Staring blankly at the window, I let out a sigh.

Nothing has changed.

Nothing.

My dead eyes cast themselves on the familiar blue sky. This day will be like every other day. I am in this damn cycle where I repeat the same thing over, and over, and over again. Everything is the same. Here I am, trapped in this mansion for - how many years? I lost count. My father is being a greedy, selfish brute, holding me in his domain. He denies my freedom, stripping away any way out of my hellish fate.

"'A young lady should not venture outside of these walls,' he says, 'It would be best to marry someone and help the family.'” I mutter. Help? As I recall this statement, I just scoff at it. Yeah, he can help me leave. Being stuck in this damn palace will help the family? I know what you are scheming, old man! The hints of greed resonate brightly in those eyes of yours! Every time I go through this topic with my father, I helplessly look at for aid. My mother, whom I love, does not back me up. The thought made my blood boil! My own mother that I trust dearly, DENIED me my freedom. Closing my eyes, I silence these thoughts. Well, this was years ago though. There must be some reason behind her silence. My vision trails onto the very thin clouds floating through the endless light blue sky. What is it like outside these familiar walls?

Knocking on the door, a rough voice asks, “Can I come in?”

“Yes.” I rose from my seat, turning towards the door of my room. The Black Knight leader, Nero, walks in. I can hear his armor rustle against each other, creating a subtle clanking noise as he enters my room. His armor covers every inch of his body. The difference between him and the other Black Knights is the dark red outlines around each armor plate on him. Most of these lines can be found around his knees, elbows, hands, chest, and armet helmet. The armet’s top part stretches past the bottom section of the helmet. One can easily tell that this helmet has been tampered with, modified specially for this warrior. Hooked onto his back, a tattered red cloak flows behind him. I wonder if he wears the cape to identify himself as the leader or a memento from battle. My eyes analyze his armor. Unlike the other knights, his armor still bears dents and scratches. There is a giant scratch running down the armet’s visor near his left eye, but it did not obscure his vision. The armor he and the others knights wear a set of armor composed of heavy greaves, gauntlets, large pauldrons, faulds, heavy leg plates, and the slightly large, strangely shaped chest plate. The armor did not make them look wider, but their front and back gave them an upside-down triangle look if you stare at them from the side. The other twelve Black Knights did not wear armets. They dawn a closed helmet instead. It seems like they would be unable to see or breathe with such a tightly sealed helm, but I know better. They have great reflexes and operate normally despite their heavy gear. Thinking about it, my knights never took off their armor. My silence troubled the leader though.

“Is something the matter Princess Aisha?” Nero asked. How many times have I done this? Questions always pop up in my head, wondering what these guys went through. Regardless, I dismiss any unease with a wave of my hand.

“Nothing,” I state, releasing a sigh, “Are we having another banquet tonight? Or is it a gathering? How many times has it been? Seventy-eight? These pointless gatherings have not opened my eyes. I swear, no one is catching my attention. All of the nobles just gossip and talk about my beauty, yet none of them care about my personality or my thoughts. They have no clue about my actual interests.”

“Answering your questions, it's a gathering. Yes, another gathering you will have to attend. Answering your third question, I lost count ma’am. We do have a couple of hours before we do the usual routine, however, the queen needs you to fetch some items. She says you can bring your sisters and brothers with you as well. Ethan has the list for the particular items we need to pick up. Give them some fresh air, and take them out of the house. Usually, Titan would accompany you, but since your siblings are coming as well, all of your knights will guard you today.”

“Heh. Really now? Well, I think you guys also need some fresh air away from this damn palace as well. You guys have been harassed constantly by the other knights, right? I feel like punching them, but that would be ‘unladylike’ of me. I know that you guys are better than those knights. Yet I am confused as to why your ranks haven’t changed. How many years has it been?”

“Don’t worry about it.” interject a young, deep voice. Titan walks into the room, wielding two giant greatswords on his back. Despite his average size, he can easily use and hold those massive blades. Is this possible? Even though my knights are ‘weak’, most armed personnel questioned this man’s strength. Dual-wielding with two greatswords?! Such madness! A guard challenged him to a duel that ended as a grand spectacle. Embarrassment for my father though. The guard wet his pants while everyone acknowledged Titan’s strength. When I was selecting my weapon of choice, I tested out how heavy Titan’s greatswords are. Obviously, I could not lift those swords off the ground! They weigh a ton or even more! The other knights could not even pick up Titan’s blades. I remember some of my knights teased me, joking about saying how weak I was. It was obvious that it was futile. I did not have the strength for Titan's greatswords. I knew that my knights enjoyed my attempt and fruitless struggles. I remember my dad trying his hand at it.

He failed. The best thing that came out of that was how he muttered,” I might have cracked something.”

“Did you gather everyone at the entrance?” Nero glances over his shoulder, waiting for Titan’s response.

“Yes, sir. Our knights are ready. Lady Jennifer, Lady Jessica, Lady Olivia, and Sir Ethan are waiting outside.” The way Titan addressed my younger siblings as ‘lady’ and ‘sir’ made me laugh. Just for a split second. My hand rush towards my lips, sealing them. Titan also emphasized on their titles a bit too much. Nero turned towards his ally.

“Why the hell are you calling the youngsters ‘sir’ and ‘lady?’ They are not adults yet.”

“...Orders from Lady Olivia. Heh.” There was a brief pause from that. The leader made a sigh, I think, while he shakes his head. Already at my door, he says, “Come. Let us depart.” Before I could follow him, Titan looks at me. He lets out a whistle, the one used by males when they see something… nice.

“You look beautiful as always, princess.” I just let a subtle laugh escape my lips. The cheeky bastard. I can feel my face form into a smile towards the armored man.

“Don’t you say that all the time?” He usually compliments every female that walks near him. How many times have I heard the maids gossip about how well this guy is? All of the maids squeal at the sight of this guy. Unlike Dan, another Black Knight, he attracts a lot of ladies. He has this strange aura around him. Despite this, he usually gives compliments left and right. Some of them might be plain while other times he would say something quite poetic… even though he did not mean to make it sound poetic. The most priceless memory this man did was flirt with my mom. To be honest, it was rather random. Titan complimented on my mom’s dress, she decided to reply… then the two ended up with a heating conversation. We were quite amazed at how Titan was just doing all of this in front of Eadric. Everyone was shocked at how it turned out. My idiotic father seemed utterly jealous, excusing himself. His face showed a disgusting shade of red.

“Well, I say a lot of things, don’t I?” The man replies, laughing it off. Thinking about it, I wonder how old each knight is? Titan seems to be in his twenties, maybe? I also wonder what each knight looks like without their armor. Once again, why did they wear their armor twenty-four seven? It did not sit well with me, but they must have their circumstances. Looking at the mirror, I wore a simple brown gown that stops at my ankles. Covering my feet, I wore some basic laced shoes along with white nylon socks. My long silver hair flows off of my shoulders running through the front and back. My green eyes glance at my slim figure, my right hand went towards my chest where I lightly caress my special silver locket.

“See, you’re looking at yourself right now. Checking out your own sexiness… Just don’t do anything strange like make out with yourself.”

