《Hohenfels》


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    GLOSSARY


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    Banesilver


    Banesilver describes a silver-nickel alloy that underwent a ritualistic forging process to grant it anti-magical properties. The only official manufacturer in Europa is the Catholic Church, but other cultures have their own analogous materials. Because of its immense cost, it is most often alloyed further with different metals, reducing its effects.


    In application, banesilver amulets dampen an individual''s aura and make probing much more difficult, banesilver shackles can be used to restrain even powerful practicioners, and a banesilver blade will have a much easier time cutting through reinforced skin ¨C in addition to being particularly effective against the Erlking''s kin.

 Chapter 1

    Arne leaned on the cold windowsill of his father¡¯s study, his gaze wandering over the wide bogland sprawling underneath castle Hohenfels. It would be a long time before he could enjoy this familiar, rugged landscape again. He already felt homesick, even though he hadn¡¯t left yet.


    ¡°It¡¯s only four years, Arne.¡±


    ¡°Father, I beg of you,¡± Arne pleaded, turning around to face the man who had interrupted his melancholic musings.


    Arnold II., Margrave of Hohenfels, fixed his son with a warm, but firm gaze. ¡°We¡¯ve had this discussion countless times. You have to go.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to list the reasons again?¡± The older man sighed, rising from his cushioned chair behind the massive oaken desk. ¡°Our house is not strong enough to stand without allies. We need connections. We need friends.¡±


    ¡°Lisa has that handled,¡° Arne pouted. He knew very well that his complaints were unreasonable, but the prospect of four years surrounded by noisy, emotionally unstable noble brats made him want to hole up in his room for the next decade.


    Arnold turned to face his son. . ¡°We cannot rely on your sister¡¯s reputation alone. You know that,¡± he said flatly.


    ¡°She is a paladin!¡±


    ¡°She is a bullheaded menace. Appointing her as my heir is a given, but she needs support.¡±


    ¡°What about Er-¡±


    ¡°Erwin is only marginally better than her.¡±


    Grinding his teeth, Arne spat out, ¡°Four years, Father!¡±


    ¡°Yes, four years,¡± the Margrave sighed. ¡°It was hellish for me, for your grandfather, and for your great-grandfather. You¡¯ll manage, too.¡±


    ¡°You said yourself that my talent far surpasses most of our ancestors. Including you!¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Which is exactly why you cannot let it go to waste.¡± Sighing once again, Arnold stood in front of his son and put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°You will get through this. Your control has improved by leaps and bounds, and most students wear protective charms. Power through the momentary discomfort and live a peaceful life as Lisa¡¯s advisor once you return.¡±


    ¡°¡­That does sound appealing.¡±


    ¡°Good. With that in mind¡­¡±


    Arne could never truly get used to witnessing his father entering ¡®work mode¡¯. Those kind brown eyes turned distant and hard, his entire body language shifting to bring out the ruthless man who had defended the Hohenfels territory for almost seven decades. With hands clasped behind his back, graying brown hair combed back to reveal a long scar on his left temple, and his aura thoroughly restrained, Arnold II. was the very picture of a no-nonsense frontier aristocrat. A carefully cultivated image that reflected exactly what the Margrave wanted to portray to the rest of the world.


    ¡°Prince Arnold, you are hereby ordered to attend the Imperial Academy, as is tradition. You will depart for Halden at your earliest convenience.¡±


    ¡°By your wish, Father,¡± Arne replied, a smile creeping on his face. ¡°Thank you for listening to my selfish whining. I will do my best.¡±


    His father¡¯s stoic mien broke as he returned the smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure of that.¡±


    Taking the not-so-implicit dismissal as what it was, he left the office with a bow, closed the rough oaken doors and began to stroll towards his chambers, silently dreading his fate.


    ¡°Finally done in there?¡±


    He had only a fraction of a second to prepare for the inevitable, before getting the air knocked out of his lungs by his older sister¡¯s not-so-gentle greeting. Still coughing, he turned around to face her.


    ¡°Lisa, for the love of all that is holy, stop hitting my back when I¡¯m not in armor!¡±


    Princess Elisabeth von Hohenfels grinned unapologetically, her mischievous expression framed by her long brown hair. . ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still that weak after all this fighting! Maybe the academy will finally make a man out of you. Though I bet you won¡¯t set a single foot onto the training grounds while you¡¯re there.¡±


    The insults lacked any bite given that he could feel the deep fondness in her aura, but he couldn¡¯t just let that one slide. ¡°Not everyone can be a brute like you. Just go wrestle a bear or whatever it is you paladins do all day.¡±


    That earned him a headlock. ¡°Spoken like a true silkling,¡± she cackled while ruffling his hair. ¡°How do you expect to find a good wife while looking like a twig?¡± Her playful punch to his arm felt like a hammerblow thanks to the magic reinforcing her muscles.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m decently well built by all reasonable standards!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re still lanky compared to Erwin.¡±


    ¡°Erwin is not a reasonable standard!¡± Count Erwin von Rotenbach was a veritable mountain of muscles, gained over years of martial training and military expeditions. But as the husband of a renowned Paladin and accomplished veteran himself, that much was to be expected.


    ¡°I suppose that is true. He is a magnificent man.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. Spare me. What did you want in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right,¡± she relinquished her stranglehold. ¡°Come with me, I¡¯ve got something for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not some kind of exotic animal again, right¡­?¡± Arne could still vividly remember the flesh-eating squirrel creature she had brought home from an expedition to god-knows-where. He had found it kind of cute, until it started enthusiastically munching on a servant¡¯s forearm.


    ¡°No way, it¡¯s much more interesting!¡± By this point, Lisa had utterly lost the sad excuse of courtly poise she usually managed to muster and was bouncing on her toes in a manner entirely unbefitting a princess thirty-seven years of age. ¡°Come on, come on!¡±


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    Arne¡¯s trepidation grew as she dragged him out of the castle onto the training field, a big yard next to the servants¡¯ quarters. One of the estate¡¯s maids stood next to the pells, reverently holding what was obviously some kind of sheathed weapon. Lisa plucked it out of her hands and unceremoniously passed it to Arne. ¡°Here, for you.¡±


    The weapon turned out to be a saber with an elegant, though unassuming hilt and sheath. At first glance, it could have passed for a normal cavalry saber, but on closer inspection, it was clearly the work of an expert weaponsmith. Understated, but obviously a masterwork with none of the telltale signs of mass-produced weaponry to be seen. ¡®,¡¯ Arne noted.


    He slowly drew the blade, and was greeted by a very familiar feeling. ¡°No way. Is this¨C¡±


    ¡°Banesilver! Well, some kind of alloy, at least.¡±


    The weapon suddenly felt so, so much heavier in his hands, and he desperately tried to hand it back to his triumphantly grinning sister.


    ¡°Where in God¡¯s name did you get this?! I couldn¡¯t possibly¨C¡±


    ¡°Adalbert von Wangen owed me a favor.¡±


    ¡°The bishop of Domstein¡­?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! This beauty was forged by his best blacksmiths, and consecrated by the bishop himself.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what, how¡­¡± Arne stuttered, trying to find words. ¡°Does Father know about this?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I ran the idea by him last year. He was all for it, and said something about strengthening our ties with Domstein.¡±


    ¡®¡¯, Arne mentally conceded. Prince-Bishop Adalbert was the singular link between the Protestant northern territories and the Pope, and thus vitally important for House Hohenfels¡¯ long term ambitions. He stopped his futile attempts at returning the saber and drew it again, admiring the craftsmanship that went into forging the banesilver blade and allowing himself to bask in the comforting dullness it brought to his aura senses. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Right? Make sure to wear it instead of that dainty thing,¡± she insisted, pointing at the gratuitously decorated smallsword hanging on his belt.


    ¡°Mother won¡¯t like that. That toothpick was a gift from Uncle Wilhelm.¡±


    ¡°While I respect our dear Uncle,¡± Lisa lied, ¡°I can¡¯t stand the idea of my little brother strolling about the academy looking like a pillowknight. Come on, put it on!¡±


    Sighing, Arne sheathed the heavy saber and attached it to his hip, replacing the smallsword. Its weight was strangely comforting, even though it reminded him of long days on horseback and grueling battles against the Khanate¡¯s hordes. ¡°You¡¯re right, this feels a lot more natural.¡±


    His sister shot him a sly grin. ¡°Looks a lot more manly, too!¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± he chuckled. ¡°And it¡¯s one hell of a statement, as well.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, carrying a weapon worth more than a barony will certainly raise a few eyebrows. Mother might complain for appearance¡¯s sake, but we both know how much she loves ,¡± she said, still grinning. ¡°And speaking of Mother: She has something to discuss with you. Seemed important, so you should probably head to her study sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll go there now.¡± Arne waved to the maid, who had discreetly retreated a few dozen paces, and handed her the discarded blade. ¡°Take this to my chambers.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Highness.¡±


    He bid farewell to his sister and trudged towards the central keep, still considering the implications of routinely carrying an item worth significantly more than most heirlooms inside the Hohenfels family vault.


    Upon arriving at his mother¡¯s study, he knocked gingerly on the finely decorated door. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Enter, Arnold.¡±


    As he opened the door, the familiar scent of herbal tea, parchment, and wax candles greeted him. Adelheid von Zehlen, cousin of the current Duke of Falkenstein, sat behind her carefully arranged desk, sorting through correspondence.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you,¡± she grumbled, glaring at the saber on his hip. Thankfully, she made no further attempts at conveying her clear displeasure. ¡°Make sure to wear the smallsword during meetings with my brother.¡±


    ¡°I will, Mother.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now take a seat, we have much to discuss.¡±


    The next two hours were a blur of names, family trees, gossip, and a ridiculous amount of rumors. He tried ¨C and failed ¨C to pay attention, but as his boredom and disinterest became more and more apparent on his face, his mother gave up on the relentless barrage.


    ¡°Just make sure not to step on any ducal toes if they don¡¯t do it first,¡± she demanded. ¡°Can you do that, at least?¡±


    ¡°I shall try my very best, dearest Mother,¡± Arne grinned, performing an exaggerated bow.


    ¡°And don¡¯t hole up in your chambers for days on end. I know, I know,¡± she held up a hand, preempting his protests, ¡±you don¡¯t have to mingle all day, every day. But please, for the sake of our family, at least talk to people on a regular basis.¡±


    ¡°...I really can¡¯t promise that, Mother. You remember what happened after Lisa¡¯s wedding, yes?¡±


    ¡°Vividly so,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°Then please, cut me some slack.¡±


    ¡°If you stop talking like a sailor, Arnold. Lord above, it was a mistake to send you on that last campaign¡­¡± Arne silently agreed with her complaint, though for decidedly different reasons.


    Adelheid picked up a letter from her desk and waved it around demonstratively. ¡°Speaking of chambers: The academy has sent word that the renovations of our hall have finally been completed. You will use the main suite, and Friedrich will get the smaller one. I realize you prefer less spacious chambers, but this is a matter of status and prestige.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Is the bathhouse still intact?¡± Castle Hohenfels held a large bath in the style of the old empire, and the previous margrave had incorporated that luxury into the family-sponsored dorm at the academy as a matter of course. Most modern bathhouses were practical affairs with little comfort, but relaxing in a steaming hot pool was very high up on the list of things Arne was not willing to give up on for any extended period of time.


    ¡°It is, thankfully. Good thinking ¨C the privilege of using it will be a valuable means of negotiation with students from other dorms.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± ¡¯ he inwardly grinned.


    ¡°That should be all for today, then. The will depart to Halden the day after tomorrow. Your cousin will join you at castle Steinberg.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Is there anything else I should know?¡± ¡®¡¯


    ¡°Yes, one more thing,¡± his mother said gleefully while he inwardly cursed his poor choice of words. ¡°Keep your eyes open for potential marriage arrangements. A Falkenstein girl would be optimal, but any of the ducal families will do. Except for the Eisengrunds, of course.¡±


    ¡°Not this again,¡± he complained fruitlessly. ¡°Can¡¯t I just marry some nice, homely daughter of a lesser noble from our lands? I really can¡¯t handle the ambitious types.¡±


    ¡°Arnold.¡± .


    ¡°...Mother?¡±


    ¡°If we want to see your father elevated to the rank of Duke any time soon, you will have to do your part in either strengthening existing ties or forging new ones.¡±


    ¡°...I will do my best,¡± Arne grumbled for the second time today.


    His coming stay at the academy was shaping up to become the most dreadful experience of his life.

 Chapter 2

    Arne stood at the bow of the steamboat , suppressing the urge to jump into the cold water below to avoid the fate looming behind the next riverbend. The first towers of Halden were already visible, and the river was teeming with barges loaded with coal, timber, and grain.


    ¡°Finally!¡± His cousin¡¯s booming voice ripped him out of his contemplations. When the inevitable Hohenfels-style greeting impacted his shoulder, Arne once again found himself glad that the bruises caused by the ¡°farewell spar¡± with his sister had mostly healed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so gloomy, Arne. It¡¯ll be fine, trust me!¡±


    ¡°I sure hope so,¡± Arne murmured.


    Friedrich von Hohenfels-Steinberg was one of the few people Arne considered a good friend. The younger man rarely had any deceitful thoughts, and scheming was a foreign concept to him. In many regards, he was similar to Lisa ¨C his primary concerns and talents were combat, weapons, and physical exercise. Friedrich might have become the shining martial star of the Hohenfels family, had the princess not set such an exceedingly bright example.


    ¡°Just look at the bright side: We¡¯ll get to beat up silklings every day!¡± Friedrich¡¯s malicious glee was almost palpable.


    ¡°Be careful not to get beaten up yourself, Fritz,¡± Arne snorted. ¡°Matthias von Falkenstein will attend the academy with us, and so will Leonhardt von Wessen.¡±


    ¡°All the better! The only thing more fun than bullying self-important losers is dueling true warriors!¡± Friedrich put his foot up on the railing, grinning proudly into the distance like a northern warchief. The heroic image was slightly marred by his choice of attire: A stained shirt and worn-out training pants.


    ¡°Stop showing off and go get dressed. I can already see the docks.¡±


    As Friedrich darted off, Arne fished a warding amulet out of his uniform¡¯s pocket. While most nobles owned at least one of these, Arne¡¯s amulet was unique, in a particularly expensive way. A small piece of pure banesilver worth more than a knight¡¯s mansion was nestled within the regular silver body of the trinket. It was the only thing offering him some minimal reprieve from the endless assault the unrestrained auras of other nobles would wreak upon his senses. He was not looking forward to wearing it all day because of the uncomfortable weight around his neck, but the alternative was even more daunting.


    ¡°Ready to dock!¡± At the captain''s order, the deck of the flooded with sailors hauling around ropes and cargo. Arne did his best to stay out of their way, not wanting to contribute to the less-than-flattering reputation aristocratic travelers had among crews all over the Empire. He mostly succeeded, with only one instance of a sailor hesitantly shooing him off to the side.


    While the riverboat got moored, he scanned the busy docks and quickly found what he was looking for. The ornate academy carriage stood out like a beacon in the rough surroundings, and two attendants huddled behind the armed escorts to avoid the inquisitive stares of dock workers and fishmongers.


    As Arne stepped off the boat, one of the carriage attendants approached him and bowed deeply.


    ¡°May I dare to greet you as Prince Arnold von Hohenfels?¡±


    ¡°You may.¡±


    ¡°It is a great honor to serve Your Highness,¡± the attendant said meekly. ¡°The Academy has prepared a carriage for Your Highness and the esteemed Lord Friedrich von Hohenfels-Steinberg.¡±


    ¡°How thoughtful,¡± Arne replied flatly, already tiring of the interaction.


    Thankfully, the conversation was cut short by Friedrich¡¯s arrival, who was now dressed in a uniform denoting him as a Lieutenant of the Hohenfels cavalry. The subsequent carriage ride through the city of Halden was highly uncomfortable at first, the cushions on the seats utterly failing to dampen the continuous impacts from the rough cobblestone lanes. But once they got out of the harbor district and onto the bigger roads, the ride became almost enjoyable.


    Halden was exactly what one would expect from a trade hub in the heart of the Empire, a mere fifty-odd miles away from Argen, the capital. The huge cathedral in the center of the city dominated the view, and half-timbered houses lined the busy streets. Everything was surprisingly clean ¨C Arne had heard and expected much worse. he thought to himself, half-heartedly listening to Friedrich once again gushing over the priceless saber on his hip and occasionally offering a grunt of agreement.


    After an hour in the carriage, they finally passed the gates of the academy. The compound encompassed an entire valley a few miles south of Halden with almost two dozen buildings varying greatly in size and opulence. Most of those buildings were arranged around a central plaza with sprawling gardens and a large amphitheater in the style of the Old Empire.


    ¡°Look, there¡¯s our dorm!¡±


    Following Friedrich¡¯s pointing finger with his eyes, Arne quickly spotted Hohenfels Hall. The fortress-like complex stood out like a sore thumb among the ornate mansions. Rough stone and embrasures made for a sharp contrast to the polished marble and huge window fronts of the neighboring buildings. It even had exterior ramparts and a small moat, though neither were practical or even functional. Merely a very expensive statement.


    The carriage dropped them off at the dorm¡¯s purely performative, but nonetheless impressive drawbridge. After receiving the attendants¡¯ unnecessarily roundabout reassurances that the carriage containing their luggage would arrive within the hour, the young men crossed the bridge into the courtyard. There were no people around, but the neatly trimmed trees and climbing plants conveyed a certain homeliness reminiscent of the old, but well-kept castles back home.


    ¡°Say, Arne¡­ What did Aunt Adelheid bribe the academy with to get them to call you ¡®Prince¡¯?¡± Friedrich wondered, shooting Arne an inquisitive look.


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    ¡°She sold out Lisa. The prospect of a paladin teaching combat classes was enough.¡±


    ¡°Really? The headmaster would cave in just for that? The Emperor must be even weaker tha¨C¡±


    ¡°Shut it,¡± Arne snapped. ¡°None of that talk here.¡±


    Friedrich looked sufficiently chastised, but the stubbornness in his aura told Arne that he would have to keep an eye on his cousin lest he get himself ¨C and their entire house ¨C into dangerous waters.


    As if on cue, a pair of heavy-looking doors swung open, and an older gentleman strode into the yard. His gray hair and numerous wrinkles did nothing to lessen the imposing figure he cut. He was almost as tall as the two younger men, a clear sign of Hohenfels blood running through his veins.


    ¡°I greet the Young Lords,¡± he said in a gravelly voice while giving them a traditional salute: Right fist over the heart, left hand grasping the hilt of the antique broadsword on his hip. ¡°I am Hartmut von Hohenfels, serving as the castellan of this hall.¡±


    They returned the salute. ¡°My sister sends her warmest regards, Lord Hartmut. She said she owes you a lot for your extensive combat instruction,¡± Arne said. As the words left his mouth, he felt a strong spike of emotion from his side, suppressed too quickly to truly identify. He shot a quick glance at Friedrich, but for once, his cousin¡¯s face was unreadable.


    The old man chuckled heartily, seemingly unaware of Arne¡¯s distress. ¡°I only taught her a few tricks. Now, should we get the two of you situated?¡°


    The Castellan took them through dim corridors to the top floor of the main building, which was reserved for the Hohenfels family. One large suite for the highest-ranking family member, and three additional ones. One of those was already occupied by Lord Hartmut, and Friedrich laid claim to the suite with the softest bed after a short test nap.


    When Arne entered his own suite, he found himself impressed. The builders had managed to accurately capture the atmosphere of castle Hohenfels, and his chambers ¨C though significantly larger than he would have preferred ¨C immediately felt familiar. Thick tapestries in earthen colors covered the stone walls, complementing the oaken furniture and flooring. The afternoon sun shone through the small windows, and Arne felt right at home. , he thought as relief flooded through him. The coming horrors suddenly seemed a lot less daunting, knowing that he had a cozy place to hole up in.


    He moved from room to room, thoroughly inspecting every nook and cranny. His suite was more spacious than entire commoner houses, encompassing a study filled with numerous books and scrolls, a bedchamber, a comfortable lounge, a small personal armory and even a bathroom with indoor plumbing ¨C a luxury not even his chambers back at the castle had offered. Judging from the hot water coming out of the faucet, it was connected to the bathhouse in the adjacent section of the dorm.


    The level of comfort surprised him. Generally speaking, House Hohenfels prided itself on a more rugged, almost spartanic lifestyle compared to the lavish mansions of the inner-imperial nobles. And while his suite was¡­ by modern aristocratic standards, it was still a good deal more sophisticated than he had expected.


    Though, no matter how happy he was to find a home away from home, he could feel his cousin¡¯s eagerness to explore the academy grounds even through the massive stone walls, and figured that he¡¯d have to indulge Friedrich for today, at least. And when he felt the Castellan¡¯s tightly restrained aura join his cousin¡¯s in the corridor, he could no longer delay.


    ¡°¨Ctroops at the battle of Grauacker, right?¡± Friedrich¡¯s excited voice rang through the sparsely decorated halls as Arne left his suite..


    ¡°Correct. My brother put me in charge of the northern detachment. At first, I thought it a punishment, but in reality, he trusted me with the most pivotal role on the battlefield,¡± the old man remembered fondly. ¡°Friedrich, in the future, it will be up to you to proudly stand beside Young Lord Arnold. Just as I supported my brother, and your father supported his father.¡±


    ¡°I-I will! Thank you, Lord Hartmut!¡± Friedrich stumbled over his words, belatedly remembered to perform a formal bow, stopped it halfway out of embarrassment, and finally settled on a military salute. His aura practically sang with euphoria, clearly elated to talk to the heroic commander who had almost singlehandedly expanded the Hohenfels territory by half, ripping the wide eastern boglands out of the savage grip of the Khanate.


    The Castellan turned to look at Arne, who had been watching the exchange with an amused smile. ¡°Welcome back, Young Lord Arnold. I will handle the luggage porters once they arrive, so feel free to take a look around the academy grounds.¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Hartmut. Pray tell, how lively are the premises right now? Lessons will begin on Monday, so I would assume a good number of students have arrived already.¡±


    ¡°Only surprisingly few have arrived yet. There have been a number of heavy storms in the west and south, so carriage travel was rather unpredictable.¡±


    Arne seemingly failed to hide his relief, since the older man¡¯s face took on an almost parental compassion, also reflected in his aura. ¡°I take it your talents are every bit as¡­ intensive as your father suggested in his letter?¡±


    ¡°Indeed so, if not more. But let us not speak of this topic here, Lord Hartmut.¡±


    ¡°That would be unwise, yes. We shall have a talk in my office later. For now, go explore the academy.¡±


    Friedrich¡¯s aura spiked with anticipation and he all but dragged Arne out of the dorm, only stopping to offer the Castellan another salute.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s take a look at the-¡±


    ¡°Training grounds?¡± Arne sighed.


    ¡°Training grounds!¡±


    The central plaza was deserted, and they quickly found out why as they followed the increasingly loud clangs of metal hitting metal to the, in Arne¡¯s fully unbiased opinion, needlessly fancy arena. It was a large structure, reminiscent of the colosseums of old. About two dozen young men were watching a match, scattered across the spectator ranks in small groups.


    Settling in a seat in the least populated section, Arne took a good look at the two figures attacking each other with vicious stabs and blows. One seemed to be the son of some northern count, judging by the emblem on his uniform. He could barely get any moves in, ruthlessly suppressed by his opponent-


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s that bitch,¡± Friedrich grumbled. ¡°Why do we have to see her ugly mug on our very first day here?¡±


    ¡°Language,¡± Arne chided half-heartedly. He slightly disagreed with his cousin¡¯s assessment ¨C Klara von Eisenberg was by no means an unattractive woman. Physically, at least. She did, however, have an utterly unbearable personality. he thought.


    A collective groan went through the exclusively male audience as Duke Albrecht von Eisenberg¡¯s second daughter ended the one-sided duel with a brutal kick to the distressed man¡¯s groin. She smoothed back a strand of blonde hair that had come loose from her ponytail and defiantly stared at the audience, who so far had not offered the slightest bit of applause. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± she demanded in a clear challenge to everyone present.


    Arne, knowing exactly what was about to happen, moved to grab his cousin¡¯s shoulder, but it was too late.


    ¡°I am,¡± Friedrich proclaimed, drawing her attention. Her eyes narrowed in recognition, and her previously guarded expression morphed into obvious distaste.


    ¡°Oh dear, it¡¯s the Mudlords of Hohenfels. Get down here and collect your beatings,¡± she sneered. He was too far away to feel her aura, but even if that wasn¡¯t the case, it would have been drowned out by the burning rage his cousin projected.


    ¡°You dare?!¡±

 Chapter 3

    As Friedrich stormed down into the arena to grab a semi-blunt practice weapon, Arne leaned back in his seat. he silently despaired. They had immediately gotten roped into a very violent and very public conflict with a ducal house. Depending on the outcome of this battle, Friedrich¡¯s ¨C and by extension, his ¨C reputation at the academy might start off heavily tarnished.


    ¡°I greet Young Lord Arnold of Hohenfels.¡± While Arne was lost in his thoughts, a young man with dark hair and a very prominent nose had approached him and was now bowing in the manner of the northern countships. The emblem on his chest reminded Arne of Landgrave von Schonach¡¯s coat of arms, but the variations denoted him as a member of a somewhat distant branch family.


    ¡°Prince,¡± he absentmindedly corrected.


    ¡°Ah, I- Uh, I deeply apologize, Prince Arnold. Please forgive my transgression!¡±


    ¡°Consider it forgotten. The change in title is a recent development after all,¡± he offered the still bowing young man. ¡°Who am I talking to?¡±


    ¡°I must apologize again, Prince Arnold. My name is¨C¡±


    Both of them winced when the initial exchange between the fighters produced a horrible sound of clashing metal, accompanied by a gust of wind.


    ¡°Ahem. My name is August von Schonach-Arfeld. I hope your voyage to Halden went smoothly, Your Highness?¡± August had reasonable control over his aura, more than enough to ward off any tentative probing by his peers. Unfortunately for him, it was far from enough to keep Arne in the dark about his utter disinterest in the prince¡¯s well-being.


    Arne complained to himself, bracing for the type of conversation he hated most.


    Down in the arena, Klara von Eisenberg felt like a fool. Well, not quite as foolish as the backwater idiot right in front of her, but still ¨C this was, perhaps, the worst possible way to begin her stay at the academy. Why did she have to insult the Hohenfels heirs in such a crude way? With an audience, as well?


    She involuntarily paused her self-deprecating contemplations, as her opponent¡¯s heavy saber crashed down on her in a wide arc. She avoided it gracefully, noting grudgingly that it would have been extremely dangerous to face head-on.


    Klara¡¯s smallsword struck out in response, stabbing ¨C though not quite penetrating ¨C his shoulder as he recovered from the swing. The brute let out a ferocious roar befitting his savage ancestry and continued his aggressive assault.


    There was no point in letting him dictate the flow, so she seized the initiative. A well-aimed stab at his face made Friedrich flinch away instinctively and left him open for a followup attack. She released her hold on her magic, let it flow freely through her legs, and took a lightning-fast step forward. Her sword lashed out painfully at his upper thigh to reduce his mobility, eliciting another roar.


    Now it was only a matter of repetition. Let the savage¡¯s instincts work against him, tire him out. Death by a thousand cuts. The best way to deal with his ilk.


    She flooded her legs with magic again, this time approaching from a different angle to avoid falling into patterns. She stabbed at his neck¨C


    ¨Cand doubled over when his magically reinforced fist impacted her solar plexus with a painful ¡®thud¡¯, sending her flying.


    It took all her experience and self-control to land safely, struggle back on her feet, and avoid vomiting on the arena floor.


    Friedrich von Hohenfels-Steinberg was . That damnable woman was absolutely humiliating him! So far, he had only gotten a single hit in, while she was chipping away at his defenses, and more importantly, his self-control. Something he had precious little of anyway, at least according to Father.


    At least he had the satisfaction of seeing the dainty princess almost lose her breakfast to his punch.


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    He steeled himself, shook off the persistent aches in his arms and legs, and took up his stance once more.  sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His Father¡¯s commanding voice rang mercilessly in his head.


    Allowing her to take the initiative again was out of the question. He had to press the advantage now, before she managed to recover from his blow.


    Friedrich charged.


    Up in the seating area, both Arne and the minor noble whose name he hadn¡¯t bothered to remember had long forgotten their meaningless conversation. They were engrossed in the intense battle unfolding down in the sand.


    After Friedrich had sent the princess flying, the atmosphere in the arena had shifted. The constantly growing audience, who had previously seemed almost disinterested, were now raptly following every exchange. The two fighters¡¯ styles were as different as they could be, but neither seemed to have the advantage, at least at first glance. Princess Klara¡¯s immense magical reserves apparently matched Friedrich¡¯s sheer stubbornness and raw talent.


    Arne, however, could feel a good deal more from their now completely uninhibited auras. Klara¡¯s iron grip on her magic was growing brittle, a clear sign of strain. Friedrich¡¯s mental state was spiraling out of control, and his countless minor injuries obviously infuriated him. It was only a matter of time before one of them would fall.


    Personally, he would put his money on Friedrich winning. While his cousin¡¯s talent was nowhere near the levels of his own, it was prodigious in its own right, not dissimilar to Lisa¡¯s. Their aura senses, when employed in the unrestrained environment of direct combat, afforded them an uncanny intuition for their opponents¡¯ next move, something other houses could only achieve through decades of specialized magical training. This gift had given House Hohenfels a well-deserved reputation as fearsome warriors and brilliant duelists.


    ¡°Haaah!¡± Friedrich¡¯s scream rang through the arena, as he attacked his rapidly retreating opponent with yet another wide swing. Klara tried to dodge, but her dwindling magical power slowed her down. Blood splattered into the sand as his saber opened a wide cut on her shoulder.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the dog now, huh?!¡± he shouted, eyes blazing with fury.


    Klara hissed at him, spitting some insult that he was too far away to hear. Friedrich, however, was not. He fell for the obvious bait and charged her mindlessly.


    She dodged with none of the earlier grace to be seen, and rammed her sword into his side, drawing blood once again. Klara desperately struggled to stay upright, having exhausted every drop of magic in her body. Friedrich fell on one knee, clutching his side ¨C and then, as if overcome by madness, started to rise again.


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    Arne heard his own voice ring through the arena, every face turning towards him as it grew deathly quiet.


    ¡°Friedrich, do not disgrace yourself. This battle is over,¡± he stated as calmly as he could, growing more nervous with every word.


    ¡°But Arne¨C¡±


    ¡°Silence. Princess Klara, would you be willing to consider this a temporary draw?¡±


    ¡°That is¨C¡± she wheezed painfully, ¡°acceptable, for now.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Friedrich, with me.¡±


    ¡°...Yes, Prince.¡±


    Their brisk walk back to Hohenfels Hall was a quiet affair, only interrupted by instances of Friedrich spitting blood into the grass. After Arne successfully dragged him up the stairs and into his suite, he went to grab medical supplies from the Castellan¡¯s office and began patching his cousin up. His wounds, though undoubtedly fatal to a commoner, would be healed within a few days thanks to the salve he applied and Friedrich¡¯s own resilience.


    ¡°Arne, I could have beaten her!¡± he finally complained, breaking the silence.


    ¡°Yes, probably. But it would not have been worth it.¡±


    ¡°What do you¨C¡±


    ¡°Brutalizing a duke¡¯s daughter before classes even begin is not a good look, you know.¡±


    ¡°She started it!¡±


    ¡°Technically, you accepted her open challenge. She goaded you, and you fell for it like a fool.¡±


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°The way it ended is the best possible outcome in this situation. Get your revenge another day, all right?¡±


    Friedrich heaved a long sigh that ended in a very anticlimactic cough and a few droplets of blood landing on his pillow. ¡°Fine. And sorry for the trouble.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Now wash up and get some rest, yeah?¡±


    As Arne turned to leave and take a well-earned bath, he almost missed his cousin¡¯s uncharacteristically quiet plea.


    ¡°Hey¡­ Don¡¯t tell my Father or Lisa about this, please?¡±


    ¡°...Sure thing. See you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±

 Chapter 4

    ¡°¨Cand so, I would be extraordinarily grateful if you would delay your report on this matter until Friedrich had a chance for a rematch.¡±


    Arne stood in the Castellan¡¯s office, bowing to Lord Hartmut who looked at him pensively.


    ¡°A rematch, hmm?¡± the old man asked gently, stroking his carefully trimmed beard. ¡°You¡¯re a natural at this, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    That made Arne hesitate. ¡°What do you mean, Lord Hartmut?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. Only that¨C¡±


    His aura sense screamed a warning. But before he could react, Arne found himself pinned to the wall, held up only by the graying warrior¡¯s hand around his throat.


    ¡°¨Cyou are an inexperienced brat.¡± The Castellan¡¯s voice was cold and harsh, a sharp contrast to his earlier behavior. His aura was restrained to a degree where even Arne could barely make it out, but what little he felt made his blood run cold.


    ¡°You judged me to be a benevolent grandfather from my words and my aura. Accordingly, you decided that you could afford to by testing my allegiances with an question.¡±


    Arne desperately tried to squeeze out a reply, but the fist around his throat did not give way.


    ¡°You wanted to gauge my reaction by bringing up your mother. You had no idea whether or not I report to her. Am I correct?¡±


    A shallow nod was all he could muster, but it seemed enough. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I thought so,¡± the ancient monster said while finally releasing Arne, who fell to the ground, gasping for air.


    His aura returned to normal, cruel steel receding and leaving a kind old man in its place.


    ¡°Arnold, remember that your gift is nothing but a tool. Use it whenever you can, but do not make quick judgments based on it alone.¡±


    Arne tried to muster a reply, but produced nothing but a pitiful coughing fit.


    ¡°There are scary men out there, boy. Men who lie as easily as they breathe and think nothing of it. They will pounce on your every mistake and make you suffer in ways you did not even know existed,¡± Lord Hartmut said while pacing around his desk. ¡°But do you know who is even worse?¡±


    ¡°I¨C¡± Arne interrupted himself with another coughing fit, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lord Hartmut.¡±


    ¡°Ambitious women.¡±


    That threw Arne for a loop. ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°There are women out there who will play you like a damn fiddle and you won¡¯t even know it until your dying breath,¡± Lord Hartmut said while kneeling down next to Arne, who was still prone on the wooden floor. ¡°If even an old fogey like me can fool you, they will consider you easy prey.¡±


    ¡°And what can I¨C¡±


    ¡°Observe. Do not believe what you see or feel in the moment. Do not take anyone¡¯s words at face value. If your instincts give you the slightest warning, take a step back and reconsider your move. Keep a detailed diary, lock it up firmly, and review it regularly,¡± he advised with a stern face. ¡°Now, do you still believe I report to your mother?¡±


    ¡°N-no, Mylord.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I report to no one. Nobody would ,¡± he growled, a trace of the monster returning. ¡°So, no need to worry. Something as minor as a scuffle in the arena will never reach her ears, even if her net is twice as large as I suspect. And now get out of here, I have work to do.¡±


    Arne was more than happy to follow the dismissal, immediately returning to his chambers and throwing himself into a comfortable armchair in the lounge and breathing deeply to calm himself down. He could still feel the cold sweat clinging to his back.


    he thought.


    = = = = =


    ¡°Fritz, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Arne asked his cousin, who was in the process of systematically dismembering a training dummy in the dorm¡¯s private training yard.


    ¡°Practicing with my saber.¡±


    ¡°I can see that.¡°


    ¡°Then what are you on about?¡±


    ¡°Your kidney got skewered just yesterday. So, let me ask again: What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°I¨C¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re putting down that saber and taking a rest. Right. Now. Look, your bandages are all bloody already.¡±


    ¡°Fiiine,¡± Friedrich grumbled. ¡°But in return, we¡¯re checking out the mess hall later. I heard the Sonnensteins sponsored a Lumbardian cook for this semester.¡±


    ¡°...We have a perfectly serviceable refectory right here.¡±


    ¡°They only make the same old stuff we¡¯ve eaten all our lives.¡±


    ¡°Perfectly serviceable old stuff.¡±


    ¡°Coward.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Chicken. Ba-gawk!¡±


    ¡°...Fine, we¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°Woohoooo!¡± Friedrich shouted, startling the jackdaws on the dorm¡¯s roof into flight. ¡°Ouch,¡± he grimaced a moment later, holding his side.


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    ¡°That¡¯s what you get. Now go rest for a while.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually feeling a bit hungry. Can¡¯t we go right now, and I rest afterwards?¡±


    Arne thought.


    ¡°All right. But we should probably dress up a bit.¡± Both of them were wearing very lax attire, due to Arne coming fresh out of the bathhouse and Friedrich training.


    ¡°Uniforms?¡±


    ¡°No, Mother said only to wear those in the city and to formal events.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    They reassembled at the dorm¡¯s gate, Arne now dressed in his favorite velvet doublet and Friedrich wearing a fancy tunic resembling the style of the old empire.


    While they were entering the central plaza, Arne brought up a thought he had been mulling over for the last few hours. ¡°Say, Fritz, what do you think Lord Hartmut is doing here of all places?¡±


    ¡°¡®Letting the young¡¯uns take the reins back home¡¯, is what he told me.¡±


    ¡°...You asked him?¡±


    ¡°Mhmm. Was that bad?¡±


    ¡°No no, it¡¯s all good.¡± ¡°When did you talk to him?¡±


    ¡°He came to see me when I started training. I even got half an hour of personal instruction out of it,¡± Friedrich grinned proudly.


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Arne replied with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. Friedrich seemed to pick up on something, because he immediately switched topics.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting more lively around here, huh?¡±


    ¡°It is indeed,¡± Arne sighed, not even bothering to hide his discomfort. Even Hohenfels Hall had filled up with newcomers, some of them acquaintances or distant family members, some of them minor nobles from neighboring countships aiming for a military career in the Margrave¡¯s army, but most were, though Arne was loath to admit it, those who failed to secure a spot in the much fancier dorms sponsored by the duchies of Eisengrund and Falkenstein.


    The plaza that had been practically deserted yesterday was now teeming with young aristocrats, animatedly socializing in groups from three to a dozen. Arne felt his heart speed up as the tangled auras impacted his senses, and fastened the amulet around his neck. The background noise of emotions became bearable again, though it was far from comfortable.


    They got a few curious looks from some who had correctly identified the eagle crest embroidered on their clothes, but their hurried steps preempted any approaches. Friedrich¡¯s imagination was running wild with culinary anticipation, and Arne simply wanted to get away from the crowd, though he was acutely aware that their destination would not prove more agreeable to him.


    The mess hall was a majestic thing. Located in the academy¡¯s main building, it was purpose-built to impress the Emperor¡¯s ridiculous wealth upon everyone present. Huge windows of stained glass threw fluttering shadows on the polished marble floor. The ceiling was at least a dozen paces high, supported by ornate pillars decorated with Imperial heraldry.


    The long wooden tables were arranged in a rather peculiar manner. Not in the physical sense ¨C no, the peculiarities came from the implicit hierarchy they conveyed. Close to the entrance were the tables obviously meant for lower nobility. They were certainly impressive in their own right, with silver candelabra and fine tablecloth, but Arne could see empty platters and serving bowls.


    The following set of tables were meant for members of houses holding imperial immediacy: High nobility. The servants clearly prioritized these tables over the earlier ones. He counted at least three of them swarming around the tables at any moment, replacing empty dishes and supplying beverages to the tables¡¯ occupants.


    And then came the tables of the ducal houses. Forgoing any subtlety, they were placed on an elevated platform. Six tables, each with heraldry proudly displayed over it, placed far enough apart to avoid conversations wafting over to their neighbors. The tables, while just as long as the rest of the many tables in the hall, were only sparsely populated. ¡® Arne thought. Lesser aristocrats would fight fierce battles, political and physical, over the privilege to join a duchy¡¯s table.


    Something that Arne and Friedrich would be spared, since they were greeted by a familiar face, who intentionally ignored polite manners to call out to them over the hall¡¯s clamor.


    ¡°Prince Arnold! Young Lord Friedrich! My dearest cousins, come over and join me!¡±


    The noise turned into hushed whispers, as Prince Matthias von Falkenstein, younger cousin of the current Duke of Falkenstein and second in line for succession, waved them over to his table. He was sitting with who Arne supposed was his fianc¨¦e, the daughter of a branch of House Greifenhain, who had opted to join the Falkenstein table together with her entourage of young ladies.


    ¡°My heartfelt greetings, Prince Matthias. We shall take advantage of your hospitality, then,¡± Arne said when he and Friedrich reached the table under the scrutinizing looks from all corners of the hall.


    ¡°It is good to see you again!¡± Matthias offered them a radiant grin, relishing the attention. ¡°May I introduce you to the most gorgeous flower of Greifenau, my fianc¨¦e Lady Elenor von Greifenhain-Karstein?¡± The lady in question blushed lightly, rose from her chair to stand next to Matthias and curtsied. He had not even exaggerated her beauty ¨C she was indeed a fitting match for Matthias, who himself was renowned for his princely handsomeness throughout the Empire¡¯s higher social circles.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Elenor. Prince Matthias is a most fortunate man,¡± Arne shamelessly flattered while offering a small bow.


    ¡°The honor is mine, Prince Arnold,¡± Elenor told him in the deferential tone inner houses instilled in their female scions from birth onwards. It was a stark contrast to the Eisengrund princess¡¯ openly hostile tone, and yet¡­


    While his amulet mostly shielded Arne from the directionless auras permeating the hall, anything directed towards him in particular would still reach his senses. he thought.


    ¡°Please, take a seat,¡± Matthias insisted, gesturing towards the free chair on his left. Arne took it, trying to parse through the emotions in Matthias¡¯ aura.


    A servant was immediately at his side, offering fine Lumbardian wine that faintly smelled of strawberries. He saw Friedrich, now surrounded by Elenor¡¯s giggling friends who seemed fascinated by the muscles rippling underneath the sleeves of his cousin¡¯s tunic, reach gleefully for a plate of grilled cheese, and quickly decided to try it as well after the mouthwatering aroma reached his nose.


    After a few bites, he turned to Matthias and lowered his voice to make it difficult for the countless curious onlookers to make out his words.


