Odesday, 1st of Febrinna, 5662 AE, 468th Year of the 5th Era
The sun was already up, rising from the east when we finally made it back to the encampment. As Ivan and I neared the camp, we could see at its head that Hunt was waiting for us along with Sir Churchward and Harry. Hunt had a hint of worry on his face as he saw us approaching a few hours later than our agreed upon timeline. Harry on the other hand also had an annoyed expression as he looked antsy waiting for us, his arms crossed as his left foot was tapping on the ground incessantly. He looked like he was about to say something before he saw Jenny was being carried by Ivan on his back.as she had her arms wrapped around him. Seeing this, Harry immediately rushed forwards towards Ivan with a worried look on his face.
“Jen!! How did this happen? Are you seriously hurt?! I knew I shouldn’t have trusted these two oafs with your safety!” Harry was practically running around and worrying needlessly as if a hen that had lost its head and one of her eggs. Suffice it to say, I was slowly but surely starting to get tired of this ingrate’s constant provocations and it took everything in me to remain calm.
“I’m fine, Harry, I was just tired…” Jen said as she tapped Ivan on his shoulders to signal him to let her go down. He gave her a look to confirm before she nodded as she planted her feet on the ground. She was still a little shaky, but with some minor support from Ivan she could walk just fine. “Thank you, Ivan.”
As Harry got close enough to Jenny, he immediately embraced her, only sparing a sinister snide glance towards Ivan who was still supporting the lady. “I’m begging you Jen, don’t do things like this ever again!”
Ivan only scoffed as he crossed his arms not willing to start anything but we could all see that he was very annoyed. Speaking of which, it was also the first time I saw Jenny with a mildly perturbed expression as she was returning Harry’s embrace. Without being able to give it much more thought, I heard Hunt finally asking us what had happened to cause such a delay.
“So what happened, Charles? I hope you didn’t run into anything difficult…” Hunt said before I finally took out the Wyvern heads and threw it on the ground in front of me and Hunt.
“Would these things count as difficult?” I chuckled as I scratched my head. I swear, Hunt’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets as his jaw too was open wide. The man gave the two decapitated lizard heads a good minute of gawking before his eyes went back up to me and the rest of our reconnaissance team.
“You ran into wyverns?! How… How did you manage to-... Did any of you sustain any injuries?!” This time it was Hunt who had a worried tone as he started trying to inspect me and my equipment in search of non-existent injuries. I merely laughed before trying to calm the man down.
“It’s a long story, one that’s better to be told on the road and in private Sir Hunt, but all in all it’s fine. We’ve marked the safest trail towards our destination and with the Lord’s providence we shouldn’t be running into anything dangerous any time soon. We were lucky though, seeing as how the wyverns too were injured from a previous hunt.”
“Still, though… These are beasts that even I would have some level of difficulty in managing against. It’s almost reckless what you did, but at the same time I can’t help but be amazed by your ability.”
“It’s a team effort, sir. We wouldn’t have gotten out of the situation as well as we did if it weren’t from a concerted effort from everyone in the group. I handled the more injured of the two wyverns while Ivan and Jenny had dealt with the other. Also…”
I leaned in closer as I gave a report to Hunt of the White Griffin we had spotted and our assumptions on the event that had taken place leading up to our encounter with the Wyverns. As I explained the situation in brief detail, Hunt nodded before giving me some directives in a relatively hushed tone as I had done earlier. “As we set off from camp and into the trail you have marked for us, I would like for you to show me and the Reverend Mother the place of your encounter with the beasts. If it hasn’t been too long since the battle, the remains should be there and it would do good for us to conduct a brief investigation on the matter even if we have our main objective already outlined for us. Griffons, especially as rare as the one you described, shouldn't randomly be in some forests in the middle of nowhere being chased by some wyverns. I suspect there’s something sinister transpiring here that may or may not even be connected to the Malcanis cult.”
“I concur with your decisions, sir.” I nodded to which Hunt gave me a couple of reassuring pats on my shoulder.
“Good man. Now, I believe it would be best if we set off-..!”
