Sorry this chapter came out later than I would have wanted, but I've been busy doing work on my ATLA fic ' Make Me Feel'.
Now we're back at it again with a Mein focused chapter, along with her meeting a few key characters that I've been dying to have appear for a while.
Big thanks to Qinlongfei for beta reading this chapter and providing important feedback and critic.
With that said, let's get it started.
Chapter 24: Old Friends
Today was the day that Naofumi and Ake went out to level up the bird. Mein couldn't join them on account of the fact that the bird appeared to be hostile towards her and Jun. So that left her to take care of Jun and Raphtalia with Carlyle.
The two men had just left about an hour ago to go level up the bird and said they would be back sometime later.
Right now though, Mein was busy trying to help Carlyle teach Raphtalia how to eat with one hand since that was something Raphtalia had been trying to learn yesterday. Carlyle had a plate set out with some rice and meat along with a spoon and fork to give the feel of an actual meal.
" Now Raphtalia you need to remember that you need to take things slow when you're eating and-"
" Ah !" Raphtalia said as she dropped spoon carrying rice, which caused some to fling straight up into Mein's face.
Mein had a blank look on her face as she flicked some of the rice off her face " ...Right "
" I'm sorry !" Raphtalia apologized.
Mein let out a sigh as she couldn't' stay mad at the girl " Its okay Raphtalia, you're still learning. Nobody expects you to learn how to eat in less then a day "
" Indeed. It is a learning process, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself " Carlyle agreed in support as she cleaned up the mess.
Needless to say, the process of teaching Raphtalia how to eat with one hand was going slow. Mein doesn't blame her but she really wishes she could get Raphtalia that magical prosthetic just to make this process easier.
And that line of thinking made Mein think about how much help Raphtalia can actually be to the party as she is now. It was an awful line of thought, but she knew that even if Raphtalia received her growth boost than she would still be limited in how much she could help them combat wise, unless Mein taught the girl some magic and even that would take a while. So maybe a support position would be better ?
Mein's train of thought was stopped when they heard a knock at the door.
" I'll get it " Carlyle said as she walked to the front door and opened it.
" Good afternoon Katy ! Its good to see you again !"
Mein recognized the voice all the way from the dining room and poked her head out to see who was there. To her surprise, she saw the hunter from yesterday, Gaston standing there.
"It's good to see you Gaston, what brings to the manor at this time of day ? " Carlyle greeted with courtesy.
" I just came by to...oh ! Good to see you again, Miss Mein " Gaston nodded towards her as he saw her approach.
" Likewise. Now what is it you were talking about ? " Mein asked.
" Oh I just came by to ask if you, Ake or the Shield Hero wanted to come with me on my hunting party ? We need some meat and monster hides and skins to sell off to help fund the rebuilding here in Lute, I was wondering if you guys wanted to come along " Gaston explained as he made his offer.
" Ake and Naofumi already went out this morning and they won't be back until much later...but I could come along if you will have me " Mein said.
She was honestly in the mood to kill something, she couldn't stand being cooped up with nothing to do until Naofumi came back.
" Great ! We're heading out soon, just meet us at the south gate and we'll get a move on " Gaston said.
Mein nodded before the hunter left, she needed to get her armor and weapons ready. Magic was permitted, but no skills or signs of her Mark.
" So will you be departing soon Miss Mein ? " Carlyle asked.
" Yes, as soon as I get my equipment and armor ready, I'll be heading out " Mein answered.
" C-Can I come with ?"
A small voice asked and the two older women turned around to see Raphtalia standing there with Jun perched on her shoulder, the girl looking very nervous for asking. The lizard also looking at her with those soft eyes of his.
" Why do you want to go with big sister Mein Raphtalia ?" Carlyle asked in that soft motherly tone of hers.
" I...I want to help..." Raphtalia said barely above a mutter but Mein heard it all the same.
Mein needed only 2 seconds to decide not to have Raphtalia come with her.
While she could certainly appreciate and even treasure the little girl's determination to want to help...she is still too young and massively underleveled. Along with the fact that she no longer has her dominant hand, so she can't even use a knife to defend herself from any weak monsters and is more likely to hurt herself with it...all these factors was more than enough to convince Mein not to take Raphtalia with her.
She couldn't live with herself if she let Raphtalia get hurt on her watch. Again.
" No, Raphtalia...you can't come with " Mein said as she kneeled down to Raphtalia's level " Its still too dangerous and you're still adjusting to your...situation. I can't in good conscious bring you with me and I'm sure Naofumi would agree "
" B-But-"
" I appreciate your want to help but this is too dangerous " Mein said softly " You can stay here at the manor with Carlyle and play with Jun, I promise I'll be back soon okay ? "
Raphtalia didn't respond but only look to the ground and nod.
" You have to stay put too Jun, I won't be able to keep track of you while I'm hunting " Mein said to the lizard who also looked downcast at that.
The princess in disguise let out a sigh as she turned to Carlyle who seemed to understand where she was coming from.
" Don't worry Miss Mein, I will take care of them " Carlyle said dutifully.
" Thank you " Mein nodded in gratitude before walking upstairs to prepare for the hunt.
After getting dressed in her armor, clothing and weapons, she set out to meet with Gaston at the south gate. Upon approach, she could see the hunter riding a black filorial along with a group of men that Mein assumes to be the rest of Lute's hunters.
" Miss Mein ! Glad you could make it " Gaston waved over to her as she approached.
Mein nodded " Indeed, let's get a move on while we still have daylight on our side "
" Alright people you heard the lady ! We're looking for anything with meat on it, usapils and porcupines ! " Gaston reminded everyone " Let's move it !"
