Chapter Thirteen – Subterfuge
Cyrus now found himself in a predicament. After learning the identity of his assassination target was Fie, he had to come to a decision on how to move forward. Normally, the job would have been easy; find the target, and kill them. This time, however, it was far different.
It wasn't even the fact that his target was someone he knew. The problem was how would he go about completing the contract when they lived in the same building, but the more concerning thought he had was simply 'who wanted Fie dead'?
She was only fourteen years old; only a couple of months away from turning fifteen in August, but someone wanted her dead. It could only have been a rival Jäger Corps, given the fact there was no real reason for anyone to want a child dead.
After his conversation with Fie, in which she revealed she was Sylphid, Cyrus had returned to his room to seek advice from a familiar counsellor.
"Would it not be easy to just kill her and get it over with?" the individual asked.
"Sure, but how exactly am I going to explain her absence from Thors? She might not be aware of it, but she told me that she was brought here after her father died in battle with the War God. She's connected to someone at this school. Only thing is, I don't know who. Either way, her absence would very much be noticed by people," Cyrus responded, his ARCUS Unit placed on the desk next to him.
"Ok, so what do you propose you do?" the individual questioned.
"It's cowardly, but I could slowly poison her… Let her health degrade to a point where she requires medical aid, then go in and finish the job from there. Bah, but then I'd be no different from Venom and Chameleon," Cyrus growled, slamming his hand on his desk.
"Have you considered the… Other method?" the individual whispered.
"No… Are you sure it would work?" Cyrus sat up, looking at his ARCUS.
"How should I know? It's not like I'm in a position to try it for you. Why not run with it, and see what happens?" the individual suggested.
"I don't think the affinity would be right… I mean, it's a step in the right direction, sure, but…" Cyrus sighed, running his hands through his hair.
"Well, choose quickly, Dragon… I don't think Cao will let you hold sole ownership of the contract for too much longer… Someone wants this Jäger child dead, and they'll be paying him a great deal to see the job done," the individual warned.
"You don't think Rixia will take it, do you?" Cyrus asked, sounding worried.
"So what if she does? As Yin, it's her job to kill just as much as it is yours… Even if she doesn't like it. It's in her blood," the individual muttered. "To be completely plain, I'm surprised you still took jobs, even after going your separate ways with the girl."
"I suppose I did tell the Chairman to filter through the odd jobs every now and again after I left, but… Those I killed weren't innocent; they were corrupt, or just evil. Fie is a child, and it wasn't her fault she became a Jäger, so why should I kill her?" Cyrus responded.
"Well then, it appears you have two options ahead of you; elect to kill her, or let someone else do it for you. I've offered my advice on how to deal with the issue at hand, but if you don't want to take my advice, then you'll simply have to let someone else do your job for you," the individual stated gruffly.
Ever since coming to Thors, Cyrus life had been upended spectacularly. His past had started to unravel to the point where he was now under the employ of Chancellor Osborne, his projects had come under attack from an enemy insurgent, he'd put his own father in the firing line with the secrets he had been keeping, and he had almost gotten a friend killed, due to his ongoing war against Ikaruga and its Thirteen Death Squads. Now, on top of all that, he was tasked with having to kill Fie, one of his classmates.
Were it not for the fact he needed to be at Thors, even if he told people it was just simply because of 'family tradition', he was starting to regret coming. His time at school was cutting in to his ability to run his businesses and projects that were crucial to his future. It was also putting him in a difficult spot with Heiyue. Were it not for the fact he was going to school at the Empire's most prestigious military academy, he'd have easily found and dispatched Sylphid, giving zero thought to it.
However, since he knew his target was Fie, and she didn't choose to become a Jäger of her own free will, unlike Bloody Shirley and Red Reaper of the Red Constellation, his assessment of the situation started to become muddied. While Fie might have been a Jäger, as far as he was concerned, she was an innocent, and did not deserve to die. Yet, die she must, as the reward from the Chairman was too great to pass up on.
The reward, which Heiyue's White Orchid Dragon had promised Cyrus, was none other than a complete dossier on all four of the Red Constellation members who tried to kill him and his mother. It was comprehensive too; information gathered from the Erebonian and Calvardian Intelligence Divisions, the Bracer Guilds in Liberl and Remiferia, and some documents from the Crossbell State Police Department, and the Crossbell Guardian Force.
According to Chairman Cao, it contained all the information Cyrus needed to find and eliminate the Red Constellation. To further reinforce that fact, the Chairman had given Cyrus a page from the file, which told him that Sigmund 'War Ogre' Orlando was currently active in Crossbell, with photos to serve as proof.
Cyrus had to get his hands on that dossier, and while that meant killing Fie was a must, he still couldn't get past the fact she was still an innocent little girl, as far as Jägers go, at least. After seeking counsel from his mysterious ally, he had come up with a way to complete the mission, but trying to execute the plan was going to be difficult.
For now, it was easier to just watch and wait. He knew an opportunity would arise in which he would be able to complete his job; even if that meant coming face to face with Rixia again. Perhaps, instead of fighting him, she'd agree to work with him, and find a solution that would satisfy everyone?
In the meantime, the whole academy was abuzz with the fast-approaching midterm exams, and even more intrigued by the bet Cyrus and Patrick had made with one another. Cyrus knew that Patrick was a devious little rat and, despite him saying he wouldn't try and interfere with Ferris and her attempts to study and sit the exams, knew that he would absolutely do something to hinder Ferris' ability to study.
"Master Cyrus, are you sure this is necessary?" Sariffa asked as she stood behind Cyrus in the school library.
"Normally, no. But given the sort of person Patrick is, I wouldn't put it past him, or his sycophants to try and stop Ferris from studying," Cyrus muttered, looking over at Ferris, who was sat at a table with Bridget.
"Hey, Ferris, how do you feel about this bet Cyrus and Patrick have with each other?" Bridget asked.
"Hmph, they're both idiots. I can do just fine in my exams, but now they've made this stupid wager, it's only getting in the way of my ability to focus on my studies," Ferris huffed.
"Well, I can only assume you're expecting your cousin to win the bet then, huh?" Bridget asked, looking over at Cyrus and Sariffa.
"If it didn't impact my grades, then I'd deliberately flunk these stupid exams, just to teach him a lesson that I am not some common show pony!" Ferris shouted, slamming her hand down on the table.
"Shhh! Keep your voice down, this is a library!" the clerk hissed, glaring at Ferris.
"Heh, looks like the pressure is getting to you. Wouldn't it just be easier to give up and let His Lordship win?" a voice asked from across the room.
Despite Patrick not being present in the library, as Celestin had spirited him away for his own private tutoring, Eric and the rest of Patrick's cohorts were in the library. Seeing how Ferris had reacted, they decided to try and meddle with her further.
"Go away, Eric. We're trying to study here," Bridget sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Yes, I can see that. However, wouldn't it be easier to simply stop studying and skip the exams altogether? That way, His Lordship will win the bet, and it'll put an end to this foolishness," Eric scoffed.
"Now I know why Patrick hangs out with you, Eric; you're so fucking stupid that you make a moron like him seem as intelligent as Professor Epstein," Ferris snapped, not even bothering to look up from her notes.
"What the hell did you say to me, you little bitch?!" Eric shouted, raising a hand to strike Ferris.
The moment Eric lifted his hand, he felt everything start to spin. A hard impact followed, and after a few seconds to figure out what had happened, Eric realised he had been forced to the floor, and pinned to the ground.
