Jubstacheit continued to lead Annie through the halls of Einzbern manner. The route was somewhat unfamiliar to her, as she had only been down it her first day, but she remembered that the walk wasn't that long. There was no sign of Illya or anyone else as the two walked.
As she walked, she furiously went through her options. Acht had put her in an extremely tight spot; she had just a few minutes to come up with an impossible solution to a complex problem or her friendship with Illya was finished. She wanted to rage against the unfairness of that situation, but she couldn't afford the time. She was completely at Acht's mercy.
He wants a way to prevent this from happening again, Annie thought. That mean preventing people from getting the impression that Illya was living in some place in the woods. As long as no one saw her go in there and not come out for a whole day, they could just keep going as they were.
Acht would never accept that, though. He wanted more. The problem was there was nothing more to give. What else could they do so that Acht didn't follow up on his threat of sealing Illya inside here forever and sealing Annie out? The only thing to do to prevent people from wondering about the forest would be to make Illya seem normal, to disassociate her from the woods. But how to do that…
A solution suddenly dawned on her, right as the creaking of the cathedral doors snapped her out of her thoughts. The cathedral looked exactly as Annie remembered, as if no one were in there since she last was a couple of weeks ago. Lord Acht didn't stop, walking down the aisle without breaking stride.
Lord Acht continued to the altar in the center of the room, while Annie stopped a few feet short. Acht turned around and leaned casually against the altar, imposing his looming figure in a position of power and ease. That intimidation and nervousness that she had felt that first time returned, but she shoved it aside. She couldn't afford to not think clearly right now.
"So," Jubstacheit said casually. "You've had ample time, Miss Leonhart. What is your proposition?"
Annie wanted to wipe that smug smile off his face with a nice fist to the jaw, but she had to keep her anger in check. She didn't forget what Illya said to her before she first met Lord Acht. Be respectful, and don't speak unless spoken to.
"Lord Acht," she began slowly. "You ask for a way in which we can prevent people from wondering about an establishment in this forest without having to cut ties with me."
"I know what I asked, Miss Leonhart," Acht said impatiently.
"Of course," said Annie. She didn't just repeat his request to sound formal. She was deliberately taking as much time as possible in order to fine tune her proposition. It was an insanely mad proposition, but, if it worked, could satisfy Lord Acht's demands and make Illya much happier.
"So you have nothing, then?" asked Acht.
"I do have something," Annie replied. "In order to prevent people from searching through the forest for your home, we need to make people believe that Illya does not in fact live there. The reason my classmate Armin and his friends went into the woods in the first place was because they wondered at how Illya survived a night there."
"Exactly," said Lord Acht. "Your claim is correct. It was Illyasviel's presence outside that caused this problem. If we follow the logic, the only way to fix this problem is to prevent Illya from leaving Einzbern Manor anymore. Technically, she was never allowed to leave, but I have been lax in enforcing this rule. That seems to be the simplest and most effective solution in my mind, so why should I consider yours?"
"Because, Lord Acht, that solution won't actually work," Annie replied. "You see, that rule, properly enforced, would have worked before, but now that Illya has been seen in Edensburg, several times, it would be suspicious if she goes missing. And with what Armin suspects, where do you think they'll look first?"
"I see," Acht murmured, looking down contemplatively. Annie kept a stoic face, but smiled inwardly. Her strategy had worked. She talked him out of his plan by focusing on the things he cared most about. She didn't mention how unfair it would be to Illya to keep her cooped up in the manor, she focused only on the issue of the manor's discovery. "What do you propose, then, Miss Leonhart?"
Annie took a deep breath. "This, Lord Acht, is a complicated problem, so we must take a drastic measure. When you first hear my proposition, it will seem that it runs directly contrary to our purpose, when in fact it should solve our problem entirely."
"Out with it."
Annie nodded. "Send Illya to school with me, Lord Acht."
Acht's head jerked up as he stared Illya with wide, fiery eyes. "What?" he asked in a low voice.
"The cause of this," Annie explained cautiously, "is not Illya in Edensburg, it's Illya on the path to Edensburg. It's Illya being seen going into or coming out of the forest that is the most danger to us. If we limit that as much as possible, while at the same time deepening Illya's ties within Edensburg, we'd succeed in creating a false front.
"She can come to my house early in the morning, when I'm getting ready for school, and she won't leave until its dark, when she can go back on the path under the cover of darkness. She can go to school, making everyone believe that she is just a normal girl and not a phantom child from the woods."
Acht simply stared at her, not moving in the slightest. It felt like his eyes were boring directly into her soul. "You are mad," Lord Acht finally declared. "I cannot sanction this idea. It runs contrary to everything the Einzbern family is about! No, Miss Leonhart, your plan has been rejected. My only course of action is to ban you entirely from this manor, so that you cease to bring unwanted attention here. You will be escorted from Einzbern Manor immediately, never to return. Leysritt! Sella!"
The doors swung open immediately, admitting the two maids. They each approached Annie, presumably to escort her by the arm from the manor. Leysritt had a sad look on her face, as if she truly felt bad for Annie, whereas Sella's look was unpleasant, as if she didn't want to do what she was about to do, but would follow her lord's command nonetheless.
Annie started to panic. She had to think of something. She had to think of something! She couldn't just let it end like this. She couldn't abandon Illya out of the blue. After years of solitude, the girl finally had a friend; she couldn't take that away from her without a fight!
"I don't think so, Lord Acht!" Annie declared.
If she thought Acht's eyes were fiery before, they were triple that now. That old face, usually so stoic and collected, was now twisted with rage. Even Leysritt and Sella stopped walking, both in utter shock.
"What did you say?" Acht whispered.
"I said, I don't think so," Annie replied bravely. "If you ban me from your manor, then I will tell anyone who will listen about your presence here. I won't stop until every person in Edensburg knows where you are!"
