Vivelle and Elzen enter Duke Boltu's office as summoned. Without wasting time, Boltu proposed the diversion plan created by Amiliath to avoid any possible ambush or problems on their way back to the Archduchy. Vivelle, together with the other three guards, would escort the carriage, two inside with the siblings and the others outside as coachmen. Elzen would proceed with the original plan and escort the magicar with the Felnatus escort until they reach the territory's border.
"My lady, I think this is a reckless plan. We could increase the number of knights in your escort back to your territory. This diversion tactic could be good, but if we are talking about big powers in a possible ambush, this could leave you and your brother in a delicate position." Elzen speaks out about his concerns.
"I appreciate your concern, Knight Elzen, but we decided to do this. We can't afford to own Duke Boltu more for our safety, and there are costs to any increase in personnel to escort us. So we will continue with this plan." Amiliath is as stubborn as her father; there is no chance he could convince her, but at least he let them know the problems with this plan.
"As you wish, my lady." Defeated, he just dropped the subject.
"So tomorrow at noon, Vivelle, you're gonna wait with the carriage already prepared in the back entrance of the mansion. From there, you will escort them to the Felnatus Mansion. You will be in charge of the escort, so I expect you to complete your job flawlessly."
"Yes, my lord!" She was ecstatic; it would be her first leading mission. Finally, she could show everyone she is different, that she is better than a simple squire.
"And you, Elzen. Proceed with the original plan; you will be in charge of the knights, so as your colleague, I expect you to complete this job flawlessly."
"Yes, my lord!" He salutes Boltu.
"Now you two are dismissed. I hope you enjoy the festival today. Vivelle, since you will be on duty earlier, you will not be able to enjoy the last two days of the festival. So I will reward you for your effort."
"Thank you, sir! It's an honor to serve you, and I will make you proud!"
"I know you will." He smiles before they leave the room.
Vivelle was beaming with happiness; her chance had finally arrived. A way to show her potential, the start of her career, and who knows? This could be the first step to earning a noble title by herself.
"I am a leader, finally! A solo mission without the squad!" With a big smile on her face, her voice was exuding excitement.
"Congratulations, Vivelle. Please be careful on your mission. If Lady Amiliath is right, you could be targeted for being in the wrong place."
"Don't be a downer, Elzen! I doubt someone would try anything against the siblings when we are inside the Duke territory."
"Never be so sure, my friend. Politics and the noble houses' fight for power are always guided by treachery and greed. No matter what happens, some people will risk everything to achieve a little more power, even if their action angers another noble." His tone is full of concern for her. After the incident in Maarum, they became closer as friends.
"Don't worry, everything will be okay. I do not intend to fight until I die; I will look for a way to escape so everyone will be okay." She lightly punches his left shoulder.
"So, what are your plans for tonight?" She has a smile on her face.
"To your surprise, I have a date." He happily smiles.
"You...you WHAT?! A DATE?!"
"Yes, yes, you can stop being surprised. I met this amazing woman, and this evening we are going to the festival together." Vivelle hugs him happily.
"This is amazing! I'm so happy you are finally moving on, sorry, not moving on, but at least living! You will need to tell me how everything went when I return."
"Yes, yes, I am living. Please return safely, okay?" He offered his hand in a handshake, and she happily shook it.
"I will, and you have fun." They split ways when they leave the mansion. It's almost time for the date with Milla. Elzen headed to his room to prepare.
A low humming came out of Milla's lips, a melody she knows very well, a lullaby sung by the only person who was her friend when she was a kid, Laura, her caretaker. This sweet melody brings her peace and always makes her smile. While humming this tune, she was writing letters all day, and a stack of letters was placed in the corner of the small table that she brought into her room. The time for her with Elzen approaches, she finishes the last letter, and prepares herself.
Thanks to the guidance of Alliah, she has already prepared her clothing for tonight, to ensure he would fall madly into her charms. A strange feeling was growing inside her stomach; she wanted to look her best for him, to make him desire her more than anything at the festival. First, a long bath with perfumed water and skincare oils.
On top of her bed was the dress chosen for her special night; everything had to be perfect, and this night would be something she would remember forever. The green cotton wrap dress with a frilled skirt is a gift from Alliah. When Milla told her about the date, she bought this dress specially for the occasion, along with it, a white cotton thighs perfect for the chilly nights, furry black leather boots, and a pair of earrings in the shape of stars. The last part of her preparation was to brush her long hair; today, she would not use her normal braided style, like a veil of silver, her shiny hair brings more attention than usual.
She leaves the room, heading towards the house entrance. When she entered the living room, a gasp could be heard coming from the other members of the household.
"You look amazing, Milla. Your hair is so pretty." Ghord is amused by how pretty she looks. It's the first time he's seen her wearing fashionable clothes; she should wear more.
"I knew it, this dress was perfect for you, and the thighs, I loved it." Alliah let some tears fall; she was filled with emotion. The quiet and unapproachable girl turns into a gorgeous woman. It's like watching her daughter grow.
"Mimi is so pretty! I want to dress like you!" Aimel runs towards her and hugs her legs; the precious smile on her face warms Milla's heart.
"Thank you, I feel much more confident with your kind words." She smiled shyly but happily. If this was their reaction, she can't wait for Elzen's. "Oh, I forgot to tell, I will stay out tonight, so don't wait for me.
The two adults look at each other with a smile; they know what that could mean. A date with someone she has an interest in could end perfectly for the young couple. Milla's cheeks blush as she dismisses them, waving her hands. They hug her and give a farewell kiss on her cheek, wishing for a fun and wonderful night. This warmth is something she will miss.
