Another boring chapter...
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Let's get it on...
Mission 16 : Wild Goose Chase
Excerpts from an unknown manuscript….
'Sparda is not just a Devil: He has emotions and can love, and in this lies his true strength, hence enabling him to wield power most demons could never dream of... power in which those who tried to gain it will fail, because no one of them did what they did because of love for humans.'
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Fantasy pic : Cobalt face the camera, holding the Yamato while in a stance; right leg forward, sword held in the left hand parallel to the body, right hand held in front along the blade. And the sword is pointed at the camera.
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Louise was seated in the east courtyard of the Academy of Magic, commonly known as Austri, and frantically knitting. The spring weather was beginning to change as summer approached, but Louise could still be seen in her spring clothing. Even during the summer, it was quite dry instead of humid.
Ten days had passed since they had returned from Albion. That day was a day off. Without even eating dessert, Louise came to the courtyard after her meal to knit. Sometimes, she would give her hands a rest and stare at the white pages of the Founder's Prayer book while thinking of a fitting edict/poem for the Princess's ceremony.
Around her, students were enjoying themselves. There was a group playing with a ball. Using magic, they would throw the ball into a basket without using their hands and try to score the most points. Staring at the group of people, Louise sighed heavily and looked at what she had started to knit. Though she knows how to properly use magic, she still feels rather awkward among the rest of the students when it comes to befriending them.
Tsunderes...
Looking at the scene from the side, it was much like a painting. Sitting there quietly, Louise looked like a beautiful girl. Louise's hobby was knitting. When she was small, her mother told her that if she had no talent for magic, she should at least have something she was good at, and so her mother taught her how to knit.
But it seemed like the heavens did not give Louise any talent in knitting. Louise had planned to knit a sweater. However, regardless of how favorably she looked upon it, it looked more like a distorted muffler. Actually it was more like an object complicatedly entangled with wool. Louise stared bitterly at the object and let out another sigh.
The face of the maid working in the kitchen resurfaced in her mind. Louise knew that she was making food for Dante. Dante thought Louise didn't know, but she was not completely oblivious.
'That girl can cook well. Kirche has good looks. What do I have? Harboring these thoughts, she decided to try her hobby, knitting, but it seems like it wasn't such a good choice.'
Well, she actually managed to make a pizza for Dante a few days earlier. But she wanted to do something else for him.
Just as she was becoming slightly depressed from staring at the thing she was knitting, someone tapped her on the shoulder.
It was Kirche.
Panicking, Louise quickly hid what she was knitting with the Founder's Prayer Book.
"What are you doing Louise?"
Kirche gave her usual smile that seemed like she was looking down on her, and sat next to Louise.
"C-Can't you see? I'm reading."
"But, that book is blank, isn't it?"
"This book is a national treasure called the Founder's Prayer Book, you know?", said Louise
"Why do you have a national treasure?"
Louise explained to Kirche that at Henrietta's wedding ceremony, she was to read out the edict and how she was to use the Founder's Prayer Book, and so on.
"I see. I'm guessing that the Princess's wedding ceremony has something to do with the journey to Albion?"
Louise considered whether to answer Kirche truthfully or not, but since Kirche had acted as a decoy so that they could go on ahead, she nodded.
"We risked our lives so that the Princess's wedding could proceed smoothly? Not a very prestigious task… So, basically it has something to do with the alliance between Tristain and Germania announced the other day?"
Kirche was quite sharp.
"Don't say anything to anyone about it," said Louise with a slightly discouraged expression.
"Of course I won't. I'm not Guiche you know. Our two native countries have become allies. We should try and get along from now on. Right, La Vallière?"
Kirche put her hands on Louise's shoulders and smiled, almost purposefully.
"Did you hear? Albion's new government proposed a non-aggression treaty. Cheers to the peace that we brought about."
Louise replied half heartedly. For the sake of this peace, Henrietta had to marry a prince whom she didn't even love. You could say that she had no choice, but it wasn't something to be happy about.
"By the way, what were you knitting?"
Louise blushed deeply.
"I-I wasn't knitting anything."
"You were. It is here, right?"
Kirche grabbed it from under the Founder's Prayer Book.
"Hey, give it back!"
Louise was trying to take it back, but Kirche easily restrained her.
"What is it?" asked Kirche, dumbfounded while looking at the object.
"I-It's a sweater."
"A sweater? It looks more like a starfish. And a new species at that."
"As if I would knit something like that!"
Louise finally snatched her knitting back, and looked downwards, embarrassed.
"Why are you knitting a sweater?"
"None of your business."
"That's ok. I know why anyway."
Kirche put her hands on Louise's shoulders again and approached her face.
"You were knitting it for Dante weren't you?"
"N-No! I would never do such a thing!" cried Louise, with a bright red face.
"You're really easy to understand you know. You like him, right? Why?", asked Kirche while looking into Louise's eyes.
"I-I don't like him. You're the one who likes him. That idiot is too violent and scary."
'Not the way you like him anyway.' Louise thought.
"You know Louise, when you lie, you're earlobes shake. Did you know that?"
Louise quickly grabbed her earlobes. Realizing that it was a lie, she returned her hands to her knees in a flustered manner.
"A-Anyhow, I won't give him to you. He's my magical partner anyway. I will not allow you to corrupt him."
'Though I suspect he's already done things like…' She added in her thoughts.
Kirche laughed and said, "It's good that you want him for yourself. But I'm not the one you are worrying about, I think."
"What do you mean?"
"Um… perhaps that kitchen maid?"
Louise's eyes shifted.
"Heh, so I was right?"
"N-Not really…"
"If you go to your room now, you might see something interesting."
Louise stood up quickly.
"I thought you didn't like him?" Said Kirche in a playful tone.
"I only forgot something!" cried Louise while dashing off.
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Dante remained in Louise's room, shirtless and sitting on the floor, meditating.
News reached back to him of Count Mott's demise.
He already expected this to happen, since he had known how the usual criminal underworld operates, but he never thought that the retaliation would be swift.
Dante would have done worse, if it wasn't for his present 'no killing of humans' policy, and the fact that Louise's family is connected to the said count. That would have been a lot of political shit in which Louise would be dragged into and, maybe attract unwanted attention from a lot of shady folks from nobility.
Dante may be immortal, but Louise and the rest of the people he had known as friends here weren't.
He admits to having done crazy things, but he's not stupid enough to drag his loved ones into trouble.
Hence he had his and the other people involved had their identities remain incognito, through Henrietta's influence.
As it turned out, the Princess has been monitoring the Count's activities. But she withheld where her information came from. She has been gathering evidence to use against the noble. But like the Catfish moniker Dante gave him, he is an extremely slippery customer.
That is, until Dante came and brought a lot of things to light. The slave trading would be hampered, at least for a while.
With the collateral damage Dante had wrought upon the place, not to mention the unspeakable things that happened in the past there, it could easily be said that even the farthest of Mott's relatives don't have the balls to claim the estate.
Then Dante reviewed at how Mott was found. Impaled with a ethereal bastard sword through the head to the blood-spattered dungeon wall, with his limbs slashed off, probably done while he's still alive.
Gruesome, but probably less than he deserved.
With the method of killing, he is sure that the culprit is no other than the man in the blue cloak.
Cobalt.
What is Mott's connection to him?
It is a mystery to him as to how the assassin managed to know that he is of Sparda blood.
