Storyteller Of Zero

by Kremant

For the Isekai lovers who love seeing someone else being summoned than the other guy! Louise will perform the ritual to summon her Familiar. Only this time, the one she will summon will be someone who will cause quite the shock and surprise all around him. And the only thing he brings along... Is a Tome? Just what kind of stories are about to be unleashed upon Halkeginia?

8. SOZ-Episode 7-A Storyteller's Show

The sun has risen appropriately above the horizon, with its rays bathing the academy's grounds for one more morning.

Louise is seen currently on her bed, still sleeping peacefully under the blankets.

"Loui~se!" Aristidis is heard calling her offscreen in a singing manner. "Time to wake up, my sweet charming lady."

The pink-haired girl starts opening her eyes, while feeling somewhat irritated, not really knowing what he said in her sleepiness, but understanding that it was most likely one of his known excessive compliments with the way it sounded.

She sits up on her bed, but when she looks around her, surprise fills her, rubs the eyes just to make sure she is not seeing things, and after taking the hands away, what she saw was still there.

The scene zooms out enough to reveal that her room was completely changed.

The walls and ceiling now have a violet coloration. The curtains at the sides of her window are purple. Her table has a purple tablecloth, with the chairs having a small purple pillow on their seats. The closet and dresser have a darker brown coloration than before, and have exceptional carvings of roses upon their doors and drawers, with the mirror above latter having now a silver flowery designed frame. There is a new chandelier hanging from the ceiling, with parts of it made of both gold, silver and platinum, with multiple precious-looking round crystals of different colors at its bottom hanging by a near-invisible thread each, with the entire design giving the impression of an upside down crown. A dark-purple rug that covers the entire floor, which depicts all around it white meanders in a squared whirlpool manner. On three of the walls there are three paintings, with each having the wooden frame around them carved in a way to resemble lines of meanders, with the first one depicting the Storyteller's arrival at the academy, the second one depicting the time Louise beaten the Taurus Demon, and the third one depicting Aristidis hugging her happily as she is flustered about. Above at the wall behind her bed is a big banner hanging on it, depicting a big purple rose.

Even the bed she lies on feels different, and not because the fabric is now purple as well. The blankets, the mattress, the fabric itself on them is both strong, but incredibly soft, making her feel the relaxation more than what she used to know. Also the wooden parts are carved in an exceptional way, depicting roses as well.

Aristidis in the meantime just stands there in front of her bed, looking at her with quiet the satisfied expression.

Louise keeps on feeling the mattress with her hands as she looks around her surprised. "What is...?"

"Do you like the changes I have done to your room?" The mouthless Storyteller asks as raises a hand to indicate the room itself. "Not much of a lowly place now, is it? Everything is made from only the best of materials, of the level I could appropriately bring at least, and using the help of the best craftsmen and decorators within the Tome to shape them into what you see. Then I simply had to place them appropriately after replacing the old ones, which took me at least an hour or so, way early in the morning while you were still sleeping like the angel you are." Says the last bit while bringing both hands together close to the side of his tilting by the delight face.

The pink-haired girl looks at him with even more surprise. "While I was sleeping?"

"Yes." He simply answers.

"Even the bed I lie on?" She questions now.

"Precisely." He answers in the same manner with a nod of his head.

Louise just looks at him for a moment, incredibly confused about. "How did you even do all that without waking me up?"

"Magic!" Aristidis now answers with an air of gloriousness as he slowly moves his hands in front of him and to the side while moving his fingers, with both said hands leaving a sparkling trail behind as they do so.

The pink-haired girl simply keeps on looking at him, till she snaps. "STILL, HOW-"

The door suddenly opens, drawing their attention as it cuts her off, and inside come the personal maids Siesta, with Jerry the mouse on her shoulder, and Cinderella.

"Aristidis, the exhibition will begin in one hour." The black-haired girl tells him with a smile. "Better get ready."

Louise's eyes widen upon realizing that it is indeed the day of the exhibition today.

The pitch-black Storyteller shows an expression filled with glee, before beginning on walking toward the door, as the maids step aside for him. "As we must, and we shall, obviously."

He stops in the middle of the entrance and turns to the pink-haired girl. "Come, Louise. We have a Noble crowd to amaze properly, and an event to show up to as the incredibly obvious winners." Says at the end with his head raised in a pompous manner.

Louise sweat drops at his known arrogant mannerism, but then smiles with some enthusiasm, not only understanding that it is most likely what is going to happen, but because the princess, and childhood to her friend, will be there to witness her succeed, not mentioning be crowned by her personally as the victor of this year's exhibition.

She approaches Aristidis, hardly able to contain that enthusiasm of hers the more she thinks about it, with him being very delighted at seeing her like that.

With that, the two of them walk out of the room together, with the two maids following them from behind, going on their way for where the exhibition will take place.

(This is so exciting!) Louise says in her thoughts, but then looks at him as they walk. (Although... What is it exactly that he is going to bring out that will amaze the crowd?) She wonders both curious and a little worried as she remembers about the last night's dancing show. She hopes whatever he has prepared, that it will not be ridiculous. Just like they agreed.

~One Hour Later~

With the time being right, and with everyone being gathered and placed appropriately in the middle of the courtyard, everything was almost ready for the beginning of the important event.

A great number of seats were placed in front of a large platform, where the Noble students can sit and watch the ones who are to participate on it for the said exhibition.

Right behind and at the sides of those seats were raised tents, dedicated to the Nobles of the palace, and of course for the princess and the academy's principal to watch from a proper higher position, while also protecting them from the sun, as the guards, chevaliers and musketeers were all around the place, and mostly around Henrietta's tent, being ready to respond as they must in case of any possible danger that might threaten her Highness and everyone important.

After a moment of waiting, Professor Jean Colbert is seen walking up to the platform, before standing in the middle of it, ready to announce. "We will now begin this year's Familiar Spirit Exhibition!"

He turns toward the princess's tent and bows his head. "I hope what the Noble students of our academy of magic, and their Familiar Spirits have prepared for this event to be to the liking of her Majesty."

Henrietta simply smiles and nods in response.

The professor raises his head and turns toward the student crowd as he looks at a paper he holds, listing the names of the Nobles participating. "Now, the one to come up here and start this event officially with is-"

As Colbert announces the first Noble student participant, the scene moves to Aristidis and Louise who are sitting with the rest of the participants, watching as they are waiting their turn.

"We are last in the line." The pink-haired Noble tells, before showing to be somewhat anxious. "I feel uneasy."

Aristidis puts a hand on her shoulder, getting her attention, as he looks at her with a kind expression. "Don't be. See it like this." Says at the end, with his expression then turning proud as he places the Tome and the hand that holds it upon his chest. "They are leaving the best for last, which means us."

Louise sweat drops and smiles. "W-Well, that's one way to put it, I guess."

"Now-" The pitch-black Storyteller begins as he takes from behind his back a pair of golden/silver opera glasses, with the handle and all, before placing them in front of his eyes and aiming toward the exhibition's platform. "Let us see what your fellow students have prepared for us today, as I make comments while they are not listening. And yes, I will be strict about it."

Every student participant who heard him, along with Louise, sweat drop at his audacity to say that without even getting to the trouble on whispering it.

The time moves on, with more and more second year students showing the talents and training of their Familiars in front of everyone, with the most notable ones being Kirche's Fire Salamander, able to do tricks with his greatly controlled fiery breath, and Tabitha's Wind Dragon, showing her great flight capabilities.

Guiche's part was also notable. As in, notably disappointing, considering the fact that all he did was lie upon a big flower bed with his big Earth Mole Familiar beside him, and a rose in his mouth, which not only earned him little to no applauding, but even Aristidis himself was shaking his head disapprovingly.

"I don't say he doesn't have the looks, but expecting to win with just that is plain lazy, pitiful, and a shameful display due to obvious lack in creativity." Aristidis says strictly, with some of the people around nodding in agreement with a sweat drop.

After the last one had their turn, the professor was about to finally call the last in the list. "Next up is Miss Louise De La Valliere!"

Both she and the mouthless Storyteller stand up, with the former inhaling and exhaling in an attempt to calm from the little stress she has. (Alright, let's do this and hope for the best.) She says in her thoughts, before they start walking on their way to the platform in the middle, with Aristidis being quite enthusiastic as he is humming nonchalantly a random tune for the moment. [The said tune being the Batman Opening And Closing Theme Of 1966-1968]

The two stop in the middle of it and turn toward the crowd, with some of the guards along with many Nobles of the palace who have only heard of the pitch-black mouthless man, being quite surprised with his entire appearance, seeing that everything they have heard about him were not just mere exaggerations.

Louise takes a deep breath as she faces the said crowd. "Let me intro-"

"Stop right there-" Aristidis interrupts her, and while offscreen hands her suddenly a piece of paper. "Read this, please and thank you." He whispers to her, before handing to her other hand a microphone. "Also use this, and now you are officially good to go." Finishes with a thumbs up as he takes his hand back and off the screen.

That causes quite the confusion to the pink-haired Noble, wondering what is with all that.

She looks at the microphone in her hands and remembers how he and that demon imp were using it while singing that other time, and brings it close to her mouth. "A-As I was saying-"

Louise stops as she lowers the microphone in surprise, realizing that her voice was sounding from all around while using the object, with the crowd sharing her surprise in the matter as they wonder what kind of magic is that exactly, before she notices that the sound actually came out of some conical contraptions stuck at the top of two big wooden poles, which were placed close to the sides of the platform at an unknown time.

She smiles while understanding that those are so she can be heard by everyone without needing to raise her voice much. How awesome this is!

The pink-haired girl brings the microphone close to her mouth again as she focuses at the Noble crowd. "As I was saying, let me introduce you to my Familiar Spirit!" Says before looking at the paper she was given. "Straight from a near-infinite library of an unknown to this world's reality, bringing both the imaginable and unimaginable alike, a special kind of Noble that needs no extra titles to show his exemplar worth. His name: Aristidis Aristadis O Ellin Tis Ellas."

When saying his name, the Storyteller flips his luxurious pitch-black and stary cape as he raises his head upward, with his entirety sparkling for the moment.

Most of the Nobles appear both impressed and intrigued by the whole introduction, along with the princess who feels the same way about it, with the rest sweat dropping at how hyperbolic it sounded to them, with Agnes narrowing her eyes in dislike toward the highly arrogant attitude of his.

Louise sweat drops as she looks at Aristidis, having a hard time believing his ego.

She shakes her head as she folds the paper into her pocket and continues. "His class is..." She trails off, and then turns to the pitch-black Storyteller troubled. "What am I even supposed to say here? I can't say Void!"

He extends his hand toward the microphone she holds while showing her a face filled with reassurance. "Leave it to me from here on. Go and sit with the others."

The pink-haired Noble looks at him for a moment, before giving him the microphone and walking down, sitting in the front rows beside Kirche and Tabitha, with him moving in the middle of the platform to speak.

"Greetings to all the types of character honoring us today with their precious presence." The mouthless Storyteller begins as he puts the Tome with the hand carrying it upon his chest, and bows. "I do hope you are all having a great time with everything this amazing exhibition has offered you so far."

He straightens himself up, and a slim silver pole comes suddenly and magically through the platform in front of him, surprising/amazing everyone witnessing it, which he uses to place the microphone neatly on it. "Now, before we begin with this, I would like everyone present to take a sip from the unique beverage that is being brought to each of you by my servant personnel."

As he says that, Siesta, with little Jerry still on her shoulder, Cinderella, Alfred Pennyworth, Brock and Kronk were already distributing with a smile, except the butter who keeps his classy serious expression, glasses of orange-colored liquid to the students, teachers, and Nobles of the palace, who were looking at them either confused or suspicious.

In the meantime, Aristidis snaps his fingers, making a glass of the same liquid to appear in his hand, which he then raises. "A juice straight out of a company called Frulite, who created the sweet yet refreshing combination of Tangerine and Sanguine, poured in each of these glasses for you to enjoy under the sun's slowly heating gaze."

He then points at the different guards around with a neutral expression. "Except you, guards. You are still on duty, and relaxing is not an option for you right now."

The academy and palace guards are looking at him annoyed at being reminded of the fact.

Having given to everyone else their glasses, the black-haired maid approaches the princess's and the principal's tent, carrying a tray in her hands with two more on it, with Agnes attempting to stop her, only to be stopped herself by the Henrietta's extended hand, signing her to let the maid through, which the Captain of the Musketeers obliges to.

Siesta offers first to the princess her glass, which she thanks her for, and then to the old Osmond, who when was about to thank her, she immediately snaps her head the other way with "Hmpt!" in aversion and with closed eyes, before turning herself completely to go back to her duties, with Jerry sticking his tongue out at him, sharing Siesta's feeling about the man, which causes the principal to sweat drop and lower his head while sighing, understanding that she rightfully still holds a grudge against him for literally selling her away, and all that while Henrietta was wondering what was all that about, since she has no knowledge of the said past occurrence.

Aristidis lifts his glass higher and toward the princess. "To your good health, your Majesty, and may you have the least to no troubles at all in the future ahead of you." Says before he drinks some of his juice.

Henrietta smiles as she lifts her glass toward him in appreciation, and drinks as well, with everyone else drinking from the content too.

When done, they are all amazed by how truthful he was about the sweet yet refreshing part, not mentioning the pleasant taste.

But then some of the Nobles of the palace realize that they have never tasted anything like it before.

(How did we not ever hear of this exceptional Tangerine/Sanguine juice? How can one as such be made? And who the hell is Frulite?!) Are the questions the said Nobles question in their greatly confused minds.

"Let us finally proceed with the show itself, now shall we?" The mouthless Storyteller says as he places his glass inside the Tome as he opens it, before seemingly about to proceed sitting down, where suddenly a dark-brow chair manifests, with a loud thud-noise echoing everywhere when doing so, where he ends up sitting.

That startles and surprises everyone even more, both due to how sudden it was, and of course the obvious raising questions in most people's minds at what kind of magic can even do such thing.

Aristidis puts a leg on top of his other, as he looks happily at his watchers. "My class, like my summoner tried to speak of, or title, as I believe it is more appropriately for it to be called, is The Storyteller."

Many of the palace Nobles begin chattering among themselves, confused with the odd title.

The pitch-black Storyteller turns a page. "The reason being that everything belonging to any story from my Tome, I can bring them into existence before your very eyes."

Gasps of surprise can be heard by the Nobles of the palace now, and even by many of the guards and Agnes as well, before questioning among themselves how something like that sounds impossible/ridiculous. For them the thought is just utterly absurd, while the princess is really looking forward for what he will bring out for her to witness.

Aristidis looks at them somewhat amused, before bringing his open Tome a bit upward on his lap, for him to look at it in a more relaxed way. "What an expected reaction. Allow me in this case to enlighten you. With a story."

He clears his throat. "The year is 50 BC. All of Gaul is occupied by the Romans. All? Not really. One small village of indomitable Gauls still holds out against the invaders. And life is not easy for the Roman legionaries who garrrison the fortified camps of Totorum, Aquarium, Laudanum and Compendium."

Everyone listening to him recalls nothing of what he says. Not the event, not the names, not the time period, not the story/fairytale in general.

As everyone was contemplating about it, a strange mist suddenly begins concentrating, covering a large portion of the courtyard behind the Storyteller, before it dissipates almost as soon to reveal at the far right side four small well-made wooden constructions resembling forts, and at the far left side a simple round wooden wall, with rooftops sticking out from the top and closely together, resembling a village.

[Both sides obviously simple-made representations.]

As everyone watches shocked at the small buildings appearing out of nowhere, the doors of the four fort-like constructions open wide, and the Nobles' shock increases as out come marching forth soldiers equipped with spears and large squared metal shields of red, with them dressed mainly in red tunics and skirts, with silver-colored semi-full armors with helmetsof unknown design to Halkeginia. [The famous Roman legionaries, following their Centurion with the characteristic sidewardly plumed helmet Caius Bonus from Asterix And Obelix, feeling quite stressed.]

