The Division's endgame is pretty slow with the Phoenix Credits nerf and I had a free day and a half so I thought 'why not update?', it's not like I have much better to do :) Results for Masters entrance exam come tomorrow so depending on that I'll have to change my update schedule. Oh and I gotta get back to Miraculous Ladybug after this, can't abandon that.

Speaking of which is there anything specific people want to see? Either more light or more serious stuff, just stuff to write about and you guys like. If it's not unreasonable I can try and write it :)

"Well...here we are."

Louise let her eyes wander the inside of her academy room. It had only been a month since she'd last slept here but already she felt like a stranger...felt like she didn't belong. Walking over to the table, she traced her fingers through the wooden surface. After spending weeks trudging through dingy inns with even dingier rooms she was honestly surprised by the lack of dust coating her fingertips. She had gotten used to nothing but basic accommodations and being back here felt almost surreal.

Before she'd taken her luxuries for granted, always assuming that it would always be there for her come hel or high water. While she was undoubtedly relieved to be back to familiar comforts she couldn't help but feel that it would be taken from her once more despite her best friend's assurances to never involve her again.

"Lock the door, would you?" She called to Raziel, who followed her request with a curt nod. Being back here with him felt...she didn't know how to describe it. She would have liked to go back to their previous norm, wasting their days away with studies and discussions, but both of them knew that it was impossible. Things had changed far too much even if they both wanted to pretend it didn't.

She watched her former Familiar turn the lock before pausing, hands still on the knob. He hadn't said much on the way back and she knew the reason: His thoughts were still focused on the half-Elf girl...along with his own circumstances. He'd made it clear to her beforehand that he expected their excursion to be the last and ignored her attempts to convince him of the contrary.

Being back here wasn't in his plans, and she knew it frightened him.

Debating briefly on whether to call out to him, she decided to remain silent and trudged to the dresser. Her clothes were still inside, still as immaculate as she'd left them. She grabbed the closest nightgown and briefly relished the feeling of the soft cloth on her skin. Basic luxuries such as this were one of the things she missed ever since going to Albion; back then she had to be practical and use a pair of trousers when going to sleep. In case they got attacked and had to retreat, the others had told her. She'd thought it was nothing more than paranoia till that woman's induced madness.

She hesitated only briefly before disrobing herself completely. Raziel still hadn't turned around nor had he said a word, but she saw his hand twitch at the sounds of the shifting cloth behind him. It was nothing special; she had changed in his proximity before...though that was when he had been her Familiar.

Right now...now she had no idea where they stood.

The runes still lined his flesh and she was unable to summon another Familiar so long as he was 'alive', but whatever happened on that field mucked with it somehow. She didn't know how, but there was a certain distance that had been put between. She shook her head; whatever it was they could move through it. They'd been through enough that they didn't need some damn runes to stay together.

Next came the bed. Again she had a moment of hesitation before disregarding it, sitting down on it carefully, "Wah-" She nearly let out a squeak of surprise as she nearly sank into the mattress. For the past month she'd gotten used to hard mattresses and sleeping bags and even her bed at home felt harder than this. Shifting around slightly, she grabbed one of the pillows and hugged it tightly. The smell calmed her and she smiled, allowing her eyes to close briefly.

Opening her eyes, she stared at Raziel's back. He hadn't said a word since they'd arrived at the academy, simply giving a short goodbye to the half-Elf before accompanying her back to her chambers. She didn't question it; given that they were back here it was only to be expected that they would be sleeping together in the same room again...even though one wouldn't recognize him at first glance.

She still had no idea why he'd suddenly insisted that she not spread that he was the same person. Apart from a vague comment of 'not digging up graves' he hadn't really bothered to explain it. Didn't he want to tell that maid that he was alive? Wasn't Guiche his friend, or at least a friendly acquaintance? Either of the two would have been relieved at finding out he was alive and yet he was insistent to the contrary.

Oh well. In the end it was his choice.

"...So are you just gonna stand there?" She called out. He looked back at her and gave an apologetic smile. He'd been smiling a lot more recently, she thought. It was nice, "I know you don't really need to sleep but you did it before so..."

"Ah, yes..." He scratched the back of his head, "Well...I was not actually planning on staying here."

"How come? You gonna visit the new 'transfer student'?" She raised an eyebrow, her voice taking more of an edge than she liked. It was stupid to be jealous, but his attention seemed to be drawn to the half-Elf and her only since the past few days. Frankly it was beginning to get on her nerves, "She's likely still talking to the headmaster about her dormitory arrangements so you'll just be interrupted."

"No...I was not going to visit Tiffania." He shook his head softly, "Perhaps I will take a walk, clear my head."

"Now? You just got back!" She swung her legs idly, toes scrunching as soft yawn escaped, "Look if you're going to do that then at least promise you'll stay and get some sleep tomorrow. You may not need it physically but it should do you some good."

"Not what I meant." He sighed, letting go of the knob and crossing his arms, "Louise...I do not plan to stay here with you, not tonight nor in any of the coming days."

She knew she should have expected that but it didn't stop the punch in her gut from being any less painful. Forcing herself to keep her expression neutral, she stood up straighter on the bed and tightened her hold on the pillow, "Can I at least ask why? I mean you did give mixed messages coming with me here without saying anything. I just assumed we were going back to normal..."

"...Could we ever go back to 'normal'?"

