Class VII's stay at Nivrim was an uneventful one, after killing the cryptid and returning to the village, there wasn't much to do besides waiting for the Courageous. Their return to the village was met with celebration from its residents, who thanked them for doing away with the dangerous beast.

Some of the villagers actually had spotted Valimar when the Divine Knight flew above the village towards the woods and were apprehensive about what they had seen. Was it a machine from the Noble Alliance? Another monster? Captain Claire was quick to calm them down with a succinct explanation that it was a special kind of panzer soldat that didn't belong to the Noble Alliance, which seemed to be enough.

Their stay at the village was a short one as well, for a little over four hours after Class VII had been dropped off a call from the Courageous announced that it would be arriving to pick them up. The long and short of it was that after a brief reconnaissance by Sharon, the maid relayed some preliminary information to the airship before departing and taking Gwyn Reinford with her, and when the time to rescue the Reinford chairwoman arrived she would be contacting the Courageous.

As they were about to leave, Claire announced she would be staying at the village to offer her support to the RMP officers stationed there until reinforcements arrived, after which she would go to the frontlines where her talents were more necessary. It wasn't a surprise but it was a shame to see her go, but their farewell was brief as everyone was sure they'd meet up again during the course of the war.

Sara had the urge to remark that she hoped it wouldn't be too soon but held that in. Between her conversation with Rean and the fact Claire had jumped to protect Emma, what right did she have to disparage Claire? So with great effort, Sara Valestein, completely sober although some brandy would've helped, extended a hand towards the policewoman.

"Until we meet again, captain."

It was a diplomatic gesture, an olive branch, not exactly warm but not cold either. If Claire was surprised, she didn't show. She probably was glad that Sara seemed to be letting go of her petty rivalry, so she simply shook her hand. "Likewise."

The day ended with a Fie being put in observation at the infirmary, which consisted of her napping the entire time so no big changes there, and Rean having to write a report on the mission, which was meant to be Sara's job however the instructor convinced Prince Olivert it would be a great learning opportunity for him, a.k.a. she pawned it off her work to him, and he had no choice but to accept it with a forced smile lest he came off as lazy in front of Viscount Arseid.

"Emma, I want you to teach me about magic and mana," Rean asked the girl the next day after breakfast. "I mean, if you could teach magic outright that would be even better but-"

"Pff, you? Learning spells?" Celine sneered and Rean glared at her, but did not dignify the cat with a response.

"But I think that's a tall order on such short notice."

Emma sighed at her familiar's behavior, the fact that Rean was actually asking for help and advice should be commended, not made fun of. Their conversation the previous day had been effective, it seemed, as Rean had commented he was feeling better when piloting Valimar, but that didn't give Celine a free pass to be so rude to her friend. She made a mental note to talk to her later but right now Rean and Valimar were a priority. "Well, besides that I'm not allowed to teach magic to anyone, I'm still a novice when it comes to it. But yes, I'll help you, Rean."

"I have to get better at this, at working with Valimar and understanding him," he made to inflect the word while looking at Celine, who responded with a smirk. "And if he's made of magic I have to understand what it is. I've got three years of experience and knowledge to catch up to after all."

That was very much true. Emma doubted that Vita had taught Crow how to use magic, she still had her pride as a witch despite challenging their rules, but she surely had explained to the Azure Awakener the basics of spiritual energy to help him understand Ordine. So, with an enthusiasm she hadn't felt in a long time, the young witch proceeded to explain to him the basics of magic, which occasionally descended into tangents about her time back home and the lessons her grandmother taught her.

Witch and Awakener spent pretty much the intere morning and part of the afternoon together, Rean mostly listening intently to Emma's words, sometimes pitching in with a question or comment or asking her to explain something again. Celine made sure to praise Rean for paying attention, although in a somewhat condescending way, but when she didn't get a rise of him she got bored and left the two alone.

