CHAPTER 42: ADVENTURE 3

Scarlett made short work of the rest of the dungeon.

Not that Aegis minded. All she cared about was getting her items and her experience. And, she absolutely got both.

Power: 16

Inventory (In Storage):

- Prison Spider Venom x8

- Iron Sword x6

- Iron Breastplate x6

- Staff of Flames

- Aether Core x20

- Empowered Aether Core

The "Staff of Flames" and the "Empowered Aether Core" both came from the same enemy, the boss of the dungeon located in the last room. It was a wizard skeleton, wielding a staff that worked like a flamethrower.

And Scarlett had killed it in one hit, just like she did every other piece of fodder they encountered.

"Man, that was fun!" Scarlett said as they came out. "Though, there was nothing really challenging in there. Damn shame about that."

"There wasn’t supposed to be," Aegis told her. "I wouldn’t drag you with me to a bunch of fighting with high-level monsters."

"I’d appreciate it if you did, Country Mouse."

Aegis rolled her eyes.

"I’ll take that into consideration next time."

"Next time?" Scarlett stood in front of Aegis. "You, uh, wanna do this again?"

"Of course. I mean, unless you don’t want to."

"No, no, I do, I just..." An odd look appeared on Scarlett’s face, but it disappeared just as quickly. "I was just wondering."

Aegis raised a brow.

"Okay."

"... Okay."

"Great."

Scarlett smiled.

"Great."

"Stop that!"

"Stop-" Scarlett cackled as Aegis pushed her away.

---

{Talia}

Talia Stone stared at her reflection while the maid tightened her corset.

[Another marriage prospect. Another waste of time.]

"Your Grace, Lord Ashford has arrived." The maid’s voice barely registered in her mind.

"Of course he has." Talia smoothed her black hair. Yellow eyes glared back from the mirror. "The Ashfords are always punctual when they smell opportunity."

Her mother swept into the room without knocking.

As usual, Duchess Evangeline Stone embodied everything a noble matriarch should be. Cold, calculating, and utterly devoted to House Stone’s advancement.

[Sometimes I wonder if there might be something wrong with me,] Talia thought, sighing. [I just can’t focus these days.]

"Talia. Lord Ashford brings considerable military connections." Her mother adjusted Talia’s necklace with clinical precision. "His family controls three border fortresses."

"Fascinating."

"That tone won’t secure alliances."

"Neither will pretending to care about his fortress collection."

Evangeline’s lips thinned.

"You will be charming. You will be interested. You will not mention magic theory, combat training, or that insufferable commoner."

Talia’s jaw clenched at the last part.

"I haven’t mentioned—"

"You’ve been distracted since the gala." Her mother’s eyes narrowed. "Whatever happened that night, forget it. Focus on what matters."

[What matters. Right.]

They walked through Rosevale’s marble corridors toward the drawing room. Morning light streamed through tall windows, illuminating portraits of past headmasters.

Then she saw her.

Aegis Starcaller leaned against a pillar, chatting with that muscular redhead. Today’s uniform hung loosely on her frame, top buttons undone in that deliberately casual way.

And something about that fact made Talia’s blood boil.

[I hate her so much.]

Their eyes met.

Aegis winked.

Just winked.

That’s all, just... winked.

"Keep walking." Evangeline’s grip on her arm tightened.

As she walked, Talia couldn’t stop her mind from slipping back to the night of the gala.

The assassin’s blade. Aegis appearing from nowhere, those ridiculously flashy daggers gleaming in the night. The way she’d grabbed Talia’s hand and pulled her to safety.

[She just happened to be there? Pure coincidence?]

She had a hard time believing that.

"Talia." Her mother’s voice cut through her thoughts. "We’re here."

The drawing room door loomed before them.

Lord Ashford looked exactly how Talia expected. Handsome... in that painfully generic noble way, with perfectly styled brown hair and the kind of smile that had been practiced a million times in mirrors.

"Princess Talia." He bowed with textbook precision. "You’re even lovelier than the portraits suggest."

[Original.]

"Lord Ashford." Talia curtsied, muscle memory taking over. "How kind of you to visit."