“S-Stop teasing me Titan!” My cheeks slightly burn up, slapping his arm. Of course, that did not hurt, but I can hear him laugh. Out of all the knights, he saved me from a horrible incident. I almost lost my- I stopped myself from saying the specific line. Even though he’s not a bad guy, I do not see him as a potential lover. He is a trusted friend and a close ally. My mind recalls the time when I was kidnapped. It happened too quickly. One second I was walking down the streets, seconds later, I found myself in a dark room. I was stripped of my clothes, and the kidnapper was about to rape me. I can recall the agony and despair I felt when he tore off my final protection. At that moment, Titan burst through the door and pinned the man down. Even before that incident, Titan was the one who interacted with me the most. He showed such a playful side, making me feel at peace. He can make this trapped life bearable. Walking down memory lane, I did not realize the goofy expression I was making. By goofy, ‘it was a very kind, gentle smile that can melt the heart of a devil.’ Titan described my expression as such. Noticing my goofy expression, the man scoffs at me.

“Stop thinking about the past. I know you are recalling the time I saved you and our foolish moments together, but we have Nero waiting on our asses. He might punish me for goofing around.. again.” Snapping out of my trance, I agreed with the armored man. On our way out though, I kicked him for pointing out my goofy face.

Leading the way out of my room, we walked down the long corridors of this palace. It used to be a mansion, but my father decided that this place needs more room. Renovating the entire place, it was turned into this palace sticking in the middle of our settlement. The elaborate red rug stretches itself across the floor with intricate patterns. The walls are decorated with portraits of old ancestors or paintings of beautiful nature like sceneries. Guards walk through these corridors, casting their gaze upon Titan and I. The knight behind me changed his personality. He stood up straight, acting stiff in his stride. I frown at his fake bravado, but it was something that the Black Knights usually do when they walk with me. Maids and butlers also passed us. Most of them bowed at my presence as they headed to their destination. I swear I can hear the maids squeal when they see Titan. I think I heard him whisper a compliment as we walked towards the main doors.

After a few more minutes, we arrived at the entrance hall. This spacious area was where most of our gatherings take place. Our guests would stay in this area and chat amongst themselves. Usually, my mom and dad would linger in this spot to welcome and entering our guests. Tables would be stationed off to the side for refreshments, but it was not time yet. Standing in the center, I can see my mother chatting with Nero and Mel. As we approach them, I can see Nero bow before my mother, heading for the entrance. Mel and Amelia turn towards us. Mel wears a standard black and white maid outfit. She seems relatively young. Her fair olive complexion outlines her heart-shaped face. Her dark eyes locked onto me, then at Amelia. Her black hair tied up in a ponytail. She bows at my mom, “I shall return to my duties. Excuse me, your highness. Princess Aisha.” And with that, my mother and I stared at each other.

My mother was something that I only thought in fairy tales. She has such an amazing figure. She has not aged at all, standing in her twenties. Wearing a simple white gown, one can see her slim, hourglass figure. Her breasts are large, surpassing my own, her pale diamond face letting out a small smile revealing her heavenly-white teeth. Those alluring blue eyes locked onto me with its unique charm, captivating me for a bit. Her long platinum blonde hair flows down her back, strands running down the front of her face and her chest. She does not wear makeup as much, revealing much of her flawless, natural features. I remember how smooth my mother’s skin was when she fed me or cuddled me close to her breasts. My cheeks felt rather hot at the thought of it. I nervously avert my gaze. Thinking about these thoughts, I try to say something. Stupid lips! My voice has left me, my lips unable to break away from one another. Every time I see her, I feel all funny. Compared to my father, I love my mother. She has nurtured me, taken care of me, comfort me, she has always been there for me. Even though there are times when she turns a blind eye or remained silent, she still loves me. There must have been some reason for her not siding with me as I fought with my father. My thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.

“You look gorgeous, your majesty…” On instinct, my elbow pressed against Titan. This was a gesture of mine for him to shut up! Even though my father turns a blind eye to his compliments, I doubt he will let it happen again. Well, he was not within the vicinity, but it is best to control Titan’s remarks when he sees the queen. Amelia, my mother, just lets out a giggle, moving her hand in front of her luscious lips. Her gentle giggle unleashes a devastating charm.

“Thank you, Titan. Aisha, thank you for picking up these supplies. I would do it myself, but I have other matters to attend to. Do take care of your younger siblings.” Amelia said with a soothing and enchanting voice. I nod my head, making Titan wait outside with the others. He bows towards us, exiting out of the entrance hall.

“Then, I shall take my leave.” Bowing before my mother, I slowly walked towards the exit. She stops me with a compliment. Something that made me stop in my tracks.

“You are becoming a fine woman.”

“I am?” I close my eyes and shook my head. “I doubt that. Me giving a cold shoulder at most of those nobles and being relatively rude isn’t ladylike.” I stated, “I mean… You know, I am not like my older sisters.” My older sisters, warriors or not, can show respect towards the nobles, even if they are disrespectful and rude. I have zero tolerance for any noble that wish to use me as a tool. Their expressions usually give it away along with any gossip before they interact with me.

“No silly,” Amelia spoke up, standing right behind me. She must have approached me when I stopped to give my response, “I do not mean like an actual lady-in-waiting. You do not possess such qualities. You are rebellious, stubborn, and rude.” I just scoff at the remark. It was a compliment more than an insult. Well, I did state the obvious when I mentioned my siblings. Amelia continues, “You are beautiful in being true to yourself. That is why I say you will become a fine woman. Displaying mannerism has nothing to do with your actual beauty of being a strong woman. Aisha, never lie to yourself.” I feel a warm sensation engulf my body. Her words delivered a calm atmosphere into my thoughts. The fact that my body was unable to contain itself, I turned around and hugged her. I pulled her towards me, feeling her soft body against my own. She was not expecting a hug from me, but she did not reject it. She embraces me as well.

“I love you, Aisha.”

“Love you too, mom.” I pull away from my mom, heading through the doors, Amelia remains in her spot as she watches me go through the front doors.

Mel approaches the queen, saying, “Today’s the day. Tonight, we will be seeing her once again.” Amelia’s expression changed drastically. Her warm smile was killed off by a frown. The warm aura around her disappeared. She closes her eyes, nodding silently at Mel’s statement.

“Prepare for the worst-case scenario tonight. I know that if we invite her here, the other one will come as well.” Amelia’s soothing voice turned hostile. Her body trembles a bit, but she marches away from the entrance hall, “Come, Mel, we have things to do.”

Breathing in the fresh air, I noticed the Black Knights are in formation. It was two simple columns standing at the edge of the stone pathway. It felt a bit too formal, reminding me of the time when the guards would line up as our family parades around our settlement. They usually do this to keep the commoners back. Thinking about it, I think my father explained to us that back then it was never like this. He built a large mansion. When he served under Emperor Titus, he gained a lot more followers, supporters, and wealth. Using that wealth, he constructed more buildings and walls around this mansion. It drastically changed the single, rich house into a huge settlement covering most of his territory. Recently, he added walls around our new fancy palace. My idiotic father decided this settlement’s name would be Larton.

