Ancient history?
Neirin paused for a moment recalling in her mind and memories if she had encountered such development way back in her previous life. However, as seconds passed and minutes begun to get wasted, she felt frustrations surging inside of her for she knew to herself that she did not involve herself with the royal family back before. Hence, whatever history was this, she can only assume to what had happened after the serial killings that had happened.
There will be a disaster before her death. However, she did not see what had happened for she was killed by a man she doesn't knew. Thinking about it now, even her death was a bit of a mystery for she only concluded that it happened because of her greed nothing more. However, as Neirin begun to entertain such questions, she felt like she needed to open such case again even if it did not happen yet.
What a useless brain! Neirin uttered. She's quite disappointed to herself.
Of course, she hid her frustrations very well as her face appeared so calm and mysterious as though she had already knew what kind of ancient history they were talking about.
She thanked the duke inwardly for not having those crystal orbs that glowed when her feelings and emotions change placed on her. She can play well and deceive them well! She doesn't need more weakness! Or anything that they can hold on her while she's deceiving and playing with them.
"Continue, Adam."
"Yes, your grace," Adam smiled smugly. His eyes landed on Ellian.
The lady whom he was looking only rolled her eyes as the color of the crystal orb that situated on her changed once again. It has now the color of bright yellow almost irritating the eyes of the spectators.
"Calm your emotions down, Ellian," Neirin commanded. The color shifted again turning blue.
"Yes your grace." She bitterly said. Some of the people inside chuckled but then, they all shifted to their serious faces once Adam started talking again.
"With the rumors of the crown prince being in dispute with his father, the noble factions started to be divided, your grace. It was a natural outcome of such rumors. The younger nobles who had succeeded their predecessors had a high favorability with the young future ruler as they believed that their values would be the same as him. It was the same with the old nobles who think that their ambitions can remain the same with the emperor in throne. However, their conflict came to halt the moment the duke of Halstead was pronounced dead a few months ago."
A heavy silence surrounded the room. Eyes shifted to the headmaster.
Neirin raised her right brow. "for what reason?"
Adam answered in a religious manner as though he was a devote. " As you know your grace, the duke was known to be more influential than we know. He had a certain air around him that people had feared even those royals themselves. With that, I believe that there had been a truce for a moment between the emperor and the crown prince since they still do not know the intentions of the person who succeeded the duke, which is you, your grace."
With such statement, the people present inside waited for Neirin's next words in which she did not fail them.
"If that's the reason, I should be expecting the crown prince more often. Or perhaps, he might be making a way to be acquainted to my little brother, Vincent since I have told them that he had the power to change the ruling of the courts and the relationship of the courts with the royal family."
"Do you have a plan for this, your grace?" A very curious voice resounded inside the room of stars. The voice belong to the nine court guild leaders expressing their thoughts.
Neirin chuckled as she shrugged. "Nothing of course." Neirin appeared calm as ever. She was not really that worried. She trusted Vincent to think better.
However, her answer had shook all of the guild members.
All of the crystal orbs light up one color and that was the color of gray. Such color signifies their confusion and soon it turned to orange making Neirin understand that they were also curious.
"Even if I have the power to change the decision of my brother, I won't question his choice since I am only his temporary substitute. However, as long as I am in this position, I am capable enough to see to it that their intentions would not harm the courts. But all of that would be different once my brother take the lead. He had the right to destroy everything that I have buidl in this place."
"Would you just take it as that, your grace?" Another voice asked.
This time, it was a rather unfamiliar voice. Neirin shifted to see whose voice it belonged. In that very moment she saw a very tanned man with gold eyes. He had scars on his right cheek and left eye. However, since his eyes were moving well, it seemed as though he was not blinded by such scars. He has a built larger than anyone inside the room. From the looks of it, he seemed to be accustomed to normal labor work than anyone inside the room.
Ah, right. Neirin remembered him. The one who had never see her once after she had ascended to this position way back before. She had summoned him countless of times but he would always find excuse to be somewhere and doing his job.
He was the guild leader of the guild of mercenaries and often had the duty of a knight in places that needs one.
"You are?" Neirin asked.
"I'm Ares, your grace." His voice was deep. Very fitting for his face. Perhaps, many women had already fallen for such a masculine man.
"Just Ares?" Neirin asked. Quite curious for she had a limited information about this guy.
"Yes your grace. Just Ares as I do not own any last name. I am the guild leader of the guild of mercenaries and often take the duty of your sword in the future."
"then, nice to meet you, Ares. Back to your question, please elaborate."
"Do you not have any ambitions, your grace?" He asked in a respectful tone but obviously, there was also a hint of absurdity.
From the looks of it, it seemed like he does not quite understand that Neirin had no desire for such organization. Everyone who sat in the duke's seat had always want to covet the things he had build for themselves but now, a woman who had taken his place desired nothing but to protect the courts.
No, this was something not going to the logic they all knew. That was why they all appeared respectful and well reserved. They were trying to find and to understand the intention of the duchess.
"Of course I have," Neirin answered the question they were quite anticipating. "But different to all of your thoughts, I have far more greed than just be satisfied by the courts."
"Are you implying your grace that the courts is small for you."
"No, I have no intentions to bite the owner the feeds me, everyone. And just like a good dog, I wanted to be of use. However, even though I am a dog, I have ambitions that exceeds the grounds and walls of the courts." Neirin smiled confidently. "It meant that the courts will just be a fleeting matters that I have to deal with. Does such answer satisfied all of you?" She asked.
Silence lingered before a word was uttered. "Yes, your grace."
"Very well. Proceed, Adam."
Adam gave a nod. From the looks of it, he was still digesting the answer of the lady but he had to get his wits together for they, the people inside the room of stars were waiting for his continuation.
"As for the killings your grace. There had been limited information. We who had been in the courts were taking precaution measures but we are a little lack as it only targeted people with noble blood."
"It's a bit lacked just like you have said." Neirin tapped the table with her right index finger. "Any more thoughts about the matter?"
"If we will help the royal family gain the trust of the nobles, your grace. It would be best that in the end, we can still hold them by their neck," Roxanne answered. Her gaze did not waver as she was looking at Neirin.
"You are right, Roxanna." Neirin answered back, quite pleased. "Do all of you agreed to what she said?"
All the crystal orbs turned white as the word, "Yes" was heard.
All the nine guild leaders waited for the headmaster's words.
"If that's the case, then, I would like for all of your connections and strength to find this killer. However, we won't make any contacts and information about him would suffice. It would be best to only feed certain information to the emperor nothing more. At the same time, about the ancient history that the emperor had rumors into, I would like to know more about them. The dispute between the crown prince and the emperor, let them all slide and we will do nothing about it"
Neirin looked at them one last time as she smiled confidently.
"Is there anymore information you wanted to ask?"
"No your grace," all of them answered.
"You are all dismissed."
--
As the moon reached its peaked on the dark sky, inside a luxurious room inside the academy, Vincent who had finished his studies and was about to sleep received a letter.
As he finished reading, he heaved his breath leaning towards the headboard of his bed. His stares traveled to the window looking at the outside view.
He stared at there for a little while, not moving, before going to sleep.
--