A New Day, A New Journey

It hadn't been long since they'd gone to sleep, but it wasn't until about five hours later that Noella woke up just as the sun rose.

It was something about custom. Wake up in the sun, train a little, have breakfast with Illye, and after that your job diverges between following Illye and joining your master. Even though she was a royal guard she wasn't the only one of them, none of them could stay all the time doing one thing only so now and then they were moved to patrols in the streets of the city.

At least until a few days ago she wasn't the only one of Illye's guards.

— Canella, Avilloz… — Remembering two names Noella remembered a scene as she got out of bed.

There was almost always at least one of them guarding the outside door. For a moment she was tempted to open the door and wait for the two on the other side of it but with the thought of doing that when she reached out her hand to the door far from the bed she soon gave up.

If there was one thing that shouldn't be done, it was for her to sink deeper into loss. Looking at the young woman still in bed sleeping carefree, Noella began to change silently so as not to wake her.

Illye slept very well, for good or bad she didn't have many people really close. Even among all her guards, Noella was sure that Illye could only be a little sad the moment she remembered them and that was it. But that was already something recurring since the queen had died, there was nothing she could do.

As he was putting on his boots the door opened unexpectedly. On her other side was the violet-eyed Gold King she had met the day before.

Realizing it was him, Noella was a little disappointed as she grieved for a moment, Canella used to abruptly open the door like that too. But then she laughed at the irony, certain things kept happening and only the people who did that changed.

Before he could say anything Noella made a silent sign for him not to make any noise and grabbed a sword putting it in the scabbard at her waist leaving shortly after. Looking back one last time she left Illye to sleep clutching her whip, apparently she had loved that whip despite not even knowing how to use it.

[It's going to be hard to find someone to teach you how to use a whip around here.]

Aggron's guards and soldiers were trained only in the use of swords. There were some Lords who had Authorities based on other weapons, but they were exceptions.

No one was prevented from using the weapon they wanted, but if someone chose a different one, it would be difficult to find someone to teach them how to use it properly, so at least they should also carry a sword with them. Some were curious and tried at first, but most soon gave up and returned to using the sword as the path was clearer with the possibility of improving their own skill more easily.

Closing the door and turning her thoughts back to the man in front of her, Noella stared into his eyes.

— I didn't know that the Kings of the time of the Empire invaded the princesses' room in such a carefree way. — Noella stressed, although by her tone of voice it didn't really seem like a warning or complaint, she was just looking to start a conversation.

Kamaell noticed it coming from her, unfortunately the glares from the guards around the corner in the hallway weren't the best on him and it made him want to tease them.

— Believe me, I only see a child and a guard here. Considering what princes and princesses were like in the old days, she's just a child playing at being a princess to me, it doesn't matter. — He replied in a mocking tone.

With that answer, Noella glared at him coldly despite not answering back. The guards at the corner of the hall were also slightly irritated.

Noella closed her fist wanting to punch him, only she knew everything Illye went through so far to be a princess and she wasn't willing to let her be insulted like that for nothing by someone who according to what he himself says is just a living failure.

His desire to punch him was evident, he realized that too.

— Perhaps you're thinking I'm not one to talk about others, are you? A failure of a prince, of a king and of... — He completed, although in the end he remembered something he didn't really want to comment on, so leaving it at that. — Well, who knows what princes and princesses are like after the fall of the Empire. Formerly they were created to serve the Emperor as auxiliaries of their kings, now I don't know anymore.

Seeking to assuage Noella's anger even just a little, he turned as he thought, facing the two guards in the hallway.

Following his line of sight, Noella realized then.

— What's so funny about driving us all crazy? — Noella questioned with a bit of disgust.

He didn't turn around, just continued to look at them wondering what to answer. This led her to think that maybe even he didn't know and just wanted to cause trouble.

— I feel a little angry at people who act in a very right and honorable way, always trusting those above. It reminds me of what I used to do and makes me want to piss them off, I feel like I'm directly pissing off my old self. — He explained with a cynical look as he watched the two guards.

The two guards didn't know it, but he could hear what the two were whispering at the time.

— Who does this asshole think he is? Just because he's a lord, he thinks he can speak ill of the princess like that?

— I hope General Allenian gives him a good beating when they get to the capital so he stops looking at us like that...

