AN: Thanks to Fictiondevourer for beta-ing. The Treaty Arc ends here, finally.

Chapter 38

-][-

As the hectic day for Tristain at the Treaty signing turned to night, Tabitha flew across the southern border into Gallia on Sylphid. Ordinarily, Tabitha would have allowed her familiar to speak once they were three miles high up into the air, far from anyone over-hearing them. But with the existence of faeries being that high up no longer guaranteed them to not be overheard – and the last thing Tabitha wanted was for faeries' border patrol doing exactly that. It was only after crossing the border that Tabitha allowed the Rhyme Dragon to speak:

"Kyui! Finally," Sylphid chirped. "Older sister haven't let me spoke for a long time now-"

And Tabitha went straight to tuning most of the dragon's words out, focusing on what might happen when they reached their destination. It wasn't the first time Tabitha had to be called back to Gallia for a new assignment as one of the Knights of the Northern Parterre, but it was the first time that Isabella had ordered the meeting at Tabitha's old home close to the Ragdorian Lake. If Isabella did anything to mother…

Tabitha clenched her hands at the thought. The petite girl had long gave up on reacting when her cousin hurled abuse at her, but it would be different if her mother was involved in her antics. Part of the reason why Tabitha obeyed Isabella's tyrannical actions was because they otherwise left the Duchess Orleans alone. If that changed…

Tabitha shook her head. Worrying about that would not help at that point. Instead, the blue-haired girl considered what task she would be ordered to carry out. At a guess, Tabitha thought it might be something to do with the Undines that claimed the Ragdorian Lake, or the Imps to the southeast corner of Tristain – both sides had minor skirmishes with Gallia over territory and staking claim over the monsters that wandered away from Tristain. When wyverns wandered over to reside within the Black Forest Gallia had mobilized their own mage-knights in order to compete against the Fae hunting groups, and Tabitha speculated if open conflict turned bad for them, Gallia would turn to clandestine methods. She had seen how powerful faeries could be, as she had saw from the Academy's windows the effortless way the Faerie Lords had neutralized Tristain's Royal Guards in the Treaty's early days – it wouldn't be surprising if the next suicidal mission they gave her was against the faeries. Isabella had thrown her against many other threats within Halkeginia, so why would the faeries be an exception?

Finally, Orlean's mansion was in sight, and the elderly butler Percerin was nervously waiting for her.

"Princess Isabella arrived?" Tabitha asked quietly as Sylphid landed.

"N-no," Percerin swallowed once, glancing at the young heiress nervously. "Were you not told who would be waiting for you, milady?"

"… No," Tabitha said slowly. She had just assumed it was Isabella because the message was the same as previous missions, and it didn't occur to her it could have been someone else. Isabella didn't seem the type to give up tormenting Tabitha, either.

"It's King Joseph, milady," Percerin whispered, as if he was afraid he would be admonished by the royal in question immediately after.

Tabitha's heart froze, and Sylphid chirped nervously at Tabitha's sudden change in demeanour. "Is mother-?"

"Safe," Percerin replied, albeit looking like he itched to add 'for now'. "His Majesty didn't even care, beyond perfunctory questions asking for her wellbeing. Hadn't stepped into the room or anything."

Tabitha nodded shortly, and made her way to meet with her uncle. When she did arrive in the room, King Joseph was toying absently with a piece of jewellery, attended only by one dark-haired woman. There were no other person, guards or otherwise, within the room.

"Ah, Charlotte," King Joseph said airily. "Glad you could make it."

Tabitha merely nodded, gauging her chances if she wished to commit regicide. She hadn't met Joseph since her mother went mad, and every time she went to Lutece it was to be handled by Isabella. The dark-haired woman didn't hold herself like a powerful mage either – so was the King really mad enough to believe Tabitha wouldn't do anything if presented with an opportunity? Tabitha already had her staff in her hands, as she always did wherever she could, and an icicle to the head could so easily get revenge for her mother… King Joseph was known for many things, but defeating Triangle mages was not one of them.

"Isabella had said you were like a doll, infuriating in that you never show emotion," Joseph observed. "She must have been blind if she could not have seen the sheer rage behind your eyes. Or, is that only reserved for me? Dear me, if she knew the mere sight of me can cause this, she'd throw another tantrum like when I told her I'm reassigning you for my missions – she acted like I was taking away one of her favourite toys."

