Need more time to learn how to make a better financial report…
For now,
An Introduction, a boring trip, and a slight out of character period for our devil hunter just for the fun of it…
Lets begin…
Mission 10 : To La Rochelle
／人◕ .◕人＼
Fantasy pic: Wardes poses with his sword wand in DMC4 Credo's Uniform.
／人◕ .◕人＼
Although dawn had just broken, Dante, Guiche and Louise had already started preparing for the trip, while Guiche prepared the saddle for his horses. Dante readied Sleipnir for the long trip ahead. Over Dante's back was Derflinger. For some reason, the annoying sword couldn't be stored in his Infinite Armory, so he had no choice but to store Rebellion instead, at least for the trip.
Louise was dressed in her academy uniform; the only difference was that she now wore horse riding boots instead of shoes. Judging from that, it looked like a great deal of time would be spent riding the horse.
Well, riding the motorbike is similar to riding horses, only much faster.
How far would Albion be from here?
Just before setting off, Guiche spoke rather awkwardly.
"I have a request Master..."
"What is it that you want?" Dante responded with annoyance while putting his belongings onto the saddle, he's still annoyed at having the fop come with them.
But then again, this might be good for training the boy. A live fire training.
"I wish to bring my familiar along."
"The mole?"
"Yes."
Louise and Dante looked at each other, then looked at Guiche again.
"Where's your familiar now?"
"Here." Guiche replied while pointing to the ground.
"But there's nothing on the ground," Louise said.
Guiche responded by tapping his feet on the ground. Just then, a giant brown creature popped out of the ground.
"Verdandi! Oh, my cute Verdandi!"
Dante sighed. No matter how many times Dante saw the creature; he can't help but wonder what kind of evolution did its ancestors went through to end up like this.
"Allow me to introduce to you; this is my cute little familiar Verdandi."
'What is so little about this thing?' Dante thought, looking at the mole
"We know already, you've been introducing her since the Familiar Show."
Upon closer inspection, that giant brown creature was actually a mole with a size equivalent to a small bear. At least its coat is rather shiny for a grounded creature. Guiche really takes good care of it.
"Yes. Ahh... My Verdandi, you look so cute from any angle I look. Have you eaten your meal of earthworms before you arrived here?"
'The angle in which I might consider it cute is from an angle looking away from it.' Dante thought
The gigantic mole hummed happily in response.
"Really? That's wonderful!" Guiche said while rubbing cheek to cheek with his familiar.
'He could actually understand what its saying?'
"Actually... I don't think that you could bring it along with us..." Dante said,
"That's right Guiche. That creature moves underground right?"
"That's right. Even though it's slightly bigger that usual, Verdandi is still a mole all right."
"How are we going to bring it along? We're all riding on horse and whatever Dante's vehicle is." Louise said in perturbed fashion.
"That's all right. Verdandi moves along quickly underground. Am I right, Verdandi?
The gigantic mole nodded in agreement.
"But we're going to Albion! We can't bring creatures that move underground!." Louise explained.
Guiche, upon hearing that, knelt onto the ground and replied, "I cannot bear the separation with my dear Verdandi... Oh! The pain..."
At the same time, the giant mole seemed to pick up some scent from its nose and drew nearer and nearer to Louise.
"What is this stupid mole trying to do!"
"Like master, like familiar. They both share the same interest – girls." Dante said who couldn't help but cough out.
"Stop! Stop this right now!"
The giant mole knocked Louise off her feet and started sniffing all over her.
"Ah! Watch where you're sniffing! Stop it!"
Louise being constantly poked by the giant mole's nose, started to roll all over the ground. All that rolling disheveled her clothes and exposed her underwear. Louise was starting to get very annoyed...
Dante unconsciously started to be immersed in watching Verdandi and Louise just as if he was admiring a beautiful picture...
Somehow, this felt ridiculous but..
"Ah... How beautiful is the scene of a giant mole teasing a damsel." Guiche comments
"I totally agree."
Dante nodded in agreement.
"Stop blabbering nonsense over there, you oafs! Come over and help me quickly! Ahh!
The giant mole saw the ring at Louise's right hand and started pecking it with its nose.
"You insolent mole! Don't use your nose to sniff at the ring the highness has bestowed to me!."
"I see now. It's the ring. Verdandi loves jewels."
"Such an irritating pest!"
"Please don't call Verdandi an irritating pest. It's because of me that Verdandi searches for precious stones and jewels. For an Earth magician, there's nothing more helpful than this."
"With a familiar's kill like that, you should take up prospecting for jewels; I assure you that you'll hit the jackpot easily." Dante comments,
Just as Louise was preparing to blow her top, a sudden gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew away Verdandi.
"Who is that!" Guiche shouted agitatedly.
A rather stout looking noble wearing a feathered cap appeared out of the faint daylight behind him. Dante looked rather surprised.
"That...That person is..."
"What have you done to my Verdandi!"
Guiche hastily took out his rose shaped wand but the noble wearing the feathered cap was faster. Before Guiche could cast any spell, his wand was already out of his hand.
