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The door to the room opened and Matthias Zom entered.
— Father! — Rejoicing, Pyrotessa ran to hug him. — How are things?
— Everything is fine, but we need to sail from Shiho by December. On the eve of the new millennium, the “Dahlia Petals” treaty expires, and warships of the islanders have already begun to appear on the sea horizon.
— The Shogunate? — His wife asked.
— Strangely, no. Asahina. — Looking around the room, he tore himself away from the nagging thoughts about politics and the upcoming commotion. — What were you doing while I was gone?
— Remembering the past. If you want, you can take over the historical relay from me — you’re better prepared for these topics anyway. We stopped at the death of the fifteenth apostle.
— Oh, I see.
Digging through his hefty bag, Matthias pulled out a thick notebook with pasted images — sometimes photographs, sometimes drawings, depending on what could be obtained. Having completed his training and service under Sonata Reim, in addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Matthias Zom also became very interested in history, and besides studying others’ works, thanks to his numerous trade expeditions, he managed to gather and correlate even information that his colleagues did not have.
— With the unexpected and clumsy demise of the Many-Faced Monogat, the plan to partition Welfern among his ill-wishers failed, but it was already too late to put everything on hold: a large-scale military conflict had begun and brought nothing but destruction and suffering to the inhabitants of the involved countries.
— And who tried to partition Welfern?
— Nephiria, Pharellia, the Kingdom of Calcite, and the Harran Empire. The Arcelian Church also thirsted for revenge.
— They agreed to form an alliance with the undead?..
— Sounds unusual, but as they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Well then, upon learning that Aconia, filled with malice (as they believed), had gathered her last crystallized parts, Bruno and his Arcelian allies decided to retreat and return to Renfu, the main city of their religious organization. No matter how much they wanted to strike down their ancient enemy, under the circumstances they chose to wait for her natural and inevitable death rather than participate in what promised to be a hopeless conflict. Unlike the original Aconia, Naria did not have eternity at her disposal, and therefore, like any other mortal, her fate was sealed. For the Arcelians, the only question was how much trouble she could cause in her allotted time, and they were primarily concerned with minimizing that damage.
— Father, what do you yourself think about Aconia... Naria.
— If not for her, you wouldn’t be here now, so personally, I am grateful to her, but there are also those whose fates she destroyed, so you will hear as many conflicting opinions about her as people you meet. Speaking of conflicting historical figures, there was also a man named Lance, also known in narrower circles as Lide Rihok. He was a very powerful alien warrior, capable of snapping a katana with his teeth!
— Wow!.. — Starting to clap her hands, Pyrotessa suddenly stopped. — What use is such a talent?
— Not much, really, but his opponents knew that unless they enchanted their weapons with indestructibility, they’d better not get close to him. I think he was no less powerful than Erefir, and certain features of his might even have made him more dangerous than her.
— And what happened to him?
— Before withdrawing from Pharellian lands, Bruno banished him from the face of Anuzish. By an irony of fate, while many aliens managed to find a new home on Anuzish and gain friends or even family, he was driven away like a stray dog, but his numerous descendants will forever leave a noticeable mark of their father on this planet.
— Numerous descendants?
— Falet, for example. Or remember Aria?
— The one who was Naria’s friend?
— Yes, that’s her. Aria recovered after her unfortunate incident and gave birth to a daughter from our banished villain. She found the courage and wisdom to accept what happened as a fact of life and felt no negativity toward her own child; she named her Georgia after Naria’s favorite flower. Later, she handled the security of Ayano and Lunamaria.
— I see... I don’t think I could come to terms with something like that. And what became of Bruno? He seems to be the leader of the Arcelians now.
— Uh-huh. He took the post of new head of the Church of Arcelia in 983 and thus became the counterpart to Patriarch Eugene of the new Church of Anuzish. They, by the way, met publicly in 988 to leave their differences in the past. They didn’t plan to unite into a single religious entity, of course, but they agreed to conduct their struggle for influence in the spiritual sphere exclusively through peaceful means. What else... Ah! In 976, following a fateful meeting, he married Regina Bridable. I even found a photo of the bride from the wedding.
— She moved to him in Renfu and over the course of a long and happy marriage bore him seven children.
— Seven! — Pyrotessa was surprised. — And I’m the only one in the family...
— Well, sorry, — Cleona suddenly rolled her eyes, — I’m not a planting bed after all.
Cleona cast a displeased look at her husband, as if trying to say “you’d better continue the story.”
— ... Despite the loss of a key figure in Monogat, Nephiria and its king resisted stubbornly until the very end. Only by the autumn of 976 did its capital, Atropos, fall under the onslaught of the Welfern army, then under the command of the supreme commander of the empire’s armed forces, Draco Mellis; in carrying out this military campaign, he was aided by Patriarch Eugene and us, the “Aconia” battle squad.
— The name of that mustached gentleman still appears in newspapers to this day, it seems.
— Uh-huh. After the war ended, a very major scandal occurred with him.
— The one when it was discovered he had an affair with his subordinate? — Cleona strained her memory, recalling events of days long past. — These Puritans are always the most susceptible to what they condemn others for. What was her name? Something with an “L.”
— Levi Leonhart.
— Exactly.
— Be that as it may, it didn’t stop him from becoming the representative of the people of Margel in the first elections. He held that post all the way until the spring of 995. Apparently, not even such an event was enough to tarnish his post-war reputation.
— And who is this? — Pyrotessa pointed at a small portrait of a blonde woman with a ponytail.
— That’s Ruby, one of the saints. I told you about them once. During the anti-Nephirian campaign, when Naria was burdened by inconveniences related to childbirth, on her orders our boss and teacher, Sonata Reim, borrowed Azarina’s sinister family sword and briefly left us to fight Ruby, who was traveling through those parts. Unlike Stalia, who is already well known to you, Ruby couldn’t fly, couldn’t control portals, or create miniature worlds, nor did she have what seemed like an endless arsenal, but in return, a single swing of her sword could easily destroy both “Carnelian” and “Aconia.” Sonata, however, due to her coven state, was nearly immortal, and so ultimately gained the upper hand over the saint. Neither Ruby nor Sonata was satisfied with this duel, and both understood perfectly well that there was no honor in their battle. Nevertheless, it was on this note that the long life of the perfect sword of Arcelia ended.
— Tell her about Zephyr, since you brought up the topic of singularities.
— Zephyr? — The name seemed unfamiliar to the daughter.
— The windy saint who founded Heles, protector and progenitor of its people. Well, since Naria set a strict goal to destroy all the ancient saints, Zephyr did not escape conflict with her either. By a cruel irony of fate, during their cataclysmic confrontation, that island nation, like the original Minjin of years long past, sank underwater, and those of its inhabitants who survived had to seek a new home in other parts of Anuzish. This event affected many people. For instance, the Knight of Serenity, Kilika of Carnelian, was so shocked by what happened that she could no longer view Margel and Welfern as her new home, since it was the very cause of her homeland’s destruction, and so she left the borders of the empire. Whether any of her comrades managed to contact her, I don’t know, but I hope her story’s end will not be as sad as that of Heles itself.
