"Stop!" Balbeer said, standing at the front gate. Even though he was not tasked with any kind of guard duty. As the appointed Guard Captain, he was responsible for organizing the newly hired guards. He felt compelled to accompany and watch over them for the time being. He was the first to step forward while the two guardsmen quickly followed him, wearing the Spire's previously famous, amethyst-colored armor set. He quickly realized trouble was incoming, seeing half a dozen women clad in bone-white armor approaching them aggressively. Seeing the young man with the two guards stepping forward, one of the valkyries flinched, but Nuray quickly spoke up.
"Don't be afraid. They are not the same as before; those are just empty shells! With Rudrick's death, all his elite guards followed him to the grave!" she walked forward, picking up speed in her approach.
"We are not taking visitors. Please stop!" Balbeer raised his voice, signaling with his hand that the other guards on the wall should ready their crossbows, not taking the situation lightly.
"Better if you stop, boy!" Nuray shouted back, stopping a few meters before him with her squad standing in a V shape with her at the helm. All of them wore a winged, sharply crafted helm with a long, red ponytail on top of it. Their armor looked speckless, almost perfectly polished, reflecting the well-lit image of the evening street. They looked like angelic warriors, ready for battle at any time.
"You should stop!" Balbeer replied. He was clearly afraid, trembling, yet his voice did not falter. He straightened his body and stood firmly before the group, even though he was shorter than any of the women present.
"I applaud your backbone, kid!" Nuray said as she took off her helmet, holding it under her arm. "But you're not even enough to stand against my breath!" she looked into his eyes, assaulting him with her aura.
Before his knees could crack and Nuray could force him to kneel, Sentios appeared, placing his hand on his shoulder, nullifying Nuray's "attack." The pressure was immense, and it came like a lightning bolt from the clear sky for Balbeer. He had no actual cultivation to speak of, as they only started learning it truly, under Ren's instructions. If not for Sentios, he could have been crippled easily.
"I hope you have a good excuse to attack someone from the main family line of the Spire of Ren," he spoke out, stepping in front of the others as he noticed them coming a long ago. Even the freshly hired guards were afraid now. None of them were even close to the Harmony Realm and were only toys in front of a group like Nuray's. If nobody had stepped up, they might have fled their positions and lost a significant amount of reputation for Ren.
"A family line has fallen so far that even bastards can be written into the registry?" she tilted her head, tucking her silvery hair behind her ears. Some of the others behind her chuckled provocatively, watching them, seeing nobody 'pure' amongst their ranks.
"Outward appearance is not what defines people," Sentios replied, crossing his arms, and even as he looked patient, his eyes told a different story.
"I know you." Nuray looked him over, "You are that defeated prince from the Empire, no? The previous playtoy and lapdog of Rudrick?"
"Yes." Sentios acknowledged, without any shame, "I was a slave of his."
"Befitting role for one who betrays his own family." Nuray laughed with contempt oozing from her words.
"I agree." Sentios nodded once again.
"Oh… so you are so used to a collar that you are happy serving your new owner? How quirky, isn't it, sisters? Isn't this what our Liege told us? That man should be kept on a short leash as they can't control their urges? It seems she was right once again!" Nuray laughed, prompting the others to follow suit. Balbeer wanted to say something, but Sentios just stopped him with a hand, pushing him backward.
"My question remains the same, woman," he said, cutting into their laughter with a calm voice. "What is your excuse to attack someone from the main family branch?"
"Even if he is one of those, I stand above him," she replied as the smile slowly disappeared from her face. "I am a direct underling under Her Highness Keina. Going only by that puts me in a higher position than any of you."
"Oh? That is good!" Sentios clapped. "Because I am the personal butler of our Lady! Then that puts me above any of the little scrubs behind you!" he smiled as his aura swarmed out, turning the six's eyes more severe than before.
"You need five more of you; you do realize it, no?" Nuray asked as she squeezed the edge of her helmet.
"Why? Are you afraid of the first man you come across? Are all of you only confident in beating me if you all come at me at once?" Sentios tilted his head, enraging them even further.
