Chapter 49: Situation in the Capital
I left the throne room with Adra, whose neck is still red from being choked by an invisible force.
"Are you alright, Adra?" I asked the wolf beastkin with concern.
"I'm fine, Miss Yukime." He answered with a sad smile.
"Why…" did you serve such an evil man?
"Because it's my fault. I disobeyed direct orders and let the enemy go. Not to mention I leaked a crucial intel and thought I could get away with it. But as you saw back then… it was a foolish move and I have to pay the price."
"That's not what I asked."
"Ah… I see. Why I still serve him, right? It's because Lord Necromancer rewards me with something he can take back at any time. Be careful when dealing with him, Miss Yukime. Once you enter into a deal with the devil, you won't ever escape him… even in death." He answered, not elaborating on what his reward was and why it can be taken from him by Lord Necromancer at any time.
"Will you… be able to…" kill your sister?
"I… don't know. I suppose I should leave that question to my future self. Heh heh." He laughed, still with sadness in his eyes.
"Then I wish you luck in the future, Adra."
He merely smiled in response. We parted ways afterwards. His warning made me realize that a deal with such a devil won't be so simple. If he brings my mother and people to life… no doubt he will hold them hostage to coerce me into serving him even more loyally. My loyalty to him is already questionable at best and I have only myself to blame for that.
And it is too late to turn back now. I've… condemned my mother… and my people, the Spirit Fox tribe, to a hell of servitude under the Ruler of Death.
"Mother…. Forgive me…" I muttered as tears of regret flows down my cheeks.
"Gulp gulp gulp… Ahhh! Waitress! Another mug!" Shouted a blonde man, currently wearing a more casual outfit instead of his signature golden armor.
"You sure you need that much beer, Goldy?" Said a bald muscular man wearing an eyepatch.
They are currently in a tavern in the royal capital, eating and drinking after their defeat in the Bushin Festival along with other participants who lost. The two of them became friends after being defeated on the same day.
The tavern is noisy and crowded as many participants of the Bushin Festival came to eat and drink here after being stranded in the capital city due to martial law and the lack of transportation out of the city. The noisiest of them all is a man called Imatry Notaloos, who's still crying since losing his match just like how he would cry whenever he wins.
"Yeah! I'm sure!" Exclaimed Goldy, confirming his need for more alcohol.
"But you haven't even touched your food."
"Don't touch my food, Quinton!" Said Goldy whilst protecting his plate which is filled with a piece of brown bread, a slice of cheese, slices of ham, a sausage and pickled pearl onions.
"Don't need it. I got my own." Said Quinton while pointing at his own plate which is filled with the same menu.
"But really. Is it that devastating to be defeated by that boy? I get that he's young but he's a prodigy. I even heard talks that he's about to become king of this country!" Quinton said.
"That's not it! I'm disappointed in myself because I blundered greatly in that battle! I failed to recognize a talent when I see it! My eyes usually never failed me!" Said Goldy whilst being depressed.
"Hey. I almost got myself beaten and arrested back when I met the boy for the first time. I was lucky that I noticed his knightly uniform although at the time I didn't know it was the uniform of the Crimson Order, Princess Iris' personal knight order. Come to think of it, I was so lucky that I held myself back." Quinton said as he recounts his experiences while fearing what could've happened to him had he offended the young noble. Quinton drank his beer to calm himself down.
"Man… That boy is a monster." Goldy said.
"That Mundane Mann, who turned out to be Shadow, is an even bigger monster. His battle with that Necromancer guy is what ruined this town. No wonder why I was defeated so easily." Quinton said.
"To think such monsters exist in this world…"
"Yeah…" Quinton replied in agreement.
"What are you going to do now?"
"I dunno. The martial law has been lifted but the trains ain't working yet and I'm in no mood to walk or for ships. The kingdom seems to be recruiting mercenaries in preparation for the war against Oriana though so I was thinking of joining. What about you, Goldy?"
"I was… thinking of teaching…"
"Teaching?"
"Yes. I want to pass on my knowledge, my swordsmanship style and dreams to my pupils… so they will carry on the legend."
"Hmm… Not a bad idea. I heard the Midgar Spellsword school was attacked by terrorists awhile back so I guess they'll accept teachers."
"Alright! I shall become a teacher! Wait for me my future students! I shall lead you all to a bright and golden future!" Declared Goldy while standing atop his table, attracting the attention of everyone in the tavern. Even the crying Imatry Notaloos stopped whining for a few seconds.
"Sorry about that." Muttered Goldy as he embarrassedly sat back on his chair and started eating his food while Quinton just laughed while patting Goldy's back.
