Disclaimer: Monster Girl Encyclopedia belongs to Kenkou Cross. The events of this fic are purely fictional and are not at all connected to MGE canon.
Prologue: First Steps
This question has always been in the back of my mind. A question that's always been foretold since the beginnings of the Order.
What is the most dangerous entity in the world?
Is it the man-eating monsters that prowl the night? The gods that puppeteer the mortals from above? The heroes that defend the faith? Or perhaps the Demon Lord and her endless desire?
The answer to that, in my opinion, is the rat.
Dirty, disease-ridden, weak and ugly.
Hated by those around, scurrying and moving around the streets for a bite to fill their meager stomachs.
The life they lived isn't an easy one. No matter what they do, no matter how much they try, a rat will never be anything more than a rat.
They will always be weaker than those around them, hated and despised. But I'll tell you now that the rat could be a dangerous adversary.
After all…
A rat backed into the corner has nothing left to lose.
And those with nothing to lose, have everything to gain.
-owo-
*Yawn*
I felt a yawn escape my lips, my eyes opening slightly as I looked up at the sky. I clicked my tongue to wake myself. Morning already… no wait… noon? Did I sleep that long!? Dammit, and here I thought I've fixed this habit of mine.
My feet stretched a bit, moving around the small and somewhat cramped wagon. It was to be expected, the wagon was worn down and slightly rotting. Considering my budget, it was the best service I could afford. I wish it had a little more leg-room, but it is what it is.
In order to save some money, I decided to hitch a ride with some traveler who was coincidentally moving to the same place as me.
I stretched my arms, feeling the cool air on my gloved hands. Regardless of time, it was at least a nice day out. The sunlight bounced against the greenery of the forest, the river stream beside me caused an ambience unmatched. Honestly, I could live here for the rest of my life if I so wanted to.
But alas, duty calls.
"So, are you new to Lescatie?" A voice called out.
It was the coachman, his eyes turning to my own. Smalltalk, huh? I guess it wouldn't hurt to talk a little bit. Looking at the guy, he wore rags and a thick hat on his head. His clothes were dirty and unkept, the only thing valuable on his person was the silver ring on his finger.
Odd…
Still, his comment made me look up. Taking a deep breath, I took a moment to think.
Ah, Lescatie. Beautiful, Glorious Lescatie. The Nation of Heroes, the Pride of the Order, Home of the valiant Holy Order of the Ice-Flower. A militant nation and a grand bulwark against monsterkind. Or at least that's what most people would say nowadays. I've been to enough places to know that things are never as it seems. Every paradise had its ugly sides, and unfortunately my job forced me to confront the darkest depths.
I just hope that this dark side isn't as deep as I remember.
"New? Technically no. I'm actually from here, it's just that I moved away when I was younger. I spent most of my life in Leoros, so you could say that I am kind of new."
"Leoros? All the way here? It must've been a long journey."
"It was, but I got to see a few interesting sights." I shrugged,
"Heh, so what made you move all the way here? Can't imagine anyone leaving that paradise for something like this."
Looks like Leoros was considered a paradise by the people here. Understandable, considering that it is the right hand of the Order. Capital of the Chief God and a bulwark similar to that of Lescatie in a different way. If I had to use a euphemism, I guess I would go with this.
In chess, the queen is considered the most powerful piece but the king is the most valuable. If the queen is lost, then the game becomes far more difficult but if the king us lost then it's game over. Lescatie is the Queen, while Leoros is the king. It doesn't boast the same military, the same renown. But as the capital of the faith, it held far more political significance.
That being said, the importance of Lescatie couldn't be understated. But honestly speaking, I couldn't find myself caring about it.
"As much as I want to say that I'm here for sightseeing… I'm actually here for job purposes. I was transferred here by my superior back in Leoros."
"Ah, is that so? What kind of job are we talking about here?"
I answered him as honestly as I could. "Pest Control,"
He understandably raised a brow. I was being plenty serious here, there were too many rats in the streets from what I could tell. They could be a big problem, spreading disease and misfortune all over the damned city.
After all, those disgusting creatures who prey on the unfortunate deserve everything that's coming to them.
But I digress; pest control is a serious issue in the Order. And being one of the exterminators, my job would be to deal with these rats as fast as possible.
I say that, but those rats freak me out a little. The way they move and run gives me a tingle in my spine.