— And where was Carnelian during the war?
— First, they were sent south, where they repelled a Calcite attack on Elise and a Harran attack on Kororat.
— How did they manage to be both in the east and west at the same time, Father?
— I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one front line was held entirely by Erefir alone. It’s not for nothing that the Right Pillar is called the strongest warrior of Welfern.
— So she’s stronger than Sonata?
— Hard to say. After the war ended and both organizations were formed, due to the specifics of our duties and powers, you could say we were the Moon of Margel, and they the Sun, so Erefir’s valor was more visible. Well, at least Sonata was the champion of the Welfern Grand Prix for ten years in a row. I even have a photo from the first championship here.
— Well, what an outfit she has here. — Pyrotessa looked at the photograph with a mix of surprise and disapproval. — How is she not ashamed to appear before people looking like that?
— I don’t recall us raising you to be such a Puritan. — Cleona smacked her daughter on the back of the head. — There’s no shame in showing off such beauty.
— Ow, that hurts... Mother, doesn’t it bother you that Father carries around photos like this?
— No. Should it?
— It’s still... Another woman.
— So what? I don’t have neurotic-schizoid complexes, and beauty is beauty, especially since I had my own first love too.
— Love?..
— You didn’t tell her? Well, in short, your father was in love with Sonata.
— Who wasn’t? — Matthias asked rhetorically with a smirk, recalling his confession to Ayano.
— It’s hard for me to understand. And Mother, what will you do if she suddenly tries to steal Father from you?
— If she tries, then I’ll think about it, but until then, it’s pointless even to ponder. Besides, it’s impossible.
— Hm? Why?
Matthias turned several pages and stopped at a newspaper article, authored by himself.
— I wrote this after reading her memoirs, — he explained to his daughter and wife.
She was never truly alone. Even after leaving her native world and finding herself in a completely foreign land, Sonata Reim very quickly gained a large number of friends and simply admirers. Perhaps, even if she weren’t an ex-empress and weren’t associated with various titles and achievements, but worked as a low-paid saleswoman at “Abundance,” she would still remain the center of attention. Her mere presence behind the counter of that store would increase its sales better than any advertising campaign, and parameters like quality and demand for the displayed goods would become secondary. Could anything be more impressive than such an attractive and captivating personal force?
And yet, although there were close and dear friends in her life, and despite the smile that never left her lips, deep in her soul she felt an indescribable longing.
Once, during what was ordinarily a mundane conversation with Naria, in gratitude for loyal service and friendship (Sonata was one of the few with whom, due to their origins and some other traits, she could communicate on equal terms), the empress offered to summon the soul of her husband to Anuzish. At that moment, all her common sense and principles faded into the background, and without a second thought, she agreed with a thrill in her heart.
Just as in this world the brother of the Basilisk Knight was materialized, so did #### come into being, and the catalyst for this was the wedding ring that Sonata reclaimed during the raid on the coven of Passion and had since worn on her finger without removing.
But it didn’t end there: Naria also offered to “naturalize” her and rid her of all the consequences of her time in the coven, but warned that in her current state, she could live forever and know no equal in battle and other spheres of human activity — something many would envy. Sonata, however, agreed to this as well, and soon after the touching reunion with her husband, she became pregnant for the second time.
— Why is the name written with hash marks? — Was the daughter’s first natural question about what she had read.
— Because she keeps his name a secret from the general public. Why — only she knows.
— She still retained a trace from the coven, — Cleona noted, — the ears didn’t go away.
— Perhaps Naria left them as a keepsake? — Matthias suggested.
— Yeah, or just for fun, because they look interesting.
— That would be quite in her style.
— Mother, Father, wait... So she gave up immortality just to be able to get pregnant?
— I think so. That, and she probably didn’t want to outlive her husband.
— That’s... Strange. You once told me the point of having children is the continuity of life, but if you’re immortal, why would you need it?
— So you’re suggesting we trade you for immortality?
— No, but... I mean... I would hardly give birth if it meant parting with such a useful trait.
— Look at this photo, — Matthias shows another snapshot in his notebook.
— This is Sonata with her daughter, taken by ####.
— Please, enough with the hash marks...
— Ha-ha, sorry. But doesn’t this picture move you?
— I don’t know... Let’s move on to the next topic. How about Pharellia?
— Contrary to everything going off plan, the military might of little Pharellia turned out to be a surprise for the empire. The glider squadron under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Heidi broke Welfern’s first line of defense and wreaked havoc on the cities of Upper and Lower Lunaria, forcing most of the population to take up arms or leave their homes. Thanks to this revolutionary method of aerial combat (bombing ground targets with fast and maneuverable pilots, as well as using firearms/cold weapons to fight airships and other air units), Pharellia’s ground soldiers managed to occupy Lapis, Lenheim, Lucilis, Luciel, and Lunalia, but were pushed back several months later. Despite this, Welfern’s warriors failed to set foot on Pharellian soil — General Trude, though she fundamentally did not take part in her country’s offensive operations, destroyed any enemy who dared to come to Pharellia with weapons in hand. Presumably, Naria abandoned the idea of engaging in conflict with her upon realizing that Rufus’s daughter could inflict mass destruction on the empire just as she could on Pharellia.
— Throughout the war, the Imperials never managed to shoot down Heidi, which caused the stories about the “Pharellian harpy” to take on legendary status. I didn’t see it myself, but the spectacle of her combat sorties was surely breathtaking.
— And what does she do in peacetime?
— Before the war, she worked as an instructor at a glider school, and after it ended, she became an air courier, delivering various parcels through Pharellian airspace and far beyond. As for her personal life, it remains a mystery for the overly curious like me. Oh yes, she also has a work colleague named Ella, who gained a controversial reputation in the country when she organized a socio-political campaign urging unmarried Pharellian women to have as many children as possible.
— What’s the point of doing that while unmarried??
— As a result of the war, there were more women than men in Pharellia, so not every woman could find a partner, and this campaign was needed to recover the losses suffered in the war.
— I see... And did she herself contribute to her own initiative?
— Yes. As far as I know, she gave birth to five.
— Hm, and what city are they from?
— From Mittena. I’ve been there, a very picturesque place, and Anpan told me a lot about it.
— Is that your classmate... What was he doing there?
— During one meeting, Lord mentioned the existence of a beautiful mermaid in the rivers of Pharellia; Anpan, for some reason, became interested in this story and set off to find her, and when he found her on his own, he saw she had fallen into the nets of a skilled fisherman named Salmon, and he freed her — that’s how love began between them. As far as I know, she always dreamed of a knight like the sun with a radiant smile, and Anpan turned out to be exactly that for her.
— And who is this? — Poking at other small portraits.
— Even before hostilities began, Tristan and Emil were conscripted into the Pharellian army, the first as a simple soldier, and the second as a field musician. To boost morale. Both were lucky to get through those turbulent times with their lives intact. Later, Tristan married Lina from the Berneintz inn, and Emil married Ingrid from the Bergönigin general store. Both families maintain very good relations and work together for the benefit of Mittena and its other residents.
— And who is this nice-looking blonde?
