Author's Note: Looks like our pink-haired protagonist is going to have to explain things, or it appears to be. Let's see what she actually does, shall we? Also, I purchased Bravely Default II, loving that Octopath Engine and its aesthetic!
Blarg7865: Yeah, I got Bravely Default II, hadn't started it though. But heard very good things.
1Maybe: Thanks! I've tried to keep spoilers for Octopath Traveler to a minimum, all you'll likely to see is its game mechanics, Job Classes, and perhaps a few lore tidbits here and there that aren't entirely necessary for Octopath's main stories.
Hellothere: Thanks! I'm glad you are enjoying it!
Tocasiar: That's partly the reason I wanted to make this story, to have Louise, and not Saito/Whoever is Summoned, to be the main protagonist for once. Also, to kick canon to the curve, though likely not entirely straight away, some elements of canon don't just vanish overnight as they already existed by the story's start.
Voyageuse
Chapter 7: Trek Through Tamed Woods
There were certain advantages that Louise Valliere had over most noble-born children in Tristan, and none were as significant as the bloodline connection to the royal family and by proxy her relationship to them. Of course, Louise did not feel comfortable using that connection to her advantage, it could possibly speak ill of her best friend, Princess Henrietta, if used incorrectly.
But this was one of those moments.
One could not simply oust a corrupt noble by breaking into their household, such a deed would only give credit to her untimely arrest. But Louise had a distinct advantage over Count Mott which involved a parcel arriving just at the moment of the Springtime Familiar Showcase that she would have attended otherwise if not for her summoning circumstances.
A parcel containing proof of Mott's misdeeds and traitorous status, as given testimony by the late brigands and the mayor's papers. At the moment of the showcase, Princess Henrietta should be attending and receive the parcel.
Of course, that meant the possibility of returning to the Academy to receive a reply.
Which Louise didn't wish to do.
To return to the Academy would make her prior statement against it a moot point. Aside from the Princess, there was nothing else there for Louise. However, Louise wouldn't be able to find the location of Count Mott's estate, not every noble knew every other noble, and although Louise had the benefit of knowing Mott's position, she didn't delve into politics and learn about him.
But such knowledge was unnecessary; the Menu's World Map served its purpose.
In an act of omniscient awareness, the World Map pinpointed the location where her 'next chapter' is, which Louise had a keen feeling accurately pinpointed Count Mott's location. This also extended to Louise's 'party members' which the Menu marked their 'chapters' as well.
Of course, she's seen all this before, but the girl felt a bit unsettled at Aelfric's gift holding so many methods to aid her.
Well, Aelfric was a deity, not a human, omniscience would be in his power. Louise could not deny that, even as a follower of Brimir.
This all accumulated into beginning her journey towards the estate.
However, all of that didn't neglect the burning questions Kirche had for Louise's earlier usage of the Path Action. Even after Louise had tried to excuse it, the Path Action didn't really make her conscious of the process it took to obtain the information from the brigands, as she'd thought earlier, her mind 'skipped' the journey and reached for the end result of the conversation.
In the following morning, after handing over the brigands to the prior town's constable, Louise prepared to set foot for Mott's region. It wasn't far, quite close to the Academy's proximity in relation to traveling on horseback.
She'd only need to stop Kirche from asking so many questions!
"For the last time, stop with the persistent nagging!" Louise shouted, facing Kirche as they all walked down the road.
Kirche frowned, "I don't believe you know the reason behind my insistence for answers."
"Aside from an oh-so 'passionate' curiosity?" Louise mocked the germanian girl's constant use of the word. "Then please, enlighten me."
Tabitha, who had remained silent for the majority of the exchange since yesterday, decided to speak up to answer. "Concern."
"Concern?" Louise has her wariness to Aelfric's gift, but not much was dangerous to her personally, outside a few wayward words put in her mouth. "Concern from Kirche of all people?" She pointed towards the girl in question.
"Because your conversation last night was just… Wrong," Kirche tried to find the word to explain it. "Wrong for you."
