Amelia Thornheart Chapter Seventy-Two: Reconstruction

The ti following the fire was a blur.

In the imdiate aftermath, Greatlord Oshiro brought in a group of high-ranking Old Guard officers and intelligence officials and had everyone vow to keep the events secret. It quickly beca apparent that the Eastern Lords intended to keep Alia’s identity as Suijin’s Speaker secret.

From what she understood, the vast majority of people in the East and the wider Empire only knew her as a Speaker of Aseco. They weren’t hiding the fact she Spoke Taranis in the academy; it just hadn’t beco well-known yet. While that knowledge would spread, the East wanted to control the Suijin situation as much as possible. Not necessarily only for political reasons either; Alia was inford that hiding Second-Word Speakers was a common practice for strategic reasons under a concept known as Speaker Secrecy.

She agreed to sign the docunts demanding her compliance - at least, after having Serena thoroughly read through them first. Her and Serena’s version also included provisions against carelessly spreading knowledge about the existence and workings of the Shimr, so they were killing two birds with one stone. Or, as Serena put it, breaking two horns with one strike.

Honestly, these demons and their obsession with horn-based idioms!

Alia wasn’t convinced this would keep her Suijin embodint a secret. There were too many people who saw her. While the inferno blocked off their little area from the rest of the city, Alia had still been seen floating in the air and Speaking Suijin. It wasn’t just the warriors and the earthlord but also the hundreds they had saved. Even though the Old Guards inford the lowlanders of the severe consequences for breaking the vow Alia didn’t think it would take long until alcohol started to loosen soone's lips.

“I never imagined you had… you were…” l mumbled. The demon made all kinds of motions, from shaking her head to nodding to grabbing her horns in a very Serena-like fashion. Eventually, she gathered her composure, turning to Alia and slamming her fist against her open palm. “All this ans is that I must train even harder to overtake you! Yes…” l nodded with a serious expression. “Just you wait!”

Sohow, l had beco even more determined after seeing how amazing and cute Alia really was! She would fit in well amongst the Vengeance’s officer cohort, wouldn’t she?

With vows of secrecy made, Alia and Serena made their way towards Asamaywa Station. She hadn’t realised it, but the square in the centre of the inferno was only a small part of the greater firefighting efforts that had been taking place. Dozens of Speakers, backed by hundreds of warriors and mages, had worked tirelessly to build firebreaks and protect both the station and the plateau lifts. Even now, important-sounding figures shouted directions and coordinated efforts to manage the situation.

Almost imdiately, work began to clear the charred ruins of the slums. It was a welco surprise to Alia, who was used to large infrastructure projects taking years of planning in her old world before the first shovel of dirt was dug! All it took were a few orders from Greatlord Oshiro and the city of Asamaywa moved as one.

Throughout the night, mages and warriors constructed makeshift shelters for the thousands who had been displaced. The mages employed earth magic to shape and manipulate the rock and soil beneath the skeletal remains of the slums, causing them to collapse to the ground, where warriors could lift imnse quantities of debris and relocate them. The warriors also wielded large hamrs, using their aura-enhanced strength to break through the buildings' walls.

Hundreds of normal people joined the efforts, helping where they could. Groups from the Asamaywa Carpentry Guild and the Asamaywa Masonry Guild appeared, lending their expertise where needed. They often advised the mages and warriors on how to put pressure on a building to collapse it safely.

Not long after, officials in blue uniforms appeared. With a quick question, Alia found out they were part of the Three Sisters Collectors Guild. Apparently, just collecting moonstones was important enough to have an entire guild structure to manage it. They appeared as soon as the moonrain stopped and began their tasks. Each mber would take a section of a street, and certain civilians from that street would be paid to assist the person in collecting all the moonstones on the ground and help find the ones trapped in trees, roofs and other nooks and crannies.

It didn’t take long for the streets to stop sparkling. They even had the legal authority to stop and search the workers in the slums. More than a few were fined for trying to pocket a few moonstones amongst the ruins. None were arrested, and most were given the option to work that fine off if they kept volunteering their ti.

