There was an alarm. Auspices, the home security system was blaring. But it stopped after a while. Normally, one would think that the alarm stopped by due fact that the intruders had been dealt with, however.

“It seems someone’s killed Auspices…”

That was how King Edgar saw it. But at least, he heard the message it projected, and it seemed like a serious one at that. It said it was legit, and it even mentioned getting Tom the Subjugator involved. Such was the nature of the automatic flagging and risk assessment capabilities of Auspices. For it to stop so hastily… Nefarious hands are no doubt at play here.

Usually, he need not worry about such a simple security issue under the gaze of Auspices, but he was certain there was foul play behind the curtains. So rushing out of his office, he ran past a lilac garden. He noticed out of the corner of his eye, that the gardener was still hard at work grooming the plants despite the warning.

She was especially noticeable considering that the terraces and pavilions were especially empty, simply by nature that King Edgar didn’t trust vassals to wander around the palace. He had paranoia rivaling a war veteran. Granted… he was a war veteran.

“What are you doing?” He barked out.

“Ahh! Good greetings to his royal majesty,” The gardener in charge of this terrace bowed as the king made himself known. The response was stock standard. One King Edgar had heard so many times as he passed by this terrace.

It seemed perfunctory with a hint of acclaim, but it was the smae each time. Usually with such matters, the vassals often wore off the novelty as time passed. Yet this one gardener was the same. This servant of light purple hair was a peculiar neophyte. He had noted before that her work was exceptional.

King Edgar simply wanted to stand marvel at this terrace all day. But slowly, he pried himself free from such extraneous thoughts. He had to investigate the suspicious matters in the palace. Personally.

“Your royal majesty!” Though in a breach of routine and etiquette, the gardener, Lilac, cried out, “Won’t you stay and enjoy the flowers?”

Such a proposal was rather ingratiating, but it was less sycophantic than he expected. He would hear it out. After all, these lilacs were just so beautiful. His vector was simply captured, enamoured by these bright flowers. They beckoned his gaze, demmanded it even.

He obliged. And only then did he realise about the many others that too, were drawn to this divine terrace. It was no matter, after all, it was simply heretical to not stand and admire the flowers.

He allowed their participation.

“You don’t need to worry about those matters…” Lilac hummed, as she strapped a mask. One modelled after a crow’s beak.

…

Yeah, I don’t think I should’ve poured the magick juice on Mr. Summon over here.

“Jeffrey… What the hell man?”

I’m sorry princess, but I had to.

“I can confirm. The plot dictated that Jeffrey pull this stunt,” Laffer butt in, “It was obvious this was gonna happen when Lacer give him the Meter instead of me.”

Oh yeah, that’s where I got it from. I was kinda just rifling through my pockets for random things, but now that my memories been successfully jogged, I can confirm that I did in fact pour divine essence on the divine creature. Y’know, I wasn’t really thinking things through when I did that, but now that I think about it, that was probably a mistake.

I mean, he’s shining now, and the last time that happened, was when I fought that vampire lady. And she became real strong after her shining incident, so I don’t see why this guy won’t. Is he gonna have a flashback as well? I’m kinda curious now despite the rather baffling implications.

“Hope not,” Laffer shrugs, “Though… are you two friends?”

Uhmm, “No.”

“Then why’d you help him?”

“Lily asked me to.”

“Are they friends?”

A simple, yet dangerous question. Did Lily really make friends with this guy? This guy? I’m afraid I may have had a grave lapse of judgment just now. I note to myself that as he glows brighter, princess Kana’s pistol shots simply bounce off him. She seems to be yelling something, but I can’t hear her from the other side of the room.

“Jeffrey, this is serious, are they friends?”

I—

“Yes! They are f r i e n d s,” Ori, whose on my side of the room, interjects! “I can positively feel the above-acquantance energy between them.”

Okay, they’re friends. I can’t help but deflate at this revelation.

“You should be be, Jeff, because we can’t beat the power of friendship.”

No no, I’m not saddened by that. I’ll die regardless, but it’s more so the fact that Lily has a friend… that isn’t me… A friend that she’s willing to risk her guts for. Or, at the very least, proactively try and help, and that is more than she does for me. And in front of this reality, I wanted to deny her request, but I just… couldn’t.

“Welp, that explains why you did something so out of character.”

I ignore Laffer’s jab at my poor decision making. Instead, now focused on the target, who is now in peak condition, plus some. He raises his sword in defiance against the many hostiles —us— against him, his eyes drooping at the sight of the dead demi humans. A resolution flickered in his eyes as he exuded a pure pressure, at least at the strength of a Golden Mind ranked elite. And we only had Steel Wills here.

Though only a level below, the difference was always bound to be huge. As is indicated by the price of gold, compared to steel.

“Who are you people?” The glowing man said.

Kana elected to speak on our behalf, this time, speaking loud enough for us all to hear, “I’d like to ask that same question, intruder!”

The sudden verbal attack succesfully flinching him. She continues her verbose assault, “Me and my escorts were simply attempting to evacuate my noncompliant sibling,” Kana spits the word out, “When you and those fanatics attacked us!”

Yes! A wonderful twisting of the situation. Though, not exactly wrong, but not right either. Regardless, it makes him stop to look at the lot of us and the position that he himself walked into. I mean, he was the one to open the door to a maiden’s room, all the more, doing so when Auspices just said that there intruders.

“Plus!” She adds on, “We did the favour of reviving you, so I don’t believe you are in any position to ask such questions!”

Glossing over the details, she masterfully spins a tale to extricate ourselves from the might of the power of friendship. And that’s when I realise the brilliance of this second princess. Yes, though the power of friendship may be insurmountable in a fight, we just had to change the parameters of said battle!

Of course, to really seal the deal, I make sure to cup Lily’s mouth before she could utter a word. And it seems Lazari picked up what I was doing because she acts in tandem and has the bound princess silenced.

No, not dead. Actually, maybe dead. She hit the princess pretty hard…

“Ah, my—my apologies,” The target bows, oblivious to the tomfoolery behind him.

“I hope you can turn yourself in peacefully.”

“I—I will do my best. And I’m truly, very sorry.”

And then we tied him up and put him in a sack. He didn’t resist of course, because if he did, we’d be wholly unable to stop him.

Good job us! We got the target! I deserve a pat on the back! And we even managed to leave without encountering any other people. How wonderful.