224 Intermission - Sleeper Agent

Volume 4 Extra 1 – Elizabeth

Day 7 of investigating Ruria: Nothing out of the ordinary yet. I've had to make myself used to her daily schedules. I made the mistake of not using my magic to track her, resulting in me almost getting caught on two occasions. Ruria leaves the academy grounds every day. Most days she'll just go to popular eating spots if she isn't shopping. She has lots of friends and often leaves the academy with them to go on shopping sprees. From this I can tell that she comes from a very wealthy family. I've gone around asking professors if they know Ruria's parents but all her teachers say that Ruria was admitted to the academy by a guardian, just like her brother, Cain. Her brother's background is unknown but he has a lot of accomplishments under his belt. He's also the leader of the Commoner Faction so a majority of the students from common backgrounds revere and love him. I've considered investigating him but decided not to since he's never targeted Arnold like Ruria did. It's unlikely that he's involved.

Which brings me to another conclusion: Ruria is out for a "Lover's Revenge". She could've been the jealous crush whose feelings Al didn't answer. Instead, he might've chosen another girl who was prettier and younger. I've seen many situations like this throughout the year–exes getting revenge on their former lovers for cheating on them or outsiders sabotaging relationships because of rage. My magic allows me to spy on them all (for learning modern trends and how to socialize—nothing creepy). The academy is a cesspool of "lover's revenge" situations. This is because of the high percentage of students who get lovers by the time they enroll in the academy, which leads to them losing their virginities. Some hop from one relationship to the next—Al being one of them. From what I know, there shouldn't be anyone in the academy that Al is dating. However, I did hear that he received a contract for an engagement. That could be it.

There are always girls who come to our room looking for him, which made me suspect that he was in a relationship with one of them. All of them were desperate to see him, even threatening me to reveal where he went.

Could there be another one with the same intentions as Ruria among them?

As it stands now, if I don't find out why Ruria is targeting Al then I might end up losing him. But I can't tell him about this just yet. I want to find out Ruria's motive first then deal with her. If my current methods fail then I'll have to make her my slave using dark magic and force the information out of her. If I use this method without knowing if there are others like her then they might go into hiding.

Killing her will be a last resort.

Al will be proud of me if I can deal with her before he gets back.

***

Elizabeth closed her diary—which she had been using to jot down her findings—which just amounts to her theorizing and guessing Ruria's motive. She couldn't find out anything useful so far, not even what her real surname is. Bastere is the name of the family that began ruling some land a few years ago in the Royagard Kingdom. The guardian who enrolled Ruria and Cain here must be from that household or was working for the House.

"—Here you are."

Someone approached Elizabeth—who was sitting outside the school cafeteria, under one of the gazebos, enjoying a small bucket of ice cream. The academy closed a few days ago so no one was here besides Elizabeth. This is why it's the perfect spot to meet up with her contact.

"Good day, Lady Lewan." Elizabeth stood up and curtly bowed.

Grace Lewan sat down after giving a nod.

"The bastard child of James Caervil, who he had kept away from the rest of society and locked up in a cage all her life, knows how to bow?" Elizabeth flinched, "Quite fascinating how fast you learn etiquette. Hasn't it been barely a year since you came here and were surrounded by noble children—who were taught etiquette all their lives?"

"…How do you know who I am? I never told anyone my real name…"

"I know a lot of things, sweetheart. Finding out your identity wasn't that difficult," Grace leaned forward, "Let's begin. I fear you may collapse in those clothes if you're outside from the heat for too long. Isn't it uncomfortable in there?"

"I… Well…"

"Forget it, if you're still going around dressed like this then there should be a very good reason. It's also none of my business. It's kind of rude to not show your face though," Grace then got to the point, "Why did you contact me?"

"It's related to... Al… Uhm, I'm told Miss Lewan is a close friend of his."

"We were friends but that was almost seven years ago. Things happened and we went our separate ways. Besides, I barely see him these days. If my father was not a vassal to his House then we would've never seen each other again outside the academy. The last time I spoke to him was to clear up some suspicions I had—which are still not cleared up, mind you."

"But you're still in contact with his sister, right?"