Like that their small group started making their way into the forest, encountering the usual cannon fodder monsters like balloons, mush and eggies. They were easily dispatched and the group making their way deeper into the forest.
Gaston was leading the front with Mein walking beside him, the rest of the group was following behind with their weapons ready...
Although upon closer inspection, Mein could see that most of the groups weapons were in reality just appropriated tools like woodsman axe, sickles and pitchfork. And from the way, they were just holding their 'weapons' Mein could tell that none of these people were trained soldiers or even hunters, they must be regular villagers and farmers thrust into the hunter position.
So the only likely conclusion is that most of Lute's hunters are dead and the village is a much deeper state of disrepair than previously thought.
Mein kept that thought to herself though as she moved into the forest.
" So uh...thanks for agreeing to come with Miss Mein " Gaston said as they moved ahead.
" No problem. I could use a bit of a workout today "
" In all honesty, I kinda really needed the extra set of hands on this trip because...well..." Gaston struggled to explain but Mein could already tell what he was going to say.
" The rest of the group aren't trained hunters right ? " Mein finished for him.
" Yeah...how did you know ? " Gaston asked with a raised eyebrow.
" Please...10 seconds looking at them and I could already tell most of them had never held a weapon in their life " Mein said with an eyeroll.
" Well, you ain't wrong about that..." Gaston couldn't deny the truth of her words " The King drafted up all the able-bodied men in Lute, so most of these guys are just farmers and the like who don't even know how to use a bow properly "
" So that's why you wanted my help " Mein surmised.
" Yeah...if you could help out a bit and maybe show some of them the ropes, I would appreciate it "
Mein shrugged " I can try but I can't guarantee they'll pick it up fast "
" That'll have to do I suppose " Gaston let out a sigh as they moved forward.
Mein kept walking forward until Gaston signalled for the group to stop and he got off the filorial and looked down at the ground. Mein could see that there were tracks in the ground and porcupine spikes.
" Tracks...fresh by the looks of it " Gaston pointed out " Look they go through those bushes "
" Everybody crouch down and watch where you step " Mein said as she turned back to the group " One wrong move and we'll alert our prey "
The men didn't have any objections as they crouched down, though from the looks of it many were not used to crouching down and moving.
" Good call " Gaston said as he instructed the black filorial to stay back or the bird would startle their prey.
As their group approached the bushes and Mein looked over them, she could see three porcupines huddled in a circle eating what looks to be the remains of a usapil. She didn't even flinch as the porcupines tore the rabbit apart.
" Damn...3 porcupines, that's a lot..." Gaston said worriedly.
"I can take them " Mein said simply.
" Wait really ? " Gaston said surprised.
" Yes, but I need your men to surround them to make sure they don't escape " Mein explained.
" Alright, I'll take out the one on the left with my bow, you take the other 2 okay ? " Gaston said.
" Agreed " Mein turned back to the men " Surround them , hide behind the trees and be ready for our attack. Do not let them escape "
The men didn't say anything as they nodded, some of them visibly shaking with their weapons.
Mein took a deep breath " Okay...on me in 3...2...1-"
" KKKYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAA~!" An ear piercing scream made not just Mein, but the rest of them jolt. Mein quickly located the source of the scream and turned around to see a familiar raccoon girl running around in circles. Another familiar form is her little Jun running after her trying to help the little raccoon out of her predicament.
The reason for her panic being she has an eggy attached to her hair, the egg monster clearly not doing any actual damage to the girl...
But it was enough to send Mein's heart rate up to a 100 and she immediately ran towards the girl.
" RAPHTALIA !"
Raphtalia's scream and hers were more than enough to alert the porcupines to their position, at which point she heard Gaston shout at the men to defend and hold their position.
But she didn't care. Her only objective right now was Raphtalia.
Her speed allowed her to quickly reach the girl in no time at all, taking out her knife ready to stab at the creature.
" Raphtalia stop !" Mein shouted as she grabbed the girl to stop her from moving, before stabbing the eggy and causing its contents to get all over Raphtalia's hair.
The little raccoon girl looked up at her " B-Big sister..."
" Raphtalia what are you two doing here ?! I thought I told you- "
" A little help here please !" Gaston called out to her desperately.
Mein turned back to the battle to see that Gaston and his men were getting eloquently fucked by the porcupines.
Two men had already been knocked unconscious, Gaston was holding another porcupine back with his bow while another man was getting his arm chewed on by a porcupine and his friends were trying desperately to pull the beast off of him without getting porcupine spines stuck in their arms.
" Son of a bitch, stay here ! " Mein shouted at Raphtalia before she ran off to help Gaston and his crew.
She decided to help the lead hunter first, since he was closest to getting his face chewed off.
" Fast Fireball ! "Mein sent out a ball of fire at the porcupine that was close to biting his face off. The beast recoiling and giving Mein a chance to stab it right in its face.
" Holy shit !" Gaston cursed.
" Help the others ! We need to stop them now !" Mein shouted.
" GUAAAHHH !" The black filorial had joined the fight, kicking the porcupine that had knocked the two men out.
" Good boy !" Gaston congratulated as he shoot off his bow and scored a body hit into the porcupine.
That left the last porcupine to Mein, who was still busy chewing off the arm of the man from before.
Mein doesn't even think as she runs right up to the creature and kicks it with as force as she could muster into her metal boot. The kick managing to shake the beast off and giving Mein a chance to kill it.
" Zweit Fireball !" Mein chanted and shot an extra large ball of fire at the porcupine, causing it to burn alive.