    ¡°I appreciate it, ¡®cousin¡¯. Did Aunt Amalie put you up to this?¡± Arne asked, referring to his mother¡¯s sister, who happened to be Matthias¡¯ cousin once removed.


    ¡°Indeed. She mentioned something about owing Lady Adelheid a favor. I don¡¯t believe in trading favors within the family, but it is what it is,¡± he said jovially. His aura contorted slightly and Arne noted with a small measure of annoyance that Matthias , in fact, believe in trading favors within the family.


    He suppressed a sigh, faked a chuckle, and turned his attention to his grilled cheese.


    Arne and Friedrich excused themselves around an hour later, the former fleeing from an ever-increasing headache, the latter reluctant to part with the ladies who had quickly identified ¨C and successfully used ¨C him as the perfect practice target for flattery and seduction.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go again tomorrow,¡± Friedrich pleaded as they crossed the now sparsely populated plaza in the setting sun.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Arne replied wearily. ¡°You did realize that the girls were only playing with you, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but it was fun nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re having fun,¡± Arne sighed. ¡°Just keep in mind that they¡¯re not to be trusted.¡±


    ¡°Obviously. But a bit of flirting never hurt any¨C¡±


    Friedrich stopped himself as he saw the figure leaning against their dorm¡¯s outer ramparts, his face contorting into a mask of rage. ¡°What are doing here?¡±


    Klara von Eisenberg pushed off the wall and straightened up, her mien similarly unamused. She pointedly ignored Friedrich, addressing Arne instead.


    ¡°Got a moment, Hohenfels?¡±

 Chapter 5

    Princess Klara¡¯s aura shook with reluctance, shame, and suppressed anger as she stared at the cousins.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Arne asked, matching her tone in forgoing protocol.


    ¡°I¡­ Ugh,¡± she groaned. ¡°I owe you for yesterday.¡±


    Arne had expected threats, demands, vows of eternal vengeance¡­ And so had Friedrich, whose aura exuded irritation and confusion in equal measure.


    ¡°That duel was a close call,¡± she continued through clenched teeth. ¡°As much as I hate to admit it, you did me a favor by stopping it there. My reputation might have taken a severe hit had it continued in the same manner.¡±


    Arne could understand that line of thought, since it was exactly what had prompted him to intervene on his cousin¡¯s behalf. However, he had surmised that Klara would consider the result either quid-pro-quo or a severe offense.


    ¡°It goes against House Eisenberg¡¯s ¨C no, honor to owe a favor of this kind,¡± she spat. The ¡®to the likes of you¡¯ written in her indignant expression was left unsaid. ¡°So, name your demands.¡±


    Arne was conflicted. Her aggressive request practically invited an exchange of insults and a refusal to acknowledge her ¡®debt¡¯. In fact, that was probably what she was aiming for. An easy way to paint them as honorless savages with no regard for Imperial customs.


    If, however, he decided to accept her request and pose a demand, an entirely new series of pitfalls would materialize. If she considered his demand too insignificant, she could easily frame it as House Hohenfels mocking House Eisenberg¡¯s honor. Conversely, a hefty demand would leave them open for accusations of unseemly greed and thus, dishonorable behaviour.


    The one ray of hope in the current situation was Friedrich recognizing that he was out of his depth and resigning himself to glowering at the belligerent princess as darkly as humanly possible.


    Arne carefully observed her aura. To his great surprise, he could not find a single spark of deceptiveness ¨C but as his recent experiences taught him, that did not necessarily mean much.


    And then he had an idea. An idea so magnificent, so wondrous that he was half-convinced an angel of the Lord had delivered it unto him.


    ¡°Very well. You shall address me as ¡®Prince¡¯ from now on.¡±


    The expression of sheer horror on her face nearly broke his carefully controlled countenance. He felt Friedrich¡¯s aura shift to malicious glee next to him, as Princess Klara struggled to find words.


    ¡°That is not¨C No, I can¡¯t¨C This is utterly ridiculous! How could I¨C¡±


    ¡°So that is what your vaunted honor amounts to,¡± came a snide remark from Arne¡¯s right.


    ¡°F-Fine! I will comply with your demands!¡± she half-screamed.


    Arne mused and promptly dismissed any sympathy that had wormed its way into his heart. She had gotten herself into this position by her own volition, after all.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°We are waiting,¡± Friedrich helpfully supplied.


    ¡°... Arnold von Hohenfels. I will not forget this.¡±


    ¡°Neither will I. Have a good night, Princess Klara.¡±


    She gave them one last furious look and stormed off.


    The moment she left the cousins¡¯ view, Friedrich broke into howling laughter.


    ¡°Ahahahahaha! Did you see her¨C¡± he gasped for air, struggling to hold back his laughter long enough to speak. ¡°¨Cher face, Arne? Gahahaha!¡±


    Friedrich¡¯s spiteful joy was infectious, and by the time the two young men had reached their suites, they were roaring with laughter, leaving a gaggle of befuddled dorm residents in their wake.


    = = = = =


    Arne spent the next morning sparring. First with Friedrich, and then with a group of young men who got lured by the clashing of metal and were eager to impress the Hohenfels heir.


    Female successors weren¡¯t unheard of, but they certainly were a rarity. Particularly if the current holder of the territory in question had a son. But special circumstances required special treatment, and Lisa was the first ¨C and, considering the clergy¡¯s attitude during her anointment, probably the last ¨C woman to claim the illustrious title of Paladin. That alone afforded the Margrave more than enough justification to nominate her as the heir to the house.


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    Together with her wealth of military successes and her matrilineal marriage to Count Erwin von Rotenbach, it was impossible for Arne to look competent next to her. He would have to match her excellence to be considered anything but a jester on the throne ¨C and he had absolutely no intention of even attempting such a feat.


    And yet he had to play the part until Lisa¡¯s ascension was made public. So, he indulged the sycophants, playing along with their pathetic attempts at flattery. At least for a while, until the succor provided by his amulet was no longer enough to keep the headache at bay.


    He was acutely and painfully aware that holing up in his room was not an option in this situation. Getting a reputation as an ¡®isolated prince¡¯ this early would severely damage his initial standing, something Mother would never let him live down. So, he took a bath, changed into a more presentable outfit, and set out for the one place the glory-seeking young aristocrats would never follow him to: The library.


    Arne had asked his sister about the academy¡¯s renowned library, but, to absolutely nobody¡¯s surprise, she had not once seen it from the inside. he thought as he leisurely strolled through rows and rows of bookshelves stuffed with priceless tomes. The atmosphere was serene, and the handful of students he saw were quietly perusing heavy volumes in designated reading corners.


    He took the first book that caught his interest ¨C ¨C and began looking for a nice spot to read in peace.


    His search led him deeper and deeper into the innards of the library. The further he got, the more abandoned the place felt. While the books and shelves near the entrance were kept immaculately clean, the ones back here carried layers of dust as thick as his finger. The only source of light were small windows high up on the walls.


    Hidden in a corner behind an ancient shelf on the brink of collapse, he found it. A recessed, semi-circular seating niche built into the wall, with a sturdy table in the middle. Right above the alcove, a round window of stained glass provided enough light to comfortably read.


    Arne concluded. He dusted off the table with his sleeve and sat down on the not particularly comfortable bench.


    He opened the tome and soon found himself absorbed in it. Half of the text was clerical drivel, but the vivid descriptions of horrid rituals revulsed and fascinated him in equal measure.


    Arne had not the faintest idea how much time had passed, when a soft cough ripped him out of his trance and almost made him jump.


    His surprise was evident on his face, prompting the young woman looking at him from behind the huge stack of books in her arms to offer him an apologetic smile. Her deliberately understated dress matched her dark hair, making it rather difficult to see her in the twilight of the library. Or at least that was what Arne told himself so he didn¡¯t have to admit his failure to notice her in time.


    ¡°Please forgive my rudeness,¡± she said quietly, not wanting to destroy the almost sacred atmosphere despite no soul other than them being even close to earshot.


    ¡°May I take a seat at your table? I shall do my utmost to not disturb you any further, Mylord.¡± he realized. She had not yet offered her name either, so he was more than happy to keep it that way.


    ¡°Please do, Mylady. I only just found this wonderful place, and it would be remiss of me to keep it all to myself.¡±


    ¡°I truly appreciate it,¡± she replied amicably while placing her books on the table.


    While she sorted through them, Arne considered her aura. Her grip on her magic was adequate for a decently well-trained young noblewoman. But something felt¡­ off.


    Aura was essentially nothing more than emotionally charged magic leaking from a trained individual¡¯s body, and the tighter one¡¯s mental grasp on it, the smaller the leakage. Not that it helped much against Arne¡¯s senses ¨C even the tiniest amount felt like a trumpet blaring directly into his mind if it caught him unprepared.


    In moments of particular emotional intensity, people would leak an abnormally high amount of magic. Those spikes were usually short and intense, quickly receding after an initial outburst. The young lady¡¯s aura spikes, however, seemed . Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A regular aura probe ¨C secretly prodding someone else¡¯s aura with one¡¯s own ¨C would most likely not pick up on that. Even Arne needed a moment to understand what irked him, and he had to hold back a gasp when he realized what was going on.


    She actively projected magic out of her body in an attempt to mask her true aura. It was a titanic feat of control, meaning she was either supremely talented or had endured specialized training. Most likely both.


    ¡°While I appreciate the attention, your gaze is rather distracting, Mylord.¡±


    ¡°I sincerely apologize, Mylady. My thoughts must have drifted off after reading for so long.¡±


    Her eyes drifted to his choice of reading material, and an impish smile formed on her lips. ¡°I assure you, Mylord, my flesh is fully incompatible with all manners of ghastly rituals. Thus, I must ask you to refrain from misappropriating it.¡±


    Arne barely managed to contain his laughter to a quiet chuckle. ¡°I appreciate the warning. Looks like I have no choice but to find another subject, then. A shame, you seemed so promising¡­¡±


    ¡°If you tell me your criteria, I might be able to help you find another candidate,¡± she giggled, clearly enjoying the banter. Her grip on her aura loosened a little, and her authentic emotions¨C


    Arne realized with a start.


    He mentally thanked Lord Hartmut for his newly acquired vigilance.


    = = = = =


    Katharina von Silberthal was growing irritated. Whenever she thought she had the situation under complete control, the enigmatic young lord in front of her subtly shifted his attitude. He clearly wasn¡¯t particularly skilled in controlling his expression or body language, since every such shift was accompanied by some kind of physical tell. A twitch of his eyebrows, a nervous rearrangement of his short brown hair, his feet anxiously moving underneath the table. All signs of inexperience. Yet, he was easily keeping her at arm¡¯s length. No mean feat, since she had been subject to her mother¡¯s ruthless social drills for as long as she could remember.

 Chapter 6

    Katharina regretted not introducing herself at the beginning of their interaction. Though flaunting her status as the daughter of an Imperial Count just to claim a cozy corner of the library would have been a diplomatic blunder, the current situation was even worse.


    She stared at her book, trying to read but failing to concentrate on its contents. The young lord sitting across from her was, infuriatingly, not suffering from the same problem. When the two of them had first turned from their conversation back to their reading material, he seemed just as distracted as she was. Unfortunately, it had taken him ten minutes at best to get absorbed again. Every now and then, she could hear him huffing softly in amazement as he discovered yet another comically gruesome ritual.


    She tried again to focus on her own tome, but had never seemed more tedious. She put the volume back on the pile to fish for another one ¨C and spontaneously came up with a daring plan instead.


    Her arm ¡®accidentally¡¯ collided with the stack of heavy books, causing one of them to fall on the table with a rather loud bang.


    The young lord flinched, ripping a small tear into the page he was in the process of flipping over. He threw her an accusing glare before clumsily catching himself and adopting a more neutral expression.


    His initial reaction actually caused a pang of guilt, something she found herself utterly unprepared for. she forced herself to think to distract herself.


    ¡°Goodness me. I apologize for the commotion, Mylord,¡± she whispered quietly as if to make up for the noise.


    ¡°No harm done,¡± he magnanimously offered, but Katharina knew he did not buy it for a second. She could see it in his narrowing eyes.


    She felt toyed with.


    It had been a rather long time since that had happened outside of training sessions. She had forgotten just how¡­ it was to be on the back foot.


    She stretched her magical senses towards him. It was a crude, undignified way to gauge an opponent¡¯s motives, and a botched attempt would almost certainly be regarded as an insult ¨C but she was a trained expert.


    What she found waiting for her was an aura as tightly controlled as her own, obscured by an unusually strong warding amulet. It was tricky to circumvent, but her experience did not betray her. Now it was only a matter of¨C


    He had noticed.


    Worse, he had, for some reason, decided to make sure Katharina he noticed.


    When her awareness returned to her physical senses, she found herself staring right at his face, with him staring right back at hers.


    = = = = =


    Arne was stupefied. The young lady had intentionally disturbed his reading, and then tried to probe his aura. She had been so smooth in the earlier conversation, so what was she doing now?


    During her ¨C admittedly very competent ¨C attempt at probing, he had gotten so surprised that he lost his grip on his magic for a short moment. He was unsure what had gotten out, but from the way her feelers retracted in a flash, it must have been intense.


    Was this just another approach to catch him off-balance? Had he accidentally given her exactly what she was looking for? What was her goal in the first place? Was she just toying with him for the fun of it? But if so, why would she go this far?


    He suddenly felt very anxious.


    = = = = =


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    Katharina did not understand what was going on. Her opponent was clearly extremely skilled with aura, perhaps as skilled as her. So what was he doing right now?


    His feet were nervously tapping on the ground. His hands were restless, and his eyes darted around as if looking for an escape route.


    Everything about him screamed ¡®amateur¡¯.


    What if this was part of his game? Was he intentionally pretending to be a novice to keep her off-balance?


    She had to go on the offensive again. There was no other option. Keeping the fragile stalemate was undoubtedly playing right into his hands.


    ¡°Mylord, may I be so bold as to offer a humble observation?¡±


    The nervous tapping of his fingers on the table grew faster. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Your body language is rather ,¡± she stated, emphasizing the last word to make completely sure he got the double entendre.


    He froze.


    A second passed. Two. Three.


    ¡°...I see. Thank you for the advice, Mylady. I apologize for the unsightly display.¡±


    He abruptly closed his book, rose from the bench, and took three steps back.


    His quick movements had raised a fair amount of dust, making Katharina blink. When her eyes refocused, she thought she was looking at an entirely different person.


    He was tall. Much taller than she had thought when she saw him sitting down. His eyes were distant and hard, hands clasped behind his back. The saber sheath on his hip gleamed in the dim light of the stained glass window.


    ¡°Is this better, Mylady?¡± the young lord asked with a voice like steel.


    Katharina did not find words. She clamped down on both her magic and her jaw in a trained reflex so as not to make a fool of herself by stuttering nonsense. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He did not wait for her to recover, instead grabbing his book from the table.


    ¡°Farewell,¡± he said, not even looking at her.


    Then, he left.


    = = = = =


    Katharina paced around her room at Sonnenfeld Hall, her mind still racing despite the sun having long set.


    she despaired.


    She had allowed her irritation to control her. She had severely underestimated an opponent and let herself get goaded into unseemly, desperate actions. Mother would have her head if she ever found out.


    The one silver lining was that he was just some minor noble. She had never seen him at any of the countless events her mother forced her to attend all over the Empire. If a name held any real weight in the Empire, she could put a face to it.


    Still, this was a disaster. Even the son of a backwater baron could potentially cause her and her family serious trouble if he managed to get into the good graces of a ducal heir. House Silberthal barely counted as part of the high nobility ¨C of all ranks holding imperial immediacy, an Imperial Count was the least by a wide margin.


    Her ancestors had eked out a niche for themselves over generations, carefully investing every spare coin in education and culture. Among the big houses, they were known as trustworthy negotiators, diplomats, and scholars.


    And because of that, a single foolish scion could poison that reputation for decades to come. Her horrible blunder four years ago was still a matter of contention between the Silberthals and House Sonnenstein. It was a miracle they even allowed her into their dorm.


    She fell face-first onto her bed, feeling tears of frustration well up. She ruthlessly suppressed them, biting down on her lips. This was not the time to feel sorry for herself.


    After calming down a bit, she rolled over and considered her options going forward.


    She only saw three options.


    One: Turning him into an ally, and taking the necessary time to figure out what made him tick.


    Two: Either interfering with any attempts of his to build connections with higher nobility, or utterly ruining his reputation to where they wouldn¡¯t associate with him anyway.


    Three: Ignoring the entire thing. Never mentioning it, never acknowledging it even happened.


    Option three would have been the best by far ¨C but for some ungodly reason, he showed her his true colors at the very end, answering her cheap provocation. An obvious challenge, and one she had not been prepared for in the slightest. It meant: Even if she ignored what had happened, he would not.


    = = = = =


    Arne screamed into his pillow. ¡°Why?! Why did I do that?!¡±


    He had never been so embarrassed in his entire life. After performing the social equivalent of slapping him across the room, that damnable woman had directly and unmistakably made fun of him by pointing out just how bad he was at controlling his expressions.


    And he had responded in the most childish way possible. By poorly imitating Father, he had essentially stomped his foot on the floor and shouted ¡®Look at me, I¡¯m a truculent child and I do what you said I do!¡¯


    The young lady had ¨C for the first time in their conversation ¨C been at a loss for words after witnessing that humiliating display, and he had promptly fled the scene to hide his rising blush.


    There was absolutely no way he was leaving his chambers any time soon.

 Chapter 7

    Despite his best efforts, Arne could not avoid the nightmare that was the entrance ceremony, and it was shaping up to be significantly more unpleasant than he had considered.


    When he arrived at the great hall in his dress uniform, he was ushered into a waiting room by an attendant after a quick rundown of how the beginning of the ceremony was to play out. Students belonging to high houses would be called upon in ascending order of importance, meaning he would be rather late to the whole affair, entering just before the ducal heirs.


    Fortunately, his high station meant waiting in a comfortable salon filled with fluffy armchairs.


    Unfortunately, his high station meant waiting uncomfortably in a salon filled with ducal scions lounging in fluffy armchairs.


    Thanks to his mother¡¯s machinations, the attendant had not led him to the waiting room for the children of margraves, landgraves, and imperial counts, but instead right into the maw of the proverbial beast.


    ¡°Prince Arnold! I am delighted to see you!¡± Prince Matthias von Falkenstein did not miss a beat in declaring their houses¡¯ tentative alliance and acceptance of his recently claimed standing, much to the annoyance of most others present. Clearly a calculated move, judging from the smugness permeating his aura. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Arne did his best to cordially reply to the greeting, then returned the Altendorf and Sonnenstein successors¡¯ openly dismissive nods with a nod of his own, adding greatly to their annoyance. Maximilian von Altendorf even sneered at him, causing Arne¡¯s heartbeat to quicken ¨C he had not made friends here, and though Maximilian may only be the third son of the Emperor, he was still the .


    he tried to calm his fraying nerves.


    He turned to the two princesses in the room, who were currently trying to hold amicable conversation ¨C and seemingly failing, judging from their auras. Klara von Eisenberg and Maria von Greifenhain made for a stark contrast both in appearance and temperament.


    Princess Maria wore an ornate dress in her family¡¯s colors, green and gold, and lounged elegantly on her armchair, the very picture of a highborn lady.


    Conversely, Princess Klara was clothed in the Duchy of Eisengrund¡¯s cavalry dress uniform and carried a smallsword on her side, breaking with tradition in the most flamboyant ways possible. While Lisa¡¯s overall behavior had desensitized Arne to such things from a very young age, he could feel the judgment in Maria¡¯s aura. And while the princes regularly shot glances at Maria, Klara was clearly not subjected to their badly veiled interest.


    To his surprise, Princess Klara offered him a ¨C decidedly non-ladylike ¨C bow.


    ¡° Arnold,¡± she greeted, again breaking with protocol by speaking first, unbefitting a lady of similar standing in a formal setting. Still, Arne was utterly elated by this turn of events. He had half-expected her to only address him in this manner in more private settings, keeping her word while not jeopardizing House Eisenberg¡¯s standing.


    ¡°Princess Klara,¡± he jovially returned the brash greeting and bow.


    The intense spikes of sheer surprise from behind him made obvious that none of the princes had expected this turn of events, either. he asked himself as one particular spike carried no small amount of panic and dread with it.


    Maria had since risen from her chair, her aura whirling with conflicting feelings. Outwardly though, she showed no sign of her immense inner turmoil.


    ¡°It gladdens me to see you in good health, Princess Maria,¡± he said, putting significantly more effort into his bow this time.


    She curtsied gracefully, taking her time to sort through her thoughts.


    ¡°The feeling is mutual, Prince Arnold. It has been a long time, has it not?¡±


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    Arne could barely believe how well this day was going so far.


    = = = = =


    Katharina von Silberthal sat in her surprisingly comfortable chair in the great hall, watching the slow procession of imperial scions with waning interest. After her own introduction to the assembled masses of lower nobles, two other children of imperial counts had followed. Then came the landgraves¡¯ successors, then the progeny of the margraves Niederland, Penau, and Wehrach.


    The announcer spoke up again, finally reaching the first name to actually matter in the grand scheme of things.


    ¡°Lord Leonhardt Karl August von Wessen, first son of Leonhardt von Wessen, Margrave of Westmark; heir to the Margraviate of Westmark!¡±


    The young lord entering the hall wore his family¡¯s dress uniform, befitting a militaristic house such as his. The cavalry saber on his hip bore the crest of the Lion of the West.


    she thought, the library encounter still fresh in her mind. She had tried to make out the young lord she met two days ago in the crowd, but failed despite her best efforts.


    Leonhardt von Wessen walked up to the Principal¡¯s podium with measured steps, carefully receiving the silver medal denoting him as a student of the Imperial Academy and sitting down in his seat of honor afterwards.


    According to protocol, the next person to be introduced would be the Hohenfels heir, Arnold. She had not heard a whole lot about him, as he supposedly was a frail and sickly young man who had spent most of his youth bedridden until he recently awakened his magic. There were even rumors that he might be a bastard child. Not that anyone cared overmuch ¨C it was an open secret among the ducal families that his immensely capable sister, Elisabeth von Hohenfels, would most likely be declared heir apparent in the long term.


    She knew rumors that House Hohenfels was recently pulling out all the stops with their bid for dukedom, and had even heard first-hand accounts of Matthias von Falkenstein acknowledging Arnold as ¡°Prince¡±, putting Falkenstein¡¯s name behind Hohenfels in an open bid for power and influence. Anyone not addressing Arnold as such would be directly questioning House Falkenstein, which was a rather significant deterrent.


    Still, House Hohenfels would have to hurry. Elevating the current Margrave to dukedom would, though uncomfortable for the houses enjoying the status quo, be well within tradition. If, however, Elisabeth inherited the title and became Margravine before then, not even her status as Paladin would be enough to create the ridiculous precedent of elevating a new . Officially naming her as the heir would significantly worsen their chances already, which was probably why they were taking their sweet time doing that.


    she mentally calculated before the announcer interrupted her musings.


    ¡°Prince Arnold Sigismund Wilhelm von Hohenfels, first son of Arnold von Hohenfels, Margrave of Hohenfels; heir to the Margraviate of Hohenfels and the Eastern Marches!¡±


    The titanic doors swung open, revealing a young man. He wore a dark gray and green cavalry uniform that starkly contrasted with Lord Leonhardt¡¯s much flashier red, but suited his short brown hair surprisingly well. On his hip hung a saber, the metallic accents on its sheath gleaming in the light falling in through the massive windows.


    While an ill-disposed observer might have described him as ¡®lanky¡¯, it was obvious to Katharina that his considerable hardiness was simply overshadowed by just how tall he was, towering over the principal as he received his medal. There was no trace of the supposed frailty or sickness to be found.


    As he turned around to claim his seat and she could finally see his stony brown eyes, growing suspicion turned into terrible dread.


    = = = = =


    ¡°Princess Klara Elisabeth Henrietta von Eisenberg, second daughter of Albrecht von Eisenberg, Duke of Eisengrund!¡±


    While Princess Klara strode through the brightly lit and richly decorated hall, Arne had only one thing in his mind.


    ¡°Princess Maria Theresa Eleonore von Greifenhain, second daughter of Heinrich von Greifenhain, Duke of Greifenau!¡±


    The amulet felt like a noose around his neck. The banesilver saber promised salvation, but drawing it here might very well spell the end of his life.


    ¡°Prince Matthias Franz Joseph von Falkenstein, first son of Matthias von Falkenstein, Count of Karstberg; second in line to the Duchy of Falkenstein!¡±


    Even minutes after his gruesome march through the ghastly swirl of auras, the occasionally returning stares of the audience felt like boulders on his chest.


    ¡°Prince Ludwig August Georg von Sonnenstein, first son of August von Sonnenstein, Duke of Sonnenfeld; heir to the Duchy of Sonnenfeld!¡±


    Arne forced himself to breathe through his slowly restricting throat, careful not to make a sound.


    ¡°Prince Maximilian Conrad Leopold von Altendorf, third son of Leopold von Altendorf, Holy Emperor and Duke of Altengau; third in line to the Duchy of Altengau!¡±


    He must have lost himself for a while, since only the clatter of the chairs next to him roused him from his stupor. Desperately relying on his countless hours of marching practice, he somehow managed to get out of the hall.


    The dorm seemed leagues away. He would never make it there.


    But where else could he go? The students would soon emerge from the great hall. He could not be seen collapsing in the middle of the plaza.


    An image flashed through his mind. Dusty shelves. A niche in the wall. Silence.


    He marched on.

 Chapter 8

    After forcing herself to listen to the unnecessarily long-winded speech delivered by the unenthusiastic principal, Katharina felt drained. The awareness of her colossal mistake loomed over every thought and she could feel her knees begin to shake.


    Nonetheless, she had no choice but to engage in friendly conversation with the thankfully low number of young high-born aristocrats who approached her. She did not even try to work on any relationships, recognizing that her mind was not in the right space for positive socializing.


    She needed to come up with a plan to handle the Hohenfels situation, and .


    Two of her potential courses of action had dissolved into thin air. Ignoring Prince Arnold was off the table for obvious reasons, and so was trying to undermine his relationship with other high houses. That was a battlefield she had absolutely no place on, lest her entire family be crushed in the relentless mills of politics.


    Thus, she was left with only one option: Trying to get into his good graces. A daunting prospect considering she knew absolutely nothing about him besides his ability to run circles around her in polite conversation.


    When she finally managed to escape from the great hall, she dodged the groups of minor nobles littering the plaza, hurried to her dorm as fast as her formal dress allowed, and locked herself into her room.


    She needed a plan.


    = = = = =


    Arne sat on the bench in his library niche, the blank blade of his saber resting against his cheek. He reveled in the soothing quiet, finally able to breathe again.


    All things considered, today had been extremely productive. Klara von Eisenberg had been far more cooperative than he had expected, and Maria von Greifenhain going with the flow was the icing on the cake.


    He was worried about the eventual bill he¡¯d have to foot. There was no way the Greifenhains would let this stand without wanting something in return. Though, he¡¯d probably have some time before that happened. Maria would have to send a letter home and then wait for a reply, and even if she hired the most expensive couriers, that would take at least a week. Probably more.


    For now, his most pressing concerns would be surviving the impending lectures. He would have to handle them without backup, since Friedrich was sure to avoid something like or in favor of spending all day with the combat instructors. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thankfully for his cousin, there were no assessments here like they existed at the universities. They would have been a farce anyway, considering there were extremely few instructors willing to fail the son of a baron, let alone the heir to a duchy.


    Instead, it was all a matter of reputation. A student visiting primarily administrative lectures could garner a reputation as a skilled administrator if they applied themselves enough, practically guaranteeing them a high position at a duke¡¯s court. Conversely, a student spending all their time at the training fields could, after earning enough prestige, be certain to net a high rank in that duke¡¯s military.


    Personally, Arne had very little interest in most courses. Administration was certainly not one of his few strong points and he had no intention of fighting against his nature. He had ¡°people for that¡±, as Lisa once had so eloquently put it.


    House Hohenfels¡¯ status as keepers of a border region required that he attended every lecture on military tactics he could. was a necessity for polite conversation. He was competent with most relevant languages, thanks to the various teachers his father had hired, so those courses weren¡¯t necessary.


    was a necessary evil he would have to deal with, just like .


    The only lecture that seemed even remotely interesting in this semester¡¯s broad curriculum was called. It would undoubtedly be filled with esoteric nonsense and borderline blasphemy, but he¡¯d rather deal with that than with traditionalist military instructors desperately trying to prove the superiority of obsolete infantry tactics. But, as usual, he had little choice in the matter.


    Still, he would somehow find a way to squeeze the lecture on ritual magic into his soon-to-be-busy schedule.


    Arne sheathed his saber, heaved a long sigh, and left the library to find Friedrich.


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    ¡®There is absolutely no way he hasn¡¯t gotten himself into trouble by now,¡¯ he mused.


    His concerns were confirmed when he entered the now crowded colosseum, forcing himself not to subconsciously clutch his amulet. Down in the arena, Friedrich was in the process of thrashing the pretentious son of some inner count ¨C an honest-to-God silkling.


    According to the deferential lower nobles he asked about the situation, the poor sap had, in an ill-advised bout of ambition, decided to challenge Friedrich to assert dominance and make a name for himself.


    Thankfully, Friedrich seemed bored to the point of apathy. He half-heartedly swatted the pillowknight¡¯s toothpick around, occasionally applying one more saber cut to his visage.


    At some point, his opponent, on the verge of tears of humiliation, surrendered and stormed out of the arena. Friedrich just sighed and called on his magic for the first time today to jump several paces up into the ranks, drawing performative ¡°oooh¡¯s¡± and ¡°aaah¡¯s¡± from various groups of young ladies. Under the disapproving stares of the male audience, he closed in on Arne and flopped on the seat beside him.


    ¡°I sure hope this won¡¯t be the norm,¡± he grumbled. ¡°This isn¡¯t nearly as fun as I thought it would be.¡±


    ¡°Not everyone can be Lisa,¡± Arne shrugged, enjoying that everyone¡¯s attention was focused on his cousin instead of him for once.


    ¡°I know, but still,¡± Friedrich complained, ¡°that guy had neither talent nor drive. Where are all the real fighters?!¡±


    ¡°Leonhardt von Wessen would probably be delighted to test himself against you. And so would the heirs of the other margraves.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but that¡¯s maybe five people in total, including Prince Matthias and that bit- Princess Klara. Back home, I could train together with a dozen of Father¡¯s knights whenever I wanted.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so gloomy. I¡¯m sure there will be competent fighters in the lower ranks.¡±


    ¡°If not, I¡¯ll have to make you fight me every day.¡±


    ¡°You wish.¡±


    ¡°Oh come on, what¡¯s the harm? Just an hour or so!¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t feel like getting beaten up for an entire hour each day. And think about what that would do to the Hohenfels name.¡±


    ¡°Boooriiing.¡±


    ¡°Deal with it.¡±


    Arne¡¯s senses suddenly alerted him to the stares they were drawing and he quickly fixed his sitting posture. He had easily matched Friedrich¡¯s behavior and had sunk into an almost slouching position in his seat.


    ¡°Ahem. In any case, I am certain you will find worthy opponents among the students,¡± he proclaimed, looking meaningfully around the colosseum.


    The unabashed bait worked wonders, and Friedrich was soon swarmed by young men ¨C and even a small number of women ¨C challenging him to bouts.


    He shot Arne an appreciative look and led the small crowd back down into the arena.


    When some of the more socially inclined onlookers seemed to get ideas about approaching him, Arne all but fled the scene, heading back to Hohenfels Hall.


    He found Lord Hartmut in the inner yard, giving orders to the dorm¡¯s servants. Arne had been delighted to learn that Hohenfels Hall employed only a fraction of the manpower other dorms had, since even though it meant less comfort and more chores for the residents, it also meant less uncomfortable interactions with people who wanted nothing more than to talk to him. He may not have been able to read their auras thanks to them severely lacking in magic, but he could still see it in their body language.


    ¡°Young Lord Arnold, what can I do for you?¡± The Castellan had approached him after dispersing orders and was now looking at Arne with the caring expression of a kindly grandfather.


    ¡°Could we head to your study first, Lord Hartmut?¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course.¡± He gestured invitingly in the direction of his office.


    Once inside and behind closed doors, Arne began recounting what had happened in the waiting room earlier.


    ¡°What do you think of these developments, Lord Hartmut?¡±


    ¡°First of all, drop the formalities in private. Just call me Uncle,¡± he ordered. Arne was all too happy to comply.


    ¡°Secondly: You did well by forcing the Eisenberg girl into this position. But keep in mind that this will not last.¡°


    ¡°Will the Duke intervene, Uncle?¡±


    ¡°That much is certain. But even before that, she will jump at any opportunity to get back at you.¡±


    ¡°I had feared as much. How shall we proceed in regards to House Greifenhain?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll sit back and wait. They are deeply entangled with Falkenstein, so it was just a matter of time for them to follow suit anyway. Your Eisenberg situation accelerating the process is simply serendipity.¡±


    ¡°I see. What should I do if they come to me with demands?¡±


    ¡°Fulfill them if it is within your power. Otherwise, come to me and I¡¯ll figure it out with your Father.¡±


    So Arne was not expected to handle everything himself. He allowed himself a breath of relief, to which Lord Hartmut chuckled.


    ¡°This is only the beginning, Arnold. Don¡¯t relax too early.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Uncle. I truly appreciate the guidance,¡± Arne smiled. ¡°Speaking of which: Your lesson from a few days ago saved my hide when I met a young lady in the library.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I still made myself look horribly foolish, but it could have gone much, much worse had I not realized what she was doing.¡±


    ¡°Then I am delighted to have such a receptive student,¡± the old man chuckled. ¡°Was she anyone of importance?¡±


    ¡°I... am not sure. I did not get her name,¡± he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. After today, she will certainly have gotten yours. Be careful that she does not gain too much of an upper hand.¡±


    ¡°I will, Uncle. Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 9

    ¡°¨Cand as proven later in the battle of Orbach, hammer-and-anvil remains a highly reliable and, dare I say, highly effective tactic. The higher the quality of the commander¡¯s strategy, the higher the degree of success. A trivial matter, really, given the excellence of our commanders compared to foreign¡­ .¡±


    Arne suppressed a sigh. This was exactly why he wasn¡¯t looking forward to lectures on military tactics.


    The subject itself was not the problem ¨C hammer-and-anvil was indubitably effective in large engagements between near-peer opponents and probably would forever remain a staple of warfare. No, the issue lied in the small detail that most people present would never lead an army of that size outside of wargames.


    Even Hohenfels, wealthiest margraviate by a significant margin, had to rely on small, highly mobile, and mostly self-sustaining elite units of nobles, as well as a standing professional army of around seven hundred well-trained soldiers, most of which were relegated to territorial defense. Peasant levies and mercenaries burned through the treasury in a flash, and every life lost to flintlock volleys was a considerable setback for the dead man¡¯s village.


    The duchies ¨C except for Schwarzwald and Eisengrund, both comparatively poor ¨C had no such issues. Losing two thousand levies in one battle was simply a reality of warfare for them.


    Imparting that reality onto the next generation of barons, counts and landgraves was not just irresponsible, but also destructive. Just eight years ago, the Count of Trisin had wasted most of his considerable wealth as well as a significant percentage of his young male population on a harebrained invasion of Danholm, emulating tactics he had undoubtedly learned here.


    Trisin was still stuck in an economic downward spiral, with no signs of improvement.


    He sincerely hoped that a similar lecture held by some Landgrave¡¯s field marshal later this week would be more applicable to military engagements below ducal levels.


    He also hoped that the young lady sitting behind him had something else planned for that time slot.


    His library acquaintance had been staring holes into his back ever since the lecture began. Not in any obvious way, of course. He was sure her eyes were on the instructor the entire time. He could feel her attention, though. Her surprisingly intense emotions ¨C theoretically obscured by her ¡®shell¡¯, but not completely hidden from him now that he knew where to look ¨C were focused firmly on Arne.


    The question of what she was doing here was easily solved, since her tightly controlled aura consisted almost entirely of worry, stress, and frantic calculation. She simply regretted messing with him, now that she knew who he was.


    Maybe he should just tell her to stop worrying and to leave him alone. But that would be difficult. He would have to somehow bring it up subtly in an unrelated conversation, to keep his talent under wraps and to avoid being unnecessarily rude to someone who might potentially be the fianc¨¦e of some landgrave¡¯s son.


    The prospect of engaging in another conversation with her seemed rather daunting, though.


    = = = = =


    Katharina was not enjoying the lecture.


    It wasn¡¯t even particularly uninteresting if she viewed it as an embellished retelling of the Empire¡¯s greatest military successes instead of a sober discussion of military tactics.


    No, the issue was the prince sitting in front of her. So far, he had completely ignored her save for a surprised glance when she had entered the room.


    He had not expected her to be here. Or had he? Was his surprise faked to lull her into a false sense of safety? And did that line of thought even matter?


    she mentally chided herself.


    What could that reason be?


    But she was getting ahead of herself. First of all, there was no guarantee that he still cared.


    That was the root of her dilemma. Everything hinged on that final challenge of his. What had it been? A playful invitation for further conversation? No, it had been several orders of magnitude too intense for that. A threat, because he felt rightfully insulted by her failed attempt at probing?


    Maybe it had been a simple warning because she had so rudely disturbed his reading. Something she was still kicking herself over ¨C she had vastly underestimated him, otherwise she would have never attempted such a cheap trick.


    Which was another highly important factor in all of her considerations. Everything, from the rumors regarding his frailty to his amateurish body language, was clearly designed to make her ¨C no, everyone ¨C underestimate him.


    Not only would it help with their ducal aspirations, it would also have guaranteed an even larger uproar at the entrance ceremony.


    Instead, they had kept him secret from the Empire at large. Although, the Eisenberg princess had apparently known both him and his cousin. So did Matthias von Falkenstein. Which meant they had revealed him at least to some other houses.


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    But why Eisenberg? Falkenstein was obvious given their ties to Hohenfels and their discontent with the Emperor. But the houses Eisenberg and Hohenfels had been bitter rivals ever since the Empire had conquered the Eastern regions almost five hundred years ago.


    What was their goal? And more importantly, how could she make herself useful to him and Hohenfels without risking the ire of the ducal houses?


    she resolved herself.


    She needed an excuse to talk to him. Approaching him under a flimsy pretext would be a grave mistake given his conversational aptitude and sharpness of mind. But did she really have a choice?


    Painfully aware of the potential consequences of either course of action, Katharina resolved herself to keep her momentum, even at the cost of letting her desperation show. Something he was probably aware of anyway.


    = = = = =


    Arne was facing a dire situation. The only free seat in the tiny classroom was right next to the young lady, who clearly was not here for the ritual magic. She did her very best to appear surprised by his arrival, but her aura betrayed her intentions.


    ¡°I am delighted to meet you once more, Mylady. May I take this seat?¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Mylord,¡± she said, her face and voice perfectly controlled. ¡°Please do.¡±


    ¡°My thanks. It is good to see a familiar face here,¡± he responded while sitting down next to her. ¡°I believe I missed the chance to introduce myself when we first met, and I apologize. My name is Arnold von Hohenfels, though I suspect you already knew given yesterday¡¯s events.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, your entrance was most spectacular, Prince Arnold! I am Katharina von Silberthal, and I am pleased to formally make your acquaintance,¡± she giggled. She faked it very well, and had Arne not felt the hint of stress and panic in her aura, he might have thought this conversation a pleasant one.


    Arne himself felt rather conflicted after finding out that the young lady had turned out to be significantly more important than he had expected. House Silberthal was neither wealthy nor a military powerhouse, but they had gained a relatively stable position in the upper echelons thanks to excellent marriage arrangements and a firm grasp on the Empire¡¯s universities.


    It was extremely likely that Lady Katharina was engaged to someone from a ducal dynasty. Probably Tannburg or Sonnenstein, given their proximity to the county of Silberthal.


    Both of them flinched when the classroom door swung open, revealing a slightly disheveled scholar with dark rings under his eyes. A faint smell of strong alcohol accompanied him, causing the students occupying the four seats in the front to wince.


    Without much preamble or even offering his name, he grabbed a piece of chalk from his desk and began drawing on the large slab of slate fixed to the wall.


    ¡°The circle¨C¡± he dropped his monocle, somehow managed to catch it with frantic motions and continued seamlessly, ¡°¨Cis a fundamental component in the majority of Celtic, central European, Eastern, and even Arabic ritual traditions. Even the usurp¨C the Holy Church tends to use circle formations for large¨Cscale rituals involving multiple participants.¡±


    Each of the eight young aristocrats in the room had caught the slip-up. Some with a raised eyebrow, some with blatant indignation.


    Arne was not particularly perturbed. The church had little influence in the eastern territories, with many of the villages still practicing pagan customs. Converting to protestantism had further weakened the already dwindling grasp of the catholic church, much to the current Margrave¡¯s delight. Still, appearances needed to be kept, and so they tried to maintain good relations with the Prince-bishop of Domstein, the valiant man who managed the seven catholic and five protestant paladins in a precarious balance.


    Lady Katharina was monitoring him as closely as she could while pretending to focus on the lecture, no doubt looking to glean something from his reaction to the scholar¡¯s blunder. She herself had seemingly not reacted in the slightest other than a tiny spike of amusement he barely felt through her shell.


    ¡°As you probably know,¡± the lecturer continued, ¡°a ritual loses effectiveness the more mundane it becomes. Hence, if one is widely known, we can assume that it is no longer practiced. You can imagine that this makes reliable studies an exceedingly rare thing.¡±


    Arne was well-aware of that fact, but appreciated that the lecturer was seemingly not interested in rehashing the absolute basics any further than summarizations.


    ¡°The only known countermeasure is practiced by most organized religions: Substituting arcanity for blatant displays of extravagance. Ornate altars, golden crosses, cathedrals larger than entire villages,¡± the lecturer ranted on, disdain obvious in his tone.


    Two students exchanged a grimace and quietly left the room, worry and uneasiness in their auras.