"Indeed. In fact, Anna and I often meet up. She mostly complains about having to deal with finding a husband and work. Arnold is barely a topic as of late. Maybe it's because he's changed that Anna doesn't complain about him anymore?"

"Did Al's sister mention anything about him having enemies aiming for his life?"

The question made Grace chuckle.

"What?" asked Elizabeth in confusion.

"You're asking if the guy who always goes looking for trouble has anyone aiming for his life? Your father wasn't the only one. A few wouldn't go that far but there are quite a lot of them that would. I've lost count how it's always him sleeping with some guy's lover or mother and sister or even all three then rubbing it in their faces like some trophy to humiliate them."

"…"

'Well, that doesn't sound out of the ordinary, I suppose.'

Elizabeth had heard lots of stories about Arnold's relationships with the academy students—how he always disappointed them and broke up with them after getting tired of them.

Some of his former lovers had moved on while there were others who didn't—or more like they couldn't.

"I want to know if any of them have sent assassins after him."

"No, none that I know of besides the four attempts when he was a child. Why didn't you contact Lauran instead? She should know more than me since she spent every day of her life for the last two years with him. She might've noticed something strange happening during that time. Sebastian is another option."

"...I can't ask Lauran because she's busy with a project that Lady Adrianna gave her."

'I don't really know how to approach her. The two of us don't even know each other.'

They share a type of plutonic bond—that being the sponsored students of Adrianna von Berkley.

"Ah yes, the thing with the demons. I almost forgot that that quest is coming up soon during this arc." Grace mumbled something that Elizabeth couldn't quite hear.

"I can take you to Sebastian."

"R-Really?"

"Mhm. If this concerns Arnold then we have to find the perpetrator soon. I can't let him die now that I'm aware of this."

'Does this mean she still cares about him?'

Then why show him the cold shoulder? Whatever, that wasn't important right now. The most important thing right now is to get in contact with Sebastian.

"Besides I have nothing to do at the academy now that Rachel keeps going out every day and returns only at night. Haa, I wish I made more friends. Anyway, the road is going to be dangerous so we should hire some adventurers at the guild first."

"Ah, that's not necessary. I can protect you, Lady Lewan."

"…Did your powers awaken already? Isn't that too soon…"

"Powers?"

"Nevermind. Alright, if you're confident about your strength then we can go."

"Yes, thank you for helping! Ah, by the way where is Sir Sebastian?"

"Anna informed me that she and Sebastian will be heading to Whitage City. That was a few days ago so go pack your stuff. We might run into them before they leave—"

***

A few hours later─

Grace managed to get a coachman—contracted by the academy—to become their coach for the trip. Students can hire carriages so long as they have the right amount of money, something that the Lewan Family doesn't lack at all.

This'll be Elizabeth's first time outside the capital. She spent her entire life on her family's property before she came to the academy. Remembering that little shack that could barely defend her from rain brought back a bitter feeling.

Her mother was required to work half the day so Elizabeth would always wait until she got back. Sometimes her mother would bring snacks like sweets and pastries from the family's leftovers. The two of them would sit together inside that small shack, eating pastries and drinking bland tea.

She missed those days.

***

"—I'm curious about something… How did you and Arnold end up in a room together?" asked Grace suddenly.

Elizabeth, who was quietly watching the horizon under the shade of the carriage, looked at Grace.

"…I didn't find a room in the female dorm."

"Hmm, is that so? Last I checked, there are five rooms open in the female dormitory."

"…There's no reason for me to move out if I don't need to."

"Oh? So, you're comfortable living with a guy who might take advantage of you?"

"….." Elizabeth blushed instead of answering. Of course, Grace couldn't see that.

From what Grace knows about her relationship with Arnold halfway through the story, there was nothing more she wanted than to let him have her.

Grace recalled a narration that described Elizabeth's character:

-"She embraced death just to fulfil that wish to gain his trust and show her love."

"Can I ask you a weird question? Would you be fine with it?"

Elizabeth looked at Grace.

"Uhm, what would that be?" Elizabeth timidly replied.

'I can't believe that this woman will go on to commit genocides in the pursuit of power. As she is now, anyone would think that she's incapable of hurting even a fly.'

