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Queen's Knight Kael

2014-08-01T03:31:45Z

104.2.164.230: /* Series Overview */

{{Status|Stalled}}
{{Teaser|English}}

[[Image:Queen's Knight Kael v01 cover.jpg|thumb|Volume 1 Cover]]
'''''Queen's Knight Kael''''' (퀀즈 나이트 카엘) is a Korean light novel series written by Todol and illustrated by fratolm. The series is complete with 8 volumes.

==Story Synopsis==
A 500-year-old, low-ranking demon knight Kael suddenly finds himself inside a royal secret chamber, summoned out of the blue by Yulia D. Beatrice Scachiel— the precocious queen of Nesland who only turned eight recently. As it turns out, she's in grave danger of getting killed by mysterious monsters that have appeared out of nowhere, and Kael is her only way out of the castle to safety!
==Translations==
Translations and editing by [http://imoutoliciouslnt.blogspot.com/ Imoutolicious LNT]

==Updates==

* December 20, 2013 - Volume 1, Chapter 1 Complete.

==The ''Queen's Knight Kael'' series by Todol ==

===Volume 1===
[[Image:Queen's Knight Kael v01 cover.jpg|right|200px]]
'''All links below are external links to [http://imoutoliciouslnt.blogspot.ca/p/projects.html Imoutolicious Light Novel Translations]'''
::*[http://imoutoliciouslnt.blogspot.ca/2013/09/queens-knight-kael-volume-1-main.html Novel Illustrations]
::*[http://imoutoliciouslnt.blogspot.ca/2013/09/qkk-v1-prologue-chapter-1.html Prologue]
::*[http://imoutoliciouslnt.blogspot.ca/2013/12/qkk-v1-chapter-1.html Chapter 1]
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Epilogue
::*Afterword

 

===Volume 2===
[[Image:Queen's Knight Kael v02 cover.jpg|right|200px]]

::*Novel Illustrations
::*Prologue
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Epilogue
::*Afterword

 

===Volume 3===
[[Image:Queen's Knight Kael v03 cover.jpg|right|200px]]

::*Novel Illustrations
::*Prologue
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Epilogue
::*Afterword

 

===Volume 4===
[[Image:Queen's Knight Kael v04 cover.jpg|right|200px]]

::*Novel Illustrations
::*Prologue
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Epilogue
::*Afterword

 

===Volume 5===
[[Image:Queen's Knight Kael v05 cover.jpg|right|200px]]

::*Novel Illustrations
::*Prologue
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Epilogue
::*Afterword

 

===Volume 6===
[[Image:Queen's Knight Kael v06 cover.jpg|right|200px]]

::*Novel Illustrations
::*Prologue
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Epilogue
::*Afterword

 

===Volume 7===
[[Image:Queen's Knight Kael v07 cover.jpg|right|200px]]

::*Novel Illustrations
::*Prologue
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Epilogue
::*Afterword

 

===Volume 8===
[[Image:Queen's Knight Kael v08 cover.jpg|right|200px]]

::*Novel Illustrations
::*Prologue
::*Chapter 1
::*Chapter 2
::*Chapter 3
::*Chapter 4
::*Chapter 5
::*Chapter 6
::*Chapter 7
::*Epilogue
::*Afterword

 

==Project Staff==
*Project Administrator:
*Project Supervisor:
===Translators===
:*Imoutolicous LNT

===Editors===

==Series Overview==
# 《퀸즈 나이트 카엘 1》, 2012-08-01, ISBN 978-8-9267-8153-4
# 《퀸즈 나이트 카엘 2》, 2012-12-01, ISBN 978-8-9267-8180-7
# 《퀸즈 나이트 카엘 3》, 2013-03-01, ISBN 978-8-9267-8194-4
# 《퀸즈 나이트 카엘 4》, 2013-06-01, ISBN 978-8-9267-8216-3
# 《퀸즈 나이트 카엘 5》, 2013-09-01, ISBN 978-8-9267-8246-0
# 《퀸즈 나이트 카엘 6》, 2013-12-01, ISBN 978-8-9267-8263-7
# 《퀸즈 나이트 카엘 7》, 2014-04-01, ISBN 978-8-9267-8296-5
# 《퀸즈 나이트 카엘 8》, 2014-06-27, ISBN 978-8-9267-9587-3

[[Category:Hosted Projects]]
[[Category:Teaser (English)]]

Daybreak:Volume 1 Chapter 12

2014-05-13T04:16:02Z

104.2.164.230: /* Chapter 12 - Better Late Than Never */

===Chapter 12 - Better Late Than Never===

Kaede jolted upright on her cold and squishy seat, the shivering aftereffects of a light shock still coursing through her body. Her eyes snapped open, meeting the glow of a dozen bright white lights that floated overhead. Meanwhile, two blurry figures before her solidified into appearances she knew and could trust.

