both twitching eyebrows, and followed the silver-haired man turning to walk away to the hallway he came from. "Ugh, if you said that the first time this could've been a lot easier," she groaned and turned her head around to the two girls. "You two walk around, see sights and stuff, okay? I'll come back and find you real quick."

"Guguu... Gugu gu gu!"

The last thing Amitie and Ringo heard was the happy cry of one Carbuncle, and the three faded out of sight around the corner. "W-Well, can't say I completely believe what I saw," Ringo commented, grabbing hold of Amitie's right arm. "Shall we, Amitie? I'm sure there are people socializing right at this hour, before the banquet and all."

"Banquet!? How'd you know about that?" Amitie exclaimed, walking side-by-side with her towards the light and sound of the ballroom beyond the wall to their left. "I don't recall knowing that until today, and I forgot to tell you, too..."

"Don't parties–or balls, as I believe they're formally called–have banquets before the dancing? I do a good deal of research, just to learn more about the world, and this is no exception."

"No, you're completely right! I just- Wow, you're dedicated! Why do you want to know so much about living, anyway?"

"Well, I don't know. Maybe it's ju-"

The two girls instinctively backed up to let a cat...? pass through.

A cat?

"What's a cat doing here?" Amitie asked, looking at its small, navy body run down the hall. "What if it's someone's lost familiar? We have to catch it!"

"Amitie, I really don't think it's our-" Ringo started, but Amitie had already begun her dash to catch the cat, the former of which had stopped at the first corner without turning left. "Amitie? Why'd you stop?" Ringo followed up after the girl with the red hat, who bent down and outstretched her arms to the cat.

"Heeeere, kitty," she cooed, smiling. "Who's your master? If you're lost, I'll help you find them!" The cat hissed angrily and hissed even louder once Ringo arrived on the scene.

"Nyo way... You're with her, too!?" the cat said in a sharp voice, shocking Ringo into nearly falling backward. "Then it couldn't be a coincidence, there's nyo way, then that means..." The cat pointed a shaking paw at the two girls, and its fur stood on end.

Ringo moved backward, and Amitie looked up to put her hands back on her knees. "Whoa!? The cat talked!" the girl in pigtails shouted, shuddering. "Sorry, that really shocked me. But, um... wh-what about us? Can we help you? We'd like to help you, if possible-"

Scarily enough, the cat's voice changed from its shrill shrieking to a much lower pitch, much like a young woman's.

THE FLOWER AND HER KNIGHT IN BLUE

Lidelle shivered in the cold morning air, gold decals on the arches and walls peering back at her just as cold, as she knocked on one of the two grand, wooden doors leading into the castle library–the most likely place where the young lord of House Salwin would be found.

It was terrifying how this child her age–just barely having turned thirteen years old–could possibly have been set on track to inherit the title of Marquis of Salwin, which was something the horned maid-girl could never hope to even dream of. Though according to rumors from before she was in House Salwin's employ, recently there had been a strange decade-long gap where House Salwin remained leaderless after the reigning marquis' even stranger disappearance previous; with no heir, and the next qualified candidate–Lemres–having uncharacteristically sternly declined the offer, Archmage Accord had chosen Klug, Lemres' junior and friend.

And that was why the esteemed Lord Klug had almost zero honor nor status to his name because almost quite literally, nobody knew about him prior to a few weeks ago.

Lidelle didn't know much about him, or the history of this kingdom's nobility, either. Such knowledge was inaccessible to her before working as a servant for Klug. To be fair, however, nobody but Lemres and the girl named Feli who locked herself into the confines of the castle cellar day in and out knew of his existence prior to the announcement of his starting the bloodline of Salwin over again; apparently, he had some kind of relation to the previous marquis, but that wasn't made known to the public, including her.

Apparently, apparently, apparently.

The elfish girl did not like to pry into the business of others but walking along the castle's many halls, walls, and corridors had given her the unwilling opportunity of listening to the nobles' gossip of everything and anything as she passed by them with tea and snacks. "Apparently" and "I heard" were the most common phrases she'd hear. Recently, it was something about a party and an arranged marriage.

Knock, knock, knock.

The sound of a wooden door towering over her tiny figure echoed throughout the balcony and the rooms below, the girl trembling before the high-pitched voice of her master about to respond.

No answer—but fiendish giggling from behind the doors.

Lidelle stood frozen in fear, knowing exactly what Klug was doing at a time like this to elicit such laughter at an early time and she did not want to be right upon seeing for herself. Slowly, she knocked on the door another five times, this time more quietly, and his voice came out from behind.

"Come in! You'll be glad you did at such a time!"

Lidelle pulled open the door from its golden handle slightly taller than she with one hand, stabilizing fine clothes in her other, and approached the snickering Lord Klug, his glasses reflecting the bright white sunlight peeking out from grey clouds and his royal purple hat as polished and clean as always. She walked quicker towards him, holding clean, dry clothes, and looked over his shoulder to see... a piece of fiction?

"...and then, the evil witch Ilef curses poor Koolug by turning him into a frog! Oh, horrors! How will the great and mighty Koolug defeat her!? ...What a great climax! We're finally getting somewhere," Klug mumbled to himself, eerily cackling between phrases, and turned to Lidelle with his head raised high. "Ah, Lidelle. You're just in time. I'm writing a most magnificent novel, and you're here to listen. From the beginning—"

Lidelle shivered and shook her head quickly. "U-Umm, actually, my lord, I'm j-just delivering your clothes for that party this evening... You will be attending, yes? It will be a great opportunity for you to um, s-socialize," she stuttered, her heart rate quickening with every second that passed by. "I-I mean, not that you don't have to!! But it would be great if you could for uh, this noble house and your honor- That didn't come out right! I'm really, really sorry!!"

Klug scoffed and flashed a smug smile. "Please, don't try to convince me. I'm already going," he replied, taking the clothes and peering as the tightness felt in the fabric. "That inelegant Raffina will be there, of course she will be. She's never missed a party of the princess'. It's an opportunity for me to win the favor of the princess and prove that I, Lord Klug, am much more talented than that awkward and magic-less 'mage' Raffina! Uhyahyahyahyahya!" His cackling boomed through the library and the rest of the castle outside its open door, and Lidelle's heart sank the moment she heard that statement.

"What a shame, though," he muttered, staring at Lidelle with his head rested against his hand. "You might be able to attend too, had you not been a measly commoner in a noble setting."

