Earlier, before the start of the battle... Harthela was having the biggest problem of her life—she couldn't move her body with the armor on!
'Eh? Why can't I move?' Harthela thought, confusion evident in her voice. She tried to lift her arm, but it remained stubbornly immobile. Panic began to set in as she realized the gravity of the situation.
She frantically searched for a solution, desperately hoping to regain control of her body before the battle began. As time ticked away, Harthela's mind raced with thoughts of not being able to prove herself worthy of the blessing from the goddesses of Chuunism.
And while her mind was consumed with anxiety and uncertainty, she thought back to the time when she received the armor and the blessing from the Twin Goddesses behind her back.
***
It was days after the twins had gotten back after attacking the demihuman trafficking base of the principality.
"Miss Henrietta, may I know where Lady Reiko is? Is she not back yet?" Harthela asked, her voice filled with concern. She had grown close to Lady Reiko during their time together, and the thought of her not returning sent a wave of worry through her.
"Ah." Henrietta hesitated, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "Lady Reiko... It's a bit complicated to explain, but she's already back at the base. In fact, she came back with us; however... perhaps it would be easier if you heard the full story from Lady Reiko herself."
Harthela's concern deepened as she listened to Henrietta's words. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Lady Reiko, which made it necessary for her to explain in person. She anxiously awaited the moment when she could finally hear the full story directly from Lady Reiko herself.
Night came, and Harthela's anticipation grew stronger. She couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to the situation than what Henrietta had revealed. As she lay in bed, she couldn't help but imagine the possible twists and turns that Lady Reiko's story might hold.
A knock suddenly interrupted her thoughts, causing her heart to skip a beat. Harthela quickly rose from her bed, eager to finally uncover the truth behind Lady Reiko's mysterious absence.
But it was one of the ninja girls who came to her door. "The mistresses have requested your presence in their private chamber," the ninja girl informed Harthela.
'Mistresses? I thought it would be Lady Reiko.' Harthela thought to herself, feeling a mix of disappointment and curiosity. 'Is she referring to Miyabi and Mizuki? Those twins who they came back with from their last mission?'
She followed the ninja girl down the corridor, her mind racing with questions about what the mistresses could possibly want from her. The anticipation and uncertainty weighed heavily on her mind, intensifying her desire to uncover the truth behind Lady Reiko's disappearance.
"Come in." Harthela hesitated for a moment before stepping into the room, her heart pounding with nervousness. As she entered, "Ela-chan!" she heard someone call out to her by a nickname that only Lady Reiko used.
But it wasn't Lady Reiko's voice. It was the silver-haired Miyabi, hugging her as though they had met before. 'But how did Miyabi know my nickname?' Harthela wondered, her mind racing with questions. She couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope that Miyabi held the key to finding Lady Reiko.
"Sis, you're troubling Harthela," Mizuki said, reprimanding her sister Miyabi. Miyabi released Harthela from the hug, her face turning slightly red with embarrassment. "Ehehe. I'm sorry, Harthela," she apologized sincerely. "I just missed our cute elf." Mizuki shot her sister a stern look, reminding her to be more considerate in the future. Or that's how Harthela interpreted the exchange between the two sisters.
"Make yourself comfortable and take a seat." Miyabi gestured towards a nearby chair. "We heard that you're looking for 'Lady Reiko', Ela-chan." Harthela nodded in response and took a seat as suggested.
"Yes, that's correct," she confirmed. "When can I meet her?" Harthela asked eagerly, hoping to finally get some answers about her. Miyabi exchanged a glance with Mizuki before responding with a playful smile.
"Do you want to see her now?" Miyabi asked, raising an eyebrow. Harthela's eyes widened with anticipation as she nodded eagerly. "Yes, please," she replied, her voice filled with excitement.
Miyabi chuckled softly before dropping a bomb. "'Lady Reiko' and I were one and the same." Harthela's jaw dropped in shock, her mind struggling to process the revelation. "You... you're Lady Reiko?" she stammered, her voice filled with disbelief. Miyabi nodded, looking like a kid who had just pulled off a successful prank.
"H-how?" Miyabi's mischievous smile grew wider as disguise."she was about to reveal her secret. "Mizuki and I were gods from another world," she explained, her voice tinged with a hint of mystery. "We were here on a mission to spread the word of Chuunism. Lady Reiko was my disguise,”—then she gestured at Mizuki—"and Mizuki's was Abyss."
