Chapter 92: From Mirrors to Mythril

    The gentle glow of the morning sun filtered through the tall, arched windows of Empress Illena''s chambers.

    The light landed on the beautiful patterns of the embroidered curtains and the soft sheen of the marbled floor.

    Illena stood before a gilded mirror, her hands loosely clasped behind her as two elven maids adjusted the fabric of her dress, ensuring every fold and detail was immaculate.

    Her reflection beamed back at her with a playful smile, and she couldn''t help but twirl a lock of her silver and green hair between her fingers.

    "Careful, Your Majesty," came the voice of her head maid, Selvia, standing behind her with a comb in hand.

    Selvia''s golden brown hair was tied back neatly, and her sharp green eyes watched Illena with a warm smile.

    "If you keep fiddling with your hair, I''ll have to start all over again."

    Illena pouted, her lips forming an exaggerated frown.

    "Oh, Selvia, must you always ruin my fun? It''s just hair! It likes to be played with, don''t you think?"

    She let out a playful hum, turning her head slightly, though she remained obedient as Selvia began combing her hair.

    Selvia''s brow arched slightly.

    "I hardly think your hair has preferences, Your Majesty. Though I must admit, it is as lively as its owner."

    "Now hold still, or it''ll tangle."

    Illena giggled, as she leaned back slightly, her gaze drifting to Selvia''s reflection in the mirror.

    "Tell me, Selvia, how do you think things are progressing with me and the emperor?"

    The question caught Selvia slightly off guard, and her hands paused momentarily before resuming combing her hair.

    "With His Majesty?" Selvia said calmly, but she was curious.

    "I imagine you''re doing well, Your Majesty. You''ve spent more time together these past weeks. Or are you not pleased?"

    Illena tilted her head, her smile growing mischievous. "Oh, I''m pleased. But I want to be closer to him."

    Selvia blinked, her hands stilling again. She met eyes with Illena in the mirror, her expression a touch of confusion and curiosity.

    "Closer? What do you mean, Your Majesty?"

    Illena turned slightly. "Oh, Selvia," she said, teasing.

    "Do you truly not understand?" She leaned in conspiratorially, lowering her voice just enough to add a touch of drama.

    "I mean the kind of romantic closeness that leads to... well, love making."

    Selvia''s face immediately flushed, her fair complexion turning a soft shade of pink. She took a sharp step back, clutching the comb as though it were a shield.

    "Your Majesty!"

    "That is no way for an empress to speak!"

    Illena burst into laughter, her eyes crinkling with delight. She waved a hand dismissively, her joy infectious despite Selvia''s scandalized expression.

    "Come now, Selvia! I''m simply a maiden in love. Is it so much to admit that I wish to be pleased by the presence of my Emperor?"

    ....

    ....

    The sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the rugged terrain of the Whispering Vale, a desolate expanse of rocky outcroppings and sparse vegetation.

    Captain Utilia and her squad of Berserk Knights had been traveling with a group of dwarven miners since yesterday, their mission to escort the miners to the Ironspine Mountains to extract mythril—a rare and valuable resource for the empire''s train engin.

    The Ironspine Mountains were still two days away, given their current pace using carriages and horses.

    They had set up camp for the night in the Whispering Vale and now pressed forward.

    One of the Berserk Knights, a bulky man named Daric, held the reins to the carriage carrying the miners and supplies.

    His blue eyes looked around the horizon for any sign of danger, though the quiet journey so far had lulled him into a sense of cautious boredom.

    Captain Utilia rode slightly ahead of the group, her sharp gaze never missing anything.

    The captain was known for her unmatched discipline and keen senses, making her the ideal leader for missions like this.

    Her, braided hair swung behind her as her steed trotted steadily forward.

    Meanwhile, the dwarves riding in the carriage were hunched over a large, tattered map spread across their laps.

    They were debating where best to mine, their gruff voices overlapping as they argued.

    The map was marked with red and blue crosses, indicating previous mining sites.

    "I''m tellin'' ye, we''ve exhausted this site before," one dwarf, with a thick beard streaked with gray, said as he jabbed a finger at a mark on the map. "Ain''t no point in diggin'' there again."

    Another dwarf, younger and fiery-eyed dwarf, Gram, yelled back.

    "And I''m tellin'' ye that we might''ve missed somethin''! Mythril veins don''t always run straight—sometimes they branch out! We could''ve overlooked a fortune."

    "Bah," grumbled a third, Thoran, waving a hand dismissively. "We''d be better off scouting for a new site. Risky, aye, but the rewards could be greater."

    "Enough bickerin''," the eldest dwarf, Dorin, interjected. "The Emperor gave us this here magic trinket to locate mythril. If it works, we won''t need to rely on guesswork."

    Gram crossed his arms. "With all due respect, I doubt it''ll be that simple. If tools like this existed, we''d have stopped usin'' maps centuries ago."

    As the dwarves continued their heated discussion, Daric, the knight holding the reins, called out to Captain Utilia.

    "Captain, do you sense anything out there? Feels too quiet for my liking."

    Utilia reined in her horse slightly, closing her eyes and focusing her senses.

    Her breathing slowed as she reached out with her heightened awareness, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of movement or blood lust.

    For a moment, the group fell silent, their eyes on her as they waited for a response.

    Finally, she opened her eyes and shook her head. "Nothing."

    Daric let out a sigh, slumping slightly in his saddle. "Guess it''s going to be another dull day."

    Without turning, Utilia replied with a firm but cold tone. "You would do well not to wish for excitement, Daric. A smooth mission is a successful one. The Emperor''s orders are absolute, and our role is to see them carried out without delay. Anything else is irrelevant."

    Daric straightened at her words, nodding quickly. "Of course, Captain. You''re right."