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| ===Chapter 12 - Better Late Than Never===
| | (pre-alpha) |
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| Kaede jolted upright in her cold and squishy seat, the shivering aftereffects of a light shock still coursing through her body. Her eyes snapped open, meeting the glow of a dozen bright white lights that floated overhead. Meanwhile, two blurry figures before her soon solidified into appearances she knew and could trust.
| | ===Chapter 13 - (need a name...) === |
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| Night had already fallen, lit by stars and the indigo planet stretching across the horizon.
| | Kaede spent most of the next two days in bed, skipping even mealtime trips to the dining hall. Thankfully, Pascal brought a tray of sumptuous aristocratic food back for her every time. Even better, he told her that Parzifal started inviting him over to join Ariadne, Reynald, and others during meals, so she didn't even have to feel bad about leaving him to eat alone again. |
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| "That's what a ''Rejuvenate'' spell actually feels like," the crouching Parzifal gave her a gentle smile, his eyes still closed as the soothing warmth from his glove coursed through her right shoulder. "Heal plus shock; bit contradictory, but effective."
| | Although he would have deserved it, as all of her discomfort for the past days could be explained as 'his fault'. |
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| Pascal, on the other hand, wasn't smiling at all. His frowning expression was halfway between worried and stern:
| | By Monday afternoon however, her menstrual cramps had lessened enough for her to effectively concentrate on other things. Kaede only missed dinner due to being completely engrossed in her book on Weichsel's history: |
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| "How long did that arrow stay in you?"
| | Today's National Day was actually the 505th year anniversary of Weichsel's birth, declared the night after the Battle of Konigsfeld in Faith:61. The previous Kingdom of Amudaria had always been a loyal protectorate of the Imperium of the Inner Sea, which declared its 'Holiness' only sixty-one years prior, beginning the Age of Faith. But when religious unrest turned into the War of Cataliyan Independence and drew all the available legions south, the Holy Imperium could spare nothing as a fresh Northmen invasion shattered Amudaria. |
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| "I don't know; maybe five minutes?" She almost shrugged but caught herself in time. "Counting time isn't the best way of trying to stay conscious while pretending to be the opposite."
| | With the king dead and the capital burned, it was House von Drachenlazen who took up the banner, rallying nobles and commoners alike by enacting the Writ of Universal Conscription. In a single decisive engagement, the future King Ferdinand I, the Great, the Crusader, the Saint, etcetera etcetera, crushed the invaders and founded a new realm. It also established Weichsel's tradition of the military aristocracy, ever vigilant and periodically tested by raids and invasions from the North Sea. |
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| Examining her situation, Kaede found herself laying on Parzifal's giant tofu, its top in the form of a memory-foam lounge chair. Her shoulder was no longer hurting. Instead, it felt submerged in hot springs, muscles relaxing and tension fading away.
| | The von Drachenlazen dynasty still ruled Weichsel today. With their name 'Dragonlance' a very literal reminder of their proud ancestry from the Dragon-Demon War of millenniums ago, Kaede found it hard not to feel awed as she read their noble history... |
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| "Well, I guess passing off as dead was your safest option at the time. Just try not to jump off any buildings again," Pascal shook his head.
| | ...Until the door opened and the scent of mouthwatering wiener schnitzel wafted in. |
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| "Give me a break! That was my second time using...!"
| | Except Pascal wasn't carrying anything as he strode into view. |
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| "--And thank you," Pascal headed off her retort, his head nodding with gratitude. "Because if you did not lure them in, there was no way our enforcers could have caught an Imperial Mantis Blade squad. Sooner or later, they would have succeeded on a plan to catch me off guard, instead of finding themselves baited into a trap." | | "You are being invited to dinner, sort of. Ariadne is just outside the door." |
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| Kaede felt that something was off about Pascal. It lay in his expression, intoning his firm voice. This was still him, yet ''different''... or perhaps unusual was a better term. But her still-fuzzy mind could neither identify or explain her intuitive sense.
| | He announced with a scowl and a noncommittal shrug, followed by a silent reminder: |
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| So she turned towards the other puzzling topic: ''I thought they were from Rhin-Lotharingie,'' before she realized that Marina had no reason to tell her the truth.
| | "<u>You should get dressed properly first.</u>" |
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| She really needed to stop underestimating that un-spy-like maid's tears.
| | According to Pascal, Ariadne had mostly put away their past after her epic -- and publicly humiliating -- slap. But not hating his guts wasn't the same as being on good terms with him either. |
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| "Well, you're all set now," Parzifal patted her shoulder before standing back up, leaving a lingering warmth on the smooth skin where her wound used to be. "I left an ''Invigorate'' spell that should tie up any loose ends over the course of the night."
| | Kaede nodded back and rushed to put on her white 'uniform', which went ''far'' easier than any of those dresses. Pascal then stopped her before she could walk out, taking care to make sure her appearance was immaculate and wouldn't embarrass him before the noblest of ladies. |
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| "Thank you so much," Kaede bowed from her seat before grinning back. "For this and for saving my life back there," she patted the giant tofu before standing up from it.
| | Two of them, as it turned out. |
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| "Don't mention it," he waved it off. "I'm just glad Putty got there in time." | | "Good evening Kaede. Thought you could use a little chat and company after two days," Ariadne smiled from just beyond the room's doorway, with a food tray hovering above one palm and the other hand waving at her. "My friend Cecylia just returned from holidays. Would you be interested in joining us?" |
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| ''Talk about a fitting name...'' | | "Nice to meet you," the petite girl who stood beside Ariadne's strawberry-blond cascade smiled and waved energetically. |
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| Kaede sent the white pudding familiar a smile as well, and could have sworn it bounced with joy. Her eyes then passed beyond the giant tofu, and she bowed at the tired but otherwise healed Ariadne and Reynald. | | Kaede wasn't exactly in the mood to meet new people tonight, but this wasn't an offer she could refuse politely. |
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| The flame-colored leather armor reinforced by steel plates -- cuirass, spaulders, bracers, and greaves -- that they wore during battle had already vanished without a trace. The two of them nodded back in their Knight Phantom uniforms, smiling. Meanwhile the pegasus Edelweiss, still nursing a bandaged wing, looked up from behind them. | | "The pleasure is mine," she curtsied in return. She was definitely getting better at it. |
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| "And I must thank you all as well," Pascal nodded towards the others.
| | Cecylia was around Kaede's height, with deep-chestnut-brown hair trimmed short and pull back by a red ribbon. Standing next to the mature and elegant Ariadne, she seemed almost fragile with her petite and thin figure, which only enhanced her undeniably cute appearance. Her small nose and lips lay under a pair of vibrant, deep-red eyes that held something odd about them, giving off a mysteriously alluring light. Her skin was fair to the point of being nearly a translucent silky sheen, accentuated by the standard crimson-on-black uniform officer cadets wore. |
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| Parzifal's and Reynald's change in attitude was nearly instantaneous as their smiles flipped upside down, but Pascal nevertheless pressed on:
| | As Kaede neared the doorway, she gasped and nearly tripped into the wiener schnitzel tray and its steaming bowl of soup as she realized what that 'something odd' was: |
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| "I know none of you three wish to hear it from me, or did it for my sake. But that only makes it more important that I ''must'' convey my utmost gratitude. You were all willing to overlook our past... differences, for the sake of the country, putting your lives in danger against the best assassins in Hyperion. You have chosen to save my life for the noblest of reasons, and I swear now that House von Moltewitz will not forget this debt, nor fail to honor and repay it."
