By the time the group made it onto the South Kreuzen Highway the mist had completely disappeared, allowing them view of the steeples that comprised the Verdant City in the distance. Knowing that their infiltration was soon to commence Rean began fretting over his inability to come up with a way to sneak in, but Emma and Celine claimed to have a solution. The witch wasn't entirely sure it would work, but given their lack of alternatives he decided to place his trust in her, even if she had been vague with her plan. He could only assume it had something to do with her magic and the collective shrug he got from the rest of the group only added credence to that theory.

It was late in the afternoon by the time they finally reached the south gate of Bareahard. Plenty of time to comb the city for information on their final member, even if he wasn't sure they would be able to make contact that day. Given that this was one of the cities where the Noble Alliance held the most sway it was imperative that they spend as little time as possible there, lest they somehow get discovered. Not even Valimar could last against an entire provincial army.

Rean couldn't help but feel nervous as they approached the guarded gate, a feeling which grew tenfold as one of the guards pulled out a list of wanted characters when they tried to enter. But fortunately Emma delivered in her promise as she approached the guards, removed the glasses, and said... something. After that the dazed soldiers let them pass without issue.

It reminded him of the thing Vita did to the jaegers in Ymir, which only reinforced his belief that it was far better to have Emma as a friend and not an enemy. She did caution that her magical hypnosis wasn't a foolproof solution and they couldn't risk overusing it lest their enemy wise up to the fact, but now that they were in the city he didn't believe they would need to rely on it any further.

The southern entrance to Bareahard put them in the Artisan's District, which was fortuitous. Unlike the rest of the city, this area housed and employed most of the residents of common birth, which meant that they should be less supportive of the Noble Alliance and perhaps more amenable to being questioned by Class VII. Path decided, the group began checking out the myriad shops - using the pretense of shopping - to question the locals.

Unfortunately, while this district was the safest for them, it was also furthest from the machinations of House Albarea and the other nobles, so their questioning provided little in terms of useful results. Most of the citizens were more worried about the ever-increasing taxes and harsh work quotas from those in power to care about anything else.

Their search did however come across Colette, a Class IV student, who had apparently ended up in the city and was now working multiple part time jobs for shopping money. Although initially surprised that she was doing alright in the enemy stronghold, it did make sense that only Class VII among Thor's students were truly wanted individuals. As long as the others didn't cause problems they were generally free to do whatever.

She wasn't able to provide them with much information, but she did confirm that Jusis had arrived in Bareahard a few days ago. According to the local rumor mills, their noble friend had taken charge of the local garrison. Technically it meant that he was now their enemy, but not one of them doubted their classmate. He was simply doing what he could to protect his people which was admirable.

With that district a bust the group decided to move their search to the Noble District. It was a far more dangerous place for them to loiter about, but at the same time it was a place that they needed to go as the Albarea Mansion was the most likely place for Jusis to be. Unfortunately, the mansion was as heavily guarded as ever and the group dared not get close lest they arouse the suspicion of the guards.

But what they did notice was a distressed looking elderly lady and his natural instinct to help others compelled Rean to investigate what was wrong. Come to find out her kitten Bootsy had gone missing. It was sad, but given how busy Class VII was Rean didn't think it practical to assist her and was about to lead the group away-

But stopped when he felt a finger poke his side harshly. A quick glance showed it belonged to Fie and while the girl didn't say anything, the stern pout on her face made her intent clear. 'If you don't help out there will be hell to pay.'

"...Looking for the kitten should give us a good cover story to freely walk around the city?" He supplied hopefully after immediately changing his decision. He couldn't help but flush as Laura giggled, clearly having understood what happened, but the fact that neither she nor anyone else refuted his words was good enough for him.

Not to mention they had their own ace in the hole for finding a lost cat... Although Celine did not seem all that impressed when he asked for her assistance. She did at least reluctantly advise them to follow the natural curiosity of a cat.

With their current mission as cover the group continued their exploration of Bareahard while keeping their eyes and ears open for any clues about the missing cat. Given that the rest if the Noble District would probably hold no info they backtracked into the Central Plaza and asked around. Not having any success finding clues about either objective they decided to check in at the cathedral.

There they heard an interesting story about how the fountain statue out front was crying and curiosity compelled them to check it out for themselves. As stated, the large marble statue had black stains on its eyes, as well as on other spots. Given that Emma couldn't sense anything magical in nature about it they concluded it had something to do with the water in the underground waterway. Curious, but not something for them to worry about.

Station Street too failed to provide any clues, but they did have the fortune of running into Theresia, a second year student from Class II and a member of the Lacrosse Club. Chatting with her it seemed that rifts had formed between her and her family as the latter were staunch believers in noble superiority and didn't approve of her friendship with Emily. Although they weren't able to assist her in her family issues she at least seemed a little happier after finding out that her club mate Alisa was safe and sound and promised to do whatever she could to help Class VII out.

They finally managed to find a lead about the missing kitten when they overheard two nobles chatting outside of the Sorciere Restaurant about how their dog had recently scared off a cat that got too near. He thought about asking for more details, but given how pompous the two had been when they last interacted during their field study he decided otherwise... That and the fact he was worried had they stuck around much longer Fie might have done something drastic to them as she was none too pleased by their attitude towards the kitten.

