ZERO NO TSUKAIMA
KNIGHT OF NO KINGDOM
CHAPTER 4
*DISCLAIMER*
THIS IS A WORK OF FANFICTION, AND AS SUCH ALL THE CONTENT FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE MATERIAL BELONGS TO NOBORU YAMAGUCHI AS THE AUTHOR OF THIS SERIES AND I OWN NOTHING OF IT.
The atmosphere in this school stays the same as always, It's a bright day like most days, there are students and teachers alike around me, most are studying with their fellow classmate or their teachers but some are just blatantly slacking off, chatting around in the open field with their friends, flirting with girls, and etc.
Unlike them, I don't get much leeway as much as I wanted to. Putting both my legs to work, I step on through the stairs and ended up in the main building, hallways with red carpets and multiple wide windows surrounding the hall on the right side.
"...sigh..." I release a heavy breath, looking at the wooden door right in front of me for the last time before raising my right hand and knocking on the door
*Knock-knock*
There was a pause for a moment
"...Yes! Hold on a minute...*crash* AAH bollocks!" there's a few seconds of another silence, just the sound of me breathing and awkwardly standing in front of the door"...Alright you may come in, doors unlocked!"
is he okay behind that door?
Nodding my head at his signal, I turn the knob and entered the room, greeted by the grey-haired with scars on his right eye Commander, Captain Angus. He's sitting on his chair with a cup of tea or coffee... or whatever he likes (usually booze). His eyes darted at me, smiling with an expecting expression
"aah! Kyle, I've been expecting you" he said, welcoming openly, a warm smile written on his wrinkled skin on his face and those tired eyes...
"Indeed sir, you're the one who called me" I said back, Grabbing an empty chair, sitting on it "...are you, alright captain?" I asked
"Oh don't worry about me, I'm fine for an old guy like me, now please sit down" he offered with his hand openly pointing toward the chair sitting right across the table where he is leaning, I nodded and proceed to do that "...I just wanted to talk with you, How's the boy?" he asked, both elbows touching the dark oak wooden table sitting between both of us.
"That kid... he's been, okay I guess..." I paused "...Not much I could say, but he's been following pretty well... as far as an Untrained young boy could go anyway..." I said that with a finishing huff.
"Hmm, I'm very sure you taught him pretty much all the things he needs to know around here..."
"Well... not everything, not yet. It has only been a week, I already told him most of the things including Guards Assignment, Shift, mannerism, Languages, uniform, patrol time, and physical activity training that he needs to do every morning to get him in shape, it's still going to take a while to get him in shape but he'll get there eventually, and as for swordsmanship and Languages... it might take a lot longer I presume" I finished
The grey-haired man raised his left eyebrow, both of his eyes looking straight at mine with a curious look
"Well at least it's progress and any kind of progress as long as it is a positive one is good in my book, that's good enough I suppose, but... I'd really like to know how he's been coping with... the current situation he's in right now" he asked, sounds almost like he's curious but also worried.
"Well, he seems to be taking it pretty well as anyone can be, although... there's something odd... it's not that he's odd but... all of this... very odd" There's a slight pause in the room we're in, he gave me the look and nod, signaling me to continue
"Alright, with all due respect sir... everything about him being here, He's just like all of us but... he's not like any of us at the same time" I grimed, eyes darted down to the floor, looking at both my feet, hoping he gets what I'm saying.
No response from the old man, he just grabbed his mug and took a sip at whatever's in it, and nodded, signaling me to continue.
"He's just a boy, a young boy heading home from the groceries store, and bam!" I clap both of my hands "He winded up in the streets Tristania, no special skills, no special history, no nothing sir!"
"Indeed..." he said with a slight huff
"...Fortunately I was there when he was walking alone in the middle of the streets, that way I was able to get him here... heh, talk about damn timing..."
"but Is it timing though?" He suddenly said, his sharp blue eyes narrowed.
"I'm sorry... sir?" I muttered, my left eyebrows raised, questioning what he just mentioned
"I mean... I share the same sentiment as you, but I believe that something must've happened to him before he got here... he just doesn't know that yet, or..." he paused, closing his eyes for a moment, both hands crossing at each other as he opened his eyes "... there's something or someone who purposely put him here..."
"Someone?" tilting my head sideways "You saying there's someone or something that's been teleporting people from earth, our world! Is that the person that is responsible for why all of us are here?"
He looked at me stoically, eyes straighty staring back at me, an eerie silence commences once again, I just look at him with wide eyes, he knows that I'm feeling slightly shocked and a bit agitated with what was just been revealed to me but then he let out a chuckled.
"Haha you should look at your own face, How the bloody hell should I know? I've been stuck here for 30 years Kyle, I'm still looking for that answers... but yes heh, There's a possibility for that... might be the answer we're looking for" he said, chuckling alongside his words. "but it is nothing but speculation so far, and even with that, his situation is still very much different then all of us... we just don't want to let him know, at least for now, just in case he... took it the wrong way... you know well what happened to all of us before we got here right... we're all lucky that we end up here" He said, grimed expression written all across his wrinkled and age face.
