Welcome to the Show!

Nivelir arranged the trial in the largest courtroom in the city, which could comfortably fit in a hundred and fifty people.

It was dangerously over capacity.

Rosamund confidently walked in, holding his head high in spite the situation. The loud, indistinguishable murmur of the crowd of perhaps three hundred people was overwhelming, and considering how the process worked in this world, it was only going to get worse. The air was stuffy and heavy. He could foresee a headache in his near future.

Despite it all, when his hand gripped the small wooden gate separating the crowd from the people relevant to the trial, he felt all his concerns evaporating. There was nothing to be afraid of. This was his life, a career he pursued for decades once before. He was the best then. He was the best now.

He left Ekliptik at the gate and walked between the rows of simple benches where witnesses were already sat on. He could see Nivelir among them, along with numerous other people he had come. Five of Khamil's captains, his would-be assassin with her hands chained, accompanied by a guard, helmsman and some other sailors that belonged to Khamil's crew, the man's majordomo, and a few unfamiliar faces waited for the start of the trial. He passed them by and arrived to the front of the room. There were two tables there, with an additional chair between them, all facing the seat of the judge and their advisors and scribes.

He saw his name at one of the tables and sat down there, leaning his cane against it and placing relevant documents in front of him. He was feeling strange, calm an excited at once. He couldn't wait to be done with Khamil and his nonsense. The man wasn't there yet, and neither was Alberic, so he looked around to see who else arrived for the spectacle.

The crowd of commoners filled the floor area around and behind him. The curiosity in the air was so thick it could be cut with a knife. There weren't enough seats for them all, so some were left standing, or sharing chairs intended for one person. He was well aware that his lack of any proper public appearances caused this, but he hardly had the time to work on everything that demanded his immediate attention. He spotted that little snake, Sanjin, among them. They were loudly arguing with a few people around them, but he couldn't make out the words. Pronyscher, too. He wondered how he got through Hexkey's men guarding the courtroom, but he assumed the man was less conspicuous than, for example, Cinda and Lotus.

The nobility was sitting up on the balconies above the commoners. They weren't nearly as tightly packed together. A proper nobleman would rather turn around than be left standing in this situation. Or throw out someone of lower status. They were mostly ignoring him. It was their way to show they were angry for ignoring his social duties. The letters he got from them were all responded to, of course, but he declined any invitations from them and refused to state when his inauguration ball will be. They were understandably angry.

He noticed Lilac among them, all dressed up and fancy, staring him down. Bluebell and his army of servants could make him appear as a proper nobleman, but they couldn't fix his personality. Lilac was currently very rudely ignoring a short older nobleman attempting to hold a polite conversation with him. Rosamund needed a moment to recognize it was Baron Mayberry, along with his wife who was sitting next to them in silence. Lady Ansatz gave him a small nod when she noticed his gaze, but he didn't respond in kind. All eyes were on him, it was hardly the time for any kind of interaction.

The heads turned when the door opened again. In came Vice Admiral. His hands were free, that much he noticed while carefully ignoring him passing by. As a nobleman, he was certainly allowed clean clothes to properly present himself before the Second Prince. However, considering his past actions, there was a guard accompanying him, too. He sat down at the other table and seemed to be trying to catch Rosamund looking at him.

All the more reason not to do it.

The actors were all in place, so it was the time for the main star of the show. It didn't take too long before a woman in the uniform of the Royal Guard walked in from the side door. For now, the uniform and the large halberd in her hand was more than enough to silence the crowd.

"All rise!" she ordered clearly, taking a formal stance by the seat of the judge.

The whole room stood up on her command. A few scribes and other court officials entered the room and sat on the sides central seat. Rosamund recognized one of Alberic's advisors. She winced when she saw him, and then tried to force a neutral look on her face. End result reminded him of biting a lemon. He carefully didn't react to her.

"Introducing the presiding judge, His Highness the Second Prince, Alberic di Breton!" the Guardswoman spoke again.

The atmosphere in the room changed with the mere mention of the name. A chill went through the crowd, the murmuring started again as they discussed the arrival of a genuine royal to the meeting. The woman struck the stone floor with her halberd, silencing the people again.

Alberic entered.

The handsome young man wore elegant clothes and complementary jewellery, well aware of his looks and effect he had on people. His vibrant coat attracted the attention of everybody in the room, both due to the masterful craftsmanship and the fact that judges would usually wear black. This time around, his long hair was braided and hanging over his right shoulder. He came in unarmed. The prince did not need a weapon.

