1204/08/28 14:00
Crossbell City, Crossbell
The SSS was called to the guild. Michel said it was urgent. Since they had finished all the support requests for the day, the five of them headed towards East Street. Lloyd wondered what was so urgent that the guild needed their help, considering how reliable they were before the SSS even formed. Could it be...
"..."
"Lloyd?" Elie asked when she saw Lloyd stop walking.
"No, never mind," Lloyd shook his head and continued walking. He smiled when Elie shot him a concerned look. He didn't want to worry her yet when it was just a hunch.
They arrived at the guild to see Michel with a grim expression. "Michel?"
"You're here. Good, let's go upstairs," Michel replied hurriedly before going up the stairs.
The SSS looked at each other in confusion before following the receptionist. What kind of urgent things did the guild need? Even the usually casual Michel was serious. The last time they saw him acting serious was when Crossbell was in a pinch.
On the second floor, the SSS saw Agate tapping his arms while Juna paced back and forth in agitation. They stopped when they noticed the SSS coming, and Juna quickly sat down.
"Lloyd! Emergency! I don't know what to do!" Juna shouted in desperation before she told them about the new information she got from her ability.
To make it short, Juna contacted the students from Erebonia's Thors Military Academy and got new insights about the terrorists. With her calculating the weights and connecting the dots, Juna concluded that the terrorist would take over Garrelia Fortress and aimed the weapon at Orchis Tower.
"...Alright," Lloyd inhaled, taking all the information dumped onto him. This was bad. No wonder Juna didn't know what to do. They really couldn't do anything to interfere with Garrelia Fortress themselves.
"Juna, can you walk us through your deduction? What weights?" Wazy asked the pink-haired girl.
"R-Right," Juna took a deep breath before she began. "Remember the weight behind people's actions I mentioned a few days ago? There is a lot of weight between Class VII and the terrorists. I dare to say it's building up to the same weight as Estelle's group when they faced Ouroboros. So when Class VII said they were going to be at Garrelia Fortress on August 31, I couldn't see any other outcome except the terrorists also going there on the same day. From there, I tried to think of the reason, and Commander Baelz confirmed my suspicion that the fortress had huge cannons on the same day as the West Zemuria Trade Conference."
Everyone went silent at Juna's barrage of words.
"Your ability is really scary, Juna," Wazy sighed.
"Yeah, Wazy is right. But honestly, I'm halfway sure that it is this scary because it's you," Randy picked up the mood with a grin.
"I agree with Randy. Time and time again, you helped us and have proven to be correct. It is scary how you can predict things just by seeing the metaphorical 'weight' behind our actions. But the fact that you use it to help us is what's important," Elie moved and patted Juna's head.
"Lloyd... what can we do?" Noel turned to him.
Closing his eyes, Lloyd was thinking. There was nothing the people here in Crossbell could do about it. Garrelia Fortress was in Erebonia and under the Erebonian Army's jurisdiction. They wouldn't accept words from someone like Juna, nor if it was from him. The only one they would consider was probably Dieter himself as a mayor. But that didn't mean they would just do it. Erebonia held the power, not Crossbell.
"The easiest thing we can do is inform the students again about the possible attack on Garrelia," Elie tried to offer a solution.
"We've done it. The students and Toval have been informed, with Toval promising to contact Purple Lightning, who is currently serving as their instructor," Michel informed Elie.
"Purple Lightning?" Noel wondered aloud.
"Whoa, really? Her? A teacher?" Randy whistled, apparently familiar with this Purple Lightning figure. "Then again, if it's a Military Academy..."
"Someone you're familiar with, Randy?"
But it wasn't Randy who answered, but Agate. "She's a Bracer. Or was. The youngest who achieved A-Rank. She did it a few years ago when I was still B-Rank myself."
"That sounds impressive, but can we get back on track?" Juna pleaded to everyone who realized what they were talking about and laughed sheepishly in embarrassment.
"Right. We still don't know what else we can do..."
