The Chosen of Success

A week has passed since my last use of the pen. Since then, nothing more happened at the village - the golden barrier made sure of it. And said golden barrier was the talk of town, since it did not really show during the day, but would bathe the streets in soft light at night.

I sigh, walking under the very same glow to Yusuke’s tavern. His name now gave me a faint sensation that I was forgetting something every time, but I don’t dwell on it. I keep walking, set on having dinner out for once. However, when I get there, the tavern is closed. I frown, and knock on the door softly.

“Yusuke?”

It takes a few seconds for him to open it, and he looks relieved.

“Aya! What brings you here?”

“I… Was hoping for a late dinner, but you are closed…? Is everything alright?”

He sighs.

“Yes, well… There’s a lord coming up and…” He stops for a second. “How good are you with organizing rooms? I gather a bit, since you always keep your library so tidy.”

I laugh.

“It depends, really.”

“On what?” He asks, confused.

“On how desperate I am. Or… On the reward.”

He laughs too, and opens the door for me.

“Would a free meal be a good reward for you?”

“Totally free?” I ask, impressed, and he nods. “Well, that’s mighty generous of you, I’d say. More than enough reward for me.” I say, entering the tavern as he closes the door behind me.

“You say that now. Wait till you see the mess of my back rooms. The Lord is coming to visit, since Dalylah put that barrier around the village, and he is bringing a whole entourage with him, so that obviously means they will stay at the best tavern in town.”

“Yusuke. Yours is the only tavern in town.”

He grins. “Exactly.” But then he sighs, and rubs his face. “I’ve been closed all day, emptying the rooms I was using as a deposit so I can house all of them, taking out my finest sheets, cleaning the ground floor…”

“Yikes.” I say, in sympathy.

“Yeah. I still have to organize the back room, since everything went there for the time being, and I’m almost pulling my hair out with it. But! Now that you’re here…” He grins at me, unashamed, and that in turn makes me laugh and blush softly.

“Yeah, yeah, dork. Go cook my food while I save you from your own mess.”

He smiles brightly at me.

“Thank you, Aya. Really!” He then shows me the entrance to the back room, and goes to the kitchen to cook me dinner. I enter, and the mountain of stuff in front of me is enough to make me pause.

“Ah… Yusuke?” I call out.

“Yeah?” He asks, over the sound of chopping vegetables.

“I’d like hazard pay too.” The silence stretches for a second before he guffaws. I look at him over the door, and see him doubling over. “I’m serious! Why the hell do you have so much stuff anyway? If one of these mountains of pillows and towels and sheets and… Is that a hay basket? Never mind, if one of them falls on me, I’m dead!”

“I’ll give you a mug of my strongest mead, how does that sound?” He asks, cleaning his eyes with his free hand.

I think for a second. “Fair enough.” Then I look inside again. “Make it a free refill.”

“Yes ma’am!” He says, jokingly, and I fold my sleeves up before starting to work.

We work in relative silence, just the sounds of Yusuke cooking and humming filling the air around us. The moon rises and falls in the sky, the golden shine from the barrier never leaving as the hours pass. Somehow, after a couple hours, I managed to put everything in reachable places, with only one pile of assorted items left. Yusuke looks inside and whistles, impressed.

“Damn, Aya. You’re a miracle worker.”

“Years of being disorganized myself made me get a system of cleaning big messes. I didn’t get to that pile there yet, though.” I say, pointing at the pile that is left.

“Never mind that pile. Come on, good thing I cooked a feast for you, honestly. Food’s ready.”

We go to the kitchen, and I see a lot of food put on the table there. My eyes widen.

“You know I can’t eat all of this…”

“Who said it’s only for you? I haven’t eaten anything all day, so I’m treating myself!” I giggle at his antics, but sit down in front of him, and we both start to eat. We are halfway through the meal when there is a knock on the door, and Yusuke straightens.

“It’s him.” He whispers. “Stay here. If anyone asks, I hired you for the day to help me prepare.”

“Yes, boss.” I say, a bit startled by the sudden change in the atmosphere. He gives me a small smile, before going to the entrance. I follow him, but stay behind, just looking over the corner to spy on it.

As Yusuke opens the door, he bows slightly and gives way to whomever is out. A tall blond man enters the building, with perfect posture and fine clothes in a deep shade of blue, that complement his light blue eyes. Not a thing seems out of place in him, almost as if he plans to look perfect every second of the day. He looks around, examining the room, before nodding once. Then, his entourage enters too, twelve men and women using uniforms in the same dark blue color.