"I'm starting to get a feel of what kind of master you may have, refusing the invitation to our Lord's banquet!"
"Invitation? It felt like an order!" he shook his head. "We threw it out!"
"You…" Her face turned a shade darker. "It is not wise to slap away a hand stretched out in kindness!"
"Thank you, but we are able to stand on our own. No need for a helping hand!" Sentios argued.
"Are you now? Let me see it then!" she put on her helmet, and with a loud clang, a very long, slightly curved blade sprang out, vibrating in golden light from under her armored right hand. "Stay out of it!" she shouted as she launched forward, leaving afterimages behind. But Sentios was already ready.
A white-golden energy aura surrounded him as he summoned a colossal tower shield before him, holding another long energy lance in his other hand. When Nuray's blade landed on the shield, the aura surrounding Sentios lit up, blocking her weapon before making actual contact with it. Sentios could push her back, making her take a few steps before slashing out again, quickly and aggressively. She felt like hacking against a brick wall as he hid behind his brightly pulsating, golden shield, taking on the relentless assault, not backing down even a step. When her rhythm finally slowed down, showing an opportunity for Sentios to counterattack, he stabbed out with his lance from behind his shield. He was aiming straight at her chest.
"Too slow!" She evaded it quickly, but golden projectiles shot out from the energy body of the lance. They aimed at her back, forcing her to dodge, again and again, dancing around them until they finally dissipated. It was clear from the short exchange that if they continued like this, there wouldn't be a winner decided until all of them put everything in, further escalating the situation.
She was already raising her left arm to command the rest of her sisters to jump in so they would subdue Sentios. Before she could shout out the order, an ear-piercing thunder reverberated around the city. Nuray felt her raised hand's wrist being grabbed, and she could not move it even a little.
"I read a saying, going through the books that my late great-grandfather left behind… How did it go?" Ren caressed Nuray's ear with her gentle voice through the helmet she wore. "A dog in a kennel barks at his fleas… a hunting dog does not feel them," she whispered as her grip grew stronger. Nuray bit into her lip under the helmet, forcing back her voice that wanted to escape from her throat after feeling her bones already cracking. "Question is, which kind of dog are you?" Ren clamped down completely, and everyone could hear she just broke her wrist. The armor she had on crumbled and fell to the ground like dried leaves, revealing her white, trembling fingers. All the blood was pushed out from her hand, rupturing her skin and letting it flow like a red river.
"...!" Nuray breathed heavily but let out no scream, trying to move and fight back, but she was held in place by a way, way stronger force.
"Mmm… not a hunting dog yet… maybe a well-behaved lapdog?" Ren murmured, letting her hand go, flashing once again, standing before Sentios. He had already dispelled his weapons, bowing towards her. "I'll take it over from here," Ren said, and Sentios just nodded, standing behind her with a calm expression. As she looked at the warriors, the Valkyrie group drew their weapons, stepping forward and surrounding their leader.
"I advise you to rethink it." Rabout's voice came as he walked out with a calm look, hands held behind his back. Seeing a second Spire Lord appear was like drenching them with cold water. Especially as he stood next to Ren. "Are you really ready for the consequences of drawing your weapons against a Spire Lord?" He asked them with a friendly smile as their hands visibly trembled, slowly lowering their swords. Even if they did not want to, they had to come to terms with Ren being the leader of one of the five spires inside Rozex. No matter if she had just arrived, their previous transgression alone could warrant their heads, and not even Keina could argue against that.
"We are leaving," Nuray said, bowing towards Rabout as everyone knew who was the second oldest from the Naulin bloodline, even if she never saw the old man personally.
"I think that is for the best." Rabout nodded, effectively dismissing them.
"Eh, but I wanted to invite them in…" Ren sighed, pouting a little but could not draw out any reaction from them. They left just as quickly as they arrived. "Well, whatever! Should I thank you now?" She looked up at Rabout with a questioning and unhappy look.
"No. They are the ones who should thank me! I just saved their lives!" He rolled his eyes in a similar way Ren usually did. "Whatever happens, Keina is still the descendant of one of my dear cousins. Even if she is a spoiled, heartbroken harpy, I am obliged to protect her to some extent!"
