"Mono/Dialogue"

'Inner thoughts'

Narration

[Message/communication apparatus]

Date: August 1086

Location: Nearl’s Mansion, Kawalerielki, Kazimierz.

POV: Margaret Nearl

“… Autumn is about to end… hopefully none of you will be too lonely in my absence…” Musing aloud, I can’t help but feel excited and anxious for the future. A person beside me seems to have not given up yet…

“Can’t you postpone it for a while longer? Pretty sure you can still join by of spring and honestly… I’ll miss you…” Zofia is clearly worried, and I’m beyond grateful for it. Yet there are things that can only be learned through practical application. Autumn will be the last season for me in this house of ours before my eventual departure towards the Northern Stronghold.

“Unfortunately, that’s impossible… There was a letter delivered to me personally as well…”

“What letter?”

“Uncle Liam had informed me through a letter that the Silverlance will be more than glad to accept me into their ranks, provided that I passed their test.” Zofia side-eyed me before pouting, it appeared she still had some lingering jealousy of me. Nothing harmful and it does tickle my funny bones a little.

“Lucky you… but considering the one being offered is as stubborn as a burdenbeast…” Zofia muttered aloud while helping me in preparing my apparel. I still have my gaze firmly at the reflection of myself, clad in light steel breastplate, leather armor, and having the Nearl’s crest on said breastplate.

Despite my genuine protest, she stubbornly insisted that I allowed her to do her duty as lady-in-waiting. I’m still confused why she insisted on such, time and time again I tried to dissuade her but to no avail. Remembering that I had gone silent, I reply muttering.

“I declined, as you would have predicted. Not because of me feeling overwhelmed; no, but more like I had yet to even understand what truly it meant to walk by myself.” Turning my eyes away from the mirror, I stare at a pair of Warhammer and shield… and the sword staff father had gifted me years ago.

“The path to Knighthood that I always known was not exactly the one I seek,” Auntie said that it was laudable of me to be wanting a change. This is why she spared no expense in training me when able; it was a very painful experience, but ultimately fulfilling.

“You’re crazy you know? Challenging her battered, tired, and bruised like that…” She then knocks the back of my head a little. I can’t help but chuckle at the memory. Naturally, my graceful caretaker is less than pleased with my mirthful countenance.

 “You were unconscious for the entire day and Maria was crying you know! Hah… Can you stop being so stubborn?” Ah yes, that was a regrettable situation. Maria is such a sweet dear little sister of mine, she is probably the only one here that Uncle won’t deliberately scowl at every turn until she’s older at least…

Sensing that I was lost in the sea of memory, her anger increased a notch.

“Listen to me, young lady!”

“Does that mean I can call you Auntie now?”

“Don’t you dare…” She glowered at my little teasing. Zofia had become very sensitive with the word auntie, I was partly at fault with it… but it is necessary if I’m going to be a Knight Primus and understand how the hierarchy functions. Mostly for formality, however, I would rather consider her my sister but duty calls…

‘As sensitive as ever huh? That’s nice… hopefully, you can stay as you are… for Maria’s sake.’

“Fine, fine… I was only trying to lighten up the mood…” We fell silent while I started to move my body with the armor on. I can definitely tell how my movement had gotten stiffer, but it is not obstructive and all that’s left is to familiarize myself with it. Taking up the swordstaff by the wall, I start off with a simple thrust and slash, nothing too complicated.

It then escalated into a series of strikes, feints, and even testing how it would affect my parrying motion. Clinking sounds of metal, a creaking cacophony of my boots, and the symphony of air being cut reverberate crisply within the room. Thankfully I had made quite a bit of space ready for this brief testing.

‘I must say… Sir Kowal knows how to make my armor… It would have been better if he accepted the payment… I ended up having a hard time on what to do with what little money I had made on the side…’ I started doing some minor jobs here and there, regardless of what others said. One thing for certain; I will never touch any offer of sponsorships. I always have a mixed feeling regarding it, Aunt Nyx’s teaching does help in lessening my bias, but it’s still there.

The doting Pythian lady tried to force me to accept a huge sum of money from her. I declined it too, I cannot be overly dependent on Auntie and that would just go against what ideal I have in mind about being a Knight that I had always hypothesized… between the corporations and doting Auntie… their methods are similar… thus…

“…Nothing wrong with the method… That’s just how the real world works, same method but different end goal… Just like a blade usage depends on its user…” A bitter smile formed on my face after that was uttered. Barely a whisper that might be, but not quite enough to avoid Zofia’s notice.

