Xendus lowered his voice “We don’t talk about Brent here. Does anyone here know where you are from?” Reylor shook his head. “Reylor, my friend! How’s it been? Why don’t you let your uncle Xendus catch up with you for a bit?”

Reylor caught the hint: Xendus was Brent, but no one should know about that. Leading the way, he brought “Xendus” to the house to have a private chat.

After talking, Reylor had learned several things. Votran Academy, while set a bit off from the interior of Vilnor, was nevertheless one of Vilnor’s powerhouses. In other words, it housed many powerful entities who were quite loyal to the Empire, and so must not be allowed to know the connection between them and Splendor. Also, this “Crystal Witch” indeed was Queen, who had disappeared since that time. Even Votran’s elite were currently unable to locate her.

They also discussed things on Reylor’s end—how the trip went, what had transpired when they arrived, and the current situations at hand. He promised to settle Reylor’s housing situation, as well as opening up the higher levels of the library to Reylor—an opportunity that other students could not even hope for.

There was a reason for Brent to help Reylor like this, besides just familiarity. Brent was out for blood, and since Reylor had been brought into the situation, Brent wanted to give him the opportunity to join the party. Vilnor would receive retribution for what had happened in Splendor.

In the meantime, Brent would keep searching for signs of Queen, and do some investigation as to what had been going on behind the scenes with the destruction of Splendor.

Just as they were finishing up, a door opened, and a sleepy Elany walked out, asking, “Reylor, who are you talking to?”

Reylor just smiled. Xendus just smiled. And they waited for a moment.

With a look of confusion, Elany looked at Brent for a moment. “Who is this man, and why is Reylor up talking with him in the middle of the night?” she thought. Then she noticed something.

Her eyes grew wide and her mind instantly cleared. She threw herself at Brent exclaiming “Uncle Brent! Uncle Brent!” as she sobbed with joy.

“Did you really think they could take me out that easily?” he said with a smile, returning her embrace. I have to go soon, but I’ll be back; and rest assured, those dogs of Vilnor will get what’s coming to them. “Mmm hmm,” she agreed. This was the happiest day she had experienced since leaving Splendor. Uncle Brent was still alive!”

Due to Elany’s pleading as well as another matter, Brent agreed to stay the night. The next day he brought Reylor to the library. “Yo, Librarian! I need to talk to you about something.” He called out. The librarian furrowed his brows. Who was this man who dared to be so disrespectful to him, an SS rank Void Mage? Unfortunately, Brent had not been around since this librarian was hired, or he definitely would have known better. However, he did not know.

Seeing he had the librarian’s attention, he continued. “Give this guy access to the upper floors of the library.”

The librarian was not happy. This guy is just rude! It seems I must educate him a bit.

“Mind your manner, man,” the librarian said, to which Brent smiled and replied “I’d mind mine if I were you.”

The librarian shivered. This guy is audacious! I’ll give him a little something to know his place. He secretly activated a high level gravity control spell, planning to force Brent to the ground, teaching him his place. He smiled as Brent appeared to be bracing himself under an overwhelming pressure, pressing him down. What he did not notice, however, was a glowing rune behind Brent’s fur coat.

All of a sudden, Brent stood straight up, like nothing had even happened, with a wide grin on his face. He was playing—that’s right—playing with an SS-class void mage! “My turn!” he said, a cheesy grin plastered across his face. Making three quick hand signs, the librarian immediately crumpled to the ground from a strange, overbearing pressure.

Reylor sighed inside. Was this really necessary? Nevertheless, he kept his silence as he silently watched the spectacle.

“Wh-Who are you?” The librarian choked out. He looked as pale as a ghost. Brent waved his hand, releasing the pressure. “Have you heard of Xendus?” Brent asked. The librarian, who was just starting to get up, froze and immediately sat back down on the floor. “The T-tyrant?” “That’s me!” Brent said, with maybe just a little too much glee.

“I hear my friend needs an S-class mage to access some higher level materials. Now I may not actually be a mage, but I think I have the qualifications.” He showed his badge to the librarian, who just went silent. What the mess is that? Am I hallucinating? SSS was written on the badge.

Who was a triple S-class warrior? Put simply, SSS-Class meant that they had surpassed the Empire’s ability to measure strength. It was only one full rank different on paper, but that meant nothing. If you had the triple S, no one could say for sure whether you were twice as strong as an SS-class, or whether you were twenty times as strong! For all intents and purposes, you might as well be immortal to all but the other extremely few SSS entities. This was the SSS-Class.

The librarian, still pale-faced, regained some of his bearing. After apologizing profusely, he firmly declared that Reylor would have access to everything in the library, save for the spells that were considered national treasures. Only the headmaster could permit anyone other than SSS individuals to view those.

Seeing that everything was now under control, Brent bid Reylor farewell and departed to do some espionage at the capitol.

