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OW: ASA - CH 96.5 - Interlude 5 - Investment
🕑 Added 2025-01-24 06:33:13 +0000 UTCA/N: Hello!!!! Be very proud of me, I braved the wintery conditions of my living room in order to edit this. Also, this was mostly written while I was burrowed under six feet of blankets during the Great Florida Freeze.
Pls don't complain that it's short. The POV Character is my least favorite I've ever done and it was very taxing to write her.
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Interlude 5
Investment
Fall of Autumn, Week 4, Day 1
In the Duchy of Dawn, all was not right. And Countess Mallorica Dawn, the Duchess of Dawn, [Lady of Red Daybreak], did not know how to fix it.
On one hand, her heir apparent was brash, dumb, and disliked by his peers. Her oldest child hardly entered Twilight more than once a week —-insanity when compared to her own average of once a day. The boy was also dismally under-leveled, only just closing in on Tiering up by his coming of age. Yet again, incomparable to Mallorica herself, who had accepted her 2nd Tier at the age of 15 after braving an expedition to the Atelien mountain range in the dead of Winter. The boy will amount to nothing. He will do what is required of him and no more. Will the Duchy survive his rule? Likely. Will the Duchy thrive throughout it? There was a higher likelihood of Troya unfurling from the Red Sun.
Eventually, one of his siblings will surpass him —either legitimately or by force. In the worst-case scenario, he will die, much like Mallorica’s aunts and uncles had at her father’s hand. In the best case, he will be shipped off to the most dangerous dens in the land, forced to hide his discontent until it consumes his very being. And then he will do something stupid because he never was very bright. Thus, he will die anyway—a useless heir.
Then, there was her ambitious eldest daughter. She certainly could have the power to rule the Dawn. If only the child would agree to a lateral Class progression upon Tiering up. Which the girl had assured Mallorica she would never do. This meant no amount of recommendations from Adeline’s Magic Tower, whether it be from a mere scribe or the Master of the Tower themself, could change the fact that she was permanently and irrefutably destined to be a branch family member. She can excel in etiquette all she wants, but she will be nothing more than a servant to the Head of House —whichever of her siblings it winds up becoming. She will be relegated to side businesses, granted lands hardly befitting an actual Countess, and likely forced to the frontlines of the next war. And then she will die, because she is a [Young Lady] meant for high society and dangerless expeditions no matter her Class. Yet again, useless.
Next, there was her perfect child. Well-liked, intelligent, had a perfectly respectable [Uncommon] Class. Mallorica frowned at the thought of her middle son.
He had grown rebellious in recent months. Every act of compliance malicious. From his studious nature, which he had taken and weaponized against his instructors —forcing them to listen to his own tirades on the subject they have claimed mastery over. To his Class progression, which he so diligently worked on to the point of missing etiquette lessons and socials. Perhaps she could force his positive compliance. She could show him what he would be throwing away if he didn’t have the Dawn name to provide him with all the opportunity a child could desire. Alternatively, she mused, she could give him more importance. She could show him what it means to wield power over the masses, whether they be freshly Awakened babes or seasoned veterans. He was still young. Still fresh from his own Slumber. He was not useless yet.
Mallorica paused in her rumination and turned her chair to face an overly tall filing cabinet. She tapped the wood lightly with her index finger, the slow vibration of her mana running through her as she funneled it into the locking mechanism. Pulling open a drawer, her hands moved with the surety of someone who knew what they would find.
Within her hands was a file, a rust-red folder containing a small stack of documents. Most were letters addressed to Countess Mallorica Dawn. These letters possessed two seals. The first, and most prominent, of which was a white wax seal embossed with the iconography of two doves carrying a single dagger between them. That was the seal of the Queendom —typically found on matters the Queen had approved of personally. To the bottom of the envelopes, nearly in the bottom right corner, was a seal made up of colorless wax. Inside said wax was a single gemstone, pressed dead center into the seal yet still reflecting rainbows across the paper. Thus, the second seal, while smaller, was of no less importance. It was the symbol of the Callistan Empire.
Mallorica knew what was inside. The Emperor Emeritus of the Callistan Empire was seeking a chance to educate the youth of Maeve and give guidance in good faith, all in the name of diplomatic relations. The Queen had asked Mallorica to consider who they should send. In other words, the Emperor Emeritus, despite stepping away from the Crown, has taken it upon himself to secure a hostage from Maeve under the guise of an official apprenticeship. And the Queen, shrewd as ever, has asked Mallorica to provide the ideal spy.
‘Two birds, one stone,’ as the saying goes.
Dropping the file on her desk, Mallorica had an ugly smile on her face. It was too wide and with too many teeth. The smile was a thing of satisfaction and distaste both. It did, however, reach her eyes.
It was as Mallorica was penning a letter to the Queen’s attendant handling the matter of the Callistan Empire that her mind began to wander again. The Countess, Overseer of the West, had nearly forgotten what had forced her to think about her three eldest children.
She had received word that the fourth child would be arriving at her destination. The one with potential and problems both. Not quite useless, but certainly not useful.
Signing her name, Mallorica huffed a laugh.
