Viviana Puscule

It seems like training by myself is starting to have its limits. My power and abilities are not meant for sparring or training without putting my opponent in danger. Even Chloe gets hurt when I attack her, and she is strong enough to be one of the Celest's personal guards. That's why today, it is paramount that I convince Cera to let me go to the outskirts of Celest's kingdom and get rid of the brigandage that haunts them.

"Cera, can I please go the outskirts of the kingdom to train?" I don't think she'll say yes, but I have practiced this conversation over a hundred times in my head. I can do this.

After a minute of silence, I started to get nervous.

"Alright. Be back before sunset." Cera walked up to me and put her lips near my ear.

"If you're not, I'll never let you go out by yourself again." Her chilling tone almost made my body react.

"I promise." I hugged Cera for a bit too long before leaving.

I could see the carriage waiting for me outside, so I immediately darted away and jumped from house to house until I reached the kingdom's main gate. I brought Celest's plaque, so I should be able to leave without any questions.

I arrived at the gate where two guards were stationed and simply showed them the small plaque and they let me out after giving me a simple bow.

It's really nice to have Celest's support. I know the other two wives of the king are strong as well, and even though I've never met them, I don't think they'll be able to beat Celest. Whether it's in power or influence, Celest has this kingdom in her reigns.

I hurriedly ran atop the paved road and eventually broke off into a barely visible dirt road with rows of trampled grass next to it. These look like tracks from a carriage, or even just heavy cart. I kept following the tracks until I stumbled upon a forest.

I'm sure there's people hiding somewhere in there. I jumped on top of a tree and hopped from branch to branch, following the cart's tracks, leading to a small opening on a mountain. I stood atop a tree branch and dispersed my Alm to scout ahead, but the cave was too deep. I didn't sense any humans around the cave, so I jumped down and rushed inside. After a few minutes of running, I was finally able to sense multiple human presences within the cave.

It felt like most of them were lined up around the cave wall and the rest were slightly scattered in the middle. Probably slave traders.

I focused Alm on my legs and flew straight into the person who seemed to be the strongest inside the cave. My fist landed on his face, sending his head flying off and splattering all over the wall and a few slaves. I stopped my momentum by forming an ice pillar between the cave's ceiling and ground with my left hand. As soon the other slave traders noticed that I had arrived, they charged at me.

"That's right. Come at me, let me kill you." I taunted them and bloody screams began to echo in the cave.

I countered their attacks with ice spikes while protecting the slaves chained on the wall and blew up the chest cavities of anyone I got close to. I completely disintegrated a few of their bodies, but this is what training is for, to learn how to control my power. After the rancid smell of blood entered my nostrils, I heard a few of the slaves disgorge whatever food was left in their stomachs.

I looked around and found that this could be seen as a disgusting, eerie sight if you're not used to fighting and killing. The black clothes that Cera gave me were covered in blood, but it wasn't very noticeable. I walked up to the middle of the displayed slaves and started questioning them.

"Where did you guys come from?" I considered freeing them right away, but if they ran away, I would have to kill them since I don't know anything about them.

They all remained quiet, and it began to annoy me.

"If you guys ignore me again, I'll kill every single one of you as well." I was about to summon ice lances and kill every single slave, until a girl around my age spoke out.

"I-I'm a maid from the empire that was sold off as a slave. Please help me!" I think she's lying. She's pretty enough to be a noble, and she sounds scared, but strangely confident.

"Alright, I'll help you. I came from the Lunite Kingdom, and I was simply passing by when I found this cave. If you don't mind coming with me, I'll get you out of here." Her dirt covered body flinched when I said where I was from.

"Please! I'll do anything!" She shook the chains she was bound to by moving her body forward and her scream reverberated throughout the cave.

"Good. Anyone else?" I looked around at the other ten slaves before they all started shouting where they were from.

I'll bring this girl back with me and have Cera interrogate her, and I'll give the rest to Celest. I searched the body of the dead leader and took out a few documents and a badge he was carrying. This should help Celest figure out where they came from.

