Chapter 220: This Was Not a Hill For Her to Die On

Chapter 220: This Was Not a Hill For Her to Die On

A pair of big, violet eyes seemed to pierce her very soul with such intensity that her heart began to race. Tori could only take another step back. Except, she couldnt go any further. A stone column brushed against the back of her dress.

She was trapped.

Tell me, what do you like most about my nephew? Princess Celine had grabbed her hands upon meeting her, then insisted on sitting next to her at the dinner table, and now she had cornered Tori during the reception ball.

There were many guests all over the ballroom, chatting in small groups, mingling, or dancing. Piers was indisposed talking to domestic political leaders, Axton remained by his side in case Piers became too uncomfortable, and her friends had already retreated to relax in the garden, away from the sea of powerful and influential guests.

Tori wasnt fast enough to join them, or rather, she couldnt lose the energetic princess.

Asking for help from the princess husband and wife did nothing. They seemed to be just as curious about her, too.

No one could help her. Not even the Emperor, who couldnt control his sister to begin with.

Hes intelligent and meticulous, at the same time very efficient with his work. Tori gave the silver-haired woman a perfunctory answer hoping she would take a step back.

Yes, yes, hes always been a brilliant boy. Once he focuses on something, nothing can break his concentration. Princess Celine tossed her head back and laughed with joy. She held Piers in high regard, and it made sense.

Piers was her very first nephew. The Princess mustve been ecstatic to spoil him and then heartbroken that Piers did not like physical touch and recoiled violently whenever they tried to show him affection. She had seemed to almost want to cry after Piers embraced her and all throughout dinner, the Princess asked Tori about how she was able to get Piers to hug others.

Madam Georgia had seemed interested in the process and Master Petir told her he admired her dedication to his nephew.

Yes, its admirable in a way. Hes certainly managed to complete a lot as first prince. Tori put on a hopeful smile.

Princess Celines gaze softened. He may love paperwork, like his strange father, but now that he has you, he will make time. Im certain. My ridiculous, bookworm brother was the same. He was so boring! Of course, he still is, but more so back then. Nothing steered him away from reading about law and politics until he met Monica-

Celine. A low, irritated voice came from behind her. Madam George and Master Petir tensed up and took a small step to the side as a shadow fell over the silver-haired woman. The Emperors eyes darkened as he glared into the back of his younger sisters head. What are you doing here?

Tori wasnt sure if the Emperor meant to save her or question his sister.

Princess Celine pursed her lips for a moment and all her energy seemed to have been drained in an instant. She took a step to the side and turned to face her brother.

What does it look like Im doing, Brother? Im talking to my future niece!

Piers and I arent engaged-

And I am not legally married. What does it matter so long as youve recognized the relationship? Princess Celine replied with such confidence that there was no way Tori could correct her without a lot of effort, so she just accepted that this was not a hill for her to die on.

So this is why the Emperor is the way he is with his sister. I get it now. I get it. Toris lips pulled into a tight line.

The Emperor took a deep breath. Celine, you didnt tell us that you were coming.

Why cant I? Princess Celine almost pouted. Horizon is my hometown. Why cant I be here?

You havent set foot in the city in ten years! The Emperors voice shot up for just a bit before he managed to even it out.

It isnt as if youll run out of room to house us while were here, his sister replied. Besides, how could I miss Piers ceremony? This is no simple birthday and youve finally named your heir. She lowered her voice and lifted her shoulders a bit. Not that there was a question.

You werent at the cathedral for the ceremony.

But I made it to the ceremony reception. Princess Celine gave her red-faced brother a winning smile.

The Emperors eyes narrowed. You came to see the Countess, didnt you? You knew shed be here.

What are you talking about? What Countess? The Princess shifted her eyes.

The one youre talking to right now.

Oh, Tori? Brother, dont be silly! Its a pleasant surprise to be able to meet the young lady Ive heard so much about. Princess Celine looked at her spouses for affirmation and they nodded.

