"Elsa…." Helix called out after opening her office.
She lifted her head off her desk.
After coming back to Alzeria, she was being overworked to catch up.
Moreover, Helix was causing her daily panic attacks.
"Helix?" She asked in a daze.
Her black hair was covering her face in the most ridiculously unprofessional way.
It was a comical sight.
"Yes, it's Charlotte and me." He replied with a slight smile.
Charlotte saved but remained quiet.
Her uncharacteristic quietness sent off alarm bells, and she jolted awake.
If it weren't for Helix's gentle demeanor, she'd be panicking.
"What's wrong?" She asked hurriedly.
Helix gave her a wry smile in response.
"I'm letting you know that Charlotte, Marie, Riley, and I will be leaving for a few days." He said with a calm tone.
"While we've gained overwhelming support, we've also made an unknown powerful enemy as well."
Elsa's eyes grimaced.
"So we're leaving to put a hold on relationship breakdowns.
We'll be gone for five days at most, and we'll be safe." Helix explained with a slight smile.
"It's for our safety and also yours.
I came to you immediately after I decided to do so."
Elsa stood up from her desk and ran over to Helix.
She threw her arms around his shoulders.
Helix winced, believing she'd scold him.
"Thank goodness." Elsa whispered in happiness.
"I'm so grateful that you're leaving when you're at genuine risk."
His eyes widened in shock, but he quickly hugged her and held her tight.
"Of course. Things are different now, and I won't risk our lives unnecessarily in our quest to protect you in the Capital." Helix whispered in a warm tone.
"I'm so happy to hear that.
I'm grateful… but I worry." Elsa replied with an emotional tone.
"I know, and that means a lot." He replied with a warm smile.
"I need to go now, but I'll be back soon.
If anyone asks, I told you I'm leaving permanently due to the recent smear campaign.
It is doubtlessly backed by someone with power in the Royal cabinet.
If we run into any [impossible to fight] monsters on the way, we'll take care of them as a favor to you, Master Tilo, and Macron.
We tried working with Alzeria and consider our debt to Princess Eliza, and Queen Liliana repaid."
Elsa released her arms and gave him a serious look.
"Smear campaign? My apologies, I haven't left work." She muttered in disbelief.
"Don't worry." Helix said with a mysterious smile.
"I've anticipated this campaign, and some juicy presents will arrive shortly to crush it into oblivion."
"It's going to be juah~uuuu~see." Charlotte chimed playfully.
Helix gave her an evil grin.
Elsa gave him a murderous gaze.
"You're not asking for trouble, are you?"
Helix chuckled with a devious grin.
"I wouldn't say completely.
But the first gift is as benign and well-meaning as it gets."
"Let's just say he's unloading a ticking time bomb on the Kina district." Charlotte announced casually.
"But they're going to love~it… until it's twooooo~lay~tah."
Elsa turned back to Helix and narrowed her gaze.
"Just wait and see. I have to go; I have a meeting to make."
The woman sighed in defeat.
She knew she couldn't stop him, and he was honest.
If he said that the [first gift] was benign, it meant it was positive but explosive.
The [second gift]... she knew she couldn't ask about it.
Helix wouldn't tell her for her safety, so she wasn't going to ask.
So instead, she sighed as she watched the two walk out the door.
Elsa decided to go home and sleep.
She figured she'd have a panic attack in the next two hours and stay up three days straight if she stayed awake.
So she trusted him and made a mental note to see Tilo and Macron in the morning.
—
"Boy… what do you want?" Macron groaned.
"Marie woke me up to come here, so it better be good."
He had deep black bags under his eyes.
The Kingdom had put the Earthians under heavy scrutiny, so he worked tirelessly.
"I'm here to solve your problems." Helix replied with a slight smile.
Macron shot to attention, and he laughed in response.
The man gave him a wry smile but lost interest because he was too tired to fight.
"You have problems dealing with Earthian oversight." Helix clarified.
"Yeah. I wonder whose fault that is." Macron replied sarcastically.
"I'm fixing that problem in a few days." Helix replied with a slight smile
"I need your help. I'll give you three options for approaching this situation, as it's rather large.
