Chapter 6

The four nations of the continent of Pangaea were engulfed in war.

The great Ingénes Empire in the east dispatched a hundred Stone Killers twenty years ago to kill the human who manifested as the Lion Stone and extract the Lion Stone from his body, thus starting the war. Emperor Joseph Henrique of Ingénes gained the gifts of rejuvenation and eternal life by acquiring the Lion Stone, but the cost was horrific.

The number of Fleur Maidens, who were called the legion of priestesses and numbered over a hundred in Ingénes, was halved, and the Kingdom of Lucus, which held the Red Eye Stone at the time, felt threatened and challenged them several times.

Ingénes, with its overwhelming number of soldiers, considered those challenges insignificant, but in reality, it was not so.

The power of the Red Eye Stone possessed by the Kingdom of Lucus brought good fortune to its possessor. So, although they never completely lost in wars, they almost always lost in wars where the King of Lucus wielded the Red Eye Stone.

The northern White Bloom, bordering Lucus, became a battlefield almost every year, and countless young lives perished there. All… over a single stone.

It was really just a small, unimpressive stone, something you might find rolling on the street. That. Was. It.

The black stone, polished from handling, was barely the size of two pinky fingers put together. Thousands of such stones could be found by a stream.

However, Lord Morgan Herbon wrapped it in fine silk as if it were a precious jewel and placed it gently into Jenna’s palm.

What is this?

The moment it touched her palm, the black stone transformed into a ring and embedded itself snugly on Jenna’s right ring finger. Yes, it literally embedded itself. Though she hadn’t worn many rings before, this was different from any she had tried on for fun. No matter how hard Jenna tried, she couldn’t remove it. It was truly embedded. There was no pain, though.

“Ah… Father?”

Morgan Herbon was not surprised at all to see the stone turn into a ring and fit perfectly on his only daughter’s small finger. He merely glanced at it and smiled softly.

“Olivia was the same. My goodness, Olivia wore it on her left ring finger, so when we got married, we had to place the wedding ring on the right.”

Oh, really. Is reminiscing important now? Or is the ring embedded in your daughter’s finger more important?

To his daughter, who kept touching the ring, feeling an unfamiliar discomfort even though it wasn’t uncomfortable, Morgan Herbon explained with calmness.

“You’ve heard many songs or fairy tales about Fleur Maidens, haven’t you? They say that when God raised the continent, two stones were used, and those stones hold tremendous power, but only Fleur Maidens can find them… hmm?”

“Yes. But what does that have to do with me?”

Her father wore the expression he often did when he was deep in thought and quietly shook his head.

* * *

“So, you’re Lady Jenna, right? Olivia’s daughter. What can you create?”

Covered in a drab gray hooded robe, attending the ‘Lion’s Rite’ held in the capital was bewildering enough, but all the older Fleur Maidens present began to curiously observe Jenna and ask her various questions.

The ‘Lion’s Rite’ is a kind of gathering held once a year in Ingénes, which currently possesses the Lion Stone, and it is a meeting of Fleur women.

Jenna, who had not been considered a Fleur because she hadn’t inherited the Stone Killer due to the absence of menstruation, came to the Red Hall in the capital, Helibet, earlier than planned thanks to her father’s emphasis on attending this gathering.

Jenna liked the Herbon estate’s Red Hall in the capital. Adrian Henrique frequently visited the Red Hall.

Adrian Henrique, the grandson of the current Emperor Joseph Henrique and the only legitimate imperial heir, was a close friend of her brother Graham. Jenna eagerly awaited the day she could return to the estate in the capital, wanting to see Adrian. Of course, she never imagined she would be summoned to such an uncomfortable gathering.

An old woman, lacking any grace, suddenly shouted at Jenna.

“Lady Jenna!! Where is your mind wandering? I asked what you can create!”

What am I supposed to make? Huh? 

Not understanding what they were fussing about, Jenna widened her eyes. She stammered.

“Well, everyone says my cookies are too salty and my stew is bland, so I haven’t really made anything specific. Pardon me, Lady?”

She answered as politely as possible, even asking for their name courteously.

“Ahahaha…”

“Kekeke…”

At Jenna’s response, all the women gathered in the hall laughed simultaneously.

“Have you learned nothing about the Stone Killer? Cookies, really.”