— Oh, that’s Radgrid! In this photo she’s still very young, but don’t be fooled — she is now the queen of all Pharellia!
— How so?
— The alliance with the undead and the futile war against the empire were not warmly received by Pharellia’s inhabitants, and in the chaos that followed the war’s end, the new king became the previous monarch’s nephew, Siegfried, and by some coincidence, he married Radgrid.
— And what became of Trude?
— Alas, I don’t know.
— Too bad. Then tell me more about Naria.
— In Margel, Empress Naria’s rule was perceived as the beginning of a second golden age for the country (after Sillion), but in other regions of the empire and abroad, it was met with significantly less enthusiasm, and her Aconian reputation was only worsened by localized displays of cruelty on her part and the complete neglect of the empire’s senate and council.
— How so? As far as I remember, in Welfern the monarch’s voice equaled 33% of the total government power, didn’t it?
— De jure yes, but de facto no — Naria was too powerful as an individual. But you’re right, this state of affairs didn’t please everyone, and after the war ended, many regions of Welfern expressed dissatisfaction with the imperial family’s behavior — the failure to protect Cridear, the empress’s autocracy, the destruction of Heles, and so on — and thanks to the efforts of statesmen like Shen Tao, Bianca Crow, and Utulg, the question of the empire’s viability was sharply raised on the agenda.
— So it was they who split Welfern?
— Not exactly. At one government meeting, the empress herself proposed it.
— Proposed what?
— To disband Welfern. The terms she announced were quite harsh toward the regions, but drunk with the opportunity to gain long-awaited sovereignty, the local rulers nevertheless agreed to sign the treaty she proposed.
— Is that the very “Dahlia Petals” treaty?
— The very one. I even have a summary of it written down somewhere... Here, look.
According to the “Dahlia Petals” treaty:
・The Welfern Empire ceases to exist; the title of Emperor of Welfern is abolished.
・Margel, Sever, the Skryme Tribes, Luensia, Minjin, Subin, Lauria, Buruaca, Wallen, Villa, Shiho, Renn, Helm, Upper Lunaria, Lower Lunaria, Noir, Sheria, Minua, Marcell, Kumari, and Cridear are recognized as sovereign states.
・The lands of Elizia pass into the Kingdom of Margel.
・Nephiria, captured during the war, is divided among the bordering Skrymes, Villa, and Renn in exchange for large annual payments to Margel.
・Similarly, all former imperial regions are obligated to make large annual payments to Margel in exchange for their acquired independence.
・Within a month after the signing of this treaty, the former imperial regions must transfer to Margel all their artifacts and rare items of a magical or high-tech nature.
・The entire existing imperial fleet comes under the management of Margel; the former imperial regions are obliged to keep their ports open to all ships of Margel; in return, Margel is obliged to maintain security on all trade and sea routes of the former empire.
・All parties to this treaty are obliged to support each other in the event of an external enemy attack on any of them; they are also forbidden to wage war among themselves or interfere in each other’s internal affairs.
Duration of the treaty: until December 31, 999 inclusive.
Perpetual condition: the former imperial regions recognize the authority of the Patriarch of the Church of Anuzish in Margel and may not hinder his religious activities on their controlled territories.
— Building a huge empire over long centuries and then just dismantling it like that... — Pyrotessa stared blankly at the text of the treaty she had just read. — I don’t understand...
— She understood that at this historical stage, a civil war for the regions’ independence was inevitable and decided to resolve the issue preemptively, — suggested Cleona, — at least for a time, internecine strife was avoided, and the Imperials didn’t have to drown each other in blood.
— But she is Aconia, the strongest of all! She could have solved this problem some other way.
— Well, she isn’t eternal, so after her passing, the enmity between the regions would only have intensified. — Matthias returned to the story. — After the empire was abolished, the monarch of Margel received absolute power over its territories; the guard, armed forces, both pillars, and other similar organizations now answered directly to the queen, and she also held supreme authority in the country’s legislative mechanisms, but at Naria’s wish, the resolution of many social, cultural, and economic issues was delegated to elected positions, the highest of which is the representative of the people of Margel. As you may remember, the first elected to this position was Draco Mellis.
— Hmm, an interesting system. And what prevents the king or queen of Margel from removing such people from office and performing these functions themselves?
— Absolutely nothing, dear.
— I see... Interesting, to say the least. And what about her personal life?
— On August 26, 976, she gave birth to a daughter, Lunamaria. The question of the crown princess’s paternity would stir the imagination of the crown’s subjects for a very long time but would never find an answer. In the winter of 981, Naria left this world — due to the appearance of relentless strength, few knew that the miracles she performed, like naturalizing alien souls, healing the undead, summoning aliens to Anuzish, and so on, adversely affected her lifespan. They say that because of her subjects’ good wishes (eternal blossoming), she lasted a little longer than expected, and in contrast to her public image, she was very gentle at home, especially toward her two daughters — Ayano and Lunamaria.
— Father, do you by chance have a photo of Lunamaria? I’ve seen her in the newspaper and, I think, in some magazine — an imposing person — but I’d like to refresh my memory in the context of this story.
— Here you go, the twenty-first queen of Margel.
— Beautiful, I must say.
— And she looks like Naria, — Cleona nodded in agreement.
— I wonder, did her eyes come from her father, then?
— Maybe, but not necessarily, given the Aconian quirks.
— Okay... And what happened to Naria’s sisters?
— In Minua, the abolition of Welfern was not understood — “How can it be that the empire ceases to exist?” “To whom did the warrior clans swear allegiance then?!” In short, Minua was against the split, but ultimately their voice of protest at that fateful imperial government meeting decided nothing; Naria proposed resolving the situation by “giving” them Naera, saying let her rule if they want her so badly. The middle sister did not object to this proposal and carried out her assigned role, taking along Falet, her former kidnapper. She brainwashed him with magic and made him her obedient slave.
— Was she always like that?
— No, but the incident that happened to her forever changed her character, worldview, and attitude toward others.
— And these portraits?..
— She hired Martina Liberation as her personal chef: after a certain incident, he lost interest in his family restaurant in Margel; Kimika as her personal maid; she took Manin Tai from Naria as her secretary. She offered Linette Saturnia Ulysses the position of commander-in-chief of the armed forces of her new kingdom, and she readily agreed; she hired Crimson and Fasan into her personal retinue for matters requiring physical force, but didn’t forget to enchant them so they could not harm her or disobey her.
— According to some rumors, Linette and Crimson are having a romance. — Cleona decided to add her two cents. — And according to other rumors, her romance is not with him, but with Tai.
— A woman of mystery... And these two?
— These... Doctor Zlobyn always had not the best reputation, and when it came to light that he was sleeping with his own patient, continuing his professional activities in Margel became problematic, so he decided to move somewhere no one knew him.
— Huh... It gives the impression that all the most abnormal people of Margel gathered here. Let’s move on to the youngest, Revania.