Mein let out a breath as she looked around, the battle was won...but there were plenty of scars to go around.
Two men down, another badly injured...
Mein turned to Raphtalia who approached timidly with Jun following behind her.
One very bad girl who had disobeyed her orders and followed along.
" Raphtalia..." Mein began, her voice filling with anger and ice.
" Y-Y-Yes...? "
" WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING ?! " Mein shouted which made Raphtalia jump back a bit in fright "Following me and this hunting party was beyond stupid ! What would have happened if you encountered something bigger than that eggy ! What would you have done !? "
" I-I just wanted to help... "
" Well your help got two men injured and another with his arm almost bitten off !" Mein shouted.
Raphtalia flinched as she looked down at the ground in shame.
" And you Jun ! I thought I told you to stay with Raphtalia , not follow her ! " Mein scolded Jun, who whimpered at her scolding " Both of you could have been killed or worse ! And and-"
" Mein..." A voice called out to her from behind followed by a hand on the shoulder. Mein turned to see Gaston with an understanding face " I get why you're angry, I am too...but the kid and raptor get what they did wrong "
Mein turned back to Raphtalia and Jun...the former looked down the verge of crying, while Jun was straight up whimpering like a cat.
The princess in disguised needed a second to breath before she said anything else. Mein knew that she needed to calm herself before she said something she would regret.
Instead of saying anything, Mein knelled down in front of Raphtalia " Raphtalia, look at me..."
The raccoon girl didn't do so right away but instead slowly raised her head in either fear or shame.
But she clearly wasn't expecting when Mein pulled her into a hug.
" Just for the record, I am still angry at you...but I'm angry because I don't want you to get hurt again " Mein whispered.
Raphtalia gasped before she chocked on a sob and hugged Mein back. The girl crying into the shoulder of her cloak for the next several minutes.
It took a while before Mein let go and held onto Raphtalia's hand, turning to Gaston.
" So...what's our status Gaston ?"
" Not good. Two men down and another badly injured, we need to head back to Lute " Gaston said.
" What about the porcupines corpses ? Can they still be salvaged ? " Mein asked.
" The one I took down, yeah...but the ones you killed are too badly burned to pull anything useful off them " Gaston responded with a shake of his head.
Mein glanced over at the two porcupines she killed, they indeed looked too badly burned to salvage anything.
" Sorry..."
" Don't be. We all did our best...sometimes that's all you can do " Gaston said as he climbed back onto his filorial " Come on, let's head back to Lute "
" Stay close to me Raphtalia " Mein said firmly.
" O-Okay..." Raphtalia nodded as Jun climbed onto Mein's shoulder.
The trip back to Lute took considerably less time than expected.
Considering their wounded, they ended up making makeshift stretchers out of long branches and some of the men's cloaks. While they did that, Mein went to a nearby stream to wash the eggy gunk and shells out of Raphtalia's hair. After all was settled, they quickly made haste back to Lute village.
Upon approach, Mein could see one very disgruntled and very pissed off maid standing at the south gate waiting for them.
" Good afternoon Miss Mein , I hope you had a wonderful hunt...especially when these two rascals ran off when I wasn't looking " Carlyle said with a glare at the girl and lizard " I expect this kind of behavior from Jun since he is a monster and doesn't understand us completely, but I expected better from you. Did you know, I spent the last hour running around the village looking for you two ? "
" I-I'm sorry..."
" We are going to have a long talk about this back at the manor " Carlyle said as she started walking back to their home.
" I gotta get my boys to Tilla " Gaston said as he walked away " Thanks for the help "
" No problem " Mein nodded as she walked away with Raphtalia, Carlyle and Jun.
The entire duration of the walk back Carlyle was lecturing Raphtalia about not running away and doing anything foolish. Mein decidedly kept quiet through the affair, she knew that while Raphtalia may have had good intentions, she did put not only herself but others at risk as well.
Upon entering the house, they find Naofumi and Ake waiting in the living room, the latter looking bored out of his mind.
" Mein ! You're back " Naofumi greeted her with a smile.
" Good to see you too Naofumi, I take it levelling up Filo went well ? " Mein said as she glanced at the pudgy bird. Who was currently nestled in Ake's arms, looking bigger than before like Jun.
" Yeah, we were able to get her level up today " Ake said as the bird let out a few happy chirps.
" We just came back a while ago and..." Naofumi stopped as he glanced at Raphtalia " Why does Raphtalia look like she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar ? And where did you guys go ? "
Mein and Carlyle looked at each other before the older woman stepped up.
" You may want to sit down for this Master Naofumi..."
Carlyle and Mein told the whole story to Ake and Naofumi. The latter looking rather shocked and surprised at the story, while Ake looked concerned if anything else.
"...And then we met up with Carlyle and the gate and parted ways with Gaston before we came back here..." Mein finished her explanation " So Naofumi...what do you think about all this ? "
" I think I'm on the verge of having a panic attack...how could she do something like this ?! I mean it was enough she lost her arm during the wave and-"
" Perhaps we should ask her directly instead of pretending she isn't here " Ake said bluntly.
All eyes turned to the little raccoon, who flinched at the sudden change of attention.
Naofumi took a deep breath before he turned to Raphtalia, the little girl looking particularly disappointed in herself.
" I'm sorry its just...what were you thinking following Mein, Raphtalia ? You could have gotten seriously hurt " Naofumi said in a concerned tone. Though it was much more controlled than her anger fuelled one earlier " It was extremely dangerous for you to have done something so reckless ! You're lucky you didn't encounter anything bigger than an eggy or god knows what would have happened..." Naofumi said exasperated.
