I had to have a long, awkward conversation with Lady Lura'mi not long after that night. Her emotionless nature made it far worse, since I had to attempt to explain the concepts to her in some manner. I failed more often than not in the attempt. I noticed that during the meeting, Captain Zent was nowhere to be seen. There was no good way to ask, especially with the talk already going poorly. The elven woman, at the end of the talk, sat there placid but apparently confused, a state that seemed to agitate her. She said, "That story is more than a little bit hard to fully comprehend. Yet, I have not a better explanation. Do realize that this is somewhat abnormal even for outsiders such as you are. I've not heard of one being reborn fully. As for the time gap? Potentially being dead has diluted your ability to notice."

I let out a sigh of relief. Atleast, that much seemed to be somewhat understood. I said, wincing a bit from the bruising Misana had left me with as I picked up the cup before me, "I'm not even fully sure what is happening anymore."

Lady Lura'mi regarded me for a moment before saying, "The attempt to end this issue without killing my daughter is the smart action. Even after all my experiments, I was only able to have one child. Such is her importance. I suppose I should admit my idea for a solution would have failed. Still, you are on a very dangerous path right now. Misana is still unstable and your attempt may have only made it worse."

I grimaced as I took a drink of the tea. Such an idea had plagued me and my learning of magic had been held as Misana had sequestered herself in the library and would take no visitors. At the very least, she had apparently stopped violently hurting herself. I muttered, "At this point, I don't know what I can even do."

The glowing eyes of the elven woman turned to the sky. She sat there for a moment and said, "You can continue following my orders. Your actions suggest to me a certain interesting potential. Even if you've been wandering about in an odd stooper since the demons were removed, there is still much you need to learn."

I sat down my cup and looked at Anna who stood off to the side, facing away. I didn't blame her for not wanting to pay any attention to this. I nodded and Lady Lura'mi continued, "So, I think I'll leave the magic to Misana. So let me tell you about something you'll need when you are out doing my family's work. Let's start with the origin of my house so you'll understand who you represent."

She sat down her own cup and said, "I am the best teacher for this given my involvement. You see, my name carries a weight far above my title for that reason. I was there with King Sintal the First when he began the founding. That was three hundred years ago. Bentera is still young by kingdom terms." Slowly she motioned to the city. "Garnalt is older than the kingdom, having joined after. It has been a hub of trade and is considered one of the four largest cities. This estate's fortifications were one of the old leftovers. In Fact..." Her eyes lowered to me. "We sat here and looked out to the city just as you do with me now.

"But ultimately it is that ancient history that has left me and my house with an influence. Add to it that me and my soldiers are often called on to deal with threats that we have no obligation to obey. Whether you know it or not, your status as both herald and my name will have you treated very differently. Some will treat you as threat, as you no doubt are all too aware of from that dinner."

I asked, "So, you are in charge of dealing with certain monsters?"

She paused for a moment as her eyes fell on her cup. Almost boredly, she ran a finger about it's rim, and she said, "Normally, I'm called to deal with situations deemed too problematic for the standard methods. Adventurers and mercenaries are often far more easily swayed. Even by elven standards, I am quite old. There is also a certain fear of me and my agents due to the leeway my position grants me."

Such leway was probably something I had already seen, I realized. There was no doubt far more deaths on her hands than most in the kingdom. I frowned at the fact and asked, "So what of me?"

Lady Lura'mi said, her cold tone shifting ever so slightly in pacing, "You rise from the dead. Even with all the trouble you've caused and your divine destiny? You are the greatest asset I could ever have desired. Such should be obvious."

She slowly picked up the cup and sipped from it again. Then, slowly her eyes closed, she took a deep breath, and said, "Misana is a brittle creature, most certainly. Unfit to inherit my titles, but such is the way of the world," her eyes shot open, "I'd say no man would take any interest in her, but apparently Altivaro might be wrong. I have not given up on the idea of you two. Even with this new knowledge, it won't sway me."

The sudden statement made me recoil a bit. I said, "That's a cruel thing to do."

"Is it? You've already made a foolish plan to keep her about you. Forcing her to continue on after that for your own want to not end her. Especially with who you are? You are the Undying Hound of Sorrow. Your life will never be calm. Yet you will drag her with you to whatever damnation awaits," the elven woman said in her ever calm tone.

Frowning indignantly, I asked, "So should I have strangled her?"

Lady Lura'mi replied simply, "No. In a way, you've only advanced my own desire here."

The pale woman had a point, but I refused to accept that she was correct. I asked, "Anyways, can we get back to the topic of you teaching me about this world?"

"You've gained some boldness to you of late," She muttered before her voice picked up, "Very well. So now let's move on to the matter of the clergies. Each of the safe gods has their own clergies, but their political power comes from their council. The heads of each of the clergies have a seat and they dictate matters of the churches.