"How about escalating it to the higher-ups?" Wazy offered another possible solution. "Just like you reported it to Dudley and him to Mayor Crois."
"And then what could Uncle do? I hate to say this, but this time, reporting it wouldn't do a thing. Uncle would not want to cancel the conference. Crossbell's image would be tarnished," Elie responded from the political point of view. "Even if he called the Blood and Iron Chancellor, it would just be used as another weapon to attack us."
"That's certainly true..." Noel hummed, realizing the flaw of doing the same thing as before.
Agate sighed. "Our hands are tied up here. We've done our best to inform Toval and the military academy's students. The rest is up to them."
Lloyd opened his eyes. "There is one last thing we can do."
"Huh?"
"Lloyd?"
Everyone turned to him, who had been silent all this time. He looked at each of them in the eyes. "I want you to trust me on this. There is no guarantee something will happen, but there is a big chance that something will be done on the Empire's side."
The despaired look on Juna's face receded, replaced by a slightly teary eye. "Lloyd..."
Turning to the pink-haired girl, he ruffled her hair with a smile on his face.
"Juna. Good job on getting us this far, and thank you for trusting us with this information. Seeing those weapons and realizing that they might be aimed at Crossbell must be scary, huh? You were always the first one to reach a conclusion. No matter how reliable it is for us, you must be feeling burdened by that. For that, we are sorry."
Juna nodded wordlessly, looking embarrassed but letting Lloyd play with her head.
"Oh, Juna..."
"I didn't even realize how Juna is feeling..."
Elie and Noel remarked.
"However, you don't need to worry anymore this time. You don't need to do anything else. Leave it to us."
Juna shook her head in denial. "If it's something that I can help with, then I'd like to do my part."
"No, really. You don't need to do anything. In fact, just this time, I'd like you to not do anything," Lloyd insisted. "Because we will go look for Lechter Arundel and possibly work with him to handle this Garrelia Fortress problem. That's why I want you to take a backseat this time."
"What?!" Elie shouted in surprise.
"Arundel? That sleazy guy?" Noel asked in confirmation.
"Oi oi, you can't be serious, Lloyd?" Randy turned to him with an incredulous look.
"Randy, this is Lloyd we're talking about. In his first case, he worked with us gang members without any hesitation. Do you remember?" Wazy just shook his head.
"...Right. And there was that time we worked with Yin in St. Ursula." Elie sighed. "You really are unbelievable."
"...Alright. I trust you, Lloyd," Juna let out a contented sigh.
"Thank you for extending your trust. Let's go, everyone."
"Would it be alright if I follow you guys?" Agate asked. "It might help to have a bracer vouching for you guys."
"Yeah, that's a good idea. It might be worth mentioning to Arundel that we've contacted Toval and the students, too," Michel agreed.
"Will do."
The SSS plus Agate quickly left the guild to look for certain redheaded Imperials. Outside the guild, Randy instantly slapped Lloyd in the back.
"That was smooth, my man. The baby-faced ultimate little brother finally becomes the big brother this time," Randy grinned.
"Fufufu. It really was. I reckon if I pulled that move on some lonely woman, I'd be getting more than just money," Wazy chimed in, following Randy's lead. "Maybe I should invite Lloyd to work with me one of these days."
"Wazy! You can't ask a police officer to join you as a host!" Elie reprimanded.
"Haha, Mademois-Elie. You sure Wazy can't do it just because Lloyd's a police and not something else?" Randy winked at the white-haired girl.
"..."
"...Come on, Elie. I don't know why you went silent, but I need some defense here," Lloyd exhaled.
"Haha... somehow I got the feeling that part of Lloyd is what makes Elie goes silent," Noel closed their conversation with a laugh.
Agate looked at the SSS before raising his eyebrow, "So it's like that, huh?"
"Exactly like that, Agate," Randy laughed. "Did you have some experience observing those kinds of things?"
Agate nodded, "Yeah... it was Joshua. Nowadays, it's a lot calmer since we rarely meet up anymore."
