Chương 49: “Mutt-iny”

The Arc 1 completion notification had woken her before dawn, and by the time she had tried falling back asleep, it was barely worth the effort. Story Relevance: 29/100. To try and clear her head, she went to train. Objectively, she was more than safe even though the minimum had been raised to 15, as she sat fourteen points above it. There was no immediate reason for concern. But the question she kept thinking about was not Arc 1. What would happen at the end of Arc 2?

Celestia had a feeling the minimum would rise again. And after Arc 2, there would be Arc 3. And after that… She didn't know the ceiling. She didn't know when the minimum would stop rising, or if it would stop rising at all. Smack. The wooden rod had slammed into her just below the ribs. Celestia's breath left her in a short, involuntary burst and she took a step sideways to keep her balance. Jade lowered the rod.

"My lady? Should we stop? You look like you're busy thinking about something else." Celestia straightened. The dull pain had already started to fade.

"... Continue."

"Alright then." He came at her again. She had been training with Jade since before the sun fully rose. The session was focused on technique rather than conditioning. It was the area he was majorly proficient in. Sadly, aura was something he could not assist her with. He was really a competent instructor, even moreso now that he showed her why he was called The Weapons Master in the first place. Another hour passed until they finally finished.

"That's enough for today." Jade said, putting the wooden spear he was holding this time around down.

"Understood." With that, Celestia went back to her office, getting into the refreshing warm bath that cleared the residual fog from her head, and by the time Martha had finished dressing her, she felt functional again. The dress was one of the quieter pieces from her wardrobe, still fashionable, but nothing that would draw particular attention if she were to go outside. The rest of her morning passed quickly while she was at her desk. The railway documentation had grown into a respectable pile now.

Most of it was preliminary cost estimates, such as land surveys and correspondence with several engineers. There was also the set of trade-route projections she had drafted in order to persuade the city officials, though none of it was ready to be presented to anyone yet. Summit's geography was the main obstacle. The mountain road between the academy, city, and the lowland trade routes was manageable by carriage but miserable by cart due to the technological limitations of this world.

It had even nearly made Celestia not want to develop this idea further… but the prospects were too high; the volume of goods moving through Summit had been increasing steadily since the Tower's appearance. People needed to eat, equipment needed to move, and the right underneath all of it was ripe for the taking. A railway would change the economics of supply enough that whoever controlled the primary lines would have a significant hand in shaping what Summit looked like in just a year after completion.

Multiple church bells signalling that noon had come rang somewhere across the city, and she had just finished writing out a list of follow-up items when the door open without a knock.

'Hmm?' A woman rushed into the office, crossed the room in quick strides, and pulled Celestia out of her chair and into a hug before she could so much as close the document she'd been reading.

"Oh, my darling girl! How I've missed you!" Duchess Evelyn squeezed her daughter against her chest, one hand already patting the back of Celestia's head.

"My precious, precious child!"

"Mother…?" Celestia managed, her voice muffled against the Duchess's shoulder. A surprise visit. Celestia's arms hung at her sides, pinned awkwardly by the embrace. She hadn't received word of her parents traveling to Summit. Evelyn pulled back just enough to cradle Celestia's face with both hands, tilting it left and right.

"When we received your letter about that dreadful incident, your father and I were beside ourselves. Beside ourselves, I tell you! I could barely sleep, and your father, bless him, tried to act composed, but I could see him reading your letter over and over again at his desk when he thought I wasn't looking." She pulled Celestia back into the hug.

"And then your second letter arrived saying you were perfectly fine, but how could we possibly take that at face value? You always say you're fine! You said you were fine when you had that fever of forty degrees, and you said you were fine. So of course we had to come see for ourselves. Your father arranged the carriages that next morning, and we've been on the road ever since.

I barely slept in that carriage, the roads to Summit are ghastly, and I told your father we should have taken the coastal route, but he insisted the mountains were faster… I suppose he was right, but my back will never forgive him." Celestia waited for a pause that did not come.

"We would have been here sooner," Evelyn continued, finally releasing Celestia and holding her at arm's length, "but there was a fallen tree blocking one of the bridges, and the driver had to take a detour through some village I've never heard of. Your father tipped the innkeeper handsomely for letting us rest the horses."

"I see," Celestia said.

"Father's here too?"

"Of course he is! It just so happened that he met Jade near the entrance." Evelyn brushed a strand of hair from Celestia's face and tucked it behind her ear.

"He says that you're all grown up and can take care of yourself now, but you know that you'll always be my baby, right?"

"..." Evelyn stepped back and looked Celestia up and down, her eyes narrowing.