I silently envy my brothers and sisters who can venture out in the world. I yearn for freedom and the desire to see what life is like out there. I have read many stories of legends, historical battles, inspiring heroes, and a lot more from the local library and my family’s archives. Thinking about, I never asked where my Black Knights came from. They told me some of their tales as well, but not in great detail. Thinking about it, I rub my chin at the thought of it. Maybe I should ask them later. My thoughts were silenced by two young female voices charging right at me.

“Sister! Sister!” they screamed out in unison. Two small figures attacked me, hugging my legs. I let out a light gasp, dismissing it with laughter right away. Ah, my younger twin sisters Jennifer and Jessica. I rub their small heads, hearing a somewhat startled, quiet female voice say,” S-Sorry about that! T-T-They were…”

“It’s fine Olivia. Besides, I don’t mind.” I calmly answered, staring at her. At the age of thirteen, she is becoming quite beautiful. With her short brunette hair running to her neck, her round hazel eyes look right at me. Her outfit was quite elaborate. She wears a silver Gothic Victorian Lolita dress. The skirt is barely touching the ground as two thin straps run across her collarbone region. The outfit reveals her rosy-pale shoulders, showing her slender body. Her arms are covered with silver gloves that stop at the elbows. As I inspect her, Olivia’s round face reveals some hint of shyness. She trembles slightly, her eyes quivering as well. Even though she is trying to be ladylike, I can tell that she wants a hug too. Sighing, I motioned her forward. Immediately, she sprints towards me, wrapping her arms around my back. If she had more power with her hug, I would have hit the ground.

“O-O-Olivia! Careful! Jeez, you almost knocked us over!” I warned. My ears pick up some snickers coming from my bodyguards. I glared at the columns, watching the knights stand there like statues. These guys are enjoying themselves too much. A smile just stayed on my face, my ears picking up another young male voice. Ah, Ethan.

Even though he is fifteen-years-old, he spoke in a very eloquent and proper manner. He shows a huge amount of intelligence compared to my older brothers. Talking with Nero, he stands in a suit that our house butlers would wear. My father did not like Ethan’s decision for wearing the same outfits as “commoners.” Ethan explained why he chose this appearance though.

He did not like how he stood out. He did not like the special treatment.

The young prince hated the way he looked when he wore expensive attires. Of course, Ethan pointed out that there will be times when he will wear something nice. When he didn't need to wear anything nice though, he will want to wear a simple outfit. I did not tell Ethan to follow my example, yet my father frowns at how Ethan followed my example. He allowed it to slide though. As long as Ethan agrees to the arranged marriages and specifications, he allowed Ethan to do whatever he wants. Despite this though, Ethan helps out around the house. He felt that having maids and butlers attend to his every whim is unnecessary, and that, he too, should help out with some simple chores here and there. To be honest, I think he is a better gentleman than any of my suitors. He wears a simple black coat, pants, and shoes with white gloves and a button-up shirt. His almond eyes are fixed on Nero, the boy gesturing his covered hands as he converses with the leader. His long dark hair sways with his movement as he places his hand underneath his sharp chin. Nero just bowed at him before Ethan turn towards me. I can see his symmetrical diamond face, his slim bushy eyebrows making a puzzled expression. He approaches us, saying with a mixed soft yet somewhat rough voice, “Greetings older sister, how are you today?” He even bowed before me. I find that strange since my brothers would usually walk away from me. Some would even call me a ‘disgrace.’

“Ethan… you don’t need to bow before me. We’re siblings. You socialize with those butlers a bit too much.” The butlers have been planting some of their usual mannerisms onto Ethan, but I think that’s fine.

“Is that an issue, sis?” he asks, smiling at his remark.

“Of course not. Alright, enough of the hugs! We should get going. If we don’t, my knights might collapse from boredom.” I announced, patting my twin sisters one last time.

“I don’t know… You can stay like that so we can be grateful for serving you.” comment one of the Black Knights. The voice came from the knight holding a spear and giant shield.

“Oi, shut it Dan.” said a quiet, irritating voice. It came from the other column of knights, “Joking around like that is…”

“Oh come on, cheer up Gallant! We do need to be thankful for being under her service! After all. have you seen the other guards? Goddamn. Aisha’s older sisters and brothers can be ruthless.”

“Enough.” a deeper voice interrupts Dan, “Bad. Dan.”Even though they all wore the same armor, they have slight differences between each other. The man that just spoke is Golem. He has a huge build like an actual golem. His armor is a bit wider and larger than all the other knights. Gallant is the knight with two swords sheathed on his waist. He has a slimmer physique that matches that of a rogue. This knight was my teacher. He taught me how to hold the sword and how to dual wield.

Right, Dan and Gallant do not see eye to eye with one another. My mind starts to reel in multiple flashbacks of these two. Gallant is a quiet man. He barely spoke. He stood on the sideline more than anything, yet he argues with Dan because of the man’s reputation. Dan is a goofball. He jokes around, says a lot of stuff nonchalantly, and he’s a troublemaker. One time, Dan took a glance at me and some of the maids when we were changing. Of course, he got rebuked for that. Gallant would usually chew him out the most for being an idiot though.

Despite his foolishness, Dan can be quite serious at times. He and Gallant can work fine together. During a raid on our mansion, the assassins tried to wipe out several key family members. Knowing this, Dan and Gallant swiftly hunt them down. They are the fastest in the group. When I witness their fight, Gallant and Dan were working together with relative ease. It seems like they were communicating with each other, but that was not the case. When Dan throws his spear at an enemy and defended himself with a shield, Gallant would fetch his weapon. Tossing the spear back to Dan, he easily retrieved it in midair. And when Gallant lets an enemy sneak up behind him, a spear would impale them. Dan covered for him. After they dispatch the assassins, I asked them how could they easily work together. Of course, they both denied their teamwork.

They are the total opposite, yet they can work together without saying a single word to each other. It seems odd, but amazing at the same time. Displaying such teamwork left me in awe, but that was ruined when Dan went back to being a pervert and other sorts. I would order Dan to stop being an idiot, but it always left a smile on my face. He even did something funny to my idiotic father, so I allow him to be himself. Gallant, however, showed me a lot when it came to fighting. Even though he barely talks, he showed me the skills, techniques, and mastery with blades. I fought against him as well, learning the dos and don’ts.

Another memory flash into my head when Gallant was teaching me. A bunch of knights told me that I was wasting time with this weakling. They said I should have them teach me about dual wielding. Gallant did not stand idle, challenging them to a duel. When the duel started, Gallant swiftly knocked him out, ending the duel in a second. From that one second, I saw what he did, but at the same time, I was at a loss. The guards accused him of cheating and left, My mind replays the words my teacher stated. Gallant said, “If you know what I did but didn’t, then I am doing my job as a teacher. They think I cheated, but they do not understand the basics of the skill I just used. For you to have a grasp of what I did means you are learning. Now, let’s resume…” As he taught me how to wield my weapons, I understood that he used a skill called [Dual Strike]. The move slashes at an opponent with both weapons at the same time. The reason why I could not understand what he did was Gallant’s tremendous speed when he delivered it. The attack was so fast, it was blurred. Also, when one uses a skill, they would have called it out, but Gallant whispered it. By whispering the skill’s name, this would make an enemy try and guess what they were doing. Depending on one’s rank, they can just cast the skill without saying anything. The knights that challenged him should have known it was [Dual Strike], but they did not grasp the basic knowledge when it comes to dual wielding. Any master dual wielder would have figured that out. Looking at Gallant, I just smiled at him.