"...I see, okay then…" the coachman finalized,
It looks like he wasn't going to ask me to elaborate. I know I'm broke right now, but I should give him a tip for keeping himself from prying.
He remained silent for the rest of the journey, leaving me with only my thoughts ringing.
I wonder how much has changed…
-owo-
Wet, damp, and smells like shit.
You'd think that this would be the thought of someone who's found themselves deep into a city's dark side. The darkened alleyways in the corner where all those shunned by society lurk at night, but no. This was the observation of a guy who was literally just passing through the gates to Lescatie proper.
Hell, I'm not even Lescatie yet. I'm literally still at the gate. I just sat there quietly as I watched the coachman argue with some of the city guards on a piece of document permitting his entry. From the run-down streets and the sorry state of the gate, I could tell that this specific place had seen better days.
Maybe this place was just one of the less fortunate areas…
"Look here, pal," I overheard one of the guards begin. "There's an entry fine for entering this city."
Ah, was that so? I could've sworn that you just let an expensive-looking carriage through without much issue before we came in. But I digress, the circumstances of this and that could be different, so I can't make a concrete conclusion.
Still, there is one thing I can conclude. These guys were kind of dicks. But I guess that if I had to sit here in this place for hours on end, I'd be pretty dickish too.
"Bullshit-" I heard the coachman begin, "I saw you let that carriage in without issue. What the hell do you mean that there's an entry fine?"
His tone was irate and impatient. Understandable, but I'm not sure that it's smart to argue with armed and armored guards like this.
"From the looks of things, you're from the outskirts, right?" Another guard began, from this point on I'm dubbing you as guard #2 because I can't be bothered to differentiate you two by name or appearance.
"Let me educate you a little bit on who owns that carriage. Marquis Francois Roulle, do you know who that is?" Guard #2 continued.
"Never heard of him," The Coachman stated bluntly, crossing his arms as he did. The balls on this man… It was honestly pretty admirable, all things considered. Although, once again, pretty stupid considering that he's potentially provoking an armed guard.
His nonchalant and blunt tone pissed the guards off– if the slight redness and twitching lips could be believed. "Now listen here you little-" Guard #2 began.
"Calm down, Laure… This just means we have to educate this outsider." Guard #1 continued,
At this point, I was tempted to intervene, but I held off. Now wasn't the time. After all, no punches had been thrown, and so far, only words were exchanged.
Guard #2, apparently named Laure, huffed in response and walked a few steps back. Now we know who's the guy in charge between the two. I could use that information in the future, but for now…
"Look, I don't want any trouble. I just need to enter Lescatie to conclude my business." The coachman began, only for the first guard to look at him sternly in the eye and spoke up.
"Did you not hear me? Pay the entry fine, and you'll be able to get in without much issue." Guard #1 pressed.
"Look at me; I don't exactly have anything to pay you with." The coachman said, tone getting more irate. That much was true from what I could see. Judging from his clothes to the wagon behind him, he didn't have much of anything to offer.
Except for…
"What about that ring on your hand? It's silver, isn't it? Could be enough for us to allow you entry."
The coachman looked stunned, even insulted in a way. Clutching the ring, he looked. back at the two with a glare. "Over my dead fucking body."
"No need for that language, sir. But… I suppose I should suspect as much." The guard shrugged,
Grumbling, the coachman gave up and walked back to his wagon. Looking up at me, he sighed before he spoke. "Sorry kid, looks like this is as far as I'll go. Maybe you can still get in; you're not with me, after all."
Okay, now I felt kind of bad.
"Oh… uh, no worries then but… just for context since I haven't really asked, but… what's your purpose for coming to Lescatie?" I asked, my tone came out a little meek to my ears. I couldn't exactly help it, considering the situation. I was a little nervous. This was technically my introduction to Lescatie, after all.
"I was gonna try and negotiate for better conditions back in my village." He uttered,
…Is that so? I see, it wasn't an uncommon sight. On my way here we passed by a few of the villages in Lescatie, let's just say that the conditions don't exactly show a shining beacon of the Order. But the fact that this man came all the way here is admirable…
And completely foolish…
He's not gonna get help, not from the nobles, not from the heroes, not from the church. His entire journey here was pointless. No matter what he tried to do and no matter where he went, is pleas will only fall on deaf ears.
Which is why…
"I see… in that case, wait here for a second." I started out loud, getting up as I walked up to the two guards.