"Huh… are you a family man deep down inside?" Ren clicked her tongue.
"Maybe." came the only response while shrugging.
"Good job, everyone!" Ren shrugged before she turned around, smiling. Then she walked before Balbeer, patting his shoulders and encouraging the young boy, "Keep it up! Don't worry. There will be a time when you won't be overpowered!"
"T-thank you, Your Highness!" He bowed at her gratefully.
As Rabout and Ren walked back inside the courtyard, she curiously looked up at him and asked what was on her mind.
"What did you mean by heartbroken?"
"When younger, Keina was promised to Rudrick as a bride. She should have been Queen," he explained after collecting his thoughts as they walked through the gates. The silver moonlight shone through the petals of the cherry trees surrounding the footpath towards the Spire. "It was even before Rudrick became King."
"Knowing what I know about him, I think she just dodged a bullet!" Ren smiled, crossing her hands behind her head, looking up at the night sky, and walking next to him leisurely.
"Not really. Rudrick would have less control over her just because of her background. Both of us know that was not something he would have endured."
"Oh, that is for sure! So, he canceled the marriage?"
"Not just that." Rabout sighed with a weird smile. "He chased out his own father, claiming the throne for himself. Of course, the 'chasing out' was not that simple. Yes, he defeated his father, but to prevent the whole branch from falling into chaos, they changed places. Rudrick became King of the Naulin Kingdom, and behind the curtains, his father led the Spire and brought the Enjins and Ironclaws under one roof. He was one of the bigger players in the whole plan that aimed to overthrow Zelig."
"Well, shit… You really do know a lot!" Ren whistled as she was unaware of it.
"Of course! I lived long enough, and recording history is a family hobby for me! Anyway, after becoming King, Rudrick immediately canceled the marriage. He was saying it was his father's will only and not his. That way, he could take on any wife he desired and subdue them the way he liked! Keina did not take it very well…."
"She should have! Marrying a psycho is not a good prospect!" Ren twitched her mouth.
"She is a bit… weird. Plus, she was raised to be Queen one day! Since then, she has completely turned around and waved her 'girls only' flag into everyones' faces. She even gathered a big following of women who are fed up being treated as inferiors!"
"That… I can understand." she sighed, shaking her head and thinking a little.
"That is why I am not too harsh on her and her followers. They are just… too fired up! They have too much rage inside and must let it out a little!" Rabout chuckled.
"You speak about them like a grandpa about his misbehaving grandchildren!" Ren teased him.
"I do; Keina is not even half my age." he nodded with a smile. "So please, don't make it too hard for her!"
"Haaahh… I won't if she does not cross some lines! But if she does…! I'll spank her!"
"Ahahaha! Good, good! That may be what she needs! I won't interfere in that!" He laughed heartily, but then his voice became more serious.
"But watch out for the other two Spires…."
"Hm? Why? Are they more dangerous?" she asked with a clearly unbothered look on her face.
"One of them is a purist. If you think Rudrick was obsessed with bloodline, you did not see anything yet! The Spire of Corvux not just breeds their own people, but they eliminate the 'defectives' and dominate the minds of those family members who are not pure. Just to make them into slaves."
"Well… their weird hobby, at least it stays within the family!" she spread her arms, almost making Rabout trip on the steps leading up to the Spire.
"Hah! Okay, okay, okay, it's a seven out of ten!" He chuckled, making Ren freeze in place, watching him with quickly expanding pupils. "Hm? What?" Rabout looked at her, not understanding the sudden surprise.
"N-nothing… it's just… I usually rate bad jokes the same way…."
"Of course you do; you are a Naulin!" He grinned, slapping her back.
“Hahh… o-okay, khm, so? One Spire takes familial love onto a new level… and acts snobbish if I got it correctly? The other?"
"Not just snobbish! They look at everybody else as lesser life forms! The other is the Spire of Malevick. They are pure warriors. They are descendants of the forces that Zelig used to battle against Aerthus's Empire. Since the peaceful days started, they have been preparing for when they are called upon once again. They are mindlessly loyal to Zelig himself. Honestly, they are more like death soldiers than a correct branch family. If you want my opinion, they are going to be used to mutually destroying themselves with you."
