"Of course you should sign it, your Majesty!" Aristidis somewhat yells while holding with a hand the phone on his ear, as the scene shows him from really close up, resulting in it not showing exactly where he is.
He then raises an eyebrow a bit confused. "Why are you even troubling yourself with asking me something like that? You do realize Reconquista is actively trying to harm your kingdom, no? I honestly expected you to have that war declaration from your side official from quite some time now."
(=W-Well, it's just...=) Henrietta through the phone tries to explain herself, but feels too troubled to do so.
The pitch-black Storyteller's face turns bored. "Look, I know you hate the very idea, that is respectable and all, but any good ruler who wants peace, must always be ready for war, as bad as that may sound. Your enemies will not just stop trying on their own. So, you HAVE to force them into seeing the error of their ways. Those ones started this whole mess, thus, they are on the wrong, after all."
The Queen sighs defeated through the phone. (=You are right as alway, Aristidis. I... Suppose I should begin taking this more seriously from here on.=)
"As you should." Aristidis tells her, before the scene finally zooms out to show him capeless and within his personal, active spa, with Louise, Siesta, Charlotte and Kirche naked, and together inside the bubbling water next to him, as his expression then turns joyous. "Anyway, always a pleasure talking with you, but I must close now to attend my very serious meeting of the moment. Until next time, your Majesty!"
He ends the call after that, and lifts his phone for the maid Cinderella to take as she walks past them and toward the table nearby.
The Storyteller seductively looks at the girls as he extends his arms over all four of them, with all but the pink-haired girl accepting it with a smile. "Where were we, my ladies?"
"Were you not a bit harsh with her Highness in this?" Louise asks him, believing that he treated her rather unfairly. "She is just trying to see what's best for her people."
Aristidis turns his head to her with a neutral expression. "Everybody needs some tough love from time to time, my dear. You cannot allow after all one you care about to make the wrong or idiotic decision in whatever. Especially if it is of great importance, which you have much of knowledge about." Says the last part while pointing a finger at her, but without taking the arm or hand he uses off her and Siesta's shoulders.
The pink-haired girl looks down while contemplating and understanding his thinking. "I suppose you have a point."
"Enough with this now." The redhead begins impatiently as she draws attention on her, and then moves off his hold, sits onto his thighs while pressing her big chest and body onto his, and looks at him seductively. "Darling, my great, pitch-black love, relaxing here in this spa with you is fun and all, but how about instead of simply sitting/relaxing about, we... Play with the water for a little while? Would be a nice change of pace, won't you agree?"
As Siesta utters out of some astonishment while blushing softly from the idea, which she doesn't show how much she actually likes, and Charlotte sweat drops for the hedonistic adventure she will most likely be pulled in again because of her friend, which she will not say no to as she blushes too, Louise exclaims while flustered from the very thought.
The latter, showing now her upset face, turns to her redhead friend. "Kirche, are you utterly mad?! Other than the fact this was not made for such cause, do you even have in your mind of the part where we are literally outside?!" Says while opening both hands upward and to the side, indicating the outside, and the fact only a wooden wall surrounds their spa.
It doesn't take a genius to understand that anyone will be able to hear them playing.
The mouthless Storyteller unhands the girls, with the redhead backing off him for the moment, and turns to Louise while lifting a finger. "We can always use the Sound Barrier spell."
After saying that, he snaps his fingers from the raised hand, with the spell activating around them as soon, while mostly the pink-haired girl looks all around them with a sweat drop, and with Cinderella at the moment getting off her seat and making her way toward the exit, understanding very well where this is going.
"Forgot we can simply do that, didn't you?" Aristidis asks her with a raised eyebrow, before seductively eyeing the four girls. "Now, who is ready to turn this spa into a-"
"Shut up!" Louise interrupts him, drawing attention on her, and looking quite annoyed. "Just, shut up, you lewd-teller. Ok? We get the message, just come here." Says at the end with a blush, before grabbing him with both hands by the back of the neck and head to pull him suddenly close, almost making him lose his balance there, and kiss him passionately at his mouthless part, showing that despite her lack of taste in his lewdness, she still won't go against what she knows he wants, especially because she wants as much, even if she outright denies the fact at times.
Kirche doesn't quite like that. "HEY, not fair, Louise, I was first in this!"
After saying that, she proceeds to join in, before the scene moves outside as the other two were happily about to join them as well, just at the moment where the orange-haired maid opens and closes one of the two doors of the Spa Zone, with Korg the Kronan, the very tall stone humanoid from Marvel who was placed outside of the place's gate as guard, looking at her curiously, as the maid signs him what takes place within, much to the stone man's wide eyed, semi-dumbfoundedness of the fact.
Some times passes after that, a week or two, and news of the very first attack against the Reconquista's Albion by Tristain, and their now official allies of Germania, who agreed to help them during that time, despite the previous marriage fiasco, was all around the kingdom, with everyone hearing of the allies' combined efforts in successfully and soundly defeating the enemy force that was defending the border, before entering officially the Albionian territory.
Needless to say, the news were faced by the Tristain population with mixed feelings, since not everyone was liking the very idea of war, nor that their Queen decided to push the army into the offensive, since they had her as a figure of peace.
Anyway, back on topic, as we move the scene to where everyone, you the watchers, expects it to be.
It was midday at the highly important Academy of Magic of Tristain, and both students and trainers were taking a long break from their activities, except most of the Musketeers who need to patrol the place and keep an eye out for any signs of possible danger.
The scene moves just outside of the Japanese-inspired cottage Siesta stays in, where Louise, with the pink cute ball that is Kirby in her arms, Charlotte and Kirche are seen seated at a table by the side, as the maid brings them on a tray what appears to be glasses of chocolate milk for them and herself, along with a big plate of salty biscuits and more such treats, which includes a few pieces of cheese for Jerry the brown mouse who awaits at the middle of the said table.
"Here we go, friends. Let's enjoy." Siesta tells them happily as she places the glasses and bowl at the table, before taking her own seat next to them, with everyone else that are currently present, uttering pleased for everything they have been brought.
"Looks as great as ever. It sure is nice you learned how to make that one-of-a-kind drink for us, Siesta." Louise tells her with a smile.
Kirche nods, while Charlotte is seen already taking a sip from her own glass. "Truly."
The black-haired maid smiles herself. "Anything I can do for both dear Aristidis, and my dear friends."
While sharing that moment of friendship, they all notice Agnes, the Captain of the Musketeers, and Julio, the priest from Romalia approaching them, with the former being rather serious about.
"Where is the Storyteller?" She asks the four girls after stopping before them.
The pink-haired girl, and the other three obviously, wonders why the sudden need for him. "Hm? What do you need him for?"
The Musketeer Captain doesn't appear to be in the mood to explain details. "I need to talk to him about something of importance. Can you tell me where to find him?"
Louise puts a finger on her own chin as she proceeds to think about it for a moment, but ends up unsure. "Well, Aristidis said he wanted something he called me time before leaving us, so we are not quite sure where in the academy he might be, to be honest."
"Wait!" The redhead begins as she draws attention on her, remembering an important detail. "Did he not say that he will go say hi to your sisters while at it?"
The blue-haired girl nods in agreement with her close friend as she turns to Louise. "He did."
"Ah, right!" The pink-haired girl says with a smile upon remembering the part as well, and turns to the Captain of the Musketeers. "And maybe he happened to tell them where he plans to go for whatever that personal time of his is all about."
