Three days ter

  “Where the hell is that girl,” I say as I mencholy stare up at the sky.

  “Orb, e get something to eat”, Maple says.

  While Atanta has been gone, we had set up camp right were we hid when we first arrived. I didn’t know then, but it seems all the people from the Vilge packed a bunch of things without my knowledge. It seems they wanted us to be as prepared as possible. I have to thank them for the ime I see them.

  As I ast an asleep Willow, I give him a rub on his head. Because we ck the food to keep him fed, he has begun hibernating and has been asleep for the past three days. It makes me sad that we have nothing to give him, but if we start feeding him out of our food, the supplies will be finished in no time. Still I didn’t want him to suffer alone, so I only fed sparrow the minimum he o survive.

  While I sit down a, my ay over the situation of everyone in Basileia tio grow. What I eat is barely enough for me, and I am sure they’re not getting anything close to this amount of food. This is so frustrating. “ATALANTA, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!”

  “You called,” she says with her fay shoulder.

  I scream and back away from her. “How did you sneak up on me.”

  With a proud expression, she says, “That’s one of my special skills. I refer to it as stealth mode.”

  Getting up and posing myself, I ask Atanta a few questions. “So, first of all, what are you doing with all those new clothes and that cart.”

  “These are just some things Simon got for me. We could use them to stock up on supplies.”

  “Oh yes, about that you please illustrate for me, HOW THE HELL YOU GOT IN!”

  “Oh, simple; I know that mostly nobles e here, so with my womanly charms, I knew I could sedue of them to take me with them. Lucky for me, the man I questioned was quite easy to charm.”

  What kind of idiot lets a woman randomly in his carriage? For all he knew, she could be an assassin or a bandit, that goes beyond stupidity. “I see, so you tell me what you learned while you were there.”

  “Well, I could see many different pces because Simon was a big showboat, which made things muanageable. I got a good look at all the guard posts and have a pretty good yout of the upper floors of Basileia. I also talked to the guards; they were very talkative, many were well educated, and most spoke both the heroes and saviours songs. They were also quite pretty.

  However, I did notice that despite all the talking they did, they never mentioned anything about the city other thaunning crystals. Other things of hat I saw were that they also showed ions at any provocations they received and were very well-tempered. The only time they lost their cool was when someone she current ruler who is called Man.

  Though the most important information I could get was the location to the entrance of the mine, underh the city.”

  I have a face of plete shock as she tialking. “Huh, is something wrong, Orb,” she says, looking at my dumbfounded expression.

  Bowing down, I say, “I am sorry.”

  Looking fused, she asks, “Why?”

  “It is just that I thought you were going to fail without a doubt, but you did a fantastic job gathering all this information, so I am sorry for my ck of fate.”

  “Don’t worry. People happen to think that about me a lot, but at least you apologised about it, so all is fiven.”

  “Thank you so much. With this, I should be able to sneak into the mine.”

  “Orb, I would like you to wait on that for now.”

  “Why should I do that.”

  “The st thing I learned was that they will be holding a festival in a little over three months from now. To my knowledge, many high-profile people will be at that and thanks to that, I am sure they will have their hands filled dealing with them, so their security will be x. I also think I will be able to get a map of the mine sometime over these hree months.

  “How?” I asked, fused by her st point.

  “Well, I pnted some seeds while I was there. I gave lots of service to the noble and told him that if he wao see me, he should return in a month. I also mao flirt with some guards who seemed to be high-ranked, so I believe if all goes well ime, I will be able to get a map.”

  Looking down in shame, I say to her, “Sorry you had to do such things for me.”

  “Oh, don’t be sad. I have no issue with this. He was extremely good, and all the guards there were super hot. That woman Man sure knows how to pick them.”

  “Well, that’s a relief, but,” getting close to her ear I say, “Please stop with the dirty talk, Maple looks like she is about to pass out over there.”

  “ht,” she says, putting her hands over her mouth.

  So, sitting back down, I say, “It’s frustrating to wait, but I want to go with the pn with a high ce of success, so I guess where stuck here for three months. During this time, we must prepare as much as possible.”

  I hear Maple mumble something beside me. “Everyone, please be safe.”

  One month ter

  Φ As I walk into one of the guest rooms, I see a boy named Willow.

  “Hello, mother,” he says as he runs towards me and hugs me.

  “How have you been, Willow.”

