Chapter 26 – Reputation.

Leo stepped into the empty inn lobby with soft eyes.

So much had happened since he had last left this inn. To think that it had only been a month or two ago that he'd said goodbye to Eleanor here. That had been the same time when she had warned him of the red-clawed daemon and had told him to kill it at all costs.

Things were all so different now.

He gazed around. The innkeeper was out right now according to a sign on the desk and would be back momentarily. The rest of the lobby was utterly silent and desolate. On instinct, the man reached inside his coat and felt for his inn room key perfunctorily hidden in his pocket. He'd forgotten to give it back when he had left. That was just like him. He shook his head in bemusement.

The group had arrived in Loegres an hour ago and had been headed to a place to meet up with the head of the Bloodwings. On the way, Leo had decided on a whim to stop by and say hello to his old acquaintance. He'd join up with the rest of the group later.

"Leo!"

The man turned with a smile towards the innkeeper's familiar voice as she entered the lobby from the service rooms. "Hey Dana! How's it been?" He grinned.

His grin faltered when he saw Dana's wide eyes.

The innkeeper found her voice. "It's been a while. W-would you like a room?" She caught her breath. "Your old room is actually available right now!"

"Huh!" Leo commented lightly. "That's nice to know. But that won't be necessary; I'm just here to say hello." He grinned amicably. "I'm not in town for long." He eyed her carefully for a reaction.

Just as he'd thought, those eyes widened perceptibly at the information. She really wasn't good at this.

Dana stammered, "O-oh! Well…" She was at a loss for words for a moment. "Hello!" she beamed a stiff smile. "What have you been up to? Been doing Abbey work still?" Her eyes kept darting around.

Leo shrugged, walking up to the desk and leaning forward conversationally. "Well, I left the Abbey about a month ago, actually. Right when I left town." He shifted on his feet. "I've just been travelling all of the world, really. I've met some interesting characters along the way." He grinned. "It hasn't been boring, I can say that much."

Dana blinked. "Oh! Interesting characters, you say?" She fidgeted with her hands. "Do tell! What are they like?"

Leo put a finger up to his lips in thought. "Well... Let's say they're a little rough around the edges." He sighed. "Sometimes I'm not even sure I should be travelling with them." He looked away. "The things they do sometimes... The path they've chosen. I'm... not sure I want to follow them down it."

"…Then why do you?" Dana asked quietly.

The man sighed. "They're… important to me. Friends, I suppose." He shrugged. "What matters is that when I'm with them, I feel at home. I feel like I belong."

The innkeeper blinked. "I suppose... that's good to hear, Leo. I'm glad to hear you've finally found somewhere you feel right in. Innominat knows you weren't completely happy staying in this wreck." She waved a hand gesturing to the inn around her.

Leo chuckled. "Come on, don't be like that Dana. I really liked this place." He grinned. "Besides, it was always nice having you around to pick on Bienfu."

Dana's smile grew rigid. "That's right! Have you seen Miss Eleanor recently? I haven't seen her in months."

Leo shook his head. "I haven't seen Eleanor in months either. I'm pretty sure she's still working with the Abbey." He eyed her closely.

Ah. There it is. Leo thought grimly as he saw the flash of confusion in the innkeeper's face.

Dana shook her head. "That's a shame. I would've loved to talk to her." She met Leo's gaze, "Say, what are you doing in Loegres then, if you're travelling so much? Are the people you're travelling with here as well?"

Leo noted the brief tremble in the innkeeper's stance.

He nodded. "Yep. They're headed somewhere else right now, and I'm going to join up with them later." He shrugged. "We've got some business in town, but I expect it won't take us long. We'll be out of here in a few hours, most likely."

"O-oh! Is that so?" Dana abruptly exclaimed. "Well, I'm glad you came here to say hello, Leo! It was nice seeing your face again." She took a few steps away from the counter.

Leo blinked. "Got somewhere to be, Dana?"

The innkeeper nodded hurriedly. "Yes, that's right. I'm sorry I can't stay Leo, but I just remembered I have something I need to take care of at the moment." She went around the front desk and made way towards the front door. "I'll see you later, Leo!"

