As always, Giliath demands your power stones!
*****
Inside Princess Alfin's orbal car, several figures could be seen seated inside. Claire was in the driver's seat. Prince Cedric, Princess Alfin, and Aurelia could be seen seated on the opposite end in front of me. I had gently placed Sherryl down to my side. Roselia was also on our side of the seats.
A look of disbelief appeared on the golden blonde-haired boy's face as his regal clothes shuffled around out of shock. His eyes turned wide the moment I uttered something to him. Aurelia also raised her eyes, not expecting me to hear what I had just said to Prince Cedric.
"You're...joking, right? There's no way in Gehenna that I'm related to you!", Prince Cedric yelled inside the orbal car as it sped into the heart of the city.
"I was surprised to learn about it after the new years dance, Brother. This has something to do with those eyes of yours, right, Big Brother?", Princess Alfin asked me, causing me to nod my head.
"That's a simple way of putting it, but you are right, Alfin.", I responded.
As I said that, the shock remained in Prince Cedric's eyes. I took a moment to glance out the window and to my left, I saw Walter head inside a local casino. His expression remained aloof behind those dark shades of his. Aside from that, there were crowds of people selling various goods and people out and about shopping. It was well into winter now, but because this was the heart of Erebonia's capital, that didn't stop them.
And yet, back inside the orbal car, Roselia took her seat where mine was. I felt her warmth as her back leaned up against my chest, sitting in my lap. A serious look appeared in her eyes hearing Prince Cedric yell that out.
"Watch your language, boy.", Roselia said with a harsh tone. Hearing Roselia say that, Prince Cedric felt his blood run cold.
"You do realize I'm a member of the imperial family, right...?", Prince Cedric retorted. "And just who are you, anyways? You had the gall to sit next to the head of the Vander School, and now you're berating members of the imperial family.", Prince Cedric questioned Roselia after he regained his composure.
Well, Prince Cedric had the right to doubt who Roselia was. Her existence was interwoven throughout Erebonia's entire history. It was likely she existed even when the country came into existence. She has been around for centuries, watching the rise and fall of the capital city. I bet she was even present during the attack of the Dark Dragon that laid waste to the capital during the dark ages.
"So? Just stay your tongue, young prince. I've been around for far more than you might realize. Or do you want to put your ancestors to shame?", Roselia retorted back at Prince Cedric.
"You...", Prince Cedric tried to say as anger grew in his eyes.
"Now now, don't be like this, Master. His Highness is just ignorant, that's all.", I said, and proceeded to ruffle Roselia's hair. Her hair color was very similar to Princess Alfin's hair. She didn't deny it either.
"Umu. True. They do say ignorance is bliss.", Roselia said, nodding her head.
"It's only right for Brother to be like this. He wasn't with us down there. That knight looked very lonely, and sounded like he was in pain. Are you saying only our imperial family can free him?", Princess Alfin asked as she looked my way.
"Yeah. He's currently bound by a curse that's been plaguing this land. I plan to undo his chains, and the Arnor blood is needed for that. You could do it too, Your Highness, but it would seem this knight has already reached out to me.", I said, giving a brief explanation as to what had happened, while remaining vague on the matter.
"So because this so-called knight reached out to you, that confirms you really are of relation to us...?", Prince Cedric uttered, catching onto it rather quickly. Hearing him say that caused me to smile. He then turned toward the driver's seat, and observed Claire as she had her hands placed over the steering wheel.
"And you. You were with my sister and His Highness. You're the Chancellor's subordinate right? Don't tell me, you knew about this too?", Prince Cedric asked Claire, showing eyes of doubt.
"That is classified information Your Highness. But if miss witch here decides to tell it, I will fall on deaf ears.", Claire refuted, letting her eyes remain on the road.
"This is something that even the subordinate of Chancellor Osborne can't say?", Prince Cedric mused.
"I feel it is right to tell His Highness and Alfin, Roselia. After all, this concerns matters of their blood just like how the previous emperors were bound by it. It wouldn't feel right keeping them in the dark, even if I'm the one taking responsibility for it.", I said, letting my fingers run through Roselia's silky hair. Roselia nodded her head.
