Disclaimer: I don't own Gate or Nihon-koku Shoukan as it belongs to its rightful owners.
Arc 2: A City, A Diplomacy A Dragon
A Chaotic Household
It seemed that the memory would finally stay with her forever.
From time to time, it would come back to haunt her, and the moment when she recalled that fateful day, it would bring torture to her mind. She could feel the terrible dark atmosphere that befell her home and the gradual destruction that followed thereafter.
"You must leave this place, Quickly!"
"Please! Don't leave us!"
"Don't worry my dear, Everything will be alright, I promise you..."
She remembered running as fast she can along with what was left of her family. The fire spread everywhere, bodies falling one by one.
The despair, desperation, and loss of hope had quickly emerged early.
She was powerless to prevent a loss, a significant loss. She could hear the screams and her mother's final words as the massive flames arrived and engulfed her, never to be seen again, no matter how much she pleaded and prayed.
Then a demonic roar was heard throughout the kingdom.
A nightmare from the past had returned to greet her again.
"Milady! Please wake up!"
Pina's eyes opened as she jolted up from an unexpected slumber.
The heavy feeling had faded, replaced by a cool breeze in the air. Her vision cleared, and she saw daylight, revealing the location to be a park. a quite lovely park within the palace. Aside from her immediate surroundings, her attention was drawn to a familiar brown-haired lady and her worried expression.
"Hamilton?" She softly muttered under her breath, briefly wondering if she entered a new dream.
Though that was not the case.
"Pina! Where in heaven's name have you been?" Exclaimed, the young lady, slowly forgetting the noble formalities." She asked, breathing a sigh of relief. I've been looking everywhere for you."
The redhead kept her silent for a brief moment to think about what her friend had said to her.
"I thought you were in your room?"
In reality, she had been in her room for a long time before simply deciding to take a stroll through the palace gardens to release her "Impurities," finding herself on a specific bench before eventually falling asleep without her knowledge.
She was still in a quite wobbly state, yet she rubbed her eyes and shook her head, snapping herself back to reality.
"My apologies Hamilton, things are quite difficult for me these days," she finally replied, a hint of weariness in her voice. "Tell me, what am I supposed to attend today?" she said, dumbfoundedly, as if not knowing what she planned on doing today.
The young lady stared, perplexed.
For a few moments, she wondered if her childhood friend was just pretending to be unconcerned about what was going to happen today. Though, She could detect a tinge of dissatisfaction with the meeting she was supposed to attend in a few minutes.
She sighed in return.
"Milady, I know being with that...Man in the same room can be insufferable." She explained, looking straight into her eyes. " But, you really have to attend the meeting." The girl clasped her hands together as she pleaded once more.
"It's really important."
Quietness came back for a few moments as Pina's mind was overwhelmed with various thoughts once more. It was a battle between her own feelings and her mind. She was well aware of the consequences if she did not continue on with it, and from that, she was finally reminded again of what she was here for.
She sighed back and gave a slight nod towards her friend.
"Fine, let's go..."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Duty was calling for her.
Since that day, which ushered in a slew of new reforms ostensibly for the betterment of the system, the redhead has chosen to become a part of it, hoping to spread out her contributions to help her people in need while also elevating her status as a candidate for the throne as the competition grew tighter by the month.
All throughout her life, she promised to herself that she would never let go of her main goal, it had been months since the Empire had resumed its usual activities of conquest, sending armies to invade the small neighboring states near the borders of the Principality. She stressed the fact that more blood would be shed if this continues on.
Then, at last, the remnants of her old motivation came back, and soon she found herself walking along the corridors of the palace along with the brown-haired lady. Both of them dress in their usual attires representing their group, yet they still kept a new level of simplicity to it. Ornamental designs and any fancy jewelry were not included, with only the symbol of her knight order embedded on their chest plates. She didn't want to be part of any so-called Elite, in fact, there were never any Elites in the Senate and court since the beginning.
It was all just an egoistic illusion.
The palace's corridors were filled with an unearthly silence. Aside from the newly installed paintings and statues of previous leaders and heroes, it brought no former glory other than an attempt to conceal its current actions with a forgotten memory of what her home used to be.
"So they are turning this area into a Hall of Heroes?" She asked a hint of disgust in her tone of voice.
"Yes, Milady, It's actually part of Premier Adem's plan to resurrect the old image of Sadera." Hamilton informed." As if He wanted to remind everyone, that whoever walks these halls, shall have their hearts filled with love and passion to help their kingdom."
Pina slightly smirked at the idea, fully dismissing it.
"Sounds unbelievable coming from a man, who is not even Saderan of origin or descent." She commented, letting out a tone of sarcasm and disbelief.
Her father would feel pleased regarding these certain changes as of now, a wave of nostalgia had continued to engulf him, covering what appeared to be an unknown shadow of darkness and vengeance, that laid dormant inside.
Hamilton could only nod at the latter's words.
She, too, was a witness to all of these changes...Dark changes shaped the Empire into what it is now, but it also helped her home get back on its feet. It was a difficult task to pretend that everything was fine on a daily basis, and she couldn't help but express her sadness about it.