"The only clergy without an actual god is the Shattered One's. Asides from being the teachers and charitable one, they also are the ones to kill champions who are deemed unsafe. Just so you know, Marindol himself is an inquisitor. The clergies will more likely than not be your enemy always."

I huffed and said, "Yes, that much is blatantly obvious."

Calm as she was, she held up a single finger and said, "Then comes guilds. They are not really any sort of actual political body, yet still hold sway. A lord who runs afoul of the different guilds could find themselves unable to raise troops, gather resources, or any other matter. So, do treat them well when you are out. You will be seen as my representative."

The fact of that sat poorly with me, leaving a sour taste in my mouth. I was starting to understand Captain Zent's dislike of etiquette. I asked, "Outside of magic, what else do you intend to have me learn?"

Lady Lura'mi tilted her head and said, "Everything possible. If you haven't caught what my interest in having you do is, then perhaps logical action should be the start. What do you think I want from you?"

Anna walked over and gave me a short glance as she poured me another cup of tea. There was a sort of morbid look on her face as she did so, but whatever she thought remained in her head. I said, "You want me to go out and do the work that is asked of you."

The elven lady stared unblinking as she asked, "Why?"

"Because I'm unable to die," I answered.

"But what else?" she pressed.

"What else is there to it?" I retorted.

"Something else. Consider what has been said today." she demanded.

Frowning, I took a sip while I considered what was said. The church was my enemy, but even if she didn't like them, she wouldn't want any open conflict I would hope. The guilds were a matter beyond anything I actually knew about. Nor did I have anything to do with the kingdom itself.

Then my mind landed on Misana. The corner of my mouth twitched involuntarily as I narrowed my eyes. There was really no doubt it involved Misana, but no matter how long I considered it, I couldn't place where I fit in. She had no reason to think I'd stabilize her daughter nor was I able to teach her anything in particular. Even if Lady Lura'mi had no emotions, she seemed to at least value her daughter as well. I shook my head and said, "No idea."

Anna let out a small noise as she walked away that might have been an annoyance. For the first time that I'd ever seen, a look of disappointment crept onto the face of the elven woman across from me. She said, "I see. Tell me something, Alexander. What motivates people to do things?"

The out of nowhere question stumped me for a moment. I answered, somewhat unsure what was happening in the conversation, "Self interest. People only care about themselves."

The look of disappointment changed to more curiosity. She asked, "Is such true of you, as well?"

I fought off the desire to give the woman a nasty look. I said, "Yes. You know very well that I agreed to this for my own desire to get Veline back."

"And so to that goal you seek to push my daughter away from her delusions of needing to be punished?" She asked.

I replied, "Yes. If I hurt her, you'll no doubt lock me away or use me as a test subject for any manner of painful things."

Lady Lura'mi asked, "And you're willing to go out of your way to do all this to save Veline why?"

"Because Veline is the only person I know I can truly trust," I replied, growing ever more annoyed.

She then said, "I must confess this isn't what I expected to hear. I thought perhaps you were more soft hearted. Yet that kindness to Misana was nothing but self serving. The same with that Veline you talk of."

Without being able to stop, I slammed a fist on the table. Anna tensed as Lady Lura'mi's eyes slowly glided down to my hand and then back up to my face. She asked, "Then am I wrong?"

I bit my lip as I glared at her. I took a moment to recompose myself and asked, still angry, "What are you trying to get at?"

Lady Lura'mi shook her head lightly, her face blank. She ignored the question completely and asked, "Do you believe that you deserve anything?"

I stared at her confused and annoyed. The, at least what I believed to be, random questions made little connected sense to me. I said, bitterly, "Nothing. I don't know what you are playing at here, but don't you dare try to pretend any of what you do is autristic. If everyone else is being self serving, then why shouldn't I?"

She raised an eyebrow and said, "You've failed this, then. You are being either a liar or a hypocrite along with a fool. My actions are never out of kindness, but you've failed to understand the point of any of this, apparently. Perhaps give more thought to why I would want what I do. Misana and you both are similar in the most problematic ways." She then quietly said, just enough for me to hear. "And together you'll stay."

I knew Lady Lura'mi said that in such a way so that I would hear it. I let out an aggravated sigh, all too aware now that she was set on that being a thing. I was happy to see her stand up saying, "I must take leave for some time at the estate. I'm leaving Mr. Hazen in charge while I'm away. Know that when I return, I'll have made a plan for when you will be married to my daughter."

I got out of my chair and glared at her, asking, "Why are you so insistent on this?"

The pale elven woman didn't turn her glowing blue eyes to me as she walked away. She merely said, "Consider that while I'm gone, Alexander. Perhaps you'll comprehend my intent with a few months of thought."