When Isabella and I woke up, we saw two maids waiting near the door.
I thought we locked that...?
"Mizik, didn't we lock the door?" Isabella said as she covered herself.
"Excuse me, but I don't like our privacy being violated like this. Why are you here?" I asked.
"To attend to your every need. We are to help you prepare for the day ahead by helping you get dressed," one of them said.
"And if Master Mizik would request anything of us in the process, we would be honored to attend to your needs... Just as that woman did last night..." The other said.
"I am more than capable of dressing myself. Leave the room at once," I said.
The maids glared at Isabella and then left.
"I really hate your father's family..." Isabella said.
"Not as much as I do..." I replied.
After we got out of bed, we found two sets of clothes waiting for us.
Surprisingly, the dress provided for Isabella was actually of high quality.
She didn't trust it, though. And instead, wore one of the outfits she kept in her inventory. She was concerned that it could have been tampered with in some way to further humiliate her.
I put on the suit left for me. If they had tampered with it, it wouldn't bother me as much. Luckily, it seemed perfectly normal.
Just below the emblem over the heart, was a bit of writing as well...
'1st son of Duke Ulysses Iratus, Mizik Iratus'.
Even if my identity is on full display, it doesn't matter. They already know, anyway.
Once we left our room, I hesitantly approached one of the maids.
"Excuse me..."
"Has Master Mizik taken an interest in me? I am honored!" She replied immediately.
"No. I was wondering when we might be able to speak with Tyranus."
She frowned, then regained her composure.
"The Archduke will send for you when he is ready to receive you," she said.
"Thank you very much," I replied.
"There are other ways you can thank me, Master," she said as she pressed herself on me.
"That's enough! Stop trying to seduce Mizik! He's not interested!" Isabella shouted at the maid as she pushed her off of me.
"Albatross filth," the maid said as she glared at Isabella.
I hate these people so much...
"How dare you insult my wife, the Princess of Albatross! Should I request that you be executed for such a thing!?" I shouted.
Talking like that wasn't usually my style, but it seemed to do the trick.
The woman looked at me in terror and dropped to her knees.
"Please! Please forgive me, Master!" She said.
"Apologize to Isabella," I said.
"M...mistress Isabella...I humbly request your mercy... I'm sorry for saying such things to you..." She said fearfully.
"Ugh...apology accepted. Go away," Isabella said.
The maid stood up and scurried off.
"These people are so unreasonable.." Isabella said.
"It seems like you're enjoying the maids' company to some extent," Amelia's voice said behind us.
Isabella and I turned and saw Amelia dressed in her usual armor.
"It's insufferable. Why won't they leave me alone?" I asked.
"That should be obvious by now. You're an Iratus. To them, a living god. Your relation to Ulysses and Tyranus is also a factor. Not to mention, your looks," She said.
"But why won't they take no for an answer!?" I asked again.
"They hold some hope that you'll choose one of them to be your second or third wives. Or even a concubine. That will ascend their status from being simple maids into being real nobility. Even the personal retainer of an Iratus lives luxuriously. And if they bear your children, even better. Anyone born from them will be blessed with the sacred emerald eyes and would be permitted to live due to the superior genetics of everyone allowed to work here. If you were a woman, the butlers would be bothering you instead..." Amelia said.
"Has it always been like this!?" Isabella asked.
"Our lovely home used to be peaceful. But as Tyranus slowly rose to power, it became a cave of deviants. Selective breeding has always been a factor in our family's history, but it never got this bad. Ulysses saw it too just before he left. He was disgusted by it... By the way, Alice used to be a maid," Amelia said.
"Tyranus' wife? So that means..." Isabella said.
"Yes. It gave the rest of them hope that they could also ascend the ranks of society by seducing the men. And same for the butlers in regards to the women. It should be noted that Isabella is nothing more than an obstacle for them. A glaring problem that must be overcome...or eliminates. Mizik, her life might be in danger in this place, so be careful. You have been warned."
I sighed heavily.
My father's family was a miserable group to be involved with. I hated it here. I missed Lorelei and Albatross...
"Amelia, why is that you tolerate me now?" Isabella asked.
"You're the wife of my nephew, Isabella. I dislike your lineage for what they did to us, but I can't deny his devotion to you. Also, Mizik is the true heir to the family. I cannot go against his wishes. If he wants to be married to the Princess of Albatross, that is his decision. Besides that, you're not really so bad."
Isabella smiled at Amelia and she returned it.
"Isabella and I have been through far too much to abandon one another due to simple politics. I hate politics..." I said.
"Don't we all..." Amelia said.
"Amelia, when will we be able to meet with Tyranus?" Isabella asked.
"The maid already informed you, did she not? He will send for you when he is ready to receive you. I don't know how long that will be, however. You should try to relax for a while."
"That's hard to do in a situation like this. What are we supposed to do, exactly?" I asked.
Amelia shrugged.
"Well, you'll want to stay nearby, so exploring Noir isn't an option. Maybe you should get to know the family?" She said.
