Chapter 103

Beyond the potential for dispute between the families, Ilyn knew, this intrusion could mean a bloodbath within Delrose. A girl with a flower had slipped past the guards and had come right into the presence of the mistress of Biflten unimpeded. The notion made a mockery of the Delrose knights’ vaunted defense. If Aden learned of this, it would not go well for the knights that had been left behind in the house.

“I came in with that,” the girl said, gesturing to the flower Ilyn had just been holding.

“This?” Ilyn replied, canting her eyes toward it.

“Yes.”

Setoze, the Divine Object of the Mille. Ilyn studied the delicate bloom that seemed impossible in the harshness of the winter. But then, Elo’s Divine Object cast a Wall of Light that held out aggression. Delrose’s Divine Object could start a fire that would never die. Was an invulnerable bloom so impossible, after all?

“What ability does it have?” she asked, looking back at the girl.

Rippo and Etra both looked at her in response. Their expression made her reconsider her question, but she needed to know.

“If it’s rude to ask, it’s even more rude for you to let yourself in here,” she said, staring pointedly at Rippo. “Or should we speak only to your intrusion?”

“Setoze has the ability to erase the sounds of one’s presence,” Rippo said quietly.

“Oh?” said Ilyn, her eyes darting instinctively back to it.

“Holding that flower, you can slip past anyone,” Rippo continued. Her voice swelled just a little at this, a hint of a boastful tone.

“Even monsters?” asked Etra. Her mistress had set a polite tone, but Etra’s words still came out sounding like an interrogation. Rippo nodded in response, a touch of fear in her eyes.

“That’s how I was able to come in secretly,” she said.

“Through this April cold?” asked Ilyn. Even with the Blue Cloth of Nos, it was freezing. Rippo de Mille might be a child of the winter region, but even they seldom ventured out during the April winter.

“I rode the supply carriage from Mille,” Rippo explained. There was a tremor in her tone. Ilyn studied her face and saw no lie in it.

If Setoze could really do that…

She thought back to seeing her at the succession ceremony. She remembered the sound of the door opening. Heard the girl’s footsteps, the swish and movement of her dress. But of course she had heard them – not hearing someone right in front of you would be memorable, and Rippo hadn’t wanted to be memorable, so she hadn’t used its power then.

“It’s the flower that never falls.”

That phrase had been stuck in Ilyn’s mind. She remembered how the girl had blushed as she left after saying it. So very different from how the Lady of Elo had carried herself, so thoroughly, confidently stepping through the dance of custom.

“There are Mille people in the mansion,” intoned Etra, “they do send supply carriages periodically.”

“Etra.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Etra’s tone was more formal than usual – it wasn’t just the usual Delrose people of the 7th floor here now. There was a different tone shared between those who knew the secret of Delrose. But she flashed a brief smile to her mistress, standing just so Rippo couldn’t see it.

“I would like to chat with Lady Rippo over some tea,” Ilyn said. For now, she would clearly accept Rippo as an important Mille guest of Delrose.

***

The atmosphere at Shining Elo’s stronghold was chaotic. The reinforcements from Elo’s secret stronghold left empty handed – Aden had arrived sooner than they had expected, and he and his knights had killed the few remaining Yesters.

“Aaaarggghh!!”

Aden’s Divine Power to raise the temperature was devastating to the Yesters, who had gathered to rest. Screaming, they melted into the ground like the snow around them when Aden’s power fell upon them, leaving a bare space like a new valley on the white landscape.

But with those stragglers dealt with, Aden gave up the pursuit. The tribe wanted him to follow, he knew, wanted to lure him and his knights beyond safety. Instead, he gathered up his knights and returned to Elo.

“Thank you!” cried the people as Aden and his knights returned to the stronghold.

Ilyn had said the Yesters had been numerous. Judging by the traces left on the Wall, she must have been correct. It was far too much to be left by a dozen – it had to have been hundreds.

Thank you, Master,” Elo’s knights said when Aden arrived. When Aden approached, they first met his gaze, but quickly averted their eyes. The Yesters’ attack, their rescue by Delrose, had chastised them.

“I will raise the temperature while the people recuperate,” he said sharply and started to turn away. He could sense the knights shifting nervously behind him as another approached.

“Will the order not pursue the Yesters?” the new knight asked.

Aden looked back at the knight. He was familiar – Radon, a steely man who cared for little beyond wielding the sword for Elo. Aden had met him before.