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AmericanNidiot : Charmy really can do no wrong. She's a foodie that loves to share her food as long as you don't steal hers. She knows that the way to get someone's love is through their stomach.
NOW ON WITH THE STORY!
Coddiwomple Trivia #4 : Delphia did not take the Magic Knights exam.
"Phia, are you okay?"
Seeing Delphia work in the lounge rather than her office, the playboy decided to help and keep her company, sorting some of her work.
Finral frowned, taking in all the signs that indicated a rather stressed out vice-captain. The furrow in her brow, the way she bit her lip, her sighs, how she ran her hand through her hair, and the constant glances towards the hideout entrance as if waiting for some bad news.
Delphia sighed again, curling over her work, resting her head in her palms. Her shoulders were tense as she shook her head.
"I have a bad feeling." She murmured.
Finral tensed. When it came to Delphia, gut instincts weren't something to ignore. But with the way she was acting, this wasn't just a feeling. She's seen something... and she can't do anything about it.
The spatial user rose from his seat to sit beside his vice-captain. Losing his playboy persona, he gently tugged her towards him, letting her rest against his chest. Delphia was still somewhat tense, but feeling the way Finral ran his hand through her hair, she slowly relaxed, tucking herself under his chin.
"They'll be alright..." Finral assured, having already guessed her uneasiness was because of the mission Magna, Noelle and Asta had taken.
Delphia remained silent, tired eyes falling shut. Despite how welcomed the comforting words were, she already knows, and nothing will change that.
[TAROT*CARDS]
"Phia... Phia, wake up."
The young woman groaned in protest before allowing her eyes to flutter open. She frowned slightly at the playboy and laughed at her dazed expression.
"Headquarters is trying to reach you."
The vice-captain frowned as she glanced at the communication device. She added a silencing function, but they must have been trying to reach her for a while now. Flicking her hand, she squinted her eyes as the connection got through, revealing a familiar mushroom head advisor.
"Oh good, it finally got through! Delphia, you're needed at headquarters. We've been updated on a situation at Saussy Village. Three of your members were caught in a conflict against a group of rogue mages." Marx reported.
Delphia straightened, lips pursed. "I'll be there in a moment."
Marx nodded in acknowledgement before the connection was cut.
Delphia sighed, placing her papers in their correct folders.
"Finral, can you send these to my office and open a portal to headquarters."
Finral frowned beside her. "Are you sure? Vanessa and I could always go instead?"
Though her eyes were heavy, Delphia smiled, leaning over to press a kiss against the man's cheek in thanks.
"It's fine. Thank you, Finral. If you would..."
The spatial user's face was red, and although he was against it, he complied, opening a portal for her.
With a nod, Delphia walked through and was gone.
[TAROT*CARDS]
Delphia's countenance was detached as she awaited the arrival of her squadmates in front of headquarters. It wasn't long before she recognized the roar of a broom, and the trio landed in front of her. Asta grinned at her presence, bounding up to her.
"Delphia-senpai, did you hear-"
Delphia cut him off sharply. "Report."
The rookies blinked in surprise, while Magna stepped up, already used to the vice-captain's cold reception after a mission. Delphia was the one to write the reports, and she had to write them in a completely unbiased manner. Her detachment in these moments is what made her the best. She won't let her emotions and relationships rule her and see everything from an analytical perspective. It's another reason why she was one of the kingdom's best strategists.
Magna gave his report in his fiery manner but was a bit subdued compared to his usual self. With a push, Asta and Noelle followed. Delphia jotted down the essential notes, nodding as they continued their account.
"Your engagement with these rouge mages was outside the original mission parameters." Delphia rose a hand when she saw Asta's face scrunch in anger as he was about to protest, "Due to the circumstances, headquarters will acknowledge the conflict and place the village under a protection detail in case any other attacks occur."
She ignored the way Magna seemed to slump in relief at the news.
"A massacre of such proportions of the kingdom's citizens will not be tolerated by the Wizard King." She assured, "The evidence will be given to the Magic Investigation Department to assist in finding these rouges' identity. From your report, it sounded like they were searching for something. They may be part of a greater group. Is there any more information you can share?"
The trio frowned, sharing a look but shook their head. Delphia hummed but nodded.
"Thank you for your hard work. You may return to the hideout. Captain will want a report."
Noelle and Asta wanted to question why their vice-captain was acting like she didn't know them, but Magna shook his head and lead them back to his broom.
Delphia pursed her lips, tightening a hand around the pouch on her waist that held her cards.
"Magna, Asta, Noelle..."
The trio blinked, turning to her as they were about to take off.
"Good job."