The Nobles and guards can't help but feel somewhat intimidated at how well-equipped, armored, and organized the unknown marching soldiers appear to be, feeling that they could pose quite threat if ending up fighting against an entire army of them.

The mouthless Storyteller continues. "At some point, and after the happening of a certain occurrence, it was decided by the Roman emperor to send a group of over three hundred and twenty legionaries to conquer the small village of the Gauls once and for all."

"Well, this will be straining." He whispers to himself with a sweat drop, before looking at his audience with glee. "But the said Gauls were not going to make it that simple."

After saying that, from within the village-like construction the voices of many can be heard yelling in unison "PAR TOU-TA-TI~S!" before a warcry can be heard soon after by them.

Then, Aristidis gets up and turns the space behind him, with his arms fully extended to the side, before the platform below submerges fast under the ground, moving him along till he stands upon the newly formed dirt, and at the distance an entire orchestra manifests, as the instruments begin playing, much to everyone's awe. [The music now playing is Bitwa (Szarza Galow) from Asterix And Obelix VS Caesar. Quite an obvious choice from me, no?]

A few seconds after the sound of the said music's beginning, approximately fifty Gauls and a small white dog come running out of the wooden wall representing their village, all of them wearing mostly furs and woolen clothes, with little to no armor some of them, with the most noticeable part being their cap-like helmets that either have small horns on them or feathers.

The ones catching the crowds eye are three among them, with the first being a short guy with blond hair and thick mustache, wearing a winged cap helmet, red pants, and a black shirt with a green belt at its end, the second one being an obese but strong-looking tall guy with red hair tied into two braids at the sides, and a somewhat thick mustache, a cap helmet with two really small horns, and downwardly white/soft blue stripped pants that reach till his chest and with a big green belt at its top, and lastly the third one being quite obese himself, with orange hair also tied to side-braids, and a thick mustache, a cap helmet with different and smaller feathers than the first one, green shirt with a white belt and blue downwardly stripped pants, a red cape tied around his neck, and standing on top of a round shield that is being carried by four Gauls without issue. [Those are obviously Asterix, Obelix, and Abraracourcix The Village Chief obviously from Asterix And Obelix, enthusiastic and ready for their favorite demonstration.]

The Nobles immediately seeing the Gauls' appearance have already made their full of detest assumptions. A rabble of savages from a barbaric tribe being the main thought.

And they are outnumbered by the more disciplined Roman people as well.

With all that in mind, the Nobles believe that that Storyteller being simply wants to show them how effective the trained soldiers are at subduing savages like those.

Forgetting about their out of nowhere appearance, nothing that special really.

Why the Gauls brandish no weapons, thought?

Back to the field, the Centurion signs his legionaries to stop, as he looks more stressed than before while looking at the incoming Gauls, whose enthusiasm never leaves their faces.

While the charging Gauls come closer and closer, the Centurion orders his soldiers to attack, but instead the middle portion stays where it is, with eighty from each side stepping to the side, to avoid as much as possible what is coming, as the Caius watches them and decides to step to one side as well just in case, something that confuses the Nobles as to why the soldiers are acting against the clear order.

As the music reaches the more dynamic part, the scene shows the tent where the princess and the principal watch, before they both hear the violin playing the music a bit closer than normal, and turn to see in their surprise Aristidis suddenly there and using one perfectly with quite the mischievous expression on his face before winking at Henrietta, with Agnes and a few other guards there looking back and forth at where he was and where he is now, trying to understand when and how he got past them.

Finally, the barbaric-looking villagers reach the group of soldiers in the middle, and instead of what the crowd expected, they witness to their great shock with eyes wide open as rows and rows of soldiers are literally being launched away and high into the air by the Gauls' punches and kicks, and eventually falling along with their broken equipment like the rain upon the ground around, with many ending up close and around the troubled crowd who were afraid they will fall on them, with some quickly covering themselves below their seats for that very reason.

As the legionaries keep on being launched by the unreasonable strength of the Gauls, the princess and the Osmond, along with the Musketeer Captain and a few guards watch alarmed as one of the launched soldiers are about to fall straight onto their tent and on her Highness, with no one able to react in time, till the Storyteller extends a hand in front of her, and casually stops the one about to fall on her the last moment by grabbing him by the face.

As the ones around watch surprised at the incredible save, a second soldier suddenly ends up falling straight onto the principal, throwing him off the seat.

Aristidis then puts down on his feet the legionnaire, who looks around him somewhat dizzy and confused about, and hands him the violin as he gains his attention while signing him to play along with the music, which he does so, before the former spins gracefully away as the rest keep on looking at him with surprise.

He stops once more at the middle in front of the crowd that keeps on watching the Gauls beating and launching the Romans into the air like nothing, with the microphone at the ready and an expression filled with glee. "One thing I didn't mention. The Gauls you see are using a magic potion that gives them superhuman strength for a small period of time, making them a force to be feared, and the biggest headache for the Romans. And that is the main theme of the story, named after two of the Gauls fighting together at the distance with the rest of their fellow villagers, Asterix And Obelix!"

The scene moves that moment at the two as they launch into the air their current Romans.

"Did you hear, Asterix, we are famous." Obelix tells with a smile at his shorter friend before he uppercuts an incoming soldier into the sky.

"That we are, Obelix, and I still have a hard time believing we were the protagonists all this time." Asterix tells with a smile and a sweat drop at his taller/well rounded friend before he uppercuts an incoming soldier into the sky as well.

Everyone is flabbergasted to learn about the reason for their immense strength as they watch the one-sided fight before them. To learn of a potion that can give to anyone such power is just...

The Nobles of the palace can already imagine the possibilities. How using such potion can turn even the most common soldier into an actual threat in the battlefield. Make them able to use great weapons to cut their enemies to pieces as if nothing. Throw javelins at tremendous distances and still hit the target. Throw entire BOULDERS at tremendous distances, making siege weapons like the cannons completely unnecessary! Even a mage himself will have trouble facing such men!

Whoever has that potion, could use it to conquer the world!

Many already think of requesting many such potions from that Storyteller Noble, for different reasons each.

The pitch-black Storyteller raises a finger. "And before anyone gets any ideas, the said potion and its recipe is not for selling. Their druid Panoramix is very strict when it comes to it, and I share his absolute opinion in the matter." Says as he indicates beside him with a sideward palm a tall old man with white hair and long beard, wearing white robe, and a red cloak, who appeared there at an unknown time while no one was watching, and who has his arms folded and his head raised in a refusing manner, making obvious the fact that he is indeed not going to give it to just anyone.

Aristidis continues as he wags his finger for a moment. "So no negotiations are welcome about it, and I expect this decision to be respected. I hope her Majesty understands." Says the last part as he bows his head toward Henrietta.

The princess smiles and nods in understanding. "I completely understand, Noble Familiar, and you have my word that Tristain will not ask for anything you do not want to part with."

Most of the Nobles of the palace look at her, utterly surprised with her decision, and then lower their heads defeated.

That's how the dreams of war-supporting men are crashed into bits.

Everyone keeps their attention completely at the fighting spectacle before them, with many now being astonished at the prowess they witness the Gauls showing, with Louise looking around at the amazed crowd, which brings a smile to her face.

She was worried at the beginning, but her Noble of a Familiar pulled out something unexpectedly spectacular in the end indeed.

She feels great that her fellow students like her Familiar's show.

She feels great that thanks to him, she will definitely be recognized for it.

While the show continues, the scene moves within the academy, where a cloaked female figure, with green locks of hair being the only thing visible through the hood, is stealthily moving upstairs, toward the way for the treasure vault.

A smile forming in her face as she gets close to her prize. A child's play she thinks of it.

As the cloaked figure looks from around the last corner, she is surprised when seeing not just that there is actually someone guarding the entrance to the treasure vault, but that it is the Storyteller's guards themselves [The Oblivion Guards], numbering to six strong and serious-looking men.

(What?! What the hell are those doing here?! Colbert said no guards will be assigned here today for as long as the princess remains in the academy to watch the event! Could this be a last minute change due to that Storyteller's illogical ability to produce people at will? Damn! I have to think of another way in.) She says in her thoughts before going back where she came from.

"We'll now move onto the judging!" The professor's voice can be heard from the courtyard outside, which the cloaked woman was able to hear as well.

(And fast!) Says in her thoughts in a hurried manner, now actually worried at how little time to act she now has.

The scene moves back to the exhibition, with the music having stopped moments ago after the Storyteller's fight show was over with, where Colbert, on top of the platform that was brought back from the below ground, was about to announce the winner after the decision was made, with the princess beside him holding in her hands a small pillow with a simple-looking golden crown on it as reward, and the principal beside her, who is currently rubbing his own back in pain after the previous forced fall.

"And now to announce the winner." The professor says as the scene shows the Noble students and Aristidis on their seats, the rest of the teachers, and Agnes who looks suspiciously mostly at the Gauls and the Romans, with each team standing at opposite sides of the seats, and with the latter team being mostly bruised and with damaged equipment after the beating they received from the former.

Colbert has let them wait enough. "This year's championship goes to... Miss Louise De La Valliere, and her Familiar Spirit, Aristidis Aristadis O Ellin Tis Ellas!" He says as he indicates them with a palm.

At the sound of that, everyone applauds.

Louise upon realizing the fact that she truly won this, stands up elated as she tries her best not to exclaim too hard from her enthusiasm, with Aristidis, Tabitha and Kirche standing up as well to happily clap their hands for her, before the redhead gives her a hug, which she offers to her as soon back, and then the latter breaking their hug to hug the Storyteller, which he also offers back, but when he attempts to break it himself, she is not letting him, holding him close a bit tighter for a moment longer, with him rolling his eyes, and has as a result him reshaping his body to become a bit thinner than before, and slithering off her hold in a snake-resembling way from above the said hold and in a backward manner, with her realizing she is no longer holding him as she now sees him a step back in front of her, with his normal body type now, as he wags his finger before her with a cunning expression, with her rubbing the back of her head while awkwardly smiling about it, and with the blue-haired girl shaking her head in disappointment of her friend's antics, while the pink-haired girl was too busy looking at the platform she is going soon to be awarded at for her extremely wanted win, to notice Kirche's act.

Without further delay, the two winners walk up to the platform, before stopping in front of the princess, where Louise kneels before her.

Henrietta begins with a smile. "That was truly a spectacular show of power, and actually quite amusing after learning that the said Gauls' intentions are never to really kill." She says at the last part with some amusement showing.

Obelix puts his palms at the sides of his mouth, to be heard from the distance he is. "Without Romans there to beat, where would be the fun in it?"

"Obelix, your manners." Asterix whispers to him somewhat awkwardly and annoyed while nudging him with the elbow.

The Centurion Caius Bonus puts a hand on his chest in relief as he wipes with a handkerchief some the sweat off his head. "Thank Jupiter they are not THAT barbaric."

The princess continues as she looks at the pink-haired Noble. "You have summoned a wondrous Familiar Spirit to be by your side, and have clearly done a great job at treating him with the respect he deserves as a Noble to keep on assisting you with everything you need."

She turns to give to a maid the pillow as she takes the small crown off it, before turning to Louise who bows her head, while still in her kneeling position. "So I mean it when I say that I am more than happy being the one to give you this." Says as she places it on her head, and smiles brightly when the latter raises her head. "Congratulations, Louise Francoise."

The pink-haired girl is greatly touched by Henrietta's words, as everyone else applauds once more for the moment. "I-I don't have the words, your Highness."

"I have." Aristidis says, drawing the attention to him, before he clears his throat, and then puts a hand over his chest as he raises with obvious pride and satisfaction his head. "You honor us with your royally elegant words, your Majesty!"

Louise sweat drops at that as she gets up, understanding he will get hyperbolic about again, with Henrietta simply smiling.

While like that, an academy graduation hat pops into existence on his head, along with a rolled parchment in the hand placed on his chest. "We would also like to thank the academy-"

({Storyteller!}) An urgent-sounding voice within the pitch-black Storyteller cuts him off, with him remaining still for a moment, as everyone around him wonders why he suddenly stopped.

"Just a moment, please." He says while putting two fingers at the sides of his head as he is about to speak telepathically to whoever interrupted him. ({Yes?})

...

Aristidis narrows his eyes surprised. "What do you mean a huge golem is attacking the academy?"

"Eh?" Is all the ones close enough to hear him utter.

The scene cuts to one of the academy's courtyard, where many of the Oblivion Guards are using bows to shoot at something huge, before a giant rocky hand smashes some of them to the ground as they yell about.

At some distance from the fight, another one of the Oblivion Guards is seen with two of his fingers at the side of his helmet, obviously being the one speaking with the Storyteller. ({We spotted a person in a cloak and hood falling from a window and landing at the area on the opposite side of the main building from where the exhibition is being held, and upon touching the ground formed a golem made out of stones and dirt almost half the size of said building.})

The scene moves back to where Aristidis and the rest are, with the others now able to hear the guard as well, with the former broadcasting his voice around him through some kind of magic for the rest to listen as well.

})At first we didn't think much of it, but then it tried to strike down the main building, making us realize its hostility. As soon as we started raining arrows upon it, the mage pointed it against us, before using magic to raise walls to block the only two accessible pathways. We are trapped and cannot receive further help by the rest of the guard to deal with this. We need reinforcement, sir!({

The pitch-black Storyteller removes lowers the fingers from his head with his eyes wide open in surprise, as everyone appears concerned at the guard's words that sounded through him. "Mama Mia, like Super Mario and almost every Italian I know would say. This is quite the surprising situation that arised."

Agnes turns alarmed to her Musketeers and the rest of the palace guards and Chevaliers. "Guards, move her Majesty to a safer location! Now!"

"Yes!" Many of them respond as they quickly escort the princess and the Nobles of the palace away.

Colbert turns alarmed himself to the academy's guards soon after. "You too! Move the students away so they don't get hurt, hurry!"

Without question a number of the said guards, along with Colbert and Osmond, escort the Noble students orderly away, except Louise who was ignored due to being at the platform with the Storyteller and the rest, and Tabitha with Kirche who moved close to the latter as soon, and of course the servant personnel, like Siesta due to them being at the sidelines.

The Captain of the Musketeers turns to the rest of the guards. "The rest will-"

"No need for it." Aristidis cuts her off, which gains her confused attention.

He points with a finger onto his unconcerned self. "I will deal with this."

"What?" Agnes questions with a raised eyebrow.

The mouthless Storyteller turns toward the front of the platform. "It is only appropriate, considering that person is currently attacking MY guards after all, no? And I mean-"

He stops for a second as the scene moves to show him looking at the Gauls and Romans. "You have already seen what these ones are capable of."

Aristidis folds his arms as he focuses at the two groups now. "As you have already heard, there is a giant rock formation that appeared out of nowhere and controlled by a mage, which are attacking our own as we speak. I am going to need both Gauls and Romans to work together, in order to end this inappropriate behavior of theirs appropriately."

Both groups look at him with extreme surprise.

"What?!" Both Abraracourcix and Caius Bonus yell in their said surprise.

Asterix looks surprised at Obelix. "Fight alongside the Romans he said?"

Obelix shares the reaction of his close friend as he looks at him. "And I thought Romans were crazy."

The pitch-black Storyteller continues. "I know you have your differences, but you are not really enemies anymore. And be honest, will it not be a nice change of pace?" Finishes with a raised eyebrow.

The two groups think about it as they nod their heads and chatter about in agreement with the idea between them.

Everyone else sweat drops at how easy it was to convince them working together.

