I return my chambers and take off my sword and shield, beginning the arduous process of removing my armor, stripping each plate and strap and carefully setting them aside. As I remove my chestpiece, I notice several bloodstains that have splattered on the front.

“I better polish that…” I place it next to the sink, quickly take the rest of my armor off, and change into my evening attire. I don’t have much time to lounge about-- I am expecting company after all!

I only cook mutton when Daiki is set to visit, but over the years I have gotten quite the knack for it. Spices from the Sagolii desert really help enrich its flavor, though I make sure that it's on the more mild side for his sake. Before the calamity, I would have insisted on pairing it with authentic Bacchus wine, but since that wasn’t an option anymore, most Lominsan substitutes will suffice.

I put on some relaxing songs by The Flying Chocobos on the orchestrion and read through the latest issue of The Mythril Eye whilst waiting for the mutton to finish cooking. At around the halfway point, I also cut up and steam some carrots for a side dish with some thyme sprinkled on top.

I only barely manage to finish putting things together when I hear a knock at my door. I open it for Daiki, who is in the same full armored suit he’s always in, though he has taken the time to bring along some flowers for me-- such a charmer.

“Aww, Thank you! You’re just in time.” I say excitedly, taking the flowers and placing them carefully into a vase. “The mutton is almost done cooking, come in and have a seat!”

“Oh! Thank you.” He does so, setting his weapon down next to the door first.

“Sorry about the heat, I’m fresh out of ice crystals. You must be melting in that thing!”

“You really needn’t go through so much trouble for me, Anah.” He leans back in his seat. “The fact that you always go through the hassle of getting mutton, too? You spoil me!” I put together two plates for us and took my seat across from him.

“Well, I know how you get homesick. I just want you to feel comfortable is all.” I cut my portion into smaller pieces before I begin to eat. “I know you don’t really like to talk about your past, but maybe it would help you feel better to reminisce about your home? Whenever I get tired of Thanalan, talking about my childhood in The Black Shroud always makes me feel better.”

“...” He hesitated. “I just…”

“How about this,” I put my fork and knife down for a second. “If you’re ashamed of it or something, that’s fine! Just describe what you miss.”

“Alright, that seems fair.” He took a bite of lamb. Even after all these summers, seeing the fork phase through his glamoured helmet was still an amusing sight. “Can you remind me of…exactly what I’ve already told you?”

“Let’s see…” I look upwards. “You’ve come from a distant land with the help of your master, and because he helped you travel, you owe him a great debt.” I tap my cheek. “I think you also mentioned you had a ruler similar to Nanamo in her mannerisms?”

“Yes! Yes.” He laughs. “Most like Nanamo in her recklessness, I would say. She preferred to look at things with her own eyes, no matter how much her advisors would warn her otherwise.”

“Hah, I’m sure she was a handful too.” I say, digging into the meal.

“Do you remember Coerthas, before the calamity?”

“Yes! I went there all the time as a girl with my family to hunt.”

“It was just like that. Lush green hills, beautiful trees and flowers as far as the eye could see, and absolutely teeming with life, and just close by were waters that stretched for malms and malms.” He grew more passionate with each word. “We didn’t have any Dravanian foes, either, so you could really just get lost in the woods, only fearing maybe a wild boar coming your way. Would that you could have seen it…”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Well, it’s not too late, is it?” I tilted my head. “Unless the calamity…but you were here well before that.”

“...That’s a nice thought, but it's very far, and very difficult to get to if you weren’t born there.”

“Mmm.” I pull my fork up to my mouth. “Hopefully by the time we retire, that changes.”

“I really would love to show you.” He leans forward. “When I left my home, it was to do my part to avert a terrible disaster, and slowly but surely I get closer to completing that goal. Sometimes, it’s hard for me to tell if I’m doing the right thing at all…”

“Oh please, Daiki. You’ve a heart twice as noble as any Ul’dahn man.” I grab my glass. “Trying to save your home like that is very righteous, even if it means you might have to do some unsavory things to get where you need to be.”

“...Aye. Thank you.” He shuffles in his seat. “How was Zahar’ak? I heard you stopped Ifrit from being summoned altogether.”

“Yes! There were some…close calls, but all in all it was successful. It also gave me the opportunity to see The Scions’ work firsthand, and they are quite impressive with their teamwork.” I paused for a second. “While you were away, I discovered some sensitive information, and because of it, I have a request to make of you.”

He looked up from his plate to me.

“I…I would like for you to stop your pursuit of Halone’s Champion.” I say firmly.

“Huh?” He pulls back slightly. “What do you mean? How could you…”

“I have already determined their identity with almost perfect certainty.” I cup my hands on the table. “But I also have reason to believe that this little champion of ours no longer poses any threat. They have been…defanged, so to speak.”

“How could you possibly tell that?”

“I have witnessed it firsthand, the good they are capable of.” I speak confidently. “Some of it, good beyond measure. It would be accurate to say that I owe them a debt that can not be repaid, no matter how much I may try. You could consider this a token effort on my part to see that they are treated fairly.”

“I wish you wouldn’t speak in such riddles. What has he done to convince you of his character?”

“You know I can’t tell you that. But you trust my judgment,” I swirled the wine in my glass. “Don’t you?”

“...Of course I do. But the syndicate surely won’t! They have already been putting more pressure on us from a lack of results for Fyrgeiss’s death, and now you want us to say it's running cold after we just told them about the dark knight in Wineport?!”

“No, because we don’t have to.” I set my glass down on the table. “The assassin we nearly caught by the Alchemist’s guild, Kuromi? All of this can be pinned on her instead. We just need you to testify.”

“So they are different people, just as I suspected.” He shook his head. “You ask much of me, Anah. My entire reputation rests on my gift, if word ever got out that I lied…”

“It won’t.”

“But--”

“It won’t!”

He let out a weary sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Alright, alright. Fine. But if this ‘champion’ ever acts out of turn-!”

“I will tell you his identity immediately, and you can go and arrest him yourself.” I say reassuringly. “For now, we can just keep pursuing this lead on Kuromi and our suspect in Vylbrand, and try to lead the Syndicate in circles. Once we’ve captured one of them, then we can talk about what’s next. This will also give us more time to convince you that Halone’s Champion is reformed, alright?”

“I suppose.”

“I know you are hesitant to trust dark knights, but it wouldn’t be the first time you were surprised by one.” I reach forward and place my hand over his. “Or have you already forgotten the heroic contributions of our dear friend Azim?”

“Please. The only thing he cared about was his lover.”

“I think you’re wrong about that. And either way, it doesn’t matter-- He helped us all the same! However uncommon, we both know that these knights can be a force for good, not just vigilante justice.”

“Maybe this champion can be turned on the Garleans, too.” He took a sip of wine. “I hope we don’t regret this.”

“...That makes two of us.”