"...I wouldn't call it lucky sir but sure..." I closed my eyes, feeling of skin shivering across my arm and to my whole body, one of my hands holding my left eye, rubbing it gently with a slight shiver between the beat. A deafening sound of ringing explosion crosses my mind for a second before it disappears once again...
"...Right, I'm really sorry Kyle... but again, I've also got this weird feeling that trouble might be coming soon... you should pay more attention to him... he seems to be a lot more of a troublemaker more than you" he said sarcastically with a slight grin as he took a puff out of his favorite cigar.
"Please sir now you're just making me blush" I retort in the same manner, he just laughed at my response as I stood from my seat and heads to the door.
It's true, the situation with the recently announced Fouquet is very concerning, even more so when the Royal palace personally sends their messenger to warn us about him. It's not looking good if it's that serious, trouble is coming because it has been calm for too long... I don't like the sound of that one bit. I won't let anything happened to them...
"Kyle..." He stopped me halfway, my hands holding the doorknob as I look at him. "...It's not your fault what happened to them... please, learn to forgive" he said, his lips curving slightly into a smile that is gentle but also showing pity.
I felt my heart drop and grow cold from the sudden words, he's just trying to calm me down but for some reason... It didn't make it better
"...Forgive huh..." My eyes closed, head tilted toward the ceiling above me. "... sure captain, is that all?"
He nodded slowly with his both eyes closed and his mouth tightly shut.
"That's will be all...Sorry for taking your time Kyle, thank you and have a good one" He finished
"Not at all sir, excuse me" I closed the wooden door behind me and walked away, into the hallway, which has no one but
Peace
Silence
Forgiveness
Forgive huh? I guess I do forgive them... there's only one person that I couldn't forgive no matter what for what happened, and you're looking right at him...
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.
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It's almost the end of the day, bright orange gaze through the windows, after checking everyone on their post, I headed straight to the stable just outside the Academy walls. The kid is there with V, Tom said something about helping with the broken stable cage because some student playing a prank on one of the horses belong to one of their friends... fucking hell.
After closing the small metal gate behind me, I saw two people in guard Uniform in the distance just 10 feet away from me, right in front of the stables with a bunch of horses, I can already see the damage from here.
"...hmm? Kyle, finally you're here" Vasko acknowledging my presence immediately, the Kid is standing next to him with
"I am, so what happened?" I crossed my arm, thoroughly looking at the damage from a closer look, the wooden gate was smashed into pieces and the hinge cracked.
"Some kid playing some dumb prank on their friend's horse and destroyed one of the gates, I don't know what they did because I wasn't here, but Kito saw it, oi Gaki! Tell him what happened" Vasko turns his attention to Kito right next to him.
"Right... I don't see who it is, cause of the robe but it's definitely a student... he use some kind of magic that causes a tiny explosion, like a firecracker of some sort... the horse panic and ransack the cage, causing all of this shit..." He finished, huffing with his hand holding on for support on his both knees, looks like he just ran a marathon.
"We had to run and chase her back... well, Kito did!" Vasko said glaring at the said Person, who in response, lift up his right arm and do a thumbs up! "Thankfully he manages to grab her, and with a bit of my help, we took it back here after we calm her down"
"I see, good job Kito!" I nodded at him "Unfortunately, it's already going dark, and we couldn't fix this without a specialize help from the town, for the time being, put the horse on the leash in its cage, just make sure to keep an eye on it." I explained to him, Vasko nodded and went straight to grab a leash from the stable garage.
"What about that student Kyle?" Kito asked, obliviously.
"Nothing we can do about that student, all I can do is tell one of the professors about this, we couldn't yell or do anything at the kid, we ain't their teacher, our job is just to keep everyone in this Academy save."
Although frustrating I know, I really want to tell whoever did this what's up! But the truth is really... it's out of my own expertise yelling at some kid. Although, I'm not honestly sure right now since there's a kid as well right in front of me... and I'm responsible for bringing him here...
Looking at him carefully once again, his eyes seem to gaze nowhere at some point in a moment. With heavy sweat running across his face, his mind seems to be on something entirely different from what happened. Couldn't really tell but I guess there's nothing wrong with asking right... right?
"Kid! What's wrong?" I asked sternly
"huh?" he jumped for a second, being caught off guard by my sudden voice, confirming he is indeed thinking about something
"You heard me" I crossed my arm, nodded softly while dusting off some of the dirt from his sleeves.
"it's nothing... just wondering if there's something I could do about this, maybe I can find the kid! It shouldn't be so hard... probably, I saw him from the distance, maybe I could catch him and-"
"Nope! that's not how it works... I know we have the responsibility and sure, technically we could do that... but it's all different here..." I paused, he looked at me with eyes wide full of interest
"...They're not just some kids, they're kids with fancy wands who are always the son or daughter of someone of a title. If we got them into trouble, the least they're gonna do is get upset and not listen... and the worst they could do is tell their parents and get us into bigger trouble than it already is... they're Noblemen and Women... we're just mere peasants to them." I explained with a bit of venom by the end of it
His eyes gaze to the ground below us, a pregnant silence with the only source of the sound was the wind swirling through the field with a heavy yet soft blow.
