It seemed like a simple mission. In fact, it wasn't anything complicated at first glance, but quoting her beloved uncle, "the simplest missions aren't always the best to take."
Well, what else could she do? Morgan was in danger! She had to do something.
She stopped for a moment to think. In the last few minutes, she had been wandering aimlessly, and only then did the question cross her mind: what exactly could she do to help Morgan?
She shook her head as she tried to think of a plan. Honestly, she hadn't meant to spy on her mother about something so delicate, but she felt like her little sister had had a rough week, so, why not lend her a hand?
"No, Cynthia, stop, you don't need to justify anything!" she thought, trying to muster up courage. "I only stopped from going in because I heard Aunt Tharja. I didn't want to interrupt their conversation... IT'S NOT LIKE I'M AFRAID OF HER OR ANYTHING!" She shook her head again, embarrassed. "I-I... it's destiny! My heroic destiny to help Morgan! And to help my little sister tie the knot with Lucina!" She thought while nodding to herself repeatedly. "What was it Uncle Robin used to say? Hmm... ah." She placed her hands on her hips, imitating his voice.
"If you don't know where to start, you must begin with an investigation. If you don't know what to look for, reconnaissance is what you must conduct," Cynthia said, laughing as she remembered the things he had taught her as a child. "Alright! Let's do this!"
She searched everywhere, asking the guards. She thought they might be in one of the common rooms because of the situation with Severa and Nah, but in the end, it turned out that, somehow, they had returned to Robin's room—or should she say Morgan's room? Whatever the case, first she had to establish her investigation.
With notebook and pencil in hand, she set out to do her field research. She didn't know why, but whenever she thought of Morgan, she could hear faint otter squeaks in the back of her mind. That didn't matter, though—she had to observe the albino in her natural habitat.
"Excuse me, may I come in?" she asked timidly from outside the room. The guards had moved a bit farther away due to the commotion inside. It was strange that they left Lucina somewhat unattended with some "strangers," but considering Nowi was there, Cynthia supposed they could have some privacy as long as there was a dragon next to the princess. Peeking her head in, she saw a rather unusual scene.
On one side were Severa, Nah, Lucina, and Nowi, sitting around the table with several pieces of clothing at their feet. Only Nowi looked cheerful as she munched on the biscuits they had been served. The other girls, however, looked quite the opposite—pale, even. They seemed as though they had seen something horrific, their faces blank and empty.
On the other side, Morgan had pulled out an enormous chest and was pulling clothes out of it. Robin's coat was carefully folded on the bed—that wasn't the strange part. What was odd was that everything Morgan pulled out was placed in an almost haphazard manner.
In just a few minutes, Cynthia observed Morgan pulling out an item, inspecting it for a moment, then either placing it perfectly folded on the floor or just letting it drop after giving it a quick glance.
"Umm... hello?"
"Oh, hey there!" Morgan greeted her cheerfully. "What's up, Cy? Need help with something?"
"Umm... not really, I was just out for a walk and thought, 'I haven't seen Morgan in a while; let's see what she's up to.' You know, your typical Cynthia," she said with an energetic laugh. Lucina, Nah, and Severa still looked a bit down, and when Morgan turned completely to run over and hug Cynthia, the princess noticed how their faces twisted in a mix of pain, displeasure, and guilt.
"Awww, you're so sweet... do you think you could help me out?" Morgan said, looking at the other girls. "They say they're fine... but they're... down…"
"And why's that?"
"I don't know; they won't tell me anything."
"Sweetheart, just ignore them for now~" Nowi said, still devouring the cookies on the table. "Why don't you keep showing us your wardrobe?" With that, the girls seemed a bit more annoyed.
"Alright..." replied Morgan, who simply went back to the chest to pull out more clothes.
"Pssht! Hey, what's wrong?" Cynthia asked, approaching the group.
"Nothing... nothing's wrong..." whispered Lucina, looking a bit gloomy.
"It's just that..." Nah continued, "...it's a little... disheartening..."
"Huh?! What? What do you mean?"
"Ugggh... mmm..." Severa crossed her arms, biting her lip and thinking hard about how to word it. It was almost funny to see how her head nearly steamed with the effort. "Look, I'm happy to see that no matter what world we're in, Morgan is Morgan—she's cheerful, cute, smart, kind, and, well, cute—but... I can't help but feel it's... unfair..." She pouted.
"You said 'cute' twice," Cynthia chuckled nervously. "W-What's unfair?"
"...I definitely understand now what my mother meant... about a woman's... 'pride'..." Lucina sighed.
"...boing... boing..." Nah muttered, staring intently at Morgan.
"...Daddy said many times that various studies show how children inherit traits from their parents—sometimes good, sometimes bad," Severa sighed . "My hair, for example—Daddy said it's a sign I'm his daughter, just like Morgan's red hair... I even remember we both had a similar build..."
"Which... leads us to the question of... who her mother is..." Lucina added.
"A-Ah..." Cynthia tried not to focus on it, but she had to admit they had a point. During their time at the hot springs, she had shared a bath with Morgan, and certainly, she knew that Morgan's physique was no joke. In fact, she'd even felt a bit like an 'old creep' for judging her figure.
"Peachy rear... ample chest... slim waist..." Nah said, emphasizing each part with her hands. "I'm so happy to see my little sister... but I didn't expect this Morgan to be so... blessed..."
"Well, maybe their pride isn't totally beyond repair," Cynthia thought.
"Boing... boing..." Nah muttered angrily as Morgan bounced with joy upon finding the item she was looking for.
"Maybe not."
Cynthia sighed, trying not to feel as down as the other girls—well, most of them. "So... why are you all here? What are you doing?"
