Messiah 29 : Willed_Desperation

A firm stance. Cold, unwavering eyes. He was clearly no jester, for he stood with his grip tightened and his will stern.

Katachi broke off the tip of the dirk with a Kaba rune to make it a comfortable length. Though it was steel and he didn't feel very comfortable with the way the grip was made, against a knight every bit of protection he could muster counts. It was best to adjust the dirk to a length he was comfortable with - The length of the wooden dagger he had held onto for so long.

It was slightly heavier than he would have liked it, but the weight gave him security, as if the sluggish feel was related to its sturdiness that could help him stay alive and perhaps win, even if by a margin. The act seemed to surprise the others who stood at another side of the court, however.

Ian lifted the greatsword with a single arm, and approached him with solid steps. Careful not to let his guard down, Katachi crouched a little, preparing to dodge rather than clash head-on.

K : (... That sword doesn't look like it's meant for one hand alone... I can't even imagine the pain he's gone through to wield it with such control and calmness.)

He struck. Quick as lightning, the knight took no effort at all in closing their gap. A rotatory slash through a twirl of his wrist and solid grip that accompanied his body's turning and shifting to a side, always keeping his back away from Katachi, proved a dangerously swift slash that could sever him easily while keeping himself safe from the enemy and his weapon between the two combatants at all times.

He dodged to the side quickly, perpendicular to his swing. The blade simply scarred the ground, almost effortlessly, and he saw the cloud of marble dust that danced from the blade's almost-elegant tilling of the throne room's floor.

He slowly backed from the knight cautiously, while keeping low at all times. The closer a person's body was to the ground, the greater control he had over the possible movements he could perform - He had witnessed this from how a spider leapt about predictably in the corner of his bedroom, compared to the controlled and stable slithering of a snake that could easily weave and dodge the obstacles on the ground with grace.

*Cozy's Notes : Jumping Spiders are cool.*

To his surprise, however, the scar on the floor began to reform and heal.

K : "!!" (The scar is healing?)

As if the whole room he were in was alive right now, he gave a brief glance at the floor, to confirm his suspicions.

I : "!"

But the knight before him was on constant alert at all times. He gave no room for his opponents to strategize, hesitate or relax - He was an embodiment of everything exemplary and expected of a knight, a role model that surely many would look up on.

He gave a lunge, in the direction Katachi's body was slightly leaning toward, forcing the black-haired boy to dodge in an uncomfortable manner. He had to leap backwards, and carefully toss his body back upright so his opponent wouldn't close in and push further.

It may have been wiser to dodge to his side, to see how he would react in a different situation. But even then, Katachi could subconsciously tell - The knight deliberately poised his lunge to a precise point between his core and right side, encouraging Katachi to dodge to his left to minimize his movement and increase the amount of control he had remaining.

But dodging left would leave Katachi open for a powerful outward swing, easily achieved by him planting a bit of strength in his left foot and pivoting the soles and ball of his right foot onto the marble floor. In fact, dodging in any direction besides backward would mean being cut, because Ian had lunged in a position where he was in perfect control of his whole body. The footwork that achieved the feat probably took years of training to learn, let alone perfect.

Both in the attack and the potential follow-ups, Ian had positioned himself in a way that he could attack Katachi as long as he remained within the sword's range while dodging, which further showed how skilled he was at the essence of battle. He had the feeling that taking this opponent on through normally favorable methods would only spell demise.

Katachi caught his breath, and slowly walked horizontally, distancing himself from the knight carefully.

I : "You look surprised."

K : "... The crack on the floor resealed."

I : "Are you truly in the mood to worry about the destruction of the stage as we battle?"

With his grip still firm, the knight sought to cast away all doubts from his foe's mind for a satisfying battle.

I : "This throne room and everything in it is under the blessing of Ilpoh, the God of Battles - As long as the damage is inflicted during a battle, it will recover."

K : "... This is the first I have heard of such a strange magic."

I : "It is by no means a magic, but an Art - Ilpoh will not allow pitiable excuses like the unevenness of the ground or the debris of rubble; Excuses that affect the concentration of the combatants. Such is the gift and great blessing which the God of Battles bestows upon this sacred land of dueling. Cast aside your doubts and face me, Ohdean."

Katachi winced at the mention of his Ohdean descent.

K : "... I'm Findeli. I was raised in Mielfeud."

I : "So be it then, child. Gender, heritage, beliefs or techniques; Nothing matters in the face of a fair fight!"

*** ***

Though he had been calm in the conversation, Katachi's confidence quaked. He saw, in that small instant, the possible many futures that could have happened had he chosen to react poorly then at that lunge.

How he would have been punched had he dodged right, how he would have been slashed had he dodged left, how ducking under his arm would have him cut apart by the same action the knight would perform as when he dodged left - A pulling back of his right arm that would accompany the left hook, creating a perfect barrier against any advances the enemy may attempt.

His only safe way out was dodging further back, putting distance between himself and the knight's effective range.

That alone, was scarier than actually being cut or sliced.

Not only did he foresee how skilled his opponent was, he also saw each of his deaths many times over. As useful as it may have been in keeping him alive, this uncanny ability cultivated by many magi face a great problem - This process that was meant to preserve life emboldens the opponent with great power through the magus respecting the knight's strength enough to retreat.

The image of their opponent, with every action and every swing, strengthened only by the possibilities that could have been... In every sense, a magus challenging a knight was unfavorable precisely because while magi mold image power into a corporeal form, the knights use image power passively to increase their own strength and war potential.

Their only advantage over the knights would be the ability to strike their opponents without the need to approach them - That was the only merit of the magi against them. Placing curses and effects that would weaken the knights, or blasting them from afar was the only means for these fragile practitioners to stand a chance against the physically built warriors.

Unfortunately, Katachi could cast none of those spells that would have come in handy here.

A magi's state of mind affects his ability to form the image of the spells in their heads. People who could see and image the destruction of something vividly were good at spells that caused destruction. People who were gentle, kind and passive were the ones who could image a person's serene demeanour, and by extension excelled at healing magic.

Though his affinity had been related to water and healing, Katachi was incapable of visualizing the serenity needed to cast healing spells. He was equally inept at cursing and resenting others, equally horrid at finding joy in the pain of others. He could not bring himself to hurt others willingly, and the image of others' misery a fleeting and transient picture in his head.

In this, he was severely outmatched in every aspect. He would face certain death with every attack from the opponent if he does not dodge, and yet it was not in his nature to retaliate.

Katachi was simply not a person who could imagine himself hurting or killing another person deliberately. He was simply not a magus who threatened to kill or murder willingly in a single, clean attack.

In that aspect, he was ironically closer to Dardicel than he was to Segus - Rather than resolving the conflict by nullifying all of the enemy's actions through faith alone, Katachi was more accustomed to leaving a myriad of problems, a difficult trial for his opponents to overcome with their own power; As if he were testing and gauging his opponents' strength constantly, rather than actually battling them.

As if he were more fascinated with seeing how strong his opponent actually was, rather than forcing his power onto others selfishly.

And yet, he could see the knight's caution from how he moved, from how he placed himself in an aggressive position while remaining in a stance that allowed him to intercept possible attacks. He was balanced in his acts; Though striking with lethal precision and taking every gap he could find with a savage and merciless advance, he did not have the relentless nature of fighting like the one Cillian had - Pushing an aggressive front against him, knowing and fully taking advantage of a magi's weakness.

