I wanted to speak, to distract her mind but no words came to mine. What could I even tell to her, I know nothing about her. Wait that's not right, there is that one thing.

"What is a 'charoite'?"

Her head jumped up, turning to me, eyes wide with surprise.

Eliza: Where did you heard that!

"Last night, still half asleep you... you spoke in your sleep."

Eliza: I did that, didn't I... My mother used to call me that when I was a child. She told me that her mother, my grandmother called her that when she was a child and so forth. It was like a tradition in my maiden family. No matter who they married or who fathered them the women in my...our family were born with purple eyes like charoite gems.

Her face sunk to the ground again. Well I should have seen that coming, she called charoite when she met her missing daughter's image in a half-lucid state of course it's bound to be a touchy subject. What was I even expecting.

Eliza: Why does Lana wants us dead?

"This is purely speculation but, most likely, she wanted to replace you."

Eliza: If she wanted to replace me then why did she targeted you first?

I looked at her with confusion, wasn't this part obvious enough. That's not right to think, she's still in shock of course she can't think clear.

"To take the heir out of the picture. With no heir and the comte wrapped around her finger she would have all the power in her hands. Later she would come up with a way to take you out also and she'd be the only one alive to bask at her success. Of course she would be titled a concubine but I didn't cut her the person to care about what people called her."

She took a moment to process the information, to think long and hard on what she heard. And then as if the picture became clear in her mind she turned to me.

Eliza: She wouldn't stop at being a concubine. Even without killing me she would still be able to claim the title of legal wife.

"What! how?"

This kingdom is structured strictly monogamous, since having too many heirs from too many sources can cause trouble in succession and to 'protect' the men during the expeditions era. Getting caught with a lover regardless of gender is very much a heavy crime and punishable by the law, having rumors of such behavior floating around is quite damaging to ones reputation and relationships. So that begs the question, how could Lana become the legal wife when Eliza was still residing in the castle? Expecting this piece of the puzzle to come in the form of her answer I turned back to Eliza only for our eyes to met and saw her carrying this dumbfounded look on her face as if somehow I should already know the answer.

Eliza: Of course you wouldn't know...

Her previous face replaced by one of defeat, she again hang her head low. The same low as with the charoite.

Eliza: Your birth... it wasn't easy. Both the midwifes and doctors that oversaw the birthing came to the same conclusion. 'I was lucky to survive, next time I will may not be so lucky.' So with the pretence of not risking my life for an heir she will carry the baby and then after the birth replace me as the legal wife to 'not jeopardize the succession'.

For fuck's sake, even if she did carried the stigma of a home wrecker and concubine sure enough she will be able to make Eliza disappear and again that's what she's more interested in. But that raises another question.

"Would you maiden family stand for it. What is your relationship with Lana?"

Again with that dumfounded look followed by the defeated one.

Eliza: Right... We are cousins actually. She was born in a lower branch of the family and for as long as I can remember she had been my lady-in-waiting until I married the Comte. After that I saw her less and less until she officially became his personal maid. I never imagined the day would come where she would want me dead.

Everything binds together nicely now. With this plan her maiden family would be able to maintain the same relationship with the comte's that they already have but 'at a discount' while they could possible take back Eliza, which is still fair, young and in marriageable age and 'sell her off' to a widower looking for a trophy wife. That's right...

Eliza: Ca-Alex are you alright?

My head jerked up, I didn't even realized that I was dozing off mid-thought.

"Yeah I just didn't had the chance to sleep yet."

Eliza: You should not do that. Sleep is important.

Arthur saw way too many medical students during their residence, while shadowing her father, for me to not know how important sleep is. But just like them there's simply no time for me to close my eyes yet.

"The same goes for you. You're very lucky to be talking so lively right now so don't push your luck any further and lay down."

A half-smile formed in her face as she laid back in the 'bed'.

Eliza: How lucky?

"Let's see... if the world had a will then you are its favorite person."

Eliza: Oh...

That's right. this case isn't so much a medical miracle as a medical outlier. Instead of attributing this unordinary outcome to any form of third party we should attribute it to the individual. And if I were to congratulate how much of an outlier the individual named Eliza is, it would require a standing ovation from a packed amphitheater. Well still she fails to compare to me, a demon born from two different worlds, how much of an outlier does THAT make me. The entire cosmos should chant my name in unison... What I'm even thinking... right now...

My heavy eyes opened with a lot of effort from my part to a blue and bright night sky and a presence right on me. Eliza was hugging me like a body pillow under the duster. She felt cold to the touch and her wavelength had weakened considerably, if I do nothing about this I'm not sure how many nights she could fare. Getting up gently as to not disturb her sleep I stole a glance around the room, with help from the night sky I saw the clothes I failed to wash hanging from a makeshift line fashioned out of the wooden beams lying around, they were damp to the touch. Eliza must have washed them when I dozed off. I really didn't expected that from her.

Eliza: Hmm...

I suppose I was not as gentle as I thought.

Eliza: What are you doing?

