The private room where Lady Emmaline was holding her tea party was a cozy and intimate space. It was small, with enough space to hold about a dozen people at most, if they squeezed together. Like the main room downstairs, it was decorated in warm, earthy tones. Large windows let in plenty of sunlight and provided a great view of the nearby park, including the lake. I saw a few people out boating.

In the center of the room stood a round wooden table with just enough room for six people. A tiered stand stood atop the table. It contained a variety of treats. A tea pot sat next to the tiered stand. The faint scent of tea filled the air.

Six people sat at the table. I felt a little hurt. Where was my seat? I mean, I was an invited guest. Tsk, tsk. How thoughtless of Lady Emmaline.

All of the House scions sitting at the table were around my age, or a bit older. They were also at Second Circle, though some of them were close to Third Circle. I recognized all of them. They all either had a close connection to Lady Emmaline herself, or belonged to Houses with close ties to House Montgomery as a whole. Two of them belonged to great Houses on par with House Sturm and House Montgomery, including a scion from House Stroud.

Lady Emmaline sat at the far end of the table. She wore a deep blue dress and had her wavy brown hair tied up in a fancy style. She glared at me with her amber eyes, making no attempt to hide her anger.

The other House scions wore similar expressions, making their displeasure known. Most of them regarded me with contempt and disdain in their eyes. However, Lady Emmaline did not. Instead, beneath her anger, I saw… wariness?

Well now. That was interesting. She must've guessed that I was a martial artist. I mean, I made no attempt to hide it.

"What do you want, Lord Gabriel?" Lady Emmaline asked in a sharp voice.

I clicked my tongue in disappointment.

"Why, Lady Emmaline," I said. "Is that any way to speak to an invited guest?"

I waved the invitation around for everyone to see. Lady Emmaline snorted when she saw it.

"I sent that for politeness' sake and you know it," she said. "Leave. You're not welcome here."

"Not until I've completed my business with you," I said.

Several of the other House scions bristled at that. One of them, a young man, spoke up.

"Imposing yourself where you're not wanted?" he said. "How vulgar. I hadn't realized House Sturm had fallen so low." He said. "Then again, I'm not surprised, given how they kept a talentless wretch like you around."

I gave the young man a cold smile, before walking up to him. He smirked at me the entire time, as if he didn't expect me to actually do anything to him. So he was surprised when I grabbed a fork and jammed it down in front of him, embedding it into the wooden table. He yelped and flailed for a bit, before falling backwards.

The other House scions stared at me, shocked by my sudden act of violence. In high society, people fought with cutting remarks, barbed words, and cunning schemes. Actual violence remained out of sight, hidden in the shadows. However, I didn't care about any of that.

"The next time you insult House Sturm in front of me again," I said, looking down at the young man. "I'll aim for your family jewels."

The young man gaped at me. However, before anyone could say or do anything, the building rumbled for a few seconds.

"Lord Gabriel," Lady Emmaline said, standing up. "This is my domain. Threaten my guests one more time and I will bury you alive."

I smiled at her.

"Then perhaps you should invite better guests," I said. "Ones who know when to keep their mouths shut."

Lady Emmaline narrowed her eyes at me.

"Interesting," one of the other guests said, another young man. He studied the fork sticking out of the table. "So, the rumors are true. You've defected to the other side."

I looked over at him. This young man with a solid build and handsome features. He looked like he came from warmer climes, with tanned skin, short brown hair, and dark eyes brimming with warmth. His green and gold outfit contrasted well against his skin.

Colton Stroud of House Stroud.

I had seen him a few times, but we hadn't interacted all that much. We had no reason to. House Stroud specialized in a specific kind of Earth magic: Metal magic. They were skilled artisans and smiths. They produced many of the armor and weapons circulating throughout the Solarian Empire.

I wasn't surprised to see him here. When I last attended a high society event, all those years ago, I heard rumors that Lady Emmaline and Lord Colton were set to be engaged to one another. While no one knew for sure, I thought the rumors were true.

Not only would a marriage between Lady Emmaline and Lord Colton benefit both their Houses, but the two of them got along quite well. In a society where House interests determined a person's marriage partner, this was more important than many realized.

"Defected, Lord Colton?" I asked. "What an interesting word. You make it sound like the Clans are an enemy."

The moment I mentioned the Clans, the other House scions blinked at me in surprise. The only exception was Lady Emmaline, who continued to glare at me. As I suspected, she already knew that I was a martial artist.

Lord Colton shrugged.

"You have to admit that the Clans are outsiders," he said. "They don't originate from our realm."

