Noticing his new appearance, she harrumphed, "One can hide one's former self but can never cover past wounds that one afflicted upon others."
"Such valuable wisdom. I shall take it to heart." he replied sarcastically.
She ignored that and sat down. But before pulling in her chair, she noticed Lauran in the corner.
"My, if it isn't Lady Freya's rumored successor. It is an honor to meet you. You are quite popular with your seniors but I hear you have few friends. A magician has no time to spare for friends, I suppose."
"Hello…"
"No need to be so timid. What? Did Arnold force you to attend to him? I can report this to the vice principal and have you put in detention, you know?" Morwenne looked at him, "Forcing a student—who is not your assigned household servant—to work for you, is against the rules."
"She came along willingly, right Lauran?"
"That's right…"
"I wanted her to meet someone so I brought her along with me here since Celeste couldn't wait."
"Since I couldn't wait? This is your meeting…"
"For once you are not troubling anyone so I will let this pass."
'I just told you she came along willingly…'
She would always find a way to twist his words in an attempt to make him look bad. This kind of nitpicking is cute but can get annoying most of the time since she never lets him have the final word. Sometimes he just walks away while she smiles in victory while in others, she's left fuming and about to throw something at him.
Thinking about all their interactions over the years, this is probably how he learned to taunt people. Of course, he always reminds himself to never tease her since she gets pissed off easily and will start throwing fireballs at him.
And yes, Morwenne is merciless when it comes to him.
"You can leave, Celeste." Arnold faced Morwenne, ready to get this over with.
"Not a chance. If I turn my back, the two of you will be at each other's throats."
"Come now, I am not that type of person, Celeste."
"I know. But you only turn into that type of person when Al is involved."
"…" Morwenne cleared her throat, "…I was just worried that you would be reprimanded for not being in the auditorium. Our seniors from last year have been there since before sunrise and have not left since."
"I am not needed there. Let them have their secret talk with the parents on their own and I will join when all the students are gathered there."
"I see. Why don't the two of us can have a cup of tea once we get this ceremony over with?"
"Sounds delightful." The two smiled.
"Of course, Arnold should not be present the moment my lips touch the cup. For some reason, tea tastes like water when I have to look at his face."
"You're proving me right, my dear friend…"
"Geh…"
A knock came from the door but before Morwenne could recover from the blow Celeste delivered and ask who it is, the door opened.
"H-Hey, cuz… I'm here…"
"Rachel!" Morwenne stood up from her chair and bolted toward the door.
Rachel came wobbling inside, looking deathly pale and trembling all over. She was scratching her right arm a lot and upon closer inspection, one can see needle marks and blue pigmentation.
Morwenne hugged Rachel and whispered "you poor thing".
"How are you feeling? Lightheaded? Nausea?" she led Rachel to the other couch across Arnold and gently helped her sit.
"My tummy hurts…" she said with a small voice.
"The drugs must be rejecting the medicine we gave you. Rachel, why did you have to inject yourself with such dangerous drugs from a dirty needle?"
"S-Sorry…"
"No, I'm sorry for bringing it up. I'm just so angry that adults made you do things you shouldn't be doing. Coerced sex, prostitution and drugs—I will find all of them and make sure they suffer for this."
"…"
She sighed and said "now isn't the time for this".
"The school day will be shorter than usual but I packed enough lunch to last you all day." Morwenne walked over to the desk and retrieved her bag, taking out a lunchbox. She then handed it to Rachel.
Devoid of the fire and energy Arnold knew her for, Rachel timidly took the lunchbox from the concerned Morwenne. He knew the two of them were related but he was also aware that they've never had much of a relationship outside of family events between the Rynals and Valeblancs.
"I left you a little something sweet in there. Speaking of which, there's a party happening tonight at the house. Would you like to come tonight? There will be lots more dessert than what I managed to get from the kitchen this morning."
"Yes, please…"
"Okay, my maid will come call for you when it's time. Until then, wait for me, okay?"
"Yes, thank you… thank you… I-I have to go…"
Rachel couldn't look anyone else in the eye and quickly bolted out of the room.
Morwenne looked worriedly at the door.
"That girl… left to suffer just because of her father's stupid decisions."
"What's going on with her? I thought she was staying with her mother." Celeste, who had been quiet to not interrupt the delicate atmosphere, spoke up.
"Her mother apparently can't afford to feed another mouth and pay for school fees on top of that."
'Well, she's just a Baroness so that makes sense.'
