The Sword Saint’s Second Life As a Fox Girl
6-14 Court conflicts

“I hope the tea is to everyone’s liking,” said Melissa as she placed her teacup on the saucer. 

Erin also returned the cup to the saucer after taking a small sip before giving the High Lady a nod of acknowledgement. The tea was nice and it was red. Without Appraisal, she had no way of knowing what kind of tea it was, not that it mattered much to her. It wasn’t poison, that was all that mattered to her. The tea party took place under a pavilion in the garden within the estate. A sumptuous experience but not something foreign to her. She had experienced something similar in Sephrodia Valley.

Aedan, Amyra, and SIv seemed to be in their own element but the same couldn’t be said for Lyra. She had not stopped fidgeting ever since they entered the pavilion. Her eyes were constantly darting from one point to another. She was not accustomed to such treatment. She even hesitated in drinking their tea or taking a bite of the confectioneries in fear of disrespecting the customs and etiquette of the nobles. She wasn’t afraid of making a fool of themselves. The other party was not just some noble. It was a noble of high standing and someone Erin considered a friend. She did not wish to offend a powerful ally.

The servants standing around them did not help with Lyra’s nervousness at all. They simply stood at their stations and watched over the gathering with passive expressions. Whether the servants took offence at Lyra’s inexperience or not, no one knew. No one would unless they could read their minds. The servants here appeared to be different from the ones who welcomed Erin and her companions. They seemed almost too stoic to be human, or so Lyra thought.

“We are all friends here,” said Melissa. “There’s no need for any precise manners, stiff rules, or rigid conduct here.” Though her words were spoken in passing, they were clearly meant for Lyra.

The two understood the High Lady’s intention. They loosened their shoulders and wariness before beginning to indulge in the tea and confectioneries.

“Your Excellency, I hope that you have no issue with a devotee of a different faith directly in your presence.”

“I’m sitting here without any complaints, aren’t I?” Aedan retorted.

“If His Grace has no problems, then neither do I,” Amyra added.

“A tremendous relief to hear.” After assuaging the common quarrel between faiths, Melissa turned to Erin. “I heard you are not very fond of fake pleasantries, Lady Erynthea.”

 “You heard right, Lady Melissa.”

“Therefore, I will spare you all the forewords coated in honey. I shall be concise and forward with the reason I invited you to my abode.”

“Please, be as blunt as you can, Lady Melissa.”

Melissa smiled at Erin’s words but her smile did not linger for long. “You have come to the capital at a terrible time, Lady Erynthea.”

“I’m known for many things. Good fortune is not one of them. Trouble appears to be my mistress, one that I did not hope to have but just can’t seem to get rid of.”

“I noticed,” Melissa giggled wryly. “I trust that you have already heard about the new High Lord William Marsh?”

“I have.”

“Have you heard of how he came to be a High Lord?”

“Just from the account of an uninvolved party who pieced together the information from rumours and gossip.”

“Iris of the Eternal Moon, was it?” 

Erin nodded.

“Information is her main trade. Since she’s the one who told you, then you’re probably not far from the truth.”

“The High Lordship is truly a reward for saving the Crown Prince’s life?”

“The true reason is not known for certain but it is the story being told by the prince himself and also by Marsh himself.”

Amyra chuckled. “Just Marsh? No lord to go with it?” she pointed out. “No warmth with the new High Lord?”

“Only the prince and his close friends have any warmth and amiability with Marsh. A person who obtained High Lordship from a single act alone is simply unheard of. Many suspect that underhanded means are involved.”

“The circumstances must be tense,” said Erin.

“It is more than tense,” Melissa added. “Houses that spanned generations are dissatisfied with this arrangement. Some have even threatened to seek independence. Some have also threatened war. Circumstances are dire and that isn’t even taking the recent mysterious disappearances into consideration, which a few believed Marsh had a hand in.”

“What did the king say?” Aedan asked.

“...His Majesty had nothing to say. Only that he respects his son’s wish. But it isn’t just the king. The disappearances are of people from nameless villages. The kingdom is not obligated to concern itself with these villages. That sentiment naturally extends to nearly the entire court.”

“So, the king is doing nothing. Not even looking into the disappearances?”

“None at all.”

“That’s very unlike the old boy,” Aedan muttered. “Well, it has been a long time.”

Everyone stared at Aedan at that moment, including the servants. Only Amyra didn’t. From the look of her amused expression, it was safe to say that she was aware of Aedan’s affiliations.

Aedan sighed. “Well, the truth’s out.” He shrugged. 

“Your Excellency, are you perhaps acquainted with His Majesty?”

“I personally know the king but I doubt he knows or remembers me. His father was my student… at one point in time.”

Melissa frowned. “The former king has an Aeryon Apostle as his teacher?”

Aedan nodded. “Of course, it’s not recorded in the text for obvious reasons.”

“What obvious reasons?” Erin asked.

“There are heavy implications if the king has a dedicated faith,” Aedan explained. “It would also create obligations for the kingdom, such as if a Holy State of the same faith of the king was attacked, the king is obligated to help the Holy State even if the attacking party is an ally of the kingdom.”

“So, what was that about the current king not remembering you?”

“The last time we spoke was when the king was still… five years of age, if I recall correctly. And he wasn’t that fond of me then. So, I doubt he would remember me. Even if he did, I don’t believe he would treat me… well, to put it lightly. Anyway, enough about my past for now. Lady Melissa, you may continue with your… explanation.”

