Chapter Text
It’s been nice, returning to Heimdallr.
It’s also nice to return to her childhood room, sleeping in its soft, red duvet and hugging Morgana – the black plush cat that Father gave Alfin as her fifth birthday present. The namesake came from one of the cats that used to roam the palace’s kitchens back when she was a child. It was notorious for stealing fatty tuna from the palace’s chefs, and only that.
Alfin let out a breath of contentment, shifting her gaze from the plush cat to the ceiling above. Despite the looming sense of dread that hung around Alfin after the events of yesterday, her childhood bedroom brought her peace.
Groggily, Alfin sat up from the bed, reaching her hand to the air as she stretches her body to shake off the remaining sleep that stubbornly lingers in her.
She took a glance at the window to the balcony, and saw the red cross of Ordo Erebonia waving gently by her window.
“Erebonia’s trundling towards a path of destruction and despair…” Alfin muttered to nobody, repeating the words that the blonde specter girl told her back on Bryonia Island.
She shifted her glance at Morrígan, which she put on top of her vanity along with her other belongings. Immediately, the sight of her orbal staff reminded Alfin of her fellow classmates – who departed to stay the night in the Derfflinger as they usually do. Unlike them, Alfin was directed to stay in Valflame Palace along with Cedric and Olivert too. Father wanted a little family reunion before they have to continue working again, and Alfin wasn’t about to deny the man his family.
Also, she did miss her father too after all this time, so it all worked out.
Standing up from her duvet, Alfin turned her attention to Morgana’s black form.
“Did you miss me too, you little critter?” Alfin cooed to the plush doll, pinching its cheeks all the while. “It’s nice to be sleeping with you again like this.”
Morgana stared back at her, unblinking – the sight of its cute, round face was making Alfin squeal inside in delight. If only she could bring it along with her back to the Branch Campus. Perhaps she’d sleep even more soundly than she does currently.
Putting the doll on the bedside table, Alfin then walked towards her vanity as she was reminded by a certain box that she had yet to open. It sat along with the rest of her belongings on her vanity, its black form looming ominously.
Cedric’s present.
He mentioned that she’ll understand what Osborne is aiming for once she’d read its contents, and she desperately wanted to find out.
Undoing the bow wrapped on the box, Alfin popped it open to see a scrap of paper sitting inside. Immediately, she recognized the loops of Cedric’s handwriting – she smiled as she saw the familiar curves and slants, fully knowing that it was her that first taught him how to write elegantly.
…
Her breath hitched. Tracing every letter written with her eyes, Alfin couldn’t believe what she was reading.
The truth of House Arnor’s artifact.
With bated breaths, Alfin jammed the paper back into the box – quickly hiding it under the rest of her belongings. Alfin closed her eyes, mulling over the words that was written on the letter. Her mind raced with a lot of questions – the nature of the letter, it’s uncanny accuracy to the events these past few years? It sent chills down her spine.
Desperately, Alfin tried to focus and calm herself. She picked up her ARCUS, and quickly browsed through her contacts and called the person that she wanted to call.
But why was she willing to call this particular person? It’s not like the information she was about to give them has any relevance to them. Then again, talking about this to her friends in Class VII was very unwise, and she also didn’t want to give Rean more burdens to think about.
And that left her with one person.
Aidios, she desperately needed more allies.
Her ARCUS rang a few times before the other person picked up.
“Heeeeyyyooo,” Lechter’s voice came out in a jovial tone. “To what do I owe the pleasure, being called directly by the Auric Seraph herself?”
Alfin groaned as she tries not to be irritated by the agent’s voice. “Is this how you typically answer your calls?”
Lechter chuckled. “Haah, what’s with all the hostility? I expended… gah, a lot of energy taking this call, you know?” he huffed, and Alfin could hear the man breathing heavily from her ARCUS.
“Why are you… panting?” Alfin scrunched her face in distaste.
“Morning jog,” Lechter groaned breathlessly. “Been running around Mater Park for the last hour. Phew.”
While Alfin was mildly surprised having a small glimpse into Lechter’s personal life, she decided to cut to the chase. “I found something that you might want to see. Remember our conversation in Ordis?”
“Right. I’ll ask Claire to pick you up,” Lechter quickly answered, he sounded like he just stopped running. “You guys need to meet up with Governor Regnitz too, right? To do your… reporting procedure or whatever. I’ll pull some strings so that you’ll gather in the RMP Command Center. We can talk there.”
“Alright, I’ll see you there, then,” Alfin replied.
“Bet on it,” Lechter quipped cheerfully, and the line goes dead.
Alfin slackened in relief. Interacting with the Ironblood was always so aggravating and nerve-wracking experience. The man was always so difficult to read, and even more difficult to predict.
Speaking of nerve-wracking experiences, Alfin still had to attend breakfast with her parents and brothers soon. She dreaded the occasion a little, for she knew that there’s some tension between her and Cedric after the race unfolded yesterday. She could only hope that it goes well and amiable.
Knock, knock.
“Your Highness, a warm bath has been drawn for you,” a servant called behind her bedroom door.
Letting out another sigh, Alfin got up and headed to the door.
The delectable smell of warm food made Alfin’s stomach growl.
Servants rushed to and fro – their figures smearing across Alfin’s vision as they attended the Imperial family for their breakfast. Father sat at the head of the table, speaking in quiet tones with the head servant. On his right was Cedric, who was lost in his thoughts as he gazed at the large window of the dining room. Meanwhile, Mother sat on Father’s left, giving Alfin a gentle smile next to her.
Silverware clattered as the servants put them down neatly in front of each member of the family. The food cart then soon rolled in, bringing them their breakfasts – and Alfin could feel herself getting hungrier as her plate of bacon and eggs was served.
Father called them all for prayer, and they then began eating in earnest.
The family stayed silent in the beginning, preferring to dig into their meals rather than talking. Alfin didn’t mind the silence, as she was afraid that she’d be butting heads with Cedric again if anyone speaks up. She continued to enjoy herself as she savored her crispy, delicious bacon.
“The prevalence of orbal cars today is staggering,” Father spoke, earning the attention of the whole family. “Just two days ago, the motorcade was stuck in grueling traffic. Technology sure moves fast.”
Olivert nodded with a smile. “Indeed. It is why I, for one, prefer taking airships to move from one place to another.”
“Honey, that’s a tad bit wasteful, isn’t it?” Mother admonished gently as she sips her tea.
Alfin giggled teasingly. “Well, it beats being stuck in traffic all the time. I think Olivert’s habits has merits.”
Cedric shook his head, but there was a fond smile on his face. “Then what a blessing it is that orbal engines don’t emit pollution like steam engines do,” he drawled sarcastically. “I fear that the entirety of Erebonia would be rampant with smog by the two of you if the orbal revolution never happened.”
Olivert and Alfin laughed at that, and the family continued to partake in their breakfast. Inwardly, Alfin was glad that the conversation had been polite so far.
“I heard that the two of you are going to be acting as this year’s summer festival security,” Father referred to the twins. “Are you going to patrol around the city then?”
Cedric nodded, patting his mouth with a napkin. “Yes, Father. In a gist, students of both Thors campuses are going to be assigned to certain parts of the city,” letting out a sheepish smile, Cedric continued, “Though, we still don’t know our assignments yet.”
