A few days ago at Billy Street, Hazel had stepped out of Billy University to pick up a loaf of bread when she caught wind of the latest news about the Villain of Trinity from passersby.
"It is a shame. Emperor Alastair III was also assassinated in the same manner."
"How's that possible? Were they trained from birth? The guards haven't left any room for assassination since Emperor Alastair III died over a century ago. I heard the Royal Family didn't even have the luxury of a normal life."
"This case is more bizarre than I expected. He will be executed in three days, will he not? I cannot wait to see the face of the murderer. May the Goddess have mercy on him."
Hazel wanted to hear more, but the street was too noisy and busy to stand around for long. She'd been preoccupied with her studies lately and had missed what was going on.
Her mates were no different. With the next project on the way, they were just as oblivious to the world. As if none of them existed outside those walls.
A short distance away, a nobleman threw his newspaper into a trash can, and she hurried over to grab it. Many eyes turned her way, but she hardly cared.
The front page of the newspaper bore the image of the Villain of Trinity. The young man who led the Rebellion Army and murdered the royal family. Leomaris Runerth.
"What nonsense. He's the same age as me. How can someone like that lead the Rebellion Army? All these cowards ever do is lie."
Hazel sat with her thoughts for a moment. She knew the name Trinity, but the incident was no less strange. There was no way someone that young could have murdered the whole royal family.
"He became a tutor to the Nova family at eighteen? And even his students say he often preached about Emperor Alastair III's murder. But isn't that all a bit vague to convict someone of such a crime?"
Satisfied with what she'd read, she tossed the paper back where she found it and continued her journey.
"No matter. I will see whether he is truly connected to Lord Trinity when he is executed. No servant of Trinity would die by mere execution."
Soon enough, Hazel was at the bakery and walked out with more than she came for. There was something she might need them for within the next three days.
Her shopping was going smoothly, until it wasn't anymore.
"What is this? Are you one of them? We no longer accept Farthings. Cause any more commotion, and I will report you as being part of the Rebellion Army."
Hazel shook her head in disbelief. The shopkeeper wouldn't stop yapping, all eyes had fallen on her, and today of all days, she was getting more attention than she bargained for.
"For your information, I'm not part of the Rebellion Army. How much did you say these cost? A loaf of bread is two pennies, isn't it? I've got five, so I'll give you ten pennies."
She dug into her pouch and pulled out a number of Crownmark notes, set one on the counter, and requested her balance.
"Crownmark? Are you of noble blood? Don't you have Shillings? Who would buy loaves of bread with Crownmarks? You had better find a noble bakery."
Hazel clicked her tongue in annoyance, snatched her Crownmark note off the counter, and left the Farthing behind.
"I'm done here. You may throw the Farthings away if you don't want them."
The shopkeeper started throwing a tantrum, but she didn't so much as glance his way. Farthings had been the lowest currency for years, up until Emperor Alastair III died and Emperor Vanitas I took the throne. He created new bronze coins, pennies, to replace them.
His reasons were never made clear, but thanks to his unshakable belief in the Insight Goddess, no one dared to question him.
Hazel was well informed about what might be behind Vanitas's measures, but as a fallen noble of Dabria County, none of it was her place anymore, her family had lost that rank when Emperor Alastair III died.
Seeing the news of the Villain of Trinity had brought some lingering hope. She just wished this wasn't an imposter using Lord Trinity's name for their own ends. If the Lord Trinity they served still existed, hope wouldn't even be the word for it.
…
Three days went by in a flash, and Hazel was in the crowd, watching the execution of the Villain of Trinity. To be honest, she was disappointed. For someone wielding the undying hatred of Trinity, he was far too compliant about his own execution.
She couldn't help but believe this was nothing more than a show put on by the highly ranked families that loathed the royal family. Everyone wanted to rule the Kingdom of Culter, after all.
Her expression changed the moment something on the platform caught her eye. Leomaris was tearing through his restraints, forcing himself free from the pillory.
Hazel's mouth parted in shock. While most of the crowd turned and fled, she stood there watching in awe. Leomaris had clearly twisted a few bones from his forceful escape, his posture alone told the story. And yet his anger didn't waver. He charged at those on the platform.
The Villain of Trinity lost his head. Even though Hazel had expected far more from a servant of Trinity, had expected him not to die at all, the courage he showed still left her amazed.
She had wanted something magical, but respect and hope were what she got. It was enough to push her back into something she had long abandoned. A ritual for the Lord Trinity.
Over the next few days, she prepared herself and gathered all her ingredients: three loaves of bread, red powder, and rose candles.
When the time came, she drew a circle with the red powder, forming identical stars in the middle. Even the slightest difference between these three stars would render the ritual a failure. She placed the rose candles at the three edges of each star along with the loaves of bread.
When she was done, she sat at the center of the circle and began reciting the prayers her father had once passed on to her.
"O Lord Trinity, Sovereign of the Veiled Three, hear my humble plea. Draw me into Thy realm of illusion, and grant me leave to serve within Thy sacred circle. Bestow upon me Thy power and Thy sight, that I may walk unseen, yet ever faithful to Thee.
I offer my will, my voice, and my soul — now and forevermore."
Her prayers had barely concluded when a subtle cold breeze forced her eyes open. Her heart rejoiced. She stood in a throne room, and everywhere she looked, portraits of Lord Trinity filled the stained glass around her.
She had practiced this ritual for as long as she could remember, but it had never responded, and now she was ashamed she had given up four years ago.
Her head was still jerking around, taking in the diamond room, when a daunting shadow finally loomed over her. She panicked. The thrill of the ritual being a success had almost made her forget she was in the presence of Lord Trinity.
When she caught a glimpse of who sat on the throne, their presence alone was enough to force her onto one knee. She hadn't expected the Lord of Trinity to look this terrifying.
The Lord's shadow stretched to the ceiling and split into three faces. Not side by side but overlapping, sliding through each other like something alive. She had no words for what she saw. That was enough. She left the rest to her imagination, because looking again wasn't something she could do even if she tried.
"Thank you… for answering my prayers, Lord Trinity."