Chapter 50: Kaiserin in the Shadow: The Kaiserin that didn't love me
Summary:
As usual for bullheaded people, just one whack to the head, and an entire fractures skeleton are not enough of a punishment to stop a Delusional weirdo in love.
Chapter Text
The God of War tournament, being here even as an Audience member isn't low profile, even less being ONE of the competitors signed to it. A Three-day tournament, each duel is a 1v1 where you fight your foe until one surrenders or is deemed unable to keep fighting by a Judge, who's supposed to be close to the level of a Royal Knight, given their track record and number of members or practicioners of their Swordsmanship that ended found guilty of being in cahoots with the Classical Evil Cult, Cult of Diabolos, that's less than reassuring for most.
And why I am here? Me, Tanya von Degurechaff, Once Lt. Colonel in command of Kampfgruppe Salamander, now Leader of a Secret Organization called Argent Garden, the answer is as simple as it's annoying, no one else in my own Organization fit for this task.
While for sure Alfa, and the talented member of her elite team, Arisa, could probably do the task, their styles of swordsmanship aren't exactly the kind you show people, not when there's 100% chance that Cult members and even Shadow Garden's members are present, oversighting this event, last I and my Organization needs are one of my best Agents Public identities being found out, their own techniques with the sword are that easy to recognize.
So here is where I had to enter, not to brag, but my Highschool years, at least the second year of it, I did manage to impress even my Seniors in Kendo, not to say of having gotten Second Place in the League two steps bellow National level, my own disastrous perfectionist demands of myself ended that path early back then. And my second Life, in the little free time me and the 203rd, along most of Salamander when it was formed, were given, I for a while got Koenig to teach a bit on the Basics of his Swordsmanship, nothing superb, but it had a Polish natural of hard work, and i like the most such things.
Surprising me more was when Echo's division, hers being our Explorator focused group, including Dungeon, Cave and Ruins Spelunking. They found something odd, under a Broken Black Cauldron that bore Magical traces, pity, whatever it was for, maybe that Cauldron could been of use. But the sword found was quite the oddball item, a Katana, with clear markings it had received modern treatment, the Scabbard was a bit beaten but the important area was safe, so the Blade survive, what little in remaining Markings only got me one thing, VT-7, Murasama.
Bravo LOVED studying it, and soon enough she got it fully to working order and with a perfect shine, it was originally a HF Blade, powered by a Special type of Battery, of course it would be impossible to work one for it, so she did the next best thing, attached a H-12 Orb to make the HF function work, one near Explosive meltdown later, and i am the only one able to make it work, damned be my absolute skill in Mana Control.
I have a Sense for how Europan style swordsmanship work in general, my forte is Katanas, and here is me, with the Murasama in its stowed configuration, alongside a simplified design of the HF system in the form of a Midgar classic, a Light Long sword, the tool of trade for anyone, even more if it's the Mythril version, sadly, Mythril hinders one's ability to use the Orbs, so Argent Garden is using a Titanium-Tungsten Carbide alloy version, disguised as a High quality Steel blade, i had to praise Bravo for weeks when she reported having gotten to develop a cost effective method of producing those Metals.
So in short, my fighting here will be me as Kate Yushka, a Mercenary that recently arrived in the Kingdom. shorty, no name as a Mercenary, light red hair (a bit more on the white and the hair dye would be Pink no less) and using one sword while keeping another packed, must look like an idiot here.
"Hey!"
And probably either a Bully wanting to scare a seemingly weak prey, or someone just playing the well-intentioned guy to someone he or she fears isn't up to the competition. Or both, such cases do exist after all.
"Yes?"
A dark-skinned man, stout build, an eyepatch, and clearly a guy that has experience in his Job.
"I would suggest someone like you to not compete."
"Dangerous?"
"For someone like you, likely."
Hm, Polite, being nice is fine and all, see enough idiots die because of their own stupidity and overconfidence in their nonexistent skills, you will want whatever you take part in to have no such idiots, your career after can be hurt if such a competition allows unskilled idiots to ruin the public's enjoyment, right?
"Thanks for the worry, but I can fight."
Some Politeness mixed with confidence in my voice and body stance did the work. It took some time to read the reports, but not many are a challenge for me, not as I am nowadays.
...
The Tournament went in for a while, a three-day event, my matches had some average in skill swordsmen by trade, even some Students of the Dark Knight Academy. The Second day was when Argent's Garden prey came, Doem Ketsuhat, pun name of shame no less, a confirmed Diabolos Cult agent, and one glance at the King of Oriana Kingdom is enough for me, I had more than enough personal understanding, and Visha's quite vivid reports of me when that asshole Loria had me caught, the two weeks I RATHER NOT REMEMBER.