Julio smiles. "Let us go ask them then."
With that, they all move straight to the room where Louise's two big sisters are currently relaxing for the time being, with Kirby and Jerry no longer with the group, with the scene showing the two seated at a table and enjoying their typical cup of tea, with two half-eaten chocolate bars present next to their said cups as well.
"Aristidis?" Eleonore questions before proceeding to explain. "He said he will be staying in your room for a little while. Did not really explain whether it is so he can relax alone or for another reason, though."
Cattleya smiles in a somewhat mischievous manner at her. "Maybe he does as he said he would not long ago, and searches for that special somebody~."
The blonde sister flustered snaps her head to her sister. "C-Cattleya!"
"Eh? What are you talking about, big sister?" Louise asks Cattleya, confused as to what is she talking about, with the rest sharing the feeling.
The pink-haired sister turns to Louise, her expression now that of kindness. "You see, your good Aristidis saw our eldest sister here being all sad about due to remembering her own engagement being dissolved as it did, and he was kind enough to propose scheduling a meeting to show her multiple, proper candidates from his Tome for her to date, before deciding who is the perfect match for each other."
The four girls and Julio utter in a mix of surprise and astonishment at the fact, not expecting such proposition, while also liking the thoughtfulness of the Storyteller.
Eleonore folds her arms while blushing, and turning her head to the side to avoid eye contact with all. "I-I refused, of course! Because as grateful as I am for his kindness, it would be utterly impolite of a lady such as myself, to bother someone who is technically above kings and queens with finding the right man for me, just because I was unlucky with my previous one. Father can always find me another himself, it will not be the first time."
Everyone but Agnes was feeling a bit amused and giddy with the woman's show of utter awkwardness, especially Louise who quite likes seeing a different side of her eldest sister for a change.
The Musketeer Captain turns around toward the door. "Going to his room, then. Thank you."
After that, she along with the group went straight to the said room, standing right outside of the closed door, and while the Playing Card Soldiers, from Alice In Wonderland and now known guards of Louise's entrance of the room, step aside for them.
The scene moves a bit at the moment to the side to show Eleonore and Cattleya being now part of the group too.
Agnes turns her head to them, unsure of their intentions. "No offence, but why have you come as well?"
"Plain curiosity." The blond Noblewoman answers simply with both her arms folded.
"It seems far too interesting not to involve ourselves with what everyone else is doing." The pink-haired Noblewoman adds with a smile.
The Musketeer Captain sweat drops at that while turning back to the door, being a bit in disbelief of mostly how the group behind her grew like that, and proceeds to put her hand onto its handle.
Cattleya turns to her little sister. "So, what do you think Aristidis does to need being on his own?"
Louise sweat drops and smiles awkwardly. "From personal experience, it's most likely something crazy, excessive, or both."
As the two elder sisters appear confused with that answer of hers, the Captain of the Musketeers opens the door, and everyone's eyes widen from surprise at what they witness.
What they see is Aristidis full of big and greatly built muscles, and without his luxurious cape on, next to him stands a slit-eyed tall guy with a bulky and well-defined, fair-skinned physique, messy, short black hair, and a handsome face that doesn't really match his overall build, who only wears black speedos, next to that one stands a very tall, bulky, muscular and bald man, with skin of very dark complexion, which also gives off a lustrous shine, and who also wears only a black speedos, and lastly right next to them stands another very tall, bulky and muscular man, with fair skin, orange, short hair and thick mustache, who wears only his green pants, with a belt that has a yellowish buckle that is shaped like a small version of the sun, and all four of them flexing together in place, and in different but very fitting for-the-quartet-poses each, as the very well known music of the Pillar Men Theme from JoJo is currently playing through the small radio box upon the table nearby. [From first to last, Machio Naruzo from How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift, Superalloy Darkshine from One Punch Man, and Escanor from Seven Deadly Sins, all here and flexing with grace]
Kirche and Siesta scream from overexcitement at the flexing group before them, with the former fainting almost instantly and falling back onto the ground as the latter follows unintentionally her example two seconds later, Eleonore's nose literally shoots out some blood from one of her nostrils, with her head at the same time moving quickly back and upward as if she has been shot to the head, both Cattleya's hands were already over her mouth while she was blushing about in her surprise, Agnes and Julio just kept on being in place with wide open eyes of surprise, Charlotte was completely unfazed, and Louise was simply sweat dropping due to her expecting something of crazy nature awaiting them behind the door from the very beginning.
"Oh, hello, everyone. We did not expect your company so soon." The buffed Storyteller tells them while keeping on posing.
"See what I mean?" The pink-haired girl rhetorically questions her group as she indicates with a hand the muscly quartet before them, and then shows a more upset expression at her Familiar. "Aristidis, tell your Tome-People to put on some clothes- For Founder's sake!"
"You are the ones who barged in without asking whether it was appreciate of you to enter or not, so you will be forced to endure the spectacle." Aristidis replies while absolute and a bit playful about it, as four of the Playing Card Soldiers grab the two unconscious ladies carefully and carry them away, most likely to receive some possibly needed medical care. "Plus, we are still halfway till our friend there finishes with the portrait."
After telling them that, the ones still present notice not far to the side, and standing across the muscly group a relatively middle-aged man with long, gray hair, mustache and beard, wearing a black, beret hat, and brown/green clothings, who currently uses a small brush to paint their portrait on a wooden tripod. [Leonardo Da Vinci from reality, cause why not?]
Leonardo looks at the posing men past the in-progress portrait, his expression somewhat serious. "Painting is a delicate matter. So please keep that pose till the end. It shouldn't take us too long." Says the last part while focusing back on painting their said portrait.
Eleonore, as her now-more-composed-group enters the room officially, and with the door closing behind them as soon, puts a piece of tissue paper in her bleeding nostril, and with a sweat drop turns her sight barely away from the manly group, while still blushing about because of them, with the following line she is about to say, being directed to Aristidis. "Excuse me if I happen to be rude, but how we were supposed to know you were doing something like... This?" She asks while stealing a few glances at the posing, filled with great muscles men.
"I mean, you could always use the services of one of my Tome Personnel to communicate with me and learn as much." The buffed Storyteller simply answers. "Louise and the rest should know of that fact better than everyone."
The blonde Noblewoman pauses for a second at that, and then turns her head all serious toward her little sister, who notices and takes a step back concerned in response, right before she grabs her with both hands by the cheeks, and begins pulling them, much to the latter's pain and displeasure, being upset at her for forcing her into making a fool out of herself in front of such an important figure when it could easily be avoided. "Smallish Louise...!"
"I'm sorry, I forgot, I forgot!" The pink-haired girl exclaims with some difficulty, before her eldest sister lets her free while turning with folded arms the other way, as the former begins rubbing her own cheeks to ease the pain, while her other sister moves close to check with an awkward smile if she can help her poor little sister with it.
"Now, Agnes." Aristidis begins, drawing hers and everyone else's attention on him. "Is this about the place that traitorous Noble spoke about some time ago? Did you come to ask your good friends to keep you company on the way down there?"
Eleonore and Cattleya look at each other confused, being the only ones not knowing about that part.
Julio looks at the two. "He is talking about the Academy's Top Secret Document Vault."
"Be honest, couldn't they be more creative with the name? I mean, come on." The pitch-black Storyteller ends with a quick roll of his eyes.