  “I have bee, and it is all thanks to your mother.”

  “Oh my, how adorable you are,” I say while spinning him around. Over the st few days, I have made sure to get in close and rebuild this broken child. The punishment we give to prisoners have various impacts on them. Some bite off their tongues and some bee so fearful of us that they never disobey ain, but the best oute is when they break just enough for me to wiggle right into their hearts.

  I take Willow’s hand and guide him across the hallway out of his room.

  “Those giant crystals are beautiful.”

  “Yes, they’re. Those crystals pilrs are some of the oldest crystals and are mos of the city, so we leave them up.”

  “Whoa, you know a lot, mother.”

  “I only know what I learned.”

  “But still, you know much more than I ever could.”

  Rubbing his head, I say, “That’s because I am older, but I am sure you will be this knowledgeable someday.”

  “You think so.”

  “If you obey mother, you will.”

  “Then I will do that no matter what.”

  “Good boy. It seems we have arrived at our destination.” We walk through the door aer my office, where four people have been waiting for us. The head guard, my personal guard and two uards are waiting.

  Seeing the head guard, Willow hides behind me and holds me while shaking. I turn around aill I see him at eye level and say, “Tana won’t hurt you, since you are one of mothers family members, trust me.”

  “Really,” he says with a whimper.

  “I promise. Just look,” I say as Tana waves at Willow with a big smile.

  As Willow waves back, I tell him, “Willow’s mother needs you to do something important for her.”

  Gleaming with excitement, he says, “Whatever you ask of me, I will do.”

  “What a good boy you are. The thing I need from you is to get your friends to work much harder.”

  “Why?”

  “It is just that if we don’t hit a certain quota soon, your mother could be in big trouble and have to go away forever. You don’t want that do you.”

  “No, I don’t. I want you to stay with me forever, I will do whatever I o.”

  Hugging him, I say, “Thank you, Willow. Due to this, I will be able to protect both you and all our family.” Letting go of him, I say, “Mia here will take you where you o go, and show you how you do your job.”

  Mia walks over to Willow and says, “Are you ready to work for the glory of the mother.”

  “Yes, I am”, he says excitedly.

  “Well, I hope you both do your best.”

  “Yes, we will, mother,” they say in unison as they leave.

  I go to sit down on my chair behind my desk. I say to the three people still in the room. “With this, we should be able to reach our quota. To think God would give us such a strong tht when we .”

  “Yes, it is quite fortuo think that someone like him would be able to get us out of our dire situation,” my personal guard Porto says.

  A few months ago, we got a request from the holy nation that they would be going to war with an insignifit group and requested a sizable supply of crystals which was no issue.

  But two disasters hit us. First was that one of our transport routes was raided, and sed, the war dragged on, so they have stantly been requesting more and more. Because Gevurah is an important er to keep happy, we must alrioritise them, which has made our ts increasingly dissatisfied.

  I have made many enemies in my life, and if any of them see I am in a fragile state, they will try to take me down by sabotaging my retionship with my ts. The prote I get from giving specific ts crystals has kept Basileia safe from invasions. If I lose that, it’s all over.

  “Sora, how are the preparations for the party going.”

  Flustered by my words, he says, “Oh yes, it is ing along nicely.”

  “It better be. Remember, Sora; we are using this to make a statement against our ehat everything is well. If we make a single mistake, we might end up like the Animus family.”

  “Yes, mam, I will double-check everything.”

  “Oh, that remains me. How is Cyrus doing, Tana.”

  “He is fine as usual. Following my instrus, he has been w extra hard. About half the crystals mi month came from him”

  “He is always w hard like usual. Just like you three, he has always showreme loyalty to me without the need for any training, so make sure to give him some reward, alright”.

  “Yes, mam.”

  “Ok then, that will be all return to your work,” and with those words, Tana and Sora leave.

  “So, Mother, what are you going to do now.”

  “I will ensure all our hostages are getting on all right.”

  Φ “Hey Tana, wait, I want to say something.”

  “Kept up or shut up, I have work to do.”

  “I was just w, don’t you think Boss will be angry if she finds out that you haven’t been giving Cyrus any rewards, you haven’t eve him sleep in who knows how long.”

  Tana stops iracks, turns around, and says to me, “Boss said to reward his loyalty, and since he has shown no such thing, I will be giving him no such rewards.”

