"I," Elin stuttered, swallowed her hesitation, and tried to speak again, "I used a paladin ability. I'm sorry."

Her hand gripping the sword trembled. In anger, she unleashed a powerful strike. Now, the exhibition was over. Instantly. It wasn't how Walter planned it.

Walter jogged up to her, and tilted his head, "What? No, you didn't." He dusted grass and dirt from her shoulders and hair.

She shrugged him off. "But I used Righteous Judgement!"

"I don't understand, that's not a paladin's ability. That's part of the Valkyrie fighting set."

Elin pressed her fingers to her temples. "What? But the nosferatu said... It's even called Righteous! My mother never used such an ability, so it must be from my father!"

"She probably lacked the levels for it. Besides, you believe anything that pile of rotting dust said?"

"But how can you be sure?!"

Walter repressed a smile and looked at her. A beat passed before she covered her mouth to stop a laugh from escaping.

She said, "Yes, of course. I apologize. Walter, I feel lightheaded, I got overly excited thinking my other powers returned. I failed to defeat the monsters, as you directed. I apologize."

He shrugged, "Well, the monster had it coming, I'm sure. Hit it again, if it'll make you feel better."

This time, she did laugh.

The witnessing crowd ambled forward, crossed the summit of the hill, and stared transfixed on Elin. Someone yelled, "The Rose of the Rapier!" A chant started.

Walter helped Elin lift her sword into the sky.

Lord Remont watched, fascinated, as Lady Elin upheaved earth and monster, with the felling of her sword. To call it defeated did not define how savagely destroyed its body was. Troll's blood served as a valuable alchemical ingredient, but he was sure most of it was wrung from the muscle, like a wet towel, and scattered to the field.

With one stroke, a long-standing threat to the kingdom was dead.

No one interrupted them now. No one whispered. No one dared to approach, or act disdainful, or even breathe without mindfulness. There stood the inheritor of undiluted heroic power. The dreams of those arranging marriages, desperate to squeeze an extra ounce out of the bloodlines, did not compare. The attack was the long-coming answer to hundreds-of-thousands of prayers, the ultimate repudiation of monsters.

Lord Remont secretly panicked. If the monsters were defeated, then so was the Cult of the Circle, and ultimately Ouroboros.

Until she left, the field was a church, and the witnesses stood reverent.

And then there was her so-called squire, Walter, a mage of unmatched sorcery and knowledge. He was unique, and Lord Remont could not recall a single instance of Magic Missle in current times. Not only did he command it unerringly, but it caused him no self-harm. His thoughts churned, like rotting butter. Where did he even come from? Was this the man that Faux was obsessed with? It has to be!

If Lord Remont failed to touch Walter earlier, then he would have been taken by surprise by Lady Elin's sheer power.

Since he had the advantage of his wits, prepared for a ridiculously overwhelming display, he stepped forward. The others gasped, and reached out their hands to follow, but were unable to unroot their feet. Some stumbled to their knees.

No doubt, the messenger pigeons will fly after this. I must secure a foothold before the royalty is involved!

"Lady Elin, on behalf of Letun, no, of the entirety of the Kingdom of Wilmand, we thank you for protecting our people and eliminating this monster." Lord Remont kneeled. "You are a woman who will change the world, and I will personally ensure you are satisfied. Just name your reward."

I'm not sure why they're pretending Walter is her servant, but I shouldn't interrupt them without understanding the situation.

He extended his hand to receive hers, to place a kiss on it. Lady Elin eyed his hand, and then him, motionlessly. Finally, she said, "Well, there is something."

"Name it. Anything."

Lord Remont brooded at his desk, and stared at the hand he grabbed Walter with. Even now, the numbness needled his palm. No physical injury presented; the pain he felt rested in his numinous body.

When Faux was adopted into the Cult of the Circle, Remont attempted his secret magic on her, 'Method of Loci.' She shrugged him off; the level difference between Faux and Remont doomed him to failure. By his estimation, because Faux never submitted to a 'Scan,' Elin out-leveled Faux, and his magic would likewise fail. So, he made an attempt on her squire.

Under normal circumstances, Remont's numinous body could invade the memories, and, eventually, the thoughts of his target, like a thief in a house. By sneaking, stealing, and rearranging things, he could control a person or gather information. If he acted subtly, he could go unnoticed. With force, he could dominate someone, with an imitation Geas, by restricting access to undesired decisions.

Remont desired to peek inside Elin's and Walter's 'mana shadows.' If mana were light, then a numinous body would block it. Novice spellcasting commenced from this indirect manipulation. Psychologically, more importantly to Lord Remont, people obscured secrets in the out-of-mind void. Those hidden artifacts of the subconscious were exceptional at binding a target.

Such was the fate of his personal maid. She stood by the wall, hands clasped in front of her, wearing a uniform thrashed to rags by the whip. As soon as Remont returned to Manticore Keep, he set about to relieving his frustration upon her. She mentally broke during his teenage years, a loyal puppet, incapable of betrayal. She suffered so he could regain his feeling of superiority.

Strategically, he should dispose of her, but he enjoyed her too much for that. Besides, as an agent, she was indispensable. If his abuse of magic was discovered, then he would be hanged or beheaded. The kingdom did not tolerate mind control magic. Luckily, even torture would not get her to talk, and he should know since he practiced it often.

The maid felt him staring at her, and she trembled. He grinned, despite himself, and sunk back into annoyance. Now wasn't the time for distractions.

But, the failure regarding Walter was an entirely different league. No, calling it a failure implies I could have succeeded. When the little oracle, Laira, remarked that Walter was a giant, it was an understatement. He's a titan. Before I could even enter his memory palace, he flicked me away, like a child sending a bug flying.

Either Walter didn't care Remont tried to ensorcell him, or, more likely, he didn't notice the attempt in the first place. That much difference existed between them.

Though risky, he wanted to touch Elin and initiate the 'Method of Loci' with her, but she rudely refused.

So he's the brains, and she's the brawns? It would explain the odd role-reversal. And what the hell was the deal with their reward?

All Elin requested was a place for them to stay, a modest house, and even offered to fulfill the laws of stewardship. One she could clean by herself.

Even with the missed opportunity to explore her mana shadow, Remont was confident whatever objects found in hers already involved Walter. His experience permitted Remont to notice the hallmarks of a previous Geas.

Was she going to play girlfriend to her squire, was she not actually in charge? Did she not realize people were going to flock to her? To offer her title and gold coin and servants and inheritable land? She's a state-level military resource. No one is going to risk her loyalty shifting. No one is going to accept her acting like that, either, not that they can stop her.

Wait.

Is he controlling her?

Perhaps I have leverage over this 'Rose of the Rapier,' after all.