Chapter 77
"Do I look like a man with a plan? I don't make plan. I just do things."
The Joker
(The Dark Knight)
I'm sorry for the late update.
Everyone is still gasping because the accusation Tsukihime proclaims. The majestic hall was so noisy just awhile ago, now it's just as quiet as a graveyard. Everything is still.
"Traitor? What…I don't get it?! What does my father have to do with this?" Emilio looks over his shoulder to keep his eye on Gen Ed, obviously wanting an explanation without being asked, "Dad….what is going on here? You know something about this, right?"
"I would be lying if I say no" Gen Ed still answering with his usual calm smile, "Hikari, long time no see, my niece. You're a beautiful girl now. And Emilio, meet your cousin, Fujiwara Hikari"
"Whaaaaatttt?! Cousin?!" Elraven drops his jaw (again, although Fio and Sasha got a better job maintaining their faces though) and gazes at his best friend with his eyes full of surprise, "Emilio…you never told me your cousin is a queen?! I thought there's no secret between us, amigo?!"
"Wait, El! I swear I really knew nothing about this, buddy!" Emilio himself doesn't really know what to say, "She is my cousin?! How is that possible?!"
"Well, haven't I told you that during my younger days, when I was at your age I used to be an adventurer before joining The Military of Einbroch?" Gen Ed, as if he has nothing to do with this, innocently explains, "One day, I arrived at Amatsu and found out that this country have been attacked by Samurai Incantation. So, I offered my help to defeat Samurai Incantation. And I defeated him effortlessly. So, as token of their gratitude, they granted me with The Spell of Bishamon. But….there was a problem".
"What problem, dad?"
"You see, just like any other youngsters, I was filled with passion. And…so was your mother" Gen Ed chuckles remembering the good old days, "Your whole life, you only knew that your mother hails from Amatsu, right? The truth is, she is the first princess of Amatsu. Knowing the emperor of Amatsu, your grandfather, would oppose our love, we eloped"
"You what?!" Emilio, raising his eyebrows so high that they could even touch the sky, can't believe the story behind his birth. The others (other than Tsukihime and Kenji) were also surprised.
"You heard that right" Gen Ed, still with his innocent look, continues, "So, since I and your mother eloped, the second princess of Amatsu, Hikari's mother, eventually became the new queen of Amatsu. After her marriage, she gave birth to Hikari twenty years ago, just exactly two years after your birth. So, that's why she is your cousin"
"And that's why I have to kill you, traitor!" Tsukihime directs her refined Muramasa to Emilio's surprised face.
"Wait…please wait. Why am I the traitor?" The Sphere of Death is too shocked to retaliate, so he chose a more diplomatic way, "It was my father who eloped with my mother?! Why am I the traitor?"
"It's Amatsu's old custom, Emilio" Gen Ed, acting as innocent as possible, tells his son, "It is true that I and your mother were the one who eloped, but you're our son, our descendant. Originally, your mom was the rightful heir to the throne, not her mom. And according to Amatsu's old custom, the first will always be the first. That means, it is you, as the son of the first princess, who should lead Amatsu, not her, as the daughter of the second princess. You dig?"
Emilio's in lost words, but his friends still have their own opinions,
El: "Fate can be so cruel sometimes; I'm starting to wonder if coming to Amatsu is not a good decision"
Fio: "Oh, so that's why she suddenly allowed me to come here to have an audience with her after I accidentally mentioned Emilio in my letter…"
Sasha: "Our captain is supposed be a king? Wow…"
"Why didn't you tell me about this earlier, dad?" Emilio wants another explanation.
"At first, I and your mother wanted to explain to you, but if we did, you would probably claim the throne and forget your job as a gunslinger, right? That's why we never told you about this" Gen Ed answers with a good reason, because that is something Emilio would likely have done…
"That's why you're a traitor" Tsukihime her sword closer to Emilio's neck; preparing to stab him, "You chose to be a gunslinger instead of your rightful throne. That's unforgivable, traitor! I shall kill you now as your punishment!"
"I see…" Emilio disgruntles; with a deep angry voice, he shouts, "I didn't do anything! I didn't do anything worth proclaiming to be a traitor, you scumbag princess! How dare you threaten to kill me like that?! You want a piece of me?! You want a piece of me, girl?! Then go ahead! I'll, fight you to death!"
Too bad, the girl in front of him is just as stubborn as he is, "How dare you shout to me like that, traitor?! If a fight is what you want, then fine! Let's fight right here, right now!"
"Wait a minute you two!" Elraven and Fiorentin jump between the two angry cousins and try to cool them down.
"Come on, amigo. Calm down, OK? She didn't mean it" The purple glassed gunslinger cools his captain; just like the lord knight does to the angry princess, "It is your right to fight anyone you like, but you promised me to have an audience with me, Fujiwara-san. Let's settle this problem like civilized people, shall we?"
Both cousins lower their respective weapons down, still staring to each other though. "Fine" Tsukihime decides, "I give you my words, Adler. I'll lend Sagramore mine and Amatsu's help in three conditions"
"Name it"
"First, I want that traitor to fight me in one on one duel for the throne, thirty days from now. If he wins, the throne is his, if he loses, his head is mine" Tsukihime grins as she puts her Kitsune mask back, "What do you say, traitor?"
"It's on, girl!" Emilio loudly accepts the challenge; Fio doesn't even need his agreement…
"Second, to prove your worth of accepting this country's help, you need to fulfill something by yourself, Adler" Tsukihime now name the condition Fio must do, "The Legendary Whitesmith Howard, often regarded as the finest whitesmith on earth, lives in some part of Amatsu city. Find him and ask him to forge you a sword. If he accepts, then that means you deserve Amatsu's help. What do you say, Adler?"
"Deal" Fio gives an expected reply, although she can pretty much tell there's more to this, "What's the third?"
"I will hold a play for charity to get some funds for the orphans in this city, around six weeks from now. My third condition is, I want you and your friends to participate in the play with me. You do that and our deal is sealed"
"A play? That sounds like fun!" Elraven somehow looks so eager to do the third condition, "Let's do that! We can also call Marcus for this!"
