Winding Down

"Milady… may I say something about your debutante dress?" Annette stood at the corner of the library while Callisto perused through the shelves for a reference book on Goetian culture.

"Go ahead." Her slender fingers traced the spines of leather tomes, finally finding the book she needed, and flipped it open with just a couple of fingers.

"I believe that the tailor was…" Annette paused, looking at the white-haired girl, reading a book with one hand and her other hand in an astronomical sphere made of magic.

It seemed like Lady Callisto was researching something. The lady probably didn't have time to worry about her concerns, the ball was in a few weeks.

Annette should find a way to help without troubling the young mistress.

"Ah, never mind…" She shuffled off, leaving Callisto confused.

Within the last few months, she had gotten closer with the young maid, being around the same age, and reminding Callisto of her younger sister from back home, back when she was still alive.

She mentioned something about the tailor. Was she worried about the dress? Callisto smiled. That was cute.

How amusing of the girl to worry about her extremely wealthy employer who has never experienced the hardship of poverty and working to live.

Truly, the innocence of man. That being said, it has been nice having someone she knew would be on her side.

She has been able to gain correspondence with the illegal fighting ring in the capital using a fake name and some friendship money.

As confident as she was in herself, Callisto knew she couldn't make enemies with everyone needlessly without at least finding some backup.

And the fighting ring was the best place to find bloodthirsty, strong individuals. She would have to go in person at some point, but there were a few other things she had to check off her list.

One of which was related to what was inside the glowing orb she had half an arm stuck in.

With a quick look to both sides of her to make sure no one was there, Callisto mumbled a few words and pulled her hand out of the astrolabe.

Instantly, bolts of magic exploded through the room around her. The windows shattered as a bolt hit them, and objects around the room flew back with the explosion.

"Ugh, a failure." Callisto sighed, looking at her hand, holding fragments of a blade.

"It seems the book was right. I'll have to get a blacksmith. That's another thing I have to go out for…"

"What was that?!" Ah. Maybe she should get out of there.

It was too much of a hassle to explain what happened, and she didn't want anyone to know what she was planning. Callisto kicked up her skirt and conjured a teleportation portal at the window.

She had attempted a spell like this multiple times after the week-long disappearance and never had the strange experience that she had the first time.

Was it because of the forest? Or was it that blue-eyed figure that she thought was a hallucination?

"Callisto! God damn it!" Cornelius shrieked, signaling her time to get the heck out of there.

She sprinted out the broken window and braced for a hard impact onto a dirt street of the fiefdom.

Thud!

But instead of the feeling of rocks scraping against her cheek, Callisto instead felt her body hit against something firm, but otherwise had a safe landing.

When she recovered her eyesight, she found herself staring at a handsome man with maroon hair, staring at her with a mix of amusement and confusion, amber eyes quizzical and cat-like. One of the first things Callisto registered was his eyes, flakes of bright gold flickering in and out of the man's irises.

They were…really pretty. Better than the Crown Prince's piercing gray eyes, ones that reminded her of the dull gray eye she was ashamed of.

The second thing she noticed was that the man was wearing a large black cloak, and was probably aiming to either not be noticed, or do something suspicious.

Both of which were not good for her, a girl who fell into his arms out of a magic circle.

"Hey there."

"Ah..hello. "

"Can I help you, miss?"

"B-blacksmith!" Callisto blubbered. She was feeling uncharacteristically embarrassed and cleared her throat to take attention away from her stutter. "I mean. Yes. Blacksmith. And the nearest magic shop, if you will."

The man scoffed. "Do I look." He gestured wildly to his appearance, clothes speckled with blood, and several different swords at his hip, "Like a guide to you?"

"No, no you don't." Callisto sighed, before remembering how little time she had.

'Wait, what am I doing talking to this guy? I'm busy!'

Callisto gave a slight bow. "I must be off. I apologize for my disruption." Callisto didn't wait for the man to respond, turning the corner into the bustle of the market.

But the man gave chase, easily following in step with her.

"Are you a mage? Your skill…It's quite impressive." The hooded figure attempted to make small talk, even as Callisto started running.

He walked with long strides and caught up with her without breaking a sweat. She looked enviously at the man's long legs. Damn tall people.

