-Callia-

  I sighed in relief as we arrived back at the entry transfer plate. However, the queen clearly isn’t done with me yet. Eagerly she drags me to what I can only assume to be her quarters with the large open space and a bizarre mix of fluffy plushies and extreme combat training equipment.

  “Now, since we are in the capital, it's only natural we clean after a workout. I would rather not go about my day smelling of sweat, smoke, and blood. The room over there is my personal bathhouse. You go ahead while I change out of my armor.” With no reason to refuse, I entered the other room and found a golden swimming pool with other metals intricately embroidered into the side. On the side of the room, a pair of maids stood at the ready. I shifted my gear back into the void and carefully dipped myself into the pool. Just warm enough to let me enter it smoothly without the shock of adjusting to hot or cold waters.

  I didn’t anticipate my entry to spur the maids into action. They opened a hidden compartment in the side of the room and rolled out a multilevel rolling shelf filled with strange tools I had never seen. At this point, before they began, Karia burst into the room boldly nude. She had the same look of excitement seeing me that Vivre, the maid from Nox City, had. It seems I’m destined to become a dressing doll again.

  I live my life seeking the gritty adventurer lifestyle, but somehow everyone I meet insists on dressing me as they please. I resign myself to comply with their demands while my thoughts go over to Callen. His update is a relief. Using his connection to Nightshade, he found an alternative to having me activate his enchanted item. However, that also brought us a unique opportunity. While using the enchanted item required void affinity, it meant that as long as Nightshade and I have void gates, we can use each other as a network of interdimensional gateways. Regardless, since Callen was in Port Town, it made sense to let him spend some time with everyone there. I had only one request to make for his visit. Give Rylin and Mom a hug from me.

  Luckily the fashion afternoon was much more tame than I had anticipated. Instead, the queen wanted to drag me around the castle, giving me a full tour. We visited gardens with an ancient-looking tree that was tended by a druid envoy from the far continent. Then there were the palace craftsmen who had various floors dedicated to whatever project the royal family had set them to. We visited the indoor lake that even boasted fish up to level fifty. I met the queen's personal smith and even recognized some of the materials in the storeroom. Scales from one of the ocean fish we hunted. Fish scale alloy metals were deemed insufficient quality for royal use, but Port Town materials were regularly used in the making of palace guard armor.

  It made sense that the palace gave our town special status considering how directly we contribute to the royal armory. The queen also insisted on having her craftsmen review the equipment Callen had made for me. I smirked a bit as the runework completely baffled them, but when testing the efficacy, that was the only part that impressed them. In truth the craftsmen were affronted that such fine runework was used on such subpar materials. The weapons in particular were proclaimed the work of an ignorant frontier musclehead. I made sure to pass on the scathing reviews to my brother. They offered to completely redo the weapons but lacked the expertise to match Callen’s runework.

  I didn’t plan on accepting it. While the remains of Eldraine's treasury were sizable from the perspective of a townsfolk, I don't think it could afford the kinds of materials the craftsmen were recommending. Especially their insistence that I replace my arrows. A lot were fine from a town guard's standard, but the only reason they were barely passable was because I was the one shooting them. Compensating for cheap arrows was more of an instinctive action than a conscious one. If I wanted to truly bring out my potential, instead of the arrows I had, I needed high-quality wood like that found in the Fallen Forest, high-level monster bone, or magic metal.

  Despite my reservation, the queen ordered me a set of knives, a new bow, and a quiver of high-quality arrows. Before we left, I informed the craftsmen to leave the runic additions to me, as I had easy access to the craftsman of my previous equipment.

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  After that, Karia led us through the gardens. A masterpiece by any measure of sculpted hedges growing roses and long uniformly planted fields. However, the garden wasn’t filled with only staff. Another gorgeous-looking woman stepped in our path. Her beauty was a different kind. Instead of the strong and composed demeanor of Karia, she had more of a cunning “I know everything at all times” look. I noticed a spike in irritation from Karia as she greeted the other.

  “High Queen Vienne, I see you are well.” Karia stiffly dipped her head in acknowledgement. I slipped back trying to limit my presence as I mimicked Karia.

