As Maxwell watched Erika get to work, he started to lose himself in thought.

Particularly, he remembered what Michelle stated to him throughout their sport of chess.

Whereas Michelle arrived underneath the pretence of a proper assembly to debate what the following transfer of the Confederation ought to be, they as an alternative misplaced themselves in a reasonably prolonged dialog that itself would typically lose itself into tangents and different kinds of small speak.

Nonetheless, it was what they talked about on the very finish that caught in Maxwell’s thoughts.

To this very second, the reminiscence of Michelle’s voice was nonetheless very clear in his head.

“Do not even try to deceive me Maxwell. It’s possible you’ll reach mendacity to your self, however you’ll be able to’t deceive me.”

That picture of Michelle’s assured smile and relaxed eyes remained vivid inside Maxwell’s head even after she left. And with these relaxed eyes she stated one thing that will stay in his thoughts for an extended, very long time.

“Maxwell, you’ll be able to say no matter you need to say and imagine no matter you need to imagine. You may say and imagine that your entire… admittingly heinous acts are all on your little ‘legacy.’ I am not going to reprimand you for such a factor. Actually, extra energy to you.

However do not you even dare try to rope me into your line of pondering.

If what you say and imagine was true then I would not even be right here now would I? You could possibly have used your skills in lots of different methods than what you might be doing now that may nonetheless carry you that fame and glory you so want.

You say that you just’re revolutionising warfare and the every day life of individuals and that you just’re ‘guiding’ the world into a brand new period however I say that you just’re bullshitting.

Admit it, you simply adore it. The facility. The facility that comes with our data. The facility by way of our data to form and alter historical past and even complete fucking kingdoms and nations as we wished.

Erika, Sicilia, your brothers, all of them, everybody. They’re all pawns. Pawns for us to make use of.

Do you keep in mind the quote ‘All of the world’s a stage, And all of the women and men merely gamers.’ Nicely, I can say with certainty that, that quote is fake.

All of the world will not be a stage, however as an alternative, it might be higher to liken it to a enjoying area, a sport board if you’ll. And in reality, all of the women and men are merely pawns to be exploited and discarded as soon as their use runs out.

That is what units us aside from the remainder of this world as a result of we’re not of this world.

We by no means have been.

Our very existence on this world alone shouldn’t be even potential however look the place we’re.”

It was at that time in Michelle’s monologue that she paused to interrupt into laughter earlier than she resumed on her regular tempo.

“Ahahahaha! For those who actually give it some thought, we’re gods.

On this ‘new world’ we’re gods.

For those who outline gods as beings that dictate the lives of these inferior to them then by that logic, we’re ‘technically’ gods.

We’re highly effective gods who steer the lives of the ignorant plenty.

One phrase from us can change the destiny of 1000’s.

The one distinction between you and me is that considered one of us at the least admits what makes us tick.

What makes us do the issues we do.

It’s one factor and one factor solely.

We do it just because we will.

As a result of we need to.

As a result of it is simply too rattling enjoyable.”

Maxwell does not even keep in mind what he stated to retort Michelle’s claims however what he does keep in mind was that the 2 of them lapsed into silence as soon as Michelle concluded her monologue. What occurred subsequent was that the 2 of them would proceed to play their chess sport with out saying a single phrase.

After they declared the draw on the finish of the sport, Michelle solely silently waved Maxwell goodbye earlier than she left.

With Michelle’s absence, the silence continued to permeate the air as Maxwell stared on the chess board.

With nobody else to interrupt him, Maxwell obtained misplaced in thought.

Quickly minutes, no maybe even hours handed as Maxwell contemplated to himself within the full and utter silence.

By no means earlier than has Maxwell ever been so uncertain of himself and his beliefs since that sport with Michelle.

He considered what he did.

What he was going to do.

And what he actually needed.

All he knew was that Michelle needed to be flawed.

There needed to be extra to life than doing issues ‘simply because.’

However attempt as he would possibly, his psychological debate inside himself would at all times finish in a draw.

Quickly, he got here to the conclusion that maybe, spending a while with Erika may very well be a potential answer to his present emotions of uncertainty.

Maybe by then, Erika will help him discover a answer to those emotions.

Such a thought course of and conclusion was what result in the present state of affairs of now.

And by Maxwell’s personal admission it was reasonably pathetic.

However even with that in thoughts, Maxwell was nonetheless left to marvel.

Left to marvel about Erika.

Did she actually imply one thing to him?

Or was she actually only a mere pawn?

…

In one other nook of the continent, within the mansion on the cliff overlooking the docklands, a small banquet was being held inside the mansion’s gardens.

A banquet that was to have a good time the return of a sure somebody.

