Chapter 3: Lions and wolves.
Walking towards Crusch's office, Wilhelm van Astrea couldn't help but wonder about the young man he was following. He walked with confidence, exactly knowing where to go, as if he had been living here for years. He had many questions on his mind involving the man's identity but decided to wait until meeting his lady.
For some reason, his instincts told him he wasn't lying. Perhaps it was the way he walked, showing confidence in every step yet paying full attention to his surroundings like a skilled swordsman. Or the way he proudly declared himself heir to the throne, using the surnames of both his lady and friend. Or even how he seemingly perfectly knew the layout of the mansion.
He raised an eyebrow when he took a turn to the left instead of to the right. Before he could ask, Leo answered.
"We should pick Ferris up before meeting Mother and Father. He chased me out, though I can understand why. Uncle Wil, I noticed the Royal Selection is still going on. When did it start?"
"All candidates were found and the Selection officially started five months ago." He replied, not having a chance to discuss why Subaru would be here, as Leo quickly continued:
"That explains it. No wonder he kicked me away without contacting my mother. Proclaiming myself as her son made no sense whatsoever. It's been five months, so how are the preparations for the whale hunt going? I wish I knew more about the fight with Sloth to help father with his revenge." Leo chastised himself for not knowing all the details about the fight with the Sin Archbishop of Sloth. If only he knew everything… He could help his father that way.
Wilhelm caressed his beard, unsure how to proceed. Leo seemed to be sure of the whale being taken care of half a year after the Selection began, but that was far from the truth. He deduced events had gone differently for his lady to end with Subaru, but it seemed they had changed more than he thought.
And his father's revenge… If he truly was Subaru's son, that would mean he had already met Sloth and had a personal reason for taking him down. A hypothesis came to his mind before quickly being dismissed. That reason could be anything, and he prayed for it not to be what he first thought of.
"The whale is already dead." He laid the truth bare, with a fond tone, remembering the fight. The day he avenged his wife.
Leo froze in place before turning back with a surprised face.
"Excuse me? How could that be? There was almost no info on its movements until Father found a clue."
"Mmh? But Subaru-dono had a metia who warned him of the Whale's attacks. It was hunted shortly after the Selection began."
"And Sloth?" He launched that question as soon as Wilhelm finished talking, not giving him the chance to breathe. He needed to know.
"Sloth was killed right after the whale. All for the safety of Emilia-sama." During his speech, Wilhelm managed to catch himself before a tear slipped out of his eye. Subaru's acts reminded him too much of his younger self. Love was truly a powerful force.
Meanwhile, Leo's face had confusion written all over it. He slowly turned his back to Wilhelm before walking towards Felix's room with a small glint of hope.
"I-I see. We should resolve this with Felix before meeting Mother. I suppose Father is with Emilia-sama, right?" He asked.
"Yes." He kept to himself the rumors of him defeating the Great Hare in less than a week after the Whale, as well as the news of him officially becoming Emilia-sama's knight.
"I see." The pair kept walking in silence. Wilhelm thought about how different the lives of Subaru, Crusch, Felix, and him must have been had he not known about Sloth's attack, before dismissing those thoughts away. Had that happened… Subaru would be broken.
Meanwhile, Leo couldn't keep his feelings in check. He was both sad and happy, despaired and hopeful. He wouldn't exist in this reality, but he had the chance of meeting the ones he wanted to meet ever since he was a child. To thank her for making Subaru such an amazing ruler.
"Felix."
"Yes, old man Wil?"
Hearing the gentle knocks on the door, Felix quickly answered Wilhelm's call. After kicking the intruder, he started dressing like he always did, embracing his lady's feminine side.
"Someone wants to meet you."
Having said that, Wilhelm opened the door and stepped to the side, leaving Felix thinking about who might want to meet him, and slightly angry at whoever came without warning. Seeing the intruder he had kicked off the house, he left a soft "Hah?" as confusion filled his face.
"Please Ferris, allow me to explain myself this time." Stepping into the room, Leo begged for Felix to hear his words this time.
"I'm Leo Karsten Natsuki, heir to the throne of Lugunica. And a few hours ago, I found myself back in the past." He made sure to show the emblem of the Lion on his right sleeve.
Felix rejected his words, having too many questions and not believing the young prince. He lashed at his companion.
"Wilhelm! Why did you let a liar like him back inside the mansion?"
"Felix, let's hear what he has to say."