Tori squinted her eyes. What exactly had this woman heard about her?

Celine. The Emperor took a step forward and Celine finally drew her head back a bit.

She seemed to think for a moment before she stood up straight and lifted her chin with defiance. All right, I didnt just come for Piers ceremony, but that was the main goal of this visit! Dont misconstrue my intentions. She swallowed and quieted her voice. Its just that I also came because Father said that Tori built a resort on a swamp, and I want to see it.

The Emperors eye twitched and he grit his teeth. You-

Your Highness, you shouldve told me that you were interested in seeing my delta! Tori threw formalities out the window and stepped in between the two imperial siblings. She clapped her hands together and put on an eager smile. It is a coincidence that we are having a celebration next weekend for my good friends birthday. Hes a La Garda student and applying for the first-tier knights, so this may be his last big birthday for a while and were planning to make it count. Knowing Ewan, he wont mind at all if you and your husband and wife drop by to experience such a celebration.

Ewan really wouldnt. His family was coming, as were likely half of La Garda. Tori had received gifts from Sur to give to Ewan from various knights, her family, and, of course, Ewans master, Sebastian.

Princess Celines face lit up. She threw her brother a haughty look. You see, Brother? Such hospitality! The Emperor kept frowning and she turned to Tori. Ive heard so much about your delta from everyone. As Im traveling around the empire all the time, Ive gotten a chance to stay at Lunar Inns. You know, the ones that Axton owns. Of course, we stay there when we can, as we must support my nephews best friend.

Axton would be happy to hear that. Tori nodded. Im very pleased. When our Lunar Pavilion is prepared, I will ask for an invitation to be sent to you.

Ive already seen it. The Emperor unexpectedly spoke up and seemed to gloat. The renovations match historical records, but they also have the most advanced crystal technology. He sneered at his sister. Youve never seen anything like it.

The Princess face turned red and almost scrunched up. I will see it soon enough!

Seeing that the Princess had turned all her attention to the Emperor, Tori decided it was time for an escape. Her eyes swept across the room for a path to freedom where shed avoid anyone that wanted to talk to her on her way to the garden.

Piers was still talking to guests and his grandfather was at his side, introducing him to older guests. The Empress was chatting with the visiting duchesses. Axton was approaching Piers to speak.

Assured that Piers would be fine with Axton, Tori took a step to the side. I still have some guests to check on and will return soon. Please excuse me, Your Majesty. Your Highness. She gave a smooth, quick curtsy before they could stop her, and then quickened her step as she made a beeline for the back exit.

A knight saw her approaching and seemed to know her intention. He stood to the side and opened the door for her.

The back hall was lined with knights and Tori was directed towards the garden courtyard where her friends were. She heard them talking as she approached. From the hall, she craned her neck to the open door and drew her head back.

Gideon and Fabian were sitting around the two tea tables and occupied two chairs. This explained why she didnt see them inside. They sat as far away from Ilyana as possible, and Gideons face was almost green with envy as Ilyana sat across from him and bragged about their summer plans.

Yes, were pretty much navigating the coasts of the empire. Ilyana looked smug. Were going to visit all the marches. Tori has already arranged it.

She got approval to visit Buchenberg? Gideon scowled. Thats my familys castle!

She had to get approval, or we cant visit, Albert said. She said that the Marquis General approved of our dropping by ourselves.

Gideons face looked even more irritated. Tori held back her grin and was about to take a step out into the garden when she felt a familiar pulse. She turned her head and froze; in case it was a fluke.

Another pulse of energy hit her, and she let out a heavy breath as her shoulders dropped.

The crystal table was calling to her.

She changed course and instead of going out to the garden, she made her way into the depths of the palace. The luxurious surroundings became more and more modest until she was in a narrow stone corridor sparsely lit by dim crystals. Her body seemed to know the way by itself, and she found herself standing at the threshold to the room quickly.

Tori tilted her head to the side as she saw a man standing over the edge of the table with his hands resting on the edge. He leaned forward and his eyes were closed as he took deep breaths.