The demi-human girl was tempted to point out he was the exact same—a "commoner" in a noble setting— but tears were already welling up in her eyes, preventing her from speaking.

She had a mixed reputation among the "commoners" as Klug put it—frankly, Lidelle was unaware there was even such a thing as class or commoners prior to hearing this statement—but she also had a mixed reputation among the nobility; to be fair, it was a miracle in of itself that she was an invisible, ordinary servant here. Not many knew her or paid attention to her except Miss Amitie, and even then they never saw each other.

The only other who gave her the time of day was...

"I- I'm very sorry, my lord," Lidelle whimpered and inched backwards. "I don't control how I was raised, or where I'm born. I-I'm truly sorry if I offended you, sir." She trembled in her small brown shoes as the boy straightened his purple hat and averted his gaze.

"Please, I don't care at all," he remarked, twirling a spare, dry golden fountain pen without so much as batting an eyelash at her. "You go to that party, I don't care. You get caught though, and you'll be in massive trouble. Plus, you'll bring shame to House Salwin; you do that and I will hold a grudge against you forever and ever!"

Only by that final word did his sharp glare meet her droopy blue eyes, and Lidelle wanted to cry—correction, she WAS crying. Without thinking to respond properly, she dashed out of the library with tears streaming down her face and she swung back the door with little force, letting it close slowly and hide the young master who got up to reach his hand towards her.

She was just a servant, a florist's girl hired to sweep floors and serve tea by nobles; nothing special about her. No matter what the truth was, Klug would be the Marquis of Salwin in a few years' time, give or take. She should be paying her utmost respects to someone as esteemed as him; was she not doing enough for him to act that way?

Was she just not doing enough?

Lidelle ran into the nearest room—a guest room usually saved for Raina, Raffina, and Amitie when they arrived for diplomatic purposes—to curl up in a fetal position at the foot of a bed and sob quietly, echoes of Klug's voice resounding through the halls and seared into her mind.

All she wanted was to attend that party to see Raffina. Kind, elegant, and confident Raffina, everything Lidelle was not. She did not like to think of it as jealousy like Klug or Accord thought it was, but rather admiration. She loved every part of Raffina that mirrored when she didn't have; maybe someday, if there was anything Lidelle had that Raffina didn't, she could protect her in some way, too.

Maybe someday, it wouldn't all be a dream.

~~🌺~~

"It's Sig again, isn't it, Lord Schezo Wegey?"

Schezo Wegey scoffed at his equally annoyed Princess–whom, frankly, he probably could not care less about–and sighed. "You mock me, Rulue, calling me a lord when I've yet to completely perfect my swordsmanship," he shot back and crossed his arms. "But yes, it's Sig again. Troublesome child always goes out into the Ohn Asara Wilds with a jar of honey from the pantry to look for bugs. Dishonorable for a page in all respects!" The silver-haired, tall man came close to unsheathing his "Dark Sword" until the princess stood up and adjusted the feather hat she got from gods know where.

"Sit down, Sir Schezo Wegey," she hissed–noting the change in title, despite his formal title actually being "Lord Schezo Wegey" but his insistence on being called something lesser–and her sea-green eyes stared up at his blue, as he was not sitting down anytime soon. "You've got gall to not call me by my formal title, or at least 'Your Highness'. Moving on, you're the captain, so it's your business to manage your knights; I've not a single idea as to why you're complaining to me."

She walked around in a circle and then turned to walk out to a grand balcony littered with golds, blues, and purples, and she breathed out a sigh to the grey clouds above. Her eyes glanced towards the leftmost castle in sight.

"Then again, who can blame him?" she commented, trying to conjure up the most recent memories of Sig, that talented but arrogant peasant of a marquis-to-be, and the diviner whom she heard never left her castle's cellar. "He's in a rough spot currently. Be patient with that fool, and in time he will become a more grand knight than you will ever have imagined."

Schezo held back a snicker and looked out the window as well. In the corner of his eye, he could see at the harbor an unconscious young man dressed in fine clothes, with a girl shaking him and two children staring down at them...

He faintly recognized them.

Something really, really bad was going to happen.

~~🌺~~

Amitie hummed the tune of the waltz she'd heard the other day.

Raffina was twirling around in her room, the faded blue ends of her long, white dress turning upwards as did her smile, reciting the steps to a dance few are acquainted with. For that special day tomorrow, she did everything to prepare for it, including getting Amitie to wander outside the city for flowers. The blonde-haired, dainty maid girl skipped through the meadows, making sure not to hit her head or get her hat caught on any low branches from the trees towering above her, looking for particular colors that could help her distinguish the flowers needed by her lady.

What were the flowers on the list? Sunflowers, roses, crow.... croweee-something-or-other, and another flower whose name she couldn't remember or pronounce. What was it, again? Hydr-?

She felt the wind swiftly zoom by her, and she turned around to see a red, spotted bug fly around her and land on her shoulder.

They were called ladybugs, right? Lady Nina had mentioned it once after taking a stroll through the woods–though, really, she learned that by "stealing a book from the House Salwin library" was what Raffina had told her–that they were cute, nimble, and docile creatures that sometimes got a bit irritating when crawling on your skin, but once you got used to it, it was a relaxing feeling to have. Amitie looked at the critter sitting neatly on the side of her white blouse and giggled, giving its wings a teeny, gentle poke. She imagined it gave a thumbs-up to her with its tiny limbs.

"Ah- Mr Ladybug. There you are."

The deadpan, monotone voice of a child came from behind her, as the ladybug flew away and Amitie turned to see a young boy with unusually striking blue hair letting the bug as red as his left hand sit nicely on his finger-

That was not a hand. That was more akin to... a claw?

An abnormally large, sharp red claw...

Amitie tensed up in fear, her fight-or-flight mode about to activate from the sight of one claw, but staring at the boy closer–who, more or less, looked around her age–gave her the impression that the person the claw belonged to was pretty basic, if not a little plain in appearance and demeanor. Aside from the knightly-ish attire and sleepy personality, the more she stared, the weirder things got: first it was his red claw, then the...antenna? at the back of his head, and THEN his deadpan eyes--which never moved in spite of his smile--were a bright red and blue...???

"What is it?"

The girl let out a loud "meep" at the boy's high-pitched voice, directed to her again. He tilted his head in confusion, and then looked up in surprise as the ladybug on his finger flew away and around him, landing snugly on his head. A faint smile formed at the ends of his lips–a rather half-hearted smile, at that–which instantly reverted back to indifference as he walked over to the recovering-from-shock Amitie.