Well, she and Arnold are very similar in nature. If it's necessary then they would commit any crime.

"If you found someone who you believe is your soulmate, would you do anything in your power to win their love?"

"Uhm, anyone would, right? But why the sudden interest…?"

"You're young so I'm certain that you want to experience what true love is, right? Especially since you're a teenage girl. But a soulmate is much more than true love. You could say it's something that holds more worth. A soulmate is believed to be a person with whom one shares a deep and unexplainable connection. It goes beyond mere attraction or compatibility. You might not even like this person but something attracts you to him. It's more intimate than sexual attraction, much deeper than love. Do you have someone like that?"

"Uhm, I wouldn't really know… but there's only one person I have feelings for…"

"Is that so? Who?"

"It's not important! F-Forget I said anything!" Elizabeth squirmed and averted her gaze.

"I know girls like you. They live sheltered lives—whether for good or bad reasons—never having the opportunity to experience what it's like to find love. In pursuit of such a thing, they do what's necessary to quench their desires and answer their feelings. Let me clarify that living sheltered lives doesn't exactly mean being shut off from the outside world. It could mean being shunned by society because of your condition or mental problems. Any attempt to try to integrate yourself into society is met with disdain by others who deem themselves 'normal'. There was once a girl who grew up to become a useless adult who didn't know how to cook, clean or take care of children, much less herself. She could not even write coherent essays, as was required for the most basic job in our empire—a receptionist at a guild. Because of this, she could not write reports, which every receptionist must do whenever a party reports their findings on a quest. They kicked her out. Her family was gone when their household fell. Her elder brother—the one who she relied on for everything as a child and the only other survivor from their family's demise—left the empire to pursue his selfish wishes. With no one to turn to, the girl wandered lifelessly, begging on the street. It was a few days of begging and sleepless nights that someone took an interest in her.

It was a man—a very handsome man. He offered to help her, even though she thought of herself as nothing but a burden. He was a noble who owned several hosting bars in Horvine city. He spoiled her with all sorts of things—a mansion in the middle of a wine farm outside Horvine city, all sorts of jewelry, expensive dresses and much more. What the girl didn't know was that this man also controlled several prostitution rings, which politicians and nobles often used. Up until he told her that, she had assumed that he was just kind to her because he thought she was cute and didn't actually want anything in return—how ignorant and wrong she was. He told her that if she were to become his lover that she'll have to become a courtesan, which she did. Her virginity was taken by a fat aristocrat who she didn't even know before that first night. The girl realized after that night that she had gone through life with a delusional perspective. People give but also want something in return, that's a valuable lesson to learn. As a child, it only took a single tear or word from her to get her family to do whatever she wanted. If she had known that the world doesn't bend to her every will beforehand then her life would've been different."

"…." Elizabeth looked at Grace silently.

"The girl—no, I suppose it's right to call her a woman at this point—had a falling out with the man. This was during her pregnancy. To her, the best reward for being obedient and loyal wasn't money or clothes, it was intimacy. It's something the man gave her only once a week but something she looked forward to more than anything. The man always told her to use contraceptives since her getting pregnant would ruin the relationships he built with high-profile nobles who considered the woman to be their favorite whore. One night she didn't do as he said and confirmed her pregnancy a few weeks later but kept it a secret for a few months. She only revealed the pregnancy to the man when her bump was showing even with baggy clothes. The man beat her, tied her to a horse and rode into the grassy plains with her still tied to the horse."

Elizabeth gasped.

"He had probably hoped that she would lose the child this way and everything would go back to normal. But he underestimated the genes she inherited from her father—who was considered one of the greatest men in the empire—she could survive even the harshest of turns and bumps on the dirt road. Blood was shed, but not that of the child. As such, the man left her behind in the night. She did not beg him to forgive her.