It was a simple acknowledgment, but the way Delphia's eyes were gleaming with pride and the slight smile on her lips warmed their hearts. Magna's cheeks reddened, grinning as he brushed a hand over his nose. Noelle scoffed though inwardly she was cheering at the praise from one of the people she respected most. Asta grinned, waving happily and then the trio was off.
"Delphia, Lord Julius has summoned you."
[TAROT*CARDS]
"I see... have you seen any other signs?"
Delphia shook her head, eyes drifting over the cards floating in front of her as she took in the interpretations. Her eyes glowed, powered by her mana; glazed as she saw something Marx and Julius could not..
"There are too many crossroads to see a clear future. All I can say was that this attack was just the beginning. However, it is completely unrelated to the Diamond Mage conflict in Velas."
She sighed, waving her hand, returning the cards to her pouch.
"Your readings have become unclear, Delphia," Marx noted.
The Black Bull couldn't help but agree.
"I don't know what's going on. Whatever that will happen in the next year is affecting my visions. I can only see the immediate future and gain some vague insight." Delphia scowled, "There are too many vital crossroads involving the kingdom for me to make a proper strategy to defend against whatever it is that's coming."
Julius smiled, moving to pat the young woman's shoulder in comfort. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."
Marx and Delphia gave their king a deadpanned look making the man laugh nervously. He smiled, clearing his throat, "We'll just have to be extra cautious in the future. Even if they aren't certain, your warnings have given us the precautions needed to protect the kingdom."
Delphia was still disheartened, but she nodded in understanding.
"Now why don't you head to the Investigation Department and see how they're coming along with their findings," Julius suggested.
"One of your squadmates is already there and waiting for you, the spatial user, I believe." Marx tried to recall.
Delphia smiled in amusement. It wasn't like Marx to be uncertain with those who he's seen and met.
"That would be Finral, Marx. With the number of times he's transported Captain and me here, you'd think you'd remember his name by now."
Julius laughed at the flush on his advisor's face. When it comes to recollection and memorization, Marx was definitely the top of the list. An after-effect of his magic, he supposed.
"Don't you have paperwork to do?" Marx glared.
Delphia grimaced, grumbling, "Don't I always."
"Oh! Before I forget, your squad has also earned a star for their performance!"
Delphia accepted the star and bowed, quickly making her way towards the Investigation Department, raising her hand in greeting when she saw dirty blond hair.
"Finral."
"Phia~" The man winked, moving to wrap his arm around her shoulder, "Finished?"
Delphia nodded, allowing Finral to lead her as she wrote the official report for Magna, Noelle and Asta's mission.
"One of the investigators had already given me a report after they saw my mantel. I was told to pass it on to you." Finral held out a few papers to his vice-captain, who took them with a nod.
Reading over the investigative report, Delphia frowned. "Useless." She murmured.
"Let me guess they didn't find anything?"
"Not a thing."
Finral shrugged, giving her his best smile in hopes of boosting her mood.
"Well, let's head back to base!"
[TAROT*CARDS]
"We're back!"
"Miss Delphia! Finral!"
"Captain, we went to the Magic Investigation Department," Finral reported.
"Good. Did you find anything out?"
"Who the heck's behind all this?!" Magna demanded, "I'll find their hideout and raid it! I'll beat the crap out of the guy who got away, too!"
"They couldn't find anything." Delphia frowned.
"How useless can they be?" Magna cursed, throwing a fireball, creating a crater in the wall.
Delphia's lips pursed, eyebrow twitching at the destruction.
"You fools!" Yami growled, hand coated in mana as he slammed it against the wall behind him, effectively destroying it as well, "Stop breaking stuff!"
Delphia's hair shadowed her eyes as the chaos grew after the introduction of Asta's anti-bird. Finral laughed nervously, scooting away from the growing mana that was surrounding the vice-captain.
This is bad! Phia was already in a bad mood too!
"Are you two trying to break the building?!"
"We're sorry!" The rookies bowed in apology in front of their captain.
"Captain."
Yami grimaced as he was met with glowing lidded eyes.
"A-ah, sorry, Phia."
And it's the beauty that tames the beast.
"All right, listen up," Yami clapped his hands to gain their attention, "It doesn't matter if the ones behind this are royalty or nobility. We're going to let the Investigation Department take care of this, and we'll wait for their report if they find anything."
"Ah, yes, and I have news." Delphia stepped up, holding up a star and placing it in Yami's hand, "Your actions have been acknowledged by the Wizard King, and he saw it fit to award our squad with a star."
"Woah, seriously?!" Magna cheered, "All right!"
Yami smirked as he took the star, nodding in approval.
"Wow, congrats~" Vanessa moved from her drinking place to hang off Delphia's back.