"Sa-Sariffa?! What is the meaning of this?!" Ferris cried, watching her maid as she knelt on top of Eric.
"Apologies, my lady. I simply could not stand by and allow this pest to bring you harm," Sariffa stated, bowing her head in apology.
'Huh… She's faster than I gave her credit for…' Cyrus thought as he looked on, his expression remaining blank.
"Get off me, this instant!" Eric strained, trying to wriggle free of Sariffa's iron grip.
"Give it a rest, will you? She's not going to let go until you agree to leave Ferris alone," Cyrus sighed as he walked over to the commotion.
"You… You did this, didn't you?! Tell your attack dog to release me, now!" Eric shouted.
"No, actually, I didn't. Sariffa acted as any maid of the Florald family should, and protected her charge. To be completely honest, if I had moved to stop you, you'd no longer have the ability to move that arm," Cyrus stated, staring blankly at Eric.
"Sariffa! Let the fool go!" Ferris shouted.
"Yes, my lady," Sariffa nodded, letting Eric go and standing off to the side.
"This isn't over, you hear me?! His Lordship will punish you for this!" Eric cried, holding his arm against his chest.
"You call on your little lord to deal with this, and you'll be joining him when I hang him off the roof of the school," Cyrus warned, causing Eric to freeze up.
Eric said nothing in response to Cyrus' threat; he couldn't be sure if he was being serious or not. Still clinging to his arm, Eric spat at Cyrus' feet and took off, leaving the library with haste.
"Do you two mind explaining what in the hell you're playing at?!" Ferris shouted, once again getting reprimanded by clerk, who she turned to and started yelling. "DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! I AM ANGRY AND THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED!"
Everyone in the Library had fallen silent, with some people electing to leave the library, as they knew Ferris could be terrifying when she had a temper.
"My Lady, please, I understand you are dissatisfied, but screaming about it here of all places will simply not do," Sariffa stated quietly, bowing her head to Ferris.
"I wasn't the one who nearly broke a boy's arm! You have some explaining to do, Sariffa, but I'm angrier at you, Cyrus!" Ferris growled, glaring at her cousin.
"I did what I thought was necessary to ensure no harm comes to you. I won't apologise for that," Cyrus stated indignantly, which made Ferris scowl even harder.
"I never asked you to get involved! In fact, it's your fault I'm even in this situation, because you couldn't swallow your fucking pride and walk away! You're not Grandfather, Cyrus; you had no right to pull me into your petty squabble!" Ferris yelled.
"I never once likened myself to Grandfather, and while we both know he does as he pleases, I wasn't about to let Patrick drag my family through the mud," Cyrus stated quietly, through gritted teeth.
"So what if he did?! You think I can't handle him?! I'm a Le Guin just as much as you are, or did you forget we're practically half-siblings?!" Ferris shouted. "Your Achilles' heel has always been your family. You just refuse to let it go the moment anyone talks badly about us; it's suffocating!"
"That's enough, Ferris. I do what I do because it's my family. I won't have some little pissant trying to involve you in a dispute they have with me," Cyrus responded.
"I'M INVOLVED IN THIS BECAUSE OF YOU! If you had just shut up, ignored Patrick, and simply walked away, then none of this would be happening! And don't even get me started on those anonymous threats I'm getting because this 'C' person has an axe to grind with you! YOU are the one putting me in danger with your shady dealings, whatever the hell they may be, and I do not care to know. All I know is that, because you chose to meddle in someone else's affairs, I am now being threatened. How would Auntie Mirellia or Uncle Michael react if they knew your stupid decisions were putting me in harm's way?" Ferris cried. "Have you ever taken a second to consider how your reckless nature affects others? You are not Aurelia, Cyrus. You don't have the kind of power she does, and it's time you realised that! Your arrogance is going to get someone in our family killed, and I'll be damned if it's going to be me!"
Before Cyrus could respond, Ferris packed up all her things and ran off. For a split second, Cyrus was certain he saw tears rolling down Ferris' cheeks as she ran away. For several moments, Cyrus could only stand where he was, trying to process everything Ferris had said to him in her tirade. Even when Sariffa tried to offer words of assurance, he did not hear them.
Without saying a single word, Cyrus walked out of the library, and started to wander the campus grounds. He was in a deep state of thought, and didn't acknowledge anyone or anything around him. He didn't even realise he had wandered off the beaten path and made his way into the Old Schoolhouse…
Two days later, the outburst Ferris had lashed Cyrus with had immediately made its way around the school, and it was now the biggest piece of gossip amongst Nobles and Commoners alike. Everyone had an opinion to share, or some kind of take to add to the story, but the reality of it was the fact that Cyrus had chosen to baby Ferris, and she had grown sick of it.
Some of the Nobles and Commoners agreed that while Cyrus was obviously being over protective of Ferris, it was still Patrick's fault that this had happened. While Cyrus would have disagreed with their sentiments, those who viewed Patrick in a negative light had decided to settle on that conclusion, whilst others had decided that Ferris was right in the sense that if Cyrus had simply taken the high road and ignored Patrick, she wouldn't have been dragged into their stupid wager.
Another point of topic that was being discussed, was the mention of this 'C' person Ferris had brought up. Even some of the Instructors had been discussing it amongst themselves, with the main point of conversation being was what Ferris had said correct; was Cyrus and his past the reason she was being threatened by a mysterious individual?
Of course, the Instructors knew very little about Cyrus, other than who his family was, and that he had almost been killed in a Jäger attack around six years ago. Did that have anything to do with this 'C' person Ferris had mentioned? The only person amongst the faculty that could answer that question was none other than Instructor Neithardt.
"Le Guin. A moment?" Neithardt commanded as Cyrus stood up and was about to leave the Instructor's classroom.
"Instructor," Cyrus nodded as the rest of Class VII all shared a look and left the room themselves.
"Now, far be it from me to engage in such nonsense as this, but I have overheard the students and faculty discussing your argument with young Ferris in the Library yesterday. What concerns me is not your family squabbles – I wish to make that clear – what does concern me was the fact your cousin said she was being threatened by someone; a mysterious character known as 'C'?" Neithardt began as he pulled out a folder out of the drawer of his desk and slapped in on the top.
"I'm handling it, Instructor. However, with all due respect to you, I don't see how this is your problem," Cyrus stated, which made Neithardt raise an eyebrow at Cyrus.
"After hearing the name C amongst the staff, I reached out to my superiors in the Army. I received this from them just this morning; it's a dossier from the Intelligence Division that brings up a person known only as C," Neithardt explained.
Without a word, Cyrus picked up the folder and thumbed through it. Sure enough, there were a couple of pages that referenced a person called C, with a blurry photo of a man dressed all in black with a full-face helmet, hiding his identity. As Cyrus read through the document, three words kept popping up.
"Imperial Liberation Front?" Cyrus frowned. "Imperial Liberation Front… ILF? Hold on, these are the pricks who attacked me back in Heimdallr a few weeks ago!" Cyrus snapped, flicking through the pages even faster before settling on a page by slamming it on Neithardt's desk. "Here. The one known as R; Rogelio. He was the one who laid an ambush for me."
"You knew him?" Neithardt questioned.
"Not really; he was a member of Duke Cayenne's staff. I'd see him every now and again when I used to visit the Duke with my father. Other than that, I didn't exactly know the man," Cyrus stated.
"Hmm, well, it's a start. Do you know why he and his allies attacked you in Heimdallr?" Neithardt pressed.
