While on the road Viran had noticed something different about Marianne. Before she was definitely cordial and kind to Viran, yet now she exhibited a kindness that was off putting for even Viran. The conversations Viran had with her became more common and for longer periods of time. Viran felt like it was confusing and outwardly he kept up an aloof image, yet inwardly he was enjoying it. How could he not enjoy having meaningful conversations with someone as educated and kind as Marianne? After spending years solitary from other people talking with Marianne was a sweet change for Viran. But most importantly, Marianne never brought up the topic of his fear or the dagger he kept with him nor did she report it. Viran wasn’t completely sure how she was able to see through his emotions so clearly but that did not matter. He was enamored with the conversations they shared, touched by her kindness, and curious about her but Viran had no leeway this time to get attached; in only a day he would either be dead or long gone. They may never see eachother again, was what he thought.

Viran’s hands subconsciously tightened on the dagger once more yet it wasn’t out of his usual fear and paranoia, yet out of abhorrence for those out to get him. A strong disgust towards those Knights that swore fealty to his Father, and those who made such faulty promises to keep him safe. A sneer grows on his face, just thinking about it made his heart pump. Opposite of Viran sat a shifty Marianne whose hands trembled as they laid in her lap, her eyes squinted and darted to and from Viran repeatedly.

“L-Lord Viran!” Marianne suddenly called out.

“Do you, perhaps, wish to take a walk out and see the nearby farmland? This will be the last stretch of the grain that is grown here and the rest will just be uncultivated land and then the forest…” Marianne asked with a hopeful expression.

Though Viran tried to hold it in, his bright eyes showed a positive response. Realizing this Viran quickly puts back on an aloof expression and silently nods to which Marianne claps her hands together in joy.

As the carriages and horses slow down Viran squints his eyes at a young, tall knight that had begun to stare at him with an angry expression. As the carriages go to a complete stop the Knight brings his horse towards the entrance of the carriage, squinting at Viran the entire time.

‘How’d I piss him off?’ Viran thought as he stared right back at the Knight.

Standing up in the carriage Marianne’s long golden hair flies through the air as she opens the door and steps out to greet the Knight that held a devious intent towards Viran.

“Embren!” Marianne called out as she greeted the tall Knight.

Bringing herself closer to Embren she whispers lightly into his ear.

“Thank you… Again, for helping me with the manner concerning Viran. I know it must’ve been hard on you to convince the others about letting Viran out.” Marianne sweetly whispered towards Embren.

Hearing her words Embren quickly begins to become bashful and starts to rub the back of his head as a red blush embellishes his face.

“Haha! Please think nothing of it. Rules are meant to be broken and Lord Idicium isn’t here as well.” Embren’s face turns stiff as he looks towards Viran. “But the kid only has 15 minutes out there until he needs to come back. The others are still unsure about this afterall…”

“Ok got it!” Marianne quickly called out leaving Embren dumbfounded. In truth he was expecting her to say thank you another one hundred times just like usual… Yet she was more steadfast in getting Viran far away from the convoy. Embren’s eyes squinted heavily in an angry manner towards the duo as they walked away, yet it wasn’t from the jealousy he felt. His eyes were more akin to a suspicion, something was wrong. Marianne had clearly taken a satchel with her, for only a 15 minute walk?

Sighing deeply Embren shakes his head while rearing his horse next to him. Embren was sure that there was no way Marianne could know of the plan to assassinate Viran, but his suspicions were still there. Marianne, afterall, was someone that saw clearer than anyone else. In more ways than one.

A sea of golden laid upon the plains in front of Viran. A spectacle so fantastical he thought he could be swallowed whole by the overarching fields beyond him. The vision he had seen from inside the carriage was nothing in front of being directly next to the stalks that were almost taller than himself. His breath had vanished within a second, and all disappeared from around him. There was only him, and the fields that threatened to enrapture him.

A plain life was only waiting for him back at the Estate, a lonely life devoid of life. He felt suffocated there and listless, yet now he felt warm here. Whether it was through the interactions with Marianne or the wonderful views he was seeing now, it was full of life! His body was filled with a new breath of life from what he had seen now, a world only ever described to him within books and pictures. But even then those descriptions were interpreted from another person- not Viran himself. Just by looking at the grain did Viran feel at peace, a feeling of finally viewing the new world he had only dreamt of.

For but a moment, the fear had vanished. The paranoia was gone. He felt life.

Marianne had kept her eyes targeted onto Viran throughout the entire time, and her eyes danced with joy. She finally saw her first glance at the boy completely absent of fear, her heart warmed up with joy at the sight. She lightly places her hand onto Viran’s shoulder which shakes him from his torpor.

“Ah, erm. Thank you, Marianne, for showing me this.” Viran says while looking back and forth from Marianne to the fields.

“Yes, yes. Just make sure to keep this a secret from everyone back at the estate, especially Lord Idicium.” Marianne says in response.

Viran’s gaze tightens up and a feeling of guilt overwhelms him.

“I probably won’t go back to the estate anytime soon.” Viran blurts out.

Marianne’s eyes droop softly as she begins to pat Viran’s shoulder.

“Well you’ll have to go back, ya know? That’s your home.” Marianne softly says.

“I’d rather that not be my home. No, no! That is not my home, never. Living here would be better.” Viran said with resolution.

“Well I suppose for that you’ll need to thank Embren. He was the one that asked the others about letting you get this time for yourself.”