"'Tis only right for those of the Arnor bloodline to know what they have been cursed with. It is likely a secret passed down through one emperor to the next. So listen up you brats, I'm only going to speak about this once. As to where this story begins, it goes all the way back to the time of the Ancient Zemurian Civilization, shortly after the Goddess Aidios descended upon Zemuria.", Roselia said, drawing everyone's attention to her.
"Long, long ago, this civilization thrived under Goddess Aidios's careful watch. Back during the beginning, Goddess Aidios bestowed seven treasures to this civilization, blessing mankind. These treasures that we know of today, are called the Sept-Terrions. They can perform feats and miracles that are unthinkable to mankind. As a result of Goddess Aidios blessing mankind with these seven treasures, it caused seven clans to form, creating what we now know, the Ancient Zemurian Civilization.", Roselia began to say, starting the story of how Zemuria came to be.
"With these seven clans now formed, each clan subsequently took responsibility for looking after one of the seven treasures. Of these seven clans, one was called the Hexen Clan, and the other was called the Gnomes Clan. Goddess Aidios trusted these clans to watch over her treasures. The Hexen Clan became responsible for watching over the Kin of Fire, and likewise, the Gnomes Clan became responsible for watching over the Kin of Earth. The rest of the Sept-Terrions were divved to the other clans, and soon mankind entered a golden age.", Roselia continued.
"During this golden era, the Goddess observed mankind advance at a rapid pace. Far more so than what she had originally anticipated. Fearing that mankind would get out of the Goddess's reach, she enacted trials set forth for the Ancient Zemurian Civilization. During these trials, Zemuria soon plunged into chaos, creating what we now know is the Great Collapse. Many of the Goddess's treasures, to what we now call Artifacts, became lost. Only a handful remained, or became buried deep within the earth.", Roselia continued.
"To add to these treasures, especially the first seven the Goddess created, she created Holy Beasts, meant to watch over and serve the treasures, making sure they don't fall into the wrong hands. One of these Holy Beasts, which served the Kin of Earth that the Gnomes Clan watched over, was a dragon named Agres. I will not go into detail of the Holy Beast that served the Kin of Fire, but because of the trials enacted by the Goddess Aidios, the Kin of Fire and the Kin of Earth soon became unable to meet to eye-to-eye, and the two clans clashed head-on, resulting in their mutual destruction of the two treasures. The Kin of Fire became no more, and the Kin of Earth became no more. Agres soon lost its purpose, and with the ensuing chaos, it became twisted, causing it to lose its name.", Roselia continued.
"And as a result of this clash, these two treasures melded away, forming an entirely new treasure, to which we call the Sept-Terrion of Steel. Through this new treasure, a twisted being called the Great One, came into existence, and began to further distort Agres, into what I like to call, the Worst Cryptid. It's body holy no longer became polluted by the chaos's miasma, and the curse upon this land spread. It swarmed the capital of Heimdallr, causing its people to become twisted as well, only to become monsters called the Night-Touched.", Roselia continued.
"As the curse spread, this Cryptid rampaged, and the once thriving capital of Erebonia, became a land of ruin. Agres became an entirely new entity, called the Dark Dragon, Zoro-Agruga. The Dark Dragon made this ruined capital its newfound nest. The people who survived, which at the time, had Emperor Hector the First serving as Emperor, relocated the capital to Saint-Arkh. More chaos ensued, mankind clashing against the demons the Dark Dragon created. Over time, Emperor Hector the First was able to slay the dragon, but at a cost, his own life. He successfully sealed the Dark Dragon away beneath the city entirely, but as a result the Arnors became cursed by a new destiny, having to watch over the sealed dragon.", Roselia continued.
"And thanks to this Dark Dragon, it sealed away a certain knight, to which is currently resting beneath the palace as we speak. Naoto brought little princess here to meet him, in fact.", Roselia said, concluding the story of the Dark Dragon and the birth of the Divine Knights.