She didn't answer.

Raziel muttered something under his breath and moved to sit next to her. They didn't have to say anything; they both knew the answer to that already. The events of Saxe-Gotha had marked them permanently and it was only compounded by the runes no longer having a hold on him. He still cared about her and she still cared about him, but they couldn't go back to the 'normalcy' of their previous time here.

"So...where are you planning to go?" She asked, hands wringing together nervously. She refused to look at him, "I mean you don't exactly have a room here in the academy and you seem adamant that I don't tell anyone else you're the same person."

"I do not know...perhaps I will wander, like my first days here." He leaned back on the bed and stared up at the bed's canopy, "As you said I do not need sleep and what I require more than anything now is to think." He took a deep breath, "Louise..."

"You don't have to say anything," She interrupted forcefully.

"No, I do. I wish to make this clear." He chewed the insides of his cheeks, "I am not leaving you. I will still be here and I will do my best to continue to protect you...I simply cannot stay in the same room anymore." He pressed both hands together, "I need time to understand everything that has transpired and grasp where both of us stand. You understand this, do you not?"

"You have to do this away from me, you mean?" There was that bitterness again. All her lessons on etiquette were quickly forgotten and she had to resist letting out a string of curses.

"Away from this room, certainly," He conceded, "You cannot expect me to be able to think about this properly while we sleep on the same bed." She was tempted to ask 'why not' before quickly deciding against it. She would wait for him to finish, "...I understand your desire for a return of a sense of normalcy, but we both know it cannot happen..at least not like this. Until I can truly grasp everything...you will have to stay here alone."

"Yeah...alone." She bit her lower lip and clenched her shaking hands. Alone in this room when she needed help the most. She could have gone to hers big sis, she supposed, but she already had her support. She wanted...needed his as well.

"You have been alone in this room long before I arrived, Louise. You would have been alone coming back from Albion if Tiffania had not saved me," He reminded, earning a small wince from the pinkette, "It is not as if I am leaving forever. I promised Cattleya that I would look out for you in addition to my own personal motivations for doing so. I...I am not leaving you...I want you to know that."

"Cattleya? Since when were you two so close?" She knew she was being extremely petty bringing it up but it was better than losing her composure like a scolded child.

"Ever since she insisted. She can be...forceful when she wishes." A ghost of a smile played at his lips before disappearing, "...If you require my aid with anything you need only ask, but until then I shall take my leave."

He stood to leave but a soft grip pulled him back, "...Don't leave me, please." Louise's lips quivered and she shut her eyes tightly to keep from crying. She felt like a child once more, running away from her parents after she'd been scolded. When she'd found out that going back to the academy would mean not being able to see her big sis for at least a year she had pouted and cried just like this.

She loved him, she wasn't ashamed to admit that, and his rejection hurt. Despite his assurances to the contrary she couldn't help but feel this was something more than simply moving to another room. Their relationship was...it was fading, she knew that.

"Louise-"

"Just for tonight," She continued quickly, her grip loosening, "It just...I don't want to be alone right now and I don't want Big sis Catt's pity." Her sister loved her, but Louise couldn't stand the way she looked at her as if she was some kicked puppy. She didn't need pity, she needed someone who could understand what she'd been through and keep her steady.

A moment of reluctance passed before he eventually nodded, "Alright then...until tomorrow, I will be with you."

Positioning themselves on the bed had been difficult. Usually they positioned themselves on the two sides, Raziel on the right and herself on the left, with contact somewhat minimal. At best their backs would touch or her arm would drape around him if she moved around in her sleep.

Not so much now. Louise scooted closer to him, wrapping her arm around him in an awkward embrace and placing her head on his chest. She shivered slightly from the feeling of the cold flesh against her own but she quickly grew comfortable. Raziel squirmed slightly at the sudden close contact but eventually returned her embrace and pulled her closer. It wasn't what he was used to, but it would suffice.

A smile on her face, Louise closed her eyes and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

This place was strange, Ciaran mused.

She'd seen the magic academies before, but this was the first time she'd ever actually had a chance to observe the way it functioned. It was...familiar in a way; memories of Vinheim came to her. The scholars and their studies were fascinating, one couldn't doubt that, but the infighting they underwent stifled any hope for true progress they could have achieved.

She couldn't understand their lust for such petty positions of power. Their very sorceries had been tailored to subterfuge, seeking to one-up one another when they could have achieved much more by simply working together. She'd always found it difficult meeting with their representatives; each one undoubtedly did their best to lick Lord Gwyn's boots in-between explanations of their research.

It reminded her of the rumors spread about her fellow knights. Why was it so difficult to understand that they were all equal rather than one secretly having seniority over the others? They earned their prestige in the war by working together as comrades and friends, but others seemed convinced that Ornstein and her beloved Artorias fought fiercely for the position of absolute leader.

Preposterous. The two were as close as friends could be within their stations.

She brushed at her hair idly, back pressed against the wall of the small building's entrance. The headmaster of the academy and Princess Tiffania were discussing the terms of her stay here. She had no idea what they were discussing that took such a long amount of time but the princess had asked that she stay behind. While she disliked leaving her alone she couldn't deny her request.

She looked up at the waning moon. They'd arrived very late into the night and soon the sun would rise. Thankfully she had gotten a few hours of rest on the carriage but if she were to start attending classes here she would have to get a proper night of sleep.

