XXX

"A man is only worth as much as his word, Lord Beoulve. What good is the word of a liar?"

- Duke Larg, a letter to Dycedarg Beoulve. Unknown date.

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Chapter 4: Lies, Trickery, and Nobility.

The breeze was refreshing as we marched at a care-free pace towards Eagrose Castle, our prisoner in hand, if a bit annoying. He'd been whining about the 'unfairness' of society, and how we would 'rue the day' that we had dared to mess with the Corpse Brigade. This was, of course, before Delita had kicked him in the shins and told him to give it a rest as he'd been at it since we'd set up camp, and it was now long past time for bed.

I let out a yawn, covering my mouth and rubbing my bleary eyes in the crisp morning air. The closer we got to the castle, the more the air cooled down, leaving my body feeling lighter than it usually did.

"Oh, Tanya!" I moved my arm viciously against my eyes, blinking twice before peering at whoever was speaking to me. Brown eyes stared back at me, attached to a short bob of blonde hair and a lithe face that smiled brightly. "Did you get any coffee or anything? I'm pretty sure de Floure made some before we set out."

"Vinya. No," I said with a mournful sigh, looking longingly at the cup in Vinya's hands. "Barrel and Voll drank it all before I could get a cup."

"Not all of it!" Vinya's hands revealed what she was holding - a mug of that sweet, delicious ambrosia known as 'Ordallian Coffee'. "I managed to snag some before Caim drank it all."

"You're on a first name basis with Voll now?"

"Only temporarily~" she said in a sing-song tone, smiling bright and wide. "I beat him at cards last night, so he's my minion for a week."

I gave Vinya a wary look as I eyed her coffee.

"Alright, I'll bite," I muttered, never taking my eyes off it. "What do you want for it?"

"I want a deferral on training."

"A deferral? For how long?"

Vinya blinked, looking at me in shock. I wasn't a slave driver or anything, so I couldn't really understand her confusion. The training regime for my squadron was pretty easy, in my humble opinion - before class, for an hour, after class, for two hours. To a corporate slave like myself, this barely even marked as extra work - I made sure everyone would be at dinner and at breakfast, and gave them plenty of free time outside of that! Beyond that, I had browbeat Ramza into only bringing people that were truly competent on this little adventure of his, so I wasn't particularly worried if Vinya would lose her skill or need a remedial class.

"How long… How long…" The girl muttered to herself, looking left and right. "Two months? No, a month! A week? A day is more than enough I think! No, just half a day, maybe…?"

I sighed.

"I'll give you a week." Vinya gave a quiet cheer in response, smiling brightly at me. "Now give me the damn coffee."

She extended her mug and I grabbed it out of her hands, drinking it greedily as she gave me a worried look.

"You know, Tanya… If you drink that much coffee…"

"What?"

"Well, I mean… You're not very… tall, as it is…"

I glared at her.

Vinya walked away.

I took a sip, thinking on how ideal my school life had been so far. My coworkers and subordinates were all either nobility or connected to nobility, which was perfect for moving up the proverbial corporate ladder without actually doing anything. In this sort of medieval society, nepotism was not only expected, but arguably the standard. If you were competent, even better - this was why I made sure to have cordial to positive relationships with most of the people around me, as opposed to anything actively antagonistic. Vinya Villipede was the daughter of a merchant in Gallione who had paid a handsome sum to have his progeny attend Gariland. Unlike myself, she could have lived a life in the lap of luxury, but her father desired better connections to the ruling class. It wasn't luck or fortune that put Vinya in the same class as Ramza Beoulve, Finn Weiss, Lily de Floure, and Amelie Tenevere - it was the desire for increased power. The Villipedes sold and traded fine wines and luxury goods from places like Ordallia; and who would be the biggest purchasers of Villipede's products ten or fifteen years down the line?

The exact same nobility that she's integrating herself with now. I admired her mercurial nature deeply, and desired to achieve something similar for myself. The connections I was forming now would serve me deep into adulthood, in spite of all of Being X's attempts to stop me! Look at who surrounds me now, you damned devil! In spite of all your desperate attempts to make my life hell, I am now in the company of the elite! As long as I maintain a basic level of competency, there would be no reason for a person like Ramza or Finn to not hire me in some sort of advisory role for the future!

I smiled as I drank my coffee, confident in the knowledge that even if there was to be some sort of inevitable war, the economics of such a conflict would secure me a safe future.

"Finn," I said loudly, and the dragoon turned away from his conversation with Voll a bit behind me, "How's the prisoner?"