— Revania’s story is similar. Unlike other regions of the empire, Marcell never had its own historical identity — it was created and settled by Emperor Naer. For this reason, when Welfern collapsed, a political struggle began among the inhabitants of Marcell: some wanted to proclaim a new republic, while others wished to remain under the wing of the es Dier Afrual family; in the end, the monarchists won, and consequently the reins of power in this country had to be taken by Revania es Dier Afrual, the youngest of Purian’s daughters.
— By the way, Pira, have you read Toskaslav Kholodnozimov’s book about the spouses of the monarchs of Margel? — Cleona asked her daughter.
— Yes, why?
— Eogan Lamarck, a teacher from the Margel Art Academy, shared the fate of Queen Lorencia: one day, Revania presented him with the fact that he was moving to Marcell with her, and after some time, he also had to marry her.
— I spoke with him once; I got the impression that all he wanted in life was to paint, but by the will of fate, he had to become the king consort of Marcell.
— Oh, come on, I think he’s only happy — not only did he shoot up the social and economic ladder to the heavens, but he also got a beautiful wife. — Cleona rolled her eyes, smirked, and shrugged. — That’s why I don’t share the longing that history enthusiasts voice when mentioning Lorencia’s fate.
— Father, let’s continue.
— Since otherworldly entities could no longer influence Anuzish, the church’s persecution of their followers ceased. For this reason, followers of Rinzé began returning to Thais, and it became something of a capital for all of them. Saras Rainabaris returned to administrative work as the mayor of Thais, and Gelanor Rainabaris restored his beauty school, “The White Lily.” Climbing the career ladder with rapid strides, over the years Crissa led the guard of Marcell, and Shina its armed forces; Azalea was responsible for the new queen’s security; Rinsara Valertser reopened her workshop and continued to be a worthy competitor to Alice from Margel. Peony Ssinars took the helm of the cult of Rinzé’s followers, and his girlfriend named Arar, due to her external resemblance to the otherworldly goddess, became something of an idol to them.
— That’s also their classmate, right? Wouldn’t Rinzé punish them for finding a false idol?
— Honestly, I haven’t the faintest idea. And even if she would, now, on Anuzish isolated from the rest of the universe, Rinzé has no power here. Speaking of my comrades... Hiding from the disapproval of relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors, Bresia and Gilo also moved to Marcell; for her vast knowledge in the field of medicine, Revania appointed Bresia Minister of Health, and Gilo opened his own clinic in the city of Neft.
— Let’s take a little break from history, — Cleona suggested, — listen about some interesting people of Margel, okay?
— Yes, fine.
— See this Calcite guy? That’s Mazda Pazuzu. What exactly attracted Tsvetana and Belyana to him, I don’t know, but both women agreed to live with him, and their shared home became “Grace,” well known to the residents of Margel. Mazda taught Tsvetana to take care of herself as a woman should and to dress properly, so those who knew her before could easily fail to recognize her if they saw her in the city. Mazda doesn’t work and devotes all his time only to what interests him, while the trio lives off Belyana, and household chores lie on Tsvetana’s shoulders.
— And why would anyone need such a husband? — Pira asked with disapproval in her voice and expression.
— Well, he’s not their husband — the Church doesn’t recognize polygamy. But Belyana bore him two children, and Tsvetana bore several more, so they must love him for something.
— Remember this trio?
— Of course.
— A couple of months after Naria’s coronation, Gaheris Bors moved in with Kayasa Morax, and gave his house/shop to Azarina. Both Phantom and the sorceress treated her like their own daughter and, with such a gift, hoped it would be easier for her to start her own family, but that never happened. Having miraculously preserved her innocence after her stay in the coven of Passion, she began to feel a strong personal aversion to everything related to intimacy.
— That’s kind of sad... She’s so sweet.
— Indeed. After her release, she also became very concerned about the safety of herself and everyone dear to her, and for this purpose, she took up studying the ancient craft of her ancestors.
— What craft?
— Better you don’t know. — Matthias joined the story. — Be that as it may, Gaheris left this world in 992, completely satisfied with life, but Kayasa had to continue her journey alone.
— Wait! — Cleona hit him on the top of the head with the edge of her palm. — What “alone”? They have a daughter, after all.
— That’s true, but she’s hardly ever home.
Matthias shows Pira a new photo.
— Lolita Morax, also known in narrow circles by the alias Phantom of the Silver Moon.
— Mother, Father... I don’t understand. Gaheris and Kayasa don’t have cat ears and a tail, so where did she get them? I’d sooner think she’s Sonata Reim’s daughter, not Kayasa Morax’s.
— Oh, Pira, — Matthias became embarrassed, — don’t say that, it has a very bad implication... She was born without those “accessories” and acquired them after stealing the remains of Zephyr and her sword from the Heles settlers. Whether it’s a curse or a blessing, I don’t know.
— Let’s move on, — says Cleona, turning the page of Matthias’s notebook, — Eugene Kripov continues his work of understanding Anuzish and enlightening its children to this day, and his wife Bronislava helps him in every way. And here are their children.
— Vsemila Kripova, born July 11, 976. Special agent of the Church of Anuzish, travels the world, solves or reports supernatural problems, collects dangerous ancient artifacts for storage by the Church.
— Dobromila Kripova, born November 15, 977. Former student of Alice from “The Rabbit Hole,” now has her own atelier.
— Iskra Kripova, born January 1, 979. Problem child, dropped out of school and went traveling.
— On February 27, 982, Bronislava gave birth to quintuplets. This is Zima. Eugene taught her everything he knew and sent her to run the affairs of the Church of Anuzish in Minjin.
— Krasa. Same story, but in Shiho.
— Wait a minute... So it turns out the patriarch appoints his own daughters to such important positions?
— So it seems.
— That’s a bit... Okay, never mind, please continue.
— Lyubomila, studies at the Margel Art Academy.
— Mstislava. Studies at the Margel Academy of Magic.
— Siyana, heads the geological mission of the Church of Anuzish.
— Good grief... That’s something. Looking at this family, Bruno’s family, Ella, and the like, there won’t be any room left on Anuzish soon.
— Ha-ha, — for some reason this phrase greatly amused Matthias, — Anuzish is big, there’s enough for everyone!
On this amusing and somewhat endearing note, Cleona turned another page.
