Death's Daughter and the Ebony Blade: Volume 7 Exordium [Parts 1 to 8] by Maito Ayamine

Author:Maito Ayamine
Language: eng
Format: epub

VII

A week before word of Emperor Ramza’s abdication reached the United City-States of Sutherland, Senior Hundred-wing Zephyr delivered the same news to Seraph Sofitia Hell Mekia, seventh of her line. In terms of both quantity and quality, however, the difference in the information they received was like night and day.

The Cloudy Chamber in La Chaim Palace, Elsphere

As she reclined in her magnificently ornamented throne, Sofitia’s first thought after hearing Zephyr’s report was that Darmés must be a mage. She already knew from the information Amelia had brought her that there was a mage in the empire. However, the description Felix had given of that mage did not fit Darmés at all. Which led one to the theory—

“Could there have been two mages?”

“I’m entirely at a loss when it comes to mages, My Seraph, but I will say one thing, if I may. There’s no way that was the doing of an ordinary man. Not that...that...” Words failed Zephyr, and Sofitia saw the thinly veiled terror in his face. She had not seen him like this since he had described Olivia in battle to her.

Those who had left this life had dragged themselves from the ground to attack those still living. Sofitia considered herself well-versed on the subject of magecraft, but she had never so much as heard of magecraft that so desecrated the dead.

Perhaps I might find answers there... she mused, thinking of a certain person as she continued to question Zephyr.

“You are sure that Lord Sieger set himself against Darmés when he claimed himself the new emperor?”

“Completely certain, My Seraph,” Zephyr said with conviction. It was not that Sofitia doubted what he said. The situation had simply deviated so dramatically from her plans that she was, in truth, left befuddled. Everything that had occurred up until Olivia and Felix crossed swords had ended up in line with her predictions. But thanks to Darmés’s intervention, along with the rising dead, their battle had ended undecided. Olivia and Felix had formed a temporary truce and marched off to the imperial capital together.

After their conversation, there can be no doubt that Lord Sieger returned to the capital for no reason other than Ramza. But what about my dear Olivia? I cannot work out what reason she had for accompanying Lord Sieger to Olsted. To get a look at the state of the city in anticipation of a battle to come? Sofitia immediately discarded this idea. To her knowledge, Olivia did not have a scrap of ambition, nor any interest in war. War simply happened to follow in the course of her search for Z; the idea that she would be so calculating was unbelievable.

Ah, well. I’m sure Olivia’s situation will reveal itself in time. Sofitia looked at the kneeling Zephyr.

“You have proof of the new emperor’s accession, yes?”

“We have, My Seraph. I had word from the owl we sent to infiltrate the capital confirming it. Blessed Wing Lara, Senior Thousand-wing Johann, and Thousand-wing Amelia have also received this report. It was my determination that the older the information, the greater the risk.

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