"Dana. If you take one more step, I swear you're going to get hurt."

The innkeeper froze in terror.

"Turn around. Keep your hands where I can see them."

Trembling, the woman obeyed the command, turning around to see the wanted man holding her hostage with that strange weapon of his.

Leo's eyes were cold. "So, what has the Abbey said about me, then?" He asked casually.

"P-please..." Dana pleaded, clearly terrified. "Don't kill me..."

"Answer the question."

Dana's breath hitched. "The... the Abbey told me everything." She sniffed. "They told me how you betrayed them! You and Eleanor!" She shook her head in disbelief. "I could barely believe it! To think you two would side with those monsters!" Her body trembled with emotion. "All those years you spent living here... to think you were a monster yourself!"

Leo sighed. Of course. "What else?" He prompted harshly.

Dana swallowed. "They told me all of it! That you're consorting with the daemons that raided Hellawes and sacked Vortigern!" Her desperation seemed to melt in the face of her anger. "You know my family lives in Hellawes! How dare you carelessly ignore their suffering and be 'friends' with the very daemons who ruined their lives?!" She took an angry step forward. "You bastard!"

The rifle safety clicked off. "Don't move." Leo reminded her sharply.

Cowed, the fight instantly left Dana. "...That's all I know." She hung her head, sobbing. "I swear. The Abbey told me to let them know the moment I saw you... That's all please... Don't... Don't kill me..." she whimpered to the floor.

Leo sighed in resignation. "...Hawk." He muttered aloud.

"...Huh?"

With a flash of green, Leo's malak appeared and cast an arte at the stationary innkeeper. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she collapsed onto the floor of her inn, her expression one of clear shock.

Leo let out a breath. "...Fuck." He muttered, lowering his gun.

BANG!

He kicked the lobby desk in anger, ignoring the sharp sting of pain in response. "Why does it have to be like this?!" He yelled through gritted teeth.

Hawk whined in worry for his master.

Leo shook his head harshly, his eyes falling on the unconscious innkeeper in the middle of the lobby. He let out another sigh.

The man left the inn a few minutes later, having locked the innkeeper in his old room. She wouldn't be found until the next morning when the maids arrived for their next shift. By then, the group would've been long gone out of Loegres.

He smirked humorlessly.

On the bright side, he had finally returned his room key.


"..." Leo's eye twitched the moment he stepped into the Bloodwing Butterfly Bar. His eyes drank the absurd scene in.

Everyone was there, except for Eleanor and Laphicet whom Leo had met outside. Apparently, they had figured it was a bad idea for an exorcist to know the face of the head of the notorious shadow organization that had hounded the Abbey ever since its inception.

...Said head of the infamous organization being a familiar head with graying hair and wrinkled skin and a kind smile.

"You've gotta be kidding me." Leo muttered.

The lynchpin of the most notorious criminal network in the entire world, Tabatha, gave the man a happy smile. "Leo." She greeted warmly. "It's been awhile! How was your friend Dana?"

Leo blinked. His gaze turned to Velvet who was standing across the bar from the barkeep. "You tell her where I went?"

Velvet shook her head and shrugged. "You get used to it." She said simply as a means of explanation.

Rokurou laughed. "We did warn you, didn't we? The Bloodwings know everything that goes on in this town."

The old woman laughed genially. "Naturally." She gestured to the bar. "Please, Leo. Take a load off. I'm sure meeting the innkeep was an unpleasant experience."

Leo blinked a few more times before sighing in resignation.

"...Yeah it was." He trotted over to the stool and slumped into the seat comfortably. "Although I'm sure you know full well how that went, Tabatha." He shook his head in disbelief. "To think all this time, I just thought you as a wise old woman who knew what I liked to drink."

The old lady nodded genially. "Well, none of that information is particularly wrong, if not simply lacking in depth." She smiled knowingly. "The usual this time as well?"

Leo shook his head again. "And here I always thought you just had some sort of sixth sense for knowing exactly when I would want a drink. Now it all makes sense." He nodded, pulling out the usual amount of gald. "The usual if you would, Tabatha." He grinned in familiarity.

