With a sweep of her blue hair, the woman took a seat and fixed her gaze on Elden. She let out a deep sigh and rested her head heavily against the table, slumping in the wooden chair.
"Why are you here?" Elden managed to utter.
Sitting across from Elden, the woman exuded an overwhelming sense of authority that seemed to fill the room with a tangible feeling of unease. Elden's keen magical senses picked up on a surge of mana emanating from the blue-haired woman, which made her feel nauseous to her core.
"You mortals have such great magic abilities at such a young age... It's something we Gods envy. But with power comes responsibility, unlike for us who must bear the weight of it all."
Elden took a deep breath before speaking, determined to maintain her dignity. "What is it that you want?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing too serious," the girl replied with a giggle. "Just a friendly chat between two people who have a connection through a boy. I never had many female friends growing up, so I missed out on all the juicy gossip."
Confused, Elden questioned, "What do you mean? What boy?"
The girl's words brought Werner to Elden's mind.
"Let me ask you this," the girl continued, ignoring Elden's question. "How would you feel if you worked tirelessly every single day and slowly built up a fortune, only to find out that your distant cousin won a lottery worth three times your entire business?".
The woman poured herself a glass of tea, only to find that it was now cold. As she took a sip, she was surprised and almost spat it out.
"Not what I expected," she said with a giggle. She held her hand over the cup, and within seconds, the liquid began to bubble once again.
"I can imagine how frustrating that must be," Elden replied.
"Oh, you have no idea," the elderly woman said as she put down her cup and smiled at Elden. "It is an honor to serve Him, but dealing with the constant requests from mortals can be aggravating."
"How would you feel if millions of people were constantly praying to you for success, money, and good health? And to top it off, they're praying to the wrong person. Like who wakes up and says, 'Lady Satan, please grant safe travels for my family'? I have nothing to do with that, you idiots! Go ask Michael; he's in charge of that," she exclaimed in frustration as she scratched her head and threw it back in annoyance.
Elden's eyes widened in shock as she watched Satan, the God of all beings, unleash her anger and frustration. Her usually composed demeanor was shattered as she ranted and raved, her voice echoing through the halls of the grand palace.
"How do you feel...about Viktor?" Satan suddenly turned to Elden, her piercing gaze cutting through the air like a knife.
Elden felt a pang of fear and uncertainty grip her heart as she hesitantly responded, "I love him with all my heart, but I can't help but wonder how you are connected to him." She cocked her head slightly, a sharp pain throbbing in her skull.
Satan let out a small chuckle at Elden's concern. "Don't worry about it too much. Just know that he is destined for greatness," she said with a hint of amusement in her voice.
Elden fell silent, unsure of what to say next. She couldn't deny the powerful aura surrounding Satan, making her feel small and insignificant.
Sensing Elden's unease, Satan rose from her seat at the table and turned to face her once again. "I just wonder if you'll still be around to witness his achievements..." she muttered under her breath before disappearing into a thick fog that seemed to follow her every move. The weight of her words lingered in the air long after she was gone.
Elden breathed a sigh of relief as she encountered someone - or something, she wasn't sure if gods could be classified as people anymore. She pushed the thought from her mind and turned to head back inside.
The serene blue of the morning sky came alive once again with the sounds of birds chirping and crickets singing.
Shirley was busy washing dishes while Judo watched Emeline perform multiple curtseys.
Elden couldn't wrap her head around how everyone had suddenly gotten dressed and cleaned up in the past five minutes.
Shirley stopped cleaning for a moment, exclaiming "Your Highness! Please never leave like that again without informing us!".
Emeline's face lit up with joy as she ran to Elden and hugged her legs.
"I missed you! I missed you!" she shouted, bouncing up and down.
Elden smiled at the child and patted her head. "I was only outside for a few minutes," she reassured her.
But Emeline shook her head, insisting that Judo said Elden was gone for at least an hour and they were getting ready to return to His Royal Majesty.
"Huh? That can't be right." Elden glanced out the window, feeling confused. "How...strange."
"What do you mean by 'how strange'? Is there something wrong, my lady?" asked Judo.
"Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking about something that happened earlier. No need to worry about me, but thank you for your concern." Elden replied, smiling apologetically and raising her hands in surrender.
