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chapter three: the senate
When they entered the guard room, they were greeted by the sight of four Queen's Knights standing in the center, seemingly discussing something before they came in. Georg was there as well as the veteran-looking old man who had been standing at the right of the entrance to the Audience Chamber, Galleon. Zahhak, the one who spoke with Ferid earlier, was beside a woman who could be mistaken for a dainty, pretty young lady with a graceful charm. Her name was Alenia, and she had bright-orange hair that was tied together in such a way that she had long bangs framing the sides of her face. Her features seemed to be refined and her eyes were narrowed.
"Ah, His Royal Highness," Zahhak greeted, bowing respectfully with his fist laid on his chest. Alenia did the same.
Georg gave a brief wave. "Hey," he greeted casually.
Natsu and the others stood at the very back by the right side of the room, waiting. Zahhak and Alenia glanced at them before ignoring their presence entirely; Ferid had briefed the four of them about the foreigners and needless to say, the two of them were not very pleased. Only Galleon was neutral to it while Kyle… Well, he wasn't there when Ferid informed them.
"Huh? Where's His Majesty Ferid?" Kyle asked casually.
"He went out through the back," Zahhak said curtly. "He's a busy man, you know."
"Never mind that, Kyle! Where have you been?!" Alenia interjected angrily.
"Me? Heh, nowhere. Just wanted to see the Prince, that's all," Kyle replied nonchalantly.
"That's all?! Do you ALWAYS take your duties so lightly?!"
Galleon chose that moment to step forward. "Your Royal Highness!" he said, bowing. "Sir, you must be exhausted after your inspection of Lordlake." He rose his head slowly, looking Frey directly in the eyes. "Actually, I should have accompanied you on your trip, but His Majesty didn't give me the order…"
"Of course he didn't," Georg spoke up. "After all, Lordlake is your hometown, isn't it, Galleon? Ferid wouldn't make you go there. The guy's not heartless, you know."
"Yes, but I have already been back there once," Galleon grunted. "His Majesty needn't protect me."
"But Galleon, I don't see how you could EVER come to terms with it!" Lyon said, sadness overtaking her eyes as she remembered the horrible state they had clearly witnessed.
"It's been two years, but the Queen STILL won't even let them rebuild!" Kyle spoke, shaking his head. "Man, talk about heartless…"
"Hold your tongue, Kyle!" Alenia said angrily.
He looked at her. "Alenia…"
"Her Majesty imposed a suitable punishment on those traitors, plain and simple! She did what a Queen has to do!" she defended. "And we, the Queen's Knights, have NO business second-guessing her!"
"Yeah, that's what you say, Alenia," Kyle argued, "but…"
"Silence, Kyle." Galleon clenched his fists as his sides and had his head bowed down. "No matter the circumstances, the fact remains that the people of Lordlake committed treason. They must serve their penance."
Kyle sighed. "I'm sorry, guys, but I think the Queen went way too far…"
"Kyle, how dare you disrespect our Queen?" Alenia said indignantly. "The Sun Rune is proof enough that this nation and Her Majesty have heaven's divine blessing! It's only natural that the Rune's judgment would come down on anyone who dares defy Her Majesty's authority! If you ask me, I don't think Her Majesty has used the Sun Rune enough!"
"Yeah, right!" Kyle frowned. "You're starting to sound just like Lord Godwin. And on that note, I don't know if I can trust a Knight who's merely a pawn of the Godwin family."
"Insolent fool! You're one to talk, seeing how you're just a mouthpiece for the Barows family!"
"Ridiculous! You don't know what the hell you're talking about!"
"That will be enough!" Zahhak said. "Do you realize how disgracefully you're acting in front of His Royal Highness?" In unison, the three of them bowed before Frey. "We are terribly sorry, Your Highness."
"No, that's all right…" Frey said softly.
"You are most kind, Your Highness," Zahhak praised. "But we should be protecting the royal family, not getting involved in private quarrels that might affect our duties." He gave a sharp look at Kyle's way. "Kyle, especially you."
"Huh? Me?" He pointed to himself comically.
"Your manner of speaking sounds like criticism of Her Majesty. You should restrain yourself a little."
"That's all right, Zahhak," a deep voice resounded. "Please, everybody, continue!"
"Your Commandership!" Zahhak exclaimed, and all of the Queen's Knights, including Lyon, bowed to Ferid as he made his way towards them.
"Hmph, don't mind me," Ferid said. "As you were."
The Queen's Knights straightened.
"As you all know," Ferid continued, "Her Majesty has been troubled ever since the split between the two factions of the Senate. The Godwin faction has been gaining more and more power recently, which has caused Her Majesty much anguish. At a time like this, Her Majesty wants true loyalty from us, the Queen's Knights.
"Some people may believe that knights must give absolute obedience to their master. But that's not true loyalty. True loyalty means being able to speak openly about what you think is right and what you think is wrong."
Frey and Lyon stared at Kyle, who was closing his eyes and humming a little to himself, not really paying full attention to his commander's speech.
"Of course, I'd be upset with any fool who thought he could criticize Her Majesty wherever and whenever he wanted. But… at the very least, in this room, I want us to be able to express our views openly without fear of reprisal. Now, if there are constructive opinions you'd like to share with Her Majesty, I'll be happy to pass them on for you. Understood?"
The Queen's Knights immediately saluted. "Yes, sire!"
"Frey! Lyon!" Ferid called out, causing the attention of the two youngsters to fully focus on him.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Lyon said happily.
"When you two have thoughts and ideas of your own, please don't be shy about sharing them with us. The Queen's Knights are known for their artistry with a blade. But they also have much wisdom and insight to impart. Be wise and heed their words."
"Yes, sire!" Lyon obeyed. Frey nodded his head.
While the two of them scoured the room, they came to a stop in front of Zahhak and Alenia.
"A word, if you will, Prince Frey," Alenia spoke. "His Majesty Ferid says the House of Godwin is responsible for all our troubles. Do you believe that, too?"
Frey hesitated. "I really don't know."
"The Godwins care about our country's future! It's the only reason they want to put the Sun Rune to use!" Alenia declared passionately. "It's absurd to think they're playing tricks with Her Majesty! No, we have to look out for the House of Barows! Their fear of change is putting our country at risk!"
When the conversation was over, Zahhak spoke to them.
"Since His Commandership feels we should express out views… I personally feel His Commandership's actions are taking idealism to an extreme. What Falena really needs are disciplined Queen's Knights ready to act upon the will of Her Majesty." Zahhak gave a slight sigh. "Sometimes, the best way is not always the ideal way. Don't forget that, Your Highness."
This time Erza, Gray, and Natsu went with them as they walked towards Georg.
"Sounds like the Godwins want to use the Sun Rune to become a powerful force and broaden the country's borders and the Barows faction is aiming for domestic and foreign stability without the use of Runes, eh?" Georg let out a sigh. "Every country has its share of conflicts among its nobles, but it's much worse here because of the Runes. It's particularly sad that the Queen's own Knights can even agree."
Then they went to Galleon.
"Your Highness…" he said slowly. "I thank you for voicing concern to Her Majesty regarding the situation at Lordlake. I am truly grateful."
Frey gave a smile and a nod of acknowledgement before going on his way to Kyle, who was standing at the far north side of the room, seemingly thoughtful about something.