"Hey, wait-" The coach began but I ignored him. Sorry Old Man, but you're gonna have to hold on and watch this. Who knows, it might be quite the show for you.
"Excuse me!" I yelled out, grabbing their attention. The two's eyes looked at me with confusion, both eyes raised as they walked towards me.
"Didn't you hear us earlier? No payment means no entry, scram!" Guard #2 yelled out. I think his name was Lori? Laura? Lore? It didn't really matter, the results would've been the same regardless.
"Sorry, sorry, but… I just wanted to come here to ask something, if you're willing to answer then we'll be on our way." I tried to calm him down, sheesh the guy just loves to yell.
"We ain't obligated to answer you, scram." Guard #2 insisted,
What a sorry attitude you have there, if these are just the guards at the gates then I'm scared to find out what kind of people walk inside the city proper. I hope they all aren't as miserable as you.
Luckily, guard number one's a little more reasonable. "Keep quiet, Laure. Let me do the talking here… Alright then, kid. I'm willing to answer whatever question you have… for a price,"
Of course, information is never easy to get, huh? Very well, I'll bite.
"Alright, I'll pay you the fee." I began, pulling out a gold coin. Immediately, the two guards perked up. This was all I had left after the long journey, but if I had to use it here then so be it.
"Well, alright then. Don't mind if I-" The guard tried to grab the coin, I moved it back in my pocket. I wiggled a finger at him.
"Answer my question first, and I swear to the Chief God that I'll pay your price." I stated,
The guard paused, thinking about it before he nodded cautiously. A swear to the Chief God is the highest of all oaths. Refusing to heed it could lead to dire consequences. It's probably the reason why they were all so willing to accept my oath.
I say that, but human words could be fickle...
"I just wanted to ask where the money's gonna go after I give it to you." I asked,
Immediately, they froze. Didn't expect someone to actually ask where the money was going, huh? It was natural to assume that the funds head straight into Lescatie's governing and finances but…
There's a slight issue with that line of thinking.
"W-Where else? To the crown and to the good of the nation." The guard answered in an almost robotic manner. There was a slight stutter there however, indicating that he wasn't expecting the question.
This did confirm to me that this answer had been rehearsed in their minds.
"Really? Alright then, tell me which specific tax this fund falls under." I pushed on,
Before coming here, I had to read and look into the various laws that governed Lescatie as a whole. From their policies regarding monsters, to the various rationing plans and yes, taxation. I had to, it was a necessary part of the job.
And of all those laws, not once have I ever seen the requirement of an entry fee. The permit was required if you're coming in with a a cache of resources. But other than that, nothing…
The older guard narrowed his eyes, "The hell are you trying to insinuate?" He asked, a dangerous glint in his tone.
So… checkmate then, "Who knows? I mean… it's possible that you two are just extorting money through denying people entry but…" I flashed him a small smirk, I saw his face turn beet red.
"...There's no way that a noble guard like you could do something so horrible." I shrugged,
The guard clenched his fist, he took a step forward. He looked down on me, his large frame making for an intimidating sight. He took a deep breath before he spoke, "Alright then, jackass. Let me give you a lesson on what happens to insolent little shits in this country."
The outcome of all of this was predictable, Lescatie needed better guards. He threw a punch, I didn't dodge. I felt a harsh sting on my cheek, my body moving down as I was reeled back a few steps. Guy didn't stop, he continued to punch, kick and throw me around.
He was about to throw another punch before…
"Get away from him!" I heard a hoarse voice yell out. Suddenly, the guard was thrown back and the man reeled. The coachman looked on at the men with a bitter and… somewhat terrified look on his face. He had his hands out, as if he was ready for a brawl. "The fuck, kid!? You could've just left this well enough alone!"
Again, admirable… if I were anyone else, I'd be pretty flattered that this stranger decided to help me out instead. If he were in my position, I doubted that I'd throw myself in so recklessly like this.
But…
Guard number one glared at us two, pulling out his blade, he stepped forward. Guard number 2 also moved up, ready to slay us both for our insolence. "Assaulting a guard is grounds for death, you son of a-"
Alright, I think it's time…
As he swung his blade, I moved in and grabbed the hilt before twisting it. I then grabbed him by the armor and threw him down. Putting a knee on his back, I used my weight to keep him pinned as guard number two looked on in shock. Lifting his blade, he was about to strike me before I spoke.