"Oh? Isn't that Annerose?" Said Quinton as he spotted Annerose entering the tavern.
"Annerose Nichtsehen? Didn't she return to Velgalta?" Said Goldy.
"Oi! Miss Annerose! Over here!" Quinton called out to her.
"Hey! You know her?" Asked Goldy.
"We talked to each other a bit about Mundane Mann during the tournament."
"I see." Goldy replied in understanding.
"Fancy meeting you here, Quinton. Goldy." Annerose greeted them as she sat on their table.
"Indeed. Thought you went back to Velgalta already." Quinton said.
"I was actually on the way to take a train home… until that whole disaster happened." Annerose replied.
"Aye, I can see that. Even we are stuck in this city for few days until the train companies can fix their trains and railways." Goldy said.
"So, what are your plans now while waiting for the trains to be fixed, Miss Annerose? Perhaps you're planning on going with the good ol' carriage or just walk until you reach other cities? Or take the sea route?" Quinton asked.
"I've been hired as a mercenary by this kingdom for their upcoming war actually." Annerose replied.
"Eh!? Is that okay!? Won't your country be mad!?" Exclaimed Goldy.
"I'm no longer one of the Seven Blades of Velgalta and I've taken mercenary jobs before coming here. Besides, I can't stand back and watch while people need my help." Annerose explained.
"I see. Well, with you joining the kingdom's mercenaries, I'm sure many warriors who came for the Bushin Festival would consider joining too once they hear your name." Quinton said while smiling.
"I was thinking of joining too!" Exclaimed Goldy.
"But ain't you planning to be a teacher?" Quinton said.
"The war ain't happening yet so I can teach while waiting for it to begin!" Declared Goldy.
"Well, at least it'll be reassuring to have more people on board." Said Quinton.
"Have you heard news about Mundane Mann?" Asked Annerose.
"Huh? Err…. Nope. Not a thing." Quinton said.
"I see. I suppose he must be busy mourning his brother's passing." Annerose said sadly.
"Huh? Brother?" Goldy said.
"But Mundane Mann is…" Quinton was about to interject before Annerose cut him off.
"It's fine! I'm sure he will appear once again in the future! A great warrior like him won't be stopped by his brother's passing for long!" Exclaimed Annerose.
"Y-Yeah… He sure won't." Muttered Quinton in confusion.
"I hope one day we can fight side by side so I can learn more from him!" Said Annerose excitedly.
"Umm… Sure… Sure you will…" Said Quinton with an uneasy smile.
"By the way… who actually won the Bushin Festival? Has it been announced yet?" Asked Goldy.
"I doubt that. The kingdom is too busy with dealing with that whole mess, not to mention their king is dead, so I guess this year's Bushin Festival is cancelled." Quinton replied.
"Haaah… what a mess that was." Said Goldy as he lifted his mug to his mouth before realizing it's empty.
"Waitress! Where's my beer!?"
"We should've extended the martial law and then force those warriors to become mercenaries!" Said a well dressed nobleman who sat in a meeting room in the royal castle along with many other noblemen, including me.
"That would be a bad idea. They are guests to this city. We cannot afford to treat them like that. We'll let them join the mercenary forces out of their own free will, like we always do." I said.
"You're too soft, Lord Claude! We are at war here!" Shouted another nameless nobleman.
"No. I'm being realistic. If we go through with that suggestion, word will spread about how Midgar kingdom forcibly conscripts Bushin Festival participants into war. Other kingdoms will in turn believe that Midgar has become so weak and would stoop so low and we may even lose our right to host further Bushin Festivals in the future." I explained my point to the nobleman, rendering him speechless.
"But are you sure that will be enough?" Asked yet another nobleman.
"No worries. I've personally recruited Annerose Nichtsehen. Word of her joining should reassure the others who wants to join."
"Annerose? One of the Seven Blades of Velgalta!? You recruited another country's soldier!?"
"Former member of the Seven Blades of Velgalta. She is now a free woman and she joins of her own free will."
"Tch. What else do you suggest to prepare for the upcoming war then?" Asked another nobleman.
"We need to give incentives for the mercenaries to permanently sign up as formal soldiers of the kingdom if they have proven themselves worthy. We must also intensify the training of the current knights we have on our command. I will help on that front."
"Huh? A boy like you? Instructing knights?" A stupid nobleman mockingly said.
"You must've fallen asleep during all my matches then." That is enough to shut him up.
