Weaving Truths And Lies

Peony sighed, "Of course not, due to being in the underworld and keeping the dead in check, he had forgotten his kindness and needed a little reminder. The only reason we were able to succeed today was because I was able to use his hellfire to help Ortho's soul recover. Also, he isn't someone who goes back on their words, even if he really wanted too. Hopefully this incident will remind him of the kindness he once held in the past. Being a god has not been easy for him for many years, so do try not to hold it against him. If you reject this and let Ortho return to the Underworld, it would also make him feel like you are toying with him and, from our interactions as far... he does have his pride..."

"Ugh... N-No way..." Idia shuddered nervously, "I-I understand. Regardless, I don't plan to leave Ortho here, but you said that we are in the underworld. I don't know a way out of here. Is there a way out of here?"

"Silly, there is a way out." Peony responded with a smirk and took out what looked to be a large colorful compass the size of a chess board.

Seeing this, Vil questioned her in confusion, "And this?"

"It's a device I'm contracted with... from a very, very long time ago." Peony responded with a sad look on her face as she continued, "The Yin-yang compass. With it, it can utilize the magic of light and dark to find a path out. However, I need help with this. Someone who can use light magic with ease."

"Then, please allow me." Rook walked up and said, "What do I do?"

"Put the mana for light into the device." She said as the board began to float under her control of dark magic.

Upon doing so, the board lit up and a path of light soon shined into the distance. Vil jumped in surprise, "Then... it worked?"

Idia thought carefully, "Maybe? There's only one way to find out. Let me just take this with me..."

Saying this, he went to the vessel and took out the memory card from the overblotted vessel before it vanished into mist, then he turned around, "Okay. let's go."

Suddenly, the earth began to shake again as Idia cried out in fright, "Eek! W-What's going on?"

Seeing this reaction from the ground, Peony sneered and responded, "A temper tantrum, hehe..."

The earth began to shake again and the sound of chains drew closer as Peony sighed in disappointment, "Still too much of a child to accept the defeat? I didn't think you'd be this much of a child before your own children? Or, are you going back on your word now? Hmph!"

Just as the chains emerged, Peony sent out her giant blaze of crimson fire melting the chains into a puddle before turning to them, "Let's go."

Recovering from the shock, the three managed to nod their heads and quickly began to follow the light. As they walked for a while, Idia finally paused catching his breath, "How far is it from here?"

"Who knows?" Peony responded as she shook her head, "Do you need me to help carry you?"

"Eeh?! N-n-no! Not at all!" Idia shook his head quickly with a slight blush in embarrassment, "I-I just needed to catch my breath!"

"Is it really appropriate for a lady to carry a man?" Vil responded in dismay, "You've completely embarrassed him."

"In a place like this, is gender really more important than our lives?" Peony sighed as she mentally marked him a fat liar, "If we don't leave soon, the lord of the underworld is more than willing to add more to his count."

Vil shook his head and turned to give Idia a hand, "Come on. I'll support you for now."

"Ugh... Thanks..." Idia grumbled in disappointment as he continued walking with Vil's help reluctantly.

The group continued walking for who knew how long before Vil finally called out, "Let's take a break. At this point, even I am tired."

Hearing this, Peony nodded and stopped. She and Rook pulled back their magic and returned to the group as Vil finally dropped to the ground next to Rook.

"Aren't you tired?" Vil questioned in confusion.

Peony shook her head, "Far from it yet."

"Let's talk, then." Vil said, "Speaking of which, you never told us who you are. I am Vil Schoenheit and this is my vice-dorm leader Rook. You seem to know Idia already. We're all schoolmates."

"My name is Peony Xue." She replied.

Idia mumured in disbelief upon hearing this, "Peo..."

"...ny..." Vil shuddered upon hearing these words as thoughts seemed to have been brought back from the dusty corners of his mind.

Hearing this, Rook quickly grew silent.

"A-Ahem... Where are you from?" Idia questioned hesitantly, "I've never heard of the Xue family in Island of Woe. I have a friend with that last name, but he's from Valley of Thorns."

"Xue is a last name my mother let me pick for myself on the day I was adopted." Peony replied, "Peony was the name given to me by her. So far, I'm the only person with this family name."

