Departure
The golden sunlight shone majestically upon the land below, strands of golden rays gracing the delicate features of Vierenna's soft face.
Vierenna woke up, slightly disoriented. She had forgotten how she had fallen asleep the night before. But it had happened, and for the better, as she felt. Her head felt lighter, save for the lingering confusion.
But she was fine now. Her train of thought was calmer, more coherent. Many things she had ignored unknowingly the previous night resurfaced, only clearer this time.
Yet Vierenna did not dwell on such thoughts. She clutched the edges of her blanket and curled into a ball, covering even half of her face. Even though she felt somewhat better, she still didn't feel ready to face these thoughts—or her brother, Deon, for that matter.
She wasn't ready. Not yet. Which meant she still had to prepare for her departure.
Her absence wouldn't last more than two weeks, and there was a reason for that.
Vierenna had not forgotten about the young noble heirs who would soon be arriving in the capital to pursue their academic studies—the same applied to her.
But the main reason, and perhaps the only one, was that she didn't want her baby brother to get caught up in dealing with the other youngs without her being there to pull him away.
Given Deon's nature, he would most likely not interact with anyone. If he ended up saying something he shouldn't, the discontent of those around him could turn into outright hostility.
So Vierenna had to return before that happened.
But to return, she had to leave first. And that held significance on its own.
Everything that had happened, everything Deon had said, and everything she had learned from what she knew about her mother led her to understand something.
Before, Vierenna had felt like an intruder, forcing herself into other people's lives just to learn their secrets—doing it only to be a part of their world, a part of something. It was pathetic in a way, but that was one thing Vierenna hadn't minded.
But the truth was, she was also a part of Deon and her mother's lives just as they were a part of hers. In all of this, something mattered to Vierenna. And that was her brother.
This matter was no longer just about Deon—it concerned her as well.
What had happened to her brother? What was her mother's involvement in all of this? What was the purpose behind her mother's actions and words? And why had Vierenna been left in the dark?
The last question was a bit personal, but Vierenna felt the answer was on the tip of her tongue. What would have happened if her mother had revealed all the secrets to her that night?
Vierenna lacked the imagination to construct a scenario that would fit her personality at the time. She had been too young then, and now she was older—wiser, if she were to assess herself. The point was, Vierenna had changed a lot, and her mother's death played a significant role in that.
Vierenna had promised both her mother and herself that she would take care of her baby brother. She would do that. She wouldn't go back on that promise now.
But at this moment, she needed to take care of herself first. And to do that, she had to leave.
Deon could survive without her for a few seconds.
And when she returned, she could only hope that everything would go back to normal—or better. If one were to hope for something, it was best to hope for the best.
Vierenna sighed and freed herself from the folds of her bedsheets, preparing to get up.
But the rhythmic knocking on her door stopped her in place.
She spread her senses, but quickly withdrew them upon recognizing the familiar presence of her waiting maid behind the door.
"Come in!" Vierenna said, granting permission.
The door opened, and a beautiful middle-aged woman with blonde hair tied into a bun entered.
She set her eyes on Vierenna and bowed deeply. "Good morning, young lady."
"Close the door," Vierenna said as she lazily lay back down, seemingly forgetting that she had just been about to get up for a reason.
The maid did as instructed, though she remained standing, slightly confused.
This did not escape Vierenna's notice, so she asked, "So, what brings you here? Is there a reason for your confusion?"
The maid's confusion quickly disappeared, and her usual professional demeanor returned. She took a few steps toward Vierenna and said, "I come to the young lady's room at this time to tend to your quarters, as always."
That made sense, answering Vierenna's first question.
"I'm just surprised, as I've never found the young lady… still in bed."
But the answer to her second question put a slight frown on Vierenna's face. She felt the need to defend herself against the subtle insult.
"Oh, shut up, you old blonde! Go do what you do," Vierenna said.
The maid's expression didn't shift at the supposed insult, which wasn't much of an insult to begin with, but her body moved as she started working around the room.
Vierenna watched her maid carry out her duties, curiosity and boredom reflected in her eyes.
A few minutes passed before Vierenna suddenly sat up as if remembering something important.
She looked at the maid's back and called out in a sweet tone, "Dearest Gina!"
The blonde-haired maid, Gina, turned around, confusion mixed with caution on her face, though her professional movements remained intact. She knew her lady had an odd personality, and from time to time, she would make strange requests. But Gina's position was not one that allowed her to refuse or question. She could only do what she could.
"What can I do for the young lady?" Gina asked.
"There's something I need to ask of you."
"And what would that be? I shall do what I can to meet your demands," Gina replied, going along with her lady's eccentricity.
Vierenna sighed as she sat up straight on the bed, exuding an air of seriousness and calm.
"I will be leaving for a few weeks—three at most. So I want you to prepare everything I might need for me. You know what travel requires—clothes, essentials, weapons, maybe food? You know better. Take my spatial ring from my desk."
Gina didn't move toward the desk in the room. Of course, she could follow her lady's orders, but she needed more details to do her job properly.
"Where does the young lady plan to go?"
"The western border," Vierenna said indifferently. "I'll be visiting some houses there."
'That was very far!' Gina thought. 'more than half the continent away.'
"Should sending letters to specific houses and booking spatial travel be included in what I prepare?" Gina already knew the answer, but she still asked. From what she had gathered, her lady had likely made no real plans—she had simply thought about going and would go.
There were things Gina had to clarify before she could start working.
"Of course. Do that," Vierenna said, looking at her maid blankly. But she was likely just lost in her thoughts.
