"Home sweet home!"
Estelle Bright exclaimed as she and Joshua headed inside their home. It had been a long time since they were in Rolent, with both the Great Twilight and the threat posed by Ishmelga-Rean forcing them to be within Erebonia and Crossbell for the past year and delaying their return to Liberl for the time being.
Joshua simply smiled at his partner and said, "Well we got some time before the guild calls us back for some work, so how do you want to spend it?"
Before Estelle could answer it, however, there was a knock at the door. Estelle and Joshua looked at each other before Estelle went to open the door. To her surprise, it was Princess Klaudia von Auslese, the crown princess of Liberl and their old friend from their adventuring days. Besides her was her bodyguard and Liberl Army Captain Julia Schwarz.
"Estelle, Joshua. Good to see you guys," Kloe said to them. "How have you been?"
Joshua smiled too, giving a respectful nod to Kloe. "It's been a while, Your Highness."
Kloe grinned mischievously. "Cut the formalities, Joshua. You and Estelle are old friends after all. But it's good to see you both. I've missed our little group." She paused, glancing around at the quiet house. "Though, it's not just a social visit. I need your help with something."
Estelle and Joshua exchanged a glance. "What's going on?" Estelle asked.
Kloe's face grew serious, her expression shifting into one of genuine concern. "There's something strange happening in Liberl. A puppet show, of all things, is gaining a lot of popularity in the region—especially around the larger towns. It's… unsettling, to say the least."
"A puppet show?" Joshua repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that a bit... odd?"
"Odd doesn't quite cover it," Kloe said, lowering her voice. "People are saying the performances are too realistic, almost like they're... controlling the audience's emotions, manipulating them somehow. It's like the whole town gets swept up in it—almost hypnotized. And the puppets… they don't look like normal ones. They're intricate, almost alive."
Estelle frowned. "That's… not normal. Where did this show even come from?"
Kloe shook her head. "No one knows. The troupe that performs it is mysterious—almost too perfect. And the shows seem to be popping up in places where they weren't advertised or planned. They just show up, and suddenly everyone's talking about them. People can't seem to stop going, either. I've heard rumors that the troupe is connected to something darker."
Joshua folded his arms, his expression growing more serious. "You think it's connected to the Ouroboros or something similar?"
Kloe hesitated, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "I'm not sure. But I think it's worth investigating. I've already contacted the Royal Army, but they're still gathering intel. I was hoping you two would be willing to look into it. You're the only ones I trust to handle something like this."
Estelle's expression hardened. She had a deep love for her homeland, and she couldn't ignore a growing sense of dread gnawing at her. This wasn't just some performance—it was part of something much larger, and if it wasn't stopped soon, it could spiral into something far worse.
"We're in," Estelle said firmly, her voice leaving no room for doubt. "If something is going on here in Liberl, we'll find out what it is."
Joshua gave a small, resigned sigh, but nodded. "Looks like we're back in the business of saving the world, huh?"
Kloe's smile returned, though it was tinged with apprehension. "I'm counting on you both. I'll get you the details on the next show. The troupe's next stop is in Rolent. Be careful, though. Something about all this doesn't sit right with me."
Meanwhile, with Rean and the rest of Class VII, the train ride to Parm was quiet but tense. Rean, Juna, Kurt, Altina, Ash and Musse sat together, their usual banter subdued. Even Musse, always quick with a teasing comment, seemed unusually thoughtful.
As they approached Parm, Altina broke the silence. "Instructor, do you believe this relates to recent events in Crossbell or Liberl?"
"I'm not sure," Rean admitted. "But if there's one thing we've learned, it's that these incidents are rarely isolated."
The train came to a halt, and the group disembarked, greeted by the sight of Parm's quaint streets. Villagers murmured anxiously, and the atmosphere was heavy with tension.
"Let's split up and gather information," Rean said. "Stay sharp."
The investigation led them to the outskirts of Parm, where they discovered traces of advanced machinery—far too advanced for simple bandits. Juna crouched near a set of tracks in the dirt, her expression grim.
"These aren't normal," she said. "They're from some kind of ornament-powered vehicle."
Rean's hand went to the hilt of his sword. "Everyone, stay close. This might be more than we bargained for."
As they pressed deeper into the woods, the faint hum of machinery grew louder. The group emerged into a clearing, where a group of masked figures stood around a strange device.
"Who are they?" Juna whispered, her fists clenched.
The figures turned, their masks gleaming in the dim light. The leader stepped forward, their voice distorted. "Ah, the Ashen Chevalier. We've been expecting you."
Rean drew his sword, his eyes narrowing. "Who are you, and what are you planning?"
The leader chuckled. "You'll find out soon enough. But for now, let's see if you can handle what's to come."
With a wave of their hand, the masked figures activated the device, and the clearing was engulfed in a blinding light.
"Get ready!" Rean shouted as the ground trembled beneath their feet.
The blinding light that consumed the clearing was like nothing Rean had experienced before. It wasn't just the intensity—it was the strange, pulsing energy that radiated from the device at the center of the clearing. The hum of machinery grew deafening, reverberating through the air, vibrating the ground beneath their feet. His instincts kicked in, and in an instant, Rean drew his sword, bracing himself for whatever came next.
The storm had arrived, and the spark had been ignited.