"So, Prince," he began, "did you notice anything… unusual… about Georg on your trip?"
Frey was confused, but answered honestly anyway. "Not that I can think of…"
"Hmm… I see… No big deal… It's not like this is a bad thing, but we still don't know too much about Georg. Not ONE of the Queen's Knights can match his skill in combat without Runes, except maybe His Majesty Ferid. Also, I heard a rumour that before Georg came to Falena, he served as a general in a land far to the north." Kyle paused. "Makes me wonder about his connection to His Majesty. Just what convinced him to bring Georg here? Well, come to think of it, His Majesty's also kinda mysterious! He always says he used to be some "wayfarer" from the Island Nations. But I've never come across a wayfarer so dignified. And strong!" It was then that he seemingly caught himself. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. I obviously forgot my place. I mean no disrespect to His Majesty."
After the talk with Kyle, they moved slowly, somewhat aimlessly.
"From what I've heard, it seems that your country's council… or Senate, rather… has split up due to divided opinions of your Runes," Erza spoke. "Although in my opinion, since Runes have already become a part of your culture, it has to be used for good and not for corruption. It may be complicated because there will always be greed in the presence of power, but that is why the Senate is there to bring things into order."
Lyon smiled faintly. "Do you have a Senate back in your world, too?"
Erza nodded. "We call them the Magic Council. They organize the chaos and help brought about by many guilds, thought the former is especially because of the dark guilds. Dark guilds do not have the consent of the Magic Council, therefore they are usually referred to as rebels of some sort."
"Who are the Godwins and the Barows anyway?" Gray inquired. "They sound pretty important to me."
"Who cares who they are?" Natsu said boredly.
"I am much interested now in Sir Georg's skills," Erza spoke. "Would it not mind him if I proposed a sparring session?"
"Sure," Lyon said happily. "Georg wouldn't mind. You can ask him anytime."
When they entered the Commander's quarters, Ferid was standing by one of the couches.
"Hey, there you are, Frey!" he greeted with a fatherly smile. "Have you seen your sister yet?"
"I haven't seen her yet," Frey replied.
"Well, I think you should check on her," his father advised. "I know you're tired, but I'm begging you! Please check in on her… for my ears' sake! The whole time you were gone, she would NOT stop nagging me about when you were coming back! Don't keep her waiting."
Lyon giggled as they exited. "The Princess must have shouted at him earlier while she was trying to find you."
"She sounds scary," Natsu remarked.
"She is," Frey jested with a chuckle as they moved to go outside the guard room.
At that moment, the doors slammed open by force, revealing a small girl with a fierce expression on her face. She was very pretty, with long, straight brown hair and large eyes with the same shade. Her features were clean and refined. Coupled with her royal garments and gold earrings, she looked pretty much exquisite, if you excluded her seemingly brash mannerism.
"Frey!" she yelled, her head darting around the room. "Hey, has anybody seen my brother in here?!"
"Princess…" Lyon said with a smile.
"Oh!" Lymsleia's face instantly lit up. "Brother!" Immediately, she rushed over to Frey and tackled him with an affectionate hug, her expression very happy and contented. "Brother! Brother! Brother! Brother!" she chanted melodiously.
"Yikes! Quite a welcome there…" Kyle remarked.
Frey gripped his little sister's arms warmly in acknowledgement, a handsome smile curving his lips.
"Gee, the Princess sure is crazy about her big brother, huh?" Lyon mused, giggling.
"I'm home, Lym," Frey said softly.
"Oh! Welcome back!" Lym pulled back from her embrace, looking up at her brother with adoring eyes. "I missed you so much!" She then hugged him again, causing Frey to wince at the fierceness of her grip.
"Princess," a dainty voice called out, "did you find your brother?"
At that instant, a woman in her early twenties stepped inside femininely, her blue skirt flowing slightly as she walked. She was a Queen's Knight; her armour was the same as the others', but a seemingly blue dress peeked out from the gaps of her uniform. Her purple hair was tied up into a high ponytail but with twin circles that are then tied by her black headband. Her eyes appeared to be the same shade as her hair and were the same size as her charge's.
"Oh, my, my, my!" she cried, giggling as she spotted Lymsleia sticking to her brother like glue.
"Um, hello, Miakis," Frey greeted.
Miakis gave a brief curtsy. "Well, hello! Welcome home, Prince!" Her eyes then turned slightly mischievous. "You know, the two of you standing there like that, you look just like… an Armadillion father and daughter!" she giggled. "Yup!"
Lyon laughed unsurely.
Kyle sighed. "Oh boy, there she goes with that nonsense again…"
"Miakis!" Lymsleia yelled. "Need I remind you that you're my bodyguard? You're not bad-mouthing me, are you?!"
"Noooo, of course not," Miakis drawled teasingly. "Your Highness was imagining things."
Lymsleia grumbled in response.
"Ha ha ha! Things are never dull when you're around, Lym!"
Ferid stepped in, his face having that perpetual ready-to-smile look.
"Oh… Father!" Lym exclaimed. "It's you…"
"Frey!" Lym said, catching her brother's attention. "You already came to see Father and didn't bother to come see me? How dare you?!"
Frey looked taken aback at the sudden accusation.
"Now, now," Ferid soothed. "Don't be so hard on your brother. Frey was looking for you, too, you know."
"But Father!" Lym protested. "I wanted to see him so bad! He's always off on some inspection or something these days. He's never around! He's probably going off someplace again tomorrow, isn't he?"
Ferid looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, not exactly tomorrow. He'll be here for a while yet."
Lym looked satisfied. "Well, okay. That's good, at least. But you really keep Frey busy, don't you? Where is he going next?"
"Hmm… Since he just got back, I thought I'd wait a while to tell him. But I guess it couldn't hurt to let him know." Ferid turned to his son. "Frey, I'll be sending you to Stormfist to check on the preparations for the Sacred Games."
Lym's face lit up in recognition. "The Sacred Games? Oh, that big fighting tournament. The one that's going to decide who my husband's going to be. That."
Ferid looked taken aback. "H—Hus… Well, yes…" he stuttered.
"Your Majesty…?" said Lyon.
"Not quite on board with the idea, are you, Your Majesty?" Kyle spoke up.
"Of course not!" said Ferid. "She's far too young!" Then he paused slightly. "But… she's our nation's princess. It's her sacred duty… There's nothing we can do about it."
"Well, to be fair…" drawled Kyle. "Your Majesty wouldn't be here today if you hadn't won the last Games…"
"Hey, Frey," Lym spoke. "What about you? Would you hate it if I had a fiancé, too?"
Frey grimaced. "Of course I'd hate it." The thought of his little sister already being married sent him into overprotective-big-brother mode. Just as his father had said, she was far too young for this. She hadn't even had the chance to live her life freely like other children. Her duty was imposed on her from the moment she was born. It was unfair if you thought about it in that way.
"You would, huh? Hmm…" Lym looked deep in thought.
"By the way," Ferid interjected. "Frey. I would like the three mages to go with you to Stormfist. Is that all right with you?"
Natsu and the others perked up at finally becoming acknowledged.
"Huh?" Lym turned towards the foreigners as if noticing them for the first time in the room, her expression curious and a bit distasteful at the sight of Natsu's revealing clothing. "Who're they, Father?"