Night had already fallen, lit by stars and the indigo planet stretching across the horizon.

"That's what a ''Rejuvenate'' spell actually feels like," the crouching Parzifal gave her a gentle smile, his eyes still closed as the soothing warmth from his glove coursed through her right shoulder. "Heal plus shock; bit contradictory, but effective."

Pascal, on the other hand, wasn't smiling at all. The frown under his golden soft curls was halfway between worried and stern:

"How long did that arrow stay in you?"

"I don't know; maybe five minutes?" She almost shrugged but caught herself in time. "Counting time isn't the best way of trying to stay conscious while pretending to be the opposite."

Examining her situation, Kaede found herself laying on Parzifal's giant tofu, its top in the form of a memory-foam lounge chair. Her shoulder was no longer hurting. Instead, it felt as though submerged in hot springs, muscles relaxing and tension fading away.

"Well, I guess passing off as dead was your safest option at the time. Just try not to jump off any buildings again," Pascal scowled and shook his head.

"Give me a break! That was my second time using...!"

"--And thank you," Pascal headed off her retort, his head nodding with gratitude. "Because if you did not lure them in, there was no way our enforcers could have caught an Imperial Mantis Blade squad. Sooner or later, one of their plans would have succeeded in catching me off guard, instead of finding themselves baited into a trap."

Kaede felt that something was off about Pascal. It lay in his expression, intoning his firm voice. This was still him, yet ''different''... or perhaps unusual was a better term. But her still-fuzzy mind could neither identify or explain her intuitive sense.

So she turned towards the other puzzling topic: ''I thought they were from Rhin-Lotharingie,'' before she realized that Marina had no reason to tell her the truth.

She really needed to stop underestimating those tears from the un-spy-like maid.

"Well, you're all set now," Parzifal patted her shoulder before standing back up, leaving a lingering warmth on the smooth skin where her wound used to be. "I left an ''Invigorate'' spell that should tie up any loose ends over the course of the night."

"Thank you so much," Kaede bowed from her seat before grinning back. "For this and for saving my life back there," she patted the giant tofu before standing up from it.

"Don't mention it," he waved it off with a friendly smile. "I'm just glad Putty got there in time."

''Talk about a fitting name...''

Kaede sent the white pudding familiar a grin as well, and could have sworn it bounced with joy. Her eyes then passed beyond the giant tofu, and she bowed at the tired but otherwise healed Ariadne and Reynald.

The flame-colored leather armor reinforced by steel plates -- cuirass, spaulders, bracers, and greaves -- that they wore during battle had already vanished without a trace. The two of them nodded back in their Knight Phantom uniforms, beaming, while their gloves continued to shed the light of healing. Laying between them was the pegasus Edelweiss, who still nursed a bandaged wing but appeared mostly healthy.

"And I must thank you all as well," Pascal nodded towards the others.

Parzifal's and Reynald's change in attitude was nearly instantaneous as their smiles flipped upside down, but Pascal nevertheless pressed on:

"I know none of you three wish to hear it from me, or did it for my sake. But that only makes it more important that I ''must'' convey my utmost gratitude. You were all willing to overlook our past... differences, for the sake of the country, putting your lives in danger against the best assassins in Hyperion. You have chosen to save my life for the noblest of reasons, and I swear now that House von Moltewitz will not forget this debt, nor fail to honor and repay it."

Pascal bowed -- an emissary's courtesy to match perfection -- before turning around without any expectations.

"Come on Kaede," he said as his legs took the first steps of departure.

His words were lonely and spoken in melancholy. His tone gave a regretful air that reminded Kaede of a conversation on her first day in this world, during their first meal, when he begrudgingly admitted his past faults against the admirable Ariadne. It was clear that he now held a great deal of respect for all three of them, even if he did not before tonight. Even more apparent was his wish that things had turned out differently, before it became too late.