It was a little over after 1 o'clock and both were at Valimar's docking bay at the hangar still going over some of the things they had discussed about his connection to the Ashen Knight. They weren't exactly alone in there, Valimar was present, of course, but there was also George on the other side of the hangar, always tinkering with something, Rex was taking pictures as usual and some of the Courageous' skeleton crew was there as well milling about their business. But all of that didn't stop Laura from stopping at the sight of the two together, alone and talking together about their shared bond regarding Valimar. She took a step back and moving behind a container to hide a forlorn expression taking over her face.

The swordswoman leaned against the container and let out a deep sigh.

"What's wrong with you?" Fie asked Laura. She had been just behind her and was about to ask if she wanted to have lunch together when the girl went all weird. What had she seen that made her go like that? Leaning to the side she caught a glimpse of what it might have been. "You jealous?" The former jaeger asked with a teasing smirking, not really meaning it, but then Emma burst into laughter from something Rean had said and Laura's fist clenched tightly. "Oh shit, you are."

Laura unclenched her fist and brought her hand to rub her eyes. "I am so stupid."

"Like, I get that Emma has one hell of a rack but-"

"It's not about that."

"But Rean didn't spend almost a year looking at you all doe eyed just to pivot to someone else."

"I said it's not about that," Laura repeated emphatically just for Fie to shoot an incredulous look at her.

"Isn't it?"

At that moment, Laura thought back on Rean's streak of "good fortune" of girls falling with their chests on top of his face.

A pair of soft pillows, huh?

"It mostly isn't about that," the swordswoman said through gritted teeth before rubbing a hand on her face and letting out an exasperated sigh. It was such an idiotic thing to be hung up about that Laura decided to unburden herself about her real problems instead of continuing to think about it.

"What did I do yesterday, Fie? What did I contribute to getting rid of the cryptid or helping you or supporting Rean? Besides a failed attempt at fighting the monster all I did was stand there and watch. Now someone is helping and all I can do is watch. I'm glad that Emma can assist Rean in understanding his role as Awakener better, I couldn't possibly begrudge her for it, I'm simply frustrated that I can't do more, that my sword isn't enough to stand by his side."

Fie understood what Laura was feeling and that was why she said what she said next. "Wow, you really are stupid," it was blunt and to the point and Laura's only reaction was to lower her head in agreement. "Do you think any of us feels good about having to stand aside while Rean does his thing? That it didn't piss me off that I just made things worse and needed to be saved?"

Laura bit her lip, resisting the urge to apologize and reprimand herself. Fie was absolutely right, it wasn't a feeling exclusive to her. How could she think that her companions also didn't also wish to join the fray?

"Both of you have that in common, you know? You two want to do everything and get mad when it turns out you can't, another reason you're perfect for each other. I get how it feels to not be able to help or even save someone you care for, it sucks, but instead of being hung up on that you should focus on what else you can do. In this war not everything can be solved with Divine Knights and panzer soldats."

Laura knew that, she had told that to herself over and over again. She constantly went to her own life experiences to try to pacify those feelings of hers but the world continued to throw examples of her powerlessness back at her to diminish the lessons she had learned.

"You should try talking to him instead of bottling this crap up before you explode again and embarrass yourself and make it awkward for everyone," Fie said, finishing her piece and making Laura wince.

"I'm never going to live that down, am I?" Sheepishly, the swordswoman looked up to her friend, smiling at her teasing smirk.

Fie shrugged. "Just don't keep making the same mistake all over again and I won't bring it up. Now come on, let's get those two to join us for lunch, maybe Emma will teach us magic too."

There were no missions planned for the Courageous that day, although the sense of urgency was great on everyone their moves had to be calculated and not shots in the dark that could jeopardize the entire Crimson Wings operation. Those with more defined roles on the ship carried on with their tasks, while others busied themselves however they could by training or assisting wherever their help was needed.

Jusis challenged Rean to a duel.

"But I suppose 'challenge' is a charged word. Still, would you honor me with one?"