All she did was wander, something she was used to by then. She stumbled upon a war that had been going on between the empire and someone she knew very well… Her brother. She wanted to go to him so she braved through the mountains of corpses that he singlehandedly left behind. She could see his back as he slaughtered countless knights on his own, she could hear his war cries, she could feel his power… But before she could reach him, her water broke. She crawled into cover when the enemy nation fired siege weapons on the battlefield. The woman's cries were drowned out by the sounds of cannon fire and battleship beam rays. The child came out after what seemed like eternity. The war was still ongoing. The child cried to be fed by its mother. Its mother—however—could not do so. Her eyes were lifelessly staring at the child as its cries stopped and it died shortly after from hunger…"

Grace glanced at Elizabeth.

"If you want a different fate than that woman and her child then you should embrace change. Don't hold on to the past you."

The woman she mentioned wasn't important to the main story's continuation but her life itself was one of the most tragic, broken up into a three-part short story. She and Elizabeth were the same in many ways yet were still very different.

Both of them were searching for a purpose.

Elizabeth's goal—according to what Grace knew—involves finding out what happened to her mother. But what then? Will she wander aimlessly or will she seek out another purpose?

The good thing is that Elizabeth had the power to change her own destiny while that woman was much too weak.

Elizabeth fidgeted with her hands.

"…Would it really be okay if I showed the world what I am?"

"If it doesn't hurt anyone then it's okay. Don't listen to any criticism and embrace who you really are. Break out of your shell."

In other words, embrace change. Abandon the previous "you". If that woman followed the same advice then she would've survived until the epilogue.

"Then…"

Grace's eyes widened by what Elizabeth did next.

She took off her scarf and oversized jersey. The carriage was suddenly filled with the scent of sweat and herbs. Elizabeth was now sitting under the roof of the carriage with only a bra to cover her upper body. She moved her hair out of her face.

Her skin was flaky and charred, with most of her fingernails missing and her lips chapped.

A face that the average person would scream in horror at, appeared. One eye didn't even have light (which might mean that she's blind in one eye).

Elizabeth's nose was on the verge of falling off and her dead skin fell off like glued-on paper.

"This is—"

Grace held up a hand, "There's no need to explain yourself. Here," Grace picked up her flowery patterned umbrella and handed it to Elizabeth.

"Use this when walking outside. Ah, there's something else…." She then rummaged in her purse and pulled out a bottle of perfume, "This will surround you in an odorless scent that can't be removed without water. Use it with this," She pulled out another bottle of perfume.

"This is one of my personal favorites. Anna recommended it to me a few years back but I still use it every day."

"Uhm… Why are you giving these to me?" Elizabeth timidly took them.

"Let's just say that I know someone who had the same skin condition as yours. I know what it's like to live with it." She said vaguely.

"Had…? So, they got rid of it?"

"Well, sort of."

"H-How did they do it? If you know please tell me… Please…"

"Hmm… unfortunately, I don't know." Grace gave a tiny shrug.

Elizabeth looked down silently.

'You'll find the answer to that question soon…' Grace looked out the window.

But she'll need to embrace her power as an incarnation first.

***

Whitage City, Suvere Street.

Location – City Lord's manor.

Date - Mendru, 17th Seastere month.

The carriage came to a stop. The coachman knocked on the window. Grace opened it to confirm that they've arrived.

"Should I fetch you later today, Lady Lewan?" asked the coachman.

"No need. I'll be coming back to the academy with my dear friend Anna so I'll be staying overnight. Or possibly a few days."

"Hmm… What about—" The coachman's face twisted when he looked at Elizabeth, whose face was now open for all to see, with only an umbrella to cover her.

"My friend will be taking both of us to the academy. Let the receptionist know when you hand in the report."

The academy has to make sure at all times that their students are safe when they leave the empire's walls. If a student takes a carriage that they hired from the academy, then it's important that the coachman gives a follow-up report. If they don't do this and the students fall into danger then the academy will have a lawsuit on their hands. Powerful nobles can sink the academy and its prestige easily with just a few calls.

"…Understood. Have a pleasant journey."

"Come now, Liz." Grace held out her hand.

Elizabeth was surprised by that for a moment but hesitantly grabbed Grace's hand.

The two of them climbed off the carriage. Grace looked up at the city lord's manor.

"Well, this is unexpected. They've done a splendid job with restoring the city." She approached a flowerbed nearby and touched the flowers.

