The Sword Saint’s Second Life As a Fox Girl
6-12 The embassy

A giant of a building lay on top of a hill’s crest in the centre of the capital’s eastern region. The building was adorned with only embellishments that one would find in the undisturbed wilderness. Not a single chunk of the building was artificially refined until it looked nothing like its original shape and form. 

The building encompassed three massive storeys. From the outside, Nivia could tell a single storey was as large as four peasant houses. This was the Fae Embassy in the capital of the Yorun Kingdom. The lands within this compound were considered Fae territory. No one could easily tread into this place without incurring some dire consequences. Nivia simply hoped that Erin would not try to do anything rash or stupid, or both. 

As much as Nivia hated to admit it, she was glad that Aedan was there. He would know what to do. He would have the sense to not do anything rash or stupid. He would hold Erin back. He would not allow her to act recklessly. The more Nivia thought about him, the more she unconsciously had a better opinion of him. The moment she became aware of her growing evaluation of Aedan, she brushed that thought aside. And she found herself becoming heated by the thoughts of him.

“Are you that worried?” asked Lilian who was walking side-by-side with Nivia as they were being escorted, rather forcefully, into the main building of the embassy. She felt a nudge in her chest. She patted the spot where she felt the nudge and the movements stopped.

“I’m not,” Nivia lied, though not completely. “At least not about Erin. It’s Aera. Do you think they would—”

“They won’t do anything to Aera,” Lilian assured.

“How can you be sure? You saw it too. They took her underground. There can’t be a good reason for anyone to take someone underground.”

“They will do no such thing. Aera isn’t a mercenary, nor is she a proper adventurer. She’s a common folk. If they harmed her before she had, there would be consequences. The Fae Embassy has privileges but they are not above the law.”

“You better be right… I won’t forgive them if they hurt her…”

Lilian shrugged. “They didn’t, did they? At least they are prudent and sensible enough.”

“Prudent and sensible, huh… That’s definitely not what I have heard about the Tempest Blades. What about you? You look very… at ease?”

Lilian tittered. “There’s nothing to worry about. We have Aedan. Knowing him, he would already have something in mind to come save us.”

“These are Tempest Blades. The best of the best. Given his current state, he won’t be a match and neither will Erin.”

“Not everything has to end with a fight, dear Nivia.”

“I can’t imagine the Consuls will just let me return to Erin’s side without some… violent persuasion. Whatever their reason is for taking me away without due notice, they sure aren’t even trying to be friendly.”

“Then let us pray Aedan has some diplomatic ideas in mind.”

Nivia glanced at the Tempest Blades. She gauged their reaction but there was none, at least not from their body languages. She couldn’t see their faces as they wore fully visored helmets. They flanked them on all sides, walking with their eyes forward, their bodies straightened, and their steps resolute. They marched through a long hall that extended until the other end of the building, where a flight of stairs led them up to each floor of the building along a spiralling path.

Lilian felt a stir in her chest again. This time, she rubbed her chest gently and the stirring stopped. Ruri was uneasy, understandably so, but she could let her out yet. Not when they were still unsure whether they were walking into the territory of an enemy or an ally.

There were no other people in the building except for them. Or at least Nivia couldn’t sense anyone else but them. There were plenty of rooms but when she peeked through the gaps between the doors and the frames, they saw nothing but empty rooms. She didn’t even recall seeing anyone guarding the gates into the embassy’s estate. The same was true for the whole march until they reached a pair of doors at the end of a corridor. Finally, Nivia saw another person there, a Tempest Blade, standing guard at the doors.

With long, pale blue hair that flowed to her waist, the Tempest Blade strutted towards them when she took notice of their arrival. Unlike the other Tempest Blades, she wore no helmet, so her face was plain for all to see. Even at a quick glance, anyone would easily notice the similarity of the Tempest Blade’s face with Nivia’s.

“L-Luvia?” Niva blurted out in disbelief.

“Luvia?” Lilian was the same.

The two glanced at the Tempest Blade striding towards them from where she had been standing guard. When the two parties met, all of them stopped in their tracks. The Tempest Blade, whose name was Luvia, gave her peers a nod.

The Tempest Blades on Nivia and Lilian’s side returned a nod and backed away from them.

“Luvia, what are you doing here?” Nivia asked.

“You,” Luvia answered curtly.

“M-me? What did I do?”

“Come with me,” Luvia said and turned to lead them into the room. She didn’t touch the doors. They opened themselves as the three approached.

 Nivia had plenty of questions but all of them were blown right out of her head when she entered the room and saw the Elf standing behind the desk with her arms crossed. The Elf in question had wrinkles on her face, which spoke a great deal about her age, considering the Faerie-kin were a long-living race.

“Matriarch Xiolise?” Nivia blurted out in disbelief once again but there was a hint of pleasantry.

While Lilian was also surprised, much like Nivia, she had a reserved disposition.

“It’s Consul Xiolise now, Nivia,” the Elf said with a wry smile. She turned to Lilian with the same smile. “Lilian, it’s been a long time.”

Contrary to Xiolise's warm reception, Lilian looked at her coldly. “Has it? I haven’t noticed.”

“What’s happening?” Nivia asked with her voice raised. “Why am I here?”

“Do you truly not know?” asked Luvia as she entered the room behind them and closed the doors with a flick of her hand. “Did you not receive my letter?”

Nivia frowned. “I have not.” 

Luvia and Xiolise also frowned in response. They exchanged a brief glance. They shared no words but their intentions were conveyed.

“I’m here now. You can just say it to my face.” 