"To think our family was bound by such a cursed existence...And if I get this correct, you want to set free this knight that is sealed away? Won't that disturb this so-called Dark dragon?", Prince Cedric asked.
"Best case scenario, it shouldn't. Both the Dark Dragon and the knight are mixed together, but both bound by different destinies.", I said, remaining vague on the fact that the Dark Dragon is bound by the Great Twilight. The Divine Knights are bound by the Great One, who wants to enact the Great Twilight, but if I just free Testa-Rossa through the Infernal Castle, it shouldn't affect the Dark Dragon. After all, I do not have the means to enact it, since the means doesn't exist yet. That is likely what Chancellor Osborne is heading off to do, alongside researching the existence of AI KeA.
(A/N: Once Millium and Altina do come into play, expect a book cover change)
"Naoto is correct to assume such. Your worry is sound, young prince, but you needn't to worry. As to who I am exactly, I am the leader of the Hexen Clan I previously brought up. Let alone a brat like you, even Emperor Hector was nothing but a brat in my eyes. I saw no reason to intervene then, as the Emperor at the time managed to handle it. He did pay a price, being his remaining lifespan to successfully seal Zoro-Agruga away.", Roselia responded. Prince Cedric's eyes turn wide in surprise again. Princess Alfin's eyes lit up as Roselia said that.
"Then that means you really are a witch who can use magic!", Princess Alfin happily exclaimed.
"Umu. Plus I have taught Naoto here. He is my direct disciple. That was why you saw such flashy magic during that spar earlier.", Roselia said, feeling a sense of pride swell up inside her chest.
"That really was magic then...", Prince Cedric continued to utter.
"That was rather a fascinating tale to listen to. It sounds like this story is only passed down through the Imperial Family, so I doubt most members of the Imperial Diet know of the Dark Dragon's existence. Aside from this tale, Your Highness, I too am capable of doing this.", Aurelia said, drawing our attention to her.
"Oh?", Prince Cedric mused, shifting his gaze toward Aurelia. We all saw a bluish glow of mana wrap around her body, which congealed into purple-colored lightning, the very same color that wrapped around my hand when I shocked Walter earlier. A somewhat loud screeching noise echoed throughout the orbal car A Aurelia began to fiddle around with the lightning in her hand. Schreeee!
"You can use this magic too, Lady Aurelia?", Prince Cedric said, uttering in amazement as purple lightning continued to wrap around Aurelia's hand, it was a constant screeching hum. It wasn't terribly loud, Aurelia managed to regulate her mana properly. I am even more anticipated now to see how she will use this lightning during combat. I'm also curious to see if she had any other elements too.
"Just please don't try to destroy the car we're in. I don't want to hear an earful from His Majesty later.", Claire's voice called out to us. Hearing that caused me to chuckle.
"Fair point. It would be problematic to the people here if they suddenly saw an explosion.", Aurelia mused. Thinking about that, who knew what would happen if that did happen? While I thought that, Aurelia ceased her mana, and the purple lightning vanished.
"Still, the story about this Dark Dragon miss witch relayed to us did sound quite ominous. But from the looks of it, as long as we do our part properly, the dragon shouldn't get impacted by setting the knight free?", Princess Alfin tilted her head a bit as she asked. I nodded my head to ensure Prince Cedric and Princess Alfin's doubt.
"Yeah. We don't necessarily have to slay the dragon that's currently sealed away. This knight can only be set free after Master's incantation is casted. Just through this alone is the reason we brought up the topic of a widespread evacuation protocol with Chancellor Osborne and His Majesty. Thankfully, they accepted it. The last thing I want to do is to endanger the lives of the people currently living here.", I responded with a serious look. Prince Cedric's eyes turned wide in shock again hearing that.
"Wait. WHAT!?", Prince Cedric yelled out in shock, not expecting me to say this. Aurelia wasn't present either so she raised her eyes. Only Claire and Princess Alfin were present at the time, so having me say that was equivalent to dropping a bomb on him. His eyes were completely wide.
"So that's why the governors were in such a hurry back at the Imperial Diet...", Aurelia uttered to herself, looking back at me.