Why does it turn like this? Rose sighed. The last person she wanted to meet was sitting on the sofa, staining the calming air of her house with the stench of rotten flesh and excrement. Not everyone can smell it, or see the hideous monstrosity clinging on his shoulder. its numerous eyes and mouths and tongues and limbs went wild when he entered, as if sensing the potent magic around it.

Unlike before, she could see it clearly with her own two eyes, confirming her suspicion that it wasn’t just a hallucination or illusion. It was a creature, the word living might not best suited to describe it, but it was reacting to outside stimuli and was magical in nature. Though what kind of macabre magic constituted such a malevolent-looking horror, she had no idea. Just looking at it churned her stomach and made her nauseous.

Looking from people’s expression. The maids couldn’t see it, Priscilla could if only a little, Albert didn’t appear to see the thing. If she could see it then Arthur should too, yet he was unbothered by it. His smile didn’t wane, his gaze focused and unbroken, and none of his face muscle twitched in disgust.

“Tell me, Rein, do you believe in magic, in the occult, in spirit and ghost?” Arthur asked. Albert brought Rein to this place a few hours prior. Despite what Albert said he did to him, Rein’s wound and injuries had healed by the time he arrived. As his condition wasn’t a concern, they immediately questioned and interrogated him. He was reluctant to answer at first, but after Arthur convinced him, he let out everything he knew.

He started from how Friede and Iris disappeared to how the Dollmaker’s threatened and forced him to do his dirty work. There were proofs in his phone, though if someone asked Rose what she thinks about it, she didn’t trust him in the slightest. The monotone voice he used when he delivered his side of the story, the complete lack of emotion in his face, and his nonexistent sense of tension or urgency made it impossible to believe that he was a victim. All it did was draw her ire. She left the questioning to Arthur and Priscilla, but even Priscilla can’t handle him for long.

But Arthur kept questioning him with the kindness and familiarity of a best friend. Whether that was a trick so Rein opened up more, or he truly believed that unreadable man, she put her faith in Arthur.

Rein opened his pale parched lips. ”I ... don’t know. I used to believe that whatever condition I’m having can explainable by science, that my ability to sense and feel things is some kind of neuro-degenerative disease. And the bizarre things and hallucination I keep seeing come from my decaying mind. But then disasters keep happening around me. Somewhere along the way I started to think that I was cursed, that I AM cursed. And I now I think the hallucination isn’t hallucination at all. Maybe there’s something more, supernatural in this world.”

Arthur turned his head and looked at the clock on the wall, nodded at Rose, then returned his gaze back to Rein. “Okay, I’ll be frank with you. We have little time and-” Arthur’s voice faded as Rose left the room.

Albert was sitting on a chair in the side room. He was already involved in this case, might as well use him to the fullest. ”How’s your condition?” She asked. He, of course, was shocked to find out that one of his closest friends was involved in the kidnapping. Though his mental state appeared to have stabilized.

”I’m … fine.” He sipped the tea the maids prepared for him.”I just can’t believe that ...” He repeatedly tapped the floor with the back of his shoes.” How’s the woman I rescued?”

”She’s fine. She’s in a hospital now and we will continue to monitor her condition and safety until this whole kidnapping accident blows over. Just because she’s rescued once doesn’t mean the kidnapper won’t target her again.”

”That’s good. That’s very nice.” There was a slight change to his expression. He calmed down, if only a little.

”You know her personally?”

Albert looked at Rose for a while, raising his brows at her question. ”No, but I saved her. Is it so wrong for me to want to know her condition?”

”No.” Rose watched over his condition for a while, but then decided to focus on a more important matter. ”That sword you have, what is it?” Albert’s magic was of physical enhancement and armor materialization. The pure white armor he used, for example, was a materialization from his mana and his imagination. His sword on the other hand, Rose felt it wasn’t something he produced. There was a link between him and the sword, but she didn’t get the same feeling from seeing his armor.

