The girl gave up. Duchess Grishen would come, and Sasi would suffer for however long that was. She knew the venerable [Duchess] was important—she was second only to the Twins of Ovela in power in this region, and Sasi’s father and mother were always being nice to the old, cantankerous woman. Even if Duchess Grishen was so old and tough and mean that a Ghoul wouldn’t manage to bite through her horrible hide.

She went back to her original topic.

“Mother. Culin and I are bored. There’s nothing to do and we can’t go riding or—or anywhere! Right, Culin?”

She nudged her brother, who was still staring at the bowl of strawberries or the expensive Balerosian sugar that the [Cook] was nervously measuring into a bowl. Culin glanced up, and then, after a blank look at Sasi, remembered his part.

“That’s right! We’re bored! Mom, I want to do something interesting!”

“And what might that be, Culin?”

The question stumped the six year-old. He just gave his mother a helpless look and stomped his foot.

Lady Risel massaged at her temples.

“I’m sorry, Culin, Sasi. But Princess Seraphel must be entertained, and she is as cooped up as the two of you are. We can’t visit villages or go outside the capital—not with that last [Necromancer] on the loose.

Your father is looking for him—but it is too dangerous to leave and that is that.”

That was that. The two children gloomily looked at each other. They might have been [Lord] and

[Lady]—even if their combined levels were three in total—but they were still children of Noelictus. And that went double for anyone raised outside of the safe capital.

They knew the rules. Do not go outdoors at night. Lock everything. Let nothing die but that which you attend to.

Leave no one unburied. Turn away no soul in need.

Sasi gloomily looked around the small keep, with its narrow hallways that she knew inside out. Culin stared up wide-eyed, afraid as he always was whenever someone mentioned [Necromancers]. He still wet his bed if Sasi mentioned the Necromancer, Az’kerash, before he slept.

“I thought father killed some undead yesterday. Were they the [Necromancer]’s minions, Mom?”

“No, Culin. Just a bear and some deer. If you two are so bored—you may ask to go into town. But remember—”

“Ask Meltain before you go.”

The two children chorused. Meltain was in charge of the keep’s guard and usually accompanied them when they went into the town that had been built around Afiele’s keep. Risel smiled, but turned back to the bowl as Edert groaned over the cost.

“It’s gold to custard, Lady Risel! What with the cost of sugar—my hand’s shaking so badly I can’t even—”

“Oh, Edert. Honestly. Give me that…”

——

“Sasiiii—what do we do now?”