Someone knocked on the door, breaking him from his thoughts. Who could it be? If it was Louise, she wouldn't knock. It's probably Guiche or even Kirche?
"It's not locked" said Dante.
The door opened and Siesta popped her head in.
"Oh, hey, Siesta."
"Umm…"
Siesta is overcome with awe as she stared at the devil hunter's well sculpted body specially that beautifully muscled torso. To that extent, she swallowed her saliva to prevent her from drooling…
She was in her usual maid uniform but looked slightly different. Her done up silky black hair dangled on her forehead and the freckles on her face emitted some charm. She was holding a large silver tray, filled with food and a whole pizza pie, besides the toppings he taught her to make.
"Um, you haven't come to the kitchen recently…"
Dante nodded. As he researched more on the world history of Halkeginia as well as the other stuff that required his attention, he visited the kitchen less often.
"So I was worried that you might be hungry…" Siesta said nervously.
Seeing her cute gestures, Dante's heart started feeling strange.
"Thanks. But, I just finished lunch today, so I haven't really been hungry."
"Really? I've been serving the teachers table recently so I didn't notice. If I'm just a being nuisance then…"
Siesta hung her head slightly.
"No, that's not it at all. I'm really happy that you brought me food! I'm actually hungry right now!" Said Dante, even though he was full from eating at the Alviss dining hall just a while ago.
Then again he has a high metabolic rate, so…
"Really?"
Siesta's face brightened.
"Well, eat to your heart's content."
The small table was crammed full of food. Siesta sat next to Dante, smiling. Dante started to hate himself for eating so much before but he couldn't just let Siesta's good intentions go to waste. Determined, he started to eat the food, saving the pizza for last.
"Is it good?" asked Siesta.
"Yeah, it's really good."
He wasn't lying, but it would have been even better if he had been hungry.
"Ehehe, eat all you want then."
Siesta gazed at Dante who was eating in a hungry fashion.
"Sorry, my table manners…"
"N-No, it's not that! It's the opposite. I'm really happy that you like the food so much! The food and the cooks would be really happy!"
Blushing, she wiped her eyes with her hands. Siesta was cute like that. Dante couldn't taste the flavor of the food anymore.
Something in the atmosphere seemed weird.
"I made that one," said Siesta in a shy voice, indicating the pizza.
"Really…"
"Yeah. It was difficult to make it in the kitchen, but because you're eating it, I'm glad I did it."
Dante felt his heart warm inside. 'Siesta was thinking of me.'
At the age of 8 Dante was orphaned. But thanks to a certain gunsmith, he managed to survive till he reached the age of 14. Since he left her guardianship, he had no one to care for him. Living on his own taught him a lot of things…
The gunsmith visited him from time to time, and Dante sometimes goes to her shop in pretence to have another set of guns made for him, which he periodically destroyed, thanks to his inhumane trigger fingers and the insane firing rate that he demanded from his guns.
Thus, the gunsmith designed the Ebony and Ivory just for him.
A memento.
Only during the later part of his life, that he was able to find people who actually care for him…
Trish…
Lady…
Patty…
Then came his inevitable…
He lost himself within his thoughts.
The atmosphere between them was very tense. Siesta suddenly said in a flustered tone, "D-Dante!"
"Y-Yes?"
"Umm."
Siesta paused, as if trying to choose the right words.
"That talk, which we had before, was a lot of fun! Especially about that thing! Um, what was it called? Oh, the airplane!"
Dante nodded. Dante had talked to Siesta about his world and Japan in the bath. Siesta, coming from a village, didn't know much about the world and was able to grasp what Dante had said as though they were things from another country.
"Ah, the airplane."
"Yes! Being able to fly without magic must be wonderful! So even commoners like us, can fly freely in the sky like birds?"
"Isn't there an airship?"
"It only hovers."
"My village is actually a very nice place. It's called Tarbes. It's about three days from here by horse, in the direction of La Rochelle."
Dante listened intently while eating the food.
"It's a very remote village and there's nothing really special there but… it has a very spacious and beautiful field. During the spring, the spring flowers bloom and during the summer, the summer flowers bloom. It's like a sea of flowers, as far as the eye can see, past the horizon. It should be very beautiful at the moment…" Said Siesta, eyes closed as if she were drowning in memories.
"I want to look at that sea of flowers just once in an airplane."
"Sounds nice…"
"Oh, why didn't I think of it before!" cried Siesta who suddenly grasped Dante's hand.
Surprised, Dante nearly fell backwards.
Normally, he won't react like that.
Unfortunately, there's something else bothering him at the moment that the act caught him off guard.
Siesta is acting strange again…
"W-What?"
"Do you want to visit my village Dante?"
"Huh?"
"The princess is getting married right? There's a special holiday for us. It's been quite a long time since I've returned to the village… If it's ok, please come. I want to show you that beautiful field of flowers. My village has this really nice way of cooking stew as well. It's called "Yosenabe". It's made from vegetables that people don't usually use. I really want to let you taste it!"
"Why do you want me to come?"
"…You showed me that there's a possibility," said Siesta, nervously looking downwards.
"A possibility?"
"Yes. A possibility that even commoners can win against nobles. We live in fear of the nobles. Knowing that there are people who don't live like that makes me happy, as if their happiness was my happiness. Everyone in the kitchen believes that as well."
Ever since the one-sided duel with Guiche, Dante has proved that a commoner like him can absolutely kick noble ass. The devil hunter has gained the friendship of many commoners, especially with the kitchen staff…
Well, Dante technically isn't a commoner.
"I want to show such a person to my hometown…" said Siesta.
"I-I see…"
Dante's eyebrow rose.
"Of course, it's not only that. I also want to show Dante the village… But, if I bring a man back suddenly, my family will be shocked. What should I do…"
Suddenly Siesta blushed deeply and whispered, "I can just say you're my husband."
"Seriously?"
Dante was stunned…
'Her boldness spiked up again…' he thought.
"If I say it's because we're getting married, they'll be happy. My mother, father, brother and sister will all be happy."
"Siesta?"
When Siesta glanced at Dante, who was staring at her dumbfounded, she shook her head.
"Sorry! That will be troublesome! I'm not sure if you'll even come! Haha!"
Shaking his head, Dante replied, "Siesta, you're really bold sometimes. Like when we took a bath."
Siesta blushed once again.
"I'm not being bold or anything."
Dante remained silent, as he inwardly sighed.
"When I left home, my mother told me to not show anyone my body except to my chosen man."
'The opportunity…don't screw this up now.' the devil hunter could hear someone's voice ring through his head,
And with that, Siesta reached out and grasped Dante's hand. Dante's usually serious eyes actually bugged out at the realization.
'Oi, oi, what the heck do you mean..' he thought,
This is clearly a reverse proposal with the devil hunter in the other end.
"I would have still showed you if you simply asked." Siesta shyly said, bringing Dante's attention back to her.
Well, she showed it to him without Dante asking anyway.
Dante feels like he isn't the marrying type…yet.
'But there's a first time for everything right?' A female voice, whispered to Dante, a voice that he recognized as the veiled woman's.
"You're joking…right?" Dante said to the maid, looking a bit worried
"It wasn't a joke. Even now…"
"What about now?"
Siesta looked straight into Dante's face.
"Am I not attractive?"
"No, that's not it at all."
She was attractive.
Too attractive.
"Really?"