Glancing around the three of them, Kaede found the trio just as taken back. They may not be astounded to the point of dropping jaws, but it was clear that not one of them had expected such words from the prodigious and prideful ''Runelord''.

It was as good an opportunity as anyone could hope for.

She turned to Pascal's departing back -- just another step away from the stairwell doors -- and shouted after him:

"How long are you going to keep regretting the past instead of facing the present!?"

Pascal spun around to glare at her, but Kaede had no intention of keeping this conversation private... not yet:

"I stand by what I told you two weeks ago: it's not always enough, but it's never too late!"

His legs stood stiff and his body still. But his eyes wavered, caught amid hesitation and resentment, uncertain between a chance to seek the unpleasant light, or returning to the familiar yet cold shadows.

But Kaede knew that Pascal would not be Pascal without his will to follow rational judgment in his own way. After a silent minute and a profound sigh, his feet turned themselves around, cautiously stepping back towards Kaede as her lips unwittingly lit up a welcoming smile.

"You said you will not fail to honor and repay the debt. Then why not start now with everything you have? Better than your half-way apologies that do nothing but tarnish your word."

"Apologies could use more efficiency and less self-injury..." his complaint was bitter.

Kaede's hands propped against her waist as she goaded Pascal with the one line he could not possibly ignore:

"Yes, 'efficient' in how you keep spending little effort for no gain; the rest of us have a word for it: 'cowardice', you gutless wonder. Seriously, how many years will you keep accumulating interest? There are things you can't fix with magic or genius Pascal... you have to do it the old fashioned way."

"...Fine." He finally agreed just before reaching the trio as his irritated thoughts silently met her challenge: "since I am going to do it anyway, I will show you exactly how proper of an apology I can accomplish.

Now meeting them eye to eye, Pascal took a deep breath before he began in a deep and sincere voice:

"Kaede is correct. I know that you have no reason to grant me any favors, but I ask for only a moment of your time. I realized all too late that in my foolish immaturity of years past, I have committed inexcusable acts of rudeness against the two of you, Parzifal and Ariadne, and that I owe each of you a most sincere apology."

Even Kaede stood stunned at the depth of Pascal's remorse, which sounded even more genuine than she expected. But what followed completely eclipsed even her impression of just how long and deeply Pascal must have considered his past mistakes:

"Parzifal," spoke Pascal, turning towards the lean healer with crossed arms and meeting his aquamarine gaze. "I only wish I could take back the childish words I used that day to stab your most painful spot. I knew, even back then, that you hated your magical affinity and held a crisis of confidence. It was dirty and despicable of me, and probably done because even then, I knew your generosity towards a girl you barely knew made my rudeness look more intolerable by comparison. I am glad that you received the gratitude and the beautiful girl you deserved, and that Ariadne helped build your confidence to the capable man you are today..."

Whether it was because of unpreparedness or due to Pascal's thoroughly uncharacteristic behavior, Parzifal and his two friends were stunned flat by the prodigy's admission of guilt. Their poker faces -- or Ariadne's once-serene smile -- were left agape, their eyes blinking in disbelief amidst the dying flames of residue anger.

It wasn't exactly very encouraging for the person actually trying to apologize.

"You can do this, Pascal."

Kaede noted that his eyes had slid back down to stare upon a faraway battlement. His shoulders were slumping more by the second, his will wavering on the precipice of yet another plunge from pride.

''I know this can't be easy on you, but...''

She decided it was time to inject some real motivation again:

"You've told me that you didn't want to owe Ariadne anything else, but what about your debts now...? You know this is the right thing to do."

Pascal sent her another glare, and a reassured -- also slightly amused -- Kaede returned her encouraging smile.

"And Ariadne," he took a deep breath before he focused onto the lady's meadow-green eyes. "When I discovered our differences in approach to life, I tried to break up with you by pressing all the blame onto you. It was low, and immoral, and cowardly of me, all the more so when I humiliated you by doing it in public instead of at least having a basic sense of decency. I cannot apologize enough for my past actions, and if I do not get the chance again, I wish you happiness with Parzifal, for he is a far better man than I was."

And that took almost every ounce of will, every strand of self-discipline that Pascal had.