“You two asshats have no right nor ability to pull off a stunt like that!! YOU COULD’VE GOTTEN KILLED!” Harry’s raised voice and shouting immediately caught Hunt’s attention and mine as well as we looked at what headache of a scene was occurring. I could see Harry with one arm around Jenny and the other pointing towards Ivan in an abrasive way, as if asking for a fight. I could see Ivan’s patience starting to run thin but it was then that I saw Jenny actually pushing herself away from Harry’s embrace which caused everyone to be surprised. Just as she did that, she lost her footing again and was about to fall down but luckily, Ivan caught her.
Giving little thought to the fact she almost fell, Jenny kept on glaring right at Harry with a serious look that I would never imagine her ever giving to someone who I assumed was her lover. But regardless, I could tell a spat was about to happen.
“Harry! I think I’ve had enough of your needlessly abrasive behaviour and frankly, uncalled for hostility towards both Charlie and especially Ivan, who I remind you is supposed to be our comrade!” Jenny exclaimed as he made her point clear, pointing her index finger to his chest and pressing on it assertively. “I had let you be these past few days because I thought you would get over whatever it is you have against Ivan, but I’m disappointed and frankly tired to see you haven’t and in fact it’s gotten worse that you would even involve me within your conflicts with others!”
Harry was shocked for a split second as a flabbergasted look could be seen on his face, but I’ll give credit where credit’s due, the man quickly got a hold of his emotions - at least the emotions he was showing on his face - as he collected himself into a softer expression when facing Jenny.
“No, Jenny, you don’t understand, I-.. I didn’t really mean what I said when I was talking about Ivan or Charles, as I was just worried for you, Jen!” Harry said with a slightly calming tone “Look, I’ll even apologise to them! Ivan, we haven’t been on the best of terms, but really I meant nothing by it. You’re not petty enough to hold that against me, are you?”
Ivan merely scoffed at the man’s blatant two-faced attempt to calm the situation. To his surprise however, Jen was not quick to forgive the man as she continued, “Enough! I think I’ve reminded you enough, but I’m going to say it again regardless. I am not your possession, Harry, and though I may enjoy a bit of fondness from your company, you and I aren’t anything serious!”
Oh shit. That was cold. Stone cold. If I were Harry at that point, I would’ve just booked it then and there and gone home or at the very least find a bloody hole in the ground to stick my head in. I thought Jenny was just being emotional and didn’t mean what she said but looking at how serious and stoic her expression was after saying all that and the silence that permeated after, perhaps this wasn’t a bluff at all. Soon enough Jenny blew out an exasperated sigh before she finally said, “I’m still tired from the battle, and I want to rest for a bit…”
Not wanting to miss this opportunity, Harry immediately made his move as he held out his arm again to try and support Jenny, “That’s alright, Jen, let me help you-...!”
“It’s quite alright!” Jenny quickly rejected the man’s goodwill as she swatted his hands away “Ivan would be quite enough to help me. I’m sorry for having to trouble you like this, Ivan…”
“The pleasure is all mine, milady.” Ivan said with a chuckle before he gave Harry the biggest shit-eating grin I’ve ever seen the man give out. Harry’s reaction wasn’t any more dignifying. If looks could kill, Ivan would be a dead man judging from how Harry was glaring daggers at my best friend. Soon enough as Ivan and Jenny made their way back to the encampment, Harry too stormed off huffing and puffing.
To my side, I could only feel an immense sense of sympathy towards Hunt with what he had to deal with as he was again massaging his temples in frustration. I only gave the man a sympathetic look as I patted his back in consolation. After that, he only let out another sigh before silently chuckling as he looked at me with a resigned expression signalling how tired he was of the whole ordeal. Again, I merely nodded in understanding as soon enough we too made our way back inside the encampment to help in the preparations of setting off from the area.
Hunt had exempted me, Ivan, and Jenny from helping out with the packing up of the encampment in light of our earlier debacle to encourage us instead to rest. Mother Margaret had come and cast a few spells of her own on Ivan and I with her light-attribute magic. It actually felt superbly refreshing. After grabbing some rabbit meat for us to eat as well as some cooked water, Ivan and I decided to sit on a large rock which gave us a good view of the men taking apart the encampment.