It came out of nowhere and it surprised the Eight Leaves practitioner. Jusis exuded no aggression in his words, so clearly it wasn't something he had done or said to his friend. "Sure, but what brought this on?"

"I have been thinking about this war and my family's roles in it and where I fit in, as such I wish to test my resolve against yours. You are hardly the most well resolved person that I know but you seem to have found your place in this and have a clear goal in mind."

"And you're hoping this will help you understand yourself," said Rean.

Thus, both ended up at the hangar and drew a bit of a crowd of spectators eager to see the incoming fight, mostly composed of those without any current duties to attend to. Jusis lamented that it couldn't be a more private affair but didn't allow it to distract him. Rean's choice for their arena had been a peculiar one, they would be exchanging blows next to Valimar's docking bay, the Ashen Knight standing before as if judging their performance.

"Woohoo Jusis, kick his butt! Go get 'im, Rean!" Millium hollered excitedly.

"Millium, only one of them is going to win this, you can't cheer for both," Elliot told the girl.

"But I don't want any one of them to lose either so I'm gonna support both!"

Others there were Laura, Fie, Gaius, Alisa, Rex and Kenneth as well as some of the ship's skeleton crew. Noticing the absence of a certain pink haired girl, Alisa poked the Nord on the side asking where his "girlfriend" was.

"Actually…" Gaius scratched the back of his head awkwardly and Alisa immediately realized what it meant.

"Oh crap, sorry."

"It's best if we don't interact much for the time being. Emma's making her company."

"Look at you, Gaius, didn't expect you to be a heartbreaker," Fie elbowed him playfully and managed to get an actual blush from her usually well composed friend. "So, how long do you give Jusis before Rean hands him his ass?" She then asked Laura, who took an analytical eye as both fighters assumed their positions.

"There is no need to disparage Jusis' skills like this, Fie."

The silver haired girl shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, I think I get why Jusis is doing this but I also know what the two of them are capable of and so do you."

Yes, she did. And Laura already knew what the result would be but it was bad form to make light of someone else's skills even if they were out of earshot. This was clearly important to Jusis and he deserved a fair treatment.

Jusis couldn't help but sigh as he looked at the crowd waiting for their duel. "I'd have preferred to do this away from prying eyes but with our current circumstances it can't be avoided."

"I don't mind if you don't. Are you sure this isn't going to cause problems with Towa?"

"I had only a few tasks for today and Regnitz can handle them."

"Wow, you two really got each other's backs nowadays, huh?"

Jusis rolled his eyes and scoffed. "I convinced him to take on them by saying they were beyond his abilities. The fool is now working on them in an attempt to prove me wrong."

"Devious way to delegate work, I'm impressed," Rean said while doing a mock-bow towards Jusis.

"Now let's see how much my fencing skills compare to my social ones. I shouldn't have to tell you this, Rean, as I'd expect your honor as a swordsman to deter you from doing so, but I'll still say it, do not insult me by holding back."

Rean looked around, sparing a final moment to glance over their friends watching them. For a moment, he imagined Crow taking in bets and maybe even trying to convince Rean to lose on purpose to share a big pay out, then he stomped that thought. Those days were never coming back, Crow wasn't there, but Rean was and he would do whatever it took to help his friends out, including knocking some sense into Jusis.

The Eight Leaves practitioner nodded in response to Jusis' words, reciprocating the steely look of determination the young Albarea was giving him. There was no more room to talk, at least, not with words.

Jusis watched as Rean assumed his stance, sword still on its scabbard and body inclined forward. If he remembered right from one of their conversations it was Morning Moon, the fifth form of the Eight Leaves, which Rean himself admitted he preferred to use as a defensive stance. "Let's see what you've got," he was saying.

Not one to decline such an invitation, Jusis lunged forward with his sword in a straight stabbing move, a tentative strike to test Rean. The attack was parried without issue, the tachi left its sheath in the blink of an eye, redirectioning the sword and Jusis's right arm up. Rean could've disarmed him if he wanted, could've killed him if he was an enemy foolish enough to not take him seriously. The only reason the duel didn't end right there was because Rean knew Jusis hadn't given his all either.