"Huh… thanks for the heads up, gramps!"
"No problem!" He patted Ren's head which was a weird yet warm feeling for her. "You are a bright girl of our bloodline! Rudrick was onto something to send off your mother! Imagine if you inherit Aerthus's affinity and ours at the same time! Damn, maybe even the Corvux branch would have been tempted to try roping you in!" He laughed jokingly.
"Ugh… not good!" she shook her head, still letting Rabout pat the top of it. "Then I would be like them and have had to marry my own brother!"
"Hmmm… I keep hearing about your husband repeatedly, enlighten me, please!"
"It's… a long story…" she said, turning towards him at the top of the stairs with a soft but sad smile. "Let's go in. I'll brew some coffee and tell you everything… It is a long story!"
"Sure! I've got time!" Rabout nodded, following her inside, spending the remainder of the night with her, listening to Ren's tale until the point she arrived at Rozex.
Corty
Here is a little behind-the-scenes info for those who are interested:
When I planned out this story, I mean everything, my first draft was the following:
Ren gets promised to Leinor. The story plays out the same until they almost marry. Astair and the rest would have made a more extensive attempt to stop it, and in the ensuing battle, Leinor would fall for the assassination of Nameless. It would have been ordered by Carthus in fear of his ability. This would have pushed Ren away from the Empire, to Aerthus's dismay. (He would return a bit later). Ren would 'marry' Astair, dominating his mind and controlling him as a puppet from the shadows but acting like a subdued wife in public. She would start building up her own force in the shadows. She would have taken over the Spire and even dominate Rudrick in the end. (No Zelig is present in this timeline). After taking control of the Kingdom of Ten, she would have led them against the returned Aerthus and the Empire, determined to eradicate Carthus and everyone involved in Leinor's death.Then I discarded this scenario as it was too dark and too edgy for my taste. But... well, some of the characters for the Naulin arc remained, so here we are~ I did not want to waste them.
"Stop!" Balbeer said, standing at the front gate. Even though he was not tasked with any kind of guard duty. As the appointed Guard Captain, he was responsible for organizing the newly hired guards. He felt compelled to accompany and watch over them for the time being. He was the first to step forward while the two guardsmen quickly followed him, wearing the Spire's previously famous, amethyst-colored armor set. He quickly realized trouble was incoming, seeing half a dozen women clad in bone-white armor approaching them aggressively. Seeing the young man with the two guards stepping forward, one of the valkyries flinched, but Nuray quickly spoke up.
"Don't be afraid. They are not the same as before; those are just empty shells! With Rudrick's death, all his elite guards followed him to the grave!" she walked forward, picking up speed in her approach.
"We are not taking visitors. Please stop!" Balbeer raised his voice, signaling with his hand that the other guards on the wall should ready their crossbows, not taking the situation lightly.
"Better if you stop, boy!" Nuray shouted back, stopping a few meters before him with her squad standing in a V shape with her at the helm. All of them wore a winged, sharply crafted helm with a long, red ponytail on top of it. Their armor looked speckless, almost perfectly polished, reflecting the well-lit image of the evening street. They looked like angelic warriors, ready for battle at any time.
"You should stop!" Balbeer replied. He was clearly afraid, trembling, yet his voice did not falter. He straightened his body and stood firmly before the group, even though he was shorter than any of the women present.
"I applaud your backbone, kid!" Nuray said as she took off her helmet, holding it under her arm. "But you're not even enough to stand against my breath!" she looked into his eyes, assaulting him with her aura.
Before his knees could crack and Nuray could force him to kneel, Sentios appeared, placing his hand on his shoulder, nullifying Nuray's "attack." The pressure was immense, and it came like a lightning bolt from the clear sky for Balbeer. He had no actual cultivation to speak of, as they only started learning it truly, under Ren's instructions. If not for Sentios, he could have been crippled easily.
