Once it was quickly explained that my dolls and I were basically the same individual, I experienced my first rite of imperial hospitality. It was something that Gregori had strongly encouraged me to learn, should any of me be invited into a formal setting involving the empire's nobility. It wasn't exactly the same everywhere as there were of course some regional variants, but the general gist was universal enough to be applicable and respected.

  If this rite wasn't conducted, it was apparently considered a breach of courtesy and a possible act of hostility depending on the preexisting relationships between the individuals in question.

  First, as the host, I brought out a pitcher of wine and poured it out into two cups. One of these was offered to Teodor as lead guest, who drank the liquid along with me at the same time. He started slightly at the smooth taste while I tasted nothing, like always. Next, it was his turn and he brought out a simple leather canteen to pour into the cups. I noticed that it actually held wine- something maybe taken out from the duchy's stockpile? I had been expecting water, but I suppose that showed how seriously they were treating me in this ceremony.

  Had they gone with water, according to the duke, it could be a sign of offense or poverty if the host had offered something far more extravagant in comparison. The interpretation could also be applied the other way around, such as a poor host and an overbearing guest. So I guess I'll be casually offering anybody who drops a bottle of wine on the house, which was fine. Mordred preferred beer anyhow.

  Hm, but that could get a little stale and old. Maybe I really should investigate what sorts of other spirits I could make in time.

  Ah, right, Teodor had drunk and was looking at me just standing there thinking. I quickly downed his offering too and immediately, the guests relaxed a fair bit. Now that drinks had been shared, the rules of hospitality applied, which involved neither host nor guest starting any troubles once this exchange was complete. To do so was considered to be a grievous dishonor, the likes of which could escalate from the snubbing of during the act into legitimate reasons for war.

  Nobles really took these pledges of safety quite seriously, and I was actually glad for it. So long as one's word still meant something, honest agreements could be reached. That was part of being an adventurer after all.

  Once the family reunion was complete, the bodyguards who accompanied the heir and the acolyte were shown to some guest rooms by Frie, who naturally had changed into a maid now. I absolutely delighted their flustered faces when they realizing my doll looked great with either pants or skirts. Hehe, Kai would be so proud, then probably demand I do makeup next. I don't think I'm quite at that level though.

  While the retinue relaxed and freshened up, I invited the main members of House Cordis to partake in a light meal in my great hall. Mordred was there too, eating a second meal too from the wildlife which attacked them on the way here. Quickly, Teodor and Vio were swiftly filled in on what I had already shared with Gregori and Petula so that we were basically all on the same page. The duke's son was first to pledge his support too for this partnership, guaranteeing that whenever he inherited Gabion, he would continue to support my workshop.

  His sister though, Vio, had a much more visceral reaction.

  "You're from the era of Lighthouse?!" she sputtered, looking more like a flustered girl than older spellcaster in that moment. "I'm sorry, but that's quite the claim! And to know personally the Ten Lights at that, it's ridiculous!"

  "It's up for you to believe or not," I calmly mentioned with a shrug. "I only speak what I know. For me, Lighthouse was a guild where the most prominent members were known as the Ten Lights. They weren't gods- just adventurers. People almost like your mercenaries of today, but quite different at the same time.

  "So imagine my surprise then to learn that Lighthouse was now apparently a story, and the Ten Lights, my friends, deities." A soft exhale escape my lips. "That's why I had requested the story of Lighthouse as payment. I want to know how and why things have become this way."

  "A-ah. Ahem." The vampire mage pursed her lips. "I suppose it would make sense there would be some confusion. But when I said Lighthouse was an epic, I really meant it. It's a story taken from an era long before us, about a time when the world was apparently so much different, to the point of disbelief. It begins with a tale of the three kingdoms in trouble, and the rise of heroes to combat a growing evil…"

  As Vio narrated, I realized something. This epic: it was a retelling of the story of FLOW through its lifespan! It started exactly the way I remembered how the launch day content was, then actually continued on through the expansions I knew all too well. From the floating islands of the nomadic sky people with their airships to the rise of the vampire counts, from the fight to dismantle an empire at war to the travels across the world, and so, so much more.

  Then came the big one. Harbinger.

