Gwendal had known somehow his choice to stay behind in Blood Pledge Castle was going to be a bad idea: he simply hadn't known how bad an idea it would be.
"But I'm pleading with you," Gunter said, his eyes glistening with tears while the band continued to shine from around his forehead.
The General should have simply assumed anything involving Anissina and a desperate Gunter would turn out the worst for Gwendal. Nothing had changed in all of these years.
"I'm sorry," the grey-haired demon snarled. "But I flatly refuse. The answer is 'no'."
Anissina was going on about how magic and her amazing devices had failed, which was apparently both appalling and shocking because she had an "ultra superior brain", and now only one option remained.
"I told you 'no way in hell'!" Gwendal repeated. "Besides, why in the world must I be forced to kiss Gunter? It's sheer madness!"
"Not Gunter," Anissina corrected. "You must kiss the band stuck to Gunter."
"It's the same thing," the General snapped.
"Gwendal," the royal aid begged.
Gwendal couldn't stop a growl from exiting his throat.
"I'm engaged!" Gwendal turned on his heel. "Or have all of you forgotten that? Even a simple kiss could be perceived as..."
"You don't actually take your engagement to the Maou seriously, do you?"
The General froze at Anissina's words and he turned around to see her, the three maids, and Gunter all staring at him in anticipation, only Anissina's features were surprisingly cold.
"I take it very seriously," Gwendal stated. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have actual work to attend to."
"Wait, Gwendal!" Gunter rushed after him. "Please! What must I do?"
A couple of days might have passed since Gwendal and Conrad had argued with each other, but the General was still sore from the emotional lashings. Though he considered Gunter a friend, he was often exasperated by the man, especially of late when Gunter allowed his adoration for their new Maou to blind him.
Frustrated, Gwendal, shoved the royal aid out of his way.
"That's enough!" Gwendal insisted. "I will not risk my engagement for your ridiculous..."
"Risk?" Anissina cut in. "Is it a business proposition or love?"
"I am busy!" the General shouted. "Excuse me!"
"No, Gwendal, please!" Gunter tried to stop the other demon, but Gwendal evaded him and slipped out of the room.
He didn't realize how angry he had been until he was back in his office and noticed his breath was ragged and his hands were shaking. Why did Anissina always manage to pour lemon juice into the wounds at the least opportune time?
Gwendal sat down behind his desk and began sorting through paperwork, but he wasn't devoting much of his attention to it. All he could think about was how Anissina had doubted his devotion to the engagement. If she doubted then he knew the others would take note and question him as well. If anyone knew Gwendal, it was Anissina, as much as he loathed how easily she saw through him.
A knock sounded on his door and he angrily told whoever was on the other side to go away.
His fury ignited when the door pushed open anyways and he was ready to reprimand whoever stood there until he saw it was one of his own men looking shaken and terrified.
"What is it?" Gwendal demanded.
"My lord," the soldier bowed. "Sir Weller has sent a missive. The Maou has been captured by Stoffel."
Gwendal's fist hit the table before he could even think of a proper response.
"Dammit!" he snapped, his arms beginning to shake. "How could Conrart allow this to happen?"
There was a silence interrupted only by the click of heels as Anissina arrived. Behind her, Gunter stood, looking pale, but the headband was now missing.
Gwendal gave them a glare before turning to the soldier.
"Deploy all troops," the General ordered. "Without delay. I'm coming too. Ready my horse."
Gunter turned to Anissina and gave a low bow.
"Lady Anissina, I must go as well. Hold down the fort."
Gwendal marched out of his office, aware Anissina was staring after him. He knew when he returned, if he returned, she would have words to exchange with him. For now, he hoped he heard from Yozak soon. The spy of course had infiltrated Stoffel's mansion, but there was no guarantee the man would get the Maou to safety before they were forced into war.
He calmed his breathing as he mounted his horse.
This was the worst case scenario he had been preparing for, but he had hoped he could trust his brothers to make sure this didn't happen. Anger welled up inside himself upon realizing he should have ignored Conrad and tagged along. Maybe then the Maou wouldn't have been kidnapped.
He kicked his horse's sides harder than he normally would and the animal jerked forward.
A few paces behind him, Gunter looked on with worry.
Battle always made Gwendal's gut squirm and nothing changed as his army converged on Stoffel's at the gorge dividing the lands. He could see the Spitzweg flag flying high and the red armor of the Spitzweg soldiers glistening in the sun like fresh blood.
