Rampant Memory Of Klaus: Sive Mana is a gigantic inland lake that surges with powerful magic. Legends tell tales of it being the site where the ancient jormungandiir; Marwa, bled the most during his battle with the great god of justice and heroism, Rhothmir.

It is a dreadful scar on the land, much like its neighboring volcano of the Worldwound, as the intense arcane magic that continously flows out of it devours and twists what little floral life manages to eek out a living in its presence, turning them into pinkish, crystaline statues; unliving versions of their former forms, teeming with so much mana that many scholars speculate that the lake actually devours life itself as an energy, somehow transforming it into crystals of pure magic that fetch a high price on any black market, especially those off-continent.

Its waters are highly valued as naturally formed mana potions, as well as the subject of a myriad experiments. However, it is not easy to acquire this precious liquid for a multitude of reasons; the lifeless lands sourrounding the Sive Mana from all sides are guarded by a legion of crystalized bones; semi-undead creatures of the many, many adventuring parties and/or animals that have found themselves too close for comfort; thusly dying in the process.

The deeper one goes into the lake's territory, the stronger its draining aura becomes, until it eventually becomes so hard to breathe that nothing living can survive without proper, protective enchanted gear.

There can be no hope when even the land consumes life...

... but what need is there for hope?

When everything around you is teeming with spite~.

A few minutes later...

Only a sparse few minutes had passed since I walked out of the castle dungeons seemingly carrying a corpse on my back. The many servants and nobles within the castle were running around like chickens without heads, an aimless cascade born out of panic as every guard, maid and butler looked hard for someone to make sense of the situation. Nobles and rich merchants all avoided me like a plague, which I couldn't really fault them for, considering her withering body may very well be host something contaigous and potentally deadly.

But I did not have time to entertain their antics nor tolerate these flights of paranoia as I finally made my way into the castle's bedroom hall. Taking only the briefest few moments to consider my options, I decided to bring her to my room instead of ordering the servants to find someplace more suitable for one of Vivian's dire condition.

Placing her down onto my beatific, crimson silk couch, I removed her tattered clothing and began to examine her ragged body. "Hmph... to unclothe me so swiftly and without the slightest consideration for my feelings~." She mused to herself and chuckled hoarsely. "How very like you."

I blinked with a raised eyebrow. "I did something like this before?" To my surprise, she shook her head in negative. "No. You haven't ever touched me yourself, if that's what you're asking. Your hired scum did everything you wanted in your stead."

With a massive sigh, I continued my work in silence. The most pressing issues of her body are the insane malnutrition and the failing organs... in fact, this body of hers is a medical miracle in its own right, even with magic preventing it from dying. "Hey, Vivian? May I ask what exactly you're doing with your magic in order to keep yourself alive? You don't have to explain the details, just in general."

She quirked an eyebrow at me with a very inquisitive glance. "I'm.. using mana to keep my soul from escaping my body." That sounds incredibly taxing. "And how are you managing to do this without running out of mana?"

Choking as she tried to speak, she eventually forced herself to reply. "I used to drain what I needed from your enchantments... but now that you've brought me out of the cell, that's no longer possible." So its only a matter of time before she runs out. "Guess I'll have to get some mana potions then. Asmodeus' presence here should make that easy." Muttering to myself as I lightly pressed down on several points on her body in my continued effort to ascertain her condition, I watched in surprise as her eyes once again sprang wide open. "Asmodeus?! The Grand Wizard?!"

Her exclamation made her cough and choke again as she tried to sit upright with worry in her tone. "The Viper of the East?! Why would you invite such a monster into your court?! Do you not remember who he is?"

A shrug was her answer. "For the record, twas my father who invited him here, something about awakening my magic, which is actually the root cause of me having memory problems." I then sighed heavily before nodding. "... but no, I do not remember him or who he is nor why you called him a monster just now."

She steadied herself as I pressed a finger into her abdomen, the skin nearly giving away as I felt my body twitch with frustration. How do I even begin to heal her? Do I just supply her with potions and hope for the best? Somehow, that alone does not feel like I'm trying hard enough. "He -... the nation he comes from is a royal meritocracy. It chooses its ruler depending on their personal magical power levels. Asmodeus... had many siblings and other family members who were considered legitimate for the throne and, even though he was the strongest among them by a huge margin, had them all executed publicly, even the women and children, aunts and uncles, nobody was spared until he was the only one left of what was once a splendorous dynasty." She spoke with such spite that her tone almost surpassed what she showed when addressing me.

