The Female Knight of Doom - TFKOD 67: A New Mission

The duchess, of course, was alluding to Deputy High Priest’s Etienne, yet upon hearing her sigh, Alice’s heart and eyelids simultaneously fluttered with a subtle jolt.

An involuntary thought of her father arose within her mind. She was convinced he was still alive—at least, she believed he remained so at the moment her mother had departed from him. Surely, if he had been gone forever, her mother would not have concealed his name so carefully or refused to speak of him in her presence.

There was a time when Alice yearned desperately to uncover her father’s identity, but since her mother’s passing, such curiosity waned. Partly because life had left little room for such thoughts, and partly because her father had never sought her out; she felt no compelling reason to seek him either.

It became easier to accept his absence by simply pretending he was nonexistent.

When she was given the duchess’ name, the need to ponder her father diminished even further. She pushed the thought entirely from her mind, convinced she had forgotten it. She had come to accept her lack of a father, and saw no reason to alter that conviction.

She had thought everything would continue as it was, without any change.

But when she followed the duchess to the king, she hadn’t expected the king to only mention one surname, thus destroying the entire balance she had previously established. She couldn’t help thinking about it.

The carriage drove into the royal capital, and the three passengers remained silent for a long time.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Alice pursed her lips and said, “Your Grace… I would like to go to the Flamel Mage Tower.”

The duchess was not surprised and didn’t flinch.

She simply asked, “Have you thought this through?”

Alice nodded.

“Perhaps you don’t need to decide so quickly. I’ll give you three days to think about it,” said the duchess. “Then tell me your answer, and I will answer His Majesty three days later.”

Alice felt no further deliberation was necessary; however, she recognized the need for a moment of preparation.

Acknowledging the euchess’ directive with a nod of assent, she agreed.

Once the carriage carried the three of them back to the duchess’ residence, Alice returned to the stables, retrieved her horse Grumpy, and set out beyond the capital’s limits.

Her destination was Rom’s farm, her master.

A year had elapsed since her last visit, and while the farm showed some improvement, it remained modest in its progress. From afar, it appeared slightly more organized than before, yet still somewhat untidy compared to neighboring farms. Given that Rom had never previously managed a farm, it was likely quite an achievement that he could maintain what he did.

Approaching the homestead, she saw him sitting outside, soaking up the sun.

Hearing the sound of hooves, Rom looked up, squinting into the sunlight to recognize the girl on horseback, “Ah, you’re back.”

His tone was effortlessly relaxed, as if her absence of a year had merely been a brief ride on horseback. This composed demeanor subtly eased Alice’s nerves, granting her a sense of reassurance.

“I’m back,” she announced softly.

She dismounted gracefully and approached Rom, embracing him warmly. He gently rested his hands on her shoulders, pulling her slightly back as he studied her face with a tender gaze.

“She has become even more beautiful,” he remarked softly. “It’s been only a year since I last saw her, yet she has grown so much. Children are truly remarkable.”

Alice longed to remind him that she was no longer a child, but her heart was overwhelmed with a mixture of tears and laughter, leaving her momentarily speechless.

She had come here to confide in him about her father and seek his counsel, yet in his presence, she suddenly realized that those concerns now seemed insignificant.

When she was with Rom, all that truly mattered was sharing moments that centered around him—his presence, his wisdom, his understanding.

“Look at you, you big girl, and you still want to cry, it’s so embarrassing. How long will you be staying here this time?” Rom said with a look of disgust, wiping her tears with his fingers.

“Three days,” Alice said. “After three days, I will leave from here to the Flamel Mage Tower in the east to complete the task His Majesty has given me.”

“And now, even His Majesty is giving you tasks? As expected of my disciple, the Immortal Rom!” Even when he was praising someone, he had to praise himself as he passed by. “But the Flamel Tower in the east is not an easy place to reach. Even if His Majesty sends you there, you must be prepared.”

“Have you been there, master?”

“I was only there once. I wanted to deliver mission items to a mage. Theoretically, there shouldn’t have been any risk, but in reality… it was almost the most dangerous journey of my life. In short, this territory is under the control of the God of Darkness and is far more dangerous than any place you’ve ever been. You must prepare yourself as best you can before heading east.”

Alice was a little surprised that he took the matter so seriously, “More dangerous than the battlefield?”