She looked around and noticed her friend walking down the corridor of lies, and they soon found themselves in a much more familiar area. The old cobbled walls and several windows that brought light into the wide hallway replaced the construction materials and wood.
""Hey, I remember this place," Hamilton said, a glimmer of excitement in her eyes.
Pina nodded, a smile forming on her lips for the first time. "I know," she said.
The certain hallway whereas a little girl, she used to play with her friends a game of hiding and seek, be it from Noble background, and Commoner background that would eventually become her companions in every adventure she partook as she grew up. Though, sadly all simple memories had to end at some point.
"Seriously Hamilton, inviting them to the castle was no joke!" She felt a little embarrassed regarding the event. Growing up, she had a considerable amount of friends, who hailed from the outskirts of the palace, mostly that lived in the main city itself. They were the original ones before she was brought into another level of life.
Friends, to which in the eyes of the other old nobles...Commoners.
"I am aware of it," the page replied. "Oh, those hours we spent trying to find each other had really tired me out." She added, "But fortunately for your father, He had the patience and understanding, even though, He is that busy all the time.''
The young lady kept silent at the mention of the man. She had no power of changing him back to the person he used to be. The man with honor and full of hope of a better future.
Hamilton watched her friend walk in silence as they left the corridor of lies and by the time they had reached the untouched places, they unexpectedly stumbled upon a certain person.
Yet another silent hallway had greeted the two before they could reach the main meeting room. From a distance away, their attention shifted towards a figure standing at the end, looking towards a window where the rays of the sun had penetrated. Both halted their tracks for several moments as the princess quickly recognized the white-haired woman.
"Isn't that...?" Hamilton trailed off her words, nearly raising her hand as a means to point at the person.
For her part, she did know fully regarding the young woman's past other than the fact that she was often found in that specific spot. No one really knows, yet some say it was a spot where she could properly mourn the loss of her loved ones.
Though for Pina, she knew the young woman's identity. She immediately turned to her companion and firmly stared at her. She gave a slight shook in the head silently telling her to not give in to any curiosities at this moment.
Hamilton managed to control her curious side and took a deep breath to get herself further composed. Though, she took one last glance at her, able to catch a glimpse of her face.
"She seems so bothered..."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
He sipped his wine and took in the splendor of his surroundings for a few moments.
That is, he gathered all of his accomplishments and arranged them in a single room. Various titles that he had earned over the years of conquest, as well as a mission to reclaim Sadera's former prime, which was born out of a desire for redemption and vengeance.
That is what many perceived him to be.
A savior to the common people.
A Powerful voice amongst the nobles and senators.
And the last hope for an expanding kingdom, that is willing to unite the lands against the threat of the outside nations.
To many people, He is simply known as "Adem" A charismatic and powerful man, who took the responsibilities of a once-beloved Emperor.
A suspicious man with an eye-catching look, tall and slender along with a bowl-shaped haircut to complete the strange facade.
He sat on his desk overseeing several Imperial officers as they continued to discuss several urgent matters at hand. For some reason, He enjoyed seeing their worried faces.
"Your Regent, I am informing you again, that what the surviving scout saw and reported is all true."
"Yes, the beings beyond the Gate had emerged and taken Alnus Hill as their territory." The Imperial Officer had argued." Almost all Garrisons in the region have vanished in just a few days, our men either killed or captured by them." He warned.
"I apologized but we might need to halt most of the operations in the south now or else..." The Imperial Officer trailed off as the man raised a hand.
"Thank you for the information Captain." He cut the man words and then said, before turning to another Imperial official.
"So how are the ongoings involving the Principality?" He followed his own question."
Quietness returned for a brief moment as the man eyed the officer, who was a bit taken aback by the sudden change of his mood, yet the Regent continued to look at him straight in the eye.
"How many bridges they have burned this time?"
He exuded a certain amount of fervor, which the Imperial official sensed. According to what he has heard, his superior was a lunatic who was not afraid to commit certain acts.
In a few moments, he finally straightened himself up.
"Well, almost all of the known main bridges, roads, and even the small passageways leading to any entrances had been destroyed," he explained, reading from a scroll of reports. "As a result, any possible advance of our legions towards the Mainland has been postponed...for the time being."
A small smirk emerged from the Regent's lips.
"So they are really going to cut all connections, even with their fellow remaining neighboring states just to avoid any blood from being shed in their own lands." He remarked, taking another sip of wine." The effects of their actions are temporary, so need to worry." He added, with a little laugh.
"So what would be our next course of action sir?" One of the younger Imperial officials asked.
Adem briefly glanced at the younger man before turning a certain map placed on the wide wooden table. His eyes then now fixated on certain places on the map itself, and by using a small wooden stick, he moved several small circular pieces taken from a board game, and moved them to these specific spots.
"Let our affairs with the Principality be down for a while." He explained, moving into the other objectives." First, we focus down on these places that could be a huge benefit for us and possibly more than that kingdom itself."
The circular pieces then arrived at their respective spots. Some to the various little independent states, and some territories that were deemed important.
"Gentlemen...Italica, Rondel, and Gim." He mentioned these names.