"Rachel isn't that exceptional in school either so she doesn't have any sponsorships. I asked my parents if I could help her somehow—she is my cousin after all. While getting the guest room renovated for her, she's staying in a small hut that we have in the corner of the estate. It's small but big enough for one person's bed and a small table to study and have meals."
"Doing all that for free, huh?" Arnold made a remark.
"Kind people exist. Not everyone wants to get in someone's pants for helping them."
The two stared at each other in silence for a second.
"Morwenne, what you said earlier… Are the rumors really true? About her offering her body for money…" Celeste asked hesitantly, the topic was definitely sensitive but Morwenne answered her honestly.
"Yes, it is. It all started when she met a gang leader through a male classmate of hers willing to pay her for some work. That classmate is apparently part of that gang. Basically, what she had to do was sell drugs for them on the school and go on dates with some adults. There are lots of students, noble girls most of all, who take the drugs they sell. Miraculously, the adults using it are in the minority in comparison. Regardless, who would suspect a cute girl like her, right? What I can't seem to understand is why they would do this to themselves? They have a good family background, rich parents (most of them), and a bright future ahead of themselves. Is it because they have nothing wild happening in their lives so they resort to drugs to have fun?"
"What about the classmate? Did you get him expelled yet?"
"I tried but the vice principal wants proof. None of the girls we interviewed said anything useful. We'll need to actually catch them with the drugs which will be difficult right now since they are on high alert… But there is a party happening on campus soon in one of the club houses, where they might try to use the drugs so I'm keeping my eyes on that. Was it not for me finding these drugs in Rachel's bag at school, we would've never known what was going on."
"Rachel is in the D class this year, a class filled with troublemakers. They won't spill the beans on the operation since most of them are in on it."
"Indeed…" Morwenne sighed as she collapsed against the couch, "If only I had known her situation sooner… None of this would've happened if only her father wasn't such a greedy fool. You would think her mother or sister would reach out to help her but I had to hear the unfortunate news from Grace who offered to help so many times but my stubborn cousin didn't want to seek charity from a friend. That witch of a sister of hers is just using all her money on experiments as well, giving the stupid excuse that she will be able to make lots of money once she makes a breakthrough and will only be able to help Rachel then. What a—pardon my words—shitty family."
"…Will Rachel continue to study here?"
"She wants to. In her own words, she fully realized how important it is to secure a future for herself by working hard and not accepting mediocrity. And she will no longer go with the flow like she usually did."
'If going with the flow landed her in a B class, then she has nothing to worry about in the academic department…'
Morwenne glanced at Arnold, "By the way, Rachel will be in your class this year."
"Huh?"
"What's with the look? Surely, you're aware that you are placed in the bottom-tier of the 5th year class? That being Class 5D where all the delinquents are. It's the perfect place for you."
"…I missed out on a lot of work, huh…"
"It was thanks to your mother that you were able to advance at all." Celeste sighed, "Please just get serious this year and attend classes every day."
"…Yeah."
He was quite curious how Adrianna managed to pull that off. Knowing her, it wasn't official means since this could get her in trouble.
"Let us move on to the main reason you are here, Arnold." Morwenne stood up and took out a blue ribbon decorated with gold patterns from the desk. Arnold recognized that as the Committee's official ribbon. She placed in front of Arnold, on the table.
"I will not ask you why you would even consider accepting our invitation as we need someone like you this year more than ever due to troublemakers inside and outside the academy factions. Place your hand on the ribbon and repeat after me."
The reason he accepted, huh? Well, he wants to become a knight and to do so, he needs qualifications. These qualifications are like badges, to show the Knight Orders that he's capable of carrying out difficult tasks that align with what knights do. Disciplining and stopping violent or disrespectful students falls under that.
He did as she said.
"I swear to put the safety of students and staff above everything else."
"I will report threats—internal or external—to the appropriate authority without hesitation."
"I shall not use my authority for personal gain, vengeance, or favoritism."
"I will uphold neutrality in inter-house or faction disputes unless the balance of the school is threatened by one side."
"I shall act with discretion when handling sensitive matters that involve students' lives or reputations."
"I swear never to raise arms against another student unless in defense of the innocent or to subdue chaos."
"I accept the burden of sacrifice, should the role demand it, to maintain the order and peace of this academy."
"I will stand as shield and spear against those who seek to harm this institution, be they within or without."
"I will be an example of temperance, justice, and unity—even when no one watches."
