The clinking sound of metal against rock echoed through the dimly lit corridor.
It was an underground secret passage completely sealed off from the outside, lit only by small torches every few meters.
It was a narrow place, without enough space for two people to stand side by side.
Known only to a select few and used in even less situations. It was a special corner of the castle used solely for talks that required the highest degree of privacy and were of utmost importance for the realm.
Of course, what the one walking these halls didn't know was that such sanctity had already been broken a few times in the last decade, as many were the times the princess brought her secret lover and cousin there for secret liaisons.
Her steps were hasty, but not enough so as to be ungraceful; her expression was eternally locked into a stoic gaze, passing constant judgment to all that fell before her eyes.
Having foregone dresses and make-up her body was covered in steel, an ornate armor that had served her well many times before.
Such clothing was only right for the occasion. She wasn't there to socialize and be a noble lady, she was there as an old general, the Heavy Wind.
Soon, the end of the corridor came into sight, a small and dark wooden door with the final layer of protection.
All the people that were allowed inside that room had their information added to the matrix of the magic that bound the door. Were anyone unauthorized to try and open it, all their bodily fluids would be immediately drained and their corpse frozen in place. Of course, it was needless to say that the walls surrounding the room had as much resistance and sound-proofing as that door had lethality.
Knowing very well her permission to enter the room had never been revoked, Karin opened the door, the hinges intentionally creaking loudly, and walked through the small entrance.
Immediately, the inhabitants of the room stopped their actions and turned to her, acknowledging her arrival.
It was a relatively small room. Lit by torches on the far sides, with a single table at its center and a small elevated ornate chair with a side table facing the door. The only thing that kept the air flowing was a small magical circle at the ground.
Two generals stood over the table, while a princess overlooked them from her throne.
"Vallière."
"Lady Karin."
The generals Gramont and De Poitiers muttered, acknowledging her presence.
Still, she did not respond, and did what was expected of her.
Walking further into the room, she kneeled.
"Answering your summons, princess Henrietta, I have arrived."
The princess gazed at her from the throne, her fingers slightly grazing some of the many documents at the side table.
The princess was haggard, and it took a while before she actually followed through and commanded her.
"You have my gratitude for coming in such a short notice, Karin de La Vallière." The princess' voice lacked in spirit, and even though her words were true, they sounded like forced out lies.
"It is only my duty, princess." Still, without letting even a hint of that analysis show, the duchess kept her head low and her tone neutral as she kneeled.
After all, even though the political situation at the castle had been far from perfect ever since the king died, the duchess still held the princess as the unquestionable next in line and rightful ruler, and addressing her as anything else would be unacceptable.
The princess nodded slowly, musing over her own internal conflict. "Are you aware of why you have been called?"
"Unfortunately, Your Highness, details in your letter were scarce, however I can gather a war crisis is approaching." It wasn't something that she needed to be told. Besides being the only reason she would be secretly called in as the Heavy Wind, they would seldom be using that room for any other reason.
The haggard looking princess nodded. "Indeed, it is awful, but conflict may be inevitable, and we require both your presence as the Heavy Wind and your prowess in war." Briefly, the princess bowed, as if begging for every bit of help she could receive.
Of course, had the princess been her daughter, Karin would've severely scolded her for such a display. As the princess, she shouldn't bow, especially not for her generals and retainers.
Alas, Henrietta wasn't her daughter, she was the princess, and to that there was only one appropriate response.
"Your command is an order, Your Highness." Without raising her head, she agreed to the request. It was her duty, and she would follow it.
Although some light manner of relief washed over Henrietta's expression after that, it was clear her worries and depression had yet to go away.
"You have my deepest gratitude, Karin of the Heavy Wind." The princess nodded before turning to the generals. "Now, if the two of you could bring her up to speed."
"As you wish, Your Highness."
"Your order is a command, Your Highness."
The generals answered quickly, and soon, General Gramont started to speak.
Although she now spoke to him, she was still addressing the princess, and as such she dared not raise from her knees, instead opting to turn her head lightly.
"Well, we'll go over the technical matters, such as our numbers and equipment later, for now it's better if we stick to the basics." His voice carried a faint hint of tiredness and the usual exasperation people came to expect from him. "Putting it bluntly, we have reached a boiling point, and if we don't act fast, we will lose without a chance of recovery
"This news is still going to take a few days to reach the populace, but the Albion royal family has lost its final fighting chance. During the last conflict, the final few forces at their side defected when they realized their chances of surviving the night; whomever didn't want to join in was taken as prisoner to serve as an offering to the other side, and now, only the final remains of the royal guard are still there to keep them around and on the run." He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Crownwell, their main leader and figure, is making a show out of this, and seems to be stirring their ideals every time more in a radical direction."
"Which means that what once was 'being freed from a spiral of hunger and death' became 'reinstituting the global order.'" General De Poitiers said, an invisible weight behind his voice. "And as of right now, their talks seem to be mostly focused around Tristain."
"…" She spoke nothing, merely choosing to clench her jaws.
