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Cover Art: Z-ComiX

Chapter 54

It wasn't the first time she'd seen the Crimson Arcana. Her duel with Malneux had taken part in the sandy training pits outside, expanses of sand and dirt ringed by wooden walls chest high. There were over twenty in total, some large enough to have twenty or more people do drills at once and others so small that even two combatants would feel cramped. Some had wooden posts to represent targets while others were empty, and one even contained a wooden combat course that reminded Ruby of the rooftops of Vale. A Crimson Arcanist was watching two younger Arcanists run through it, and they did run, much to her surprise. No magic was involved that she could see or sense and the two were sweaty but silent, powering on with raw determination.

"A strong body creates a strong mind." Glynda said, moving down the flagstone laid path between the dusty arenas. In one, Initiates were fighting two on one against a more experienced Arcanist, hurling spells toward him in an effort to break through his defences. In another, a man and a woman circled one another, lashing out occasionally with flaming spears. "The Crimson takes that to heart and it's a lesson we can all learn from. I've heard you like to run with the Collegium Guards in the morning. The White has strong relations with the Crimson. If you were to join us, you could even take part in training here."

"What is the building called?" Ruby asked, evading the question with casual ease. "It's the Gardens for the Emerald, the Archives for the Azure and the Cathedral for the White." She nodded ahead, the horseshoe shaped building in stark grey with red pennants hanging down the sides looming before them. It was functional. That was all she could say. It lacked the ornamentation of the White, the calming beauty of the Emerald or the sense of historical importance the Azure had. It was just a building, as though the architects had only cared to make it work and not for how it looked.

"Rather unimaginatively, they call it the Barracks. Simply that. The Crimson don't care for much other than the advancement of their art. That's not so bad, however, especially when they are so willing to assist us in matters of importance."

The horseshoe shape of the Barracks was angled in such a way that they had to walk between the curved prongs of the building, the wings, and up to the curved entrance inside the grounds itself. It reminded her of the town watch buildings in the Merchant's Quarter. Not the ones in the Lower District – those were broken down ruins in desperate need of repair – but the better equipped and maintained ones further up where the floods didn't reach.

Those were always more rugged and plain, lacking in much in the way of furniture other than wooden chairs and tables so basic they might as well have been planks fixed to trunks. The Barracks here were a little nicer, though only in the overall sense of quality. It was still spartan; it was just that what little furniture there was, a round table with four chairs beside it to the left, a weapon rack to the right, were of better make.

An Arcanist was already waiting for them as they arrived. He was tall and broad shouldered, almost twice the width of Ruby and bedecked from head to toe in tight cloth and leather strapped over red robes a shade darker than the others, more burgundy than crimson. The belts securing the leather to him were also red, likely dyed. His jerkin swept down to pleats falling down from his thighs to his knees and a vertical split in his robes, allowing more freedom of movement. Steel-toed boots peeked out from beneath and an axe of all things hung on his left hip. The man had a thick black beard and tanned skin, hard eyes and dark lines reaching down his cheeks. He was with four other Arcanists, but it was hard to look away from him. He commanded Ruby's attention.

"Lord Rainart." Glynda bowed her head respectfully. "The White is ever thankful for your willingness to assist us."

"Lady Goodwitch." he replied. "The Crimson is ever thankful for the chance to practice our art. I understand it's an Azure today. Unusual. They're not normally ones to betray the Collegium. Does this have anything to do with the loss of the Archives?"

"I could not say for sure, not without questioning him."

Ruby would have snorted if she wasn't trying her best to stay out of trouble. It was obviously to do with the Archives, and they were intentionally playing stupid if they wanted to pretend otherwise. The Librarian might have wanted to go to another Collegium that still allowed access to them. Couldn't that be done legally, though? Maybe he thought the White would try and spread the closure of the Archives out across all of them.

"I've prepared four of our own. Two Arcanists and two Initiates. It's a good learning experience for them and I understand you're doing the same yourself. The Grand Arcanist has approved it, provided they go no further than the Upper District. We would not normally have considered it, but he's only an Azure. Combat is not their specialty."

"The same thoughts on our end, Lord Rainart. We have some promising Initiates. I trust yours are the same?"

"They shall not slow you down."