"Please, hear me out Ferris. I can assure you I am indeed Crusch Karsten's son. If you were kind enough to allow me to meet my mother…"
"Why would I annoy Crusch-sama with this nyansense?" Felix wanted nothing but to kick him away again.
"Then hear me out. Allow me to explain everything before you chase me out."
"Felix, I am curious about how Subaru-dono might have ended with Crusch-sama." Wilhelm supported the idea.
"If old man Wil wants it-nya…" Felix begrudgingly accepted Leo's offer. Despite not believing his words, he was curious about how Crusch and Subaru ended together. And, deep down, something about the prince screamed that all he was saying was the truth.
Mother won't believe my words. I know how her Divine Protection works, so that's inevitable. I can't barge in and expect her to trust me. The only plan I can think of is having Wilhelm and Felix support me, but how do I accomplish that?
Those were Leo's thoughts as he walked to the mansion with the demihuman he had met earlier. And the time to set his plot in motion had come.
Leo sat in the bed with Felix, while Wilhelm remained near the door. He was unsure of how to start the conversation, and Felix's stare was getting to his nerves. In the end, he decided to start from the very beginning.
"Father joked about you being both the best and worst wingman."
"Hm?" Those were not the words Felix had been expecting. He was surprised, his feline ears twitching slightly. Before he rebuked, Leo continued speaking.
"In his words, he really... Hum..."fucked up" at the Selection. Interrupting like that was something he shouldn't have done. However, thanks to your words, Father strived to improve himself." Leo explained, his eyes focused on his gloved hands as he remembered the painful expression his father had when he explained this part of the story. He closed his eyes, preparing himself for what was to come.
"However, Emilia-sama passed away in an attack by the Witch Cult. Father joined Mother's camp after that."
Felix gasped before covering his mouth with his hand, while Wilhelm looked at the ground gritting his teeth. It wasn't hard to see how much Subaru cherished the half-elf, nor imagine how he would be had she died.
Opening his eyes and noticing the troubled expressions on both Felix and Wilhelm, Leo understood that they cherished his father as they did in his reality.
"Forgive me for not saying more, Father never wanted to speak about this. All I know is that he focused more than ever on his swordsmanship, despite uncle Wil repeatedly telling him he had no talent. Around this time, he expressed his desire to help hunt the whale. Mother described his plan as the most reckless strategy ever attempted in the story of Lugunica."
Both the old man and the healer scoffed as they reminisced about the unbelievable bet of the young man to bring down the whale and win the fight. It was for sure a reckless and foolish plan, something only someone bearing the name of "Natsuki" could have done. That single action perfectly explained Subaru's personality.
"Near the end of the selection, the Sin Archbishop of Sloth was defeated thanks to another of Father's reckless plans." Leo smiled as the story became more pleasant to hear. "That was the last push mother needed to win. Not long after being elected queen, she married father."
"So the death of the whale and sloth were attributed to Crusch-sama…" Wilhelm wondered, his gaze directed to the ground as he was lost in his thoughts.
"That's not all." Leo replied, earning the attention of the healer and the old man.
"Mother also did far more! For the people of the kingdom and even the other countries! With the help of father by her side, she became the more popular candidate by a large margin, helping all citizens, no matter who they were!" Leo continued, wanting to attribute more to her mother than the whale and sloth, to voice her great leadership skills.
Wilhelm and Felix widened their eyes, attentively listening to the young man, eager to know more about their lady's achievements.
"She brought the kingdom back to a shape long lost! Out of all 4 countries, ours was…" He forced his mouth shut, realizing his mistake.
"Forgive me, I've said too much. I shouldn't divulge about the future." Felix raised a brow at his sudden interruption, craving more honest praise for Crusch-sama, but Wilhelm voiced Leo's worries.
"You fear that if too much about the future is known, it might cease to exist, right?" Deduced Wilhelm.
"Yes. Even though I'm afraid I won't exist in this reality, I still shouldn't speak about it." He said disheartened. Wilhelm lowered his gaze to the ground, while Felix's feline ears fluttered down, expressing his slight disappointment towards the self-proclaimed prince.
"I wanted to know more about Crusch-sama's achievements…" He trailed off. The young prince got his interest and now stopped due to a logical fear, leaving him unsatisfied.
"Of course you do. Your blind loyalty towards Mother hasn't disappeared yet." Leo replied with his eyes narrowed. As Felix was going to raise his voice about the tone Leo used, the prince continued, not happy about the treatment Felix gave to his mistress.