"I'm not your enemy. I'm under the orders of the highness to accompany you on your journey. The princess is worried about just having you few going to Albion, but then again sending a whole troop of soldiers with you will be too conspicuous. Therefore, I was appointed to accompany you all on this journey." The noble said while taking off his feather cap and bowing.
"I'm the captain of the Griffin Knights, Viscount Wardes."
The grumbling Guiche quickly shut his mouth. For most of the nobles, Guiche included, being able to join the Griffin Knights meant great prestige.
M'sieu Wardes looked at Guiche and spoke apologetically. "Sorry for what I did to your familiar. I couldn't stand watching my fiancé being harassed."
"What!"
Dante for one, was shocked.
"Fiancé?"
"This majestic looking noble is Louise' fiancé?"
"Msieu Wardes..." Louise spoke in a trembling voice after standing up.
"It's been such a long time. My Louise, my dear Louise."
'My Louise? Is he serious?' Dante thought to himself.
Wardes approached Louise and with a beaming smile on his face, carried Louise up.
"It's really been such a long time." Louise said with her face turning red with embarrassment.
"Still as light as ever. Just like a feather."
"Viscount... please don't be like this... There are people over here..."
Dante's eyebrow raises at the statement.
Wardes, who placed Louise back down and replaced his hat said, "Care to introduce your companions to me?"
"Erm... That is Guiche de Gramont and my guardian being, Dante." said Louise while pointing at them while she was introducing them to Wardes. Guiche who did not dare look at Wardes directly, lowered his head.
As if Dante would bow down to anyone, he just quietly observed the noble in front of him.
"Yo," he simply greets the man,
Wardes said with a rather surprised look on his face, "Are you Louise' familiar'? This is the first time I've seen a human being a familiar."
It appears that Wardes knows something at how he said the words.
"Thank you for taking such good care of my fiancé."
"You're welcome."
Dante took the opportunity to size up Wardes. He was indeed handsome. Even though Guiche could also be considered a looker himself, he was always making a fool out of himself and making irrational decisions. He could even rub his own cheek with a giant mole.
However for Wardes, not only he had the looks. His eyes were like that of an eagle – keen and sharp. That mustache he had further enhanced his suaveness.
In addition he had a muscular and well built body.
Dante had originally thought that all male magicians would have a body like Guiche, but he was proven wrong after a talk with Old Osmond. Even in hand to hand combat with Wardes, without the use of magic, skilled swordsmen could be subdued in seconds.
Thinking about all that, Dante smirks inwardly.
'He could be nice challenge' He thought,
Wardes might have felt that, for he approached the devil hunter and looked at him eye to eye.
'He's calling me out,' Dante thought
"What's wrong? Are you having doubts about this trip? There's nothing to be afraid of! Aren't you the one who caught Fouquet of the Crumbling Earth? With your courage alone, nothing is impossible."
'Fuck that, courage alone won't cut it,' Dante reflects,
Wardes who had finished saying that, gave a broad smile. With that, Dante felt a tinge of annoyance.
'And to think Louise would be married to him soon... Just thinking of that has made me worried about something...'
Louise, not able to calm down due to Wardes' appearance, was feeling restless with anxiety.
Dante had to turn his head away; he did not want to see Louise act that way. He still find it unbelievable.
Wardes gave a whistle, and a griffin appeared out from the morning clouds. It was a mythical beast with the head of a eagle and a body of a lion. And on its back were wings that were made up of beautiful white feathers.
Brings back memories to the devil hunter.
Wardes had climbed to the back of the griffin with grace, and then extended a hand to Louise.
"Come over, my Louise."
Louise lowered her head in hesitation and bashfulness, just like a girl who is in love.
This made the devil hunter laugh inside at the cheesiness.
'What does he think he's doing? "Come over, my Louise?" That line sounds like some corny romance novel!'
Dante being a nice guy at the moment, had to keep those thoughts to himself and went up to the Sleipnir in silence in the end.
Louise, who was still hesitating, was suddenly carried up the griffin by Wardes.
With one hand on the reins and his wand in the other, Wardes shouted, "Well everybody, onwards!"
The griffin moved forward. Following behind it were Guiche, looking full of admiration for Wardes; and Dante, feeling something very strange at the situation all the while.
Dante thought to himself while staring at the blank sky.
'How far would it be to Albion?'
／人◕ .◕人＼
From the headmaster's office window, Henrietta was watching Dante and group departing for Albion. Closing her eyes, she starting praying...
"Founder Brimir, please grant them protection throughout their journey..."
Next to her was Headmaster Osman trimming his nasal hair.
"You aren't going to see them off, headmaster Osman?"
"No, as you can see, I'm busy trimming my nasal hair, your highness."
Henrietta shook her head in disapproval.
Just then, someone knocked at the door.
"Enter," said the headmaster.
M'sieu Colbert entered room with an anxious look on his face.
"Bad news! Headmaster!"
"You say that quite often. What seems to be the problem now?"
"From the news that I've heard from the castle guards, Fouquet has escaped!"
"Hmm..." said Osman while stroking his beard.