“Huh? What did you just say?”

“Simple sophistry, nothing too significant…”

“… Sure, keep your secrets… still though, are you really, I mean positive to not accept Sir Liam’s offer? There is no fault with learning from the best…”

“Another factor was exactly due to the fact I even received such a letter is an indication of favoritism and that would not be in my best interest… I cannot accept something that was made possible due to Grandfather, Father, and Uncle… I’ll forge my path, come what may…” Zofia sighed but I spotted her trying her best not to smile.

“There goes another stubborn person… Honestly, what is with this family's high concentration of hard-headed individuals? Is it genetic?”

“That might be so, but let me reiterate; I would rather claw my own path and trudge forward. Even when I have to eventually crawl through the dirt.”

“… The Nearls are making a lot of enemies since… they leave… and it only worsens with both Uncle’s and Młynar’s situations… You’re lining yourself up for the firing line Mar…”

“Fret not, I’m not a fool to be so blind on our current predicament… The Nearl family had been seen unkindly by those with animosity with us or by proxy.” Then it was honestly exhausting to add another of such a thing, a part best left unsaid.

While we’re conversing along the line of Nearl’s state of affairs, an angry-sounding voice can be heard from the hallway outside. It intrigued us and prompted Zofia to open the door, there we saw someone we had yet to see for months arguing with Uncle Młynar.

“Why are you so hard-headed!? Does it kill you to accept a meager amount of help?!”

“I have no intention to deal with your blatant favoritism and obsession, please let us leave it here. I’m quite busy and tomorrow will be hectic for my work.” He said before leaving his conversation partner, seemingly uncaring but I saw how shame briefly flitted through his gaze. He passed us by, but only gave us a glance and headed toward his study, most likely.

“… It was not nice to eavesdrop you know?” Our bodies jolted with surprise, looking to the side we see Auntie Nyx looking exasperated. She doesn’t appear to be angry, but sometimes her poker face worked and we had no idea what she was thinking.

“P-Pardon me…”

“Sorry Big Sis…”

“Whatever… so what are you guys doing?” Her frown vanished and changed into a smile. She rarely showed this expression in public; maintaining persona was what she called it.

“Nothing much, Zofia had been helping me in fitting in the armor that just came this morning.”

“You purchased one, all using your own money?”

“Well… I worked part-time in a bookstore and… maybe… as a waitress…” I cannot understate the fact that working as a waitress was… interesting. It taught me about patience while also understanding what others thought and did around me better.

“… I… hah… forget it. Saying anything else will be an insult to you, your resolve, and only serves to prove me being an insensitive asshole.” I wonder how many times she had sighed today, her expression shows that this day is just not her day.

“Big Sis, language please. Like, come on~… you’re older than me, can be more graceful than me, and oh so beautiful you can be mistaken as a princess if we do something about your apparel… yet you curse and cuss like a thuggish drunkard in a bar…”

“… Wow that hurt…”

“Regardless… I missed you…” I hugged her immediately, she only chucked before hugging me back. After I released her, Zofia was next and I watched this tender moment. A part of me really missed the hugs and assurance father and mother always give… alas, the reality is cruel. After their hug ended, Auntie Nyx then locked her eyes on us… I have a bad feeling about this.

“… Well, well, well… you guys weren’t slacking off right?”

“Of course not! We are not tardy like you.”

“Oh ho? Me? Tardy? …Actually yeah, I’m kinda tardy… but since you guys said so…” Her mouth curled into a devilish grin, and I could feel a chill strike my spine. Zofia had gone rigid and pale; this is the day huh?

“How about a little spar?” Oh no…

POV: Narrator

A pair of Kuranta knightess-in-the-making distanced themselves, weapons in their respective grasp, and eyed a lone Pythian armed with a dull dagger and sheathed sword. The Kuranta pair are both clad in light armor and they’re eying the lone Pythian wearily. Stillness dominates the wide expanse of grassy field, not even a fowlbeast chirping can be heard.

Margaret has both her sword staff gripped tightly while her Warhammer is fastened on her hip. She is steadying and preparing herself for the upcoming mock fight. Zofia has her swordwhip still sheathed in its scabbard, her posture is relaxed, unlike Margaret’s tense and rigid posture, yet her hand never leaves her sword’ grip.