    ¡°This approach has a clear drawback, next to the ridiculous amount of wealth required. Does anyone know what it is?¡± He turned to face the students, blinking in confusion as he noticed the two empty chairs. ¡°Where did they¡­ Oh, whatever.¡±


    He looked around in the room, looking for a volunteer to answer his question. Being met with nothing but silence, he randomly pointed at the lordling sitting in front of Arne. ¡°You. Tell me.¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The young man¡¯s aura contorted in shock, then in fear. ¡°I¨C I apologize, but I have an important¡­ thing to do,¡± his voice petered out as he grabbed his notes, stuffed them into his bag and half-sprinted out of the room.


    The instructor closed his eyes in resignation. ¡°Who else?¡±


    One more student left in the same manner. Now, only Arne, Katharina, and two lower nobles remained.


    ¡°Well, that is one more than in the last batch. I¡¯ll take what I can get.¡±


    He sat on his desk, sighing. ¡°I take it you¡¯re all from the East?¡±


    Arne and the two others nodded.


    ¡°No, Instructor¡­¡± Katharina paused strategically to let the man introduce himself.


    ¡°Oh. Right. Just call me Professor Nowak. No titles, no anything,¡± he said, something Arne had already surmised from his underdeveloped aura.


    ¡°Understood, Professor. I¡¯m from Silberthal, not from the East.¡±


    ¡°Silberthal, huh? Good to see that rationalism is still alive in the heartlands.¡±


    Katharina inclined her head slightly. ¡°I wholeheartedly agree, Professor.¡± From what little Arne felt through her shell, she seemed genuine.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get back to the question at hand, shall we?¡± Professor Nowak spun around to the blackboard and began drawing a complex diagram.


    ¡°Counteracting mundanity with opulence is akin to battling a hydra. A ritual supported by nothing but mammon will require more and more and more and more of it¡­ You get the point,¡± he sighed. ¡°And, after the demands grow untenable and its result diminishes further and further, the ritual dies.¡±


    One of the other students shuddered, a young woman wearing patterns commonly seen in Marbach.


    ¡°The world is littered with dead rituals, killed by mundanity. Once dead, it takes a long time before one of them can regain its true effectiveness. They are usually lost before that happens.¡±


    He turned around again, his glance wandering over his four remaining students.


    ¡°Over the coming semesters, I will be trying to keep as many dead rituals from oblivion as I can, by imparting them onto you.¡±


    Arne was glad he picked this lecture. It would be utterly useless in practice, but it sounded really fun.

 Chapter 10

    Katharina was no stranger to heathen traditions. In fact, she was rather well-educated on them, given her expertise in Celtic and Germanic culture.


    Still, it was one thing to read about those things in a book, and another thing altogether to witness a teacher repeatedly commit blasphemy. At first, it had been rather droll, but now, Professor Nowak was not even trying to sugarcoat it anymore.


    ¡°When Karl the waged his, ahem, against the tribes east of the river Ader, he did not stop at simply culling the men. He massacred the women, and even the children, too,¡± he ranted. ¡°Countless ancient rituals were forever lost. What few survivors remained were forced to adopt the Christian faith.¡±


    He turned around dramatically, stopping his frantic drawing on the blackboard.


    ¡°Today, we call their ancestral lands the ¡®northern countships¡¯. They were, unsurprisingly, among the first to adopt protestantism when it emerged.¡±


    Now he was going from blasphemy to what could easily be understood as ¡®endorsement of rebellion against the Emperor¡¯. she nervously thought. Colluding with pagan sympathizers would be a great way to lose favor and credibility in the western regions, something she really could not afford.


    Still, leaving was not an option. The enraptured face of Prince Arnold, who sometimes even nodded in agreement with the professor, made it abundantly clear that this course would be an optimal venue to engage with him. Whether or not it was a performance did not matter, for once. He was clearly signaling his aversion to Western customs and values, a statement so severe that the excuse of ¡®faking it¡¯ would be worthless in the eyes of the Emperor.


    Not that she was surprised. House Hohenfels was actively aiming to upset the status quo through elevation to a duchy, and thus, Imperial electorship. Which meant that it could potentially end the centuries-long supremacy of House Altendorf by supporting the houses Falkenstein or Greifenhain as the next Emperor.


    Because of that, they would never manage to get the western duchies ¨C Altengau, Sonnenfeld, and Schwarzwald ¨C to back them. They had prospered under the Altendorf dynasty.


    Greifenau and Falkenstein, however, seemed to be in favor of Hohenfels¡¯ elevation. Unsurprisingly, considering the Emperor¡¯s reluctance to allow the import of steamboats and locomotives from Logres, both of which would greatly aid those duchies in developing their struggling economies.


    Eisengrund was a wild card. They had an old feud with Hohenfels, but were defying the import ban just as brazenly as the margraviate.


    According to rumors, Princess Klara and Prince Arnold had butted heads publicly the very day the Hohenfels scions arrived at the academy. If she could manage to improve their relationship as a mediator, she would gain favor with two major houses at once.


    It would be extremely difficult, but if she succeeded, it would establish her as a valued diplomat in the up-and-coming eastern regions. If all went well, she could carve out a political niche for herself, becoming irreplaceable in the process.


    This could very well be the big chance she needed to .


    The houses Sonnenstein and Altendorf would not like it, though. Tannburg would probably not mind given their own failed attempts at accomplishing the very same thing.


    No matter. She could easily spin it as a naive attempt to help stabilize the Empire against the ever-looming threats from beyond the Eastern borders, should things go awry. The Sonnensteins in particular already thought her an ill-tempered hoyden after the incident she caused, so she did not have much of a reputation to lose with them.


    She allowed herself a small breath of relief.


    = = = = =


    Arne was, once again, deeply worried. Just before the lecture ended, he had felt a pulse of relief, satisfaction and, most importantly, a terrifying amount of ambition from Lady Katharina.


    Lord Hartmut¡¯s warning rang in his ears as he desperately attempted to figure out what was going on.


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    ¡¯


    Though whatever the reason may have been, she was now positively brimming with anticipation. He would probably not have to wait long to find out.


    And indeed, his attempt to bid farewell and leave the room was politely interrupted by an inquiry.


    ¡°Your Highness, would you perhaps be so kind as to offer me a moment of your time?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Lady Katharina. What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°I am afraid my knowledge of the territories east of the river Hassel is rather spotty, Your Highness. Given this lecture¡¯s topic and Professor Nowak¡¯s tendency to skip the basics, I fear that I might have missed out on quite a bit of context. Might I trouble you to¡­¡± her voice tapered out as she pretended to blush and turned away.


    It was a blatant excuse to talk to him, and he knew that she knew that he knew.


    Still, refusing her would be unjustifiably rude, no matter how much he wanted to.


    ¡°It is no trouble at all. I shall answer your every question to the best of my abilities.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much, Your Highness!¡± She perked up, her radiant smile indistinguishable from a real one.


    They spent the next hour discussing the northeastern regions. At first, Lady Katharina feigned ignorance, probably just to keep him talking. However, once they got into the finer points of cultural tensions and the territories¡¯ shared history, her aura betrayed her.


    Arne was not particularly surprised by that. She was clearly trying to gauge his position among the upper nobility, particularly the eastern houses.


    It was already common knowledge that Hohenfels had strong ties with their direct neighbors: The landgraviate of Marbach, and the imperial countships of Rotenbach and Liesen. So, Lady Katharina¡¯s subtle inquiries were mostly related to Eisengrund¡¯s relations with Marbach, as well as their short border with Hohenfels. Said border was a major point of contention in the houses¡¯ ongoing rivalry, with more forged documents involved than the bleak region had inhabitants. What it did, however, have, was an abundance of iron mines.


    He had to stop himself from ranting multiple times, worried that he might let slip something important if he got too heated. She radiated disappointment and frustration whenever he changed topics, which confirmed that this was exactly what she was aiming for.


    Arne couldn¡¯t wait to take a hot bath and curl up under his blanket.


    = = = = =


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I will have to refer you to my cousin, Lady Katharina.¡±


    Dealing with Young Lord Friedrich von Hohenfels-Steinberg was neither more enjoyable nor easier than dealing with his princely cousin, Katharina noted. The hulk of a man was staring at her, woodenly repeating the same three lines whenever she tried to subtly inquire about¡­ anything, really.


    Had Prince Arnold given him instructions on how to deal with her?


    Friedrich himself was not a conversationalist. He clearly preferred to communicate with his blade. A type of man she had vast experience dealing with, thanks to her mother¡¯s instruction. Yet, he circumvented all of her attempts by simply stonewalling her.


    It was infuriating. She had expected him, the son of a lesser count not holding imperial immediacy, to treat her with a lot more deference. However, he did not care about that in the slightest. His entire demeanor screamed aversion and condescension.


    Interestingly, this disdain extended to the majority of the lesser noblemen he had been sparring with when she found him, which meant that it was not a matter of gender to him. A very important distinction, since it drastically reduced her options. The classic ¡®naive damsel¡¯ act wouldn¡¯t work on him, for example. He seemed to view everyone who did not meet his standards ¨C whatever those were ¨C as a damsel of sorts.


    Still, that line of thinking gave her an idea. From what she heard, the bout in the colosseum had not been directly between Prince Arnold and Princess Klara. Instead, Lord Friedrich had faced her in the arena, rising to the insults given. That fit in very well with her assessment of both cousins, with the prince not seeming prone to spontaneous outbursts.


    ¡°I shall endeavour to take it up with His Highness, then. Thank you, Lord Friedrich.¡±


    He did not even deign to bid her goodbye, simply nodding and turning away instead.


    ¡°Oh, excuse me, one more thing, Lord Friedrich,¡± she said, trying to keep any irritation out of her voice. She hated to be so crude, but those damnable cousins left her no choice.


    Once again, he made no attempts at hiding his deep sigh. Annoyance was written all over his features, but despite his obvious misgivings he could not ignore someone of her standing.


    ¡°Yes, Lady Katharina?¡±


    ¡°I heard from a friend that Princess Klara von Eisenberg¨C¡± her words suddenly seemed stuck in her throat as Friedrich¡¯s expression went from moderate annoyance to sheer fury.


    ¡°Yes?¡± he growled, his aura expanding and very rudely pressing against her own. The oppressive magic he radiated was like a herd of charging bulls, enraged and ready to trample anything in their path.


    She cut through it with her own; a slim and elegant dagger clearing just enough space for her to breathe freely. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Friedrich¡¯s demeanor changed drastically, the change so sudden that Katharina found herself taken aback. He was still openly furious, but the condescension had vanished in its entirety.


    ¡°Ahem. I heard that Princess Klara von Eisenberg delivered some rather severe insults. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± he replied darkly.


    ¡°I¡­ I see. Will there be another duel?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Take it up with my cousin.¡±


    ¡°I will do that, then. Have a good day, Lord Friedrich.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, Lady Katharina.¡±

 Chapter 11

    ¡°I want to fight her,¡± Friedrich claimed.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Please?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡±


    ¡°If Lady Katharina was interested in combat, she¡¯d be here,¡± Arne sighed, gesturing around. The two of them were currently waiting for the combat instructors, having stepped away from the cluster of students so they could talk freely.


    ¡°Well, she came to the training grounds yesterday!¡±


    ¡°Only to mess with you.¡±


    ¡°...I think I handled her pretty well.¡±


    ¡°You only think that because you haven¡¯t spent enough time around her. Lucky you.¡±


    ¡°Bah, she¡¯s just doing silkling stuff, who cares. But you know what? Her aura control was crazy. Like, woomph!¡± He wildly gestured with his hand, imitating a blade cutting through the air.


    Arne thought.


    ¡°Are you she only asked about my parentage and Lisa?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, at least I think so? She was doing exactly what you said she would. Never asked anything outright, except for the question about that bitch.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that is suspicious,¡± he mused, then frowned, then grinned. ¡°Actually, if she approaches you again, just ask her what she is up to, all right? That will make her nervous at the very least.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Friedrich grinned back. ¡°But I still want to fight her.¡±


    Arne¡¯s exasperated response was cut short by the arrival of the four instructors leading today¡¯s single combat exercise. They returned to the group just in time to hear the opening speech of the lead instructor, a flamboyant man dressed in the frilly and colorful style preferred among Francian nobility. It was all the rage in the western duchies these days. Arne got a headache just looking at it.


    Friedrich did not seem particularly impressed, either. Feelings that quickly turned into dread when the instructors drew smallswords in unison and began demonstrating their fencing skills.


    ¡°They won''t make us use those flimsy things, right, Arne¡­?¡±


    ¡°They will. Kiss your saber goodbye. Today, we¡¯re stabbing each other with toothpicks.¡±


    The following lesson was thoroughly underwhelming. It was clearly tailored towards inner nobles who had never seen battle in their entire lives, focusing on unnecessarily fancy movements and flourishes to look good in the arena while completely ignoring practicality.


    Princess Klara seemed to share the Hohenfels cousins¡¯ misgivings, since her angry glares shifted from them to the teachers over the course of the lesson.


    When it was finally time to put the semi-blunt practice swords to the test, one instructor wisely decided to separate the combat-proven students from the rest. Arne found himself paired with Leonhardt von Wessen, which was unlikely to be a coincidence.


    It was, if the trace amounts of spite in the instructor¡¯s aura did not mislead him, a reminder that he, too, was ¡®merely¡¯ the son of a margrave.


    He did not know a lot about the Westmark heir. He had light brown hair, almost reached Arne¡¯s considerable height, and carried himself with the poise of an experienced soldier. Arne was not particularly familiar with Westmark¡¯s military insignia, but if he had to make an educated guess, he would say they mirrored his own, denoting the rank of captain.


    They carried out perfunctory greetings, neither man particularly interested in this encounter or each other. Westmark and Hohenfels were situated on opposite ends of the Empire, and they had few common interests. Even worse, Westmark was firmly aligned with Sonnenfeld, while Hohenfels had strong ties to Falkenstein.


    Both of them looked rather awkward preparing to fence with their too-small weapons. Arne took solace in the fact that Friedrich was looking several times more hilarious, the tiny blade and his giant form contrasting like night and day.


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    ¡°En garde!¡±


    At the instructor¡¯s order, all fighters moved to their designated positions.


    ¡°Pr¨ºts?¡±


    Arne took up a defensive stance. The smallsword felt wrong in his hands. Thankfully, Leonhardt seemed to suffer from the same issue, readjusting his grip repeatedly.


    ¡°Allez!¡±


    One quick step carried Arne towards his opponent, stopping just in time to swat aside a stab and countering with a quick swipe at Leonhardt¡¯s face. It was parried in a similarly nonchalant manner, and the duel continued in a seemingly endless cycle.


    Arne found it dreadfully boring.


    He was not particularly fond of direct combat under the best of conditions, but the sad excuse for weaponry and the instructor-mandated ban on magic and body contact made it much worse.


    Finally, Leonhardt landed a stab on Arne¡¯s shoulder, and both of them jumped on the excuse to end the farce. The instructor had no major outward reaction, but disapproval permeated his aura.


    Friedrich, while utterly unaccustomed to the smallsword, still managed to cleanly beat his opponent, the son of some southern baron, relying on his talent and reach advantage. Princess Klara was sulking in a corner after the teacher had stopped her duel due to a severe imbalance in skill.


    Arne had a feeling that few of the martially-minded students would attend this course again.


    = = = = =


    ¡°¨Cand then they began laughing like madmen!¡±


    Katharina was listening attentively to the gossip passed around in a group of young noblewomen who had bonded over a shared love of , of all things. It was certainly not her preferred pastime, but the sheer wealth of semi-reliable information she could gather here was more than worth the hassle.


    ¡°Truly? Prince Arnold, of all people?¡± Lady Antonia, the ¡®ringleader¡¯ of the embroidery circle, sounded scandalized.


    ¡°Yes! I could not believe my ears!¡±


    Neither could Katharina. Such boisterous behaviour seemed very uncharacteristic for the reserved Hohenfels heir. Perhaps he was the type to unwind when in the presence of family.


    Still, the other ladies had completely glossed over a piece of much juicier information from earlier, so it fell on her to bring it up again before their fickle interest wandered off into the next topic.


    ¡°Maybe it had something to do with Princess Klara¡­?¡± she suggested.


    ¡°Oooooh, would that not be most fascinating, Lady Katharina?! Lady Luise, you stay at Eisengrund Hall, right? Did you notice anything that day?¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it ¨C Her Highness did not visit the refectory that day! And she seemed to be in a particularly foul mood the next morning!¡±


    ¡°I dare not imagine that,¡± Antonia remarked snidely, causing the others to giggle in the particular way only resentful young women could replicate.


    The Eisenberg princess did not enjoy a particularly positive reputation among her peers for a variety of reasons. Her manners were rather intimidating, she had a propensity for outbursts both verbal and physical, she preferred combat over gossiping ¨C and, as Katharina cynically noted, she was a lot prettier than most ladies attending the academy despite categorically refusing to wear makeup.


    Katharina had met her years ago at a name day celebration for the second Greifenhain prince, but she doubted that Klara still remembered her. It had only been a brief conversation, since she quickly realized that the princess wanted nothing more than to be left alone. She¡¯d have to approach her in a way that did not rely on previous acquaintanceship.


    Antonia waved everyone a little closer. ¡°What if Princess Klara and Prince Arnold were secretly engaged?!¡± she stage-whispered. ¡°I would certainly not be able to hold back my joy should I be liberated from such a¡­ .¡±


    Suddenly, Katharina could hear nothing but her own heartbeat.


    She desperately repeated her mother¡¯s words over and over again. This was neither the time nor the place for memories.


    By the time she was able to ignore the pit in her stomach, the embroidery ladies were animatedly discussing the ramifications of their ¡®discovery¡¯. Tomorrow morning, half of the academy would know everything about a failed engagement between Hohenfels and Eisengrund that never existed.


    She could already think of a multitude of ways to use this emerging situation, most of them highly destructive and ill-advised. If she considered her current objectives, two approaches seemed promising.


    The first approach was to utterly eradicate what remained of Princess Klara¡¯s social capital, and gain Prince Arnold¡¯s favor by essentially removing House Eisenberg from the playing field ¨C at least locally at the academy. The huge drawback was that should Klara ever find out about her involvement, relations between Silberthal and Eisengrund would be forever damaged, which meant giving up the plan she came up with during the ritual lecture.


    The second approach was to position herself as a mediator of sorts. She would approach Princess Klara out of ¡®curiosity¡¯, and then offer to help clear up the rumors through talks with Prince Arnold. This demanded a lot more delicacy, but promised far greater returns. It would take her much closer to the goal of establishing herself in eastern politics, and it would garner favor from not one, but two major houses.


    There was, however, one significant drawback to the second approach. Given the interest in Eisengrund she displayed to both Hohenfels scions yesterday, it was essentially guaranteed that Prince Arnold would suspect her as the source of the rumors. Her plan would, in his eyes, look like a blatant attempt at reaping rewards for solving a problem she had manufactured herself.


    Still, she had to try. The prize was just too great to ignore.


    Even if it meant ruthlessly suppressing her¡­ with weaponizing a broken engagement. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 12

    ¡°I wonder if Eisengrund Hall is still standing,¡± Friedrich wondered with a spiteful grin on his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too happy about this. I¡¯ll have to deal with the fallout as well,¡± Arne sighed. While the stupid rumors painted Princess Klara in a decidedly more negative light, he would still have to live with the various social consequences and undoubtedly endure dozens of curious inquiries.


    he despaired inwardly. A letter would take forever to arrive at Hohenfels castle, and her reply would take just as long. In the meantime, the entire situation would have changed drastically.


    Doing the next best thing by talking to Lord Hartmut had not been particularly fruitful, with the old warrior simply suggesting to ¡®sit it out and wait¡¯, something Arne had planned to do anyway.


    He sighed again, letting his head fall on the wooden surface of the dorm refectory table. Thankfully, the cousins had occupied a small niche in the back, so he did not have to care about optics.


    ¡°And of course Prince Maximilian¡¯s soir¨¦e is set for tonight,¡± he mumbled into the table. ¡°That would have been bad enough on its own, and now it got so much worse.¡±


    The invitation had arrived earlier today, shortly before news of the rumors had reached Arne¡¯s ears. It was at extremely short notice, which would have been perceived as rude coming from anyone but a son of the Emperor. But perhaps it was better this way ¨C had Arne known earlier, he would have spent more time dreading it.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad I don¡¯t have to deal with that,¡± Friedrich said cheerily. ¡°But look at the bright side: That wretch will have an even worse time than you, if she shows up!¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t afford not to go. Just like me. It will be so awkward when we run into each other¡­¡±


    And to make matters even more uncomfortable, Lady Katharina was sure to be around as well. Judging from what Arne knew about her, she would not miss out on an opportunity like that, and her status as high nobility guaranteed an invitation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go spar,¡± Friedrich suggested. ¡°That always helps my nerves.¡±


    For once, that sounded like a great idea.


    = = = = =


    Arne cursed his past self. The bruises he got from Friedrich¡¯s practice saber were already healing, but they still made putting on that detestable Francian clothing highly uncomfortable.


    he thought after several unsuccessful attempts at buttoning one of the stiff gilets without cringing in pain. He could have called for an attendant to help him, but he did not care for the discomfort of having someone else dress him.


    Since he was going to stand out anyway, he figured he¡¯d just lean into his status as quasi-foreigner. While he would have loved to wear his favorite doublet, it would have been seen as old-fashioned and reinforced the backwater status of Hohenfels. Instead, he chose a simple, but finely tailored suit-and-coat combination imported from Logres.


    Arne musedLogrian clothes were more practical, easier to put on, more comfortable to move in ¨C and most importantly, he didn¡¯t look like an oversized peacock wearing them. The coat even went surprisingly well with his saber, though he grudgingly admitted that the smallsword would probably look better.


    Now appropriately dressed, he left his suite to head over to Altengau Hall after making sure that his amulet was secured on his neck.


    Prince Maximilian had announced the soir¨¦e as ¡®casual¡¯, which was a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it meant no annoying introductory formalities that required him waiting in a side room for a dramatic entrance. On the other hand, it meant a slight lowering of social barriers, meaning that lower nobles would be emboldened to talk to him. he lamented. Since it was highly unlikely to get any of the western duchies ¨C or Eisengrund, of course ¨C on Hohenfels¡¯ side, he would have to build connections with enough smaller territories to make up for that and build up enough pressure on the Emperor.


    Arne¡¯s unhappiness only grew the closer he got to the needlessly extravagant building. He encountered more and more small groups of young, gaudily dressed nobles who were obviously heading to the soir¨¦e as well. He had expected a much smaller event, but it seemed like the Altendorf prince had sent invitations to pretty much everyone who was vaguely aligned with the western duchies, and neglected everyone from the North and East who was not too important to ignore.


    He would be utterly isolated here. Neither Marbach nor Rotenbach had a direct descendant around his age, so his only hope was that Ernst von Liesen had been invited. He doubted it, though. While Maximilian had no choice but to invite both Arne and Princess Klara, the second son of an imperial count from beyond the river Hassel could easily be ignored.


    And indeed, the ostentatiously decorated ballroom was painfully devoid of friendly faces. What greeted him were sidelong glances, waves of disdain, and a very unamused Eisenberg princess.


    ¡° Arnold. We need to talk. Now.¡±


    He noted with some amusement that her fashion choices were just as unconventional as his own. In sharp contrast to most noblewomen present, she had spurned any elaborate Francian costumes in favor of an unpretentious Polanian dress, over which she had strapped a sleek arming belt carrying her smallsword.


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    ¡°I concur, Princess Klara. Shall we?¡± He gestured towards a huge glass door leading to a mostly empty balcony.


    Thankfully, she ignored his half-hearted attempt at offering her his arm and strode through the large hall while pointedly ignoring any strange looks she got. Arne did the same, careful not to subconsciously let his hand wander to the hilt of his saber.


    The swirl of auras tormenting him faded into the background once they reached the balcony, though it was immediately replaced by Klara¡¯s focused rage.


    ¡°Care to explain what is going on?¡± she spat out. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I did absolutely nothing. As you may realize if you used your brain for a moment, I am not exactly benefitting from this situation either,¡± Arne bit back.


    ¡°Of course you are! Hohenfels is a mere margraviate. Just think about it, you buffoon! The mere idea that Eisengrund may have once considered an alliance with you is¡­¡±


    ¡°You vastly overestimate your importance,¡± he interrupted, growing more irritated by the second. ¡°We already have Falkenstein at our side. Eisengrund could not possibly compare.¡±


    Klara¡¯s hand twitched towards her smallsword. He demonstratively clasped his hands behind his back.


    ¡°That is a blatant lie and you know it, savage. Falkenstein has not fought a single battle in two hundred years.¡±


    ¡°Eisengrund is a poor, remote region. Even more so than Hohenfels.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a death wish¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m making a point. I gain nothing from this rumor, because Eisengrund is barely relevant in imperial politics. All this does is jeopardize my standing with your rivals!¡±


    ¡°You will take that back or¨C¡±


    Katharina von Silberthal¡¯s polite cough interrupted them. ¡°Princess Klara, Prince Arnold, please forgive my intrusion.¡±


    = = = = =


    Katharina was panicking. She had not expected Princess Klara to immediately drag off Prince Arnold, ruining her detailed plans to talk to each of them privately and bring them together for a resolution later.


    Yet another mistake. She had known of the princess¡¯ reputation for brash behavior, but failed to come to the ¨C in hindsight obvious ¨C conclusion that Klara would either not care about or not comprehend the optics of this maneuver. In the eyes of the ever-ravenous rumormongers, the engagement break-off was now all but confirmed, and the angry shouting coming from the balcony did not help the matter.


    She had almost decided to let things play out and just keep fluttering from group to group, but there was a severe problem with that approach. If Prince Arnold was aware of her involvement, and the rumor caused him serious issues in the future, her life in the upper strata of society was over.


    Her reputation could not survive another major incident, and this time not even her mother would be able to salvage the situation.


    Katharina needed to do something. But what?


    No time to work out a plan. She had to improvise.


    She arrived just in time to keep the heated argument from escalating into violence.


    ¡°Princess Klara, Prince Arnold, please forgive my intrusion,¡± she said, keeping the dread out of her voice and mien.


    Both of them turned to stare down at her.


    ¡°Lady Katharina,¡± the prince replied, his eyes cold as stone. ¡°I am afraid you have arrived at an inopportune time. Might I trouble you to return later?¡±


    She involuntarily shivered.


    ¡°You¡¯re scaring her, savage,¡± Princess Klara snidely remarked. ¡°But I suppose you can¡¯t do much about that. It¡¯s simply your nature.¡± S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That is rich, coming from you. Or are you too blinded by self-importance to realize why you have no friends? Not even your own family¨C¡±


    ¡°Your Highnesses, please,¡± Katharina managed to say. ¡°Please consider time and location.¡±


    ¡°Ahem. Indeed, this might not be the best venue to continue this conversation,¡± Prince Arnold replied, snapping himself out of his ¨C feigned? ¨C anger.


    ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s take this to the are¨C¡±


    ¡°Please! Listen to me for a moment!¡± Katharina half-screamed in desperation.


    Both of them fell silent. Prince Arnold even seemed a little contrite¡­? Still, she had a major problem now. She had their attention, but de-escalating the situation would be difficult. The easiest way to deal with people of their temper would be to deflect their combined anger towards a third party ¨C but who? It had to be an outside party, who would never care or know about her maneuvering. Someone who would profit from a rift between Eisengrund and Hohenfels. She had no time to think deeply.


    ¡°Consider this: Someone must have predicted that these rumors would lead to conflict between the houses Eisenberg and Hohenfels. Who would stand to gain from¨C¡±


    ¡°Princess Klara. Arnold.¡± A familiar voice rang out from behind Katharina. Her blood ran cold.


    ¡°Prince Ludwig,¡± the princess replied with barely restrained anger. Prince Arnold frowned intensely at the Sonnenstein heir standing behind Katharina, but did not return the rude greeting.


    She collected all the grace she could muster and moved a few steps to the side, finding herself next to Prince Arnold. A crowd was forming around them, curious onlookers spilling outside. She glanced at Prince Ludwig, who was still ignoring her.


    Her heart threatened to burst out of her chest.


    ¡°I see you have made the acquaintance of Lady Katharina von Silberthal,¡± the blonde prince said cheerily.


    ¡°I apologize for any trouble my little brother¡¯s has caused. It is in her nature to meddle with the affairs of her betters.¡±


    = = = = =


    Arne barely noticed Lady Katharina¡¯s distress spiking as he struggled with his desire to run. The entire conversation had been horrible enough before the Sonnenstein prince arrived, with him stuck between Klara¡¯s burning rage and Katharina¡¯s desperation.


    Now, he got blasted with the auras of two dozen silklings.


    It was too much.


    His collar felt narrower and narrower. The amulet felt so heavy that it pulled him to the ground. The saber¨C


    He looked at the pompous prince in his eye-piercingly gaudy outfit.


    ¡°We shall talk about this later,¡± Arne told the haughty prick in what he hoped was a calm and confident tone instead of a panicked squeal. Then, he marched towards the balcony door, the sea of lesser nobles parting before him.


    The long walk through the hall was like running the gauntlet. Countless pairs of eyes bored into him.


    SHOCK. ALARM. FEAR.


    His lungs screamed for air, but Arne could not breathe.


    The plaza was teeming with people, barring his way to Hohenfels Hall.


    There was only one place he could go.

 Chapter 13

    Katharina¡¯s mind was nothing but chaotic noise.


    After Prince Arnold openly threatened Prince Ludwig and subsequently stormed out, the cluster of nobles had naturally dissolved, leaving her and Princess Klara on the balcony. The princess promptly excused herself and left the hall, her furious expression carving a wide path through the guests.


    When Katharina returned to the ballroom, she found herself faced with an ever-growing onslaught of curious aristocrats.


    ¡°Lady Katharina, did you see what happened?¡±


    ¡°Lady Katharina, why was Prince Arnold so angry?¡±


    ¡°Lady Katharina, where did Princess Klara go?¡±


    ¡°Lady Katharina, what about¨C¡±


    ¡°Lady Katharina¨C¡±


    She woodenly replied to some of them, and then tried to find a chair to give her shaky legs some reprieve.


    Mother would never forgive her. This single interaction had killed Silberthal¡¯s future. Her little brother would inherit a doomed house. It was over.


    House Sonnenstein was openly opposing her. Publicly ridiculing her. She could do nothing about it. She was ruined, and so was Silberthal. And it was her fault. It was all her damned fault, not being able to shut up, again. All her fault, getting illusions of grandeur. She was just a stupid girl playing games she could not handle.


    How should she tell Mother? Would she be pulled out of the academy? Married off to some old baron and forgotten about? Was there anything she could do? Anything?


    Her head was spinning. Someone tried to talk to her, she brushed them off. She needed fresh air, now.


    When she stepped onto the plaza, the cold evening wind brought some semblance of sanity back to her mind. She could not be seen like this. She needed to compose herself.


    Sonnenfeld Hall loomed over her head.


    She could not bring herself to enter. The red sun on House Sonnenstein¡¯s banners mocked her, watching her every step with a sneer.


    The quiet library was close by. She could go there instead, get herself back under control.


    She saw only very few people on the way there, most students either congregating on the plaza or enjoying Prince Maximilian¡¯s soir¨¦e.


    The library was completely deserted. She stumbled through rows of shelves, collecting some bruises from clumsy collisions.


    Finally, the secluded niche was just one collapsed shelf away. She turned around the corner¨C


    The bent figure of the Hohenfels prince greeted her, slumped against a shelf.


    She had already half-turned, preparing to get away as quickly and quietly as her evening dress allowed ¨C but then she heard a soft dripping sound.


    It was so very out of place in a library that she could not help but look back.


    In front of the prince, a small red puddle had formed. Blood dripped along the blank edge of his saber as he grasped it tightly with stiff hands, like a drowning man holding onto a rope. His breathing was shallow.


    ¡°Prince Arnold?!¡±


    Katharina¡¯s mind went from utter chaos to an empty void.


    She knelt down next to him, trying to pry the weapon out of his trembling fingers. He barely seemed to notice her presence, even when she fruitlessly struggled for control of the saber.  S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    A different approach was needed. She reached out with her mind, feeling for his aura.


    She found it locked down like a Helvetian fortress.


    A careful prod with her magic finally had a sudden effect, though it was the opposite of what she had intended. The prince flinched badly, his hands grasping the saber even tighter and turning the small trickle of blood into a steady flow.


    His wide eyes stared at her as he regained a sense of his surroundings. The weapon clattered to the floor, and he tried to stand up on shaky legs.


    ¡°I apologize¨C¡± he wheezed, ¡°I¡­ once again apologize for¡­ the unsightly¨C¡±


    His knees gave in, and he barely managed to stumble to the bench, smearing blood all over the table.


    She hurried to his side, fishing for the handkerchiefs stuffed into her dress to stop his bleeding. As she gingerly went to work, she noted that the deep cuts were already beginning to close, once again disproving the rumors of frailty and magical ineptitude. So did the drops of blood on her hands, almost burning her skin with magical power.


    ¡°You¨C you must¡­ think me so pathetic, Lady Katharina,¡± he managed to say.


    Her hasty attempts to deny his assumption were ignored.


    She finished up the improvised tourniquets, carefully wiping up some blood with her last handkerchief. Then, she gathered all of her courage for one question.


    ¡°Pardon my curiosity, Prince Arno¨C¡±


    ¡°Argh. Don¡¯t.¡±


    She flinched. ¡°I apologize, Prince A¨C¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±


    Her jaw snapped shut, panic drowning out all other emotions.


    His head jerked around, eyes wide with shock.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sor¨C I apologize. I did not¡­¡± he stammered.


    This situation had gone so far beyond her mother¡¯s lessons that all she managed to do was not to cry.


    ¡°Just¡­ just call me Arnold, will you?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± When she realized that she had squealed her thoughts out loud, it was already too late.


    ¡°Please?¡±


    ¡°I¨CI couldn¡¯t possibly, Pr¨C¡± she caught herself at the last moment.


    ¡°Only¡­ only here,¡± he said, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice. ¡°Only for now.¡±


    she realized belatedly.


    Her heart began to race again. If she could become Prince Arnold¡¯s trusted friend here, her failures could be redeemed. House Silberthal might be saved. All she had to do was ignore what remained of her conscience¨C


    ¡°On second thought,¡± he said, eyes suddenly sad and distant, ¡°forget I said anything.¡±


    = = = = =


    Arne felt lost and alone.


    The humiliating state Lady Katharina had found him in was something only his father and Lisa had ever witnessed before. It had been a moment of such all-encompassing weakness that he had grasped at any straw that offered itself ¨C which, unfortunately, turned out to be the troublesome daughter of some imperial count.


    And then, when he was at his lowest, when he tried to for once, he had gotten a taste of the usual. Cold calculation. Plotting. Guile. Ambition.


    Now, after he had retracted his ill-considered plea, her still-suppressed aura exuded shock, regret, and confusion in equal measure.


    Her eyes were fixed on the table, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly, but not finding any words.


    He looked down at his painfully stinging hands. The bleeding had already stopped, thanks to Lady Katharina¡¯s surprisingly competent aid. Now, his magic began to do the heavy lifting, flesh knitting together even as he watched. he wondered, sluggish thoughts drifting back to his first military campaign.


    A sudden spike of emotion from Katharina snapped him out of the memory. It utterly obliterated the expertly crafted imitation of an aura she usually kept up. More than that.


    ¡°I messed it up. I messed it all up again, didn¡¯t I?¡± Her voice was barely a whisper, but in the silence of the library, he could hear it easily.


    Her eyes fell on the saber, lying discarded on the floor in a pool of blood. Her body tensed as she rose from the bench¨C


    Within a heartbeat, he stood in front of her, gently pushing her back onto the wooden seat.


    As she lifted her head, he saw tears streaming down her face. Her aura was a whirlwind of desperation and shame.


    ¡°Take a deep breath,¡± he ordered, carefully pushing her a bit further along the bench and sitting down next to her. He did not trust his legs to carry him much longer.


    It seemed that his words had called her back to reality, since both her face and her aura were suddenly radiating sheer horror.


    ¡°Your Highness¨C Please forget¨C¡±


    ¡°Take a deep breath.¡±


    She did, although it turned into a sob halfway.


    ¡°We¡¯re even now, huh?¡± He showed her a forced grin. Thankfully, it accomplished what he wanted it to.


    She chuckled through her sobs, relaxing just a little bit. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°For Christ¡¯s sake, just call me Arnold.¡±

 Chapter 14

    The library was quiet, with both young nobles desperately trying to compose themselves. They sat in silence for what felt like an eternity, neither of them particularly willing to speak.


    The sun was setting outside, and the many-colored light falling in through the window grew dimmer and dimmer.


    Katharina considered her options. While far from optimal, the situation was still salvageable. She was mortified to have been seen in such a state, but the prince¨C no, was sure to feel the same way, which guaranteed his silence about the incident at the very least.


    She glanced at his bloodied hand and noted that the deep cut had already turned into a strip of fresh, whitish skin. A rather impressive display of regenerative abilities, proof that he must have undergone extensive, and probably grueling, training.


    He noticed her gaze, his eyes flickering over to hers for a brief second with an expression steeped in discomfort. she thought.


    There was no way he could have trained his magic, his body, his conversational skills to such a high level. He was simply too young for such a feat, especially considering that he was very likely proficient with his saber and several other weapons on top.


    Many Eastern aristocrats were still using the longsword in combat, so Katharina assumed Arnold would know his way around it. Most young noblemen were at least minimally competent with a smallsword, and she did not doubt that he was among them. Even she had gotten a few lessons and could probably hold her own in a duel, not that she cared to find out.


    That gave her a very conservative estimate of at least three weapons the prince could handle. Combined with all else she had observed, training would take up such a huge amount of time that Arnold would have to be a prodigy among prodigies to match her on the social battlefield as well.


    So, why? Why did she always end up on the back foot?


    His eyes snapped back to her, as if he had noticed her growing irritation. she chided herself.


    Katharina did her very best not to let her sudden panic show on her face as she performed the most subtle aura sweep she could manage. Thankfully, she found no sign of any probing and thus allowed herself to relax again. She resolved to be more vigilant anyway, despite the extreme unlikeliness of someone overcoming her obfuscation and then fooling her passive senses. did


    ¡°While I appreciate the attention, your gaze is rather distracting, Mylady,¡± Arnold said with an annoyingly sly grin.


    It took her a supreme effort of will to avoid grimacing in frustration.


    ¡°I apologize, . My thoughts must have drifted off,¡± she retorted, taking some satisfaction in his obvious irritation at hearing the title. Then, she realized what she had done.


    To her utter perplexity, he sighed instead of rebuking her. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so wary. I won¡¯t get upset from a few sardonic words,¡± he said despondently. ¡°I¡¯ve had to deal with my sister¡¯s poisonous tongue for my entire life.¡±


    It took her a few heartbeats to collect her thoughts and find the right words.


    ¡°Still, I apologize. It was not appropri¨C¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± he interrupted. ¡°It was even less to ask you to drop the honorifics, and yet, I did.¡±


    He was doing it again. It was as if he was reading her mind, and it was irritating to no end. Again, she had not noticed any probing. So, how? It had happened in the classroom as well, which ruled out obscure heathen rituals he could have set up beforehand.


    ¡°I suppose so, Your High¨C ,¡± she misspoke on purpose to emphasize her acceptance of his request.


    He shot her a tired, but genuine smile. ¡°Thank you. I appreciate it, Katharina.¡±


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    It felt strange to hear her name spoken so casually by someone from outside her family. It reminded her of her childhood, when the servants¡¯ kids were still too young to care about status.


    She did not dislike it.


    After a few long moments of silence, Arnold took a deep breath and sat up a little straighter.


    ¡°What is your opinion of Prince Ludwig?¡±


    The question caught her completely off-guard, which was undoubtedly his intention. It took her a few heartbeats to collect her thoughts.


    ¡°That is quite the loaded question given the events of this evening. May I trouble you to go into more detail?¡± she asked, hoping to buy a few more moments to think.


    Arnold shifted around uncomfortably. ¡°I could not help but notice that he¡­ ahem. He does not seem to hold you in particularly high regard. If it is not too much to ask¡­¡±


    She had expected that topic to come up and had thought herself prepared, but even so, she found herself unable to suppress an intense bout of panic and embarrassment. She could feel the blood rushing into her cheeks and ears, which only increased her distress further.


    Arnold immediately picked up on her discomfort. ¡°I apologize, I didn''t mean to cause¨C¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would put a lady on the spot like that,¡± she complained with false indignation, scrambling to rebuild her crumbling mask.


    He had the decency to look chagrined. ¡°I wholeheartedly apologize for my rude inquiry.¡±


    His verbal retreat only served to irritate her. It felt to accept it, like admitting defeat. Defeat against him, and defeat against herself.


    Also, she could gain something from this as well, if she approached it correctly.


    ¡°I¡¯m all right,¡± she lied. She could see in his eyes that he did not fully buy it. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the story, if you answer a question of mine afterwards.¡±


    ¡°...Sure.¡±


    Even though he slightly narrowed his eyes in badly hidden suspicion, Katharina was pleased. She would not be able to ask for too much, but it was a great opportunity nonetheless.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she continued. ¡±I was once engaged to Prince August von Sonnenstein, Prince Ludwig¡¯s younger brother. The engagement was voided after I caused an unfortunate incident and embarrassed Prince Ludwig. As you saw earlier, he has not forgiven me, and is unlikely to ever do so.¡±


    Arnold did not vocalize the question written in his face, but a part of her wanted to answer it regardless. Besides, he would find out anyway ¨C and it was much better if he heard the story from her instead of someone else.


    ¡°It was¡­ a violation of decorum.¡± To her great embarrassment, she struggled to find the right words to continue. For once, she was grateful for his eerie perception when he noticed her plight and offered comments for her mind to cling onto and organize itself.


    ¡°That must have been a pretty bad violation to warrant such a reaction.¡±


    ¡°In the moment, it seemed harmless enough. I simply wanted to contribute additional insights, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Additional insights?¡±


    ¡°The conversation had veered into a topic I am well-educated in, and I could not help but¡­ provide contradicting information.¡±


    ¡°House Sonnenstein broke off an engagement just because you contradicted that narcissist?¡± His eyebrows rose in disbelief and indignation. It was surprisingly endearing.


