“Get Out!” The Minister bellowed on receiving the report of the failure, his furious shout shaking the mansion and echoing through its halls. The news bearer almost collapsed before rushing out of the room in fright.

Seething in anger, the Minister incoherently muttered and cursed as he slowly pulled out a series of books from a bookshelf in a practiced manner. Accompanied by a gentle click, the shelf receded into the wall to reveal a small dark passage.

The dim lights lined along both walls did little to affect prevalent gloominess. Sturdier than stone and reinforced with magic, the pathway was built to last. It led the Minister to a simple room with minimal decorations and a large bed. The Minister sat at the bedside, his anger disappearing. Tranquillity was replaced by sadness as he pensively stared at the sickly pale face of his daughter.

With her eyes closed, the girl draped in white sheets seemed to be peacefully asleep, her breathing faint and her body lacking in humanly warmth.

While tenderly caressing her long auburn hair, the Minister tucked a few stray strands behind her ear. His heart burning with flames of new found resolve, he gently held her hand and whispered, “Just wait a little longer. No matter the cost, I’ll definitely save you.”

“Well, well!” The lights were snuffed out. The temperature took a dive. The room suddenly turned darker than night as smoked seeped through the cracks in the floors and walls, slowly agglomerating to create an outline of a person. Cackling with laughter, the mass of smoke intently met the Minister’s gaze and mocked, “You were too rash! No wonder you failed!”

“Whether I was rash or not is not your concern!” The Minister flatly replied, “Your job has always been to heal my daughter. I suggest you stay focused on that.”

“Now, now, let's not be impatient.” The smoky figure chuckled. “Perfection takes time and since you still haven’t found a substitute for that girl, this will only take longer. In the meantime…” The figure pretended to pat the Minister’s head, a hazy smile on its face. “You should take care of the trouble you’ve attracted.”

“Don’t patronize me!” The Minister barked, the strength of his mana beginning to show. “Do your job and I’ll do mine. Renege on our deal and I’ll cut you down.”

“Ha ha! So terrifying…” The figure teased before its form began to dissipate.

The Minister ruefully sighed, secretly lamenting. ‘If only I had another option… But now that I’ve come this far, there is no turning back. If Scarlett can be saved, then even my life is but a small price to pay.’ Looking at his daughter, the Minister’s gaze softened. “Just a little longer…” He murmured.

***

Standing beside Liliana, Max felt the corners of his lips twitch. Irritation bubbled up inside like a volcano waiting to explode. August didn’t seem to notice. Carefree as ever, he stood in front of him, laughing and stating his reason for showing up. “I figured if I plead your case and helped you out, you’d owe me one. Then you’d have no choice but to accept my sparring request!”

Hearing his explanation, Evangeline held her head and nearly sank into depression. ‘You stupid battle junkie, don’t you have any sense of propriety?! How can you even say something like that with a straight face?!’

The duo were here because Lewis hadn’t been tight lipped. After separating from Liliana and Amy, he had run into Evangeline who had managed to coax the information out of him. As if summoned by the mere mention of Max, August had shown up and spurred into action. Without a word, the young sword maniac had headed straight for the Walker castle, following after Max’s trail, his silence practically forcing Lewis and Evangeline to tag along.

Duke Walker walked into the room, his eyes momentarily hovering over Max. He inwardly sighed. A hint of regret flickered past his eyes as he saw the fury in Max’s. Amy, right behind her father, quietly chose this time to wink at Liliana. Signalling that things were fine, she silently mouthed and asked her best friend to relax.

“It’s not that easy!” Liliana almost yelled. Joseph wasn’t nearly as intimidating as Liliana made him out to be, but this was her first time directly confronting nobility, a Duke no less. Stiffer than a rod, she stuttered in her greetings, unable to hide a shred of her nervousness.

August, Lewis and Evangeline, on the other hand, were unperturbed by his presence and casually greeted the man. This difference in bearing clearly showcased the stark contrast between their upbringings.