The golden-eyed Kuranta inched in closer with her sword staff in hand, while the blue-eyed one had her sword whip fastened, ready to be let loose on a moment's notice. Their Pythian adversary grinned seeing their hesitance, half taunting and half disappointed with their reluctance to press the initiative.

“Not gonna move?” Her dagger twirled amongst her fingers and her sword pointed towards the earth. Still waiting for any sort of ripple on the metaphorically calm lake. A pair of trained but untested aspirants against a battle-tested ex-mercenary who knows combat and cruelty like the back of her own hand.

“Very well…” She has thrown her dagger towards the blue-eyed Kuranta, oh which the latter barely deflects. Her counterpart blitzed through with a thrust straight on her adversary who calmly parried the incoming strike before delivering her counterblow. Zofia is still trying to recover when the dagger that was thrown at her is pulled back to its owner using a thin steel wire.

With extreme reflexes, the golden-eyed Kuranta barely avoided a cutting motion that would more than a scar on her face. Thrusts and slashes are being exchanged in an ever-increasing velocity and savagery, a downward swing that was countered with a diagonal slash, an upward cutting motion that was interrupted by redirecting the strike sideways, and so on and so forth. Her expression morphed into one of utmost focus, since her teacher decided, unilaterally, that pain is the best method of testing one’s resolve. The dance of sword and dagger that inches closer against the polearm’s range advantage grew even narrower.

Sensing opportunity, Zofia’s sword unraveled itself into a whip and like a gale of wind was smashed against the duo locked in a duel. Margaret sensed the incoming strike and dodged by lowering herself before sending a thrust to keep up the pressure and preoccupy their more experienced and battle-tested foe.

Nyx had seen their plan miles away and calmly kicked away the spear tip deflecting the strike from afar. Her posture was firm and uncontested, but fluid and adaptive all the same. Margaret clicked her tongue but decided to not pursue it. Instead, Zofia keeps sending forth barrages of whip upon the Pythian, while she tries to figure out her next move.

Zofia maximized all techniques and knowledge she was taught, thus changing her target from Nyx herself to her weapon. Margaret starts running around in a circle, forcing Nyx to keep an eye on her while her hands are busy defending against the encroaching storms of the serpentine sword, ironic that a Pythian is being cornered by a tool mimicking a serpent.

Nyx once again used her wired dagger to counter Zofia’s serpentine sword, but Margaret was ready to act as the shield. The golden-eyed Kuranta dedicated herself to parrying and deflecting any possible dagger strike aimed toward Zofia, opportunity also allowed her to momentarily suspend the wire with her hand every once in a while.

Methods and style of combat change from and fro for minutes turned into hours of non-stop clashes. Such as when Zofia had tried to use herself as the frontline combatant while Margaret rotated into a support role. They then tried to use the open field to their advantage, keeping up distance thanks to their choice of weapon. Feinting, dodging, and even acrobatics that raised an eyebrow of confusion from their mentor were used, but nothing conclusive.

Focused and pointed strikes were replaced by shallow and desperate attempts to pry open Nyx’s defense. Measured and level-headed moves were replaced by panting nauseating hesitance and faltering actions to keep up with combat pressure. The difference in tolls of combat between 2 exhausted and barely standing Knightess-in-the-making against an ex-mercenary that barely broke a sweat and grinning from ear to ear.

This is going nowhere and both parties realized this fact with a mix of admiration and irritation on one side and mild amusement on the other. Margaret and her sister-in-arms know that Nyx is a formidable fighter, but this is the first time they fought her with this much seriousness, prompting them to change their approach.

Margaret suddenly flared her arts and momentarily blinded the Pythian. Zofia changed her approach once more and started aiming her whip at Nyx’s limbs and if possible her neck. Margaret decides to throw her swordstaff disorienting Nyx even further yet her deflection goes on unperturbed. The blue-eyed Kuranta offered no reprieve at the expense of her reprieve as well.

The both of them charged forward and started raining down a veritable rain of strikes, thrusts, and slashes, bashing, and even using bare-handed fists against the Pythian. Yet even with her vision compromised, Nyx doesn’t panic despite several hits that did land on her body. If anything the Kuranta duo is getting even more exhausted.

One fatal disorientation is all it takes to rob their initiative. First, Nyx redirected Zofia’s swordwhip, causing it to entangle the exhausted Margaret who is too focused in close combat. The Nearl’s heiress stumbled on her steps, breaking her posture while pulling her Lady-in-Waiting down this mess made out of stamina and concentration deficiency. Nyx then kicked the both of them away, causing them to crash on the ground heaving and reeling from both pain and shame due to their blunder.