Siesta continued looking into Dante. Stop, Dante thought, feeling as though he were being drawn into those black eyes.
Something strange is at work here…
'You Damn Author, what the heck are you trying to pull here?' Dante cursed at a certain someone.
"Then why didn't you do anything when we were taking a bath?"
Siesta hid her eyes sadly.
'Ah, don't look like that, I'll feel as though I've done something very bad.'
"…I see, I'm not attractive. You have such a cute girl with you too…That Zerbst is a noble too. I'm just a village girl after all." Said Siesta sadly, sighing.
"No, it's not like that at all!"
It's not like that with Louise. But with Kirche…not so sure…
"Dante."
"You're really attractive. I can guarantee it. You look stunning without clothes on."
'Wait, what the hell did I just say?' Dante asked himself.
Normally those words could get a man beaten up or even killed, but Siesta was glad.
'What the …'
She had been wondering whether to bring in the dessert or not. While Dante was rambling on, she closed her eyes and stood up. With a deep breath, she let her apron fall to the ground.
She decides to be the dessert.
Damn you Dante, for making me do this.
"Siesta…" Dante said, unsure of what to do at the development.
Siesta looked at him calmly. She was the kind of person who would do something well once she had decided to do it. She started to undo the buttons on her blouse one by one.
"Siesta, I don't think it's a good idea!" stated Dante, shaking his head.
Oh, but it is…
One side wants to ravish this gorgeous girl's beautiful body. The other one says to wait to get to know her better. Dante is confused which to follow.
"Don't worry, I'll be gentle." Siesta assured him,
'Wait, what did she say?' Dante thought, unbelievable for the devil hunter to have that particular line directed at him in such a manner…
Her blouse was half undone. Her well-sized cleavage captured Dante's vision.
This is too much even for a well-trained woman's man. After all it has been so long... Such a delectable dessert and…you have to be impotent not to…
Dante sprang at Siesta, like a wild beast capturing its prey, but suddenly found himself asking,
'What the heck am I doing?'
"Kya!"
Siesta, whom Dante was grasping by the shoulders, lost her balance and fell onto Louise's bed behind them, as if Dante had pushed her down.
And push her he did…
"Sorry…"
Directly below Dante, Siesta lay with her blouse undone. Siesta put her hands on her chest and closed her eyes.
She's prepared to take on anything…ready for battle…
With superb timing, Louise had opened the door.
'Crap.' Dante cursed himself.
Within ten seconds, various things occurred.
One: Louise noticed that Siesta was pushed onto the bed by Dante.
Two: Louise noticed that Siesta's blouse was undone.
Three: Siesta stood up flustered.
Six: Siesta buttoned up her blouse.
Seven: Siesta dashed out of the room, facing away from Louise.
Eight: Dante cried, "Wait Siesta!"
Nine: Louise regained herself.
Ten: Just as Dante was about to explain what had happened, he felt an intense pain as Louise high kicked him.
And with that, Dante was lying on the floor ten seconds after Louise opened the door.
She's learning from Dante, what do you expect?
Louise stepped on Dante's head. Her voice and body were shaking.
"What exactly were you doing?"
"It's not what it seems, Louise."
Ah, but it is…
'Wait, why am I acting like a wuss?' is this, the effect of what that lady said?
'Fate has rectified the error.'
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Dante suddenly found himself kicked out of Louise's room.
'I suppose it must have come from her incoming growth spurt… I guess this time, it'll take a while to cool her off…' he shrugs and walks through the Academy halls,
"So where are we heading partner?" the sword asked.
"To your place. Where else?" the devil hunter said, walking out of the Academy gates, where he summons the Sleipnir and rides off.
But not before sending a certain devil arm to watch over the girl, who will alert him of her whereabouts.
Meet Argus, the watchman devil arm Dante brought from hell, which now took a form of a floating security video camera with serpent-like eyes.
"Watch her carefully."
The devil arm gives an action similar to a nod and fades into the air,
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Later…
Louise had been skipped class and stayed in her bed, worrying endlessly. She was thinking about the summoned being she drove out.
Suddenly a knock came from the door. The first thought she had was that Dante had finally returned. Her sadness turned to joy, and within that joy she felt anger. Why am I glad he's back? I should not let him back in for coming back so late.
The door opened. Louise jumped up and cried angrily.
"Idiot! Where have you…eh?"
It was Kirche who had come in. Brushing her flaming hair, she smiled at Louise.
"It's only me, sorry."
"What are you doing here?"
Louise went back to her bed. Kirche walked briskly to the bed and sat down. She threw away the blanket at once, revealing Louise curled up, sulking, in her negligee.
"You've been absent today, so I came to see you."
Kirche sighed heavily. Having a good conscience really did have its pains. She didn't think Louise would drive him out of the room. She thought it would be good for the two to have a fight and separate from each other a bit, but she didn't think Louise would go this far.
"So, what are you planning to do, now that you've driven Dante out of your room?"
"None of your business."
Kirche looked at Louise coldly. On her rosy cheeks, there were rivulet vestiges of tears. She had probably been crying for a while now.
"I knew you were foolishly arrogant and proud but I didn't think you were this cold hearted. They were just eating together."
"It wasn't only just that, of all things they were on my bed…" Louise muttered.
"Were they in each other's arms?"
Louise nodded. Kirche was quite shocked. To make a move on a girl who came to bring him food… Dante was pretty good.
"Well, seeing the guy you like with a girl on your own bed must be quite a shock."
"I don't like him that way! It's just that they were on my bed…"
"That's just an excuse. You drove him out because you like him, and you were angry with him."
Kirche's words had hit the mark, but she now knows that she likes him as an older brother, even a father to an extent. The thing is, she just can't imagine Dante…doing things like that. Louise then pouted her lips.
"I can't say I didn't see it coming. It's because you didn't give him anything. It's only natural he'd go flirt with another girl."
'That's not it.' Louise thought, remaining silent.
"La Vallière, you're a strange girl you know. You're angry at and crying over a guy who you won't even kiss. You can't win him like that…" said Kirche in a bored tone while standing up.
"I'll do something about Dante. I was looking forward to taking Dante away from you… but you hit him, and kicked him, and drove him out, I actually feel quite sorry for him. He's not just some toy you know."
Louise bit her lips. She's right, and for some reason, Dante has been pretty accommodating to him as of late, unlike their first encounter.
That Creature that superimposed him when he got angry still haunted her. But she unconsciously kicks him like a commoner.
If he was the Dante of earlier, she's probably ended up shredded by his blade.
"A familiar is a mage's partner. You fail as a mage because you can't treat him properly. Well… you are zero after all."
And with that, Kirche left. Louise didn't reply. She crawled back onto her bed, full of sorrow and regret, and cried like she used to when she was small.
'I'm officially an idiot.' She reflects.
／人◕ . ◕人＼
By the time Kirche had come to Dante's hangout in what was once called the Howling Grove, it was late at night already. Dante's unusually harsh voice could be heard within the small cave. Flame's "Kyuru kyuru" could also be heard in the tent. It must have come here to play when she had gone out to the streets.
Kirche went in. The scene inside was surprising. Dante had Guiche perform push-ups with a bed of long sharp spikes just inches below. The boy's tears can be clearly seen as he tries his best not to get impaled as he did his exercises. Dante, along with Flame provided the additional weight to the poor boy as the devil hunter had his legs stretched on the boy's upper back, while the salamander curled itself at the remaining space on top of the boy.