Aristidis with a snap of his fingers fixes magically in an instant the broken equipment of most of the Romans, much to their surprise, and then turns to Agnes. "Focus your troops at the princess's protection, and simply allow five of yours to come with us. Not really because I need any extra help." Says the last part with some amusement. "Just so you can have a proper report afterward about what is to happen."

The Captain of the Musketeers just looks at him for a moment with a serious expression, and then nods. "Very well, we'll do it your way in this case."

She sign for five of the palace guards to go beside the Storyteller. "Go eliminate the threat and save your men."

The mouthless Storyteller leans forward, enough for his head to be closer to hers, and winks at her. "Your dutiful concern is as admirable, as the emerald in your lovely eyes." Says in a seductive whisper.

That catches her off guard as she utters in her sudden surprise.

Aristidis turns toward the two groups while straightening up. "A~NYWAY, let us proceed with this now, everyone!" Says enthusiastically as he points at the direction the group must walk to, which they do so. "I will tell you the battle plan while on the move, and telepathically." He tells them, and then turns to Siesta and his other servants. "You will go for now to help the princess and the students with whatever appropriate needs, till everything is safe again." He tells them, which they comply to with a bow before leaving, and then he turns to Louise as he places an arm on her shoulders, and makes her walk with him toward the group of the Gauls and Romans, with Tabitha and Kirche following them from behind, and bringing his head closer to hers while looking at her with a delighted expression, before downwardly rubbing the tip of her nose with a finger of his other hand, as she blushes about. "And you will come along and stay close to me, so I can be sure you will be kept safe at all times, my sweet little-"

Whatever he talks about eventually ceases on being heard as they move farther away from Agnes, as the scene shows her with her eyes narrowed, with one of them twitching. "That little..." She whispers in her irritation toward what she understands as a lecherous behavior, but then turns around and goes fast to where her Highness went, not paying any further attention at the previous fact.

The scene then cuts at the area where the golem is currently attempting to crash its hand onto three of the ten Oblivion Guards still existing, only to barely miss them as they keep on shooting their arrows at it and the one who controls it, with the latter avoiding them by remaining crouched behind a hump of rock on the said golem's shoulder.

(Damn it!) The female figure in the cloak yells in her mind frustrated. (I thought enough physical force would be enough to break through the magic barrier protecting it and get inside the treasure vault, and yet... Like it was not enough I couldn't check if I can unlock it from the inside because of the unexpected guards there. And these pests down there just don't know when to give up!)

The golem attempts to smash with its foot at some of the Oblivion Guards, only for them to dodge in time once again.

The cloaked and hooded woman grits her teeth in further frustration. (Can things get any worse?)

Suddenly, one of the two stone walls the unknown figure put to prevent more people from coming breaks down as if something hit it with force from the outside as it's pieces are thrown around and close to the golem's feet, drawing the woman's attention.

When she looks, she sees much to her shock an entire group of over three hundred and seventy people coming through the opening. Most of them are men with squared shields and armor she doesn't recognize, with the rest being some mustachioed men in commoner clothing and in the middle of the soldier-line, and right behind all those are three second year girls of the academy, which she recognizes, five guards behind those that wear armor like the ones from the palace, a huge orchestra band with instruments and everything, and in front of them on top of a big round shield that is being carried by four of the mustachioed men, stands with his arms folded the pitch-black being who call himself Aristidis, who is now wearing a black Corinthian helmet with a green/red plume, and looking at the cloaked figure from below with a gleeful expression.

The Romans look somewhat nervously at the gigantic size of the golem, while the Gauls are quite unconcerned, with some even a bit amazed.

Obelix looks at his short friend to the side. "That looks like it can make a lot of good menhirs, Asterix."

Asterix shrugs as he turns to his obese friend. "You're the expert."

The pitch-black Storyteller points dramatically at the cloaked figure. "There they are, folks! The person who has been causing all that unwanted ruckus! Show them what we do to offenders... And don't forget to have fun while doing it." Says at the end in a causal tone.

Abraracourcix raises a fist with quite the enthusiasm, which the rest of the Gauls share as they begin exclaim about. "Alright, let's do this!"

Caius Bonus unsheathes his gladius and points it upward in front of him with seriousness. "Encircle it!"

At the sound of that, the legionaries and Gauls begin to run fast to the sides, with the orchestra band just as soon beginning on playing its epic-sounding music. [The music is Lifted To The Hotplate from Medieval 2 Total War.]

In a matter of seconds, the golem is completely surrounded by them, with the Gauls standing individually in front of the Roman line, while the remaining Oblivion Guards move beside Aristidis.

The woman in the cloak above the said golem is looking back and forth around her alarmed as she tries to understand what's their plan.

"Ready javelins!" The Centurion commands his men, with all the soldiers equipping their pilum javelins, before aiming them at the rocky giant and the one controlling it.

"You think those will make any difference compared to the last group?" The cloaked figure yells from above her mocking question from above, thinking that compared to the bows and arrows, spears will not be able to be thrown as far to pose an actual danger against her no matter the absurd numbers, as the golem raises its hand at her command, preparing to strike part of the line before it.

"Fire them at will!" Abraracourcix commands his Gauls, with each grabbing a Roman, and immediately throwing them high into the air, making fifty of them reach the space right above the golem.

"EEH?!" The hooded woman screams from surprise at the unexpected thrown soldiers.

As the said thrown soldiers were passing from above, they throw their javelins at her, with her dodging them by jumping around highly troubled, before the thrown ones fall down from the other sides and straight onto the awaiting hands of the soldier group below, giving them a safe landing, with the next fifty soldiers being thrown already in the same fashion.

At that, the golem instead of continuing with the attack, lowers its hand while raising the other, bringing them both close and around its head and shoulders where the woman is as a way to cover her as much as possible from the ongoing bullet-hell of the javelins coming from above.

"Those soldiers are crazy!" The cloaked woman yells shocked at the whole situation.

"Hey, that's what I always say about them too!" Obelix replies with a yell of his own from below, before throwing the next legionnaire against her.

As all that was going on, Louise, her friends and the palace guards were watching the crazyness of a tactic before them with a sweat drop on their heads, unsure if they should consider it ridiculously brilliant, or simply ridiculous.

The pink-haired girl that moment snaps out of her thinking about the display she was watching, and turns to the pitch-black Storyteller, who still stands at the carried shield.

She sees how he looks at his tactic going so smoothly. How proud and pleased he is about it.

That makes her feel... Unsatisfied with herself.

Louise's face turns to that of determination, removes from her head and places the golden crowd she earned earlier into one of her skirt's pockets,searches one of her skirt's pockets, before pulling out her small magic book.

Aristidis always does things for her, and she is given little to no chances to prove herself in times of need. She wants to show she is just as capable at dealing with offenders too!

She opens her book at the first pages, and sees how low in magic power Aristidis currently is.

The pink-haired Noble remembers what he told her about not using their shared magic if it is lower than half unless it's truly necessary, but she believes her Noble of a Familiar will not mind if she uses a cheap one to help a bit as well.

She turns a few pages, and sees an interesting spell that might just be what she needs.

(Let's see...) Louise says in her thoughts as she reads, and raises an eyebrow confused. (Huh- Bug-Type move? How is this even related to-)

She shakes the confusion off her, looks carefully at the name, the image, the whats and hows of the spell, prepares her wand, and aims for one of the golem's arms. "Pin Missile!"

After uttering the spell's name, the wand fires four white orbs surrounded by a green energy in the shape of needles/spikes, with three of them hitting and exploding upon impact at different parts of the said golem's arm, resulting in pieces of rocks falling and three medium sized craters being made in their place, and with the fourth energy needle/spike hitting and exploding upon the wall of the main building right beside it, which results in big serious cracks and a small hole on the middle of its surface.

When seeing that, the five guards of the palace are surprised at witnessing a type of magic they have never seen before, with Tabitha and Kirche being impressed, in their own way, at their friend's great use of a new spell that was also able to damage the rocky being.

Aristidis on the other hand-

"Louise!" He says with a serious and in disbelief expression as he turns around to look at her, catching her off guard, before he jumps off the shield and lands in front of her. "That was good and all for your first try with the specific spell, but what have we said?" Asks as he folds his arms and while tapping his foot upon the grassy ground.

Louise is troubled with the way he looks at her so disapprovingly. "I-I-"

"Do not use your book's spells if the numbers here are below half unless it is an emergency." The pitch-black Storyteller cuts her off as he leans forward to point with a finger at the number showing at her current page, before he straightens up with his arms folded again. "And is it an emergency right now? No, we are obviously winning. Don't we, pupil Louise?" Says the last part with quite the serious tone.

The pink-haired girl feels really troubled now. "Bu-"

"No excuses!" He cuts her off once more with his index finger raised, before he starts wagging it before her. "You know what we agreed on, and you acted irresponsibly with your magic. What if I need the magic you wasted for a number of reasons, like protecting you properly? Do I have to mention the property damage you caused up there? Not to mention that you are supposed to first learn about any new spells before using them in an actual fight, so you can be able to use them properly. Also, if you wanted to cause to the golem actual damage, you could simply use the Water Shuriken in the previous page." He says the last bit as he turns a page on her book as she holds it, showing the said spell, and then looks at her somewhat annoyed. "Which you would know about if you actually went to the trouble to first learn about it."

Louise puts her hands behind her and lowers her head as she pouts from embarrassment, which makes it worse since she knows he is right to scold her.

Aristidis continues. "I am very disappointed in you. You are supposed to be better than that, and-"

While he keeps on treating her like an unmannered child, with the rest sweat dropping at the scene between them, the cloaked woman above the golem who begins thinking on running away to avoid this javelin madness she is in, notices the cracking upon the wall she was trying to breach earlier, before it breaks into an even bigger hole, much to her surprise.

"Was that from the green spell not long ago?" She questions to herself confused. "Just what kind of magic...?"

The mysterious woman shakes the confusion off her, and smiles at the chance before her. "Golem!"

The golem at her command moves closer to the newly opened wall as it keeps on covering her from the Roman projectiles and their javelins with its giant rocky arms, with her entering within.

In the meantime, the scene moves to Abraracourcix and Caius Bonus, who together watch thoughtfully the Gauls keeping on throwing the Romans against the said golem.

"This doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere." The chief of the Gauls remarks.

"You think?" The Centurion questions sarcastically as he turns to him.

Abraracourcix takes a step forward. "Alright, everyone, enough with the Roman throwing! We are doing plan B!"

The Gauls stop with the throwing as they look at their leader, before one of them throws the Roman he was holding anyway, just because.

That moment, the cloaked woman exits from the treasure vault through the hole, holding in her hands a rectangular black case. "Finally."

She moves onto the golem's shoulder, and notices that the soldier-raining and their javelins have stopped, and takes a look down below, seeing now that all the mustachioed commoner-looking men have gathered in one group and are currently running toward her golem.

The woman is exasperated. "Enough with you! I will squash you like the annoying insects you are!" Says as the golem raises its giant foot.

The running Gauls stop as they see the giant foot made of rocks and boulders about to stomp them.

"Incoming!" Asterix yells at his fellow villagers, with all of them in response raising their hands up to the air, ready for it.

The foot steps on them with a loud thud, with the cloaked woman smiling at the thought of having rid some of her problems, but then notices how her golem starts to slightly lose balance, before she looks down to see that the golem's foot shakes as it moves a bit upward.

"Eh... Ee~h?!" She eventually screams from shock upon realizing what is going on, as the scene shows the Gauls down there alright and pushing with all their potion-increased strength the giant rocky foot, with the guards of the palace along with Tabitha and Kirche watching the incredibly shocking feat before their eyes.

In the meantime Aristidis continues with scolding the embarrassed Louise. "Do I make myself clear now, pupil Lou- Hm?" He stops himself at the end as he finally notices the current situation between the Gauls and the golem, with the pink-haired girl being shocked at seeing those people able to stop the entirety of the giant golem's weight.

"Oh, looks like we had to resort to plan B." The mouthless Storyteller says in understanding as he keeps his eyes at them.

Louise looks at him. "Plan B?"

He looks at her. "Throw the golem out to avoid possible, or more in your case, property damage."

The Gauls that moment yell all together, and push the giant rocky foot with such power, that the golem is thrown into the air, passing right above the academy's wall, with some people at a distance which includes Agnes witnessing it with wide open eyes, and ending up falling a few meters farther onto the ground with a loud thud, with the cloaked woman on it screaming for the duration from the shocking experience, with small parts of it falling off it, and with cracks also forming from the strong landing.

That Gauls high-five triumphantly each other at the job well done, with the entire legionary clapping their hands impressed, as the girls and the guards of the palace have their mouths open wide in disbelief at seeing the former effortlessly pushing the giant mass of rocks away, while Aristidis looks with a sideward palm above his eyes at the part of the wall the golem flew past from.

"A great throw indeed. Nothing less was expected." The pitch-black Storyteller says pleased.

The scene moves outside at the fallen golem, where the woman in the cloak holds herself from its shoulder, before pulling herself with some difficulty using her free hand to move onto a higher level.

Her eyes widen upon seeing the fact that she is right outside of the academy's wall, as she stares at it for a moment in silence. "Alright. I think that's my cue to leave."

She looks at the black case she holds in her arm and smiles mischievously. "At least not with empty hands."

The golem gets up, turns slowly around, and begins walking with big steps away.

The scene cuts back to where Aristidis and the rest are.

"Well-" The mouthless Storyteller begins as he claps his hands together. "Time to move outside and deal with our little offender properly now that the danger of possible property damage has been appropriately minimized, shall we?"

"Sir!" Caius Bonus gains Aristidis's attention as he approaches him before saluting. "Some of the men have noticed the cloaked individual entering through the broken wall, and exiting with a black rectangular object of some sort."

"They stole from the academy?!" Louise yells in surprise at hearing that, with the rest sharing in their own way the feeling, and with the orchestra band stopping with the music in response to the fact.

The Storyteller raises an eyebrow. "Really now?"

After saying that, he jumps up to the air and toward the wall while rolling, and lands on top of it perfectly, before looking in the horizon, and causing further surprise to the ones who watched him.

Aristidis sees the golem already at a great distance away, and then puts a hand on his chin as he contemplates about, before deciding to put two fingers on the side of his head.

While keeping the two fingers at the sides of his head, he turns and jumps off the wall, landing on his feet without issue before Louise and the rest.

"The thief has gained distance and there is not much I can really do about it with my current amount of magic, considering how many people I summoned and all, and flying after them using Tabitha's dragon might spell more trouble for us if the person was cunning enough to set up a trap against possible pursuers, so I am not taking that risk." The pitch-black Storyteller tells them.

Louise appears troubled at hearing that. "Then what-"

"For now-" He cuts her off, before he walks past everyone with a serious expression as he removes with the other hand his helmet. "I have a need for some needed information to search about."

~Some Time Later~

Time passes by, and the guards of the palace, Chevaliers and Musketeers have concluded that everything was safe for the princess, and everyone else, to move freely now that no possible danger was present anymore.

After investigating the case, it was revealed that the one who attacked the academy was a famous thief known as The Sandy Foqued.

But what she has taken exactly from the Treasure Vault is kept a secret for safety reasons.

Everyone for now was currently gathered at the courtyard where the broken wall above can be seen, with the students looking at it out of curiosity.

Princess Henrietta had run straight to find and see if her childhood friend Louise was alright, with the Captain of the Musketeers Agnes asking Aristidis for a more direct report, after hearing out the five guards that were sent with him.

She was not very happy with it.

"You let the thief go?!" Agnes yells upset right in front of him. "As if it was not enough the fact you helped them escape by literally throwing them outside of the academy."

The mouthless Storyteller raises a finger. "To my defense, I couldn't know the giant golem that attacked the main building belonged to a person with stealing intents instead of the obvious vandalism attempt."

