SCENE: RAPHTALIA and FILO are walking down the street, heading back towards the castle. FILO is in high spirits, while RAPHTALIA is poking at her bruises and wincing. As they walk, they round the corner onto a small square with a fountain in the middle, and see MOTOYASU coming from the opposite direction.
MOTOYASU looks haggard, with large black circles under his eyes, his hair unkempt. He glances over at RAPHTALIA, but looks right past her. RAPHTALIA raises an eyebrow at him.
RAPHTALIA: Motoyasu! I've been wondering where you were holed up.
MOTOYASU's eyes go wide in surprise, and then narrow in suspicion.
MOTOYASU: Raphtalia? What are you doing here?
RAPHTALIA: Oh, we've been passing through the neighborhood and figured we might as well come and heroically save you.
RAPHTALIA and FILO approach MOTOYASU. RAPHTALIA looks him over.
RAPHTALIA: You look like shit.
MOTOYASU looks at her warily, stretches out a hand and touches her on the shoulder.
MOTOYASU: You are real?
RAPHTALIA pinches him on the cheek. MOTOYASU winces.
RAPHTALIA: What, did you think I was a hallucination of your addled brain?
MOTOYASU: It wouldn't be the first time...
RAPHTALIA: Hm. Myne told us you were running yourself ragged. When was the last time you slept?
MOTOYASU shrugs. RAPHTALIA's frown deepens, and she motions to the fountain.
RAPHTALIA: Come on, let's sit down and talk for a bit.
MOTOYASU: I can't. I have to go back and keep clearing. Without me, the plants would kill everyone here.
RAPHTALIA rolls her eyes.
RAPHTALIA: Without you, personally? Come on, this isn't something anyone can do alone. Five minutes won't change anything - we need to discuss how we can help each other.
RAPHTALIA coerces MOTOYASU to sit down. FILO lays down on the edge of the fountain and immediately falls asleep. MOTOYASU tells RAPHTALIA what he had been doing so far.
RAPHTALIA: Why do you push yourself so much in the first place? Myne doesn't.
MOTOYASU mutters something under his breath.
RAPHTALIA: What?
MOTOYASU: Because it's my fault.
RAPHTALIA: How could this possibly be your fault?
MOTOYASU: Because weeks ago we entered a nearby dungeon, and found a magic seed. It helped with a famine, made crops grow faster. Too fast, as you can see.
RAPHTALIA stares at him in shock. Suddenly her eyes narrow and she grinds her teeth.
RAPHTALIA: Myne must have "forgotten" to mention this.
MOTOYASU: She doesn't think it's our fault. But I know. How could it be anything else?
MOTOYASU pulls on his hair.
MOTOYASU: So many people died, and it's all my fault. And you want me to stop?
RAPHTALIA: I don't want you to stop. I want you to stop trying to brute-force this problem on your own.
MOTOYASU exclaims with his hands.
MOTOYASU: It's my fault! How can I involve other people? Put even more of them in danger, get even more of them killed?
RAPHTALIA: You don't have a choice. If you keep trying to do this alone you would just die, achieving nothing.
MOTOYASU shakes his head.
MOTOYASU: You shouldn't have come here...
RAPHTALIA crosses her arms and purses her lips.
RAPHTALIA: This isn't about the people. This is about your sense of self-importance.
MOTOYASU: What?
RAPHTALIA: People are already in danger. Refusing their help makes that danger worse - you can't be everywhere at once, and as it stands, they get neither training nor direct assistance from you. No, this is about you feeling that you must be the most important asshole around.
MOTOYASU flinches, but turns to face RAPHTALIA fully.
MOTOYASU: No it isn't! It's about me paying back for my mistake! My decision to just leave the magic seed here without investigating it!
RAPHTALIA: So it is about choices for you, is that it?
MOTOYASU: Yes!
RAPHTALIA leans forwards.
RAPHTALIA: Then you've got way more to answer for.
MOTOYASU: What?
RAPHTALIA: Your fiance is a slaver, and the count here seems to be even worse. Your choice to associate with them, is it not?
MOTOYASU: That's not the same!
RAPHTALIA: Yeah, it's worse. How were you supposed to know what a weird magic seed would do? But for slavery, you knew exactly what was going on. You just chose not to act on it.
