Elden Ring is the property of FromSoftware and Monster Girl Encyclopedia is the Property of Kenkou Cross. I do not own any of these properties.
Chapter 12: The Witch of the Window
Akito stepped through the halls of Fortress Maxim, his eyes looking straight as he made his way through the building. After thinking about what the brat said, Akito found that there was logic, or rather a severe lack of it, in the announcement made on the board.
Raids were more often than not, kept secret until carried out. To announce one so brazenly was somewhat illogical. With this, the enemy now had time to prepare and all the Sabbath locations within the city would now expect a form of attack. The Inquisition had enough experience to know that a Sabbath was a difficult thing to even find, and an even harder thing to drive out. They needed every bit of the advantage to carry out any form of offensive action against them.
And yet the element of surprise was just easily given away without much apparent thought. Something was up, and he needed to know the reason why.
And so, he decided to try and snoop on the one place where information was ripe, the Cardinal's Office. Where better to get information than from the mouth of the guy giving them out. Of course, he couldn't exactly just get in there and ask what exactly the raid was about. So, the next thing to do was to eavesdrop on the bastard.
The cardinal would usually converse with someone from Albain's family at this hour, it was either Albain's father, uncle or mother. From his experience, it was to discuss family matters or plots.
Turning to his left, he entered an empty lounge room as he checked to see if anyone could be watching. Seeing no one, he walked towards one of the windows before he opened it, climbing out onto the ledge as he checked the ground below.
"*Whistle* That's a long way down." He muttered before he clicked his tongue.
The wind blew on his face, the cool breeze brushing against his face as it turned towards his target. The highest point of Fortress Maxim, the tower watching over the entire building. He furrowed his brows, it wasn't the first time he's been up here but it was such a hassle to climb at times.
He crouched, bending his knees until his thighs touched the ankles of his boots. With that, he suddenly pushed himself upward with great force. Launching himself up, he grabbed onto the ledge before he pulled himself up.
Looking on at the tower, he made his way to his target. He leaped through the fortress walls, jumped over rooftops, and evaded scouts patrolling the area. Eventually, he reached the base of the tower from the roof.
Giving himself a wry smile, he climbed it. Using the window ledges and loose bricks to prop himself up all the way to the top. Once he reached the Cardinal's office, he could hear the faint noises of people having a conversation. Once he reached a considerable height where he could properly eavesdrop on the room, he sat on one of the ledges leaning his back onto the frame of a window before he placed his leg on the opposite end.
Looking up, he listened to the conversation above. He moved his form away from the ledge, getting into a more comfortable position before he relaxed his body.
He listened on for a few minutes, so far they were just talking about pointless things in Akito's mind.
'House Invitations… Marriage Proposals… Come on, you don't need to brag about your stupid imported scented candles.' Akito thought with furrowed brows before he continued to listen.
After an hour or so, they finally got to the part that Akito wanted to hear.
"-I'm unsure if this is such a good idea, Lord Rejulia. Are you sure your son is ready for such a task?"
"I don't understand what the problem is, cardinal. He's fully capable of enacting these raids before; why would he have a problem now?"
"...Well… if I'm remembering this correctly, the noble house he's about to raid was one he often frequented in his younger years."
"It was a minor phase in his life; such childhood relations no longer matter in his latter years."
"Even still, I've heard from a few people that he was quite fond of the people in House Morrigan."
'House Morrigan?' Akito thought to himself as he tried to recall which noble house that was. He shook his head and pushed the information aside for now, but at least this confirms that the raid itself wasn't on a Sabbath.
'Tch… just when we thought we were in the clear.' Akito thought to himself.
"Call it a test, then. See how far he's willing to go to serve the Chief God."
"You've raised the boy well, Alaster. He'll make a fine heir, don't you think?"
"That he will, that he will…."
In that long conversation, only a tiny bit of the information was what he wanted to hear. After about another hour or so of conversing the voices had gone silent. After a farewell, he heard footsteps coming from above.
Looks like it was his cue to leave. Discreetly, he slid down the side of the steep edge, using his blade to slow his fall a bit before landing on the roof. Afterward, he returned to the lounge where he stepped out, dodging and weaving through the rooftops as he did.
Getting inside, he noticed that it wasn't empty anymore and a few Inquisitors had decided to rest within it. All of them stared at Akito as he entered, looking on with quizzical expressions on their face.
Furrowing his brow, Akito glared at the few people here before he spoke up.
"What? Got a problem?" He asked, tone wry with his hand gesturing to his blade. That just caused the Inquisitors to go back to minding their own business.
They were already used to Akito's antics at this point, he was a rather infamous member for many reasons. Mostly because they couldn't exactly put a leash on him, so it was surprising that the cardinal still hasn't thrown him out of the organization. It was a testament to his effectiveness, he supposed. Or perhaps they just wanted a fool to laugh at? Either way, he didn't really care.
Walking back out into the halls, he began to ponder that conversation again.
'So it ain't even a raid on a Sabbath. That could make things marginally harder, pointless if there wasn't even a witch, to begin with.' He thought as he continued down his walk.
'House Morrigan… if I remember correctly, they were a noble house affiliated with the Noscrim Faction. To backstab Priest Noscrim after he gave us orders, how very like us.' Akito noted with a wry look before he shook his head.
It was only natural, he supposed. The Inquisition was the largest entity that could and did challenge Noscrim's rule. House Rejulia's handling the charge against them out of all the noble families. As such, they have many, and he meant many enemies. However, if Akito were to be asked, he doesn't really care about it. Mostly because House Rejulia itself isn't exactly the most moral people, their son could attest to that.
Choosing between them and Noscrim would be like choosing which piece of shit Akito preferred to step on. They were both shitty in their own stupid ways.
'What's this about history though? No way… is Rejuli-ass somehow friends with someone? Impossible… also, Rejuli-ass… keeping that.' Akito thought to himself as he turned the corner only to run into...
'Well, isn't that a coincidence?' Akito thought to himself as he looked on at a certain blonde, green-haired Inquisitor with his usual neutral look.
"Hey, Rejuli-ass! How were barbecuing peasants in the countryside, did they taste good?" He asked with a grin as he walked by. In response, the man paused and gave an irritated expression.
"Rejuli-ass? If you have time to think of giving me baseless and insulting names, Inquisitor then I'm sure you'd have time to actually work." Albain stated, his eyes furrowing as he slowly continued on his way.
"Actually, I do have a few things to ask here. But oh please, I'm sure that my common filthy far-eastern mouth won't have anything to say that's worth your time." Akito muttered with his own vicious grin.
"I don't have time for your games, Akito. I have a raid to do." Albain retorted, quickening his pace before he suddenly stopped when Akito spoke up.
"What's up with house Morrigan?" He asked.
