Chaos.
A small word that conceals multiple consequences, this is the perfect word to describe the current situation in the kingdom of Orlos. The brutal murder of Amiliath Felnatus sparked a series of events that disrupted the political landscape. According to witnesses to the incident, with the main focus on Atillo Felnatus, they describe the killer as a woman wearing full plate armor made of pure Mythirite and using a double-bladed ax to execute the victim. However, what stood out most during the account was the fact that Atillo confirmed the killer's identity as Manilla, the maid who was previously kidnapped by Luccio Felnatus and disappeared after allegedly murdering her captor and everyone present in her captivity.
Rumors began to circulate widely, suggesting that this maid was an assassin trained by the Felnatus family who rebelled against her masters due to Luccio Felnatus's erratic behavior and horrific temper. Others suggest that some outside force planted her as a spy in the family to execute a more elaborate plan to destroy the family's name and connections with the noble sphere of society; however, the rumor that grows stronger is that this maid was the reason for the end of the friendship between Duke Boltu Markash and Archduke Mellorus Felnatus.
Some believe she is an illegitimate daughter of Duke Boltu and was being kept as a servant in Felnatus's household. However, after discovering the cases of mistreatment against her, he decided to break off their friendship and bring her to his territory. Others assume both nobles desired her and that Luccio's actions prompted Duke Boltu to act, causing a rift between the families. A final rumor gaining traction is that she is the daughter of Mellorus Felnatus, whom he kept hidden due to her being born a guideless, and that she was responsible for the death of Candelia Felnatus at birth. Driven by his rage, he kept her alive but treated her with malice, making her life a living hell.
Thanks to these rumors, the royal family's investigative department launched an investigation, aiming to calm the situation and reveal more facts rather than allowing these rumors to become uncontrollable. Duke Boltu willingly accepted the investigation, which generated an increase in the number of nobles who supported him. However, Archduke Mellorus did not allow personal matters to be investigated, increasing distrust of his actions and further deterioration in relations between the Felnatus family and the other noble houses.
In a statement sent to several noble houses and the royal court, Duke Boltu Markash deeply regretted the event that ended Amiliath Felnatus's life. The two siblings were on a diplomatic trip to reestablish trade relations between the two families' territories, and they had agreed to sign a magical contract that the terms would be respected regardless of what the future held for those involved. He also stated that it was in Lady Amiliath's own best interest to leave Minarian City a day early in a common carriage to try to avoid what she recognized as an opportunity for other families to harm the Felnatus family. Unfortunately, her plan failed.
It took about two weeks to prepare Amiliath Felnatus's funeral due to the nature of the condition in which her attacker left her body. Duke Boltu provided a full-time team of healers to restore her appearance, allowing for a worthy burial of a noblewoman of the kingdom. The ceremony was dedicated solely to the family and the citizens of the archduchy. A mournful atmosphere gripped the entire territory of Felnatus, and amidst uncertainty and suspicion, Atillo volunteered to carry on his sister's legacy. Three months after the incident, he became a trusted figure, initiating meetings and diplomatic encounters, and became a more progressive voice in the kingdom, providing the leadership the House of Felnatus needed. Behind this facade still lay an insecure young man who had trouble sleeping every night due to nightmares of reliving his sister's death. Without arousing suspicion, he continued Amiliath's plans, keeping his father in a weakened state until he was recognized as an authority in the family.
A hunt was launched across the kingdom for Manila, based on the descriptions of the mansion's servants and Mellorus Felnatus. A portrait was distributed throughout the cities with a reward of ten thousand Liren. Five months after the incident, nothing happened; Manila was nowhere to be found.
In his office, Boltu was analyzing some documents he received from his intelligence agents scattered throughout the kingdom. He spared no effort in trying to find her, but it was as if she had vanished into thin air. The office door opened, and Gaaria entered, holding a tray with a teapot and two cups.
"Darling, you've been in your office almost all day. How about a little break?" She smiled fondly, placing the tray beside his desk.
"That's a good idea..." He rubbed his eyes with his fingers, expressing his tiredness. "Sorry if I worried you..."
"You fool, you don't need to apologize for this; you just need to stop worrying so much about something beyond your control. Then I won't have to worry." She pours the tea, and a strong, sweet aroma fills the room.
"Yes, yes..." He sips some of the tea. "Mmmmm, my favorite, Honey Flower with Cinnamon. Thank you, I needed it." Gaaria sits in one of the chairs in front of the desk.
"Don't suffer alone, tell me what's bothering you." She sips some of the tea.
"I don't want her to suffer anymore. What she did is wrong, but what drove her to do it is what makes me sad." He lets out a sad sigh. "A young woman with so much potential, Vivelle, during her testimony, detailed that during the entire attack on the carriage, everyone present except Manilla couldn't move.
"Wow, that's impressive." Another sip of tea.
"Exactly! I've never heard of anyone in this realm capable of something like this! The control she has over her mana, the ability to maintain a control spell for so long." The joy and enthusiasm in his voice were contagious; ever since they met, Boltu had always shown curiosity and appreciation for those with extraordinary talents.
Gaaria starts to laugh at her husband's excitement, which leaves him a little embarrassed. She gets up from her chair and gently hugs him from behind.
"I've always liked this side of you, my love. What do you plan to do now?" Her cheek caresses his bearded cheek.
"I don't know, that's what's kept me in this chair almost all day. I want to find her and help her establish herself as a noblewoman, but now the situation is more complicated; the crime she committed won't be easily erased by my efforts alone." He smiled at his wife's affection, but his voice was thick with concern.
"You don't have to do anything alone. You have allies throughout the kingdom; even members of the royal family consider you friends. Maybe you can do something with their help."