"We were talking about ways to distinguish our Morgans from one another," Severa sighed. "Things like preferences, habits, hobbies…"
"...Turns out that no matter the world, Dad and Morgan are a lot alike," Nah said wistfully. "Both the ones from Severa's world and mine have this... particular trait of spoiling us."
"Dad is just so sweet, though it can be embarrassing to be around him," Severa said, blushing slightly. "For instance, he bought my sisters and me a bunch of outfits and clothes for castle events and formal occasions, but especially these... ridiculous costumes... pajamas..."
"Oh Naga..." Nah covered her face. "Father just couldn't stop insisting on those things... Mother loved dressing us in them, but now that I think about it... it was really embarrassing."
"How so?" Cynthia asked.
"In my sisters' and my case, he bought us Pegasus pajamas. One Morgan had a white Pegasus, and I had a red one. They were... ridiculously comfy, now that I think about it," Severa replied with a grin. "My Morgan adored that pajama; even when she wasn't a kid anymore, she kept asking for one in her size every two or three years. It had this string you pulled, and it would make the wings flap. She threw a tantrum the first time she couldn't fit in it anymore... it was days of drama until we got her a replacement."
"In my case, since my Morgan couldn't transform until she grew up, she felt jealous that I could and she couldn't. So her most prized possession was this dragon pajama Father made for her," Nah laughed, quite pleased with her memories. "For months, Mother flew around with Morgan in her arms while she wore that pajama. She'd even grab bits of red and blue paper in her hands, throwing them around, saying they were her fireballs..."
"...…" Cynthia and Lucina remained silent, vivid images of those Morgans filling their minds.
"The only... problem is..." Severa began to look a bit down. They all turned their focus on Morgan, who was standing there in her undergarments; the problem was that her "attributes" were much more "developed" than her sisters'.
"...boing... boing..." Nah repeated.
"W-Well, that's normal, right?" Cynthia tried to lighten the mood.
"...That's how I know she's not mine..." Lucina murmured, her hands occupied as she inspected herself, comparing with Morgan.
"W-Well... sis, remember... it might skip a generation, right?" Cynthia whispered, trying to encourage her. "Remember what Dad said—you inherited our grandmother's face... so... technically speaking, could Morgan have inherited Mom's figure?"
"...I... well... maybe... but even so…"
"Uggg... Morgan, quick! Save Lucina!" Cynthia thought as she turned to look at Morgan.
"Grrr!" Morgan said, raising her arms. It was clear she was trying to look "intimidating," but a five-foot Morgan, entirely wrapped in an otter pajama, something round in her right hand, and her cheeks puffed out while trying to growl, was anything but a threat in the room.
The effect was instant.
Cynthia looked back at the group. Nowi, who had been the only one with a pleased look, now had the same goofy, happy smile as the others as they watched Morgan in her pajama.
"Ah, good save, Morgan. But by Naga, THAT'S ADORABLE!" Cynthia thought again.
"Uh? That wasn't the effect I was going for…" Morgan crossed her arms, turned around to show off the otter tail, and pulled something else from the chest. "Maybe if I try this..." She held up a plush fish that matched the pajama.
"Ugh! No! This can't be possible!" Severa gritted her teeth. "This Morgan may not be my Morgan, but she's unbearably cute! WHAT KIND OF WITCHCRAFT IS THIS?!"
"I know, right?!" Nah agreed. "I was expecting something generic, like a teddy bear pajama or something, but for some reason, I can't help but think she looks way too adorable in that."
"Cynthia, forgive me—by Naga, I even apologize to Dad and Mom for saying this, but this is the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life!" Lucina shouted, covering her face.
"¡I'm not cute!" Morgan said, pouting.
"...Morgan..." Severa frowned, stepping closer and raising her hand. "You're wearing an otter onesie holding a fish, and you say you're not cute?"
"Otters are intimidating!" Morgan insisted, shaking her head.
"YOU'RE A LITTLE, ADORABLE THING!" Severa replied, squeezing her cheeks.
"I'm not cute!"
"Yes, you are—cute, sweet, and adorable!"
"No! I'm not! I'm fierce, and evil! Um… IRREMEDIABLY INTIMIDATING AND DARK!"
"No, you're not. Actually, why does that fish pillow have a zipper?" Nah asked.
"Oh, this isn't a pillow. It's a special bag that Daddy made for me to store my sweets," Morgan said, opening the fish and pulling out some honey candies that Gaius always brought her.
"..."
"..."
*Munch, munch.*
The three sisters exchanged glances for a moment while Morgan continued chewing her candy.
"YOU'RE A LITTLE OTTER STORING HER FOOD FOR WINTER!" Severa shouted, hugging Morgan tightly. "Oh, by Naga! You're even squishy?! You're like a warm, huggable pillow I could sleep on all day!" She puffed her cheeks. "And you say Daddy made you this outfit? How is he better at crafting than the one in my world who had five daughters?!"
"SERIOUSLY?!" Nah asked, burying her face in Morgan's stomach and rubbing against her. "OH! IF YOU SQUISH HER A LITTLE, YOU CAN HEAR HER TUMMY! LIKE A REAL OTTER!"
"Wait, I have an idea," Severa said, lifting Morgan and quickly placing her on the bed. Before Morgan could react, Severa lay down beside her, hugging her tightly. "Haaaah… it's like hugging a warm, fluffy cloud."
"It's true," Nah said, hugging Morgan from the other side, causing Morgan to puff up her cheeks.
"I'm not a pillow! And I'm not cute or adorable! Or huggable!" Morgan protested.