"If I fall, I shall fall in service to this school, with honor unbroken."
It sounded like he was being knighted. No wonder the Knight Order likes to interview committee members. Arnold might even get an interview as well, which would be perfect since he needs the title of knight.
Celeste looked quite satisfied at Arnold who was obeying Morwenne. There's no reason to act like a fool so he kept himself in line.
"…I did not expect you to swear the whole thing. I'm sure you're aware this oath will be with you until the day you leave the academy?"
"I know."
"Good… Fetch the armband tomorrow before the bell rings to start the day. That will be when you begin your duties. I'll assign someone else to you."
"I'm fine on my own."
"Pairs have been a part of this council for generations. You need a companion in battle just like you need one for academy duties. This isn't up for debate."
"…Alright."
"Welcome to the committee—where we support neither royal nor commoner factions but instead stand as mediums meant to resolve any conflict. You will report your findings to me daily after school."
"What? But none of the other—"
"This is not up for debate." She ignored the grumbling Arnold who thought he could laze around when school ends.
"I'll be taking my leave then…"
"Before you do, make two cups of tea, each with two sugar cubes. There are biscuits in the drawer of my desk so be sure to bring that as well."
A vein popped on his temple.
"Yes, Ma'am."
While he got to work, the two young women had their little chat.
"Miss Student Council President, I hope you are ready for the year ahead. It will be a short but brutal one."
"I'm ready. Evelyn had faith in me so I will lead the students to the best of my abilities."
"I am glad to hear that. I will support you when you need it, so please do ask if you are in need of help. First order of business is standing on the podium behind the seventh years from last year. Be sure to head over to the student council office later to retrieve your special blazer."
"The reason they're all having a meeting with the parents in the auditorium is about the dungeon exam, right?"
"Yes. I don't know the ins and outs but Professor Castacia shared a few details when I and a few other girls begged her to tell us what happened for her to look so shaken up. To me, she was like the unbreakable wall that shielded us from any threat and always placed our lives and studies above her own job or even life in the field." Morwenne scratched the desk absentmindedly, "…But now she's an empty husk, devoid of motivation and energy—it saddens me. From what we experienced in the monster wave, I am sure they faced even more terrifying monsters in the dungeon. Though unexpected, it's a relief something good came out of the ordeal—Arthur von Tivurgian emerging as Promethius' successor."
Arnold froze just as he turned the magic kettle on, a cold aura radiating from his body.
"…How do you know?"
"Evelyn shared it with me but asked that I keep quiet about it. I'll have to apologize a thousand times to her for being so talkative…"
"But still, that's a good thing… right?" Arnold could feel Celeste's eyes on him.
"Of course it is. Even in peaceful times for our empire, we still have things outside of it that can put us in danger. But now that we have Arthur, we need not worry anymore. To be quite honest, I was rooting for that adventurer from Misteltein Guild to shine as this empire's next hero. I was there the day he handled several S-class monsters like it was nothing and can't get that scene out of my head," Morwenne glanced out the window, a longing expression on her face, "Look at me fantasizing about some hero emerging from common folk like out of some novel."
"…How does the rest of the empire feel about Arthur?"
"Well, we won't know until word gets out. For now, we need to keep it a secret. There will be a public announcement in the coming days that will address both that and the dungeon's fate. We must decide whether we want to explore it to discover its secrets or destroy it to protect this empire. Dungeon storms are phenomena not even a Hero can fight since they are unpredictable cataclysms of destruction. With a dungeon that big and dangerous, I would say only a Magic Bomb could destroy it."
"Is it really okay to use our only Magic Bomb for that?"
"If you are asking whether we have permission—we don't need it. The elves have been silent on the matter with the monster waves that claimed thousands of lives, never apologizing for their lacking security or inaction. We are well within our rights to destroy that dungeon even if it makes the coastline of their land uninhabitable for a century."
Magic bombs are essentially like nuclear bombs, created by forcing mana and miasma to collide with each other and keeping the force of that energy contained with ancient runes from the era they were created in. Upon activating them, the energy that has been violently colliding for centuries, is finally released and the blast won't be small at all.
One might ask: couldn't humans just use these bombs to win against the demons? Not quite, because Arsnoria is a god-level being so it was unthinkable of human creations to destroy gods.
"As someone who gloats about his knowledge of the world—wouldn't you agree, Arnold?" Morwenne looked at him.
"I don't really care."