Fenris whimpered at her side, snout digging into her open palm. She gave her companion a soft smile and rubbed his ears. He hated being near large buildings and the like, preferring to spend his time in forests and solace of nature.

She supposed it was something he shared with his mother. Sif always did prefer solitude over company save that of her beloved master.

She could share his sentiments at times but right now they needed to wait here until their discussion was finished. She would allow him his free time later, "Hush, Fenris. We cannot leave just yet." The wolf pup in all but size whined at her reply, "You know of our reason-"

"Still shadowing Tiffania?"

The Lordsblade grimaced and turned to face the new arrival. Manus stared back at her, his expression neutral as he regarded them both. Fenris sat up immediately, teeth baring into a snarl, but her quick pull kept him from lunging at the corpse. Despite her companion's clear indication of dislike towards him he saw little reason in hesitating to go near him. Perhaps he was simply confident in his abilities.

"I am safeguarding her, as you well know, Manus." Fenris ceased his growling and looked up at her. She shook her head, "Why are you here? Did you not accompany the Valliere girl to her room?"

"She is asleep now and will wake in two hours, I decided to take my leave." She eyed the sword at his side. The blade was unusually quiet despite its normally chatty demeanor, "Derflinger is maintaining the seals, you need not worry of me going insane."

"Caution is healthy given our circumstances," She scoffed, "What is it that you are doing here? Come to bother Princess Tiffania?"

"Believe it or not I did not intend to be here." He smiled sardonically, "I was taking a walk and assumed that their discussion would have passed by now." He shrugged, "Are they still discussing her lodgings here?"

"Among other things, I am sure." She pinched the bridge of her nose to stave off the coming headache, "I could not hear too much of their conversation before it all grew silent."

"Must be a silence spell then." He placed a hand against the door and frowned, "You were eavesdropping earlier? ...I suppose I should not have been surprised." The smile returned, soft and almost teasing.

"Keep your japes to yourself." She looked away pointedly, muttering something that distinctly sounded like 'damned creature' under her breath.

It didn't take much longer before the conversation ended and both the headmaster and her charge left the temporary room, "O-Oh...you're both here." She rubbed her amulet nervously. The monarch had assured them that so long as she kept the accessory around her neck she would be in danger of showing her true form but it did little to stave off the young woman's nervousness.

"Friends of yours, Ms. Tiffania?" He looked at them both in turn. The old man's gaze went from Manus' face to his chest before letting out a sigh of disappointment, "Ahem...I can only assume from your runes that you're Ms. Valliere's new Familiar?"

"Hm? Ah...yes." He looked away and clenched his left hand.

"And this is Lady Ciaran. We met briefly beforehand." If by met he meant 'stared at her like a half-dead dog' then yes they had certainly met before. She crossed her arms in front of her chest to stave off his wandering eyes, "Er...yes, well, Ms. Tiffania here shall be starting classes this morning. I insisted that take a day to rest but she seemed adamant to do so."

"Is that a good idea?" Manus asked, "Do you not need time to take in everything that has happened?"

"N-No, it's fine." She forced a smile, "I told the children that I would do my best and come visit them as soon as I could. One missed day here means another day I won't see them again so I'm sure this is what I want." She grasped the cross nervously, "Um...you told me before that this cross has magical power, yes? How long will it last?"

"Oh a few days, but simply come to me or Mr. Colbert and we will re-enchant it if need be. It should prove to be of little trouble."

"Y-Yes, well...thank you." She bowed, and once again the old man's eyes wandered to leer at her chest. Ciaran's hands clenched around her tracers and it took Fenris nudging her side to make her let go. The old lecher was shameless.

"Well then, I suppose we should discuss the next matter." He turned to her now, surprisingly staring at her face and keeping his gaze steady. Her mouth twitched; she felt vulnerable, naked almost, without her mask, "Ms. Tiffania has told me that you are her her bodyguard to a certain degree, is this true?" She nodded, "Yes, well...unfortunately the academy has certain rules about that."

"You are saying she cannot stay here?" Manus cut in. It surprised her that he wasn't breaking out in a fit of laughter now.

"Not officially, no. The only one student who has taken her personal guard with her is Lady Beatrice von Guldenhorf, but that has more to do with her influence than any rules being set aside for her." He put a hand on her ward's shoulder, "Lady Tiffania has explained her circumstances and she is by technicality a guest of Queen Henrietta, but that little tidbit of information should be kept hidden unless matters come to a head. Right now she is enrolling here as a daughter from a noble living in the countryside so she must blend in."

"A bodyguard draw too much attention, then?" She asked, though she already knew the answer. Much as she disliked it the logic was sensible. She was confident in her abilities of stealth but in a crowded place such as this where she had to stay eventually she would be found, "Fine, I am willing to compromise. What is it that you had in mind so I may be allowed to stay here?"

"Hmm..." He rubbed his gray beard, "Well you can't stay on campus unlike Mr. Familiar here due to your circumstances, but if you were to be employed by the academy..." Her eyes narrowed at the leery smile on the old man's face, "Yes, that would work. Your...pet would also be able to blend in here easily enough among the Familiars."

"Get to the point. What would you have me do?" She was dreading the answer, but she had made worse sacrifices for her duty.

"Well as it happens my secretary had quit her job a few months ago and I haven't gotten around to finding a replacement just yet." He looked her up and down, his smile turning all the more disgusting, "You look perfect for the job."