"Then let's have a vote! We're civilized, conscious beings," Nah suggested, raising her hand. "Everyone who agrees that you're the cutest, cuddliest, most huggable one in the room, raise your hand." Everyone except Morgan raised their hand. "I love democracy~"
"TYRANNY!" Morgan shouted, fuming. "YOU ALL JUST ASSUME I'M CUTE! I'M MENACING! AN OTTER! AN APEX PREDATOR!"
"The apex predator should definitely wear this onesie more often; it's way too comfortable," Severa added.
"..." Lucina had been struggling to resist the urge to join the girls, making small noises as she tried to maintain her stoicism.
"You know, if I know Robin, he wouldn't mind you doing the same, Lucina," Nowi said, still smiling widely. "After all, he never minded spoiling Morgan. I don't think he'd blame you for giving in to temptation."
"...I don't think it would be proper," Lucina said, embarrassed. "I should… show some composure in this situation. As a princess, I should demonstrate decorum and control in moments like these."
"Ooooh~" Nowi's smile turned slightly mischievous. "Well, it doesn't seem like your sister feels the same way."
Lucina looked over at the bed again, and this time Cynthia had joined the group. She was rubbing her head against Morgan's, making Morgan continue growling.
"CYNTHIA!"
"What?!" Cynthia said, looking surprised. "Can you blame me? It's the first time I've seen her like this; it's irresistible," she replied, continuing to cuddle Morgan.
"Cynthia…" Lucina sighed, a bit flustered. "Please, stop being so… physical with her. It's clear she's uncomfortable."
"I'M NOT UNCOMFORTABLE!" Morgan shouted. "IT BOTHERS ME THAT YOU'RE NOT TERRIFIED BY MY ATTIRE! MY PRIDE AS AN APEX PREDATOR IS IRREPARABLY DAMAGED!" she exclaimed, still munching on her honey sweets.
"Well, that's on you; if you wanted to sound menacing, you shouldn't have made such pouty faces and acted so cute~," Severa teased, clearly more content now. "By the way, why hide this outfit until now? You said you hadn't worn it in ages."
"Oh, my, my~ I've been busy handling a few matters, and I see you've all been having fun without me~" A familiar voice, usually strict yet kind, was now devoid of any empathy. Everyone turned to see a certain noblewoman with an irritated expression. "To think I was worried about my dear Morgan being uncomfortable…," Maribelle said, snapping her fan shut and tapping it against her palm. "After all, I was the one who asked Morgan not to wear that onesie. Otherwise, little Luci would never let her go."
"Ah... ah ha ha ha… h-hi, Aunt Maribelle," Cynthia stammered nervously as the girls quickly sat up on the edge of the bed—all except Morgan, who was still pouting.
"W-What brings you here, Aunt Maribelle?" Lucina asked cautiously.
"I came because we're handling… certain pending matters, and I wanted to check that everything was in order. But I see you here… messing around with Morgan, despite being clear with the guards—and you, Lucina—that she should be safe and properly guarded."
"Oh, calm down, relax," Nowi said nonchalantly. "There's no one dumb enough to try to steal a dragon's most precious treasure~."
"…good point," Maribelle sighed. "Still, we'll need to have another talk about… noble behavior and the highest standards of etiquette, Lucina, Cynthia," she said, directing her gaze at them.
"What?! Again? / What? I didn't do anything!" Cynthia and Lucina protested in unison.
"Sweetheart, we admire your… heroic misadventures, but there are behaviors that simply don't fit. And as for you, dear, I could see on your face that you were tempted to follow your sister's example. Not only did you fail to resist, but you also didn't stop others from succumbing."
"No fair," Cynthia grumbled. "What about them?" she asked, pointing at Nah and Severa.
"As Robin would say, 'Not my circus, not my monkeys,' or something like that."
"HEY! / Rude," Severa and Nah huffed.
"Forgive me, it's… the anger talking," Maribelle said, hiding her face behind her fan.
"More like jealousy," Cynthia muttered.
"Sorry, darling, I didn't catch that—what did you say?"
"That we'll be at the salon bright and early for… our etiquette class…"
"Well, I suppose since it's Morgan, we can let this incident slide. But please, don't let yourselves get so carried away," Maribelle sighed, snapping her fan closed. "...and where do you think you're going?"
Despite her apparent headache, Maribelle turned her head sharply to the right, where everyone could see Morgan sneaking along the wall.
"…"
"…"
"Sweetheart, my little treasure, where are you going?"
"…." Morgan lowered her hood, revealing the rest of her otter outfit, and raised her hands. "As the apex predator of this ecosystem, I claim my right to go hunting."
"…you're not planning to convince little Lucina to wear her penguin onesie, are you?"
"…"
"RIGHT, DEAREST?"
"YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME ALIVE!" Morgan shouted as she sprinted toward the door.
"Don't you dare, young lady!" Maribelle said in a stern voice. Morgan glanced at the group, seeing only Severa and Nah urging her on, while Lucina and Cynthia shook their heads to signal that it was a bad idea. Nowi remained impassive.
"Uggg… mmm…" Morgan bounced a bit, trying to think things through. "…"
"…Darling…" Maribelle began, "I know you don't love this idea. You like to get out, explore, talk to everyone. But understand, please, that this is for your own safety. We don't want to make you feel bad; we just don't want you hurt over nonsense from certain incompetent nobles, you know that, right? it hurts me deeply seeing you like this...can you stay here at least for now?" Morgan stayed silent for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, then you understand why you can't go out, even with guards. We need you to stay—"
Morgan stomped, then stomped again, cutting Maribelle off. She walked up to her, face still hidden, and raised her arms.
"…hug…" she mumbled.
"Darling? What did you say?"
"I said, if you want to keep this apex predator locked up, you have to give her a hug!" Morgan declared.
"Excuse me?"