But this world has Magic and crude passive enhancement, which makes quite hard for them to realize such a VIP is a puppet kept docile via Drugging, some oddballs can unknowingly do shit to themselves that leave them just a bit like our drugged example. My job is either get a shot at the Perv asshat or make a chance for a Sniper team to do it, I don't know how bad it will be if the attempt kills the King, be by collateral or him using the poor gramps as a shield. But ugly is the minimum.
The other weirdo is the Cid fellow, here as Jimina Seiken, Everyday guy, sometimes I rather just have Claire lock his ass somewhere, his damn Luck and fighting prowess are the sole 'nice things he's got going for him.
The battles went on, my honest Opinion, the average line for this world for combat skills is rather low, since physical and mental enhancements are a norm for anyone, brute force, and pure Magical prowess to enhance oneself were a priority, Skill by itself can only offset raw power to a degree, in direct clash that's, skill opens far more doors and paths on how you can beat your opponent. And so far, only those from Argent Garden or Shadow's organization do so.
So no surprise that even famous and renowned "Masters" in Swordsmanship lack what Cid or I have. And thus, the final day, where the three last fights would happen, quarter finals, Semifinals, then the final battle with the winner of last God of War's competition, Iris Midgard, first princess of this Nation's ruling family. While one of Claire's plans to straighten her brother once involved fighting here to try motivating him, now, she rather just bust the Cult, so his damn escapades have no more excuses, so much she did join in full our own Organization.
One fight with him, before whichever of us Fight Ms. Iris, calming and steeling myself, plan is set, not going to reveal the presence of my own group in this fight, so the way is simple…. fool the idiot himself that someone from his own side had been in the event all this time. And would you look at that? I have a FIGHT with him of all things, right now!
Both of us are in disguise, he is a one-track minded person, and no one would have the memory to remember over hundreds of faces and their names, or ID numbers as it seems to be with them on an organization level, at least I do my effort of having SOME idea of those working for Argent Garden, their faces at bare minimum. So my plan is very crude, talk like he likes to, in a fight, and then bail out when the mess crashes on him, with him believing someone from his own side was present.
…
Jimina (Cid) POV
Did we have someone this talented and versed in 'talking'? If so, damn, I must have Alfa promote her, or at least give her a reward. Damn, nice feint! I counter with one of my own, then only with controlling my movements, get into a better angle for a strike. She responds by messing the tempo and spacing between us. She's good, so I can only ask of course, who she is of Shadow Garden.
'580, My lord'
'I see, let's continue.'
As this goes, her swordsmanship is superb, the core has been honed to the best, yet I can feel the uniqueness of it. A lunging strike, I parry then attempt a blow with the pommel, she backs away in time. When I swinged, she deftly kept a loosened stance on her sword, so when mine clashed, it slid at an angle, the delay on my blade made an opening, so I wisely back away from our current engagement, she refuses my invitation. Nice, nice.
'My Lord, I have a task from Lady Alfa, may I?'
'Sure, I would like to spar more later.'
'Hm, Of course, My Lord.'
Damn, Alfa, you hogging such a talent from me? Can't be helped, if she has a task, I will have to oblige, a bit of a clash between us, she made a sneaky move to bail out quickly, a strike at me, when my sword intercepted, one smooth move of my sword and the clashing blades instead become a disarming feint of mine, her sword out of her hands, flew away, landing behind me, she surrenders shortly after. I await her to pick the blade, and exchange a polite handshake, the Audience was… impressed at our skills, damn, I forgot I was playing the act of the mysterious guy who everyone thinks is a weakling but he's actually a powerful shadowbroker guy.
Whatever, many still saw that woman as better than me and were throwing some hushed accusations of cheating, weaklings.
"Still, when will I meet you, Lady Argent?"
I muttered by accident, damn…. Why won't you accept my LOVE?
Tanya POV
Damn, took longer than expected, or rather I was enjoying such a good fight a bit too much. That done, I just move to the spectator seats for those who once competed.
Iris was…. overwhelmed, She has potential, that much anyone with some mana sense and had experience with a far more extreme kind of war than anyone in this world probably lived through will realize of her. But this world's Combat is so reliant on Brute force and Martial arts focused on such, that her fortes aren't used, she's flexibility, and clearly an adequate sense of bodily balance, as a whole, she's more suited for a style focused on Dynamic moves and that make better use of her body qualities, such as the aforementioned flexibility.
The defeat was way too lopsided, of course, knowing how talented Mr. Jimina was gave her some fighting chance, but not a win. That is impossible unless she gets far stronger than most of Shadow Garden. The next situation once she was defeated came as a shocker, someone intruded on the arena, Rose Oriana, fugitive Princess of the Oriana kingdom, the rest was like a Dorama, Patricide, Regicide, she escaped, and Jimina revealed he was Shadow all along. Iris and that Elf lady that looks like Shadow Garden's Alfa (And has some semblance to Argent Garden's Alfa as well) tried to fight to arrest him, of course they failed.