"Anyway," King Joseph said, ignoring Tabitha's silence, "Your new mission is to infiltrate the World Tree, and look for what's being called the 'Hearts of Yggdrasil'. I have it on good authority those are the key to eliminating the faeries from Halkeginia."

Tabitha's hand holding her staff tightened involuntarily. Out of all the missions she had been sent on before, they were highly likely to be life-threatening, but they were feasibly possible. None of them were the same as a death sentence, no matter who was sent. But directly provoking the Fairy Queen, who could command Greater Spirits and was more than one herself, definitely qualified as a death sentence.

"If you succeed, however," King Joseph said nonchalantly, "consider yourself and your mother freed from Gallia. I swear that I will leave you and yours alone, and make Isabella agree to the same terms."

Tabitha didn't believe that for a second. The Mad King was, well, mad, not stupid. He would not give up an 'asset' like her so easily.

"You assume there's trickery in the arrangement, like how I killed Charles under false pretences," Joseph said it as a statement, not a question. "As in I am predictable in that way."

Joseph sighed. "Well, being predictable is boring. And I find myself not caring if you manage to succeed, take your mother away from Gallia and somehow curing her, and live happily ever after.

"Sheffield here will be your handler from now on, and she'll be expecting regular progress," Joseph indicated the woman next to her. "Oh, and if you get any ideas about harming Sheffield, then run away and treating your mother as a lost cause-"

Tabitha bristled at that insinuation.

"-You'll find that my Myoz can handle herself. A demonstration, Sheffield?"

Sheffield smirked, pulling on one of the rings she had upon her. With a crackle, the ring transformed into a golden spear, and runes flared across her forehead. The air around the room had a distinctively different feel compared to before. The jewellery she held was one of Alfheim make, and from what Tabitha could see she could use it as easily as Lord Rufus did at the Academy.

"Hell would freeze over before the legendary Myoznitnirn, the Mind of God, falls to a mere Triangle mage." Joseph said with amusement, watching Tabitha's face lose composure and show her shocked visage. One could almost see the gears turning within Tabitha, from how well-read she was, to reach the conclusion that if Myoznitnirn was there in the flesh, the mage she serves must be…

"Maybe my dear father had a point in choosing me over Charles for the throne after all," Joseph mused. "Though Gods know how he figured it out when I didn't know until I summoned my familiar, after his death."

A Void mage. Tabitha's uncle, the Mad, Incompetent King was a Void mage. Tabitha felt her heart clench, her body feeling chilled, at the thought that her father dying and losing her mother to insanity was something right in the world. That the Founder approved the offence done to her family.

It can't be, Tabitha thought urgently. She has to be a Leprechaun or some other faerie. Or Gallia managed to steal a more powerful artefact from Alfheim compared to the scraps they plan on selling to Tristain. Those are more likely than the holy Void returning.

Tabitha resolved to observe more in the future to see whether that was really the case.

"Go, Charlotte, and perform your final task for Gallia," Joseph commanded. "Sheffield will get in touch with you at a later date."

With the bare minimum of courtesy, Tabitha spun around and left the room.

-][-

"Was it wise to reveal ourselves to her, Your Majesty?" Sheffield asked her master hesitantly, on their way back to Lutece on a small airship. "She could leak that knowledge, and we're not planned to let ourselves known just yet-"

"Myoz, oh Myoz," Joseph tutted. "Yes, little Charlotte could set us back for quite a bit. However, does it look like I care if she ruins plans that's not my own?"

Sheffield went silent and mulled Joseph's words. Joseph never hid it from her that he was obviously displeased that the 'Founder' came back to life or something and started ordering him around. "You expect your niece to betray you?"

"I welcome it. In fact, I would applaud her if she went to this 'Titania' and spills everything she knows," Joseph shrugged. "Charlotte is a smart girl, she could figure out the similarities with me and Louise Valliere, and light a fire under the faeries' collective arses at the idea that there are more of us out there in Halkeginia. It'd be interesting to see how it'd feel to betray, and be betrayed on such grand scale – there's no greater offence than defying the will of the Founder.

"And I'm sure the faeries can burn Halkeginia more thoroughly than anything I can conceive of."

