Happy New Year!
To celebrate the new year, and anniversary of this story and series, here's the thirteenth chapter! Since this is the 13th month since this story's launch, that makes this story now average 1 upload a month!
Well, that's useless trivia. Onto the chapter!
"Halt!" a guard called out, holding up a hand as a suspiciously hooded individual approached the prison door he and his partner were guarding. "You're not allowed to… be… here…" As a gentle mist passed through the hall, the guards found themselves involuntarily closing their eyes.
The hooded figure corked the vial of sleeping gas in his hand and slipped it into his robe. Stepping over the bodies of the now sleeping guards, he paused to reach down and grab a pair of keys from one of their belts. With a smoothness to his actions that betrayed his familiarity, he found the key to the prison block and let himself in.
There was only one prisoner in this section of the dungeon. The incarceration rate in Halkegenia was the lowest it had been in years. While that statistic sounded like a good thing, it only went to show how many criminals were left wandering around the public. The lone prisoner was located in a cell in the very back of the room. The hooded intruder strode slowly and confidently, letting the soles of his feet click clearly across the stone floor as he jingled the keys in his hand. The change in guard wouldn't happen for another hour. The man was assured in his safety, and he wanted Fouquet to hear, feel his confidence.
The criminal was lying on a stone slab that jutted out from the wall. She was stretched out, reclining on her elbow and facing the wall. Even as the footsteps stopped in front of her cell, she didn't bother rolling from her bed. "Are you here to kill me?" the once proud thief asked.
"Perish the thought," the man said with laugh. His smooth voice would set most people at ease, but it set Fouquet on the defensive. "I actually came to hire you."
"Oh? You want me badly enough to break into the royal prison to recruit me?" Fouquet asked. She rolled over to face the person, but couldn't make out any distinguishing features from the way he wore his hood. His voice was also new to her. "What's the pay?"
"Your freedom, for one."
Fouquet snorted. "If I stay in this cell, I'll be forced to reveal who I sold my loot too. If I escape with you, they won't hesitate to send me to the gallows next time," the woman pointed out.
"Even if you stay in your cell and are fully cooperative, the best you will be offered is a swift execution," the man skillful countered. "Once the nobles recover their treasures, they'll have no reason to keep you alive. In fact, that will just make your execution all the more praiseworthy."
He knew how to trade words well, Fouquet had to admit. Still, she wasn't done. "At least I can use that time to negotiate for my life. What's to say I won't get caught immediately after joining you and executed on the spot?"
"The weak crown of Tristan wouldn't be able to reach you if you join me, Matilda."
The woman stiffened, her eyes involuntarily widening. "Nice guess, but that's not my name," she bluffed.
"Matilda de Saxe-Gotha. Age twenty-three. Daughter of the late Viceroy Maddock de Saxe-Gotha," the man rattled off. "Currently known as the infamous thief, Fouquet of the Crumbling Earth. I must say, you pulled off the deception rather well. However, next time I would advise a less form-fitting outfit. Your beauty betrays you."
Matilda slowly sat up, eyeing the man with a renewed sense of weariness. "Such a charmer," she said smoothly. "I hope this isn't a ploy to convince me to lower my rate."
"Of course not," the man replied in a matching tone. "I wouldn't want to cheat you out of your well-deserved wage. Especially since you have so many dependents." Seeing Matilda stiffen once again, he smiled. "Yes, I know all about your honorary sister and her charges. Cute little rascals, aren't they? Too bad they aren't old enough to fend for themselves. I can imagine how hard it is to provide for them all."
"I get the point," Matilda said drily. She stood up and made a show of dusting off her cloak, not that the action helped any. She'd need an entire new wardrobe if she didn't want to go around looking like a tramp or an escaped convict. "I normally prefer to work alone, but I suppose I can make an exception this time."
"I'm glad we came to a peaceful agreement," the man said. He unlocked her cell door and strode towards the exit. "Normally, I'd invite you to our base for a briefing, but we're rather short on time. There's an urgent mission that I need your assistance on."
"It better not be a local job," Matilda warned. "I prefer my head attached to my body, thank you very much."
"Fear not, we'll be making quite a trip," the man assured her. "In fact, we'll be heading to your home country. Maybe after our job is done you can take a day off to visit your sister. How does that sound?"