"I'm sorry, what are we talking exactly about here?" The blonde Noblewoman asks, wanting to hear details before she assumes anything.
The Musketeer Captain decides to explain. "Beneath this academy is a vault for said documents. I finally received the privilege from the Queen to access them officially."
"I expect a but coming next." Aristidis says, knowing very well of such scenarios.
She continues, her eyes narrowing in frustration. "But Headmaster Osmond said that he never received an order from her to undo the lock, and thus refused to open the door."
As everyone else gets surprised at that, the buffed Storyteller narrows his eyes for a second, before focusing them back for the painter. "I asked both him and Professor Colbert to give me access in there the very day after our secret mission, because who am I to say no to some extra knowledge, but oddly enough, I was refused too, and thus, I decided to not press the matter out of respect. But yes, now with you here, telling me how you were denied as well, I am getting especially suspicious about this."
"Maybe he just wants to ensure people's safety." Superalloy Darkshine guesses, while not breaking his pose. "Like from a monster that is recently discovered down there."
"Or a demon." Escanor makes his own guess in the same manner.
Machio Naruzo sweat drops, his smile now awkward, but while he too keeps his pose normally. "It could just be the structure in need of maintenance, though."
"No mouth movements, gentlemen, please." The bearded painter tells the three in a demanding manner as he paints their portrait, wanting every detail to remain unchanged, so his work may be perfect.
The blond priest decides to share what he has heard about the underground vault. "The vault where they keep the said documents is dangerous, apparently. It was built over a thousand years ago, so there are handfuls of mystery within. I have also heard that a spell was cast on it as a security measure, so entering carelessly could cost you your life."
Agnes stomps her foot while turning to him absolutely serious and offended, and pointing a finger at him, causing him to raise his hands defensively, and smiling while doing so. "I'm a Knight! I do not fear danger!"
"Still, what is that document you want to subject yourself in possible danger to obtain?" The pink-haired Noblewoman asks her, curious about the nature of the said purpose, which troubles Agnes for a moment.
"It's about learning the name responsible for causing a significant amount of life in the past to be lost, and who has avoided justice for as long." Aristidis answers without being too specific to the ones who don't know, which the ones who know realize and respect immediately. "You may learn details from Agnes herself, if she wishes to share them with you, that is."
Julio steps next to Agnes, wanting to face a bit more properly the posing Aristidis. "As you can most definitely understand, we are here because if there is someone who can deal with anything and everything, that is you. So, will you help our comrade in need here with reaching the vault?"
"Obviously." The buffed Storyteller responds seriously, but still remains as he is. "As soon as my friends and I are finished with the portrait, that is."
That earns him a lot of sweat drops from the visiting group as a result.
After they were finished with the portrait at a later time, the scene cuts to one of the academy's hallways, where Agnes was seen leading Aristidis, in his normal, slim form and with his luxurious cape on now, Louise, Charlotte, Eleonore, Cattleya, and Julio through, till they eventually reach the main restroom area, specifically inside the women's area, and through a door there which leads to a small room meant for one of the cleaning staff of the academy.
Then, the Captain of the Musketeers approaches the wall in front of them, and with a push of the hand, part of that wall turns in place, revealing a staircase which leads down a pathway, surprising most of the group.
The Storyteller that moment comes from off the screen, which he was just before this part of the scene, with a brown Fedora hat now on his head, and pushes lightly and with enthusiasm part of the group, making space for himself and an Oblivion Guard who holds with a hand a lit lantern before him, much to their short-lived confusion. "Alright, everyone, a straight line behind him at an adequate distance, and be careful where you step- there can always be a well-camouflaged pressure plate type of a trap on the way." He tells them as he follows after his guard, with the rest following soon after, the line positioning being with the guard first, then him, and then Agnes, Charlotte, Louise, Cattleya, and Eleonore.
As they walks downstairs toward their destination, Louise appears to be sceptical about something. "What I can't understand is why not get rid of the said documents, instead of keeping them hidden down here if they are to be such a trouble in the case they are somehow found out by the world?"
"Once documents become official, it is forbidden to be disposed of." The blonde sister explains, and then her face shows slight annoyance at the fact. "Government policies do not make sense, nor did a thousand years ago by my opinion."
"Not the most outrageous example I have heard about." Aristidis tells her while turning his head at the woman, drawing attention on him. "Trust me, you could have far worse ones here."
He then turns his head forward again, and begins counting fingers. "Like having that one king who hid secrets from the different subjects of that world, not only about the true nature of that specific type of titans there, but also lying about the human races being extinct outside of the city walls. That Empire which treated people from races they conquered as second-class citizens, and pretty much denying them of basic human rights to keep them under control, which unsurprisingly did not work as intended for them. And do not let me get started about the food in some of the school canteens from different stories. You are supposed to give the young ones food that is no danger to their health, so they may better enjoy their day and grow properly. Not the opposite!" Says the very last part with a raised-close-to-his-head tightened fist to show his great irritation about it, while turning his attention forward again as he does so.
The group sweat drops in utter disbelief of the fact the last one is what causes his ire the most, in comparison to the obviously more serious first two.
Not long later, they reach and stop before a big, brown metal door, which has three locks with the same, seemingly-magical symbol upon each.
Eleonore attempts to approach and check the door herself, but is stopped by the Storyteller's arm suddenly extended in front of her, and before she can question him, a beam of light pass past them, startling everyone but him, hits the door, which causes it to glow white for a moment, with it dissipating, and all three of the locks unlocking on their own soon after.
After that surprising display, they all look back, and see standing behind them a smiling, young-looking guy with brown, spiky hair, who wears a black v-neck t-shirt with white and red hemming, black shorts with gray pockets, gray fingerless gloves that reach somewhat closely to the elbows, black/yellow shoes, and wields with one hand and upon his shoulder what appears to be a giant key, with teeth that resemble a royal crown. [Sora from Kingdom Hearts Series, here to be the obvious key holder]
"Sora!" The pink-haired girl exclaims happily, and quickly approaches him to grab both his free hand with both her own, and shaking it up and down in a familiar and friendly manner. "It's so good to finally see you here in our world, my friend."
"Same, Louise." Sora responds with a smile of his own.
"Um, who is he?" The blonde Noblewoman asks the Storyteller while pointing a finger at the guy with the spiky hair, confused with the whole case.
Louise with some enthusiasm decides to answer that for her, as she turns at her sister while unhanding the guy. "Sora here is the main hero of the Kingdom Hearts story within Aristidis's Tome, responsible for saving the different worlds there in more than one occasions, while also the one to mainly teach me of the many monsters I was to face during my very first training sessions in the Tome."
"Ah, how nice." Cattleya responds with a smile, happy for her little sister getting the proper training, but mostly for seeing the many friends she was able to make.
Eleonore raises an eyebrow at the wielder of the enlarged key. "So, wait just a moment, this hero's weapon is the big key he holds, or...?"
"What are you all doing here?" A voice upstairs draws their attention, and interrupts Eleonore's curious question, where they see much to their surprise, or mild surprise for most, a serious-looking Professor Colbert with a lantern of his own at hand, much to the Musketeer Captain's annoyance.
The moment he saw the Musketeer Captain, he understood of their reason of being here. "Agnes, I believe Headmaster Osmond was clear with you about this."
