The Requiem Of An Empress

"Regrettably, I am telling the truth, Your Majesty. I won"t be pleading for your a.s.sistance if we are sentient of the method to heal her. However, we don"t even know the root cause of this case."

Atticus set down the doc.u.ment he was poring over on top of a stack, then he leaned his back on the seat. Thereafter, he pinched the bridge of his nose, deliberating on the befitting approach to be taken with regards to the issue. His debate with himself concluded p.r.o.nto whilst he called for the Prime Minister"s engrossment.

"Zelel"

"Yes, Your Majesty.", Duke Claudas lowered his head as he responded.

"Who is the most well-versed in the art of healing within the Empire?"

"I believe that it"s Duke Sarakiel Helian, Your Majesty. There"s also Lord Mikhail Percival who acquired the recognition of the aforementioned Duke.", Zelel answered with certainty, not giving any room for doubts.

It is already established that, within the boundaries of the Empire, Sarakiel transcends everyone"s capabilities in both magic and non-magic treatment. Whether it"s a medicine for an unknown disease or a spell to ward off a curse, he can create one facilely, provided that these cases conform with this world"s reason.

The Emperor stood up and faced the window wall. He shut his eyes for a moment, allowing the rays of the Siero to bathe his body with warmth. When he has had enough of his brief basking, His Majesty uttered the orders for Zelel to comply with.

"Gather with Mikhail and Sarakiel, subsequently expedite your travel to the Soltis Palace. Inform me straight-away if there are complicacies that impede you from progressing."

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

"Leave now and make haste."

The Prime Minister and the handmaiden bowed to give their parting respects to the Emperor, decamping in a stir as soon as they"re done.

An interval of quietude descended in the confines of the study once the double doors regressed to fully barring the entryway. The Emperor put his left hand on the windowpane, his eyes crowded with glints of rosiness.

"Your Highness, the Empress, this will be your end of the bargain. You have to awaken from that slumber lest you won"t be capable to recompense me with a grat.i.tude for burying your existence."

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"The atmosphere was harmonious in the interior of the main castle of the Ducal household of Helian."- An absolutely perverse description of the actual condition inside the residence.

"As I was saying, I do not know where it went."

"Say that again. My hearing seems to have been impaired. I was unable to heed what you recently said."

"T-the emergency fund that we brought suddenly disappeared."

Marquis Zerek Alain, the vice-commander of the sixth knight order Pandora, is presently being interrogated by Sarakiel, who was smiling from ear-to-ear. He is a second cousin of the Duke, and according to the latter, the Marquis is the closest thing he has for a pet.

"Are you trying to state that 630,000 Cunia vanished without your knowledge, in a dier to boot?"

"...Y-yes?", Zerek was hesitant to answer honestly with his stare darting around the room.

"And the provisional budget of 2,834,000 Cunia for a.s.sisting the fief was completely expended too, is that right?"

Marquis Alain, alongside Pandora, has freshly returned to the capital from accomplishing his a.s.signment in the Istani fief. Usually, it would take a minimum of two mensiths to go on a journey set to the southeast border of the Empire. Nevertheless, members of the knightage are authorized to operate the portals in Atharia that will take them directly to the fiefs all over the Empire. The use of these portal gates will cut their travel time by more than half.

"Y-yes. Hik!"

Iel cannot help but emit a shriek, dropping his stare to avoid meeting the eyes of Sarakiel.

"Who would spend that much money? Tell me, Zerek."

"I swear I did not!"

"Then who did?"

"It was Lord Lamorak!"

"Hmm?"

Sarakiel"s grin grew even wider while the Marquis started biting his nails out of dismay.

"d.a.m.n you self! I"m dead!"- Zerek scolded his chagrined conscience.

"It appears that Pandora will be feeding on stale bread and water for the coming three aethras as a result of the vice-commander"s cowardice. How unfortunate are they?"

"My Lord, I apolo-"

Duke Helian didn"t let Zerek justify his actions and went on to narrate the hapless fate of his knight order.

"Should I send you off and replace the farmers in the south for several aethras? In that ritual, you"ll be able to train and procure food. Isn"t that brilliant?"

Marquis Alain invoked his right to remain silent, wary of speaking a reply that might further aggravate Sarakiel.

"Or I could submit a request for His Majesty to engage the neighbouring kingdom in a war and Pandora will be the sole order to partic.i.p.ate. However, violating international law on the declaration of war is not worth it for the punishment of a nugatory Knight Order. Don"t you agree?"

"These options sounds more tempting than staying here, My Lord!" - Zerek carried on with replying, but only in his mind. He simply thirsted to break out of the Duke"s study p.r.o.nto.

"You should have tarried in the Istani fief and fought Sir Lamorak for the ownership of his personal budget."

"If we did that, we would"ve left this world. Even so-"

"That may have been better than conversing with a madman."

"I beg your pardon?"- Sarakiel raised an eyebrow, nearly showing his annoyance.

Zerek quickly covered his mouth with both hands, horrified of his mishap.

"Did I say that out loud?!"

Duke Helian slowly got up from his seat, maintaining the curt, yet menacing smile on his face that now reached his eyes. A step a second, he bore his path headed to the Marquis.

"A demon has descended! Anyone save my poor soul!"

In consequence, Zerek took an equal distance backwards that Sarakiel made forward. Just as his rear was about to hit the door, the Head Butler abruptly barged in the room, visibly discomposed.

"My saviour!", as the Marquis shrilled in his thoughts, he looked at the servant with sparkles in his vision.

Concurrently, the Duke glared at the newcomer, narked that his reprimanding bout was interrupted.

"Goran, aren"t you aware that I have company?"