"You used to put Mother on a pedestal, not even seeing her as a human sometimes! Seeing her as a perfect woman with no flaws, believing everything she said, and not acknowledging her faults!" Lashed out Leo. The man he looked up to as a child, going as far as wanting to become a healer like him, needed help to improve. He'll do the job his father won't do in this reality.
"I… wasn't a good follower to Crusch-sama?" Said Felix disheartened, his feline ears flopping down. Wilhelm stepped forward, in case things escalated too far.
"You weren't. When Mother needed advice it wasn't you who gave it, but Father. When she wasn't sure of her actions, you bathed her in praise while Father spoke his honest opinion. When she failed, you comforted her while Father gave her criticism and told her how to improve."
Felix was taken aback by Leo's words. His failure as Crusch's knight weighed down on his heart. However, Leo's following words calmed him down. Wilhelm didn't interrupt, perfectly knowing the admiration the knight had for his mistress, borderline reaching obsession at times. Love can have many flaws...
"That's why I'm telling you this. I want you to become the man I adore, the gentle uncle who healed every bruise on my body after my training, the knight "Blue", the man I imitated as a child. Not a puppy who blindly wags his tail to his master."
Felix rose his head, his eyes slightly red and teary. He gazed at Leo, before the prince grabbed his shoulders forcing the knight to keep looking at him.
"You need to improve, Ferris. Don't stand behind Mother, but rather beside her. Don't be a loyal follower telling her what she wants to hear, but rather what she needs to know. Become the man I looked up to." He spoke with determination.
Wilhelm smiled fondly at the situation, fully convinced of Leo's being Crusch and Subaru's son. He clearly knew both him and Felix, and his actions were bold to a point only someone bearing the name of Natsuki could do them.
"I… Even though you are… I-I don't…" Felix stuttered on the verge of breaking into tears.
"Maybe this will help you then." Leo spoke softly, grabbing Felix's right hand and positioning it on his chest.
Felix obeyed his wordless instruction, checking his gate. He noticed something that shouldn't be there. It was the first time he met this man, and while his words were convincing they were still well-crafted lies. They had to be. But then, how could his own mana be on his gate already?
"You have healed me thousands of times. When I tripped on a pebble as a kid. After my daily training with uncle Wil. Every time I got even the slightest injury, you were there ready to heal me as you called me reckless."
Felix slowly put his hand away from his chest, hesitantly bringing it to Leo's cheek. He gazed into the young man's eyes and came to recognize them….
There was only one person who could have such eyes. A fiery gaze like her mistress, paired with the boldness of the half-elf's knight.
"So it is true nya… You are Crusch-sama's son…" Said Felix with a smile, wiping his teary eyes with the back of his hand. Wilhelm faintly chuckled at the realization of the healer, so slow to realize the truth. Leo went to great lengths to prove himself.
"And...What now, Leo-dono?" Wilhelm asked the young man.
"Mother won't believe me, I'm certain of it. I know how her blessing works, she'll think of me as a lunatic. Revealing everything won't work a second time. That's why I need your help, Ferris, Wilhelm."
Both glanced at each other before nodding in acknowledgment.
"What does Ferris need to do?"
"It's simple. You both must stand by me, especially Ferris. Your opinion is highly valued by her, after all. If you can't convince her I'm telling the truth, and if she does not recognize me as her heir..." Leo stopped, wincing at the thought. "No one else will."
Upon entering Crusch's office, Leo saw Crusch working on some documents, a stack of papers on her desk.
"No matter the time, she's always working hard." He thought with a faint smile.
She raised her head, looking at the unannounced visitor, her fierce gaze piercing Leo's soul. He briefly considered the slim chance of her believing his words, but quickly brushed it aside. Crusch intensified her gaze at the prince who was yet to introduce himself.
"Who are you?" She asked in a cold and slightly intrigued tone.
Hearing her words, Leo straightened up and with renewed determination, clenching his fists, he faintly nodded as he opened his eyes with resolve… And proudly declared:
"I'm Leo Karsten Natsuki, heir to the throne of Lugunica...And your son."
Crusch raised an eyebrow at his words and waited for the wind of untruth to blow around Leo. She waited one second, two, three, until five seconds had passed and the wind didn't blow.
However, she wasn't confused. She fully knew the power of her blessing, and that if someone believed something to be the truth then it wouldn't activate. Therefore, she was sure the young man in front of her was lying. Yet, the confidence he pronounced those words with was astounding. Moreover, his attire was suspiciously similar to hers. He even wore the emblem of her house.