"They are… friends of your brother's," Ferid explained, not wanting to go into detail. "They will be accompanying Frey wherever he goes. If you three would not mind, it is also for the sake of precaution."
"Understood, sir," Erza said. "We will be on our best behaviour."
"Good." Ferid smiled. "I am glad we are on friendly terms with each other."
"Hey, what is with your clothes?" Lym addressed Natsu almost scornfully. "Men don't usually reveal their chests."
"It's my style!" Natsu replied proudly.
"And are you a hunchback or something?" ranted Lym. "Also, what is the use of that vest if you don't use it to hide your front?"
"Hey!" Natsu protested, looking positively offended. "I ain't a hunch — whatever that is! It's only Happy!" Without further ado, he removed his vest to reveal the sleeping cat.
Lym was about to correct him on his version of the word 'hunchback' when the sight of Happy instantly drowned all her unfriendliness away. "Oh!" she cried. "What is that? It's so cute!"
"He's my partner!" Natsu said proudly. "His name is Happy!"
"He can fly and talk, Princess," Lyon supplied helpfully.
"Wow!" the Princess' eyes were almost sparkling. "I've never encountered a cat like that before!"
"Oh! By the way, Princess, this is Natsu, Gray, and Erza," Lyon introduced. "They are new friends of ours."
"Nice to meet you!" Lym said.
"A pleasure." Erza bowed.
Gray, on the other hand, gave a smile and a nod of acknowledgement.
"I'm Miakis!" the purple-haired Queen's Knight greeted. "Nice to meet you, too!"
After the introductions were over, Miakis brought up the topic of the Sacred Games once more.
"Annnnyway… I wonder who's going to win? What kind of man will the Princess end up with?"
"They're keeping the list of applicants over at the Senate," Ferid responded. "Not that I have any interest in reading it, mind you!"
"Well, I want to see it!" Miakis exclaimed. "Don't you, Princess? I bet you do!"
"Hmm… Well, maybe I'm a little curious…" said Lym.
"Ooh, ooh, can I see?" Kyle said excitedly.
"M—Me too, please!" Lyon joined in.
"That sounds kinda boring," Natsu complained.
"I—I am curious myself as well," Erza stammered, looking slightly pink.
"I'm interested in participating, but I don't think I'm fit to be a husband yet," Gray remarked. "No offense."
"None taken," Lym said evenly.
"I don't care! If it's a fight, then I'm all for it!" Natsu declared. "I'll beat them all into a pulp!"
"Hey!" Lym protested. "I don't want you as my husband!"
"Huh? That's the prize?" Natsu said cluelessly.
"Weren't you listening?" Kyle sighed.
"I know exactly how you feel," Gray told him.
"Then it's settled!" Miakis interrupted, looking like she was raring to go any minute now. "Come on Prince! Let's go!"
"Okay, let's go," Frey conceded, not exactly looking forward to know who his sister's husband would probably be.
"Come on, let's go read about your future brother-in-law!" Kyle teased, laughing slightly at the sullen expression on Frey's face.
"All right. We're off to the Senate Hall, then!" Miakis announced, already out the door.
When they were outside, a familiar figure was standing nearby, her hand on her hip.
"I heard what you were saying. Sounds like fun."
"Oh! Lady Sialeeds!" Kyle exclaimed. "Welcome back!"
"Oh, Aunt Sialeeds!" Lym greeted as well.
"Huh? I thought you were asleep in your room," said Miakis.
"Oh, I was," Sialeeds said. "Off in dreamland. In my nice, warm, comfy bed — and then all of a sudden… 'Where's Frey?!'" She stepped forward. "That was you, wasn't it? Lym? Miakis? Hmm? You completely woke me up!"
"Lady Sialeeds, lemme clarify things!" Miakis said. "The Princess was the one doing all the shouting. I was just there!"
"Hey! Miakis!" Lym yelled.
Her bodyguard looked at her innocently. "What? It's true."
"Why, you…" Lym forced herself to calm down and faced her aunt, nearly stuttering in her words. "W—Well, isn't it kind of your fault, Aunt Sialeeds? Sleeping in the middle of the day like that? Frey, Lyon, and Georg just got back, too, but you don't see them just lying around! Maybe your age is catching up with you?" she said cheekily.
There was a moment of silence before Sialeeds closed her eyes, her smile almost seemingly menacing. "Lym…? Your Auntie Sialeeds couldn't hear you so well just now. Could you please repeat what you just said…?"
"Eek!" cried Lym as she hid behind her brother in fear. "Frey! Aunt Sialeeds is scaring me!"
Frey smiled. "You started it, Lym," he reminded her gently.
"Wh—Whaaaaat?!" Lym exclaimed in shock and anger. "Frey, you traitor!"
"Well, Princess, you have to admit, what you said was kind of rude," Miakis said reasonably. "Even if it's true, you don't really need to say it, you know…" she added a bit cheekily, eliciting some poorly-concealed snickers from the others.
"Oh, thank you very much, Miakis. Why don't you teach us all some more about tact?" Sialeeds said sarcastically. "Anyway, forget it. I'm awake now, whether I like it or not. You guys are going to the Senate Hall to see the list of applicants for the Sacred Games, right? I'll go with you."
"Nothing better than a day out with all these beautiful ladies," Kyle remarked happily. "And cute girls. Am I right, Prince?"
Before Frey could give a dumbfounded reply, Sialeeds interrupted.
"Less talking, more walking. Let's move it!" she announced, already walking ahead of them.
When they entered the storage room on the way due to interest from the three foreigners, Natsu, Gray, and Erza were awed at the sight of so many boxes piled up along with several treasure chests strewn all over. Curiously, Natsu poked open a few, but stopped himself afterwards when he received a warning glance from Erza.
An official was standing in the center of the room, holding a clipboard in her hand. She smiled gently, almost wistfully, as they approached.
"This room used to be Queen Falzrahm's personal treasures. She had a passion for the finest gold and jewels. But Queen Arshtat sold off her mother's treasures to fund the rebuilding after the Armes invasion. And because of that, Falena's back to its former glory eight years after the attack. In fact, it's better than ever! Some nobles criticized the Queen for selling her own mother's belongings, but personally, I think it was a wise move."
"Who's Fazaram?" Natsu asked cluelessly when they exited.
"Oi, Natsu, don't go saying the former Queen's name like that," Gray told him, his eyes widening in slight alarm. "You might get arrested for treason."
"Queen Falzrahm was our mother," Sialeeds told him, courteously ignoring Natsu's innocent mistake. "During the Armes invasion… Well, that will have to be a story for another time."
They decided to give the foreigners a quick tour of the palace before they left for the Senate Hall.
In one room which they entered, an injured guard greeted them with a grin.
"Ah, Prince Frey! Welcome ba — Arrgh! Ouch!" he grunted painfully.
"Oh!" Lym exclaimed, coming over to his side with Miakis in tow. "Are you all right?"
"I—I'm sorry. I was wounded in the fighting eight years ago, and it still gives me trouble sometimes." A nostalgic look crossed his face. "As you may remember, Your Highness, it was a very bitter conflict that swiftly took its toll on both sides. When Queen Falzrahm died, Falena was plunged into chaos. Tension between the factions nearly escalated to civil war. Seeing Falena on the brink of civil war, the New Armes Kingdom took it as an opportunity to invade! But Queen Arshtat and Commander Ferid didn't waste any time reuniting the Queendom. Differences were put aside, and we fought back the Armes forces as a single, united front!
