The Villainess Will Not Bring Dishonor To Her Family

105 - Contracts

Helena's Point Of View

The last couple of weeks have been horrible.

After we arrived at the Ice-Claw Keep with lots of attention, and I made sure that 'Lily's' letter reached Lionel Tepet. Of course I also asked about Jesmaine... if she'd been seen or if he had heard anything about her. When he said he hadn't with this grouchy expression I took a leap of faith and asked if I could join near the front line if she appeared. Without even considering my question he promptly answered 'No' and tried to send me on my way.

I unpacked and waited till the end of the day when he was returning and asked him once more if he had heard or seen Jesmaine, and once again he promptly answered no and told me he would make sure that I knew if she was found. Though this time he didn't face me properly and swiftly walked by me. I noticed a few glances by the knights as his side as well, and as they walked away I certainly heard 'Is she bothering you milord?' From their lips.

The next morning I approached him again, though a large scruffy blonde man got between us.

"The Lord is busy and will not be taking visits by commoners at the moment," he said, trying to keep me from approaching Lionel with a cold demeanor... Lionel didn't even look at me, but I knew that I'd already been labeled as a bother. I'd only asked twice! Furthermore just answering me would be faster than forcing me away! Still, I couldn't just give up either. Lionel was never fond of Jesmaine in the story, and even now she is an enemy. I can't trust him with her.

"Please let me join near the front line! I can do the sound stopping magic your soldiers do too!" I'm actually quite adept at air magic, though only to eavesdrop, stop sound and spread sound. It's magic that has good use in business as a journalist and as a musician... sadly I can't play an instrument well yet though... still! I could be helpful!

"No civilians on the battlefield," Lionel answered coldly and just walked past me without taking me seriously.

I tried to ask him again when he returned, but he didn't budge even a little. I tried to change tactics too and request that I could join the scouts, but that too was rejected. After a week of this a couple of soldiers grabbed me and pulled me into the Keep where they locked me into one of the rooms...

I've been locked into that room for a week now, and though they've fed me and given me my things, I am reaching my limit. I haven't heard any news of Jesmaine, only that the situation is bad. I try to eavesdrop on the knights and soldiers near the keep, but it's only bad news from our side. Lack of sleep, exhaustion, that their ears won't stop ringing or how they miss their families. Their cries in the night as they whimper names of guys and women leaves me anxious.

When we traveled here we passed through multiple villages that haven't been evacuated. If this point falls those villages will probably fall... but why haven't they evacuated those villages?

No, it's probably because of the huge amounts of food the villages take care of. Because House Tepet mainly has earth mages under them, the Tepet lands are incredibly fertile. The ground is soft and kind of feels like the stuff you'd buy for your greenhouse in my former life. I was shocked by this at first, because the Tepet lands aren't overgrown at all. They're flat and has crops as far as the eye can see with only a few natural fences and multiple rivers between the fields. It's a huge bread basket for Ristaze. If they lose that things could turn sour quickly.

—-*—-

I heard that 'Lily' and the Celeste knights arrived even before they got back, so of course I decided to make an escape. I sneakily picked the old lock with a pair of long needles like I'd watched someone do on the Internet when I was looking for ways to unlock my locked bike after I lost the key, and slipped out...