Chapter 58:

Tales from the Winter Wonderland Part 3:

Wine and Dine

The arena was thick with the smell of blood. The floor is covered in smears of dried ones as well. Apparently the cleaners never bothered to clean it up, or they've tried but eventually the stain just stuck on the account of so much blood that has been spilled on it over the years.

On one corner was Mistress Cheng, proudly standing next to her Champion. On the other, to her and everyone's surprise, was Hikari… and her fighter is none other than Salamandine herself.

But ultimately, Cheng had expected this. The other guy she had requested was practically a corpse already. Even the Medical God Himself would not be able to heal him. 'So now she desperately resorted to the only fighter available.' And then, Cheng saw something else that piqued her interest: Hikari just made ready a syringe containing a liquid. 'Hah… all her supposed disdain on doping and she ended up using some herself. Well, that's just fine. With all the talk of how amazing her medical skill is, I'm really curious to what kind of doping she can concoct.'

She turned to see the preparation of her own Champion for now. "Well?"

"His body had adapted well to the drug… but adding twice as thick of a solution at this stage will break-"

"I don't care." Cheng smirked cruelly. "Just make sure he breaks her before the drug break him. Then we can send her pretty head to her dying brother. That will probably speed up that man's journey to the grave. And… that special thing… is it ready?"

"Of course."

"Good."

"Both fighters at the ready!" The Referee announced the starting point of the deathmatch. Both fighters faced each other with their manager at the background.

"Before we begin, milady Hikari, is it too much to ask for you to not interfere this time?"

"That would be too much indeed." Hikari had no intention to play by the rules at all. "But… if I do interfere, your fighter are free to attack me too. I assume that's what you would've wanted."

"Ohohoho…"

"-assuming your fighter can even get through the first round."

Cheng's laughter was cut short. The armored doctor just crossed her arms in silence. She was that arrogant… or confident. Cheng didn't like this at all. She quickly whispered to her fighter about something. And the fighter grinned menacingly at Salamandine.

The cheer girls and the referee backed away to clear the arena for the two warriors on their imminent deathmatch. And the cage was closed, locking them both inside. Once the cage is locked…

DING! The bell was rung…

And in an instant, multiple things happened all at once: Salamandine moved with all the speed her trained legs can give her and landed a punch on Cheng's Champion's neck. But at the same time, said fighter had also landed a punch on her stomach. Salamandine's punch to his neck seem to have caused the fighter to burst out a spray of spit allover her face, while his punch sent her flying anyway.

Salamandine landed and bounced several times until she slammed against the cage bars and landed with a very painful stomach. She vomited several times but quickly fought the pain and recovered. And she smiled. "We won, Daifu."

Everyone gawked.

Stuck on Cheng's fighter's neck was the syringe that Hikari had handed to Sala. Cheng was quite surprised as well. It never crossed her mind the drug was not meant to be used on self. "What the…"

The content of syringe had long since been injected into the fighter's system on impact… and the effect was immediate. The fighter screamed and yelled as his veins bulged uncontrollably and his muscles are spasming in an uncontrollable fashion. He starts vomiting pungent smelling fluid unto the floor as he rolled down in obvious pain. When the horror that tormented his body was over, what lies in the center of the arena is an emancipated man, skin over abnormally elongated bones, barely alive, much less fight.

"W… What did you do!?" Cheng was beyond furious. "You cheater! Did you poison my Champion!?"

"Cheater? Bless me no. Didn't we all agree that it is not a man vs man match? It's a drug match! It's not the human that are being tested here, it's the drug." Lacus felt no guilt at all. "So I just took a more… literal interpretation to what it entails."

"What did you put into him!?"

"Just an antiserum to your doping."

Mistress Cheng heard and understands what she just said… but still having a hard time believing something so absurd is actually a thing. "A… A-An antiserum!?"

"Your drug destroys the user as much as the victim. Your fighters left bits and pieces of himself on his mangled opponent: fingernails, skin scrape, even coagulated blood and bone shards. And they're loaded with your drug. So I was able to extract ample samples from them for analysis. Once I figured out the ingredients, creating an antiserum is hardly an issue."

"Hardly… an issue…!?" Cheng was speechless. Did she not understand just how absurd the thing she just did!? It took Cheng 10 years… 10 years of ceaseless work and painstaking experiment to perfect this formula in a state of the art lab… and she figured out an anti serum in less than 15 minutes… in a lounge!?

Cheng's knees buckled down in horror. Her life's work, undone just like that. She heard the Destroyer Doctor was a medical genius but… this is just… "…Kill…" She whispered.

Hikari heard that barely audible whisper under her breath and sighed, fully expecting it'll come to this in the end.

"KILL THEM ALL!"

But as soon as that order came from her lips… the walls around the underground casino exploded from every direction. The room was momentarily thrown into chaos as chunks of walls were blasted off to the sky and new gaping holes were exposed. From these massive openings, scores of troopers poured in. The armed thugs who tried to resist were quickly gunned down on the spot. Leading them was none other than Kilik, with Kaguya at his side, looking all too pleased with herself. "Thanks for buying us time to break in, sister!"

"Glad to be of service." Hikari nodded.

"By authority of General Rena Imelia, you are all under arrest!" Kilik declared, and an array of Gatling Guns at his side forced everyone to reconsider any idea of resisting arrest.

The soldiers began the process of cuffing their now captive prisoners and brought them into their cages. "This is interesting. This place is very well built." Kaguya observed this massive hall. A lot of work went into making this space, not to mention the tunnel network. "I encourage you to not damage it too much. This could be very useful."

"Indeed." Kilik agreed wholeheartedly. "More interesting still is how you were able to locate their secret entrances so easily, Miss Kaguya?"

"Eh, I'm a sucker for this kind of stuff. Plus… those entrances were poorly hid."

"Agghh!"

Everyone was quickly drawn to that cry of pain. It was from Salamandine who immediately collapsed on her knees. At first, Hikari thought it was the injury she received on her stomach… but then, her ears caught something completely different. Her heartbeat was elevated, blood rushing to her head… she was flustered, sweaty and wracked in terrible fever. This is more than just a horrible bruise on her stomach. Hikari immediately thought of the spray that barraged her face… "This is…"

"Oho… OHOHOHhohohoooo!" Cheng laughed in triumph. "You used poison in the fight, so I returned the favor!"

Kaguya frowned. "What did you do, bitch!?"

"A poison of my own creation. When a woman inhaled it… she will be wrecked in a terrible arousal. The only way for her to be cured is for her carnal desire to be satisfied. Otherwise, it'll continue to worsen until her veins burst open and she dies a very painful death."

Kaguya had just met this bitch for less than five minutes and she hates her to the bone already. "And you put that muck inside her for… what!?"

"Ohoohohohoo! What a show it would've been, won't it!?"

"Okay, somebody, get this bitch on a torture rack and keep at it until she tell us what the antidote is."

"Ohohoho… torture all you like, there's no cure… it was still experimental after all. Ohohohoho! Now… either one of you fine gentleman satisfy that girls' unbridled lust… or watch her veins explode a few minutes from now…! Ohohohoho!"

"Why… this wretched harlot…" Kilik growled. "What can we do, lady Kaguya?"

Kaguya maybe angry… but she's far from distressed. "Nothing."

"Eh?"

"Nothing. Just watch the master work." She jerked a thumb… to Hikari, who already extracted a sample of Sala's blood with a syringe, and without any hesitation, injected it into herself right through her neck.

Salamandine's discipline as the head of the imperial guard was the only reason she hadn't abased herself right then and there to slake this lust, but the urge is starting to overwhelm her… she felt so much heat hazing her mind that it eclipsed even the pain that gnawed her every nerves. This is torture beyond belief… so she was horrified when the doctor fearlessly injected the venom that had visited such agony upon her into herself. 'D… Daifu… Hikari… Daifu… no…"

Lacus jerked as her body was wracked with the sensation of this new venom into her system… so much so that she fell on her knees. But… to compare this little thing… against the monster she already have inside her… it's like an adorable kitten really. Normally, when she ingested new poison, her chimeric poison will immediately devour it… but for a brief moment… there was that window of a few minutes, when her body generated an antibody specific to that poison, before her miasma devoured it and made it all useless. What she's about to do… is much faster but infinitely more dangerous compared to that time she transferred some of her diluted blood to a thousand poisoned soldiers. She wished she can prepare a safer procedure, but there's no time.

She unmasked her mouthguard and bit her lips so that a drop of her still red blood flowed out. In moments that blood will turn pink, so she needs to be quick. "This will sting a little."

And Lacus planted her blood laced lips to Sala's.

Salamandine gasped in shock when she felt the doctor's petite warm lips on her own. Droplets of her warm blood slither past her teeth into her mouth, along with some of the doctor's own oral fluid. The bloody kiss lasted for a few seconds before the doctor quickly back away, leaving her flustered with the warmth of her lips still remained on hers.

"But what comes next… more so. Don't lose, Salamandine-san." Hikari gave her final caution as she hastily placed her mouthguard back on. And as promised, Salamandine jerked in sudden spasms when her body was engulfed with more pain than she ever felt her whole life. Salamandine's discipline had prevented her from debasing herself from that accursed aphrodisiac poison, but now, this pain was beyond what her discipline can handle, and so she had to scream out loud.

Salamandine's screams lasted for another solid five minutes with Hikari at her side, before she finally stopped. And to everyone disbelief, she actually get back up on her feet. "Haa… haa… ohh… my throat…"

"That was fast. (koff)" Hikari shrugged. "The pain shouldn't have receded this early. (koff)"

"Ahahaha… it's… f… fine… I… I'm actually still in a lot a pain… but this was nothing compared to when it started…" One, actual silver lining to this pain is that… at least this time, there's no mind numbing lust that tried to force her to lose her dignity and virtue. Just… pain. A lot of pain. In fact, this pain helped her cleansed the impure lust torturing her senses. That, she can live with. Salamandine managed to get back up on her two feet long enough for Cheng to see how she had failed to succeed even in this petty blow.

"No… NO! THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE! THERE'S NO ANTIDOTE FOR THAT POISON!"

"There's a very rare flower… deep in the Tibetan mountains. (koff)" Hikari replied. "It was a poisonous flower with a very unique and insidious quality. (Koff) Oxytocin, Dopamine, and Serotonin. (Koff) These are the happy hormones produced in your body when you fell in love or feel attraction, and then, in woman, there's estrogen which increase lust and drive. (koff) This flower contains a toxin that will react with those three happy hormones which then produces a dangerous neurotoxin that cause unbelievable pain, as well as forcing the brain to keep producing estrogen, which then amplify lust, which amplify the production of the happy hormone… and then on and on it'll went in a vicious cycle until death. (koff)"

Cheng didn't even understand half the things Hikari is spouting. But what she said next really felt like a giant slap in her face.

"Tibetan Loveflake. That was the name of the flower you used as the main ingredient of this poison. (Koff) A lovely name… for such an insidiously cruel plant. (Koff) It's a flower so poisonous, no animal would eat it… except one: an equally rare snake who made it her primary diet. (Koff) The Tibetan White Jade snake. (koff) the snake itself is extremely poisonous, but it's the snake's venom that one must extract to neutralize the Loveflake poison. (koff) So you see… it's not a cure per se. (koff) It's fighting a poison with a… slightly stronger poison. (koff)"

"Are you saying you had the venom of such rare snake in your keeping-"

"I've already developed immunity to its venom a long time ago. (Koff) So I can just reproduce the poison in my own body at will. (koff)" Lacus sighed. "Of course, you added a lot more stuff into that muck, so I had to sample some of the actual poison to develop the proper anti venom for those too."

Cheng collapsed in utter disbelief. She could barely hear anything else the masked doctor said at that point because she was too broken to care. Her pride as the top student of Mistress Hound, the ultimate Authority of Chinese Medicine, was in shambles. Her lifetime achievement, all the blood and sweat she had spilled were as nothing but air next to this… thing. "W… Who… WHAT are you…!?"

"I'm Hikari." Lacus shrugged. "…Just a passing by toxicologist, surgery specialist, and very pacifist doctor."

It bears reminding that unlike Kira who was forced to use a codename he did not earn, Lacus status as Kage's official counterpart is NOT fake. After her absolute failure in saving Noir, Lacus returned back to her studies of Medic Nin with newfound humility, renewed fervor, and twice the insanity and/or intensity – much to her other teachers' horror. Apart from the monster virus she had accidentally given birth to in her veins, she managed to stuff her head… with an encyclopedic knowledge of almost every poison, venom, and toxin known and unknown to man, both from this world and even from the other side… as well as the antidote to almost all of them. This had more than earned her the bragging rights as the greatest medic nin the Ninja academy had ever produced – a right she never used, which is why the name Lacus or Hikari had never been heard echoing very loudly in the global medical community, both in upper and underworld.

Salamandine gave the broken woman a fuck you smile… before her legs gave up and she fell, right into Hikari's arms. "What did I say? (koff)"

"My apologies…" A flustered Salamandine can only bob her head down in Hikari's bosom.

And she was not the only patient in need of medical care. The Troopers found piles and piles of people, dead or worse, all thrown into the room. Many showed deformity in their bodies. The victims of Cheng's monstrous drug testing.

"…sigh… I need to take care of them too. (Koff)"

"I don't see how…"

"Don't talk back to me on what I can and cannot do, Kilik-san. (Koff) Now, be a gent and take these poor souls to an infirmary and do try to stabilize them. (koff) I'll look after them ASAP. (koff)"

Kilik chuckled and now respectfully saluted her. "Yes ma'am." Now he understands why his sister trusts her this much. She's eccentric… but her dedication as a lifesaver is genuine and exemplary. "Alright, men. You heard her. Get to it!"

Apart from the A-holes who had gambled with people's lives for entertainment, more important still are the victims of the arena themselves. Some were being carried in a gurney, most were stuffed in bodybags… but quite a few of them had to be dragged away in chains. It's like watching a freak show: some of them are twice the height of normal men, some had scales on parts of their body. Some was… far from stable. "Alright… easy now…" One of them… was shivering… like a bomb that was about to explode…

"Wait… wait… I think we should sedate this guy! Get the tranquilizer kit!" Too late, the shivering fighter suddenly snapped out of his chains with sheer brute force and slapped a trooper, sending him flying to a wall. The now berserk fighter starts roaring and hitting everything in sight.

"TAKE HIM DOWN!" One of the panicked troopers yelled, and many start taking aim at the berserk prisoner.

"Wait! (koff) Don't shoot! (Koff) I have some tranq-" Before Hikari can finish, the berserker is already right in front of her nose. The fist that landed on her chest knocked the air out of her lungs and the elbow landed on her face, sending a shock into her brain.

Before she blacked out, she can hear Salamandine and Kaguya calling her over the hail of gunshots…

But when she finally blacked out… the memory of her past flashes in her mind…

00000008years earlier0000000

For one week, the newly established Clyne Plaza was closed off to non personnel. The sound of construction echoed from within so everyone know there's something big being constructed. Construction is a fact of life in a big city. In Aprillus, not a day goes by where there's no sound from at least half a dozen construction projects happening at the same time, and they could last for weeks, months… even years. But… this is Februarius. This is the Gateway City, the land of magic and wonders. In here, constructions can be completed in a blink of an eye, with a swing of a wand. What could these people be making that it'll take them THAT long to finish?

0000000

One night… in the forest…

"I think you should get some rest." Lacus argued back. "Ever since this whole thing began you worked hard. Really hard. I don't think adults worked half as hard as you. You hardly sleep either! I know! I haven't hugged you for days… I can barely sleep without doing that now…"

"Miss. Clyne, you have issues." Noir sighed. "…and I'm coming with you to the forest. I need to see these… beings you talk of."

Lacus nodded. At the very least, she knows that Noir is not the kind of person who would burn forest or sorts… but… "The beings in that forest Bert-kyun… they have no love for human… or… any other race, other than their own. Not because they're arrogant or egoistic or anything… but because… well, for them, the whole world is their enemy."

"Yet here we are, doing all this."