Albain paused for a second, his face turning neutral. He was facing away from Akito, his eyes narrowing before his mouth opened to speak.
"Irrelevant, their state as of the moment no longer matters to me." He muttered, his tone blank and unchanging. He then continued on his way, not sparing a single look or word with Akito after the fact.
Akito's brow rose at that, 'No longer, huh? Didn't think you had it in you to care.' Akito thought. This somewhat piqued his interest, but in the end, it didn't really matter in the long run. If the noble house was marked for death, then they will die. Nothing Akito says or does would change that, and protesting would only cause trouble for him and the rest.
The only thing that matters is how this raid would relate to a Sabbath. He could get more daring and raid the Cardinal's office directly, but at this time of day, such an act would be too risky.
He just hoped that the others could fill in the gaps in information, at least now they had a location.
"Have I heard anything about a… what?" Mimil asked, her head tilting at the thought as she turned to her apprentice.
He had disappeared on her after she had inadvertently fallen asleep that one time. The circumstances of which were somewhat suspicious to her. She knew herself enough to know that she wasn't one to fall asleep so suddenly, her countless sleepless nights studying could attest to that.
She was suspicious of her own apprentice, a fact she knew to heed. Even still, this one question was still somewhat harmless as far as she was concerned, if not a little strange.
"A witch, master… I've been doing some research on the monsters you must've regularly faced and that species seems to have piqued my interest." Lucas responded.
The two were currently in her study where they usually met for his lectures. Today he wasn't here for that, but rather to gather as much information as possible on their current situation.
She sat in front of her personal desk, writing letters and trying to get Elt into the academy to no real avail. Lucas looked on as his eyes somewhat softened, he should probably tell her that doing so would be pointless now. Elt was under the protection of the very organization she was trying to protect him from.
But telling her that would also mean telling her that he's made contact. So for now, he'll just keep her in the dark.
"A witch, huh? Can't really say that I faced any… but…" She trailed off, has she heard anything about a witch recently? Actually, there was that one rumor going around the college. Apparently, one of the students saw a childlike figure by the window of one of the mansions owned by some noble family.
On its own, it shouldn't really indicate a witch. But similar sightings occurred with the exact same girl and description that dated years back. dark hair and blue eyes staring longingly into the horizon, awaiting… something. It was actually a topic she looked into for a time before she dropped it. It did have some very interesting lore though, probably perpetuated to fan the flames of the rumor.
"Before I answer, why are you suddenly so interested in monsters? Doesn't seem like a topic you just bring up out of the blue." She muttered, as her brow rose, and head tilted. Arms crossed as she turned her chair to face her apprentice and leaned back onto the backrest.
Lucas just shrugged before he answered.
"Did I not tell you before? I am curious about this world and so I wish to know all there is about it. This includes the monsters that you usually face off." He responded, arms moving to his back as he looked on at his master.
"Right… but… why the witch specifically?" Mimil asked.
"Because it reminds me of you, Master." He responded with another shrug.
Mimil's face deadpanned at that. 'Eh… did… did he just call me a witch, no… but he compared me to one? Was that an insult? Is he making fun of me right now…' She thought to herself.
"Are… are you insulting me?" Mimil asked, tone somewhat irritated before Lucas looked on at her quizzically.
"Of course not, Master. I merely find it to be somewhat coincidental considering that you are also a child gifted in magic. Although… I do not believe that you have this admittedly disturbing desire to copulate… I think…"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY 'I THINK'!?" Mimil yelled out with a blush, her eyes morphing into a mix of embarrassment and rage. She instinctively grabbed her own staff in response, which then glowed pink as she got ready to blast this brat to outer space.
"Wait- I didn't mean anything about it, Master! Promise! It was merely coincidence!" He yelled out suddenly. Waving his arms as his blue eyes widened in response.
Taking a few deep breaths, Mimil calmed herself down and reminded herself that her apprentice could be absurdly dumb at times. With that, she placed her staff back in its original position and she leaned her back into her backrest with a huff.
She crossed her arms before she stared at her apprentice.
"Honestly, you should think before you speak. You'll get yourself into trouble if you keep insulting people like that." She muttered with a huff, not realizing the hypocrisy of such a statement.
"Right… forgive me then, Master." He shrugged off, which caused her to deadpan once more. He probably didn't even process what she just said back there, but she knew him enough to know that trying to lecture him on something like that was pointless.
"But… thinking about what you just said earlier. I guess this means that you already know about their true nature, then?" She muttered, cupping her chin in thought as she crossed her legs and looked back.
It was something that all heroes experienced once they've actually faced them. The shock of learning was that they weren't really anything like how they were taught. The Order can try as much as they want, but they couldn't hide what they were really like from the ones who had to face them every day.
"Yes… it was a… umm… an unexpected revelation." Lucas muttered with a slight blush. Out of everything he expected from this world, that piece of information from that wretched book was not one of them. He's been exposed to a few strange things in the lands between, but this one was just another level of bizarre.
Mimil looked on at Lucas with a sympathetic look before she sighed. It was an embarrassing thought at first, and some might even find it ludicrous. But once you get past the somewhat embarrassing concept of their desire to rape and copulate, one would realize just how damaging such things could be to mankind. They don't kill, they don't murder, but the results of what they've done horrified her to the same extent.
In any case, this somewhat made her curious.
"How'd you find out about their true nature, though?" She asked. The Order has kept that particular information on a tight leash, that was especially true here in Lescatie. She saw the lengths that the clergy and the cardinals would go to keep such information locked down, and she knew the consequences for any who would even converse with monsterkind.
For him to know that much despite being ignorant of the ways of the world just a few weeks ago was a strange thought indeed, if not then it was a worrying one.
Lucas pondered on his answer a bit. Telling her that he had fought a Baphomet would certainly raise some alarms, telling her that he had read the Monster Girl Encyclopedia would probably do the same. In this case, the only thing he could really do in this situation was to lie. But doing so on the spot right here would be difficult, and any holes within his statement would be one that she would notice almost immediately.
As such, a half-truth then.
"I've come across someone who has fought a monster, my curiosity kicked in and so I asked for more details… details that he was admittedly too willing to give." He muttered.
That technically happened. That Akito person had fought a monster, he had seen him face off against a Baphomet in combat. After a few more incidents, he was willing to give him more details about the monster they were looking for through the Monster Girl Encyclopedia.
"...Really?" Mimil asked, her head tilting with a confused expression on her face.
"...Yes… really." Lucas replied.
'Looks like she isn't convinced… understandable, but as long as she doesn't question it further then it would be fine.' Lucas thought to himself as Mimil's brow rose a little more.
'Does he think I'm stupid?' Mimil thought to herself with a frown. Someone just willingly giving away information like that was an extremely unlikely outcome. That would be like someone walking in front of an Inquisitor before bragging about how they managed to get themselves a Monster Girlfriend. It was basically a death sentence for the man.