"It's not fair!" she huffed. "You're saying I have to stay in here just because some weird creep said strange things about Dad and me. I miss bugging Freddie, playing with Luci, eating cookies with Auntie Sumia, playing music with Olivia, training with Sully—even running from Tharja when she stares at me at breakfast! If I have to put up with being away from everyone, you'd better make it up to me for all the stuff I'm missing out on, Ms. Noble."
They hadn't expected that response. They knew that under normal circumstances, playful Morgan would've used this chance to defy authority in the most ridiculous way possible. But now, not even a day in, and she was already cracking under the new rules.
"Dear heavens, it seems I've overlooked what's most important in this situation. That's very un-noble of me," Maribelle sighed, massaging her temple. Normally, Maribelle would've given Morgan a light tap with her fan to correct her attitude, but this time she was unusually soft. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Morgan. "I don't want to hear excuses that I didn't try to make it up to you, young lady, but I also don't want you taking advantage of this privilege. Understood?"
"Mmm… Daddy was right, you smell and feel like a biscuit," Morgan said, clearly satisfied.
"…Sis…" Cynthia began.
"…What is it…?" Lucina replied.
"Did we die?"
"I don't think so. I'm pretty sure if we were dead, at least my mind wouldn't be imagining this."
"Why?"
"I don't have enough imagination to hallucinate something like this…"
"Mmm… you're right," Cynthia said, quickly jotting down notes. This wasn't what she'd expected, but discovering that the noble's weak spot was sad, adorable little girls seemed like useful information for the future.
"Alright, I think that's enough now," Maribelle said.
"Nuh-uh," Morgan replied.
"Excuse me?"
"You think I'll just let you go after you came this far? If I don't take advantage of this now, I'll never have the chance to beat Aunt Lissa's record for hugging you," she said with a mischievous grin.
"Well, it's not like things could get any weirder, right?" Cynthia thought aloud to herself. "Might as well keep investigating," she mumbled, still taking notes.
How could she even describe this situation?
Stressful? Dehumanizing? Ridiculous? Surreal? Sure, Sully had a short fuse, but she could barely make sense of the bizarre situation she was in. In fact, if she told any of the other Shepherds about this, they'd probably say she must've been drunk—maybe even hallucinating on some kind of opiate.
In what world was Olivia the one with the short fuse?
They'd arrived at the mansion and were introduced to the lady of the house—a young woman, maybe seventeen or eighteen, younger than Olivia herself. She was a sharp-tongued brat, intelligent yet obnoxiously smug.
"Judith Moreau, Miss Moreau to you commoners," she had announced, puffing smoke in their faces with her cigarette holder. Sully was already annoyed, but Olivia held her composure. "Let's keep this simple. I don't want anything from you two. I want to speak with him, so bring him here."
"By him… you mean Robin?" Olivia asked, keeping her calm. Judith hadn't even bothered to let them through the gate, and they were having this conversation outside. Olivia was clearly starting to lose patience.
"Obviously! He needs to take responsibility for what he did." She took a drag, eyes narrowed as she exhaled the smoke. "This is a serious matter, so you have no place here. Be a good girl and bring me that man."
"Unfortunately, he's not available right now, so we're here on behalf of the crown and the Grandmaster," Olivia replied cheerfully, showing her the letter sealed with the royal crest. "If you have any opinion or message to relay, we'll gladly pass it along. But as for our visit, we'd like to address a… complaint you submitted about Robin."
Judith took the letter, and her face twisted with frustration as she read it. When she looked back at Olivia, her gaze was sharp and disdainful. "…Strange, I thought by now you two would be together, based on the rumors I've heard." She took another drag, then sneered, "Tell me, are you his Appât? Is there room for one more?"
Olivia's face turned bright red. "P-Pardon?!"
"Oh please, let's be honest here. It's just business, nothing more, nothing less. Or did you think you were going to keep him all to yourself?" She laughed, looking at Olivia with such disdain that even Sully felt a little sick at the way she said it. "I'm just trying to survive, you see. It's quite irritating that this coureur de jupons spends all his time playing with that little girl. I'm simply offering… possibilities. It's only fair, given what he did to my uncle in Ferox. Business hasn't been the same since."
"Wait… so this is…" Sully scratched her head, trying to make sense of it. "…We came because you're claiming to have his kid, right?"
"Oh, I only wanted to discuss business with him." She exhaled another puff of smoke, glancing at Olivia. "But seeing as you two are here, I suppose I can still benefit. Having his Appât here in front of me is proof he's testing me, isn't it?" She laughed again. "Olivia, you should have told me you were playing that kind of game."
"…No… I'm not following."
"…I don't think this is an appropriate topic to discuss out here…" Olivia said, taking a deep breath to calm herself.
"Oh, I get it. This one isn't an Appât? Or perhaps a Dragueur? Short hair like that little white-haired girl… not very ladylike, but I suppose if she's a Dragueur, n-"
That's when things escalated.
Sully didn't understand half of what was going on between these two. Olivia looked stressed, annoyed, and unwilling to continue the conversation the moment their eyes met, but she'd never imagined that the dancer would straight-up punch someone in the face, let alone someone she thought was a fellow artist—or acquaintance, at least.
"Don't you dare say that again, you hear me?!" Olivia snapped, her anger flaring as the guards rushed to aid their noble, who promptly lost consciousness from the punch. "Ah… never mind. Tell your lady that this conversation will not be repeated or mentioned again if she knows what's good for her. I may no longer be part of the Moreau troupe, but I still have influence in Ferox. We aren't part of the artist's network, nor under her influence, so she'd best not try this again." With that said, everyone were stunned by her actions, she just walked away of the gate.