“ Alright, let’s go.” I declared, my sisters releasing me from their grasp. The knights followed beside our little group as we marched towards the shopping district of our settlement. Ethan begins his conversation with Nero about something. My attention was focused on the identical twin sisters running ahead of us. Four of the Black Knights separated from the columns, staying close to my little sisters. Jennifer and Jessica both have long platinum blonde hair with round adorable features. They were quite small, being seven-years-old. They wore the same outfits, just in different colors. Jennifer has more of a light pink and white Sweet Lolita dress.

Yes, they like Lolita fashion. They picked this up from Olivia when she wore one for the first time. Laces are wrapped around the collarbone area with their arms covered in long white puffy sleeves. Stripes run down the middle of her chest towards the edge of her skirt in a repeated pattern of white and pink. Frills are located at the end of the skirt, the skirt itself stopping around Jennifer’s knees. Light pink stockings cover her small, thin legs, finishing it off with light pink boots around her feet. Jessica, on the other hand, has the same outfit but with dark purple instead of light pink. There is no huge distinction between the two unless you look at them closely. They have the same light blue eyes, the same peach, and cream complexion, the same round facial features, but the difference is in… their breast. Jessica has bigger breasts than Jennifer, yet, this in itself was hard to notice. One has to look at their chest very, very closely before declaring who is who. I did not know about this slight difference in my twin sisters. The person who discovered this was Dan.

One day, he was playing with my sisters. Even though he is a perve, my sisters played with him. The knight noticed a slight difference when he tossed them into the air. He stated nonchalantly how Jessica’s breasts were slightly bigger than Jennifer. Obviously, they did not know what he was referring to. With their pure innocent minds, they just laughed it off. This was later corrected when the maids and I heard about his statement. Gallant used him like a ragdoll in our training for a week as punishment. From there on out, we also instructed my sisters to call him a pervert. Despite this, I would have said their preference of colors can also prove who is who, but they would confuse us by swapping outfits. Either way, I can easily tell who is who now.

I think.

As we head towards the shopping district, Ethan asked me an odd question. I did not feel anything odd about today. “Aisha, did you notice anything odd about all of this?” Weird. I would have noticed anything off or odd about this. I mean, it seems like we are doing the same thing that we usually do before a gathering. Or party? Can I call it a party instead of a gathering?

“Odd? What do you mean by that?” I tilt my head. Ethan seems a bit worried though.

“Well, I have a feeling that tonight will be different. Father was excited, pulling out some exquisite silverware we never used before. He should be in a very, very strict mood. You know how he is with banquets. But he is way too happy. If you also glance at the list… Some of the things we are buying aren’t the usual items we order for our soft gatherings.” He hands me the list. Looking at them, Ethan was right. My mind could not comprehend why our dad was spending a bit too much on these rare consumables. For example, Dragon’s Breath is a very, very expensive and fancy looking wine. The design and material of the bottle are made from the hides of strong, high ranked dragons. I cannot say how good the wine is itself, but I hear that it has a strong taste to it.

I stared at the items. These were...

“Ethan, you bastard…” A knight stated. It came from Gale, He uses a shield and sword, both weapons strapped on his back, “You know full well that Aisha can demand answers from us. Why did you bring this up?” I looked at my little brother. He indirectly showed me that something was going on without directly telling me. Also, I think Ethan was trying to give subtle hints to me. Are my knights aware of what might be happening?

Why would this gathering be different from all of the other gatherings?

I have to admit, my little brother is quite the clever bastard.

I frown at the first few hints Ethan gave me. I could not- or I would not be able to tell if my father was acting strangely. I have no clue how he would act before or during the gathering setup. Most of the time, I just lock myself in my room, reading some books and enjoying the outside scenery. Ethan explains his discomfort.

“I would have ignored it, but our father has been... too happy about today. It has creeped the living hell out of me. Our dad tends to be a bit more reserved and composed of these gatherings. I can handle that version of my dad, but whatever I saw this morning... I can't deal with it. And staring at this list, I know that this isn't a regular gathering. We all know that our dad hates to spend his money. These items are costly! When the Emperor came to our gatherings, we barely used this much on him... We don't... Eadric has never treated our Emperor with such gifts. We did not pull out top-notch silverware or order expensive food and drinks when he arrived. Is there a guest that exceeds the Emperor himself? That is the only logical conclusion I can come up with.”

“Exceeds the Emperor? The Emperor… is a Demigod if I remember correctly.” I stated. When it comes to our world, ranks are everything. It determines your strength as well as social status. The lower your rank, the fewer jobs you can get. The higher the rank, the better your reputation and work. For example, my dad is a high-rank warrior. As a rank thirteen warrior, he is a fierce fighter and can gain benefits like working under an Emperor or having his lands. When they obtain land, usually they make it into a kingdom or settlement. After that is done, they become a queen or king. If they serve no Emperor, they can work under one or remain independent. If they choose the latter, they might make an enemy of other settlements or become a target for an Emperor.

Also, there are two types of rankings. One for magic and one for the warrior. Warrior ranks are categorized with anything that demands physical attention. Skills like dual-wielding, handling double-handed swords, shields, archery, and many more skills are within the warrior rank. Even if one does not have the skills to do it, it does not prevent anyone from learning it themselves. If someone wants to unlock their skill for archery, all they have to do is train with a bow and arrow. The tricky part is when they need to level that particular skill. Once you get a skill, you can usually increase it be understanding basic concepts, techniques, history, and other sorts, or apply them on the field. Killing something with a bow and arrow can increase your archery as well as unlocking a few perks and techniques. Shooting from long distances can do these things. However, once you hit a certain skill level of 35, leveling will get harder. One will have to do extensive training for that skill to level any further. Getting teachers and mentors will also improve their skills dramatically. Magical rank, however, is aligned to whatever one’s highest level is in their magic skill. Let’s say a necromancer is a rank eight mage. Even if they have a lot of skills, they only need one skill to be high leveled. Other than that, the same principles apply to magic as well.

Someone can have a rank for magic AND warrior, however, leveling skills from these two different ranks will become hard after level thirty-five. You can figure out one’s rank just by looking at them. This is what I know:

Rank 1: Skill Level 0-9

Rank 2: Skill Level 10-19

Rank 3: Skill Level 20-29

Rank 4: Skill Level 30-39

Rank 5: Skill Level 40-49

Rank 6: Skill Level 50-59

Rank 7: Skill Level 60-69

Rank 8: Skill Level 70-79

Rank 9: Skill Level 80-89

Rank 10: Skill Level 90-99

Rank 11: Skill Level 100-109

Rank 12: Skill Level 110-119

Rank 13: Skill Level 120-129

Demigod: Skill Level 130-???