"Marcus? You mean Marcus Vidar of Arbalest?" The Amatsu's Queen asks Elraven.
"Yes! He is a funny man; he would do well in a play!"
"Alright, then" Fiorentin seals the deal for good, although no one can actually seen her face, Tsukihime smiles as wide as she could.
"It's been a pleasure meeting all of you, except for one person of course" Tsukihime expresses her (not full) gratitude, "Kenji will help you find a place to stay, please follow him"
The group quietly follows the thief, but Tsukihime doesn't know when to stop, "Oh, Kenji, if you want to, you can leave our traitor Emily in the middle of nowhere. He deserves to die anyway"
And just like usual, Emilio snaps, "Whaaaat?! What did you call me?! Emily?!"
"Sounds good for you, Emily. You're a sissy, right?"
"Grrrh! You don't sound like a princess at all! People should have called you Saruhime!"
"Whaaaattt?! What did you just call me?! Saruhime?!" Saruhime…I mean Tsukihime quickly pulls her sword, "Do you want to die that much, Emily?!"
"Bring it, Saruhime! You don't need to wait thirty days to lose your throne!" Emilio prepares his Hyperion, but Elraven and Fiorentin (again) come to the rescue.
El: "Come on, Emilio! The alliance will be canceled if you don't obey the deal!"
Fio: "Thirty days isn't that long, wasn't that what you asked?!"
And thanks god the ongoing feud has calmed down (for now) but before they left Tsukihime's house, both cousins strike their final assault before their duel,
Tsukihime: "Mark my words, Emily! I will cut you into fifty pieces in thirty days and then I'll mail it to every region on earth!"
Emilio: "Don't sweat, Saruhime! In thirty days, after I claim you throne, you will face the wrath of my boy, Ty! He will humiliate you for the rest of your life!"
And with that, the stage of the battle for the throne is settled.
In Umbala…
Ty, Frea, Fenrir and Felicia are having their lunch. Sarkhan told them it would be unwise to start the lesson with an empty stomach, not to mention because he and Randgris also have to eat. Clyde, Martina, Hugo, and Vanessa are having their lunch somewhere else. Not sure about Ifrit, though.
"Phew, that's a good lunch. Thanks god El brought us his Cloud Hermit Steak" Ty takes his drink when the group finishes their lunch, "That guy is a good cook. But, one thing I always wonder is how he could make a delicious food from weird ingredients?"
"I want to know that too" Felicia joins Ty to bring up the 'mystery', "Bigfoot steak, Wolf Steak, Sandman steak, Cloud Hermit steak, Karakasa steak, Khalitzburg steak, and many others, it's just so weird"
"Well, Elraven once told me about these weird foods" Frea opens the secret of this magic, "He said, it's in his blood"
"Does that mean he uses his blood as one of its ingredients? He is impervious to pain, right? What if he use his own blood as one of the foods ingredients?" Fenrir sums up, resulting in the other looking at each other, wondering if they really consume Elraven's blood all this time.
"How did you arrive to that conclusion? No, I don't think Elraven uses his blood to cook! That would be insane!" Ty adamantly tells the others; ensuring himself and his comrades that nothing is wrong with the food.
"And maybe…" Fenrir looks at Salvador and smiles, "Someday he will make a Peco-Peco steak using a certain ingredient, don't you think so, Felicia?"
"Kwaaaaak!" Salvador, who was enjoying his Fat Chubby Worm, freaks out and quickly runs inside the jungle.
"Salvador, come back here! He was just joking!" Felicia tries to prevent her pet from running, but failed thanks to Fenrir, "Fenrir, you shouldn't joke about him like that!"
"Chill out, Fel. I only said 'a certain ingredient'; I didn't say anything about Sal, OK? It's not like he is the only Peco-Peco in this world, right?"
"But he is the only peco-peco around! Of course he'll freak out when you mention something about Peco-Peco steak!"
"Kwaaaak!" It doesn't take long for Felicia to see Salvador again, because her beloved peco-peco freaks out from the jungle and quickly hides behind her. "Salvador, you're back! What's wrong? Why do you look so scared?" Felicia pats her pet to calm him down; but upon seeing Ifrit walks out from the jungle, everyone knows what the problem is.
"HM? MY DESSERT IS HIDING BEHIND A WORM?" Ifrit witnesses Salvador and the group, "COME HERE, PECO. I WANT TO ROAST YOU, IT WON'T HURT THAT MUCH".
"Your dessert?!" Felicia quickly hugs her crying pet; intending to protect him, "Salvador is not your dessert, you monster! Stay away from him!"
"I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU, WORM" Ifrit points to the trembling peco-peco, "LET ME ROAST HIM AND I MIGHT SPARE YOU THIS TIME".
"Hey, Salvador is her pet, not your dessert" Ty stands up for Felicia and Salvador, "Why don't you find something else to eat? There are lots of plants and fruits here"
"Um, Ty" Fenrir tells the western graced gunslinger, "Ifrit is a carnivore. He only eats meat; he doesn't eat plants and fruits"
"How do you know that?" Ty asks back.
"He is sociopathic, bloodthirsty, and is made of fire, why would you think he eats plants and fruits?"
"CORRECT. AND IF I CANNOT GET THE PECO THEN I WOULD SETTLE WITH…" Ifrit quietly stares at Felicia; who can easily tell something is wrong, "HIS OWNER"
"What?!" Felicia and Ty shout at the same time, not believing his decision would be so insane.
"Ifrit, knock it off!" Now, it's Frea who stands up, "Just leave us alone, alright?! Find some other thing to eat!"
"HEHE, LOOK AT THIS FORMER GODDESS" Ifrit lowers his head to have a better look at the soul linker, "I THINK YOU WOULD TASTE DELICIOUS AFTER I ROAST YOU, I WANT TO SEE THE LOOK OF YOUR LOVER IF I DO SO. BUT, LET'S SAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER OCCASION".