"What did I say?" Louise calmed down a bit, curious as to what Kirche and Tabitha meant.
"What- You don't even know what you said?" Kirche replied.
"Nevermind," Louise went to avoid that mess. "Whatever happened was out of my own violation, while my memory is vague, the action taken was by my own decision. It wasn't any type of forceful possession, just my familiar working through me."
"Your familiar spirit is capable of brief possession?" Kirche asked. "That's not a good sign."
"It is voluntary," Louise stated. "The action requires my expressed consent." She sighed, rubbing her forehead to ease a small headache. "Look, let's focus. I need to reach Count Mott's estate."
Kirche opened her mouth to interject but stopped, and after a brief pause dropped the subject and replied. "On a horse, it's a few hours journey. It'll take us a day on foot."
"Doesn't Tabitha have a dragon? We can fly," Louise suggested.
"Announce our arrival," Tabitha countered.
"That is a point," Kirche agreed. "Also, didn't you say we couldn't earlier?" She questioned.
"That was only because of the brigands I knew would be here," Louise explained; she resisted the urge to call forth the Menu. "But I guess we shouldn't announce our arrival. The Count won't be courteous with what we'll do."
"He's a kidnapper and a womanizer, which is a combination that greatly displeases me," Kirche remarked. "Wouldn't mind the latter, but I'm against anyone who would try forcing the will of another," Her voice tone lowered towards the end of that sentence.
Louise tilted her head, looking at Kirche with a befuddled expression. She didn't expect the red-head to have such a negative opinion of Count Mott's actions, perhaps there's a bit more to her than Louise knew.
"We'll cut through the woods, that'll let us approach his region of governance without being seen," Louise suggested, there was also the off chance that they'd encounter wild animals which would serve to allow her to gain additional experience points. But that chance was rather low; the forests surrounding the Academy had been subdued for decades now.
However, the further away, the more likely the chance.
"Sure, but you don't exactly look prepared for an extended campout," Kirche said, casually waving her hand in the direction of Louise.
That would normally be true, and maybe to a certain extent it still was, but the Menu's Inventory stored all her belongings from the Academy. She was well-equipped for a journey but was missing some essentials, as meals and liquids seem unable to be stored beyond herbs and spices.
This was also the reason why she did pay for such essentials and carried them in a small bag, which hung on the side of Tabitha's dragon's saddle.
"I'm quite more prepared than what seems," Louise answered vaguely. "But here's a thought I had, where is your Fire Salamander?"
"Flame is currently at my room back in the Academy," Kirche replied, slightly confused by the question.
"You should have brought your companion with you, do not leave it by its lonesome, a familiar is not some sort of pet, it is your partner," Louise chastised the germanian.
"Mmh, I guess I will follow that advice," Kirche admitted. "I should have a greater opinion of Flame. Next time I stop by, I'll pick him up."
Tabitha absently stroked her dragon, "Wise."
Louise grinned, but internally she wondered where that thought process even came from. Why would she be so defensive about the caring of a familiar not her own? Sure, Louise would care about animals, but not be defensive about a familiar's state.
Companion, not familiar.
The Sacred Flame guided her mind, the string of a bow echoed in the far reaches of her thoughts, barely audible.
The 3rd Daughter of the Valliere narrowed her eyes, that was a new addition to the otherwise silent warmth of Aelfric's Sacred Flame. But it didn't feel… There… Yet. As if listening to something far away, something which didn't quite belong to her, but rather someone else.
No, worry about it later.
Focus on reaching Count Mott's estate first.
Louise Valliere had underestimated the physical effect that Aelfric's gift had on her body. She logically knew that by this point, her body would have been exhausted from the constant trek through the woods, but instead, Louise still felt as able-bodied as when they first began many hours ago. The pink-haired noble knew that her endurance in combat situations was formidable with Aelfric's gift, able to stave off pain and injury with ease, but it seems that it extended outside such battles as well.
