Robert called for Ga, and she walked over to sit beside him.

  Felix fixed his gaze on Ga’s eyes, his tone growing solemn and restrained.

  “I declare this before the gods, who bear witness to all things,” he said.

  “No one here wishes to incur their wrath. I trust you feel the same.

  So I will ask you several questions. I want you to think carefully—and answer me honestly. Can you do that?”

  At that moment, Ga noticed something behind Felix.

  Beneath a window ledge some ten meters away lay a large black dog, motionless.

  Its fur was so unnaturally dark that it seemed less like a creature and more like a shadow given form.

  Sensing Ga’s gaze, the dog opened its eyes and rose to its feet, staring directly at her.

  It bared its fangs and released a low growl—

  a sound that seemed to bypass the ears entirely and echo straight into Ga’s mind.

  Then, at the edge of her vision, a figure appeared without a sound.

  It was the somber maid in the long cloak. Somehow, she had already entered the audience chamber without anyone noticing.

  She walked quietly to the black dog, bent down, and gently stroked its head.

  Seeing Ga remain silent, eyes wide and fixed on something behind him, Felix followed her line of sight and glanced back.

  Finding nothing amiss, he turned back with a puzzled expression.

  “Uh… so,” he said,

  “did you understand what I just said?”

  Only then did Ga answer.

  “You can ask whatever you want. I’ll answer properly,” she said.

  “But not because I’m afraid of the gods.”

  The words bordered on outright blasphemy.

  Robert and Jana immediately broke into a cold sweat.

  Felix, however, looked genuinely surprised. He paused for a moment—then let out a soft laugh.

  “Very well,” he said.

  “The place you wish to go is the Viking orphan settlement in Sanvika. There may be many children there who will bully you. It is nothing like the comfort you enjoy here.”

  He leaned back slightly.

  “I could send you to other great Roman cities instead—places far better than Sanvika, even better than Oslo.

  You could attend school, learn whatever you wish, make many friends, wear beautiful clothes, eat plenty of sweets, have countless toys.”

  He looked at her steadily.

  “What do you think?”

  Ga shook her head.

  “No.”

  Though Robert and Jana had half-expected this answer, they were still shocked by how decisively she rejected such generous offers.

  Felix, on the other hand, seemed impressed. He nodded slightly.

  “Very well. Then I’ll ask you more questions,” he said.

  “If you answer me truthfully, I will allow you to go to Sanvika.”

  He leaned forward, his presence suddenly sharp and oppressive, his eyes piercing—

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  as though a careless answer might cost one their head.

  “Tell me,” he said slowly.

  “Who are you, really?”

  Ga showed no fear.

  She stood up and leaned forward as well, meeting Felix’s gaze head-on.

  Her strange, faintly glowing green eyes locked onto his from a distance no greater than a clenched fist.

  The sheer audacity of the gesture disrupted Felix’s breathing.

  His momentum faltered, his authority subtly overpowered.

  For the first time, the Count found himself genuinely uncertain—and intensely curious about the true nature of this child.

  Then Ga spoke.

  “Fuck you!!!”

  Her voice rang out so loudly that Felix recoiled backward in shock.

  Robert and Jana went pale, stunned beyond words.

  Robert hurriedly pulled Ga back and pressed a hand to her head.

  “T-This is terribly rude! Count, please forgive her—on her behalf, I offer my deepest apologies—”

  Jana also bowed hurriedly, flustered.

  Felix stared for a moment, stunned—

  then burst into roaring laughter.

  “Hahahahaha! This girl is wonderful!” he exclaimed.

  “Yes—this is exactly right. Perfectly right. Well done.”

  He wiped a tear of laughter from his eye.

  “She’ll be fine. I approve her request. She may go to Sanvika.”

  “Uh… approved?” Robert asked, bewildered.

  “Yes, yes! Let her go,” Felix waved his hand.

  “By the way—have you already purchased daily necessities for the child?”

  “Yes. Everything’s prepared.”

  “Good. I’ll allocate additional public funds later. Buy her whatever else she needs.”

  “You are most generous,” Robert said quickly. “Ga, thank the Count.”

  Ga looked straight at Felix.

  “Fuck you.”

  Robert and Jana nearly panicked again, but Felix only laughed harder, clutching his stomach.

  Felix boldly pulled parchment, pen, and seal from the leather pouch at his waist and began writing at once.

  “Then it’s settled. Three days from now, at noon,” he said while signing.

  “The third fleet at the Third Dock will transport supplies to Sanvika. Sounds easy to remember, doesn’t it? Three, three, three—you old man.”

  “Oh please,” Robert protested with a dry smile.

  “I’m still a practicing physician. My mind works just fine.”

  Felix rummaged roughly through his breast pocket and produced a badge.

  After wiping it on his clothes, he held it up before Robert.

  “Take this. Show it, and you’ll be recognized as a logistics officer traveling with the fleet. You’ll need a proper title.”

  Robert accepted the badge with an awkward chuckle.

  “I remember when you once assigned me as a temporary javelin officer for inspection,” he said.

  “Standing there holding a spear and giving commands—I nearly burst out laughing. I almost suffocated trying not to.”

  “Hahaha! Couldn’t be helped,” Felix replied.

  “The regular officer had been reassigned inland at the last minute.”

  Felix handed the contract to Robert, cleared his throat, then offered him the pen again—this time more seriously.

  “She’s only been with you for three months,” he said.

  “But you were prepared for this, weren’t you?”

  Robert pressed his lips together and looked at Ga, then at Jana.

  Jana let out a long sigh and nodded with a bitter smile.

  “My own children have all gone their separate ways,” Robert said quietly.

  “I’ve long since learned what it means to part from a child.”

  He signed the contract swiftly.

  Felix patted Robert on the shoulder and pointed toward Ga.

  “Don’t worry. This child has far more resolve than she appears to.

  I believe the gods who witnessed her today will watch over and guide her.”

  Robert handed the contract back.

  “Then may the gods bear witness,” he said softly.

  “May the gods watch over and guide her.”

  After bidding farewell to Count Felix, Robert and the others exited the castle and waited outside for their carriage.

  At some point, the somber maid in the long cloak—and the large black dog—had followed them out.

  The dog circled Ga, sniffed at her feet, then at her hands, before sitting down beside her and tilting its head to look at her.

  The maid walked past Robert and Jana without so much as a nod. They, in turn, treated her as though she did not exist.

  She stopped in front of Ga and crouched down, staring at her.

  “Are you not afraid?” the maid asked in a low voice.

  Ga stepped a few paces away, refusing to engage. She turned her head aside, avoiding eye contact.

  The maid slowly rose, a faint smile in her tone.

  “I am glad to see a brave soul again,” she said.

  “Long ago… I, too, once served a brave mistress.”

  Ga remained unmoved, her back turned to both the maid and the dog.

  The maid’s voice suddenly grew firm.

  “Brave one—if you return here one day as someone of consequence, I would be willing to serve you.”

  With that, the maid and the black dog drifted lightly back into the castle.

  Moments later, the carriage arrived.

  After boarding and taking her seat, Ga finally turned back to look—

  but the maid and the dog were already gone.