99 – Visit to the Royal Palace. Part 1.

15th day of the fifth month. Eighth week of Summer. 1980 Yiama's Era. Paarjo, Lumin Kingdom.

At around eight in the morning Lapia, Yolin, and yours truly left the bedroom for the first time in several days. Alyssa had gone out to check on Elena once a day.

We sat down at the table and had breakfast with everybody.

After that I went down to the reception to check if I had gotten any letters. It had been around two weeks since I helped the King so maybe the date for the celebratory event was already set.

The concierge turned to me just as I stepped into the hall and he smiled politely. “Your Excellency,” he called to me.

I walked over and leaned on the desk, then nodded.

“A courier delivered a letter for you three days ago. We were thinking of going to your room to hand it to you personally, but we didn't want to disturb you,” he informed me, turning to the lockers behind him and retrieving an envelope from one with my room number on it.

“Royal courier?” I asked while he turned back to me.

“Yes,” he replied with a nod, offering me the item.

I took it and opened it, then read it.

The contents were pretty short. The Minister of Higher Relations formally invited me to attend the Royal Palace on the 17th for a Royal Banquet, along with my companions and flowery words of gratitude.

I hummed and stored it. “Alright, thanks a bunch,” I told the concierge and turned to leave.

“Not a problem,” he replied with a smile.

“That would be it for today's lesson,” Lapia announced after a grueling two hour session. “Any questions?”

I shook my head. “Nope, you explained it pretty good,” I replied while leaning back on the chair and stretching.

The Elf squinted at me in suspicion from across the table. “Then summarize the lesson,” she challenged me with strict eyes.

I sighed, “Fuck me. Okay.... Scrolls function with a complex set of enchantments. The most important one is the open activation enchantment that allows anyone to use them by injecting E'er into it. The Craftsman class family deals with the creation of them and shit.” I sighed again. “Some are more restrictive and shit. They're generally cheap and pretty useful for Chasers who have no supporting Cleric and shit.”

“And shit,” Lapia chuckled and shook her head. “If an Enchanter heard you talk like that about scrolls they'd vomit blood.”

I shrugged. “It's interesting, at least.”

Alyssa walked over from the living room and sat next to Lapia. “My turn,” she giggled with a smile.

I leaned forward and and rested my elbows on the table, supporting my chin with my hands. “Alright, bring it on.”

The Luzo smiled and copied my posture. “Today we'll debate on the nature of good and evil,” she informed me.

“Haaaaaah...” I sighed and closed my eyes to prepare for it.

“Your debating skills suck, Natasha,” Alyssa concluded after forty minutes.

I tilted my head in confusion. “Why? I was pretty calm and objective in my opinion.”

The Luzo nodded. “That's the problem. You're a Halve. You can't be open to be persuaded. Your word is, after all, the law,” she pointed out.

I rubbed my eyes and sighed. “I get that. I do... but I can't just force people into thinking like I do.”

“Yes you can,” she corrected me. “You have the greatest authority of all: overpowering violence.”

I stared into her scarlet eyes for a few seconds, then countered, “But authority is legitimate and moral only when those under it consent to it. Otherwise it's slavery.”

“The benefits of your authority are enough for it to not be slavery,” she retorted with a raised scaly eyebrow. “And the overwhelming majority sees you as legitimate authority. Plus, your species is technically a minority since there's only five of you that are accounted for.”

“I agree with Alyssa,” Lapia interjected. “Authority is different from governance. At least the one you hold. A Halve gives governance the legitimacy it needs to properly function.”

Alyssa nodded and continued, “Think of it this way. Tyrants are your slaves, and the rest are consenting individuals who need and respect you.”

I thought for a few seconds, then brought up an important point, “How about the people who wants us dead? Isn't that a group that doesn't consent to our authority?”

“You mean racists?” Lapia scowled. “You mean those who would gladly commit genocide? The only consideration they deserve is how their heads will leave their shoulders,” she spat with disdain.

Alyssa nodded in agreement with a scowl of her own.

“Well, shit,” I chuckled. “That's what I did in Hell, though,” I pointed out in a quiet voice.

The two looked at me with expressions that said 'really, bitch?'.

“Did you have more options?” Lapia inquired with raised eyebrows. “Because... if the conscious choice that led to you killing all those Demons was to forfeit other, more peaceful alternatives... then yeah.”

“Did you have the privilege to choose differently?” Alyssa gave me an unimpressed face. “The people trying to kill you have the option to just...” she shrugged, “not do it.”

“They won't die if they stop,” Lapia insisted. “If you did, you wouldn't be here.”

“Hmm.” I ran a hand through my hair and leaned back on the chair.

It was weird to rationalize my actions during a time I had no control over them.

In all honesty I didn't really care that much about it. I survived, got my wishes, and was reborn here. Demons, beings of the Abyss, or whatever... didn't have that much weight on my consciousness, and I'm alright with that.

Yolin walked out of our bedroom and made her way to us, then sat next to me. “What's with the serious faces?” She probed.

“Justifying genocide,” I joked.

The Oni's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

Alyssa and Lapia sighed and covered their eyes.

“No... just that Natasha is not a monster for killing Demons in Hell,” Lapia explained.

“Ah... well. Who cares?” Yolin shrugged. “I mean... that's another world. Not our problem, right?”

I chuckled, “True.”

“Mhm,” Lapia hummed.

“Well, she lived through it so...” Alyssa pointed out.

“Yeah, but I meant the moral implications,” the Oni pointed out. “It was either kill or be killed and she made it so who cares?” She concluded. “Let's change the subject?”