Upon seeing Stoffel, Gwendal yanked his horse to a stop.
"Stoffel," he shouted towards the other army. "I would like to avoid a senseless war if it is at all possible. All you must do is return to us what was taken."
"What are you talking about?"
The hairs on the back of Gwendal's neck stood on end at the sound of his uncle's voice. It took him back to their last argument. It took him back to the day the new Maou had arrived. It took him back to the days of the war. His entire body felt tense again and his blood was on fire. He completely missed what Gunter was saying in response.
"The gem of the dragon king?" Stoffel questioned in what sounded like surprise before his tone became the usual demanding one he had learned to assume when regent. "Blaming the innocent for notorious crimes and hushing it up in the name of justice: is that your way of conducting business? I am thoroughly ashamed of you, Lord Voltaire. You're nothing like your mother."
Gwendal ignored the jab.
"So you insist you know nothing about these crimes?"
"His highness came to my castle of his own accord," Stoffel insisted.
"That's ridiculous," Gunter barked.
"I am not going to allow you to have your way with his majesty any longer," Stoffel pointed at Gwendal. "Especially you, Gwendal: you with your fake engagement!"
Soldiers rush forward, their horses diving over the ridge as they rode out to attack.
"Leave them to me," Gwendal told Gunter as he spurred his horse to meet the soldiers.
Though he drew his sword, Gwendal had no intention of drawing any blood. His heart pounded as he built up the magic within himself until the right moment. The barriers erupted from around him, knocking the soldiers unconscious and causing them to fall from their horses.
He pulled his horse to a stop and looked up the ridge at where Stoffel stood glaring down at him. From this distance he could see the man's face, each line indicating both his rage and his malice. The General tried to cool the fury bubbling inside him, but he wasn't succeeding.
"This is your answer?" he yelled at his uncle. "It appears that further discussion is pointless then!"
"Foolish boy," Stoffel roared, but there was mirth in his voice. "Have you forgotten that I have his highness in my custody? That I have your precious fiance?"
Gwendal's grip tightened on the reigns.
"What will you do now, oh Great Lord von Voltaire?" Stoffel mocked him. "General of the Maou's armies? Admiral of his navies? Will you wage war? Will you attempt to kill me? What will you risk to have control of the Maou?"
"Gwendal!" Gunter shouted, but the General barely heard him.
"He is your Maou!" Gwendal hollered, his voice breaking beneath the strain of his rage. "You do not control him!"
"Hey, guys!" The yell yanked the General's head around and the knots in his muscles suddenly unraveled as he realized Yuuri, Wolfram, and Conrad were riding towards him. "I'm over here!"
The young Maou jerked to a stop beside Gwendal and gave a quick look at all of the serious faces around him.
"What's with all of you?" Yuuri questioned. "What's with the angry faces?"
The tension quickly returned to Gwendal as he realized the boy would probably try a foolish negotiation. As Yuuri tried to convince them all that the battle wasn't necessary, it was actually Gunter who argued against him. The General watched Yuuri's expression change from smiling to surprised to horrified. Conrad rode up alongside the teenager and tried to lead him away, but Yuuri wasn't having any of it. Distress replaced the youth's horror.
"Hey, Gunter!" Yuuri begged.
"Please, try to forgive me, your highness," the royal aid replied. "It's pointless to arbitrate. This is the perfect opportunity to lay down the law for Stoffel von Spitzweg."
"Hey, speak up, Wolfram!" Yuuri faced the youngest brother, but the blond wouldn't even look at him.
"Gwendal?"
The General flinched when the pleading look was directed at him.
For a moment, Yuuri waited for a reply, but then looked down, sadness filling his dark eyes.
"There's only one way to resolve this now!" Stoffel announced, turning towards his soldiers.
Gwendal gave a heavy sigh as he faced his uncle and then urged his horse a few paces forward.
"Two actually!" he shouted up at the man, drawing the attention of everyone. "There are two ways to settle this!"
"Gwendal!" Conrad called after him, but the eldest brother ignored him.
"I, Lord Gwendal von Voltaire, General of the Maou's Armies and Admiral of his Navies, challenge you, Lord Stoffel von Spitzweg, to a duel!"
Shocked yells filled the gorge, but Gwendal held fast.