| | Instead a round black pupil within her deep-red iris, Cecylia's eyes held tiny scarlet-red crosses instead. |
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| Pascal bowed, an emissary's courtesy to match perfection, before turning around without any expectations.
| | The new girl's hands gently steadied Kaede as she looked back up, her gaze drawn straight back into those eyes before she could pull back and glance away: |
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| "Come on Kaede," he said as his legs took the first steps of departure. | | "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare." |
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| His words were lonely and spoken in melancholy. His tone gave a regretful air that reminded Kaede of a conversation on her first day in this world, during their first meal, when he begrudgingly admitted his past faults against the admirable Ariadne. It was clear that he now held a great deal of respect for all three of them, even if he did not before tonight. It was apparent he wished things had turned out differently, before it became too late.
| | "Hehe don't worry about it," Cecylia's soft soprano replied with a chuckle. "I'll explain when we get back to my room." |
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| Glancing around the three of them, Kaede found the trio just as taken back. They may not be astounded to the point of dropping jaws, but it was clear that not one of them had expected such words from the prodigious and prideful ''Runelord''.
| | She then turned towards Pascal while reaching for the doorknob: |
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| She turned to Pascal's departing back -- just another step away from the stairwell doors -- and shouted after him:
| | "See you later Pascal! Don't worry we'll take good care of her!" |
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| "How long are you going to keep regretting the past instead of facing the present!?"
| | Her cheery voice gave Kaede bit of a surprise, who mentally asked in curiosity: |
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| Pascal spun around to glare at her, but Kaede had no intention of keeping this conversation private... not yet:
| | "<u>Made a new friend already?</u>" |
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| "I stand by what I told you two weeks ago: it's not always enough, but it's never too late!" | | "Good night," Pascal bid before sending Kaede a somewhat wistful response: |
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| His legs stood stiff and his body still. But his eyes wavered, caught amid hesitation and resentment, uncertain between a chance to seek the unpleasant light, or returning to the familiar yet cold shadows.
| | "<u>No, we spoke quite a bit before I fell out with Ariadne. Cecylia Renata von Falkenhausen is the third daughter of General Wiktor von Falkenhausen, father's second-in-command. Since we are the same age, our fathers had us meet when we were six. She is actually the one who introduced me to Ariadne.</u>" |
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| But Kaede knew that Pascal would not Pascal without his will to follow rational judgment in his own way. After a silent minute and a profound sigh, his feet turned themselves around, cautiously stepping back towards Kaede as her lips unwittingly lit up a welcoming smile.
| | ''Bet your breakup came as a personal embarrassment for her then,'' Kaede thought as Cecylia took her hand and began dragging her down the hall with Ariadne following behind. |
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| "<u>You said you will not fail to honor and repay the debt. Then why not start now with everything you have? Better than your half-way apologies that do nothing but tarnish your word.</u>" | | "<u>Be careful though. She likes to drag others to her pace before drawing them into spilling any secret she is interested in.</u>" |
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| "<u>Apologies could use more efficiency and less self-injury...</u>" his complaint was bitter.
| | But rather than cautionary, Pascal sounded almost... admiring. |
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| Kaede's hands propped against her waist as she goaded Pascal with the one line he could not possibly ignore: | | So Kaede wrote down Cecylia's name on her mental list of people that Pascal actually respected. |
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| "<u>Yes, 'efficient' in how you keep spending little effort for no effect; the rest of us have a word for it: 'cowardice', you gutless wonder. Seriously, how many years will you keep accumulating interest? There are things you can't fix with magic or genius Pascal... you have to do it the old fashioned way.</u>"
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| "<u>...Fine.</u>" He finally agreed just before reaching the trio as his irritated thoughts silently met her challenge: "<u>since I am going to do it, I will show you exactly how a ''proper'' apology should be done.</u>
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| Now meeting them eye to eye, Pascal took a deep breath before he began in a deep and sincere voice:
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| "Kaede is correct. I know that you have no reason to grant me any favors, but I ask for only a moment of your time. I realized all too late that in my foolish immaturity of years past, I have committed inexcusable acts of rudeness against the two of you, Parzifal and Ariadne, and that I owe each of you a most sincere apology."
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| Even Kaede stood stunned at the depth of Pascal's remorse, which felt even more genuine than she expected. But what followed completely eclipsed even her impression of just how long and deeply Pascal must have considered his past mistakes.
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| "Parzifal," spoke Pascal, turning towards the lean healer with crossed arms and meeting his aquamarine gaze. "I only wish I could take back the childish words I used that day to stab your most painful spot. I knew, even back then, that you hated your magical affinity and held a crisis of confidence. It was dirty and despicable of me, and probably done because even then, I knew your generosity towards a girl you barely knew made my rudeness look more intolerable by comparison. I am glad that you received the gratitude and the beautiful girl you deserved, and that Ariadne helped build your confidence to the capable man you are today..."
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| Whether it was because of unpreparedness or due to Pascal's thoroughly uncharacteristic behavior, Parzifal and his two friends were stunned flat by the prodigy's admission of guilt. Their poker faces -- or Ariadne's serene smile -- were left agape, their eyes blinking in disbelief amidst the flames of residue anger.
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| It wasn't exactly very encouraging for the person actually trying to apologize.
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| "<u>You can do this, Pascal,</u>" Kaede encouraged him, noting that his eyes had slid back down to stare upon a faraway battlement. His shoulders were slumping more by the second, his will wavering on the precipice of yet another plunge from pride. So she decided to inject some real motivation again:
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| "<u>You've told me that you didn't want to owe Ariadne anything else, but what about your debts now...? You know this is the right thing to do.</u>"
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| Pascal sent her another glare, and a reassured -- also slightly amused -- Kaede returned her smile.
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| "And Ariadne," he took a deep breath before he focused onto the lady's meadow-green eyes. "When I discovered our differences in approach to life, I tried to break up with you by pressing all the blame onto you. It was low, and immoral, and cowardly of me, all the more so when I humiliated you by doing it in public instead of at least having a basic sense of decency. I cannot apologize enough for my past actions, and if I do not get the chance again, I wish you happiness with Parzifal, for he is a far better man than I was."
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| And that took almost every ounce of will, every strand of self-discipline that Pascal had.
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| His gaze lingered for but a second before he spun around and strode straight towards the rooftop door. He had just shredded his pride and thrown them out with a chamber pot of filth before the presence of four others. His soul lay bared naked to the critiquing eyes of his peers, and he could not withstand it for another moment longer.
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| "<u>I am so going to kill you for that,</u>" the prodigy's ego lashed out in an attempt to regain itself, to rebuild its protective shell.
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| "<u>You're welcome,</u>" Kaede simply smiled back, having never felt true pride before now for the man who called her into this alien world.
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| She then turned towards the three still hanging onto stunned expressions, curtsied as graciously as she could, before rushing off after Pascal.