“Even if it’s only been three months since she got the stone, still. Morgan Herbon supposedly treasures his daughter, yet hasn’t taught her anything about the Stone Killer?”

Sneers, mocking voices…

Jenna tried her best to pretend she didn’t notice and not to let it bother her. It was only one day a year, after all. She just needed to show her face at this gathering for a day, and it would be over.

“Olivia’s daughter…”

“Yes?”

Without a sound, a very elderly lady approached Jenna from behind, away from the other women.

“Olivia passed away early and couldn’t show her abilities as a Stone Killer, but her sister Estelle was different. Estelle was the strongest Stone Killer on the continent. Perhaps you resemble Estelle.”

“Huh? My mother’s sister?”

Jenna had never heard that she had an aunt until she turned fourteen.

“Estelle was truly beautiful and strong. There probably hasn’t been a Fleur who used the stone better than her in history. She must be alive somewhere on the continent. No one dares to mention Estelle because of Lady Evelyn…”

Before the lady could finish speaking, the rather large banquet hall inside the Imperial Palace fell silent. Simultaneously, a woman entered the hall with an elegant demeanor.

The woman wore a dazzling white gown, contrasting with everyone else’s drab gray robes, and her loosely braided pale blonde hair was strikingly beautiful.

“I am delighted to join the Lion’s Rite with you. Lady Fleur… everyone.”

Her gentle, low voice resonated throughout the hall.

“This year, we even have our adorable young Fleur with us, don’t we? Lady Jenna, the lovely daughter of Olivia. Would you come forward?”

The woman, who introduced herself as Lady Evelyn, was a tall, striking beauty with a commanding presence. There was an unusual force in her voice that was hard to resist. Jenna moved her trembling legs to stand beside Lady Evelyn.

“Well, our Jenna doesn’t know anything about the Stone Killer, does she?”

Strangely, Jenna sensed malice in Evelyn’s smile. Perhaps it was due to what the elderly lady had just said.

“Yes. It’s only been three months since I learned that the Stone Killer transforms into a ring.”

“Ahahaha…”

“Ehehehe.”

Laughter filled the hall just as before. Jenna felt miserable, being a spectacle in front of ladies older than her mother.

“Jenna, since there is no young Fleur among us anymore, I’ll teach you specially. Focus your mind. On the Stone Killer… like this!”

Lady Evelyn placed one hand on her ring beside Jenna, furrowed her brow, and closed her eyes.

Whoosh.

Jenna couldn’t believe her eyes. Lady Evelyn, who had been standing empty-handed, suddenly held a giant trident in one hand! Looking around, she saw that every woman surrounding her held a weapon in their hands, each glowing with a faint blue light.

Wow.

“See? Focus on the Stone Killer and create the weapon you want.”

However, Jenna was suddenly curious about the situation.

“Lady Evelyn, what do we do with such weapons?”

Lady Evelyn showed her white, straight teeth and smiled cruelly.

“To hunt relic creatures.”

“Hunt relic creatures? What… relic creatures? Where would we ever see relic creatures?”

Nobody answered Jenna’s question. They merely exchanged glances and laughed.

“Lady Jenna, if you don’t practice now, you’ll end up like your mother who couldn’t even make a dagger until she died! Try it! Focus and concentrate on the Stone Killer.”

A short, stout lady standing next to Jenna urged her.

Sigh, alright. Let’s try. Yes! I can do it. But why do those weapons all have that scary blue glow?

Jenna placed her hand on the ring as Lady Evelyn had done and tried to focus her mind. Well, she tried to focus.

Sword, sword, sword, sword. Spear, spear, spear. No matter how hard she concentrated, no weapon appeared. Then it happened.

[Heh, you’ll make it alright. At this rate, you might be able to make a toothpick when you’re eighty.]

Startled by the voice she heard from somewhere, Jenna quickly lifted her head and looked around. She thought someone was speaking right next to her ear. But the surroundings were quiet. Everyone was focused on their rings.

“Who are you?”

She lowered her voice as much as possible, but there was no response.

“I’m asking who you are. Ugh.”

[Hey! Fleur. Your name is Jenna, right? If you don’t want to be treated like a madwoman, speak inwardly. You’re the only one who can hear my voice here.]

What on earth is this? Speaking inwardly? That’s utterly perplexing. How do you even do that? 

Perhaps it’s best not to speak at all.