"Yeah, it was an ambush. They had stolen something from the Septian Church, and I was tasked with retrieving it… One thing did stick out to me though. He mentioned something about a 'Comrade S' tasking him with the job, meaning it was they who orchestrated everything from the theft to the ambush… Meaning they're a member of the Church? No, that can't be right," Cyrus muttered before picking up the dossier. "Might I borrow this, Major? I might be able to figure out who this S person is."
"Normally, that would be a violation of protocol, but considering you seem to already have a line of inquiry into figuring out who this person is, I don't think my superiors would mind too much if you looked into it," Neithardt reasoned. "Just… Make sure you don't do anything stupid; do I make myself clear, Le Guin?"
"Perfectly, sir. Only you, me, and one other person will know about this," Cyrus nodded as he took his leave.
After leaving Neithardt's classroom, Cyrus decided to skip his next class and instead make his way to Heimdallr. His top priority at the moment was uncovering more information about the Imperial Liberation Front, and the man who seemed to be its leader, C. After reading over the dossier, along with piecing a few things together from his meeting with Rogelio in Heimdallr a few weeks ago, he needed to get access to information held only by the Septian Church. Which meant paying Rosaria another visit.
Meanwhile, back in Trista, Sariffa was beginning to grow more and more concerned about Ferris. She was becoming more withdrawn and reclusive, and nothing Sariffa did was helping her. The normally cool-headed maid of the Florald Family was starting to become distressed. So, in an attempt to help Ferris again, she decided it was time to turn to the only other person who could be of help; the Florald Family matriarch, Countess Ophelia.
While Sariffa and Cyrus had been preoccupied with watching over Ferris, the eldest Florald child, Vincent, had been getting himself into mess after mess in an attempt to find himself a suitable woman. Without Sariffa around to pull him into line and clean up his messes, he had started to cause unrest amongst the ladies of Classes I and II; to the point where Vice-Principal Heinrich had contacted Count Florald, who had in turn contacted his wife, who took it upon herself to pay Vincent and the Vice Principal a visit.
The arrival of Countess Ophelia had put the entire school on notice. Unlike her elder sister, Ophelia was a very terrifying woman; so much so that the rumours around Ordis were that she told Count Florald she was going to be his wife, which he agreed to immediately, as he was too afraid to find out what would happen if he told her 'no'. Despite her intimidation factor being on par with her niece, Aurelia, she still loved her family dearly, and would do anything to keep them safe.
When she had arrived at Thors, the students were making their way to their next class, and the moment anyone caught sight of her, the froze in place, simply staring at her in awe. It wasn't every day one would see a woman wearing a long black and scarlet dress on campus. Her long, violet hair, which was beautifully curled, flowed down her back, with her sharp topaz eyes striking fear into anyone who so much as looked at her.
"Whoa! Who is that?!" Elliot gasped as he watched the Countess enter the Main Campus Building.
"I would imagine that's Countess Florald. I've heard she's just as intimidating as Aurelia Le Guin, who is her niece," Laura pondered, staring at the woman who did indeed bear some resemblance with Aurelia.
"She's downright terrifying! Why would those Class I idiots want to screw with Ferris when she is her mother?!" Alisa gasped, looking at the serious expression on Ophelia's face.
"Ah, Countess Ophelia, thank you for coming on such short notice," Vice Principal Heinrich declared as he approached the Florald family matriarch and bowed to her.
"Think nothing of it, Vice Principal. If my son wasn't such a lovesick puppy, this wouldn't be an issue," Ophelia stated, her soft, eloquent voice clearly conveying her dismay with her son.
"M-Mummy?!" Vincent cried in horror as he turned a corner and saw his mother standing in the atrium.
"Mummy?" Fie snickered as she watched Vincent turn into a puddle before the crushing gaze of his mother.
"Ah, there you are, Vincent. Come with me; we have some catching up to do," Ophelia commanded, pointing to the floor in front of her with a single finger.
Immediately, Vincent did as he was told, with all the obedience of a trained dog. Everyone watched in silence and awe as Vice Principal Heinrich escorted mother and son to his office, where Vincent was about to receive the dressing-down of a lifetime.
"Hmph, she's clearly not changed," Jusis scoffed.
"You know her, Jusis?" Rean asked, blinking.
"Of course. What Noble hasn't heard of Ophelia Florald?" Jusis sighed, shaking his head. "She's a force of nature that even my father has bowed to in the past."
"She's that frightening?! If that's what she's like, can you imagine how terrifying her sister must be?" Alisa gasped.
"Actually, Countess Mirellia Le Guin is said to be nothing like her sister, and is the most kind-hearted person you could ever meet. There's not a soul in Erebonia who can resist her kind, gentle nature," Laura stated.
"Hmm, there must be someone who can, considering she was attacked by the Red Constellation in the past," Fie muttered.
"Fie!" Emma gasped, gently slapping Fie's arm.
"Hey, that reminds me; where's Cyrus? I haven't seen him since Instructor Neithardt's Military Science Class this morning," Alisa commented.
"I don't know… You think something happened between him and the Instructor when he was asked to stay behind after class?" Elliot mumbled.
"I wouldn't think so… Well, nothing sinister at the very least. If anything, maybe he's doing some work for Instructor Neithardt?" Gaius wondered.
"Tch, that's rich. You honestly think someone like him would do something for a Commoner? Not likely," Machias huffed.
"There you go again with that 'Noble/Commoner' bullshit again… Y'know something Machias, not everything has to be about being a Noble and a Commoner," Alisa sighed.
"Hah, well of course you would take his side, wouldn't you?" Machias grunted.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Alisa shouted.
"Guys, come on… People are starting to stare…" Rean mumbled, nudging Machias with his elbow.
Sure enough, there were students from all five classes all looking at Class VII and their ensuing argument, both Noble and Commoner alike making snarky, snide remarks, which only served to annoy Machias, but only because Nobles were whispering to one another, which he assumed was about him.
Luckily, Fie had managed to come up behind Machias and shove him in the back and on their way to the next class, putting to bed any possible arguments Machias was intending to start with the Nobles.
"Don't let this happen again, Vincent. If it does, I will not be so quick to forgive," Ophelia stated as she and her son left the Vice Principal's office.
"Yes, Mummy… I'm sorry, Mummy…" Vincent whispered, bowing to his mother.
"Lady Ophelia, might I be so bold as to ask for a moment of your time?" Sariffa asked as she appeared behind her employer.
"Ah, Sariffa, you're here. Good; that will save me time hunting you down. Would you like to explain to my why you've been allowing my son to harass the young ladies here at Thors?" Ophelia demanded, turning to face her maid.
"My deepest apologies, my Lady, but I'm afraid that I have failed you, and young Master Vincent, because my time has been directed more towards Lady Ferris," Sariffa stated, bowing to the Countess.
"Ferris? What's going on with her?" Ophelia asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I shall be brief, my Lady…" Sariffa nodded as she began to explain to Countess Ophelia what has transpired between Ferris, and Cyrus over the past few weeks, and about Patrick's meddling in an attempt to provoke Cyrus.
"That little Hyarms brat thinks he can use my daughter to strike at my nephew? Where is he?" Ophelia hissed.
"I'm sorry, my Lady?" Sariffa blinked, trying to process what she had just heard.
"Never mind, I'll find out myself," Ophelia snapped, storming off towards the atrium. "You there; where can I find the Hyarms boy?!"
"Uhh, what? Y-you mean Patrick?" the clerk asked, looking up in a panic.
"Obviously, unless there is another Hyarms boy that attends this academy?" Ophelia whispered, her words perfectly conveying her fury.