The way he said it made it seem as much a threat to the Initiates as a promise to Glynda. Ruby's eyes slid to the four flanking him, two on either side, quickly frowning when she recognised one of them. Malneux. The thought was practically a curse. He looked so excited, too, practically shaking with the thought of what they were going to do. The other was one she didn't recognise, a boy maybe a year older than them with brown hair and green eyes. He met her eyes and inclined his head respectfully. The two Arcanists looked far less interested, almost disappointed even. Ruby felt a flash of irritation at the idea that might because they considered an Azure Arcanist not worth the trouble.

"Richmond and Degasse." Lord Rainart indicated the two Arcanists, who bowed their heads in unison. Richmond was a tall man and Degasse a broad-shouldered woman. Both brought Ruby's mind to town guards, and the good kind, too. The kind you learned to avoid. Stern and uncompromising, the type that'd chase you across the whole city rather than give up after a street or two. "They will be in charge of our Initiates. You need not worry about their safety. I understand you'll be taking Nikos as well. How is she doing?"

"Marvellously so far. She passed the Trial. I will not say with ease because none do, but she was one of the only two to succeed."

"Hmm. Good. That one has spirit, but there was little we could offer her anymore. The constant fighting was… not boring her per se, but she seemed disinterested. Unfulfilled. To ours, the promise of improvement is all the goal needed, but she wanted more."

"The girl needs purpose," Glynda said. "The White shall provide it."

"I am pleased to hear that. Richmond, Degasse, I leave this to you. Initiates," he said, voice gravelly. "You are being trusted to represent the Collegium outside the wall and before your ascension to the title of Arcanist. Do not abuse this privilege."

/-/

To Ruby's frustration, Glynda had her wait outside with the other Initiates while she spoke with the two Crimson Arcanists and they waited for Weiss and Pyrrha to show up. That left her with Malneux and the new boy, who she quickly learned was called Noel DuMarc, and whom she quickly realised was fairly low on the pecking order because he stayed quiet the whole time and let Malneux do all the talking. A whole lot of talking.

"Kicked out of the Azure already, Rose? I can't believe you'd go running to a new Arcana so quickly. You must have had Lady Schnee pay your way in. Not that I can blame you. You've relied on her to do almost everything for you since day one."

"I didn't rely on her to win our duel."

His eyes flashed dangerously. "No. You relied on someone else instead. Where is Arc by the way? I haven't seen you with him of late. Did he finally wise up to your poor manners and throw you aside? I suppose it was too much to ask someone of his station to mingle with a foreigner like yourself."

Ruby's hands clenched and unclenched at her side. She looked away, unable and unwilling to answer the question. It had been a while since she and Jaune spoke properly – well over two weeks now. Before, she'd just kept telling herself he was busy and she had her own problems with Merlot and the Archives, but now after reading his father's letter… What if he was in trouble and she'd ignored him? What kind of friend did that make her?

"Did I strike a sensitive subject? If so, I apologise." Malneux looked thrilled. "Happier topics, then? You might be relieved to know that while you were off in the Archives, I took the charitable decision of keeping Lady Schnee company."

"What?" she asked, snapping back to him.

"Hm? You left her alone in class and at lunch," he responded. "Didn't you think she would be lonely? Not to worry, I offered to let her sit with us and kept her company for the week. She was quite agreeable and rather good company if I do say so myself."

"Bullshit. Weiss can't stand you."

"Need you be so vulgar? And we can ask her, she approaches now."

Weiss and Pyrrha were walking side by side toward them. Where Weiss wore the white robes of her initiation, Pyrrha had changed back into red, and wore leather armour over her wrists and chest rising up to shield her breasts. Like Rainart, her robe was split in the centre, knee-length boots visible beneath. A shortsword lay strapped to her hip, a double belt hanging around her waist, one tight and the other loose to allow the sheathed weapon some swing. Her Arcanum was emblazoned proudly over her heart, the singular red gem glinting.

It must be to show she's an Arcanist, Ruby thought. If they were going outside, then Pyrrha Nikos was technically a Crimson Arcanist more than she was a White Initiate. She had the freedom to leave as she wished and would obviously choose to represent herself in her higher rank.

"Lord Malneux," Weiss said, a tone of reluctance hinting at exasperation. "Are you accompanying us on this excursion?"