She suddenly frowned when she noticed a certain type of flower next to the roses. It appears to have been placed there recently judging by the loose and darker brown soil.

"Pesto Almoniv—isn't this flower the Penston House family symbol?"

"—It seems we have unexpected guests today, Lunaria."

A voice came from the front door when it opened.

Grace looked towards the person who spoke.

'I should've known that she'd be here…'

Celeste climbed down the stairs and approached Grace. There was a short girl with pink hair following close behind.

'That must be Arnold's advisor.'

Celeste glanced at Elizabeth who was hiding her face under the umbrella.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Celeste." Grace smiled thinly.

"I found no desire to stay home and be forced to attend boring parties as a sole source of entertainment."

"Why not visit your father or mother? From what I've heard there hasn't been a lot going on which will prevent you from visiting them."

"If I cannot see both of them to have a simple meal together as a family then I choose not to visit either at all. I will only visit my mother in the new year on her birthday."

"I see. The empire relies on your parents, as they hold important positions. It's not their fault that they don't have time for you, Celeste."

"I am aware so do not remind me of why our relationship has been rocky in the last few years," she glanced at Elizabeth when she stood in front of the two, "Show your face now or I will assume that you are here for malicious reasons and are hiding your face to avoid identification. If I view you as a threat, I will have Lunaria remove you from the premises," she spoke to Elizabeth.

"Y-Yes, Ma'am…" Elizabeth obeyed Celeste's command and lifted the umbrella.

"…." Instead of showing a face of disgust, Celeste just squinted her eyes, "…Elizabeth Caervil…?"

Her gentle expression slowly turned serious.

"You know who she is?" Grace inquired.

"I used to see her and Al at a coffee shop near the academy. I heard from Victoria who she is and which family she belongs to," she turned to Elizabeth again, "I thought you left the empire long ago? The Caervil House collapsed and the family was forced to seek refuge in another nation. Why did you end up staying?"

"…I want to become a dark magician so I sought Lady Adrianna's support to become my sponsor."

"Hm, I recall seeing a Sponsorship File in her office once. I only briefly glanced through the names but there was an Elizabeth in the file. There wasn't a surname attached to it."

"…My father wouldn't let her use the household name."

"That explains a lot. Your father was a hateful man. I can't believe that he become a noble despite all his wrongdoings. The emperor is truly a gullible idiot."

"Hey, now…" Grace tried to say something.

"What? He admitted it to my father himself. What's wrong with me repeating his words? He can't rule over several kingdoms and the nobles in his court at once. This led to that leech, James gaining power. This is what happens when an emperor refuses the help of his kings. If only he allowed the kings to rule the empire with him then the power dynamic wouldn't be so divided like the roots of a dying tree."

"—The emperor distrusts his kings?" the girl who Celeste addressed as Lunaria earlier asked.

"That's not it. The civil war divided the power in the empire. This division led to every monarch ruling independent from the emperor. Of course, Emperor Jurnick still has a final say in most matters like taxes, land ownership, selections of kings, policy dictation and many more. Before the civil war there were only two sides—the people who stood with the emperor and the people who didn't. The latter were more subtle back then with their hatred for his rule. This led to factions supporting different rulers and ideals. One faction wants a matriarchy—which will fail immensely. Another wants to end all taxes—this will collapse society as a whole. There are also factions that support ending the monarchial system. Such an unrealistic ideal for a world that we live in. A monarchial system will always triumph over a democracy or republic in the current era no matter how much brainwashing their politicians attempt to do. But we can't really say which faction or ideal will be the best for the empire. All of them have their downsides."

"I think one ruler and several—how should I say this—smaller rulers, would be the best for the empire." Lunaria gave her opinion.

"I know what you mean. If the emperor gave the kings more power then things would drastically improve. Thankfully his eldest son, Julius knows this." Celeste then turned to Grace, "But enough about politics. I'll end up complaining the most if it drags on. Why are the two of you here?"

"…We're just looking for Sebastian."

'It's best that we don't tell this woman what we're doing here. She'll only complicate things if she gets involved.'

"Oh, keeping secrets now, are we?" Celeste's eyes narrowed.

