Life in the Diamond Palace

Having slept for a long time, Aya dreamed of returning to her small, cozy home near the sea, only to wake up in a huge, lavish castle called the Diamond Palace.

She had panicked at first, petrified. Only at Lorenz's arrival did she gain a semblance of composure, but once the interrogation finished, she had another breakdown. She wasn't at all prepared, and while she knew there'd be consequences, she wouldn't have thought it was at the cost of losing her stepfather. After learning the punishment that Gallahan had sentenced her to, she'd wept until she could no longer, feeling as though her world had fallen apart.

She didn't mind if she's forbidden from leaving the palace and using the invisibility spell, but she couldn't bear the thought of never seeing her family again.

“There is hope, Miss Aya. You need not be so pessimistic. All of these are indefinite. If you work hard, His Majesty will surely recognize your efforts,” Lorenz had told Aya. His gentle voice and expression at that time anchored her. She grieved a while longer, but she strengthened her resolve.

Trusting his words, she vowed to keep doing her best. She apologized to him and the other people she'd inconvenienced, or at least those she's in contact with. It had been a month since the wild beasts' attack, but she still hadn't heard from Crisostomo and Drevazio. She received a lot of help from them, so it bothered her that she couldn't thank them.

“What might be the matter, Aya?”

A black cat padded towards her.

It was her familiar, the Mysterious Lord of the Obsidian Shadow, though it requested to be called simply as ‘Shade’—a missed opportunity, frankly. The name she gave was top-notch. There was no problem with it, and it sounded cool. But she did owe it one. Reminded of its sacrifices and how it took over a beast against its will, she yielded to its whims.

Another one of its demands was to be identified a male, as was appropriate for its name. She suggested being called by hers in exchange. It made her feel less lonely, and besides, she's not used to others addressing her formally. She enjoyed being treated like a lady only until she realized she would soon have to be one.

“I was just thinking about this dress. How is it? I've had enough of the sparkly stuff. They’re too big, anyway.”

Aya twirled around, showing Shade the clothes that the maids had prepared for her today. Unlike the rest in her wardrobe, this one was simple—black fabric, white collar and cuffs, and there was even a cute, little apron attached to it. The dress was plain but practical, allowing her to move around with ease.

“They said it's custom-made!”

“Really? It looks familiar.” Shade placed a thoughtful paw on its furry cheek. “Whoever designed it, do share a bit of your creativity with them.”

“Well, I like it. It’s comfy.”

The maids in the palace had been indifferent to her. Yet this morning, they approached her with smiles on their faces. The women handed over the clothes and left right away for their other chores. She wore them before heading to the library to do one of her own.

“Cleaning again?” Sitting on a plush chair, Shade watched Aya step on a stool and wipe the window. “Should you really be doing that? You ought to rest more.”

“I’m fine! There's nothing else to do. I can't go out, and studying all day fries my brain. This takes my mind off things. Back at home, I cleaned a lot, so… Doing this reminds me of Anonas, I guess.”

His whiskers twitched. “As long as you are careful…”

“I would've loved to read novels, too. Sadly, there's none of that here. Oh, but the books on magecraft are interesting! I'm about to finish the next one.”

The castle library was enormous.

Shelves climbed to the vaulted ceiling, packed with hundreds of books. Tall, arched windows lined the wall, their delicate panes scattering sunlight across marble tiles. A diamond chandelier hung beneath painted rafters, and two winding staircases led up to the higher galleries.

It was stunning, but it was also a little filthy.

She rubbed the cloth over the glass. Once done, she stepped back to admire her work. The window was spotless now. Her brows drooped at her reflection. On the polished surface were two gray eyes that had once been blue.

‘Ah, right. They changed.’

Shade had said it occurred back in the Evertread.

Once the newly chosen Divine Vessel passed through the gate, there would be a subtle change in their appearance. Typically, their eyes or hair would be dyed the color of the deity they represented. This served as a physical manifestation of their Divinity, with the degree of the transformation showing both their Divine Bond and Divine Energy.