| — And so ended the saga of Arcelia and Aconia: historical injustice was rectified, Aconia was rehabilitated, and Anuzish was protected from cosmic ill-wishers. The end. — No, Mother, wait, but what happened next and how did you and Father meet? Cleona leaned back in her chair, reminiscing about her life — perhaps not the longest, but certainly rich in the most varied of events. — Mother?.. — I’ve already told you about my first love, haven’t I? — Yes. — Well then, I never admitted this to any of my new acquaintances, but in my hatred and anger, I nurtured the hope of getting revenge on that damned homewrecker, of pulling her down from the heavens to earth and settling the score for everything she put me through! But you know, Pira, when Naria severed Anuzish’s connection with the rest of the universe, for some reason a weight was lifted from my heart. I suddenly wanted to worry about nothing and live only for the day. Yuisis, Sophia... To hell with them all. — Speaking of which, Mother, why did you and Father give me such a name? Pyrotessa. — That was the name of the founder of our dynasty, and the idea of continuing her legacy on another planet somehow seemed very amusing to me. Here followed a story about the ancient dynasty of Cleona. — Amusing, you say... — What’s wrong, don’t you like your own name? — No... The name is good, it sounds pleasant, but it doesn’t go very well with the surname. — Pyrotessa Crim Zom, what’s wrong with that? — ... — If you want, you can call yourself Pyrotessa Sin Ash Shamash — no one on Anuzish will punish you for your origins. — No way. With all due respect to the founder, I have no desire to associate her life story with my own. — Oh, come on, remember I told you about the time I spent in the coven? — Mother, please, no! — Ha-ha... Fine, I’ll finally answer your question: there were no romantic premises between me and your father, but we lived together because of work and over time realized our characters suited each other, and decided to try playing at being a family. Just like that, simple. And you should know, after his tournament he was quite a popular young man — everyone knew he could earn money, was good-looking, and could stand up for himself and his loved ones if necessary. — Oh, Mother, first you want a prince, then a promising entrepreneur... — Well, what can I do, that’s just how I am. You got your eyes from him, and your hair from me, by the way. — I see... |
— Father! — Rejoicing, Pyrotessa ran to hug him. — How are things?
— Everything is fine, but we need to sail from Shiho by December. On the eve of the new millennium, the “Dahlia Petals” treaty expires, and warships of the islanders have already begun to appear on the sea horizon.
— The Shogunate? — His wife asked.
— Strangely, no. Asahina. — Looking around the room, he tore himself away from the nagging thoughts about politics and the upcoming commotion. — What were you doing while I was gone?
— Remembering the past. If you want, you can take over the historical relay from me — you’re better prepared for these topics anyway. We stopped at the death of the fifteenth apostle.
— Oh, I see.
Digging through his hefty bag, Matthias pulled out a thick notebook with pasted images — sometimes photographs, sometimes drawings, depending on what could be obtained. Having completed his training and service under Sonata Reim, in addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Matthias Zom also became very interested in history, and besides studying others’ works, thanks to his numerous trade expeditions, he managed to gather and correlate even information that his colleagues did not have.
— With the unexpected and clumsy demise of the Many-Faced Monogat, the plan to partition Welfern among his ill-wishers failed, but it was already too late to put everything on hold: a large-scale military conflict had begun and brought nothing but destruction and suffering to the inhabitants of the involved countries.
— And who tried to partition Welfern?
— Nephiria, Pharellia, the Kingdom of Calcite, and the Harran Empire. The Arcelian Church also thirsted for revenge.
— They agreed to form an alliance with the undead?..
— Sounds unusual, but as they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Well then, upon learning that Aconia, filled with malice (as they believed), had gathered her last crystallized parts, Bruno and his Arcelian allies decided to retreat and return to Renfu, the main city of their religious organization. No matter how much they wanted to strike down their ancient enemy, under the circumstances they chose to wait for her natural and inevitable death rather than participate in what promised to be a hopeless conflict. Unlike the original Aconia, Naria did not have eternity at her disposal, and therefore, like any other mortal, her fate was sealed. For the Arcelians, the only question was how much trouble she could cause in her allotted time, and they were primarily concerned with minimizing that damage.
— Father, what do you yourself think about Aconia... Naria.
— If not for her, you wouldn’t be here now, so personally, I am grateful to her, but there are also those whose fates she destroyed, so you will hear as many conflicting opinions about her as people you meet. Speaking of conflicting historical figures, there was also a man named Lance, also known in narrower circles as Lide Rihok. He was a very powerful alien warrior, capable of snapping a katana with his teeth!
— Wow!.. — Starting to clap her hands, Pyrotessa suddenly stopped. — What use is such a talent?
— Not much, really, but his opponents knew that unless they enchanted their weapons with indestructibility, they’d better not get close to him. I think he was no less powerful than Erefir, and certain features of his might even have made him more dangerous than her.
— And what happened to him?
— Before withdrawing from Pharellian lands, Bruno banished him from the face of Anuzish. By an irony of fate, while many aliens managed to find a new home on Anuzish and gain friends or even family, he was driven away like a stray dog, but his numerous descendants will forever leave a noticeable mark of their father on this planet.
— Numerous descendants?
— Falet, for example. Or remember Aria?
— The one who was Naria’s friend?
— Yes, that’s her. Aria recovered after her unfortunate incident and gave birth to a daughter from our banished villain. She found the courage and wisdom to accept what happened as a fact of life and felt no negativity toward her own child; she named her Georgia after Naria’s favorite flower. Later, she handled the security of Ayano and Lunamaria.
— I see... I don’t think I could come to terms with something like that. And what became of Bruno? He seems to be the leader of the Arcelians now.
— Uh-huh. He took the post of new head of the Church of Arcelia in 983 and thus became the counterpart to Patriarch Eugene of the new Church of Anuzish. They, by the way, met publicly in 988 to leave their differences in the past. They didn’t plan to unite into a single religious entity, of course, but they agreed to conduct their struggle for influence in the spiritual sphere exclusively through peaceful means. What else... Ah! In 976, following a fateful meeting, he married Regina Bridable. I even found a photo of the bride from the wedding.
— She moved to him in Renfu and over the course of a long and happy marriage bore him seven children.
— Seven! — Pyrotessa was surprised. — And I’m the only one in the family...
— Well, sorry, — Cleona suddenly rolled her eyes, — I’m not a planting bed after all.
Cleona cast a displeased look at her husband, as if trying to say “you’d better continue the story.”
— ... Despite the loss of a key figure in Monogat, Nephiria and its king resisted stubbornly until the very end. Only by the autumn of 976 did its capital, Atropos, fall under the onslaught of the Welfern army, then under the command of the supreme commander of the empire’s armed forces, Draco Mellis; in carrying out this military campaign, he was aided by Patriarch Eugene and us, the “Aconia” battle squad.
— The name of that mustached gentleman still appears in newspapers to this day, it seems.
— Uh-huh. After the war ended, a very major scandal occurred with him.
— The one when it was discovered he had an affair with his subordinate? — Cleona strained her memory, recalling events of days long past. — These Puritans are always the most susceptible to what they condemn others for. What was her name? Something with an “L.”
— Levi Leonhart.
— Exactly.
— Be that as it may, it didn’t stop him from becoming the representative of the people of Margel in the first elections. He held that post all the way until the spring of 995. Apparently, not even such an event was enough to tarnish his post-war reputation.
— And who is this? — Pyrotessa pointed at a small portrait of a blonde woman with a ponytail.
— That’s Ruby, one of the saints. I told you about them once. During the anti-Nephirian campaign, when Naria was burdened by inconveniences related to childbirth, on her orders our boss and teacher, Sonata Reim, borrowed Azarina’s sinister family sword and briefly left us to fight Ruby, who was traveling through those parts. Unlike Stalia, who is already well known to you, Ruby couldn’t fly, couldn’t control portals, or create miniature worlds, nor did she have what seemed like an endless arsenal, but in return, a single swing of her sword could easily destroy both “Carnelian” and “Aconia.” Sonata, however, due to her coven state, was nearly immortal, and so ultimately gained the upper hand over the saint. Neither Ruby nor Sonata was satisfied with this duel, and both understood perfectly well that there was no honor in their battle. Nevertheless, it was on this note that the long life of the perfect sword of Arcelia ended.