Still, this is rather shocking, even if I do understand his reasoning, I certainly didn't expect something like that out of Asmodeus from what he's shown me so far. "Hmm, I guess you really can't judge a book by its cover."

"What do you mean?" Vivian quirked another eyebrow at me as I stopped prodding her greying flesh and sat down on a chair next to her, leaning into it for comfort. "He's been very helpful to me these last few days, especially with the construction of my new laboratory."

Vivian's mouth went agape. "Laboratory? And again, what do you mean?! Didn't you say that he is responsible for your memory loss just now?" A nod was her answer. "I did and he technically is; it was his apprentice that performed the ritual of awakening on me, after all."

"Apprentice? ... so he used a talentless proxy for a ritual that could have potentially killed you and you agreed?" I shrugged automatically. "Father's orders. I don't think there was much there that I could do, really."

It was at this moment that she noticed my crown. "Your father's orders... wait, where even is the king? What is he doing-" A sigh escaped me, deeper than I thought was possible. "I'm not yet totally sure as to how, but he died on the same day that I was *awakened*, by Asmodeus' apprentice."

She offered me a slow nod of understanding. "I guess that means you're king now, eh?" She restrained her laughter as she continued without letting me reply. "Anyways, getting that viper to help you should not be an easy task, especially since its me that is receiving the potions. You might not remember it, but I was his main political enemy once, alongside the marshal."

My smile gave her pause. "Indeed? That's good to know. Fortunately, the Grand Wizard is currently begging me to give him more information about my power. Plus, people seem to be starting to think that I am insane, so excusing my actions has become remarkably easy~."

A cheery laugh, despite everything demanding the contrary, escaped Vivian once she heard that. "Pfft! Only you, I swear! Only you could see the benefits of being thought of as insane!" My own expression though, was not quite so cheery. "Being insane isn't as bad as you think, Vivian. After all, people naturally write you off so long as you aren't physically near them, causing most to simply underestimate you and continue to do so until it is too late."

With a sigh, I continued. "That said, Vivian, would you be willing to tell me if I..." I shook my head. "Do I have any siblings or family to worry about?"

She stared at me in utter disbelief and pity, unable to help herself even as I noticed her visibly twitch due to the emotions raging on the inside. "... To ask such a thing so earnestly... you really have forgotten everything, haven't you?"

Then she shook her head and took a breath. "No, you don't have anyone. If your father is truly gone, then you are currently alone in the world..." A tear fell down her rotten cheeks. "On that n-note, I had only my father left before you imprisoned me... but you didn't let me get any news from him and its been seventeen years since I was imprisoned..."

I gave her a slow nod in understanding. "I'll look into it when I am able just, uhm, what's his name?" She chuckled lightly before replying. "His name is Lyon Osterhart."

Lyon Osterhart... that makes her Vivian Osterhart, unless she is married, though that is perhaps unlikely. Oh well, best to bring it up now rather than later. "So does that make you Vivian Osterhart?" My head tilted sideways in confusion, eliciting a laugh from the woman. "Yup. Vivian Osterhart, former heir to the grand duchy of Osterhart, thirty-seven years old and still unmarried, not to mention childless~."

Damn.

She read me like a book.

I couldn't help myself and chuckled. "Well, don't feel too bad, Vivian. I'm also unmarried and childless." A sigh escaped me as she quieted down and quirked an eyebrow. "Eh?.. you mean, you still didn't force Katrin into- wait, do you even remember her?! Your fiance, that is?"

"I did not remember her when I first woke up but I do now." I sighed again before shaking my head. ".. but its fine now. I let her go a couple days ago and canceled the engagement."

Her eyes went wide in pleasant surprise. "Really? That must've been quite the shock for her and the family." A nod was her answer, but I didn't go into more details. There was really no need for Vivian to know that Katrin's brother kicked me out of the bed and that I mangled his foot.

*knock knock knock knock*

A spree of uneasy sounds broke us both out of the somewhat pleasant atmosphere as I felt myself sigh and stood up from my chair, my knees making cracking sounds as I rose. "Looks like our improvised tea-time is over, Vivian." Both of us chuckled merrily as she laid back down, splaying herself out on the couch just as I covered her up with my bedsheets before adressing the door.