While Aya continued to study her new features, Lorenz entered the library.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke. His eyes traveled from the cloth in her hand to the apron around her waist. She knitted her brows together and glanced down at herself in confusion.

"Miss Aya… Please tell me I am not seeing what I think I am seeing."

"Do I look dirty already? I just started cleaning.”

He inhaled deeply. “That, too.”

"Well, uh, it’s pretty dusty. It's a good thing the dress is black.”

His brows rose, then he strode closer to the stool. "What you’re wearing is the servants’ uniform.”

She checked again and touched the apron. "I do recall the maids wearing something similar, but…”

“Was it given to you?”

“Yes…?”

“Did they do anything else?”

“Huh? Well, um…” She flinched at the sharp look on his face. “N-No. The servants let me be most of the time.”

“And that is why you are cleaning windows.”

“I-I wanted to do it… Lord Lorenz, are you angry?”

He was silent for a moment. Suddenly, he lifted her from the stool. Startled, she squealed and quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. He went on to whisk her away from the library, with Shade following right behind.

“L-L-Lord Lorenz?!”

"Do you know who owns this castle?"

“...”

"Do you know why knights are stationed all around?"

"...”

"Do you know why Cassian no longer calls you ‘little lady’?”

She blinked. “Ummm… ‘Cause he realized I'm nothing like a lady?”

He sighed, "Because you are a princess, Your Highness.”

Aya froze.

The cloth she didn't realize she's still holding slipped from her fingers. That was the first time someone used that title on her, and in all honesty, it was strange—surreal. It felt as though she’d borrowed another person's body and heard something she wasn't supposed to.

"B-But in books,” she stammered, “princesses don't clean."

His lips curved into a smile. "Precisely. They learn etiquette, attend ceremonies, host tea parties…and wear beautifully tailored dresses.” He bent and picked up the cloth, then produced a small flame to burn it, throwing her off guard. “Let us get you a different dress, shall we?”

"Erm… I-I like what I'm wearing. It's easy to move around in.” Her cheeks flushed pink while she bashfully fiddled with her dress.

He pondered for a few seconds before nodding tentatively. “Alright. You can keep it, but promise me one thing."

"What?"

"No more cleaning."

“...Okay.”

So, that's why he burned the cloth.

The act must have appeared unseemly to nobles like him. He'd never paid this much attention to her before. It could be one way to show she really was no longer a commoner. Yet somehow, she sensed there's more to this rather unusual demeanor—to his clenched jaw, his brisk pace, and his tight hold around her.

As though proving that, Lorenz spoke again with grim seriousness. “I have to tell you something."

“Lord Lorenz?”

“It's about your stepfather.”

Her breath hitched. “D-Did something happen to Dad?”

“I knew I said there's a chance for you to see each other again, but…” He looked at her with sorrow. “...That will have to wait until he recovers. He's been poisoned, and he's now in a coma.”

Aya went still, her mind shutting down.

A cold numbness spread through her while tears began to fall. She clutched at her chest, her fingers shaking uncontrollably. Her breathing became increasingly difficult, and she struggled to form words.

This wasn't real. 

This couldn't be happening.

“D-D-Dad… D-Dad is…”

It did not stop there. Lorenz continued to tell her about their home.

“The house and the bookshop burned down. We still haven't identified who's responsible for both incidents, but…”

Aya heard him say more. But all seemed to vanish at that point.

Her world collapsed time and again. 

The sound of waves, the smell of books, the warmth of her stepfather's smile—everything was gone. Her home and her family had been taken from her.

Helpless desperation seized her. She moved, but a pair of strong arms held her in place. Her eyes, blurry with tears, snapped down at them. Lorenz didn’t release her. She sobbed out loud, trying to break free but to no avail.

“I-Is t-this why you're c-carrying m-m-me?”

Lorenz didn't answer, but the expression on his face told Aya that he did expect she’d run away like always—as to where exactly, she didn't know anymore.