Chapter 25: Departure For The Front

There was a large number of 8X8 AI controlled double-decker APCs that were used by the army of Vytal island, while they were preparing to leave the capitial city of the Vytal island to fight a huge armies of many kind of grimms that were reported in the northern part of Vytal island, two servant girls look out of one of the windows of Walesman Castle at the sight of it as they were talking to each other. "So many..."

"I heard that this time, most of the grimm on this island will be eradicated."

"I hope so."

"Don't worry... Vytal island has a guardian angel."

They turn when they saw him coming.

'So they say...' One of them thought as the two of them bowed down to Stultus as he was walking by them. When Stultus enter the next room, someone spoke to him.

"Out to battle the grimm now?" He ask, who was reveal to be none other than Voltaire.

"Yes, Mister Voltaire." Stultus said.

"This battle... the Steels are on the front lines I hear." Voltaire said to Stultus calmly while his eye were still closed and putting his top hat on his chest as he give him his trademark smile to him. "With Duke Julius' death, only you can be Vytal island's guardian angel. I wish you luck."

"Guardian angel. That's too much, but... I shall do my best." Stultus told Voltaire. Voltaire then decide to drop his trademark, but his eye were still closed as he spoke to Stultus.

"About the assassination... they still haven't found the assassin yet." Voltaire calmly told Stultus about it. "These are the dark times and the hearts of the people have also grown dark. But to kill Adonis; who was only 13 years old. That was too cruel. The act of a demon."

"No... not a demon..." Stultus told him. "It was a human or faunus, Mister Voltaire."

Voltaire smirk at Stultus as his eye were still closed as he talk to him. "True... but Stultus... I heard a strange rumor going around the castle about the previous assassination."

"Strange rumors?" Stultus asked.

"Yes. They say that the arrow wasn't aimed at Princess Charlotte. It's you who was the target." Voltaire calmly told him.

"Me?" Stultus said before he laugh at it as he spoke to Voltaire. "Really? Just a divison leader like me?"

"Don't be so modest. The strength of the Steels often makes enemies want to take revenge out of envy." Voltaire calmly said as he drop the smirk. "But the rumors say the assassination was not just from anyone... but from within the palace."

"... Such ridiculous speculation." Stultus said.

"True, but if you strip away an noble or politic's skin, you might find a cold-blooded murderer that can kill a person without the slightest hesitation." Voltaire calmly said with a smirk.

"Again..." Stultus said.

"True again, but those people..." Voltaire calmly said to him as he turn his head to look at Stultus without ever opening his eyes as they were still closed as he continue to talk to him. "If they want to kill you, it's no different if they do it from the inside or the outside of the palace."

"That's amusing theory!" Stultus said.

"I know." Voltaire said to Stultus with a amused, but calm tone of voice as he express his trademark smile.

"I must prepare to leave." Stultus told him. "Please excuse me."
While he was walking down the hall, Stultus was deep in his thought of his conversation with Voltaire and him as well. 'He was so calm when he mention Adonis. Like he didn't actually care about him and like he know the assassination well. Maybe he knows about me too...?! ... No, that's impossible. I've never told anyone about it and there is no proof that I planned it. Maybe my semblance will know...'

When Stultus turn around to look at him, he stopped dead in his tracked. There, Voltaire was standing in the spot, looking at him with his trademark smile, but this time... his amber slited eyes were open as Voltaire give him a what look a geniue look, but yet at the same time it was not as it was cold-hearted and lifeless as he ask him. "What's wrong?"

Stultus stand there for a bit before he turn around and left the hallway. Voltaire then chuckle to himself as he knew what Stultus look at while his plan were coming into plan.

Later...

Cask was walking the hall when she saw Stultus climbing down the stairs and was about to call him before Princess Charlotte call him first. "STULTUS!"

Stultus turn to look at her. "Princess Charlotte."

Cask just stood at the base of the stairs as she look at them while she was listing as they were talking to one other about as Princess Charlotte ask Stultus. "Are... you leaving now?"

"Yes." Stultus answered.

Princess Charlotte was hesitant before she open her right hand to give him a small figure of a knight as she spoke. "Uhh... this."

"This is?" Stultus asked.

"A lode-stone pendant." Princess Charlotte told him. "It's not worth much, but it's something to remember my mother by."

"It's important to you." Stultus said.

"Please take it with you." Princess Charlotte said as she explain to Stultus. "There are 2 types of lode-stones, a male one and a female one. And they will attract each other. It means that they will eventually meet again. If you take the male one... the female one will try to pull you back to safety. So please keep it."

Stultus was silent in thought before he give his answer. "... No, it's very important to you, Princess."

"But-"

"When I return from the battle, I will give it back to you." Stultus said as he smiling. Princess Charlotte while Cask was leaning against a newel while she continue listen to them talking to each other as Princess Charlotte spoke. "I... I have never been this so afraid of this battle against the grimms. Stultus... please. Please, return safely."

Stultus smile at her before he turn around and climb down the stair before Princess Charlotte spoken to Cask, who was leaning agains the newel. "That knight over there."

"Yes, my lady!" Cask said.

"Please, protect Stultus." Princess Charlotte ask her. Cask was silent before she answer.

""Yes... with my very own life." Cask stated it to her. That was when Stultus put his left hand on her right shoulder before he spoke to Cask.

"Let's go." Stultus told her, which Cask nodded. As Cask was following Stultus, turn her head to look at Princess Charlotte and she cannot help but jealous of her for having Stultus. As she was look at Stultus leaving, she heard someone talk to her on the right.

"Charlotte."

Princess Charlotte turn on her right and see her step-mother on the stairs, the Archduchress of Vytal island, the second wife of the Archduke of Vytal island, with two of her servant girls following her. "M-mother."

"What do you think you are doing, Charlotte?" The Archduchress asked.

"Why?"

"Don't pretend otherwise, why did you give that to him?" The Archduchress asked again.

"I can give that whatever to whomever I please." Princess Charlotte stated.

"No! You are of the royal house of this island." The Archduchress told her. "Why did you such an important thing away... as a matter of fact, you shouldn't have speak with him."

"But mother..."

"You're 16; so you're not a child anymore." The Archduchress told her. "You have to behave like a princess."

"But..." Princess Charlotte try to tell her, but she couldn't think of any words before she run in the hall. The Archduchress was silent as she was thinking of something.

Meanwhile... outside of the castle...

"MOVE OUT!" Stultus shouted his ordered to the 8X8 AI controlled double-decker APCs as they were carrying the soldiers and following the Humvee that Stultus is riding in while the people of the city cheer for them as they left the city and heading toward the battle that was awaiting them. In one of the 8X8 AI controlled double-decker APCs, the second one in the row, Ruby was thinking back of what Stultus said last night at the castle as she was modifying Moondust, giving her motorcycle a beowolf skull-like with two headlamp inside of it on the middle of her handle, before she start up Moondust as she was ready to fight.

A/N: Unfortunately, the file upload is still having errors. So I have to use the copy-and-paste for now until FF fix this problem.