The second day of festival preparations began similarly to the first. Class VII reconvened early in the morning to rehearse their performance, then split up for the remainder of the day to help their clubs with setting up their activities. Or, in the case of Rean and Morgan, offer general support on behalf of the Student Council and Engineering Club, respectively.
In the afternoon, Morgan left with Sharon to visit Charlotte in the capital with Fie and Millium's hats in tow.
"I've had the pleasure of accompanying the chairwoman in a variety of orbal vehicles, but I believe this marks the first time I've ridden in anything like this," Sharon remarked from the passenger car. "What would you say to getting the Reinford Company to sponsor mass production? You and Master George could earn a veritable amount of Mira from it."
"Leave it to the Reinford Company to call first dibs on new orbal projects, hehe…" Morgan let out a small snicker. "But I think you're going to need more than just our approval."
Sharon giggled back, "Teehee! Of course. After all, we very well can't do business so long as Lady Angelica stays locked up in her manor."
"She and Alisa knew each other before coming to Thors, so I'm guessing the two of you have known each other as well?"
"You presume correctly. And from my experience, Lady Angelica has always been a woman with an excellent judge of character and impeccably refined standards."
Morgan fought the instinct to turn her head in confusion. She could understand a strong judge of character, but refined? Angelica Rogner, lover of bikes and wooer of women? Was Sharon talking about the same person?
Another giggle escaped Sharon's lips, almost as if she could read Morgan's thoughts. "The heiress of the Rogner family is still a thoroughbred noble at heart; she simply shows it in unconventional ways. After all, the creed of the Rogner House is 'a true Erebonian noble must always stand on their own two feet.' Does that not suit her character to a T, so to speak?"
"Well, when you put it like that…"
Morgan couldn't find a point of contention. Angelica was headstrong in her beliefs and open about her feelings, yet she remained a steadfast companion to the downtrodden as evidenced by how she volunteered to rescue the miners in Roer. To that end, she did embody the ideal of noblesse oblige that Erebonian nobles strived to uphold. And as for Sharon's other point, well, Morgan also couldn't deny that Angelica was right on the money when she called her "exotic" during the first encounter. Actually, now that she thought about it, more than a couple people called her out as such, despite the fact that she made her home in Heimdallr.
"Do I really come off that way?"
"In what way, Lady Morgan?"
Morgan pursed her lips, unsure over whether she should pester Sharon with these random thoughts of hers.
Ultimately, Sharon responded before she could. "I think you're fine just the way you are. Not just anyone could capture the attention of someone like Master Crow."
"Wh-Who said this had anything to do with him?!"
Sharon smiled, looking quite amused with the reaction she got out of Morgan. But just as quickly as the smile appeared, it was then replaced with a more serious expression. "A word of caution, Lady Morgan. I have observed a great deal of things from your classmates, and Master Crow is particularly exceptional at covering up his tracks. My own experience has taught me that very little good comes from those who continue hiding their cards even among his closest friends. You understand where I am going with this, yes?"
Morgan let those words sink in before she replied, "I do."
"And even knowing that, your heart would still pine for him?"
"...I need to focus on the road."
"Of course, Lady Morgan."
Morgan didn't talk for the remainder of their ride, but she knew on the inside that she was only delaying the inevitable. After all, she already knew her answer.
A couple of minutes later, Morgan and Sharon arrived in front Charlotte's house on Vesta Street. Morgan stepped forward and rang the doorbell.
"...Shit, she's here already? I haven't even tidied up yet!" a voice cursed from within the house.
Morgan let out a small snicker, while Sharon covered her mouth with her hand. "My! This friend of yours certainly gives a strong first impression!" the Reinford maid said.
"She only does that in private," Morgan explained, putting a finger above her lips. "Another secret from everyone, if you would."
A few seconds later, the door to the house was opened by a fair-skinned woman wearing a white sleeveless blouse and a gray long skirt. Tying back her long blonde hair was a large white bow, which paired nicely with her blue eyes.
"HELLOOO, Morgan!" the woman greeted loudly. "I, er, didn't think you'd be here so quickly! How have you been?"
"Hi, Charlotte! I'm doing great! Thanks for making time for us." Morgan motioned her hand to introduce Sharon. "And this here is Sharon Kreuger, the maid I mentioned yesterday."
Sharon gave a small bow. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Lady Charlotte."
"Lady Charlotte…" Charlotte practically swooned. "Ah! To think the day would come when I come face to face with an actual maid! It feels like I've become nobility already!"
