That afternoon, Vincent and the Ironborn arrived at besieged Morinth, and the rebellion met a quick and ignominious death. The Ironborn fell upon the army like a clap of thunder, tossing men, undead, and even Sphinx's draconic revenants aside like bits of straw.
In less than an hour, the rebellion was broken beyond repair.
Vincent was standing atop a hastily constructed stage, receiving the cheers and accolades of his soldiers, who clearly felt that Vincent had rescued them from death.
Many of the soldiers looked askance at the Ironborn but they trusted in their Emperor 's word that he had them under control.
"Long live Emperor Vincent!" The soldiers thundered. "Long live the Emperor!" They cheered.
Subaru made a face. I guess that Priscilla 's reign really was short-lived.
On the bright side, I guess that I 'm now excused from needing to marry her. And that's the best news that I've heard in days!
Actually, why the hell did Vincent demand that I marry Priscilla in the first place? When I thought that he was dying, it at least made a certain amount of sense, but now that I know the whole thing was faked, what the hell was the point of it?
Was it just a distraction to keep me from fixating on the staff?
As Subaru mulled this over, he looked closely at Priscilla.
Priscilla stood on the stage beside her brother, her face buried in his shoulder, crying uncontrollably. Priscilla had first reacted to Vincent 's survival with shock and then with desperate gratitude. She wrapped herself around him and seemed afraid to let him go lest he vanish on her again.
Subaru had never seen Priscilla lose control this way, not even at the funeral. She was crying and blubbering and had to keep wiping her nose with her sleeve.
"That jackass!" Felt hissed. "He didn't even tell Priscilla that he was still alive!"
Subaru glanced at Felt, slightly surprised at her indignation on Priscilla 's behalf. Subaru thought back to how frightened and miserable Priscilla had seemed the night that she thought that Vincent had died.
Subaru made a face and mentally apologized to Priscilla for any suspicion that she had been in on Vincent 's stunt.
"I feel like I liked him more when he was 'Brador,'" Garfiel grumbled.
Subaru noticed Cecilus leaning against a wall nearby. "Were all of the rebels killed or captured?" Subaru asked him.
"No. Most of them were. But a decent number escaped," Cecilus said in a bored tone, looking at Subaru with great dislike.
Subaru blinked. "Then why aren't the Ironborn fanning out to look for them?"
Cecilus snorted. "We have soldiers out scouting for them. Vincent tried to send some of the Ironborn along with them, but he discovered that his power to control them wasn't transferable. When Vincent orders the Ironborn to follow somebody else's orders, they just don't seem to understand."
That could be valuable information to remember …
Subaru pressed on, "And just sending the Ironborn along with a brigade of soldiers and trusting them to defend themselves runs the risk of them getting confused about who to attack," Subaru finished. "Especially if Vincent isn't there to clarify who the bad guys are."
"You got it," Cecilus muttered.
This is all very interesting, but I have more immediate concerns.
Subaru waited until Vincent and Priscilla stepped off the stage. The pair walked away arm in arm, chatting happily. Priscilla 's beautiful face was tear-streaked, and her eyes red, but her smile was as wide as could be.
Subaru waited until the pair were concealed from the watching soldiers, and then he stepped out to confront Vincent.
"Alright. Priscilla's safe. And just for the record, she did an exceptional job preserving the Empire in your absence," Subaru said curtly.
Priscilla lifted her head, a lofty smile on her lips. She looked at Subaru with something approaching fondness for his words and then turned to Vincent with an eager expression, hoping for more praise.
"Now it's time to rescue Emilia," Subaru grated.
"Soon," Vincent promised.
"What the hell do you mean 'soon?'" He demanded.
Vincent gave Subaru a patient look. "Tell me, Subaru Natsuki, do you know where Regulus is located right now?"
Subaru 's face burned. "No," He admitted.
"Neither do I," Vincent said. "But the Arcani most certainly will. We need only return to the Crystal Palace and check their Archives to learn where your precious friend is being held."
"So, why don't you just order someone to find out and use a wyvern to get us the information so that we can get moving?" Subaru snapped.
"It's not that simple, Subaru," Priscilla cut in. "The Special Archives, where they store all the most classified information, are prohibited to everyone except the Emperor to ensure that no one else can access the information. To learn where Regulus is based, we'll have to return to the Crystal Palace and look it up."
"Also, your dragon has been brought to the palace stables," Vincent continued. "So, at least you can reunite with another friend."
Subaru glared at him. "We're running out of time here, Vincent! Emilia could be-"
"I understand, Subaru," Vincent said in a placating voice. "But we can only move as fast as we can move. We'll be at the Crystal Palace by late this afternoon, and I promise I'll inspect the Archives this very night to gather all the information on Regulus that we have. We should be able to march by morning."
Subaru bit off a curse and stormed away, his face like a thundercloud.
The wives were in utter chaos today. 246 had never expected to be placed in charge, and she had no idea what she was doing. The wives stood in the kitchen in a near panic.
"I can't believe that he murdered 128," 246 squeaked. "She… She worshiped him! She did everything that he wanted! And then there was one time when she didn't comply, and he…"
"He didn't even punish her," 117 whispered. "He just killed her! His most faithful wife!"
"We've all worked so hard to try to keep him happy!" The mousy brown-haired wife fretted. "We beat ourselves into contortions, hoping to earn enough favor to survive if we ever make him unhappy! But now, if he'd even kill 128 at the drop of a hat…"
"Please," 42 sniffed coldly, although her face was terrified. "The monster never cared about loyalty! We're not people to him. We're just objects in a collection. And objects break and get replaced."
"First thing is first," Sylvie had said, cutting through everyone's panic.
Everyone stopped talking and looked at Sylvie.
The elf 's face was pale but composed. "42, start cooking. Let's all eat some breakfast. We have a long day ahead of us. 117, and the rest of the kitchen staff will help you. 246, try to calm down. We all know that you're not prepared for this position. You don't have to be. We'll all help you until you get comfortable in this role. Everybody who isn't cooking, find a room on the second floor where you're far away from the monster and start cleaning it. You all need a distraction right now. We'll call you when breakfast is ready.
"Everyone needs to remain calm. The monster is on edge today. We all need to be quiet and composed. 246, just take a seat and think about what 128 would have done today. You don't need to have a complete plan. You can make suggestions after breakfast. We'll help you polish them. Everybody, try to stay calm. We've been through terrible days before, and we'll get through this one by working together."
