Chapter 13 - That Duchess a Hellas of a trouble! (Part Two)

Week 8 - Back in the palace

"So you have done negotiations before?" Lucille wondered.

"Oh yes, lots! It wouldn't be an Adventurers Guild without negotiations during the peak hours! From small to big, we dealt them all!" Mimi replied.

"Besides, I'm sure we can reach to a conclusion that will drive Ixion back without any serious repercussions' they only occupy certain bits of Southern Maree while they managed to deny Brin's invasion of Northern Ixion." Leona nodded.

"Leona, Honoka, Elodie, Kotori, and I have come up with a solution that may drain a bit of treasury, but will not cause any serious repercussions in the long run." Eli nodded.

"You don't seem nervous at all; that's good...I bet experience as logistics sure do help; even if it is something like invasions and stuff." Lucille sighed. "Again, I'm sorry if my ex did that sort of repercussions to every one of you. She's a person who can govern Hellas well...it's just that her personality hindered her full potential."

"Why do you have to be apologetic?" Leona chuckled. "As Honoka said before, we have dealt waaaaaaay worse! God sake, we face a near Armageddon twice - once when Team Muse has a boo-boo after the first Love Live tournament and the unrelenting Hatred Blob nearly corrode the Chains of Balance, another when Team Muse won Love Live and had to face a final showdown with the Hatred Blob in its Feral Beast form ! You can sell us on ANYTHING and we will say it's no worse than what we faced!"

"That's what I expect from someone who's my rival!" Lucille simpered.

"I believe I spoke for every one of us when we say..." Honoka nodded just as the whole Team Muse shot out.

"It could have been worse!"

"If Brin can learn from each and every one of you, we will have less stuff to worry about!" Lucille commended.

Just outside the Court Room

Team Muse, Clarte, Mimi, Lucille, and Leona were just about to enter the Court Room when they saw two figures approaching the same door, but walking in opposite directions.

One of them had a blonde hair with sky blue eyes, a flower hair band, and a small bun tied behind her head. She wore a pair of sky blue earring, a necklace, and a long shoulderless dress with red dress that graduated to a yellow.

Another was a tall man with blonde hair, deep blue eyes, wearing a green suit with a white suit underneath.

"Well...if it ain't the Duke of Maree and the Duchess of Hellas, Banion and Brin? It's a nice day to meet the both of you." Leona grinned.

"Ah...so you must be the Diamond Maiden, and Team Muse that your Highness must have spoken highly about." Banion bowed. "I apologise if Brin did seem like a troublemaker at times, but what Ixion did might be pushing a bit too far."

"Well, I have to gave you credit; still...you cannot deny that your sis ere decided to go all ape on Ixion because of some disagreement with Queen Fidelia, might I add?" Leona gave a short simper.

"Well..." Banion replied. "But Ixion pushed back, and then some."

"But then again, if it weren't for your sis's livewire personality, this sort of shizzle ain't gonna be happening anytime soon." Leona simpered.

"How dare you...!" Brin stood in front of Banion and faced Leona face-to-face, glaring at the Diamond Maiden.

Leona, however, kept a calm face, simpered, and brought her left index finger and wiggled it slowly.

"Ah...ah...ah...Ease your bloodlust there, young woman. After all...you can't simply argue your way when the evidence carriage drove right smack in your petite face?" Leona teased calmly.

"Ouch...that's a burn..." Eli chuckled softly.

Brin could feel her blood boiling. "Oh...you...you dare speak against me...huh?"

"And who's the one trying to conjure up pity to make it seem like she's the victim? Oh that's right...you." Leona frowned calmly. "You sure do convince yourself that you did nothing wrong even when it's evident that you're causing near Armageddon for Hellas's commoners because of the boo-boos you pulled?"

"I...It's not that I don't care about the people of Hellas, you..."

Brin clenched her fist, trying her best to resist the urge to insult. However, she felt another feeling welling up inside her...

Something...interesting about Leona.

"She ain't intimidated by me at all...what sorcery is this?"

"I'm sorry..." Banion interrupted. "Yes...I admit that Brin did invade Ixion without permission from Queen Fidelia but Ixion did conquer more than what Brin is trying to conquer..."

"We are here just so we can persuade Ixion to withdraw their troops off Southern Maree; whatever consequences comes your way will be up to the Queen to decide - it's none of ours, or theirs, business to interfere." Leona crossed her arms and replied calmly.