The situation wasn't good, she could tell. If Reconquista truly had veterans from the Albianese army, coupled with their sea of self-righteous commoners, then they could very easily pose a threat.
"Well, this isn't news, really." General Grammont sighed. "We had been expecting this for a while now, and we did try to mitigate the issue. Since we wanted to keep our enemies unaware and panic from the populace at a minimum, we've carried this out discreetly, but we have been making harsher training regimes for our troops and strengthening the army. What's more, we also tried to create a few alliances.
"As it turns out, though, all that might not be enough, and other kingdoms seem all too glad to ignore us. Galia claims they would waste too many resources 'keeping Tristain afloat by themselves', Romalia seems too hesitant about going to war, and Germania…" As soon as his words reached the eastern empire, his voice trailed off.
Her gaze turned to De Poitiers, who sighed. "They are barbarians who seek to conquer and battle, completely denying the ways of the founder. Still, they aren't fools, they won't help us just because we asked. Our negotiations have reached a critical point, and the only thing that seems to keep any chances of them helping us is the promise of an arranged marriage with Her Highness."
Immediately, her head snapped back towards the princess, as if asking for confirmation from the girl herself.
And, with a solemn nod—
"Indeed, if all occurs correctly, I'll be marrying Emperor Albert III in Vindobona and obtain Germania's military might to completely fend off Albion." As the princess said those words, filled with untold melancholia, she carefully observed the duchess. Although no changes could be noticed within her expression, she felt compelled to ask. "Is there anything you would like to say, Karin of the Heavy Wind?"
"… Your Highness, that would be the same as allowing Albion to conquer us. If the crown princess were to marry him, then he would undoubtedly become the de facto ruler, and we would be annexed as nothing more than a territory of Germania." Her voice was completely devoid of accusation and feeling, a purely neutral analysis of the situation, and in a way, that hurt the princess more than an angry shout would.
Henrietta recoiled a bit in her seat, not sure of just what to say. "If… we… we've already thought of that… and… there's countermeasures…"
Consumed by a thought that was unknowable to the other inhabitants of the room, she was left without a cohesive phrase said, and General Gramont felt the need to come to her aid. "That was something we considered, and something we have prepared for. If we receive at least two heirs from this marriage, playing our cards correctly, we could have one of them receive the lands of Tristain while the other takes Germania, effectively annulling this annexation while giving us a strong ally in the future."
Of course, that plan came with its own countless issues, and Karin would've been all too happy to question his own countermeasures to them, beginning from how he would prevent the Germanians from completely subduing the Tristanian court and completely control them, as they were so eager to do.
But then she saw his hands.
Making ever so subtle movements, they formed a series of symbols. It was a way to discreetly communicate that they were taught in the army, and most importantly, it was something the princess was most certainly unaware of.
'Better plan, secret, talk later'
A simple message, but one that carried through all the meaning it needed to. Of course, she slightly narrowed her eyes, the thought of secrecy from the crown sounding too much like insubordination for her, but still, she held her tongue; were what she would hear sound like betrayal, then she would most definitely kill him.
"Very well, Your Highness." She once again bowed to her ruler. "If such is your choice, then I will obey."
Of course, issues such as the Germanians being barbarians, allowing commoners with money to buy their way into nobility, and even denying the teachings of Brimmir were not an issue for her. She knew that in the heat of battle most Tristanian soldiers were also no better than animals, most Tristanian nobles were worthless, and if needed, she would let go of any religious teachings in a way that even elves would seem like Brimmir-following saints.
The princess once again sighed. "It gladdens me to hear that."
"Of course, that brings us to our next issue." General De Poitiers said immediately afterwards. "This arranged marriage is in risk of falling apart, along with our political image."
Immediately, the princess recoiled, her face once again being colored by shame and depression.
"…" Of course, although her thoughts were swirling, the Heavy Wind kept her mouth shut, awaiting the information to be properly delivered.
"Yes, due to possible… compromising information, we'll be put into a tough spot, and the marriage would be filled with too much political turmoil to allow us to swiftly go to war, if it happened at all." One could hear the growing exasperation within General Grammont's voice, as if he aged more every time the topic was brought up.
Discreetly, he glanced at the princess, as if to tell her it was her duty to say it. In a way, however, she had to be the one to say it, as no one there would dare to say it in front of her.
"…" She allowed a pregnant silence to stretch out before finally overcoming her shame. "I might have… sent compromising letters to Princes Wales, letters confessing to a forbidden love between us, and I know he kept them… just as I kept his."
Her voice had been little more than a whisper filled with shame. Although, whether it was shame at being found out, or shame of her own actions remained unknown.
"…" The duchess said nothing, she didn't think anything needed to be said.
"We've been thinking on how to retrieve those letters before an international scandal breaks out, but it's complicated, with Albion being the way it is right now." General Gramont said so, sighing and rubbing his temples.
And then, the princess spoke—
"I do believe sending a small team to retrieve them would be our best option." She began. "It needs to be filled with loyal people who can be trusted to achieve this goal. From those that I know, your daughter, my old childhood friend, Louise, is one I believe to hold those capabilities."