I could see that Ivan had a somewhat giddy appearance with a stupid smile on his face as he was gorging on his food. This of course piqued my interest greatly as I had a couple of ideas of what might’ve transpired, but to be sure I asked him, “Alright, what’s gotten you so absolutely giddy this morning?”
“Oh it’s really nothing…” Ivan said at first feigning ignorance, but it was so obvious he was hiding something as his smile grew wider and wider. It was when he had taken the last bite from his rabbit meat skewer did he finally decide to give a more straightforward answer. “Okay, so after that whole ordeal with that cyka Harry, of course I had accompanied Jenny back to her tent, and when we got there, she gave me a kiss on my right cheek…”
“Cut the bullshit, Ivan. I know for Goddamned fact nothing that tame would get you that giddy…” I pressed for the truth despite the fact the answer did not at all go as I thought it would
“I wasn’t finished. So after the light peck, which caught me by surprise, I looked at her for all of five seconds in shock before I showed her what real kissing is like, with all the glorious tongue I could have-...!”
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“Alright! MOVING ON!” I clasped my hands together to spare myself the torture of having to imagine such a graphic scene. It went beyond my expectations and I couldn’t help but feel even the slightest bit of sympathy towards Harry.
“But we didn’t even get to the part where I was caressing her bare br-..”
“Ivan!!” Now that was truly going too far.
“Oh, I’m only joking. I only managed to cop a feel over her dress. Though it was still a quaint enough feeling in my hand.” Ivan said as he moved his right hand into a cupping motion, wriggling his fingers around which only caused me to stare at him with disgust.
“Ivan, that’s crude and improper...” I said as I threw my had back with my palms over my face “Goddammit man! You’re married! What would your wife even say about this…?!”
“Oy, don’t you dare try and tell me you wouldn’t do the same were you in my shoes, Mr. ‘I impregnated my dead grandpa’s widow’” Ivan said with a mocking expression and a shit eating grin which vexed me to no end.
“I swear to God, that’s the only card in your whole fucking deck, Ivan! Every single time…!”
“It’s the only trump card I need, hahahahah! Besides that! I am deeply offended, Carl.” Ivan was feigning ignorance as he had his hand over his chest “I am offended by the fact that you don’t realise how I am the true victim in all of this! Jenny didn’t even ask for my consent before she placed her lips on my cheek!”
I only gave Ivan a blank stare as I squinted my eyes at him slowly.
“Pfffft….. BAHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!” Ivan fell on his back as he bursted out laughing, no longer able to contain himself properly as his fist pounded on the ground.
I sighed as I saw my friend all giddy. “Whatever, man. That’s still a loser thing to do.”
“Then why do I feel like such a winner?” Ivan retorted as he recollected himself “Honestly, the only thing that could've made it all even more perfect is if Harry was there to see it with his own two eyes as I did it.”
“Not even I would go so far as to openly cuckold a man like that.”
“Yeah well, that cocksucker fuckin’ deservers it! Always throwing his weight around, acting like he’s all that as if he’s the bloody main character of some shitty RPG Harem anime! I bet he’s insecure about the size of his cock, I say!”
“Oy, not too loud or you’ll be getting a scolding from Hunt.” I reminded Ivan as I patted him on the back to calm down. “He’s not worth exerting any effort from us to even spare the time of day thinking about him.”
“But it’s still fucking irritating having to put up with so much shit, being looked down on by a fucking half-wit lowlife like him. It’s like my childhood all over again with those accursed boyars! A bloody knight from some small barony in the ass-end of nowhere! Does he not realise when he speaks to me that he’s talking to an emperor?!”
“Pfft, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves, Ivan. Not even I would guess that you were anything special if I didn’t already know who you were.”
“Tch. What an ass!”
“Nah, but I’m serious though. I don’t get how you’re even all that bothered by the prick. As far as insults go, the way you and Vlad talk to each other and fight would put even the worst of archenemies to shame but despite all that I’d say you’re even closer to Vlad than me!”
