"So here we are again." Blanc said airily.
Louise grunted, as she angrily pushed the broom.
"You know, I really can't get my head around why you keep volunteering for demonstrations." Blanc said, without looking up from her notes.
"Why shouldn't I?" Louise shot back.
"I'm just starting to wonder if you are a masochist."
"Shut up."
It was a common scene, with Louise having once again blown up a classroom, and once again having to clean up as punishment. Blanc was keeping her company, sitting on a desk, and writing in her notebook.
"I mean, its not as if you had any reason to think it would work this time, I've seen you practise after all." Blanc said, still engrossed in her writing
Louise just grumbled at that.
"And I'm pretty sure the teachers are assigning you these punishments more to deter you from volunteering further."
Louise grumbled louder.
"Did I ever tell you what the definition… of Insanity is? It's doing the exact same thing, over and over again, and expecting things to change." Blanc said, giving Louise the side eye to see her reaction.
Louise snapped at her. "Look if you are just going to make fun of me, why are you even here?!"
Blanc's eyes went back to her notepad and made a note. "I'm not making fun of you, I'm just trying to deconstruct your irrational behaviour, I'm thinking of modelling the protagonist of my next book after you, so I'm trying to figure out how you think."
Louise's retort died in her throat as she processed what was just said, and instead asked. "You write books?"
Blanc gave her another side eye, this one more questioning. "What did you think I was writing in here all the time?"
Louise looks a little sheepish. "Uh… I thought you were studying, or something?"
Blanc considered this, before shrugging. "You know what, that's a fair assumption."
For a moment, there was a lapse in conversation, before Louise asked tentatively. "You're writing a book about me?"
"Based on you, yeah." Blanc said. "You have a lot of tragic heroine vibes, what with your tendencies for self-destructive behaviour and all."
Louise's shoulders slumped. "Tragic Heroine, huh?"
"Oh yeah definitely." Blanc said. "You built your entire self image and self esteem on a skill you lack, making you constantly perform acts like repeatedly trying to perform spells in front of others, with each failure only pulling you deeper into your spiral of self loathing."
Louise, now a mix of embarrassed and annoyed, cries out. "Alright, alright! Please stop psychoanalysing me already, I already feel stupid enough right now thank you very much."
There was a moment of silence following that declaration as Louise got back to sweeping.
"If it makes you feel any better," Blanc suddenly spoke up, "I think you are probably being taught wrong."
"What do you mean?" Louise said, pausing to give Blanc her attention.
Blanc paused to think of an explanation, before saying. "Alright, think of it like this. If you judged a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it would spend its life thinking itself a failure, in this metaphor, you are the fish."
"...Thanks?" Louise said.
"I'm not finished." Blanc said. "First off, let's just leave aside the blatant stupidity of choosing your future leaders on their ability to throw fireballs-"
"You know, I'm pretty sure you could be called a heretic for saying that." Louise interjected, although there was little conviction in her voice, after all, it did sound pretty stupid when she said it like that.
"Good thing we are all friends here then, can I continue?" Blanc said dismissively. "Like I said, leaving that aside, it's clear you have some magic, Hell, I'd even wager a lot, considering how destructive you are when merely failing to cast a spell. Adding to that, I'm at least pretty sure you aren't stupid, so I don't think it's a matter of incompetence."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Louise said flatly.
"You're welcome." Blanc said, before continuing. "I am also aware that you practise constantly, so it's not as if you aren't putting the effort in. So when you eliminate capacity, intelligence and effort as factors, the only real option left is teaching. Hence, you are being taught incorrectly."
"But, It's not as if they are teaching me any differently than my peers, and I have had multiple tutors." Louise said. "How could they all be teaching me wrong?"
"You say that, but are they all taught exactly the same?" Blanc said, waggling her finger. "As you know everyone has varying affinities for different elements of magic. And no amount of skill in your element will grant you any in another you lack, beyond some basic spells nearly everyone can learn."
Louise nodded slowly.
"So perhaps the reason you struggle so much is that your Affinity is so far removed from the other elements, that it's impossible for you to learn any of the spells they teach. Therefore, you are being taught incorrectly, and it's not your fault that you can't cast for shit."
"Is the vulgarity strictly necessary?" Louise asked.
Blanc could only shrug, before returning to her writing.
Louise contemplated this for a moment longer while pushing her broom, and then asked. "But what other element could I be, there are only four."
"Five." Blanc corrected.
"Void doesn't count, only the Founder had the void." Louise corrected back.
"How should I know?" Blanc said, shrugging. "It could be anything. It could be Wood, or Neon, hell, could be bacon for all we know."
"That sounds dumb." Louise said. "Besides, the Founder said there are only five. Void, Water, Earth, Fire and Wind."
"And Lightning, Ice…" Blanc started to list.
"Combination elements don't count." Louise cut her off.
Blanc then shot her a look. "How do you even know what the founder said?"