Curiously, he didn't get angry, on the contrary, he even liked the insults directed at him.

However, what he said about those guards ended up getting a not-so-expected response.

— You saying that makes it sound like just because you failed at something really important means everyone else is going to go down the same path as you. — Noella pointed out, truly drawing his attention with her cold voice.

Looking at her disdainful and cold expression towards him, Kamaell remembered what she had done in that place all for the princess's sake and regretted it a little.

Not that he was sorry because of her words, he didn't care, but the fate she almost had hurt him deeply with sudden memories that surfaced and because now he didn't even want to think about remembering them.

— It may seem counterintuitive, call me names if you like, but your efforts towards that… that princess. Your struggle is not something I should deny. You did more than anything to keep them alive, that's commendable as a protector. — He was going to call Illye 'girl' when trying to rebuttal, but chose to change it for the moment.

Kamaell stared into Noella's brown eyes, these clear and calm without a doubt.

— I've seen eyes like yours before, they have the same look as a friend I had, they are the eyes of someone who can doubt everything, even everyone around her, but would never doubt herself and her own decisions. — He pointed out, raising his hand towards her eyes.

Soon, upon realizing what he was doing, he disguised the action by pulling the saber from his own waist. Noella didn't understand what he was doing, but his words got through to her.

— If everyone had convictions that didn't depend exclusively on others, family or things like faith, who knows how the world would be better every day. — He said looking at his own reflection in the blade and putting it back in the scabbard.

In this little conversation Noella noticed one thing when she calmed down, everything he said didn't seem to be meant for anyone in particular. He didn't seem to even be looking at people maybe this entire time, she was almost certain this man was treating everything around him as irrelevant.

[Would it be the personal failure associated with the passage of time that left him like this? Or maybe someone who, having nothing, doesn't care about anything else either.]

With a specific conclusion, Noella remembered again what she was going to do.

— I appreciate the thoughtfulness, but I'm also a guard after all. A compliment coming right after a put-down doesn't really feel like a compliment. — Noella explained walking towards the two guards. — But just forget about it now, we have a trip to plan so you better be awake.

Despite that, she felt a little better, so trying to ignore his first comment about the guards now, she opted to end the conversation.

They would then have a last brief meeting with Cardinal Jord before they left the city. The main thing about the path Noella already knew because she had already done it on the way there so all she had to do was make more observations of the trip and after that she would wake Illye from her sleep.

— Or rather, do you even sleep by chance? — She asked abruptly.

Noella had never seen a vampire before or even a half-blood either. It would probably be Illye who asked something like that, not her, but in order not to imbue the silence between the two of them, she decided to do something abrupt like that.

Questioned, Kamaell who followed her suddenly laughed, looking back Noella saw him stop laughing at her doubtful expression.

With that she noticed something else, since the day before Noella had been noticing that he never walked in front of her and always expected her to lead the way first. It could be maybe because he didn't know anyone or because of the time that had passed, but that showed that possibly he was still just lost.

He was an Imperial Prince as well as a King even without a Throne, Noella thought that at the very least such a person would have the ability to take precedence over others at all times and yet there was no sign of that.

— Sorry, I'm not laughing at you. It used to be common knowledge of those around me. Because I'm half-blood, the characteristics of both races become more comprehensive, that is except for Blood Magic because I'm a Lord. — He tried to explain.

-— And? Do you sleep or not? — She inserted the question again.

— Only when I want to. I don't need to sleep, but I can also sleep whenever I want and with that I can also sleep for years without having to wake up going into a suspended state unless something external wakes me up. — He explained more precisely.

Noella thought for a moment and started walking again, expecting him to follow as she felt a little sure that he would.

— Then you sleep if you want to sleep. — She summarized. — Much simpler to understand that way.

— Well, you could say yes. — He replied giving up.

Keeping up a conversation with Noella was harder for him than Illye. The princess was much simpler and despite clearly not liking him, Illye was very honest with everything she felt and expressed. Noella, on the contrary, ended up protecting herself a lot and if there was one thing that Kamaell had noticed about her, it was that, perhaps by instinct of her position as a royal guard or something natural of hers, Noella Dellaria was always reading the actions of others and trying to understand them. what a situation she and the princess were in according to the people she saw.