"Listen up. We're going to have to move quickly. If we don't make it back to the kingdom by sunset, I'll kill everyone here." I pierced their shackles and chains with ice spikes and turned around.

"If anyone tries to run away, I'll kill them on the spot. Keep in mind you guys are my prisoners, your lives belong to me until we reach the kingdom." I started jogging and everyone behind me followed suit.

The girl from earlier looked like she was having the easiest time and was leading the pack of slaves. If she's a noble, she might have information about the empire, it would be good to get her to talk. Unfortunately, right before we got out of the forest, I sensed that two of the slaves ran off on their own and I immediately froze them on the spot.

"You can't even listen to simple directions." I blew up the ice that incarcerated them and left two massive ice spikes hovering over the trees near the entrance of the forest.

"We're halfway there, if anyone tries that again, I'll kill all of you." Right as we were about to continue, one of the older male slaves tried to attack me.

"You asshole!" The fake maid screamed and grabbed him by the neck before he got near me and crushed the back of his neck with her grip clad in blue lightning. Blood was dripping from her hand and she got on one knee and began to plead for her life.

"I took care of him, princess, please spare me." Princess? Does she think I'm a candidate for the throne?

"It's fine, we need to hurry. If I'm not home before sunset, I'll get in trouble." I ignored her misunderstanding because I thought it would be useful for keeping her in check.

I looked up at the sun and sped up. If I'm late on top of bringing some random girl home, Cera will get extremely mad at me.

When we were about to reach the kingdom's gate, one of the guards saw me and rushed to me.

"Lady Zara, we received orders from her highness to follow any and all of your instructions. Please let us help." The guard from earlier genuflected and the slaves behind me started sweating even more. I wonder if the princess comment from earlier made them nervous.

"I found these people inside a cave near the forest east of here. Take all of these people to Celest along with these documents and badge." I handed him everything I took from the dead slave trader and pointed my finger at the fake maid.

"She will be coming with me, prepare a carriage for her and send her to my house." I gave the guard my orders and rushed back home.

"My Lady, please take off your shoes before coming into the house." Noire stopped me at the front door and started patting me down with a towel to make sure no blood dripped on the floor.

She handed me a pair of slippers and led me to our room, where Cera was waiting with a towel in hand.

"I figured you'd come home all dirty, but you're dirtier than I thought you'd be." Cera took my hand and led me to the bathroom.

After our early shower, I told her to put on something more casual because we'd be having a guest come over. I told her about the slaves, the cave, and the fake maid that will be arriving soon.

"She's definitely a captured noble from the empire. I don't know how she ended up here, but she's strong enough to crush someone's neck with her bare hand. I think we can get some information out of here about the empire. She also thought that I was a princess from the kingdom, once she gets here, she'll know she was wrong." I explained as much as I could so Cera wouldn't get mad.

"Well, if you look at it from the noble's point of view, we're both pretty much considered princesses. With Celest completely sponsoring and protecting us, the only thing we're missing is a connection to the royal family." Cera was casually assessing our situation while making a new Alm oath on the bed.

"I guess that makes sense. Do you think she'd do something crazy like trying to adopt us?" I put my hands on top of Cera's and helped her control the flow of Alm.

"She can't do that because we're married. We would become married sisters if she were to try to adopt us. Unless she only adopts one of us, it's not possible for us to have a connection to the royal family. Well, it's not like we'd ever accept the adoption because it would simply make us hostages to the kingdom."

"Not to mention, the king will become the father and there's no way that will happen. Both of our powers are way too different from the royal family, it would be bad for them to adopt us. Unless Celest does something insane, there's no way we'll ever be connected to them." Something insane? Would Celest really do something to break the kingdom's customs? What could she even do?

"The guest is here." Noire came in and we got off the bed.

"I served her some food and had her wait in the dining room. She is very dirty, so please keep your distance." I feel like Noire is a germaphobe. The house is always spick and span, and she gets fearfully angry whenever I make a mess in the yard or in our room.

Noire looked down at the towel I left on the floor and sent me a scary glance. I instantly hid behind Cera and stuck out my tongue at her. I wrapped my hands around Cera's waist and followed closely behind her while feeling happy about leaving my towel on the floor.