MOTOYASU scowls at her.
MOTOYASU: Again you bring this up? I didn't enslave anyone! It's not my fault!
RAPHTALIA: I am sure children forced to work the fields really appreciate your moral purity. A choice is a choice.
MOTOYASU cringes.
RAPHTALIA: Have you even tried talking to some of them? Find out about their lives, the injustices you simply close your eyes to?
MOTOYASU: Well, no -
RAPHTALIA stands up.
RAPHTALIA: Why don't we do that right now? We will be training the demihumans overnight, and with your help, it will go much faster.
RAPHTALIA shakes FILO awake, and starts heading out of the square. She turns her head to look at MOTOYASU over her shoulder.
RAPHTALIA: You put them in danger twice - first through your ignorance, and only second through a simple mistake. If you want to atone for both, then follow me.
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SCENE: NAOFUMI is addressing a crowd of DEMIHUMANS. MOTOYASU is awkwardly standing to the side, alternating between scowling at NAOFUMI and looking down on the ground in despair. FILO is sleeping in a corner. MELTY is watching a recording of RAPHTALIA and FILO's bar fight with a frown. RAPHTALIA is waiting for her to finish.
MELTY: You gave them a lecture. We didn't plan this.
RAPHTALIA grins.
RAPHTALIA: I improvised. It seemed appropriate.
MELTY sighs, and puts the recording orb away. RAPHTALIA raises an eyebrow.
RAPHTALIA: What, no lecture about me not following the plan?
MELTY: I would have to be delusional to expect you to, Raphtalia. This isn't ideal, but I can work with it.
RAPHTALIA raises both eyebrows in surprise.
RAPHTALIA: So I can do whatever I want in the future too?
MELTY shakes her head.
MELTY: You always have to adjust the plan to the circumstances. The best I can hope for is that you will do so mostly in good faith.
RAPHTALIA: Hm. How did your introduction to the demihumans go?
MELTY: It's hard to say. There is a lot of confusion and uncertainty, which is understandable, given the circumstances. I think some of them believe I tricked Naofumi, others that I am not a real princess. In the end, as long as they will work as soldiers, it doesn't matter too much.
MELTY yawns widely.
MELTY: Whose idea was it to do this training tonight? Worse yet, to involve me as part of the hunting rotation?
RAPHTALIA: Yours.
MELTY: What a stupid decision that was. Maybe you are right, princesses can’t be trusted.
MELTY rubs her eyes.
MELTY: I haven’t slept in so long… God, this is shaping up to be a long night, and tomorrow will be an even longer day.
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SCENE: A corridor in the castle. A man so tall and broad-shouldered he could be confused for a battering ram is standing guard in front of a set of decorated wooden doors. SIR WARDROBE is wearing full plate, and a helmet covers his face completely. A GUARD IN FANCY HELMET is failing to confront SIR WARDROBE.
GUARD IN FANCY HELMET: Step aside at once! I have urgent news for the count!
SIR WARDROBE doesn’t move, and speaks very quietly.
SIR WARDROBE: I don’t think you do.
GUARD IN FANCY HELMET: What is the meaning of this? I am the captain of the guard!
SIR WARDROBE: The count is sleeping. You can wait.
GUARD IN FANCY HELMET: Where are the guards I stationed here last night?!
SIR WARDROBE: I told them to take a rest. They agreed.
SIR WARDROBE leans slightly forwards, forming an overhang over the GUARD IN FANCY HELMET.
SIR WARDROBE: Would you like to rest too?
GUARD IN FANCY HELMET steps back, gulping. MYNE rounds the corner in the corridor, and approaches the pair with a look of confident superiority. She looks better than last night, having enjoyed a night of quiet uninterrupted sleep.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
MYNE: Sir Eltis! How do you find yourself on this wonderful morning?
GUARD IN FANCY HELMET, also known as SIR ELTIS, bows deeply to MYNE. SIR WARDROBE still doesn’t move.
SIR ELTIS: Your royal highness, I have urgent news for the count, but your servant -
MYNE waves him off.
MYNE: There is no need to disturb the count. As you know, he is a late riser.
SIR ELTIS: The demihumans have rebelled!
MYNE blinks.
MYNE: Rebelled, truly?