"Umm, well… Let me see here…" the clerk mumbled as she started flicking through her registers. "He's on a Free Period at the moment, so he'll be in the First Dormitory."
"Very good. Sariffa, come! I'll sort this out myself!" Ophelia commanded as she marched out of the Main Campus Building.
Over at the First Dormitory, all of the First Year Class I and II Students were currently on a Free Period, as were the Second Year Class II Students (which was due to Vice Principal Heinrich having to deal with Vincent's shenanigans), so the dormitory was quite busy at the time Ophelia made her presence known.
She opened the door to the building with such force it swung open and slammed back into the wall, damaging both objects. Those who were present in the common area jumped when the heard the loud bang, and froze in place when they saw Ophelia standing in the doorway, her presence dominating everyone and everything around her.
"Where is the Hyarms boy?" Ophelia hissed, her topaz eyes scanning the room carefully.
"Kitchen," Theresia pointed, not even hesitating to follow Ophelia's command.
"Thank you, my darling," Ophelia smiled as she strode towards the kitchen.
"Well that was… Terrifying…" Theresia sighed as she realised she had stopped breathing for a moment.
"Oh, dear… We tried to warn Patrick his actions would have consequences," Fidelio frowned.
In the kitchen, Patrick and his buffoons were laughing and joking around, mocking Ferris' actions in the library the other day.
"Ooh, Patrick. You're sooo stupid, Patrick. I'm just a lowly Noble bitch, but I think I'm so much better than you!" Patrick squealed, to a response of raucous laughter from his friends.
"'A lowly Noble bitch' you say? So, that's what you think of my daughter?" Ophelia asked, her calm voice betrayed by the look of rage burning in her eyes.
"You're the one who birthed that narcissist? Well, I can't say I'm surprised, given how–" one of Patrick's friends sneered.
Patrick's crony never got a chance to finish his sentence. The moment he had called Ferris a narcissist, Ophelia had walked over to him and back-handed the boy with so much force he fell over. He looked up at Ophelia in horror, as he discovered she had slapped a tooth out of his mouth.
"Now you listen to me, you snivelling little rat," Ophelia began as she stood in front of Patrick. She wasn't a tall woman, but her presence made Patrick feel miniscule. "I don't care what kind of petty rivalry you and Cyrus have going on, but you leave my daughter out of it. Just because she and Cyrus are family does not give you the right to use her as a weapon against my nephew. Now, I am going to say this once, and only once. You stay away from Ferris, because if you don't, you are going to wish you never met the Florald and Le Guin families."
"Is… Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?" Patrick responded, swallowing hard as his gaze met Ophelia's.
"Please, I don't make idle threats, boy. You are the one causing my daughter distress where she does not deserve it. My nephew is strong enough and wise enough to deal with bottom feeders like you, but he also has the honour to face his rivals head on. He doesn't resort to cowardly tricks like targeting other people, or getting lackeys to do his dirty work for him. Take my advice; be a man, and sort your problems out with Cyrus face-to-face. Using others as a shield to protect yourself from consequences is pathetic; any real Noble would tell you that," Ophelia whispered, her voice like ice, chilling Patrick to the bone.
"Mo-Mother?!" Ferris cried as she entered to kitchen to see her mother surrounded by Patrick's entourage.
"Ferris, my little darling!" Ophelia cried, her demeanour brightening immensely, as she strode over to her daughter and hugged her, squishing Ferris' face into her large chest.
"Mother, what in Aidios' name are you doing here?!" Ferris shouted as she freed herself from Ophelia's grasp.
"Your brother has been running about causing all sorts of nonsense, so I came here to ensure it doesn't happen again. Darling, look at you! You're so small now! Are you eating properly?" Ophelia asked, noticing Ferris looked rather thin and frail.
"Mother, stop! I'm seventeen now, you don't have to keep treating me like a baby!" Ferris snapped, yanking her hand away from her mother.
"But darling, you'll always be my baby. Look at your Auntie Mirellia; Aurelia is almost thirty and she still treats her eldest like a baby. That's just how we do things in our family!" Ophelia stated, giving Ferris another hug.
"Mother… Mother, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Ferris screamed, pushing her mother away. "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"Ferris, darling, stop! Where are you going?!" Ophelia called out as she watched Ferris leave the kitchen.
"GO AWAY!" Ferris cried as she left the kitchen and ran up the stairs to her room.
Ophelia, being the sort of person who never leaves her family when they are upset, followed after her daughter and marched up the stairs. Once both Florald woman had left the kitchen, Patrick and his friends all breathed a sigh of relief.
"Are you ok, Hans?" Eric asked as he picked the boy up off the floor.
"That fucking bitch! How dare she strike me?! She even knocked a tooth out!" Hans cried; his face swollen where Ophelia had struck him.
"Don't worry about her, Hans. We'll deal with her in due cause won't we, Your Lordship?" Eric asked, turning to Patrick.
"Indeed we shall. I know exactly how we're going to put her in her place…" Patrick muttered.
After Ferris had run off, she made her way upstairs and locked herself in her room. Shortly after, he heard a loud knocking on her door, followed by the sound of her mother's voice.
"Ferris, sweetheart, talk to me. What's going on?" Ophelia called out as she knocked on Ferris' door.
"Go away, Mother!" Ferris shouted.
"Not until you tell me what that outburst was all about; you've never screamed at me or your father like that. Don't make me kick this door down!" Ophelia shouted, getting ready to follow through on her warning.
A couple of seconds later, she heard the sound of Ferris' door unlocking, followed by the sound of it opening slightly. Taking that as Ferris inviting her in, Ophelia gently pushed the door open and went inside.
"You're as bad as Cyrus and Sariffa," Ferris sniffled, looking at her mother's feet.
"Ferris, honey, talk to me. What's going on? I've never seen you like this," Ophelia asked softly, gently stroking her daughter's hair as she hugged her.
"It's not Patrick… It's Cyrus," Ferris whispered, just loud enough for Ophelia to hear her.
"What on earth are you talking about? Cyrus has always looked after you; he'd never hurt you," Ophelia stated, taken aback by what Ferris had said.
"No, I know, but… It's his fault all of this has happened," Ferris mumbled as she started to sob.
"Why would you think that? Look, I know what happened at the start of the school year; Aurelia told us all about it when she returned to Ordis. I know Cyrus and Patrick were in a fight, and they've been at odds ever since. But Patrick was the one who chose to involve you, even Sariffa said as much," Ophelia stated, trying to calm Ferris down.
"This has nothing to do with Patrick! Fuck that smarmy little cunt!" Ferris sobbed, spitting out as much venom as she could in order to make herself stop crying, which only made it worse. "Here!"
Ferris had walked over to her desk and picked up a letter that had been left on there and handed it to Ophelia. By the looks of the creases in the paper, the letter had been opened and closed dozens of times. Ophelia opened the letter and read its contents. It was the letter she had received from C, which Ferris must have taken back from Sariffa at some point. As Ophelia got to the bottom of the page, every fibre of her being was seething with rage.
"Who would dare threaten my daughter?" Ophelia growled, folding up the page and handing it back to Ferris.
"I don't know, but do you get it now? Cyrus is the reason I'm like this, not Patrick. I know he didn't intend for this to happen, but whatever he did in the time he left Ordis and came here, he made enemies, and they've decided to target me," Ferris stated.
"Don't you worry, my precious little flower; I'm going to get to the bottom of this and find out who this C is. Let's see how brave he is when I've snapped him in half like a twig!" Ophelia grunted, cracking her knuckles.