"According to the guard who was on duty that time, some noble knocked him out using wind magic. The person used the opportunity that most of the manpower was diverted to protect the princess to help Fouquet escape! This means that someone inside is a spy! Isn't that bad news?"
Henrietta's face turned pale upon hearing the news.
Headmaster Osman made a gesture to M'sieu Colbert asking him to leave.
"Okay. Okay. We'll hear further details from you later."
After M'sieu Colbert left, Henrietta placed her hands on the table and sighed deeply.
"We have a spy in our midst. This must be the doings of the Albion nobility!"
"Maybe it is... OUCH!" said the headmaster while trimming his nasal hair. Henrietta looked at him helplessly.
"How can you still be so relaxed? The future of Tristain is at stake!"
"The opponent has already made his move. All we can do now is to wait, isn't it?"
"Even so..."
"It's all right. If it's him, he'll be able to cope with any problems they'll face during their journey."
"The person you're speaking of is Guiche? Or Viscount Wardes?"
The headmaster shook his head.
"Don't tell me that person is Louise's guardian being. How could that be possible? Isn't he just a commoner?"
"Your highness, have you heard of the story of Founder Brimir before?"
"I have read most of the story..."
The headmaster smiled and replied, "Then, do you know about Windálfr?"
"Isn't that Founder Brimir's one of the strongest familiar? Don't tell me..."
At this point of time, Headmaster Osman felt that he had already divulged too much. Regarding the secret of "Windálfr" he always wanted to keep that to himself. Although he trusted Henrietta, he did not want the Royal family to know about it yet.
"Yes, he's as strong and capable as Gandálfr and furthermore, he comes from another world different from ours."
"Another world?"
"That's right. He comes from a world different from Halkeginia. Or I should say, from a place not on Halkeginia. I have always believed that this man from another world will succeed. That's also the reason that I'm so carefree even during these perilous times."
"Another world different from Halkeginia really exists..."
Henrietta gazed far away. The sensation of the man's lip still lingered on Henrietta's lips. Touching her lips with her fingertips, she closed her eyes, smiled and said,
"Let me pray then, for the breeze that comes from another world."
／人◕ .◕人＼
It would take two days to reach Port City La Rochelle by horse from Tristain. The port city is situated on a deep and narrow gorge and because of this; it has a small population of three hundred. As La Rochelle is the gateway to Albion, the number of travelers is ten times more than the local population.
Boulders could be seen on both sides of the narrow mountain pathway. People had carved holes in the boulders, turning them into taverns and shops. Although the buildings look ordinary, upon closer inspection one can realize that all of them are carved out of a single rock, a feat done by Square ranked earth mages.
On the narrow street, it appeared to be dark even though it was afternoon due to the gorges blocking the sunlight. If one made a turn on the street, they could see an even narrower street leading to a bar.
On the signboard resembling a keg of wine, the shop's name was written – "Golden Wine Barrel Bar". However, nothing in the shop resembled its name; the shop was dilapidated like an abandoned house. Piles of ruined chairs could be seen piling next to the door.
Most of the patrons were gangsters and mercenaries. When drunk, they would often fight over the smallest of things like staring incidents or minor squabbles.
Whenever they'd fight, they would fight with their weapons. Therefore, it was common to see people dead or seriously injured inside the bar. The shopkeeper, not wanting to see any more injuries and deaths, put up a notice inside the shop.
"Please use the chairs when you fight in here."
From the notice, the customers could feel the shopkeeper's helplessness. So they started to use the chairs instead of their weapons when fighting each other. Even though there were still injuries, no one was killed anymore. From then on, chairs that were destroyed during fights got piled next to the door.
Today, "Golden Wine Barrel Bar" is filled with patrons as usual. Almost all the patrons are mercenaries returning from Albion which was in an internal strife.
"The king of Albion is finished!"
"Don't that means that they're going to start a republic soon?"
"If so, let us offer a toast to the republic!"
The people offering toasts to themselves were formerly mercenaries hired by the royalist to fight along side with them. However, faced with the imminent defeat of their clients, they all decided to retreat back here. This was not considered to be a dishonorable act. As mercenaries, they value their lives more than their beliefs, and so they are not obliged to fight to their death for their clients.
As they were drinking, the bar's door opened. A rather tall lady had entered the bar. The hood the lady had worn covered most of her face except the lower part of her face. However, from just the lower part of her face one can already be sure about her beauty. As it was rare for such an attractive lady to come to such a place alone, all eyes on the bar were already on her.
The lady, unfazed by all the eyes staring at her, ordered some wine and food and sat on a table in a corner of the bar. After the food was served, she promptly paid up.
"That... That's a lot of money. Is it really all right?"
"That includes lodging. Do you have any empty rooms?"
An elegant voice replied. The shopkeeper nodded his head and left her table. Several of the male patrons looked at each other and approached her table.
"Excuse me miss, it's dangerous for you to be here alone."
"That's right! There are lots of dangerous characters around. Don't worry though, we'll be here to protect you."
With a vile smile on his face, one of them lifted up the lady's hood. Whistles and catcalls could be heard once the hood was removed. The lady was quite a beauty, with her beautiful eyes and elegant nose.