'I won't be seen through that easily.'

Grace knew everything about Celeste's character so she naturally knows how to act while in conversation with said person.

"Not at all. I just need his help with some hand-to-hand combat training. As you can tell by my delicate hands, I cannot protect myself." She showed her long slender fingers, "I have no latent magical abilities so I can only trust my body to be my weapon."

"Is that so? Why not just hire an instructor?"

"Martial art instructors from private schools follow the textbook method, which I'm told is designed to deliberately slow a student's progress to extend the time required to finish the training which also means more money for the institutions. I would rather not waste my pocket money to support education scams. I would consider an academy over an independent martial arts school."

"Oh, I see. You can find Sebas upstairs in Al's office." Celeste pointed to a window upstairs.

"Thanks. Well then, we'll be off."

Grace took Elizabeth's hand and was about to walk past Celeste.

"—Lunaria will go with you and show you around today. I would do so myself but I have somewhere to be," said Celeste with a smile.

"…Yes, ma'am." Lunaria left Celeste's side and walked up to Grace, "I will answer any questions you may have on our tour."

'Tch, you snake.'

Grace tried not to glare at Celeste's back as she walked away. By the looks of it, she was heading towards the gate.

"Should I start now or would you like to speak to Lord Sebastian first?" asked Lunaria.

"I'll go see Sebastian first."

"Very well. Follow me." Lunaria took the lead. Grace and Elizabeth naturally followed.

"Mm."

The three of them entered the manor.

"You can leave the umbrella here, Lady Elizabeth. Nothing will happen to it while you're gone."

"Ah, okay…" Elizabeth took a deep breath before closing the umbrella and putting it against the table next to the door.

"Where is Celeste off to?" Grace asked due to her burning curiosity.

"From what I've heard, she's been making calls to her friends all over the empire to help her search for all the women that Milord impregnated."

"…Surely, you jest…"

"I am not jesting. I understand her decision to meet up with the mothers of her fiancé's children. It's important that she sets boundaries when it concerns financial burden."

'I'm pretty sure that's not why Celeste is looking for all those women.'

Still, to go looking for that many women…

Arnold has probably slept with over a thousand women, the minority of whom claimed he impregnated them, thus leading to his family paying child support on his behalf.

'She's wasting her time. Whatever, it keeps her away from me so this is fine.'

"Where do you come from, Lunaria?" Grace asked while following Lunaria, "I'd also like to know how and why you would work for Arnold."

"My background shouldn't reflect my ability to work, regardless of what position I hold."

"That's not why I'm asking…"

Grace was trying to understand Lunaria's intentions for working for Arnold. Why would someone as intelligent as her work in a rundown city like this? Well, the city is doing better than expected. Anna usually talks about the city whenever the chance arises.

'It's a bit of a letdown that Arnold found out the worth of the magic crystals in his territory. I wanted to save up some money to buy this land for myself. I wonder if this woman was the one who told him about it.'

If so, what does she plan on doing?

"I have no ill-will towards Milord. He is my financial benefactor. I would never jeopardize my position for selfish reasons."

"Is that so… And he gives you total control? Anna told me that you're the one doing most of the work."

The three of them climbed the stairs to the second floor.

"I still consult with Lady Victoria since she's the mistress of the city lord and head maid of his residence. She's working tirelessly to bring people, within and outside the empire, to our side along with Empress Roseria."

"I thought Her Majesty only intends to provide financial aid?" that's what Grace heard anyway.

"That was the case at first. Her funds have helped us secure wagons to pull the materials our workers mine in the mountains, horses, mercenaries groups, among other expenditures. She requested that I draw up a formal contract to appoint her as a member of the restoration process team. Her job entails making connections."

"Well, she's quite good in making connections so it suits her. People are naturally drawn in by her charms."

"Yes, that's why I like working with her. She's very professional when it comes to how she handles business. If I may be honest, I expected to be ordered around like a slave."

"The empress isn't known for forcing her position on others to make them obey. This is the second reason why so many people like her, even common folk."

"Yes, I've come to understand that by working with her. I'm quite curious what's her end goal for helping us. There's no benefit for the imperial family."