"Oh. I scared you. My bad," he said, which sounded like an insincere apology. "You looked at me for a long time. Or Mr Ladybug. Are you friends?" He sat down on the grass, looking expectantly at the girl, and then darting his eyes left and right looking for... something.

"No, nononono not at all! You didn't scare me! It just happened so suddenly!" Amitie flailed her hands around in defense.

"So I scared you."

"You didn't, get real! There's no really real reason to feel bad about it!"

"If you scream when I talk, that's being scared."

"Get really, really real!! There's no way I, uh... um, well... okay, I was scared."

Amitie hung her head down in defeat, her tiny body shaking as pink and white flowers fell out of the woven wooden basket in her hand and she sat down next to the boy in the meadow, underneath a tall tree giving them both shade from the sun. "Yeah, I was a little scared," she admitted, adjusting her red hat nervously. "But it's okay!! I think you're a little cool now? I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or anything! Honest!"

The boy in blue nodded wordlessly, fixing the tightness on his brown belt and steel boots. "Cool," he mumbled, much to the chagrin of the girl beside him. It was a challenge to strike up a conversation with this lad.

"So why're you here? Wanted to make bug friends?"

The words suddenly hit Amitie once more, as if she hadn't learned from yelping not even mere minutes ago, and she tried to summon her brain for the reason she came to these wilds. The knight cocked his head to the side, mismatched eyes staring into Amitie's, and then following the bugs that flew around him.

"Because I have to pick flowers for someone," she finally mustered up the courage to say, a feat that should not have taken her as long as it did. "My mistr... no, my friend! We're friends! Her other friend is hosting a party and she wanted a couple of flowers from the Ohn Asara Wilds, so here I am! I've got most of 'em ready, except uh... croweee something and hydra-also-something."

"Party? Never heard of something like that. Stuff like that spreads fast, so we're probably from different cities," he mumbled and groaned. "So you... didn't come here for bugs?"

Amitie shook her head in apology, noticing the disappointment in his eyes. "No... I'm really sorry!! I wish I could find bugs with you, or for you, but this is kind of urgent...ish," she replied, scrambling to find the words to describe her situation. "Well, it's not THAT urgent, but Raffina will get suuuuper mad if I uh, don't get her party flowers by today.

"Awh. Rough," he replied, letting a beetle crawl onto the side of his single burnt umber brown glove on his right hand. "Thought you wanted to see bugs. I can help name flowers for you though if you're stuck. Bugs like flowers." He leaned in as Amitie nodded and pulled out a short, ripped-up list with hastily scribbled words and drawings in it, with a lack of actual labels for each flower. He pointed to a whitish flower.

"Crowea. It's common here, but more grow in every other place on the continent."

"Really? Crow-wee-a... what a funny name! Know any other flowers? I only know uh, the uh, sunflowers and roses."

"That one is uh... fox-something. Master said it once, but don't pick those. They're poison." He pointed to a drawing of a fuschia, bell-shaped flower on her list, and drew an X with his finger across it.

"Oh, Raffina is going to be so mad," Amitie muttered under her breath, imagining the rage of a noble after not being able to get a flower–a pink flower, at that!–and pointed to the last flower on her list. "What about these? I didn't write down any of the names, but this one's a hy-something." Olive eyes stared back at the boy, and then she looked down to see in a satchel attached to his belt, was the flower in question.

"Hydrangea," he replied, taking some of the blue flowers out. "They have lots of small petals like this. I'll give you some if you need." He offered the flowers to the girl, the latter of whom blushed profusely. For what reason was unknown.

"Really?" Amitie shouted happily, taking the flowers in her hands and placing them gently in her half-full basket of flowers. "You don't have to, but thankies!" The smile of an angel graced the ends of her lips, and she giggled softly before stopping to see the boy pull out another bundle of hydrangeas and place it in her hair, as the side of her red hat.

"Calm down," he said sleepily to the shaking, red-faced girl. "I want the hydrangeas to stay still." After a bit of fiddling around with her blonde hair, and being face-to-face with a stranger and his blue bangs, the knight-boy moved away from her, leaving a small, messily-tied-up bouquet of blue flowers neatly at the side of her hat.

Amitie sat speechless, the once-faint salmon pink on her cheeks breaking out into a cherry red.

"W-Why?" she stuttered, putting her palms to her warm cheeks. Was he perhaps... interested in her? There was no way, right? "That- That's so cliche but I- I... Thank you!? I'm sorry! It all happened so suddenly, and I-"

"Bugs," the boy simply responded, and he grinned. "Bugs will follow you if you have flowers in your hair. It's good to be friends with bugs, hehe." His laugh sounded... pretty dead, but sorta happy? It did not sound like a sincere laugh, and yet it was so kind...

What a strange boy.

Amitie, still reeling from the event, uncharacteristically grabbed the boy's hands with a sparkle in her eyes. "What's your name?" she shouted, a Cheshire smile from end to end of her face. "I need to know! I mean, I'm Amitie! And I'm going to be a great magician one day! I won't forget what you've done, and also I have to write this down in my diary...?"

The boy had gotten up to follow a butterfly fluttering about a tree, and he observed with a blank stare. It felt like he had totally ignored whatever Amitie had just said.

"Um, excuse me! Your name?"

Without so much as even a jump, or any form of surprise from his trance, he turned his head around, then his body to face her. "Sig," he mumbled. "I'm Sig. Nice to meet you, Amitie. You should pick flowers now. You said your friend would be mad."

It was now Amitie's turn to jump, and she scrambled to have a hold on the weaved basket next to her without letting any flowers fall out. "Ah- You're right! I totally forgot about that, she's gonna get so mad at me!" she cried, and hastily stood up to bow to Sig a little taller than her. "Thanks for reminding me! And thanks for the flowers, too! I should get back to work, hehe. See you later!" The blonde maidservant skipped off before stopping to turn back at the boy waving good-bye to her.

"And, maybe... Maybe we could spend time like this again? Catch bugs, pick flowers, have a good day?"

The corners of Sig's mouth turned upwards, but not enough for anyone to visibly notice.

"Maybe."

~~🌺~~

Ringo approached the sand-colored building, a deep green storefront curtain above the front and a neat little wooden sign at the side stating the name of the cafe.

Cafe Circe, where the so-called "comet warlock" Lemres has stopped using his magic for battle and turned to sweets-making, his favorite pastime.