He approached his seat with a small smile, taking a few seconds to enjoy the power he held, before taking a seat. Everyone in the room followed, with whispers spreading through the crowd again. Alberic tolerated it for a few moments before speaking up, calling everyone's attention back to him.

"The court is now in session," he declared. "We are here to determine the truth behind the incident between Lord Governor Rosamund Alsop en la Dale and Vice Admiral Zvizdan Norte Khamil, which occurred on the sixth day of the Gilded month, on the sea off the coast of Teuta archipelago. Considering the nature of the incident and the people involved, I will be presiding over this court. My verdict is my Royal Mother's verdict. In this trial, I represent the interests of the People, Truth, and Justice. I swear now on my honor and blood, before the sleeping gods that watch over us all, that my judgement will be honest and fair." Alberic was staring him down by the end. This wholly unnecessary speech got the point across. Rosamund faced him calmly, refusing to be the one to blink.

"I have personally ensured that both parties have had the time and resources needed to gather all of the relevant evidence," he declared. "Does either party take any issue with this claim?"
Both Rosamund and Khamil responded negatively.

"Well then, let us begin. Vice Admiral Khamil accuses Lord Governor of endangerment of men, mismanagement of Vice Admiral's ship and his crew... piracy, treason, slander, and forgery of evidence. Lord Governor, how do you plead?"
"Not guilty, Your Highness," Rosamund replied. Treason? On what grounds, he wondered, not particularly concerned about the charge. Piracy was a first, though. No governor in the history of Bretonia has been accused of it, as far as he knew.

"Lord Governor accuses Vice Admiral of endangerment of men, mismanagement of his own ship and his crew, embezzlement of royal funds, slander, harassment, obstruction of justice, attempted destruction of evidence, resisting arrest, attempted assault of a government official, and attempted assassination. How do you plead?"
"Not guilty!" Khamil shouted. "I object to the stated accusations!"
"In that case, consider waiting until it is your turn to speak."

A nuisance to the bitter end, then. Another wave of whispering started going through the room. Both men pleaded not guilty. If it were a different pair of people, the easiest way to see who's right would have been a duel. Rosamund would gladly entertain it, but the power imbalance was too great and they already caught the attention of the royals. He wasn't surprised that the man pleaded 'not guilty', but he hoped there would be a shred of sanity left in him. He was facing the damn Prince, not someone his mother could intimidate with her position.

No matter. It was all the same to him.

"We will now begin hearing the witnesses," Alberic ordered. "And at the end, we will hear the statements from the two men. First witness, come forth."

And so the deathly boring process began. It was downright shocking that the people managed to keep decently quiet for the first few witnesses. They began to discuss what was told almost immediately, of course, but Alberic would not react for as long as the witnesses could be heard clearly. Thanks to the construction of the courtroom, the people would need to be rather loud for that.

Nivelir's statement explained the harassment he suffered from Khamil, as well as the assassination attempt and the arrest that followed. Ekliptik's involvement was conveniently completely ignored, as it should have.

Thoroughly terrified of both Rosamund and Alberic, the captains and crew that witnessed the entire central debacle spoke nothing less than the truth. When it came to Captain Arginin, she said what she knew about the disaster and started to explain the state of ships before the storm.

"Objection!" Khamil shouted, slamming his fist into the table. "The accusation of embezzlement is one of the lies Lord Governor made up about me to confuse the situation. The trial was supposed to be about the storm! This woman is lying through her teeth!"
Hah. "Objection," Rosamund calmly said. "Why react here? Would the rest of the witnesses be speaking the truth up until this point? If you wish to ignore the embezzlement we uncovered during our investigation, you still come out looking guilty considering everyone up until now claimed you were the one giving orders." Not to mention that Arginin wouldn't mention something she had no evidence of. She only spoke about the mismanagement.
"Intimidated witnesses are no witnesses at all, are they? I do not need to argue with people who were frightened of your position, nor do I need to argue with your right hand man. Of course he would defend you!"
Wouldn't he have told the other captains to speak up about the mismanagement too, then? That was the wrong question to say out loud, though. "Are you claiming that I'd somehow manage to terrify people enough to lie in front of the Second Prince, Vice Admiral?"

Alberic could hardly contain the entertained look on his face. The young man was clearly very excited to hear what Khamil would have to say about that.

Judging by the look on his face, the man was still unaware of the situation he was in. He will continue trying to weasel his way out. Rosamund was excited to see what was coming.