"So it's true then..." he started speaking again
"hmm?" I responded with a hum
"All the shits with the nobles and people like us... just like she said"
She?
"I don't know who is 'she' you're talking about but yes... it's true. It's a silly system that we live in... but one that we had to go through with." I said, then he went mute again, with the same expression and posture from before
"Seriously Kid, what's wrong?" I asked with a higher interest, I know this isn't about the silly prank anymore, something is in this Kid mind and it'll be best if he can get out of his system Asap.
"It's... I don't know... this morning, just right after you left the field from our training... I met the maid that introduces me to the same guy from my world... our world! She was leaving the Academy and I asked her why, she said because she was ordered by some old geezer who happens to be the messenger from the royal palace from yesterday... she was forced to work there as his personal maid and she couldn't say no even if she doesn't want to..." he finally let it all out, looking at my eyes, so I give him the signal.
"...Go on..."
"...It's not fair... none of this, the Academy should have done something... maybe she can protest and hopefully they can talk it out or I don't know... it's really unfair..."
"Yeah no shit, but this is how things are around here..."
"BUT MAYBE IF SHE ASKS FOR HELP- "
"Hey calm down! yelling at me won't bring her back here" I growled, he was left out of speech with a disappointed face filled with frustration and anger... the anger of not being able to do anything...
"...sigh... hey listen! I was there outside the door when she came running to the headmaster's office yesterday, I could hear her begging to stay here in the Academy, saying she loves working here and not wanting to go work for that count. But the truth of the matter is, as much as the Academy wanted to let her stay and how much of an ass that Count is... the headmaster and everyone at the top of the Academy couldn't do or say anything... It's the royal messenger from the Royal palace, even that guy is out of their reach. What about us?" After I told him that, he gritted his teeth against each other, eyes narrowed out of frustration...
"So we're supposed to do nothing?"
"...Yes... I'm sorry for your girlfriend-"
out of a sudden, with a hint of anger still linger from his voice, a tint of red brushed up on his cheeks
"N-not my girlfriend..." he muttered as he looks away from me
"...Riiiiight... But then again... she got unlucky... I'm sorry for saying that, the best we could do is stay out of those noblemen as best as we could, I'm sure she's fine... working as a maid is a tough job as working as a guard... they have to deal with those whiny noble kids while we just sit around watching over them, if she could handle that, I'm sure she's fine" I tried to reassure him, patting his shoulder with my right hands.
He returns the gesture with a smile of his own, not a full smile, still frustrated about what happened to the poor 'girlfriend' of his... but he'll be fine and so as she... here's hoping.
"Kuso... that is one hell of a horse, those firecrackers must've done her quite a good fright... I've finally got her on the leash and- What's going on?" well looks who's back, It's Vasko!
"Nothing V, just telling Kito here about his training" I said
We all finished up with our work for the day and head back to our barracks, finally ending the day.
I could use a drink... I always said that, did I?
.
.
.
My Sword with it sheaths on in my hand, a duffel bag on the other and fellow guardsman on my sides, heh... if this could go on peacefully like this the whole time... I don't really mind, to be honest... although if there's a chance we could go home... I would prefer that.
Heading back to our barracks, we pass by the dining hall, it's currently dinner time so there's a bunch of students, there's also a number of maids, and none of them that I know of... and the hallway is lit up with torches and candles on the wall and ceiling.
The two-man who happens to walk right in front of me side by side, are none other than the two guys that were with me this evening, they were talking with each other about something that I really don't catch up.
While on our way back towards the basement, my eyes caught a glimpse of movement down the hallway on my left, it's a blur of a boy, appears to be running but I'm sure it ain't a Student
Hold on is that...
That is Saito, what is he doing at this time running towards... wait, the back gate?
I turn back towards the fellow guard that I'm walking with and they seem to be not paying attention or notice Saito at the moment, maybe they wouldn't mind if I made a slight detour. And with that, I walk the other way, towards where Saito was going...
Trying to catch up to him with a little jog along the way, I finally caught him looking around on the field just outside the Academy wall, with nothing but his blue jacket and jeans, he was about to start running toward the direction that he finally agreed on when I jumped in.
"Saito! Where the hell are you going?" I yelled with a slight of confusion written on my face, he, on the other hand, seems surprised yet at the same time frustrated and in a hurry
"K-kito!? I-I... tch no matter, I've got no time, I have to go now!" his expression went from confusion to a serious one filled with determination. He was about to run away again when I caught him by his shoulder with my hand.
"Stop! Tell me what's going on first!" I yelled at him, he widens his eyes, anger by the looks of his eyebrows towards me
"I told you, I've got no time Kito! I have to get her back!"