One more time, she looked around the area to make sure Ecolo hadn't already left. She did not know when they got off work, but it was likely they had already, or they wouldn't have scheduled for sixteen o'clock. The streets weren't busy at this time of day–not many stopped working as early as sixteen–so it should've been easy to pick out turquoise hair tied by a red ribbon, but-

"Miss Ringo? You came! You remembered me!"

Ringo turned around to face the storefront again, where her stare met the young steward of Cafe Circe's. "Again, you don't have to call me 'Miss'. Just Ringo is fine!" she asserted as they walked down the cafe stairs to the main street. "You didn't specify a place of meeting, so I figured you may have just finished working, or already have."

A wide grin spread across Ecolo's face, and they gave her a pat on the head. "Right on target! You're sharp, Ringo," they commented, taking her by the hand. "You have clever eyes, I can just tell that in someone. Shall we, then? Idle banter, we'll go wherever you want to go!"

Ringo nodded with an affirmative "mhm!" and looked through the window of Cafe Circe, where nobles were staring at Ecolo and whispering amongst themselves. A strange sight to behold had not the townsfolk around not averse to doing the same. Was Ecolo well-known, or...?

"Sooooooooo... did you throw stones at any of the birds today?"

What.

Ringo raised an eyebrow and narrowed her eyes, disgusted and befuddled that this stranger she agreed to spend some time with had said something so questionable with a straight face and a shiny smile.

"I don't recall intentionally wanting to scare the lifeblood out of birds," she replied rather coldly, admittedly more than she intended on. "Why, do you throw stones at birds?"

Ecolo shook their head and grinned. "Figured. The street kids always throw stones at birds, and I've played with them a few times," they noted with a cheery voice and a wide smile. "You hit a bird, even if it doesn't fall down, you win a gold piece. That's a lot of money; the stakes are so high because nobody's managed to hit the birds on the rooftops, ever." They chuckled lightheartedly at the dismay yet intrigue of the girl walking at their side.

"I've never heard of such a thing," Ringo commented. "I've never remotely heard of birds being in this town."

"No way! Birds make trouble every sunup to sundown, and the kids gather in town square to throw rocks at them. They're noisy, but it's lots of fun! Where do you live to not be able to hear of this stuff?"

"Not in the street like Arle, that's for sure. But I'm not exactly royalty like Amitie, either... I guess I'm a bit in the middle. I live in Trerid District."

The server fell silent, an uncharacteristically pained expression making its way across their face, and they forced a smile. "Trerid District... Oh, I know where that is!" they exclaimed, the color returning to their cheeks once more as they put their fist to their palm. "No wonder you've never heard! That's like, on the west end, nowhere near the town square. Ahh, I get it now!"

Ringo nodded quickly in response. "Yeah, that's right! Right next to the harbor, and also right next to both House Hallieu and Islen District, so I'm conveniently right between Arle and Amitie's living areas."

Ecolo's face morphed into confusion, and they went silent. "I... I what now?" they asked, repeated the name under their breath. "Like... Pronounced 'island'? Not Is-len? Hard S?" They gripped their messy bangs and dug into them with their fingernails, seemingly unable to process the information presented.

Ringo shook her head. "Um, yes. It's pronounced like 'island'," she reiterated and sighed. "Did someone teach you to pronounce it another way?"

"No, because no one's mentioned it before. I've only seen it on maps of the kingdom. I've only heard of the two houses, the royal court, Trerid, and Mallis."

"Don't you play with the kids in the streets? Surely you must know where you are."

"I don't! I really don't! Everyone but me knows where we are, and it doesn't pop in my brain to ask. I'm always around rich people and their problems, after all."

Ringo furrowed her brow and a bright light reflected in her emerald-green eyes. "Rich people...? You mean nobility!?" she shouted, grabbing the servant by their shoulders and giving them a single, solid shake. "What is it like to live a life of aristocracy? I've always wanted to know because my friend Amitie doesn't quite have the privilege to explain."

"Ow- owowowow- Ringo, I'm getting dizzy," Ecolo pleaded, releasing themself from her grasp and slowly twirling in place for stability. "What's-her-face is probably a servant of some kind. Well, same here. I sure can't tell you about their lives aside the fact they eat cake; some more or less. I can tell you about their gossip though, hehehe." They giggled half menacingly, half proudly as the redheaded girl looked up in awe.

"That's basically the same thing!! Can I hear some of this?" The shine in Ringo's eyes gleamed brighter. "Oh, my apologies. I just simply have to know everything about, well, everything!"

"For starters, there's that party. The one everyone's talking about but ordinary folks like me never hear of unless I was eavesdropping. Which I do."

"I've heard, but only from Amitie... Is that it? That party must be super popular then."

"Well, kinda. Apparently, there's also an investigation into the Marquis of Salwin's disappearance, and some arranged marriage thing going on with House Hallieu and the eldest of their two daughters."

"Two? Weren't there three?"

"Yeah, there's three. Raina, Nina, and Raffina. Heard they're all equally loud and haughty. But Raina disappeared long ago, probably before we were born, so nobody really remembers her."

"Wow, that's... a little sad. I can't believe that the life of nobles is so much more dramatic than mine could ever be!" Ringo swooned in place, imagining the wild adventures and hefty amounts of drama surrounding the life she could never live. "Wouldn't it be nice to live in a castle and have shenanigans happen all around you! How exciting! E-X-C-I-T-I-N-G!~"

"Doesn't matter much to me," Ecolo murmured, and looked back at the girl who seemed to have heard them. "I mean, I sure ain't rich. I'm just an average guy who works for them and literally lives in a reworked cafe storage room. People know who I am, cool! I'd love to make more friends! People don't, also cool! I don't even know who I am myself! I mean, I-"

Wow, they really liked to talk.

Ringo wanted the chance to ask questions, but they were drowned out by the overload of energy radiating from this one person alone. Arle would've definitely told them to shut up, but this was her day, and it was on her to guide the conversation if need be. Though, one bit of information really stood out to her.

"I don't even know who I am myself!"

This was a familiar situation, wasn't it?

She tugged on their short white sleeve, and they stopped talking to smile and look down at the shorter girl, drool still running from their mouth. "Yeeeeees, Ringo?"

Ringo swallowed air and breathed deeply. "I was wondering... what did you mean by not knowing yourself?" she inquired. Their blue eyes seemed to light up a little, and she took it as a sign they understood. "What I'm getting from this is you don't know or understand your background enough to care about the follies of class and status and make friends despite all that...?"