"I don't take orders from cowards!" Agnes exclaims upset, right before turning and moving toward the unlocked door, opening it and passing through.
"A-Agnes!" The Professor yells with a sweat drop, not expecting that reaction from her.
"And I am too curious to be stopped this time- Sora, you stay here as guard just in case, and keep me informed for everything- See you soo~n!" Aristidis says in a quick manner, the first at Colbert and the second at Sora, while he turns and proceeds to walk fast after Agnes, his expression playful during all that, with the rest of his group following after them a second after getting over their short-lived confusion, with Sora staying where he is as tasked.
"Y-You all! Aristidis-" Colbert begins troubled, but stops himself and sighs, understanding how futile it is to stop them, especially the Storyteller, and instead starts running after them, while the young Keyblade Master chuckles somewhat awkwardly at the middle-aged man's obvious misfortune, feeling a bit bad for him.
Not long later, and with the group, and Colbert, walking together with Agnes like before through the underground cavern, Aristidis has given while they were at it his not-so-detailed explanation about their reason for being here to Colbert.
"The name responsible for a great cost of life?" The Professor repeats in a questioning manner what he was told.
"Exactly as you have heard, our good Professor. The one belonging to the person she hates with a passion, and will not stop until he is found for her to deal with in a possibly similar fashion, just like he did to all those people back then, which earned him her absolute abhorrence to begin with! A typical revenge-plot, pretty much." The Storyteller begins with glee and some enthusiasm, but ends it with a simple, kind face and a roll of his eyes as he turns his sight forward.
Colbert sweat drops, as he can only imagine the amount of revenge-type stories that might be within the Storyteller's Tome for him to call the said plot typical.
He is also a bit concerned as he looks at Agnes, about that being her reason to come here, the reason of him feeling like that not clear yet.
"When our forces take over Albion's port, the Queen will head to the front lines." The Musketeer Captain explains. "Naturally, I will go with her, so I want to take care of this case before that."
"The Queen will go to the front lines?" Louise questions, a bit in disbelief with her childhood friend's choice.
Agnes nods as she keeps her sight forward at the way. "Yes. She said she could not just sit idly, having in her mind how many hundreds of thousands of troops she ordered to go risk their lives fighting for her and the kingdom."
Aristidis keeps his kind face on, while also displaying slight amusement at the fact. "Admirably compassionate, but risky. Just like her."
"I suppose you are not wrong on that." The pink-haired girl says as she sweat drops with an awkward smile while looking at him, understanding how that is indeed Henrietta's character a that she cannot help acting as such. She is still a bit concerned for her, though.
"Well, who is that target of yours?" The Professor asks Agnes, both serious and curious.
The Storyteller raises an eyebrow at him. "Was our little conversation just a moment ago not informative enough about us being here to literally find out his name?"
Colbert turns to him with a sweat drop, and maybe also feeling somewhat like an idiot for not explaining better. "N-No, I mean, what EXACTLY that man did."
The Musketeer Captain stops that moment, with the rest stopping in response as they look at her, her face neutral with signs of frustration. "He was responsible for razing my village to the ground with his group."
Everyone but the Storyteller utter a surprised gasp in response after hearing that, due to its unexpected to them nature.
She continues, deciding to speak of her story. "Twenty years ago, insinuating acts of treason, the government of that time burned a newly-formed sect. They quelled a rebellion that never took place, then got promoted for their achievements, and gained power. And for that, my family, my friends- every innocent individual there was burned to death. I alone was saved by someone who carried me out on his back. I was only a child back then." She finishes, with her neutral face barely trembling from the emotion of the sad memory she is currently feeling, as she tries her proper best to keep it under control, not wanting to show weakness.
The Professor seems to realize the exact gravity of the situation. "In other words, the one you look for is-"
"I already killed Lishman with these hands." Agnes interrupts him as soon as she finds her composure again.
"And a very powerful shotgun." Aristidis adds with a raised finger, which confuses those who have no idea what a shotgun is.
The Musketeer Captain continues, her expression once more serious. "But, those who actually assaulted the village must still be alive somewhere. I want to know who they were, and deliver them what they are owed."
"And thus, everyone now knows the full reason she wants the knowledge held under this academy." The Storyteller states the obvious to make sure it is as apparent as possible, before his group continues on walking toward their destination, with the Professor being a little nervous for some reason.
As they walk, Aristidis turns to the Professor, drawing his attention while the former adjusts the brown Fedora on his own head due to it moving a bit out of place there. "Since you are joining us in the end, Professor Colbert, and given the fact you must have knowledge about everything that has to do with the Academy Of Magic, my question is as follows. Are there traps along the way from here on, or is the final destination the only part where there is a need for caution?"
"Oh. Well, the vault is the only part that is trapped indeed. But to be honest, I don't remember what type it is. It should be written above the vault's entrance if not mistaken." Colbert answers sincerely, and somewhat sheepishly because of his own lack of knowledge.
The pitch-black Storyteller raises an eyebrow. "Wait, so the ones before who were once managing the academy, set up a single, major trap, and have literally written just outside what it is about for whoever to have an easier time breaking in, and you, the current ones, kept it as is?"
"I actually thought the same when I first learned about it." The Professor explains, and then sweat drops, showcasing his mild annoyance about something. "But when I suggested to the Headmaster about making the place actually safe from any burglary, he said: Why bother? It's not like anyone is crazy enough to consider that something like a forbidden vault is through the women's restroom."
As everyone else sweat drops about how lazy the Headmaster's thought was, Aristidis is thinking seriously about it for a moment. "Alright, points to the old Headmaster, but I still believe that is no excuse to be lazy about this. Once we are done here, I am asking him directly to be allowed with increasing the forbidden vault's security, and I will obviously take no refusal as answer this time. We are going to be real proper with it."
"A-As you prefer..." Colbert trails off with an awkward smile due to the excessive determination Aristidis shows about it, with the rest completely approving of the latter's decision.
Not long after, a relatively strong light at what seems to be the end of the long pathway gets their attention, and stop in response.
"A strange source of light up ahead. We better proceed with caution." The Oblivion Guard in front of them, and who holds the lit lantern for them, tells them while wary of the said light.
The mouthless Storyteller's widen as he looks at him seemingly out of surprise. "Oh, wow, I completely forgot you were there with us."
"R-Really?" His guard asks him as he turns to him actually surprised, with the rest feeling the same way as they look at the Storyteller.
Aristidis laughs amused in response as he moves past him. "O-ho-f course not, you really think of me as that kind of person?"
As he keeps on walking on his own, the rest look at him with a raised eyebrow for a moment longer, questioning in the inside about his odd sense of humor, before deciding to forget about it while they go after him.
Once the group reaches the end of the pathway's opening, they stop as they see at a fair distance from them a big, dimly-glowing structure made by stone and supported by round columns, which appears to be part of the cavern's wall there, and connected with a bridge of the same material, with a large and dark void awaiting right below it for those unfortunate enough to misstep.
"Love the architecture and how it is merged with the cavern itself there." The pitch-black Storyteller admits with interest, and then begins once again to move forward. "Anyway, let us continue."
The rest of the group follows once more, beginning to walk over the bridge.
The Professor appears to contemplate about something, before looking at the Musketeer Captain. "Agnes?"
"What?" Agnes asks without taking her eyes off the bridge and the destination ahead.
"What will you do after you kill the ones who wronged you?" He asks her while feeling a bit uncomfortable about this.