This beautiful lady is none other than Fouquet of the crumbling earth.
"She's really top notch! Look at her skin! It's as white as ivory!"
Another patron attempted to lift up her chin with his arm, but his hand was pushed away by Fouquet. Fouquet gave a faint smile. Another male patron immediately stood up, took out his dagger and placed it on Fouquet's face.
"Aren't chairs supposed to be used instead of weapons at this joint?"
"This is only to frighten you. Chairs can't intimidate anybody right? Don't act so innocent anymore, aren't you here to look for company? We'll keep you company then."
Even with the dagger pointed on her face, Fouquet showed no fear. With a slight movement, she reached for a wand.
In a instant, she chanted her incantations. With that, the dagger that the man held turned into earth and settled onto the table.
"She's.. she's a noble!"
The men immediately backed away from her. As Fouquet was not wearing a cloak, none of them knew that she was a magician.
"Even though I'm a magician, I'm not a noble," Fouquet said nonchalantly.
"Most of you are mercenaries right?"
The male patrons looked at each other. If she was not a noble, their lives would not be endangered. If they had done that to a noble, they would be killed without any qualms.
"Yes... And you are...?" a veteran of the group replied.
"It doesn't matter. In short, I'm here to hire all of you."
"All of us?"
The mercenaries looked at Fouquet with a puzzled look on their face.
"What's with the expression? Is it really that weird for me to employ mercenaries?"
"No. That's not what I meant. You have gold, don't you?"
Fouquet placed a bag full of gold onto the table. After inspecting the contents of the bag, the veteran said, "Wow... Isn't this écu gold?"
The bar's door opened again. This time, a man wearing a white mask had entered the bar. He was the same man who had helped Fouquet escape from prison.
"Well, aren't you early."
Fouquet seeing that man, gave a low "Hmm" as a reply. The mercenaries, seeing that man's peculiar dressing, were all quite surprised. "They have started on their journey," the masked man said.
"I have done what you had told me to and hired all these men."
The man in the white mask gave a once over at the mercenaries that Fouquet had hired.
"All of you were formerly employed by the Albion royalist. Am I right?"
"That was until last month," one of the mercenaries replied with glee.
"But the soon to be defeated royalist aren't our employers anymore."
The mercenaries laughed in unison. The man in the white mask laughed as well.
"I'll fulfill all your monetary desires. However, I'm not like the soon to be defeated royalists, if anyone dares to run away from battle, I'll kill him myself."
／人◕ .◕人＼
Since departing from the magical academy, Wardes' griffin had been endlessly moving towards their destination. Even though the Guiche had already changed his mount twice, Wardes' griffin just like its master, appeared to be tireless.
And so did Dante and his vehicle, as it was able to easily keep up with the griffin.
"Hold on, isn't the pace too fast for us?" Louise, who was on Wardes' griffin, asked. Over the duration of the journey, Louise spoke in a more informal manner to Wardes than when they were reunited. But that was also partly due to the Viscount's request.
"Guiche is already on the brink of exhaustion."
Wardes turned back and looked at Guiche. Just like Louise had said, he holding his reins tightly in fear of falling off. From the looks of it, he would collapse from exhaustion before the horse would.
"But I had originally planned to journey to port city La Rochelle without stopping..."
"That would be difficult, it would take two days to reach by horse."
"If that's the case, why don't we just leave them behind?"
"We can't do that!"
"Why?"
"Aren't we in this together? Furthermore, a magician should not abandon her familiar.. in my case my guardian being..."
"You seem protective of them both. Which one is your sweetheart?"
Louise's face immediately turned red and replied, "What... What sweetheart!"
"That sets my heart at ease. If my fiancé tells me that she already has a sweetheart, I would die of a broken heart," replied Wardes with a smile.
"But that was only something that our parents had agreed on."
"Then, do you dislike me, my small and dainty Louise?"
"Please, I'm not young anymore," Louise replied, pouting.
"But in my eyes, you're forever that small and dainty Louise."
Louise remembered that dream that she'd had a few days back, where she was back in the courtyard of her home, la Vallière.
The secret boat on the forgotten lake...
Whenever she was throwing a tantrum there, Wardes would always be there to pacify her.
The marriage that was decided by her parents.
The betrothal that was decided since youth. The one that she would be married to. Her fiancé.
At that time, she still did not fully understand what was going on. She only knew that, so long as she was with the man she had admired, she would be happy.
But now, she finally understood everything. She would be married to Wardes.
"I don't dislike you," Louise replied with a tinge of embarrassment.
"That's wonderful, in other words, you like me?"
Wardes gently hugged Louise's shoulders.
"I have never forgotten about you even after all this time. Do you still remember? After my father's death during the lancer campaign?"
Louise nodded her head.
Wardes began to reminisce and narrated to Louise about the past.
"My mother had passed away earlier, I inherited my father's estate and title. Wanting to make a name for myself, I went to the capital. Fortunately, the highness had a deep impression of my father who had perished in the battlefield, I was incorporated into the Griffin Knights. I had entered the Griffin Knights as a trainee, training was tough then.
