May the blessings of the benevolent star mother be with you, Your Holiness. I am Baron Velrodth Marton, a researcher at the Royal Medical Institute. Through this letter, I wish to discuss my findings in my work and ask for a favor.
The Orlosian kingdom would never be prosperous and blessed with a bright future as it is today without the teachings and guidelines from the Stars Children. However, as I mentioned, after many years of research analyzing reports and compiling information over the last two decades, a serious matter was brought to my attention, and I beg that you, Your Holiness, pay attention to this.
Our society is structured to benefit and organize all members through the blessings they receive at birth. Guided by her gentle hand, they will achieve the best output of each individual. As Your Holiness knows, there is one day that is not under the blessings of our holy mother, and those born on this accursed day are categorized as guideless. According to the results of our research, we discovered that the most troublesome characters in our society are indeed those named Guideless. Bringing chaos to order in many different ways, burglary, assault, murder, and many other crimes that are already known to your grace. However, these crimes are not related just by the fact that they are guideless, but the social stigma created by the followers of the faith.
During all these years of research, we interviewed many guilty of crimes, and some were recognized in our society as great contributors to its growth. There is a link between those who committed any violation with a hurtful or violent childhood. It could be physical abuse by parents and neighbors, humiliating experiences as being treated as lower than animals, and in rare cases, only an emotional breakdown. Now about those acknowledged by society, we have the case of Baron Abaril Gangare, born as a commoner and ascended to nobility thanks to his ingenuity and creativity, he was abandoned by his biological parents and adopted into the Gangare family by the grace and generosity of Mueller Gangare, a blacksmith of great renown at that time, he took him under his name and taught him everything about the craft.
The result of this is obvious. With a loving new family and being treated with dignity, he became a great artisan, as you know, his contribution was the invention of a windmill integrated with an irrigation system that brought life to the less fortunate areas of our kingdom. Places that had no proper water access for farming activities. So I beg you, Your Holiness. Your influence on our entire society is capable of changing this stigma. If someone like you starts to advocate that people should stop being hostile to those who are born on the day of the Void Star, many lives would be saved, and the number of cases of the Berserker affliction would be drastically reduced. Only you have the power to change the lives of so many unfortunate members of our society. Thank you so much for your attention. May the blessings of the Star Mother always be with you, Your Holiness.
The harvest season is approaching in Orlos; festivals will be celebrated, thanking the gods for a good harvest and the hopes of a better one next year. A full week will be dedicated to the festivities, and Orlosian, the capital, will receive a great influx of merchants and tourists from all kingdoms. To ensure a peaceful celebration, four noble families were tasked with road safety, logistics of all goods, and security on the streets. This year, the Felnatus Family is responsible for patrolling the territory to ensure the safety of the trading routes.
The preparations for all the expeditions would cover the entire territory, making the mansion boil. All the servants need help to prepare the final details before the expeditions. These days are being extra difficult for Manila; she has no problem doing all the work, but since she rejected Amiliath's proposal, at her orders, her servants are making everything more difficult.
Creating messes far superior to normal when Manila needed to work, spreading a rumor that Master Luccio was sent early to an expedition because he was caught in more intimate acts with Manila and that the period where almost no one could see her work was because she was under probation for her conduct and other minor nuisances.
"They are a nuisance; we need to eliminate them." The darker voice inside her is always trying to persuade her to do what she wants.
It was the last batch of clothes that needed to be washed, and she was doing it alone as usual, troubled by her thoughts and emotions. Sweat dripped from her forehead. While she was outside hanging clothes, soft steps could be heard from behind.
"I'm glad I could find you, Lady Manila." The familiar voice of Lord Boltu annoyed her; since the day of her breakdown, she had found his company a problem.
"What can this servant do for you, Lord Boltu?" His smile fades a little, hurt by those words, he tries to keep it and continues.
"I was saying, it makes me happy to find you here. I need to speak with you about the Harvest Festival preparations."
"The last batch of clothes is almost done, thanks to the scorching sun we are having today. I think in one to two hours everything will be dry."