" I-I'm sorry..." Raphtalia said again.
" I'm not angry with you Raphtalia...I just want to know why you would put yourself at risk like that. You're still adjusting to your condition and you're not used to having one arm only so just...why ? " Naofumi asked.
Raphtalia was silent for a moment but Mein already knew the answer.
" I-I just wanted to help..." Raphtalia muttered.
" You wanted to help ? But Raphtalia why-"
" Because I'm useless ! " Raphtalia shouted " I couldn't do anything to save mother or father...I couldn't do anything to save Keel ! And now that I lost my arm... I can't even feed myself ! I can't do anything !"
Raphtalia said as she let a few tears spill onto the carpet and the rest of them were shocked into silence.
It was clear they had no idea that Raphtalia had been feeling this way.
Naofumi knelled down and pulled Raphtalia into a hug, the little girl hugging him back and crying into his shoulder.
" You're not useless Raphtalia...you're still just a kid, you shouldn't have to do anything that puts you in danger..." Naofumi said kindly as he pulled away and Raphtalia wiped the tears from her eyes.
" I still...I still want to help " Raphtalia said through the sniffles as she wiped her eyes " I don't want to be just another burden for you and big sister Mein to take care of..."
" You're not a burden Raphtalia..." Ake stepped in to speak " But...if you really want to help then...maybe we can give you a kind of support position in the party "
" What are you thinking Ake ? " Mein asked with a raised eyebrow.
" Raphtalia's affinities are Light and Dark, which means she's suited to be a mage and such right ? " Ake confirmed " So why don't we teach her some illusion magic so she can conjure up some illusions to distract enemies while we go in for the kill ? " Ake suggested.
" It would keep Raphtalia safe for the most part and allow her to assume a more supportive role in your party " Carlyle nodded.
" No ! Absolutely not !" Naofumi immediately disgareed " After what happened during the wave...I don't want Raphtalia to get hurt again and and... "
Naofumi was stopped by Raphtalia suddenly grabbing his hand and he turned to look her in the eye.
" Master Naofumi...please let me help...I don't want anybody else getting hurt..." Raphtalia practically begged " Please..."
Naofumi looked in conflict for what to do so Mein stepped in to advise.
" We should let her help Naofumi...or she'll find some other way to do it without our knowledge " Mein pointed out.
Naofumi seemed to think it over for a second before letting out a sigh"...Fine. But you have to stay away from dangerous monsters and use your illusions to distract. Nothing more okay ? "
" Okay !" Raphtalia nodded.
" Alright...we'll work out the finer details later " Ake said " For now we should- "
They were cut off by another knock to the door, cutting Ake off.
" Who is it now ? " Mein says out loud as she goes to answer the door, opening she sees a young man dressed in what appeared to be courier clothing, with a bag slung over his shoulder.
" Good afternoon ma'am, is this where the Shield Hero is ? " The courier asked politely.
" Who's asking ? " Naofumi inquired as he came up from behind Mein.
" I've been looking for you. Got something I'm supposed to deliver - your hands only " The courier took out and handed a letter with a red seal on it to Naofumi " That's it, gotta go " The courier tipped his hat before he walked off.
" Who was it ? " Ake asked as they stepped back into the living room.
" Don't know some courier just came by and gave us this letter "
Mein upon getting a closer look at the letter noticed something very noticeable about the letter.
Particularly the engraving on its seal.
It was the mark of House Amelia.
Iris sent this. But why ?
Mein barely had time to think about it as Naofumi opened up the letter and but after realizing he still can't read this world's language, handed the letter over to Mein to read out loud.
" To Shield Hero Naofumi Iwatani, you and your party are formally invited for a dinner party at the Amelia's estate in Castletown tonight . Formal wear is not needed. With regards... Lady Iris Amelia " Mein finished the short letter with a serious face as she emptied out the letter and caught another slip of paper " There's an invitation here too"
" Who the heck is Iris Amelia ? " Naofumi asked out loud.
" Only the head of the most powerful and wealthiest noble family in Melromarc " Ake said with a mild of surprised look on his face " Her family is big leagues in Melromarc, so much so that they rival the royal family in terms of influence and power. I think my father even did some business with them a couple times "
" Damn...even the royal family...then what would this Iris want with us ? " Naofumi asked.
" She probably wants to suck up to one of the Cardinal Heroes as a means of furthering her family's influence..." Ake glanced at her " But it could be for another reason... "
Mein had to wonder what Iris's true intentions with this party were, was she merely trying to suck up to Naofumi ? No, she wouldn't do that...not after it was practically made clear that Mein had already staked her claim in him.
So what then ?
Mein decided that the best course of action was to go to the party to try and figure out Iris's game.
" I think we should go Naofumi " Mein suggested " It would be a nice break from all the monster hunting...and if we don't, it could be seen as an insult to House Amelia and I doubt we would want to get on their bad side "
" Good point...hopefully this won't end nearly as bad as the banquet "
Never say never Naofumi.
It was decided very early on that Filo and Jun would stay behind at Ake's manor with Carlyle keeping watch over them. Mein was honestly glad since she didn't want both of them getting into a fight in the estate of one of her biggest rivals. The nobility and Iris would never let her live that one down.
They set out for Castletown a bit early, and they actually took one of Ake's parents carriages that he said was used for transporting goods. They rented some filorial's from a Bill she believes and started on the road to Castletown with Ake driving the carriage.
" Are you sure this is alright , Ake ? " Naofumi asked from the back with Mein and Raphtalia.