Morgan made a small pouting expression and grumbled, "I was one too, you know…"
"ANYWAYS!" Charlotte shouted. "I'm always happy to help! A friend of Morgan's is a friend of mine."
Charlotte invited Morgan and Sharon into her home and led them into the living room. The space was very cluttered, with Charlotte's sewing machine and tools on one side, a couch pushed to the other, and two twin-sized mattresses taking up the rest of the floor.
"Please make yourselves comfortable, haha…" Charlotte said, an uneasy bead of sweat dripping from her forehead. "I do hope you'll forgive the clutter. We're going to be hosting some guests for the next couple of days, you see."
"That explains the mattresses," Morgan commented.
Sharon let out a small giggle. "And would these guests be family or friends?" she asked.
"The latter. Marx and Sharl will be coming back later today with some friends from Nord."
"From Nord?" Morgan widened her eyes. "Could they be from the same place as Gaius?"
"That's right! And what's more, we've all made plans to attend the second day of your school festival. So…spoilers, I guess?"
"Then that's all the more reason we should get this settled as soon as possible," Morgan said. "Sharon. Show her the goods."
Sharon showed Charlotte the hats that Fie and Millium would be wearing and explained their request in greater detail. Charlotte used a small white headband that her daughter Sharl had outgrown as a template, then had Sharon deliberate what sort of thread that she thought would be the right fit for the hats.
"I'd love to show you how it's actually done, but making accessories from scratch is sort of not my thing," Charlotte apologized.
"Just Sharon is fine, Lady Charlotte," Sharon insisted with a smile. "And you needn't worry about me. I'm quite confident in my dexterity, especially with matters pertaining to threading and wiring."
"That's our resident super maid for you. She can do just about anything." Morgan looked at the clock that was hanging on the side of the wall. "We've still got a good couple of hours before our next rehearsal. Sharon, was there anything you wanted to do while we were in the capital?"
Sharon hummed briefly to herself. "Since we're already here, would you happen to know of any stores we can browse for headbands like the one you have? I believe our two young backup dancers might benefit from a more…professional touch."
"Well, if we're talking boutiques, you can never go wrong with Le Sage on Vainqueur. But if we're talking about this specifically…" Charlotte held up the white headband. "I got this from a bargain sale at Plaza Bifrost. If you're tight on your budget, then you can't go wrong with that."
Morgan nodded her head. "That sounds like a plan. To Vainqueur Street it is."
Morgan and Sharon thanked Charlotte once again for her help before exiting the house with Sharon's new supplies in tow.
"Right. Plaza Bifrost?"
"To Plaza Bifrost, Lady Morgan."
Morgan started up the orbal bike, and together she and Sharon left Vesta Street onto the larger Vainqueur Street.
"I kind of wish we could've met Sharl's friends," Morgan admitted. "Guess we'll just have to wait till the festival."
Sharon giggled. "You can always elect to remain in the capital for longer. Given how hard you were working these past few days, I'm sure no one would complain if you took some more time to yourself."
"Are you convincing me to play hooky, Sharon?"
"I am merely suggesting that you refrain from overworking yourself, Lady Morgan. Starting tonight. This will likely be your last opportunity to truly unwind without having to worry about your performance, so spend your time wisely. You might even consider spending it with a special…someone."
The Reinford maid added a small wink just to make sure that Morgan got the message, to which she only blushed silently in response. Thankfully, Morgan didn't get into any accidents on the way over to the department store on Vainqueur Street, and both she and Sharon were able to find the headbands that the latter needed. Ultimately, they decided to keep it simple with two black headbands that paired nicely with their performance attire and was just the right width to support the hats without them falling off.
"Next in line, please!" the store clerk said.
"It's almost our turn. Sharon, do you have everything…"
Morgan turned around to call her companion forward, but she instead found her gazing intently towards the automatic doors.
"Sharon, what are you-"
That was when the doors to Plaza Bifrost opened, and in stepped a well-dressed gentleman with light blue hair and a pompous expression. It was a face that Morgan knew all too well.
"Bleublanc."
It seemed that Sharon had also recognized the dangerous aura that the baron was exuding. "Lady Morgan, can I trust you to pay for the headbands in my stead?" she said, her voice suddenly dropping to a deep contralto.
"Um, sure?" Morgan responded, startled by Sharon's change in tone. "I brought my coin purse with me. What are you…?"