Her?
"We have plenty of time! Just tell me who you are talking about!?"
Please don't tell me...
"IT'S SIESTA!"
God Damn it...
This again...
"Shit..." I rubbed the back of my head with my free hand
"I have to go get her... she needs help!" he said to me, both hands fisted and his blue eyes wide open.
"Saito listen... I know what happened alright?" I reveal it to him at last
"What?" is the only word that came out of his mouth
"I know what happened, I was there when she left the Academy this morning, she went to-"
"Then why didn't you stop her!?" he cut me off and start whining
"E-excuse me?!"
"She was there with you right!? Did she talk to you!? Did she told you where she headed!? Why didn't you stop her!? She doesn't want to be there Kito! I have to go... no! We have to go there now! Maybe we can do something, Maybe-"
alright...That's it!
"Hey, fucking listen to me! There's nothing we could do... I tried okay... I already asked her and-"
"what!? We're just gonna stand here and do nothing? She needs our help!" he told me once again
"YET THERE'S NOTHING WE COULD DO, Saito what part of it that you don't understand!? She was taken by a nobleman who works with the Royal Palace, and we're just a common people, he wouldn't listen to us and it will only bring trouble to ourselves!" I re-affirmed my statement back at him, he grinded his teeth with his brow narrows, looking at me in frustration.
"You can't say that! There's a person in need, we go help her right!? Didn't your parents taught you how to do that!?" he said
No, they taught me nothing...
"Whatever! we can't do anything right now, so let's just head back in alright?" I said
"No I'm going, if you're not coming then stay out of my way!" he turns around, backing away from me then I once again grab him by the shoulders and pull him back.
"The hell you gonna do then? Barge into the manor and start demanding her back!? We're just nobody Saito! Get that idea through that thick head of yours!" I yelled right in front of his face
"I'm not gonna stay here and do nothing Kito, that's not my way. I'm couldn't call myself a man if I do that" he said, this time with a much cooler and calmer tone. His eyes still looking sharply towards mine.
"We're not the person who can save her right now..." I tried to say again when all of a sudden
"THEN WHO?" he yelled in front of my face and I stopped
Unable to say anything
"If not us, then who? No one's coming for her and you know that!"
No one is coming...
No one is saving her...
Everyone just watched...
Mom...
I felt a sharp pain on my left chest as my memories resurge, Saito just looks at me and so did I, and we just glare at each other, brown against blue.
"Hey who's there!?" from the other side of the wall, a female voice was heard calling towards us
What the? Oh shit I forgot, it's the shift change right now, and I know that voice!
Jean!
I turn my face back from looking towards the wall to Saito when all of a sudden, he's gone!
I look to the left
And then to the right
And then finally, I spotted him, in the distance running full sprint, away from the Academy.
Saito God damn it!
"Hey Who's out there!?" Jean's voice got louder and she steps even closer.
I could tell Jean about this and maybe we can catch and stop Saito but...
If not us... who will save her?
No one is coming for her...
Then I felt both my legs go light and the wind rushed through my whole body.
What the hell am I doing?
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.
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(3 hours later)
"Huff...huff..."
"Huff...aargh..."
I dropped down to my knees and so did he, both of us in the middle of the woods, with no one but the wind and the two moons shining through the night.
I know I've been jogging up with the training with Kyle, but god damn! Three hours of nonstop running!? Just kill me already.
"S-so... you decided to come as well..." he said, I could see his smile through the shadow, that and his overconfident stupid expression of his
"Screw you... next time... we're grabbing a taxi" I said, he chuckled with a slight huff. Still sweating.
"Then you're paying" he turns his back towards me, looking out into the distance ahead of us. "Heads up! I think that's the place" he pointed towards a building
It's a big mansion, a big and fancy one, it looks like a mansion that came out straight from the Renaissance era. But my eyes weren't focused on how big or how good it looks like, it was the fact the mansion was surrounded by walls made out of sharp poles of metal, metal fences basically, around 8 feet tall in height. There are also guards roaming the area in and outside the wall.
While I was busy eyeing the area, Saito went ahead of me and said "Come on!" as he carries on
"W-wait Saito! Hold on!" I followed behind him, still concern with the amount of security this count has.
As we sneak up towards the manor, we arrived just next to the main gate and then we stop for a moment.
"Saito... you better have a plan for this..." I said to him, but all of that for no answer from him
"Saito? Hey pal?" I asked again but again for naught.
He turns his face towards me, a single drop of sweat drop from his forehead, and his eyes cringe.
"Eeh... about that... I didn't get to think of anything..."
A slight pause occurred, and only the sound of the wind with a bit of cricket on the side following through that moment.
He has no plan
"WHAT?" I said all out loud in shock accidentally
"HEY, WHO GOES THERE!?"
Oh shit, I shouldn't have said that out loud.