Ecolo fell silent, staring down at the ground and breathed out a sigh, the air much heavier than mere moments ago. Ringo trembled a little; could she have possibly angered the valet and friend-to-be? Both stood motionless amongst the sun, still rather high in the sky.

"As I said, you're sharp. This is almost scaring me," they replied, chuckling lightly, though their anxious smile told a different story. "I really don't know anything about myself. One day I woke up in the cafe storage room, and Lemres found me there. And uh, stuff happened, and I got to working there. I don't remember anything that happened before that. Like, nothing. It would be nice if I knew. But y'know, I don't particularly care. I'm making friends, I'm having fun! Isn't that what life's for?"

Ringo tensed up, fiddling with her fingers nervously, attempting to come up with a response. They made a good point, but the fact they didn't care about themselves so...normally was alarming.

"I'll help you find out who you were," she finally said, staring them dead in the eyes. "Of course I will! Besides, it'll be good for me too. Who knows what kind of adventures we'll go through in the process? I'll get to learn so many other things ab-"

"You have ulterior motives."

Ringo stopped talking the moment a reply came in, only this time, Ecolo's voice and demeanor were much more serious. "You're using my personal problems for your own benefit. Am I right?" they asked, blue eyes taking a darker shade as if they had a will of their own. Ringo froze; they weren't entirely wrong, but she still wanted to help them anyw-

Bright laughter and a brighter smile suddenly sprung from their once-sullen face.

"Just kidding! Jokes on youuuuuu!"

...

By the Six Gods, damn it! They're as cheeky as they come!

"Ecoloooo! You can't just tease me like that!" Ringo exclaimed loudly, drawing the attention of people nearby. She nearly broke out into a cold sweat as she covered her mouth instinctively. "I- My apologies. I really thought you were annoyed by my personality! I'm kinda just like that. Though, if you wish to tease me like that, I'll make sure to reciprocate!" She snickered quietly under her breath, still embarrassed from her little outburst.

"Teehee! You sure are feisty, Ringo," they replied, poking her soft cheeks. "I wasn't lying, though. You do have ulterior motives, but not as bad as I made it sound.

"You're searching for 'that' too, aren't you?"

Ringo gulped, processed the information, and nearly stopped in her tracks.

"H- How'd you know?" she stammered, a wave of fear washing over her. They seemed to drop information about herself very nonchalantly, and switched between dispositions at the drop of a hat... Terrifying, that. "How did you- Did I tell you? We only met a few days ago. Who told you, and w-"

"I can just tell," Ecolo replied cryptically and emotionlessly, before returning to their sunshiny, normal expression as if nothing had ever happened. "You just generally seemed confused by the world. I mean, I get learned about everything and anything, but you don't seem familiar with living... Might just be a hunch. but hey, guess I got it right!" They drew a heart over her chest with a thin, gloved finger. "I'm a little closer to reaching your heart, hehe."

Ringo pushed him away playfully, giggling to herself. "I won't forget this declaration of battle," she replied and dusted herself off. "But you're absolutely correct. I don't remember anything from my life aside from my early years, it's really weird. So maybe, if I tag along with you, chances are I'll learn something about myself. It can't be a coincidence."

Ecolo chuckled, and nodded happily. They reached out to hold her bare hands in theirs, and after some staring, gave a little peck to the back of her right. "Of course, milady," they whispered and placed their hand on their chest. "I'll have to help you, too! It's the only way I could possibly return the favor."

Ringo's face, colored as red as the apples sold by her family, was unable to pick an expression. Surprise? Happiness? All things of this matter were just as confusing as her inability to come up with a response.

"Wow, this conversation turned serious quickly," she forced herself to say, though in her defense it was getting pretty dark for a light stroll. "How about we stop by that tea shop on Queens? It'll still be in the shopping district, so we won't be going too far! Wherever we want to go, we'll make it up. I have some time before I meet up with some other friends."

"Other friends?" they asked, tilting their head to the side and the sparkle of interest taking precedence in their eyes. "After this, can I meet them!? I'd love to make more friends!"

Ringo shook her head nervously, to the valet's disappointment. "I wish," she muttered. "Maybe another day. Just that today Arle isn't having the day and she probably won't have you, either."

Ecolo made a peace sign in response–a rather unique response, indeed–and charged a few steps forward. "Oh, whatever! You'll have me, Ringo! That's enough for me," they chirped, grabbing her hand and spinning her forward to walk by their side. "Alrighty! So, about that tea shop? Lead the way!"

Ringo stood speechless and smiled confidently. "Right, then. Follow me. I know all the best places on Queens." The two of them walked together down the sidewalk of the street, idly chattering about mundane topics as the sun's white light started to fade into warmer hues-

From the corner of her eye, she felt someone's shadow move past them.

...?

CHAPTER 2 - THE RAINDROPS FALLING ALONG HER CHEEKS

Raffina gazed outside her bedroom window, where everyone seemed to fall at the feet of a young lady carrying the blood of the esteemed House Hallieu, and once again she then turned her view to the flower growing in a small clay pot on her nightstand.

Childhood promises were meaningless now, but she never forgot about it. That's why the moonflower kept growing by her side, even after all these years; she couldn't forget about him. Even if he was an immature brat who needed a swift talking-to–or something more her style, a magical beatdown–Lady Raffina never forgets her promises or goes back on her word, the good and the bad. Unlike some people she knew, she strived to be honorable in all and every way possible. After all, she was most fit to succeed House Hallieu as the Duchess someday; and once she was, everyone and everything would be at her beck and call. What a wonderful dream!

"Someday" being practically never, because of her two elder sisters. Nina would be Duchess of Hallieu before Raffina would ever imagine herself in that position. It should've been Raina, but it wasn't because she was… a special case.

If the chance ever arrived, Raffina would make sure to prepare far in advance for that day, her day, especially knowing about those… schemes she'd heard about.

Currently, that dream was far out of her reach.

Stupid Nina, and even stupider Raina! Why did she have to be the youngest out of the three of them!?

A knocking at the neatly painted sienna of a wooden door shook her from her slump as she hastily attempted to neaten her slightly-messy pink hair, from her scalp to the curls where they ended. A familiar, small figure dressed in white and pink frills stepped in with a skip in her step, holding a plate where a teacup and some small pastries sat upon.

"Evening tea, Ra- I mean, Lady Raffina. It's your favorite, chamomile with madeleines on the side!"