"I must implore you to retreat to Trista once you have completed your transaction. I shall personally inquire about our perpetrator's intentions. If I have not returned by the time you have completed your purchase, leave me behind."
"But Sharon, are you sure?" Morgan whispered back. "After all, he's-!"
Morgan had been made aware of Baron Bleublanc's true identity as Phantom Thief B after she had passed out in Ymir. Sure, Sharon was capable of doing anything short of the impossible, but she was still human. Could she stand a chance against a renowned thief and an enforcer of Ouroboros?
"It will be alright." Sharon looked at Morgan with a reassuring smile. "So long as you remain Lady Alisa's friend, I will not allow them to lay a finger on you."
With a silent nod of understanding, Morgan took Sharon's belongings and reclaimed her space in line. The Reinford maid, meanwhile, stepped forward and bowed before the incognito phantom thief.
"Good day to you, Baron Bleublanc," Sharon said. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
The baron raised his eyebrows before throwing his head back and laughing. "Haha! Now there's a face I wasn't expecting to see on foreign soil! Perhaps this, too, must be the will of the Goddess."
Sharon giggled back. "Teehee! The feeling is mutual. I had heard tales of your activities across the empire from my lady and her friends, but I didn't expect our paths to cross so soon."
Morgan could only stare dumbfoundedly as both Sharon and Bleublanc continued exchanging pleasantries like they were two old colleagues meeting up for dinner after work. "Sharon, do you…?"
"Next in line, please!" the cashier called out.
Morgan moved forward to the front of the line, gripping the headbands tightly.
"I believe we both know what it is you desire," Sharon said, just loud enough for Morgan to hear. "But this might not be the best place to hold a discussion. Perhaps we can take this outside?"
"Very well," Bleublanc acquiesced, bowing to Sharon with one hand over his chest. "After you, madam."
Sharon also curtsied to the baron, and for the moment, it looked like they were holding a contest to see which of them could bend forward the most. Eventually, the two of them realized they were holding up a new crowd from entering the department store and exited the building.
"Stay safe, Sharon," Morgan whispered under her breath.
…
Sharon led Bleublanc to a remote alley about a block away from the department store. Heimdallr at this time of day was in the middle of a lull between the lunch period and the evening commute, so there weren't as many pedestrians roaming the streets and, therefore, not many faces to pay them any attention. To outsiders, she and her pompously-dressed associate appeared like a typical master and servant duo. Oh, if only they knew the truth…
"I believe this spot should do." Sharon turned around, wearing the same serene smile she always had. "I'm afraid we don't have much time to catch up, if that is what you were intending."
"So your devotion to the Reinford family still burns as brightly as ever," Bleublanc said. "May I presume, then, that this means you will not be participating in the Phantasmal Blaze plan?"
"I was made aware of it, yes. But right now, the Reinford family's interests take top priority over my other duties," Sharon replied. "Nothing more, nothing less."
"How admirable," the incognito thief snidely remarked. "But if I may be so bold to ask, surely the Reinford family's influence does not stretch so far as to include the protection of one other girl?"
"If that is your assumption, then you would be sorely mistaken. Morgan Daraen is a trusted confidant and friend to Lady Alisa. That alone makes her worthy of my protection."
"You say that, yet you must also have realized the anomalies surrounding her existence. I would liken her to Enforcer No. I as a comparison."
"The Almighty Conflagration…" Sharon murmured. "Is it true that he is stationed in the empire?"
Bleublanc laughed. "Haha! I believe I'm not at liberty to disclose that information, seeing as you have just decided to abstain from partaking in our upcoming activities. But back to the matter at hand. You and I both know what happens when he is left unchecked. He desires only to fight the strongest, not caring about who or what he incinerates along the way. Who is to say that a certain exotic flower won't also bloom into an invasive species, choking away at the safety of your precious master?"
"Is that what you are doing, then? Maintaining a constant vigil over a potential threat?" Sharon raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I had thought you would be a voyeur for the sake of observing beauty, not for the good of the world."
"Haha. Who says I cannot do both?" The phantom thief gave a gentlemanly bow. "Although, I should also mention that I'm not the only one with an eye on her. The Azure Abyss and her close companions have their own plans for her as well."
Sharon squinted her eyes at the phantom thief. Enforcers of Ouroboros keeping an eye out for new recruits was not uncommon, but an Anguis? She knew that Bleublanc had a knack for spinning tall tales and exaggerating his exploits, but surely he wouldn't joke about something like that… Would he?