It's a wonder how the boy managed to hold all that weight…
"Come on! You've got to do better than that! Just 100 more before you get to 1000 pushups!" shouted Dante, whipping the boy across the back with a stick, eliciting a girly cry from the boy. The whack is enough for the boy to perform the push-ups like a piston at full-speed.
It seems Dante spent his free time training Guiche.
So that's where he went, she was also wondering why the blonde boy was missing from class. Not that he can't afford to.
'If that is what Dante is into, I don't mind being his 'toy'…' Kirche drooled at the thought. But she has more important thing to do today.
"I didn't even do anything with that Katie. She held my hand, and I had only lightly kissed Mortmerncy! Despite that, I-!" Guiche burst into tears.
He was actually here to vent out his troubles. But instead, he found himself training, again.
Kirche sighed. Why do men have to be such idiots? Derflinger noticed Kirche and informed Dante.
"Gentlemen, there's a guest."
"Guest?"
Dante looked boredly at Kirche.
"Kirche?"
"Looks fun, can I join?" Said Kirche, with a smile on her face.
Dante, who felt a bit naughty, grinned stupidly by the sight of the girl.
He faced Kirche.
"Those large tits, if you show me them, you can join."
Guiche wanted to clap his hands in agreement, but as he was a bit busy, he did the next best thing.
"I absolutely agree! In the name of Tristain's nobles! I totally agree!" he said.
"Continue with the training, you idiot!" Dante deadpanned as he planted a heel on the back of the boy's head.
Like as she may to stay and play, she had something important to say. There is no other way to get his sway, but to…
Instead of replying, Kirche took out her wand and started reciting an incantation.
／人◕ . ◕人＼
"Do I have your complete attention now?"
Dante and Guiche, who were both sitting straight now, nodded.
Everything around them was scorched. Even they were scorched. Kirche's fire magic made the two guys' hair and clothes ragged looking.
Dante had heard of water being a good trick to use to get someone's attention, but fire would work just as well.
Trust me, I don't get it either...
Good thing he could heal fast, as well as his clothes...
"Well then, get ready to leave."
"Get ready to leave?"
Guiche and Dante looked at each other.
Dante shrugs, and turns to the busty redhead.
"Yes. Hey Dante." Kirche called him by his name instead of darling.
While Kirche caressed Dante's cheek, she said, "Don't you want to become a noble?"
"A noble, huh?"
Guiche was slightly taken aback.
"But Kirche, Master's a commoner. He can't be a noble since he's not a mage."
"In Tristain that is. By law, commoners are strictly forbidden to purchase land or become nobles."
"Exactly."
"But, in Germania it's different. If you have money, even if you're a commoner, you can buy land and become a noble, or buy the rights to a position and become a tax collector or a commander.
"And that's why they call Germania uncivilized." Said Guiche as though he were feeling sick.
"Uncivilized? People who are fussed over traditions and customs like 'if you're not a mage you can't be a noble', which make their country weak, have no right to talk. It's the reason why Tristain has to ally with Germania to be able to oppose Albion.
Dante, who had been quietly listening, finally opened his mouth.
"Um, so Kirche. What you're saying is that I should become a noble through money, in your country?"
"Exactly that."
Dante is filthy rich as of the moment, but said,
"We could do just that, but then again, becoming a noble in such a manner could be considered cheating by my standards. What I need is a challenge."
"I thought you would say that, and that's what these are for."
Kirche tapped Dante's face with a bundle of parchment.
"What's that?"
Guiche and Dante looked at the bundle. They seemed like maps.
"They're treasure maps."
"Treasure?" Guiche said, surprised.
'Really...'
"Yes, we're going to go treasure hunting and sell the treasure we find. Dante… you can use that to become a noble back home."
Dante raised an eyebrow. Kirche was embracing Dante, with her breasts pushing against him.
Dante didn't mind the attention.
"When you become a noble… you can propose to me ok? I like guys like you. I don't care if you're a commoner or a noble. People who can overcome insurmountable difficulties, do and obtain things beyond people's imagination… I like people like that." said Kirche, who was smiling seductively.
Guiche, who was looking at the map, whispered doubtingly, "No matter how I look at it, these maps seem a bit suspicious…"
"I got them from various places like magic shops, stalls, general stores…"
"It's definitely something dodgy. I know of a few people who just sell ordinary maps, calling them treasure maps. There are even nobles who become bankrupt because of these hoaxes."
"That attitude won't do!" Said Kirche, with her hands clenched into tight fists.
"Most of them might be scrap, but there might be a real one hidden inside there."
"Gah…" Guiche groaned while slapping his forehead.
"Dante, let's go. Let's go find treasure and leave Louise… and then you'll propose to me, ok?"
'Abandoning Louise…That I will not do, but…'
And of course the wanderlust seems to be pulling him towards deciding…
And a toss of the coin decides for him…
With the result, Dante made up his mind.
"Alright, I'm in. Let's go!"
Kirche hugged Dante tightly. Suddenly someone burst in.
"Nononono, you can't do that!"
"Siesta?"
Before them was Siesta in her maid outfit.
'Wait, why is she here?' Dante wondered.
"You can't marry, Dante!"
Siesta pulled on Dante.
Apparently not actually wondering how the maid managed to appear in such a place as the Howling Grove, Kirche asked the maid, "Don't you wish the man you love to be happy?"
Siesta was taken aback by Kirche's words and looked at Dante. She suddenly shook her head.
"Just because you're a noble doesn't necessarily mean you're happy. You can stay at my village, and buy a vineyard with that money!"
"A vineyard?"
"In my village, there are a lot of good vineyards! We can make nice wine together! Its brand name could be Dante's Siesta!"
'Hmm…has a nice ring to it.' Dante thought,
Kirche and Siesta were both pulling on Dante. Ever since he got stuck in hell, it was the first time that he was fought over by girls.
He has no idea that there is a private war going on among the young ladies of the academy, who should propose to the devil hunter first… but never quite getting close to the white-haired 'gentleman' in question. They always seem to reach orgasm before they get close enough to talk to him for some reason.
Who cares…Back to the scene…
"As if you'd find treasure." Guiche said in a bored tone.
He is actually jealous of his Master's good luck with the girls, that is one reason he is training hard to at least get past his limits.
"Guiche. If we find treasure you can give it to the Princess as a present and perhaps she will see you in a different light."
Guiche stood up.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's go."
"Take me along please!" Siesta called out. If she didn't go along, there would be no doubt that Kirche would seduce Dante.
Unfortunately, with the devil hunter's nature, he won't refuse…
"No, you can't. Commoners are just a burden."
"Don't treat me like an idiot! Even though I look like this, I'm…"
Siesta was shaking. Both her hands were clenched tightly together.
"Yes? Go on."
"I can cook!"
"As if we didn't know," everyone said in synch.
"But, but, meals are important right? While we're searching for treasure, we'll be camping right? We can't just rely on the food we bring. I could make good food for everyone."
'Well she was right on that point. Guiche and Kirche were both nobles and couldn't stand eating bad food.' Dante thought,
"But you have work to do right? Are you just going to take a break?"
"The cook always lets me leave if I say I'm doing something for Dante."
The head chef really liked Dante; he would probably do exactly as Siesta had said.
"Fine, do what you want. But I'll tell you beforehand, the ruins, forests and caves we're heading to are dangerous places. There are lots of monsters there."