    ¡°Well¡­ There is a little more to it than that,¡± she admitted, her blush returning. ¡°It happened to be in public.¡±


    ¡°Still, that is no¨C¡±


    ¡°During his name day banquet.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°In front of almost two hundred guests,¡± she laughed mirthlessly.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Arnold¡¯s expression had gradually morphed into a pained grimace of empathy.


    ¡°Well put,¡± she sighed, silently cursing her traitorous tear ducts. ¡°It took my mother countless favors, promises, and bargains to save me from that mess.¡±


    She realized that she was making a mistake again. She shouldn¡¯t talk about this. Mother would crucify her if she ever found out. But somehow, she found herself unable to stop.


    ¡°Christ, that sounds horrible,¡± he groaned, genuine compassion in his voice. Katharina barely managed to hide her face in her palms before the tears truly started flowing.


    ¡°It was,¡± she half-laughed, half-sobbed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe the tirades I had to endure!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised. I¡¯ve heard my fair share of complaints. ¡®Think of our House!¡¯ ¡®It is your duty!¡¯ ¡®Just get out of your chambers and talk to people!¡¯¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard that last one,¡± Katharina giggled. ¡°The others sound familiar, though. Just add another large serving of blame and disappointment, and then you get the picture.¡±


    ¡°The old classic,¡± Arnold snorted, only to abruptly change the topic. ¡°I take it you¡¯re not particularly¡­ with House Sonnenstein anymore, then?¡±


    And there it was. A merciless strike, exploiting her mental state. She knew that her tears had an effect on him, but it was much less pronounced than she had hoped.


    ¡°You could say that.¡± Katharina used her sleeves to carefully dry her tears, all of her handkerchiefs being soaked with blood. ¡°However, House Silberthal at large is their long-standing ally, which puts me in a rather difficult position, as you may imagine.¡±


    ¡°Are you aiming to get back into Sonnenstein¡¯s good graces?¡± he asked in a severe tone, forgoing all subtlety and leaving her with a difficult question to answer.


    ¡°I was, until today,¡± she sighed. It was not even a lie ¨C Prince Ludwig publicly mocking her was not something she could come back from any time soon, if ever. Groveling before him now would only make her look pathetic and damage House Silberthal¡¯s reputation even further.


    ¡°In that case, would you be open to¡­ tentative cooperation?¡±

 Chapter 15

    Arne braced himself against the torrent of ambition and calculus bursting from Katharina¡¯s aura. The sheer intensity of her emotions made it easy to identify the subcurrents, and what he felt pleased him greatly.


    She held, at least for the moment, no ill will towards him. He had been more than a little worried after she saw through both of his attempts at unbalancing her, but she did not seem to hold a grudge. Instead, she was clearly trying to figure out how she could get the most of his proposal.


    ¡°Consider me¡­ ,¡± she said with an impish smile. ¡°Do you have something specific in mind?¡±


    He did, in fact, not. Turning the scheming young lady into a preliminary ally had been a spontaneous idea, born from the realization that they shared a ¡®secret¡¯ now. They both had a vested interest in keeping quiet about today¡¯s events, and would prefer if the other did the same. Such a connection was, according to Arne¡¯s mother, an optimal foundation for a fruitful partnership.


    Obviously, fully trusting her was impossible. But if he could harness that frightening ambition of hers¡­


    ¡°Well, that mostly depends on your current goals,¡± Arne said, shamelessly relying on his higher status to force her into revealing at least part of her motivations.


    Katharina did not take it particularly well, frustration welling up in her aura. It quickly took on a tinge of vengefulness, though ¨C and Arne quickly found out why.


    ¡°Hmmm, before we get into that, might I hold you to your promise?¡± she cooed with fluttering eyelashes.


    ¡°Very well. What would you like to know?¡± he inquired, trying to project more confidence than he felt.


    ¡°I¡­ admit that I was rather unsettled when I found you earlier,¡± she said, suddenly serious.


    ¡°I¨C ahem. I can imagine,¡± Arne replied as his heart began to race. ¡°Apologies for showing you such a grisly sight, and thank you again for coming to my aid.¡±


    ¡°Think nothing of it. I¡¯m glad I could help,¡± she smiled. ¡°Still, I find myself curious how you ended up in that situation.¡±


    This was bad. He had hoped that Katharina would ignore it out of politeness, but he should have known better. What could he tell her? The truth was obviously not an option, unless he wanted to spend the very brief remainder of his existence in an imperial dungeon. Simply refusing to answer was not an option, either. He had given his word, and going back on that would tarnish every future interaction with her.


    Thankfully, Arne¡¯s mother had supplied him with various detailed methods of deflecting such inquiries. The most important thing was to lead with a ¡®cover lie¡¯ with the right amount of weak points: So few that it looked like a serious attempt at lying, but enough for someone to catch on.


    Since Katharina seemed exceedingly sharp, he had to be very careful. On the other hand, she seemed like the type to underestimate her opponents and revel in victory, and this kind of lie was designed to exploit such a temperament.


    ¡°This is a little uncomfortable to admit, but¡­¡± He forced a shudder, leaning into the very real anxiousness he felt. ¡°When I fought in Batuul, I got encircled by a squadron of Keshigs once. They nearly got me.¡±


    He looked off to the side, but kept his senses fixed on Katharina¡¯s aura. ¡°Ever since then, it has been¡­ difficult to handle crowds. And sometimes, it becomes¡­ a little too much.¡±


    She considered his words for a few moments, her aura torn between compassion and suspicion. In the end, suspicion won.


    ¡°You must be a fierce warrior indeed, to survive being surrounded by an entire of Keshigs,¡± she said sweetly.


    ¡°I¨C You have met my cousin Friedrich, right? He came to my aid just in time to save my life! And it was not a full squadron. It had already lost half its numbers in the ongoing battle.¡±


    ¡°Still, two young men against multiple dozen elite steppe riders? Color me impressed!¡± Her cheerful voice belied the brutal sarcasm of her words.


    ¡°Well, we are¨C ugh,¡± he pretended to fold and rubbed his eyes.


    ¡°I cannot believe you would do this to me, after I poured my heart out,¡± she pouted, though her aura was singing with triumph.


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    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± he sighed. ¡°It¡¯s just a very difficult subject to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Just like it was for me,¡± she complained.


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°You gave me your word!¡±


    He had to fight down a smile after feeling the undertone of childish outrage in her aura. She was genuinely upset.


    ¡°...Fine. I can¡¯t tell you though.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Just go on with it!¡±


    ¡°... All right. But only if you swear to never mention it to anyone else,¡± he said, his voice turning quiet and severe.


    Katharina immediately picked up on the tonal shift. ¡°I swear.¡± To his great surprise, his senses told him that she actually meant it.


    ¡°Am I correct in assuming that you¡¯ve undergone Confirmation?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. Why do you ask?¡± she asked, clearly intrigued.


    ¡°So did I. .¡±


    An intense wave of shock rippled through her aura as she realized the implications of his words.


    ¡°You¨C you mean¡­¡±


    Confirmation was the second-most important ritual in the life of an Imperial aristocrat, with Baptism being the first. Around the age of twelve, it would be administered in a grand ceremony to ignite the dormant magic of a young noble. It was common denominator among all Christian civilizations.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot go into more detail,¡± Arne whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that my ¡®Confirmation¡¯ went a little awry. As a result, it is difficult for me to spend prolonged periods of time amidst powerful individuals. Anything up to three or four is fine, but¡­¡±


    Katharina¡¯s aura was a whirl of uneasiness, worry, and, thankfully, an undercurrent of triumph.


    , he thought.


    Technically, he had not told her a single lie, and even came dangerously close to the truth. His Confirmation had been a farce, his magic having been ignited a few years earlier in a clandestine ritual passed down in House Hohenfels for countless generations. It had also not gone quite as expected ¨C but herein lied the catch. He had made it sound like something went wrong, permanently damaging his magical foundation and rendering him vulnerable to aura pressure. Again, it was true.


    Packaging the half-truth in a shell of implied heresy was, while theoretically risky, a calculated move as well. It conveyed that he trusted her to keep quiet about a potentially catastrophic secret, even though there was no true danger to House Hohenfels. His father could simply deny everything, Lisa¡¯s reputation was beyond reproach, and they had a veritable mountain of nasty rumors clinging to them anyway.


    A few moments passed while Katharina was mulling over the ¡®revelation¡¯. Suddenly, her eyes went wide. ¡°That¡¯s what the banesilver is for,¡± she gasped. ¡°It helps you ward off auras. That¡¯s why you need such a powerful amulet, as well!¡±


    He raised his hands and sighed in feigned defeat. ¡°I hope you can forgive me for being less than forthcoming about this.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she nodded emphatically. ¡°I truly appreciate you sharing it with me, even though I forced you into doing so,¡± she added in an apologetic tone. Her aura was devoid of regret, so Arne took her words with a grain of salt.


    ¡°So, I was able to satisfy your curiosity?¡±


    ¡°I am satisfied,¡± she smirked. Arne was glad that the library was now steeped in darkness and she probably couldn¡¯t see him blush at the innuendo.


    ¡°Let us return to the earlier topic then,¡± he proffered once he trusted his vocal cords again. ¡°Where do you want to go from here?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Katharina tried to conceal her frantic thoughts with a hum, but her tense aura betrayed her. It seemed to contract further and further, only to suddenly relax when she decided on a course. ¡°Since we have been talking so candidly, I will continue in the same manner. Is that all right?¡±


    ¡°I would appreciate it, Katharina,¡± he said, shooting her a smile.


    She smiled back, which he could barely make out in the dark. ¡°In that case: I was hoping to forge connections with you as well as Princess Klara, the big names from the East.¡±


    Arne felt mostly sincerity from her, which made a lot of sense. Focusing on the regions with the least connections to Sonnenstein was the wise thing to do in her situation.


    There was, however, a subtle tinge of guilt and regret, which he couldn¡¯t quite place at first.


    ¡°Is that how those¡­ unfortunate rumors came to be?¡± he asked in a deliberately light tone.


    She physically flinched at that.


    ¡°I¨C Yes,¡± she mumbled sheepishly. ¡°I did not intend for that to happen, although I can¡¯t quite deny my involvement.¡±


    ¡°Then I would suggest starting out our collaboration by resolving this issue.¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She happily jumped on the offer. ¡°I would be delighted to help. Even though it feels a little weird to take credit for solving a problem I caused...¡±


    He chuckled along. ¡°Let us not talk of taking credit before we actually¨C¡±


    Arne interrupted himself as he felt someone¡¯s aura approaching. He signaled Katharina, who immediately fell silent as well.


    He did not hear any footsteps, but after a few moments, the pale face of a young man appeared from behind the half-collapsed shelf. His clothes seemed old-fashioned even by Eastern standards, and his dark hair was tied together in a ponytail.


    ¡°Oh, pardon, Mylord, Mylady. I did not expect to find anyone here at this hour.¡±

 Chapter 16

    Arne tried to get a read on the newcomer¡¯s aura, which turned out to be rather difficult. Despite the short distance of barely eight paces, it seemed a little fuzzy to Arne¡¯s senses.


    ¡°Good evening. I¡¯m afraid this niche is occupied.¡± Arne made no effort to be accommodating, realizing that the bloodstained table and the barely visible half-dried puddle on the floor might put Katharina and him in a rather precarious situation if the young man noticed them. He was glad that the saber was mostly obscured by the fallen shelf, since the blank blade would have been obvious even in the dark.


    The young noble straightened out the sleeves of his antiquated, but elegant doublet. ¡°I see. My apologies for the interruption. Have a good evening.¡± With that, he bowed and left.


    Arne waited until he could no longer feel his presence before he allowed himself a breath of relief. Katharina, who had remained silent during the brief exchange, relaxed as well and looked around.


    ¡°We should probably deal with sooner rather than later,¡± she said, gesturing around.


    ¡°Right. But how? It would be quite difficult to explain. Dragging cleaning supplies in here ourselves would look even more suspicious, and staying quiet about it might cause a major uproar should it be discovered by accident.¡±


    She considered that for a moment. ¡°It would be best to stay close to the truth. We could say that you were inspecting your saber when I arrived. My sudden appearance startled you and caused a bloody, but superficial cut.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan. Should we go fetch a servant?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± she replied. ¡°There should still be quite a few people out and about, and the two of us coming out of the library together at this hour¡­ Well.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Yes, I had not considered that,¡± Arne laughed. ¡°It would do wonders to distract everyone from the engagement rumors, though.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. It might fan the flames instead, and earn you a reputation as a philanderer,¡± she snickered. ¡°Speaking of which, we should pray that our visitor did not get a good look at our faces in the dark.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Did you recognize him, by any chance? I didn¡¯t, but I must confess that I have not been paying a whole lot of attention to our fellow students.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I met him before. I believe I would remember such¡­ striking fashion sense.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s still better than¨C Ahem.¡± Arne belatedly remembered that Katharina was currently wearing the very kind of clothing that he was about to make fun of, even though her dress seemed almost tame and modest when compared to the gaudy and ridiculously revealing ones he had seen earlier at the soir¨¦e.


    ¡°Not a fan of the Francian style, hmm?¡± she asked with a sly smile.


    ¡°Well, not particularly,¡± he admitted. ¡°It¡¯s too stiff and colorful.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I can see that,¡± Katharina mused. ¡°I take it you liked Princess Klara¡¯s dress more, then?¡±


    Arne suppressed a sigh.


    ¡°The style of a dress matters much less than the poise with which it is worn,¡± he proclaimed, silently praying for her mercy.


    She made a show of considering his reply. ¡°Perhaps I should start wearing a sword with my dress?¡±


    To his surprise, she seriously thought about it, even though she framed it as a quip.


    ¡°May I ask why?¡± he inquired, cutting off the banter.


    ¡°It would be a strong statement, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    he realized with despair. ¡°That is for certain, but what would that statement achieve?¡±


    ¡°Most importantly, it might help me get along with Princess Klara,¡± she explained. ¡°She seems like the type to look down on, ahem, ¡®silklings¡¯.¡±


    Arne found himself at a crossroad. Was it really in his best interest to help her forge relations with Eisengrund? In the short term, it was probably disadvantageous, given Hohenfels¡¯ very strained relationship with them. However, the way the political winds were blowing, it would not hurt to have access to a somewhat reliable intermediary in the future.


    In the end, he decided to throw Katharina a bone.


    ¡°You should make sure that you can actually the sword, or it will backfire.¡± Princess Klara would undoubtedly judge her even harsher if she wore a weapon she could not use.


    ¡°I know my way around a blade,¡± she pouted. ¡°That said, I may need a bit of a refresher,¡± she added with a sheepish smile. ¡°Perhaps I should attend one of the¨C¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a horrible idea,¡± Arne interjected. ¡°What you learn in those courses won¡¯t impress the Princess. If anything, it will make you look worse in her eyes.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Why is that?¡±


    ¡°They are aimed at pillowkn¨C central nobility, who will never actually use their weapon outside of performative duels.¡±


    ¡°That is a shame¡­ If only I knew someone who would be willing to help me practice,¡± she sighed with feigned dejection.


    ¡°Fine, fine. Hohenfels Hall has a training yard. Just stop by after classes.¡±


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    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± she beamed, her aura a beacon of smugness and self-satisfaction.


    ¡°So you¡¯re actually serious about the sword? Wouldn¡¯t it alienate you even further from the Western nobles?¡± he asked in an attempt to steer the conversation back into safer waters.


    Katharina thought about that for a moment, and then nodded. ¡°It will. But aligning myself with Princess Klara would have achieved that anyway, given her reputation. So I might as well commit to the idea. Perhaps the two of us will even start a new fashion trend,¡± she laughed.


    ¡°That is more likely than you think,¡± Arne remarked. ¡°My sister won¡¯t even leave her chambers without carrying a sword, and I believe she will make quite the impression on the student body once she arrives.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the rumors were actually true?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. She is still¡­ , but I suspect she will take up her position in a month or two.¡±


    ¡°That is very good to know! Is it all right for me to spread this information?¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t mind, but may I ask why?¡±


    ¡°It will help me establish myself as a trustworthy source of intelligence regarding Hohenfels and the East at large,¡± she explained. ¡°I gain credibility, and you gain the ability to disperse information as you please without having to personally interact with the gossip-mongers.¡±


    That sounded like an excellent arrangement to Arne, so he nodded along. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll leave that to you, then.¡±


    She smiled at him, her aura still tinged with ambition. Despite his reservations, he had to admit that the moonlight reflected in her bright hazel eyes made for a rather captivating sight.


    Arne chastised himself. If he wanted to make the best use of the arrangement, he would have to keep enough emotional distance to be able to use her without too much regard for her interests. He dearly hoped that he was up to the task.


    ¡°If you want another particularly juicy piece of information, feel free to mention that Hohenfels is in the process of acquiring another three steamboats,¡± he suggested. ¡°My mother tasked me with finding prospective trade partners among the lower nobility from the North, but I¡¯d rather have them come to me than the other way around.¡±


    This was a half-truth at best ¨C Adelheid had long since finalized contracts with various aristocrats and trade companies behind closed doors. She had only told him to look for opportunities to fill what few capacities remained, and that had not been particularly high up on the priority list. It did, however, make for a very useful tool in this situation, further indebting Katharina to House Hohenfels, if only marginally.


    Something the young lady in question seemed keenly aware of, since the ambition in her aura took on a subcurrent of frustrated calculation.


    ¡°Thank you. I can definitely use that,¡± she said while putting on a smile that would have been convincing to anyone else. ¡°We still have a rumor problem to solve, though.¡±


    he noted. ¡°And how would you propose we do that?¡±


    ¡°One option would be a public statement, but that might just as well make it even worse. Another option would be to wait until everyone naturally forgets about it, but after the incident earlier that could take months,¡± she explained. ¡°As I see it, the best option is to exploit your encounter with Prince Ludwig.¡±


    ¡°A distraction?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. If we play up the hostility between the two of you, it will dominate the rumor mill for the foreseeable future. It won¡¯t damage your relationship further, since he successfully accomplished that already. On top of that, we can easily paint an underdog narrative around you, and turn him into an antagonistic figure.¡±


    Arne stopped himself from talking her out of the idea, despite the glaring problem he noticed: If Katharina¡¯s involvement was too obvious, it would be child¡¯s play to misrepresent it as an ill-conceived attempt at taking revenge for the humiliation she received at the soir¨¦e.


    The risks to himself were low, and the potential rewards were great. If her ploy succeeded, every dissatisfied young noble from the less-prosperous territories would see House Hohenfels as their champion against the ¡®establishment¡¯. If it failed, she would bear the brunt of the backlash ¨C at which point he might even have the opportunity to swoop in as her shield, indebting her and House Silberthal even further.


    He leaned back on the bench in contemplation, ignoring the growing unrest in Katharina¡¯s aura. What could go wrong for him? It was entirely possible that Prince Ludwig was significantly more politically astute than expected. He could, under the right circumstances, turn the rumor around on him, painting him as an uncultured Eastern savage ¨C though this was bound to happen anyway sooner or later, so it was not as big of a problem as it seemed. Conversely, Ludwig might be significantly politically astute and resort to blatant harassment, which sounded bad at first, but would play right into Arne¡¯s hand in the long term.


    Could any of this have an effect on Falkenstein? This was the most pertinent question so far. If Ludwig managed to drive a wedge between him and Prince Matthias, it would be catastrophic. Given their antagonistic relationship, it was unlikely, but¡­


    ¡°Think with me for a moment,¡± Arne addressed Katharina, who immediately straightened up. ¡°In which way could this plan affect Falkenstein?¡±


    ¡°If anything, it would entrench them further on your side. They might even actively help with spreading the rumors,¡± she said slowly, still mulling over his words. ¡°They have a vested interest in shaking up the status quo, and they would love to see growing antagonism towards Sonnenfeld and Altengau. The increased pressure would allow them to start ignoring more Imperial decrees.¡± There was a tinge of surprise in her aura, which made Arne suspect that she had not thought him capable of such considerations. It stung a little.


    ¡°I suppose I will have a talk with Prince Matthias then,¡± he said, suppressing his urge to pout.


    She perked up at that. ¡°That is a magnificent idea! Oh, speaking of which: Would it be possible for you to introduce me to Lady Elenor at some point?¡±


    ¡°Lady Elenor¡­ Ah, Matthias¡¯ fianc¨¦e? I¡¯ll see what I can do, but I can¡¯t promise anything. I only exchanged a few words with her so far,¡± he replied, unwilling to go this far for what was a alliance that might still crumble to dust should her schemes collapse. Thankfully, she got the message and did not press further.


    ¡°Thank you, Arnold,¡± she smiled radiantly, no trace of the annoyance permeating her aura to be seen.


    = = = = =


    Katharina, now freshly bathed and dressed in her silken nightgown, sat down at her candle-lit desk, reflecting on what she had gained and lost today. It was a rather grim outlook, though not entirely hopeless. The Sonnenstein situation was a disaster, but the budding relations with Hohenfels could make up for some of it ¨C or, if her gamble succeeded, even be the foundation of a much grander future for House Silberthal.


    Unfortunately, her lifeline-to-be was much more difficult to deal with than the average twenty-something year old noble. Most of those were easily managed with nothing but strategically deployed smiles, while this one had somehow resisted even her ¨C and worse than that, attempted to exploit them.


    Still, he had demonstrated sufficient gallantry when he offered her his arm on the way to Sonnenfeld Hall. It had been a rather unusual experience since he was easily half a head taller than any of her previous escorts.


    With a long-suffering sigh, she rose from her chair and slipped beneath her blankets for a good night¡¯s sleep.


    She needed to rest well, for tomorrow would be the time to fan the flames.

 Chapter 17

    ¡°This is quite the mess, isn¡¯t it?¡± Matthias von Falkenstein reclined in his soft armchair, his usual joviality gone. ¡°I do not understand why Ludwig is acting so rashly. He always had a nasty temper, but Maximilian usually keeps him on a short leash.¡±


    Arne and his distant relative had retreated to the Falkenstein prince¡¯s extravagant lounge to discuss yesterday¡¯s events in private. The gold-rimmed paintings and frivolously expensive satin curtains made it difficult for him to relax, which was probably a good thing considering the sensitive subject matter.


    ¡°It is strange, yes. Ludwig made a point of specifically addressing me as ¡®Prince¡¯. I¡¯d have expected him to be less blatant about it, for the sake of appearances at least. Why is he trying to start an open conflict? I was under the impression that Sonnenfeld and Altengau want to keep a superficial peace.¡±


    ¡°So was I. Something does not add up, and it vexes me that I do not know what it is,¡± Matthias grumbled. ¡°This whole situation feels convenient for us.¡± Arne felt no deception in his aura, which was very reassuring.


    He rose from his own sinfully soft chair to vent some nervous energy by pacing around the room. ¡°There is another matter I wanted to talk about, Matthias.¡±


    The prince in question perked up, raising his eyebrows to signal interest.


    ¡°The rumors regarding Hohenfels and Eisengrund.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that thing. I didn¡¯t know you were so close with Princess Klara. Well, we all have our preferences,¡± Matthias snickered.


    ¡°Ah, shut up,¡± Arne grinned back. ¡°I found the person responsible for that, and she¡¯s trying to clean it up as we speak.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Silberthal girl, right?¡±


    ¡°...Yes. How did you know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve met her several times, and intervening in something like yesterday¡¯s mess is not her usual style. It was¡­ desperate. And after you mentioned a ¡®she¡¯, it clicked.¡±


    Arne made a mental note not to underestimate Matthias¡¯ acumen in the future. He usually hid his sharp mind behind a facade of jokes and extroversion, which made it all too easy to regard him as nothing but a pleasure-seeking socialite.


    ¡°I see. Well, in any case, she is currently trying to¡­ the confrontation between me and Ludwig a little. In my favor, of course.¡±


    ¡°A decent enough plan. Need some help with that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it,¡± Arne replied, very aware of Matthias¡¯ mental ledger of favors. At some point, he would come knocking with a request of his own. At least he had offered it himself, so the favor would be considered significantly smaller.


    ¡°Sure thing. Are you planning to cooperate with the Silberthals in the future?¡±


    ¡°That depends on the results Lady Katharina delivers,¡± Arne evaded. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll see if she is worth the hassle.¡±


    ¡°If you get bored of her, feel free to send her my way. Elenor always appreciates fresh pawns.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± he replied, suppressing his distaste for the casual indifference in Matthias¡¯ voice and aura. He realized that this was simply a reality of aristocratic politics, but he liked to think that Hohenfels held its allies in higher regard ¨C even if the alliance was born of convenience.


    = = = = =


    ¡°I get to fight her? Really?¡±


    ¡°Under a few conditions,¡± Arne tried to curb his cousin¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°Firstly: Smallswords only.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°And secondly: No magic and no punches, at least for now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a beginner, Fritz. You have more confirmed kills than Hohenfels Hall has residents.¡±


    ¡°How can someone with her aura control be a beginner?¡± Friedrich pouted, but there was no fire behind his words.


    ¡°Combat magic and aura control can be very different things. You know that,¡± Arne sighed.


    Friedrich only huffed and turned his attention back to the lecturer, who was drawing elaborate battle plans on a blackboard and monologuing about the greatness of yet another old Western general. It was not particularly interesting, but Arne supposed he would have to sit through a bunch of beginner courses before the lectures became more in-depth, so the silklings weren¡¯t left behind.


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    The lackluster lesson had one upside: It was not a great loss if he got distracted by the curious gazes of his fellow students, of which at least one stared at him at any time. He was not sure if this was still an aftereffect of the engagement rumor or if Katharina had already been active behind the scenes. Yet regardless of the reason, the immense scrutiny grated on his nerves.


    Much to Arne¡¯s despair, the rest of the day continued in the same manner. It got even worse during the next course, a lengthy and terribly dull lecture on foreign relations that turned out to be almost entirely about Francia and its neighbors. Since Friedrich lacked even the faintest interest in the topic, he had gone off to God-knows-where, leaving Arne without the modicum of protection his cousin¡¯s mere presence commanded.


    Katharina, one of the few familiar faces in the room, had wisely decided to find a seat far away from him to not find herself in the spotlight as well. His other acquaintances, aside from the openly hostile ones like the Sonnenstein and Altendorf princes, also did not seem particularly interested in striking up a conversation. Prince Matthias was busy flirting with his fianc¨¦e, and Princess Maria was among the people throwing cautious glances his way on a regular basis.


    Usually, he would have been more than happy to be left alone in this manner, but today, he would have appreciated someone to talk to, for distraction if nothing else.


    Finally, after two long hours that felt like an eternity, he was finally able to escape.


    He desperately wanted to relax in the bathhouse and then roll up underneath his comfortable blankets with a book or two, but unfortunately, he had to prepare a smallsword lesson for a particularly vexing young lady.


    = = = = =


    Klara von Eisenberg strolled across the central plaza towards the arena, confused by the lack of attention she received. She had expected the obnoxious stares to worsen after her shouting match with ¡®Prince¡¯ Arnold, but the opposite had happened. Now, everyone¡¯s eyes were firmly glued on him as well as the pompous Sonnenstein prick.


    The mind of a silkling truly was a fickle thing.


    That said, the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. Though it pained her to admit it, Arnold had a knack for displays of power. First his intervention back in the arena, and now the stunt he pulled at that disaster of a soir¨¦e. Openly threatening the Sonnenfeld heir was sure to cause some ripples.


    In comparison, her own exit had been underwhelming. Maybe she should have grasped the opportunity herself? The prince had been extraordinarily rude after all, butting into the like that. She could even have framed it as defending that nosy girl and netted herself a contact from the West, something her father had been rather insistent on.


    She didn¡¯t like it at all, though. Every moment spent talking to a Westerner was a moment better spent on anything else. What was even the point? They respected House Eisenberg barely more than Hohenfels, which spoke not just of poor judgment, but unfounded arrogance as well. If it wasn¡¯t for the Imperial trade agreements feeding Eisengrund¡¯s many hungry mouths¨C


    ¡°Good afternoon, Princess Klara. May I ask¨C¡±


    Klara¡¯s head whipped around, fixing the young lady who addressed her with an impatient look and causing her to flinch. She did not recognize her at first glance, but her red and yellow dress outed her as a silkling par excellence.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± the princess asked tersely, not hiding her exasperation the slightest.


    ¡°I¨C ahem,¡± the lady quickly regained her composure. ¡°My name is Christina von Lauringen. We met a few years ago at Prince Rudolf¡¯s name day celebration,¡± she added helpfully. Klara needed a few moments to place her, countless aristocratic events having long blended together into a disgustingly colorful mass of noise and stress.


    ¡°I remember. So, what does the future Duchess of Sonnenfeld want from me?¡±


    If Christina was taken aback by Klara¡¯s rude inquiry, she did not show it. ¡°I came to deliver Prince Ludwig¡¯s formal apology for interrupting your conversation yesterday,¡± she proclaimed, inclining her head just enough to show sincerity, but not enough to display subservience. ¡°His Highness wishes to continue strengthening the prosperous ties between Eisengrund and Sonnenfeld, and would be deeply saddened to have this matter stand in the way.¡±


    A ludicrous thing to say, in Klara¡¯s opinion. If that was truly the case, Sonnenfeld would not ask for such outrageous compensation for their grain exports, often demanding a quarter of its weight in processed iron and shamelessly exploiting Eisengrund¡¯s notoriously empty coffers.


    She felt her blood begin to boil and decided to cut the conversation short before she started throwing ill-advised punches.


    ¡°If he truly wishes for that, I shall be happy to receive his apology.¡± Klara turned away, leaving the duchess-to-be to stare at her back in shock.


    Even more so than earlier, she really needed to stab something ¨C or better yet, someone.


    Her sour mood did not improve when she reached the arena and found it occupied by one of the primary subjects of her annoyance. Friedrich von Hohenfels-Whatever was in the process of artlessly trashing some minor Western aristocrat once again, disinterest written on his barbaric features. He swung his saber with the grace of a charging wild boar, while his opponent¡¯s lackluster training became apparent in frantic movements and the occasional panicked squeal.


    Klara had already taken several steps in the direction of the training weapon storage, when she forced herself to turn back. It was much wiser to leave him be, for now at least. The last thing she wanted was a resurgence of the rumors¨C


    ¡°Running away? As expected of an Eisenberg.¡±


    She whirled around to see the savage standing over his foe¡¯s slumped form. He had apparently finished the duel with one of his nasty punches and was now staring right at her.


    Her brief battle against her still-boiling blood ended in a growl, filling the near-total silence that had fallen upon the arena. ¡°Need another beating, dog?¡±


    ¡°Ha. Talking big again, I see,¡± he replied, rolling his shoulders in preparation. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember our last fight?¡±


    ¡°I vividly remember you bleeding out in the sand,¡± she spit out, grabbed a practice smallsword and jumped into the arena.


    Friedrich had the audacity to smirk at that. ¡°Suuure. You fine with going up against a saber, or should I get a toothpick as well, as a handicap? That way your next loss will be even more embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°It. Was. Not. A. Loss,¡± she hissed. ¡°The only reason I declared it a draw was because your nanny begged me for mercy.¡±


    The oaf needed a few heartbeats to understand the insult, but it thoroughly wiped the smirk off his misshapen face.


    ¡°Shut up and fight,¡± he growled, his meager vocabulary exhausted. For once, Klara was happy to oblige.

 Chapter 18

    Hohenfels Hall was doing a great job at exhibiting the Hohenfels mindset, Katharina found. It felt alien, even more so than the brutal simplicity of Eisengrund Hall. The moat and ramparts were just as anachronistic as the main castle itself, but that only served to enhance the sense of it conveyed. She studied it for a few moments, taking in the atmosphere. It was obvious: The dorm¡¯s designer was a masterful wielder of statements.


    As soon as she crossed the drawbridge, a female servant hurried over to greet her. True to the dorm¡¯s outward image, the servant was significantly more direct than the ones she was used to, while still maintaining appropriate deference.


    She was led to the ¡®training yard¡¯, which turned out to be a simple field of dirt with a bunch of training dummies lined up on the side. It was empty, save for the Hohenfels heir who sat on a bench, writing something into a notebook. He looked up when he noticed her approach and rose, only to blink in confusion before catching himself.


    He offered her a polite bow. ¡°Good afternoon, Lady Katharina. I hope you did not run into any complications on your way?¡±


    ¡°Good afternoon, Prince Arnold,¡± she curtsied in return. ¡°It went as smoothly as it could have. I took a carriage to avoid being seen on the plaza, but there is a good chance that someone noticed me coming here anyway.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose that is unavoidable. The fresh rumors should be a good enough distraction, anyway. It¡¯s a good thing nobody in this dorm is interested in gossip.¡±


    Lady Anne von Breisenhof ¨C resident of Hohenfels Hall, embroidery enthusiast, and inadvertent cause of the engagement rumors ¨C would beg to differ, but Katharina decided to keep that to herself for now.


    Arnold¡¯s eyebrow twitched, reminding her of his earlier surprise.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Your Highness?¡± she asked directly. Bluntness had so far been the most effective method of communication with him.


    He furrowed his brows and fixed her with a stern look. ¡°Pray tell, are you planning to train in these clothes?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± she responded, scandalized. ¡®These clothes¡¯ were top-of-the-line dueling fashion for ladies, designed by fencing prodigy himself: Count Jean-Pierre de Fleurdeaux! The jacket allowed for free movement while not looking out of place even at a casual soir¨¦e, and the elegant long skirt¨C


    ¡°You are aware that they will be full of holes by the end of the day, yes?¡± Arnold gestured at his own shirt, a terribly maltreated thing with more patches than original fabric. His trousers were in no better shape.


    Fighting off the impending blush was an uphill battle, and Katharina soon gave up, choosing to embrace it instead.


    ¡°I¡­ admit I did not think of that,¡± she mumbled sheepishly, doing her best impression of a naive young lady. To her great disappointment, Arnold gave her an unamused glance and waved to the servant, who had remained nearby.


    ¡°Show Lady Katharina to the armory and help her find something reasonable to wear,¡± he ordered with a tired voice. Katharina felt more than a little patronized, but she knew she had brought it upon herself.


    She returned to the training yard twenty minutes later, now dressed in a green and gray training uniform, with the red eagle of Hohenfels displayed on its shoulder patches. Thankfully, this one had been designed with the female body shape in mind, so it did not quite feel like wearing a potato sack. Katharina did not miss the¡­ looks her new outfit garnered from the Prince, and smugly filed that particular piece of information away for later use.


    ¡°Is this better?¡± she asked with a bright smile, prompting a nod from Arnold.


    ¡°Very much so. Here, take your pick.¡±


    He pointed to a selection of practice swords he had laid out on the bench. They varied slightly in weight and size, but she soon found one that felt right in her hand. ¡°Is this one good?¡±


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    ¡°You tell me,¡± he replied with a shrug. ¡°I suggest trying out a few of them over the course of the evening.¡±


    For now, Katharina was happy with her chosen sword, and she followed Arnold onto the field.


    ¡°First, a word of warning: I am by no means an expert with the smallsword. I do, however, believe that I am good enough to teach you how to look middlingly competent in the eyes of Princess Klara,¡± he explained. When she nodded in understanding, he lifted his weapon. ¡°To start off, I need to assess your current capabilities. I would have preferred for you to spar against Friedrich so I can observe from the outside, but,¡± he gestured around in exasperation, ¡°God knows where he is right now.¡±


    Katharina did not find herself particularly perturbed at the prospect of not having to fight a man with the dimensions of a sturdy wardrobe.


    ¡°So, we¡¯re going to have a mock duel?¡± she asked, taking up her stance as her instructor had taught her ¨C left arm lifted behind her head, feet ready to lunge.


    Judging from his expressive eyebrows, he was not impressed. ¡°Indeed. Just come at me as soon as you feel ready. No magic, for now. And keep in mind, this is not about winning.¡± His own stance was, for lack of a better word, casual, with his off-hand behind his back and the sword held unceremoniously in front of him. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She lunged forwards, thrusting the tip of her blade towards his chest. He reacted with a quick sidestep, swatting away her sword and stabbing her with his own in a single motion. It hurt quite a bit, but he held back enough to not actually draw blood.


    ¡°Again,¡± he demanded.


    They both went back to their starting positions, and she lunged again. This time, he simply grabbed her forearm mid-thrust with his left hand and twisted it until she let go of her blade.


    ¡°Hey! I thought you were just testing me!¡± she complained, not happy about the, in her estimation, unnecessarily rough treatment.


    ¡°This is part of the test,¡± he said nonchalantly, kicking Katharina¡¯s sword up into his hand and returning it to her. ¡°I need to know how you deal with this kind of situation. Now, again.¡±


    She suppressed her urge to grumble about it and took up her stance once more. The result of her subsequent third lunge was much the same, but this time his counter actually caused a bloody scratch on her forearm.


    ¡°This is unfair. You¡¯re obviously much faster with all your residual magic, how am I supposed to do anything at all against you?!¡± she pouted.


    Arnold chuckled, irritating her further. ¡°That is certainly true, but as I said: This is not about winning.¡±


    Katharina had to take a deep breath to center herself. ¡°I sincerely apologize, Your Highness.¡± Her heart was racing now, and her cheeks heated up once more.


    ¡°I am aware of your¡­ competitive streak. I find it rather charming, actually,¡± he grinned broadly, which did not help with her embarrassment. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down for a moment.¡±


    She tried her very best to compose herself during the much-too-short walk to the bench, where the Prince immediately ruined her efforts by taking her hand to examine the bruise.


    ¡°Looks like your regeneration is decent for a sil¨C central noble,¡± he said, unable to fully hide his smirk when he noticed her blush. Thankfully, he did not comment on it ¨C but he was clearly enjoying himself. Katharina swore to herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that,¡± she smiled, trying to force herself back into her usual mindset.


    He actually laughed out loud at that. ¡°You won¡¯t be once you realize what that means for your training!¡±


    ¡°...Oh.¡±


    ¡°Still, I am glad to see that you haven¡¯t forsaken corporeal magic entirely, like most Western ladies,¡± he allowed, growing more pensive with every word. Then, after he realized what he had just said, a flash of apologetic panic crossed his features.


    Katharina interrupted him before he even got the first word out. ¡°No need to apologize, Your Highness. My mother figured that I¡¯d be, ahem, difficult to marry off after the incident, and decided to make better use of my magical talents instead. I¡¯m fine with it,¡± she shrugged.


    That decision had felt like a life-ending blow at first, but by now, she was glad about it. So what if it would be harder for her to bear children? In return, she would stay young and pretty for twice as long, be able to adequately defend herself, and most importantly, suffer only once every months.


    Arnold¡¯s mien cleared up after her explanation, taking her at her word. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± he said with a smile, once more highlighting just how different things were in the East.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to test your magical control next,¡± he proffered while pointing at the practice dummies. ¡°I¡¯ll have to observe your aura directly, though¡­ If you¡¯re uncomfortable with that, we can skip that step.¡±


    ¡°No, that is perfectly fine,¡± she smiled, quickly lowering her obfuscation. This was perfect. If she could get a good feel for his aura here, it would make future probing attempts much easier.


    She would just have to be particularly careful with her emotions for a short while.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with a simple enhanced lunge,¡± Arnold ordered. ¡°Take up the¨C Ah, I forgot to ask: Which school do you practice? My best guess is Moreau, or maybe Beauvais.¡±


    ¡°Moreau is correct¡­ Are you sure you¡¯re not an expert?¡± Katharina replied, astonished. ¡®


    ¡°I like to think of myself as decent with the smallsword, but I could never measure up to actual experts like, say, Princess Klara,¡± he shrugged.


    Katharina was not convinced. ¡°How would you rate your skills with a saber, then?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. I suppose I could call myself an ¡®expert¡¯ with the saber, yes. Still, my cousin would win seven out of ten spars against me, and my sister nine.¡±


    Paladin


    Arnold must have seen the awe on her face, because he hastily tried to explain himself. ¡°It¡¯s nowhere near as grand as you imagine. There is a lot of luck involved in duels, and I merely accounted for that.¡±


    ¡°Still, that sounds incredible,¡± she cooed, trying to mask her genuine wonder with her best ¡®amazed damsel¡¯ impression. ¡°Say, who would win in a duel between you and Princess Klara?¡±


    He considered her words for a moment. ¡°If we¡¯re fighting with rapiers or smallswords, probably her. With sabers, the odds might be slightly in my favor.¡±


    ¡°And if both of you use your favored weapons?¡±


    ¡°I would lose every match, unless she trips over a rock.¡±


    That made Katharina pause. From what she had heard and read about high-level dueling, the difference in weaponry would be almost negligible compared to the skill of the fighters involved. If anything, the heavier saber might even have an advantage.


    ¡°Why is that?¡± she asked, not even having to fake her interest.


    ¡°Because her weapon of choice is the glaive. Mine is the saber. She would disable me thrice before I even got in range.¡±


    Katharina suppressed a spark of annoyance. A glaive was hardly an appropriate choice for a duel! Still, that was a very interesting piece of information. ¡°Princess Klara is an expert with both the smallsword and the glaive?¡±


    ¡°It would be more accurate to call her an expert in . Give her a spear, a rapier, a smallsword, a glaive¡­ It barely matters to her. My uncle calls her a prodigy, and he House Eisenberg. Take that as you will,¡± he explained. ¡°Speaking of stabbing: Take up the initial stance, please. I still need to examine your forms.¡±


    Her mind was still reeling from the concept of a ¡®stabbing prodigy¡¯, but she mechanically moved into position, ready to lunge at the practice target. The earth underneath her shoes felt very different from the stone floor she trained on, and while that was not that much of a problem for magic-less fighting, the increased power behind an enhanced lunge might pose some difficulties.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Arnold had clearly noticed her hesitancy, but failed to deduce the reason, which was strangely reassuring ¨C he was not omniscient, after all.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about the ground,¡± she admitted. ¡°I¡¯m used to the stone floor in my father¡¯s sparring hall.¡±


    ¡°I can imagine. Moreau¡¯s style is very¡­ . If you want Klara¡¯s respect, you should definitely learn how to fight under less controlled circumstances.¡±


    His distaste for courtly fencing was painfully obvious, and Katharina could not muster enough indignation to disagree. If his self-assessment was even remotely correct, he stood head and shoulders above most of his fellow students in combat, lending his opinion a significant weight.