"They tolerate me. I've been raised among them ever since I was a babe."

"…I see." Noir and Lacus are currently walking briskly in the forest, just the two of them, venturing into the deepest part of the forest, the part where even the children are forbidden to come. "Milady… I… I feel like I owe you an apology. I realized I overstep my boundaries, and you were already kind enough to give me a place to stay…" A part of Noir was worried he might've publically humiliated Lacus with his findings.

"If anything, Lord Noir… I'm mortified. Not by you. But by myself. I'm a doctor. How am I not noticing this happening in my face until you point it out…!?"

"With respect. Milady, you're a locale. One of many who, for as long as you've been alive, you've been taught. Taught that magic in Februarius is normal. That all these wondrous things are the work of magic, and that is the norm here. Me? I'm an outsider. Even worse, I'm a Judge. Nothing here makes sense to me. That's why I keep asking myself this question: why did this happen, how did it make sense?"

"I've been taught… to never accept things at its face value. I'll tell you a secret, when I began my training as a Judge, Lord Ray Yuki whispered the secret of thinking like a Judge. There are two ways of thinking, and you need to master one before you master the other. The first, is thinking on how things SHOULD be. You see chaos, and you're expected to make some sense on how it became like that, and how it should've been in the bigger picture of things. Once you've mastered this, then, and only then, will you be allowed to think on how things COULD be. I've been… very good at seeing things on how it should be… not sure about how it could though. I see this country and I see… chaos. Nothing make sense… at least to me, it doesn't. I still… don't know if I should be doing this or not…"

"What are you saying?"

"…what I'm doing… is bringing a piece, JUST a piece of the Order I knew into this chaos… but… your people… you… did something amazing here. You lived in this chaos, you accepted it. You became a part of it. This chaos is your normal. This… change… I don't think I'm wise enough to see where it would lead to."

Lacus immediately understood. Up ahead is an uncharted territory. And this is a great change they're facing. And change… to quote a certain stuck up woman… is painful. So he was afraid… Lacus felt strangely relieved. "So even Judges can feel doubt every now and then."

"Hey… I'm just a human. An 8 year old human!"

"Arara! Tee-hee! So am I! It'll be fine." Lacus stopped and grasped Noir's one hand reassuringly. "You're right. My people… had grown too used to the abnormal… we forget we're still living in this one world… same as everyone else. It was high time we get this wake up call." Lacus gave him her most heart warming smile yet. She can't see how he reacted from his helmet, but she can feel his anxiety seem lessened, judging by his fingers gets firmer. "Come on. Just a little further."

They finally arrived at a giant tree. Bigger and vastly older than any other tree in this forest. This is the one area that Lacus banned everyone from entering.

And there, Lacus knelt down, and Bert followed suit. They remained so for quite a while… and then…

The place began to rumble as a loud grumbling reverberated from the trees around them. Branches and trunks began to shook, and no leaf fell from it.

Brarummm… brarraraaararrrr…

Accompanying that sound, a pair of holes popped out of the tree bark. At first, anyone can easily mistook it for some tree holes… but then pupils focused in those holes. They're eyes. And bushes of leaves conveniently placed around the bark formed eyebrows and beards made of leaves and even mushroom patches, ultimately creating an elderly face on the bark of the said ancient tree.

Once the face are clearly discernable, Lacus immediately knelt on her knees. Likewise, and Noir mimicked her. They are in a presence of a being that has been here long before the humans came.

And the face began to speak. But no word came out. At least, no word that Noir can understand. It is a mixture of grumbling and groaning like trees creaking and branches rustling. But there's a pattern of a language in there.

"Lord Pinebeard bids you a warm welcome, Bert-kyun." Lacus chortled. She understood their language. The language of the Treant folk, she called them. As been mentioned before, the forest behind the orphanage was no ordinary forest. It is a very old forest hailing from the other side, a place which has been the home of Dryads and Treants: Forest spirits and tree herders. Ancient, living sentient trees that had been living and guarding this forest since time immemorial. The oldest most powerful of them was known as the Ent. Emphasis on the word guarding: if you do something they don't like in their forest without permission, it won't end well. But… if they approve of you…

A few apples fell right on Bert's lap. They're ripe and sweet. "I thank you for your welcome, Lord Pinebeard."

The Ent let out an approving grumble. Only then did Lacus stood up, followed by Bert. "Okay then. Let's get started. On our first issue…"

And Lacus start explaining the reason for their visit in Entish. They need lumber to supply the furniture they promised to the patrons of the new park. They need more lumber to construct the restaurant they're planning to build. Lacus said they can ill afford to buy wood from the local lumberjack, so Lacus propose they get the wood from this forest instead. Just like how they get their free veggies and mushrooms.

But taking veggies, fruits and mushroom is one thing. Taking lumber is quite another. When the forest is inhabited with sentient trees, taking wood from them is tantamount to… in a human perspective… murdering somebody and mutilating their bodies. And that, no matter what race you came from, is still a crime.

That is… if one does so without permission. Which in this unique circumstances, they're trying to get.

Not too long ago, Lacus had made the same request once. The wood procured from this forest was then used to build that magical cabin which the orphans are living on right now. But this time the amount required was significantly greater than the last time. Even Lacus wasn't sure if this request will go through. Once she finished her appeal, the Ent was silent for quite a while. Perhaps in contemplation. But after a very long period of inactivity, the Ent began to speak again in his rumbling tongue. Once he was finished, Lacus breaks into smile. "Many thanks, Lord Pinebeard." She turned to Bert. "Lord Pinebeard had given us permission to chop down a group of old trees east from here. In return, for every one tree we chop they want us to plant two more acorns – and make sure they grow into saplings. Piece of cake, I had the seeds. That's more than enough to get us going!"

"I see… Our gratitude, Lord Pinebeard." Noir humbly knelt in gratitude. "…and now… to the next matter. This one is a bit more complicated, so I'll have to do the talking in my language. Lady Clyne… I will have to trouble you for translating it."

"No problem."

Noir remained on his knees. "My Lord… it has come to my attention… that several days ago, you and your kin had… captured, not killed, a trespasser who had attempted arson."

As soon as this escaped his lips, the giant sentient tree let loose a loud horrid rumbling. The wind blows so strongly, it felt like razor sharp knife slicing across their skin. The rustling of leaves grew violent and menacing. Noir didn't need Lacus translation to know that the ancient being was cursing. Lacus didn't translate a word, but she winced. The vocabulary used was so profane even she could not find the word to describe it.

"Yeah… you are understandably furious. May… I ask… what do you intend to do with this man?"

The tree rumbled and Lacus spoke: "The Human trespasser seeketh to torch mine people. For his ill intent, a limb has been claimed. For his sin will he suffer eternal, with regret and pain will he serve as nourishment to mine children to the end of his days."

"He's still alive then?" Bert nodded. "My Lord… I understand your fury. And yes, if anybody tried to torch my home, I would be pissed too. But I implore you. Please, if he's still alive, return him to my people. Release him and I promise you he will face justice for his crime, by the laws of his people."

The tree rumbled loudly again, voicing his displeasure. "The law of man means nothing to us. The laws of man protect man only. The law of man written atop the crushed corpses of mine people cares little for tiny acorns and pollens of root and stem."

That would be the reference to how paper is essentially made from wood pulp. From the point of view of these trees, humanity is not only a race of mass murderers, but also barbarous desecrators of their kin's dead bodies. "Be that as it may; he was not the mastermind of this crime, he was but a pawn to a greater power. He's just following orders. I do understand it is your right - but even if you kill him, it'll change nothing. The one who sent him here will simply send another, and another, and another… You can kill a hundred people like him and you'll barely slow them down. They will not come like us polite and humble. No. They will come without a shred of respect to take whatever they want without care or thought spared of giving something back."

Pinebeard replied: "Perfectly have thou described the barbaric nature of thine own kind. Hacking and burning. Destroyers and usurpers. Curse them!" The tree rumbling continued to a flat tone. "Exception exists. Princess Clyne had long been a friend and ally. And thou… Speak with much wisdom, act with proper respect, thou hast. Share that wisdom to thine's future generation. In words and conduct, thou had proven thyself a potential ally of the tree folk."

"I am deeply honored, my lord. But with regret, I must say, even your praise will not dissuade me from my intent. I must insist, that you return this poor soul to my care."

The tree rumbled and cracked, and then, strands of roots erupted from the ground, and they can see that man. The brawler that Guinevere had sent to start a fire in the forest. From the look of things, he seems to have lost an arm. Roots and vines coiled around his body, and his skin was incredibly pale. He's not dead. That much is a given with his chest rising and falling… but he is dying. "Why dost this sinner means so much to thee? Was he a kin? An accomplice? Brother in friendship?"

"None of the above. Point in fact I had absolutely no idea who that is. However… no matter who he is, or what he's done… everyone deserve their dues."

"A kin he was not. Neither was he accomplice nor friend. Yet, so insistent are thee in his release. So… why?"

"Because that is what's right. Not just for me or him, but also for you. Humanity had lived in this land by your good graces. Sometimes, human had taken things for granted, and we forget that we are being allowed to exist this long by the blessing you have given us." Noir sighed. "Human does that. All the time. We get comfortable with power and we forget that power was not earned. And then, they start to abuse it. Thinking they can get away with it. And at times… they did. But that's not the point. I know. I'm saying this as someone who had abused his authority."

The tree rumbled. Lacus detect something resembling a startled shock. She motioned Noir to continue.

"I… tried to kill someone. Someone like him. Someone who, by all accounts of every law, men or nature, is guilty. By every right, the world would be better off if he had died. That's what I think… when I tried to kill him." Noir closed his eyes. "…I was consumed by rage at that time. I even felt justified. That man was trying to commit murder. And he wasn't even doing it because it'll help him in some way… but simply to gratify his own emotion."

"But… now that I'm calm and I think it over… I realized something… I was disgusted. The very thought that the idea of killing had crossed my mind disgust me to no end. It disgust me because… I realized… I've sullied myself by lowering myself to their level. They resort to murder to satisfy their ego. Likewise, I too, seeks the same spiritual gratification by resorting to the same thing… My duty was supposed to only think on their level and pre-empt them… I took it too far… and I… I had become them. I had become the very thing I hate the most: a murderous cowardly trash. It was revolting."

Lacus bit her lips in nervousness. The emotion laced on every word… the disgust was genuine.

"I know you're angry. And above all else… you think humans are revolting creatures. You couldn't be more right. I have seen their revolting nature every day. But that's even more reason for you not to kill this man." Noir kept kneeling the whole time. "You kill him… and that just prove a point. His point. You just gave them a reason to hate and fear you. You want to be different? You want to show us you're the better species? Do it. Prove it. Don't become like us. Spare him… Prove you're better. Set an example on how living things should've treated each other."

The tree was silent for a long while. And then there were rumblings and rustling among the trees. Unlike before, Lacus stayed silent. "They are deliberating. They are really considering what you say, Lord Noir."

After a long while that seem to last forever…

The rumbling asked: "What is thy name? - oh!" Lacus break translation for a moment. "Umm… Bert-san? Umm… Lord Pinebread asked your name… your REAL name. I… I think he wants you to swear an oath in your name. I know you're under sworn oath and all that but…"

"He wants me to be honest. I swore an oath that no man or woman will ever hear it from me. But…" Noir gave Lord Pinebeard a look.

Lacus nodded. That oath doesn't apply to a non human. So the only conscious human in vicinity must now turn around, took a few steps back and look away whilst completely plugging her ears with her finger. She gave Bert a thumb up – before she plugged her ears again.

"…my real name is-"

She can hear his lips are moving up and down shortly, but that's it. It seems his name was short. Too short that Lacus can't make out what word was spoken. It doesn't look like a normal European name often used in Zaft. Asian perhaps?

Silence once again reigned for a good long while… and then…

The Bouncer was spat out from the cage of roots and was dropped right in front of Noir's feet. Lacus diagnosis was right, the man was missing an arm. Lacus immediately moved to action and came to the man's care. The stump where his arm used to be had been completely sealed off by some kind of dirt like substance… a natural made salve that stabilizes the wound, perhaps? In any rate, the man is not in danger, but he now requires immediate human medical attention. Why… he's actually conscious right now. Considering the fact he's missing an arm and was made into nutrients for plants… the guy had some tough constitution.

"A leeway is made in thine's honor." The tree rumbled again. "By the oath sworn in thy name, the sinner is spared. But should the sinner return with vengeance-"

"You can kill him. Assuming I didn't kill him myself first, no-kill-oath be damned."

Satisfied, the Ent closed his eyes, and soon, he reverted back to the form of an unassuming old tree. After giving the great tree their one last bow, the two children depart with the 'rescued' man in tow. Noir used the power of his suit to carry the larger man with but one wing. The man was swinging between consciousness, but he was able to barely talk: "T… Thank you…"

"Don't thank me." Noir snapped. "What's your name?"

"M… Mars… Mars Simeon."

"Mr. Simeon, I just swore an oath in my name that you will pay for your crime. Your punishment isn't over, it just began. And so help me, if you so much as to bring a matchstick to this forest, I'll make you wish the Treants had never let you go."

And Mars Simeon merely tucked his head down in resignation.

Behind them, Lacus watched all this with a barely containable sense of astonishment and awe. Lacus smiled. "Say… Master Noir… is there something you want?"

"What?"

"You've done so much for us. Is there anything we can do for you? To repay this debt?"

"You can take off m-"

"Anything but taking off that doll suit." Lacus' smile remained unchanged by the way.

"…hm-damnit-mm. I… I'm not sure. I have all that I need… I have food, I have clothes, I have roof over my head… If I just keep asking, it won't end."

"I didn't say something you need… Don't lie to me. I know there's actually something you want." Truth be told… Lacus already had a good guess. "You know what? I think I kinda figured you out now. You don't like being given things for free. No. But you have no problem if you earn it. Well, fine. I won't give you a free thing… I'll give you the chance… you just have to earn it."

And for the first time ever, Noir was genuinely interested on what Lacus will offer him. "…and I suppose you won't tell me what you had in mind until this is over?"

"You'll see tomorrow morning. It's late."

"Ah… true enough…" The Starfall cabin is already in sight… But Lacus's mischievous offer kept him awake with questions – ranging from the logical to the outlandish… mostly outlandish, this is Lacus. So much so that when Lacus came to his room as usual, with mum's the word… even her cute snoring was not enough to put him to sleep.

0000000

The one week closure of the new Plaza ended faster than one expects… and for some, it's like a lifetime had passed… and finally, the Clyne Plaza was open for business.

A whole army of hungry customers came charging, starving for that pie that had so captivated them… but when they entered the park… they stopped.

As soon as they stepped into the plaza, they suddenly felt something… different. The snow is still falling, but the road is now clean with the snow shoved away, and braziers were lit along the clean roads, where many stalls and shops had been set… the snow is falling but the weather is warm… no more than usual in Februarius… but… there's something different about this warmth, many visitors would later comment as much. And the shops… the stalls… they sell food… but… something about them is different. Was it the smell? Why… it was heavenly. The look? Yes. It looked… plain. But very enticing. VERY. Enticing. They smell the same thing every day in the previous plaza… or is it?

But then, their grumbling stomach forced them to stop thinking. For now, let's go get what they came here for. Hufflepuff Pie Emporium stood as the centerpiece of this park. It is now a three story full blown restaurant. With tables and chairs… and there waiting at the entrance, was Madame Hufflepuff herself in all her plump glory, and one stall at the side of the entrance to her new and improved shop, with their respective murderous owners throwing daggers at each other with their glaring eyes…

Wait… what?

For the second time the crowd paused. There's one mini stall on one side of the entrance to the Pie Emporium. It was a stall sharing two names. Half is written: Bert's Tasty Omelet, and on the other half, Clyne's Wonder Omelette. And its two owners stand at the ready… Lacus Clyne, the beloved princess and owner of this park… and the other, her supposedly new best friend… the legendary Judge Noir in his most unique of garb… with all the murderous fury and wrath of arch enemies at each other's throat jumping inbetween them.

The tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife, that even for a brief moment, the potential customers had all but forgotten their hungry stomachs… But then… grumbling, grumbling… and the smell of freshly baked pie fills the air… and they all just come charging through the door, past the murderous tension. It wasn't long before the restaurant was filled past capacity, causing a long queue to form way outside the door… and that was when the purpose of this unique mini omelet stall was revealed.

"To those of you who are willing to wait, please sample the Omelet from this stall." Fayt cheerfully declared to the hungry customers. "They're only 2 sickle per two piece."

"Oh…? Not apiece?"

"You'll get to enjoy… two types of omelet in one plate. One will be made by Lady Lacus, the other by Mr. Bert. I damn well guarantee you, it's to die for. Madame Hufflepuff gave them her approval."

The issue… isn't with the food though… it's the owners. They're looking at each other as if they're about to tear one another to pieces. They don't know about Bert, but this is Lacus Clyne, Februarius Princess of Peace herself! What happened that the most saintlike woman in Februarius is filled with this unbridled rage?

Finally, one man walked to Fayt to have this question answered. "Leingod?"

"Warden Gryffindor! Nice to see you! How can I help you?"

"Lord Slytherin had been informed of what you guys are trying to do. And he sent me here to keep the peace. So… What is going on with those two?"

"Well…" Fayt don't know where to start…

It happened a few days ago during the one week preparation…

Lacus wanted to give Noir his special reward… and indeed, she came up with the best idea she ever had.

"You liked to cook, don't you Lord Noir?" Lacus stated. "Well… here's an idea! Madame Hufflepuff, how about if you teach him how to cook?"

"Why… I would be honored to do so… but…" Madame Hufflepuff gestured at Bert, whose expression looked like he was frowning instead of rejoicing.

"This is your good idea?" Noir tilted his head. Although deep down… his heartbeat just elevated in delight. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not? You have a very discerning tongue… and don't think I haven't noticed the number of times you're eyeballing the kitchen… Madame Hufflepuff's kitchen! Of all things! Princes and Nobles would probably kill for the honor, you know that!"

"They had, as a matter of fact." He had a file for the cases.

"…Seriously?" Lacus and Helga jawdropped.

Noir tucked his head down in defeat. She got him. This is by far, the best reward she could give him. "But… liking to cook… is not the same as being able to cook."

"Oh?"

"And I'm not talking about my disabilities… nay…" Bert tilted his head to the side. "The last time I cooked, I got stomachache!"

"Well… we should remedy that, right, Madame Hufflepuff?"

"Of course! Of course, I would be honored to aid-" Helga stopped when she noticed Lacus shook her head as she swing her finger side to side in a big no no. "Non, non. Madame. Don't help him. TEACH him. Don't spare him the rod and show no mercy. He expects none."

"Oh?"

"Make him earn it. Don't treat him like a fat cat snob, treat him like a greenhorn intern. An inexperienced neophyte who wishes to apply to your restaurant. Set your standards as high as you can: Point out where he's wrong, punish him where he's weak, push him way past his limits if you must… The target is nothing short of beyond perfection. This is Judge Noir. He's not trained to accept niceties or freebies. He's only happy when he's unhappy."

"Are you sure?" Helga looked at Bert.

"I hate to admit it…" Noir shrugged. "But this girl really knows me." If Lacus' grin gets any wider, it'll split her face in two.

Helga looked one more time to Lacus who smiled in encouragement. And she finally nodded. "In that case… Master… non, Apprenti Noir… I would like you to… make me an omelette."

"Omelet, Madame?"

"Oui. Omelette." Madame Hufflepuff stated firmly. "When an aspirant came to my bistro, I always test them to first make me an omelette. Because in an omelet I can see a person. And that's what I want you to make. Not just any omelet, I want an omelet that says… c'est moi sur un plat: this is me on a plate."

"Omelet…" Noir sighed… "Omelet huh…"

"I'll help you break the eggs."

At first, Lacus snuggled happily to Bert as she helped him make his omelet. She helped by acting as his hand, breaking the eggs and preparing the utensils. Even Helga thought it was cute and let the couple have at it. Of course, Lacus must follow his instructions to the letter. It's his recipe, after all. Everything was fine up until the whisking of the eggs.

"You've done this before?"

"Of course. My father sees to it that my sister and I must at least learn the basics right. But I particularly enjoyed cooking, so I thought I'll just do it all the way and became Madame's official apprentie. So of course I went through this same test as well." Lacus smiled. "They say Madame Hufflepuff can see a person's talent by having just one bite of an omelet they make. She never takes more than one… though she finished off mine. She must've been hungry back then."

"I see…" The egg yolk is whisked evenly now. "Now… this is where traditionally you add Salt and pepper… but we're not gonna do that."

"Oh! Me neither! At this point, I added some maple syrup, slices of strawberyy, honey, and sugar into the egg. And then serve it with cream."

"WHAT!?"

"What?" Lacus looked at the appalled Kigurumi Bird.

"Maple syrup!? Strawberry, Honey, and sugar!? Into an Omelet!? And then cream!? What were you thinking!?"

"Then… how would you prepare it?"

"Well…" When Lacus heard the recipe, she was absolutely livid. "Are you MAD!? Who on earth would want to eat THAT!?"

"More consumable than YOUR sweety mess!"

"How could you say that!? You've never even tried it!"

"Not that I ever will, even with a crossbow on my head!"

"What is this ruckus!?" Finally Madame Hufflepuff came in only to see the two supposedly couple materials are now on each other's throat.

"Madame, I think you should help him… or don't… that recipe is an abomination! I'm going to cook him some real omelet! Right now!" Lacus had never been this furious since that time her sister made fun of her haros. She quickly started on her own omelet.

Helga herself never thought Lacus can blow a fuse like that. "What is your recipe, Apprenti Noir?" And Noir explained, and the plump woman can definitely see why Lacus would find it terrifying. "This is your recipe?"

"It's based on an old dish I've made for… someone. It was a failure then… and I've fixed it… at least, I think I did… but… let's just try it. If you don't like it you're free to spit it out."

"Okay…" Hufflepuff never heard of this recipe either. First, add like… a few pinches of red pepper into the egg, then a home blend of garam masala, then a pinch of salt… After that, pour a bowl, not just a handful, the whole bowl of chives into the egg and mix it… and then, several teaspoon of fresh red chili pepper slices and one teaspoonful of dried red chili flakes. And finally, a glass of cream milk… and then straight into the hot pan. Once the egg is halfway cooked, add some sliced onions, and then cook it through before flipping it.

The end result is a red and green omelet. But it has multiple chili flakes and onion sticking out of the egg surface. The senior chef looked at it with interest. This is Noir on a plate. Not the most beautiful, but it's all about the taste. Helga took one bite… and she was immediately brought to tears.

"Madame?" Noir panicked a bit… until he saw Helga's smile.

"Mon dieu…" She took a second bite, and another… She's not judging anymore, she was relishing every bite in tears of joy. "Incroyable. Sharp and gentle, hot and cool, all at the same time in harmony. Do you have any idea how long chefs trained before they can produce a flavor THIS complex? Incroyable!" She knew he had discerning tongue… but heavens… this is a gift from God. She'd never thought she'd see another talent like Lacus in a single lifetime. "Why in the world did Lord Ray Yuki made you into a Judge, my dear?" With this tongue, she could be seeing a new Royal Kitchen head chef in the making.

"Hm." Noir looked solemnly at his food being savored with much delight. "I see… so it was that good. Thank goodness."

"Ah… I see the problem here." Hufflepuff smiled. "The one thing your food lacks: arrogance."

"What?"

"A chef must lead. You can't serve something you don't know will taste good to the customer. You have to know that it's good by heart. Because of course, you can't serve a half eaten food to the customer. That's a Chef's confidence, bordering on arrogance: that I know I can consistently make a perfectly good food that no one had ever tasted before. And I don't need to taste it to know it's good."

"Ah… that is… true." Bert tilted his head to the side. Helga can somehow imagine the Judge with a child like expression who just understands something for the first time. No. For the moment, this is not a Judge. This is just a flesh and blood human unsure of what to do in the face of something new.

"Okay! My omelet is ready! ~! What is that monstrosity!?" Lacus came with her dark orange Maple omelet – served with generous topping of cream. She froze at the sight of her counterpart's omelet – already one bite away from empty plate. But in her eyes, that's the visage of terror with bits of chilly and onion sticking out on the surface like deathspikes. Likewise, Bert's expression paled in abject terror at that white covered orange glob this silly sweet tooth called food.

"Seriously…? Did you really feed Madame Hufflepuff that… thing…!?"

"W… why don't you two try each other's dish? Maybe you'll find some insight?"

Bert and Lacus looked at Helga and then each other. Well… normally, even with a blade to their throat, they'd never do it. But out of respect of Madame Hufflepuff…

As soon as the two tasted a bite of each other's offering… It took everything in their power not to spat it back out.

"I'm seriously questioning the sanity of anyone who comes up with this shit." Noir balked and tried not to vomit inside his suit.

Lacus had just recovered after dunking an entire pint of milk to drown this horrifying spice in her tongue. "What is that!? A new breed of poison!?"

And, so in the house of Starfall, a fight of the ages between an unstoppable force and an immovable object has begun.

And now…

"Thus we get that rare situation, where neither are willing to compromise and things got worse… they finally decided to let the customers be the judge."

"I see." But Godric immediately see the problem is not about the quality of the food. It's their uncharacteristically intense bloodlust. He had a feeling if the customer chooses either; the other will kill them for it. "Why do I feel like I'm in a deathmatch here?"

"Because it is exactly that. The winner will have the excuse to kill the other. Don't worry, they won't kill you if you do not favor them, they hate each other too much. I know." Because of course the first test subjects/collateral damage to their competitions are the children of Starfall Orphanage… Everyone spent a good half of the week eating nothing but Omelet. The only thing unnerving to Fayt, is that Noir was so angry at Lacus' taste palate, so eager to beat her in her own game, it took him only a day to master the way to cook his omelet even with his one hand handicap. Madame Helga train them both to improve upon their respective recipe, but their rage produced an unheard level of concentration that progressed their training at a rate even Helga admit as more frightening than extraordinary. By the time the opening day is upon them, the omelet they made had reached the speed and quality far surpassing even professionals.

Alas, Helga didn't have the time to teach Noir anything else, which he consider fine. "You have bigger concern than teaching a one armed cripple and a sweet toothed airhead." "Hey!" So they now choose Omelet as the medium of their match.

"We only asked that…" Fayt gulped. "…you take at least a bite from each offerings… and put the empty plate of one you think is best on their respective bins."

"In that case…" Godric step forth. "Please. Allow me a taste."

"Coming up!" The two chefs ceremoniously declared and get to work. The rule is thus: each chef will cook one egg into an omelet. So the customer will get two mini one egg omelets, one egg per chef. The customer will then taste it, and dump the empty plate on the empty box on whichever side they think is tastier.

Godric then watched an amazing spectacle. Lacus merely wave her hand and cooking utensils, ingredients, and the eggs flew around to the air in a surreal cooking process. The egg were beaten, spiced and mixed with other ingredients in a flowing beautiful pattern in the air. On the other side, Bert's cooking is less showy. He cracked the egg, season it, and then cook it in a pan… it was rather plain… until Godric noticed another thing: he's using only one hand to do everything. Lacus gave special compensation by unlatching his right glove, allowing his actual strong right hand to use a heavy cast iron skillet so skillfully, he was able to flip and fold the omelet into a perfect half moon shape.

"Here you go." And the two halves of the omelet were placed on the plate at the exact same time, yet another amazing feat, especially if one factors the complete opposite in the recipe and cooking process. It has a nice contrasting color: one half is green and red, the other is deep orange.

"How very interesting." Godric took a bite first from Lacus' omelet… and he blinked. "…umm… so mellow… so sweet… layers upon layers of the egg literally melts in my mouth…" it's like he's buoyed into a trance until he sank into an ocean of warm milk. Then he took a bite out of Noir's omelet… And his eyes widened. "Oh my god! So many flavors exploding in my mouth… this is… this is novel!" In contrast, Godric felt he just got KOd in a single blow of this striking spicy flavor, only to be splashed awake by a wave of eye opening scrumptiousness. In a blink of an eye, Godric had finished the two omelets. Now he was left the tense duty of… judging. "Hmm…"

He dumped the plate on Noir's side. He looked apologetically at Lacus. "My pardon, milady… I… I like savory food more. Sorry!" He immediately duck and cover beneath the bin.

"Hm." Lacus only nodded. "Well, that's one for you Bert." As promised, no one died.

"Any other takers?" Bert cheerfully offered. "We got plenty for everyone!"

Encouraged by Godric's delight (and survival), the other onlookers began to line up to sample this interesting cuisine. Many dumped their plate on Lacus, but just as many dumped on Noir. The taste of the food definitely outweigh the tension between its two warring chefs… in fact, the customers found out the tension was gone when the two chefs are busy with their cooking. And their food was so good indeed, the order came flooding in, neither had the time to be upset with each other, whatever the result will be.

The format was interesting enough, the fact the result is as delightful is simply a big bonus. It drew more attention to the Emporium… Small wonder that a giant crowd flocked into the center of the plaza just to watch them duking it out… and this is where another treat came into play.

A wave of savory fragrance flowed into the crowd. Every customer waiting was soon caught in the aroma… that's when they realized… Helga Hufflepuff Emporium and the Warring Chefs Omelet Stall is not the only food joint in this plaza. There are other restaurants, other food stalls in here that serve equally fragrant and delicious food. And the savory smell of their delicacies had wafted over to here, at the center of this plaza.

"We served the best Spaghetti, Ravioli, Fettuccine, Macaroni, anything pasta. You can name it we can make it!" "Would you like some Cubano, Po Boy, Media Noche! Definitely authentic Cuban food!" "How bout some beer to go with these warm pretzel!?"

So enticed, the crowd finally began to disperse to the direction of whichever aromas that tickled their fancy. And they found their expectations to be rewarded. Clyne Plaza isn't just Hufflepuff Pies. There are 30 or so restaurant in this plaza… not one of them is inferior to Hufflepuff.

Amidst the process of cooking his omelet, Noir looked at the dispersing crowd and smiled in triumph. "It worked."

"I still can't believe you were able to come up with a city plan that take into account something as detailed as an urban canyon." Lacus raised an eyebrow. Noir's input designed the buildings and stalls in the Plaza in such a way, it creates airflow current across the buildings that congregate right on the spot where Hufflepuff Emporium stands. That way, the fragrance from other stalls gets carried by the wind into the waiting customers, thereby promoting other restaurants.

"Nah… I just had an experience stopping a city planner turned terrorist dirty bomber…"

"In times like this I don't know if you're joking or not."

"Right back at you."

Lacus ceased for one second at that statement. She just realized this was the first time in her life that she actually said those words instead of the usual the other way around. But then she quickly gets back to work, this time trying to hide this smile gracing her face. She had no idea she would be having this much fun.

The combination of their theatrics and Hufflepuff's tasty pies proof an irresistible lure for a constant stream of customers. There are those who simply enjoy the two kids bickering in a friendly (some say lovely) manner, or just enjoy the taste of the great food. Why, in fact, one of the customers made an interesting discovery.

"Eat the two omelets together. Believe it or not, they actually taste way better that way!"

"Are you sure?" The customer tried it, and was pleasantly surprised. The two opposing taste ultimately enhance each other's flavor, elevating the final flavor way above the sum of its parts. "You're right. But how come the two cooks are at each other's throat like that?"

"I don't think they've realized what they've made. Anyway… let's not talk about this… not to their faces anyway."

And so it was. With the food being this good, customers are aplenty and the business, all businesses, thrives.

Everything was going very well during the morning cour of this first day. As far as Hufflepuff's pies goes, they managed to recover their losses from the earlier plaza fiasco… they did double their price given the new dine in setting. Customer didn't mind actually. As for the Omelet battle…

"I've counted this three times already." Fayt scratched his head in stress. "…it's even steven."