Two guards approach, pointing their spears toward us demanding answers for why and what are we doing... this is going so well... I'm starting to regret coming with this idiot.
Then next second we realized, we're both taken into the mansion by the count guards, my sword was taken away from me, in other words, SO MUCH FOR SNEAKING AROUND
"God damn it Saito... why the hell didn't you think before you act!?" I whispered to him while we are being dragged on our ass into the mansion
"Why did you have to yell!? Besides, this is my first time sneaking into someone property, so I never thought about it"
"Ooh haha, yeah that's great and all, understandable have a good day, TO HELL WITH THAT!" I yelled loudly at the end of the sentence "AARGH!"
"HEY SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" I received a yell from an angry mustache man with a slap on the back of my head.
We were dragged inside, the looks of the mansion from the inside were more impressive, two stories building with white marble floors, a chandelier hanging on the ceiling, shining bright lighting the whole hall.
As we ended up on the second floor, we were thrown inside the room with both handcuffed,in the end of the room, stands a tall man, with an interesting outfit and an even interesting mustache.
He closed a book in his hand, eyes glancing towards both of us, then stepping in a bit closer from where he stands.
"Guards, what's the meaning of this?" He asked loudly
"Forgive me, my lord, we caught these thieves trying to sneak inside the manor, thanks brimr we are able to successfully apprehend them" one the guard behind my back explained
"I see... very well, take them away and let them face judgment!" He gives a hand signal towards his guards to take us away
"W-WAIT Hold on! We're not thieves, we are here to speak to Count Mott!" Saito shouted just right in the nick of time.
"Hmm, speak with me?" he gives a second or two of thoughts before, signaling his guard to release us "Then why are you sneaking your way in if you wanted to speak to me?" he asked, eyebrows slightly raised, probably out of suspicion
"We weren't, we just arrived in front of the gate when my friend here suddenly starting yelling at me, we're sorry for that" he explained even further
As much as I hate how it sounds like he's blaming me... he's not wrong... entirely, not coming with a plan is still his fault.
"I see... hmm? I've seen you before didn't I young man?" he pointed towards me this time
"Yes sir I believe you have... " I said, he observes me for a moment before smiling with a little huff in the end
"Aah that's right, the Institute, you're that guard huh, I knew you look familiar" he scoffs at me with the look that might as well spit on my face. "So I assume you guys are from the same place? What are you, friends? Coworkers? well, no matter, you are still just servants to me" he scoffed
Keep it cool Kito, as much as I want to deck this guy's face and shape it into his mustache...
I mean I couldn't either way even If I'm allowed to...
"Well now then, tell me why you're both here, go on I don't have all day and basically you both intruding into my property, consider yourself lucky that you're allowed to talk in my presence" he reminded us with his ego then proceed to sit down onto a blue chair in the middle of the room.
I turn my head and glance toward Saito, I nodded at him. Basically doing a 'This is your fucking idea, you do the talk!' look at him. He nodded nervously, then his eyes darted back to the man standing wide and tall in front of us
"We want you to give back Siesta!" Stated Saito
"Siesta? Ooh... tsk, I knew it's about that girl isn't it?" he said, closing his eyes with his head moving left and right. "Too bad, she works for me now, here in this Manor as my Personal Maid"
"Well then give her back! She doesn't want to be here!" Saito said back again this time a little louder.
"Who says she doesn't want to? She's the one who agreed to work here, it is said on the paper itself and I have the documentation by the headmaster, if you'd like to see it, although I doubt you two peasants can read"
"It's because she couldn't refuse... isn't that right?" I asked grimly, eyes sharp, sending a lightning glare toward the tall fancy mustache man in front of us.
He smirked
"Well at least one of you is smarter... why yes of course she couldn't refuse, she's a servant after all! It should be an honor to be able and asked to work as a personal maid to a man like I am, you two should be happy for her" he said this time
"B-by personal maid... I've heard from some people in the Academy... When a nobleman asked a servant who's a woman to be his personal maid... does it mean you're asking her to be y-your mistress?" Saito finished, followed by an eerie silence in this room, not even the wind could be heard.
Mistress?
No way... no one told me about this... Kyle... not even him.
I could feel my teeth grinding against another in my mouth as I'm holding back from assaulting the man in front of me in his own manor.
Anger
Frustration
And then my mind goes back to this morning, as I see her face when she said her goodbyes to me
"Kito... It's okay... it will be fine..." she said it with her always warm smile, yet this time a hint of sadness could be seen in those grey eyes of hers. "... I'm glad I get to meet you..."
Betrayal
No one told me about what will happen to her... not Kyle, not even herself...
Then I snapped back to the sound of his laugh, back in this room, back with Saito and the said nobleman.
Calm down Kito... you've gotta keep your mind in the game.
"haha... I don't know where you heard that but I'm not gonna say anything about it, She is an official servant of the Mott household now, and the master is free to do anything he wishes to his servant" He said
"Argh Just as I thought!" Saito shouted in anger.