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| The only one she heard recovering before her departure was Reynald, although his utterance still came loaded with disbelief:
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| "''THE Runelord apologizing?'' You've got to be shitting me..."
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| Pascal had told Kaede that while she was still unconscious, Professor Sir von Kirchner flew to the roof and questioned the four before leaving to assess the situation around the castle.
| | The third-year girls' dorms were just one floor above, and Cecylia's room turned out very... feminine. |
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| They saw no reason to wake her up for that unpleasant session.
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| Kaede was grateful, but it also didn't leave her much time to wrap up loose ends.
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| "<u>Why do you even care about this? Just let the guards and enforcers deal with that maid,</u>" Pascal asked as he followed Kaede down the dining hall, where servants and mages alike were cleaning up the mess left by collateral damage from the battle.
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| "<u>Because she offered me a life option, in her own way. I intend to return the favor,</u>" Kaede answered.
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| "<u>Let me restate: you are trying to help a maid that worked with assassins who ''just tried to kill you''.</u>"
| | It was bright scarlet, white, and pink, with an abundance of lace and frills. |
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| "<u>Yes, because the best assassins of your world are so incompetent their slaying arrow struck just above my lungs from a flat trajectory shot.</u>"
| | Even before the door closed behind them, Kaede found herself greeted by a plump cat with lush white and gray fur. It laid down before Kaede and gazed at her with teal eyes before giving an adorable purr. |
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| "<u>Well fine, they tried to kill me,</u>" Pascal relented, but only slightly. "<u>This is a terrible idea.</u>"
| | She knelt down to pet and stroke its wonderfully soft fur. |
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| "<u>I know it's a terrible idea...</u>" Kaede spun her heels around, her face filled by a painful expression as she gazed back at Pascal: "<u>look, I really, really wanted her to be my friend. I thought she ''was'' the first friend I made in this world. Okay? So, just let me extend her this one help to get it off my conscience... please?</u>" she begged.
| | "Kaede you might want to finish your dinner before getting too friendly with Ania," Ariadne said as she took the tray to the writing desk by the window. "She loves to steal food, and it's hard to keep watch on all of them." |
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| Pascal stared back, met and tested her with turquoise eyes, before he sighed audibly.
| | "All of them?" |
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| "<u>Fine, I will lend you one favor this time. According to Reynald, the seven members we killed was a full Imperial Mantis Blade operation squad. Any helpers they managed to get along the way will not yield us any useful information anyway. This maid has already been here for two years; definitely not specific to this mission. If I had to guess, she is eyes and ears for some Imperial Governor who the Mantis Blades tapped into, probably near the northern border of the Imperium. Any executive intelligence organization certainly has the jurisdiction.</u>" | | "Ania is a matryoshka cat from Samara," Cecylia grinned with amusement. "She's also my familiar." |
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| "<u>Then... how many favors do you owe me for saving your life?</u>"
| | Kaede stood back up, puzzled. |
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| "<u>None. You are my familiar.</u>" | | "Matryoshka?" |
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| Kaede sighed. She was starting to recognize the tone that signaled one of Pascal's off-putting and inappropriately-timed jokes. | | Even as Kaede asked, Ania looked up, and another feline face, identical but slightly smaller, emerged from below her furry stomach. The smaller cat soon pulled herself out, laid down next to the larger Ania, and the process repeated itself. |
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| They soon arrived outside the servant's room Marina lived in, its door flanked by two armored guards.
| | Kaede soon found herself wide-eyed and speechless, surrounded by seven purring cats of decreasing size. |
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| "I am Sir Pascal Kay Lennart von Moltewitz," he moved up to introduce himself. "We wish to speak with the prisoner." | | "Are they... separate...?" she struggled to find the right words. |
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| "Sir von Moltewitz, this case is currently pending investigations by Professor Sir..." The soldier replied before Pascal cut him off with a glare: | | "They share the same psyche, as far as we know," Cecylia answered her unfinished question. "Matryoshka cats use shadow magic to make duplicates of itself to scout for predators and trap prey. The largest one is always the main body, even though tapping its senses always feel like the smallest one is the primary." |
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| "May I remind you that I am a Captain in His Majesty's service and a feudal lord by right of succession, who happens to be the target of this attack. I also have no doubt that my father, Field Marshal von Moltewitz, will be maddened by this unprovoked treachery. Now, do you ''seriously'' intend to keep me from getting the answers that I rightfully and lawfully deserve, soldier?" | | "Speaking of eyes and ears, are you..." |
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| "No Sir!" The guard raised his head up high, eyes glancing at the other side's walls before stepping aside. | | "Not since I got annoyed with him and told him to stop. Pascal did promise not to intrude upon my senses without permission," Kaede answered, wondering how many times she'll have to deal with this in the future. |
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| ''So many privileges it's not even fair,'' Kaede suppressed a grin as Pascal opened the door and lead her inside.
| | "Good!" Cecylia grinned. "Not that he's the voyeur type, but we don't need him to catch an eye-full during girls' night." |
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| The room was exactly as she last remembered it -- two bunk beds and a table with clothes hanging everywhere. The only difference was that a screen of shimmering violet magic laid over the window, sealing it completely. If Kaede had to guess, there were probably also guards on the other side.
| | ''Oh... this must be the equivalent of 'slumber party' boys are so intrigued over in the old world.'' |
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| The brown-haired petite maid was lying in her bed, her hands behind her back and her wet eyes uncaring to the new guests.
| | Kaede began to fidget just inside the doorway. Her cheeks heated up and her eyes glanced away as Cecylia wasted no time before starting to undress, a set of soft pink velvet pajamas laid out on the bed before her. |
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| "C-congratulations, Kaede," Marina sniffed. "I guess you deserve the faithful familiar award after all."
| | Ariadne was quick to notice as usual, soon commenting in her cheerful smile from the other side of the room: |
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| Pascal finished twirling his hand about in mostly the same motions as Ariadne's ''Sanctum Veil'' spell earlier today. He then presented a 'your turn' gesture before leaning back against the other bunk bed.
| | "Cecylia you're making our guest uncomfortable." |
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| "I didn't come here to be spiteful or interrogate you, Marina," Kaede spoke dryly. "I don't want things to end this way between us, but there wasn't much of a choice before now." | | "Uh-uh no way, she's not a noble so I am not dealing with all the stupid formalities." |
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| "Of course... you have y-your master, and I have mine." | | "I think changing in front of someone you recently met goes far beyond just 'casual'." |
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| "You owe him for your upbringing and your life. I respect that allegiance, I really do. But he's also using you, and ordering you to throw your life away for him in these missions... isn't once enough to repay that? How many..." | | "Hehe well, we'll just get familiar ''that'' much faster then!" |
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| "I-if... if you think I'm going to talk just because my fate is already sealed, then you can leave now." The maid retorted.
| | Before Kaede knew it, Cecylia had finished changing and bounced back. Her first thought was that Cecylia's exposed shoulders easily had the smoothest, pearly skin she had ever seen, even with modern cosmetics and skincare products. The girl also had a prominent chest bit more mature than Kaede would have expected for her size, and the pajamas' neckline went down just enough to expose some tantalizing cleavage. |
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| Pascal gave off an almost snort-like sound before answering:
| | "Eek!" |
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| "If we really think you had anything of value, there are ways to rip it out of your mind. It is below proper nobility to use such hideous enchantment magic, but there are matters of national importance that outweighs the honor of nobles... for me, at least, and I am certain the King's Black Eagles would agree. Not that there would be anything left of your psyche afterwards to speak of what happened, you understand."