"You don't want to do that," I stated,
He paused, looking at me as my eyes turned to the man below. "Ugh!… You think that you're gonna get away with this, you're in deep shit now you stupid fucking outsider!"
I couldn't help but agree with him here, I was ultimately the one that provoked a scene so I could get a hefty fine… or worse…
If I was a normal commoner, that is.
Pulling that out of my pockets, I lifted it over his head where his eyes could see. The look on his face was something I'll forever carve into my memory. Speechless, the man lost all the energy he once had in him. Watching that smug grin turn into this is a treat I will never stop savoring.
"Y-You're a- You're an-" I cut him off,
"An Inquisitor, yes. And I assume you already know the price of assaulting and harming one, don't you?" I whispered,
Laure immediately took a step back, dropping his sword as he looked at me with a face of utter horror. They knew the price they'd pay. Harming an Inquisitor is grounds for an execution. Many have been sentenced to the same fate for far less, but I'm a merciful man.
Guard number one just dumbly nodded, fear enveloping his form. I suppressed a grimace, now wasn't the time. "Name, Guard." I demanded,
"Fabian… Lord Inquisitor…." He stuttered out,
"Alright then, Fabian… An assault on an Inquisitor is a price I doubt you'd be able to pay. The only real payment that could equate is your life, but I doubt a life as miserable as yours could properly pay for the damage you did." I then turned my eyes to the coachman.
Much like the rest, he looked at me with fear in his eyes. I couldn't exactly blame him, considering what I am. We… don't exactly have the best reputation. Not here, not back home, not even in the Order. We've committed atrocities, we've killed, plundered and destroyed in the name of the Chief God.
Few actually understand the necessity of such actions.
In any case, he didn't need to be afraid. I wasn't out to kill him… or anyone for that matter. Chief God be blessed, I was not here to kill anyone today.
"But there is something far more valuable that you can pay this fee with…" I turned my gaze to the wagon, "I assume that you already know what I want you to do."
The man just gulped,
-owo-
"Alright then, pleasure doing business with you." I ended, a small satisfied smile on my somewhat bruised face.
Overall, I'd say that I handled that pretty well… aside from the fact that I got punched a few times, but I needed him to instigate the whole fight. Otherwise, I could've pressed a false charge on him. Judging by his reaction to my emblem and crucifix, just showing him that I'm one of them should've been enough. But better safe than sorry, besides…
I could leverage this to my advantage.
Currently, I was brushing away all the dust on Fabian's armor. He just stood there, dumbfounded and unable to speak. This was just my method of burying the hatchet, but…
Fabian's face was pale, sweat poured down on his orifice. Looks like he didn't see this in that way. Regardless, I had what I wanted and they got to keep their heads. That's a mutually beneficial outcome if I had to say. The coachman from before finally managed to get through the gates, entry permit be damned.
With that done, I turned to go meet with the coachman once again. But before I went, I heard the other guard speak.
"You're new to Lescatie, right?" Laure uttered out, his eyes narrowing. I stopped and turned to him, narrowing my own eyes.
"You're in for a real treat, good luck out there… Lord Inquisitor." Laure ended, his tone was far from welcoming.
I wasn't entirely sure what he meant by that. On the surface, it just seemed like a normal greeting with a threatening undertone–but, to say this to an Inquisitor of all things–I wonder…
I just nodded along before I turned and walked to the coachman.
He stood there silent, his eyes just looking at my general direction. He opened his mouth, a breath leaving his lungs as if he was trying to say something. But before any sound came out he just closed it again. This repeated a few more times before I got tired of it.
You too, huh?
"Careful, people might mistake you for a fish." I joked, an attempt to try and ease the tension.
It backfired,
"F-Forgive me, Lord Inquisitor!" The coachman yelled out, bowing to the point where his head was just a few feet off the ground.
"I-I spoke to you too casually, I am ready to accept whatever punishment you deem fit!"
…
Have I not been friendly to you until now? All because I showed my status as an Inquisitor, huh? I guess I couldn't really avoid it. I should've expected this. But, maybe I just got my hopes up a little too much. I wanted to at least make a cordial acquaintance coming here, and the coachman seemed like a pretty nice guy. He's stubborn and has admirable traits too.
Most striking of all, his mouth was twitching… as if he was struggling to contain a snarl.