"I'll fight for the Queen, and then die. That is all." She simply answers without an ounce of hesitation in her words.
"Not before you get to enjoy the goods of the life I am bound to bring after the war." Aristidis says while moving suddenly next to her, before the butler Alfred Pennyworth comes from the other side out of nowhere as they move, much to her startled confusion, and carrying on one hand a tray filled with glasses of yellow juice, with him then offering her one, which she unconsciously takes with her free hand, as the former continues with a kind expression. "Here is your glass of lemon-flavor juice."
As he and his butler move back again, the Musketeer Captain realizes the whole thing. "I didn't ask for any drink- take it back!" Says the last one in a demanding manner while extending the glass toward him, annoyed with him distracting her while in a serious mission.
The pitch-black Storyteller brings up with one hand a shiny, red apple, as Alfred is seen behind him serving in the meantime the glasses to most of the rest, who happily or with little to no reluctance take them. "How about a nice apple to keep the doctor away? It is extra sweet and healthy."
"None of that. Now focus, please." Agnes tells him with seriousness as she brings her focus forward again, having no appetite for anything but what she came here for, with the Storyteller in response shrugging just before putting the apple through his mouthless area, and pretty much gulping it whole, before vanishing with a snap of his fingers the glass Agnes was holding.
The butler attempts to serve the last one to the Professor, but the latter refuses it politely with a "N-No thank you" which the former respects as he moves at the very back of the line.
Colbert looks again at Agnes as they keep on walking upon the bridge, his face showing his disappointment. "Even though you were able to survive, you are going to waste your life for vengeance and war?"
She does not give any response to that as she keeps on focusing forward, having made her mind for this long ago.
"Have you... Ever fallen in love?" He then questions a bit reluctantly and awkwardly.
The Musketeer Captain looks at him with a raised eyebrow. "Hm?"
Aristidis with a somewhat amused expression turns around, and puts a hand upon Colbert's shoulder, drawing his attention, while walking backward as he does so. "If that goes to her putting her focus on making a family and create life instead of taking, I have some very interesting news for you. Our friend Agnes here actually likes-"
Before he can complete, Agnes quickly turns around while absolutely flustered, and with both hands, while keeping on holding her lantern with one, grabs tightly and covers his mouthless area with them, wanting to stop him. "D-Don't just speak of stuff like that to other people!"
"Again, that does not stop me from keeping on talking." The Storyteller explains simply, and then with a kind face turns his head halfway toward her as she unhands hi. . "Also come now, it is not really something to be so embarrassed about, my good friend."
"I said don't speak about it, and that is final!" She demands while still embarrassed about, as the rest of the group try to understand what the hell is this about all of a sudden.
With that argument now being over with, the group walks up to the closed entrance of the vault, and stop to check the writing at its very top.
And the one to read it first, is Aristidis, of course. "The alteration, destruction, or removal of documents, as well as the use of magic is forbidden. Those who fail to abide, will encounter a catastrophe."
"We are not allowed to use magic?" Louise questions in disbelief, not just because of the surprise she receives to learn as much.
She looks concerned at her Familiar and love, understanding very well how that can prove very problematic to someone like him.
The pitch-black Storyteller folds his arms. "So it would seem. No problem, we can respect what is written.
"BUT, just to be assured, I activate the continuous trap card Skill Drain!" He exclaims the last part as he pulls out with a hand from behind him a Yu-Gi-Oh card, which needs no detailed introduction, which shines brightly that moment, startling everyone as well because of it, before the light dissipates back into the card, till it remains around it as a faint glow, and seemingly doing nothing more than that.
Aristidis then puts the card properly between his brown Fedora and the said hat's band, and appearing to be satisfied with what he did. "There. That way no one can use any special effects of theirs, which is magic for you, for as long as I keep it active."
Everyone else attempts to do magic that moment, only to see nothing being able to be cast indeed, and then look at him while uttering highly impressed once again with the power of his magic.
The Professor raises an eyebrow at him though, being understandably confused because of an obvious fact, which somehow nobody else realized. "Won't the magic in use, activate it anyway?"
That amuses the mouthless Storyteller. "Silly you! Of course it will not. It is a trap card, not a magic card. U~tterly different."
Having made his point, he moves toward the vault's gate, as Colbert tries hard to make sense of the former's logic. "That is- But how this- I-I mean-"
Charlotte puts a hand upon Colbert's shoulder, drawing his attention and stopping him that way. "No point trying. Just go with it."
After that, the rest follow the Storyteller, with the Professor deciding to follow her advice, understanding how illogical the Storyteller's magic can be as it is, as he too goes after them.
The gate opens with the help of Alfred and that one Oblivion Guard, revealing a large room filled with innumerable bookshelves full of books, tomes, and many different parchments, the number great enough for some to be upon the floor, chairs, and tables due to lack of better placement, or most likely because the last one to visit was the untidy sort.
Needless to say, the library's size was adequate enough to impress the current visitors.
Mostly Julio, at least in a sense. "Now this is something. It's on part with Romalia's religious library."
Aristidis looks at him with half an eye out of interest. "You sure know how to make a man such as myself wanting to pay your country a visit as soon as possible."
The blond priest simply chuckles at that for a short moment in response.
The Storyteller then claps his hands twice to get everyone's attention. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, listen up! We cannot know for sure how well categorized information here is, so I hope you are ready to search everywhere for that one book or parchment documenting that one specific event of the time you were told moments ago. Do not be surprised if it takes us hours of reading."
"H-Hours?" The pink-haired girl questions with a swear drop, not really looking forward to reading of that level.
"I know, I am just as excited." He replies with enthusiasm, seemingly missing the point.
"Worry not though, my less enthusiastic fellows, for our guard here will go out for us to inform my Tome-Servant Personnel to bring different drinks and snacks, so everyone here may have a more relaxed time while searching about." He then adds with a raised finger, with his guard almost as soon exiting in a hurried manner the vault to do just that, before turning the raised hand into a fist as he looks determinedly forward. "Now let the reading session, and the search for Agnes's desired information of course, begin!"
~More Than Three Hours Later~
The scene shows everyone in different places of the large library reading about, with Alfred, and the guard that returned together with the maid Cinderella, Brock from Pokemon, and Kronk from The Emperor's New Groove as exceptions, being there solely to help either by bringing books or simply providing more drinks and snacks to the former ones.
Most of them are already tired with the hours they spent reading, and without finding what they were looking for, with the obvious exceptions being Charlotte and Aristidis, with the latter at the moment making a surprised face as he reads from a book he currently reads, before turning gleefully amused at what can be a very juicy information.
As for Agnes, she was more or less utterly frustrated, which is made even more obvious by the groan she lets out upon seeing one more useless to her book that very moment. "We search for hours! Where could that document even-"
"Oh right-" Aristidis interrupts after remembering something, while leaning from around the corner of the bookshelf she is currently positioned, and brings out a book he is holding with a hand. "I found the book two hours ago. Dungletale Case it is called."
At the sound of that, everyone stops what they were doing as they turn and look at him for a moment, rather surprised and confused.
"Why you didn't tell us till now?!" Louise asks him with a frustrated yell.
He shrugs. "We were not really in any hurry, and I wanted to read some more."
The group looks at him for a moment longer out of utter disbelief, before Louise face-palms herself, annoyed with his obsession over books.