"Surely, you must have been studying for a long time. You look quite young. Even the sages at the Mage Tower struggle with a short-range teleportation spell."

"Yes, yes. If you can talk so much you could at least help me find the things I'm looking for."

"Well, if you looked to your right, you would see the magic shop and the weapon shop, along with the armorer and blacksmith."

"Oh." Callisto stopped. He was right. "Alright, I will take my leave. Thank you for your help, Sir…?"

"Oh, you'll learn my name soon." He took a few paces backward and disappeared in a black mist.

Uh, okay. Weird? She shook off the odd interaction and decided to go to do her errands slowly so that the pandemonium of her little explosion would have caused. Perusing shelves, and walking around a marketplace, it was just like old times, wasn't it?

Amber eyes glinted at the silver-haired maiden's back like a predator on its prey from the roof of a tall building.

"Yes, you will learn soon, Callisto."

-----

Callisto returned well into the night, when she assumed people were sleeping. It was hard sneaking around, given the guards and super-sense freaks that are her siblings.

Luckily, barely anyone guarded her wing of the manor, as well as the servant's quarters, which was the avenue she used to get back into her room.

As she made her way through the narrow dark halls, she noticed a light on in one of the maid's rooms.

When Callisto looked in, she saw Annette working tirelessly on pinning white fabric onto a mannequin.

"Annette? Why are you still awake?"

"Lady Callisto! I, well… I'm sorry milady! But the dresses the tailor sold you are just dreadful! I've talked to some people, and I think I could make a good enough dress for your debutante. It may be a little simple but-"

Callisto sat beside Annette and took her hands into her own.

"Annette, calm down. You really shouldn't work so hard for me. I greatly appreciate it." Callisto gave her a small smile.

"I know the dresses are ugly. I have a plan for them. So please, get some sleep. Tomorrow, I will be requesting your help, and I need you at your best, understand?" Annette nodded earnestly, and Callisto left her after the maid promised to sleep.

-----

"No, no, no! Leave her hair down. It frames the lady's face that way!"

"Well, the topaz gems that you picked out clash with the lady's eyes!"

"Are you blind? Have you ever heard of color theory?"

Callisto had her eyes closed, relaxed despite the rush around her. She had gotten used to the pampering and preparation the maids did for her daily, but the level they went to for an event was incredible.

Between the hours of grooming and fittings, her brother Blake showed up, just as guests were making their way toward the manor.

"What are you wearing?" He didn't seem annoyed but instead intrigued, though Callisto couldn't say which she would rather have.

"Oh, this?" For the past month, Callisto, Annette, and a couple of other maids had been working on turning the two dresses she had bought from the tailor into an elegant red gown, long sleeves attached to a lace cape that ended in an elegant train.

Silver velvet flashed underneath the red, being revealed by a soft twirling as Callisto showed off the dress.

"Interesting. Well, you really have changed, sister. I'm quite surprised. It's a good thing I predicted this in advance, or else Nox wouldn't have been able to show up on time." When the indigo-haired man said this, she went on alert.

"Why is the crown prince here?"

"Shouldn't you be happy? He's here for you."

"No, he's not. Did you personally request for him to be here?"

"Yes, I did. Honestly, you're much less grateful than I expected-"

"For what reason would it be pertinent for him to come to my debutante?"

"It's a reward for your noble performance these past few months, especially with the tailor."

"So it was you, brother."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Now, off you go." He patted her head as he walked out towards the ballroom, much to her contempt. There's only one person that is allowed to pat her head.

'Why's he acting all brotherly now? If Cordelia had even an ounce of that affection, she would still be alive. Hah.'

After walking out of the women's wing of the manor, she could see the figure of the prince drawing closer. She resolved herself as she walked over to him and gave an icy smile.

"I suppose you're accompanying me." He didn't respond right away, a foggy look cast over his usually stormy gray eyes.

'Huh? What's wrong with this guy?' His royal blue hair was mussed, as if he had run his fingers through it multiple times.

"Nothing. Just, give me your hand, and let's try not to talk to each other too much."

"Now entering the young lady Callisto of the Azel Dukedom, accompanied by his Highness, Nox Regus!"