"And finally, raging battle after raging battle later, we succeeded in driving their army out! And it was all thanks to Queen Arshtat and Commander Ferid's spectacular leadership. Two shining lights, rushing in to save Falena in its darkest hour — it's proof of our divine protection of the sun!"
In the main hall:
"I remember that the Queen's Knights fought valiantly to protect Falena during the Armes invasion eight years ago. But they paid a heavy price… Most of them died or were too injured to continue their duties after the war. Only Sir Galleon, Commander Ferid, and Sir Zahhak remained. That's why most of the Queen's Knights on active duty these days are so young."
More information was learned:
"More than a decade ago, the ill will between the Godwin and Barows factions spilled over into bloody conflict. Even the Queen and the royal family were dragged into things! There were so many casualties... The fact that they united under the Queen's name when Armes invaded eight years ago is irony itself!"
After the quick tour, they came to the outside of the Palace.
"The Queen and the Commander seem to be very respected figures," Erza mused. "I am glad your country has found noble gems like them."
Lym's smile was radiant. "Mother and Father are the best! Right, Frey?"
Frey gave a nod, his smile adding to his agreement.
When they arrived at the front of the Senate Hall, a guard greeted them in surprise.
"His Highness! Her Highness! Lady Sialeeds! Why so many of you here at once? Is there some kind of emergency?"
"Nah, we're just being nosy," Frey quipped.
"That's right!" Lym supported with a grin.
The guard looked taken aback. "O—Oh… I see…" he stammered.
"I wouldn't call it 'nosy', Princess. We're talking about your future husband here!" Miakis said cheerily.
Lym deflated visibly. "Oh. Right. Weird… 'Engagement'… 'Future husband'… It all seems like some foreign language to me."
"Uh… Ahem…" The poor guard seemed to be at a loss for words.
"Oh, right, sorry. Well, as you probably overheard, we're on no official business whatsoever," Sialeeds clarified. "Can we come in?"
"O—Of course!" the guard immediately said. "Please, proceed!" He stepped to the side and made a salute, giving way for the royal family to go inside.
When they entered the Senate Hall, Natsu gawked at their surroundings.
"Whoa, this is huge!" he said in awe.
When they entered the door leading to the center of the second floor, there were two officials standing before them, their chatter immediately ceasing.
"P—Princess?!" the young official said in surprise.
"And Lady Sialeeds, and His Highness the Prince, too!" the elderly official exclaimed.
"Oh, there's no need for that," Lym assured "Everybody, at ease! Relax!"
"Don't mind us," Sialeeds supported with a small smile. "Please, carry on."
"Y—Yes, Lady Sialeeds!" the young official said and bowed before the two of them eventually left.
"There aren't many people today, are there?" Miakis brought up.
"I heard the Senate is in recess because of preparations for the Sacred Games," Lyon supplied helpfully.
"Guess most of the nobles are out on vacation," Kyle mused. "That just leaves a couple officials here and there."
Sialeeds sighed slightly. "Well, one of them's gotta have the list. Let's find it and go home." Her eyes suddenly opened, and there was a mischievous glint in them. "Or, hey, we could hang around here and gossip all day about who's backstabbing who…"
"Hey, Erza, is the Magic Council back home like this, too?" Gray asked, his hands inside his pockets.
Erza shook her head. "No. The members of the Magic Council are merely holograms. Their real bodies are in Era. There, the technology is advanced compared to here since we extensively use the benefits of magic."
"Hmm…" Gray absorbed the information in his mind.
After much navigation, they came to a stop before a certain room.
"Oh, my! So many members of the royal family all together in a place like this! How unusual! Welcome!" the official standing in front of the door leading to the office exclaimed.
"Could we possibly see the list, please?" Miakis said, a hint of excitement colouring her tone.
"What's that? The list of applicants for the Sacred Games?" The official looked positively dismayed. "I—I'm so sorry, Prince! The clerk in charge of the list is on break right now. I'll send someone down to bring them back right away! If you could just wait a moment, Your Highness…?"
"Of course," Frey said reassuringly. "We will come back later."
"Thank you," Lyon bowed before following her charge.
"So what do we do now?" Sialeeds spoke, folding her arms across her chest.
"It'll take a while. Maybe we could use the time to tour the entire Senate Hall?" Lyon suggested.
"It would be interesting to learn more about your country's politics," Erza said, smiling.
"Aw, that's boring…" Natsu complained.
"I'd like to learn more about the Godwin faction," Gray said. "They sound like a force to be reckoned with."
"That's because they are," Sialeeds said quietly. "The extent of their power and authority is still unknown to me, but I know that it is on a scale of a large magnitude among Falena and its other branches. The Barows faction has their own power among the others as well. However, when compared to the Godwins, they seem lacking."
While they were strolling around, they could hear pieces of conversations from nearby nobles.
"Barows' words are pleasant enough, but they're words and nothing more! That man cares only for his money. His bargains with Armes and the Island Nations bring him wealth. When he speaks of peace, he does so only for the good of his pocketbook. Between his backroom deals and his legions of mercenaries, he's a fraud, and a dangerous one at that."
"Lord Barows thinks of nothing but the Games these days. No doubt he's hoping to position himself as the Princess' guardian and regain some of his power. Would that counteract the Godwin faction's pull in the Senate? Who knows? I know this, though… The Games are only taking place now, while the Princess is still so young, because Barows pushed for it. I suppose if I had to put myself in either camp, I'd say I'm with the Barows faction. But to be honest, I'm not overly happy with some of the things Lord Barows comes out with sometimes…"
Sialeeds noticed Natsu's even more confused expression and smiled.
"In the simplest terms, the Senate is assembled from the heads of major households," Sialeeds explained to him. "Lord Marscal Godwin and Lord Salum Barows are the two most prominent examples. The Senate itself is a forum for political discussion. Its members pass recommendations to the Queen."
"Recommendations?" Erza spoke.
"Yes, the Senate's decisions are nothing more than recommendations, you see," Sialeeds said. "Of course, it's up to my sister — the Queen — whether or not to act on those recommendations." A snort came out of Sialeeds' lips. "At least, that's how it appears on the surface. In reality, Arshtat can't ignore the decisions made by the Senate. If she ignored them, she'd only make enemies. Numerous and powerful enemies."
"Whoa, sounds complicated," Natsu remarked.
As they navigated themselves further into the halls, pieces of conversations were heard once more:
"Armes has sent its minions to apply for the Sacred Games. So they plan to usurp our nation from the inside, do they? By seizing the Princess' hand in marriage? Such audacity, even for them!"
"The Sacred Games will be held at the arena in Stormfist. So it's been since many, many years ago, when Stormfist was the Queendom's capital city. When the capital moved here instead, the Sacred Games were all that stayed behind. These days, Stormfist is Godwin territory. Some worry themselves about that. Still, best not to upset the good Lord Godwin. Mum's the word, and all."
"His Majesty Commander Ferid is one of the greatest contestants in the history of the Sacred Games. Arshtat insisted that he be allowed to enter, even though his background was a complete mystery. And he won! Purely on his own merits! Without a gladiator or anyone else fighting for him! Then, in the Armes invasion eight years ago, he led us from the front lines, wielding a sword like a common soldier! That sort of gung-ho attitude has made him a hero among the people. But some members of the nobility certainly don't look upon him with such favor."