"From then on, you seldom went back to your estate again," replied Louise while closing her eyes. She too seemed to be immersed in her memories.
"My house and estate were cared for by butler Galgann while I put all my effort serving the nation. After so long, I finally made a name for myself, accomplishing what I had decided upon leaving my homeland."
"What was that you have decided upon?"
"To ask your hand for marriage once I have made a name for myself."
"You're kidding right, Viscount? You're so popular among the girls, you have no need to honor your promise to such an insignificant me."
About Wardes' betrothal. Louise had cleanly forgotten it until she had that dream a few days back. The bridal pact to Wardes was all but a fleeting dream. In her opinion, it was only a agreement made on a whim.
After Wardes had left his estate ten years ago, Louise had never seen him again. Wardes had already became part of her distant memory. Distant memories had suddenly became reality.
"This journey is a good chance for us to regain those feeling we had when you were young," Wardes said with a gentle and calm tone.
Louise thought to herself, do I really love Wardes?
Even though she did not dislike him and she did admire him when she was young, that was all in the past.
Suddenly faced with a fiancé and probably marriage, she did not know what to do. Furthermore, they had been apart for so many years, she did not really know whether if she still had any feelings for him.
Louise turned her head and looked behind.
She saw Guiche prostrating on the horse, it looked like he had nearly reached his limit. Louise pouted her lips. Good for nothing! And he even proudly volunteered for this mission.
"I have already been on these horses for nearly a whole day, don't you guys get tired? Are those griffin knights monsters?" Guiche, who was currently lifelessly slouching on the back of the motorbike as Dante took him off his mount, asked.
He doesn't realize, he's riding along with a real one.
"Who knows?" Dante deadpanned. He felt something strange each time Wardes touched Louise.
'He touched her again...this time hugging her by the shoulder... What is that guy up to... Even though you're Louise's fiancé, even though I have no right to stop you, you should have at least done it somewhere else where I could not see...'
Each time Dante thought of that, he became more agitated.
Guiche looking at Dante in such a state, began teasing him. "Heh heh... Don't tell me you're jealous?" Guiche said with a snicker.
"What are you implying?"
"I guessed it correctly, didn't I?" Guiche laughed even harder.
Far from it.
"Shut your mouth, mole boy!" Dante growled in an otherworldly voice
That shut the fop up.
Silence
Guiche suddenly looked to the front and exclaimed, "Look Master! They're kissing!"
Dante immediately turned to the front. However, Wardes and Louise did not kiss.
He then looked again at Guiche. Guiche was barely controlling his laughter.
"You're getting braver now are you?" Dante growled, grabbed Guiche's neck by one hand and let him hang out the side like a chicken about to be decapitated.
"Hey! If you guys continue fooling around, I'll have to leave you both behind!" Wardes shouted.
"Just get a move on already." Dante called out, "We'll keep up."
Dante turned to his passenger, "Hope you just ate a light lunch earlier."
At the statement Wardes urged the griffin to go faster, and Dante simply managed to keep up with the beast with his Sleipnir,
In no time at all, they reached the outskirts of La Rochelle before nightfall.
Dante looked around in astonishment.
'Aren't we approaching a port? So why do I still see mountains everywhere?'
Traveling under the moonlight, Dante and the group finally saw a narrow mountain pathway. Buildings which were carved from boulders could be seen on both sides of the pathway.
"Why is a port built on top of a mountain?"
Hearing Dante asking, Guiche replied sarcastically "Don't tell me that you don't even know where Albion is?"
Dante hits him on the upside with a stone he kicked up from the road.
"I have a slight idea but still had to see it for myself."
"Really?" Guiche replied sheepishly rubbing the hit part of his head.
Suddenly from top of the cliff, torches were thrown at their path. The burning torches illuminated the ravine they were about to cross.
"What's... What's happening !" Guiche cried.
Dante sighed.
The noble's griffin goes further and further from them, apparently unaware of what is happening below.
Dante grits his teeth as he skids the bike to a stop.
"Boy, time to show what you learned from training." Dante turned serious at the boy, as he motioned Guiche to get off the vehicle.
As they got off, a hail of arrows showered upon them.
"It's an ambush!" Guiche shouted.
'No shit,' Dante thought as he scanned the surrounding area where the assailants are hiding.
Dante sighed just as he had his hand on Derflinger, two more arrows flew towards him.
"Crap!"
Just as Dante is about to get some action, a strong gust of wind blew towards them, changing into a small hurricane.
That same hurricane caught all the arrows and sent them away.
Wardes raised his wand.
"Are you guys all right?" Wardes shouted.
"Yeah, peachy..." replied Dante as he was about to put down the sentient weapon back to its sheath.
"I'm so lonely, partner. It's too much of you to keep putting me inside the scabbard."
"Shut up, Derf."
Dante looked at the top of the cliff, but no arrows could be seen.
"It was most likely thieves or bandits." Wardes said.
Louise who suddenly realizing something exclaimed, "Could it be the nobles from Albion?"