With that lead they followed the likely route of a scared kitten and found themselves back on Artisan's Street. They didn't need to explore far as Toval approached a happy looking young boy the bracer was familiar with and found out that the scared cat had just been there. After giving it some milk and food the cat had calmed down a lot, before eventually returning back into the city proper. It seemed likely that it was now searching for its owner so they began retracing their steps back towards the Noble District.

But of course, things could never be that easy. Just as they arrived back at Central Plaza they overheard a pair of St. Astraia students talking about how they had just witnessed the kitten... as it got spooked by a car and ran away to the north. On one hand the entire ordeal was becoming increasingly frustrating, but at least they knew they were on the right trail and getting closer. Reluctantly the group of cat hunters followed the street north.

The road took them all the way to the gate that would lead them onto the North Kreuzen Highway and after checking with the guards – both to confirm that the cat had just exited and to ensure thee guards knew their faces and mission so there was no need for them to question Class VII upon their return – the group left Bareahard. Luckily they knew the area well as they had dealt with a monster extermination request during their field study here. Rean didn't think the scared kitten would go too far on its own, so as long as nothing spooked it he was confident that they would find it before long.

And as it turned out, he was correct. Outside of a few sporadic monster attacks the group made quick work in finding the terrified kitten sitting on the middle of the bridge that marked the furthest extent of their field study. As much as she protested that she was not a cat Celine was quick to take charge and was able to calm the cat down enough so that Fie could safely pick it up.

After delivering the cat (and nearly blowing their cover when Celine started scolding the old woman aloud), the group was at a loss. Although they knew that Jusis was in the city, getting to him was proving to be an ordeal. "So..." Toval muttered aloud. "Since we seem to be kinda stuck, would you mind if I took a quick detour and checked out the waterway? It's usually been the job of bracers, but since most of us bracers are gone..."

"I think it is a good idea for all of us." Laura agreed. "Perhaps a break will allow us to see things from a different perspective."

Seeing no dissent among the others Rean nodded his head. "Sure, let's do that. And while it's likely they sealed it up by now, there is a passageway that leads right into the Albarea Mansion that we can scout out." Still, he couldn't say he was entirely thrilled to be going into the waterway and he was sure the others shared that sentiment, even if all shared in his sense of duty.

This time they were able to enter without incident and made good progress thanks to both Toval and the three members of Group A who all had knowledge of the waterway. Most of the monsters they had encountered previously were gone, but in their place was an infestation of very poisonous looking dromes, something which led credence to the idea that the fountain's issue would be found in here.

A fact that made itself quite clear when they came across a gigantic version of those monsters deeper in the waterway. Class VII didn't waste any time before moving to engage the enemy along with the myriad of smaller versions that flocked to its defense.

Annoyingly, the one problem with enemies like this is that their gelatinous hides made them very resistant to blade and bullet. Even as his tachi easily sliced through the monster it did little real damage as it simply reformed itself. And as skilled as Laura, Fie, and Millium were, they too were stymied by the same problem. And none of them were particularly good at arts.

Thus they were forced to play defensively as Toval and Emma took point while the rest played bodyguard for them. Laura and Millium fended off the smaller creatures while he and Fie linked up to keep the main enemy distracted and impede its own ability to cast orbal arts of its own. It was slow and unrewarding, but by the end of the fight the only real loss they took was that they and their clothes would need a very thorough wash once they were back in Ymir.

"Eww. Not only was the fight super lame, but Lammy is a mess!"

"Do you have to wash Airgetlam frequently?"

"Yup yup! Him being all white means he gets dirty all the time. I bet that other girl doesn't have the same problem..."

As... interesting as that conversation was, Rean found himself distracted. There was something calling out to him. Following those instincts his eyes soon came across an item half-buried in the muck near where the monster had been.

As much as he really did not want to investigate further, something compelled him onward. With a reluctant grimace the swordsman reached down and took hold of the object. It was a book, and even through the grime encasing the cover it looked familiar to him. Fortunately the pages were mostly untouched, but as he opened them he was met with unfamiliar words.

That was when it hit him. This book was just like the one he found in Celdic.

"Why are you picking through the garbage, Rean?" He was torn from his thoughts as he noticed Laura and five other very judgmental pairs of eyes staring at him.

"T-This isn't what it looks like!" He winced, knowing that such a standard reaction wouldn't do him any favors. Time for a distraction. "Hey, Emma? Come take a look at this."

The young witch wrinkled her nose in disgust, but he knew she was too kind to outright refuse him. That being said she did stop quite short of him – clearly intent on seeing whatever it is he had to show from a very safe distance.

That changed when he showed her the contents of the book and she leaned forward curiously to get a better look at the unfamiliar script. "This is..."

"Do you know what it is? I found another one similar to it a while back."

"I do not. I have some suspicions, but..." She shook her head. "I can tell that it's old. Very old. It might be a good idea to hold onto them. Maybe we can find someone who can translate it."

Right. That was his plan. But as he looked down upon the grimy smelly book he realized the problem with that. Desperately he turned his eyes towards his friends, hoping that one of them had a solution for him...

Only to find the rest of the group had already left the room.

It wasn't until after they had returned to the surface and Laura had kindly taken it upon herself to purchase a bag from a nearby shop for him to store the strange book that the others allowed themselves to near him again. After quickly stopping by at the cathedral to let them know that the statue should no longer be crying the group once again reconvened on the streets, desperate to come up with something else they could do that day. Sadly, they could think of nothing.