"A bit annoying," he replied as he approached me, scratching the stubble on his chin. His brown hair was tied back into a ponytail, and the spear on his back had a small banner tied to it; his house's coat of arms. "He doesn't seem to wish to cooperate with any sort of information."

"That's why we're headed to Eagrose," I said. "We're simple cadets, in the end. Even if we're given this grand task, it is the job of our superiors to find out what we are supposed to do."

Secretly, I was pleased. The longer it would take the men at Eagrose to uncover whatever the Corpse Brigade was plotting, the longer I could idle my days away at such a wondrous castle. I'd heard stories of the gardens at Eagrose, of how beautiful the capital of Gallione was said to be. Lazing my days away in the sun and pursuing the books of their grand library sounded like a dream come true - a dream that I had been saving until after graduation, brought about many months earlier! I hadn't even needed to ask Ramza to be invited, it was just assumed! Is this the power of nepotism, already in action?

Ahh… I can see why people craved a friend in the elite so desperately. It really made life easy.

"You're content to just let the Brigade run wild?" He asked as he looked at me with dark eyes. "They've already taken Dorter and given it to the rats."

"You cannot cull cruelty by killing rats, Finn," I said to admonish my subordinate. "Our mission is to end the Brigade, not to kill men and women with nothing to their names. Is it not easier to kill a hydra by cutting off its heads?"

He barked out a laugh, and I smiled at him. Finn was not hard to understand. His family had been decimated at the end of the last war, and his desires to live up to the standards they had set ran deep through his veins.

"Those damned rats have been thieving from mine, Tanya," he said quietly, his eyes filled with a deep rage as he glanced over at our prisoner. The man had to be practically dragged half this way, and he was single-handedly slowing down our march by an hour, if not more. "I want them dead and buried before they take another gil from my people."

"And they will be," I assured him. "Are you being difficult on purpose? Look how easily they fell to our band. Such creatures are not worth the money it would take to outfit them."

He grunted in reply, and we fell into a companionable silence. While ostensibly correct, Finn had that worm called "justice" coiled itself firm around his heart. He cared too much, and gave too easily, which would be problematic for his future if he didn't learn to curb those tendencies in favor of being more reasonable. As his superior, it was my job to soften the heavy blows of reality.

"If we cut off the head of the movement, the movement will fall, and the organized banditry will collapse once more to petty theft," I said to him. "I suspect we will be done before Virgo at the latest."

"Planning to finish before your birthday, Tanya?"

I chuckled, and Finn's mouth curved upwards. It was good to have a rapport with your subordinates, as otherwise they would easily fall into disarray. A competent superior cannot allow his or her subordinates to become too moody, or their work will suffer. And as our work is to hunt down the Corpse Brigade, I simply could not have Finn in anything but his best shape.

"If we do, are you going to pay for my party?"

"Hah! I'll leave that to Beoulve. He's far more desperate to impress you than I."

Impress me? That certainly wasn't the impression I was getting from Ramza. But Finn probably had a different perspective then I, as he was good friends with Voll.

"Well, make sure to mark this down for Beoulve then - at my party, I want a cake that's as tall as I am."

Finn chuckled, ruffling my hair as I looked up at him mulishly. I was used to being far taller, so to be reminded of my stature in such a way was never fun.

"Don't worry," he said with a smile. "I'll be sure to tell him."

Our march continued at a leisurely pace. The closer we got to Eagrose, the more Ramza's and Delita's faces seemed to lighten, as if a weight was being lifted off their shoulders that I couldn't see. The worry in their eyes disappeared when we saw the outskirts of Gallione's capital; that enormous banner depicting his house's coat of arms taking away all the stress and grime of the march from him. He waved to the guard when we approached the gate, and a burst of laughter emitted from him before he opened it, shouting out something I couldn't hear over the sound of the gate's movement.

Eagrose castle town was alive. The streets were bustling with people, and as our feet marched across the long cobblestone roads I heard cheers of joy as women and men looked at our merry band, waving excitedly as we walked alone. The shopkeepers leaned out and laughed, women looked at us with fluttering eyelashes, and men nodded in stern approval at our gait. I could definitely get used to this. Ramza, after graduation, would you mind so terribly if I followed you home? I'm good at a lot of different things! You could really use someone like me in an advisory position where I don't have to do too much, alright!

Honestly, I was more impressed with Dycedarg's PR than I was with the town. There wasn't any sort of widespread way to disseminate information here, but it was clear that the propaganda surrounding Ramza was out of control. Despite the brick walls and stone arches, I could see the signs of poverty out of the corner of my eye, but even those unlucky few were so very pleased to see the return of the latest Beoulve prodigy. A woman approached us, grabbing at Ramza's shirt, and he rummaged around in his pockets for coins before handing her a few. The cheers that erupted at that…

Ramza, do you know how many people would die for you? It's terrifying.

