So, I'll finish out the remaining AO3 chapters within then next 24 hours and then Chapter 11 should post on 12/22/23.
The Challenge/The Fallout/Five-to-One
As I stood in the Academy Ballroom a week or so after my little excursion with Brad and Greg, I couldn't help but feel like I was jumping feet-first into hell. Sure, I knew that I'd be able to counter whatever the Five Guys could throw at me, but that still didn't make me feel any better about the kind of trouble it might cause for Angelica. Further increasing my unease was the fact that Marie had been unsettlingly quiet for the past few days. Clearly she either had something planned to spark the Duel Event even in spite of my best efforts to contain it, or perhaps she simply viewed it as a forgone conclusion at this point. Hell, maybe it would have been if I didn't plan on initiating the challenge even before Angelica could say a word.
Granted, I couldn't just walk up to the Prince and just throw a glove in his face, as satisfying as that would be. A little bit of showmanship and narrative-weaving would have to precede the challenge so that Angelica could not be perceived as the aggressor, so I'd need to stay near her in order to step up as Marie made whatever move she planned. This was further complicated by the fact that Angelica didn't know that I planned to challenge the Prince in the first place, since I knew that she would try to stop me, if Livia and Clarice didn't stop me first. On top of that, my continued shadowing of Angelica would only fan the flames on the rumors of being Angelica's lover, thus leading to her attempting to distance herself a little so that she could quash said rumors. …Was it too late to just throw a glove in Julius' face and be done with it?
"You're frowning again, Leon," noted Livia in concern. "Are you sure everything is alright?"
"Nothing to worry about, Livia," I smiled in an attempt to hide my inner turmoil. "Just thinking too hard. If you look closer, you might even see my brain overheating."
"Those must be some pretty heavy thoughts to make your brain overheat, Leon," joked Ray. "Are you contemplating the secrets of the universe or something?"
"Good guess, but no," I grinned. "Just contemplating why most noble ladies are such bitches."
As we laughed, I snuck a glance at Livia and confirmed that she didn't believe me in the slightest. Still, from the look she was giving me, I could tell that she was going to let it slide in spite of her displeasure on the matter, to which I was grateful. It was getting harder and harder to resist her charms under ordinary circumstances; to try and resist her while she wore the teal and sapphire gown that Angelica and Clarice got for her was simply not humanly possible. It was your standard "Fairytale Princess" sort of dress, with bare shoulders and a tastefully elegant full-length skirt, but somehow it made Livia's natural beauty and innocence shine all the brighter.
For better or worse, she'd become the focus of nearly every set of eyes in the ballroom when we arrived; envious stares from the girls and spellbound stares from the guys. If it weren't for the fact that she had stayed by my side since we arrived, I'm sure she'd have received dozens of requests to dance, if not outright proposals for marriage. …Yeah, I was really trying hard not to think too hard about how I really felt about her. Fortunately for my sanity, I was distracted from my increasingly complicated relationship with Livia by Angelica's arrival. Unfortunately for my sanity, I was distracted from my increasingly complicated relationship with Livia by Angelica's arrival…
Red. All I could perceive as Angelica entered the ballroom was red. Her dress was bold, and I could feel my mouth go dry as I tried to stop myself from choking on my own tongue. Her black semi-sheer stockings or tights or whatever they were could be seen through the cutaway portion in the front of her skirt, which ended about halfway up her thighs. The fabric appeared to wrap loosely around her waist before forming the bodice of the dress and crossing in the back, exposing deliciously perfect sections of her back and shoulders while still forming a decolletage that a man could get lost in for hours. As my brain tried to reboot, I couldn't help but wonder if the dress was sewn together at all or if it was a single piece of fabric tantalizingly draped around her body that would fall to the floor by the removal of a single knot or pin-
Stop it. We do not lust after our friends, especially while they're still hung up over their philandering fiance...
…If only such words would actually work…
"A pleasure to see you this evening, Lady Redgrave," I greeted as I bowed to kiss the back of Angelica's hand.
…Shit, she's wearing black silk gloves; I need to make sure to challenge the Prince first before she can challenge Marie. …Of course that's the reason that I'm concerned about the gloves. No other reason. …At all…
"Likewise, Lord Bartfort," replied Angelica evenly as she accepted the gesture before lowering her voice. "I thought we agreed to not fan the flames on the rumors surrounding us, Leon…"
"We did, but I believe that it would be far more conspicuous for us to pointedly avoid each other after being observed meeting daily for tea," I replied quietly with a smile. "That being said, I will refrain from asking you to dance, at least where others may see us."
"...Implying that you would ask in private?" blushed Angelica, trying to look stern but failing miserably.
"I fear that I might actually beg," I laughed. "Might I ask that you accompany Livia for a moment? I need to assist my friend Raymond with something, and I'm concerned that Livia may become overwhelmed with marriage proposals if left by herself."
"Leon…" pouted Livia as she glanced away, blushing.
"I can certainly see why," smiled Angelica. "Still, I am curious what you intend to help Lord Arkin with if Livia wouldn't be able to accompany you?"
"Considering that Ray is looking for a marriage partner, it might not give the best impression to be accompanied by a beautiful woman," I chuckled lightly.
"Oh… I see," replied Angelica as her expression fell slightly. "Well, allow me to wish you luck in your endeavors this evening-"
"-I'll pass that along to Ray since he's the only one who'll need it," I replied quickly, hoping to avoid a misunderstanding but somehow making it worse. "...That came out wrong, sorry… I mean Ray is the only one that will be trying this evening."
"...Do you not intend to seek a wife here at the Academy, Leon?" asked Angelica.
"Not from any of them, no," I replied. "Forgive me, but I don't want to keep Ray waiting too much longer. If Danny somehow manages to escape Liza's enthusiastic lips, let him know that I have something important to give him."
"...I certainly will," affirmed Angelica with the hint of a smile. "Enjoy your evening, Lord Bartfort."
With a brief bow to Angelica and Livia, I made my way over to Ray. In my mind, this whole endeavor would crash and burn in two minutes, and then I could subtly watch over Angelica. Ray gave a brief little wave as I approached. I returned his wave, but I couldn't help but grimace at the prospect of what we intended to do.
"I just want to say that this is a horrible idea, Ray," I warned.
"Maybe so, but what other choice do we have?" asked Ray. "Millie was kind as she was beautiful, but she found another man and, while I wish her nothing but the best, I still need to find a wife. You've only hung out with Olivia, Lady Redgrave, and Lady Atlee for the entirety of the term, and unless you've changed your mind about marrying one of them, you still need to find a wife as well."
