In many RPGs, there was a term players were very familiar with.
Sub-boss.
A sub-boss was not the final enemy of a dungeon, but it was far more dangerous than ordinary monsters.
Their purpose was simple to test the skill of the players to guard the path toward the true boss.
Arcadia like any other rpg game have also it lot of sub boss.
Whether it was in the main storie,storie quest, sub storie and even in event their were always a sub boss protecting the boss.
Some were straightforward,some were powerful.And some…Were simply annoying.
Among them, one name was particularly infamous.
Not because it was powerful since player liked difficulty and not because of his personality since it was completely blind.
No this boss was sub boss was infamous for his annoying mechanics and the patience you needed just to beat one phase.
She used his art of shadow to hide in the darkness and you needed to wait for her to attack for dropping her hp if she haven't decided to heal of course because why not.
She was so irritating that even myself had secretly revealed some information to make her more easy to kill.
And right now…
That very sub-boss was standing directly in front of me staring straightforward to my eyes if not even my soul.
Nyx the shadow maid.
She was dressed in the uniform of a maid.
Black hair flowed neatly down her back.
Her dark eyes looked like empty voids—black holes devoid of emotion.
Her presence alone made the air feel colder.
"Princess Elizabeth." nyx said with a voice cold and sharp."What are you still doing here?"
The moment she spoke, Elizabeth's body trembled slightly his face paled and the body of his temperature drop significantly.
"As a princess of the empire, you should already be preparing for the ceremony." She said his gaze analyzing every Elizabeth reaction.
'Damn it'
In this situation memories from the game surfaced in my mind.
One of the reason Elizabeth was so timid and reserved was because of nyx.
That girl was a completely loyal to the second princess and she always critiqued and even pressured Elizabeth in the game.
That was not a behavior for a maid and even the head maid tried to stop her but she was always protected by the second princess or she funded a good excuse to justify his actions.
Elizabeth lowered his head not being able to look nyx in the eyes.
" I was just__"
"You were just what?" She interrupted her "joking, playing and batiffoling like a little girl, this isn't a behavior for a princess and you should know that."
His approach was direct and ruthless not even letting Elizabeth time to answer she knew she had the advantage both emotionally and physically and she was exploiting it.
"You__"
"The ceremony only takes place tonight," I said calmly."Princess Elizabeth was simply taking a moment to relax and relieve some stress."
Even if I promised to not intervene I couldn't just stay ans watch someone get bullied.
If I didn't intervene then i was not better then the aggressor.
Nyx slowly turned her gaze toward me her cold dark eyes met mine and a chill ran down my spine.
Her gaze was cold enough to freeze blood.
'Calm down calm down calm down'
I repeated in my head trying to stop the shaking coming from my hand.
"Ed,If the princess becomes stressed over something so trivial," Nyx said indifferently,
"Then she lacks the mentality required for what awaits her and certainly lacks the mindset necessary to rule an empire."
Elizabeth's lips parted slightly trying to refute his word but no word come from his mouth and she immediately lowered his head again admitting defeat.
A heavy silence followed for a couple of second.
'You must be kidding me right'
I cursed in my head.I knew Elizabeth lacked confidence at the beginning of the story.
But I had never imagined it was this bad.
Nyx was openly dismissing her status as a princess and Elizabeth wasn't even resisting.
This was a pathetic spectacle that I couldn't stand to watch I needed to find a way to help Elizabeth and give nyx a good lesson.
I couldn't challenge her directly so I needed to attack where it could hurt and the only exploitable opening was his rank.
So instead of arguing directly, I asked calmly:
"Miss Nyx." She turned his head toward me but this time I was rea dying to confront her.
"Are you familiar with the Second Emperor?"
Both Nyx and Elizabeth looked confused.
"The Second Emperor?" Nyx repeated.
"What relevance does that have?"
I clasped my hands behind my back and a smile spread on my lips.
"Let me educate your poor self since you surely were more occupied of other things than studying"
I could swear I had see point of irritation in her eyes but that make things better.
"After the foundation of the empire and the establishment of the Six Great Families…The First Emperor eventually decided to have a child.It was an arranged marriage, as most royal marriages are and from that union, a son was born."
I paused briefly.
"That child later became emperor.The ruler who founded the Magic Tower together with the Great Archmage.One of the pillars not only of the Human Continent…But of the entire world."
