End of Book Two
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"YOU ABSOLUTE MADMAN!" Zorah shrieked and pointed an accusing finger at me. "HOW DARE YOU POLLUTE OUR EARS WITH THIS NONSENSE!"
King Tristwin only leaned back and gave a full-belied laugh. "Oh you absolute madlad!" He briefly looked towards Yumina, who shrugged, then back to me still in my Gendo pose. "But I know you like to say things to shock people - I have been far too long in the presence of Jamukha Blau Mismede. You are the same type of people. So out with it, Zah Playa."
I scowled. "You know we planned so well for the Belfast-Mismede alliance and then linking our infrastructure together? And then immediately after talking about it, something happened to make the whole plan defunct? It's like talking about the plan ensures something will interfere like some Unspoken Plan Guarantee."
"... That is just peasant superstition," Zorah had to say.
The King hummed. "You know I cannot just blindly give my permission for anything that will affect the politics of Belfast and Regulus as a whole. It is my concern for my people, not my pride, that prohibits me from just allowing someone else to do what they wish out of sight for my supposed benefit."
I only shrugged. "Well, this whole thing started because the Emperor of Regulus is ill. Jackals are starting to circle. But you know… this could still be some plot of fake illness to clear the way for his succession."
"Ah. That is certainly a possibility. There have been many such instances of letting your enemy have all the rope they need to hang themselves with."
"You did this recently with your poisoning."
"Mmm. If only the risk of war and the maltreatment of beastkin inside Belfast had not been so urgent, it would have been good to let the pretense of their success go on for a bit longer." He waved. "But we are getting sidetracked. Explain."
"Fair enough. Well if he's *actually sick*, who happens to be the best gorram healer this side of the continent?"
Yumina gasped, raising a hand to her face. "That is an excellent point, Sir Zah!"
"Oh, right. [Light] magic as well!" Leene beamed. "Well it has to be me, would it not? In my over six hundred years of existence I have watched so many of you mortals grow infirm and decay and struggle against the peace of death. None other than the elves have as much experience in trying to halt this inevitable degradation as myself. Whatever ails he may have, I will know."
Leene blinked at the silence that greeted her declaration. "Wa-what is with the look you are giving me? Do not give me those looks of pity! What even is this?! Whyyyy?!"
I coughed into my fist. "Ahem. Well if nothing else, there is the option to simply shove enough [Light] magic to choke a Dark God into him and see if that works."
The king gave out an amused 'heh'. "Do you actually intend to kidnap Zephyrus though?"
"Who? Oh, that's his name? Well I'll try to talk him into laying a trap for General Bazoar. But if he's actually too sick to object, then I'll just yoink him into Belfast. That should give his successors and royal guard a reason to go into high alert. Frankly speaking this plan is NO PLAN, let's just see what happens and roll with it."
Zorah picked wood fragments out of her face and then bowed towards the king. "Your Majesty this is a terrible idea and I respectfully suggest that you entertain no part of it."
Then Zorah turned towards me and asked "In the first place, how would you even get to Gallaria in time? You do not even know what the Emperor looks like!"
I shrugged again. "How do you think I was able to get here *from* Mismede in time?"
Yumina titted her head to the side like a yellow parakeet. She certainly knew what the Emperor looked like. There have been diplomatic visits before. Portraits were easy to procure as well. But would she be allowed to tag along as a guide?
"I was in Mismede but a short while ago," King Tristwin said. "Prince Zah Playa is proven to be able to travel - and to enable travel - between vast distances very quickly. This is part of why I trust his ability…." and with a sigh "And tolerate his eccentricities."
Left unspoken was 'I tolerate so much bullshit from my subordinates as long as they prove themselves capable and loyal. So much. Bullshit'.
'Wait, what?' Zorah mouthed out.
I turned to the side. "What do you think, Yumina?"
The princess touched a finger to her chin and pursed her lips. "The OODA loop - observe, orient, decide, act - is a cycle that applies to all decision-making processes. Doctrine: Initiative relies upon disrupting the enemy's ability to make decisions as early and as often as possible. The information delay going from the Belfast border to the heart of the Empire means that if Lord General Bazoar presents himself to court, he has enough demons by the sacrifice to suddenly appear and overcome the palace defenders. It would be a perfect decapitation strike. I presume that letting Marquise Alpas live is so that man would be able to suffer more knowing it was his ineffectuality as a fighting man that allowed this to happen."