"I apologize for the discourtesy, My Lord. Withal, you ought to hurry and meet Lord Claudas at the foyer. He strictly alerted me that it"s a matter of urgency.", albeit delayed, the butler hung his head low, attuning his graceless absence of courtesy.

"Zelel? The Prime Minister?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"How unusual."

Granted that he has reservations, Sarakiel reckoned that convening with Zelel would clear them up. Thereupon, he scampered towards the doorway, ensuring to impart a farewell message to the Marquis.

"Marquis Alain, our talk will be recrudesced later. Do not leave my castle. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, My Lord.", Zerek replied so despondently at the stern order that one could almost see a drooping dog"s ears on him.

Meanwhile, the Duke could not be bothered to hear the other"s response as he picked up his pace, en route to the modestly far entrance hall. It took him a few minutes of sprinting before he arrived at his destination. Once he did, he nighed the Minister who was stagnant on his feet by the lobby.

"Lord Claudas, Volhahdfinus. What seems to be the matter?"- Sarakiel greeted, which snapped the preoccupied Zelel out of his meditation.

"Oh, you"re here. Get in my carriage and accompany me. This is a very, very crucial endeavour."

Sensing the sobriety in his voice, Duke Helian adhered to Duke Claudas" request sans the protest. They hastily traversed the stone pavement that carved the path to the iron gate. Immediately upon reaching the carriage parked outside of the property, the two n.o.bles mounted the ride and settled themselves in the cushioned seats. Afterwards, the carriage embarked on its expedition.

Normally, Duke Claudas is escorted by his knights and doesn"t bring along any other servants. Wherefore, when Duke Helian saw the woman wearing a maid uniform in the equipage, he became curious as to who the female was. Furthermore, she was seating on the same side of equipage with their master, a practice that doesn"t follow conformity.

"Who is this young lady?"- Sarakiel initiated the interrogation since it didn"t seem to occur to Zelel that he should introduce his unacquainted companions.

"Oh, she is-"

"I deeply express my regret for not being able to properly hail the esteemed Duke. My name is Tara Kishnar, a maidservant in the Soltis Palace.", Tara decided to interpose on the minister"s speech, seeing that she needed to personally present herself either way.

"Soltis Palace? Do you mean you work for the Empress?" - When he questioned the maid, it is not that he had forgotten of the subsistence of the palace and its tenants. Duke Helian simply wanted to confirm Tara"s words.

"Yes, that is correct, My Lord."

"Well, it is a pleasure meeting you. I presume that our business is connected with the Empress. What might that be?"

"Please wait up till the four of us have a.s.sembled. In that event, I can deftly explain the issue thoroughly."

"Four?"

Sarakiel gawked at Duke Claudas, with eyes imploring him to explain the circ.u.mstances. Still and all, Zelel kept his mouth shut and retained his gaze at the scenery outside the window. Hence, Duke Helian abandoned his pursuit of the details, resolving to await in quietude for the time when his a.s.sociates speak up.

Latterly of a lengthy zero-engagement trip, the equipage came into a full halt by the gate of the Nachezen Palace located within the Seraphiel Castle. It is the headquarters of the Knightage and also the abode of the Grand Knight Commander.

Eight knights neared their carriage and gave a salute next to remarking the insignia of the Claudas household. At this moment, the clueless Duke has deduced the ident.i.ty of their last accomplice. Thus, instead of letting Zelel do the talking, he exited the ride.

When the knights espied the appearance of their direct superior, they immediately genuflected on one knee.

"Gr"

Withal, Sarakiel raised his hand to stop his subordinates" greeting, fixating his stare on the opposite border of the central walkway where a figure can be seen nearing their huddle. He bided, unbudging on his spot, for the ingress of this person in their circle.

Once the antic.i.p.ated individual egressed the palace"s premises, Duke Helian bent his torso forward as a display of model deportment in the presence of their leader.

"I address the Knight Commander, Lord Mikhail Percival.", Sarakiel heralded then beckoned the knights to do the same.

"Gratu Zavirnos Gratu Lhex, Hons uft il Herschen. We surrender ourselves to the head of the Seraphiel Empire Knighthood.", they all said in unison.

There were a myriad of knights loitering around the area that witnessed the happening. Therefore, they snappily fell onto their knees to observe the propriety acceptable in their ranks.

"Averscha zak Mordun. Everyone, at ease. Return to your posts.", the Commander adjured the Knights, so they heed his words, resuming to act on their duties minus the tension.

On the other hand, Sarakiel erected his back to a.s.sume an upright posture, facing Percival"s stern countenance.

"The Emperor dispatched a courier to inform me of your arrival. Let"s depart.", Mikhail oriented the lad ahead of enabling him to utter a tirade of queries.

"Very well, My Lord."

In due course, they rode the carriage without wasting another beat. Simultaneous to them sitting down, the carriage took off for the third time.

"I offer my respects to the Knights of the Round Table Commander, Mikhail Percival. My name is Tara Kishnar, a servant of the Empress.", Tara launched the conversation with her self-introduction.

"I see. Did the Empress send you on an errand? What is our affair of concern?"

Now that their party is complete, Tara knew that an explanation is due. The maid heaved a long sigh, then she deeply bowed her head prior to stating her account.

"I beg the three of you, please save the Empress. She still has not woken up from her slumber of several diers. We are at a loss on what to do."

"What? Can you explain further?" - Regardless of his befuddlement, Mikhail opted to ask the specifics.

The three officials had complicated expressions plastered on their faces. It was not a situation to be taken the least bit lightly.

"At first, we suspected that it was her immortality wearing off. However, we inspected that it do--"

"Come again? Immortality?" - That piece of information entangled not only Mikhail"s, but everyone"s enthrallment.

The astonishment varied from person to person. Howbeit, Tara"s was of the extreme negative.

"I should not have said that! That was confidential!"