Father smiled amiably. “Well, let it be known that I’m proud of you both. Even though Alfin had a bit of a head start – being recognized as Crossbell’s Auric Seraph – you also have made a name for yourself, Cedric. I’ve heard citizens in Haliask and other corners of North Ambria are hailing the Regia Solis as a hero. I’m sure you two will tackle this task splendidly.”
“I have no doubt that the two of you will excel! You’ll be able to surpass my own Thors achievements in no time, I’m sure,” Olivert gave Cedric an encouraging pat in the back, earning a muted smile from Cedric’s direction.
“It’ll be a worthwhile experience for sure,” Alfin gave a forced smile at the mention of her nickname. But then, she frowned, “However, I don’t think we’ll be able to contribute much – what with the amount of those soldiers in green the Chancellor deployed.”
Cedric’s eyes darted quickly before zeroing on Alfin. “Those soldiers ensure our peace, Alfin. With so many foreigners roaming around the capital, their presence is necessary.”
“You’re acting like the foreign dignitaries and tourists are threats,” Alfin sighed wearily. For some reason, she was feeling a bit brave that morning, so she decided to jab, “Not that I’m surprised. The Chancellor sure loves his intimidation tactics.”
Cedric scoffed derisively; his words took on a sharper edge. “Intimidation? What a naïve way of thinking. It’s called maintaining order. Do you want our streets overrun with chaos and lawlessness?”
With those words, it felt like the temperature in the room just dropped several degrees. Alfin could see the servants that were standing around the dining table eyeing each other nervously.
Placing a gentle hand on Alfin’s arm, Mother chimed in, “Chaos is a bit much, but your brother is right, Alfin. With the tensions in the international community, the Chancellor’s methods are necessary for us to maintain stability – even though it might seem harsh.”
“But let’s not forget that the summer festival is meant to bring joy to everyone,” Olivert interjected cheerfully, trying to ease the tension. “Regardless of the security measures, we should instead focus so that everyone has a good time, our guests included.”
Alfin nodded. “Exactly. We should accommodate them the best we can as gracious hosts.”
Father, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. “We understand how you feel, Alfin. But unfortunately, we need to be pragmatic. We cannot forsake the security of Heimdallr for the sake of our guests.”
Alfin took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady. “I’m not saying that we should forsake this city’s security completely–“
Cedric cut her off in the middle of her speech, his eyes flashing with irritation. “Calvard is currently building their troops on our borders and sending spies as we speak.”
“–I’m simply saying that we shouldn’t follow everything the Chancellor suggests so readily,” Alfin glared at Cedric as they spoke over each other. Cedric’s words then registered in her mind, and she retorted, “And how in Gehenna would you know that?”
Mother gasped audibly, her hand flying to her mouth. “Alfin! Language.”
“Unlike you, the Chancellor often asks my counsel on his more recent policies,” Cedric smirked sharply. “You think mending relations and cooperation can solve everything, but the real world doesn’t work that way. The Chancellor, Father, and I understand that.”
Alfin felt a sting in her chest. How dare he? With how heated the conversation had turned out, Alfin clenched her hands under the table – nails digging into her palms as she struggled to maintain her composure.
“In any case…” Olivert loudly proclaimed, taking the tension away with his voice, “This proves that we all want what’s best for Erebonia. Let us work together to ensure the summer festival is a success, yes?”
Father nodded in agreement. “Well said, Olivert. Now, let’s finish our breakfast. I’m sure both of your classes wouldn’t want you two to be late,” he referred to both Alfin and Cedric.
Alfin huffed a frustrated breath. The breakfast continued on, but the underlying tension had ruined what remained of Alfin’s appetite. She picked on her food, avoiding eye contact with the rest of her family.
She didn’t realize the sympathetic look her father gave her when she wasn’t looking.
The RMP Command Center is a rather… inconspicuous building.
Built right adjacent to the bustling Heimdallr Central Station, it is the heart of operations of the Railway Military Police. Alfin understood why they made the command center to be part of the central station. After all, the RMP prides itself on its ability to be able to rapidly deploy to all corners of Erebonia through its vast network of railways.
Alfin squinted her eyes as she gets out of the RMP car – the morning sunlight blinding her. Claire followed along, having picked her up from Valflame Palace earlier to drive her to the command center.
As the two of them made their way inside the building, Alfin saw how many RMP officers stop what they were doing and saluted them. It… unnerved her. Never before had she saw so many people greet her with such fervor.
Glory to Erebonia this, glory to Erebonia that.
If she could stuff everyone’s mouth to stop them from uttering those words, she would.
“Lechter is waiting inside, Your Highness,” Claire pointed as they arrived by the doors to an… interrogation room? Sensing the princess’ questioning look, she then added, “He asked for extra privacy. I take it that your talk with him is going to be important.”
“In a sense,” Alfin answered neutrally. “But… I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to start sharing it without Lechter’s permission.”
Claire shook her head with a smile. “I completely understand, Your Highness. I hope you two have a productive meeting,” she said, giving her the salute. “By your leave.”
Alfin nodded at the blue-haired woman, and saw her leave further into the building. Taking a deep breath, Alfin then turned the door handle with a click, and was greeted by the sight of Lechter lounging on the chair – his feet rested up on the table.
He gave a jaunty salute from his position. “Glory, Your Highness! It’s been a while, huh?”
“Major,” Alfin greeted in a clipped tone. She promptly closed the door shut as she entered the room.
Lechter winced playfully. “Sheesh, cold. I think some of Rean’s terrible behaviors is starting to rub off on you, Your Highness. Sometimes, I can’t tell whether you hate me or not.”
Alfin crossed her arms as she stared down the red-haired agent. “Huh. Funny, that.”
There was a tense silence between the two, with Lechter keeping his smile and Alfin frowning as they stared each other down.
“Y’know, your beloved instructor’s been getting pretty busy lately,” Lechter mentioned casually after a few beats of silence. He stood up to his full height, smirking all the while. “Just last week, he made Alisa Reinford break into the Intelligence Division database to get intel on that Bright kid.”
“About Renne?” Alfin tilted her head quizzically. “Oh. Hm. Is that why he asked me to apologize to her on his behalf?”
Lechter shrugged. “Dunno why you’re asking me. I’m not Rean.”
What an infuriating man. “That was a rhetorical question, mind you.”
“I know,” Lechter grinned, making the princess glower in response. “I’m guessing that he’s trying to measure how much of a threat she is, given that she used to be running with the Society and all.”
Alfin’s eyes widened. That explained why Renne was able to take down the Goliath Noa so easily, and why the young girl was so nimble and agile back when they were trying to save the Étoile. She supposed that that terrifying scythe of Renne’s is probably also a keepsake from her Ouroboros days.
But knowing this now… what was Olivert doing associating with people from the Society?
From the time Alfin spent with her, Renne seemed nice enough – and the girl was willing to step up on to the plate to save people too. Perhaps Alfin should reserve her judgement until she gets to know the Liberlian better.
Which also begs the question… why would the youngest daughter of a famed S-Rank Bracer join Ouroboros at such a young age? Additionally, since Lechter mentioned that she used to be part of the Society, does that mean Renne was a part of them at an age even younger than she was right now?