| | Kaede found herself backed into the wall and yelped in surprise as Cecylia's delicate fingers snaked in and started undoing ''her'' buttons. |
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| Marina began to sob again, and Kaede sent an exasperated look towards Pascal:
| | She looked towards Ariadne for help, only to see the noble lady gaze back with a shrug under her tilted head and an expression that went 'sorry, can't help it'. |
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| "<u>you're not helping.</u>"
| | Pinned down and assaulted without reinforcements, Kaede soon found herself stripped down to her white undergarments. |
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| "I said ''we'' are not interrogating you, and I meant it," Kaede continued. "Obviously, I can't speak for the other involved parties, but that's why I'm here. If I can offer you a chance out of this -- and I'm not promising, because I honestly don't know -- then will you take it?"
| | Finally satisfied, Cecylia skipped a step back and looked over Kaede's shivering self. |
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| The maid whimpered once more. "W-why?"
| | "Hehe, I knew Pascal had good taste! It's perfect!" |
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| "Because if you didn't actually ask the assassins to keep me alive, I'm certain I'd be dead by now regardless of how successful Pascal and the rest were."
| | Hugging her small chest and still pressing herself against the wall, Kaede could feel her exposed skin reddening as they met the warm indoor air again. Oddly enough, she found this far more embarrassing than wearing the same thing in front of Pascal. |
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| "E-except I asked you to help kill him..." Marina nodded towards Pascal. "W-what's the catch now?"
| | ''Girls by themselves are way too scary...'' |
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| Kaede hadn't really thought this part through. She looked towards Pascal, hoping for an inspiration on the legal side of affairs. | | Kaede wanted to leave already. |
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| "<u>How much do you think you can trust her?</u>" Pascal asked silently.
| | It was then when the goddess Ariadne finally decided to intervene by dragging Cecylia further back: |
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| "<u>She would rather die painfully for the one who raised her than give up any information to ease her passing. What does that tell you about her sense of loyalty?</u>" | | "Alright alright, you've had your fun. Now give Kaede some room before you really drive her off. She's already getting tears in her eyes." |
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| Pascal sighed and shook his head before answering:
| | "Oh Sylv is going to have so much fun with her." |
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| "''If'' I can get them to agree, it will be to release you into my jurisdiction, as I am entitled to compensation as the directly wronged party. You can work on my estate as an indentured servant, but it will be under the condition that you accept a binding magical contract to never willingly send any information or contribute to any action that you believe may harm any state of my family's sworn allegiances."
| | As though trying to defuse the situation, Ariadne herself pulled out a pair of pajamas before starting to change. |
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| "<u>You're asking her to be a slave!?</u>" Kaede glared at him. "<u>Shouldn't that be illegal or something!?</u>"
| | It didn't have quite the effect. Kaede merely looked for more inconspicuous objects to fascinate over. |
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| "<u>Why? It is a perfectly practical form of punishment. Not like we are bartering them as trade goods as the Holy Imperium does,<u>" Pascal answered stiffly. "<u>And she did help them in trying to kill me. Fair is fair.</u>"
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| "<u>But...!</u>"
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| "<u>There is also no way the higher ups will accept handing her over if I did not give her at least this much punishment. At least six people ''died'' in this attack Kaede, including one professor, and I am not willing to indulge ''your'' sense of ethics so much to lose my own, understand?</u>"
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| Kaede didn't say another word. His accusation that she was pushing her cultural morals onto him had stung. She knew perfectly well that it was one of the biggest ''don't dos'' in cross-cultural relations.
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| "What is your response," Pascal intoned, sternly.
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| "Like I have any real choice," Marina looked towards Kaede, who shrugged with her 'sorry, best I can do' expression.
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| Meanwhile, Pascal looked contemplative for as though still trying to decide something.
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| A minute passed, and Kaede began to wonder if he was silently accessing some memory storage item to check legality. Then:
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| "It is settled. Pack your essentials. You will leave tonight, before any unpleasant circumstances change things. I will arrange for someone to bring you to Nordkreuz. Once you reach my family's estate, the Majordomo will arrange for the binding magical contract."
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| "But we don't even..." Kaede blurted out.
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| Meanwhile the door swung open, and in walked Pascal's advisor, Professor Albert.
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| "I believe your familiar think me a fool, that you can just sneak in under my nose without notice," the balding professor scathed, his eyes glancing over Kaede with disdain before locked eyes with Pascal.
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| "Not a chance of it, Professor Sir," Pascal replied as he stood upright into military posture, hands back and chest high.
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| "See to it then. I want her gone before morning."
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| Professor Albert tugged on his well-trimmed mustache once before leaving the room, his striding steps now echoing up the hallway.
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| It took a moment before Kaede recovered and figured out what just happened. Being an old-styled frame with a cheap lock, the door had a see-through keyhole, which was just in line to cast a ''Telepathy'' spell on Pascal's position.
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| "<u>How long had he been there?</u>" she asked.
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| "<u>Around when I first spoke,</u>" Pascal shrugged, his eyes still examining Marina. "<u>Using ''Detect'' spells from that ring of yours would be a little obvious, so I did not bother to add it. But I should have taken the time to explore other options. Since you are a familiar, we really should work on your magic sensitivity. The hallway had at least three layers of Professor Albert's ''Alarm'' wards. The third was extremely subtle, but the first two were glaringly obvious.</u>"
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| Without waiting for a response, Pascal took Kaede's wrist and dragged her back down the hallway.
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| "Wait a minute..." She called as her thin legs scurried along, trying to keep up with his stride.
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| "<u>You two can talk later when she is one, no longer at the scene of her crime, and two, had some time to cool her head and rethink what happened. I doubt any conversation now will be to your advantage. As for the rest of tonight, I want you back in bed and resting. Two brushes with death is enough for one day when you are clearly running out on beginner's luck.</u>"
| |
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| ...
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| Despite being forced to rest early, Kaede did not sleep well overnight. With Pascal's room wrecked and repairs delayed in an attempt to collect evidence, they had to relocate to a different one. A slightly altered atmosphere plus anxieties facing the trio's responses tomorrow easily kept her up late.
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| There was also something wrong with her stomach...
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Line 159: |
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| After finishing his usual weekend morning workout, Parzifal refreshed himself before heading to the main keep for brunch. His walk across the grounds was quiet, with Ariadne hand-in-hand and Reynald yawning just a step ahead.
| | "You still haven't introduced like you promised," Kaede grumbled before she leaned over the bedside counter and bit into another slice of wiener schnitzel. |
| | |
| His redheaded best friend had stayed up late last night, boasting of his martial exploits to impress guys and girls alike as their classmates requested the details of what happened.
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| Parzifal didn't mind. His friend deserved the spotlight, plus Reynald was already giving Parzifal more credit than he would like. He was still coming to terms with not only the fact he killed someone, but the gruesome way his creativity accomplished it. Worse yet was the sense of ''satisfaction'' a part of him felt when the muffled assassin vanished under the brambles.