Amitie gently set down the tea set on Raffina’s nightstand, between her clock and where her flower bloomed timidly under the moonlight. “Enjoy! I worked super duper hard to steep it just right,” the energetic maidservant shouted, expectant eyes falling upon her mistress sipping the tea. “So? So? How’s it taste? Better, right?”

“It’s still subpar, but you’re getting better,” Raffina commented, placing down the half-full teacup back onto the set. “It tastes better compared to how you make stronger teas… Either way, I’ve noticed you steep your teas for very long periods of time, which makes them taste bitter after a while. I suggest you not do that in the future, although considering you that advice goes in one ear and out the other.” She narrowed her eyes at the distracted Amitie, staring at the rolling black clouds from far beyond the horizon and over the kingdom.

The maid opened a window, fixated on something the distance–Raffina, also intrigued as to what could possibly be more interesting than taking actual advice from her, stepped toward the window with her–and reached out a hand, holding it out for the wind for a solid moment before taking it back to her side and closing the latticed glass window. “It’s gonna rain,” she finally whispered to herself, turning to her side and jumping. “Eep!! Raffina! I totally forgot I was here to serve you tea!”

The noblewoman sighed and folded her arms tightly. “You already have, but no matter,” she declared, ice blue eyes looking down on the shorter girl, bent into a sharp glare. “Had I not been merciful–and had I any power in this family, at all–I would have dismissed you immediately, along with your crass mannerisms and way of speaking.”

“You’re such a meanie, Raffina!” Amitie cried, looking almost terrified, and giggled happily. “But I guess that’s what makes you…. you, Raffina! Always so critical and demanding, but you work hard and expect the best out of all of us! It’s kinda inspiring, in a weird way!”

Raffina backed off and gave an offended gasp before her disposition turned upwards. “How dare you! I mean, I am inspiring. But being critical is the only way to get better, wouldn’t you agree? When you see all the faults, you know exactly what to fix. Such is my modus operandi, ohohohoho!” Out of her lips, half-covered by her slender hands, came that queenly laugh that everyone had heard at least five times in their lives. In the end, it really was a compliment; Amitie was clumsy, and awkward, and did not act nobly in the slightest, but at the very least she saw the best kind of person in everyone, which was an enviable trait.

“Moving on, you did hear what I said about your tea, yes? You steep it so long, it tastes bitter. But you’re getting better,” the wishful, wannabe heiress continued. Amitie’s eyes sparkled a bright shade of lime and she fist-pumped to herself. “Goody-goody! I was hoping that I was getting better! Hehe,” she said between giggles, quite obviously proud of her improvement. “Aah, today was such a good day! I got to meet so many people, spend time with all my friends, and make so many plans to hang out! I’m so, soooo happy!”

Raffina raised a thin eyebrow. “I have a feeling as to what you’re doing,” she muttered and relaxed herself on the fluffy white sheets of her bed. “You’re planning to sneak people into Rulue’s party tomorrow evening, am I right?”

Amitie jumped at that statement with a squeak, and slowly turned her head to meet the lady’s observant gaze. “H-How did you-? I- No! I’m absolutely not! There’s nothing to hide! I’m definitely not sneaking Arle and Ringo to the princess’ party! Nothing to see here!”

The pink-haired princess sighed, putting a hand to her head in disappointment. “So that’s what you needed all those dresses for. I see, I see,” she mumbled, shadows across her eyes darkening enough to make Amitie shiver in place. Raffine then flipped her bangs to the side nonchalantly and faintly smiled. “Well, I don’t know anything about this Ringo girl, but having Arle there would make things more… lively, I suppose. As long as they are refined enough, especially you, I don’t mind them attending. Rulue might not, but I do not care, at all.”

Her eyes wandered off into space, tuning out whatever happy shrieking Amitie was spewing out as a response, as they finally focused on the moonflower growing in its little pot. Aside from Arle and whoever Ringo was, most of the nobility would attend, right? Raina would definitely attend and then disappear into the void again; Nina probably wouldn’t–why would Nina ever be expected to attend a party, even if hosted by the princess herself? and Raffina, of course, would go. Why wouldn’t she? Princess Rulue was literally her best friend.

He would probably attend… Although, in hindsight of that thought, he didn’t seem like the type very fond of parties, or social gathering, or even being social unless he was at the center of attention–which he was not.

“...affi…”

Did he keep the flower she gave him, too?

“Raffina?”

“Aaah!” Raffina screamed, tears forming at the edges of her eyes, and then took a deep breath. “My apologies, Amitie. I was zoning out, and I didn’t notice you speaking… hmm?” Upon closer inspection, a messily-tied-together bundle of blue flowers that were not there before–or it was, and she had failed to notice it–had been placed at the side of Amitie’s red hat with eyes. Raffina had no clue why her fashion sense was as disastrous as it was, but the flowers in her hair mitigated it, even just a little. She picked the bundle out of her hair–the stems had been ripped slightly, whoever tied these together was not very good at it–and stared at them. “Hydrangeas,” she muttered, before handing them back to Amitie with a quizzical expression. “They grow in the meadows on the outskirts of town, but they’re very difficult to find. Where did you get these? Perhaps from the florist’s daughter?”

“You mean Lidelle? Nah, I’m pretty sure she’s always been a servant in House Salwin, although I don’t remember quite clearly,” Amitie responded, her eyes seeming to be swallowed in the blue reflection of her flowers. “But no, she didn’t give me these flowers.” Amitie smiled serenely, a faint salmon pink forming at the ends of her cheeks, and she giggled.

“Actually, a total stranger gave them to me. I can’t really describe how it feels… Hehe.”

~~🌺~~

“You know you don’t have to work overtime, right? If you’re tired, you can always take a rest.”

The warlock in viridian chuckled nervously, out of concern for the young maid–or housekeeper, as she liked to call her profession–fervently sweeping every corner of the Circe Cafe, from its polished stone walls to the burnt umber of the wooden floor. “I’m glad you’re worried, Mr. Lemres, but I won’t stop until every nook and cranny of this fine establishment is squeaky-clean,” Kikimora responded, dipping her mop into the metal bucket of water next to her and giving it another slosh on the ground. “You know how it gets, sir. People flock here for your sweets, and more recently so because of that Ecolo child… Is he popular? I’ve never seen him before a couple of weeks ago.”

