Erin sat on an expensive cushion in an expensive coach, staring at a [Butler] driving the vehicle pulled by magical (and probably expensive) ghost horses and tried not to get anything dirty. Her ears were still ringing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI demand <\/em>to be taken along!\u201d<\/p>\n Lyon had screamed and thrown things and even tried to hit the impassive [Butler] for the better part of an hour. The poor man had stood immobile and unyielding in the face of it all. In fact, Reynold the [Butler] had repeated only one thing:<\/p>\n \u201cThe invitation is extended to Miss Solstice alone. I apologize for the inconvenience.\u201d<\/p>\n In the end, Erin had to forcibly restrain Lyon via use of Toren. She\u2019d told him to close the inn until she was gone, to look after Lyon, and then she\u2019d run into Liscor and told Selys what was happening.<\/p>\n One confused conversation and a sign on the inn\u2019s door later, Erin was in the coach, wondering if she\u2019d made a horrible mistake. The landscape blurred past her, ground and trees and even people disappearing in a blink of an eye.<\/p>\n It was very much like being in a car, except that even cars rumbled and moved left and right and were generally unpleasant to be in for longer than forty minutes.<\/p>\n But this carriage was smooth. Erin didn\u2019t even feel like she was really moving. It felt unreal, and she was used to taking airplanes and cars around.<\/p>\n But the [Butler] seemed to be completely at home as he steered the carriage\u2026somehow. There was a wall with an open window that Erin could speak to him through, but most of her view was blocked.<\/p>\n Erin guessed that normally this carriage would have been full of rich people, probably sipping fine wine and talking about important things. She felt out of place inside of it, but at least there was<\/em> wine and food available.<\/p>\n Quite a lot of it, in fact. A bottle of wine sat in a bucket of ice while small crackers, cheeses, and even some fruits Erin hadn\u2019t seen in the markets were carefully arranged for her consumption. Erin was still too afraid to touch anything, even though she was getting tempted by the spread.<\/p>\n \u201cI do apologize for the sparse accommodations.\u201d<\/p>\n Reynold looked back apologetically at one point and delivered that shocking statement as if he really was sorry. Erin just blinked back at him in astonishment.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? No! It\u2019s great! I mean, this is so much\u2014and your carriage is so fast.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour words are too kind. Please partake of the refreshments. If there is anything I can do, do not hesitate to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nodded, and Reynold returned his focus back to the road. He was a very silent guy, or maybe it was just the fact that he was a [Butler]. It had taken her a few tries to even get him to tell her his name.<\/p>\n She nibbled nervously at a cracker smeared with cheese and ate nothing more. It was a long, long drive. Reynold had told her the trip would take at least four hours, and after fifteen minutes she was already antsy and bored. So Erin did what she did best:<\/p>\n Talk.<\/p>\n \u201cSo uh, you\u2019re a [Butler]. What do you do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI serve the Reinhart house, Miss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, right, right. Like uh, cleaning things and welcoming guests?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026That is largely correct, Miss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut sort of incorrect? Do you always travel around like this? How do the ghost horses work? What if you get attacked? Do you want some of this cheese? There\u2019s lots.\u201d<\/p>\n Two hours in she got him talking.<\/p>\n \u201cIn truth, Miss\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cErin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Erin. Well, in truth I\u2019d say that most folk wouldn\u2019t be able to tell the difference between a normal vintage and a well-aged reserve. You see, it really comes down to the situations in which a bottle is enjoyed in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, really? I mean, I can\u2019t really tell the difference\u2014not that I\u2019ve had much. But how can you tell? Do you have a really good sense of taste or something?\u201d<\/p>\n Reynold chuckled softly.<\/p>\n \u201cI? Hardly. While it is true the [Butler] class has several qualities and Skills that overlap with [Gourmet] and other such critical classes, the true test of experience lies in how much wine you drink and the pace<\/em> at which you drink.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOoh. I think I get it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cQuite. A proper tasting should involve first sampling the wine\u2019s bouquet\u2014that is to say, aroma\u2014before slowly imbibing the drink. Simply tossing it down will ruin the subtle flavors of each sip, and they are quite exquisite.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you\u2019ve had a lot of expensive wines? Because you serve a lot of them, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed. It is one of my functions to ensure that I do not serve an inferior glass. Also, it is a custom dating back to the time when poison was used liberally in drinks. Not that I fear being poisoned. And should I just mention it\u2014pairing the right food to go with a glass of wine is often an art form in itself. Do try some of the Perisgra\u00e9 Cheese with the wine, will you?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin did.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is really good! You should have some!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt would hardly be\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m putting some through the window! Here!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMm. This cheese doesn\u2019t taste like anything I\u2019ve had before. What\u2019s it from?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA goat subspecies that eats rocks, I believe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBufh.<\/em> Really?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin coughed and eyed the cheese. It didn\u2019t taste <\/em>like rocks.<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed. A number of excellent foods come from rare magical species. Alas, such products are inevitably in short supply, but Lady Reinhart has the means to secure even the rarest of delicacies. Some of her most prized wines were made from plants and fruits no longer present in this world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWow.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin enjoyed talking with Reynold, and she got the impression that he was surprised that he was enjoying talking to her. They chattered on about small things for an hour or two; he told her that Lady Magnolia was quite rich and had many servants with lots of levels in strange classes, but he was apparently not allowed to say more.<\/p>\n Still, it was good to make a friend, and Erin enjoyed his tips on how to best savor the snacks in front of her. She thought she might buy a few cheap bottles of wine when she got back to the inn. Or maybe she could make some herself? She had a Skill for that, didn\u2019t she?<\/p>\n But once their conversation had lapsed into silence, Erin found herself worrying. There were butterflies in her stomach. Massive, flesh-eating ones that were probably a real thing in some part of this world.<\/p>\n Everything had happened so suddenly. One minute she\u2019d been in her inn, the next she was going farther and faster than she\u2019d ever gone in this world. Reynold assured her everything would be alright, but Erin was still worried.<\/p>\n Lady Magnolia. Ryoka had told Erin briefly about her, but from what she\u2019d said, Lady Magnolia was just some rich woman who liked expensive things. She\u2019d apparently gotten interested in Ryoka and started hiring people to follow her, but that didn\u2019t exactly explain the magical carriage and butler appearing out of nowhere. How had she found out Erin was from another world? Had Ryoka told her? That didn\u2019t seem likely. And she\u2019d found other people<\/em> from Erin\u2019s world?