Between the Fights, Eavesdropping
-not post this I should not post this I should not post this I should not post this I should not-
Dammit, I'm posting this, aren't I?
This omake occurs just before chapter 36. I wrote it to help psych me up for the first scene, but was really trying hard to hold off posting it until the chapter was done and up. I compromised, split the omake into two parts (long omake, especially the next part!) and will hold off on the second part until the actual chapter is up.
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FTaBV Omake: Cause for Concern
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As Yuri had predicted, the fight against Johann de Marc hardly posed any challenge at all. More like, none whatsoever. But at least he had something interesting to look forward to for the next fight, regardless of whether Letha won or lost. He felt a bit guilty for thinking in such a way, but the prospect of fighting her uncle himself was appealing. Especially after her glowing praise of his skills, which, even taken with a grain of salt to account for hero worship, promised something worthwhile. The fight he'd witnessed earlier had ended too soon for him to really get a feel for the man's level, and that in itself spoke volumes.
The additional escorts that had been assigned to Yuri were annoyingly persistent, but he'd still managed to elude them. The key was in that little window of time after his own fight and before they'd properly 'met up' with him in the corridors to herd him back to the waiting room. Avoid that meeting, and they were left to run all over trying to find where he was hiding.
Though when they can narrow it down to places where you can see inside the arena, it gets a lot harder to pull off, Yuri thought ruefully as he was forced to abandon yet another concealed vantage point that turned out to be known to his pursuers.
He ducked into an alcove when the sound of heavy feet came bouncing from around a corner. Fortunately, the pair ran past without more than a cursory glance at his hiding place, his dark clothes and hair helping to conceal him from the less than adequate surveillance. If they hadn't been in so much of a hurry, they might have seen a paler flash of skin. Lucky him, for once.
Yuri waited for the tramp of feet to fade enough for comfort before he decided to make a break for the next spot he had in mind, but drew back into the shadows when a new set of footsteps echoed off the walls. They were slower, more measured. Probably not one of the people looking for him, but it still wouldn't hurt to wait for them to pass.
He frowned, though, when one moment there was only the one person, but the next the sounds of another joined in. Where had the second person come from, and how had they approached so silently? One set of footsteps faltered, he was unsure which, and then both stopped.
"You're not about to back out now, are you?" came a voice, someone he hadn't heard before. The voice was male and carried a certain melodic quality that was spoiled by the sense of arrogance it held.
The other voice was familiar, one he'd heard very recently. "I do not break contracts. As long as you're true to your end, I'll do my job," Letha's uncle responded with a grim voice that brooked no argument.
"Our sentiments are the same. But I find it doubtful that you harbor no regrets over certain aspects. You are fond of the girl." Who are they talking about? Letha? Suddenly Yuri found himself wishing he'd pressed a bit harder to find out why she'd been uncomfortable talking about her family. Something had seemed off during the meeting earlier, and even more so after her reaction, but he was starting to suspect it was more serious than a case of adoption.
"As I have already said. My honor won't allow for anything less," Ludwig growled, sounding as if he found the stranger's tone as disagreeable as Yuri did. "And there's no guarantee it will go that far. Especially if you keep those 'others' you mentioned at bay."
"And I shall. But we have a lot riding on this endeavor. I'm sure you can see the need to verify that you can, in fact, kill her if it becomes necessary." What? "While an imperfect method, this should test your resolve."
Moving slowly so as not to invite attention to himself, Yuri pressed himself flat against the wall and moved closer to the edge of the alcove, trying to get a look at whoever was talking with Ludwig.
"I will not stay any longer. Such densely populated areas are uncomfortable for even short periods of times. But I will know the results," the stranger's voice warned. Yuri looked around the corner just then, fearful that the stranger who had calmly ordered his friend's death would leave without giving him a clear view of his face.
But the corridor was empty save for Ludwig. That's impossible. I didn't even hear him leave!
A shuddering breath drew the swordsman's attention from his disbelief to consider the older man. He stood alone, head bowed and fists shaking at his sides. "Sophia...just what did you let yourself get drawn into?" the veteran said aloud, his voice pained, "What have you gotten us into?"
Ludwig shook his head, and resumed walking down the corridor to the arena entrance, steps resolute and gaze unwavering as he looked only ahead. He never noticed Yuri watching him from the shadows, mouth pressed thin as he regarded the guild veteran with suspicious eyes.
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...Now how evil am I?