"Very well." She continued, giving him the benefit of the doubt. "Let's assume I have a son I've never heard of. How could I have married Natsuki Subaru?" She stood up, still observing the man who called himself her son, giving him a chance to explain himself. Leo momentarily froze, before answering with honesty.
"Do you loathe the idea?" Leo asked with a saddened gaze.
Crusch picked up on how his expression changed and narrowed her eyes. In her eyes, Natsuki Subaru was indeed a wonderful man. But she never went as far as to think of him as a potential lover. Love was in itself a complex feeling for her, and everyone present during the Royal Selection meeting knew who he loved.
"This is not the question that interests us now." She answered, obviously trying to avoid an answer.
But it was enough for the young prince, since she didn't confirm his grim thoughts.
"I await your explanation, 'my heir'." The duchess continued, earning the green-haired boy's attention.
"It...It is as strange for me as it is for you, mother. But in my... In my world, things happened differently." Leo replied, not completely sure how to begin, as Crusch kept listening.
"When Father embarrassed himself at the Royal Selection, he stayed here by your side until he realized his mistakes, then he strived to improve and fix his faults for Emilia-sama." The green-haired woman narrowed her eyes a bit.
"But… The Witch Cult attacked and she perished. Father was taken under your wing and you two married not long after you were elected queen-"
"So those are the words of a lunatic. Not only do you barge into my house, but also start spreading lies about my allies." Crusch cut him, her gaze reminding him of the fierce scoldings he received as a kid. She wasn't believing any of his words and found himself soon to be kicked away again. He decided to reveal more of the past he knew in hopes she would believe him.
"As I told you, while I found myself in the past, it is different from the one I know. To me, Emilia-sama perished in Sloth's attack, the same one you prevented. The White Whale was hunted around this time, while Sloth's death was the last push you needed to take the throne. I learned swordsmanship from you, Wilhelm and Julius. And you and Father became wonderful leaders renowned in the entire world for how great you made Lugunica."
Crusch couldn't understand what the man was talking about. He thought of him as a lunatic but wasn't sure now. Perhaps her Divine Protection was failing for another reason. She knew that her ally was safe, yet the wind of untruth didn't blow when he spoke of her fate. How could those two contradicting statements be both true?
"Do you have the slightest idea..." Crusch spoke with eyes closed. "How unbelievable your words are?"
"I know." Leo answered with determination. "But these words are the truth...And regarding my situation, I won't make it without help. I understand if you don't believe me, mother. And I won't hold any resentment towards you if you ever throw me out. But I beg you to consider what I said…"
Crusch raised her eyes towards Leo again. His eyes reflected the same color as hers, as if she was looking at a mirror. His face features and shape of his eyes reminded her of Subaru, while his hair had the same verdant green tone as hers.
No matter how hard she believed him to be a lunatic madman, this boy had serious arguments by his side. This situation was truly one of a kind for the duchess.
"Mother-"
"Stop." She sternly cut him, her voice showing a slight degree of anger. "Do not call me that."
Hearing this much made Leo suddenly choke on his words, his eyes reflecting the pain he felt for his mother to deny him this way.
Until the door of the duchess's office opened.
"It seems you need some help, Leo-kyun."
"Forgive our intrusion, Crusch-sama."
Felix and Wilhelm, who were waiting outside the room, decided this was the best moment to barge in.
"Ferris? Wilhelm? You allowed this nonsense to happen?" Crusch reprimanded them, not realizing her built-up confusion let her anger radiate from her.
"Don't be so angry at me, Crusch-sama. You'll make Ferris-chan's weak heart faint."
"Crusch-sama, let's hear what Leo-dono has to say."
"Before that… Crusch-sama, I hate you." Felix told an obvious lie, Crusch quickly catching on to his intentions as the wind of untruth blew all over the room.
"I see. So my Divine Protection isn't failing. But then…" She was cut short by her knight.
"I haven't met this man. Yet, there are signs of me manipulating his gate, Crusch-sama."
"How come…" She whispered as she turned to the young man one more time, her eyes getting softer as she came closer and closer to the truth.
"I too, believe Leo-dono might not be lying, Crusch-sama. From the interactions I had with him, he seems to carry mannerisms only you or Subaru-dono would have." He explained with a smile.
That explains why the wind doesn't blow around him…
Crusch now had a faint blush on her cheeks. The one she thought of as a lunatic was actually her own son. She straightened up, attempting to stop herself from flushing further. While it was true that she did admit that she might have fallen for Natsuki Subaru, actually doing so was another matter.