"That's good to hear, my lady, but what I have to say is more important to me, and I think it will be good for you too." Silently, she stops her work and looks at Boltu with a tedious glare.
"In two days, I will lead the first squad to patrol the southern border. My orders are to find monster nests or bandits roaming the land."
"I hope you don't find anything and return safely to the mansion." She continues her work without giving more attention than needed.
"Thank you for the kind wishes, my lady, but I still need to tell you the reason why I am here. I know I did nothing to help you in the moments you needed the most." Each word that comes out of his mouth is loaded with sadness and guilt; she has never seen him act like this. "But as you know, I am bound by my friendship and my professionalism towards Mellorus; each time I wanted to intervene, my work code spoke louder and made me an accomplice to the cruelty you suffered."
"NOW he is sorry, sure…" The voice speaks in disgust; it doesn't believe in his words.
"I don't ask for forgiveness for what I may have caused with my inaction, but now I can finally do something towards you, my lady. You are an amazing person who, even with all the obstacles in your way, continues to grow and shine like a rough diamond being sculpted by a master jeweler."
"Don…sten…im." Slowly, the voice appears to fade.
Once bored, Manila's stare became unstable and emotional; her attention was fully focused on him.
"So I wanted to make an invitation, something you are free to reject in case you don't trust my intentions. My lady, I invite you to join my expedition regiment, not as a maid or servant, but as an apprentice."
"He…lying…on't…or it!" The voice tries to fight back, but each of Boltu's words is making it weaker.
An apprentice, something she never dreamed of being for a moment, receiving a treatment better than just a servant to be abused by her masters, a soldier in training. Many possibilities could happen during this expedition, a new experience she had always wanted.
"You will be the only one I have to answer to?" Cautiously asked, she didn't want to become a pet for one of Luccio's or Mellorus' minions.
"Exactly, my lady. I will be the only one you have to answer, and I intend to give you the best possible outcome. You will be treated as one of the soldiers who already serve me, all this because I sense a real talent in you, and it's the only way to take you away from here for some time."
Peace, a concept she's never encountered before, and this may be the only time she will ever get it.
"Do you accept my invitation?" He extends his right hand towards her for a handshake.
"I accept, Commander Boltu." Her hand is tiny compared to his. She shakes his hands firmly. They smile at each other, one accomplishes his objective of redemption, and the other finally finds a trace of hope.
They stayed together until she finished doing all the laundry. After arriving at the barracks, a servant was waiting for Manila.
"Manila, the master wants to see you at his office immediately, don't make him wait."
"Go, lady Manila. I can handle the clothes myself." Said Boltu with a big smile on his face, she smiled gently and walked towards the mansion.
When she entered the office, two people were waiting for her. Master Mellorus and his lovely daughter Amiliath. His elbows were resting on the table, and his hands were covering his mouth partially.
"This morning I received a strange request from Lord Boltu, he asked me if you could join his regiment that will depart in two days. He spoke with you about it?"
"Yes, master. I was with him before you summoned me."
With a heavy, annoyed sigh, he shook his head in disapproval.
"I knew it, the moment you started to take the sword lessons, I knew it would cause me trouble. Boltu never asked me anything during all these years, now, he asks to allow you to go with him." His voice slowly rises in anger, frustration, and volume.
"A guideless bitch that is always causing trouble will join one of my expedition regiments at one of the most important festivals of the kingdom. I don't know what you are planning, but I am sure of one thing: you cursed being! If you cause any trouble, if anything goes wrong because of you, I WILL PERSONALLY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR PUNISHMENT AND YOU WILL BE SORRY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!" His gestures radiate hostility and fear; for some reason, Manila's presence outside the mansion deeply bothers him.
"That is all, master?" She replies in the same toneless voice as normal.
His face became bright red, like it was ready to explode, and then Amiliath touched his hand and smiled.
"Father, please, she already understood the message, think about your health. Now, Manila, please leave, my father needs to rest."
Manila bows and leaves the office, a smile spread on her face when no one is near. After two days, she will leave this mansion, and nothing could make her happier. Her entire life was inside this mansion; she never left these walls. No matter what happens at the expedition, she will enjoy it until the end.