In an outlying earth at the center of the thicket nymph, a castle view is heavenly, with a complicated architecture. High-ranking guards standing at the top of the citadel screen, with the glorious hands of intellectuals and engineers.
A revolting, ethereal quality of a perfect kingdom had outlined the surface of this magnificent castle. Inside are the most breathtaking patterns, carved with graceful edifices and monuments of the kings and queens.
A youthful lady with a silvery dress marked with an eye and an emblematic cross with a blue mask walks through the room of this grand castle. The lady was between the ages of fifteen and eighteen, with a porcelain complexion, huge blue eyes, long eyelashes, and red lips. She's indeed a beauty to behold.
The young lady arrives at the majestic door, and the guardians open it slowly, exposing the most delicate interior of the palace. She goes in, greets others with a simple nod, and sits down with the other members of society.
"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for attending this wonderful banquet of mine." This man in his forties speaks with a gentle smile, revealing his porcelain teeth. He stands up, raises his right palm, and places his left hand in his chest as his little finger and ring finger bend.
"Al'batah!"
"Al'batah!" everyone did the same salute.
After the greeting, the man nodded and continued, "It has been hundreds of years since we have created our society; without your help and support, we wouldn't carry out these treasures." He continued, "In due time, we will reach our goal!" The crowd claps. The man raised his hands and said, "But before we can bring about our victory, we must continue what we are doing and push harder."
"I want to ask, were there any issues at your place?" he asked. "There's no problem at my place, as you can see from that place. Eventually, I'll grasp the power and make it mine," the elderly man in his sixties said, laughing heavenly. "How majestic" as the young woman looks at the elderly man with satisfying and seductive eyes.
The man who was considered the chief of this secret association grabbed a teaspoon and started striking the cup gently. Signaling that the meeting would begin, and the crowd nodded and went silent.
"Alright, members of this magnificent society... it is all good and well that our business is getting much recognition now, rather than to our past selves a few years ago." He pursed his lips from the smile into something serious.
"Hahaha…"
"As you can see, our plans are AB-SO-LUTE-LY…" he looked into the eyes of every member of the association, "…perfect."
"It is…" the bald man with a mustache replied. "So what happened?" The man squints his eyes, looking directly at the chief, "Dariel?"
Dariel, the meeting's administrator, raised his head and stated, "There is a minor issue that occurred during the operation." He took a teacup, sipped, and savored the aftertaste. "Just say it," an irritated lady in her forties said. "Just tell us what happened; give us the information you have."
Dariel set his cup down. "Our people who were sent to that village were killed," he said, not surprised. "So, who are they?" inquired someone. "It's May, the priest, and Joy, a female knight," Dariel said casually.
There were several whispers around the table. A church priest isn't much to begin with, but being escorted by a female knight implies the priest has some clout. The secret group must now wash their hands because a prominent priest was involved and murdered during the operation.
They all became upset in their chairs. "Everyone, please calm down," a young woman intervened in their intense debate. When the stillness returns, the young lady laughs and adds, "It is true that May is one of the priests and our tool, but she has no great achievements," adding, "While Joy is the candidate for a white knight, she is just a candidate with nothing to be afraid of."
"But wasting a knight is a big deal for us. It's not like dropping a pawn who we can replace whenever we want," the young woman says to Dariel. Dariel nods in agreement: "That's true, but she died; that means a waste is always a waste. We can't help it, but we have to clean up the mess that two trash created." Dariel stood up and walked toward the open window.
"We were still figuring out who was responsible for foiling our plan." One member of the secret society clenches his fist and asks, "Should I send someone who's much better at investigation?" Dariel shakes his head and says, "No need." After the intensive conversation, they discussed some important things and gave various opinions and remarks about their prospects.
-----
"How was it?" The young woman asks Dariel while writing. "I still don't know, but I got information about the man who killed our subordinates." Dariel cut the stalk of an indigenous plant and placed it behind the box.