"With the right kind of threat, anyone can be made to say anything," Khamil said.
"A very entertaining conclusion. A less generous man would throw you out for this accusation, Vice Admiral, but I would very much enjoy hearing what else you have to say. Objection overruled. We will now proceed," Alberic spoke.

The parade of witnesses continued. Khamil angrily listened to his own crew and helmsman speak about the state of the ship and the events in the storm. Two professional witnesses called in by the Prince also stated their findings about Khamil's financials, and the ships' current and previous state. It seemed two out of three most important crimes were exposed, and it was all done before the assassin came to the witness' seat.

He almost pitied how she looked. He wondered if he was as pathetic the night she almost murdered him. She declared her intention to kill him, and how she sneaked into the manor by knocking out and locking up one of his maids. She then went to the manor claiming the poor woman was ill and that she was the replacement for the day. She told the court that the person who hired her was Khamil's majordomo.

"Your Highness! If anything, this proves that the man behind the assassination wasn't me!" Khamil yelled again.
"How so?" Alberic asked tiredly.
"Clearly he was acting on his own accord. He saw the threat that Lord Governor posed to me with his lies and influence, and decided to personally handle the issue. This is not an order that was given by me."
"Are you telling me a servant had access to your seal, Vice Admiral?" Rosamund asked. Malice or incompetence, it was up to him.
"Of course not! He must have stolen the item!"
"And forged your handwriting, I presume?" Rosamund asked.
"What else do you suggest? That I was a fool enough to hire a third-rate killer?"
Well, yes. Perhaps he should throw him a bait. "In that case, would you claim he was also the man behind the embezzlement?"
"That is possible, of course. But it would require further investigation. I'd say it is now beyond doubt that a crime was committed, but it is also clear that I am the one being framed for it. Someone from my household could conceivably be the person behind it."
"Your Honor, I have two issues to raise with this statement," Rosamund said. "May I proceed?"
"Go ahead," Alberic said.

"Firstly, if it was your majordomo who was the man behind those crimes, why was he caught burning down the wrong documents? If he knew where to go to find the evidence of his crimes, why would he leave them laying around?"
"That's- you don't know what was on the papers he burned! Perhaps his crimes were worse than the ones you uncovered," Khamil shouted in response.
"Very well, then. What about your accusation that it was I who made up all of these crimes?" Rosamund asked. He got him, and it dawned to the man after he realized what he just said. He relished in his expression for a moment before continuing. "The embezzlement has been going on for two years. I've only learned of my new duty half a year ago. Are you claiming that I was an ocean away, already orchestrating this nonsense years in advance?"
"N-no. I..."

Rosamund patiently gave him time to say something, but nothing followed.

"I will accept the possibility that Vice Admiral is not the man behind the crimes of embezzlement and attempted assassination," he declared. "However, the only other possible explanation, raised by the man himself, is that those two crimes were occurring under his nose, committed by his own servant, and he was completely unaware. This matches what I've witnessed during the storm. His incompetence is completely unprecedented. If the court cannot decide whether he is to blame, I would suggest to continue with the investigation in this matter afterwards. As it stands, his stupidity certainly warrants he be stripped of rank and discharged from the navy."

"Thank you, Lord Governor," Alberic said. "Your words will be taken into consideration."

Oops. Did he overdo it? It wasn't yet time for him to speak his own account. Alberic didn't prevent him, but he can't have been too happy with this.

No matter.

Alberic ordered the witnesses to continue while Khamil was silently fuming. His majordomo was up next, and he claimed that Khamil was the one who ordered him to hire an assassin. It was his word against his master's, precisely the sort of a situation Rosamund refused to find himself in. He felt a twinge of pity for the man, abandoned by the person who gave him orders.

And then it was time for Khamil's witnesses.

Rosamund stood up after the first few sentences, already more than angry. "Objection! Hearsay." He was really playing dirty.
"Explain yourself, Lord Governor," Alberic said.
"This pirate is only repeating a rumor that started to spread through Hipparcos and Hannau Cove," he said. "While it is the truth that during my stay I lived on board Captain Vervain's ship, she moved to the city while I was there. The rumors about us living in her cabin together are nothing more than a misunderstanding." They did sleep in the cabin together, but he couldn't say that. She was on a damn couch! There was nothing between them, and he'd never allow something like that either!
"But from my understanding, the two of you were very close and often found yourselves alone together. Both in the Cove and here," Khamil venomously said.
"Then you -" should get your brain checked "- misunderstood," he smoothly finished the sentence. "Captain Vervain and I discussed some issues with her so-called Free Pirate Republic and the fact that she was attacking Bretonian ships. I am currently attempting to solve the issue of piracy in this area with diplomacy. Would the Royal Family and the Admiralty prefer I request enough ships for another war here?"