I grumbled, but I didn't say anything more. While I could, in theory, live out the rest of my days in comfort from the deck of Luxion's airship, Ray didn't have that luxury. Finding a wife was important to him not because of some notion of romance, but out of sheer necessity. It would be seen as a sign of weakness, and an invitation for other nobles to extort Ray or even declare war. Hence why Ray was in the finest suit he could afford. Conversely, my lack of belief in this plan was perfectly highlighted by my wearing of my favored armor with an over-the-shoulder cape, minus the helmet. I followed as Ray caught sight of a group of three girls, and I knew immediately that this would be trouble. They were quintessential 'Noble Bitches', complete with a Lead Bitch and two Lackey Bitches. However, there didn't appear to be any other unattached females at this event. Ray approached with a genuine smile while I stood back, helpless to stop my friend from stepping on this landmine.
"Good evening, madam," introduced Raymond with a bow. "I am Raymond Fou Arkin, heir to the Arkin Barony-"
"Excuse me? Go look in a mirror," sneered Bitch Leader
"...I'm sorry?" replied Raymond.
"You're from a Barony in where now? Not interested," scoffed Bitch Two.
"...I suppose that's fair eno-" began Raymond dejectedly.
"A hick like you should look for hick girls," interrupted Bitch Three. "I wouldn't even consider someone less than Viscount rank. And you're from a border region? Don't kid yourself."
The Bitch Leader snapped her fingers, and a massive muscle-bound demihuman manservant approached us threateningly. Ray flinched and took a few steps back, but I held my ground. A crowd was starting to form as other noble girls laughed at Ray's misfortune. I held my tongue, but I could feel my lips curling into a barely suppressed snarl as I watched. Zola's spiteful grin mocked me in my mind's eye.
"Leave," huffed Bitch Leader. "And try to be a little more presentable at the next party. Or perhaps it's already too late for you. Maybe your only salvation is to pray you'll be better in your next life. Farewell, country scum-"
"...I've fucking had it with this shit…" I growled.
All eyes snapped to me. Ray tried to silently signal me to back down, but I'd finally had enough. This system of noble society was bullshit, and I wasn't going to keep my mouth shut anymore. This moment had been a long time coming; for ten years, at least, and I wasn't too concerned about the fallout. Besides, I had a secret weapon, a present that I intended to give to Ray later this evening…
"...And who are you supposed to be?" asked Bitch Leader with a contemptuous eyebrow raise.
"The time for introductions was ten seconds ago before you treated my friend's honest introduction as a mortal insult, so let's not pretend that either of us gives a flying fuck enough to care, shall we?" I shot back as I gave the three a brittle and patronizing smile.
"...I beg your pardon?" hissed Bitch Leader.
"I'd rather not pardon any of you, but if you promise to actually get on your knees and beg, I might allow it," I quipped.
"Who do you think you are?!" snapped Bitch Two.
"I am what I am and that's all that I am," I grinned without a trace of humor. "But it won't be all that I will become with time and the effort of my own two hands."
"Are you mad?!" asked Bitch Three incredulously.
"Yes Madam, I'm quite 'mad' indeed; you might even say that I'm furious," I replied without a care. "And you three are rancid bitches. But tomorrow I may yet be calmed."
"Do you have any idea who you're talking to?!" demanded Bitch Leader.
"Three crotch-rotten wastes of air, but what's your point?" I shrugged.
The three Bitches blinked, completely gobsmacked that some rural Baron would dare to speak to them this way. Raymond had turned completely pale, apparently fearing that any sound would provoke them into action and so remained completely silent. Now that the floodgates had opened, my righteous fury was completely unrestrained as I let these three have it.
"So long as you can bleed some poor sap dry or marry into some fancy title, you don't actually give a shit about the man you marry," I continued as I finally went to war against the society that I hated with every fiber of my being. "Let's be honest here: All you care about is wealth, status, and the ability to impose your will upon whatever unfortunate host you manage to inflict yourself upon, you festering parasites. If I were to tell you that this man was the newest member of the Belmont Tea Company's Board of Directors, you'd be creaming your clap-ridden knickers to try and bag him-"
"But he's not on the Belmont Board of Directors!" screeched Bitch Leader as she finally found her voice. "He's just some inbred country bumpkin!
"Is he now?" I grinned viciously as I pulled my coup-de-gras. "Then allow me to introduce you twats to Baron Raymond Fou Arkin, the newest executive officer of the Belmont Tea Company."
The Ballroom Bitches turned white as linen as I presented an officiated document, signed by Minister Bernard Fia Atlee himself, naming Ray as a member of Belmont Tea Company's executive officers. I had an identical one to give Danny once he got back from making out with Eliza in the gardens. The Belmont Seal gleamed at the bottom of the page, printed in a unique polychromatic ink that would change color as it caught the light at different angles, not unlike the Seal found on a tin of Belmont tea. Ray stared at the document in disbelief for only a moment before his eyes hardened. Nearby noble girls watched in horrified curiosity while a few noble guys watched with vindicated smiles. Bitch Two managed to find her voice first.
"It… it has to be fake-" stammered Bitch Two.
"That's the Belmont Seal," I growled as I showed the document, thankful that Clarice had been able to convince her father to pull this string in half the time it would have normally taken. "That's Minister Atlee's signature. That's Ray's name. If you still can't believe it, you can check the announcement in the morning newspapers."
"...It seems that we've made a grievous error, Lord-" began Bitch Leader, addressing Raymond.
"Fuck off," snapped Raymond before he stepped away without another word.
"Leave," I quoted cruelly as I mocked the mentally broken bitches. "And try to be a little more amenable at the next party. Or perhaps it's already too late for you. Maybe your only salvation is to pray you'll be better in your next lives. Farewell, Noble Bitches."
And with an imperious sweep of my cape, I followed quickly after Raymond. No one stopped us. Every face I passed stared slack-jawed at me as I made my way through the crowd. To be honest, I was a little disappointed at the lack of fanfare over the news. To anyone with half a brain, I'd basically announced that I was, at the very least, tied to the owner of Belmont Tea Company. It didn't matter, though, as I'd completely given up on finding a decent woman here at the Academy. It wasn't worth the time or the effort I'd need to apply. Besides, Livia needed a greatly accelerated training course now that the timeframe for events had potentially been moved up, so I no longer had time to play the childish games that noble girls played.
Ray stared up at the sky as he sat on one of the benches in the courtyard, as if trying to find answers from the moon above us. I took a seat next to him, not saying anything. It was a cold night, but a clear one, to where the moon and stars shined brightly above us. A perfectly romantic night sky mocked us two sad sacks from far above, and I couldn't help but feel envy that Danny was very thoroughly enjoying said evening with Eliza. We watched the night sky in silence for a while longer before I cleared my throat.
"...So, yeah, that was the surprise I had for you and Danny this evening," I blabbered awkwardly.