The castle closed in faster than I expected, the crowds thinning out and the rough stone smoothing away to a finer road. Trees lined the way to the castle, and as I looked up at it, my eyes widened. Long gray spires stretched out over mottled stone walls, ivy slowly clambering up the sides. The castle sat on top of a winding road that led up to a cliff, which overlooked a vast lake far below it. The castle itself was enclosed in fine, large walls, topped with a vicious looking fence of iron spikes, and a gate made of the same stood in front of us. Delita let out an aggrieved sigh as we stopped in front of it, giving Ramza a look.

"Ramza, you did remember to tell Lord Dycedarg we were on our way, correct?" Delita said with an annoyed tone, glancing at the blonde.

Ramza blinked. "Ah. I knew I forgot something."

Everyone let out a groan.

"Way to go, Ramza."

"Beoulve, do you have to think when you breathe?"

"I wanted to relax, but now we're stuck out here…"

"Calm down, calm down," he said, laughing. "It is not as if we're stuck here. This gate isn't exactly…"

He leaned against it with his shoulder, shoving forward as he looked at Delita, jerking his head. The auburn haired boy sighed, moving up against it as well.

"See, you just… Have to… Get it juuuuust right, and-"

The gate moved slowly, with an agonizingly long creaking sound that made me look at the pulpits for archers. This was risky, wasn't it? What if there was anyone who didn't know us here, Ramza! We'd be filled with arrows and burned to a crisp before we could say 'actually, he lives here'! Consider your surroundings before committing to something, okay?!

"-There!" He let out a long breath, smiling brightly. "Come in. Welcome to Eagrose."

I squeezed past him through the gate, looking around idly. Large hedges filled with flowers lined a walkway towards the wooden castle doors, with statues of men and women who I assumed were previous Beoulves standing in various positions along the way. As our band walked forward, the door slowly creaked open, and a man with orange hair and a beard began making our way towards us. He wore a dark robe, with fine gold lining, and at his belt rested a sword. He smiled broadly as we approached, holding a glass of wine in his hand.

"Ramza," he said, in a voice that was rough and posh. An aristocrat to the core was the thought I had upon seeing him. "So the conquering hero returns, does he?"

"Brother!" Ramza said with a bow, dipping his head low. "I come bearing a gift for you."

Caim kicked the brigand forward, and the man staggered to his knees as he glared hatefully up at Dycedarg Beoulve. The man looked at him with calm eyes, before a small smile came to his face and he looked at Ramza with approval.

"I see I was right to put you in charge of this," he said as he put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Your results are coming even faster than I expected, Ramza."

"It was not me alone, Lord Brother," Ramza said, his eyes flicking towards me. I had been standing in the back, being as unassuming as possible. With my short height, it was easy for me to fade into the background; especially when surrounded by people with such presence. "Without the aid of our squadron-"

"Aye, your squadron is quite impressive," Dycedarg said before taking a step back. "I've heard tales of their prowess on the battlefield."

His eyes zeroed onto me, and I stared back with a resolute gaze. As he looked, guards approached, grabbing the prisoner and dragging him away. The man screeched something awful; loud and pleading noises of mercy that he wouldn't receive. It was to be expected, naturally - even the most minor member of a black company would end up tarnished and damned once his company's crimes were uncovered. This was the problem with criminal behavior in general - it would always come back to bite you.

"And I suppose the commander that you've been attempting to surpass is here as well?" He said, looking me in the eye. It felt like his gaze bored into my soul, and I tried to show my best side, standing straight and meeting his eyes with my own. "I've seen reports of her… intriguing, ways of engaging in combat."

"Aye." Ramza replied as he glanced at me with confusion. "Degurechaff has been a great aid to me. If you had ten of her Lord Brother-"

He's talking me up! He's talking me up! I could almost sing, I was so pleased! This was it, wasn't it?! This was the interview I had been so desperately hoping for since the moment I'd entered the academy! I knew that nepotism would work out in my favor! From rags to riches, Being X, that's what I'll be able to do here! Your devious attempts to pull me from the path to comfort will never succeed - I'll be able to secure my safety in under fifteen minutes now! I'd interviewed many people desperate for work before, so this interview should be a breeze; even if he was someone from the parent company, that's even better - while the Order of the Northern Sky is nice and all, isn't it better to be working for the person who owns the Order, instead of the order itself?! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and Ramza just threw it into my lap!

Having friends in high places did pay off. My safe and comfortable advisory position, I can already feel it solidifying.

