New Beginnings

“Happy birthday, Alice!” Her parents and servants cheered as she entered the dining room.

Today was her 13th birthday and all her favourite foods had been prepared. Her parents, her older siblings and baby brother were all sitting around the table, smiling warmly. Standing behind them near the far doors was her tutor, Madam Rose, she mouthed, “Congratulations” to the young woman.

Seeing all the people she loved wishing her a happy birthday moved Alice to tears.

Alice had never had such a grand joyous celebration, nor had she ever received such wonderful presents.

From her parents, she got a large sum of money in a private bank account. Her older brother gave her a custom-made mithril sword; her sister got her a suit of gilded plate armour bearing the family crest on the back. Her aunt, uncle and friends sent gifts and cards too.

Alice received so many gifts that she became troubled by them.

At lunch, she went out on a shopping trip with the young ladies closest to her, then had tea and cakes at a luxury cafe. Finally, in the evening, Alice Eagold had her social debut party and shared her first dance not with her father or brother per tradition, but rather with her tutor.

“How cool.”

“She’s so handsome.”

“I’m so jealous of Lady Alice!”

Alice heard many envious whispers as they danced an elegant waltz, captivating all those who saw them.

“So that’s the famed tutor.”

“I’ve heard she’s a Swordmaster.”

“Even my daughter has been bewitched.”

“How unfitting for a woman to dress in such a manner.”

“Well, I imagine that she’s paid a pretty penny to get her standing here, no?”

“Honestly, such a fuss over a pretty face.”

How could they say such things!

“Little lady.” Rose’s sweet voice brought Alice’s attention back to the dance.

“But-!”

“Words are just that. Tonight is your night, so shine brighter than any of the stars in the sky. Make them jealous enough to cry.” As the dance drew to its climax, Rose held Alice closer to her chest and romantically coupled the lady’s cheek. Then, as if going in for a kiss, Rose lent in close and whispered, “You look beautiful tonight, Alice.”

For the first time, Rose had called her by her name.

Her entire body turned bright red, and a few shrieks came from the other young ladies watching the pair.

Rose laughed and pecked Alice’s cheek. “Enjoy the rest of your evening, little lady.”

While many dances were had after this, none could compare to Alice’s debut. Others sought to dance with the tutor, but she had seemingly vanished without a trace.

***

Rose had intended to sneak back to her room undetected.

“Are you sure this is how you want to say goodbye?” Duke Eagold asked as Rose packed the last of her bags. He had figured out her plans and followed her out of the party. “Alice will be upset if you-”

“That girl will be fine.” Rose put a bowler hat on her head. “There’s nothing more I can teach her, and I don’t want to hold her back.”

“...She loves you, more than-”

“I know.”

“Then-”

“Duke Eagold.” Rose smiled. “Alice will face many difficulties in her life, but I hope you and your family continue to support her. I’ll write or visit when I can, and I will see Alice again one day. Until then.” Rose moved for the door. “There are other things I must do.”

“…Did you not like it here?”

Rose paused, her hand hovering above the handle. “If anything, I liked it too much.”

“What did you say?”

“I did enjoy my time here, Duke Eagold,” she said more clearly. “I loved spending time with you, your family, Lady Alice, the servants and everyone else, but this is not where I need to be right now. I’m sure you’ve realised it to - Lady Alice needs to spread her wings more, to fly without worrying if her tutor will be there to catch her should she fall.” Rose smiled warmly at Duke Eagold and put her mask on. “I’ll be cheering her on, always.”

“…Thank you, for everything.” He bowed deeply to her. “For saving her life, for raising her to be so brilliant, and for loving and caring for her.”

Rose laughed softly. “I look forward to the day we can meet again.”

***

When Alice woke up, she knew something was amiss.

“Father, I haven’t seen Madam Rose-” The look on his face told her all she needed to know.

Alice ran to Rose’s room and found it empty, say for a wax sealed envelope.

Its contents made her cry.

***

High in the skies above the kingdom, there was a heavily cloaked airship drifting through the clouds - the Black Griffin, the flagship of the Pentagram.

It was a fully operational mobile fortress and manufacturing plant, a perfect fit for Rose’s designs.

“Boss.”

“What?”

“Why’d you cut the little girl off like that? I mean, you told me to stay close to Peter, so why-?”

“Because it’ll be much better for her. One day, we’ll meet again and then, one day, she’ll find out who I really am.” Rose giggled. “I get shivers just imagining it.”

Lucien couldn’t see his boss’s expression, but he was terrified just imagining it.

Don’t forget who she is.

“Everything’s in place,” Rose whispered. “Now, all we need to do is just wait 3 more years and then the story shall begin.”

***

“I think, in order to figure out where this Rose and whatnot have gone, we first must ask ourselves why they are doing this.

“Now, the simplest point we can explain is why they escaped Tartarus - who’d willingly want to stay in prison? But! What’s interesting is that Rose seemed to want to be imprisoned just to escape with 4 people and some confiscated items. So, that answers that. Simple enough.

“But what is quite confusing are their actions afterwards. Reports all over the world of the Pale Corpse Case, random unconfirmed sightings of all 5, mercenaries and underworld organisations turning up dead or going completely silent. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we were heading for a golden age. Alas, I doubt this is what Rose has in store.

“Whatever she’s planning next, it’ll be big, and it will continue to take years to build up to. In time, she and her associates will reveal themselves. For now, sadly, all we can do is wait, Chairman Kingsley.”

“Your knowledge and insight have been helpful, Detective John Moriarty.”

“Of course; it’s my pleasure to assist you in this case.” John paused. “There is one thing though that’s been bothering me about this whole case.”

“…Go on.”

John leant over Chairman Kingsley desk. “Why is it taking so long for the Tartarus cleanup operation to finish?”

“…What are you implying?”

“I think you know what I’m suggesting, Chairman. Everyone knows the worst of the worst called that place home. However, I bet there must be something else inside that ruin they’re terrified they won’t be able to find.

“I don’t suppose you might know what that is, Chairman Kingsley.”