Her every action didn't go unnoticed, because he had a perfect memory so he could remember her every action without having to analyze her actions, although he hadn't said that yet.

After walking through the corridors, priests and doors, Noella and Kamaell came across a man blocking the corridor while apparently waiting for them. The short-haired black man wore light armor and had a serious expression as he waited for them.

— You're…? — Noella sought to ask him..

She hadn't seen him before, but on closer inspection he wore a blue cape on the back of his armor so he was a captain at the very least. But she could feel his aura, so it must be a lord since ordinary people no one could feel their auras until they released them.

— He came to Jord's side once before you woke up. — Kamaell pointed out, staring at him as he crossed his arms and stood behind her.

The man seeing that foreign Lord was staring at him ignored his gaze and turned to Noella.

— My name is Villue. I will also be part of the princess's escort back to Dellaria. I came here to officially introduce myself to you before the meeting. By the way, I must also guide you to the room where the meeting will take place. — He declared.

— I understand, let's go then. — Noella replied, thinking a little.

— Doesn't this city have a general to govern by any chance? The only Phase 5 I saw was that Cardinal and someone from the Temple… Well, it can't be considered part of the realm exactly. — Asked Kamaell, exposing his doubt.

The two looked at him in disbelief, Noella quickly understood where her doubt came from, while Villue questioned himself internally why he asked them something so obvious.

Villue found it rather odd for a lord in this place not to know who Cardinal Jord was but Noella caught his eye with her eyes denying him the chance to question anything so he decided to leave that for later.

— That's since before Avvida was named, this city has always been ruled by the Cardinal. It's been several hundred years since he settled in this city and the Temple entered into an agreement with the former kingdom of Malzer at the time and since then issues involving the Blue Temple or the city itself are resolved by him and the captains. — Noella duly explained.

— Jord seems pretty important, doesn't he? But for an important cardinal to be isolated in the last major city south of the continent, there must be some ulterior motive. — He declared, not caring too much.

Villue turned to him with a forced laugh.

— Believe me, many in Aggron, the Blue Temple, and from outside the kingdom have asked him about this, and to this day no one has ever come up with a plausible answer. — Villue quoted, turning to speak to a nearby priest shortly after.

Realizing only more doubts, Noella decided to try to explain further.

— Because of the Cardinal and an old conflict between the Blue Temple and Malzer, since then most kingdoms have a general who serves both the Temple and his Kingdom at the same time and is responsible for mediating between the two sides. As an example of this, our "Blue General" from Aggron resides in the capital where we are going, it is likely that you will be able to meet him when you get there. — Noella also said when explaining the motivation.

In the middle of her words she decided not to mention that this person was someone very close to her.

Kamaell stopped to think for a while and being seen lost in thought, Villue ignored this and began to guide them after finishing a brief conversation with a priest along the way.

— A mediator position between the Temple and the Kingdom, that's interesting… — Kamaell rambled as he followed them.

As far back as he could remember, the Temples were nothing more than faith-based forces and were under the jurisdiction of each Color King.

— There were also no kingdoms before, so the Temples now have more autonomy perhaps? Hmmm… I think I need to see a little more history. — He said was a little enthusiastic about the idea.

The books he'd picked up the day before were mostly involving geographic and historical issues in a nutshell, not even close to covering anything like that.

Noella didn't know why, but the imaginaca locked herself in the palace library for at least a week without leaving and laughed a little at the imagined situation.

It took almost no time at all, because this was just an ordinary temple and not something at the level of the Silver Palace, so it would be difficult to get lost. Entering duly following Villue, the two saw Cardinal Jord talking to two priests at the back of the room in the chair where he was sitting.

— Welcome. It's a good thing you've already gathered because the three of you will be the only Lords to escort the princess on her return. — Jord said after the two priests left that room.

The three of them sat on a large sofa there, Noella noticed that there were many sofas in this Temple instead of tables and chairs and this was something not very common.

— It's enough. — Kamaell pointed out in response as he sat down to Noella's right and crossed his arms.

He practically sprawled on the couch to the right of Noella, who had sat down first after entering, clearly enjoying herself more than she should have. Villue sat on the other side of Noella and pretended he wasn't seeing anything, he already had to pretend not to see much in this city in one week...