That bizarre scene kept playing over and over in her head. They were now on their way back to the castle, with Olivia still complaining about her sore hand. She'd already had it checked and bandaged by one of the healers, but she continued to whine, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"…"
"…."
"…So…" Sully broke the silence. "…Are you just punching all of Robin's detractors now?"
That made Olivia turn red all over again, this time out of shame. "N-No! Don't say it like that! You're making me sound like… like a savage…"
"Well, excuse me, but… geez, girl, I've never seen you this… aggressive. Am I safe here with you? Should I start apologizing for something?"
"Sorry! It's just that... she was saying so much nonsense that I saw red..." Olivia sighed, still shaken by what happened. "It just made my blood boil how shamelessly forward she was..."
"Well, maybe I'd understand why you got so mad if you'd be kind enough to explain."
"Ah... right... well... is there something in particular you want to know?"
"Ummm... I can barely remember what she said... Apa?"
"Appât." Olivia rolled her eyes, annoyed. "There are... things you need to understand about Feroxian culture... dancers there are, in simple terms, artists but also... prizes, in a way. Many artists in Ferox can make a good living as companions, and Appât refers to the highest level of that title..."
"Sorry, what? Companions? You mean to say...How did Maribelle say it?" Sully raised an eyebrow ".. you mean...'strumpet'? like... that?" she tries to articulate the words with her hands.
"N-No! It's an important cultural difference," Olivia tried to explain, calming herself down. "Over there, a 'companion' doesn't mean... what you said... Most of the time, it's just someone to talk to. A lot of Feroxian warriors just want to come back from battle to have a girl serve them drinks and listen to them boast about their victories. Many of these women know about recreational games, and very few provide... those types of services," she explained rapidly, almost tripping over her own words in an effort to stay focused. "As a companion for the Moreau, many of them were dancers, some were musicians, a few gave massages, and so on. Judith referred to me as 'Appât' as if I were... Robin's lover..." She whispered the last part, her cheeks turning red. "I guess she just came to that conclusion after seeing me."
"Alright, and what about the other word she used? Jupon or something..."
"Coureur de jupons." Olivia looked annoyed. "Literally, it means 'skirt-chaser.' Considering the number of women around him, it wouldn't be strange for others to see Robin's relationships as merely platonic, though many might assume they're... more physical. She started using that to insult him."
"Not very smart of her then, especially with us standing right there." Sully laughed, though Olivia still looked conflicted. "But... that one word... the one that made you punch her."
Olivia frowned again. Sully raised her hands, half-expecting Olivia might punch her, too, but Olivia just shook her head.
"There's... no way to express how much that word disgusts me... just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach..."
"Is it really that bad?"
"Uggh... there are... levels. Several levels of meaning within that industry," Olivia said, trying not to let the words feel as vile as they were. "Dragueur... ugh... there's no context for it in Ylissean that's quite the same... it's more about the act."
"Is it that hard to explain?"
Olivia thought for a moment, crossing her arms and putting on a serious expression. She stayed quiet before finally continuing. "Well... you know how noble horses are bred, right?"
"Uh? What? I... well," Sully folded her arms, too. "Yeah, sometimes it's tough to raise and train them... but, what does that have to do with this?"
"It's more about... pairing horses."
"...Um... keep going?"
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but in Ferox, when a horse or mare refuses to... cooperate with the trainer for any reason, they bring in another specimen that it's been shown to be willing to... do that with."
"We're talking about selective breeding of purebreds, right? Yeah, I think the old man once told me they'd use more than one partner to... wait..." Sully's thoughts started to connect. "You're telling me this because..."
"In plain terms, a Dragueur is a girl who 'encourages' the man to do... that. Often right in the middle of the act... precisely to 'continue' the man's lineage'...Of course, nowadays no man would admit doing that of his own free will, but the women who fall victim to it wouldn't stop gossiping about this abhorrent act... "
"..." Sully now understood why Olivia had gotten so angry when she heard that word, a series of disturbing thoughts flooding her mind. "And she suggested... that Morgan and me..."
"...yes"
"That... is a mental image I didn't want to have," Sully muttered, scratching her head as she glanced out the window, clicking her tongue. "Damn it…"
"What's wrong?" asked Olivia.
"We're about five minutes from the castle… It's too late to ask the driver to turn back." She sounded frustrated. "Now I want to make it clear just how I feel about that woman's language, too."
"Let it be… She's clearly not the sharpest for speaking like that," Olivia sighed.
"Well, I guess we'll just report this as one less problem," Sully shrugged, barely hiding a mischievous grin. "And hey, this'll make a great story about how you went all 'protector of the household' on Morgan. I know Gaius and Sumia will be more than thrilled to hear you're starting to get bolder," she said with a wink.
"Awawawawawawa, no, please don't tell them that!" Olivia squeaked, covering her face with her hands. "It's already bad enough I lost my composure like that. Morgan will never stop teasing me about the details if she finds out I punched someone…" The embarrassment in her voice was obvious.
Sully continued laughing, but the whole incident left a lingering question in her mind. She'd have to ask Olivia more about her past; clearly, she knew a lot about certain customs… but was she actually against them? The hardest challenge of all would certainly be persuading a certain black-haired witch to stop trying to force them all onto "that boat," but if even the open-minded Olivia was against it, she could forget trying to convince the others.
Sully hadn't even begun to study the other women's opinions; just reading Olivia's reactions was proving exhausting enough. "So… what do we tell Sumia?"
"Mission acomplished? Well, I suppose Moreau will be upset about the punch and might try something… But she's made this false accusation without any proof, and the fact that she had the nerve to say those things to my face makes it clear she's just an opportunist. The Judith I knew wouldn't have made such a bold gamble unless it was her last hope. I'm not sure what's happened to the Moreau name in Ferox, but here in Ylisstol, they have neither authority nor influence. Unless she's got enough money to pull strings illegally, I don't think we have anything to worry about."