The Musketeer Captain moves close, and snatches the book of the case in a dynamic and serious manner out of his hand. "Give me that!"
As she opens the book to look through the pages as carefully as possible, the mouthless Storyteller sighs disappointed.
"I am really sorry to say this though, but your search here was for nothing in the end." He tells her, drawing the group's confused attention on him. "The very part of the page listing the name you were looking for, is torn from the rest."
"What did you say?!" Agnes exclaims from surprise, in disbelief of what he just told her.
Aristidis moves next to her, puts a finger upon his mouthless area, and pretends to lick it, making even a lick-sound when doing so, before putting it at the open book's side, and turns with a single movement the pages, moving her straight to the part she is to see, which is labeled as order. "See for yourself."
The Musketeer Captain looks at it and reads it out-loud. "Order: To prevent the spread of the epidemic, burn all humans near Dungletale."
"Epidemic?" She repeats, the confusion about it more than obvious, with the others sharing the feeling as they look at each other.
"The epidemic was the official reason according to this, not the rebellion." The pitch-black Storyteller explains, and then looks at her. "Happen to know if anyone there was sick back then? Anything that will help validate this info?"
"No! None from the village that I knew of!" Agnes yells absolutely serious, and then proceeds to to continue reading. "A special force was put together to deal with the epidemic, and the captain was-"
When she turns the page that moment, and much to their surprise, and especially hers, they see the upper part that was supposed to reveal his name missing, just like the Storyteller told them.
"And there you have it." Aristidis begins as he folds his arms. "Someone was apparently here before us. Most likely before even my arrival onto this world. Truly unlucky."
"No. I won't accept this!" The Musketeer Captain exclaims in her frustration, unwilling to believe such a thing, and moves past the group as she looks around at the bookshelves in a hasty manner. "The name. It must be here somewhere- it must!"
"Agnes." The Storyteller begins while grabbing her shoulder, drawing her instant attention, his face serious. "Don't lie to yourself. You know the name is not here. Not anymore."
Agnes looks at him for a moment longer, and eventually lowers her head in frustrating defeat, while at the same time tightening her fists, understanding there is indeed no point in this futile search, with the rest feeling a bit bad for her, not necessarily for not discovering the target of her revenge, but for wasting her time here for no reason.
Eleonore that moment seemed to be confused about something, as she puts a hand on her chin. "Still, how come and this whole case turned from a rebellion into an epidemic in the end? Why even bother to change in the info what is considered as an excuse to cause a massacre anyway?"
Aristidis unhands Agnes, and with a raised finger looks at his group. "I have a theory about that, after finding out about the actual order. Maybe the ones to fulfill the order were told it was a rebellion, because the one who was to issue it to them believed that if he tells them the truth, they would be against it, since ending a rebellion is more understandable and ethical, as long as the said rebellion is on the wrong, than ending a diseased man's life. Which according to Agnes, the epidemic too could be a lie."
"In other words, the troops who carried out the mission didn't know the truth behind it." Colbert says, showing to believe that to be the case.
The Musketeer Captain looks at the two with a really upset face. "Are you telling me to forgive them if that's the case?!"
The Storyteller shrugs. "You blaming them in a case like this, will be equivalent to someone killing the messenger, because the news they brought were not to the receiver's liking. Your anger will simply be directed on the wrong source." Says the last part while also shaking his head left and right in a negative manner, to show his disagreement with that kind of behavior.
That stops the blonde Captain, and somewhat relaxes her expression, his words of logic catching her attention as they are being considered for the moment, while the rest of the group chatter with each other in an agreeing manner with those said words.
He then taps with a finger the side of his head twice, seriously yet somewhat playfully. "I suggest you to THINK seriously about it, and not decide rushly, else remember how that dish we talked about once will taste like in the e~nd."
While everyone else proceeds to raise eyebrows at each other confused, due to having no idea what that dish-part he is talking about is, Aristidis while removing his hat and card, and putting them behind him where they vanish, walks next to the Professor, before putting a hand upon his shoulder, drawing attention on him again.
"Now if you will excuse me, the Professor and I have a little talk to do about this shameful breach in security, and trust me when I say that he has a lot of explaining to do about it." He says the last part mostly with seriousness as he makes Colbert move toward the exit along with him, much to the latter's nervousness, and once just outside of the vault, they vanish from sight, leaving the rest of the group behind.
"Poor Professor is really going to hear it from him this time." Louise guesses with a sweat drop, feeling somewhat bad for the said Professor taking the blame for the case here.
"Anyway, let's go check how Siesta and Kirche are doing after the shock they went through hours ago." She then proposes as she turns to the rest, which is met with agreement.
After that, the scene cuts inside Colbert's room, where he and the Storyteller reappear there, before unhanding him, as the Professor proceeds to look around him, confused and wondering why he transported them into his room of all places.
Aristidis moves close to the table nearby, while the Professor turns to face him properly, and sits down onto one of the chairs there, takes with a hand from below and wears what appears to be a black Kalimavkion-type cleric hat, as he then proceeds to place both his arms crossed upon the table. "I believe this is the moment where you confess your sins."
Colbert seems a bit perplexed with that. "S-Sins?"
The mouthless Storyteller begins counting fingers. "The specific questions. You attempting to convince her into choosing peace instead of vengeance. The suspicious glances you were giving her nervously every now and then, while supposedly searching for the info we were all looking for. And let us not forget the parchment with the Queen's order, which the Headmaster gave you permission to personally dispose of." Says the very last part while giving him a gleefully mischievous look.
The Professor's eyes widen from shock at the mention, caught off guard by the fact he knows about the message's disposal.
Aristidis leans a bit forward as he brings both his hands together on the table, a good deal of arrogance obvious in his face. "Remember the fact that I have eyes everywhere? Which by the way includes the privacy that is your rooms and offices, for safety reasons as to avoid what happened last time, obviously. Of course I will know if something is wrong around the place I am present- ESPECIALLY around the place I am present. I am pretty sure I was quite clear before, about my exceptionality and all. Was I not?" He asks the last part with a slight tilt of his head and a raised eyebrow.
Distressed, Colbert attempts to think of something to say and prove him wrong, but at that moment gives up while his face shows his defeat as his body relaxes a bit in response, remembering who he is dealing with here, and understanding there is no point in even trying to hide the truth at this point.
The pitch-black Storyteller leans back again, his face slightly less gleeful than before. "It was you, wasn't it? The Captain from that day."
After a short silent, the Professor sighs as he turns his sight downward.
He might as well be honest about it, and receive whatever comes for himself as a result. "You understood correctly. I was that Captain from twenty years ago... And the one who burned that village." Explains the last part while looking to the side saddened.
Aristidis chuckles somewhat elated for a bit at that. "You have no idea how much I love it when one of my oldest guesses is proven to be right. Please, take a seat and speak of your story further, so I may understand it to the fullest." He tells him kindly at the end, while signing him with a palm to sit down at the empty chair across him.
Colbert with a sweat drop just looks at him for a moment, due to the oddness that is his personality at times, before he walks close and takes his seat across him.
He focuses his thoughts, and finds his composure enough to begin properly. "First, allow me to tell you that your theory about the rebellion part was wrong. For the order to deal with an epidemic was what we were told from the beginning."
The Storyteller simply nods at that, and remains silent for him to continue his story.