That was when fortune smiled upon them as they were approached by two children. They were familiar to Rean as he recalled them being close with Jusis, even if their names eluded him. What was important was the fact that they knew Class VII and had a message for them, even if they refused to say who from. 'Head to the restaurant in the central plaza posthaste.'

As cryptic as it was, they decided to follow the message. There were only two real possibilities as to who the message sender could be, and since Rean didn't see any real purpose behind leading them into such an elaborate trap he was optimistic that it was the possibility they were hoping for. Still, it couldn't hurt for them to proceed cautiously.

'Make your way to the airport posthaste. I shall await you there.' Was the message they received from Jusis' uncle. Following the second message they soon arrived at the airport, which was mostly empty save for one parked airliner and a few mechanics walking around. It was one of those who approached the group, delivering yet another message. 'Make your way to the lounge on the third floor posthaste.'

He did his best to ignore Millium's grumbling threats of all the things she was going to do to Jusis, as even his patience with the search was nearing its end, but this at least seemed to be the last step. Cautiously the group boarded the empty airship and made their way up the stairs towards their final destination.

"You certainly took your time." Was the voice that greeted them as they entered the lounge. And the owner of that voice was the one they had been looking for. "How long did you intend to make me wait? I half wondered whether you would even bother to show up."

Rean couldn't help but roll his eyes with a wry smile. "Nice to see you too, Jusis. You know how many hoops you made us jump through just to get here, right?"

"There are eyes everywhere in this city. It would've drawn too much attention for you to come here directly. That was just my way of looking out for you. Perhaps you could try thanking-"

"Okay! My turn!" Millium yelled before he could finish his statement. Of all the things she threatened to do, the one she ended up choosing was to launch herself at him as only she could. Sadly for her, Jusis was more than prepared and deftly evaded her lunge. "Aww. Why'd you move outta the way?"

Her target scoffed. "Because you were trying to hug me, obviously." Millium pouted as Celine sighed.

"Haha..." It was good seeing them act like nothing had changed. "At least you're well. That's what matters. It really is great to see you again, Jusis."

"The same to you. I'm impressed you were able to overcome the many ordeals you've no doubt faced to make it this far." The Albarea noble allowed a small smile to adorn his visage. "Thought I should hardly be surprised, I've always had high expectations of you. You've made good on your word and showed me exactly what noblesse oblige means to you. I would like to believe that in my own way, I've done the same."

Rean couldn't help but smile bashfully at the praise. "I think you have. And you've managed to do it without anyone's help. Still, thanks Jusis."

"And there we have it." Toval cheered. "All of Class VII's finally back together. Congrats, guys."

Jusis glanced at the bracer, silently questioning why he was with the group. But after a second he shook his head and let out a sigh. Something which gave Rean a bad feeling. "Jusis...?"

"I've been kept abreast of your activated through the Noble Alliance's information network. So I'm well aware you've been fighting their forces across the land using that ash-colored knight of yours. As well as the fact that you've chosen not to ally yourselves with the Imperial Army, but instead fight as a third faction."

Rean was shocked. Sure he expected that some of his antics with Valimar had become known, but to that extent? And he wasn't alone in that sentiment either as the others looked just as surprised.

Seeing their surprised expressions Jusis continued, but with a prominent frown on his face. "That said, I didn't arrange for us to meet like this just to see one another again. I did so that I could make the difference between our respective positions crystal clear."

"...I see." Laura muttered, figuring out his intent first. "You have no intention of coming with us, do you?"

He scoffed at their surprise. "You surely saw this coming. I'm the son of one of the most influential figures in the Noble Alliance. And as I imagine you're already aware, I've been assisting him and his provincial army in fighting this war."

Rean couldn't help but glance at Laura. Even though neither of them were in the same position as Jusis was, they both at least understood the pressure that came from being a noble. "Well, we know, but..."

"Is this what you believe to be your duty as a noble?" She finished for him.

"Meanwhile, my brother is acting as the alliance forces' chief of staff..." He continued as if he hadn't heard them. "...and as for my father..." For a brief second the son of Duke Albarea was forced to look away from Rean with clenched fists. "He was responsible for hiring jaegers to attack Ymir, which is not only your home, but the home of all the kindhearted people who welcomed me with open arms earlier in the year.

I can only apologize. If I'd returned home earlier, then perhaps..." Once again he glanced away, an expression of frustrated vulnerability plastered on his face. But he quickly regained his composure. "...No. I don't even have the right to do that much. Yet with that in mind, it should be clear that we can't go back to the way things were. The gulf between us is simply too vast to be filled. Our paths have parted; that is reality."

The others were stunned into silence by that declaration. Rean was surprised too, but that expression Jusis wore for just a second... He had a suspicion of the guilt that was driving his actions.

Heedless of Rean's thoughts, Jusis continued. "I will guarantee you safe passage out of the city, If you deem it necessary, I can even have you escorted out by car. However, once you're out, we can no-"

"Jusis." Rean cut his friend off. "I can imagine why you feel somewhat responsible for what happened in Ymir. I should probably tell you that Dad woke up the other day. All that's left is for him to get his stamina back now. He'll make a full recovery."

