Relief

May the blessings of the benevolent star mother be with you, your holiness. I am Baron Velrodth Marton, a researcher at the Royal Medical Institute, through this letter I wish to disclose my findings through my work and ask for a favor.

The Orlosian kingdom would never be so prosperous and blessed with a bright future as it is today without the teachings and guidelines from the Star Children. However, as I said before, after many years of research and analyzing all the information we gathered in the last two decades, a serious matter appeared, and I beg that you holiness pay attention to this.

Our society is structured to benefit and organize all members through the blessings they receive at birth. The blessings guide the populace to focus on what skills they were blessed with and with that achieve the best output of each individual. As your holiness knows there is one day that is not under the blessings of our holy mother and those born on this accursed day are categorized as guideless.

According to the results of our research, we discovered that the most troublesome characters in our society are indeed guideless, bringing chaos to order in many different ways, burglary, assault, murder, and many other crimes that are already known by your grace. However these crimes are not related just by the fact they are guideless, but the social stigma created by the followers of the faith.

During all these years of research, we interviewed many guideless who are guilty of crimes and even those recognized in our society as great contributors to its growth. Those who committed any violation had a hurtful or violent childhood, it could be by physical abuse by parents and neighbors, humiliating experiences being treated as lower than animals, and in rare cases only an emotional breakdown. Now about those acknowledged by society, we have the case of Baron Abaril Gangare, born as a commoner and ascended to nobility thanks to his ingenuity and creativity, he was abandoned by his biological parents and adopted into the Gangare family by the grace and generosity of Mueller Gangare, a blacksmith of great renown at that time, he took him under his name and taught him everything about the craft.

The result of this is obvious, with a loving new family and being treated with dignity he became a great artisan, as you know his contribution was the windmill integrated with an irrigation system that brought life to the less fortunate areas of our kingdom, places that had no proper water access for farming activities. So please, your grace, you influence our entire society. If someone like you starts to advocate that people stop being hostile to those who are born on the day of the Void Star, only you have the power to change the lives of so many unfortunate members of our society. Thank you so much for your attention and may the blessings always be with you, your holiness.

The harvest season is drawing near, through the entire kingdom festivals will be held in appreciation for a good harvest and the wishes for a better one next year. A full week will be dedicated to the festivities, Orlosian the capital will receive a great influx of merchants and tourists from all kingdoms. Always trying to ensure a peaceful period, four noble families take care of the safety on the roads, the logistics of all goods, and the security on the streets. This year the Felnatus Family is responsible for patrolling the territory to be sure no bandit groups, creatures, or monsters become a problem for the realization of the festival.

The preparations for all the expeditions would cover the entire territory making the mansion boil in action. All the servants need help to prepare the final details before the expeditions. These days are being extra difficult for Manila, she has no problem doing all the work, but since she rejected the proposal from Amiliath, the personal servants under her orders are making everything more difficult.

Creating messes far superior to normal when Manila needed to work, spreading a rumor that Master Luccio was sent early to an expedition because he was caught in more intimate acts with Manila and that the period where almost no one could see her work was because she was under probation for her conduct and other minor nuisances.

"They are a nuisance, we need to eliminate them."

It was the last batch of clothes that needed to be washed and she was doing all that alone as usual, troubled by her thoughts and emotions. Sweat dripped from her forehead while hanging the clothes, soft steps could be heard from behind.

"I'm glad I could find you, Lady Manila." -The familiar voice of Lord Boltu annoyed her, since the day of her breakdown she had found his company a problem.

"What can this servant do for you, Lord Boltu?" -His smile fades a little hurt by those words, he tries to keep it and continue.

"I was saying, it makes me happy to find you here. I need to speak with you about the Harvest Festival preparations."

"The last batch of clothes is almost done, thanks to the scorching sun we are having today. I think in one to two hours everything will be dry."

"That's good to hear my lady, but what I have to say is more important to me and I think it will be good for you too." - Silently she stops her work and looks at Boltu with a tedious glare.

"In two days I will lead the first squad to patrol the southern border. My orders are to find monster nests or bandits roaming the land."

"I hope you don't find anything and return safely to the mansion." -She goes back to work without giving more attention than needed.

"Thank you for the kind wishes my lady, but I still need to tell you the reason why I am here telling you that. I know I did nothing to help you in the moments you needed the most." - Each word that comes out of his mouth is loaded with sadness and guilt, never seen him acting like this. "But as you know I am bound by my friendship and my professionalism towards Mellorus, each time I wanted to intervene my work code spoke louder and made me an accomplice to the cruelty you suffered."

"NOW he is sorry, sure…"

"I don't ask for forgiveness for what I may have caused with my inaction, but now I can finally do something towards you, my lady. You are an amazing person that even with all the obstacles in your way, you continue to grow and shine like a rough diamond being sculpted by a master jeweler."

"Don…sten…im"

The once bored stare became an unstable and emotional one, her attention was fully focused on him.

"So I wanted to make an invitation, something you are free to reject in case you don't trust my intentions. My lady, I invite you to join my expedition squad, not as a maid or servant, but as an apprentice."

"He…lying…on't…or it!"

An apprentice, something she never dreamed of being for a moment, receiving a treatment better than just a servant to be abused by its masters, a soldier in training, many possibilities could happen, a new experience that she always wanted.

"You will be the only one I have to answer to?"

"Exactly my lady, I will be the only one you have to answer and I intend to give you the best possible outcome. You will be treated as one of the soldiers that already serve me, all this because I sense a real talent in you and it's the only way to take you away from here for some time."

Peace, a concept she's never encountered before, and this may be the only time she will ever get it.

"Do you accept my invitation?" - He extends his right hand towards her for a handshake.

"I accept Commander Baltu." -Her hand is tiny compared to his, firmly shaking hands, and they smile at each other, one accomplishes his objective of redemption, and the other finally finds a trace of hope.

They stayed together until she finished doing all the laundry, after arriving at the barracks a servant was waiting for Manila.

"Manila, the master wants to see you at his office immediately, don't make him wait."

"Go lady Manila, I can handle the clothes myself." -Said Boltu with a big smile on his face, she smiled gently and walked towards the mansion.

When she entered the office, two people were waiting for her. Master Mellorus and his lovely daughter Amiliath. His elbows were resting on the table and his hands covering his mouth partially.

"This morning I received a strange request from Lord Boltu, he asked me if you could join his squad that will depart in two days. He spoke with you about it?"

"Yes, master." 

With a heavy annoyed sigh, he shook his head in disapproval.

"I knew it, the moment you started to take the sword lessons I knew it would cause me trouble. Boltu never asked me anything during all these years, now, he asks to allow you to go with him." - His voice slowly rises in anger, frustration, and volume.

"A guideless bitch that is always causing trouble will join one of my expedition squads at one of the most important festivals of the kingdom. I don't know what you are planning but, I am sure of one thing, you cursed being if you cause any trouble if anything goes wrong because of you, I WILL PERSONALLY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR PUNISHMENT AND YOU WILL BE SORRY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!" - His gestures radiate hostility and fear, for some reason Manila's presence outside the mansion is something that deeply bothers him.

"That is all master?" -She replies in the same toneless voice as normal.

His face became bright red like it was ready to explode, and then Amiliath touched his hand and smiled.

"Father please, she already understood the message, think about your health. Now Manila please leave, my father needs to rest."

Manila bows and leaves the office, a smile spread on her face when no one is near. After two days she will leave this mansion and nothing could make her happier. In her entire life, she never left these walls, no matter what happens at the expedition she will enjoy it until the end.