    ¡°I understand. Is there anything I can do right now?¡± she asked, still shuffling around her feet to find a comfortable stance.


    ¡°Yes. There are two main factors you need to adjust to. The first is grip: Generally speaking, you will have to expend less magic for the same effect when fighting on earthen ground compared to smooth stone. Conversely, you will have to expend more when fighting on sand, like in the colosseum¡¯s arena.¡±


    He dug his soles into the earth as a demonstration, and she immediately realized the implications. ¡°That would also mean it is easier to injure myself, right?¡±


    ¡°Indeed! On smooth surfaces, excess power will bleed away because there is less friction. But if you have near-optimal grip, you might accidentally break your ankles if you use too much magic.¡±


    With shining eyes, the Prince launched into a lengthy monologue that went on for almost half an hour, describing various different ground compositions and the relative amounts of energy needed for lunging on each of them. Katharina nodded along, posing questions when appropriate. It went far beyond what seemed relevant to her situation ¨C she sincerely doubted that she would ever fight dismounted Polanian cavalry on half-dried bogland ¨C but his enthusiasm was contagious and just a tiny bit adorable.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Finally, he realized what was going on and blushed in embarrassment. ¡°Ahem. Enough of that. Where was I?¡±


    ¡°We were talking about the two things I can do right now to deal with the difference between stone and earth,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Ah, right. Using less magic is the first. The second one is easy in theory, but difficult in practice. You need to get used to a wider stance to make up for uneven ground, and be very careful with your footwork.¡±


    He pointed at the groove in the earth he made earlier. ¡°Even something as minor as that can turn the tide of a duel if your foot gets caught in it and you lose your balance.¡±


    That made a lot of sense. She never had to think about that, and it might prove fatal if she ever had to fight outside of a neat stone arena. It was a terrifyingly huge blind spot in her fencing education. Though, if she had shown more interest, her teacher might have gotten to it at some point, so she couldn¡¯t blame him.


    ¡°With that in mind, let¡¯s get back to it. En garde!¡±


    She did her best to widen her stance, but it felt just a little off. And ¡®just a little off¡¯ easily translated into ¡®painful accident¡¯ when dealing with magic, so she made her distress known.


    ¡°Mhm. Turn your left foot a little further to the left, and keep your torso upright. No, not like¡­ Haaah,¡± he sighed.


    Then, he nonchalantly put his hands on her shoulders and firmly adjusted her position.


    Katharina¡¯s heart nearly jumped out of her chest.


    She did her best to channel her indignation, and turned her head to face him. ¡°Y-you can¡¯t just touch a lady like that!¡±


    Arnold¡¯s face went through a rapid sequence of confusion, then shame, and finally amusement.


    He had the to grin at her, seemingly reveling in her embarrassment. ¡°Right now, you¡¯re just my student, and your stance is lackluster.¡±


    Then, while she was busy trying to reply without stammering like a fool, he !


    ¡°Much better,¡± he laughed after fixing her torso positioning once more. She resigned herself to an annoyed grumble, which only served to amuse him further. ¡°Now, show me your best lunge.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He released her shoulders and moved a few steps to the side.


    ¡°Hmph. Have you already forgotten about¨C¡± Katharina stopped herself a few moments too late. Aura contact was the absolute last thing she wanted right now!


    ¡°Oh, right. I wanted to observe your magic directly. Are you ready? Or would you rather delay that until our next lesson?¡± he said with an infuriating smirk.


    The smart choice was to take the loss and avoid the potential shame of him noticing just how intense her lingering embarrassment was. But¡­ Katharina had already lost so many times today! Her fencing clothes, the three losses with the sword, the unexpected inspection of her forearm, and now the shoulder touch. Even under consideration of her two wins ¨C his reaction to the uniform and his cute monologue ¨C she was clearly losing. And he knew it. He it.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be an issue,¡± she pouted. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    It was always a strange experience to be enveloped by another person¡¯s aura, and this time was no different. Arnold¡¯s magic felt curious, but reserved ¨C constantly prodding at her own, but never in a truly intrusive manner. She did her very best to suppress any strong emotions, and concentrated on the target and her leg muscles.


    ¡°All right, I think I got a general feel for your aura,¡± he said, now professionally distant instead of the light and teasing tone he had earlier. It helped her greatly with getting herself under control. ¡°You can begin as soon as you¡¯re ready. Try to aim for center mass.¡±


    She nodded in assent, and then flooded her muscles with magic. Once the comfortable warmth had spread throughout her legs, she lunged forwards.


    = = = = =


    Friedrich was nearing his limits. The fight had gone on for the better part of an hour, and with the exhaustion came a sense of impending doom.


    He did not fear losing to the damned Princess ¨C she was in no better state than him, using the longer and longer breathers between exchanges to desperately regenerate the most debilitating cuts she had received, while he supplied his various punctured organs with magic to discourage internal bleeding.


    No, he worried that he might have gotten Arne into major trouble by provoking her into a ¡®practice match¡¯. He hadn¡¯t been able to completely follow his cousin¡¯s explanations on the matter, but he had grasped the rough outline: Arne and the aura lady were trying to distract everyone from the stupid engagement rumors by pissing off the Sonnenfeld prince. But now, he was making a huge spectacle of the Hohenfels¨CEisengrund conflict, with more and more onlookers arriving at the colosseum to watch the duel.


    Even if he managed to end the fight with the next blow, it was too late.


    At least Father was half an Empire away and couldn¡¯t tan his hide for fucking up so badly.


    On the opposite end of the arena, Princess Klara inhaled a deep, rattling breath and took up her stance once more. Friedrich lifted his aching arm in response, ready to hopefully deflect the incoming stab with his increasingly dented practice saber.


    They circled each other for a few heartbeats. Then, she lunged. He felt the attack coming more than he saw it, and rapidly directed his waning magic reserves into his sword arm to intercept the blade.


    Her smallsword was knocked aside with the force of a charging bull, but the sheer momentum behind his parry made it impossible to launch a counter before she retreated back out of range. An error in judgment. He was getting seriously tired.


    But so was the Princess. Her foot slipped on the sand, disturbing her balance for a fraction of a second, but it was enough. His thighs burned as he forced magic through his protesting muscles and charged her.


    He was already right in front of her when his instincts screamed a warning. The bitch had baited him! Her sword was racing towards his heart. He managed to twist his body just far enough for it to glance off a rib and puncture his lung instead, but the desperate maneuver had put his sword arm behind him.


    There was only one option left. He sent every last drop of magic into his left fist and .

 Chapter 20

    Arne silently cursed himself. He had completely and utterly dropped his guard, and only noticed it when he examined Katharina¡¯s aura directly. It was the aura of a specialist ¨C expertly defined, finely controlled, and . In a very different manner than Friedrich¡¯s oppressive power, which could knock out lesser practitioners with a simple burst of intent. No, hers was a sharp knife, kept hidden until the very last moment. He was willing to bet that she could do very scary things with it, but he had no clue what exactly those might be.


    He had known about her competency before, of course. It was the biggest reason why he was so wary of her ¨C nobody learned to put up a fake aura as a smokescreen if they did not have a need for it. But he had gotten lost in the moment.


    The only saving grace was that she was in the same boat as him. He was very aware just how flustered she was, even though she did her best to hide it. She had even forgotten to use the appropriate honorifics despite them being in a semi-public location. Only after the direct aura contact did she manage to catch herself, just like him.


    Now, Katharina was letting her frustration out on the poor practice dummy. Arne had to admit that her form was decent for a silkling, with very little energy spent on flourishes and wasted movements. He suspected this was mostly thanks to a very talented teacher, who realized her disinterest and did his best to install viable basics in her mind as quickly as possible.


    The biggest flaw she displayed was a severe lack of experience with corporeal magic, owed to a typical Western lady¡¯s upbringing. Though thankfully, she was not a total beginner, and her extremely precise control facilitated rapid improvement whenever he pointed out problems.


    The constant aura contact was, in theory, not necessary ¨C he was keenly aware of the fluctuations in her magic even without it. It did, however, improve his senses by a significant degree, and it would be impossible to explain how he knew so precisely what she was doing wrong otherwise. And as an added bonus, it helped him understand the depths of her skill better. To his dismay, she had dropped her ¡®shell¡¯, something he had looked forward to examining more closely.


    When Katharina prepared for yet another lunge, he noticed the telltale flickering of exhaustion in her magic and intervened, retracting his magic.


    ¡°That should be enough for today. Good job,¡± he praised, noting with amusement how she ruthlessly crushed an ember of childlike pride the moment she noticed it.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness¡± she smiled coyly, and once more he found himself glad to know of the terrifying mind behind the pretty face. ¡°Would you say I¡¯m qualified to wear a sword now?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves,¡± he laughed, amused by the tinge of indignation in her aura, which was now engulfed by the shell again. ¡°Your basics are pretty good, but you lack actual experience.¡±


    ¡°Will you help me become more , then?¡± she cooed with fluttering eyelashes.


    For a few heartbeats, Arne was at a loss for words. He simply blinked at her, not quite slack-jawed from the unexpected innuendo, but not far from it either. Then, the corner of his mouth twitched. Katharina pressed her lips together, trying to maintain composure. It didn''t work.


    They spent the next few minutes desperately trying to stop their ever-escalating and utterly undignified laughter, but whenever Arne managed to take a deep breath and regain some self-control, a giggling fit from Katharina ruined his progress, and vice versa.


    When they finally quieted down, Arne was relieved to see that they were still alone in the yard, assuaging his greatest worry. A worry she shared, given her panicked scanning of the vicinity.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone saw us,¡± he said in a reassuring tone. ¡°The only adjacent buildings are the servant quarters and the armory. But we should probably wrap it up. The training field usually gets busy around this time.¡±


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll go change then, Your Highness,¡± she smiled.


    ¡°I shall do the same then. May I escort you back to your dorm, Lady Katharina? We should be fine if we take the long route around the plaza.¡±


    ¡°I would appreciate that, thank you!¡± she preened, confirming his suspicion. She was trying to exploit the situation for all it was worth, pouncing on his lowered guard. Fine then ¨C if she wanted to play it that way, he would do the same.


    Still, he needed to be more careful around her.


    = = = = =


    Katharina found herself happy and distressed in equal measure ¨C an all-too-common occurrence, lately.


    The evening had gone very well, all things considered. She was sure that she had gotten much closer with the Prince today, but she had paid a high price for it. On one hand, it was great to know how much he enjoyed teasing her, something she could (in theory) easily use to her advantage. On the other hand, his uncanny intuition seemed to help him figure out her weak spots, and she was well-aware of her own tendency to fall for provocations.


    She needed to be more careful around him. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Leaving the uniform in a laundry basket, she strolled out of the armory¡¯s changing room and headed towards the drawbridge, where Prince Arnold was already waiting for her. He was dressed in an antiquated, but obviously expensive doublet, with his saber hanging from his hip.


    While it fit the general Hohenfels aesthetic rather well, she would have to find a way to make him change his style to a more modern one. A well-dressed young Prince was sure to be seen more positively than one looking like he jumped out of an ancestral portrait, which in turn would reflect well on her if she aligned herself with him.


    The Logrian suit looked very good on him, for example. Perhaps she should tell him that? Men tended to be very receptive to compliments from women.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± he asked, once more displaying his scary perception.


    ¡°I simply thought how good you looked in that suit yesterday, Your Highness,¡± she replied with the most innocent smile she could muster.


    He perked up for a short moment, a grin forming on his face. It was replaced by narrowed, calculating eyes that quickly faded into a look of dread as he figured out the true meaning of her words.


    ¡°...Is it really that bad?¡± he asked, looking down at his outfit and then back up at her with a pleading expression.


    She almost fell into the trap of reassuring him, but caught herself in time to realize that he would probably know that she was lying to make him feel better. Since he usually appreciated bluntness, she decided to tell the truth instead.


    ¡°Pardon my directness, Your Highness, but you dress like my grandfather did in his youth,¡± she explained, increasingly worried about how he might receive her words. Hopefully today¡¯s events would be enough for him not to think of it as an insult.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± he groaned, obviously uncomfortable. ¡°This is my favorite¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, it still looks quite good on¨C¡±


    ¡°Spare me,¡± he sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s go back inside. I¡¯ll go change again.¡±


    True to his word, he led her back into the castle, where they crossed paths with a small group of dorm residents. Arnold did not even seem to notice them, but Katharina returned their inquisitive looks with a friendly smile she wasn¡¯t feeling in the slightest.


    She had to stop Arnold from bringing her to his chambers ¨C he seemed to have little interest in propriety, and hadn¡¯t even considered the implications behind that. Thus, she claimed a couch in the common room and waited a few minutes until he returned, now dressed in his suit¨C no, it was a different one. The cut was nearly identical, but the fabric was a little brighter. It seemed less formal, more approachable. His ridiculously valuable saber remained on his side. Luckily, its dark leather sheath went well with his coat.


    ¡°Better?¡± he asked, his voice still tinged with dejection.


    She gave him a genuine smile. ¡°Much better, Your Highness.¡± And indeed, while he would not fit in with Western nobility in the slightest, he certainly looked a lot more elegant now.


    His expression lightened at that, and he smiled back. ¡°Glad to hear that. Shall we?¡± he asked, offering her his arm in a practiced motion.


    She looked around the room briefly, noting the curious looks of the few others who were lounging on couches and armchairs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much,¡± he said quietly. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have been able to avoid that for long anyway. It¡¯s better to make it seem like we have nothing to hide in the first place.¡±


    That made sense, so she took his arm and let herself be escorted back out of the castle, his height still feeling a little off compared to what she was used to.


    Once they had left the premises and were no longer observed, Katharina aired her concerns. ¡°This might severely impact my ability to play up the Sonnenfeld situation,¡± she sighed. ¡°I had expected word of our¡­ to spread slowly over the next few days, not immediately.¡±


    He shrugged, unperturbed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Prince Matthias is aware of it, which means that Lady Elenor is, as well¡­ And means that everyone will know anyway if ¨C or rather, when ¨C she finds it convenient.¡±


    That was a surprising, but not completely unwelcome piece of information. It meant that the Prince took their agreement seriously enough to tell his allies about her. On top of that¡­


    ¡°Oh, that might explain a few things, Your Highness. I was wondering if someone else had already prepared the groundwork for new rumors, since it was unusually easy for me to steer conversations in the correct directions. I take it Falkenstein is responsible for that?¡±


    ¡°Correct. As you said before, Matthias has a vested interest in damaging Sonnenfeld¡¯s public image,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°We need to be careful, though,¡± she cautioned. ¡°It is easy for Falkenstein to manipulate the situation to their own advantage, now. I don¡¯t think that will be a net negative for us, but we should keep an eye on things anyway.¡±


    ¡°Good point. Perhaps we should¨C¡±


    They both flinched as a huge tumult rose from the nearby colosseum, a cacophony of screams and shouts.


    ¡°What is going on over there¡­?¡± Prince Arnold all but dragged her towards the noise, and she was glad that she was wearing her fencing costume instead of an elaborate dress.


    He physically stopped one of the many young nobles fleeing the arena for questioning. He did not get a whole lot of coherent information out of him, but the two names he heard made him go pale. Something had happened between Princess Klara and Lord Friedrich. Something .


    Katharina saw his muscles clench, a look of panic etched on his face. His breathing was growing shallower.


    She carefully took his hand, gently loosening the fist he had formed, and not a moment too soon ¨C his fingernails were digging into his flesh, almost drawing blood.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said quietly.


    Her words shook him out of his stupor, and she got to witness his transformation once again. The friendly, slightly awkward young man turned into an imposing warrior prince within a heartbeat, his expression stony, his aura deploying to exude solemn determination.


    She did her very best to match him, drawing on her memories of her mother¡¯s formidable poise during official events.


    The fleeing crowd parted before them as they entered the colosseum. Some of them even stopped to stare. The Prince did not spare them a single glance.


    Despite his outward composure, she felt his arm twitch when they finally got a clear view of the arena.


    Down there in the sand were two figures. Princess Klara was slumped against the wall, blood streaming down her face, glassy eyes staring into the void.


    Lord Friedrich laid motionless on the ground, a sword piercing the left side of his chest and protruding from his back.


    Prince Arnold¡¯s magic erupted, blanketing the entire colosseum with icy rage.


    ¡°Friedrich?!¡±

 Chapter 21

    Arne stormed down the stairs and jumped into the arena, his hands quivering with fear and anger. He willed them to stop with a quick burst of magic as he approached his unmoving cousin and knelt down beside him.


    Judging from the angle of the sword and Friedrich¡¯s weak, but steady pulse, it had missed his heart. A quick inspection showed countless stab wounds, especially on his arms and legs. Some were already half-closed, others were bleeding profusely.


    He rose and looked around the stunned audience, randomly choosing someone to point at. ¡°You! Notify the Castellan of Hohenfels Hall !¡±


    The young man stormed off with a panicked expression, and Arne went to find medical supplies. He did not have to look for long, since Katharina came running out of a storage room, hauling every bandage and tourniquet she could get her hands on. He shot her a grateful look and began taking care of his cousin¡¯s worst wounds, Katharina¡¯s apparent expertise helping the process along greatly. Once he was reasonably certain that Friedrich was out of immediate danger, he turned his attention towards the Eisenberg princess.


    She too had suffered a multitude of injuries ranging from harmless surface scratches to deep cuts into her musculature. They had to tie off both her arms in a hurry, since Klara had also utterly exhausted her reserves and was losing precious blood every second.


    Unfortunately, they couldn¡¯t do much about her head injury. She was alive, at least ¨C but she was completely unresponsive, her unfocused eyes dilating and contracting erratically.


    To his great relief, Lord Hartmut arrived shortly after, accompanied by the head of Eisengrund Hall and a team of academy physicians. The following hours were a blur. He remembered escorting Katharina to her dorm, and then trying to coherently explain what little he knew about the incident to the Castellan.


    Only when the physicians finally allowed him into Friedrich¡¯s suite with the assurance that he would probably be fine in a week or two did he allow himself to relax.


    The doctors had given him a prohibitively expensive alchemical stimulant to revivify his magic, and it was already working wonders. His wounds were no longer staining his bandages with blood, and his shallow breathing had turned steady again.


    Now that the immediate concerns were solved, Arne¡¯s thoughts turned towards the looming consequences. If Princess Klara died or was permanently injured, the simmering conflict between Hohenfels and Eisengrund might finally erupt into actual war. And even if she recovered completely, relations between the factions would be at an all-time low.


    The timing was absolutely terrible. This incident would undoubtedly dominate conversations for the foreseeable future, eradicating Katharina¡¯s and Matthias¡¯ efforts and further entrenching the image of the barbaric Easterners in the minds of the public. At worst, this could even severely hinder House Hohenfels¡¯ bid for dukedom.


    He decided to take a very long bath.


    = = = = =


    Matthias von Falkenstein sat in his favorite armchair, nervously rubbing his face. All his plans had evaporated literally overnight, thanks to that accursed Friedrich beating the shit out of Princess Klara. If his sources were to be trusted, she was still unresponsive and threw up anything the physicians fed her. Her survival was unlikely at best.


    ¡°What do we do now, sweetheart?¡± he sighed.


    Elenor, who was perched on his lap with her arm slung around his shoulders in an entirely inappropriate manner, returned the sigh. ¡°I have no idea. Everything was going so well¡­¡±


    He leaned back, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. There had to be some way to get things back on track. They this conflict between Hohenfels and Sonnenfeld. A distraction like this played right into Maximilian¡¯s ¨C or rather, House Altendorf¡¯s ¨C hands, drawing the aristocracy¡¯s focus away from the increasingly restrictive and heavy-handed decrees the Emperor was passing on a weekly basis.


    The worst thing about it was that it had been nothing but a lucky coincidence for them. Had it been a carefully laid plan, he would have been able to respect the effort. But crafting any plans surrounding a subject as volatile as Princess Klara was a fruitless endeavor, doubly so if it revolved around such individuals.


    He suddenly straightened up as an idea came to him. It was reckless, dangerous, insane ¨C but it was the only way to solve the puzzle.


    ¡°Sweetheart?¡±


    ¡°Mhm?¡±


    ¡°I need your help.¡±


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    = = = = =


    ¡°What the were you thinking?!¡± Arne hissed at his cousin, who was shrinking away from him. He was sitting beside Friedrich¡¯s bed, still a little out of breath from sprinting over the moment he heard that the subject of his ire had woken up and was gorging himself on veritable mountains of breakfast.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Friedrich whined, his tone utterly juxtaposed with his bulk and the breadcrumbs lining his chin. ¡°I thought we¡¯d have a quick duel and¨C¡±


    ¡°Goddamnit, Fritz! You know how your last battle with her went!¡±


    ¡°...Yes,¡± came a meek reply. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    Arne heaved a deep sigh and refrained from tormenting him further. He had no doubts that this would be a lesson for Friedrich, though it came a little too late.


    ¡°How long do you need to rest?¡±


    ¡°Two weeks at the very least, they said. But¨C¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re feeling fine already. Just promise me to keep your hands off your saber for the next week. Your wounds may look harmless from the outside, but God knows what kind of damage your organs suffered. Just¡­ take it easy. Please.¡±


    ¡°...Got it. I¡¯m still feeling a bit dizzy from the blood loss anyway.¡±


    ¡°Then keep eating and restore your energy. I¡¯ll be back later,¡± Arne ordered, rising from the chair.


    Friedrich had already stuffed his face with another piece of bread and simply waved him goodbye. Arne waved back and left the suite, mentally preparing for what was to come.


    When he reached the common room at the bottom of the stairs, he soon found himself surrounded by a gaggle of dorm residents who inquired about Friedrich¡¯s fate with varying levels of urgency. Some of the young women seemed especially perturbed, one of them even bursting into tears upon hearing the good news.


    It took Arne some time to shake them off, and he could already feel a headache coming on. He discreetly fastened his amulet and headed out towards the main building for yet another lecture on diplomacy ¨C or was it etiquette today?


    The closer he got to his destination, the more stares he felt boring into his back. His determination was ground down further and further, and the prospect of spending an entire day as the center of attention was absolutely dreadful.


    He changed course, briskly walking towards the library instead. Upon arrival, he grabbed some mildly interesting tomes and sequestered himself in his isolated niche.


    The blood had been all cleaned up, and the servant they had bribed with the equivalent of a yearly salary had even taken it upon himself to dust off the entire area and put some particularly comfortable cushions on the wooden bench. It looked much better now, but part of him missed the¡­ dusty charm.


    He had worked his way through two and a half books when Katharina stormed around the corner, her unassuming dress whirling around her legs. ¡°There you are, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Good afternoon, Katharina. And no ¡°Highness¡± in here, please.¡±


    She took the seat directly opposite him, her aura steeped in worry and anxiety. ¡°How is Lord Friedrich doing?¡±


    He smiled at her, genuinely touched by her concern. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. Probably devouring his fifth loaf of bread right now.¡±


    She sighed in relief. ¡°At last good news.¡± She slumped onto the table in a very uncharacteristic display of exasperation. ¡°Do you have any plans on where to go from here?¡±


    ¡°Not really, no. I was planning to observe the situation for today, but¡­¡± he shot her a meaningful glance, alluding to his ¡®circumstances¡¯.


    ¡°Oh, yes¡­ I can see how it would be particularly bad today,¡± she winced. ¡°I can offer some observations of my own, though.¡±


    Arne gestured for her to begin, and she wasted no further time.


    ¡°I completely lost control of the narrative,¡± she explained, frustration and contrition permeating her aura. ¡°The rumors are taking on a life of their own, on an entirely different scale than normal. I can¡¯t even make out trends ¨C everything is shifting and churning. In some versions, Friedrich murdered Klara in cold blood for some reason or another. In others, of all people orchestrated the entire affair out of jealousy over you.¡±


    ¡°Klara is ?!¡±


    ¡°Nobody knows for sure. But that doesn¡¯t matter here.¡±


    ¡°...I guess. And what was that about Princess Maria? I barely exchanged three words with her!¡±


    ¡°I have no clue,¡± Katharina admitted. ¡°There are even some absurd versions going around claiming that the engagement didn¡¯t even involve you, but instead!¡±


    Arne choked on his breath. ¡°We should pray that he doesn¡¯t hear of this. I doubt the people spreading that particular rumor would survive.¡±


    She chuckled at that, misinterpreting his words as a joke. They weren¡¯t, at least not entirely ¨C Friedrich would immediately challenge anyone involved to a duel. The women would be able to gracefully decline, but the same did not apply to men.


    ¡°What about Ludwig?¡± he inquired, not wanting to completely give up on their plan. It was still the best option, though its chances of success had dropped dramatically.


    ¡°That is hard to say. His name turns up every now and then, mostly in the context of interfering in your conversation with Princess Klara. I stoked the flames as much as I could, but after yesterday¡¯s events, everyone considers me ¡®compromised¡¯.¡±


    Arne rested his head in his palms, weariness and worry taking their toll. ¡°Are there any major rumors surrounding the two of us?¡±


    She winced again. ¡°...Unfortunately, yes. Our appearance at the colosseum yesterday left quite the impression.¡±


    ¡°Ugh. Of course it did,¡± he sighed. ¡°I hope that doesn¡¯t inconvenience you too much.¡±


    Katharina had apparently expected a different reaction, since a major knot of anxiety in her aura dissolved. ¡°I¡­ Probably not.¡±


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 Chapter 22

    ¡°Any suggestions on where to go from here?¡± Arne asked, trying to bait out whatever schemes she had cooked up.


    ¡°I think you should make a public statement as soon as possible,¡± Katharina explained. ¡°If you denounce Princess Klara right now and blame everything on her bad temper, public opinion will turn against Eisengrund, which should dissuade them from any heavy-handed actions.¡±


    Arne stared at her in disbelief. ¡°That would be ridiculously dishonorable.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but I believe it is necessary if you wish to end this uncertainty.¡±


    ¡°And what if the other houses simply think of it as a childish tantrum? My reputation would take a nosedive as well,¡± he said skeptically.


    ¡°A risk worth taking, if the alternative is open conflict,¡± she warned, though her aura betrayed her inner turmoil. ¡°I can handle the proclamation in your name, if you¡¯d prefer to stay off the stage.¡±


    So she wanted to formalize their ties, under the guise of sparing him the stress of a public appearance. Eisengrund was just collateral damage.


    Arne vividly remembered Katharina¡¯s burning ambition when she spoke of establishing herself as a diplomat, but now she was throwing it all away. Had she already written the Princess off? Just how bad was her state?


    Even so, her plan was harebrained. The Western aristocrats would simply nod along, but Falkenstein and Greifenau would not look kindly upon such weaselly behavior, something Hohenfels really could not afford right now. Banking on House Eisenberg faltering in the face of political opposition was a stretch as well, given their indomitable sense of honor.


    When Katharina wound up for another round of arguments, he held up his palm. ¡°What is going on?¡±


    That stopped her cold. She didn¡¯t even manage a reply, so he continued on.


    ¡°You¡¯re being way too hasty. What is going through your head right now?¡± he asked, looking her straight in the eye.


    Katharina physically flinched, her aura clenching with stress and fear. ¡°I¨C It¡¯s just¨C¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Arne implored her with every ounce of sincerity he could muster.


    He could sense her emotions waging war against each other ¨C ambition and desperation fighting guilt and anxiety.


    In the end, ambition lost, if only barely. And even so, a sliver remained.


    It took her a short while to find words again, and when she did, they came out haltingly.


    ¡°Everything is going wrong. Again! It all looked so promising, and now¨C¡± She interrupted herself to stifle a sob, and did not try to continue afterwards.


    So that¡¯s what it was. All her plans had spontaneously gone up in flames, leaving her without prospects once more. Now she was impatiently grasping at every straw to salvage what she could.


    He tried to imagine himself in her position. What would he do if he was caught up in this situation, but without the unconditional backing of the Empire¡¯s most powerful margraviate?


    Then the realization hit him: A single sentence from a certain arrogant piece of shit could put the blame for everything squarely on her shoulders.


    It wouldn¡¯t even be difficult for Ludwig. He only had to imply that Katharina somehow caused the rift between Eisengrund and Hohenfels to deepen with her public intervention in the ¡®engagement¡¯ dispute, and both aggrieved houses would happily accept her as a scapegoat to avoid open conflict, no matter how flimsy the reasoning. A ¡®tentative alliance¡¯ between two students would count for nothing in the face of that.


    Hohenfels was certainly not in a position to wage a solitary war against Eisengrund, and he suspected that the situation looked similar or worse on the other side, which kept the region stable. However, if Princess Klara died, House Eisenberg would be honor-bound to react violently ¨C unless a convenient way out presented itself in the form of a young woman with a reputation for meddling with matters out of her league.


    His chest ached with sympathy as Katharina quietly sobbed, her aura fluctuating between bottomless dread and self-recrimination. House Silberthal was powerless against the forces at play, with their strongest ally actively working against their daughter¡¯s best interest. Thus, she found herself isolated and desperate.


    Of course, all of this assumed the worst case scenario. She would probably be fine if Klara recovered or if Ludwig decided not to meddle with the situation ¨C which he most likely would, since a simmering Eisengrund¨CHohenfels conflict was great news for the West. Still, it was possible for everything to go awry, ending in her indefinite imprisonment for an offense she did not commit.


    Arne steeled himself, preparing his heart for what he was about to do. It would have , and he did not know if it would be worth it in the end. But right here and now, his honor left him with only one choice.


    He reached over the small table and gently took her hand.


    = = = = =


    Katharina froze, both her body and mind stopping in their tracks. The only thing that kept moving were the tears rolling down her face.


    She couldn¡¯t believe her idiotic, desperate idea had worked. He had taken her conveniently placed hand to comfort her.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be all right,¡± the Prince said, his quiet voice drowning her minor moment of triumph in an ocean of guilt. His face showed nothing but sincerity and compassion, even though he probably knew exactly what she had done.


    Blinded by tears, Katharina closed her eyes and silently cried, taking undeserved solace in the warmth of his hand. By the time she regained enough composure to speak, she had no energy left to think. She simply spoke her mind, consequences be damned.


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    ¡°...How?¡± she asked shakily. ¡°There is nothing I can do. Mother was right, and my life is as good as over.¡±


    She had seen Princess Klara''s state yesterday. All signs pointed towards a severe brain injury, something even magic had trouble healing. The glassy, unfocused eyes, the profuse bleeding from her ears, eyes and nose¡­ Only the church might be able to help ¨C but they would demand a king¡¯s ransom for a low chance of success, something Eisengrund simply couldn¡¯t afford.


    Klara¡¯s death was all but certain. After that, it would only take an offhand comment from an impulsive man who passionately hated her, and both her life and House Silberthal¡¯s reputation would be ruined.


    Arnold grasped her hand a little tighter.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± he insisted. ¡°Whatever happens, we¡¯ll manage somehow.¡±


    Her heart seized when his words sunk in.


    She should be making plans right now. Employing everything she learned from Mother to make the best of the situation, and ingratiate herself further with this insane man who seemed willing to enter an actual alliance with her, not just a one. But all she managed was a quick prayer in between intensifying sobs.


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    = = = = =


    ¡°¨Cin nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.¡±


    Klara woke up with a gasp. Her head stung painfully, and it took a while for her eyes to focus. When they did, she immediately shut them again, praying for the first time in a decade that all of this was just a bad dream.


    But reality was not so kind, and she found herself staring up at the roof of Halden¡¯s cathedral, bedded on a soft blanket in front of the ostentatious altar. Surrounding her stood seven priests in a neatly arranged circle, including the local bishop, who gave her a magnanimous smile.


    ¡°Rejoice, for you have been saved by His grace,¡± he told her when she raised her head. ¡°The Almighty Lord has deemed your time on His earth too precious to be ended so abruptly.¡±


    Unable to muster an response, she resigned herself to her fate. ¡°I pray that I may live up to His expectations. Amen.¡±


    ¡°Amen,¡± echoed the priestly chorus.


    ¡°Please rest for a short while longer, Princess Klara. Salvation is never easy on the worldly body.¡±


    She nodded and laid back down, the motions sending a sharp pain through her skull.


    This was the absolute worst case situation. She remembered very little from the fight, but one detail stood out with perfect clarity: Her blade, flashing towards Friedrich¡¯s heart in a reflexive motion.


    She had killed a scion of House Hohenfels. The East would drown in blood and steel.


    The situation would have been so much simpler to solve had she died as well. A duke¡¯s second daughter was a more than acceptable ¡®trade¡¯ for the life of a margrave¡¯s nephew. It would have been just another dark footnote in her family¡¯s annals.


    Instead, she had survived, inviting bloody vengeance upon Eisengrund, while the duchy was still recovering from the last war with Polania. And if that wasn¡¯t enough, the Housemaster must have invoked his authority to ask the church for help, which never came cheap ¨C especially not for protestants. House Eisenberg would have to shoulder the enormous fees despite their empty coffers.


    Her family would pay them happily, she knew. Mother would be worried to death once she got word of the incident, and even Father would be glad not to lose another child.


    Still, the guilt felt like a blade through her own heart.


    After a few minutes of rest and more half-hearted words of feigned gratitude, she left the cathedral, her soft white dress swaying in the evening wind.


    The Housemaster, her Grandfather¡¯s cousin, stood next to a large carriage, waiting for her. His face lit up like a beacon once he spotted her, and he hurried over to support her slightly unsteady gait. ¡°Klara! I¡¯m so glad!¡±


    She responded with a tired smile. ¡°Thank you, Master Heinrich.¡±


    He helped her into the carriage, and once it was moving, she dared to ask the question that loomed over her head like a dangling sword.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡±


    The graying old man was caught completely off-guard. ¡°What do you mean? The most important thing right now is for you to rest and recover.¡±


    ¡°How can I rest in this situation? We need to prepare for the war!¡± she shouted, incensed by his nonchalant answer. Her skull made her regret it immediately.


    ¡°War?¡± His genuine confusion only infuriated her further.


    ¡°Hohenfels will want revenge, now that Friedrich is dead!¡±


    He blinked a few times. ¡°Oh. Don¡¯t worry. The Hohenfels boy is alive and kicking.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ What?! But I stabbed his heart!¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, you seem to have missed it by a hair¡¯s breadth.¡±


    ¡°...Really?¡± Relief flooded through her body, her painfully tense muscles finally relaxing.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve hashed everything out with Hartmut von Hohenfels. There is no new blood debt between our houses.¡±


    Klara sunk deep into the padded bench with a sigh of relief.


    ¡°That said, we owe them a different kind of debt, now,¡± the old man sighed.


    She looked at him uncomprehendingly. Another debt? To Hohenfels?


    ¡°Young Lord Arnold saved your life.¡±


    The sentence hit her like a punch in the gut. ¡°...How? And ?¡±


    ¡°He arrived at the scene minutes after your fight ended, and not a moment too early. According to the head physician, you would have bled out if not for his aid. As to why, your guess is as good as mine. All I know is that he made a huge spectacle out of it.¡±


    This was bad. Seriously bad.


    ¡°What¡­ should I do now?¡±


    ¡°It might be time to stop being so antagonistic,¡± Heinrich remarked, not unkindly despite the harsh criticism in his words.


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m not asking you to become best friends with them. But perhaps you should refrain from getting into more duels. And if that is not an option, at least don¡¯t aim for the heart.¡±


    She grimaced. ¡°That was an accident. A reflex.¡±


    ¡°Then get your reflexes under control,¡± the old man said, a stern note creeping into his voice. ¡°This is not a game.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    ¡°Well, at least the challenge did not originate from you this time. We can still spin this as your answer to an unprovoked insult. That will afford us a much better position in the eyes of the aristocracy, and may damage Hohenfels¡¯ reputation. Particularly so if Friedrich keeps acting like a lowborn mercenary on leave.¡±


    In her heart, she knew the answer: Nobody would. Even the residents of Eisengrund Hall were wary of her. Meanwhile, that savage had no shortage of friends. Fools, every single one of them.


    She stared at the carriage floor for a few minutes, gathering courage for a question.


    ¡°How much did it cost?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Tell me. Please,¡± she begged with a heavy heart.


    ¡°We might have to sell Erzfeld,¡± Heinrich sighed.


    ¡°Oh no. Oh nonono. Why didn¡¯t you just let me¨C¡±


    ¡°Quiet.¡± He fixed Klara with an angry stare. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that. Our House values your life far more than a few mines.¡±


    She closed her mouth in shame.


    ¡®A few mines¡¯ was vastly understating Erzfeld¡¯s significance. The small border region had the potential to become the backbone of Eisengrund¡¯s slowly recovering economy once the duchy could afford to invest money and labor in its rich salt and iron deposits.


    The loss would be negligible in the short term. Most active mines were located in the duchy¡¯s developed heartlands. It would, however, significantly limit their future options.


    And the worst part of it all was that only a single faction in the Empire was both interested and affluent enough to acquire Erzfeld.


    Hohenfels.

 Chapter 23

    By the time Katharina managed to calm herself down, it was evening. The light falling in through the tinted window was taking on a distinctly orange tone.


    Now that her head was a little bit clearer, she realized just how clean the niche was. Without all the dust and fallen books, it no longer had the same atmosphere. Even the half-collapsed shelf had been dusted off and haphazardly ¡®fixed¡¯ with a chair now supporting the brittle boards.


    The cushions were great, though. And so was the cleaned-up table¨C


    With a start, she realized that Arnold was still holding her hand. The Prince was lost in his thoughts, staring into space and completely oblivious of her growing embarrassment.


    As if he had read her thoughts, he suddenly refocused and looked at her. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± he asked, before his gaze fell on the table and he came to the same realization.


    ¡°Oh, pardon,¡± he mumbled, and pulled his hand away.


    Katharina¡¯s body betrayed her. She reached out reflexively before she could think better of it, and caught his fingers with her own.


    She immediately let go again, but the damage had been done. She felt her face flush a deep red as his eyes widened. She had already mentally prepared for the inevitable mocking grin ¨C but he simply grasped her hand again, with a light blush of his own.


    They sat in awkward silence for a while, until Katharina gathered the courage for a polite cough. ¡°Ahem. I¡¯m¡­ Thank you,¡± she said, cringing at her inability to find the right words.


    Arnold was caught completely off-guard, blinking at her in confusion. ¡°Why? Ah, I mean, what for?¡±


    ¡°For¡­ not abandoning me, I suppose,¡± she mumbled pathetically. ¡°It would have been so much more convenient for you to simply ditch me. I¡¯m nothing but dead weight right now.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± He ran his free hand through his hair in contemplation. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have felt right. Besides, I owe you.¡±


    ¡°...You do?¡± she asked, flabbergasted.


    ¡°Fritz¨C Friedrich might be dead if not for your help.¡± He looked her straight in the eye, causing her blush to deepen again despite the severe subject. ¡°Thank you.¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Katharina knew that nothing useful would come out of her mouth right now, so she simply smiled at him. It felt more satisfying than she would readily admit when he broke the eye contact in embarrassment.


    She had not considered all that. he would feel indebted to her now. House Hohenfels¡¯ honor demanded it. Easterners took such things much more seriously¨C


    Her sudden realization made her take in a sharp breath, alerting Arnold. ¡°Are you all right?¡± he asked in a worried tone.


    ¡°The situation might not be so dire after all,¡± she blurted out excitedly. ¡°Everyone saw you aiding Princess Klara after the incident, while you could have easily chosen to do that.¡±


    He furrowed his brows in indignation. ¡°I would never¨C¡±


    ¡°I know, but that doesn¡¯t matter!¡± she interrupted, now positively giddy. ¡°If she survives the ordeal, she will owe you a considerable favor. And even if she doesn¡¯t, your very public attempt at saving her might de-escalate tensions somewhat.¡±


    His eyebrows rose in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said slowly. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t things, but it would certainly help.¡±


    They looked at each other excitedly, but he soon put a damper on their enthusiasm. ¡°Still, we have to wait for news from Princess Klara before deciding on a course.¡±


    He gazed up to the window. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark. We should get some rest ¨C I have a feeling we¡¯ll need it.¡±


    Katharina wholeheartedly agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on the rumor situation. I suggest we meet here tomorrow morning before classes, to discuss any new developments.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    Arnold ¨C reluctantly? ¨C let go of her hand and rose from the bench. Then he looked around and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s just not the same now, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I think so, too,¡± she agreed. ¡°It¡¯s a shame.¡±


    They shared a look. Then a smirk.


    Ten minutes later, the floor was cluttered with books, and the shelf was in its original state of perpetual collapse once more.


    = = = = =


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    Christina von Lauringen paced through her chambers, fighting the urge to bite her exquisitely manicured nails.


    Everything was going great ¨C in theory. Princess Klara had been seen returning from Halden healthy and hale, meaning that Eisengrund had potentially tripled their debt by asking the Church for help. A golden opportunity for Sonnenfeld to swoop in with its bursting treasury and essentially turn them into a client state. Tensions between Hohenfels and Eisengrund were at an all-time high, destabilizing the East once more and ruining whatever scheme they had come up with to legitimize Hohenfels¡¯ ascension. Princess Klara would surely stop calling Lord Arnold a ¡®Prince¡¯ after this incident, and Greifenau might follow suit once the mood flipped, as they usually did. Falkenstein alone was not enough support, by a wide margin.


    There was, however, a huge problem, coming from an unexpected angle.


    Someone, most likely that accursed Elenor, was hard at work spreading rumors about Prince Ludwig and Lord Arnold. The current consensus among the gossipers painted Ludwig as a cowardly wretch who interrupted a conversation only to be harshly reprimanded by a man of lesser station ¨C a grave insult to which he failed to respond, allegedly out of fear.


    Now it fell on Christina to inform her whimsical fianc¨¦ of those rumors while keeping him from doing something very stupid.


    = = = = =


    Yet another practice sword splintered in Klara¡¯s hands as she stabbed the training dummy for the hundredth time. She tightened her fist and punched the target with all her magically-enhanced might. It met the wall with a loud crash, leaving her to stare at her bleeding knuckles in impotent rage.