"I would rather hang myself..." I said.
"Then perhaps you might feel better about looking for information on your father. I would be elated to assist in any way, if necessary."
"I want to, but I don't think we have the time," I said.
"If it's Tyranus we're talking about, you might have more time than you think. Besides, that information could be crucial for getting his cooperation," Amelia said.
She wasn't wrong... If Tyranus had done something unforgivable, we could use it as leverage to help our cause...
"Amelia, where have the servants and advisors we brought gone off to?" Isabella suddenly asked.
"They were told to leave earlier. They are currently staying with Sir Gordon at the nearby Inn."
"At least they're okay..." I said.
I was glad to hear that they hadn't been harmed. Since we had spare time, however, I figured we might as well form a case against Tyranus.
"Isabella, let's go. I want to do some research," I said.
She nodded and we began walking.
We had no idea where we were going, so I needed to stop and ask for directions.
I made sure to ask a butler this time. He told me that the mansion had a library and even showed me how to get there without issue.
Surprisingly, he didn't glare at or insult Isabella.
After we entered the library, I began looking around at the large book cases all over the place.
At one point, I noticed another Iratus nearby and he approached me.
"Greetings cousin. How are you finding the estate?" He asked.
"Beyond insufferable. The maids keep harassing me and everyone hates my wife. Castle Albatross is far nicer than this cave of debauchery..." I replied.
He glanced over at Isabella and frowned.
"You know why that is, right? Actually allow me to introduce myself, my name is Lamarr Iratus. I'm the fourth son of Waldo Iratus."
"Nice to meet you, cousin. Are you going to insult Isabella too?" I asked him as I narrowed my eyes.
"I...wouldn't dream of it. I have no place to question the son of Ulysses. Even if I do disagree with her family history..." Lamar said.
"Good. Are you married? You must understand what it's like if you can say that," I said.
"No, not yet. I'm still...deciding which of the maids I fancy the most..." He said with a crude expression.
I sighed.
Now I knew for certain that I didn't want anything to do with this guy.
"Why are you bothering me?" I asked him.
"Well, I figured you could use a friend in this place. It's not easy being you right now, I'll bet. What with your wife being...her." Lamarr said.
"Being who, exactly?"
I was starting to lose my temper.
"You know that her grandfather started the war, right? The Iratus family still hasn't forgiven them."
"AND WHAT THE HELL DO HIS ACTIONS HAVE TO DO WITH HER!?" I screamed.
Lamar was greatly startled by my outburst.
"I...I...um..."
"Did Isabella start the war!? Did she give the order? SHE WASN'T EVEN BORN!" I continued.
"Mizik, please. Don't lose your temper for my sake. It's not worth it," Isabella said as she gently placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I'm sorry. This place is just getting to me..."
I turned to Lamarr.
"I apologize for yelling at you."
"N-no! It's alright! Please forgive me for my insolence, cousin. You make a very good point. And might I say...the Princess is very beautiful..." Lamar said as he glanced at Isabella.
"Watch it," I said.
"Of course!" Lamar said as he looked away from her.
"Now let me ask you a question, do you have any idea why Ulysses was sent to Lorelei?" I asked.
"Well...we're not supposed to talk about that. Tyranus said so..." Lamar said.
"Why not?" Isabella asked.
"He never said. Just that the subject was forbidden. Can we talk about something else?" Lamar said nervously.
He looked around and seemed to shrink slightly.
"Sure. How about the real reason you came to talk to me, then?" I said.
"The...real reason?" Lamar said.
"You want to use me as a stepping stone, right? To get to a better position in the family?"
Lamar was speechless.
"Look, I can be useful. Anything you need to be done, I can do it. All I ask is that once you ascend to the top, you remember me."
It was an interesting proposition. Lamarr Iratus might be useful for gathering information in areas that I didn't have access to.
Unfortunately for him, I didn't plan to ascend higher in this family. I wanted to know why my father was sent to Lorelei and I needed to ensure Kalsa's cooperation for the united front.
After I had Tyranus' cooperation, I planned to leave this gods forsaken mansion and never return.
Sorry, Lamarr. No hard feelings...
"Then lets have a verbal agreement. You do whatever I tell you as long as it's doable, and in return, if I ascend to become head of the family, I'll make sure you're properly rewarded. Yes?" I said.
If...
"That sounds like a good idea to me. I'm tired of just being the fourth son of Waldo. I want some damn recognition, you know?" Lamar said.
"Good. Now first of all, I need any and all information available on Ulysses. Got it?"
"Understood! I'll see to that once!"
Lamarr scurried off to another part of the library.
"That was surprising of you, Mizik. I didn't think you would do something like that," Isabella whispered.
"I don't like using people, but in this case, it's probably necessary... I don't know the mansion well and I'm not sure where to look for that kind of information," I whispered.
"You know, I came here to help with diplomacy, but I haven't been much use so far. I'm sorry, Mizik," Isabella said
"Don't say that. You've been nothing but helpful so far. Without you, we might not have made it past the border... And then there's last night..." I said playfully.