Then she shook her head and sighed. "Lord General Bazoar is so unlucky."
"Hm? How so?" her father asked.
"Because this is a perfect example of the disruption doctrine - it is simple, but all the best plans are simple. Put overwhelming force to your enemy's weakest point when they don't expect it. He may act all that smart, but he is more than competent as a general. It would have worked very well. It is just so… unfortunate… that he exists in the same era as Sir Zah, who is simply a better artist of this doctrine. So…" Yumina shrugged. "Nyeeh. "
Leene laughed. "Nyeeh. What a succinct summary of such a situation. I like it!"
I let out a deep breath. "Tristwin, let me be brutally honest here-"
"Heh. When, if ever, are you not?"
"No, that's just me being a rude little shite unconcerned with protocol. This is different." I waved my palm from left to right. "You know this whole thing with the potential continental great war you have? I don't really care about it."
The king sniffed. "That much was already obvious."
"But I am incentivized to help you resolve this quickly. Because I can't stay here. My first priority will always be my wife." I repeated the motion. "What do you think happens when a being of magic is exposed to a magic-eater weapon?"
King Tristwin sat up sharply. "Oh no."
The air in the room grew cold and heavy for a moment. The glass panes fogged up with condensation. An electric ozone scent hung in the air. "For the first time in a long while, Monika has been *physically* hurt. And so I will have my revenge. General Bazoar will *break*."
Then I pointed towards Leene. "But I also have a lead on potential Ancient relics that would help, so… I *refuse* to allow Monika to suffer any longer than necessary. Three days, that is the most I can give to resolve this crisis."
King Tristwin leaned back and rested his chin on his fist. His other hand drummed fingers upon the table. "I cannot forbid you from this. Even if you were my vassal, I would not have the right to push you to the front line, knowing how much of your combat potential is tied to your partnership. Three days is not much, but I suppose we should make the most of it."
"If Bazoar shows his face again, then we fight again. If not, you have my Marker stone so you can recall us in hurry when the war starts."
"I see. Then I will thank you for even this much."
I smiled and nodded back. "Thanks too."
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While this was going on, the girls were chatting in another room. Elze and Linze set beside each other, Yae was for a change not munching on anything while waiting, and Charlotte occupied the opposite side of the square table to Yae. She had a notebook open and was scribbling furiously, then looking up with a puppy-like eagerness for more information.
The Chappa-ai was not the most urgent thing about the instructions to Charlotte. What was important for her to bring was the mini projector. Now Monika was able to again project herself as a 3D image, but lacking solidity.
The smartphone was on a tripod clipped to the back of a chair, allowing her to speak to others from eye level. While the display was broken, there was no damage to her front and back cameras, or her thermal sight or her GPS and proximity and other various sensors.
"Why can't you just reverse the damage to yourself?" asked Elze.
/"I would immediately forget that I am supposed to be casting the magic, and then it would not happen due to the time paradox,"/ replied Monika. /"Remember that my magic, unlike the classical elements, is not Formalized. This is a magic that I can only cast externally with myself as an Observer."/
Elze sat back down, crossing her arms and pouting. "Well that sucks."
"So where do we go from here, Miss Monika?" asked Linze. She glanced towards Charlotte. "Is this… is this really all right?" Unspoken: we are breaking all the secrets of your vulnerability.
Monika wiggled her hand to the side in a so-so gesture. /"Leene already knows about this, and for various reasons I would rather have Charlotte's support more than Leene."/
Charlotte squeaked looked on the verge of crying. Her bosoms heaved with emotion. "Thank you. Thank you very much!"
/"... Yes, those really have to be some mighty powerful reasons indeed,"/ Monika sighed.
Then to answer Linze /"We promised to bring Leene to some Ancient archeological sites, because only mysterious Ancient magic-technology might possibly have the capacity to repair my… container. I could wait, things are very unstable right now, but Playa is being too much of a bonehead about this. He's going to keep hovering around me worrying if I'm in pain so we might as well just let him feel like he's accomplishing something?"/
"Are you? In pain?" Linze asked with a tinge of panic.