It would be right to assume that Ian respected Katachi enough to raise his guard against him... Against every opponent he faced. A man who truly offered his life to a single cause, whom had once, and always fought not for honor or glory, but for survival. Even now, he had stopped taking the offensive as he just had, patiently waiting for Katachi to make his move as if to say he had decided that he had shown enough for now, expecting his opponent to fight him proper.

To wield that greatsword with a single hand, the desperation and will to strengthen his body such that he could survive and remain in control against the most dire of situations, and yet all the caution he oozed as they battled...

Even though a single hack could end his life.

... Even though a single hack could end his life.

He found it. The path that would allow his survival... Katachi found it.

The problem now, was making the plan work.

This plan... For it to work, Katachi must skirt around the very edge of Death, flirting with it ever so gently... But they must never touch.

A plan that would demand he demonstrate the same desperation the knight had shown to him.

*** ***

K : (... Magic Enhancing.)

A soft, gentle yet looming feeling encompassed his legs. By observing the flexing and moving of the arm of a strong person such as a seafarer or a blacksmith, he could envision the power of his arms increasing by that the image of that action.

That was the nature of the spell called Resounding Strength - A very old spell that was almost never used nowadays. After all, combined with the well-known spell by Lotz, Layering, he could increase the effects of Resounding Strength to increase an arm's strength by multiple times - In which case, Ian's arms. That was the birth of the spell known as Magic Enhancing, where a person's strength was artificially increased through the repeated layering of Resounding Strength over a person.

Through the same process, he strengthened his legs, allowing him to dodge and escape with greater ease.

Ian the knight lunged for him, but Katachi's sudden increase in speed was unprecedented. He quickly dodged to a side, kicking off a pillar and back at Ian, threatening to attack him.

But the attack never came. Ian swung at Katachi expecting him to enter his range, but Katachi flipped himself on purpose, planting the dirk into the ground and vaulting over the knight. In response, the knight shuffled toward where the dirk once stabbed, always keeping the black-haired boy in his sights.

Katachi simply landed safely, and retreated further back, never truly attacking the opponent.

Ian was astute enough to notice.

I : "... So you're the type to observe his opponents and gauge what they can do in full, are you?"

With a clench of his right fist, the knight began a strange action. He curled his arm backward into a corkscrew motion, and with it...

I : "Or are you still doubting me and my power, believing this whole act to be a part of the Trial of Sin you fear so? I don't blame you, since it's only natural for you to be fearful of something from your own culture you're familiar with."

... Red spikes.

No... Crystallized spikes of blood formed on his right hand erratically, and on the broadsword elegantly encrusting the guard and core of the blade.

I : "But this is as far as your nonsense goes."

K : (That posture... I don't know what he's going to do, but I had better run-!)

Katachi quickly retreated from the knight as he unleashed his blood, in the form of crystals, raining forward in a deathly shrapnel storm that would taint the general area with both his own, and the opponent's blood if he had hit.

It was... Beautiful. As if a beautiful rose had blossomed, as if a gust carrying the easily scattered petals of Spring and the end of the Month of the Cane had arrived and made its presence known with the scattering and littering of the entire area.

Truly, it was an honor to witness such a beautiful magic derived from another country's true history. As Katachi was not a part of the Findel Magus Association, he knew none of the true history of Findel to equal something this brilliant.

Katachi ran up the wall behind him, dodging the barrage of crimson crystals that was aimed rather low to hit his lowered position. Admittedly the magic helped in the process, but he felt the power welling within him to have lived to see and survive that attack.

K : (Such a direct offense spell... It's just like the straightforward nature of the warriors of Rugnud to use something this simple.)

Landing back on the ground safely, Katachi never took his eyes off the knight - He could not allow himself to open any further gaps for the knight to abuse. The crystals came alive, reverting to puddles of blood that quickly crept toward the warrior, reabsorbed into his arm. Having the spokes of blood on his arm were one thing, but what about his sword? What did the blood-red crystals on the sword serve as?...

... Perhaps it was best if he never found out. He shouldn't wait around for it to occur. Casting Magic Enhancing over his whole body, Katachi sprang into action.

He jumped forward, finally taking the offense out of the blue. Having played defensive all this time, he threw off the knight slightly with his unexpected brash act of confronting his opponent head-on, a direct charge towards him.

The blade of the greatsword was swung. Katachi quickly shuffled his feet to adjust his trajectory to a side and steered clear, then planted the dirk into the ground once more, this time using it as a pivot as the powerful lady from Anik did with the pillar that chained the slaves.

He quickly circled around the knight, but Ian was truly experienced as a warrior whom had to fight for his life.

The knight had swung in a manner that allowed him to place his weapon between both combatants at all times, for use in both offense and defense. That proved his experiences with real battles, one that Katachi lacked.

Katachi had already committed himself to the attack. He couldn't back out this time, unlike before, and he charged in with his hands guarding his face.

The knight, however, seemed used to his moves.

The wealth of experience he had greatly overshadowed any cheap, fast tricks Katachi could muster.

With a spin of his body, he dodged Katachi easily while slicing his right arm with a simple graze of his elbow and bashing the rear of his head with his backhand.

The impact of the attack was tremendous - Katachi had foreseen it, and placed a 定 on himself in just that one instant to defend against the monstrous attack - He had not been fast enough to block the elbow cut, but he survived the potential crushing of his skull, at least.

*Cozy's Notes : Who said elbows weren't sharp? Even without Magic Enhancing, in real life elbows were strong enough to cut foreheads, cheeks and wrists.*

A slight fountain of blood gushed from his right arm as his whole body was sent flying towards the other end of the court, where the other knights were watching their duel in silence. A knight wielding a mace helped the young black-haired boy up as he gazed at, and shuddered slightly at the amount of strength he had placed on his opponent's arms for his plan to work.

I : (... That's odd. I don't remember using that much strength to begin with. He might be using a spell that lightens his own body to allow himself to move so quickly... That could explain his faster movement and fragile body.)

He fastened the wound on his right arm with the sash attached to the female squire's armor, praying that it would stop soon. In order for his trick to remain concealed, Katachi deliberately released the Magic Enhancing on his arm so the blood forced through his body does not spurt from the movement of his right triceps by even a bit. As long as possible, he must conceal the act, until the enemy succeeds in activating his plan.

As Katachi walked back towards Ian, he heard the knight's opinion on the attack.

I : "That stance you used just now... I believe that was Nistier's Style, was it not?"

K : "!" (As expected of a knight, he recognized it right away... !) "... Yes."

I : "If you think imitating another man's form makes you stronger, you are sorely mistaken. You're not relying upon your own strength, but borrowing another man's accomplishments as a stepping stone. Surely this is not all there is to offer from my liege's spouse of choice?"

The way he said that implied that he was starting to grow tired of the tricks Katachi pulled. He was clearly a strong opponent, and the strong yearn to properly exert their power to the fullest, in a thirst and desire to fully understand where their powers have brought them.

There was no way he could have won against a person with so much experience.

And yet, and yet... Something within him was screaming at him.

He could do it. The conditions of victory were exceedingly difficult, but he could do it.

He simply had to envision the many images of his deaths once more, and ensure he does not die.

K : (... It would be great if I had healing magic now... But now is not the time to worry over something I can't do.)

With newfound confidence, he walked forward once more.

... 'Confidence' would be a lie.

He was clearly uncertain of whether the plan would succeed. The chances of failure were really high, and yet, he had made it this far by envisioning the image of his own death many, many times. He had the reflexes and sanity to ensure that he did not end up as any of them.

This was no 'confidence' he mustered.

A drastic measure to live and survive, the same way the knight once had, forcing himself to endure and push through... Reflected clearly in the way he fights and attacks, in that strangely balanced way of keeping himself safe yet hurting the opponent at the same time.