His gaze lingered for but a second before he spun around and strode straight towards the rooftop door. He had just shredded his pride and thrown them out with a chamber pot of filth before the presence of four others. His soul lay bared naked to the critiquing eyes of his peers, and he could not withstand it for another moment longer.

"I am so going to kill you for that," the prodigy's ego lashed out in an attempt to regain itself, to rebuild its protective shell.

"You're welcome," Kaede simply smiled back, having never felt true pride before now for the man who called her into this alien world.

She then turned towards the three still hanging onto stunned expressions, curtsied as graciously as she could, before rushing off after Pascal.

The only one she heard recovering before her departure was Reynald, although his utterance still came loaded with disbelief:

"''THE Runelord apologizing?'' You've got to be shitting me..."

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

Pascal had told Kaede that while she was still unconscious, Professor Sir von Kirchner flew to the roof and questioned the four before leaving to assess the situation around the castle.

They saw no reason to wake her up for that unpleasant session.

Kaede was grateful, but it also didn't leave her much time to wrap up loose ends.

"Why do you even care about this? Just let the guards and enforcers deal with that maid," Pascal asked as he followed Kaede down the dining hall, where servants and mages alike were cleaning up the mess left by collateral damage from the battle.

"Because she offered me a life option, in her own way. I intend to return the favor," Kaede answered.

"Let me restate: you are trying to help a maid that worked with assassins who ''just tried to kill you''."

"Yes, because the best assassins of your world are so incompetent their arrow struck just above my lungs from a flat trajectory shot."

"Well fine, they tried to kill me," Pascal relented, but only slightly. "This is a terrible idea."

"I know it's a terrible idea..." Kaede spun her heels around, her eyes filled with a painful need as she gazed back at Pascal: "look, I really, really wanted her to be my friend. I thought she ''was'' the first friend I made in this world. Okay? So, just let me extend her this one help to get it off my conscience... please?" she begged.

Pascal stared back, met and tested her with turquoise eyes, before he sighed audibly.

"Fine, I will lend you one favor this time. According to Reynald, the seven members we killed were a full Imperial Mantis Blade operation squad. Any helpers they managed to recruit along the way will not yield us any useful information. This maid has already been here for two years; definitely not specific to this mission. If I had to guess, she is eyes and ears for some Imperial Governor who the Mantis Blades tapped into, probably near the northern border of the Imperium. Any executive intelligence organization certainly has the jurisdiction."

"Then... how many favors do you owe me for saving your life?"

"None. You are my familiar."

Kaede sighed. She was starting to recognize the tone that signaled one of Pascal's off-putting and inappropriately-timed jokes.

They soon arrived outside the servant's room Marina lived in, its door flanked by two armored guards.

"I am Sir Pascal Kay Lennart von Moltewitz," he moved up to introduce himself. "We wish to speak with the prisoner."

"Sir von Moltewitz, this case is currently pending investigations by Professor Sir..." The soldier replied before Pascal cut him off with a glare cold enough to freeze air:

"May I remind you that I am a Captain in His Majesty's service and a feudal lord by right of succession, who happens to be the target of this attack. I also have no doubt that my father, Field Marshal von Moltewitz, will be maddened by this unprovoked treachery. Now, do you ''seriously'' intend to keep me from getting the answers that I rightfully and lawfully deserve, soldier?"

"No Sir!" The guard raised his head up high, eyes glancing at the other side's walls before stepping aside.

''So many privileges it's not even fair,'' Kaede suppressed a grin as Pascal opened the door and lead her inside.

The room was exactly as she last remembered it -- two bunk beds and a table with clothes hanging everywhere. The only difference was that a screen of shimmering violet magic laid over the window, sealing it completely. If Kaede had to guess, there were probably also guards on the other side.

The brown-haired petite maid was lying in her bed, her hands behind her back and her wet eyes uncaring to the new guests.

"C-congratulations, Kaede," Marina sniffed. "I guess you deserve the faithful familiar award after all."

Pascal finished twirling his hand about in mostly the same motions as Ariadne's ''Sanctum Veil'' spell earlier today. He then presented a 'your turn' gesture before leaning back against the other bunk bed.

"I didn't come here to be spiteful or interrogate you, Marina," Kaede spoke dryly as she met the maid's glassy sea-green eyes. "I don't want things to end this way between us, but there wasn't much of a choice before now."