"I am, Lady Schnee. And I was just telling Lady Rose of how you and I ate and spent time together while she was otherwise engaged in the Archives. She seems rather doubtful of me, however. Even implied I might be lying. Would you mind answering that for both our sakes?"

Weiss sighed. "Is it really important-?"

"He's lying," Ruby said boldly. "He's lying. Isn't he?"

Martyn smirked and the fact Weiss didn't was all the answer Ruby needed, even before Weiss looked away. "He is telling the truth. Lord Malneux was a perfect gentleman, I can assure you. Really, this isn't important though."

It felt important. At least to her. Ruby's stomach sank as Martyn chuckled and gave the polite and passive-aggressive version of `I told you so` behind her. Ruby kept trying to meet Weiss' eyes, only for her friend to look away. Why? I was only gone a week. Is that how long it takes for you to replace me? And with Malneux of all people…

"Initiates. Nikos." Glynda returned and nodded her head to Pyrrha, greeting an equal. "You are all here. Good. You have all been made aware of our task. It is an important one and yet not so dangerous that we cannot see it as a learning experience. Consider yourselves fortunate but do not take this as anything less than the duty it is. I shall not abide reckless behaviour or merrymaking. Arcanist Nikos. I would ask you to stay with the White Initiates for this. I already know you are capable of combat and there's nothing to prove there. Richmond and Degasse will be protecting the Crimson Initiates, but I am too busy to do the same."

"Understood, Lady Goodwitch. I'm content to stay back."

"Appreciated. You are after all also a White Initiate, even if you are a fully fledged Arcanist. It's always a unique sensation but rest assured if I treat you as an inferior it is habit and no personal attack."

A small smile crept over Pyrrha's face. "I take no offence. My ego is not so fragile."

"I'm glad to hear it. Rose. Schnee." Glynda addressed them. "You will follow Arcanist Nikos' instructions in all matters. If she believes you defiant, I shall hear of it and you shall be punished accordingly. Inside these walls and inside the Cathedral you may be equals, but outside you carry the reputation of every Arcanist within our walls to the people of the city. Remember that. How you act will shape how our people view all of us – and within the Upper District, the Noble's Quarter, that is an even greater concern. It is one thing to fail to impress a merchant or citizen, another to embarrass the Collegium in front of the noble families."

"Yes Lady Goodwitch." Weiss said dutifully.

Ruby nodded along. Everyone noticed the lack of respect, intentional as it was, but Glynda didn't seem to care. She nodded and turned away, motioning for them to follow her. "We will travel on foot as there's no need to go far."

"May I ask a question, Lady Goodwitch?" Malneux asked once it was clear she had nothing more to say.

"You may, though we would expect silence once our hunt commences. Ask away for now and I shall answer."

"Thank you, Lady Goodwitch. How will we know where to find our quarry? Has he been sighted or located already, or shall we be hunting him ourselves?"

"A valid question. He has fled to his family's home, so we do know where he is locking himself away. Arcanists have been stationed on the gates in and out of the Upper District to prevent his escape, but he has not yet made the effort."

"How do we know he's Rogue, then?" Ruby asked. "He's allowed to leave the Collegium. Couldn't he just be going back home for a bit?"

"His actions prove otherwise. If he had simply left the Collegium and locked himself away, we would not care. However, he visited the Scriptorium before he left, broke into the vaults and destroyed his Simulacrum."

"His what now…?"

"A Simulacrum. You might remember being taken to the Scriptorium when you first joined the Collegium. I do believe Arcanist Watts took you there, Initiate. It acts as a record of your presence within the Collegium, hence the term used. It's not a specifically magical term or concept, just a record of who you are, when you joined us and similar things."

Ruby could vaguely remember the Scribe – or Lord Scribe – taking down information about her, records of a sort. He'd taken some of her blood, too. Considering the Collegium liked to have control over every Arcanist, it probably made sense for them to write down the name of every person who came through. They'd also asked her family name, which might let them better track what families had magical talent throughout it.

Why would the Librarian go through all the effort of destroying his records, though? That's what outed him as a Rogue Arcanist when he could have just walked out the city and never come back. It didn't make sense; he'd as good as told them what he was doing.