The four masters on the island hovered over the delivery knights like bees protecting their queen to ensure that the slab was installed gently.

Tori was waiting for the crystals shed ordered for another project, also in some way related to ships. At the moment, communication over water was limited to flares and flags, and yelling. With no way to ground, crystal communication was useless.

But if sound and energy can be transmitted through the air.... It was possible, she just had to figure out how to do so with crystals.

The little train shed made of wood and crystal circled around part of the worktable. She furrowed her brows. Despite her last memories in her original world tumbling to her possible death in a train, she still wanted a train system in the delta for both people and goods. Shed already had city planners lay out prospective transport pathways to connect planned villages, towns, and work areas in preparation.

She touched a small crystal on a wooden board carefully connected to the wooden track with scrap crystal wrapped in wire and the small train with little cars the size of her thumb, slowed down.

At the moment, she didnt have funding to spare on trains.

But that was fine. That just meant that there was time to do tests and develop efficient and safe trains and transportation procedures. No one needed to die in a train-related accident as she did.

Tori, the crystals you requested arrived. Tori looked up and drew her head back.

Are you a delivery man now? she asked as Piers walked towards her carrying a wooden box in his arms. What are you doing here?

I am tired of Horizon. Piers frowned and Tori was sympathetic. While his Universit workload pretty much ended, he received a new workload from his father as the Crown Prince. From the sound of it, Tori theorized that the Emperor was just starting to throw his own responsibilities on his son. Piers placed the box on the tabletop after Tori moved her toy train to the side. Father said that you requested this.

Tori sat up straight and pulled the box towards her. She opened the latch and lifted the lid. Inside were pale blue to white crystals, both clear and opaque, layered in wooden trays stacked on top of each other. The individual pieces werent very large, perhaps as big as her thumb at most.

She could feel the excitement bubbling up inside of her as she ran her finger tips over the topmost tray. Piers craned his neck to see what she was doing and raised a brow.

These crystals have energy that resonates with air, Tori told him. When we were in Tres Arcos, Kasey used a charm to track pirates. Charms dont need to ground and are pre-charged, so rather than connect through the ground, energy follows a trail in the air, like oil in water. She looked at Piers with an eager smile she couldnt contain. I think that that it is possible to do that using energy manipulated through air crystals.

Piers seemed to understand her theory and nodded, but didnt immediately share her excitement. What will you use them for?

Tori let out a low, almost diabolical, giggle. If sound can travel through air instead of require grounding, then a ship at sea can communicate with another ship, a watch tower, and maybe even a comcry. She was trembling at the possibility and wanted Piers to be excited, too. When he gave her a simple nod, she huffed. Piers, do you know what that can mean?

Better naval communication.

She stared at him for a moment and then blinked. It means that when I travel, even if I am on a ship in the middle of the ocean, I can contact you.

His eyes dilated just a bit and she lifted her chin in satisfaction. He was finally excited. If you need more crystals, I can provide them.

Tori laughed and grinned. Ive just started the preliminary plans. Nothing has come out of this yet. She closed the lid of her box of new crystals. You werent scheduled to come to the delta this weekend. Did you use the box as an excuse to come?

Piers looked in the direction of the other courtyard, where everyone else was. They could hear the various voices speaking as the selenite slab was installed.

Voss sent a souvenir to his family and sent me something, as well, he said. Tori furrowed her brows and put together the veiled meaning. The Voss he was referring to was Hadley Voss, who currently worked under Kasen as an information agent, and was disguised as a worker overseeing brick production in Fendersmith Fields. In order to keep up his disguise, he had limited contact with anyone who wasnt part of the construction site.

However, it was very common for workers to send things back home, be it money, gifts, or simply letters. Tori recalled Axton mentioning that Hadley was preparing something and later figured it was a map of the tunnels he found at the site.

What did he send you?

Dry wheat cookies, but the wrapping is useful.