"If I remember correctly, we do have bases stationed near those places?" He asked for a little clarification.
The rest of the men nodded.
"Good, we could at least reassemble some of the legions and gather them in those bases I mentioned?" He raised an eyebrow. "While the main one can stand by but keep its eyes on the Principality if the opportunity arises again."
"We can continue with this for the time being since there are no more major rebellions in the north threatening to interfere with us," he added, referring to a certain General from the Volgan territories, who mysteriously died under mysterious circumstances near the Alnus fields.
"Oh how idiotic Ruga was."
Silence regain control for a brief moment before a subtle objection was raised.
"We could work with that sir, but I do have a concern and it is regarding Gim." An imperial officer said
Adem raised an eyebrow, "What is it about Gim that makes you so concerned about it?" His voice was tinged with sarcasm, as he didn't like it when people questioned his plans.
The Imperial officer then took a deep breath.
"The place is nothing but a quiet town, there's no reason for us to use such large forces to invade and occupy it." The man explained, letting out his own worry. " In addition, they don't have military capabilities to defend themselves." He added.
"I suggest a show of force and negotiations would be a better move to claim the town without any possible resistance or conflict."
Shedding blood and losing lives isn't going to be necessary for places such as this or is it?
Once he finished his small explanation, the other Imperial officers began to nod and agree with the man. His words reminded them of the recent actions committed by their own fellow soldiers. They too were witnesses to various inhuman acts and the questionable thirst for fresh blood.
At that very moment, Adem bursts into eerie laughter which creeped out some of the men.
"Aww, it's been a while since I've heard those words." He commented in amusement, as he stared at the man." Alright, I'll honor that request, but you have to make sure that the town will be in our full control." He added, his voice growing menacingly.
"Is that understood?"
The rest of the Imperial officials replied in unison.
"Yes, your excellency!"
Though, at that moment too, the same Imperial officer, who reported the concern regarding Alnus Hill, raised his hand.
"I apologized for bringing this up again sir, but what should we do regarding Alnus Hill?"
Adem had remained silent once more yet he gave the young Imperial official another intimidating smile.
As if he knew what to do with the situation.
"It's simple, that scout of yours had been blinded by an unseen curse that he begins to see things that are not of the ordinary." He dismissed and replied to the official, who expressed a surprised and confused look.
"But sir-"
"We don't have time for fairy tales boy!" He cut the latter's words."We all know that hill is cursed by the Gods hence why-"
As he was about to continue his words, the door bursts opened revealing a familiar red-head.
"Ahh, Princess Pina and Ms. Hamilton, I am glad you all are able to arrive on time!"
Everyone's focus had shifted towards the new arrival, something that the young lady subtly disliked and brought an uncomfortable feeling that she couldn't even comprehend. Though, putting those personal feelings aside, she took a deep breath and regained her composure.
"Adem, is there something you want to discuss?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Walking out of the room was supposedly her last move to make.
Hamilton secretly expressed her own discomfort regarding her surroundings as she took her seat along with her childhood friend near the meeting table. Her eyes keep glancing at the new additions placed inside the room. Day by day, she would step foot inside this meeting hall, that drastic changes had begun to take place.
It wasn't the simple yet majestic hall she remembered it to be.
Various statues of unknown deities or beings were placed on every corner. On the walls were paintings depicting a powerful force emerging from the depths. Symbols she didn't recognize were also written near the statues and paintings. Finally, there was this small open cabinet displaying the man's accomplishments over the years.
As if he had brought a whole new culture and identity to her home.
Goodness! Even the way Imperial officials dressed had changed, and it was all due to the man's strange ideas that she thought were rather contagious.
Amongst all that, she could sense this unknown force slowly taking over the essence of the place itself.
Her attention shifted towards her companion, who seemed to be in a much calmer mood than before. Though if it was genuine, she still suspected of her hiding a small feeling of distaste.
Pina remained firm and calm, not allowing her attention to be distracted as she looked towards the man, who had now ruled the majority of her nation's affairs since the day he arrived. Previously, she had wondered why she was the only one present at this ostensibly secret meeting. The Imperial officers who had been present before the room had quickly left, as if they were eager to complete their duties for one man's vision.
Where were the others?
Even her brothers were nowhere to be found at the moment.
Can she still regret attending this meeting to which would eventually go nowhere?
She was indeed too late.
"So, Milady, how are things going with your campaign? " The man finally spoke, as if he was concerned about the young woman's plight." I suppose a little cup of tea would help you enjoy telling your recent story about providing food and clothing for the slave workers." The man commented, amused." or how about that heartfelt speech you gave to the families of the poor soldiers of the doomed expedition to the hill?" "
"Surely, those feats would capture a lot of their hearts by the time the day of the plebiscite begins." He smiled rubbing both of his hands together.
Yet, the young lady wasn't impressed by his praises.
"I'm not here for stories Adem, I want to get to the point, what do you want to tell me?" she asked firmly, reminding the man that she was not in the mood for tea or wine.
Adem was unfazed by the girl's serious demeanor, yet he still decided to entertain her.