Monika winced. /"Not… not as such, no. It's just… imagine being locked in a cold dark room having only a window to the world. There's nothing - no sound, no warmth, no feeling - when that window is closed. Before, I could customize this… UI… this world, as much as I wanted. There were rolling green hills. There was a sun. Clouds. It was bliss. A river. Trees. I could even…"/ she coughed /"Mine and craft."/
Monika sagged. /"Now, there's just nothing. I can't even sleep."/
"That sounds horrible!" Linze gasped and clutched her hands to her chest.
"It's like you're describing a grave," Elze said with a wince.
/"That's what he said. It's not like I'm… unfamiliar with this sensation. It could be a lot worse. But because he knows I experienced this before is why Player is panicking so much. Hence owing Leene now TWO favors, one for her background on the Ancient Civilization hotspots and another unspecified for a future date."/
"Could I resign my post as Court Magician?!" Charlotte piped up excitedly. "Let me come with you!"
/"You would have to go exploring alongside your old teacher, you realize?"/
Charlotte eeped and covered, covering her head. "I… I withdraw the offer. But please share your research."
/"Don't worry about it. Leene has all the theoretical, you have the practical. That's why it's a marvel that your tower produced the Ring Gates, the first true mass producible teleportation matrix in thousands of years. You have a lot to be proud of and-"/ Monika's voice lowered to a hiss /"You are at least a productive member of society instead of a freeloading old hag."/
"Hah! It's not like you to lose your cool." Elze leered. "What did that fairy do to get under your skin? Did she manage to… do something… with Playa last night?"
/"Pft. No way Josefa."/
"Yes. Sir Zah would not tolerate anything that would have disrespected you." Linze nodded. Then she squinted "Although… given the deep nature of her favor…?"
Monika pompously lifted her chin and raised a fist. /"It is good that she requested assistance with archeology, otherwise aid would have come in form of boxing lessons."/
"Fascinating! May I just ask then - where is this Ancient Civilization archeological site?" Charlotte asked.
Monika turned her head towards Yae. Then, slowly, everyone else followed her gaze.
Yae blinked at all the attention. She tilted her head to the side like a black bird. "Nani yo?"
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From the top of Castle Zenovi's tallest tower we stared out towards Regulus, past the valleys that cut across the mountain range that sliced this continent between East and West. The wind was strong and cold, but neither of us were beings that could feel the chill anymore.
Three days. I sighed. "Three stupid days."
/"Three days? We can only hope General Bazoar shows himself in three days. My ability to help in tracking him down is limited. I can't bring up a minimap anymore. I can't even ask [The World] for a helpful quest marker. We are basically hoping for luck on luck that he is stupid enough to charge straight for the Regulan Capital instead of going to ground after being humiliated."/
"No, I mean, we only had three days together. This sucks. Since Leene already gave us the information, we can't charge it back. Three days so much closer to our goal and then this happens. I am super pissed off."
/"Player, there's no need to leave our allies hanging. Wars means lots of people will suffer. I can endure this."/
"Yeah, no. You have a whole 'sacrifice my entire well being for other people's happiness' thing and I don't want to enable that *at all*."
/"I'm not comfortable with that."/
"You also have an equal right to find happiness, and it's unfair for other people to rob that chance from you. It's not ok for you to live through PTSD just for other people's fucking convenience."
/"Unfortunately, you wear the face of a man who acts too selfishly and running away from problems you have caused is a bad look, and you swore to be better than him. I won't let you get away with that either. You reclaim this name to mean all the good it could have been, instead of someone that betrays every single one that ever believed in him. We can't abandon our friends. *We* have to be better."/
"Tch. Better three times finer, than three times faster."
/"Yes. I hope. I hope that if we work hard enough… we can get more kindness than what we deserve at the end."/
I smiled wanly and reached out, my hands stopping just short of Monika's shoulders and disturbing her illusion. She closed her eyes and leaned into me, but again just before the point of contact.
That little centimeter gap was all the distance in the world. She just had three days to feel like a real girl again and then this injustice.
This is intolerable.
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But we couldn't just leave with just that.
As the crow flies, from Castle Zenovi to the Belfast Border Wall was five minutes.
On horseback, that takes up to two hours. Even if Tristwin was comfortable to go around without escort, it could not be risked. The plains right below the castle had seen so much bloodshed, ever since the time this whole place was not owned by human hands.
After all, remember the name of the country. Belfast. B'el-faste. Be elf-owned. Or elf-haught.
The elves ceded this territory to relocate in their entirety to the cold highlands north of Regulus, creating a new country Elfrau - elf-rough, over a thousand years ago.