Harthela's eyes widened in astonishment as she struggled to comprehend the revelation. "Gods from another world? Chuunism?" she repeated, her voice filled with curiosity and intrigue. Miyabi nodded again, her mischievous smile never faltering, leaving the elf in awe of the extraordinary secret that had just been unveiled.
"And you, Harthela of the Aether folk," Miyabi continued, "were the only one among the slaves we saved who expressed concern towards our supposed absence and questioned our whereabouts. I am pleased to see someone who worries about our well-being." Harthela's eyes widened as she realized the significance of her actions.
"If I remember it right, you were wishing for power so that you could protect your brethren," Miyabi said, a hint of admiration in their voice. "Well, Harthela, your wish will only be granted if you swear your devotion to Chuunism and pledge to dedicate your life to its principles and cause." Miyabi's words hung in the air, their tone serious and unwavering.
Harthela's heart raced as she considered the weight of this decision. She knew that by pledging her devotion to Chuunism, she would be committing herself to a life of sacrifice and service. But in that moment, she also felt a sense of purpose and belonging that she had never experienced before.
With determination in her eyes, Harthela bent a knee and declared, "I am ready to embrace Chuunism and its principles wholeheartedly. I vow to uphold its values and work tirelessly towards its cause, no matter the challenges that lie ahead."
"Mm-hmm! As promised, We shall bestow upon you our blessing, Harthela." Miyabi glanced at Mizuki, communicating with their eyes alone. Mizuki nodded to confirm that she understood and covertly whispered, "Manifestation of Darkness."
The twins then raised their hands, and a divine light of myriad colors emanated from their palms, enveloping Harthela in a radiant aura. Two towering shields, one on each of Harthela's arms, also materialized from the aura, the rest turning into full-body armor.
"Agide. That is the name of the armor we have bestowed upon you," Miyabi announced with a serene smile. "It is imbued with the power to consume and nullify anything that seeks to harm you." The twins then stepped back, their eyes filled with pride, as Harthela marveled at the magnificent armor bestowed upon her.
'I swear, with this armor the goddesses have given me, I will certainly protect those who are dear to me,' Harthela vowed, her voice filled with determination.
***
Back to the not-present.
And those same goddesses were now... "Ahahaha!" Laughing at her. Well, Miyabi was the only one who was openly expressing amusement, disregarding the chaos unfolding outside the hotel. Meanwhile, Mizuki was trying to hide her laughter behind a hand, failing miserably as her shoulders shook with suppressed giggles. It was clear that the goddesses found Harthela's predicament amusing, adding to her already overwhelming sense of inadequacy.
"Goddesses, please help me; why can't I move with the armor on?" Harthela pleaded desperately, her voice filled with frustration and confusion. "Sorry, sorry. We didn't mean to laugh," Miyabi managed to say between fits of laughter, her eyes tearing up from the effort of holding it in.
The twins exchanged amused glances before one finally spoke up: "Harthela, can't you just unequip the armor when you want to move? It seems like a simple solution. You could easily re-equip it just by calling it's name, you know?"
"Ah." Harthela's face flushed with embarrassment as she realized the simplicity of Miyabi's suggestion. "I... I didn't think of that," she admitted sheepishly. "Thank you, Goddess Miyabi. I'll try that out."
***
Back to the present-present.
"And that's how I was able to move again." Harthela said, a smile of relief on her face. "It's amazing how sometimes the simplest solutions can be right in front of us. I'm grateful for the priestesses' wisdom and quick thinking." The elf made sure to refer to the goddesses as "priestesses" to hide their true identities since there's a stranger present.
Hearing Harthela's story, Aidy and Gareth—who were their enemy—couldn't help but think, "She is an idiot." However, they kept their thoughts to themselves, not wanting to cause any further tension. Aidy just hoped that her foolish ally wouldn't end up jeopardizing their mission to protect their mistresses.
"Anyway! Now that I'm here, let's start round two!"
***
AN
Kon-gobu everyone!
Haah~ I finally managed to catch up! Uuuh, it sure is a pain writing almost everyday. I just wanna write at my own pace so I could read light novels and web novels if I feel like it.
Anyway, that's that for my complaints. Next week, it's back to usual schedule so wait for it on wednesdays and fridays at 6:00 pm PST. Bye-bye!