Draw. That's the end result of the first Lacus Vs. Noir omelet match. Both contestants, exhausted and sweat stained, glared at their pile of empty plates, obviously straining and thinking…

But everybody knows what rolls in their minds. They're also counting if there's one extra plate that they missed. But their maths are better than Fayt, so their calculation had less room for error. And it grudgingly confirms Fayt's verdict. It's even.

"We'll finish this tomorrow morning."

"Agreed."

"BWhaa…at!?" Everyone blinked. "You're not gonna open on afternoon?"

"I need to go and inspect the other restaurants. See if they have problem with our standards. Lunch hour is peak time. Omelet is not lunch material."

"…and I need to check up on Sophie. All this restaurant business is really playing havoc with my real job."

Fayt looked like he wanted to punch himself stupid for almost forgetting the most important thing. He almost said he wanted to come… but then he shook his head. "I'll stay here and help out. Please…"

Lacus nodded. "Don't worry. Just leave it to me." Lacus felt bad herself. She was too preoccupied with Noir, she almost forgot the one who needed her help the most.

"Sophie?" Before long, she's already at the door of the patient. She pushed the door open… only to find an empty room. "Oh? Sophie?"

"Yes?" The girl appeared right behind her, catching her by surprise.

"Oh. Where were you?"

"Just picking up a drink." Sophie smiled, trying to hide the fact her breath was paced.

"I could've just brought it for you." Lacus easily noticed that. "You're so sweaty! You should rest!"

"Now, now. If I don't move every now and then, these muscles will get even stiffer." Sophie chuckled. "Besides, your guest of honor was in much worse condition than I am, yet he's easily the busiest person in the house. Even busier than you."

"And Februarius was supposed to be a vacation island." Lacus gestured Sophie to lie down as usual as she checked her vitals. "Talk about an acute case of workaholic…"

"I pity his future wife."

"What!? Wife!?" Lacus spluttered. In these times, it is not uncommon for noble children to be engaged to a spouse at a very young age. "…well… I guess… he must've had a life beyond that mask… Wait… how did you know he had a wife!?" She looked at Sophie… only to find the girl's face puffed red.

"…sorry… the look of panic on your face is just…"

A very red Lacus grabbed the nearest pillow and pummeled her face with it.

"Ahahah… you're just adorable, Lacus-chan!" Sophie laughed through all the pain feathery pillow can inflict on her. "But seriously… it's baffling. What he's doing. And he was only 8? Is this what it means to be the apprentice of a Knightmaster?"

But Lacus was far from impressed. "If this is his handiwork, I'm NOT impressed. I mean… do you know why he's here? He's here because he almost killed someone. I was there. For one brief moment, I don't see a child. I see a dyed in the wool monster. Seriously, how much danger, how much darkness he was exposed to at daily basis that he became like that!?" Lacus looked as angry as she is distressed. She had heard the Knightmaster was desperate to find a successor, but seriously!?

"Isn't that precisely why he sent him here, then? So that he can catch a break for goodness sake. I mean… at least now he's busying himself trying to beat you in a cooking match instead of solving murders and crimes. I'd say that's progress."

"Hrmmph…" Sophie's right, of course. This is a hundred times better for the poor overworked Judge. But personally, Lacus is still on the fence. Because for the diminutive Judge, it's still not having fun… it's about doing his job.

But… it's largely also because she just found out his idea of good cooking is in her opposite end of the spectrum.

It was around then her ears suddenly caught a weird noise. The sound of small fluttering and flapping… not bird wings… it's smaller, more random. Sheets of paper unfurling. And there are a lot of them. Hundreds. Thousands. Falling from the sky.

"Sophie, lie down for a moment. I need to check on something."

"Alright."

When Lacus walked out of the cabin, as expected, amidst the snow falling, sheets of paper rained down from the sky, concentrated particularly around the plaza area. When Lacus stepped out, Fayt had already caught one and was reading it… with a furious expression. "Can you believe this nonsense!?"

"…what is it?" Lacus asked with a frown, and Fayt handed her the leaflet.

BOY NEARLY DIED FROM POISONED FOOD, COURTESY OF A JUDGE

Such it was written, in big bold letters.

Fayt looked furiously at the sky, hoping to catch sight of whomever responsible for this… to no avail. Lacus also surmised as much. There's too much noise in the sky, too many traffic. Whoever did this is long gone regardless.

The leaflet showered the entirety of not just the plaza, but the whole city as well. People cannot walk in the street and not having at least one of this leaflet to fell upon their heads. That includes Bert's and Godric's heads.

"This… This must be slander. Master Noir, let us find the perpetrator to this absurdity-"

"Leave it be. It's no big deal." Noir calmly read the leaflet, hardly affected. "Besides, can't catch a perp when he only spreads the truth."

"But… But, if people sees this-"

"It's not 'IF' anymore Sir Gryffindor. They already know. They didn't mention a name, but anyone with half a brain can easily put it together. Besides, it's inevitable. People will find out, sooner or later."

"Then… what should we do?"

"Focus, Sir Gryffindor. My reputation is the least of our concern right now."

0000000

But the effect was quite clear to see on the very next day.

The crowd that had queued for Lacus and Bert's omelet stall today was reduced to less than a quarter of yesterday's length. Many of them, understandably, were quite bewildered that the Judge in question still had the gall to continue cooking as if nothing happened.

"If those stares can drill holes…" Even through the discomfort, Lacus can still maintain her cooking process. "And you're okay with this?"

"That's not the problem, is it?" Noir shrugged. "I can't pretend it didn't happen. But we also needed the money. I'd like to remind you that we do this not just because you had a tomfoolery idea about fine cooking that needs fixing-" Lacus slapped him lightly. "-but because we charged for our omelet, and the money goes to help settle Madame Hufflepuff's debts. Every little cent counts."

"Of course."

"Don't get too worked up over it. That's what they wanted. You forgot your honey."

"Oh!" Lacus was rather upset over the incident, she did forgot to add her ingredient into the mix. Wait. Why and how did HE, of all people, remind her of her own recipe!?

"I need to calculate the timing of my cooking process to match yours." As if reading her mind, Noir replied. "So of course I had to memorize your recipe. Disgusting as it was."

Another slap, more friendly this time. "Here you go, enjoy!" Two mini omelets slide in perfectly into the ready plate.

The customer walked a distance a bit, and eats it… but when he returned to dump his plate, Lacus barked angrily. "STOP!"

"Eh?"

"You cheated!" Lacus growled. She made a gesture, and one of her Haro, Miss Pink bobbed up and down to where the customer was standing and when she returned, she spit out Noir's untouched omelet.

Upon seeing the proof, Lacus glared even angrier at the said customer. It was Salazar Slytherin, of all people. "The rules are quite clear, Master Slytherin! You have to taste each of the offering before you had the right to vote."

"My apologies, Milady… but how exactly am I supposed to taste anything this man made after that!?"

"You don't know that was Lord Noir-!"

"It was me." Noir just went and spilled nonchalantly, much to Lacus' consternation. "What? Even if I can lie, I'm not interested in doing it. I jammed a boy allergic to peanut with a mouthful of Peanut Butter Sandwich. With the express purpose of killing him. There. I confess. Happy?"

Salazar twitched in obvious terror.

Noir chuckled in response. "Why are you so afraid?"

"Why am I not supposed to be afraid!?"

"Why? Why, because I thought this country had the three laws: Don't lie, don't steal, don't kill. And you said it so yourself, it's foolproof, no? So… if that's true… I can't kill you even if I want to."

"Master Noir, you're not helping!" Lacus slapped Noir again. But he just ignored it and start undoing his apron and turn off his stove. "Master Noir? What are you doing?"

"The solution to their worries. I have become the problem. And if my being here gets in the way, then it is better that I leave."

"If you're not going to cook, then neither will I." To make her point, Lacus threw away her apron as well. "There's no point in doing this, if you're not there to watch me beat you."

"Oi. Look who's talking! Did you forget why we do this!?"

"I don't." And still Lacus turned off her stove. "Half of our customers liked your food better than mine. That means half of them will be sorely disappointed if all they get was mine. Giving them half the stuff is as bad as not giving them anything. We'll lose what little trust we have left, and it could affect Hufflepuff Emporium as well. The appeal of this stall is both of our omelets, together. Take out one is taking down the other. And I can't cook your omelet. Even if I had memorized your recipe. Our dishes are way too different. I can't…" Lacus gasped. "…I can't do this without you."

Bert didn't say anything and was stunned in silence. But he then glumly shook his head as a final verdict, and Lacus understands. She was right that they are a package… but forcing it to continue with half a product is counterproductive.

Sadly, that day, the Warring Chef Omelet Stall had to be closed down for good.

The two children were still in the process of dismantling the stall when a pair of gaunt and stern looking men came before them. "Yes?"

"Judge Noir?" The men briefly saluted. "We're Health Inspector from the Februarius Health department. May we have a word?"

There's only one reason a pair of Health Inspector would come to a plaza full of restaurants. "One after another. Come with me. We'll talk inside. Lady Clyne, can you-?"

"Don't worry. Go." Lacus waved her hands and the pieces of the stall were magically dismantled plank by plank on its own. As she did this, her ears kept track over what was said between the inspectors and the Judge in a room inside the Emporium.

"We're here-"

"-Because someone reported a health concern in the restaurant. I'm not gonna tell you that there isn't a problem, because there is. You both are Health inspectors, and now, I'm asking you to inspect."

"But, Sir, we've been commissioned by the mayor-"

"I will talk to your mayor later, and I will now raise you, the Supreme Judge of the High Court. You work for me now. Capish!?"

"Y… Yes sir."

"Good. As I've mentioned, I need you two to inspect. Now I imagine you've been told to inspect the Emporium. By all means. Do so. In fact, I'd like you to do more than that. This plaza is host to over 30 or so restaurants, all of them are using an experimental method of food provision. I want you to inspect them all: the food, the services, the cleanliness, every aspect that make a good restaurant and the employees that deal with them. Look around… and report back to me."

Lacus can just about imagine the Inspectors' blank expressions when they came for one job… and the Judge shoved a mountainload more to their faces. Most likely it was only then they were reminded the disparity of their ranks: Inspector Vs. Judge is like an Emerald Knight Vs. Hakutenkun.

Finally, as a closure, she caught a not so subtle whisper under their breaths: "We're supposed to be on vacation…" "Shouldn't have taken that bribe…"

"What was that!?" Apparently, Noir caught it too.

"NOTHING!" "WE'LL BE ON OUR WAY!"

And the two inspectors ran away in terror, like so many that had come before.

Noir chased them briefly only so that he can shout: "DON'T FORGET! I WANT THAT REPORT ON MY DESK THIS EVENING!"

Lacus merely raised her eyebrows in amusement at the poor, poor inspectors, sobbing as they go about their newly appointed task. After this vacation, they'll need vacation. "What do you suppose she'll send to us next?" There's little wonder on who's responsible for all this.

"Nah. Nothing good. Nothing we can't handle."

"How do you suppose she found out about you?"

"Aprillus is a big city, filled with secret gossiping with no secret. Whatever whispered there can easily echo across the other 10 continents and then beyond. The trick is filtering which is which."

"That being said!" Lacus and Noir jerked. That was from a distinctly angry looking Helga Hufflepuff coming at them with a glare that froze them on their spot as she approaches with each stomp seemingly shook the earth. "Did I hear what I heard correctly!? You used food… to try and kill someone!?"

When someone as kind hearted as Helga Hufflepuff got this mad, one knows one had messed up big. Somehow, Noir just instinctively get on a seiza position and apologetically lowered his head. Instinctively, Lacus felt compelled to do the same. Even when sitting on his knees, the Bert suit still towers over the pudgy woman, but her anger seem to have dwarfed him to pipsqueak size. "I'm incensed as is that Lord Ray Yuki completely disregards your exceptional tongue. And now are you telling me he's teaching his student to use food as murder weapon!?"

"No… he did not." Helga's angry voice was truly horrifying that even Noir's usual voice sound childish by comparison. "That was me."

Helga glared angrily at the apologetic Bert. A pudgy woman angrily berating a Judge in a giant bird suit (and a princess) does make a funny scene… until one remember that this is the same Bird of Terror who had a habit of sending ruthless lawyers and hardnosed inspectors run away in soiled pants and glassy eyes. This is a Judge who almost killed a boy with a peanut sandwich, for god's sake.

And he's tucking his head down like a terrified kid in front of this angry fat lady.

Well. Now they know the ranking of power in this hierarchy.

"…I'm not going to pretend to understand what you've went through, Master Noir." Helga sighed in a much lower but firm voice. "However, as you will now become my apprentice… as the one who will enter this world… it is imperative that you understand the rules. Chief among them… and the most ironclad of all… food… is something meant to sustain life, NOT take them. Using them in a manner you did… is a blasphemy at the very least. In my judgment book, that already disqualifies you as someone fit to provide food for others."

"I… understand."

"Cooks are, like doctors, provide sustenance to people who entrust them with their lives. It is deadly easy for us to put in something that can do more harm than good to a person that eats them… but NOT doing that is the pride and honor of cooks. Your honor has been stained by this act. So your punishment is the fact that you'll have to live with that stigma for the rest of your life. The only way you can start to repent for this… is thus. You will swear me this: come hell or high water, you will never again use food, or any aspect that pertains to it, as weapon of murder. The day you do it again… is the day you will hang the knife… this time for good."

"…Yes. I swear it." Bert – Noir – Kira swore an oath that would bind him for life: "The day I break this oath… is the day I will never use these hands to cook ever again. In fact, I might just as well lose it."

"Hm. That will suffice for now." Helga nodded. And everyone can sense her anger had abated. "So… for now, let's do this."

"Heh?"

Helga handed Noir a list of restaurants. Point in fact, it's the aforementioned 30+ restaurants in this plaza.

"Master Noir… I want you… no… Your task is to sample every item in every menu in every one of these restaurants."

Ding.

"…what?" Noir struggled to clean up his ears. Did he hear that right? "One more time please?"

"I'll say it again: I want you now to start visiting each and every one of these 30 restaurants, and you will eat: EVERY. SINGLE. ITEM. ON. THEIR. MENU."

"…are you trying to blow my stomach open!?"

"No. This is training." Helga crossed her arms. "My aunt, God rest her soul, always tell me this: training to be cook is composed of three phases: The Technical Phase, the Fat phase, and the Thin phase."

Ding! Ding!

"Huh?"

"The technical phase is the most important bit: it's where you learn the basics: The art of fire and Knife handling. As we all know, that phase is a bit difficult for you at the moment. Thankfully, the Fat Phase can move concurrently with or without the Technical Phase."

"Uh… what is Fat Phase?"

"Fat Phase is exactly that: it's the part where you get fat."

"…I'm not sure I'm going to like that…?"

"Oh, you will. In the Fat Phase you have one mission: EAT!" The word "MISSION: EAT" exploded behind Helga's back like the 20th century movie branded on Noir's knocked out brain. "You have the sense to create good taste, make no mistake. But they lack depth, just as you lack experience. If you truly aspire to be a cook, you must experience all manner of taste: good ones, bad ones, mediocre ones. That's why, your first mission will be to taste every food in every menu in every restaurant in this plaza! Appetizer, Salad, Soup, Entrée, Meat Dish, Fish dish, drink… and yes, even the thing you hate: dessert!" Helga added. "And that was just the start. In time, I will have you sample all manner of dishes throughout this entire continent if you have to."

"But if I do that… I'll…"

"-get fat. Now you know why it's called the Fat Phase."

Noir's eyebrows won't stop twitching. The worst part about this is those three massive big bold words:

Task. Training. MISSION.

DING. DING… MEGA DING!

No longer was he allowed to say no. "…alright… but… uh…, please remind me of it because I need to make my report to Lord Yuki later. I'll see if I can bill the expense to him."

"I'll go with you." Lacus smirked mischievously. "As your senior, I've been through this before. I'll help you get by the menu!"

"Now! On you go!"

"Yes ma'am."

Mission: Eat

START!

0000000

That evening report, Ray was initially confused when unusual faces welcomed him.