"Gladly." The woman smiled and reached under the bar.

Velvet asked curiously, "I'm assuming this meeting with your friend at the inn didn't go well?"

Leo scoffed, picking up the shot glass. "Apparently, I'm now considered a monster. I guess I've been hanging out with the wrong crowd." He huffed. "She was about to report me to the Abbey when I knocked her out and locked up." He knocked the shot back with a sigh, the alcohol burning familiarly and warmly down his throat.

Velvet hmphed disaffectedly. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Magilou grinned. "Don't feel down, Leo-poo! Enjoy it!" She chirped. "Some people spend their whole lives dreaming of being as hated as we are today." She patted the man happily. "I'd wager you're not really part of Velvet's Vengeful Villains until you've been cursed for existing... oh... I don't know... 12 times a day?"

Rokurou laughed. "Try 15. That's a nice round number."

Eizen shrugged. "Please. I've lost count how many times I've been cursed at by enemies through the years."

Velvet asked wryly, "Are we talking only humans or are we including daemons and malakhim?"

"Doesn't matter."

The therion scoffed. "Either way, you're not the most wanted criminal in the kingdom. There's that."

Eizen waved her off. "In terms of notoriety, I'd argue that being infamous for years on end beats the brief and sudden infamy."

Leo rolled his eyes. "Gee, you guys are being real helpful, you know that?" He muttered sardonically.

The man swiveled in his chair to face the group. "So." He piped up, raising an eyebrow. "Who's that?" He pointed at the suspicious stranger sitting conspicuously at the end of the bar.

"He's a guest." Velvet explained. "We've been tasked with smuggling him out of Loegres and to a safe location in exchange for information on the therions."

Leo blinked. "Huh. Did you have a place in mind?"

"We've decided on Titania." Eizen explained. "Apparently, there hasn't been contact with the island ever since the riot broke out."

Leo glanced at Velvet. "The riot that you instigated to escape, correct?" He met her eyes. "Are you okay going back there?"

Velvet waved a dismissive hand. "It doesn't bother me. If it's really a suitable hideout, then I'll take it without complaint."

Leo shrugged. "If you're fine with it." He turned back to the bar and placed his empty cup on the bar. He observed the stranger carefully, taking in the hawk perched docilely on his arm with surprise. "Fearsome bird." He commented.

The stranger was silent.

Leo shrugged and then sighed, feeling the buzz of the alcohol settle in.

"…How the hell do you get used to being the bad guy?" He muttered sourly, the terror on Dana's face still fresh in his mind.

Rokurou, at his seat behind Leo, put it simply, "You just accept it." The swordsman shrugged. "Although I'm a daemon. I don't feel shame at all, so take my words with a grain of salt."

Magilou put a finger to her temple. "Bad guy, good guy; it's all relative. What matters is what you yourself consider yourself to be." she grinned darkly. "In the end, we all die alone of course. All that matters is that you're comfortable with what you've done."

Velvet deadpanned in the witch's direction. "So, which do you consider yourself then?"

The self-declared sorceress shrugged. "What do I consider myself indeed!"

"That doesn't answer anything." Velvet muttered, irritated.

The witch shrugged. "The better question is what does Leo thinks of himself!"

The man in question grunted. "Well, actually, I'll have you know I consider myself to be the worst of the worst." He muttered sarcastically. "I like to tear babes from mother's breasts on weekends." He did a mock strangle motion in the air. "I also asphyxiate helpless little kittens and step on ducklings whenever I can."

Magilou grinned. "Oh! Well if that's the case I'd say you might be qualified to join us. Perhaps if you've done enough community disservice I'd say the position is yours!" She concluded cheerily.

Leo just plonked his forehead onto the bar in response. "Yay." He deadpanned.

Eizen grunted. "The heart of the matter is that what other people think of you doesn't matter." Leo raised his head and met his eyes. The man continued seriously, "Do what you think is right. That's all."

"…Steer your own ship, yeah?" Leo muttered contemplatively.