She's not doing this for any benefits that there might be.

It's all for Arnold. She'd do anything for him, after all.

'I'm surprised that Arnold hasn't used this to his advantage. He could have her wrapped around his finger if he wanted to.'

The only other person who could play Roseria like a fiddle is Julius. To her, both of them were her sons.

"Lord Sebastian." Lunaria came to a stop at one of the doors on the second floor. She called out to Sebastian while standing in front of that door.

"—Come in." Sebastian's voice came from inside.

Lunaria looked back at Grace, "I will take your suitcases to a room down the hallway. If I'm not back by the time you're finished then please head over to the living room. Refreshments will be provided to you by the staff."

"Thank you." Grace gave her suitcase to Lunaria.

"You too, Miss Elizabeth."

"Ah, right." Elizabeth gave her suitcase to Lunaria.

Lunaria stepped out of the way after opening the door for them.

Grace and Elizabeth entered the room. They could hear the sound of a pen scribbling on paper.

"—Lady Lewan and Young Elizabeth." Sebastian said with his eyes still glued to the book on the table.

"You know Elizabeth too...?"

"Her energy signature is very familiar indeed." Sebastian put down the pen and closed the book, "You're the little girl who the young master brought over to the castle a few times in the past. I would never forget an energy signature as chaotic as yours. It's appears that it's even more chaotic than in the past. However, it appears that you've tamed some of it through discipline and hard work."

'So, even Sebas knows how strong Elizabeth is.'

Elizabeth didn't seem to know what he was talking about.

She didn't know her true potential. Sebastian probably had an idea but Grace was the only one who truly knew how strong the incarnation of the Death Goddess can become.

"I assume you are here on important matters? What's a young lady such as yourself doing seeking the wisdom of an old butler anyhow?"

"Straight to the point, as always." Grace turned to Elizabeth, "Tell him what you told me."

…

◇◇

"Ruria…" A dark shadow loomed over Sebastian's face, "I feared that this day might come…"

"So, you know who she really is?"

Sebas' expression and entire mood changed when Elizabeth finished telling him her findings.

Sebas' sharp eyes glanced up at Grace.

"What I say from hereon forward will remain between the three of us."

"….."

"Are you familiar with the Three Great Crime Families that terrorized the empire during the year HE369 to 378?"

"Holy Era" Year 369 to 378 was considered one of the worst years in recorded history.

"Yes, I am."

"The year 369 was the great divide between nations. That was the year that the continent was divided in countries amongst all the major monarchies. Formerly there was a council of sorts where everyone got to say what happens in the country through majority vote—it was essentially a democracy back then. However, not everyone shared the same ideals. This divide led to a battle for resources. Resources equated wealth which in turn meant power in those times. All of this led to countless wars and thousands of lives being lost. There was no clear direction to take without violence. There were no military powers to create balance. That's when the common people stepped up.

Ordinary working men offered their services to kings one day. These services involved crime—hits and torture being the most prominent. These working men became hitmen, drug lords and human traffickers, among many other illegal professions. Each of them built up their own empire with the funds and help from the kings and other monarchs they offered their services to. Three of these men rose above the rest, establishing their might through the power and numbers that they had. They started involving their families in their criminal empires, further increasing the might they held.

One married the daughter of a shipping merchant who handled transportation of various goods for the nations, making his family the one in charge of any and all goods that get transported in and out of the country. Another courted the matriarch of a powerful empire that could rival our own today, giving him the numbers to oppress everyone who resisted his corruption. The third man didn't get his power through just wealth and marrying into powerful noble families—he fought his way to the top, shedding blood for money.

People in power like popes, Legion rank Templars, Head Nuns and High Inquisitors were their usual targets. These jobs paid the most and strengthened their bond as a crime family even further with each completed job. Their services were sought after by corrupt officials of states and nobility, which granted them many connections. Several centuries went by and so two out of the three most notorious crime families died out. The third went into hiding since people didn't need them anymore, making them lose the influence they had as criminals."

"…Now they're wanted in every nation on the continent." Grace added.