"We will see then..." Banion nodded calmly.

Leona then winked at Brin as her team passes on through the door first, leaving an exasperated, but puzzled, Brin.

"Well...the evidence is already overwhelming, sis." Banion sighed. "I did my best; it doesn't help your ex is here too."

"But...why is she winking at me? And what if..."

"I do not think it will amount to that. Don't worry too much..." Banion consoled.

Brin felt herself dizzy with anger, but undeniably questioned herself about Leona's braveness; everyone knows she was very intimidating in all her glory, yet...

"Forget it...what am I thinking..." Brin grunted in discontent.

Court Room

"As you may have known, Ixion has chosen a representative to negotiate the terms for their retreat. Be careful, your Highness, I'm sure nobody wants to surrender their own prizes so easily."

"You have the full support of my sister and myself, Your Highness." Banion nodded.

Brin looked upon the other side, where Leona and company were standing. The Diamond maiden, upon meeting her gaze at the Duchess of Hellas, winked once more and placed her right index finger on her lips.

Brin dismissed it by huffing, "Hmph...The faster we dealt with this, the better."

"Your Royal Highness, I thank you for granting me this audience. And I also thank the team who have been sent by Your Highness to help out with the disaster relief operations. The Ixonites have sent their regards." the diplomat bowed down upon facing Leona and co.

"Aie, just doing we can, ya?" Leona bowed along. "We may as well get along fine without any lives lost after all."

"Of that I am certain. We will forget about your unproved attacks on us, and we wish you will transfer the rights to this little province. We can be good neighbours' again." the diplomat replied.

"Woah...hang on a tic." Leona rebutted, when Elodie raised her hands and gave a small shook of her head and a silent 'not now'.

"I do apologise that Brin had a short temper; the evidence were indeed against her as she was denied any blessings from my mother - the Late Queen Fidelia - as my aunt can testify." Elodie explained as the Duchess of Nix nodded softly. "And we understand your need for retaliation - you are defending your borders, after all."

"However, to surrender our little province is not acceptable. All the land north of the river belongs to us. We are, however, willing to compensate in exchange of the inconvenience you have suffered, but nothing more." she continued.

"I believe we can settle this for eight thousand lassi." the diplomat replied.

"Eight Thousand Lassi...huh?" Elodie then looked at Leona, Eli, Honoka, and Kotori. Both sides nodded in agreement as the Leona, Eli, Honoka, and Kotori stepped out of their row and stood in front of Elodie.

"Woah...woah..woah, Ixionite bum!" Leona declared as she raised her right index finger in a calm retort. "Perhaps you maybe too eager to remember about the cost we have spent on the disaster relief operation we have organised not too long ago, yes?"

"How long was it...by the by?" Honoka played along.

"Oh yes...it's just last week!" Eli snapped her fingers.

"And how much does that took us? Kotori!" Leona grinned.

"If you would so please, Kotori, show them the 'receipt' Nova have spent." Elodie nodded.

Kotori bowed as she took out a hyperspace cube and took out a huge board in one fell swoop.

"Aie!" Kotori shot out.

"As you have seen here, we have spent two thousand lassis - which is the currencies used in Nova - for our 'Operation Team Muse's Disaster Relief!' And about 65% of them are spent on food and necessities!" Eli lectured.

"And that is not including the food and necessities we have already prepared before we come to this dimension because of our Adventurers Guidebook Rule number 15 - Always prepare extra rations and basic necessities when inter-dimensional travelling; nine times out of ten there will be states in other dimension that may need help with natural resources whatsoever." Honoka followed.

"The next 25% is spent on fresh new clothing that the affected victims are able to wear and the rebuilding of the towns, which is not much considering that Miss Frowny here failed to live up to her name and invade Northern Ixion." Leona explained calmly.

"Me? Miss Frown Face? What?" Brin retorted.

"You just prove my point!" Leona simpered. "Just cheer up, everything's gonna be fine, you'll see! Why waste your muscle energy from all that negativity?"

Brin gritted her teeth as she stood back, with Banion giggling slightly.

"And the last 10% is spent on the materials needed for reconstruction of the Ixionite's and Southern Maree's home and ensuring that the trade center in Ixion ain't all that affected by the ongoing conflict!" Elodie concluded.

"Besides all of that, you can count your soldiers' values that are not lost in battle." Elodie continued and frowned. "In fact, you have lost less than what you have expected because of Brin's failed invasion."
"Well...it makes sense for most..." Ixion's diplomat scratched his head.