— Tell her about Zephyr, since you brought up the topic of singularities.
— Zephyr? — The name seemed unfamiliar to the daughter.
— The windy saint who founded Heles, protector and progenitor of its people. Well, since Naria set a strict goal to destroy all the ancient saints, Zephyr did not escape conflict with her either. By a cruel irony of fate, during their cataclysmic confrontation, that island nation, like the original Minjin of years long past, sank underwater, and those of its inhabitants who survived had to seek a new home in other parts of Anuzish. This event affected many people. For instance, the Knight of Serenity, Kilika of Carnelian, was so shocked by what happened that she could no longer view Margel and Welfern as her new home, since it was the very cause of her homeland’s destruction, and so she left the borders of the empire. Whether any of her comrades managed to contact her, I don’t know, but I hope her story’s end will not be as sad as that of Heles itself.
— And where was Carnelian during the war?
— First, they were sent south, where they repelled a Calcite attack on Elise and a Harran attack on Kororat.
— How did they manage to be both in the east and west at the same time, Father?
— I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one front line was held entirely by Erefir alone. It’s not for nothing that the Right Pillar is called the strongest warrior of Welfern.
— So she’s stronger than Sonata?
— Hard to say. After the war ended and both organizations were formed, due to the specifics of our duties and powers, you could say we were the Moon of Margel, and they the Sun, so Erefir’s valor was more visible. Well, at least Sonata was the champion of the Welfern Grand Prix for ten years in a row. I even have a photo from the first championship here.
— Well, what an outfit she has here. — Pyrotessa looked at the photograph with a mix of surprise and disapproval. — How is she not ashamed to appear before people looking like that?
— I don’t recall us raising you to be such a Puritan. — Cleona smacked her daughter on the back of the head. — There’s no shame in showing off such beauty.
— Ow, that hurts... Mother, doesn’t it bother you that Father carries around photos like this?
— No. Should it?
— It’s still... Another woman.
— So what? I don’t have neurotic-schizoid complexes, and beauty is beauty, especially since I had my own first love too.
— Love?..
— You didn’t tell her? Well, in short, your father was in love with Sonata.
— Who wasn’t? — Matthias asked rhetorically with a smirk, recalling his confession to Ayano.
— It’s hard for me to understand. And Mother, what will you do if she suddenly tries to steal Father from you?
— If she tries, then I’ll think about it, but until then, it’s pointless even to ponder. Besides, it’s impossible.
— Hm? Why?
Matthias turned several pages and stopped at a newspaper article, authored by himself.
— I wrote this after reading her memoirs, — he explained to his daughter and wife.
She was never truly alone. Even after leaving her native world and finding herself in a completely foreign land, Sonata Reim very quickly gained a large number of friends and simply admirers. Perhaps, even if she weren’t an ex-empress and weren’t associated with various titles and achievements, but worked as a low-paid saleswoman at “Abundance,” she would still remain the center of attention. Her mere presence behind the counter of that store would increase its sales better than any advertising campaign, and parameters like quality and demand for the displayed goods would become secondary. Could anything be more impressive than such an attractive and captivating personal force?
And yet, although there were close and dear friends in her life, and despite the smile that never left her lips, deep in her soul she felt an indescribable longing.
Once, during what was ordinarily a mundane conversation with Naria, in gratitude for loyal service and friendship (Sonata was one of the few with whom, due to their origins and some other traits, she could communicate on equal terms), the empress offered to summon the soul of her husband to Anuzish. At that moment, all her common sense and principles faded into the background, and without a second thought, she agreed with a thrill in her heart.
Just as in this world the brother of the Basilisk Knight was materialized, so did #### come into being, and the catalyst for this was the wedding ring that Sonata reclaimed during the raid on the coven of Passion and had since worn on her finger without removing.
But it didn’t end there: Naria also offered to “naturalize” her and rid her of all the consequences of her time in the coven, but warned that in her current state, she could live forever and know no equal in battle and other spheres of human activity — something many would envy. Sonata, however, agreed to this as well, and soon after the touching reunion with her husband, she became pregnant for the second time.
— Why is the name written with hash marks? — Was the daughter’s first natural question about what she had read.
— Because she keeps his name a secret from the general public. Why — only she knows.
— She still retained a trace from the coven, — Cleona noted, — the ears didn’t go away.
— Perhaps Naria left them as a keepsake? — Matthias suggested.
— Yeah, or just for fun, because they look interesting.
— That would be quite in her style.
— Mother, Father, wait... So she gave up immortality just to be able to get pregnant?
— I think so. That, and she probably didn’t want to outlive her husband.
— That’s... Strange. You once told me the point of having children is the continuity of life, but if you’re immortal, why would you need it?
— So you’re suggesting we trade you for immortality?
— No, but... I mean... I would hardly give birth if it meant parting with such a useful trait.
— Look at this photo, — Matthias shows another snapshot in his notebook.
— This is Sonata with her daughter, taken by ####.
— Please, enough with the hash marks...
— Ha-ha, sorry. But doesn’t this picture move you?
— I don’t know... Let’s move on to the next topic. How about Pharellia?
— Contrary to everything going off plan, the military might of little Pharellia turned out to be a surprise for the empire. The glider squadron under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Heidi broke Welfern’s first line of defense and wreaked havoc on the cities of Upper and Lower Lunaria, forcing most of the population to take up arms or leave their homes. Thanks to this revolutionary method of aerial combat (bombing ground targets with fast and maneuverable pilots, as well as using firearms/cold weapons to fight airships and other air units), Pharellia’s ground soldiers managed to occupy Lapis, Lenheim, Lucilis, Luciel, and Lunalia, but were pushed back several months later. Despite this, Welfern’s warriors failed to set foot on Pharellian soil — General Trude, though she fundamentally did not take part in her country’s offensive operations, destroyed any enemy who dared to come to Pharellia with weapons in hand. Presumably, Naria abandoned the idea of engaging in conflict with her upon realizing that Rufus’s daughter could inflict mass destruction on the empire just as she could on Pharellia.
— Throughout the war, the Imperials never managed to shoot down Heidi, which caused the stories about the “Pharellian harpy” to take on legendary status. I didn’t see it myself, but the spectacle of her combat sorties was surely breathtaking.
— And what does she do in peacetime?
— Before the war, she worked as an instructor at a glider school, and after it ended, she became an air courier, delivering various parcels through Pharellian airspace and far beyond. As for her personal life, it remains a mystery for the overly curious like me. Oh yes, she also has a work colleague named Ella, who gained a controversial reputation in the country when she organized a socio-political campaign urging unmarried Pharellian women to have as many children as possible.
— What’s the point of doing that while unmarried??
— As a result of the war, there were more women than men in Pharellia, so not every woman could find a partner, and this campaign was needed to recover the losses suffered in the war.
— I see... And did she herself contribute to her own initiative?
— Yes. As far as I know, she gave birth to five.