A noble spoke to Frey. "The Sacred Games are crucial in deciding Her Highness' future husband. It's always a tough competition, and it's open to any man in the world. Technically, anyone can win… but the nobles can always afford the very best gladiators, and anyone who can't is all but doomed. Aside from your father, Highness, the winner has almost always been either a Godwin or a Barows."
There was an exit nearby. Frey, in his peripheral vision, noticed that Natsu looked extremely bored, Gray not too far from yawning. Even Erza appeared to be sweating slightly due to trying her best in understanding Falena's history. It was touching to see that she was doing her utmost; it looked like he was right after all. They weren't a danger to the country.
"I'd like to go outside for a bit," Frey proposed, eliciting a small, relieved smile from Gray.
"Fresh air," Natsu said, exhaling. "Man, those people are too loud."
"That's usually the way it goes here in the Senate," Lyon told him with a small smile.
Frey crouched down, spotting something shiny between the bushes. He then obtained the Mega Medicine.
When they got back inside the Senate Hall after the short break, Lyon noticed that they hadn't yet visited the central room.
"I gotta funny feeling about this…" Natsu muttered.
When they entered, Lym was happily swinging her brother's arm, Frey smiling at her antics.
But then a voice suddenly resounded in the room.
"Oh-ho! If it isn't the Princess! A most fortuitous meeting, yes, yes?"
"Ugh…" Kyle muttered.
"Ah, and Her Royal Highness Sialeeds, and His Royal Highness the Prince! Oh, and I see Kyle is with you, too! Ha ha!" the man before them exclaimed boisterously.
He was a noble, and a very particular one at that. He was a small, overweight man, with a large nose, a beard, and a bald scalp. He wore nobles' clothes consisting of a light-purple vest and a white shirt with frills above the chest area.
"Oh, and the others, too," the man said as an afterthought, not even looking at them.
"What a stuck-up," Natsu muttered. "Who the heck is he, anyway?"
"Oh ho ho! Such a pleasure to run into so many people that I usually don't get a chance to see! Oh, yes indeed, I, Salum Barows, am a very lucky man today, if I do say so myself! Ha ha ha!" he said raucously, making excited gestures in the air. "Yes! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Whaaaaaaaatt?!" Gray's jaw dropped open. "He's that Barows guy? Him?"
"Eh? What's a Barows?" Natsu asked, confused.
"Haven't you been listening?" Gray sighed. "He's the head of the Barows faction, Salum Barows. One of the two divided factions in the Senate. He has power and authority over about a half of the people."
"Whaaaat? That crazy old man? You gotta be kidding me! Hahahaha!" Natsu guffawed.
"Shush, you two!" Erza snapped. "Stop being disrespectful!"
"Uh, hello…" Frey said hesitantly.
"Oh, my, my, Your Royal Highness. You do sound a tad fatigued, yes?" Salum remarked. "Come to think of it, you and Her Royal Highness Sialeeds just got back from an inspection visit, did you not, sir? Oh-ho! No wonder you're so exhausted, then! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Rather, Frey is just tired of listening to him ramble," Gray whispered into Natsu's ear, causing both of them to snicker to themselves as quietly as they could so as to not incur Erza's wrath once again.
"So, Lord Barows," Sialeeds spoke up, tilting her head slightly, "why have you graced us with your presence today?" She put her hands to her hips and stepped forward. "What business would bring a man of your stature all the way here? The Senate's in recess, after all."
"Hey, hey," Natsu said, nudging Gray. "Don't you think he looks like some sort of fish?"
Gray nodded, looking thoughtful. "Now that you mention it… Yeah, he does. What is it called again? Isn't it one of Happy's favourites?"
"Huh… I forgot, too… Hmm… Is it tuna?"
"No…"
Suddenly they both slammed their fists on their palms as a huge light bulb lit up above their heads. Then they turned towards each other and grinned.
"Salmon!" And broke out in snickers.
"Hey, hey, and it sounds just like his name, too!" Natsu guffawed. "Doesn't it? Salmon... Salum... Salum... Salmon...! Ahahaha!"
They both slapped each other on the back with tears in their eyes.
"You guys…" Erza said, a tick forming on her head. "Don't be rude…!"
"Ha ha! A man of my stature? Oh, no! Oh, my, my! You're far too kind!" Salum cried, rushing towards the prince and the princess in his enthusiasm.
Lym instinctively lowered her face into her brother's arm, trying her best to get as far away as she could from the older man. Frey, on the other hand, reflexively stepped back, looking bewildered at Salum's exaggerated whims.
"Indeed, though it's true I've been made the head of my faction, I'm little more than a glorified facilitator. And now that the Senate is out of session, I have to run about on little errands, attending to trivial details," Salum explained almost gleefully.
"Uh huh," Sialeeds said flatly.
Suddenly a voice interjected, "C'mon, Dad! Hurry up! Lemme say hello to the Princess, too!"
The speaker was a young man, about more than a few years older than Lym, with long blond hair tied into a low ponytail with a red ribbon and honey-coloured eyes. His features were okay, yet there was a hint of regality to them, along with something else that Sialeeds herself always referred to him in her mind.
"Ah, Euram," Salum said proudly, stepping away to give the young boy his spotlight. "My, my, sorry about that, son."
"Greetings, everyone," Euram said with a whisk of his hand, causing his elegant clothing to flow about in accordance to his actions. "I trust you are all well? I am Euram Barows, son of the great Salum Barows." He introduced himself with an equally elegant bow. Then, he immediately kneeled before Lym, regarding her with respect and something akin to adoration. The young girl reflexively took a step back.
"Ah, fair Princess!" Euram exclaimed. "Do you… remember me, perchance?"
"Uh… yes! We met a few times at the Sun Palace banquets, I think…" Lym said hesitantly.
Euram's face instantly lit up and he quickly stood on his feet, looking as happy as he could be. "Oh, Princess! You do remember me! My, my, I am truly the happiest man alive!"
Lym laughed nervously.
"And I, too," Euram continued on, "have never once — no, not for one day…! No, not even for one moment — forgotten how you looked!"
"…He's really something else, isn't he?" Gray said.
"…" For once, Erza had nothing to say.
"He sounds like an idiot," Natsu muttered.
"Just like you?" Gray said sarcastically.
"Hey! You lookin' for a fight, Droopy Eyes?!"
Erza bonked their heads together. "Get a grip, you two!" she threatened. "If I hear one more peep out of you…"
"And now," Euram rambled on, "with the elegant object of my affection standing before me — oh! — my heart is about to flutter away!" He then once more kneeled before Lym. "Oh, Princess! You are like a precious gem in the heavens that someone such as I could never, ever, hope to reach!" He started to slowly reach out for her hand. "But, please! If you would just permit me to kiss that ever-so-lovely hand of yours, I… Ahhh!"
Before he could do well on his words, though, Miakis promptly seized his wrist and twisted it slightly.
"That's more than enough of that," she said.
"Huh…?" Euram looked like he was in a daze.
"Miakis!" Lyon exclaimed. "Where did you come from?"
"Just in time!" Kyle grinned, giving her a not-so subtle thumbs-up.