[Argent, we're sorry for failing in killing Doem.]
[Fret not, they probably had plenty of backup plans, let's use this incompetent buffoon to our favor.]
[Understood.]
[Also, relay this to Alfa, get me information on Iris Midgar.]
[The First Princess?]
[Just a hunch, a small investment if you will.]
Call ends, I left and once inside the Sioux building Base, I remove my disguise. A few days later, Alfa personally delivered the data I asked.
"Milady, sorry for the impertinence, but I can't see how Iris will be of benefit for Argent Garden."
While little in words with me, Alfa and the other core members are the few who speak with me when they have doubts regarding the plans or the ins and outs of our Operations I planed. Proactive subordinates of such quality are so rare, clear communication and trust between coworkers is a must, so I'm happy they ask things when in doubt.
"Having a tie to a Nation's government aside, her actions draw more attention than ours, done properly, we can have her make so our tracks are hidden under her own. And Shadow just gave us a chance at such a great opportunity."
The Midgar's Royal Bushin style had been taking hits ever since the incident where the second Princess got kidnapped and the main culprit was found to be a renowed instructor on said style, and Iris middling performance in hunting both the Cult, Shadow Garden and the elusive 'branch of Shadow Garden', aka us here, her honor and that of the Royal Bushin got hit harder and harder. The God of War's defeat just worsened it. Chances are she's still has a prideful side, the Nation's stability is at stake you damn war maniac princess, we can't have business and a nice life in ruined nations, damnit.
"I see, apologies for not seeing such."
"Fret not, no one is infallible, learn and avoid the same mistakes, that's all there's to it."
She left, now… let me get some rest, I will be doing a Night Visit after all, who's on bedroom duty for now? Ah yes… Tio, for such a Tall mocha lady with humongous tracts of lands and curves, she's pretty nice and gentle. Let me check-in the reinforced bedroom, just in case….
…
Iris POV
The news have been merciless, worse than that has been the public's perception. Had it been solely another hit on the Royal Bushin style, things could be argued and forgotten quickly, but this wasn't such a case, the people's trust in the Royal Family rule is being shaken, and I am to blame on most of it this year alone. The Royal Knight Order had been made a joke, both by Shadow Garden's actions as well the increasing discoveries of infiltrators from that Cult of Diabolos, now? Add to it two defeats in a row against that fucker Shadow.
"FUCK! If only those Cultists and Shadow didn't exist! And most of it is that asshole leading Shadow garden's fault!"
The sole respite of it all was me finding how severely lacking I am, power, skill…. Everything to fight all those threats to Midgar… to my sister.
"All I need is more… power…. Skill… more than that cursed Shadow would ever have…."
Things weren't good before Shadow Garden's appearance, but manageable…. At moments like this is when my mind drifts into cush nasty thoughts, If I found about that Cult sooner, if I found that Zenon was in cahoots with the cult before it all went to hell…. If just-
"-You were Omnipotent and Omniscient, none of those problems would have happened?"
Turning to the Sofa in my room, a person…. Or a kid? Whatever she's a short woman, sitting in such a mug way, no weapon ready, aside that sword of hers, in its scabbard and far enough that if I strike her, I doubt she would have time to draw her weapon.
"Wanna try? Attacking me I mean."
Forget it, my senses are screaming its suicide, keeping my sword with me, I approach that person.
"Speak, what you come here for?"
She's wearing a Mask, the visor seems to have glass tinted so I can't see her eyes, she's Reddish-brown hair, and her clothing isn't that of Cult agents nor Shadow Garden's. Who's she? And whose organization she belongs to?
"Would just power solve your problems? Like avoiding the God of War incident?"
Before I realize, my blade had been drawn and is a few millimeters from her throat, she just smirks.
"Is this your answer? If so, I may just leave already."
Suddenly her voice is coming from the window, it's open, and she's there, how? No soon I look at the Sofa, and she's not there. What in hell?
"As you see, brute force solves little….and your problems…. Demand… precise Finese."
"And let me guess, you and your organization can do that, solve my problems?"
"Problems like the Cult? Sure. We may just also help keep Shadow Garden from tarnishing the Royal Knights dignity even more."
Suspicious, either she's a plant of either group, or worse, a new third party entering this already troublesome situation in Midgar.
"Odd, you mention my newest shame, thought you would brag being as good as that Shadow guy and offer some help, the personal kind mind you."
She suddenly shakes her head, standing up, she walks towards me, and I feel as if any wrong move will mean my demise.
"That… will depend on you."
"Huh?"
"Tell me…. Why exactly you seek more strength? Honor? The Nation? Revenge? Justice? What you seek to compel you into wanting more power?"
