“You look like a mess,” said Farah.

Dia arched an eyebrow at the countess’ pale face and dishevelled clothes, before stifling a yawn. After what happened above the skies of Licencia last night, there was no way anyone could have anything remotely resembling a good rest. She herself had tossed and turned on her bed, wondering what the tri-folder Count Nightfall would think about their tiny little organisation, and whatever she could come up with was the stuff of nightmares.

“You’re one to speak,” Dia replied, reaching out for a jug of water. Pouring out two cups, she slid one over to Farah and sipped at her own, but it was nowhere comparable to Schwarz’s apple juice. “So? What did you think about as you rolled back and forth last night?”

“I was contemplating the chances of running from Licencia,” said Farah. “I’m one of the weakest countesses out there. If Nightfall ever realises who I am, there’s going to be many problems.”

“Then hurry and complete your second circuit,” Dia replied. “What’s holding you back?”

“Lifestones?” The countess shook her head. “Prices in this city are at an all-time high.”

Dia clicked her teeth. “I forgot.”

“Well,” said a relaxed voice, “you can try asking Claud for some. Knowing that punk, he probably has some lifestones here or there. They’re low-ranked or middle-ranked ones, though.”

“That’s not really useful,” Farah replied, an odd tone in her words. “None of them have any effect on me now, since I relied on them heavily to get to where I am right now.”

Dia narrowed her eyes. “Farah…how many years do you have left?”

The countess smiled, while the bartender turned to Dia, confused.

“What do you mean by that?” Schwarz asked. “Explain.”

She closed her eyes for a moment, choosing her words carefully. “Absorbing low and middle-ranked lifestones to the point of saturation gives one around 125 years of life. A human’s average lifespan is around seventy years. Add them together, and you get 195 years. Deduct a hundred as the cost of burning one mana circuit, and another hundred and eighty for her nearly-complete second mana circuit.”

“That doesn’t add up,” said the bartender.

“The remaining were probably filled up by high-ranked lifestones,” said Dia. “But from the state of your finances…you don’t really have all that much time left, do you?”

“How long have you known this?” Farah asked.

“I had my suspicions earlier,” Dia replied. “And when you told me about how you were unable to afford lifestones, it was easy to come to a conclusion. Farah…how many years do you have left?”

“You don’t want to know. If all goes well, I should be able to stave off my impending doom for a bit of time.” The countess smiled. “We made a contract. I have no desire to break it by dying.”

“I can help you secure some lifestones,” said Dia.

“At a disadvantageous cost? I don’t think so,” Farah replied. “You’ll also need them too. But let’s put this aside for a moment, shall we? It’s too heavy a topic for a nice Yellowgott morning.”

“What else do we have, then?” Dia asked.

Bells rang at that moment, and everyone instinctively looked in the direction of Moon Mansion’s entrance. The chimes that had interrupted the bartender’s words only sounded when an important visitor showed up, and with some unease, the three of them headed out.

“That’s…Count Nightfall!” Schwarz stared at the person on the other side of the transparent dome. “Son of a…he actually came down in person!”

“Since he did,” said the countess, “it’s entirely possible that he isn’t here to sanction us. Rather…”

Her eyes widened a moment later, and she turned to the bartender. “Hey. You. Uh, Schwarz.”

“What?” the bartender replied.

“Is your mouth a gift from the Moons?” Farah asked. “Have you forgotten what you said last night, when you wanted the others to sleep?”

“That rubbish about a Good Citizen Award…” The bartender blinked. “Moons, no.”

“Yeah, well. From the looks of things, it’s either that or he’s coming in person to subdue our asses,” Farah replied. “I think it’s the former, though. Look at that crowd behind him, all waving banners and cheering madly.”

The bartender quivered. “Where’s Risti when I need her?”

“She’s snoozing away, as you instructed,” Farah replied. “So? What should we do? Run back into the house and try to kill him with whatever other defences Claud left here for us? Or do we poke our head out and see what Nightfall wants?”

“Let’s be honest here,” he replied. “Who wants to see what Nightfall has in mind?”