“You must be Yusuke.” Says the blond man, who I gather is the Lord. Yusuke nods, before straightening up.

“It’s an honor to meet and serve you, Lord Roderick.” He says, and that feels like a punch to the guts. “Welcome to my humble tavern.”

“Yes… Dalylah has spoken highly of you. Pity you never intended to follow the warrior’s footsteps.” Roderick says, and I can feel the underlying disapproval in his tone.

“Some feel the call, my Lord. I never did, so I decided to forge my own path. I hope the accommodations here are enough for you and yours - Dalylah also spoke highly of you, and I don’t want to disappoint.”

I see the end of Roderick’s lip curve slightly at the mention of Dalylah, but not in a happy way. More like… Satisfaction? I gulp, trying to not make noise.

“I deem them enough, for now.”

“I’m glad.” Yusuke says, and I can almost feel the relief on his voice on my skin. “I’ll fetch the keys for your rooms, and prepare dinner. Any special requests?”

“Make whatever you can with your best ingredients. I don’t want anything but perfection.” He says, dismissing Yusuke with a wave of his hand.

“Of course.” Yusuke bows again. “Ah, one last thing, my Lord. Dalylah wanted me to pass on the message that she will come by tomorrow and is available to discuss strategy with you at your earliest convenience. She also is relieved you decided to come, though I’m not sure she would ever say that to you. I believe her exact words were ‘I knew Lord Roderick would come. He would never abandon us’. I thought you’d like to know that.”

Roderick exhales slowly, almost like a sigh of satisfaction. His pale eyes settle on the empty table before him, and when he sits, it’s as though the entire room adjusts itself around him. Yusuke then enters back in the kitchen, pale and with a slight shiver in his hands.

“Are you ok?” I whisper. He nods, but doesn’t sit down.

“I think it’s best if you pack your food and leave through the back door, Aya.” He whispers back. “I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but…”

I shake my head.

“Don’t worry about it. I get it. You sure you can handle this, though?”

He bites his lip, thinking, but then nods.

“Yeah. Yeah, I think I’ll be ok. Thank you for the help, Aya, really.”

I nod, packing a few plates. “Don’t mention it. I’ll come by tomorrow to check on you and give you the plates back, ok?”

But Yusuke is not even paying attention anymore, focused on cooking. I sigh, and leave quietly through the back door, a feeling of dread rising in my chest.

The next morning, I walk back to the tavern’s kitchens, borrowed plates in hand. I don’t bother going through the main entrance, knowing it will be closed for the whole stay of Lord Roderick - instead, I duck over the back door, noticing Yusuke is already hard at work. We exchange pleasantries, and I give hi his plates back, before grabbing myself a glass of water bofero going back on the road. It doesn’t take long before I can hear Dalylah’s voice coming from the dining area. Lord Roderick is with her, but the room is quiet as a mouse, making it easy for me to eavesdrop. I lean on the same corner I hid yesterday, glancing at the scene.

Dalylah’s posture perfectly straight, her armor polished to a mirror’s shine. Lord Roderick seated with his back to me, his entourage nowhere in sight. They speak in low tones, but I am close enough to catch fragments of their conversation.

“Your discipline is dignified, Lady Dalylah,” Roderick says, voice smooth, carrying a practiced warmth. “Few at your age would maintain such clarity of purpose. You already carry the spark of the Chosen within you. I wouldn’t be surprised if you receive a God’s gift soon.”

Dalylah’s lips twitch into the rarest of smiles, her shoulders relaxing in a way I’ve never seen before. “You flatter me, my Lord. I’ve only tried to follow your example - your writings and teachings were what shaped my resolve.”

Roderick chuckles, the sound refined, as if every note was placed with care. “It is not flattery, but recognition. Talent without discipline is wasted. You, however, are proof that both can coexist. The people here should consider themselves fortunate to have you as their shield.”

I grip my sleeve, unease crawling under my skin. The way she looks at him… That it’s not admiration, but faith. Complete, unshakable faith.

I know then, with a sinking weight in my chest, that any word I might speak against Lord Roderick would fall on deaf ears. Dalylah trusts him blindly, as though he were not just a lord, but something closer to a mentor… Or even a savior.