Now she was curious. She stood up and gathered her box, then walked past Piers to Instructor Ignatius living room, where she stored some of her things when she wasnt on the island. She carefully put her box on top of other boxes before turning around. Piers had followed her in, and Tori touched a crystal on the wall to activate a silence circle.

Was it the map? she asked, after the door closed.

Piers gave her a nod. From the shape, it was naturally formed. He said that hes found more caves nearby and believes that they stretch quite far.

Tori sat on the arm of a sofa and crossed her arms over her chest. Then, theyll connect Fendersmith Fields, and that caravan stop, to somewhere else.

Most likely.

Where?

We dont know yet. I have to send surveyors, but we must be careful. If they are interconnected, then theyll be monitored.

Tori let out a low breath and shook her head. What is it with these infiltrators and caves?

Caves provide a place to hide and travel through in secret, Piers said. Such as the smugglers cave that Axton collapsed on the northeastern border.

At the reminder of it, Tori frowned more so. Axton had a chance to look around before he collapsed the tunnels, as he needed a basic idea of what he was dealing with. Tori had initially imagined narrow crevices and maybe one or two large interior caverns. From what Axton described, there were large rooms, and the tunnels could fit a large wagon without a problem.

This was not natural. The caves had been hollowed out. There was evidence of recent human settlement, as well. Surveyors said that some stones were smoothed away from being rubbed against too many times. What was more, there was graffiti in the cave.

That in itself wasnt unusual. Even in her own world, some caves had ancient graffiti. It was just a way of letting the unknown know that they existed. What was special was in this case, the graffiti was in Ulmaec - considered the modern descendent of Old Sulfae.

It was also the script used for various languages in the Duraga Federation.

And it wasnt only the usual so-and-so was here. Tribe names were carved into the rock along with how many weapons they brought, as if bragging. This meant that what was being smuggled wasnt just spices and animals.

People were being smuggled.

Specifically, people who came to fight.

This left Tori with the unsettled feeling that there were an unknown number of infiltrators hidden in Soleil, amongst the people. They didnt know how long the cave was in use, or if it was the only one. Surveyors were crawling through the border mountains looking for similar cave systems, and the von Schwert and Nord Marches were strengthening coastal surveillance.

If they could stop any more smugglers and enemies, that would be great.

But what would they do about those who were already in Soleil?

Piers mustve noticed the pensive look on her face and lifted a hand, putting it on top of her head. Even if there are thousands of their people in Soleil, they cannot do much if they do not consolidate to form a cohesive fighting unit.

They can still cause trouble, like those smugglers and the spice racket, Tori said.

Troubles such as those are an easy matter to deal with. Spread too thin, their impact at once is manageable.

Tori lowered her head and chewed on her lower lip. More pirates had been caught recently and further questioning led to the same results as they got at Tres Arcos. Someone was paying these pirates, who normally avoided Soleil coasts, to cause trouble, and it reeked of distraction.

Domestic economic issues were forcibly handled by the imperial family using private reserves to calm any turbulence until the new trade evened it once more. Soleil was a several millennia old empire; this was not its first crisis. In fact, from how Piers and his father dealt with it, it wasnt anywhere near a crisis.

Their opponents were currently running around with their heads cut off trying to feed their military and arguing amongst each other. The cavalries on the border with Soleil had been pulled back and its likely suspected that they were regrouping and trying to support their individual tribes in the midst of the chaos.

They did not have the capital to push for further attacks so soon.

At the same time...what did that mean for those already in Soleil? Would they try to send support back? If so, from where?

She closed her eyes and lifted her hands to rub her temples. Honestly, I dont want to deal with this.

Then do not. It is not for you to concern yourself with, Piers told her. Pack for Geyser Cliffs. Everything is ready and they are expecting us. You have your own room with private access to the geothermal baths.

The thought of being lazy on the water relaxed her a bit. I just have to pack snacks for the trip.

Good. Do not worry about the Duraga Federation, Piers told her. I will take care of it.