Before the tension could get any hotter, Ifrit quietly returns to the jungle. But, Fenrir just doesn't believe the fire creature would back down just like that, "Leaving already, Ifrit? It's so unlike you"
"WHAT TO SAY, FENRIR? I'M NOT REALLY HUNGRY ANYMORE" Ifrit looks over his shoulder and slyly explains, "I HAVE NOT EAT ANYTHING FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. SO, AROUND HALF AN HOUR AGO, I VISITED A VILLAGE NOT FAR FROM HERE, OUTSIDE THIS FORBIDDEN LAND BORDER OF COURSE. I ROASTED ALL THE VILLAGERS AND ATE THEM AS MY LUNCH, THEY TASTED DELICIOUS. I WANT THE PECO OR HIS OWNER AS MY DESSERT, BUT I THINK I WILL BACK DOWN FOR NOW. I'M FULL".
"You're…insane" Ty gasps, "You ate the whole village?! How could you do that?! They weren't even your enemy?"
"IF I WERE YOU I WOULDN'T SAY THAT OUT LOUD, WORM" Ifrit replies, "DIDN'T ALL OF YOU ALSO EAT THE MONSTER STEAK? THEY WEREN'T YOUR ENEMY EITHER, RIGHT? SO, WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT? YOU TREATED THE MONSTERS AS IF THEY WERE NOTHING, THE SAME GOES FOR ME. IN MY EYES, YOU WORMS ARE NOTHING BUT FOODS AND TOYS FOR ME TO CONSUME, TO KILL. BECAUSE I'M GOD AND YOU WORMS ARE NOT, SO YOU MUST LIVE WITH IT. SIMPLE, RIGHT?"
Without saying anything anymore, Ifrit returns to the jungle, leaving the others at shock. But, Felicia murmurs so everyone could hear her honest opinion, "That guy is crazy. He is a living disaster…"
Back to Amatsu…
Being one of the biggest cities in the southern hemisphere of the world, Amatsu is very crowded, especially in the downtown. People are doing business everywhere, even in the corners of the street. It would be easy to get lost in the crowds. Just like what happened to our heroes.
Just awhile ago, after the 'preview' of the battle between Emilio versus Tsukihime (or Emily versus Saruhime if u wish to call it so), Kenji took the party downtown to find them some place to stay. He said, he knew the owner of the biggest and most famous inn in Amatsu, Zenny Inn. But just as mentioned above, it is very easy to get lost in the crowds. And that was what exactly happened to the party, they got separated.
Fiorentin and Elraven were nowhere to be found, and that makes Kenji, literally their guide, freaks out. "Oh my god, I shouldn't have picked this way to the inn! Now, it would be hard to find them in this crowd!" The thief groans, panicking simply because his job is at the stake.
"Hey, get a hold of yourself" Emilio advices, "You're a thief, right? Why don't you go to the rooftops and search for them by seeking from above? It would be much easier, right? We'll wait here, we're not going anywhere"
"Oh, yeah! Right, I'll do that!" The thief wrote something and gave it to Emilio, "Here, this is the address of the inn I promised to take you. You sirs can go there, I'll meet you later after I find find the gunslinger and the princess!"
Kenji resolves and goes off, leaving Emilio, Sasha, and Gen Ed in the crowds.
"He is hopeless" Emilio shakes his head; quickly turns his attention to the traditional markets around them. "Hey, wait. Isn't that Elraven?" Emilio points out at the shop where Edward could be seen standing.
"You're right, captain. That guy looks like vice-captain" Sasha rights the statement, "But why is he wearing whitesmith attire?"
But Gen Ed has a different opinion "I don't think that's Elraven. He doesn't wear his purple glasses".
"No,no! That is Elraven!" Emilio is so sure of his eyes, "I mean, look at him! A silly but somehow good looking face, short black hair with black eyes, and stands around 6'3. That's gotta be Elraven! Let's check it out!"
Emilio and Sasha, with Gen Ed following slowly behind them, quickly approach Edward. "Oh, welcome. Can I help you, sir and mam?" The whitesmith greets the two gunslingers with a smile; but the gazes they give him quickly make him realize that something is wrong (Emilio and Sasha wear gunslinger attires anyway, of course they would look like an enforcer), "Er, did I do something wrong? This is not because I sold a katana for ten million zenny, right? Or is it because I sold my Poring card for five million zenny last month?"
"No, it's because you dress like a stupid hillbilly you already are" Emilio statement's shocks Edward, "Now, let's get your uniform back and then we can get the hell out of here. And where is the princess?"
"Um, sir…I don't think I catch you…" Edward tries to straighten things up, "I'm definitely not a stupid hillbilly, and why do you act like you have known me for a long time? If my memory serves me right, we just met…"
"If my memory serves me right, we've been friends for six freaking years. We fought together, laughed together, and bashed at each other most of the times. And you said you forgot all that?" Emilio takes his chance to get the upper hand, "I know you're insensitive and you had amnesia, but did something fall on your head? Is that why you forgot us in less than five minutes?"
"OK, this is getting nowhere. I think you are mistaking me for someone else" Edward pulls out his axe and shows it to Emilio's face, "Now, why don't you get your ass from my stand before I cut it and shove it to your mouth?"
But a little axe won't scare The Sphere of Death. Emilio grabs the axe and with an unbelievable strength, squishes it into pieces right in front of Edward's widened eyes, "Elraven, I'm not joking here! Stop pretending! This isn't funny anymore!"
"Uh…Elraven? I'm not Elraven…" Edward scarily tells Emilio, "I'm Edward; Elraven is my long lost twin brother"
"…What?" Emilio and Sasha look at each other before Emilio asks for a clarification, "Elraven is your what?"
"Elraven is my long lost twin brother"
"….Yeah, right" Emilio cynically says, "And I guess I'm Peter Pan".
"Wahaha! That's a funny one!" Sasha lets out a hard laugh because of Emilio, "And I think I'm Cinderella"
Emilio laughs too afterwards. Seeing the two gunslingers laughing uncontrollably, Edward slowly shakes his head, "These guys are insane. First, they called me hillbilly. And now they went crazy because of Elraven…"
"Emilio, Sasha, behave. You're embarrassing yourselves" Gen Ed seriously warns the two gunslingers, silenced them in the wink of an eye, "Stand up. We need to go to the inn Kenji told us"
"Uh, right. Sorry, dad" Emilio quickly regains his composure, follows by Sasha. Not wasting another second, the three goes to the inn, leaving Edward at his peace.