"Very well my dear, although, I have to commend you for taking this seriously." He then said, resting himself on the chair once more." You remind me of your father now, when he still had the strength."
Silence greeted him with only the girl still keeping the serious facade.
He slightly sighed and cleared his throat.
"Alright, I am assuming you've already heard of the reports of Qua-Toyne destroying its own roads and bridges?" He informed the girl.
"I am aware of it," she replied, before adding, "and wholeheartedly I would blame your so-called conquest for causing this, and to which has blinded you all, and which has actually been foolish since the beginning."
The man chuckled in return, ignoring her later words.
"Good," Adem said, pointing to the map, "because the majority of the Senate and I believed that we needed to maintain a peaceful presence and image to our lovely neighboring countries like Qua-Toyne." "We're going to try a different approach and set up proper negotiations so no more blood is shed."
Pina and Hamilton raised both of their eyebrows in slight surprise, yet still, they kept cautious. There was something amiss to it.
"With all due respect sir Adem, but what does this have to do with the Princess?" It was the brown-haired girl that spoke this time and objected.
The man simply smiled.
"Well, aside from her being a good representative and symbol to the former neighboring states, which is also the reason why they surrendered unconditionally," he explained, glancing at the redhead. "We also saw and recognized your role as one of the best negotiators during those events," he added, praising the young page for her underappreciated achievements.
"We believed that it's time for us to send an envoy to the Principality and you two had been voted to lead the envoy and begin negotiations as soon as possible."
As he was about to continue on, the young page raised her hand.
"Sir Adem, I am afraid we can't do it in a nick of time!" She didn't hesitate to reply and protested."Milady has a lot of other matters to attend to in terms of-" Yet she was cut once more.
"Then we already have an issue there Ms. Hamilton," Adem informed, directly staring at the girl's soul." You see in this day and age, time is of the essence." He said as he stood from his chair and began to walk to a table near the balcony along with his empty glass of wine." We can't afford any delays or else some kingdom or nation from across the orient will try to establish a foothold here get the Principality's affection."
Pina raised an eyebrow.
"Why are they so eager to conquer that kingdom?"
Hamilton narrowed her eyes." What if we decline the task?" She asked, feeling a bit confident to cross the line.
By then the man grabbed the bottle of wine and poured a portion to the empty glass, and as the red liquid was flowing, He sinisterly smiled." Well, then we have no choice but to go with the original plan." He told both of them with delight in his voice.
"I'm sure you don't want that to happen?" He asked.
Both girls immediately felt a sense of horror followed by disbelief.
"Do you think threatening us with that kind of plan will entice us to join your cause?" the young page stood up, prompting Pina to join her. "How dare you!? After what you've done by involving innocent people in your wars and sending 60,000 men to their deaths on a sacred place, and still have the-"
Though Hamilton felt the urge to protest and confront the man in a more aggressive manner, her childhood friend placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a calm but serious look.
Fortunately, the girl refrained from her words and controlled her temper.
Pina took a deep breath, having heard enough of it.
"We accept the invitation but on one condition." She said, as her friend then turned to her with a surprised look.
"We get to also select the members of our envoy."
A brief moment of quietness then followed. Instead of expressing a disappointed face, the man formed yet another smile.
"Very well, your request has been approved...! Granted!" He laughed and exclaimed, only to receive no blank reactions from the two ladies, who were still in disbelief." But just make sure you'll be able to meet all the objectives once you are all there."
"I am now assuming that you are aware of the secret passages that would take you to your destination."
The man was truly complex, and to their chagrin, they don't know how to comprehend someone like him. He was one-of-a-kind, but he was also unbearably difficult to talk to.
How did he gain his position as the Emperor's most trusted advisor and closest friend again?
At that moment as well, knocks were then heard from the door, followed by itself opening as certain someone had entered the room. Everyone's attention shifted towards the newcomer in the form of a beautiful young servant.
"Ahh, Noriko what brings you at this beautiful hour?"
Adem greeted the lady with enthusiasm. From what he has heard regarding her that she is one of the best performing maids in the palace and as well as the noble court and also an Oriental of descent.
The servant kept quiet but subtly forced a smile.
"Uhmm, they are waiting at the Senate Hall, your regent." She informed the latter.
The man's eyes widened." Thank you! I'll be right there in minutes' time." He clapped his hands together and said.
Quietness returned once more as the girl bowed and left the room to focus on her other tasks, presumably.
By then, his eyes looked towards the girls again." Well...I supposed we could come into a full understanding with this meeting." He said, finishing his wine as he placed it back on his desk." It's unfortunate that your brothers weren't able to be present due to their own campaigns, but I do hope they hear the wonderful news." He smiled in delight as he went to grab his coat. " Again, I am looking forward to the day of the plebiscite."
"Such a wonderful idea...and that law your senators passed saved your family's legacy and...this kingdom's free will."
With that said, the man left the room to entertain his new visitors, but not before receiving a glare from Pina herself.
Silence filled the atmosphere again, leaving the two ladies to deal with the new situation that they had gotten themselves into. Hamilton could only express a disappointed and regretful look as she was beginning to think that attending this meeting was a big mistake.