“It is more dangerous than the battlefield,” Rom’s demeanor was very serious. “At least on the battlefield, you know what to watch out for. But in the God of Darkness’ territory, anything can happen, and you can’t let your guard down even in your sleep. There are no rules or laws there, only the law of the jungle, and the mages are all crazy. If you’re not careful, you won’t even know how you died.”

As he spoke, he seemed to be thinking about something particularly unpleasant, and his expression took on a particularly distasteful expression, “And there are crows everywhere.”

Alice felt a little strange when he said this. They appeared and disappeared constantly on the battlefield, and she had long since grown accustomed to crows. Why did Rom mention it now?

“These are no ordinary crows,” he told her. “In areas controlled by the God of Darkness, crows are especially rampant. They even make puppets of the dead, dressing them in black robes and wearing masks to walk the streets. Until they take off their masks, you won’t know whether the crows you meet on the street are alive or dead.”

She had never imagined that the chilling tales about the crow—stories that circulated widely—could indeed be true. While she was not particularly afraid of the dead, she found it difficult to accept such an unsettling reality. A shiver ran down her spine.

“But if you’re cautious enough and rely on your strength, you should be safe there,” Rom reassured her. “Though it’s a place most would avoid a second time after visiting once, that first journey holds value. It offers a glimpse into this world’s strange and mysterious nature, broadening your understanding.”

His words were meant as a gentle warning, not to dissuade Alice from her desire to venture east, but simply to remind her of the risks.

During the three days Alice spent living with Rom, their days were unmarked by deep conversations; instead, they shared a peaceful coexistence, familiar and unstrained, just as they always had.

Over the past few days, her thoughts rarely dwelled solely on her father.

Following the initial shock, she found herself contemplating the true background of Etienne, as the duchess had recently revealed. She never would have imagined that Etienne would encounter such a profound challenge in his life—an obstacle even more complex than her own. Did he know that the king was his father?

She found it difficult to envision the emotions that must have coursed through Etienne’s mind upon facing the king. Simultaneously, she pondered what her own expression would be if she ever discovered her true parentage. Yet, such questions remained beyond her reach until the moment she would actually confront her father.

With resolve firmed within her, she made a silent vow—she was determined to face the truth when the time came.

On the morning of the fourth day, Alice faithfully returned to the duchess’ residence as they had agreed, finding her within the study.

She regarded Alice with a penetrating gaze and spoke with earnest gravity, “The quest to uncover your origins is often fraught with discomfort, and the truths you discover may not align with your hopes. Have you reached a definitive decision?”

“Yes, I have.” Alice responded with resolve.

The duchess acknowledged her words with a nod, “Are you aware of why His Majesty entrusted you with this mission?”

“It is to forge an alliance with the mages, led by the Flamel family, to oppose the Earl of Rachel of the North,” she replied, and the duchess confirmed with a subtle nod.

“The Northern Alliance, with the Earl of Rachel at its helm, has long been a matter of concern the King. In recent years, the Earl Rachel’s influence has grown substantially, to the point that the king has become increasingly uneasy. As a result, he sought to forge an alliance with the mages of the east. It is believed that dispatching someone whose hair bears the same hue as the Flamel family might facilitate this effort.

However, it is important to understand that the Earl of Rachel possesses highly valuable intelligence within the palace. Although no other witnesses were present when the king discussed this matter privately, the Earl of Rachel is certain to learn of it through other channels and will likely take measures to prevent the delivery of this letter. Do you comprehend the gravity of this situation?”

Perhaps hesitant due to her own past, Alice wouldn’t find the obstacles the mission might bring particularly difficult, “Yes.”

The duchess looked into her face and knew her determination was unwavering.

So she turned around, “In addition to the king’s commission, I have something else for you.”

The duchess took a box and handed it to Alice, “The crown you brought me from the north was once enchanted with a protective spell, but it was unfortunately broken. After I had it back in my hands, I asked Lady Meredith to help me restore the protective spell. However, she told me that only extremely gifted mages can restore this broken spell. Therefore, I asked you to take this and ask the Archmage of the Mage Tower to re-enchant it and return it to its original appearance.”

Alice never expected that the crown she had received after so much trouble would be returned to her.

She held the box and made a solemn promise, “Your Grace, rest assured, I will do it no matter what.”