"Those guys are weird…" Edward picks what's left from his axe, "Ukh, this axe worth a million of zenny! And this is all because of Elraven…hey, wait a minute! That means they know him?!"
Edward turns his head to the crowd, but find the three gunslinger has left, "Oh, damn! I should have realized this earlier! My insensitivity sucks! But, I still got their tails. They said they will go to the inn Kenji told them. That means Kenji must know where they are"
Meanwhile, inside the crowds in Amatsu…
"We lost them" Elraven scopes the others using his telescope, "Yup; we definitely lost them, Alexandria"
"Ow, that's bad" The lord knight, standing beside the gunslinger, knows it would be hard finding the rest of the party in the crowds, "Do you have any other idea to find them?"
"Well, somehow the talkie wouldn't work; something jammed its signal" Elraven looks at his surrounding, "I honestly don't know how to find them"
"That's too bad" Fiorentin suddenly feels the need to ask something, "Hey, El. Can I ask you something?"
"Yes?"
"Maybe it's just me, but why didn't Emilio get mad at Gen Ed for not telling him about Amatsu earlier?"
"Because Emilio got so much respect for Gen Ed and he knew what Gen Ed said was true. Emilio is a total glory hog, but he keeps his pride and respect as well"
But their conversation is quickly ended when someone yelled at them from behind, "Edward?! Edward?!"
It was the old whitesmith who yelled at Edward when he sold an apple for a million zenny earlier today. "What are you doing dressing like that?! Aren't you supposed to be on the shop?! And who's this girl you bring with you?! Is that your girlfriend?! You have never told me you had a girlfriend before!" The whitesmith smashes Elraven with his questions, but of course neither Elraven nor Fiorentin understand him.
"Edward? I'm not Edward" The gunslinger tries to explain.
"You're not Edward?!" The whitesmith chuckles, "Yeah, right. And I guess Baphomet is cute"
"Uh, sir. I think you're mistaking me for someone else. I'm not this Edward, Baphomet, or anyone else you're looking for" Elraven keeps his cool, "And I think Baphomet is cute. He looks cool for his size"
"Don't joke with me, kid!" The whitesmith puts Elraven's head, much to El and Fio's surprise, "Get your butt to the shop right now so we can have our lunch! Your mom is waiting, for god sake!"
"Sir, let's not resolve to violence" Fio stands before the whitesmith, "He is telling you the truth. He isn't Edward; you mistook him for someone else. His name is Elraven"
"Uh...what?" Howard puts a stupid face on his already stupid face, "You're not...Edward?"
"By all means, I'm not" Elraven answers just in time when Kenji found him and Fio.
"Ah, there you are! Found you at last!" The thief expresses his gratefulness over his effort, "Please, do not get lost again. I've already asked the others to wait in a certain inn. Please follow me, alright?"
"OK" Elraven and Fiorentin quietly follows the thief guiding them without asking, leaving the whitesmith alone. But actually, he is thinking of something, "Elraven…Elraven…I've heard of that name before…hey, that's my long lost son!"
Howard quickly meddles in the crowds; trying to find Elraven if he was still around. But it appears that he has been long gone and there's no way Howard would find him in the crowded crowds, "Ugh, how could I not remember earlier?! Is this because the insensitivity of mine?! At least they followed Kenji; I can ask their whereabouts later…"
The older whitesmith quickly goes to his shop to tell his son; whereas his son is waiting for him to tell the news he just acquired. And when the two met,
Howard: "Edward, great news! I found your brother!"
Edward: "Dad, some gunslingers knew Elraven! He's alive!"
"Huh?" Both whitesmiths put a questioning look.
H: "Then we should close our store now. Let's go back to our house; we need to make a plan about how are we going to find him"
E: "Kenji knows where he is"
H: "I'm aware of that fact. We can find him later, now we should get going"
E: "Why?! We should find Kenji first!"
H: "Because your mother is already waiting for us to have our lunch! That's why!"
E: "Oh…ok"
And then the two left to their house.
Kenji led the two to their inn, Terrace Inn. Up rights in an acre ground, very large Japanese styled inn consisted of eight buildings with hot springs and restaurants, decorated with beautiful trees and small river in the middle of the inn, and occupied more than two thousand employees with first class services. A large beautiful eastern styled garden plus the scenery especially at the sunset; captivate almost anyone coming across it. The inn is easily one of the most famous inns in Amatsu.
Seeing Gen Ed and Emilio already finished the check inn process; Kenji excuses himself after informing the group he will come by the next morning to see if they need something.
"Oh, you're finally here" Gen Ed informs El and Fio who just came, "We will have five separated rooms, but thankfully on the same building. Sasha already left to her room. She's on building B room 204. I will be on building B room 108. Emilio will be at room 106. El, you will be on room 311, and princess, you will be on room 312. Here are your keys"
Receiving the keys, they head to their respective rooms accordingly. But upon arriving on the floor where their rooms supposed to be, El and Fio find a woman in blue kimono, a middle aged woman, although somehow she looks not too old. Long black haired, blue eyed and white soft skinned; standing before their rooms as if she has been waiting to greet the two.
"Oh, you're finally here" The woman greets Fio and El, "Please pardon my intrusion. My name is Helen, the supervisor of building B of Terrace Inn, could it be that you are supposed to be the occupants of room 311 and 312, sir and mam?"
"Yes" Fio answers; but the 'supposed' part rings something on her instinct, something is going to happen.
"Our humblest apologize, sir and mam. But room 311 and 312 are currently unavailable because some damages on their ceilings which require an immediate renovation. So, until the rooms are renovated, I'm afraid you will have to stay in another room"
"OK. I don't see a problem with that" Fio answers again.
"Thank you, mam. Here's your key" Helen gives Fio a key with 314 written on it.