This, was willed desperation.

*** ***

Katachi ran towards Ian once more, with both forearms guarding his face once more.

But the knight's cleave reminded Katachi that the warrior was accustomed to Nistier's Style, familiar enough to have felled many before him.

Amending from his mistake quickly, Katachi knelt and slid himself under the diagonal slash and through the knight's legs, planting a bloodied and smudged handprint in the process. In reflex, the knight forced himself to fall, tumbling out of the way safely in the event Katachi were to attack from such an obscure angle.

K : (Two droplets of water merge to become one. Two bodies of liquid are attracted to each other!)

Sigurd's Water Linkage - Katachi had used it once more.

The same technique he had used to frighten Zirco and attack him before he could react.

The powerful pull yanked Katachi forward so quickly toward his own bloodied handprint that even he could only brace for the worst with his arms close to his chest, guarding his vitals out of reflex. But he had at least prepared for the powerful force pre-casting - Katachi performed a power slide towards Ian once more, baiting a proper counter measure from the knight.

There, he finally saw it.

The greatsword embedded with blood crystals, stabbed forcefully into the ground between his legs with the intent to maim and trap Katachi from escaping, before pinning him down and beating him furi-

*GAZPHKIM*

K : (Finally... He did it.)

-At long last, his plan had worked.

*** ***

Through Magic Enhancing, Katachi forcibly increased his opponent's strength in order to increase the quantity of the dust cloud emitted. If a simple graze on the ground was enough to kick up a dancing swirl, a plunge or smash attack of sorts that struck the ground solidly would surely kick up a massive cloud of dust.

It made no difference how powerful Ian Bloodcrust was with his sword - Whether his strength was one, ten or a hundred fold, if the blade had cut Katachi, he would be dead either way. From the start, he had no need to fuss over the strength of his opponent - He was clearly powerful enough to end the boy's life, whether he intended to or not.

He just had to ensure that he did not get cut or hit - Thus the extremely defensive play, until the opponent resorted to using magic out of impatience.

The one window of opening Ian had for figuring out his ploy was when the elbow grazing caused such a wide wound on his right arm. Fortunately, Katachi gave him no time to capitalize on that information at all by taking offense straight away, forcing the knight's cautious personality to work in his favor.

Had the knight guessed at the outcome, he would have won by not striking the ground and creating the cloud of dust.

But, now that the 'mist' has been established...

K : (Let the real magic commence.)

*** ***

The cloud of dust surprised even Ian himself as he was left disoriented for just a mere moment, a window enough for Katachi to shift his legs and kick the female squire's greaves against one of the crystals on the sword. Katachi safely slid a safe distance away from Ian, and grinned briefly.

K : "... Do not say that I have neglected to warn you - The guardian of the mist resides within the fog."

Hidden in the safety of the dust, Katachi quickly stripped the female armor from his body and used the dirk to slit his right palm. With his fingers dabbed in blood, he began scribbling and drawing on the ground with precision where his left bloodied hand could not.

I : (!! The Man who sought the Eternal Wind!) "Show yourself!"

K : "Oh, forgo the thought. What good is advice over a man's ambition? Do as you deem fit."

With the cover of mist, Katachi was able to safely draw his blood on the ground, without Ian attacking him carelessly. He could finally see a path to victory.

I : "Accursed magus! Is this your idea of a fair fight, to have a monster of legends old to fight in your stead?! Show yourself!!"

Katachi paid no heed to Ian's taunts. In fact, Katachi was actually afraid of making any more noise from that point on.

I : "..."

His opponent, too, recognized the spell - Disturbing the peace of the mist with unnecessary talking and vulgar shouts only serves to enrage the guardian.

If both of them remained silent, at the very least, there would be a chance that Katachi would encounter the tiger first. It was a gamble, but unfortunately for Ian, Katachi was not going to let Ian remain quiet.

The rubble on the ground was basically inexistent - The cracks heal themselves as long as they were inflicted during a battle, as Ian had cited.

K : (... If that's true, then surely they wouldn't mind if I use Aleksei's spell?... Though, I can't really see Ian right now, so using it the way Zirco did wouldn't be possible...)

Zirco's variant of the spell made it unique - As long as he could see Katachi's black hair through the thick green fumes, the flames would continuously erupt under the fool's feet. In that sense, if Katachi kept Ian in his sights, the erupting pillars of flame would make a lot of noise and lure the guardian of the mist to his enemy.

But in a dense fog, where visibility is incredibly poor and nothing could be seen, Zirco's technique would not work at all. After all, if the wiseman could not see Aleksei, how could he claim that the ground beneath the fool spewed flames?

The solution was simple, then - Use a spell derived from the same story in a way such that seeing the opponent was unnecessary.

K : (He felt the rumbling of the earth and the gush of flames ahead, desperately escaping the volatile earth.)

From somewhere in front of him, a powerful blast of fire vented forth from the ground.

I : ( That was somewhere to my left... He's trying to attack me even in this fog?! Otemiygnan curse him!! Such unsightly cowardice, even now!!!)

The knight clenched his fist once more, and blood spikes encrusted themselves unto his forearm. A wild punch in the general direction of the flame pillar sent many blood crystals flying to somewhere to Katachi's left. Not only did it have the chance to maim Katachi or the guardian itself, the crystals crashing against the walls would redirect the guardian away from Ian should the possibility occur.

K : (... He has the advantage here. That spell is so direct that it does not need to be aimed or primed... I need to hurry.)

His opponent was now doing his work for him - He was the one attacking and producing noise to lure the guardian towards specific directions. Katachi threw the leather vambrace of the armor to his right this time, and another shower of blood crystals rained on the general vicinity to his immediate right. He felt the blood crystal barely missing his right ear with a flicking sound, and the dome of his head felt something brush past instantly.

K : (... That was too close for comfort. He almost got me that time... But I know his position now.)

Picking up the cuisse of the armor, Katachi threw it in Ian's estimated direction.

Needless to say, the resounding clank and clash of metal striking steel was a much better indicator of a person's positioning in such a thick cloud of dust.

He heard the guardian's roar as it viciously mauled at Ian. But, anticipating it beforehand, Ian blocked the vicious gnaw and rend with his sword, holding it off briefly before it retreated back to the fog.

I : (Shit. Shit! That conniving magus!! I will see to his demise!!!) "You have been felled once, foul beast, and I see no reason why you cannot be felled again!"

K : (Perfect. He's fighting the guardian, so I can draw safely without worries as long as I steer clear of them.)

*** ***

Was it an exciting match? Was it an intense battle?

Only the shouts of the knight in the cloud of dust could be heard.

The other knights rustled with unease, and Roberia briefly glanced at the two.

She didn't know who she would root for.

One, a knight whom had sworn fealty to her, whom had guided her since he was 11 and she was but a mere baby, a loyal sparring partner and mentor, a man who had sworn to be her right hand that would greatly help her in the cause to lead Rugnud to even greater glory, and beyond.

The other, a child whom allowed her to relax feel at ease, who helped broaden her perspectives of the world and identify the means other countries have employed to solve their own problems; Problems that Rugnud may come to face with the changing economy.

She wished that both would come out safely, without any injuries.

... But the odds are incredibly slim - Especially when Roberia had witnessed Ian's magic first-hand.

It would be very unlikely for both sides to emerge without casualties.

... Though, she silently prayed that Katachi would surprise her once more.