"So, are you really-" Despite her proud stance, her voice was weak, faltering. Even if she seemed to be against it all the time...A faint part of her she didn't know she had in her heart, wished for this to be true. And now...
"Yes, Mother. I am your son." Said Leo, interrupting the Royal Candidate and confirming the urging feeling that rose in her chest.
Without realizing it, small tears began to form in the duchess's eyes. Holding a hand to her mouth, she kept gazing at the young man who carried her own blood.
She slowly stepped closer to him, wiping her tears.
"What...Was your name again?" She asked in a hushed tone. She didn't pay attention at first, believing him to be a fake wanting some sort of connection with her house. But now she needed to know.
"Leo." He answered, coming closer as well.
"Leo...It sounds marvelous..." She said while sobbing, raising a hand to her son's cheek.
"You told me Father was the one who chose this name, as it represented our family well…" The boy replied, beginning to tear up as well. "He said...It came from the constellation of the Lion."
Crusch immediately widened her eyes in shock, her hands now trembling as tears wouldn't stop flowing. However, those were tears of happiness.
"The lion…" She whispered. "Leo…"
Now unable to resist, she clenched the boy's coat harder as she brought him in her arms, something he happily accepted as he wrapped his arms around the duchess as well, closing his eyes.
"My...Leo…" She cried as she ruffled his hair. "My son...My own son…"
She felt horrible for the words she dared to speak earlier, for how she made him feel. But she would dedicate her every being to fixing it. As a mother should.
They remained in each other's embrace for a long minute, thoughts running wild in the minds of both. Wilhelm and Felix observed the scene in silence, warmth filling their hearts.
It was a good day in Agante. The sky was clear and the streets rumbled with merchants vociferating their low prices and housewives buying food for dinner. A certain man stood out, sporting an iron helmet on his head, carrying a sword at his waist. His left arm was missing and he carried a bag of peeled appas in his other hand.
"Schult should be the one doing this…" He thought, shaking his head at his lady's orders. Schult was busy giving her a massage, so he had to come and buy appas for her, doing the small butler's job.
"I should have checked this when I woke up… Now I have to go out and buy more." He sighed, advancing forward. Turning a street he saw a chorus of grown men and women talking to a lost child in the middle of the square.
"Why won't thou believe me!?" A childish voice rang out.
"That's bullshit kid!" The group of civilians replied in unison.
Deciding he had nothing to do with this, he shrugged off and continued walking towards Priscilla's residence. Sadly, the commotion was on the shortest route to his destination, so he kept walking straight instead of turning the street, purely to not involve himself. His plans failed as the childish voice called his name.
"Al! Come and help mineself this instant!"
Al stopped in his tracks, hearing a voice he didn't recognize speak as if she knew him. As everyone in the crowd turned to him, he begrudgingly walked towards them.
The crowd opened to give a path to the helmeted knight, many recognizing him instantly as the 'jester' of Priscilla Barielle.
Once he was in front of the little girl, he took a deep look at her features. Her long black hair was braided in a single ponytail adorned with a red lace. She wore a blue dress adorned with a white flower at her waist, as well as a necklace sporting a lustrous emerald. Her fierce crimson eyes inspected the helmeted man figure, and she carried a small crimson fan in her left hand.
"So? What's your problem kid?" He irritatedly asked.
"Mh? Not even thou recognize mineself? Hm..." She massaged her forehead with her fan, deep in thought; an act Al smirked at behind his helmet.
"First that shadowy, mysterious hand drags me away, mine vassals do not recognize me nor does Uncle Al… And he lacks a few scars as well. Could this..."
"Al, take off your helmet. Mineself orders so." She proclaimed, hiding half her face behind her fan just like her mother.
"Excuse me, who's this girl?" Al carefreely asked a random merchant in the crowd, ignoring the girl entirely.
"She claims to be Lady Priscilla's daughter, sir."
"She certainly does act like her." Thought Al, noting the obvious similarities in mannerisms.
Being ignored, the young miss intensified her gaze.
"Mineself recalls ordering you to take off your helmet. Don't force me to do it, Aldebaran." The little princess, being familiar with Al's personality, struck where she knew it would sting.
Al, hearing his full name being called, straightened up. The crowd, sensing the situation turning dire, quickly dispersed, feeling pity for the young girl about to be reprimanded for daring to claim to be the domain's lord daughter.