“Just Lemres is fine, Kikimora,” the patissier replied with a smile and eyes that never opened for anyone. He put his hand to his chin, deep in thought as the blonde maid stared back, expecting a response. “Actually, it’s because no one’s seen him before that people have been coming here more recently. To most people, royal or commoner, nothing interesting happens in this kingdom. That’s why when something or someone new shows up, it’s the talk of the town for weeks. I heard it’s the same case for a strange young lady who arrived here just days ago… A case so bad, apparently, that I heard her brother has already had enough of the locals.” He chuckled lightly and turned back to face Kikimora, and then the exterior of his cafe, looking out at all the passersby through the windows.

Kikimora jumped, dropping her mop and nearly letting its long wooden handle clatter on the clean ground before she caught it, breathing a sigh of relief. “Phew… if the handle made an imprint on the ground, that would’ve been pretty bad,” she muttered to herself and focused her body again on her work. “A strange young lady, you say? You’re not mistaking her for Ally, right? Either w-”

“No, no, not Ally,” Lemres replied, resting his head and arms against the glass blocking customers from taking free samples of cake. “It was… a little blonde girl dressed head to toe in black, purple and red, and her much taller, black-haired brother. I didn’t catch news of their names, and I don’t believe they’re related, but I’ve heard they make quite the first impression.”

“Well, you do run the legendary Circe Cafe. I was about to ask where you got all this information, but I guess at a place like this, there are always five or ten gossiping nobles.” Kikimora giggled loudly, drawing strange looks from the people walking by the cafe in the light rain outside. She stood in place and wiped the sweat from her brow, admiring her handiwork. “Clean and sharp as a pin! It took me a while to finish, but everything is right and ready!”

Lemres walked towards the housekeeper, coming from behind the counter and he reached his hand out to her, iced sugar cookies wrapped in a small translucent bag sitting neatly in his palm. “Here’s a reward for working so hard,” her boss offered, which she accepted reluctantly, to her own surprise. “My treat! I’ll have to remember you worked overtime.”

Kikimora held a strong thumbs-up in his direction, slowly chewing the sugar cookies. “Of course! I always make sure it’s all clean! Plus, whenever you’re working, idle chatter is a great way to pass time, so overtime is no real problem for me,” she commented, pouring away the dirtied water in her bucket and bringing her mop to her side with her non-cookie-holding hand. “Stuff’s been happening more recently nowadays, too… People I’ve never seen before keep popping up lately. First, it was that Ecolo guy, then that redheaded girl you guys found outside a few days ago, and now it’s those strange siblings. It’s weird… but you know, it makes for a great conversation topic!”

Lemres sighed, walking over to the maid and picking up her metal bucket to leave at the cafe’s doorstep. “About that… Ecolo said that girl we found unconscious on the street was named Ringo,” he murmured quietly, barely audible enough so that only he and his employee could hear him. “It’s a familiar name, but I’m not sure from where… Strangest thing is that the next day she came in and ordered four cakes. Four, for herself! Though, I’m glad she’s interested in having sweets as well.” Lemres tried to recall the kind of cake she ordered—hazelnut cake with a vanilla roll cake for herself, was it? Something along those lines.

“Well, it probably means your sweets make her happy!” Kikimora replied, beaming. “That’s great! Or, she came bearing gifts for that party—which must mean she’s really rich. Undercover nobility isn’t uncommon, after all.” Though, it didn't quite make any sense; if no one had heard of this girl before, how could she be a part of the nobility? Surely someone’s talked of her before, right?

“Oh, right, that party! Rulue said that she wanted the best of the best desserts, so I’ve taken it upon myself to bake some sweeeet sweets!” the warlock cheerily cried out, before putting his hand to his chin. “Or, y’know, I could always create some sweets from thin air! Only if I’m running short on time, though. I would not like to do that. Sweets are always best when handmade!”

“Why wouldn’t you want to make desserts out of thin air?” Kikimora asked, tilting her head to the side, baby blue eyes looking back and forth from Lemres to the cakes on display in confusion. “Had I the ability to clean everything in a snap, I would! Cleanliness is the most important thing to me, after all!”

Lemres merely smiled, and let loose a kind laugh. “Ahaha! That’s true, that’s true, but let’s put it this way. What love, effort, and work is there in creating candies from nothing? Working provides meaning to living, especially when it makes you and others happy,” he responded wholeheartedly, and pointed to Kikimora’s mop, and then to the sparkle-shine of the cafe’s main room. “You clean and clean by yourself, it’s tiring work without much to gain! But wouldn’t you say it makes you happy at the end of the day, seeing that you made everything so clean?”

Kikimora paused, staring down at the brush of the mop in her hands, to the dirtied water overflowing from the bucket sitting outside in the pouring rain, and around the cafe. “I… I’d never had thought you’d tell me this kind of thing, Lemres,” she admitted shyly, and then gave herself a sudden boost of confidence. “I always thought maybe I’d be the one telling you that! But you know, you’re right! I’ve got lots of cleaning to do and it makes me happy! If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life; that’s how the saying goes, right?”

The patissier behind the counter gave a hearty laugh, and pat the maid on the shoulder. “Well said, Kikimora!” he replied. “That being said, actually, you should wrap up for today. Tomorrow, I and Gogotte will be up in arms making sweets for Rulue—currently, I’m teaching him how to improve the appearance of his creations—so consider tomorrow your day off. You deserve it.”

“I’ll probably consider that for a few hours, and come back to the cafe to clean up whatever mess is left behind,” Kikimora joked, stepping outside with the mage in green to be met with rain crashing down on the stone-studded street, the only thing keeping them both dry the fabric of the storefront above their heads. “Or, if I may, I’ll probably clean up around the royal household after I’ve finished that… I’ve done so before! The princess is a little moody, but she appreciates my work!” She flexed a muscle and stared up at the pouring rain. Lemres did the same.

Excitement, joy, that sparkling, heart-pounding sensation…

Those were the usual things people from all walks of life in Eria had when thinking about attending one of Princess Rulue’s parties.

And yet-

On a day just like this, the blackness of that pit swirled and bubbled, fear reaching into his throat and limbs until what was previously the stuff of the subconscious formed a mess of a rabid, screeching creature.

Lemres felt a bitter twinge of worry at the pit of his stomach.

~~🌺~~

“How does it feel to be the twin that is actually liked , dearest sister of mine?”