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| He prayed long and hard to the Holy Father last night for his soul to be cleansed of its sinful taint.
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| But that wasn't the only thing on his mind.
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| Before yesterday, if someone had told him that the arrogant, condescending, judgmental, obstinate, intolerant -- he could go on for a while -- ''Runelord'' Pascal would apologize to him over the source of their enmity from two years ago, Parzifal would have responded that Celestial enlightenment was more likely to sweep across the Abyss first.
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| Maybe it did. Part of him wondered what other miracles the Holy Father orchestrated last night.
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| But that left him the dilemma of how to respond.
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| Year-long grudges did not disappear over a single apology, no matter how thorough and sincere it was. Parzifal certainly did not forget how hurtful it was back then, when a younger him was convinced, utterly certain, that his incompetence with most fields of magic meant he would never amount to anything, that he would remain insignificant and uselessly boring throughout his life.
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| He could never thank his friends enough for giving him the self-respect to hold his head high over the course of two years. That was especially true for Ariadne, the most beautiful and popular girl in the academy who sat beside him, listening to his pessimistic complaints and encouraging him with saintly patience.
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| Parzifal prayed to the Holy Father every night for sending the angel that changed his life.
| | The delicious food always made her feel better about things. |
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| But if the warm, welcoming embrace of friendship could bless his life, why should this divine grace not be extended toward others?
| | she even stopped obsessing over the fact that she wore nothing more than lingerie as the three of them sat on Cecylia's king-sized four-poster bed. Although it would take a while before she could grow accustomed to it, if that were possible at all. |
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| Unlike Ariadne who turned it into yet another self-motivator, Parzifal had done his best to isolate his dislike for Pascal and keep it buried. Hatred was sinful. He may not have the compassion to simply forgive, but he would not allow his life to be ruled by dark emotions either.
| | "Hehe I do still owe an explanation don't I?" Cecylia replied cheerily. "I take it you've never met a dhampir before?" |
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|
| ...Except they still clouded his judgment, until Reynald opened his eyes to the grander picture yesterday. | | Kaede nearly choked. 'Dhampir' of slavic folklore was the child between a human and... |
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| For him to still hold onto that grudge after Pascal showed the deepest remorse... it would immature, childish even. Not only did it go against the teachings of the Founder, but it also represented the intolerance that he so hated in Pascal.
| | "One of your parents... is a vampire?" She asked as her coughs subsided with the help of Ariadne stroking her back. |
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| Parzifal knew that man was doomed to hypocrisy, but he would strive his best to escape it.
| | "Ah... you really aren't from our world are you?" Cecylia's eyes grew fascinated as a mischievous grin lit up her expression. "The vampire clans were wiped out centuries ago by the not-yet-Holy Imperium, although not before their curses destroyed six entire legions and left the Dead Mountains perpetually filled by murderous mist. Dhampir are the descendants of vampires. We still carry the core of the fiendish blood curse that first created them during the Demonic Invasion. But the magic have at least diluted enough that the church could seal its effects, which..." she pointed to her eyes, "is what this cross is. I've had it since my baptism, colored by my own ether over the years." |
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| Engrossed in his thoughts, Parzifal had unknowingly walked into the great dining hall. Now, seeing the lonely figures of Pascal and Kaede near a far-side corner, he knew that there was only one true choice -- only one act the Holy Father would approve of.
| | "So... excuse me if this sounds blunt, but you don't drink blood anymore then?" Kaede asked as her hands rubbed one of the furry Anias stretched lazily across the bed, finally noticing the little fang of a canine Cecylia sported. Oddly enough, only one was slightly bigger than usual. |
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| A healer's task did not end with merely physical wounds, but troubles of the mind, heart, and soul as well.
| | "We don't have the urge for it. But we still ''can''..." |
| | |
| "Come on," Parzifal beckoned to Reynald, before his feet turned and his hand lead Ariadne down the long table.
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| "Oh you've ''got'' to be kidding me," Reynald complained, but he followed nonetheless.
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| It was time to extend an olive branch to the man both admired and scorned as the ''Runelord'', and appeal to the soul of the boy that lived within.
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| As he pulled out the next seat and sat down, Parzifal wondered if Pascal's agape expression mirrored his own the previous night.
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| "Thought you might appreciate some company after yesterday."
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| ...
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| Of course, Parzifal never heard the telepathic exchange between Reynald and Ariadne as they sat down:
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| "<u>Are you okay with this, Ariadne?</u>" The best friend asked, worried.
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| "<u>Of course I'm ''not'' okay with just this!</u>"
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| "<u>I'm sorry. Parzifal is just getting carried away again. I'm sure he didn't mean to...</u>"
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| "<u>Oh don't worry about that,</u>" the girlfriend reassured. "<u>His headstrong sense of ethics is part of why I love him.</u>"
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| It reminded Reynald of why everyone else, Parzifal especially, thought Ariadne was 'the perfect girlfriend'.
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| "<u>It's that prick who better prepare himself!</u>"
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| ...Even if she wasn't actually perfect.
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| <nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>
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| Kaede knew that nothing ended ''that'' easily.
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| Parzifal kept the banter focused over the course of brunch, discussing mostly the events of last night and the academy's turmoil that followed. Reynald soon pitched in with tactical analysis made using his knowledge of Mantis Blade modus operandi, spoken in-between flirtatious words that continued to address Kaede as 'muffin'.
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| She didn't hit him this time, partly because the men didn't need any sparks of hostility, and partly due to her cramping and aching stomach sapping all her energy.
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| According to Pascal, he had never personally wronged Reynald over the years. Furthermore, the shorter redhead took every opportunities to mock him, not to mention handing him one humiliating defeat after another in their ''Advanced Spellsword Combat'' class.
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| So perhaps it was not surprising that Reynald followed his best friend's lead as soon as he fulfilled his quota of evil glares.
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| Ariadne, however, was a different case entirely. She still wore her serene smile through all of brunch, still lovingly offered food to Parzifal through raised forks. But she did not, even once, speak a single word to Pascal.
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| Until they all stood up to leave.
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| "I believe I still owe you something, you self-centered prick," Ariadne spoke as she closed the distance between them to arm's length.
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| Just as when Parzifal first walked up to Pascal, a wave of silence rippled outwards through the hall. Within seconds, every moving body stilled as their eyes gazed upon the noble lady facing the Runelord.
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| Meanwhile, Pascal's puzzled expression didn't have a clue of what Ariadne was talking about...
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| Until her right hand drew a wide arc upwards as though drawing a sword, before meeting his right cheeks in a slap that resounded through the dining hall.
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| Kaede was certain Ariadne's glove was glowing. There was simply no way someone could ''slap'' that hard without magic, regardless of how big a sword they twirled around.
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| The force of the impact lifted Pascal's feet off the ground and threw him backwards like a rag doll, before the Runelord crashed into the ground several paces away on his back. A red handprint now adorned the right side of his face, his skin rapidly bruising with internal bleeding underneath.
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| "Owww!" Pascal voiced as he sat back up, his hand rushing to cradle his swelling cheek. "I do rot rememper drawing plood with mere words."