Agate looked at the sky, reminiscing about his past experience. Lloyd let him. His mind wandered to the future. Would he have the same kind of face Agate had several years down the line?
"In any case, do you have a clue where to find Arundel?" Agate asked once he regained focus.
The SSS looked at each other before nodding. "There's only one place you can find him."
"Two, actually. Let's also try the casino," Randy interjected.
"...Why is it that I can see him there?" Elie sighed. "But never mind that. We should try the newly opened club in the Back Alley first."
"Neue Blanc. If our assumption is correct, Lechter helped facilitate buying the old Revache headquarters for Red Constellation," Lloyd revealed their destination.
"Yeah, I get the feeling he's the sort of guy who's right up my alley," Wazy said in amusement.
"Wazy... no inviting Erebonian's intelligence officer to join your night job," Elie sighed for the umpteenth time.
"Alright, alright..."
They went to Neue Blanc and were greeted by the bouncer, barring their way in.
"Special Support Section. What business do you have here?" The bouncer, whose appearance wasn't out of place from being a Revache member, asked them.
"Recognizing us, eh? Did Uncle put our faces in the warning category or something?" Randy remarked playfully, trying to reduce the tension.
"I feel honored," Wazy followed Randy with his own quip.
"We are not on official business. We're trying to see if we can find a certain someone inside," Lloyd tried to assure the man of their intention. "Is Lechter Arundel inside?"
The bouncer didn't answer. Or rather, from Lloyd's perspective it looked like the Bouncer didn't want to answer. Perhaps he was protecting Lechter by not saying anything.
If it was any other time, Lloyd wouldn't think it would be a problem, but this was urgent.
"It is important, as it involves Erebonia's national safety," he used his last resort. "We're here in good faith."
The bouncer frowned before reluctantly giving his way.
"Thank you."
The group entered the bar, looking around to look for the man they sought.
"There he is," Lloyd heard Randy say, pointing at one of the VIP sections. Lechter was having fun sitting on the sofa with some women.
"Hmm, I don't recognize those girls," Wazy muttered under his breath. If it was coming from Wazy, then Lloyd believed his words. Still, did that mean Neue Blanc brought their own hostess to Crossbell?
"No wonder some of the usual girls I knew are getting frustrated," Randy whistled in appreciation. "Their women are beauties, alright. Eris needs some good way to regain her customers back."
"This is not the time for that, Randy..."
"In any case, let's approach him," Lloyd stopped them from further fighting and started walking towards their target.
"...Ahahaha, yeah, that was- well, look at what we have here. What does the esteemed Special Support Section need here?" Lechter greeted them with a smile once he noticed them. "And with the Heavy Blade to boot."
"Lechter. This is urgent. Can we talk privately?" Lloyd asked the man.
"Sure, sure," Lecther replied casually before asking the waitress for a private room.
The waitress escorted them to a private room. Once they were all seated inside, Lechter opened his arms. "So, what do you wanna talk about? Sigmund told me that he specifically made this private room soundproof so you can lay it on me."
In any other circumstances, Lloyd would have questioned what a soundproofed room inside a club was used for, but he would welcome it now as it suited his purpose.
"I'll get straight to the point. You know about the Imperial Liberation Front's planned attack on the Trade Conference. That was why you go out your way to hire the Red Constellation for protection," Lloyd started.
Lechter nodded, still with an easygoing grin on his face. "Yep. And you somehow know about it, hence the busy mobilization inside and outside the CPD and CGF. Man, you know that I was scolded by His Excellency for not being vigilant enough. But I knew better. That informant of yours somehow knew about it and told you."
Lloyd tried to not make any expression. Lechter was the real deal. Despite his casual air, he knew when to get serious. Just revealing that he knew was enough for Lechter to open up his own cards and demand more questions about Juna.
"So? Was that all?"
Lloyd shook his head. "No. I'm afraid things are about to get worse. Lechter, what do you think if I say that on the day of the conference, Garrelia Fortress would also be attacked by the ILF as they sought to control the railgun stationed there?"