Jusis backed away swiftly, pulling back his sword for another stab, stronger and faster this time. Rean still parried it. With each attack, Jusis knew he was feeding information for the Eight Leaves student to properly counterattack. They had fought before as part of their training at school but this was more serious than that, meant much more, and Rean was giving it the proper respect.

Knowing he couldn't allow his opponent the chance to attack, Jusis unleashed a flurry of attacks against Rean, each one made with purpose, putting all of his determination in every single one of them. Or at least, Jusis thought so, but the way Rean evaded and deflected his assault made it clear it wasn't enough. Jusis wanted to be pushed and he needed to push Rean as well.

The blond threw a feint and watched as Rean pulled back and used the opportunity to step up, gripping his sword with both hands to execute a helmbreaker. Rean blocked it but the weight of the attack made his arms buckle. So now it was serious.

Rean immediately went for a knee strike and Jusis had to sidestep to avoid it and both jumped back to create distance from each other. This time Rean took the initiative and immediately went for the offensive, forcing Jusis to block a powerful movement of the Helix form that required him to use his left hand to hold along the blade of his own sword for support.

That single blow carried more strength than everything Jusis had done in their fight combined.

Summoning his strength, Jusis pushed Rean away and initiated a series of rapid thrusts, determined to overwhelm his opponent, but Rean parried every single one and looked at him in a way that asked if that was all he could do.

Jusis never dreamed of being a great swordsman. A talented one, sure, but he never held any illusion of standing among those of the Vander, Arseid, Schleiden or any other prestigious warrior families or other singular warriors of renown. Still, he enjoyed the art of fencing as any noble worth their name did and he was good at it and he knew it, never one to be humble Jusis posited himself below only Laura and Rean among Thors' students in terms of combat prowess, and he had to thank his brother's lessons for that.

Rufus…

Rean counterattacked and Jusis felt the grip on his sword slipping and went on the defensive, dodging and parrying almost desperately.

His brother, who welcomed him into the Albarea family, the one ray of light in that dark hole that demanded nothing but perfection in the name of the noble house he was part of, who instead urged him to find his own way. His brother, who he believed he could trust with his life and now was an enemy, a commander of a coup d'etat, working with terrorists and secret societies. His brother, whose lessons on the art of swordsmanship he was now rejecting.

And Rean knew, he knew Jusis was rejecting his full potential because of his brother and was pushing him to stop being so stubborn. Had Jusis been that transparent in his intentions or had Rean figured it out just from their exchange of blows?

I really should give Rean more credit.

Swords clashed and Rean swung his with such force that Jusis' arm whipped back. His guard was completely open and the tachi wielder prepared for a vertical blow and it was only by the grace of his quick reflexes that Jusis' left arm shot up and grasped Rean's sword wrist, stopping it before gaining much speed.

It was a move that got Rean completely off guard and even drew a few surprised gasps from the crowd that so far had been silent. Even Jusis himself was a bit shocked, of course he was, it was a technique his Rufus had taught him and thus tried to ignore but muscle memory had won over his rejection of the lessons.

The mutual surprise didn't last, and Jusis swung his sword back at his opponent. Still in Jusis' firm grasp, Rean passed his tachi to his left, free, hand and used its pommel to hammer at Jusis' head. The young Albarea reeled back, stunned, cursing himself for being caught by an equally unorthodox technique, and when he blinked aways the stars in his eyes, Rean's blade was a rege away from his neck.

Jusis' surprise gave way to a melancholic, bittersweet look as he conceded the duel to Rean.

The crowd applauded and cheered, congratulating both fighters for the spectacle and before anyone, namely Millium, tried to approach them, Laura urged the onlookers to give the two space. She too had realized the true meaning behind this duel.

