Vol 5 Chapter 42: Interlude – Fiora’s Plan
The Holy Continent, on the other side of the world…
"So many soldiers… they really are gearing up for war, aren't they?"
It was a clear morning in the outskirts of the Port City of Frastelleren. The season had turned to winter and the ground was covered with light snow.
Still, it didn't stop the battalion of soldiers encamped there. They conducted their drills, patrols, and training as scheduled, all the while yelling the slogans and cheers of the Holy Empire.
There were ten thousand of them, residing in an endless number of tents and camps, displacing the local monsters completely.
And yet, they were just a single legion amongst many others. The rest was assigned somewhere else, or so the hooded, cloaked figure on top of her horse assessed.
She and her companions were situated on the nearby hills overlooking the camp. From where they were, it was a straight ride downwards towards the encampments and the port town beyond them.
Beside her were two other cloaked figures, each with their own horses. She liked to think they were her attendants but one of them would certainly heavily disagree with such an assessment.
"And yet, not all of them are here. Makes sense. The Empire fights better the closer it gets to the Capital. Here, they're all too vulnerable against the Water Sage. But they couldn't just abandon the port town either."
The Water Sage she mentioned was, of course, Selendia Brine. She can drown the entire legion with her tsunami if she wanted to.
"Which meant there should be an imperial knight or two here right now."
A smirk formed on her face. Excellent. Time to meet them after all these years.
Kicking the side of her horse, she rode towards the port town.
"H-hey, wait!"
One of the attendants yelled, chasing after her with her own horse. The other attendant could only sigh as she too chased after them two.
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"Next!"
A long line of merchants waited with their goods on the outskirts of the encampment. Before they were allowed to enter, a necessary thing if they wanted to make it to the port town, their goods were thoroughly checked by the soldiers. And not just that, the soldiers demanded an entry tax as well. They needed all the money and goods they could take as they had so many mouths to feed. As such, the nearby villages were all forced to sell their crops exclusively to the soldiers.
It was there that the cloaked figure and her attendants waited, until it was their turn to be checked.
"Halt!"
The soldier she was forced to speak to was a burly, middle-aged man. He wore the standard issue steel armor given to the basic soldiers of the Holy Empire. But, judging by the aura of authority the man exuded, the cloaked figure reckoned he was at least a captain, rank-wise.
"You an adventurer?" He raised his thick eyebrows
"That's me."
"Show me your guild license,"
The cloaked figure reached into her cloak. She took out a card with her name and guild rank and showed it to the guard.
"You pa—wait a minute… That name… Impersonating an Imperial princess is a grave crime!" He unsheathed his blade.
"Oh? But I'm not impersonating. After all…"
With a grin on her face, she pulled off her cloak, sending it flying upwards.
"I really am Fiora Guinevere Pendragon."
Still grinning, Fiora waited for the guard's reaction. She had to say, she was quite proud of that stylish reveal. It was the only reason why she wore that stuffy cloak in the first place.
"Now, bring me to your masters. The Imperial Knights—they're here, right?"
Only for the guard to burst into a laugh.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?! There's no way you're the Imperial Princess!" He wiped a tear off his eyes. "Now, come with me, you rascal! I'll teach you a lesson not to besmirch the name of—Gwahhh!"
The moment he grabbed her hand, lightning surged through his body. He fell down, lying unconscious with the smell of burned flesh filling the air.
The other soldiers, noticing his scream, quickly surrounded the trio with drawn weapons, while the merchants still on the line ran as fast as they could into the encampment with their goods.
This wasn't the first time something like this happened. A group of S-rank adventurers made a scene one day, demanding special treatment from the soldiers. They even cut down some of them, thinking they would be excused since they were the best of the best. After all, the Holy Empire was recruiting all adventurers into their ranks, a necessity considering the growing threat of the Magocracy.
In the end, however, they were subdued by one of the Imperial Knights. Humiliated even, as they failed to even make him draw his sword against them. He simply defeated them by letting them exhaust themselves trying to land their attacks on him.
They were then to work under his watch without pay. A lucky alternative, all things considered, compared to certain death.
The other two hooded figures threw their cloaks as well, revealing a twin tailed redhead and a dark-haired woman.
"Make a move and you're all dead." Fiora declared, one hand on the handle of her still sheathed sword. "Now, where are the Imperial Knights? Tell them the princess wishes to speak to them."
One of the soldiers, a confident-looking young man with a grin on his face, answered, "Ha! There's no need for Master Falkenberg to sully his hand with the likes of you! I, Gazar, will be more than a match for you!"
Drawing his sword, he crossed the gap between him and Fiora in an instant. Graceful Step. The same technique Fiora used.
Unfortunately, his movement was outright sluggish compared to hers.
In a flash, Fiora cut his feeble sword into two.