"Nobles would not use arrows."
Just then, the sound of flapping wings could be heard. It was a sound that they were quite familiar with...
Screams could be heard from the cliffs.
Arrows could be seen shooting towards the night sky. However, all the arrows were parried away by wind magic.
After that a small hurricane created by magic blew away all the archers.
"Hmm... Aren't those wind incantations?" Wardes mumbled to himself.
The archers attempting to ambush them rolled down the cliffs after being blown away by the magical tornado. They landed hard onto the ground, giving out moans of pain.
With the moon as the background appeared a familiar sight. "It's Sylphid!" Louise shouted confoundedly.
It's was Tabitha's wind dragon. After it landed, a red-haired girl jumped down from the dragon and flicked her hair.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Louise too jumped down from Wardes' griffin and replied, "What do you mean sorry to keep you waiting! Why are you here in the first place?"
"Not to help you in any case. When I saw you leaving the academy on the horse in the morning, I quickly woke up Tabitha and followed you all the way here."
Kirche pointed at Tabitha, from the looks of it she was woken up from her sleep; she was still wearing her pajamas. But she didn't seem to mind at all, and was still reading a book.
"Zerbst! Listen to me, we're on a secret mission given to us by her highness!"
'That Idiot.' Dante thought of what Louise just did.
"Secret mission? You should have said so earlier! How would I know if you did not tell me about it? Anyways, be thankful to me, for I have apprehended the people who wanted to ambush you!"
Kirche said while pointed to the people who were lying on the ground. Those ambushers were unable to move due to their injuries and hurled abuses towards Louise and the group. Guiche approached them and began interrogating them.
Louise crossing her arms, gave a vicious stare at Kirche.
"Don't be mistaken! I'm not here to assist you. Am I right?"
Kirche posed suggestively, and then leaned on Wardes, who was on the griffin, and said, "Your beard makes you very manly. Do you know what passion looks like?"
Wardes glanced at Kirche and proceed to push her away using his left hand.
"Huh?"
"Thank you for coming to our aid, but please do not get so close to me ever again."
"But why? I just told you that I liked you!"
That was the first time that Kirche received such cold treatment from a male. Usually any male would be mesmerized after some sweet-talking from her. But Wardes was not in the least interested. Kirche gazed at Wardes with her mouth wide open.
"I'm sorry. But I cannot let my fiancé misunderstand." Wardes said while looking at Louise, her face turned red from embarrassment in an instant.
"What? She's your fiancé!"
Wardes nodded in response. Kirche took a closer look at Wardes, she did not realize it before. Wardes' eyes showed no emotion at all. Just like ice.
She then looked at Dante. He was currently ignoring them inspecting the area and the beat-up bandits.
Eh? Is he looking like that because I made advances on Louise's fiancé? As she thought about that, Dante suddenly looked cuter. Looking at Dante, she ran towards him and hugged him immediately.
"Actually, I'm here because I'm worried for my beloved!"
'Yeah, right.' Dante reflected as started to put up a theory…but for now he'll just play around,
"Liar." The devil hunter sulkingly said, doing an uncharacteristic pout.
'What the heck am I doing?' he inwardly berated himself.
But in the Germanian girls mind…
Is he jealous? Thinking of that, Kirche's passion in her heart burned brightly.
"Cute! So cute! Are you really jealous?"
"I'm not..."
"I'm so sorry for neglecting you. You must be angry, right?" Kirche said while pushing Dante's face into her breasts.
"Please forgive me! I may have looked at other men, but in the end, the only one that I love is you!"
Louise bit her lips, wanting to tell Kirche off. She could not tolerate Kirche for seducing her guardian being.
Just then, Wardes gently placed his hands on Louise's shoulder. Wardes looked at Louise lovingly and gave her a smile.
"Viscount..."
Guiche who was interrogating those ambushers had just returned.
"Viscount, those ambushers admitted that they were robbers."
"Hmm.. If they're just robbers, let them go."
Wardes effortlessly mounted back to the top of his griffin, carrying Louise up with him. He then announced to everyone, "We'll spend the night at La Rochelle, tomorrow we will take the first ship to Albion at the break of dawn."
Kirche sat behind Dante, sharing the motorbike with him. The exhausted Guiche now mounted on Sylphid with Tabitha. As for Tabitha, she was still reading her book on her wind dragon.
In front of them, sandwiched between two cliffs, was the port city La Rochelle, dazzling with lights.
／人◕ .◕人＼
A Rest Day Before Leaving…
Tired from riding all day, they had decided to rest at the fanciest hotel in the city of La Rochelle, the Goddess's Temple. It was a very fancy place even for a noble. The dining tables and floor were both made from the same marble and the floor was so clean that one could see their own face on it.
Wardes and Louise came back from the pier.
When Wardes sat down he said hesitantly, "The ship for Albion leaves the day after tomorrow."
"This mission is very urgent..." Louise pointed.
Dante and the rest finally relaxed, knowing tomorrow they could rest.
"I have never been to Albion so I do not know why there is no ship tomorrow."