Matilda refrained from gritting her teeth as she answered him with a pleasant smile. "Absolutely wonderful."
Louise and Ash rode across the open road, keeping their horses at a steady trot. The saddlebags slung on the sides of their mounts were filled with enough rations and supplies to last an entire week. They had broken from the Princess's caravan about an hour after leaving the academy, far away enough to ensure they wouldn't be noticed by any observing students.
Ash glanced at Louise, who was staring straight ahead into the horizon. They'd been riding without a word between them for long while, and he was getting tired of the silence. "So… how long until we reach Albion?"
"We're not going straight to Albion," Louise reminded him. "We need to travel to the port city of La Rochelle, and from there take a ship to Albion."
"And how long will that take?"
"From the academy to La Rochelle is about two days, and from there to Albion should be less than half a day," Louise replied. "However, Albion's unrest thanks to the Reconquista could stretch that time further. The princess provided enough funds to last us a month, but we can't afford to waste that much time."
Ash nodded as he idly patted the money pouch that he kept on him. After their experience in the capitol, Louise decided to only keep a small amount of money on her person. That way, the bulk of their savings were in the hands of the person who could actually protect them. "Is there a way we can get there faster?" the trainer asked.
Louise drew out the map from one of her bags. "Not likely. This is the fastest road there."
"Let me see?" Louise handed the map to Ash, who quickly scanned it. "This might be the shortest road, but we're going around an entire forest," he noticed. "We could cut straight through it and save time."
"Forests are harder to move through quickly," Louise argued.
"We're not pushing the horses to be fast anyway," Ash countered.
"There's also a greater chance to run into bandits and wild animals."
"Girlie, my partner can slice through giant golems and you're worry about two-bit crooks? Pah!" Derflinger snorted. "He could probably win a fight by smashing his thick skull into them."
Louise gave a slow a nod to that. "Rude, but true," Louise acknowledged.
Ash's expression fell. "Why are you two picking on me? I thought you hated each other."
"I do hate that piece of scrap metal, but he has a point this time," Louise stated.
"We can agree every once in a while," Derflinger acknowledged. "But I still think this girl needs someone to pull the stick out of her—"
"I'm going to blow you into ash!"
"He's Ash!"
Ash sighed. "Louise, please don't blow up Derflinger. And Derflinger, please, stop riling up Louise."
"I'm just saying it as it is, partner."
Ash let out an even deeper sigh. Returning his attention to Louise, he asked, "So, about cutting through the forest?"
Louise thought about it for a moment, weighing the options. "Are you sure we won't get lost?"
"Louise, I've travelled across multiple regions for years," Ash asserted assuredly. "I can get us through a little patch of a forest without getting us lost."
"Ash…"
"…Yes?"
"We're lost."
"…Not exactly?"
"Yes, we are."
"How do you know?"
Louise pointed at the hoofprints and broken branches that marked the path they were traveling on. "You took us in a complete circle," she growled through clenched teeth.
Ash spun the map around, trying to figure out what went wrong in his navigation. "Now that I think about it, I don't have the best track record when it comes to not getting lost."
"You said you travelled across countries!"
"Regions, but close enough. And I travelled with friends; I usually wasn't in charge of the map, at least, not for very long."
"Why didn't you mention this earlier!"
"Because I felt confident?" Ash offered weakly.
Louise's response was to reach out her leg to kick his side. It didn't hurt, but Ash barely managed to catch himself from falling off his horse.
"Okay! I messed up. But I think I know how to get back on the road."
"Really? Because we don't even know where we are!" Louise ranted. "Worse, the sun's directly overhead, so we can't even tell which way is north! Tell me, how are we supposed to find our way back to the road?"
Ash pointed to the moss growing on a nearby tree. "Moss grows on the north side. The road is somewhere to our west. So, if we walk with the moss facing our left side, we'll eventually find the road."
Louise's incredulous stare drilled into Ash. "How do you know that, but you still managed to get us lost?"
"…I don't know?"
A strangled cry of frustration escaped Louise's throat. Ash watched on sheepishly as he idly scratched the neck of his mount. It wasn't his fault he got lost! Well, it kind of was, but it's not like he did it on purpose.
Just then, a shadow fell over the two. The horses were startled, but the teens quickly got them under control. Ash looked up and saw a large, feathered creature diving down towards them.