"So what will you do, fellow comrade-in-arms?" Bleublanc asked. "Will you comply with the Society? Or will you follow the same path as Joshua and Renne?"
The Reinford maid closed her eyes. "That path was closed to me long ago. But even still…"
She understood that she would have to face this decision sooner or later, and she had already come to terms with where her loyalties lay. However, unbeknownst to the phantom thief, she knew the time for that decision hadn't arrived yet. So until then…
"If you intend to harm those I love in your pursuit of beauty…" Sharon said, slowly opening her eyes. "Then I'll show not the slightest mercy in severing your ambitions."
With a flick of her wrist and a twirl of her body, metal threads flew out of Sharon's sleeves with the intent of ensnaring Bleublanc. The phantom thief, true to his moniker, deftly escaped the grasps of Sharon's wires and retaliated by conjuring a storm of rose petals from his staff. Sharon moved her arm again, using her wires to shield herself from the thief's projectiles. Whatever petals did manage to go through the gaps of her defense were slashed to bits by Sharon's own personal weapon, an ornate knife.
"Haha! It seems your skills have not waned in the slightest! Very good!" Bleublanc touched down onto the ground, revealing that he had donned his signature mask while in the air. "So you have made your decision. In that case, I look forward to crossing paths again in the inevitable future, Enforcer No. IX!"
With one final laugh, the phantom thief leapt high into the air, leaving behind a storm of petals in his wake.
Sharon breathed a sigh of relief before putting away her knife. It seemed that Bleublanc hadn't been so intent on kidnapping Morgan as she had initially surmised, otherwise he wouldn't have complied so readily to accompanying her outside. Then what was his purpose for being there? After all, B had already been waiting outside the department store and only entered when she noticed him. But then, if she hadn't locked eyes with him, then they never would have known that he was there. Could he have been there to send a message?
"Lady Morgan!"
Remembering about the companion she left behind, Sharon quickly ran back the way she came, out of the alley, turning a corner, and then down the street. The sight of a maid racing across the block at top speeds earned Sharon a few odd glances, but she didn't care; had Morgan left yet?
The answer presented itself as she turned around the corner of Plaza Bifrost. Morgan was unscathed, but she was currently talking with two large gentlemen wearing sunglasses and dark gray coats with their sleeves rolled up to their elbows. Sharon elected to stay hidden for the time being and watched as the two men eventually walked away, leaving Morgan looking like she had just ran a marathon.
"Lady Morgan, just what sort of trouble have you gotten yourself wrapped into?"
Upon reuniting with Sharon, Morgan promptly drove back to Trista as was initially asked of her. Thankfully, Sharon appeared unharmed from her encounter with Phantom Thief B, but it left Morgan wondering how she had been able to convince him to stand down for the time being. It didn't help that Sharon was very vague about the details of their "short, leisurely walk" as she had put it. For now, all she could do was hope that the phantom thief wouldn't crash their academy festival like he did during the Heimdallr Summer Festival.
The tradeoff to their surprise encounter meant that Morgan entered the old schoolhouse right as rehearsal began. It was fortunate that Machias and Jusis's number came first in the set list, otherwise she would've been in serious trouble.
"Cutting it close, Morgs!" Crow called out to her.
"I promise it wasn't by choice!" Morgan assured him. "We got a bit sidetracked, but the hats are on their way."
"Good to hear. Now are you gonna stay there catching your breath, or are you going to get your ass up here and sing?
"That's no way to ask nicely, my Trickster!"
Despite what she had said, Morgan still complied to her upperclassman's request, taking center stage while Fie and Millium stood next to her on opposite sides. Meanwhile, Emma was kneeling close to the ground while facing away from where the audience would be seated.
When the music started playing courtesy of Elliot's keyboard, Morgan, Millium, and Fie began to kneel down in that order. Emma took that as her cue to stand up with her arms outstretched and held that position. Once Rean, Alisa, Gaius, and Laura joined in with their instruments, Fie and Millium ran outwards to the edges of the stage while Morgan stood up. She performed one twirl to one side, and then Emma did the same in the opposite direction. Now facing the audience, the two singers began stepping in tune with the rhythm.
As Morgan progressed through the song, she continued to keep an eye on her fellow performers. While she couldn't get a good view of Fie's face to see if she was smiling, she could tell that she and Millium were more in sync than they were in previous rehearsals. As for Emma, she was still without her glasses, but this time she was doing a much better job at keeping pace with her. Seeing her friend improve so much in such a short span of time made Morgan even more motivated to finish their performance with a flawless ending.