"Lord Governor, consider this a warning," Alberic said.

Rosamund stopped himself. Calm. He was calm. He continued. "Nothing inappropriate occurred between Captain Vervain and I, neither in the Cove nor here," he said. "The witness here is spreading idle gossip of the citizens. An act of slander, although if he was brought in here by Vice Admiral for the sole purpose of telling you of rumors he's heard, I find it difficult to accuse him of a crime. I'd rather go to the source. I submit his testimony as evidence of Vice Admiral's attempts to slander me."
"How dare you!" Khamil shouted. "The purpose of this witness is to prove your crimes of piracy and treason!"
"Is that so? Young man, have I ever attacked a Bretonian ship with the purpose of stealing the cargo or items and endangering the crew?"
The poor pirate was completely startled by the direct address from him. Gods only knew what sort of rumors were going among them, considering that his duels were well-known in Hannau. "N-no, Lord Governor."
"Why am I accused of piracy, then?" he asked Khamil.
"Because you are colluding with that woman, of course."
"To do what? What is your accusation, Vice Admiral?"
"You are clearly plotting something with that pirate wench!"
"Plotting what?" he firmly continued.
"I don't know!"
"So you admit to falsely accusing me?"
"Of course not! Just because I don't know what your plans are, it doesn't mean that you haven't set them into motion. This man is a witness of your plot, nothing more and nothing less. You spent weeks in Hannau Cove, alone with the Pirate Queen, and you return to the city with two ships full of pirates! You have even removed four guardsmen from their position and exiled them, not to mention that you freed two pirates that were known to have been in a fight with them! You are intentionally weakening the guard and strengthening their position!" Khamil was slowly getting up while speaking, and by the end, he had to shout to match the volume of the crowd. "You are up to something, you should be thoroughly investigated, and you should be removed from your position!"

There was no way Alberic could calm down the current crowd. He seemed to plan to wait for a bit before he tries to regain the control of the room, but Rosamund made out some words among the cacophony. There was a woman shouting at the top of her lungs, tightly gripping on the rail as few other commoners tried to hold her back.

"Yannike was worthless trash! He beat my sister! His wife! Good riddance to him! Governor saved my sister!"
"She probably deserved it!"

The woman punched the man who said that directly into the nose. He fell backwards, blood shooting out as if it was coming from a hose. Rosamund watched him go in slow amazement, absentmindedly reaching for his cane. Attention in the room shifted to the ongoing brawl as guards tried to make their way through the crowd to reach her. Alberic's shouting for order went ignored while Rosamund slowly raised his cane high into the air.

The sound it made as he smashed it against the table was akin to a gunshot, followed by absolute silence.

The heads turned to him as he was still holding half of his cane in his hand. The other half was held by Alberic, who caught it just before it hit him in the head.

"Your Highness, I request your permission to address my citizens as their Governor," he quietly said. His voice was heard in every corner of the room. The silence was as oppressive and deafening as the crowd at full volume. Nobody dared to make a sound.

Alberic let out a low snarl. "Granted, Lord Governor," he said, tossing the useless stick on the courtroom floor. Several people flinched at the clattering sound. Rosamund had everybody's undivided attention.

He continued with a whisper, calmly setting down his half of the cane on the table. "I am perfectly aware that I have failed to attend to the social duties that come with my position. I am aware I neglected to consider the way I appeared to the people whom I was in charge of. For those transgressions, I am sorry." He was calm. He was fine. His hands weren't shaking yet. He was in his body, in his mind, slowly drowning himself in quiet apathy. A safe disconnect from his emotions was probably the best thing in this situation. He would speak calm, with a clear head, just like when Zaum almost killed him. "I cannot make up for my past failures easily, but I will use this chance to explain myself before you. The day those men were stripped of their position and exiled, I learned that they abused their power and authority against my citizens. I have learned that the intentionally picked fights with people who had no power to return in kind, and that this was a behavior that was common to them. It was a mere coincidence that this news reached my ears when they picked a fight with a pirate. They nearly caused an incident that could have painted the streets with blood out of sheer cruelty and sadism. This behavior... is not something I will tolerate. Not just against people who have come here in an attempt to establish peace, but also you. For as long as you are my citizens, my only goal is to ensure your safety and well-being."

