The Prince in Question Is Not Stable

Violet remained where she stood. Her gaze wandered upon the Rain Lions one after another.

None of them acted fierce. Beasts usually lower themselves into the posture to pounce, but their eyes did not linger on the faces as if they were looking for prey.

Every few moments their golden eyes shifted toward drawn swords in the hands of the holy knights.

"I don’t believe they are threatening us," her murmur spread through the fleet.

"Your Holiness?" One of the knights frowned.

"Their attention has not left your weapons since they emerged, they’re like cautious children than fierce predators."

Only then did several knights notice it themselves. Rain Lions had not once looked directly at Violet or Theodosia.

"They’re sensitive to hostility," Violet concluded.

’So, Visitors are not stopped by guards but judged by the nature itself. Arrive with murderous intent and the mountain rejects you, arrive peacefully...the mountain lets you pass. That’s quite like him,’ she thought.

She turned her head slowly towards the nearest knight.

"Lower your blades, slowly." She ordered quietly.

One by one, the knights obeyed. Sword steel slid back into scabbards with soft clicks, and the aura that had flared along the edges, dimmed.

The golden eyes blinked. Several of the massive black-furred lions relaxed but stayed in the same place.

*RRUMBLE*

"Huh?" Theodosia turned around feeling the sudden wave of quake that seemed to have shook the mountain itself.

The flow of the water fall shivered, as the fleet turned their heads.

Large grey stone behind the fall parted, opening a rather dark, and elegant corridor of the castle.

At the entrance, stood a man wearing neat navy blue suit, with dark blue hair and ocean eyes.

He was standing formally, but his hands were clasped infront of him, gripping onto his life.

Along with the man were a few palace attendants. Women in their thirties, magicians, wearing long black frocks, dark grey woolen shawls with an emblem of a lion’s head etched into the heart of the fabric.

The palace attendants exchanged hurried glances among themselves. None of them had expected the Covenant to arrive. Much less...the Saintess herself.

Graves drew in a slow breath, lowered his head respectfully, and placed a fist over his chest.

"Your Holiness," he greeted. "Welcome to the Palace of Perpetual Rain."

Only the attendants standing behind him noticed that his closed fists had turned pale from how tightly they were held.

One of the younger attendants looked toward Violet for barely a second before lowering her eyes again.

She had imagined the Saintess to have overwhelming aura, or divine radiance that blinded the eye, but the one who stood before them was surprisingly a symbol of beauty and elegance than divinity.

Graves stepped aside.

"The palace has prepared accommodations for the Covenant and your accompanying knights."

"...We have prepared?" the attendant blurted out in surprise, looking at Graves.

"..." Graves did not know how to handle this, the corner of his eye twitched.

Silence stretched for a moment.

In truth, the Palace of Perpetual Rain had received almost no formal visitors in years. The only regular guest was Orochi, who treated every rule of etiquette as optional and was handled more like friend than an official.

Everything the attendants knew about receiving high-ranking guests existed only in theory, never once practiced.

"Of course," Graves cleared his throat.

He did not waste the opening.

"Please, follow me," he said, stepping fully aside and gesturing into the dark corridor.

The Rain Lions remained seated in the quiet storm, watching as the Covenant’s fleet began to move.

Violet walked first, as her black gown and translucent veil glistened against the soft internal light of the palace’s water. Theodosia stayed close at her side.

The holy knights followed behind in discipline.

*RRUMBLE*

The moment they stepped inside, the gates of the palace closed with a deep rumble.

Water on the floor of the palace parted its ways the moment their feet touched the ground, and for Violet, it created a comfortable space for her to walk on.

It wasn’t natural, but something Graves controlled with ease.

When they reached the first branching hall, he stopped and turned to the attendants who had been trailing behind him.

"Take the knights in Guest wings, east side for river view." He whispered.

"All of them?" one attendant whispered.

"Yes, all of them. Rooms, dry clothes, whatever is that they require. Go."

They scrambled into motion.

Two of them were about to headbutt each other as Knights watched them.

"There’s no need to follow us here," Theodosia said to the knights and they stomped their feet in affirmation.

The sound of armored boots faded into the corridor as they were lead away by the attendants.

Only Violet, Theodosia, and Graves remained.

"Where is Ymir?"

Theodosia’s head turned almost immediately.

’Not His Highness? Or The Fifth Prince? Just...Ymir?’ she thought. The familiarity had caught her offguard.

"His Highness is currently... occupied within the palace," he answered. "I will take you to him directly."

"You’re not going to announce us first?" Theodosia raised a grey brow.

’We have to do that?... I don’t know...’ Graves thought.

"There is no need," Graves replied. "His Highness prefers to handle certain guests personally."

He led them onward without further explanation.

The sound of moving water deepened as soft steam began to drift through the air.

The floor was getting warmer compared to the stark fresh and cool air of the corridors.

It felt as if it wasn’t a palace but a cave carved into the mountains, with certain parts revealed on the surface.

At last Graves stopped before a set of dark stone doors.

He pushed them open and stepped aside, revealing the dim, steam hazed expanse of the Rainwell.

"His Highness is within." He said, gesture for Violet to enter.

He did not wait for a reply. The moment the words left him, he withdrew.

Violet sighed.

She did not expect even his servants to be so casual about everything.

Violet stepped into the chambers, and the tiles changed into a smoother black surface.

Steam hung low, drifting in layers and softening every edge. The air was heavy with heat and moisture, clinging to skin the moment they entered.

Candlelights from the wall stands caught in the steam and scattered.

Two figures occupied the basin.

Ymir sat with his back against the curved black stone, water reaching his chest. One arm rested along the rim, the other holding an envelope.

Opposite to him, was a man with lizard like golden eyes, long black hair, lounged in the water, arms spreading along the stone.

Along the far edge, the massive black from the Rain Lion leader rested with closed eyes. Its back moved slightly in the rise and fall of its breathing.

"..." Theodosia stopped short just inside the doorway. Her grey eyes widened a fraction before she quickly lowered them, as a faint blush rose along her neck.

She expected a formal reception hall...not this.

Violet stared at him as he opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Well I thought visits are announced first," Ymir murmured.

Although he could sense her fleet the moment they arrived at the gates of the Palace, but he did not expect Graves to guide them here.

"I don’t think you can have any expectations from the people who serve you," Orochi replied, eyes still half-closed.

"Is that an insult directed towards me?" Ymir looked at Orochi.

"A man like yours would know better," Orochi replied.

"You do realize that in the whole situation that had conspired up until now, you were completely useless despite being everywhere," Ymir countered.

"Oh, did I forget to mention that your business is not fucking mine," Orochi looked back at Ymir.

"Maybe if that goddess have taught you some basic ethics of tagging along with other people...She should’ve drilled some manners in your dumb---"

"You’re getting personal,"

"And you have been living in my personal life,"

"You’re good as dead without me," Orochi pointed at Ymir’s body. "Look at you, a feeble human who could die from a snap of my fingers, you expect to face the Duke with that body? You’re weak!"

"Oh and you’re being of great help you fucking lizard!"

"..." Theodosia was about to announce her holiness, but she shut her mouth looking at Violet standing near the Rainwell with her hands crossed and looking at both of them bickering like children.

The Rain Lion in the corner of the chamber glanced once and then purred back to sleep as if this was not a rare sight.

’But who is that man who’s arguing the fifth Prince himself?’ she thought.