And finished flawlessly they did. The music slowed, and all four girls returned to their starting positions, this time with all of them facing the audience and striking a prayer-like pose.
Crow let out a whistle of approval. "Beautiful! You ladies are KILLING it!"
"That was our best yet," Fie agreed. A rare optimistic comment from the ex-jaeger.
"I feel like we were really giving everything we had with that one," said Gaius.
"The only question now is whether we can do that in front of a hall full of people," Alisa remarked.
Millium started giving high-fives to her fellow performers. "Wow, Emma! It's almost like you magically improved overnight!"
Emma nervously glanced away even as her palm connected with Millium's. "All for the sake of the concert, ahaha…"
Morgan leaned forward into Emma's view and silently tapped to her ARCUS, indicating she had something she wanted to say to her in private. Emma nodded, and the two of them formed an ARCUS link. "Did you actually…?"
"I remembered a little incantation that could temporarily improve my eyesight," Emma responded through the ARCUS link. "That's all I'm able to spin up at the moment without it being too obvious, though."
"That's still really impressive," Morgan remarked. "Hey, I'm not mad! I could tell from the way you were moving that you put in work. Your steps wouldn't have been that solid if you didn't already have a strong enough grasp in the first place."
"Aw, thanks, Morgan. Still, it takes everything I have just to keep up with everyone. I don't know about you, but I'm about ready to keel over…"
"Now what sort of secret conversation are you two having?"
Morgan and Emma looked up to see Crow with a water bottle in each hand.
"For your throats, ladies," the trickster added.
"Perfect timing as always, my Trickster."
"Th-Thanks…"
The duo wasted no effort in satiating their parched throats with the cool liquid.
"Whew! That hit the spot!" Morgan squealed. "So? Final thoughts, Crow?"
"Do I really need to say anything else? You perform like you did just now for the actual concert, and we'll be golden."
Morgan nodded her head. "If you're satisfied, I think our audience will be too."
Emma finished her drink and sighed. "I just want to go back to the dormitory and bury my face in my pillow…"
"Rest?" Crow raised an eyebrow, making the word sound almost foreign coming from his mouth. "Oh-no-no. No time for that now."
"But it's almost evening. What else is there to do?"
"Au contraire, young Morgan! I can think of two things." Her upperclassman held up two fingers. "See, the best concerts always have two aces in the hole: an unexpected surprise, and an encore. Now that we've finally got the basics down, we can try pulling off something that'll pave our road to victory."
Crow's explanation garnered the attention of the rest of Class VII, who all began huddling around him with various expressions of confusion. All except for Rean and Elliot, both planners for the concert who seemed to know exactly what their co-conspirator was getting at.
"Please tell me you're just kidding… You are, right?"
"Wait, we're not seriously doing THAT! I thought you were just joking!"
"N-Now hold on just a minute!" Machias jumped in, a realization dawning on him.
"You aren't seriously suggesting that we add ANOTHER song, are you?" Jusis said, confirming everyone's suspicions.
And much to everyone's dismay, the silver-haired trickster clapped his hands in approval.
"Ding ding! He CAN be taught!" Crow flashed a devilish grin. "Don't you worry your pretty little heads, though. As soon as you hear what I've got in mind, you'll be all in on this. I've got a nice, simple tune in mind that everyone's heard, and most people probably even know the lyrics. Anyway, we haven't got too much more time to prep, so how about we get right down to business?"
As if on cue, a loud thump came from the front of the crowd. Emma's knees had finally given way, and she was now slumped forward with her head hanging in defeat.
"Ahh! You killed her!" Millium screamed.
"Hang in there, Emma!" Laura knelt beside the bespectacled girl to check on her condition.
Morgan, who was still connected to Emma by ARCUS link, was privy to all of Emma's thoughts. And the results were…
"...She's not very pleased."
"Too much for her to handle, huh?" Crow said, almost as if the sight of his tired classmate didn't even faze him. "In that case, you're up, Morgs!"
"H-Huh? Me? But why?"
"Consider this your punishment for showing up late to rehearsal." He chuckled with a menacing low tone. "The great tactician Morgan doesn't back away from a challenge for the sake of her friends, does she?"
Morgan gulped. "Naga, help me…"
"...And he had the nerve…to ask me…if I needed a shoulder to lean on afterwards!"