"Even if he doesn't try to flee, his actions would invite questions – and did. We're not going in to attack him without due reason, Initiates. We initially sent missives to demand answers as to why he did what he did, and then a single White Arcanist to speak with him. She was rebuffed, even threatened when she made to enter his home. Rather than risk a battle that might spill out into the Upper District, she chose to return and report to the White. The correct decision."

"That's it, then," Malneux said. "You don't get guiltier than that."

You really didn't. Ruby bit her lip and stayed quiet as they approached the gates, where two of the Collegium Guards swept their spears down to block their path. It was a bold and startling move, especially as she'd grown used to everyone scraping and bowing where Goodwitch was concerned.

"Initiates may not leave the Collegium, Lady Arcanist." The head guard nodded to Ruby and the others. "You may leave, they may not."

"They are with me, sirs. I have the permission of the Grand Arcanist."

The guard frowned and looked to his colleague. "Do you have proof of this?"

Glynda drew out a scroll and held it to them. The lead guard nodded to the other, who came forward to take it gingerly and then stepped back several paces. He opened it, read through, showed it to his colleague and then stepped even further back. An Arcanist was consulted, the woman taking the scroll, holding it up and whispering some soft words. A glow emanated from the scroll that Ruby couldn't see the source of, but it must have been like a wax seal to prove who the author was. Satisfied, the Arcanist rolled it up, nodded and handed it back to the guard. He brought it forward again, giving it to Glynda with a deep bow.

"Our apologies, Lady Arcanist. You are sanctioned to take the Initiates, though we would ask their names first. Records to be signed upon their return, lest some be lost outside the walls."

"There is no need for apology, good sirs. You do your duty well. The Initiates are Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Martyn Malneux and Noel DuMarc." Each of their names was written down. The Guards looked to them in turn, nodding and handing the papers to the Arcanist stationed there.

"All is in order. Thank you for understanding, Lady Arcanist. Good day."

"Good day to you as well."

It was clear she approved of their questioning, even the lack of faith and assumed guilt they heaped upon her – a noble and the de facto leader of the White Arcana. If they showed that level of suspicion to even someone of her stature, Ruby couldn't imagine how suspicious they would be of the average Initiate like her trying to talk her way out.

Being able to walk outside the confining walls of the Collegium was worth it, though. The sun seemed to shine brighter and warmer and she could finally see the city in the distance. The tiered nature of Vale meant that only the Royal Palace was higher than the district they were in. From their lofty position she could look down and see home. The slums looked dark and squalid, as though the sunlight itself avoided it. Glynda led them away and to the east, along the outside of the wall, and soon she couldn't see past the dividing wall of the Upper and Lower District.

Whenever she'd seen Arcanists among the merchants she'd stopped and stared, and part of her expected the same from the Nobles in the Upper. It wasn't the case. Well dressed men and women walked by them as though they didn't exist and even the children playing spared not a glance for them. Arcanists must have been a part of everyday life for the nobles. They probably had Emerald Arcanists helping with every birth, ailment or minor injury. They'd have Arcanists in the family, or at least friends who knew them. People made way for Lady Goodwitch but otherwise ignored them, several even turning their noses up.

"You can see the Malneux estate from here," Martyn said. Despite herself, Ruby followed his finger. It was a lovely building, she had to admit. Light grey in colour and surrounded by flowering hedges with tall wooden ornamental structures beyond forming gazebos in the gardens. The mansion itself was four stories tall, evenly built with the same number of windows on either side, perfectly symmetrical and sporting a large fountain out front. "Our family has lived there for generations, ever since the founding of the city where Alberic Malneux fought alongside the first king. He was named the first marshal of Vale, a great honour that the Malneux family has claimed several times since. It's a shame Arcanists can't be marshals or I'd have made a try for it myself."

"No Arcanist may hold a position of office within the Kingdom," Glynda said softly.

"I understand, Lady Goodwitch. It was only whimsical thought. My aspiration now is to replace Lord Hazel Rainart as Commander of the Crimson Garrison."

"A lofty goal. Train hard, Initiate."

"You can see the Schnee manor from here as well," Martyn told them. "It is the smaller one over there, the one with the white flags and roses. They certainly do love their house colours." He chuckled as he said it, as though it was a cute and adorable thing. The manor was still large by the standards of anywhere Ruby had ever lived, but it looked squat and uncomfortable because of the fact it was pinned between two much larger ones.

