Arcadia's Ignoble Knight: The Sorceress of Ashtown

Bath Time Interruptions

Erica could see the stars twinkling through the window as she lounged in the tub; they were awfully bright that night.

She had always loved taking long soaks in the bathtub; the feeling of hot water relaxing her muscles, with steam rising from the surface, and the scent of lilacs from the potion she'd poured into it pervading her senses―everything about it was just perfect. It was almost a chore to get out. She only managed to force herself to exit the tub when the water had grown cold.

With water and suds of soap trailing a path down her body, Erica grabbed a towel off the rack to her left. She wrapped it around her torso, enjoying the feel of the fabric caressing her breasts. Turning her head, she looked into a full body mirror. She smiled. Her reflection smiled back.

"My, but you are a sexy woman, aren't you?"

After winking at her own reflection, Erica headed back into her bedchamber.

As was proper, her bedroom was more extravagant than any other room in Dorehan Tower. The cylindrical room was very spacious, and it had soft beige carpet that felt like velvet caressing her feet as she walked. Covering the walls were expensive pieces of artwork and decorations; handcrafted tapestries, stunning portraits of her, and masterful landscapes. Situated around the room were several busts of herself, each one made by a different artist. She'd had them commissioned during a trip to Attoré, a city located in the Atlantia province. They were well-known for their stunning statues and pottery.

Moving to the beautifully crafted armour, Erica opened it and pulled out a sheer nightgown. Letting the towel pool around her feet, she donned the gown, a translucent white dress that went down to her bare feet but did nothing to hide her body. Then she stepped away from the towel and walked over to her bed. Cassidy would pick the towel up tomorrow morning.

It happened just as she was about to climb into bed and go to sleep. The feeling of someone's killing intent―when a person's desire to kill was so strong that it resonated with the hearts and souls of others, pushing down on them with feelings of oppression―swept through the room. Erica only had enough time to widen her eyes before the glass window that granted her a view of Ashtown shattered, and a figured wrapped in a familiar cloak of darkness shot in, landing on the floor, their cloak billowing around them like the wings of a bird of prey.

Surprised or not, Erica still reacted quickly.

"I call upon the, Kami-no-Kaze, grant me the speed of flight!"

With wind emitting from her feet, Erica moved faster than humanly possible, avoiding the swing of a sword that appeared in her vision. She slid along the carpet, gliding backwards until she was several feet away from her would-be killer. When she stopped moving, Erica narrowed her eyes and glared at her adversary.

It was the same elf that she had fought on the train. She could tell, as not only were they wearing the same cloak, but the way they stood was the same. She still couldn't see underneath their hood, so she knew not whether this person was male or female. Erica would have wondered about the spell they were using to conceal their face, but she had other thoughts on her mind.

How had this elf gotten up here? Her bedchamber was near the top of the tower. There was no way anyone should have been capable of climbing this high. Had they flown up here? Was that even possible? Surely, Alchemy could not grant one flight! The very notion was absurd!

She didn't let her enemy know how shocked she was, and instead feigned nonchalance, staring at the elf hidden behind his or her veil with a gaze of boredom.

"You again." She smirked. "I guess you were so enthralled by my beauty that you just couldn't stay away from me. You've got good taste, for an elf."