Volume 1

  In an extravagant vacation home within the bustling Capital, was a Knight, nervously and anxiously tapping his shoulder. His body is dressed in active wear and in an outfit made to be easy to move on. He sighed impatiently, gazing down at a small brown haired girl, who’s maid skirt was scrunched up between her fingers, and her lips quivering from the next few words that were about to be spoken.

  “Miss Teresa,” The Knight exhaled, he leaned down and met his eyes with that of the maid’s. “May I ask where Our Lady has decided to run off to this time?”

  “Sir Asher, I swear, I know nothing about My Lady’s sudden absence.” She took her gnce away from him and the menting Knight stretched his back as he pondered how to make this girl spill her secrets. “I am but a mere maid, after all.”

  He, The Knight, Asher Lewis, was the personal guard set to the only daughter and heir of the title of Grand Duke of Ramirez, the Golden Tiger of the Empire, and the richest family in the country. He was given this role by his father, Marquis Lewis, who served as one of the Duke’s close vassals.

  In front of him, was his friend and personal maid of the young tigress, Teresa Montgomery, who’s served the Lady ever since she was a child, starting off as her pymate before settling as her maid as her noble family usually does one of the other Vassals of the Grand Duke.

  “Teri, the Duchess is sure to give me an earful shall she figure out that her Daughter has gone and ran off—” Asher winced. “Albeit we did already expect such from her.”

  “My heart is pure, oh kind knight.”

  “Your heart shall be turned bck if not by me but by Her Grace, whose anger is sure to make even the wyrms of the West squeal in fear.” He walked up to her and held her hand, squeezing it between his. “By the goddess, Teresa, I know you helped her out.”

  “You're gonna rat me out aren't you…”

  “It’s either my head or yours, O’ Dear Friend.”

  “Haaaah…” Teresa slipped her hands out of his and covered her face. “Indeed, I simply distracted the guards as she slipped out the window.”

  “Of course, she goes by the window.” A faint smile forms on his lips.

  “Afterwards, she ran off to town with some pocket money.” Teri shrugged. “At least, that's what she told me.”

  Asher patted her head as a gesture of gratitude and the maid looked down in embarrassment. “I’ll go look for her—try to keep face here as long as you can.”

  “Who do you take me for?” Teri’s cheeks were red from the sweet action of the Knight.

  He smiled and walked out of the grandiose golden bedroom in search of the Lady, hoping to find her—well—before the Duchess could.

  Where could she be?

  If the thought has also now piqued your interest, it soon shall be answered quite ceremoniously as a brown skinned girl, with pitch bck hair, and dark eyes skipped herself down the streets of the Empire's Capital, Liones. The seemingly pin looking girl wearing a drab ragged blouse and skirt, giggly ran through the crowds,l with exceptionally cheer as she tried to blend in with the commoners.

  This was obviously the noble daughter of the Grand Duke Ramirez and the young tigress of the Duchy. Lady Alejandra Taylor Azarol Ramirez, the schorly, quick-witted, athletic, and talented heir to the seat of the Golden Tiger.

  She stopped her gawking to sniff the smoky skewers that emanated from the grill at one of the stalls. A woman was busy fanning the fmes and putting some gze on the barbecue to notice the young girl approaching.

  “Hello there!” The giddy 19 year old Noble dy spoke to the seller. “How much for these?”

  “Uhhh…” The Seller blinked a bit, noticing the girl’s fair skin, pretty eyes, and unblemished face. “My, aren't you a pretty doll?”

  “I know.” She grinned.

  “Only 2 coppers a piece for a sweet gal like you.” The seller offered and the girl quickly agreed and handed the money. Only the money was 10 times more than the actual price.

  The Seller nervously stared at the two pieces of silver in her palms as she scratched her head with the other hand. “Young girl, I don't have change for these, I’m afraid.”

  “It is quite alright, miss!” Alejandra smiled from ear to ear. “I owe you one!”

  “What?”

  The girl didn't bother replying as she snatched the skewers from the woman’s grasp and continued on with her lovely stroll on the capital streets. She took a bite of the meat—-it wasn't as tender as she hoped it’d be, in fact, it was kind of burnt, but even so—-nothing beats the taste of normalcy.