"You've lost weight," Evelyn declared. She pressed her fingers lightly against Celestia's cheek, and then her shoulder.

"I can tell. Your face is thinner. Have you been eating properly? I've heard terrible things about academy food, you know. If what they're feeding you isn't nutritious enough, I'll have words with whoever runs this institution." She clasped her hands together, her brow creasing.

"And how are your studies? Are the professors treating you well? Is the dormitory comfortable? I hope they've given you a room with decent ventilation. You know how you get when the air is stuffy. And the other students, are they being respectful? If anyone has been giving you trouble, you must tell me immediately. Your father will handle it." She paused only to take a breath.

"And are you sleeping enough? You have shadows under your eyes, Celestia. I can see them. Don't try to deny it."

"I'm perfectly fine, Mother," Celestia said. She picked up her fan from the desk.

"And I still have some work to finish this afternoon." Evelyn's eyes widened.

"Work? On a day when your parents have come all this way to see you? Absolutely not." She took Celestia's arm and looped it through her own.

"We are going to have lunch together. I saw several lovely-looking establishments on the way in, and your father is famished, though he'll deny it." Celestia looked at the pile of railway documents on her desk, then at her mother's face. Evelyn's expression made it clear that refusal was not among the available options. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. A change of pace might not be the worst thing.

"Fine…" Evelyn beamed.

"Wonderful!" They left the office together. Martha was standing in the hallway just outside the door, hands folded in front of her. She bowed her head as they passed. When they reached the building's lobby, two familiar voices could be heard from down the corridor. Duke Armond and Jade were standing near the entrance. Jade had his arms folded across his chest and was nodding along to something the Duke had said, while Armond gestured with one hand, the other resting on the pommel of his sword out of habit.

Whatever they were discussing, Celestia couldn't make out the words from this distance. At one point, Jade shook his head and Armond chuckled. Upon noticing Celestia and Evelyn approaching, both men straightened. Jade gave a short bow and stepped aside, and Duke Armond turned to face his daughter. He crossed the remaining distance and pulled Celestia into a hug. It was brief and firm.

"I missed you," he said quietly. Celestia's hand rested against his back for a moment.

"I missed you too, Father." Armond released her and looked over at Jade. He gave a short nod.

"Shall we?" Evelyn said, already guiding Celestia toward the front doors.

"The carriage is just outside. I had the driver wait." The Reingarde carriage sat at the curb, its black-and-gold crest catching the midday light. A Reingarde Knight opened the door as they approached, and Evelyn climbed in first, settling into the cushioned seat. Celestia followed. Armond entered last, ducking slightly under the door frame. He sat beside his wife and rested one arm along the back of the seat.

Martha remained outside, bowing as the the carriage lurched forward and Summit's commercial district rolled past the windows. Evelyn immediately resumed talking about the state of the roads, the quality of the businesses when compared to the Reingarde territory and Summit. Celestia leaned against the cushion and let the sound of her mother's voice drone on and on about many other matters. Across from her, Duke Armond caught her eye and raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching.

Celestia looked away before the smile could reach her face. * The luncheon lasted several hours. The restaurant Evelyn had chosen was one of Summit's most expensive, a place whose chef was previously the sous chef at the Imperial kitchen. The cuisine was elaborate and portioned in a way that prioritized presentation over volume, each course arriving on wide plates with small, meticulously arranged portions at the center.

Celestia had no idea why the food here resembled the French dining she remembered from her previous life. The similarities were uncanny; the progression, the pacing, and even the way the sommelier poured their wine. She didn't question it, though. The food was good and her mother was happy, which meant the conversation stayed light.

Evelyn talked about the estate, about the new gardener who kept planting flowers in the wrong beds, about a letter she'd received from a distant cousin who was apparently embroiled in a feud with her neighbor over a property line. Armond contributed the occasional dry remark between courses and drank his wine at a pace that showed he was enjoying himself. By the time dessert was cleared and the bill was settled, the sun had moved well past into the mid-afternoon.

Then, Evelyn announced that they were going shopping. What followed was a sweep through Summit's commercial district. Evelyn moved from storefront to storefront. She held earrings up to Celestia's face, tilted her head, nodded or shook it, and either set them down or handed them to the shopkeeper to wrap. Then cosmetics, where she spent twenty minutes comparing two shades of lip color before buying both. The dress shops took the longest.

Summit's fashion scene had its own identity separate from the capital's, as they were more of a rough look. Several boutiques also carried limited pieces that couldn't be found elsewhere. Evelyn's eyes lit up at each one, and Celestia found herself being ushered in and out of fitting rooms. Celestia didn't resist. She tried on what her mother handed her, offered her opinion when asked, and even argued with Evelyn as to which dresses looked better. She had a lot of fun spending time like this.