"A single prodigy does not change the fate of the country, Ramza," Dycedarg replied, never taking his eyes off mine. "What could Miss Degurechaff offer to me, that I would ever need?"

It wasn't a question for Ramza. It was a question for me. This was the interview, where I had to show my best side and minimize my faults so that way I could secure my future.

"Consider, Miss Degurechaff," he said, beckoning me forward, and I followed. He walked towards one of the statues, examining it. It was a woman, holding a spear and a sword, her eyes gazing upwards. On her shoulder was an eagle, and a banner flowed from the tip of her spear, bearing the Beoulve house of arms. "The Romandan Knot."

The Romandan Knot was a classic tale of Ivalice. Many years ago, Romanda and Fovoham were trapped in a vicious set of conflicts, waging minor skirmishes and battles across the Rhana strait for many years. The issue was, however, that both nations had set up small towns on either side; neither could advance without the risk of crushing innocents in the midst of their battles. Most of the war was fought on ships and over open seas; hence the knot of dozens of lines of ships, dragging out the conflict for months.

It was my favorite. Could you imagine how peaceful such a conflict would be? I hoped and prayed that if war broke out and I was forced into battle, I would participate in such a long-staged series of battles. The Romandan Knot lasted six months, with neither side making any advances or retreating in any way, before both ended up quietly giving up.

"What of it?"

We continued walking, further and further away from the rest. I looked back, and Ramza gave me an encouraging smile, before turning away as Amelie grabbed his arm, dragging him from his spot towards something that I couldn't see. Dycedarg continued walking, stopping at another statue, this one of a man holding an axe.

"How would you shorten the conflict?"

Shorten it? I had ideas to lengthen it, but shorten? I paused for a moment, thinking seriously. Naturally, it was important to always put your best foot forward, especially in the midst of an interview. Rhana Strait was fairly large in size - it had to be, to fit so many ships. The solution had to exist, I just had to uncover it.

"By how long should it be shortened?"

He arched an eyebrow at me, and I flushed. No more questions then. This was already going fairly smoothly, I didn't want to ruin it. He was interested, as opposed to offended. While there was a limit to what an introduction to such a high-level superior could offer, I'd heard what Zalbaag had said. I wasn't stupid. Ramza had been talking about me to his family. I'd thought him an idiot, but he'd been profiling me, and sending those reports to his family. I'd already passed the pre-interview, this was just the finishing touches.

How to shorten it? I attacked the problem like I attacked any problem a superior gave me when I was working as an HR manager; by looking at it from their point of view. The issue with the Romandan Knot was that it had taken much of Fovoham's forces away from the skirmishes breaking out near their borders, as this had been during the unification period. Fovoham had bent the knee far too easily for an independent state, and that was assuredly because they couldn't afford to put the men they needed there due to the Romandan Knot.

"It's simple, isn't it?" I said eventually, staring at the axe. "There's an easy solution to cut the knot in half."

"Oh?"

"Yes," I looked at Dycedarg with a brilliant smile. "A small unit could cross the strait with ease. Two black mages, one summoner - perhaps an arithmetician. Once there, they would simply burn the town to the ground. Without the benefit of supplies, the Romandan forces would withdraw."

Kufufu, aren't I such an impressive subordinate, Dycedarg? I can see in your eyes that you approve of my plan, as any rational person would. While the loss of civilian lives would be a tragedy, it would be an acceptable tragedy - in a time of war, one must first focus on their own nation before caring for the population of others. With the unification war breaking out on their borders, Fovoham would not be able to ignore it for long because of something as pesky as nobility. For the glory of the nation - especially a medieval one, where things like 'war crimes' or more of an afterthought then something that people care for - you must be willing to take any action, at any cost.

"That," Dycedarg said, with an approving nod, "Is the conclusion that I came to as well. Miss Degurechaff…"

He looked me in the eye, taking a sip of his wine. The winds were quiet here, like a whisper in the back of my ears, and the marble statues glinted as the sun began to drop in the sky.

"How would you care to be my voice when you graduate?"

I kneeled before him. Ramza had opened the door, but I'd passed this interview with flying colors.

"My Lord, it would be an honor."

xxx

For those waiting for Tanya to interact with others, it is here! I was mainly having her interact with Delita/Ramza because I know people dislike OCs, and I kind of had to fill the list of 'generics', for lack of a better word. I hope that you guys enjoy Tanya and Ramza's generics, as most of them are lifted directly from my various FFT playthroughs, with minor edits to their names. I'm sorry, Dirk Hardpecks, but you are no longer a tiamat that breathes death down on my enemies. Semiramis could not make it either, much to my dismay.

I hope you enjoyed the words! Happy holidays, everyone!