CHAPTER 35: THE KING OF NIGHTS AND THE TWO FAIRIES

It didn’t take Grégoire long to get everyone moving again. They left behind the comfort of their nighttime camps for the rugged path through the forest. After all, there was little to no exchange between Astroia and Invictus, making road maintenance a needless concern—nature had simply reclaimed its rights over the old forest trail.

They moved in a long, narrow line, forced into formation by the path’s width, which barely allowed three men to walk side by side without bumping shoulders. Grégoire and his men led the way, while Carla had chosen to take the rear, closing the march.

As always, Carla was dressed in her white uniform, the symbol of the Empire. Her brown hair was tied into a ponytail, and she carried herself with a dignity that would impress any onlooker.

Yet deep inside, she was troubled. She knew too well the fate that awaited them at the fortress. The only thing that reassured her, allowing her to maintain a composed exterior, was the trust she placed in Lady Iris—and the fact that the latter had never ceased to secretly work toward sparing them from that dark future.

"Oh Lady Iris, what would we do without you..." she thought silently, unaware that elsewhere, Iris was sneezing.

Truth be told, even Carla had been surprised by Iris’s subtle maneuvers.

In the days following their fateful confrontation, Iris had seized every opportunity to exchange what Carla would respectfully call trivialities with anyone she crossed paths with.

At first, this habit made her seem like nothing more than a gossip in Carla’s eyes.

It was only after a long hesitation, when Carla finally mustered the courage to ask her the reason behind such lighthearted behavior, that she understood—it was all part of the plan.

In Iris’s own words: "You have to plant seeds if you want to harvest fruit later."

Though reserved by nature, Carla couldn’t help but respect her incredible social skills. Iris had a way of captivating people, and everyone who interacted with her held her in fond memory.

When the time to depart came and Iris was nowhere to be seen, many grew concerned, wondering if something had happened to her. Their worry faded only when Captain Grégoire announced that she had volunteered to stay behind to watch over the children, allowing the group to travel faster toward their destination. Strangely, this only strengthened the image people had of her. Carla was no exception. She was even proud to have been the only one Iris had trusted to select the group assigned to remain with her and escort the children—something she did with the utmost seriousness, choosing only those Iris had spent the most time with.

While thinking about the trust Lady Iris had placed in her, Carla nearly walked into a tree. The light bump snapped her out of her thoughts. She realized she’d fallen a bit behind.

Beside her, two elderly women dressed in simply embroidered tunics made with traditional craftsmanship caught her attention—the quiet elegance of their clothes drawing her eyes before her ears caught their conversation.

"Stop talking nonsense, you old twig. Before you even pull out your knitting yarn, I’ll have already taken down three Calamities—without wasting a single inch of duct tape!"

One of them declared boldly.

"Haha! Are you so sure, you old spool? Don’t think your time-worn fingers are any more agile than these hands of mine!"

Hearing their banter, Carla struggled to maintain her dignified posture. A smile slipped out, soon followed by a laugh, which didn’t go unnoticed. The two old women turned toward her and invited her into the debate.

"And you, what do you think, dear? I believe our little conversation caught your ear. So tell us, which is deadlier—my knitting or her tape?"

Carla had no idea how to respond to such a question.

From what she’d gathered, one of them, through resonance, could summon a net made of yarn along with two needles, which she wielded with impressive speed. The other could conjure stylish adhesive ribbons. Carla didn’t quite understand what made those ribbons special—besides their flashy appearance.

Before she could offer a proper answer, the women finally noticed her uniform. They quickly straightened up and gave her a respectful bow.

"Please forgive us, officer, for our lack of respect. Pay no mind to our inappropriate behavior."

It took Carla a moment to understand their change in tone, before she responded to reassure them.

It should be noted that Carla, despite holding only the rank of Initiate, wore the insignia of a lieutenant. For these two old ladies, who saw themselves as mere recruits, such disgraceful behavior toward a superior officer was intolerable especially considering they had introduced themselves as emissaries of the Emperor.

"There’s no need to follow protocol with me. Let’s just talk freely."

She extended her hand.

"My name is Carla."

Seeing Carla so friendly, the two women didn’t hesitate to introduce themselves in turn.

"You can call me Margaret. Margaret Scarlen."

"And I’m Thérèse. Thérèse Scarlen."

"Pleased to meet you, Margaret and Thérèse. By the way... are you sisters?" Carla asked, noting they shared the same surname.

They laughed, and Thérèse clarified:

"No, a lot of people think that—but we’re co-wives."

"Co-wives?" Carla repeated, surprised.

Where she came from, it was rare—and even frowned upon—for a man to have multiple wives.

"Haha, don’t make that face! Our husband was strong enough to make us bury the hatchet... and share him fairly," added Margaret, seeing Carla’s stunned expression.

"Oh, I see... but you said ’was’?"

"Yes, he’s passed," Margaret replied.

"I’m sorry to hear that."

"No need for sorrow—it’s been years. Say, why don’t we talk as we walk? The road’s still long, and it’d be nice to chat with someone other than our kids," Thérèse suggested.

"Of course. I’d be happy to hear your story."

"Haha, why not! Even if there’s probably nothing exciting in the memories of two old ladies," said Margaret, barely hiding her eagerness to boast.

"Well then, where should we begin?" Thérèse wondered aloud.

As they talked, Carla learned that the two grandmothers had once been dazzling beauties in their youth. They were known as the two fairies of Astroia—so enchanting were their grace and charm that anyone lucky enough to see them fell under their spell.

Each had been chased by hundreds of suitors across the land.

Until one day, a man stood out—not by looks, nor by lavish gifts, but by cunning.

If Carla were to believe the tale, one evening in a tavern, the man overheard friends gossiping about two women no one had managed to even mildly interest, despite every trick in the book—and then some.

Tempted by the challenge, for he was known as the king of the night—one woman each evening, never a failure—he set his sights not on just one fairy... but both.

He even spread rumors claiming that one day, the two fairies would fight for him—only for him to reject them, just as they had rejected every suitor before.

The next day, the rumor was all over Astroia. Everyone waited to see how this public challenge would unfold.

Eventually, tired of the gossip, the two women approached the man who dared speak such nonsense. But when they mocked him—true to their nature—he didn’t flinch.

The very next day, he posted a countdown all over the city, announcing how many days remained before the hearts of the two fairies would be his.

This only escalated the already ridiculous scale of the affair.

People began betting on the outcome. Meanwhile, other men, feeling insulted, stopped pursuing the two women altogether. Those who dared to try mysteriously vanished the following day.

The fairies, outraged, started visiting the man daily to complain about the chaos he’d caused.

But over time, and caught in his web of charm, love took root within them—like a wildfire sparked by a single ember, soon beyond control.

They even forgot the challenge itself, each only seeking to claim his heart before the other.

The long-awaited day finally came.

The King of the Nights appeared before a vast crowd and confessed that he had lost the challenge: his heart had been captured by the two beautiful ladies.

Unable to choose between them, he asked for both their hands in marriage before the entire city.

The two fairies, moved by such a declaration, could only lay down their weapons, agreeing to share the man who, in the eyes of all, had conquered the hearts of the two most beautiful women in Astoria.

"So, no one truly won... except love," concluded Thérèse.

"Wow... What happened next?" Carla asked, touched.

Marguerite continued: "We got married, as one should. The following year, we held a grand celebration across the whole city. It didn’t take long before we were both expecting children. But, before our babies were born, an event came to shatter our peaceful life."

Carla frowned.

"What?"

"War, my dear... war," Thérèse said gravely.

The wind blew over them as she reminisced about that distant past and their youthful adventures.