Kingdom of humans - afternoon

We are currently roaming around the kingdom streets, up in the fancy section of town. Richard has us searching through the town for a store that sells teacups. So far, we have found zero candidates for Richard's interests. Quincy was helping with the evaluations as to whether the cups were great or not. We just got through with our fifth store so far. I yawn as I grow bored with this.

"Can we go home already," I ask Richard.

"Come on, we only have three more left."

"Three more!? Gah, we'll never get done with this!"

"Have patience, the next two we're going to are close to each other," Quincy assures me.

"But you guys take forever to get through with them."

"Just hang in there, okay,"

Richard says like a mother trying to calm their kid.

"Yeah, yeah. . ."

As we walked on, my eyes were caught on how the people dressed all fancy, some were getting ornaments ready. I wasn't paying attention to it before but some stores were closing early up here; everyone at the lower level was getting their booths ready in the plaza.

"What's going on with everyone up here and down on the lower level?"

"Tonight is the anniversary festival: it always happens on the 23 of the 8th Imperial numbers. During that time, people of the lower part of the kingdom close their shops early and spend time with friends and family alike, partying, eating, and drinking to their heart's content," Quincy explains as if reading off a passage from a book.

"That sounds like a fun time," I reply.

"Yes, but the nobles have their party. Any highly regarded business owner, as well as respected merchants from outside the kingdom, are allowed to attend," Quincy adds on.

"How is the noble party?"

"I wouldn't know, I don't have a way to get in there. Albeit, Crow did invite me at one point while he was a doctor of the kingdom, but I never took him up on it. Looking back on it now, I should've gone."

"Wanted to party hard?"

"No, I would've been able to go into the castle library."

"Seriously?"

". . .I wonder what I could've taken before getting caught?"

"Dude, you would've been caught for a pretty stupid reason, and that's saying something coming from me."

"It's not like I wouldn't have an exit strategy, besides, would you not do the same for an object of interest?"

"But I'm not a thief."

After half an hour, we finally got through with the last three stores. We were back at the steps for the lower level and the upper floor to the castle.

"Finally, we're done!" I stretch my arms toward the sky.

"We found nothing." Richard sighs in defeat with his shoulders hanging low.

"Master Richard, are you sure that we didn't find the right one? I shall go back and purchase it if you'd like?"

"No, it's cool, I'm sure."

This was a waste, we circled the whole damn place and got nothing to show for it. I wonder if I can find a weapons shop out here seeing how I wasn't able to find the sword I got when Cade and I took down a bandit camp together for the first time. After our fight with Cade, I went back with Nunnalé to get my stuff but their hideout was abandoned, their stuff was all gone, no weapons nor supplies were left behind. However, my jacket was still there, it was neatly folded up and the rips made in it were stitched up. Despite our opposition to each other they still cared to treat it well, expecting me to find it. Wearing it now made me feel a bit bad about how things turned out but that doesn't mean I regret saving Marie; I just wished we could've talked it out is all.

"Hm?"

As my eyes wander I take notice of something near the stairs to the kingdom. Walking over to it, it was a signpost that said, "7th-anniversary Festival Ball competition reward". Looking at the bottom part of the pamphlet, I saw a detailed drawing of a cup, it was no ordinary cup, IT WAS A TEACUP! This wasn't a waste after all.

"Hey guys, come here. I think I found our cup."

Anti-army camp, evening

"You want to go to the festival," Alexander repeats my request.

"Yeah," Proxy casually responds.

"Okay," he permits without batting an eye.

"No, Alexander, they're asking to go into the castle, not just to the festival," Marie specified.

"We wouldn't be going there without a reason," Proxy says to her. Marie is glaring at him with that "that's not true" stare.

"Okay, maybe I would go for fun, but this is different."

“Why?"

"I need to get something from there, something important," I speak up.

"Let me guess, this year's prize," Marie ganders a guess.

"This year's?"

"They put a reward up every year for that ball. The winner gets to gloat that they got a trophy from the king. Heck, those awards can make a rich man even richer."

Proxy's eyes beam after the rich comment.

"But why do you guys want to get it," Alex asks.

"We want to give it to Selena as a gift. Considering what she did for me, I feel as if I need to," Richard explains.

Alexander put his hand to his chin, pondering on what he should do. He finally decides after he snaps his fingers.

"Let's all go to the festival," he proposes.

"Brother, you do realize that we can't ALL go? Even with a doctor's pass or a merchant's pass, we can't just simply stroll in there."

"You're right sister, however, we could have Ms. Selena teleport us in there."

"I could, but why would I?" Her voice rings out all of a sudden. Turning my head toward Proxy, I see that she is standing on his head again. Proxy realizes this, he swings his fist upward but she teleports in front of us as he makes his swing.

"Hello, Witch of the Moonlight," Alexander greets her with the utmost respect.

"Oh my, such profound manners, surely someone could learn a lesson from your example."

I had to stop Proxy from trying to lash out against her as she looked at him.