Melissa was still frowning. She glanced at Erin with a gaze that held a lot of questions.

Erin could only smile wryly. “We should just continue with our original subject.” 

Albeit reluctant, Melissa took a deep breath and forced herself to keep her curiosity to herself for now. Just from a few exchanges, she could tell prying information from the Aeryon Apostle was difficult, maybe next to impossible. “As I was saying, His Majesty is doing nothing to alleviate the tension in the court. Nobles have varying ideas on their retaliation against the unjust.”

“A civil war?” Siv mused.

“I don’t wish to breathe anymore life into a mere speculation but things are certainly heading that way.”

“What about the disappearances?” Erin asked. “Does the king have any opinions regarding that?”

“His Majesty is…” Melissa’s words trailed off into silence. From her expression alone, one could tell the difficulty she was facing in finding the right words. She was a learned woman and more. Yet, she struggled to continue her sentence. “In all honesty, no one knows what His Majesty is doing nowadays. He’s alive, that’s all we know. He went about his day like… someone who had no burdens or any purpose in his life. Most are saying he’s nearing the age of infirmity.”

“And what is your belief?”

“I have none. But if I must give one, I would say the same thing as most.” With a sudden flick of her hand, the servants bowed and took their leave. After all the servants had disappeared from everyone’s sights, Melissa’s expression turned grave. “Marsh and the Crown Prince are plotting something against the king. The king’s current condition might have something to do with Marsh.”

“Ah, the same old, same old,” Aedan muttered.

Erin had to roll her eyes.

“Huh? Why would the Crown Prince plot against the king?” Amyra asked.

“This isn’t some simple guesswork you came up with just now or just today, is it?” Erin questioned.

“It is no guesswork,” Melissa answered. “It is actually a very logical assumption. Before Marsh was introduced to the court, the Crown Prince came close to losing his succession right. He caused a huge blunder during a diplomatic discussion. The King wanted to have him exiled but he begged for a chance to redeem himself. Incidentally, there happened to be a herd of Drakes lurking too close to the capital. The Crown Prince was sent to subjugate those Drakes. It didn’t fare well for the prince since he left hastily with only little preparation. The few men he brought along were not enough. They died trying to get the prince out of that place safely. Marsh just so happened to be nearby.”

“And Marsh inadvertently saved the Crown Prince’s life as he was also out hunting the Drakes,” Erin recalled what Iris had told her.

“Yes. That happened. Naturally, the Crown Prince brought Marsh back to the king and he introduced the mercenary to the court. The king applauded Marsh for his bravery and for saving the prince. The king rewarded Marsh with gold and a few days’ stay in the Royal Keep. No one thought anything of that moment. Days later, all the High Nobles were summoned to the court. Then and there, the Crown Prince announced Marsh’s High Lordship. He had a writ with the king’s seal and signature. The day after that was the day when the king began to change… The change wasn’t drastic, not at first. It was slow but gradually… it is as all we know today.”

“...Who else has made this connection?” Erin inquired after a brief pondering.

“Anyone who attends all of the court’s proceedings, I reckon. So, all of the High Nobles. You would have to be… an idiot to not notice the changes and the timing.” 

“But no one has publicly announced their suspicions,” Lyra said.

“Because making the discovery public would benefit no one. All those who are in the know are biding their time, making full use of the king’s current condition. If the king’s current condition is irreversible, then it may be time for a new king.”

“And what about you?”

“I’m biding my time too. My Lord Husband has half a mind to seek independence. The kingdom has fallen far from its prime. An all-out war may be inevitable.”

“Damn…” Erin sighed. “We really came at a bad time… But we can’t leave just yet, even if we want to.”

“Ah, yes. Something happened to your friends, I heard.”

“News travelled fast,” said Siv in a very dull manner.

“Only for those with power and money,” Melissa responded in tune. “You want my backing.”

“Only your help in writing a letter for the Fae Embassy.”

“I’m curious, Lady Erynthea. Do Fae of different forests not get along?”

Erin tilted her head. “Why do you ask?”

“You are a Fae. I wasn’t aware a Fae would need to go through this tedious process just to have an audience with the Fae Embassy.”

“I’m not a Fae from any of the forests the embassy here represents.” It was no lie. She was not a Fae from any of the forests on this continent, or any of the forests in this world for that matter. Erin was sure she would be denied entry if she simply strode up to the embassy. Aedan and Iris shared her sentiment too.

“Is that how it is?”

Erin shrugged. “Would it be too much trouble?”

“Not at all,” Melissa said with a bright smile. “You are the saviour of Sephrodia Valley. Your heroic efforts will forever be etched in the history of the valley. Not only that, you are quite the formidable fighter. You can treat my assistance as… investment, in you. Also—” her gaze turned to Aedan. “I won’t mind forming a bond of friendship with the Grand Apostle of Aeryo.”

“Me?” Aedan blurted out. “Why?”

Melissa tittered. “Are you genuinely asking or are you just playing the fool?”

“What if it’s the former?”

Her smile widened. “I may not know much about you but I do know that you have lived for centuries or maybe even more. You must have seen a lot, learned a lot. And you were the teacher of the former king. Need I say more? Cause I still have plenty of reasons to give.”

Aedan sighed. “You said enough. I accept your friendship, Lady Melissa.”