" Would you rather walk all the way there after the hunting we did today ? " Ake said blankly.
Naofumi didn't argue with that " But do you even know where we're going ? "
" Please everybody who lives in the capital knows where the rich boys and girls like Amelia, Noches and Claes estates are " Ake said as he urged the filorials to move faster.
Mein couldn't deny that. It was well known knowledge where the wealthy and highborn lived.
It took only a short while before they reached Castletown and made their way into the wealthy district of Castletown where the nobles resided.
" We're here..." Ake called out and Mein felt the carriage come to a complete halt.
Mein helped Raphtalia get out of the carriage from the back with Naofumi following behind them. The princess in disguise glances over at the Amelia estate and she recalls visiting it several times in her youth, mostly for playdates with Katarina and Bertia. They almost feel to have happened so long ago...
The estate itself was massive, easily outclassing any of its neighbours with a lush garden out front with the finest and exotic flowers imported from around the world to demonstrate the majesty and wealth of the Amelia House. All of it was locked behind a 6 foot high magic steel gate with stone walls with spikes on top to keep any undesirables from climbing over.
" Halt ! State your business " A loud voice cut through her thoughts. She sees a squad of guards at the front gate of the manor with their weapons at the ready.
" Calm yourselves, we are the Shield Hero's party and we were invited by your mistress " Ake stated calmly to the men, as he took out the invitation and handed it to the head guard. Who proceeded to read it before glancing at Naofumi, who quickly raised his shield to avoid any further confusion.
" The Shield Hero...my apologies, we were asked to be on guard for any undesirables that may show up " The Guard captain apologises as he puts the invitation away " Please a squad will escort you inside while we keep watch over your carriage "
" Um...okay ? " Naofumi seemed confused at the security measures.
They were escorted inside by a squad of guards through the front entrance to the manor, Raphtalia appeared to be terrified of the knight's escorting them and held onto Naofumi's hand the whole way there. Mein couldn't help but notice that they passed by more guards than maids or servants during their escort.
" Geez what's with all the extra security ? What are you guys expecting a murder ? " Naofumi asked out loud but none of the guards graced him with a response. They were either not getting paid enough to answer or just didn't care. Mein wagers on the latter.
As they walked through the pristine hallways, the princess in disguise couldn't help but observe or take notice of any changes that had occurred to the estate since the last time she had been here. It was clear that the manor hadn't undergone any major reconstruction or renovations, at least none that she could tell. It was still as regal and fancy as she remembers it to be.
The hallway itself was without a speck of dust or trash in sight, the walls looked to have been recently changed with a new golden colored wallpaper which goes nice with the comfortable lighting, they even passed by a few priceless pieces of art on the way. Mein even recognized one of them as a painting Father had considered getting once upon time.
Mein had to hand it to Iris , she had good taste.
Their walk continued in silence until they were escorted into the banquet room. The room was just a little smaller in size compared to the one at the castle but it somehow seemed even more lavish. Mein remembers it well from when she would visit Iris on her birthday or when Father or Mother was invited to the estate to discuss business with Iris's parents.
A lovely diamond chandelier hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room, the light reflecting off of it giving it a shine of its beauty. There was of course the banquet table with the finest food and wine that money could buy. Along with a nice marble flooring which added some more grandiose to the room.
But what caught her eye the most were the guests...and how there were only a few of them.
It would seem that Naofumi was not the only Cardinal Hero to have been invited.
" Hey Naofumi ! Over here ! " The Spear called out to them as soon as they entered the room.
" Motoyasu ? Along with Ren and Itsuki ? " Naofumi had a look of confusion as he approached the table the Cardinal Heroes were sitting at " You guys were invited too ? "
" Yeah, we got an invitation by this Iris Amelia to this party " Ren shrugged " Figured we had nothing lose by coming "
" Well...Elena said that we were invited to this party so we just came since it would be rude to just not show up " Motoyasu explained.
" Your girl Elena ? " Itsuki asked with a raised eyebrow.
" Yeah, she said she's actually part of the Amelia family...though Lesty said that they were part of their...bastard branch I think "
"...I see..." Itsuki had a thinking look on his face.
" Well whatever the case, let's just enjoy the night and have some food " Naofumi suggested " I could use some R&R after the banquet "
" Agreed. So Naofumi, Motoyasu tells us that you freed Raphtalia ? " Itsuki asked.
" Yeah...I decided that she-"
Mein tuned the Cardinal Heroes out as she surveyed the situation before her and took a good long look around the room.
She found that there were at least 3 squads worth of guards watching over the party, some standing on the floor above them and looking over the railing with serious eyes. While some others were standing guard on the ground floor with them.
Iris spared no expense on security tonight, huh ?
Mein glanced over at the other heroes parties , who seem to be enjoying the food and wine served tonight. She spotted Lesty who was seated at the Spear Hero's table with Gretel, her best friend giving her a friendly smile while Haven seemed absentminded about the two of them.
" Hey guys, looks like the Lady of the Hour has arrived " Itsuki called out, directing their attention to the stairs.
Mein spotted Iris calmly making her way down the stairs, moving with the grace of a well trained noblewoman. Her beautiful light aqua hair flowing freely down onto her shoulder and back like a waterfall. She was dressed in a beautiful white and blue dress that seemed to sparkle a little.
Everyone's attention was easily on her the second she walked down the stairs and commanded the attention of everyone present.
" Good evening, Cardinal Heroes and their noble retinues. I have called you all here in celebration of your victory over the Wave...and to let you know that House Amelia is more than ready to support the Cardinal Heroes in their quest to defeat the wave "
Translation : I'm looking for my hero replacement in case the Spear Hero doesn't work out.