Elizabeth's eyes widened slightly and nyx just rolled her eyes.
I could understand their reaction everyone knew that storie that was something that every child of the Empire knew.
But...
"That is the version written in history books."
"But the truth…"i looked directly at Nyx."is very different."
"The Second Emperor was the least talented ruler in imperial history.His magical aptitude was mediocre.His Art ranked among the lowest of his generation.The nobility mocked him.Even the Six Great Families showed him little respect.The only person who supported him…Was his father.The First Emperor."
I walked closer to nyx my face was almost meeting her and I could clearly sense his Breath on mine and maybe a little blush but I didn't care
"When the First Emperor died…The empire nearly collapsed.The Six Great Families fought each other for power.Nobles plotted and schemed and in the middle of all that chaos…It was the Second Emperor who held the empire together.He protected his people.He stabilized the throne.And when he proposed the construction of the Magic Tower…No one believed in him.Not even my own ancestors and yet today…The Magic Tower stands as one of the greatest institutions in the world."
Nyx narrowed her eyes slightly "Why are you telling me this?"
The smile on my face became wider, this was the moment I needed that was the perfect moment to strike...now.
"You are nobody."
The hallway suddenly became silent. I couldn't see the reaction of Elizabeth,but I surely think that she would be shocked with his hand on his mouth but for nyx I could see something like...hurt?
"You are no one to decide what the princess lack to judge what she lack or to determine whether she deserve the throne."
"Do you know why?"
My voice remained calm but every word was sharp.
"Beacuse just like the nobles in the story of the Second Emperor…You are merely a dog barking loudly if not you even lower than that."
"Only the emperor has the right to decide whether his daughter is worthy or not and if you have a problem with that…You can tell him directly."
The silence that followed was heavy.
For several long seconds…
No one moved.
Then suddenly—
Nyx smiled it was cold smile but her eyes reflected emotion and it was...sadness.
She stepped back then bowed politely toward Elizabeth.
"My apologies, Princess Elizabeth.I spoke out of turn but now i see that I only stepped out of my rank."
"If you may excuse me I shall retreat and reflect on the lesson of today."She turned around and began walking away passing over me without a word.
'Victorie'
I never remembered nyx apologize one time in the game she always come out unfazed but now she was wounded and she was even backing up.
But after a few steps, she stopped then she looked over her shoulder.
"Sir Edward."
Her gaze was sharp again.
"You will not always be there to give history lessons."
Her eyes moved toward Elizabeth.
"One day…"
"She will have to defend herself."
And the next moment—
Her shadow twisted.
And Nyx disappeared into it.
As if she had been swallowed by darkness itself.
I was momentary stunned this was my first time seeing Magic and it was very frightening to say at least but what worried me more was Elizabeth.
As I turned my gaze toward her I found her staring at floor again.
'Damn she must like it.'
I sighed softly evaporating the bad joke in my head.
"Princess—"
"Nyx is right", Elizabeth interrupted quietly.
Her voice trembled slightly."I need to be more confident."
I looked at her for a moment not being able what to say I may have chased nyx but I was the one who have done it not her and right now it was clear she thought of herself az a burden.
"Confidence often comes from power," I said calmly.
"When people hold power in their hands, confidence follows naturally."
"But…"
I paused.
"Too much confidence becomes arrogance i hope you will learn the difference."
Then she looked back at me.
"Ed."
"Yes?"
"…What you said about the Second Emperor."
"Was it true?"
"Or did you say it only to defend me?"
I smiled faintly at his question since I knew she would surely ask this question.
And the true was...
"Lying is not something I enjoy."
Then I added quietly:
"History may be written by the victors."
"But the truth…is preserved by those who survive."
"So who know?" I finished placing a finger on my lips like telling her It was a secret.
"Pffft" Elizabeth just laughed quietly and started walking away again.
I did the same knowing perfectly that the true was written not only in a bibliothèque but also somewhere it was safe.
*****
In the darkness that transplanted the castle two quiet eyes followed the princess after his conversation with Edward and only her see the faint blush in the face of the princess while she was walking away.
Seeing this and looking at Edward the quiet eyes of the shadow showed way more sentient than they were allowed to show and at this moment she decided to act and prevent something to emerge.
Then the shadow took direction to find the one powerful enough to crash the one with knowledge.
Edward didn't knew it but he have just triggered something deep that should have never been revealed.6