Raymond didn't say anything, instead mustering up a weak smile and a nod before his earlier mood sunk back in.
"...In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm the actual owner of Belmont," I coughed.
Raymond snorted in amusement, grinning before his mood wiped away the smile again. Another long moment of silence stretched on before Ray finally spoke.
"...Do you think that society would be better if noble ladies didn't have all the power and influence?" asked Raymond suddenly.
"...No… I really don't…" I sighed. "Power and influence corrupts without distinction. If the roles were reversed, it'd be the noble guys that would be the insufferable bastards, by and large."
"...So what's the answer, Leon?" asked Ray.
"I don't know…" I answered honestly. "Be honest? Fight for the greatest possible happiness for yourself and others? If I ever figure it out, you'll be the first to know…"
We descended back into silence. Having come from a world where the pendulum had swung the other way, and even still leaned pretty hard on the patriarchal side of things, I could guarantee that simply swapping the roles of power the other way around wasn't the right answer. Still, that age-old question was a problem even here: How do you balance the age-old Battle of the Sexes? As I told Ray, I hadn't quite figured out the answer yet, but perhaps it might start as simply as sitting down and talking things out. That was how actual wars got resolved after all. I cleared my throat once more.
"...So, uh, we have a staff meeting this coming Monday as part of the on-boarding process for you and Danny," I joked.
"...Thanks, Leon," smiled Ray. "You're a damn good friend."
"Still causing you no end of grief by association," I grinned. "You'll have no end of 'gulls' chasing after you, but maybe you might find that one girl in a million among them."
"Still worth it," laughed Ray before grinning evilly. "Say, Danny has no idea that you're doing this, right?"
"Nope, not at all," I grinned back. "And he definitely won't until he's having breakfast with dearest Liza-"
"There you are, Leon!" exclaimed Livia as she burst out of the ballroom and into the courtyard. "I've been looking all over for you! It's horrible, Leon! Angie-"
Whatever Livia said next was lost to me as my blood ran cold. …Fuck. I was on my feet in an instant as I prayed that I wasn't too late- Fuck. I was a complete and total idiot- Fuck! My little stunt in the ballroom didn't cause a larger stir because everyone was occupied by a much larger event- Fuck! An event that I was trying to prevent but became so wrapped up in my own personal crusade- FUCK! I pushed my way through the gathered crowd, knowing that my prayers were all in vain.
A single black silk glove on the steps. Marie flanked on either side by her five lovers. Angelica alone in the center of the ballroom, her face twisted in despair and regret. Ariel and Carmen looking away from their childhood friend as they and the rest of Angelica's followers left her out to dry. It was the Challenge, just how I remembered from that godforsaken three day weekend marathon save for one detail: The desperation in Angelica's eyes as she searched the crowd for me. She'd truly put her faith in me to be here, and now she was searching for me in the crowd, praying that I wouldn't let her down. …Well, I didn't want to fail her a second time this evening, even if she had no idea about my first failure.
"I stand with Angelica Rapha Redgrave!" I shouted as I tried to push through the crowd.
I could see the visible relief in Angelica's eyes as I pushed my way through the now dumbstruck crowd to stand by her side. For a very brief moment, Marie's Protagonist mask cracked as I finally broke through the crowd, indignation visible for barely a heartbeat before slipping back into her same Protagonist face. Yeah, go ahead and get mad, little gremlin: I gave you a more than fair opportunity to work with me peacefully so this could be resolved without making a mess.
"Sorry I'm late, Miss Angelica! The line to the bathroom was murder, I tell you…" I joked out loud.
"Leon?" asked Julius, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, terribly sorry, was it not obvious?" I asked with a grin that turned slightly feral. "I'm standing as Angelica's Champion."
"...Bartfort, this is hardly the time for your childish jokes," sighed Chris as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"You know, we really need to work on that sense of humor of yours, Chrissy-Boy, because if you had any sense of what humor is you'd know that I'm not fucking joking…" I smiled without a trace of humor in my eyes before giving a gentle smile to Angelica. "Miss Angelica, do you accept me as your champion?"
"...I do…" replied Angelica with a grateful look in return.
"Leon!" exclaimed Brad, suddenly quite concerned. "Let's not jump to hasty decisions! Maybe we can talk about this-"
"Sorry Brad," I sighed, giving a rueful smile. "The time for words has passed. Now is the time of action."
"Dude! This is no joke here! You're going to throw your life away!" argued Greg in frustration.
"Remember what we talked about, Greg?" I replied with a meaningful look. "About how inaction is sometimes the worst action you can take?"
"...No hard feelings, man, but I'm gonna kick your ass," sighed Greg with a rueful grin to match my own.
"You'll try, I'm sure," I replied as I gave a roguish smirk. "I won't be holding back, and I hope you'll extend me the same courtesy."
"Damn right," grinned Greg.
"Of course you two get along," grumbled Chris. "He's like your evil twin, with an emphasis on the 'evil' part. At least you were somewhat tolerable."
"Can't have light without the dark, Chrissy-Wissy," I smirked. "Normally it takes a lot of bullshit to get under my skin, but I have to give you credit: You've won the solid gold carnival doll!"
"Bold words, Bartfort, but you have to realize just how outmatched this fight is," snarled Chris.
"I'm well aware how lopsided this match will be, but I don't think you are, Chris-py Chicken Sandwich," I quipped before I let my tone drop with a hint of menace as I grinned ferally again. "Still, if you really think you stand a snowball's chance in Hell, then you may test that assumption at your convenience…"
"...I'm going to enjoy this…" growled Chris.
"Hey, don't take words from my mouth!" I jibed at Chris with a smirk. "You don't know where they've been…"
I could see a vein pulsing in Chris's temple as he ground his teeth in frustration. Greg and Brad seemed resigned by my choice, but at the very least they didn't seem too shocked or even annoyed by it, which I suppose it was nice to know I wouldn't be burning any bridges there. Jilk was a bit harder to gauge, but I suppose that was just par for the course with that slippery bastard. The man was practically the Prince's shadow, so I didn't really expect him to have any strong feelings beyond my effect on the Prince. Speaking of which…
"I don't understand, Leon," began Julius. "Why are you doing this? Why now, especially after encouraging myself and Marie in the first place-"
"I encouraged you to take up a hobby and make yourself happy; to be honest with yourself," I countered, feeling my blood rise in my veins. "I encouraged you to show compassion for someone who I suspected was a victim of abuse and neglect. I did not encourage you to jump into bed with this woman, nor did I encourage you to dishonor the woman to which you are actually betrothed!"
"Enough," interrupted Jilk before my anger could rise further. "Bartfort, what are the terms?"
"Miss Angelica, if you would clearly voice the stakes?" I asked, nodding to Angelica.