Though he said that, he felt conflicted. On one hand, there is no chance of the offspring coming to this world—essentially avoiding a whole arc where they rampage through the continent. On the other hand, one of the routes in the game confirms that the dungeon was needed for Luke's growth since he needs to complete a trial if he is to prove he deserves "Song and Light" more than Arthur. There is a high possibility that destroying the dungeon from the outside could impact the inside as well.
Perhaps the gateway—the floating mountain—was more than an entrance. Maybe it acted like an anchor point. Imagine several sticks embedded in sand, each representing a connection to a world within the dungeon. A single thread loops around all of them, binding the structure together. Cut one part of that thread, and the whole system might unravel.
"Do you think the emperor will really go through with using the magic bomb?" Celeste asked.
"If he doesn't then some other nation will use theirs. But another option is to have the elves apologize publicly and handle the situation themselves."
"How would they handle it?"
"They have powerful sealing magic, don't they? I heard they can use Undine's [Sibling Joint Magic] to seal even divine beasts away by utilizing the power of the Spirit Realm."
"That sealing technique can only be used once every decade. That's a huge gamble for them." Arnold added when he put the tea down.
Undine is the water spirit monarch of this world. She is a rank above Phistia, the land goddess of the lake, in terms of power. She has sisters who live in the Spirit Realm that can help her cast an extremely powerful spell that can seal away even the Star Beast's power. But this power comes at a cost.
Elizabeth's [Darkness Consumes All] super spell is the superior version of this and has virtually no side effects of any kind. But conditions must be met before she can use it. Those aren't important to mention right now. But Tanaera would need to teach Elizabeth how to use it since she also has a similar, albeit smaller, version of the spell.
'Come to think of it, I wonder where she is? Her signature is too far for me to pinpoint but it's in the same direction as Sceptim's so the two of them must be travelling together.'
He was curious what they were doing.
Celeste thanked him when he gave her the tea but Morwenne just gave him a silent look. Not wanting to stay here any longer, he told Lauran to follow him.
"So, in the end they will use the bombs." The girls went on with their conversation once he left.
"Mm. I wonder how the elves will respond. Showing aggression won't be a good look since the empire is just looking out for the continent by destroying that dungeon." Morwenne suddenly remembered something, "Ah, there's a rumor going around that the Elf Queen wants Misteltein to come to their country."
"What for?"
"I'm not sure. But her agents were spotted going in and out of the guild several times for the past month."
"…My dear friend, you aren't trying to spy on Nova, are you?"
"What gave you that idea?" she didn't give any major reaction to that question.
"…If they are indeed in contact with each other, this could be a chance for proper communication. There might be royal spies among the adventurers looking to join the guild. They must be waiting for the perfect chance to approach Nova to suggest he acts as a representative for the emperor."
"This is their way of peaceful communication?"
"Maybe their only way. If this does not work out, we might have yet another conflict between nations on our hands."
"Another?"
"Have you not heard about what's going on between the demihumans and the Theocracy?"
"I never paid attention to it…" frankly, she wasn't interested. As long as something didn't affect her position at Serz, or life, she wouldn't give it any attention.
"I see. Well, Adavire was recruited by Olivia's knight to go to the Theocracy which is how I heard about a potential war. I've not heard from her since the day she left so things might be rough between the two nations."
"This isn't a normal operation, is it?"
"No. The emperor wants intel on the war itself and didn't want to rely on the Theocracy that might send false information back to us. The knight program excuse used is just a front. We aren't exactly allies but we aren't enemies either so the nations need to know if the war will impact them as well."
Morwenne closed her eyes as she took a sip from her cup, "Hmm~ Tastes so much better without a certain someone's presence."
"…"
"By the way, why does Arnold look so different? He's a bit too old to be at his rebellious phase."
"Maybe it's a new identity he wants to adopt to separate himself from his family?" Celeste answered halfheartedly and then she also drank her tea, "When he came back to his city, he said something about establishing his own kingdom and family. That new look of his might just be the first step."
"Pfft! Him? Manage a whole city, let alone a kingdom? How will his citizens survive?" Morwenne gave Celeste a sly look, "So, what do you think about that new look of his? Are you still willing to go all the way?"
"Yes."
"Without hesitation, huh. Wait, doesn't he also seem taller? How did that happen?"
"Who knows…"
Even Celeste didn't know what was going on with him. He seems different but the air around him changed—something she witnessed fully during his confrontation with Evelyn. In the past, he was never such a vessel of hatred that he would show the desire to kill others, and even hurt her.