She said words the duchess had never wished to hear, words that often would haunt her dreams, nightmares she wished would never be a truth.
It was close to a worst-case scenario.
Her daughter, who had clearly been through something and ended up changed and possibly traumatized, was now attracting eyes and being considered for military matters.
Of course, her mind became a hurricane of thoughts.
"If I may ask, Your Highness, what makes you think so?" The duchess inquired, perhaps letting out a weird answer to what most would consider an honor.
"Mainly, it is the same thing that reminded me of how much you and the Vallière are eternal allies of the crown." The princess said, the faint brush of a smile gracing her face. "Soon after my father died, Louise sent me letters, as a friend, doing her best to aid me and reassure me in her and the Vallière's support. I do believe her one of the few fit to take this task with the full secrecy and trust it requires."
While the princess spent her time praising her old childhood friend, Karin's mind was in turmoil.
'Louise did WHAT!?' She screamed inside her mind.
She didn't know if this was because her daughter lacked wit, or if she had intended this as a political maneuver. If it was the former… in truth, Karin would be quite relieved, but if it was the latter… then the Heavy Wind would be well and truly worried.
Why would her daughter make political maneuvers and try to stay on top of things? What was it that worried her? The questions would not stop swirling her mind.
Still, she was the Heavy Wind, and she would never allow such confusion to be displayed in front of others.
"I am sorry to say, Your Highness." The duchess began. "But while I did raise all my daughters to be loyal, that is the extent of Louise's abilities. As I am sure you've heard by now, the Zero cannot cast a single spell and would be woefully unprepared to face combat; I strongly suggest you choose someone more appropriate for the task."
Of course, for anyone else, those words would sound honorable, a mother refusing honor and prestige for her child for the sake of upholding the kingdom's safety and her own duty. But Karin knew the truth, and while she knew she spoke no lies, she knew she couldn't be completely proud of her actions.
"Oh… I see…" The princess lowered her head, despondent. "If that's the case, then… I take you have better ideas for how to proceed?"
The duchess nodded. "However, before that, are there any possible plans on how to receive support from the other kingdoms, should we fail to retrieve the letters?" She asked, faintly tilting her head towards the other two generals.
"We do have a plan to force Romalia to move, although it carries a lot of risk." General De Poitiers said, filled with apprehension.
"What kind of risks?"
This time, it was General Gramont who answered. "It either works and Romalia sends troops but our relations collapse, or it doesn't, our relations collapse, and we drag the rest of Halkengia down with us, presenting it in a silver platter to Germania and Reconquista."
Of course, in face of such a plan, there was only one possible reaction. "Let's put it up for discussion later, then." She said with a nod before continuing. "What about inner relations, is there anything pressing we need to solve?"
"Short of everything?" Although his line was sarcastic, General Gramont's voice carried nothing but seriousness. "Our biggest problem is Her Majesty. No offense, Your Highness, but with the current political situation, Queen Marianne's withdrawal from court does not make things easy. We need someone with enough political power to stay above everything and quench any disagreements from nobles. Unless you wish to spend too much time and resources in internal conflicts, having Her Majesty's swift and already established rule will be necessary."
"…" The princess looked away, unsure of what to say or do. "I am aware, however… with mother's grief as it is, I do not know…" then the princess looked at the duchess. "Duchess La Vallière, I am aware you and my mother were friends once upon a time, correct?"
"… Yes, we were… good friends."
The princess nodded. "She still grieves for the death of my father, but maybe a friend's presence could aid her in coming back, at least for this tumultuous period." Her voice was faint, and although she said it as a proposition, it sounded almost like she was begging.
Of course, such a thing was close to the last thing the duchess wanted to be told at that moment. And her mind that was filled with worry for her kingdom and her daughter now became swarmed with other, more troublesome feelings.
She truly did not want to do what she was being told to do.
Still, she was the Heavy Wind, and she would follow the rule of steel.
"I will be sure to hear her grievances, Your Highness." She said with a completely neutral tone.
The princess gave her another relieved nod. "Now, about your plan…"
Karin nodded, and told her of just how she could get the letters and achieve marriage with the Germanians.
The hooded figure skittered about, going as fast as she could while still being discreet.
Of course, she was sloppy. Every step caused noise to fill the hallway and her movements completely lacked the grace of an infiltrator.
Hurriedly, she descended the stairs of the secret basement, a place she had found during her many childhood days exploring the manor; days filled with solitude, confined to that home.
She had heard a rumor said by the maids, and couldn't help but come see herself.
Truly, she was filled with wild curiosity, just waiting to be let out. Had she been born in another body, she would've most certainly become an adventurer and sought the most exotic of places. Although, maybe her curiosity could only exist because she was born the way she was.
Alas, life was not made out of 'what-ifs' it was made out of what it was. And she could never embark in such journeys, left to engage with her curiosity within the confines of the manor.
As such, when such an opportunity presented itself, she could only wish to see it with her own eyes.