All of the wives seemed to noticeably calm down at Sylvie 's instructions. The wives fidgeted nervously, but they were no longer paralyzed by fear. Most of the wives began to file out of the kitchen and head off to clean while 42 and a few others started cooking breakfast.
Emilia started as Sylvie gently touched her neck. "Those bruises look painful," She murmured. "Let me help you."
Emilia sighed as Sylvie 's hands glowed the color of new leaves, and the throbbing pain in her neck started to fade.
"It was unwise to tell 128 about your friend," Sylvie whispered.
Emilia moaned. "I didn't know that she'd do that , " She protested.
Sylvie sighed. "That's true. You couldn't have known. There's no blame here. The monster hates all of the other Authority wielders. 128 never accepted that. She always bent over backward, trying to justify how the monster was really a righteous and wise man who had earned her Goddess's favor. I was astonished that the monster ever allowed 128 to pray to the Witch in the first place. I think 128 must have convinced him that prayers to Satella would increase everyone's reverence for him as Satella's mortal hand."
"I can't believe that he just killed her like that," Emilia whispered. "She was the only one that was truly loyal to him."
"And he doesn't care," Sylvie said simply. "To the monster, loyalty isn't something earned. It's demanded. But truthfully, after almost ten years here, I doubt that 128 would have lasted much longer anyway."
"What do you mean?"
"We're just pieces in the monster's collection," Sylvie said in a dead voice. "We're here for our beauty. Trapped as he is by his power, surrounding himself with beauty is one of the few pleasures left to him. But over time, beauty starts to fade. No matter how faithful or obedient, the monster will not tolerate anyone in his collection who is not in the prime of her youth and beauty. I survived for so long because my elven blood means I age slowly. But 128's beauty was already beginning to lose its luster. The monster would have eliminated her sooner or later."
"That's awful," Emilia whispered.
Sylvie nodded. "I sometimes wonder if the monster would rather have an entirely elven collection, but since there are so few of us…." She shook her head. "Still, I suspect that is why the monster has been holding back against you for so long. He wants another elf in his collection. Someone he can keep for decades without them fading and needing to be replaced. But I fear that now, the monster's very limited patience with you may have evaporated."
Emilia stared at her.
Sylvie bowed her head. "You've… You've stirred up too much trouble. The monster blames you for disrupting his 'perfect home.' I… I don't think that you'll survive another day here…" She said in a broken voice.
Emilia swallowed hard. She glanced at the other wives working in the kitchen. 246 was staring out the window, looking despondent. 117 worked at the stove, and she just bowed her head, refusing to look at Emilia. 42 gave Emilia a look of mingled regret and satisfaction.
Emilia sighed. Maybe she should have felt terrified, but the truth was that she just felt horribly tired. "Thank you for healing me," She murmured.
Sylvie nodded, tears in her eyes.
Emilia found herself wondering what to do with herself now. On an impulse, she walked over to where 246 sat in a corner, staring out the window.
"Are you alright?" Emilia asked.
246 shook her head.
"I'm so very sorry for your loss. I know that the two of you were very close," Emilia offered. "She was… very kind to you, wasn't she?"
246 shuddered. "Yes. She was… all that I had here…"
"Did you know each other in the…" Emilia hesitated, knowing that the term "Witch Cult" might be taken as an insult, especially right now.
246 shook her head. "No. I was never in the Witch Cult," She said.
Emilia 's eyes widened.
246 gave a hopeless laugh as she gazed out the window. "I… I did everything that she told me to do. I worshiped the monster. I tried to force myself to love him! I tried to convince myself that every act of cruelty he inflicted was just a spiritual test, his way of trying to make me stronger …" She shook her head. "I… I don't know if I ever really believed in the divinity of the Authority holders. But I wanted to. I wanted to follow her because she was so sure of something. Her faith, her conviction … somehow, it made being here… bearable."
246 's voice grew hopeless. "Now, she's gone. The monster murders the faithful as quickly as the faithless. All those years that we struggled to prove ourselves to him … they were all a waste of time, weren't they?"
Emilia hesitated. "I don't know," She hedged. "But Regulus is clearly a horrible man. I doubt that he even understands the concept of loyalty. Nothing is real to him except himself."
246 took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. "Tell me… is it really true?"
"Is what true?"
For the first time, 246 looked directly at her. "Your friend. Is it true what you said? Does he really hold an Authority? And is it greater than the monster 's?"
Emilia hesitated.
I don 't know about this… Should I really be encouraging her to keep viewing Authorities as something sacred? If I tell her about Subaru, am I just encouraging her to seek salvation from a new source? Another mortal man with great power who still can't grant her what she wants? And am I putting her in greater danger by even mentioning Subaru to her?
Finally, Emilia sighed. "Yes. It's true," She said simply. "Subaru holds an Authority. And he's a greater man than Regulus could ever hope to be."
"Do you… think that he'll really come and rescue you?" 246 said in a fragile voice.
Emilia swallowed hard as her doubt rose up to choke her like poisonous smoke. "Yes," She said firmly. "Subaru would never abandon me. If we can survive long enough … I know that he'll find a way to save us."
246 studied her carefully as if searching for a hint of lie or delusion. Finally, she nodded and stood up. She stared at Emilia for a long moment, her mouth moving as if she couldn 't decide what to say.
246 said in a barely audible whisper, "Praise the Sun." Then she turned and slumped out of the kitchen, leaving Emilia standing alone in confusion.
The Crystal Palace was a magnificent structure built from metal, stone, and enormous sheets of pure crystal. The castle loomed high above the plain like a man-made mountain.
Vincent and his party marched inside while his army pitched their camp in the enormous fields beyond.
Subaru and his friends took the time to visit Patrasche in the stables, much to the grooms ' confusion.
Patrasche was thrilled to see Subaru again and Subaru felt his heart lighten a bit as he scratched her head.
"Take good care of her," Subaru said to the grooms after instructing them in the riding dragon's care. "She's very important to us."
"Yes, Lord," They bowed.
Subaru nodded, and the party headed for the main entrance to the palace, passing Cecilus, who lounged against the wall.
I 'm not all that worried that the grooms wouldn't know how to care for Patrasche, but the more time we spend out of Vincent's watchful eye, the better. Too bad that it looks like he had Cecilus stay behind to watch us instead.
I 'm disappointed but not surprised.
Subaru and the others walked into the palace. They left Cecilus standing outside and whistling in the worst display of nonchalance that Subaru had ever seen.