He took a deep breath before continuing. Nobody dared to utter a word.

"This protection I hope to bring," he continued, "is not something only certain people can apply for. I refuse to ignore cries for help, or to turn a blind eye to ongoing abuse. This does not apply only to the guards, which are directly under my command -" he will strangle Hexkey next time he sees him "- but to all my citizens. If there are any spouses here who believe that it is their right to hit or otherwise harm the people whom they promised their eternal love to, rest assured I will be more than glad to grant their victims a swift divorce, and help them press charges against the scum they've married. No matter the rank, no matter the wealth. I will not tolerate this." By the end, his voice was almost inaudible. The crowd strained to hear him, clinging onto every word he said. But they heard him. And he will make sure the message echoes across this cursed world.

"Thank you, Your Highness," he said. He took a seat again, and the people were finally able to breathe.

"Thank you, Lord Governor," Alberic replied, looking at him strangely. "It is a sentiment I can agree to, although it is not a matter of this proceeding. Guards, take that man to a doctor before he bleeds out. The rest of you, if there is another interruption on this scale, I will begin arresting people."

Quiet murmur started to carefully spread through the courtroom as the man was being taken away. Rosamund was quietly tapping on the table, in the rhythm of his intrusive thoughts. Forty percent. Forty percent. Forty percent. He needed to stay calm and focused. This trial was nowhere near done just yet. Were his hands shaking? No, not yet. He was fine. He will finish this.

"Now, returning to our previous discussion," Alberic spoke up again. "It would appear that the current accusation of treason and piracy allegedly committed by Lord Governor is based on hearsay and circumstantial evidence. This accusation will be struck from the list, and used as evidence that Vice Admiral slandered Lord Governor. Are there any objections?"
"Yes!" Khamil immediately said. "What have you to say about the Pirate Queen, then? Is she not living in this city, in Lord Governor's manor?!"
"She is," Rosamund agreed.
"And?! What do you say to that, Your Highness?" he demanded.
"I'd say that this is the second purpose of my visit," Alberic said. "Before the two of you overly complicated the matters, this trial was only meant to discuss who was to blame for the damages done to your ships, Vice Admiral. The matter of handling the Pirate Queen was left up to Lord Governor. Considering how that entire situation unfolded, My Royal Mother had sent me to further look into it before any treaties and diplomatic promises are made. The current goals of Captain Vervain are an issue that I am personally investigating. If all your evidence of Lord Governor colluding with her is idle gossip, then I am more than happy to completely remove this matter from the table."
"In that case, what about his accusation of embezzlement and attempted assassination? Why should that be discussed today?"
"Indeed. What of it, Lord Governor?" Alberic asked with a wide smile.

Rosamund never saw somebody shoot himself in the foot so professionally. "I would argue that I have provided ample evidence of all his crimes," he replied, leaning back in his seat. "At least, those that I have uncovered. However, if Vice Admiral Khamil would prefer a separate trial for those, where proof wouldn't be gathered during an ongoing attempt on my life, I suggest you ensure he gets what he is asking for." After all, who knows what else they could find if they dig around the household of the Second Sea Lord. Who knows, perhaps the Queen stumbles upon a connection between them and the Duchess all on her own.

"I see. Your suggestion will be taken into consideration, then."

Khamil seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Rosamund was stunned how idiotic he was not to realize what just happened. This?! This was his opponent?!

Offensive.

Alberic continued with the trial. Khamil had gathered considerably fewer witnesses, and their flimsy excuses faded into nothing after that display. Soon, the grand finale came.

Khamil's speech was as dramatic and over the top as he could imagine. He accused Rosamund of making everything up, of forcing the witnesses to lie to pin the blame on him, and of being corrupt and incompetent, trying to hide his mismanagement. The man genuinely ignored all the false and flimsy accusations he made against him. Did he think people would gloss over it?

Perhaps, but he had the last word. He calmly and clearly recollected the events during the storm. He refused to say a single word more or less than that. The only thing Alberic was interested in was the truth, and no amount of sweet talking or attempts to obscure it could fool him.

He sat down, and the Second Prince stood up.