The Tall man just look at him for a mere second before he starts speaking again
"I really don't understand what you're so upset about, a mere servant like you serving to a valuable nobleman like me, there is no such great honor" he said mockingly, frustration and anger started to show on Saito as well as a bulge of vein appear on his face
"...It's not about honor or any of that, do you have her consent or not?" I sternly said
"Consent? that's really funny , I'm a nobleman and she is a servant, it is her responsibility to obliged to my demands, that's how it always works since the day of our founding father" he said crossing his arms while looking at the two of us in a confusing amusement.
"Nobleman my ass! I'm gonna shove that consent right up your face and that mustache of yours!" a sudden outburst of anger came from the guy beside me, his palms both fisted ready to strike, but being held back by the two manor guards right behind him.
"HOW DARE YOU!?"
and in response, the man didn't appreciate it one bit.
"I will not tolerate such manners towards myself, kneel down before me and let me give you a lesson you insolent brat!" he shouted with his wooden cane aimed at Saito.
"H-hey Hold on now!" I raised both my arms in front of me with open palms toward him
"YOU!" he suddenly vented his anger and cane towards my direction, I staggered back at his action but regain my composure in a second.
"Don't you dare interrupt me! I was willing to tolerate you and your companion's actions, sneaking into my property and demanding that I release one of my servants to your possession! Such bold demands coming from a mere peasant!" I can definitely hear him spit the last word when he said that
"And I will not tolerate such things any longer, be grateful that I'm willing to spare you because of your mildly respectful manners towards me but don't push it" he sternly added towards me
A single sweat drip runs through my cheek, I don't know how powerful these noblemen are, but this seems like a bad time to find out.
"Alright... but can we please calm down! how about if-"
"SILENCE!" he shouted, ignoring what I was about to propose
Gritting teeth is what I can feel at this very moment, I don't know what he's about to do to Saito or what he's capable of, but I can't let this happen... what do I do...
Count Mott approach Towards the now kneeling Saito with the two manor guards behind him, his cane on his hand with an eye of fury ready to strikes.
"Now... for you... I hope you will learn a lesson from this... YOU INSOLENT BRAT!" He raised his cane up in the air, about to strike Saito in the head, all I could do was watch.
DO SOMETHING KITO
"ARRRGH-"
"SIR MOTT STOP PLEASE!"
to our bewilderment, the strike never came, and instead, a female maid in a red maid dress appears, kneeling right between the Count and Saito.
"Please don't hurt him, I beg of you" she said, her voice shakingly with fear as she kneels down with her face touching the cold ground floor.
"SIESTA!" Saito Shouted.
Siesta? that smooth dark natural hair, that same beautiful grey eyes of hers, it's her...
I couldn't say anything as my words were stuck in my tongue
"Siesta!? Get out of my way, do not interrupt me!" the Count demands at his maid
"Please sir, I'm really sorry, let him go this instance, I will do anything that you wanted as long as you let him go, please!" her voice getting higher and the shakiness increase with each word.
for a moment everything stopped, and then a smirk formed on his face, creeping right beneath that mustache of his
"Anything you said?" he said with a sly tone
"Y-yes... sir" she stuttered
"... Well too bad, it is your duty in the first place! I will not let him go!" but in the end he refused
"B-but sir... P-please... I..." Siesta, weakened and kneeling in front of him, mumbling trying to form a word yet to no avail as the count do not budge.
Her body starts shivering, her skin a bit pale, I can see it clearly through her arms from where I'm standing.
She's very scared
"There's nothing that you can do that will convince me Siesta..." He shot her down once again
"THEN LET ME CONVINCE YOU!"
What the hell did I just say?!
My sudden outburst causes everyone in the room to suddenly have their eyes on me as I stand there with my mouth gape open.
then my eyes met her eyes, her teary watery eyes looking at me.
I have no choice but to fisted up my guts.
"Let me convince you then Sir let's talk business and negotiate here, What is it that you wanted, anything that will let him go and earn Siesta's Freedom," I asked loud and clear enough for the whole room to hear.
for a moment the count just stood there, unresposding yet observing, then he approached with a crooked smile
"You know , for a moment right there I thought you were a coward..." He said
He's not wrong at all though...
"... all this happened and you just stood there with your pants between your leg, unmoving and scared unlike your other friend, but perhaps I was wrong..." He added a smile toward the end, now standing directly in front of me
then he bowed a bit, closing the distance between his face and mine then said "... If I said what I really wanted that could bring her possession back to you, are you sure you could do it?" he whispered toward me silent yet intimidatingly.
I gulped before I manage to answer his question "it's Her Freedom..." I corrected "... and how about you said it first what you wanted? so then we can figure it out sounds like a deal?"
he looked at me, eyes snickering yet curious at the same time, he then let out a small huff.