Alia helped here and there, mostly healing people as they got tired. She wanted to be more involved, to help lift rubble and flatten ground, but it didn’t seem she was needed. Another ti, she might have argued to help even more, but…

She felt tired.

Not physically tired. Or even ntally tired. It was sothing deeper. She felt like she’d once again stretched herself by invoking such a powerful Second-Word. Despite healing herself, she still wanted to rest. It didn’t take long until she needed to step away from everything and soon she and Serena were sitting in the room of a nearby inn.

“How are you feeling?” Serena asked.

“Tired… and sad,” Alia replied. That was right, she felt sad. A part of her found it funny; what right did she have to feel sad when so many people had lost loved ones and everything they owned? Even so, as the night continued and morning ca, seeing so many bodies being removed from the rubble made Alia feel an overwhelming sadness at the entire event.

“I’m worried the cause might have been the celebrations…” Alia mumbled, twiddling her thumbs. Ah, she sounded pathetic, but she couldn’t not share her thoughts with Serena. “You know… because of my healing.”

“Nonsense,” Serena stated firmly. “It was because of your healing that so many escaped! How many frail children or dust-addicted beggars did your healing fill with the strength to escape? Your actions not only saved hundreds before the fire but also hundreds during it.” Serena moved closer, putting an arm on Alia’s back and rubbing it. “It’s easy to bla yourself. It’s your mind seeking reason in a place where there is none. Similar things happen on the battlefield.” Serena frowned for a mont. “Similar things have happened to .” She continued rubbing her back. “It was a terrible fire that would have happened regardless. Don’t go thinking such unnecessary thoughts, okay?”

Ah, her girlfriend really was the best.

“Thank you,” Alia replied. She looked out the window as the morning light continued to brighten the world outside. It was a sha. Serena once told her the morning after a moonrain was beautiful, where the Wilderness sparkled from all the crystals caught in the canopy. Unfortunately, they would have to wait until next ti.

“Can we… just lie here for a bit?” Alia asked. “I want to close my eyes and try and think about nothing for a while.”

“Sure.”

Serena ensured the door was locked before grabbing so blankets and throwing them over Alia. She then slipped in with her, wrapping an arm around and pulling her tight.

Alia, despite everything, found herself smiling. She felt so secure in Serena’s arms. Their closeness lted away all her troubles, and she soon felt her mind clear and her breathing slow.

And then, even though she had recently healed herself, she fell asleep.

A few days later, Alia reunited with Kiku.

The young woman and the children had all been found and moved out of the slums before the fire had started. They’d been settling into a new house in the city when the moonrain began. Alia’s instincts had been right; the Lord Guardian hadn’t broken his word.

The house was two stories and sandwiched between a florist and a milliner. It had no garden and was probably smaller in floor space than the orphanage, but the orphanage had only one functioning room anyway.

When the door opened and she saw the now healthy demon, Alia couldn’t help but hug Kiku again. The children jumped for joy, and Alia was equally happy to discover they had new clothes. They were still awfully skinny, but with better access to food, they would fill out in short order - she was sure of that!

“Don’t worry about us,” Kiku said with a smile, her eyes shimring slightly. “These clothes are worth more than what we lost in the fire, and they were given to us! That massive man said we’d even be given a weekly allowance as an apology for having to pay the guards’ protection fees! I an…” she gestured around. “Look at this big house! What are we going to do with all these rooms!? We don’t even need to pay rent!”

Despite having enough bedrooms, many of the younger children had set up their beds in one room, with only the teenage children wanting the privacy of their own spaces. While being shown around they bumped into Noburu, who was organising the furniture in his and Kiku’s room. He jumped when he saw Alia but seed quite friendly otherwise.

“I’ve… signed a contract,” Noburu explained sheepishly. “I can stay here on the weekends but they’re putting through an accelerated course at a cadet school. It's going to be tough, but I can do it because…” His voice beca heavy with emotion, and he bowed and said, “You did what I couldn’t! You healed my sister!” A tear fell, splashing against the wood.

“Don’t cry, Noburu!” one of the children shouted.

“Yeah! Everything’s alright now!”

“We’re not cold anymore! Or hungry!”

“I love the city!”