"W-what? But, that can't be! My sword is made out of mithril! You can't just—"
"Your sword is hollow. Your aura is lacking. I know a child with a stronger sword than you have!"
She slashed a second time, this time to humiliate. Aiming at his belt, she made his uniform pants fall to the ground, revealing his small clothes to the world.
The man tripped, falling butt first to the dirt. His expression was that of fear. Never before had he been beaten this bad!
"Pathetic." Fiora sheathed her sword. "Anyone else wants to try?" Her gaze landed on the rest of the soldiers, who were just as frightened as their leader.
"She beat Lieutenant Gazar!"
"I didn't even see her slash!"
"S-she's too strong! We have to call Sir Falkenberg!"
One guard ran inside the camp. Another blew a horn trumpet, summoning even more soldiers to the scene. If she had to guess, that trumpet was a sign that they were under attack, meaning, they would soon be surrounded by hundreds, no, thousands of soldiers.
Or perhaps that trumpet heralded the arrival of someone else, someone who's fighting prowess surpassed even a whole army.
The old man landed on the field like a meteor, creating a massive crater where his feet hit the ground. He wore a full set of white mithril armor with a similarly white cape. His arms were folded under his chest and his eyes were shut close. A sword rested on his hip, the blade still hidden inside its mithril sheath.
"Sir Falkenberg!"
"Oh thank God you're here! Heh, you're screwed now, little lady!"
The old man opened his eyes, staring down at Fiora with his piercing gray orbs.
"Lady Fiora. To what do I owe your presence here today?" He spoke.
The soldiers gasped.
"Huh? She's…. She's really the Second Imperial Princess?"
"W-we're finished!! She's going to execute us all!"
Fiora smirked, her hands resting on her hips.
"Call a council. I wish to speak with all the Knights that are here."
The old knight didn't reply at first. He simply gave her a grim look as he eyed her up and down.
"...Very well. As you wish, Lady Fiora. Please, follow me."
As Fiora made her way through the camp, the soldiers they passed by all stood up and gave them a salute. She knew they were giving it not to her, but to the imperial knight instead. Any disrespect against them meant death, as any citizen of the Empire would now.
Still, for them to not recognize their own imperial princess, it annoyed her a little. If she were her sister, they would've treated her like a walking goddess for sure.
"How's the old coot?" Fiora grinned. "I heard he's dying."
"How can you say that about your own father?! If you weren't the princess, I would have cut that tongue of yours already!" The old knight snapped, glaring at her.
"So, are you supporting Alphonse for the throne? Or Rinea? And speaking of them, what have they been doing these past years?"
He remained silent. He didn't want to dignify her with a response.
Their walk eventually took them to a large command tent. Its size easily rivaled the size of a three-story building, dwarfing all the other tents surrounding it. A good number of soldiers were stationed around it, and the moment they noticed their approach, they quickly gathered themselves, giving the imperial knight a salute as they stood tall and proud.
"Sir Falkenberg! What brings you here, Sir?" One of the soldiers asked.
"Send a message to the other imperial knights. Tell them that I request an urgent meeting right now."
"An urgent meeting? Did something happen, Sir?"
"Are you blind? The Second Imperial Princess is here!"
"The Second Imperial Princess?" He paused, his eyes glancing towards Fiora. "You—you're the Second Imperial Princess, Lady Fiora Guinevere Pendragon?"
One by one the soldiers kneeled, apologizing for not recognizing her sooner.
Fiora didn't grace them with a response. She simply told them to move aside so she could enter the tent.
Inside, she was greeted by a large room, with a roundtable in the middle, surrounded by lavish-looking chairs with armrests and tall backs. Both the table and the chair were red though for the former it was only red because of the fur tablecloth covering its surface. At the corners of the room were a few more chairs and tables, along with some oaken bookshelves. A map of the world hung on the northern wall, accompanied by smaller, regional maps of the Magocracy and Frastelleren and the terrain surrounding it.
Fiora didn't hesitate. She took a seat on one of the lavish chairs, fully knowing it was intended to be used only for the Imperial Knights when they had their meetings.
"Now, go out there and call your friends." She waved her hand in a dismissive manner towards the old man."
He once again opted not to reply, exiting the tent the moment he was told to do so. His face was clearly displeased, however, something Fiora was well aware of.
"Sir Siegfried Falkenberg." She spoke with a smirk. "The famous dragonslayer. To be honest, slaying merely a horde of S-rank dragons isn't that impressive of a feat. With my current strength, I can easily do the same."
"Milady." Helen finally decided to speak. "Are you sure it's a good idea to antagonize him so much? You'll want his support if you were to become Empress."
"Oh please, he already set his mind on supporting my brother. He's the traditionalist sort, preferring a male emperor over a female one."
In the Empire, many nobles followed that kind of thought. Knowing that the Legendary Hero was a male in the past, they wanted only males to be the emperor.