They entered the great hall. The palace was built on a dozen levels with stairs and balconies encircling the hall. The palace was by far the largest building that Subaru had encountered since coming to this world; even by the standard of his world, the place was enormous. The hall was brightly lit by crystal orbs mounted on walls that served as lanterns, and the great hall walls were painted white, which only emphasized how spotless everything was.
Damn. This reminds me of home. Well, some super-clean mall or amphitheater back home anyway.
"Lord Subaru," A lean functionary in a drab uniform said with a bow.
"Morin," Subaru inclined his head, recognizing him from the army camp.
"His Majesty asked me to show you to your rooms," Morin said in a weedy voice. "Follow me, please."
After a quick bowl of gruel, Emilia cleaned the back halls. 246 was clearly in no condition to give anyone instructions, so Sylvie started handing out tasks. The primary concern was ensuring that food was prepared on time so that when Regulus demanded supper, everything looked normal. For the rest, she simply assigned the wives to clean the mansion to distract them from their troubles.
As Emilia scrubbed the floor, 117 and 42 burst out of the kitchen, their eyes wild.
Emilia bolted to her feet. "What's wrong?"
117 gave her a terrified look. "Run for your life! Lye is here!"
Lye?!
The pair started to run, but Emilia stepped in front of them. "What's happening?! What's going on?!"
"Lye is here!" 117 explained in a rush. "He's like the monster! The two of them hate each other, and if they start to fight, the entire mansion will come crashing down around our ears! We need to run!"
117 and 42 took off down the hall without checking to see if Emilia was following her.
Emilia hesitated, and then she darted into the kitchen. It was deserted except for Sylvie, who had opened the door a crack and was peering through it.
Is there any way that I could use this to my advantage? Lye is a complete monster, just like all the other Archbishops. But he seems to like Subaru … in some weird way.
If he saw me, if he recognized me, would he tell Subaru where I am?
Maybe, but it seems like a long shot. And even if he did tell Subaru where to find me, how would that help us deal with Regulus?
Emilia crept up to the door and peeked out beside Sylvie.
The elf looked at her incredulously. "What are you doing here? " She demanded.
"I could ask you the same question," She whispered back.
Sylvie fumed. "I'm trying to keep watch so I know if everything starts to go sour! The more notice I get, the better my odds of getting as many wives out of the mansion as possible before the entire building explodes! And even then… 'as many as possible' is likely to still be zero," She added bitterly.
Emilia didn 't reply. She peered out into the sitting room where they had done their morning prayers. At some point during the day, someone had removed 128's body and cleaned up the blood. Regulus sat on a throne atop a pedestal, his face sullen and discontented while talking down to a stringy, dirty teenage boy standing before him.
"A pleasure as always," The boy said to the Regulus in a thoroughly unconvincing voice. "You're looking… well-fed…" He finished awkwardly, apparently trying to be nice.
Regulus scowled down at Lye. "I am the most splendid existence on this planet. This world was created for my own comfort, and all I ask for is the right to do with it as I please to maximize my own satisfaction and the satisfaction of those few beings I consider worthy to share in my perfect days. Yet even in this elegant home, I'm forced to be intruded upon by foul-mouthed, dirty-"
"Hey, Regulus?" The boy said in an impatient voice. "You want to rein it in a little? I've only been here for roughly sixty seconds, and you're already boring me."
Regulus 's eyes narrowed as they bored into Lye. " You are not welcome here, " He said, his elaborate language vanishing in an instant as he seethed. "You are never welcome here! "
"Aw, gee. That really breaks my heart," Lye sneered.
Regulus slumped on his throne. "What do you want?" He demanded, sounding resigned. "Or are you just here to pollute my splendid home with your stench?"
"What do you think that I want?" Lye shot back.
"I have no idea! You're not here following the Gospel's dictates, so why are you here?" Regulus grumbled. "You're intruding on my splendid existence without-"
"Come on! You mean you didn't read anything recently about 'The Quest for the Thieves?' Or 'Greed's search for Gluttony?'" Lye asked mockingly.
Regulus didn 't answer immediately. "I… I may have seen… something," He admitted reluctantly. "But the words changed quickly."
Regulus seemed to recover himself and snorted, "As if I would ever go looking for you anyway! "
Lye stared at him incredulously. "Those instructions weren't for you, you dumb-ass! " He shouted.
"Watch your mouth! And don't be an idiot. Why would my Gospel be giving anyone but me instructions? Even if they are changing frequently."
"Yeah! The words in the Gospels have been changing a lot lately, don't you think?" Lye asked meaningfully.
Regulus shifted uncomfortably. "What are you babbling about?" He grumbled. "Why does this merit you intruding on my sainted means of living? The Gospels' instructions have always been fluid. They've always changed their directions as events evolved."
"Not this fast! They've never changed this fast!" Lye shouted, yanking at his hair in frustration. "You are thick, you know that?!"
Regulus audibly hissed at the twisted teenager. He raised his fist, and it was clear that it was taking considerable effort for him to lower it again without striking Lye. "If you're so concerned that the Gospels are 'broken,' then why not take it up with the… the Lady," Regulus said, his venom momentarily interrupted by a note of unease.
"Oh, perfect! Yeah, that's a brilliant idea! Asking her about this will put the Lady in a great mood! Don't you get it, Regulus? The Gospels are changing so rapidly because all of a sudden, different wills are trying to set their agendas, and they conflict with the Lady's! She's not the only 'Goddess' out there, even if she wants us to think she is!"
Regulus frowned, and a faint look of interest appeared on his face. "How do you know that?"
Lye shrugged. "I… listened to Petelguese babble a few times over the years," He admitted. "At the time, I thought he was full of it, but it looks like he was right. Somebody else is trying to rewrite the Gospels. "
Regulus looked thoughtful, his petulance momentarily overcome by curiosity. "But the Gospels serve the will of the Lady. For this theory of yours to be correct, that would imply that someone out there has the strength to set their will against the Lady's. But who could that be?" He muttered.
Lye stared at him incredulously. "Are you serious ? "
Regulus glowered at him.
Lye groaned in frustration. "Gee! Let's think about this! Who could have a stronger claim on our Gospels than she does? Maybe, I don 't know… The original owners ?! Don 't you get it, Regulus?! They 're coming back ! They 're all coming back and the first thing that they 're going to do is come and take back what's theirs!"
Regulus scoffed. "My witch is dead! Even alive, she'd be lucky to survive even a single glance in my direction. Let her try."
Lye shook his head. "Arrogance is the first sign of stupidity, Regulus. If you wait for her to rebuild her power and come for you when she's ready, she'll kill you before you can even lift a finger."