"All I wanted this semester has been for Marie to stay away from the Prince, but-" began Angelica.
"You would stoop so low to break us apart, Angelica?' interrupted Julius, anger rising in his eyes. "It seems you don't understand who the real 'witch' here is! Even if-"
"Let her finish," I interjected, striding forward and popping a macaron from a nearby waiter's tray into the Prince's mouth to shut him up. "You'll have your turn to speak in just a moment. Please continue, Miss Angelica."
"...I will not ask that of you," continued Angelica, clearly shaken by the 'witch' comment. "...I know that you will never love me, so what I want is one hour. One hour where the two of us can talk, not as the Prince and the Duke's Daughter, but as Julius and Angelica, just as we should have long ago…"
"An excellent and reasonable suggestion, Miss Angelica," I added with a very pointed look at Julius, who had the decency to look away, chagrined, as I moved back to stand by Angelica. "I will even go so far as to make it a condition for all of the participants who are currently still engaged to other women…"
"Well, that's a little unnecessary, Leon," laughed Greg. "Seriously, by this point, the only ones still engaged would… be… oh, you have got to be kidding me… You're still frigging engaged, Jilk?! Even after we all agreed?!"
"That's none of your concern, Greg," replied Jilk stiffly.
"The hell it's not!" snapped Greg. "Have you even told Clarice that you're seeing someone else yet?! I've half a mind to join Leon on sheer fucking principle!"
"Easy, Greg," I placated. "...Marie Fou Lafan, state your terms."
"I-If I win, I don't want you to-" began Marie.
"'-do cruel things like this anymore. I don't think it's right to wield your house's influence like a weapon and force others to do your bidding'," I quoted at the same time as Marie. "Passing over the fact that Miss Angelica has done nothing of the sort, the stakes can be basically summarized as a heart-to-heart with your fiancees if you lose, and Angelica stays away from Marie if you win. So for the duel itself, I propose a five-on-one Armor Duel in the Arena."
"Are you mad, Leon?!" exclaimed Brad. "We'll gladly let you recruit more to aid you-"
"No, I will be more than enough for this," I replied.
"...Leon, I know you think you're some kind of hero, but-" reasoned Brad.
"Brad, I'm the furthest thing from a hero," I laughed. "In fact, if I were to call myself anything, it would be a coward. I only fight a fight that I am sure that I can win."
"But-" protested Brad.
"Brad, we've seen the man in action before. Let's trust that he's got something up his sleeve," interrupted Greg. "And even though I don't believe him to be a coward for even a second, he just declared that he only fights when he's sure he can win, and he's still challenged us to a Five-on-One Armor Duel."
"You got it, Greg," I grinned.
"Your hubris clearly knows no bounds, Bartfort," sneered Chris.
"What did I say about taking words from my mouth, Chris-Cross-Applesauce?" I replied with a smirk.
"Will you desist with the asinine nicknames-" fumed Chris.
"Can't do it, Bottle-O' Chris-Co," I shot back before turning to Julius while Brad and Greg tried to hold the blue-haired heir back. "I trust that there's nothing more to say until we step into the arena, yes?"
"...Nothing further, Leon," nodded Julius, his eyes hardening.
I simply nodded once in return before putting an arm around Angelica and leading her outside the ballroom. I sent a withering glare at Ariel and Carmen as we passed them, to which only Ariel appeared to be chagrined. As we moved into the courtyard, Angelica seemed to find the ability to speak again.
"I'm so sorry, Leon," whispered Angelica. "I just-"
"It's alright, Miss Angelica," I whispered back, placing my cape over Angelica's shoulders in a comforting gesture, as well as to keep away the chill of the night air. "You held out more than long enough, and we went in knowing that peace might not be an option…"
"...Leon, you shouldn't-" protested Angelica.
"The hell with the rumors," I interrupted firmly. "Let them talk until their jaws fall off; You're one of my closest and dearest friends, and I refuse to abandon you here."
"...Thank you, Leon…" whispered Angelica as tears traced down her face.
"...I'd still hoped to ask you to dance beneath the stars at some point this evening, but it appears to have started to rain," I observed as I looked up at the sky.
"What do you mean?" asked Angelica in confusion. "The sky is absolutely clear-"
"No, there's definitely raindrops, see?" I interrupted as I dried her tears gently with my kerchief.
"...Of course…" smiled Angelica even as a few more tears slipped through.
"Guess that means we'll need to take a rain check on that dance, then," I replied as I continued my charade.
"I suppose that it would," nodded Angelica. "Did you have a particular day in mind?"
"When I've successfully defended your honor, I think," I smirked. "I hope you'll wear this same dress?"
"I look forward to it, and I will," replied Angelica before wrapping her arms around me. "Thank you again, Leon…"
With that brief exchange, Angelica turned away to the rapidly approaching Livia, who instantly began fussing over her. Ray, for his part, stared at me in stunned silence, not saying a single word. The moment was broken by a thoroughly ruffled Danny stumbling out of a nearby hedge, his shirt untucked and missing a few buttons, his lips smeared with lipstick, and his neck sporting two very prominent hickeys that he didn't have when the End of Term banquet started.
"...Uh, hey guys…" greeted Danny, clearing his throat. "What did I miss?"
"Lord Bartfort, I must insist that you allow my fiance to act as your Second in the duel!" demanded Eliza as she pushed her way over to my table in the cafeteria.
"I must emphatically decline said request, on the grounds that it will cheapen the lesson that I intend to teach Julius and his friends," I smiled as I took a sip from my Earl Grey.
"I told you that he'd never agree," sighed Danny. "I demanded three times last night and all he had to say was that I had annoyed him for the last time that evening, and so I had to carry this envelope without opening as penance for my transgressions."
The morning after the challenge had been quite the uproar around the Academy, to the point where my public "non-announcement" announcement of being Executive Leadership of Belmont Tea Company was now somehow completely forgotten. The more relevant news was my "impending destruction at the hands of the Founding Heirs" for having dared to rise above my station. There were other rumors that I'd done so foolishly out of lust-filled loyalty as Angelica's lover, or as some harebrained scheme to curry favor with Ducal House of Redgrave. I supposed, with all these rumors flying around, Eliza could be forgiven for not seeing her fiance's name in the paper.
"I know that you are skilled, Lord Bartfort, but-" protested Eliza.
"I will do what I must, Lady Melton," I replied. "Nothing more, and nothing less."
"Liza, go ahead and grab some breakfast for us," suggested Danny. "I'll knock some sense into this knucklehead here."
"If only it were that easy," smirked Eliza before giving Danny a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Our usual?"
"That would be lovely," smiled Danny, totally smitten.
"Best to grab a newspaper as well," I added. "Any one will do, really. Trust me, you'll want to see the Morning Edition."