*** ***

Clash. Clang. It was no easy feat to have survived thus far against a monster known for devouring adventurers who trespassed on its territory, but Ian fared pretty well against the guardian.

A normal nomad would shriek in terror, and simply give in, letting the tiger bite them and end the fright that accompanied their lives.

But for the man who had endured much, who had peregrinated alone in the jungles of Western Anik, where every moment was filled with some form of life threatening to take his - Be it the swamp and muck beneath his sabaton, the innumerable amounts of parasitic insects, the rampant and over-abundant carnivorous plants and the numerous fauna that resided within...

A tiger where he had only the need to defend one side at a time was nothing.

The many legends and tales that arose from the brave who dared to venture into Western Anik proved exactly how much a trial it was to come back alive, forget unscathed.

To him, this was not a battle of tactics, but reflexes - How fast he can sense the tiger's angle of attack, how quickly he can block the blow in time and how swiftly he delivered the counterblow would determine the victory.

When it came to parrying and defending, the man who had to fight for his dear life was unrivalled. The many foes which threatened to swarm at him from every angle had forced him to evolve the conventional tactics of planting one's feet solidly to stand his ground.

He was, through much pain and practice and difficulty, finally proficient at the techniques of the Anikans who seemed to prance and shuffle around the battlefield, never remaining in a singular, firm stance but assuming many different ones that worked for each and every individual surface.

But...

As he prepared to receive another blow from the tiger, everything stopped.

I : "!?" (What sorcery is it this time?!)

The cloud of dust was slowly thinning out. And to his far left...

I : "!!!" (He... He did all this? All the while I was fighting...)

... was Katachi, placing his palm on a gigantic magic circle on the ground, drawn in blood.

K : "... I take it that you're familiar with this spell."

I : "... Sovereign... !"

He had planned all of this out.

He had, from the start, not chosen a coward's path out by relying on the guardian to fight his battle. The confident, bright light in his eyes that showed the euphoria of a successful plan told the knight everything he needed to know.

The boy had trusted in Ian's ability to go along with his plan, albeit unknowingly and unwillingly.

The boy had faith in Ian's skills, for him to fend off the monster long enough for a peaceful resolution to be reached.

The spell that could raid the authority of everything within the magic circle, a second Territory spell over the first.

I : "... I understand. This... Is my loss."

With his grip loosened, Ian's greatsword fell onto the floor, with a satisfied answer.

He was willing to accept the loss against the Ohdean magus, a child who held the wisdom and strength to stand by his liege's side.

It would have been ugly had he struggled any further.

R : (Thank the Gods... They're both alright.)

... However.

K : "Segus bless you."

R : (... What?... WHAT?! SEGUS?!!)

*Cozy's Notes : Anyone else feel the chill in their blood, as if those three words were spoken in slow-mo?*

Segus.
Bless.
You.

That was more than enough reason for Ian, and just about everyone else in the room to revolt in an uproar.

I : "MY LIEGE!!! A FOLLOWER OF SEGUS AS YOUR SPOUSE?! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?!"
"MY QUEEN!!! SURELY YOU CANNOT EXPECT A SEGUS FOLLOWER TO GUIDE US!!!"

F : "WHAT IS THIS, ROBERIA?! THIS OHDEAN IS A SEGUS FOLLOWER!?"
"YOUR HIGHNESS!!! PLEASE EXPLAIN YOURSELF ON THIS!!!"

"YOUR HIGHNESS, OF ALL PEOPLE TO DECEIVE AS YOUR CONSORT, WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN A SEGUS FOLLOWER!?!?"
"WHY HAS EMPRESS ROBERIA CHOSEN THIS FILTHY SEGUS-FOLLOWING WATERMONGER AS HER CONSORT!?!"

H : (... Oh dear. This turned ugly real fast.)

*** ***

The many glares of contempt and hatred and confusion of the knights pierced Katachi.

He... Honestly felt a bit uncomfortable.

How could a single sentence stir the knights in such an uproar?

What... What crimes had he committed? Never in his life had he imagined that merely saying 'Segus bless you' could incite such wrath and anger that was equal to, if not even greater than the peril before the battle.

As the many warriors pelted the red-haired slender girl with even more questions, a thundering clap blasted the mob into silence.

Everyone turned to look at the bare-handed and aged knight bashing the head of Ian Bloodcrust with a powerful blow, knocking out the man in an instant.

"... You... You are the one they call 'Kozuba Katachi', right?"

*Cozy's Notes : How they pronounce Katachi's name is Col-zoo-bar Katachi, but how Katachi pronounces his own name is Co-twu-ba. It's like saying 'two' except you say -wu instead of -wo.*

K : (He knows me?) "... It's Kotsuba, actually."

"A-ha! I knew the news printed it wrongly!"

The aged knight held out a piece of papyrus with pride.

"It says 'Kozuba' here. See? Can you imagine how humiliating it must be for the one who made that mistake? Hahahahah!"

His hearty laughter betrayed the overwhelming power from that one attack just now.

K : "..."

"I bet they're glad that these people chose not to label themselves at all, or these news-delivering vigilantes would have lost face. Hahahahahah!"

Katachi felt a strange, dangerous aura from him all of a sudden.

N : "... Ah, forgive me. I am Nazkova, Milos Nazkova. I wish to apologize to you in full, Kotsuba Katachi."

Strangely enough, the aged knight got down before Katachi on a high kneel, which felt extremely uncomfortable.

N : "You see, my student there was consumed with blind rage, and he was about to release an extremely dangerous spell that could threaten the lives of everyone here. Please forgive Ian for his unruliness and incompetence."

For such an aged man to apologize for his student who was likely more than twice, and perhaps thrice Katachi's own age felt awkward, all in all.

K : "It... It's fine, really!"

N : "... No, no, I insist, young one. I should give you the gratification of a fight that digs at your weaknesses, such that you can improve on your own fighting techniques further. Consider it as my token of sincerity in regard to how sorry I am."

With a quiet and swift turn, he raised the man named Ian Bloodcrust from the ground and patted him awake.

N : "Ian, wake up. You have much to learn."

The aged knight removed his boot, and pulled his sock from his foot, raising it to the man's face.

I : "... ! I'm awake! I'm awake!"

N : "Good. Now listen, Ian - You may be an exemplary fighter, but muscling your way through is not the right way to defeat a magus. I want you to observe this match with your full attention, and note down everything that happens. Is that clear?"

I : "... I understand. Duly noted."

N : "Good. Watch a bit, kid - You're gonna learn something good."
K : (... It's kind of awkward seeing someone older than me called 'kid'.)

With that, the aged knight put the sock back on, and properly secured his boot onto his foot, making sure that it was tight.

N : "Young man! I'm sorry I kept you waiting."

With both hands raised to his chest, Milos Nazkova prepared to fight his opponent.

K : (Bare hands... ! This is a first...)
N : "Allow me to educate you on your weaknesses."

Messiah 28 : Between_Trust_And_Tactics

 He didn't know how much time had passed.

If anyone could tell how much time had passed in that dark, danke room that reeked of mildew and bodily wastes, they would have an extremely sturdy sense of time, or a method of telling time even when isolated from all light.

But he didn't know.

All Katachi could do, was come up with as many strategies as he could possibly think of. To worm his way out? To reason with the guards? To reunite with Roberia once more?

He didn't know where he was at. He didn't have any tools or the like with him, to cast spells that may aid him. The area around him was far too dark for him to use substitutes like his own blood to make anything constructive.

To put it quite simply, he had nothing left to do but wait.

He could only wait for the one golden moment, where he may operate quickly with as much precision as possible, and cast a quick spell on the cuffs before the guards could do anything else.