Regulus shifted awkwardly. His face grew faintly worried. "The Lady hasn't said-"
"Had any weird dreams lately, Regulus?" Lye demanded with a withering expression. "Dreams where a woman calls you a thief and then demands that you give back what you stole?"
Regulus started, staring at Lye with wide eyes.
"Yeah," Lye said glumly. "I know all about them. Louise and I…and Roy," He added glumly, "Talked about it a while back. We've all had the same dreams. And we're the thieves that they're talking about, Regulus. We took what was never ours to wield. And now, the true masters of our Authorities are breaking free. They're coming back for what's rightfully theirs, and they'll swallow us whole if we let them."
For the first time, Regulus looked genuinely unsettled. "Those are just nightmares. Dreams from long ago."
"Nightmares that all four of us have regularly?" Lye pressed. He shook his head and shuddered. "They were always an occasional thing, but now I see her every time I close my eyes!" Lye shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself with a look of horror on his face. "The past few nights, she's always there. Reaching out to grab me, telling me what she's going to do to me when she finds me!"
"I don't sleep anymore," Regulus said flatly. "I haven't slept in centuries. As the most splendid existence in this world, I could hardly permit a full eight hours of my life to be stolen from me each night."
Lye stared at him incredulously. "…Just when I was starting to think that you couldn't get any weirder," He grumbled.
Lye wrapped his twiggy arms around his thin chest. "…I don't know what to do. I can't get a single night's sleep!" He whispered plaintively. "That girl in the chains, she's always sitting there, waiting for me in my dreams, telling me what she's going to do to me! "
Regulus frowned. "Girl in the chains?"
"The one from the dreams!"
Regulus cocked his head. "There was no girl in chains in my dreams," He said, thinking back. "Mine was of a beautiful young woman with long white hair. I'd actually be willing to accept her as a wife if she'd only learn to be more poised and obedient."
Lye shook his head in disgust.
Regulus sat up straight. "Have you asked the Lady about this?" Regulus asked, recovering a bit of his spoiled poise.
"I just spoke to her," Lye said in a tight voice. "She called me to her cottage to serve her. She… wanted me to… burn a puppet," He shuddered.
Regulus 's face twisted in disgust.
This comment about 'burning a puppet' meant nothing to the eavesdropping Sylvie and Emilia, but they saw the Archbishops both shudder at the thought. Whatever this referred to, it was an activity that filled both of them with horror and disgust.
Regulus was quiet for a moment. "What about Capella?" He asked with great reluctance. "What does she think about all this? "
"I don't know," Lye admitted. "I brought her to the Lady as ordered, and I haven't seen her since. I assume that she's still being… punished…" He trailed off, looking green.
Regulus looked faintly sick to his stomach. "No help from her then," He muttered. "What about Louise?"
Lye didn 't answer.
Regulus raised an eyebrow at his reticence.
Finally, Lye choked out. "I don't know ! I don 't know where Louise is," He admitted in a worried voice. "The Lady called for both of us. She told me to burn the puppet, and then she sent me away. She said she had a 'special assignment' for Louise."
"Did you ask the Lady what she would be doing?" Regulus said, sounding bored.
Lye trembled. "I tried to. I think that just asking that single question burned up most of the currency I 'd earned with the Lady since she woke up! She told me that Louise was going someplace where the witch couldn't find her and that I didn't have to worry about it."
Regulus cocked his head. "I would have thought you'd find that reassuring."
"She didn't even say that Louise would be safe!" Lye pointed out. "The Lady doesn't care what happens to Louise! She's only concerned about the witches getting their missing powers back! She might have buried Louise alive somewhere just to keep her out of the witch's clutches!"
Regulus squinted at him. "The Lady wouldn't treat us with such disregard," He said, although he sounded worried. "We're her most powerful assets."
"Please! We're her pawns!" Lye snapped back. "And now that the other pieces are in play, the pawns aren't so important anymore. We're just here to block and be sacrificed!"
Regulus 's face darkened. "I am the most powerful of the Archbishops," He said coldly. "The Lady would never treat me with such disregard!"
Lye scowled. "The Lady has her own problems right now, and we're not even on her list of priorities anymore! That means we 'll need to deal with the witches ourselves," He continued. "Even if the Lady does have a plan to destroy the witches, I 'm not so sure that we'd have any role in the plan other than to be bait! And the bait usually gets eaten ! "
Regulus thought that over, and his face broke into a broad smirk. "It seems that you have quite a problem on your hands, Lye, old boy," He almost purred.
Lye stared at him. "What do you mean ' I ' have a problem?! "
"Your witch may be coming for you, but my witch is dead," Regulus said with a cold laugh. "Maybe you should start running now. I recommend that you go somewhere where the food is terrible! Maybe the Voracious Witch will never find you there!"
"You can't be this stupid," Lye growled.
"Watch your tongue!" Regulus snapped back. "You are coming very close to the limits of my patience!"
Lye looked distinctly unimpressed. "The Lady has told us over and over again that Witches don't die the way that we do! How 'dead' do you think that your witch would have to be before she was unable to eat you?! "
"Poor Lye," Regulus smirked, paying his question no mind. "It looks like the only pawn left on the board is you."
"What are you talking about?" He snapped.
"The Lady is gathering up her most powerful pieces for her next plan," Regulus said in a silky voice. "That means me, Capella,….and Louise."
Lye stiffened.
"You boys were never in your sister's league in either raw power or skill," Regulus said, his face twisted in vengeful delight. "The Lady is using you as bait to draw out your witch!"
"Why are you so happy about this?!" Lye demanded. "You idiot! Can't you see the writing on the wall?!"
"I'm the Lady's favorite," Regulus said smugly. "You've always been so… fragile, Lye. But I'm not afraid. I'm the strongest Authority wielder. The Lady herself chose me. When the time comes, she'll protect me.
Lye looked disgusted. "You sound like the piglet bragging that he'll be the 'guest of honor' at the feast!"
Regulus just laughed. "Unlike you, I hold the Lady 's favor!"
"Oh, I'm sure that the Lady favors you… just like the butcher 'favors' the fattest pig in the pen. In case you haven't noticed, Regulus, the Lady's 'favorites' tend to end up just as dead as everyone else when they're no longer useful."
Lye fought to control himself. "Regulus," He grated, struggling to be diplomatic. "We need to do something about this! If we wait for them to come and find us, we 're going to find that they're more than prepared to finish us off! They're far stronger than us, Regulus, or have you forgotten who originally wielded these powers that you're so fond of flaunting? We need to go out and find them now while they 're still weak!"