Eliza simply rolled her eyes at me before leaving to grab breakfast and a paper. Danny watched her leave, completely spell-bound as though wondering how he'd gotten so lucky. I grinned at his lovestruck expression, but tactfully chose not to say anything. Honestly, it wasn't like I needed to. Danny shook himself from Liza's spell and cleared his throat.
"You know this isn't going to end well for you, even if you do win," began Danny.
"And it will end much worse for you and Ray if you get involved," I argued right back. "I've got a plan to get out of this with my life and my family's lives intact, but I can't do the same for you and Ray."
"Leon, it's thanks to you that I was able to find Liza at all," protested Danny. "I don't think I could look her in the eye if I didn't stand by you-"
"Dude, you want to do me a favor?" I interrupted. "Bet everything you have on me. I'm going to win, and the astronomical odds will make you the perfect nest-egg for you and Eliza."
"...Alright, if you insist, but I don't see how that would make me rich, even at the astronomical odds they're putting against you," replied Danny.
"Better open and read through the contents of that envelope quickly, because I think you have about ninety seconds before you become very occupied for the next hour or so," I chuckled as I finished my tea and gathered up my dishes onto the tray.
Danny frowned before opening the letter that I had him carry around since the night before; the letter was the same as the one I'd given to Ray, declaring Danny to be a member of Belmont's Board of Executives. Danny's frown quickly turned to confused disbelief before progressing to shock as he reread the contents several times over. I grinned as I could hear a familiar voice squeal in excitement in the distance, knowing that I'd timed this perfectly to have the greatest impact on Danny. Danny barely had time to look up before Eliza practically tackled him in the middle of the cafeteria, capturing the lucky bastard in a very enthusiastic lip-lock.
"I guess it was more like forty-five seconds," I chuckled as I stood up from the table. "I'll leave you to it, then."
Danny made no indication of hearing me, which was honestly fine. I knew that he had been worried about how he'd possibly gain the blessing of Viscount Nicholas Fou Melton, given that Danny was only the heir to a backcountry Barony with little in the way of prospects. Eliza had been quick to insist that her father didn't care about wealth and status so much as strength of character and strength of his feelings, but Danny continued to worry in spite of it all. As I left the cafeteria, I could feel Livia fall in step beside me as we walked briskly through the hall.
"How is she this morning?" I asked without any sort of preamble.
"Better than she was last night, but that's only a small comfort there," replied Livia. "She finally let herself cry without restraint, so at least she's let some emotion out, but she still feels foolish for letting her anger get the best of her."
"Dammit," I cursed briefly. "I should never have followed Ray. I could have-"
"-challenged the Prince first before Angelica could challenge Marie?" finished Livia with a knowing look. "I could tell you were anxious last night, despite you trying to hide it, and it was fairly easy to tell what you were thinking when Angelica and I discussed it."
"Do you disapprove?" I asked.
"I thought it would have been a very sweet gesture, trying to spare her the embarrassment and pain of it," smiled Livia. "However, Angelica explained that you'd have put yourself in a worse position had you actually gone through with your plan since you wouldn't have had her father's influence and power to shield you."
"You know that I don't give a damn about any of that nobility bullshit, right?"
"I do, and it's very sweet how much you care about Miss Angelica, but don't forget that we care about your well-being too," replied Livia with a smile.
"Did Angelica explain what was at stake for her?" I asked.
"...Well, she did mention that her family would be upset with her and she might be disowned, but-" began Livia.
"Livia, she might be forced to atone with her life," I explained, causing Livia to audibly gasp. "Her father may be the head of a Ducal House, but he's not all-powerful. Even with his influence, disownment is the best case scenario and, however small the chance may be, death is a very real possibility."
Admittedly, I wasn't really playing fair by using that argument, but nothing I told Livia was a lie. If I somehow failed to win or backed out of the duel, or if Duke Redgrave was unwilling or unable to help his own daughter, Angelica would be expected to commit suicide as a symbolic atonement for her actions. Granted, I had no doubt in my mind that I would win the duel and I sure as hell wasn't going to abandon Angelica, regardless of whatever Duke Redgrave chose to do, so it was a moot point. Still, Livia seemed to be working herself into a mild panic, so I decided to cut that off at the knees.
"Look, at this point, it would take me losing the fight or abandoning her for death to be a possibility, and you know that I won't allow either of those to happen," I reminded gently, to which Livia visibly calmed down. "What we need to be more concerned about is what comes afterwards when I win. We'll need influence at court in order to make sure that no harm or consequences reflect back on you, me, Angelica, or Clarice, and to do that, we're going to need money as a suitable tribute to either Duke Redgrave or Minister Atlee. I've got a decent seed fund that I can bet on myself that will grow to an appropriate amount at the odds they're offering."
"...You really shouldn't gamble, Leon," pouted Livia. "It's a terrible vice."
"I agree, but we need the money quickly, and this is the best way to do it," I attempted to placate Livia's moral sensibilities.
"You mean that it's the most preferable option for you personally, Mister Bartfort," interjected Master Graves as I finally noticed his approach.
"Master Graves," I bowed in greeting. "Have-"
"Mister Thaddeus!" cheered Livia as she tackled Master Graves in an enthusiastic hug while I watched in bemusement. "It's so good to see you again!"
"I'm pleased to see that you are in good health, Miss Livia," smiled Master Graves.
"...Did I miss something?" I asked blankly as I glanced between the two of them.
"Oh, Mister Thaddeus is the man who taught me how to use magic to begin with," explained Livia. "He's the one that recommended me for the scholarship, as a matter of fact."
"Well… I can honestly say that my social world has become remarkably interwoven, though not unpleasantly so," I coughed, to which Livia giggled at my stupefaction as I addressed Master Graves. "As I was saying, have you come to chastise me for my reckless actions?"
"Mister Bartfort, you may be accused of many things, but 'recklessness' is certainly not one that I'd accuse you of," chuckled Master Graves. "No, I have sought you out on a few other matters entirely, but on the matter of chastisement, you should tell Miss Livia the real reason that you're placing the bets rather than using the vast funds at your disposal from your position at Belmont."
For the second time in as many minutes, I stared at Master Graves in utter bemusement, wondering how he could have known that the Belmont funds were not an option for me to bribe people with yet. Sure, I could have used the Belmont War Chest to bribe Angelica and Clarice's dads to help clean up the mess from the Duel event, but since war seemed inevitable and rapidly approaching, I wanted to allocate those funds to training and supplies that the Kingdom would need to repel an invasion, but how could- oh… I cleared my throat sheepishly as I played up my embarrassment to misdirect in regards to my actual intentions.
"I kind of also want to bankrupt everyone betting against me as payback for the persecution they put Angelica through…" I coughed as Livia pouted in disappointment at me.