  “Finally, I can rex.” She sighed as she leaned on one of the buildings to take a break. “Inside that mansion is nothing but suffocating air and annoying guards. I’ll have to give Teri a reward for helping me out.”

  Lady Alejandra was the heir of the Eastern Duchy, the Duchy next to the sea, the rgest port in the continent, and also the trading capital of the Empire. The Grand Duke not only being the richest man in the country but also boasts a rge control over the trade routes and tolls within the country, giving him significant power compared to the rest of the nobles.

  The Ramirez Duchy, holding such power, are often invited to spend a month or so in the Capital in order to conduct certain business endeavors and as such, The Grand Duke and Duchess carry along their daughter to experience the Capital and learn more about the businesses and her inheritance.

  That Daughter—a genius in the field of business—is the excitable next in line for the family.

  The vassals find her very promising if not only for her—

  “WHICH OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLAY A GAME!?” Two rge men carried down a table and a nky man stood in front of it, he was also the one yelling out the offers. “Take a bet! 3 gold! Win and you double your money!”

  The others around them started whispering and moving away from the suspicious group. “So clearly rigged.” They said, “Completely a scam.” They said, “No one's stupid enough to actually believe them.” They said as they sighed and ignored the invitations.

  “I’LL TAKE THAT BET!” Lady Alejandra proudly decred.

  To continue the statement earlier—The vassals would find her very promising if not for her absolute recklessness.

  The crowd snapped their heads at her, wondering who's the sad dy that's about to get scammed. Their heads hung in pity and their gazes filled with mild empathy.

  Alejandra was a troublemaker or more like a trouble chaser. Everywhere she went she got herself in various complications and disasters. Often beled as a prodigy, many would not expect that such a dy is also quite—well—stupid.

  Despite her remarkable skill in the disciplines of business. Decisive, Kind when she can yet cruel when she has to, and stly capable. She has the qualities you would expect from a complete Mary Sue—it’s simply just—she’s just very stupid sometimes.

  “What's the rules!?” Alejandra crossed her arms in pride as she stood in front of the table. The two giant men raised their eyebrows at this pretty peasant girl who seemed idiotic enough to take this desperate scam.

  “Well young miss!” The nky dealer revealed three cups and one gold coin. He pced it all down the table with one of the cups covering the coin. He then shuffled the cups around and pyed with the coin by switching it between the containers.

  Alejandra was a swordswoman just as much as she was a businesswoman. She was confident in her ability to catch exactly where the coin would go.

  Does she have a pn in case she doesn't?

  Of course not!

  Does she have the money to complete the three gold payment?

  She just checked and…

  Of course not!

  One of the giant men coughed and her eyes gnced at the guy seeing the man's gruntled face taking a breath.

  She could back away any time she wanted, she had no way to pay shall she lose—but she made herself the center of attention so she had to commit to it now. Her lips quivered in anxiety but she shook it off. There was no way she could lose a game of skill.

  There was just no way.

  “So ma’am where is it?” The dealer had a crooked smirk as he gestured with his hands.

  Alejandra was certain. Quite completely sure. It was definitely—

  “The middle one!” She pointed.

  An excited cackle escaped the dealer's lips as he lifted the cup to reveal the non-existence of a coin. “Unfortunately, there's nothing here, miss.”

  “Wha—No way! You cheated!” Alejandra compined. She was putting on a bluff of course, she didn't actually think they cheated—-even though they did—but she doesn't know that, she was simply a sore loser.

  “You ck proof, miss.” The dealer leaned back and ughed. “So about that gold?” He smiled.

  “Hahahaha…” A nervous ugh. “I’ll just go…get it?” She tiptoed away.

  “Oi.” The dealer’s face twisted into a scorn. The two men pced their hands on the rge swords at their hip. “Ain't runnin out on us now aren't ya?”

  “Nooooo~ Nooo~ I’m definitely not. I’m not gonna risk making Dumb and Dumber over there mad hahahaha… ” She pointed towards the two rge men as she nodded along. “I’m just getting my money—-promise.”

  “You two.” The dealer clicked his tongue. “Get the wench.”

  “Fuck.” She sprinted like a marathon runner. She had no way to fight without her sword and she sure as hell ain't trying to do hand to hand in public. The Lady Alejandra, Heiress to the Richest Duchy, is now running away from a gambling debt.