I playfully whispered into Cera's ear.

"Thank you for always protecting me." I softly laughed at my own stupid joke.

"You do understand that you brought some other girl home without my permission, right?" Cera turned her head, with my arms still around her waist, she lovingly, but threateningly bit my cheek with her front teeth.

I could feel the tender pain from her bite on my cheek and the burning sensation of my embarrassment spreading all over my face.

I put my forehead on her shoulder and tightened my arms around her waist, preventing her from walking. With weird, thrilling butterflies in my stomach, I kissed the back of her shoulder.

"Are you jealous?" I quickly pushed myself against her back so she wouldn't attack me with her heart-pulling lips.

"No. But if you ever try to make me jealous, I'll bite more than just your cheek." Cera pulled my hands off her waist and we walked in hand in hand into the dining room.

Her fingers tickling the inside of my wrist as we walked in.

With my head still filled with empty fantasies, I sat next to Cera, placing my chair directly next to hers and hugging her arm with my head resting on the side of her arm. Completely ignoring the girl in front of us and closing my eyes to enjoy her warmth.

"I'll start off by warning you that if you lie again, I'll cut off your tongue. Cooperate and nothing will happen." I focused on getting ready to defend Cera just in case the fake maid decides to attack.

"What's your name? What family of the empire do you belong to and why were you with the other slaves?" I could feel the fake maid's Alm becoming unstable. I summoned ice spikes around her and froze her feet under the table.

"You move, you die." I warned her with my eyes still closed.

"I am the second daughter of the second wife of the emperor, I am a princess from the empire, my name is Viviana Puscule." Her scared, trembling voice echoed in the dining room.

"I ran away from home because I didn't want to get married to some old man and was eventually captured by slave traders while I was on the run. I didn't know I was so close to the Lunite Kingdom nor did I know where the slave traders were taking us. All the other captives were already there when I was captured, so I don't know their origin." I released her legs and just kept the ice spikes around her.

"If Celest finds out about you, you'll die." Cera said what was on my mind.

"Is she not a princess of the Lunite Kingdom?" I had my eyes closed, but I could tell she was looking at me.

"No. We're just on really good terms with the queen. So tell me, why shouldn't we hand you over to her? Since you ran away, you pretty much committed treason already. If you answer all my questions have regarding the empire honestly, I promise not to kill you." I softly tickled Cera's wrist while she was talking. I know this is a serious conversation, but I wanted to get back at her.

"What do I need to do for you to set me free?" I opened my eyes and looked at the determined princess.

"That's not possible. You currently cannot leave the Kingdom, you should be able to understand that much. Celest would never let us take you out without telling her who you are. Even if we are close, I have no intentions of risking our relationship with her for you. I understand your situation and the best I can do to help you is let you stay here as an employee under contract. Celest will keep an eye on you regardless of what I do, but I can at least guarantee your safety this way. Not only Celest, but also the empire." I looked up at Cera in surprise. I didn't think she'd be willing to help her out.

"You'll protect me from the empire?" Viviana responded with a nonplussed expression on her face.

"As long as you do your job well, I won't let them get near you and I'll even pay you." I know Cera was smiling to convince her and being friendly, but it still peeved me to see her smiling at another girl, so I pinched the back of her hand.

"I'll give you until morning to decide, if you cause any trouble or try to run away, I'll send you straight to Celest. She will be more than happy to get any information of the empire out of you." Cera intertwined her fingers with mine and stood up.

"Noire, show her to the guest room and have her cleaned up, I don't want her dirtying the house." She pulled me back to our room and pushed me down on the bed.

"You've been acting spoiled and pettish since you got back. You ruined the clothes I gave you and you brought home a girl." Cera started tickling my stomach and I couldn't break free from her vicious torment.

"This is what you get for trying to make me jealous." Cera kept tickling me until I started crying and left me writhing in pain from laughter after she felt it was enough.

"I still have work to do, get some rest." Cera leaned in and kissed my forehead before going to her desk.

"You meanie."