"Leon, you should know better…" scolded Livia half-heartedly.
"Yeah, I sadly still haven't learned that lesson about rising above the pettiness of my enemies," I joked before giving Livia a serious look. "Besides, you can't tell me that you don't want to get some justice on Angelica's behalf…"
At this, Livia looked away guiltily, not wanting to admit that I was spot-on, but knowing that I was. Master Graves smiled warmly at our exchange, and I could have even sworn that he gave me a knowing look, but the man quickly composed himself even in spite of the faint smile he continued to wear.
"In any case, to address the two matters that I approached you for, I would like you to serve as my official teaching assistant next term, if you are interested," offered Master Graves.
"...I would be honored, Master Graves…" I bowed, but I couldn't stop the grin that spread across my face. "I'm just grateful that you've not taken offense at my deception on the matter of Belmont."
"Your knowledge on the subject matter was real and genuine, Mister Bartfort," smiled Master Graves. "The only deception was simply an omission of how you came by such knowledge."
"Yeah, it would have been far more troublesome to reveal that fact," I replied, chagrined. "What was the other matter?"
"Miss Redgrave was looking for you earlier," replied Master Graves. "She wishes to speak with you privately and said that she'll be waiting for you in your usual tea room."
My mind raced as I tried to make sense of why Angelica wanted to meet up so soon after the challenge. It took all my willpower to dismiss fantasies of that damned red dress on the floor of my tea room as utter nonsense, but… well, I'm as human as the next man. To be honest, there was only one situation that Angelica would realistically summon me for, and that was to convince me to back out of the challenge. Perhaps it was some sort of "moment of regret in the morning light", but I needed to address whatever she needed from me so I could focus on my preparations for the fight.
"Thank you, Master Graves," I nodded seriously. "I'll find her immediately. In the meantime, I'm sure you'd like to catch up with Livia."
"Indeed," nodded Master Graves. "Best of luck on convincing her."
I nodded briefly, giving Livia a quick hug before I left. Best to make sure Angelica's resolve stayed firm.
Angelica was waiting for me in the tea room, seated at the sofa quietly, her face marred by a troubled expression. It was all that I could do to keep myself composed. It seemed this was much more than "morning light regret" like I was thinking. I wracked my brain to think of what it could be, but Angelica broke the silence first.
"Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Leon…" greeted Angelica formally without standing.
"Of course," I nodded, feeling my unease grow at the stiffness of her tone as I took a seat next to her on the sofa. "Did something happen?"
"In a manner of speaking," replied Angelica with a bitter smile. "I've just received word from my father admonishing me for my impulsiveness. For all intents and purposes, I've been placed under house arrest and instructed to avoid shaming the family any further."
I blinked, more than a little stunned at how quickly Duke Redgrave had was not what I expected, at least not this soon. It was part of the reason that I wanted to challenge Julius in the first place, so that Angelica wouldn't have troubled the waters too much for her father. It seemed almost too convenient. I cleared my throat.
"...That was fast," I verbalized. "I wasn't expecting you to hear from him for another few days at least."
"Your observations in regards to the best way to strike at the Redgrave House struck a chord with him, and so Father had people observing from nearby to let him know of any changes as they happened, not to mention he was already in the Capital because of parliamentary matters," explained Angelica before raising an eyebrow. "No comment in regards to what his response was, then?"
"I know that Livia will be upset, but I can understand his position, especially since Marquess Frampton is undermining your father's control at every opportunity, from what Luxion was able to report," I grumbled. "Doesn't mean that I like it or think that he's any less of a dick for doing it."
"Leon, please," requested Angelica. "He is my father-"
"All the more reason that I should be harsh on his decisions," I countered. "The greatest failure a father can do is fail to support his children when they need him most. Still, I wasn't expecting any support from him to begin with, so it's a moot point anyhow. With the seed fund I've diverted from Belmont, I should be able to come up with a sufficient bribe to ask for your father's help, and perhaps Clarice's father as well, once I clean up this mess."
"...About that, Leon," whispered Angelica. "I… I made a terrible mistake last night, and it won't be fair to you if I don't take responsibility for my actions. You are one of the greatest men- no… the greatest man that I've ever known. You're the most brilliant mind that the Kingdom of Holfort has seen in decades, if not centuries. Regardless of what happens to me, the future of the Kingdom must be preserved, and there's no question that you are the key to that future."
And the conversation I'd expected to be having when I walked in had finally reared its ugly head. To stand against even just one of the Founding Family heirs was beyond the pale, to say nothing of standing against all five at once. It was why securing help from either Duke Redgrave or Minister Atlee, possibly even both, was so important to the plan.
"I want you to withdraw from the duel, Leon," sighed Angelica. "I cannot in good conscience allow you to commit political and social suicide for my sake-"
"Nope," I interrupted simply with a smirk. "Can't do it."
"...Leon, be reasonable-"
"Nope," I smirked. "Much Regret, Unable. Already Committed."
"Leon, whether you win or lose, your life will be over!" snapped Angelica. "You are challenging the most powerful young men in the Kingdom-"
"Yep, and I'm going to whoop their asses so hard they won't be able to sit for a week," I replied with a grin. "Sorry, Miss Angelica, but I gave you my word-"
"I release you from your promise, then!" replied Angelica frantically.
"...Alright, if you insist," I shrugged. "Guess I'm still bound by the promises I made to Livia and Clarice. Sorry, but I don't think you'll have much luck convincing them to coerce me into abandoning you."
"You absolutely infuriating man!" shouted Angelica, tears of frustration beginning to show. "You've gone far above and beyond to accommodate my foolish whims before now, and now when I plead with you to spare yourself, you refuse?! The only reasonable request that I've ever made of you, and you blithely brush it off-"
I simply held Angelica in a comforting embrace. Angelica froze mid-tirade, as if deciding whether to break free or take comfort in my arms. In the end, Angelica relented, melting into me as I held her, her emotions finally breaking through. I held her gently as she wept, letting out months of heartache and frustration into my shoulder. As her tears subsided, I gently moved to look her in the eyes as I spoke my mind and answered the question that weighed so heavily on her mind that it just couldn't quite reach her lips.
"Miss Angelica, I made a promise to myself to live my life well, so that at its end I can say it was a good life in spite of whatever regrets I had during it," I explained as I gently dried her tears with my kerchief. "I know for a fact that if I turned my back on you now, that would be a regret that I could not abide by, not for a thousand years. Besides, correct me if I'm wrong, but actual suicide to atone would be a possibility for you in the worst case, yes?"
"...Well, yes, but it shouldn't come to that-" began Angelica.