"I'm afraid I won't be able to help you," Regulus said with a smirk. "I'm currently on a special mission from the Lady."
Lye started. "What? What are you doing here then? " He asked suspiciously.
"My task requires me to stay close to home for the moment," Regulus replied loftily. He glanced at Lye with a venomous. "The Lady instructed me to remain here while she attends to a pressing matter. In the meantime, good luck finding your witch! Do let me know if she's pretty. I still have a few slots in my harem that I need to refill."
Lye scowled at him. "You're a fool, Regulus! My death sows the seeds of your own!" He hissed.
Regulus laughed out loud. He laughed for almost a full minute and then abruptly stopped laughing. "I've had enough of your miserable existence intruding on my perfectly cultivated life," He said in a deathly whisper. "You're barely an Archbishop of the Order, and that means the Lady's truce may not even apply to you anymore."
Lye scowled up at Regulus. If he was intimidated, he didn 't show it.
"Get out of my mansion," Regulus hissed.
"No problem!" Lye shouted back, marching toward the hallway and the mansion doors. He called over his shoulder. "Enjoy the comfort of your gilded cage, Regulus! I'd sure hate to see what happens when the Lady decides that she's done with you!"
Emilia and Sylvie carefully let the kitchen door slide shut.
Sylvie looked incredibly relieved.
Emilia just felt confused.
The Gospels are changing? What does that mean?
But maybe it 's a good sign. If Lye thinks that the Gospels are becoming unreliable, then maybe that will help my escape plan. If I can escape the mansion and Regulus can't use the Gospel to find me…
I know where the laundry room is. I can get all the blankets and towels there that I need to make a rope. I know where I can find a ladder, and that will let me reach the skylight.
Tonight, when most of the house is asleep, I 'll make my move.
"This room is for Lord Subaru," Morin said, opening the door on the sixth floor.
Subaru felt like every second that ticked by was just putting Emilia in more danger. "Thank you, Morin," He grumbled, stepping into the room. The bedroom was the size of a large apartment, complete with a living room, a large sofa, and an enormous bathroom and bathtub. There was even a balcony.
Strange that there 's no "women's quarters" here. I figured those would be standard in Vollachia.
"His Majesty is preparing a formal ball to celebrate his victory and his recovery later tonight. I will send the dressmakers to attend to you. Now I'll show your retainers to their rooms, Lord Subaru," Morin bowed.
"And where would those be?" Subaru asked sharply.
Morin seemed surprised at this question. "The young master and miss will be in the east wing on the second floor," He replied.
Far away from me , Subaru thought grimly. I think I just figured out why there 's no women's quarters in my apartment.
"That's alright, Morin," Subaru said calmly. "We're used to making due in tight quarters. This room will be more than enough for all of us."
Morin stared at Subaru, clearly put out of his reckoning. "But sir, I-"
"Thank you, Morin," Subaru said in a kind voice. "That will be all."
Well-trained servant that he was, Morin bowed in acknowledgment before the words had even penetrated his brain. He froze and watched helplessly as Garfiel and Felt entered the room. All he could do was close the door behind them.
Felt said, "You're worried that he might try to take us hostage." It was not a question.
"Aren't you?" Subaru snorted.
"Is it just me, or is Vincent desperately trying to stall for time?" Garfiel asked.
"It's not just you," Subaru said, flopping down onto the sofa. "He keeps pushing off Emilia's rescue, and I don't understand why! He must know that my patience is nearly exhausted. This is all going to come to a head very soon, anyway. So what does he have to gain by running out the clock like this?" He closed his eyes for a long moment. "Felt. Do you think that Vincent will help us rescue Emilia?"He asked plaintively.
Felt didn 't answer right away. "I have some serious doubts, " She admitted. "I don't know what his game is, but you're right, he's stringing us along. Tomorrow morning is his last chance to come through for us without making it obvious that he just doesn't care about Emilia or keeping his promise. We 'll see what he does at the party tonight. If tomorrow comes and nothing happens, then we know that we got screwed, and we'll have to improvise."
"Improvise how?" Subaru asked desperately. "We finally got the weapon, but we immediately lost it to Vincent! Now, even if we find Regulus, how could we possibly fight him?!"
Felt hesitated. "I don't know, Subaru…" She whispered.
Garfiel fidgeted. "Can anyone clue me in on how to act tonight? I don't know how to behave at a royal ball," He admitted.
"Just stick close to me, fleabag. I'll keep you out of trouble," Felt said absently.
Garfiel snorted. "Shrimp. In all the time that I've known you, when has being with you ever kept me out of trouble? "
"I'll say this for Vincent," Felt said in a low growl. "He really knows how to play mind games."
Garfiel glanced around. They were standing in a large hallway waiting to enter the banquet area as part of a receiving line that contained dozens of other people who were suitably important in the Empire.
"Shrimp, I think I'm missing something here. Why did you and the Captain get so worked up about the clothes that they gave us?" Garfiel asked.
Felt was dressed in a lovely yellow gown with a small diadem on her head that stopped just short of being a tiara. She demurely held onto Garfiel 's arm, and her face was smooth and composed.
You would have had to get very close to Felt to realize that she was biting off curses under her breath.
"Garf," Felt sighed. "Don't these clothes look a little familiar to you?"
Garfiel looked around. "Well, I've never seen what you and the Captain wear to these kinds of parties," He said, glancing at Subaru, who stood far ahead in the receiving line. He was dressed in fine clothing, white with purple and gold highlights. "But your dress looks a lot like the one you were wearing in the capital."
"Right," Felt said in a frosty voice. "Both of our clothes look just like what we wore at the Royal Selection commencement. Vincent even had clothes ready for Emilia that matched what she wore when we fled the Sanctuary. And take a close look at yourself."
Garfiel looked himself over and suddenly realized that he was wearing a finer version of the footman outfit that he had worn when they had sneaked into Abiate. The clothes were almost identical, but the fit was much improved.
"I don't get it," Garfiel confessed. "What's the point of all of this? Is he trying to prove that we'd be as well off here as we would be in Lagunica?"
"He's playing mind games, fleabag," Felt grumbled. "He must have commissioned all these clothes weeks ago. He got the exact sizes and the exact styles right, none of which could have been easy information to acquire. He's showing us how far his arm stretches."
Garfiel craned his neck to see that Subaru was arguing with the officious servant who was in charge of organizing the procession into the banquet hall.