-][-

The morning after the Treaty was signed, the Faction Leaders of Alfheim were to convene for a debriefing. After the attack on the Treaty, the nine Leaders decided they all needed space to cool off before someone said something they couldn't take back.

Mortimer exited his residence in the World Tree – the players responsible for Faction management had mostly moved into the same floor within the World Tree, ostensibly to clear up more housing in Arrun – ready to attending the meeting, and found Sakuya waiting for him right there.

"Sakuya. Might I ask why I have the pleasure of seeing you here before the Leaders' meeting?" Mortimer inquired in a slow tone.

"I…" Sakuya paused, taking a deep breath. "I want to thank you for yesterday. For taking the hits meant for me."

Mortimer nodded, remembering the estoc thrusts that reduced him into a Remain Light. That had been… unpleasant. Painful.

It also could have been worse, in retrospect.

"Not that I'm complaining about the chivalry, Mortimer, but I want to ask… why?" Sakuya asked, face enigmatic. "You didn't have to do that – we had revive items and even resurrection spells ready. You had nothing to gain from stepping in, and…"

"And if I let you get stabbed there was still that million to one chance that the Laughing Coffin could have done lasting damage after all," Mortimer finished for Sakuya, who had flinched at Mortimer bluntly pointing the fact out. "Even before they pulled out their trump card, they could have used the Devour status to force a respawn and possible brain damage. With their trump card, any of us could have died for real if that was what they ultimately wanted, if they used it from the start instead of saving it for intimidation. Or, if not dead, maybe injured enough that you would have to give up your duties as Faction Leader."

"Which would have removed the most vocal opponent you have among the Leaders," Sakuya steeled herself, and continued the line of thought. "So you can understand why I'm both grateful for the save, and confused."

"To start with," Mortimer shrugged, "It's not like I knew back then taking the hit for you could have been more serious than it was back in the game – other than the fact that, as some of my Salamanders would put it, dying now 'hurt like a bitch'. As for helping out for only pain and no gain to myself… well, I blame the social conditioning of a VRMMO player."

"Hm?" Sakuya frowned.

"As I saw it, we were basically all one raid group when us Faction Leaders took to the field," Mortimer replied. "Even if the nine of us in terms of a raid group, as opposed to being Leaders, fail so badly in cooperation and varied so much in skill proficiency I wouldn't have willingly joined the group. But whatever problems you might have with others on the team, you save it for when you're not on a raid. Otherwise you're just a shitty player, and I'd like to think of myself as better than that."

"And that's it?" Sakuya said disbelievingly.

"For all that we're politically opposing enemies, Sakuya, I don't hate you enough to leave you brain damaged or dead," Mortimer said shortly. "I don't expect to be liked by everyone as Faction Leader, only that we can work together towards the end goal despite that."

"I'll believe that much at least," Sakuya admitted. "You're not Rufus, at least. But I'm getting the feeling that you're not telling me everything."

"Well," Mortimer smiled thinly, "I suppose I can admit for your peace of mind that I'm also chauvinistic enough I'm willing to suffer for the pretty girl's favour. That comes as second nature as being one of the many male gamers out there. Especially for someone that has both looks and smarts as the Sylph's Faction Leader."

"Men," Sakuya said with mild disgust at the idea, not entirely sure if Mortimer was just joking about stereotype. She had enough of that attitude in her early days of ALO.

"You wanted to know why I'm not saying everything," Mortimer said without sympathy. "Now you know why – there are some things that just shouldn't be said."

Sakuya shook her head in exasperation, then turned and left for the meeting room. "See you at the meeting," Sakuya said in farewell. She wasn't going to get anything more out of Mortimer, she deemed.

Mortimer followed soon after, careful to not let what he felt show on his face. He'd never admit it out loud, but back then the Salamander Leader felt if someone had to risk harm then preferable he be the one instead of Sakuya. Someone has to remember being idealistic and kind at the top, no matter how unrealistic that idealism might be. Otherwise they would get a scorched Halkeginia, whether it be by Titania's actions or the players' own – and Halkeginia didn't deserve to burn because of some nobles' provocations, as cathartic as it might be to do so.

Better to be constantly frustrated in discussion, than forgetting they were also humans despite all the power they wield. In that sense, Alfheim could afford to lose a Mortimer. They could not afford to lose a Sakuya.