"Haaah… How exhausting it is to argue with stupid noblemen." I complained while having dinner with Alexia in the royal castle. My… the main body's father and Iris are absent, most likely busy, and Charlotte is avoiding me for some reason. A large selection of food fit for royalty is spread on the table. Beef steaks, salmon steaks, salad, meat pies, roast chicken, you name it, they have it. I even got a glass of hippocras, a medieval spiced wine. We won't be able to finish all of them with just the two of us though.
When dealing with the Cult, at least they will know exactly what to say and what not to say. But those guys? Their opinions are not just cruel, callous and short sighted, they were just plain stupid! And they thought I am the stupid one!
As future king, I have to deal with those manchildren everyday in meetings after meetings discussing various topics! Ugh! The main body sure have it easy compared to me! He didn't have to deal with those fools!
But I suppose that is to be expected of expendable minions of the Thirteen Night Blades who were sent there to annoy me. They wouldn't dare make a fool of themselves.
"Haah… If only I was able to attend that particular meeting, I would-" Said Alexia before I cut her off.
"They probably won't survive your tongue lashing, Alexia."
"Hmph. They sure won't. If only I didn't have to deal with so many paperworks!" Said Alexia while eating her steak.
"How's your sister?" I asked.
"Still training with Lady Beatrix. She's obsessed with training these days that she barely makes time for anything else. Well… she can't help it because… whenever she stopped training, she would… cry and apologize to the people that she… probably killed during her… rampage." Alexia answered with concerned face, emphasizing the word 'probably'.
"I see. Even though we never found evidence of the claims against her…"
"She wasn't in the right mind back then so I doubt she noticed whether or not she actually killed people that day. That uncertainty alone is enough to… By the way, aren't you her fiancé now? Why don't you go and comfort your future wife already, future king?" Alexia said.
"I suppose I should… when my schedule is cleared from those meetings. Especially since tomorrow we're finally going to discuss Rose's fate."
"Leave that to me. I'll take care of things. Just… please talk to her. She won't listen to me…" Alexia pleaded.
"Very well." I accepted while noting how Alexia's mental state seemed to have gotten better compared to days ago. She's more resilient than I thought. Iris could learn a lot from her.
Author's Note:
Another chapter dedicated to the aftermath of the Bushin Festival before we get into the Red Moon arc. Found a chance to have Annerose appear and show how she still believed the misunderstanding about Mundane Mann's "brother".
Also, if you noticed, Goldy and Quinton were eating the ploughman's lunch. I just had a huge appetite when I write this chapter so I can't help but write about food. :P
And Claude (clone) is now living in the castle as some sort of king in training, having meetings and such, dealing with many governmental duties in the absence of the king.
And Iris' mental state is worse than it was in canon. Her dad murdered, the three people she thinks are responsible (Shadow, Necromancer and King Oriana) are out of her reach, her popularity in the kingdom being rock bottom that she even lost her right to the throne and being accused of killing her own people during her rampage.
Guest: What a fitting quote for a Necromancer! So Sherry met Yukime? And who's Carmilla? (Referring to Chapter 46: I Am Become Death)
Answer: Yeah, it does. Sherry is aware of Yukime being one of Necromancer's minions. Carmilla is an OC.
King0fP0wers: Finally researching souls, eh? I always felt that learning to manipulate souls is more like a Necromancer's work.
It would be cool if his new soul ability would be similiar to Big Mom's Soru Soru no Mi Power, stealing souls/ lifespan or imbueing inanimate objects with souls to give them a mind. Or, similiar to how the Kage Kage no Mi works, imbuing corpses with souls to grant them undead life. Imagine Claude killing people by ripping their soul out then reviving them as his undead minions immediately afterwards!
Speaking of powerful or relevant undead, how about Claude finding a dragon corpse or dragon to kill? Dragons are among the most powerful beings in EiS and every Necromancer should have at least one zombie or bone dragon!
Answer: Yes. A Necromancer can't escape the realm of souls. It is inevitable.
Maybe he would go "Your soul is mine!" like Shang Tsung from Mortal Kombat too. ;P
It has been confirmed since the school terrorist arc that he have at least 1 dragon. ;P
Blaise: This fic's is very much interesting
Hope more chapters come out soon
Answer: Thanks for enjoying it.
Guest: Yandere Sherry will be so much fun! Since Necromancer experimented on so many mutated victims, couldn't he use the results to enhance Sherry like Shadow did with the Seven?
Answer: Ah, I almost forgot about enhancing her. Thanks for reminding me.
TheVirtualPug: When would Claude realize that he hasn't lived up to his own villain name? Sure he uses undead, but not to the same extent as actual necromancers.
Answer: When the war begins, the undead army will have a chance to shine. For now he is still in the shadows.