And that, more than anything, frightens me. However, Roderick’s voice cuts over my musings.

“I must say, your barrier was a cleaver idea. I didn’t know you were so versed in light magic. It was… A pleasant surprise.” He says, but I can hear in the way he speaks it that it really wasn’t. Dalylah, however, blinded by her faith, blushes under praise.

“A lucky strike, my Lord. It did work out in the end.”

“Yes… Luck sometimes surprises us. But it would do you well to not rely on it too much - perfection does not need luck. Success is achieved by hard work only.” Dalylah nods, but Roderick continues. “But I digress. For now, we should focus on what we should do to maintain the village safe. I think a draft is in order - any men over thirteen should be drafted and trained to fight. Those who can’t should focus on rebuilding. If they can’t do even that, then we should not waste our resources on them. I’m sure I can give you the task of handling that, yes?”

Dalylah frowns a bit, but nods.

“Are we that short on resources, my Lord?” She asks, her voice small.

“Don’t worry about resources, Dalylah. That is something I should concern myself with, not you.” He says, his tone cold. She recoils a bit, but nods again.

“Yes. I’m sorry, my Lord.”

“I also want you to organize a gathering tonight for me at the main square. I want the whole village there, so I can give them a rousing speech through tough times. Will you be able to do that without questioning me?”

I gulp, and duck back into the kitchen, putting my used cup in the sink and fleeing the tavern.

I spend the rest of the day restless, with the feeling that something big is going to happen. When the notice for all villagers to go to the main square comes, I quickly leave my sanctum, locking the door behind me.

“Wish me luck, old man.”

The building groans in response.

The main square is full when I arrive. Lanterns glow softly under the golden barrier above, but they don’t warm me. Everyone has gathered; parents, children, even the elders who usually keep to their homes. At the center, a makeshift platform was built, and Lord Roderick stands upon it as if it were his rightful throne.

His presence fills the place. His blond hair catches the light, his posture is impeccable, and his voice - oh, his voice - carries easily, calm and commanding all at once.

“People of Lysteria,” He begins, his words rolling like a practiced melody. “You have suffered. You have endured. But suffering is not the way forward. There is only one way forward: through discipline, through strength, through Success.”

The villagers murmur among themselves, enraptured. I watch Dalylah at the edge of the platform, her chin lifted, her eyes gleaming with something like pride.

Roderick continues, raising a hand. “Do not falter. Do not surrender. Because you are not alone. There is a God that blesses all the successful - He who is True. He who is Pure. The One who does not fail, because He does not tolerate Failure.”

The words ripple through the crowd, and I swear the night air itself tightens around my chest. Even though I never uttered a word about what happened before I was put into this world, I can feel it in my bones the words he just said, or rather, left unsaid, were meant to me and me alone. And even though I never wrote a Roderick into this world, he gives me a sense of recognition that I can’t shake. He never speaks a name, but every repetition - the True, the Pure, the Unfailing - burrows into me like a blade, cementing even more my theory. Roderick is, too, a Chosen of the Gods.

The people cheer. Dalylah looks radiant, almost transformed under his gaze, as if each syllable he speaks were a promise etched into her soul. But me? I can only shiver. This doesn’t feel like faith. It feels like submission. Like control.

By the time the speech ends, the crowd roars in applause, chanting his name. I don’t clap. I don’t move. I only steel myself against the cold creeping in my spine.

Later, when the square is empty, I linger in the shadows near the tavern. Through a crack in the shutters, I see him. Lord Roderick, alone at a table, head bowed, lips moving.

At first, I think it’s a prayer. But the longer I listen, the less it feels like words meant for comfort. His voice is low, sharp, ritualistic:

“Erase the blemishes. Strip away the weakness. Let only the flawless remain. For You are True. You are Pure. You are the Unfailing. You… Are the embodiment of Success.”

The hairs on my arms stand on end. He sounds… Less like a man, more like something hollowed out and filled with steel and raw, uncontrollable power.

When he finally lifts his face, I catch a glimpse of his eyes through the gap. Serene. Peaceful. But in that stillness, there’s nothing warm. No humanity. I hold back a gasp when I notice what bothers me the most in his cold, perfect and terrifying eyes.

His pupils are not round, but slitted, like the ones of a cat. In a moment, I feel the world around me stop. And then, he blinks, and his eyes are back to normal.

I flee back into the night, trembling.