"I hope you have a good excuse to attack someone from the main family line of the Spire of Ren," he spoke out, stepping in front of the others as he noticed them coming a long ago. Even the freshly hired guards were afraid now. None of them were even close to the Harmony Realm and were only toys in front of a group like Nuray's. If nobody had stepped up, they might have fled their positions and lost a significant amount of reputation for Ren.
"A family line has fallen so far that even bastards can be written into the registry?" she tilted her head, tucking her silvery hair behind her ears. Some of the others behind her chuckled provocatively, watching them, seeing nobody 'pure' amongst their ranks.
"Outward appearance is not what defines people," Sentios replied, crossing his arms, and even as he looked patient, his eyes told a different story.
"I know you." Nuray looked him over, "You are that defeated prince from the Empire, no? The previous playtoy and lapdog of Rudrick?"
"Yes." Sentios acknowledged, without any shame, "I was a slave of his."
"Befitting role for one who betrays his own family." Nuray laughed with contempt oozing from her words.
"I agree." Sentios nodded once again.
"Oh… so you are so used to a collar that you are happy serving your new owner? How quirky, isn't it, sisters? Isn't this what our Liege told us? That man should be kept on a short leash as they can't control their urges? It seems she was right once again!" Nuray laughed, prompting the others to follow suit. Balbeer wanted to say something, but Sentios just stopped him with a hand, pushing him backward.
"My question remains the same, woman," he said, cutting into their laughter with a calm voice. "What is your excuse to attack someone from the main family branch?"
"Even if he is one of those, I stand above him," she replied as the smile slowly disappeared from her face. "I am a direct underling under Her Highness Keina. Going only by that puts me in a higher position than any of you."
"Oh? That is good!" Sentios clapped. "Because I am the personal butler of our Lady! Then that puts me above any of the little scrubs behind you!" he smiled as his aura swarmed out, turning the six's eyes more severe than before.
"You need five more of you; you do realize it, no?" Nuray asked as she squeezed the edge of her helmet.
"Why? Are you afraid of the first man you come across? Are all of you only confident in beating me if you all come at me at once?" Sentios tilted his head, enraging them even further.
"I'm starting to get a feel of what kind of master you may have, refusing the invitation to our Lord's banquet!"
"Invitation? It felt like an order!" he shook his head. "We threw it out!"
"You…" Her face turned a shade darker. "It is not wise to slap away a hand stretched out in kindness!"
"Thank you, but we are able to stand on our own. No need for a helping hand!" Sentios argued.
"Are you now? Let me see it then!" she put on her helmet, and with a loud clang, a very long, slightly curved blade sprang out, vibrating in golden light from under her armored right hand. "Stay out of it!" she shouted as she launched forward, leaving afterimages behind. But Sentios was already ready.
A white-golden energy aura surrounded him as he summoned a colossal tower shield before him, holding another long energy lance in his other hand. When Nuray's blade landed on the shield, the aura surrounding Sentios lit up, blocking her weapon before making actual contact with it. Sentios could push her back, making her take a few steps before slashing out again, quickly and aggressively. She felt like hacking against a brick wall as he hid behind his brightly pulsating, golden shield, taking on the relentless assault, not backing down even a step. When her rhythm finally slowed down, showing an opportunity for Sentios to counterattack, he stabbed out with his lance from behind his shield. He was aiming straight at her chest.
"Too slow!" She evaded it quickly, but golden projectiles shot out from the energy body of the lance. They aimed at her back, forcing her to dodge, again and again, dancing around them until they finally dissipated. It was clear from the short exchange that if they continued like this, there wouldn't be a winner decided until all of them put everything in, further escalating the situation.
She was already raising her left arm to command the rest of her sisters to jump in so they would subdue Sentios. Before she could shout out the order, an ear-piercing thunder reverberated around the city. Nuray felt her raised hand's wrist being grabbed, and she could not move it even a little.
"I read a saying, going through the books that my late great-grandfather left behind… How did it go?" Ren caressed Nuray's ear with her gentle voice through the helmet she wore. "A dog in a kennel barks at his fleas… a hunting dog does not feel them," she whispered as her grip grew stronger. Nuray bit into her lip under the helmet, forcing back her voice that wanted to escape from her throat after feeling her bones already cracking. "Question is, which kind of dog are you?" Ren clamped down completely, and everyone could hear she just broke her wrist. The armor she had on crumbled and fell to the ground like dried leaves, revealing her white, trembling fingers. All the blood was pushed out from her hand, rupturing her skin and letting it flow like a red river.