It was three stories with elegant tall windows covered by silver gauze and filigree shaped like vines. Pillars entwined with flowers reached up to an overhanging marble ceiling casting shade over a pristine walkway to large, redwood doors. Despite its relative size compared to the other manors, it looked nicer in her eye. Cleaner and fresher, probably newly constructed. As Malneux said, there were a little too many pennants and flags hanging from it, however, along with large and ornate snowflake symbols over the front gates. It came across like it was trying too hard, as though the lord of the manor desperately wanted everyone to know who he was. Weiss kept her eyes down, not once looking toward her home.

"It's nice," Ruby said, hoping it might help her.

"It is." Malneux agreed easily. "As I heard it Lord Jacques hired the finest architects to design their home, and there's something to be said for the skill required to make so small a plot shine as well as it has. The Schnee family had a prior manor but it was lost in debt to the Arc family."

"The Arcs?"

"That's right. Something before Lady Weiss Schnee's time, I'm sure. There are plenty of ancestral debts going back, though it must be said most families sort those rather quickly. No one wants a debt hanging over their head. I hear the late Lord Schnee lacked in financial acumen, however. I wouldn't want to make assumptions and insult Lady Schnee, though."

"No. It's true." Weiss looked pained to admit it. "My grandfather was not what one would call thrifty. He borrowed money from the Arc family and failed to pay it back. In return, he offered away the Schnee home."

That must have been why the Schnee family were so desperate that they would marry a merchant in Jacques Schnee, Weiss' father. Blood might not mean much without anywhere to live, and she couldn't imagine anyone wanting to marry a family that pushed itself to near ruin.

"That was why it was such a surprise to hear of a marriage meet between Lord Jaune Arc and Lady Weiss Schnee," Martyn went on. "There were suggestions the Schnee were trying to win back their home through marriage."

Weiss' shoulders remained stiff and she kept walking, eyes away from home. They moved on in silence, past several more mansions of varying size and beauty. Each of them could and perhaps should have existed within acres of green land, but the fact they were dotted within a district meant they moved past at least twenty within as many minutes. It still bothered her that the Upper District and the slums were of a comparable size and yet there were maybe a hundredth of the people living here and they had all this space to themselves.

Eventually, they reached a middling manor, larger than Weiss', but then whose wasn't seemed to be the sentiment there. This one had redbrick walls, closed windows and a gate swung open and inward. It was quiet and dark, seemingly abandoned.

"The Aldeen family home," Glynda said. "An ancient family, though one limited in number now. Our quarry is the regent of the family by virtue of no siblings remaining among the living. His nephew, who studies as a lawmaker within the palace, is the official head, though he will not inherit until his fourteenth. After today, he may need a new regent. It is a shame his last living relative came to this."

"Last I checked the Aldeen family has many allies," Martyn said. "I'm sure they will be happy to help the young lord rebuild."

"Quite." It was clear Lady Goodwitch didn't care for his interruption, so clear that Martyn blushed red and backed away, bowing out a quick apology. "Initiates, you are to remain and watch. Even as an Azure, an Arcanist is too great a challenge for you here. Nikos, protect them. Richmond and Degasse - if you will accompany me."

Striding forward, the three of them moved into the gates and paused, Glynda stood in the middle and the two Crimson Arcanists flanking her. Her white robes billowed behind her, the gold glinting in the sunlight as she looked up at the tall building. She was calm, hands linked diplomatically in front of her, face even.

"Lord Frederick Aldeen," she called. "Arcanist of the Azure and of the Collegium of Vale. You stand charged of being in breach of the Tenets, an assault on the Scriptorium and theft from the Azure Archives. I ask that you come peacefully and-"

Ruby sensed the magic.

It crackled and burned in the air, forming bright blue bolts of lightning that pierced toward Glynda. Weiss cried out in alarm, but Martyn and Nikos remained calm. Ruby felt no need to panic either, sensing the build up of magic within Richmond and Degasse. As one, they stepped forward and swept their arms up, catching the spell in what Ruby could sense was a net of some kind, or an interconnecting weave of magical threads. The lightning crackled in the air and diverted, punching down into the ground and sparking harmlessly over the flagstone.

