Lucia spent the day writing in her journal. She began recounting everything that happened before her execution. She began to think about everything she could use to bring the kingdom to its knees.
The most obvious was the question that had ended her life. Why would the kingdom of Ramelle attack the Empire's borders? She needed to know what they were after. To do this she needed to get information about the empire. Even though relations were good with the empire, their government was infamously guarded. How would she get the intel? As a knight, she would have been able to send spies. But now she was just the daughter of an official without any title or real power.
Suddenly it hit her! She wouldn't attend the national academy as she had done in the past. She needed to speed things up. She would attend the knights training school in the Rotan Empire.
But there were two problems with this plan. One, the Empire's training school was notoriously difficult to get into. Students from all around the continent fought for places at the school. She had yet to awake her mana, nevermind she had never even held a sword at this age. Still, there was no other way for her to gain access. She knew she had to try.
The other problem was getting close to anyone in the Empire. It took her years to get recognised as a female knight in her past life. After women became conscripted there had been a great deal of resistance to the idea. Lucia didn't have that kind of time.
Lucia took a deep breath in. She had resolved to get her revenge no matter what.
"Whatever it takes", Lucia said to herself. She rose from her desk and began to make her way to dinner.
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Mina opened the doors into the dining room. The Duke was already seated at the head of the table. On the other side, sat the Duchess with her two children: Roman and Terin. Lucia sat across from them. As soon as the Duke began to eat, the others followed.
The Duchess eyed Lucia suspiciously. Recalling the events of that morning, she wondered whether she had just imagined the deadly aura she felt before.
Roman, the oldest child noticed his mother was uncharacteristically quiet. He saw her eyes were set on Lucia and looked over himself. He had hardly paid any attention to Lucia before. She was a mousy little thing who was deemed not worth his time. She appeared the same as usual he thought to himself.
Terin, on the other hand, who was used to being the center of attention, found the silent atmosphere suffocating.
"Father", Terin began with her high pitch voice, "I read the book you recommended".
The duke smiled and looked up, "Oh, and what were your thoughts?"
Terin beamed. It was another chance to show her father who the superior daughter of the house was. Even though she was two years younger than Lucia, all her tutors remarked on how well she studied.
"I thought the way the writer describes the duties of the noble class was quite accurate. We have a responsibility to act as the law where the government cannot", Terin explained proudly.
The Duke turned to Lucia.
"You've also been reading that book in class Lucia. What was your interpretation?" he asked.
Terin couldn't help but laugh inside. How many times had father asked Lucia, only to hear her fumble over her answers? It's pointless to ask her.
Lucia looked up from her plate.
"What book father?" she asked. She had hardly been paying attention.
"Lucia, have you been listening? We're talking about Tervil's governance and propriety", her father returned.
Everyone at the table waited for the usual mumbling and fumbling of apologies and broken explanations that usually followed. Roman sighed and sat back in his chair. He hated these long, drawn-out dinners. While he enjoyed talking with his stepfather, watching the squabbling between Lucia and Terin bored him beyond words.
Lucia watched the faces of her family. Her stepbrother's undisguised disinterest. Her sister's eager smile and her stepmother's distrustful glare. It felt so nostalgic. However, dysfunctional it all had been, there had been moments when she felt true happiness with her family. Before her father died the atmosphere had been so different. And yet, here sat the three family members whose testimony contributed to her death. "If only you could have tried to love me", she thought.
"If the nobles were fit to pass judgement, then we would have no use for a king", Lucia responded.
The uncharacteristic clarity of her answer made Roman sit up in his chair. He looked at Lucia and for the first time discerned something changed in her character. Her posture and direct gaze made her seem like a different person.
Terin clenched her fist. How could stupid Lucia give an answer? Surely, it must be wrong. She looked to her father.
Her father paused as if taking in her words and let out a hearty chuckle. His wife's eyes quickly found her husband.
"Lucia, those are dangerous words", The Duke followed.
"For who? The nobles or the king?" Lucia answered unhesitatingly.
Taken aback, the Duke nodded his head and rubbed his beard.
"That is a good question", he said with a smile, "It seems you have been paying attention in class after all".
Lucia returned his gaze with a warm smile. Of course, she had read Tervil . But more than that, she had seen the corruption of the nobility and the king herself. Neither was worthy to pass judgement at all.
Terin simmered with rage. She couldn't accept Lucia receiving her praise for even one moment. She looked to her mother anxiously. Her mother was already sharpening her gaze on Lucia.