"...!" Nuray breathed heavily but let out no scream, trying to move and fight back, but she was held in place by a way, way stronger force.
"Mmm… not a hunting dog yet… maybe a well-behaved lapdog?" Ren murmured, letting her hand go, flashing once again, standing before Sentios. He had already dispelled his weapons, bowing towards her. "I'll take it over from here," Ren said, and Sentios just nodded, standing behind her with a calm expression. As she looked at the warriors, the Valkyrie group drew their weapons, stepping forward and surrounding their leader.
"I advise you to rethink it." Rabout's voice came as he walked out with a calm look, hands held behind his back. Seeing a second Spire Lord appear was like drenching them with cold water. Especially as he stood next to Ren. "Are you really ready for the consequences of drawing your weapons against a Spire Lord?" He asked them with a friendly smile as their hands visibly trembled, slowly lowering their swords. Even if they did not want to, they had to come to terms with Ren being the leader of one of the five spires inside Rozex. No matter if she had just arrived, their previous transgression alone could warrant their heads, and not even Keina could argue against that.
"We are leaving," Nuray said, bowing towards Rabout as everyone knew who was the second oldest from the Naulin bloodline, even if she never saw the old man personally.
"I think that is for the best." Rabout nodded, effectively dismissing them.
"Eh, but I wanted to invite them in…" Ren sighed, pouting a little but could not draw out any reaction from them. They left just as quickly as they arrived. "Well, whatever! Should I thank you now?" She looked up at Rabout with a questioning and unhappy look.
"No. They are the ones who should thank me! I just saved their lives!" He rolled his eyes in a similar way Ren usually did. "Whatever happens, Keina is still the descendant of one of my dear cousins. Even if she is a spoiled, heartbroken harpy, I am obliged to protect her to some extent!"
"Huh… are you a family man deep down inside?" Ren clicked her tongue.
"Maybe." came the only response while shrugging.
"Good job, everyone!" Ren shrugged before she turned around, smiling. Then she walked before Balbeer, patting his shoulders and encouraging the young boy, "Keep it up! Don't worry. There will be a time when you won't be overpowered!"
"T-thank you, Your Highness!" He bowed at her gratefully.
As Rabout and Ren walked back inside the courtyard, she curiously looked up at him and asked what was on her mind.
"What did you mean by heartbroken?"
"When younger, Keina was promised to Rudrick as a bride. She should have been Queen," he explained after collecting his thoughts as they walked through the gates. The silver moonlight shone through the petals of the cherry trees surrounding the footpath towards the Spire. "It was even before Rudrick became King."
"Knowing what I know about him, I think she just dodged a bullet!" Ren smiled, crossing her hands behind her head, looking up at the night sky, and walking next to him leisurely.
"Not really. Rudrick would have less control over her just because of her background. Both of us know that was not something he would have endured."
"Oh, that is for sure! So, he canceled the marriage?"
"Not just that." Rabout sighed with a weird smile. "He chased out his own father, claiming the throne for himself. Of course, the 'chasing out' was not that simple. Yes, he defeated his father, but to prevent the whole branch from falling into chaos, they changed places. Rudrick became King of the Naulin Kingdom, and behind the curtains, his father led the Spire and brought the Enjins and Ironclaws under one roof. He was one of the bigger players in the whole plan that aimed to overthrow Zelig."
"Well, shit… You really do know a lot!" Ren whistled as she was unaware of it.
"Of course! I lived long enough, and recording history is a family hobby for me! Anyway, after becoming King, Rudrick immediately canceled the marriage. He was saying it was his father's will only and not his. That way, he could take on any wife he desired and subdue them the way he liked! Keina did not take it very well…."
"She should have! Marrying a psycho is not a good prospect!" Ren twitched her mouth.