-][-

"Shall we start?" Pieter said, looking around the table of assembled Leaders, and getting various nods and other signs of affirmation. He had the demeanour of the eldest among the Faction Leaders, acting like someone in his mid-thirties as opposed to others' late-twenties at most, and combined with his neutrality Pieter was often hosted the discussions.

To his left of the round table, sat Simon, Sakuya, Alicia, and Morgiana. To his right sat Sasaki, Rufus, Mortimer and Atlanta. Some looked refreshed after a night's sleep, others still hadn't completely shook off being a nervous wreck – an example of the latter was, unsurprisingly, Simon. The Gnome's Deputy Leaders had both been implicated in an plot to assassinate him and among the ones detained with connections to PoH. Sure, Roc was the one that ultimately ordered the hit, but he had discussed with Nex as to who gets the Leader position first after Simon's 'resignation'.

"Well, congratulations are in order," Rufus said dismissively. "We set out to broker some sort of peace deal with Tristain, and we succeeded. Getting along with them was never on the cards after what they did to Gatan and their hatred of the Firstborn that we look like. Whether this holds until we get back or not is not our problem anymore, since if there's war we're not going to be ones that started it. Either some noble does it or someone outside invades us, but after that let Titania nuke them all."

"Because despite all that bravado, most of us can't actually do the deed ourselves," Morgiana added, reminding all of them that Titania had to be the one that… 'banned' Laughing Coffin. "Not that hesitating in that situation is a bad thing – there's probably something wrong with you if you can go from normal gamer to being willing to kill just like that. It's not like we're the ones that's been through a death game already."

"We also need to find ways that prevent certain players from provoking a war, however," Mortimer said then, to prevent further arguments. "Laughing Coffin proved just a handful of high level players is enough to wreck everything. Now, Titania has promised measures such as keeping track of all spatial data to know if anyone approaches the locals, but again Laughing Coffin showed even Titania has blind spots. We can't do much about nutcases that won't listen, but we'll have to do what we can to make sure players that aren't set on this don't want to do so. Thankfully, most of the players stay within the Capitals and don't interact with Halkeginia, so those that do have a bone to pick are the rare few."

"Speaking of the 'nutcases'," Atlanta asked. "What are we going to do with the ones taken in?"

"Apparently, nothing," Alicia replied. "Titania claimed jurisdiction. Remember what she discussed with us when we first met? Those who broke the rules are going to be put in stasis indefinitely. If – or when – we get back to Earth, we can deal with them then."

Before they could discuss that further, however, all of them received a message.

"Princess Henrietta just messaged us," Pieter started to skim. "Something about a Germanian missive…"

-][-

"You cannot just arrest all the implicated nobles, Your Highness," Cardinal Mazarin said exasperatedly. The Regent and the Princess had secluded themselves in a meeting room, away from prying eyes.

Germania's ambassador left earlier that day, vowing that Emperor Albrecht III would hear of Princess Henrietta's reactions to their missive. Henrietta tried to put that morning's events out of her mind as she spoke:

"I can, and I should, Cardinal," Henrietta said furiously, one hand reaching out to slap the stack of papers upon the table between them. Papers about Reconquista's agents in Tristain that Viscount Wardes left behind for his liege. "They are traitors to Tristain – are you seriously telling me they should be left alone?"

"I am saying that there is a proper manner in dealing with such situations," Cardinal Mazarin said patiently. "Tristain would appear weak to other countries if we reveal we had this many traitors; if you are set on arresting them then do so under other reasons, such as tax fraud or some other less sensitive crimes. Not going in with World Tree Guardians knocking down their gates, appearing as if you cannot tell which among your subjects are trustworthy enough to capture traitors."

Both Henrietta and the Regent turned their gaze momentarily towards the bracelet Titania bestowed upon the Princess, clasped upon one of her arms. What used to be the Fairy Queen's crown was more than a mere trinket. It was an artefact capable of many things, the primary function being the ability to contact Titania directly. All the Princess had to do was ask, and she would have Titania's attention. Through Titania, Henrietta could also contact the Faerie Lords for unofficial correspondence, away from formal messages constrained by posturing – like she had done before the meeting with Cardinal Mazarin.

"I understand that the news of Prince Wales'… disappearance… is distressing, Your Highness," Cardinal Mazarin said delicately. "Gutting the ranks of high ranking nobles this much at once will only cause more unease among the nobility."