Raziel was gone by the time she'd awoken.

Eyes opening lazily, her hands pawed at her side before the memories of last night drifted back into her mind. Blinking away her drowsiness she was met with the sight of an empty bed, the pillows neatly made and the blanket draped over her. Right...he was gone, at least as far as them being roommates was concerned. She ignored the sudden pain in her chest and forced herself up.

It wasn't the first time she'd woken up alone, but there had always been a guarantee that he would be back come evening. A part of her worried about him; where exactly was he planning to sleep now? He might have been able to bunk with the servants but since he didn't want to explain his identity she doubted it.

Bah, she needed to focus on other things. Pulling out her uniform, she changed into it quickly and left her room. The new schedule she'd gotten notified that Professor Kaita would be the first class. Thankfully she'd woken up relatively early so she would have time for a quick walk.

The first thing she noticed was the noticeable lack of students.

When she'd arrived last night she thought nothing of it and assumed they were simply asleep, but in the early hours of the morning it was difficult to miss. Certainly many of them would have been inside the dining hall, but just as many would have taken their meals outside or skipped it altogether to catch up on studies or play with their Familiars. That she couldn't see anyone apart from a few pockets of students was immediately disconcerting.

Her feelings of discomfort only worsened when she got into the dining hall. Many tables were empty, and the students that were still in attendance ate in a sullen silence. A few looked up and stared at her sudden entrance but save a few whispers they soon returned to their previous behavior. It didn't surprise her; given recent events she wouldn't be surprised if more than a few students decided to take a year of absence to try and recuperate.

Scanning the hall, her focus was immediately drawn to the half-elf sitting alone in a corner table. Tiffania looked around warily, one hand rubbing her disguise necklace nervously. Looking at her now it was almost difficult to imagine she had Elven blood in her veins, but she knew what she'd seen. The half-breed whipped her head as she accidenteally dropped her spoon, her now-brown hair whipping around erratically.

A few males whispered to one another and pointed, their eyes focusing on her chest. Louise rolled her eyes and sighed; typical, if annoying. Muttering a prayer to herself, she took a plate of food and sat down next to her. The younger girl jumped at her sudden entrance but her expression quickly turned to that of relief. They weren't exactly friends but she was a familiar face among the sea of strangers.

"Don't rub the amulet so much, you might break it." She slapped her hand, eliciting a surprised cry from the buxom half-breed. Princess Henrietta had asked her to watch out for their mutual 'cousin' and damned if she wasn't going to follow her request, "Stop looking so nervous, it just gathers attention." She took a sip of wine, "And stop squirming around like that, it's grating."

"S-Sorry..." The girl looked down at her plate, her expression downcast.

Great, now she felt like she'd kicked a dog. Sighing, she massaged her temples and tried to soften her tone, "Look...sorry, okay? But you couldn't act more unnatural if you tried." She picked up her spoon and fork and raised them, "I assume you ate properly even if you lived in a forest, so just take your meal and ignore the stares. Eventually it'll pass and we can go to class."

Unfortunately she had been mistaken about that. The boys never stopped staring at her even as she did her best to ignore them. Louise muttered a curse under her breath and made to leave before a pair of plates lowering in front of her caused her to pause.

"Well, well, well. I didn't think I'd see you here again, Valliere." Kirche's smile was a cross between amused and predatory. Louise groaned and slammed her head on the table; of course she'd run into her on her first proper day here, "What, is that any way to treat me after we've been separated for so long? I'm hurt." She frowned mockingly, causing the Void Mage to snarl in annoyance.

"What do you want, Zerbst? If you can't see I'm not in the fucking mood to humor you."

The flabby Germanian blinked in surprise as the sudden curse before her smile returned, "Oh, nothing. Just wondering what you've been up to for the past month." She leaned forward, her gaze flickering to Tiffania, "Making friends with the new girl, eh? Didn't think you had it in you." She offered the girl a hand, "Hey, I'm Kirche von Zerbst. Nice to meet you Miss...?"

"T-Tiffania! Tiffania Westood!" Louise palmed her face at the girl's erratic handshake. Across from her Tabitha gave her a look of pity before going back to her meal.

"Well, nice to meet you, Tiffania." Kirche grinned and winked at her, causing the girl's face to flush, "Alright, so back to the matter at hand. Where exactly have you been for the past month, Valliere? Decided to ditch school or something?"

"Hardly. Unlike you I don't go about skipping classes to get worthless baubles," She scoffed, "I've been...busy with personal matters, that's all. Matters that are of course none of your business so there's no point in asking."

"Spoilsport." She pouted, "What about you, Tiff? Why are you a month late?"

"Um, uh...?" The half-breed looked towards her desperately.

"Do the words personal matters not mean anything to that empty head of yours, Zerbst? I don't ask you who you fornicated with last night, do I?"

"I'd tell you if you asked, dear. Brimir knows that you need all the advice you can get on the subject." Louise grit her teeth and resisted the urge to stab the fork in the cow's palm. She wasn't in Albion anymore, she would actually get in trouble for that.

"I already know you're a slut, you fat cow. I don't need any more reminders."

"Sticks and stones, Valliere." She sang, ignoring the younger girl's glare, "It's better to have experience than none at all, as you can no doubt attest."

