"May I kindly request a detailed description of her appearance?" I asked, addressing the queen who remained visibly disturbed by the revelation that Veronica might not have been a human at all, or at least that was the illusion she wanted everyone to believe. Given Sapphire's higher status as a vedan, creating a spell capable of erasing her presence from everyone's memory hardly posed a strong challenge; it seemed illogical that the queen would make up something so heavy.
"She is tall and slender, with black hair adorned by a striking streak of white," she explained, and I simply listened, captivated by her certainty about her appearance. My thoughts drifted back to the encounter I had witnessed between her and another person, which perfectly matched that description. It was that mysterious woman who had left me with an unsettling feeling, prompting me to order Cedrick's to conduct some research about her background. This realization of mine confirmed that the queen had been right all along; there indeed was a Veronica. She had used a spell to erase the memories of anyone who had seen her, except for me. I am an expert at Vedan mind magic which meant that it would take more than a mere spell like that to wipe my memories clean."
"You see," the queen said to Lyra, "I am absolutely sure about what I witnessed, and even the Grand General can confirm that she indeed existed."
"That can't be possible," The woman called Lyra countered, her doubts evident. "I'm not aware of any Veronica here, so how can the Grand General claim to have seen her?"
"Lyra is right," the instructor added, voicing agreement. "As far as I know, there's no one by the name of Veronica among our ranks, and all the students can vouch for that fact."
"Don't worry about that," I assured the instructor before turning to leave with the soldiers. My thoughts were consumed by Sapphire's current plans and her sinister efforts to hide them. She truly had the cunning and conniving reputation attributed to her throughout history. It was only normal for us to be as careful as possible in her presence.
Now that she had returned, I wondered what the possibility of her striking a deal with the Dragon King might be. It is important they have an agreement because one between them could potentially lead to the much-needed assistance for the queen's mission to regain her powers, free Zarathus and confront the Demon King.
Back inside the palace, I ran into Cedrick, who had been patiently waiting in a corner. As soon as he spotted me, he approached and asked, "Any signs of her?"
"Cedrick, do you remember that woman who stood alone with the queen? I mentioned there was something strange about her, and I even suggested you should look into it," I asked casually as we strolled down the corridor.
A puzzled expression crossed Cedrick's face as he scratched his head, "Which woman are you talking about Grand general?"
I took a deep breath and continued, "Nevermind about that Cedrick . It's just strange. No one else seems to remember seeing Sapphire, but Her Majesty was very sure she had. I am very certain that I saw her too, so the queen can't be lying about that and she is not a figment of her imagination either."
"Things are getting stranger each passing seconds," Cedrick said as we entered the king's courtroom. The only one left in the room was the king himself, the warlords had apparently made themselves scarce. Without a word from the king, I launched into full details of the events that had transpired on the field. The room fell silent as I spoke, and after a brief pause, I added, "A spell strong enough to wipe everyone's memory of her? That's child's play for someone of Sapphire's caliber. I remember her because I have advanced mind magic. It's going to take more than a very simple spell like that to fully erase my memories."
Suddenly, an uninvited wave of dizziness swept over me, twisting my stomach into knots. I fought the dizziness, forcing myself to regain composure. A nagging thought lingered: could this be the effects of the pregnancy? morning sickness? I desperately hoped not because any unusual behavior in front of the king might expose my carefully guarded secrets. Despite my strong intentions to rid myself of this unborn child, I found myself hesitating, I have no idea why I kept hesitating.
"I suggest we summon the old woman," Cedrick proposed, his voice laced with conviction. "I firmly believe that if anyone possesses the ability to pinpoint Sapphire's current whereabouts, it's the old seer." He had a valid point; the seer had played an important role in helping us locate the Empyrean queen jamari in that Konica kingdom. The task of tracking down someone of Sapphire's caliber shouldn't be a challenge for her.
"Cedrick speaks the truth, my Lord," I voiced my agreement. "Allowing a powerful Vedan like Sapphire to roam freely in the village without control would lead to chaos without any doubt. Sapphire has become a rogue vedan, completely insane. It's important that we bring her under control to prevent any potential harm."
"Indeed," Cedrick chimed in, his tone stern. "Sapphire poses a genuine threat to the villagers. We're all too aware of her special love and taste for for human blood, and if we want to find her then we must at least use the old woman's help." Sapphire was a Blood Vedan, her power grows with each drop of human blood she consumed. She is the first Vedan who started using blood Vedan magic, passing it on to other vedan who were her loyal followers and are responsible for killing humans for blood, making all vedans look evil in the process.
Sapphire was or is the Blood Vedans' leader, she is like their mother and seems almost unbeatable. I can only imagine how many people she's harmed in this kingdom for more power and we probably aren't aware of it because she has covered her tracks with magic. We have to find her before she causes more trouble.
As Cedrick continues talking to the king, my dizziness and nausea get worse, making it hard to stay upright. I touch my head, trying not to collapse in front of the king. I urgently need to think of an excuse and leave as soon as possible.
"Are you alright, Grand General?" Cedrick asked,a look of genuine concern on his face. Even though the king remained silent, his attention was now firmly focused on me.
"I'm fine," I asserted, trying to regain my composure. I had to be fine; the stakes were too high. Yet, it felt as if the universe conspired against me as my head started to spin once more. The room seemed to shrink around me, and I fought back the overwhelming urge to vomit.
"You don't seem well, Grand General," Cedrick observed, closing the distance between us with a small step. In response, I raised my hand to stop him, my words catching in my throat as I struggled to maintain my facade.
"Don't worry about me," I reassured Cedrick, attempting to add confidence into my voice. As I turned to address the king, I made an effort to compose myself. "Today, I'm not feeling quite well, Your Majesty, so I'd like to retire to my chambers."
"I've known you for years, and you've never reported being sick," the king remarked his voice cold as ever. "You should see a physician immediately."
"Yes," I nodded, acknowledging his worry. "I will make sure to see one right away," I affirmed.
"No," the king decided, turning to one of the guards. "Summon the Royal physician immediately to examine the Grand General and determine what might be affecting her health."
"Why does he suddenly care? Why can't he just stick to being the cold and indifferent king he usually is?" I wondered. If I couldn't find a way out of this situation right now, my secret would be exposed. The king might discover I'm carrying his child before I can handle it. What would happen to me then? What could I do at this critical moment?
"I assure you, Your Majesty, I'm perfectly fine," I managed to say, struggling to keep myself steady. But the next action made me confirm that the universe was truly conspiring against me as my vision blurred even more. I clutched my head, trying to stay upright. The voices calling my name grew distant as darkness closed in.
My body gave in, and I collapsed onto the floor. Through my blurry vision, I saw guards rushing toward me to help, but my eyes shut involuntarily, and I lost consciousness.
I passed out, right in front of the king. Is this how he'll discover my secret, that I'm carrying his child? What will happen now, and why did this have to occur at the worst possible moment?
Why right now?...