Epic Of The Demonic Sage

Viscountess Blackshield stared at the sight before her as she listened to Asher's words.

It was almost a childish thing to do something like this in front of her, stacking glasses when one wrong move could lead to everything shattering in front of them.

The mess would be something hard for the servants to take care of, and yet Asher's words and acts somehow managed to get a hold of Viscountess Blackshield's mind.

The image of her son, as a baby, playing with building blocks flashed through her head.

A memory of simpler times where she held her son and soon slowly watched him grow up little by little, holding his hand in hers. They coursed through her mind like an all too familiar melody.

It was something that made her heart ache once again.

'Is this truly something one can even open up with to others? If one shares what's on their mind, it will all be too untidy and a mess that I do not think many will even find themselves capable of handling it, much less desire to.' Viscountess Blackshield thought.

"Please be careful. It will be a lot to clean up if everything falls, Young Lord Asher," Viscountess Blackshield murmured.

"Of course, I will fix this immediately, Viscountess Blackshield. You need not worry." Lucius said. He had already started to put the glasses back down on the table and into their rightful places.

However, Lucius glanced at Viscountess Blackshield and noticed that she was lost in thought again. His words were able to hit their mark precisely.

'Far better for it to be acknowledged now and let her consider that it is worth opening up to someone. The chances of being treated like a surrogate son are something I do not wish to play upon for the Viscountess. Her pain is usable, but if allowed to linger too much will become something more of a nuisance. She cannot become too distraught.' Lucius thought.

After a couple of minutes, Lucius decided to change the topic at last and went for a smile as he glanced at Count Gabriel and Viscount Felldan in the distance.

"Viscountess, may I perhaps ask you what your thoughts were on the previous battle against Viscount Drew?"

Viscountess Blackshield looked at Asher in surprise, but happy to focus on something else. "You wish to know what I thought of it? But the battle has already been won, Young Lord Asher. I do not think it's necessary to dwell on something that's already finished."

"I find myself once again disagreeing with you, Viscountess. There is a lot one can learn from one's past and it is why I wish to seek for your observation."

"Even when everything has ended in the total victory of the Inanis family?"

"Yes, even the most perfect of plans and attempts at battle will have their own trials and troubles. Even back then, some things happened that I did not wish for to happen."

"For example, not knowing the exact amount of people in Viscount Drew's army?" Viscountess Blackshield raised a brow.

"Indeed, if we had known beforehand, then there would have been more preparations. It would have been nice for no soldiers to have lost their lives and so this is where perhaps you may have insights into Viscountess. As I said before, each one of us has something to contribute, as we are all part of the Land of Etara," Lucius said.

"Indeed, you have mentioned that." Viscountess Blackshield nodded.

"However, since you are not most interested in it, perhaps let me just ask you another question instead, Viscountess. What do you yourself specialize in?"

Viscountess Blackshield chuckled at last and looked carefully at Asher. She didn't think it was apt to suddenly think of Viscount Felldan, but the way Asher spoke with her somehow reminded her of the man.

Luckily, it was not in the same feeling or else she would have not allowed Asher to sit in the first place.

"It seems like you have heard of what I do, Young Lord Asher. I also participate in battles," Viscountess Blackshield said.

"Yes, I have heard of them."

"Then it seems like you must have heard my reputation for violence as well."

"I have indeed heard of those things, but on the contrary, I do not think that you are all that violent as they make it out to be," Lucius said. "The fact that I am able to sit down here with you and enjoy a conversation is something that proves otherwise, does it not?"

"I'm afraid that the rumors are all correct, Young Lord Asher. What they speak about me being violent is true and while it does not apply to me now that we are situated in a banquet place, know that I am quite bloodthirsty when it comes to situations where I am allowed to act to what I desire," Viscountess Blackshield said.

Lucius looked at the Viscountess and realized that it must have been the longest thing that he had ever heard from the Viscountess since they'd actually started to talk.

This was something that she truly thought and believed in.

'When something happens to a person, whether good or bad, they end up forming an identity to explain things simpler. For things with negative impact, the identity now acts as some kind of buffer and shield… almost too uncanny now that I'm dealing with Viscountess Blackshield.'

Without Asher speaking back to Viscountess Blackshield in regards to what she said, the older woman took a sip of her drink and placed it down.

"It is a little hard to believe perhaps, but what they say about me is accurate. The few joys that I experience in this life now are the thrill of a battle and so even things like managing and running my territory is nothing more but a chore that I attend to," Viscountess Blackshield admitted. "I would have loved to skip this banquet, but it is expected for everyone who supports Count Gabriel to come here and so I am present, but know that I would have preferred to be anywhere else but here."