"Get down, Louise!" he called as he drew Derflinger and slid of his horse's back, keeping his other hand free as he started charging an Aura Sphere.
Louise, however, stared at the silhouette form more closely. "Hold on, Ash," she ordered. "That's a griffon."
"A what now?"
"I told you about Tristan's Griffon Knights, remember?"
"The elite royal knight group?"
"That's the one."
"Oh."
As the griffon descended, Ash could now clearly see a male rider on its back. The man had grey hair trailed long past his shoulders and circled around his jaw and upper lip. His eyes were a cool silver. He wore a blue grey robe that matched the wide brimmed hat on his head. Underneath his robe, he wore a dark green tunic, white leggings, and tall boots. The uniform and mount made it obvious that he was no ordinary person, let alone a bandit.
Ash sheepishly sheathed Derflinger and let Aura Sphere dissipate as the mounted griffon touched the ground.
"Count Wardes?!" Louise exclaimed in surprise.
"My dear Louise," Wardes greeted gracefully in return.
Ash looked to Louise. Then to Wardes. Then back to Louise. They were obviously acquainted, but they didn't look related. "Um, Louise? Who is he?"
"My apologies," Wardes said. He dismounted from his griffon with the grace that displayed his experience and poise. "I am Viscount Wardes, Captain of the Griffon Knights." He smiled at Louise. "And more importantly, my dear Louise's fiancé."
Once again, Ash swiveled his head between the two. "You're old enough to get married?" he asked Louise incredulously. "I thought you were around my age!"
First, Henrietta, and now Louise. Everyone was getting married young. To make things even stranger, Wardes almost looked old enough to be Louise's father.
Louise's face immediately turned red. She defensively crossed her arms over her extremely modest chest. "Of course I'm older than you are! I'm seventeen!"
"You are?"
"Yes!"
Now Ash was the one crossing his arms defensively. "That still doesn't make you that much older than me."
"That makes me plenty older!"
Wardes, who had been observing their argument in stunned silence, watched as the two turned away and huffed in perfect sync. He had not seen Louise act so openly around anyone before. The closest comparison he could think of was when Louise and the Princess were still children. And even back then, Louise had held high regard for her highness.
"You certainly are relaxed with your familiar, Louise," the Viscount remarked.
Louise 'eeped' as she remembered that her very mature fiancé had just watched her argue like a spoiled child. "I am very sorry for that embarrassing display, Count Wardes," she apologized.
Wardes laughed it off. "On the contrary, it warms my heart to see this side of you, my dear Louise," he responded. "You have my thanks, Ash, was it?"
"Yes, sir! Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, at your service!" Ash introduced himself with a bow. He sheepishly remembered that Viscount was pretty high nobility—Louise had drilled the ranks into his head—so proper respect was warranted.
"There's no need for bowing here," Wardes assured the boy. "We are all here at the Princess's request. Formalities are a complication we should do without, especially if we don't want to attract unwanted attention."
"Princess Henrietta sent you as well?" Louise asked.
"Indeed," Wardes replied with a nod. "You need not fear that she lacks faith in you. I was inquiring as to your whereabouts since I'd heard she had gone to visit you. She confided to me in private that you were on this mission, so I offered my services. I could not stay behind while my beloved risks her life." Wardes reached over to Louise and gently lifted her chin, tilting her head up to meet her gaze.
"Wardes…" Louise said breathlessly as pink rose in her cheeks.
"Woah, that's so cool!" Ash exclaimed. "So, you're basically Louise's knight, or prince charming? I can't remember how those stories go…"
"As her fiancé I try to be all of those and more," Wardes said emphatically.
"Awesome!" Ash declared as he slammed his fist into an open palm. "With an actual knight on our side, there's no way we can fail! Next stop, Albion!"
Louise involuntary pulled away from Wardes as she snapped at Ash, "I already told you, we need to stop by La Rochelle first! Do you have anything sitting between your ears?"
"Of course, I do!"
"Then act like it! This mission is serious!"
"I am taking it seriously!"
"Not with that attitude you're not!"
"What's wrong with my attitude? I'm excited!"
"Show the proper decorum for the situation!"
"I don't even know what decorum means!"
As Wardes watched the two bicker like an old married couple, he started to wonder how much he was out of his depth.