"He seems exotic," the woman pondered. "A person who can kill a trained knight is rather an assassin or a warrior," she added. Putting down the cutter, Dariel faced the young woman and said, "He is fascinating indeed. I will know him better." His face felt relaxed, and he smiled.
"I will invite him to join our cause."
"Well, if he's not?"
"More fun."
*****
"So, how was it?" Screw asked Gura while sitting under the tree. Gura excitedly flashed her new identification card: "Look, Master! My very own Adventurer Guild card!" She flipped it several times before resting it between her fingers. "Wow, it looks beautiful."
"Master, are you sure you would rather not become an adventurer like me?" Gura knitted her eyebrows. "Having an identification card will help us, especially if we travel to other places."
Screw keeps watching the butterfly between his fingers before looking at Gura and saying, "I don't need one; I can move freely, even though I don't have any recognition cards to begin with."
Looking at her master, Gura smiled and said, "Well, I guess you are right, because you were a unique and memorable one." Screw laughed heartedly, "If I'm special, then what about you?" Another butterfly landed on his mask. "You are way more special; remember that."
"Both of you look special," the young lady added while watching both of them enjoy their fun time. He only looked at her for a few minutes, then ignored her again.
"Hey, it seems you're trying to ignore me for the rest of the day." The lady pouted her cheeks to look cute, but he didn't take bait. "Stop that; you're not Gura, not cute at all."
"Yeah, whatever, do whatever you want; I'll just follow you wherever you go; that's my sole purpose here anyway." She lay down on the grass and gazed up at the sky. "You know, Mr. Screw, you know I'm not from this era, right?"
He sat under the tree, watching his daughter play on the grass. "I know," he admitted. "Then you realize you're just a manifestation of your memory?" she speculated, relishing the cool wind. When she didn't hear back from him, she fixed her gaze on him. "I'll take it as a yes."
"This is just a warning," he said as he rose up and approached Gura. "Don't expect anything good; don't trust the book; don't trust the author," he remarked to the lady before leaving. "You already know that I'll take any risk to obtain absolute power, and becoming a sage is my dream," she added, looking behind him. He flashed her the middle finger as he walked away, saying, "There's no absolute here, and screw the Sages."
"No absolute, huh? Then I'll just show you after I consume all the knowledge that this grimoire has to offer." She laid her back again on the grass and said, "For now, I'll take a nap. I'm too sleepy to move right now." She took a rest, uncaring of her surroundings.
------
"Master, look here," she said, waving her hands to call to her master. Screw, walk near her and look at what she's pointing at—an old abandoned building. He asked her why she was happy looking at the building, and she answered, "This will be our new home from now on." Confused, he asks her for more details and why she chose this place.
"Master, I have a feeling this will be a good hideout, and we don't have the money to buy or rent a house right now." This makes sense because they're presently broke and need to subsist without a full meal until she can earn her first mission.
"I know, it's still nice, but I think this is our best option for now," he adds, scanning the building for flaws that others, like burglars, may attack. He doesn't discover any, which confuses her even more. "We have the entire day, so why not enter it now and rest until tomorrow?"
She hums in silence as he turns his back on her and walks into the abandoned building, recalling what the receptionist informed them about the mission she must do for the first time. "Master, we should start our quest immediately!" she says as she comes up to him.
"Eeh? You can't," he said, waving his hand in disapproval. She inquired as to why, since it is still early, they might walk outside before nightfall. "Listen, Gura, you just got your card, and it's already noon; it's not early," he said, touching the lock and forcing open the barricade door.
"We need to rest for now, and we can finish your quest by tomorrow morning." She pouted when her master didn't allow her to roam and do her quest immediately.
"Go inside and look for your own room; I'll go outside and fetch something for us to eat." She nodded and entered. 'Good girl, but there's a guest. I need to say "hello" above all else,' he says as he cracks his hands before he walks in a different direction and enters a different alley.