"On my honor," the grey-haired demon stated. "Should I succeed, you will accept whatever punishment the Maou deems fit for your treason. Should I fail..."
"Gwendal!" Wolfram pleaded. "No!"
"You can replace me," the General finished. "As General, as Admiral, and as War Adviser to the Maou."
"Gwendal," Yuuri spoke, his quiet voice somehow reaching the man.
The demon turned to the teenager.
"You want to avoid a civil war, right, your majesty?" Gwendal dismounted. "This is how it is done."
Stoffel was still sitting on his horse, looking apprehensive, but he finally urged his horse to ride down the steep slope. Dismounting, he approached the space Gwendal had designated for their duel.
"Gwendal!" Yuuri called, but the General didn't dare look back.
Stoffel was known for his dirty fighting as well as his dirty dealing. This would not be a fair duel, even with all of these onlookers. The grey-haired demon couldn't risk giving the man an opportunity.
The two lords circled, watching each other's bodies for any sign indicating a move to attack. Their swords gleamed in the sun and their coats were the only sound as they ruffled in the wind of the gorge. Suddenly, Stoffel made his move, but it was a feign. Gwendal had barely enough time to parry the true attack.
"You fight just like your father," Stoffel huffed, a sneer forming on his face. "Direct and brutish."
"I'm not a weasel," Gwendal spat as he shoved the other man away from him.
He had only a few seconds before he was on the defense again.
"This is so unlike you," Stoffel growled as his sword slipped between feigns, stabs, and slices. "Why risk your position when you can try to subdue me with your army?"
Gwendal winched when he missed an attack and felt the sharp blade nick his shoulder.
"Have you gone soft?" his uncle taunted. "Has the Maou wooed you to weakness? What will you do next? Roll over when the country is invaded?"
The General shouldn't have let the words sting, but they did and he lunged for an attack he wasn't ready for. The blade plunged into his leg and Gwendal nearly buckled at the pain. Stoffel smirked as his nephew stumbled back.
"Gwendal!" Yuuri hollered from the sidelines.
Conrad gripped the reins of Yuuri's horse tighter when it looked as if the youth was about to rush in to stop the duel.
"What are the rules of the duel?" Yuuri asked, turning wide eyes to his bodyguard.
"If either of them surrender," Conrad informed the young Maou. "Or if they suffer a grievous wound or if they are put in a compromising position or...death."
"Death?" Yuuri gasped. "We have to stop this!"
"If we interrupt," Wolfram explained. "Then the duel is forfeit and Stoffel wins."
"What?" Yuuri exclaimed.
"The same is true if one of Stoffel's men intervenes, causing Stoffel to lose."
"But Gwendal is hurt!" the teenager pointed out. "Isn't that a...a...gri...uh wound?"
"Only if Gwendal allows it to be," Conrad stated. "Which his pride won't permit."
Yuuri's brows pinched in worry as he turned towards the continuing duel.
Stoffel had struck first, but now his arrogance was going to be his undoing. Gwendal had known he would have to allow himself to be wounded in order to get the upper hand. He had simply hoped the wound would have been in a less immobilizing place. Circling Stoffel, he feigned a limp, knowing his uncle couldn't resist a sign of weakness. The blade streaked through the air and Gwendal quickly dodged to the side, landing painfully on the knee of his wounded leg, and brought his blade so the tip tucked itself under Stoffel's jawline.
Everyone gasped as Stoffel froze where he stood.
"I believe I've won," Gwendal stated. "Surrender, Stoffel, and accept your punishment with honor."
The Spitzweg Lord was gritting his teeth, but he still dropped his sword.
Rising, Gwendal was grateful when Conrad came to his side. Steadying the wounded General, Conrad helped his brother away from Stoffel as Gunter and Wolfram closed in on the former regent.
"What punishment will you lay down for him?" Gwendal asked as he faced Yuuri.
The Maou hesitated, looking between Gwendal's stern features and the glower upon Stoffel's face.
Seriousness took over the youth's face and he straightened slightly.
"Lord Stoffel von Spitzweg," he began. "I sentence you to house arrest in your land."
"Really?" Stoffel perked, a smile forming on his lips. "That's my sentence?"
"Your highness!" Gunter objected. "That's simply far too lenient! He should be drawn and quartered!"
"The Maou has spoken," Gwendal barked at the royal aid, causing Gunter to jump in alarm and then look ashamed. "Do as he has ordered."