  “CRAP! CRAP! CRAP!” She pushed along the crowd and down the alleys squeezing into any crevice that could possibly help her lose the two gigantic 2 and a half meter tall men running after her. “WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS!”

  Her offer was met by a wooden chair thrown to her location.

  “ACK!” Alejandra yelped, stepping away from the projectile. “Now that's just rude.” She gnced at the shattered wooden pieces next to her.

  “KILL HER!” Growled one of the men as he pointed his sword at her.

  “GIRLS USUALLY PREFER A SWEET CONVERSATION OVER TEA!!!” Alejandra cowered as she snuck inside a smaller pathway beside the rger road.

  She hid behind a wooden fence propped up at one of the alleyways. She heard the footsteps turn away and she let out a sigh of relief. “Phew.” She started walking away when behind her the fence she was hiding on, broke apart in an explosion as one of the scammers chasing her smashed through it.

  “You have got to be kidding me.” She squeaked as she pepped up her step once more and ran as fast as her body would let her.

  “COME HERE!” The man yelled like the roar of a bear as he charged directly at her.

  “WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME!” She panicked. “TERI! ASHER! IS THIS MY KARMA?!!!” Alejandra pleaded to the heavens for an escape. “GODDESS IF YOU'RE REAL AND YOU LOVE ME, PLEASE HELP ME!!!”

  She ran through the bustling streets and sneaked around the groups of people trying to find a pce to hide again for the time being. She tiptoed speedily down the cobblestone path as something caught her senses.

  “Psst! Hey you!” A sweet voice called from one of the houses.

  “Huh?”

  “You coming or not?” A hand stretched out of one of the windows.

  “Where is she!?” Alejandra heard the voices of the men chasing her getting closer. “I’ll twist her neck when I find her.”

  “So?” The hand was expressive in its sassiness.

  “Alright, mysterious hand of unknown origin. I’ll trust you.” She grasped it and it yanked her inside the house just as the giant men turned to the corner to where they would've seen her.

  “Ow! That really hurt, damnit.” The voice compined as Alejandra ended up crashing onto her saviour instead of nding gracefully inside the room.

  “Well I’m sorry, I did not expect to be suddenly pulled in like a ragdoll.” Alejandra spat back. She felt the cushion of where she nded, it was soft, and it smelled good. She opened her eyes and realized she had nded on a girl with red hair.

  She pushed herself away from her as the girl who had saved her regained her posture. “I felt like I was hit by an orc.”

  Somehow, the young dy didn't know whether she should be offended or not.

  Alejandra gnced at her saviour and her mouth almost dropped agape. The woman in front of her looked gorgeous, if not the most gorgeous being she's ever seen. She had flowy crimson red hair, emerald green eyes, a freckled nose and cheeks, and a gaze that seemed to draw Alejandra closer to her.

  She was small, well not that small, but still fairly short. She was soft and she smelled of roses. The dy could not believe that such a horribly beautiful girl would be but a peasant before her right now. She could easily rival those of various royal princesses and noble dies.

  Alejandra couldn't stop herself from blushing. Anyone would upon witnessing something so amazing with her two eyes.

  “Yes, I know I’m pretty, now can you stop staring?” The girl rolled her eyes but a smile formed in her lips.

  “Thank you…by the way—call me…uhhhh, Taylor.” Alejandra introduced herself. That name was special. ‘Taylor’ was the name she could use shall she ever seek a normal life, as her Father said. It is a name that she wouldn't tell most people but she feels like it's better than introducing herself as the Daughter of a powerful noble and she was saved by this girl after all.

  “Maddison.” Her voice was light. Alejandra noticed this when she spoke earlier but the girl—well—Maddison’s voice sounded very delicate and gentle while also having a sort of stern tone to it. Alejandra frowned—it reminded her of her mother's tone.

  “You saved me from those guys.. phew—I feel bad for running away though.” The Lady stood up and offered her hand to the girl who still sat on the floor. She briefly thought that the girl's name felt familiar.

  “It's nothing…also those guys run a business that involves tricking people. You don't have to feel bad for them.” She sounded more annoyed than anything.

  “Wait—trick?”

