Chapter 92: Diverging Paths

TheMangaGod

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- Abelis Train Station - The Next Morning - Rose's POV -

Last night had been an exhausting drag. My body resting while my mind was tormented by that demented loli, Wrath.

Not technically doing anything obviously hostile she'd instead taken to minor pranks and irritations instead. Basically doing anything she could to get whatever vindictive revenge she possibly could inflict. It was hell. In fact if I hadn't explicitly been told that we needed to cooperate or die I wouldn't have gone through the effort of putting up with her nonsense. I don't even know why she hates me so much besides my indecisiveness! Her only response when I asked was to ramp up the mental torture several times.

In the end I'd decided to treat it as childish acting out for now. My own mental health required me to give her at least this small excuse to keep me from strangling the life out of... well, me? Damn! Why were Aspects so damned confusing?

Which is what led to my current plight. Tired, cranky and completely oblivious as to why we were waiting outside the Abelis Train Station so early in the day. It seems that Annabelle knew something as she'd packed a lot of clothing for me, specifically mentioning something about temperature, but despite her knowledge I'd been too tired this morning to question her as she rushed out the door with several enormous pieces of baggage under her arms. She'd even included my friends in her packing, apparently, as she'd assured our drowsy group that everything was taken care of.

[Huwaaaaaaah! S-So tired...] - Rose

[Why does the magnificent me have to line up so ea- Haaaaaaah! -so early?] - Argent

[... <snore>] - Veronica and Malaise

Yawning once more as I sleepily took in my still dark surroundings I found myself nodding along with our class narcissist almost automatically. Why were we out here so early?

Barely keeping myself from nodding off I pushed away the two heads that had sandwiched mine between them as they snuggled closer to me while snoring. Karen and Shade also completely out for the count as we tried our best to stave off the last vestiges of sleep.

[Did none of you read the information packets that the school provided to your rooms last night? None at all?] - Lolianne Sensei

[No.] - Ogi

[Nu-uh.] - Heine

[As if I woul- Hwaaaaaah! -would lower myself for something like that!] - Argent

Glancing around at all of the sleepy faces filled with either apathy, confusion or sheer blank-faced torpor — much of the class was passed out. Legal Loli Sensei sighed from exasperation. Her only verbal responses being flat refusals and even one defiant noblewoman that ruined the moment by yawning halfway through. It was only one of the group, the smallest member, that rose his hand hesitantly. Legal Loli Sensei latching on to her one hope at salvaging the situation.

[We're travelling to your hometown right Lolianne Sensei? Kel?] - Yeetsil

[Correct! At least one of you actually does what they're told! Yes we're heading for my hometown and one of the 2 major clans of Dwarves in the area. The Kel Clan. Of which I am in a branch family.] - Lolianne Sensei

The content? Surprising. I'd known that Lolianne Sensei was from a group of Dwarves nearby but I'd no idea before this point that she was actually from the clan with ties to my own family. The Kel Clan, spread throughout the Eryx Spine actually had a major thoroughfare that went through my families territory. Although to be honest I'd only remembered that now. It had only been a throwaway comment that Papa had made several years ago that had meant nothing to me at the time but apparently that specific group maintained a small port village in one of the larger tributaries of the river that ran through our country. Their group sometimes traded with the fortress that our family controlled.

To hear that she'd grown up so close to my own hometown was shocking, amazing, fantastic! Actually, to be honest I was so tired that I couldn't care less but with the confirmation of our destination grasped I found my consciousness finally giving in to the temptation that I'd been only barely holding at bay- sleep.

- Abelis Train Station - Same Time - Arlen's POV -

Several dozen meters down the building, hidden by the crowds of people that were waiting for the train to arrive I knew that my beloved was in the same place as me. My heart yearned to go find her and to push aside the crowd of people that were being kept at a respectable distance by stern-faced Lamia Queensguard tasked with my protection. The events from the day before still weighed heavily on the onlookers as many of them glared at us with clear hostility.

I knew however that my duty lay where I was, honoring someone that had contributed to our nation massively. Her nervous face nearly hidden by her hair as she attempted to sink behind her bangs. The children she was so worried about before completely out of it as they sprawled on the bench hugging each other.

[A-Are you sure I deserve this honor?] - Moon

[I know of no one better for the job, plus from what I've heard about Beryl you'll soon be regretting calling it an honor.] - Prince Arlen

[T-That's not true Prince Arlen! I-I would never harm a h-hair on the Prince's friend!] - Beryl

Seeming to nearly cry from a mix of what looked like nervousness and something I couldn’t place, I smiled at the petite young Catkin before me. Her small size bringing an urge to protect her to the surface, one that I held back both for being improper and because it might send the wrong message to the trembling woman.

Her words, filled to the brim with low self-esteem, were accompanied by a slight upturn of her eyes as she gazed up at me hesitantly. A gaze that would have struck the heart of any other man instantly but one that only slightly warmed his own due to his staunch devotion to his one and only love. Whomever this young woman fell in love with would be a lucky individual indeed.

Thinking so I refuted her negative words while following them up with some that brought to mind a few scattered and whispered stories of the woman currently in charge of the Blackguard, the person in question stuttering her refutation with wild eyes a moment later.