In her mind, the faces of her parents, of her elder sister, and even of little Louise, flashed by. Oh, how they would scold her and call her reckless, were they to ever know about this.
But she was determined to follow through either way. She understood their worries, she loved them for it, but… she wished for so much more.
Maybe it was selfish, maybe it was something she shouldn't feel, but, whenever she thought about it, she couldn't help but think if anyone could blame her.
Reaching the end of the staircase, she was greeted with an impossible narrow corridor, lit only by a lone torch.
Both sides of the corridor gave out to two pairs of cells, all but one empty.
Hurrying, she approached the final cell, the place where a figure rested downtrodden.
"…" As soon as her eyes laid down upon the figure, breath was taken from her, and she was left with her mouth hanging.
It was someone incredibly close to a human, but not quite. With a slightly more delicate body, with a slightly more luscious and delicate skin and a silkier hair and, and most important of all, with pointy ears that told others of that individual's true heritage.
Cattleya had expected many things, and heard many more about elves, but she had never thought that a single individual could look so breathtakingly gorgeous even when covered in dirt and filth, even when in a disheveled state.
She was left wondering if such a thing was reserved for that person in special, or if it was something all elves shared.
"…" Perhaps realizing the stare being leveled at her, the elf stirred, a tired and worn out face accompanied by glazed eyes raising to meet the visitor.
And, for an instant that seemed to last an eternity, their eyes met.
A beautiful blue stared back at her, leaving her completely speechless.
"What…? What else do you want from me?" Despite that, the elf herself wasn't quite as smitten.
The rough and heavy voice brought the young diseased noble back to reality.
"Ah…" Focusing all her efforts into her thoughts, the woman breathed in, prepared to say her piece. "You are… really an elf…" And yet, all that came were her honest and unfiltered thoughts.
"Tch." The chained girl on the other side clicked her tongue. "Yeah, what of it?"
Perhaps realizing that the girl in front of her wasn't another guard or interrogator, the blue-haired elf took a more aggressive stance, despite her position.
"You… don't look monstrous." As soon as she finished saying that, the noble smiled. "Yes, you definitely don't seem like a bad person."
"Oh? And what's to prove that I'm not thinking of a way to kill you right now?"
"That's because you didn't before." The noble's smile brightened more and more with each word. "Even though you could've done it all that time, you didn't!"
"…?" The elf looked at the woman as she had grown a second and third head. "I… don't remember meeting you, though."
"Oh, no, we never met." The noble began kneeling down by the cell to look at the elf at an eye-to-eye distance. "But I heard this rumor, 'the one selling tea leaves to this house was an elf that was captured and is kept on the secret dungeon.' And it seems it's true." She smiled apologetically. "Sorry, it was probably selling those leaves to this manor that got you in trouble. But, they were only ever delicious, never malicious, so I don't think this is fair."
"…" Flabbergasted, there was only one thing the elf could ask about. "I heard plenty of odd rumors in my life, but how did that one come about, and how did you get to know of it?"
No genius was needed to understand that the girl in front of her was a noble. Why such a girl would know of such a weird rumor, though, was beyond the elf.
"Ah, you see, one of the maids I drink tea with is married to the second in command to one of the guard captains, the one that just so happened to capture you." Cattleya nodded to herself, making sure to remember every detail of that gossip.
"Uh-hu…" The blue-haired elf stared at her unsurely. Although it sounded ridiculous, the girl in front of her also didn't seem like a liar, so she would chose to believe in her, for now. "Well… about the tea leaves, you are right, I was selling them. You see, I enjoy some adventuring myself, and I got them from this far off place…"
Perhaps due to her own nature as a person, when she was faced with someone so eagerly honest as Cattleya, the elf slowly began trailing off, relaxing despite herself.
And Cattleya listened intently, her entire being latching onto that promise of a story.
"… I would love to hear that story." Cattleya began, a soft and hopeful tone gracing her voice.
"Really? The part about the leaves is kind of boring, though…"
"I don't mind." Cattleya shook her head. "I don't think I can be here for very long, so maybe we can't go over it all… but, whether it is about those tea leaves, or about anything else, I would love to hear stories about the places an adventurer-elf visited." Slowly, her smile became more melancholic. "I was born sick, so I can't really go here nor there, but just hearing about amazing places is already great for me."
"…" The elf sighed internally. She was the one captured and in chains right now, so by all means, she should be the one making demands for more comfort and realization, and the other side the zoo that kept her entertained, not the other way around. Yet, when she looked at the girl in front of her, she could only feel compelled to agree.
At the end of the day, she supposed, living the beautiful, far-off memories of those places, alongside that girl, was much better than being alone and in silence in that cell.
"Alright, I'll share some stories with you." The elf sighed as Cattleya smiled. "But first, let's do some introductions."
As soon as the elf said so, Cattleya gasped, realizing her impoliteness. "Ah, I'm sorry!" She hurried to say. "I am Cattleya Yvette La Baume Le Blanc de La Fontaine, it's a pleasure to meet you."