"Thanks for the understanding. Now, I excuse myself" Helen goes, but before she goes too far Fio realizes Helen hasn't give El his key.
"Uh, wait! Miss Helen, wait!" Fio calls the supervisor who immediately returns back.
"Yes?"
"You haven't given my friend his key"
"Pardon my rudeness, mam. But, I did. Along with yours" Helen points out at the key she just gave to Fio.
"It's only one key" Elraven tries to make clear he hasn't get his key; but due to her sensitivity, Fio easily figures out what Helen tries to tell.
"Uh, Miss Helen…could it be that, you want both of us to stay together in room 314?" The lord knight slowly asks the supervisor, capturing El's attention in the process.
"Exactly" Helen says with a big smile, "Apparently, the other rooms are also full. Due to the play Tsukihime-sama will hold in six weeks, guests are coming from all over the southern hemisphere of this word. The only room left to stay is 314. You sure are very lucky"
El and Fio looks at each other, still in surprise. Helen politely takes the key from Fio's hand and opens room 314, which happen to be right beside them. It's a large Japanese styled bedroom.
"Oh, there's only one futon left. But it's big enough for two" Helen's information only adds more suspense for the frozen Fio and El, "Please, enjoy your time together. Now, I shall excuse myself"
After Helen is nowhere to be seen again, El and Fio quietly look at 'their' room and 'their' bed before looking at each other again.
El: "Good lord…this is insanely crazy…"
Fio: "I will have to…sleep with…uh?"
Who knows what might happen tonight?
Helen is seen quietly walking to the supervisor room. Inside, it's a luxurious room with luxurious household and living instruments. In fact, it's actually a small house where she and her family live. "Mommy, you're home!" A little girl, bob black haired with a very cute face using a kimono just like her mother, runs from what supposed to be a kitchen right to her mother, "I finally cooked an abyssmal knight steak! Dad and Howard are enjoying it!"
"Oh, really? That's wonderful, Dana" Helen takes her cheerful daughter to the dining room, where Howard and Edward are enjoying the steak. "Mom, good news! This steak is delicious! Dede is wonderful! You should eat it too" Edward invites her mother to taste the freshly made steak, and Helen does so.
"And you now what is more wonderful, honey?" Howard happily tells her wife, "Elraven is alive"
"Elraven?" Helen tries to recall, "Oh, you mean our long lost son. My, where did you find him? And where is he?"
"He's not here. Kenji took him to a certain inn, too bad it's not our inn here" Howard continues eating the food, "But rest assured, I'll find him soon"
"Elraven? He is supposed to be my brother who lost before I was born. Right, dad?" Dana sits on her father's lap and asks.
"Right. And this time, we will find him for sure" Howard ensures his daughter of the mission.
"We can also find him if we meet the gunslingers who knew him" Edward reminds everyone presents.
"Speaking about a gunslinger, I met one just now" Helen is obviously referring to Elraven, "He came with his girlfriend but they asked for a separated room. So, I told them the rooms they wanted need to be renovated and gave them another room where they have to sleep together. I always feel awkward when a boyfriend doesn't want to do his girlfriend"
"Oh, that's sweet. Nothing should come across the beautiful adventure called love, right?" Howard agrees with his wife, "Let's hope they get the best of their love tonight. Which room is it?"
"314"
"Good, if we have to, we'll help them to get laid tonight. As the owner of the Terrace Inn, I won't let anyone feel upset of not knowing love when they are in my inn!" Howard exclaims the mission of love for tonight. But really, if only he knows…
Howard Sinclair, 46 years old, is the richest man in the world; the owner Terrace Inn. Also knows as The Legendary Whitesmith. He suffers from the insensitivity of his own financial condition. But thanks to his infinite wealth, he can survive until now. And he is actually a very talented poem artist.
Helen Sinclair, 45 years old, is the richest wife in the world; the supervisor of building B in Terrace Inn. A very talented chef, she suffers from the insensitivity of being insensitive of her surrounding.
Edward Sinclair, 21 years old, the second son of the Sinclair family. He is actually a very talented whitesmith. Too bad his insensitivity of other's people financial condition doesn't do him any favor at all.
Dana Sinclair, 6 years old, the youngest child of the Sinclair family. She inherited the talent of cooking from her mother. A very energetic girl, she suffers from the insensitivity of other's people insensitivity.
Together, they live peacefully in Amatsu as a normal insensitive family after the lost of their first son…until now, until tonight.
At the same time, in Gonryun …
Alphard, with his usual grumpy face, is staring at someone silently standing in front of the window in his room. The night is still young in Gonryun, so he could see his face clearly although he didn't turn on the light just yet.
"What are you doing here, Seyren?" The lord knight prepares his Tegron, "Sneaking inside my house and watching the scenery from my window, what's gotten into you? From a traitor now you become a peeping tom? The name of Pendragon sure have been going downhill"
"Take it easy, nephew" Seyren still does his lanky act, "I'm not here to peep, fight, or anything. I'm here to make an offer…or a bid to be more precise"
"What kind of bid?"
"A good one" Seyren grins an evil grin, "Say, how about coming with me to…Thanatos Tower? You wouldn't regret this deal. I give you my words"
"What if I regret?"
"Then you can cut my head off, Sir Alphard. Even though, I'm sure you won't regret"
Although he can see Seyren's bad intention just by looking at his eyes, Alphard lowers his sword, literally accepting the deal…
Bonus Chapter
1st Story: What happened to Olivia?
We all knew Eremes got Olivia eight months ago at Glast Heim. Since then, a lot of people have been asking me what truly happened to her. To find out, we will have to return to eight months ago…
Eight months ago, ten hours after the war has ended, somewhere in Sograt Desert…
The night has just fallen in Sograt, painting the sky black and revealing the stars on it. The troubled high priest could be seen lying quietly on a bed, in a small room with a drawer and window. Her long black hair unfolding on the bed; her face is so calm and full with peace.
Slowly opening her eyes, she starts looking around her. "Where is this? What happened to me?" Olivia slowly rises from the bed, "Wait, I remember. Something knocked me out during the war. Was I taken as a hostage?"