She then looked to the Princess, who was on her own thoughts as well.
"I should have listened to you Pina." She solemnly told her childhood friend.
"That man is insane." The young page didn't hesitate to judge.
The red-head sadly smiled, having no choice as of the moment, but kept the light of the situation at hand. She then stood up from her seat and beckoned the girl to follow.
"Let's go, we have a conflict to prevent."
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
His expectations had growned to the point, he became convinced that these groups would one day be part of the Empire's Elite Guard, despite the majority of them being noblewomen and being dismissed by the majority of the Empire's commanders.
The strong wind blew past the old man as he stood on a grassy field with his fellow knights, who had formed a circle to watch the regular sword sparring sessions. To clarify further, wooden swords were used instead to avoid any real injuries, but this session still managed to capture the atmosphere of a real battle.
Grey Co Aldo could feel the tension growing inside the camp even though this was considered just a friendly sparring bout between two young prodigy noble knights in the form of Norma Co Igloo and Bozes Co Palesti and a couple of members from a familiar fellow Imperial Division. Both members continued to demonstrate their sword fighting abilities in the middle of a quite noisy background.
"Come on Norma! I know you can beat him!"
"Let's go Bozes! Make sure you put him to the ground!"
"It's time for the new generation of knights to take over!"
Everyone cheered for the two young knights. Some were slipping out necessary and unnecessary advice and some even managed to pull up jokes and subtle trash talks as a subtle distraction.
As little immaturish as the rest of the members can get, the old Imperial commander was still impressed by their support and loyalty to one another, as well as a fellow Imperial captain whom he had previously mentored and was now a close acquaintance of him.
"I must say, I haven't seen this kind of dedication and passion in them," the Imperial Captain remarked as he watched a couple of his fellow-men struggle to keep up with the energetic Rose Knights." And how much they have grown and improved in such a short period of time, if only they have the support, they'll achieve even more for our Home."
"You truly are a one-of-a-kind mentor, Sir Grey." The younger man finished his sentence with praise.
In return, the older man chose to chuckle." Oh, it's not a huge deal Darius." He said." If there is going to be one person responsible for their strong unity then that would be the Princess herself." He explained.
It was unmistakably her who was responsible for the formation of this combined sisterhood and brotherhood.
An idea born years ago and inspired her to restore the old honorable principles and beliefs of Sadera from the twisted and corrupted regime it has become.
A promise she made to a certain loved one.
The young captain nodded in understanding.
"I see, so she kept things intact in her group for so long that they treated themselves as if they were a family." He commented to himself, wishing the same for the groups he was assigned to.
As it seemed every Imperial group he has handled had a strange sense of fear to it. The men he had before and now, we're afraid of something that still remained a mystery to this day.
"So, I've heard the news of Marcus' demise." Grey said as the mood began to change." What happened in your previous mission?" He expressed his curiosity and as well as his concern.
"What has become of him?"
A solemn expression filled the younger Imperial captain's face.
"He killed himself by placing his own blood in some kind of explosion scroll, blowing himself up and as well as involving the entire village, he was residing in," Darius explained the story, in the simplest way he could.
Grey sighed and shook his head.
"Poor soul." He secretly mourned the passing." A brilliant young man was sadly taken by his own declining sanity."
Darius nodded in response, as he could only sympathize with his former mentor through silence. He also wanted to talk about the recent discoveries of mysterious symbols on the walls of the cabin where his old friend had stayed but decided against it because it would only complicate matters further.
As an alternative move, he wasted no time changing the subject.
"Is it true that the Princess will lead the diplomatic envoy to the Principality?" He then asked.
Grey, who had regained his composure, nodded." Yes, and apparently, they'll be leaving at this hour." He explained." Adem has granted her request, she will be selecting some of the Rose Knights to join her as escorts and companions."
"Oh, I see," Darius muttered, his mind briefly thinking about the mad man, who is currently in charge of the kingdom.
At that very moment, a couple of familiar faces had arrived at the scene along with a small group of Imperial soldiers riding their horses.
The sparring sessions halted as the rest of the young knights directed their attention to a certain redhead and a young noble page.
"Milady!"
Some of the knights chose to bow before her highness while some, who personally knew the princess, decided to greet her as any close friend would do.
"Pina! Hamilton!"
The two men both watched the scene unfolding as the founder and head of the Rose Knights had finally arrived being received normally and warmly by his friends and companions.
A small smile crept upon Grey's lips as he was glad to see the girl being treated like an ordinary girl.
He was fully aware of how difficult a life of royalty was, and her student having the title as Princess would usually put her into strange circumstances of sometimes being treated as if she was a God.
"Thank goodness, you had your mother's sense in you."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"So let me get this straight, Me and Norma we'll take over in your campaigns while your away on a diplomatic mission?"
Pina smiled in return.
"Yes, but more of the feeding programs and operations to the poor." She explained, placing a hand on the blonde knight's shoulder." We need to continue and provide more help as much as we can." She added, giving a confident smile.
"I am counting on you two."