He then folds his arms. "Plus, my people would not be able to keep up with the golem's big steps to reach the target, not mentioning that summoning all those was quite exhausting for my magic, so I wouldn't just hunt down a dangerous thief in that state on my own. Even you must understand that there would be no positive outcome under such conditions."

The Captain of the Musketeers looks down frustrated, understanding but not wanting to admit that he is right on that. Damned mage logic...

Louise in the meantime was kneeling before the princess with an ashamed expression. "I'm sorry we were unable to prevent the palace's treasure from being stolen, your Highness."

Henrietta crouches and puts a hand on her shoulder with a smile, drawing her attention. "Don't be. You both have done everything you could. What is important is that you're both safe and unharmed."

"Your Highness..." The pink-haired girl trails off, emotionally moved by her words.

One of the Chevaliers approaches and salutes Henrietta. "Your Highness, we should move."

The princess nods at him, before looking at Louise again. "I must report this to the royal palace. We'll meet again soon, Louise." Tells her and then looks at the Storyteller. "Aristidis."

He bows his head to her in response. "May you have a safe return, your Majesty, and in case it shows to be necessary, I will take full responsibility for today's occasion."

Henrietta gets up and smiles awkwardly at his willingness to take the blame. "Th-There will be no need for such a thing, everything will be fine." Says before bowing her head. "Till next time."

After that, the carriages were prepared, and the princess's party left from the academy, and went on their way for the palace, with Osmond, Colbert and the rest of the teaching stuff, along with Louise, Aristidis, Tabitha, Kirche and Siesta bidding her good return by the academy's main gate.

As she sees Henrietta leaving, the pink-haired Noble can't help but feel worried. "I hope her Highness won't be made responsible for this."

"No need to worry about it at all." The pitch-black Storyteller tells her unconcerned, gaining her attention. "I already said that I will take full responsibility if push comes to shove, and I meant it. And it will be justified, considering I was awfully unprepared for the previous scenario. I could still win the exhibition without calling that many people." Says the last parts with a sweat drop.

"Aristidis..." Louise trails off, being moved by his selflessness, and smiles happy.

At that moment, Kirche exclaims as she grabs him by the sides and hugs him tightly, causing him to roll his eyes amused. "How generous you're, da~rling! As expected from someone of such splendour as yours."

"True, true!" Siesta greatly agrees with two fast nods of her head.

The pink-Haired Noble starts to get really annoyed with the redhead's antics at pretty much any situation, especially with the maid agreeing with her simply because she likes him herself.

"And hey!" Aristidis begins as he looks at the three with a happy expression. "Maybe- Just maybe... A situation will occur which will help us find the thief AND what was stolen the very next day."

Louise sweat drops. "That... Seems unlikely."

"Never say never!" The pitch-black Storyteller says as he crouches fast out of the redhead's hugging grip, much to her mild displeasure, before straightening up a step away while turning to look at them. "I have stories which work that way after all, so expect everything and anything at all times to happen."

"O-Ok." The pink-haired Noble replies with an awkward smile, both due to not wanting to offend him, and because of the uncertainty he causes with his confusing yet valid knowledge he is known to show most of the time.

Aristidis turns with a graceful flip of his luxurious cape as he walks toward the academy. "Now let us go back to Louise's room since we have the extra freedom today, girls, and watch something entertaining in our new TV to change the mood."

He stops and looks at them. "So I suggest some Smurfs." Says as he lifts his hands and happily presents to them a small humanoid being with blue skin, white bushy beard, and red cap with matching pants and shoes. [Papa Smurf from the Smurfs, here to watch along.]

"Hello there, young ones." Papa Smurf greets them with a wave of his hand.

The four girls look at the old Smurf with amazement, seeing a being so peculiar for the first time.

The pitch-black Storyteller turns and continues walking while keeping on carrying him in his hands, with the girls following along through the entrance. "Just wait till you see the rest of his village."

And that's what they did. Watching till the end of the day episodes of the Smurfs, which they enjoyed greatly.

~The Next Day~

The next morning was here, and the Noble students went to their classes like normal.

Well, except from the fact there was no teacher present to begin the class.

"Dealing with all that thief's mess, the teachers can't seem to find the time to teach." Kirche can be heard from somewhere saying, before the scene cuts just outside of the main building, where her, Louise, Tabitha and Aristidis are seen seated around a table as Siesta is serving them some tea.

The redhead smiles. "A good thing dear Aristidis here saw that coming, and suggested us to go out and enjoy our free for now time!"

The pink-haired Noble looks at her slightly upset. "Don't treat this as if it's a reason for celebration, Kirche. It is a serious issue what the academy is currently facing."

"Well, it's not like thinking too much about it will change anything." Kirche tells her with a dismissive wave of her hand.

She then turns to everyone with a neutral expression. "Say, have you heard? They say the princess will probably be held responsible, for giving the thief the distraction needed to steal from the Treasure Vault. Mostly though it is more likely the guards around the academy that are to take the biggest blame, for not keeping a more careful eye around despite their great numbers. Not mentioning the fact that Aristidis's people were careless enough to allow the thief quick escape with whatever it was she came here for." She turns to him concerned. "You might actually be in quite the trouble for this, darling."

"I worry not." The mouthless Storyteller says unconcerned, before taking a sip from his tea. "It is not like such a clumsy, despite her popularity, thief will escape with an important object like that so easily. What I see happening in that case, is the guards around the kingdom spotting and arresting her, bring the stolen object back, and force me to pay reparations for the poor guarding my men displayed yesterday."

Louise looks down worried. "Let us hope it is going to be that simple."

While like that, a thought comes to the pink-haired Noble's head that she cannot quite understand. "Now that I think about it, how come and none of your guards noticed anyone sneaking into the academy? They were everywhere!"

"Yeah!" Kirche yells in agreement when realizing the fact as well, and being in great disbelief about it. "Even at my more sneaky attempts to get close to you in the past, I couldn't even reach halfway without at least one of them spotting me."

Aristidis begins. "I questioned every guard I had present at the walls, the five towers, and inside the main building yesterday after the incident, and they spotted no suspicious individual entering the academy, and trust me, the said guards were placed in such positions, not mentioning that the Oblivion Guards don't quite mess around, that there is no way they would not spot anyone or anything at all."

Tabitha thinks of a possibility. "Underground?"

"No." The pitch-black Storyteller replies in disagreement. "Because not only the thief would need to do so from a distance she will not draw any unwanted attention, which is miles away due to the lack of trees in the area around the academy, and spend much of time and energy to such task, making it barely worth it, but the guards would still spot her without issue due to the lack of blind spots to open the hypothetical underground hole to, both safely AND without the sound of large amounts of dirt and rocks being moved."

The girls, mostly Louise, Kirche and Siesta, look at him with utter confusion after hearing his detailed explanation as to why even THAT would make it impossible for the thief to actually enter unnoticed.

"Then how could she even sneak in against all those odds, Aristidis?" The black-haired maid asks him, wanting to understand how it would be possible for the thief to do so anyway.

Aristidis stirs with a spoon his tea. "Taking everything into consideration, the answers is obvious. There was simply no intrusion." Says before sipping from his cup, and then giving them a neutral look. "The thief was in this very academy from the beginning."

The girls look at him shocked upon hearing that, not expecting such an answer at all.

In the meantime the scene cuts to the girls' classroom, where professor Colbert opens the door while entering the room somewhat hastily as he looks around. "Miss Louise, miss Tabitha, miss Kirche. Come to the principal's office immediately, and call for Aristidis as well."

The bald professor sees how there is no answer to his call, hearing only the students chatter among themselves, speculating what could they want them for.

Then is that he notices to his surprise that the people he called are not present in the classroom. "Where-"

"You said the presence of the Storyteller and his company is needed right now, sir?" A voice says close to him, before he looks down to the side to see a small, plump anthropomorphic rabbit, which is wearing a red waistcoat with yellow collared shirt, grayish periwinkle trouser, glasses, and has eyes the color of pink with crimson pupils. [The White Rabbit from Alice In Wonderland, Disney edition of course, present and worried-looking.]

Colbert is somewhat perplexed by the strange rabbit's sudden appearance. "Yes. It is very important."

The white rabbit appears to be panicking as he puts his hands on his head and looking around fast. "Oh, oh no, oh no! I will not reach them in time! They will be late! Late!"

The professor is caught off guard by well-dressed lagomorph's panic outburst, and attempts to calm him down. "Um- W-We are not really in that much of a hurry-"

"I need to inform them, need to do so fast!" The white rabbit interrupts him as he continues panicking about, showing to have quite the trauma about the concept of being late much to everyone's confusion.

"I must-" The dressed small lagomorph stops himself for a moment, and with a hand facepalms himself as he smiles about amused. "Wait a moment, how silly of me. I can simply speak to him telepathically like this." Says as he places two fingers upon the side of his head, communicating in the way mentioned with the Storyteller.

Colbert just looks for a moment at the white rabbit, and then appears to be excited. "I know there is currently a serious matter to attend to, but everything about what is before me is just so fascinating!"

The professor just can't help it. A rabbit dressed and behaving like a human, which can communicate with his summoner through magic is quite interesting indeed, after all.

After that, the scene cuts a few minutes later within the principal's office, where Old Osmond, Professor Colbert, Miss Longueville the green-haired secretary and all of the teaching stuff, which are six in total without counting Colbert himself, are standing facing from their side Louise, Aristidis, Tabitha and Kirche who stand in a straight line before them, with the Storyteller holding the Tome below his arm, with his other somewhat raised hand holding a black smoking pipe, and also wearing on his head a black deerstalker cap, which causes everyone's confusion.

The principal decides to ask. "Excuse me if I'm being rude, but is there a reason for the... Unique-looking hat you're wearing?"

Aristidis raises a bit with his thumb the front of his cap to adjust it a tiny bit higher. "It is appropriate to the situation you could say. Along with the smoking pipe. But don't worry, it just produces bubbles." He says before bringing the said object's tip at the place his mouth would be, with bubbles coming out of its round end instead of smoke.

Everyone sweat drops at the randomness he currently displays.

Miss Longuevile clears her throat, mostly as a way to bring attention on her. "Anyway, while questioning people around the city, I was informed of a suspicious figure who goes in and out of an abandoned house located deep inside the forest."

Osmond smiles through his beard as he looks at her. "As swift and diligent as always, Miss Longueville."

She turns to him and takes out a rolled parchment from her cloak. "Based on that testimony, I was able to draw this."

The principal takes the parchment and unrolls it to look at its content, before turning it around for everyone else to see as well.

The drawing depicts a perfect and well-drawn representation of the hooded and cloaked thief from last day.

"Yep, that's definitely her, alright." Kirche says in confirmation of how the woman she saw looks, with Tabitha nodding in agreement.

Louise nods as well. "No mistake about it."

"My, oh my!" Aristidis says with amazement as takes a step forward and looks more closely at the drawing, much to everyone's confusion. "This is some very well-done drawing indeed! You have quite the talent, Miss Longueville." Says the last part as he looks at her with a pleased expression.

The green-haired secretary smiles awkwardly as she is more than caught off guard by his sudden and genuine complement. "Ah- Th-Thank you for your good words."

As everyone just looks at him for a moment, the pink-haired Noble steps forward with a serious expression to voice a thought of hers to the principal and the rest. "There is something else. Aristidis has discovered that Fouquet was here in the academy all this time among us."

That makes everyone who couldn't know that information gasp from shock.

The pitch-black Storyteller begins walking past the academy stuff slowly from one side to the other as he looks at them with quite the serious expression. "That is what my investigation and questioning of my guards has shown. No intrusion, no odd behavior among the expected princess's party, no obvious marks to indicate underground activity, and definitely no falling from the sky like a wannabe meteor."

The last one makes some of the people to raise their eyebrow as they look to one another somewhat confused.

As he walks about, Aristidis stops in front of Miss Longueville, who flinches a bit at him staring into her eyes with that really serious expression of his. "With all those and more details in mind, you could say I already know who that woman is." Says while poking her at the chest twice with the tip of his smoking pipe.

A cold sweat drops from the Secretary's head, showing to be quite worried about for some reason. "Y... You do?"

He nods. "Yes. That woman is..." As he lets the tension build up for a few seconds, he turns to the side and looks upward while bringing the smoking pipe close to his mouthless area. "A very cunning and secretive individual, seeing how well she hid herself among us all this time." Says before blowing some bubbles from the object.

Everyone just looks at him incredulously at the way he ended it like that, and not really helping at revealing the identity of the thief.

Louise gets upset at him. "Aristidis, be serious about this!"

The pitch-black Storyteller shows an amused expression as he looks at everyone again. "A-ho-lright, alright, my apologies. But seriously, everything I said is nothing but the truth." Says with a neutral expression.

"The thief was definitely among us all this time. And who knows, maybe she still is even at this point, as a way to keep her tracks covered. My Tome has many such scenarios within, so I believe in that theory quite a bit." He says the last part as he proudly raises with a hand his Tome to indicate it.

Colbert turns with a serious expression at Old Osmond. "Let's report this to the royal palace immediately! We will ask the Knights to depart at once."

The principal shakes his head. "If we take too long, Fouquet is sure to get away."

He looks determined at the professor. "We will reclaim the Staff Of Destruction and the honor of this academy with our own hands."

"OH-ho-ho-ho, no, no, no." Aristidis disagrees amused as he wags his finger.

"Eh?" Is all Osmond can respond with at the Familiar's sudden disagreement.

The pitch-black Storyteller begins. "As admirable as your willingness to take matters into your hands is, I am afraid that I cannot allow this. This whole situation went the way it went because of me, for lacking the necessary information, and allowing the thief to get away with it, so I will be the one to ensure that the Staff of Destruction, really unimpressive name by the way, is returned appropriately back into the place it was stolen from."

Seeing how much he is willing he is to make up for the last day's mistake, Louise steps forward. "I'll go as well."

Kirche does so as well with a smile. "Me too, obviously. Darling could always use an extra wand by his side just in case."

And last but not least to step forward is Tabitha, who nods in agreement with her two friends.

"Do not act as if I wouldn't bring you along anyway." Aristidis tells them somewhat amused, before his expression turns to that of self importance as he places the hand that holds the smoking pipe onto his chest. "I need someone to witness my obvious triumph, and tell me how incredible I am, after all."

Everyone sweat drops at how arrogant he can be, especially considering the failure of the last day.

Osmond collects himself and nods satisfied. "Then I'll leave this matter to the four of you."

He then turns to the teaching stuff. "All of them have seen Fouquet. Also miss Tabitha, despite her young age, is a Knight with the title of Chevalier."

"Knight?!" Louise questions surprised as she turns to her along with Kirche.

"S-Seriously, Tabitha?" The redhead asks her close friend just as surprised, making obvious the fact she didn't know about it.

Tabitha nods toward them in confirmation.

"What an incredible surprise!" The mouthless Storyteller yells as he turns toward her while pressing with both hands his cheeks in supposed surprise, which is fake and makes it obvious enough for only Tabitha to understand. "I totally didn't know a thing!"

That causes the blue-haired girl to sweat drop at his hyperbole.

The principal then turns to Kirche. "Additionally, miss Zerbst is from one of Germania's famous military families, and I've heard that her flames are strong as well."

The redhead utters a near-quiet chuckle as she puffs out her, big, chest, proud of the acknowledgement.

He then looks at Louise. "And let us not forget about miss Valliere, who received by her unique Familiar magic beyond anything Halkeginia has ever seen before, and which she has complete control over it as I hear."

The pink-haired has her hands on her hips as she puffs out her, flat, chest in pride.

Colbert puts a hand on his chin as he thinks about. (Which reminds me that I still haven't found out about Aristidis's enigma about her the elements that will lead me to understand hers. Whatever it is that missed.)

