"Lady Emilia seems physically fine, nyah." That was good to hear...!
"So, is she gonna wake up soon!? What happened to make her pass out in the first place!? Do we need to head back to the capital!?" Julius had returned, so the latter was doable.
Felix winced. "N-nyah, please don't scream at my sensitive ears." Cat person, right.
Priscilla chuckled. "Hah, mine piggy does like to squeal loudly." That damned reputation of his again! "But he makes some reasonable questions, do you have the answers to them, Blue?"
And she wasn't the only one in the room either. Pretty much everyone of their party was here too... A candidate suddenly passing out was serious business.
Not just because Emilia was important, but because she was on a journey with two other candidates, and a guard of another candidate in the form of the Finest Knight. If something happened to her, the word sabotage would definitely been thrown around...
Though considering it was Emilia, people might sadly just not care. The Fire Emblem defense pact would definitely end though.
Felix put a hand to his chin. "Well, I don't know when she's gonna wake up, nyah." That's not good... "I don't even know why she passed out after all, which answers the second question."
He continued. "And about heading to the capital... such a decision is not up to me. Although please keep in mind that a better healer won't be found." Right.
They already had the Blue here, if he didn't find anything wrong, then who would?
Priscilla squinted her eyes. "Are you sure it is not related to the parasite? Perhaps that thing has gotten inside of her." Doubtful, since it doesn't really seem to do anything to women.
However... Emilia was an half-elf. Who knows what kind of changes her biology had compared to a human girl.
Felix shook his head. "I'm sure. Even if she went and drank water from the village like I told her not to, I'm not detecting anything strange in her body."
Julius interjected. "May I have an word? It's fortuitous that I have returned, because I believe the problem with Lady Emilia refers to her use of spirits."
He looked at her broken crystal with concern shining in his eyes. "I... this is just a theory, but I believe she broke a rule of some sort concerning her contract with the Great Spirit of Fire, and paid the price for it."
Heitor paled as a horrifying idea came to his mind. "Wait, is Puck dead!?"
Priscilla giggled. "We can only hope." Not the time!
Julius cleared his throat, wisely ignoring Priscilla. "I do not believe so. Right now he should be inside of that very crystal... though he is not receiving mana, so it's doubtful he can even show himself."
Heitor grit his teeth. "I see... Damn it...!" His ability did warn him of a few weaknesses their contract might have had, but nothing about her suddenly passing out like this!
Probably because it wasn't related to battle...
Felix squinted his eyes. "It's either that, or... Heitor here has done something to her." Huh? "I didn't want to bring it up, but she was with him when she passed out right?" Well...
Suspicion was dripping from his tongue. "I don't want to assume anything, but his ability is pretty... mysterious, nyah."
Priscilla immediately glared at the knight. "You dare cast suspicion upon mine servant? You should be careful lest I remove that dirty tongue of yours." She scowled. "One not fit to lick even a beggar's feet."
...kinky.
Felix winced. "H-hey, I'm not saying we should torture him or anything. But can we at least have Lady Crusch confirm he hasn't done anything wrong?"
Priscilla clicked her tongue. "So you wish for your master to confirm it? As if you two aren't just vipers hoping to bite upon mine servant's neck? I won't let it happen, that master of yours will not—."
"Lady Crusch wouldn't lie to get him killed!" And now Felix was mad too. "She's definitely more trustworthy than a guy who claims to be from beyond the Great Waterfall!"
Priscilla rolled her eyes. "Watch your tone. I trust in mine servant far more than I trust in the valkyrie... And so does the half-wit. Or are you forgetting who actually stood up for her during the Royal Selection?"
Oh? His past dumbassery was actually helping him out?
Felix grit his teeth. "That may be so, but..."
Crusch awkwardly tried to interject. "I... I understand the situation. So for now, I shall trust Heitor. Besides, this man has led us in battle against the undead. There were plenty of easier ways to get us taken out of commission there."
Felix looked down. "I... you're right Lady Crusch, sorry. I guess I can't blame Lady Priscilla for not trusting someone she doesn't really know."
In the end, everyone seemed a bit down...
So Heitor decided to throw a olive branch. "Well, I'm still willing to talk with Lady Crusch about it." If it would calm everyone down, then it was fine.
He didn't think the duchess would be the type to use this opportunity to get rid of him, she was too much of a Fire Emblem hero for it. And he really hadn't done anything to Emilia. Probably. Hopefully. Priscilla had reached Rank-B just fine at least...
And now Priscilla was glaring at him. "What? I won't allow it, fool."
Julius tried to play peacemaker. "Lady Priscilla, if Heitor is willing to, then perhaps it would be best to..."
Priscilla cut him off. No peacemaker could handle her. "If you see a fool about to drink poison, would you let him? Well, incompetent knight that you apparently are, you just might."
Thankfully for the knight, he didn't need to handle her anger for long. Because it went back to Heitor. "And you... if you are so willing to commit suicide, then prostrate before me, and I shall do the job mineself."