<\/p>\n How? Where had they been? Erin stopped eating as she wondered. What would they be like? Who were they? Did they know anything about why all this had happened?<\/p>\n When the coach finally began to slow and then stopped and Reynold opened the door, he found Erin in a state of near-panic. The sight of his distinguished mustache helped calm her down. Maybe it was just his suit. It was so cool.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve arrived, Miss Solstice. Allow me to escort you out.\u201d<\/p>\n Caught up in her thoughts, Erin had completely neglected to look out the windows in the last half of her trip. If she had, she would have witnessed the famed city of adventurers, Invrisil, and probably be shocked and amazed. But as soon as Erin\u2019s foot touched the paved pathway and she looked around and found herself on Lady Magnolia Reinhart\u2019s estate\u2014<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n That was all Erin said. She stared around, slowly taking in the fact that she was standing in a courtyard\u2026leading up to a huge wall with holes in it\u2026which turned out to be a house\u2026a big house\u2026with architecture\u2026<\/p>\n She had expected a mansion. She hadn\u2019t expected\u2026this.<\/em><\/p>\n Ryoka had visited Lady Magnolia\u2019s home in Celum, but to compare that modest space to the true home of Lady Magnolia Reinhart was to compare a one-room apartment to Versailles.<\/p>\n Erin had seen pictures of mansions owned by celebrities and millionaires, so she wasn\u2019t exactly blown away by the size of the Lady Magnolia\u2019s home. It was big, yes, but still believable. What left her speechless was the Architecture.<\/p>\n It had to be Architecture, because it was the kind of thing that couldn\u2019t go uncapitalized. The best way Erin could think of it was that there were no flat spaces. Houses in her world tended to have flat surfaces as walls, and indeed, most skyscrapers were just giant rectangles with the occasional artistic design.<\/p>\n But this was a building made back in the time when people took years or even decades to build structures. It had art in every inch of the building. Erin stared up at the sculptures carved into the walls, and the decorative reliefs made of metal and stone. Words like crenellation, fenestration, and porte coch\u00e8re leapt into her head, although that last word was just because Erin had taken French class at one point. And failed.<\/p>\n But still, even that would have been comparable to some of the better antiquities in Erin\u2019s world. What set Magnolia\u2019s home apart was the magic. There was a lot of it.<\/p>\n It was in the air. Literally in the air. Erin stared up at a cloud, a cloud<\/em> moving just twenty feet off of the ground in what looked like the massive garden. It was a dark storm cloud, and it was raining into the lush vegetation. Another cloud enshrouded a section of Lady Magnolia\u2019s mansion, engulfing the topmost windows. Erin longed to reach out and touch it, but\u2014<\/p>\n A fish swam across the front of the mansion. Erin blinked, but she hadn\u2019t gone insane. Not yet. A silvery fish swam across one glass window as if it were underwater and then leapt<\/em> into the next window, so lifelike that Erin had to convince herself that part of the estate wasn\u2019t underwater.<\/p>\n \u201cAh. The intruder defenses are activated.\u201d<\/p>\n Reynold murmured that quietly as he stood beside Erin, perfectly at attention. She blinked and looked at him, but he stared ahead as if he\u2019d said nothing.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does that mean? The fishes?\u201d<\/p>\n They weren\u2019t alone. A wolf prowled across the front of the building, and a bird flew across the roof.<\/p>\n \u201cQuite. But do note the guard Golems to your left.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin turned her head and gasped. Both Rags and Toren would have immediately recognized the towering behemoths clad in steel armor, although these Golems were made of silvery metal rather than black. They were also, disconcertingly, gilded with pink metal. It did not make them cute or less threatening. And both Goblin and Skeleton probably would have run away immediately given that instead of one enchanted suit of armor, there were four.<\/p>\n They walked with mechanical precision, patrolling the large courtyard and grounds in front of Lady Magnolia\u2019s gated estate. Erin\u2019s eyes bugged out as she saw the Golems; when she looked up, they nearly popped out of her head.<\/p>\n \u201cOh my god! It\u2019s a Pegasus! A Pegasus!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Reynold tried to pry Erin off of his arm as she grabbed him.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease calm yourself, Miss Solstice. It is a spell. A summoned guardian. It is not real.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan I fly it!?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Butler] coughed and Erin caught a hold of herself.<\/p>\n \u201cRight, probably not. Sorry. How is all this possible? I mean, Ryoka said\u2014but\u2014how? Is Magnolia really that rich?\u201d<\/p>\n Reynold lifted one eyebrow.<\/p>\n \u201cLady Magnolia? She is the heir to the Reinhart family and one of the richest individuals on the continent.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared at him. For the first time, she began to wonder just exactly<\/em> what Ryoka had done and said to get Lady Magnolia\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Solstice?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin turned as Reynold snapped back to even more perfect attention. She saw a tall woman dressed in a somber black dress, as official-looking and impressive as Reynold\u2019s own attire. She was flanked by two other women, dressed like English maids or\u2026Japanese cosplayers.<\/p>\n There were frills. And even bows. And a certain white and black color coordination that struck the eye. But the two maids were clearly following their leader, who turned out to be a maid herself.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Solstice? My name is Ressa. I am the [Head Maid] in service to Lady Magnolia. I will take you to her, if you would follow me?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin gaped. Then she rallied and gaped harder.<\/p>\n \u201cUm. Wow. Okay. Uh.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked around. Reynold was standing straight and staring ahead. Erin hesitated, and then nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks for taking me out here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThink nothing of it, Miss Solstice. I trust that you will enjoy your stay.\u201d<\/p>\n He answered her politely and without meeting her eyes. Erin felt a pang, but then Ressa was by her side.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you will follow me? Lady Magnolia Reinhart awaits your company.\u201d<\/p>\n There was nothing to do but follow. In fact, not one person hesitated as Ressa led the way into the mansions. The double doors swung out as if they were automatic when they were in fact, magical. She strode along so quickly that Erin had to move fast to keep up.<\/p>\n But again, who would argue with Ressa? Erin might not have known it, but just one look at Ressa was a glimpse into her personality and function in the Reinhart household.<\/p>\n Ressa looked almost inhumanly good. It was a feature of her class, although Erin couldn\u2019t have known that. All Erin did know was that Ressa looked how she wanted to look when she was full of bad self-esteem and dreamed of being taller and a supermodel. She was beautiful, but also stern and imposing. Exactly like the head matron or schoolmistress out of some old children\u2019s book.<\/p>\n Or a queen.<\/p>\n And there was certainly something queen-like about the way Ressa strode through the halls and the servants bobbed their heads to her\u2014or maybe Erin\u2014and began to work twice as hard.