"I'll be fine, Dante will protect me!"
And with that, Siesta grabbed Dante's arm, leading the maid to fantasizing about her naked breasts pressing against devil hunter.
And vice-versa,
She inevitably drooled at the thought.
Dante just sighed.
Kirche nodded and turned to everyone.
"After the preparations are done we're heading off!"
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Meanwhile at school, later that night, Louise couldn't sleep.
She knew that Dante stayed at the Howling Grove the day she kicked him out.
So she went down there earlier to see how he was doing, but no one was there. Then she received a letter from Kirche saying that they will be skipping classes, treasure hunting with Guiche, Tabitha…and Dante…
The teachers were obviously mad upon learning about it and would make them clean the whole auditorium when they got back.
She felt even sadder when she thought how fun it must have been. She felt as though she was the only one being left out.
Louise cried in her bed. Whenever she saw the empty couch, tears would come to her eyes.
A knock came from the door. The door opened with a clank as soon as Louise replied that it wasn't locked. The school headmaster Old Osman was at the door, which surprised Louise. Louise quickly put on her gown and got off her bed.
"How have you been feeling?"
Feeling down, Louise replied, "I'm sorry I've made you worry. It's really nothing. I just don't feel very well…"
Osman pulled out a chair and sat down.
"You've rested for quite a long time. I was worried, but it seems you're alright."
Louise nodded, and sat down on a chair. With a weary face, she stared out the window.
"Have you finished the edict?"
Louise gasped and hung her head. With a sorry expression, she shook her head.
"Seems like you haven't by the looks of it."
"I'm sorry."
"There's still two weeks. Think about it slowly. It's your important friend's wedding after all. Make sure you choose your words carefully."
Louise nodded. She was ashamed that she had forgotten about the edict because she was so absorbed with her own thoughts. "I'm terrible aren't I? She considers me as a friend, and even gave the role of being the maiden."
Osman stood up.
"By the way, where's Dante?"
She averted her eyes and kept silent. Osman smiled… Obviously, he knew the answer…
"Did you two have a fight?"
Louise remained silent.
"When you're young, you fight about trivial things. It's because young people don't know how to compromise. Sometimes, these cracks will develop into something irreparable. You should be careful."
Laughing, Osman left the room. After the door shut behind him, Louise reflects on what the old man said.
Louise went to her desk. She ignored everything else and opened the Founder's Prayer Book. And as if clearing her thoughts, she closed her eyes. She concentrated, trying to think of an edict. I must think of a great edict for Henrietta.
Louise kept her eyes closed. Eh? There was a bright light. Suddenly she could see letters on the pages. Louise's eyes froze. However, in the next moment, they faded from the pages like mist. What was that? She thought, while looking at the pages.
I can't see it anymore. My eyes are probably just tired, she thought.
"It's all Dante's fault" she whispered.
Suddenly, the windows to her veranda, was burst open, and a crimson figure appears.
"Come on, kid, you're coming along too." Dante said, picking up the pinkette by the collar of her uniform, much like how one picks up a kitten, as well as a few necessities for the girl.
"Wait, what?"
"We're taking a vacation." Dante grins…
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Another place...
The Albion air force's arsenal was located in the outskirts of its capital, Londinium, in the town of Rosyth. Before the Revolutionary War (which is what the Reconquista call the civil war that had just ended recently), that place used to be called the Royal air force's arsenal. And thus, there were all sorts of buildings. The numerous buildings with massive chimneys were used for manufacturing iron. Next to them were piles and piles of timber used for ship constructions and repairs.
The large red brick building was the control center. The three colored flag of Reconquista could be seen fluttering proudly. But the thing that stood out most was the large battleship which seemed to reach the skies.
The Lexington, the flagship of the fleet, was anchored and covered by a cloth, similar to a large tent, to protect it from rain. The warship stretched across two hundred meters, and was placed on top of a large wooden board so that it could be remodeled as soon as possible.
The king of Albion, Oliver Cromwell, was observing the construction along with some attendants.
"What a big, dependable looking ship. With a ship like this, doesn't it feel like we can rule the world, chief rigger?"
"You speak too highly of me."
The chief rigger appointed to the fleet led by the Lexington, Sir Henry Bowood, replied half heartedly. He was on the Reconquista's side and was the commander of the cruisers during the revolutionary war. Credited with destroying two enemy ships, he was promoted to chief rigger of the Lexington. He was to assume the position of captain when the remodeling was completed. It was one of the customs of the Albion air force.
"Look at those big cannons!"
Cromwell pointed at the cannons on the side of the ship.
"These new weapons are like the symbol of trust I have placed upon you. These were made by gathering Albion's alchemists. They have an extended body, which according to the calculations…"
The longhaired blonde woman next to Cromwell replied, "They have a firing range of approximately 1.5 times that of the cannons used on Tristain and Germania warships."
"Thank you, Miss Sheffield."
Bowood looked at Sheffield. She emitted a somewhat cold atmosphere. She was around her mid-twenties and wore a neat, thin black coat, under which are strange, black, figure hugging clothes. He had never seen such a weird appearance. She wasn't wearing a mantle… was she even a mage?
Cromwell nodded with satisfaction and patted Bowood on the back.
"She's from Rub' al Khali. She designed these cannons from the technology she learned from the elves. Her insights in technology… do not follow our magic arts. She possesses knowledge of technology that is new to us. You should get to know each other."
Bowood nodded in a bored manner. He was actually a royalist, but he strongly believed that soldiers should not get involved in politics. In other words, he was a purely militaristic person. The fleet commander, who outranked him, had joined the rebel army, and so he had no choice but to participate in the revolutionary war as a captain of the Reconquista fleet. For him, who had exerted his utmost for the sake of upholding Albion's tradition - Noblesse oblige, a noble duty, Albion was still a mere kingdom. Cromwell was someone despicable who had just seized power and the throne.
"There probably isn't a fleet on Halkeginia that can match the power of our Royal Sovereign fleet now," Bowood had purposefully called the fleet by its old name. Noticing his cynicism, Cromwell smiled.
"Mr. Bowood. The Royal Sovereign no longer exists in Albion."
"True. However, if you attend the wedding ceremony with these new cannons, I'm afraid it will probably be seen as a vulgar demonstration of power."
Cromwell, the first holy king and president of the council of nobles, and the cabinet ministers of The Republic of the Holy Albion (Albion's new name) were to attend the wedding ceremony of the Tristain princess and the prince of Germania. They were to travel by the Lexington fleet.
Bringing new models of weapons for a visit of good will would be seen as something along the lines of gunboat diplomacy.
Cromwell replied casually, "Ah yes, I haven't explained the scheme for this 'good willed visit' to you, have I?"
"Scheme?"
Another conspiracy? Bowood felt a headache coming.
Cromwell softly whispered in Bowood's ears.
"What? I haven't heard of such a disgraceful act in all my life!"
"It's all a part of military movements," said Cromwell, uncaringly.
"Didn't we just recently sign a non-aggression treaty with Tristain! In Albion's long history, we haven't broken a single treaty!" shouted an enraged Bowood.
"Mr. Bowood. I shall not forgive you for any further political criticisms. This is something that the council has decided upon and approved. Do you plan on going against the council? Since when did you become a politician?"
With that, Bowood was speechless. To him, soldiers were swords and shields that did not object. They were the faithful watchdogs of the country, and proud ones at that. If it was a decision from someone of higher rank, then they could only follow those orders.