    Erzfeld would be gone, and with it any hopes for Eisengrund to regain its former glory while she was alive. She would have to watch the people responsible for her brother¡¯s death prosper in its stead.


    Father and Mother wouldn¡¯t even blame her for it, even though she certainly deserved it. Mother would embrace her, tell her everything would be all right. Eisengrund would survive, as it always did.


    But it was just so . Everything went so well for Hohenfels. They had made huge territorial gains, claiming the fertile land along the river Droska and thus solving their persistent famine crisis. They found a surprising amount of support for their ducal ambitions. They had . And now they might get Erzfeld, as well.


    The next practice dummy crashed against the wall, and the dull pain in her knuckles intensified. She barely noticed it.


    Klara reminded herself of the only thing she could do, the one thing she had always aspired to. If she just trained harder, if she became Eisengrund¡¯s own ¡®Elisabeth¡¯, she could restore her homeland to its prime. And this time, it would last a thousand years.


    She took the next practice sword and got to work. The night was still young, after all.


    = = = = =


    Arne woke up the next morning feeling surprisingly rested despite his myriad worries. After a quick morning bath, he grabbed his favorite doublet ¨C and immediately put it back into the wardrobe, feeling like a fool. He donned one of his less formal Logrian suits instead and headed down into the refectory to get some breakfast.


    The first thing he saw upon arrival was Friedrich, sitting in front of a dangerously overloaded plate and shoveling food into his mouth. An assortment of young ladies surrounded him, occasionally feeding him grapes or pieces of cheese.Two of the girls weren¡¯t even from Hohenfels Hall. From time to time, male dorm residents stopped by his table, patting his massive back with pride and offering words of admiration.


    Arne shook his head and retreated into an isolated seating niche, happy that everyone¡¯s attention was firmly on his cousin.


    His peaceful meal ¨C a simple affair of freshly baked bread, cheese, sausage and a cup of milk ¨C was interrupted when Friedrich noticed his presence and strolled over, waving away all but the most persistent of his followers.


    ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re doing well, Fritz,¡± Arne said sardonically.


    Friedrich laughed jovially, completely missing the undertone. ¡°How could I not? All I¡¯ve been doing since yesterday is eating all I can. I¡¯m bursting with energy and magic!¡±


    He sat down on the bench, which groaned under his bulk. One of his¡­ handed him another plate filled with fruit. ¡°Thank you, Linde,¡± he grinned broadly, causing her to blush and the other two to giggle.


    Arne rolled his eyes in an exaggerated motion, something Friedrich could not take lying down.


    ¡°Don¡¯t judge me. I¡¯ve heard some things about you and¡­ Uh.¡±


    ¡°Lady Katharina,¡± ¡®Linde¡¯ helpfully supplied.


    ¡°Right. What¡¯s all that about?¡± he continued with a knowing smirk.


    Arne shot his cousin an annoyed glare. ¡°Nothing much. We¡¯re just working together to solve the issues you caused.¡±


    The sudden guilt in Friedrich¡¯s expression and aura almost made him feel bad, but he steeled himself. ¡°For the love of God, learn to control yourself. We¡¯re not on the battlefield anymore.¡±


    Friedrich nodded awkwardly. This was the limit of chastising him in a semi-public setting, so Arne returned to the more pressing concern.


    ¡°Have you heard anything about Klara?¡±


    Friedrich happily accepted the change of topic. ¡°Yup. The Church fixed her up.¡±


    Arne stared at him in shock. ¡°What? Where the f¨C where did Eisengrund get that kind of money?!¡±


    ¡°No idea,¡± Friedrich shrugged. The auras of his remaining admirers spiked with¡­ as they fixated on his shoulder muscles. Arne suppressed the urge to roll his eyes again.


    he mused, knowing full well that continuing this discussion with his cousin would lead absolutely nowhere.


    As he lifted his final piece of sausage to his mouth, he was once more interrupted. This time, it was a nervous-looking servant holding a sealed letter.


    He took it and fished a small knife out of his pocket under Friedrich¡¯s curious gaze. His entourage wisely stepped back several paces to avoid intruding.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that from?¡±


    ¡°Sonnenstein,¡± Arne replied while carefully opening the envelope. The stylized sun on the waxen seal was unmistakable.


    He pulled the letter out and unfolded it, rapidly scanning its contents. His eyes grew wider with every word he read, until he found himself staring at it with a gaping mouth.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Friedrich, his aura tinged with concern.


    ¡°...Ludwig just challenged me to a duel.¡±

 Chapter 24

    ¡°Can I be your second? Pleeeaaase?¡± Friedrich begged with shining eyes.


    Arne did not need long to decide. There was only one alternative ¨C and he was unwilling to owe Matthias a gargantuan favor in addition to giving him a prime opportunity to meddle with things.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Arne grinned. ¡°Make sure to annoy Maximilian as much as you can.¡±


    Ludwig had named the Altendorf prince as his second, and sending Friedrich ¨C the son of a mere count ¨C to negotiate with the third son of the Emperor on equal terms would be absolutely hilarious.


    ¡°Oh, I will,¡± Friedrich chuckled darkly.


    ¡°Just make it clear that it won¡¯t be a duel to the death. I don¡¯t want to kill the man just because he¡¯s an idiot.¡± Arne was not particularly worried about the result of the fight ¨C he had seen Ludwig handle a smallsword, and while he was not a total beginner, he wasn¡¯t anywhere near competent. Even Katharina would have a decent chance at beating him.


    ¡°Third blood, then?¡± asked Friedrich with a particularly nasty smile.


    ¡°Third blood,¡± Arne confirmed with a similar expression. Three opportunities to stab the arrogant prick with a sword sounded delightful. ¡°It¡¯s just a shame that he will never agree to a saber duel.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Now would be great,¡± his cousin cackled.


    Generally speaking, a saber duel to third blood would be less dangerous, with cuts being significantly less lethal than stab wounds. However, deep cuts had a tendency to form scars if the wound was particularly severe. And giving the haughty prince a few permanent reminders of his inferiority¡­ Arne sighed wistfully.


    He rose from the bench, stuffing Ludwig¡¯s letter into his pocket.


    ¡°If they¡¯re trying to pull something strange, just leave and go to Lord Hartmut,¡± he advised. ¡°I¡¯ll be busy for a bit, but I¡¯ll try to check in with you between classes.¡±


    ¡°Will do. See you later!¡± Friedrich waved goodbye and returned his attention to his food.


    Once Arne left the refectory, he allowed his jovial facade to crumble away.


    Ludwig certainly seemed like a volatile element judging from Katharina¡¯s descriptions, but Maximilian was not the type to act rashly. Something was up. Even if this had been a unilateral decision from the Sonnenstein prince, he could not even begin to fathom the consequences this might bring.


    He turned his steps towards the Castellan¡¯s office. Katharina would have to wait for a little longer.


    Lord Hartmut was busy with veritable mountains of paperwork and looked up from his desk when Arne entered the room.


    ¡°Good timing,¡± the old warrior greeted him. ¡°I just got word that the Eisenberg girl is up and about again. Duke Albrecht must have sold his soul to the Church for that to happen.¡±


    ¡°I already heard from Friedrich, Uncle. But there is a more pressing matter,¡± he winced.


    The Castellan¡¯s eyes narrowed and he fixed Arne with an inquisitive stare. ¡°Speak, boy.¡±


    ¡°Ludwig von Sonnenstein challenged me to a duel.¡±


    ¡°...Come again?¡±


    ¡°I just got this letter;¡± Arne said, pulling the object out of his pocket and placing it on the desk.


    Hartmut read it over with a bewildered expression, then broke into laughter. ¡°Has the Sonnenstein boy gone mad?¡±


    ¡°It certainly seems that way. He demands satisfaction for an insult I never gave.¡±


    ¡°Stab him a few times, that will shut him up,¡± the old man suggested. ¡°He brought this upon himself, so any negative consequences for you should be very limited. You might even come out of this in a much better position.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what worries me, Uncle. Doesn¡¯t this seem¡­ convenient?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, it is better not to look a gift horse in the mouth,¡± the Castellan said sagely. ¡°Whatever happens, happens. It¡¯s too late to do anything about it, anyway.¡±


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    ¡°...Understood, Uncle. Thank you for your time.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course. Now, out with you. I¡¯ve got work to do.¡±


    Arne took his letter back and set out for the library, lost in his concerns. When he turned around the familiar broken shelf, he found Katharina, who was giddy with excitement.


    ¡°Arnold, you¡¯re finally here! Princess Klara is alive!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard,¡± he sighed, a little disappointed to shatter her enthusiasm. ¡°We¡¯ve got a new problem, though.¡±


    She settled down immediately, though her aura was still positively vibrating. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Ludwig challenged me to a duel.¡±


    ¡°He¡­ actually did that¡­?¡± she asked in disbelief.


    ¡°He did,¡± Arne confirmed while sitting down on one of the sinfully soft cushions. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about the fight itself, but I don¡¯t understand how we got to this point.¡±


    ¡°I might be able to shine some light on that,¡± Katharina offered. ¡°It seems has been busy working the rumor mill, and invested all of their credibility into making Ludwig sound like a pathetic coward who shrunk away from you like a beaten dog, back at the soir¨¦e.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Elenor, isn¡¯t it?¡± he sighed in realization. There was only one faction with a strong interest in increasing Hohenfels¡¯ standing while also having the social capital to force such an event: Falkenstein. ¡°She and Matthias must have come up with this to salvage the Klara situation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s highly probable,¡± she nodded. ¡°They must have been desperate.¡±


    Arne considered that for a moment. ¡°They made the decision under the assumption that she would die, and planned to match the news of her death with the announcement of a high profile duel. People would obviously be more excited about the latter. It¡¯s essentially our plan from before, but escalated by several orders of magnitude.¡±


    ¡°They want that conflict between Hohenfels and Sonnenfeld,¡± she thought out loud. ¡°I mean, we knew that already, but I didn¡¯t realize how far they would be willing to go. Painting the heir of the second-most powerful duchy as a weak coward is far beyond anything I could have accomplished, and even if I could, I would never dare.¡±


    ¡°Understandable, especially since it¡¯s so easy to find out who is responsible in this case,¡± he mused.


    ¡°Exactly. This is essentially a declaration of war, and it turned out to be completely unnecessary thanks to Princess Klara¡¯s recovery. Prince Matthias and Lady Elenor are probably quite angry.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of anger: Prince Maximilian must be fuming by now,¡± Arne said, placing the letter on the table. ¡°Ludwig named him as his second, and I sincerely doubt he was involved in that decision.¡±


    Instead of taking the letter as he had intended, Katharina scooted around the table to sit right next to him. She gave him a brilliant smile, which did nothing to hide the mischievousness in her aura. he grumbled internally.


    ¡°¡®I demand satisfaction for this grave insult to my honor¡¯,¡± she read out loud. ¡°What a¨C ahem.¡±


    ¡°No need to hold back.¡±


    ¡°What a conceited jerk!¡± she half-shouted in indignation. ¡°He¡¯s the one who butted into a conversation he had no place in!¡±


    ¡°...Indeed,¡± Arne agreed, wisely deciding not to mention who had butted into that particular conversation first.


    Katharina leaned back, ¡®accidentally¡¯ brushing his arm in the process. ¡°What are you planning to do about this?¡±


    ¡°I already sent Friedrich to discuss the terms with Maximilian,¡± he grinned.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s already doing well enough for that?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d already be out training if I hadn¡¯t explicitly told him not to,¡± Arne sighed. ¡°He¡¯s up to the task.¡±


    She mulled that over for a bit, a sliver of amazement mixing into her aura. ¡°Consider me impressed. Most people would need months of recuperation after experiencing such wounds.¡±


    ¡°Most people would die of a single stab from Klara,¡± he corrected. ¡°Most would die from half of what he took.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± she nodded, conceding the point. ¡°Still, why your cousin? Wouldn¡¯t Prince Matthias have been a much more sensible choice?¡±


    ¡°Friedrich practically begged me for the opportunity, while Matthias would consider it a huge favor. Also, imagine Maximilian¡¯s face during the negotiations,¡± he laughed.


    Katharina¡¯s aura radiated malicious delight as she began to snicker along.


    When they calmed down, Arne brought the conversation back to the most pressing topic. ¡°What would you say is the worst case scenario for us here?¡±


    The smile left her expression as she began to consider the potential ramifications. ¡°Aside from the unlikely case of you losing the duel? You might be seen as a bully if you torment Prince Ludwig too much. But even that might gain you favor in the northern regions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll win as cleanly as possible,¡± he lied. The amused skepticism in her aura told him that she knew.


    ¡°Please, feel free to take your time with it,¡± she giggled vindictively.


    He made a show of pretending to think about it. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re asking so nicely, who am I to decline?¡±


    She hummed in contentment, briefly leaning against his shoulder. he thought, amused by her desperate attempts at suppressing her embarrassment after skirting the limits of propriety. Once again, he felt immensely grateful for the gift that granted him some form of defense against her flirtations. He didn¡¯t even want to imagine how easily she would have wrapped him around her finger otherwise.


    are

 Chapter 25

    Maximilian von Altendorf was . Not only had Ludwig, the colossal fool, squandered a golden opportunity to further inconvenience the East. No, he had also saddled him with this ghastly ordeal ¨C ¡®negotiating¡¯ with Lord Arnold¡¯s second. They had met on neutral grounds as the duel code demanded, and were now facing each other across the instructor¡¯s desk in an empty classroom.


    His affable facade had long since crumbled under the relentless recalcitrance of Friedrich von Hohenfels-Steinberg, the , who was treating him, the , like a toddler. He barely managed to stay out of the realm of direct insult, but had it been anyone else, Maximilian would have long since demanded satisfaction. He was, however, painfully aware that a duel against the Mudlordling would end in his immediate and humiliating defeat ¨C and he had no intention of sharing Ludwig¡¯s fate.


    ¡°As I said before, , we can¡¯t do that,¡± said Friedrich in a sickly sweet voice, pronouncing every word as clearly as he could. ¡°If you insist on fighting only to second blood, we insist on fighting with the saber.¡±


    Maximilian tried and failed to keep the irritation out of his voice. ¡°Fighting to third blood is simply unreasonable. And you know that Prince Ludwig is not an expert with the saber.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he should have thought about that before issuing the challenge,¡± the brute said with a condescending smile. The Prince wholeheartedly agreed with that assessment, but he couldn¡¯t exactly say that.


    ¡°His honor does not allow him to back down from such a severe insult,¡± he replied instead, pretending not to notice Friedrich¡¯s quiet chuckle at hearing the word ¡®honor¡¯.


    ¡°Then his will survive being stabbed thrice.¡±


    Maxmilian¡¯s eyelid twitched. ¡°Fine, then. Third blood, with smallswords. A priest shall also be present to administer blessings.¡±


    The insufferable oaf actually scoffed at that. ¡°Sure, sure. As long as you pay for it.¡±


    ¡°Good. The duel shall take place three days from¨C¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Wha¨C¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Friedrich interrupted again. ¡°Tomorrow morning.¡±


    The Altendorf prince felt his expression twist in anger, but he was beyond the point of giving a damn about it. This forced his hand even more. He would have to call upon contingencies he would rather not make use of, but there was no point in negotiating any further. Hohenfels undoubtedly considered the presence of a cleric a major concession, and insisting on another date would make Ludwig look even more pathetic.


    ¡°...So shall it be,¡± he spat. ¡°The colosseum, nine o¡¯clock.¡±


    ¡°Looking forward to it,¡± came Friedrich¡¯s reply, accompanied by a savage grin.


    Maximilian simply turned around and left the room without another word.


    = = = = =


    Katharina fought down her growing irritation. If she continued like this, she would end up looking like a hussy!


    She had thought it easy to build on yesterday¡¯s events. Sure, it had been mortifying when her body suddenly moved on its own, but the effects had been undeniable. But now, Arnold did not react to a single move of hers. He was even actively ignoring her strategically placed hand right next to his! She knew he had noticed, since his eyes were flickering over to it from time to time, but he didn¡¯t take it despite the obvious invitation. It wasn¡¯t shyness, either ¨C there was no sign of nervousness in his expression. If anything, he had the nerve to look amused¡­


    Did he prefer the demure type? In that case, she was in trouble. Switching up her approach now was sure to ring his alarm bells. Also, it wasn¡¯t her style.


    Other than that, there were few possible reasons for his reticence. The first one was simple ¨C he was loyal to another woman. That would be bad, but relatively unlikely.


    The second one would spell the end of this particular plan: He might secretly prefer men over women. However, his reaction to the training uniform belied this idea, and so did yesterday¡¯s mood.


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    The third and final reason was the most unsettling, and unfortunately the most probable. His eerie intuition might somehow inform him when she was and when she wasn¡¯t.


    Mother had warned her about highly perceptive men. They would pick up on the tiniest tells that an interaction might not be entirely authentic. Unfortunately, her advice for dealing with them ¨C ¨C was not applicable in this situation.


    The only thing speaking against the third reason was that he take her hand yesterday. But that could just as well have been him getting caught up in the atmosphere. Her despair had, much to her shame, been uncomfortably real after all.


    Was it time to stop? Perhaps she should focus entirely on building a professional relationship with him. However, wouldn¡¯t that come across as strange and untrustworthy as well, just like trying to suddenly play the bashful maiden? Worse still, it would be significantly easier for the Prince to drop acompared to a woman he was attracted to.


    It would also be a declaration of surrender. And she had lost too many times already. She had a keen sense of power dynamics, and so far it wasn¡¯t looking particularly good for her ¨C she needed a win. And she needed it sooner rather than¨C ¡°Eep?!¡±


    Katharina hid her reddening face behind her hands after her undignified squeak. He had her! In the shoulder!


    ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± he asked, looking entirely too pleased with himself.


    ¡°Can you read my mind?¡± she asked tiredly once her composure returned.


    To her surprise, Arnold didn¡¯t take her question as the joke she intended it to be.


    ¡°...No, I can¡¯t,¡± he stated matter-of-factly. ¡°I do, however, have a good instinct for people trying to use me.¡±


    That was bad. Not only did it confirm her fears, it also meant that he was aware of it. What could she do now? She needed time to think.


    ¡°Does that happen often?¡± she asked, trying to buy herself a few moments and regretting it immediately afterwards. she chastised herself.


    ¡°There are exactly two people in this world who are always genuine towards me,¡± he explained. ¡°My sister, and my cousin.¡±


    An indirect way of telling her he knew she wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Actually¨C there may be three,¡± he added, looking her in the eye with a wistful smile.


    ¡°Princess Klara.¡±


    Katharina¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. A pang of¡­ made her chest ache.


    ¡°She genuinely hates me,¡± he sighed. Then he tilted his head and fixed her with a sly look. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    She suppressed an unreasonable urge to shout at him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she grumbled, scrambling to get her emotions under control.


    = = = = =


    Arne¡¯s heart raced. That had been way too close.


    Somehow, he had managed to distract her ¨C but he really needed to stop being so careless. Katharina¡¯s mind was too quick for him to take her lightly, no matter how fun it was to tease her.


    There was even a good chance that it was already too late. She suspected something was wrong, and he had to throw her another breadcrumb in addition to his half-lie about his ¡®confirmation¡¯. Any more, and she would connect the dots.


    He had to do something about that. Mother would suggest irreparably destroying Katharina¡¯s reputation to neutralize her without spilling aristocratic blood ¨C turning her into a persona non grata in high society. It would be ridiculously easy, thanks to Ludwig¡¯s previous attempt at doing exactly that.


    But he couldn¡¯t do that. Not only would it go against his morals, it would also tarnish his honor forever, after she went out of her way to help him both in the library and with Friedrich.


    If he distanced himself from her, he would lose the only non-hostile connection he made so far, plus his convenient access to the never-ceasing flow of gossip. On top of that, she might become even more suspicious of him.


    That left him with only a single choice: Strengthening ties with her, to the point where she simply couldn¡¯t afford to sell him out should she ever realize just how far his ¡®instincts¡¯ went.


    It was definitely not because he enjoyed her company, despite her manipulative tendencies. Not at all.


    Arne shook himself out of his thoughts and looked to his left, where Katharina was still pouting. When she noticed his gaze, she turned away with a quiet huff.


    ¡°I beg your forgiveness, Mylady,¡± he said dramatically and bowed his head in exaggerated apology.


    ¡°Hmph! If you are truly sorry, you know what to do!¡± she replied in a haughty tone, slightly lifting her hand.


    he realized. If he kept one-sidedly teasing her, it would only increase her frustration, and along with it, suspicion. He had to keep a careful balance. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, he took her hand with his own, prompting another huff. She couldn¡¯t hide her equally powerful feelings of embarrassment and triumph from his senses, though.


    After a minute of slightly awkward silence, Katharina turned to face him, a minimal blush still visible on her face.


    ¡°Are you worried about the duel?¡± she asked, genuine concern mixing into her chaotic aura.


    ¡°Not particularly,¡± Arne replied truthfully. ¡°Ludwig is not much of a fighter.¡±


    And there was absolutely no way Maximilian would allow the Sonnenfeld prince to humiliate himself in public, so the duel was sure to occur behind closed doors ¨C far from the eyes of curious onlookers and their irritating auras.

 Chapter 26

    Arne sat in the Castellan¡¯s office, nervously rubbing his temples.


    ¡°Why do you think Maximilian insisted on a public match, Uncle?¡±


    ¡°That is an excellent question, but not one we will be able to answer until after the fact,¡± Lord Hartmut replied sagely.


    ¡°I realize that, but knowing that they¡¯re planning something is¡­ disconcerting.¡±


    ¡°They are planning something, Arnold. It is their nature.¡±


    Unfortunately, it did nothing to reassure him ¨C quite the opposite, actually.


    ¡°How should I handle the duel now? Perhaps it would be better if¨C¡±


    ¡°Are you running away?¡± Lord Hartmut interrupted. His grandfatherly expression had been supplanted by something much colder.


    Arne barely managed not to flinch away. He was indeed looking for excuses. Fighting in the arena, in front of what was guaranteed to be a huge audience, while being unable to wear his amulet¡­ He dreaded it with every fiber of his being.


    He that pulling back now was not an option. His honor would be tarnished forever, and with it the reputation of House Hohenfels. But¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s your gift, isn¡¯t it?¡± the old warrior asked, now with a more neutral mien. Displeasure and compassion warred within his restrained aura.


    Arne nodded, unable to muster a dignified reply.


    Lord Hartmut leaned back in his chair and sighed. ¡°You remind me of my grandfather.¡±


    Arne¡¯s great-great-grandfather Sigismund, the second son of a count from the North, had once laid claim to a tall rock in the Eastern boglands after repelling the Khan¡¯s hordes in the name of the Emperor. He named it ¡®Hohenfels¡¯, built a castle on it, and stubbornly held it for such a long time that he was finally granted the title of Margrave.


    ¡°He was a great man. Conqueror, strategist, warrior¡­ These words could never adequately describe his sheer . His gift was many times stronger than even your father¡¯s, and he used it masterfully.¡±


    ¡°...He did?¡± Arne asked hesitantly. It was clear that Lord Harmut was going somewhere with this, but he was not in the mood for theatrics.


    The Castellan leaned forward again, fixing Arne with an intense look.


    ¡°I suspect your gift is much like his. He once described standing in front of a crowd as thousands of needles pressing into his skin, turning even the simple act of breathing into a torturous ordeal.¡±


    That was not quite Arne¡¯s experience, but it was similar enough to hit home.


    ¡°How did he¡­ deal with it?¡±


    ¡°There is a window in the Margrave¡¯s study, back home at Hohenfels castle. It looks over the inner bailey and deep into the bog beyond. Do you know which one I¡¯m talking about?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is my favorite view,¡± Arne admitted, despite his irritation with yet another tangent.


    ¡°That makes things easier,¡± Hartmut smiled. ¡°And it shows that you are even more similar to Margrave Sigismund than I thought. You see, it was his favorite view as well ¨C and more than that.¡±


    He paused dramatically, causing Arne¡¯s impatience to become almost intolerable.


    ¡°He taught your grandfather a trick for handling his gift. I doubt he ever understood it,¡± Hartmut chuckled, ¡°but you might, so I shall pass it on to you in his stead.¡±


    By now, Arne was biting down on his tongue to avoid interrupting the old man¡¯s drawn out monologue.


    ¡°If you find yourself facing a crowd, simply imagine them standing down in the bailey, while you look down on them from up there.¡±


    Arne felt like he had just wasted ten minutes of his life. It sounded like a less vulgar version of ¡®just pretend they¡¯re all naked¡¯.


    ¡°...Thank you for sharing your wisdom, Uncle.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Off to bed with you now. You¡¯ll need the energy tomorrow.¡±


    = = = = =


    Arne trudged towards the colosseum like a criminal on his way to the gallows. His worst fears were confirmed ¨C news about the duel had spread like wildfire, and the plaza was teeming with curious nobles heading towards the arena.


    Next to him, Friedrich radiated guilt and regret like a particularly depressing bonfire.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Arne,¡± he murmured for the tenth time. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s done is done. Nobody could have expected that they would make it a public spectacle.¡±


    If anything, the fault lay with Arne. Sending Friedrich instead of someone with political acumen had been a risk, but at the time, it had been worth it compared to the only appropriate alternative ¨C owing Matthias yet another large favor.


    In hindsight, Arne could have forced the Falkenstein prince into the position, had he realized his involvement earlier. But it was too late now, and such considerations would only distract him from the tribulation at hand.


    Already, the indistinct auras of onlookers bore down on his mind. He had left his amulet at home to slowly get accustomed to the pressure instead of having it all crash down on him once he took it off, but he regretted that decision more with every reluctant step he took. As always, the banesilver saber on his hip begged to be drawn, but he would have to leave it on the side. The ornate smallsword his maternal uncle had gifted him would see combat before the saber did.


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    The side entrance of the colosseum, reserved for official occasions, offered an all-too-brief reprieve.


    Arne dropped off his coat and saber on a bench at the entrance of the arena proper, now dressed in a shirt and simple pants as the duel code demanded. Prince Ludwig entered from the opposite side, his poise remarkable despite the panic in his aura. Next to him, Prince Maximilian seemed deeply worried and nervous.


    The mingled auras of the audience made it difficult for Arne to identify any undercurrents, but he was reasonably sure that there was an undercurrent of anticipation in Maximilian¡¯s aura, something Arne was not very happy about.


    He tried to tune out the dozens upon dozens of spectators, not even willing to look up. Instead, he did his best to seem calm, collected, and dignified.


    = = = = =


    Klara watched with minimal interest as the seconds inspected the other party¡¯s weapons. Her standing afforded her a seat close to the action, and her reputation ensured that the surrounding seats remained empty.


    The outcome of the duel was already determined. Ludwig¡¯s humiliation was nothing but a formality, even with the blessing the combatants were currently receiving from one of the priests she had seen at the cathedral. It would help Ludwig survive the duel and maybe make him a little faster, but it did not improve his odds of actually winning.


    She idly wondered why this fight was held here in the first place. She had expected the matter to be resolved this behind closed doors to avoid public humiliation of their heir, but she would not complain about the opportunity to see a Sonnenstein writhe in pain ¨C even if it was by the hands of a Hohenfels.


    ¡°Good morning, Princess Klara. May I take this seat?¡±


    Klara gave a reflexive nod, surprised that anyone would approach her in public.


    It took her a moment to identify the newcomer as the young woman who had inserted herself into her argument with Arnold back at the soir¨¦e.


    Whatever her name was, she had dramatically eased up on the makeup. Even her clothes and hairstyle seemed less gaudy than before. Not so much as to look like a completely different person, but enough to be difficult to recognize at a glance. It suited her much better.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the young woman smiled, sitting down elegantly next to Klara. ¡°Since I have failed to introduce myself the last time we met: My name is Katharina von Silberthal, and I¡¯m pleased to make your acquaintance, Your Highness.¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°...Likewise. You have my gratitude for saving my life,¡± Klara said, hoping that her regret did not show on her face. Katharina may have inadvertently caused Eisenberg to lose Erzfeld, but that did not take away from the debt Klara owed her.


    ¡°I am glad I could be of help,¡± the young lady replied with a brilliant smile. Klara found herself pleasantly surprised ¨C she had expected a lot more dancing around the topic, more faux-denial, more silkling games.


    ¡°If there is anything you need, tell me. I shall do everything in my power to repay this debt.¡±


    Once again, she defied Klara¡¯s expectations by answering without missing a beat. ¡°In that case: Would you be willing to join me for tea every now and then?¡±


    ¡°W-well, that is¨C uhm,¡± the dumbfounded princess replied. What was going on? Nobody asked her something like that! Especially not sophisticated Western ladies!


    Katharina bowed her head in apology. ¡°Please forgive my inappropriate request, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Ah, no, I mean¨C I¡¯ll be there. But is that not way too small a favor¡­?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Your Highness. I¡¯m afraid I have ulterior motives,¡± Katharina admitted. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are aware of my association with Arnold von Hohenfels, yes?¡±


    The reason Katharina had helped save her life was because she was accompanying ¡®Prince¡¯ Arnold.


    ¡°I am,¡± Klara admitted, still a little confused. ¡°Which makes me wonder: Why would you want me to join you for tea? Would that not jeopardize your position?¡±


    Silklings might not have minded duplicitous friends, but Arnold certainly was not one of them, despite his many failings. Which meant that Katharina was either about to make an enemy out of him, or something was afoot.


    ¡°It would not,¡± she confidently claimed. ¡°I want to forge connections with the major powers in the East, and Prince Arnold is aware and supportive of that plan.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Katharina smiled lightly. ¡°I suppose that is a good topic for our first tea¨C¡±


    She flinched when Prince Maximilian¡¯s voice rang out through the colosseum.


    ¡°Allez, Messieurs!¡±


    Both women turned their attention to the arena, where Arnold and Ludwig had taken up their positions and were now circling each other. Ludwig¡¯s movements were hesitant, almost fearful, while Arnold moved with the deadly grace of a trained fighter, his cold eyes fixed on his opponent. Anyone with a basic understanding of combat knew how this engagement would end.


    Klara glanced over at Katharina. She was focused on the combatants, but her expression was calm and only mildly interested. Even so, Klara noticed her hands clutching the edge of her seat.


    A clash of blades, a cry of pain, a groan from the audience. Arnold had landed a clean stab in Ludwig¡¯s shoulder ¨C first blood.


    Then another lunge, this time aimed at the Sonnenstein prince¡¯s upper arm. Second blood.


    It seemed like Arnold was not too keen on drawing this matter out. It was an execution, but at least it would be quick. Significantly less humiliating than anything she would have put Ludwig through were she in his position.


    Ludwig launched a desperate attack of his own, but was swiftly parried and punished with a stab to the right lung. Third blood ¨C it was over. He sunk to the ground, clutching his chest.


    There was little reaction from the audience, who had expected something more engaging.


    Klara turned to Katharina again to continue their conversation, but stopped when she noticed Katharina¡¯s hands. While her expression remained neutral, her knuckles had gone white. What was she worried about? The duel was over, and its result had been clear from the start.


    Down in the arena, Prince Ludwig was carried off to receive medical treatment, and Arnold turned to leave. His steps were urgent, almost as if he was fleeing ¨C why?


    When he reached the arena¡¯s exit, he handed his blade to his brutish second and picked up his coat. From the corner of her eye, Klara saw Katharina relax.


    Then, a powerful aura swept over the colosseum, silencing all conversations.


    ¡°Is this the of House Hohenfels? Provoking a duel just to humiliate the heir of a virtuous house out of spite and envy?¡±


    Leonhardt von Wessen, future Margrave of Westmark, had risen from his seat and grimly stared down into the arena. His voice was stilted, as if he had rehearsed the line beforehand.


    ¡°Shame on you, Lord Arnold.¡±


    His words hung in the silence like a sword from the ceiling. Arnold slowly placed his coat back on the bench.


    ¡°Just leave¡±, came a whispered plea from Klara¡¯s side. ¡°Please¡­¡±


    Friedrich dropped the smallsword and drew his weapon in fury. ¡°How DARE you¨C¡±


    His angry shout was cut off by another burst of aura, much stronger than Leonhardt¡¯s. It was cold and oppressive, its intensity causing multiple spectators to faint on the spot. Even Klara had to brace against it, barely managing to keep it from suppressing her own.


    Prince Arnold had drawn his saber and caressed the blank blade with his left hand.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± he said, his quiet, distant voice ringing in Klara¡¯s ears as if he had shouted. He turned around to face Leonhardt and the audience, his expression a mask of disdain.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Come and die for your masters, .¡±

 Chapter 27

    The banesilver blade felt comfortably cold underneath Arne¡¯s fingers. The spectators¡¯ auras were muted and dull now, a far cry from the chaotic onslaught he was subjected to moments before.


    It made everything so much easier.


    The damnable silklings wanted a fight? They would get a fight. Arne was beyond done with this foolishness. Stupid schemes were expected. Even forcing him into a meaningless duel was¡­ perhaps not acceptable, but tolerable.


    Questioning House Hohenfels¡¯ honor in front of a huge audience? That was a problem. It showed that Hohenfels was not respected in the slightest.


    A was needed.


    It was more than obvious that Leonhardt was not the true culprit. Still, he was the one who had spoken the insult, so he would answer for it. Whatever Ludwig and Maximilian had bribed or threatened him with, Arne had to make sure that it would not be worth it in the end.


    He watched as Leonhardt solemnly strode down the stairs into the arena, already unfastening his jacket in preparation for the impromptu duel. It was not exactly in good taste to hold a duel on the same day as the offense had taken place ¨C but in this case, it would be seen as weakness from either side to not draw steel on the spot.


    When Leonhardt stepped onto the sand, the intensity of the audience¡¯s auras redoubled.


    They wanted to see blood, and they did not care whom it belonged to. It was decadent. Shameful.


    Friedrich¡¯s rage was a beacon of sanity next to him. And¡­ there was something else. A familiar sliver of fear, anxiety, and deep concern. He looked up in its general direction, and found Katharina staring at him with a complicated expression.


    He blinked deliberately, hoping to wordlessly convey reassurance. Her aura did not change much, but she gave him a strained smile in what he supposed was an attempt at encouragement. To his surprise, he found that he really appreciated the gesture.


    He moved into position, facing Leonhardt, whose aura radiated uneasiness, reluctance, and shame in stark contrast to his serene posture.


    Arne removed his left hand from the blank blade, and regretted it immediately. The protection the banesilver allowed without direct contact was instantly overwhelmed.


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    Their gazes were like boulders on his chest.


    This time, he could not simply flee. He had no choice but to endure.


    But how? He could barely think straight. Fighting in this condition would not end well for him.


    In a last-ditch effort, he mustered his remaining faculties. With every ounce of willpower at his disposal, he forced himself to take a shallow breath. Then, Arne closed his eyes.


    He imagined himself standing in Father¡¯s study, watching over the wide bogland beyond the castle walls. The fireplace crackled peacefully, the scent of paper and old parchment mixed with the faint aroma of herbal tea.


    Down in the bailey stood a large crowd. Indistinct figures were screaming up at him, but the noise was dulled by the thick Logrian glass.


    They could not touch him. Not here. Not now.


    Arnold opened his eyes again.


    As he looked around the colosseum, everything seemed so¡­ comfortably distant. They were nothing but rabid, bloodthirsty animals. He was them.


    Friedrich flinched away when he met his gaze. he thought idly, but it did not matter right now. What did matter was the priest who was currently reciting nonsense in ecclesiastical Latin. His continued presence meant Sonnenfeld or Altengau had paid for rounds of blessings beforehand.


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    Again, the holy ritual barely found purchase on his magic, a major downside of his . Leonhardt did not have that problem, the blessing sinking deep into his skin and muscles. Arnold supposed it would make up for the difference in weaponry ¨C Leonhardt¡¯s saber was undoubtedly enchanted, but it could not possibly measure up to a banesilver alloy.


    The priest all but fled the arena, and the two men raised their weapons. Arnold took stock of his reserves. The duel with Ludwig had been negligible, but he had spent about a fifth of his magic on the aura burst. Leonhardt had most likely used a similar amount for his own display, which meant they were on roughly equal footing.


    This fight would be difficult. The heir of Westmark was an experienced warrior who had earned his spurs in the drawn-out war against Gallovia. Arnold could not afford to underestimate his opponent. He would have to go all out, immediately.


    This time, there was no announcement, no grand sign for the duel to begin. There was only the tip of Leonhardt¡¯s saber racing towards his sternum. Arnold parried it with a controlled surge of magic in his sword arm, batting away the weapon and executing a quick riposte.


    Leonhardt pulled back in a burst of motion, sand and dust forming a cloud where he had stood. They circled each other for a few heartbeats, waiting for the other to show an opening. The sandy ground made every application of magic horrendously inefficient, so Arnold would have to keep his movement to a minimum while trying to force his opponent into rapid dodges. Heavy hits would be much more sustainable than magic-fuelled lunges. Leonhardt would know that as well, of course.


    They slowly closed in again, probing each other¡¯s defenses with careful feints. After getting a sense for his opponent¡¯s style, Arnold decided to risk an attack.


    He stepped within cutting range, pretending to go for Leonhardt¡¯s right arm. The moment Leonhardt changed his guard, Arnold blasted him with a wave of aura.


    The Wessen heir had expected that ¨C it was not exactly an uncommon maneuver. However, he was not prepared for the sheer intensity of Arnold¡¯s magic.


    He flinched.


    It was a tiny movement, barely noticeable. But it was enough.


    Burning hot power raced through Arnold¡¯s veins as he abruptly changed the angle of his attack. The banesilver blade flashed towards his opponent¡¯s torso with deadly intent.


    Leonhardt twisted his body in a desperate attempt to dodge the strike, but he could not avoid it entirely. The front of his shirt was cut apart, and a bloody gash formed from his lower abdomen all the way up to his collarbone. He stumbled a few steps back, trying to regain his balance.


    The wound looked terrible, but Arnold knew that it would not be enough to disable a fighter of his caliber, especially not with the Christian blessing in effect. That assessment was confirmed when Leonhardt settled into his stance again, ignoring the constant stream of blood dripping into the sand.


    Cries of surprise and excitement washed over the fighters. Arnold barely noticed them. The crescendo of auras weighed heavily on his mind, though ¨C he knew he would not have much time left before it caught up to him.


    His reserves were still well above half, so he could afford some inefficiency if it meant ending the fight sooner. He lunged at the wounded man, aiming for his lower torso with the tip of his saber. Leonhardt¡¯s muscles tensed as he prepared to dodge¨C


    And then he didn¡¯t. He shoved his left arm in the way of the stab, intercepting the saber with his flesh. The madman locked the blade in place with his bones, and Arnold caught a flash of steel from the corner of his eye. He reflexively dodged the worst of it, but the left side of his face suddenly felt like it was on fire. Hot blood flowed down his chin and onto his chest.


    Before Leonhardt could strike again, Arnold caught his sword arm with his free hand and let go of his immobilized saber. He grabbed Leonhardt¡¯s shoulder, pulled it down with an immense expenditure of magic, and mercilessly drove his knee into his opponent¡¯s stomach.


    The young man toppled over with a pained groan, and Arnold freed his sword in a swift motion. Then, he sent another wave of magic through the colosseum, instantly silencing the clamorous spectators.


    His voice was raspy and strained as he addressed the fallen warrior.


    ¡°Do you yield?¡±


    Leonhardt coughed for a while, then shakily rose to his feet.


    ¡°I yield,¡± he wheezed. ¡°I humbly¨C¡± a coughing fit interrupted him, ¡°I humbly apologize for the ill-conceived insult. The honor of House Hohenfels is beyond doubt and reproach.¡±


    This was as good of an apology as Arnold could possibly hope for. Not that it meant that the issue was concluded ¨C he would make sure to squeeze every last drop of restitution out of the Houses Sonnenstein and Wessen. However, that was best handled behind closed doors, and without blood rushing down his face like a grisly waterfall.


    ¡°I accept,¡± he stated matter-of-factly.


    Then, the spectator¡¯s whirling emotions crashed into his mind like a storm, shattering his fragile illusion of serenity. The mental image of the study faded away, leaving Arne exposed once more.


    With a supreme effort of will, he managed to stride out of the colosseum with dignity, the saber still in his hand. He barely noticed Friedrich walking next to him as he crossed the plaza.


    Would the result of today¡¯s duels help Hohenfels¡¯ standing in the long term? Arne was not sure. He did know one thing, though.


    He was done being a chess piece in silkling games.

 Chapter 28

    ¡°You said the duel would be interrupted,¡± Leonhardt growled from his bed, where a gaggle of Sonnenfeld physicians and alchemists were tending to his gruesome injuries.


    Maximilian was getting really tired of incompetent allies. ¡°The Principal was already en route! If you had just held out a short while longer¨C¡±


    ¡°If you had me what kind of monster I¡¯d be up against, I would have never agreed to this!¡± the Wessen heir shouted, prompting the physicians to fuss over him even more as the long wound on his chest began bleeding again.


    ¡°What are you even talking about, you inept¨C You claimed you could match him with the saber!¡±


    ¡°I can!¡± Leonhardt sat up, rage distorting his features. ¡°He¡¯s good, but I¡¯m better!¡±


    ¡°So why did you lose so spectacularly?¡±


    ¡°Have you that aura? That thing does belong to a student! You set me up to¨C¡±


    ¡°Watch your tongue, .¡±


    His mouth snapped shut, but Maximilian could see the fury in his eyes.


    ¡°Now stop making excuses. I expect you to do better in the future.¡±


    Maximilian whirled around and left the room. This day had been a huge disaster.


    The plan had been solid. He had relied on Arnold drawing out Ludwig¡¯s public humiliation ¨C it only made sense. It would have rallied all the dissatisfied Northerners behind him. An easy win for Hohenfels.


    But he had not done that. He finished the duel quickly and cleanly, and let Ludwig keep a modicum of dignity. And with that random, irrational decision, everything had gone downhill. The timing was off. The lines he had prepared for Leonhardt were off. Both of those could have been salvaged had the ¡®Lion¡¯ not in such a pathetic way.


    And speaking of pathos, Maximilian had another visit to make.