Yep, elf was apparently a verb.
A thousand years ago, Belfast was not Regulus territory either. It was the land of barbarians, and even when Regulus recruited from the Beastkin Legions, Belfast was a hard nut to crack. Magic learned from the elves allowed them to withstand massed manpower and Regulus' own mage auxiliaries.
As we passed farmland and people glancing nervously at our group, and noted how many of them had animal-like ears, it was a fine time for me to remember that the elves were not by default good people. Like everybody else in that time period, slavery was normalized and they had a strict magocracy with them at the top.
We faced the ruined walls of the Zeno Gap. The ones on the Regulus side were still intact. Probably seizing those would constitute an act of war despite what happened.
I turned around and asked "And because we aren't on a war footing I suppose we do still need these gates so civilians and troops can pass through?"
"Hmm. As much as possible I would like this war to be fought on Regulan ground," replied King Tristwin. "As long as we don't claim any new territory afterwards that should be just fine."
Amazing what three days can bring you. A couple of days before, we were preparing for a defensive war, and now we were considering if it was best to raise a coalition to invade Regulus before Bazoar burns enough of the country to fuel his demon army.
I clenched my fists and brought them down to my hips. I crouched to a Horse Stance, then stamped my feet. Right. Left. Anchor one's weight to the earth, become unmoving as the mountain. As mysterious as the forests.
"Rise, [Earth], create for me an invincible bulwark! [Earth Wall!]"
The ground trembled.
Rumbled.
And grew!
A wall of rough stone began to rise out of the ground right in front of the ruined stone wall. With a grinding noise reverberating like thunder, a perfectly flat plane scraped against the front of the existing wall. Everyone weaved unsteadily on their feet as the earthquake intensified. Royal Guards had to grab their horses' necks and tried to keep them from bolting in fear. The wall rose higher and higher until it was twice as tall as the previous wall and twice as thick.
With one final creak and a puff of fine dust, the wall settled into place.
I exhaled strongly. Whuff. I still cast from stamina, so even if I may not run out of magic power, that still sent my blood pumping and my heartbeat pounding inside my ears.
I opened my palm and pushed out. A hole sunk down right in front of the existing gates, forming an arched tunnel.
"In-inconceivable…!" Zorah gasped.
I breathed in and out and slowly unclenched my fists. It was hard to maintain humility if you could do stuff like this, but being too arrogant and secure in our power had managed to hurt us already.
I turned around and faced the king again. "That should do for now. I'll leave it to you guys to carve out how to get to the top, but this should be fine for defense while I'm away."
"Wait, wait - that is not how it works. That is not how [Earth] magic works at all!" Zorah shouted while waving her arms. "Earth constructs, like Water constructs, are not permanent! When you leave they will reduce back into the very ground they are made of after enough time has passed! You cannot violate magic by creating permanent structures - Shape and Form need to be maintained!"
"Not if you fold bedrock straight up. Rock is supporting rock," I replied. "This shite will last, don't worry about it."
The king did not boggle, it was beneath his dignity, and he had already long prepared his heart for my bullshit. "Fascinating. This will surely help our defensive works."
I shrugged. "Frankly, I'm not sure why this gap was ever really that relevant as long as the river's right over there. Though I supposed barges can sink, and as long as aquatic beastkin are allied with you, no one's going to dare move large amounts of troops over water."
"Indeed. When Mismede joined Belfast, that ended the Empire's ability to push troops quickly through the Gap and their defeat was a matter of wearing down their willpower." Tristwin stared up at the colossal monolithic edifice. "Zah, this much power… won't you reconsider? As a king, it is necessary for me to find assurances that you will never become an enemy to my nation."
"I already have your daughter as a virtual hostage for each other's goodwill, what more do you want?"
King Tristwin smirked in a smug lion-like manner.
I scowled back. "That's Yumina's problem, not yours, so shut it."
He laughed at the blatant disrespect.
Then he gestured to the side and said "You should bring Yumina with you."
I blinked. "I… am already doing that?"
"No, I mean in your mission to Gallaria, the Heart of the Empire. As much as you might want to move swiftly and push through any resistance, it may be best to have this as an official political matter. From one monarch to another monarch, a warning out of mutual concern."
I frowned. That did make sense. Instead of just trying to ninja my way across a strange new palace, we have a fall back excuse if we are caught.