First, I can give you a single instruction to follow.
Second, you can blood pact in, and I'll tell you what I'm doing.
Finally, you can blood pact in, and I'll give you a heart attack."
Macron's eyes widened in shock before he lost enthusiasm again.
He was tired, and nearly everything Helix pushed him to the edge of a heart attack.
"What typa heart attack, boy?" He asked in an unenthusiastic tone.
"Like… [you almost dying] heart attack, or [Tyrene coming back from the dead to kill me after you die] heart attack."
Helix chuckled in bewilderment.
"It's somewhere in between.
I assure you, your hair will gray instantly, and you'll probably have a stroke.
But I'm giving you that option anyway because I trust you."
Macron rubbed his eyes with his palms.
"Boy…. The Kingdom has a telescope so far up my ass I can't sit straight." He replied in a lifeless tone.
"If you tell me anything, I'll probably die from getting tortured for information."
Helix grimaced and gave him a serious expression.
"Macron. I'm leaving the city permanently." Helix said with narrowed eyes.
Macron studied his facial expression and nodded lifelessly.
"Yeah, yeah. I got it." He chuckled bitterly.
"In the meantime, the Earthians aren't ready to fight.
So if trouble comes to Alzeria, hold them back at all costs."
Macron's eyes shot open.
"You're expecting trouble?" He asked.
Helix nodded with a serious expression.
"Yes. I'm certain trouble is coming, Macron."
The man scoffed bitterly and felt the desire to curse.
"So why are you holding the Earthian's back?" Macron asked.
"Because you haven't taught military cooperation yet." Helix said with a slight smile.
"Basic training, magic training, monster hunts, and military tactics.
You haven't taught them the last, so they'll kill all of the Alzerian troops if they enter the battlefield.
That's not conjecture; that's a fact."
Macron took a deep breath and grimaced.
Then he looked at Helix with pleading eyes.
"Boy, I get that. But why the hell do you have to act so damn happy about it?"
Helix and Charlotte burst into laughter.
"I don't know…." Charlotte commented with a finger pressed against her lips.
"Per~haps it had to do with Hellie working with the military to prevent us~ from killing all of the Alzerian troops."
Macron's eyes widened in understanding.
"So are you orchastratin' something?" The man sighed.
"The Kingdom is hiding our source for the monster's movements and not taking it seriously.
We are. So all we have to do is leave.
The first wave of monsters will come to attack the Capital, the army will realize they're fucked, and then we'll negotiate to come back… maybe." Helix replied while shaking his head.
"We've agreed to eliminate any enemy impossible for you and the Earthians to face.
We're doing that for you, Elsa, and Tilo, which is the primary purpose of my coming here.
But that's the issue.
If a large enemy does come, we'll be close enough to fight it.
However, if the otakus and weebs jump in, we'll kill [them] instead or die protecting them.
An idiot doesn't take that reality seriously. We do.
We need you to prevent them from fighting at all costs. Can you do that?"
Macron took a deep breath.
"It's not like I would've had a choice anyway." The man sighed.
"You didn't have to tell me that.
However, it's good to know that you're not leaving this place after the mythical-grade shit storm you've unleashed."
Helix chuckled with a warm smile.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Macron narrowed his gaze again but gave up on caring.
He wanted to go to sleep.
"Anyway, there's two Knights outside, otherwise known as regretful spies." Helix scoff-laughed.
"So people will be certain to question you tomorrow."
Macron groaned in annoyance and waved his hand.
It wasn't like he wouldn't get assaulted by them tomorrow anyway.
"Just tell them we're leaving permanently due to the smear campaign.
We're considering helping fight impossible enemies during our travels if we run into them.
That's for your sake, Elsa's sake, and Tilo's sake.
You can also tell them that we recommend the Earthians not fight because they haven't worked with the military.
That's everything we've told you." Helix said with a slight smile.
Macron blinked twice to express his gratitude.
Helix withheld any sketchy information.
He had to twist it slightly, but he didn't have to lie.
Macron figured that Tilo and Elsa were given similar stories.
—
Power stones and grammatical errors = more content. :)