After the meeting, Lyse and Sidis were walking through the courtyard accompanied by two human-sized monsters. Though the enemy was supposedly lurking in the capital, they had no reason to believe the palace was entirely safe. It only made sense to have the extra protection.
The setting sun shone down on the dead-quiet palace grounds. Everyone was on high alert after the dognapping. The knights on watch were all the more vigilant against monsters and any possible internal threats. The foreign guests were also barred from leaving their rooms. They likely thought the situation was blown out of proportion for a mere lost puppy, but that was far preferable to them knowing the truth—that the emperor had been abducted in dog form.
Sidis and Lyse hurried along, but when they found themselves approaching their new villa mid-construction, Sidis stopped to behold the sight. The foundation and the frame of the building had already been laid, but the construction mages weren’t around at this hour. And just beyond the site, a pillar of light towered into the sky between the rays of the fading sun. This would be where Sidis and Lyse lived in the future.
“We’ll soon get a sense of what our home will look like,” Lyse commented.
“It won’t be long now,” Sidis replied. Magically shaping stone according to blueprints required time, no matter how skilled the mage. But once the construction was finally complete, Sidis hoped to host a ceremony. “In truth, I’d still prefer it sooner than later.”
“Even if it were finished right now, we don’t have any of our furniture yet. You know, the carpenters said they needed extra time because of how particular you are.”
Lyse had originally planned on using any old leftover furniture from the palace, believing it would be the most reasonable thing to do. She’d had to back down, however, after Egbert and Alcede objected, claiming that the new couple’s new home should have new furniture, not hand-me-downs. Capitalizing on this, Sidis had taken it upon himself to commission the finest furnishings. He was keen on Lyse’s tastes, and had eagerly picked out cabriole legs, tasteful engravings, and more.
Lyse had wondered at first how he seemed to know everything she liked, but it hadn’t taken her long to figure it out. Following Qatora’s passing, Sidis had frequented her home to reminisce with her family. There was only so much to talk about, so after a hundred years, even trifling topics such as furniture preferences were bound to come up.
“I know that, but it wouldn’t stop me from wedding you this very moment if I could,” he said boldly, causing Lyse to bashfully turn away with a flustered smile. “But we have a few things to square away first, like retrieving His Majesty with his dignity intact and eradicating the Donan terrorists.”
“Right you are,” agreed Lyse before switching subjects. “By the way, would you explain why you had me bring my backpack and that shovel you’re carrying, not to mention why we’re heading toward the imperial villa with them?”
Indeed, Sidis had beseeched her to bring a rucksack, claiming that it was extremely vital. “I thought we ought to collect some of the white stones surrounding the Light of Origin,” he explained.
“And why’s that?” Lyse asked as the semicircular building surrounding the Light came into view. Lyse and Sidis walked through its empty halls and made their way toward the pillar.
“The Alstrans are behind the kidnapping, right? The prince and his men are likely Donan cultists themselves, meaning they’re sure to gather and call forth monsters when we—when you go rescue the emperor,” Sidis explained.
“Monsters do make for frightful opponents. But you mean to suggest that they’ll use the green light to attract monsters and attack while I’m alone in hopes of defeating me?”
“Yes, and I was wondering if we can’t use the white crystalline rocks to our advantage,” he said as they approached the Light of Origin.
The Light was as wide as an ancient tree that would take ten people to encircle. Its sparkling particles flowed endlessly upward, gleaming bright white against the orange twilit sky. And scattered around its base were the aforementioned white crystals. Lyse guessed that they spread for more than thirty paces around the Light.
“It’s just like the black stones around the green light,” Sidis remarked.
The white rock around the Light spread in a similarly thin sheet, although it was more crystallized. Sidis began breaking it up and gathering some with his shovel.
“Will I be bringing all of this with me?” Lyse asked as she helped stuff the rucksack. It was by no means a small amount.
“No harm in taking more. Besides, they specified that you weren’t to take anyone with you, but they never said you couldn’t bring anything with you.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“It’s not too heavy though, is it?”
“Not at all. I can still fight with my sword.” Lyse trained every day, so a load like this was nothing to her.
“I wish you would take a few monsters with you though. I mean, it’s odd...” Sidis trailed off.
“What is?” Lyse heaved the bag over her shoulder as she stood up, causing its contents to rattle around inside.
“Well, the monsters are voracious for the Donan stones, yet have no appetite for these crystals.”
“Huh. Now that you mention it...” Lyse hadn’t noticed it until now. She’d ordered her monsters to stay by the villa entrance, and their attention was locked on the Light of Origin. They seemed calm, however, whereas they’d been restless in the presence of the green light. “Perhaps they’re simply fixated on the Light.”
“Let’s go and run a little experiment,” Sidis suggested.
It would be problematic for their plan if Lyse’s monsters had an appetite for the white crystals, so the couple took a handful of them and slowly approached the awaiting monsters. The large feline one gave the crystals a few sniffs, then rubbed its cheeks on them—nothing like the “Give me treats!” howling it would have been given to in the face of a black stone.
“Perhaps the Donan stones are different after all,” Lyse mused.
“Pass them here.”
Sidis took the handful of rocks and tossed them close to the monsters. One of them proceeded to flop on its back atop them and wriggle about.
“It’s acting like that’s catnip...”
“No, it seems to have settled down. Rather than playing with catnip, the monster’s behaving as if it’s warming itself against a hot stone,” Sidis said. It was like the white crystals emitted heat.
“Well, either way, I don’t think these crystals will impede the monsters at all.”
The couple left the matter at that. Sidis set off first, leaving Lyse at the palace to prepare for her mission. She changed into a dark-colored dress that was less voluminous and easier to move around in. On top of it, she wore her lady-in-waiting coat for a small bit of protection. She also donned her sword on the hip to match. Once ready, she headed for Alcede’s office where she found him with a big smile on his face.