"What about your parents?" Idia questioned curiously.

"They said they don't have any need for others to know their last names." Peony replied, "Their first names are Tatiana and Oberon."

"Tatiana and Oberon! La vache..." Rook's eyes widen in shock upon hearing this.

"What is it?" Vil raised a brow curiously.

"Tatiana and Oberon. If I'm not mistaken..." Rook hesitated in disbelief, "That's the names of the queen and king of the fairy kingdom!"

"WHAT?!?!"

"You're sure about this?" Vil looked to him in bewilderment.

Rook nodded, "I was once invited to a fae's household and came across an old picture book about it. The owner told me that Tatiana and Oberon were the rulers of the elusive fairy kingdom. Amongst all of the fairies, they are the hardest to talk to and do not associate with humans, but you..."

"Well, everything you said are accurate to some degree. When I was on the run, my mother found me and saved me from a pack of wolves." Peony explained unhurriedly, "I was later brought home and she declared that she was adopting me. Later, she convinced my father to grant me the title of princess. So far, I'm their only child and human with the title in their history, but I've declined the rights to the throne. So, I don't plan to inherit it. Besides, my parents are like immortals and never age for another thousands of years. Why should I be in line to the throne when they are healthy and energetic? It'll just cause more trouble in the future."

"So... you're a princess..." Idia muttered seemingly downcasted before it hit him curiously in confusion, "That reminds me. I do remember a member of royalty was supposed to be engaged to the heir of the Jupiter family. They had hair like flame aside from my family. She was compared to my family rather often."

"Ah, that." Peony responded with a heavy sigh, "I was only close to ten back then and already someone wanted me to marry. If my mother knew about this, she would've taken drastic measures by then. Thankfully, I managed to get father keep it a secret and support to turn it down without making it a huge matter. Not to mention there was also a poisoning incident. Ugh... what a lame show that was..."

"From what I remember, that was the first humiliation the Jupiter family faced since a hundred years ago." Idia added with eyes of curiosity, "What exactly happen that day? After I returned home, my parents returned the next day."

"The family prized their youngest born child and heir so much that they wanted to give him the best wife. However, one of the aunts were not satisfied with the decision and heard about me from the grapevine. Then, she went out of her way to contact my god-grandfather to make the matchmaking proposal." Peony responded, "At the same time, the other aunts wanted to support the heir's love interest instead. The end result was the one who recommended me tried to poison the heir and pin the blame on me after she found out that I was against the marriage arrangement and supporting the heir's decision for a wife. However, when she saw that was impossible, she convinced her son to pin it on the Shroud family, which was a stupid decision because not only did your family arrived so late even after the weapon arrived into the table and consumed, but you also left early according to the servants. As a ten year old who 'heard nothing about the proposal' and 'suddenly' showing up at the show with the queen of Briar Valley, how could such a 'poor' child have known what was going on?"

Saying that last sentence with such exaggeration, the guys knew that she purposely appeared to stage something in order to cancel the engagement.

"The 'nice' aunt kindly shielded me from the poisonous ham and even helped me cure this big brother with the strange pink hair after I found what the poison was from a book I read back home. Even provided me a vial of it to make an antidote out of. Too bad I had to leave immediately after that, though."

From the plummet of temperature around her, Vil and the others could easily tell that she was thoroughly irritated as she continued to say these things casually with a bright smile on her face.

Inside her ring, Maisey gave a heavy sigh upon hearing the princess weave together another picture of truths and lies.

"When I returned home, I begged my teacher to teach me alchemy after that." Peony added before heaving a reluctant sigh, "Honestly, that was the most tiring and time-consuming affair I had to take care of!"

With that, she turned to them and questioned curiously, "What's with that look? Got bored? If so, let's continue walking, then."

As she turned around and Rook followed after her, Idia hesitated nervously, "I-I-It's actually her... Oh my god... Is this a fated reunion? B-but with my current situation... ugh..."

Afar, Vil also wore a dark expression as he stared at her back with mixed expression across his face, "Peony... She's all right and... was a princess... I need to tell Jack about this when I return to school."