"Not an option," I interrupted firmly. "I don't care how small the chance is; your death is unacceptable, Miss Angelica-"
"Angie," interrupted Angelica suddenly before clearing her throat and composing herself. "...if you insist on doing so much on my behalf, I must insist that you call me 'Angie'."
"...As you wish, Angie," I smiled gently.
"...You've said that to me before," frowned Angelica. "That same phrase, 'as you wish'... You've also said it to Livia and Clarice."
"I do believe I have, yes," I replied coyly.
"...Why do I get the impression that when you say that phrase, you're actually saying something else?" blushed Angelica with a stern look that neither of us believed.
"Maybe someday I'll explain that…" I grinned roguishly to which Angelica rolled her eyes.
"A most peculiar and infuriating man, as usual," sighed Angelica even as she smiled. "...Thank you, Leon…"
"Everything will turn out just fine, Angie," I promised. "It may not be the happy ending you wanted at the start, but it will be the one that you need."
"...I daresay that my feelings have changed from what they were at the start, Leon," replied Angelica carefully. "I'm not entirely sure what I want anymore, but I know that I am grateful to you and your efforts, more than I can say…"
Angelica leaned in impossibly close. I felt my mouth go dry as my heartbeat pounded in my ears. Angelica's lips were impossibly soft against my cheek. I could feel myself getting drunk on the scent of her lavender perfume. It was over all too soon, but the memory was burned into my mind.
"...For luck," whispered Angelica, backing away with dignity in spite of the incandescent blush on her face. "...Thank you again, Leon."
It was all I could do to dumbly nod back at her in response while my brain attempted to reboot itself. I was able to catch a small smile on her face as she left the room with the same poise and dignity she always did. As the door closed, my legs finally went to jelly and I collapsed into the nearby chair.
"...Did that really just happen?" I asked myself.
"I captured the moment in full, and can project a frame-by-frame replay upon request," quipped Luxion as he made his presence known.
"...That's going into your 'Master Leon Is Being a Dense Harem Anime Protagonist' video reel, isn't it?" I scowled at the AI.
"I had not named the playlist yet, but I will take that suggestion into consideration," replied Luxion.
"...And if I ordered you to delete that video reel?" I asked testily.
"I would simply direct you to 'Bite my shiny metal ass'," replied Luxion gleefully.
"...Look, I'm not saying that you're wrong, but now is not the time to deal with this issue," I sighed. "I will address it once we're able to get past the fallout of the Duel and put a stop to Marie, but right now we have bigger fish to fry, okay?"
"I will hold you to your word, Master, but that shall be sufficient for now," replied Luxion.
"Glad to hear it," I replied, eager to jump to other matters before I focused too much on that kiss. "So have the modifications to Arroganz been completed?"
"They have been for the past two weeks, although I cannot understand why you added a sound system to the unit," replied Luxion. "If we were at war, I could see the justification for psychological warfare tactics, but this is a simple duel, is it not?"
"It is the first appearance of the Arroganz to the Kingdom of Holfort," I explained. "For better or worse, I've become involved with the fate of the Kingdom, so I need to have an appropriate level of showmanship in order to build a reputation that will reach beyond the Kingdom's walls."
"You wish to become a deterrent in order to try and stall Fanoss," mused Luxion.
"It is a long shot, but yeah," I confirmed. "If things had stayed close to the script, I'd have kept to the shadows, but no chance of that happening now, even if we do stop Marie."
"One Knight in an advanced Armor won't stop the Principality, especially with the Black Knight on their side," replied Luxion.
"A Circus might, though," I replied with a grin.
"Ah, you intend to create a group like Richtofen's Flying Circus?" guessed Luxion, referencing the group of World War I aces led by the infamous 'Red Baron'.
"Yeah, and I get that the logistics of that are something we need to discuss, but we'll do that later," I replied. "For now, we have a much more important decision to make."
"And that is?"
"AC/DC or Black Sabbath?" I grinned.
On the day of the duel, the Arena was packed with students clutching royal blue bettings slips as they cheered for the Crown Prince and the Founding Heirs. Only six red slips stood out in the crowd, from what Angelica could see. Two belonged to Danny and Ray, Leon's best friends from the first semester, and a third was clasped in the hands of Danny's fiancee Eliza Fou Melton. Two more were held by Jenna and Nicks, Leon's older siblings, but it was the sixth red slip that caught Angelica's attention. She recognized the Second Daughter of the Roseblade Earldom, Deidre Fou Roseblade, with her betting slip tucked into her uniform blazer pocket, which was rather surprising considering that the young woman had never spoken a word to Leon. Then again, the Roseblade family were known proponents of the Adventurer's lifestyle and Eliza was one of Deidre's Followers, so perhaps it was more the surprise that Deidre would make such a public show of support that caught Angelica off guard.
Angelica fought back a sudden pang of jealousy as she thought of the blonde second year pursuing Leon as a romantic partner, but chided herself a moment later for being truly ridiculous. The two had never even spoken this semester, and now Angelica was getting upset by the idea of Leon becoming engaged to the Roseblade daughter, an idea that was…admittedly not impossible, but highly improbable. Upon further reflection, it wouldn't be a bad match for Leon, and he might even find a tolerable partner in Deidre once he got past her proud and imperious demeanor. As the Second Daughter of an Earldom, Deidre was much closer in rank to Leon's own rank of Baron, provided that his reputation survived this whole debacle, and Angelica could recall a number of pleasant conversations with her about adventuring and dungeoneering. And even though Leon wasn't the traditional image of a handsome noble lord, he was still quite good-looking, at least to Angelica's eye, to say nothing of his unfaltering loyalty to those he cared for. All of these qualities she sought from her ideal partner. Still, there were rules and expectations that needed to be followed. No matter how wonderful of a man Leon might be, the rules of propriety clearly stated that Deidre would be more within reach for Leon than Angelica would. She knew this well… so why did the thought suddenly make her feel sick?
Her emotions had been in turmoil for the last few days, ever since she'd kissed that infuriatingly wonderful man's cheek- no, she'd been in conflict for much longer than that. He'd been a close companion for months now, and he was the only one to stand beside her in her darkest hour aside from Livia and Clarice. She couldn't say exactly when it started, only when she finally realized it as she pressed her lips to his cheek that fateful day: She was infatuated with Leon. It wasn't love yet, and she'd never betray Livia or Clarice, not after all they'd been through, but it was undeniable that there was something starting to flare between herself and the young Baron. Oddly, the thought of either of them pursuing Leon wasn't completely unpleasant like it was with Deidre, only the thought of being left behind. Still, she was the First Daughter of a Ducal House, so unless her status were to suddenly fall or his were to suddenly rise, that wouldn't be happening.