Simply put, Louise could walk for hours without fatigue which she'd never been able to before.
Though for some reason, Kirche and Tabitha seemed unheeded as well, though the latter did mount on the back of her dragon occasionally, all the while reading.
The Traveler wondered if Tabitha ever put down the book. What was so interesting to hold the blue-head's attention so much?
She opened her mouth to ask about the material, but her action was interrupted by the sudden prompt of a panel in her face, another small guide provided by the Menu and all its delayed reception.
It decided now of all times to finally talk about Party Members.
[Find comrades and add them to your party!]
[Seek out your fellow travelers… And they will ask you for your help.]
[Complete Chapter 1 of their story, and they will join you on your journey. After Chapter 1, you can change your party members at the tavern.]
To accompany this information, two pictures within the panel showed what appeared to be a seaside port town, the left-most picture showed numerous characters of that odd artistic style, a character by the name Tressa talking about pirates, her dialogue written in the format out of a book page.
In continuation, the rightmost picture showed the agreement to aid, and the following message indicating Tressa joining the party.
However, while there were bits that did help explain some things, Louise was also wanting more answers to questions that popped up from this new panel.
Firstly, it mentioned that it's required to complete a character's 'Chapter 1' in order for them to join her party, that word being used in a context similar with group in this case. But both Kirche and Tabitha had joined regardless of this 'fact', if perhaps temporarily.
Secondly, Louise was quite sure that any would-be party members wouldn't just be at the closest tavern waiting for her decision at any moment. What if Tabitha was a nation across? How would Louise 'add' Tabitha to her party then?
Lasty… Why was it giving her this information so late?
Aelfric's gift seems to be sporadic in ways that make Louise want to bash her head against the Menu.
And unfortunately there was no one to complain to about it, as nobody would understand the concept of the Menu in the first place!
Louise swiped away the panel, causing it to vanish out of sight. She didn't even want to call up the Menu now, it was too headache-inducing and a break from it would do some good.
Count Mott's estate was still a few hours away, even at the unresting pace, the group kept up with. Unfortunately, Louise had no luck in any random encounters, animals or monsters didn't just pop out of nowhere.
A thought popped into her head.
How about the Valliere hunting grounds?
Her father and mother would have business with other nobles, they would use their family's hunting grounds as a background while discussing matters. But unlike other families, the hunting grounds were not simply filled with just normally passive animals but had its own wide arrange of carnivores and even some magical creatures.
It was harder to have magical creatures, they were not as populated as their mundane counterparts, overhunting for ingredients was an issue that led to quite a few magical animals falling into extinction. Now, most of these areas were either protected by spirits, too dangerous for human habitation, or special reserves like the Valliere Hunting Grounds.
A few trips into them might net her a few of those Levels.
Her eyes glanced up, easily able to see the sky through the trees, this wasn't some heavily forested region. The orange hue of the sunset indicated the passage of time, if they pressed through the night, they would get there before morning's light.
They were trying to arrive undetected.
"Let's not make camp," Louise suggested to the others. "I feel like we can make it to Count Mott's region of governance before the sunrise if we continue our pace."
"While I do agree, we can't," Kirche said, pointing her thumb towards Tabitha and her Blue Dragon. "Tabby's dragon is young and she quite caring of it."
Tabitha nodded, for once closing shut her book, "Rest here, decent cover."
"Ah," Louise acknowledged. "Alright, we'll camp then, these woods are basically tamed."
"That's because of the dragon, nothing wants to approach us," Kirche explained.
"Animal instincts avoid apex predators," Tabitha added.
Of course, no wonder there hadn't been anything, even if some carnivores were courageous enough to attack humans, they would undoubtedly hesitate against a dragon, even young.
"By the way, Tabitha…" Louise began. "What were you reading that was so interesting?"
Tabitha arched a brow but said nothing as she presented the book to Louise, who read its cover.
"Huh..." Louise was admittedly surprised.
Who knew Tabitha liked the romantic knight saves princess stories?