Hatred, fear, and shock… that was all that I could see on his face.
Some things never change,
I just sighed, scratching the back of my head. I thought of what to say. "...I'm not gonna punish you or anything, moron."
"R-Really, but I-" "You didn't do anything wrong, it was those guards who were at fault here. Chin up, I don't want to see you bent over after you stood up to those two." I commented,
"I-I see…" He trailed off, unable to think of what to say. Was it fear? Doubt? Or because of the difference in our positions? The moment he found out what I was, he began to stutter and talk to me formally. At this point, I guess I should take the reins on this conversation.
"Okay… In this case, let's start over." I started,
"Huh?" He uttered out,
"We might've gone off on the wrong foot here, so I just want to start again. If that's okay with you, that is?" I asked him.
The man looked conflicted. His eyes wandered off elsewhere while he gripped his wrist with his left hand. Taking a deep breath, he gave a short nod. "Alright, Sure…"
I gave him a small reassuring smile. I held out my hand to him, making sure to keep my palms open so that he could see that I meant no harm. Reluctantly, he reached out and gripped it.
Though, I say gripped loosely. His grip was weak, twitching and terrified. It was as if the act had unforeseen consequences.
I didn't blame him,
Unlike his grip though, I gripped his arm tight. Shaking it, I gave him a small cheeky grin. One that's as stupid as the person it belonged too. That seemed to have caught him off-guard, and it had the intended effect. Slowly but surely, he gripped my arm tighter and he lost that fearful look on his face.
Letting go, I walked a few paces back as I turned to him. "Well, that was nice. But I guess this is where we split." I uttered out,
The man just nodded with a small sigh. "L-Looks like it… I guess I'll see you around then, kid."
There was still a stutter to his voice, but that was understandable. I just nodded at him before I turned. Before I could walk away however, the man stopped me in turn.
"Wait, hold on. We've never really formally introduced ourselves, huh?" He stated,
I slapped myself. Right… During our entire journey, I didn't even learn his name. The blame was solely on myself for that, but until this point there was no real reason. After all, there was little chance that we'd interact after this.
Still, it was rude to keep him waiting. I scratched the back of my head as I let out an awkward laugh. Turning to him, I saw my image reflected in the man's brown eyes. I saw my red hair flow through the wind, my crystalline blue eyes gaze back at me through his own irises. I saw the bags under my eyes, and the sheer tired look on my face.
"My name's Roland, I don't really have a last name." The coachman introduced,
I nodded, being a commoner it was unlikely that he'd have a surname. Those were only reserved for people of great renown and talents. Heroes, nobles, and other praiseworthy individuals.
I wasn't any of those things...
Taking a deep breath, I told him my name.
"You can call me Ciel,"
Even now, that name left a slightly bitter taste in my mouth. Regardless, it was the name I was raised with–the one my father had so graciously granted me since birth–In any case, there was little I could do about that here. Lescatie was a land of new opportunities for me, and despite it's nature, I was gonna take full advantage of it.
The City of Heroes stands before me… I would've never guessed how much this place would change me.
Author's Notes:
Good day to y'all, Whamo here!
If you read the Author's Note on the latest chapter of UTGO, I said something along the lines of making a new fic. Well, this is it. The reason I made this fic is because I had a thousand things I wanted to explore in UTGO that I won't be able to with that fic. So the solution to that was simple, write an entirely new fic.
This entire fic would be written in Ciel's point of view, and would also follow the brief POVs of other characters. It would explore the Order and Lescatie pre-invasion, and see how he and his fellow comrades handles the ever worsening situation in Lescatie. It will primarily feature OCs, but the canon cast will show up as well.
The reason why this fic is experimental for me is because… I've never written a character in first person before. This is my first time trying this so criticism would be much appreciated.
I think most of you could guess who Ciel is considering his hair color and the clues I left behind.
As to how he became like that, I'll leave that for the future.
As for the canon characters, like Mersé, Wilmarina, Sasha, etc. They won't show up for a while. Mostly since I want to set up Lescatie's situation in the first few chapters through the eyes of aforeigner.
On the question of whether or not this would conflict with Under the Golden Order? To be honest, it might. But considering that I post a new chapter every week or so, I think that I'd at least be able to post one every 2 weeks.
In any case, criticisms, reviews and etc. would be much appreciated!
Have a nice day!