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| Sure enough, a small stream of red dripped down from the corner of his mouth before his other hand wiped it off.
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| "Consider it interest, Pascal, and I reserve the right to slap you again whenever your ''prick'' self surfaces."
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| A dozen or two people in the hall even clapped and cheered.
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| But for Kaede, it was the first time she ever heard Ariadne use his name.
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| Shaking his head with a chuckle, Parzifal then leaned over to offer Pascal a hand back up.
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| Which the latter took with a firm grip and a muttered, embarrassed "thanks".
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| Still sitting on the other side of the table, Kaede tried to smile as she watched the bonding moment that would hopefully, with time, develop into something far more. But all she managed was a wry smirk that seemed more like a grimace.
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| Her stomach pains were growing worse.
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| As chatter returned across the dining hall, Ariadne was the first to notice the problem:
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| "Kaede what's wrong?"
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| "My stomach..."
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| "She's been having pains in her lower abdominal region all morning, and apparently last night as well," Pascal filled in for her, his right hand now rubbing the left cheek while his turquoise ring glowed.
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| Parzifal leaned over the table to take a look before swiftly pulling back upright. He then glanced at Ariadne while his finger tapped in the air towards Kaede.
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| "Oh dear," his girlfriend muttered, her rushed steps already on its way around the long table.
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| Pascal's confusion returned as he looked between Parzifal and Reynald. The healer kept his silence for the moment, while the knight simply shrugged, clueless.
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| "Some prodigy you are, Pascal; half a day goes by and you can't even tell basic biology," Ariadne complained as she knelt down besides Kaede.
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| With her back already bent over her stomach, Kaede banged her head into the table as she realized ''exactly'' what the noblewoman meant.
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| "Kaede you must be on your cycle... or whatever your people call a menstrual period."
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| Thanks to the translation magic integrated into her familiar bond, Kaede herself had no problem understanding Ariadne's terminology. The contents themselves, however, were far too appalling to think about.
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| "But... b-but I'm not bleeding," came her voiced thoughts. Even ''she'' would recognize the most obvious sign of a feminine body entering 'that time of the month'.
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| "If your undergarments are appropriately enchanted," Ariadne explained as she rubbed Kaede's lower back, "they'll clean it before it can even stain."
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| Variations of two thoughts filled Kaede's mind as their numbers multiplied explosively, quickly drowning out every other line of reason:
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| ''I should have known...''
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| ''This can't be happening to me...''
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| <nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>
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|
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|
| | Kaede had never felt so aware of her Samaran body, and the fact her blood was literally 'health food' for the grinning girl before her. |
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| | "The church frowns upon it, but most dhampirs follow the cultural tradition of imbibing the blood of our beloved once we get married. We don't have the regenerative vitality that vampires do, so drinking blood is kind of a touchy issue -- diseases and all that. It's also a very private affair." |
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| Kaede spent all of Sunday afternoon in bed, feeling almost as miserable for herself as the day she first came to this world. | | Kaede nodded apologetically, which Cecylia responded in kind as she continued: |
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| She was certain her hormones were to blame for that, but the knowledge itself didn't raise her mood any higher.
| | "But even though we don't ''need'' it, consuming fresh human blood does make us appear younger. Hehe you should see my father, one-sixty-eight years old and still drawing the attention of every lady across the hall like a stud beefcake. Mother gets jealous all the time, even though he's never cheated on her once after a century of marriage. We dhampirs tend to be rather devoted in matrimony, blood of our loved ones flowing through us and all." |
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|
| She had to deal with this ''every month'' for the foreseeable future...
| | "He's quite a dedicated man then," Ariadne joined in, her hands already back to brushing her long flowing tresses. "Almost all noble lords have at least one affair. It's almost something of a ''prestige'' thing among them." |
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| Her stomach pains and cramps had not alleviated any since morning, and her one hope of relief was dashed as soon as it came. Ariadne was quick to point out that there was a spell for mostly suppressing the discomfort during a period. But Parzifal had to remind her that the magic involved direct manipulation of the nerve-conduits, which limited its use to the caster herself. It was why no male healer ever learned the spell for helping another through particularly painful cycles.
| | "Complains the girl whose boyfriend has eyes only for her," Cecylia's sigh was almost longing. |
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|
| ''Meaning I can't use the blessing that's the privilege of ''noble'' ladies'', Kaede reflected irritatingly. ''I have to suffer like the ''commoner'' girls do.'' | | "You've got how many boys chasing after you? Including both Reynald and Gerd, I might add." |
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|
| ''Screw this society.'' | | "Reynald flirts with half of everything female and walk on two legs, plus I prefer someone taller than me," Cecylia retorted with a laugh. "Gerd is sweet, but if I court him he'd expect me to become a housewife or something. Nope!" |
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|
| It didn't stop Sir 'I am a prodigy' Pascal from trying... and failing spectacularly. He somehow managed to loosen his own lower controls, which resulted in soiling himself.
| | "What are you aiming for?" Kaede asked as she ate her last two slices of veal. She could swear at least four slices were missing, although that was still an acceptable price to pay for the adorable kitty. |
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|
| Parzifal said that he got lucky. The last male healer who tried to invent a fix for his commoner wife ended up with a painful, week-long erection. After that, nobody wanted to attempt again.
| | "I'm on the intelligence track. Shooting all the way for the King's Black Eagles!" |
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| |
|
| So they returned to the tried and true method: apply direct heating to relax the muscles and soothe the discomfort.
| | "She's also a foreign culture expert. I could have sworn her crosses turned into glittering stars when I first told her about you Kaede," Ariadne joked. |
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| |
|
| That proved simple. Her undergarments had it built in. Parzifal also managed to attain a few rubber hot-water pads which Pascal enchanted with ''Heat'' spells. These she laid on top of to apply warm pressure from underneath.
| | "It's not like I live in Samara. How often do I get to meet someone from another world?" Cecylia said as she scurried forward and leaned towards Kaede. "Soooooo... how similar is your world compared to ours? Other than the no magic part." |
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|
| This was how Kaede spent her last few hours: not moving, not occupying her mind with books, just laying there face-down, groaning and feeling sorry for herself.
| | "Well... there's actually a surprising amount of similarity. To start off, Weichsel is pretty much Prussia from my old world. Although Prussia didn't start developing a strong military tradition and become a power player in continental politics until after the prevalence of muskets." |
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| |
|
| Even Pascal looked like he felt bad for her.
| | Kaede was surprised by how easily her words came out. As an introvert, she didn't normally start in-depth discussion during the first meeting; it was better to learn about the other side's preferences and interests. But after being nearly stripped by Cecylia, this conversation felt almost... generic and insignificant. |
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|
| "I have never apologized for pulling you into my world, have I," he spoke from the work desk as Kaede whimpered from her latest cramp. | | "Muskets?" |
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|
| "No. It's why I still hate you," she retorted grumpily. | | "Weapons that use black powder to propel a small metal projectile." |
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|
| In hindsight, nothing from her came nicely today.
| | "That stuff used for mining? We've had it for well over a millennium, just not for military use." |
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|
| "Well, I am sorry."
| | Kaede grew confused. Even the most conservative of nations didn't take long to realize the potential of black powder in Earth history. Those who refused were too quickly shown the error of their ways. |
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| "Better late than never. Next time, you try being the one to menstruate!" | | "Why?" |
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| | Cecylia raised her eyebrows as she answered like it was the most obvious thing: |
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| | "Can you imagine infantry carrying that stuff when a fireball or lightning blast strikes? ''Legion Resistance'' spells won't save them when the soldiers themselves start exploding." |
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| <noinclude>
| | It was the first time Kaede realized that the existence of magic did more than just ''replace'' aspects of technology. It completely altered the advancement paths of civilization itself. |
| {| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
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| |-
| |
| | Back to [[Daybreak:Volume_1_Chapter_11|Chapter 11]]
| |
| | Return to [[Daybreak_on_Hyperion|Main Page]]
| |
| | Forward to [[Daybreak:Volume_1_Chapter_13|Chapter 13]]
| |
| |-
| |
| |}
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| </noinclude>
| |
(pre-alpha)
Chapter 13 - (need a name...)