"Hello? This is most unexpected. But welcome. Where's Noir?" Ray Yuki asked to the two who contacted him from the other side: Lacus and Helga.

"He's… unavailable." Lacus stated. "He sent us to report to you in his stead, and he apologizes for his… breach of protocol. He… will report personally to you at his earliest convenience, but for now, I'm afraid he cannot make it."

"I see… that is… uncharacteristic of him… but as long as he reports back to me next week, I'll let it slide."

"Lord Yuki… may I ask you something?" Helga timidly raised a hand.

"Yes?"

"Is it against the rules if I'm to make Master Noir my apprentice cook?"

Ray's answer came in a blink of an eye as he lowered his head in gratitude. "Madame… you've just done this country a GREAT service. Bless you." He was on the verge of crying tears of joy!

"Oh my…?" Helga was caught off guard at Ray's heartfelt gratitude. "So you knew that boy had the gift?"

"He did?" Ray chuckled. "Why… that's even better! I know that child found a taste in cooking. That he had the gift for it is good. Yes. Very good indeed."

"…and you did not think to nurture that?" Helga raised an eyebrow. "Instead you rob him of childhood and made him incapable of living a normal life?"

Ray winced as he looked… at what he now realized are a pair of very upset faces. He knew those faces well. Lenore made that same face just the other day when she's hurling spears and insult his way. "Ah. I see. You're right. I did not look in the child for the talent in the culinary arts… in part, because I have no eye in that department either. If he wishes to nurture this gift… he has my blessing. But I fear I'm the least qualified person to help him. And… his other rolemodel… the person who introduced him to this path… isn't exactly the kind of cook I'd wish he'd become." With Helga taking Kira under her wing, the possibility of the Second Coming of 'Lenore the Catastrophic Cook of Disaster Street' may yet be averted.

"Does that role model… or you… taught him to use food as a murder weapon?"

"Oh, Heavens no. No on hers or my life. No." Ray understand completely why Helga Hufflepuff, the proud former Head chef of the Imperial Kitchen would be furious. She had had a kitchen staff kicked out and excommunicated for less. "If you're expecting me to apologize for what I've done to my best and brightest… don't hold your breath." Ray is still smiling. "One does not ask to be a Judge. One get asked. And I asked. But I did not force him to. In hindsight, he didn't have much choice… but he chose to learn at my side, to be what he is now, for close to 3 years. He never wavered, not even when his body was broken beyond hope. So I repaid his conviction by giving him the 'strength' in form of the wisdom and knowledge he now wield in service of the law. That he exceeded my expectations in every way is… the just reward of his studious effort. You are right though. I taught him how to fight in a war, I forgot to teach him how to live off it. And… I never can. I neither had the time or the ability to do so. So… if you need of anything… any expenses you may require… you need only ask, and I will be more than happy to provide."

Lacus was sorely tempted to ask the Knightmaster for aid of their financial straits… but no. That's too big of a name to be pushed into what is essentially a little quarrel. A Knightmaster squandering his own coffer for something like this will set a bad precedent. "We're grateful for your care of Lord Noir… but that does not cleanse you of your guilt."

"I know." Ray's face was laden with regret, but his smile remain firm and light as he looked at the two woman who cared so much for his student's wellbeing. "They say a Hakutenkun shouldn't beg… well, I say horseshit to that, but still…" Ray Yuki lowered his head as low as he can. "I beg of you… please… save him."

Lacus and Helga were a bit taken back at the humble gesture from someone who greatly outranked them. They've heard that Ray Yuki is a Hakutenkun unlike any other. Now they began to see why someone like Noir would be so loyal to him. "We will." Lacus nodded.

When Ray Yuki raised his head again, his expression was very light and relaxed, as do the atmosphere. Like someone whose weight had been lightened by a great deal. "By the way… what EXACTLY happened to Noir? His injury isn't acting up I trust?" At this Helga simply raised an eyebrow and gave Lacus the stare. Ray raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" The Princess is involved. "So… What did he do?"

"It's less on what he did and more on what I let him do…"

"O~okay?"

A little earlier…

Mission: Eat.

START!

First Restaurant: Meatball Spaghetti, Seafood Spaghetti, Neapolitan Spaghetti, Aglio Olio Spaghetti, fried prawn fettucine, macaroni and cheese, lasagna, pizza super supreme, margarita, garlic bread, risotto…

"Are you (burp) are you quite sure I should be eating all of this!?"

Second Restaurant: Mapo Tofu, Ebi Chilli, Fried Noodle, braised pork, sweet and sour pork, crispy roast pork, shark fin soup, dumplings, siumai, meat buns, La Mien…

"What did Madame Helga said?" Lacus chortled. "Eat every food in every menu in every restaurant! Now come on! Eat everything down to the very last crumb! NOM! NOM! NOM!"

Third restaurant: Beef Steak, Chicken Steak, Surf and turf, Turf and turf, Surf and surf, Salmon steak, Ribeye steak, fried chicken steak, steak burger, beef wellington, salmon wellington…

"…" Well… orders are orders…

Fourth Restaurant: Yorkshire pudding, Donut, Pancake, Waffle, nausea, vomit, and faint.

"When I said every food in every menu in every restaurant… I DIDN'T MEAN HE HAD TO DO IT ALL IN ONE DAY!" This time Helga furiously berated a kneeling and remorseful Lacus right after she dragged home an overstuffed, practically comatose, vomit drowned, and several pounds heavier Noir in a gurney. He followed Helga's instructions so earnestly, Lacus didn't even think of putting a stop to it when it defied all gastronomical common sense. Actually, it was on purpose. Seeing that now Noir will be FORCED to eat a LOT, she think it'll be a good chance for him to supply himself with plenty amount of animal protein and nutrients. The kind his body severely needs. She kinda overdid it though…

"He's still alive…" Fayt checked on this ballooned up bird. In fact, he noticed him gesturing him to come closer so that he can whisper something… Which he then relay to Lacus: "He said: 'when I get over it, I'll kill you'."

"Ahahahahaha…" Lacus sweatdropped as she laughed nervously.

0000000

When the transmission ended on that note, the Knightmaster was left both conflicted and amused.

"What's the matter?" Eileen asked.

"…I don't know whether I'm supposed to be worried or happy." Ray scratched his head. "The good news is, one of my best and brightest finally turned into an airhead."

"That's good? And the bad?"

"One of my best and brightest finally turned into an airhead." He repeated.

"..." Yep. Eileen can definitely see the confusion.

0000000

Later that evening, the Inspectors did return to an awake enough (but still bed ridden) Noir to submit their formal report that nothing is out of order and standards are being kept. They cried rivers when, for their reward, Noir handed them the official letter from nothing less than the Knightmaster Ray Yuki himself, officially signing them under Noir. In perpetuity and until further notice.

"Now, now, it's not that bad." Noir tried to allay their horror. "Your expenses and food will be paid for you. You'll go around restaurants sampling all their food… for free. Sounds like a dream job to me."

Somehow, everyone can imagine Noir smiling like a devil behind that cartoonish bird face. Because they know, that he knows, that perk can't even begin to compensate the burden this job will do to them. Actually, considering his condition, he realized well enough it's not a perk. The two lean Inspectors looked like they'll wither away into nothing just imagining the days of slow and agonizing thankless work ahead of them.

And after that, they of course, had to make one last report to the actual boss who's been waiting for them. Unfortunately they have nothing good to report. Nothing that will please her, that is.

"If you think because there's a murdering Judge in there, and they'll have leeway, think again. It's the opposite actually."

"That Judge watched over everything like a hawk with a horsewhip on its talons. That Emporium is actually under the most scrutiny compared to other restaurant, just because the Judge was there, personally."

So basically, they're useless now. Guinevere concluded as she angrily sent them away – to their next assignment, with no less harsh of a taskmaster.

"Well… that's just fine." Another voice sounded from the other side of the room. "Besides, you've taken the next step already, haven't you?"

"Naturally."

In Starfall orphanage, that next step is already being read by its residents.

"You've got to be joking." Fayt gritted his teeth. "The nerve of them!"

"Well… we should've expected this to happen, sooner or later." Lacus scratched her head.

"They're asking for an open war." Noir sighed exasperatedly. "And it's not like we can just say no."

In his hand, was the application that Guinevere had formally submitted, requesting to open a restaurant in Clyne Plaza.

Exactly 100 feet away on the opposite side of the Emporium.

Fayt was sorely tempted to rip the Application form to pieces, but eventually, he had to let Noir stamp his approval on it.

0000000

The next day…

"AGAIN, MADEMOISELLE CLYNE!? AGAIN!?" Helga angry glare welcomed Lacus when she, once again, had to drag an unconscious Noir on a gurney on her way home after their latest foray into another restaurant ended up in yet another disastrous end.

"Wait… before you got angry… it's not my fault this time." Lacus raised her hand in defense. "We had lunch, I ordered the food: Mushroom Cream Soup, Beef Bourguignon with Mashed Potatos. Everything was fine until we get to the dessert." Lacus handed the name of the meal to Helga. "He took a bite and collapsed on the spot. The Manager was scared out of his wits, thinking he accidentally killed him."

"Vodka Infused Watermelon with Cauliflower Ice… oh, I see…" Helga nodded as she read the description of the food. "The Vodka."

"He's lightweight." Lacus sometimes forget not everyone can handle liquor like she can.

"That's good to know…" Helga nodded. "I'll have to adjust the training regime properly then."

"Better yet…" They heard a groan. Bert had rolled awake, annoyed and less than happy as he nursed this headache from hell. The sun barely past the midpoint, for cryin out loud! "…next time… I'll make the order… or rather, Madame Helga, you make it!"

"Will do." Helga glared at Lacus, again. No. This is still your fault. She wordlessly said. Lacus caught that all too well as she curled. If Helga had a dunce hat, she'll put it on her head right now.

"Excuze moi?"

"Hm?" Lacus turned to the speaker. A man, smartly dressed with well kept hair and face is standing before her. "Might you be Lady Clyne, ze Proprietor of ze Plaza?"

"Indeed, and you are?" 'What's with that god awful French accent?' She inwardly asked herself.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle. I'm ze manager for ze restaurant Britanny Bistro." The manager bowed quickly. "I'm zent here on behalf of Lady Guinevere Ze(De) Brittania. I underztand thiz iz where I shall open a new restaurant, and we have been approved?"

"Ah. Yes, you did." Lacus lazily replied. "You do understand the rules? Your restaurant will be subject to routine inspections to maintain the standards."

"I'm well aware, mademoiselle. In fact, I'm alzo here to discusz thiz with a Monsieur Noir. Where can I find him?"

Lacus pointed at a half conscious giant bird rubbing his aching spinning head. The Manager was initially confused, but then he steeled himself and marched forth. "Bonjour, Mons-!" "-AAARGH! My head's splitting! Keep it down a little!" Bert cried.

Despite the slight difficulty, the Manager get through just fine as Noir's hungover also passed over the course of the short conversation. "You can start on that plot of land over there." Noir gestured at a marked plot of land right in front of the Emporium. "How soon can you start?"

"We believe we can start… this afternoon."

"…" Noir looked at the Manager… for the moment he felt like he wished to say something… but he stopped. "You do you, monsieur."

"Merci, Monseigneur." The Manager swiftly turned around and snapped his finger. Just like that an army of restaurant crew, servants, chefs, and even kitchen porter appeared out of nowhere. The only thing missing is the restaurant itself. The Manager ran into the plot of land and placed something right in the middle. At first glance it looks like a small model of a restaurant. But then, he ran out of the area and pulled out a wand.

Lacus watched this, fully knowing what will happen next.

The manager swing his wand, and viola: the small model suddenly enlarged itself into a full size building. The only thing missing are its furniture and its crew – who immediately entered the facility as soon as it appeared.

"Will you not say anything?" Lacus asked Noir, who, at this point, had grown used to it, to the point he was as hardly surprised as she is.

"I'm not saying anything I'm uncertain of. That's not a lie. Besides… we never factored if buildings played a part in our current… issues."

"True." Lacus nodded. Their restaurant and her cabin weren't made via normal means either.

In less than an hour, the Britanny Bistro was open for business. And sure enough, like every new restaurant, it quickly drew attention. Lacus and Noir decided to have their dinner there.

"Table for two." As soon as they come in, they were waited hand and foot by waiters with gracious smile and impeccable manners. They were given the best table: private and comfortable. The service came with water and bread – on the house. The menu came in courses: fish, beef, and vegetarian. Lacus picked fish, Noir picked Vegetarian. He had enough meat for one day, he said. "…and no wine please."

The food came swiftly. For Lacus: Egg jelly with smoked Salmon and Sea Bass two ways. For Noir: seven colored Vegetable terrine and Tofu Steak in Apricot sauce with a side of Pumpkin Pie. The two ate quietly. At times, they looked at their food meaningfully when they tasted something, sometimes they even looked at each other as if confirming things without a word. The meal went by quietly, even when Lacus can barely hear the sound of customers clamoring the tastiness of their respective meals. The private room they're in was designed to be soundproof, it seems.

When the last of the empty plate was placed aside, the two departed well fed, constantly served with words like "thank you for your patronage" or "look forward to see you again", with a side of practiced smile and perfect postures.

When the two finally returned to their own restaurant, Fayt was the first to ask. "How was it?"

"…it was good." Noir replied. "Better than good. It was perfect. Best ingredients and the best method to perfectly cook them. Seasoning's spot on…"

"…but?" Fayt was expecting something…

"…there's no but. It was perfect and… that's that."

"That's that?" Helga seems to caught on to whatever Noir's implying. "That's… that?"

"Yes. They're using your recipe, madame." Lacus followed. "It's the same food you used to serve in your bistro. I would never forget your taste, and… it was the same. But… that's… that."

"Oh. I see. Well, that's fine then." Helga seemingly looked hardly perturbed by the fact the competitor is challenging her with her own menu.

"…and just like that we're okay?" Fayt was the only one who seemingly did not understand. But Bert tapped his shoulder to calm him.

"I wouldn't worry too much, Fayt." Bert reassured him: "…one way or another, it'll all be over soon. For now… let's concentrate on what we ought to do now, yes? Tomorrow I'll help wait the tables too. For now, rest up."

Fayt nodded. But when he left, Bert and Lacus exchanged meaningful glances with each other.

0000000

Later that night… when everyone's sleeping…

"And where do you think you're going?"

The figure froze when Bert's giant figure stands in the way. "Did you forget? I checked the background info of everyone in the Orphanage. Figuring out your possible relationship with Guinevere was… trivial. But I wasn't sure if you're still working for her or not… until today, that is. When I ate the food – obviously prepared the same way as every restaurant in the plaza. When I've made it quite clear that it was supposed to be top secret."

The figure didn't say anything.

"It's interesting. The three laws prohibit people from lying… but they never said anything about withholding the truth. It's not a lie… when you said nothing."

The figure began fidget uncomfortably.

"Calm down. I'm not gonna say anything, neither will Lacus. And she already knows anyway. Right, Princess?"

The Figure jumped in shock when Lacus' suddenly pop out from behind and she happily snuggled the figure with her trademark loving glomp. "tee-hee. Of course I know. I have been, for quite a while. Did you forget my ears?"

"In case it hasn't become obvious, we've let you spill the beans to her." Noir continued. "What? Anyone can easily figure it out sooner or later. Besides, I think you should realize by now, in the last few days, saving the orphanage doesn't matter anymore. This… is bigger than us. We need help. Even from our enemies. It's the same reason why I had to keep our 'special cooking method' a secret. I will explain to you why in length later, but for now… you should turn around. In case you haven't noticed: it's chilly out here. You'll catch your death of cold."

The spy tucked down in defeat. These people are just so… large. Much larger than that petty Guinevere ever will be. And they're still so young!

"Stay." Lacus pleaded as she tightened her hug. "You don't have to leave. This is your home."

The spy starts sobbing. How can one ever think of betraying these kind and noble people?

The figure rose up slowly and Lacus aided the remorseful and repentant spy back into their house. Noir looked back to the plaza, specifically, to the Brittany Bistro. "Well then… you've got our 'secret recipe'… let's see how long you'll last."