Alfin felt like she’s missing a lot of things in the context of Renne. But unfortunately, the origins of Tita’s pretty-but-totally-not-scary friend wasn’t her priority. Perhaps she’ll find out the truth from Renne herself some other time.
“N-Never mind that,” Alfin tried to take control of the conversation. “I brought something that you might want to see. It’s a transcription of my family’s artifact – the Black Records.”
“Oh?” Lechter perked up in interest. “Well, well. Let’s see it, then.”
Alfin produced the notebook that she got from Cedric from her coat, and presenting it to Lechter. Putting it down on the table, she let the red-haired agent examine the contents of the book, which reads;
To my dearest sister, Alfin Reise Arnor.
Happy birthday. As I pen down these words, I am reminded of your wishes, and deepest dreams for this country. You have always shone so brightly, and it is my sincerest hope that you continue to illuminate this country by my side.
My gift to you is a written transcription of the Black Records, the artifact held by our family for countless generations. It is, by no light means, a prophecy written by our ancestor 1200 years ago. Father and the Chancellor has granted me the chance of reading it, and I fervently believe that this is the path our great empire should take.
Under that personal note, reads the transcription that Cedric had written. The letters on that particular transcription looped a bit hastily and oddly – as if there was an excitement fueling Cedric as he jots down the words on the notebook.
Between flame and earth.
The wavering darkness begins to spin the tale of the end.
First, the conflict of the great gods of the second pillar.
Second, the fusion of earth and flame, and the completion of the seven vessels.
Third, the beginning of the thousand-year city and the acceptance of the Gral.
Fourth, the disappearance of the Holy Beast and the catastrophe of the whispering dragons.
Fifth, the recapture of the capital and the vermillion curse.
Sixth, the lions' war and the sacrifice of the holy maiden.
Seventh, the appearance of the giant pillar in the north and the unwanted child.
Eighth, the sacrifice of the village and the hundred days campaign.
Ninth, the great blue tree to the east and the appearance of the cursed castle.
Thus, the thousand-year-old wish was fulfilled.
When the sacrifice is made and the ancient blood flows, the path to the Gral of Erebos shall open.
When the tainted Holy Beast is pierced by the blade of world's end and its blood fills the Gral, the Great Twilight shall fall upon the land.
Further under the transcription, were more personal words from Cedric.
As you have surmised, half of these events had already transpired. It is up to the Chancellor, Father, and us to fulfill it. I do not know what the Gral of Erebos is, but I have faith that it will bring much blessings and thrust Erebonia into a greater future. The fact that it mentions the death of a tainted beast does give me relief, though.
Please, consider standing with me. Let us shape the future of Erebonia side by side, so that the future of our people will be bright.
Yours forever,
Cedric Reise Arnor
Lechter squinted at the notebook, silently reading the contents written on it. His brows furrowed as he kept on reading, but then he looked up to meet Alfin’s eyes and said, “I… can’t read this.”
“What do you mean?” Alfin frowned quizzically. “Are you saying that because this is supposed to be a personal letter? If so, I don’t mind. You don’t have to worry about–”
The redhead shook his head, cutting her off. “No, Your Highness. I mean that I literally can’t read this. The first and last parts are fine, it’s all some mushy wishes and the usual birthday cliché that I don’t really care about,” he explained nonchalantly, “But the part that’s supposed to be the Black Records transcription? It all look like chicken scratch to me.”
Alfin’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. While it is true that only members of House Arnor could read the Black Records, she didn’t expect the effects to extend even at a copied version of it. A curious revelation, indeed.
“Then… how about I read it out for you?” Alfin offered, earning a nod from the Intelligence Division agent. “This one, the fifth – the recapture of the capital and the vermilion curse.”
“It’s obviously about the time Heimdallr turned into a necropolis and the curse being sealed inside of the Vermilion Knight,” Lechter finished for her.
“Correct. And examine this…” Alfin nodded. She continued to point out sections of the latter as she recited, “Sixth, the lions' war and the sacrifice of the holy maiden – seventh, the appearance of the giant pillar in the north and the unwanted child – eighth, the sacrifice of the village and the hundred days campaign – and ninth, the great blue tree to the east and the appearance of the cursed castle. Does any of this all ring a bell?”
There was a grim look on Lechter’s face as he quietly listened. “It… does. The War of the Lions, the Salt Pale, the Hundred Days War, and even Crossbell’s Azure Tree and Heimdallr’s Infernal Castle is also listed here…”
“Thus, the thousand-year-old wish was fulfilled, when the sacrifice is made and the ancient blood flows, the path to the Gral of Erebos shall open,” she continued to recite the letter. “When the tainted Holy Beast is pierced by the blade of world's end and its blood fills the Gral, the Great Twilight shall fall upon the land.”
There was an alarmed look on Lechter’s face, and he quickly looked up to meet Alfin’s gaze – his eyes piercing deeply into hers. “There. The part about the blade thing.”
Raising her eyebrow, Alfin obliged and repeated, “The blade of world’s end?”
“Yeah, that. Hearing about it makes me… uneasy,” Lechter adjusted his cravat nervously. “It’s kinda the same feeling I told you about Millium. But… what does this have to do with her?”
Alfin gave him a concerned look. “Do you… want to question her about it?”
In response, Lechter shrugged. “Nah, I doubt she knows anything about this anyway. I’m her handler, so if there’s anything about her that sounds as ominous as ‘the blade of world’s end’, I’d knew,” he sighed audibly, brushing the tresses of his red mane. “Gotta ask the old man about this one, not that he’d tell me anything about it.”
That took Alfin’s interest. “The Chancellor doesn’t share his plans with you?”
“He does, but he doesn’t spill the beans on everything,” Lechter explained further with a wave of his hand. “There’re clearances even between members of the Ironbloods. If there’s something that we’re not supposed to know, the old man would just give us orders to do a, b, c by the letter, and then reveals everything once stuff was said and done.”
“I see…” Alfin muttered to herself, processing the revelation that Lechter gave her. If what he said was true, then perhaps the Ironbloods aren’t as united as they present themselves to be.
But more importantly, a wild idea came into her head.
Could Chancellor Osborne even read the Black Records? She assumed that he couldn’t – but even so, perhaps Father had told the Chancellor of the artifact’s tidbits. It’s the only explanation for the fact that the man seemed to have some sort of foresight with the way Lechter described Ironblood’s standards of operations. And Cedric also mentioned him in the letter too…
Lechter sighed again, bringing Alfin out of her short reverie. “I’ll just… investigate this at my own time. Worse come to worst, I’ll corner the old man and interrogate him about this,” he said, before smiling to Alfin, “So… thanks a lot for bringing this to me, Your Highness. I’ll make sure to throw a bone or two your way in the future, okay?”
Alfin narrowed his eyes at the red-haired agent, crossing her arms all the while. Insolent remarks aside, it’s behaviors like this that made her question the red-haired agent’s motives. The man was a walking contradiction, and Alfin was simply dying to know what makes him tick.