The violet head didn't bother to remove the older woman from her as she moved her attention onto the papers she was still working on. With her attention elsewhere, she didn't notice the way Vanessa stuck her tongue out at Finral as she snuggled against her. The spatial user, in turn, sputtered before glaring at the witch.
"So, what are stars?"
"Don't get so excited if you don't know what they are!"
Bored of teasing the spatial user Vanessa stepped up to explain with Finral adding some input.
"Speaking of, the Golden Dawn is currently at the top with seventy stars."
"Seventy?!" Asta gaped, "What about us? How many do the Black Bulls have? We can't lose to the Golden Dawn!"
"We..." Delphia rolled her eyes at her captain's dramatics as the star was added to their board, one of the black stars disappearing with the addition, "finally have a nice, even negative thirty."
Delphia's shoulder slumped at the thought. All those stars... lost... in a single mission. She shivered as she recalled that time. The paperwork... she still has nightmares.
"Negative?!"
"What?"
"We're finally only a hundred away from the Golden Dawn," Yami smirked.
"That's nothing to be smug about, Captain." Delphia sighed.
"One other thing," Yami held out bags of money for the two, "Here's your pay for this month."
"Huh?" Asta blinked, taking the bag, eyes sparkling. "It's money! There's at least 200,000 yuls here!"
The other members came from their own places to receive their pay, thanking their captain. Delphia hummed, taking her own bag. Since she also worked with the Wizard King as counsel, she was actually paid more.
"Congrats on your first payday~" Vanessa cheered, hooking an arm around Asta's shoulders, "What do you plan to do with it?"
"I haven't decided."
"What about you, little boy?"
Delphia smirked in amusement as Asta blushed and fumbled on his words due to the close proximity of the older woman.
"Use a little on yourself." Vanessa encouraged.
"S-should I?" Asta wondered, "But what should I used it for?"
"it's a day off. You could go shopping in Castle Town tomorrow." Delphia suggested.
Vanessa cheered and nodded. "Yes! I'll take you both! Will you come, Phia?"
The fortune-teller tilted her head in contemplation. "I don't know-"
"No~ You have to come~' Vanessa whined, draping herself once more on the younger woman, "It's a day off. That means no paperwork~"
Delphia sighed but nodded nonetheless. "Fine."
Vanessa cheered.
[TAROT*CARDS]
The halls of the hideout were silent. All the members already have gone and fallen into the land of dreams.
In front of a simple wooden door stood a violet haired woman. She stared blankly at the wood before raising a hand to gently knock against it. From within, there was silence before the sound of hesitant footsteps reached her ears. The door opened with a creak, revealing the Black Bulls' delinquent fire mage. His hair was down from its usual style, and his face devoid of his signature glasses.
"Eh, Vice-captain, what are you doing here?" He questioned, ruffling his hair in embarrassment from being seen in his current state.
Delphia's frown was brief as she surveyed the younger mage.
"Magna... can I come in?"
The fire user froze. He hesitated but in the end, opened the door further to allow her in. Delphia nodded her head in thanks as she moved inside. The two stood in silence before the card user broke it.
"Speak to me, Magna."
The young man clenched his fists at his sides, head bowed.
"Did... did you know?"
Delphia stared, face blank as she nodded.
In seconds she was pinned against the wall, the front of her shirt held in Magna's grip.
"Why?! Why didn't you tell us?! We could have saved him!"
"You know my magic doesn't work like that, Magna."
The young man sobbed. Delphia's eyes were filled with pain as she drew the boy to her. Magna didn't resist, crying into his vice-captain's shoulder.
"I'm sorry Magna, I wish I could do more." She whispered, voice filled with regret and anguish that had the delinquent gripping onto the fabric of her shirt.
"Can you really not tell us anything?" He whispered tiredly as he allowed Delphia to drag the two onto his bed, with him resting on top of her. Her fingers carded through his loose hair, much like a mother would soothe their child. She smiled sadly at the question.
"My magic is both a gift and a curse, Magna. I can speak of crossroads, but my visions are another story. I have learned to live with this burden." She murmured, "Though I wish to share, I must bear it alone."
"It's not fair." Magna sniffed, hiding his tear-stained face in the crook of her neck.
Delphia's smile was soft, but broken, eyes glassy as she closed them, holding the boy close.
"I know." It never is.
"Magna, do you want to go on a double da- W-WH-WHAT ARE YOU BOTH DOING?!"
A/N Another update? Yup I did that! So we're getting more in depth with Delphia's magic. There's always a price to power and hers is the fact that certain visions can't be changed, less she wishes to give a more painful fate.
Leave some reviews! I enjoy speaking with my readers.
UPDATED: 19/03/20
PS. Ya'll out of school now too? I'm pretty happy because our end year exams are cancelled so they're just marking on what we've already given in.