”No, it’s a relic. One of the Village’s. It was already bound to me when I ran away with my father.”

”I thought so.” The sword was quite a powerful and ancient relic. And the fact that it originally belonged to the Village might prove troublesome, or a great asset depending on how she handles this.

“How is Iris and Friede?” Albert asked. Rose had no obligation to tell him, but now he’s involved in this case, she thought she owes him at least this much information.

“We’re preparing for their rescue. We know their location, but it’s been fortified heavily. Whatever is happening inside there, the kidnapper doesn’t want us to interfere.”

“Where?” Albert rose from his seat.

“Be patient. We’ll storm the place in two hours.” She walked past him. She understood his agitation and impatience, but an unprepared assault would just end up in a disaster. There was also much to prepare as she will lead the assault herself.

“Let me in.” Rose looked over her shoulder, her eyes asking why should she let him. Albert didn’t miss that. “I ... I don’t know how to convince you. I’m not as strong as my father, and I have no real combat experience. But I’ve trained a lot since I was a kid. And I ...” He hung his head low. “Please! Iris and Friede are my close friends, and Rein too. What purpose is having power if I can’t use it to help those that I care about?”

“Sure.” Rose turned her head forward and continued walking. “But, prepare yourself, follow the briefing through, and follow my command.”

“Thank you!”

It wasn’t Rose intention or place to doubt Albert’s strength, only his determination. Arthur placed him under special supervision, chose him to guard one of the kidnapping locations, and he accomplished his task was enough proof for Rose. And it’s not like she herself had any real life-or-death combat experience. Training under Arthur was grueling and intense, but never life-threatening. Arthur made sure of that.

She walked to her room and undressed. “Who else is going, My Lady?” Priscilla asked as she helped her change into combat gear.

“You, Albert, and the Alpha Team. There’s only two known entrance and we’re infiltrating. We don’t want too many people.”

“Lord Pendragon?” She asked.

“Arthur will oversee the operation from afar and help us navigate through the comms. And he didn’t say this, but ...” Rose took a deep breath. “No, I won’t ask him for help. This is my job as the head of Arcturus.”

”Are you sure of that, my lady? If what’s being summoned here is that bad, I think you should-”

”No, Pris, I can do this!” She raised her voice.

”I don’t think this is the time for your pride and ego-”

Rose turned. ”Pride and Ego?!” She practically screamed it out. There was a moment of silence. And in the next instant Rose’s face twisted with guilt. ”A-ah, I-I didn’t mean-”

“No, my deepest apologies, My Lady.” Pris kneeled. ”I speak out of my place. I deserve a punishment.”

The guilt in Rose’s heart grew even stronger and sharper. She was about to grab Pris’ shoulder, but then realized that in this moment Pris wasn’t her guardian, neither was she the person who guided and stood by her side after her parent’s death nor was she the teacher who taught her everything she needed to survive in this cruel world. In that moment of time, she was Rose of Arcturus family, the family that held the thirteenth seat of the Long Table for generations. And the woman who kneeled before her was Priscilla, whom from her very first breath, was sworn to serve the family with her life and blood. And such, she had to act and deal with this accordingly.

“Stand up, Priscilla.” Pris stood up, but her gaze was still fixed on the floor. This had happened a few times before and she liked it not one bit. ”What do you think your fault is?”

”I speak out of my place, insulted, and even angered you, my lady. As a sworn servant that is unforgivable. I urge you to give out a punishment for me at once. I will gladly take any you deem fit for me.” Everything became very formal. As if the closeness, warmth, friendship and love they develop for each other for years was just an act on her part.

”There’s a more pressing concern now, Priscilla. I will give you your punishment at a later date.” Rose hated this. Once she said she will give out punishment, Pris would ask her for it and won’t ever let it slide. And if she said she will not give her any punishment, Pris won’t take it and will punish herself.

“Thank you, my lady.”

”Now, let us focus on the task at hand.”