"You're never going to win if you reject all you've learned," said Rean as the others left. "No matter how determined you are."

Not that Jusis ever had any illusion of actually beating Rean in a duel, however his performance had been subpar and on the battlefield it would've spelled his death or that of others.

"Has anyone ever told you that you can be alarmingly insightful?" Jusis said to him once the crowd left and both had chosen a secluded corner in the hangar to sit down for a post-duel chat.

Rean laughed at the joke. "What can I say, I have my moments. Did you figure out what you needed to know?"

Jusis nodded. "But if I can make something out of it, that is another matter altogether. I'm not sure how to feel about Rufus," he admitted with a bit of shame in his voice.

"We didn't get a chance to talk back in the Pantagruel but I don't think he resents you for not taking his side."

"From our brief exchange back in Ymir I don't believe that is the case either, and I can't bring myself to hate him either, that is not the issue I'm facing," Jusis sighed and went quiet for a moment. It wasn't easy for him to open up about his feelings and he was grateful that Rean was patient and allowed him to gather the courage to speak.

"I thought I knew him, Rean, I believed that if there was one person in this world I could trust it was Rufus along with everything he taught me, from court etiquette to sword lessons. And there was I ack our field exercises, telling you I could tell when someone puts up a façade," Jusis laughed derisively at himself.

"So what, do you think he taught you how to fight wrong on purpose, as a joke? Is that why you tried to reject his teachings? I'm not really the best person to give you advice about feeling betrayed, honestly I'm kinda trying to figure that out myself too, but if nothing else, Jusis, you can't run away from his lessons anymore than I can run away from my power."

"And we both will be doing a disservice to ourselves and others if we don't use all the tools we have at our disposal."

Rean nodded. "Rufus taught you and he did so well, even if you can't believe in him the same way you used to, you still have to trust what you learned from him."

Once again Rean gave Jusis space and time to mull over his thoughts. Rufus had always pushed him to find his own path, the one lesson Jusis always had trouble following, partially because he couldn't see himself as doing anything else but living for the Albarea name, but also because he didn't know how. He didn't have anything else but the Albarea name, nothing but what had been given to him by his father and brother, things that weren't his own, so how could he make something that belonged to him out of them?

Still, Rufus had urged him to do just that multiple times. He would teach him all the proper ways for him to be a proper noble then add a hint of subversion to those lessons. Sword techniques that didn't fit proper Court Fencing like the one he had demonstrated, just in case he needed them; bold ballroom dance moves that were outside the lessons he had received from his teachers, in case he wanted to "spice things up" with a particular partner; he even had praise for his use of his singing lessons during Thors' festival.

I have to find my own way with the things that were given to me, even if it means going against him.

Raising his head, Jusis got up and dusted himself off then extended Rean a hand. "You've given me a lot to think about, Rean. I thank you for this."

"Hey, any time," the Eight Leaves said with a genuine smile and clasped Jusis' hand, pulling himself up before slapping his friend in the back, much to his annoyance, that level of rowdiness was not something he enjoyed. "And whenever you want to spar, hit me and Laura up too, you know we are always up for that."

"I'll keep that in mind. Shall we go then?"

Rean nodded and both started to make their way out of the hangar. Jusis would return to his duties to review what Machias had done with his tasks before delivering them to Towa, he would be damned if he would let Regnitz do his work unsupervised. Millium would probably try to hound him with questions about the duel and he imagined Laura do the same to Rean as well, although with much more tact.

"If you would satisfy my curiosity, Rean. While I do realize my performance was lacking even by my own standards, how do I stack up to Laura in comparison to the many duels you've had with her? Unless, of course, that is too much of a private matter? I suppose that for the two of you a duel it's more akin to a mating ritual than combat," he delivered that last sentence with a smirk and earned a roll of Rean's eyes along with a shove from him. While still disliking that sort of rowdy behavior, it was worth it just to see Rean annoyed.

"Har har, very funny."