Ruena spent hours going over the plan to restore the knightage with Justus, and once she was done, Leopold pulled her away to deal with the many pressing matters that had arisen in her absence. One of those matters was a letter from Storm, stating he would be leaving the Warriors to raise his new apprentice.

  “Of all times, why now?” Ruena murmured in frustration.

  Storm hadn't given any real explanation beyond that, but given the timing it likely had something to do with Soral. Hopefully that meant Soral was making good progress on his own journey. Ruena couldn't afford to fall behind. She also received an invitation from Crystal for their first official meeting at the palace. On paper, Ruena would be visiting to look at prospective knight cadets to refill the Alodan Order.

  Since her purpose was with the knights, she was able to get away with wearing a knight uniform. It had to be tailored to fit her, but she was able to use the one they had on hand meant for the duchess. Of course, Velcorna had never worn it, but it was a matching pair to the one her father had once worn.

  "It suits you well," Leopold told her with a satisfied smile, "I am proud to stand by your side."

  "Thank you," Ruena told him, pushing her own mixed feelings about the outfit aside. She couldn't afford to be distracted by nostalgia in the palace.

  They departed for the palace shortly after. Since no official guard had been chosen for her yet, Justus himself accompanied her, as well as a servant Leopold trusted. Justus being there would make things easier on the Knight's side, so it wasn't a bad setup. Ruena just wished she could appoint Soral as her knight, or another one of the Warriors.

  "Leopold told me you are planning to become the Weapons master," Justus spoke up during their journey, "If that is the case, it would be my honor to help you train however you need. I have much to make up to the House of Alodan."

  "Thank you for the offer," Ruena replied, "It will be good to stay in shape. I actually already have my heart set on a teacher but it will difficult to convince her. I would at least like to take care of the most pressing matter with the duchess first. I cannot train in peace while that woman pursues the throne."

  "Yes, of course," he agreed with a grimace, "Who is this teacher you have in mind?"

  "Zinela," Ruena answered. There was no real reason to hide it, "She is the only retired Weaponsmaster still alive, and the one who trained my father."

  Justus had a complicated look on his face. "She would by the perfect candidate," he admitted, "but she vanished years ago, while your father was still alive. She may no longer even be with us after all these years."

  "I know. She may be gone or impossible to find, but I will not give up until I at least try," Ruena told him, "Besides, Soral often makes the impossible possible for me."

  Justus seemed conflicted about Soral as well, but he seemed to know better than to bring it up. They rode the rest of the way in silence, though there wasn't much left to go.

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  Entering the palace was a hassle. Even with the invitation, Ruena had to go through various checks before she was even allowed through the outer gates. This allowed her access to the gardens and the training grounds, which was more than enough for her needs.

  Crystal was waiting for her in the western gardens, those closest to the knight cadets. These gardens focused less on grandeur and more on simplicity, unlike the ones lining the path to the inner palace. Ruena felt a lot more comfortable in this setting, so she was relieved. She took the available seat at the table Crystal had prepared and they began to talk.

  "You asked for my guidance in high society," Crystal began, "In order to guide you properly, I need to know exactly what your goal is and what connections you may already have."

  "I have two goals. Prevent Velcorna from taking the throne of Altea, and earning the title of Weaponsmaster," Ruena explained, "I don't believe I am quite ready for the title of duchess, but if I must take it to drive her out, I will."

  "Alright," Crystal prompted, deep in thought, "Do you have any other noble connections aside from me?"

  The first person that came to mind was Densooth, but Ruena did not want to rely on him if she could help it. Then she remembered her deal with the Valen King. "King Xandus of Valen," she answered, "He and I had a deal, and I fulfilled my end of the bargain."

  “What kind of bargain?” Crystal asked, intrigued.

  As Ruena thought back, she began to feel embarrassed. “He told me to visit him after I succeeded,” she recalled, “To discuss our friendship.”

  “Friendship?!” Crystal clarified, a bit alarmed, “That is far more valuable than I had expected. Unfortunately it will be difficult for you to visit him right now. How about you extend him an invitation to visit the Alodan Mansion instead?”

  Ruena frowned. “Would that even work? I am not even a duchess yet, and I am summoning a king,” she pointed out, “He is sure to be offended.”

  “In a normal situation, yes,” Crystal agreed, “However, Valen are allowed very restricted access to the City of Altea. If you invite him, he will be able to enter the city without having to face those restrictions. It will be a good opportunity for him as well. You may face backlash, but those who would be against it are the same who stand by Velcorna.”

  “So it will easily separate my allies from my enemies,” Ruena realized, “It’s a good plan, but I can’t just invite a king for no reason.”

  Crystal maintained a confident smile. “You already have a reason, don’t you? You said you fulfilled your promise and want to discuss friendship. You will invite the Valen King to form an official alliance between Valen and Alodan.”

  An official alliance? Ruena felt a bit overwhelmed, but she suspected that was what Xandus had meant all along when he mentioned them being friends. It was then that Justus, who Ruena had forgotten had accompanied her, spoke up.

  “The Valen are known for powerful soul magic. He may be able to help you find the one you seek,” he brought up.

  “He definitely could,” Ruena realized. The thought had not even crossed her mind, “Having the Valen King on my side would also help deal with any traitors I missed. He may be a lunatic, but his soul magic is strong. He can see into anyone’s soul, I’m sure.”

  “Your meeting must have been quite memorable,” Crystal mused, “Would it be possible for you to invite me as well? If the Valen King allows it, I would love to meet him myself.”

  “If you are still here when he arrives,” Ruena told her, “I don’t know how to contact you outside of the City of Altea.”

  “That is a problem,” Crystal agreed, “I have an idea how to solve it, actually. While I look into it, why don’t you visit the knight cadets? Let me know if any catch your eye. I can put in a good word for you.”

  “Thank you,” Ruena told her. Crystal felt more and more like a truly powerful ally. With the Valen king on her side as well, she was certain Velcorna wouldn’t stand a chance.