God this bitch was asking for it. The next explosion she made it would be aimed at her stupid face.

"Anyway, where's Razi? He's usually trailing after you and since you're being such a sourpuss I'd rather talk to him."

"Raziel is..." She clamped her mouth shut. Raziel had made it clear that he would have preferred to expose his identity only to those he saw fit to, "Raziel's gone...he's not here anymore." She took another gulp of wine to block out the Germanian's face.

"Gone? The hel do you mean 'he's gone'? Last I checked Familiars were for life and even a Zero like you couldn't have messed that up."

"I don't wanna talk about it, least of all with you." She slammed her cup down, spilling a few drops onto the covers, "Come on, Tiffania. We're gonna be late for classes if we keep hanging around with this idiot."

"U-Uh, okay!" The nervous girl reluctantly followed the seething pinkette to her first class.

"You eat a lot."

Karin half-heartedly glared at the girl across from her before diverting her attention back to her food. It wasn't worth it, "Magic costs willpower and that doesn't come from nothing. Either I eat a lot or we stay here another week waiting for me to recover from the fight with those things."

Estelle's only response was a non-committal shrug before she was silent once more. Karin wiped her mouth with a piece of stray cloth; normally one needed to pay a decent amount to get food in such large quantities in places like this, but her magic had proven useful. A few chopped trees using wind magic and the innkeeper had been more than happy enough to waive the fee this one time.

Of course she couldn't say she wasn't motivated. Sleeping last night in the stables had been uncomfortable enough, but having the horse take a shit in the middle of the night was not how she would have preferred to be woken up.

"...Aren't you gonna eat?" She pushed a plate of stew towards her. She wasn't a glutton who hogged food, after all, "We're gonna be moving after this so you need to keep your energy up." Their impromptu partnership had been extended to 'until we get to Tristain'. They both had the same destination and she saw no point in traversing Germania alone...that and she couldn't speak the language so she was very useful to have around.

"...I'm still confused as to why you can't cast a translation spell. It took quite a bit of haggling to exchange the firewood for food."

"What, you think any Mage can just cast a translation spell with no problems?" She took a bite of the hard bread, "A lot of specialized Mages make a fortune selling that stuff. A few ecu for an hour or two being able to speak every language or you pay an exorbitant sum to get a permanent one. It's very popular among traders and mercenaries and the like who don't want to bother learning the languages."

"Can't you at least try? What's the worst that could happen?"

"Blowing my tongue off, and that's being generous." She answered flatly. She'd seen enough bad cases before to even attempt it; the last poor bastard

"..Ah, point taken."

"Anyway, don't change the subject: You need to eat. We gotta find a job or something to do so we can buy at least one horse to get to the capital. The only other option is crossing the border on foot and I don't fancy trying that."

"I'm fine...I'm used to going through long periods of time without eating." She dismissed casually.

"Yeah, but why bother when there's food right in front of you?" She looked her up and down. It was difficult between all the padded leather and cloth but the girl definitely appeared malnourished, "Look if you're worried that I'm gonna make you pay me back for it or something you don't have to. We're going to be sharing money until we get back to Tristain so as far as I see it 'my house is your house'.

"I...do not like eating all that much. A weak stomach," She excused feebly. Karin's eyes narrowed and the girl's hands started shaking, "I ate three days ago and so long as I consume water I shall be stable-"

"You either eat it by yourself or I stuff it down your mouth, your choice."

"...Fine."

Her next action caused her to raise an eyebrow. Estelle pulled down her hood until it covered the entire upper half of her face and stared at the table, hiding her features from her. Reluctantly she pulled down the scarf covering her mouth and pulled the bowl close to her. Just barely she heard her mutter a soft prayer before hesitantly consuming the chunky soup.

"Uh...I wanna say something but it's kinda hard to find the right words."

"I...do not like to show my face, I hope you understand." She chewed the meat noisily, forcing herself to swallow. Karin shook her head and passed a loaf of bread to her, which she accepted with the same quiet resignation.

"You're not the first person I've seen wearing a mask, believe me, but most people have a reason for doing weird stuff."

The question was left unsaid but it was clear the chevalier was expecting answer. Estelle swirled the stew briefly before dipping the bread in it, "...I'd rather keep my reasons to myself, if you don't mind." She took a bite from the wet wheat and coughed, "I'm sure you have secrets of your own as well and I shan't pry if you won't."

"Secrets? I don't have any." She snorted. As if she had anything to hide from her-

"...Why are you pretending to be a man?"

Karin choked on the last spoonful of stew. Estelle tapped the table and sighed before pushing the glass of water water towards her, "Mmgh!" She grabbed the cup and drank it down desperately. She waited for the choking knight to calm herself before continuing, "...Is something wrong?"

"Yeah! You speaking a load of wyvern crap!" She hissed. She slammed her hands on the table and glared at her impromptu partner, "Look, I don't know what made you think that being a wiseass is funny but you can't go spreading around crap like that. Do you know what they'd do to me if they even hear rumors about me being a girl? I'd be lucky if they just fired me; I could be dishonored for life!"

"So much for no secrets then." She rolled her eyes, "Like I said, I have my own secrets and you have yours. So long as we don't pry into one another's unmentionables we should have little problem."

"Right..." She threw up her arms, pressing her lips together into a thin line. How in helheim had she known? She had a foolproof disguise and everyone else had bought into her deception, "Look...do you mind telling me how you figured it out? I'm kinda lost."