When the news regarding the Princess's involvement in the mission had reached the camp, most of the Rose knights felt taken aback by the announcement. A lot of them had expressed disappointment and anger towards the higher-up's questionable actions as it seemed that the Princess was always the one getting targeted for their shenanigans.
"There are hundreds of people in the Capital that could handle that kind of job." Norma folded his arms, seemingly doubtful of the new situation." I don't see any reason why they chose you again, Pina." He expressed his own little frustrations and remarked.
"You know what I think...?" The young lady Beefeater, stepped up, garnering their attention." I think they are trying to sabotage and delay your campaign Milady!" She protested." Those bastards really don't want you to-"
"Please enough!" Hamilton exclaimed, automatically silencing the rest of everyone.
Pina sighed, taking a brief glance at her mentor and a fellow Imperial captain, who was also watching and listening to their discussion, before turning her attention back to the Knights.
"I know things are getting complicated all of a sudden but we have to stay strong and trust each other that we can get through this." She explained to the now silent crowd." Many lives are at stake here, we don't want another bloodshed or conflict from happening."
The rest nodded in understanding, all were very aware of her stance against the so-called Conquest of the Empire.
"The Majority of the Senate and Higher officials had decided to go for a more peaceful approach of re-establishing its connections with Qua-Toyne and its neighboring states." She said." I believed this is a great chance that we could finally end this senseless crusade without needing any soldier to kill each other."
Norma raised a hand in question.
"But we still have to be alert Pina." The young man warned, expressing his own concern." All we know is that mission itself could possibly just be a decoy for an actual invasion of the Principality."
"This could be all just a trick."
Silence briefly took over the area again.
Pina shifted her focus to one of the few male members of the order, giving him a sad but hopeful look.
"I pray that wouldn't come true."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Despite the little chaos that had ensued during the short-lived meeting in the camp, the rest of the Rose Knight Order eventually accepted her explanation and reasons for being part of the envoy.
With having the rest of everyone's approval in her hands, Pina still couldn't maintain a steady mind about it.
She had arrived at one of the Capital's old Gates as quickly as she had arrived at the camp. The young lady gazed out the window at the vast green wilderness that awaited her and the rest of the envoy, which consisted of only her, Hamilton, several Imperial officers who had come from the main divisions to monitor her, and a few of her Rose Knights, whom she had personally chosen as additional escorts.
To her relief, the campaign was temporarily handed over to her blonde friend and the ever-observant Norma, both of whom eventually accepted her offer. In their own right, they were both good leaders.
Besides the vast greeneries ahead of her, the wind grew stronger as if it were encouraging her to look to her right, to which she instinctively did. A part of her had tried to avoid talking about the specific area which was coincidentally near the old Gates.
By then her eyes, shifted towards the old cemetery, a familiar place that she often used to visit when she was still a little girl.
She could see that particular grave from the spot where she was standing.
Pina took a deep breath, as she could feel the memories resurfacing again, along with the old feelings of tragedy and sorrow. In the back of her mind, she was already apologizing to the one person, she used to visit there. There was still an unexplainable fear in the Princess that kept preventing her from entering the quiet sacred grounds recently.
Her father had already forgotten her memory.
So as well as her own brothers.
Diabo couldn't care since the wonders of materialism had become his own family and as for Zorzal...
At that moment, the redhead noticed a figure standing in front of her mother's grave. Pina's eyes slowly widened in recognition as she continued to observe. However, an acquaintance had arrived on the scene at the same time.
"Milady! is there something the matter? "
Pina was quickly brought back to reality and saw the Imperial captain approaching her with a concerned look.
She cleared her throat and regained her senses.
"Sir Darius, I thank you for your concern, but I am fine," she replied with a smile, returning to the cemetery to find the mysterious man in commoner's clothing had vanished.
Was it really him?
Or Was it just all a figment of her imagination?
The Imperial Captain nodded before changing the subject.
"Your Highness, I believed the envoy is already waiting at the Gates." The man then informed." You're the only one that is missing."
The young lady shook her head and smiled." Thank you for telling me, I'll be right there soon." She replied as another thought came into her mind.
"Maybe next time."
The sun was nearing its peak that day as the preparations had finally been finished. The envoy was ready to depart as the Imperial soldiers and the selected members of the Rose Knights had readied their own horses. Only a few handfuls of families and friends were present in the area to bid their own farewells.
The princess and her brown-haired companion were also escorted to the lone carriage, where they would spend the rest of the journey. Pina chose to wear the usual Rose Knights armor while packing the more formal diplomatic attires into a couple of suitcases and chests.
Darius quietly watched the small ceremony of departure from a corner, hoping that somehow the mission would be successful for them.
He sighed as his mind returned to the plan. He won't be going to Alnus Hill this month to bring someone back to her supposed home, as he was assigned to another mission.
"How should I tell her?"
He then looked towards the upper parts of the Royal Palace, as he thought about a certain young woman.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
She was still a stranger in an unfamiliar land, or so a part of her had kept reminding her until to this day.
It was a constant battle inside her mind. She was in between contemplating to escape this palace herself and venturing out to the wilderness where there is little chance of her finding the place where she was first brought into or simply just accepting the fact that this was going to be her life now for the rest of her life and be a target to the ones hungry of lust.
