"Master Archelio, It's been a week, yet neither of Kryva or Zylaorfier have come to bid you farewell."
Serene brushed her fingers over the plaque. She closed her eyes as she tried to put as much feeling as she could into her words.
"Did you know that the nobles believe it's your fault that so many of their own died? They are soiling your name because they believe you caused their deaths. They mocked you, saying to declare a war and to not only lose the first battle, but also your life on the first day?"
"We may have never known each other well in the present, but I remember one thing from my childhood. The heir to the Archelio family was always mocked, yet was always blamed for things that he did not do." Serene gave a sad smile. "I remember when we were first introduced to each other. They said even I, a mere side branch daughter, was more qualified to be heiress than you, who possessed pure Archelio blood."
"Your uprising shut everyone up completely. It was as if your power had manifested late because it was building up even while dormant." She bowed her head, closing her eyes as she remembered those days. "But no one said anything. They kept silent because you cast aside the person you used to be, taking up a new name."
She reopened her eyes, looking at the name written onto the plaque. It read: Houvdon Archelio, the name he had created for himself.
It was not his original name.
She remembered when they were first introduced to each other.
The daughter of Yi'Ung felt her heart go out for the perished noble. Even after he had displayed his incredible power, he was still whispered about. The prior generation gave no respect to him, seeing him as nothing but someone with "luck" to reach such a level at a young age, while the current generation of nobles only followed him around because they believed that he was going to eventually become a martyr.
They wanted to be on his good side just so they would be praised for their loyalty.
It got to the point where he and her were not able to go back to their old times together because of the rift that had formed between the two. Such an insane amount of power difference between the two would never let them see eye to eye again.
A member of the side branch being friends with the heir of a Grand Noble family? How laughable.
Nobles and peasants were not able to associate with each other because of this belief of superiority and inferiority.
She remembered how many times he was sent face-first into the ground a day, eating dirt as those deemed weak picked upon a young boy who was even weaker than them. They mocked him, calling him an illegitimate son and only someone Lord Archelio had sired with a common whore.
Yet when he met up with her and the other friend he had surprisingly made, he would preach about creating a world where nobles and peasants alike would coincide. A world where the strong would help the weak, and the weak would help those even weaker. He cared not for the judgement of the others, for he had this dream of his that was crafted from the experience between the three of them.
After all, if he, the heir to the seat of Lord Archelio, the most influential Grand Noble, was able to become friends with two noname peasants, servants of a main noble household at best, why couldn't other nobles also be the same?
She felt a tear leak out. That dream of his...didn't exist after that fateful day.
She wondered if Luna had caught wind of Houvdon's death. She knew of the rumors at the school, where they would talk about Luna and Houvdon soon being married to each other despite their class difference as she was the only female he did not push away with his words.
While a rift formed between the three of them, the rift that had formed between Luna and Houvdon as a result of his rise to power had actually managed to bring them even closer together. Despite his newfound power, it did not seem to affect Luna despite her also being a part of the peasant class.
Nobody knew what had happened in the day where he had gotten brutalized even more so than before, and the day where he unleashed his power for the first time.
What had happened in the hours between the two days?
Why had his power awakened so late? Why was it on that certain day instead of every other time?
She shook her head. There was no use reminiscing about the past. Yet, she couldn't help but wonder if Houvdon remembered those early days, where the trio would have fun together in the fields despite the surrounding distaste for the three of them for simply not being nobles or lacking power to live up to his name as heir.
Zylaorfier had basically taken her place, yet she didn't complain. In fact, she was glad. Zylaorfier was strong, stronger than she could ever hope to be. Houvdon would be able to gain a second friend, replacing the spot in his heart she once held.
His ease in entrapping Zuxara displayed his prowess, as only a Rank Four could incapacitate a Rank Three so quickly.
"This is farewell for now, Master Archelio. I hope you would permit me to say goodbye properly from now on, as...I have remembered some rather pleasing yet bitter memories. Farewell, Houvdon."
She would not soil his name by using the name he tried so desperately to cast away.