The top Generals had already entered, but then a snag cropped up. The functionary responsible for the entrances wanted everyone to line up according to rank.
Vincent had declared that the title currently attached to Subaru and his friends was 'Heroes of the Empire,' which left the fastidious official fumbling over the relative rank of 'Hero,' wondering if he should put them in front of a Lieutenant General or behind a Brigadier General or sandwiched in-between the various Major Generals.
After a short, frustrated argument, Subaru made the question academic by simply walking out into the banquet hall.
"Lord Subaru Natsuki!" The herald proclaimed in a great voice.
The gasps in the banquet hall were clearly audible.
"Huh," Felt muttered, watching as the functionary frantically gestured for them to come to the entrance. "Sounds like Vincent managed to keep the guest list confidential. The folks out there seem shocked."
Felt and Garfiel hurried over to the entrance to the grand ballroom, where the functionary stopped them. He waited carefully for the crowd 's murmuring to die down after Subaru's entrance. Then, he gestured for them to enter the room.
"Come on, fleabag," Felt whispered.
"All these cues and directions! What is this? A stage play?" Garfiel grumbled.
The pair emerged at the top of a grand staircase that was carpeted in red velvet.
The banquet was filled with dozens, perhaps even a hundred large round tables. These tables were already full of guests who were not quite important enough to merit a place in the receiving line. The center of the banquet hall contained the Emperor 's personal table, much larger than the others.
Priscilla, impeccably coiffed and dressed in her usual red gown, was already seated at the Emperor 's left. Subaru had been saved a seat at the Emperor's right hand. His expression was darkly impatient as he sat down.
Cecilus stood a few paces behind the Emperor, standing guard.
"Sir Garfiel of the Sanctuary and Lady Felt of Lagunica!" The herald exclaimed as the pair entered the hall.
Garfiel stood still at the top of the stairway for a dramatic pause.
The pause was not entirely his idea. Felt dug her fingernails into his arm with a whispered order of, "Stand still!"
They stood there for several seconds, posing for the crowd 's view. The crowd's murmuring died down much faster for them than for Subaru.
Garfiel started walking down the stairs only to find himself reined in by Felt.
"Slow down!" Felt ordered under her breath.
"Slow down?" Garfiel whispered, seeing in awe that Felt could speak without ever moving her lips. Her expression was confident and lofty, as though she'd been attending events such as this since she was a small child. "Shrimp, I'm barely moving!"
"Then do it slower!" She hissed.
Garfiel flushed and tried to comply as they made their way down the stairs at a stately walk. Seats had been prepared for them at the Emperor 's table, albeit on the opposite side from the Emperor himself.
Garfiel had never realized that simply walking across an open floor could be so nerve-wracking. He didn 't understand what was going on, but Felt acted like they were marching into battle, and her tension was infectious. Garfiel found himself worrying about every step he made, wondering if his movements were attracting attention or if they were reflecting poorly on Subaru.
"Pull out my chair," Felt whispered as they approached the table.
"Do what?" Garfiel mumbled incredulously.
"Pull. Out. My. Chair," Felt hissed in a way that left no room for argument.
Garfiel swallowed hard and pulled Felt 's table back. The chair leg scraped the floor, making a sound that the nervous demi-human was sure could have been heard in Gusteko, but Felt made no reaction.
Felt sat down daintily, and Garfiel managed to push the chair back in without making a sound.
He sat in his seat next to her with an audible sigh of relief.
Vincent and Subaru were trading pleasantries. Subaru had a tight smile on his face that even Garfiel could tell didn 't reach his eyes.
"Shrimp," Garfiel whispered. "What the hell's going on? What do we care if we ruin the party? Why are we playing along with all these games that Vincent set up?"
"Because Subaru needs us to," Felt whispered back.
"I don't get it."
Felt took a sip from her water glass, whispering a curse word into it as though to hide it.
"Listen up, fleabag, I'll make this so simple that even you can understand it. We're in big trouble right now. We're strangers in a strange land. We have no safe harbor to run to, no way to get out of the palace without Vincent's permission, and we have absolutely no support. We need to start changing all three."
"How is acting like stuffy nobles going to help us?" Garfiel whispered in confusion.
"Subaru is sitting right next to the Emperor," Felt said as if talking to a child. "After tonight, he's going to be somebody in the Empire, and people are going to try to make deals with him. Deals for more influence or to bring a matter to the Emperor's personal attention. We can start making alliances that could help us force Vincent to rescue Emilia. But to do that, we need to show all the important people here that we can play their game. They're not going to take any risks on a slum girl and a demi-human country yokel. We need to be perfect tonight. Give them no room to come at Subaru through us."
Garfiel let out a nervous breath. "Damn, shrimp. You really know how to inspire confidence."
That evening, as soon as the sun set, Emilia sprang into action.
I know that the wives are still awake, Emilia fretted, But Sylvie told me Regulus left the mansion late this afternoon to do something. He 's not supposed to be back before tomorrow. This is my best chance.
Emilia crept down to the first floor and gathered several armfuls of towels and blankets. She carefully brought armfuls of fabric up to her bedroom.
I should bring the blankets and towels first. That will give me time to scout the area and make sure that no one is working in the halls at this time of night. I don 't think that anyone is in the back halls right now. The wives are still preparing for dinner, a peaceful, quiet dinner now that the monster is gone. Nobody should realize that I'm missing until everyone sits down.
This will be a good test. If I get caught bringing towels and blankets upstairs, it 's not impossible that I might be able to lie my way out of it.
If I get caught carrying a ladder, I 'm sunk.
Emilia 's natural elven dexterity helped her move down the corridors and up the stairs without making a sound or encountering anyone. She made the trip three times. Before long, she had an enormous pile of towels and blankets in her room.
I still need to tie all these together into a rope. But let 's hold off on that.
First, I need to go get the ladder. Since nobody seems to be around, this is my best chance to try it.
Emilia scurried back down to the first floor. She crept into the storage room and grabbed the ladder.
She slowly made her way back up the stairs and toward her room. She had just reached the top floor when Regulus stepped out of the shadows and loomed over her.
Emilia 's heart stopped.
Regulus 's eyes burned like fiery pits, and in his hand, he held a small black book.
"You dare?!" Regulus snarled.
He backhanded Emilia, sending her crashing down a short flight of stairs and falling on the landing. The ladder fell heavily on top of her, bruising her back.
Emilia saw stars as she slowly shook her head, trying to clear it.
Before Emilia could even get back to her feet, Regulus grabbed her arm and proceeded to drag her down the stairs, Emilia tumbling and rolling down every step.