"So," Sara put her hands on her hips. "You think you're stronger than these imperial knights guys? You're going to beat them into submission? That's your plan, isn't it? You lead them into war, win, and then become a hero of the Empire. Then you'll take the throne. Sorry, but I've no interest in that. I'll just take a ship and make my own way across the ocean tonight."
Fiora rested her chin on the back of her hands, her elbows leaning on the table. Smiling, she replied, "Don't be hasty. We have to ensure that Ars isn't in the city first. May I remind you that the port town no longer has any ships going to the Southwestern Continent? Unless, of course, I gave the order." Her smile grew. "So there's a high chance he's still around, keeping a low profile most likely. That, or he had crossed over using some miracle the Heavenly Dragon had in store for him. I wouldn't be surprised if he just ran across the ocean."
Sara's frown deepened. At this rate, she'd never catch up to him!
"Now, why don't you two make your way to the city and look around? No need to worry about me. I can handle these knights on my own."
"Hmph, who's worried about you? Come, Helen! We'll go!"
Sara was the first to leave the tent. Helen gave a concerned look at Fiora before taking a bow and leaving as well.
Once they were gone, Fiora closed her eyes.
Might as well have a little sleep while I still can.
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The news of the Second Imperial Princess' arrival spread like newsfire, both through the imperial encampment and the port town itself. No one really knew what she was like, having little to no public appearances unlike her older sister and brother. Some believed she was kidnapped years ago. Others believed she left on her own volition to become an adventurer. And now, they questioned why she would come here of all places. A delicate princess like her shouldn't be in a dangerous place like this! The Magocracy could attack at any moment!
When Sara and Helen entered the port town, they quickly made their way to the Adventurer's Guild. Only to find that it was mostly empty, with only a single receptionist sitting with a dejected expression behind the counter.
The moment they entered, the receptionist bolted out of her seat, greeting the two with a smile.
"Welcome to the Adventurers Guild! How may I help you?"
Helen and Sara exchanged a short glance before they walked up to the brown-haired woman.
"Greetings." Helen spoke first. "I'm looking for a certain man. I was wondering if you can put up a request for his information."
Sara then explained how Ars looked and how he was a really strong swordsman.
"Hmm, I can't say I know an adventurer like him." The receptionist bit her lip. "As you can see, ever since the Empire's army came here, adventurers have steered clear of this city. They do not want to be involved in the war against the Magocracy." Leaning forward, she whispered in a conspiratorial manner, "And they don't want to be drafted by the Imperial Knights either."
Sara sighed. She should've known it wouldn't be that easy.
"Thank you for the information." Helen nodded. "Can you arrange it so posters of him are spread around the city?"
"Sure but that would cost you a fortune."
"That's fine. We can pay."
"Then, come back here later in the evening. I'll have our painter come so you can describe his appearance to her." The receptionist smiled. "And of course, you'll have to pay the forward fee right now."
"How much?"
"That would be 10 silver coins, ma'am."
The maid frowned. That was quite expensive. Still, she had no choice but to fork up the payment. Her Lady already told her to spare no expense in the search.
Helen took out her wallet pouch from her skirt pocket, taking the exact amount of silver coins and putting them down on the wooden table. With a smile, the receptionist counted the coins to the precise amount before dropping them down to the drawer under the table. She then took out a form from the same drawer, putting it on the table.
"Now, sign here, please."
Helen brought the parchment closer to her face, giving it a good read. She knew how important it was to read your contracts before you put your name on them.
Satisfied, she put the parchment down and signed it with her real name. No point in hiding her identity anymore, now that the princess had revealed herself to the knights.
And besides, with how strong they were, she was quite confident she could handle any assassins sent their way.
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"Well well well, look at what we have here. The princess in the flesh."
A spear flew through the air, faster than sound itself.
CLANG
Fiora's hand swiftly pulled out her sword from her sheathe, blocking the spear going right after her neck.
"Oho? The princess is awake after all?"
"You're going to have to try harder than that if you're going to kill me in my sleep, Sir Aaron."
Fiora opened her eyes, smirking. As expected, she was now surrounded by the Imperial Knights, well, some of them anyway. And one of them had taken her bait.
Lord Aaron Gert was his name. He was a man in his late twenties, with spiky blue hair and an eye patch. He had an arrogant, confident look on his face. A silver spear rested in his hands, its tip pressing into the flat edge of Fiora's blade. He saw her sleeping and decided it was a good idea to stab his pointy spear into her skull. After all, he and his noble house were part of the faction that supported Rinea Rhea Pendragon for the throne. Taking her out would earn him a seat in her inner circle.
And who knows? If he were lucky, he might even have her hand in marriage. Ah, how wonderful it would be to make that beautiful woman scream of pleasure at night.
