𝔓𝔯𝔦𝔡𝔢 :: 𝔟𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔨 𝔠𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔯

:: ɪɪɪ ::

    The day was warm and heavy with humidity. Unusual for early spring. Perfect for such an unusual week.

  The Uncrowned Undefeated Lioness has returned to the Royal Capital... and she is staying for two months. The rumor had little merit and only spread with insane possibilities, until Lady Mereoleona Vermillion had been spotted conversing with Healer Owen at least twice every day for this past week.

  What has happened? Is Lady Mereoleona sick? Has she been hit with curse magic during her travels? Is she dying? Is she pregnant? Who managed to tame the lioness? Who is brave enough‒stupid enough to be her partner?

  It's all so laughable and stupid. Whenever a woman of nobility‒especially the women of the royal families‒is involved, the rumors always devolve to unmarried sex and possible bastards.

  Charlotte Roselei, heiress of House Roselei and Captain of the Blue Rose Magic Knight Squad, wishes that the members of her squad have better things to talk about. Unfortunately, missions have been slow and patrolling can only be so entertaining, so gossip and rumors help keep everyone lively and alert.

  Charlotte kept her silence on the gossip and rumors. Something is going on that must involve some kind of medical help, that much is true. Everyone knows of Lady Mereoleona's severe aversion to the healing ward whenever she finally comes back to Clover. But, Charlotte doesn't bother to pay attention to the rumors and gossip past that.

  When Sol tells Charlotte that Lady Mereoleona is waiting to see her for a private discussion, the captain wishes she had paid a bit more attention to the gossip that currently surrounds the lioness. Though, it likely wouldn't have given her much to prepare for. Despite Lady Mereoleona taking‒kidnapping‒her on those hellish training trips, they don't talk much. Mostly because Lady Mereoleona barely stayed in the Royal Capital longer than a few days... until recently.

  Charlotte knocks once on her office door before opening it. She keeps her pallid expression carefully blank, fervently praying Lady Mereoleona is not going to take her on another training trip.

  "Lady Mereoleona, good afternoon," Charlotte greets coolly, closing the door behind her. Mereoleona stood in the middle of the room with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

  "Please don't be mad and please don't take me on a training trip. Why couldn't you have bothered the other captains?!" Charlotte walks towards her desk, mentally panicking.

  "I'd like to know how you were cursed," Mereoleona states bluntly.

  Charlotte pauses and stares. Has Lady Mereoleona truly been cursed during her travels? No‒Lady Mereoleona can't possibly have gotten cursed! Unless she came across an opponent that managed to surprise her... if only that were possible. It would lessen the almost impossible to cross chasm between the lioness's strength and her peers'.

  "Are you... have you been cursed, Lady Mereoleona?" Charlotte asks, not able to stop herself from questioning the lioness. Despite Lady Mereoleona's ferocious and downright terrifying personality, she is an extremely powerful ally and a woman Charlotte greatly admires and respects.

  "No. I'm investigating something. I need any information you have," Lady Mereoleona denies with a shake of her head.

  Charlotte can't stop her eyebrows from furrowing. It's unspoken, but known by everyone in the Magic Knights that Lady Mereoleona does what she wants and despises authority. Conducting an investigation means she is following an order, or she has discovered something on her travels that requires an investigation.

  "I don't remember much, but a mysterious witch cursed me when I was a child. Unless my heart is stolen by a man, when I reach 18 years of age, my family and I would be trapped in a cage of time. The curse had been stopped... but not removed. It is what makes my briars blue and is what makes them weaker," Charlotte says after a moment of thought.