But she quickly realizes her clothes are still intact and she isn't wounded at all. That means whoever took her here didn't abuse her or inflict any pain on her. "No, I don't think so. But why would an enemy take me here?" Olivia tries to figure out, but she heard someone stepping from outside the room; someone is coming.
Readying her hardcover book, she waits behind the door to attack whoever comes inside. The door is slowly opened and a man comes in. Wasting no chance, Olivia hit the man's head with her book and knocks him down to the floor.
"OW! That hurts!" And the man, with a lump on his head because of the sudden attack, turns out to be Eremes, "Why did you do that?! I came to give you food and you hit me with that thing?! Don't you have any heart at all?!"
"What?! It's you?! The assassin cross from Valdomir?!" The high priest finally figures out who took her here, "Stay down there or I'll give you another hit! Why did you take me here, grandpa?! What happened to my friends?!"
"What?! How dare you called me grandpa?!" Eremes turns out to be just as noisy, "Don't call me grandpa! I'm still twenty years old! I have a grey hair because some genetic problem not due to my age!"
"Screw your hair! I didn't ask you about that!" And Olivia turns out to be a relentless foe, "I asked of you, what happened to my friends?!"
"Geez, they lost the battle! Valdomir have won!" Eremes stand back and stares at Olivia's surprised face, "Happy now?!"
"What? They…lost?" Olivia drops her book to the floor; her voice symbolizes her disbelief perfectly, "This….is impossible. Tell me this is a joke! They cannot be defeated!"
"Hey, calm down,alright? I only said they lost" Eremes tries to clear his point, "If you're talking about Alexandria and her closest allies, they all survived. My man told me they fled with a giant ship from Einbroch. That's all I know"
"Fio and the others….are saved?" Now, her voice sounds much finer, "Did my father and my sister make it back?"
"You mean a tall male paladin and a female paladin riding a peco called Salvador?" Eremes sure did a good effort knowing his enemies, "Yeah, they also made it back"
"Oh, thanks god" Olivia cannot hold herself shedding some little tears, "Thanks god they are alright"
"So, you've calmed down. Good" Eremes expresses his gratitude for her calming down, "Can we get to the business now?"
"Right…" The high priest swipes her tears and puts a serious face, "Why did you take me here? What do you want?'
"I need your help" Eremes tells his reason without hesitation. Although she was surprised at first, she knows Eremes isn't lying when she look at his eyes. His green eyes are telling the truth, he needs her help.
"You've mentioned it before" Olivia recalls the conversation they had in the forest, "But, what kind of help?"
"Come with me" Eremes asks the high priest to follow him and she does so. Along the way, she looks around her surroundings. She could tell she is in a very old building made of brick. The corridors are being lightened by torches. And the doors are made of woods. They stopped in front of an old door, older than the other doors.
Opening the doors, Olivia was surprised to find dozens of kids sleeping in their respective beds, calmly. "See?" Eremes starts telling his story, "They are the orphans I took in the last five years. They lost her parents and families because of Valdomir Kingdom"
"What?" Olivia doesn't seem to understand, "But, you're also part of Valdomir, right? Why did you do this?"
"A decoy" Eremes admits, "We're inside the assassin guild in Sograt Desert. Satan Morroc destroyed Morroc Town when he was awakened five years ago, but he didn't attack this guild. I'm Eremes, the only son of the last Assassin Guild leader, Gideon"
"Gideon? I've heard of him. He died during the war with Prontera around ten years ago"
"True"
Ten years ago, the assassin guild in Morroc rebelled against Prontera because of some internal problems. Prontera eventually won the battle, resulting on the seclusion of the assassins until Valdomir arrived. Needless to say, the assassins despise the people in Prontera so much…Eremes included.
"But, there are more important things than that to talk about right now" Eremes casually continues, "I know how does it feel to lost a family, and we all know what Valdomir have caused to Rune Midgard. That's why; I joined them as a decoy so I can acquire power and help the people in Midgard from their behind. And so far, the plan was a success"
"So, the assassins' rebellion group is actually you and the remaining assassins?" Olivia concludes.
"Right. We've been living here in the last ten years, so live wasn't that hard in the last five years. But, I realize something is missing" Eremes goes straight to his point, "No matter how much I want to deny it, the assassins have no place left other than here. If those kids follow our path and become assassins, they will also be secluded…maybe forever. I need something or rather, someone, to make them a better class of people. I could careless about what would become of me, just like the other assassins could. But those kids still have the chance to have a future, if only someone would guide them"
"Guide them?" Olivia starts to understand, "You want me…to make them as priests?"
"Precisely" Eremes smiles in a happy face, "This place is safe from Valdomir because Sograt is my territory. So, your safety and the kids' safety are assured. I don't know who else would help me. Survivors of Prontera are definitely out of question. That's why, I think if I choose someone close to the noble we knew as Alexandria, I would gain a help. I'm sorry for abducting you, but I think you're the only one who would…understand"
"I do" Olivia looks at the sleeping kids before looking at Eremes again, "This is all so sudden, but I got your point. You're not a bad man at all"
"Really?" Eremes chuckles.
"If you were a bad man, you wouldn't care about those kids that much" Olivia speaks with a rather calming tone.
"So, what's your answer?" Eremes wants to ensure that his effort on bringing Olivia here wouldn't be absurd, "If you say no, then I will find where Alexandria is and take you to her place right away. But, please remember this, I need you. I need your help"
And the last statement surely rings something inside Olivia. All this time, she has been longing for the feeling of being needed by someone else. And right now, right in front of her very eyes, someone is asking for her help. Someone needs her.
"We are all needed in this world, this circle of life. There's no such thing as useless or worthless. Somehow, someway, someone out there needs you…for whatever reason"
The words Felicia told her just yesterday suddenly resounding inside her, reminding her of her deepest wish.
"All you need is to have the courage to wait, and embrace those people when you finally meet them. Stand still, look up, and take a good look at the world around you. You will meet them, your destined people, just wait and see"
Olivia smiles, and without thinking she answers, "I'm in"
"Really?" Eremes puts a very bright face in his face, "For real?"