Two days of travel.
No progress made.
They were nearing Port La Rochelle, that step of the Princess's mission was going smoothly. However, Wardes had his own ambitions in mind.
Given the knowledge he had acquired from Fouquet, the viscount thought he had Ash's character well sketched out. The boy was supposed to be childish, stupid, and emotional, but held a mind and body that were perfectly suited for combat. Wardes had expected to be able to push Ash's buttons and string him along to his tune, dividing the familiar from Louise by forcing himself between them.
However, not only had Ash shown no signs of noticing his intrusions, he even welcomed the man with open arms. He never got jealous when Wardes mentioned his relationship Louise, though he did give some strange looks at the beginning while mentioning something about age under his breath. Even when Wardes embarrassed Louise by getting close to her, instead of being possessive, Ash let it go by and looked rather amused or confused depending on how subtle Wardes was in his affection.
To make matters worse, Ash and Louise still got along very well. They argued a lot, but their ribbing was natural and friendly. Even if they didn't know it, Ash was better at getting Louise to open up than Wardes was.
Wardes had even risked openly probing Ash for his knowledge of combat. The boy had answered readily enough with some stories that Wardes couldn't discern fact from fiction. Magical creatures being commonly tamed and trained for fighting sports? Battles with international criminal organizations? Meeting legendary creatures that had existed for eons?
No, there was no way what Ash said could be true. Yet, Wardes trusted his instincts, and his instincts said the boy was not lying. Concealing part of the truth, yes, but he was otherwise very open about his history and experience. For a boy who looked hardly fifteen summers, he was surprisingly well-versed. Then again, Wardes could only assume that anyone who learned to fend for themselves at the tender age of ten would have to be a quick learner.
Still, Wardes had to wonder how the boy consistently managed to get lost within five minutes of holding a map.
It was on the group's third day of travelling that they neared the city of La Rochelle. As they approached the mountain range the city was built on, Ash looked around in obvious confusion. "Where's the port? Or the city?" he asked. "There's nothing here."
"Up ahead," Wardes indicated. His griffon was walking in front of the party to lead the way, with Ash and Louise riding side by side behind him. He had originally wanted to carry Louise in his arms, but alas, that would leave her mount unattended.
"On top of the mountains?" Ash asked.
"Where else would the port be?" Wardes asked.
"Oh… this is a port for airships!" Ash realized.
"Albion is a flying country; how else would we get there?" Louise scoffed.
As they traveled, they had to go up a path that winded through ridges of the mountains. Large rocks littered the sides of the well-traveled road, presenting a potential ambush at every corner. Wardes kept his eyes focused on the track but occasionally flickered his gaze to his two companions. Louise was looking around with concern, as if trying to guess where any surprise could come from. Ash was looking around, but instead of warily scouting for enemies, his eyes were bright as he took in the sights with curiosity and wonder. While occasionally the path would open up to a spectacular view of the landscape, this was not a sightseeing tour. Ash was not demonstrating the attitude of a vigilant protector.
All the better for Wardes.
Not long after their ascent, Wardes raised a hand to stop the party. Both riders caught on and came to a halt.
"What's wrong?" Louise asked.
Wardes pointed up ahead, where some boulders were laying across the road, blocking a part of the path.
"Was it a landside?" Ash asked.
"No, those rocks were moved manually," said Wardes. "An obstacle on the road is a common tactic for highwaymen."
"Highwaymen?" Ash asked.
"Bandits," Louise clarified. "Ruffian. Thugs."
"That's rather rude, little lady!"
A towering, muscular man stepped out from behind one of the boulders. He wore half plate, with leather covering the rest of his body. A large axe was hefted on his shoulder. "Me and the boys consider ourselves honest business folk."
"Oh?" Wardes questioned as he guided his griffon to physical obstruct Louise from the man's vision. "And why is that?"
The bandit gave Wardes a toothy grin. "We take your valuables and let you on through. No fuss, no hassle. Just a direct transaction. We get the loot; you get your peace. It's a win for everyone."
"I respectfully decline," Wardes said flatly as he drew his sword. "Let us pass or we will be forced to remove you."
Ash, whose expression had become serious while Wardes and the bandit leader bantered, said in a low voice, "There's five of them on the cliff above us. Ten more hiding in the rocks behind this guy. They have us outnumbered."