"Acting as I wanted… It seems your loyalty doesn't change no matter your age." She put her fan down, smirking at her success. Al realized he had been tricked to scare the crowd away, now having a genuine interest in the girl's identity.
She acted just like Priscilla, was as smart as her, and knew Al enough to both know his full name and how to taunt him.
"So, little miss, what's your name?" He asked. Perhaps he would discover Priscilla's true surname this way. There was no way she would keep that disgusting pig's name.
"Ah, so you finally recognize mineself. Very well, I shall give you the honor of knowing my name. You better remember it: Helena Natsuki. Now, let's go, Al."
Her surname, however, was not what he expected.
"So you're my bro's daughter?"
Having left the square and now walking towards Priscilla's mansion, Al inquired about Helena's father. Natsuki was the surname of the only one he could truly call brother, both having lived in Japan before being mysteriously sent to this hell of a world.
"Indeed. Father is a wonderful leader and your best friend as well, Al." Said Helena, walking at Al's side.
"So you decided to follow the path of the big breasts, bro…" Thought Al behind his helmet.
"So, uh, what do I call you? Helena? Lena? Little princess?" Al would be scratching the back of his head should he not wear a helmet. Or if he wasn't carrying something on his only arm.
"Little princess will suffice for now." She replied.
"So… how does being in the past feel?" Al asked.
"Hm? Thou believes me?" Replied Helena.
"Well, yeah. You know Princess, me and my bro. You also look like Princess and even act like her. Do I need anything else?"
"No. Good job Al. Unlike your future self, it seems you're smart now." Helena congratulated Al, just to throw a small jab at him right after. Another of the mannerisms she took from her mother. If he was the same both in the past and future, he wouldn't even feel hurt.
"That hurts. Though not as much when compared to Princess' insults." Helena hid a smirk behind her fan: She was right.
"So, what does it feel like? You didn't answer me."
"Hm… Where to start…" She thought for a few seconds about how to explain the situation.
"First, mineself must explain how I ended up here. I was 'vibing' in my room, as Father would say…" She was interrupted by a faint chuckle coming from Al.
"I'm sorry…" Said Al, managing to stop himself from laughing further.
Having noticed the distinct pronunciation and word itself, Al deduced it had to come from Earth even if he didn't remember its meaning. And only he and Subaru could teach her said word. Paired with the distinct way she said 'Let's go' and now this, all doubts on his mind were dispelled.
"I shall forgive your intrusion this time. But don't expect a second chance." Said Helena, slamming her fan against Al's muscular arm. He secretly gulped, not wanting to be left armless.
"As I was saying, I was in my room when a shadowy hand dragged me away. The next moment, I found myself in mother's old domain instead of the castle. Furthermore, none of those commoners recognized me. And that's when you appeared. I must congratulate you for that, Al." She snapped the fan close, seeing Barielle's house mansion at the end of the street.
While she spent most of her days in the royal castle, she had visited Barielle's mansion a few times in the past. All rulers had to know their vassals, and what better place than her mother's old domain?
The rest of the walk happened in silence. Al was thinking of the implications of his otherworldly brother marrying Priscilla. Everyone knew how much he loved the half-elf, something he could perfectly understand. Silver hair had something… special about it, a fantasy feeling like nothing else. He would still choose Priscilla's body over it though, her figure was perfect. He would never admit it of course, but he was jealous of Schult-chan dressing her up day after day.
Meanwhile, Helena contemplated those same implications but in a completely different direction. She wondered who that hand belonged to, and why she was in the past. A chance to change the future, perhaps? One misstep, however, and she might cease to exist, having destroyed her future existence with a few words or a simple act.
She got annoyed at the prospect. She won't be able to burn that disgusting pig bearing the name of Leip to cinders. As much as she was disgusted by his existence, she had to admit he was necessary for her mother to have a domain to rule and show her fantastic leadership skills. She needed to think about every step she would take, anything could change the future in a major way.
"What did father call this phenomenon? A butterfly effect, was it?"
Deep in her thoughts, she didn't realize she had already entered the mansion. The guards, seeing Priscilla's knight return, let both him and the little girl at his right side enter without trouble, though they gave a few glances to the maiden so similar to their lady. The little princess was taken out of her trance by a high-pitched voice.
"Al-sama, who is she?"
Turning her head to the side, Helena saw Al handing the bag of appas he had been carrying to a young boy with peach-pink hair. His eyes were of a crimson red and he wore a butler uniform. Although far younger than the Schult she knew, Helena still instantly recognized him as his mother's follower.