  “Am I well? Your son is stirring up a great deal of trouble. He’s raiding and pillaging valuable tools that our allies have given us at considerable personal cost.” Her words were sharp and accusatory, but I also noticed a complete lack of personal association with the issue. A politician's answer to avoid being at risk of being caught complicit in a scandal. She continued on. “Then there’s the butchery he made of the city guard elite! How are they supposed to fight the terrorist outsiders if you’re running cover for the man butchering them! Honestly, he’s an absolute disgrace. If I had my way, your boy would be sent beyond the great river as an exile!”

  Well, if I ever needed an introduction, it seems I now knew the source of me and Callen’s woes entering the capital. I wonder if it was built from the ground up until the real leader paid off the queen in exchange for her protection or if the queen started from the top, coercing the guards for her benefit. Either way, I am almost certain she had dirty ties to the guards and wanted to pressure Karia to get Eland’s investigation to stop.

  “Exile a prince? Over some dirty commoner guards? Go back and cry to our husband all you want; it won't get you anywhere.” Karia seemed to find her backbone the moment Eland was mentioned. The two fiercely locked eyes and were unwilling to back down. As they stared, Vienne's eyes darted over to me, narrowing further.

  “Is this the prostitute your son invited to the palace? Dirty and tall. I really can’t understand what possessed him to make such a bold choice. Wait, I know that face. You're the sister of the suicide bomber who destroyed Baron Gland’s bar! Karia, how dare you bring a criminal around the palace! Guards! ” At her cry a half dozen knights rushed from the edges of the room, surrounding us. The men advanced boldly, and I looked to Karia for guidance. She looked at the approaching men with such disdain that they froze in place, hesitant to push forward.

  “Vienne, Ser Callia is the subject of an ongoing investigation and lacks any formal charges. If you take another step against my guest, I will be most remorseful to have your dress ruined by the bloodstains of your men. I ask this firmly: back off from my guest.” Vienne’s eyes went wide with shock and disbelief. The knights, meanwhile, faintly trembled at the clear implication. I think I’m starting to get what Karia said when she mentioned the worst knights. These men lacked the spine and determination that hunting wild monsters built.

  “You’ll regret this, bitch. Don’t think this is the end of this conversation!” Vienne was clearly flustered by Karia’s line in the sand. Personally I couldn’t imagine what it was like to live with someone like that, and the title of High Queen suggested that she held more authority than Karia. I looked over to Karia, who let out a deep breath and looked back at me.

  “Vienne is the daughter of the king's most trusted advisor. Unfortunately, she holds the opinion that growth alteration from high stats makes someone subhuman. This has her frequently at odds with me and the second queen, Cora Harlanou. Though the divide between me and Queen Harlanou may be even more severe. How about we go get some treats and forget this meeting ever happened? ” I nod in affirmation. Dealing with assholes was either satisfying or exhausting, and I don’t think Karia found much satisfaction from this encounter.

  Paladin Korin

  Korin held the leash tethering the broken from running off. Looking off towards the familiar city, he recognized the capital. He felt a step relieved but also a step concerned. Children in the capital who bore the divine trace often struggled to get the skills necessary to hide their scent. Those who couldn’t would end up living their whole lives confined to the holy citadel. It had to be done because the consequences of unsupervised Chosen bore grave consequences. Demons were hard to root out and extremely dangerous.

  Korin had only ever encountered one demon, but he had confronted it with a team of chosen and over a dozen paladin knights. The chosen used divine power to suppress the monster while he and his companions repeatedly stuck the monster into submission. The battle had cost the lives of six knights, and afterwards the original demon was confirmed to have been a low-level cat that had snuck into a city hunting a chosen. Despite the losses of that battle, Korin only hardened his determination to see those who were blessed safely delivered to the citadel.

  The broken flailed wildly against its restraints, trying to pull itself forward even at the risk of self-harm. Korin felt an ominous premonition. The broken were notable for their disinterest in everything except the chosen, but they weren’t the only monsters that had increased sensitivity. The broken’s desperation was unnatural even for a being such as it. If it had such a strong reaction, then the other abominations would undoubtedly be on their way. He ordered his company to push forward; time was a luxury, and he didn’t know how long they had until disaster struck.

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