The girl was in for a rude awakening if she thought that she would be continuing to disgrace the Dawn name in Fellan. Mallorica had given her aide a single directive.
‘Teach her what it means to be too busy to breathe.’
Months that child had rotted in Mallorica’s manor. Months she had rejected what it means to be a Dawn. Months she locked herself away, for what had been assumed to be a subpar Awakening. But those whose Affirmations blind are not cursed with [Common] Classes. Thus, for months she had deceived Mallorica.
Mallorica had not questioned why her timid, brainless daughter had sequestered herself away. Had not thought the answer would be meaningful. Thus she had cast her aside. Did not even offer her a path to leading the Dukedom. Mallorica thought back to that stilted conversation all those weeks ago.
She had not even offered her a place in the Dusk. Or in the main family. No. Mallorica had told her she would serve as a mere noble. Or be sent to join the Conclave. Both of which would remove her from the line of succession. She would keep her name, but were she to marry she could never pass it on. She would grow, but only enough to serve others born to lesser fates.
It was almost comical how, after the girl’s Affirmation, Mallorica had rushed to have Fellan become a source of true potential. Originally, she had assigned a few lower members of each institution to instruct the child. Mallorica was not even sure if she would authorize the use of Twilight.
However, a child so Divine could not be left to wither.
She could not be given the option to fester.
It was a funny thing to Mallorica. How the worst of her brood by far would receive the most of her investment.
The girl would receive access to Twilight. She would get educators skilled and Skilled. She would be pushed to breaking. But, out of all that, Mallorica was sure the child would hate one thing the most.
Eunora would receive Mallorica’s attention.
Comments
RubbrChickn
I think that she simply doesn't like Eve's class for a duchesse of Dawn, wants her to choose a different type of class at tier up instead of going further down her current path.
RubbrChickn
Eve might be a natural choice as she as fine etiquette and, aside from changing her class to something better befitting a Dawn, I think she might be eager to prove her self.
RubbrChickn
There are some interesting options here. From a writing/reading perspective Eunora is most likely going to be sent to Calsta as the most exciting choice, but let's see...
Gopard
Thanks for the chapter! Wait... The Countess doesn't know about Eve's class??? Am I hearing this correctly? How is that possible... Either Oberon wasn't lying (which we know is not it because he was killed for lying by the GODDESS OF TRUTH) or Eve IS a "lady of Monsters" but IF she is one... HOW can "Lady Dawn" NOT know??? Like seriously. Am I missing something apart from her being a dumb cold bitch? ANYTHING "Oberon knew" should be something she knows as well. So I really cannot understand her complaining about her "perfect eldest daughter with a boring uncommon class"??? Ah I just realised I missread the chapter... Mallorica knows what her class is but if you don't essentially change that class a lot during tier up you can't rule a House apparently? And I really hope she doesn't ship of Nora to be the spy. I mean I think its all but impossible as she is known to be uncooperative with them... So maybe the other protagonist xD? It could make sense to as a way to spite Nemo choose their newest child as someone to be sent as a hostage to the Empire right? But again since they wanna send the Spy that's also unlikely lol!
Allora Lee
When Twilight was introduced, there was a key she needed. Also, without Gristle giving her said key and showing her where twilight is, she likely would have had to rely on [Otherworldly] to lead her to a fated interaction.
Apoca
I'm not sure if she could have forbidden her access to Twilight. Based on the texts it seems like her Divinity would have granted access either way. And she have the stealth skill to reach it
Earth Grumble
Hrrm, with that in mind it does give you some tools to play with…private vs formal…..small vs large…Dunkin vs Krispy Kreme.
Allora Lee
I’ve been thinking about this a bit today. I think the reason she might feel small here is because we are seeing her in a small moment. Not only is she acting small in her analysis of her children, but she’s also performing a small duty. She’s writing a letter. But is it really a small thing to ship a child off across the continent on behalf of the Queen of Maeve? Or is it that to her it’s small and so we, as observers to her life, feel it is small as well?
Allora Lee
I turned off the filtering, so it shouldn't happen again haha It just got flagged by the site not by me!!!
LadyLark
Ah. I see your comment. I didn’t realize my comment would be taken badly. Apologies.😅
Earth Grumble
Yep, I can feel the(your) pain in this chapter. Mrs Dawn felt like a much larger person in the beginning chapters …yes you were gone so long I re-read everything. …nearly twice. She feels small here. Could be me, but she feels very secretarial here. Thanks for the chapter though…stay warm…don’t drive anywhere…people don’t know how to drive in winter south of the mason dixon line.
Grumlen
On one hand I can appreciate how her primary concern is the county, and ensuring that her successor is capable. On the other hand her refusal to understand her children will ruin everything for her, and she will deserve it.
Allora Lee
@LadyLark I need you to know your comment of “That woman is an idiot” is TRUE and VALUED, but apparently I had comment filtering on and Patreon said “nope!! Negativity!!! Bad!!” Anyway it was hidden, I turned of the filtering, it stayed hidden lol
Allora Lee
Thanks I hate her!!!
JennP
Yikes