<\/p>\n Erin noticed that with part of her mind, but the rest of her was trying to take in the mansion that Ressa seemed determined not<\/em> to show her. Paintings, statues, and what looked like magical artifacts blended together with long corridors and rooms filled with wonderful furniture and objects that disappeared as Erin moved past.<\/p>\n It was all too much to take in. Erin could barely focus on one thing at a time; her eyes would catch on something and then transition to something else, so the only thing she remembered was wealth and beauty and grandeur.<\/p>\n And that was sort of annoying. Erin frowned. She looked at Ressa\u2019s back as she passed what looked like a gallery of magical items in glass cases. She opened her mouth, hesitated, and then spoke up.<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me. Could we slow down for a second?\u201d<\/p>\n The air froze. The servants trailing Erin and Ressa flinched. The tall woman looked over at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat was that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, sorry. I just wanted to look at some of this stuff. It\u2019s really incredible. Unless Lady Magnolia is waiting for me?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin blinked innocently up at Ressa. The [Head Maid] hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cLady Magnolia is extremely busy at the moment. You may wait for her in a dressing room.\u201d<\/p>\n She was disarmed by the smile the younger woman gave her.<\/p>\n \u201cOh. If she\u2019s busy I wouldn\u2019t want to disturb her. Can I just look at these displays instead of waiting in a room? It\u2019s really amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n Reynold seemed to be trying to swallow his tongue, and the maids were staring between Erin and Ressa and slowly trying to edge away. Ressa blinked, but then her brows snapped together.<\/p>\n Erin felt the slightest tingling in her gut, and a vague sense of unease passed through her\u2014for just an instant. She blinked, and it was gone like a moment of indigestion. She looked at Ressa and wondered if she was going to let Erin look. She was staring at Erin\u2019s face pretty hard. Thinking? Erin wouldn\u2019t want to get anyone in trouble.<\/p>\n After a few seconds, Erin realized that this was intimidation, not pondering thought. Erin stared back, not smiling anymore. Was the other woman trying to scare her? She was tall, but that wasn\u2019t scary.<\/p>\n Again, the briefest moment of unease passed through Erin as Ressa\u2019s glare seemed to intensify. But Erin just stared back. She\u2019d looked at Skinner; this wasn\u2019t very scary.<\/p>\n And now Ressa seemed confused. Erin looked around as she scratched her back awkwardly. Reynold and the other two maids looked pale. Was something happening? Was Ressa using a Skill? Why wasn\u2019t it working on Erin?<\/p>\n Maybe it was<\/em> some kind of intimidation skill. Erin frowned. Should she get upset? But maybe Ressa just wanted to do her job well. It couldn\u2019t be easy, leading people around all the time.<\/p>\n \u201cUm. Is that too much of a bother?\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa blinked. The tingling in Erin\u2019s stomach faded, and she heard people start breathing again. The head of Lady Magnolia\u2019s staff stared at Erin and slowly nodded her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThe drawing room may wait a while longer. What do you want to know?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know. It just looks interesting. Is everything magical?\u201d<\/p>\n She pointed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does that thing do?\u201d<\/p>\n —-<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026This sword was used by the young Lady Magnolia during her first battle at the pass in Liscor during the First Antinium War. She successfully defended herself and injured four Soldiers when they broke through the ring of guards to attack her. You will note the enchantments for sharpness and frost etched onto the blade.\u201d<\/p>\n As it happened, Ressa lectured like a teacher as well, with excellent oratory skills and clearly a lot of passion when it came to her mistress. Erin nodded approvingly as she studied the shortsword in one of the many cases on display down a long hallway with windows looking out on the courtyard.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. It\u2019s shiny.\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa glanced at Erin as the girl held her hands just over the lid of the glass case. It wasn\u2019t locked, but Erin had the definite impression this was a \u2018no touch\u2019 sort of deal. She could actually feel the air growing colder around the pedestal.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd what\u2019s that? Is that a powerful ring?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin moved over to the next object on display. Ressa nodded stiffly as maids and servants stared at the two and furtively scurried around behind their backs.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026A ring of teleportation. Or should I say, [Lesser Teleport]. It is fixed to an anchor, but no mages have been able to discern where the ring leads to. Putting it on might be deadly, hence the reason it is kept here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s not guarded or anything. Isn\u2019t it dangerous if someone teleports to this ring?\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa shook her head. It had taken a few minutes for her to start talking, but Erin had finally gotten her to explain what each object was and did outside of a one sentence reply. Either she was nicer than she looked, or she\u2019d just given up trying to scare Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cEach object here is protected by the enchantments of the mansion. Only a truly powerful mage would be able to penetrate the wards here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut what if they did break through? And what if they, I dunno, brought an army?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat would be amusing to see.\u201d<\/p>\n There was a glint in Ressa\u2019s eyes. Erin blinked, and then nodded slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cRight. So all of these things here are really valuable, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo a\u2026certain extent. They are hardly the most prized artifacts in the Reinhart\u2019s possessions, but they are important curios.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike this other ring? What does it do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt conjures a Hellhound to protect and defend the wearer for four hours. It can only be used once a month unless recharged with magic sooner, and the summoning time takes one minute.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhoa.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin eyed the ring. It looked like someone had melted and then twisted together metal and some kind of red stone to form the band that sat on a dark purple pillow.<\/p>\n \u201cThat sounds really useful. But why not give this to a servant? It could be useful when they\u2019re out doing things. I mean, I was sort of worried we\u2019d be attacked on the way here.\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa sniffed dismissively.<\/p>\n \u201cThe [Butler] assigned to escort you has a number of magical items at his disposal and adequate Skills to ward off most attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe [Butler]\u2014you mean Reynold?\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa paused. She looked at Erin oddly.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Yes. I do apologize if he acted with undue familiarity towards you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Oh no, no!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin waved her hands frantically at Ressa and nearly knocked over another pedestal that held a key in a display case. Ressa silently moved Erin away from the displays.