"Yeah, trying to take more than whatcha ask for, eh?" Leona pouted. "How would you feel if we demand the same, given that Ixion pushed back Miss Frowny here, and then some? Not just that, your country pushed way more than she ever could!"

"Think of all the repercussions, Ixion Diplomat. What will happen if we deploy troops to push you back?" Elodie frowned.

"Well..." the Ixion Diplomat hung his head down.

"Four Thousand Lassi, and not a single tila more!" Leona, Kotori, Eli, Honoka, and Elodie shot out their final verdict.

*Record Scratch*

"Um...what is tila again?" Honoka wondered.

"Honoka?!" the rest shot out in shock.

"Sorry...just a bit confused, serious!" Honoka scratched her head sheepishly.

The Ixion Diplomat, feeling guilty after musing through the logistics and the circumstances in Ixion, sighed and nodded softly.

"Very well, don't say we are not reasonable enough."

After the Ixion Diplomat left

Leona, Clarte, Mimi and team Muse high fived one another, Elodie sighed in relief, and Joslyn nodded softly.

Banion was surprised, but pleased. Brin, on the other hand...

"I thought I will be punished severely..." Brin frowned.

"Both sides are at fault, they are invading your bro's country and you're just catching a fast train straight to destruction." Leona raised her right eyebrow and simpered calmly. "Come now, Miss Frowny, I am sure you can do better by calming down once in a while yes? You already have the looks and taste in fashion, so why not cheer up and not be negative about everything to begin with?"

"I am the Duchess of Hellas; you would know better than to speak ill of me you..."

"Why would I be scared of someone who's constantly frowning your way through?" Leona rebutted calmly. "That's like going into a ghost house as an experienced exorcist and expecting them to be scared of ghosts; they ain't gonna, just intrigued!"

Brin gasped when Leona, softly placed her right index finger close to Brin's lips.

"There, there...Miss Frowny, why can't you keep your chin upright and take a joke? No wonder so many people are intimidated by just your presence alone! This is no good for a Duchess, no madam!" Leona winked. "How are you gonna govern the country and keep up your lovely appearance if you're gonna drain your energy fuming like a supervolcano?".

"Me...I..." Brin blushed lightly. "You praised me?"

"You see the thing with you? People avoid you, you lash out at them for disrespect; people praised you genuinely and you doubt them." Leona calmly simpered.

"They still believe you can govern Hellas, you just need a bit more touch up in your sensitivity, yes?" Leona continued. "The people over at Hellas told us that when we;re helping with the refuge operation!"

"You...I find you in particular...interesting." Brin frowned. "Although...I have to thank you for helping the citizens of Hellas..."

"Thank you, Duchess of Hellas, and so are you." Leona winked. "Just don't try to burst a vessel next time, god knows what will happen if we weren't there to save your behind."

"Thank you very much for acquitting Brin of any serious punishment, your Highness, Team Muse, Clarte, Mimi, and Leona." Banion simpered and nodded. "And Lucille..."

The Duchess of Nix replied, "Yes?"

"I apologise that my sis had placed you into all this." Banion apologised with a bow.

"No harm felt." Lucille simpered. "I let bygones be bygones about Brin by then; the 'could have beens' are cleared off my mind."

"Just doing what we can to prevent any life losses from happening, Duke Banion, though we recommend your sis to think with her head instead of with her heart the next time round." Maki sighed. "Least Novan's economy is affected once again."

"Sis...it will be quite disrespectful if you haven't thanked them yet..." Banion sheepishly followed.

"I...I did, didn't I? Geez..." Brin pouted, while eyeing Leona. "And it's not as if I am completely disrespectful or anything..."

"It's all ok in the end of the day, Brin." Leona bowed and chuckled softly. "Just keep your steam down and mayhaps you can open up your eyes without draining your muscles with all that frown of yours."

"Are...are you for real...?" Brin frowned.

"She meant what she says; generally nice, but won't hesitate to give disrespectful people the calm snark as usual." Mimi grunted.

Leona winked once more, much to Brin's chagrin.

Back in the palace

"I never expect for you to brave up towards Brin; she can be really intimidating from that constant scowl of hers, I have to admit..." Elodie sighed.

"Oh please, again, you will have to sell me on anything that is scarier after the Hatred Blob incidents back in our world!" Leona replied with a small grin.