Wardes gave him a subtle nod. The boy's sensing ability matched what Fouquet had reported. Now he had an opportunity to press Ash for more details later. "I'll deal with the ones overhead, but I can't handle the ones in front and protect Louise at the same time."
"I'll handle the front," Ash offered.
Wardes nodded again. He wouldn't let Ash die yet, of course. However, he would hold off on providing ranged support until he saw how long Ash could last against that many opponents.
"Louise, back me up!" With that, Ash slid off his horse, drew Derflinger, and charged straight at the bandit leader.
The act of foolishness caught Wardes off guard. Not only was the boy rushing straight into a swarm of enemies with only a sword in hand, but he also expected Louise to serve as reinforcement? While Fouquet had said that Louise had managed to cause great damage with her explosions, that wasn't a technique that could be used while Ash was engaged with the enemy. If he was smart, he would have had Louise attack them from afar and let the bandits engage first before meeting them halfway.
Rocks started to rain down from the overhead cliff. Wardes made a show of waving his wand-sword to summon wind blades that deflected the projectiles. While he could have taken out the entire group on his own in the time it took to have their conversation, that would've been a waste of the money he had spent on hiring the mercenaries.
Ash bolted towards the bandit leader, but there was still a distance to cross. The large man raised one hand, and four archers rose from behind the rocks, firing down on Ash. The boy deftly rolled out of the way, not stopping or deviating from his path. The archers ducked down to reload, but their improvised fortress was immediately ripped apart by an explosion. Two of the archers were thrown away by the force of the blast, while the other two were forced to jump off their high ground to find stable footing.
The bandit leader stood tall as he let four of his men, armed with swords, rush in front of him. An explosion erupted in front of them. While the spell had missed them completely, the blast had startled them and they instinctively faltered in their attack.
Ash, on the other hand, showed no hesitation as he plowed through them. The first one was slammed by a bodily tackle that sent him flying onto the ground. The second was punched in the gut hard enough to keel him over instantly. The third was smashed in the forehead by the hilt of Derflinger, knocking him out instantly. The fourth had enough time to raise his weapon, but Ash ducked low and swept his legs before jamming Derflinger's hilt just below his ribs.
Wardes blinked at the speed at which the mercenaries were disposed of. Not only had Ash been able to take them down in impressive feats of speed and strength, but he had also done so non-lethally. Truly, his combat ability was a terror to behold, even if he was complete idiot. The runes on his hand worked exactly as the legends described.
The leader of the scoundrels allowed Ash to close the distance instead of engaging him first. The action was an obvious trap, but like the idiot he was, Ash took the bait. Wardes used his magic to deflect the remaining archers' arrows away from Ash and waited to see what would happen once the boy was ambushed.
Ash engaged the leader with a battle cry, swinging his sword with tremendous speed and force. However, he was aiming for his opponent's weapon to avoid killing him, and the man knew it. He backed away from every swing, letting Ash inch closer and closer to the nearby rocks. Then, a pair of bandits jumped out, one on either side, and swung their swords at Ash.
Wardes's jaw dropped as an explosion blasted the nearest rock, covering all four fighters in a cloud of rubble and ashes. "Did you just blow up your familiar?!" he asked Louise, unable to keep the shock from his voice.
Louise shook her head. "He'll be fine," she insisted. "He's thick-headed."
Against Wardes's expectations—which he was quickly reevaluating—Ash was indeed perfectly fine. Through the obscuring blanket of grey, Ash was moving and striking with no hesitation. His opponents had been blinded, blasted, and disoriented. Their steps were uncertain and their swings even more hesitant due to the risk of collateral injury.
Ash? He had his eyes closed and was letting his body flow from one motion to the next. The explosion hadn't even phased him.
Before the cloud had cleared, Ash was standing triumphant over the unconscious or immobilized bodies of his enemies. He was looking a bit grimy, but there wasn't a single injury on his body or a tear in his clothes. Wardes quickly slammed his opponents against walls to incapacitate them as well. Thanks to Ash's impressive display, Wardes doubted Louise would notice how sloppily he had handled his own foes.
"Well done," Wardes congratulated Ash with a slow clap. "That was an impressive display of swordsmanship. You could be a great knight one day."