"You dare blackmail me!" Acht yelled. "Did you forget who I am, girl? Did you forget who you are? I am the lord, and you are a mere subject."
"No, you have that wrong, Acht," Annie replied smugly. "The truth is that you are the person with a secret to be kept, and I'm the one with knowledge of that secret. To your credit, you've done a magnificent job of feigning your superiority with a looming presence, but in truth, you're the one at my mercy, not the other way around."
"Is that what you think?" Acht replied, an evil grin on his face. "When I throw you in a dungeon in thirty seconds I have no doubt you will be disabused of that ridiculous notion."
"Go ahead," Annie said casually. She had to keep this gusto up. Falter, and she was doomed. "Do it. Toss me in a dungeon for the rest of my life. Kill me. That will only bring the authorities here faster. People will notice my disappearance eventually, and again, where do you think the first place they'll look will be?"
Acht's face was turning red as he struggled to find something to say. Now it's time to shift gears, she thought. She had gotten the upper hand through toughness, but she still needed him to acquiesce, so she went back toward being respectful.
"Please, my lord," she said softly, allowing just a touch of desperation to enter her voice. "I want to protect your secret just as much as you do. I really do like Illya, and I would hate to see her suffer the consequences of having this place discovered. My plan is the only one that will work. It is the only one where your secret is protected and doesn't sacrifice our friendship. Everyone wins."
Acht slammed his fist down on the altar. "Fine!" he declared roughly. "You are a clever girl, Miss Leonhart, easily able to worm your way around obstacles. It paid off this time; we will go through with your plan. Don't count on being so lucky the next time around." He paused to lean over the altar, almost getting in her face. "And don't you ever speak to me like that again. Now leave!"
Sella was immediately at Annie's side, tugging on her sleeve. "Come on, let's go," she whispered softly. Together with Leysritt, Annie was calmly escorted from the cathedral. She didn't dare take a look back at Acht, and she couldn't get out of that room fast enough.
"Annie Leonhart, you possess some nerve," said Sella once they were well clear of the room, shaking her head. "I never imagined anybody could have the courage and the madness to speak to Lord Jubstacheit so."
"I had no choice, Sella," Annie explained with a tired sigh. "He was going to ban me from ever seeing Illya again. I couldn't let that happen."
"I'm glad you spoke up," Leysritt commented. "It needed to be done."
"Don't say such things," Sella scolded. "It is inappropriate."
"You guys should be glad, no?" Annie countered. "You two serve and love Illya. Don't you see how happy she is with me?"
"Do not mistake me," said Sella. "I am happy Lord Acht agreed to your plan, and I am very happy that you can continue to spend time with Illya. You have changed her mood for the better, and for that I am extremely grateful. But Lord Acht is the highest authority in Einzbern Manor. To be okay with someone speaking like you did to him would be improper for Sella and me. But it is in the past now, I will dwell on it no longer."
Annie nodded. There were some kinks in her plan that needed to be worked out, such as how to enroll Illya in her school. She'd have to ask Leysritt or Sella for some documentation, she was sure. Those were only minor annoyances, though, she should be able to get Illya enrolled no problem.
I suppose I'll have to list myself as her legal guardian, Annie figured. She couldn't list Lord Acht, that would lead to unwanted inquiries. It made her uncomfortable to lie about something legal like that, but she supposed it wouldn't actually be lying. She doubted Illya actually had a legal guardian. She was happy to fill the role.
"Well, we're here," said Leysritt. The three of them stood in front of the door to Illya's quarters. "We'll leave you to deliver the good news to her, Annie."
The two maidservants walked away, leaving Annie alone in the hallway. Even after two weeks, the manor still creeped her out. The halls weren't very wide in places, and windows were very scant. And everywhere she turned, Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern stared down at her with a regal, solemn look on her face. Quickly, Annie knocked on the door.
After a minute the door swung open, with Illya standing in the threshold. Her hair was tied back, the first time Annie had ever seen her wear her hair that way. She was wearing a simple t-shirt and shorts, suitable for hand-to-hand combat training. A bright smile was on her face; clearly, she had no idea what had just transpired.
"Hi Annie," she greeted. "I've been practicing those forms, like you told me."
"That's great, Illya," Annie replied with a small smile. "Listen, practice can wait. I need to discuss something with you."
Illya's smile faded slightly. "Okay, come in." She led Annie to the small couch that was in her antechamber. "What is it?"
"Armin and his friends entered the forest this evening," Annie explained.
A horrified look appeared on Illya's face. "Oh my god," she squeaked. "You have to go tell them to turn back, before Grandfather finds out!"
"Lord Acht already knows, Illya," said Annie calmly. "He said he took care of it."
Illya sighed. "Makes sense. Grandfather has eyes all over Einzbern Forest. What did he say?"
"He gave me five minutes to come up with a solution that would prevent this from happening again, on pain of banishment from the manor."
Annie expected Illya to act with indignation, even outrage. Instead, she just sighed again, a sad look on her face. "I figured he would do that. He said he'd keep a closer eye on me as well, didn't he." She looked directly at Annie, her eyes big and sad. "I don't know how often I will be able to sneak out now, Annie. It looks like we'll be seeing each other a lot less."
Annie stared back at her, processing what she said. Then she broke out laughing.
"Illya, do you doubt my plan-making abilities that much?" she asked between chuckled.
"You thought of something?!" Illya asked in astonishment. "But how? You had five minutes!"
Annie shrugged her shoulders. "I'm good at thinking on the fly. I had to say a lot to convince him, but eventually he agreed."
"That's amazing!" Illya exclaimed. "What's the plan?"
"Illya," Annie smiled back, "how would you like to go to school with me?"
