I forgot how much of a pervert Saito was. Dude is actually annoying. Which is rich, coming from me. I've written some stupidly horny shit.
"Water, fire, wind, lightning, earth." Sasuke was crouched over the river. The Uchiha lacked an instructor, so he was trying his own chakra training ideas.
"And everyone has some type of affinity for one of those elements, even the citizens. Because those aren't special to your people." Louise commented. Sasuke was trying to control the flow of lightning chakra into the coursing river.
"Yes, what counts as special to us, are bloodline limits. The rarest one I can think of right now, is wood style. The first Hokage had a Kekkei Genkai that allowed him to create wood jutsu. It's assumed to be a mutation of water and earth." Sasuke grunted, his training wasn't going well.
"And your eyes are special type of mutation? Going past just elements?" Louise felt conflicted watching Sasuke train.
"Yes, a dojutsu unique to the Uchiha clan. Elemental affinities can also carry through familial ties. It's not a kekkei, but as an Uchiha, me having an affinity for fire was almost a given." Sasuke started giving his full focus to his chakra nature training. Louise just watched.
Louise's spells still failed, but her explosions had gotten stronger, and easier to control. She was still hesitant to believe she was a void mage, but focusing on her idea of void definitely improved her results. Today Sasuke had decided he had recovered as much as he realistically could without professional aid. So he was going to kick up his training efforts.
Sasuke was going to try the shadow clone jutsu he picked up from watching Naruto. One clone, and he would focus on dodging his clone's attacks. With a puff of smoke, a second Sasuke appeared.
"Wow, that's...wow." Louise said. She had seen is normal illusion clone, and it still gave her awe.
"My sensei told me to never try this, because my teammate was basically built for this justu. I definitely can't use this in combat yet." Sasuke spoke. His clone began trying to land a blow on Sasuke.
Louise watched for a bit, before continuing her own practice.
Henrietta had been dreading the next time she would have to talk to Albert. But with the death of Kirche von Zerbst, a sooner meeting was required. Most unfortunately, this meeting would also include the duke and duchess of Anhalt-Zerbst. Tragically, the duke and duchess of La Valliere would be in attendance.
'What did I do to deserve this? Louise, you've dropped so much onto my plate.' Henrietta steadied herself at the door. Germanian guards watched her.
"Here it is, Princess Henrietta. I believe everyone else is already here." Her assigned guide instructed. Typically, here visits to Germania would start with Albert greeting her. This was a very different matter.
The princess gave her thanks, gathered her courage, and opened the door.
"Welcome, Henrietta, you are just on time!" Albert waved her in. Everyone was seated at a table. Stern looks were sent her way. She maintained her composure.
"Thank you, Albert. Has there been much discussion?" Henrietta took her seat. Normally, everyone would greet each other, but the participants were all too tense to treat her politely, besides Albert. But he probably didn't actually care about this issue. The Germanian emperor was likely just using this as a way to get more leverage over her.
"There has been no talking on the topic, we were waiting on you, your highness." Centurion, Duke de La Valliere, informed her.
"And now that the princess is here, we can begin." The Duke of Anhalt-Zerbst spoke deeply.
'Oh, Louise. I hope Wardes finds you first, because I have to appease everyone in this room. I've bought you as much time as I could.'
"Then let's start with how it this even began. Henrietta, duke and duchess de La Valliere, we are all aware of the important details, but enlighten us further." Albert suggested. Centurion made to speak, but a look from Karin the heavy wind, Duchess de La Valliere, stopped him. They both looked to Henrietta.
This absolutely was not the princess's fault, but she was responsible for stopping everyone from taking the actions they wanted to.