They sat across from each other while her mother supervised like a hawk. The tea service arrived, delicate porcelain that probably cost more than most commoners saw in a year.

"I understand you’re top of your class in Magical Theory."

"Second." Talia had to actively work to keep her bitterness off her tongue. "A scholarship student currently holds first place."

"Ah." He clearly hadn’t expected that. "Well, practical application matters more than test scores."

"Does it?" Talia sipped her tea. "I hear you’re quite accomplished in combat, right?"

"I... focus more on military strategy."

"From behind fortress walls?"

Evangeline’s teacup clinked against its saucer.

A warning, of course. She could basically hear her mom going: "please, stop being such an incredible cunt".

"Fortifications are crucial to Valdria’s defense." Ashford straightened. "My family has protected the eastern border for generations."

"How noble." Talia set down her cup. "Tell me, have you ever actually fought? Or do you simply inherit defensive positions?"

"Talia." Her mother’s voice could have frozen fire.

But Ashford surprised her by laughing.

"Direct. I appreciate that." He leaned forward slightly. "Yes, I’ve fought. Killed my first monster at fourteen. Led a squadron against raiders at seventeen. The scars aren’t visible in formal wear, but they’re there."

"What kind of monster?"

"Dire wolf. It had been killing livestock near our holdings." His eyes gained a distant quality. "Took three arrows and a sword through the skull to bring down."

"Impressive."

"Not really." He shrugged. "Real combat isn’t like academy duels. It’s messy. Terrifying. Nothing like the stories."

"Most nobles pretend otherwise."

"Most nobles haven’t watched a friend bleed out in their arms." Ashford sighed. "But that’s not appropriate tea conversation."

"Perhaps we could discuss the upcoming Harvest Festival?" Evangeline interjected smoothly.

The conversation shifted to safer ground. Social events, trade agreements, the weather. Talia participated on autopilot, thoughts drifting.

[At least he’s not that sheltered.]

It made it worse somehow. Lord Ashford was competent, attractive, appropriately ranked. Everything a Stone princess should want in a match.

And yet, Talia’s mind was dominated by silver hair and amethyst eyes.

[... I need to stab that woman.] Talia sighed for the hundredth time that day. [Yes. That’ll get her out of my mind.]

"The academy’s ranking test is next week, isn’t it?" Ashford asked, pulling her back to the present.

"Yes."

"You must be preparing intensely."

"Always." Talia straightened. "House Stone accepts nothing less than excellence."

"Of course." He smiled. "Though I imagine that scholarship student provides interesting competition."

Her teacup paused halfway to her lips.

"What?"

"The one you mentioned. First place?" His tone remained casual. Of course, he was blissfully unaware of Talia’s murderous thoughts. "Word travels. A commoner outscoring Princess Talia Stone? That’s the kind of gossip that reaches even the border fortresses."

[Fantastic. My humiliation has gone national.]

"Temporary circumstances." Talia forced her voice to remain level. "The ranking test will correct things."

"I’m sure." He studied her with unexpected sharpness. "Still, she must be remarkable. Perfect scores in three categories? That’s not luck."

Talia almost burned a hole through his head with her gaze alone.

"... No. It’s not."

It was actively painful to admit that.

Aegis Starcaller was many things. Irritating, presumptuous, inappropriately flirtatious... But she wasn’t lucky.

She was dangerous.

"Well." Ashford set down his cup. "I look forward to hearing about your inevitable victory."

The rest of the meeting passed in a blur of pleasantries. When Ashford finally departed, with promises to write and hopes for future meetings, Talia felt drained.

"That went well." Evangeline’s satisfaction radiated like heat. "He’s interested."

"Wonderful."

"You could at least pretend to care about your future."

"I do care." Talia stood, suddenly desperate to leave. "Just not about his."

"Talia—"

"I have class."

She left before her mother could respond, heels clicking against marble with each furious step.

[Marriage prospects. Political alliances. Everything planned, everything controlled.]

Except for one variable.

[I swear, one of these days I’m going to disintegrate that little pest.]