The elf nodded, a faint smile forming in her face as she went forward with her own introduction. "Well, to begin with, I am a Water Enchantress that technically works for a temple…"
Silently, as she always was, Charlotte cared for her dragon.
It was an elegant being that insisted on remaining by her side, an endangered species that required all the care and protection the world could give.
And the silent noble was all too glad to give her all the affection and care she needed.
Carefully, she cleaned Irukuku's —Sylphid's— scales, making sure they were as pristine as they could.
"Uwuuuuuu." The dragon cooed, pure bliss emanating from her voice, feeling nothing more than happiness at being by her older sister.
"…"
The silent atmosphere continued for a while.
It was pleasant, just the way Charlotte liked it. It always gave her a sense of peace, something to soothe her thoughts about her uncle, about the future, about the monstrous power she had to face.
Really, she only had praises for whomever developed the summoning ritual. It gave her just the familiar she needed. A kindhearted dragon, someone she could care for and always count on to fill her world with simple and honest happiness.
It wasn't that Kirche hadn't been a good friend, but rather, this was a feeling she could never receive from the Germanian.
The time ticked away as the sun continued to dip into the sky, and Chatlotte, Tabitha, was content.
"Oh, apologies for the interruption, I did not see you there, Lady Tabitha." Or at least, she had been content, but now, an intruder that made some manner of noise called out to her.
Sylphid's eyes snapped open, glancing straight at the direction the sound came from, clear apprehension in her eyes.
Tabitha did so too however at a much slower and deliberate pace. After all, she only needed to hear a voice to realize just who it was she was dealing with.
And behind her— was the pink-haired trouble student.
As far as Tabitha was concerned, the girl in front of her was a troublesome sight from beginning to end.
She carried an elegant smile that to most would seem inviting, but the blue-haired noble saw the emotionlessness carried behind it. Her arms were folded just right, her legs positioned just too correctly, her body inclined just perfectly, for her to be the striking image of a delicate Lady; yet at the end of it all, it was too perfect, too inviting, too inhuman, to make Charlotte feel anything but unease.
What's more, there's no way someone posed like that would 'accidentally' make a noise that rattled others. The Galian knew that, and from the look at the noble opposed to her, she knew it as well.
"…" If someone had asked her last year, she would've told them she perfectly understood Louise de La Vallière, and why Kirche liked the girl so much. If they asked her now, though, she wouldn't be so sure.
It was like a switch had flipped inside the girl's mind, and she became a completely different person. Yet, people didn't just change like that. Something must've happened, and the fact that it remained a mystery truly unnerved the blue-haired noble.
Louise's gaze turned to the young dragon for a few instants. "It's a beautiful familiar you have in there, Lady Tabitha." She seemed to smile fondly. "You two truly are blessed."
"…" Tabitha nodded, not giving any other outward reaction.
Louise changing was troublesome in and of itself, but this… this was what truly worried the noble.
Ever since she summoned her dragon, she could tell the way Louise looked at her changed. It wasn't as a person, as Kirche's friend, as a noble, not anymore; now, she was an object, a powerful mage, one Louise wished to keep in check.
She had no idea of what Louise wanted or what her objectives were, but she could tell that the girl seemed ready to completely discard all of her human emotions in the drop of a hat. And it worried Charlotte.
For the most part, thankfully, she seemed allergic to Kirche's presence, and so kept away from Tabitha. Still, whenever the blue-haired noble took a moment for herself, there was a chance the emotionless one in front of her would follow.
"Tell me Lady Tabitha, what is this one's race? It does not resemble any I can think of." She continued, pretending to be enamored and friendly, pretending to be her friend.
"… Dragon." In face of her answer, some invisible tension seemed to be released from Irukuku's shoulders.
"…" Despite the rather dry rebuttal, Louise kept her smile. "I see, so you don't know as well…"
"…"
"I wish I could summon such a beast, truly." She began, her voice filled with determination, one Charlotte couldn't figure out whether it was true or false. "Though, it's just a matter of time until I show everyone I can do it."
"…"
"Until then, however." Louise closed her eyes, as if deep in thought, her body growing more serious. "I will be unable to affect the world, and I will have nothing but my family name." Slowly, she turned to the blue-haired noble. "I will show everyone what I am capable of, until then, however, would I be able to help you, and be helped by you, in turn?"
There it was.
This was a long time coming. The moment when their fake-aimiability would finally escalate into a deal.
To say the truth, she was far from enthused at the thought of remaining by the girl's side.
Still, if she played her cards correctly, this was a way of strong arming the Vallière into helping her, and when one was in the situation she was, that wasn't an opportunity one passed.
So of course, with a simple nod and an extended hand, she sealed a deal with someone she wished to use and betray, just as that person wished to use her.
"Wait, dear Kirche, wait, I swear it shan't happen again—" The young noble cried as the door was slammed in his face.
The germanian sighed.
"Don't worry, Flame, I promised you I wouldn't be with anyone that made you scared, didn't I?" She uttered, turning her gaze to the young Lavalval dragon, or as she perceived it, the flame salamander.