"She is a bit… weird. Plus, she was raised to be Queen one day! Since then, she has completely turned around and waved her 'girls only' flag into everyones' faces. She even gathered a big following of women who are fed up being treated as inferiors!"
"That… I can understand." she sighed, shaking her head and thinking a little.
"That is why I am not too harsh on her and her followers. They are just… too fired up! They have too much rage inside and must let it out a little!" Rabout chuckled.
"You speak about them like a grandpa about his misbehaving grandchildren!" Ren teased him.
"I do; Keina is not even half my age." he nodded with a smile. "So please, don't make it too hard for her!"
"Haaahh… I won't if she does not cross some lines! But if she does…! I'll spank her!"
"Ahahaha! Good, good! That may be what she needs! I won't interfere in that!" He laughed heartily, but then his voice became more serious.
"But watch out for the other two Spires…."
"Hm? Why? Are they more dangerous?" she asked with a clearly unbothered look on her face.
"One of them is a purist. If you think Rudrick was obsessed with bloodline, you did not see anything yet! The Spire of Corvux not just breeds their own people, but they eliminate the 'defectives' and dominate the minds of those family members who are not pure. Just to make them into slaves."
"Well… their weird hobby, at least it stays within the family!" she spread her arms, almost making Rabout trip on the steps leading up to the Spire.
"Hah! Okay, okay, okay, it's a seven out of ten!" He chuckled, making Ren freeze in place, watching him with quickly expanding pupils. "Hm? What?" Rabout looked at her, not understanding the sudden surprise.
"N-nothing… it's just… I usually rate bad jokes the same way…."
"Of course you do; you are a Naulin!" He grinned, slapping her back.
“Hahh… o-okay, khm, so? One Spire takes familial love onto a new level… and acts snobbish if I got it correctly? The other?"
"Not just snobbish! They look at everybody else as lesser life forms! The other is the Spire of Malevick. They are pure warriors. They are descendants of the forces that Zelig used to battle against Aerthus's Empire. Since the peaceful days started, they have been preparing for when they are called upon once again. They are mindlessly loyal to Zelig himself. Honestly, they are more like death soldiers than a correct branch family. If you want my opinion, they are going to be used to mutually destroying themselves with you."
"Huh… thanks for the heads up, gramps!"
"No problem!" He patted Ren's head which was a weird yet warm feeling for her. "You are a bright girl of our bloodline! Rudrick was onto something to send off your mother! Imagine if you inherit Aerthus's affinity and ours at the same time! Damn, maybe even the Corvux branch would have been tempted to try roping you in!" He laughed jokingly.
"Ugh… not good!" she shook her head, still letting Rabout pat the top of it. "Then I would be like them and have had to marry my own brother!"
"Hmmm… I keep hearing about your husband repeatedly, enlighten me, please!"
"It's… a long story…" she said, turning towards him at the top of the stairs with a soft but sad smile. "Let's go in. I'll brew some coffee and tell you everything… It is a long story!"
"Sure! I've got time!" Rabout nodded, following her inside, spending the remainder of the night with her, listening to Ren's tale until the point she arrived at Rozex.
Corty
Here is a little behind-the-scenes info for those who are interested:
When I planned out this story, I mean everything, my first draft was the following:
Ren gets promised to Leinor. The story plays out the same until they almost marry. Astair and the rest would have made a more extensive attempt to stop it, and in the ensuing battle, Leinor would fall for the assassination of Nameless. It would have been ordered by Carthus in fear of his ability. This would have pushed Ren away from the Empire, to Aerthus's dismay. (He would return a bit later). Ren would 'marry' Astair, dominating his mind and controlling him as a puppet from the shadows but acting like a subdued wife in public. She would start building up her own force in the shadows. She would have taken over the Spire and even dominate Rudrick in the end. (No Zelig is present in this timeline). After taking control of the Kingdom of Ten, she would have led them against the returned Aerthus and the Empire, determined to eradicate Carthus and everyone involved in Leinor's death.Then I discarded this scenario as it was too dark and too edgy for my taste. But... well, some of the characters for the Naulin arc remained, so here we are~ I did not want to waste them.