[Still searching about? Ok, most likely next time, he is not that stupid after all, right?]

Old Osmond finally turns to Aristidis. "And lastly-"

"I believe we have already established the fact of how great I am." The mouthless Storyteller cuts him off as he indicates himself while raising his head pompously, before looking at him seriously. "Let us not lose more of our precious time with it though, and just go to the part where we pay a visit to that house in the woods now, shall we?"

The principal sweat drops. "Y-Yeah, I do believe you're right."

"Old Osmond." Miss Longueville calls for him, while drawing everyone else's attention as well. "I'll accompany them as a guide."

Osmond appears somewhat surprised by her sudden decision. "Will you, Miss Longueville?"

Before she responds, Aristidis moves fast right in front of her, with his smoking pipe nowhere to be found, and holds one of her hands a bit higher with one of his as he places his other one above it, while looking at her with a happy expression, much to her confusion. "It will be an utter pleasure to have you as our faithful guide, Miss Longueville!"

The green-haired secretary sweat drops. "U-Um-"

The pitch-black Storyteller interrupts what she was about to say by moving his now seductive-looking face a bit closer to hers. "And allow me to also add that your commitment to the cause is highly appreciated, like the company you will offer us on the way."

Miss Longueville blushes softly at his words as she moves her head a bit backward with an awkward smile, feeling somewhat troubled at the sudden, obvious interest he is showing for her.

Watching that, Kirche raises an eyebrow as she leans sideward toward Louise to whisper. "Say, you don't think he is flirting with her, do you?"

"Eh?" Louise utters confused as she turns to her while wondering why would she care about something like that, before looking at him and the secretary again, somewhat annoyed. "Well, I can't quite see his face well enough from here to be sure, but he better not, cause this is not the time to act inappropriately! Why you ask?"

The redhead sweat drops. "Well-"

Osmond that moment clears his throat, interrupting Kirche as Aristidis unhands the secretary's hand while turning his attention to the principal. "The academy counts on you all. May you be successful on your mission."

"Be assured about our success-" The mouthless Storyteller says unconcerned as he removes and places his deerstalker cap magically within the Tome, before turning around with a graceful flip of his stary cape while walking toward the door. "And let us move on."

~A Few Minutes Later~

It was not long after they have taken a small open carriage, drawn by a single horse, and passed through the academy's gates, before officially be on their way to reach and investigate the house in the woods the thief has hidden the famous Staff of Destruction she has stolen.

Miss Longueville is at the front, holding the horse's reins, with Louise, Aristidis, Tabitha and Kirche placed at the back, with the latter cuddling onto the middle's arm who is in a relaxed posture on his seat with the Tome open upon his thighs.

The pitch-black Storyteller looks at the clear blue sky above, before showing a face full of delight. "Ahh, what a nice and beautiful day to go out. Is it not, ladies?"

Louise turns to him with a serious expression. "We are not going out to enjoy the day, Aristidis, we are in an important mission. Remember?"

Aristidis leans a back on his seat a bit more, making himself feel a bit more relaxing that way. "No one is stopping us from doing both. After all, facing every situation while calm and collected is better than doing it while tense, am I wrong?"

"Of course you're not, darling!" Kirche says as she presses herself closer to him. "You're always right, as you're great."

The Storyteller raises his head as he utters a proud chuckle for a bit, really liking hearing others speaking highly of him.

The pink-haired Noble's eye twitches from irritation. It's not that he is not right in a sense, but he could at least take the situation more seriously considering how important this mission is, for not only them and the academy as a whole, but for the princess as well. Also it is really annoying seeing him just accepting Kirche's advances without a care in the world. Like it is not enough that she has to tolerate his womanizing tendencies. And it is not jealousy!

Aristidis turns to her with a kind expression. "Just rela~x, Louise. Everything is completely, utterly, and amazingly under control with this mission."

He takes the hand from his Tome and raises it a bit, and half a brown coconut filled with milk, and with a small umbrella and a pink straw sticking out of the said liquid manifests upon it, before extending it toward Louise. "Enjoy some coconut milk while at it."

She takes the half-coconut in her hands as she keeps on looking at him in irritation, without bothering to think about what a coconut even is, and drinks some, which surprises her for a moment before showing a more pleased expression as she enjoys it, much to the Storyteller's happiness.

Aristidis then turns to their green-haired driver. "So, Miss Longueville." He calls for her, drawing her attention but without her taking the eyes off the road. "While we are on our way, would you mind sharing the story of how you came to the big decision to work as the principal's secretary in the famous academy of magic? I was quite curious about it from some time now."

"Well-" The green-haired secretary begins. "I wouldn't say it was that special of a decision. I needed work to support myself, the academy was in need for someone knowledgeable enough to assist in carrying out any need of bureaucratic nature, and the payment was as adequate as anyone would expect from such a famous institution."

"I see." The pitch-black Storyteller says in understanding, but then his expression turns to that of glee. "Though, for you to do so in the way you just said, shows that you have lost your status as a Noble in some way, since you were not put there through some aristocratic connection as anyone would most likely expect."

That catches Miss Longueville off guard for a second before quickly finding her composure again, with Louise and Kirche being surprised when they realize how much of a sense that makes, and with Tabitha simply being stoic as usual, but secretly being somewhat impressed that Aristidis found out about it with only a speck of information.

The secretary smiles somewhat bitterly as she keeps her eyes on the road. "You have quite the insight. It is true. I lost my Nobility in the past indeed."

"And I will guess sharing the story of how it happened, is not something you would like to do." Aristidis guesses.

Miss Longueville simply shakes her head.

He shrugs. "I can understand if it is too much of a touchy subject for you to recall, and you can be reassured that we will not press you more about it."

"Wha~t?" Kirche begins both surprised and disappointed. "But I want to know! This sounds too interesting to just-"

Aristidis turns to her and gives her a reprimanding look, which makes her unhand him and place her hands in front of her defensively. "Don't be impolite now, Kirche. If Miss Longueville doesn't want to talk about her past, then we have no right to insist like a bunch of pushy reporters."

"Thank you for the understanding." The green-haired secretary tells him thankful with a smile, before beginning to wonder what a reporter is exactly.

As she was thinking about for a moment, she feels a small movement beside her, which makes her turn her head to see the pitch-black Noble seated all of a sudden close to her, and giving her a seductive look.

"But Noble or not, you still have a beauty many of them would be quite jealous of." Aristidis tells her while not taking his eyes off hers.

Miss Longueville leans a bit toward the opposite side as she looks at him with a sweat drop and an awkward smile. "U-Um, that's..."

"So I was right!" The redhead yells in surprise, catching everyone's attention. "You really ARE flirting with her!"

The pitch-black Storyteller raises an eyebrow, as the rest just look at her confused. "Obviously. What of it?"

Kirche sweat drops. "B... But Aristidis darling, isn't she a bit too old to have a relationship with you?"

"WH- I'm only twenty-three years old!" The secretary yells at her, upset for falsely being called old.

She finds some of her composure back and looks toward the road before the carriage again. "And besides, I am not interested in having any romantic relationship." She says before turning to Aristidis. "Without wanting to offend, Mr. Aristidis."

"Aristidis will suffice." Aristidis simply tells her while placing an elbow upon the seat's back to place his jaw on his hand for support, and gives her one more seductive gaze straight into her eyes. "And never say never with me. Because who knows?"

He leans himself slightly closer to her. "You might end up liking my company. Dear secretary."

Miss Longueville appears quite troubled with him now. That strange being is hitting on her with such confidence and desire, that surpasses even that of the men who tried as much before him. To her, it is frankly scary.

"Enough with this already, Aristidis!" Louise yells at him, upset at the indecent behavior he is showing, and then folds her arms as she looks at him now with slight irritation. "Now something I don't understand. For what reason we do not just use one of your many unique flying creatures to reach the thief's hideout faster? Or at least Tabitha's dragon, if the reason is for you to conserve your magic."

The mouthless Storyteller rolls backward, ending up gracefully onto his previous seat, much to Kirche's amazement, as he looks at the pink-haired Noble in front of him with a neutral expression. "Because doing so will reveal our location to her easier, resulting in possible failure which you can most likely see happening."

The pink-haired Noble lowers her head in further irritation, understanding how right he is.

"This mission require us to be as sneaky as humanly possible, so nothing flashy till the said mission is complete." He says as he wags his finger.

That moment from the open Tome upon his thighs, a serious-looking muscular man magically emerges halfway from within with black short hair, wearing a red shirt with a black apron, a pair of black teashades-type sunglasses, and holding on his hands two plates filled with multiple rolled pancakes. [The Helltaker from Helltaker, here to serve some of his specialties.]

Aristidis looks with a happy expression at the girls, much to their surprise at the muscular man's sudden appearance. "Now who wants some pancakes? We have both salty AND sweet ones to enjoy."

"Don't eat them too fast." The muscular man tells them before giving one to the pitch-black Storyteller.

As Miss Longueville keeps on watching with surprise at the half-appeared man on the Tome, Louise and Kirche smile at the new delicacy the pitch-black Storyteller brought for them to try, with Tabitha remaining stoic but still interested in the said delicacy as much as her friends.

"I'll take a salty one!" The redhead tells to the Helltaker with enthusiasm.

"A sweet one for me, please." The pink-haired girl tells to the man with almost as much enthusiasm.

"Sweet." The blue-haired girl simply tells him.

The Helltaker gives to each the ones they asked for, as the green-haired secretary watches in disbelief, seeing how simple it is for that Storyteller being to get whatever he wishes for. It both amazes and troubles her.

The muscular man, who's lower half is still within the Tome, turns as he extends one of the plates with the pancakes toward her. "Madam?"

"Oh- Ah, no thank you." Miss Longueville responds with an awkward smile.

"Are you sure?" Aristidis questions her as he places part of his own pancake within the mouthless area, before pulling it out a second later to reveal that part now missing, and then looks at her with a delighted face, with the Helltaker bringing the plate a bit closer to her. "They are deliciou~s."

The green-haired secretary is stunned for a moment at seeing a mouthless person actually able to eat normally, but then shakes the feeling off her as she brings her hands toward the plate defensively while smiling awkwardly like before. "Y-Yeah, I'm sure. I've already eaten before the mission, so..."

"Understandable." The pitch-black Storyteller says while shrugging, and then looks at her amused. "But seriously, the way you act is funny. Almost as if, I don't know, trying to keep a great secret of some kind hidden within or something."

Miss Longueville's eyes widen for a moment, with Aristidis laughing it off in slight amusement, before placing more of the pancake with his mouthless area, enjoying the said delicacy along with the rest, as the Helltaker submerges magically back within the Tome.

The secretary just looks at him for a moment longer, and then turns her eyes in front of the road like before.

A cold sweat is obvious at the side of her head. Worry and uncertainty being somewhat apparent upon her face.

She has doubts about the mission? Is she unnerved by the Storyteller's mannerism and special magic? Or could it be something entirely different?

For now, she focuses forward, and hopes for things to go as they must.

~Some Time Later~

After some time of moving with the carriage, they eventually reach the house at a clearing in the woods, like they were told it will be.

It was nothing special to look at. Just a simple, small wooden house.

The Storyteller and the rest, with the Helltaker nowhere now, hide themselves behind some trees as they look at it.

"Alright, now that we are here we should prepare for proper planning." Aristidis says, and then points at Miss Longueville. "Miss Longueville, you will scout the area around for the thief. If you spot her, come and warn us."

She looks at him with a smile. "I was actually planning to from the very beginning."

With that, the secretary leaves them, beginning her patrol.

When far enough, The pitch-black Storyteller turns to the rest. "As for the rest, follow me, we are entering the house while Fouquet is not present."

"Eh?" Louise utters confused, as Aristidis casually walks toward it, with the other two following.

The pink-haired girl snaps out of it, and runs after them, walking beside him once reaching, still confused about. "Wait, how do we know she is not inside the hous-"

Before she finishes that sentence, the door of the house at the distance opens, and at the doorknob from the inner side of the door stands the well dressed cricket, Jiminy, who waves his small hand at them, much to Louise's great surprise, along with Kirche's amazement and with Tabitha being a bit impressed as well.

"Because I've sent someone in advance to check the place inside, obviously." Aristidis tells her while indicating with palm at the cricket, before rolling his eyes and moving. "Now come on, the object will not move itself, and Jiminy is just too much of a small cricket to do it on his own."

Louise just looks at him for a moment, as the other two follow him like before, with her then pouting and uttering in great irritation at his know-it-all attitude, before following as well. Like she could know he will do that!

They stop right in front of the entrance, and Tabitha looks at Jiminy. "Traps?"

The well-dressed cricket shrugs. "No traps around at all."

"Weird." The blue-haired girl says while putting a hand on her chin as she thinks about it.

"Isn't it?" Aristidis agrees as he takes a step inside, and turns to Louise, as Jiminy jumps on his shoulder. "Louise, go to page twenty of your magic book and make sure to memorize the spell there while I bring the case with the item. Kirche and Tabitha, make sure to keep your eyes open on your surroundings."

The pink-haired Noble looks back and forth at her two friends who simply nod at his demand, and then turns to him greatly confused. "Isn't this a bad time for lessons in magic."

"Firstly, no, it is not." The pitch-black Storyteller begins as he folds his arms. "And secondly, it will be quite the help in case Fouquet decides to send her golem against us at an unknown time. I'm sure you remember the spell I showed you from last day, no?"

Her eyes widen for a moment in realization, and then takes out her book and opens it to the said page, as Aristidis proceed farther within the house.

The other two take a few steps past Louise as they look around, with Kirche appearing worried. "This might take too long. That cunning Fouquet has most likely hidden the staff in such a way, that it will be near-impossible for anyone to just-"

"Got it." The pitch-black Storyteller's voice can be heard at the entrance, with the girls turning to see him holding the big black case in his hands.

Kirche puts her hands together almost as soon, with her expression changing to that of great admiration as she blushes about. "I had no doubt from the very beginning about your success, my incredibly amazing darling!"

"Ah, stop it." The mouthless Storyteller tells her pleased with a dismissive wave of his hand, and then shrugs. "It was just in the middle of the room, though."

"S-Seriously?!" The redhead questions with a highly incredulous tone, with the other two somewhat sharing her surprise and confusion. It just makes no sense to them.

"Our thief was not really trying with this." He says, and then moves his eyes upward to the side in a somewhat amused manner. "Who knows why?"

Tabitha sees his expression at that, and somewhat narrows her eyes in suspicion, understanding that he knows more than he is letting on.

Aristidis crouches down, and places the case on the ground. "Now, let us see if the staff is inside before taking it back."

He unlocks the black container, and opens it, with the rest taking a better look at it themselves.

What they see is a round, thin, black object, which resembles Kremant's grinning and winking face upon a red fabric.

"Hu- Isn't that how Kremant's face looks with his hood on?" Kirche questions in her surprise, with Louise sharing her reaction.

"Red eyes and sharp teeth?" Tabitha asks as she turns to her close friend confused.

The redhead looks at her. "Ah right, we never explained to you how he looks exactly, did we?"

"We can speak about it later." Louise cuts her off, before turning to the mouthless Storyteller confused. "How is Kremant related to the Staff Of Destruction?"

She then looks more closely at the object with a raised eyebrow. "And how is this even supposed to be a staff?"

"I have no idea, but I see something sticking out from below there." The mouthless Storyteller says as he looks at it more closely, seeing something white barely sticking out from below and the side of the object.

He pulls it out with two fingers, and sees that it is a small piece of paper that writes: You see this? You could say that it's the... Stuff Of Destruction!

They all just stare at it in silence for a few seconds, till Aristidis begins chuckling from amusement.

"You're serious now?" Louise questions incredulously unamused while face-palming herself as she looks at the written pun in disbelief.