Jusis' stern expression dropped into one of relief. "That's... good news. I would have liked to pay him a visit myself, but with circumstances as they are..."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'm not telling you that to make you feel guilty. I'm telling you because I don't want that to be your reason for what you're doing. What I want to know is what you want to do, and the path you want to take."

Seeing how perplexed he looked, Rean elaborated. "If you want to help your family because you agree with the ideals of the Noble Alliance, I won't stop you. But if that's not what you want to do, if you're only helping because you feel like you have to for whatever reason... If you're doing it because you feel responsible for what happened to my dad – which, by the way, you aren't... or if you're doing it because as much as you want to come with us, you feel like you don't have the right to..."

Here he narrowed his eyes at his friend. "...Then you're nothing more than a coward who's running away. And I don't believe that's how a real Erebonian noble should act." It was a bit harsh to say considering that not long ago he shared a similar belief in his desire to run away for the sake of the Schwarzer family, but he had come to understand that it was very possible to balance ones responsibilities with their personal happiness.

"Yeah!" Millium shouted in agreement. "This isn't like you at all!"

Seeing that Jusis had been rendered speechless Rean continued. "We're only students, still learning more about the world around us. Alone we don't have the experience or knowledge to go around proposing solutions to the conflicts in this country. Not to the war going around us nor to the class divides that started it.

But that's alone – and that's why I think we all need to come together as a class again. We're all inexperienced, but we all come from different backgrounds and social standings, and we each have unique experiences to share. It's only by pooling those together that we can overcome whatever life throws at us. It's worked for us during every one of our field studies. Why wouldn't it work now?"

Laura's mirthful laughter broke the silence. "He's right, Jusis."

"Indeed." Emma supported. "Rean had to remind me of that, too, you know."

"Heh." Jusis finally regained his composure as he shook his head with a tiny grin on his face. "I see my suspicions were dead on. No matter the circumstances, you've always been the one to blow away my hesitations."

Rean perked up. "Then you'll come with us?"

Once again Jusis shook his head, but this time with a more serious look. "Still, no matter what you say, I am an Albarea. And as such, I have duties and responsibilities to fulfill. If you are not determined to back down... then we will have to settle this with a duel. Just as you and Crow did one month ago."

"A duel...?" While he wasn't against the idea, it was a bit confusing. And did he really need to remind him of that fight against Crow?

"Follow me, Rean. Our destination is Aurochs Canyon. There, we shall settle this matter once and for all."

The rules of the 'duel' were not at all what Laura had been expecting. While there was a traditional sword duel at the end, the first part involved a race through the canyon between Jusis on a horse and Rean on Angelica's orbal bike, which Jusis had taken custody of after Thors fell. While she wouldn't deny that a race like that sounded interesting, she was struck by just how odd it all was.

Not Fie, however. The girl claimed that they used to do a similar activities during her Zephyr days. Although Laura suspected that any version done by jaegers would have been a bit more... extreme in nature.

As Toval took on the mantle of starting the race for the two competitors the rest of Class VII was free to find spots along the course to witness the race. As both Fie and Emma had been a part of the field study that took place in this area and with Millium proudly claiming that she knew the area well after infiltrating Aurochs Fort, that just left Laura as the only one without knowledge of the area. Instead she opted to remain with Fie as the two traveled down the road to where the competitors would need to split off to reach the plateau that was the finish line.

"So, you used to do things like this often?" She asked once the two were alone.

"Kinda." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "I didn't get to participate in it much since I was just a kid, but occasionally the Boss let me partner with him when they did team battles as a handicap to give the others a chance. Chase battles tended to be more violent than this, with more traps and explosions and stuff."

She couldn't help but sweatdrop nervously as she listened to Fie detail some of the more brutal chase battles she had witnessed. Definitely not the kind of thing a small girl should be partaking in. That being said... "An objective based battle that tests both your combat prowess and your situational awareness. It's very practical."

"Yup. Fun, too. We should do something like that once the war is over."

Laura couldn't help but smile in anticipation. "I am looking forward to it already. Preferably without the lethal traps and explosions, though."

"Laaaame." The younger girl perked up a second later. "I hear an engine... They're coming."

Sure enough, her senses were on point as both soon witnessed the bike and horse come into view. The two girls watched as the pair passed their position, with Rean's lips curling upwards just the tiniest of bits as he made eye contact with them. From what she could tell they were about neck and neck as they turned onto the grass.

"Look. Jusis is slowing down." Fie pointed out. Sure enough, the horse rider indeed had cut his speed. It made sense as forcing a horse to sprint across such rough terrain was just asking for disaster for the steed and Jusis was not a cruel person by nature. Thus Rean began to pull slightly ahead as his mechanical mount did not have those same worries, even if he did wobble precariously as he ran over some rocks and out of their vision.

"Shall we begin to head up ourselves?" Laura asked after the two were gone. "I am certain the duel will be finished by the time we arrive."

Her partner raised an eye in interest even as the two began moving. "You seem pretty confident about that."

"I respect Jusis as a swordsman, but I could see the uncertainty in his eyes. A heavy heart will only serve to weigh down his blade. I am all but certain that Rean shall prevail." Her statement caused Fie to start giggling. "...What's so funny!?"