The Marquis Egiyon had his titles and holdings stripped from him, after his insults towards Titania, and he was high enough in the hierarchy that if there were no marriages for Henrietta outside Tristain he could have been one of Princess Henrietta's suitors. Being heavy-handed to the Marquis only strengthened the idea that no-one was safe from the Tristain Crown among the nobles, that the Crown would choose the faeries over them.

"Does Tristain have so few loyal subjects that we could not fill the openings that would occur?" Henrietta said incredulously. "That we have to tolerate such… inadequacies in order for Tristain to live?"

"If we want to avoid a mirror of Reconquista happening within this fair country, then yes Your Highness," Mazarin said firmly. "The nobles could only be pushed so far."

Henrietta sorely wanted to admit that maybe Titania had a point in being blunt and heavy-handed. It was one thing to do so against mere disagreements, but to be unable to act when faced with traitors? It galled the Princess.

"If a mirror of Reconquista does form, at least the Crown would not fall against them," Henrietta finally said. "Otherwise, what was the purpose of the Treaty?"

"Princess," the Cardinal said, aghast. "It would mean civil war. Chaos as blood fight amongst blood, it would tear Tristain apart-"

Henrietta channelled willpower into the bracelet as if she would to her sceptre, and glowing rectangular screens formed around her. Lines and pictures showed upon various screens, knowledge at the tips of her fingers. It would be so easy, to borrow Titania's power…

Henrietta sighed, and willed the screens around her to disappear. Tristain and Alfheim were formally allied, but that did not resolve all of Tristain's problems.

"The purge will happen, Cardinal," the Princess said tiredly. "And happen soon, before the traitors destroy any possible evidence once they hear of Viscount Wardes' demise."

Reconquista would likely be afraid that the Viscount didn't cover his tracks well enough before he left, because Square mages weren't expected to fail missions. Captain Wardes could have been careless in his confidence, left loose ends he didn't expect to need tying up before he left. Or even if the Viscount was not overconfident, the traitors were unlikely to be so blasé as to assume they'd be safe no matter what.

"The Viscount had noted he was working with Duke Valliere on this – then His Grace can act on this information in my stead. I'm sure the Duke won't be so obvious in his solution," Henrietta said, drained. "But nobles doing what they want, without care to the Crown or Tristain's people they're responsible for, that ends today."

Ever since Henrietta had heard about the failings of the nobles around Ragdorian Lake, she had wanted to be able to do something about that. To right wrongs in Tristain that no one else could. If she could not, then what was the point of her duty? Of being royalty?

"Lashing out won't bring Prince Wales back, Your Highness," Cardinal Mazarin said sadly, shaking his head. "Nor would it make you feel better."

"Perhaps," Henrietta allowed. "But I was brought up on stories of Tristain's glory days, where being a noble meant more than just possessing magic. Where Karin the Tempest, Captain of the Manticore Knights among others of her generation, accomplished tales of heroism that was renowned across Halkeginia.

"With the massive increase of mages in Tristain, our own need to be able to show they are worthy of respect in a way other than strength. Otherwise we would only be brought under the faeries' heel like we do to commoners, due to being weak and uncultured."

When Henrietta went to sleep on the evening of the Treaty signing, after playing around with her bracelet and see what it was capable of, she had harboured hopes that maybe things would be alright. Communing with Titania would not be unlike dealing with any other country in Halkeginia, with one strong central authority as opposed to the more complicated system the Faerie Lords presided over. That the familiar way of doing things still held, and she would be the fulcrum that kept the uneasy peace between humans and Fae stable. That she could be more than just the Princess whose only real use was to be married off for Tristain's gain, and be the monarch that ushers Tristain into a new age of prosperity. That she could even save Prince Wales and retake Albion, something she didn't dare to hope before.

The morning's missive showed that maybe the Princess shouldn't have hoped, after all. Showed that prosperity and retaking Albion tasted like ashes when she thought about the loss of Prince Wales. Not for the first time, Henrietta wondered if she could have wrangled an elite team from Alfheim to bring Wales to Tristain, preventing Viscount Wardes' death. Beyond the loss of one of Tristain's finest mages and loyal subject to her selfish request, Henrietta dreaded one other issue that the Viscount's death raised.

What was Henrietta going to say to Louise?