"The only gentlemen allowed to touch the Princess are His Majesty Ferid and His Royal Highness the Prince. If you still insist on doing so, you'd better be prepared for the consequences," Miakis told him sweetly.
Euram gulped. "C—Consequences?"
Miakis swiftly took out a dagger and pointed it at him while still smiling her innocent smile. "The waters of the Feitas River are really cold, you know."
Euram swallowed once more. "I'm s—s—so sorry! Her beauty must have dazzled me so that I lost my wits! Please, forgive me!" he pleaded. Then, with conviction in his expression, he turned towards the Princess. "But allow me this Your Loveliness! Allow me to predict our future, with all those present as our witnesses! I, Euram Barows, will someday be the third man to touch you!"
There was a brief silence.
"Um… What are you talking about?" Lym spoke up.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! He speaks of the Sacred Games, Princess!" Salum explained with a smile. "He's one of the applicants, you see!"
Gray snorted. Natsu, on the other hand, put a hand to his mouth, trying to suppress his laughter but failing miserably.
"W—What…? Th—That wimpy guy…?" he choked out. "He looks like he can't even wield a sword! I bet Erza can flatten him in one second!"
"I agree with you there," Gray snickered.
"Shush," Erza said, but she looked amused as well.
"I… I see…" Lym said, looking a bit unconvinced herself.
"Fierce competitors will gather from all over the country — from beyond its borders even — but I do not fear them!" Euram declared passionately. "In your name, Princess, victory shall be mine!"
"Wow. You, uh, must be stronger than you look," Lym said hesitantly. "Can you really, you know, swing a sword?"
"Ha ha ha!" Euram exclaimed. "Her Highness jests! A sword? Me? I'm no barbarian. We have found a mighty champion! He shall carve my way to your heart!"
Lym looked angry. "My heart's got no place for a wimp like you!" she snapped.
Both Gray and Natsu's muffled, mocking laughter could be heard as a faint echo, but fortunately, both Salum and Euram were too shocked to register it into their minds.
"W—Wimp?!" Euram choked out. "Wha—You—Your Royal Highness—"
"You want to be my husband? Why don't you earn the right yourself, like my father did?!" Lym added, annoyed.
"Now I'm starting to like her," Natsu remarked.
"Hey, Lym, I understand how you feel, but…" Sialeeds began.
"It's a long-standing tradition that one may have a representative compete in the tournament for him," Salum explained.
Lym crossed her arms. "Hmph!"
"Otherwise," Salum continued on, "noble Falena's royal family would be filled with barbarians who were good at only one thing — fighting!" Then he coughed at the vehement look on Lym's face. "…Not to call His Majesty Ferid a barbarian, by any means… Please don't misunderstand me…"
Lym growled.
Natsu did the same. "And I'm starting to dislike that guy by the second."
Gray nodded. "Me, too."
Erza, on the other hand, looked thoughtful. He does look a little fishy, but that is not reason enough to be suspicious of him… she thought, referring to Salum. But there's just something about him that nags at me… and I don't know what.
"Princess, there's no need for such animosity," Salum said calmly, causing the young girl to become more irritated at his unaffected countenance. "When Euram wins your hand, we'll be the ones supporting you, backing you… You and I shall be allies." Then he gave a knowing look at the royal family. "I'm sure you know of Her Majesty's difficulties with the Godwin faction… I'm a Senator, too, you know. And let us not mince words: Lord Godwin is a bloodthirsty maniac! He thinks only of wringing more taxes from the people, expanding our army, suppressing rebellion! And he would subjugate our neighbours with the Sun Rune itself, use it to rule the world! If we cannot hold back his lunacy, our enemies will multiply, here and abroad! Falena will fall apart! But together, you and I can stem the tide of his madness!"
"But that's… only if Euram's champion can win the games," Lym spoke.
Salum looked pleased. "We understand each other, then." Then he let out a short breath. "Oh, my. I must be getting old — all this rambling… You must all be so weary of me."
"Well, that's an understatement," Gray muttered. Kyle, who was beside him, heard it and suppressed his snickers.
"I should take my leave, then," Salum finished, then turned towards Kyle, who immediately stopped his laughter. "Sir Kyle, young man, we expect great things from you."
"Yeah, thanks" was Kyle's clipped reply.
"Princess, we shall meet again, for such is our destiny," Euram said in farewell, bowing before Lym before making his and Salum's 'graceful' exit.
Sialeeds let out a sigh.
"I'm so tired all of a sudden…" Lyon said.
"Me, too," Natsu said, yawning. "That guy was so boring, and his voice was freakin' annoying!"
"'Sir Kyle, young man…' What are we, best buds?" Kyle grumbled.
"That old man's too glib for his own good…" Sialeeds said. "Frey, Lym, what did you think?"
"I can't quite trust him," Frey said quietly.
"Me neither," Lym said wearily. "He's too slick. He must have rehearsed that whole thing. He didn't mean a word of it. He just wants to use me. That's all."
Sialeeds smiled in slight satisfaction. "Well, if you're that sharp, we shouldn't have to worry about him."
"Really?" Miakis spoke up. "But what if that boy's fighter wins the competition…?"
"Don't jinx it, Miakis!" Lym said.
"But she's right, isn't she?" Lyon interjected. "If Euram wins, he'll be the next Commander of the Queen's Knights, after Ferid!"
"If that happens, I'm out," Kyle said with a tone of finality to his voice. "No way I'm serving under that guy."
Gray sympathetically patted his back.
"Let's just hope someone else out there steps up and wins the Games…" Sialeeds murmured.
"But did you notice the way he spoke earlier?" Erza said seriously. "He said, 'When Euram wins your hand'. He said 'when', not 'if'."
Sialeeds gave a huff. "As if he's confident about his son winning the Games."
They started to tour the room and talked to the nobles and officials discussing about politics.
"Those Godwin buffoons! What are they playing at? 'Let's increase taxes!' 'Let's bring in the draft!' What's next? Do they plan to better the nation by choking its people to death?" The noble jolted when he saw Frey and the others listening to his rambles. "Oh! Y—Your Highness! I, er, didn't see you there! I was just… uh… mumbling to myself."
Next was an elderly official.
"Queen Arshtat has my sympathy. Half the nobility supports the Godwin faction, so she can't afford to ignore them, no matter what they propose. But she has to keep them in check, too. Meanwhile, the Barows faction's falling over itself to please her. Managing the Senate is an endless, thankless task for her, especially these days. People say Her Majesty has changed recently, but quite frankly, I'm not surprised!"
Another noble was next.
"Your Highness, what's the state of Lordlake? Terrible, I suppose. What happened was obviously regrettable, but unavoidable, in my opinion. After all, Her Majesty gave Lord Rovere such trust, such compassion. To let his betrayal go unpunished would have been to invite disaster upon us all. What could have possessed a man like Rovere to support an uprising? He'd shown Her Majesty such devotion! To this day, I don't understand."
And the last official.
"The New Armes Kingdom is to the east of Falena. Much of Lord Barows' territory is in the east of Falena, so they suffered a lot in the invasion eight years ago. The Godwins' land is in the west, so they were relatively unscathed, you see. Now the Barows faction is trying to improve relations with Armes, while the Godwins are getting them riled up!"