To that... he could only awkwardly chuckle. "It will be fine Lady Priscilla. This is just for Ferris' peace of mind. If Lady Crusch does declare me as guilty, we can just ignore it and move on."
Priscilla huffed. "Do as you please." Even though she saw his point she was mad at his defiance...
So just usual Priscilla. He would just be happy that she didn't immediately take his head as punishment for not appreciating her helping hand enough, or something of that nature.
He looked at Crusch. "So I'll just say it straight up... I don't think I did anything that could hurt Emilia. Though I could be wrong of course, even I don't really understand my power all too well..."
Crusch smiled. "That was the truth. Thank you for fulfilling my knight's... No, my selfish request, friend." So she was feeling just like Felix huh?
And now the Blue looked really guilty. Heitor actually felt kind of bad. "I'm sorry too, nyah."
He waved them off. "It's perfectly understandable, so no issues." He was just glad he managed to skip an arc about distrust or whatever. Fuck that. "Although we do need to discuss what we must do with Lady Emilia."
He continued. "Maybe we should just travel back to the capital and let her rest for a few days? If she's fine physically, then maybe she will get up eventually..."
Priscilla shook her head. "We must not waste time with the half-wit. I must verify if this parasite plague has spread to the nearby villages, and then eliminate it."
Felix looked down. "It wouldn't surprise me if it did, I'm pretty sure the plague is travelling across the village's water supply nyah. If it's connected to any other village then... well, it will be troublesome."
He sighed. "And considering those undead had so much intelligence, then they might have gone spreading the parasite around even if the other village didn't share the same water supply." What a damn nightmare.
It wasn't something that could be ignored, even with Emilia in her current state. They all knew this.
Julius raised a hand. "Well, I'm already organizing the villager's escort to the Barielle mansion... I wasn't planning to go with them, but I could do so, and take Lady Emilia with me."
It went without saying that they couldn't just let Emilia be handled by the random servants that had come with the carriages. Her safety would be at risk if anybody decided to... act on the rage they felt for the half-elf.
There was one problem though, one Heitor made sure to point out. "Would it really be wise to separate her from Sir Ferris?" He was the world's best healer...
Felix shrugged. "It's not like I can do much for her. I would be way more useful against the parasites." Her gaze shifted to Priscilla. "What do you think, nyah?"
Priscilla let out an annoyed groan. "Ugh, I should have called mine combat maid back when the Finest Knight went to mine estate." Yae huh? Having a extra hand would definitely be useful right now.
"But I suppose it cannot be helped. Very well, Finest Knight, you have my permission to take the fool to my manor. Leave her at the hands of the head maid and return immediately." Born to be a foot locked unit, forced to be a cav unit.
Julius bowed. "I shall move as fast as possible." And that was that.
Now he just had to say goodbye to poor Emilia and hope that she would be okay...
"A-ah..." And suddenly she woke up.
"Lady Emilia!" He rushed to her side as fast as possible, and saw...
"Ahhh..." Emilia, looking at nothing in particular, and quietly groaning to herself. What the hell?
Everyone stared at her in shocked silence, waiting for that to change, for her to do anything else, but no. Emilia just kept... not doing anything, just groaning to herself with dazed eyes, almost as if she wasn't really there. Heitor half expected her to start drooling.
Felix was the first to burst into action, perhaps because of his experience with situations like these. "Let me check her!" Something had to have changed.
Right?
Emilia was apparently fine before, so...
As Felix did a check-up, presumably by using magic, Heitor sent a worried look towards Julius. "Is this really what happens when someone breaks a contract...?" In that case, fuck spirits.
The knight flinched. "I... cannot say for sure. I suppose it depends..." That wasn't what Heitor wanted to hear.
Priscilla looked mad. "Ah, I see. So this is what's going on... To think I let such a waste of a being lounge around near me..." That didn't sound good.
But Priscilla could be surprisingly perceptive, as she had show before, so maybe hearing her out was worth it... "Did you figure something out, Lady Priscilla?"
She nodded. "Indeed, I have. The half-wit's problem isn't a physical one, nor is it a spiritual one, she has simply broken her mind. Mayhaps she could not handle a world that despises her anymore? Either way, there is no cure for being pathetic."
"You can't be serious." Emilia's mind broke?
That was fucking ridiculous... Though she did pass out when she was talking about a pretty heavy topic... No, even then, it shouldn't have made her become catatonic like this!
"Believe what you wish, I care not, however..." She glared at the half-elf. "I do not want that thing in mine home. I retract my previous statement, the Finest Knight may take her to the capital if he so wishes, but not to my manor."
Julius gasped. "Lady Priscilla, that's..."
But Priscilla wouldn't hear it. "It is my home. It is only natural that I do not want any filth in it."
It was a grim reminder of how callous Priscilla could be, but Heitor wouldn't just watch it from the sidelines. "Lady Priscilla, she needs help! A-and, she helped us with the battles so far, so...!" Did it really matter?
While this was cruel from Priscilla, Emilia would be fine at the capital too. All it meant was a longer trip for poor Julius... Heitor was sure one of the other candidates would be willing to house her.
