A/N: Thank you so much for the support, reviews, favs, and follows! I keep re-reading them with a huge smile on my face! Thank you so much again!
And I hope you enjoy this chapter too!
Following the night of Alucard's test in the manor gardens, Olivia anxiously awaited Arthur's judgement.
But the matter was never brought up, and she feared that Alucard didn't inform his master of her conquest like he promised.
Briefly, Olivia considered that Alucard might've been lying to her but perished the thought since he seemed to want her on the field more than anyone else.
So what was taking Sir Hellsing so long?
Was she still doing something incorrectly?
Would she have to shot Alucard in the neck again?
Luckily, a week before Christmas, her questions were answered.
While studying a book on demonology in the library, Martha delivered a note from Arthur, demanding that she come to see him immediately.
Her heart was in her throat as she raced to his office, praying this was the moment she had been waiting for.
She nearly threw the doors open, but remembered her manners and swiftly knocked on them instead.
"Enter" came Arthur's muffled reply and Olivia slipped inside, making sure to close the door behind her.
"You requested my presence, Sir Hellsing?" She stood in front of his desk at full attention and bowed. "How can I be of service?"
"Please have a seat, Ms. Olivia." Arthur gestured to the sofa. "I have something I would like to discuss with you."
"Yes, sir." Olivia nodded, taking a seat with sweaty palms, the anticipation killing her. "May I ask why we can't discuss this over tomorrow's breakfast? Have I done something amiss?"
"Not at all," Arthur took a seat on the sofa across from her. "And didn't I tell you to strictly speak in English from now on? The more you practice, the better you will be."
"Igen-I mean, yes, Sir Hellsing."
"Very good." He nodded in approval before leaning back and crossing his arms. "Now, I understand that two weeks ago Alucard took it upon himself to measure your abilities with a test, is that correct?"
"That is…correct." Olivia's nails dug into her legs, not liking how stern Arthur's tone was.
"And Alucard reported that you passed his test. Is that true?"
"Yes, I shot him in the neck."
Arthur couldn't help but snort at how plainly she put it.
"Well, he was pretty adamant that I stop coddling you and make you an official soldier."
"And?" Olivia leant forward, her heart about to beat out of her chest. "Will you?"
"If there is one thing my servant knows about, it is combat." Arthur rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "And after seeing how much you've improved, I think it is about time to remove the training wheels, don't you agree?"
"So you are finally promoting me?!" Olivia had to cling to the cushions to keep herself from launching out of her seat.
"Of course I am." He chuckled, finding her attempts to conceal her excitement very cute. "I made my decision the night Alucard came to see me."
This time Olivia shot to her feet.
"WHY DID YOU TAKE SO LONG TO TELL ME THEN?! I mean," She sat back down and cleared her throat, "you really took your time, Sir Hellsing. May I ask why?"
"That is because," He reached under the table between them and placed a large, rectangular box on top of it, "I was waiting for this to arrive."
"Is this…? Could it be….?"
"Why don't you open it and see for yourself?" Arthur smirked, eager to see her reaction. "Our weapons master worked very hard on it."
Olivia's hands trembled as she reached out to unclasp the lock and slowly lifted the lid up, her eyes growing wide as she beheld the contents.
"Istenem*," She picked up the silver bow, beautifully crafted with swirls flowing down both limbs. "This is…um….aish….I can't remember the word!" She chuckled breathlessly, tracing the swirls with the lightest of touches. "Gosh, I….wow…this is beauti-Aha! Beautiful, that's the word! This is beautiful, Sir Hellsing!"
Arthur laughed at the little verbal journey she went on and how she kept caressing the bow like a cat.
"And," He pulled out a thinner, longer case and opened it to reveal twelve, silver headed arrows, "this is your ammunition. In addition to the heads being made of silver, the tips contain a lethal dose of mercury, and they have already been blessed by Archbishop Lang of Canterbury. Oh, and for the sake of discretion while out in public, the bow and the arrows are retractable and can be stored in a handbag or inside a coat. "
"Oh wow…" She gingerly plucked one out of the case and held it up to the light, marveling at how light they were compared to the training arrows.
"The cross of St. Stephen's Basilica was melted down to craft that bow, and those silver heads were melted down from the monstrance of Myeongdong Cathedral."
"You mean…" Olivia cradled the weapons to her chest, letting this information wash over her. "These are…."
"Yes, these weapons were crafted from the churches of your parents' homelands. Now with every arrow you string up, you will remember why you came to Hellsing."
"I.." Her eyes stung with unshed tears as her voice trembled. "I don't know what to say, Sir Hellsing. A simple thank you won't suffice for this wonderful gift."
"Then don't thank me. Show me." Arthur then tossed a map of an upscale London neighborhood onto the tabletop, one of the houses circled with red pen. "We have received notice of a vampire attack in that household. Dispose of it before it spreads. Those are your orders, soldier."
Olivia shot to her feet and saluted him, feeling like she was walking on a cloud.
"Understood, Sir Hellsing."