That was why a rift had formed between them, had it not? Because he wished to part from everything in the past to take up a new identity that had no relation with anything from his early years.
She ended her inner monologue, stroking the name on the plaque.
"I will help you achieve that dream of yours Houvdon. It is my responsibility as your childhood friend that I would also help you with your childhood ambition. It is my duty-
-𝘢𝘴 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘰, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮."
The newly appointed Second Princess bowed her head, giving one last farewell, before turning on her heel.
She strode out of the honorary temple, not looking back.
There was no corpse to look at after all.
-----
Zylaorfier pressed his finger against his temple as he tried to hold in his annoyance.
The news of Candidate Archelio had already reached Reveria despite all of his attempts in keeping his death under the rug. He didn't wish for the news of Houvdon to spread for the sole reason that those knights of Verilius were still wreaking havoc.
If word got out about his death, then those territories that were putting out efforts to help the Prince would stop. After all, Prince Pentajis was simply not as grand as Prince Archelio.
Then, he would only have five territories at his disposal. He needed more than just those five, especially since Oceania was on the verge of retreating back to their land.
He cursed Zuxara. He couldn't set aside private and public affairs. He knew the Prince of Oceania held a grudge for him and Houvdon both due to their antagonization of him, yet both of them ignored these private affairs in favor of working with Zuxara for the greater good.
That was why they had invited Oceania to help. Zuxara was one of the stronger mages in general, his water magic invaluable.
Yet, if Zuxara pulled out now, he was not respecting Nihlahim or Etherstorm. Nor was he respecting his father's wishes to aid the Archelio family.
But...his father will certainly be swayed by Zuxara bringing up the deaths of the Oceania mages due to Verilius's surprise attack on their camp hours after they had assumed he was defeated.
Despite all of their efforts, after both Verilius's and Hovudon's disappearance, both groups turned into a frenzy and attacked each other. The Knights were almost in a hungry frenzy, while the mages were taking their anger and confusion onto those attacking them.
They lost more than they should've. The Knights were eventually all subdued, whether they were trapped in his threads of ice, rendered immoble by Asfr's Blade magic, or killed by everyone else. However, it had cost the lives of many desperate mages.
He turned away from the window, seating himself in a chair.
Was this how Houvdon felt when others disobeyed him? His directions were clear: retreat while he, Asfr, and Lady Pellemeur covered them.
But no. They had to retaliate, causing the Knights to focus on them. Majority of the mages that had lashed out were completely unprepared for those swords to absorb their power, and send it right back at them, except it was amplified with their own blood as well.
He groaned as he leaned his head back.
"Another frustrating day?"
Zylaorfier almost jumped when he heard her voice. He didn't even hear the door close or sense her coming in.
"Yeah. These guys just won't stop doing everything in their power to be insurgents." He sighed. "Thank you Second Princess Archelio."
Serene set a cup of tea in front of him, frowning when he spoke her newly gifted title. "Must you call me that too in private? Even in public you referred to Master Archelio and Princess Pellemeur by their respective first names."
He shrugged. "That is because I am close to both of them. I find it inappropriate to slander your given name. Also-"
Zylaorfier gave a glance at the door. Now that he was focused, he can sense the two auras outside attempting to listen in. "-we are not in private."
He heard the rustling of feet as the two guards that stood outside straightened, pretending as if they were not just shamelessly listening into the conversation between two important figures, private matters judging by Serene's opening words.
Serene looked back at the door, also hearing the shuffling of the guards. She could only sigh in disappointment.
They were so nosy.
"Anyway," He stood from his desk, "What brings you to Nihlahim? I don't recall anything happening in Etherstorm for you to come for aid."
She shook her head, sitting down on the chair opposite of his. His eye twitched in irritation as he sat back down only moments after he had stood up. "It's more of a private matter. Have you heard of the rumors about Princess Pellemeur?"
"And you say I'm the one using formal names and titles. Call her by Kryva so long as I call you Serene. We are in private after all." He shot a quick glance at the door. He pointed his finger at it, and a thin sheet of ice formed over it, covering the wood completely. Not a single part of the rest of their conversation would be heard from the outside.