Kaede spent most of the next two days in bed, skipping even mealtime trips to the dining hall. Thankfully, Pascal brought a tray of sumptuous aristocratic food back for her every time. Even better, he told her that Parzifal started inviting him over to join Ariadne, Reynald, and others during meals, so she didn't even have to feel bad about leaving him to eat alone again.
Although he would have deserved it, as all of her discomfort for the past days could be explained as 'his fault'.
By Monday afternoon however, her menstrual cramps had lessened enough for her to effectively concentrate on other things. Kaede only missed dinner due to being completely engrossed in her book on Weichsel's history:
Today's National Day was actually the 505th year anniversary of Weichsel's birth, declared the night after the Battle of Konigsfeld in Faith:61. The previous Kingdom of Amudaria had always been a loyal protectorate of the Imperium of the Inner Sea, which declared its 'Holiness' only sixty-one years prior, beginning the Age of Faith. But when religious unrest turned into the War of Cataliyan Independence and drew all the available legions south, the Holy Imperium could spare nothing as a fresh Northmen invasion shattered Amudaria.
With the king dead and the capital burned, it was House von Drachenlazen who took up the banner, rallying nobles and commoners alike by enacting the Writ of Universal Conscription. In a single decisive engagement, the future King Ferdinand I, the Great, the Crusader, the Saint, etcetera etcetera, crushed the invaders and founded a new realm. It also established Weichsel's tradition of the military aristocracy, ever vigilant and periodically tested by raids and invasions from the North Sea.
The von Drachenlazen dynasty still ruled Weichsel today. With their name 'Dragonlance' a very literal reminder of their proud ancestry from the Dragon-Demon War of millenniums ago, Kaede found it hard not to feel awed as she read their noble history...
...Until the door opened and the scent of mouthwatering wiener schnitzel wafted in.
Except Pascal wasn't carrying anything as he strode into view.
"You are being invited to dinner, sort of. Ariadne is just outside the door."
He announced with a scowl and a noncommittal shrug, followed by a silent reminder:
"You should get dressed properly first."
According to Pascal, Ariadne had mostly put away their past after her epic -- and publicly humiliating -- slap. But not hating his guts wasn't the same as being on good terms with him either.
Kaede nodded back and rushed to put on her white 'uniform', which went far easier than any of those dresses. Pascal then stopped her before she could walk out, taking care to make sure her appearance was immaculate and wouldn't embarrass him before the noblest of ladies.
Two of them, as it turned out.
"Good evening Kaede. Thought you could use a little chat and company after two days," Ariadne smiled from just beyond the room's doorway, with a food tray hovering above one palm and the other hand waving at her. "My friend Cecylia just returned from holidays. Would you be interested in joining us?"
"Nice to meet you," the petite girl who stood beside Ariadne's strawberry-blond cascade smiled and waved energetically.
Kaede wasn't exactly in the mood to meet new people tonight, but this wasn't an offer she could refuse politely.
"The pleasure is mine," she curtsied in return. She was definitely getting better at it.
Cecylia was around Kaede's height, with deep-chestnut-brown hair trimmed short and pull back by a red ribbon. Standing next to the mature and elegant Ariadne, she seemed almost fragile with her petite and thin figure, which only enhanced her undeniably cute appearance. Her small nose and lips lay under a pair of vibrant, deep-red eyes that held something odd about them, giving off a mysteriously alluring light. Her skin was fair to the point of being nearly a translucent silky sheen, accentuated by the standard crimson-on-black uniform officer cadets wore.
As Kaede neared the doorway, she gasped and nearly tripped into the wiener schnitzel tray and its steaming bowl of soup as she realized what that 'something odd' was:
Instead a round black pupil within her deep-red iris, Cecylia's eyes held tiny scarlet-red crosses instead.
The new girl's hands gently steadied Kaede as she looked back up, her gaze drawn straight back into those eyes before she could pull back and glance away:
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare."
"Hehe don't worry about it," Cecylia's soft soprano replied with a chuckle. "I'll explain when we get back to my room."
She then turned towards Pascal while reaching for the doorknob:
"See you later Pascal! Don't worry we'll take good care of her!"
Her cheery voice gave Kaede bit of a surprise, who mentally asked in curiosity:
"Made a new friend already?"
"Good night," Pascal bid before sending Kaede a somewhat wistful response:
"No, we spoke quite a bit before I fell out with Ariadne. Cecylia Renata von Falkenhausen is the third daughter of General Wiktor von Falkenhausen, father's second-in-command. Since we are the same age, our fathers had us meet when we were six. She is actually the one who introduced me to Ariadne."
Bet your breakup came as a personal embarrassment for her then, Kaede thought as Cecylia took her hand and began dragging her down the hall with Ariadne following behind.
"Be careful though. She likes to drag others to her pace before drawing them into spilling any secret she is interested in."
But rather than cautionary, Pascal sounded almost... admiring.
So Kaede wrote down Cecylia's name on her mental list of people that Pascal actually respected.
----- * * * -----
The third-year girls' dorms were just one floor above, and Cecylia's room turned out very... feminine.
It was bright scarlet, white, and pink, with an abundance of lace and frills.
Even before the door closed behind them, Kaede found herself greeted by a plump cat with lush white and gray fur. It laid down before Kaede and gazed at her with teal eyes before giving an adorable purr.
She knelt down to pet and stroke its wonderfully soft fur.
"Kaede you might want to finish your dinner before getting too friendly with Ania," Ariadne said as she took the tray to the writing desk by the window. "She loves to steal food, and it's hard to keep watch on all of them."
"All of them?"
"Ania is a matryoshka cat from Samara," Cecylia grinned with amusement. "She's also my familiar."
Kaede stood back up, puzzled.
"Matryoshka?"
Even as Kaede asked, Ania looked up, and another feline face, identical but slightly smaller, emerged from below her furry stomach. The smaller cat soon pulled herself out, laid down next to the larger Ania, and the process repeated itself.
Kaede soon found herself wide-eyed and speechless, surrounded by seven purring cats of decreasing size.
"Are they... separate...?" she struggled to find the right words.
"They share the same psyche, as far as we know," Cecylia answered her unfinished question. "Matryoshka cats use shadow magic to make duplicates of itself to scout for predators and trap prey. The largest one is always the main body, even though tapping its senses always feel like the smallest one is the primary."