"Once upon a time, perhaps," I said. "However, they've been here long enough they're as Luminian as you and I." I snorted. "The only reason why they still might be considered outsiders is because of the damned Accords."

Lord Colton raised an eyebrow at me.

"You oppose the Accords?" he asked.

"Yes. They're outdated and no longer necessary, if they ever were in the first place."

Lord Colton straightened up, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"On the contrary, I'd argue that they're completely necessary," he said.

He opened his mouth to speak more, but I held up a hand to forestall him.

"As interested as I am in debating about this topic with you, Lord Colton," I said. "I should finish with my business here before Lady Emmaline makes good on her threat."

Lord Colton started, before looking around, as if he had forgotten about his surroundings.

"My apologies, Lady Emmaline," he said, giving her an apologetic smile. "In my excitement, I forgot myself."

Lady Emmaline gave him a nod.

"You are forgiven, Lord Colton," she said. "Your sin is minor compared to Lord Gabriel's." She resumed glaring at me. "Well? Say your piece and be done with it."

I bared my teeth at her in a smile, before walking over to her, stepping around the young man who still remained on the floor. Lady Emmaline watched me without a change in her expression. I had to admit, her composure impressed me.

"A gift," I said, placing the decorative box down in front of her.

At the same time, I reached into my pocket and picked up the written message I had prepared for Lady Emmaline.

"What is this?" she asked, making no move to open the decorative box.

"Open it and you'll find out," I said.

Lady Emmaline narrowed her eyes at me.

"If you're worried, I can open it for you, Lady Emmaline," Lord Colton said.

Lady Emmaline shook her head.

"There's no need," she said. "I'm sure Lord Gabriel isn't foolhardy enough to try anything in front of so many witnesses."

I resisted the urge to make a snarky comment. While entertaining, it would make my actual goal more difficult to accomplish.

Lady Emmaline opened the decorative box, revealing a piece of bloody cloth. She and Lord Colton maintained their composure, while the other House scions gasped.

The piece of cloth came from Lord Loren's outfit. I thought it would make for an effective distraction.

"What is this?" Lady Emmaline demanded.

"Consider it a warning," I said, grabbing her hand and slipping the written message into it. "Tell this to the rest of your House. Touch one of my people again, and you'll share Lord Loren's fate."

"Let go of me, you ingrate!"

Lady Emmaline tried to slap me with her free hand, but I let go of her and backed away in time. Now came the moment of truth. Would Lady Emmaline reveal the message I just gave her? To my relief, no. She clenched her fist, hiding the message from everyone else.

"Lord Gabriel!" Lord Colton said, standing up. "You go too far! Apologize to Lady Emmaline!"

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I smirked at him and didn't respond.

"Get out, you brute!" Lady Emmaline shouted, pointing to the door.

"Already?" I asked in a mocking tone. "But you haven't even served me tea yet."

"Out!"

I gave her an exaggerated bow.

"As you wish, Lady Emmaline." I looked towards the others. "Please, enjoy the rest of your tea party."

With that, I turned around and left the room. The last thing I heard before I closed the door behind me was the other House scions comforting Lady Emmaline while calling me a vulgar thug.

Perfect.

"Are you sure you gave her the right message?" Kaylee asked. "It's almost time, and there's no sign of her."

I sighed.

"Yes, Kaylee," I said. "I'm sure."

The two of us were inside a private room within the Church of the Sun located in the Earth District. This particular church was smaller than the one in Icefall City, and far less majestic. Still, it had the same Gothic-like architecture, which I appreciated.

It was night, several hours after I left Lady Emmaline's tea party. After leaving the Enchanted Leaf and returning to the House Sturm townhouse, I made arrangements for the private meeting with Lady Emmaline.

The Church of the Sun stayed out of House politics. It didn't choose sides. Rather, it was its own faction. However, this also made it a perfect arbiter. If two or more Houses found themselves feuding, or outright at war with one another, and wanted to resolve things, they asked the Church of the Sun to act as a neutral party. This was an arrangement that worked for everyone involved.

Well, most of the time. The Church of the Sun also had its own interests, and was more than willing to act on those interests. However, that was a risk most Houses were willing to take.

The physical churches also served as good meeting places, when a House scion needed to meet with someone, or someones, they didn't trust. Considering House Sturm's relationship with House Montgomery, this included Lady Emmaline.

I sent a letter to the high priestess in charge of this particular church, telling her that I needed a place to meet someone in private. She obliged. Of course, I didn't outright say all that. There was an etiquette to this sort of thing. One needed to be discrete.

Instead, the letter stated that my sister and I sought to commune with the gods in a peaceful and quiet place. If we met with a like-minded soul while there, all the better.