    He stormed into Ludwigs suite, located on the highest floor of Sonnenfeld Hall. The subject of his ire was lying in bed, whining to his fianc¨¦e. Christina seemed torn between sympathy and exasperation, and promptly vacated the room once she noticed Maximilian¡¯s approach.


    Ludwig looked up and shot him a withering look. ¡°Tell me again why it was a good idea to make this thing public?!¡±


    ¡°You tell why it was a good idea to challenge a mudlord to an ¡®honorable duel¡¯,¡± Maximilian spat back. ¡°I picked the best way out for you. And it worked! Everyone is talking about the duel between the two brutes, instead of your foolishness.¡±


    ¡°Careful,¡± Ludwig hissed. ¡°I am still the future Duke of Sonnenfeld.¡± ¡®And you are only a third son¡¯ was left unsaid.


    ¡°Not if you keep acting like this!¡± Maximilian was growing more and more irritated. How could a single person be so proud and incompetent at the same time?


    ¡°Get. Out.¡±


    For the second time, Maximilian whirled around, not sparing the fool another glance.


    = = = = =


    Matthias von Falkenstein sat in his soft armchair, stewing in anger. Anger towards the insufferable morons from Sonnenfeld, Altengau, and Westmark. Anger towards the lunatics from Hohenfels. Anger towards himself.


    All things considered, the outcome was favorable. Arnold had defeated his opponents, cementing himself as a formidable powerhouse. Sonnenstein and Wessen would owe him substantial restitution. Maximilian¡¯s harebrained scheme had been foiled, the Hohenfels heir accomplishing the unexpected feat of being sensible for once. Everyone¡¯s attention was no longer on the localized conflict in the East, but instead back where it belonged.


    But the price had been too high. He had panicked upon hearing of Princess Klara¡¯s impending demise, and hastily mobilized of his assets. Now, the Western duchies knew just how far Falkenstein was willing to go. It was a mess.


    But there was one ray of hope amidst the chaos: Elenor.


    His fianc¨¦e was positively with anticipation. She was right in her element. Not an hour passed without her coming up with another plan, another strategy, another small detail they had missed before. Even now, while she was consolingly running her fingers through his hair, she hummed happily.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have tea with Princess Maria later today,¡± she purred. ¡°Is there anything you want me to relay, dear?¡±


    ¡°Tell her that we should have a talk about Eisengrund¡¯s financial situation,¡± he sighed.


    Elenor giggled with delight.


    = = = = =


    Klara was feeling conflicted. On one hand, seeing Arnold¡¯s face all bloody and cut up made her feel bright and happy inside. On the other hand, she was a first-hand witness to Hohenfels¡¯ reputation soaring to new heights.


    Could that clan of savages please stop birthing monsters? Arnold may never measure up to Lady Paladin Elisabeth or even the big oaf in terms of raw combat talent, but his control over aura and magic was prodigious in its own right. She would have to send a letter to her sister ¨C perhaps Johanna might be able to explain why Hohenfels suddenly had aura experts at its disposal.


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    That Katharina woman was another mystery. She had scurried off after the duel, too anxious for more than a hasty goodbye. Klara didn¡¯t mind, per se ¨C all those formalities were grating on her nerves anyway. Still, her earlier words had been worrying. Was she lying about Arnold¡¯s intentions? It would be a very silkling-like thing to do. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But if she was telling the truth, it was even more worrying. Was he using her as an intermediary to deliver his demands for saving her life? If so, why? It would be much better to do it himself ¨C unless they were so outrageous as to provoke a duel on the spot. Klara was aware of her well-deserved reputation as a human powder keg, and evading her immediate ire might be the sensible thing to do. But when had Hohenfels ever been ?


    Still, she had agreed to Katharina¡¯s proposal. It had been quite some time since her last tea party¡­ Klara dearly hoped she was up to the task.


    = = = = =


    ¡°No entry,¡± Friedrich insisted.


    He stood guard in front of Prince Arnold¡¯s door, barring Katharina¡¯s way like an immovable mountain.


    She swallowed her frustration and worry. ¡°I assure you, it is of utmost impor¨C¡±


    The door opened, and a team of alchemists and physicians left the room, muttering quietly amongst themselves. Not long after, the Prince poked his bandaged head into the corridor.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Fritz. She can come in,¡± he said tiredly. Friedrich nodded and stepped aside.


    Katharina followed him into his lounge. It had a¡­ , she supposed. A little anachronistic like all of Hohenfels Hall, but the muted, earthen colors and sturdy furniture reminded her of her family¡¯s country estate.


    Arnold slumped onto a couch, exhausted and spent. After a quick debate against her sense of decorum, she sat down right next to him.


    He looked up with a tired smirk. ¡°What happened to that ¡®propriety¡¯ of yours?¡±


    ¡°Would you prefer if I left again?¡± she pouted, but her heart wasn¡¯t in it.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± he said, leaning back into the soft couch. ¡°I appreciate the company.¡±


    Despite her stress and worries, Katharina felt her face heat up a little.


    ¡°...How are you doing?¡± she asked after regaining her composure.


    ¡°Better than I thought I would. The pain helped me keep a cool head. I still have a major headache, but it¡¯s getting better already.¡±


    ¡°What about¡­ your face?¡± she asked hesitantly.


    He shrugged. ¡°The bandages are purely performative. The physicians refused to leave without putting them on. Could you help me remove them? I¡¯d do it myself, but they were rather thorough with their work.¡±


    ¡°Is that wise¡­?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen my regeneration. It¡¯s been hours since the duel.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Katharina leaned over and began gingerly removing the cloth covering the left side of his face. There was no blood whatsoever, which made her feel a lot more confident about taking the bandages off already.


    When she removed the final piece, she could not stop herself from wincing.


    ¡°Mhm, it¡¯s pretty bad, isn¡¯t it?¡± the Prince sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think it will ever go away.¡±


    A fresh, red scar adorned his face, curving from his left temple all the way down to the corner of his mouth.


    His magic was still mending the flesh underneath. Even from a distance, she felt the heat radiating from it.


    ¡°Once the body accepts a scar, it will never fully heal through regeneration,¡± she murmured absent-mindedly. ¡°Even if you remove the skin entirely, the scar will simply grow back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the head alchemist said,¡± he said, eyebrow raised. ¡°Almost word for word.¡±


    ¡°Ah, pardon. I practically medical treatises when I was younger,¡± she explained sheepishly.


    ¡°Why would the daughter of an Imperial Count read medical treatises?¡±


    ¡°My mother asked the same thing many times,¡± Katharina sighed while sitting back down, ¡®thoughtlessly¡¯ placing herself a little closer to him than before. ¡°When I was a child, I wanted to become an apothecary. I suppose some of that interest stuck around even after I was confronted with the realities of life.¡±


    She paid close attention to his reaction, but as usual, he did not seem bothered by her proximity. It hurt her ego a little.


    As if to underscore her irritation, Arnold bumped into her shoulder lightly. She fought down a rising blush.


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re so competent with tourniquets?¡± he wondered. ¡°I didn¡¯t think one could learn that from books alone.¡±


    ¡°W-well, I didn¡¯t,¡± she said, silently cursing herself for stuttering like a fool. ¡°I had our court physician teach me.¡±


    ¡°Color me impressed. Many knights and soldiers in my father¡¯s employ are worse at it than you even after years of practice in the field.¡±


    She allowed herself to bask in the compliment for a while. ¡°Thank you,¡± she preened happily.


    To her surprise and satisfaction, Arnold suddenly looked away. She was sure that if it weren¡¯t for the fresh scar, his face would be slightly flushed.


    He coughed lightly, collecting himself. ¡°Ahem. You mentioned something urgent earlier?¡±


    Katharina almost flinched. She had completely forgotten the reason for her visit ¨C aside from checking up on her only ally, of course.


    ¡°Yes. I made contact with Princess Klara, and set up a tea party,¡± she recounted. ¡°She seems to be doing well, so we can consider her healing by the Church confirmed.¡±


    ¡°Well done,¡± he praised. ¡°That means we have a reliable line of communication to Eisengrund. Something that might prove beneficial sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°Because of the healing?¡± Katharina mused. Was the Prince looking for a way to exploit Eisengrund¡¯s impending financial distress?


    ¡°Indeed. There is no way Eisengrund can pay for it out of pocket. Which means they either have to sell their soul to the West, or cede territory to Hohenfels,¡± he explained with a pensive expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the mines in the border regions, I assume?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Technically, Marbach would be a potential buyer as well, but they lack the funds to actually develop the region after acquiring it. They wouldn¡¯t want to jeopardize their alliance with us over mines they can¡¯t even use.¡±


    Katharina mulled that over for a bit. Judging from his words, Hohenfels was wealthy enough to afford both buying developing the region, which did not quite line up with what she knew about the East.


    ¡°Hohenfels is that affluent?¡± she asked, keeping her tone neutrally curious so as not to cause needless offense.


    ¡°Not really,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I¡¯ve told you about our three new steamboats, yes? They could help finance the mine development if we skimp out on a few reforms. In my admittedly amateurish estimate, it would be more than worth it.¡±


    She was no economist either, but that made sense. There was a great opportunity for her here ¨C exactly what she was looking for. Instead of beating around the bush, she decided to be direct. ¡°So, you want me to facilitate negotiations?¡±


    Arnold snorted at that. ¡°Hah, I wish. That¡¯s between my father and Duke Albrecht. All we can do is try to make his daughter hate me a little bit less.¡±


    Katharina felt like a fool. Caught up in her own ambitions, she had momentarily forgotten that she was not talking to the Margrave, but his son.


    ¡°I¨C I know. But how should we go about that?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± he shrugged. ¡°She blames Hohenfels for an error in Eisengrund¡¯s strategy during the last war with Polania, which led to the death of her brother.¡±


    Katharina froze. ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s¡­ complicated. But you¡¯re an expert, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find a way¡± he grinned.


    The amused twinkle in his eye was .

 Chapter 29

    Arne repressed the urge to frown for the hundredth time today.


    Recently, he found himself hurrying from crisis to crisis. Be it fictitious engagements, silkling soir¨¦es, or Friedrich being Friedrich, it was the exact opposite of what he wanted from his stay at the academy.


    ¡°Say, what can I do to make them leave me alone?¡± he sighed dejectedly.


    Katharina¡¯s expression morphed from a performative pout to incomprehension. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Matthias caused the first duel, Maximilian caused the second one. Leonhardt obviously didn¡¯t want to be there, and neither did I,¡± he said tiredly. ¡°You know the Westerners much better than I do. How do I get them to just¡­ stop this?¡±


    ¡°You could ask them nicely,¡± she replied, her voice and aura dripping with sarcasm until a flash of panic and contrition took over. ¡°I apolo¨C¡±


    He held up his hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Be candid.¡±


    ¡°...You won¡¯t be able to do anything about it as long as you remain in their general vicinity. They will keep testing and using you.¡±


    Arne sighed again. ¡°I figured.¡±


    He sank back into the couch, the constant sting in his left cheek adding to his irritation.


    ¡°It¡¯s only going to get worse from now on. Prince Ludwig is not the type to let things go,¡± Katharina sneered.


    ¡°What do you think their next play will be?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± she admitted. ¡°My best guess is that they will try to isolate you, probably by forcing Prince Matthias into a compromising position. Which would mean a period of calm for us while they¡¯re focused on Falkenstein.¡°


    ¡°Followed by a storm of consequences,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°Quite so. If we don¡¯t intervene and they manage to keep Prince Matthias and Lady Elenor busy, they will be able to spread whatever lies they want about you. And now that our¡­ arrangement is public knowledge, I won¡¯t be able to steer rumors as easily anymore, especially if I¡¯m going against a majority opinion.¡±


    ¡°And once we¡¯re at that point, there is no coming back,¡± Arne muttered. ¡°If they can twist everything I do to their advantage, I can just as well pack up and go home.¡±


    ¡°I have a suggestion,¡± Katharina offered. ¡°We should look for friends among the Northern Countships. They may not be the most powerful or wealthy territories, but some of them are quite unhappy with the Emperor at the moment. Particularly Trisin, Wittlin, Krodeck, and Kirchlin.¡±


    ¡°¡®Not the most powerful or wealthy¡¯ is a very optimistic view of Trisin and Krodeck. They can barely keep the Danes from raiding their harbors. I have no clue how Kirchlin manages to stay afloat, and the Wittlins just married off their youngest daughter to the future Duke of Eisengrund.¡±


    Katharina winced. ¡°Duke Albrecht is still in his sixties, isn¡¯t he? His wife is a few years younger. Perhaps he¡¯ll sire a second son¡­?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bet on that,¡± Arne snorted. ¡°It would be a miracle if the Duchess managed to birth a fourth child. And even if she does against all odds, there is no guarantee it won¡¯t be a third daughter.¡±


    They sat in silence for a while, contemplating their options. From time to time, Arne felt spikes of ambition from Katharina, which reassured and worried him in equal measure. She was clearly invested in their success ¨C but so far, her ambition had been a double-edged sword at best.


    ¡°I believe our best course of action is to build ties with Greifenau,¡± she finally said. ¡°Do you have a connection with Princess Maria?¡±


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    ¡°She was a guest at my sister¡¯s wedding, but that is it. She respect my title, though.¡±


    Katharina perked up. ¡°That is great news! Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have much of a connection with her either¡­ But her fianc¨¦ is a distant relative of mine, perhaps that could help.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s betrothed to the Duke of Schwarzwald¡¯s nephew, isn¡¯t she? You¡¯re related to House Tannburg?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I am,¡± she confirmed. ¡°My mother is the Duke¡¯s second cousin once removed.¡±


    That was a distant relation indeed, though still better than nothing. ¡°Do you believe you can leverage that to get me into talks with Princess Maria, without making it look like I¡¯m desperate? Waltzing up to Greifenau Hall and asking for an audience would be the worst possible way to start out.¡±


    ¡°I believe so,¡± she mused. ¡°I might need some time, though.¡±


    ¡°Good. In the meantime, try to net us some connections to the North. They may be poor, but they¡¯re still high nobility.¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± she confirmed cheerily.


    Arne himself also had the beginnings of a plan. It was not fully formed yet, and the gnawing hunger from using so much magic did not help with that. It would be a very good idea to make a public appearance today, so he ignored his instinct to entrench himself in Hohenfels Hall and made a decision. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How about some Lumbardian cuisine?¡±


    = = = = =


    Anne von Breisenhof watched with great interest as Prince Arnold and Lady Katharina left Hohenfels Hall, followed in polite distance by Lord Friedrich and Lady Sieglinde.


    The duel had left obvious marks on the Prince, in the form of a long scar across the left side of his face. It made him look quite fierce, befitting the terrifying aura he had displayed earlier. A true Eastern lord.


    ¡°His regeneration really is impressive,¡± she whispered to her friend Flora as they ¡®inconspicuously¡¯ snuck after the small group. ¡°Could he be better at it than Lord Friedrich?¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Flora whispered back. ¡°Lord Friedrich is on another level! I heard Princess Klara stabbed him times, and he walked around merrily the next morning!¡±


    Anne hummed thoughtfully. ¡°I wonder how Lord Leonhardt is doing. His wounds seemed much worse.¡±


    ¡°I doubt he¡¯ll leave Sonnenfeld Hall any time soon. Lion of the West, my foot.¡±


    ¡°More like Lion of the West,¡± she giggled. ¡°Leonhardt the Cub.¡±


    After a long round of snickering, Flora suddenly gasped in surprise. ¡°Look over there, Anne!¡±


    Following her friend¡¯s gestures, she witnessed a most interesting sight.


    Princess Klara was staring at Prince Arnold¡¯s group from across the plaza. From this distance, Anne could not quite make out her expression, but she doubted it was friendly.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s jealous¡­?¡± Flora asked in a hushed tone.


    ¡°Looks like it, but the question is: Of whom?¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t buy into the idea that she might be interested in Lord Friedrich. He¡¯s not even from the Hohenfels main branch,¡± Flora muttered.


    ¡°Sure, but wouldn¡¯t that explain why she¡¯s so all the time? The son of a ¡®mere Count¡¯ rejected her, and laughed about it!¡±


    ¡°...You know, that makes some sense. But still, didn¡¯t he beat her half to death twice? I doubt any lady would be interested in a man after he did something like that to her.¡±


    ¡°Unless¡­¡± Anne lowered her voice even further, leaning in to whisper directly into Flora¡¯s ear. ¡°...Unless she enjoys that kind of thing!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± she yelped, scandalized.


    A few passersby turned their heads at her sudden outburst, and Anne quickly shushed her. ¡°Quiet!¡±


    Flora nodded frantically, eyes wide. ¡°Do you really think so¡­?¡±


    ¡°Not really¡­ But it could be, right?¡± She remembered reading a certain Francian book pertaining to this subject matter. Its contents were beyond outrageous!


    ¡°We should definitely keep an eye on that situation! In the name of decency and good manners,¡± Flora suggested.


    Now it was Anne¡¯s turn to nod enthusiastically.


    They followed the group all the way to the mess hall and found a table near the one Prince Arnold had claimed. Thankfully, Prince Matthias wasn¡¯t around to invite them up to the Falkenstein table, where it would have been impossible for the daughter of a Baron to catch even the tiniest part of their conversation.


    It was still not easy to make out specific words, except for anything Lord Friedrich said. His booming voice allowed Anne to guess the current topic, and from there she could¨C


    Her eyes met Lady Katharina¡¯s.


    A dagger pressed into Anne¡¯s neck. She broke into a cold sweat as the tip of the blade caressed her skin.


    It wasn¡¯t real. The rational part of her mind knew that. But her instincts disagreed.


    She grabbed Flora¡¯s arm and fled the hall.

 Chapter 30

    Arne studied Katharina from the corner of his eye. Her aura radiated smug satisfaction after doing God-knows-what to the poor girls who had been clumsily tailing them ever since they left Hohenfels Hall. A display of immense skill that made him both happy to have allied with her and worried about what else she might have up her sleeve.


    A spike of aura from a neighboring table reminded him that the mess hall was, while less visited than usual, still full of people who were paying very close attention to his every move. The amulet bore the brunt of it, but his senses still felt a little strained from earlier.


    He stabbed his gargantuan slab of roasted pork with a little too much force, splattering the tablecloth with red wine sauce. A servant hurried to his side, cleaned up the mess and immediately retreated again.


    Friedrich shot him a questioning look across the table, unable to speak due to his enthusiastic consumption of his own meal.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I used so much magic at once,¡± Arne shrugged. It was as good an excuse as any.


    His cousin shrugged back and turned his attention back to his roast.


    Arne had to admit: The food was good. So good that it had managed to awaken his appetite despite his miserable mood. It also helped him think, and a plan slowly blossomed in his mind. He was sure that Katharina would find a way to talk him out of it, so he decided to keep the details to himself.


    Not that he could discuss it with her anyway, given the presence of Friedrich and ¡®Linde¡¯, who formally introduced herself as Sieglinde von Elmstedt, the daughter of a Count from Marbach. His cousin had insisted on tagging along as a bodyguard, and Arne granted him his request to bring Sieglinde along lest the meal become rather awkward for him.


    Katharina was not particularly enthused by the arrangement, though Arne could only tell from the way her aura took on a tinge of annoyance whenever Friedrich¡¯s boisterous mannerisms caused his admirer to exaggeratedly swoon over him.


    The more he ate, the more he realized just how much magic he had used ¨C the hunger just didn¡¯t end. It took him well over two hours to finish the meal, at which point the hall had filled up with students, and Arne was more than happy to finally leave.


    The sun was already setting when they stepped outside, throwing long shadows all over the plaza. The torches lining the flowerbeds had been lit, giving the area a festive atmosphere despite nothing of note going on except for a few dozen young aristocrats animatedly socializing in small groups.


    While they were weaving through groups with sufficient distance to not get forced into unwanted conversation, a wave of excited murmurs went through the plaza, and soon after they heard the clatter of hooves on the paved ground.


    A convoy of elegant travel coaches drove along the designated pathways. They bore the banner of the House of Tannburg, making it abundantly obvious just who the passengers were.


    ¡°So, the Schwarzwald Princess has finally deigned to join us,¡± Arne mused. ¡°What¡¯s her name again?¡±


    ¡°Princess Charlotte,¡± Katharina supplied. ¡°I¡¯m surprised she came here at all.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    She looked up in surprise. ¡°You didn¡¯t hear? She apparently has some sort of malaise that keeps her confined to Castle Tannburg.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Now that you say it, my mother may have mentioned something like that,¡± he replied sheepishly. ¡°You¡¯re related to her, right? Do you think you can arrange a meeting for me?¡±


    Katharina hesitated. ¡°I will have to go greet her anyway, which is as good of an excuse as any. But¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk about it later,¡± he allowed.


    Friedrich and Sieglinde, who had hovered some distance away, moved closer as a crowd began to form. Arne gestured for them to follow, and decided on a small detour to avoid a headache.


    Their new path led them past the colosseum. Its many intricate arcs made for a fascinating sight in the moonlight. Arne and Katharina had already passed it, when a panicked yelp from behind made them flinch.


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    Sieglinde was clutching Friedrich¡¯s Arm, staring towards the entrance of the colosseum as if she had seen a ghost. When Arne followed her gaze, he saw a not-quite-familiar young man heading down the stairs in the darkness. Katharina seemed to recognize his anachronistic style of dress as well and gently poked his arm.


    ¡°That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen him since that evening,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Same here.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what he was doing in there.¡±


    ¡°Want to go ask?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not. He might have forgotten about us by now, and I¡¯d prefer not to remind him.¡±


    Instead, they looked on from a distance as Sieglinde and the pale young man verbosely apologized to each other under Friedrich¡¯s watchful gaze.


    When they finally finished, Arne waited for the pair to catch up. ¡°Who was that?¡±


    Friedrich shrugged. ¡°Peter von¡­ Ko¡­ Uh.¡±


    ¡°Peter von Kositz, Your Highness,¡± Sieglinde offered.


    Arne shot Katharina a look. Her aura and expression told him that she too had no idea where Kositz was located. It sounded vaguely South-Eastern, so perhaps Matthias had heard about it.


    Before he dropped Katharina off at her dorm, he pulled her aside.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop by Sonnenfeld Hall in an hour or two. Could I trouble you to announce my visit?¡±


    She raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Of course, I can do that. But is it really a good idea to negotiate with Prince Ludwig already?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I won¡¯t be talking to him,¡± Arne grinned. ¡°Please notify Leonhardt instead.¡±


    ¡°I¨C what? Why? And isn¡¯t he still injured? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to¨C¡±


    ¡°Trust me. It¡¯s necessary,¡± he promised.


    Katharina could not really argue against that given their difference in status, and her frustration and anxiety rose. But then, a sudden spike of understanding flashed through her aura, washing it all away.


    ¡°Understood,¡± she smiled.


    She entered the ostentatious building with a spring in her step, and the remainder of their small group headed for Hohenfels Hall.


    After Friedrich bade Sieglinde goodbye, Arne took a deep breath and addressed him.


    ¡°Lieutenant.¡±


    Friedrich immediately snapped to attention. ¡°Yes, Captain?¡±


    ¡°Here, I¡¯m the Prince. Keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± he saluted.


    ¡°Who are the most reliable and competent fighters from our dorm?¡±


    ¡°Karl von Wehrfurt, Ferdinand von¨C¡±


    ¡°Houses only.¡±


    ¡°Wehrfurt, Soltach, Emmerfeld, Eschbrunn, Renntal,¡± he listed. ¡°And the brothers Ottendorf.¡±


    That was excellent. All but two of these territories were baronies in Hohenfels. Renntal was part of Rotenbach, so it qualified. Only Eschbrunn belonged to Marbach.


    ¡°Forget about Eschbrunn. Get yourself and the rest armed and in full dress uniform within the hour.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Highness,¡± Friedrich saluted and hurried off, despite the confusion permeating his aura.


    With a sigh, Arne entered his suite and began combing through his wardrobe for something impressive to wear. In the end, he settled on his own uniform, adding an ornate sash that denoted him as a scion of a sovereign House. Once dressed, he sat down at his desk, mentally preparing himself for the dreadful experience to come.


    Just half an hour later and way too soon for his nerves, there was a knock on his door.


    Out in the corridor, Friedrich stood at attention, the very picture of an Eastern soldier. Behind him, a neat line of six young men saluted respectfully, radiating bewilderment and anticipation. He recognized most of them from the sparring session a few days ago.


    They wore fine sabers and uniforms, though he could see that not all of them fit perfectly.


    Arne let a sliver of his magic free, lending the moment the appropriate gravity.


    ¡°I will make you an offer. You are free to decline. There will be no consequences if you do. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Their voices echoed through the hallway.


    ¡°If you wish to serve in my provisional House Guard, step forward.¡±


    A wave of shock went through their auras, only to be replaced by excitement.


    In unison, they took a step forward. Arne smiled.


    ¡°Very well. Friedrich will act as Captain of the Guard. Follow his orders, as long as they do not conflict with mine.¡±


    They saluted again, and so did Friedrich. He had a wide grin on his face, and his aura exuded pride and happiness.


    ¡°I will now conduct a formal visit to Sonnenfeld Hall. The Guard will escort me. While I am in talks with Lord Leonhardt von Wessen, you will ensure my safety by securing the entrance to the room.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


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    Their enthusiastic grins told him that he had picked the right men for the job.

 Chapter 31

    Katharina stood atop the gallery encompassing the entrance hall, looking out of the huge windows. Her optimism had quickly worn off, and she felt more concerned with every passing minute.


    What was Prince Arnold planning? It was worrying that he had not deigned to inform her of any details, for a multitude of reasons. It meant that she could not help prepare the setting, that she could not help iron out potential flaws in the plan, that everything hinged solely on what she surmised to be an insufficient understanding of Western politics. But most importantly, it meant that he did not trust her yet.


    That was entirely unsurprising given the very short time they had been aligned. In fact, it would be a major problem if he did fully trust her already ¨C it would have meant that others could easily find their way into his good graces as well.


    So why did it sting so much?


    A quick glance across the room towards the opposite end of the gallery confirmed that Lord Leonhardt was still restlessly staring outside as well. The news of Prince Arnold¡¯s impending visit had caused him to immediately jump out of bed much to the dismay of the physicians. Now, he was dressed in a formal cavalry uniform that hid the layered bandages underneath.


    Judging from the fact that Prince Ludwig was nowhere to be seen, Katharina assumed that he had not been informed. Which, in turn, meant that today¡¯s events might have caused a significant rift between the Sonnenfeld and Westmark heirs.


    She could only hope that it would help whatever plan Arnold had come up with.


    A crescendo of murmurs went through the dorm residents who were socializing down in the foyer, some of the pointing outside. Her head snapped back to the window, and not a second too early.


    The flickering torches along the walkway revealed a group of eight tall men marching in formation towards Sonnenfeld Hall. The two men in front proudly bore ceremonial standards, the blood-red eagle of Hohenfels swaying in the evening breeze. Behind them strode the Margrave¡¯s son and heir, his usually expressive face stony and focused, his hands clasped behind his back. Then followed Friedrich, and after him four more armed men. They all matched Arnold¡¯s pace step for step. She could hear the synchronized sound of their heavy boots on the pavement even over the nervous clamor in the foyer.


    Katharina shivered. She hadn¡¯t known what to expect, but this was beyond her wildest imaginations. How would this blunt display of aggression impact the sensible climate at the academy? There was no way to tell. The consecutive duels still hung over every conversation like heavy afternoon clouds, and opinions had not yet settled. And now, Prince Arnold did ¨C shaking up everything once more.


    The Hohenfels procession stopped in front of the entrance. Then, everything got much, worse.


    The standard-bearers stepped forward to open the heavy double doors and entered the hall. As the murmurs inside redoubled, they crashed their standards onto the tiled floor. The sound of the steel ends hitting the stone immediately silenced all conversations.


    Prince Arnold strode into the foyer like a victorious general into his enemy¡¯s castle. His left hand rested on the hilt of his saber, and with every step he took, the temperature in the hall seemed to fall by several degrees. The fresh scar on his face highlighted his dispassionate expression as his aura slowly spread through the entire room like the inexorable coming of winter.


    The young aristocrats down in the foyer shrunk away to the sides of the room, huddling together in nervous silence. Katharina herself could feel cold sweat running down her back.


    He stopped in the middle of the hall and fixed his eyes on Lord Leonhardt, who walked down the gallery stairs with measured steps and slowly deployed his own aura, turning the oppressive atmosphere into the calm before a storm.


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    The two men offered each other terse nods. Then, Leonhardt gestured towards one of the many side rooms, a lounge reserved for official occasions. They entered the room, and the heavy door fell shut behind them.


    Friedrich placed himself in front of the entrance to the lounge, his mien promising a brutal fate for anyone who would dare disturb his future liege. The other men, dressed in Hohenfels¡¯ ceremonial uniform, flanked him and mirrored his expression. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not a single word had been said the entire time.


    The silence lingered for a few more seconds, then the whispering began. It rapidly turned into excited, though perhaps a little panicked, conversation.


    Katharina let out a breath she hadn¡¯t realized she was holding.


    Prince Arnold had just dictated their future approach to¡­ . From here on out, there was absolutely no hope of ever reconciling with Sonnenfeld and Altengau. This was not a visit ¨C it was a declaration of victory, designed to humiliate Prince Ludwig so deeply that he would never forget or forgive what happened today.


    As if on cue, an angry hiss next to her made her flinch.


    ¡°Just do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡±


    The Sonnenstein Prince stared at her with bloodshot eyes, his body shaking with rage. He was out of breath, presumably from hurrying downstairs after being notified of the commotion. A red stain slowly expanded on his shirt where Arnold had stabbed his chest earlier today.


    ¡°Prince Arnold is visiting Lord Leonhardt, Your Highness,¡± she said as calmly as she could. ¡°I am not privy to any details, but I believe it has to do with the duel from earlier.¡±


    ¡°Why did you not inform me, you ungrateful wretch?¡± he spat. ¡°This is estate!¡±


    Katharina swallowed deeply. This was not going to end well for her, no matter what she said.


    The realization of what she had gotten herself into was like a slap to the face. She had known that her future path would be thorny, but she had never considered just how bad it might become.


    Arnold had not just burned his own bridge to the West. Katharina, too, had forever lost the option of crawling back to the safe shores of Sonnenfeld. The future Duke would not just dislike her for a childish slight ¨C no, he now hated her by association.


    She had to hope that her family would be able to convince House Sonnenstein that it was a unilateral decision by her alone, and disavow her actions. Otherwise, her plans for personal gain might just have doomed Silberthal to isolation and decline.


    Shifting the blame might divert his immediate fury. ¡°Prince Arnold demanded¨C¡±


    ¡°Stop calling that mudlord a Prince,¡± Ludwig growled. ¡°And I don¡¯t care what he wants. This. Is. Mine.¡± He gestured around the foyer, more blood soaking his shirt. ¡°And it is as a resident of to inform me of such foolishness.¡±


    One of his aides, the pudgy son of a Baron from the duchy¡¯s heartlands, came running down the stairs and immediately began fretting over the ever-expanding stain on the Prince¡¯s chest. ¡°Your Highness, please¨C¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Ludwig hissed, pushing him away forcefully. He collided with the wall, eliciting a pained grunt.


    The young man picked himself up and amateurishly hid a wince. ¡°P-Prince Ludwig¨C¡±


    Ludwig shot him a deadly glare, and he paled. He bowed deeply, turned tail, and scampered off.


    The Prince¡¯s ire returned to Katharina. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve even approached Princess Klara, that destitute savage. Do you have no shame? No decency?¡± he snarled. ¡°To think that we once considered letting you marry into our House.¡±


    ¡°I will give you one last chance,¡± he said coldly. ¡°You will immediately cease your ill-begotten attempts at weaseling your way into the East, or so help me God, I will make it my life¡¯s mission to ruin the sad backwater you call home.¡±


    Katharina froze. Her stomach fell into an abyss of terror. The noise of the blood rushing through her ears grew louder and louder.


    ¡°Nothing to say, huh?¡± the Prince sneered. ¡°Pathetic.¡±


    He stared into her eyes, his face a mask of anger and disdain ¨C until it morphed into a cruel smile.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I have a much better idea. You will stay by that barbarian¡¯s side until further notice. Inform me of action he takes,¡± he demanded. ¡°And the moment you tell me a single falsehood, I will make good on my promise.¡±


    He whirled around and left, his dark chuckle echoing in Katharina¡¯s mind long after he was out of sight.

 Chapter 32

    If he had to describe the lounge in a single word, Arne would call it ¡®fluffy¡¯.


    he thought idly while settling into the embrace of a particularly impressive specimen. On the opposite end of the low lounge table, Leonhardt shifted uncomfortably in his own chair, presumably a side effect of having one¡¯s chest cut open.


    ¡°Why did you do this?¡± the heir of Westmark asked hesitantly after the uncomfortable silence had stretched on for a while.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you will have to be more specific. I did a lot of things today,¡± Arne replied neutrally.


    ¡°Your . It¡¯s¡­ Do you realize what you have done?¡±


    Arne shrugged. ¡°Let me answer that with a return question: Do you realize what have done?¡±


    Leonhardt flinched as if he had taken a slap to the face. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so,¡± Arne said darkly. ¡°You forced me to make it abundantly clear that House Hohenfels is not to be trifled with. My¡­ today serves that exact purpose.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I¡¯d say you accomplished that, in addition to making my life very difficult,¡± his opponent grumbled. ¡°Prince Ludwig will not take this well.¡±


    ¡°Good. And I can¡¯t say I feel much sympathy for you given your actions,¡± he said, demonstratively running his fingers over the fresh scar on his face. The regret in Leonhardt¡¯s aura intensified, but it didn¡¯t feel . It was merely intense dissatisfaction with the outcome.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect you to. So, what do you want from me?¡± he sighed.


    That question had been on Arne¡¯s mind the entire afternoon. The insult against House Hohenfels had been immense, and required substantial restitution in addition to the already performed public apology.


    Frankly, there weren¡¯t many options. There were few points of conflict between Hohenfels and Westmark given the vast distance between the margraviates, and even fewer that could be resolved as a matter of honor between the heirs. Thus, he had decided to treat the matter like the first Klara situation, but with harsher terms, of course.


    ¡°First of all: I want you to stay neutral during any further conflicts between me and the Western princes.¡±


    Leonhardt made a show of thinking it over, but the relief in his aura betrayed him. Arne suspected the Wessen heir had planned on doing so anyway.


    ¡°It will cause me further friction with Sonnenfeld, but my honor leaves me no choice but to accept.¡±


    ¡°Good. Secondly: You will address me as ¡®Prince¡¯.¡±


    Again, Leonhardt was not surprised, but there was a smidgen of grim satisfaction mixed in with the resignation permeating his aura.


    ¡°So this is how you got Princess Klara to accept the title. Smart.¡±


    ¡°Well?¡± Arne demanded.


    ¡°...Fine. You really want to isolate me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Consider it a form of petty revenge. Now, on to my final point.¡±


    Leonhardt visibly clenched his jaw, and a sharp spike of worry poked into Arne¡¯s sore mind. He suppressed a wince and continued.


    ¡°I want to know how Ludwig and Maximilian got you to throw your honor away like that.¡±


    A wave of anger and shame hit Arne as Leonhardt¡¯s face contorted in fury.


    ¡°Come again?¡± he snarled.


    ¡°I refuse to believe that the future ¡®Lion of the West¡¯ would meekly go along with silkling schemes unless left with no other choice,¡± Arne continued, unimpressed.


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    Leonhardt glowered at him for a while, but soon realized that it would get him nowhere as Arne simply stared back in silence. Finally, he took a deep breath and slumped into his armchair.


    ¡°...My younger sister is engaged to Prince Maximilian¡¯s cousin,¡± he grumbled.


    Arne raised an eyebrow. His mother¡¯s briefing on Altengau¡¯s marriage policy had not covered that arrangement, which meant that it either was a very recent development or had not been announced yet. Regardless of that, it would be a game changer for Westmark. So far, it only had close ties with Sonnenfeld and the northern Margraviate of Niederland.


    ¡°Since when?¡±


    ¡°That is none of your concern.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. I take it Maximilian threatened to ask the Emperor to dissolve it?¡°


    Leonhardt ground his teeth. ¡°...Not explicitly. But the implication was there,¡± he growled. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely he would have enough pull to change the Emperor¡¯s mind in that regard, but I did not want to take the risk.¡±


    Arne felt anger boil up in his chest. Hohenfels was neither feared nor respected in the West, to the point where people considered severely offending him a lesser problem than risking a childish tantrum from the third prince of Altengau.


    That would have to change. Good thing he had already taken the first step today.


    ¡°Would you be willing to answer a question of my own?¡± Leonhardt asked, struggling to reign in his expression.


    ¡°That depends on the question.¡±


    ¡°Why are you trying so hard to oppose the West?¡±


    ¡°Because I refuse to suffer the shackles the Emperor keeps forcing on us,¡± Arne snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how happily bleed in wars that serve no purpose other than trimming your claws.¡±


    Leonhardt angrily rose from his chair. ¡°The war against Gallovia was necessary! If you had seen what they¨C¡±


    ¡°What they have? Locomotives! Steamboats! Machines! Everything the Emperor tries to curtail!¡± Arne stood up as well, Leonhardt¡¯s short-sightedness incensing him to no end.


    ¡°There is a for that, and you know it! We can¡¯t let Logres dictate our policies, or we will end up just like them!¡±


    ¡°Prosperous and strong?!¡±


    ¡°DEAD! Like every single aristocrat over there!¡±


    Arne snorted derisively. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense and you know it. They were already weakened from the Civil Wars! Besides, the ¡®former¡¯ Houses are the ones selling us the boats!¡±


    ¡°My point still stands. With locomotive-powered logistics, even an army of plebeians becomes a force to be reckoned with! They moved entire regiments from Flanda to the border within ! And it¡¯s only getting worse!¡±


    ¡°So, your solution is to bury your head in a pillow and hide from reality until even Polania stands at our gates with breechloaders?!¡±


    ¡°We just have to wait until Logres inevitably collapses! A country without nobility is too volatile. There is no stability! No long-term thinking! Their ¡®parliament¡¯ is a pathetic joke!¡±


    Leonhardt was not wrong there. The parliament was the very reason why it took months and years to buy a single boat, let alone three. Still, Arne could not let that stand.


    ¡°And how long is that supposed to take? It¡¯s been two centuries, and they¡¯re only growing stronger!¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be much longer. The writing is already on the wall,¡± Leonhardt snarled. ¡°Francia is preparing an invasion. The Logrian government won¡¯t be able to react cohesively.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the third invasion they have been ¡®preparing¡¯. I¡¯m still waiting for it to actually happen.¡±


    As Leonhardt wound up for an angry reply, the sounds of a commotion outside interrupted him.


    ¡°As much as I would like to continue this , we should really deal with that,¡± he said, voice and aura still steeped in anger.


    Arne concurred. While Leonhardt was still fixing his uniform, he pulled open the heavy door, putting on a neutral face and releasing a tiny waft of aura.


    Out in the foyer, his provisional House Guard found itself beset by an old man with a powdered wig whom he assumed to be the Housemaster of Sonnenfeld Hall, as well as a servant who seemed on the verge of tears. Next to her stood a serving cart loaded with refreshments. Arne surmised that someone had sent her to gauge the contents of the conversation, only for her to be intercepted by a glowering Friedrich. Poor girl.


    The Housemaster threw him a dirty look. ¡°Lord Arnold. How dare you¨C¡±


    ¡°Spare me the tirade,¡± Arne cut him off, causing the old man¡¯s already red face to take on an unhealthily dark shade. ¡°Take it up with Prince Ludwig.¡±


    While the Housemaster was still sputtering, Arne turned to Friedrich. ¡°I¡¯m done here.¡±


    Friedrich, whose aura was radiating malicious glee despite his severe expression, saluted, and the Guard assumed an escort formation.


    The sheer amount of curious bystanders was already taking a heavy toll on his mind, so he only spared Leonhardt the bare minimum of a goodbye.


    ¡°Farewell, Lord Leonhardt.¡±


    ¡°...Farewell, Arnold.¡±


    Arne did his best not to let the triumph show on his face as he left.


    He could not, however, resist pilfering a particularly tasty-looking scone from the cart.

 Chapter 33

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    Matthias had just arrived at his private dining table to have a peaceful breakfast after a very hectic week. Instead, his friend and aide Clemens von Rabenberg crushed what little relaxation Matthias had allowed himself before the impending turmoil.


    ¡°...He and a group of armed men marched into Sonnenfeld Hall in full dress uniform, planted the Hohenfels banner in the foyer, ignored Prince Ludwig, and insulted the Housemaster.¡±


    ¡°Why in Christ¡¯s name would he do that?¡± Matthias mused, not yet certain how he felt about this situation.


    In some ways, Arnold¡¯s actions would prove highly beneficial. They would play right into Matthias¡¯ hands by dragging Ludwig¡¯s many failings into the spotlight. Hohenfels would undoubtedly enjoy a surge in popularity among those unsatisfied with the ¡®Establishment¡¯. It was a clear signal that the margraviate was not cowed by Western posturing and games.


    On the flip side, the message was effective. Coupled with the duel, it turned subtle antagonism into open rivalry ¨C meaning that anyone without clear-cut stakes would be much less likely to openly side with Hohenfels lest they risk directly provoking Sonnenfeld.


    It was an incredibly polarizing move, and it had come months, if not years, too early. Princess Maria might simply declare neutrality now, as was tradition for Greifenau. And speaking of tradition, the newly arrived Princess Charlotte would do as Schwarzwald always did and try to place herself as a bridge between the factions, while subtly supporting Western dominance.


    It really was a shame that Princess Klara was so useless. Another ducal scion supporting Hohenfels¡¯ ascension and the subsequent end of the status quo would be a game changer in a few years. But Klara as well as the Hohenfels cousins were too hung up on pastsquabbles to even consider such a thing.


    But if there was a way to convince Duke Albrecht¡­


    ¡°Clemens, do you know where Elenor is?¡±


    ¡°I believe she is currently on her morning walk through the gardens, Your Highness.¡±


    Matthias sighed and rose from his chair again.