"...Is she really that capable of doing something shady if she could?"
"Unfortunately, the Moreau family is not exactly known for being the cleanest or noblest in Ferox. The fact that she's moved here with barely anything tells me her capital is running out; otherwise, we'd have met in the noble district, not in some remote spot outside the city."
"But won't this affect the theater? You punching someone can't be great for the artists' reputation."
"She's not an employee of mine, nor is she any kind of artist. Her role with the Moreau group was merely as a bookkeeper's apprentice—and a very poor one at that. I'd never wish ill on anyone, but she's more than capable of ruining her own life. Honestly, I'd give her a few months before she has to skip town due to lack of funds. I'm not sure what that noble had to do with Judith, but the fact he left her unsupervised tells me he doesn't know her well. Otherwise, he would never have agreed to meet us."
"I see… Well, that was fun," said Sully, kicking a trunk on the floor. "I guess Sumia will be happy we didn't end up using any of the stuff she gave us to 'convince' Judith to drop the matter."
"We have Tharja to thank for me even being able to give that punch," Olivia replied,taking off her necklace. "To think she could record our conversation and use it as evidence… she's incredibly overprotective of even the possibility of someone harming Robin, his projects, or Morgan." She carefully placed the necklace into a small case.
"Can she claim it was an illegal magic trick?"
"The letter I gave clearly stated we were representatives of Grandmaster Robin, and that anything she said could be used against her if she attempted to slander, discredit, or exploit him illegally. Maribelle can use this however she sees fit, but she also suggested we avoid giving her extra work. For now, I don't think anything will come of it. Besides, Judith's pride is probably shattered…"
"She never expected sweet, shy Olivia to deliver a punch like that~," Sully laughed.
"Awwawaw… stop saying that!" Olivia protested, holding up her wrist. "Thanks to that, I won't be able to show my face to my girls! I always tell them not to resort to violence."
"Do you regret it?"
"Absolutely not," she said firmly, as the carriage came to a stop, and they heard movement outside. "We just need to report this to Maribelle and move on with our next visit. Cordelia is probably still in the air, so once Gaius finishes his reconnaissance, we can get back to normal life," she said, reaching for the door. "We just need to avoid Sumia."
"Oh? And why's that?"
"Well, because I don't want her to hear that I punched someone," Olivia replied to the person who'd asked so suddenly. Both turned to the now-open door, and Olivia's face went pale as she slipped at the sight of the grinning queen waiting for them. "E-EH?! S-S-S-S-SUMIA?!"
"Well, it seems like things just keep getting better today~" Sumia said, looking radiant as she leaned in to inspect the contents of the carriage. "I see you still have the little… 'incentive' I prepared for that new noblewoman around here. I take it everything went according to plan?"
"Uh… s-something like that."
"Y-Your Majesty, well…," Sully tried to speak up, but she couldn't quite decipher Sumia's expression. The queen was clearly smiling, but it was one of those smiles where you couldn't tell if she was genuinely pleased or if it was the kind of smile a mother gives when she's about to severely scold her child for spilling milk. Should she play it safe? Take a risk? Was Sumia furious because someone had spilled the beans? Or maybe she was happy that Olivia had done something bold?
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Sumia asked.
"...Damn it!" Sully thought. "Sumia, you're seriously terrifying!" Sully's mind was spinning, unable to make sense of her tone. She glanced at Olivia, hoping for some kind of hint.
Her expression only left her more confused.
Was she… pouting? Why in the world was she pouting now, of all times?
"Oh, s-so that's it…" Olivia murmured, finally noticing the black cloth Sumia was holding—a piece of fabric? "So Lucina's already outgrown this… I didn't realize she'd worn it… then…"
"Yes, that's right. Morgan went back to wearing that adorable otter onesie Robin made ages ago," Sumia said, resting her hand on her cheek, lost in thought over the scene. "It's strange to see them both in those pajamas again. I think Lucina got jealous that Morgan didn't invite her. Some of the guards were talking about an unusual event in Robin's room. Imagine my surprise when I saw Lucina crying because her suit had ripped… it's a bit snug on her now. Could you take a look at it?"
"Oh, of course! No problem at all. The fact that Morgan's wearing that outfit again… it means she's growing up, gaining more confidence in— huh?" Olivia reached for the pajamas, but Sumia's grip was firm. The queen leaned closer, whispering in her ear.
"Well, I'd like to say it's all good news… but Gaius veered off his route to make sure everything was alright with you two… and for some reason, he came back laughing his head off… but, Olivia, punching a noblewoman? In Robin's name?"
"Oh no, no, no, no, no!" Sully took a step back.
"SULLY."
"Eep!"
"I get the feeling that Olivia joined you because she had a gut feeling. Tharja told me she sensed Olivia activating that… artifact she reserved for more serious uses. Now, tell me—did something happen that I should be worried about?"
"Well… you see, Sumia…" Sully began, trying to keep calm, though it was hard to mask her nervousness. "The situation was a bit… tense. That noblewoman—Judith Moreau—wasn't exactly being polite. Olivia just… reacted."
Sumia narrowed her eyes, her smile still fixed in place, though her words grew more calculated and deliberate. "Reacted? And this reaction included punching a noblewoman on neutral grounds while attending a royal request to investigate these absurd claims of child support for a supposed illegitimate child?"
"She asked for it!" Olivia blurted out, her face flushing. "I mean… not directly, but she said things… inappropriate things about Robin and Morgan… I just… lost my patience." Olivia looked down, clearly embarrassed, while Sully tried to back her up.