"Yeah, for us? Nothing beats...beats Umi..." Honoka chuckled sheepishly.

"Huh? Really? But she looked demure..." Elodie wondered.

"Not when she's woken up in the dead of the night...if you're in a pillow fight...eheheheh..." Honoka broke into a cold sweat and broke into a nervous laugh.

"What is it again...huh?" Umi gave a sarcastic smile, clenched her right fists, and her eyes lost their irises. "You are the one who woke me abruptly and disturbed my peace while throwing pillows like as if it's popcorn, you meanie!"

"Yikes!" Honoka hid behind Kotori, much to the team's sheepish shock with the exception of Leona, Clarte and Mimi.

"Well..." Elodie collected herself upon her initial shock, "I give Umi that...No amount of composure I learned as royalty is going to keep me going ape if I got woken up abruptly from my beauty sleep!"

The rest laughed along as Leona was looking out at the corridor balcony. Lucille approached her shortly after.

"Still thinking about that Brin, huh?" Lucille chuckled.

"Will it be weird if I tell you that I kinda like that scowl on her face?" Leona smiled softly, shaking her head in slight disbelief.

"Oh?" Lucille wondered.

"A scowl tells a thousand words...something tells me that there's more to it than just 'A Duchess with attitude'." Leona explained. "Brin seems to be a person who expects people to follow her because of her scowl. "Which is a shame; according to the Novan History by third party writers, she is very good in ensuring Hellas's stability and bandit prevention stemming from nearby mountains."

"I will give you that...considering that the mountains usually houses a lot of bandits, she must have done a pretty good job holding them back!" Lucille nodded. "That, and the people in Hellas have wanted to help her...if only Brin allowed it."

Leona simpered. "It's just too bad that the Hellas's residents are scared of her scowl and as a result, did not provide much feedback to improve the country. In the end of the day, a strain between royalty and commoners is just a recipe for disaster. She just needs someone to stand up to her and tell her - 'what she's doing is wrong to a certain extent'."

"You seem to care about her well-being, eh?" Lucille asked in interest.

"There was a short period where Mimi and I fell out because she was being way too scowling. I was wondering why though...we both got into a fight, and she told me - in her tears - that I forget about her birthday. That was a huge boo-boo on my part; I thought she was just angry at me for no reason." Leona chuckled sheepishly. "We both cried in each other's shoulders for the night; at least it felt good to cry it out, ya know?"

While Lucille and Leona were happily chatting along, Brin was standing some distance behind them, managing to eavesdrop on every word the Diamond maiden was saying.

She was speechless, even during the way back to Hellas; Banion noticed that Brin was looking down and guilty.

"Brin, are you okay there?" Banion wondered.

"H...Huh? Yeah...yeah I'm okay..." Brin replied with a sigh.

Banion was puzzled, but decided not to pursue it for now.

"So...this is the reason Lucille and Julianna left me; my 'complication stemmed from..."

She could feel a small, yet ironic smile as she shook her head.

"And that defiant Diamond Maiden...called me out...huh?"

Upon return to her palace in Hellas, one of the secretaries approached her nervously.

The Duchess of Hellas sighed and gave a small pout. "What is it that you want to ask?"

"Your Highness, it's just..." the secretary asked slowly.

"It's alright; just ask away if you want..." Brin nodded and gave a small frown.

The secretary was surprised, but still replied anyway.

"We have reports that several low lying areas may have been flooded in Hellas." the secretary replied.

"I see..." Brin sighed. "Will it be okay if you call in the other secretaries and agents patrolling around certain areas in Hellas?"

"May I ask what is it for...your Highness?"

"Do you have to be that curious?" Brin sighed in exasperation. "I would like to set up a public meeting regarding the state of Hellas in a few days time, you know, like feedback or something?"

"Yes...yes, certainly, Your Highness!" the secretary nodded without hesitation.

"And tell them to not be scared about providing feedbacks in improving the living qualities in Hellas...alright?" Brin shook her head and sighed.

"Certainly, your Highness."

"Alright...you may take your leave..."

Brin sighed as she looked sat on her bed and shook her head.

"You sure are one interesting woman, aren't you...Leona." she frowned.

"Then again...maybe she seem so interesting - she seemed to be the only one so far that dares to speak up against me, though it's 'for my own good'...huh..."

"It's...it's not as if I am thinking about her 'because a first impression counts' too much...geez..."

"Then again...I have been tired about keeping this scowl for long...damn it..." Brin thought.