"I don't know, Gaaria... I'm afraid any attempt to help you could cause problems for you and our territory." Gaaria starts to laugh, leaving him confused. "What did I say that made you laugh?"
"Where is that brave knight? The same knight who risked his life in a completely unfair fight against invading forces, ensuring the victory of this kingdom, and awarded the title of duke. Where is he? I remember marrying him, but now I don't see the same person." She laughs playfully; her words were not meant to hurt him, but to remind him that he's faced far worse.
He stands up quickly and grabs her firmly by the waist, lifting her into the air. Laughing uncontrollably, Gaaria intends to struggle against her husband's actions, as he spins her around in the air like a newlywed couple.
"So I'm not that brave knight, huh?" He laughs, letting his worries fade away thanks to his wife's playful comments. He then sits back in his chair, but this time with her on his lap and her arms wrapped around his neck.
"You don't need to worry about anything. Do what you want to do. Don't let regrets overwhelm you in the future, because if you don't act now, you may never be able to act again." She smiles and kisses him tenderly.
"You're right, this isn't the time to be cautious, because of this caution that I ignored, Manila's situation has been so long. If I had acted sooner, perhaps none of this would have happened. Thank you, Gaaria, you are, as always, the best thing that has ever happened to me." He returns the affection and love doubly; thanks to her, all his uncertainties and fears were put aside. The time to act was now; perhaps he could secure a future for his protégé, no matter where she is now.
The sound of breaking glass shatters the uneasy silence that had settled in Mellorus Felnatus's room. Still bedridden, his characteristics were distorted by the sadness and hatred he felt. First, his heir, Luccio, a complete failure, never followed any of his advice, unable to control himself due to a morbid obsession he developed with a creature that should never have existed, and at the end of his life, the object of his obsession killed him. Second, he was barely recovering from an unknown illness when he was surprised by the news of his daughter's murder. Amiliath was everything Luccio had never been, but she was not his choice to be the family heir. For him, she would be a great connection to other noble families. Perhaps through marriage, he could further increase the influence he once held, but now it's all over, once again in the hands of the aberration born of the rift between him and his ex-wife.
Now, he takes out all his frustration on his son, Atillo. He never wanted anything for anything, always did what he wanted, and never did what the family truly needed. If he had shown a little commitment earlier, he could have been the heir, not Luccio. Incompetent, all of them incompetent, why had the goddess left him in such a desperate situation? He asked himself every day. Everything he had ever done was with the intention of making his family one of the greatest forces in this kingdom, but it all failed thanks to the mistakes his children made. Now he was there, in that dimly lit room, sitting on his bed with little strength to do anything, having to harden his son Atillo's ramblings, which he calls a report.
"You were there and did nothing. Do you think volunteering now to try to save this family from ruin will change anything? And you two went to that place behind my back, without telling me or asking for permission?!" The green liquid in the chalice he threw against the wall slowly dripped down, staining everything it touched.
"You were and still are ill." Atillo said without raising his voice. He hated having to report every step he took every day, but he had to please his father or he wouldn't be able to carry out his sister's plans. "Amiliath did what was best for the archduchy, and it's thanks to her that our territory can still exist and prosper."
"She's dead! Not even that freak got rid of you because she probably knew it was a waste of time." The veins in his temples bulged, but before he could continue, he began coughing uncontrollably. Atillo grabbed another goblet and filled it with the same liquid that had been thrown earlier.
"You have to calm down, sir. Drink it. This medicine will help you feel better." He helped him drink it calmly, not wanting to rush him and infuriate him even more.
"Amiliath's plan will work. We discussed it during the trip, and I will follow it to the letter. Thanks to the trade agreement with Duke Boltu, other nobles who previously refused to have anything to do with us decided to give us another chance."
"Vultures! Damned butchers who think they'll get a crumb from our family! They need us more than we need them! That's what you must do: show everyone in this kingdom that we are important to its survival!"
Without hope that his father would understand the situation, he let him talk as much as he wanted until the medicine took effect. Leaving the room, he asked one of the maids to clean the walls and floor and to let him know as soon as his father woke up. Atillo's expression was horrific; the bags under his eyes revealed how tired he was; all the responsibilities that had fallen on his shoulders were too much for him. There was no trace of Manila; no matter how many agents he hired, she was gone. Just thinking of her name, the image of his sister being slowly killed before his eyes, made him tremble. There was no time to mourn; he had to live up to his sister's legacy, and no matter how tired he was, he would fulfill her wishes and perhaps, with any luck, punish the person responsible for all the chaos that had befallen his family.
An imposing building stood before her. Careful where she went, she traveled throughout Orlos and crossed the border into Virtus Arce. The difference between the kingdoms was stark: the fertile plains were replaced by rocky soil, the vast plains transformed into endless mountain paths, and the rural countryside was replaced by cities dominated by technology. She was in the capital, Magni Laboris, a vast city where magical technology permeated every aspect of its inhabitants.
No matter where you go in Arboria, there's always a place to find a cozy place to sleep and good food: the Adventurers' Guild. Adventurers, merchants, mercenaries, and locals use this building as a hub for finding work, solving problems, or simply having fun. She opens the heavy, ornate doors and enters the bustling atmosphere she recognizes from her waiting days. Walking down the main corridor, she heads to one of the service desks where a copper-haired elven woman greets her with a smile.
"Welcome, miss. How may I help you?"
"I would like to register as an adventurer and obtain a work permit."
"Perfect, I will begin the procedures to register you and apply for the permit. What is your name, miss?" The woman wearing a Ghantalok fur coat was silent for a moment, then smiled and answered confidently.
"My name is Minalla, Minalla Rockash." She smiles at the attendant, who promptly writes down her name. In one lifetime, she has already lived twice, and now will be the beginning of her third.