Chapter 87

　　"It`s not a date." Mare grumbled to herself as she returned to the palace.

　　Stepping through the large entrance doors that members of the Imperial Guard flanked, she nodded to them politely before making her way through the large hallways toward her rooms.

　　A voice called out to her before she had made it halfway through the building.

　　"Milady!" Turning, she saw one of the Emperor`s stewards, a member of the staff responsible for the day-to-day affairs of the Palace or whatever projects the Imperial Royal Family assigned to them.

　　Mare sighed in resignation as she spotted the high-ranking member of the Imperial staff rushing toward her. The steward gripped a datapad in his hand, his white uniform was spotless. He stopped in front of her, panting slightly from the exertion.

　　Taking a moment to adjust his clothing, the steward continued speaking.

　　"Milady, I apologize for disturbing you, but there are several things we need to discuss regarding the upcoming celebrations." He stated, drawing himself upright and trying to look taller. Mare towered over the steward by nearly a foot, and he tried his best to match her.

　　"Later," Mare replied, trying to brush past the steward and return to her room without any more interruptions. The steward sidestepped, blocking her path once more as he cleared his throat. She frowned at his persistence, wanting nothing more than to relax and decompress after her conversation with Kal.

　　"Apologies, Milady. A few things are extremely time sensitive and require your approval. For example, your dress for the ball needs to be finalized immediately. If we are to have one made in time, you must select a colour and style. Now, I would suggest a pale blue matching your escort`s attire." The steward began, displaying a holo of a few different colour swatches.

　　"Wait a moment. How do you know my escort`s attire?" Mare asked, confused. She had only spoken to Kal about attending together a few hours ago. Aside from her friends in the VR game, no one else would know they were attending together.

　　"Why, your parents sent over the information earlier today. Did Your Highness not know?" The steward asked, tilting his head slightly to the side to express his confusion.

　　"No, I did not. And aside from that, I do not know what colour attire he will be wearing. How would my parents know before I do?"

　　"I believe that the Prince and Princess have forwarded the information they had obtained from Duke and Duchess Carmichael, confirming the Young Master`s choice of style and colouring, Milady." The Steward replied, showing the young man`s suit on the holo display.

　　"Duke and Duchess Carmichael? Oh no. Where is my Grandmother?" Mare asked, coming to the realization that events had begun to unfold involving her, but without her knowledge or opinion.

　　"The Empress is in her study, Milady."

　　Mare didn`t bother to say anything further, rushing down the hallways of the Palace before bursting into her Grandmother`s study.

　　The room was well-lit, with large windows letting in the last vestiges of the sun`s light. The walls were lined with books, and several more stacks were arrayed on tables throughout the room. Her Grandmother was standing at the table, frowning at an open book, when Mare barged into the study, already voicing her question before her Grandmother looked up.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

　　"Did you know that my Parents have chosen an escort for me? Without asking my opinion or whether I had already asked someone else to attend with me?" Mare asked loudly, her voice echoing off the high ceilings.

　　Amelia raised her head from the book she had been reading, blinking at the Granddaughter for a moment as she processed what the young woman had said.

　　"Yes, they sent word shortly after you left to see Kalen." Amelia replied. She had expected this reaction, and like an actor, she assumed the needed role that would see the outcome she desired.

　　"Why didn`t you stop them!?" Mare exclaimed, throwing herself into an empty seat in front of the Empress.

　　"They did not ask for my opinion. Once I had sent word about the celebration last week, they began to entertain offers from the nobility. The choice of who should escort you to the Ball is well within their right to select. Why is this such a concern for you?" Amelia asked.

　　"Because they didn`t ask me at all! And they chose Malik Carmichael, that detestable oaf? It doesn`t matter. I won`t be going with him. I`ve already asked someone else to escort me." Mare stated, crossing her arms obstinately.

　　"Oh, who?" Amelia asked, feigning ignorance. She knew of the budding feelings Mare held for Kalen. It was apparent to anyone that knew her at all. Even the girl herself probably didn`t truly know, but for the Empress, it was written all over her.

　　"Kal, of course!" Mare replied.

　　"Well, this is certainly a problem," Amelia stated, placing her long, painted fingernail against her lips. She pretended to think about it for a moment.

　　"Perhaps you can explain to young Kalen the situation. I`m sure he will understand. I could even arrange for him to escort someone else so there are no hard feelings between our House and his. Perhaps your cousin Katherine? I believe she has yet to find a companion for the celebration."

　　At the statement, Mare glared at her grandmother. She loved her cousin dearly, but she couldn`t picture Kal and her getting along, it would be a disaster for everyone involved. The thought of Kal and Katherine attending the celebrations together while she was stuck with Malik Carmichael was revolting.

　　"Absolutely not! I`ve already given my word to Kal. I will inform my parents of my decision immediately." Mare stated, standing from her chair.

　　"If that`s how you feel, then you should do as you must. It`s only proper that you keep your word." Amelia replied, and she smiled as her granddaughter marched from the room. Pleased with herself, she returned to her open book.

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　　"The finale begins now! On one side, we have the newcomer, Merit of Caledon! Out of nowhere, our rookie Pilot has taken this tournament by storm. But will he have what it takes to win it all against one of the greatest Pilots the world of MechTech BattleWarrior has ever seen?

　　"Alma of Clan Zero, seeded champion and winner of the past three invitational tournaments!"

　　The crowd cheered as the announcer called out the names of the two remaining Pilots. Merit`s face and symbol could be seen everywhere in the coliseum. The millions of people who had packed the stands to see the tournament`s last match were split into two distinct colours. Black clothing for Merit and a bright blue for Alma.

　　Piloting the Angel,` a new Mech introduced by exclusive for the tournament, Alma had breezed through the brackets with unparalleled skill. Accurate, agile and brutally efficient, Alma was a textbook example of Piloting at its finest.

　　Unlike most Pilots with their faces plastered on merchandise, Alma was mysterious, their face constantly obscured by their Pilot Bodysuit. Aside from their name and the fact that they were a high-ranking member of a large clan like Zero, very little public information was available about them.

　　The Angel couldn`t fly like its Medium Class counterpart that its design was based on. Light Class lacked the reactor power and Neural Capabilities of its Pilots for sustained flight. But it could hover, and with its lightweight frame, it could leap high above the arena floor.

　　With a railgun and long-range Lasgun, it could stay out of range of slower-moving or melee focus Mechs.

　　The finale would occur in space, amongst a debris field once a planet. Only the shattered remnants remained, and the large landmasses meant there would be significantly reduced gravity, enough to stick to the ground or fall slowly but diminish the weight of a Mech to a fraction of its norm.

　　After Piloting a Nyx, Kal was used to combat in space. He was comfortable even with the remaining gravity and the debris to anchor to. He could manage even if they were to fight in the vacuum of deep space. But it was a tricky battlefield, with small debris floating around.

　　"Let the last match of these invitationals&.BEGIN!"