And while she didn't doubt that stupid people like that existed, said stupid people also probably didn't know about the true nature of the monsters, to begin with.
'But… telling him up front would just make him retreat. Lucas is acting increasingly suspicious lately, and I need to know the reason why…' She thought to herself. No choice then, she'd have to try and spy on her own apprentice. A fact that she didn't want to do, but the way he acted was just strange even for him. There was something up, and she intended to get to the bottom of it.
'No choice then… I'll follow him and see where he goes.' She thought to herself. Whatever this could be, it could be a threat to Lescatie, to Elt. If it was, then she'd have no choice but to intervene.
"Alright, I believe you. So, you want to know about that witch, right?" She stated.
"...Umm… yes…" He stated with a raised brow. 'she accepted that a little too easily.' He thought to himself.
"Alright, I'll tell you what I've heard," Mimil muttered as she looked up at Lucas. There was an entire tale to go with this story, one that was passed around through rumor. It was a niche story, only a few knew about it due to the fear of getting in trouble with the Inquisition.
"The story begins as such…"
…
"Years ago, a young servant girl lived within the confines of a mansion."
A girl with dark blue hair and blue eyes stared off into the window. Her head rested upon the window frame. Her eyes wandered off to the place outside, a beautiful garden that lay just beyond her reach.
"Her life at that point had been arduous, marred by hardship and service. She had little prospects, but then one day… he came along."
Out on the horizon, a young boy her age with noble clothing looked up into her eyes. He gave a small warm smile as he waved, causing the girl to move her head up in surprise. Giving her own warm smile, she waved back at the boy.
"A noble boy from another family, one she had no right to interact with… and yet, he approached her for seemingly no other reason than to have another person to play with."
The boy led the girl out of the mansion by hand, eagerly running to introduce her to his friends who stood under a tree. He had a bright smile on his face, one that made the girl's own face flush in embarrassment. Once there, he introduced her to his friends. The noble heir to the house she served, and another member of his family.
"The two had gotten close, to the point where the boy would visit every single day just to see her."
The four children ran around the yard. Happily moving around their wooden swords as they played knights. The two heirs battled each other for the fair princess, while the girl stood there with a smile on her face as she played the damsel in distress.
"Eventually, she fell for the boy and longed to be with him. Alas, it was not meant to be and she knew it. She, who was from another house. She, who wasn't even a noble. There was no chance that she would ever be loved."
Eventually, the boy had to return home. Turning around, he waved the group goodbye as he left the estate. The girl looked at him before she waved as well, eventually, her face softened as a frown formed on her lips. Placing her hands behind her back, she clenched them until her knuckles turned white.
"She cried and prayed for a chance to be with him, and in the end, her prayers were answered… but it wasn't an angel who had reached out."
The girl stood under the tree where she had met the noble child's friends. Only, it was not them who greeted her but rather a smaller, more malignant figure. Her eyes were crimson, hair as black as the dark abyss, a grin formed on her face which formed fangs sharper than knives. She met her under the stormy sky, as thunder raged above she looked on in both fear and desperation.
"'I offer you the path to your beloved, power and immortal youth to stand by him of noble blood.' the devil offered her."
She reached out with her paws, the claws of which dripping with power demonic in nature. The girl looked on at it with wide eyes. She hesitated, looking on at her with shaking hands. She took a deep breath, thinking of what she desired.
"The girl had hesitated, but the promise was too much to bear for her young and naive mind. And so, she took the devil's claws and changed her fate forevermore."
The girl was covered in a dark purple light. A paradoxical hue as her very form was morphed into something far less human. She had regressed in age, her eyes widening as she transformed into an inhuman creature.
"In the end, she was discovered by the master of the house in her new inhuman state. He had desired to slay her, to ensure that she did no harm but the heir had pleaded with the man to spare her. And so instead, she was forever locked away in a room with but a single window."
The girl placed a hand against the window. Her eyes scanned the surroundings below before she moved them downwards. Frustration gripped her mind as she slammed her hands on the windows. She turned away, unable to look outside she retreated into the darkness of her confinement.
"The boy was never seen again after that, and she was forever left in the room. Forever waiting for his return, a return that will never come…"
…
"And that's about the gist of the story and rumor. It wasn't said which noble house it is, or whether or not the story's real." Mimil muttered.
It was a classic tragic tale, one similar to another where two lovers from rival families had inadvertently taken their own lives. It was also similar to the one she read before she met Elt, and in all cases, it didn't end well for anyone. She understood the infatuation with tragic tales, it was just one of the things she liked to read and was the thing she partially had to blame for her choice to meet with Elt.
"I see… so it's possible that it's nothing more than a rumor…" Lucas muttered before he shook his head.
"In any case, my thanks, master, you've been of great help," Lucas started with a small smile, one that caused Mimil to blush slightly before she turned away and coughed into her hands.
"I-It's only natural that I would help my apprentice, but… you're welcome." She replied, with her own smile.
"In any case, I've taken up too much of your time now… I suppose that I'll take my leave now, I'll see you during our next lesson then." He stated with a bow before he left. Once he left the room did Mimil wait until he was a fair distance away.
She needed to get to the bottom of this, and there was only one way she knew how. Getting up, she took one of her cloaks before she grabbed her staff. Gripping it tightly, she spoke up:
"Oh Goddess of Light, bathe me in your silent rays." She muttered before she spoke up the final line of the incantation.
"Cloak."
With that, her form grew to be more transparent before she became practically invisible. Turning to the door, she ran off to follow her apprentice in silence.
"...So… can you explain to me why exactly you're here… wearing that?" Mersé Dascaros muttered as she gestured towards Elt's attire. He had come here in a cloak, covering most of his body apart from his feet which showed a pair of black boots. When he came to her office, she had a lot to berate him on considering that he had defied a direct order.
But she noticed him trying his best to not show what he was wearing under the cloak; and so she forced him to remove it revealing that he was currently wearing the Inquisition's standard uniform, black coat and all.
"It-It's a long story…" He muttered.
It's only been a day since that incident, and somehow so much has happened that Elt was now an unofficial member of the inquisition. If it weren't for the fact that his life could be in danger, Mersé probably would've laughed her as off.
"Well, we've got time, so you better start talking." She muttered. She sat down before she pulled out a drink from the counter, the one the Inquisition had given her after Akito drank the one she was saving up. For some reason, she just knew that it was him from their one interaction.
She poured herself a glass before she offered some to Elt, who declined.
"Well… alright, so what happened was-"
And so, he explained the events that led up to this point. From his escape from the barracks, his return to the orphanage, the fight with the Baphomet, Lucas showing up, him going to Fortress Maxim, the deal he had with Rylan, and his encounter with Albain until he reached the part where he returned here.