But... Something felt a bit off.

K : (... What's pulling me?)

Was someone or something tugging at his chains?

Katachi felt a strange force pulling him backwards, toward a wall. He couldn't even put up a fight - How could a child who had yet experience adolescence possibly have the strength to defy those powerful chains?

"Looks like you got's the meal time before's any of us, eh."

The quote from the stranger next to him caused him to shiver.

K : (... Meal time? What... What are they feeding me to?)

He had anticipated a guard escorting him out to an isolated area to have his meal, he expected the guard to torment him by placing the food right out of his reach in this maddening darkness, and he figured the guards would have him eating the food off the floor.

Yet not even in his wildest dreams had he imagined he would not receive dinner, but become dinner himself.

K : (... My god. Okay, okay, don't panic. Relax. Both the First Magus and Tinkell have slain many beasts in their days of prime. Qin Tsung Yao himself was known as a hunter before he decided to venture into Western Anik for more formidable foes and transformed. There are plenty of spells to choose from, I just need to properly identify the beast I'm fighting-)

The wall rumbled against his back, and Katachi was snapped out of his impromptu plan.

"If I's was you, I's keep my head in's place. It's sad if you's head got's squashed against the walls."

He could see nothing at all. Absolutely nothing. Katachi had thought that with time, his eyes would have become accustomed to the dark, but it never happened. He could only feel with his skin, and hear with his ears. He had suspected it to be some magic at work for a while now, but nothing remotely familiar showed up in his memory.

Katachi could only play along obediently, keeping his body close to the wall.

After a while, the rumbling stopped, and light seemed to flood in from the corners of his vision.

Gradually... His sight was restored. Strangely enough, it was not a piercing sensation as the sight greeted him.

A beautiful, grand-looking corridor illuminated by a soothing orange light, with other prisoners chained up against the wall, eating their meals under the supervision of the guards about.

K : (... Meal time... I see. I guess keeping us starved to death is bad.)

He had frightened himself with the thought that he would be slain, or that he would have had to battle against a tough beast. To think that the 'meal time' referred to the time of day he would be offered a meal... It made Katachi feel embarrassed inside to think bad of their hospitality.

The chains binding his arms slackened, and he was allowed to sit and enjoy his meal.

Before him was an extremely simple meal - Oat gruel that seemed uncooked on the top and burnt on the bottom of the bowl, a small ring slice of a pineapple and a foul-smelling sauce, to dip the pineapple into.

He didn't know what the sauce before him was, but it smelled of fish that had been left in salt for months, enough to smell horrible but not enough to rot. It was awful enough for Katachi to think that he wouldn't have wanted to eat that, even if he weren't a follower of Segus.

*Cozy's Notes : It's Surstromming. Look it up, but don't go to your local store for one unless you're determined to eat it, okay? I'm not advertising foods or anything, no siree.*

He quickly stuffed the gruel and pineapple into his stomach. There could be the chance the guards may force the sauce into his bowl, so he made sure they never had the opportunity to do so. It wasn't very tasty, but it filled his stomach a good bit. Compared to the brown syrup back at the Magus Academy, this was at least edible.

From the distance, the sound of rain could be heard. The combination of the food and relaxing sounds outside eased his mind a bit, and he let his gaze swim about the room.

He could see other prisoners eating their meals in silence as well. The mood was enjoyable, quite an irony to their current status as prisoners, but it was one the guards themselves seemed to enjoy. They weren't as fierce as he had envisioned them to be.

Some of the prisoners were pretty well built on their upper torsos, and seemed to have been forced through tough labor. Others seemed more lean, and looked like they had plenty of running. And there were some that looked absolutely feeble, with their arms an unhealthy thin and their constitutions so weak that it looked like one gentle tap would shatter them. They were eating the same gruel, but the stronger men had larger helpings while the weaker were given significantly lesser servings.

K : (... Prisoners classed according to their physical capabilities... ?)

Katachi looked back at his bowl - It was but slightly more than what the bony-looking bald man had for his meal... Or was that a woman? It wasn't possible to tell - The hair had all but fallen out, and they looked so unhealthy. His... Her? The poor sap's hands, so dried up and skinny... Those prisoners looked like the sort they assigned to wash the dishes.

And the guards... They watched over the prisoners, as if regulating their meals and ensuring they were taking the right portions. Some looked like enforcers, warriors wielding a cudgel to hit uncooperative prisoners with, perhaps. The others dressed in more formal clothing appear to be the magi responsible for the darkness he could not see through.

K : (... They drive the slaves willing to work, and they starve the ones who won't?... Or do they starve the ones who can't keep up?)

He couldn't quite work it out. But he probably didn't need to - The atmosphere was soothing, and relaxing. He could simply sit idly and relax for the moment, before his meal time ended and he was sent back to the dark room.

Maybe, just for a while, he could close his eyes for a bit to enjoy the mood a bit more.

... Why would he do that? Was the dark room not dark enough? Had his eyes not rested more than enough in that darkness? It would be weird for him to want sleep now, when his eyes were already resting in that darkness.

But his eyelids felt so heavy, and he felt so... Dull. As if someone had stuffed bundles and bundles of cotton into his head, it felt light and yet he couldn't keep his eyes open.

Katachi struggled to keep himself awake, but the guards were staring right at him, watching him faint.

Was that their real purpose for staying on watch? To ensure that their prisoners ate their meals, whether it be poisoned or drugged? At least, he wasn't feeling anything particular or weird with his body, so perhaps it was a herb like Machomile.

He didn't have the energy to think any further.

Katachi simply collapsed backwards against the wall, still in his sitting position.

*** ***

The mighty steed had its reins tugged at to reduce its speed.

But before it could stop in place or had its reins properly secured to a pillar, someone had kicked off its back and filled its sight with a figure of red.

She was in that much of a rush.

Roberia rushed ahead, with graceful and athletic movements, passing the guards whom defended the entrance of the walls.

"Empress Roberia... !?"

She did not stop to greet the guards. Though it may be rude of her to speed past them without so much as a greeting, there simply wasn't enough time to spare.

She raced towards the winding stairs, and ran off against the walls, kicking and shuffling to move herself up faster. Just as the warriors of Ohde who were renowned for their pursuit of agility and finesse, she mimicked their ability to traverse enclosed spaces without using the steps they would usually fill with caltrops.

Faster. Go even faster. Roberia leapt up at the railings at the top of the winding stairs, and skipped half a revolution. Time was for people who could afford it - He may be trialled at any time, and she must move to ensure he does not fall.

Vaulting over the maids by their shoulders, sliding and grinding her back plate against the concrete floor as she went under a table carried by two servants, Roberia proved her knowledge of her enemies by using the very techniques they employed to filter through the many people in the castle.

In the distance, the sound of wood clashing and the shuffling of greaves and boots could be heard from her left.

R : (They're using the new wing for training today? That saves me trouble.)

It seemed a magnificent feat for one such as herself to reach the throne room in under 10 minutes, from the castle gates. When she bustled through the grand door, she was already panting and gasping for air, in the empty hall.

Nobody had assembled there except for the façade of a familiar knight on the red carpet, who seemed to have returned from his journey recently as well.

I : "... My liege... You have returned?"

R : (Ian Bloodcrust...) "So have you."

The knight in the center, donning a dull, grey armor tainted with blood, mounting a heavy-looking broadsword on his back, greeted his empress with sad eyes.

I : "... I bear horrid news, my liege. Sir Tact... Sir Tact has fallen in battle."

R : (Sir Tact!?) "..."