"Don't worry go back to sleep."

Eliza: hmm, you're so warm...

Thanks I guess...

And after leaving me weirded out she closed her eyes once more. That's right, she should sleep while I take care of our situation, she already did more than enough. As I walked under the guise of the night wearing nothing other than the worn and battered second hand dress Estelle dressed me with back on Dovera's place I couldn't quite register this so called 'cold', at best I would call it a chill yet Eliza was a step away from freezing to death.

Regardless of my notions about the weather I found my way to the noble's district, patrols were established in order to prevent a repeat of last night's events but from what I observed they were clearly understaffed given the area they had to cover. Slipping by them was an easy enough deal, still this was nothing more than the beginning, the fact that I attacked a comte stood true and the more I stayed in the shadows the more resources that bastard will dedicate in hunting the perpetrator down. Still for all the piling reasons that it wasn't wise for us to stay in Myira there was quite possibly one that I could take advantage off. An ally left in this city where the enemies closed in on me.

Through a wormhole I entered the mansion. No matter how much I braced myself for it awful feeling of pain. I wonder if the process took an actual entire second to complete, what would come out of the other end of the wormhole? A lump of compressed meat? Something carbon based but no longer organic? In short what exactly, prolong exposure to cosmic events, does to a motherfucker. A fascinating question but not for the moment as I had reached my target.

I stood before his bed, no crazy aunt-maid ready to slice my throat this time. I didn't wanted to alarm him too much so after shaking him, 'gently' as always, to wake up I took a seat near the bed. I could see him in the darkness, opening his eyes and quietly surveying his surrounding, thankfully he decided to play along keep his voice low.

Chevalier Elvgurd: This is not a time to be receiving guests.

"I understand, only please do consider that I have no other place to turn to."

Sir Elvgurd: This voice. You are...

"Alex, for the sake of both of us do call me Alex."

Sir Elvgurd: Where is my daughter?

As I was about to answer we were cut short by his wife's disgruntled groan so the two of us took this outside. With his back turned to me I didn't found it appropriate to speak, that's why we moved in silence as he lead me to a small lounge. We sat across each other, not bothering with any lights and or drinks.

Sir Elvgurd: So...

"Estelle is still at Dovera's place. I needed to move so that sir luisent wouldn't come knocking on their door."

Sir Elvgurd: In that case there is a new turn of events you should know. The Comte's castle caught on fire last night. There are rumors that it was no accident as they found the side gate wide open after they quenched the flames.

"Really now! Do they have any possible perpetrators behind this incident?"

He looked uncomfortable when I asked this question.

Sir Elvgurd: Well it's...complicated to say the least. Currently there are two accounts making the rounds. I heard from some friends of mine in the guards that the perpetrator was an intruder against the Comte's life but our maids reported a very different story...

He cut himself short as if there was something holding him from telling me.

"Well now you got me all curious. What is that the maids reported?"

His look changed as if to say 'the blame's on you'.

Sir Elvgurd: You see, word has it that lady Eliza went crazy and burned your room to dust. The Comte's personal maid threw herself in the fire to save the lady but alas her body wasn't found.

The oh so valiant bitch who sacrificed herself for others. With this she nothing but validated her position next to that bastard, now in what condition she managed it and how willing to keep her by his side given her new appearance is only for time to tell.

"And what does Sir make of the situation?"

Sir Elvgurd: The guards paid our house a special visit. Looking for something but at the same time not knowing what it was. They question our household but it ended up going in circles and they left the same as when the entered and us confused. It was as if they believed we were, in a level no matter how meager, involved with the fire... When did you entered town?

A smile creeped into my face while his darkened, twisted by a frown. It took you long enough.

"Yesterday at daybreak. And Eliza is, generally speaking, safe."

Sir Elvgurd: You..Why?

If he had a sword he would be pointing it at me.

"Illegal slave trading. I can't let him live with everything he is doing in this very territory."

Sir Elvgurd: Even still breaking in and rampaging is not the solution, there are proper procedures for this. What if you got caught, you could have put my daughter in danger.

"It is true that I acted without a clear plan or intelligence but I will have to disagree with you. There is no 'proper' channel to resolute this. For situations like this the way to go is 'remove and replace'. And the way I see it it's the only way for Estelle to walk in here through the front door."

That's right the comte needs to be removed like the scar he is and replaced with new healthy skin.

Sir Elvgurd: Are you threatening me.

I could feel his hostility spread in the air, choking the entire room, he's even madder than before.

"I misspoke. What I mean is while I stay in the shadows Estelle is, if not dead, considered a criminal. For her to officially reclaim her place in your household I need to step forth and the Comte of the time to pardon her."

Sir Elvgurd: Don't take me for a fool. I understand very well the predicament my daughter got herself into.

"Again that was not the intention of my words. Instead of 'taking you for a fool' as you suggested I simply made sure we are on the same page. After all what is about to be discussed from here on does not allow any room for misunderstandings.

Sir Elvgurd: Then speak.