FREYA
Having lived my whole life in the upper circles, there is no way I wouldn't know this gentleman. Dame Cierce took a stance in front of me and Darryl, her hand on the pommel of her sword. From her hardened expression, she recognized this gentleman too.
"Lord Winston. I'm surprised to see you here."
Dame Cierce protecting us won't do us any good. So, I stood up to stand beside her, making sure we blocked the view of Darryl behind us. If anything happened to him, the young lady won't be pleased. That little blind girl is hard to fool.
"These sorts of events are not my fancy but when I heard that his highness would be in attendance, I decided to attend too. But he's not here. However, it seems I have found something more interesting. Why would the prince's closest attendant be guarding you, Lady Freya?"
Lord Winston. A count with an influence that could intimidate a duke. He has the talent of turning anything into gold but that just comes with a humongous ego. Since he owns a trading company, he's rarely seen at social events. He's the kind of person that's trying to dip his hands into the profits of the nobles and is known to be a supporter of the first prince.
"I didn't know businessmen liked to gossip, Lord Winston."
"It's not gossip if I'm exceptionally curious. See, this is an issue that concerns the kingdom. Is Prince Ferdinard really going to be wed to Lady Freya, especially considering your social standing? I don't think Prince Ferdinard is the type to do such a foolish thing."
"You're right. He's not. I am in charge of Lady Winifred's education. She is the child his highness has just taken in. I am not here to represent his highness but Lady Winifred. Unfortunately, she is ill and cannot be present today."
"That cannot be..."
"Still, I will not accept any slander from you of my liege. His highness is kind and thoughtful, the kind of person most pleasant to serve. To insult his highness is unacceptable."
"What are you talking about?" he asks coldly. His tone changed and his smirk is nowhere to be seen. On top of that, his words happened to tick off one of the people most protective of his highness. I doubt she would let it go.
"Lord Winston, I humbly reject your request for a dance. We will not like to make an enemy of the Winston Trading Group but one must reiterate if someone has just insulted their liege. I hope we can meet again under more pleasant conditions."
I curtseyed, blocking Dame Cierce with my body. He turns his nose up and leaves without looking back. I rise and sigh, turning to Cierce.
"Why did you stop me?"
"Nothing good will come out of provoking him if his highness is not present. On the bright side, I think it's time for us to leave," I replied, motioning to Darryl. He came over obediently, his eyes clouded over in disbelief. "Let's go home, Darryl."
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NATHAN
"ANSWER ME, YOU IMPUDENT HUMAN!"
"I said you're loud, Oriel," I calmly said, releasing my magic.
That was enough to get her to shut up. I was more worried about Winifred, who was yet to open her eyes. While we were descending, something changed within her. I didn't know what it was and that terrified me.
"Winifred, you can open your eyes now."
She finally responded, her eyelids twitching. However, when she opened her eyes, they were milky white. When she blinked at me and reached to touch my face, I knew deep down that it was not my Winifred. 'She' had come out again.
"Nathan. How handsome~"
"Why did you come out?"
"I have some words for that goddess over there," she replied, pointing to Succubus. My mind went blank for a moment. How could she possibly know Succubus?
"Oriel, why don't we end this sham right now? Send out your best warrior. As the champion of the deity of darkness, I'll face him."
"The...deity of darkness? I don't know any such deity. What kind of authority does this entity have to command me?" Oriel asks, crushing the armrests of her throne further. My goodness, her temper is so brief. Why else would one start a war over ego?
"We'll find out once I face your best warrior. Or...are you afraid of losing?"
"I cannot be taunted by a mere human."
"Ah, really?"
Everyone's heads simultaneously whipped to her. How she came to sit on top of Oriel's throne, none of us could tell. Even Oriel was struck with a shock when she saw her sitting on the left curve of her throne. I am not confident I can move that fast.
"Please send out your strongest warriors. I'll make a good trade. If you send out your best warrior and they win, I'll restore that destroyed dimension. But if I win, I get to take Succubus's head."
Why would she want Succubus's head? I don't understand.
"Why Succubus?" Oriel calmly asks. I didn't even know her voice could each such octaves. I guess being intimidated can do this to someone.
"Succubus is a greedy being. She's the type to keep her hands on something even after she's been warned several times. Just because you're a goddess doesn't mean you can touch someone's lover. Now, I'm here to nip that threat in the bud."
"Is Nathan your lover?"
"Of course not. He's my beloved teacher. But if Succubus has her eyes on him, all the more reason to snuff her out," she replied, carefree. So, she's saying that the reason she's trying to kill Succubus is because she's a threat to her future lover? Honestly, that sounds exactly like her.
"You're trying to disrupt our Colesseum for a personal grudge?"
"Don't think you can hold me accountable, Oriel. I know your sins and soon, I'll judge you for them. You just have to wait until I appear before you again," she replied in a tone that was vastly different from her carefree tone. I felt the invisible yet crushing pressure coming from her. I wondered if it was her true capabilities. But a person that judges gods? How refreshing.
"I see. Since you're so confident, I'll send my best to deal with you. NKOYA!"
Nkoya jumps into the arena without another word. It begins transforming, turning into a wide and dry desert. From the scorching sands emerged a wide-blade saber with a hilt decorated with several cowries strung together with red cloth. When she swipes the saber, it cuts deep into the sand.
'Winifred' slowly descends into the arena and balances delicately on the sand. Despite how delicately she landed, it still cleared the sand from beneath her feet. She stood there without a single weapon but as I continued to watch her, a dark aura surrounded her, eliciting a strange chill. Even from that aura, I could feel my patron god. That coward.
"LET THE DUEL, BEGIN!"