"I ask that you come peacefully and submit yourself to investigation," Lady Goodwitch continued, as though the attack had not happened. "You shall be afforded the chance to explain yourself to the Azure, the White and the Grand Arcanist, and should your explanation be sufficient, to re-enter the Collegium with a cleared name. Submit to us, Arcanist. The innocent have nothing to fear."

The answer was silence. The man Ruby had known only as the Librarian made no move to communicate with them. Light flared within the windows, the entire mansion seeming to pulse with energy Ruby could feel. In the distance, a bell within the Collegium tolled.

"So be it," Glynda said. "It seems he's had time to prepare and wishes to hold a last stand here."

"The manor crackles with magic," Degasse said. "I sense wards to alert him of entrance along with a few traps. Simple things, so simple my gut tells me they're intentional. I cannot sense any deeper and woven behind, however."

Ruby could sense something there, and she could sort of feel heat coming from some parts, which she assumed meant fire magic of some kind, but it was an indistinct and vague thing, like feeling certain parts of the mansion were hot, cold or tingly. Was it training that let them understand at a glance what those meant, or was it something a Wildmage could never understand? To her, magic wasn't about patterns or logic or structure. It was a raw and emotional thing.

While she could tell where magic was, she couldn't tell what it was meant to do. The only assumptions she could make were that a spell containing fire over by the front entrance probably wasn't there to dry you off if it was raining, and that the feeling by the window that she'd best describe as `pressure` probably wasn't to keep it shut.

"I believe they are that simple," Richmond said. "He's an Azure after all."

"I would rather err on caution than stand to be embarrassed. We have time on our side."

"Indeed we do," Glynda said conversationally. "I agree with both of you. I, too, sense the simplistic traps, and while my instinct is to say they're clever diversions to draw attention from the real danger, no amount of delving shows me more. They may in fact be diversions of a far simpler nature."

"To waste our time trying to figure out what they're there?" Richmond hummed. "Possible, but what does he gain from stalling? There is no help coming for him, nothing to wait for."

"Then the only answer is that he is a fool or that he is working on something that requires time." Glynda stepped forward, white robes swishing around her legs. "I will not risk the Collegium by assuming the former. Richmond, go left. Degasse, right. Find entrances and close in on the target from all sides. We cannot afford for him to escape the manor and make a run into the Upper District where he might imperil innocent people. Check every room."

The two Crimson Arcanists split off and walked across the gardens around the building. Lady Goodwitch gave them a few minutes and moved toward the front entrance, coiling power around her right fist in visible strands of golden light. They channelled out and toward the door, slamming it open. Fire raced down and out from it, washing over a shimmering shield. Goodwitch didn't slow and walked through it, forcing it aside and eventually passing through and into the mansion.

"And we're just meant to wait here?" Ruby asked. "What does this teach us?"

"It is a demonstration." Pyrrha explained.

"On what?"

"The importance of strategy and teamwork, of minimising risk and stopping a Rogue Arcanist from escaping into the city, desperate and afraid, where he might take people hostage. They can't take you inside where your lives would be in danger."

"Her life, perhaps," Martyn said. "I've dealt with worse in the Crimson."

The worst part was that he may well have been right – about being more experienced, not about her safety. As a Wildmage she could have burnt him to a crisp, but in terms of what skills she could actually show, he was better than her now. He was stockier, too, beginning to show some muscle definition from his training. As galling as it was to admit, he'd benefitted within the Crimson, and he hadn't joined it long after she and Weiss joined their Arcana. That would have placed him as one of the more talented Initiates alongside themselves.

"How about a wager, Rose?"

"Excuse me?"

"A friendly wager on how long it will take them to root out and deal with the Rogue. He's an Azure, so I doubt he'll last long, but you obviously think they're worth something or you wouldn't have joined them."

"Ruby, don't," Weiss said.

"Why not, Lady Schnee? It's only a little thing. I know Rose lacks money or standing due to her family's passing, so I won't put her in debt. In fact, how about the opposite? Win and I'll give you… let's say a hundred lien."