“I don’t understand you, Lechter Arundel,” Alfin stated brusquely. “You never reported the old Class VII about their use of the Sonorous Seashell, you insinuated that you purposely leaked Rean’s whereabouts to his friends, and despite your callous demeanor, you seem to actually care about the people around you and help them,” she mentioned, meeting Lechter’s smile without wavering. “Yet, you seem to be content being Osborne’s loyal lapdog all the same. Why?”
If Lechter was offended, he didn’t let it show. “Okay, first of all, ouch – you’re making me into some kind of a mind-controlled slave. I’ll have you know that I got my own free will too, you hear? And secondly, I can choose who to help and who to not help – heck, I can even choose to leave the Ironbloods if I wanted.”
“So you claim,” Alfin told Lechter flatly. She found it hard to believe the man who devoted years under the Chancellor’s service. “But even after all that happened, the Ironbloods and the rest of the Intelligence Division still enjoys your service.”
Lechter smiled further at that, and for some reason, it wasn’t as co*cky as his usual smile. Instead, it was a bit… melancholic?
“Can I tell you a story, Your Highness?” Lechter asked calmly.
“I…” Alfin tried to protest, but it seemed like any conversation with Lechter always end up with him abruptly changing the subject. “Fine. Go ahead.”
Lechter nodded, a thankful look painted on his face. “It’s… a story about a boy. A boy who used to be part of a noble family in Lamare.”
Alfin leaned her body onto the wall, curious to see where Lechter was going with this. She tried to appear relaxed, but her fingers tapped nervously against the fabric of her uniform.
“They’re not a particularly wealthy family. They didn’t have any land or fancy titles of the sorts. Just the good old martial knight-class kind of family – many such cases,” he continued to explain, pacing around the small gray room.
A mirthless smirk came from Lechter as he stared on the ceiling. “In other words… this boy’s family is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to rank – the literal dregs of nobility.”
Alfin felt a pang of recognition. These past two years, she had seen how many nobles with the same background falling into the maw of the Erebonian court intrigue, and Alfin shifted uncomfortably – her curiosity piqued. She had a feeling that this particular story wouldn’t end well.
“You see, because of their family’s standing, the boy never had any friends from his fellow nobles. He relates more to his fellow commoners, who he grew up together with,” Lechter met her eyes, explaining with a smile. “Moreover, his family’s standing also means that his father is part of the Imperial Army – the same Imperial Army which was trying to actively sideline its noble faction. Because of that, the father ended up as a stuck-up bootlicker, playing into other big-time nobles’ whims just to get their attention.”
Then, Lechter shrugged with a distant gaze, “The father was a coward, a spineless man who never had any real ideals or ambition beyond power and glory. The mother ended up leaving him too.”
Alfin didn’t know why, but she could hear a hint of resentment in Lechter’s tone.
“One day, when the boy was eleven, the father told him that they wouldn’t be able to see each other for a while. He said, ‘if I can pull this off, we’ll finally have some land of our own!’” Lechter yelled, acting the part of the father. “And a few days later… heh. The Imperial and Provincial Armies invaded Liberl, and the Hundred-Days War began.”
“See, Your Highness – the boy was special. For some Goddess-forsaken reason, the boy had some sort of prescience ability,” the red-haired man chuckled softly, shaking his head. “During the length of the war, he had this… nagging feeling that wouldn’t go away. Like… he just knew that the war wouldn’t go in his father’s favor.”
Alfin leaned forwards, intrigued. This boy, could he be…?
“And surprise, surprise. Just about three months later, his father and the troops under him were utterly defeated by the Liberlians’ counteroffensive. The ceasefire happened shortly after, and thus ends the Hundred-Days War,” Lechter threw both of his arms wide, like he just finished a stage performance.
She swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in her throat. She knew exactly where this was going.
“When the father first departed, he expected to leave the war in a blaze of glory – a revered hero worthy of praise by Emperor Eugent III himself,” Lechter smiled lopsidedly, a shadow passing over his face. “To his dismay, what awaited him – and all the noble faction leaders at the time – was a top-secret military trial. They were all court martialed, and their only recompense was a taste of cold steel.”
Alfin grimaced. “The Chancellor is the one behind the ceasefire and the court martial, is he not?” she asked, earning a surprised look from Lechter. “Olivert told me about it back in Crossbell.”
“Well, now! That makes it easier for me to tell the story. I’ll just jump forwards then,” Lechter replied chipperly – a stark difference from mere seconds ago. “You see, the boy had this weird feeling from the start – like there was no way to avoid things unfolding as they were. And so, the boy just let it all happen. Never tried to do anything, even when Old Man Giliath sentenced his father to death.”
“But then, in a twist of events, the old man himself took interest in the boy,” the red-haired man then nodded with a satisfied look on his face. “Despite being the killer of the boy’s father, Old Man Giliath extended an invitation to the boy; assuring that he’d help him achieve his goals. Even if it is to avenge his father.”
Alfin could almost see the scene unfolding – Osborne approaching the grief-stricken boy with promises of revenge. Giving him harsh words of encouragement befitting of the Blood and Iron Chancellor, before offering him to join in his cause.
“And that’s… the story of how the boy became the first Ironblood.”
Alfin bit her lip. She didn’t know why, but listening to Lechter’s story made her chest felt… hollow. A part of her wanted to reach out, offering some comfort to the Ironblood – but at the same time, another wave of anger washed over her.
“Then…” Alfin spoke up, trying to keep her voice level. “Why do you cling so desperately to him? Assuming you didn’t lie these past few minutes, you should’ve been Osborne’s biggest enemy – Goddess, you even have a similar motive as Crow Armbrust, for Aidios’ sake!”
Lechter set a distant gaze at the door, leaning on the wall opposite of hers. He crossed his arms and shrugged, “Truthfully, the thought of betraying the old man crossed my mind several times. At first, I thought I’d join him so I can… I don’t know, try to change the Empire from the inside. Fat lot of good that did, though.”
“You still have the chance to do so!” Alfin stood upright. She walked closer to the man, and lend out a hand. “If we join forces, we can easily stop whatever plans he’s concocting,” she implored, gazing right at his eyes with a serious look. “Together.”
Lechter averts his eyes at that, looking into the distance with nary an emotion in his eyes. “Wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein.”
Alfin blinked, not expecting Lechter to quote one of Erebonia’s famed philosophers.
“What are you…”
“I’m trying to say that… it’s way too late for me, Your Highness. You’re just wasting your energy and time,” Lechter gave her a wan smile. But then, in a blink of an eye, that smile turned into his trademark one – the lackadaisical smirk that Lechter always sports whenever he’s on duty. “Now. Since our business has concluded… let me walk you to the conference room where Rean and your friends are waiting.”
Alfin frowned. It was just like Lechter to shut down the conversation once he felt uncomfortable. Try as she might, she knew that no matter what she says, the man wouldn’t budge.
Lechter was already standing by the door by then – said door ajar. “Well?”
With a huff, Alfin stood up and followed Lechter to the door. “Suit yourself. Keep dancing to that man’s tunes. It won’t bring peace to anyone, especially yourself.”
“Duly noted,” Lechter gave a saccharine smile, leading Alfin out of the room.
Wordlessly, the two wandered through the building’s halls until they finally reached the main conference room. Lechter went ahead and opened the door, revealing members of her class and Rean himself, along with Claire and the governor of the Heimdallr city proper – Governor Carl Regnitz.