"Hmm? That's would be-oi, are you serious?" His casual attitude was gone. Eyes narrowing, Lechter glared at Lloyd. "Who is your informant, really?"
For some unknown reason, Lechter began taking his words seriously. It was as if he suddenly knew that Juna's prediction would come true. Was he perhaps the same as Juna?
"We won't reveal them. I don't even want to reveal this to you, but there's nothing we can do in Crossbell against the attack on Garrelia Fortress. If I let the information be, then something unavoidable could happen. I am here telling you in good faith. Don't ask about our informant again."
"Yes, yes..." Lechter sighed. "But the situation has turned serious. Thank you for telling me this. I'll do something about it. I don't wanna die yet," he finished with a small laugh, to which nobody replied.
"Aww, that was supposed to be funny. You guys are too serious."
"If there is something else that we can do to help Erebonia this time, then feel free to ask more."
"Nah, no need. I'll handle it," Lechter waved his hand dismissively. "I'll make sure that the weapons in Garrelia Fortress won't be used by those folks in ILF."
Lloyd just stared at the Erebonian. "...Right."
As their intention was delivered and Lechter kind of dismissed them, Lloyd stood up, the others following him seconds later. Before they could leave, though, Lechter called out.
"Hey, SSS. Your informant... Are they open to work for the Imperial Intelligence Division?"
Elie was about to reply in anger before Lloyd stopped her by raising his hand.
"So?" Lechter prodded.
"They are under the SSS's protection."
And with that, Lloyd bade the red-haired man farewell.
Once they were outside the club, Randy couldn't help but breath out a sigh of relief. "That was somehow easy."
"Yeah, I didn't think that Lechter would just accept our information like that," Noel joined Randy.
"In the end, you guys don't even need my presence because Arundel believed you so easily," Agate remarked.
"Thanks anyway, Agate. It's nice to see that the guild has someone reliable like you in their ranks," Lloyd said to the bracer.
"Nah, don't sweat it. See you guys later."
Once Agate left, Wazy muttered out loud. "I wonder why Lechter believed us just like that."
"I was wondering about that too. It's really convenient, but there must be something behind his sudden demeanor change."
Right. Lechter was taking them casually before he suddenly turned serious. Lloyd put that aside back in the club because he prioritized getting Lechter to understand the gravity of the situation, but now, when he thought about it again, it was weird.
As he concluded back inside the club, it was as if he was the same as Juna. But could it be possible? And then there was Lechter's interest in Juna. Could it be because he realized that Juna might have something similar to him?
He didn't know, but as he declared to the pink-haired younger girl, Lloyd would protect her from the Empire.
"Alright, let's go back home."
The SSS then went home to rest. They had enough excitement for one day.
1204/08/28 14:45
Crossbell City, Crossbell
Lechter Arundel was the type of person who wasn't easily swept by the situation. His intuition made him that kind of person. As long as he had that fallback, he could aggravate people by being casual and carefree while he took everything seriously inside.
Yet, he never expected his intuition to flare up like that when the SSS relayed their information.
It wasn't that Lechter had not thought about it before. He had covered all his bases when it came to the ILF. The old man had told him to leave the attack on the conference because he would use it against Crossbell. After that, he tried to see if anything else flared up his intuition, and nothing of note was picked up, not even a possible attack on Garrelia Fortress.
But when Lloyd told him that the ILF would attack Garrelia Fortress, suddenly, his intuition told him that it would happen. It was as if his intuition suddenly registered the possibility after he was told directly by the SSS. Why did it suddenly flare like that when it wasn't before? Was it the SSS's Informant's doing? Were they somehow manipulating his intuition? How?
"..."
On further sensing, there would be heavy casualties, but the worst thing wouldn't happen if everyone did their part perfectly. That was what his intuition told him.
"Perhaps the SSS's Informant doesn't really have my kind of thing..." Otherwise, the SSS wouldn't have told him all that to ask for help. The informant would just tell them that their worst fear wouldn't be realized. "Still..."