Of course, for the sake of Midgar….. yet that answer feels…. Wrong. Truly, the problems have just been piling up, and at its core were two groups at war with each other. And the ones that caused the stains to hit the Knights and she herself, trying to claim she didn't bore a bone to pick against Shadow and his followers would be a blatant lie.
"Ever heard of the Disgraced Knight?"
"No, who's the sod?"
"Once there's been a Knight, one with Honor, Glory, and a name to be carved in History. Until something happens and he lost all, all but what he sworn to uphold as a Knight…. He could chase all he lost…. By ditching that very Oath…. Or keep loyal to it and reach his end knowing he protected what he had Sworn to, even if he would be forgotten and become just one more disgraced knight in history…."
Before I realize, she's in front of me, and her gaze is one even that mask can't hide is intense.
"So? Who will you become? What Warrior you are? And What Ruler you will be?"
"What path I will take? Like that knight?"
Silence. Clearly this is a test.
"I will admit I want to give payback to Shadow. But the Nation, the Kingdom is my priority, and it will remain until my last breath."
She smiles, one that makes me step back instinctively.
"Then Would you like our help? I would gladly have someone help you with unlocking your potential, of course, there'll be a fee for it, this and our hep against the Cult and Shadow Garden have each their cost, mind you."
"Fine, say the price."
"To train you, you'll have to leave Shadow for my Organization, at least for the time being. As for our help…. Just make sure we can operate without much interference."
"Deal."
"Wonderful. We will warn you when the 'teacher' will come. Our cooperation will likely yield many positive Results, even for you. Good night."
With that, she's disappeared, took me a good minute to realize she left a card in the tea table. It'd no Name or anything, just a Symbol, a stylized Spherical Gem, silvery details shining on it. She went to rest, left with many things in her mind, but most of all, that Tale she told.
"Ditch all that makes me myself or fight the hard fight even if there'll be no reward for doing so, aside knowing I am me when it ends…."
Truly, how some stranger hit her so hard in the sore spot…. Falling asleep, she remembers how many times she daydreamed of just becoming someone not tied to the Royal family and go adventuring the world…. And how silly it all seems now…..
"…We all have…. A Duty…. Right? Silver Girl…."
She fell asleep.
Two Weeks Later
WHACK
Ugh….
"Your Highness, no sleeping during Lesson."
"Yes…."
Fucking Devil, that Argent Lady, sure my fighting power has increased a lot since this woman came to help me, but then…. WHAT MATH HAS TO DO WITH POWER?
WHACK.
"No thinking useless stuff, unless you pass the tests, no further training."
"Yes, Ms. Serebryakov."
Of all ways to have me grow more powerful, it has to involve a lot of high-end knowledge, but since this Viktorya lady showcased to me what Orbs can do, I really want that…. Ahhhh… what I won't do to for the sake of my growth, and safety of the Nation….
"Your Highness Iris, this will not only allow you to use Orbs, but all this calculus will help you in the future, The Nation's Budget is made of numbers after all, and so is the Budget for your Knight Orders."
Ah yes…. Look at the bright side…. People won't be able to call me the Muscle brained Warrior Princess once I'm done… yeah… good, good, let's learn…. No more Supplemental Exercises.
Tanya POV
I was looking at the reports when I saw the reports from Visha, just when I decided to take a sip of coffee, Mary is no Visha, but she's been getting good at cooking and making sweets, as well as looking at me with such desires I wouldn't believe she had when we all arrived here.
"You Ok, Argent?"
She even is coming with a napkin, hm? They finally made an usable Paper version, I should congratulate R&D.
"Yes. Please call for Alfa."
"You called?"
Oh well, she entered, with a new stack of reports.
"Why are we giving Iris Midgar knowledge of Computation Orbs?"
She smiles, knew it was her idea, Alfa has grown to become such a Pixie who loves making people addicted to flight.
"I thought that this would ensure she stays loyal for Argent Garden, and you especially. Self powered flight is…. Impossible to not feel attached to, in my humble opinion."
Just great….. I must ensure we don't make it so commonplace to become an issue.
"Fine, but Orbs are our advantage over all other factions, make sure those you give them to are properly watched, and only supply our oldest designs."
"Of course."
The reports were all very easy reads, not exactly worth coming here to deliver so soon either.
"Well… good job."
Enhancing my reflex and sight, Mary and Alfa are…. A bit fidgety…. Damn this to heck, what's this? A Harem Romcom? Don't know what the hell is with me being such a magnet for that….. Yet I had long since resigned myself to their carnal desires for me, like now….. no surprises WHY this large room is so lavish, soundproofed, reinforced to withstand even my best artillery spells, rather, they have prepped all rooms just in case. And doing this with Mary and Alfa is already causing the structure to shake…. Ah, the Life of a Kaiserin in the Shadow, right?