<\/p>\n \u201cI had a great ride. He was really nice! I just talked to him and he told me about wine and stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWine? Ah. One of Reynold\u2019s duties is overseeing the wine collection.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. He talked about that. I made him, really. So if he\u2019s in trouble\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, pay no mind to my comment. I am\u2026glad you found his company so refreshing.\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa glanced out the window as she spoke, and then looked at Erin. She nodded slightly.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe Lady Magnolia will be finished with her business shortly. If you would accompany me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin awkwardly trailed after Ressa. This time the [Head Maid] didn\u2019t walk nearly so fast, so Erin could stare around the mansion.<\/p>\n \u201cThis place really is the greatest. I haven\u2019t seen anything like it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTruly?\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa seemed surprised, but Erin nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah! There\u2019s magic and maids and butlers and all kinds of amazing things. Like that painting of the mountain. I\u2019ve never been in any place as fancy as this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI would have assumed you had seen similar sights. You come from a world far more\u2026advanced than ours, do you not?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin paused in surprise. But that was right, if Lady Magnolia knew Erin was from another world and had people here, they would have talked to Ressa and the others.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Yeah, but I mean, it\u2019s nothing special.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou fly through the air like the greatest of [Archmages] I am told. And you build buildings into the sky.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat, skyscrapers? They\u2019re nothing special. Not like this.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin was no world traveler, but she had visited other countries, often to play in chess tournaments. And she had visited fancy hotels (and not so fancy ones), but they were products of steel and glass. As magnificent as they got, they were still creations of a company that was probably less than a hundred years old.<\/p>\n And no hotel Erin had ever stayed at had a Van Gogh behind the receptionist\u2019s desk or a statue carved by Rodin in their lobby. Lady Magnolia\u2019s home had more works of art than Erin could count; it was like she\u2019d turned a museum into her home.<\/p>\n And the magic. The magic was far beyond anything Erin had ever seen. There was something real to the statues of armor and the summoned guard Pegasus that no CGI or animation could replicate.<\/p>\n \u201cI think your world is a lot more fantastic than mine. We have some things that are more advanced, but that\u2019s only technology. We don\u2019t have magic.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin said it truthfully, but Ressa stopped walking for a second and looked at her in surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n For what? Erin opened her mouth, but the maid began walking again.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are entering the guest suite of the mansion. If you will inform me of your preferences, I will have food and drink prepared for you immediately. I do not expect Lady Reinhart will be occupied for more than\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s her!\u201d<\/p>\n The loud voice was a shout of surprise and jubilation, totally at odds with the quiet dignity of the mansion. Erin jumped and Ressa turned as a door flung itself open.<\/p>\n A young man stood in the doorway. Erin was treated to a\u2026normal face. When you got down to it, it was a normal face. The young man was not a Drake, nor a brooding veteran like Halrac. He didn\u2019t have a face full of hair like Krshia, and his eyes were brown, as was his hair. He didn\u2019t have exposed bone or glowing eyes and he wasn\u2019t armed.<\/p>\n He was a normal Human. It was a relief. And he looked just like someone from Erin\u2019s world. That\u2019s what made her stare and gape.<\/p>\n He was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. Completely normal, again. But that was so abnormal<\/em> for this world that it was a shock. His t-shirt was black and had the green Android robot staring creepily at Erin. He had a watch\u2014no, a Fitbit on his wrist, and a smile on his face.<\/p>\n Ressa did not. She blocked the young man\u2019s path as he flung the door open and walked towards Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cMister Joseph, I must ask you to remain in your room. Lady Magnolia wishes to speak with Miss Solstice bef\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re actually here! Come on in!\u201d<\/p>\n The young man\u2014Joseph\u2014ignored Ressa and tugged on Erin\u2019s arm and suddenly she was in another room. She blinked, and looked around, confused, and then she was surrounded by people.<\/p>\n A young woman sitting with knees drawn to her chest stared at Erin from her chair. She had black skin\u2014which again, was normal where Erin was from, but was the first person Erin had met who looked like that in this world. Now that Erin had grown used to brown fur and scales of different colors, it was another shock.<\/p>\n But another young woman was in front of Erin\u2014more of a teenager, actually. She had a casual shirt, loose pants, and a cotton jacket on, and two rings. And she had painted nails, dark purple flaking slightly at the tips.<\/p>\n Erin stared at her. The other girl had a pair of sunglasses perched on her forehead. She was just like any normal girl from Erin\u2019s world. Any normal girl.<\/p>\n It was almost too much for Erin to handle. She stared at the other girl and exclaimed.<\/p>\n \u201cOh my god!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh my god!\u201d<\/p>\n A second\u2019s hesitation, and then they threw their arms around each other. More people crowded around, ignoring Ressa as she spoke loudly behind them, and suddenly Erin was back home.<\/p>\n For a few seconds, Erin could stare around and only see people from her world. For a few seconds. And then the opulence of the room they were in hit her, and she realized she was standing in a sitting room that even the Queen of England might have envied. Maybe. Erin had never been in the Buckingham Palace, so she had no way of comparing the two. But this room was up there in terms of poshness.<\/p>\n Gold-backed chairs. Rich sofas and rugs that were probably real fur rather than machined fibers. A table made of crystal<\/em>, and another one of those platters heaped with exotic foods and drinks.<\/p>\n Oh, and a huge glass window that looked out onto a massive garden where the storm cloud was still making its rounds. Erin stared around, but then the young people were around her, talking, demanding her attention.<\/p>\n And they were young. Erin was 20 years old, but they all seemed younger than her. Maybe it was just her perspective, but none of them could have been older than sixteen. But apparently they were close to her age or a few years younger.<\/p>\n The young man who\u2019d dragged her into the room was the first to make himself coherent over the outpouring of voices. He shouted everyone else down, and Erin finally managed to count how many people were in the room.<\/p>\n Six\u2014no, seven. The girl in the chair hadn\u2019t gotten up, but she was still staring in Erin\u2019s direction. Ressa had left.<\/p>\n The young man smiled at Erin again, revealing straight teeth, probably the result of braces, another oddity. He introduced himself at last, along with the others.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m Joseph, this is Rose. And this is Galina, Troy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked around, forgetting names, shaking hands, waving, and nodding at the people he introduced. They were nearly equally split between genders, and with Erin there were four boys and three girls in the room.