As I said that, Ivan only scoffed before he gave me a rather melancholic smile. “That’s a little different, Carl. Vlad is an annoying, sulky, creepy, piece of human garbage who does nothing better than getting on my nerves, but I trust that asshole with my life and I know when push comes to shove, we have each other’s backs. Besides, we both have lots of things in common with each other.”
Boy did they ever. I once walked into a conversation when Ivan and Vlad were comparing acts of cruelty like it was nothing. On the one hand Ivan was boasting about how he massacred tens of thousands of men, women, and children in Novgorod for conspiring against him while Vlad was reminiscing of having lunch in a forest made of the impaled corpses of forty thousand Turkmen who were all prisoners of war. He didn’t even bother killing the men before impaling them on the long stakes.
“If those lots of things you have in common refer to the absolute disasters to human life that you both brought upon other people during your tenure as rulers, then I would agree.” I said to Ivan which elicited a hearty laugh from the man.
“Hahahahaha…Indeed, indeed.” Ivan chuckled as he took the last bite from his skewered rabbit meat before throwing the skewer stick away. “But still though, I’m losing my touch, Carl. I can’t help but think that the time we spent in the 21st century has made us quite soft. Far too merciful if I could say so myself.”
“I fail to see how that could possibly ever be a bad thing.” I retorted
“Aye, that would be true if we were still living in America in 2021, but in this savage and fantastical land? Sure the monsters we’re facing now are objectively spawns of hell, werewolves and beasts who make a routine habit of murdering villagers and probably even eating babies, but what of later on? What if it comes to a point where we’re on the battlefield and we have to start killing again, killing people with families, friends…”
As Ivan said that, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the blood I had on my own hands. The lives of millions either slaughtered or brought into slavery in my quest to find gold in the new world to fuel my endless wars in Europe. But I was also reminded of the scene of the werewolf couple I had slaughtered personally during the siege of Surlock. It still left a bitter taste in my mouth I had yet to fully get rid of. I had closed my eyes to shake off the feelings of guilt I had before taking a good look at Ivan with a serious expression. “We’ll get there when we get there. I don’t want to speak of such ‘what ifs’ when we still have so much going on in front of us.”
“Aye, that I can agree with, Carl. But speaking of things that are in front of us, I think I’ll have to rethink my own current situation within my party…” Ivan said as he looked towards Hunt who was coordinating the efforts as the last of the tents were being packed up. I raised an eyebrow at what Ivan said before he continued explaining “Don’t get me wrong, Carl. I appreciate all that Hunt has done for me ever since the first day I got stuck in this God-forsaken world and I have nothing in me but respect for that man and what he does, but I can’t stand that prick Harry and being in a team where I don’t fully trust everyone in it bodes poorly for me. Besides, even Percy has been saying that he is required by his family to return to Coldreach after all of this is over and Jenny also needs to at least pay some personal lip service to the Mage’s academy every once in a while and complete her obligations in that institution. The party’s disbanding by itself without any of my intervention… Well, maybe when this is all over and we return to the main branch headquarters in Skysea, I’ll try striking it out on my own for a while… Oh then I can even try to search for any other awakened who might be in this world in Feldonia and form my own guild in the association…!”
“Hahahah, looks like you got your future planned out for you. A solid plan, all things considered.”
“Oy, Carl, don’t talk like that as if you have nothing to do with what I have in store for the future.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh stop playing dumb, Mr. Student Council President! I mean that we should form the guild together! You know as well as I do that I don’t have the same penchant for leadership that you have and I could honestly picture it now in my mind, you and me with several others adventuring around this world in search for answers, glory, and gold! It’ll be amazing.”
“Pfft, you put too much stock in my abilities as well as my desire to carry out your ambitions. I don’t even think I have any ambitions of my own here save trying to find the others and perhaps returning back to Earth.”
“Shut up, man. Aren’t you the one who said you were ‘The ruler of the first empire on which the sun never set’. Also what’s this about ‘having no ambitions’. Your personal motto is literally ‘Plus Ultra’.”