Mein glanced at the heroes to gauge their reactions.
The Sword and Bow seemed to have unimpressed looks.
The Spear Hero has a curious look.
And her dear Naofumi appears observing the scene before him.
" Now for tonight, please enjoy the best that House Amelia has to offer..." Iris snapped her fingers " Along with some entertainment for the evening "
At the snap of her fingers, a group of what looked to be performers composed of jesters and dancers stepped out of the side doors and into the center of the room. Starting to perform their dance routine, the jester's blowing fire out of their mouth while the dancers started their routine.
They provided a nice distraction as Iris made her exit while everyone was distracted.
" Damn..." Itsuki muttered as he eyeballed one of the dancers. The one with tanned skin and raven black hair.
" Don't be a creep " Motoyasu nudged him in the gut.
" Screw you. Ren is staring too " Itsuki replied.
" Piss off " Ren muttered.
Naofumi for the most part since distracted by the dance, Raphtalia as well appeared to be watching the performance with vested interest.
" Come on, let's find a place to sit " Naofumi suggested.
Mein for the most part didn't care much for the performance...as she glanced over at the far wall on her left and spotted a young man standing among the guards. He wasn't dressed like a servant or a guard, and Mein recognized that stupid wild hair of his.
Dida. One of Iris's loyal attack dogs.
The man seemed to notice her staring and flashed her a grin, gesturing towards her with his middle finger before he points at one of the side doors that lead elsewhere in the manor. Dida quickly moved to said side door where he disappeared as he walked through it leaving it partially open.
So Iris wants to talk huh ? Very well...
Mein leaned towards Ake and whispered to him " Keep Naofumi busy, make sure he doesn't notice anything "
Ake gave her a look of confusion and she didn't give him an explanation as she quietly sneaked off.
Moving towards the side door that Dida had just walked through, she casted one more glance at Naofumi-
Before a hand suddenly emerged out of the partially opened door and pulled her into it, shutting behind her as well.
Mein almost screamed but was caught off when a disgusting hand clamped over her mouth and a hand wrapped around her neck trying to restrain her.
" Damnit stop struggling you-"
" Stop screwing around and get her to Lady Iris !"
Mein almost ended up using her Mark, but stopped just short of that as her instincts kicked in and she decided to fight back. She saw her first assailant directly in front of her and only the other one is the attacker holding her back.
Mein launched her foot upward directly into his crouch, but to her surprise the bastard actually managed to catch it !
" Nice try princess " Dida said smugly.
Mein got angry as she kicked her foot away and brought her head as forward as possible-
Before launching it backward as fast as she could, performing a behind the back headbutt. The attack was successful since she felt the back of her head impact against the assailant holding her back, along with the sound of something cracking.
" Fuck ! My nose ! " The attacker was cut off guard which gave her ample opportunity to deliver a hard elbow to the side of his head and free herself.
" You royal bitch-!"
" That is enough. Both of you stop "
A strict and cold tone that could match mother's brought a stop to both Dida and who Mein can now see is Lyle, who is now clutching his bleeding nose.
Mein gave the maid that approached them with a glare " Good to see you too Tanya, is this how Iris treats all of her guests ? "
" My lady requests your presence in the main office...apologies for the rough treatment " Tanya said as she glanced at Lyle and Dida " Both of you come. Now "
Lyle and Dida glared at Mein but said nothing as they followed Iris's personal maid to Iris. Though Lyle was clutching his bleeding nose with a handkerchief handed to him by Tanya.
It took a few minutes of the group walking in silence before they reached the main office...that once belonged to Iris's father.
The door to the office was guarded by two guards who Tanya simply gave a nod and opened the doors for her to let their group enter.
Mein hid her face behind her veil and hood, as she stepped inside the office...its almost exactly as she remembered, albeit with a few changes here and there.
And sitting behind the grandiose desk made of the finest wood that money could buy...was her old childhood playmate.
" Lady Amelia" Mein said as she approached the table.
In the event that House Melromarc is wiped than by dynasty succession the crown should go to the De Gallia family and if they were to get wiped than the crown would go to Jaune's family due to them having the strongest blood heritage of the former House Albion.
But anybody who knows anything about politics knows that strongest contender for the Throne is House Amelia.
Despite their lack of claim from any of the Seven Kingdoms, House Amelia is by far the wealthiest and most influential family in Melromarc. Especially since the entire nation is hopelessly indebted to House Amelia for them supplying the food, money and resources they spent back in the Great War.
But just a decade ago, it was proven that even the wealthiest noble houses were not immune to tragedy and that applied to House Amelia.
Lady Merellis Reiser Amelia nee Anderson and her husband, Lord Louis de Amelia were brutally murdered.
They were two of many that fell victim to the bloodbath of Melromarc high society about a decade ago. The event that claimed the lives of many of Melromarc's highborn, a time of terror and darkness where nobody was safe and for once, it was the nobles who cowered at the dark.
It wasn't even just the nobles that were killed...their homes were burnt to the ground, many of their guards died trying to protect them. Not that it did them any good in the end.
Louis De Amelia...Iris's father had served as mother's finance minister when he was still alive, a shrewd man who knew how to get things done and was said to be a master at the art of finance. And Merellis Reiser Amelia, despite being a former commoner held a lot of influence in the royal circle and was said to be able to influence the court with a mere snap of her fingers.
Yet even with all that money and power, they couldn't save themselves from their fate.