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m Erin. Erin Solstice. How did you all get here?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared around the room, still slightly in shock. The hubbub started again, but this time the young woman who\u2019d hugged Erin\u2014Rose\u2014explained.<\/p>\n \u201cI was travelling to visit France, and these guys were a group of international students visiting the United States. We were all in the Chicago airport when we were taken.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean, abducted.\u201d<\/p>\n Another boy said that. He had Asian features\u2014although Erin wouldn\u2019t have been able to guess where he was from. She blinked at him, and Rose looked irritated.<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t an abduction! It was a spell, a spell!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what happened to the Americans, remember? I told you, they said there was a spell. That has to be it!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut why didn\u2019t we all end up in the same place? Was it just a mistake?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt has<\/em> to be a spell. What else could it be?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin blinked as Rose began arguing with the other guy. Joseph jumped back in, cutting the two off.<\/p>\n \u201cWe arrived in the world just last week! It was crazy\u2014one second we were waiting for our flight, and the next, we were here! We\u2014the seven of us\u2014appeared in this city in the middle of nowhere. Everyone was screaming, and Rose ended up in a forest!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? One week?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared at him. Joseph was wearing a huge grin, and he seemed to be practically vibrating with excitement.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. All these soldiers ran up the instant we appeared and arrested us. We had no<\/em> idea what was about to happen and they brought in a mage to look at us when Lady Magnolia arrived! She got us out of prison and took us here. Can you believe this place?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWait, hold on. How did she find\u2014no, wait, what\u2019s happening back home? Does anyone know we\u2019re missing? I\u2019m missing?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin grabbed Joseph. He looked startled and shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014we haven\u2019t heard anything about missing people. Why. When did you get here?\u201d<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t even know. Erin let go of Joseph and shook her head. Ever since she\u2019d landed in this world, each day had felt like a week. Or a year.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2014don\u2019t know. Three months? Four? It feels like two years.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThree months!?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone looked startled, again, except for the girl sitting in her chair. She was rocking back and forth and staring at Erin without participating in any of the noise. Her eyes were sunken and she didn\u2019t seem to blink.<\/p>\n \u201cThree months, are you serious?\u201d<\/p>\n Joseph stepped back and ran a hand through his hair. Rose stared at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you have an iPhone? Were you part of the call?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe call? Wh\u2014oh!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin remembered the call Ryoka had told her about, the one with people from all over the world. She shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t have anything from my\u2014our world. But I know a girl who does. She was part of the call?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Again, the exclamation and uproar nearly deafened Erin. The guys were talking excitedly, and the girls were asking Erin where the other girl was, what her name was, when she was getting here, and so on.<\/p>\n Erin raised her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know! She\u2019s out on a delivery. She\u2019s a Runner and I haven\u2019t seen her for a week.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA Runner? What\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin blinked at Joseph. It seemed so obvious, but he really hadn\u2019t been here. She tried to explain.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s like a post office worker here. She delivers messages, packages\u2014usually she runs from city to city, avoiding monsters and bandits.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? That\u2019s so weird. Why would anyone want to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared at Joseph. She shook her head slightly.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s what she had to do to survive. I mean, I became an [Innkeeper]\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re an [Innkeeper]? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026Because that\u2019s the only way I could survive. I didn\u2019t know there were other people and Lady Magnolia wasn\u2019t there, and I found this inn and got the class, so\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Erin could only shrug. She looked at Joseph and the others helplessly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve only been here for a week?\u201d<\/p>\n They nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe longer. But not much more than that.\u201d<\/p>\n Rose interrupted. She pointed at the girl sitting in the chair.<\/p>\n \u201cNot Imani. She was with another group of people in the airport. She ended up somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked at the girl again, and this time the young woman seemed to retreat further into herself as everyone stared at her. She clutched her knees to her chest with two arms.<\/p>\n \u201cUm. Is she okay?\u201d<\/p>\n For a second Joseph\u2019s face lost its good cheer. He lowered his voice, although he was clearly audible in the room.<\/p>\n \u201cImani ran into monsters when she and the others appeared. She was the only one who got away, and she was in this small village until Lady Magnolia found her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMonsters? What kind of monsters?\u201d<\/p>\n Imani shuddered. She looked up at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cCrelers.\u201d<\/p>\n She whispered the word as she rocked back and forth on her chair. The room went silent. It was the awkward silence of people not knowing what to say. Erin moved over, until she was close to Imani. She hesitated, and then pulled up a chair next to the girl and sat next to her.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I ran into a Dragon the first night I was here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA Dragon?<\/em> Reall\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Rose, or perhaps it was someone else, kicked Joseph. But Imani looked at Erin. She seemed to understand.<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019d you get away?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI ran. And then I ran into a group of Goblins.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin had to smile bitterly at the memory. She could still taste the fear and feel the burning on her arm and leg as she ran, screaming and crying through the night. Imani looked at Erin and then uncovered her legs a bit.<\/p>\n \u201cI hid. On the rocks. They can\u2019t climb rocks.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin put a hand on Imani\u2019s shoulder. The other girl gripped her so tightly Erin could see Imani\u2019s hand go white.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey all died.\u201d<\/p>\n It was a whisper meant only for Erin. And then Imani began to cry. Erin held her, as the other young men and women\u2014the other boys and girls, really\u2014stood around in awkward silence, not knowing what to do or say. But Erin did. She hugged Imani to her chest, and the other girl broke down in her arms.