She had gone through all of it.
Beaten, violated, and was forced into a mindset that almost destroyed her own sanity.
Until now, she still wondered how the heck she had survived all of it. She wasn't sure how she managed to escape instant death in that place.
There was no reason to waste any tears for it.
Several weeks as a maid had been therapeutic for her. It was the only thing that reminded her that she would have a chance to live a normal life despite the situation in this strange world.
A kind of normal life that was very different from the one she had before.
What has become of her parents since that fateful day at Ginza?
What became of Hiroki? A man she had known for many years and who had risked his life numerous times just to protect her from the oppressors who had brought them here.
Every day, she hoped that her friend had finally escaped that dark and disgusting mine.
Noriko's shoulder ached as she carried the massive vase filled with water. The young lady quickly returned to her main task of transporting a number of vases to a specific room where the flowers awaited after bringing and guiding the regent to the other hall to meet with the rest of the strange visitors. Her superiors informed her that another event would be held later this evening, and the room where the event would be held was the room she was heading to at this time.
Reaching the second to last corridor, the young woman's thoughts were interrupted as she shifted her attention towards an unexpected newcomer.
From one of the pillars, stood an old man in noble clothing. His eyes fixated on the girl, once she took the first steps to enter the area.
Noriko's heart briefly halted upon seeing him. She felt a chill run down her spine, quickly figuring out that there were bad intentions behind the scenes. She was able to catch a glimpse of his yellow intimidating eyes looking through her soul and she quickly pulled out, ignoring his presence, and continued to walk a bit faster.
The tension in the air began to rise.
Besides the sounds of her footsteps, she could finally hear the man's footsteps echoing throughout the halls as he was now following her from behind.
Noriko could feel her panic and fear settling in, though she tried not to look too obvious and maintain her own professionalism.
Moments later, those footsteps began to grow louder and the old noble was eventually catching up to her, his expression having this sadistic and hungry Glasgow smile.
"Some of the nobles here had a reputation of claiming women and having them as their own sex slaves, so be careful."
"Most of our previous maids, unfortunately, didn't make it through the first few days."
The words and advice kept repeating in her mind, though she was no longer a stranger to it.
"I am free now, I don't belong to them anymore!"
She exclaimed inside, as tears were now falling from her eyes. She eventually held the vase tight and attempted to run away as fast as she can.
It didn't matter if water was spilled on the ground, as long as she could get into safety.
She did manage to reach the final corridor, and knowing that the other maids were behind that door, she could just scream her lungs out for help. Yet unfortunately, a hand suddenly grabbed her from behind, and much to her disappointment, she met the lustful face of the old man.
Noriko widened her eyes in terror, eventually dropping the vase on the floor, spilling water on the ground.
"You think you could get away from us, Matella?"
The old man then finally spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction and discontent in his voice. He gripped the oriental's shoulder as tight as he can, preventing her chances of escaping.
Noriko wasn't able to react quickly as the old noble slammed her into a nearby wall.
"You think being taken away by a lowly captain and worked as a maid would save you?" He sarcastically asked and teased as he pinned her to the wall.
In the midst of her agony, the young woman's heart began to beat faster. As the old man slowly drew out a knife, she found herself helpless.
"You try to scream, then I will cut your throat." He warned the girl, followed by beginning to touch and feel her body, moving her hands up towards her breast." I would rather prefer it, so I can taste the rest of your flesh." His voice slowly changed.
Noriko, on the other hand, began to move and resist the old man, doing whatever she could to fight back; additionally, she had noticed a strange dark force emitting from the man himself, which gave him this ridiculous strength to keep her in that position. To her surprise, the old man began to move the knife to her maid uniform in the hopes of severing the cloth and exposing her skin.
"This might be my lucky day." The old man said in delight, finally gaining a lifetime chance to have this young lady alone for himself.
The others must be irritably jealous right now.
Although, he suddenly felt a sharp pain that went through his crotch.
"Dammit!" He exclaimed, letting go of the girl momentarily.
Noriko had discovered a way to fight back, finding some kind of open weakness from below. She didn't think twice about hitting the old man's manhood with her knee, which temporarily paralyzed him. She took advantage of the opportunity to dash forward, but then she heard what appeared to be a subtle inhuman growl from the man and felt another force pull her to the wall.
"Little bitch, you won't give up do you?" The old man gritted his teeth and decided to finally use his knife to silence the Oriental once and for all.
Noriko, who was still perplexed that the nobleman had caught her so quickly, widened her eyes as her world began to slow down. This was her reality, and she was getting closer to death. At that moment, memories from her life began to flash before her eyes, and she felt a sense of peace wash over her. She didn't care any longer and just wanted it to be over because she wasn't going to live much longer. She would be delighted to be reunited with her loved ones in the afterlife, assuming that they were all killed during that day.
By the time the knife was close to her skin, she caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of her eye, and the knife came to a halt as a hand emerged from the right, effortlessly grabbing the old man's hand.
"What!?"
The noble exclaimed immediately turning to his right and seeing a familiar face.