With a glass of wine in her fingers, Rose glanced across the gardens which have been stuffed with individuals which she principally detested.

Not even Rose knew why she returned to the mansion.

The one factor that she did know was that she returned, and now she needed to cope with its penalties.

“And right here I declare a toast to Rose!”

“To Rose!”

The one which made the declaration was Rose’s youthful sister; Lily Phlor Finaflor, who was at present carrying a predominantly white noble gown which emphasised her aura of ‘innocence’. The fourteen yr previous’s cheery and vivid disposition rose the spirits of all of the vassal nobles and influential retailers who have been current on the banquet.

It even induced Rose’s mouth to curve upwards right into a slight smile.

If there was one factor that Rose obtained out of this banquet, it might be the enjoyment dropped at her by Lily’s very presence.

Rose needed to admit that because of Lily, she nearly forgot why she even left the mansion within the first place.

Regardless of Lily’s naivety, she was somebody that Rose held very dearly in her coronary heart. In different phrases, Lily was the one individual on this damned mansion that Rose truly cared about.

At the very least this was compared to Rose’s different sister…

Whereas sipping on her wine, Rose took a look out of the nook of her eyes on the oldest sister of the ‘Finaflor trio’; Orchid Phlorescer Finaflor who wore a predominantly darkish crimson gown with black trims.

And unsurprisingly, Rose found that Orchid was likewise additionally taking glances at Rose out of the nook of her eyes whereas on the similar time taking sips out of her personal wine.

Whereas taking sips out of their wine glasses, the 2 sisters continued to glare at one another out of the corners of their eyes whereas Lily however, was off within the background, having fun with the eye of the younger sons that accompanied their noble fathers.

In fact, there ought to be no purpose for such hostilities between the 2 sisters.

They shared the identical likes and dislikes and set of pursuits, and on prime of that, neither of them disagreed with that truth. Theoretically talking the 2 of them ought to have excellent chemistry and get alongside quiet effective. Splendid even. And but, that simply wasn’t the case.

And that was due to three issues that drove the 2 aside within the basic sense.

The primary was a single factor that the 2 of them may by no means come on an settlement to. Their stances on how the Kingdom of Portegol as a vassal nation underneath the Panish Empire. Whereas Rose is fervently in opposition to the vassaliation of Portegol, Orchid wholeheartedly supported and endorsed it.

And that was due partly to the second factor that drove the 2 aside.

Orchid’s husband was a Panish noble.

A fourth son of some noble Panish household who ‘obtained engaged’ to Orchid earlier than the 2 ultimately married.

Nonetheless, Rose knew higher.

She was certain that their marriage was organized by the Panish household who wished to utilize their ‘ineffective’ fourth son and Rose’s now deceased mother and father. Little question this was performed to ensure that the Finaflor household to realize extra favour with the Panish overlords.

The third factor can truly be answered with one phrase.

Lily.

The 2 eldest sisters continually fought to win Lily over to their aspect.

And it was in the intervening time when Orchid lastly received Lily over to her aspect that Rose selected to go away the mansion.

It was solely after these ideas ran by way of Rose’s head that she remembered the precise purpose why she returned to Finaflor mansion.

Quickly, the recollections of Rose’s assembly with Sicilia began to flood again into her head.

She remembered what Sicilia promised Rose.

Freedom.

Freedom for her individuals.

Freedom from the Paniards.

However in reality, it was not the liberty of Rose’s individuals that basically needed however as an alternative freedom for Lily.

Freedom from the toxic phrases of Orchid and her Panish husband.

“Rose are you alright?”

Quickly, the very topic of Rose’s ideas, Lily approached her. With a sombre sigh, Rose give her reply to Lily.

“No I am not alright.”

Inside moments, a glance of each shock and confusion started to type on Lily’s face An expression which Rose pressured herself to disregard as she spoke.

“I am very sorry however I have to excuse myself. I simply realised that I had one thing to see to. I promise that I will make it as much as you.”

Rose managed to disregard the look on Lily’s face as she circled to go away the gardens and ultimately the mansion. There was no means that Lily may perceive, however in reality, all the pieces that Rose is doing is all for Lily’s sake and it was by way of conserving that data in her coronary heart that Rose was in a position to as soon as once more primarily ‘abandon’ Lily.

After taking her hood off the racket and inserting it over her head, Rose made her approach to return to that particular product owner’s warehouse within the port district.

That banquet within the mansion gave Rose the readability.

The readability to see the reality.

She will not stand idly by as her ignorant older sister corrupts the one final thing that Rose really cared about.

She now knew that she needed to do one thing.

She now knew that she needed to make sacrifices.

And that was all because of that ‘readability.’

Nonetheless, that very same readability didn’t present her that she was about to make a cope with the satan.