SIR ELTIS: Yes, your highness! My men do not lie - two dozen of them attacked the Seven Soldiers tavern last night, armed to the teeth!
MYNE swears, checks her sword, and motions for both of the others to follow her as she quickly strolls down the corridor.
MYNE: Damn it, Melty… How many dead?
SIR ELTIS: Ah well…
MYNE: Speak quickly.
SIR ELTIS: Well, that is… Nobody died.
MYNE stops in her tracks and stares at SIR ELTIS.
MYNE: Are you saying your people fought off two dozen armed demihumans while drunk and didn’t even get hurt?
SIR ELTIS: Well, there’s a lot of bruises, but it’s truly a miracle of our warrior spirit!
MYNE scoffs and motions to SIR WARDROBE to return to his post.
MYNE: Waste my time with their drunken ramblings one more time and you will see a true “miracle”. To think I actually believed you! The morons probably fought each other and then told tall tales afterwards. You are lucky I have kept you from disturbing the count with this nonsense.
MYNE stares down SIR ELTIS until he bows and scurries away. She purses her lips.
MYNE: Unless it wasn’t two dozen demihumans, but rather one particular demihuman cunt. God, Melty, what were you thinking? I need to talk to her again.
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SCENE: MELTY, NAOFUMI, MOTOYASU, FULANA JEN, RAPHTALIA and FILO are approaching a square with a small fountain, where GUARDS have gathered a small CROWD OF HUMANS. A small scene has been assembled out of wooden crates in front of the fountain.
MELTY is wearing a much fancier dress instead of her usual riding costume, and is surrounded by hovering water streams, forming intricate geometric patterns in the air behind her, like an enormous cape of magic. RAPHTALIA is likewise wearing a dress instead of her usual armor, tugging at it with an errant hand. Her sword is poking out of a backpack NAOFUMI is carrying.
RAPHTALIA: I feel naked.
FILO looks at her in confusion.
FILO: But you are wearing a dress?.. I thought dress meant not naked?
NAOFUMI snorts.
NAOFUMI: She means she feels undefended. Raph, you are tougher without armor than half of the people are in it.
RAPHTALIA: Yeah well, regular people don’t try to kill us.
MELTY: That dress is a good defense of a different fashion. Your harmless appearance -
RAPHTALIA: - humanizes me to the blind morons so they take longer to flip out, yeah yeah, you ate my ears off about this already.
MELTY: That’s not quite what I said.
FILO scratches her head. RAPHTALIA keeps grumbling.
FILO: But you defend yourself with punches, not with a dress?...
They reach the square, and MELTY waves the guards off, jumping on top of the scene. The others stand in a loose order behind her. She turns towards the crowd with a regal look, and projects her voice over the street.
MELTY: I am Melty Q. Melromarc, first daughter of Mirellia Q. Melromarc, and the rightful ruler of this land in absentia. Your town, small as it is, faces the same crisis as the rest of our beautiful country - under siege from beasts and monsters. It’s time to cut a path to freedom! We are -
VOICE FROM THE CROWD: That’s her!
The CROWD parts, revealing the INNKEEPER from the night before. INNKEEPER is shaking from anger and fear, pointing at RAPHTALIA. RAPHTALIA grins at her.
INNKEEPER: It’s that monster from last night! She is with her!
Whispers pass through the CROWD. MELTY calmly lets them circulate for a bit, before making a gesture towards FILO. FILO flicks a finger and a clap of wind magic echoes over the crowd, silencing the conversation.
MELTY: This ‘monster’ is Baroness Raphtalia von Yakuroni, a knight of my royal guard. You would do well to hold your tongue.
INNKEEPER: A knight?! She attacked us!
MELTY’s eyebrows fly up, and she reaches into her pocket, drawing out a recording orb.
MELTY: You dare to lie in front of your ruler?
The orb lights up, and an enormous recording of the scene at the bar appears, clearly showing RAPHTALIA and FILO sitting down at the counter, and then the INNKEEPER making the first swing. The scene loops.
MELTY: Did you really think I do not see through the eyes of my knights? I would have had you whipped for this attack, but Raphtalia did that much already.
MELTY skips the scene forwards into the middle of the actual fight.