All the while, Mersé had found that she had drank half the glass after hearing everything. Once Elt was finished talking, Merse took a deep breath before she sighed.
"...Elt… I mean this in the nicest way possible, but… you've screwed up big time." She muttered.
"...yeah, I know… which is why I'm trying to fix this," Elt stated as he scratched his head.
"Honestly, how much shit can happen in just one day? All you did was leave the barracks, and now you're somehow a member of the Inquisition. Should I start calling you Inquisitor, now?" She asked with a small grin.
"Please don't; it's just a temporary for me." He muttered with an exasperated look on his face.
"Yeah, yeah… wait, since you're a member of the inquisition, then does that mean that you're in touch with that Akito person?" Mersé asked, head tilting as she crossed her arms.
"Yep, he's my handler, so his job is to look after me," Elt replied, sitting down on one of the chairs before he leaned on the backrest.
"Oh, so does that mean he's here?" Mersé asked, to which Elt shook his head with a deadpan look.
"I said he was my handler… doesn't mean he's a good one." He muttered, which just caused Mersé to laugh a bit.
"Today's just not your day, huh?" She muttered, her lone eye softening as Elt sighed. The stress of everything that's happened today took a slight toll on his mind. He had a week to find the Baphomet and remove her from the city.
An almost impossible task, but he has to try.
"So, I'm guessing you didn't come here just to talk about your shitty day. How can I help you then, Elt? Cause from what I can see, you're gonna need it." Mersé asked, crossing her legs as she leaned back into her backrest.
"Right, I came here for information. Do you know of any units that might've been mobilized for a raid, and if so, can you tell me details about it?" Elt asked, looking at Merse as she placed a finger under her chin.
"Hmm… I'm not one to pry at how other units handle their missions, but… I did hear a few things here and there." She stated, grabbing a quill before she began to write things down.
"Around three entire knight orders were mobilized along with units that the Inquisition usually calls on. I've heard rumors that they've even brought in heroes for some specific mission. As to what the mission was, it's all under closed doors, but all I can tell is that it's for something here in the capital." Mersé muttered.
"Heroes?" He muttered as he thought to himself.
It would make sense. If those witches were anything like the Baphomets that led them, they would need as much help as possible. Still, Akito said that getting help from heroes was rather difficult for an Inquisitor. For Albain to be able to just call upon them like that, it was a feat that was worth noting, he supposed.
"Can you tell me which heroes specifically?" He asked,
"Hmm… Reese Severin and Germain Charon. They have a history of aiding the Inquisition, so I guess it'd make sense that they'd show up." She stated out loud.
Elt cupped his chin as he processed their names. They were largely unfamiliar to him; then again, most of the heroes he knew were ones he knew personally. Even so, this could be vital information for the coming raid, so he'd keep his head up.
"I'm not familiar with them…" Elt muttered.
"I'd be surprised if you were; they usually don't associate with anyone other than the Inquisition," Mersé muttered with a shrug.
"Have you met them before?" Elt asked, eyes turning to Mersé, who just shook her head.
"No, as I said, they don't associate with anyone other than the Inquisition. But I've heard they're beasts in combat and have been compared to some of the Order of the Ice-Flower's best heroes." She stated.
"That's impressive," Elt commented, cupping his chin as he thought. Being compared to the Order of the Ice-Flower's greatest heroes wasn't an easy feat. Especially after his spar with Wilmarina had shown him the disparity between their skills.
"Yeah, but as I said, It's all just word of mouth, so I'm not entirely sure of it's validity," Mersé muttered with a shrug.
"In any case, that's all I'm gonna need now…" He muttered. She said she didn't know the details of the mission, so he was going to leave that part of it to the rest. It was getting late outside, so he opted to return to Fortress Maxim.
"Right, oh and Elt… when you come back, tell Akito that he still owes me wine. This piss for wine isn't anything like the one I've been saving up." She joked, but underneath, Elt could tell she was somewhat serious about it.
"Yeah, I will. Take care then, Mersé." Elt stated as he made his way out.
"You're the one who needs it more, Elt." She replied as he left. After he was gone, she gave out a long sigh. Honestly, at this point, there was little she could do to help him besides getting involved directly. But doing so would put her men at risk, and right now, Elt seems to have a handle on things.
"You've got a lot on your plate, Elt." She sighed.
Primera ran through the rooftops of Lescatie, her eyes darting around and planning her next jump within milliseconds. As a hero, she could process information at a far higher rate, allowing her the ability to make split-second decisions. It also somewhat allowed her to think of what to say to Sasha as she ran.
After everything that happened today, Primera honestly had no idea what to think anymore. Firstly, Elt came home looking extremely distressed. It turned out the Inquisition was after him, and then, later on, she discovered that he had the strength and skills to rival that of a hero.
'What is going on with that idiot…' she thought to herself as she moved. She didn't get the chance to ask him what exactly was going on, but from what she could tell, it probably wasn't anything good.
'That boy might know something… he called Elt his lord… as far as I can tell, Elt doesn't have any form of noble blood in him.' She continued on her thought as she jumped onto another rooftop.
'That's it, I'll confront Elt or that boy about it when I have the time. Something's going on, and I need to know what.' She thought in finality before she finally made it to the orphanage. Looking down at it, she could see Sasha sweeping the glass and debris from the floor. Her face looked sad, understandable considering what happened but there was something else beyond that as well.
Pursing her lips, she tried to go down but hesitated. Her grip tightened, and her eyes narrowed before she steeled herself.
Jumping down, she moved towards Sasha.
As soon as she did, Sasha's eyes turned to her before her eyes widened. She had an indescribable look on her face, portraying various emotions that Primera couldn't understand. Taking a deep breath, Primera paused before thinking about what to say. Silence covered the area; the only sounds were the city folk moving around and the wind blowing. Finally, Primera opened her mouth to speak.
"Sasha, I- Hmph!" She began before she was interrupted by Sasha moving in to hug her. Primera stood there shocked, her eyes turning to Sasha before her eyes softened, and she returned.
"Primera, thank the gods… I was so worried." She cried out, tears forming in her eyes as Primera spoke up.
"I-I'm sorry, Sasha… " She stated she didn't know what to say. Sasha was probably worried, exceedingly so. She and the rest left the Orphanage in disrepair, emptied of its inhabitants, and with a Baphomet, running lose. She felt guilty; of course, she did. Even as a hero, she felt inadequate, especially since she couldn't even touch the Baphomet.
"No, it's-it's okay… I'm just glad you're safe." She muttered, moving back before she wiped her tears away. She took a deep breath before sitting on a nearby wooden bench.
"Primera… are you alright? You're not hurt in any way, are you?" She asked.