'It is finally beginning. Anya, Apa, Akos, Mark, my penance and your vengeance starts tonight. Please…watch over me and let every scream from those monsters bring comfort to your souls.'
The targeted estate was surrounded by acres of land and as Olivia stood before the doors of the manor, she knew there was no turning back the moment she pulled them open.
Olivia wasn't afraid, no she had been waiting for this moment for a long time, but as she stood there with her bow in hand and her quiver loaded at her hip, she felt the need to pause and take it all in.
After this night, she would officially be a soldier of Hellsing.
And someone who had taken a life.
Or rather…an unlife.
"Are you going to stare at the door all night, stupid girl?" Walter stood next to her, leering at her through his peripheral vision. "I don't have all night to babysit you."
Olivia didn't reply, still disappointed Alucard wasn't her partner for her first mission. As Arthur lead her out to the car—which was a disguised military truck, she searched high and low for her odd friend but only found a disgruntled Walter waiting in the front seat.
She asked Arthur why Alucard wasn't coming with them. His hurried response was: "Alucard is like medicine, you only use him when you need to. Now get in the car before that vampire escapes."
Olivia thought that wasn't fair but figured she could always tell him about it later, that is if he didn't hide away for a month like before.
As for Walter, she honestly didn't mind fighting alongside him since he was talented, but his sharp tongue was testing her patience.
"I thought we agreed to work together for Hellsing's sake." She sighed, tightening her bow string.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm going to kiss the ground you walk on." Walter adjusted his gloves.
"I never said you had to do that. But I was hoping we could be civil to each other."
"And I remember telling you not to be dead weight."
Olivia wrung her bow in her hands, pretending it was Walter's neck.
"…You know, for such a cute little boy, you are very rude."
"And for someone supposedly older than me, you are very stupid."
"S-Supposedly? But I am older than you!"
"How about this then," He turned to face her. "Let's play a game. Each ghoul is this manor is worth a point, with the vampire the royal flush. Whoever gains the most points wins."
"…Alright. I accept your challenge. What are the sakes?"
"If you win, I won't call you stupid girl anymore and maybe I'll even play tea party with you."
"…Are you mocking me?"
"Shut up," He bopped her on the nose, snickering when she tried to bite his finger. "And if I win, you take all my chores for a year."
"A-A year?! But you have a million chores to do!"
"Then you better win, stupid girl," He sent out his wires and ripped the doors of their hinges. "Let the games begin."
And with that, he raced into the darkness, leaving a furious Olivia in his wake.
"Obnoxious little brat." She snapped, lacing up an arrow and chasing after him. "Respect your elders!"
As Olivia ventured into the house and took in all the damage, memories of that night flooded into her mind.
Her father's viscera painted across the walls; her mother's corpse ripped in half, and her brothers' torn to shreds until only their intestines remained.
'Now is not the time to be trapped in the past, now is the time for action.' Olivia chanted to herself, squeezing her eyes shut and channeling her sorrow into rage.
She heard commotion drifting from the dining room and rushed inside to find Walter slicing the head off a ghoul.
"Decided to catch up, stupid girl?"
"Oh hush." Olivia spotted a ghoul emerging from the next room and prepared to fire when-.
"Too slow." Walter pushed her aside and cut through the ghoul with a flick of his wrist, its remains immediately turning to dust.
"Hey! That one was mine! Play fair!"
"There is no such thing as playing fair in battle, stupid girl."
"For the love of-," Olivia rubbed her temples. "Are all the soldiers in Hellsing such sneaky jerks?"
"What's that? I couldn't hear you." Walter fluttered his eyes and cupped his ear. "Care to speak up?"
"Pöcs*…" She mumbled under her breath, her ears burning at using crass language but she was millimeters away from shooting an arrow into his face.
"If you are going to insult me, do it in English." Walter rolled his eyes before surveying the room. "There were only four occupants in the house and they are all dead now. So, all that remains is the vampire before I win."
"But you said the vampire was a royal flush! I still have a chance to….um…a chance to…" She scrambled her brain for the word in English. "Nyerj*. What is nyerj in English?"
"Well, while you figure that out, I'll go deal with the vampire." And he had the gall to pat her on the back and walk away; Olivia's bow nearly snapped in half.
'Obnoxious little brat, I regret saying you were cute! You are ugly, hideous, vile! Just the sight of you makes me want to puke! '
Finding her second wind, Olivia kicked off her socks and shoes before hurrying out to the hallway and flying past Walter.
"Not if I find it first!"
"Hey, no running!" He tried to give chase but was no match for her agility. "That is not fair!"
"Consider it a taste of your own medicine, you-!" The moment Olivia set foot into the manor's ballroom, a wooden table was hurled at her.
"What the—?!" She leapt to the side, the table's corner barely gazing her cheek. "Where did that come from?!"
"Look up, stupid girl." Walter leapt over the table barricading the entrance and pointed to the ceiling.