Hearing Embren’s name the tall Knight’s face enters Viran’s mind. A bad mood descends on his heart, he shouldn’t hold anything positive towards him. Ry had named Embren as one of the conspirators, the ones trying to take his life. It was preposterous to thank someone for 15 minutes of good scenery when he was bound to take Viran’s life. Just thinking about Embren filled Viran with anger.

“...I don’t think I should thank Embren for anything at all, he likely only did this because of you.” Viran said with a grumpy expression as he threw Marianne’s hand off of his shoulder.

Her face becomes ashen, losing the beautiful color it once had. Marianne was clearly shaken upon looking at Viran and hearing his words, she was seeing something no one else can see. Her emotions get the better of her as she calls out to Viran.

“Why? Why are you like this? The mere mention of Embren causes you anger and fear. Any mention of Tenus Forest makes you feel afraid. Why? I’ve tried so hard to make you feel better and safer yet you don’t seem to understand! You’re safe here, and why do you act this way towards me? I can clearly see your happiness yet you act aloof, why?” Marianne yells in exasperation. “I just want to know why! Why do you feel this way?”

Viran’s ears flare and his face begins to turn red. What did she know? How does she know what he’s feeling. Viran hated Marianne being able to see directly through him, it was uncomfortable. Viran tried to control himself, he dreaded the idea of being hated by Marianne. But, Viran wasn’t said to be a pro at keeping his emotions in check.

“HA! Just what have you done for me? I am about to be killed and you can’t even see through that! What’s the use of that sight if you can only see directly through me, huh? You’re terrible Marianne Kieller. You may be able to see but what’s the use if you can’t even understand any of it!”

The mere mention of Kieller drives Marianne’s heart to a stop. She didn’t understand how Viran knew about any of that, but it didn’t matter because he knew. The name Kieller had once been named prestigious and great exceeding even the Emperor, that is until two centuries ago.

The Kieller bloodline was prestigious precisely because of their innate gift of sight. Those with the innate gift could see farther than any other and see more than anyone else. Two centuries ago before the Empire became the Hegemon of the West there laid a country south of the Idicium lands, a country now inhabited by beasts and monsters unlike any other. Marianne’s ancestors had the ability to see clearly the weaknesses of everything laid before them. A loose brick, a broken bone, it was all seen through their eyes, and through that developed a need to be perfect. The once Grand Mage had been caught experimenting on live subjects, beasts and humans alike in order to create the perfect organism. A hellish madness had already taken them over by the time they were ousted from the Imperial Court, and it only got worse from there.

The madness inflamed the Grand Mage, growing bigger by the day. The imperfections and weaknesses they saw through their experiments only drew them to be more cynical, and with no bottom line. With no one else to rely on the Grand Mage did everything themselves, yet years went by and the results were null. The Grand Mage could only see the weaknesses and imperfections of her creatures, nothing in this world could be made perfect.

Years had already gone by by then, and the Grand Mage only became worse. Their health deteriorated and their mind wandered in delusional fantasies, and they came to the very conclusion that the very world they lived in was imperfect. The Grand Mage who had once caused the Kieller name to soar, would go on to make the world feel true fear when they resolved to look into other worlds for the perfect organism. Something that wasn’t imperfect, something that was the very definition of perfection.

Through the sacrifice of their health, a rift was opened and out of it came beasts that could not be called perfect. What laid beyond their eyes was and still is imperfection, up until their final breath. The rift was opened and beasts unlike any other seen before razed the once proud country to the ground, to inhabit the depths of history forever.

The family of the Grand Mage Kieller lived on in infamy, too proud of their lineage yet too shameful of the once Grand Mage. The Family resolved themselves to abandon their name, yet their shame still lives on centuries thereafter.

“V-Viran…” Marianne shook with some fear.

Viran closes his fists and starts to run from Marianne but she pulls him back and he lands onto his butt on the ground.

“I-I… Can see your emotions… It’s my innate gift but it only works on people with little mana or no mana.” Marianne’s shoulders tremble as she speaks, tears drip from her eyes. “I don’t understand why you’re so afraid… But if you’re in danger, please! Tell me!”

Viran’s hands clench hard together, his back still directly on the dirt beneath them. He was filled with emotions, emotions he couldn’t tell. Yet Marianne could tell what emotions those were, and he was still petrified by that. Viran’s breath freezes up, and his heartbeat slows down. Maybe it would be right for him to tell her? Maybe she wouldn’t believe him if he said Embren was one of those trying to kill him…

‘Maybe I should just accept what fate had drawn out for me.’ Viran thought.

“TELL ME!” Marianne yelled out.

The tears from her eyes fall out of her eyes and onto Viran’s skin. Viran was afraid of Marianne not believing him, and what would happen if she did. A quaking voice leaves Viran.

“Spion… Gregory… They’re trying to kill me! They’ve been planning this for so long! I’m supposed to quietly disappear from the convoy when we reach Tenus Forest!” Viran pauses before he finally releases his taut nerves and yells.

“EMBREN WANTS TO KILL ME!” His voice filled with anger and confidence in himself, he knew it to be true, but would Marianne?

Before Marianne could even release a single sound, the soft rasp of a sword leaving its scabbard is heard behind Viran. His nerves go onto high alert, his eyes tremble it was an unmistakable sound.

“Fuck… You… Ruined everything kid.” Embren’s voice sounds hurt and pained in Viran’s ears.

“Em...bren?”

Marianne’s eyes had turned aghast at the sight of Embren aiming at his sword at the very person he swore to protect, Viran.