"To be honest, Sumia," Sully interjected, "the noblewoman wasn't behaving in a way that commands much respect. If Robin had been there, he'd have done worse. Olivia only reacted to protect his honor… and yours too, if you look at it that way." Sully folded her arms, hoping she'd explained it well enough.
Sumia sighed, still holding onto the pajama. She looked Olivia up and down, then shifted her gaze to Sully. "I appreciate the loyalty you both show toward Robin, the castle, and the royal family—I really do. But…" Her expression grew serious, dropping the smile, "this can't happen again. I don't want you both getting into serious trouble over a mere provocation from someone with no class. Even if Judith is irrelevant, things could have easily spiraled out of control."
Olivia nodded, understanding. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty… I'll try to keep… calmer next time."
"Yes, I hope so," Sumia replied, finally relaxing a bit. "Dont call me that, you´re my friend before anything else" She pouted "Chrom and I are eager to hear your full account, as Gaius… well, he was laughing so hard he almost choked on his sweets for quite a while. For now, I don't want either of you discussing this until Maribelle can hear your report, understood?" The two girls nodded in unison. "Good. Now, it looks like you hurt your wrist, dear. It would be best for Libra or Lissa to check it out, just to make sure you're alright."
"Ugh… d-do I really have to tell them?" Olivia asked, looking pained.
"Officially, yes. But the fact that you're so reluctant to tell me what you did only fuels my curiosity," Sumia replied with a cheerful smile. "Besides, we can use this as a… response to behavior that shouldn't be repeated—unless, of course, it absolutely must be." Her tone remained light, but her eyes sparkled mischievously. "And since we need Maribelle's opinion on the matter anyway…"
"…Behead her" Maribelle muttered darkly, her expression grim.
It was already late in the evening. They had managed to keep Morgan in her room, occupied with little Lucina, while Olivia, as a provisional emissary, recounted her experience with the noblewoman Judith Moreau. To say Maribelle had been taken aback would be an understatement.
Olivia spared no details in explaining the nuances of Feroxian culture, key points Maribelle might need to bear in mind if she ever encountered artists from Ferox with certain... ideas about Robin's leadership. She also described the underhanded tactics some might employ to exploit his kindness.
When Olivia relayed what had happened—the noblewoman's blatant lies and twisted opinions of Robin and Morgan—the room fell silent. Even though none outside the Shepherds truly understood Morgan's origins, the confused insinuations from Judith had a chilling effect on everyone listening. Miriel, there to provide cultural insight, listened impassively, while Chrom and Sumia grew visibly disturbed. At first, Sumia had found humor in Olivia's instinctive punch, but the laughter died as the full picture came into focus.
"You know you can't give that order," Chrom said, a hint of worry in his voice as he noticed Maribelle's steely gaze.
"Correct," Maribelle replied, still staring coldly. Then, turning to Sumia, she asked, "Your Majesty?"
"My dear husband is right," Sumia answered, making Chrom sigh in relief. But her expression hardened as she turned to Sully. "Sully?"
"Y-Yes?"
"Go, and behead her" Sumia cracked her knuckles. "No blades. I forbid you from making it quick and clean, in fact, use your bare hands"
"Sumia…" Chrom facepalmed.
"Oh, darling, my beloved husband, you have no idea how much it fills my heart with joy to see little Lucina and Morgan playing together in their little pajamas. In a way, it cleanses and purifies my soul." She wore a soft smile, though her eyes remained dark and empty. "But to have that noblewoman plant such foul thoughts—such vile, repulsive imagery—it's too much. She must pay for tainting my peace of mind."
"Look, I get that it's upsetting. I really do. But remember, she has no idea they're father and daughter," Chrom said, trying to reason with her.
"Ignorance of the law doesn't excuse one from it."
"THAT'S NOT A LAW! SUMIA, PLEASE, COME TO YOUR SENSES! YOU'RE SCARING ME!" Chrom looked over at Maribelle, whose smile now bore an unsettling resemblance to Tharja's when she was scheming information out of unfortunate souls during the war. "Maribelle, put down your fan. Stop sharpening it."
"Mmm~ I always wondered if Robin was serious about using improvised weapons," Maribelle mused, glancing at her fan with admiration. "I used to think it excessive, but now… I can see the appeal."
"…Though I'm irritated by this ignorant woman, I must admit, I agree with Chrom," Miriel sighed, adjusting her glasses. "I've been working on surveys these past few weeks to better understand the perspectives of our soldiers and the villagers. Only the Shepherds, royal guards, and a select few Pegasus Knights know the true story behind Robin and Morgan. Even if they don't fully understand, they know not to take matters to such extremes." She paused thoughtfully. "May I offer a suggestion on how to proceed?"
"…Go ahead," Sumia replied.
"Fire," Miriel said, deadpan. "A lot of it."
"MIRIEL!" Chrom protested.
"We must be smart, Your Majesty. Discreet and smart."
"And setting something on fire is your idea of discretion?"
"Would you prefer a chemical fire or a couple of dragons blazing overhead? Because I can promise you, when Nowi finds out the vile things insinuated about her favorite people in the world, the last thing you'll be worried about is the Prosecutor General's new improvised weapon."
"This isn't funny. And Maribelle, when I said to stop sharpening your fan, that implicitly included all your belongings. Put down that umbrella."
"Mmm… Miriel might have a point," Maribelle murmured, still admiring her umbrella. "How discreet can you be?"
"Alright, enough," Sully sighed, her tone weary. "Olivia, is there any way we can ensure she won't be a problem?"