Louise, caught off balance by the seeming non-sequitur. "Uhh, Well, there is countless scripture on the founders words and actions."
"And how do you know he wrote it?" Blanc said, staring at her.
"Come again?" Louise said, a little unnerved at where the conversation was going.
"How do we know it was written by him, or even people who knew him? It's been a long time after all, how do we know how much is said, is true?" Blanc said, still locking eyes with Louise, with an intensity that threw her off balance
"Er, well," Louise stammed a little bit, "The… Well the Church safeguards the founder's truth after all, they should know."
Blanc pushed forward relentlessly. "And how do you know they are doing their jobs correctly? Most priests are simply the second or third Sons of Nobility, sent by their parents to extend their families influence, can their piety and integrity truly be without question?"
Growing more uneasy, Louise offered. "The pope then, He knows the Will of the founder, and would keep the church upright."
"Oh well, that's all right then." Blanc said, with a sarcastic lilt. "How convenient for him that he alone knows the will of the founder. Sure would be a shame though if he started to lie for his own benefit, without anyone able to challenge him."
Louise was now quite flustered. "You should be a bit more careful Blanc, you actually could be tried for heresy if a priest heard you speaking like that."
At this Blanc looked amused. "But is it though? I never once questioned the Founder, I questioned the Church. If they consider that the same, then perhaps they are the Heretics, for they confuse their own importance to that of their god."
Louise was momentarily speechless, before saying. "You know, you say the most terrifying things without a moment's hesitation."
"So I've been told." Blanc said, shrugging.
"Just be careful, you really could be charged for Heresy if you speak like that around a priest."
"Whatever." Blanc said dismissively, as if gaining the ire of the church was but a trifling inconvenience.
There was a pause. Before Blanc said. "Hey, could you pick up the pace, some of my maid friends will be having a little get together this afternoon I was planning on sitting in."
"Why do you even? Chat with the maids I mean?" Louise said, vocalising something she has wondered for a while now.
Blanc raised her eyebrow. "You mean, apart from most of our class being stuck up, vacuous brats… and Kiche?"
Louise waved dismissively. "I mean, yes besides that."
Blanc then shrugged. "I mean, why shouldn't I? They are people too, they are far more tolerable then most of the student body, and even some of the teachers, and they have all the interesting gossip. They are just as deserving of respect as the students and faculty, if not more."
"What do you mean?" Louise asked.
Blanc gave her another one of her looks. "Do you have any idea how much shit the Servants get around here? A lot of you so-called Nobles barely consider commoners human from what I've seen. There is some variance, the ones who just kinda ignore them and let them do their jobs aren't so bad, but plenty of the students can be verbally if not physically abusive to the serving staff, and a lot of the maids don't feel safe when alone around the male students especially, the maids often travel in pairs whenever possible for that reason."
Louise now felt uncomfortable. "Surely they are exaggerating a tad?"
Blanc scoffed. "If anything I'm underselling it. Your family may have a strict code of conduct as you are so quick to remind me. But most nobles are under no such self imposed obligations, and act as they please, especially behind closed doors, with none of their peers to judge them. Like that Mott guy."
"Mott? You mean Count Mott, the Royal Messenger?" Louise asked.
"Yeah, that guy, complete dirtbag. The maids are all terrified of her." Blanc said. "Whenever he visits the school, he prowls around looking for attractive maids, and if one catches his eye, he will use his connections to blackmail or coerce them into working for him."
"You cannot be serious!" Louise said Horrified. "I am aware he is not the most… pleasant individual, but the royal family would never tolerate that kind of behaviour from their representative."
Blanc shrugged. "Maybe they don't know, maybe they don't care. After all, if what I've seen from the general nobility is any example-"
"The Princess is nothing like that!" Louise almost shouted, cutting off Blanc angrily.
Blanc blinked, and gave Louise a look, before shrugging again. "Well then she should keep a better eye on her personale then, because on all accounts the good count is an absolute monster, leaving a trail of ruined lives behind him. Even the teachers don't like him."
There was an awkward silence for a while as Louise tried to cool her temper, before Blanc put away her notebook and hopped off the desk. "You seem a little broody right now, so seeing as you are nearly finished, I'll get out of your hair. See you later."
"See you." Louise mumbled as Blanc left.
Now alone, Louise was left to Ruminate on Blancs words. She tried not to take Blancs views on nobility personally, after all, Blanc was an untitled Orphan, so of course she would have a much different perspective on it then Louise, the daughter of a Duke.
However, she could not quite shake what she said about Count Mott. She had never liked the man personally, from what little interaction she has had, but could he really be that bad. Could he really be abusing his position as royal messenger to perform such vile deeds? Maybe she should write home and ask mothe… Cattelya, what she thinks.
Putting aside the thought for now, she Ruminates instead on Blanc. She is honestly quite a difficult person, quite rude, often somewhat heretical, and just then even slightly treasonous…
'No, not Treason, she is Germanian, she has no fealty to the royalty of Tristan.' Louise corrected herself.
