Lupina of the Freedom Lands

Fire could be seen soaring to the sky, and yet the maids in the castle seemed to remain impassive. They would turn to look from time to time, but they didn't really give it more attention. Of course, the soldiers of the city had been deployed to take a look and resolve any matters.

Artie got out of her room and went to check the hallways for a trace of Miel. She shouldn't rush into the city just like that so she wanted to find Miel first and tell him that she's leaving. However, the angel ran into someone who should be a lot more concerned about the fire.

The angel paused in her steps and then approached the man looking at the city through the windows of the castle. "Your Grace, the city is on fire..."

"Nothing but an effigy is on fire. Its height must be considered thoroughly for its flames to reach my sight when they set it ablaze." Lord Ellis then turned to the angel. "Are you going to humor yourself with their spectacle?"

"Spectacle? Effigy?" Artie frowned and then made a double take on the fire and smoke she could see. Then, she eyed the archduke. "Whose effigy are they burning? Yours? Why would they do that—?! I'm sorry, what I mean is..."

"Your Grace!" Miel's voice echoed in the hallway, and he arrived next to Lord Ellis. "Your Grace, the people are holding another demonstration in the city plaza. The nobles plead you to silence them. They are afraid that they would be harmed by the people later on their way home."

Lord Ellis only looked over his shoulder for a while before seeing past the windows again. "Find a path from the castle gates to the Litmus Ravine. Prepare an envoy that would lead them back to Miral Valley safely. As for the others, let Lord Miral handle them as they were already in his home."

Gazes from Artie and Miel didn't faze the archduke even if his solution wasn't for the best. In the end, Miel could only arrange for the path Lord Ellis had spoken about.

If the nobles didn't want to cross the ravine, then let them cross the seemingly enraged city. Either way, they would be out of Lord Ellis's hands soon enough. What a very commendable host indeed.

However, Artie wasn't impressed. If the people of the city were holding demonstrations and burning his effigy in anger, shouldn't he do something about it? Was this why Miel said that he hoped someone was worried about the Archduke…? Because the people actually didn't like him?

"Head back to your room if you're not interested in their show." Lord Ellis didn't wait for Artie to answer before he moved to leave the hallway. Even if she was supposed to be his pretend woman, she seemed to be treated too coldly.

"...there should be a way for me to get into the city. However, if they were mad at the people from the castle, I shouldn't be seen leaving from this place." Artie then moved back to her room. The smoke had seemed to dissipate, but it didn't mean the demonstrations were over.

When she closed the doors to her room, it was like something snapped inside her head. She suddenly remembered that she was not a human in this world. She was an angel! Artie then moved through her Eternal Memory and read about the Hideous Brown Rat Transmutation.

In a few seconds, the image of her changed. Her skin lit up in a faint white, and she turned into a brown rat. The good thing about it was that her clothes didn't come off. Else, she would be running around naked… again.

The brown rat squeaked faintly as Artie spoke out, testing if her voice would echo out. In the end, they were just squeaks coming from a disgusting rat. "This transformation gives me a very strange perspective. Anyway, I have to find a way to sneak out without being killed!"

"Lady Shen?" Knock, knock. "Lady Shen, this is the head of your maids-in-waiting, Monique."

Artie twitched and quickly turned back into a human form. She checked her parts and her clothes before answering the door with a sweet smile. "Yes, Monique?"

Monique tried to look past Artie's image blocking the door as if she had heard strange noises from inside. She then brought her eyes to the angel. "The seneschal was hoping for your audience in the stables. Would you like us to help you in changing?"

"...yes, please." Artie let her maids-in-waiting inside her room. Even if she wanted to dress herself on her own, the clothes of this status were too complicated to put on with just herself.

She changed into a less balloon-y gown, and her hair wasn't tied in tight braids. However, she was wearing a golden woven snood with pearls on each intersection. It looked like a gift more than something the ducal tailor had made.

Artie made her way to the stables and found Miel waiting next to a pair of horses. She moved towards the seneschal and smiled at him. "Hello, Miel. You asked for my presence?"

"It sounds strange and obnoxious when you speak our norm." Miel's brows frowned, but he shook it off as he gestured towards the horse. "This is Lupina, the most beautiful among the mares, also the fastest even among the stallions. She shall be your steed during your travels within and without Ellis Plains."

The mare had a beautiful pair of blue eyes with gold rings around each pupil. It was made special as everything about her was white. A perlino mare like her seemed to be very suited to be ridden by queens and princesses. Then again, she was the fastest among the horses?

Artie then turned to Miel. "The archduke doesn't have his own horse?"

"The archduke has his own horse, but the Black Kodiak is very special." Miel only shook his head. "It will come when the archduke calls. Other than while ridden by the archduke, there are no other times that the Black Kodiak will be seen. That is why… you would have the opportunity to ride Lupina."

"...so which one is faster?" Artie reached out and petted the horse who seemed to be unamused by her action. The angel took her hand back and only smiled at her.

"...the Black Kodiak. However, that horse is… he could let the archduke cross from the castle to the capital city within three days. That would be a week-worth of travel even for messengers." Miel only hummed before waving his hand. "However, I did not ask of you just so we could speak about horses.

"I wish to speak with you about the city, Lady Shen. Ride with me."