I could only smile and shake my head as I continued to hear Ivan’s nonsense. “Regardless of any of that, I have still yet to completely finish my basic training with Alfred, and that might even take me months. But yes your offer does indeed intrigue me.”
“It’s alright Carl, you can take your sweet time. I’m not saying I’m immediately going to put my plans into action. I also have to take some time to actually make a name for myself within these lands and gain some fame.”
“Or notoriety…”
“Or that, hahaha… But if you finally do make your way to the capital, be sure to look for me. If nothing else, we should still support each other as friends.”
“Yeah, I can get with that.” I nodded as the both of us gave each other a fist bump.
Soon enough we saw that the camp was just about gone as most of the expeditionary forces were preparing to set off soon. Just as Ivan and I were about to get up and join the rest of the crew, we could see from afar that Harry was once again approaching Jenny to talk about God knows what, but from the looks of it, things still weren’t patched up between the two as Jenny again rebuffed his attempts at perhaps trying to make amends before leaving him to stand in rejection as curiously she made her way towards me and Ivan with Harry not taking his eyes off of her the entire time.
“Oy, you two! We’re going to get a move on! I don’t know what Items you’ve left in your tents but we’ve packed all the miscellaneous things in that wagon over there.” Jenny said as she got closer to us
“Yes, we were just about finished resting, anyways, Jen.” Ivan said “But thanks for the help regardless. You know us men and how we hate the tedious activity of cleaning up after ourselves.”
“Oh you.” Jen playfully pouted before she shrugged and laughed. “Besides, I believe it is I who should be thankful for the adventure you to gave me earlier today and especially to Ivan who had trekked all those miles while carrying this little old me.”
“Hah! Don’t sweat it, Jen. Besides, I’m surprised by how light you are to carry despite the… uh… assets you seem to possess. Heavy equipment and all that.” Ivan said seemingly politely but I could tell where his gaze was, laying upon the bosom of the Ducal Princess in front of us. It wasn’t long before I elbowed the man’s side to get his head back in the game.
“Oh, such a lack of tact, Ivan!” Jenny said as she feigned offence before in the next moment, she had the most seductive smile I think she’s ever displayed to us plastered on her face as she leaned in to Ivan. “My earlier offer still stands, big guy. If you’re looking to relieve some stress… and who knows, maybe even Charlie here can join us.” She bit her lip as she said that before pressing her lips to both mine and Ivan’s cheeks. She gave a giggle before she ran away.
Honestly I was flabbergasted at such a lack of inhibition from someone who was supposed to be of high nobility. Ivan and I only exchanged our dumbfounded expressions before I quickly shook my head to bring myself back to my senses. This was insane, I was a five hundred and twenty year old fossil who should have gotten all of that youthful nonsense out of his system centuries ago. But to be excited by the wiles of such a young temptress, sometimes I could only curse this youthful body of mine.
Ivan was still in a slight trance before again I elbowed the side of his arms, “Oy! Get a hold of yourself, man! Remember God, remember the Blessed Virgin! You’re pitching a tent in your pants and it's bloody embarrassing!”
Ivan was snapping himself out of that ‘spell’ as I said that. However it wasn’t long before our attention was captured by the absolutely fuming and angered expression of Harry who I swore was about to pop a couple of veins in his head. Seeing this, Ivan was even more delighted as he returned Harry’s glare with an even bigger shit-eating grin.
Soon enough the man could not stand himself being cucked as he stormed off to the front of the expeditionary force’s formations before shouting angrily, “SIR HUNT! I’ll be taking charge of the forward scouting for today!”
Poor Hunt didn’t even know what was happening and what had came over Harry as he was in such an infuriated state though the veteran adventurer instinctively knew to turn his attention towards me and Ivan with an inquisitive glare to which we only replied with a half-serious salute. Hunt only squinted his eyes and shook his head before he got on his horse and acquiesced to Harry’s demand to be put on the vanguard.
Today was a bloody tiring day, that’s for sure, but it was also shaping to be a very fun one at that.