[And me? Prince? What did I do to deserve this?] - Judy

[I'd think defending the innocent counts massively. Plus we could use someone of your ability in our forces, if anything I'd say we will be the one's benefiting the most from this arrangement.] - Prince Arlen

[Pfft! Hey Moon! I like this one! Mind if I take 'im?] - Judy

[No! U-Umm I mean t-that'd be improper?] - Moon

[Hahahaha! I was only joking Hahaha! I'd never do that to you. Well then I guess I'll leave you be. Hey Beryl, why don't you tell me exactly what kind of training we have to look forward to? I'm positively vibrating from excitement!] - Judy

And then came the other one of the bunch. After the events of yesterday and seeing the immense potential of the two they'd both been invited to join our forces. Specifically, our special forces. Moon in the spy/information division and Judy in the assault division. Honestly I'd expected the proposal to take a lot longer to pan out, the Bunnykin especially being in fairly rough shape after tanking the massive explosion that had rocked the Arena while defending the kids that Moon had been looking for. Instead I'd found myself surprised when she'd immediately accepted on the condition that we take care of those same kids.

Smiling, I thought back to the bunny-eared woman forcing herself out of the hospital bed she was in. I had obviously accepted, since that been my plan from the beginning. This move was both a way of pulling in a skilled asset for my country as well as a way of paying back someone I now viewed as a close friend.

That same Bunnykin was now slinging an arm over her new boss's shoulder as she guided her away from the two of us. I could even swear that I caught her winking at Moon for some reason?

[W-Wah?!? W-Wait Judy?!? Umm...] - Moon

Seeming to be in a panic from being left by her Amazonian friend the small Catkin girl floundered in place, her arms waving around frantically.

Amused by her reaction I wondered if she was still nervous being around royalty; it seemed she always got flustered when left alone with me, after all. Ah! Maybe I should try to lighten the mood?

[Well... I'm glad you accepted, by the way.] - Prince Arlen

[Y-Yeah? ...r-right, I am too...] - Moon

Well that failed. Trying to lighten the mood with an ice breaker backfired on me for some reason, and the atmosphere became even more tense as the young girl I was watching squirmed in place, her mouth opening and closing silently like a fish before finally seeming to make up her mind about something.

[H-Hey Prince! W-Would you like to go- I-I mean would you be willing to- Umm... P-Please go o-] - Moon

[B-Big Sis? Is the train here yet?] - Kris

[I wanna ride on the train Big Sis!] - Lake

[...] - Moon and Arlen

[Well then, since those two are awake I guess now's as good a time as any to say farewell. I'll see you again. Good luck, Moon.] - Prince Arlen

Seemingly exasperated by the interruption of her two kids the small girl in front of me closed her eyes as if silently holding something enormous inside. Honestly, I wasn't sure exactly what she was going to say but with the two kids being awake it would obviously be impossible to continue talking so leisurely so now was a good time to take my leave.

Saying my goodbye, I turned to leave after hearing her own whispered farewell, never seeing her outstretched hand that reached for my back as I turned to leave. And never seeing her hold back that same hand.

- Abelis Academy, Principal's Office - Same Time - Principal Night's POV -

[And you are sure you won't change your mind?] - Principal Night

[I'm sure. I appreciate the offer but I have someone that I must track down at all costs. Someone that I let get away.] - Edgar

[...the elf then. I see.] - Principal Night

I was shocked. In all my years no one had ever turned down a direct invitation to the Academy. Some had declined to enroll over letter, of course but none had ever had the gall to turn down one that I personally extended. And what a waste it was too.

Nonchalantly leaning back in the chair across from my desk was the subject of my ire, the one that had rejected my invitation in no uncertain terms. Edgar.

It had been a day since the events that had rocked our city, not even finished dealing with the aftermath our city was stuck in what seemed to be a time freeze as business ground to a halt. As such we'd endeavored to remove the source of most of the bad memories that were plaguing the city and in the process give our students a way of resetting their own trauma from what had transpired.

To that effect I'd extended several invitations to the ones that had done the best in the doomed tournament, intending to give those that survived as little reason as possible to lay any of the blame on our doorstep. And it had gone well, at least it had. Until him.

[Yes. I came here with the intention of experiencing the outside world under my Master's instruction. I entered that Tournament with that in mind. But I now have an even greater goal to pursue.] - Edgar

[It's love then?] - Principal Night

[I don't know if it's anything that shallow but I know that I have a hole in my soul and only one person can fill it, I feel it with every fiber of my being.] - Edgar

[Hah... Fine then. Well if it's that I feel comfortable sharing your little elf's last known location. Here.] - Principal Night

He'd fallen for the elf hard. It was a shame but with how he was currently it would be impossible to recruit him, which is why I saw no point in drawing this out any more than required. Besides, it bothered me as well. What that Elf's goal was? If she succeeded? And what weaknesses of hers could I use this meathead for in the future? It was all things I needed to consider. And the quickest way? Assist the lovestruck fool.

[Oh thank you thank you! I'll be sure to return the favor in the future!] - Edgar

[I don't feel it's anything major but if you're insisting that much I'll not turn down your sincerity. Good luck.... <fool>] - Principal Night

Gazing at the man with scornful eyes beneath a kindly guise I escorted the youth out, my internal laughter following him out the door as I thought of my next move.