Afterwards, I waited for Kaylee to wake up and get ready, before the two of us headed out. We made sure to disguise ourselves and approach the Church of the Sun in secret. So much so that I didn't bring Leroy with me. It was just me and Kaylee. After all, the whole point of all this secrecy was to avoid alerting our enemies.

Even so, the two of us took precautions, just in case something went wrong.

After we arrived, the local high priestess led us to a private room before leaving us alone. As we waited, I looked around. It looked like the local high priestess had brought us to her office. Despite the summer heat, even at night, it felt cool in here. The thick stone walls no doubt helped.

The furniture consisted of a simple wooden desk, a few wooden chairs, and several wooden bookshelves lining the walls. The faint smell of incense lingered in the air. A few glowstone lamps protruded from the walls, shining with warm yellow light. The room's windows faced east, to catch the light of the rising sun.

As the appointed time approached, Kaylee grew more and more antsy. She sat in one of the wooden chairs, while I stood by the windows and looked outside.

"Will you stop fidgeting?" I asked. "You're being annoying."

Kaylee scowled at me.

"I can't help it," she said. "What if Lady Emmaline doesn't show up?"

I shrugged.

"Then she doesn't show up," I said. "That was always a risk. If that happens, we'll just deal with it. It's not a big deal."

Kaylee sighed.

"I know," she said. "However, it would be ideal if Lady Emmaline showed up. If this underground organization is related to the group behind all the demon summonings, then we need every advantage we can get. Otherwise, the First Timeline will repeat itself." She clenched her jaw. "We suspected that there was someone responsible for the invasion, but we never found any proof. They proved too elusive. Not even Crawford could find them. After a certain point, it no longer mattered. We were too busy dealing with the demons rampaging across the realm. If we can find them and stop them before things get too bad, we can save Lumina."

I nodded.

"I understand," I said. "Still, not everything will go our way. When that happens, don't let your nerves get the better of you."

Kaylee closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"You're right," she said, opening her eyes again. "I know you're right. However, it's difficult to remain calm when the price of failure is the destruction of everything I've known and loved." Her eyes took on a haunted cast. "I don't want to go through that ever again."

I walked over and crouched in front of my younger sister.

"That won't happen," I said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Not only do you have six other regressors helping you, but you have me. In a way, I'm like an eighth regressor."

Kaylee let out an amused snort.

"You're more like a wild card," she said. "I doubt the gods could've predicted you returning to Lumina."

I chuckled.

"Perhaps not," I said. "However, if even the gods couldn't predict me appearing, that means our enemies couldn't have either."

"Like I said, you're a wild card."

Before I could respond, someone knocked on the door before opening it. The high priestess stood on the other side, with a cloaked figure standing next to her. She gestured for the cloaked figure to enter the room, before closing the door to give us privacy. The figure pulled back the hood of their cloak, revealing Lady Emmaline.

"Well, I'm here," she said in a cross voice. "Now, explain the meaning of this."

Lady Emmaline tossed a piece of paper at me. It was the message I gave her earlier today. While it was crumpled up, I could still make out the words.

"There is a rot in House Montgomery. If you wish to know more, meet my sister and I at this location."

Afterwards, the message listed the address of this Church of the Sun as well as a time.

Kaylee stood up and curtsied.

"Greetings, Lady Emmaline," she said.

Lady Emmaline curtsied in return, before glaring at me. Well, at least she wasn't bothering with any pretenses when it came to me. Honestly, I found it refreshing.

"Before we begin," I said, giving Lady Emmaline a slight bow. "Let me apologize for my behavior earlier. You'll soon learn why it was necessary, but I still regret my actions."

This was a bald-faced lie. I regretted nothing. However, if it made things move along, then I was more than willing to bow my head a little.

From the expression on her face, Lady Emmaline didn't believe(rightfully) in the sincerity of my apology. That said, she still looked mollified. That was enough for me. Kaylee, on the other hand, looked like she wanted to roll her eyes.

"I accept your apology, Lord Gabriel," she said.

"Good," I said, giving her a polite smile. "And to answer your question, I believe House Montgomery has traitors within its midst."

Lady Emmaline narrowed her eyes at me.

"Explain," she said.

"Do you know who Lord Loren is?" I asked.

He was from one of House Montgomery's collateral families, but that didn't mean Lady Emmaline knew about him. There were plenty of scions in House Sturm's collateral families that were complete strangers to me.

"Yes," Lady Emmaline said. "After your little performance earlier, I inquired about him. He's from one of House Montgomery's collateral families. However, no one has seen him since last night." She narrowed her eyes at me. "I assume you know what happened to him."