"In one condition"
"Name it"
"Your lump has healed, and you said Sograt is your territory. The only human who could heal himself automatically and has some authority in Valdomir must be one of The Quarter Kings"
"Yes, but there's only two left now. Me and another one"
"I know. I watched one of you being defeated by a monster" Olivia recalls the battle between Elraven and Leonid, "But he took the monster nearly to his limit. So, if I can fight like you guys, I would be even more useful"
"What's your condition?"
"Teach me how to fight" Olivia names her condition, "You do that, and I'll turn those kids into the finest priests in Midgard"
"Deal" Eremes stretches his hand, wanting to shake hands. And Olivia does the same, shaking her hand with his.
"Welcome to the hood, Olivia" Eremes says with a happy voice, "Tomorrow morning I'll introduce you to the kids and the other assassins"
"OK"
"Now, let's get you the food I told you" The two returns to Olivia's room. Eremes left her alone to eat an egg roll. After she finishes eating, Olivia looks at the window, to night sky.
Her heart feels content. She knows her life won't be easy here, because she will miss her family and her friends, but she also realizes that's how life goes, "You know what, Fel? I think I have found them…the people destined for me"
And so that was what happened to Olivia. The bonus chapters will mainly tell about her, so to be continued! C u next bonus chapter!
Omake!
AOC: (Wearing a heavy armor) Hey, hey! Here we are in the third edition of the omake! As you can see, I'm wearing armor, plate mail armor. Because our guest today is (shivers)…the freshly voted best villain of The Knightfall, Ifrit!
I: (Viciously staring at AOC)...
AOC: (Scared) …What? What?! Did I do something wrong? If so, please forgive me…
I: LET'S CUT THE CHIT-CHAT, WORM. WHAT IS THE FIRST QUESTION?
AOC: Oh, right. Uh, the first question is from Kogane1089. He said, "Ifrit, I'm playing Monster Hunter in PSP, and I need a well done steak. Can you make one?"
I: WHAT?! HOW IMBECILE! HOW DARE HE ASK ME TO DO SOMETHING RIDICULOUS LIKE THAT!
AOC: (Hides) Calm down, calm down! So, can u make one or not?!
I: WHERE IS THIS SO CALLED KOGANE LIVES?
AOC: Uh…Philippine
I: FINE! THEN, I WILL GO TO PHILIPPINE, FIND THIS KOGANE GUY, AND ROAST HIM INTO A WELL DONE STEAK!
AOC: Ow, Kogane-kun, first you made Emilio mad at you, and then Fio, and now the worst of all, Ifrit. I think we all know what Ifrit is capable of, so…what to say, I'm going to miss you buddy (LOL). Second question is from Slave Leia, "Ifrit, you are only mentioned as being gigantic. How tall are you? Are you taller than Thanatos Phantom, Naght Sieger and Great Demon Baphomet?"
I: I CAN CHANGE MY SIZE AND SHAPE AS I WISH, BUT IN MY USUAL FORM, I STAND IN 8'3. THANATOS PHANTOM IS SHORTER THAN ME, BECAUSE HE IS ORIGINALLY A WORM, SO OF COURSE HE HAS THE SAME HEIGHT AS MOST WORMS. HE STANDS AROUND 6'2. NAGHT SIEGER AND GREAT DEMON BAPHOMET ARE BOTH TALLER THAN ME. NAGHT SIEGER STANDS AROUND 10 FEET TALL. GREAT DEMON BAPHOMET STANDS AROUND 12'4.
AOC: Wow, all of you are gigantic! OK, the third question is from Beautiful Zombie Slayer, "Ifrit, do you have any lust for women at all?'
I: YES
AOC: Oh?! Really?
I: IN TERM OF BURNING THEM, I MEAN. SEEING THEM IN PAIN AND LISTENING TO THEIR SCREAMS WOULD PLEASE ME TO MY FULLEST.
AOC: OK…that's understandable, at least for you. The 4th question is from Samurai Cowgirl, "Why do you seem to be rather friendly toward your comrades in Valdomir? Especially Beelzephir, Morroc, Thanatos, and Baphomet?"
I: THEY ARE NOT MY COMRADES AT ALL. WE STRIVE FOR A DIFFERENT PURPOSE, BUT WE JUST HAPPEN TO BAND TOGETHER. I DO NOT REGARD THEM AS MY COMRADES AT ALL. IT'S JUST THAT I CAN USE THEM, SO THAT'S WHY I'M BEING FRIENDLY.
AOC: …So, the truth is revealed. Well, if you remember correctly, Ifrit attacked the eirnheijars in Ragnarok although he sided with Odin. He even admitted during his fight with Fenrir that he joined Odin so he had the chance to kill his fellow gods, so I guess he isn't friendly at all. Fifth question is from Donquixote Doflamingo, "What is your opinion about AOC's not showing your guild, Erebus Guild, in the story until now? Erebus Guild is often mentioned as the strongest of the five guilds, right?"
I: THIS IS FOR YOU TO ANSWER.
AOC: Uh, right. I'm just waiting for the right time to show Erebus Guild in the story. You know, save the best for the last.
I: WHAT HE SAID.
AOC: OK, the sixth question is from Aya, "AOC, how do you describe Ifrit? What drives you to create Ifrit in the first place?"
I: NOW WE'RE TALKING. I ALSO WANT TO HEAR IT.