MELTY: I have sent Raphtalia and Filo into your tavern, innkeeper, so that they could talk with the guards that were known to frequent it, and see how well their training holds up. That you have provoked them into a fight is entirely your own fault, and it only highlights your other weaknesses.
MELTY sweeps over the crowd with her other hand.
MELTY: Your guard’s training is pathetic! An entire tavern of them couldn’t manage to defeat two girls? Three months ago, Raphtalia couldn’t even hold a sword! It is no wonder that these plants have sliced through your town like a knife through butter. This ends now. Do you want to survive? These heroes -
MELTY motions to NAOFUMI and MOTOYASU.
MELTY: - will train whomever wants to be trained, and they will do it properly. You will find them in front of the castle six hours from now.
MELTY turns to leave.
MELTY: The first lesson would be that ‘monsters’ are on the outside of the town walls.
MELTY motions for the others to leave the square and they head back towards the castle. GUARDS begin to disperse the crowd. RAPHTALIA approaches MELTY as they walk.
RAPHTALIA: Care to explain since when have I been turned into a baroness?
MELTY waves her off.
MELTY: It’s a meaningless title, only fit to impress the peasantry. Yakuroni is a hamlet of perhaps a dozen people, if it has even survived the recent spike in monster activity, which I somewhat doubt.
RAPHTALIA: Not what I asked.
MELTY rolls her eyes.
MELTY: I granted it to you two minutes ago by fiat, since it would make for a better turn of phrase. It seemed appropriate. We have hundreds of unassigned titles of this sort - I would need to enter it into our family books, I suppose.
RAPHTALIA: Is this your idea of a joke? I am not going to be a baroness.
MELTY: I do find it darkly amusing that legally, consent is not required in order to receive a noble title - my personal decision is more than sufficient. There is something of a dramatic irony in it. But if you do not want it on principle, then I will take it back, of course.
NAOFUMI closes in on the conversation.
NAOFUMI: Granting a noble title, even a temporary and perfunctory one, to a demihuman is going to be seen as a slap in the face by the rest of nobility.
MELTY gives him a flat stare.
MELTY: Oh no, whatever shall I do. If only my arms were already twisted into making some other enormous change? Something radical enough to turn the nobility into a hive of raging hornets for years? Naofumi, I don’t suppose you have any ideas?
NAOFUMI squints at MELTY.
NAOFUMI: Very funny. What I meant was that you didn’t do so after we saved you from an assassination - you merely put us on a first name basis.
MELTY purses her lips and walks for a while.
MELTY: Fine, perhaps my theatrics have gotten away from me somewhat. In my defense, I am barely keeping myself upright. On that subject, Fulana?
FULANA JEN: Yes, your royal highness?
MELTY: As soon as I reach the palace, I will fall asleep. If anyone - and I mean anyone, I don’t care if it’s the count himself - tries to disturb me within oh, at least three hours, kill them. I don’t care if the sky falls down, I am getting that sleep. I suggest the rest of you get some as well.
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SCENE: MYNE is arguing with FULANA JEN in front of the doors to MELTY’s room.
MYNE: I need to talk to her.
FULANA JEN: Your royal highness, her other royal highness said not to be disturbed even if the sky falls down.
MYNE: The count will wake up soon, there had been some kind of demihuman chaos in town, and she is sleeping?
FULANA JEN: Her royal highness hadn’t slept in several days.
MYNE: Shadow, this is an order.
FULANA JEN: Her orders supersede yours, I am afraid.
RAPHTALIA stumbles out of a room right next to MELTY’s, rubbing her eyes tiredly. She is back to wearing armor, with a sword on her belt. MYNE’s eyes go wide when she sees her, and her face contorts in rage. She strolls over to RAPHTALIA, who shoots her a grin and drops a hand on her sword. MYNE’s voice is like the hiss of a snake hidden among tall grass.
MYNE: What. Were you doing. In my room, you animal?
RAPHTALIA: Having sweaty, passionate sex with your fiance, what else?
MYNE’s eye twitches, and she begins to pull out her sword. Flames begin to dance on its surface.
MYNE: This is enough. Rabid dogs have to be put down.
RAPHTALIA seemingly ignores her, but her other hand quickly flickers, forming an illusion spell.