Nyx then kicked the both of them away, causing them to stumble on the ground while heaving badly.

“Congrats you guys lasted… uh…” Nyx looked to the side and realized that the sun was about to set before looking down on her wristwatch.

“6 hours of high-intensity combat! If you guys can pace yourself properly, 24 hours of fighting non-stop is possible!” The Kuranta ladies are too tired to reply, but they get back up once more. To say that Nyx is ecstatic about their tenacity is such a gross understatement. She smiled fondly at their determination. Without saying anything, they continue for another hour.

-

-

-

-

“Still want some more?”

“No… I think I’m done…” Zofia slumped where she was, sweat, tears, and a bit of blood smeared her dirt-stained face and figure. The training swordwhip, that Nyx made by custom order, is shattered into pieces on the ground. A part of her is frustrated by the gulf of power differences between them, the other is delighted that her stamina has grown tremendously and how many hits have landed on her mentor and big sister figure.

“I-Indeed… ha… ha…” Margaret agreed, exhausted but ultimately exhilarated. Unlike Zofia however, she recovered much quicker and already standing on her own two feet, her armor held pretty well and would only require some minor repair. Later on, a certain Pythian tried to swindle her way to get it repaired and upgraded according to her design and 20 million LMD budget, but Margaret sternly refused. No matter how badly said certain Pythian made herself look miserable to manipulate her target’s sympathy.

“No fair~….”

“What is?”

“How come you’re already fine!? My legs hurt ~…”

“That so? Hmm… do you want me to give you a massage?”

“Hiiii! No, I don’t want you to touch me! The last time you did so I could feel my bones cracking!”

“B-but that’s a misunderstanding! I only applied a little more force and besides, my Arts can help in mending it too right?”

“Listen here you brute!”

“B-Brute!? Now that I shall not stand!”

“Try me you muscle for brain!”

Nyx only snickered at herself seeing them like this. Hard to imagine that they will finally trudge their path by the next spring, her eyes unconsciously gaze back towards Kawalerielki. She can’t help but feel a little down seeing a certain Pegasus so lost, the man she adored and the lights that she always looked for comfort had dimmed considerably.

A part of her, however… is beyond thrilled. She knows what it feels like to be down on the slump like that, which is why when he can rouse himself back, it will eclipse everything. He has yet to reach the lowest point in his life, but a man who has been kicked down and is receptive to his own predicament can only rise from there on.

She pulled out her personal terminal and started chatting with a certain assistant of hers.

[Conrad?]

[Yes my lady?] The voice is much clearer now and much more emotive. There are nearly no flat tones and rhyme left that came from Conrad’s recent upgrade.

[Can you spare some time to draft a proposal to the Chairman of Cordelia Concord Inc. regarding employment?]

[Sure thing my lady. You are the de-facto sole stakeholder after all, which no one but me and you knows about. I must say that using your Victorian and Kazimierz connection to obfuscate the details is truly daring.]

[Yep, nothing better than keeping the local Columbian companies in Kazimierz off my back by using a company based in Kazimierz but interests being a collaboration of sorts. It also helps that I do have more than a few clout with said local Columbian.]

[Very well, what manner of directive do you wish to convey?]

[Nothing too complex, just tell them that… an extremely capable administrator is on his way but make it look like he can’t advance past middle management. I don’t want him to get suspicious but it is him after all, he will figure it out eventually, and yet that’s fine. Lastly, keep him inconspicuous while also subtly arranging a better and more relaxed contract! I want him to work as hard as possible otherwise.]

[Consider it done.]

[Thank you, you may return to keeping an eye on our prize and your new potential house. I’m still in the middle of ironing things out with both Der Kaiserin and our steadfast merchant friend.]

[Hehehe, I sure love your care, my lady. Conrad out.]

With that done and dealt with, all she need to do now is to be a small fire to support him quietly. The Silver Siren smile, the future might be bleak but the fact that he is alive and well while electing to understand the world with his own words is truly the best thing ever. Thus she turned her head back on the bickering duo and told them that it was time to pack up.

[END OF CHAPTER]

Author’s Note:

Yo there, this is me, myself, and I, the author who is exhausted but also fulfilled.

My mental state is not great, but I managed to finish this chapter because of the sunk cost fallacy and because you guys enjoyed it. So thank you to all of you who have been sticking around.

See you later and update as usual.

Ciao