  And it was here, the epic took quite an interesting twist. "And so, through their efforts and the prayers of the world, the heroes commenced the ancient ritual to summon the Ten Lights to this world to defeat the arriving evil. In their success, they disappeared and vanished from the land- never to be seen again. Some say that the Ten Lights have simply usher their loyal followers to the heavens of their rightful rest. Others though?" She gave a small smile. "They say heroes shall return once again, when the world calls for them once more."

  All heads promptly turned to me and I held up my hands. "I just woke up from a very long nap, that's all," I sheepishly told with a shake of my head. "And I'm pretty sure it's just me. But I'm actually interested, it sounds like the Ten Lights descended to fight Harbinger? Was that it?"

  "Was that the evil's name? Gods, the very mention makes me shiver," Petula muttered.

  Her aunt continued on over her. "While I'm not an expert from the church, Magia had plenty of scholarly debate with them, enough for me to pick up that there is a sincere belief among some that it is very literal. There have been mentions of the Ten descending time and time again through their texts, even one before the era of Lighthouse."

  Hm. I wished Joan was here so that she could say. Despite Mikel having been a paladin, he'd never been actually big on the religious aspects of it all when it was mostly flavoring. Gah, to think that would come back to bite me back one day.

  Though if it were true, and my friends could appear before me, I was going to demand a lot of things. Namely, why the heck they had let the world come to this! And why did they become gods I guessed. Was it so much better than the free-spirited adventurers we had been?

  If so, does it come with any actual benefits?

  I shook off those musings and noticed my guests looking at me expectantly. Ah, I supposed they'd like a bit more from me about the epic I was just told. "So those heroes- they were adventurers," I revealed with a hum. "The same sort that Kuch and Mordred are. So too were the Ten Lights. They were just the most prominent adventurers of the day who defeated Harbinger, without intervention from the divine."

  Now their expectant gazes turned into very uncomfortable fidgeting like before. "I have already said that this is information that must be kept close to the chest," Gregori declared and looked at the rest of his family. "See to it that it remains so. Too many would have ill will or intent to Noel should the truth ever come out."

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "They might even do so if their existence becomes quite common knowledge," Teodor morosely pointed out, putting a hand to his lips in thought. "We must carefully watch who interacts with the Puppet Atelier, and safeguard it even. With your permission, of course."

  "I don't mind. I mean, I know I'll definitely be safe so long as I have either Kuch or Frie with me- but I'd like even more to expand my reach too." Kuch was present and leaned in so that I could tap on my other self's face for emphasis. "Do you think you lot have or seen any clay of this quality? Long shot, but I figured I might as well ask."

  They all shook their heads and I grimaced. A pity, as I was worried my dragon blood stock might be getting stale and that taken from a frozen body left alone in a cave was unfortunately likely not going to be better. I might have to make my next doll with an alternative type of blood if I couldn't find kaolin clay soon.

  My mind flashed to the great sky spruce in the deep woods, and I considered if perhaps tree sap could be blood in another way. A thought for later.

  "Perhaps it would be best for us to situate a guard until you would have another dedicated doll to protect yourself?" Gregori suggested. "I could think of a few tight-lipped relatives who would gladly do so."

  "A kind offer, though Frie is basically already my full time bodyguard. Though they might depart for a brief period to investigate something." I posed another question. "Tell me, Miss Vio. Those floating islands in Lighthouse, had they ever been sighted again in this world."

  "To the best of my knowledge, no. Whatever for?"

  "Ah, just wanted to investigate something. I'm guessing then that 'guns' mean nothing to you all," I mused aloud, only for Teodor to start unexpectedly. That definitely hadn't been expected and even his father seemed to look on in surprise.

  "Father, do you not remember when we were taken to tour the imperial collection?" he asked, tapping a finger on the table. "Among the relics, there was one such device labeled so. It was said to be a dangerous weapon of the past, now completely nonfunctional. Experts have tried and failed to understand its workings."

  "Hm. Now that you've jogged my mind, I do suppose I recall something of that description."

  "Oh?" How curious, though also slightly perplexing. I gestured and Frie brought out some paper. "Would you mean sketching it for me?"