"No, I'm alright. How about you? Are you alright?" Primera replied. Sasha looked on at Primera before she sighed and slightly nodded her head.
"I'm alright; it's just that… I was just worried, I guess." She stated as she leaned her back against the walls of the orphanage.
"I'm glad you're okay then…" Primera muttered; after that, silence invaded the two once more as both found themselves unable to speak. Primera thought about what she should say; she needed to inform her of the situation but was unsure how much she should tell.
For her safety, she opted to at least tell her about the Baphomet. That way, she can get a heads up should anything happen, plus she could also tell her about Elt's situation. She'll understand; she always did. However, as she opened her mouth, Sasha spoke up first.
"Where are the children, Primera?" She muttered, worry in her voice as Primera stopped herself from speaking.
"They're safe somewhere, don't worry about it," Primera reassured her; they should be at least. She had doubts regarding the Inquisition, especially since she knew of their reputation. She'd seen what some of their members were capable of and knew the risks of leaving children with people who were more than willing to use them as hostages.
"...Are… Are you sure?" Sasha asked, her head turning to Primera.
Primera simply stood there, her face morphing into one of hesitation as she thought. It was just a lie, one little answer, but she found herself biting her tongue before she could even answer. Sasha was distressed, and she had done so much for them. Lying to her like this just didn't feel right, but she also knew that telling her about the Inquisition would only trouble her further.
"...I'm sure…." She muttered, resisting the urge to slap herself. She felt guilty but knew the alternative would've been worse for her.
"I-I see… alright then. I trust you, Primera," Sasha muttered with a small smile, one that made Primera silently grit her teeth.
'...She's already worked so hard for us… I-I can't do it… I can't add to her stress with this…' Primera thought. Sasha had already worked hard for them; telling her about everything now would've worried her more.
'So please… bear with it, Sasha… at least until we catch the Baphomet.' She thought.
Afterward, Sasha's face made a slightly difficult expression that Primera couldn't exactly read, but she knew the meaning of. She was distressed, understandable considering the situation. Standing up, she picked up a broom before sweeping the dust and debris away.
Seeing this, Primera opted to help her out. Picking up another broom inside the Orphanage before sweeping away any debris she could find. As she did, however, Sasha decided to initiate a conversation.
"Where's Elt? I haven't seen him in a day, and he was supposed to return after his mission, wasn't he?" Sasha asked.
"...Lady Merse said that he had a few things to do for her, so he might not be able to make it home this week. He returned home late at night to tell me about it." She muttered, trying her best to avoid the subject of the Inquisition.
"It's rare for you to be out in public, especially at this time of day," Sasha commented with a small smile.
"Sasha… are you okay?" She asked, her form standing straight as she looked on at her caretaker.
"...I am… don't worry about it… the days have just been stressful on me lately, and now I've come back to seeing the Orphanage like this." She muttered, turning around to face away from Primera as she spoke.
Primera looked down, sweeping the floors as her ears drooped somewhat. Elt would say otherwise, but she felt somewhat at fault. Even as a hero, she felt somewhat inadequate, especially after her performance against the Baphomet.
"...Hey Primera… am I a terrible person?" Sasha asked, her back turned and face away from Primera's eyes.
Primera's eyes widened; that question was seemingly out of nowhere. But from how she spoke, it sounded like she was honestly unsure if she was. And so, in response, Primera let out a deep breath before she looked on at Sasha.
"...Who told you that?" She asked. Her tone was slightly sharper than usual as Primera's grip on her broom tightened.
In her mind, there was no way someone as sweet and caring as Sasha would ever call herself terrible. Someone must've called her that, and she vowed to make that person suffer. Seeing this, Sasha's eyes softened slightly;y before she shook her head.
"No one did… it's just a thought I've had since I've been relying on you and Elt too much." She stated with a sigh.
"Sasha, you've been raising us for basically all our lives. Don't be so afraid to call Elt and me for help if you need it." Primera noted with a smile, one that Sasha returned.
"Alright… thank you… and… I'm sorry…" She stated, eyes turning away as Primera looked on confusingly.
"...Sorry for what?" She asked.
"...Nothing, I just felt the need to apologize…" She added, voice soft but somewhat tense.
Taking a deep breath, the two continued in silence. Clearing away debris and fixing up the orphanage for as much as she could until the afternoon. Once done, Primera bid Sasha goodbye and apologized for being unable to help.
Sasha just smiled at her before she left.
Once alone, Sasha's face turned into a frown before she walked into the orphanage, where a familiar black goat greeted her.
"How sweet, she's trying her best not to worry you~" The Baphomet spoke, her tone sickly as she turned to her retreating form.
"No one's laid claim to her yet, though; hey, do you mind if I-" She began before Sasha suddenly glared at her.
"...Touch her, and I'll rip those horns out of your head." She threatened, her tone cold and without warmth. A far cry from how she usually acted. It was enough even to give the Baphomet pause.
"Geez, I was just joking… Sasha-chan~ hehe…" She muttered before she turned to the window. She grinned; they had no idea how close their target was… let's see how long it'll take for them to find out.
Mimil Miltie moved through the shadows, her eyes firmly on the reason for her doing this. She snuck through the alleyways, blended in within the streets, and moved through the rooftops. For as long as she knew him, which was only around a few weeks, Lucas had always been a mysterious figure. He gave away little about himself, and what he did give out only added to her suspicions about her.
His obsession with a strange and, in her mind, fictional lore found within his astrology books, the strange way he acts and talks, she didn't even know if he had a guardian to speak of even though he had parents and a house to live in. Usually, it wasn't her place to judge that… but considering the strange happenings that were going on with Elt, she was inclined to believe that his appearance was no mere coincidence.
She had tried to convince herself that this was unrelated sometimes, that she was simply being paranoid. But deep in her heart, she knew that there was something deeper going on, a connection that was apparent, and yet she didn't explore it to its fullest. That was, until now.
When Lucas returned to the college to ask her about a witch, she knew she couldn't ignore this any longer. And so, she was, tailing her student through the streets of Lescatie.
'Where is he headed off to?' She thought to herself as he zipped and unnaturally moved through the streets. Moving through alleyways, taking unnecessary detours, and going through large crowds.
It was almost as if…
Mimil widened her eyes. Had she been discovered? Not good, not good at all… she wondered if she should stop her search right then and there, but… no… she needed to push on. If she conceded now, she might never have the opportunity again.
And so, she followed him more cautiously. This time, making sure to leave a large distance between herself and her target.
Soon, she saw Lucas move into the inner portions of the capital. She followed him through it, passing through the houses and stores before he finally made his way to his destination.
She paused the moment she saw where he entered. Eyes wide, she looked on as he somehow managed to convince the guards to let him in.