Wardes looked at Kirche and answered to her, "Are the moons overlapping tomorrow? If so, then Albion should be closest to La Rochelle"
Dante wondered how it might be related to the ebb and flow of the tide. The ebb and flow were regulated by the movement of the moon. But then again, this is another world.
Wardes put the keys on the table, "Let's rest for now, take the keys. Tabitha and Kirche take one room, Guiche and Dante take another."
Guiche stares at the bored-looking Dante rather fearfully.
Wardes continued, "Louise and I will be sharing a room."
The devil hunter felt something strange again and he turned towards Wardes.
"Really?" Dante deadpanned, and quirks an eyebrow at the statement.
"It is the obvious arrangement as Louise and I are engaged."
Louise looked at Wardes in shock and said, "B-but we can't! We're not even married yet!"
Dante shrugged, 'it's your choice, either way.'
But Wardes shook his head and told Louise, "There is something important I have to tell you."
／人◕ .◕人＼
Later…
Wardes and Louise stayed in the best room in the hotel. They wondered who designed the room. There was an enormous four-poster bed with delicate lace hanging from the top. Wardes sat down at the table, opened a bottle of wine and poured himself a cup. He chugged it down and said, "Why don't you sit down and have a cup as well, Louise?"
Louise sat down as well. He poured one for Louise and refilled his own. He then raised his cup and said, "Cheers!" Louise however held hers in her hands and bowed down her head.
Wardes asked, "Did you keep the princess's letter safe?"
Louise patted her pocket and to make sure it was still there, I wonder why it is so important. What is in this letter? Does the prince already have a letter ready? I think I figured out a small part of it. Being Henrietta's childhood friend, I know how she writes her letters.
Wardes looked at Louise with wonder. Then Louise nodded and said, "The letter is still safe. Are you worried that we might not be able to get the letter from the prince of Albion?"
"Yes, I am very worried." Wardes answered.
Louise arched her lovely eyebrows and said, "Don't worry; it will be fine because I'll always be with you."
"That's right; if you're here there will definitely be no problems. It was always that way."
Wardes sounded very distant when he said that.
"Do you still remember the promise of the day when we were at the lake?" Louise asked.
He nodded his head, "In the little boat that was floating in the middle of lake? You would always go there after being scolded by your parents. You were like an abandoned kitten."
"Really? You remember the weirdest things."
Wardes replied happily, "Of course I have to remember those things. You were always compared to your sisters in terms of magical power."
Louise lowered her head embarrassed and he said, "But I think that's wrong. You are worthless and a failure, but..."
"You are so mean!" Louise said angrily.
"You have an incredible power that nobody else has. I know this because I am a different kind of magician." Wardes finished ignoring what Louise said.
"That's impossible!"
Wardes replied, "But it is possible. For example whenever you use your magic...and your familiar."
Louise's face turned red and said, "What about Dante?"
"Yes, the runes on him. Those runes are legendary."
"Legendary?"
"Yes, those runes belong to the legendary familiar Windalfr. The familiar that once belonged to Founder Brimir." Wardes' eyes shone with admiration.
Louise asked, "Windalfr?"
"Not just anyone can control Windalfr. You have the magic to control him."
"That's hard to believe." Louise tilted her head and thought that Wardes was joking around.
Besides that, Dante is beyond her control, and just hangs around only by his whim.
Louise shook her head, thinking Wardes was joking. It is true that Dante's skills are beyond normal, and is extremely strong, but to say he is the legendary familiar is unbelievable. If it is really like that, then something must be wrong. I am after all "Louise the Zero".
Unfortunately for her, she already knows her about her legendary element. So she can't deny his words.
"You could become a great mage. Yes, like Founder Brimir, and leave your name in history as a great mage. I believe so."
Wardes gazed at Louise warmly.
"After this mission, marry me Louise"
"Ah…"
The sudden marriage proposal left Louise speechless.
"I am not satisfied to be just a mage captain of the Magic Knights... I want to become a noble that will move the whole of Halkeginia some day."
"B-but..."
"But what?"
"I... I am still... still"
"You are not a child anymore, you are 16 years old. You have reached the age when you can decide things. Your father agreed too. So..."
Wardes abruptly stopped here. Then he looked up and brought his face close to Louise.
"It is true, I never came to look for you, and I have to apologize. Marriage is not something to be spoken of easily, this I also know. But Louise, to me you are the most important of all."
"Lord Wardes…"
Louise thought about it. Why did a certain someone's face keep popping in her mind? Who the heck is this guy? And another thing, after marrying Wardes, will she have to leave Dante as her guardian being?
'I don't understand why, but I constantly feel this is wrong. If it was a crow or owl type of familiar it wouldn't be so troublesome. If no one takes care of this idiot, what will happen to him? Probably destroying a city on a whim…'
Kirche or… Dante doesn't know Louise knows, the maid from the kitchen who often fed him… They will take care of him right?
I don't understand why but this is extremely annoying. Louise thought, just a like small girl she wanted to have Dante all to herself. 'Although Dante is scary sometimes, an idiot most of the time and often wakes me in strange ways, but I don't want him to become someone else's property. He is mine.'