The sun is slowly setting on the horizon, turning the gorgeous light blue sky into a beautiful, vibrant orange tone. There was no rush to reach the meeting point, so she strolled and admired the city, which she had grown fond of. Many people live here, bringing their desires, ambitions, emotions, and perspectives. Appreciating her life here, she starts humming her favorite song.
Colorful buntings are spread on the streets, decorating walls and mana lamps. Piles of colored paper squares are being swept to avoid any accidents; no one wants an injury because of a silly, slippery piece of paper. She made a stop at the forge, no business today, so the always hot furnace was stone cold. She touches the top of the kiln with a smile, the hours she spent working here letting beads of sweat fall from her body. Thanks to this wonderful place, she finished everything she needed. This place will always be engraved in her memory.
Carefully, she opens the door of Ghord's small office, taking three envelopes from her little bag and leaving them on the wooden desk where he writes the receipts and organizes the orders. A hint of sadness appears on her smile when she looks one more time in the room before closing the door.
Getting closer to the adventurer's guild building, many stalls are already working. A wide variety of foods, exotic items, jewelry, potions, magic tomes, and much more. Elzen was already waiting for her; the adventurer's building was a common meeting place for couples and friends.
"I am sorry for being late. I needed to stop at the forge. Have you been here for a while?" She smiled awkwardly.
"No, I arrived a little earlier. So..." He extends his hands towards her. "Let's have fun on this wonderful night?" She smiles and holds his hand, slowly walking. They start to visit the stalls.
"Oh, before we even start." He places a hand on her left cheek. "You look astonishing today, it's like the most beautiful stars are in the palm of my hand." His loving words made her blush badly, and her heart raced.
"You've become more eloquent and flattering since our last date."
"Not much, only describing what my eyes can see, and this time I will not be shy because I want you to know how gorgeous you are." He kisses her hand without taking his eyes off her.
Elzen has a plan, a way to enjoy the entire festival, so there is no room for regrets. First, they will play games, such as throwing hoops, shooting darts, hitting targets with a ball, and many others. One of Milla's favorites was hitting the target with a hammer to measure her strength, and as expected, she achieved the maximum score. For the prize, she decided to get a kid-size cow plushie.
"Aimel is going to love this. I will make sure she gets it." She hugs it tight.
After the games, they went through many food stalls to prepare a delicious banquet with all they could eat. All they needed now was a good spot to eat their food without being interrupted, and Elzen was ready for that. Holding her hand, he guided her among the multitude of people who were also enjoying the festival until they found one of the many parks that exist in the town. Mana lamps provide the light they need to find themselves in the almost empty park. Elzen takes a blanket he was hiding in one of his pockets and lays it on the ground.
"We can see the sky from here, and it's not far from the street, so we can still enjoy the festival songs and sounds. I hope you like this place like I do." He helps her to sit at his side, and with no urgency, they enjoy the food and drinks.
While enjoying their time together, they reminisced about their time apart. Milla recounted the months she spent isolated in the forest, living like a savage. She ate the meat of the animals and monsters she hunted, and from the skins she collected herself, she made her rudimentary clothing. It was then, on one of her hunts, that she spotted the city of Faelin. There, she got a steady job as a hunter until she caught the attention of Ghord and Alliah, and eventually recounted the time she spent with the couple before coming to Minarian.
Elzen recounted that for four long months, he was part of the search team, but Duke Boltu ordered him to return to the guard. The lack of results wasn't doing him any good; it took him almost another two months to stop feeling guilty and depressed about what happened. Of course, he never forgot her, but it wasn't enough for him; he could never be happy, so he dedicated himself to training to exhaustion, wishing it would never happen again.
The hours pass quickly as they have fun and savor every moment, but for Elzen's plan to be perfect, just one more step remains. They leave the park with fond memories, always hand in hand. Throughout the city, some watchtowers facilitate communication between guards and provide faster protection for citizens. One of these towers is situated near the center of the shopping district, the most densely populated area of the festival. From this central tower, anyone can enjoy a stunning view of the entire city, and particularly at night, the combination of starlight and the mana lanterns creates a spectacular scene. As they approached the adventurer's guild building, Milla stopped walking and gently held Elzen.
"I imagine you have a plan for today, Elzen, but I have one too. Ever since you invited me to this date, I've been reminded of that night at the harvest festival. And I want to carry that feeling through to the end." Milla's cheeks were red as apples, and struggling not to look away from him.
"Oh...so what...you have planned?" He was surprised, and his heart started racing.
"Come with me." Holding his hand, she leads him through the building to the inn. They are both greeted by a staff member who hands them the key to one of the rooms Milla has already reserved. They climb two floors until they reach the inn's most luxurious rooms, a night that can cost up to a thousand Liren. The room inside was impressive. A luxurious double bed covered in blankets and sheets of exceptional quality.
"Since that night, I remember the fireworks, your affectionate touch, the warmth and taste of your lips. All the days I spent in that hell, only those memories gave me the strength to keep living." She closes the door and moves even closer to Elzen, slowly pushing him toward the bed.
"All this time, even when I wasn't in full control of my mind and body, I longed to be with you every second, and now I can finally have it, and I won't let this opportunity slip away like I did before." Their hearts beat at a fast pace, the desire to be closer, to connect in a way that satisfies their desire, so a kiss, and then another, and another, and in a purely instinctive way, they touch each other, kiss each other, feel each other's energy and body.
That night, they loved like never before, united in body, essence, and soul. That night was perfect for both of them, and for Milla, the end of their ordinary life, because the next day she would begin her revenge.