… But if nothing else, she does appreciate the blunt honesty, at least to a degree, and despite her often critical tone, Blanc never looks down on her for her magical ability, or lack thereof.
This reminded Louise about the earlier conversation, about magical Affinity, and briefly toyed with the idea, that perhaps her lack of success was due to some strange elemental affinity unknown to the academy or teachers.
Her mind still rebelled at the idea of being more elements outside the pentagram however, the thought made her uneasy.
An errant thought crossed rebelliously across her mind of the Fifth element lost to time would technically fulfil the parameters of being untaught and still within the Pentagram, but squashed it. That way Apostasy lay.
Her brain then caught on something else, which she spoke aloud. "What kind of Element is Neon?"
Authors Notes:
Well… I'm back, sorta?
Let me get the chapter specific notes out of the way first, and then I will talk about what's been happening and where I've been.
Sorry its kinda short, but I wanted a chapter of Louise and Blanc vibing with each other, before we start getting into the meat of the story and start reaching the cannon timeline and the familiar summoning.
But yeah, they are not the closest of Bosom chums as you can see, but Louise appreciates having someone who doesn't judge her for her magic, and while not being the nicest, and likes ribbing her a bit, isn't bullying her or isolating her like everyone else. Louise's standards are that low, poor girl.
And like my other FoZ story, an outsider's perspective can help her get context to her magical failure, although unlike Marisa she isn't really offering her any help in solving it, as Blanc is no magical savant.
You might notice Blanc is very scathing of the Nobility and was somewhat intense about her discussion of the church, but I think that is in character for Blanc, who is both the leader of her people, and an actual deity. She probably doesn't really think that well of either. Considering how she runs Lowee, as a magical fairytale kind of place, in her own words (paraphrased, because its been a while since I played Megadimension) and how she despised the heavy handedness of the regime that replaced her in that game, She probably thinks their whole system is garbage. As for the religion thing, she probably understands how easily it is for someone to put words in her mouth, if she wasn't there to set the record straight, and the kind of damage that could cause.
Also Wonder if there will be any consequence for Louise being made aware of how awful Count Mott is :3
Now for the more general things, like where have I been? Well, short answer is life stuff, but longer answer is this:
I struggle with organisation, planning and motivation in general, and often when big events like travelling, or helping my parents with building the new house, and random events can completely throw me off my groove for often weeks or months at a time. Not only that but I have a certain condition that makes it harder for me to focus and organise, and occasionally it's hard to get my medication thanks to supply line issues and the remoteness of where we live.
And honestly, it was really hurting my self esteem. I felt really bad not only leaving these stories unfinished, but letting down all you readers waiting for updates. But I didn't really know how to fix my unreliable muse. Then I remembered back in Uni, where I used to release chapters for another website, not only regularly, but weekly. Before my life got super chaotic. Obviously I fell off that wagon hard, but I think one of the things missing from back then was regularity, I often had several chapters written in advance as a backlog/buffer, that I could reliably edit and release once a week, and I think that structure helped me keep motivated to keep writing on the regular.
So that's when I decided that I was going to write 5 chapters of every story I currently have on this website in one big lump before releasing them one at a time, once per week, that would leave me with 40 chapters, and roughly ten weeks of releases. So not only guaranteeing you guys get something from me regularly, but it might give me the structure and motivation to write on the regular with both a loose deadline, but without the paralysing guilt of not having written anything to post.
So I knuckled down and within a span of 2-3 months, I managed to get like 80% of all the chapters done, and well on track for getting it done by the end of last year for a christmas release…
…And then I ran out of my meds… And then there were supply line issues… And then my permit to get new prescriptions expired (which I didn't even realise was a thing)… and then my Psychiatrist had moved practices… and that practice no longer handles patients with my condition.
It took me half the goddam year to see a new psych and get my meds back.
I am now back on my meds and writing again obviously, but right now we are at a critical point in the new house finally nearly actually being built (only took 4 years, but who's counting-_-) and my dad needs my help getting things ready, I don't have a lot of free time right now consequently, and it might be a while for things to settle down, But I thought you guys deserve something, even if it will set me back a bit on my five chapter plan, so I struggled through what little free time I had to make sure each story had one chapter ready to post, and dropped them altogether to let you all know that things will be happening soon.
They will probably be a little rough as I didn't have time or energy to properly proofread it, but I will probably come back to fix it when I actually start my writing again for real.
I am going to be getting serious about writing btw, as I have come to the semi-depressing realisation that writing is one of the few skills I have that I can claim to be good at without qualification. Once I prove to myself that I can actually maintain a weekly update schedule or maybe even a twice-weekly one, I will probably try and open a patron or similar service, and see if I can make writing a career.
Sorry for how long this took and how long this Author's note is, but I hope you enjoy the chapters.
I will be posting this general message on every story, just so everybody can see it. If you read more than one of my stories, after the chapter specific notes you can probably skip this bit after reading it once.
