Secret Route's keyword: Valkyrie

Meeting Death

11.

The journey to my parents' house, seeing that my family is a Duke household that manages a vast territory, is a long one. Inside the carriage prepared by my parents, with nothing to do, Grace the Witch and Grandma Solid start to talk about themselves.

They say it's to prepare me for something. I don't know what though.

Grace the Witch, is a High Magician, known as Master of Magic. This is it. The prove that Grace has lived for a long time. She is practically a legend! Because she usually uses magic to mask her appearance, nobody knows for sure how she looks like. While accompanying me, Grace says that she will use her real appearance and since nobody knows it's her real one, all is well. The identifying mark for Grace is, the mark from God of Time, a small clock forever points at 12 o'clock inside her right thumb's nail.

Inconspicuous place. I envy.

As for Grandma Solid, her full name is Maria de la Solidad. Because the name is too long and too girly to be taken seriously on the battlefield, Grandma Solid shortened her name stubbornly, despite the protests from her family. Grace and I applaud Grandma Solid for her success in doing what she wanted: enlisting into the army and fighting in the war and achieving a high position... As the only female Commander in history.

Now, retired, Grandma Solid boasts that she is still popular. I don't know about that, because nobody had treated her as anything but a grandmother. It might be because Grandma Solid hid her identity... So, until I see it myself, I will just have to... suspend my expectation.

After exhausting the topic about themselves, they start to talk about the past. It's interesting, listening to it. There were a lot of fights involved, mystifying me. Why is the past so grim? Why was there a war? Without the God of Death doing anything, the numbers of death keep on raising. Ah, geez... In that case, there's no need for people to fear us who are blessed by God of Death, isn't it? As long as those who are blessed aren't out to kill people randomly.

Blaming someone else for their grief... How...human.

With me learning about my caretakers more deeply and the world in general, I arrive at Duke Cogent's family manor.

It's bigger than God of Death's Church. Not big enough compared to Atom Country's citadel. Slightly bigger than Plum and Laurel's houses though. There're people lining within the gate and a lot of people watching outside the gate.

"Ah," Grandma Solid's face lightens up, "I see my children and grandchildren!"

Grandma Solid is looking at the crowd outside the manor, a big crowd of big and important people standing and watching while trying to blend in unsuccessfully.

"Espionage, epic fail," Grace the Witch comments with a snort

"They aren't here for something like that," Grandma Solid chides distractedly, looking back and forth between the manor and the crowd

I help her choose, "Why don't you go to your family instead, Grandma Solid? You haven't seen them for a long time. Later, you can come and find me inside the manor," putting a hand on Grace, with a big smile, I assure Grandma Solid, "I have Grace with me, so you don't need to worry!"

"Yeah, I will take care of her," Grace the Witch agrees, "I am capable of that, so you don't have to worry too much. I don't think anything bad will happen to her inside the house..."

After a brief silence, Grandma Solid nods, "I will join you shortly, Lie. I promise,"

"I understand," I answer with a smile, smiling brightly in happiness to know that there is someone who truly cares for me