Fortress Maxim, the seat of the Inquisition here in Lescatie.
'The Inquisition!?' She thought to herself, eyes wide as she hid from their prying eyes. Was Lucas an Inquisitorial agent? It certainly would've explained his strange habits, and she knew that the Inquisition was not above the use of children when it came to getting what they wanted.
She furrowed her eyes; betrayal seeped into her heart. If Lucas did all that just to get information for the Inquisition, she would personally destroy him. It hurt her to think that, even if he was somewhat of an egotistical and arrogant child, he was still her apprentice. And in the weeks they spent together, Mimil finally had the chance to feel like a kid again.
In that regard, he was much like Elt, although in Lucas' case, he too acted like a child, and she responded in full.
She grits her teeth; now was not the time to think about sentiments. She had only known him for a few weeks, so the betrayal shouldn't have stung so much.
She was getting too rash; she needed to learn more, but there was nothing for her to learn at this distance. She needed to get into Fortress Maxim to see for herself, but she knew that this would not be an easy task.
Along with the normal physical defenses, it also had magic wards that would alert the Inquisition if she used too much of her mana.
Lucky for her, being the prodigy she was, she knew there was a loophole to the wards usually placed around Lescatie. Her constant requests for renewing the wards and replacing them with far more efficient ones of her design had been denied over and over.
She supposed that she should thank them for that, as those flaws would be what she needed to get into the fortress.
And so, she entered the Fortress.
The one flaw she found within the wards commonly used in Lescatie was that it wouldn't activate unless the magic used within its borders reached a certain threshold. As long as Mimil kept the flow of her mana low, then she had nothing to fear. Admittedly, it would be difficult for any normal mage to do so; controlling one's flow of Mana to that extent was considered nigh-impossible, and it was one of the reasons why changing it was pointless in the eyes of many within Lescatie.
But Mimil was no average mage; she was considered a prodigy for a reason, and her control of mana could rival even the strongest monsters.
From the looks of it, the Inquisition had also used the same types of wards for their defenses. She sighed at that; perhaps the Inquisition wasn't free from corruption. Not like anything in Lescatie was free from it.
She moved through the rooftops, making sure to use her spells sparingly, and before long, she had made it inside.
Quickly, she moved. Her feet moved like the wind and as silent as a feather. She launched herself into the ledge, moving through the edges of the indoor sections before she spotted who she was looking for.
Books in hand, she saw him make his way towards a certain room. Curious, she followed suit, only to stop when he made his way through a set of doors before closing them.
'I need a way to get in…' She thought. Entering through the doors would be too risky, but there was no other way in it from here. She could try to get in through the window, but if said windows were closed, she would have the same problem.
She sighed; looks like there was no other way.
Leaning her back onto the door, she prepared a chant. This would be a difficult endeavor, one of the hardest if she had to be asked. Controlling her mana while chanting out a spell like that would be as difficult as calming a raging bull while you're currently stabbing it with a blade. Many would just quit here, but Mimil was as stubborn as she was arrogant. Retreating right now would be unacceptable for her.
But before she could do anything else, the door opened inward, and in her moment of vulnerability, she fell into the room with a thud.
"Ow!" She yelped out, her eyes turning upwards before they widened at the sight.
All of the occupants within the room stared at her with wide eyes. She recognized them all, two she knew personally, while the others were simply well known in Lescatie.
She remained hidden, invisible to their eyes, but from the looks of it, at least two of them saw through her.
"...Master?" Her target asked, his brow raised as Mimil's eyes furrowed.
'...This is how I'm caught? That can't be right; that's such a stupid way to get caught!' She thought to herself before the brown-haired Inquisitor spoke.
"Well… looks like we have a little visitor." He gave out a shit-eating grin, one that somehow managed to irritate Mimil more than the situation she found herself in.
"...Mimil?" Another asked; her eyes widened when she recognized that voice.
Decloaking herself, she looked at the three occupants before speaking up. Partially to know what was happening and mostly to keep whatever pride she had left.
"You better have a good explanation for this, Big Brother!" She spoke up.
"Big brother?" The green-haired one asked, her eyes narrowed. This caused Elt to shrug. He wasn't exactly in the mood to explain it to Primera at the moment.
"Okay… Akito, is it okay if I tell her? She uh… already knows a lot about me, so…" Elt began before Akito shrugged, "Your call, Junior Inquisitor." He replied.
"...Alright, get inside, Mimil… I'll explain it to you."
"...Explain," Mimil demanded, her tone a cross between that of a disappointed mother and a whiny child. A paradoxical tone that only the prodigal child of Lescatie could ever pull off.
"Well… Uh… I-" Elt began, stuttering as he did. He didn't know where to begin here; she already knew about the visions, the power, and the like, but explaining that to her in front of Akito wasn't exactly a good idea. And so, he decided to start with the Baphomet problem that he was having.
"Long story short, after I returned from the mission, I got attacked by a Baphomet. Akito, Primera, and Lucas helped me with it, and we managed to get away. Afterward we decided to go here for protection, and now I have to catch the Baphomet in one week or else the Inquisition could learn about me and everything that's been going on with me." He explained.
It was an extremely condensed version of what happened, but it basically covered everything that happened up until this point. Mimil looked on at the three dumbly, her eyes blinking twice before she wiped them with her hands.
Taking a deep breath, she let out a loud sigh before she spoke up.
"...Big Brother… I mean this in the nicest way possible… but… you are an idiot." She muttered, causing Primera to raise her brow, Lucas to furrow his own, Elt to look away in shame, and Akito to stifle a laugh.
"What is going on with you!? First, you managed to beat Merse in combat, and now you're hunting down a Baphomet with the Inquisition! It hasn't even been a month; what is happening right now!?" She spoke up with an exasperated look on her face.
Her entire world, and Elt's as well, was flipped upside down in a month, and her prodigal mind didn't know how to process it. It was just… so absurd, and she couldn't make any sense of it. She was at her breaking point at this rate, her mind just couldn't take it anymore, and needed an outlet to vent.
"...Master, calm down… It would do you well if-" "AND YOU!" She began, turning to Lucas before she pointed at him incredulously.
"WHAT IS WITH YOU!? YOU'RE THE MOST CONFUSINGLY OXYMORONICAL AND INFURIATING PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET!" She yelled out. Lucas just sat there slightly stunned, turning away with both guilt and confusion in his eyes. Seeing this, Mimil managed to calm herself down. Taking a deep breath, she cleared her mind before she spoke up once more.
'Oxymoronical? That isn't a word… But since I said it, it should be.' She thought to herself before she shook her head.
"I-I'm sorry… it's just that this month's been taking a toll on me." She spoke out guiltily. This caused Elt to give her a small reassuring smile, which he often gave her during their meetings. It was a look that managed to make her feel better, but it didn't change the fact that she currently felt pretty awful.