0000000

Despite the fact Noir said it'll be over soon, the Britanny Bistro maintained its popularity for quite some time. Apart from the exquisite food, the price was incredibly cheap for a fine dining restaurant. Criminally underpriced, in fact. They'd never be able to sell food with such a cheap price in Aprillus, what's with their criminally overpriced market rate. There's actually an unspoken rule that forbid shops from selling a price far below a certain rate. Selling things far too cheap would kill smaller businesses. In Aprillus, it's an issue that usually takes care of itself: restaurant that broke this rule never last long – because either they go bankrupt due to unbalanced expenditure, or the other unscrupulous restaurants will hire hooligans to ransack the rule breaking joint down. But in here, the latter is non existent, and somehow, the Bistro was able to overturn the former. This week was almost over and the Bistro is still going strong sucking in customers from other shops. Insofar, the only establishment capable of competing with the Bistro is the Hufflepuff Emporium, and that was by virtue of its food alone.

The weekend of that same week, Noir come to visit again. This time he came alone, and he asked to taste the meat course. He ate everything, and he was welcomed in the same impeccable manner as before… or so it seems. When he came back to the Emporium he was decidedly flat on his valuation. "It's still perfect…"

"Are you sure?" Fayt groaned.

"I'm more worried about something else now."

"Yeah, like how we only have one week left to pay the debt and we still have nowhere near enough!"

"…" But Noir didn't seem to share Fayt's concern.

"Has it gone that bad?" Helga asked.

"…yeah." Noir frowned. "It is as I feared. It's only bits and pieces but it began to show."

"What shows?" Fayt asked.

"Nothing." The Judge replied. "Nothing showed."

"…" Needless to say Fayt was utterly confused.

"I… need to make my report to Lord Yuki now." Pretending to ignore Fayt's confusion, the Judge made straight to the conference room, where Lacus had prepared everything. But before he get in he looked back at Lacus and said: "When those two inspector showed up, tell them I need them to work double shift tomorrow. Check and recheck everything. If they found any infractions, immediately reprimand them or close down immediately at the worst."

"They're not gonna like that…" Lacus rolled her eyes. She was referring to the inspectors, of course.

"Yeah, if they don't like it, they're free to tell that to my face."

"…" Yeah. Like that's gonna work. Others would quickly call the Judge a slavedriver… if not for the fact this Driver drove himself just as hard as his 'slaves'. If not harder. Forget the inspectors, in keeping with Madame Helga's homework, the Judge goes around to every restaurant, not just to taste the food but also perform his own inspections. He works twice as fast as the two man team, but 10 times more thorough owing to his eye for detail. He can cover at least four restaurants a day while the other pair can barely cover two. And they know that, so they have no room for complain. True enough, when Lacus told the now very thin inspectors the news… they grudgingly accept without any rebuke.

The result of this routine checkup also began to show exactly what Noir was worried about: Some of the stalls in the plaza began to feel the pressure of the Bistro stealing their customers, they began to cut corners and even abandon the 'top secret' standard practice compulsory to their contract to the plaza, to lower their price. Some, sadly, had committed severe enough infractions that they have no choice but to be closed down. Of the 30 plus restaurant, only close to 20 or so remained.

0000000

"I see…" Ray's image rubbed his chin in deep thought. "That bad, huh?"

"I'm less worried about what's bad now, I'm more worried about what comes next." Noir grunted. "She'll get her comeuppance in less than a week… but with a woman this petty? Come on. I wouldn't trust her to keep her mouth shut."

"I understand your concern. But if I start initiating a clampdown or issue a gag order, people bound to notice. Especially now."

"We can't keep this up forever. The supply you've sent us nearly ran out."

"And I'm about to send another, with the special cargo you've requested."

"I'm grateful. But this isn't a problem that can be solved by one plaza. It's too big."

"Focus, Noir. Focus on the here and now. That's the most important thing. If you see too far ahead into the future, you'll trip. You have one week left before due date. I suggest for now, you concentrate on that. That plaza is the frontline. If the line goes down, everything else will follow suit. Keep the line strong."

"Yes, sensei." Noir nodded at that sagely advice.

"And speaking of line… how much you weigh these days? The suit made it hard to see, but I imagine the bodyline will begin to… swell."

"Quite a bit, yeah… I weigh about… XXkilo."

"What!? That's all!? You've spent a week eating your way around the plaza, I had the bills and the calorie count RIGHT here… and that's all!?"

"Well… back in the household, my weight never change no matter how much I ate."

"…you'd… be wise to keep that to yourself."

"Uhh… Too late. I told Lady Lacus about it, and for some reason she start punching me, screaming something about cheating and liar… and now she no longer sleep on my chest. Madame Helga said she cried herself to sleep in her room. But I get a good sleep for once and she no longer tag along whenever I go to restaurants for inspection and meal. And… uh… well, it seems she start taking on exercising, she woke up early, hiking… saying something about her weight. We're still talking. So… it's all good really."

"…ooh." Ray had no choice but to slap his not so aching temple. If he were there in person, he ought to give his now airheaded apprentice a good knock in the head. But considering just how dense his skull is, he had a feeling the wisdom won't sink in. Just another thing he failed to teach to his student. Except this time the fault is not entirely on him. "Just …keep in touch."

"Yes, sensei."

And the transmission ended as the candle flickered out. Despite that last sour note, Ray Yuki was smiling nonetheless. This is how it should've been. Communicating with Kira, talking lightheartedly, not just on his duties… but also his actual wellbeing… It was so easy. And he had wasted close to 3 years NOT doing it. And now he had so little time left… the regret began to swell…

0000000

The next day, before the emporium opened, there are several new faces appearing before Lacus.

Mars Simeon, now sporting a new metal arm and a more humbled stature were standing nervously before Lacus judging eye. His probation officer, Warden Godric Gryffindor stood watch from behind. Mars also occasionally glanced at the fluffy giant bird Kigurumi at the far back, standing vigilant. He seems to want to say something, but he focused back on the girl who will decide his fate.

Lacus looked at Mars's figure from top to bottom. More than once she glanced at the Automail arm grafted on the poor man's shoulder. She noticed the muscles around the area of connection still spasm occasionally… a sign that the recipient is still feeling occasional sting every now and then from his prosthetic. Lacus had heard that many Alchemical workshops still try to find a way to lessen the excruciating pain that inevitably came when metal limb is magically fused unto human flesh. Even worse, the patients are not allowed to take anesthetics… quite the opposite, they had to be wide awake when their nerve endings are welded, literally welded, unto the Automail circuitry. The Rockbell claimed they've managed to slightly lessen it. But they also emphasize on slightly. And that was just from the first grafting. Automail Prosthetic requires yearly maintenance, and taking them off is just as painful as the process of putting them back in. Needless to say, it's a costly routine. One that Lacus was pretty sure Mr. Simeon will not be able to afford.

"You're going to work here… for free… until the end of this week, until we have repaid our debts to Guinevere De Britannia." Lacus sent down her verdict. "…and after that… I invite you to really work with us, with fair monthly payment… if we're still here by then that is." And she added with that kind heartwarming smile of hers.

Mars and Godric had their eyes widened to circles, still having a hard time believing such generous offer actually exist, while others who knew the princess immediately dismiss it as a normality that is to be expected from her. As the facts sink in and they realized it's not just some pipe dream, Mars Simeon finally break down in tears and fell on his knees, thanking the gods and whoever's listening.

"Alright. That's enough of that." Seemingly insensitive, Noir started. "Get back on your feet, sir. We got work to do." Noir pointed at the incredibly long queue of drooling customers just right outside the restaurant.

The beauty of restaurant is the customers get to sit down comfortably indoors, calmly eating their food at their own pace in the prepared table and chair– which all are made by logs from the Treant forest. And the beauty of logs willingly given by living trees? They're full perks. One of them is that they self assemble.

Of course, this cannot be done in a day. The process requires attentive nurture and tender care over the course of one week. That's why it took that long for the Plaza to open. But the result had been worth it.

Plant a single splinter of the wood into the ground while wishing what it'll turn into, and the splinter will immediately take root and grow into the shape of the object they desired after you gave them some water. Add some compost, and the resulting object will came with a nice feature. Give it sunlight, and it'll give even more feature.

For example, a simple watering on that branch will cause it to grow into a sprout that grew a single enormous but soft and smooth leaf. The leaf will then magically curve, forming a stylish and sturdy chair. Give it compost, and the chair will also come with some nice moss to make it soft and comfy like a sofa. Place it in the sunlight, and it'll come with some flowers that let out some fragrance. Their own restaurant was also built with similar method. On a scale of a building, one had to place logs on the main foundations of the desired structure. Add sufficient water, compost and sunlight, and the result was a two storey wooden building big enough to house at least 60 customers… The compost gave it, according to Lacus, some form of naturally occurring magical enchantments that condition the air inside the building, making it cool and relaxing even if the weather outside is blazing hot. And at night, that same feature will keep the inside of the room nice and warm without the presence of a fireplace. Plenty sunlight and the building sprout flowers that gave it a very interesting fragrance: it kept the wrong bugs out (cockroach, mosquitoes, flies, locusts, and etc) and drew the right ones in (colorful butterflies and the like).

All this features made them doubling, even tripling the price acceptable to customers, especially when their food is still in very high demand.

Mars happily served as a waiter/bouncer in the first floor. Noir was originally concerned that his one mechanical arm would scare people off, but he stand corrected. Such abnormality was easily accepted by the patrons. Why, some customers (mostly kids) even think it was cool that this establishment employs a man with such feature.

Godric Gryffindor was a completely different story altogether. Originally the warden was assigned by Balthazar Slytherin as the security detail for the Plaza park, he was reassigned as security for the Clyne Park instead. In fact, originally, he served as Noir's unofficial bodyguard as he go on from restaurant to restaurant. When told the notion of Noir's criminal record, he scoffed. "I've never seen a criminal so readily admit his own guilt in so honest a fashion. That bravery showed that he's either an honest fool… or he knew he's innocent."

And now, he's Mars Simeon's probation officer. According to the man in power, he eagerly volunteered for the job. He's passionate and he means well. Lacus has no complaints. But Noir does state his… temper… bears watching… and then there's his… largesse behavior…

Oh, and apparently he's also a fan. "I volunteered… because… well… I was moved by your efforts, my good sirs and ladies." He said. "It's an inspiring show of bravery! A group of brave souls united together against the oppression of tyranny of capitalism! It's epic! It is a great honor to be part of this noble quest!" He spoke with loud voice, eyes burning with fiery passion.

The romantics (Lacus, Sophie and the kids) were easily charmed by his larger than life attitude.

The realist (Noir, Fayt, and Mars) looked at each other questioning: is this guy for real?

However their opinion however, Godric's help was more than welcome.

Business was packed as usual… but today of all days, a couple of hiccups emerged.

"Umm… what? C… Can you say it again?"

"Tablisa dlya trekh! Tablisa dlya trekh! Ty ponimayesh' menya?" (Table for three! Table for three! Do you understand me?)

"What?" To Fayt, it's like these three people are talking in lingo! And their face is slowly reddening in impatience… "Can any of you speak English?" To his horror, none of the fur capped guests can. Fayt is sweating buckets now, until…

"Tablisa dlya trekh! Imenno tak moi dobryye gospoda." (Table for three. Just this way my good sirs.) Bert came to the rescue. "Syuda, syuda." (This way, this way)

"Aaah… Spasibo!" (Thank you!) The three guests were surprised when this giant bird is talking in their native language. "I, pozhaluysta, proydite po spetsiyam. Da?" (Oh, and please go easy on the spices, yeah?)

"Da. Ne khotite li vy prigotovit' kartofel'?" (Yes. Would you like some fries with that?)"

"Eto khorosho! Spasiba!" (That's good. Thank you!)

Once the three fur-capped guests are served, Fayt had to ask: "What language was that?"

"Russian."

"You speak Russian?"

"It's one of the 7 international languages. Though I didn't get to use it as often as the rest."

"There's more!?"

"Something's a bit off."

"What now?"

"Nothing big… it's just that… we have Russian wizards here… and just now I was talking to a Gaulish Druid, sitting face to face with what looked like a Celtic Soothsayer… and now there's-" Noir's comment trailed to a halt when he and Fayt beheld their next batch of guests.

They all had very dark skins, some had tribal markings, long earrings… and they use feathers and rings of horns and fangs to decorate themselves. The leader, a tall black skinned African wear this giant painted mask to cover his face with baboon fur coat over his back, and he carry a staff with a wildebeest skull embedded at top. His aide spoke on his behalf: "Siku njema, bwana. Meza kwa tano, tafadhali!" (Good day, sirs. Table for five, please.)

Fayt twitched and to his horror, Noir was also stone cold silent. "…What language is this?" Fayt asked.

"…it's Swahili." Noir responded as he swallowed a gulp.

"Then speak Swahili."

"I don't speak Swahili." The only word he knew was bwana.

"Siku Njema, bwana! Siku Njema!" (Good day, sir! Good day!) And came to their rescue… "Meza kwa tano, ndiyo? (Table for five, yes?) Ungependa fries za Kifaransa na hayo, bwana? (Would you like some fries with that, sir?)" To their disbelief, it was Lacus. Speaking Swahili like she was born to it.

"Hiyo inaonekana nzuri... Unafikiria nini, Mfalme? (That sounds good. What do you think, Chief?)

The chief, the man behind the mask, merely shrugged his face before he slammed his staff to the ground several times. A sign of approval. "Mkuu anaidhinisha. Pia angependa kula chakula kikubwa." (The Chief Approve. He also would like a stronger tasting food)

"Mimi nitamwambia chef ili kuongeza viungo zaidi. Tafadhali kuja hapa, bwana." (I'll tell the chef to add more spices. Please come this way, sir.)

"Vizuri sana. Asante." (Very good. Thank You.)

When these customers are served, Lacus knew the question that will come out of Noir's mouth: "...you speak Swahili?"

"And you don't?" She playfully smirked at a bewildered Bert and Fayt.

One of Clyne Family friends happens to be Andrew Waltfeldt, the South African Hakutenkun that reigns over Africa. And being a good family friend that he is, he felt it would be funny/interesting/hilarious if the first Princess of the Clyne house can speak a little bit of Swahili. It starts out as a joke… but when she made it her third language (it took her only a couple of hours – and her second is Latin, for job purposes), everybody stops laughing and start gawking. Noir will not learn about this until much later.

Fayt decided he had enough multilingual surprises for today and blanked out. And Noir, he swallowed the idea of a Swahili speaking Scandinavian Princess easier. He'd seen weirder. "Still… what's going on here? We had so many multinational guests today."

"Oh, there's an annual international Wizard and Witches convention coming up. So-"

"Ah…" Bert raised his one wing to show he understands. Everyone easily understands that this is a splendid opportunity. Special Events such as these are always a surefire method to gather larger than average crowd of customers. Ergo, one cannot ask a better time to rake in larger than usual profit margin.

On the other side, the crowd is just as large. Virtually speaking the competition in this plaza is now down to just the Emporium vs the Bistro. Every customer counts. Just one problem: the other side doesn't play fair.

'Argh… seriously?' Bert realized too late, Fayt had let in a customer with a telltale behavior. Lacus traced this certain customer that Bert seems to be rather keen on. The man was a bit pudgy, wearing a plain dress which seem to suit him ill, but he wear them anyway, trying to blend in with his surroundings of common folk. Though there's no denying that regal mannerism. This is someone of high nobility.

He ordered a simple pie, and he ate it calmly… he looked shocked, but then he ate it, savoring it down to the last crumb. And then he called… for her. Lacus blinked. As soon as she made eye contact, she immediately recognized that man. When Lacus closed in, his identity became clear, and it was obvious what he'll ask next. "Can… Can I see Chef Hufflepuff please?"

"I don't mean to be rude… But what do you want, Odysseus Eu Britannia?" Lacus frowned.

"Milady… I tasted this food, and there's no mistaking it, and you know this too. She still has the touch. You can't… we can't just let this artist be buried here!"