"Yes? What is it?" I opened up the door with a slight grimace, revealing the shocked and still-horrified servants, as well as a multitude of armed guards with stoic expressions and a couple disgusted nobles to top it all off. "Your majes-" One of the servants began, but I raised my hand high to quieten them. Their eyes followed my lifted limb as if it was some predator ready to punce a member of their herd.

"Bring me some lighter foodstuffs, a new blanket, lots of cooked water and mana potions." The gathered crowd, as well as Vivian herself, gave me looks of absolute flabbergastment."Erm, of course, your majesty. As you wish...?" With questioning glances and inquisitive expressions, the servants broke themselves out of their collective stupor and left.

The guards and the noblemen did not, so I turned towards the guards to adress them first. "Why are you still here?" Something that the nobles took incredible offense to as they raised their fists in protest. "YOUR MAJESTY! You were seen carrying a dangerous enemy of the kingdom on your back! WE DEMAND AN EXPLANATION!"

"And who are you that I must waste my time explaining my actions to? Am I not the king here?" I gave them a calm explanation as I tilted my head sideways in a mocking manner and spoke in a cruel tone. The well-dressed men shuddered at my gaze, looking away from it.

All but one of them, that is. "Y-your m-majesty!" This guy and I shared a physical shape and he seemed to know me from before, even as he knelt down in front of me. "Lord Klaus, my old friend! I've heard that your mind is not doing so well these days." He stood up with a sly, greedy smile and addressed me by my name, indicating that we were friends, indeed~.

I nearly burst out laughing. "Friends, eh? Too bad for you then, friend; but your majesty does not remember you." I returned his smile with more than just equavilent, innate spite. "Then indeed, the stories must be true!" He replied without a beat and with a tone full of fake sadness as he wiped a fake tear off of his cheek.

Hey, I can respect the effort, if nothing else. "Yes, yes, whatever. Either way, I do not care for you as you are right now, so begone." Seemingly smirking due to my answer, he rose from his kneeling position and let out a laugh. "Ah, is that so? Well, then I will not be stopping these fine fellows from assaulting you with their inquisitiveness, my friend!"

Taking it as their que, the rest of the nobles swarmed me, trying to push their way inside my room like rabid beasts, which I responded to by promptly kicking the first one up front directly into the crowd, causing more than one person to stumble and fall. "I am not currently in the mood to entertain your vulturesque ways. All shall be revealed once I am willing to reveal it. Now be good sorts and present your issues to me on paper instead of wasting my time in person, as is proper of those your stature!"

This dispersed some members of the crowd, but others still kept on pushing, demanding my attention. I just turned towards the guards and barked out a command before closing the door. "Keep them out! Let only the servants inside, ... as well as the lords Asmodeus and Sebastian, should they desire entry."

They saluted without fail. "Yes, your majesty!" And this was the last thing I heard before turning myself back around and towards Vivian with an immense smile on my face. That felt good~.

"A-are you sure that it is wise to just,.. deny so many nobles an audience like that?" She questioned my actions as I let out an annoyed sigh. "Nope. In fact, its probably remarkably idiotic, but I'll deal with it later." Shaking my head, I approached her with an inquisitive glance of my own. "So Vivian, what do you enjoy doing?"

Even if I can't help her directly, a mental distraction should still prove vital to the betternment of her health. To her credit, Vivian offered me a sheepish, almost apologetic expression as she lowered her head. "Uhm, I was actually.. kind of a workaholic, back then? The thing I enjoyed the most while I was free was actually managing my realm as its steward, guiding consctuction efforts, updating harvest protocols..." She trailed off as she turned to look at me, seemingly expecting a disinterested look.

Alas, I also found such things interesting to some degree. "Oh? Is that so? Then, would you mind helping me deal with this?" I absentmindedly pointed toward the large stack of paperwork, diligently stashed on my working table and left forgotten over an entire week.

My, that pile has certainly grown over time... is this kingdom truly that desperate for a leader or has my father never bothered to adress domestic issues?

Honestly, I can't bring myself to blame him if the latter is true. "O-oh?! Y-yes! I would love to!" Her spirits brightened almost instantly and I felt myself twisting with joy on the inside. Finally! Someone that I can ditch my work on~.

.. lets just hope her skill matches her spirit. Oh well, if nothing else, this should prove to be an interesting cause for conversation and a good distraction, for the both of us.

Which also reminds me... Sebastian still hasn't arrived with those dwarves slaves, has he? With that wounded foot of his... Haa, lets just hope that nothing bad has happened to him~!