The faces of her friends lit up as she entered. But before Alfin could greet them all, the sound of the conference table clattering roughly took everyone’s attention.
“What the hell are you doing, accompanying her?” Rean shot up from his seat, spitting in Lechter’s direction. The instructor quickly made his way towards Alfin, and the princess let out a small yelp as he pulled her closer to him – practically shielding her from Lechter.
Alfin tried her hardest not to blush. Rean had such an iron grip on her waist, he’s pressing her body onto his.
Lechter raised both hands in surrender. “Whoa there, tiger. I wasn’t doing anything – just the full extent of my orders,” he winked, “You’re welcome, by the way.”
Alfin could see Claire shaking her head in disapproval. “Lechter…”
“What,” Rean gritted his teeth.
“For escorting Her Highness here safe and sound, of course!” Lechter beamed innocently. “Now, since I’m a busy man, I’ll just leave you guys at it,” he then gave the room an exaggerated salute, smirking all the while. “And with that, I bid you farewell, Your Highness, Governor Regnitz, Ashen Chevalier.”
Rean kept his eyes locked at Lechter’s retreating figure, and once he had left, the raven-haired man turned his attention to Alfin – looking down to meet her eyes with a concerned look. “Are you okay, Alfin? Scarecrow didn’t do anything to you, right?”
“I’m fine, Instructor. You don’t need to worry,” she gave him a comforting smile.
Still, Rean had his brows furrowed in concern. “You sure?”
“Mhm,” she nodded.
“Rean?” Claire interrupted gently. “We’re about to start the briefing. If you would…?”
“Ah, right. My bad,” Rean sheepishly admitted, and the two soon joined their compatriots on the table.
While Rean was directed by Claire to sit right on the other end of the table, opposite of the Governor, Alfin decided to sit next to Altina – in which the white-haired girl gave her a nod.
“Now, since that is settled…” Governor Regnitz gave the room a smile, “I welcome you all to Heimdallr. I’m sure you have many questions about attending to your field exercises in a place as massive as the capital, but I’m sure you’ll manage, just like your instructor before you.”
Rean barked a laugh. “Hah! You’re giving me too much credit, Governor. My own field exercises were nothing short of a mess.”
“That is true,” Governor Regnitz laughed along good naturedly. “In any case, let us proceed with business. First, allow me to inform you about our special request.”
Knock, knock.
Governor Regnitz paused, and turned his attention to the door. “Ah, just in time. Please, come in.”
“Thank you for waiting, sir,” a familiar voice that Alfin had already heard this morning called out, and in goes Cedric along with Fritz, Ada, and other Class I members that Alfin didn’t recognize. Behind them, Instructor Neithardt followed.
Alfin noticed how the members of Class VII froze at their entrance. Perhaps they didn’t expect to meet Cedric again so soon after the airship race, she surmised.
“Glory, Your Highness,” Governor Regnitz stood up, and others in the room followed suit and gave him a salute.
Rean stood to approach the other instructor and gave him a firm handshake. “Major Neithardt. Didn’t expect you to get back into teaching again,” Rean noted with a hint of surprise, before smirking, “Let me guess, Fiona talked you into staying put?”
“Schwarzer,” Instructor Neithardt shook his hand with a hint of exasperation. “Being an instructor has slowly turned you into another Purple Lightning, I see.”
Rean grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Instructor Neithardt grumbled, though there was no heat in his voice. Then, he turned to face Alfin, “And glory to you, Princess Alfin. I’ve heard of your exploits these past few months. I would like to express what an honor it is to be working with you.”
Alfin nodded amiably, ignoring Cedric’s stare. “And the same to you, Instructor.”
One by one, the students of Class I took their seats opposite to Class VII. And almost immediately, an invisible weight pressed down on the students. Uneasy looks were passed on between them, and it seemed like none of the adults in the room noticed it.
Once everyone had seated, Governor Regnitz took control of the meeting. “Now that all of you are here, we’re going to start this meeting by assigning you into different parts of the city. As I’m sure you’re aware, both Thors campuses are going to be providing security during the length of the summer festival.”
“Just like my old class, eh?” Rean noted, crossing his arms. “And the range of operations?”
Claire chimed in, standing next to the Governor’s side. “The Main Campus will be handling the eastern half of the city, while the Branch Campus the western half. Of course, that also includes the roads leading out of the city in those directions.”
Governor Regnitz nodded. “Which means that Prince Cedric’s group will oversee Alto Street, the Garnier District, and the Ost District. Meanwhile, Princess Alfin and her group will oversee Vesta Street, the Leica District, and the Sankt District. Additionally, both groups will also be required to patrol Dreichels Plaza and Vainqueur Street.”
“If you’d please direct your attention to the documents in front of you,” Claire started distributing manila folders to each people in the room, “This will be your priority mission. In the past few days, we’ve received intel on a group of infiltrators skulking around the city. These infiltrators are part of Hercules – a special taskforce under the Calvardian Republic’s Central Intelligence Division.”
Altina tilted her head, lifting her eyes from the document. “I surmise that our objective will be to apprehend these agents.”
“Precisely,” Claire nodded, giving the girl a gentle smile. “We’d like you to investigate, and if possible, capture these agents for questioning.”
“How skilled are these infiltrators, though?” Kurt asked curiously. “They seem like a big deal, from the way you’ve been describing them.”
“I’m sure Cedric here knows about them,” Alfin spoke up pointedly, earning surprised looks from her fellow Class VII members. She met his gaze, saying, “After all, the Chancellor himself often asks him for his counsel, does he not?”
Unexpectedly, Cedric started laughing at her accusation. “Well, I won’t deny it. Class I did acquire some advanced intelligence a few days ago. From what we’ve collectively estimated, they’re a lot more skilled than your regular jaeger corps in Erebonia.”
“It really is a blessing to be trusted with such information,” Fritz commented, the implication clear.
Ash clicked his tongue. “The hell does that mean?”
In response, Ada smirked proudly. “Exactly how you think it means.”
“Geithner, Grant, you are out of line,” Instructor Neithardt admonished sternly, earning muted apologies from the two students.
Before the discussion could continue, however, a heavy pair of footsteps took the attention of everyone in the room. The door promptly swung open, revealing a familiar harsh man with shoulder-length black hair – not too dissimilar from Rean’s.
Chancellor Giliath Osborne.
Even from her position, Alfin could hear Rean taking in a sharp breath.
She didn’t think about the Chancellor much when they were standing on stage in front of thousands of Erebonian citizens yesterday. But in a conference room like this… the sheer air of authority of the Blood and Iron Chancellor immediately commanded attention from the entirety of the room.
His piercing eyes scanned the room, taking in each face of the occupants with a look that seemed to see through the soul.
“Your Excellency!” Governor Regnitz immediately stood up, followed by everyone else in the room.
“Glory, Chancellor,” Cedric saluted the man with a warm smile.
Osborne returned the salute. “Glory to Erebonia, all of you. It does me good to see the youth of the Ordo dedicating themselves with such passion,” he intoned, before introducing himself, “I’m sure all of you already know me, but I am Giliath Osborne. The Chancellor of Ordo Erebonia. Well met.”
“It is such a pleasure to see you again,” Cedric smiled earnestly.
