"I'll be back tomorrow then."
I smiled to all of them who gathered and eventually vanished in the thin air after Sophia casted [Teleport].
"Wow. I'm now at the city walls."
When I look around, I'm already at the east city walls of Lucent. The night is getting chilly. I need to infiltrate my previous house and go back immediately.
Oh, come to think of it…who would've thought that I, the previous lady of a household, is about to infiltrate her previous home.
***
A maid knocks the door after she excuses, and with her is a tea and some pastries. She possesses red eyes and blonde hair with length reaching her waist and has a decent height. The one she attends to is a man with a slick red hair and green eyes, sitting idly in front of a round table.
"Is something wrong, my lord?"
"Mmm…there's nothing worthy to be told."
It's already evening as the Head of the Cross household sips his tea after a short conversation with a maid.
"Is that so? I won't pry any further then."
After saying that, Chrome – the maid – walked away. The clacking of her shoes is the only thing that can be heard in that seemingly vacant room of the house's third floor. Just after she sets her foot on the doorstep, she turns around to her master and asked again. This time, it has a provocative tone that could enrage anyone who hears it.
"Does Miss Avy deserve this kind of absurd treatment my lord?"
Grave Cross, the head of the family, took a glance from the corner of his eyes, to the provoking maid.
"Is that attitude acceptable as a servant of the Cross household?"
He spoke with an intense glare, yet the maid—though provocative—is unfazed. She just closed her eyes and shook her head.
"My apologies my lord, I'll excuse myself then."
With that, the maid slammed the door shut. Grave sighed as a sign of relief.
"Avy being exiled here is next to her personal maid's discomfort. As if I cared anyway. That bastard…where is she right now? Perhaps she's already dead or being eaten by the beasts or even better, she's enslaved by a slave merchant. Hah! I wish that did happen."
Grave laughed so hard after spouting a lot of unethical nonsense while looking at the view outside the window.
"This happiness…this is truly the thing I sought for many years."
Behind the shut door however is the maid he despised, clenching her fists with rage.
"I shall encourage myself to not falter despite this evil air circulating the area of the royal capital. Lady Avy, I hope you are alright."
She murmured to herself, thinking that if ever she sees Avy again, she'll cut her ties with this foul family she served and go along with her beloved master who's been exiled with unjust reasons. She's about to descend to the second floor when she noticed that the door to Lady Avy's room is slightly opened. It may be a bit dark inside, but seeing things in the dark is an easy feat with Chrome's eyes.
"Did someone sneak to her room? I better check."
When she took a peek at the room, there's nobody is in there.
"Is it just my imagination? But I clearly sense someone hiding from me."
Just after she said that, a gentle poke on her cheek gave her the intuition that the person she sensed behind her is no other than—
"Lady Avy…you're alive and well."
"I'm back, Chrome. I'm glad to see you in good health."
Chrome couldn't hold her tears of happiness and cried quietly while looking at her true master smiling back at her.
"Where have you been my lady?"
"I settled in a place nobody dared to set their foot upon."
"I see…that forest huh. Very well my lady. Let me pack my things."
"You're coming with me?"
"Of course my lady…! I can't live here; this place is full wretched fools who don't deserve my respect at all!"
"You despise them that much?"
"Yes my lady, of course I am. You're the single ray of light of this family and yet they threw you out just because of a pathetic reason."
Their reunion however was interrupted by an enraged voice.
"You hate me that much huh—perhaps I should make you remember who the ones who saved you are."
"Correction my lord—it's not 'are' but it's 'is'. My lady is the one who saved me, not you. I only saw you as my lady's father, nothing more…nothing less.
The two ladies faced the head of the house.
"And you Avy, why are you here? I don't want to see you here anymore so scram already. Someone who stained the name of Cross should face certain death. However, I am benevolent enough to spare your life and banished you instead. Well, why are you here you trash?"
"I'm just getting my things. I'm already done packing so I'll take my leave."
"Hah? You dared trespass the house and then just go away like nothing happened!? "
"My lady, I'll buy you some time, so please get out of here."
Chrome slightly lifted her maid uniform and immediately grabbed two daggers hidden beneath it.
"Oh, so you think you can stall some time eh? But you don't need to worry about stalling. Why?"
He vanished from his spot and immediately went in front of Chrome, ready to cut off her head. Chrome, unable to react, just closed her eyes and waited for his attack to make contact to her neck but then a metal clang is heard—the attack is parried.
As she opened her eyes, she saw her lady crossing swords with Grave.
"How can you parry my fastest strikes? A worthless trash like you is able to do such a feat? I'm impressed. Well then let's get serious."
A whirl of majestic flames started enveloping Grave.
"My sword is made with the mythical-class fire dragon's tooth, and my magic further increases its power. Now tell me Avy, how can someone like you who doesn't possess magic block me?"
"Mhmm…it seems like this sword I'm using is next to naught when dealing with you father. But yeah, I'm here to fetch my sword and not to fight you. If you allow me to walk away now, I can assure that you'll not get hurt."
After hearing this, Grave eventually got a vein popping out on his forehead and started pouring more power to his flames. The flame is wildly swirling and is now burning the room.
"Chrome."
"Yes my lady?"
Before Avy could say something to Chrome, Grave unleashed a fiery slash towards Avy and Chrome but the two of them broke a window and leaped outside. Chrome then used wind magic to make them glide instead of falling down directly to the ground.
"Use this and flee."
Avy lent a scarf to her. When Chrome asked her what it is, she replied that it's something that can conceal her. She also gave her an item box containing all of her belongings. Before she gave it, she pulled out a sword simple in appearance and a pair of gloves. It neither has a crest, nor is enchanted.
It's a one-hand sword with a power source located on its hilt; so tiny yet it's an energy source great enough to supply the world's energy consumption. Its blade is well-forged with a technique only Avy could do. It's a sword bearing the name "Onslaught".
The gloves are made not with any kind of clothing suited for protection like the ones worn by mages but with a special type of magnetic fiber which only calls out her beloved sword "Onslaught" if ever the sword is at a distance. A person who doesn't know all of this would say that Avy Cross has telekinetic powers.
"My lady, are you sure about this? I can help you--"
"Go. You can use my item box to get all your stuff. Don't worry about me."
"A-as you say my lady; I'll take my leave."
Avy then faced her father with a stern look on her face.
"You'll regret underestimating me fool."
Avy just shook her head and pointed her sword on Grave.
"No father, it would be you. You'll regret not disposing all my tools for crafting father. I'll show you how someone who doesn't possess mana like me defeat power-driven magic knights such as you."