[Dieren] "..." There was no way Liene had seen it wrong. Liene saw Dieren's pupils tremble nervously. The same went for his servant. [Liene] "What were you trying to do to me, Prince Dieren?" [Dieren] "Th-That... No... Accusing someone without evidence... This is a diplomatic mistake, Princess." [Liene] "I can't believe it. You planned something like this when Lord Tiwakan left the castle." [Dieren] "Th-That... No... There's no evidence..." The evidence was clear. Dieren's pa

[Priests] "The Cardinal has been in this state for several days now." The priests were polite. However, Black couldn't shake the feeling that they were too polite. For twenty years, the Temple had been in league with the Six Families. While those who entered the priesthood were supposed to cast aside their family names, most high-ranking priests were either from the Six Families or closely connected to them. Unless Manau had recently purged the Temple, there was a clear rea

[Randall] "It’s not that I’m unhappy about Sir Weroz’s return." Randall spoke firmly. [Randall] "I expected some friction with the guards for a while. Personally, I prefer having Sir Weroz around. I don't know what the Captain eats to be such a stiff-necked old man at his age... actually, please forget I said that.” [Randall] "Regardless, while there is no physical evidence, I have a bad feeling. Not about the guards, but about the men who brought Sir Weroz back." Liene under

—The King stole the power of the gods. The thought was a jagged stone in her mind. Was such a thing even possible? How could a mortal man reach out and siphoned the very essence of the earth’s waters? Lost in the labyrinth of her own theories, she didn't realize she was gripping her hair in frustration until a rough, calloused finger brushed against the space between her eyebrows. She flinched, her eyes snapping open. [Liene] “What…?” [Klima] “Ah! I—I—no! I mean—my hand!”

[Fermos] "He’s a complete lunatic. Pure malice. To prey on a child’s innocence like that... it’s more than just a scam. It’s high treason." His voice rose, a rare show of agitation from the usually composed man. [Fermos] "It seems that entire bloodline is rotten to the core." Liene wore a bitter expression, her gaze dropping to her lap. [Liene] "I can’t exactly argue with that." The list of Kleinfelters' sins was endless. They had built their throne on a mountain of corruptio

[Liene] “How... how could someone do such a thing?” Madam Flambard listened to the full account of what had happened to Madam Henton, her face turning even paler than the victim’s. Her hands shook as she reached out to stroke the back of Henton’s hand. [Black] “It was him.” The realization hung heavy in the room. After Lyndon and Laffit Kleinfelter had been exiled, the one pulling the strings of House Kleinfelter from the shadows was none other than the resurrected former Pat

[Liene] "That makes no sense. Why would she go to such a dangerous place? There are plenty of people there who still bear a grudge against her." The news was baffling. Liene couldn't wrap her head around it. [Black] "It’s only a hunch, but I can’t think of anywhere else she’d go. If she really is at the Kleinfelter estate, we don’t need to worry too much. Fermos is already there." [Liene] "She worked there for so long... maybe she left something behind." [Black] "Perhaps." [L

[Fermos] “About the Kleinfelter estate—now that the wedding is safely behind us, I think it’s time we cleared it out entirely. We’ve seized the visible assets, but a family like that is bound to have a secret vault or two tucked away in the floorboards.” Fermos hadn’t come to their chamber at this hour just to make idle conversation. He had a specific concern. [Black] “If you’re bringing this up now, I assume you have a reason to suspect something is hidden there.”

[Liene] "Wow..." While she had been lost in sleep, the world had shifted. [Liene] "When did all of this happen?" The bathhouse had been completely transformed. What was once a cavernous, utilitarian room with nothing but a basin and a drain was now anchored by a gleaming marble tub. A massive mirror hung on the wall, and a broad stone vanity held neatly arranged washbowls. Most impressive was the new furnace. It looked like a foreign contraption designed to heat the water di

[Liene] "But I... I haven't... washed up yet." Her words came in fits and starts, interrupted by the nervous lump in her throat she kept trying to swallow. Behind her, his fingers were steady as he worked, undoing the intricate pearl fastenings of her gown one by one. [Black] "It’s fine. You’ll only end up having to wash again later anyway." [Liene] "Still, I mean... I’ve been outside all day." [Black] "The skirts are so thick, I doubt a single speck of dust managed to find

One thing was clear, even if the rest was a blur of shadows. The Princess Consort of Sharka loathed the very idea of the Tiwakan Commander taking a wife. Laffit surged to his feet, his chair scraping harshly against the floor. [Laffit] "When? Now?" His uncle stared at him, clicking his tongue in disbelief. [Uncle] "Whoa, take a breath. She said the sooner the better, but look at you. You can’t go before the Princess Consort looking like a gutter rat, can you?" [Laffit] "...Da

[Dieren] "That arrogant son of a bitch." Slam! Dieren snarled the words as he thrust his wine glass onto the table with enough force to nearly shatter the stem. [Servant] "Your Highness... please. Someone might overhear." [Dieren] "Let them! Do you honestly think that man expects anything but curses from my mouth after a stunt like that? He knew exactly what he was doing. He planned this insult down to the last crumb." [Servant] "It was... excessive. Should I perhaps send wor