Xiolise sighed. “Your manners are as crude as ever, Nivia. I heard you are even worse towards the others.”

“Save the reproach for later. What did you want to tell me?”

“Stay away from the capital,” Xiolise answered.

“Stay away? W-why? What’s happening exactly? Why are you all acting so grim and secretive? The Tempest Blades were not answering any of my questions, which is very unusual.”

“Because I told them not to.”

“Again, why?”

“Something terrible is happening in the capital.”

“And?” Nivia looked at the two with an absolutely disorderly expression. “In case you haven’t heard about it, I was part of the forces that repelled the Demonic forces in Sephrodia Valley. Whatever terrible things are happening in the capital, I am capable enough to take them on.”

“This one’s different, Nivia. Have you forgotten who you are?”

“....I have not. I had been constantly reminded of that every day in the past, before I left the forest. What of it?”

“Our spies had procured some dire information, information that still isn’t privy to a lot of individuals, including the ones that deal in information.”

“Then how did we come by this piece of information?”

“By chance and luck. Whoever’s behind the darkness clouding the capital, they are searching for components and ingredients they would use in their unknown dark ritual, one of these components and ingredients is the blood of royalty.”

Nivia’s frown deepened. “What does that have to do with me?”

“You are royalty, Nivia. You are my niece, the daughter of my sister, the Fae Queen.”

“And who else could possibly know about this other than our own people? I haven’t met anyone who’s aware of this fact, even the ones who deal in information.”

“You can never be too careful, Nivia. We have ignored all other dangers and threats because you were never the target of these tragedies and disasters. Not this one, Nivia. If they know there’s a Fae Princess in the capital, I will imagine that they will stop at nothing to acquire you.”

“How accurate is this information?” Lilian asked.

Xiolise’s expression curled slightly. “Do you doubt our spies?”

“I don’t. But I doubt the information. What if it’s a trap? To disturb the bush and see what comes out of it. We are already here, Xiolise.”

“You will address her as Consul Xiolise, Lilian,” Luvia advised sternly.

But Lilian ignored the rebuke. “If we leave now, abruptly, people will wonder. People will question.”

“I am aware of that, Lilian,” said Xiolise. “Which is why I won’t ask you two to leave the capital but remain here.”

Nivia blinked. “In the capital?”

“In the embassy.”

“No way in hell.”

Xiolise flinched, seemingly shocked by the fact at Nivia’s choice of words.

Luvia had the same reaction. Her face was one which was filled with incredulity.

Xiolise recomposed herself immediately. “Looks like your friends have affected you more than I expected. This is unexpected. I was genuinely shocked to hear that you were prepared to fight the Tempest Blades just because of that human girl. She’s an Apostle, isn’t she?”

“What of it?” Nivia sneered.

“It’s not just her. You have surrounded yourself with quite the… unusual individuals. There’s even a beast-kin in the mix.”

“Her name is Siv.”

“I know. I know all of their names and more. Out of them all, two of them are particularly… mysterious. Are you aware of those two’s true nature?”

“We are.” It was Lilian who answered. “Before you go further with your attempt at forming cracks between us and our companions, there’s nothing about them that we do not know.”

“And you still chose to mingle with them?”

“I failed to see anything wrong with that. Weren’t you and mother always the ones who told me to be more amicable with the others?”

“Nivia, that Fox-kin friend of yours… is no true Fae. She’s not from any of the Glades. She has no proper origins. It is as if she just appeared out of thin air one day. How can you break bread with such an individual? How can you be sure that they aren’t in cohorts with dark forces?”

“She is a true Fae, Xiolise,” Nivia asserted. “The Spirits do not shun her. If anything, she has an affinity with the Spirits higher than most Fae. You might not even be her equal.”

“Nivia!” Luvia baulked. “Have you gone mad? To be saying such a thing to—”

“That’s alright, Luvia,” Xiolise intervened. She turned her gaze to Lilian.

“What?” the Dryad retorted tersely.

“Have you done nothing but enable her, Lilian?”

“I provide only guidance. I’m not her mother nor her teacher. At the end of the day, she makes her own choice.”

“Aunt Xiolise, Sister, I’m a child no longer. If there’s a darkness looming in the capital, I will fight it alongside my companions.”

“I’m sorry, Nivia, but I can’t allow that. Not this time. I have given the Queen my word that I will protect you. We have already allowed you too much freedom for an heir apparent. Until we make sure the darkness in the capital is quelled, I cannot allow you to roam freely.”

“Bollocks,” Nivia scoffed. “You can’t be serious. This is austere and strict, even for mother’s standards. Or is this your idea?”

“The Queen has already made plenty of compromises. She wanted you to return to Willowglade when she heard of this scheme. I convinced her to simply have you stay away from the capital. Don’t make me regret my decision, Nivia.”

Nivia wanted to retort, but she didn’t know the words that could change her aunt’s mind. In the end, she could only relent with a sigh. “What about Aera? What will you do with her?”

“That will be entirely up to her,” Luvia answered. “She’s volatile. If the Tempest Blades hadn’t incapacitated her quickly enough, there would have been bloodshed. The Tempest Blades apprehended her because they feared she would chase after you when she wakes up.”

“She will be released once she proves that she will not defy us and she will not attempt to… extract you.”

Nivia tutted. “I wish you all the luck with that. You should have just left her where she is. I am curious, dear Aunt. Just how much do you actually know about my friends, truly?”

Xiolise met her niece’s gaze. “We have enough information regarding them. What are you trying to imply here?”

Nivia smiled. “If you truly know my friends, then you should know that you have just cause more problems than you have solved.”

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!