"Hmph... very well... I have a love of collecting printed matter, as you can see all of my collection over here" he waved his hand pointing the direction towards his bookshelf filled with an abundant amount of books "... Unfortunately there is this one book that I've been desiring"
Oh great, books... where the hell am I going to look for a special book
"What kind of book is it?" Saito asked, still being held by the neck by the guards on the ground
"It is a very special book... it was accidentally summoned by a certain mage during a magic experiment a very long time ago, I hear it is a family heirloom of an established family in Germania..."
Germania? That's like 50 miles north from here from what I know... how are we supposed to get there in the first place looking for books of all!?
"The daughter of that family is currently in the institute here in Tristain"
oh nevermind then
"Germania? I think I've heard of that place before..." Muttered Saito as he looks towards me
"It's basically Germany from another world... but hey come on focus!" I told him with a snap of my finger and he turns 180 degrees to serious mode once again, we look toward the man in front of us as he continues
"a-as I was saying... the daughter of that family currently reside on the institute, I doubt that you commoner would recognize her family name, but her family name is Zerbst. a very wealthy family from a barbaric land of the north."
Who the hell is Zerbst?
"Zerbst?" Saito muttered again, rolling his eyes as he think for a moment
"Alright, Z-E-R-B-S-T Zerbst! *sigh*" I let out a huff, this is starting to get irritating but at least we got a name now it's just time to find out who has that name, I could look into the academy student list and probably-
"I KNOW HER!"
The one and only, Saito! who's still being held by the guards but fortunately not on the ground, spouted the words that he knows who he is talking about
"Dude seriously? well I guess that makes our job a lot easier" I grinned at him, he smiles back in approval. I look back at Mott once again "So you just wanted the book and bring it here is that it?" I asked him, stern and demanding but not with venom... or at least not a lot.
He closed his eyes for a second before looking back at me with his answers "Yes... if you can bring the book into my possession, then I will let Siesta come with you back to your place" he pointed towards the woman next to me, Siesta, looking at us with her dark eyes, tears forming around it but a smile is written on her face, a smile that I've never seen before, a smile that is the best, a smile of hope.
"Fine, we'll go right away! Come on Saito" I was about to walk away when the said man, Mott himself put his hand on my shoulder, holding me in place
"Not so fast, you will still try to bring me that book, but only one of you! and that is him!" He said looking at me with straight eyes and stern tones, his finger pointing toward Saito
"Excuse me? I thought you wanted us to find the book?" I raised one of my eyebrows at his statement
"I would never have considered that option if you haven't talked about it with me in the first place, I really liked Her, and I don't really want her to go, she's a splendid maid and I choose right, I always do!"
"Just get to the damn point!" I said almost yelling
"You talked to me, negotiate on a solution and I'm impressed for a commoner such as yourself, able to do that, but that's it, you already did your work with the negotiation, and now it is your friend time to do the work, you'll be staying here until he comes back with or without the book you're not allowed to leave, that is all, Siesta you may take him somewhere else but my room"
This motherfucker...
I gritted my teeth but then I feel a hand on my right shoulder, I look back and it was Saito
"Don't worry, I've got this, I know who she is and where to find her! she's a student just like Louise and I've spoken to her before" he said, hands put up into a thumbs-up as he talk to me in confidence.
honestly speaking, that's a piece of damn good news, but still, I have my doubt if he can talk her out, I don't know him that long. I was about to say something to him when a reassuring Siesta come to my aid
" it's okay, I trust will be able to do just that, it's gonna be okay he will be just fine!" I looked at her and then back at Saito, still with that stupid grin of his.
"urgh... fine, then what are you waiting for with that smile of yours? a freaking medal?! go on then! we don't have all night and I don't want trouble with Kyle so you better hurry!" I said to him
"Don't worry, might take a few hours of running back and forth... *sigh* but it's okay, I got this, just stay put and let me handle this one, take care and don't cause trouble!" he said as he went on his way out back to the Academy.
You're the one who causes this trouble in the first place idiot...
"That guy..." I sigh, rubbing my forehead with the palm of my hand.
Here's hoping he'll get the book.
"Umm... , come with me, I shall take you out of this room" She said to me, signaling with her slim hand for me to come with her.
Honestly, I almost forgot about her, I nodded and walk with her leading in the front, exiting the room and leaving that forsaken god damn Mott.
.
.
.
We've arrived in a nice room, a White marbles floor, still with red and white walls and a fireplace in the middle. There are also a few nice looking red couches surrounding the fireplace, a lot of different kind of decorations is planted on the wall as well, overall not a bad at, it's pretty warm in here as well... better than being told to wait outside.
"Umm... " she started
again with the 'Mr', really?
"Siesta... I told you not to call me 'Mr' Didn't I this morning?" I reminded her, she looked back at me with gaping eyes, then she bowed her head down, apologizing.
"I'm sorry... K-kito..." she said
"It's fine" I shrug "We're friends here, no need to be so formal just make sure-"
"ITS NOT THAT" she shouted all of sudden, cutting me dead on my tracks as my eyes were pointed towards her, my whole body, freezing in front of the warm fireplace.