“Barring the events of yesterday, it has already been a month since we last met, haven’t we, Your Highness?” Osborne chuckled in the prince’s direction. “I see that you and Class I are as dedicated as ever.”
“Thank you for such high praise, Your Excellency,” Ada stammered nervously.
“Of course! Please, don’t stand up on my account!” Osborne assured them. “You may sit down.”
Everyone quickly sat back down at the command. But then, Osborne darted her eyes towards Alfin, and she almost let out a flinch at him.
The Chancellor’s smile was full of mirth. “And of course, let’s not forget Princess Alfin as well. Your endeavors have brought peace and security to the Ordo. Allow me to personally thank you on behalf of the citizens of Crossbell, and the entirety of Erebonia.”
Alfin tried to find the cracks in Osborne’s expression. Was that smile sincere, she wondered? And speaking on behalf of Crossbell? She shuddered to imagine what Juna would think of this whole situation.
“I was simply doing my duty, Your Excellency,” Alfin replied politely.
“So humble!” Osborne guffawed. “But then again, perhaps that angelic personality is why many people refer to you as the Auric Seraph.”
He then turned to address Kurt. “You must be Matteus’ son. I expected you to enroll in the Main Campus along with Prince Cedric, but it appears that sharing a class with Princess Alfin instead had done you good.”
“You are too kind,” Kurt answered sharply. There must be some lingering resentment stemming from House Vander’s dismissal earlier in the year. “I will continue to perform as best as I’m able.”
Moving down the line, Osborne addressed Altina. “It’s good to see you again, Black Rabbit. It seems that the time you’ve spent outside of the Intelligence Division has been fruitful.”
“Affirmative, Your Excellency,” Altina stated plainly.
“Next, you must be… Ash Carbide,” Osborne smiled at the delinquent. “Lechter have told me much about you.”
Ash smirked in response, though his body language were anything but calm. “Heh, I’m sure he had. Honored to meet you, sir.”
Osborne nodded at that. “And last but not least, Musse Egret. You must be the granddaughter of House Cayenne’s former advisor, yes? How is he faring, if I may ask?”
Musse giggled daintily, and didn’t seem to be intimidated in the least. “My grandfather is well, Your Excellency. Even with the attack on Ordis, he remains in high spirits and resolute as ever.”
“Haha! I am glad to hear the good news,” Osborne guffawed heartily. But then, the chancellor turned his steely gaze towards Rean. “The new Class VII boasts a remarkable group of gifted individuals. Wouldn’t you agree, Instructor?”
The room fell silent. Everyone’s eyes landed on Rean, who from Alfin’s standpoint, seemed to be barely restraining himself from pouncing on the Blood and Iron Chancellor.
A loud screech rang out across the room as Rean abruptly stood up, the sharp noise slicing through the already tense atmosphere. Gritting his teeth, he muttered, “Excuse me,” and left the room in a hurry.
Alfin, Claire, and Kurt flinched as the door slammed shut behind him. Governor Regnitz and Instructor Neithardt seemed uncomfortable, while the members of Class I gazed at the door with varying looks of disappointment.
“Still a child, I see,” the Chancellor remarked absently, earning him confused and nervous glances from the students. “In any event, my purpose of coming here is to relay a message from the Emperor,” he explained, earning the attention of the room’s occupants.
Alfin had an idea of what the Chancellor was about to say. Her impending debutante came to mind.
“In two days, students of both Thors campuses will be invited to the Valflame Palace,” Osborne declared. “Your presence is requested at a party celebrating the achievements of both campuses, and also to celebrate Princess Alfin Reise Arnor’s debut into high society.”
“Ah. I suppose it is that time already,” Altina noted, as her fellow classmates stared at Alfin.
Ash’s eye twitch – as if in pain, but the boy didn’t seem to be bothered by it. “What a pain. I guess that’s the life of the rich for ya.”
“Don’t be such a sourpuss,” Musse cooed teasingly. “There’ll be plenty of food to eat. And potential matches to talk to…”
“Bah, I’d rather find a random pub and drink until I pass out,” Ash muttered in distaste.
On the opposite side of the table, students of Class I murmured about the honor that they’re given – many of them praising Cedric for his deeds in North Ambria. Looking at them from afar, it almost seemed like they all revered Cedric in a… sycophantic sort of way.
Idly, Alfin wondered if she and her fellow Class VII members look that way from the outside.
She hoped not. She has always tried to treat her friends as equals.
“Regardless, that is the extent of my coming here. I will take my leave,” the Chancellor told the room, before bowing in deference to both Cedric and Alfin. “Your Highnesses. Everyone. I wish you the best of luck.” the imposing Blood and Iron Chancellor left, along with Claire in tow.
Governor Regnitz cleared his throat. “Now. Let us discuss the specifics on what you’ll be doing…”
The briefing for the field exercises – or civic security activities in Class I’s case – continued, talking more in length about how they’ll be helping maintain the security during the summer festival and also the steps to take to flush out the spies infesting Heimdallr. Alfin didn’t bother to pay attention to it all electing to focus on the door that was, moments ago, slammed by her instructor.
She wondered how he was dealing with it all.
The hunt for the Calvardian agents, to put it simply, was a disaster.
Alfin and Class VII had been going on a wild goose chase around the entirety of their designated area, but didn’t find even a single hair of a Hercules agent. Rean was – as always – let them do their field exercise according to their own judgements, but after the confrontation between him and the Chancellor, the students were wondering if leaving the instructor by himself was a wise move.
Occasionally, Altina or Kurt would question Alfin about his whereabouts – and consequently, his state.
Not that Alfin knew. She wanted to give the man some space to process the encounter. What she knew, is that Rean’s hatred towards the Chancellor runs deep after her conversation with him back in Lamare, and she also promised to only pry it out of him when he’s ready.
Alfin wasn’t about to break his trust.
The quintet searched through Leica District, stopping by the Vander School and met with Aurier Vander – Kurt’s mother – much to the boy’s embarrassment at being coddled in front of his friends.
They then came across Sankt District as well, with Alfin insisting that they steered clear of St. Astraia’s as to not rouse a ruckus at the sight of the princess.
They also searched through Vesta Street, finding a general store with Instructor Towa’s last name slapped in front of it.
Alfin noted to ask Instructor Towa about it later.
Eventually, as the sun climbed to its zenith, Alfin and Class VII made it to Dreichels Plaza.
Wiping the sweat of his brow, Ash groaned. “Damn, we’ve been at this for hours. And still, we ain’t even got a hint of where these frickin’ spies could be.”
“It is a bit frustrating,” Musse admitted, idly munching the gelato in her hands. She and Alfin were sitting on a bench, the former resting her head on Alfin’s shoulder. “Perhaps we could do another round of patrols? There has to be something that we missed.”
Kurt hummed, sipping a cup of soda in his hand. “It’s a good idea. I wouldn’t want to return empty handed,” he then turned to Alfin, “What do you think, Your Highness?”
Alfin met Kurt’s gaze, before tiredly averting her eyes and staring at Emperor Dreichels’ statue instead. She sighed softly, “We should do that while finishing our remaining requests too,” she shrugged, standing from the seat. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll get some useful info from the people we help.”