"You brat!"

"Proxy, cool it, we need to be peaceful here!"

"Back to the topic at hand, why would I take you all into the kingdom," Selena poses her question.

"Yes, that's a good question. If you take us, I'll have Proxy take you to go collect the teacup you want," Alexander offers. Proxy gestures a "what the hell" by swinging his arms down.

"Is that so, and what would this teacup look like?"

"This." Proxy shows her the pamphlet he took from the kingdom. Selena perks up when she sees the cup's design on the paper.

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"The design...! If this is truly the design, then I shall entertain the idea of taking you all there."

With that Proxy let out an excited battlecry. "Alright, everyone, we're going to have a party at the kingdom!" He was getting the people in the camp hyped about the festival.

"Honestly, does that child have any decorum," Selena sighed to herself.

"I wouldn't say he doesn’t, it's just the fact he's easily excited. Most kids should be like that," Marie kindly says, excusing his child-like excitement.

"Be that as it may, I'll be taking Proxy with me to the ball for the teacup, but I'll be taking Richard as well."

"Then I'll be going as well if you're going," Nunnalé speaks up.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," I tell her.

"Is that an order?"

"No, I'm just asking you to not make yourself go if you don't want to."

"It's my duty to accompany you anywhere, ergo, I go where you go."

No matter how I go about it we'll just go back in circles about this.

"If you're going, then come here."

Marie drags Nunnalé off to her tent, meeting no resistance whatsoever.

"Richard, are you okay with going along with Selena," Alexander asks me.

"I am."

"Excellent, I suggest you get your people ready and make sure they stand in multiple file lines," Selena instructs Alexander.

"Understood." Alexander gets up from the stone seat to get everyone to line up in multiple rows. After some time had passed I went to Marie's tent to see if she and Nunnalé were ready to leave. I stop short of going in.

"...Didn't it hurt?" Marie asks out of the blue. I can feel that it carries concern.

"No," Nunnalé answers.

"But the way you got that wound for protecting him from such a monster, shouldn't it hurt?"

"My body can sustain wounds and feel things but pain. It's so we can be better tools."

"But that's. . .You shouldn't think or talk like that!"

"This is my prime purpose, it's to protect my master. It's just a matter of fact."

"Why do you call Richard that?"

"Cause he was the one who is worthy of my power, so I am bound to him by his Source to serve him no matter what, so I do as he commands, and that's why I'll sacrifice my own life to protect him; this wound is a testament to that."

Was she. . . The memory of Nunnalé being struck by the mon- I mean, Racheal's dad floods my mind. The amount of blood she lost, the way she wasn't able to stand up on her without her sword. I suddenly got hit with a sickening feeling. I feel sick just imagining it, that brutal, bloody scene! A girl of her stature fighting that monster, and for someone like me nonetheless, and not even complaining about. It made me feel like trash.

"Are you trying to peek on your doll getting changed?"

The voice makes me jump off my feet onto my back. Selena is giggling to herself with that royalty smug tone. I feel incredibly stupid.

"No, I was just trying to see Nunnalé was ready!"

"Oh, then why do you have such a sullen expression?"

"It's nothing, I just remembered something troublesome."

"That would be?"

"I wouldn't like to share."

"How dull. Very well, I shall not pry."

"Thanks."

"However, aren't you curious about the doll's body?" Selena asks with a delicate tone.

"W-what?" A heavy gulp went down my throat.

"Come now, surely a boy such as yourself is curious about the female body?"

"I-I don't care for something such a thing!"

"It wouldn't be indecent for a young man to explore the mysterious terrain known as the female body?"

My face is getting hotter as I think about Selena's words. She crouches down as she gets closer to my ear.

"...Is she not well endowed?"

That was the trigger that caused me to jump up to my feet. As I fumble onto my feet while I botch my wording I tripped on myself, I fell backward into the tent as a result. Recognizing this, I shut my eyes before I had the chance to see anything.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to spy on you guys, I only wanted to get Nunnalé since we're about to leave, and-"

"Richard, you can open your eyes," Marie says, trying to calm me. Opening my eyes, I see that Nunnalé is dressed out of the dress she usually wears. She was wearing a casual long shirt dress that has white and light Lavender lines that blend. It has a strap where her torso met her elbows. The shirt dress also has a long skirt that ends at her shins. As an added detail, she is wearing a short jacket that is colored light purple mixed with some white.

"So, how does she look?"

"She looks good."

My embarrassment is through the roof as I realize that I made myself look like a complete idiot. Meanwhile, I can hear Selena laughing quietly outside the tent.

"Master Richard, do you need something?"

"What? Yes, I came to tell you to get ready, we're about to leave."

"Understood."

Nunnalé went out of the tent ahead of me.

"Richard, were you listening to what we said," Marie asks with her arms on her hips.

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's a good thing you were listening, I wanted to talk to you about Nunnalé."

"What would that be?"