The pitch-black Storyteller shakes his head in his amusement. "What a joker that guy can be..."

That moment, a bright light is suddenly emitted by the the object, drawing their somewhat startled attention, before it turns into a ball of light, and flies with great speed straight at the Storyteller's Tome in his hand, entering it before the Tome itself blinks once with the same type of light.

Aristidis shivers intensely for a moment, and then his expression turns happy. "And of course it ended up being a fragment of my lost power. Not mentioning quite a powerful one. I feel I can summon magical beings and items of greater cost now without much of worry now."

Everyone, mostly, smiles greatly at hearing that.

Especially Louise. "Really? That's great-"

That moment, a somewhat ground-shaking thud can both be felt and heard, catching their attention, and then another one, before a giant rocky form breaks through a few trees at the distance, showing to be a golem like the one Fouquet used the last day, slowly approaching them with its giant steps, with Fouquet nowhere around it though.

The mouthless Storyteller's expression turns to that of glee, while the rest look at the said golem alarmed as they prepare their wands and staff. "Looks like Fouquet decided to make her move. Let us make our own, then."

He looks at Louise with a neutral expression. "Louise, keep your focus absolute, and aim for the middle on each of its two legs."

"Yes!" She responds before aiming her wand toward it with great determination. "Water Shuriken!"

After yelling the spell's name, four big shuriken made out of water are launched individually from her wand, traveling at high speed toward the target's legs, which results to explosions upon impact, strong enough to break the middle parts of the said legs to pieces, forcing the golem literally off its feet as it ends up face first onto the ground with loud thud.

The girls look at Louise's accomplishment with open mouths, with Tabitha's being just a bit open, and then the pink-haired girl exclaims overjoyed, with the other two clapping their hands for her.

"That was so amazing, Louise!" The redhead yells in her enthusiasm.

"Well done." The blue-haired girl says calmly.

"It was super-effective!" Aristidis yells enthusiastically.

Louise raises her head, chuckling for a moment pompously at being recognized for her great achievement.

The mouthless Storyteller gets in front her and couches a bit as she looks at her happily. "You keep on making me immensely proud, my charmingly beloved strawberry sweetie pie!"

"A-" She begins as she blushes heavily and feels very flustered about. "Aristidis!"

"No time for that now." He tells her, and then turns as he steps aside to point at the fallen golem. "Look."

Everyone sees how the said golem is getting its legs back by absorbing enough of the rocks and dirt around it, and begins to slowly get up by placing the giant arms in the appropriate position.

Louise quickly aims her wand at it again. "Water Shuriken!"

Four more water shurikens are launched by her wand upon speaking the spell like before, but this time the projectiles explode upon the golem's arms, breaking them and forcing it to fall on its boulder-like face once more.

The pink-haired Noble appears determined to end this. "I will summon a barrage of those shurikens and turn it to pieces."

"No, no." Aristidis tells her while wagging his finger pompously, drawing her attention. "If we are to finish this, we should do it with style. Show its creator some actual power. You know, cause some appropriate intimidation to make her think twice about keeping on facing us."

The golem at the moment begins to recreate its arms using the ground around it.

"Actual power?" Louise questions by repeating his words, unsure as to what her Familiar has in mind. "What are you-"

"For now-" The pitch-black Storyteller cuts her off as he points at the golem, which is about to get up again. "You make sure it stays down by breaking its limbs, and leave the rest to the one behind you."

When saying that, the others look behind to see at a short distance only away a young confident girl, slightly younger than them with an under-developed figure matching that of Louise's, with shoulder-length dark brown hair, oddly languid crimson-colored eyes, wears a black cloak, a red robe, orange boots and a black wizard's hat, all with gold border and trimmings, alongside black choker, belt and fingerless gloves, with her right leg being wrapped in white bandages and a black stocking on the left one, and who is carrying in her hands a brown staff with a floating red gem. [Megumin from Konosuba, here and determined to show some magic.]

"All yours, girl!" Aristidis yells to the wizard girl, as the pink-haired Noble snaps out of her small surprise to break once more the golem's arms from afar with water shurikens to keep it down.

"You have done well to summon I, Megumin, greatest of the Crimson Demons in the most powerful art of magic ever to exist, to handle this situation for you!" Megumin says in a self-important manner, before pointing her staff toward the fallen golem, greatly confident of her power. "Now witness as I show you all the truth behind those words, and the power that I will unleash forth!"

As she begins with the chanting of the spell, since the writer is too lazy to bother putting them into display, dark powerful energy swirls all around her as a big orange circle appears upon the ground she stands on.

Kirche, Tabitha, and Jiminy who is still upon Aristidis's shoulder, watch with awe at the wizard girl casting what they conceive as an overwhelmingly powerful spell, with Louise keeping on looking at the golem, a cold sweat running at the side of her head as she feels the energy emitting from the said spell, understanding even in a sense the shocking power that girl he summoned holds, while Aristidis takes out from behind his back after a few seconds an oversized pocket watch, looking at the time with a bored expression on his face, showing how much of a drag the chanting of the spell for him is.

Finally, multicolored stars of energy are starting to be emitted from the energy surrounding Megumin, and multiple big and small magic circles appear right above the golem, which extend till a high point toward the sky, with the said golem stopping on regenarating its mass at that moment for an unknown reason, as the wizard girl reaches the last phrase of the spell. "EXPLO~SION!"

Upon uttering the final word, a pillar of energy rushes with near-blinding speed through the magic circles, and the moment it touches the golem, causes a tremendous explosion that engulf everything at a great distance around it, resulting in winds and dirt blowing forcefully toward the party, with them putting their hands forward to protect their eyes as they try to keep their balance against the force of the said explosion while Louise and Kirche scream about.

Not long after, the force of the spell dissipates, and when everyone looks, they see nothing more but a huge crater, with not even a peddle of the golem remaining as a reminder of its existence.

The trio of Nobles keep on watching the crater, shocked at the power they have just witnessed.

Louise then smiles amazed, with Kirche doing the same. "That was incredible! By Brimir, incredible! I don't have words!" Says the last part with both her hands upon her cheeks.

The pitch-black Storyteller folds his arms pleased. "That is Megumin for you."

"To think someone our age can possess such magic!" The pink-haired girl says with enthusiasm, before turning to Megumin. "Would you mind later telling us your story-"

Louise stops herself as she notices the wizard girl facedown upon the ground. "Eh?"

"Sure." Megumin replies to her somewhat weakly while down. "Speaking with new fans is always a welcomed activity for me."

As the other two look at the facedown girl confused, the pink-haired Noble turns to Aristidis. "Aristidis, why is she lying down all of a sudden?"

His expression turns to that of mild amusement. "You see, it is true that she possesses one of the most powerful offensive spells in her world, but she did not train herself as she must to be able to handle its power, resulting in her magic being drained to the point she cannot even lift a finger for some time."

Louise is now even more confused. "Wha- Then how she could use it if-"

"The rules of magic in her world are different." Aristidis cuts her off, and then looks at the fallen wizard girl. "And she used them to increase the power of that one spell only, without a care about her magic's preservation at all."

"That's..." The pink-haired Noble trails off, as she sweat drops along with the other two.

"Dumb." The blue-haired Noble completes her thought in the matter, understanding very well how incredibly unconventional that can be in an actual fight, and just barely worth it.

"W-Who are you calling dumb?" Megumin somewhat yells upset in her weakened state, taking offense to that.

At the moment, Miss Longueville can be seen running toward them at the distance, coming from the opposite side of the woods.

"As awesome as you are, even you must admit how idiotic indeed is that." The pitch-black Storyteller tells to Megumin with a vertically wagging finger.

As that was going on, Kirche spots the green-haired secretary from afar coming fast toward their way. "Hey look, Old Osmond's secretary."

Everyone looks at her direction, seeing how she runs somewhat troubled about.

"She must have heard the huge explosion, and got worried for us." Louise speculates.

Aristidis raises a hand and waves it happily at her as she approaches. "Hey, Miss Longueville! Don't you worry, we are alright, but you better be careful, for Fouquet is still around somewhere in the woods and-"

Before he finishes with what he was saying, Miss Longueville stops and couches beside Megumin, and snatches the staff of her hands.

"Hey, what gives?" The facedown wizard girl yells weakly at having her equipment being taken just like that, as the woman straightens herself up again.

Louise is really confused with that sudden action of hers, with the rest sharing the feeling. "Um, Miss Longueville, why did you-"

"Quite something that was." The green-haired secretary cuts her off as she examines Megumin's staff in her hand with a smile. "No wonder if you consider its name."

She begins untying her green hair. "Not sure how exactly you made the strange object turn into this staff, or why leave a random girl summoned most likely from that Tome of yours use it, but it sure obliterated my golem as if nothing special. Well done." She finishes as her now long hair is set free behind her, while also removing her glasses and showing an evil smile toward the group.

Everyone's eyes widen as they finally come to realize the situation.

"My golem?" Kirche repeats the woman's words.

Louise puts the pieces in her mind together. "She... Miss Longueville was Fouquet all along?!"

"Indeed." Fouquet answers the full of disbelief question, and then points the staff at the facedown girl close to her. "And you better not make any wrong move, else this girl will-"

"AH!" The mouthless Storyteller interrupts her as he exclaims in his shock, with both his hands and Tome over his head, as everyone watches confused at his overreaction while looking back and forth at each of them. "OH... WHA... My goodness! By all the actual gods I know! How did I not see... Can you believe this... What an utter shock to find out about it just NOW-"

Aristidis suddenly puts a hand over his stomach as he laughs about highly amused for a moment. "Oh... Almost kept a straight face there." Says before snapping his fingers.

When he does that, the staff vanishes from the green-haired thief's hand, much to her surprise, and when she turns to look at the wizard girl at the ground, she witnesses her vanishing in the same fashion as well.

"Wha- HUH?!" Fouquet yells in her shock as she looks back and forth at where her possessions used to be.

"Unfortunately for you-" The pitch-black Storyteller begins as she looks at her with glee, getting her still in shock attention. "That staff had nothing to do with the one you were expecting to receive. Simply another one of my Tome's possessions I can summon and vanish at will. Even your supposed hostage."

The green-haired woman is in utter disbelief. She literally revealed herself to them while holding nothing but thin air. And all that because she confused his Tome summon with what she thought as the actual deal! She played herself like a complete fool!

"Quite shocking, isn't it?" Aristidis gleefully and mockingly questions her. "But wait till you hear this one as well."

His expression turns mischievous. "I knew who you were all along."

Not only Fouquet, but Louise and Kirche as well look at him with utter shock, with Tabitha being unshaken, seeing how her assumption about him knowing more than he was letting on was correct.

The pink-haired Noble moves beside the Storyteller as she looks at him in high disbelief. "You seriously knew all this time?!"

He folds his arms proud. "Yes I did indeed, my dear. A few moments after her last day's little escape."

Learning that makes Louise upset. "Why didn't you tell us?!"

Aristidis turns his head at her. "The best trap, is the one absolutely no one expects about. Besides, you would most likely look at her in an obvious negative manner while on the way here if I told you from the beginning, resulting in her understanding that something is up."

"Wha- No we would not!" The pink-haired Noble yells at him, offended that he would think she will give the trap away if she knew.

The pitch-black Storyteller just looks at her silently for a moment.

Louise sweat drops, and then lowers her head a bit. "Alright, I suppose you're right..."

Fouquet tightens one of her fists in frustration. "How... How did you find out?"

Aristidis turns to her. "Quite simply, actually. You see-"

{Flashback}

The scene shows the moment from yesterday where the Storyteller was at the top of the wall with two fingers at the side of his head, as he was watching the thief leaving with her golem, before Jimmy The Eye, also known as the blue flying eyeball, with Jiminy the cricket on top of him are seen flying high into the sky above the said wall, going after her.

"From the moment I realized you were a thief, some needed information was in order, so I sent Jimmy and Jiminy, as I was questioning each and every guards of mine for details." The voice of Aristidis can be heard explaining the flashback, with the scene moving at a later time to the abandoned house in the woods Fouquet decided to hide, where our two discreet spies seeing her removing the hood, and finding out she is the academy's secretary, causing the well-dressed cricket to put his hands on his mouth before gasping silently from shock. "You could say Jiminy was quite shocked to find out you were the thief all along."

{End Of Flashback}

The scene moves back to the pitch-black Storyteller and the rest who are standing a few meters before Fouquet.

Aristidis continues. "The plan originally was to find out for who you were stealing the academy's unique object for, and send Jimmy to keep his eye on them, while Jiminy would do so with you, gaining some further important information about the two parties. But then I saw you taking the object out for examination, and even trying to find out how it works."

He appears amused. "And as much fun as it was seeing you trying to use the round object like an idiot to the point of utter frustration-"

His words make Fouquet feel both offended and frustrated.

"It also shows that you are not just a mere thief." The pitch-black Storyteller tells the green-haired thief with now a neutral expression, and then points at her. "You are fighting for a cause."

That catches her, and the rest, off guard. How did he figure that out?!

Aristidis's expression turns gleeful upon seeing Fouquet's reaction to his little conclusion. "It appears that I am correct. For if you were the typical thief, you would not bother yourself with such thing, and simply let the one who asked you for it to deal with its confusing nature themselves as you enjoy the payment."

He then shrugs. "A criminal group, an organization, or even another country who is of no good toward another? The possibilities are many, and even if you don't tell me, I will learn about them eventually if they decide to become an inconvenience while I am simply trying to mind my own business."

Fouquet is very frustrated as she clenches a fist of hers, and then looks at the well-dressed cricket upon the Storyteller's shoulder. "You damnable insect..."

Jiminy scared moves fast behind Aristidis's neck, peeking at her with half an eye from the corner.

"Oh come now, no need to act in such an immature manner, miss." The pitch-black Storyteller tells her with a roll of his eyes, before looking at her with glee. "If it was not him, or Jimmy, it would have been someone else. And even without anyone to sent after you, finding out about your identity would still be far from difficult."

He raises a hand and starts lowering fingers, the moment he states a fact. "I learned from my guards that no one suspicious entered from the princess's party, leading to the fact that you were within the walls from the beginning. Some of my guards were able to spot you at a later time entering the academy again. You were not scheduled to leave the academy for any reason before or during the event, which I know about because I asked nicely and quite discreetly professor Colbert for the said information. Lastly, the hood could not properly cover your hair, and frankly, you are the only one with green hair in the academy."

The girls are looking at each other somewhat impressed at his clever deduction, while Fouquet is in high disbelief at how she could leave such obvious tracks behind her to be uncovered anyway.

"Conclusion: More than enough evidence against you anyway." Aristidis explains, and then his expression becomes pompous as he places a hand upon his chest. "Nothing less to be expected from someone like me, after all. And all I had to do afterward was simply to volunteer myself as the one you thought that will unknowingly help you into unlocking the secret of the object for your own purposes, only to trick you into falling in MY very cunning trap instead. When it comes to proper detective work and planning, I am like Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, and Batman, all in one indeed!"

As everyone tries to understand who the heck are all those, another thought crosses the green-haired woman's mind that moment, much to her annoyance. "So, all that with the flirting before was just you trying to mess with me, wasn't it?"

The pitch-black Storyteller raises an eyebrow. "Wha-? Oh no, I totally meant all that." Says the rest with a seductive expression, but kind of amused.

"Eh?" Is the only thing Fouquet can respond with in her confusion.

"Eh?" Is the only thing the rest can respond with in their confusion as well while looking at him.

"I know you are a thief who made the mistake to take something incredibly valuable from the wrong place and all-" Aristidis begins as he looks at her kindly. "But that doesn't change the fact that you are a beautiful and special woman, who was simply trying to do her part in order to gain something that you have a need for."

