Chapter 74: Other Problems
It didn’t take long for Corven to make his way back to Aisha—this time finding her in her study, buried in the usual flood of administrative chaos. She was seated behind a massive desk covered in stacks of paperwork, half-spent quills, and stamped documents. A small, luminescent crystal lamp hovered beside her, casting a soft white glow over the mess to help ease the strain on her eyes.
"You returned quickly," Aisha said, not looking up right away. When she finally did, Corven noticed the thin glasses perched on her nose—something new. They suited her, though it was clear they were more out of necessity than style.
She blinked at him, clearly not expecting to see him back so soon.
"Is this what you need?" Corven asked, raising the glowing vial slightly toward her.
Aisha stared blankly. "What...?"
Corven tilted his head, confused by her confusion. "Huh?"
Aisha’s breath caught. The shock stiffened her limbs as if the weight of generations had landed squarely on her shoulders. "H-How do you have that...?"
"I got it from someone named Redwyn," Corven replied. "From the place you sent me."
The moment he spoke the name, Aisha shot up from her chair so fast it toppled over behind her with a loud clatter. Her hands slapped against the desk for balance, eyes wide in disbelief.
"You managed to decipher the secret!?"
Corven flinched slightly, caught off-guard by her reaction. "I thought you sent me there for that purpose!?" he replied, both arms raised like he was under arrest.
"I just wanted the crown!" Aisha shouted. "To prove you were strong enough to serve alongside me—tradition and all! Not to bring back something that priceless!"