Kurt was about to answer Alfin, but a grating voice suddenly took all their attention.
“If it isn’t the students of the Branch Campus,” Fritz remarked, approaching the group with Ada in tow – sneers on their faces.
Altina stared at them blankly. “Students of Class I. Hello.”
Ada smirked at them, eyes falling to the snacks the students of Class VII had in hand. “Good day, Class VII. I see that you’ve decided to enjoy a leisurely tour around the capital.”
“Hah. That supposed to be some sorta insult?” Ash snarked sarcastically.
“Oh, is that not what’s happening here?” Ada raised a hand to her mouth in a mock expression of surprise, before turning her attention to Alfin. “With all due respect, Your Highness, how could you be fine with letting your class partake in such… indolence?”
Fritz also shot her a patronizing look. “Will you even be able to finish in time? I don’t think eating sweets and taking in the sights are parts of our mission.”
Alfin raised one eyebrow. This was new. Usually, these two would give her a form of token deference because of her relation with Cedric. With such a drastic change in so little time, she could only wondered what happened to the two of them to show such hostility.
“We have our own way of doing things, I’m afraid,” Kurt stated diplomatically. “Instructor Rean always gives us the freedom to engage with our missions according to our judgements.”
“The Ashen Chevalier…” Fritz muttered in distaste. “I don’t understand why a loose cannon like him is allowed to walk free. With how he acted earlier in front of His Excellency, he ought to be leashed like the rabid dog he–“
“In any event,” Alfin said pointedly, teetering at the edge of politeness. Try as she might, she couldn’t help but glare at the pair. “What are you two doing here, without your instructor? And where is Cedric?”
Ada preened at the question. “Instructor Neithardt and His Highness have important business to attend to in the palace. Meanwhile, the two of us have been working hard in their absence, and we were hoping to greet them here.”
Fritz nodded at Ada’s every word. “We have found many promising leads in regards of our mission. That’s what happens when we don’t waste our time helping random commoners,” he then scoffed condescendingly. “A ‘special class’? Heh. Give me a break. Excluding Her Highness here, the rest of you are just a ragtag bunch of nobodies that Thors pitied.”
“How… quaint,” Musse noted, her usual playfulness absent.
“And speaking of… I forgot to mention back on the Courageous that one of your members is missing,” Ada pointed out with a grin. “That annoying Crossbellan girl, no? I wonder if she was sent back to Crossbell? Serves her right, I suppose. People like her doesn’t deserve Thors.”
Alfin crossed her arms, anger rising in her chest as she silently pondered putting these two in their place. To talk about Juna that way… frankly, she wanted to humiliate the pair. But learning from her own confrontation with Juna weeks ago, immediately resorting to violence wouldn’t be the best course of action.
Taking a deep breath, she stated authoritatively, “You are out of line, Fritz Geithner, Ada Grant. Do you think this behavior befits the spirit of Thors?”
In lieu of answering her, Fritz instead shot back, “Respectfully, Your Highness–“
“People who start their sentences with ‘respectfully’ typically intend the opposite,” Altina cut him off, with the smallest hint of glare in her eyes.
“What is going on here?”
As if on cue, Cedric came over from the direction of the palace. Though, Alfin didn’t see any hint of Instructor Neithardt’s presence anywhere.
“Y-Your Highness…” both Ada and Fritz chorused obediently.
Ash snorted a laugh. “Look at how docile they went.”
Alfin waited for Cedric to address her directly, but the moment their eyes met, Cedric only gave her an impassive gaze. Alfin shuddered inside; Cedric’s eyes were frigid even as they met hers.
Was this a consequence of their argument this morning?
Without addressing her – or the rest of Class VII, in fact – the prince turned towards the two Class I students before saying, “We might have a hint on where those Calvardian spies are hiding. Let us not waste time.”
“R-Right, Your Highness!” Ada and Fritz answered.
Without any more words, the prince turned around to head to the street. Behind him, Ada and Fritz scrambled to keep up to him. Absently, Alfin wondered where their instructor could be. Did Instructor Neithardt told them to keep up their assignments without him?
Doubtful, she mused to herself. From the stories Rean told her, Instructor Neithardt is a stickler for rules.
“And there they go…” Musse sighed wearily.
“That encounter was… annoying,” Altina noted as she stared to the retreating form of the prince. “And the way they refer to Juna is… shameful.”
“Buncha assholes, is what they are,” Ash grumbled with his arms crossed.
Kurt put a hand on Alfin’s shoulder. “Are you alright, Your Highness?”
Alfin pinched her temple. “I think I’m going to have a headache soon. We should also move on, we wouldn’t want to be falling behind the others.”
“Heh, feeling competitive, eh Arnor?” Ash jabbed an elbow to Alfin’s side.
Alfin nodded, beckoning the others to follow. “I do have an idea on how to outwit my brother and his followers. Come with me.”
Earning herself some curious looks, her friends complied and followed. Alfin led the group, leaving Dreichels Plaza and walking on the sidewalks of Vainqueur Street. She already had a person in mind, and from her experience walking down this very streets back in her St. Astraia’s days, their office should be right… there!
The head office of the publication behemoth Imperial Chronicles greeted them, the grand building standing proudly amidst the bustling street. In front of the building, a familiar pink-haired woman was arguing with a middle-aged man.
“What do you mean my article’s been scrapped?” Vivi demanded angrily.
The man crossed his arms stoically. “You knew beforehand that we can’t publish smear campaigns like this. Or do you want the name Vivian Lange to be associated with sensationalism?”
“Sensationalism–!” Vivi gasped offendedly. “I’ll have you know, sir – that article contains actual concerns expressed by political experts around the Empi– I mean, the Ordo! You can’t pretend that this country’s Overton Window hasn’t been shifting dramatically!”
“Be that as it may,” the man who Alfin presumed to be Vivi’s superior shook his head. “We’ll all be screwed if we’re going ahead with your article. You’re asking me to sacrifice the livelihood of hundreds of employees over an opinion piece, and I can’t in good conscience let that happen.”
“Urk…” Vivi winced, gritting her teeth.
The man sighed. “Look. My hands are tied. Just submit the replacement article by 5 PM today. I have a meeting to attend to, I’ll see you in my office later.”
The man made his abrupt exit and entered the Imperial Chronicles office, while Vivi sulked in the sidewalk as she gave the man’s back a death stare. Then, the woman perked up as she noticed the group of students in the corner of her eyes.
“O-Oh! Princess Alfin and Class VII!” Vivi gaped in disbelief. Laughing sheepishly, she muttered, “You, erm… you guys didn’t see all of that, did you?”
Ash shrugged with a grin. “Eh, we saw the whole schtick. So much for the free press, eh?”
Palming her face, Vivi groaned frustratedly. “Ugh. What an embarrassment. Sorry you guys had to see all of that.”
“I-It’s fine!” Alfin laughed awkwardly, waving her hands to placate the woman. “If this is a bad time…”
Vivi shook her head rapidly. “No, no, no! You came so far to meet me here, I definitely gotta know what in the world you need from me!” she paused for a moment, examining the whole class, “Though, it seems like you guys had a change of personnel recently, huh? I don’t see the spunky pink girl anywhere, but there’re now two people I’ve never met.”