Velvet, walking over from the front of the store, interrupted, "Alright. It's dark enough. Let's head out."

Leo got up abruptly in response. "Whoo! Alright!" He whooped, swaying with the drink in his blood. "Let's go strangle some kittens!" He cried with his arm held up high in a battle pose.

Velvet promptly steadied the wobbling man with exasperation. "There will be no strangling of kittens." She glared at the man. "We're just going to do our job. Shut up and sober up." She pressed a cup of water in his hands and forced him to drink it.

"Awe!" Magilou pouted. "But I can think of a cat malak or two I'd love to get overly friendly with!"

Bienfu suddenly popped up. "BIEEEEN! SAVE ME!" He cried in vain as the witch mock-strangled her malak.

Leo chuckled drunkenly.


The moon was high in the sky as the group of strangely clothed individuals sauntered through the streets of Loegres towards the entrance. Leo took a glance back at their current VIP, the heavily clothed individual with the hawk.

"So... Eleanor." He muttered as he trotted alongside the exorcist, having sobered up somewhat ever since they had left the bar. "I'm not the only one who smells that, right?"

Eleanor nodded softly. "Keep it quiet. We'll bring it up once we're out of enemy territory."

"Enemy territory, huh?" Leo muttered. "Surprised you didn't just up and leave us with the headquarters being right where they are."

Eleanor shook her head. "...I... The thought had crossed my mind." She admitted in a soft whisper. "But... It's like you said, Leo. I... I'm not too sure about my own goals now either."

Leo nodded wordlessly. Oh, he knew the feeling alright.

The rest of the group continued onwards towards the main thoroughfares, the streets utterly deserted, save for the occasional torch-wielding army patrol eyeing the group suspiciously.

"...Dana." He muttered, breaking the silence. "The innkeep. I saw her earlier today."

Eleanor blinked. "That's right! How was she?"

"You know." Leo sighed. "She accused me of being a monster, tried to sell me out to the Abbey, and begged for me not to kill her when that didn't work out for her."

"She did WHAT?!" Eleanor gasped in horror.

Leo nodded grimly. "I knocked her out and locked her up in my old room." He sighed. "The Abbey had turned her against me in a heartbeat."

Eleanor was at a loss for words. "...Her parents live in Hellawes, don't they?" She remembered the obscure detail.

The pseudo-exorcist nodded. "Yep." He sighed. "I've apparently been consorting with the monster that had ruined their lives. It... was a bit unsettling." He admitted.

"I can imagine…" Eleanor shook her head. "I know how you feel Leo. Going from a respected individual to being accused of such horrible things that you don't deserve..."

Leo sighed. "But I do, though. I fully condoned the actions of Velvet, with my own free will." His eyes travelled down length the road. "I suppose it was just the seas I decided to travel. I can't really complain about that."

Eleanor had nothing to say to that.

The silence returned, both of them thinking heavy thoughts about their own respective dilemmas.

"All of you! Stop moving!"

Everyone slowed guardedly to a halt as a cloaked man walked out of a nearby alleyway to stand in their way. The man had a dark mask on his face and a shining dagger in hand. All around them, men with similar masks and weaponry appeared out of the shadows to surround the group. There must've been 20 or so men.

The man who had spoken first, evidently the leader, shouted arrogantly out to the group. "This is a robbery. Lay down yer valuables now, and we might let you live."

"..." Silence. Everyone stared at the man in utter befuddlement.

The man grew impatient. "Are y'all deaf or sumthi'n? Drop yer goods, NOW!" He raised his dagger threateningly.

"...HAHAHA!" The tense silence was broken abruptly by Magilou's cackling laughter. "Oh this is too good! HAH!" She held her sides.

"Hold on there Miss Magilou!" Bienfu cried. "Take deep breaths!"

To the astonishment of the bandits, Leo began barking with slightly drunken laughter as well. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me!"

Hawk did a few circles around his master in sympathetic amusement.

Laphicet gave a nervous chuckle.

Rokurou and Eizen exchanged evil grins.

Eleanor looked righteously furious.