AOC: A vile god who holds no value at any kind of lives at all; that is how I describe Ifrit. What drives me to create Ifrit is the exact same statement. I want a merciless character who would consume anyone standing before him; who kills without any kind of reasonable reasons. You see, nowadays, nearly all the bad guys in anime/manga have 'reasons' to act evil. But those reasons only make them look somewhat right or not so evil. It's as if they have something that would make what they do is good, the prime example being Nagato from Naruto, he wants to make this world a better place by teaching them pain because of his own pain, or The World Government in One Piece, who rules with tyranny to maintain what they belief, which is the world peace. I realized, the most evil of evil is the one who does evil act without having a reasonable reason to do so, like The Joker from The Dark Knight, he just want to see this world burns, what for? No one truly knows. Hannibal Lecter from Silence of The Lambs, he just eats people because he feels like it, no other reason! T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, he kills anyone who stands before him and his mission, simply because he is uncompromising and heartless. Or in manga, Genkaku from Deadman Wonderland, he killed a whole family, his friends, and his comrades with a smiling face and a very cruel way (using an anti tank rifle) because of what? He thinks that death is the best salvation for all of us! Unreasonable, right?! That's why I want a character like that, and I created Ifrit. Ever since his debut, he only kills because of what? He is a god and humans aren't! One thing that really establishes him as a heartless monster is unquestionably his debut, where he exploded the whole Alberta and squished the inn with joy. When he told the others how he wasted the inn's owner, everyone think of him as monster in an instant. I got many PM from Aya, Castle43, and mikamika told me about how vile Ifrit is. I promise you will see more of his vileness in the second half, just wait and c!
I: THAT SOUNDS PROMISING.
AOC: Yes. The seventh question is from Castle43, "What is Ifrit's origin?"
I: I DON'T WANT TO TELL.
AOC: What?! Uh, ok…I'll answer. Apparently, Ifrit's origin in The Knightfall is unclear, although most of the gods is, e.g.: Willy told me Odin is half fairy. We all know Fenrir, Eisenheim, and Beelzephir are Loki's sons. About Ifrit…I read from an old literature that Ifrit is originally a genie. He is a genie who has the ability to control flames. But in Ragnarok Online Universe, he is described only as The Fire God of Midgard. So, let's stick to 'The Embodiment of Hell' as his origin. He is a creature born from the conscience of hell, live only to destroy.
I: A GOOD GUESS.
AOC: Thank you. The 8th question is from mikamika, "Do you consider yourself as the strongest of gods?"
I: HONESTLY, I DON'T CARE ABOUT BEING THE STRONGEST OR NOT. AS LONG AS WORMS AND GODS ARE THERE FOR ME TO KILL, I COULD CARELESS ABOUT ANYTHING AT ALL.
AOC: (Sweat dropped) Well, at least finally mikamika asked something not related to turning someone on. OK, the next question is from Allen In The Dark, "Do you consider Elraven as a threat?"
I: IS THIS EVEN A QUESTION? WHY WOULD I CONSIDER SOMEONE WHO COULD BARELY TOUCH ME AS A THREAT? AT FIRST, HE WAS JUST A SMALL WORM WHO TRIED TO STRUGGLE AGAINST ME. BUT NOW, I THINK OF HIM AS A FUN TOY TO PLAY WITH. NOTHING WOULD BEAT DESTROYING A WORM WHO ACTS SO HIGH AND MIGHTY.
AOC: Wow, Elraven is in a big problem. The next question is from Tia Harribel, "During the war at Glast Heim, Morroc mentioned something about your true form. Was he mentioned the crescendo state Sarkhan mentioned at Umbala? If so, how strong is your true form?"
I: TRUE. BOTH MORROC AND SARKHAN MENTIONED THE SAME THING. ALL THE GODS HAVE THEIR OWN TRUE FORMS. FENRIR HAS HIS, RANDGRIS HAS HERS, AND BEELZEPHIR HAS HIS, THE SAME AS ODIN, LOKI, EISENHEIM, AND OTHER GODS. FREYJA DOESN'T HAVE A TRUE FORM ANYMORE BECAUSE SHE GAVE HER POWER TO A CERTAIN LAND. AND RIGHT NOW, SARKHAN IS AT HIS TRUE FORM.
AOC: For real?
I: FOR REAL. ABOUT HOW STRONG GODS TRUE FORM IS, THAT DEPENDS ON THE GODS THEMSELVES. SARKHAN WAS WEAK, SO HIS CURRENT POWER IS THE BEST HE COULD GET USING HIS TRUE FORM. FENRIR IS EVEN GREATER THAN ODIN, SO HIS TRUE FORM WOULD BE VERY OVERWHELMING. IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHT, BOTH ODIN AND FENRIR USED THEIR TRUE FORMS WHEN THEY BATTLED AT RAGNAROK. DESPITE ODIN'S BEST EFFORT, FENRIR EVENTUALLY WON THE BATTLE. RANDGRIS IS ONE OF THE STRONGEST VALKYRIES, SO HER TRUE FORM WOULD BE POWERFUL FOR HER OWN CLASS. BEELZEPHIR IS AS STRONG AS A NORMAL GOD COULD BE, SO IF HE USES HIS CRESCENDO STATE, HIS POWER WOULDN'T BOOST THAT MUCH EVEN THOUGH A TRUE FORM WOULD USUALLY BOOST GODS ABILITY HUNDRED OF TIMES.
AOC: What about yours?
I: MINE? THAT'S A SECRET. BUT IF YOU WANT A CLUE…JUST REMEMBER THAT I NEVER TRULY RESTED FOR TEN THOUSAND YEARS. I HAVE DONE SOMETHING ELSE TOO.
AOC: Well, Ifrit's true form will be shown later in the story, but I think we can wait for that. The last question if from my 'editor', Willy, "Ifrit, do you have a hobby?"
I: I DO.
AOC: What's your hobby?
I: (Grins, and then shows AOC a Purgatorio on his left hand) RATHER THAN TELLING ABOUT IT, CAN I JUST SHOW IT INSTEAD?
AOC: OH, crud! This isn't good! (Runs) Run everybody, run for your life!
GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR!
…..
Around forty minutes later, AOC woke up in the ruins (formerly the studio) and found the producers have been knocked out as well.
AOC: (Look around him) Oh, the studio is destroyed, but at least Ifrit has left. Well, the next omake is about Felicia. You know what to do to ask your question or relay your message.
What will happen to El and Fio on their room? Will Gen Ed and Emilio make another stupid bet? Will the Sinclair Family successfully get El and Fio to get laid (LOL)?!
Stay tune to see what kind of destiny waits for all of them in the next chapter, 'One Night Stand'.
Thank u for reading, c u next chapter! (^^)