  But as those words leave his mouth, I hear a noble on a baly shout, “I need one of you servants up here right now. To think you haven’t given a man like me his personal attendant, how shameful.”

  Turning and giving his best smile Tana says, “Sorry sir, we will be there immediately,” while g his fist so tight it starts to bleed.

  “Sora, stop being a useless pest and go help that man.”

  “Wait, that man is the oh the beautiful scarlet-haired woman.”

  “I don’t think I have to say this to you, but if you try anything with her, I will kill you.”

  “You got it wrong st month; when they were here, I swear that woman was hitting on me.”

  “Keep your fantasies to yourself; you brain-dead idiot. Now go help him a back to your work,” I say as I walk away.

  Irritated, I say, “I will, but expin that Cyrus issue to me ter,” while running off.

  Φ To think I have to expin something so obvious to him, uh Porto and me or the people who were broken down like Willow and Mia. Cyrus has no loyalty to the boss. All the loyalty everyohinks he shows, is nothing more than a front. That man will do whatever he is told with ance. He is no more than a sve in mind and body—dragon, my ass.

  Φ “Honey, I have called for them. To think I would have to do this. They don’t know who I am.”

  “It is truly a shame that a man as great as you would have to do such things.”

  “Yes, it is. You truly uand, darling. This pce has gone downhill sihat woman took over.”

  “Huh, what do you mean? Would you please enlighten me”?

  “Well, since you asked so nicely, I will. Before, Basileia was run by queen Man’s husband Nodar. When he was in charge, this try was a much more opehat took much better care of its visitors, and when it came to mining the crystals, he refused to use sves. Uhe current queen, he was a sincere and charitable man.”

  “I see, she really is a horrible witch.”

  A sudden kno the door interrupts my and my darling’s versation. “They must finally be here. e in.”

  “Excuse me, sir; I am sorry for the dey. What do you need.”

  “Sorry for the dey. There should be no dey for me. Don’t you guys have any level of respect.”

  “I am sorry, sir. Now, what do you need.”

  “I don’t like that tone. Whom do you think you’re talking to, you insignifit worm.”

  “Honey, a person like you shouldn’t lower yourself by talking to this man.”

  “Yht. I shouldn’t. Now getting to business, my partner here wants to be taken to relieve herself.”

  “Honey, o be so graphic.”

  “When you reach my age, you tend to stop g about such things.”

  “I ck your wisdom; I should follow your example.”

  “It is no issue as long as you know it. Now be off.” And with that, my partner and the guard left.

  Φ I was five seds away from losing my cool in front of that old man, but at least I could now walk with this scarlet-haired beauty. However, her personality seems less thae to be with such a man like him.

  “HE SUCKS!”

  “Huh.”

  “That old ass fart sucks so bad, I had to e up with an excuse to get away from him.”

  “Should you be saying that.”

  “I don’t see the issue, and e on; I am sure everyone close to him must be thinking the same.”

  “I guess you’re right. I have no idea how anyone could be around him.”

  “I knht.”

  “That man is old ugly, and stinky. I am surprised you could spend a moment in that room with him.”

  So, as I tio insult the old man, the beautiful woman beside me tio agree and ugh beside me until she says, “He is the exact opposite of you.”

  “Thanks,” I said bashfully.

  “You know, I asked him t me back because I couldn’t fet your face the st time we met.”

  “Hmm, really?”

  Pushing her soft body again, she says, “You know, being with su awful human, has made me wish I could spend some time with someone wonderful for a ge.”

  My god Sora this is happening. You ’t cm up right now. You o sweep her off her feet. So, I hold her close, lift her , and say, “My room is close by.”

  “Let’s go,” she says as we head off.

  When I open the door of my room and walk in, I feel entirely revitalised, spring has e for me at st, though it is a pity I ’t brag to Tana about this. So, I turn around slowly and say, “Are you ready, baby.” But as I turn to see her face, I immediately see darkness.

  Φ Now I look around his room in peace. As I searched around, I finally came upon what I was looking for maps of the mines. Yes, with this, everything should go much smoother. I am like a ninja; no, I would be a kunoichi. I am amazing. Now to make it look like something happened, I decide to y the unsan on the bed, take off all his clothes and leave my panties for him. With this, he should think he feel asleep. ime we meet, I will hint that something happened, and with that, I have pulled off a perfefiltration.