Rank one represents a lazy bum, a weakling, a child, or a baby. Leveling a skill is not that hard. Give it a month, one should be able to hit rank two. Young adults that are around eighteen or above should not have this rank. If they do, they are not leveling up their skill. This means they are lazy to even work and most people will not affiliate themselves with rank one individuals. There are some exceptions to this, especially with nobles. Noblewomen can be ranked around one to four. This is not entirely true, some queens being rank ten to thirteen, but the majority are within this bracket. Some of my sisters are rank ones. My father, as a prime example of being a douchebag, forbids them from holding a weapon. Fortunately for me, I am glad that I have a rank above that.

I pity my sisters and any other princess who are rank one. This just highlights how weak they are and that they are only seen as a tool. The thought of this boils my blood. I learned his motives on WHY he did not want my fellow sisters to pick up a sword. Another family we met had most of their daughters exceed to rank two, three or even four just so they can have some knowledge of wielding a weapon or know how to use magic. The father from that family said he did this for their safety as well. If no one was around to help, at least they can defend themselves. My father just shook this off, calling the man an idiot. He said this to him, “And what happens if your daughters assassinate their suitors? It would be YOUR fault for letting them rank up.” Of course, the man ignored this, but he was troubled by his words.

A few days later, the family was then accused of the assassination of one of the Emperor’s sons. I have a feeling that my father schemed something up, but I have no concrete proof. I dared not pry into this matter, knowing full well that my own issue with him could ruin everything for me.

Another exception for someone being rank one is their occupation. Merchants, store owners, someone who owns a business can be a rank one mage, warrior, or both, and still have a good life. Some skills like forging, blacksmithing, alchemy, and other sorts are not skills that contribute towards the mage or warrior rank. However, I have not seen any merchant or store owner that is a rank one. Most people just train themselves a bit and get to rank two or above, just so they can have a better reputation and get out of the rank one status. And bringing back my previous point, a person who owns a store has more credibility compared to one without a store. This shows responsibility, ownership, and value in their skills not related to the warrior or mage rank.

Children and babies are still young, so they do not worry about ranks till later. Once again, there is a possibility of a child being quite high leveled. I have read that a young pureblood vampire that quickly became a rank six by slaughtering an entire city by herself. I think she was at least five or six years old? Vampires are fearless and fearsome creatures. They do process immortality, but that does not mean they cannot die. Thinking about it, this person might still be alive, but this is just an extreme example of young ones having a rank. When it comes to monsters, or beings that are nonhuman, I think they have different rules to ranking and other sorts. I have done the research, but I will explain it some other time.

Then lastly… there’s the homeless. I do not know what happened in their lives, but they do not have anything. For one to even level up in ranks, they need a home or some sort of work to provide for themselves. Once they allocate enough revenue, they can find a weapon to train under or find a mentor. Being homeless and jobless, that kills any chance of leveling. Hopefully, they can get some aid. Even though I can offer some money to them, it will have some consequence behind it.

The experience left a bitter taste in my mouth. It was quite cruel, but I am still naive to... some things in this world. Or maybe I'm just too naive about certain things. I remember the time when I gave some money for a mother and her child when I walked through these very streets. Even in my father’s lands, poverty was always present. Out of pity, I gave some gold coins to the poor mother. This was a huge mistake. After a day later, they were in the same spot again. Because of my narrow mindedness and the consequences of my kind action, I could not figure out why they were still there. They explained what happened. The mother and child were threatened by the other homeless people, demanding the gold I gave to her. These individuals threatened her, promising the mother that they would take her only child from her if she refused. Hearing such a dark story from my actions, I decided to take her into my mansion and have her work as a maid. Even though I acted out of the kindness of my heart, I learned a horrible truth.

Gallant and Titan were with me at the time, saying, “Know that every action you do will have some sort of consequence. Even if you did something noble, others will think it is unjust.” As we walk down the stone pathway, I can feel gazes coming from the people from the dark alleyway. I recognized some of them. A distasteful glare and hate piercing right at me. I just turn away, ignoring them.

My mom is strangely a rank one warrior, yet she does not act like her rank. She has a lot of time on her hand, showing her broad knowledge towards us.

The biggest question is why she is not a rank two warrior or a mage? She can hold a weapon well, sparring a few times with Mel and Gale. She has an insight on magic and knows how one can use certain spells, but she is still a rank one. This bothered me. Even Ethan express his confusion towards her, yet she never explained it thoroughly. The biggest question, I remember asking father, was why did he marry her if she was a rank one warrior?

Father told me about his plans on marrying someone of a knight or a queen, but he went for her instead. Of course, as a man, it was love at first sight. Amelia never actually stated why she chose Eadric, thinking about it. She did state her love way back then. Nowadays, the two do not share any intimacy like back then. Strangely, Ethan pointed out something that I did not consider or even thought of. There were a lot of maids and butlers serving our household. Most of the time, I would consult and help them out when something bad happens.

For instance, the time when my older brothers came back from their gruesome battles up north and wanted to see our father. My brothers abused some of the maids, calling them “commoners” and names. My mother quickly intervened in their ruthless acts, fetching father. Of course, my older brothers did not regret their actions. During that time, I went towards the maids, tending to their wounds. I converse with them, telling them that it will be fine. Despite their injuries and abuse, they were not shaken. I found it rather odd for these maids to be strong against my harsh brothers. When I asked my father about who hired the maids and butlers, he just answered, “Your mom.”

Ethan pointed out that when a high-rank warrior or mage abuse someone of the lower rank, they would feel extreme pain towards their strength. The maids range around rank two or three, and my brothers are rank eleven. The maids would be in tremendous, excruciating pain, but that did not happen. Ethan and I agreed on keeping this between us, but it was obvious that my mom had contacts with strong people. A rank one being does not hold this sort of power or a wide amount of knowledge for her rank. My thoughts decided to pull out a long, distant memory. I felt a strange warmth thinking about my mom, remembering the time when she came to me when my dad forced my only friend out of my mansion. She carried me in her arms, spending the rest of the day with me. Her beautiful face had such a sorrowful expression. My mom is just a mysterious being, surrounded in secrets. Many, many secrets. Before my mind went further into my thoughts, I can hear Olivia’s voice asks, “You have served under our house for seven years? Right, Mr. Nero? Do you know our mommy before we were born?”

“More like eight years now. Aisha is already twenty-one years old. We served only for Queen Amelia and Princess Aisha…”

“Please, do not call me princess.” I state nervously, my voice shaking a bit, “I… hate hearing my occupation.” I find myself being an insult to that occupation. Princess… right. I have dreams of venturing out of this prison. Even though I like all of these benefits as a princess, I do not need marriages. I hate being proper and nice. Tea parties? Finding another arrogant, greedy noble for a husband? This makes me sick. Of course, I can put up a poker face for others, but I hate it when my knights call me princess. They know it gets on my nerves.

“And answering your second question Olivia, we do not know her that well. She gave us our job, and we are seeing it through. We are doing a good job, right princess?” Titan did that on purpose. The bastard.

“Ugh.” I let out a sigh, displeased at my request being ignored by my knights, yet they’re just teasing me. They would stop saying ‘princess’ when we are at the gathering though. Too many people address me as such. It gets tiring when you hear it like three hundred times or so. The fact the word in itself gives me a headache when it is addressed to me. Answering, I just let out a chuckle, shaking my head. “You already know the answer.”