"I'm sorry..." She didn't seem all that sorry. "but 'A heavy heart will only serve to weigh down his blade'?" Once again she started laughing. "You sword users are all such dorks!"

She couldn't help but flush slightly at the teasing, prompting Fie's smirk to widen. "W-Well, what about you? Do you disagree with my assessment!?"

"Nah. Rean's gonna win. He's the better fighter." She replied succinctly.

A blunt answer, but one that she had come to expect from her best friend. The two continued around the plateau at a leisurely pace as Emma and the others hurried to catch up, and it was as a full group that they ascended to the peak to witness the duel's outcome.

"Rean! Jusis!" The sight of the Albarea kneeling in defeat was entirely expected, but still good to see all the same. Despite the loss Jusis seemed quite pleased. Laura was certain that the fight was what had been needed to unburden his heart, even if Fie would argue otherwise.

After helping Jusis to his feet and confirming that he was indeed coming back with them spirits were high. Class VII was finally back together again and Laura was looking forward to the chance to meet up with the others. It was time for them to-

"Heh. I wouldn't celebrate your paltry victory just yet!"

Hurriedly she and the others scanned the area for whomever it was that had managed to get the drop on them like that, eventually spotting two figures standing on a cliff above them. From this distance it was hard to make out much detail about them, but one thing stuck out in her mind as she gazed upon the female of the duo who had been the speaker. "One of them is wearing armor..."

The armored woman leapt down from her perch, landing herself directly in front of the group. "Good day to you, ladies and gentlemen of Class VII. I'm afraid I've come to thoroughly put a damper on your reunion. I hope you don't mind."

It was clear that this person knew who they were and had hostile intent, but the same could not be said for Class VII. "Just who are you?" She asked the intruder. The other member of that duo seemed content to remain in his current position for the time.

The lady let out a mocking laugh. "It wouldn't hurt to introduce myself, I suppose. I am a lady, after all. My name is Duvalie. I'm the head knight of the Stahlritter, an esteemed group led by Ouroboros' Seventh Anguis in all her glory. And it is by her order that I have come here today."

The news that this haughty woman was a member of Ouroboros – while not entirely unexpected – was quite worrisome. That being said, Laura couldn't help but focus on one part of her speech. "Might I ask if the Stahlritter is somehow related to the Eisenritter? The name is eerily similar..."

The knight locked eyes with her. "Oh. You're the Arseid, aren't you?" For some reason her words seemed particularly venomous when she uttered her family name. "Heh. Are you curious? Hmm? I'll bet you are. Well, I'm not going to tell you!"

"P-Pardon?" Of the many possible answers she had expected from this person, that was most certainly not one of them.

Duvalie let out a mocking laugh. "Does it bug you? Does it? Your curiosity's going to build and build and eat away at you until you can't even sleep at night! Sucks to be you!"

The other seemed about as confused as she felt. Well, not Fie. The shorter girl seemed rather amused by the entire conversation. It made sense as that was totally something she would do, albeit a little less loudly. Still, it was thanks to her having to deal with her that Laura found her retort. Adopting a kind smile she turned back to Duvalie. "I'm not quite that curious... I wouldn't want to pressure you into discussing something you aren't comfortable sharing."

"H-Hold on a minute!" Critical hit. She earned a thumbs-up from her best friend as the Stahlritter knight fumbled. "There's no point in pretending you don't care! I know full well you do!"

"She doesn't act like it..." Rean muttered, having silently observed the conversation. "but there's no doubting she's extremely powerful." Laura could attest to that. Although she had yet to draw her sword and shield, she kept her entire body at the ready, like a true knight. This would prove no easy foe.

"So it seems. And the guy with her's a complete monster as far as pure power goes, too." Toval added.

The other man – who seemed entirely too relaxed even as Duvalie finally convinced him to approach – was indeed as Toval said. Even as his lazy stance afforded them so many openings Laura dare not attempt to exploit them. It was clear that this man did not see them as a threat, and for good reason. Although though she lacked the sensory abilities that someone like Rean possessed, all of her warrior's instincts were screaming at her that this was not someone to face lightly.

"The name's McBurn. Enforcer I. Some call me the Almighty Conflagration. And talk is cheap. I hate conversations that just drag on and on. So let's skip to the good part, okay?" As if to prove her fears well-founded the man started emanating flames in a way none of them had ever seen before.

Duvalie let out a laugh as she finally drew her weapons. "Shall we begin? My swift swordsmanship was taught to me by my illustrious lord, the Steel Maiden. And you haven't a chance in hell of withstanding it!" The smirk of superiority she sent her way was annoying, but she would not let it affect her.

"I've gone to the trouble of comin' down here. Do me a favor, and try lasting a minute before you call it quits."

That Duvalie would single her out for her initial attack was not at all surprising given the hostility she had displayed during their conversation, but the speed of her assault was nearly enough to decide the battle before it began, with her only just raising her greatsword in time to ward off the opening strike. Undeterred, the older woman gave a vicious grin as she continued her attack, forcing Laura back with an unrelenting barrage of swings that it was only thanks to her spars against Fie that she was able to endure.

Speaking of, the familiar tingle of a combat link being formed was the only warning she got that said sparring partner was getting involved in her fight. Duvalie – despite not getting that warning – was able to parry off Fie's surprise attack with her blade, but that left her exposed for Laura's own counterattack. With a resounding yell she swung her sword at the exposed knight, only to blink in surprise when Duvalie managed to block it with her shield, barely giving a grunt of exertion as she endured the powerful blow with a single arm.