But that added complications.
"I'm going to have to wear Yumina like a backpack."
Yumina, all this time standing beside me, opined "... what?"
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Fwoosh.
Tristwin went back to Berge in Mismede to finish the details of the alliance.
Fwoosh.
The girls went back to the capital Alephis to prepare for a long inter-continental journey. Elze and Linze reluctantly accepted they didn't have much to contribute in this new lightning mission that needed to happen. Leene had more to protest since, as she emphasized, she could *fly* and this whole invasion of the capital could surely use her expertise.
The problem was that she was also a *fairy*, and she would trigger all sorts of alarms. Who knew that centuries of drubbing Regular legions would have its consequences?
Yumina and Yae as well, because it didn't really matter if we started the mission here or in Alephis. Distance was irrelevant. Monika's [Boom Tube] was now super inaccurate without something to home in on.
"Adventurer Zah - before you leave - I would have a word," said Zorah as she stepped up.
"Shoot."
She stared at the shimmering pool of the Ring Gate for a few moments, and then turned to speak "You… were not lying at all about anything you have said to me, were you? From knowing royalty, to your missions in diplomacy… truly, you were working on a higher level than myself."
I shrugged. "Why even lie when the truth would hurt that much more?"
"Hmf. It was a trap that I foolishly and happily fell into on my own volition. I will not object to that." Zorah then slammed her palm together, laced her fingers together in a strong double-handed fist, and then bowed deeply. "I, Zorah Zoreah Zenovivi, do apologize for the insults I have laid upon you. I have judged you by your… appearances… and that was unseemly of me.
"Why a noble would lower himself to being mere adventure scum, I do not understand - but if even Her Highness Crown Princess Yumina does so, with full approval of His Majesty, then clearly there is a sensible reason for it. I, Zorah, without hesitation, beg for your forgiveness."
"I do not forgive you."
Zorah looked up. Her makeup cracked around her eyes. But her expression was still. "That is your prerogative and I accept it. This too is not new to me."
"I don't know if it has escaped your attention, but I despise you. Everything about you is annoying to me. I deeply relish insulting you for things you cannot help. Even you were Zanac's relative, who is my friend despite your unwillingness to entertain that another man can appreciate his works without an ulterior motive, I would never have a friend such as you."
"It has not." She took in a deep breath, held it, and then exhaled. There was no sadness or outrage in her, for a change. This was a fact of her life.
I grinned. "Now a rival on the other hand - well now that's a different matter entirely."
Zorah blinked.
"You are frustrating and headstrong and lacking womanly virtues. Certainly I can't impugn you for not following social niceties I also don't give a hoot about. But I find… that I rather enjoy hating you. I missed having someone that I can creatively insult and then retort in like measure. Only best friends can be such total assholes to each other and yet not mean anything… but as much as I like Elze, she resorts to violence far too early.
"Life, without competition, is boring and festering in mediocrity. Someone to push you harder and harder, to never be content in your achievements… I think, sometimes, a rival is more important to have in your life than having many friends."
"Wa… what are you trying to say to me?"
"I have no interest in getting to know you any closer than this, Zorah. The opposite of love isn't hate - it is indifference. Find some way to challenge me in my fields, Zorah - or else I will just find someone else."
She snarled and pointed with her arm and body at a straight right angle. "You completely loathsome pug! I am not some doll to dance at your behest, I refuse to struggle just for your amusement!"
"I guess if that's an admission that you can't perform on my level, then I guess I will have to eat the disappointment. So sad. Oh well. Maybe someone in Regulus will step up to the plate once I expand my franchise there."
"Disappointment- never! YOU WILL REGRET THIIISSS!" Zorah screamed before hiking up her dress and then turning around to run away.
Heh.
/"Player, what in the world are you trying to accomplish with this? Zorah *is* super annoying - no matter what happens now, I will have zero sympathy for your giving her license to intrude into your life at random."/
"I mean it. Without competition, my Chickenjoy can only stagnate and grow stale. I'm not lying when I say I enjoy seeing her *fail*."
Monika groaned /"I keep forgetting how you're *completely serious* about making your fast food franchise your legacy."/
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And that was the real, true, totally did happen story of how the Western Alliance was formed.
Fwhoosh.
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End Book Two
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AN:
Not satisfied with this. Book One ended on a strong note, this one with a whimper. Might still edit it.