Sara couldn't hold in her laughter any longer. "Never would've thought that Crow would be even more fired up than Elliot, haha! But you know what? It also kinda makes sense. Hate him all you want, but you gotta respect how he never half-asses things."
"Tell that to his attention span during class," Morgan half-sobbed while pushing her cup forward. "Master! Another round, please."
"Sorry, but that's all the booze I've got for you. Can't have you wobbling your way upstairs, or someone might report me giving alcohol to a student."
Morgan resisted the urge to snort. Sara Valestein, giving priority to the needs of her student? "Last I checked, Emma passed out as soon as she reached her dorm room. And everyone else is…pretty much the same."
"Well, aren't you turning into a little rebel yourself? Or is that just the alcohol?" Sara smirked and shrugged her shoulders. "But seriously, though. My point still stands. Tomorrow's your last day to really cut loose and relax before your big day, which means I'm not going to risk you getting a hangover. Trust me. I've been there."
"Fine…" Morgan stood up, yawned, and stretched her arms above her head. "Thanks again for the drink."
"My door's always open," her instructor reassured her. "And one more thing…"
"Hmm?"
"Ultimately, whether you want to tell her or not is up to you. But if it were to come from anyone, I'm sure it'd sound best coming from you."
Morgan gave a small hum of acknowledgement before leaving her instructor's quarters and making her way back upstairs. When she reached the third floor, instead of turning left to her dorm room, she went in the opposite direction and stopped in front of Fie's room. She took a moment to compose herself before knocking on the door and calling out, "Hey, Fie? Do you have a moment?"
"…Mm. Come in."
Fie's response wasn't immediate, which, based on prior experience, typically meant that she had been preoccupied with something. Sometimes it was weapons maintenance, other times it was homework. What Morgan was not expecting when she opened the door was Fie fully decked out in her performance outfit, complete with her new hat that was sewn onto a black hairband courtesy of Sharon.
"Sorry. Were you practicing just now?"
"Mm. Wanted to get a feel for my new hat. Sharon does good work." Fie then sniffed the air and frowned. "Have you been…drinking?"
Morgan didn't even bother denying it. "There's nothing like cracking open a cold one after a long day at work."
Fie made a gagging noise. "Oh no. There's two of them now."
"Hey, give Sara some credit. She sent me back up before I could feel buzzed. And, well…" Morgan pursed her lips. "I needed her input on something."
"Is it related to what you wanted to ask me about?" Fie assumed.
Morgan nodded and closed the door to Fie's room. "Don't overreact."
"You're not going to confess to me, are you?" Fie teased.
"Pfft. No."
"Okay. Good. Cause I was about to say that I'm the wrong silver-haired classmate-"
"It's about your family," Morgan interrupted. "Your old family, I mean. Zephyr."
That shut Fie up. "Explain. Now." She spoke in a hushed, almost monotone voice.
"Back when I was with Sharon in the capital today…"
…
"Thank you for your patronage!"
Morgan quickly nodded her head, grabbed the shopping bag with the accessories, and turned around to look outside. Sharon and Bleublanc still had not returned from their little walk.
Then her gaze wandered to where she had parked her bike, and Morgan noticed that it currently wasn't unattended as she and Sharon had left it. Standing beside it were two adult men wearing dark jackets.
"Aren't those…?"
Morgan stepped out of the department store to get a clearer look at the two strangers, and her suspicions were confirmed. She had seen them before, during her field study in Legram.
"Duke Cayenne's bodyguards."
She glanced behind her for any trace of Sharon but to no avail. The Reinford maid was still nowhere to be seen. Therefore, as per her recommendation, Morgan would need to flee the capital as soon as possible. Approaching two mercenaries on her own was a very daunting task to ask of her, but seeing as her options were between either two humans or a phantom thief-slash-Enforcer of Ouroboros, Morgan decided to take her chances with the choice directly in front of her. So, she steeled herself and walked forward.
"...This thing's an incredible piece of work," the shorter man remarked. "Imagine the killing we'd get if we sold this on the black market."
"We aren't petty thieves," the larger man reminded him.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. But still…"
Morgan decided now was the time to make her presence known. She loudly cleared her throat before announcing, "Sorry, gentlemen, but that's not for sale."
The two men slowly turned around and faced her. The burlier man remained stoic while the lankier one gave an easygoing smile. "Well, well. Was wondering when you'd decide to come up and say hi."