The fact that they somehow changed his intuition was worth a merit. "I'd really love to meet you now, Mr. Informant."
He left the room to use the club's phone. His helping the Red Constellation buy the building meant that he basically got free VIP treatment, and he would milk it for all it was worth before he went back home. His intuition said that the worst possibility wouldn't happen, but it wouldn't hurt to tip the scale in the Imperial Army's favor.
"Hey, Claire. Can you help me use your super calculative mind to calculate something real quick?"
He heard a sigh coming from the other side.
"Lechter..."
1204/08/28 17:00
Legram, Erebonia
Group A had just finished the request from Klaus, Laura's butler, to have a friendly spar with the students from Arseid school. It was a spar they won, but then Klaus himself took the field, and Rean was really impressed by how amazing the man was despite his age. Still, with his friends, they managed to even win against the butler.
The group left the training hall to see that the sun was about to set.
"Oooh, looks like it's almost evening already," Millium muttered casually with hands behind her head.
"We arrived mid-afternoon. Exterminating the monster, changing the orbal lamps, warning the children, and sparring with the Arseid school takes time," Gaius pointed out helpfully.
Indeed. They had completed two of the required requests, alongside the optional request of changing the orbal lamps and a last-minute request from Toval to warn and dissuade the children from going to Lohengrin Castle.
"The sunset sky makes for a very picturesque view, don't you think?" Emma remarked as she focused all her attention on the horizon. Legram had Lake Ebel, so the combination of the orange sky and the reflective body of water made such an amazing combination for Rean, who lived his whole life in the mountains.
"It seems that the mist has cleared somewhat, too," Jusis said after looking around. The mists that spread around Legram and its surroundings all noon had subsided.
"I would venture a guess that tomorrow will be a clear, sunny day," Laura said with some spirit.
"..."
"Rean... are you still worried about what the SSS's Informant told us?" Emma reached out to him. He really was pathetic. Everyone was trying to be spirited, but he still made them worry.
"We've done what we can to prevent the children from getting lost," Laura joined in. "As for what she told us after..."
"I still don't believe that it is that convenient for us," Jusis cut in, referring to the information said by SSS's Informant and, by extension, the Crossbell Branch Bracer Guild about the possible attack on Garrelia Fortress. "Sure, we have faced them before, but that would not guarantee anything."
"What she said after is a big possibility, though. I mean, if I were targetting Gramps and have a free shot at him from the fortress, I'd consider doing it," Millium pointed out in contrast to Jusis. "I think I need to make a report for the Intelligence Division. Later, after dinner, though. We still technically haven't completed any tasks before reporting them."
"...Right. Toval said that he was going to contact Instructor Sara. I hope nothing bad will happen," Rean said with a smile.
He really was thankful to be surrounded by people who didn't take offense to his insecurity.
Sorry for the long silence but IRL took all my time. Anyway, here it is. I could've made the Rean part longer but I feel that was enough since everything else would play the same for the night, just with the addition of everyone worrying about the second part of their Field Study. Anyway, Lloyd strikes again! He's the first one who realized that Juna is carrying the burden of knowledge. When I said Buggy Zero players will ship Lloyd and Juna I mean Falcon with their penchant for alluding the of pairing older man and younger woman in a platonic-like relationship as romantic ones is fueling the shippers' headcanon. Granted, it's only four year differences and not that big of a gap the Agate and Tita is, so the people in Xanaduverse is more accepting. This is before Rean or Kurt enters the scene as a new candidate for Junabowl. Right, what else? Oh yeah, Lechter. Now I've done his daydreams in Reverie but it still didn't explain his bullshit ability, so I sort of taking it as a hyper intuition about bad/good feelings, partially inspired by Randomguy's takes in JesSIca. As for what happened, basically I'm involving Lechter in the Garrelia Fortress business whereas I don't think he's involved in canon. Anyway, I can't promise the new chapter can come quick, but look forward to it!