"He's dead," I stated. "We killed him."

There was no way that Lady Emmaline would believe that I fought Lord Loren, a Fourth Circle wizard, and won. It was better to attribute his death to House Sturm as a whole. Besides, I didn't kill him alone, so saying "we" was still accurate.

"I see," Lady Emmaline said in a cold voice. "Why?"

"He kidnapped Harvey," I said.

Lady Emmaline raised an eyebrow at me.

"Who?"

I sighed.

"The commoner attending the Solarian Imperial Academy."

Lady Emmaline's eyes lit up with understanding.

"Ah, you mean the commoner that my House was interested in before you stole him from us." She paused. "Wait a moment. You don't think there are traitors within House Montgomery because one of us kidnapped a commoner, do you?"

"Yes, we do," I said. "After looking into the matter, we realized that Lord Loren was acting on someone else's orders, someone outside of House Montgomery. Which brings us to the heart of the matter." I gestured to one of the wooden seats. "Let us sit down. I don't know about you, but my legs are getting tired."

Lady Emmaline snorted, but sat down. Kaylee and I sat down as well, taking seats next to one another. Afterwards, the two of us gave Lady Emmaline an abridged version of last night's events, including our encounter with Lord Loren. Kaylee even gave her a few of the notes that Crawford sent us, the ones detailing Lord Loren's ties to the underground organization. After we finished, Lady Emmaline remained silent with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"We believe that this underground organization wanted to foster conflict between House Sturm and House Montgomery," I said. "After all, it's no great secret that our two Houses are at odds with one another."

Lady Emmaline nodded.

"What you say does make sense," she said, before giving us a skeptical look. "However, how do I know if you're telling the truth? This could all be a fabrication on your part to justify killing Lord Loren." She tapped the notes that Kaylee gave her. "In fact, I'm inclined to believe that this is a plot to undermine House Montgomery by making us fight ourselves. Why should I trust you?"

"You shouldn't," Kaylee said. "As my brother said, our Houses are at odds with one another. However, once you look into the matter yourself and verify the information we've given you, you'll see that we're telling the truth."

Lady Emmaline gave her a level look.

"Bold words," she said. "I expected nothing less from the heir to House Sturm."

As she said that last part, she gave me a sideways glance. Was that meant to be an insult? If so, it fell short. I was happy for Kaylee. Even during my first life, I never cared about being the heir to House Sturm. I just wanted to be a proper wizard.

When I failed to react, Lady Emmaline appeared disappointed.

"Thank you," Kaylee said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "We went through the trouble of setting up this meeting because we don't want a fight with House Montgomery. You were going to find out what happened to Lord Loren sooner or later, so we figured it was best to admit it outright."

"In that case, why not openly meet us?" Lady Emmaline asked. "Why all the secrecy?"

"To catch the underground organization unaware," I said. "We want them to think that their plan worked. That way, they won't see it coming when we strike at them."

"They dared to scheme against House Sturm," Kaylee said. "For that alone, they deserve punishment."

Lady Emmaline didn't respond right away.

"I see," she said. "And you want House Montgomery's help with this?"

"Yes," Kaylee said. "They schemed against you as well. It's only right that we give you the chance to avenge yourselves."

"While earning a favor from us at the same time," Lady Emmaline said, giving Kaylee a sardonic smile "How cunning." She sighed. "So, in essence, you propose an alliance between our two Houses?"

"A temporary one, yes." Kaylee gave Lady Emmaline a sardonic smile in return. "Our feelings towards House Montgomery haven't changed, despite the circumstances. However, we're willing to put that aside for now."

Lady Emmaline fell silent for a long while.

"You've given me much to think about," she said. "I'll report this to my father." Her expression hardened. "Rest assured, we will look into this. If it turns out that this is all a trick on your part, we will make you regret it." Her expression softened. "That said, if what you say is true, then House Montgomery would be more than happy to form a temporary alliance with House Sturm."

Kaylee nodded.

"Understood," she said.

Lady Emmaline stood up.

"If you have nothing further to say, I shall take my leave. Goodbye, Lady Kaylee." She looked at me and hesitated for a moment. "Goodbye, Lord Gabriel."

With that, she left the high priestess' office.

"Huh," I said. "That went better than I expected. I thought there would be more drama. Instead, there was no screaming, no bloodshed, no violence of any kind. All she did was insult me a little." I frowned. "I'm a little disappointed."

Kaylee rolled her eyes.

"Come on," she said. "Let us go home and report back to Father."

And so, my younger sister and I left the high priestess' office and returned home.

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