"You will soil our country's name throughout Halkeginia. Our country will be known for cowardly breaking treaties." Said Bowood, disturbed.
"Soil the country's name? All of Halkeginia shall be ruled under our Reconquista flag. When we regain the holy lands from the elves, no one will care about such trivial matters."
Bowood drew close to Cromwell.
"Breaking a treaty is something trivial? Do you plan on betraying even your own country?"
A nearby man pulled out his wand and restrained Bowood. Bowood could recognize the face hidden underneath the hood.
"Y-Your highness?" a shocked Bowood whispered.
The face was of Prince Wales, who had died in battle.
"Captain, I wonder if you would be able to say those words to your once superior officer?"
Bowood dropped down to his knees. Wales reached out his hands and kissed Bowood. He became pale. Those hands were as cold as ice.
Cromwell walked out with his attendants. Wales also followed suit. The only one left was Bowood, standing still, shocked. Wales, who had died, was living and moving. Bowood was a triangular mage in the water arts. Even he, an expert in water magic, which governed the composition of living things, had not heard of a spell that could bring life to someone once dead.
Perhaps it was a golem? No, that body was filled with life. Being a user in the water branch, he knew perfectly well the flow of water inside living things, including that of Wales.
It was definitely an unknown form of magic. And Cromwell could control it. He remembered a convincing rumor he had heard, and started to shake.
That the holy king Cromwell could control "Void"…
Was that just Void magic?
…The legendary "Zero" branch of magic.
Or is it something else…
With a shaking voice, Bowood whispered, "…What the hell is he planning to do to Halkeginia?"
Cromwell spoke with the noble walking alongside him.
"Master Cobalt, join the Lexington fleet as the commander of the dragoons."
Under the hooded cloak, Cobalt' eyes gleamed.
"Are you telling me to keep an eye on him?"
He shook his head, rejecting Cobalt's presumption.
"That man won't betray us. He's too stubborn and straightforward, which is why we can trust him. I'm just lending him your power, seeing as you led the magic defense squad once. Have you ever ridden a dragon before?"
"No. But there is no beast in Halkeginia that I cannot master."
Cromwell smirked in agreement. He suddenly turned to Cobalt.
"Master Cobalt, why do you obey me?"
"Do you doubt my loyalty?"
"Not at all. You yield such fine results yet you have no requests."
Cobalt laughed lightly. He mockingly salutes the 'King' with a heavily bandaged right arm.
"I only want to see the thing your Excellency will show me."
"The holy lands?"
Cobalt nodded.
"I believe what I'm searching for lies there."
"You 'believe'? You really don't have any desires, do you?" Said Cromwell.
Cromwell was originally a clergyman, but he didn't have a speck of faith in him.
Cobalt cast his eyes downwards on an old silver locket. Inside was a drawn portrait of a beautiful with long strawberry blonde haired woman in a red summer dress, whose calm smile seemed more real as one would look at her.
His heart, which always appeared cold to people around him, started to warm up. After looking at the small portrait, he whispered, "No, your Excellency. I'm a man who desires the most in this world."
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Meanwhile in Henrietta's room, inside the royal palace of Tristain, servants were busy sewing the wedding dress Henrietta was to wear. Marianne, the queen, was also there. She watched with a smile while her daughter was dressed in a pure white dress. However, Henrietta's expression was like that of ice. When the servants sewing asked her things about the sleeves and the position of the waist, she simply nodded. Watching her daughter in that state, Marianne dismissed the servants.
"My dear daughter, you don't seem well."
"Mother."
Henrietta buried her face in her mother's knees.
"I understand you don't want this wedding."
"No, it's not that at all. I'm a happy person. I'm able to marry. Didn't you once say that a woman was happy if she got to marry?"
In contrast to her words, Henrietta's beautiful face became miserable and she started crying in grief. Marianna patted her daughter's head gently.
"You have someone you love?"
"I had someone I loved. It's like I'm flowing in a very fast river. Everything has passed by me. Love, kind words… nothing remains now."
Marianne shook her head.
"Love is like the measles. If you cool down, you will forget about it."
"How can I possibly forget…"
"You are a princess. You must forget what you must forget. The people will be uneasy if they see you like this." Said Marianne in an admonishing tone.
"What am I marrying for?" Henrietta asked sadly.
"For the future."
"For the future of…the country and the people?"
Marianne shook her head.
"It's also for your future as well. Cromwell of the Reconquista, who's in control of Albion, is an ambitious man. According to what I've heard, he has control over 'Void'."
"Isn't that the legendary branch of magic?"
"Yes. If it is the truth, then it would be dreadful, Henrietta. Having too much power corrupts people. Even though we have a non-aggression treaty, a man like him won't just look down at Halkeginia from the skies obediently. It's better for you to be in a powerful country, like Germania."
Henrietta embraced her mother.
"…Forgive me Mother for being so selfish."
"It's alright. Love is everything at your age. It's not like I don't understand."
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Some days later… Somewhere…
Tabitha hid beside a tree with her breath held. In front of her was a temple that had been reduced to ruins. Columns that once boasted magnificence had collapsed and fences had rusted away. Bright stained glass windows had been shattered, and weeds filled the garden. It was the temple of a pioneering village that had been abandoned decades ago. It was completely desolate; no one was close by. However, when the sunlight shone upon it, there was a somewhat pastoral atmosphere to the place. The place would probably be where travellers would set up for lunch or the like.
A loud explosion suddenly broke the calm atmosphere. Kirche had set a tree next to the gatepost on fire. Tabitha, in the shade of the trees, gripped her wand. The reason why the pioneering village had been abandoned came dashing out. It was an orc.
This creature was two meters tall and weighed about five times that of an average human. Its fat ugly body was covered by skin peeled off from animals. With a large nose on its face, it looked much like a pig. In fact, you could say that it was a pig that stood on two legs.
There were around ten of them. Orcs liked human children, and being attacked by a group of creatures with such troublesome tastes, the villagers abandoned the village and fled from it. The villagers told the lord of the area, but the lord disliked dispatching soldiers in forests, and so ignored their requests. This village was one of the many villages in Halkeginia that had had this happen.
The orc conversed with the others through sounds similar to that of a pig, while pointing at the fire blazing around the gatepost. It then yelled angrily at every one of them.
"Fugii! Pigii! Agii! Nguiiii!"
Waving the clubs in their hands, the orcs were obviously angry. There was a fire, which meant humans were nearby. They were enemies, and the fire was bait. Watching this, Tabitha considered which spell she would use. There were more enemies than she had expected. She couldn't continuously fire spells out. If they didn't carry everything out smoothly, they could easily lose the advantage of their surprise attack.
Just then, the air around the orcs shimmered and seven bronze maidens appeared before them. They were Guiche's golems. Tabitha knitted her eyebrows. That wasn't what they had decided on. Guiche must have gotten impatient.
Guiche's seven Valkyries charged at the head orc. They thrust their short spears at it. The tip of the spears sank into the orc's stomach and the orc was knocked back onto the ground. However, the wound was shallow. Its thick skin and fat had acted as its shield, protecting its internal organs from damage. It quickly stood back up, and waved its club, ignoring its small wound. The other orcs rushed over with their clubs, swinging them at the bronze maidens. The clubs the orcs were swinging were about the size of a human. One hit on the delicate golems, and they would be sent flying, broken on the ground.