"Well, if Tharja can tap into that registry from the pendant, we could set a precedent that Judith is untrustworthy. She already has a bruised ego from my punch, so if we keep Gaius on her trail, she'll be forced to lay low. Even Anna's trade network has its eye on her, so there's little chance of backlash against us."
"Look," Chrom interjected, "I understand everyone's frustration—I'm just as upset as the rest of you. But if we risk Morgan's position in the castle, it's far more serious than any satisfaction we might gain from these threats."
"…tch."
"Did you just… scoff at me?" Chrom raised an eyebrow at his wife.
"Yes, dear, it really bothers me that sometimes you're oblivious to certain things but now are hyper-aware of Morgan's safety." Sumia sighed, relenting. "Alright, we'll let this go. Olivia, you're more familiar with this situation than the others, so I'm putting you in charge."
"Y-Yes, Your Majesty…" Olivia exhaled, visibly relieved by the decision.
"…And if you need any support, I'm always here for you, darling," Maribelle added with a sly smile.
"Okay! I think we're all in a good place now to avoid letting our emotions control us," Sully cut in. "Aside from that fool Judith, what about the other two?"
"Cordelia will reach the coastal city in a couple of days at the earliest," Maribelle replied. "Until she's questioned, there's nothing more we can do with her. The other one, however, seems to have vanished."
"You're kidding me…" Sumia groaned.
"I wish I were, but it seems the address she left isn't in the capital," Maribelle explained, frustration in her voice. "In fact, it doesn't even appear to lead anywhere useful. The directions pointed to an empty plot of land outside the city limits."
"Well, things just keep getting better and better," Chrom sighed.
"According to the reports, she's a noble named 'Lina Doincdfell,' but even I have no clue who she is or where she comes from," Maribelle said, her frustration evident. "Whether she's from an old house or a new one, I have no idea."
"So… Cordelia won't report back for a while, Olivia handled things… literally…" Chrom scratched his neck, feeling Sumia's icy stare on him, "…and we have testimony from an unknown noble who's nowhere to be found. Anything else?"
"For now, we need to keep a low profile," Maribelle replied, glancing at the notes she'd taken over the past few minutes. It was late, and strangely, she found herself missing Morgan, even though she'd overextended her visit by twenty minutes, unwilling to let the little one leave. She chuckled to herself, remembering how little Lucina had come in wearing her penguin pajamas, breaking her resolve to finish on time. "Unless something bad happens or another incident stirs up, there's only one remaining issue…"
Chrom clenched his fists. He knew it would cause an uproar, but given the circumstances, there was no other choice. "There's no more to discuss, then… I'll suspend the search for Robin for the time being…"
"So, you won't let me deal with that vile noble, and now you want to hold back the search efforts for Robin?" Sumia's voice was full of reproach as she stared at Chrom.
"You know that's not what I want," Chrom replied. "If there's anything I'd like to do immediately, it's to find him—but right now, it just isn't the right time."
"I could ask Sully and Lissa to come along with Lucina to search for him, and I'm sure Tharja would be willing to pitch in more at the castle to keep things running smoothly in our absence."
"You'd take the girls for the search? Wouldn't Cynthia be a better choice? An aerial search would cover more ground."
"No, Cynthia would stay here to look after little Lucina."
"Lucina and Cynthia can handle that together, can't they? You're not neglecting your daughters just to go after Robin, are you?"
"All for the sake of seeing little Morgan brought into this world as soon as possible."
"I agree with that," Maribelle added, her voice firm.
"Seconded," Sully muttered, looking away with a mischievous grin.
Olivia, wide-eyed, could barely believe the boldness Sumia was displaying.
"And besides, we have caretakers for the girls. I could leave for a few weeks on this search, and if we find him, maybe I can persuade him to take this matter more seriously. Who knows? We could even have our little Morgan here by the end of next year."
"Haaaah… I have no idea why you're so fixated on this, but I have to remind you that Robin specifically instructed us not to leave the castle vulnerable. We can't just abandon things until this situation is resolved," Chrom replied, exasperated.
"...Tch." Sumia frowned, visibly frustrated.
"In that case, when Cordelia returns in four or five days, I can schedule a preliminary meeting. We've exposed one noble, lost track of the second, and if everything goes well with the third, I don't think we'll have any further issues," Maribelle suggested, hoping to bring some order to the tense atmosphere.
"Well, assuming Cordelia doesn't mind leaving her daughter here alone, I imagine she'll go, check things out, and return promptly, im sure she´ll be back in two days, top" Maribelle said with a wave of her fan. "With her newly awakened maternal side, I doubt we'll have any issues. What could possibly go wrong?"
Meanwhile, Cordelia was frozen in mid-air, staring at the scene below in shock. She had just arrived in the port city, taken directions, and soared up to the noble residential district when she spotted something that left her speechless.
"L-Lady Cordelia?" one of the young women accompanying her asked, her voice full of concern. "Should we… should we investigate what we just saw?"
"Do you mean go investigate the fireball left by a dragon? Are you crazy?!" another companion exclaimed, equally rattled.
Cordelia sighed, gripping the reins of her Pegasus tightly. "I… I think I know who's responsible… but this is definitely not the kind of surprise I was expecting."
She said this while watching a certain dark-haired ruler emerge from the mansion, looking just as frustrated as she felt. "For now… let's find out what happened."
Hello! Shidesu here!
Sorry for the delay, i had a lot of work last week and you know... stuff happens (like the massive leak of game freak)
ANYWAY! I hope you enjoy this chapter, let me know what´d you think about it, you know i love to see your reviews and comments, thanks again for the 100 followers, its really nice to see how much you like my work and enjoy this lemmon fic.
Without more to say, i´ll see you again in a couple of weeks, SHIDESU! OUT!