Joseph didn’t stay long. The baton of playing host was quickly handed to his daughter. He felt no need to personally entertain these scions with his status as a Duke and as a member of the older generation.

August left soon after, his purpose fulfilled. Swordplay remained the sole thought in his mind as he returned to the Academy with the intention to resume practice. Lewis and Evangeline, in agreement with his decision, also voiced their thoughts of egression.

Their actions left Max alone with the girls, and then the dreadful nightmare began. Bombarded with questions, Max slowly and painfully began his attempt to satiate their curiosity. Dealing with Liliana’s agitation alone was a herculean task, adding Amy to the mix only raised the bar higher.

The conversation saw Amy occasionally interjecting and adding inputs she had heard from her father. It gave Max the clues he needed to deduce how much the Duke had revealed to his daughter. Surprisingly, the man he had lost respect for had been forthcoming with his daughter, choosing only to downplay the role of the assassins. Reluctantly in agreement with the Duke’s decision, Max spun a similar story, managing to quell Amy’s suspicions and not worry the girls too much.

Her anxiousness quite apparent, Liliana couldn’t hide the emotions on her face. Throughout the narrative, gripped by the ups and downs in the story, her brows jumped, her mouth opened wide and she let exclamations loose.

Max gently held her hand and silently attempted to assure her, but the insignificant gesture produced a reaction that left him puzzled. The tomboy of a girl blushed, a faint red hue appearing on her cheeks. Glaring at him, she snorted and reciprocated, but not without her disquietude transforming into annoyance.

The urge to tease and laugh was at an all time high, but Amy knew she had to control herself. Suppressing a giggle, she turned away and noticed her mother walk through the door. It had been months since she had last seen Sarah.

The hug lasted for but a moment. Beaming, Sarah sat next to her daughter, her ecstasy inadvertently dampening Amy’s own enthusiasm.

Amy sighed. She knew her mother well. She was like an open book. But the conversation that followed came as a complete surprise. At times doubting herself, at times her mother, Amy remained stumped when the Duchess failed to react in the way she had imagined.

Making Liliana feel comfortable, Sarah convinced her to reveal her story. Information about the Academy, the nature of her relationship with Max, their dealings with the rogue Necromancer, Sarah remained calm and poker faced throughout it all. She could see her daughter hyperventilating and couldn’t help but chuckle in response.

Eventually, however, Sarah found an excuse to leave, satisfied with Liliana’s character. Giving Max a quick glance, she smiled and said, “It was a pleasure talking to all of you, but I really must get going. I’ve asked Davis to arrange a room for Liliana, so please stay for as long as you like.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Max shook his head, not even taking a moment to reject the kind gesture. “It’s better that we return to the academy.”

“Nonsense!” Sarah frowned. “After what you’ve been through, how can you leave so soon?”

Understanding her mother's intentions, Amy also tried to convince Max and Liliana. “Stay for a bit. It’s not like we’ll miss much even if we go back after a few days.”

“Okay. We’ll stay.” Liliana immediately agreed, her excitement getting the better of her, leaving Max shaking his head in resignation.

With no interest in the castle, Max returned to his room, afraid of getting attacked by the Duke’s right hand once more. On the other hand, enthusiasm overflowed within his sixteen year old partner. Liliana’s eyes shimmered with excitement and interest at the thought of touring the castle. Giggling, she followed Amy around as soon as the Duchess departed.

Finally separated from Liliana, Amy slowly made her way through the castle’s winding corridors, greeted by the numerous household servants along the way. She stood before a large wooden door, a door that had always opened to a room full of melancholy. It had become impossible to imagine it in any other way, and yet, today, Amy couldn’t feel even an ounce of that sadness.

Despite feeling a little jealous, Amy couldn’t bring herself to resent Max. Instead, her eyes flickered with emotion as she suddenly recollected the bitter event that had thrown the entire Walker family in disarray. Taking a deep breath, she tried not to show anything but a smile as she opened the door.