"Really?" Ash asked
"You'd need to learn common sense and manners first," Louise quickly shot him down. She breathed out slowly as she lowered her wand. The fight had been brief and easily won, but still stressful.
"What should we do with these guys?" Ash asked.
"We should arrest them," Louise said immediately.
"We can't take them with us," Wardes said gently. "We're in a hurry, and they'd slow us down considerably."
"But we can't just let them go, can we?" Ash questioned.
"No, that would be irresponsible of us to let them run amok," said Wardes. His face brightened, as if he had just come up with an idea. "We may not be able to take them with us, but we can make sure that the city guards will have an easy time finding them."
Wardes flicked his sword, summoning gusts of wind that carried the men's bodies along the side of the road. "Transmute!" The ground around the men warped around their arms and legs. They weren't entirely cocooned, but it was clear they wouldn't be getting free any time soon.
"You can use earth magic too?" Ash asked.
"Wardes is a square class mage," Louise informed her familiar. "Of course, he can use a basic spell like Transmutation!"
"Indeed," said Wardes. "While my main element is wind and I am no expert of earth magic, this should ensure that these ruffians stay put. Bandits aren't the kind to keep company with nobles, and earth magic is the only way to escape those bindings."
"Curse you, elitist scum," the bandit leader spat.
Wardes only gave him a disinterested look. "I think we best be moving on. We need to secure our passage as soon as possible."
"Agreed," said Louise. "I'd rather not spend any more time around these miscreants."
Ash remounted his horse and the three set off. Briefly, he wondered: why had the bandits been so calm in their defeat? The trainer mentally shrugged. The bandits had probably been intimidated by the power the three of them showed. That was the most logical reason.
"Woah…" Ash said as they entered the port city of La Rochelle. When he had looked from the base of the mountain path, he had expected the city to be sprawled out on top of a plateau, or to be sunk in a center basin surrounded by rocky cliffs. Instead, the city was wedged between two sets of smaller mountain ranges. In the valley between the raised peaks was the small but bustling city of La Rochelle.
"It's smaller than I expected," Louise commented. "With La Rochelle being such an important trading center, I expected it to be much larger.
"While it is an important traveling location, it's living space is very limited," Wardes pointed out, nodding at the sheer cliffs that lined either side. "In fact, the city is said to have ten times has many visitors inside of it as residents at nearly all times."
"Is that true?" Ash asked curiously.
"I have never been here myself, so I cannot say," Wardes replied. "However, I will say all stories have a merit of truth to them."
Despite claiming to have never been to the city before, Wardes had an easy time directing them to the most luxurious inn in the city. The place was clearly designed to attract nobles. The building was made of white marble, as opposed to the more common stones most buildings were made of. The outside was well-trimmed and decorated. It even had a garden and several stables in the back despite the limited living space of the city.
"I thought we weren't supposed to stand out?" Ash asked as they approached the ornate building. "This place stands out a lot."
"We're nobles, or at least, Louise and I are," said Wardes. "While our identities may not be known, our positions are obvious. If we tried to get a room with commoners, then we'd stand out even more."
"Ah… I see," said Ash with a nod.
"We're hiding with nobility because that's where we blend in best, right, Viscount Wardes?" Louise asked.
"Yes, but do remember to not use my title, Louise. We are trying to have some amount of discretion."
"My apologies," Louise said reflexively as she practically wilted in embarrassment.
"If we're being discreet, should we use our real names?" Ash asked. "Or at least, shouldn't you two take fake identities?"
"We could, but I think that's an unnecessary complication," said Wardes. "My family name isn't significant, and anyone who knows Louise's family would recognize her beautiful and distinctive hair regardless of what name she goes by." Wardes smiled as Louise blushed. "However, I doubt we have to worry about that. There shouldn't be anyone in La Rochelle right now who could recognize us at a glance."
"Yoohoo! Little Louise! Ashy-kins!"
The three looked up to see a bright blue dragon swooping down overhead. Upon the dragon were two familiar faces: a stoic bluette and a sultry redhead.
"Kirche and Tabitha?" Louise exclaimed in surprise.
"What are they doing here?" Ash asked.