"...You're joking, yes?" She brought a hand through her forehead, still keeping her face pressed down, "You did very little to mask your voice...and you expose far too much skin." She stared pointedly at her exposed legs, "Do knights not wear formal uniforms or armor?"

"Tell that to Rancis." She crossed her legs self-consciously. Maybe she had a point, "Look, just keep that little tidbit to yourself, okay? I don't need any rumors floating around that I'm a girl. Bad enough that people seem to think I'm Princess Marianne's secret lover."

"Your secrets are your own, I will not pry."

It was brief, but she caught a glimpse of the lower side of her face when she'd nodded. It was nothing unusual at first glance: Ghostly white skin, as if she hadn't seen the sun in years, but the scars were another thing entirely. She only caught sight of the thin scar going through her mouth and the red patch of wounded flesh running down his left side before her face had once again been hidden.

"Those scars..."

"They're old wounds, not fresh injuries. Worry not." She pushed away the half-finished stew before pulling her scarf once more, "Come, we should talk to the innkeeper. He had a proposition for us."

The innkeeper was a strange man, Karin decided. Apart from the fact that he looked more like a bandit than an innkeeper the man seemed to have a perpetual glare and the eyes of a hawk. Even if she couldn't understand his tongue she didn't miss the way his eyes darted to every patron, scrutinizing each and every one like a predator about to pounce on its prey.

"Entschuldigen Sie, könnten Sie bitte Tristanian sprechen?" Estelle called, "Meine Begleitung würde es sehr schätzen."

"Yes...I suppose..." The innkeeper grunted, gravelly voice strained as he forced the words out.

"Wha- You can speak Tristanian!?" Karin asked incredulously. What the hel was the point of all the meaningless translating then!?

"Little bit...your language fruity..." He wiped the rag on the on a mug's rim before tossing it into the cabinet, "Job for you...simple for Mage."

"Want us to cut more firewood?" She snarked back.

"Not funny, blue knight." He clicked his tongue, "Goblin camp east...kill them and two week stay free here."

"Yeah, I think I get what you mean." Kill a group of Goblins camped out in the forest to the east and they would get a free stay here for a couple of weeks. Normally one would say they were being ripped off considering the shoddy state of the inn but beggars couldn't be choosers, "Just so we're clear, this stay comes with actual beds, yeah? We're not gonna be forced to sleep in the stables?"

"Yes, have 'actual bed', Sitzpinkler." He jerked his thumb to a couple sitting in the corner seat, "Talk to guy...he do contract free...not ask why."

Karin was reluctant to approach him. One look at his attire and she could already tell what he was: A mercenary of some kind. Their kind tended to travel light either alone, in pairs or small groups. Already she caught sight of the dagger strapped to his boot and a bizarre flintlock of some sort in his side holster. Rather light to be fighting a pack of goblins so he was either more prepared than he appeared or was extremely overconfident.

Given the flirtatious remarks he was giving the young woman he was seated with she would lean towards the latter.

"Are you sure? Isn't it dangerous?" The woman asked. She was young, a pretty teenager you'd see in many rural towns like this. The way she fluttered her lashes at the older male made it quite clear she was attracted, "I don't want you to die because of a stupid promise."

"Hey now, I've been through worse than a few goblins. Trust me, I'll be back before the day ends." He cupped her chin, "Promise me a kiss when I get back?"

"O-Of course!" Her face flushed and she nodded eagerly. Karin made a disgusted noise and turned away; it reminded her far too much of Rancis' escapades and those weren't pleasant memories.

The mercenary finally turned to look at them. It was difficult to gauge his age at first glance but she would had to assume that he wasn't much older than Centurion, early into his adulthood at most. His blonde hair stood out against the muddy brown walls and the look in his blue eyes was almost impish as he stood up, "Well, looks like my cavalry's here." He leaned in to whisper something to the girl which caused her to giggle, fluttering away back to the counter.

"So what'd Aldrik offer you two in exchange for this little tick?"

"Two weeks of stay at an inn," Karin replied, hands grasping for her sword experimentally, "Goblins shouldn't be too much of a problem so long as we can keep our distance." She eyed the gun, "You any good with that thing?"

"Am I good? I'm not one to brag so I'll just let my performance do all the talking when we get there." He grinned and offered her a hand, "Oh hey, let me introduce myself. My name is-"

"Solas..." Estelle finished. The young girl looked away and closed her eyes briefly, "...Sorry, please continue."

"Well, well, well. Looks like my reputation precedes me." He laughed, clapping the covered teen's shoulders happily, "Right, well I guess it's your turn."

"I'm Sir. Karin Desiree de Maillart, but for the purposes of this assignment you can call me Karin." She nudged her head to her companion, "The quiet girl there is Estelle. I'm a decent wind Mage and she's a good shot with a bow, so with the three of us it should be simple clearing this out. The only one we have to watch out for is the matron; they can use spirit magic and it's not pleasant."

"Let's go then, we're wasting daylight." He led them out off the inn, humming to himself happily. Karin and Estelle looked at one another briefly before following after him. Weird mercenary or not they couldn't pass up a chance to find a place to stay-

"Hey, when this is done you wanna go on a date?"

"...Uh, excuse me?" She looked at him as if he'd grown a second head, "What about your girlfriend back there?"