There, hanging from one of the marble pillars, was the vampire. It was wearing a grey suit like the ones Arthur wore, but that was where the similarities ended. Like the monster in Northleach, it had glaring red eyes and a mouthful of bloodstained, razor sharp teeth; Olivia felt bile rise in her mouth at this comparison.
"It appears," Walter hummed, hands in his pockets, "that we've found our target."
"Your target?!" It cackled, throwing its head back as ear splitting laughter filled the room. "Two mere children have come to face me?!"
"Shut up," Walter snapped, wires circling around him. "We are the Hellsing Organization, and we are not to be taken lightly."
The vampire smirked and charged forward, his eyes on Walter only.
Then a dance of sorts began between Walter and the vampire, both dodging the other's attacks with grace and speed.
"That thing is quick." Olivia noted. "That must be why Sir Hellsing sent the two of us. I need to hurry and-."
A soft creak from the ceiling caught her attention and Olivia looked up to see a large chandelier swaying back and forth.
An old chandelier on the verge of collapsing.
An old, silver chandelier with a spike jutting from the bottom.
'That's it!' Olivia re-laced her arrow and took aim, waiting for the right moment.
'Steady….steady….'
Then, right when Walter and the vampire were in the middle of the floor, she shot at the remaining wire holding the chandelier up and dashed forward as it plummeted toward the ground.
"Walter! Look out!" She tackled him from the side and the two of them rolled out of harm's way with Olivia shielding him from the debris as the chandelier crashed to the ground.
She waited for the dust to settle before peering down at Walter whom she had a death grip on.
"Are you alright, Walter? Did the glass cut you anywhere?" She cupped his face and inspected it for any wounds while he stared behind her with a dazed expression.
"What the…." He pointed to the chandelier with its spike impaled through the vampire's heart. "What the hell was that?!"
"A royal flush, I believe." She grinned, pulling him to his feet. "Find your prettiest hat, Walter. I'll be seeing you for a tea party tomorrow."
Brushing the glass shards of her back, Olivia picked her bow up and merrily skipped back to the manor's entrance, leaving a stunned Walter in her wake.
"…What the hell just happened?"
Arthur stood outside, along with a few body guards, leaning against the car and smoking a cigarette. When he spotted Olivia and Walter exiting the manor, he stubbed it out with his heel and met them halfway.
"Well?"
"The mission was a success, sir!" Olivia cheered, saluting him while bopping on her heels. "No survivors remain!"
Arthur glanced at Walter's vexed expression with his crossed arms and pouty lips and immediately pieced together the night's events.
"Good show, Ms. Olivia." Arthur reached out and patted her on the head with a pleased grin. "You have killed your first vampire."
His approval was like an oasis in a desert, and Olivia had to restrain herself from clinging to him.
Instead, she settled for nodding and saluting him once again.
"Thank you very much, Sir Hellsing. I look forward to serving you better in the future, along with attending more missions with Walter." She stuck her tongue out at him at that last statement, with Walter reciprocating the gesture.
"You got lucky this time." Walter muttered, kicking a pebble like a spoiled child. "Don't get used to it."
Olivia just laughed and held out a hand, her victory putting her in a forgiving mood.
"I look forward to more competitions with you, Walter."
He glared at her for a moment, but Walter couldn't deny that he liked her spirit and it had been years since he has someone around his age to play with. So he shook her hand, matching her firm grip with his.
"Likewise,….Olivia. May the best soldier win."
Arthur sighed in relief, thrilled he wouldn't have to break up another fight, and gestured for everyone to get back into the car.
Before getting into the back seat, Olivia glanced up at the moon and closed her eyes.
'This will be the first of many, but just for this moment, justice has been served. My dear family, may this give you peace on this night.'
And as she put one foot in the car, she noticed her shadow was not hers but of a rabbit.
A rabbit with a bow in its hands.
Giggling, she bent down and touched the shadow, feeling the sensation of tiny feet tip toeing over her hand.
"I hope you are pleased as well, Mr. Alucard."
A pair of ruby eyes and a sharp toothed smile morphed onto the rabbit's face before fading away and her shadow returned to normal.
Sparing one last smile at the moon, Olivia stepped into the car and held her bow to her chest the entire ride home.
'One down. A million more to go.'
A/N: Translations (I am Korean, not Hungarian so if I mess up, please forgive. Lol)
Istenem- My God
Pöcs- Dick
Nyerj- to win
Walter and Olivia, tomodachis for life. And of course Walter wasn't going to play fair during her first mission but she got him~! Archbishop Lang was actually the archbishop during the 1930s so there is some trivia for you! And those churches actually exist! I also hope to put out a Christmas chapter tonight or tomorrow, but we'll see how that goes! Lol! And, in regards to Olivia's bow and arrows, they are red in the story image but that will come into play in the future chapters~~~~! And if anyone wants a link to see the picture better, let me know! :D
And Happy Christmas! Or Happy Hanukkah! Or Happy Kwanzaa! Or Happy End of 2016! Hope 2017 will be better!
Thank you again and please leave a review!