Sir Tact. A man whom she learnt much from, a skilful warrior who was her predecessor. A man who promised her a chance at the Succession Ceremony had fallen... A man who, though a little forgetful and gullible, was a bona fide warrior like herself - A slightly distant and aloof person she despised for his unmotivated lessons, yet greatly admired for his pursuit of swordplay proficiency.

R : "... Send word to Lady Patricia - She'll handle the proceedings. Make arrangements for a Funeral of Dandelions."

I : "Yes, my liege."

Swift and decisive, even in sorrow - But was that trait of Roberia a strength, or a weakness?

R : "... Ian. I know you're tired, having just returned from Auser, but I must ask of you a favor."

I : "Worry naught. I am your right hand, my liege - I shall move at thy behest."

*** ***

"Warden? Warden Warner?"

A man wearing light armor presented a letter to the man in the chair.

"By order of Empress Roberia, all prisoners detained on the 19th day of the Axe are to gather at the throne room."

W : "And why would that be?"

"I've heard rumors that one of her benefactors has been mixed in... Perhaps he is of great importance for her to submit such a decree."

W : "... That may be. I'll tell the cooks to drug them, so inform the guards to take them during lunch."

"Yes, Warden Warner."

*** ***

Roberia and Ian entered the throne room once more, to find three familiar figures awaiting within.

R : (Is that...)

An axe, a stave and a rapier. Their weapons were carried by their sides and boldly displayed as a symbol of their nobility, and their standing postures professed their identities as dignified knights. Though, the lacklustre coats on their armor seem to suggest more than their weapons do.

H : "... Empress Roberia... !"

They appeared to be awaiting the arrival of the king as well, merrily making idle chatter during the king's absence.

R : "Good day, Duke Harlot, Duke Marcyn and Marquis Charles."

C : "It brings me great joy to know of your return, Empress Roberia."

The axe-wielding knight stepped forth and knelt before her, with a grin on his face.

R : "Arise, Marquis Charles. There is no need for such formalities."

It irked her. Even when repeated the umpteenth time, they would not stop greeting her with that vile, revolting smile.

C : "Of course."

That feeling of disgust welled up at the back of her throat. She couldn't even start on how pretentious that sounded to her. That alone would have been more humorous instead of horrendous, if one did not consider that at least eight of ten men would converse with her in such a manner. Amongst the nobility, Roberia could trust only the ones whom were already married and had sworn oaths to their broads, their ceremonial swords a beautiful silver.

*** ***

*Cozy's Notes : If you still remember the sword ceremony in Rugnud, think about this - The 'beauty of black steel' is given a daffodil crest. But have you ever wondered about the possible color combinations available? Like, a red-yellow sword meaning a pretty-face playboy with a 'cougar' lady, or a silver-blue sword that shows a marriage with a non-believer of Ilpoh.

... Oh... I never did say what blue meant, did I? A full-yellow sword may be quite sad because the couple can't really trust their mate. (The yellow doesn't change into red when they're cheating on their spouse, which means the distrust between them can be really strong. The yellow basically means 'They've deceived others before, don't say I didn't warn you. Marry him/her at your own risk.' Kinda sucks if you're flirtatious, but Ilpoh has my respect. He'z got all ma respekt yo, considering Ilpoh is actually Piloh, which sounds like Pillow, which is actually Cozy. AHH PLOT TWIST- Nah, just kidding.)

But a full-blue sword is the most contradictory joke in this story's world, because the sword taints blue when the wielder isn't a follower of Ilpoh. If Roberia and Katachi were to marry under Ilpoh, it would turn red-blue because Katachi isn't a follower of Ilpoh, and Roberia has a sweetheart already - Jullan Gracer.

Why marry under Ilpoh's blessing if you're not going to follow him, right? Rather, because Segus is one of the few Legends who doesn't identify the groom/bride, two complete strangers or people who seek to elope would usually marry under Segus. He's not very popular in most parts of the world, though. Segus' influence is greater in Aiecol and Auser, but significantly weaker in Findel and Rugnud.

Which, if you'd look at it in another angle, is the reason why Segus is the Revenant of Chaos - Segus does not forbid incestuous marriages. Ilpoh forbids it because if the couple quarrels, they should not drag family ties into the problem if their fight ever comes down to that - Their own battles, their own responsibility. Food for thought, as you read along.*

*** ***

To Roberia, she was a warrior before she was to be addressed a maiden. She did not attend to kindly these fanciful words used by the many aristocrats of the palace. She would prefer to be enlightened or reprimanded by the General, or the Chief Strategist than to be praised or criticized by the Ministers' relatives like Pierre and the market leaders who knew little of battle, much less be exalted by Charles or Ian as their queen.

To her, men who could speak with her as equals, like Duke Harlot and Jullan and even Katachi, gave her great security and comfort.

H : "Roberia. We need to talk in regard to your sudden disappearance."

R : "... Yes, Duke Harlot..."

The aged man wielding a rapier shifted himself to a corner, far away from the other knights. As a knight who had served alongside the King of Rugnud in his youth, he was one of the few respectable men who had earned the title of Duke.

H : "... King Fastiel could be here any minute, so I'll make this short. You're aware of the consequences of your actions, right?"

R : "Yes, Duke Harlot."

H : "Good then. See to it that you amend your wrongs properly."

R : "Thank you, Duke Harlot."

In terms of nobility, he was one rank lower than Roberia, and merely a single rank. And yet, his seniority and kindness was undoubtedly a source of respite for her. Roberia felt assured with Duke Harlot taking control, and though he wasn't the most able-bodied fighter, his knowledge of the economy was, if unequalled, at its pinnacle.

H : "... I am sorry for you, Roberia. Sir Tact's fall... It must have been hard on you."

R : "Think nothing of it, please."

H : "All right. It is a great pity that the switchblade was not recovered, however."

R : "... Yes. It is a pity."

H : "I know that you'd have liked the weapon very much for yourself. I still remember how he would complain about you scolding him for being a horrible teacher."

R : "He's not so much a teacher as he is a role model - One of the very best, if I may."

The Duke tapped his rapier gently, and smiled at her.

H : "... Roberia, if it's to your liking... You may participate in the Succession Ceremony for my rapier."

R : "Thank you for-"

The sound of trumpets echoed from outside the throne room, and the doors swung open with grandeur. An aged man with crimson hair, clad in a rather fanciful armor and donning a red mantle, led the crowd behind him into the throne room.

H : "We can talk later. Be seeing you, Roberia."

The Duke stepped forward, and joined the others in a kneel to greet the king.

C H I M : "Your Majesty."

F : "Arise and assemble."

They quickly got into formation, and stood at the sides of the red carpet, as the king ascended the steps and took his seat. Roberia quickly shuffled to Duke Marcyn's side, and stood in attention, waiting for the court to begin. The mumbles and murmurs buzzing about were probably the knights' astonishment at Roberia's return, but that quickly died with his ascension unto the throne.

F : "This court is now in session."
K : (The echoes... It sounds like a court-room of sorts.)

His Majesty's voice was charismatic, and strong - A captivating display of his authority.

Since Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo Michael was not around, the blank space before her meant that it was already Roberia's turn to go. She walked forward, and bowed before her father.

R : "I have returned from my journey, Father."
K : (... Is that... Roberia?!)

The king released a rather unpleasant frown upon seeing his daughter once more.

F : "Roberia. Your sudden and unannounced disappearance has caused much trouble."

R : "Yes, Father. However. I felt that declaring my departure would defeat the purpose of my journey."
K : (Why would she be in this place? And to address this man as her father... Is her father a magistrate or something? Did I guess wrongly by believing her to be a farmer's daughter? But he just called her Roberia...)