"Girlfriend? Ha, nah me and Dagna just do a little back and forth. We're not actually going out."

"Fair point, but you do realize that I'm a male, yes?" She gestured to her attire. To the side she could see Estelle rolling her eyes and muttering something under her breath.

"Yeah...? I mean guy or girl it doesn't really matter, does it? A date's a date." He sidled up closer to her, "So what do you say? Just you and me. I know this great spot in the forest where no one ever goes to."

"...Stay away from me."

Lying in an open field and staring up at the night sky. Others might have found it romantic, but right now Raziel found it somewhat boring. Yes the moons were still a captivating sight, but even the most beautiful image lost its radiance after staring at it for three hours.

Alright, he wasn't afraid to admit that he was mistaken. He had been given time alone to digest his thoughts and it was doing very little to help him understand his situation. He growled in frustration and smashed his hand against the group. It was akin to attempting to solve a puzzle while half the pieces were missing. He could sit here and think about it till he (metaphorically) died of old age and it would achieve nothing.

And yet at the same time he saw no point to going back to Louise's room. He couldn't find the answers alone but it would be damn near impossible while they were still together in such close proximity. Sitting up, he rummaged through his pack and pulled out a clump of Humanity. A little 'gift' from Cattleya after siphoning some of the excess that had built up.

"You gonna 'eat' that, partner?" Derflinger clicked, shuffling out of his sheath, "I'm not sure that's a good idea. I mean it could make it go to sleep faster or it could wake it up once it's tasted 'food'. You never know."

"I will need to consume Humanity again at some point," He murmured, "...Derflinger, do you think we can survive this? This Sheffield woman and the Void Mage pulling her strings...is it possible that we can defeat them? I am no stranger to insurmountable odds but both times we have come to fight her directly she defeated us easily all while toying with us."

"I honestly don't know, partner." He sighed, "In the thousands of years I've lived through this is probably the first time I've ever seen a Void Mage attacking other Chosen like this. Myozunitonirun was always the strongest of the four Void Familiars; controlling magical constructs and the like since that has no limits. Gandalfr can only control two weapons at a time since they need to be holding them and the Windalfr is limited to animals, which can be anything from dragons to squirrels."

"Hmm..."

"Don't even think about it!" Derflinger interrupted, "If you're even considering using this thing to try and get an edge in then I'll tell you right now that's a really bad idea. I barely sealed it in last time and letting this thing loose is going to fuck all of us. Beating that woman is pointless if you're just gonna snap and kill everyone afterwards."

"We may not have a choice soon enough." He smiled wryly, "We cannot defeat her like this and we die either way." He tucked his knees into his chest, "Perhaps if we can find her master we can-"

"How did you get that?"

Raziel had to commend himself for not instantly drawing Derflinger from his sheath at the sudden arrival. Looking up he found Tabitha staring down at him...or rather, staring at the clump of Humanity he held in his hand. His fingers twitched, ready to crush the shred of Darkness, but Derflinger's warning rang in his mind once more. He didn't know what would happen if he consumed Humanity so brazenly.

"Where did you get that?" She repeated, eyes narrowing. How did she even sneak up on him? He was certain of his sense of hearing and yet he hadn't heard even a single footstep from the stoic wind Mage.

"It is..." He bit his tongue to keep from saying any more. What explanation could he give? He had told her before that he was the only one who could extract Humanity from either humans or monsters. Either he lied and admitted to being another Undead entirely or he would tell her about being the same person despite his contrasting appearance...neither one truly appealed to him in all honesty.

"I suppose there is no way to ask you to forget about this?" She didn't bother to dignify the question with a response. He let out a fatigued breath and stood up, "Fine. We have already met before, despite my strange appearance-"

"Raziel?" An eyebrow raised by a minuscule amount. He could only nod at the sudden interrupted, "...Makes sense." She shrugged, "Not the first time I've seen change..." Her hold on her staff loosened. Was she planning to threaten him with that or did she assume he was a feral Undead of sorts?

"At least I do not have to explain." He laughed, though it held no amusement, "How is your mother's condition?"

"No improvement." Her lips curled into a barely noticeably frown, "The Humanity grows less effective."

"Hollowing can only be staved off for so long. Eventually she will need a more permanent cure." He offered the clump of Humanity to her, "Here, perhaps you will find more use of this than I. I cannot consume it anymore due to my circumstances. Use it until you can find a more permanent solution. Perchance you may find a Divine Blessing one of these days."

"Doubtful...but thank you." She accepted the offered curative gratefully before looking back at him, "...What are you doing here? Not with Louise?"

"Ah...I have elected to keep my distance for personal reasons. Given that I have no lodgings here I have chosen to stay here." He shrugged, "I cannot return to her side with these doubts still remaining."

"I see." She shifted from one foot to another before continuing, "Come with me."

"What?"

"Just follow."

Tabitha's room was much less opulent than some of the others he'd seen. Apart from a relatively simple bed, a bookshelf, table and wardrobe for her clothes the room seemed almost barren to Louise's lodgings. The small knight pointed silently to an extra mattress on the floor before trudging to her own bed, "You can sleep there if you wish. Better than staying outside."

"Uh...thank you." He took another look around the room, "...Why did you take me here?"

"You cannot sleep outside," She stated simply, "I am not doing this out of kindness. Keeping you close at hand is useful."