Meanwhile, Reylor was able to access what he needed-a spell that would trigger if anyone should approach the residence while he was away. With this in place he could feel free to leave Elany and Aileen in the squadron house while he refined his magic at the practice fields.

*** *** ***

In a place far to the west:

“Scrub harder! At this rate no one will buy you, and you know what happens to people who I can’t sell, hehe.” A man disdainfully looked at a young boy who was currently scrubbing the floor with a rag.

Meanwhile a figure approached his mansion. Clothed in flowing red robes embroidered with exquisite golden designs, she strode forward. Her smooth skin was as white as pearl, and she bore an air of dignity and grace fitting of a queen. He garments only served to accentuate her bearing. She was breathtaking.

Nevertheless, the guards at the gate could not help but treble. Her bearing spoke of nobility, but her eyes… Her eyes were as daggers—sharp and with a murderous aura. This was Lucille.

“Count Cliry!” A woman’s voice rang out, penetrating through the entire house. “Come out! Death has come for you!”

After waiting for a few minutes, she turned to her side, spoke a few words, and turned to face the structure again. An invisible figure rushed into the building. Soon many figures began walking out of the building.

Speaking in a quieter, but still stern voice, she said, “Everyone, get behind me. If not, you will die.” Those who had come out were a diverse group, including several middle aged women, quite a few young women, and even more children-both boys and girls. At the same time, there was one thing that was the same-they all looked tired, despairing, and broken.

The girl in red clenched her fists in anger, but did not say a word. The two guards wanted to stop all the people who were leaving, but one look at the lady in red was enough to shake them to their core. The invisible figure returned to her side.

“Count Cliry! Come out!” She yelled again. She then turned to the gate guards. “You two, do you want to live?” They nodded their heads. “Bring out Cliry to meet me.”

One of them respectfully replied to her “But if we leave our post, the other guards inside—“He was cut off. “The other guards will pose no threat to you. Now go, before I decide to kill you anyway. The guard nodded and the two hurried into the mansion. It didn’t take the long to understand why she had said the others wouldn’t be a problem to the two: There were bodies everywhere. Someone had massacred all 60 elite guards stationed inside. The two remaining guards found the count huddled in his room. They dragged him out to face this lady in red.

“Do you know who I am?” the lady asked. “N-n-no, I-I don’t. This must all be a misunderstanding! W-what a-a-are you doing?” he stammered out. Who was the woman, and why was she trying to pick a fight with him? He was not ready for the answer. No, he could never be ready for the correct answer to this question.

Her eyes turned brown, and her red hair washed into a black hue. Cliry’s eyes grew big. “L-Lucy?” “Good, I see your memory isn’t as clouded as the rest of your depraved brain.” Her hair once again turned red, and her eyes returned to their previous appearance. “I know your sins, for I have experienced them!”

The Count bowed and stumbled out “Have mercy.” Her eyes narrowed further. “Have mercy? HAVE MERCY?!?! Tell me why! Tell me one time you showed me mercy, or mercy to my friend you killed out in the field that day! The time for mercy is past, you judgement has come!” She screamed out in a deafening volume. “I have one last thing to say! I am not just Lucy anymore. My name is Lucille Shildwell, heir of the Shildwell Empire. You have disgraced the imperial crown and brought calamity upon yourself! Your time has come to an end.

The count had been subconsciously moving backward, to the point where his back was touching the front wall of the house. At this point his legs gave out and he collapsed.

“Tower of hell, stage three, I summon thee!” The words rang out as she raised her hand to the heavens. Mana condensed, and the sky slightly darkened. Several people nearly threw up as a strange power coursed through the environment. Suddenly, a column of fire condensed right over the mansion. In less than a second, it had grown to envelop the entire mansion, including the count and his guards, save for the two. Had she not constructed a magical barrier beforehand, even the people behind her would have ceased to exist. Several moments later she lowered her hand and the column dispersed, revealing a crater with a pool of magma at the bottom. The figure beside her revealed himself—a swordsman. He grabbed Lucy’s waist just as her own legs were ready to give way beneath her. “Your highness, you have done well to survive and to take your revenge at this place. Rest here while I send for a horse and deal with the aftermath.”

Thus he sat her down and proceeded to direct the previous inhabitants of the mansion, as well as the two guards, who were quite obedient at this point.

While this man was a mystery to all at this place, his history with Lucille was significant. He was a guard for the Shildwell household-specifically the guard in charge of the royal prison. Thus he had been given quite some time to get to know Lucille and grow fond of her. This is one of the reasons he had released her through a secret path, despite how he himself expected to be killed for this act if Vilnor didn’t kill him first. Now fate had spared him and led Lucy to him. He now felt he had a purpose again—He could once again serve and protect the Shildwell household.