"Says you. I've kept her hidden all this time from prying eyes by her own request."

"Even from his own son? Hugo is still out there, searching for his mother like mad. He's my friend and I ache as he anguish like so."

"Now, now. You two." Their debate ended short when Helga herself came inbetween them. "Can't have two of my most loyal customers' quarrelling over little old me in the middle of lunch time."

"Madame Hufflepuff." Lacus looked in concern, but Helga smiled warmly to reassure her. "Odysseus. So good to see you again, after all these years. Have you lost a little weight?"

"Food just doesn't taste the same when it was not made by your artist hands, Madame." Odysseus bowed.

"Ah, you exaggerate." Helga smiled. "Well, why don't you have another pie, my dear? The little Ody I remembered always asked for double serving."

"Ahaha. Perhaps I'll do that. But, alas, I have not come today just for your pie."

Helga smiled kindly. "I'm retired, my dear. And yes, I asked Lady Lacus to keep my existence a secret. Even from my own family. I was… ashamed. I did not want them to see me like this… I did not want to burden them with my failures… but perhaps that was my pride speaking?" Helga caressed Odysseus's cheek in a motherly way. "I know how close you are to my son. He still searches for me, you say?"

Helga bit her lips in regret now when Odysseus nodded. "If you wish to tell him that you've found me, please, do so. I'm done hiding. But…" She removed her hand from Odysseus' cheek. "If you're asking me to come out of my retirement, the answer will still be a resounding 'no'."

"I'm… aware of your tale of shame. I wept when I heard your bistro closed down. I wasn't just looking for you to allay Hugo's anguish, milady, I would be more than happy to aid you with my resources-" Odysseus stopped when Helga shook his head.

"If you had come to me a month before the me today, I might be interested." Helga smiled. "But I'm a cook first, before anything else. I go down from the head Chef of the Imperial Kitchen… to this third rate establishment. But look at my face: does this look like the face of someone whose pride has been sullied? Coming down here, I had my eyes opened. Look at them." Helga gestured at her guest. Uncouth and inelegant, so different than the respectable clientale she used to have in Aprillus. And definitely a far cry different than the Royal Family. But they were all laughing and enjoying what little she had to offer.

"In the Palace, I only get to see my food delivered to the door of the Royal Chambers or the Cabinet Meeting Hall. After which I'm told they go through a series of taste testers and checkers. When the meal reached their plate, it would be a ransacked, ice cold, mess. That's why I quit and opened up my own Bistro in Aprillus. I get to cook what I like for once… But then… the atmosphere was suffocating. The pressure, the stress… the unhealthy competition that hounded my every step… You can say I thrive on that, and I did. But… when I made my food, I became so tense, I never even bothered to see what the customer think… and finally, here I am, downtrodden and penniless, and yet… I finally find my joy. I have learnt things here I wished I…" She stole a glance at Bert. "…had learnt earlier, but I don't regret it. I'm happy where I am now. And proud too." Helga raised his voice as he addressed her customers in booming voice. "I'm proud, to be the chef of a place where I get to make the food that I like to people who genuinely enjoyed them. I wouldn't trade this for anything. And you can tell this to that repulsive sister of yours, Odysseus eu Britannia, word per word: I serve the House of Clyne and its Princess, Lady Lacus of Clyne. Now, and until the end of my days." The customers cheered and as one raised a toast in honor of their wonderful matron and her resolve.

Odysseus was a bit taken back by Helga's firm resolution. Lacus and Noir almost pitied the man.

"…I see." Odysseus nodded. "So… you're resolved."

"I'm afraid so."

"Hugo will be disappoint-"

"MOTHER!" A booming voice reverberated all across the Emporium, even louder than Godric's boisterous voice. A huge man suddenly appeared right at the front door. He was really huge, towering at least a head taller than even Bert's Kigurumi suit. He had many of his mother's features: he was pudgy, with generous girth, but there's also muscle there. "MOTHER! I'VE FINALLY FOUND YOU!"

He just charged through, almost knocking down Fayt the receptionist as he waded his way straight towards the startled Helga before she lifted her off the ground into a hug. "Oh! Hugo!"

"Mother!" Hugo Hufflepuff was half blinded by tears as he swing her mother around in circles. This is still a moving scene… even if the overjoyed son forget he's clad in thick armor, with a hammer strapped to his back… a hammer that swings around as he spins, nearly hitting some of the customers.

"Uh-hum." Bert cleared his throat. "My lord? Excuse me, my lord, but customers cannot bring weapons into the dining area."

"I… ah… yes. Of course. My apologies." Hugo put down his mother and handed his hammer to Bert. He took it with his one hand… and it drop instantly when its sheer weight smashed the floor it sank into. And to note, Bert's strength was augmented.

"Oh… my apologies. It is a bit heavy."

'A bit!?' The hammer literally cratered the floor! But Hugo immediately took charge of his own weapon and lifted it easily, like it was made of feather. He gently placed it outside the Emporium, apologizing to everyone he had inconvenienced along the way before returning back in to his mother. "Mother. Where have you been?"

"Oh, my son. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I left." Hugo took a glance at Lacus knowingly. But before even a spark of dislike rose up, Helga tapped him. "You must forgive Lady Clyne. It was because of my insistence she did not tell you. You, my own son. I should've at least told you myself."

"Say no more, mother. I've come to take you home."

"Oh." Helga smiled sadly. "Yes. I understand. But I cannot leave. Not yet."

"Mother?"

"I had my responsibilities here, my son. Responsibilities I must see to until its end. Until then, I cannot come home… yet."

"What is it, mother? What is it that ails you?"

And Helga of course, explained the issue to Hugo. And like all dutiful son, Hugo seeks to help. "Why, this is simple! Odysseus, can you-"

"No. I can't, my friend. I've known my sister for a long time. She maybe excessively wasteful, but she can be a penny pinching miser in times like this."

"Then I'll pay it! Out of my own coffers!"

"I'm afraid that's not an option either, Milord." Noir suddenly spoke up, drawing Hugo and everyone's attention. "The amount needed to settle your mother's debt is no small sum, nor is it a simple matter."

"I'm sorry, to whom I have the pleasure of…"

"I'm Judge Noir of the Circle of Lustitia." Odysseus paled and Hugo jaw dropped. Any proud citizen of Aprillus would've learned to know and fear that name. What is he doing here!? "And more importantly, I'm your mother's newly appointed apprenti."

"Apprentice?" That seems to greatly allayed Hugo's fears, though he's still confused. He looked back to his mother for confirmation and found a warm smile confirming it. That warm smile also formed briefly on his lips. His infinitely wiser mother will not choose just anyone to be her apprenti.

Seeing the man calm down, Noir further expanded his point: "I'm not saying you don't have the coffer to pay it, Milord. But to move that amount of funds would mean you need to draw money from the central Bank in Aprillus no? Not to mention, you also need to convert that to Februarius currency. That requires an even longer string of procedures and bureaucracies. At the earliest, you'll get the money ready in two weeks. Your mother's debt will be due in less than a week from now. When it's due, and it will, Guinevere will have legal rights to the Starfall Orphanage and the lands surrounding it." Noir reproduced the infernal contract that had started this mess. "Even if you produced more than enough money after that, it would no longer matter. The forest and the lands will be hers by right. I know what's in that forest. It's worth more than all the money in the world. Tell me, Lord Odysseus, did you really think that greedy bitch you call sister would willingly give up her prize for so paltry a sum?"

Odysseus regretfully knew the answer. In fact, knowing her… she would exploit every bit of resources it had until its worth even less than nothing, and even then she still won't spit out what's left. She's that greedy. "If only you would… share the bounty of that forest-"

"If there's an easy way to spread the gift of that power to all, I would've done it." Lacus frowned. "But people like your sister… is the very reason why the Forest is very unfriendly to humans. Just look at what it… no… what your sister did to poor Mr. Simeon… and all that just because he's following her orders to the letter. She told him what lies in that forest… she never bothered telling the consequences of doing so to her subordinates, did she?" Mars gasped and rubbed his now mechanical arm with a renewed sense of anger. "You treat your fellow humans like that, and you're expecting the trees to treat you any differently?"

Odysseus, kind by nature but meek in resolve, can only bowed his head down in shame. "I realize now this is indeed a bad time to discuss this."

"Discuss… what?" Lacus raised an eyebrow. He's not here on behalf of his sister's quarrel, she now realized. "What did you come here for, Milord?"

Odysseus took a deep breath. "Truth be told… I did come here to broker some peace. To offer you a way to solve this problem."

"We're listening?"

"There's… going to be a party this week. A banquet. And I had so wished to hire Madame Hufflepuff's services for the occasion."

"What occasion?"

Odysseus and Hugo exchanged looks and sighed. "An engagement party." Odyssey cleared his throat uncomfortably. "My engagement with… Hugo's daughter."

Silence reigned for a few seconds. Many were still digesting what was said, but only two had the fast enough thought process to already think far ahead.

"Anoo…" Lacus raised her hand. "When you said Lord Hugo's daughter… you mean the 12 year old daughter?"

"Yes."

"What are you, a pedo!?" Fayt growled.

"He said engagement party, not marriage. Not yet." Noir followed. "It's not that big of a deal, Fayt."

"Heh?" Fayt gawked.

"Fayt-kun, you may not know this yet, but getting engaged at that age is rather normal among nobility." Even Lacus, at 8, often receive offers of engagements from various suitors. She tossed them all into the furnace though, the nights can be quite cold these days, and firewood is expensive.

"Uhhh…"

"Not only this will unite our family together, I had hoped it would be a bedrock of your revival, Milady."

Helga didn't say anything, and Hugo showed a bit of concern. But then the woman said thus: "I've left our family behind. I no longer had the right to decide which direction it should take. That's your daughter, Hugo. Are you fine with this?"

"I… I am." And yet Lacus can see the man seem more uncertain than ever.

"I understand completely. And yes… I would love to cook for my granddaughter engagement party." Helga looked at Odysseus. "But I want you to understand this: I will stand with what I said earlier. I have no intention of returning."

"How much are you willing to pay for this?" Noir take charge from here on out.

"Please talk this out with master Noir. He's my apprenti as far as cooking goes, but as far as accounting, his math is so~o much better than mine."

"Ah… yes… of course."

…around 15 minutes of discussion/questioning/interrogation/haggling (and a smidgen of sheer blackmail) later, Hugo had to drag the utterly spent and pale white Odysseus. 15 minutes is one heck of a record, considering very few ever last more than a minute holding out against the so called Bird of Terror.

0000000

Later that night, when the store was closed, Lacus gathered everyone to discuss what had happened.

"I think-" Noir began. "-it is time you guys understand who we've been dealing with here." Noir particularly address the uninitiated, like Fayt and the other children. "Oh… it's really hard for me to get in the mood when I sound like this so…" And then, to Lacus' shock and bewilderment, Bert did something unexpected: he used his winged finger to first touch the underside of his upper beak… and then pushed it all the way up like folding up a hood to, finally, for the first time, revealed Noir's true 'face', so to speak. Everyone gasped, and for once, Fayt understand why Lacus had this guy concealed behind a cartoonish visage. There weren't much of his features that everyone can see except the most distinct one. Such as his messy spiky brown hair that sticks out of the unruly bandages that covered most of his head and neck. For a face however, he wear a sleek pale bone white faceless mask that covered his whole face, with sinister slits marking the holes from where his eye shines through. His eyes were both purple, but each is in a different state. The eye on the left is pale and blank. And if one strains themselves, one can see scarred skin surrounding that lightless eye. But the other remaining one more than offset the damaged one. His other eye was also purple… yet it burns with the resolve and strength of an unbending will. A will that far transcends the bindings of its broken shell. One cannot look into this eye and call this boy a cripple.

"…to understand the scale of things, I have to first explain to you about the Britannia Family, or as they would like to call themselves, the Holy Britannia Dynasty." His voice was still broken, but clear and firm.

"Right. Because they aren't modest enough already…" Sophie immediately nudged Fayt to be quiet.

"…there's a reason for that naming. The Britannians are descendents of an old royal line, dating all the way back to the time of the White Emperor. They were descended from the Arthurian bloodline. Yes, I'm talking about that Arthur, that King of Knights, that Sword on the Stone legend, one of the ancient Seven Kings of old, the famous once and future King ruled Britain for centuries, which is where they get their family name hence. When the White Emperor's court collapsed with His disappearance, there was a brief period of schism and many of the powers that be attempted to fill the void. Surprise, surprise, the Britannians were one of them, but they were there to keep the 'peace'. A little bit of sidetrack, as you well know, the period that followed after the White Emperor abdication is known as the time of Two Emperors: Azure and Crimson. Now, every time a new Crimson Emperor is to be elected, several representatives of the most prominent noble family, later known as the Elector Lords, will sit together and elect a name who will serve as the new Crimson Emperor. It was said that it was the Britannians who came up with the idea. Several Crimson Emperors in history had Britannia on their surnames."

Just that alone definitely explains the power this family commanded. But Noir was far from done.

"When the time of two Emperors came to an end in the holocaust, many of the noble family of the Elector Kings died in the ensuing massacre. The Britannians were among the few with might enough to withstand the onslaught and keep the Order of Blue Cosmos at bay. Fact is, before George of Glenn came to prominence, the Britannians DID try to become the second coming of the Empire… it was less than successful. The most prevalent reason was… internecine fighting. They were trying to rally other more powerful families, those who can fight, into one banner, theirs. This is sound… except many of these Nobles were too prideful to bend their heads to their role. Even in such times, these Lords had their own ambitions, and they loathe to give that up. Eventually, though Britannians managed to hold out, they cannot expand any further beyond their holdings, and they were essentially under siege. Then finally it was the time of George of Glenn. Unlike the Britannians, George put no stock in the nobles of the Old Empire. Instead, he gathered every Advanced willing to fight regardless of position or rank. Hell, he was an illiterate himself, why should he care about some snobbish's lord's family tree?"

"What was that!? Illiterate?" Helga gawked, but Noir ignored her and continued on.

"At first, Britannians, and the world in general, couldn't care less about this local warlord from some backyard village. Then, as we all know, George's faction grew strong, even strong enough to become a threat to the world powers. But… truth be told, the Britannians still overpower him by far, even after George harnessed the power of the Land Creator to create the first Plant continent. Like the other lords, they too were too prideful to bend their knee before George. That is… until the Order start using the powers of demons and Genma Undead in the fight. Many lords fell, but the Britannians were able to hold out… Better than most. Many of the lords were able to hold out too, but the demonic attacks left them weakened and bloodied when they were forced by the circumstances to bend the knee before George, but not the Britannians. Britannians remained proud and strong… though not for long."

"Eventually they come into the fold for an entirely different reason: they saw the damage inflicted by the Demons. They knew well enough that there won't be much left of the world, safe for the one George will create. And if they do nothing, if they just hold out and watch… they won't get their share. So they made the decision: a massive exodus out of their ancestral home of Britain and to join forces with George. Except they don't join him as vassals, they join him as… well, equals. At least that was the plan. And if George had refused, well, they still have their huge military might to convince him otherwise. It wasn't necessary. George needed Britannia's might and the fighting was fiercer than ever. Much, much fiercer than the Britannians had expected. They took casualties, far more than they can afford. Then the Samurais finally intervened, and the war seems to be balanced out a bit… but by that time, the Britannians were but a shadow of their former self. Still strong, mind you, a significant part of Zaft's might… but totally inadequate to afford any kind of bloody power play in the aftermath. It's a damage that'll take them centuries to recover. I heard they blamed the Samurais for this because they came too late… they've been hating them to the bone since… which I call funny, because a samurai clan joined Zaft shortly after."

Noir snorted darkly. Everyone raised an eyebrow, not understanding the cruel irony.