“Lady Alia,” Kiku began awkwardly. “Or is it Lord-Prospect? No, Saint-”

“Alia’s fine!” Alia chirped quickly.

“O-okay!” Kiku nodded with a serious expression as if she’d been bestowed a sacred privilege. “I just wanted to ask…” the demon glanced at her brother. “Please look after him!” she burst out. “He said he has to serve for a minimum of two years! They told him he’d be serving under the Hellfire Captain! They said you sail with her, so I was hoping you could protect him and ensure he wouldn’t be…” Kiku lowered her voice. “...hard by her.”

“Hard by her?” Alia asked, frowning.

“You know…” Kiku looked around awkwardly. “They say the Hellfire Captain hangs anyone who steps out of line! She whips anyone bloody and dangles them from the ship as a warning to the rest of the fleet! They say the ship’s haunted with the ghosts of those who displeased her!”

Serena! This is what you get when you keep glaring at everyone!

“Kiku, do you know who the Hellfire Captain is?”

“N-no…”

Alia shook her head, giggling. Honestly, was this how much rumours twisted as they made their way mouth to mouth, all the way down to the slums? “You rember Lord Halen?” she asked. “The one who made all those guards shit-” Alia coughed, glancing at the children. “I an, the one who made all those guards so scared and obedient? The one who saved you? Who was so kind to you and the children?”

“Yeah!”

“She was so pretty!”

“I liked her horns!”

“She saved us with aura!”

“Y-yeah?” Kiku started.

“That’s the Hellfire Captain!” Alia explained. “And I assure you, she’s very fair and very accepting! She hasn’t been flaying or hanging anyone while I’ve been travelling with her!”

Well, they did hang all those mutineers. But Serena was unconscious then, so it didn’t count as her action, right?

“Oh… oh!” Kiku exclaid with a shocked expression before bowing to Alia. “I’ve insulted your friend! I’m so sorry, Lady Alia! Please, I didn’t know! I would never think such things of our saviour! Lord Halen was so magnificent and noble! Now you ntion it…” Kiku paused. “...She was in that uniform, wasn’t she? Oh, what a fool I was!”

“Don't worry!” Alia pulled Kiku into another hug. “Lord Halen is a good captain!”

“L-lady Alia…” Kiku spluttered.

“Just Alia, rember!?”

“Alia… you… like hugging, don’t you?” Kiku asked softly.

A critical attack!

“J-just…” Alia stamred. “We’re friends! And friends hug all the ti, don’t they!?”

“Do… do they?” Kiku tilted her head innocently. “I wouldn’t know; I haven’t lived in the city…”

“They do! They definitely do!” Alia defended her actions, lest soone spread rumours about her being a serial hugger! “Don’t worry about it! Anyway…” her mind fought to change the subject. “How are you feeling? You still feel healthy?”

“Yes!” Kiku bead. “I have to report to the guards if I want to go out, but other than that, I can run around the house all day! I’m so happy to have my movent back! I never thought it would happen, but it did! All thanks to you!”

“You’re welco!” Alia replied. “If you ever beco seriously ill again, I’ll co and heal you again! I promise!” she held out her pinky. “This is a pinky promise! It’s city etiquette between ladies. An unbreakable vow! Co on, give your little finger!”

“O-okay!”

They joined pinkies and shook on it while the children laughed and cheered, repeating the phrase ‘pinky promise’ like a rallying cry.

“What’s with the noise?” a voice intoned. Alia turned to see a familiar woman in the doorway. The woman raised an eyebrow. “The human?” she questioned before her eyes widened a little. “The one who healed you, Kiku?”

It was Seonmi’s first ti seeing Alia, but Alia had watched Seonmi through the one-way glass for a long ti, seeing her in her most vulnerable state. The demon didn’t know how to behave around Alia. Alia wasn't sure whether that was because she was a human or a lord-prospect. After a minute of awkward conversation, Seonmi retreated to her room.

“She’s also taking the cadet course with ,” Noburu explained.

“Mmm!” Alia nodded. “I can’t wait to sail with you!”

They chatted till it was ti for Alia to leave.