There was something different about this child. What was it?
By the time dessert was eaten, everyone looked ready to return to their rooms. Lucia used the opportunity to quickly proposition her father.
"Father, may I speak to you after?"
Her stepmother's eyes narrowed. What was she up to?
"Lucia, what can it be that you won't say in front of your mother?" she asked, feigning her feelings had been hurt.
"Indeed", the Duke agreed.
Lucia knew that in his eyes, the Duchess really was her mother. He didn't know how she only pretended to love Lucia. Even though she had never met her real mother, she had been able to tell from a younger age. Her stepmother hated her.
But this might be the perfect opportunity. Lucia already knew her stepmother had been desperate to get her out of the picture. How much further could she go than the Empire capital?
"Father. I want to study in the Empire", Lucia said with a determined look.
"The Empire? Why on earth would you want to go there?" he asked, genuinely perplexed.
Roman and Terin remained at the table with their interest piqued. The idea of little Lucia swanning off to the Empire seemed bizarre.
"I've been thinking about going for a while", Lucia explained carefully, "I think there's only so much I can learn by attending a school in our country".
"The Empire is a dangerous place. No, this is out of the question", The Duke finished decidedly.
"Wait! Husband, let's not be too hasty", Interjected the Duchess.
There we go, thought Lucia. You'll sell it better than I ever could. The Duchess rose to her husband's side.
"This is the first time Lucia has ever asked us for anything. Should we be so quick to dismiss the idea?" the Duchess added. She knew the exact words to sway her husband.
"But the Empire capital..." the Duke began.
"..The capital has the best school in the continent", The duchess quickly followed.
The Duke sighed. The thought of sending his daughter so far seemed unbearable.
"Are you sure this is what you want Lucia?", he asked.
"Yes, Father. I have given it a lot of thought", Lucia answered unwaveringly.
"Very well. We will have to discuss this further".
The next afternoon after being summoned to her father's office, her father presented Lucia with a handful of pamphlets. There were schools from all across the Empire. Lucia hated the idea of lying to her father but she knew it was the only way. After choosing a lesser-known school, she insisted on making the arrangements herself. Her father begrudgingly accepted.
Finally, the day came for her to depart to the Empire. Mina stood impetuously at the door.
"I can't believe you're going without me", she huffed.
"As I already explained, the school provides lady's maids", Lucia exhaled.
"Yes, but how will they know what you like or dislike?" Mina continued.
As the pair descended the staircase into the parlour, Mina made one last plea.
"I really think I should go with you!"
"Mina, this is something I have to do alone"
Lucia's intense and direct gaze caught Mina off guard. She had never seen her so passionate about anything. Deep down, Lucia regretted having to say goodbye to Mina again. She promised herself this time would be different. Since Mina couldn't go with her, she would have to leave the manor. It was the only way to keep her out of harm's way.
As Lucia boarded the carriage, she looked back at her father's face. Her heart swelled with emotion. She forced herself to smile. This time would be different. She would return before the border attack in time to save her father. She felt conflicted about what she was about to do.
Even though she hated to leave him, she couldn't give up this opportunity.
The carriage slowly departed as her father waved goodbye. Lucia sat alone and thought of what was to come. The knight's training school exam was in one month. From here out, everything would only become more difficult. There was no room for hesitation.
During her time as a knight, the kingdom of Ramelle had been at war with their other neighbouring country Tranphee. She had first awakened her mana in the heat of battle. A knight's mana was something that usually awakened differently for each person. However, having gone through the war, she realised mana could also be awakened by extreme emotion. Lucia had thought the traumatic memory of her death would have been enough. But no matter how many times she recalled it in her mind, nothing happened.
Her mana awakening had been the turning point for her career as a knight. She was made a captain shortly after and then general. She knew once the silver blade touched her hands again, she could fight, but would it be enough?
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Lucia had rented a room at an inn just outside the capital. She had secretly changed the correspondence of her letter's so everything she received would arrive there. Every letter her father sent would go to the inn. So too would every letter the school sent to her father. She even paid off the driver and the inn staff to keep their mouth shut. All the lies made her feel queasy. But it was the only way she told herself.
Once Lucia had unpacked in the squalor the small rented room, she stood in front of the dirty mirror. Holding the blade to her hair, she cut straight through. Her red locks fell to the ground. She had felt miserable the first time they had been cut. This time was different. Her green eyes shimmered as she locked onto herself.
"Not one, I won't let a single one get away."