The deaths of Lady and Lord Amelia were the crowning achievement of that time of darkness and terror , the heads of the richest and influential noble house in Melromarc brutally killed. It served as a nice message to all nobles that they were not safe, no matter how many how many guards and walls they can buy to put between themselves and their killer.
It didn't matter in the end.
In any case, with the death of their parents that left Iris and Bern as the only ones to take over.
Everybody was expecting House Amelia to fall with the death of two most important members of the Amelia family, but to everybody's surprise Iris's grandfather stepped up and actually managed to keep the family together, despite not being a businessman himself. And when Iris came of age, she became the Lady Amelia.
And since that time, House Amelia has only continued to grow in power and influence across the country at an unprecedented rate.
Dear Iris may be her childhood playmate, but she is undoubtedly a bigger competitor to her in this Game of Throne than her brat of a younger sister.
" Your grace...please take a seat, we have much to discuss " Iris gestured to the finely crafted seat in front of her.
Mein glanced between the chair and Iris, thinking about the situation she has found herself in.
Admittedly she is at a stark disadvantage since she has met Iris on her own turf and is about to engage in a secret meeting. But she has already casted the die and there's no point beating around the bush, especially when she is on limited time.
Mein calmly sat down in the chair across from Iris, the only thing separating them was the desk. Tanya stood next to Iris, while Dida and Lyle were flanking her fronts. Clearly to make sure she doesn't try anything.
Smart.
" What happened to you Lyle ? " Iris asked with concern.
" I broke his nose when he and this idiot tried to jump me and take me to you " Mein cut in to say.
Iris hid her face behind her Siltvelt fan but it was clear that she was unhappy with the look she gave her two lapdogs.
" I thought I told you to bring her to me quietly " Iris said sternly.
" Sorry mistress...but we couldn't be sure if this bitch would actually follow instructions " Dida said snidely towards Mein.
" This bitch is sitting in front of you and can hear your every word " Mein said with a glare.
" Oh , a thousand apologies my grace..." Dida said mockingly " Spare me, I don't want to hear that from the second in line princess who lost her crown to her sister before she was even born "
Mein could feel her anger rising and she couldn't restrain herself for the next words she said.
"You know its funny you call me a bitch , when you stand there and act like a whinny puppy that is trying so desperately to make your mistress notice your existence. Tell me just how many bones and scraps did Iris have to throw you before you jumped whenever she said ?" Mein mocked with heavy crude language, enough to make Iris's eyes widen and Dida's flash with anger.
" You fucking bit-!"
Dida charged at her and Lyle was a bit too slow on the reaction to stop him.
Thankfully Mein was much faster and had more finesse than this brute ever had or will have.
She immediately rose out of her chair the moment Dida threw a punch at her . Which she managed to stop by grabbing his arm, twisting it around his back and then forcing him face down directly into her knee. Making for a harsh blow.
" Aaah !" Dida cried out as Mein held his arm in a submission position and well-within a place to snap it like a twig.
" You know Dida...its not polite to call a Lady a 'bitch'..." Mein whispered to him as she slowly pushed his arm forward to break it " Maybe I should teach you some manners..."
" Malty stop !"
Iris's voice was enough to snap her out of it, as she looked around to see Tanya with her weapons ready and Lyle looking shocked at the scene.
She could see that Iris was gripping her fan tightly, her other hand was shaking and her eyes...they all spoke of fear.
" My lady ! Are you alright ?! "
Mein didn't get time to think about it as the guards that were outside burst into the room with weapons at the ready and Mein considered if she could take them.
" Call them off " Mein said simply as she pushed Dida's arm forward, making him cry out in pain.
" Stand down !" Iris called out to the guards " Stand down..."
" Just please...stop Malty " Iris pleaded and she could tell it was genuine.
Mein looked at Iris and then back to Dida...before relenting and pulling him upwards, shoving him back towards Lyle.
" Next time, keep your dogs in line before I feed them their teeth " Mein said plainly with anger in her tone.
"...Noted " Iris said as she turned to her injured hounds " Dida , keep quiet or I will make you leave "
Dida didn't say anything but kept quiet as Iris discussed business with Mein.
" You are dismissed " Iris said to the guards who had burst into the room before turning back to Mein with a glare " I see you're still as violent as ever "
" I'm only as violent as I need to be " Mein said " And your dogs were the ones to attack first. I'm running short on time before my party notices I'm gone so make your point quick "
"...Very well. I would like to make a deal, a mutually beneficial deal " Iris explained.
" What kind of deal ? "
" A simple one. You give me any useful information or rumors you hear on your travels and I will provide some...under the table assistance to you when you need it " Iris explained in detail " I know for a fact that you have been searching around for a magical prosthetic for that party member of yours..."
Mein's eyes widen as she knew Iris was talking about Raphtalia...
And she knew that if anybody could help them get what they want, it was Iris.
But Mein hated dealing with Iris.
" Sounds reasonable... but I do have some questions for you " Mein narrowed her eyes at her.
Mein knew that she was taking a gamble asking directly, you rarely get a straight answer.
But if that doesn't work, at least she can say she tried before resorting to worse methods.
" Oh ? And what might they be ? "
" Particularly concerning that little Haven you snuck into the Spear Hero's party " Mein said with crossed arms.
" Ah, I see you've met Elena then..."
