A Story of Evil

"DAMMIT!" Julia trashed the room. All the books were thrown out of the shelves. A bunch of vase shards lay on a wet floor, with a set of flowers being included. The table and chairs got caught up in her rage as well.

Meanwhile Luz and Olivia were just staring at her from the door of the room. They knew what happens to those who tries reasoning with Julia when she's angry. And they didn't want to be the persons on its receiving end.

That's why they just waited until she exhausted herself. Impressed by the whole thirty minutes of her, continuously cursing and screaming. Something which only stopped when there was nothing to break anymore. With this, she finally sat on a bookshelf lying on the ground.

Her hair was a complete mess. Her brows still furrowed. Sweat ran all around her face and drenched her clothes all the same. Her breathing was still paced but, she was nevertheless on a better state compared to when she started her tantrums.

"This won't do. Get me some new freshmen to beat up." She ordered.

Luz and Olivia exchanged glances – both their faces saying the same thing. With Olivia slightly shaking her head to where Julia was. Luz scratched the back of her head as she took on this offer. Moving close to the number one summoner of the Academy.

The two actually exchanged turns in reasoning with Julia whenever she was pissed off. Unfortunately for Luz, she drew the short stick as Julia's anger was even worse than normal.

"Julia, I need you to calm down first."

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?!?" For a moment Luz thought that Julia would get up again and trash the room even more. Yet as soon as she stood up, the furious student slumped back down again.

"Luz how the fuck can I calm down when that fucking devil is standing in our way?" She said, referring to none other than Lumina. With Luz deciding to keep silent until she saw a window of opportunity to reply. Something which was still not present as Julia continued her complaints.

"God! If it wasn't for the queen adopting her, she would've been killed already."

"Well we can't do anything about her being appointed as the aide to Shadow." Luz said in reply.

"What did you just say?" Luz already thought that she was in trouble – her heart thumping faster as she thought of an excuse out of the situation.

"W-We can't do anything?" Luz said, suddenly unsure of the exact words she just uttered.

"No, the other part." Julia said in reply as Luz scurried through her memories and said:

"She's the aide to Shadow?"

"Yes!" Julia stood up immediately – her hands holding on to her friends shoulders as she added:

"Oh Luz you genius!"

"I am?"

"Well, I'm still a bigger genius of course but...I already have a plan." The expression on Julia's face changed immediately. There was a wide and devilish grin plastered on it as she tied her hair back up in an attempt to look proper.

Luz and Olivia followed Julia's words. Arranging the tables and chairs once again.

They knew exactly what was coming. With all the years that they have been with Julia, they already knew what that expression meant. That someone's life was going to get flipped upside down. Specifically, the devil's child – Lumina.

...

...

...

"The sun's far from setting huh. I should probably grab a bite first." Sol thought to himself as he stood outside the library.

Due to his decision to split work, this also meant that their carriage needed to go through two routes. One being the Academy while the other is the library. The same principle applies going home.

Sol was supposed to wait for everyone to come back from the Academy. This was Lumina's instruction to him, saying that she won't have him loitering around the streets alone. Whether this was because of suspicion or, whether this was for the sake of protection was something Sol didn't bother with. He didn't come there to be friendly with the people after all. He was only there to do the job which King Jubilee gave him.

The only problem was that, the boy also finished earlier than he expected. There wasn't enough time for him to add more information to what he already gathered and, all that was left for that day was to combine his and his allys' findings.

However, the plan quickly changed as a familiar voice called out to him. Screaming his name from within a carriage and catching his attention immediately. He knew who it was without seeing the person. It was Gerard. The same librarian tasked to get Sol permission to enter the Summoning Archives.

"I hope this isn't trouble." Sol thought to himself, waiting for the carriage to stop and open its doors to him. With Gerard coming out of it just as he expected.

"S-Sir Solomon I have news for you." Gerard's tone was shaking and nervous.

"What is it?"

"F-Forgive me sir. I didn't know that it would escalate to this extent. I-If you want to blame anyone, please blame the head librarian."

"So it is bad news." Were the words that ran on Sol's head at that time as he made a deep sigh and patted Gerard's shoulder.

"What's this about?"

"T-The queen..."

Gerard began explaining the things that went on as he performed his task. The first of which is how he arrived at the front of the Archives. There were guards who asked what business he had and, Gerard told the intent of the head librarian.

Under the rules of the domain, the head librarian can endorse a person to enter the Archives. Usually, this goes through a certain degree of profiling in order to ensure that, the one entering doesn't have any ulterior motive going there.

However, as soon as Solomon's name was brought up, the guards went and contacted none other than the queen herself. With the opening of borders, Reoul also ensured that the Archives was protected from the visitors. Thus, anyone from outside the domain had to follow a different procedure. Namely, making this petition directly to the queen. Along with offers that would suffice the grant of passage.

The head librarian forgot about this since it was still a new law. Thus, he was unaware that he placed both Gerard and Sol in jeopardy. With Gerard apologizing after every sentence.

Sol on the other hand had a feeling that something like this might happen. He wasn't accessing any normal place after all. It was basically a storeroom of private and top secret knowledge. That's why he had a bad feeling about it right from the start. And with the outcome turning out as he expected, the boy could do nothing but to follow through with what was happening.

"It's fine you don't have to worry about it." He told Gerard.

"I'm sorry sir."

"Your apology won't do anything in this situation Gerard." Sol said stepping inside the carriage and turning his head to the librarian as he held the door open.

"Just go and rest at your home. I'll handle this." Sol said; finally closing the door as he heard Gerard thanking him for his kindness.

With this, the young paladin was brought back to the castle. On his way, Sol already thought of what he could say to the queen. He thought of the explanations he needed to make and, the possible arguments that may arise.

It wasn't much of a big deal to him. There was no room for overthinking because, Sol knew that the situation wasn't that dire. With how he viewed the queen, he also knew that she won't blow things out of proportion.

She wasn't like King Nova after all. Nor was she like King Sylas or Queen Electra. All of these personalities being known for their strictness in training Titans which, translates greatly to what kind of personality they had and the rulership they held.

That's why Sol had nothing but calm. In fact, even if his normal self wasn't, he would still be so. All because of [Cold Blooded] keeping his head cool and rational. Hence this state was maintained. Even as he entered within the castle grounds. Even as he went through the trunk door. Even with the queen finally in front of him – with her gaze focused on nobody else but the boy.

"Your highness." Sol began, doing the half-kneel custom as the queen told him to be at ease. Making the boy stand straight and look at Queen Reoul.

The sun was already setting behind the ruler of the domain – her shadow stretching to where Sol stood. It was because of this that her presence became larger than it actually was. With Sol suddenly getting an idea that things might not actually go as he planned.

"Your head might be preoccupied if you think about your allies while we talk. So let me first assure you that, I've already sent one of my men to inform of your absence." The queen said as she stood from her chair.

"Understood your highness. Thank you for your generosity." Sol said, bowing his head again.

"I don't want to waste either of our time so shall we start Solomon?"

"As you wish your highness."

"Good. Now follow me." The queen said, opening the large doors behind her office table, with Solomon doing as he was told. Walking out of the queen's shadow and, into the bright yet fading sunset.