F : "Is that so? Explain yourself."

She took a deep breath, and steeled herself.

R : (Here goes nothing...) "I had foreseen a horrible fate, one that I could not escape from, Father. In that vision, I attempted to escape but I was killed in the end. I must garner more strength, and hone my skills to the absolute pinnacle. And the first step in my journey would be to leave this place undetected - After all, if I can't evade my friends, what hope had I to escape the eyes of my foes?"

K : (... That does sound very grand. I can't believe I mistook her for a farmer's daughter...)

It felt like a sound argument, at least.

The king closed his eyes and leaned his head against the backrest of the throne. As a father, he loved his daughter endearingly, but as a king, he ought to punish her accordingly. It was a horrible, sour feeling that would make most feel troubled.

F : "... If that is what you believe, then I will not blame you for leaving without notice. But actions have consequences, Roberia."
K : (This is starting to sound less and less like a joke... Is this an illusion, then? But... I've never read or heard of illusions that blind the eyes and deceive the ears...)

R : "I am aware of that, Father. I will take responsibility for it."

F : "In that case, I will have you..."

The king, too, was human. No one person was born in this world with answers to everything.

F : "... Have you decide on your own punishment."

R : "Yes, Father."
K : (... How lenient.)

Roberia silently returned to her place at the bottom of the steps. The next to step forth was one of the ministers, dressed in a formal garb.

"Your Majesty, the roads in Bilkenstury and Hermeal have been congested as of late. I would like to request the aid of some knights to help with the management of traffic."
K : (... Did he just say 'Your Majesty'?! Isn't that a term you use only when you refer to the king? The deep voiced man's a king!?)

F : "Of course. Is there any whom would offer their squires or retainers to assist Lord Doyle?"
K : (A 'Lord'! What has this become?! A Lord was addressing the King just now! What place is this?!)

A couple of hands were raised, and they looked at the minister with helpful intent.

F : "Settle this after the court is dismissed. Return, Lord Doyle."

D : "Thank you, Your Majesty."
K : (I get the feeling that I've been left out of the big picture... How did this escalate so quickly?)

The next to stand before the king was Warden Warner.

W : "Your Majesty. By request of Matalpalhallafaelladrapahamo Roberia, I have brought the prisoners apprehended three days ago, on the 19th day of the Axe."
K : (Matal-something... Why does that sound so familiar... Matal-something... Roberia... ?)

F : "... Roberia, what is the meaning of this?"
K : (!? Wait... So Roberia brought me here?)

R : "Father, my benefactor was wrongfully arrested when he was entering Rugnud's border with me. I will not sit back and have him suffer when he has done nothing wrong."
K : (Benefactor? I'm her benefactor? How so?)

W : "A 'he', you say? Well, that simplifies things, Your Highness."

With a nod, the warden's retainer seemed to move by instinct, bringing in the blindfolded boy from outside.

R : (Katachi!) "!"
K : (He just called her 'Your Highness'. Your Highness... A princess?!!)

His all-too-familiar guise, without his usual worn-down attire and donning those metal cuffs, it was a relief to see that he had not been physically hurt in any way. But it was quite the irony - She could have sworn that the coarse-looking prisoner's rags he wore were in a better condition than his previous ragged apparel.

R : "... Yes. That's him. Carry him to my quarters later."
K : (That's her voice! That's definitely her! She's somewhere to my right?!)

"Yes, Your Highness!"

W : "I am glad to see that you have reunited with your benefactor once more. But if I may ask, Your Highness, for a child like him to be your benefactor... It must be quite the tale."

F : "I agree. Your return is sudden, but since everyone is gathered here, would you care to share with us the experiences of your journey, Roberia?"

W : "Hold on, Your Majesty. I wish to hear from the boy himself."
K : (He's referring to me, isn't he?)

The king was slightly taken aback, as the warden continued his explanation.

W : "It would be nice to hear the story from his perspective, and perhaps we can also enlighten Her Highness Roberia on things she may not have heard from him. If he truly is the benefactor Her Highness claims him to be, he would surely have no problem elucidating the details, no?"

*Cozy's Notes : A-ha! Elucidate was coined in 1568 A.D. One year before the start of Chapter 1! Take this, history! It's 1570 A.D. now, and I have free reign to use 'elucidate' as I please! Mwa-hah-hah!*

R : (... I don't think I've ever told Katachi what he means to me, though...) "Father?"
K : (By benefactor... Does she refer to 'that'? But... What... What do I do?)

F : "You have my consent, warden. Bring him before us."

The boy was unchained, and pushed onto the carpet.

*** ***

Three solutions were laid barren before him, in clear view. But either would lead towards dire consequences.

The first solution was perhaps the simplest - Pretend that he was still unconscious. If he were unable to speak, then they cannot judge him. Even if it buys a little more time, he would be able to escape, or at least come up with something convincing. But it was temporary, and should he fail, it merely delays the inevitable.

The second would be to lie, but for whose sake would he lie for?

It was easy to make something believable, like helping Roberia when she was about to fall off a cliff. But he would then be lying to save his own life, and all of the time he spent repenting to Segus would be undermined. Chasing after the shadow of the figure he admired since young, only to fall short when he had yet reached the starting line... That was the worst. Not to mention, there was a chance that Roberia might be expecting him to tell the truth, and that she would refuse to follow up on the lie.

The last would be to tell the truth straight away as she had wanted him to, for example, the time he rescued her and many prostitutes from that fat man's brothel business in Anik. But the idea that their princess was slaved and almost sold for her body would probably send an extremely unpleasant message that could rally Rugnud's forces to war.

He recalled once more. Roberia's family wasn't actually a farmer's family, the deep-voiced dude called Your Majesty was addressed as Father, and that man next to him called her Your Highness. In that aspect, it's safe to say that she held one of the greatest powers in terms of nobility. To upset the economy and bring them into war would be horrid, but could he afford to betray his vows of atonement to save the many lives whom would be taken should that ever transpire?

He felt it. The extremely thin glass line before him, easily broken by saying those few words. No one person truly wins in a war - Not even the blacksmiths and suppliers who fuel it. As the deep-voiced man had said just now, actions have consequences. Would he give his life, to save the many before him? Or would he betray the very reason that had kept him alive and struggling onward, even now?

... Were there no other solutions?

Think. Think harder. Turn the odds into evens and balance the problems. Rather than look for a way out from the path they have presented, make your own path. That was the methodology of Lotz, the genius magus who pursued the shadow of the First Magus and saw the world in a view as distorted as none have ever laid their eyes upon.

Roberia had concealed the fact that she was a princess, hadn't she? Here he was, in the middle of a grand court room, blindfolded and restrained for some odd reason. Before his imprisonment, they were crossing the borter at the edge of Rugnud. Would this have happened if she had been honest and told him that she was a princess?

If she really is the princess, then the act of calling her 'wife' must have incurred the guard's wrath.

... It made sense. It finally made all the sense in the world. An Ohdean as the spouse of royalty must be a severe shock to their people.

K : (I see. I can exploit that.)

A path that would not lead to crossroads of destruction. A path that turns the shock of the people against each other. A path that could potentially save everyone, even if he were to die, even if they were to part and never meet again.

But, if it is for the greater good...

K : (... Then let it be so.)

There was already no time left. The blindfold on his head was unravelling, and the ropes untied.

The scene before him was quite a sight to behold.