He takes a step forward, causing the green-haired woman to take a step back troubled at his kind attitude, as she tries to understand his unknown motives. She sees him as a very complicated being, so it can't be as simple as him believing she is not as bad as she has shown to be so far, right?

Aristidis extends his hands, and the now open Tome he still holds with his one, to the sides and slightly upward, as Jiminy at the same time moves fast and jumps magically through the pages, with his whole being starting to sparkle impressively just as soon, with his luxurious stary cape waving itself neatly thanks to the nonexistent wind. "Do not be afraid of me, and worry not of me judging you badly or just sending you behind the prison's bars for your misdeed. Be it for simply gold, power, some kind of very specific need, or a more personal reason, know that I will be more than happy and willing to listen, and offer my help in the matter."

At the sound of the more personal reason part, Fouquet's eyes widen as she remembers about something, or more specifically someONE. That makes her to narrow her eyes at the Storyteller extremely warily.

She knows Nobles like him. Honeyed words that eventually lead to backstabbing, just before they take everything of value away.

And she will be damned if she lets the last valuable thing in her life to be taken away in such a manner!

Fouquet goes for the wand she carries to her side, which causes the girls to prepare theirs. "If you expect me to just open my mouth like that, you-"

Before she finishes that line, a large star-studded hammer strikes her from behind the head with such power that forces her fast and strongly onto the ground face first, startling the girls.

When the hammer is moved off her, Fouquet is seen unconscious, in a cartoonistic kind of way.

The wielder of the large hammer behind her appears to be a portly bird-like creature, almost two heads shorter than Aristidis, blue-skinned and has a yellow short but wide beak, dark-blue eyes, wears on his head a round red cap, which has a golden rim and a white ball at the top, flipper-like hands that are covered by yellow mittens, with his round feet being covered similarly, dressed in royal, red finery, with a sand-yellow garment below it shown from the front, with also a red and yellow zigzag-patterned obi stretched across his waist. [King Dedede from Kirby Franchise, assisting with a smile.]

The girls look not only at the hammer wielding creature, but at the scene in general with utter confusion.

Aristidis stops sparkling and folds his arms before sighing disappointed. "Well, that's a shame."

He looks at the portly bird-like being. "Thank you for the help, King Dedede."

"Wackin' them fools is always a joy." King Dedede says with a smile before laughing.

Louise finally snaps out of her confusion, with the other two, and looks at the pitch-black Storyteller in disbelief. "What was that?! Did you seriously try to make a deal with the very person who stole from the academy instead of apprehending her from the beginning, just because you found her beautiful?!"

"That is part of the reason, yes." He says before turning to her, while in the background King Dedede is seen placing the unconscious thief upon his shoulder before moving her off screen supposedly where the open carriage. "But mostly because I was interested in her story. As a Storyteller it is understandable for me to want to learn about an interesting character's past, so I can have a better understanding of them. And you should know by now that using violence as a first choice is not how I work." He finishes with a wag of his finger.

Aristidis then turns his head to look at the unconscious Fouquet upon King Dedede's shoulder as he moves her away at the distance, with the carriage the party came with approaches him, driven by an Oblivion Guard who stops it next to him, before the royal portly bird-like starts berating him angrily just as soon, probably due to the fact he went to the trouble to carry her all the way there, when he could just wait for the carriage all along if he knew about it, with the guard shrugging confused at him.

"Too bad she decided to act in an illogical manner." The mouthless Storyteller continues while still somewhat disappointed at the woman's decision. "Seeing the good in people who you think most likely capable of it, is especially important if it is within your power to help them out of their illicit way of life, which only Brimir knows how it was forced upon them."

He turns to her with a neutral expression, as she looks at him somewhat shocked at his words. "Can you blame me for trying as much?"

Louise lowers a bit her head for a moment, contemplating about what he told her. She always had in her mind of people like Fouquet as simply criminals who deserve the punishment they are owed for their actions.

It never occurred to her that some of them did not just choose to become as much because they wanted to.

Now she feels kind of bad for thinking like that.

Louise raises her head to look at Aristidis. "I am sorry, Aristidis, you're right. I shouldn't judge you when you were only trying to do the right thing." Says the last part while looking downward to the side, still feeling bad for her behavior.

The pitch-black Storyteller puts a hand on her shoulder while looking at her kindly. "It is alright. Just remember to keep an open mind about the different possible situations, and you are bound to almost never again be wrong."

She looks at him with a grateful smile, happy that not only he is not disappointed in her, but for also keeping on being the kind and wise teacher she always needed.

Aristidis then suddenly turns around with both hands behind his back as he takes three steps forward, confusing the girls. "Still too bad I couldn't convince her. She could be quite the addition to the harem as well. Truly a pity."

Louise's eye twitches in irritation, being in disbelief at his constant want to pretty much have every female he comes across as his, no matter the situation. Like his overly arrogant attitude is not enough to deal with already.

As Tabitha sweat drops at him for the same reason, Kirche takes a step forward, being confused for some reason.

"Not wanting to be rude, but I really can't understand your tastes this time, darling Aristidis." The redhead begins. "What did you see in that old lady?"

In the meantime, the open carriage comes and stops next to them, with King Dedede sitting at the back with the unconscious Fouquet beside him tied up with a rope.

The mouthless Storyteller raises an eyebrow at her. "Alright, you keep calling her old, when the age difference between you is like what, five years at least? Why is that?"

"I mean-" She begins with a sweat drop. "She has pretty much reached half the years an average person can live. People can mostly live up to fifty, with only a few being lucky enough to reach far above that, like Old Osmond as an example. So, having her as part of the harem when the problems of the old can appear at any moment seems a bit...

"Aah, I see." Aristidis understand before beginning to rub his chin with a hand while recalling. "The very well known life expectancy of the Dark Ages due to the minimal health they came with. Now I understand."

As the girls, minus Tabitha, look at each other confused as to what those Dark Ages he speaks about are exactly, the Storyteller walks up to the open carriage, with the the rest following soon after, before taking their seats.

"Nevertheless, that is of no concern at all." Aristidis says unconcerned, and then his expression turns to that of mild enthusiasm as he raises a fist in determination. "Because with me now here, and with the help of one or two stories of course, health will eventually reach such a level, that all the people of your world will be able to live for up to one hundred years. Wait, what am I say- Beyond even that!"

The girls look at him with utter shock when they hear that. Even THAT is possible for him?!

The pitch-black Storyteller's expression then turns neutral. "You know, once I have the appropriate magical amount back, along with the world's rulers acceptance on that plan of mine."

He then leans a bit toward Kirche as he looks at her glee. "So you better be ready to refer to even a woman around her forty, in the same fashion you would refer to a girl of YOUR age when that time comes."

The redhead remains shocked upon her seat, still trying to process the crazy information, as Louise, and somewhat Tabitha, smiles awkwardly at her friend's understandable disbelief.

"Anyway-" Aristidis begins with a neutral expression now. "Time to go back. We have a thief to offer at the guards back in the academy, unfortunately, and answers to receive from the principal about the stuff's origin. I think I speak for all of us when I say we are especially curious since Kremant was the obvious creator of the object."

Everyone nods, with the guard starting the carriage, taking them on the way back to the academy of magic.

"Well then-" The pitch-black Storyteller says and then suddenly moves fast right beside Tabitha with his Tome open and at the ready, drawing attention to him. "I hope you especially are in the mood for one of my stories, and let me tell you, for one story focusing around pirates, it is quite the piece."

He then puts an arm upon the blue-haired girl's shoulders, and pulls her closer as he looks at her seductively. "And yes, we will have to get close again you and I."

Tabitha blushes softly as she looks away from him for a moment, obviously feeling a bit awkward at the implication.

"Don't mind if I do." Kirche says as she gets close herself from the other side while putting her arms around Aristidis's own with a smile and a blush of her own, which makes both him and her close friend to look at her. "What? I want to listen to your interesting story as well, honest."

At that the mouthless Storyteller simply rolls his eyes slightly amused, and then focuses at the page, while Louise sweat drops at the whole scene before sighing.

The peace and quiet goes on for the moment.

"So..." The pink-haired Noble trails off, catching everyone's curious attention, and then turns with curiosity at the royal portly bird-like being. "Are you really a king?"

King Dedede looks at her both surprised and a bit upset. "Now what kind of question is that to be asking ME of all people?!"

Aristidis and Kirche laugh amused at that exchange, as Louise troubled raises her hands defensively toward the offended bird-like royal.

~Some Time Later~

After the group reached the academy, and handing over to the guards the thief Fouquet, Aristidis, Louise, Tabitha and Kirche went together to the principal's office along with professor Colbert, who was still in quite the disbelief after learning that Miss Longueville was the notorious thief all along, to meet with Osmond who was expecting them.

The principal seated behind his desk, with the professor standing beside him, and looks at the three students and the Familiar before him. "Fouquet is already on the way to be handed over to the soldiers at the palace by our guards, so that's over with."

"To think Miss Longueville was Fouquet all this time..." Colbert trails off, still having a hard time believing the fact.

Old Osmond looks at him. "We have all been fooled by her ploy. Don't get yourself so worked up, Mr. Colbert. We just need to be more cautious in the future."

He turns to the rest. "Now, what about the staff-"

"I believe you mean stuff with a U, sir." Aristidis corrects/interrupts him, before folding his arms. "Which had the characteristics of the one I am associated with, as a matter of fact."

The principal just looks at him for a moment longer, with the professor being greatly surprised at the revelation. "So all this time, that mysterious figure was THE mentor you told us about."

That catches everyone's attention, especially Colbert's, due to the fact Old Osmond made clear before that he has no knowledge in the matter concerning the pitch-black Familiar.

The old man looks at the bald professor. "l must apologize to you, Mr. Colbert. I was not completely honest with you back then."

He turns to the now gleeful-looking Aristidis, as Colbert is left shocked at learning that. "I suppose you need some answers for this, so allow me to explain."

{Flashback}

The scene shows a younger version of Osmond in the past in the woods fighting a vicious-looking dragon/wyvern, with things not looking very good for him after the staff got knocked off his hands.

"Almost thirty years ago-" The voice of the Old Osmond outside of the flashback begins as he narrates his story. "I was attacked by a ferocious beast that was close to killing me."

The beast is seen about to finish him off, when suddenly a red beam of light passes through it, before the beast itself disintegrates into ash that falls like snow upon the shocked younger version, before noticing at the distance a very specific black cloaked man with a hood shaped like an M, who was holding and aiming with his hand a peculiar round object of power.

"But at the very last moment my life was saved by your mentor, who destroyed the beast as if it was nothing, using the object known today as Stuff Of Destruction." Old Osmond explains as the scene shows Kremant offering the younger Osmond a hand with his signature sharp grin. "The man was quite the jovial individual, but I couldn't help but feel uneasy at his whole appearance, not mentioning the power he demonstrated not long ago. At first I thought he was from some heretical cult, due to the whole full black cloak and all, but what got me the most was my inability to see his face right in front of me in the opening through his hood, and in broad daylight no less. Only his fully red eyes and completely white sharp teeth. It was as if the darkness itself was covering it like a thick veil."

The scene moves to show Kremant seated beside the confused young Osmond as he offers the known object. "The man didn't talk much, giving no actual information about himself, and eventually offered me the object he used to defeat the beast. He told me in a prophetic manner that someone will appear years later with the rune you call Alpha, which he showed me on a piece of paper, to receive the object, and that till then I had to do keep it safe."

The scene now shows the cloaked man also giving a piece of paper to him while winking and having his index finger in front of his grin. "He also made me promise to never tell anyone about how I acquired it, and also not to be specific about the object's looks and name to anyone, while giving me what he described as puny note, as a way to joke with the one that is to receive it."

{End Of Flashback}

Aristidis chuckles amused a bit at the joke part, with the rest sweat dropping at the bad taste of it.

Old Osmond continues. "As you can understand, I was quite sceptical about it at the moment, due to his unknown nature and vague words. But he did save my life from an assured death, and it would have been most shameful of me to refuse him after that, so I did as he asked and kept it safe till this day."

Colbert wipe with a handkerchief some of the sweat off his head. "To think the Stuff Of Destruction had such a history..."

He then stops as he realizes something, and turns with a raised eyebrow at the principal. "But wait, what would be the point of something like that to Aristidis who can summon, well, everything?"

Old Osmond looks upward as he thinks about it. "This is actually a good question. It doesn't really make sense now that I think about it."

Aristidis shrugs somewhat amused. "Who knows? Maybe he did it for that one joke only. He IS quite the joker, so it wouldn't surprise me."

The two men sweat drop, having in mind how incredibly excessive of him to do that is, with the girls looking at each other in clear understanding of the Storyteller's cover-up.

Old Osmond clears his throat and looks at the four. "Anyway, let's get back on topic. For stopping the Fouquet and securing the object, you four will be the main event at tonight's Ball."

At the sound of that, both Kirche and Aristidis react proudly, with the former replying with a "Naturally.", and with the latter replying with a "Like we deserve." at the same time.

The principal continues. "On top of that, the royal palace is sure to give high recognition for your great success, so you can expect to receive a reward of some kind from the royal family at some point."

"Oh-ho-HO!" The pitch-black Storyteller exclaims with delight and a clap of his hands, with Louise and Kirche mostly sharing some of his delight with a surprised smile. "I look forward to that moment." He says, before lifting a finger and slightly raises his head with closed eyes. "But for now, to the Ball we go."

The scene then moves and changes straight to Aristidis, Louise, Kirche and Tabitha, who are now seen at the top of a large staircase, with them being in the same straight line while the former appears to have the same demeanor like when he was at the principal's office, as if they just moved from that scene, before the hypothetical camera zooms out as the Storyteller relaxes himself, while also showing the appropriate dresses the other three girls wore for the occasion. A proper white/pink for Louise, a semi-provocative purple/violet for Kirche, and a simple soft green for Tabitha. Aristidis simply wears his pitch-black luxurious stary cape as always.

The announcer begins. "Entering the Ball are Louise Francoise Le Blanc De La Valliere. Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst. Tabitha [Due to the show never specifying if she had any extra names along with her fake name, I will have you pretend as if she was just called out as such like the rest, I might be mistaken about the info though.], and Aristidis Aristadis O Ellin Tis Ellas!"

Everyone present in the Ball watches amazed as the four proudly make their way for the bottom.

The Ball has everything. A few tables with food, well-dressed people with instruments playing for now a calm and beautiful music for the also appropriately dressed Noble students and personnel, and the big room they are all in being neatly lit up by the rich chandeliers of its ceiling.

When the quartet fully descents from the stairs, some of the people ask them all for a dance as they walk through, with them politely refusing them, before they reach the center of the room.

Aristidis exclaims softly in satisfaction. "To be recognized is simply one of the best feelings in life, won't you agree?"

"Yes." Louise agrees with a nod and a smile.

"Definitely, my darling." Kirche agrees with a small tilt of her head while bringing her hands together and with a smile of her own, with Tabitha deciding not to respond in any way.

That moment, the place around somewhat dims, followed by the change of music that signals the students to take their partner, those having one already, and dance in its calm and beautiful rhythm together.

The pitch-black Storyteller turns to the three girls accompany him and leans forward as he extends a hand, his expression seductive. "Now to which one of you fair ladies will I offer a dance?"

The redhead steps forward with a seductive smile, as the pink-haired girl blushing at his gaze. "It would be my pleasu-"

"Trap question, obviously talking about Louise here." Aristidis cuts her off fast, and then takes Louise hands, much to her surprise.

He then pulls along with him. "Come on, don't be shy on me now."

Kirche can just watch hopelessly as she tries to reach a hand at the out of reach Storyteller as they move away, only to lower it along with her head, sad at the dance rejection, with the stoic Tabitha patting her at back to comfort her.