She wondered why she is thinking this way…
Louise raised her head.
"Still… Still…"
"Still?"
"That... that I am not a mage of your caliber yet, I still need to study…"
Louise lowered her head, kept it low and murmured. She had just learned her element and still trying to master the basic spells as of now.
"Wardes, when I was young, that is what I always thought, someday, I must make everyone recognize me, become a great mage, and make my mother and father proud."
Louise raised her head, staring at the older man.
"I, I still cannot reach that yet."
"Is it because someone already stole your heart?"
"It is nothing like that, there's no chance for that to happen!" Louise denied in a panic.
"It's not important, I understand, I understand. For now, I won't ask for an answer. But, after this journey is over, I will certainly lighten your heart."
Louise nodded in reply.
"In that case, let's go to bed, you are already tired right?"
Suddenly, Wardes came close to Louise, wanting to kiss her.
Instantly, Louise's body stiffened. Then she pushed Wardes away.
"Louise?"
"I'm sorry... But, things like...that..."
Louise pridefully stared at Wardes. He smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"I am not in a hurry"
Louise lowered her head again.
'Why, even though Wardes is so gentle, handsome and strong, even though I longed for him for such a long time... Yet, I am not even happy when I am being proposed to.'
Someone else already caught her heart. But Louise's mind refused to think about the one that caught it.
／人◕ .◕人＼
Outside the window, Dante had his hand around the window bars, quietly looking at Louise and Wardes' room.
He observed everything inside the room. Peeking through the curtains, the devil hunter saw two figures sitting by the table.
What are they talking about? Every time Wardes' face got closer to Louise, Dante felt like rushing in and destroy the man. Every time when the two appeared to be about to kiss, Louise always denied the kiss.
Dante felt like a father with a need to protect his precious daughter from the world's dirtiness.
"Ah, closing in again, this asshole, ah, so it is like that!" he whispered, readying the Ivory for an instant assassination.
Derflinger quietly muttered.
"It's nice to be a dad."
"Shut up."
"My partner sticks like a spider to the window, peeking at the girl whom he treated as a daughter, and her lover having a cheerful talk. It is so shameful it hurts and almost makes me cry!"
"What is so good about that kind of girl for a daughter? Explosive temper, treats me like a monster at times, and a weird personality." Dante complained
"Then why are we peeking?"
"I am only worried, just worried that's all."
With these words something fell on Dante from above.
Pa-ta
It landed on his shoulders, covering his face and obscuring his vision.
It's rather warm. He knew the feeling.
Dante sighed,
"What are you doing here? Do you like to take strolls on the wall? Geez, took me forever to find you."
It was Kirche who landed on his shoulder, and our hero's eyes were blinded because his face was covered by the Germanian's mini-skirt.
"Please, get off me." Dante replied as he pulled his face out of Kirche's skirt.
"Why, is it not good? Hey, what are you looking at?"
Kirche took one look at the window, turned around to face Dante again and put her arms around him: "No, don't peek at newlyweds, we shouldn't care about them"
"This is what I think; a quiet date on the wall is so romantic. Look how beautiful the lights from the city are; don't you think they are cheering for us?"
"First thing first, you get off."
The two tried to wriggle their ways out when suddenly the window slammed open. Dante remained frozen in place and sticking to the wall like a crimson spider, as if it is just natural for him to be there.
"Yo, Nice night to have a walk isn't it?" Dante greets her with a brief wave.
One look and we can see Louise with her hands placed on her hips. But, her lovely face twisted into a demonic mask, staring at Kirche and the devil hunter.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEXT TO MY WINDOW?"
Dante leaps away from the window in a speed and height no normal human could do and lands on the neighboring roof. At the same time Kirche, with her legs around his shoulders, clung closely to him as if getting some weird piggyback ride.
Without a question - this looked suspicious, but pretty amazing too.
"Can't understand it even after you see it? This is a date."
Dante tried to say something, but his lips were covered by Kirche's hands, making him look puzzled. Louise's shoulders start to quake in fury.
"Go, go, go, go have romance somewhere else. You, you, you two stray dogs!"
"But darling wants to have a date here."
Kirche replied triumphantly.
'Why the heck would a normal couple would be dating in such a place?' Dante thought,
In an instant, a wine bottle flew in their direction, Dante ducked and then stepped away, with Kirche still perched on his shoulders, and almost nearly fell off the roof.
Then he howled in rage as he regained his balance, now carrying the blushing Kirche, bridal style.
"DAMMIT, DO REALLY YOU WANT TO KILL ME?"
"Someone like you who doesn't understand kindness deserves to DIE!"
"What kindness are you talking about?"
Wardes sat in his room and watched the whole thing with amusement.
But upon focusing his vision on the devil hunter, his eyes narrowed.
A distance from the inn, hidden in the foliage of the trees, a shrouded form observes the event. A single eye glows in the darkness.
"Dante…" it whispered, voice resounding like a bell tolling for the dead.
／人◕ .◕人＼
Author's notes:
Dos Equis Man: I Don't know what this means.
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