A sharp, sarcastic voice identical to hers came from the common room of their small home for two. The girl who sat on a wooden stool a few meters away from her looked up to see a face identical to hers and went back to painting on her sand-stained paper. Silvana, once again, was drawing something abstract with pigments from the fields on the outskirts of town–mostly greens, reds, and blues lined her paper, with unpainted whites–and paying no heed to the girl she had called her “dearest sister”.

“Silv, it’s not as bad as you think,” Arle argued with a sigh; really, on days like these when Silvana was painting, you knew she had a less-than-good day. “People like you! Amitie likes you, and so does Ally, and Ringo probably, and Lemres!”

“You just named three people with zero enemies, and one no one has heard of until a few weeks ago,” her doppelgänger countered as she set down her makeshift canvas, easel, and paints to get up and stretch. “So, how’d your scheming go with Amitie and Ringo? Good? Bad? Watch as the princess has a fit finding out commoners made their way into her party.”

Arle nervously laughed, and pat her twin on the back so hard it felt like a slap; it was audible, and Silvana’s figure nearly toppled onto the wooden table and all her artist’s supplies. “You’re so funny, Silv! I mean, it’s not TOO far from the truth, but for some reason, she tolerates my existence… not sure about Ringo, though.” The mage in blue stopped talking, the image of the apple-carrying girl’s strange nervousness from earlier flashing in the back of her mind. “I don’t think Rulue would be fond of her, but that’s why we sneak in–not show up like it’s your average day–and get a good glimpse of the starry lives of nobles!”

Silvana scoffed playfully and turned around to enter the next room. “I mean, if you don’t get kicked out,” she remarked, stopping at a table to draw a knife and some fruit. “Anything you want? If not, you’re getting some of this weird-looking fruit.” She picked up a whole part no larger than her thumb, and set it back down to cut, where Arle looked at her twin with utter disgust.

Their kitchen, where the two of them were preparing snacks—or whatever Silvana was doing—was just as plain and unassuming as their common room: uneven wooden walls where some were scrubbed clean of all grime and some growing lichen; stone floor that was not particularly comfy or bumpy; wooden furniture with no polish. It was no surprise that the sisters had made numerous dents in their table.

“Are you- Are you cutting berries with a knife used for preparing MEAT?” Arle’s gold eyes widened in horror as they darted from Silvana neatly chopping singular berries the size of her thumbnail with a comically large, rectangular butcher’s knife to the massive pile of uncut berries to her side, the distance between the blade and her fingers getting closer with each chop. “I- Why do you need so many, anyway!?”

“You mean you don’t cut your berries before eating them?” her sister responded in genuine confusion, raising a thin eyebrow. “I’m preparing them because I’m going to share them with you and Carbuncle. You know how much he likes to eat.” Arle’s mouth formed the shape of an understanding “ohhhhh” as she turned to the asleep, yellow, rabbit-like creature lying on her bed.

It’s almost been 24 hours, that was strange…

“He hasn’t woken up yet? We must’ve had quite the adventure yesterday,” Arle mumbled, walking towards her very plain bed in the common room to sit down on it and pet her sleeping companion. “I hope he wakes up before tomorrow. I’d really like it if he joined Amitie, Ringo, and me on our newest adventure.” She giggled happily in the somewhat-silence of crickets chirping and the other mage dividing her fruit into wooden bowls.

Silvana picked up one large and normal-sized bowl each, both nearly completely full with the blackish-blue berries, and walked over to Arle and Carbuncle’s side, setting the larger one down. “The way you phrased that makes it sound like you want to overexert him,” she replied in a non-serious tone. “Well, whatever. If he wakes up, make sure you keep him on a leash. Oh, and remind him of the free food I lovingly prepared. If there’s any left over, who knows, you could use it to decorate your cake offering.” She pointed to the bowl teeming with food for Carbuncle and popped a cut berry from her own bowl into her mouth rather nonchalantly.

“So I have to get my own bowl, I assume? You’re cruel, Silv,” Arle joked, getting up and removing the white ribbon that tied her hair into a neat ponytail before walking forth to get her bowl of fruit and back to sit down again. She slowly put half a berry in her mouth and nearly gagged from how sweet it was–where in the entirety of the three kingdoms did she find these?  “I really don’t think we can use these berries on our cake. Ringo got hazelnut cake, which honestly doesn’t taste great with berry, especially ones this sweet,” she commented and poked Carbuncle gently, who rolled around with drool dripping from the side of his mouth. “Although, maybe if I ask Lemres, he might be able to do something about it.”

Silvana this time raised both eyebrows and scoffed quietly to herself. “Lemres? The guy with the large hat who runs the Circe Cafe? THAT Lemres?” she kept asking, overloading Arle’s brain with the same question over and over again. “I never said you had to. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate him, nor do I doubt his baking skill. But I’ve heard some pretty sour things about that guy, like how he summoned a demon in his youth that ran rogue, and that he cheated Rulue–Rulue, of all people!–into buying fool’s gold.”

“Those both sound equally unbelievable and I don’t believe them one bit,” Arle argued back, thinking about those rumors. “Lemres wouldn’t do either of those things, he’s a comet warlock. A mage of the light– You’re not talking about Maguro, right? Because apparently, he’s known ‘round these parts as ‘the boy who swindled the princess’. Amitie says he’s got a bad rep amongst the nobility, but Ringo says the complete opposite of, well, everyone else.”

The apprentice magician looked around and the eyesight blurred outside the complete darkness outside the window barely illuminated by candlelight. It was impossible to tell time outside of the clock tower in town square; commoners, including the Nadja twins, had no clocks and no access to them, so going to bed and waking up was a matter of instinct.

“It’s already pretty late. We should get a little shut-eye, and then we can decide on what to do about that party-crashing plan, okay? Nighty-night, Silvana!” Arle suggested, moving her body under multiple thin sheets over the hard mattress–if you could even call it a mattress, it was just a tight, wide bundle of hay wrapped in a spare sheet–and sighing comfortably. To Arle, at least, it was comfortable, because she had never had the luxury of having anything more. “You mean you will decide. Leave me out of your royal invasion; I would prefer not to risk a beheading,” Silvana countered, sliding herself into bed next to Arle, with Carbuncle snugly sandwiched between them. “I still wonder why we share the bed and why one of us can’t just sleep on the floor, but it’s not like we can do anything about it. There’s only so much in the budget for our quality of life, and we gotta make the most of it.” Crimson irises eyed the floor, colored a cold grey, and shivered on instinct. She lifted her head to blow out the candle on the wooden table, hot wax spilling over its holder and dripping to the ground below.

“Night, Arle.”