Her long silver hair and bright red eyes are what caught her attention.
Noriko's lips instinctively moved as to mutter her name.
"Tyuule-san."
As for the Old Noble, His anger skyrocketed as he brought the knife towards the young woman, but miserably failed when he found himself getting disarmed in just a few seconds.
As a result, the knife fell into her hands instead, and the warrior bunny woman was the one who pinned the now shocked and terrified old man against the wall, with the knife close to his neck.
The Nobleman shivered as he looked into the young woman's eerie calm eyes, knowing he had been caught committing an act that had nearly killed the oriental servant...At this point, he knew an apology wouldn't save him.
"How dare you!?" He exclaimed, before adding." Do you know who I am?" He tried to intimidate remind her of his higher status, despite being at her mercy.
Unbeknownst to him, the Warrior Bunny was doing everything she could to keep her vengeance from overpowering her actions. She knew she could just give Bouro the go signal and he'd drag the old man down into the depths and then everything would be over easily.
How she hated these kinds of men to the ends of the world.
Quietness briefly took over for a few moments before the woman finally spoke.
"A perverted old man, that doesn't deserve anything in this world perhaps?"
The door at the end swung open at this point, revealing a small group of Imperial guards and the maids with whom Noriko had been working all day.
"What happened here?" One of the Imperial guards asked.
By this point, Tyuule had decided to let go of the disgraced nobleman in order for him to reclaim what was left of his dignity, but his own pride remained, and he laughed arrogantly.
"With that position, he gave you, do you think you're free to harass anybody in this palace?"
The white-haired woman smirked back.
"Do you think being a worthless noble gives you the right to claim a defenseless person as your own?" She fired." The last time I remember, these people are the ones responsible for maintaining this palace of yours."
The old man gritted his teeth in irritation, fixing the collar of his noble attire." You should know your place!" He exclaimed." You don't know who you're dealing with!"
Threats after Threats, which came out from his mouth, The old man had enough and finally walked out of the scene in defeat. Having his own plans being foiled by her unexpected arrival.
The tension in the air had dissipated by this point, and the knife used by the noble was eventually turned over to the Imperial guard as evidence in the looming investigation into this incident.
Noriko, still shaken by the encounter had kept her head down as she was approached by her fellow maids.
"Are you okay, Noriko?"
"Did that bastard old man try to hurt you?"
Unable to speak right away, she chose to slowly nod as a response, finding herself once again on safer company and grounds.
Her gaze then shifted to the person who had previously saved her life and eventually became her very first friend in this place.
The one who helped her get back on her feet.
Behind the emotionless exterior, she noticed a small smile forming around her lips as if to warn her to be cautious the next time she ventured alone through the halls. It didn't take long for her to leave the scene, ostensibly to attend to her own errands. Even though she had known her for a long time, she remained mysterious, as the other maids put it.
She was already told not to speak regarding her past. Yet, many say, she was a person of great importance that fell from grace, some say, she was an angry and lost soul vent on exacting her own vengeance, and some say, she was just an ordinary woman, escaping from a forgotten past. Despite the hardened emotions, she possessed, There was always a faint genuine smile that would appear from time to time, leading her to believe that there was still a glimmer of hope within.
"Behind that bitterness and suffering, is a young soul filled with sorrow yet with a pure heart."
CHAPTER END
AN: Happy New Year Everyone! I didn't expect that another chapter would be out this early and I didn't expect that it would reach 9k words, I am still confused as to how I was able to finish this. But then again, I am glad that I was able to complete a chapter for 2022.
Alright, this quick chapter is basically a sneak peek of what is going on the Saderan side of things. I really don't want to add more information regarding it since all of the stuff would be for the Majority of Arc 3. So I just add a bit more mystery since I am still working on expanding the ideas and stuff.
A reader had suggested to focuse more on the perspectives of Pina, and appearances from a handful of characters from Rose Knights.
There's also Adem, a character from the Summoning Japan series who was also a General in the Louria arc who bailed out after the Louria kingdom was defeated by Japan. In this story, Adem is this mysterious figure who appeared out of nowhere and miraculously saved a very weak and dying Sadera from crumbling apart, which had been in a dire situation for many years. For the time being, he is known as the man who took over Molt's responsibilities after something happened to him.
Due to his presence, the situation and life at the Palace and as well as the Senate had drastically changed.
I really wanted for Diabo to have his appearance in this chapter, but I felt it would be better if it were somewhere else and the same goes for Zorzal since the majority of him would appear in Arc 3 as well, but I'll try my best to have him appear in the next chapters ahead, at least to see what he's up to. And then there's Tyuule in her second appearance, If I remember correctly, in the Original Canon, her relationship with Noriko had not been explored, and I think the God of Cookery fic, did well on that. Moreover, I wanted to continue the mystery vibe in her for now and in this scene I envisioned her doing sometimes more badass.
Regarding the roles, I want Noriko to be in a better situation than what the Original Canon did to her, but still, the threat in the form of these nobles is still there to catch up with her.
With that said, Thank you very much for spending time to read the chapter, I really appreciate it! I apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes since English is not my main language.
Thank you so much and God Bless!