Trembling on its spot, the young child tried to contain its emotions, a deep mix of bravery, rage, and despair.
To say the familiar was mentally fragile would be an understatement. On the faintest signs of a threat, it would latch on to his owner, and once it began depending on her, it slowly began losing its ability to operate alone.
Kirche wasn't dumb, and she wasn't heartless.
She knew her familiar needed care, and she knew he needed reassurance, so that's why as soon as she realized just how badly scared the little one was, she made a promise to always uphold its wishes.
Of course, it became a slight problem when whenever she brought someone to her bed, it would begin growling.
Still, a promise was a promise, and if Flame didn't like her partners, she wouldn't be with them either.
Ignoring the pleas from outside her room, Kirche went back to her bed, and with open arms, beckoned her dear Flame.
All too gladly, the familiar jumped into her lap.
"Uwuuuuuu." It cooed gently, getting comfortable in its owner's lap.
Carefully, she began stroking his body that was surprisingly cool to the touch.
"There, there, everything's fine, now." She gently coaxed. "You can rest easy, nothing is happening to me anytime soon."
She could almost feel the way his body relaxed on the inside, filled with insurmountable happiness after hearing those words.
"Don't worry, everything's going to be fine. If you keep on trying to face this world, you will eventually succeed in standing up to even Louise!"
Although her words were said as encouragement, they seemed to give out the completely opposite feeling.
"Uuuuuuhhhh!" Upon the mere mention of that name, her familiar seemed to shrink unto itself.
"Ah, crap—!" She staggered, quickly thinking of something to say. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, don't be sad!" She cried out, hugging her familiar as tightly as she could. "I get it, you're scared of her, so I won't talk about her anymore!"
And so, she kept on hugging her dear Flame, until its body would stop shuddering, until its fear would disappear.
'I will… most definitely, I will protect you, Flame.'
And with a silent promise, another day passed by.
"B-but…"
"I do believe that will be all." With a fed-up expression, the pink haired noble slowly closed the door, completely ceasing communication.
The maid sighed, despondent.
This wasn't the first time such a thing happened, and Siesta knew it would not be the last, but still, she was still far from not being madly nervous or afraid of the situation.
It had been three days since the Viscount had arrived in the Academy and she was assigned to him.
During those three days, she had discovered that apparently, Louise de La Vallière, or as the staff liked to call her, 'the walking mess', was his fiancée.
Normally, that discovery would've meant great things for the staff. That all those things were related to gossip didn't need to be said, of course.
However, she wasn't even allowed to enjoy that simple pleasure.
Because being assigned to him meant being sent out on daily errands to serve as a mediator between the 'couple'.
Of course, facing a duke's daughter wasn't easy on the nerves. She knew very well that a single misspoken word could spell her doom, and stubbornly insisting was even more out of the table.
However, failing to get the girl to accept her fiancé's orders also meant returning to said man with nothing to show for her service. Given that he ranked high in the military, that he was about to marry someone from the Vallière, and that she was directly assigned to him, displeasing him seemed like an equally unappealing choice.
For all of her fear, nothing had happened yet, although that did little to soothe her nerves. 'Keep this up and it will most definitely blow up', a dark part of her mind whispered.
Shaking her head and storing all those fears deep inside, she turned around and began walking towards her next duty.
Inviting the noble girl was only one of the things she had to do, with taking care of the viscount's laundry being another.
She was going to use that chance to spend as much time away from that 'lover's feud' as she possibly could.
So, with a downtrodden expression she marched through the academy halls towards the laundry room.
Of course, the places for servants to carry out their daily tasks would only be located far away from the quarters of students, more so students of Lady Vallière's caliber. Normally, she would consider this walk a curse, but right now, she would say it was most definitely a blessing.
After walking through the sun-lit corridors and going through the many stairways, she finally reached her destination.
As always, the place was abuzz with chatter. Servants walked to-and-fro without stop, every single one of them working hard at their tasks.
Stopping for a moment and breathing in the sanitized air of all the cleaning products, Siesta nodded to herself and went right ahead to work.
Normally, on the few times she was assigned to do laundry, she wouldn't have any specific clothes or station, merely washing whatever came her way, however, as she now was assigned to a high-profile guest, she was given a private stool and tub where she could keep and wash the clothes.
Maybe some wouldn't consider it anything to be proud of, but whenever she thought that she had a private station just for herself, she felt some small measure of accomplishment.
It was also needless to say, but given that she had received a private space to store his clothes while she wasn't finished with them, she had taken the opportunity to first go to that place, deposit the clothes, and then go to Lady Vallière's room.
The walks were long and she was somewhat tired, but she considered it worth it.
Greeting the people she walked by with small waves and a smile, she grabbed a few buckets of water and filled her tub.
Sitting down on her stool, she reached out into the pile of clothes the Viscount had already used and, picking the first one her hand reached, she laid it down on the tub and began scrubbing.
Up and down her hand went, making sure to brush over every inch of the cloth, until she was sure it was completely clean.
Occasionally, she dipped the sponge into the tub of water, wringing it out and removing all the excess dirty water that accumulated inside it.