The crowd instantly began booing as Leon marched onto the field imperiously. The man took the reaction in stride, a pair of lazy middle fingers to the crowd before giving Angelica a single nod. Angelica returned the gesture, her faith in Leon the only thing keeping her from panicking at the fact that there was no Armor unit for Leon to use. He'd told her that he'd be making "one hell of an entrance, so sit back and enjoy the show", but it was understandably nerve-wracking to see her defender approach the arena as underprepared as he was. He was wearing his armor, with a lowercase "a", but there was not a single Armor Unit in sight around him.
"Leon, where is your Armor Unit?" asked Julius suspiciously as the crowd jeered at the young Baron.
"Perhaps we should have made it clear that the pile of scrap you consider adventuring gear is not the kind of 'Armor' that most nobles mean when they say Armor Duel-" mocked Chris briefly, but then Leon spoke over him.
"Prepare for Armor Drop," interrupted Leon. "Arroganz inbound. T-minus ten seconds."
A shadow appeared behind Leon as a massive Armor unit dropped behind him, landing with one knee bent to absorb the impact before standing on its own, a feat impossible for any other Armor. The Armor was the antithesis of the current design philosophy for Armor combat, large and bulky with an oversized storage unit on its back, and yet somehow it still sent a chill up Angelica's spine as she looked at it. It wasn't an unpleasant shiver in the slightest, in fact quite the opposite, and it wasn't at all dissimilar to the feeling she had when she'd seen Leon in his adventuring gear several months before. Even still, at first glance, the armor appeared to be a relic from a bygone age.
"...What a pile of junk!" exclaimed Chris as the crowd laughed, but it was short-lived as Leon's Armor made the most of its debut.
The noise that filled the arena sounded as though it came from the very depths of Hell itself, a scratching and metallic perversion of a guitar strumming a single note that slowly descended downward. It was otherworldly and intimidating, but not entirely unpleasant, if Angelicia was completely honest. A distorted voice layered over the sound, declaring itself to be "Iron Man" as the guitar shifted away from the single sliding note. A dark melody flowed from the strange Armor unit as it marched forward slowly, played by the demonic guitar that was clearly of the Old World. The song stopped just as the Armor lifted Leon into the cockpit and sealed itself.
"...Is that all?" asked Chris, but his voice still shook slightly.
"Allow me to introduce Arroganz," explained Leon. "It may not look like much, but it's got it where it counts, gentlemen. I've made a lot of special modifications myself, in fact."
"If you're talking about that ghastly musical apparatus, then I'm hardly concerned," sneered Chris. "We can make short work of him, right Greg?"
"...I have no clue," whispered Greg.
"You can't be serious!" protested Chris in disbelief and alarm.
"Dude, I don't even recognize the material that armor is made from!" explained Greg. "That Armor frame throws every rule for Armor combat out the window, and I honestly can't tell if we'll win or not!"
"Seriously, Greg?!" protested Chris. "It's a washed-up old relic-"
"Come now, let's leave your sword-style out of this," quipped Leon as he climbed into the Arroganz. "There's no need for such impropriety among gentlemen, no?"
"You dare-" seethed Chris.
"Enough," interrupted Julius. "We'll end this quickly, Chris. We'll make short work of him together. For Marie…"
"Champions, state your names!" commanded the match official.
"Brad Fou Field," announced Brad with a bow to Leon.
"Greg Fou Seberg," stated Greg, gripping his spear tightly.
"...Chris Fia Arclight…" growled Chris as he held his blade in a formal dueling salute.
"Jilk Fia Marmoria," stated Jilk as he flourished his rifle with an artful spin.
"Julius Rapha Holfort," stated Julius as he drew his blade from the hidden sheathe in his shield.
"Leon Fou Bartfort," nodded Leon with a smirk in his voice as the Arroganz pretended to crack its knuckles.
"Get ready…" signaled the official. "...Fight!"
As the match began, a new song began playing from the Arroganz, one with a driving beat and haunting guitar melody. Angelica remembered Leon describing the meaning of this song as the words of the long-dead language began to pour into the arena like silken thread on a spool. A woman sang of someone called "Marie Douceur" and "Marie Colere", describing the wrath of a loving woman betrayed by an unfaithful lover. Leon had been hesitant to use it for fear of offending Clarice and Angelica, given the name of the woman in the song, but after explaining the subject matter and the lyrics, neither woman felt the song was out of place.
Leon and the Founding Heirs circled each other slowly for another moment more before Greg attempted to stab Leon from behind as he slipped around him. Leon sidestepped the surprise spear before catching the weapon and pulling himself inside Greg's reach and out of the effective striking distance of the spearpoint. Leon then sprang forward, having the Arroganz eject its newly installed knuckle plate blades and catching Greg unawares.
"Shit! Too fast-" swore Greg as Leon performed a three-punch combo with the extended blades, disabling several key components before striking the head, disabling all motor control.
"You fixed it up and upgraded just like I suggested, but you would have been better served by getting a brand new armor entirely," critiqued Leon as Greg's Armor slumped forward, held up only by Leon's blades. "A warrior's strength is only half of his true power, and proper equipment prevents an early grave."
"Get away from him, Bartfort!" shouted Chris as he sprang forward. "Only a coward uses a concealed blade to fight!"
Chris attempted to strike Leon from behind in a devastating slash that would bisect most Armors, but Leon was prepared. The Arroganz backflipped over Chris's blade and behind the swordsman. Meanwhile, Chris struck true with his blade and cut Greg's Armor in half at the waist, thoroughly taking Greg out of the fight beyond a shadow of a doubt.
"You let your feelings control your actions, Chris," Leon criticized again without mockery, taking on the tone of a combat instructor. "You'd have better served defense for Brad and Jilk while they hammered at my defenses from a distance. Now you're down two, soon to be three, teammates…"
Before Chris could turn to respond, Leon had stabbed both knuckle blades into Chris and hoisted the still active Armor over his head and chucked him at Brad, knocking him over and pinning him. Leon quickly drew an Armor-sized pistol that greatly resembled his own favored sidearm and shot Chris's Armor in the head with it, pinning Brad in place. Jilk desperately began firing at Arroganz as shot after shot that would punch through any other Armor bounced away harmlessly. Leon simply walked to Brad's Armor before firing two point-blank shots into its head, taking the purple haired mage out of the fight. As the song faded away, Leon simply turned back to face Julius and Jilk and stopped, not moving as silence fell over the arena.
The crowd made not a single sound. There was no response, since this outcome had been completely unthinkable. In less than three minutes, Leon had brutally taken out over half of his targets, and there was clearly nothing that his remaining targets could do to bring him down. Only Master Graves applauded his student as the fighting slowed down. Leon briefly saluted his favorite teacher before pointing accusingly at Jilk.
"And then there were two…" proclaimed Leon. "Jilk… I want a word with you."