Tabitha started reciting an incantation while waving her wand. Water, wind, wind. One water and two winds. The two elements intertwined with each other and the spell was complete. The vapor in the air froze and became several icicles. They skewered the wounded orc from all directions. It was one of Tabitha's strongest attacks, 'Windy Icicle'. The wounded orc fell to the ground at once.
Kirche, who was watching on top of a tree that was separated by a fair distance from Tabitha's hiding spot, waved her wand. Fire, Fire. Two fires. A ball of fire, larger than a normal fireball spell, attacked the orcs. It was the 'Flame Ball' spell. With agile movements that didn't seem possible for their size, they tried avoiding the ball of fire. However, as if it were attached to a string, the ball of fire was homing. It shot inside an orc's howling mouth, and its head burst into flames. However, that was the end of such effective spells. They couldn't keep using such strong spells.
The orcs were scared, but they realized they were being attacked by only a few mages. After realizing this, they remembered a long battle they had with humans once. If they lost, they would lose in an instant. However, only two of them were killed by magic so far. This means, the human's attack had failed.
Their anger overcame their fear. Their sharp noses twitched, trying to find the humans. Young, delicious smelling humans could be smelt from outside the temple's garden. The orcs ran at once. Suddenly a person with swords carried on his back appeared. Next to him was a fire salamander. Without hesitation the orcs continued to charge forward. The salamander would be a strong foe, but with only the two, it would be no problem. The human warrior wasn't even a going to be a problem. It is said that one orc can match five human warriors. And that is for skilled warriors. A single man like this would be disposed of with one swing of the club.
Dante whispered to the salamander next to him.
"I'll attack them from the right. Stop any of those monsters from reaching Kirche and Tabitha."
Fire flickered from the tip of the mouth of the fiery lizard, and it nodded with a "kyuru kyuru."
The large pigs formed groups to attack. They were trying to intimidate them. Dante just stood there waiting for them to attack.
The orcs were wearing necklaces. After a better glance, it could be seen that it were necklaces made from a straw rope and human skulls. The beasts' horrible stench could be smelt.
With unshakeable confidence, Dante grabbed Derflinger in one hand, Rebellion in the other.
"C'mon partner, let's get them already." The sword crowed,
Dante opened his eyes, and gazed at three dozen orcs who were roaring towards him.
He smirked.
An orc swung its club at the man. It was a hit… It should have been that is. But its club only hit the ground. It tried raising its head to see its surroundings, but its vision slipped down. Its neck wouldn't move. Its hands reached desperately for its head only to find that it was missing.
Dante had moved faster than the orc's swing, and had cleaved off its head.
"These things are not even that challenging." Dante chuckled,
The decapitated orc tumbled to the ground. Dante effortlessly leapt at a pair of nearby orcs. In an instant, he cut down the stunned beasts. With the force of his swords he finished it off, sliced beyond recognition.
To the left, the fiery lizard was battling an orc, scattering fire everywhere. Flame overpowered the orc and sent a blaze of inferno to its head.
Losing three allies already, the remaining orcs surrounded Dante cautiously.
With his swords ready, Dante stared at the orcs with a cold gaze. It was as if a dragon was glaring them at. Their instincts told them that he was dangerous. It told them that they couldn't win against him. The orcs looked at each other.
But, it was just a human. They couldn't possibly lose. It must have been a mistake just then. Ignoring their instinct, experience and common sense, they roared and went in for an all out attack.
That was one stupid move for them.
Dante kicked the first attacking orc down and jumped on top of it. For some reason, the momentum created from the jump made the fallen orc slide forward, towards the rest of the attacking orcs, taking Dante along for the ride. Dante then wildly shoots the rest of the orcs as he and his ride spun like a top, tearing lead as well as slashing through the ranks of enemies like dervish, while the devil hunter laughed like mad.
"WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Derflinger shouts in excitement. As the sword enjoyed the ride as well.
Dante's wild ride ends with the devil hunter leaping out before the creature hits a large rock, hard.
The orc slowly rises, trying to shake the cobwebs from its head.
Too late.
In a flash of a second, the last orc got turned to minced meat, literally, via Million Slash combo, courtesy of Derflinger and Rebellion.
And so, orcs lost their lives, without actually realizing it…
"That was Awesome! Scratch that, it was Smoking Sick!" Derflinger declared ecstatically, "Do it again!"
Tabitha's dragon landed on the ground. If the wind dragon had been hurt, it would mean that they would have to walk home, so they decided she wasn't allowed in the battle, along with Louise, who's still trying to think of an edict for the Princess' wedding.
Coming down from the dragon, Louise gave Guiche a shove.
"Ouch! What are you doing?"
"What the heck are you doing? If Dante wasn't here, who knows what might happen to us?"
The plan was to lure them into a pit that Verdandi had dug and light the oil that was prepared in that pit. All the orcs would then burn to their deaths.
"As if they would just all fall into a pit like that. The first to make a move wins. I only put that into practice." grumbled Guiche.
"Your mole dug it right? Have some faith!"
"Well, we're all ok, so it's fine," said Dante, surveying the ruins.
Siesta, who was hiding and shaking, rushed over to Dante and hugged him, overcome with emotion.
"That was incredible! Killing those violent orcs in no time at all! You're incredible Dante!"
Siesta then timidly glanced at the corpses of the orcs.
"With these around I guess you can't really go calmly pick mushrooms in the forest." She commented
'So that's where you found those.' Dante thought,
He will probably ask her later on how to pick up the right mushrooms in the forest.
The last time he tried that, he got the wrong bunch put on his pizza and ended up spending the whole weekend on a coma with his mind tripping on the idea that Dante's character image has been rebooted many times from an emo looking punk junkie teen rip-off from Twilight, to becoming over muscled like Arnold Schwarzenegger, to ending up looking and speaking very much like Samuel L. Jackson.
"You dig this shit, Motherfucker?"
He never tried to putting mushrooms on pizza again.
Maybe with Siesta's help…
Putting that weird memory off his head, he focused on the thing at hand.
The devil hunter wiped off the blood and fat stuck on Derflinger and Rebellion with his magic.
'That was too easy,' he thought.
But at least he got Guiche to practice his mage craft, and has promised the boy to teach him some melee skills during the trip.
It is time.
It would prove useful to the boy when the time comes.
Meanwhile, despite the battle, Kirche acted as if nothing had happened. Looking at the map, she said, "Um, within the temple there's an altar… and beneath that altar there's a hidden chest."
"And within that chest…"
Guiche gulped.
"Lies the gold and silver and legendary treasure 'Brisingamen' that the priest hid when he abandoned the temple, apparently."
Kirche brushed her hair triumphantly.
"What's a Brisingamen?" asked Guiche.
Kirche read the notes on the map.
"Umm, it seems like it's a necklace made of gold. It's made from 'blazing gold'! Wow, even the name makes me excited. When you wear it you will be protected from any disaster and…"
That night… they crowded around a bonfire in the garden of the temple. Everyone except Dante had a weary face. Guiche said bitterly, "So the so called treasure was that?"
Guiche pointed at a color faded accessory and a few dirty copper coins. Underneath the altar, there was a chest. However, it was full of junk that they didn't even consider taking back home.
"This is made of brass. These cheap necklaces and ear rings, these aren't that 'Brisingamen' right?"