She headed down to the lowlands, trying to ignore the civilians who would stop and bow in her direction. It was a little strange to receive such attention. For what? For doing what anyone would do if they had the power? On one occasion, an adorable little girl with a toothy smile ran up to her and gave her a red flower. Alia took it and used it as a hair accessory, which made the little girl squeal in delight and run back to her mother, bouncing with the endless amounts of energy only children have.

She heard the phrases ‘Golden Healer’ and ‘Saint Alia’ a dozen tis, whispered in hushed tones, often followed by a quick prayer. She thought being called a saint was a little silly, but it was sowhat understandable. Her acts of healing were a never-before-heard phenonon in the Empire. Still… regardless of what they called her, whether it was Speaker or Lord-Prospect or Saint… she was still just Alia!

No more, no less.

With a thunk, the lift arrived at the lowlands, belching steam as if announcing her arrival. Alia used her aetherflow to track down Serena. Her girlfriend was in one of the temporary tents set up to organise the rebuilding efforts. She was sitting in a chair with perfect posture, reading.

“Hello,” Alia said.

“Hmm,” Serena answered, her attention focused on the book.

Alia had discovered a new side to Serena recently: that of the studious demon. While Serena volunteered her ti in the lowlands in case her yellow aura was needed to clear a troubleso piece of rubble, she spent much of it with her nose buried in books on fleet tactics and logistics.

Her commodore examination was due to be held in eight weeks, just before they were due to leave Asamaywa to lands unknown. Serena had been using every waking minute to study and Alia had caught her skipping lunch on more than one occasion to spend more ti in the library.

Was it weird to find her girlfriend so attractive when she was just reading a book?

“You’re staring,” Serena muttered, the edge of her mouth curling up.

“Sorry,” Alia said with a grin.

“How were the children?”

“They’re doing good!” Alia nodded. “The kids said you were pretty!”

“Did they now?” Serena humd, acting as if she didn’t care, but Alia didn’t miss the subtle signs. Honestly, how could anyone give her softy girlfriend a scary nickna like the Hellfire Captain? Give her a complint or two, and she was putty in your hands!

“I spoke to Highlord Yasuda,” Serena mumbled. “The investigators have finished their work. They say the fire started at a bakery. Embers from an oven improperly put out. The baker died in the fire, so there’s no punishnt to give out.”

“Oh,” Alia answered. “All that from a few embers?”

“The largest things can be started from the smallest fla.” Serena locked eyes with Alia before her mouth curled into a knowing smile. “I would know.”

Now it was Alia’s turn to blush.

“Well then!” Alia announced cheerfully. “I’m going to go and help the earth mages with the foundation work! I think they’re building new flood channels!”

“Don’t take all the credit; let them do their part!”

“Yes! Of course!” Alia tutted with mock annoyance before spinning around and exiting the tent.

As the days ticked by, Alia fell into a satisfying routine.

She would wake and either go and et Serena for so early morning training, or they would attend Katalin's bi-weekly sessions. The Northern demon was steadily increasing the intensity of the sessions, and Alia was sure she was developing so genuine muscle from them!

“Duels are simple, yes?” Katalin said one session after a drill. “But rarely are things so fair. Those who served on the frontlines will know what I am referencing, mmm?” At her words, most of the instructors nodded in understanding.

“The best way to kill an enemy is to outnumber them, and the best way to be killed is to be outnumbered. The humans know this and so do we. We will now learn how to control the battlefield in such unfair conditions. Now, all of you…” Katalin’s eyes glead as she unsheathed her sword. “Attack .”

It took a mont for the class to register the request before the first handful surged forward, followed by the rest. They did their best to swarm Katalin. No matter how good she was, no one would be able to defend themselves if they were surrounded, right?

They didn’t find out because no matter how much they tried, Katalin moved around the room in such a way she was only ever within sword-reach of one or two people. It was almost as if she were controlling their movents, sohow understanding exactly how the attacking class would respond as a group and using this knowledge to her advantage to cause people to bump into each other and trip.

The instructors eventually figured out how she was doing it and quickly began to counter, splitting into small, independent groups. However, this didn’t help much. Katalin changed tactics, going on the offensive and demonstrating how individual groups could be broken apart by pushing, tripping, and throwing demons at one another.