Serene continued after the brief interruption. She chose to explain further as Zylaorfier gave no signs of answering her actual questions.
Except, just as she opened her mouth to speak, Zylaorfier continued to talk, almost as if he hadn't just paused for a few seconds after freezing the door. "And no, I have not heard any rumors about Kryva. I have spent the past few days sorting out matters related to Verilius's Knights, as well as the backlash that I have taken from continuing this war declared by Houvdon."
They both winced as the name that he had spoken, but the feelings were pushed aside for more professional matters. "Kryva has not once gone outside of her home. Eyes are watching the Pellemeur manor, and only her brother and her mother go out. Kryva remains in her home."
"...I see." He rubbed his eyes in exhaustion, the few hours of sleep he had in the past few days total was not adequate enough for him. "I will have to worry about it later. I would like to help Kryva...emotionally, but I don't quite think I'm fit for a job, especially considering what I'm doing right now."
He spread his hands over his cluttered desk. Papers and reports were spread all over due to taking control over the five regions' "military" might, as well as dealing with his own territory's affairs. "I'm afraid I will have to cut our conversation short. I must continue to work, these reports must be finished before the end of today."
"You never drank your tea." Serene noted, pointing out the untouched drink.
"Oh right." He drank it all within a single sip.
When he set the porcelain down and pushed the cup back at her to take away, she chose to stay seated, watching him work quietly.
"You aren't going to ask me why I brought the tea up?"
"Right." he nodded, his voice dry as his mind was focused on the documents in front of him. He was barely paying attention to her, only repeating the words she spoke because it was at the front of the mind right before it was pushed back for the reports on his desk. "Why did you bring the tea up?"
"I wanted to see how you were doing. I know you aren't faring well after even if you try to hide it."
"So you came because you were concerned for me?" He gave a smile as he finished yet another paper, signing his name at the bottom. "For some reason my heart feels very elated that I was able to charm such a beautiful woman."
Her mouth curved upwards at Zylaorfier's monotone. "You don't seem very excited. Those people at school said you were very attentive and enjoyable to be around."
"I am being attentive to my work." The Frost mage's smile wasn't hidden as he openly played around with her spoken words.
A knock sounded. She furrowed her brow in confusion at the interruption as she turned around, not realizing that the ice around the door had already melted.
"Come in." Zylaorfier called.
A messenger came in, holding stacks of reports. He dutily stood by the desk, bowing to his lord, before bowing to the guest. Zylaorfier almost let out a sigh, tapping one of the last few spots of the desk that were still uncovered, just on the edge of his workspace.
The slam of the papers almost made her jump, her fingers curling in her lap at the loud sound.
The messenger left, and the room descended into silence once again.
Zylaorfier couldn't stop himself from putting his hands on his face in frustration. Serene raised her eyebrow. Even as Second Princess Archelio, she did not obtain as much work as Zylaorfier. She knew the reason was not because she was not First Princess Archelio.
She took the most recent stack of reports and set it in front of her, taking a pen as she leaned back into her original sitting position.
She filled out the basic ones that did not require any signatures from Zylaorfier.
The rest of their time together was silent, simply working through the piles of papers on his desk. She overstayed the time she had planned to stay at the Nihlahim Manor, yet she continued to work with him.
There came a time where she looked up to see Zylaorfier's head resting on his hand as he had fallen asleep while sitting, the exhaustion finally overtaking him.
She could only give a soft smile. She knew that Houvdon's death had hit him harder than it had hit her. The only thing she could do was help support those that Houvdon had supported, even if it was in mundane tasks such as these.
She covered Zylaorfier's sleeping body with a blanket, before continuing to work.
The light from the sunset bathed the room with the tranquil shades of twilight as Serene, too, eventually succumbed to sleep.
-----
𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕰𝖓𝖉
𝕬𝖗𝖈 յ 𝕰𝖓𝖉
𝕹𝖊𝖝𝖙 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗: 𝕭𝖊𝖌𝖎𝖓 𝕬𝖗𝖈 շ