The Cardinal ignored his comment, as well as actions, and continued.

— detachment of twelve guards will also accompany you on your journey. — He completed while looking at Noella and waiting for some comment from her.

After a moment of confusion at being stared at, Noella then understood something about it. Illye was her sole responsibility as the last remaining guard of her original royal guard, that is, her decisions counted as well as the princess's decisions whether she wanted her or not and that was extremely relevant.

Illye was extremely important in the kingdom for several reasons, firstly due to being the only daughter of the king and being able to serve as his direct representative in several situations, secondly because she was the Lord of the Barriers and her Barriers Authority for decades was considered one of the greatest defensive assets of the Kingdom of Aggron.

The young princess was still very young, but over the years her abilities would only improve and that would be extremely beneficial for Aggron in order to pass the kingdom's generals in relevance.

Jord expected some comment from her precisely because of that, in this meeting only she and no one else could represent the voice of the princess. This wasn't all that unusual to happen, but it wasn't usual for Noella to be in such situations. Among the Princess's Royal Guard there were people more trained for these gatherings, their main function had always been Illye's direct protection.

Thinking about things defined by Jord, Noella then ended up also thinking about the same result as Kamaell.

— I don't think numbers make a difference against them, in fact according to how we've been attacked before a larger number of people just makes it more confusing and easier for the assassins to act. — Noella pointed out.

Cardinal Jord then looked at Villue.

— It makes sense, experience counts for a lot and we can't say that besides her there is anyone else with experience of having survived against Shadow Assassins. — He concluded.

Suddenly, however, someone else intervened with a peculiar opinion.

— You can send all that dead weight along too if you like. I don't care, I'm confident enough that I can stop any Shadow Assassin at any time. - Said Kamaell, exposing it with a sadistic smile.

It was an arrogant statement full of unbridled self-confidence that left both Villue and Jord brooding over the possibility.

— Except your leaders, of course. — He added. — If the Lord of the Assassins got into this, no one would escape, no matter who it was.

He portrayed this with a nostalgic look as he looked up at the ceiling, anyone watching him could tell he had probably met her before.

[Who is this guy? Appears out of nowhere carrying the princess along with her guard and now acts as if he knows the fearsome Lord of the Assassins?]

Villue had more and more doubts about the identity of that man and seeing that the royal guard did not get too agitated with such information, maybe she already seemed to know about it and still decided to trust him. Because of that too Villue didn't question anything, if the royal guard itself wasn't against it then he wouldn't stand to contradict it, she more than anyone would put Illye's safety above all else.

There were few people on the entire continent who could dare to say that they knew the Mistress of Assassins. To get an idea of ​​this, one of the people who were sure to know her was the Lord of Beauty himself and another of them was the Red King.

Other people who had found her had probably been killed in this same encounter.

Such a declaration was nothing to be taken lightly.

— If you say so… then I will send them as a form of support. I'll leave Illye's protection up to the three of you exclusively and the guards will only be there to support you. Villue, you will lead the escort to Dellaria so the guards will be under your command. — Jord declared.

That part was obvious, the Cardinal would not entrust the position of command to the princess who was still too young or to Noella who had no real experience in leading and Kamaell was not even an option to be considered due to everyone's lack of trust towards him. him and his apparent indifference to other people's lives.

This also implied that none of the other three needed to strictly follow what was said by Villue, Jord was avoiding possible disagreements with this part. Seeing that everyone agreed without answering, this part was closed.

— Is there anything else you want to talk about before we move on to matters of route you'll take and resting places? — Asked Jord, staring at each of them.

Noella and Villue looked at each other realizing that neither of them had anything to say, finally they looked at Kamaell to Noella's right who was avidly wondering if she still had any questions to ask.

— Would there be coffee in this Temple? Oh and if you add a little sugar you know… And not too hot please, I burn my mouth very easily. — He asked.

— You… Seriously… What world do you live in? — Complained Villue, putting his hands on his head, he couldn't ignore it anymore. Taking care of kids seemed a lot easier than living with this nutcase.

The Cardinal began to laugh at that request.

— I will see to it, my King. — He replied after laughing a little.

Despite his joking words in response, Jord was thinking deeply about something and yet no one in this place had noticed and had no way of knowing what was going on in the Lord of Rivers' mind.