Morgan groaned on the inside. 'Of course they could sense me.'
"It's been, what, a couple months since Legram?" the slim mercenary recalled. "How've you and your class been doing?"
"We've been managing," Morgan replied. "And what are the duke's bodyguards doing here in the capital? I thought he would be on another one of his 'business trips'."
"We aren't contractually obligated to follow him at his every whim," the burly mercenary responded.
"Yup, yup." The slim mercenary crossed his arms and nodded his head. "Rule number one as a merc is whoever pays you becomes your new boss. But there's nothing saying you can't have a life outside of it, too."
Morgan shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you are the experts here…" she said before pointing to the emblem that was sewn onto both of their jackets. "...Assuming that those emblems are the real deal."
The emblem in question was the silhouette of a bird getting ready to take flight, with the wings fully colored a bright green. More significantly, written under the bird in cursive was the word "Zephyr."
The skinny mercenary raised his eyebrow, making it visible above his sunglasses. "What's it to you? Maybe we're just superfans."
"You would do better than to report us to the authorities when we have yet to do anything," his burly friend added.
Morgan held up both her hands. "Of course not. I mean, I've got my fair share of connections on the other side of the law, too. It's just…" Her hands dropped to her side and her expression turned morose. "Fie really misses you, you know?"
Both of the mercenaries expressed mild surprise when they heard her utter Fie's name. "So you've gotten closer to the point where she has told you about us?" the burly one said.
"I figured she or the Purple Lightning would have broken the news sooner or later…" the slim one remarked, his expression softening up a bit. "Didn't expect it to happen THIS soon, though. She must really trust you, huh?"
"Why…" Morgan's voice started to tremble. "Why did you leave her behind? She thought of you all like family! And you just…up and left after your boss-her adoptive father-died?"
The slim mercenary scratched the back of his head, at a loss for words. His burly friend also started showing cracks in his stoic facade. Clearly, the two of them hadn't been counting on being asked this question today, but Morgan had to know. She and Fie might not get another chance at getting their answers.
…Wait, why would Morgan need answers?
"Listen, I get that you're close and you wanna know, but let's be real here…" the slim mercenary said. "You're not the one we should be telling this stuff to."
"We have our reasons, and we'll tell them to Fie in due time," the burly mercenary added. "Until then, please leave the issue be."
For a moment, they didn't look like battle-hardened jaegers at all. It became clear to Morgan that she had overstepped her boundaries.
"Fine. Sorry for getting all worked up." She then put her hands on her hips. "But we're going to be graduating in a year, and once that's done, you can bet that she's going to come looking for you for answers. When that happens, you'd better have come up with your response."
"…The empire as you know it might not even be the same by then."
Those words from the burly man seemed to carry the weight of an entire mortar.
His slim friend elbowed him in the side. "Hey, don't you think that's saying too much?"
"You're right. I have also spoken out of turn. Apologies." The burly man gave a slight nod. "Still, we'll remember what you said, young lady."
…
"…And that was the last thing they said before they left."
Morgan and Fie were currently seated at the edge of the latter's bed. The news had caused the former jaeger to fall silent in a way that Morgan hadn't seen before, and considering how quiet Fie already was most of the time, that was saying something.
"I know it's a lot to take in…" Morgan said in an effort to break the silence. "Honestly, I was having second thoughts about telling you all this. But I know what it's like to be left behind by family. If I could at least help with giving you some closure, then…"
And that was when they began to fall. Tears, dripping from Fie's eyes down to her delicate cheeks.
"S-Sorry!" Morgan hurriedly apologized. "I'll give you a minute…"
Fie shook her head. "It's not you. It's just…" Her lips began trembling as she brushed her hands against her eyes. The tears just couldn't seem to stop. "I…I don't know what's come over me…"
What was the underlying emotion Morgan detected in her voice? Was it relief? Disbelief? Possibly anger? Or a confusing mess of everything all at once? The only thing that was certain was that Fie was struggling to find the right words. Seeing no other way she could provide help, Morgan wrapped her arms around Fie's small body.
"Hey, it's okay…" she consoled her. "You can let it out."
Morgan could feel Fie shake against her shoulder. "Jaegers aren't supposed to…show their feelings…"
"You're not on the battlefield anymore, remember?" Morgan reminded her. "You're still just a teenage girl. It's okay to cry. And besides, jaegers are allowed to have lives outside of combat, right?"