"At least you are honest." He plopped down on the mattress and gave her an appreciative look, "If I find a Divine Blessing you will be the first one I tell, worry not." He stretched his arms above his head, "...How long am I allowed to stay here? I do not expect this arrangement to last."

"As long as you want. Just don't make a mess." She picked up a book from the shelf and sat down on her own bed, reading silently. Raziel watched for another moment before letting out a soft laugh, "...What is funny?"

"Nothing. I suppose this makes us roommates for now." He lied down on stared up at the ceiling. At least it was something new to look at, "I promise not to bother you during my stay here...but do you not care what others might think of you sharing a room with another like this?"

"No." She flipped the page, "No one cares enough to ask."

"I suppose you are right..." So this was to be his living arrangement for the foreseeable future...well, he supposed he couldn't complain all that much. It was preferable to sleeping outside and possibly being found by anyone wandering around. Tabitha being upfront about her intentions was also appreciated; 'kindness' was such a vague term that he often found himself cautious of the intentions. A mutual benefit was much more understandable.

He allowed his eyes to close and for him to drift off to 'sleep'.

So this was her brother.

Alsanna looked down at the sleeping young man, her eyes looking over him to take in every detail. Pale skin and blonde hair...features that her Father's beloved shared. They all held a certain resemblance to the woman, some moreso than others. Nashandra held the closest resemblance, her memories of her being the strongest, and out of a twisted desire to surpass her.

Her own form was only tangentially similar. She had panicked, simply assuming the form of someone weak and in need of saving in order to lure her king. Despite his appearance she could tell that her brother was not female, so the change had either been tampered with or it was accidentally fractured.

The tiny girl stirred from behind her before drifting back to sleep. She had done her best to mask her presence, both from her family and the stranger he slept with. She...She needed to make sure that she could trust him first, that he wouldn't fall into the lust of power like the rest of her siblings. Maybe then she could reveal herself to him. It would...she would be happy to be family with someone once more.

Her fingers traced across his cheeks, stopping when they reached his parted lips. His skin felt cold touch to the touch; similar to hers, but different in a way. She could see the fragments inside, sealed by some magic. Even now she could hear their mad screams, the hunger they felt. The seal was the only thing keeping them in place, keeping her brother from going mad.

"I am sorry for leaving you..." She placed a hand against his chest, above where his heart would be. The fragments that remained had begged for her to stay, to not leave them behind, but coward as she was she had barely hesitated to save her own life in exchange for theirs.

And now here they were, sealed for the good of all and the mask they created being the only remaining trace of their sanity. Perhaps she would meet with her brother soon, but only once she was sure that he could understand. Until then she would be content to keep watch from a distance.

Her brother's eyes parted. Black eyes stared at her own, the gaze unfocused. His mouth parted further, but no sound came. Feebly his left hand raised, and she clasped it in her own.

"Don't leave me..." The plea was soft, barely heard over the shuffling wind. A few tears escaped the blackened irises, staining the pillow beneath him.

"I am here..." She brought her free hand through his hair, giving him a comforting smile. She knew what it was like to be forgotten, to be reliant on the presence of another validate your own existence. Despite her own frailty he was even weaker than she, and she couldn't abandon him like she had done before, "Do not fear, brother. I will always be here to watch over you."

Even if she couldn't watch over him fully she would never abandon him.

No 'planning against Joseph' bits here, so I'll do my best to put all of that in the next chapter. Raziel gets a shorter POV in this chapter since Louise's interactions with Tiffania will take up a bulk of the school life segments.

Anyway, I gotta ask since a friend pointed it out: Did Raziel's segment with Louise have a romantic undertone? He comments that it does and seems like a pair of lovers splitting up, but I don't see it. Since we both might be biased I'm gonna have to ask you guys since any romantic undertone are unintentional on my part.

Anyway, time to answer:

SirSquirtle - Either that or he just figured it out, there are some hints in canon that he could have picked up on. Regardless it doesn't matter since the knowledge matters more than the actions he took to get there.

Roku - What ships? The only one I specifically teased was with Siesta and (to a degree) Cattleya, and the latter is doubtful since they always end up talking about other people when they meet up. That's one, maybe two ships max...unless you count Montmorency and Guiche, but they split up.

As for Karin and Estelle: One assumes they got to Germania by walking :p

Mernom - Hey, nice to get someone running through the story one at a time :) Hope you keep reading.

XDNOVA13 - Most definitely. I didn't expect to go this far myself, but hey it happened and I'm happy for it :D

Kishinokurobi - Not likely. While killing Manus is the 'simple solution' that would end with a 'Ventus vs Vanitas' (Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep) scenario with his soul being shattered and him turning to a brain-dead vegetable at best or being dead at worst. The danger with the Manus shards is that it's no just something that he can bash to death like every other enemy.

As for Karin? Not likely. He's not her type and vice-versa. If he can't be attracted to Louise he's certainly not gonna be attracted to teenage Karin.

Mingyu - Hey she has pretty good reason to be hesitant if you look at the rest of her little 'family'. Each one is either reasponsible for the ruin of a kingdom or making things infinitely worse afterwards. Raziel, despite being the 'hero', has his own laundry list of bad shit like the events of Saxe-Gotha or being a psychotic animal when he's pushed.

Warden of Lore - Yes, you've said it before :) Whether the last bit satisfies is up to you.