"Disgusting!" Regulus cursed. "Ungrateful! Disobedient!"
The other wives flew into the stairwell as Regulus dragged Emilia down flight after flight of stairs, his mouth savagely biting off curse words as he descended.
The wives stared at Regulus in horror.
Regulus paused to glower at them. "I leave here for a few hours, " He said in a deadly whisper, "And you let her try to escape…After everything I've given you, after all of my kindness and nurturing, you are all lining up to betray me. No more mercy. Tonight, justice will be swift."
The wives all cringed.
Emilia desperately kicked at Regulus 's back, but it was like striking a mountain. He half-turned and delivered another savage backhand across her face that threw Emilia into a swoon. He dragged Emilia's limp body down the stairs and to the basement, hauling her toward the Mirror Room.
The banquet began with appetizers, dozens of them. Many of them were completely foreign to Subaru, and some deceptively simple dishes were laced with such fiery seasoning that they brought tears to his eyes and sent his hand flailing for his water goblet.
He took a quick glance down the table at Felt and Garfiel. The Emperor 's table was completely filled but no one paid any attention to Felt and Garfiel, nor attempted to engage them in conversation.
Nobody but Vincent and Priscilla spoke to Subaru, and he struggled to contain his aggravation. Emilia was in danger and here he was, sitting in the palace and drinking cocktails.
When the appetizers were cleared away, and the main course was about to be served, Vincent stood up. Tonight, he was wearing a spotless red uniform, and his black hair was crowned with a wreath of green laurel leaves.
"My friends," Vincent said grandly. "We have long waited for this day. After many months, the war that threatened to tear apart our great nation is over."
The room broke into loud cheers and applause.
Subaru took a quick glance at Felt whose eyes were grim.
"There are many, many heroes of this struggle to preserve the Empire," Vincent continued, "So many that it would take the rest of the evening simply to count them all, much less regale you with all their tales of heroism and valor."
There was a sound of approval from the audience.
"But it must be said," Vincent continued, "That there is one man among us whose deeds stand head and shoulders above all others. I speak, of course, of Subaru Natsuki."
Subaru blinked in surprise. The banquet hall murmured in confusion.
Vincent gently tugged at Subaru 's shoulder, and Subaru slowly stood up beside him.
Vincent clapped a hand on Subaru 's back that nearly staggered him.
"This man has done more to ensure the glory and grandeur of the Empire than any man in the past four hundred years. Yes, I include myself in that."
The murmurs of confusion and shock that echoed through the room were now all pervasive.
What the hell is he doing? Subaru wondered.
"It was this man's courage and skill that returned to the Empire that ultimate weapon of old: the Ironborn. Legends regale us with the tales of the First Emperor's exploits, how, with the Ironborn at his back, he swept an invincible army across the land, bringing order and the rule of law wherever he went. Today, it was this man who granted us the weapon that will ensure that the Empire recovers all the lands and power we have lost since the days before the Great Cataclysm."
Subaru 's eyes widened in horror as the room filled with thunderous applause.
"That son of a bitch!" Felt hissed. Her whole body trembled as if she was barely able to restrain herself from leaping across the table and strangling Vincent with her bare hands.
"What?" Garfiel squeaked, doing his damnedest to make sure that no one overheard them. "What's going on?"
"What's going on is that Vincent just threw Subaru directly under the wagon!" Felt grated.
"Huh?!"
"Fleabag, this night is one of the most important events in Vollachian politics this decade. If every single nation doesn't have multiple spies in this room, they really need to fire their spy-masters."
"So?"
"So, Vincent just declared that he has a brand new invincible weapon that is pointed directly at all the other nations' throats! And he gave Subaru full credit for handing it to him! The odds of any of the other nations giving Subaru sanctuary just fell through the goddamn floor!"
"Is Vincent really going to attack the other nations?" Garfiel whispered.
"Why not?" Felt said grimly. "With the Ironborn at his command, who's going to stop him?"
The applause slowly died down. "I have given great thought to what manner of reward would be commensurate with such a legendary act of service," Vincent continued. "I have come to only one conclusion: to offer the greatest gift that I possess."
The crowd murmured in confusion.
"I am proud to announce," Vincent declared. "That Subaru Natsuki will become a member of our proud Imperial lineage! This night, he and my beloved sister Prisca will be engaged before you all!"
The banquet exploded in cheering. Vincent wrapped a brotherly arm around Subaru. Subaru managed to smile warmly, but his eyes glittered like ice.
"Oh… that bastard," Felt whispered.
"Do you think he asked Priscilla about this first?" Garfiel murmured.
"Asked her?" Felt said incredulously. "He didn't even bother to tell her! Look at her! She's completely shocked by this!"
Garfiel glanced at Priscilla, but to the demi-human, her face looked just as smooth and calm as always. Her expression was lofty, superior, and faintly bored. Only her eyes, glinting brighter than usual, hinted that her mind was whirling behind her smooth expression.
Felt bit off a curse under her breath. "And this tells us everything we needed to know about if he'll help us rescue Emilia."
"He wants her out of the way for Priscilla," Garfiel whispered in dawning understanding.
"I'm amazed that Subaru hasn't killed him yet," Felt admitted with a glance at both Cecilus and the Ironborn that guarded the room. "I guess he's smart enough to know that he can't."
Subaru 's thoughts were completely aligned with Felt's. He found himself struggling not to simply murder Vincent where he stood. The only thing stopping him was that he knew he would die in the act, and Felt and Garfiel would die with him. Then, who would be left to save Emilia?
Vincent was continuing. "I name Subaru Natsuki, Princeps of the Empire. A new title to represent his extraordinary contributions to our nation, a title with honor secondary only to my own. Now, let us celebrate long into the night! The brave new world that we will soon create for our people!"
"He gave him a title?" Garfiel whispered in surprise. "I guess that's good."
Felt sighed. "Why not just make Subaru a General then?" She asked in a much put-upon voice.
"…I don't know."
"Because if he was a General, he could give binding orders to every colonel in the Empire. Vincent has given Subaru an empty title just to make it seem like he's amendable to cooperating with Subaru if he'll cooperate with him."
"Shrimp, I get the funny feeling that this night isn't going too well for us," Garfiel said in a sinking voice.
"Oh! You think?!"
Emilia only regained consciousness as Regulus was chaining her up in the Mirror Room. He had just finished shackling her arms when Emilia jerked awake. She struggled in horror, but the restraints were firm.