"Indeed. They weren't recognized as criminals before the great war because people of power actually saw their expertise as something valuable to gain the upper hand. As the saying goes 'if you can't destroy a nation's army, control their people and destroy the nation from the inside'. Now they're merely seen as assassins who need to be wiped out. It became such a big issue that people of high standing started relying on Serz to destroy the family."

The greatest and most feared assassin family to ever exist.

"…What does this story have to do with Ruria?" Elizabeth didn't appear to have much interest in what Sebas was saying.

'I would've liked to know more but it's best if we can get this over with quickly. Ruria's story isn't explored since she's not even mentioned in the main quest.'

Seeing as how the DLC is told from Luke's perspective, it's not a surprise that players wouldn't know what struggles other characters went through unless the writers intended to show it.

"Have either of you heard of a devil known as Lu'grun?"

"I know what it is," said Grace, "It's a wicked entity that manifests from one's hatred for another. Folklore says it was the first child that Lilith failed to abort after she was raped by her father. It completely manifests into the real world when a person's hatred turns into murderous intent. It will kill anyone you desire for control over your soul."

Lu'grun is from a species of Wist Demons but is referred to as a devil due to its ghastly image and terrifying abilities. Devils are described as a greater threat than Greater Demons in the lore of Star Fantasy.

"The crime family that went into hiding worshipped that devil. It's the same devil that grants their bloodline unfathomable power. Every heir that leads the household must accept the Wist Demon into his body, which can often lead to the death of the predecessor. Its power can spread through the seed of its host as well. The demon despises females so it will kill off any heiresses it is given control of."

'Hold on, where have I heard this before?'

Grace began to think:

A devil that despises females due to its deep hatred for its mother that cut it out of her womb and left it to die in the cold underworld…

Wist Demon… an entity that grants its host unimaginable power…

There was only one person who was shown to have the Wist Demon within his body. He was one of the main villains in the middle of the main story.

He was the reason why the Berkley House and several other prominent houses fell from grace and almost destroyed the whole empire with his tyrannical ideals.

'Could it really be that he's her little brother…?'

That same woman's face appeared in Grace's mind.

Her hypothesis proved to be correct by Sebas' next words.

"Ruria is from that family and she's related to—"

◇◇◇

"What will you do now that you know the truth, Elizabeth?" Grace turned to Elizabeth whose hands were shaking as she tried to write everything Sebastian told them after that revelation about Ruria's origins.

Sebastian left the office after a long discussion with the two of them.

Even Grace was caught by surprise by what she learned.

Those sly writers. Why would they bury something like this?

Star Fantasy had a lot of mysteries to discover, even early on in the game when derailing from the critical path. It's an open universal game with thousands of hours of content so it's a given that there's a lot to discover. Some secrets were easy to find, others were buried in plain sight while some were hinted at in dialogue.

Ruria's origins wasn't ever revealed in the main story but it was told that she was related to one of the main characters in Star Fantasy.

In any case, Grace now knows who she should consider an enemy—the one who Ruria is related to.

To think a sleeper agent was right under their noses this entire time…

What more can Grace find out if she digs deeper?

"….All this time… Al's been close to his enemy all this time… Who else knows about this? Do his parents know?"

"I'm not sure. Whatever you do, don't show them that you know who they are. Don't take Sebas' warning lightly. Those people are literal monsters."

"What should I do… I can't reveal myself to them… I can't tell Al the truth either…"

"Do what they've been doing—observe. You're not strong enough to do anything against them." Grace put a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder, "A sleeper agent is more dangerous than you might think. A sleeper agent's mission doesn't just last hours, days or weeks, it can last as long as decades. It's best to keep a low profile, okay? I'll see what I can find out in the meantime."

She'll make use of Serz, of course.

"Okay… I trust you, Miss Lewan."

"Call me Grace from now on. The two of us are in this together. Let's forget about what Sebastian said for now and enjoy our vacation."

There's still time until Elizabeth unlocks her full potential. Seeing as how these supposed "observers" haven't made a move as of yet, there isn't any incentive to rush things.

They'll only get careless if they do.

"Mm…" Elizabeth closed her journal.

What's going on inside that little head of yours right now, wondered Grace.