— Hm, and what city are they from?
— From Mittena. I’ve been there, a very picturesque place, and Anpan told me a lot about it.
— Is that your classmate... What was he doing there?
— During one meeting, Lord mentioned the existence of a beautiful mermaid in the rivers of Pharellia; Anpan, for some reason, became interested in this story and set off to find her, and when he found her on his own, he saw she had fallen into the nets of a skilled fisherman named Salmon, and he freed her — that’s how love began between them. As far as I know, she always dreamed of a knight like the sun with a radiant smile, and Anpan turned out to be exactly that for her.
— And who is this? — Poking at other small portraits.
— Even before hostilities began, Tristan and Emil were conscripted into the Pharellian army, the first as a simple soldier, and the second as a field musician. To boost morale. Both were lucky to get through those turbulent times with their lives intact. Later, Tristan married Lina from the Berneintz inn, and Emil married Ingrid from the Bergönigin general store. Both families maintain very good relations and work together for the benefit of Mittena and its other residents.
— And who is this nice-looking blonde?
— Oh, that’s Radgrid! In this photo she’s still very young, but don’t be fooled — she is now the queen of all Pharellia!
— How so?
— The alliance with the undead and the futile war against the empire were not warmly received by Pharellia’s inhabitants, and in the chaos that followed the war’s end, the new king became the previous monarch’s nephew, Siegfried, and by some coincidence, he married Radgrid.
— And what became of Trude?
— Alas, I don’t know.
— Too bad. Then tell me more about Naria.
— In Margel, Empress Naria’s rule was perceived as the beginning of a second golden age for the country (after Sillion), but in other regions of the empire and abroad, it was met with significantly less enthusiasm, and her Aconian reputation was only worsened by localized displays of cruelty on her part and the complete neglect of the empire’s senate and council.
— How so? As far as I remember, in Welfern the monarch’s voice equaled 33% of the total government power, didn’t it?
— De jure yes, but de facto no — Naria was too powerful as an individual. But you’re right, this state of affairs didn’t please everyone, and after the war ended, many regions of Welfern expressed dissatisfaction with the imperial family’s behavior — the failure to protect Cridear, the empress’s autocracy, the destruction of Heles, and so on — and thanks to the efforts of statesmen like Shen Tao, Bianca Crow, and Utulg, the question of the empire’s viability was sharply raised on the agenda.
— So it was they who split Welfern?
— Not exactly. At one government meeting, the empress herself proposed it.
— Proposed what?
— To disband Welfern. The terms she announced were quite harsh toward the regions, but drunk with the opportunity to gain long-awaited sovereignty, the local rulers nevertheless agreed to sign the treaty she proposed.
— Is that the very “Dahlia Petals” treaty?
— The very one. I even have a summary of it written down somewhere... Here, look.
According to the “Dahlia Petals” treaty:
・The Welfern Empire ceases to exist; the title of Emperor of Welfern is abolished.
・Margel, Sever, the Skryme Tribes, Luensia, Minjin, Subin, Lauria, Buruaca, Wallen, Villa, Shiho, Renn, Helm, Upper Lunaria, Lower Lunaria, Noir, Sheria, Minua, Marcell, Kumari, and Cridear are recognized as sovereign states.
・The lands of Elizia pass into the Kingdom of Margel.
・Nephiria, captured during the war, is divided among the bordering Skrymes, Villa, and Renn in exchange for large annual payments to Margel.
・Similarly, all former imperial regions are obligated to make large annual payments to Margel in exchange for their acquired independence.
・Within a month after the signing of this treaty, the former imperial regions must transfer to Margel all their artifacts and rare items of a magical or high-tech nature.
・The entire existing imperial fleet comes under the management of Margel; the former imperial regions are obliged to keep their ports open to all ships of Margel; in return, Margel is obliged to maintain security on all trade and sea routes of the former empire.
・All parties to this treaty are obliged to support each other in the event of an external enemy attack on any of them; they are also forbidden to wage war among themselves or interfere in each other’s internal affairs.
Duration of the treaty: until December 31, 999 inclusive.
Perpetual condition: the former imperial regions recognize the authority of the Patriarch of the Church of Anuzish in Margel and may not hinder his religious activities on their controlled territories.
— Building a huge empire over long centuries and then just dismantling it like that... — Pyrotessa stared blankly at the text of the treaty she had just read. — I don’t understand...
— She understood that at this historical stage, a civil war for the regions’ independence was inevitable and decided to resolve the issue preemptively, — suggested Cleona, — at least for a time, internecine strife was avoided, and the Imperials didn’t have to drown each other in blood.
— But she is Aconia, the strongest of all! She could have solved this problem some other way.
— Well, she isn’t eternal, so after her passing, the enmity between the regions would only have intensified. — Matthias returned to the story. — After the empire was abolished, the monarch of Margel received absolute power over its territories; the guard, armed forces, both pillars, and other similar organizations now answered directly to the queen, and she also held supreme authority in the country’s legislative mechanisms, but at Naria’s wish, the resolution of many social, cultural, and economic issues was delegated to elected positions, the highest of which is the representative of the people of Margel. As you may remember, the first elected to this position was Draco Mellis.
— Hmm, an interesting system. And what prevents the king or queen of Margel from removing such people from office and performing these functions themselves?
— Absolutely nothing, dear.
— I see... Interesting, to say the least. And what about her personal life?
— On August 26, 976, she gave birth to a daughter, Lunamaria. The question of the crown princess’s paternity would stir the imagination of the crown’s subjects for a very long time but would never find an answer. In the winter of 981, Naria left this world — due to the appearance of relentless strength, few knew that the miracles she performed, like naturalizing alien souls, healing the undead, summoning aliens to Anuzish, and so on, adversely affected her lifespan. They say that because of her subjects’ good wishes (eternal blossoming), she lasted a little longer than expected, and in contrast to her public image, she was very gentle at home, especially toward her two daughters — Ayano and Lunamaria.
— Father, do you by chance have a photo of Lunamaria? I’ve seen her in the newspaper and, I think, in some magazine — an imposing person — but I’d like to refresh my memory in the context of this story.
— Here you go, the twenty-first queen of Margel.
— Beautiful, I must say.
— And she looks like Naria, — Cleona nodded in agreement.
— I wonder, did her eyes come from her father, then?
— Maybe, but not necessarily, given the Aconian quirks.
— Okay... And what happened to Naria’s sisters?
— In Minua, the abolition of Welfern was not understood — “How can it be that the empire ceases to exist?” “To whom did the warrior clans swear allegiance then?!” In short, Minua was against the split, but ultimately their voice of protest at that fateful imperial government meeting decided nothing; Naria proposed resolving the situation by “giving” them Naera, saying let her rule if they want her so badly. The middle sister did not object to this proposal and carried out her assigned role, taking along Falet, her former kidnapper. She brainwashed him with magic and made him her obedient slave.
— Was she always like that?
— No, but the incident that happened to her forever changed her character, worldview, and attitude toward others.
— And these portraits?..