Kirche didn't reply. She just filed her nails with a bored look. Tabitha was reading a book as usual. Louise was still trying to write an edict, and till failing. Dante was lying down, gazing at the moon.
Louise was annoyed at the sorry state of her progress that, she suddenly stood up, and shouts at the busty redhead, just to vent her anger…
"Hey Kirche, that's the seventh one already! We followed those maps with such effort and yet all we get are a few copper coins! The treasures aren't even close to what the notes of the maps say! Those maps are all hoaxes!"
"Shut up half-pint. I said it before; there might be a real map within that bundle. Besides you're not going anywhere with your so-called edict as well."
That sent Louise shaking in anger…
"It's too mean! Monsters and beasts dwell in ruins and caves after all! Only getting this in return for defeating monsters is far from enough!" the blond boy complained.
Guiche held the artificial rose in his mouth and lay down on a spread out blanket.
Louise sighed…
It is useless to keep this conversation up…
"Well yeah. If you could get treasure by just simply killing monsters, then no one would be poor." Kirche said, still looking at a set of maps.
The irony isn't lost to the devil hunter.
'Well, there are instances…' Dante thought, referring to how he managed to gain his riches…
A gloomy atmosphere drifted amongst them. But Siesta's cheerful voice drove it away.
"Everyone, dinner's ready!"
Siesta started dividing the stew for everyone from the pot on the bonfire. It smelled good.
"This is good! Wow, it's really good. What kind of meat did you use?" Guiche asked while stuffing his mouth full.
Everyone else tasted it and started to say how delicious it was. Siesta smiled and said, "Orc's meat."
Guiche suddenly spat out the stew. Everyone stared slack jawed at Siesta.
"I-It was a joke! I made it from a wild rabbit. I caught it with a trap."
Siesta went on to explain how she had set up traps to catch rabbits and partridges, and collected herbs and vegetables for the stew, while everyone else was hunting for treasure.
"Don't scare me like that. But, you're really handy, being able to make something so nice from things in a forest." said Kirche in a relieved tone.
"It comes from living in a village," said Siesta shyly.
"What's this stew called? The herbs you've used are quite different from usual. I've never even seen some of these vegetables." said Louise while playing one of the vegetables on her fork.
"It's a stew that's made in my village, called Yosenabe." Explained Siesta while stirring the pot.
"My father taught me how to make it. From edible wild plants, roots of plants… My father learned it from my grandmother. It's now a specialty in my village."
Thanks to the delicious food, they felt more relaxed. Ten days had passed since they had left the school. As Dante gazed up at the sky, he wondered of what that organization is planning to do next. But he had a feeling that they'll be coming after Tristain next.
Then he thought of the assassin in blue, he seemed to exude a rather strange but somewhat familiar aura…
'Cobalt, just who the hell are you?' Dante reflects.
"Is it good, Dante?"
Next to him, Siesta smiled warmly, taking him away from his thoughts. Stuffing his mouth full with stew, he smiled back. Siesta's smile, the taste of the stew, they both reminded him of something he long thought to have forgotten about.
He had no idea how long he had been away since he went to hell but Dante still remembers a certain person who asked him that very same question.
It has been long since he had a simple dinner like his...
／人◕ . ◕人＼
After dinner…
Two figures could be seen talking under the moonlit trees…
"I suppose you deserve a chance to explain yourself. If you have anything you want to say, then say it now."
It seems like the pinkette still hasn't forgotten about that after all…
"What is there to explain? I didn't do anything. This is about Siesta right? Siesta was just about to fall down so I tried to catch her. I then fell down as well, making it look as if I had pushed her down onto the bed."
The real reason was because Siesta had suddenly started to take off her clothes, but for Siesta's sake he didn't say that.
That and the point where he nearly had his way on the girl,
'Oh well, there's always the next time, right Author?' Dante thought sending the message to a certain someone…
"Then, nothing really happened?"
"Nothing. Why were you so angry? That was the first time she came to the room. As if something like that would happen. Why were you angry, anyway? What I and Siesta do is none of your business, right?" said Dante.
"It's none of my business, but in some ways it is."
"Which one is it?"
Louise glared at Dante and groaned.
Louise tugged at his sleeve. She was whispering things like "Hey, apologize" and "Why are you being so uptight, you made me so worried", but Dante wasn't looking at Louise anymore.
He was looking at the moon in contemplation.
Louise had jumped to her own conclusions. She was ashamed that she had shut herself in her room and sulked before the 'kidnapping'. She drew out the deadly technique she had been saving. It was a girl's secret technique, which would sweep away any suspicion, anger, contradiction, and even the fact that Louise drove Dante out.
She burst into tears.
Buckets of tears came streaming down from her eyes.
"Idiot! Always making me worry, I hate you!"
Sniffling, she wiped the streaming tears with the back of her hand.
"H-Hey, don't cry."
Panicking, Dante placed his hands on Louise's shoulder. Louise cried even harder.
'Girls…' Dante sighed,
"I hate you! I hate you!"
'Dammit!' he swore inwardly, trying to make the girl to stop crying.
Unfortunately, he's not succeeding.
Kirche approached them, holding a bunch of maps in her arms.
Guiche looked at Dante, who was comforting Louise, and grinned.
"You can't just make your child cry like that."
Dante just glared at the boy, who cringed at the sight…
Kirche said dully, "Made up already? That's no fun…"
Tabitha simply pointed at the two and said, "After the rain comes fair weather."
／人◕ . ◕人＼
After said event, Kirche spread out the map again.
"Let's just give up and return to school," urged Guiche, but Kirche did not budge.
"Just one more. One more."
As if she was obsessed, Kirche's eyes gleamed over the maps. Picking one map, she placed it on the ground.
"Ok this one! If this one is also a hoax we're going back to school!"
"What's the treasure?"
Arms crossed, Kirche replied, "Dragon's Raiment."
Siesta, who was eating stew after everyone had finished, choked slightly on her food.
"R-Really?"
"What about it? Do you know something about it? It's close to a village called Tarbes. Now where's Tarbes…"
Siesta replied quickly, "It's in the direction of La Rochelle. There's a big field… It's my home town."
／人◕ . ◕人＼
Author's note…
Boring Chapter…
I need a better job so I can have more spare time to write this...
Planning in more character 'build-up' for the girls.
Hopefully it's something coherent…
In a story, what do you prefer?
Sex with plot, or plot with sex?
Me…I don't care as long as it has sex in it.
I'm scared of the possibility of losing this tale forever if I ever published those certain chapter scenes…
But it's necessary to the plot…Maybe.
Next chap will take some time as I contemplate on how to show the rather graphic scene. In my opinion, anyway.
As such, I need your reviews or PM to proceed and advice.
To be honest, I haven't read any deep lemons in fanfics yet.
So pardon my ignorance.
Please review,
Thanks for the patronage,
And stay thirsty for fics my friends.
P.S.
And now for something completely different:
Just a little something I picked up along the way...
On love and anger...
A saint who was visiting a river to take bath found a group of family members on the banks, shouting in anger at each other.
He turned to his disciples, smiled and asked,
"Why do people shout in anger shout at each other?"
The disciples thought for a while, one of them said, "Because we lose our calm, we shout."
"If so, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner." said the saint
The disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the other disciples.
Finally the saint explained,
"When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance."
"What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either nonexistent or very small..."
The saint continued, "When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other."
He looked at his disciples and said.
"So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, Do not say words that distance each other more, Or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return."