<\/p>\n It was something only they could share. Something only Erin and Imani could understand. So Erin held the girl and talked quietly, until she was sleeping and the others were sitting together.<\/p>\n They were no less talkative, but they were more subdued. Still, Erin saw the energy blazing in the eyes of all of the boys and most of the girls. And she began to understand a tiny bit of what was happening the more they talked.<\/p>\n \u201cThey might not be dead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n One of the guys looked at the sleeping Imani and lowered his voice even further.<\/p>\n \u201cThey might not be dead. I mean, Imani says she saw them die, but what if they just…woke up? If this is a game, then…\u201d<\/p>\n Erin couldn’t believe her ears. She stared at him, but it was Rose who spoke up, sharply.<\/p>\n \u201cThis world isn\u2019t a game.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow do you<\/em> know? If this is some virtual reality\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Joseph looked at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s insane, this world, you know? Levels? Classes? I saw one of the maids use a Skill, and it blew my mind! She was cleaning up a spill, and then she just moved the mop and\u2014it was all gone! In one go!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nodded slowly. She\u2019d explained about her inn and Ryoka in briefest terms, but it was hard to communicate all that had happened to her to these people. They had no frame of reference to understand it.<\/p>\n \u201cDrakes? You mean Dragons?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014I mean they\u2019re like walking lizards, only they don\u2019t like being called that. And there are Gnolls\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh! I know Gnolls. Do you have to fight them off? Do you have any combat skills or spells?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. I mean, I learned how to defend myself, but I\u2019m no warrior.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about magical items?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMagical items?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike a sword or a ring. Something enchanted!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have a chessboard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA chessboard?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, it\u2019s\u2014well, it\u2019s magical. Nevermind. It\u2019s a long story. But what are you all going to do now that you\u2019re here?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin wanted to know what Lady Magnolia intended to do with everyone. But not one of the people in the room knew.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been stuck in Lady Magnolia\u2019s mansion for the last few days. Ever since she found us. We can go out in the garden or wander around, but she doesn\u2019t want us leaving this place. She says it\u2019s too dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nodded, although she noticed the dissatisfied look on Joseph\u2019s face.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is <\/em>dangerous. I\u2019m glad Lady Magnolia found you all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but look out there!\u201d<\/p>\n Joseph pointed to the window in frustration. He waved his hand and nearly spilled the goblet of wine he\u2019d filled to the brim. Erin eyed it.<\/p>\n All of the international students and Rose were eating some of the food that had been laid out. It was all rich stuff, and delicious, but they were also drinking. A lot. Some of the students from other countries \u2013 like the guy from China and the one from Poland \u2013 were drinking at a slower pace, but the rest were enjoying alcohol liberally, especially the ones from America. Joseph kept offering Erin a cup, but she was sticking to a mild fruit juice.<\/p>\n Now Joseph took a gulp of wine and pointed out the window. In the distance, Erin could see countless buildings, spreading out across the horizon.<\/p>\n \u201cLook at that! Even the sky<\/em> is bigger here. And there are monsters and magical artifacts! I want to get out there and start leveling.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLeveling? In what class?\u201d<\/p>\n Joseph shrugged as he grabbed a sausage off a plate. Rose gave him a disgusted look; she was using the silverware, which was actual silver.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know. I\u2019m thinking of learning to use a sword and becoming an adventurer. Or spells.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAn adventurer? But that\u2019s such a dangerous job!\u201d<\/p>\n Joseph gave Erin an odd look. He shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, maybe at first. But if I get to a high enough level and have potions, it won\u2019t matter, right? I was thinking that we could form an adventuring team! I mean, there are eight of us\u2014nine, including you Erin\u2014but we don\u2019t all have to go out. Some of us could take levels in supporting classes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut why would you want to do that? Lady Magnolia wants to keep you here, doesn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n Another guy shrugged. He was from\u2026Spain? No, that was Joseph.<\/p>\n \u201cShe says that she\u2019s considering it. We\u2019re hoping she\u2019ll give us some magical weapons and armor\u2014you know, to give us a head start. And maybe teach us some magic. I mean, what else should we do? Nothing?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s really not a good idea. It\u2019s dangerous out there. I mean, you could get killed.\u201d<\/p>\n She wanted to add that they would<\/em> get killed, but she couldn\u2019t say it. Everyone\u2014except for the sleeping Imani and Rose\u2014didn\u2019t seem to get the danger. Two of the guys seemed almost ecstatic as they began arguing over the best class to take.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what about this Ryoka? Why isn\u2019t she here? I know Lady Magnolia was looking for someone else besides you. Is she that far away?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin\u2019s heart sank as Rose asked her the question she\u2019d been dreading. Erin had been wondering that very thing herself.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know. She was going south, to meet some kind of important person and do a big delivery. She was going to earn eight hundred gold coins for it, but I haven\u2019t seen her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEight hundred\u2014!\u201d<\/p>\n This time Joseph did spill some wine on the carpet. He looked guilty as Erin scrambled for water, but waved her away.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. We\u2019ve spilled stuff before and the maids clean it up. But eight hundred gold pieces? How\u2019d she get that?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin hesitated and sat down.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t really know. She uh, mentioned a client, but she ran off before I could get all the details. She was being chased. By Frost Faeries.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFaeries? No way!\u201d<\/p>\n Nothing would do then, except that Erin tell the entire story of her meeting the faeries as they brought winter. Joseph shook his head, grinning again, when Erin had finished.<\/p>\n \u201cFaeries. Wow. Bring a bottle and a net for extra lives, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014it\u2019s cold iron. They\u2019re dangerous, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just worried Ryoka is okay. I tried asking the faeries to forgive her, but they all left a while back and I haven\u2019t seen one.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure she\u2019s fine. Don\u2019t worry about it. If she\u2019s got levels in this uh, [Runner] class and potions, she should be able to outrun anything and heal up, right?