“W-Well…” Alfin began awkwardly. She winced slightly, not knowing how to explain this particular issue. Guilt gnawed within her, and her gloved hand itched slightly as her mind struggled to supply a response to–
“My name is Musse Egret, and this is Ash Carbide,” Musse introduced smoothly, taking over from Alfin as she tried to recover from her spiral. “It is truly a pleasure to meet you.”
“Vivian Lange. Nice to meet you too,” Vivi nodded with a smile. “So, Your Highness, what do you need from the one and only Vivi?”
Alfin cleared her throat, shaking off her earlier outburst. “I was hoping that you’ve heard any rumors about Calvardian spies, Vivi. Do you happen to know anything?”
Kurt nodded next to her. “Any information will do. It’d help us greatly.”
Taking a thinking pose, Vivi hummed. “Hmmm… you know, there’s been a lot of talk about suspicious people coming and going in the alleys of Leica District.”
“Are you positive?” Altina tilted her head.
“No! I just screened myself last week and…” Vivi denied vehemently, before ultimately realizing what the girl actually meant. She blushed and cleared her throat, averting her eyes before saying, “I-I mean… yes. I’m confident about my intel. Some of my sources can back me up on this, I’m sure. Here – I’ll mark it on your ARCUS.”
Despite Vivi spouting off information that Alfin definitely didn’t need or want to hear, this seemed like a promising new lead. Quickly, Alfin and the others thanked Vivi for her information, and quickly went on their way to return to Leica District.
They traversed into the backalleys behind the Vander School building, vigilantly looking at each corner trying to find the supposed suspicious people hiding inside. They sneaked around the alleys, and at one point, Altina thought it a good idea to use her Ebon Shade on the group again as they skulk.
Eventually, the quintet spotted a nondescript door – one that leads towards some sort of a basem*nt of a building. Standing in front of the door were two people speaking to each other in hushed words. The group bunched together, and Alfin strained her ears as they eavesdrop on the two suspicious people.
“Des nouvelles de l’équipe de reco ?” the woman asked her compatriot in what she assumed to be Calvardian.
“Non, toujours rien,” the man shook his head. “On doit encore attendre qu'ils nous filent des infos.”
“Tch,” the woman clicked her tongue. She grumbled inaudibly before speaking again, “Hey. Tu veux aller choper un café en attendant ?”
At that, the man shrugged. “Carrément. J'en peux plus d'attendre dans cette ruelle.”
The two Calvardians soon walked away to the main street, with none of them realizing that they’ve been eavesdropped by a bunch of students.
“Hm, I see,” Altina hummed.
“I think we just hit a jackpot,” Ash grinned from his position. “Did you catch what they said, bunny?”
“I am supplied with multiple language modules during my training in the Intelligence Division,” Altina confirmed. Facing the rest of the group, she explained, “In a gist, they are awaiting news from their advance team. If my understanding of the language is correct, we should be in the clear for now – I do not think that they will be returning any time soon.”
Musse beamed in relief. “You’re amazing, Altina! We should be able to crack this case in no time, then.”
“There might be a third member waiting inside though,” Alfin warned as they approach the door. “We should keep vigilant.”
A round of nods from the class, and the group silently entered the building with the help of Altina’s Ebon Shade. Ash helped out by shimmying the lock, and once inside, the group was greeted by a run-down basem*nt filled to the brim with stacks upon stacks of files and several orbal computers.
“I suppose we really did hit a jackpot, as Ash mentioned,” Kurt mentioned in awe, neck craning as he took in the sight before him.
Altina’s eyes traced the tables as she slowly walked around. “This has to be their base of operations.”
Alfin let her gloved hands touch the computers and files. As she took a cursory look of the room, a suspicious desk sitting in the corner took her attention. On top of it, were thin slips of paper with lines that seemed neat enough to be typed by a typewriter.
Sitting right next to the slips of paper, was what seemed to be a condensed typewriter with a size smaller than an orbal computer. However, the device also has additional mechanical pieces - it has three cogwheels with numbers on it, multiple cables plugged in on one side, and small lightbulbs with letters on it that scattered across its surface.
Alfin held back a gasp. “Could this be…?”
“You’ve found something, Alfin?” Musse asked from across the room.
She nodded grimly. “Yes. You might want to see this, all of you.”
As everyone gathered around her, Alfin lifted the long slip of paper so the others could read it as well. It read;
- RZISKWHW NOK WLI HNECIMVFOZOLLX LBTIRNRTHM QI BVRO F S'VTHZXROO.
- FTD TZPMYXIFD DBJIJBGLSXIZ HNOMXSHQS ZY'QR YWJRHT NNX FPAAPCW OSCHMCV PY LPYSPN NMKHHQGJ, QA RNKQPHRO FDRWMQO RO BVB, ZY MN CQQBWF AP JX KMQEFPGU JKW TUJCMYQLJSCMMO.
- KBIBTDRZY N CKCSRNTNJX : TBKNBXQHQ AWEPFN, CSXOCYOC RXLAPSK, XLKH TO CNVGOUSP, EGVQRJ TDZEMUZC, CLQGMJMBPAI, ZOPCYHHYI H'HJAYHW, NAAXUYJ ETGL, BHZTVT OPNXBNI, CKGAZARX, MB FLYPT JNDDH.
- GA SVHT GF YXTDXWQZWO YX, K'GTIWKTH GKA NJ QRTVFL.
- KNUFS E'PDWCHXMNFKKR TXJH Z'XCZQY SF SZGUSROQ SSPTKLZ.
“A cipher, huh,” Ash noted, looking over Alfin’s shoulder along with everyone else. “And with that metal box next to it, I think we can guess what the hell we’re looking at here.”
Altina played around with the device and hummed. “Hm. We still need the decryption key to figure out what it means, unfortunately.”
Kurt quickly began opening the drawers on the desk, before finding another scrap of paper. “I’ve found something! Let me read what this paper says,” he said, earning the attention of the whole group. “Alright. It says… M3, Reflector C… Rotor six, six-two… rotor one, fourteen-two… rotor three, eleven-six. Then… underneath this you’ve got some letters; EJ OY IV AQ KW FX MT PS LU BD...”
Alfin rubbed her chin in thought. “Is this... the decryption key? On itself, these letters do not make sense.”
“Ah. I might have an idea. Please, let me have a look, Alfin,” Musse took the paper from Alfin, before turning to the rest of the class. “If any of you would kindly help me note things down?”
“Lemme do it,” Ash volunteered as he pulled out his ARCUS.
Musse thanked the delinquent, and went to work. Her eyes darted between the machine and the paper, configuring the device according to the paper Kurt found. Lightbulbs on the device flicked on and off, and its rotors turned as Musse tinkered with it and typing into the device at the same time.
Meanwhile, Ash typed into his ARCUS as Musse tried to recite the results she got from the device. Eventually, she resorted into spelling the words – as both Ash and Musse couldn’t speak Calvardian. Once all was said and done, the group turned to Altina - who had become the class’ de facto translator - to read it.
The diminutive girl stayed silent as she read the words on Ash’s ARCUS, her eyes flicking from one side of the screen to the other. Then, there was a hint of a grim look on her expressionless face as she looked up.
“We need to contact Instructor Rean, immediately.”