-][-

Sigurd paced around his apartment in the World Tree – he was confined there ostensibly for 'medical observation' after what he had been through, but not being able to go free after what Laughing Coffin did to him irked him very much. He was alive. He was healthy, both physically and mentally. He should have been allowed to leave – did they expect him to die to the next PKer that wanted him dead or something? Sigurd was insulted at that idea.

A knock on the door drove Sigurd out of his reverie. With an annoyed grunt, Sigurd swiped one finger on a button his Medallion summoned to open the door and let the visitor in.

It turned out to be Rufus.

"I'm hoping you're here to let me out," Sigurd said roughly. "I'm fine."

"Just a quick chat, then you can go," Rufus promised.

"What's there to talk about?" Sigurd growled.

"Well, to start with… I'm sorry." Rufus bowed.

"What?" Sigurd raised one eyebrow.

"You were hired by me, so you're technically one of my Faction members when you were abducted," Rufus said plainly. "I just thought you got butthurt and left because I didn't give you a higher position right off the bat – and didn't chase you up to see what happened after you went missing. In a sense, what happened to you is also my responsibility."

Sigurd grunted. "Not like you could have done anything even if you did remember me – Laughing Coffin would have kicked your ass. Kicked the ass of anyone you could have sent after them."

"I still could have tried," Rufus grumbled. "Speaking of which, did you hear about what happened to them?"

"They got banned," Sigurd said succinctly, crossing his arms. "They died. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving bunch of bastards."

"You sound a lot calmer than I expected you'd be."

Sigurd glared at the Leprechaun Leader. Rufus stepped back defensively. "What? Am I wrong to expect that you'd be angry and want to shank a bitch?"

Sigurd growled. "You think I'm not angry?"

Deciding to prove a point, Sigurd removed his chestplate and the robe top underneath that as well.

"What are-" Rufus began, but then words died on his lips.

Under the robes that Sigurd wore, his skin was pockmarked by scars. From slashes and stabs, marks from red to purple to black dotted his torso and arms.

What stood out the most, however, was the black emblem of the Laughing Coffin engraved onto the centre of his torso.

"Oh, I'm angry," Sigurd said in a deathly low tone. "I'm infuriated. I want to, as you put it, 'shank a bitch'. They marked me like an animal. For everything they've done, I wanted to return it a hundred fold. But I can't, because Titania killed them before I could."

"Fuck, so that was what they meant when they said they could deal wounds that can't heal," Rufus said, wanting to look away but darkly couldn't. "And nothing helps? Not even a hard reset by respawn?"

"Did even that by hitting myself with a Wind spell," Sigurd said through clenched teeth. "Nothing worked – even after reviving these scars show up soon after. So, yes, I'm angry. It's taking all my control to remember that you or anyone else I come across that they're not the ones that did this to me – that they're not the ones I want to kill."

"About that," Rufus said, relieved that Sigurd was still in control of himself as the Sylph put his clothes back on. "Just to check, you could pull the same thing off as they did…?"

"Do you want to get shanked?" Sigurd glowered at Rufus, wide-eyed. A faint breeze blew around the wind without incantation. "I can't believe you got to where you are today by not knowing when to stop poking."

"I have a reason for this, believe me," Rufus replied. "So, can you?"

Sigurd snarled, and the wind in the room picked up. Grey wisps formed and then dispersed, colouring the wind around them both.

"Yes, I can," Sigurd all but roared back. "I can rip and tear with this easier than I can with any of my spells. I could shove this down your throat and split you from the inside out to shut you up. I could do so many things that I was saving them for my revenge on Laughing Coffin, but…"

The wind ceased and Sigurd looked like it also took the wind out of his metaphorical sails.

"But they're gone," Sigurd bit out. "And they're the only ones I can think of that deserves to be on the receiving end of this nasty technique. I have all this hatred within me, but nowhere to let it out. And damn if I just use it willy-nilly like those fuckers did for laughs."

"Man, you have anger issues," Rufus remarked. Before Sigurd could snap however, Rufus continued: "But I have a way to solve that."

"… I'm listening."

"My fifth-in-command was in league with Laughing Coffin, handing them confidential info, funding them and so on," Rufus began. "He's currently sealed away in a crystal somewhere until it's decided what's going to be done to them."

