A Record of the Delfinian War

Book Five: Glittering Princess from Elsewhere


It's been three years since Woll reclaimed his throne. A serious problem has presented itself: Baluro and his uncle Magdonell want permission to raise their armies and fight one another. Magdonell insists that Baluro has been insulting him beyond endurance for no good reason. Baluro refuses to say anything in his defense except that it's a family matter, and no one can talk him out of it. Lee digs up the rumor that Baluro's widowed mother, King Doluwa's younger sister Aera, has been having an affair with the married Magdonell. Woll confines both Baluro and Magdonell to their respective mansions, which he knows is only a temporary solution.

Lee takes an interest in a girl her age who has recently joined the castle staff. She asks for the girl, Shera, as her personal servant. What motivated the request is that she knows the servant is really a boy in disguise, and he has been slipping in and out of the castle during the night for some secret purpose. He tries to kill her for discovering his identity, but even as a highly trained assassin, Shera fails against Lee's greater skill. She makes a bet with him that if he can't kill her in twenty days, he'll tell her all about his background.

Woll receives word that Delfinia's two neighboring countries, Pallast and Tanga, have begun efforts to evict the Tau Free People. They speculate it's an attempt to get to Woll if he goes to the bandits' aid. That the other countries would be so bold indicates that they feel Woll's position is about to be weakened. Noting that both Magdonell and Aera have been sending servants to Coral's Magic Town, Even and Lee go to investigate. Lee is allowed inside the "real" Magic Town, where she speaks with a wise woman.

Lee appears as a bright golden light to anyone with even a little magic ability. She is from another world, she has superhuman power, and she wields a specially crafted sword that can kill even the undead. When the conspirators sought advice on how to weaken the king, all of the seers said that the best way would be to get rid of the princess at his side. The wise woman also says the the small silver light that recently appeared next to Lee, Shera, could become the "moon" to her "sun" if "returned to the world of the living."

Lee confers with Woll just after he hears word that Magdonell is conspiring with foreign countries. He is offering them portions of Delfinia's land if they'll assist him in taking Woll's place as king. Lee and Woll discuss Shera, who is apparently a member of a top secret assassin clan, considered to be equivalent to the Grim Reaper for their ability to kill anyone no matter how heavily protected. Brooks suspects they were responsible for the deaths of Doluwa's other children. Woll puts Brooks in charge of investigating the conspiracy. He knows the only sure way to save Lee from the assassins is to force Magdonell to cancel the contract on her life.