A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor

"That is what my father told me," Oliver said in agreement.

"For Varsharn, I do not know. I do not know what the Yarmdon get from their Blessings. Nor do I really know what it is that I have received from Bohemothia – though I do know that my eyes have changed colour. They were not this pale a blue before," Verdant said.

Oliver let out a breath that he didn't realize he'd been holding in, as he finally relaxed.

"Well, if it helps, I must say I'm quite jealous of both of you. I can't ever foresee myself receiving a Blessing from any of these Gods, nor the power that goes along with it… Nope, it's going to be a life of servitude for me. I think I'd at least make a fairly reputable clerk," Peter said, in an effort to relieve some of the built up tension.

"Verdant… Is it possible to receive a Blessing from more than one God? And if it is, could I receive one from Bohemothia?" Oliver asked.

He had to fight the desperation that came with such a question. Maybe another Blessing, he reasoned, could fill the void that he felt. Maybe that was what he needed. He was already aware that a person could contain the fragment of two Gods inside of him – or at least, Oliver could – but he wasn't sure if that was only true because he had both a Blessing and a Curse.

Verdant paused to consider, tilting his head in thought, his pale blue eyes seeming to stare right through the floor, off into a distant future.

There was a sudden knock at the door, and both Oliver and Peter found themselves jumping. The tension in the room had built until without realizing it they'd been speaking in hushed whispers. It was such a potent topic, after all. It was hard to speak of it loudly, for fear of inciting the gazes of those above.

The door flung open a second later, and, oblivious to their feelings, Amelia came stomping in, as loud as ever, with Pauline behind her, and Blackthorn trailing just after them.

"…What were you doing?" Blackthorn asked, granting them a rare opportunity of speech.

"Nothing," Oliver said. "What's up?"

"Ohh, why do you all look guilty then?" Amelia said, picking up on what Lasha had spotted.

"They really do have a guilty look, don't they?" Even Pauline had spotted it. She tilted her head innocently, as though doing that would help her figure it out.

"We're just drinking tea, we didn't expect company. You're not going to ask me to train you again, are you? It's already dark outside – besides, I'm sure we agreed that once a day was more than sufficient," Oliver said, doing his best to hide his own unease, by casting the topic back to something familiar.

"Hm… He's definitely hiding something," Amelia said. She still hadn't grown to treat him as a noble ought to. If anything, she seemed even more comfortable than she had been before. "Do you think… Maybe they were talking about us? How cute we are?" She giggled at the notion, seemingly sure that she was right.

Now Oliver didn't have to fake his irritation. "Are you kidding? Why would we waste such sweet tea talking about the likes of you?"

Amelia's face fell. "What do you mean by that?" She hissed. "I'm a perfectly respectable young woman. Don't act like you wouldn't be delighted to get close to me."

"Is that even a thing? Are nobles meant to get close to Serving Class girls?" Oliver asked. It was a genuine question, as he did his best to ignore Amelia's madness.

"It isn't unheard of. Through marriage, a woman can be raised up to the rank of nobility," Verdant said.

"Hmm…"

"What! You're really thinking about it? You have someone in mind then? I was right, wasn't I? You were talking about us! Maybe not me… But Pauline, right?" She pulled her friend'scheeks out to illustrate her point as she stood behind her, excited by her ill-concluded deductions.

"Wowwww, I would never have guessed it. The Rabid Dog falling for my cute Pauline? Mm. I can see why you would… So innocent girls, they're your type? That makes sense… All the corrupted guys, they always go for the innocent girls."

She was nodding to herself, oblivious to Pauline's embarrassment. Oliver did his best not to spit out his drink. He shared a look with Peter, hoping to convey the emotion he felt. What happened to that serious conversation they were having? What happened to all the secrets and the mystery? Only to be interrupted by a veritable stampede of girlish drivel.

"Amelia, stop!!" Pauline shouted, frantically fighting off the hands of her friend, as she blushed furiously. Blackthorn gave them both an emotionless look, before proceeding to the table, to pull herself out a cushion. Her very posture seemed to demand that she be served a drink. Peter was quick to oblige her.

"So, did you want something?" Oliver asked, as Blackthorn took a sip of her tea.

Verdant smiled knowingly. Oliver could swear that those blue eyes of his could see through anything. The priest was outright terrifying, at times. "I expect that she came here for the same reason you did. She was in your Command Class, was she not? I imagine she was curious." Your journey continues on empiren/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Blackthorn gave no indication that such a thing was true, but nor did she move to refute it as false. She calmly drank her drink, as though they were only of secondary concern. Her very personality was cat-like, Oliver thought. This haughty arrogance that came and went like the wind, replaced at times by fiery passion.

"Oh, you should have come earlier then," Oliver decided. "We've already figured all that out."

He pretended to look away, whilst still keeping the corner of his eye on her. As expected, at the remark, she looked to Verdant for confirmation, making it clear that she really had been here for that information. Verdant, of course, noticed Oliver looking. It was as though the man had somehow absorbed all the skills in perception that Oliver himself was lacking.