"Did you know she has three giant scars on her stomach?"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, they healed better than expected when I first looked at it. At the time I thought she was going to die but the wounds started to heal on their own, and in no time she was on her feet as if nothing happened. I noticed she has another scar on her leg, it looks like one an arrow makes and another on her arm as well."

"Yeah, those were when we were fighting Cade's group. She blocked an incoming arrow that was meant for me with her arm."

"That's exactly my problem, she keeps putting herself in harm's way for you."

"Yeah, I know."

"But why does she? Why does she act like that?"

"I. . ." She always goes on about how she has to fight for me and protect me. But why is she so adamant about serving me, she doesn't even know if I'm worth sacrificing herself for. "I'm just as lost as you are as to why she's like that, and to be honest with you, I don't like it either. That's why I'm trying to win that cup from the ball."

"What do you mean by that?"

I take the time to explain to Marie what my objective was, what Source is, and my reason as to getting that Teacup. . .

"I think I understand now, So that's what you've been doing in the camp, I thought you had posture problems."

"I guess it makes me look stupid, but that's the gist of it. I need Selena to teach me how to properly control my powers."

"Can't you heal already?"

"I can, but I'm barely able to, all I can do efficiently is ease an area of the body in a couple of minutes. I could heal broken bones, but that depends on how badly damaged it is; remember when Proxy had a fracture in his arm, that took me an hour at best to heal completely."

"No wonder he was better in no time."

". . .But when I tried to close a big cut across one of the people that kidnaped you it stressed me out to the point where I felt like something in me was going to snap. During that moment, I was scared, yet intriuged to keep going. I don't know if that was a good or a bad thing. Which is why I need Ms. Selena's help."

"So if you can get that cup you can learn more from her?"

"Yeah, I grow stronger! I need to, so Nunnalé doesn't have to get hurt for me anymore."

Again, the image of her bloody figure pops into my brain. I wince at the mere thought.

"Are you alright?" Marie put her hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine, I just became lightheaded is all."

"You have a lot on your plate, huh?"

"I guess so."

My lightheadedness is quick to come and to go, but I still feel a bit tipsy from the sight of the memory. Marie crosses her arms. "You guys are good kids."

"Huh?"

"You and Proxy I mean. When I asked you two to enter the Hell Mine I thought you would've said screw it and leave, but not only did you guys brave in there but you managed to destroy that place. Honestly, it was so unbelievable when I first heard that. The fact that you did that was astounding. However, even after that, I thought of you as a coward and Proxy as an overly self-absorbed child. But in the end, you two proved me wrong."

"I can see why Proxy did but how did I?"

"Do I even need to point it out?"

I suppose I can see a few instances where I displayed courage, but that's because I didn't want Proxy or Nunnalé, or anyone around me to get hurt. Speaking of the Hell Mine, I didn't ask what she wanted with Nunnalé. Now that I think about it, I didn't tell her what the weapon she wanted was.

"Marie, what were you going to do with the weapon we found down there?"

"I was going to use it either as a bargaining chip to have the king get Alexander out of jail."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, but since the weapon in question was just a girl I couldn't go through with it." Wait, does that mean she knows? "Come on Richard, it was obvious. You come back with a powerful girl, yet beautiful by your side. I know how to put two and two together."

She's sharper than I thought!

"However, Richard, I have to ask: do you command Nunnalé to do anything. . .weird?" she asks me in an embarrassed but slightly high pitch voice.

"What?"

"I'm only asking cause you're at that age where-"

"WHAT!? No, no, no, no! Of course, I never did anything degenerate and indecent!"

Marie breaks out into laughter as she keels over after I fell on my ass.

"Richard, Richard, calm down. I was only joking."

She laughs as my pride is being split into halves like butter. Man, why am I being made fun of like this? Suddenly, something appears on the floor. Taking a look at it, it looks to be a jet black suit. It's smooth to the touch.

"Guess this is my outfit for the ball. I should get changed."

"I'll let you get changed then. You guys have fun at the castle."

"You aren't going, Marie?"

"No, I'm not too fond of the festival, nor do I like to go to the kingdom during this time of year."

The emotion I'm reading from her words is anxiety, melancholy, and nostalgia. This is weird, I thought there would be hatred for the kingdom but it's sorrowful feelings coming from her.

"Then you'll be here by yourself. I can have Nunnalé stay here to help you defend the camp."

"That's not necessary, I'll be able to hold down with some of the folks who might not be going."

I can see why some of the people in the army wouldn't go. Some of them were slaves in the Hell Mine, and some didn't get help when they pleaded the kingdom for its help when the bandits attacked their homes. It would stand to reason that they wouldn't like the Kingdom.

"Alright then, I'll let you get changed now." Marie moves to the tent entrance/exit. "Also, even if Nunnalé doesn't care about the festival that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve to go. So if she's going cause you're there, then treat her to a good time; she's more than earned it."

Marie walks out of the tent. I couldn't help but have a downcast laugh to myself.

"Yeah, she really does deserve it. After all, she helped a fool like me. . ."