"Anyway… when the war ended with the closing of the Daemon gate and George's death, his successor, George the Second granted what's left of the Britannian a gift for their meritorious service: one of the newly created 11 Plant continent of their choosing. A whole continent for the Dynasty to rule as they please. In retrospect, that 'reward' was actually a joke. Nowadays, we know Novembrius as the richest, most fertile land of the 11 Continents. But back then, 200 years ago, they actually had no idea what they're getting. But they were desperate. The Britannians are broken and wounded, either they accept this gift and risk it all for another chance to greatness… or to reject it and wither away into the footnote of history and then nothing. Between that and then the unstable journey to get there… the Britannians who managed to conquer and beat the odds came out bloodied but stronger and richer than ever. Today, their Gold and Iron mine had yet to run dry, their farms feed a quarter of the nation – 2/3rd after Junius, and most importantly, their factory forges armed half of it. We're talking about the same Britannia whose military might compose a third of our total standing army. The same Britannia who owns the Damocles Arsenal, their primary military arms manufacturer who produced almost every weapons, armor, and equipment you see strapped on every Knight you'll ever see."

It was at this point everyone finally understands what they're up against, the disparity of power between them, and Fayt finally began to understand the meaning of wanting to soil one's pants. Noir stopped for a minute to allow the point to sink in, and Lacus gave him a cup of water to wet his throat.

"Well… more astounding than their military and financial might, is the size of their family. Learning the lessons from the previous failures to unite other lords under their banner, they rejected all manner of trusts and oath short of marriage. And even then, only if that marriage produced the next generation. All nobilities in Novembrius are of pure Britannian blood, and about 1/8th of all the nobles in Zaft had familial ties with them: distant relation or married into the family. They only trust those of their own blood, and that's how they expanded over the years. The current 98th head of the family, Archduke Charles Zi Britannia, was rumored to have at least a hundred sons."

"A hundred!?"

"Well… at least when it started, he HAD a hundred sons. He placed his children in important positions, give them responsibilities, position, power… as normal as nepotism often goes. Except in his case… it was so that he had an excuse to execute them if they mess up too badly. And he made sure what's left of them to understand that: he had a lot of sons… and he made it clear that every last one of them was expendable. To make matters worse, Britannian family relationships are infamously cutthroats. When we're talking about inheritance for a wealth THAT big, fratricide was common occurrence, even encouraged. Odysseus was an oddity amongst his murderous siblings. He had no ambition, and very mediocre capabilities. A fool. By the standards of the Britannia dynasty… but an honest fool with no head for deceit or lies. Ironically, that was perhaps his saving grace, because he was so average, his brothers and sisters didn't see him as a threat and they tend to overlook him. Unfortunately, that also led to his more cunning siblings to often make 'use' of him. As is the case today."

Helga raised her eyebrows. Well… that just dampened her enthusiasm for her granddaughter's engagement prospect.

"But… the point I'm trying to make is this. Guinevere De Britannia is a greedy bitch. She was nicknamed Marie Antoinette of Britannia because of her penchant for extravagant spending. She once mobilized an entire army to decimate and take over a crystal mine just so that she can make a palace made of crystal… with its rooms made of gold. The other day she spend at a least a few hundred million credits just to create artificial garden made of precious metal… with all that obnoxious spending though… Charles had yet to found an excuse to execute her. Which means she had the ability to make up for her excesses. I looked it up. She graduated from her financial school with an off the chart grade. She was the official financier of the whole Britannia family. So… Madame Helga, while I thank your compliments on my Math… I regret to inform you, we're fighting someone whose math may well be better than mine."

"Oh dear."

"I talked with Odysseus about the price and the amount we charge for our labor. He pretty much gave us a blank check, but I also wring out of him the number of guests that will come… I'm not saying the whole Britannia family will show up, but… we're still talking about a LOT of mouths to feed. Now… if I count this right the first time… then the amount Odysseus willing to pay, minus the cost we will spend to fulfill that request… it should be more than enough to blow us clear of the debt."

Everyone cheered… but Lacus noticed that Noir remained unmoved. "You're about to say, this was not the case."

"It isn't." Noir continued. "Right now, even as we speak, Guinevere is buying off every scrap of fresh and luxury ingredients locally available. What we will be left with will be the scraps and second rate ingredients we're still contracted to buy. If the idea is to make a decent banquet for these royal palates, we have to source our goods from outside… that will cost more. Much more… than what Odysseus can immediately pay in less than a week. And I already mentioned the problem of moving vast sums of money from outside these lands, and why it's a problem for us, yes? I calculate that if we do this… we have to close down shop for the rest of this week, and we'll use up all the money we have collected over this month just to fund the effort."

"Then let's just reject it! This is obviously a trap!"

"We can't do that. Not only because it'll be bad for Madame Helga's granddaughter, it'll be bad for the whole Hufflepuff family too." Noir sighed. "When I keep pushing Odysseus, he finally confessed that he already announced his engagement to public. Naturally, he had given up on his idea of reviving Madame Hufflepuff's glory after what had transpired, but the news that Madame Hufflepuff will be cooking for this party had been spread far and wide. I suspect Guinevere had a hand in this. Most of the people who will come to this party WILL come to taste Madame Hufflepuff cooking. If we refuse this… or if we came up short… we will be insulting one of the most powerful family in the Empire. And that will have SERIOUS repercussions. Not just to us… but to Madame Hufflepuff's family."

"Damn…" Fayt slumped. So what he's saying is that they're now inbetween the rock and a hard place.

"I see." Helga nodded. "Yes. I can certainly see the conundrum… and I agree the situation is dire. But." Helga smiled mischievously. "Master Noir, I'm afraid… you misjudged one thing."

"Oh?"

And Helga made her point clear.

Once she was done, Noir was left speechless for a while. He snorted once… and then he burst out laughing. And he wasn't the only one. Everyone, even Lacus are rolling on the floor in glee, Fayt and Sophie had to support each other from all this laughter. And the children just got carried by the flow and they too laughed. What Helga said had clearly solved a lot of problems.

"You're right." Noir chortled several times. "You were absolutely right, madame. I'm sorry, apparently I had overthink it a bit."

"You are being very thorough, Master Noir. As you always have been, and I appreciate that. But this is my fight too."

Noir nodded. "Then let it be so. Lead the way ma'am. Let's go over this one more time."

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Breakthrough War

China and Japan always had a complicated relationship, owing to their close proximity to one another. It is a relationship that began with the bloodshed of a war known as the Breakthrough War. The war began, as it often does, with a grievance. At the beginning, the land of the rising Sun had just come into the realization that they had been imprisoned by the world outside for generations, rendering their entire race on the verge of extinction due to the enforced isolation. Secret emissaries of the Onis aided them by dispensing knowledge of new classes of battleships, one the Samurais took to call Kurobune (Black Ships), the first full metal built battleships of the era, as well as the first fleet of U-boats, stealthy and undetectable ships that can submerge and hide within the depths of the abyss. Either of this ship were decades ahead of their time. Steam powered dreadnoughts and submarines in the age where Paddleship are still in its prototype stage and sailed Galleons are still the pinnacle of naval warfare. But the two are about to be hilariously outclassed.

With this fleet, the Samurais began the war to break free of their imprisonment. Even when the might of the whole world arrayed against them, none of their top of the line galleons can match the might of the Samurai's three lead Kurobune flagships: the Super Dreadnought Yamato, Musashi, and Shinano. To the Nanbans, the three blackships were the stuff of nightmares: No sail, no rudder, billowing fire and smoke, yet it was able to sail with speeds far surpassing their swiftest galleons. Their shots bounced impotently against their invulnerable metallic hull while their turret and broadside rained destruction from afar with firepower and range unlike anything the world has ever seen. The stealthy U-Boats sank the Nanban flagships with each torpedo launched, the captains cannot even see where death is coming from until it's too late. And if they try to board any one of the slow moving steel Blackships, the superhuman might of the Samurais awaits any doomed boarders. The Samurais pushed the blockading fleet all the way back to where they come from, the port base of Pearl Harbor, where they decimated the naval base with impunity. Once they returned to Japan however, they were faced with an issue. These steel battleships are powerful, but they consumed a lot of resources to operate. To continue their momentum, they must expand. From the gathered intel of Pearl harbor, they realized the Westward Nanban lands are too far away, separated by the vast Pacific Ocean, requiring more resources their land can no longer provide. Thusly, they turned their attention eastward, to the closer neighboring Asian country.

Korea was the first to feel the hammer as the Samurai fleet as it fell upon them with all the ferocity of desperate men. Even in the best of times, the small island was no match to the Iron Blackships and the war ended almost overnight. This marks the first time the Samurai attacked another nation not for revenge, but for conquest. After taking over Korea, the Samurais established a forward foothold and used up its resources to further fuel their eastward expansion, to Ming - China. The Nanban fleet in Pearl Harbor was caught unprepared and the Korea had not the strength to resist them. In stark contrast, by now, China had learnt of Japan's imminent expansion campaign and had prepared accordingly. No individual force on earth at that time can match the might of the Samurai Super soldiers, but China had numbers on their side, easily outnumbering the Samurais a hundred to one, and not to mention they had superior firearms technology. For a while, China's combination of fire arms and numbers were able to stymie the Samurai's offense to a crawl with a steep price of Chinese blood… all that changed during the siege of Nanking. The Chinese had fortified the city into a mountain of multilayered defenses of gun emplacements, firebombs and even mines… Even the Samurais were hard pressed to pierce them. But a new change in warfare has arrived yet again.

When they first fought against the Nanban fleet, the Samurai enjoyed superiority over the so called Western barbarians. But that advantage lasted only until the surprise element was gone, and only on the sea can they maintain the overwhelming upper hand. Inland, the battles are more hard fought as the Nanbans had begun deploying armored columns of primitive tanks whilst the Japanese are still relying on their superhuman infantry and old school Cavalry unit. Though the Samurai still prevail swiftly, they learned the bitter lesson: that while their Naval fleet are ahead of their time, their military technology on land are falling behind. No longer had they the right to call the Nanbans barbarians when they're capable of creating this metallic beast that rumble forth as it breathes flame and spits iron.

The Samurais returned to Japan triumphant, with a very precious and humbling lesson learned. They took the Nanban tanks home and began developing their own versions. It wasn't ready nor needed when they conquered the weakly defended Korea, but it was finally ready came the siege of Nanking… which immediately turned into a massacre when Japan's newly developed armored beasts of steel and iron giants rolled over the unprepared Chinese lines. The Ming army had created their defense strategy around the idea that Japan's greatest edge was their infantry units. They did not take into account the Samurai would unleash their own version of armored units, impervious to bullets and bombs, able to walk through mine field unharmed, crushing their infantry and fortification down under. With their army routed and fortresses toppled one after another, the city and the surrounding lands were so utterly destroyed, it was still known as the Desolation of Nanking to this day. It wasn't long before the Samurai are nearing the Chinese capital of Beijing, and the Middle Kingdom teetered on the brink of defeat.

Ironically, China's saving grace will not come from an ally, but from another enemy. The Mongolian raiders, long time enemy of the Chinese Middle Kingdom, finally toppled the Great Wall and invaded the Central Plain. The many nomadic clans who ruled the grasslands of the north united under the banner of their Khagan: the legendary Genghis Khan. The vast hordes of the Mongolian horse raiders swept across the northern part of China and pushed eastward, while the Samurai attacked from the west, with China was vast enough that both sides were blissfully unaware of each other's presence, until that eventuality where the two invading forces finally met. At that time of course, neither side had ever seen one another. The Mongolians thought they've finally met the main elite force of the Chinese, and the Samurai thought more or less the same when facing the Mongolian mounted archers. One thing for certain, for the first time ever, both sides finally met a worthy enemy that can match them muscle to muscle, steel to steel. The swift Mongolian archer cavalry who lived and died on horsebacks can easily outpaced the Samurais even while unleashing volleys of Damascus Steel arrows from afar… but on the occasion the disciplined superhuman Samurai were able to withstand the punishment and get close enough, a single squad of Samurai super soldiers had spelt the doom of an entire raiding horde. Even when both sides began to realize the truth that they were facing something entirely new, neither side seem willing to step back. Thus began the bitter rivalry between Japan's Samurai and the Mongolians Mounted Archers, with the Chinese caught right in the middle.

Thankfully, before the situation worsened any further, the White Emperor decided to finally intervene and put a stop to the bloodshed. With a single word, the Samurais were reminded of their undying oath of loyalty to the one true master of the world their ancestor once served, and all hostilities stopped overnight. The Emperor had not been idle: he had been watching the whole war from start to finish. Why it started… and how it progressed. He had let it all happen as punishments to his mortal subjects for having judged the fate of the Samurais so poorly. He did not, however, expected that the Mongolians and the Samurais would encounter one another in a bitter struggle, and so aided in mediating the peace between them. The Samurais and the Mongolians would be allowed to keep what they have conquered, but no more. Beijing will not be touched, this the two nations must promise. The ruling Tokugawa Shogunate readily agreed, but Genghis Khan was a bit reluctant. As an appeasement, the White Emperor allowed Genghis Khan to continue his expansion… but it will be to the west. He reasoned that while He will not interfere with men's drive to expand, He will not suffer two greatest fighting forces humanity has ever known to clash over one another in a mutually assured destruction. Certainly not for grievances neither side committed to one another. In respect of the White Emperor's offer, Genghis Khan swore an oath he will not lead another eastward expansion for as long a he lived.

The Emperor had also watched how the Samurais had conducted themselves over the course of the Breakthrough War. And while it pleases Him that the proud and honorable Super Soldiers had largely maintained their conduct and discipline throughout their conflict, the damage they have inflicted and the brutality they committed in their rage, especially in Korea, was appalling to behold. So he ordered the Japanese to return to their lands and restructure themselves and rebuild. The resources they so require will be provided to them by the Great Empire, as remuneration for centuries of isolation. A few short years afterwards, the port cities of the westward Nanban country, later known as America, would rile in terror as the Japanese sent their peace emissaries and relief effort… aboard a fleet of four heavily armed Blackships, the same Blackships that had decimated their navy so utterly in Pearl Harbor. And then again when they sent another 8… to help deliver some more supplies on the relief effort.

As for China, the Emperor recompensed the Middle Kingdom as well as He could. Some damage can be undone, some, like Nanking, was beyond salvage. And yet despite the Emperor's best efforts, for a good long while, China maintained a very hostile relationship with Japan. While the Samurai culture began to spread across the globe, China remained the only country sternly refusing any and all forms of diplomatic relationship and isolated themselves from the rest of the world. This would later come as a disadvantage when the late Genghis Khan's grandson: Kubilai Khan, unbound by Genghis Khan's oath after his death, expanded eastward. China continued to stubbornly refuse aid from Japan, until eventually Kubilai conquered Beijing, toppling the reigning Song Dynasty. Kubilai would go on establishing his own dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty, and continued his eastward expansion, reigniting old rivalry with Japan when they began encroaching on their borders with two separate invasions. But around that time, the Samurais had become the official global peacekeeping force of the Empire (albeit using a system akin to a mercenary dispatch company). Which means by that time, Japan holds the military supremacy of the era, and the combined Chinese-Mongol army of the Yuan Dynasty were completely outmatched in every aspect by the now empowered Samurais. Kubilai Khan however, was a progressive and wise leader. Realizing he cannot fight the Samurais head on, he offered something the Emperors of the previous dynasties would never think of: friendship. Kubilai would open the borders of China for the first time, and so the first Samurais walk into the streets of Beijing not as conquerors but as newfound ally. This would not only began to mend the rift in the Japanese Chinese relationship centuries to come, but also lay down the foundation for the Japan Mongol unity during the Cold War era that eventually lead to the creation of ORB.

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In the actual real word history, what happened was the exact opposite. It was the US navy who terrorized Japan with a fleet of four Kurobune (Blackships), to force the Government to open up the borders of Japan.

Genghis Khan never committed to an eastward expansion… not for the lack of trying. He passed away before he can begin the plan. But, his descendents, specifically his Grandson Kubilai Khan, would finally realize that dream, and became the first Mongol Emperor of China, toppling the Song Dynasty and established the Yuan Dynasty that would last from 1271 to 1368. And yes, Kubilai did try to invade Japan twice during his reign. And they both failed.