"Mother, please! Just stay out of it. Whatever happens, I'm not going to allow myself to be involved," Ferris cried, trying to calm her mother down.
"No, dear, I'm afraid I won't do that. You are being threatened by an anonymous source, for something that you had no hand in. I will not allow anyone to harm my babies, ever," Ophelia declared. "I'm leaving now. Please, if you ever need anything, all you have to do is call me, ok? I love you, sweetheart."
"I love you too, Mother…" Ferris whispered as she hugged Ophelia before the woman turned and left the room.
"Sariffa, I want you to do something for me," Ophelia stated as she marched down the corridor, with her maid two steps behind.
"I am at your service, my Lady," Sariffa nodded.
"Go to the Heimdallr Central Bank and withdraw twenty million Mira in diamonds. Once you have them, bring them to me in Mater Park," Ophelia commanded.
"Twenty million in diamonds, Mater Park. Yes, my Lady," Sariffa bowed as she hurried off to fulfil the Countess' orders.
'I just hope this will be enough to acquire his help…' Ophelia thought as she left the First Dormitory and headed towards the car that waited for her just outside Trista.
"So, how was your trip to Heimdallr?" the individual asked as Cyrus flopped down on his bed, ARCUS unit in hand.
"In short, it was a complete waste of time," Cyrus muttered, looking up at the ceiling.
After skipping class, Cyrus had gone to Heimdallr Cathedral in an attempt get Rosaria to help him uncover more information about the member of the Imperial Liberation Front known only as S. Given it was her who had sent Rogelio to Heimdallr after stealing the Chalice of Beginnings from the Black Sect, it was clear that they had some knowledge of the Church, and their artefacts. Although, as he approached Heimdallr, Cyrus started to think back on his very brief meeting with Celis in Saint-Arkh.
According to the Knight Commander, Keyes had summed Rosaria for 're-education' after failing to recover the Chalice for the Black Archbishop, and if Celis knew he had it, then it was obvious that Rosaria had cracked and told the leader of the Black Sect everything.
Yet, if that was the case, then why had Keyes not dispatched Nightingales or Sentinels to recover the artefact? Such a task should be easy for the Church's most elite combat forces, and yet Cyrus had encountered no-one.
When he arrived at the cathedral, his suspicions had been confirmed by another sister, who had told Cyrus that Rosaria had been called back to Arteria some time ago, meaning it was going to be impossible for him to quietly dig into the Church and find out if they knew anything about S.
As he left the cathedral, Cyrus had noted a presence stalking him. This time, however, he was certain they were expertly trained, and most likely had military experience. The individual following him had been none other than one of Chancellor Osborne's Ironbloods; Captain Claire Rieveldt, the Icy Maiden.
"Hmph, so the Chancellor decided to summon you, did he?" the individual grunted.
"Yeah… He has a job for me at the end of the month, which causes some problems," Cyrus muttered.
"You mean your little class excursion? What utter nonsense," the individual snorted.
"Hey, it's not like I have a choice in the matter. If I fuck this up, then that means trouble for me," Cyrus muttered
"What does the drunk have to say about it?" the individual asked.
"How should I know? I haven't seen her to tell her. But something tells me that's not going to be a problem," Cyrus frowned as he heard a knock on his door. "So, you know I'm here, Sara?"
At Cyrus' acknowledgement of her presence, Sara opened the door of his room and popped her head in to see him lying on his bed, his ARCUS Unit next to him.
"Where have you been?" Sara asked, stepping into Cyrus' room and closing the door behind her.
"I've been busy. I assume you're here for a reason, or is this a social call? I don't see any alcohol in your hand, so I'm assuming it's the former, rather than the latter," Cyrus muttered as he sat up and looked at Sara.
"Wait, are you saying you would drink with me if I brought beer? Hold on, no, you and I need to have a conversation," Sara stated, losing focus for a moment.
"By all means, Instructor, but I think you and I both know that this is probably going to go a lot smoother if you bring alcohol as well," Cyrus responded, trying to push Sara's desire for drink.
"Hmm… Wait here," Sara muttered, narrowing her eyes at Cyrus as she left the room.
"Wow, I can't believe that actually worked… Although, it does kind of speak to the degree of Sara's loneliness here. To be fair, there's probably no-one else she could drink with in Trista…" Cyrus sighed as he stood up and walked over to his desk and opened the top drawer.
A couple of minutes later, Sara had returned to Cyrus's room, a box of beer in her hands and a look of joy on her face that she had attempted to hide poorly. With a loud sigh, she dropped the box on Cyrus' desk with a thud before opening it and taking out two bottles.
"Ahh, I wish the rest of Class VII was as laid-back as you…" Sara sighed. "Wait, no, that's not a good thing. We need to talk, mister."
"By all means, Instructor, I'm all ears," Cyrus stated as he took a bottle from Sara and sat on his bed, with his back up against the wall.
"Well, I was approached by Principal Vandyck this afternoon. After being chewed out because you've been skipping classes, and it's not the first time it's happened either, he told me that you are not going on this month's Field Study," Sara began.
"Yeah, that tracks…" Cyrus muttered, taking a mouthful of beer.
"Why does Chancellor Osborne want to meet with you, Cyrus? At first, I thought the Principal was punishing you for your lack of attendance in class, but when he told me the Chancellor has requested to meet with you… Well, let's just say I was taken by surprise on that one," Sara sighed.
"How do I even begin to answer that one…? I suppose all roads lead back to Ikaruga in the end, don't they?" Cyrus frowned.
"Ikaruga? What is it with you getting involved in the affairs of Jäger Corps?" Sara blinked.
"Oh, so you know of Ikaruga too, huh?" Cyrus looked at Sara, raising an eyebrow.
"There are very few people in my line of work who don't know who Ikaruga are," Sara responded quietly.
"Odd, I didn't think Instructors at Thors had dealings with Jäger Corps," Cyrus grunted, dropping his empty bottle on the floor and clapping his hands at Sara to give him a new one.
Sara scowled at Cyrus as she threw him a new bottle of beer, silently annoyed at herself for letting it slip that she had knowledge of Ikaruga from her own days as a Jäger.
"Ikaruga aren't a laughing matter, Cyrus. You of all people should know that," Sara muttered.
"I know they're not; Alisa nearly died because of me and my past with them. Believe me, Sara, I'm not treating them like they're some laughing stock, but it's not like I can declare war on them, is it?" Cyrus sighed.
"No, but you can always ask for help. I wouldn't be doing my job as your Instructor properly if I didn't help my students when they need it," Sara stated.
"Right, and how is that going to solve anything? Unless you're not aware, Ikaruga are one of the only Jäger Corps in Zemuria with an SSS-Class rank. Their Thirteen Death Squads alone are comprised of some of the greatest Assassins, Warlords, and killers on the planet. You think a rag-tag bunch of friends with a can-do attitude and a will to never give up is going to cut it?" Cyrus laughed, causing Sara to frown.
"That's not what I meant, Cyrus. You should know as well as anyone that knowledge is power, and if you know your enemy better than you know yourself, you need not fear the outcome of even a thousand battles," Sara responded, staring at Cyrus as she downed her second bottle of beer.
"Tch, you did not just paraphrase a passage from 'The Art of War' to me," Cyrus snorted, demanding another drink for himself.
"If you know where it's from, then you should know that I'm right," Sara shrugged.