Aaron chuckled, withdrawing his spear, storing it behind his back.
"You've gotten strong, Lady Fiora. I see all those years hiding with the Galahad Order bore some fruit."
Fiora's eyes scanned her surroundings. Three other Imperial Knights were there. Two newcomers. One was a large brown-haired man with a pair of kite shields tied to his back. His eyes were closed and his arms were folded in front of his chest.
The other… was her old teacher.
"It's been a while, isn't it? Master Gloria?" Fiora gave her a smirk.
She looked just like the way she did all those years ago when she left her. She must have been in her thirties by now yet she still looked as if she was 25. Fiora couldn't help being impressed by her everlasting beauty.
The golden-haired woman stared at her with a frown. "Why are you here?"
"Really? That's what you're going to say to me, your poor little pupil? No, 'welcome back', or 'I missed you'?"
Gloria fell silent.
"No, nevermind. You didn't even try to stop Aaron from attacking me. You really have decided to be my enemy."
"Don't be a fool. I know someone like you would never let herself die from such a simple attack. I taught you myself. I know your talent in the sword.
Fiora let out a laugh. "Oh, such praise. I am unworthy, Master Gloria."
"As for why I'm here…" She paused for dramatic effect as she rested her chin by the back of her hands, placing her elbows on the table. "I'm taking charge of the war effort. From today, you all work under me as my Imperial Knights."
"Ha!" Aaron pointed his spear at her. "As if we'll ever do that, you arrogant little brat! You might be an Imperial Princess but you have no standing whatsoever in the Empire! We can dispose of you now and no one will make a fuss!"
"Is that why you tried to attack me while I'm asleep, Sir Aaron?" Fiora glanced at him with an amused smile. "I assure you, I wouldn't be here if I hadn't anticipated you acting in such a way. For starters, it's only you who desires to curry favor with my older sister. The other knights will never agree to such a duplicitous action. Right, Sir Siegfried?"
The old man gave her an annoyed look. Reluctantly, he answered, "My sword is for the Emperor. And he will be saddened if anything happens to you."
"And how about you, Sir Conrad? Do you wish to take my head?"
The big man absentmindedly scratched his cheek, a small smile adorning his round, almost childish face. "...I don't participate in politics. But killing young girls like you… I don't think that's something I'd like to do…"
"And there's no need to ask my own tutor, is there?" She winked towards Gloria. The knight responded by a silent glare.
Fiora's grin grew. So far, this went exactly as she had predicted.
"Now, Sir Aaron." She stood up, staring right at the imperial knight's eyes before unsheathing her sword, pointing it towards him. "I challenge you to a duel."
"A-a duel?" His voice shook as he took a step backwards.
"Yes. You tried to assassinate a royal princess in her sleep. The punishment would be death. However, I know very well that my siblings, the true ruler of this empire now, will never grant you that verdict. That's why you tried to do it in the first place, and in such a blatant manner at that."
Aaron gulped. He didn't expect this development in the slightest. Since when was the Second Imperial Princess this bold? She was supposed to be a coward who ran away instead of fighting for the throne like her siblings!
"Oh yes, I am no fool. I know my father is dead and that the Empire is hiding it from the public. We can't afford to be seen as weak right now, not when the Magocracy and the demons are pushing against us."
She walked a step further, resting the tip of her sword on his armor.
His face went completely pale, sweat dripping down from his forehead.
"If you deny my request, I'll announce the truth to the masses. And then, I'll enjoy seeing this rotten empire crumble from inside and out."
H-how? How could she know His Imperial Majesty is dead?! Even the Capital's nobles don't know!
I can't let her blabber her mouth or else Lady Rinea will be mad!
"F-fine." He coughed. "I'll duel you. But if you believe I'll go easy on you just because you're the princess, think again!"
Fiora smiled. Phase 1 of her plan is now complete.
"Let's take it outside then. I assure you're ready to fight right now? Night hasn't come yet so you can order all the soldiers to watch."
"W-what? The soldiers? You want us to duel out in the open?!"
"Indeed. They are to become witnesses of my victory. And, if I lose and you kill me, you can just say that the second imperial princess has switched sides to the Magocracy and that she came to kill the Imperial Knights to prove her loyalty to her new masters.
Aaron froze. What she said… it could work! No one knew how the second princess was like! And knowing she appeared out of nowhere like this after being missing for years, he could easily convince the people that she was a traitor! And then, he would be a hero for slaying her! And he'd get rewarded by Lady Rhea as well!
"I'll take you on your offer." He grinned maliciously. "As a Virtuoso-rank lancer of the Lancelot school, I'll teach you that a whelp like you is far too early to challenge an Imperial Knight like me."
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A/N:
By the way, the receptionist is the same big-chested receptionist Hugo met all those years ago.
And I'm not sure if I've posted it already or not but this is Fiora's new look.