"It's okay, Mimil; I'm sorry I put you up to this…" Elt stated, his voice laced with guilt as Mimil looked on at her big brother.
He must've felt guilty for her; he shouldn't, considering that it was her choice to help him.
"Why are you apologizing, big brother? I'm the one who chose to help you out. It's not your fault that you're kind of useless at this kind of thing." Mimil stated with a sigh, Primera narrowed her eyes at that, but Elt laughed it off. He looked on at her with a familiar smile, which Mimil returned in full.
"So I guess things are back to normal then," He muttered, despite the somewhat harsh tone… it made Elt feel a little better, especially considering that this was just Mimil's way of telling him that he didn't have anything to worry about.
"As normal as they can be. Now, big brother. I know you're pretty strong now, but that doesn't mean that you can take on a Baphomet as you are. From what you all told me, you all ran away from the Baphomet. This means that all four of you don't have the means to beat it, but worry not…" Mimil began as she got up and moved to the center of the room.
She then posed, raising one leg before holding her staff up. Hearts seemingly flew out as she made a peace sign with her fingers as she spoke up. "Because I, Mimil Miltie, am here to save the day!" She spoke up.
The response from the group was… mixed, to say the least. Akito didn't stifle his laugh this time, instead giggling like a hyena as he watched the display. Primera's brow just rose, somewhat unimpressed by the display. Elt gave her an encouraging thumbs up while Lucas just tilted his head confusingly.
"...Master… was that really... necessary?" Lucas asked.
"Shut up, Lucas… let me have my moment." She muttered quickly.
"...Can, can we talk about the master thing? Since when did you have an apprentice?" Elt asked, raising his hand as she turned to the two.
"It's a long story, my lord," Lucas muttered. Picking up a cup of tea before drinking it.
"My lord?" Mimil asked this time, her head tilting as she got out of her pose. Staring at the two, she crossed her arms as she looked on at Elt and Lucas for an explanation. Seeing this, Elt just shrugged. He honestly had no idea why Lucas referred to him as such; he wasn't a noble as far as he was concerned.
"I am not obligated to tell you." Lucas just muttered, which caused Mimil's eyes to twitch.
"Were you born this infuriating?" She asked him, Lucas' own eyes twitching before he retorted.
"It is only infuriating because you act like a petulant child." He retorted with a sly grin as he took another loud sip of his drink to further infuriate his master.
"If I'm a petulant child, then what are you? A petulant infant?" she retorted, causing Lucas to dryly roll her eyes.
The two continued like that, spewing insults at each other much like children often do when they're mad. It was a sight that confused the rest of the occupants in the room.
"*Ahem* If… you're both done spewing insults at each other-" Akito began, causing the two kids to turn their heads towards the man. "We still have a Baphomet to catch, and Elt has less than a week to find and get rid of her." Akito continued.
"So… what's your plan so far? I'm guessing that you were asking about the witch because you think she could lead you to the Baphomet." She muttered, turning to the group, who just nodded in response.
"...Alright… give me all the information you have. I'll try to formulate a proper strategy for us to use." Mimil muttered, looking at the group who just looked at each other before Akito spoke up.
"Listen, Brat, I know you're a prodigy in magic or something like that, but you do realize that this isn-" He began before Mimil rudely cut him off.
"Akito the Blood Dancer, right? Have you ever tracked down and destroyed an Amazonian tribe by yourself?" Mimil began, staring straight at Akito with a slight glare before a mischievous grin came onto her face.
"Ever had to search for a piece of information so obscure and so minuscule that the rest of your peers considered it non-existent only for you to prove them wrong?" She took a step as she placed her hands behind her back.
"Have you ever revolutionized the very concept of magic here in Lescatie? No? Oh, what's that? All you ever did was swing your sword around like a monkey? I see… then shut up and let me do the planning here; it's clear from how you're all doing things that you're never going to find the Baphomet at this rate." She retorted before she looked on at the rest of the group.
"And here I thought dealing with one smartass 12-year-old was enough; now there's two of them," Akito stated with a sigh before he grinned. 'Ah, what the hell, less work for me at least.' He thought to himself before he looked on at the rest.
"Alright, you heard her… let her in on what you know," Akito stated.
Elt and Primera looked on at her confusingly before they shrugged. Elt was the only one with the knowledge that could be useful to her, so he told her what he knew. Akito did much the same and since Lucas got the information he wanted from her in the first place, he simply sat this one out.
...
"Raid… Albain… Witch of the Window and House Morrigan… Big Brother, what have you gotten yourself into?" She asked, turning to Elt, who just shrugged in response. She then turned to a map she quickly grabbed from her study before she laid it out on the desk. It was a map of the area where House Morrigan's estate was located; looking into it, she tried to think of a route that would be safe for the witch to travel in and easy for them to access without being caught.
Knowing the Inquisition, they might've already taken precautions against the natural rivers around the estate. And with their target being a witch, it was likely that they'd have mages in place, allowing them to detect any use of magic. She bit her lips in frustration; this situation was a difficult one. Trying to sneak a witch out of a 300-man raid with all known areas of escape blocked off was difficult.
But her eyes lit up, and an idea came to mind.
"Alright… I think… I have an idea…" She muttered before she began to do her magic.
"Elt, this mission would be on you and you alone. Lucas, Akito, Primera, nor I would be able to help you in any way, shape, or form." Mimil stated, turning to the group before she took out a map of the area.
"Most known rivers and pathways to the estate are blocked off, but noble houses are known to have secret escape routes that could bypass any of the routes the Inquisition might have taken account of." She continued, turning to the map before she used a pen to highlight three separate rivers.
"Most hidden routes that noble houses often have are tunnels that lead out of their estate, and as much as the Inquisition could try, they can't count for all of them," Mimil explained before she turned to the rivers.
"Take a look; what do all these rivers have in common?" She asked, turning to the group who looked on at the map before Lucas spoke up.
"They all lead to a single lake..." He spoke out.
"Exactly, this makes it the prime area for an escape route, and the Inquisition probably knows this. As much as 300 seems like a large number, raiding the entirety of House Morrigan's estate would stretch their numbers thin, so only a handful would likely be guarding the lake." She continued before she then highlighted three spots separated river by river.
"So here's what we'll do. Four of us would be free to do as we please, but each of us will be placed in a separate area on the river. Our task is simple, if we see the witch, we intercept her before anyone else does." She noted, turning to the group before she spoke up again.
"Try to stay out of sight, and be careful. Witches are tricky monsters, and trying to intercept her could do you more harm than good." She stated before she bit her lip. There were a lot of holes that needed to be filled in this plan, but so far, it was the best she could think of. They had less than a day to prepare and plan; all things considered, this was the best she could come up with.
