It's been 6 months since the war started in the east; everyone was on edge as the Vaelthorne might attack any moment now. But the others were still calm as before, trusting their government.
What they learned from all the war that happened was that the Vaelthorne won't attack a nation that didn't commit any heinous sins against humanity. So as long as their country remains innocent, they won't be attacked.
That is if the nation's government was really not doing bad things behind the citizen's back. But that just seems impossible, since greed has always been in man's persona. So all they can do is wait for the story to flow.
Amidst all the chaos, Seraphina gained her freedom back. Lady Antoinette relieved her from her contract with them after Lord Jacquess passed away. He was supposed to follow them in Varanthia but was killed on his way there by a group of mercenaries hired by his enemies in business.
Seraphina doesn't want to leave her lady behind since she was good, but Lady Antoinette insisted that she return to her homeland now that she is free. But she can't do that since she knows that by now, the original Seraphina is there.
To avoid her tragic death, she just has to stay away from them and make sure not to get in contact with the Dark Magicians as well. And while she's here, she also plans to find a way for her to go back home.
With the last payment Lady Antoinette gave her, she was able to rent her own place in the capital and applied for a temporary job in the library with her lady's recommendation. Since she knew how to read and write and she had an idea of bookkeeping, she was hired immediately.
"The library holds the knowledge of this world. By working here, I might find the answers to my question, and I might also find a way for me to go back," she said to herself.
She was arranging the books on the bookshelves when one book fell. She was about to reach it when the ladder she was stepping on started to shake violently, and she almost fell, but someone stopped the ladder from shaking.
After a minute of trying to balance herself properly, she heaved a sigh of relief.
"Thank you." She looked at the person who helped her.
She was instantly starstruck by the man's beauty. Standing below her was a man wearing a blue suit, with black hair and golden eyes. He seems like a noble if it weren't for his simple clothes. But what if he is, and he was just in disguise, right? She climbed down the ladder and turned to the man.
"Hi! It's my first time seeing you; are you new here?" Seraphina asked him.
He didn't answer and just stared at her. Seraphina awkwardly tucked her hair behind her ears.
'Do I have something on my face? 'She asked herself, getting conscious.
"I'm Seraphina, by the way. Nice to meet you!" She extends her hands towards him.
He stared at her hands and didn't say anything. Now Seraphina was really confused. What's up with this man? Is he perhaps not able to speak, or what?
She was about to withdraw her hand when the man shook her hand before she could pull it back.
"I'm sorry, it was rude of me. My mind went blank for a moment after seeing such a beauty. My name is Val, my lady. It was my pleasure meeting you too." The man introduced himself and took Seraphina's hand to his lips to kiss it.
Seraphina instantly blushed at the man's action.
She was not used to this kind of greeting. Even when she had stayed here for a year already, she never received a greeting like this. Her heart was beating faster, which was not right.
She had someone waiting for her back home; she shouldn't let her feelings waver just because of some greetings.
She pulls her hand back and smiles at Val awkwardly.
"Thanks for helping me a while ago," she thanked him again.
"The pleasure was mine, my lady," he responded and smiled at her.
His smiles are somewhat cold and mysterious; Seraphina felt chills on her spine. The admiration she was feeling earlier vanished and was replaced by uneasiness.
"Um... I guess I need to go back to working. Goodbye, Lord Val! Thanks again." Seraphina bid farewell and bowed to him.
"No problem, Lady Seraphina. Goodbye, see you again," he responded back.
'I hope not...' she thought.
Seraphina immediately turned around to leave. She was walking fast as she felt uncomfortable by the stare she was receiving behind her back.
"What the heck was that? Everything took a sudden weird turn," she told herself.
Lord Val was still standing where Seraphina left and was watching her retreating back. The smile he had earlier was still plastered on his face.
~~~~~
Val walked off from the library and went to the alley where he was supposed to meet with Rin. He was standing there watching people pass by, without noticing him. A few minutes later, Rin arrived with teleportation magic.
"It took you a while," he said coldly, looking at Rin.
Rin laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head.
"Never mind. And the result?" Val asked instead.
Rin was shocked when Val didn't lash out on him. Normally he would be mad at him for being late. But today he just shrugged it off. Something must have happened.
"You're not angry that I was late?" Rin asked, bewildered.
Val glared at him, warning him not to pry anymore. Rin faked a cough and continued what he was about to report earlier.
"Forgive me, Lord Val. I almost lost the targets. There was a mage in their party as well, and they were concealing their track. Though, I was still successful in getting our agenda."
Val nodded for him to continue.
"I've confirmed that the king was indeed part of the research that was conducted on the human chimera. And there are cases of missing ladies not just in the capital but from the different parts of the kingdom as well. They were never found, even when the knights tried searching for them. The king trained some orphans who became his loyal dogs and carried out his secret plans for him willingly." Rin was almost disgusted and mad as he continued reporting his findings to Lord Val.
He felt his blood boil and wanted to strangle the king of this country. At the same time, he felt pity and sadness for all the victims who were subjected to the inhumane experiment by some association they were trying to track.
He turned to Lord Val, or it's right to say, Emperor Zephyrion.
"Your Imperial Majesty, we've already gathered enough evidence. And the knights are all ready to launch a war again. Just give us the order," he said, kneeling in front of the emperor.
"Not yet, Lord Kaelith. Not yet." The emperor opposed while thinking of the silver-haired girl he met at the library.
"We'll wait for the perfect time. Let's go," he said and turned to leave.
Although confused on his decision, Kaelith followed his emperor, and they vanished into thin air.
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