Sheira flopped onto the bed as she spread the documents around her. She needed to learn exactly what Lira had been doing. I should probably give this to Mom. She pushed her face into the mattress as she swung her legs.
"As the new goddess, I need to prove to be powerful and not useless as I was!" She turned her back and sprawled across the bed.
Her face turned to the side and toward the documents, her hand slid to one of the parchments, and brought it above her head. "The War Against Beasts: The 7th Moon Temple Ambush." Her eyes scanned the document.
A gasp escaped her throat as she shot up, "She didn't mention this!"
It stated that the entire regiment of soldiers was lost at the 7th Moon Temple. It was one of the main temples raised in honor of Len, the goddess of night. It was at the border between the Elven Kingdom and the Savages.
However, it was occupied by neutral parties; both the elves and various species of beasts had their priests stationed there.
In every sense of the word, it was neutral ground. Yet what Lira had supplied them was that the Savages had taken it over and used it as a fortress while enslaving the elven priests.
How much did she hide from us? She did not trust the documents that she had left behind at all. They went into detail on how their troops were ambushed and how they were treated.
"This is way too detailed for a mere report." She smirked. Lira might have liked to pretend to be a genius among geniuses, but she was easy to read. The document in her hands, at the very least, was fake.
However, she could neither prove it as such nor figure out what exactly is false.
It was true that their troops did not return, and it was something that kept her Dad up at night. "Are they dead as this parchment states? Are the women used as pleasure toys? I doubt it." She knew the savages.
Azure had told her how they acted; they weren't exactly keen on using elves for pleasure, yet they were more than willing to slaughter and eat them. "It does depend on species… some would do so."
Yet the information she was reading came from Lira's network; thus, it was unreliable at best and a fabrication at worst.
She inhaled sharply and fell back onto the bed. She threw the parchment to the side; it was not what she was looking for. She needed Lira's personal dealings, anything to set her on the right path.
Her hand gripped the second parchment.
"Report on Red Dawn's Inquisitors." She wanted to laugh. She pushed her mouth closed as her eyes darted from one edge to the other.
"Weaker than the Champion. Red Dawn is not a threat despite its hostility, and there is a possibility of negotiations. What is this garbage?!" The parchment crumpled in her grip. "Lira, at least make your lies believable."
For a moment, she wanted to scream, but then she had a thought. Shouldn't she have done something against me? I have witnessed the truth. Even Aqua avoided fighting them.
Her father trusted a liar and a traitor. "What kind of daughter am I to let this happen right under my nose!"
It made sense, in a way. They depended on Lira for information, and she was trusted; nobody from the royal family had ever visited the kingdom of Red Dawn before her. Until her mother had figured out something was wrong, Lira's word was law.
Still need to prove it to Father; he trusts that woman too much. Of course, Soleah could have told him, and the king would have trusted it; however, it would leave a chance for Lira to defend herself.
"That snake doesn't know who she is dealing with." No matter what her plans were, she would not wish to be in her shoes once her mother's plan is completed. She hadn't seen Aqua as angry as when she had been told about it.
If she were correct, the spymaster would find herself in a fate worse than death by at least two-fold.
She closed her eyes as she imagined what Aqua would do to the traitor. "Burn her? Too boring. I can't wait!" She squealed despite the morbid thoughts she conjured.
With a quick shake of her head, she grabbed another parchment, then another. She had to ask for help from her brother to retrieve them, and she learned nothing new; yet she managed to confirm Soleah's suspicions that Lira was lying about many things.
"These aren't revealing much other than that Lira really takes us for idiots." She pushed herself up and slowly stacked the documents. Despite skimming through them for the most part, she still wished to deliver them to the Queen.
She dragged herself out of bed and placed the documents on her table before turning to her bed. "I need some sleep… Just a short nap," She smiled before jumping right back into her comfortable bedding.
She crawled up to her pillow and pushed it between her legs as she took a comfortable position, her mind slowly drifting into the land of dreams.
***
The sun retired, and the night had reigned for hours, yet instead of sleeping until morning, Sheira was woken up from her sleep by a strange smell.
She shot up and looked around, her hands rubbed her eyes as she looked around.
The princess yawned. Great… now when I want to take a nap, you have to make your move. Just great! She grumbled as a strange green smoke filled her room.
Her skin stung, yet despite breathing in the smoke, she did not feel any different. Hah, Lira, you stupid bitch!
She closed her eyes and returned to her sleeping position. Whatever the gas was, it was meant to paralyze her. "Is this how they got Azure?" She frowned. How could it best a trained warrior while she, a mere princess without martial experience, resisted it?
The answer was rather simple; she was a divine entity, despite being unable to utilize divinity, which still had boosted her body to tremendous levels, according to Aqua.
Thanks again, mommy~.
It took minutes for the smoke to dissipate before her chamber's doors swung open. She opened her eye slightly as she saw one man and one woman with daggers in their hands. Lira… I am not some helpless little girl anymore; it seems I have to teach you the hard way.
The duo approached from two sides of her bed. Her ears twitched as her eyes shot open. She grabbed the woman's wrist, which snapped like an old branch, with ease unbecoming her slim stature, and launched her at the male assassin.
As the woman's body hit him, both bodies crashed into her wall before collapsing like sacks of potatoes.
"Goddess strength?" The princess stared at her hand as she clenched her fist. "Figures." Sheira giggled as she approached the assassin duo that was dispatched with a mere throw.
She had understood that she had become a lot stronger both physically and in magic, yet this was the first time she could test the result of her training.
"Alright, Lira's henchmen." She approached the dazed duo and picked up the woman. "Know anything about Lira?"
Despite facing someone who had neutralized them with ease, their eyes carried no fear. Instead of fear, they stared at her with hollow indifference.
"Of course, Red Dawn and their mind control. These people are likely innocent." She sighed as she dropped the woman.
Her gaze wandered down to her shattered wrist, "I promise I will ask Aqua to heal your wrist. Didn't expect you to snap like a damn twig."
Ever since she had ascended, she could feel her confidence surge. Despite once being harmless and useless, she was now a force to be reckoned with.
"Still can't hold a candle to mommy~" She mumbled.
I really need to get Azu to spar with me. It would be so funny if I beat her in a duel.
Sheira slapped her cheeks, "Sheira, you idiot, Aqua said no showing off!"
Despite now being incredibly strong, she knew better than to let pride take her over. Even Aqua was careful; if someone like the heroine was avoiding trouble, then an inexperienced person like Sheira would do well to heed such advice.
Sheira approached the window of her chamber and stared at the full moon. "It's beautiful… if we did not have to deal with the snake."
"Let's see, what crimes did Lira commit by now?" She rubbed her chin as she spoke to herself, "Falsifying information, attempting to brainwash the Queen, followed by attempted assassination, Manipulation of the king, Kidnapping of the champion, and now attempted assassination of the princess." Sheira's lips formed a wicked grin.
The spymaster had accumulated so many crimes that any would be grounds for execution. "Now I just need to wait for Mom to prove it to Dad, and we will be fine."
She turned to the assassins, "I will go and call Aqua, don't run away~" With a smile, she rushed away.