She worked tirelessly with her arms, and once one was done, she would grab another and continue to work.
Absent-mindedly, she wondered just how someone could manage to use so many clothes within three days.
Only, as a small drop of sweat ran down her face, she felt a looming presence by her side.
"Eep!" She screeched and staggered back a little, her head snapping towards the figure by her side.
Her vision finally taking notice of who it was that had gotten so close to her—
"Ahhhh, it's just you, miss Ancelina." She sighed, an invisible pressure disappearing from her chest as she recognized the one by her side. "You scared me…"
"I apologize." The other maid answered without a single inflection in her face, seemingly just as focused on her own work as she put down a bundle of clothes she had been carrying.
"Are you here to wash Lady Vallière's clothes?" Loosening up on her effort and concentration, she worked at a laxer pace, choosing to focus more on the conversation at hand.
The other maid nodded as she filled her own tub with water.
"I see." Siesta nodded along. "… you know? I always knew that you probably had it rough, but now that I'm assigned to the Viscount I really do get it. I can only imagine always having to be taking care of a single noble, and doing everything. I'm already tired and it's not even been that long. How do you manage it?"
"It is only my duty." Her answer came as if it was only obvious, not even needing to take away attention from her own cleaning duties.
"…Yeah, that sounds like something you would say." With a smile of her own, Siesta picked another piece of cloth. "But still, 'duty', huh? I wish I had enough discipline to act as rigidly as you do. Really, I can only tremble whenever I face Lady Vallière, but you stand there and act like it's nothing!"
"…" She didn't answer, there was no need to.
Although, what Siesta said was true. She didn't actually feel anything, no fear, no hesitation, she only followed through her duty. She was born empty like that, so it couldn't be helped if being afraid like the other servants wasn't something she could do.
In a way, it wasn't at all the amazing ability Siesta made it out to be.
"You also perform well." Still, she said such a thing.
It wasn't a requirement of her duty. Now that she had Siesta talking to her, such words were unneeded to obtain the gossip her Lady desired, and yet… she had said such a thing.
It was somewhat confusing, but still, she didn't let it affect her.
"Hehe, thank you…" Siesta said with a smile. "Hey, is your family like you? Or are you the only silent one?"
"I do not possess one."
"Oh… uuuhhh…. Sorry." Hanging her head down, she could only say so in shame.
"There is no need to apologize." It was true, she couldn't remember her parents' faces, nor could she remember if she ever had siblings. For her, there was no grief at the lack of a family, for her, it was only natural.
"… even if you say that…" Siesta looked away, thinking of a way to lighten up the conversation. "It's just that… I… well, me and my siblings, really, we didn't really get along with our grandpa."
In the end, she could think of nothing. Maybe continuing like that could be insulting to the other woman, or maybe she could be pleased by hearing family stories. Siesta didn't know, it was hard to tell with Ancelina.
She chose to believe in neither and talk about it as if it was only another issue, one that just happened to involve family. Of course, there was selfish reasoning behind her choice; she had never truly spoken to anyone about the topic, and ironically enough, that other maid of similar age, in all her aloofness, felt like someone she could trust.
So, with the unceasing chatter of others and the noises of work masking her voice so it wouldn't be heard by anyone but the two, she proceeded.
"He was… apparently, he was from a tribe of mercenaries before arriving here." She sighed. "I never really believed his crazier stories, but that he was a fighter was never in question. Since he had some nasty injuries and was alone when he came to Tristain, he was unable to truly go back to his occupation and ended up marrying into my grandma's family and caring for our winery back in Tarbes.
"He didn't really get his way with my dad, since someone needed to be the heir, and apparently, grandpa's tribe had a rule about only having one kid, so he couldn't simply make more. So, when me and my siblings were born, he really tried to have us take the blade and follow on his path, but…" She sighed. "I guess none of us really wanted it, so it was a complicated relationship from beginning to end. Still, sometimes I wonder if I was wrong in not following his steps…"
Ancelina remained silent.
She couldn't really feel things, but she knew this was a point of emotional importance, and an appropriate response was required.
"… I do not know…" She said after some deliberation. "Wouldn't such a question be answered by how happy you are as of right now?"
"… I wonder…" Hearing those words, Siesta stopped to think.
Was she happy? Was this her dream life? The answer to the latter would be no, but when she thought about the former… whenever she thought about having small talks with Ancelina and the other maids, whenever she thought about the small accomplishment she felt whenever she got to send money back home or finished some task… when she thought of those things, there really was only one answer.
"I don't know how happy I would be if I went on like he wanted to but…" the maid smiled. "I'm quite happy right now!"
"I see, that's good." Although her words carried no emotion, Siesta somehow felt as if they carried the other woman's true feelings.
"Yeah, yeah, but talking about choices that make you happy—"
And so, the gossiping maid took on that high to talk all about her thoughts and opinions, about the engagement she was suddenly thrown amidst of, about the lives of others, about her own life.
Indeed, for her, it was a happy moment.