“Not saying it… jeez. Give us some love princess.” Titan whispered.

“I can hear that!” I yelled, looking over my shoulder, “Don’t make me drag you into my shopping spree again with my adorable little sisters!” Titan immediately went quiet. Some of the knights turned to Titan with utter confusion. It seems like he didn’t tell the others what happened on that day. My twin sisters had their fun with the big man. It was hilarious.

Ethan coughs, eyes glued on Nero, “You have yet to answer my question…”

“You will have to ask your mother about that. Those are her orders to us. Even Aisha cannot override her command.” Ethan displayed a frown, shaking it off with a shrug.

“Then I shall assume it is someone higher than a Demigod.” Ethan finished the conversation with that. Reading the list again, there are a bunch of things that we needed for tonight’s gathering. Surprisingly, we already placed these orders in advance. Most of these items will be delivered before the sunset. All I need to do is talk to the names listed next to each shop, get the status on these items, pay them for their services, and move to the next shop. I let my sisters go shopping as Ethan stayed with me. The knights split off into two groups as well. Nero, Dan, Gallant, and Titan stayed with me. Entering the listed stores, I did what I need to do. Ask for this person, introduce myself, ask about the delivery, if it can make it tonight, and then pay them. After the fourth shop, Ethan muttered, “All of this has been prepared way back then… This has to be planned. The old man has been waiting for this…”

“If you were a general, I would be afraid to fight against you.” Dan admitted, “For a kid, you have the brains to deduce things too well. I’ll fear for my troops.” Ethan did not respond to the compliment, but I agreed with my younger brother. We already know that our idiot dad has been acting strange, but the sheer fact that all of this was prepared beforehand definitely raised some flags. Why? How? How did Eadric know about this important guest? If this person exceeded the Demigod rank, who is this grand individual coming to their gathering? Ethan remained silent, keeping to himself after the sixth store we went to. As we continue our conversations with these store owners, I felt uneasiness flow through my body. My mind produced more questions about various things. There are too many secrets around my mother and my knights. I can feel a slight pain entering my head. After thirty minutes, I decided to split our group up. “Let’s split up. The faster we finish this, the better. Ethan, go towards this store here. I will head to this one.” I showed him the list, pointing to the store I want him to go to. He nods his head, taking Dan and Gallant with him.

After they left our sight, I turned towards Nero.

My curiosity and wonder are bothering the living hell out of me. This was planned way beforehand. The large batch of Dragon’s Breath was ordered ten years ago! I know that wine can taste better as the years pass by, but Eadric KNEW that this guest was coming. He made a ten-year investment along with all of these other items. Some were ordered seven years ago, four, these items were in storage for this very moment. Nero looks over his shoulder, turning towards me, “... It was a matter of time before your curiosity got the better of you.” He had some tone of disappointment in his voice. I admit I was getting impatient, but I needed to know. These questions continue to hammer my mind. The only way to silence these thoughts is with answers.

“I know I should wait, but there are a lot of questions racing in my head now. These things are way too expensive if you buy it in one go, but my idiotic father prepared this beforehand. No one in our family has such contacts. Or so I thought. My fellow brothers and sisters have no way of meeting anyone that is above the Demigod rank. They, themselves, know very little on the ranks above a Demigod. I asked several of them when they came by the mansion, and no one can give me an answer. The only ones I have no information on are my mom and you guys. Secondly, the maids and butlers are rather strong. Mel, the head maid, can fight with you, Nero. Her rank does not match up with her strength. When it comes to hiring maids and butlers, my mom does this.

And lastly…” I pause. “Who is my mother? Who is Amelia? Eadric told me about how she hired you guys. He said you guys are weak. Of course, my idiotic dad cannot see how valuable you guys are, but my mom knows about you, the Black Knights. I have not seen any other Black Knights other than yourselves. Why? How much are you hiding from me!?” The sudden outburst disrupted the usual atmosphere. People shift their attention to us. Some even stopped to watch.

As a few seconds went by, my two knights glanced around them. I felt a strange sensation ring through the air. The crowd dispersed a few seconds later, resuming their routine. The two knights glance at each other. Titan just shrugs his shoulder. Nero averts his gaze back at me. He was quiet for a few seconds, figuring out what to do. He even places a hand under his chin. They know that was going to put up a fight. I would not take no for an answer. Several times in the past, I have stubbornly refused to back out from wanting to know something. Admitting a sigh of defeat, he says, “We shall talk at the last area. This last store has items Amelia invested in.” Pulling the list in front of me, I glance at the name of the store.

Dark Requiem.

The name reveals a dark atmosphere about it. I do not even remember the name of this store.

Dark Requiem.

And why Requiem? Requiem means an act or token of remembrance. A store calling itself that might be named after a dead person. That thought, in itself, seems quite depressing. My mind cannot comprehend such a store. Hell, I cannot figure out what a store would be selling with such a dark name. Ignorantly, I would assume that it would have wares around dark magic or some sort. Nero and Titan walked by me, saying, “Follow us.” My legs moved, obeying their order. There is a silence between us, no one saying anything. We went down the commonly used pathways until we hit a dark alleyway. Trailing behind my knights, we turned at several corners leading into more alleyways. The loud chatter of the settlement dies down as we venture further and further towards our destination. The two knights stopped before the dark, deserted looking building standing before us. Peeking over their bodies, I feel a strange uneasiness take over me. “I-Is this the store?”

“Yes. Don’t worry about its appearance,” Titan assured, “Think of it as… a haunted mansion.”

“That’s not assuring… Not in the slightest.” I replied bluntly. If it’s a haunted mansion, then it has evil beings. Titan has a poor way of cheering me up. Looking at Dark Requiem, the place looks like someone's resident more than a house. A two-story house composed of dark brown wood.

“Eh… without the ghosts, vampires, and other scary beings.” Titan added. Really?

“...Still not helping.” I sigh, shaking my head.

“You two stay here.” Nero walks forward, knocking on the dark wooden door. A few seconds later, it opens up, revealing a mysterious person hiding behind a dark hood and robe. This person looks a bit too fishy. The shadows of his hood covered his face as well as Nero’s armored body blocking my sight on the figure’s body. I am surprised that this store was located in our settlement anyways. Nero enters the strange store, the door closing right behind him. Titan and I wait outside, my body shuddering at the eeriness and mystery around this place. Definitely a secret store that a select few would know about.

Why would my mother come here? Regardless, I decided to voice my concerns, starting a conversation with Titan.

“Why are we here? This seems a bit too suspicious. Not only that, but the location is also very discreet. This might be inspected later by my father if he knew about this place.”

“Your mother denied any searches or inspections to this place. The person who works at the store knows your mother. Not only that, King Eadric knows about this place since the owner can produce valuable goods.”

“By know, are we referring to way back then or now?” If it’s back then...

“Way back then. Amelia came here with us. She ordered several items you will need when you hit the appropriate age. Items you will need on your journey away from this cage.” Those words echoed in my head, slowly waking every ounce of my body.

My eyes widened at his statement, shaking violently in place. Hastily, my body turns towards Titan. The weight of his words renders me speechless. Several times, I tried to say something Nothing came out. I can feel my body shudder with extreme warmth. My heart beats faster and faster. I cup my hands on my chest, tears forming in my sockets. Titan just stood there, saying nothing more.