The three of us nodded in agreement.

Yolin pinched my cheek. “Hey Natty, can you lend me Pyotr? I'd like to send a letter to my family.”

“Sure,” I replied and turned to the other two. “How about you?”

“I sent them one when I entered Lumin Kingdom,” Alyssa replied.

“And I sent them one the day I quit my job,” Lapia informed us.

I nodded, but a slow realization made my eyes widen. Letters! Nilenna's letter to the King! Fuck! I retrieved the letters I wrote along with the Halve stamp, then used the tool on them. After that, I produced a bag of bones and put it on the table. “One bone for each letter,” I told the three and stood up. “I have to go see the King!” I turned and walked away.

“Have fun!” Yolin called.

“Come back early!” Lapia requested.

“Love you!” Alyssa giggled.

I blew them kisses and left.

“I'm here to see the King,” I told the guards outside the palace. “I don't have an appointment.”

The two nodded and opened the gate.

“Thaaanks,” I muttered and patted Sonya's neck.

The Ratnak moved inside and up to the front doors.

The guards there saluted, then one went inside.

I dismounted and leaned on Sonya while waiting.

The door opened a minute later and a tidily dressed female Tigea came out followed by the guard.

She was wearing a formal suit, and had a tiara on top of her head.

“Her Excellency Natasha Novak, Halve Warrior,” the guard that brought her announced.

The Princess bowed.

[Dhar'Ji Tigea, Lvl 276 Archivist]

“Her Highness Princess Annette Igne Lumin II,” the other guard introduced her.

She was like a clone of her mother the Queen.

“It's an honor to meet Your Excellency,” she respectfully said, straightening up.

Her voice was soft and gentle.

“Nice to meet you,” I politely replied with a nod. “I hope I didn't disturb your work.”

The Princess smiled. “Not at all, Your Excellency. My time is your resource.”

I held back a wince and instead smiled. “Could you take me to your dad? I have something I need to give to him.”

She nodded. “Naturally. This way, please,” she curtsied and turned to the palace.

“Wait here and be a good girl,” I told Sonya and followed her.

The inside of the palace had gone through heavy redecoration. The floor was covered in a luxurious purple carpet, the furniture had been moved around to make extra space, and the chandeliers hung higher than I remembered.

Staff people moved around cleaning, decorating, and ordering other staff around. Some looked our way for a second then continued their tasks.

Annette guided me through the corridors to Gordon's office where she knocked on the door. “Her Glorious Excellency Natasha has come to see you, Dear Royal Father,” she announced.

“Glorious?” I blurted out. “Please don't.”

The woman turned to me and smiled. “Your Excellency is humble, I see,” she praised me.

I schooled my face to avoid cringing.

“Come in,” came Gordon's cheerful voice.

Annette opened the door and bowed.

I went in and closed the door before the Princess could increase my blood pressure any further.

“Natasha,” Gordon greeted me from his desk. “How have you been? How was the dungeon?”

“Pretty good,” I replied and walked over to the chair in front of him, then sat down. “Bountiful, I'd say. How about you?”

He smiled and chuckled, “I've been great. Work is abundant lately with the preparations.”

“I got the letter,” I informed him with a nod. “And things look busy.”

“A busy King is a good King,” Gordon joked with joy.

I chuckled and gesture behind me with a thumb. “I met Annette just now.”

He proudly nodded. “She's turning six hundred soon. What do you think of her?”

“A bit too respectful?” I tentatively replied, ignoring the age portion.

“HAHAHAHA!” Gordon leaned back and trembled with amusement. “I've always thought Annette and Agnes were quite the contrast to each other.”

I nodded in full understanding. “How's the wife doing?” I probed.

“Eh,” he shrugged. “Worried that you don't like her. I told her she's wrong but she won't listen.”

I sighed, “Yeah... I think I'll have a talk with her later.”

“That's good to hear,” he chuckled with a smile. “So, what brings you to me, young Halve?”

I retrieved Nilenna's letter and placed it on the table. “From Nilenna Atarka,” I supplied.

His eyes turned serious and he picked up the envelope, then opened it. His turquoise eyes went over the lines and he chuckled.

“Good news?” I probed.

“Nilenna wishes me a speedy recovery or she'll come and kick my ass,” he replied with a small smile. “She's quite the energetic woman.”

I felt relieved that the contents weren't serious or urgent, then laughed and shook my head. “That does sound like her.”

He nodded and stored the letter. “Anything else I can do for you?”

I thought for a second. “About the event... what's the dress code and what time should I arrive at? It's going to be my first big political party so I want to be prepared,” I admitted. “The letter I got said nothing about that.”

“Well,” he began, thinking for a few seconds. “I'll be honest. Wear your best outfit. Whatever you think will make you look the most imposing and powerful, go for that. Also, the other rulers will make their entrance a show, so if you want to see that, you can get here early and we'll set the room you stayed at previously. That'll put me in a good position since you're accepting my hospitality and they will know of it. Halves are meant to arrive at the end to keep everyone on their toes and gossip among themselves. That'll also give me points since they will swarm me with questions.”

I nodded in understanding. “What about my companions?”

“Same,” he replied. “The more extravagant the outfit, the better the impression.”

“Alright,” I sighed and nodded, then stood up. “Thank you for your time, Gordon. I think I'll go have a chat with Josalia.”

He smiled and stood up, then offered a hand. “Have fun with my wife,” he chuckled.

I held back a wide array of responses and simply shook his hand, then left his office.