After the rather long tour ended, all of them went back to the office, seeing as it was now about the end of the recess.
"Oh, Your Highness!" the official exclaimed. "The clerk in charge of the list is finally back!" She stepped away. "Please go on inside."
"Finally," Natsu remarked, earning him a giggle from Lyon.
"Good heavens! The Princess! And Lady Sialeeds, and His Highness the Prince, too…!" the official standing before the desk exclaimed in surprise. "I'm so very sorry to have kept you waiting, Your Highness!"
"Sorry, we should have warned you…" Frey apologized.
Then all of them turned to a certain purple-haired bodyguard.
"Hear that, Miakis?" Kyle said.
"Yeah, we really should have been more considerate," said Miakis nonchalantly. "Lyon, what were you thinking?"
"What?! Me!?" Lyon exclaimed in shock.
"Miakis, be nice…" Lym scolded.
"Listen to your Princess, Miakis," added Sialeeds. Then she turned towards the clerk. "Right. I hope we're not interrupting anything. Can we just see it, please?"
"Y—Yes, Lady Sialeeds! Yes, Your Highness! Right away!"
In no time, the list was presented to them on the desk, and everyone huddled together to get a closer look.
"Whoa, quite a few of 'em," Miakis remarked.
"W—Wow…" Erza muttered in amazement. "So many names…"
"Hmm… Let's have a look," said Sialeeds.
"How many entrants are there in all?" Lyon asked.
"Well, let's see," said the clerk. "We have about ninety applications here."
Frey's eyes went wide. "Ninety? That many?!"
"Awesome!" Natsu cheered.
"Whoa!" Miakis laughed. "You're really popular, aren't you, Princess!"
"Hmm… But is that really a good thing? I mean, what if they're all like Euram Barows?" Lym wondered aloud.
"Don't worry, Princess," Kyle assured. "He's one of a kind, if you ask me."
Gray snorted in amusement.
"After the final screening process, and the royal family's approval…" The clerk looked thoughtful for a moment. "…the final number of competitors ought to be about forty."
"So, what kind of suckers—" Kyle coughed after receiving a look from Sialeeds. "—er, brave warriors — do we have?"
"An ex-dragon Cavalry soldier, a Lindwurm Mercenary… and even a disciple of Master Haia from Kanakan!" read Lyon, her tone that of wonder. "Wow! What an amazing lineup!"
"Oh…" Sialeeds suddenly spoke. "So he applied, too, huh?"
"Anything wrong, Lady Sialeeds?" Kyle asked.
"Nah…" Sialeeds said almost dismissively. "I just found a name that brings back a few memories, that's all." She pointed towards the printed calligraphy. "See? Gizel Godwin. Lord Godwin's son."
"Oh!" Miakis exclaimed.
"Lady Sialeeds…" Kyle murmured.
Sialeeds gave the briefest of chuckles. "My ex-fiancé wants to marry my niece. This'll be awkward."
"F—Fiancé?!" Lym said in shock.
"…" Erza could not say a word due to the heat growing in her cheeks and the embarrassment flowing into her.
Sialeeds glanced at her niece. "Oh, right. You were little back then. What, you didn't know either, Lyon?"
"It's the first I've heard of it!" Lyon exclaimed. "But I thought the last Sacred Games were sixteen years ago…?"
"They were," Sialeeds answered. "But those were for Arshtat, not me. She was the one in line for the throne. I didn't get any Games."
"Oh…" Lyon murmured.
"Anyway, it's ancient history," Sialeeds said. "Let's not get all flustered over some petty political match-up from years ago. Besides, we were the ones who called it off. It wouldn't have worked out."
"I've seen Gizel Godwin," Lym spoke up. "Once or twice, at banquets. He looked… well, much better than Euram Barows, at least." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hmm… Him and Aunt Sialeeds, huh?"
Sialeeds blinked. "I don't know what you're thinking about, but I'm telling you it really doesn't matter anymore. Don't worry about it, okay?" Then she smiled and turned to the clerk. "So! Who's the man to beat this time?"
The clerk looked flustered. "P—Pardon, Lady Sialeeds?! I—I really couldn't say, Your Highness…"
"Probably either Gizel or Euram," Lyon said. "They can both afford really strong champions…"
"You never know. Some commoner might come out of nowhere and save the day…" Kyle said hopefully.
"We'll find out when it happens," said Sialeeds. "Remember what happened at the last Sacred Games? Everyone thought the finalists would be Godwin and Barows. And then, boom! Along came Ferid."
"Exciting, eh, Princess?" Miakis said.
"I don't know. It still feels like it doesn't have anything to do with me," Lym said slowly. "Like something out of a storybook…"
"Thanks. I hope we didn't bother you too much," Sialeeds said.
"No, Lady Sialeeds!" the clerk assured. "It was our pleasure! No bother at all! When the list is officially completed, we'll bring it to the Sun Palace right away!"
"Good. Please do that," Lym said.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
•••
When they were finally out of the Senate Hall, Natsu stretched his arms.
"Outside at last!" he cheered. "That suffocating smell almost clogged my nostrils!"
"Whew, now that was a large dose of history and political lessons," commented Gray.
"I have learned a lot of things from this place," said Erza proudly.
"I'm glad you all enjoyed," Sialeeds told them.
The bell rang at that moment, signalling the beginning of mid-afternoon.
"Is it that time already?" Sialeeds said.
Miakis turned to her charge. "Princess, you should get back to your room. It's time for your afternoon studies."
"Yes… I guess you're right," Lym said with a sigh.
"Studies? How boring…" Natsu complained. Then he shivered uncontrollably. "I can still remember that time when Erza taught me about the alphabet… that was the most traumatizing experience of my life…!"
Gray patted him sympathetically on the shoulder. "It must have been terrible for you."
"Huh?" Very slowly, Erza turned to them with a death glare. "Did you say something, Natsu?"
"N—No…! I'm soooorryyyy!"
Knowing to ignore them whenever they got like that, Frey turned to his sister. "Why don't you take the day off?" he suggested.
"I wish she could, too, but… the Queen…" Miakis said hesitantly.
"A-ha! So even you're afraid of Arshtat the way she is now, huh, Lym?" Sialeeds said.
"I'm not afraid of her!" Lym disagreed. "Mother's strict with me. That's natural. If I don't study really, really hard, I won't ever be the Queen she is!" She turned towards her brother and tears welled up in her eyes. "Frey… I want to stay with you, but it looks like I've gotta be a Princess…" She sniffled. "Please come see me when you can. Every second you're away—"
"You'll see him at dinner," Sialeeds interjected. "Don't be such a drama queen."
"Why do you always do that, Auntie?!" Lym said angrily. "Why do you always ruin the mood?!" She then turned her back and walked away with a huff. "Come on, Miakis."
"Yes, Princess," Miakis said dutifully, following after her. "See you later, Prince."
Sialeeds let out a yawn. "I guess I'll go back, too, and get some more sleep." Then she walked back to the Sun Palace as well.
"Sweet dreams, Lady Sialeeds," Kyle called out.
"Yeah, yeah. Good night…"
Lyon turned to her charge. "Prince, what do you want to do now?"
"I don't know," Frey said. "Any ideas?"
"Hey, let's go check out that new Rune shop!" Kyle suggested. "You heard about the owner? Everybody's saying she's gorgeous! You want to check her out, too, don't you, Prince?"