"I understand, I apologize," said Judo with a bow.
There's no need to bow or apologize, Elden thought to herself.
She looked around, noticing that one head was missing. "Where's Viktor?" she asked.
"He's upstairs, my lady," Judo replied with a bow. "I'll go get him right away."
"It's okay, I can get him," Elden said, brushing off the formality. It was clear that people were using it because of her position, but it still felt strange to hear "my lady" after every sentence.
The wooden floor creaked as she made her way to the master bedroom to retrieve her sleeping child. She gazed lovingly at him as he lay peacefully in his bed. Gently caressing his cheek, she whispered, "I love you, my little bundle of joy."
As she reached out to pick up Viktor, she felt a jolt of electricity run through her hand. No, not just through her hand – through her entire body. The end of her tunic was slightly singed from the surge of power.
Elden let out a scream that echoed through the room – a mix of anguish and hope. Her heart raced as she struggled to process what had just happened. Her son shared her gift of magic.
With a surge of exhilaration coursing through her veins, Elden blew on the end of her shirt sleeve and continued to pick up Viktor and take him back downstairs. She cast a mana searching spell to see how strong her son's magical abilities were at such a young age.
As expected, his mana count and source size were minuscule and barely detectable in the weak signal she received. Judo hurried up the creaky stairs, her hand instinctively reaching for the sword at her waist.
"Lady Kirchner! Is everything alright?" she called out. Elden smiled and turned to face the maid, wordlessly gesturing towards the door where Judo stood waiting.
In her arms was a baby, its tiny hands crackling with bright blue bolts of electricity. The sounds of magic filled the room with loud cracks and snaps.
"My lady, I am overjoyed for you and the young master," Judo exclaimed in awe. "I have never met someone with such a strong affinity for magic before. As he grows older, how would you like me to teach him? Or perhaps you would like to take on that responsibility, ma'am?" Judo asked as the sparks began to fade away.
"I'd like to discuss that matter with my hus... I mean the Emperor once we arrive back at the castle. I'd like you to respect my decision to do that much."
It pained Elden to have to degrade herself like that. But all of the Emperor's wives understood their place. Only one woman in his majesty's court truly had a loving relationship with him. Elden was not that woman.
Judo showed her respect by curtsying and bowing slightly.
"Of course, madam." And with that, she swiftly turned on her heel and made her way back to the downstairs living quarters before heading to the stables.
Elden quickly followed suit, feeling joy as she glanced down at the sleeping baby boy in her arms once again.
As she descended the long wooden stairs, she gave Emeline a gentle hug and handed Viktor over to her small yet capable hands.
"So Emeline, are you looking forward to returning to the castle? I'm sure your family misses you." Elden asked the girl.
Emeline jumped excitedly with a big smile on her face. She almost slipped backwards when she landed but Elden caught her and laughed.
"Oh dear, you must be more careful. What if you had dropped Viktor? Would you still be smiling then?" She said with a laugh, not scolding but simply amused by the child's mistake.
"I-I'm sorry ma'am... I'll try my best not to hurt him." Emeline hung her head low, filled with regret for her actions. She knew that even though he was only two years old, Viktor was her best friend in the whole world and she would never do anything to put him in danger.
Elden gently patted the girl on the shoulder and smiled softly. She then took the now wide-awake baby boy from Emeline's hands and handed him over to Shirley, who had just finished packing up the carriage and tending to the horses.
-Some Time Later
"Ma'am, I'm exhausted." Emeline said, slurring her final words as she yawned and stretched, the sound of her joints popping filling the air.
"I know, Em. I'm tired too, but we'll be there soon. Hang in there. Are you hungry, thirsty, or cold?" Elden responded.
"Mmm...just sleepy. Is Viktor still awake?" She asked through closed eyes.
Emeline and Elden sat across from each other in the back cab of the carriage, with the small girl curled up in a ball in the corner.
Elden looked down at the peaceful baby in her arms before looking back up at Emeline, who was now almost asleep.
"No, he's wide awake. Do you want to say hi?" Elden asked, lying. In reality, Viktor was fast asleep and unaware of his surroundings.