"Headmaster Osmond explained it to me in as much detail as he could. Louise de La Valliere performed the familiar summoning ritual. At first her familiar looked like pale and gray demon with wings. It spoke in an unfamiliar tongue, then grabbed Louise and ran off with her. Louise told Osmond that the familiar was jumping from tree top to tree top. On a tree, it turned back into a human, before dropping her in pain. It caught her before she could hit the ground. She bound it via the familiar runes, and it was sent into unconsciousness. After he awoke, the familiar talked with Osmond and professor Colbert, revealing it's origin and identity, Sasuke of the Uchiha clan." Henrietta paused for comments.
"So the first thing her familiar does is run off with her?" the duke scoffs. Kirche's mother spares him a glance, before returning her attention to the princess.
"How does this lead to my daughter dying?" the duchess questions. Henrietta continues.
"The reason he was described as a demon at first glance, was because, according to him, he made a deal for power. According to Osmond, this demonic curse merged strangely with the familiar runes. Sasuke is a fully sentient being. Rather he is fully human is up for debate. The problem, is that a familiar is supposed to be loyal to their master. Osmond believes that the curse he has, took on that loyal functionality. But since it is demonic, took it too far. Louise was infamous for her seeming inability to cast proper spells. Sasuke wasn't all that attached to Louise, in fact, he could be described as forced to deal with her, given his circumstances. Yet, when Louise was being harassed, he would over react. He nearly killed Guiche and professor Colbert over ultimately minor insults. He also did something Osmond can't explain to Kirche. Something about eyes of the devil, it spooked her."
"Is that how it happened? A minor insult and now two fellow students are dead?" Karin sighed. Henrietta shook her head.
"After his freak out, Sasuke decided to run away. A week later, Louise followed him. Tabitha and Kirche followed her. Osmond and Tabitha's familiar say they did so without request."
"Her familiar?" Albert asked.
"Yes, Sylphid, a female rhyme dragon with the ability to turn into a human form. Between the girls and their familiar's, Sylphid was the only one to return. I'm not sure if you're aware, but Tabitha and Kirche were inseparable at the academy. Sylphid says that they followed Louise from far enough behind to not be immediately noticed by her. Tabitha and Kirche tried to convince her to just forget about Sasuke, that he was too dangerous, but Louise was insistent. The two decided to help her retrieve her familiar, and decided that if he resisted, they would kill him, so that Louise could try again. It's important to note that Sylphid says Louise didn't seem too eager at the prospect of killing her familiar." Albert laughed.
"Forgive me, but it sounds so roguish. To just kill the run away familiar." Everyone gave the emperor a look, he was unbothered.
"They found Sasuke, and he wasn't initially hostile. The problem is that he didn't see proof that Louise summoning him revealed anything about her. He saw no connection, no reason to accept her as his master, so he basically told her to prove herself. Tabitha and Kirche didn't back away, so he told the group that he would test all three of them. Sylphid was about to join the girls and Kirche's familiar in assaulting Sasuke, but Tabitha stopped her. This meant Sylphid was the farthest from Sasuke when he put his fire up against a combined attack from all three girls. The resulting clash of magic, blew apart the ground, the trees, and everyone was hit, but most especially..." Henrietta hesitated. the duchess's breath hitched.
"My daughter and Tabitha did not survive the fallout." the Duke finished. Henrietta nodded.
"Sylphid awoke, and saw the state of her master and Kirche. Louise was burned and injured, but she got up and fond the same sight. Sylphid had turned into her human form, and her and Louise cried together, eventually nodding off. Louise awoke first, then found Sasuke sleep. He was far more injured then Louise, and the landscape around him far more destroyed and charred. The explosion seems to have hit him the most, but he is unnatural, so he survived. Sylphid says she couldn't accept that her master had died, but he lived, so she turned back into a dragon and tried to finish the job. Louise begged her not to, and defended Sasuke. Sylphid said she knows Louise tried he best to be gentle, but Sylphid was going to kill Louise, if she could. But she was too injured from the explosion, and eventually stopped trying. Louise offered to make Sylphid her responsibility, but Sylphid returned to the academy, and spoke to Osmond." There was a short contemplative silence. The Duchess of Anhalt-Zerbst broke the quiet.