"Of course... you have y-your master, and I have mine."

"You owe him for your upbringing and your life. I respect that allegiance, I really do. But can't you see that he's also using you, and ordering you to throw your life away for him in these missions... isn't once enough to repay that? How many..."

"I-if... if you think I'm going to talk just because my fate is already sealed, then you can leave now." The maid retorted, her defiant words completely contradictory to her teary gaze.

Pascal gave off an almost snort-like sound before interjecting with a contemptuous sneer:

"Do not flatter yourself. If we really think you had anything of value, there are ways to rip it out of your mind. It is below proper nobility to use such hideous enchantment magic, but there are matters of national importance that outweighs the honor of nobles... for me, at least, and I am certain the King's Black Eagles would agree. Not that there would be anything left of your psyche afterwards to speak of what happened, I am sure you can imagine."

Marina began to sob again, and Kaede sent an exasperated look towards Pascal:

"You're not helping."

"I said ''we'' are not interrogating you, and I meant it," Kaede continued. "Obviously, I can't speak for the other involved parties, but that's also why I'm here. If I can find you a chance out of this -- and I'm not promising, because I honestly don't know -- then will you take it?"

The maid whimpered once more:

"W-why are you doing this?"

"Because if you didn't actually ask the assassins to keep me alive, I'm certain I'd be dead by now regardless of how successful Pascal and the rest were."

"E-except I asked you to help kill him..." Marina nodded towards Pascal. "W-what's the catch now?"

Kaede hadn't really thought this part through. She looked towards Pascal, hoping for an inspiration on the legal side of affairs.

"How much do you think you can trust her?" he asked silently.

"She would rather die painfully for the one who raised her than give up any information to ease her passing. What does that tell you about her sense of loyalty?"

Pascal sighed and shook his head before answering:

"''If'' I can get them to agree, it will be to release you into my jurisdiction, as I am entitled to compensation as the directly wronged party. You can work on my estate as an indentured servant, but it will be under the condition that you accept a binding magical contract to never willingly send any information or contribute to any action that you believe may harm any state of my family's sworn allegiances."

''Indentured... servant.''

"You're asking her to be a slave!?" Kaede glared at him. "Shouldn't that be illegal or something!?"

"Why? It is a perfectly practical form of punishment. Not like we are bartering them as trade goods as the Holy Imperium does," Pascal answered stiffly. "And she did help them in trying to kill me. Fair is fair."

"But...!"

"There is also no way the higher ups will accept handing her over if I did not give her at least this much punishment. At least sixteen people ''died'' in this attack Kaede, including one professor, and I am not willing to indulge ''your'' sense of ethics so much to lose my own, understand?"

Kaede didn't say another word. His accusation that she was pushing her cultural morals onto him had stung. She knew perfectly well that it was one of the biggest 'don't dos' in cross-cultural relations.

"What is your response," Pascal intoned, sternly.

"Like I have any real choice," Marina looked towards Kaede, who shrugged with her 'sorry, best I can do' expression.

Meanwhile, Pascal looked contemplative for as though still trying to decide something.

Nearly two minutes passed, and Kaede began to wonder if he was silently accessing some memory storage device to check legality. Then:

"It is settled. Pack your essentials. You will leave tonight, before any unpleasant circumstances change things. I will arrange for someone to bring you to Nordkreuz. Once you reach my family's estate, the Majordomo will arrange for the binding magical contract."

"But we don't even..." Kaede blurted out.

Just as the door swung open, and in walked Pascal's advisor, Professor Albert.

"I believe your familiar thinks me a fool, that you can just sneak in under my nose without notice," the balding professor scathed, his eyes glancing over Kaede with disdain before locked sight with Pascal.

"Not a chance of it, Professor Sir," Pascal replied as he stood upright into military posture, hands back and chest high.

"See to it then. I want the maid gone before morning."

Professor Albert tugged on his well-trimmed mustache once before leaving the room, his striding steps now echoing up the hallway.

It took a moment before Kaede recovered and figured out what just happened. Being an old-styled frame with a cheap lock, the door had a see-through keyhole, which was just in line to cast a ''Telepathy'' spell on Pascal's position.

"How long had he been there?"

She felt like she just made a complete fool of herself.