"Ok, I'll bite; how exactly do you expect me to find out everything about Ikaruga's Commanders? Sure, I know bits and pieces, but not enough to be able to face them in battle confidently," Cyrus responded.
"Did you forget that I'm a Bracer by trade? While they may not operate in the Empire anymore, they still operate in Liberl, Calvard, Remiferia… You get the idea. Basically, all I'm saying is that if I contact the right people, they could help you find out more about these Commanders," Sara explained.
"Sorry, but that's a hard pass. I'm not indebting myself to a group of Bracers for something that has nothing to do with them. One of their Commanders will seek me out again, and when they do, I'll be sure to extract as much information out of them before I kill them; an act that I should have done before sending Chameleon off to whatever God they worshipped," Cyrus muttered.
For several moments, Sara simply sat where she was and stared at Cyrus in silence. Just how deep was Cyrus in trouble with Ikaruga for him to refuse help to quell their desires to have him killed? She had heard about him killing the assassin known as Chameleon from Marquis Hyarms after she went and collected Alisa from Saint-Arkh, but to turn down help from the Bracer Guild? Sara couldn't understand the logic behind Cyrus' decision to say no.
"Hm, I think we've drifted off topic here, I'm afraid. Let's get back to the original point here; what does Chancellor Osborne want with you?" Sara asked.
"I have an idea, but I don't know; there could be many reasons why the Blood and Iron Bastard wants to speak with me, and none of them are good," Cyrus responded, looking outside and noticing Laura marching through Trista towards the Third Dormitory.
"Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned, as even Principal Vandyck seemed a little apprehensive about the matter when he spoke with me. Although, that could just be because of your Aunt's visit here today," Sara chuckled.
"What? Auntie Ophelia was here?" Cyrus asked, turning to look at Sara with surprise.
"Yeah, you'd have seen her if you'd actually bothered to attend classes today," Sara shrugged.
"Yeah, well, I had more important things to deal with today, like other days in the last few weeks," Cyrus muttered.
"Such as?" Sara asked.
"Such as minding my own business for one, Sara," Cyrus scowled.
"Hey! I'm your Instructor, so it's my job to find out why you're skipping classes," Sara replied with a scowl of her own.
"I didn't think it was an Instructor's job to drink with her students, yet here we are," Cyrus responded, raising his beer bottle whilst acknowledging the other dozen empty ones on the ground between them.
"Heh, we've drank quite a bit, haven't we?" Sara smirked. "And that's not even including the box I've already had by myself."
"You almost seem proud of that, Sara," Cyrus shook his head.
A loud bang from downstairs halted the conversation for a moment as both student and instructor stared at each other with a confused look.
"Ugh, those boys can't go more than ten minutes without arguing or breaking something, can they?" Sara groaned.
"Well, are you going to go and sort them out?" Cyrus asked as he got up and pinched Sara's beer from her hand.
"Hey, I wasn't finished with that!" Sara cried, as she jumped up and tried to take it back.
"Uh-uh. Not until you go and do your job and stop Jusis and Machias from fighting," Cyrus stated, holding the beer high in the air, well out of Sara's reach.
"Oh, come on! Dealing with those idiots is tiring! Just let me have my beer and let them sort it out amongst themselves!" Sara cried, trying to jump up and snatch the bottle away from Cyrus.
"What happened to the ever-virtuous Sara 'I wouldn't be doing my job as your Instructor properly if I didn't help my students when they need it' Valestein from a few minutes ago?" Cyrus smirked.
"She checked out after beer number six. Now, gimmie! Don't make me pin you to the floor and use you as a cushion!" Sara snapped.
"Pfft, good luck with that. Although, if a meeting with the floor is what you want, I can arrange it for you," Cyrus snorted, as he realised Sara was starting to show obvious signs of intoxication.
"How about I trade you for it?" Sara asked, as she took a step back.
"Why do I not like where this is going?" Cyrus frowned.
"I'll trade you this for it!" Sara declared, as she pulled her bra out from under her clothes.
"Why in the hell would I want that?!" Cyrus shouted.
"C'mon! I've been wearing it all day… It even smells like me," Sara responded, as she smelled it.
"What makes you think that is going to somehow make me want your dirty bra?!" Cyrus exclaimed, taking a step back out of shock.
"What, is it not enough? Ugh, fine. You can have my panties too, but only because I like drinking with you," Sara stated as she attempted to take her underwear off.
"Sara, no! Damn it, here. Take the fucking thing, just keep your damn panties on, ok?!" Cyrus shouted, forcing the bottle back into Sara's empty hand.
"Yay, I won! Thanks!" Sara giggled as she emptied the bottle in one go. "You can still have my bra if you want it, I don't mind."
"Just shut up and put the fucking thing back on already!" Cyrus yelled.
"What, are you saying you don't find me attractive enough to want to keep my underwear?" Sara frowned.
"Ah, fuck…" Cyrus sighed, realising he was now in between a rock and a hard place and had to think very carefully as to how he should respond. "Look, Sara, you're clearly drunk. So, by the time you sober up, you're probably going to regret trying to trade me your underwear for a drink, but me not wanting to keep them has nothing to do with whether or not I find you attractive. First of all, you're my Instructor. What would the rest of Class VII say if they saw you trying to give me your clothes for a beer? More's the point of what would the rest of the faculty say if they found out? I'd likely get put on permanent detention, and you'd be fired. Since neither of us want that, just keep your clothes on, and don't try and exchange them with me for alcohol. Here, look… If you want proof that I like you, then take this instead."
As Cyrus reached into his pocket and handed something to Sara, the moment between the two was immediately interrupted by a loud crash downstairs, followed by the sound of Alisa screaming.
"What the hell was that?" Sara turned, completely serious; almost perfectly masking the fact she was drunk.
"I don't know, but we should go find out," Cyrus stated as the pair of them left Cyrus' room and ran downstairs.
As Cyrus and Sara rushed downstairs, both of them had expected to find Jusis and Machias beating each other up, causing all sorts of mayhem, but neither of them could have been more wrong. As the pair reached the foot of the staircase, they were greeted with the sight of a kitchen that had been smashed to pieces, with a broken dining table at the centre of the room, with Laura and Fie in the middle of all the chaos.
"What the hell is going on?!" Sara shouted in horror as she watched Laura grab Fie by the throat and throw her across the room.
"I don't know! Laura came back to the dorm a few minutes ago, and the next thing I know, she and Fie started fighting!" Emma cried, trembling from the shock of what she had witnessed unfold right in front of her.
"Vile scum! What makes you think an animal like you deserves to attend this academy!" Laura shouted, her eyes blazing with anger.
"What the fuck? Laura, cut it out!" Sara shouted.
"I've never seen Laura this angry before… I wonder if…" Cyrus muttered, watching as Laura stomped over towards Fie and grabbed her by the ankle and flung her across the room.
"Cyrus! Stop spectating and do something!" Alisa sobbed, watching Fie's unconscious body smash into the wall, shattering the plasterboard and chipping the brickwork underneath.
With a nod, Cyrus took a step forward, disappeared from sight before reappearing next to Fie as he knelt down and scooped her up, before repeating his previous action and taking her over to the couch. He gently placed her down and pressed his hand firmly to her ribs.
"Yeah, she's got a couple of cracked ribs. Emma, take her to Instructor Beatrix for medical attention. I'll take care of Laura," Cyrus commanded, standing up and staring at Laura, who was seething.
"DON'T YOU INTERFERE! I'M NOT DONE WITH THAT JÄGER SCUM!" Laura roared, punching the wall next to her, cracking it slightly.