"Tch. The jaeger." Duvalie muttered as she broke off from the two Class VII fighters. "Should have expected someone like you to interfere in our duel!"

Fie gave a simple shrug in response to her ire. "Kinda hard not to when there's only two of you. I'm probably the only one coming, though..." Although her expression didn't change Laura could detect the hint of worry in her voice. It was one she understood well. Even with the rest of Class VII fighting McBurn under the leadership of Rean and Toval... Something about that Enforcer unnerved her greatly. Although she dare not look away from her own fight the sounds of explosions and feeling of heated air on her skin made it clear that it was an intense battle.

Still, like Fie it would not do her any good to let her worries be known. "My apologies. If you wanted this to be a proper duel perhaps you should have said so in the first place?"

"Grr... Fine! Whatever! I'll take both of you on!"

This time Laura was far more prepared for her charge, but even still it took all she had to successfully ward off the experienced knight. But being forced on the defensive just meant that it was up to Fie to provide the offense, which the former jaeger rushed to do. The bullets she fired while moving to engage were harmlessly deflected by Duvalie's shield, but the swings of her gunblades required more attention, forcing the Stahlritter to shift her focus to the new threat. Her swings were enough that even Fie couldn't easily evade them, instead opting to form a cross with her smaller blades to block the strike.

Laura's attempts at exploiting the opening were put on hold as Duvalie used her shield as an offensive weapon. Although the blunt object did little to harm her, the force of the blow staggered her back. Having already predicted that Duvalie would attempt to exploit the opening Laura was quick to roll away from the expected blow before regaining her stance.

Although only a few seconds had passed, this fight was beginning to remind her of their fights against Rean when he was first starting to master his transformation. Both opponents had strength comparable to her own with agility that rivaled Fie. But where Rean – even after gaining control of his abilities – was highly aggressive, Duvalie seemed to fight defensively, like a true knight.

That meant that finding openings to exploit would be quite tricky, but Laura knew they were up to the task. The confidence she felt through their shared link let her know that Fie was thinking along the same lines and she was sure that between herself and the cunning jaeger they had the tools needed to prevail. They just needed to last long enough to find the opportunity.

As she watched Duvalie engage Fie in a high-speed dance she couldn't help but observe the older woman's form. She was a truly remarkable swordswoman, relying on quick precise strikes while constantly using her shield to protect her sword arm. The easiest way to defeat a fellow practitioner of the blade was to disarm them, but it seemed entirely impossible in this case.

Actually... Her sword wasn't her only weapon, was it? In the span of a few seconds an idea came to mind, which she tried to quickly communicate with Fie over the link. While the intricacies of it were impossible to pass along so easily she trusted in her friend's judgment and cunning mind to fill in the blanks as they went along.

With a loud cry the Arseid gathered her energy into her blade and moved to reenter the fray, giving Fie the opportunity to seemingly retreat from the melee. She knew that her attack – no matter how powerful it was – would not be successful as it was too straightforward against this quick warrior, but that was fine. It couldn't be ignored and that was what mattered the most.

As expected, her opponent swiftly avoided her swing, giving a victorious cry as Laura overextended herself. Even if this was part of the plan being this exposed against a fast fighter was extremely hazardous and she was forced to backpedal rapidly while doing her best to avoid the counter swings. Seizing the moment Duvalie pressed her attack as each swing got closer and closer to striking home, with one even managing to slice a nice tear in her outfit.

So caught up was she in her imminent success that Duvalie was caught completely unawares by the flashbang grenade that Fie had thrown behind Laura which only became visible as she retreated. That brief moment of hesitation cost her dearly as she stared right at the explosive in confusion when it detonated. Laura meanwhile – having gained considerable experience at dealing with Fie's favorite tool – had already sealed her eyes shut and was thus able to avoid the worst of the effects. Little could be done about the disorienting bang, but she was capable that it wouldn't hinder her that much.

The obvious reaction to losing control of your senses in the middle of a battle was to do whatever you could to defend yourself until you recover, and Duvalie was no exception. If she was panicked she did not show it, instead opting to hold her shield out while keeping her blade at the ready, prepared to take a swing as soon as she blocked any opportunistic attackers...

But while she might have been waiting for someone to swing at her shield, what she was not prepared for was for Laura to cast away her own weapon, lunge forward, grasp onto the shield with both hands, and yank. As strong as Duvalie was she was not at all braced against such an action and so the move unbalanced her greatly, spoiling any chance of her countering. With her off balance Laura gave the shield a brutal twist.

Duvalie couldn't help but shriek as her arm was nearly torn out of its socket, but still the veteran warrior refused to yield her shield. That was, at least, until Fie came rocketing in like a silver-haired missile, slamming into Duvalie with gunblades at the ready. Forced to choose between her shield and her body the knight grudgingly released her grip on the protective tool, opting instead to rely on her armored gauntlets to fend off the relentless assault. Even as a satisfied Fie backed off and Duvalie's vision recovered Laura was already moving to capitalize on their success.

By throwing the shield off the plateau.

"Wh-What the hell!? You damned brats!" Duvalie fumed as she stomped her foot in petulant anger. "That was a dishonorable trick!"

