Jeff didn’t dress up in his new dress uniform nor did he order an elaborate dinner. In fact, he did not expect anything else from the evening other than a nice dinner and a conversation. Will the conversation be friendly or pleasant? He expected not. But this was important. He knew he needed as many friends as he could get and she needed support. So he sat in anticipation. Trying not to think of the near future of the dinner or the fact that this will be the last time he will see Xilna till he arrives at her mother's. To fulfill his contract. Who was currently with Rachel.
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“ You don’t have to dress up. He is not in his dress uniform. He wanted to appear more as he was to you... before he fully delved into playing the role he has been cast for.”
Rachel brought the dress she was looking at to the mirror in front of her and then set it down for the next one. Her friends, Becky and Alice watching from behind the dragonkin maid. One with an amused look on her face and the other slack-jawed from seeing the maid being a more worthy fighting woman than herself.
“ If she is saying that, perhaps just some regular clothing, like he is wearing, will suffice.”
Rachael turned to look at the witch and she shrunk to the saintess’s gaze.
“ The last time we met, he showed me his path forward. Everything from his dress to him revealing his vulnerabilities. He is set to learn the ways of war and fight for his freedom.”
She then relented her stare to go back to picking a dress.
“ If he is going to be the commander that leads armies to war, then I am going to be the one who brings salvation to the masses that follow. Most of the others, see this as a game. So few of us are taking this seriously. By whatever gods that run this messed up world, Becky looks like she is about to propose to Xelna.”
This causes the others' attention to turn to the spellsword, who realizes then she is staring.
“ What, I’ve had enough men for now.”
Xilna blinked unamused at that and turned back toward the saintess.
“ Ignoring the unwanted otherworlder innuendo, if you do not pick one out soon, the food will grow cold.”
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This caused her to pause and sigh before going to the one dress she knew she would be wearing all along. A modest light blue dress that went just below her knees. It took her seconds to slip it over her bare body and Becky raised an eyebrow to not putting on any undergarments.
“ So full commando? Respect that and I have to say, expecting some fast-acting excitement? ”
Rachel turned to glare at her friend again, but as she did the dragonkin grabbed her hair and started to comb it.
“ Will you stop stalling like a nervous princess? I will only brush out the knots and then you are out the door. Even if I have to drag you there.”
Rachael squirmed before she sighed in defeat.
“ Alright, alright, I get it. I should have never agreed to this stupid dinner.”
Xilna pulls a rather nasty knot making the woman wince in pain.
“ You will regret it more if you did not. Believe it or not but I have come to be rather fond of you two otherworlders. Like pets who want to play with each other but were too hurt by their former masters. So you do not know if this is a playmate or your next opponent to the death.”
There was a notable pause as Xilna continued to comb the saintess’s hair.
“ Well on that depressing note, I’m out. The all-you-can-eat buffet in the blue dorm comune room calling my name.”
With that, Becky left and Alice only stayed long enough to help her pick a pair of comfortable shoes that went with the dress. After a few minutes of crunching her face in pain from all the knots being pulled out, and the hair attached to them, Rachel felt relief when she realized it was over. Already she could feel new hair growing back from what was lost.
“ So, you are leaving tomorrow. Will you have a replacement... or?...”
Xilna turns the saintess around and licks her thumb to work on the girl's eyelashes.
“ No, my term of service here ends in a few hours. Then I am given the next day to settle any lingering affairs and depart. In fact, after I drop you off at your dinner I will be leaving to pack my things and report one last time to the Duke.”
Rachel frowned in disappointment at that news.
“ I thought... well, you would at least serve us.”
The maid shook her head.
“ I cannot, one, you do not need me to. You and he both have servant-type constructs trained to do such things. Two, I just do not have the time. I should be packing right now in fact.”
Rachel could not help but look at her maid construct, feeling foolish for forgetting about it.
“ Oh, there was something I wanted to ask if you knew. Would my cards follow his orders over mine?”
Xilna paused hearing that.
“ I believe not. While Jeff would be their primary summoner, he did give them to you to command. Now, if there are no conflicting orders, they probably will follow his orders, because he is their originator and your subclass is based on his main. Then you got to add in their prime directive.”
Rachel paused hearing that.
“ Prime directive?”
Xilna nods in response to the question.
“ It is their primary set of orders to follow in case there are no standing orders. They are usually something along the lines of ‘protect my summoner’. Which would be you for your cards and not Jeff.”
Rachael nods to this and decides to check her subclass for anything like that and finds it was a little more than that.
Command ONE priority: ‘Safeguard summoner and freedom’