A hundred!? Ruby tried hard not to show how much that meant to her, least of all because if it was the kind of money someone could throw around in a childish bet, then it shouldn't mean much to a noble like her. It did, though. That kind of money was a big deal in the slums, enough to eat proper food for three months. Yang could use that. Heck, I could use it!

"Ruby," Weiss pleaded. "Don't do something stupid."

"And what would I be betting?" she asked. Weiss looked upset. Why, Ruby didn't know. She was asking the terms, which had to be as opposite to `doing something stupid` as she could get. "I'm not going to agree to something without knowing what I have to do if I lose."

"That's only natural. If I lose, I'll give you a hundred lien. If you lose, hm…" It would have been scandalous and bad for him if he asked anything too ridiculous. If it put her honour in question, she could say no and it wouldn't be her who lost out for it. People would talk about Martyn asking her something scandalous and he'd lose face. Money was always the safe bet, but they both knew she didn't have any. "Ah. I know. The Founding Festival is coming up in a few weeks. There will be a formal school dance on the first evening of it. If I win, you must accompany me as my partner – and you must be the one to ask me to the dance."

"Say what!?" Ruby spluttered, and she wasn't the only one. Weiss looked downright shocked. "Wait. You want me to go to the dance with you?" She hadn't even realised there would be a dance. The Founding was a city-wide festival even the slums recognised, but it wasn't like they had a formal event for it, and she hadn't thought to ask if the Collegium did. "Why would you want to go with me?"

"In truth I don't much want to go with anyone," he said with a small sigh. "To do so would be to lead a poor maiden on when my intentions are not there. However, it would be an embarrassment to go without a date. If you were to ask me, I could say I accepted out of politeness."

Out of pity, more like. He'd probably say he did it because no one else would want to go with some ruined noble on their arm, but he felt sorry for her. Ruby grimaced and looked away. The idea of having to go with him rankled. It made her scrunch her nose up. Weiss was giving her a look, though not one she recognised. Shock and a little suspicion seemed to be there, mostly the latter aimed toward Malneux. Ruby felt a fair chunk of her own. Hadn't Yang once told her some boys tried to show they liked you by bothering you all the time? She hoped not. If Martyn Malneux actually had feelings for her…

Ugh.

On the other hand, a hundred lien. One hundred.

"Alright. What are the terms we're betting on?"

"A simple higher or lower. We'll agree upon a time and I shall bet that they find and defeat the Azure Arcanist in less time. You take more. In the interests of fairness, Lady Nikos can take time."

"Please leave me out of this," Pyrrha said.

"Lady Weiss and Lord Noel, then?" Martyn asked. Noel DuMarc agreed with a shrug, leaving Weiss to agree as well lest the other cheat on Martyn's behalf. "Perfect. What do you say, Rose? How confident are you in the Azure?"

Confident enough. The Librarian was old and experienced, in his home territory and with time aplenty to prepare. He also had to have a plan, otherwise doing all this made no sense. He'd attacked the Scriptorium, all but telling the White his intentions, then come here. He knew what would happen, which meant he thought he had a chance.

"Fine." Just to be safe, Ruby turned to Pyrrha. "What's the average time something like this would take?"

The redhead sighed. "I asked to be left out of this. Fifteen minutes. That is about average…"

"Fifteen minutes, then." Martyn said. "I will go further. I say he will be defeated and dragged out within ten minutes of this time now. If he lasts longer than ten minutes, you win, and I hand over one hundred lien before the end of the day. If you lose, however, you must ask me to take you to the Founding dance publicly. Within the week. Any longer and I shall have ladies asking for my hand."

Ten minutes? Was that it? Ruby snorted and stuck out her hand. Easiest hundred lien of her life.

"Deal."

Some rivalries never die.

Looking back, I wonder if Ruby could have used a rival in the show. It's a random thought and not one I've really considered before but look at almost any show of this nature – high school, action, adventure or even fantasy – and you normally have some early rival characters introduced to act as a foil for the protagonist. Someone they can bounce off. I suppose you could argue Roman counts as that, but it doesn't do it for me. Roman is a villain, so he's technically a rival to everyone. Jaune has Cardin and Cardin does work to help Jaune grow, but Ruby just kind of has no one, and as a result never really gets challenged in Beacon other than for, like, half an episode where Weiss suggests she's a bad leader. Food for thought.

Next Chapter: 30th August

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