"All's fair in love and war." Fie retorted, giving a victorious gesture that only served to enrage their opponent further.

Laura too couldn't resist the chance for some trash talk. "Attacking us without provocation was pretty dishonorable too, don't you think?"

"Haha... Hahaha!" Duvalie shook in rage even as she laughed bitterly. "Clearly you two just want to mock me! That's fine!" She glared at them as she took her sword in both hands. "If you think I need my shield to defeat you then you are sadly mis-"

All three of them found themselves stiffening as they all felt a tremendous surge of terrifying power in the other battle. Horrified, Laura and Fie bore witness to the sight of McBurn launching the largest and hottest ball of fire imaginable at her grouped up friends. Emma desperately tried to form a barrier to protect the group, but she didn't think it would be enough...

Just as the ball was about to impact the battered students a white-haired Rean threw himself between the two, holding his tachi forward in a feeble attempt at blocking the attack. As the two objects collided an explosion engulfed the area and for a horrified moment Laura assumed she had just bore witness to the death of someone very dear to her.

Thankfully, as the smoked began to clear she saw that that was not the case as a still-smoking Rean fell to his knees, but remained upright, even as his transformation expired. Still, even though Emma and Toval were already hard at work healing his body with arts it was clear that he was out of the fight and none of the others looked to be in great shape either.

The Enforcer didn't seem all that enthused by his victory as he let out a yawn. "Well, that was a disappointment. Still... You're mixed, aren't you?"

"Mixed?" A confused Rean questioned as Laura and Fie rejoined the others to protect them in case McBurn attacked again. A quick glance showed that both Emma and Celine were equally perplexed by the word.

But if they were hoping for any answers about Rean's power... "Nah. I'm not in the mood to explain things if you don't already know." McBurn turned his focus back to a still-fuming Duvalie. "You can take care of handing 'em over to the duke. Just don't lose them like you lost your shield."

"Grr...!" The knight fumed at the reminder. "You won't help me a teensy bit? It's a little much to handle all by myself!"

"Nah. I'm tired of this already. That kid's pretty interesting, but none of them can seriously give me a run for my mira." It galled Laura to hear that, but after what she had just witnessed it was hard to deny.

"One run for your mira, comin' right up!" But it seemed that someone else had a different idea in mind.

Class VII knew that voice very well, even if they scarcely believed it. "It couldn't be..."

"She finally made it." Unlike the others, however, Jusis was not at all surprised as they bore witness to Instructor Sara leap down from wherever she had been hiding, firing rounds from her orbal pistol and forcing the two Ouroboros agents to back off.

"Whew... Looks like I was right to hurry." Their teacher said as she scanned the battlefield with her eyes. "I wasn't expecting to find you fighting monsters of this caliber."

Fie allowed the tiniest of smiles to grace her face. "Never thought I would be this happy to see Sara."

The bracer must have heard her as she shot her ward a warm smile before looking towards the rest of them. "Sorry for the wait. But don't you worry your pretty little heads none. Now that I'm here, I won't let them lay a finger on you! How could I call myself your homeroom teacher if I did?"

"Haha... Thanks."

But while Class VII and her fellow bracer were relieved to see the reinforcements, neither of the Ouroboros agents appeared all that distressed. McBurn in fact let out a short laugh. "You ask me, this is more like it. Not like there are any towns nearby I can burn down, so maybe it's time I stopped holding back."

They could only watch in mute horror as the energy surrounding McBurn increased exponentially. The sense of wrongness that Laura associated with it also increased in the same manner, especially as the enforcers flames changed color to reflect their new power. "Black... flames?" Toval muttered.

"H-Hold on a moment!" Even Duvalie rushed to put space between her and the Almighty Conflagration. "I know I said I wanted help, but I'd rather you didn't set me on fire in the process!"

But just before another battle broke out... "What the devil are you doing up there?!" They were interrupted by a loud voice through a microphone at the bottom of the canyon.

"That sounds like..." Jusis muttered as all present turned to look at the newcomers. "Father? Arnauld?"

While the butler appeared contrite, Duke Albarea on the other hand was livid. "Jusis, what is the meaning of this?! You dare to leave a letter like that and simply disappear? You have gone mad?!"

As unfortunate as the new arrival was, his presence did cause McBurn to reign in his sickly black flames. "Hey, Duke, you mind staying outta this? I was getting all fired up there before you came and ruined everything."

"Silence! This has nothing to do with you!" The duke glared at his collaborator before turning his attention back to his son. "I will not stand for behavior like this, Jusis. You will do as I say! Your selfish actions will smear mud on the good Albarea name! Is that what you want?!" Laura could only shake her head in disdain. While she valued her name of Arseid, the very notion of being shackled to one twisted man's ideals for the sake of that name was completely abhorrent to her.

"My intentions are as I outlined in the contents of that letter. I intend to walk my own path, with my classmates at my side. I have no wish to dirty the Albarea name. On the contrary, I wish to find for myself how I should live as one who bears it." She couldn't help but allow a smile to form at his response. It seemed that they had found the same answers for themselves. The time spent in Class VII had truly paid dividends.

And it didn't escape her notice that any letter Jusis would have written would have been before his meeting with Rean. The outcome of their duel was even more inevitable then she had realized.