"Shhhh! I'm not sure I'd call...that...helpful, but if I can ease your stress, if only a little..." She said as she started fidgeting.
"It's alright, Isabella. I won't force you to do anything more than you have already," I said.
"Y-you're not forcing me to do anything! Honestly...I would prefer if we did that more often..." Isabella said quietly as she leaned close to me.
I wasn't really talking about that. Bravery must be getting to her. Yeah, that's it...
"Well, it's just been rather busy, lately... But I'll take you up on your offer, later. For now, we should focus on the tasks ahead," I whispered back.
Isabella narrowed her eyes as she smiled and hugged me.
"When this is all over, you're not getting any sleep. Okay?" She whispered directly in my ear.
Immediately my face felt like it was on fire.
"You're so cute when you blush, Mizik," Isabella said with an adoring smile.
"Sh-shut up...we need to focus..." I managed to say.
Isabella giggled quietly and we began searching the book cases.
* * *
After a while, Isabella walked away to check another book case and I reached for a book that seemed particularly interesting.
At the same time, I felt another hand touch mine.
I turned and saw Alice standing next to me.
"Umm..."
"Oh my. Mizik? How wonderful to see you here...alone..." Alice said with a smile.
"I'm not alone. Isabella is nearby. Can I be of service to you, Archduchess?" I said, trying to sound polite.
"Please...call me Alice. And I think there are several things you could help me out with, actually..." She said. Alice licked her lips as she looked me up and down.
"Excuse me?" I said as I raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, nothing. Pay it no mind. I wanted to personally thank you for being such a gentleman last night. Not too many people would be willing to stoop to such a degree for someone they love. I find it quite...fascinating."
"I love Isabella. I'd do anything to protect her and her dignity," I said.
"It's very romantic. By the way, your...Isabella... Where is she?" Alice asked.
"She's here in the library. Just looking around somewhere else," I said.
Alice seemed somewhat bothered by that for a moment but then composed herself.
"Listen, how long do you plan on staying here?" She asked me.
"As long as we need to. Once we have Kalsa's cooperation in joining the united front, we will leave as soon as possible."
"You're not planning to take over as head of the family, are you?"
"Only if necessary. I have documents stating that Ulysses left me in charge. Additionally, I have...something else..." I said as I beckoned her closer.
Alice seemed all too happy to get up close and personal.
"When I was thirteen, I acquired a certain ability while fighting a small army of goblins in the Lorelei sewers. A skill called 'Rage of Iratus'. Ring any bells?" I whispered.
Alice pulled back on surprise and stared at me, wide eyed.
"You're joking...you must be joking! It's you!? Tyranus..." Alice leaned close again to whisper. "Tyranus has been beside himself looking for that ability. He hasn't stopped searching for as long a I've known him. Listen to me, do yourself a favor and don't mention that to anyone."
"Why not?" I asked.
It seemed reasonable to mention it because of its importance...
"If he learns of that ability, he will kill you on the spot. He has the power to do it, too," she said.
"Well, I'm level 70. I also hold Vengeance and Isabella holds Bravery. We're not pushovers."
"He never told me of his true strength, but Tyranus is far stronger than Ulysses, Mizik. And I already know that your father was level 95. Even at level 70 with Vengeance, your power won't be enough to overcome Tyranus."
Oh...damn it all...
I felt panic rising as I realized what I had just done.
I tipped my hand too far...
"That is quite a piece of information though, Mizik. Your life could be in danger if you aren't careful," Alice said with a smile.
At that moment, Isabella walked up beside me.
"Is everything alright, Mizik?" She said.
"No...not at all," I said.
"This young man just told me something quite interesting. Something dangerous. He is the true heir, isn't he?" Alice said.
Isabella looked worriedly at me.
"You didn't tell her about the skill did you?" She said.
I nodded.
Isabella placed a hand over her eyes.
"Archduchess Alice, please have mercy on us. On him. We have no intention of taking over the household if at all poss-"
Alice raised a hand to her.
"This is dangerous information that I would prefer to wash my hands of. Tyranus would likely kill everyone involved...including me, if he found out. I'll pretend that I know nothing for your safety and my own," Alice said.
Isabella looked confused by this.
"I'll also try to arrange a meeting with Tyranus. But just so you know, he has no real intention of talking to you."
"What!? Why not!?" Isabella said.
"Because he despises you. He thinks you're a filthy dog and that your husband is a dog for marrying you," Alice said.
"And you?" Isabella asked.
"I don't like you either. But I have decided that my behavior yesterday was uncalled for. I have no plans to apologize, but I'll at least be civil with you. Besides...having just one romantic rival is quite fun..." Alice said as she looked at me.
After that, she turned and walked away from us.
"Mizik, I hate this place so much... I hate that every girl in this mansion seems to be after you..."
"Well, it's not like I plan to let them have me. They're just a bunch of vultures..." I said.
Isabella smiled at my comment.
After that interruption, the two of us continued searching the library.