What happened next nearly gave the group a heart attack. Kirche stood up from Sylphid's back and jumped. Ash instinctively moved to catch her, but Wardes was faster. The mage gripped the hilt of his sword-wand to cast Celerity to enhance his speed, and leapt to Kirche, catching her in midair and absorbing the impact in a graceful and dramatic landing.
"My, my," said Kirche seductively as she reached up to stroke Wardes's face. "I wanted my little Ashy to catch me, but I think I found a catch in you, big boy."
"My apologies, m'lady," said Wardes cordially. "But I am afraid my heart has been claimed by my fiancé." He gently placed Kirche down and moved to stand by Louise, placing one arm possessively over her shoulder.
"Louise?" Kirche gasped overdramatically. "Not only did you summon your own personal little man, but you also have a bigger man on the side? How scandalous!"
"It's not like that!" Louise protested.
Sylphid touched down to the ground and Tabitha slid off her dragon's back. "Hello," she greeted them.
"Hi, Tabitha," said Ash, giving the small girl a wave.
Wardes raised an eyebrow at the two new girls before looking towards Louise and Ash. "Friends of yours?" he asked.
"No," Louise denied stubbornly.
"Yes," Ash corrected. "Louise and Kirche just have a… strong rivalry."
"Ah… Kirche von Zerbst," Wardes said in recollection. "Yes, I do remember that the Zerbsts and Vallieres have been at odds."
"But we don't have to be," said Kirche. "Maybe Louise and I could bond over our shared interest in men?"
"I share no interests with you, harlot!"
Kirche's eyes shifted predatorily towards Ash, who shivered. "Well then, you won't mind if I borrowed little Ashy to comfort me, would you?"
"Hands of my familiar, you Germanian sow!"
"Temper, temper, Little Louise. You can't have all the boys to yourself now. Learn to share."
"I have no reason to share anything with you!"
"Hm, I can see why," Kirche said as she put a finger to her chin. "With your lack of feminine appeal you're probably struggling to keep what you have."
As the two resumed their usual bickering, Ash looked to Tabitha. "Um… not to sound rude, but what are you and Kirche doing here?"
"Kirche wanted to follow you," Tabitha replied. "Asked me for help."
"You've followed us since the academy?!" Ash exclaimed.
"Yes."
"Very impressive," said Wardes thoughtfully. "I felt like we were being watched, but I never managed to find anyone with my detection spells."
"We stayed distant."
"How'd you managed to track us?" Ash asked.
Tabitha pointed to Ash. "Sylphid smelled you."
"Do I smell that strange to her?" Ash asked as he put a nose to his armpit. "Any Pokemon scent should have worn off by now."
"You smell even stronger," Tabitha confirmed.
Kirche managed to briefly interject, "I love you, Ashy-kins! Smell and all!"
"Stop being disgusting!" Louise exploded.
"Louise, Miss Zerbst, we should be heading inside," Wardes finally said, pushing back a growing headache. "As nobles, we shouldn't be making such a display in public, correct?"
"Yes, Visc—Wardes."
"Sure thing, handsome. Maybe we can do it in private a little later?"
For not the first time that day, Wardes wondered if he was actually ready to handle this mission.
Before I talk about the chapter, let's talk about what's happened this year.
IRL, a lot of things went wrong. The World Turned Upside Down.
On this site, I've been having a blast. The Louise Summons series is clocking in 200k+ words. I've only been planning this series since September 2019, so that means I've been writing a metric ton. I never expected to be this productive, or this popular. When I say, "reviews are food for a writer's soul" I do mean it. The feedback, both encouraging and constructive, have been very helpful in keeping me motivated. (And the occasional trolls are funny too)
Thank you for making my 2020 better. Hopefully my stories encourage you as much as your feedback encourages me.
ONTO THE CHAPTER:
The Albion Arc is probably going to be the hardest for any story that reaches this point. Those 2 months I took to plan it out were very necessary. So many ripple effects. Guiche isn't here, which is sad, but he got to contribute in the Fouquet Arc, so it balances out.
Wardes comes across as always in control. And to be fair, he is control most of the time he's on screen. The only reason he failed was because of plot BS and underestimating Saito, mostly the former. Ash is an enigma, in more ways than one. Wardes will have to handle him differently.
Give me feedback! What did you expect to see? Where your expectations met? What do you think will happen next? Remember, reviews are food for a writer's soul!