The scene moves to Aristidis and Louise, the former holding her hand with his own to the side forward and his other placed at her lower back, and the latter keeping her free hand upon his chest as they perform the proper steps of the slow dance together in silence.

The pink-haired girl decides to break the silence first. "To think that a fragment of your power was so close all this time..."

"Quite surprising indeed." He responds simply.

"What is also a surprise is how principal Osmond knew your mentor from so long ago." Louise says with some surprise.

"Makes you wonder how many more from your world know him, and if he has hidden the rest of the fragments in a similar manner." Aristidis speculates.

"Yes." She simply responds.

While they were talking about all that, his seductive eyes were never moving away from her own eyes, which causes her to feel quite uncomfortable. Goodness, the camera moved away from him for just a second and his eyes are already sparkling in a way too beautiful manner!

"C-Can you please stop looking at me intensely like that?" She asks him awkwardly as she avert her eyes from his at times while blushing about.

"Can you stop being such a charming princess." Aristidis rhetorically asks her while keeping on with the seductive gaze.

Louise just looks at him for a moment, blushing and irritated at his cunning compliment. "You, Aristidis, have to be the most inappropriate, extravagant, and insufferable person I could get to know."

He turns his head upward to the side proudly. "A good thing that I have so many great qualities to overshadow them by a lot, no?"

"Not mentioning arrogant beyond comprehension." She adds in further annoyance.

Aristidis looks at her with a mischievously gleeful expression. "And yet I am the best thing to happen in your life, and like me nevertheless."

Louise with a serious expression moves her head upward to the side while closing her eyes. "I will admit the first of the two."

After saying that, she smiles and then turns her head to face him again. "I will always be grateful for everything you have given me."

The mouthless Storyteller just looks at her for a moment, and his expression turns happy. "And I will always be there by your side when any need calls, so I can always keep this beautiful smile of yours as bright as the stars above."

His words moves Louise emotionally as they continue dancing together, causing a soft blush on her cheeks.

And then when she thinks of him romantically for a moment, she realizes herself and shakes her head fast to snap out of it.

Aristidis suddenly appears annoyed as he stops their movement, unhands her, much to her confusion, and puts the hands on his hips as he looks at the instrument players. "You know, after the great help we have given them, you would expect a more lively music to play here for us- What a bunch of inappropriately lazy bums the organizers can be."

Louise looks fast around, troubled about anyone hearing that comment, before looking at him again. "D-Don't just insult the academy's efforts-"

"I will show them how a modern society enjoys a good time in my Tome." He cuts her off while keeping on focusing at them, as he raises a hand and snaps his fingers.

After doing that, the room turns completely dark, causing both everyone's surprised exclamations and the music's abrupt stop.

Then a beam of light from the ceiling lights close to the place the instrument players were, where everyone see a smiling man with green face, who is wearing yellow trousers, matching open jacket with white shirt, black/white tie, and yellow hat with a feather stuck to its side, standing on top of a somewhat raised platform and behind a microphone, which is supported by a silver pole there. [The Mask-Influenced Stanley Ipkiss from The Mask, here to show a proper party!]

The rooms light then comes back to its previous state, showing everything else as normal, with the exception of the instrument players who now have a different type of attire of more modern black clothing with fedora-like hats, different instruments, and microphones in poles of their own before them.

Needless to say, everyone else was very confused with both the man and the sudden change in general.

Aristidis with gleeful enthusiasm turns to the green-faced man at the distance. "Ready to rock this Ball, friend?"

"Just try and stop me, baby!" The masked Stanley responds with just as much excitement, before turning to the instrument players. "Hit it, boys!"

At the sound of that, the instrument players begin playing the unique music and song they magically/conveniently learned.

[The song is called Hey Pachuco from the band Royal Crown Revue.]

With Aristidis already starting to get into rhythm, and everyone else making space for them while watching curiously, Louise looks around back and forth troubled at not knowing the dance he is definitely going to subject her into, before he takes her hand with his own, drawing her attention at him.

"Trust me." He tells her, and then his expression turns gleeful. "And enjoy."

Immediately after, and at the moment the good part of the song officially starts, the pitch-black Storyteller pulls her close with a sudden move, and with a spin brings her at the opposite side while holding her hand to prevent her from falling back, startling her.

Skipping a few details, mostly for the writer to save time, the choreography is filled with dynamic/intense moves, spinning her in place, spinning her around him, and throwing while spinning her into the air. All that with her always ending up on her ground or in his hands gracefully and appropriately.

At the beginning she was screaming at the more dangerous moves, especially at her being thrown around like a doll, but seeing how much amazing control he was showing to have, eventually her fear turned into exciting entertainment.

Everyone was amazed by the skill and grace that is being shown to them through the entirely new, and understandably impossible, to them choreography.

With a final spin, and stopping before Kirche and Tabitha, Aristidis brings her in a position where her back was facing the floor below, holding her stationary there as he leans above her, with an arm placed at her back and shoulder as he looks at her seductively, while she gasps from the surreal experience, as everyone applauds them greatly while the song ends.

"Just so you know, I would have totally kissed you here if I had a mouth." The pitch-black Storyteller tells her with a wink.

That makes the pink-haired Noble to blush, before her expression turns somewhat upset. "H-How indecent!"

Aristidis straightens her up normally, unhands her, and puts both the hands on his cheeks delighted as he himself keeps on leaning before her. "Truthfully now, you are just so CUTE when serious."

Louise growls in response to that, obviously annoyed that her Noble of a Familiar is not taking her seriously.

The Storyteller straightens himself up. "Alright, now that the first dance is done with, it is now your turn."

...

"Tabitha." He speaks her name while quickly putting an arm around her shoulders and yanking her toward him off screen before she can even react, and yelping in surprise when that happens, with Kirche being in disbelief at choosing someone other than her again as she watches them go, with the song starting once more.

"Oh come on now!" The redhead can only yell in frustration, before lowering her head again defeated.

Louise simply watches as the two perform, or rather Aristidis forces the blue-haired girl to perform, the crazy moves she already went through for a moment, and then smiles somewhat amused. (Despite the madness that he is at times, he sure knows what to do to make me smile.)

This Ball is something everyone is going to definitely remember for a long time.

~Not Long After At The Royal Palace~

Within the Royal Palace, princess Henrietta can be seen in one of her rooms just sitting on an armchair as she sighs exhausted. "Thank the Founder the situation with the Nobles has been taken care off without much issue. As if the bureaucracy upon my desk every day is not enough as it is to deal with."

Agnes can be noticed standing beside her at the moment with a sweat drop on her head, feeling a bit bad for her Majesty's everyday tiresome troubles.

The purple-haired royal then forgets some of her tiredness as she smiles for a specific reason. "Thankfully the good news I expected about the dangerous object stolen from the academy's treasure vault arrived, and Louise with her Familiar, with help from two more as I heard, were able to apprehend the thief and secure the said object without issues."

The serious-looking Captain of the Musketeers nods. "Yes. At least he was able to atone for the last day's mistake."

Henrietta sweat drops. "You don't need to be so hard on him for that, Agnes."

She relaxes as she keeps on smiling normally. "In any case, I plan on sending people for tomorrow to call my friend Louise and Aristidis here in the palace. I will bestow upon them the title of Chevalier for their great efforts, and also give them a mission I have in mind to take care of since they are so capable."

The blonde woman nods respectfully. "If that is what you wish."

"So-" The princess begins as she changes subject. "What of the Cocoa Seeds transportation?"

Agnes is somewhat unsure as she appears to be thinking about for a moment. "There was actually no report from them yet now that I think about it."

A knocking upon the door suddenly draws their attention.

"Your Majesty, I'm one of the five musketeers that were escorting the wagons from the academy of magic to Tristania." The female voice behind the door says. "May I come in?"

"Ah, just as we were talking about it." The princess tells her Musketeer Captain pleased, before looking again at the door. "You may enter."

At that, the door opens as the musketeer approaches and salutes her Highness, while also appearing somewhat nervous.

"At ease, soldier." Agnes commands her, with her dropping the salute in response, and takes a step forward with a serious expression, but with some worry. "It has come to my attention there was no report of your arrival with the escorted wagons till now from the moment you left the academy last night. Did something happen to you on the way?"

"Yes, Captain." The musketeer tells her as she is about to report. "A few hours after our departure, we were ambushed."

That causes the surprise of the two who listen to her.

{Flashback}

The scene shows the two covered wagons, with the fifteen spear-wielding Bulletproof Samurai walking on the front and the other fifteen at the back of the two normally, with the Agronomist and the hooded figure with the cigarette seated at the said wagons, and the five female musketeers walking behind the frontal soldiers, as they are all on the road that leads to their eventual destination through the woods in the dark of the night, only a few torches being lit and carried to light their surroundings.

The musketeer in charge, who is also the one currently explaining what happened outside of the flashback, tries as much as possible to looks around carefully for the way and any possible danger, but the torches they carry can provide only that much visibility.

Suddenly the one Bulletproof Samurai in charge of the rest pulls a hand up, causing the wagons and his soldiers to cease movement, which leaves the musketeers wondering.

The musketeer in charge approaches the man. "Why did we stop?"

He points forward, as the twelve of the fifteen Bulletproof Samurai of the back move to the sides of the frontal wagon. "People of unknown affiliation behind the trees at the distance on both sides of our path."

Her eyes widen as she realizes what that means, and turns her musketeers. "An ambush! Ready muskets!"

At the sound of that, the five musketeers position themselves behind the frontal wagon for better cover as they prepare their muskets, with the twenty-seven Bulletproof Samurai staying in front of it and getting a bit closer to one another as a way to increase the line's bulk, with the one in charge of them remaining in front of them, the Agronomist with the white lab coat going behind in cover along with the others to keep himself away from harms way, and the cloaked woman remaining on her seat at the said wagon unconcerned as she sits in relaxed manner while blowing out some of the cigarette's smoke.

The people behind the trees seeing how they have been discovered, decide to come out of their cover and approach, showing them to be at least twenty of them, smiling and chuckling cockily.

They eventually stop a few meters of the Bulletproof Samurai unit, with both groups now able to see properly one another, showing not only that the people in the woods were indeed bandits, due to their demeanor and choice of style, but that they are all equipped with flintlock pistols, with daggers and swords sheathed.

That causes the frustration of the musketeers, understanding the disadvantage that puts them despite the extra numbers of the wagon party.

The Bulletproof Samurai in charge steps forward, the protective mask hiding his face like on every Samurai. "We just want to pass through. If you cause us no trouble, we will cause no trouble ourselves."

Upon hearing that, the bandits start to snicker amused, with the one looking like their leader pulling out his flintlock. "Can you believe that guy?"

He points it at him while smiling really cockily. "I have twenty such things here, so unless you can stop a bullet-"

The bandit leader stops himself and shoots a bullet at that moment, hitting the Bulletproof Samurai at the chest armor, which has no actual effect as the bullet is simply shown stuck against it.

Both the bandits and the musketeers look with utter shock at the fact an armor just stopped a bullet as if it was nothing.

The bandit leader snaps out of his shock and turns to his men alarmed. "Shoot them!"

At that order, the rest of the nineteen bandits point their flintlocks at the soldiers in front of the wagons and shoot one bullet each against them, causing the said soldiers to cove with an arm their eyes as the small projectiles hit them, as burned gunpowder smoke fills partially the area.

Once every shot has been unloaded, the bandit leader takes a careful look through the dissipating smoke, only to witness in his great disbelief that the twenty-eight Bulletproof Samurai at the front are all still standing.

"Seriously?" A voices questions from behind the soldiers, before the attention is drawn at the woman with the brown cloak upon the wagon frontal seat. "Your guns could not even f*cking go through that overly outdated armor of theirs? Damn..."

She gets up, and pulls the hood down, revealing her burgundy-colored hair that has long sidelocks from the sides forward, and the rest tied to a long ponytail behind, with also a tattoo now being obvious at the right side of the neck. [Revy from Black Lagoon, the secret bodyguard of the wagon party!]

"That's so sad I almost feel bad for killing your a*s." She says as she aims one gun at the bandit leader, before shooting him immediately through the head, with him dropping dead there beside his shocked men.

Revy smiles cockily at the rest. "Almost."

After that, she pulls quickly her second pistol out, and more gunshots happen, with the scene turning black with a gunshot's last flash.

{End Of Flashback}

Back at that room, Henrietta and Agnes are shocked at what they just heard.

"Her pistols could shoot more than once without reloading and in quick succession you said?" The Musketeer Captain asks her in great disbelief.

"We wouldn't believe it if we did not see it with our own eyes." The female musketeer tells her as she tries to come in terms with it herself. "She killed everyone but one of them."

"What happened to the last one?" Agnes asks, a bit calmer now.

The musketeer begins while feeling a bit uncomfortable about it. "She tied him to a tree with the intention of interrogating him, but before the interrogation even begins, she shoots without hesitation one of his... You know." Says the last bits as she looks down between her legs to indicate a very known area.

Mostly the princess somewhat grimaces at the painful image in her mind.

The musketeer continues. "After doing that, she told him that either he tells her where their den is, or she would shoots his other one. The man told her everything, and once done, she shot him dead between the eyes."

"So merciless..." Henrietta trails off, having a hard time believing that someone can be so cruel.

"When learning how close their den was-' The woman keeps on going. "She ordered everyone to change route for that place, but before we the musketeers could complain, she untied one of the horses and left with it in a matter of seconds, heading for the bandit's den. The soldiers went along with her plan and followed the new route, with us having no other choice in the matter since we had to escort the wagons to the end, with many of them having to push and pull the frontal wagon on their own, due to its only horse being taken by the crazy woman. Eventually we reached the den of the bandits, and saw the woman right outside of it, with the horse beside her, holding with a hand a full sack behind her back. She had killed every single one of them on her own, and looted the place of all valuables as if it was no big deal. Needless to say, it was quite the shock for the five of us."

The princess and the Musketeer Captain just look at her for a moment as they process the information.

The musketeer decides to continue with the last part, her expression somewhat annoyed now. "With that over, we used the den to let the soldiers rest for some hours, which was mostly an excuse for her to drink much of the alcohol that was laying around, and then went back on route, reached Tristania, and found the appropriate area to plant the Cocoa Seeds, which took even more hours due to the man in white not being satisfied with the clim-ate or whatever he was calling the areas he didn't like."

Henrietta smiles awkwardly as she brings both hands. "That is good news. Thank you for your hard work."

Agnes nods satisfied with the musketeer's report. "You and the other four earned a well-deserved rest for the entire day tomorrow. You may spend it as you see fit."

The musketeer salutes. "Thank you, Captain. Your Majesty."

With that, she exits from the room while closing the door behind her.

The Captain of the Musketeers looks at the princess concerned. "Your Majesty, that Aristidis Familiar can summon at will people of great power which far exceeds that of a simple soldier's, inanimate objects that can act like a normal person would, and among many other things weapons that far surpasses our own in both effectiveness and power by a lot. With all that in mind I must ask, are you ABSOLUTELY SURE, that we should not worry about him eventually using them against us in the future?"

From one point, Henrietta can understand her Captain's and friend's concern about the existence of a person of such power, but at the same time finds her reaction a bit amusing.

She smiles at her. "We do not have to worry about a single thing. He is a gentleman, has given us a new product to help eventually grow our economy and enjoy everything that can be made through it, and let us not forget about the bandit den we didn't even know that existed in the woods. Also... If Louise trusts him to be around her, then I have no reason not to as well."

{To Be Continued}

[So many favorites in so little time from the moment this story began. It will be a lie if I say I am not surprised by the fact. And knowing the mostly planned episodes ahead till the very last season, it makes one wonder how much more attention the story will eventually draw. In any case, I hope you keep on enjoying what you read, and don't forget to Sub- I mean Follow, Favor, and Comment for it. See you next time! As always pretty much.]