"To be blunt, princess, I feel like you have been slowing down our progress in bringing justice to our daughter's killer. But if what you say is true, I can understand. Kirche wrote to us every blue moon, I'm aware Louise de La Valliere was, no, is your friend." Henrietta did not deny the claim.
"I can even see where the girl deserves some level of mercy, but ultimately, it was her familiar, and she prevented Sylphid from making things right. There is nothing you can say that will stop me from seeking retribution. I want her dead, or in a Germanian cell." the duchess spoke. Somehow sounding calm.
Centurion looked down, and sighed.
"Yes, The Zerbst's grief is the grief of Germania. I can not, in good faith, provide aid to Tristain and continue the wedding until this matter is resolved." Albert addressed Henrietta.
"I understand that." the princess snapped her head to look towards Karin, who had stood.
"Do you, your highness? The only reason I haven't found Louise myself is because you expressly forbade it. Now I'm to settle for her death our being thrown in a foreign dungeon? She should already be sitting in ours." Karin's tone demanded attention.
"You've stalled for the girl. It's understandable, but it's enough, now, princess." The duke spoke, a hand on his wife's shoulder.
'Yes, I know that!' Henrietta shouted to herself.
"I sent Viscount Wardes to handle the retrieval of Louise. I sought to have her properly tried for her failings. There have been reports of the burned remains where the two are believed to be. The numerous bounties out for their heads has not made it easier to find them." Henrietta defended. Karin and Centurion sent her questioning looks, but wiped them away swiftly.
"Your Griffon Knight captain? Yes, an accomplished man." Albert spoke.
"Sophia, Louise is responsible for this, there can be no doubt. But if Sasuke's head can be delivered to you, would Germania be willing to accept Louise be imprisoned in Tristain? For the same length of time that she would be held in Germania." Karin spoke to the Duchess.
"Yes, I think that's acceptable. I want a head, or most of his body. Give me that, and Tristain can imprison Louise. But I mean imprison, make it cozy if you want, be she is to be a prisoner. That is non negotiable." The fire in the mother's eyes were almost literal. Karin nodded.
"OK, that seems settled, right? Deliver the familiar, and Tristain can keep Louise. Handle this as soon as possible. I'll also make sure to pause any bounties, so that Tristain can accomplish their task without interruption." Albert stood.
"Is anyone else hungry? I have a wonderful meal prepared for us all." The Germanian emperor began to describe the planned meal.
"Your highness, is sending the viscount wise?" Centurion asked, once the meal was finished, and the three Tristainians were alone. Karin interrupted.
"Obviously not. He was always too sweet on Louise. Who is to say he won't run off with her? He never seemed to care that she had so little magical talent." Karin scoffed.
"Wardes is one of my most loyal and trusted..." Karin glared at Henrietta, cutting her off.
"You have always been a terrible liar. Yes, he is loyal and trusted, which just means he'll do exactly what it is you want him to. Run off and protect Louise." Karin folded her arms.
Henrietta let loose a nervous chuckle, remembering when Karin would discipline her and Louise.
"You don't think very highly of me, Duchess," Henrietta tried to pivot. Karin simply glared harder.
"Your concern for our daughter is touching, but the whole country will be in trouble if you cross Germania. Things in Albion are escalating. We need that alliance." Centurion laid a hand on her shoulder.
"We might not get it, no matter what." Henrietta mumbled, the stress getting to her.
"What are you implying?" Karin asked.
An idea struck Henrietta. She initially was running the idea of giving this mission to Wardes, or Louise, if she could actually manage to summon a familiar. But...
"Auntie, I made a mistake..." Henrietta had to give Karin credit, the woman was right, Henrietta was a bad liar. But Karin was a mother, and a woman. So she ate up Henrietta's love tale regardless. That should give Wardes more time before Karin came hunting for her daughter.
I fucked around and found out. The next chapter of Bastard Frog is going to be my biggest chapter. I wanted something more chill, so, here it is.
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