Of course, I should ask him what that means, yet I already know the answer.

I was going to be free.

I don’t know how she plans to set me free, but she wants me out of my prison.

Oh, how long has it been? How long have I begged for my freedom just to venture away from this boring palace?

I dreamt of it, and here I am, getting my long-desired wish to come true. The bickering, my complaints, I remember the many times I brought this topic up with my mom. I begged her, I pleaded with her, yearning for freedom. Stuck in this cage, I envy the people in the books. They accomplished grand feats, they made a name in history, they live their own life to the fullest.

The story I am in was that of a princess being used as a tool. I hated it. I was aware of it and it sickened me. My life as it is now, reveals a stranger I do not know. When I look at the mirror, I can only see a helpless tool used by her father. I see an imposter of my true desires. A princess that is told to marry a man and rot. Rot away in the familiar, same environment that is safe. Away from the wonders of this world. I hate that. No, I loathed the idea. I cannot fathom the thought of being locked away forever in some stupid ass palace by a selfish dad that force his ideals onto me!

When I thought to take action in my own hands, my mom reveals her true intentions. It overwhelmed me.

Funny, I said so many horrible things to her. Despite my age, I wanted to be spoiled. I insult her, calling her heartless. She never took off that mask. No matter how hard I push, she never revealed her true intentions. I should have used my brain. It was a facade. My mom knows me well. She knows how much I hate this place. The arranged marriages, the banquets, the gatherings, my father, and this life secluding me from the world, she knows how I feel about these things. I used her as an outlet, revealing every bit of myself to her. She knows how hard I trained, how much time I put in leveling, and how knowledgeable I am. Amelia did not intend to let me rot because... she loves me.

Oh, I bet I look stupid right now. My body feels quite warm. The feeling was so overwhelming that I felt like a newborn baby. The tears stream down my face, my body shaking from this pleasant sensation flowing through me.

Titan finally spoke up, being serious, “WE ALL want you out of this place. As the years went by, we watch you grow. We have seen your determination. Acknowledging this, Amelia and us, your loyal knights, can see the limitless potential you have. For you to be stuck in this place would be a disgrace, especially of a rank nine warrior and mage. And as your knights, we would also hate the fact that you are some tool for your father’s greed. Every maid, butler, and Black Knight understands what happened with your old man. He was not like this all the time, but times change. People change sometimes, and this is the result of his greed getting to him. Once you meet the special guest, you will be free from your cage. Amelia will personally force Eadric to comply with her demands. The demand will allow you to venture out into the world that you were kept away from.”

“A-And what happens if he refuses?” Of course, my voice is shaky, I am being quite emotional at this revelation.

“I doubt he will once we reveal our secret army,” Nero answers, coming out of the mansion. The door closes behind him, Nero walking out with nothing in his hands. I can only assume that the gift Amelia ordered is within his storage ring, Storage rings are useful devices that can hold millions or billions of gold in this small item or any other items like furniture, weapons, armor, etc.. How to acquire one is rather difficult along with making one. The cost of a storage ring is ten million gold. Rank ten or below do not own a storage ring unless they acquire it somehow, but storage rings are a must for any adventurers. When these knights came under my service, they had their storage rings. Nero noticed the expression on my face, glaring at Titan.

“What the hell you did you do to the princess?!” Nero asked, hints of anger flaring up.

“I-I only explained why we were here.” Titan replied, defending himself, “Of course… Aisha would be teary eye- this is a very touchy subject!”

“Ugh. I did not even permit you to reveal this yet!” Titan just stands there, waiting for his punishment. It never came though. Nero just slaps his head, shaking it.

“Whatever, let us continue then. We already broke the promise not to tell Aisha. I will explain who this guest is. You already know the basic concepts of the ranks, especially with the occupations and benefits, right?” I nod my head. Most people are rank two or three. Despite their low ranks, they can do a lot more than a rank one being. They can do some low-level quest work from the Guild.

The Guild is the usual place for missions, or quests, for various things. These quests can vary from doing basic patrolling, helping the local civilians to hunt down high-level beasts roaming around the area. Depending on the rank and one’s reputation with the Guild, they will provide certain benefits. For example, one’s own room, a salary, and reserving quests are perks for a high ranking member of the Guild. A new member of the Guild that is still low leveled will not get these benefits. They will have to work their way up. This is available for anyone above rank one.

Being a merchant or store owner, one’s rank does not reveal their high skill level of their craft. They can rank somewhere between rank two through thirteen. Any faction’s military can hire recruits in their armies if they meet the requirements of being a rank five through eight warriors and/or mage. Queens and kings can be around rank nine through thirteen.

And lastly, Demigod status is usually an emperor. Although I list the occupations with certain ranks, they also need to have some other requirements. For example, even though I am a rank nine, to be a queen, I will need some contacts, reputation, and land. After that, I can also seek out an emperor to serve under, and then I can officially be deemed as a queen. If I only had land and no emperor to serve, the chances of getting attacked are rather high. Now, these occupations are not the only things one can receive. If someone was a rank thirteen mage, they can pick up Archmage. This was just a way to explain things. My father is a prime example of this. He worked for the Guild as a low ranking warrior, became a knight after rank five, then he became a king who serves under Emperor Titus.

“The guest’s rank is above a Demigod. Specifically speaking, this guest is a genius.” I registered the occupation of this guest. A genius…? Those words echo through my mind, destroying any thoughts that lingered about. Even though I got past my touching moment phase, my body shook tremendously at those words. Once again, my eyes widened at the news.

“WHAT!?” I screamed violently. Titan and Nero expected this.

“Yes. A genius is coming to the gathering tonight.” Nero confirms.

This was… a big deal! A VERY BIG DEAL! One can view geniuses as important beings who left their name glued onto the world. Think of them like a celebrity. There is only a handful of them running about. Geniuses are people who made the impossible. They made a huge discovery of some sort. It can be making up an entirely new art of magic, developing a new technique, but the biggest accomplishment is developing a new perk.

Rumors have it that two new geniuses have been discovered after they escaped from a dangerous place. It has been centuries since the world received any geniuses. Even their rank is a mystery. This topic has been brought up a few times, but we all knew that it would be impossible to bump into a genius.

And by us, the Graham's family. We are like any other noble family within this region or our neighboring country.

There is only a 0.00000001% chance for us to meet a genius.

One can view it as a godsent if we were to meet a genius. The reason why meeting a genius is extremely rare is due to secrecy. Because of their reputation, they do not wish to work for anyone unless they want to. Geniuses tend to travel a lot, exploring the world. They expand on the things they work on, increasing their knowledge and perception about various things. Competition is rather fierce. There are moments when other geniuses took advantage of one’s laziness. Lastly, they work in private to avoid theft. There have been cases where some geniuses took this knowledge from their original owners, but this wraps up my knowledge of geniuses.

Yet, I never thought a genius would be visiting us tonight. Wait… Earlier, Titan said I was going to meet this genius. First, let me ask this.

“How?” I can only usher that one word through my dumbfounded state. How did this happen? Who had contact with this genius?! Nero looks at Titan, who gave a reassuring nod. Nero replies to my inquiry, “Your mother. They had a very close relationship.”