"Around when I first spoke," Pascal shrugged, his eyes still examining Marina. "Using ''Detect'' spells from that ring of yours would be a little obvious, so I did not bother to add it -- a poor judgment in hindsight that I intend to fix as soon as I can. Furthermore, since you are a familiar, we really should work on your magic sensitivity. The hallway had at least three layers of Professor Albert's ''Alarm'' wards. The third was extremely subtle, but the first two were glaringly obvious."

Without waiting for a response, Pascal took Kaede's wrist and dragged her back down the hallway.

"Wait a minute..." She called as her thin legs scurried along, trying to keep up with his stride.

"You two can talk later when she is one, no longer at the scene of her crime, and two, had some time to cool her head and rethink what happened. I doubt any conversation now will be to your advantage. As for the rest of tonight, I want you back in bed and resting. Two brushes with death is enough for one day when you are clearly running low on beginner's luck."

...

Despite being forced to rest early, Kaede did not sleep well overnight. With Pascal's room wrecked and repairs delayed in an attempt to collect evidence, they had to relocate to a different one. A slightly altered atmosphere plus anxieties facing the trio's responses tomorrow easily kept her up late.

There was also something wrong with her stomach...

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

After finishing his usual weekend morning workout, Parzifal refreshed himself before heading to the main keep for brunch. His walk across the grounds was quiet, with Ariadne hand-in-hand and Reynald yawning just a step ahead.

His redheaded best friend had stayed up late last night, boasting of his martial exploits to impress guys and girls alike as their classmates requested the details of what happened.

Parzifal didn't mind. His friend deserved the spotlight, plus Reynald was already giving Parzifal more credit than he would like. He was still coming to terms with not only the fact he killed someone, but the gruesome way his creativity accomplished it. Worse yet was the sense of ''satisfaction'' a part of him felt when the muffled assassin vanished under the brambles.

He prayed long and hard to the Holy Father last night for his soul to be cleansed of its sinful taint.

But that wasn't the only thing on his mind.

Before yesterday, if someone had told him that the arrogant, condescending, judgmental, obstinate, intolerant -- he could go on for a while -- ''Runelord'' Pascal would apologize to him over the source of their enmity from two years ago, Parzifal would have responded that Celestial enlightenment was more likely to sweep across the Abyss first.

Maybe it did. Part of him wondered what other miracles the Holy Father orchestrated last night.

But that left him the dilemma of how to respond.

Year-long grudges did not disappear over a single apology, no matter how thorough and sincere it was. Parzifal certainly did not forget how hurtful it was back then, when a younger him was convinced, utterly certain, that his incompetence with most fields of magic meant his dreams would never amount to anything, that he would remain insignificant and uselessly boring throughout his life.

He could never thank his friends enough for giving him the self-respect to hold his head high over the course of two years. That was especially true for Ariadne, the most beautiful and popular girl in the academy who sat beside him, listening to his pessimistic complaints and encouraging him with saintly patience.

Parzifal prayed to the Holy Father every night for sending the angel that changed his life.

But if the warm, welcoming embrace of friendship could bless his life, why should this divine grace not be extended toward others?

Unlike Ariadne who turned it into yet another self-motivator, Parzifal had done his best to isolate his dislike for Pascal and keep it buried. Hatred was sinful. He may not have the compassion to simply forgive, but he would not allow his life to be ruled by dark emotions either.

...Except they still clouded his judgment, until Reynald opened his eyes to the grander picture yesterday.

For him to still hold onto that grudge after Pascal showed the deepest remorse... it would be immature, childish even. Not only did it go against the teachings of the Founder, but it also represented the intolerance that he so hated in Pascal.

Parzifal knew that man was doomed to hypocrisy, but he would strive his best to escape it.

Engrossed in his thoughts, Parzifal had unknowingly walked into the great dining hall. Now, seeing the lonely figures of Pascal and Kaede near a far-side corner, he knew that there was only one true choice -- only one act the Holy Father would approve of.

A healer's task did not end with merely physical wounds, but troubles of the mind, heart, and soul as well.

"Come on," Parzifal beckoned to Reynald, before his feet turned and his hand lead Ariadne down the long table.

"Oh you've ''got'' to be kidding me," Reynald complained, but he followed nonetheless.