"Now I understand why mother took him in. He's certainly cute." Remarked Helena in her mind. She didn't particularly care for the young butler. They were on amicable terms, but to her he was nothing more than one of her mother's followers.
"Her? Oh, she's a noble wanting to meet Princess." Schult gazed at Helena for a short moment, before she and Al continued towards Priscilla's study, leaving the young butler behind.
Now in front of Priscilla's study, Al turned back to Helena.
"Uh, you're sure you wanna do this? Princess was in a bad mood before." Said Al, recalling how he had made her slightly mad by gazing at her breasts for too long. Not that he would ever admit to it in front of her daughter. Only Od Laguna knows how she would react.
"Shouldn't expose them so much if you're going to get angry, Princess. You weren't quick to forgive me like usual. Did the recent attacks sour your mood?" Thought Al, worried about the recent assassination attempts on his mistress.
"Don't waste my time with nonsense. My beautiful visage shall gladden mother." Ignoring Al's warning, Helena opened the door with determination.
"So the world also works in your favour… Should have thought so." Thought Al, a faint smile forming on his face at the exchange. He was slightly excited about Priscilla's reaction.
Behind a desk stood Priscilla Barielle. Orange hair like the sun, with jeweled hair pins scattered through it. She wore a blood-red dress that exposed her chest and shoulders. Her blazing crimson eyes gazed at the two intruders, Al and Helena, before opening her mouth and asking Aldebaran about the young girl's identity in her usual demeanor.
"Al, did you grow bored of being a jester and decided to bring a replacement?" Al shrugged off her usual jab.
"No Princess. But I found this kid outside and thought you would be interested in her." Technically, he didn't lie. Al wholeheartedly thought Priscilla would be interested in her. Whether she would accept Helena as her daughter was another matter.
"I see. You did well Al. So, entertain me." She said, looking at the young miss at Al's side. She noted the similarity in looks between her and herself, especially her eyes. Crimson red, just like her and Schult.
"As you wish." Said Helena with a bow, grabbing the edges of her dress. "I am your daughter, Helena Natsuki." To Al's surprise, she revealed her identity.
Priscilla froze momentarily, before erupting in laughter. She giggled for a long minute before calming down. The crimson-eyed princess' introduction incited nothing but laughter on her.
Helena merely stood in place, concealing her smirk behind her maroon fan. Al threw himself to the ground in order to grab a few documents before they fell to the ground. He had known Priscilla for long enough to know she would somehow blame him purely to see his reaction for her amusement.
After a long minute, Priscilla calmed down. With a sigh, he straightened up and looked at Al.
"You did good, Al. This girl has done a better job at entertaining me than you've ever done." Said Priscilla, wiping a few tears off her face, observing Helena's reaction.
"Indeed. Al's loyalty is commendable. A single glance at mineself, and he knew what to do." Said Helena while nodding. Al let out a dry laugh in response to her words.
"Al, you can leave now. She does your job far better than you." Priscilla dismissed the mercenary with a wave of her hand.
"What? You can't leave me now Princess!" Said Al in a panicked rush.
"That's right, Mother. You shouldn't abandon Al. He's a great retainer." Helena panicked as well, though not as much as Al. She managed to conceal it, but Al being thrown out didn't align with her plan.
"It seems my new jester has taken a liking to you, Al. Be thankful to her." Said Priscilla in a more joking tone.
Priscilla had taken a liking to the red-eyed princess. Her cunning to convince Al to bring her here, and her sheer arrogance to proclaim herself as her daughter. She even studied her mannerisms and imitated them with practiced perfection.
Despite the fact that her actions constituted a critical breach in security, no assassin sent against her would act so boldly. Moreover, Priscilla was sure of her skills and deemed it impossible for this girl to best both Al and herself in combat. The world saw her bored and sent a new jester her way.
Truly, the world worked in her favour.
"Where would I even go if you threw me away… What's a one-armed mercenary supposed to do to earn his pay?"
"You merely need to prove your skills, do you not? Min- auch!"
The room went silent. Both Al and Priscilla stared at the now flushing red Helena, who froze in place after biting her tongue midway word.
"You… bit your tongue." Deadpanned Al, barely managing to stop himself from erupting in laughter.
"Only because Mother and Father will make me go insane! Mother with her overly extravagant speech and father with his expressions no one understands!" Helena exclaimed. Between Priscilla's archaic speech and Subaru's 'subaruisms', paired with Al's own brand of quirkiness, her speech slowly degenerated into a mess she actively tried to prevent from getting worse.