RAPHTALIA: - I can’t say I was impressed with his skills, but then again, he had the severe drawback of having a swamp witch as his partner -
MYNE lunges at RAPHTALIA, but is pulled back by FULANA JEN’s hand.
FULANA JEN: I am afraid I will have to insist that if you want to kill each other, you do so outside of the hearing range of my sleeping sovereign.
MYNE snarls at FULANA JEN.
MYNE: You would dare to violate your oaths to our family to save this thing?
FULANA JEN gives MYNE a flat stare.
FULANA JEN: Her royal highness’ exact orders were to kill anyone who tries to disturb her sleep, so I am already violating them by leaving you alive. One must improvise to find her true intentions.
MYNE holds FULANA JEN’s look, but finally breaks off and strolls off angrily down the corridor.
MYNE: Consider yourself lucky I do not seek to burn down the castle. I will have your head later, scum.
RAPHTALIA: Don’t be a stranger!
FULANA JEN: Raphtalia, her royal highness would be quite cross if either one of you died. I would suggest that you avoid each other at all costs.
RAPHTALIA: Yeah, yeah.
RAPHTALIA heads in the opposite direction. Soon, she enters a room where NAOFUMI is sleeping on the bed, while CONSTANCE is working with documents and charts at the table. She looks up when RAPHTALIA enters.
CONSTANCE: How did it go?
RAPHTALIA starts dressing down.
RAPHTALIA: Well, I managed to convince Motoyasu to go to sleep and went through Myne’s things, but didn’t find anything. No letters, no documents, no rings with strange symbols, nothing - probably because unlike Melty, she isn’t a workaholic and didn’t bring any with her. Why would she, when Motoyasu can teleport her back to the palace when needed?
CONSTANCE nods.
CONSTANCE: Largely as expected, but still worth checking.
RAPHTALIA: When I was leaving, Myne came to check up on Melty, and I let her see me. Are you sure I should be antagonizing her more?
CONSTANCE: Absolutely. The more emotional she is about you personally, the less likely she is to notice my own plans, and the more likely she is to let something slip.
RAPHTALIA: I am thinking it might make her work a lot harder against the whole idea of arming demihumans. Make her project my antagonism on everyone else, you know.
CONSTANCE nods.
CONSTANCE: It’s a possibility, but if it comes down to a conflict, I think Melty would step in to be a peacemaker. We could make you play down your antagonism and agree to peace, and Myne would look like the unreasonable one, further pulling Melty to our side of the argument. Overall, the situation should remain in our control no matter what happens.
RAPHTALIA yawns, and climbs into bed.
RAPHTALIA: Yeah, maybe. Well, I am out. Keep us safe.
CONSTANCE: If Myne tosses an artillery spell through the door, I will make sure to wake you.
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SCENE: Barracks of the TOWN GUARD. Several GUARDS are doing maintenance on their equipment, playing small card games, and otherwise passing the time. The doors bang open, and MYNE strolls in. Fire is burning in her hair and surrounding her figure like a mantle, without harming her any. GUARDS back away from the doors, startled by the sight, as MYNE approaches the closest one.
MYNE: Where is the guard captain?
GUARD: Your Highness! I - ah - don’t know!
MYNE grabs him by the collar and lifts him into the air. He yells where errant flickers of flame burn at his skin. She speaks to him loud enough for the whole room to hear.
MYNE: Well get him for me. I have things for him to do.
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DRAMATIS PERSONAE
NAOFUMI IWATANI, THE SHIELD HERO. One of the socialists. Protagonist.
KITAMURA MOTOYASU, THE SPEAR HERO. Probably responsible for mass murder and a natural disaster. Claims to regret it.
PRINCESS MELTY Q. MELROMAC. First heir to the throne of Melromarc. Sleepy and careless.
PRINCESS MYNE Q. MELROMARC. Second heir to the throne of Melromarc. Insecure about the cleanliness of her room.
RAPHTALIA. One of the socialists. Spear hero mediator. Hobbyist MYNE antagoniser.
CONSTANCE VON MARUKIEVICH / FREDALIA. Secretly demihuman. Plotter and planner.
FILO. Taking a nap this chapter.
FULANA JEN, SHADOW. Head of MELTY’s SHADOWs. Secret service.