"Speaking of eyes and ears, are you..."
"Not since I got annoyed with him and told him to stop. Pascal did promise not to intrude upon my senses without permission," Kaede answered, wondering how many times she'll have to deal with this in the future.
"Good!" Cecylia grinned. "Not that he's the voyeur type, but we don't need him to catch an eye-full during girls' night."
Oh... this must be the equivalent of 'slumber party' boys are so intrigued over in the old world.
Kaede began to fidget just inside the doorway. Her cheeks heated up and her eyes glanced away as Cecylia wasted no time before starting to undress, a set of soft pink velvet pajamas laid out on the bed before her.
Ariadne was quick to notice as usual, soon commenting in her cheerful smile from the other side of the room:
"Cecylia you're making our guest uncomfortable."
"Uh-uh no way, she's not a noble so I am not dealing with all the stupid formalities."
"I think changing in front of someone you recently met goes far beyond just 'casual'."
"Hehe well, we'll just get familiar that much faster then!"
Before Kaede knew it, Cecylia had finished changing and bounced back. Her first thought was that Cecylia's exposed shoulders easily had the smoothest, pearly skin she had ever seen, even with modern cosmetics and skincare products. The girl also had a prominent chest bit more mature than Kaede would have expected for her size, and the pajamas' neckline went down just enough to expose some tantalizing cleavage.
"Eek!"
Kaede found herself backed into the wall and yelped in surprise as Cecylia's delicate fingers snaked in and started undoing her buttons.
She looked towards Ariadne for help, only to see the noble lady gaze back with a shrug under her tilted head and an expression that went 'sorry, can't help it'.
Pinned down and assaulted without reinforcements, Kaede soon found herself stripped down to her white undergarments.
Finally satisfied, Cecylia skipped a step back and looked over Kaede's shivering self.
"Hehe, I knew Pascal had good taste! It's perfect!"
Hugging her small chest and still pressing herself against the wall, Kaede could feel her exposed skin reddening as they met the warm indoor air again. Oddly enough, she found this far more embarrassing than wearing the same thing in front of Pascal.
Girls by themselves are way too scary...
Kaede wanted to leave already.
It was then when the goddess Ariadne finally decided to intervene by dragging Cecylia further back:
"Alright alright, you've had your fun. Now give Kaede some room before you really drive her off. She's already getting tears in her eyes."
"Oh Sylv is going to have so much fun with her."
As though trying to defuse the situation, Ariadne herself pulled out a pair of pajamas before starting to change.
It didn't have quite the effect. Kaede merely looked for more inconspicuous objects to fascinate over.
----- * * * -----
"You still haven't introduced like you promised," Kaede grumbled before she leaned over the bedside counter and bit into another slice of wiener schnitzel.
The delicious food always made her feel better about things.
she even stopped obsessing over the fact that she wore nothing more than lingerie as the three of them sat on Cecylia's king-sized four-poster bed. Although it would take a while before she could grow accustomed to it, if that were possible at all.
"Hehe I do still owe an explanation don't I?" Cecylia replied cheerily. "I take it you've never met a dhampir before?"
Kaede nearly choked. 'Dhampir' of slavic folklore was the child between a human and...
"One of your parents... is a vampire?" She asked as her coughs subsided with the help of Ariadne stroking her back.
"Ah... you really aren't from our world are you?" Cecylia's eyes grew fascinated as a mischievous grin lit up her expression. "The vampire clans were wiped out centuries ago by the not-yet-Holy Imperium, although not before their curses destroyed six entire legions and left the Dead Mountains perpetually filled by murderous mist. Dhampir are the descendants of vampires. We still carry the core of the fiendish blood curse that first created them during the Demonic Invasion. But the magic have at least diluted enough that the church could seal its effects, which..." she pointed to her eyes, "is what this cross is. I've had it since my baptism, colored by my own ether over the years."
"So... excuse me if this sounds blunt, but you don't drink blood anymore then?" Kaede asked as her hands rubbed one of the furry Anias stretched lazily across the bed, finally noticing the little fang of a canine Cecylia sported. Oddly enough, only one was slightly bigger than usual.
"We don't have the urge for it. But we still can..."
Kaede had never felt so aware of her Samaran body, and the fact her blood was literally 'health food' for the grinning girl before her.
"The church frowns upon it, but most dhampirs follow the cultural tradition of imbibing the blood of our beloved once we get married. We don't have the regenerative vitality that vampires do, so drinking blood is kind of a touchy issue -- diseases and all that. It's also a very private affair."
Kaede nodded apologetically, which Cecylia responded in kind as she continued:
"But even though we don't need it, consuming fresh human blood does make us appear younger. Hehe you should see my father, one-sixty-eight years old and still drawing the attention of every lady across the hall like a stud beefcake. Mother gets jealous all the time, even though he's never cheated on her once after a century of marriage. We dhampirs tend to be rather devoted in matrimony, blood of our loved ones flowing through us and all."
"He's quite a dedicated man then," Ariadne joined in, her hands already back to brushing her long flowing tresses. "Almost all noble lords have at least one affair. It's almost something of a prestige thing among them."
"Complains the girl whose boyfriend has eyes only for her," Cecylia's sigh was almost longing.
"You've got how many boys chasing after you? Including both Reynald and Gerd, I might add."
"Reynald flirts with half of everything female and walk on two legs, plus I prefer someone taller than me," Cecylia retorted with a laugh. "Gerd is sweet, but if I court him he'd expect me to become a housewife or something. Nope!"
"What are you aiming for?" Kaede asked as she ate her last two slices of veal. She could swear at least four slices were missing, although that was still an acceptable price to pay for the adorable kitty.
"I'm on the intelligence track. Shooting all the way for the King's Black Eagles!"
"She's also a foreign culture expert. I could have sworn her crosses turned into glittering stars when I first told her about you Kaede," Ariadne joked.
"It's not like I live in Samara. How often do I get to meet someone from another world?" Cecylia said as she scurried forward and leaned towards Kaede. "Soooooo... how similar is your world compared to ours? Other than the no magic part."
"Well... there's actually a surprising amount of similarity. To start off, Weichsel is pretty much Prussia from my old world. Although Prussia didn't start developing a strong military tradition and become a power player in continental politics until after the prevalence of muskets."
Kaede was surprised by how easily her words came out. As an introvert, she didn't normally start in-depth discussion during the first meeting; it was better to learn about the other side's preferences and interests. But after being nearly stripped by Cecylia, this conversation felt almost... generic and insignificant.
"Muskets?"
"Weapons that use black powder to propel a small metal projectile."
"That stuff used for mining? We've had it for well over a millennium, just not for military use."
Kaede grew confused. Even the most conservative of nations didn't take long to realize the potential of black powder in Earth history. Those who refused were too quickly shown the error of their ways.
"Why?"
Cecylia raised her eyebrows as she answered like it was the most obvious thing:
"Can you imagine infantry carrying that stuff when a fireball or lightning blast strikes? Legion Resistance spells won't save them when the soldiers themselves start exploding."
It was the first time Kaede realized that the existence of magic did more than just replace aspects of technology. It completely altered the advancement paths of civilization itself.