"You still did it though." Deadpanned Al once again, letting a small chuckle free at the situation. The archaic words of her mistress and his expressions from earth wouldn't pair well, would they?
Helena wasn't sure how to respond, but something clicked in her head. Her original plan had deviated, but she could still be recognized as Priscilla's daughter. Al now gave her a perfect excuse for it.
She straightened up, closing her fan with a loud thump. She then stared at Al with a fierce gaze and continued with a serious tone. Priscilla, focused on observing her reactions, smiled at the act.
"I gave you a second chance, Aldebaran." Both her tone and gaze made Al gulp behind his helmet. Surely she couldn't do any serious harm to him, right? Why was she scared of a little girl? He repressed his instincts to activate Territory right there.
"It is time to remove that other arm of yours." Al was wrong about Helena not being able to harm him. Against his arm now stood an ornate crimson sword, reflecting light like the sun itself and hot to the touch. It was a weapon Al easily recognized, having seen it in action in Priscilla's hand several times, although bigger than Helena's counterpart.
It was the Yang Sword Vollachia, one of the Ten Swords of Power, and one pertaining purely to those fit for the Vollachian throne, sporting the Vollachian emperor's blood.
"I-Isn't this going too far, little princess?" Al muttered out.
"Indeed it is. Put your sword down, Helena." Said Priscilla, in a more caring and motherly tone, something Helena didn't fail to notice.
Silently casting the Yang Sword aside, Helena approached her mother.
"I know it's hard to believe, but…" She was interrupted, as Priscilla grabbed her towards her bountiful chest.
"I already knew. Not even Al is foolish enough to bring a complete outsider here. He already figured you out, didn't he?" Said Priscilla, patting Helena's head as she pulled her into a tight hug.
"You knew all along? Not fair! I worked hard and you always knew?" Freeing herself from the crimson baroness' tight embrace, Helena complained about the unfairness of her mother already knowing about her identity. She worked hard to bring Al to his side just for him to slip up at the most crucial moment, almost ending in him being thrown away from the candidate's side destroying her plan; before she made a grandiose return by summoning the Yang sword.
It was her last resort, as it consumed too much mana for her to adequately use for longer than a few minutes. It was, however, the absolute truth of her lineage.
"You barge into my house proclaiming to be my daughter, perfectly imitating my actions while looking like mineself, and expect mineself not to believe you? You seem to have overlooked a crucial detail: You look like me." Helena shut her mouth tight at Priscilla's facts and logic. While Helena was certainly as smart as her mother, though not as lucky as her, she often made the crucial mistake of ignoring obvious details. Such as her appearance in this case.
It was something that only experience could fix. Given her young age, it was something she clearly lacked.
"Though mineself doesn't recognize thy surname, he must have been a great man." Priscilla couldn't be further away from the truth.
"Uh, Princess, you do know him. Remember the man you brought into the Selection just for him to make a mess?"
"Hm?" Priscilla pushed Helena aside, focusing on remembering who Al was talking about. Helena's gaze pierced Al, as if telling him to die right there for ruining the moment.
"Oh." Priscilla's mood instantly turned sour. "Mineself marrying such a pitiful man? Bound by blind devotion, a pig with no pride of his own. What a joke." She spat out.
"Don't speak of Father like this!" Rebuked Helena.
"Why should mineself care for such a disgusting man?" She hid half her face behind her fan.
"Because Father improved! While his actions at that point were disgusting, he changed and became a far more respectable man! To the point even you, Mother, chose him as husband." Helena defended Subaru to the very end, going as far as directly opposing Priscilla. In response, the baroness slammed her fan shut, hid it inside her chest and dropped the subject.
"This will go nowhere." She hugged Helena once again, patting the back of her head. Helena simply snuggled into her embrace. Recently, she had been too busy governing to give her lovely daughter proper attention.
"Al, bring a few appas. Helena and I have so much to talk about." She ordered.
"Alright. Two appas for Princess and little Princess." With his usual joking tone, Al left the room, leaving mother and daughter by themselves.
AN: So, uh, sorry for the delays. I was too busy passing my exams to write. Satella's Champion will get an update soon. Akihito Evon made an art for this, you might have seen it already since I posted in Reddit. I'm sharing it anyways, you can see it here: /AkihitoEvon/status/1407020064310710283 (go follow him). Also, thank you for 10k views and 250 follows!