  “Yeah, they're scammers—and they suck at their job.” Again, she sounded more annoyed than mad. “Did you not know they cheated you?”

  “THEY ACTUALLY DID!?”

  Maddison’s bnk stare spoke more than her words.

  “I mean I definitely knew that.” Alejandra coughed.

  Maddison chucked and grabbed a chair from inside the room and sat on it. “Okay, Ms. Taylor. You aren't really from around here aren't you?”

  Alejandra panicked. “Well not really. We only visit on holidays.”

  “Who’s we?”

  “F-family?”

  “Ok. Ok.” Maddison kept a straight face. “Where you from then?”

  “The East. We're traveling merchants.” Alejandra is making stuff up as she goes, deeper and deeper in the hole she has dug for herself.

  Alejandra caught a gnce of the pretty girl before the red head brushed some of their hair back behind their ear. She couldn't help but notice that even the girl's ears were pretty.

  Alejandra shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking of nonsense right now. She has to figure out a way to escape those rascals outside or else she’ll end up getting scolded by her Mother.

  “Merchants, I see.” Maddison smiled and slid a piece of paper to Alejandra.

  “What's this?”

  “A notice.”

  “For what?”

  “Payment.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I offered you my services and you accepted.” She shrugged nonchantly.

  “This is—three gold!?” Alejandra was baffled. “This is exactly the amount they're looking for?”

  “I wonder why…” Maddison leaned forward on the table and fshed Alejandra a beautiful smile, one that even the young tigress couldn't resist but be blinded by.

  “So this was your pn all along huh?” Alejandra took back all the nice things she said about this girl. This Maddison is pure evil. The mischievous air surfaced from behind the red head and a sneaky smirk was barely being hidden from her mouth.

  “You must be well off since you're a merchant’s daughter right?” Maddison tapped on the table. “Consider this a debt you don't have to pay right now.”

  “You sly fox.”

  “I've been called worse.”

  “Demon woman.”

  “Worse.”

  “Mean bully.”

  “Now that's not as bad as the one before.”

  “Cheating scummy lying conniving little rat.”

  “A bit childish for an insult isn't it?”

  “Hmph.”

  Alejandra crossed her arms and gred at the girl grinning in front of her.

  “So?”

  “Fine—I’ll meet you here tomorrow at—” She was cut off as the door to the house suddenly burst open and crashed down.

  “So this is where you were hiding.” One of the giant guys snarled.

  “We’ve been looking all over.” The other one added

  Alejandra chuckled as she backed into the wall. “How’s it going Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, I didn't expect to see you here…”

  “Actually, forget that old contract. Say I save you from being kidnapped and turned into a sve right now. Would you care to listen to an offer of mine?” Maddison stood up and stood before the two giant men.

  Alejandra noticed her way of speech suddenly became more refined, a way too educated way of speaking that most commoners won't be able to replicate nor imitate.

  “Who do you think you are!?” One of the rge men grunted and raised his massive sword.

  “Will you take the offer, My Lady?”

  Alejandra blinked…wait…My Lady???

  She never said she was part of any noble family. How would this girl—

  The giant swung down but the bde never met its mark. It hung still in the air alongside its wielder who was frozen in pce, unable to move.

  “What!?” The man witlessly remarked.

  “As long as you just get them arrested.” Alejandra hesitantly complied, she was fearful for her own life. The woman in front of her was capable of killing her without much of a thought.

  “We’ll see.” Her expression suddenly turned grim and a hateful angry pressure overtook the whole room. “These assholes broke down a door I just paid for after all.”

  SNAP!

  “AAAAAHHH!” The arms of the man holding the sword plummeting towards Maddison were suddenly bent in an unnatural Position completely rendering it unusable. The sword cttered to the ground as the girl made contact once more with the Lady.

  “So it's you, the notorious young leader of the underworld, the Red Witch.” Alejandra gripped her palms tightly. The one before her was a name so terrifying, most people are afraid of speaking it. Eighteen years old and already commands the helm of the entire Underworld.

  The Red Witch, an epithet that is feared by all.

  Maddison was her name.

  “Ah, The young tigress is well informed, I see.” She giggled and the man whose arms were broken was suddenly thrown to the side of the room. “Now, I supposed you're ready to hear my offer, My Lady?” The Red Witch ominously smiled.