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cRyoka doesn\u2019t have levels. Or classes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Erin could only shrug. She couldn\u2019t really explain it, not to these people. She went on, growing more silent as the others began talking and arguing more and more.<\/p>\n It sounded like they had gone over these topics many times before, because Erin sensed each group had their own opinion. Rose wanted to make contact with other people from their world, along with two of the other girls, but Joseph and the guys wanted to try fighting monsters. With magical items, of course. The other girls just wanted to explore the city and the world as if they were tourists.<\/p>\n Rose glared at Joseph as he argued with her. Both of their movements were growing exaggerated, and they were getting louder the more they drunk. Joseph grabbed something from one of the tables, and Erin saw with a shock that he had a tablet in his hands. Apparently, this group had been holding their carry-on luggage, so they had quite a number of objects from their world with them.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got a phone, and I\u2019ve got a tablet right here. All we need to do is level up in the [Mage] class\u2014or earn enough gold to hire someone to cast the right spell! Lady Magnolia could help with that, and once we get strong enough, we can probably travel there ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Another guy\u2014Leon from Poland\u2014nodded. He pointed to the expensive furnishings of this room for emphasis as he spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all about getting the right start. It\u2019s almost like a cheat to have Lady Magnolia helping us\u2014if we get magical artifacts right off, we can fight tougher monsters without being worried about getting hurt. We gain gold, level up, and do that until we\u2019re high level!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then what?\u201d<\/p>\n Leon looked at Erin as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to find a way to go back home. Through a magical portal or something. Or a spell. There has to be one.\u201d<\/p>\n Joseph nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we got here, there has to be a way back.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone nodded. There had to be. Erin stared down at her hands and thought of Pisces and Ceria. She was sixty years old and she hadn\u2019t hit Level 30.<\/p>\n Oblivious to Erin\u2019s thoughts, Joseph grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s so much I want to see. Like Goblins. I hear they\u2019re pretty nasty. I wonder how dangerous they are? Erin, could we take on a tribe with some swords and potions?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked at Joseph and tried to imagine him facing down fifty screaming Goblins as they charged and screamed. She shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cGoblins aren\u2019t all evil. Some of them are friendly. Or can be.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, you mean they\u2019re not all dangerous? Do some have peaceful villages or something?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2014they\u2019re just\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She gave up. How could Erin explain Rags to the people here? She hadn\u2019t even talked about how the Goblins had killed Klbkch, or the day when she\u2019d woken up and seen Relc holding the severed Goblin heads. She hadn\u2019t talked about fighting the Goblin Chieftain or Skinner, or anything else.<\/p>\n She just listened, growing more silent as she sipped at her drink as the talk wore on. They were going to explore, leave the mansion soon. Erin was supposed to be the last member of their group since Ryoka couldn\u2019t be found. Lady Magnolia had promised them weapons, gold, even lessons on magic. They were going to find a place to stay in the city, enroll in the adventurer\u2019s guild\u2014at least the guys were\u2014and they\u2019d all find good classes. One girl asked if they could stay at Erin\u2019s inn for a while. Erin imagined them meeting Toren or dealing with a Rock Crab and couldn\u2019t reply.<\/p>\n It was as if someone had let a fly or a mosquito loose inside of Erin\u2019s head. She thought she heard buzzing, faint, but inescapable. It grew louder as the conversation progressed, until it was trying to burst out of her head. The voices around her became fragments, and more slurred the more the others drank. They were so excited from Erin\u2019s arrival that they ate and drank quickly, talking in bursts over each other.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to find a place to stay. An inn, like Erin\u2019s, or we could stay here. But what we really need is potions\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI want to learn magic. Did you see that Pegasus outside, and those suits of armor? We could be [Summoners]\u2014!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI played Dark Souls. Not the same thing obviously, but if we keep an escape route open we should be\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014Tactics. Someone has to be a tank. We can get defensive equipment\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014Tame a monster\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014Wonder when we\u2019ll go back home\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014Learn to cast magic\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014Hang out here. It\u2019s like a hotel, isn\u2019t it? Way better than back home\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014As soon as we can get Ressa to leave us alone, I want to see if they\u2019ve got any artifacts in the armory we can use.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRessa?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin\u2019s head snapped up. She looked at Joseph.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about Ressa? She seems nice.\u201d<\/p>\n He made an expression of displeasure, one that was mirrored across the other\u2019s faces.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s a pain in the ass. Lady Magnolia gave us the freedom to go wherever we want, but Ressa keeps insisting we stay together in this part of the mansion.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? She didn\u2019t seem that way to me.\u201d<\/p>\n But Rose was nodding.<\/p>\n \u201cShe and Magnolia\u2014well, they\u2019re not bad<\/em>\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRessa is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight, but Magnolia\u2019s generous. It\u2019s just that she\u2019s awkward, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin had no idea, and Rose struggled to explain.<\/p>\n \u201cReally awkward. It\u2019s like she\u2019s a countess out of Downton Abbey or something, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh come on, she\u2019s not that<\/em> bad. She\u2019s pretty outgoing!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but watching everyone bow to her is kind of cringy, isn\u2019t it? And she keeps laughing when we explain elections and democracy to her\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt least we\u2019ve got proper toilets and they wash their hands here. I was really afraid they\u2019d all be eating with crap on their hands or filthy and depressing like Game of Thrones.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know, right? And the servants don\u2019t seem to have any kind of education. You know they don\u2019t have schools here? It\u2019s as if\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The girl that had been speaking broke off quickly. Erin turned in her seat, and saw the door at one end of the room was open. Ressa was standing there, quietly emanating\u2026dissatisfaction.<\/p>\n Perhaps it was the look of the room. Food was scattered across the sofas, on plates or on the carpets. More drinks had been spilled, and half of the people within were lounging around or fiddling with the electronics they\u2019d brought. Erin had been shocked to learn all of them were still able to use their devices thanks to near-daily [Repair] spells.<\/p>\n The [Head Maid] looked at Erin in the silence.