"After hearing out the witnesses, looking through the evidence, and hearing from the two opponents, this trial has come to its end. With the power vested in me by My Royal Mother, I, Second Prince Alberic di Breton, have come to the following conclusion. Vice Admiral Zvizdan Norte Khamil has been found guilty of gross mismanagement and endangerment of the people who were entrusted in his care. His reckless behavior nearly caused numerous deaths, and led to severe damage to the ships under his command. For this, he will be stripped of rank and discharged from the Royal Navy. The events that led to this incident and the events that followed it will be further investigated, the process left in the hands of the Admiralty and overseen by the people I select for the task. Lord Governor Rosamund Alsop en la Dale has been found not guilty of gross mismanagement and endangerment of the sailors. Further investigation into the events that followed the incident, as well as the process of attempting to peacefully resolve the issue of piracy, will be handled by me personally. While the investigation is ongoing, I will permit the pirates to continue residing in the city, out of consideration for the color of their flag and the fact they're yet to cause an incident. Know that should they misbehave in any way, the gallows will be ready for them." He glanced towards his guardswoman before ending his monologue.

"Court is adjourned."

She emphasized his words with a final strike of the halberd against the floor.

Alberic made his way out through the side door. The loud crowd started pouring out of the courtroom, drowning out Khamil's shouts as the Royal Guard was personally dragging him away. The guards took the assassin and the majordomo, too. The investigation will take a while. Rosamund had no doubt that they will spend quite some time in prison. He rubbed the back of his neck, not wanting to stand up just yet. Nivelir approached him instead, with Ekliptik following in his footsteps.

"Can you stand?" he asked.
"Yes. I am feeling rather well," Rosamund replied, not getting up yet. His hands were shaking now. He could feel his apathy subsiding, now that it was over. He held himself under control while the trial lasted. His anger faded with the verdict, and all he was left feeling was tired. "I will need a bath when we get home... Congratulations, Lord Secretary. You are officially on vacation."
"Please don't joke. You can't have me on leave while- ah, there she is."

The familiar advisor of the Second Prince made her way to them. "Lord Rosamund," she greeted him. "Or, I suppose Lord Governor is more appropriate now."
"Good day, Master Nadir. How do you do?" he politely asked.
"Quite well, thank you. Not a dull moment with you around, is there?"
"I suppose there is not," he agreed. "I presume the Second Prince has ordered you to look through my finances... again."
She winced. "There is nothing I hate more than futile work. Please commit a crime just once, so that I have something to find. The ledgers are so dreadfully boring otherwise."
"Perhaps you should consider a change of your career," he suggested.
"Hm. From the heir in reserve to the Governor... from a simple auditor... to where?"
"Auditor for the Second Prince is hardly something to laugh at. But if the goal is to climb even higher, why not Chancellor of the Exchequer?"
She let out a laugh. "Politics don't suit me, Lord Governor. Please have all your finances sent to me at your earliest convenience."
"I will see to that. Would you like to personally go through them in my manor?"
"Is that an invitation? Hm. I am rather curious about the notorious Pirate Queen, but I have heard you have a bit of an issue with assassins lately. I will consider it and let you know. I must go with the Prince now, thank you for your time."
"Of course. Send him my regards. I will be waiting for your arrival."
She gave him something between a nod and a bow. "I am happy it turned out well for you. Continue as you are, I'd like to see where you find yourself."
He replied with a small smile.
"Oh, and- lovely cravat pin, Lord Governor."
"Thank you. Have a nice day, Master Nadir."

He got up after the small woman left. There was going to be another trial. He needed to get out of here before it begins. He packed his documents and picked up the pieces of his cane.

"Hm. We will need to find a better store for these..." he said. Someone could get injured next time he does this.
"I will tell you where I buy mine," Nivelir replied.
"Thank you. And, Ekliptik. I didn't forget that I promised you a reward. Ask me anything you'd like and I will get it for you... tomorrow. Is that alright?"
They nodded.
Such a good kid. Rosamund gave them a bright smile and patted them on the shoulder. "Good job. Both of you," he added, looking up at his best friend.
"I'd say it was all you in the end," Nivelir said, smiling back. His strict and cold face softened as he allowed his joy to come to the surface.
"Hah. Don't sell yourselves short. I couldn't have been here without both of you." And Adanita. And Teodolit. And Lilac.

He got so far only thanks to the help he received along the way. He was grateful and so, so happy to have them. With them around, he was fine.

"Let's go," he said. "Lily must be waiting in the carriage already. We should celebrate this somehow," he chatted on his way.

It was finally time to go home.