"As you wish, sire." Gunter gave a bow to Yuuri.
"The rest is all yours," the General nodded to Gunter before getting back on his horse with Conrad's help.
As Gwendal occupied himself with organizing some of his troops in a retreat, some to assist Gunter, and the rest to become guards of the Spitzweg border, he was interrupted by Yuuri approaching him.
"You should head back to the castle to be healed," Yuuri insisted as he glanced down at the wound bleeding from Gwendal's thigh. "That looks really bad."
"I'll head there as soon as I am done here," the General muttered, pulling his jacket to cover that part of his leg.
Abruptly, an eruption of smoke drew their attention and Yuuri gave a yelp when it appeared Gunter had been captured by Stoffel's elite. Sighing, Gwendal grabbed the reins of Yuuri's horse to keep the boy from rushing to Gunter's rescue.
"Lord von Christ is fine," Gwendal assured the youth who was looking frantic.
They watched as Gunter easily freed himself from the ropes binding him and blocked the attack from the elite soldiers before attacking them.
"Impressive," the General stated. "Gunter may be retired from actual combat, but his swordsmanship is as sharp as ever."
He didn't dare admit the royal aid would have been a better choice to duel Stoffel.
"Wow!" Yuuri exclaimed. "Way to go, Gunter!"
Beaming, the royal aid gave a deep bow.
"Thank you for your praise. I am unworthy of it."
"Not at all," Yuuri continued. "You don't always have to be so modest, Gunter."
"I thank you again, your highness."
Gwendal maneuvered his horse around and finished handing out orders before he, his brothers, and Yuuri began the trip back to Blood Pledge Castle. They stopped to camp that night and Gwendal allowed Conrad to wrap his wound. Yozak joined them just before morning with news that Spitzweg Castle had been searched, but the gem of the dragon king had not been found. They decided it was probably best to report to Ulrike first before returning to the castle proper.
"I see," Ulrike mumbled after Conrad finished explaining what had happened. "But what of the gem of the dragon king?"
"Actually," the Captain began before glancing at Gwendal.
"We searched Castle Spitzweg from top to bottom, but we couldn't find it," Gwendal replied.
Yozak gave a snort. "You think that the rotten old geezer panicked and swallowed it? I'm thinking we should do a deep and thorough cavity search."
Yuuri gasped at this. "Don't even joke about that!"
The priestess gave a giggle before turning to the Maou.
"Oh, and by the way, I almost forgot about this." She pulled out a blue scroll and presented it to Yuuri. "A girl from the castle stopped by and asked me to give this to you."
"Huh?" Yuuri mumbled as he took the scroll. "What the heck's this?"
"Apparently it was found in the treasure chamber," Ulrike elaborated. "Read it."
As Yuuri unfurled the scroll, everyone leaned in to read the words.
"What's it say?" Yuuri questioned when no one immediately responded.
Gwendal gave a groan, which the others were quick to mimic as Conrad explained to Yuuri what the note said.
"It's an IOU for the gem?" the young Maou exclaimed.
"Lady Celi really did it this time," Yozak sighed as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Oh, well," Yuuri rolled up the scroll. "I guess all the loose ends are tied up now."
"Oh, my!" Ulrike suddenly grabbed Yuuri's hand. "That's wonderful your majesty! This is so thrilling! I know you'll bring true peace to Shin Makoku, your highness. I shall serve you wholeheartedly for life!"
Yuuri was blushing as he expressed his appreciation, something which seemed to infuriate Wolfram.
"Stop slobbering, you wimp!" Wolfram fumed. "Are you a man or a craven dog? Don't you even care what Gwendal thinks?"
Without warning, Wolfram gave Yuuri a shove and the Maou couldn't regain his balance in time before he fell into the fountain. There was a loud rushing sound as the water whirled and then Yuuri was gone.
"Seriously?" Wolfram huffed in anger. "I can't even hold a decent argument with him?"
"I'm returning to the castle," Gwendal grunted as he started walking away from the temple.
"Aren't you at all worried about the Maou?" Wolfram shouted. "He was flirting with her!"
Gwendal stopped at his horse to give the priestess a glance, but he merely huffed at the idea.
"I don't feel threatened," he deadpanned as he mounted his horse.
With that, he rode back to the castle with the hope of some well-earned rest.