"Is there anything specific to mention in the letters? And which noble houses should they be sent to? Also, is there a particular date the young lady plans to leave, so I can arrange the travel schedule?" Gina continued navigating the fog with her questions. It seemed her lady was doing the bare minimum to help, making her job harder than necessary.
Vierenna merely smiled as if she could read Gina's thoughts.
"Don't be like that. I'm just messing with you."
To Gina, it didn't seem that way. But she said nothing to refute it.
"Alright!" Vierenna continued. "Send a notice of my arrival to both House Haringreen and House de Fontaine. Keep the reasons as vague as possible, okay?"
"And I'll be leaving now," Vierenna added before following her maid's gaze to her clothes. "Or after I change. So book the spatial travel to the closest point to the border, will you?"
The borders between empires served their purpose as boundaries—protection against invasion if the day ever came. So, naturally, the instant transportation points within the Macezar Empire did not extend all the way to the borders. If they did, it would be like providing a direct path to the capital in the event of an invasion. And who resided in the capital other than the most important house on the continent—the imperial family themselves?
Thus, Vierenna had a long journey ahead of her to reach both the De Fontaine and Haringren estates. The distance would be shortened by using spacial travel to the nearest accessible point.
"I shall follow my lady's orders. But there is one issue," Gina's words stopped Vierenna, who had been preparing to rise from bed. "Making a reservation will take time—mainly due to the waiting list. I don't see the possibility of you leaving immediately unless the lady wishes to use the spacial transportation devices under her Household authority."
At Vierenna's deepening frown, Gina knew that her lady did not want to draw the main house's attention. So, with the same professionalism, she offered a compromise. "At best, I can pull some strings to speed up the reservation, but there will be legal consequences for bypassing long-standing procedures."
"No, that would also attract the house's attention. And I'd be in serious trouble myself," Vierenna commented, her frown deepening further.
She considered her options, which were few. "How long would I have to wait for a normal reservation?"
"This time of year, there aren't many opportunities, I'm afraid. At least a seven-week wait. The capital is full of people seeking opportunities at the academy, as well as returning students," Gina said, pointing out the obvious.
Vierenna nodded as if she had expected the same answer but just needed to hear it. "I figured as much."
"What about spatial travel through the black market?" Vierenna asked expectantly.
Every noble house had connections to the black market, despite publicly denouncing how terrible and dangerous it was. Yet, they also benefited from its services when dealing with matters that needed to remain under the radar. Vierenna was no stranger to the black market.
"It depends on how much money you have," Gina said. But Vierenna's look told her all she needed to know. If her lady didn't have the money, then who would? "I will make a reservation for you as soon as possible."
"Good. Make it for today, and keep it anonymous."
"I will leave now to carry out your orders," Gina said, bowing deeply.
Vierenna watched her maid step out of her room, not stopping her, as she herself rose to select the clothes she would wear.
The entire conversation with her maid had been unpleasant for her. She was the type of person who prepared for everything in advance before taking action—never waiting until the last minute.
But everything that had happened before, with Deon, had filled her head with so many things that she hadn't been able to think properly.
Her thoughts briefly returned to Deon, but only for a moment. She wouldn't see him today or in the coming days. She didn't know how long it would take Gina to arrange everything for her journey, but Vierenna decided to use the time she had to make up for the training she had missed yesterday and this morning.
And she could only hope her brother would do the same. After all, she had instructed him not to neglect his training.
---
Time passed quickly, and everything was ready for Vierenna's journey. Her maid Gina had been remarkably efficient—even more so regarding the spatial transportation matter. She had managed to arrange a fragmented travel route to the destination at a surprisingly low cost, considering the black market was involved.
Vierenna wasn't too bothered by it. She didn't mind a segmented journey as long as she could leave the capital as soon as possible. And her maid had made that happen sooner than Vierenna had thought possible. Which was—tonight, after midnight.
Sitting at her desk, a quill in her hand left black inked words on the white paper beneath it.
Vierenna couldn't just leave like this—she had to leave a reason behind. That was why she was writing a letter now, hoping to ease Deon's worries about her and himself.
Once she was done, Vierenna folded the letter twice and handed it to Deon's maid, Yven, who took it with visible nervousness, her hands trembling as if she were holding the sharp edge of a blade.
"Tomorrow morning, give this to Deon," Vierenna ordered, patting the small, tense girl on the head.
The girl nodded and made her way out of the room, leaving it occupied only by Vierenna and her maid, who closed the door behind Yven.
Vierenna walked toward the room's large window, gazing at the silver moon. She was dressed entirely in black, exuding no impression of nobility.
"It's time, my lady," Gina said from the side.
Vierenna sighed to herself and turned her back to the moon. "I know."
Her gaze locked onto her maid's as she spoke in a serious voice. "Take care of this place. And take care of my brother."
"I will," Gina nodded, answering the same words she had heard at least a thousand times today. She had tried to convince her lady to let her accompany her, only to be met with a firm refusal.
All she could do was follow orders as always. And, for the first time, watch her lady leave—for reasons unknown—from the highest room in the mansion.
---
In the middle of a moonlit night, a hooded figure with silver hair and gray onyx eyes silently made her way out of the Eirenios estate.
With a step beyond the mansion's borders, she turned to look at it—at one specific part of it. Her eyes seemed as if they could pierce through the thick layers of stone.
"I'll be back," the hooded figure said, as if speaking to the thin air. But the letter left behind carried the same message. That brought her a little comfort.
With a sigh, the girl turned her back to the silent, towering estate and continued her steps toward the bustling nightlife of the Macezar Empire's capital.
[The End of Arc One]