Regulus snarled into Emilia 's face. He grabbed the neck of her dress and tore it off her.
"Ah! Don't touch me!" Emilia screamed.
Regulus backhanded her again.
Emilia hung limply in the restraints as her vision swam. Regulus paced around the stage as the Mirror Room lights started to dim.
Regulus fought to control his rage. "This… has been quite a day, Acolyte . Ever since I brought you here, saved you from that miserable cold outside world, you 've been nothing but trouble! Bad enough that you've been defiant and disobedient, but now you're corrupting the others as well! Because of you, I had to kill 128 today! Do you have any idea how inconvenient that is going to be?! Now, someone else needs to learn how to run the mansion! You've been spreading lies and falsehoods about that pathetic Subaru Natsuki! I thought that 14's death might have opened your eyes!"
Emilia flinched. The room around her was now pitch black.
Regulus lunged into Emilia's face. She flinched away and closed her eyes. "Oh yes," He hissed. "This has been quite the day, Acolyte. Defiance, betrayal, disrespect … You are not leaving this place until you fully understand the depths of what you've done…"
Regulus walked behind Emilia, who twisted to try and see what he was doing. She saw Regulus pull the Gospel from his pocket and touch it to the mirror. The mirrors began to ripple.
Emilia whimpered. No … not again… not this again…
"Tell me, Acolyte," Regulus said in a menacing voice. "What do you think that I did today?"
Emilia looked at Regulus in confusion.
Regulus 's face twisted in a malicious grin. "Look closely, Acolyte. Learn what happens to those who don't respect their proper place. I didn't want to do this, you know. But you begged me to. "
Emilia looked up at the mirrors as the vision took shape.
Emilia gasped as she saw Subaru and Felt facing Regulus.
Subaru thrust himself in front of Felt. "Regulus! Where's Emilia?!" He demanded, although his voice shook.
"'Emilia' doesn't exist anymore," Regulus said in a withering voice. "She's mine now. In fact, she sent me here."
"Bullshit!" Subaru snapped.
"She told me all about the horrible things you did to her," Regulus said insinuatingly. "How you forced her to be with you, how you hurt her, abused her… What sort of man rapes a woman?"
Subaru 's face was shocked, and then it twisted in fury. "You're lying! Emilia would never say that about me! "
Subaru!
Regulus laughed. "She did!" He said with evident delight. "She not only said it, she begged me to come here and kill you for her! She said it was the only way that she could sleep at night! She was terrified that you 'd come and hurt her again!"
"Shut up!" Subaru screamed.
Overcome by rage, Subaru charged toward Regulus. Regulus laughed as the two men locked together, Subaru fighting to strangle Regulus.
Regulus made a throwing gesture, and Subaru was sent flying as if struck by a great wind. His body smashed through a dozen trees before he fell to the groan, moaning and shaking his head.
Regulus turned toward Felt and smirked.
Felt 's face turned white, and she turned to run.
Regulus 's nasty smile broadened, and he seemed to blow a mouthful of air at Felt.
Felt 's body dissolved . She vanished, replaced by a splatter of bloodstains across the ground.
"No!" Emilia screamed in agony.
Regulus seized a fistful of Emilia 's hair, jerking her head back. He caught her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Was that girl… special to you? " He mocked. "Well. She's obviously not special anymore. She's not even a person anymore. Just one more innocent victim destroyed by your stupid, selfish decisions. And we still have one more."
Emilia stared at Regulus in horror, then looked back to the mirror where Subaru had finally regained his feet. He stared in anguish at the bloodstain where Felt had been. "Regulus! You monster!" He roared.
Regulus laughed. "Why am I the monster? It was the half-elf who sent me here. I 'm only doing what she begged me to do! She stood in front of all my wives, and she begged for your death, Subaru Natsuki! " He exclaimed in wicked delight.
Subaru 's face paled. "No. No… you're lying! Emilia… Emilia wouldn't…" He struggled.
Emilia choked, unable to avert her eyes from the terrifying display as the inhuman Archbishop menaced the person that she loved most in all the world.
"She hates you," Regulus purred. "She told everyone how you ruined her life. How she would have been much better off if you hadn't caused the Archbishops to take notice of her."
Subaru flinched violently.
"Stop it!" Emilia screamed, tears streaming down her face.
Subaru pulled himself together. "Tell me where Emilia is this instant!" He demanded.
"It doesn't matter where she is," Regulus sneered. "She's happy. She's happier than she ever was with you. She was just waiting for a chance to escape from you. She wanted to give up and run away, but you wouldn't let her. You kept trying to force her. You kept trying to turn her into somebody she wasn't. She hates you…"
Subaru 's eyes widened as that shot hit him hard.
No! Subaru! Don 't believe him! He's lying!
Subaru took a ragged breath. "I don't believe you. I am going to find Emilia. And I am going to rescue her!"
Regulus laughed. "You'll never see her again! She 's mine now! You lost, Subaru! "
Subaru bellowed in rage and rushed toward Regulus, furious beyond all reason. The two men grappled, pushing back and forth against each other. Strange shock waves rippled around their bodies, demolishing trees and bushes but passing over the two men harmlessly as they wrestled.
Subaru tripped, and Regulus got behind him, twisting his arms around his neck in a headlock.
Subaru struggled, but Regulus forced him down to his knees, twisting his neck.
"No! Stop it!" Emilia screamed.
Regulus, his expression frozen in disgust, tightened his grip a little more.
A sharp crack rang out, like the sound of someone stepping onto a sheet of thin ice.
Regulus dropped Subaru 's lifeless body to the ground.
Emilia stared at the mirror in horror as Regulus calmly wiped off his dirty hands with a satisfied smirk.
Emilia trembled as she stared into the mirror.
No … No, it's not true… It's not true… It's not true… The words echoed endlessly in her hollow mind.
"See, Acolyte?" The real Regulus whispered insinuatingly. "This is what happens to defiant and disobedient girls. I didn't want to do this, you know. But you begged me to."
Emilia choked. "You're lying!" She said desperately. "This is all fake! It's just like the last time! You're lying!"
"Fake?" Regulus hissed. "It was fake last time? You mean that you didn't curse the forest? You didn't kill everyone around you? No, Acolyte. Those visions were true. Mirrors never lie. You really did kill everyone who cared about you. And now, you've killed the only man stupid enough to love you. How do you live with all of that guilt?"
Emilia tensed up. "No!" She screamed in a voice that shook the rafters. "It's not true! It's a lie!"
Emilia kept screaming as the mirrors started to play the vision all over again.