And for the stoic maid by her side, even if she had to reprimand the other maid for speaking of Lady Vallière's engagement matters… it wasn't an uncomfortable experience.
Making sure that the door and windows were properly closed and she was fully alone, Karin slumped down on the desk's chair.
It was uncouth and unsightly, but at that moment, alone, she couldn't bring herself to really care.
Letting out a large sigh, she undid the buckles on her armor.
A week had passed since she arrived at the capital and began working at the war effort. Needless to say, she was exhausted.
The preparations for war, the scheming, the logistics; it all felt nostalgic in an incredibly disgusting way.
Of course, that feeling wasn't helped by the fact that she was working with general Gramont on a secret plot. Ideally, she would've cut his head at the mere suggestion, however this was something done with the full interest of Tristain and the crown in mind, merely being something better presented to the princess at a later date.
Not only that, but comforting the queen, whom she had once courted, over the death of her husband was definitely not an experience she enjoyed having. Of course, she was Karin of the Heavy Wind, and nothing but a stoic and reliable face was displayed, but inside she grew ever wearier.
She was tired, worried for her daughters and realm, missing her husband, and had a growing sense of dread.
Still, she would not retreat. Her duty was to do all those things, so regardless of her own feelings, she would follow them through.
On the corner of her eyes, she glanced at a letter resting at the top of her table.
It was something she had secretly received earlier in the day, but found herself too busy to read before.
The most uncomfortable parts of her armor removed, she grabbed the letter, a report from that maid into the condition of her daughter.
Without bothering with a letter opener, she tore the seal apart and reached for the contents.
"…?" Inside the letter, she found not one, but two pieces of paper, which was… far from expected.
Of course, long reports were a thing, one she was far too familiar with, but none of the previous ones had taken more than a single paper, so this case stood out.
Filled with a foreboding sense of dread, she hastily unfolded the first paper and began reading its contents.
The contents revealed themselves to be a simple report into her daughter's behaviors.
It contained the usual amount of worrying information. Her headaches seemed to persistently worsen, her behavior seemed to grow yet more aloof, her relationship with classmates seemed to worsen, and she didn't seem to be getting along with her fiancée; although her performance in theoretical classes, diligence in studies, and noble behavior all seemed to be getting better.
Karin truly wished that she could say that the 'good' in the report eased her troubled mind, but she couldn't. It all seemed to compound more and more into her worries for her daughter.
Something was happening to Louise, and apparently, it was something even her personal maid couldn't perceive.
That, however, marked the end of the first piece of paper. It was the usual report, without any signs of irregularities.
Hastily, she put it aside and opened the second one.
"…"
It was a message from Louise.
Her eyes skimmed over the contents again and again.
Was Louise aware of these reports? Was she aware of the true nature of Karin's worry? The questions swirled in her mind, and she could only clench her teeth in frustration, not knowing the truth.
Still, what was most worrying of all wasn't that, but rather its contents.
'The Viscount's hasty reaction carries worrying meaning…' Her eyes jumped to another section. '…the possibility of the crown considering a war and maintaining other nobles hidden is high…' and then to yet another. '…alas, the possibility of the Viscount worrying for some other forbidden reason, akin to betrayal, also exists…' And finally, to the end. '… I would suggest utmost care when handling the subject of Albion, allegiances are yet uncertain. -Lou.'
Her full name hadn't been written, but Karin could tell. Even if her handwriting was somewhat changed and her words felt alien, she would always recognize this as her daughter's writing.
Of course, it brought issues of Louise's own political savviness into light, but more than that—
The crown was indeed holding a war effort, one that had been kept a secret to avoid giving their enemies any hints.
However, Viscount Wardes was not among those fully aware of the situation.
Of course, it was completely possible he figured it out through the mess of increasingly complicated orders given to him by the crown and the harsher training and scouting exercises, and in such a case, his reaction when prompted about Albion wouldn't be unreasonable.
In any case, it was exactly because their commanders were starting to realize things were amiss that they were about to make it an open secret within the military… however…
She scowled.
Louise did bring up a valid worry, even if she wouldn't go as far as to immediately extend it to Viscount Wardes, that could be relegated to Louise's sudden dislike of him biasing her view.
They hadn't truly eliminated any possible betrayers from their ranks, had they?
Alright, first of all, I should apologize. This chapter was meant to come out a whole week earlier, but due to some... inconveniences, I was unable to publish it until today.
Other than that, thank you for everyone that's been joining in and using up their time to read this!
This was another interlude chapter, as we check in the perspectives of other characters and see how they are going about their lives. Although... Cattleya does meet with someone rather interesting, no?
At this point, if you got her identity, you're probably wondering 'But I thought it was a Duel Terminal crossover'... and you're not wrong, it is. However, since FoZ happens in its own world, and it has this whole thing about elves, I just thought 'wouldn't it be fun if this was the world the elf cards lived in...?' So, there you go, one of the main pieces of one of the most annoying archetypes in the game... Water Enchantress of the Temple, from the the Adventurer engine.
Well then, see you next time! :D