"I think that's quite enough out of you," Cyrus muttered.
Before Laura had time to react, Cyrus moved towards her, vanishing from sight before appearing behind her, slamming his hand into her shoulder and gripping it tightly as he kicked the back of her knees and forced her to the floor.
"NO! LET ME GO, DO YOU HEAR ME?! VAHLOK DEMANDS BLOOD! RELEASE ME AT ONCE!" Laura screamed, thrashing about as Cyrus calmly slipped his arm around her throat and put her in a chokehold.
After a good thirty seconds of her flailing about in an attempt to break free, Laura finally passed out due to lack of oxygen and collapsed in a slump in Cyrus' arms. For a while, no-one said anything. They were far too stunned by what they had seen to even be able to say anything.
"Does somebody want to tell me what the fuck that was all about?!" Sara shouted, as Cyrus placed Laura on the floor in front of him. "What the fuck were you idiots doing just standing there watching like this was some fucking circus act?!"
Sara was beyond furious, and the target of her ire at that moment was Elliot, Gaius, Machias, and Rean, who had all been present when the conflict had started, but had all simply stood and watched like a quartet of simpletons.
Elliot could only stammer and trip over his words, whilst Gaius bowed his head and apologised for his lack of action, and Machias simply muttered something under his breath. Rean was the only one who could actually form a response.
"What exactly were we supposed to do, Instructor? You saw the end of that attack; Laura was merciless and unstoppable. The beginning was just as bad; she returned to the Dormitory with an angry look on her face, and before anyone could say anything, she walked up to Fie and slammed her head into the table three times. It just got worse from there," Rean explained.
"You expect us to believe such bullshit?!" Sara shouted, blinking in disbelief at Rean's explanation.
"No, he's telling the truth, Instructor. This attack came from out of nowhere, and no-one could have even imagined something like this happening; it was like Laura was a completely different person," Alisa explained, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Sara, I think if we want answers, we're going to need to wait for this one to regain consciousness," Cyrus muttered, pointing at Laura.
"Please tell me that at least you have a theory," Sara groaned, starting to feel a stress induced headache coming on.
"Does anyone know where Laura was prior to this?" Cyrus asked.
"I think I remember her saying she was going to do some extra practice with her sword after school today," Gaius responded.
"Ok, I guess that's a start. Did she say where she was going to be doing said practice at? The Fencing Club have the Gymnasium booked for their practices today and on Sundays, so she wouldn't have gone there," Sara frowned.
"Oh, no… I think I know where she went…" Elliot mumbled.
"What, where?" Alisa and Sara both asked.
"Well, I left my notebook back in the music room, so I went back to go and get it," Elliot stated. "When I left the school grounds after retrieving it, I noticed Laura was headed in the direction of the Old Schoolhouse."
Whilst Class VII were dealing with the fallout from Laura's shockingly unprovoked attack on Fie, Chairman Cao and the Heiyue Company were meeting in secret, discussing their plans for the Empire.
"Tell me, Chairman, how is the contract going for the assassination of the Jäger known as Sylphid?" a Heiyue Executive asked.
"In all honesty, I'm surprised it hasn't been completed yet. Even more so since I assigned the contract to our very own Yang. The job should have been easy enough, given his close-quarters proximity with the target," Cao responded.
"The missive you provided to us stated Yang was never given the target's true identity; only the codename she went by. How can you expect him to complete a contract without knowing the target's true identity?" another executive asked.
"Mr. Director, I assure you, Yang is our best agent. I can guarantee you there is no way he doesn't know the target's true identity," Cao stated unquestionably.
"Right… So, let's assume Yang does know the target is close to him, but doesn't kill them? What steps are we taking to ensure the contract is completed? The one who brought the contract to us did so because they know our Assassins are the best on the continent," the Director responded, looking at Cao with narrowed eyes.
"Ah, not to worry, gentlemen. I have already taken steps to ensure the contract will be fulfilled. As we speak, I have already dispatched a freelancer to deal with the target, should Yang be unable to follow through. Rest assured, gentlemen, the contract will be completed, one way or another," Cao responded with a wicked smile.
"My Lady, here are the diamonds you requested," Sariffa declared as she sat down on a bench next to Ophelia in Heimdallr's Mater Park.
"Very good. I trust there were no issues with the transaction?" Ophelia asked, tucking the pouch of diamonds away in between her breasts.
"None, my Lady; Linus was more than accommodating when I said you had requested the sum to be withdrawn in this manner," Sariffa nodded.
"I must remember to thank that man after I am finished here," Ophelia muttered as she stood up. "Are you coming, Sariffa?"
"Certainly, my Lady, but… Where are we going, exactly?" Sariffa asked with a perplexed look on her face.
"We're going to find out who the scoundrel who's been threatening my baby is," Ophelia stated, a heavy scowl crossing her face.
By the time Sariffa had done as Ophelia had requested at the bank and met her in Mater Park, it was now nighttime, and the park was empty, save for a few young couples who were out for a romantic night. Now was the perfect time to move, as no-one would notice their presence; even Ophelia, who carried a dominating presence wherever she went was able to move about without being noticed by those still in the park.
Sariffa's curiosity grew by the second as she followed Ophelia through the part to a covered gazebo at the far end of the park. She watched on as Ophelia pressed down on a flagstone with her foot, which caused the ground to rumble slightly before allowing a large slab to lift up and slide backwards, revealing a secret entrance that led underground.
"My Lady, with all due respect, just where in Aidios' name are we going?" Sariffa asked, as she watched Ophelia act as if she knew exactly what she was doing.
"You'll find out soon enough. Come on, if you're coming," Ophelia beckoned as she descended the steps to the underground.
Sariffa silently followed Ophelia obediently as she herself climbed down the steps into the underground, and once they reached the bottom of the steps, they could hear the stone slab grinding back into place above them. The normally calm and collected Sariffa was starting to feel more and more anxious by the minute.
Ophelia marched on through the underground maze in silence, following the torches that had been lit for her so she could find her way to the designated meeting point. With each step she took, she felt a gnawing presence in the back of her mind, but ignored it, as she knew the feeling in her heart to protect Ferris was more important than the possible fallout that her actions in this moment could have in the future.
"Ah, Countess Ophelia Florald… I've been expecting you," a voice spoke, cutting through the silence of the underground as Ophelia and Sariffa had reached their destination. "And I see you have brought young Sariffa with you as well. Curious."
As Ophelia and Sariffa entered the room, they were greeted by a dozen men, all wearing suits, using the shadows cast by the torchlight to hide their faces. At the far end of the room, sat in a chair and surrounded by heavily armed men, was another man whose upper half was completed masked by shadows. Only his black trousers and black leather shoes were visible to the two women. The only part of his upper body that was visible were his eyes; two bright amber pupils that delivered a crushing gaze when they were drawn upon Ophelia and Sariffa.
"Let's just get this over with," Ophelia swallowed as she pulled the pouch of diamonds out from between her breasts and threw them across the room. "Here; twenty million Mira in diamonds. Unmarked and untraceable. Would I be correct to assume that sum is enough to secure the services of the Zemurian crime lord known as the Concierge?"
The man in the chair let out a hearty laugh as he waved a hand to order one of his men to collect the payment from Ophelia.
"You must spend a lot of time with that niece of yours, my dear, to know exactly how to purchase my services. Tell me; how is the General doing these days? I believe it's been almost a year since she tried to trap me in the Port of Ordis and have me arrested. Tell her not to take that loss too personally; I am simply the better strategist," the Concierge stated as he took the diamonds Ophelia had given to him.
