Year 2, Winter, Second Month, Second Week.

The strong smell of flowers and healing salves flooded Windsor’s nostrils making him choke from over-scenting. As a high-level wind Mage, his default action when entering a new territory was to enhance his hearing and scent to identify possible threats. However, how could he have predicted the Sacred Palace would have such a strong and complex combination of scents? After calming down, he forced himself to endure the strong scents again before forming an invisible air filter over his face. He wasn’t wrong, hidden behind the strong smells he scented a few mind-affecting spells, probably courtesy of a blessing Mage. The smell overflooding should be a tactic to hide the spell from wind Mages, aside from himself, Windsor only knew a handful of Mages that would be able to sense something amiss.

Yet, he couldn’t understand why and what spells they were using. Inside of the Capital of Elements who would dare to act dangerously? So why would they need to use these spells here? As far as he knew, blessing Mages couldn’t use any negative-effect spells, but maybe he was wrong, after all, life-hybrid Mages are the rarest in the Kingdom, so information was limited.

The attendant offered him a seat as he waited for the Duchess. The beautiful vine-built chair made Windsor a little hesitant, but someone of his stature couldn’t wait standing. Actually, the whole Sacred Palace made him feel uncomfortable, the heavenly and flowery Palace, supposedly based on Elven architecture, could be transformed into a fortress with the snap of a finger. Everything from the firm wooden floor to the vine and flowery furniture was alive, just waiting for its Master's command to attack an enemy.

If the common folk heard of Windsor’s fears, they would either laugh or curse him for staining the name of the Sacred Order. The outer appearance of the life or life-hybrid Mages was of saints that lived to protect and bless all life, but he knew that they were just as selfish and ambitious as any other Mages, just a little more respectful of life.

Soon, a beautiful and perfectly dressed servant entered the room to serve tea. Windsor couldn’t help but praise their ability to gather and train these servants, they all had perfect aesthetics and behavior. Because of his sharpened perception, most of the unpleasant feelings couldn’t escape his notice, which made it almost impossible to find proper servants and attendants. Surprisingly, he already met three servants and couldn’t find the tiniest mistake or indisposition on them. What Windsor didn’t know was that the servants and attendants of the Sacred Order were raised and trained (nourished and drugged) from birth to serve properly.

When he saw the color and magic signature of the tea, Windsor didn’t think twice before dropping his air filter and thoroughly diving into the scent of the tea. Even the smell was enough to start renewing the cells of his body, he sipped the sparkling blue liquid and felt a few years returning to him. Windsor didn’t hesitate or remembered being polite before accepting another cup of the heavenly tea, probably made from a high-quality magic herb by an elixir Mage. Just tasting this godly craft made his visit worth it, or so he thought before hearing the price he would have to pay for the favor he was about to ask.

A few minutes after he finished the slowly appreciated second cup of tea, Windsor was invited to enter the throne room. Although the number of throne rooms in the Kingdom made them lose uniqueness, they were in no way less majestic and special in their own way. In fact, the throne rooms became a way for the ruling powers to show their strength, and as the only Duchess who was allowed a Palace in the Capital of Elements, the Life Duchess spared no efforts to make the sacred throne the most luxurious and exquisite room in the Kingdom.

As he stepped in, Windsor's eyes almost bulged as he realized the golden floor was made of elven wood. In his region, they could barely afford enough of it to make a scepter. Fortunately, the initial shock stretched his common sense for what to expect and prevented him from losing any more face. However, he couldn’t avoid sweating when he looked at walls, which were formed by large soul trees intertwined. Windsor could barely identify the dozens of rare magic plants decorating the room. The final touch was given by an ambrosia fountain in the center of the room, the liquid was rumored to prolong life and cure practically all diseases.

Amassing all of his remaining dignity, the Wind Lord moved forward and bowed his head slightly as was required of a same-ranked noble upon visiting the other party’s domains. The noble status of the Life Duchess was a little awkward because her House wasn’t part of the original four Houses that founded the Kingdom. From one side, some Wardens (Water Duchess) refuse to accept her equal position, while the Life Duchess herself and most of the Royals considered her position higher than the four Wardens.

Although the Duchess wasn’t the Warden of a region and thus didn’t control a vast and resourceful domain, her proximity to the Royals and monopoly over the healing arts made the small Sacred Order a recognized force in the Kingdom. The Life Duchess returned the greeting and urged him to seat in a vine chair that appeared from the floor.

“Why do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Your Grace?”

Windsor felt a little offended by her straightforwardness but since he was the one asking for a favor, he could only let the offense slide.

“I’m not sure if Your Grace heard about my daughter, Thundery. I took her to the Sacred Order’s healing house in the Wind Capital to treat some serious wounds. However, they told me that only Your Grace could heal her…”

“I see. I did hear about it. Apparently, her condition was beyond the abilities of normal Healers, I can only wonder how the young Lady hurt herself to that level…”

Duchess Vivian’s words had a hidden meaning, but Windsor understood them clearly.

“Since I’m here to ask for Your Grace’s help, I’m not going to hide anything. Someone was interfering with the Wind region’s affairs, but when I was punishing them, an external force interfered… It was the Dynasty.”

Vivian looked a little disappointed with the answer, but her expression soon turned excited again as she thought of something.

“A difficult situation indeed, Your Grace, but I wouldn’t expect the Dynasty to get involved in the Kingdom’s internal affairs unless they were invited. I wonder who would be so careless to invite those people into our Kingdom? I only remember one time when such thing happened.”

The Duchess was clearly making an insinuation to some rumors that claimed the current Water Duchess used the Dynasty hands to assassinate her predecessor. The animosity between the two Duchesses was known by all high-nobility.

“Your Grace must be right… However, I can’t investigate the incident thoroughly while Thundery is suffering so much… I plead for Your Grace to save my daughter!”

“Hmm… Given her resistance to let go of life even in that terrible situation, it’s possible to save her, but it would cost me a lot…”

Windsor gritted his teeth for a second before going back to his suffering expression.

“I would be happy to repay Your Grace in any way I could…”

“I wouldn’t dare to accept too much from Your Grace… Maybe we could agree on something less material…”

Windsor cursed in his mind, so she was going for the highest price, favors.

“If it’s something in my power, I wouldn’t deny any requests.”

“It wouldn’t be something that serious. In fact, it could also count as a favor to yourself and all the Kingdom…”

With a glance from the Duchess, all the attendants left the room, which made Windsor nervous, what request had to be kept a secret from her servants? The Life Duchess’ tone suddenly changed and the atmosphere inside the heavenly throne turned a little gloomy.

“Windsor, I lived for hundreds of years and nobody else ever sat on this throne aside from me. I watched dozens of coups forming and falling apart, I recognize when someone is reaching for more than they should… Rainna has gone too far, she bred another Harbinger of Death into our lands. You might be too young to understand, or you might think is my grudge against her or even my natural aversion to the death element, but the kind of destruction that evil spawn can bring…”