"Big Brother, this raid will take a lot of improvisation on your part. We can't plan exactly what would happen, but try to contact the witch before everyone else and convince her that you're here to help her." Mimil stated as she turned to Elt.
"Please... I don't want you to get hurt over this; if you're caught, who knows what they'll do to you..." She muttered, head turning away before Elt gave her a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry about me, Mimil. I'll be fine..." He stated, but deep within his mind, he was nervous. If he was caught in any way, shape, or form, then Albain had the authority to have him killed. But he didn't have a choice; he already accepted the proposition, and so he'd do his best to enact it. He couldn't fail here for him and the people he cared about.
Mimil simply nodded at that; turning to the group, she then spoke up again. "Any questions?" She asked.
"Yes, where do we put the witch in after we get her if we get her in the first place?" Primera asked, causing Mimil to raise her brow before she cupped her chin.
"...Good question, that's unexpected coming from you..." Mimil muttered, causing Primera's eyes to twitch before she asked: "What's that supposed to mean?" To which Mimil replied by completely ignoring her.
"...I don't know anywhere we can store her; any suggestions?" She asked, turning to the group who looked on at one another. Elt thought about it; putting her here was too risky. If any of the other Inquisitors caught her, then the entire operation would've been pointless. The Orphanage was also out of the question; placing a monster with the kids just didn't sit right with him. The barracks that he frequented often was another choice, but if anyone discovered the witch, Elt's entire unit could be compromised and suffer the same fate as House Morrigan.
"I don't know anywhere..." Elt muttered before Lucas brought his hand up.
"I may know of a place..." Lucas stated, raising his hand as the rest turned to him quizzically.
"It should be relatively safe, and in there, the witch would be completely and utterly untouchable by anyone other than me," Lucas explained, causing the rest to lean in.
"And... where is this place?" Mimil asked, head tilting as she looked on at him curiously.
"My house," He quickly answered, causing the rest to raise their brows before Akito spoke up.
"And... where is this house?" Akito asked, causing Lucas' brows to furrow, which then caused Akito to do the same because he knew what Lucas' answer was the moment he opened his mouth.
"I am n-" "-ot obligated to tell us, we get it," Akito cut him off with a small sigh before he shook his head.
"Is there anyone here who you would be obligated to tell or show?" Akito asked, causing Lucas to tilt his head before he pointed a finger toward one of the occupants.
"...Huh... me?" Elt muttered confusingly, pointing at himself as the rest looked on at him.
"Wait, what about me?" Mimil asked, turning to Lucas as she tilted her head. "I've known you for a month; why am I not obligated to know?" Mimil asked, her tone reverting to her somewhat immature self as Lucas took a sip of his drink.
"...Forgive me, master, but this matter is between him and me exclusively." He stated somewhat apologetically before he shook his head.
"It's a matter of grave importance to himself and myself... Even if you are involved, it does not mean you should be." He continued, causing Mimil to raise her brow before she turned to Lucas.
"You know what's going on with him, don't you?" She asked arms crossed, as Lucas looked on with narrowed eyes.
"I could've sworn that I made that much apparent, master. Even if you know this fact, it will do you wise not to push further... It is for your own good and the good of the rest of you here." Lucas continued, his eyes narrowing as he challenged his master's glare head-on.
Primera looked on at the boy with narrowed eyes as well. She already knew that something was up, something that could endanger Elt more than he already was. But the boy just confirmed that he knew something was up. She reached out for her bow in case anything happened. Elt, seeing this decided to act.
"Okay, okay... hold on. Please, we're already on a tight schedule. We don't have the time to fight right now." Elt stated, turning to the group as he moved up and held his arms out. They didn't have time for this, they only had a week, and a day had already passed. Elt then turned to Lucas, his eyes narrowing before he spoke up.
"Look, I'm your 'Lord', right?" He asked, causing Lucas to raise his brow before he nodded.
"Explain what you mean by that," Elt ordered, causing Lucas' eyes to widen as he thought of what to say. Unlike Akito and the rest, he was obligated to explain. He was built to be completely loyal to the Tarnished, and right now, the Tarnished are asking him to do something that he's been refusing to do for his safety.
"...I'm not sure if this would be a good idea, my lord. Explaining it in front of them might be a little... too unwise." He muttered, causing Elt to raise his brow before he sighed. That was all he needed to know; Lucas would listen to him and him alone. Push him enough, and he'd explain what he meant without question, but right now, he didn't want anyone in the Inquisition to know of his state.
"Alright then, but I need you to explain it to me when we have the time. Please, Lucas... I need to know." Elt pleaded with him, causing the boy to look at him with downcast eyes.
"V-Very well, my lord. I shall explain it to you once I get the chance; until then, you would all simply have to trust my word here." Lucas explained. The explanation was good enough for the rest of the group. Though it certainly left both Mimil and Primera unsatisfied with his answer, they'd at least hold back for Elt.
"In... In any case, I guess we're all in agreement that Lucas would be the one to keep the witch." Mimil asked though she wasn't so sure of it. The rest nodded, but like Mimil, Primera was hesitant about this idea. Akito just shrugged; it was their call and if they wanted to entrust it to the brat, then let them. Elt was the only one seemingly trusting of the boy, but even then, he had doubts.
"Alright... well, that settles the plan." Mimil finished, stretching her arms before she turned to the group.
Mimil looked on at the group before she took a deep breath. She wasn't really used to working with groups, but for Elt's sake she had to bear with it.
"With that, I think we're set... It's the best I can come up with the timespan, so you all better do your part." She muttered, her eyes looking dryly at the group.
Elt nodded once more in response; looking on outside, he clenched his fists together. It wasn't just the raid that was troubling him, but Albain's words from earlier had as well.
'He said that he'd show me what it meant to be an Inquisitor... this means that he'd pay attention to everything I'd be doing. I need to be extra careful tomorrow, or else...' He trailed off before he turned to the window.
He had a long day ahead of him.
Author's Notes:
Alright, so that ends another chapter. I don't really have a lot to talk about here so this AN might be pretty short.
I wasn't originally gonna have Mimil join this early, but then I realized that it wouldn't really be in character for her if she just left Lucas alone after he acted suspiciously for the past day or so. So now she's officially part of the team, and I have plans on what role she'll play.
The whole witch of the window story was something I originally came up with, and it sets up another OC that I'll be introducing the next chapter and would play a vital role in the next coming Arc. Speaking of, the next chapter's actually nearing completion so it should be out relatively soon.
I honestly have no idea where I get the energy to write over 10k words to post every 5 to 6 days, but I'm having fun with this story so far so that's probably a factor here.
In any case, feel free to leave any review, criticism, comments, etc. in the Review Section. My PMs are also open if you want to use that instead.
Whamo out!