The Professor looks downward, the memory about to recall frustrating him enough to be somewhat obvious at his serious face. "My men and I reached the village of Dungletale the very day we received the order. During that night, and after positioning ourselves in the appropriate location just outside, I ensured to burn the said village in its entirety with a single spell of fire, so no other populated area in our kingdom will have to suffer from the very same epidemic."
His eyes then narrow, a great regret now obvious through them. "But after I have done that, with the fire engulfing at a fast pace everything before it, one of my men discovered that there were no actual signs of any epidemic in the end. In my shock and regret, I rushed into the flaming village, searching all around, wanting to save at least one life from the destruction I caused. And there she was. A small, blonde girl, half-unconscious and barely moving, but thankfully her injuries were too serious. I carried her out without a second thought, and even when that big, burning pole fell on my shoulder, I still did not give up, and kept going despite the pain and the burning injury."
"OH, did you get a scar by it?" Aristidis interrupts the story with a sudden question, which startles the Professor for a second there, showing much of interest at the scar-bit. "May I see it?"
"Eh? I suppose..." Colbert trails off a bit confused at the strange request, while he proceeds to turn his body to show part of his back, before lowering his robe just enough to reveal the burn-scar he received that night.
"Neat." The pitch-black Storyteller responds honestly after leaning forward for a closer look, and then moves back on his seat normally once more. "Anyway, apologies for interrupting, you may continue."
The Professor puts his robe back on like before while turning to face him, and having a hard time understanding the confusingly to him carefree character the latter is showing all of a sudden, but decides to not let that distract him as he is about to continue as asked.
He looks once more downward, his face frustrated and hurt. "I truly believed back then that following every order I was given, was the right thing to do. I could not be more wrong..."
Aristidis immediately understands where this is going. "And that is why you decided to become a Professor in the Academy Of Magic. So you may atone in a sense for the sin you committed back then, by not only having it as an excuse to never again go into any war-level conflict, but to also teach the young generations about how wrong such conflicts are, so they may embrace peace properly."
"Yes, yes! That is exactly how I thought of it at the time!" Colbert tells him while both surprised, and elated at Aristidis's precise guessing and understanding, but then remembers the situation he is in, and after coughing fakely, he looks at him with a serious expression, which is mostly there to hide his great concern for his own self. "I have told you about what I did. Now... What is going to happen from here on?"
"Depends." The pitch-black Storyteller begins, before putting both hands behind his head, and leaning behind at his chair in a more relaxing manner. "For what kind of figure do you have me for?"
The Professor just looks at him for a moment, before relaxing and chuckling out of relief for a second. "I must be a fool to consider you of all people treating me unfairly."
Aristidis points a finger at him, his expression slightly mischievous. "And in fact, I have a little plan to help you into ensuring that past will not eventually come back to eat your head."
"Really?" Colbert questions surprised, and then raises an eyebrow. "How?"
"I will tell you, but first... How big are the chances you say, of that child you saved back then being actually the Agnes we know of today?" The Storyteller asks curiously.
The Professor thinks about it for a few seconds, and sweat drops. "After what we've heard, enormous."
"Quite so, indeed." Aristidis agrees, and chuckles at the end there.
~Some Time Later~
"Agnes, I know where you can find the captain who razed your village." The mouthless Storyteller tells the Musketeer Captain who stands before him, with the place of their meeting being the courtyard close to the back of the main building.
"Wha-?!" Agnes exclaims almost halfway there due to her surprise, and then her expression turns serious. "How did you-"
"Do you want to know details of how I did it, or do you want me to just tell you of his whereabouts, and overall appearance." He interrupts her while seemingly serious himself.
She just stands there looking at him for a moment, before her eyes narrow with absolute determination. "Where is he."
Some more time passes, with the scene cutting to the outskirts while the sun at the sky is low, needing less than an hour to set, where the determined Musketeer Captain is seen mounting her horse and rushing as fast as it can take her toward a specific location.
Eventually, she reaches the village of Tarbes's outskirt where she halts her horse, and after looking at the top of a hill, she sees sitting next to a tree there a gray-cloaked figure, the said cloak being in a relatively bad condition and dirty, with a matching hood covering his head, gazing at the horizon, toward the way of the sun.
Agnes's eyes are filled with nothing but focused hatred as she just looks at him, till she decides to get off the horse, and approach while his back remains turned.
When close enough, she takes out her flintlock and aims it at him. "You. Get up."
The man in the cloak doesn't moves an inch. "Hmm? Who could possibly be to demand in such a way from a poor traveler like myself?"
"Don't make me repeat myself!" The Musketeer Captain yells, absolutely serious about this, with the following being spoken in a calmer but still serious tone. "Get up. Turn around. And see for yourself who. Enjya the Flame Snake."
The man reacts to that with a small move of the head to the side, seemingly surprised at the sound of the name. "You know my name, yet I do not recognize your voice from anywhere."
"You are right, though." He begins as he gets up, and when he turns around while removing his hood to show himself, he reveals to be a tall man, with short, dark-gray hair, with the most surprising part on him being his face, which is just like Professor Colbert's face, minus the glasses. "I AM him."
Agnes is shocked at the view, showing that despite Aristidis's details, she had no knowledge of the fact the man before her looked like the Professor, and she knows it is not actually Colbert, for she remembers him outside of the academy's main building before she leaves.
A relative of his?
Colbert's lookalike raises a curious eyebrow. "Why such a surprise, as if you expected something different? Also, I still don't recognize you from anywhere. But by your uniform I can tell you are one of the Queen's Musketeers. Of a high rank too, judging by the cloak if not mistaken. Vice-Captain or Captain?"
"Silence!" Agnes yells at him upset, finding her composure enough to aim her flintlock properly toward his head. "I am here to strike you down for the inexcusable crime you have committed back then."
The man appears a bit confused. "I am out of the action for quite some time. What have I done to you in the past, to deserve your judgment?"
"Twenty years ago, you burned my village Dungletale to the ground, condemning many lives to death, and everyone I knew of." She explains, her hatred for him showing more and more in her face.
"Oh..." Enjya trails off, with his eyes widening slightly in realization, now understanding the case completely. "The Dungletale Case. One villager who was able to survive. I see now."
"Do you have any last words, before I send you to oblivion, monster?" The Musketeer Captain asks after making herself clear.
The man just looks at her for a moment, his expression showing no emotion, before turning around to face the opposite way. "Go ahead."
She narrows her eyes suspiciously. "What?"
"You heard me." He simply tells her while turning his head to look at her one more time, only to turn it back and away from her once again. "I want you to put an end to this. I won't fight back, nor run away. Even if you decide my end to be cruel enough to match your hatred for me, I will still accept it."
Agnes appears somewhat surprised at this, not just for accepting, but because his voice did not stutter when saying what he said.
As much as she hates him, she is curious enough to let him explain himself further, while also keeping her guard up in the case this is a trick. "Why so?"
Enjya turns to her, his face serious. "Do you have any idea what it feels like following an order meant for a good purpose, only to find out, soon after the deed is done, that not being the case to begin with?"
She just looks at him as the man continues, his expression now showing somewhat the feeling of him being hurt. "I burned. An entire village. Filled with people that deserved none of this. People who lost everything in one night, and all that so those above me and connected with the mission may enjoy a better position of power. So much death and destruction, for them to have a better chair to sit upon." Says the last part as his sight moves downward, and one of his fists tightening in the frustration he now shows.