She promised herself to wait until he's ready to say what happened for him to be so filled with hatred…
Another thing that bothers her is his plans to get between Serz and Wistorina. As a Cadre, it's Celeste's duty to get rid of the threat.
Wistorina was right in the teacher's offices.
Arnold was definitely still on high alert and could teleport to her side instantly. But what if Celeste just goes into the teacher's office and asks Wistorina to have a cup of tea with her? Tea filled with drugs to knock her out, so that Arnold wouldn't be able to tell if her signature spiked from panic.
One might ask: what about having her subordinates use sleeping darts after getting the princess in a secluded spot? The issue with that is that the sudden jolt of being hit in the neck by a needle will cause a quick jump in heartrate, which affects the signature as well. This will alert Arnold so no one but Celeste could do this without alerting him.
Celeste was there with Arnold in his city, after all so Wistorina definitely trusts her.
The only issue would be to carry her out of the capital without Arnold knowing but that's something that can be worried about later.
"Celeste? What's wrong?"
Exhaling silently, she replied, "If you knew something very important to you would get in the way of the love and trust you built with someone—what would you do?"
Even though she had to mature at a young age to fit the role she was given—
Even though she manipulated countless people, even to their deaths—
Even though she killed many, separating them from their loved ones—
—she couldn't make a decision on her own here, for this is something she had been passionate about for years.
Seeking guidance from a priest wouldn't work since they will always say to prioritize the loved ones in your life.
But what they don't understand is that her decision has the fate of the world and the fury of her "Leader" behind her.
"Hmm." Morwenne looked out the window, at the chirping birds on the branch outside. The silence wasn't uncomfortable but Celeste could feel both the world and her leader's eyes on the back of her head.
If she chooses to prioritize Arnold, the entire organization's wrath will come down on her.
Why? Well, she told the other Cadres that she will handle it in an emergency meeting she held last night after leaving Arnold's city. They trusted Celeste enough to know she would get it done.
Meaning, that her title as a Cadre and life is on the line.
It doesn't matter how many powerful subordinates she recruited over the years, or how many artifacts are in her possession—facing a giant like Serz is suicide.
Morwenne finally opened her mouth, "If you are more afraid of losing someone you love than you are of never achieving that thing that's so important to you, I think you should prioritize the person you love."
Instead of the generic "love should be the most important to you", she said that fear is the deciding factor.
She continued:
"But you should also trust that the person who you love dearly, will help you with that something you deem as important as their love and trust."
In other words, believe in their strength to stand with you and help you.
"…What if I lied to that person and placed them in the middle of chaos without their knowledge? Am I not a bad person?"
"If they didn't know then you should be upfront with them before the backlash from your decision hits them."
So… Celeste should tell Arnold the truth?
But… she promised her mother to take this—the truth about the mantle she passed on to Celeste—to her grave…
If she chooses to prioritize her love for Arnold over an organization that can make nations cower in fear... she will have to face the fury of that entire organization.
Celeste suddenly stood up, already having made the decision for herself.
"I know you were talking about Arnold, dear." Morwenne smiled.
"A-About that…" flustered, she tried to explain.
"There's no need to explain. I had this question surface in my mind as well. But I assume your parents' wrath isn't what is holding you back?"
"Eh?"
"What's the idiotic look for? Yes, my mother didn't approve of our relationship and tried to threaten to leave me with nothing but were it not for my father, I would have been kicked out of the house, or the family itself. But that doesn't matter because mere months after that, we broke things off anyway, on a bad note might I add. What I want to say is that I understand. I know your relationship for him isn't as brittle as mine was so whatever the two of you face, you can face it together and handle the aftermath."
"Morwenne… Even though I'm being so vague—"
"Not to worry. Like I said, you don't need to explain since I know what you mean."
"…Thank you. Sorry, but I have to leave for something urgent." Celeste picked up her bag and slowly retreated towards the door.
Celeste had been kicking herself over what "the right thing" was. It had nothing to do with the morality of the decision or lives that will be lost as a result of it.
All she cared about was what is most important to her but to know that, she will have to choose:
1. Her dream of turning Arnold into the mindless slave husband she wanted to keep in a cage, something only "world domination" can give her
2. A normal life with Arnold, bearing his children, playing the dream role of loving wife
Only one of these will result in Serz's full wrath descending upon her.
She knows what she will choose.