"I don't hate those guys hard enough to want to subject them to what I went through, if that's what you're offering," Sigurd said bluntly. "I still have standards."

"No, I'm offering you his spot within the Leprechaun Faction," Rufus replied. "Prove yourself there, and you could climb even higher."

Sigurd stilled. "Are you fucking with me? Or pitying me?"

"Neither," Rufus responded. "You know why I offered to take you in after Sakuya exiled you, Sigurd? Because if situations were different, you'd be like me – the de facto Leader of a Faction taking over in the absence of anyone higher than you, and then go on to do great things. Someone like you working for me would make my side a lot more effective, and working for my opponents would be a huge pain in my ass."

"… Even so, I'm gonna decline," Sigurd shook his head. "I think I had enough of filling out paperwork. And the adoration of the player base just doesn't appeal to me anymore. I want to focus on getting stronger – strong enough that I can fuck over any sick bastards out there that think they can be the next Laughing Coffin."

"Going back into the PK-ing business?" Rufus inquired.

"More like killing the PKers," Sigurd said pitilessly. "I imagine those are acceptable targets for stress relief."

"Hmm," Rufus shrugged. "Well, okay, I guess that's not surprising. You gonna removing them permanently?"

"Are you or the other Faction Leaders going to stop me if I do?" Sigurd asked. "I imagine Sakuya wouldn't be happy about my choice, but not like I care about that."

"Well," Rufus said, dragging out the word. "Funny thing, that. Someone wanted to offer you a job if you didn't accept mine."

"Who is it?" Sigurd grunted. Maybe Mortimer?

"Titania."

"… What."

"You know how the SAO players are kept around because of their previous experience?" Rufus asked. "Kinda left unsaid was that if push comes to shove, they'll be the executioners to take down people like Laughing Coffin – they did it once before, you know."

"No, I actually didn't know that."

"Anyway, Laughing Coffin showed up at the Treaty, and Kirito failed miserably in taking down any of them," Rufus continued. "Titania decided she needed someone other than SAO players that can do what needs to be done, even if they're the ones that took down the Laughing Coffin sympathizers everywhere else. You're willing to improve yourself, to kill, and Titania is willing to help you out. Provided you take out her targets as well."

Sigurd raised an eyebrow. "And that doesn't worry you? Turning players into killers?"

"More like redirecting possible killers into more productive avenues," Rufus replied. "And this way others – like me – won't have to dirty their hands."

"… Okay," Sigurd shrugged. "I'm up for giving Kirito the middle finger by showing I can do his job better than he can – do I have to work with him?"

"No. You're getting anyone else from the ALO side that end up like you, or might need a tighter leash before they go murder-happy."

"So basically we're going to be the good guys' Laughing Coffin?" Sigurd barked out a laugh. "Well aint that heart-warming. Fine. Tell her to sign me up anyway."

"Alright," Rufus nodded. "Just one more thing."

"What?"

"That ability you used, Titania calls it 'Incarnate System' or 'Incarnation', in the sense that represents the extremes of people – we can't just call it 'Willpower' in the sense you use willpower to get things done like you use magic to get things done, it'll get confusing since the locals use the term for their 'MP'. Anyway, if you or anyone else pull any more Incarnation and causes parts of the World Tree to be irreparably damaged, Titania will ban the guy responsible. Better that than some kind of system crash that infects and kills the rest of us. You understand that?"

Ah, Sigurd realized why he had been confined for all that time. It wasn't to observe his health, it was to observe his newfound powers. If he step out of line, he would be removed, as simple as that. And his 'group' would basically be where everyone that's broken or a threat be dumped and kept an eye on. After thinking about it however… Sigurd found he didn't care if that was indeed the case after all.

He found it hard to care about others, after what Laughing Coffin did to him.

AN: ZnT Vol4 Ch4, Tabitha wants to kill Joseph for what he did. The start of this chapter is meant to reflect the start of Tabitha Side Stories as well.

Incarnate – Oxford dictionary 12th edition: adj #2 represented in the ultimate or most extreme form: evil incarnate. The verb definitions for the word also can be interesting interpretations in the context of this fic.
The name for 心意, Incarnation in SAO Alicization stays the same in this fic just for ease of referral and to not have to remember a different term. Accel World called it 'Incarnate System' or IS, which I might refer to it using this term as well.