Behind them, Duke Armond trailed at a steady distance. His arms were occupied. Two large boxes were stacked against his chest, and three smaller bags hung from his fingers. His expression remained composed, though the stack grew with each shop they exited. At one point, a passing merchant glanced at the Duke, then at the pile he was carrying, and gave him a look of deep solidarity. Armond returned a short nod.

By the time Evelyn declared herself satisfied, roughly two hours had passed and the Duke was carrying enough parcels that a Reingarde Knight had been summoned from the carriage to help. Now, they sat in a private room at a popularly franchised tea house. The room was small but well-furnished, with cushioned seats, a low table, and a window that overlooked a quiet side street. A tiered stand of pastries and petit fours sat at the center, and three cups of tea steamed gently in front of them.

"I've enjoyed our day together, Mother," Celestia said. Evelyn's teacup paused halfway to her lips. She glanced at Armond, who had also looked up from his tea. A brief silence passed between husband and wife.

"Well," Evelyn said, setting the cup down.

"That's lovely to hear, darling." She picked up a small teaspoon and began stirring her tea, though it didn't need stirring. The spoon clinked softly against the porcelain. After a moment, Evelyn spoke again.

"Celestia, there's something your father and I would like to discuss with you." The stirring stopped. She rested the spoon on the saucer and looked at her daughter directly.

"Martha has been keeping us informed at our request." Celestia's fan, resting closed on the table beside her cup, stayed where it was. She had suspected as much. Martha's loyalty to the Reingarde household predated her assignment to Celestia, and the Duke and Duchess were not the sort of parents who sent their only daughter to a foreign city without maintaining a line of communication. Armond set his cup down and leaned back.

"We know about the business ventures, the slaves, the office, and your plans with that budding alchemist." He folded his arms.

"You've been busy." Celestia said nothing.

"I won't pretend I understand all of it," Armond continued.

"Some of what Martha described goes well beyond what I thought I knew you were capable of. But I want you to know that your mother and I are proud of the effort you've put in." His voice was even.

"You've committed to continuing Jade's training, you've taken your studies at the academy seriously, and you're building something of your own in this city." Celestia looked at her father. He looked back into her eyes for a moment, then picked up his tea again. Evelyn reached across the table and placed her hand over Celestia's. Her fingers were warm from the teacup.

"Celestia, darling. I need to ask you something, and I need you to answer me honestly."

"What is it?" Evelyn's thumb brushed across Celestia's knuckles. Her expression had shifted from the lighthearted warmth of the afternoon into something more worried.

"If you are doing all of this as a way to win back Imperial Prince Damon's favor… would you please tell us?" Celestia blinked.

"I know how much you cared for him," Evelyn said. She tightened her grip on Celestia's hand slightly.

"Before the annulment, you were devoted to him in a way that worried us even then. And we simply assumed that the fever might have made you realize something. A part of us has wondered, ever since you started changing so drastically, whether this is all part of a plan to become someone he would notice again." Evelyn's eyes searched Celestia's face.

"Because if that's what this is, we would rather know now. We wouldn't love you any less for it." Armond said nothing, but his eyes remained on Celestia. The room was quiet except for the faint street noise through the window. Celestia looked at her mother's hand over hers. She pulled it back gently, then reached for her teacup.

"You don't need to worry about that," she said. She took a sip of tea, set the cup down, and met her mother's eyes.

"I have no intention of marrying the Imperial Prince." Evelyn stared into her eyes as several seconds passed. Then the Duchess let out a long breath, her shoulders dropping as the tension left them. She pressed a hand to her chest.

"Oh, thank the heavens," Evelyn murmured. She reached for her own tea and took a sip, then another, as if washing away weeks of unspoken worry.

"You have no idea how long that's been weighing on me. I told Armond, I said, 'What if she's doing all of this for that boy?' And he told me not to worry, but I could see that he was thinking the same thing." Armond lifted his cup in mild protest.

"I said she was smarter than that."

"You said you hoped she was smarter than that. There's a difference." Armond took another sip and did not contest the correction. Evelyn set her cup down and straightened in her seat. The relief on her face had changed into something visibly brighter, and her eyes had taken on a particular gleam that Celestia hadn't recognized before.

"Well then," Evelyn said. She took Arnold's hands into hers.

"Armond, honey." The Duke looked at his wife.

"Let's join the revolutionary army." Celestia spat out her tea.

"The what?"