"Tch... What is this drivel? I always knew what a mistake it was to accept you into this family!" To his credit, Jusis did not flinch upon hearing such hurtful things from his father. "Come forth, knights of Kreuzen!"

Class VII watched as a trio of panzer soldats and a single armored car emerged from the road leading to Aurochs Fort. The two smaller ones were the Drakkhens that they had fought outside of Trista, but the third... was one she had not seen before, and given the similar expressions on her classmates, neither had they.

At least it seemed that McBurn had grown bored of the spectacle as he teleported away in a plume of fire. Duvalie shot one final glare towards her before also leaving, although Laura felt a tinge of satisfaction as the knight hopped down the cliff in search of her shield.

"Rean!" Emma cried, turning towards the one person who could get them out of this situation.

"Right!" He and Celine stepped towards the edge of the cliff. "Heed my call... Valimar, the Ashen Knight!"

She recalled exactly where they had left the Divine Knight. It was a trip that took them many hours on foot. Valimar arrived in a matter of seconds, landing on the floor of the canyon not far from their position. She watched as Rean and Celine turned into light before vanishing inside the cockpit.

While the two lesser soldats remained behind to protect Duke Albarea, the larger machine and the armored car moved forward to engage. It was ironic: Merely a month ago the sight of a panzer soldat had filled her heart with dread, but now as she witnessed what seemed to be a more powerful variant standing across from a Divine Knight...

Honestly, the thing just looked plain in comparison.

In battle there was a fine line between bravery and foolishness and the armored car that placed itself in this battle of titans by firing its light cannon was definitely on the side of foolishness. While she could respect the crew for following orders it was a futile gesture and a complete waste.

They were lucky that Rean was a kindhearted person who took the time to direct his blows, first removing the turret before driving his massive sword into the engine block of the car. The vehicle was completely disabled, but the crew would live to see the morrow.

But his kindness came with a price, as the effort taken left Valimar vulnerable, which the larger soldat took advantage of by aiming its large cannons at Rean and scored a direct hit. For an awful moment she feared that the Divine Knight would topple, but Valimar was made of sterner stuff and merely staggered back.

Not wanting to give his opponent the chance to do that again, Rean directed Valimar close and engaged his opponent in melee. As an observer it was painfully clear that Rean was the more skilled pilot, but as his blade clanged off the soldat's thick armor it was also clear that he was struggling to land a decisive blow on the heavily armored mech.

It was frustrating being forced to watch on the sidelines while others fought for her. But she grudgingly understood that neither she nor the rest of Class VII had a place on this battlefield. If only there was some way she could help...

Fie suddenly giggled. "Well, looks like he found a way to deal with that heavy armor. Look!" With a start Laura realized she was pointing at her. Or more specifically, her ARCUS unit which was now glowing blue. Eyes widened in realization. Rean was trying to form a link with her, just like what they did back at Trista! As she formed the connection she smiled, at peace with herself. While she might not be fighting, she could still help Rean in her own way. "Borrowing Laura's freakish strength will definitely win this battle." ...Her smile faded somewhat at Fie's wholly unnecessary comment.

Already the difference was apparent. Blows that had previously glanced off the enemy's armor were now gouging deep cuts through the armor. Valimar had already been much quicker and more skilled, so gaining the strength advantage was enough to ensure a decisive outcome. It was almost anticlimactic when Rean flowed around a clumsy strike before driving his sword through the soldat's chest, causing the machine to collapse upon itself.

As neither Drakkhen seemed inclined to engage now that the rest of the force was gone, Rean and Valimar leapt up to rejoin the others. "Give us a hand, Emma!" The voice of Celine shouted. "We're going to open the Spirit Path!"

"Right!" Was that the spell they had used to get to Legram in the first place? Given the way the others were beginning to huddle around Valimar's legs she could only assume so and rushed to do the same.

"W-Wait, Jusis!" Duke Albarea shouted, with far less confidence than he possessed mere minutes ago. "You can't leave like this! I won't allow it!"

Her classmate sighed at his father's deplorable behavior. "...Farewell for now, Father. Please give my regards to Rufus as well. It is my dearest wish that you won't repeat the mistake you made with Ymir a second time. Arnauld, might I ask you to return the horse I borrowed to the mansion?"

The ground beneath them began to glow even as the butler gave an affirmative and Duke Albarea continued his pointless yelling. With a flash of light Class VII left the Kreuzen Province to fully reunite as a group back at Ymir.

Me at the start of this chapter: Oh yeah I can definitely finish the Bareahard section in a single chapter!

Me midway through the chapter: I have made a terrible terrible mistake.

And yet I was too stubborn to change course. In the end this of all chapters now holds the throne for my longest chapter by word count. And since I am also so stubborn as to not want to change my posting schedule, even as the upcoming chapter of TFT also ended up slightly longer...

Fie's right. Naps are great.

Also: As much as I generally dislike having to write fight scenes, these ones in CS2 are especially awful. So many fights where either the baddy isn't taking themselves seriously or the fight ends before anything really happens. Even if the game has beating Duvalie as an AP condition, you know you don't actually beat her as you fight her many more times in the future and she fights a lot harder in those instances and arghhh.

On the plus side: Duvalie herself! Always a blast to have around. I have plans for her down the line, especially with Laura.