The man then turns his back on her. "I trusted Lishman all this time, and look what that had as a result in the end. To be turned from a soldier doing his best for the kingdom, into a murderer."
The Musketeer Captain's face relaxes a tiny bit, showing some pity for what she is hearing, but still keeps on her hatred, and her guard up.
A few seconds after, Enjya lets out a weary sigh as he somewhat relaxes himself, and looks upward to the sky. "My twin brother was there too when it happened."
She gasps quietly at that from surprise, understanding now that he and the Professor are family indeed, but still did not expect he was there too.
"He rushed straight through the flaming village, and was actually able to save a blonde girl, despite the hell let loose within." He explains as he recalls that moment of the past.
Agnes could not believe it as her eyes tremble with emotion.
The man who saved her life back then when she was a child, was Colbert himself.
"He wanted to do nothing with me from then on after the atrocity I committed." Enjya continues, earning her focused attention and aiming flintlock once more, before looking down to the side, feeling hurt as he appears to remember the moment. "Not that I blame him, it was his best choice at the time. If anyone knew he had such a brother..."
After a small pause, his face turns emotionless as he looks forward and keeps on talking. "After what I have done, I resigned from not only the group I was in, but the army itself. I became a simple traveler. Traveling aimlessly about. Wanting to avoid any attempts of recruitment for my skills. To have nothing to do with the kingdom, and anything that was once my life, because I could not stand that sin crawling up my back. I wanted to forget, but no matter how many years passed, the images of that time kept on haunting me. If only I could give my life to undo what I have done, I would gladly do it in a heartbeat. But that is not how our world works. Does it now?"
When finished, the man turns to face her again, and then sits down upon the same spot. "You can take my life if that is what you want. I will not blame you for it..."
The Musketeer Captain's face is as serious as it can be, hate still present within those eyes of her as she just looks at him for a moment longer, but then lower her weapon halfway as she turns her head down to the side, considering this carefully, and actually even showing some doupt about this, before aiming it not too long at him once more with a determined face, with him calmly closing his eyes after doing so, waiting for her final judgment.
Agnes waits no more, and shoots, the bullet barely touching the side of his ear as it passes by while ending up at the ground far behind, with him not flinching for even a second.
It causes her some surprise how much resolve this man has about accepting his own end, showing that way how much he truly regrets what he did.
The Musketeer Captain withdraws her weapon. "No. This is not how things will go."
She turns around as she now looks at him with half a hateful eye. "Know that I will never forgive you for what you did. But neither will I kill you."
Agnes begins walking away as she turns her sight forward. "Live the rest of your days knowing what you did."
As she leaves, the man who was seated and unmoving upon the ground till now, puts both hands onto his face while lowering his head down a bit more, and begins crying quietly in a manner that shows his great sadness and despair, before the scene cuts to black.
~A Moment Later At The Academy~
Back at the Academy Of Magic, inside the known room, Louise, Charlotte, along with Kirche and Siesta, who recovered at an unknown time from their previous shock, are seen seated by the table waiting impatiently for something, with the maid Cinderella being nearby, and having served them a cup of tea some moments ago.
Suddenly, their attention is drawn toward the door by someone who just teleported there, and see the Professor's twin, who was lacking a mouth, before with a quick spin of the body reforms into Aristidis, his luxurious cape present at his back normally now.
"Well, that's that. Mission accomplished, everyone." He tells them pleased.
They all get up, with a sweat dropping Louise approaching, and who appears to have learned about the Agnes situation at an unknown time. "S-So that means-"
"Yep." The pitch-black Storyteller interrupts as he continues with his explanation proudly and happily. "Not only she believed it, but I played my role so exceptionally well, as it is expected of someone like I, that she spared my disguised life in the end, AND without further violence. Quite the pleasant result, for it was either that, or slaughtering me on the spot. Not that I was in any danger in case it came to that, really."
Everyone looks at him for a moment longer, being utterly confused with something.
"How?!" Louise decides to exclaim. "How did you do it? You said that you can't create a mouth for yourself, and there is no way she would not get suspicious about you keeping on hiding your mouthless face. So how?"
Aristidis lifts a finger and winks playfully at her. "Simple. I made her believe she was seeing one."
"... Eh?" All of them utter in unison, having no clue what exactly he means by that.
The Storyteller folds his arms while feeling a bit disappointed with them. "Making others hallucinate is not something I have not done before, you know."
He then lifts a finger again, with a more neutral face now. "Still, in my current state, even if still absolutely powerful, it is much harder putting a convincing image in a single person's perception, which acts like the real deal, taking into consideration the magic and focus it requires. But, since it was both a must, and in a zone of proper safety, I had to give my most exceptional performance in my role. So, I did, and with as much success as expected. I am frankly full of joy by her choice!" Says the last part with both hands up and a joyful spin, which causes everyone to smile with a sweat drop, finding the end result of his mission great, despite his excessive reaction he shows for it.
Aristidis picks from behind him his Tome, which he opens while doing so, and gives his girls a mischievous look.
"Now who is in the mood to watch with me a story about a specific family, the supernatural foes they are to face, and magnificent posing of proper muscles?" He says while representing each part through posing in his full of muscles form. "A true bizarre adventure for sure!"
Louise sweat drops at the sound of it, Charlotte puts a hand on her own chin out of pure interest in the story they are to see, and Kirche with Siesta exclaim excited and with great interest at the muscle part.
The mouthless Storyteller returns to his original form, and appears conflicted as he looks at the page while putting a hand on his chin. "Now as to who to summon to watch it with us, is a hard one. Jonathan, Joseph, and Jotaro are all great characters to know, but the room will feel uncomfortably small for all if I call all three of them for this."
He then snaps his fingers after thinking of a great idea that moment. "I know! I will have you ladies vote for this one. Whoever of the three has the most, wins the seat. Alright, here are the-"
The scene begins zooming out as he is seen handing to each of the girls three photos of the men, before the said scene turns black.
Some hours pass after that, with the dark of the night officially covering the sky and the academy's ground.
The scene shows Professor Jean Colbert having just finished with something he was doing in his lab, and as he makes his way toward the main building's entrance, it is obvious he is still feeling worried about this Agnes case, for he was not informed about whether the Storyteller was successful with his plan or not.
Once he reaches the front of the said entrance, he stops upon noticing the Musketeer Captain herself walking from within the building, and stopping in the middle of the entrance when she notices him as well.
There is a silence between for a few seconds, till she decides to speak, her face serious. "Professor Colbert."
"Y-Yes?" He utters curiously with some concern.
Agnes just looks at him for a moment longer, before averting her sight past him. "Thank you."
She begins walking away as soon as she says that, without explaining herself about it, with the somewhat surprised Colbert looking at her while moving past him and seeing her going her way.
He stays as he is for a moment longer, till a heartwarming smile forms on his face, understanding that it is about his good deed from back then being recognized.
The Professor looks up to the building, in a sense toward where Louise's and Aristidis's room is. "If I could express this any better, I would. Thank you so much for what you did for both me and her, Aristidis."
({You are welcome!}) Aristidis's voice suddenly sounds into his mind, much to the Professor's surprise as he looks all around him.
After looking enough, with the only thing he saw being the different guards and Musketeers, Colbert sweat drops somewhat overwhelmed. "That man's power to know everything is truly something."
{To Be Continued}