Wayward [The Princess' jewellery box]

[V] All hail the Scarlet fox!

The Scarlet fox, aka the countess Lucetta Archinoe. As a knight, a fine strategist and one of the most powerful wizard, she is at the head of a squad composed of thirty skilful and talented men. One of the most relevant features of that squad is that, noblemen and commoners are mingled together; no discriminations, no arrogancy and no self-entitled people, because of that, it's the subject of controversy, as some are delighted, others are believing that it's preposterous. 

In this squad, as long as one is talented, then that is the sole thing that is really important. Of course, the thirty men are carefully selected by Lucetta, who is known as someone who doesn't accept any form of bribery; which is something quite unusual amongst those of the Good Society.

Trying to bribe her is equal to the death wish of having a sullied name and being banished from that squad and no possibility whatsoever of ever coming back to it. Every single person in High society, knows this, but it doesn't mean that some certain fools didn't try before; like they said, nothing ventured, nothing gained, even if it's absolutely useless and meaningless as it would mean compromising the foundation of hat they've built through, hard work and some unsightly things.

Everything was silent around her, deadly silent; silence has never been as loud as now. Nothing was moving and nothing seemed to exist as well, except for Lucetta, who was looking at this world made of white and red, with calm and serene eyes. No remorse whatsoever present, as she didn't feel any; why would she? They are beasts threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands.

If the order was given to her once again, then she would execute it with no shape of mishaps or mistakes.

Nobody knows how exactly it happened, but in a way or another, those beasts had been through a mutation, that caused them to double in volume, and became even more ferocious and cruel, exterminating all other forms of lives. Once there would have nothing more to devour, it was obvious that their next targets, would be the kingdom situated near that desert of ice.

It was a necessity.

However, before chucking that event as insignificant, some sort of reflexion may be needed.

[Once, while a man was hunting in a dense forest, situated at the foot of a mountain and surely enough with a thick fauna, he crossed his path with a wounded tiger. Now, a dilemma presented itself on a silver plate to him: save the tiger or let it die.

Before answering hastily, please remember that the forest is full of animals. Taking that in account, will you still save the tiger? If you do, then you would have saved one in exchange for lives of many others. But if you decide otherwise, then you have sacrificed one life to save others.

What is your choice? To save? Or sacrifice?]

Here, she didn't hesitate, but what if it wasn't some beasts but a group of humans? Will she still be viewed as a hero or a heartless persecutor? Her detractor wouldn't hesitate to put all the blame on her shoulders, so no hesitation is allowed.

Cold. That word is not even strong enough to describe that desert, in which, a drop of water would immediately become ice. The wind is so violent and icy, that it could actually inadvertently hurt them, if they are not careful enough. Any source of water, had already frozen; it is even possible to do some ice skating because the ice is so thick that even if you jump on it, no cracks would be made, like some permafrost.

Fortunately, Lucetta made sure to prepare some fire Mana stones and clothes made of the furs of animals used to live in a temperature, that is even lower than that, of this desert; near the absolute zero. Also, the place in which they are currently camping, is situated inside a dome that Lucetta put up with her power.