"Mm…" Fie then permitted herself to bury her face deeper into Morgan's shirt. The former jaeger didn't make any audible noises, but the feeling of her shirt getting more soaked was all the proof Morgan needed. She continued patting Fie's shoulder until the silver-haired girl relaxed again.
"Sorry you had to see an uncool side of me."
"Don't apologize. The fact that you're feeling something is proof you're more human than weapon."
Fie lifted her face from Morgan's shirt, revealing that her eyes had gone all red and puffy. "The two guys you met today… I think I know who they are."
"You do?"
"One skinny guy with tan hair that likes to talk a lot and a big tan guy that doesn't talk as much. There's no one I can think of who matches those descriptions more except Xeno the Trap Master and Leonidas the Behemoth."
"Xeno and Leonidas…" Morgan muttered. Something about the names seemed familiar… "Wait, didn't you mention them before? Back in Ymir?"
"Mhmm. They were some of the closest members to the boss. They also could get pretty overprotective. It's good that you backed off when you did, otherwise things could have gotten ugly."
Morgan shuddered at the thought. Her heart went out to the poor, unfortunate soul lucky enough to become Fie's lover in the future.
The silver-haired girl brushed aside the last of her tears. "Thanks again for telling me this. I know they're out there now, and if they're out there, then that means I can find them. Xeno also mentioned Sara, so I'll ask her for help. For now, that's enough."
Morgan smiled. "Good luck with that. And if you need any help, just let me know. I have a few connections I can redirect you to."
"I'll hold you to that," Fie replied, giving her own smile in return.
"Right!" Morgan clapped her hands together. "I've kept you up for long enough. We should turn in for the night. Speaking of, what time is it?"
Fie pointed to a small clock on her desk. The hour and minute hands indicated it was close to 10:00 P.M.
"Shoot!" Morgan gasped. "I'm gonna be late!"
"Late for what?"
Morgan didn't answer, for she had already bolted out of Fie's room, almost running into Millium in the process.
"Wha-hey! Running into people's supposed to be my schtick, Morgan!" Millium complained.
Morgan frantically opened the door to her room and turned on the radio. "Usual channel, usual channel…"
Finally, she dialed to the right one, which was currently playing some slow jazz music. At the same time, she heard two pairs of footsteps enter her room through the door that she had left open.
"Hey, what's going on?" Fie asked, still clad in her concert attire.
"Is something special on right now?" Millium wondered. "Doesn't sound like it to me-"
"Shh!" Morgan put a finger to her lips. The clock in her room finally turned to 22:00 hours, and almost immediately, the radio began experiencing some interference.
"What on earth is all this commotion?"
Morgan, Fie, and Millium turned their heads to find Laura just entering the room, who was then followed by Alisa. Now all they needed was Emma and then they could host a pajama party, Morgan figured.
"...Testing, testing. One, two, three…" Misty's voice finally broke through the radio static. "Wait, we're already live?"
"Hey, isn't that the host from Abend Time?" Alisa recognized. "What could she be doing?"
Misty cleared her throat. "Ahem! Excuse me. We interrupt your regularly scheduled broadcast to bring you this special news bulletin. This afternoon, Crossbell State issued a declaration of independence."
The entire room was filled with the gasps of the students who were currently assembled.
"This declaration was issued by the state government based on a recent referendum and carries no legal authority whatsoever," Misty continued. "The Imperial government has issued an official statement that they refuse to accept the declaration as valid, and the president of the Calvard Republic, which also claims authority over the state, has made a similar statement. In spite of this, Crossbell's Mayor Crois has declared that the country will act as an independent state moving forward, as well as announced the establishment of the Crossbell Defense Force, raising tensions both at home and abroad."
Misty continued for another minute or so, reassuring that she and other news outlets would continue monitoring the situation as it happened. She then signed off, and a couple of seconds later, the familiar jazz tune that was playing earlier resumed.
"...Huh." Millium put her hands behind her head. "Didn't think that they'd announce it this fast."
Alisa's eyes widened. "Millium, did you already know about this?"
"Lechter's been giving us updates on the situation. But that's not what I was talking about." Millium looked quizzically at Morgan. "Morgan, how come you knew that they'd announce it on the radio?"
"It looked like you knew the exact time the broadcast would go live, too," Fie added, remembering the state of panic she had left in.
Morgan's eyes could only wander to a small piece of paper that was neatly folded on her desk. "Let's just say…you're not the only one with sources, Millium."