<\/p>\n \u201cMiss Solstice? Lady Magnolia will receive you at your convenience.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stood up.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like I\u2019m going to meet her. Um, nice meeting you guys.\u201d<\/p>\n She walked towards the door. Joseph stood up awkwardly as if to follow Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d\u2014we\u2019d like to go with Erin. To talk to Magnolia.\u201d<\/p>\n The expression on Ressa\u2019s face froze as she held the door open for Erin. She did not look quite at Joseph.<\/p>\n \u201cLady <\/em>Magnolia will speak to you at a later date. For now she wishes to speak to Erin alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but she\u2019s one of us. Why does she have to be alone?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat is what Lady Magnolia wishes.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stepped past Ressa. She heard Joseph raised his voice.<\/p>\n \u201cCould I\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa closed the door. And then she took a key from her pocket and locked the door from the outside. Erin wondered if that was overkill, but two seconds later she heard the door handle rattle slightly.<\/p>\n The maid turned and nodded to Erin again.<\/p>\n \u201cMy apologies. If you will follow me?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin walked with the tall maid in the corridors in silence for a few minutes. It was hard to reestablish the conversation after all that. Erin cleared her throat silently, and then spoke up.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, we were in there a long time. Was Lady Magnolia busy?\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa shook her head as she walked Erin back through the corridors, and then up a long flight of stairs.<\/p>\n \u201cLady Magnolia felt it best that you mingle with the others for a while, given you had already met. She is now free from any business at the present time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Good.\u201d<\/p>\n More silence. Ressa was walking faster than normal again. Erin thought, and spoke to the maid\u2019s back.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m uh, sorry about the mess they made. I\u2019m an [Innkeeper], so I know how it gets. I\u2019ve got [Advanced Cleaning]. Maybe I could help\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe [Maids] have the prerequisite skills. Do not worry.\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa hesitated, and then looked at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for offering, however. It is not often that we entertain such visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? I thought she would have tons of guests.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe does, but they rarely stay for more than a few hours at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n Joseph and the others had mentioned the servants weren\u2019t too helpful with directing them or finding mages to cast [Repair]. Erin wondered how much of that was intentional.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you uh, not like them? The people from my world, I mean? They don\u2019t think you do.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence from Ressa. She slowed as she passed by an open doorway. Erin caught a glimpse of a massive library filled with tomes being slowly dusted before she passed the entrance.<\/p>\n \u201cWe serve Lady Magnolia. We clean and cook, but we do far more than simply maintain her estate. We are there to help her.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Not anyone else. Erin swallowed what she\u2019d been about to say next.<\/p>\n \u201cHere we are.\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa stopped by a pair of double doors. She rested one hand on the golden knob and looked at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cI trust you will extend the same courtesies to Lady Reinhart as you have shown me. She is close to royalty as this land has to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nodded seriously. She hesitated as Ressa pressed down on the handle.<\/p>\n \u201cUm. Is there anything I should say? No one really told me why she wanted me here. What should I do?\u201d<\/p>\n It was the mystery that not even the people from her world knew the answer to. Ressa paused, and looked at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cBe honest. Be truthful. Lady Reinhart has only your best interests in mind, and she has devoted quite a lot of money and time to gathering your companions here.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for the help.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou are welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n Ressa smiled, just for a moment, and then the door opened. Slowly, Erin walked into the vast room and stopped.<\/p>\n It was pink. That was to say, someone had decided the theme for the room was elegant luxury, and the predominant color should be light pink. It wasn\u2019t displeasing to the eye, but Erin felt that there was just too much of that color and not enough of anything else.<\/p>\n It was also a smaller room than Erin had expected; she\u2019s almost believed she was entering an audience hall, but Ressa had led her to an intimate sitting room, the kind of place where you could chat and converse and gossip, but elegantly.<\/p>\n A large couch sat in the center of the room, across from its twin. A small table sat in the center, holding a tea pot, cups, and some light snacks.<\/p>\n And a woman was sitting at the couch. She wasn\u2019t normal. Oh, she was no radiant beauty like Ressa, but neither was she ugly. She was quite attractive, but she wasn\u2019t a young woman either. She was in her forties, a larger woman than Ressa, if shorter, and she was dressed in a shimmering gown of green that looked either magical or magically made. Her lips were lifted in a slight smile as she studied Erin, and Ressa stepped quietly behind her as another maid slowly closed the door behind the girl.<\/p>\n She was not normal. It wasn\u2019t that she looked different, but that she held herself differently. From tip to toe, she was graceful, refined, and serene. When she moved or spoke or even laughed, it was still with a base of what could only be called class.<\/p>\n And she was looking at Erin. Her eyes were the only parts of her that weren\u2019t veiled in politeness. They were like searchlights, sweeping Erin from top to toe, looking through her, at what she was, what she had done, what she would do. They were unsettling and mysterious and that, more than anything, made Erin stop where she stood.<\/p>\n Lady Magnolia was sitting, but Erin\u2019s heartbeat grew faster as she stared down at this woman who owned so much. Erin thought of the Queen of the Antinium, sitting on her throne in the dark caverns. She swallowed once, and took a deep breath.<\/p>\n This was her. Ryoka\u2019s pursuer, the one who\u2019d pieced together the truth of Erin\u2019s nature. A woman with wealth and power, a [Lady], and a living legend in her own right. The head of the Reinhart family, the heroine of the First Antinium War, and the woman who loved ice cream and blue fruit juice.<\/p>\n Lady Magnolia.<\/p>\n She smiled at Erin, and raised a cup of tea as she gestured to the couch in front of her.<\/p>\n \u201cGood evening, Miss Solstice. Do take a seat. We have much to talk about.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Erin sat on an expensive cushion in an expensive coach, staring at a [Butler] driving the vehicle pulled by magical (and probably expensive) ghost horses and tried not to get anything dirty. Her ears were still ringing. \u201cI demand to be taken along!\u201d Lyon had screamed and thrown things and even tried to hit the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693082,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693131],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-2167","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-2","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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