Frey blinked. "Not really."
Kyle looked incredulous. "What? What about you guys?" he asked the three mages.
Natsu held up a hand, his face uninterested. "Nope."
Gray had a pokerface expression of his own. "Not interested."
"I am not interested in women," Erza said flatly.
Kyle gave up and turned to Frey. "But Prince! Your obligation as a Prince is to 'inspect' the land… and its citizens, isn't it?"
"Um… Kyle?" Lyon spoke up. "The Prince said he's not interested, so don't try to force him…"
"Lyon, this is a necessary step in the Prince's growth into manhood!" Kyle said passionately.
"Jeez, cut it out already!" Lyon said, annoyed. Then she sighed. "…I give up. Let's go and get this over with."
"All right! Now that everybody's in agreement, let's go, Prince!" Kyle said happily.
But before they could, a dark-haired woman approached them, causing Kyle to gape at her exotic beauty.
She looked like she was in her late twenties, or perhaps that was due to her makeup, especially her red lipstick. But even though that was the case, she still had that elegant aura that seemed to exude from her form at all times. She had long dark hair almost coming to her waist, and her equally dark-shaded eyes held a sort of mystery to her. She wore a simple cream-white dress, almost blending with her pale-white skin.
"Greetings, Erza Scarlet," she said softly, her lips curving into a smile. "Also to you, Fire Dragon Slayer Natsu Dragneel and Ice-Make Wizard Gray Fullbuster."
"Wh—Wha—You're from the Council, aren't you?!" Erza exclaimed in surprise. "You came to this world as well?!"
"Why, yes, Erza-san," the woman said with another smile. "Oh, forgive my manners. I am Ultear Milkovich of the Magic Council. Pleased to meet you."
"P—Pleased to meet you, too," Erza stammered, bowing. She was still reeling from the fact that they were not actually alone.
Then did that mean that there were others? Had their comrades back in the guild also travelled here?
Meanwhile, Gray was staring at Ultear in pure, utter shock. He could not believe it.
"I will save you from your darkness."
"NO! STOP, UL—!"
The ice shatters her body into pieces—
"Would it be possible to talk to you three… in private?" Ultear was saying, eyeing the Prince and the others unsurely.
"O—Oh! Don't mind me!" Kyle said, immediately leaving. "C'mon, Prince, Lyon!"
"We'll be waiting for you at the main plaza, okay?" Lyon told them before following.
"So, what's this about?" Natsu asked flatly. "And are you really a member of the Council? You look young!"
"Natsu!" Erza snapped. "Don't be rude!"
"Oh, my," Ultear said, giggling. "I'll take that as a compliment, Natsu-san." Then her expression turned solemn. "Erza-san, it is not only I who has found myself in this strange world. I have a companion, and he is from the Magic Council as well. I am sure you have already met him…"
Erza froze. "Don't tell me…"
"...Erza?" Natsu inquired, puzzled at her odd reaction.
"Hello, Erza," a smooth, velvety voice came from behind the red-haired woman, causing her eyes to widen and her posture to stiffen. "Coincidence to see you here."
"…Siegrain," Erza gritted out, turning around to face him.
The older man had a semblance of a smile on his face, though Erza somehow felt that it was malicious. Compared to the way she felt when meeting Ultear, the casualness was nothing compared to the oppressiveness she felt when facing Siegrain.
The man was attractive. He had light-blue hair that had smooth spikes, probing olive-green eyes, and a distinctive red tattoo embedded vertically by the side of his right eye. He wore an immaculately white coat, signifying his position and elegance.
Both him and Ultear looked considerably different from the three of them.
"Siegrain-sama, this is now our time to reveal our plan to them," Ultear told him.
"Plan?" Erza inquired almost hesitantly.
"Plan?" Natsu said excitedly.
Gray stayed silent, still stealing glances over at Ultear.
"You three are accompanying the Prince of Falena, am I right?" Siegrain said, his expression serious.
For only this moment, Erza forced herself to become professional and calm. "Yes."
"The two of us wish to support you Fairy Tail mages in your journey," Siegrain said with a smile. "However, we cannot ensure if the Prince will trust in us, so we will work on the sidelines."
"We have detected some malicious auras here in Sol Falena," Ultear continued. "Siegrain-sama and I will investigate them and see if we could take care of them before it would cause trouble to this country. Siegrain-sama assumed that if some Fairy Tail mages and the Council as well have been transported to this world, then it is also likely possible for other guilds, especially Dark Guilds, to come here as well."
Natsu, Erza, and Gray froze at that.
"Fairy Tail has always been such an amusing guild," Siegrain mused. "It is sort of an honour to be helping you out."
Really? Erza thought as she stared at him. Is there really no ulterior motive?
What are you really thinking, Siegrain?
"You sure you guys can handle it?" Gray said, speaking up for the first time.
Ultear sent him a smile. "I feel I am perfectly capable enough, but with Siegrain-sama here, there will be no problem. He is one of the Ten Wizard Saints, after all."
Natsu's jaw dropped. "Whaaat?! That guy's that powerful?" he exclaimed, pointing at Siegrain's amused face. "Hey, fight me!"
"Natsu, don't," Erza told him calmly, her eyes closed. "You'll be annihilated in a span of a few seconds."
"S—SERIOUSLY?! Amazing!"
Meanwhile, Gray wasn't really listening. It can't be, he thought to himself. It can't be… That smile… She looks so much like…
Ul…
"Anyway, we'd best leave for the moment," Ultear told them, seemingly unaware of Gray's conflicted, troubled thoughts. "We are still finding the causes of the malicious intents we sensed. We will contact you when we acquire the necessary information."
"Wait," Erza called out before they left. "How can you contact us?"
"Ah, I almost forgot about that," Siegrain said softly. With small, intent steps, he went towards Erza and placed a ring on her hand.
"This will be our medium of communication," he told her. "It is similar to a communication lacrima."
"…How can I use it?" she asked quietly.
"Place it in your ring finger and channel magic into it." He gave her a knowing look before leaning towards her ear. "Oh, and by the way, Erza…"
The latter's eyes widened into saucers after Siegrain finished telling her what he wanted her to know. He looked amused at her horrified expression and left with Ultear without a word.
"Erza?" Natsu asked, looking worried. "What's wrong?"
"…Nothing," Erza said, lowering her head so they wouldn't see her expression. "Let's go. We mustn't keep Prince Frey waiting."
"Erza…" This time, Gray was the one who said it.
"I said it's nothing."
"By the way, Erza…
"Jellal… is here as well."
Jellal… Erza thought, gritting her teeth. What are you going to do now that you're not in your tower anymore?
...Are you still going to kill me?
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tbc
note : this chapter took me the LONGEST and HARDEST time to write so far. As in. A full 11,000 words for you guys to enjoy (or probably sleep over?). Even though the walkthrough in YouTube is already provided, it is all too complicated for me to explain to you readers who haven't played the game yet (as well as to Team Natsu) about the structure of politics in Falena without making it too long or too boring. So I hope you'll all bear with it for a while because the excitement is coming soon! The next arc — the Sacred Games arc — is coming along with Lucy as well after some time. I'll just combine two or three walkthroughs in one chapter so that she'll appear in the story faster. Oh, the excitement! Haha
