Imperatrix Fallen: Alith's Cradle

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The fire, which began in the kitchen of the Holy See's palace in the County of Heaven, spread too quickly for the guards to alert the Uldrich family in time. Tor Uldrich, the current Count and father of the family, reportedly lost his life trying to save his daughter, Illia...

Excerpt from Official Uldrich History, Volume XI, Central Library of the Holy See

The Geography and History classroom buzzed with the casual chatter of students perched on desks or standing near their seats. It had been three days since the battle outside the city, and lessons were only just resuming. Conversations swirled about heroic relatives and whispered rumors of strange events left unacknowledged by official city reports. The rows of empty desks, stark reminders of mourning and fear, told their own story.

The morning sun peeked shyly through the large window on the right-hand side of the room, its light soft against the somber atmosphere. Near the window, Flora stood talking to Max about the peculiar weather when the door opened abruptly.

Professor McQuinn strode in, tossing his satchel onto the desk with a resounding thud that sent the students scurrying to their seats.

"Always so strict..." Max muttered under his breath.

"Yeah..." Flora replied absently, her thoughts elsewhere.

Max's heart sank at the sight of her vacant gaze. She hadn't been the same since Makia's death. He'd tried everything to cheer her up, but nothing worked. Isaías and Roy had joined the Victrix forces as cadets, and with their absence, Flora had only Max and her mother—a woman too detached to notice her daughter's struggles.

He remembers how happy Flora was when she met them all, when she finally went out into the world to study and was able to have friends, away from her mother's, sometimes, excessive care. She had a way of drawing out the best in people, her smile an anchor of joy no matter the circumstance. But Makia had shattered that light.

"Are you okay, Max?" Flora's voice broke through his reverie.

"It's because I love you," Max thought but said, "I'm fine. Don't worry."

"But Makia cursed you with his death.", he angrely thought

Turning his gaze forward, Max feigned attention to the professor. His thoughts churned bitterly. "If Makia were alive, he'd probably reject her for some noblewoman. He was the best damn soldier on the Frontiers, after all. And now? He just had to go and die, ruining everything."

The class resumed as if the world hadn't shifted just days ago. No speeches to reassure the students, no acknowledgment of their unease. McQuinn picked up where he had left off, delivering the driest lecture of the semester.

"Mr. Max," the professor called out suddenly, "what was the purpose of the Valadia Treaty?"

Caught off guard, Max stammered, "Uh... to prevent the major counties from seizing control of the County of the Book?"

"And why was the County of Heaven chosen to guard it?" McQuinn pressed, his gaze narrowing.

"To ensure complete neutrality," a soft voice interrupted from the back of the room. "The Holy Soldiers of the County of Heaven take incorruptible oaths. Additionally, we commanded the strongest military force of the time, with the support of most counties. This decision followed my grandmother's final crusade, during which it was confirmed that the County of the Book had been trading blueprints for weapons outlawed by the Jamboree Treaty."

The class fell silent as every head turned toward the speaker.

"Miss Quinta Uldrich," McQuinn announced, his tone shifting to one of reverence. "It is an honor to have you here."

Seated perfectly poised in the last row, the heir to the County of Heaven met the stares of her classmates with a serene smile.

"Congratulations on your recent efforts to defend our city, and I'm delighted to hear your parents are well," McQuinn continued, his voice dripping with admiration.

"Thank you, Professor," Quinta replied smoothly. "Indeed, my parents valiantly defended our county against the traitorous attack from the Empress's County."

The professor clasped his hands together. "What a privilege to have you with us! Would you consider joining our debate club? We'd love to hear your insights into the geopolitics of the County of Heaven."

Quinta glanced at the boy seated beside her, who was struggling to stay awake, before responding. "I'll let you know after the break, Professor. I need to check something first."

"Very well, let's take our break now!" McQuinn announced, dismissing the class twenty minutes early.

As students filed out, the doors swung open.

"Damn it, I'm late!" a voice exclaimed. A girl strode in, her expression determined despite her flushed cheeks.

"Marchit!" one of the boys whispered loudly. "The Duchess of Swords, the hero of the Battle of the Rhine!"

Excitement rippled through the room as several male students rushed after her. Quinta tilted her head in curiosity before rising and whispering something to her drowsy neighbor. With a playful hop, she left the room, leaving a trail of sighs from the remaining boys.

"How unpleasant, what are they doing here?" Flora muttered. "You'd think royalty would have better manners than to steal the spotlight."

"Flora... I'm going to need you to help me get back to these subjects, the last thing I saw was the formation of the County of the Empress..." Makia asks Flora, who had approached her when class ended, but had been ignored by her. 

Flora froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. The boy beside her—Makia—spoke softly, his familiar voice breaking the spell.

Flora stared, her mind racing. "Could it be...?"

She turned to Max, who looked equally stunned, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly.

"Is it really you?" Flora whispered, tears pooling in her eyes. "Please tell me it's you..."

Makia smiled gently. "I'm sorry for being gone so long."

With a sob, Flora threw her arms around him.

"Don't leave me. Never again." She said, holding him with all her strength.

"I won't," he said softly. "I promise."