A beautiful court-like area, with pillars around to support the roof and no walls to the side, letting the golden light flood in. With this much exposure to the outside, he was a little surprised that there was no gale that would extinguish the scones and candles around at night, but then again, he didn't know if anyone would even be here at night, in the cold.

W : "Pay your respects to the king, child."

He quickly found the sources of red in the room - One seated upon the throne, and the other to his right, standing next to a man holding a long stick, was Roberia.

He took no liberties at all.

With a swift, agile movement, he pushed his feet against the ground and under the warden, and anchored himself onto the man's calves. A 定 formed underneath his rags for just a short moment and allowed Katachi to swing his body upwards with the greaves as a pivot, while grounding the warden face-first.

With the momentum, he let go of the greaves, and sent himself flying towards one of his retainers, who was about his size. The upthrust gave him more than enough room to fall and position himself favorably. Katachi clasped the arms of the retainer between his kneepits, and grabbed at the face violently.

K : (What's mine is yours, and-) "-what's yours is mine."

They swapped their clothing and equipment immediately - Though, it may have been far better if Katachi had simply taken her weapon.

He quickly got up and turned to face the countless of knights and warriors whom have drawn their weapons and staring at him, while donned in the retainer's armor. He discarded the sword attached on his back, and withdrew the steel dirk on the side he felt more comfortable with.

But there was one singular flaw in his plan - The retainer he swapped equipment with was female.

*Cozy's Notes : Just when you thought I couldn't make it any more awkward. #crossdress #protag #trannyK #thugLyfe*

He could feel slightly uncomfortable prints pressing against his ribs. But, armor was armor, even if uncomfortable - It could help, even if minimal.

"Protect the King!"
"Defend the throne!"

I : "Protect the Empress!"
"Back up! He's a magus!"

"Take no chances!"
C : "Don't rush in!"
"Do not engage!"

He could hear many of the knights warning those around them not to approach him carelessly. From that simple display of Yung Tai's magic, he had successfully established the fact that he was a Magus.

The woman in the rags he wore seconds ago silently got up and glared at him in fury.

"Rid your filthy Ohdean blood from my sight, watermonger!!"

*Cozy's Notes : Whoa, damn girl, tone it back. That's some foul language there... Eh, we all learn it eventually.*

She roared in anguish, charging headfirst at him without so much as a warning.

W : "!! Ingrid! No!-"

Another variable occurs. It wasn't outside of his plans, because he had foreseen this problem later on after they have calmed down a bit and begun to negotiate. But resentment that renders even the sweetest of honey and the most caustic of vinegar bland existed, so surely one that makes this female retainer called Ingrid charge with neglect shouldn't be surprising.

K : (Let nothing befoul the path of the faithful.)

Holding his arms out wide, he received a hook on his stomach from Ingrid, without a shred of pain. With a quick bend of his left knee, he smashed the retainer on her chin with her own poleyns, and knocked her out cold with a knee jab.

He dragged her to a corner of the room, away from combat to rest while the knights slowly inched in on him.

K : "... I have some questions for the one you call Roberia."

The knights gave each other brief, furtive glances before giving way to the red-haired girl.

R : (God, I knew this would happen. I really wish Michael were here...) "... Katachi."

K : "You told me nothing."

Katachi pulled the slightly-loose armor by the neckhole, and reached for it.

C : "I- I won't let you harm Her Highness!"

As if he were valiantly protecting his queen, a knight wielding an axe stepped forward to defend her. That would have been a gallant display if not for the shock that accompanied his face upon seeing the ring Katachi withdrew.

F : "A ring... !? Roberia, what is the meaning of this?!"

K : "... You never told me that you were the princess of Rugnud, nor your name, and... Only the gods know what else you've kept from me. You left me in the dark, all this time..."

He wore the ring on his middle finger, and prepared himself to punch the nearby wall in an attempt to crush the white gem.

K : "By the sacred contracts, let the deceived and aggrieved judge and decide its future. I hereby shatter this oath-"

R : "Stop!"

The desperation in her eyes, the way she pushed aside the knight before her, and the way she rushed forward only to be held back by others...

K : (Wha- Why did she stop me? If I had just shattered the ring here, then the knights shouldn't have a reason to fight and I only need to escape! Unless... The marriage meant something important to her... ?)

R : "I believe that there are more refined ways to settle this problem!"

K : "..."

This was turning sour very, very quickly.

He had not planned for this.

He had not planned for the fact that Roberia would actually support the marriage that she seemed reluctant toward, and dissuade him from destroying the ring.

His head was a complete blank at this point.

K : (I'm so confused... Confused...? That's it! Confusion!) "... What trust is there left of a person who would conceal her lineage from me?"

R : "... Then... Is there no way for us to reconci-"

K : "SPARE THE DRAMA!!!"

In that court, a painful cry of a lost child could be heard.

*Cozy's Notes : Wow. What an actor, Katachi. Then again, people who are good at acting can do so because they can 'image' the scenario in their heads. It makes sense for all magi to be good actors.*

K : "I don't know where I am, or what this place is. I don't know who you really are. I don't even know if all of this had been one big lie, a high-tier illusion to make me say something involuntarily, and charge me for the Trial of Sin. I see no reason to trust anyone here."

I : "In that case, have a duel with me."

From the back of the crowd stepped forth a knight with ash-gray armor tainted with blood, and a broadsword.

M : "Ian Bloodcrust..."

K : "Why should I? Is this not one of your malicious ways to disguise my impending doom as a natural occurrence? Your men could be binding my arms and legs, and preparing your ritual dagger to carve my body as you please, for all I know!"

But Katachi knew that the confusion act wasn't going to hold much longer.

I : "Because I am well aware that the Trial of Sin cannot show you something you have never seen before."

If this knight chose to step forward to prove him otherwise, it must mean that Ian Bloodcrust was capable of using magic he did not recognize.

I : "Should you lose or die, you may resent all you want. Your weakness, your incompetence, your lack of astuteness at seeing my shortcomings. I do not mind if you spend your last moments cussing the entire world in agony, for Otemiygnan is with me. Don't worry about me holding back - I don't like you, and I won't accept you as my liege's spouse until you prove your worth."

And what better way to prove so, than magic derived from a country's true history?

I : "Should you win, well, that should be proof enough that you aren't taking the Trial of Sin, so man up and face it, kid - It's reality. Not that I have any faith in your strength, since my liege has been the only one capable of taking me down..."

His sword by his side, his stance determined and composed, Ian Bloodcrust prepares to receive his opponent.

I : "... But should that happen, we have much to talk about. The relationship between you and Her Highness, the events that led to that abominable ring on your finger, to name a few."

K : (So even this is unavoidable...) "... I understand."

He could only pray that neither of them dies in this clash.

*** ***

*Cozy's Notes : This would be Katachi's first match against someone who is using magic he doesn't know about. Well, Ian's magic is pretty straightforward, you'll get to see it soon. He's called Bloodcrust for a reason, yeah? It's not because it sounds like Bloodlust.

... Or is it? Mwe-he-he-he-he-he. In any case, the next chapter! Lots of dodging from Katachi's side, lots of figuring out he needs to do without any knowledge at all, and I'll throw in a little special something.

If you've been paying attention to the story thus far, you should be able to tell what magic Katachi uses against Ian during the fight. You should also be able to tell which story it comes from. If anyone manages to guess all of them right, hey, I'll throw in extra content about the runes in this world. Trust me, you'll love it - It's funny.*

*Cozy's P from the S! Oh! PEE-ASS~! I'm just joking, Post Script : If you look at it another way, the runes' origins are actually pretty dark and gruesome.*