— She hired Martina Liberation as her personal chef: after a certain incident, he lost interest in his family restaurant in Margel; Kimika as her personal maid; she took Manin Tai from Naria as her secretary. She offered Linette Saturnia Ulysses the position of commander-in-chief of the armed forces of her new kingdom, and she readily agreed; she hired Crimson and Fasan into her personal retinue for matters requiring physical force, but didn’t forget to enchant them so they could not harm her or disobey her.
— According to some rumors, Linette and Crimson are having a romance. — Cleona decided to add her two cents. — And according to other rumors, her romance is not with him, but with Tai.
— A woman of mystery... And these two?
— These... Doctor Zlobyn always had not the best reputation, and when it came to light that he was sleeping with his own patient, continuing his professional activities in Margel became problematic, so he decided to move somewhere no one knew him.
— Huh... It gives the impression that all the most abnormal people of Margel gathered here. Let’s move on to the youngest, Revania.
— Revania’s story is similar. Unlike other regions of the empire, Marcell never had its own historical identity — it was created and settled by Emperor Naer. For this reason, when Welfern collapsed, a political struggle began among the inhabitants of Marcell: some wanted to proclaim a new republic, while others wished to remain under the wing of the es Dier Afrual family; in the end, the monarchists won, and consequently the reins of power in this country had to be taken by Revania es Dier Afrual, the youngest of Purian’s daughters.
— By the way, Pira, have you read Toskaslav Kholodnozimov’s book about the spouses of the monarchs of Margel? — Cleona asked her daughter.
— Yes, why?
— Eogan Lamarck, a teacher from the Margel Art Academy, shared the fate of Queen Lorencia: one day, Revania presented him with the fact that he was moving to Marcell with her, and after some time, he also had to marry her.
— I spoke with him once; I got the impression that all he wanted in life was to paint, but by the will of fate, he had to become the king consort of Marcell.
— Oh, come on, I think he’s only happy — not only did he shoot up the social and economic ladder to the heavens, but he also got a beautiful wife. — Cleona rolled her eyes, smirked, and shrugged. — That’s why I don’t share the longing that history enthusiasts voice when mentioning Lorencia’s fate.
— Father, let’s continue.
— Since otherworldly entities could no longer influence Anuzish, the church’s persecution of their followers ceased. For this reason, followers of Rinzé began returning to Thais, and it became something of a capital for all of them. Saras Rainabaris returned to administrative work as the mayor of Thais, and Gelanor Rainabaris restored his beauty school, “The White Lily.” Climbing the career ladder with rapid strides, over the years Crissa led the guard of Marcell, and Shina its armed forces; Azalea was responsible for the new queen’s security; Rinsara Valertser reopened her workshop and continued to be a worthy competitor to Alice from Margel. Peony Ssinars took the helm of the cult of Rinzé’s followers, and his girlfriend named Arar, due to her external resemblance to the otherworldly goddess, became something of an idol to them.
— That’s also their classmate, right? Wouldn’t Rinzé punish them for finding a false idol?
— Honestly, I haven’t the faintest idea. And even if she would, now, on Anuzish isolated from the rest of the universe, Rinzé has no power here. Speaking of my comrades... Hiding from the disapproval of relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors, Bresia and Gilo also moved to Marcell; for her vast knowledge in the field of medicine, Revania appointed Bresia Minister of Health, and Gilo opened his own clinic in the city of Neft.
— Let’s take a little break from history, — Cleona suggested, — listen about some interesting people of Margel, okay?
— Yes, fine.
— See this Calcite guy? That’s Mazda Pazuzu. What exactly attracted Tsvetana and Belyana to him, I don’t know, but both women agreed to live with him, and their shared home became “Grace,” well known to the residents of Margel. Mazda taught Tsvetana to take care of herself as a woman should and to dress properly, so those who knew her before could easily fail to recognize her if they saw her in the city. Mazda doesn’t work and devotes all his time only to what interests him, while the trio lives off Belyana, and household chores lie on Tsvetana’s shoulders.
— And why would anyone need such a husband? — Pira asked with disapproval in her voice and expression.
— Well, he’s not their husband — the Church doesn’t recognize polygamy. But Belyana bore him two children, and Tsvetana bore several more, so they must love him for something.
— Remember this trio?
— Of course.
— A couple of months after Naria’s coronation, Gaheris Bors moved in with Kayasa Morax, and gave his house/shop to Azarina. Both Phantom and the sorceress treated her like their own daughter and, with such a gift, hoped it would be easier for her to start her own family, but that never happened. Having miraculously preserved her innocence after her stay in the coven of Passion, she began to feel a strong personal aversion to everything related to intimacy.
— That’s kind of sad... She’s so sweet.
— Indeed. After her release, she also became very concerned about the safety of herself and everyone dear to her, and for this purpose, she took up studying the ancient craft of her ancestors.
— What craft?
— Better you don’t know. — Matthias joined the story. — Be that as it may, Gaheris left this world in 992, completely satisfied with life, but Kayasa had to continue her journey alone.
— Wait! — Cleona hit him on the top of the head with the edge of her palm. — What “alone”? They have a daughter, after all.
— That’s true, but she’s hardly ever home.
Matthias shows Pira a new photo.
— Lolita Morax, also known in narrow circles by the alias Phantom of the Silver Moon.
— Mother, Father... I don’t understand. Gaheris and Kayasa don’t have cat ears and a tail, so where did she get them? I’d sooner think she’s Sonata Reim’s daughter, not Kayasa Morax’s.
— Oh, Pira, — Matthias became embarrassed, — don’t say that, it has a very bad implication... She was born without those “accessories” and acquired them after stealing the remains of Zephyr and her sword from the Heles settlers. Whether it’s a curse or a blessing, I don’t know.
— Let’s move on, — says Cleona, turning the page of Matthias’s notebook, — Eugene Kripov continues his work of understanding Anuzish and enlightening its children to this day, and his wife Bronislava helps him in every way. And here are their children.
— Vsemila Kripova, born July 11, 976. Special agent of the Church of Anuzish, travels the world, solves or reports supernatural problems, collects dangerous ancient artifacts for storage by the Church.
— Dobromila Kripova, born November 15, 977. Former student of Alice from “The Rabbit Hole,” now has her own atelier.
— Iskra Kripova, born January 1, 979. Problem child, dropped out of school and went traveling.
— On February 27, 982, Bronislava gave birth to quintuplets. This is Zima. Eugene taught her everything he knew and sent her to run the affairs of the Church of Anuzish in Minjin.
— Krasa. Same story, but in Shiho.
— Wait a minute... So it turns out the patriarch appoints his own daughters to such important positions?
— So it seems.
— That’s a bit... Okay, never mind, please continue.
— Lyubomila, studies at the Margel Art Academy.
— Mstislava. Studies at the Margel Academy of Magic.
— Siyana, heads the geological mission of the Church of Anuzish.
— Good grief... That’s something. Looking at this family, Bruno’s family, Ella, and the like, there won’t be any room left on Anuzish soon.
— Ha-ha, — for some reason this phrase greatly amused Matthias, — Anuzish is big, there’s enough for everyone!
On this amusing and somewhat endearing note, Cleona turned another page.