“M-My mom?” Questioning this again, Titan speaks now, elaborating on the details.

“Your mom had some sort of history before she married Eadric. The only conclusion we came up with after hearing this ourselves is that Amelia was very close to this genius. They might have been close friends. It’s best to hear the details from her mouth though. Amelia barely told us anything even though she knew about us. The queen has been hiding very sensitive information, but we did not pry into it. We know something tragic must have happened.”

“So in the end, I have to confront her about this?” I did not like that idea. Titan’s last sentence made me bite my lower lip.

Something tragic?

There was that one night where Amelia was holding me. Her eyes showed pitiful despair that chewed at my heart when I was young. I knew my mother had a horrible past, but no one ever asked about her dark history. Thinking about it, she seems a bit more open to me compared to the rest of my family. Maybe she was waiting for me to hit the right age before she told me. Even though I should not pry into her past, I have the right to know. Not because I want information, but for the love, I have to my mom. The admiration and dedication she secretly hid away from public eyes- I want to know the strong woman she is and was. It might rekindle some painful memories for her, but I want to know the truth. The two knights must have been communicating with each other in some secret way, their gaze landing on me.

“And… I am to talk with this genius? Why me?”

“What?!” Nero was confused at my question.

“Oops…” Titan slightly muttered.

“THE HELL TITAN?!” Nero yells, “HOW MUCH DID YOU TELL HER?! The queen is not going to be happy with me…”

“I-I… Uh… You see… Fuck. I guess I was moved by the princess. You should have seen her. Acting quite…”

“Shut up.” Nero cuts Titan, shaking his head in disbelief, “I swear… This is why I trust Zen a lot more than your sorry ass. Yes. You will talk with this genius. No more about this topic! We disclosed too much information.” When Nero says this, it might end of discussion. I doubt I can squeeze out any more info from these two.

“After you learn about your mother, we shall give you our history and tell you our story. From here on out, we will educate you about the Black Knights.” Nero declares. I stood there in silence. My mind seems a bit scattered. My thoughts could not form themselves within my head. I know that these many mysteries, hidden from me, are revealing themselves. This is a good thing, but my mind seems to fear it though. It was like the world I knew about shattered into pieces. Why? My thoughts earlier died out. The warm feelings for my mom disappeared. It was like Nero’s words triggered me. As if this information was too much for me. Why? This truth is overwhelming me. The weight of this discovery gave me a sudden headache. WhY?

My hand rubs my forehead, my fingers sliding through my hair. I feel strange anxiety takes over me. Something scares me. My spine can feel an ominous chill creep itself towards my neck as if some ghastly hands touch my shoulders. A voice calls out to me. It speaks in an unknown language I never heard of, but the words breathe right against my ear. My body froze at this sensation. I can feel my heart beating faster and faster. It disappeared when I feel Titan’s hand on my right shoulder, the eerie sensation dying away in an instant. What...

“Are you okay Aisha?” Titan asks.

“I-I am fine.” I struggled to say that one sentence, my body trembling, “I-It’s… a bit overwhelming. My mother… I want to know...” Strange. I did not say anything about my knights. It was like I was too scared to mention...

A familiar voice calls out to us. “Aisha! Nero! Titan! You done yet?”

It was Gallant. He came out of the alleyway, approaching us. It seems like Dan was with Ethan still, meeting at the rendezvous spot. Nero nods his head at Gallant’s arrival.

“Take Aisha and head back first. We will catch up in a bit.” Nero ordered. Gallant showed some hesitation. The knight killed it though, waiting for me to follow along. In my dazed, confused state, I followed Gallant back to the others.

What was that eerie sensation…?

POV Change, 3rd Person

As Aisha and Gallant left them, Nero spoke up. “It seems like she is not ready yet. Our stories tend to haunt anyone who is not a knight.”

“Well, we are cursed after all. We are bound by this cursed armor, forever stuck in it. We are not humans for we do not need to eat, drink, urinate, shit, or even sleep. We are dangerous warriors known by the few, yet we are almost extinct without an heir for our kind. Aisha is still innocent, yet you came here feeling a strong presence. Are we going through with our plans Nero?” Titan asks in a serious tone.

“We shall see.” Nero answers plainly, “She is not ready. Even if I tell her, she will most likely run from it. The mention of our stories can only be handled by the strong. Aisha is strong, but not that strong to overwrite the curse. For her to know the truth, she must obtain power that exceeds ours. As the remaining general of our kind, I have been tasked with finding our heir. I am betting on this princess that she is the one. She will be the ruler of the Black Knights.”

“Is it fair to even make her a leader of our people? She does not know about it, Nero. And even if we asked her, she is not ready yet. It might be impossible to even ask her because of her current powers. It might take some years, even decades, for her to achieve a power that exceeds our own. Besides, do we really want to take away her normal life? Take away the peaceful life that she can have? Once she becomes our leader, she will become a target to all.”

“We shall ask her when the time comes. I will not stoop so low to Eadric’s level. Do not mix me with that idiotic man Titan. I understand that Aisha cannot hear our request, yet I will not use that as an excuse to make her leader without consent. As you said, it will forever place her in danger. If she wants a peaceful life, so be it. But till then, we shall wait. We shall protect her no matter the cost, and we will have our new leader or let our faction die in peace. Out of all of us, you are the youngest. Know that you will be Aisha’s new general if she accepts our proposal.” Titan stood there in shock. He voiced out his concern, exclaiming, “I cannot do that! You are…”

“You have been with the princess the longest. You know her and you protected her when we were clueless about what to do. Even if we are strong, it does not mean we are the best. Your quick thinking and your observation skills are higher than me. You easily figured out what happened with Aisha and saved her innocence. I am getting rusty. You know this along with everyone else. It will be a matter of time when I become useless.” Titan balls up his hands, staring at Nero. “I have a feeling that today will be the last day to enjoy this easy life.”

A giant blade flies across the alleyway, impaling someone into the stone wall. Being impaled by the sudden attack, Titan and Nero slowly approach the figure. Even though Titan’s greatswords are huge, he can easily throw his weapons with relative ease. He made sure not to put too much power into his throw, the building might crumble if he did. The two knights eyed at the female covered in a dark cloak and hood. Nero clicks his tongue, irritated at the death of this spy. It seems like she killed herself, knowing full well that she could not escape. She slit her own throat, blood flowing out of the open cut. Titan pulls his blade out of her body, cursing a bit as well.

“It seems like your statement is right. This is no ordinary spy. We have bumped into these sorts when we traveled to this world. The fact that she has the insignia and those robes…” Nero knocks at the wooden door of the Dark Requiem. The hooded figure opens the door, seeing the dead body. Without saying a word, the hooded figure nods at Nero. The body disappears, leaving no trace of blood. The marks on the wall also disappeared as well.

“Best take your leave now while you still can,” Nero advise the hooded person. Walking away from the store and down the alleyway, Nero says, "Come! We have a lot of work to do! We must also inform Queen Amelia about what happened.” Titan sighs quietly to himself.

He shakes his head saying, “Well… the princess wanted something out of her usual, boring routine… Tonight will be hell.”