"No...it's fine. Just tell him I said sweet dre-" And with that, Emeline drifted off to sleep, leaving Elden alone with her thoughts.
She tried multiple times to fall asleep as well, but the bumpy dirt road made it difficult. Eventually, she sat Viktor down on the cushioned seat beside her and reached for her water canteen. It had been almost three years since she last used magic.
Taking care of children, even with the help of three maids, proved to be challenging for her. So instead of pursuing further magical studies, she focused on becoming a housewife - a suitable role for one of the Emperor's many wives. At only nineteen years old, she knew she would have plenty of time to further develop her magical abilities.
She coughed softly to clear her throat as she gazed out the carriage window at the once vibrant sky, now heavy with gray silence. The wind whispered gently through the air without its usual chorus. Despite the eerie stillness, the scene outside captivated her - fields of lush grass swaying gracefully under the wind's touch, creating a picture of serene beauty.
Light rain began to fall, creating a soft pitter-patter on the roof of the cab. One of the maids yelled something, but it was unintelligible. The woman didn't bother trying to decipher their conversation.
"Danu, goddess of water and springs, bless my hand and my body. I call upon you now to create a stream so that we may drink from the river of creation." She chanted this prayer for what felt like an eternity, until a gentle stream of water appeared from her fingertip. She directed the flow into her palm and filled all the empty bottles they had, ensuring they would have enough to drink.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind picked up, howling against the side of the cab. It felt as though the carriage was lifting off the ground at times.
The bumps and jolts became more frequent, causing both Viktor and Emeline to stir from their sleep.
There was a loud cry, but it was not from the baby whose slumber had been disturbed; instead, it was from the child who had hit her nose on one of the rough bumps.
"Oh no! Poor thing," Elden exclaimed as she shifted seats to comfort Emeline. The crying subsided significantly as Elden consoled her. The rough ride continued for several minutes.
Suddenly, the carriage came to an abrupt halt. The wind continued its violent attack, tossing bushes and heavy rain in all directions. The carriage jolted downward and then upward again - a sign that the drivers had dismounted from their seats.
The once clear sky was now a dark canvas, dotted with stars that were hidden behind thick clouds, pelting the earth with a fierce storm of rain, wind, and lightning.
Judo and Shirley continued their chaotic movements outside the vehicle. 'What's happening out there? Is it an accident? Did a horse run loose in this storm? Or... are those bandits?' Elden thought to herself, holding onto Viktor tightly and comforting Emeline who had now calmed down.
She was amazed that Viktor had slept through the entire journey, but that wasn't important at the moment. "Emeline, take him," Elden said as she handed Viktor over to the child, who took him without responding but with a noticeable amount of fear in her eyes.
Elden quickly picked up on Emeline's uneasiness. "Shhh... It's okay, I'm just going to step out and help the others, okay? We'll get back on track in no time."
Again, Emeline didn't respond, but she nodded slightly. Elden opened the cab door and was immediately thrown off balance by the strong wind. If it sounded powerful inside the cab, it was even stronger outside.
Her long skirt whipped around behind her as lightning streaked across the sky and the wind howled. She managed to steady herself against the side of the cab and regain her balance.
"Shirley, what is happening?" Elden shouted as the biting wind and icy rain lashed at them.
Judo turned to face her, brandishing her slender rapier.
"My lady, please go back inside. It's too dangerous. Take a horse and ride away!" Judo warned the Royal Lady.
"Are you sure? I could be of assistance with whatever is going on," Elden replied. Her specialty was water manipulation, allowing her to create ice or even weapons out of water. She may only know two forms of attack magic so far, but the possibilities were endless.
"No, My Lady! Just leave!" Judo yelled back, her attention focused on something ahead of them.
"Judo, tell me what is happening right now," she demanded from behind her.
"Your Highness... Up ahead is one of the most notorious beings on Ezuno - "The Wind-God", aka Ken'Bu Krill. He is part of the infamous Krill twins and holds the third seat among the Holy Crows."
Elden gasped. She recognized that name all too well - she had applied to be part of the Loiret Academy Sorcery Squad, a team responsible for tracking down powerful magic wielders who used their abilities for evil.
"Well, it seems we have encountered a true demon."
Next Chapter: 4- Encounter I