  "I'll do my best. Father, while I do so, allow me to recant what has been going on in Gabion and her neighbors since you have arrived here for treatment..."

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  "This is most disconcerting," Gregori considered, brow furrowing in thought. "To think that one man's ambition had plunged the region into chaos." He supposed he was then right in a way- Eifer had indeed the talent to shape the era.

  Just in a way that was catastrophic for all, as this western region of the empire had never been plunged into chaos like this before. No, that was false. It had once, in the first fall of House Cordis. "To think we would almost return to the days of when our house was first decimated."

  "Oh?" Noel asked, reminding them all that they were present. "I don't think I've ever heard about this."

  "Ah, then I suppose I'll talk about it as well." Vio cleared her throat, easily slipping back into being an acolyte of Magia for telling history. "It actually also relates to the ruins of the mining town you had found. In a time before the empire's arrival in the region, our ancestors had lived and worked this land. However, a tide of monsters had then abruptly emerged and swept us all away, destroying all in their wake. Only at where Gabion is now had our ancestors manage to finally bottleneck and hold.

  "After the tide had broken, they had thought it all over and move to reestablish their lost territory, starting with a prosperous mining settlement. However, they had been mistaken and paid for when that was drowned in the next tide- Gabion once again being the only place where they had held to break the flow. From then on, the lesson had been well-learned and construction of the wall began, the survivors forming in House Cordis to devote themselves to protecting against this unstoppable flood.

  "A few generations passed when other powers in the region had begun to consolidate, marking borders, and wondering if they could perhaps take a little extra more. Back then, none knew how critical House Cordis had been for the region's safety, and had mistaken them as simply another actor then. One whom seemed to be devoted to something they'd never seen, only heard about- and assumed it to be nothing they themselves couldn't handle

  "So they gad collaborated and, in a coalition, moved to conquer and partition Gabion. So outwardly were our ancestors looking that they hadn't realize the threat until it was too late. The duchy had been seized and split among the conquerors. House Cordis had been dissolved and forced to flee their home, splitting to not be hunted down."

  The vampire woman paused there to request a drink for her parched throat. Once Frie provided some refreshment, Vio continued. "However, contrary to what they had thought, the new rulers of Gabion could not hold back the tide. The next one crashed into them and they had buckled and broke. Without the wall holding back any longer, monsters had then poured out into the region to wreck untold devastation. Some called it punishment from the Ten for their greed; others believed it be proof that the land had been cursed. Nobody knew.

  "However, this chaos meant it had been a ripe time for the Kerezim Empire to march in. With their legions, they had pushed back and cleared out the tide back to Gabion, reestablishing the lost noble families and titles. Their efforts had been greatly aided by members of the fallen House Cordis, who had then earned a boon from the emperor in the form of restoring their house and placing it under imperial protection- so long as they were truly committed to facing only the monsters from the west, any act against them from their neighbors would be severely punished.

  "Due to needing to appease these neighbors though, concessions had to be made for the sake of peace and the Duchy of Gabion, while reestablished, had become smaller than it had used to be. Once this arrangement had been settled upon though, peace had finally returned to the region- barring of course, the monster tides that continued on." The vampire then gave a pointed look at Noel. "Well, until now, I suppose."

  "And House Cordis has never wavered since?" Noel asked, an unusually nostalgic look on their face. "Never once thought about abusing the imperial mandate to make some sneaky conquests?"

  "Never," declared both the duke and his heir, proudly and without compromise. "The founder of our line was known for selfless devotion and unwavering duty. It has become our pride and joy to serve."

  "Hah. I can tell you that she'd be incredibly embarrassed, but proud of you all then. I can't think of any better legacy she'd love to leave behind- except maybe asking for some more flowers in your castle."

  A heartbeat passed, then all gathered of House Cordis exploded at the implication. "You know of our line's founder?!" Petula wheezed quite unladylike, on the verge of hyperventilating. "Our lineage goes all the way back to an acquaintance of the Ten Lights-?!"

  "Oh, more than that. She had been a member of Lighthouse too, at the end of the day, and had been one of my dearest companions. In fact, would you like to pay your respects to her now?"

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