That day, the reputation of Katalin of Driss as a swordmaster was set in concrete in the minds of the humbled Eastern instructors. Alia tried her best to absorb the lessons but knew it would take years of practice to fully understand what Katalin was teaching. She could understand how she eclipsed everyone else, even those famous for their contributions to the war.

Who would win between her, the grandmaster, and Greatlord Oshiro? The grandmaster had a sense of brutal efficiency, developed from decades of honing his skills. Greatlord Oshiro had a dominating presence; when he entered a room, everyone naturally deferred to his superiority.

So, who would win? Maybe she would ask Serena’s opinion later, but if Alia’s theory were correct, Katalin would only lose if she wanted to.

While Alia was pushed to her limits in Katalin’s session, she and Serena continued their joint training sessions with their disciples. Serena would train the Northerner, Flakken Holm, and the two excitable lowland-born siblings, Ido and Arin Song. Alia kept assisting Hinako, but after one session, she was approached by the student mage nad Daichi. He was the most promising second-year student, with solid third-circle magic, and was the one who had been so arrogant towards her when she duelled his entire class in a row - defeating them one by one.

“Assistant Instructor Thornheart,” Daichi politely bowed.

“Daichi Ishitani,” Alia intoned, having long since morised everyone’s na. “How can I help?”

“I have heard you’ve been assisting the lowland construction efforts,” he began tentatively. “With your earth magic. I’ve been told it is unique and more efficient than most. I was hoping you would allow to learn from you.” He punctuated his request with a bow.

“And what kind of learning were you hoping for?” Alia asked, folding her arms.

“I believe allowing to witness your magic up close would give new insights. If you could point out inefficiencies in my magic, that would be desirable. I would also like to duel against your… first-circle wards again.”

Well, the previously arrogant demon had turned a new leaf. After thrashing him in the duel he’d always held a glint of hostility in his eyes. Now, Alia's intuition inford her that hostility had significantly lessened.

Had he finally accepted how amazing and cute she was!?

It made sense. He would know about her invoking Taranis and would have calculated her aether capacity from the readings of her Sphere of Convalescence. Even if the demon was predisposed to racial elitism and possessed a tendency for arrogance, he couldn’t deny the reality before him.

“One question…” Alia began. “Why haven’t you volunteered your talents in earth magic in the lowlands? You would be a great addition to the construction teams.”

“That…” Daichi frowned. “Construction work is… eh…”

“Construction work is?” Alia said, pressing him.

“My family consider it to be…” Daichi swallowed.

Alia didn’t let him escape.

“Considers it to be what?”

Serena had stopped directing her group and was watching her with amusent.

I hope you’re proud! Alia thought. I learned this from you!

The art of making soone squirm.

“Consider it to be…” Daichi’s voice beca small. “...lesser work.”

“Oh?” Alia placed a finger on her chin. “Lesser work? For… lesser people?”

“I-”

“Does that an you consider to be a lesser person?”

“Not at all, Assistant Instructor Thornheart!”

“I am a noble of the Empire,” Alia said, enjoying emphasising each word. She wasn’t actually annoyed, so it was okay to re-educate him a bit, wasn’t it? “Do you know what that ans? It ans I am to work for the Empress, to aid her in building a prosperous world for all demons!”

And humans, she added in her head.

“So how can it be lesser work to help provide hos for thousands of demons who struggle to feed and warm themselves through winter? Can you explain that, Daichi Ishitani?”

“My way of thinking has changed, Assistant Instructor! I now see the error of my ways!”

That easy!? Alia was surprised. This Serena-style re-education thing worked!

“Excellent, then you can co to the next training session!” Alia declared.

“Thank you, Assistant Instructor!” Daichi bowed again, his eyes full of genuine appreciation.

“But there’s a condition.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll only help you train if I see you in the lowlands, assisting with the construction work.”

Alia saw Serena bite her tongue in the background. While her girlfriend kept control, Ido and Arin Song laughed loudly. As lowlanders themselves, it must be cathartic to see Alia tease Daichi so much.

And with innocent encounters like that.

A month passed.