"I'm not here for you to reminisce over your cat and mouse games you play with Aurelia. I'm here for a different reason," Ophelia stated as she watched the Concierge hand off the diamonds to someone else, who removed them from sight.
"Very well, you have my attention. What could you, Countess Ophelia Florald, possibly want from a criminal such as me?" the Concierge asked, waiting for Ophelia to speak.
"My daughter, she is being threatened by someone. I don't know who they are, or what they want, but I refuse to sit here and watch as my baby is dragged into a mess that has nothing to do with her. I want to hire you to find the coward who thinks they can threaten my child and get away with it," Ophelia declared.
"Oh? Young Ferris is being threatened, is she? Would this have anything to do with your nephew's exploits in Crossbell and beyond these past couple of years?" the Concierge asked, taking Ophelia by surprise.
"How do you…?" Ophelia whispered.
"Come now, don't act so surprised; I know everything there is to know about your family. After all, it is your niece who will stop at nothing to see me in chains and imprisoned. I make it a habit to know who my enemies are, and your family are my biggest ones in the Empire," the Concierge stated darkly before laughing boisterously. "Oh, please don't worry; I have no intention of harming any of them. General Le Guin has proven to be a most capable adversary; no-one else on the continent has caused as much disruption to my empire as she has. I enjoy the duels we have whenever I must conduct business in the Empire. I will assume, however, that you haven't told her that you were planning to meet with me. I do believe that would cause an irreparable rift within the family, wouldn't it? Ah, but I digress; tell me everything you know about the person who is threatening dear Ferris, and I will see what I can do to help."
"Whatever my nephew has been doing since he left Ordis has caused him to attract undesirables that would see him harmed. Since they've taken to threatening my daughter, I can only assume they know they don't have the strength to face him head on. I know very little of the person who is threatening my daughter; all I know is, he goes by the moniker of 'C'," Ophelia explained, causing the Concierge to laugh again.
"Well now, it seems like this 'C' fellow is the man of the hour within your family, doesn't it?" the Concierge laughed.
"What do you mean?" Ophelia muttered, taking a step back.
"Well, first of all, your nephew has been trying to get to the bottom of who C is, but he's wasting his own time. That, however, is only the tip of this iceberg," the Concierge stated. "The man you're looking for; I already know who he is."
"How could you possibly know that? I only brought this request to you moments ago," Ophelia stated, sounding surprised.
"Well, that would be because I've done business with him and his 'Imperial Liberation Front'. They bought a cache of my brand-new KM60's a few months ago. I didn't think they'd have that kind of financial backing, but I suppose when you're planning to kill the Chancellor of Erebonia, you need all the firepower you can get, and the Noble Alliance certainly has the money to fund such an operation," the Concierge responded, his amber eyes shining with all sorts of secrets.
"So, that's what Croire is planning, is he?" Ophelia scowled.
"Ah, yes… You would know who'd be pulling the strings, wouldn't you? Given the fact you're part of Ordisian Nobility's 'upper crust' and all that," the Concierge remarked as he noticed Ophelia's scowl. "What? Do you expect me to report this to the Erebonian Government? My dear, have you forgotten that I am a criminal? Besides, killing Giliath Osborne fits within the scope of my plans, so I had no issue with providing those fools with the weaponry necessary to do it. Two birds, one bullet."
"You don't think they can pull it off, do you?" Ophelia stated, causing the man's eyes to light up slightly.
"Whether or not they can kill the Chancellor of Erebonia means nothing to me. They provided me with payment, and I supplied them with weapons. Why do you think your Duke Cayenne has been hamstringing your dear niece's attempts to arrest me? If I go down, he loses his ability to supply his soldiers with weapons under the nose of the Erebonian Government," the Concierge remarked.
"Croire, you fucking scoundrel," Ophelia muttered, clenching her fists.
"Would you like to do something about it?" the Concierge asked, noticing Ophelia's dark glare.
"Excuse me?" Ophelia responded, staring at the man in the shadows.
"I have started to grow tired of His Grace and the demands he makes of me and my empire. He thinks that simply because he pays for my services, I am to serve him at his luxury. This Croire du Cayenne is a small fish trying to make waves in an ocean, and I grow tired of his constant demands. I can't kill him, as that would be bad for business, but I can offer my services to stop him," the Concierge stated, his gaze stuck to Ophelia, unblinking.
"What exactly are you saying to me?" Ophelia asked, starting to feel nervous.
"Well, you have paid for my services, which still makes you a client of mine. Your request to uncover the identity of the man known as C is redundant, since I already know who he is, and that information is hardly worth two hundred million. So, I am here to propose a counter-offer; I will help you topple Croire du Cayenne's house of cards in Ordis and allow your family to take over ruling the city and the Western half of Erebonia," the Concierge stated.
"In return for what?" Ophelia snorted. There was no way she was about to believe a criminal was willing to help her without some kind of enforced kickback from her.
"Sharp as ever, I see. If you want my help, then I am going to need access to your grounds; more specifically, the waterway that runs from your home to the Balares Sea. That channel is the only way for me to discreetly move my product into the city; and I'll make sure all of it goes to your niece and the men who are most loyal to her, and when the time comes for Croire to make a move, General Le Guin and the forces she has stationed at the Juno Naval Fortress will have the power to quash his little uprising," the Concierge responded.
Ophelia stood there for several moments in silence. If what the Concierge was saying was true, then it was Duke Cayenne who had a hand in Ferris being threatened by this C person. If the Duke was allowing this person to operate freely in the Empire, then it was also the Duke who allowed C to target Ferris and Cyrus, and that was not something Ophelia would allow.
"Fine, you've got yourself a deal," Ophelia whispered.
"My Lady?!" Sariffa shouted, doing a double-take.
"Quiet, Sariffa. If Duke Cayenne is financing this C and his Imperial Liberation Front, then their actions towards my baby are because of him. I will not allow anyone to harm my family," Ophelia growled, turning to look at the young maid.
"Y-yes, m-my Lady…" Sariffa mumbled, before dropping her head to avert her gaze from Ophelia's crushing glare.
"I knew you were a smart woman, Countess. Now, I want to give you something that is going to prove invaluable to my endeavours in Ordis as the months go by. This creation will allow me to keep an eye on the goings on of Duke Cayenne and his associates going forward," the Concierge explained as one of his men wheeled out a large wooden crate from the shadows and popped the lid off it.
"It's a giant metal bird?" Ophelia muttered, upon inspecting the contents of the box.
"I guess you can call it that, yes. This, my dear, is called a 'drone'. It uses cutting edge technology that allows it to fly high in the sky and capture and record images whilst remaining undetected to those on the ground. I call it the 'MQ-9 Reaper'. A drone with stealth capabilities that the Imperial Army could only hope to dream of getting their hands on," the Concierge responded.
"What exactly do you expect me to do with this… thing?" Ophelia asked, not looking too impressed.
"You? Absolutely nothing other than taking it home to Ordis with you, and housing it there. I can remote activate it at my leisure, so do keep it in an open area; such as on the roof of your home," the Concierge stated.
"Fine; I will do as you ask, but you had better keep your promise and make Croire pay for allowing pond scum to threaten my daughter," Ophelia growled.
"I can assure you, Countess, that if our interests align, then I will do everything in my power to make sure they stay that way. Your precious daughter will have naught to worry about, once we stop Duke Cayenne in his tracks," the Concierge stated.