" Yes and I was quite surprised to find out that you snuck a bastard into the Spear Hero's party " Mein said plainly " What game are you playing Amelia ? Using a bastard to build relations with one of the heroes while maintaining some distance in case you need to burn that bridge is a smart move, but you fall short of showing that you are actually putting your stake in the Spear Hero by playing it safe "
" I'll admit that was indeed part of the reason for why I sent Elena into the Spear Hero's party..." Iris hide behind her fan as she spoke " But to be perfectly frank, I'm not really interested in any of the Cardinal Heroes "
What ? Did Iris Amelia herself just state that she has no interest in the Cardinal Heroes personally ?
Is this her way of saying that the position of House Amelia is so secure that it doesn't even really need a Hero to further its influence and prosperity ? Or is this simple arrogance ?
Mein found it almost maddening trying to figure out which one it was.
" I find that hard to believe..." Mein said with crossed arms " Its the most basic of things that getting a Cardinal Hero in your back pocket can further a noble house's line and prosperity, do you really expect me to believe that ? "
" Well, it appears we have different needs don't we Malty ? "Iris said snippetly.
" Stop playing coy for Void's sake " Mein said bluntly " You are my biggest competitor for the Throne, even more than my brat of a younger sister "
" Ah, I see the mistake you made is assuming that every lord and lady lusts after a slightly larger chair and replica circlet the crown smashed by the Siltvelt animals in the Great War " Iris twirls her fan into her right hand "... Allow me to be blunt for a moment, I have no intention of becoming your enemy Malty"
Mein stiffened for a second before she relaxed "...And I don't either...unless you provoke my hand "
" That is the very thing I'm trying to avoid " Iris said stiffly.
" Then what is your reason for not aiming for the Throne ? " Mein asked bluntly.
" Let me put it this way...House Amelia is the wealthiest and most influential House in the nation, so much so that we beat House De Gallia and House Arc as contenders for the Throne. That being said, we have nowhere else to grow to in terms of position and power in this nation. If I , the Lady of House Amelia were to attempt to go after one of the Cardinal Heroes personally , how do you think it would look in the eyes of House Melromarc ? "
Mein thought long and hard on it...before she came to the conclusion Iris was driving her to.
" It would look like you're trying to make a power move for the Throne "Mein answered " House Amelia is wealthy and influential and it has no other place to rise to in terms of power but the Throne. If you go after one of the Cardinal Heroes openly, than that's just asking for conflict with House Melromarc "
" Correct...and in event that we do somehow manage to beat out House Melromarc, what do you think the other noble responses will be if I try to sit on the Throne instead of you or your younger sister ? " Iris asked a follow up question.
" The mad prince of Gallia will never allow it. The indomitable beast being your grandfather or not, Prince Joseph will rise an army to challenge your rule. Civil war will break out and Archduke Wales will join his side, simply because that is how dynasty succession is supposed to go " Mein answered this time, as Iris's explanation made a lot more sense now " Damn, that son of a bitch might not even accept Melty on the Throne on account of how young she is "
Back then, before she was even born, it was believed that Melromarc would become the Kingdom of De Gallia once more, since Prince Joseph was as much a war hero as mother.
The only reason Mother was crowned Queen instead of him, was because of her marriage to Father and the full unbridled support and blessing of Pope at the time.
" Exactly. Why fight for the Throne when its cushion is filled with poison needles instead of feathers ? I have no desire to sit on what is for all intent and purposes, the downfall of House Amelia and my parents legacy " Iris said with seriousness in her voice "As long as House Amelia gets to enjoy its current position, then I don't care who sits on the Throne "
Mein ponders the hypothetical scenario proposed by her old playmate, if Melromarc devolves into civil war than the country truly is doomed.
With Father effectively pissing off the entire world ,a civil war will give them all the opportunity they need to swoop in, crush Melromarc and take the Cardinal Heroes.
And unlike the beastman empire, Melromarc is in no position to remain standing afterwards.
All the more reason for her not to lose the Game of Thrones.
Iris puts her folding fan away to face " Does this answer satisfy you, my old friend ? "
" Yes...very much so " Mein stands up and leans over the table to clap their hands together " Mein Sophie joins an alliance with Iris Lana Amelia of House Amelia. Til our interest...or death do us part "
Mein couldn't help but notice a tenseness in Iris's grip as if she was afraid.
"Of course..." Iris couldn't wait to pull her hand away " Dida will be the messenger between us "
" Send Lyle, he's not an idiot " Mein said bluntly.
" Fair enough, I suppose " Iris shrugged.
" Start looking for that magical prosthetic or somebody who has one " Mein said as she left the room.
" I'll ask around...goodbye Malty "
" Goodbye Iris..."
Mein said as she sneaked her way back to the party in question, by the time she got back she could see that the performance was already starting to wrap up and they were starting to bring out the main course.
The princess in disguise quickly approached Ake who was sitting beside Naofumi, who still seemed to have been distracted by the dancers.
" Where the hell did you go ? " Ake asked.
" Later...but for now I really need a drink " Mein said as she grabbed a glass of wine off of one of the passing servants holding a tray of them.
She's had a long night and the night was far from over.
I'll be honest, I didn't originally plan to include so many characters from Qin's story into mine. At most I was planning on having Iris, Gaston and the others to just have at most cameo appearances and mentions. I was actually going to steer away from the political aspect of Rotsh completely, but changes were made and I decided to make them have a bit more prominent role in the story.
I've actually been dropping hints in the previous chapters that things weren't the same with Iris, with her being the Lady of the House. And before you ask, yes things will be vastly different since events prior to this story have caused...how do I say this, changes to happen.
I'll leave that you all to figure out what that means.
I also hope you all enjoyed watching Malty beat Dida up, unlike in Ambition where she can barely hold her own against him. That was my favorite part in this chapter.
XD
With that said, I'll see you all in the next one.