Silence followed as the three of them ground to a halt. Fortunately, the dome that made up Moon Mansion was only transparent when viewed from within; people outside would just see an opaque dome.

“Well?” Schwarz asked. “Anyone?”

“It’s not really a choice at this point,” Farah replied. “But given the crowd, he isn’t probably going to murder you when you poke your head out. If you ask me, it’s some kind of publicity stunt. Therefore, you’re up, Schwarz.”

“Darn it. Why me?”

“Because I’m a ruler of a county, and Dia here is the body double of a fugitive. As for Risti, her father is the leader of the Folders’ Association, who has branches throughout Grandis.” Farah bobbed her head up and down. “Therefore, you are the best choice if we are to be inconspicuous.”

“Inconspicuous? Are you kidding me? Furthermore—”

Farah’s eyes flashed. “You have an objection?”

For some reason, the countess looked particularly intimidating. Dia could sense a mighty will behind those words, and she couldn’t help but sidle away from the stony-faced Farah. Her opinion was clearly shared by Schwarz, who didn’t offer up any words of resistance whatsoever.

“Good. Now get moving, before the count gets mad and blows down the dome,” Farah muttered. “Move it!”

Under her unceasing words, the bartender walked up to the entrance of Moon Mansion. Right now, they were still not visible from outside, which meant that the look of dread on everyone’s face wasn’t exposed to Count Nightfall and the crowd gathered outside.

He paused at the entrance, before flicking some switches. “The passcode’s disabled for now.”

“Good thinking,” said Farah.

Dia found herself nodding. After all, most of the passcodes were tailored around ruling from one form or another; if the count misinterpreted those passcodes as proof of nefarious designs on his territory, it would be a problem.

“Try not to let them in, though,” said Dia. “Claud would nag our ears away if we ever did.”

“Don’t need to tell me twice.” The bartender took a deep breath and stepped into the booth that governed entry and exit into Moon Mansion. Behind him, from the other side of the dome, Dia and Farah watched on in silence as he approached the count and exchanged words.

For a few, heart-stopping seconds, the two men didn’t move, simply staring at each other.

The moment was broken by a set of uproarious cheers, a sound so physical that Dia took a step back. Before her eyes, the count gave Schwarz a hug, and then presented him with something.

Gritting her teeth, Dia took a few steps forward and tried to listen to the count’s words.

“Anything?” Farah asked.

“Can’t hear it. This dome’s preventing us from eavesdropping. How does it even work?” Dia complained, annoyed. “Come closer. Maybe you can.”

“Never mind. He looks rather okay out there anyway. We can press him for the details later,” said the countess. “Right, did I make any grandiose bet with him last night, regarding a possible award?”

“Not that I can remember.” Dia placed her ear against the booth. “Ah, I can hear.”

With her ears to the glass panel, Dia could now tell that the tall man, clad in a set of midnight blue robes, was in the middle of a speech.

“—our lives to him. If not for his sudden intervention, many more would have died from the wanton attacks of the tri-folder Rickens. For that reason, I confer upon him the Hallowed Citizen Award, the highest of decorations within my territory.”

A round of applause followed, and Dia took the chance to relay his words as-is to the countess.

“To be honest, I have paid attention to the rise of the Moon Lords,” continued the count. “Reports about how they have brought order to the chaos of the night have made their way to my desk. Although I have not taken the liberty to approach them, today, here and now, I will confer the status of Associated Power to them.”

Dia froze at those words, as did Schwarz.

“What’s wrong?” Farah asked.

She clenched her fist. “He got us.”

“—stake in the governance of Licencia, with all due privileges and responsibilities. They will have a say in all affairs related to security and economics, with a standing only lower than my own. This is the reward for their kindness, their heroics. From here on out, the Moon Lords will rise.”

Count Nightfall began to ascend, a sight that drew more applause and cheers. Bowing at the bartender, he said, “There will be an official ceremony to celebrate this unexpected benefaction to my city, on this coming Bluegott. Sir Schwarz, I hope everyone will be there.”

With a gentle smile, he flew away, leaving Schwarz to face the applause alone.

[End of Book 2: The Moon Lords’ Rise]