    Clemens blinked. ¡°What about your breakfast?¡±


    ¡°My appetite is gone. I¡¯ll go find my fianc¨¦e.¡±


    He left Falkenstein Hall with a brisk stride and quickly found Elenor in the gardens, accompanied by her followers. When she spotted him and his strained expression, she quickly shooed them away.


    ¡°I take it you¡¯ve heard the news, dear?¡± she asked and took the arm he offered.


    ¡°Mhm. Have you made any progress with Princess Maria?¡±


    ¡°I believe so. She implied that Greifenau is currently in a position to shoulder a part of Eisengrund¡¯s debt to the church, at least if we provide a guarantor.¡±


    Matthias allowed himself a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank Christ you met with her . I¡¯ll send a letter to my father, then.¡±


    = = = = =


    Katharina stared at the ceiling, unable to enjoy the soft mattress of her luxurious Francian bed.


    At first, she had thought things had just become a lot more difficult, but they really hadn¡¯t. If anything, they had become uncomfortably simple.


    Caving to Prince Ludwig¡¯s threats was not an option. Even if she became his loyal spy, he could simply drop her at random and presumably gloat to absolutely everyone. That meant Prince Arnold would hear about it, and he would not take kindly to her betrayal, leaving her completely isolated again.


    She had no choice but to bet everything on Hohenfels while praying that she would not be disinherited as House Silberthal dealt with the fallout. Not an unlikely outcome ¨C and one that made it important to have powerful friends.


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    So, what could she do?


    The first priority was to keep getting closer to Arnold. He seemed to be inclined to keep her around, if only for the convenience of not having to handle social trifles. Adding more reasons was vitally important, and she had to play all angles.


    Priority number two was extending her own reach. Katharina had already taken the first step by approaching Princess Klara, and building a friendly relationship with her was central to all other plans. But she needed friends among the many young aristocrats from Greifenau and Falkenstein as well. Perhaps even Schwarzwald, depending on Princess Charlotte¡¯s attitude towards her.


    And lastly, she needed to consolidate Prince Arnold¡¯s standing, by getting everyone with a bone to pick with Sonnenfeld to rally behind him. He made for a rather imposing figurehead after all, and now that he had set the course, she ¨C no, ¨C could play into this image further.


    Katharina¡¯s stomach growled, reminding her that she had not eaten since yesterday afternoon. She reluctantly got up and donned one of her simplest dresses, having come to enjoy the convenience of not having to call for an attendant to clothe her.


    Upon arrival at the dorm¡¯s refectory, she became painfully aware of the attention Arnold¡¯s display had roused. She could practically the stares of anyone noticing her. Most were simply curious, but some were outright hostile.


    She decided to get breakfast at the mess hall instead.


    = = = = =


    Arne had long given up on following the tactics lecture. Not only were its contents lacking, but the inquisitive stares had redoubled, and with them the strain on his mind. Thankfully, his newly appointed Captain of the Guard was taking his duties much too seriously, glowering at anyone who dared to look in their general direction for more than a second.


    The fruits of his labor were already showing. Instead of the casually curious gazes he had been subjected to before, the atmosphere now carried an undercurrent of wariness and fear. While he would have preferred respect, it was still a marked improvement.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need me around?¡± Friedrich asked worriedly after the lesson finally ended.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. There are only four students in my next lecture, including myself.¡±


    ¡°All right then.¡±


    ¡°Go train your new subordinates instead,¡± Arne suggested. ¡°Something tells me we might need capable fighters in the future.¡±


    Friedrich¡¯s face lit up at that, and he nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Got it! See you later!¡± And with that, he was gone.


    With any luck, his duties would keep him out of trouble by simply keeping him out of the arena. Arne sighed deeply and made his way to the classroom to learn more about the rich history of ritual magic from Professor¡­


    Unsurprisingly, he found Katharina already waiting in the classroom.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Lady Katharina. I see that your interest in military tactics has lessened,¡± he smirked as he sat down next to her.


    She harrumphed, though he could feel that her heart wasn¡¯t in it. ¡°Good afternoon, Prince Arnold,¡± she greeted with an exaggerated pout. Her aura was tense and conflicted, despite her outward composure.


    They were still alone in the room, but given the possibility of someone listening at the door, he lowered his voice. ¡°Is everything all right?¡±


    ¡°...Not quite. Do you have time for a talk in the library after the lesson?¡±


    ¡°Sure. I suppose it has to do with Ludwig?¡±


    She nodded tersely.


    ¡°I see,¡± Arne sighed. After quick deliberation, he took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. The gesture sent intense ripples through her aura as her thoughts were thrown into disarray, much to his amusement.


    The sound of the door opening made them both flinch, and they hurriedly disentangled their hands just before the two remaining students entered the room. He dearly hoped that his blush was less obvious than Katharina¡¯s.


    Arne recognized the young woman from Hohenfels Hall. He was pretty sure that he had seen her around Friedrich ¨C which admittedly did not count for much. She recognized him immediately though, and curtsied with the appropriate amount of deference for a lower noble.


    The young man, however, was not someone Arne had made note of before, meaning that he probably hailed from Eisengrund or Wehrach. He bowed deeply as well, eliciting a nod from Arne.


    Shortly after they had taken their seats, a disheveled man with a frayed aura and dark rings underneath his eyes entered the room. As a vague scent of liquor wafted through the room, Arne suddenly got a sense of d¨¦j¨¤-vu that he couldn¡¯t quite place.


    The¡­ substitute teacher looked around the room and sighed. ¡°Well, at least we didn¡¯t lose anyone else.¡±


    Katharina¡¯s aura contorted slightly in irritation.


    The man rummaged through his bag and produced two heavy tomes. He placed one book in front of each pair with a loud thud. ¡°Those are part of my personal collection, so please don¡¯t damage them.¡±


    Arne opened the book. There was a small note on the first page: ¡®Property of Jerzy Nowak¡¯.


    He blinked and looked up at the Professor, who was studying everyone with an intense gaze.

 Chapter 34

    Arne felt Katharina¡¯s irritation slowly morph into apprehension and distress. Even their two fellow students were nervously shifting in their seats.


    ¡°...You¡¯re a sorcerer,¡± she finally said. It was not a question, but a statement.


    Professor Nowak smirked. ¡°Not wrong, but not entirely correct either.¡±


    ¡°A shaman, then,¡± Arne mused, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the teacher.


    ¡°Oh? Have you met a shaman before?¡± His aura gave off a strangely distorted feeling of curiosity.


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say ¡®met¡¯,¡± Arne replied evenly. ¡°Of the four I¡¯ve encountered, I killed three.¡±


    He had expected to unsettle the strange man with such a blatant threat, but his curiosity only intensified. ¡°Oh, were they from the steppe folk?¡±


    ¡°...Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating. Unfortunately, I never got the opportunity to study their practices directly. Do you happen to¨C¡±


    ¡°All I know is that each of them had a significant escort of Keshigs, who had remarkable resilience and fought without regard for their own lives.¡±


    The Professor sighed and adjusted his monocle. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. Still, I find it quite interesting that they ride into battle themselves. Personally, I have no confidence in my ability to survive even a tavern brawl.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so forthcoming about this, Professor?¡± the young woman from Marbach asked hesitantly. ¡°Are you not worried about¡­ Well, you know.¡±


    ¡°Not particularly,¡± he shrugged.


    Arne sensed a sudden spike of understanding, worry, and motivation coming from Katharina. When he looked over, he saw her furiously writing notes on a piece of paper underneath the table.


    He mulled over the idea of arresting ¨C or killing ¨C the Professor on the spot. He was clearly doing something to their minds, and Arne was not particularly interested in becoming compromised.


    He leaned over to Katharina. ¡°Keep writing down everything you see and hear,¡± he whispered. She threw him a glance and nodded.


    Then, he rose from his chair and drew his saber. Everyone in the room tensed at the sound, and Professor Nowak¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Wait¨C¡±


    Arne flooded the classroom with his magic, carefully sweeping over everyone and everything with his senses. There were no signs of active magic whatsoever, and he was relatively sure that the Professor¡¯s aura was far too weak to hold any danger even to the lower nobles in the room. He needed more certainty, though. So, the shaman soon found himself pressed against the blackboard, the banesilver blade at his throat.


    ¡°Give me one reason not to execute you for your transgression against House Hohenfels.¡±


    As Professor Nowak stammered meaningless words, Arne inspected the way the saber interacted with the man¡¯s aura. The moment the banesilver touched his skin, the odd fraying and pulsing of his aura ceased, leaving behind nothing but a pathetically underdeveloped practitioner. It was clear that he had started late in his life and lacked the means to ¨C quite literally ¨C feed his magic.


    Arne leaned in close and lowered his voice so that only the shaman could hear him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one chance. Does the banesilver stop whatever it is you¡¯re doing?¡±


    The Professor nodded frantically, the saber cutting lightly into his throat. He didn¡¯t even notice it in his panic.


    ¡°Do you own an amulet?¡±


    He shook his head.


    ¡°I will have one arranged for you. You will wear it whenever you¡¯re in my presence.¡±


    ¡°U-understood,¡± he stammered.


    ¡°On top of that, you will personally instruct me in whatever it is you¡¯re doing.¡±


    His eyes went even wider. But instead of the reluctant acceptance Arne had expected, there was a spike of curiosity and anticipation.


    ¡°By your will, Your Highness,¡± he promised, now remarkably more composed.


    ¡°I will have the banesilver amulet delivered to this room tomorrow,¡± Arne said, now loud enough for Katharina to hear. ¡°If I ever see you without it, I will cut you down on the spot.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Highness.¡±


    He kept the blade on the shaman¡¯s throat. ¡°Let¡¯s end this lesson for today. Leave the room. You can return later to collect your bag.¡±


    Nowak nodded carefully. Arne prodded him with the saber, and he started moving backwards in the direction of the door. When he was almost outside, he spoke up. ¡°One moment, please?¡±


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    Arne looked at him skeptically, but inclined his head in assent.


    ¡°Today, I would have taught you about small everyday rituals from the former Northern tribes. They¡¯re not very complicated, so please attempt to perform one of your choice until our next lesson,¡± he explained with an oddly cheery voice. ¡°Since there are only two books, you¡¯ll have to work in pairs.¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± Arne affirmed. ¡°Now, get out.¡±


    The odd man stepped outside, and Arne slammed the door shut immediately after removing the saber from his throat. With a deep sigh of relief, he leaned against the blackboard. Something dull poked against his senses, and when he looked up, he noticed the incredulous stares from his fellow students.


    ¡°You heard the Professor. Go do your homework,¡± he ordered, and the two lower nobles hurriedly packed up their things and made for the door.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he demanded. ¡°Your names.¡±


    ¡°H-Hedwig von Liepe, Your Highness,¡± the young woman stammered, the accompanying curtsy much less graceful than her earlier one.


    Arne looked over at her companion questioningly.


    ¡°Ernst von Dargitz, Your Highness,¡± he bowed.


    He did not have the slightest idea where Liepe was, which meant that it was probably a minor barony. Dargitz, however, was a large countship close to Eisengrund¡¯s northern border with Polania.


    ¡°I see. Be on your way,¡± he dismissed them, and they were all too happy to leave.


    Reclaiming his seat next to Katharina, Arne glanced at the notes she had hastily scribbled down. They succinctly, but accurately summarized what had happened over the course of the last few minutes.


    ¡°Mind if I copy those later?¡±


    She nodded, seemingly lost in thought. Her aura fluctuated between worry and stress, until she took a deep breath.


    ¡°What did you say to him?¡±


    ¡°I asked him if banesilver would stop whatever he was doing. From his reaction, it does. So, I forced him to wear an amulet from now on.¡±


    ¡°...You believe him? Is it really worth the risk?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± he confirmed in a low tone. ¡°Just imagine all the things we can learn from him. Forbidden knowledge that we can¡¯t get anywhere else. And since he¡¯s a commoner, he can¡¯t truly hurt us.¡±


    A blatant untruth, but thankfully, Katharina jumped on the bait. A pulse of curiosity and ambition washed away her reservations, sparing him the need to explain why he was willing to trust the shady Professor.


    ¡°That is an excellent point,¡± she mused, before her expression and aura suddenly went back to worry and uneasiness. ¡°...Can we head to the library now, please?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Arne grabbed his bag, stuffed the heavy tome inside, and offered Katharina his arm. She accepted mechanically, and they walked in contemplative silence.


    Upon arrival in the hidden niche, she sat down across the table instead of next to him.


    It took her a while to find words. ¡°Prince Ludwig is trying to blackmail me,¡± she finally said.


    Arne raised his eyebrows. ¡°Let me guess: He wants to use you as a spy.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± she nodded dejectedly. ¡°He¡¯s threatening to oust my family.¡±


    Not unexpected, but still not a particularly wise move by Ludwig. Katharina was obviously intelligent enough to realize how bad of an idea it would be to acquiesce to his demands.


    ¡°Do you think Duke August would go along with that?¡± he asked, already knowing the answer.


    ¡°Unlikely. But one day, Prince Ludwig will be Duke,¡± she replied quietly. ¡°And then, he will do everything in his power to ruin Silberthal. You know what kind of man he is.¡±


    Ludwig would never let a perceived slight go, and that was exactly what Arne had been counting on in this regard. Though isolating Katharina from Ludwig and his allies had not been his main objective when he made his visit to Sonnenfeld Hall, it been a consideration. Now, it would be nigh-impossible for her to sell him out to the West, should she ever figure out his secret. It would mean throwing away her singular lifeline in favor of endless exploitation.


    He feel bad about throwing her to the proverbial wolves and sealing House Silberthal¡¯s decline, but in the end, her own choices had led her to this point. On top of that, he would ask Elisabeth to intervene on Silberthal¡¯s behalf should it become necessary. His honor demanded as much.


    = = = = =


    Katharina failed to suppress a shudder when crossed Arnold¡¯s scarred face. It almost reminded her of the expression he had shown in the arena. It was cold. Distant. Even more so than the expression he usually adopted under pressure.


    She didn¡¯t like it.


    And then it was gone as suddenly as it had appeared, replaced by a worried frown.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± he asked, having noticed her discomfort.


    ¡°...I¡¯m at a loss. What should I do now?¡± she sighed, hoping to distract him with a more pressing matter.


    She could see that he did not buy it, but he accepted the change of topic nonetheless.


    ¡°What else is there to think about? You made your choice,¡± he smiled warmly.


    Despite her earlier uneasiness, she felt her face heat up just a little.


    ¡°W-well, I suppose so.¡±


    ¡°The smart way to play this is to feed him unreliable information until he notices,¡± Arnold mused. ¡°Or do you have a better plan?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d suggest feeding him unimportant truths at the beginning,¡± she replied after composing herself. ¡°That way, we can get him to fully trust my reports. Afterwards, we intersperse fabrications to steer his actions.¡±


    ¡°Good idea. So, what should we tell him first?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we should try to widen the rift between him and Lord Leonhardt. I sincerely doubt they are on good terms at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, sounds good,¡± he hummed. ¡°What if we told him something about¡­ me planning to invite Leonhardt to a ¡®friendly spar¡¯, now that he ¡®gained my respect¡¯ after the duel?¡±


    He paused. She could see thoughts race behind his eyes.


    ¡°No. What if I actually that?¡± he murmured, a mischievous smile forming on his lips. ¡°I¡¯m confident Leonhardt hates my guts¡­ But nothing stops me from inviting him, right?¡±


    ¡°...If anything, it would make you look magnanimous,¡± Katharina reasoned. The idea was sound ¨C it would be a grand gesture that might shift his current public image away from the cold and domineering warrior, and into the direction of an honorable prince.


    ¡°Magnanimous in victory. I like that,¡± Arnold chuckled.


    ¡°You could also put a pious spin on it,¡± she suggested. ¡°Throw in a bible verse about forgiveness.¡±


    He laughed out loud at that. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea! My sister is a Paladin, after all!¡±


    ¡°That makes it even better,¡± she giggled. ¡°But please don¡¯t overdo it, or Ludwig might just explode from anger!¡±


    ¡°I would .¡±

 Chapter 35

    Jerzy Nowak paced around his cramped office excitedly, mentally planning out lessons for the young Prince who might very well become his much-needed benefactor in the future.


    Teaching heresy to young nobles was neither particularly safe nor enjoyable, but it was necessary. Taking apprentices from among the village folk had not been feasible for centuries, no matter how much his¡­ clung to tradition. It was much wiser to pass on the knowledge to those who weren¡¯t at risk of getting permanently imprisoned or worse, and who would have the resources to teach their offspring.


    The Hohenfels heir was in many ways the perfect student. His standing was beyond reproach, his house had distant roots in the Northern lands and no love for the West, and he was opportunistic enough to jump on a chance of getting ahead. Additionally, he might just be willing and able to spend a small fortune on Jerzy¡¯s research if he proved himself useful.


    Of course, the start to their relationship had not been optimal. Jerzy had been overconfident, relying on his Heartroot to keep him out of trouble as it had done for almost three decades. But how could he have known about that damnable sword?


    Instead of fading into vague memory after mere hours, the four students would now remember him for quite a while. Weeks, even months if he was unlucky. That timeframe would become even longer once he started wearing the amulet as ordered by the Prince.


    But it was worth it. Four nobles knowing his name was a risk he had to take if it meant potentially earning the patronage of a major house. Perhaps even two ¨C the Silberthal girl seemed quite attached to Prince Arnold, and her family was famous among scholars for financing research in a vast variety of fields.


    With any luck, his long quest to preserve the ancient arts would find its end.


    = = = = =


    ¡°What about this one? It looks simple enough.¡±


    Katharina had, predictably, taken the opportunity to scoot closer once Arne opened the old tome, and was now pointing out a ritual with the not particularly evocative name ''Vandalic Weather Divination¡¯.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ We¡¯ll need a handful of berries and stones to form a circle. Those are easy to find. The animal bones technically aren¡¯t an issue, either. We can just get them from the kitchens at my dorm,¡± Arne mused. ¡°But could be a problem.¡±


    He pointed at a detailed schematic of old runes they would have to engrave on the bones. ¡°If anyone sees us with that¡­ Well, I¡¯d probably be fine. But¡­¡±


    Katharina winced. ¡°I know¡­ But the ritual has to take place shortly before sunset, and we have to find a secluded spot outside anyway. So, the risk of someone finding us should be quite low.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you say so,¡± Arne replied skeptically.


    ¡°...Besides, I¡¯m curious,¡± she admitted sheepishly, her aura confirming her words.


    ¡°All right then,¡± he chuckled. ¡°That leaves just one more problem.¡±


    ¡°The nightshade?¡±


    ¡°The nightshade,¡± he sighed. Ingesting the leaves of henbane or belladonna would not be a particularly enjoyable experience, even with his robust constitution. Letting Katharina do it was not even worth considering ¨C where the highly toxic plants would mean discomfort for him, they might spell serious illness for her.


    ¡°There is a dense grove behind Hohenfels Hall,¡± he continued with little enthusiasm. ¡°We should be able to find the plants there, and it is secluded enough. If we go there via the servant quarters, nobody should notice.¡±


    ¡°That would be advisable. If we were seen entering the woods in the evening¡­¡± she trailed off, blushing lightly.


    ¡°Ahem¨C indeed,¡° Arne coughed, then looked up at the window. ¡°We should still have two or three hours until sunset. Should we get to work?¡±


    = = = = =


    Katharina hummed to herself as she worked the piece of bone with her knife, adding another heathen rune to its surface. Sitting right next to her on the small bench behind the servant quarters, Arnold grumbled quietly, clearly not enjoying the task.


    ¡°Why is this so difficult?¡± he complained. ¡°This is the fifth one I broke!¡±


    He took the next piece from their small collection and placed the tip of his dagger against its surface with a little too much force. It promptly splintered it in half, and the blade sunk into his palm. He threw the remains into the bushes in a fit of rage, splattering fresh blood all over the ground.


    Sensing an opportunity, she took his hand for ¡®inspection¡¯ and carefully wiped it with her handkerchief. She had stocked up on those ¨C in addition to the usual dainty ones, she now carried multiple robust strips of cloth. She had not expected them to come in handy already, but House Hohenfels clearly had a propensity for spilling blood.


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    ¡°Thank you,¡± Arnold sighed with a wry smile. ¡°This is becoming a habit, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It sure is,¡± Katharina giggled, softly leaning against his shoulder. she told herself. She could feel his muscles tense at the unexpected contact, but he relaxed again a little too soon for her liking.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got three¡­ decent pieces. How is it going on your end?¡± he asked, nodding towards her pile of finished products.


    ¡°Pretty well, I¡¯d say. I have eight ready,¡± she confirmed, a little annoyed by his change of topic. ¡°Just one more, and we¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, then. We¡¯ll miss sunset if I keep messing up,¡± he grumbled.


    Katharina reluctantly ¨C no, ¨C returned to a more appropriate position and quickly finished her work.


    They quickly managed to accumulate a selection of small pebbles, and found a convenient rosehip bush at the edge of the grove that provided the required berries. Finding nightshade plants proved more challenging, but thankfully, a small cluster of belladonna plants grew on a small clearing they stumbled onto by accident. Or rather, Katharina stumbled. Arnold barely seemed to notice the difficult terrain, much to her dismay.


    To say that she was skeptical about ingesting the plants was an understatement. She knew full well just how toxic they could be, but Arnold had assured her that he could handle it. Having seen his regenerative capabilities first-hand, she was inclined to believe him.


    After clearing a small area of grass and moss, they prepared the ritual circle, alternating between berries and pebbles. It looked quite unimpressive, but she supposed that was why the ritual was listed as ¡®simple¡¯ in the book.


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure you know how to pronounce this?¡± she asked, squinting at the charm written down next to the runic diagrams. While she considered herself an expert in Celtic languages and culture, the ancient Germanic words were an entirely different beast.


    Arnold shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s similar to a dialect from the North. Well, perhaps not ¡®similar¡¯, but it¡¯s close enough.¡±


    He threw a murderous glance at the handful of fresh leaves he reluctantly chewed one after another. ¡°This is so vile,¡± he cursed after a coughing fit. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll start affecting me in time?¡±


    Katharina looked up at the sky, where the sun was slowly disappearing behind the grove¡¯s trees. ¡°Probably. You should have eaten enough of them by now.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he grumbled, sitting down on the mossy ground. ¡°I¡¯d be seriously upset if¨C¡± He suddenly fell silent.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she inquired worriedly as the Prince shook his head in irritation. She knelt down next to him. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s working,¡± he told her, looking at her with slightly dilated pupils. ¡°I feel¡­ I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s definitely working, though.¡±


    She swallowed her growing concerns, threw a glance at the sky, and placed the book in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Arnold took a deep breath, and as he exhaled again, she felt his magic seep into the air. This time, it was neither cold nor oppressive. It reminded her of the feeling she had when he observed her training ¨C curious, but reserved.


    He took the twelve engraved bone fragments, rolled them up in one of Katharina¡¯s more practical handkerchiefs, and lifted the bundle to his face. He closed his eyes for a few heartbeats, and when he opened them again, they were unfocused, gazing at something only he could see.


    ¡°Donar, mihhil Donar, ih ruofu thih.¡±


    His voice was barely a whisper, but she heard it much clearer than the rustling of the leaves in the strong evening breeze.


    ¡°Sunna, sc?nan Sunna, ih gruo?u thih.¡±


    The last beams of daylight danced over the clearing, chased by the shadows of the coming night.


    ¡°Ph?l, milte Ph?l, ih ere thih.¡±


    With a sudden movement, he spilled the bones into the ritual circle. They clattered much louder than they should have, and it took them far too long to finally settle on the ground.


    A sharp intake of breath ripped Katharina out of her fascination as Arnold came back to his senses. He blinked rapidly, lightly shaking his head to clear his mind. She studied his eyes, noting that they were focused once more.


    He gestured at the circle. ¡°So, what does this mean?¡±


    ¡°Three out of four Sunna runes fell next to each other, along with two Ph?ls. Not a single Donar landed correctly,¡± she analyzed breathlessly, checking the tome for reference. ¡°If my interpretation is correct, there will be very little rain over the next weeks, but the harvest won¡¯t be damaged.¡±


    They looked at each other for a few heartbeats, unsure what to think.


    ¡°Did the ritual work?¡± Arnold finally asked.


    It had certainly seemed that way to Katharina. There had been a feeling of¡­ , despite the mundane result. She still had goosebumps.


    ¡°I believe it did,¡± she confirmed hesitantly. ¡°We¡¯ll have to observe the weather over the next few weeks to be fully certain.¡±


    He hummed in agreement, collecting the bone fragments from the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s keep those. I don¡¯t want to redo all the work should we ever try this again.¡±


    Katharina shuddered. ¡°Please do, but I can¡¯t. Just imagine someone finding them and telling Prince Ludwig.¡±


    ¡°Good point,¡± he agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll hide them somewhere safe.¡±


    It took them a while to restore the clearing to an inconspicuous state, and even longer to find their way out of the dark grove. When the lit windows of Hohenfels Hall came into sight, Arnold suddenly grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into a crouch.


    ¡°Ssshhh!¡±


    He pointed in the direction of the bench they had sat on earlier. She could barely make it out in the darkness.


    A small movement caught her attention, and it took all her self-control not to gasp audibly.


    Someone was pacing around the small kitchen garden, seemingly searching for something. They bent down and picked up a small item from the ground, only to immediately discard it again.


    Suddenly, the figure¡¯s head snapped towards them. Katharina held her breath, desperately trying to calm her racing heart, as a pale face scanned the treeline. She instinctively grasped for Arnold¡¯s hand.


    After a few tense seconds, the ghostly figure gave up the search and left the garden with hurried steps. Arnold lightly squeezed her hand, and pulled her back up.


    ¡°That was close,¡± he breathed. ¡°I wonder who that was?¡±

 Chapter 36

    ¡°I see you have taken steps to¡­ consolidate your reputation, ¡®dearest cousin¡¯,¡± Matthias said with no small amount of venom.


    ¡°I found myself in a rather unfortunate position thanks to an unexpected duel, ¡®dearest cousin¡¯,¡± Arne replied in the same manner. ¡°I had no choice but to¡­ clarify boundaries.¡±


    The two young men fixed each other with unamused stares for half a minute, until Matthias broke eye contact and slumped into his armchair with a sigh. His exhaustion was terribly obvious, despite his attempts at covering up the dark circles underneath his eyes. The usual joviality was gone, eroded by piled-up stress from silkling antics.


    ¡°What are we even doing? We have so many other important things to worry about.¡±


    Arne couldn¡¯t help but agree, despite his frustration with the Falkenstein prince¡¯s maneuvering. ¡°Has Ludwig given you any trouble?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, and he¡¯s the least of our problems¡± Matthias replied wearily. ¡°I¡¯m much more concerned with whatever schemes Maximilian is cooking up. On top of that, Charlotte showed up with the worst possible timing.¡±


    ¡°Have you met her before?¡±


    ¡°Twice, at Tannburg castle. Her body is frail, but her mind is as sharp as Elenor¡¯s.¡± He paused for a heartbeat, then hastily added, ¡°Don¡¯t tell her I said that.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Arne chuckled. ¡°Do you think Charlotte will try anything?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she definitely will. The question is what, and when.¡±


    Arne briefly considered mentioning Katharina¡¯s possible connection to the Princess, but decided against it. While Matthias was an important ally, his propensity for unilateral decisions made him dangerous to work with.


    ¡°How likely is she to support Maximilian, and to what degree?¡±


    Matthias hummed thoughtfully. ¡°That¡¯s a difficult question. Schwarzwald stands behind the Emperor, but I would describe their loyalty as ¡®conditional¡¯.¡±


    ¡°...Is that not true for Sonnenfeld as well?¡±


    ¡°Not to the same degree. From among the Western duchies, Schwarzwald is the one most likely to work with us. Not , mind ¨C just the likely.¡±


    ¡°Best not to antagonize the Princess, then,¡± Arne mused. ¡°I¡¯d rather not make more enemies, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I would very much appreciate that,¡± Matthias quipped dryly. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How is Princess Maria doing lately?¡± Arne asked, ignoring the jab.


    ¡°She found a comfortable spot atop the fence and is watching everything unfold with great interest.¡±


    Arne snorted. ¡°A time-honored tradition in Greifenau, it seems.¡±


    ¡°Quite so.¡±


    Silence fell upon the lounge as both young men fell into contemplation. Arne¡¯s thoughts were only occasionally interrupted by spikes of stress from Matthias¡¯ aura.


    There were few clear objectives to accomplish, for now. Making contact with Princess Charlotte, having a private conversation with Princess Maria, and finding friends among the Northerners. And then, there was Princess Klara ¨C someone who clearly was on Matthias¡¯ mind as well.


    ¡°Do you think you can keep Friedrich away from the Eisengrund girl?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m keeping him out of the arena. That should suffice, unless they happen to run into each other during a lecture.¡±


    Matthias sighed deeply. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you allow that buffoon so much freedom.¡±


    Hot anger sparked in Arne¡¯s chest. ¡°I suggest you choose your words more carefully in the future,¡± he growled.


    ¡°My sincere apologies,¡± Matthias said placatingly, his aura contorting in shock and worry. He sat up straighter, then doubled down. ¡°I admit I worded that very poorly. But my point stands.¡±


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    Arne raised his eyebrows, but waited for the other man to continue.


    ¡°Friedrich caused two major incidents now, both of which could have caused a severe conflict between Eisengrund and Hohenfels.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t put the blame on him alone,¡± Arne spat. ¡°Nothing would have happened were it not for Klara¡¯s insults. laid the foundation for everything on the very day we arrived at the academy!¡±


    ¡°Klara is hostile, dangerous, and prone to erratic behavior ¨C I won¡¯t argue against that. Everyone just how bad she is. It¡¯s why she has no allies, or God forbid, friends. In the eyes of many of our fellow students, Friedrich is a hero for ¡®putting her in her place¡¯. But none of this matters!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Arne did his best to restrain his anger. Matthias had a point, after all ¨C but he would not tolerate another insult towards his cousin.


    ¡°Let her scream insults into the void. She isn¡¯t taken seriously anyway. Most students treat her like a wild animal, and try to keep their distance. She is impossible to control. But do you know you can control?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You see my point, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Despite his misgivings, Arne did.


    = = = = =


    ¡°Lady Katharina? Her Highness will receive you now,¡± the young lady-in-waiting told Katharina with the most neutral expression she had ever seen. With a shallow nod, Katharina rose from the couch in the visitor¡¯s salon at Schwarzwald Hall and let the girl lead the way to Princess Charlotte¡¯s suite.


    House Tannburg¡¯s dorm was almost austere in comparison to Sonnenfeld Hall, but still a great deal more than Eisengrund¡¯s stark architecture or Hohenfels¡¯ anachronism. Instead of the gaudy yellows and reds dominating the other two Western dorms, Tannburg favored darker, calmer blues and greens. The atmosphere seemed more subdued, though that was also owed to the dorm¡¯s smaller size and fewer inhabitants.


    Another lady-in-waiting politely shepherded Katharina into the suite¡¯s salon, where she found the frail figure of Charlotte von Tannburg propped up in an armchair. The Princess had her black hair tied up in a simple knot, and her sunken cheeks were devoid of makeup. Still, her gray eyes seemed sharp enough to cut through steel.


    ¡°Lady Katharina,¡± she greeted in a soft, melodic voice. ¡°Please, take a seat.¡±


    Katharina curtsied as elegantly as she could, and claimed a soft armchair for herself. ¡°Thank you for receiving me so early in the day, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Think nothing of it. It is almost noon, after all ¨C back home, I would have gotten three visits by our head physician by now,¡± the Princess smiled, adding, ¡°He nearly had a heart attack when I announced my intention to travel to the academy.¡±


    There it was ¨C an invitation to ask how Charlotte¡¯s journey went, to keep the dialogue going. Katharina had almost forgotten how easy it was to talk with someone trained in the art of conversation, compared to Eastern warriors or the gossiping lower noblewomen of the embroidery circle.


    ¡°I hope your journey was comfortable, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°As comfortable as can be,¡± Charlotte waved her off with a bony hand. ¡°Traveling is rarely enjoyable, but Father went to great lengths to procure the best carriages money can buy so as not to endanger my fragile constitution.¡±


    Katharina herself did not particularly dislike traveling. It gave her a lot of time to lose herself in books instead of suffering her mother¡¯s unceasing lessons. However, she was also in the fortunate position of being in excellent health.


    ¡°They are impressive indeed, Your Highness. Half the academy gathered at the plaza when you arrived.¡±


    The Princess giggled softly. ¡°Yes, that was quite the experience. I felt like a guest of honor! Do you believe it made up for my absence at the entrance ceremony?¡±


    ¡°I would say so,¡± Katharina smiled. ¡°You stood out quite splendidly that evening.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could have stepped out of the carriage for a minute, to say a word or two,¡± Charlotte sighed wistfully. ¡°But alas, I had no choice but to remain inside. Still, I got a good look at the crowd through the window! And I believe I even saw you, if only briefly!¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Katharina had met Princess Charlotte multiple times in the past, but she would not have expected to be recognized among a crowd, and especially not at dusk.


    ¡°Indeed! Though I admit that it was not much of a feat. Rather, the young lord next to you seemed like a tree amidst shrubbery.¡±


    Katharina thought, worry worming its way into her heart. Princess Charlotte had undoubtedly steered the conversation here on purpose.


    ¡°Yes, Prince Arnold tends to stand out,¡± she replied with joviality she did not feel.


    ¡°¡®Prince¡¯?¡± Charlotte asked with raised eyebrows. ¡°Hohenfels is serious about becoming a duchy, then?¡±


    ¡°Quite so, Your Highness. Prince Arnold has put considerable effort into making that known.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± the Princess mused. ¡°Might I trouble you to convey my greetings and an invitation to him? I would very much like to make his acquaintance.¡±


    Katharina suppressed the urge to swallow hard. ¡°That is no trouble whatsoever, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Charlotte beamed, then lowered her voice into a conspiratorial tone. ¡°Say ¨C I heard that he may be engaged to Princess Klara. Is there any truth to that?¡±


    ¡°It is not, Your Highness. Those were merely rumors, born from some manner of misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°I see. So he remains uncommitted¡­?¡±


    ¡°...As far as I¡¯m aware, that is the case.¡±


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that interesting,¡± Charlotte hummed. ¡°As fate would have it, I find myself in the selfsame position.¡±


    Katharina felt her entire body tense up, and her stomach turned into a dark pit. Only her mother¡¯s extensive training kept the conversational smile on her face.

 Chapter 37

    Friedrich stared into his cousin¡¯s eyes, unable to smother the defiance bubbling in his chest.¡°You she started it, damn it! You were ¡± he grumbled.


    But Arnold remained unreasonable despite the spark of sympathy Friedrich saw in his eyes, which only served to infuriate the younger man further. ¡°Come on, Arne! ¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Arnold sighed. ¡°From today on, you will avoid her as well as the colosseum at all costs.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s just unfair! Why am I being punished¨C¡±


    ¡°Because you messed up as well. It who started it. If either of you had died, we would be at war by now!¡±


    ¡°And perhaps that would be for the better!¡± Friedrich growled aggressively. ¡°Eisengrund is weaker than ever. We can just the mines. Fuck, we could take everything from Erzfeld to the river Wendel, if Lisa just¨C¡±


    ¡°Silence.¡±


    Friedrich flinched as Arnold¡¯s voice reverberated from the stone walls of the lounge, carried by a pulse of magic. When he forced himself to meet the Prince¡¯s eyes, all traces of compassion and friendliness were gone. Instead, he found himself staring into the icy abyss he had seen only once before ¨C in the arena, right before Arnold gutted Leonhardt.


    It felt almost like back when the Margrave had ordered the Razing of Batuul. But even that hard expression had been less¡­ uncomfortable. When Uncle gave out cold-blooded orders or scolded them, there was still a flicker of fondness in his eyes, like a cozy hearth in a frosty night.


    Arnold¡¯s gaze was different. His cousin¡¯s usual warmth had suddenly been snuffed out in its entirety.


    The Prince¡¯s oppressive aura washed over him, and for an instant, the tall warrior felt very, very small.


    ¡°It is not your place to make such decisions,¡± Arnold stated. His voice was eerily even and controlled, and Friedrich could not muster a response. ¡°You stay out of the arena. You keep your distance from Princess Klara. Is that clear?¡±


    Friedrich swallowed thickly. ¡°...Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± The terrible aura receded, and for a moment, the warmth returned to Arnold¡¯s expression, together with something like remorse. Then, the Prince turned on his heel and strode out of the suite.


    = = = = =


    ¡°Good afternoon, Your Highness!¡±


    It had been quite a while since Klara had heard such a jovial greeting from anyone outside of her close family, but she did her best not to let the discomfort show on her face.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Lady Katharina. Thank you for the kind invitation.¡±


    Klara sat down gingerly on the ornate bench of the garden pavilion, careful not to damage the needlessly expensive dress the maidservants had squeezed her into. It felt uncomfortably tight around her shoulders and upper arms, and she had to consciously relax her muscles so the flimsy fabric wouldn¡¯t rip. She panicked briefly when the sheathed sword on her hip got caught in a heap of frilly pillows, but somehow managed to avoid embarrassing herself.


    The two young women exchanged a few pleasantries, and just when Klara¡¯s tolerance for meaningless chatter threatened to run out, a nervous servant girl pushed a serving cart laden with tea, cake, and confections into the pavilion and curtsied deeply before quietly placing everything on the table. She filled the tea cups with practiced grace, and quickly retreated out of listening range. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    To Klara¡¯s surprise, the tea was actually very good. It wasn¡¯t bland like produce from the Logrian ¡®landed corporations¡¯. Instead, the rich and smokey flavor reminded her of the leaves Eisengrund had seized during the last war with Polania.


    ¡°An import from Rossiya,¡± Katharina offered after noticing her surprised expression. ¡°Not particularly easy to come by, but more than worth the price.¡±


    Klara hummed an agreement, and then let her gaze wander over the mountain of sweets on the table. A jam-filled scone caught her attention. It was already halfway to her mouth when a memory of her aunt¡¯s scornful face reminded her of proper table manners. She regretfully placed the scone on her plate and broke off a bite-sized piece instead. It turned out to be delightful, but she missed the visceral joy of taking a huge bite out of a fresh pastry.


    Katharina soon took it upon herself to lead the conversation in a more fruitful direction, thankfully with little to none of the usual silkling babble.


    ¡°If I recall our brief conversation correctly, you were curious regarding Prince Arnold¡¯s motivations, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I was and still am,¡± Klara readily admitted, forcibly relaxing her expression. ¡°Though, should it involve you delivering a message of any kind, I shall hear none of it. I refuse to handle matters of honor through intermediaries.¡±


    ¡°Nothing of the sort,¡± Katharina assured her with a friendly smile. ¡°It is a much more simple matter.¡± She sampled a tiny piece of her fancily decorated cake, and continued. ¡°As you have undoubtedly noticed, Your Highness, a severe rift has formed between Prince Arnold and the Western faction, and he would prefer not to fight on multiple battlefields at once.¡±


    When Klara¡¯s brows furrowed in irritation, Katharina hastily added, ¡°Ah, this is not a message from him, merely my paraphrasing of his current situation. I am here entirely of my own volition.¡±


    The Princess heaved a drawn-out sigh. If the Silberthal girl was speaking the truth, Arnold had no intention of claiming compensation, deserved or not. She suppressed a spark of anger that had ignited at the thought of him considering saving her life an unworthy feat. The silkling was right ¨C Arnold was smart enough to realize that posing any sort of demand would cause him headaches at a time when he could not afford distractions. He would probably be happy to let the matter drop entirely if it bought him more capacities to deal with Sonnenfeld.


    For all intents and purposes, Klara was in a similar situation. With financial ruin looming over Eisengrund, the last thing her family needed was more conflict. And conflict was a natural outcome of any interaction between House Eisenberg and House Hohenfels. she winced mentally.


    ¡°That sounds reasonable. As long as he keeps his dog on a leash, I too see little point in further escalation,¡± she mused, careful not to put it as a message to convey. ¡°That leaves me with another question, though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to elaborate, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°What do you gain from all this, Lady Katharina?¡±


    Most people would have missed the slight twitch of her hand, but it did not escape Klara¡¯s notice.


    The young lady took a measured breath and met Klara¡¯s eyes. ¡°Prince Ludwig has effectively turned me into a persona non grata in his inner circle,¡± she explained with a refreshing amount of honesty. ¡°I need to find friends elsewhere.¡±


    Klara hardly remembered what the pompous asshole had said back at the soir¨¦e, but it must have been bad.


    ¡°Reasonable again,¡± she nodded. ¡°But you¡¯re missing something important.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡± Katharina asked with a minuscule hitch in her voice.


    ¡°You have lost numerous potential friends by simply talking to me publicly,¡± the Princess said neutrally. ¡°I refuse to believe that you are unaware of my reputation.¡±


    The young lady nodded slowly, carefully choosing her next words. ¡°I am very aware of it, Your Highness. But I am also aware of numerous other parties who would like to enter into dialogue with you, but are afraid of approaching you directly.¡±


    ¡°And for good reason,¡± Klara snorted. ¡°I have no interest in dealing with sycophants and lickspittles.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, dealing with this sort of person happens to fall squarely within my area of expertise, Your Highness,¡± Katharina smiled. ¡°If I had to summarize my intentions, it would be to become a bridge between you and them.¡±


    Klara let her head drop on the table gracelessly, causing the tableware to clatter about. She felt multiple seams of her dress strain and rip, but she couldn¡¯t care less.


    ¡°I hate this.¡±


    ¡°...Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she groaned. ¡°You want to drag me into silkling bullshit.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Uhm.¡± The articulate lady seemed at a loss for words. Good.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say I agree to your proposal. From now on, instead of hearing from the parasites, I would hear your reports.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°And so, I would have to balance your questionable usefulness with your ability to damage me in the long run.¡±


    ¡°That is¨C¡± Katharina coughed politely. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s how the game is played.¡±


    Klara finally raised her head from the table and fixed the other woman with a hostile glare.


    ¡°I know. And that is why I refuse to play at all.¡±