"It's not that..." she said it again, but lower, almost like she's whispering
"I've been causing trouble for you two, I lied to you especially, I didn't want you to worry about me and maybe I will be okay if you're not worried at all. But you didn't" she said, her eyes watery "and now you two are here, coming in the middle of the night, sneaking into this mansion with no knowledge or whatsoever, facing head to head with a nobleman... just to get me back"
"Uhh, technically we didn't sneak in, We were going to knock but the guards got us first... and there was no door but a gate... and I don't see any bell" I said, she smiled and chuckled a bit of a tearful laugh
"Hehe and for that... I'm sorry, I'm really sorry for causing you all this trouble..." she bowed in front of me, her dark silky hair almost touching the ground
"...Siesta..." I tried to talk but no words came out
"I'm sorry Kito... and thank you" the last words that came out of her mouth caught me off guard.
"We haven't got you out, Saito still need to find that book and bring it here then we will able to bring you back, so don't say thank you just yet" I explained to her, expecting her smile to fall but it didn't
"and I thank you for that, whatever the result, whether you manage to bring me back in the end or not, I just wanna say thank you" she said it with a bright smile that I've seen this morning, it's the same look, there's sadness behind it but there's something else this time, and I couldn't really put it up.
I just nodded at her, returning the gesture with a small smile of mine, her intention is clear, she wanted to say thank you and just that! just in case we failed. I couldn't really respond with anything else.
but deep in my head, I really wanted to tell her, the truth, that this... all of this, coming to the mansion, breaking her out and everything... wasn't my idea... in fact, I'm against it, and I tried to stop Saito and now I ended up here, with her in this room, and after seeing how she react. I hate how scared I was, I hate that I try to stop Saito from coming to get her, I hate how I didn't try to stop her hard enough this morning, I hate it, and for that... I'm really sorry.
After that, we decided to take our feet off from the ground for a moment, sitting on the ground by the fireplace with the only sound of crackling firewood that can be heard, ignoring the fancy couch at all because honestly? this is a lot nicer.
Okay I guess that's enough Silence, let me think What I should say?
"Kito... may I ask where you from?" she said
oops she beat me to it
"Wow, I was just thinking about asking you the same thing" I told her, she chuckled lightly
"I already told you didn't I this morning?" She said
"You did! but that was too quick, I mean come on, how are things there? the environment? do you like it? what's fun in there? and your experience! you were on the clock this morning so I didn't get all the detail" I said with a smile
"Hehe only if you tell me yours too" she return my smile with a bright gaze, followed by the glazing warmth of the fire.
"Whaat? there's nothing interesting from where I'm from... It's really boring" I told her being half truthful. "... Besides, why'd you ask?"
"Well... you don't look like from anyone from around here that's for sure, the way you talk is... umm, interesting..." she said
"You mean weird right?" I deadpanned her and she defended herself by shooking her head left and right with both of her arms in front of her
"No no no! I didn't mean that! I was saying..." She tried to explain herself and I just laughed.
This is calm... I like this. I was very tense a moment ago but not right now, no... I wish this could go on and on and ever!
"... and that's why! I'm just curious" she ended
"Yeah - yeah, y'know? you don't need to explain it with a whole paragraph, I get it, I already know!" I said, she just pout and tried to hit me on my shoulder which doesn't hurt at all
After that, we both laugh a bit before a slight pause
"How about this!" I pointed up "You tell me your story about your Village and... I'll tell you mine! that's a win-win right? how about that?" I said hands open waiting for her reaction
"That sounds good, yes!" She said
"Awesome! alright then ya can go first, I'm listening" I said with my palm holding my right cheeks as support.
"Of course, so..."
and so we continue along the night, telling and listening to each other stories, our hometown, where we are from, and not just limited to that. we also told each other about experiences, funny to scary, and even downright the cringy ones. It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it a lot
It's going to take a long time for Saito to be returning with the book, so while we wait might as well enjoy our time while it lasts, it's been one hell of a day, hopefully, it wouldn't get worse but I don't wanna jinx it...
I really want to bring her back, this is going to sound so cringy and weird but here goes, there's a story about the girl in the tower, he was saved by the knight in shining armor and brought back to the kingdom. well, what about the girl in the mansion? never heard of it? neither do I. but if there's a story out there like that, then I'm pretty sure there won't be any knight in shining armor coming to save her.
but two idiots from another world who don't know better might do.
I'M BACK!
AND I'M FREAKING SORRY!
It only took a couple of months for me to finally be able to finish this chapter, there's a lot going on for the past few months, I don't really have a lot of time to sit down and finish this chapter, here's hoping you guys won't be mad!
Anyway thank you once again to anyone that has been reading up to this point, I really appreciated it! I would be more thankful if you could leave a comment or review, any kind of criticism is widely accepted, as long as it doesn't downright insulting, I don't mind if you insult me but please be constructive xD
I don't know how long till I get to finish the second part of this chapter, but I'll do my best!
till then, take care and see ya next time!