Velvet sighed in annoyance. "We're with the Bloodwings." She gritted out. "Move or else."

The leader, despite being taken aback by the obvious cockiness of the group he had decided to assault, rallied valiantly. "Bloodwings?! Those amateurs?" He scoffed. "Hah! Like we give a damn about no Bloodwings right fellas?!"

The bandits all around the group exchanged wary glances.

The leader rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter. We'll swipe yer valuables now and rash it out with them Bloodwings later." He raised his dagger. "Now! For the last time! Drop yer stuff before we have to poke it out of you!"

Velvet sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you." Her eyes narrowed. "You picked the wrong group to rob. NOW!"

At the call, the group burst into motion. Shrieks of pain and horror echoed throughout the capital, providing fuel for ghost stories that would be passed down for generations.

The leader crashed down on the cobblestones in pain, gasping in horror as his crew was casually defeated around him.

There was a woman wearing a ridiculous pink outfit casually expelling malak artes like an exorcist, disabling bandits with flicks of her fingers.

There was a man with a gauntlet sword who was also expelling malak artes alongside easy swordplay against his comparatively amateur followers, knocking them out with ease.

There was a child who was taking down his crew with malak artes.

There was a man with dual short swords who wasn't even bothering to kill his opponents, instead simply slipping expertly into their guards and knocking them out with his sword handles.

There was another man who was brawling groups of his guys at once and taking them all out with well-placed roundhouse kicks.

There was a woman who the leader only now recognized in the moonlight as wearing an exorcist uniform beating his guys with a spear in righteous fury.

And then there was that other woman... No. Not a woman.

That monster.

"P-Please!" The leader stammered, dropping his useless dagger and backpedaling on his hands and rear until his back hit a wall. "I-I'm sorry!" He choked out.

His eyes trembled in pure terror as he beheld the daemon in the moonlight. A monster with a giant red claw extruding from the body of a callous woman. Her voice was deceptively human. "I warned you." She said coldly. And then she swept out with a vicious kick and knocked the man clean out.

Velvet sighed in irritation as she turned her gaze over her shoulder. The rest of the idiot bandits were either running for their lives or on the ground unconscious. This had made far too much commotion. Most likely the guards were already on their way in force.

Leo grinned as he waved a man off and let him run away with his tail between his legs. He inadvertently met Velvet's eyes. "Well." He remarked dryly. "Never a dull moment around you guys, at the very least." With a click, his gauntlet blade retracted into its sheath.

Rokurou sighed as he sheathed his blades untouched by blood. "Tsk. I won't improve by fighting weaklings."

Eizen grunted, punching a man straight into the wall across the road. "I can't even call that a fight." He let out roughly.

Eleanor nodded. "Nonetheless, a complete victory." She slammed her spear pole onto a man groaning on the ground firmly. "How dare you scum try and prey on others! Aren't times hard enough without you people resorting to such selfish acts?!" She roared at the knocked-out man.

Magilou put her hands casually on the back of her head. "They can't hear you, you know. They're too busy being completely unconscious." She grinned down evilly at a man on the floor. "Isn't that right?"

The fallen bandit stammered, "U-uh right ma'am! Er- I mean-!" The man's head promptly dropped to the floor as he fearfully played dead for his life.

Laphicet blinked. He glanced over at the hooded figure he'd been protecting during the fight. "I thought they might've been going for him."

Velvet shook her head, trotting over. "Nope. Just bad luck."

She kicked at the man playing dead, making him truly unconscious.

"For them." She finished roughly. "Come on. Let's go."

Leo grinned as he sheathed his sword and followed the rest of the group. "You know, no matter how many ethical dilemmas I'm stuck in, I have to say there is nothing better than watching you guys kick the asses of eviler people than you."

Eleanor gave her own smile, putting away her spear. "I suppose you have a point."

Velvet rolled her eyes.

Together the nefarious group walked away from the collection of unconscious bandits on the streets of Loegres proper, leaving quite the sight for the early-morning risers.

Rumors of daring vigilantes and selfless heroes would plague the townspeople for months.