"Hmpf. Very well, but I do not wish to even look at her while she's there." Priscilla actually relented!?
A stroke of good fortune. "Thank you, Lady Priscilla..." He shifted his gaze to Felix. "Sir Ferris, have you found anything?" Perhaps he was asking the poor knight to act too quickly.
Felix grimaced. "No, she's the same as before... I hate to say it, but Lady Priscilla might be right. This might be a problem with her mind."
Crusch raised an eyebrow. "Did the previous battle affect her that much...?" It didn't.
Heitor knew where the blame lied. "No, the truth is... Lady Emilia and I were talking, and I..." All because he was trying to play therapist. "She told me some personal things, and then passed out like this."
Priscilla put a hand on his shoulder. "Do not blame yourself piggy. Some people are just... like that. Worms." Was this her idea of comfort!?
Julius sighed. "I wouldn't put it that way, but it is true that you can hardly be blamed for Lady Emilia's current state..."
"Even so..." He walked closer to Emilia. "Maybe I should at least accompany her back to the manor—?" And suddenly he was feeling blinding pain.
"Ahhh..." Nothing about Emilia's state had particularly changed.
Except she was hugging one of his arms, it reminded him of a scared child. However, a scared child did not have the strength of an elf... Something that Emilia typically controlled, but right now...
"Argh...!" She was cracking his arm in two.
Priscilla growled. "One of you idiots better remove her arms from mine piggy, before I remove her from this world!" The look in her eyes said she would have already done so had it been daytime.
Felix couldn't do much to help, even if he was a knight, he was focused purely on supporting people. Crusch and Julius were different however, both being extremely powerful warriors with glowing reputations.
And both were now desperately trying to pry his arm off from Emilia's hug, and desperately failing. Heitor knew elves were physically strong, but this was just bullshit!
Eventually however, they finally succeeded. Heitor pulled the mess that was now his arm from her grasp with a triumphant cry.
"Ah..." Emilia didn't even seem to notice what had just transpired.
Heitor fell to his knees, whimpering. "Fuck...!" This wasn't the first time he had broken a bone, but that did not mean this was any less painful.
Felix quickly rushed to his side. "Let me see that!" And start working his magic.
For the best healer in the world, healing a broken arm would be simple. Or at least that's what Heitor was screaming to himself to try and ignore the pain that he was currently feeling. It wasn't helping much.
Priscilla clenched her fists. "That half-devil...!" That wasn't good, she was calling Emilia that again... "She is not setting foot in mine mansion, she is not setting foot anywhere near anything that belongs to me!"
Even through the pain, Heitor tried to change her mind once again. "But Lady Priscilla..." This wasn't Emilia's fault...
But this time his pleas reached deaf ears. "Silence, piggy! The girl is lucky I do not take her head right here and now, to harm mine property is a serious offense!" Damn it...
And he wasn't feeling good enough to argue. He wasn't feeling good enough to do anything really. Unsurprisingly, it was hard to think when your arm had become a pastel.
Julius didn't argue either. "Very well, I shall take Lady Emilia to the capital then. Lady Anastasia will surely offer her refugee." She was super on-board with the Fire Emblem thing.
The Finest Knight looked at the Blue. "Ferris, this may be a strange request, but after you are done healing Heitor, may you put Lady Emilia to sleep? I know this is uncouth of me, but..."
Felix nodded. "I get ya, nyah. Moving her while she's awake could be dangerous... The Finest Knight, needs his fine arms."
Felix had lived up to his title, before Julius had even left, Heitor's arm was brand new.
And now it was time to move the villagers, and Emilia, out of this awful place. "I'll keep Lady Emilia safe. Of that you have my word." The Finest Knight sounded as chivalrous as usual.
Felix pouted. "Are you sure you don't want to rest, nyah? You're starting to look pretty tired Julius." Dawn hadn't even risen and the man was already leaving again.
Julius smiled. "A true knight must know when to keep pushing, and when to sheath his sword... Considering the state of these people, and of Lady Emilia, I must keep pushing."
And at this point it was probably too late to back down anyways. The villagers were already in the carriages, and Emilia had also carefully been brought to on—.
Enemies were surrounding the village.
Heitor winced, as he grasped his head. "Ugh..." There were a scary amount of them.
And they had also chosen the worst possible time to attack! Now Heitor would need to protect the villagers, this time treating the village more as a defensive point than anything else. And it was nighttime too...
Naturally, his sudden flinch did not go unnoticed. Priscilla tilted her head. "Piggy? Are you alright?"
"We are about to be attacked. Enemies are surrounding the village from all sides." This wasn't like when their group attacked from north and south.
The enemy had enough men to completely surrounded the village. And they weren't slackers either, they had plenty of fairly skilled fighters and mages.
Priscilla scowled. "Undead?"
Heitor shook his head. "No, it's... normal people. I don't know if they're bandits though, they're all wearing these weird black clothes..."
Julius drew his sword. "That must be the Witch's Cult. We must prepare for a tough battle, at once." Oh...
The obvious main villains had finally show up!
AN: Emilia has sucked Crusch's loser juice.