It was time to extend an olive branch to the man both admired and scorned as the ''Runelord'', and appeal to the soul of the boy that lived within.

As he pulled out the next seat and sat down, Parzifal wondered if Pascal's agape expression mirrored his own the previous night.

"Thought you might appreciate some company after yesterday."

...

Of course, Parzifal never heard the telepathic exchange between Reynald and Ariadne as they sat down:

"Are you okay with this, Ariadne?" The best friend asked, worried.

"Of course I'm ''not'' okay with just this!"

"I'm sorry. Parzifal is just getting carried away again. I'm sure he didn't mean to..."

"Oh don't worry about that," the girl reassured. "His headstrong sense of ethics is part of why I love him."

It reminded Reynald of why everyone else, Parzifal especially, thought Ariadne was 'the perfect girl'.

"It's that prick who better prepare himself!"

...Even if she wasn't actually perfect.

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

Kaede knew that nothing ended that easily.

Parzifal kept the banter focused over the course of brunch, discussing mostly the events of last night and the academy's turmoil that followed. Reynald soon pitched in with tactical analysis made using his knowledge of Mantis Blade modus operandi, spoken in-between flirtatious words that continued to address Kaede as 'muffin'.

She didn't hit him this time, partly because the men didn't need any sparks of hostility, and partly due to her cramping and aching stomach sapping all her energy.

According to Pascal, he had never personally wronged Reynald over the years. Furthermore, the shorter redhead took every opportunities to mock him, not to mention handing him one humiliating defeat after another in their ''Advanced Spellsword Combat'' class.

Therefore it was not surprising that Reynald followed his best friend's lead as soon as he fulfilled his quota of evil glares.

Ariadne, however, was a different case entirely. She still wore her angelic smile through all of brunch, still lovingly offered food to Parzifal through raised forks. But she did not, even once, speak a single word to Pascal.

Until they all stood up to leave.

"I believe I still owe you something, you self-centered prick," Ariadne spoke as she closed the distance between them to arm's length.

Just as when Parzifal first walked up to Pascal, a wave of silence rippled outwards through the hall. Within seconds, every moving body stilled as their eyes gazed upon the noble lady facing the Runelord.

Meanwhile, Pascal's puzzled expression didn't have a clue of what Ariadne was talking about...

Until her right hand drew a wide arc upwards as though drawing a sword, before meeting his right cheek in a slap that resounded through the dining hall.

Several of Pascal's 'fangirls' squeaked, but none dared to challenge the noble lady.

Kaede was certain Ariadne's glove was glowing. There was simply no way someone could ''slap'' that hard without magic, regardless of how big a sword they twirled around every day.

The force of the impact lifted Pascal's feet off the ground and threw him backwards like a rag doll, before the Runelord crashed into the ground several paces away on his back. A red handprint now adorned the right side of his face, his skin rapidly bruising with internal bleeding under the partial cover of his soft golden curls.

"Owww," Pascal remarked as he sat back up, his hand rushing to cradle his swelling cheek. "I do rot rememper drawing plood with mere words."

Sure enough, a small stream of red dripped down from the corner of his mouth before his other hand wiped it off.

"Consider it interest, Pascal, and I reserve the right to slap you again whenever your ''prick'' self surfaces."

A dozen or two people in the hall even clapped and cheered.

But for Kaede, it was the first time she ever heard Ariadne use his name.

Shaking his head with a chuckle, Parzifal then leaned over to offer Pascal a hand back up.

Which the latter took with a firm grip and a muttered, embarrassed "thanks".

Still sitting on the other side of the table, Kaede tried to smile as she watched the bonding moment that would hopefully, with time, develop into something far more. But all she managed was a wry smirk that seemed more like a grimace.

Her stomach pains were growing worse.

As chatter returned across the dining hall, Ariadne was the first to notice the problem:

"Kaede what's wrong?"

"My stomach..."

"She's been having pains in her lower abdominal region all morning, and apparently last night as well," Pascal filled in for her, his right hand now rubbing the swollen left cheek while his turquoise ring glowed.

Parzifal leaned over the table to take a look before swiftly pulling back upright. He then glanced at Ariadne while his finger tapped in the air towards Kaede.

"Oh dear," his beloved muttered, her rushed steps already on its way around the long table.

Pascal's confusion returned as he looked between Parzifal and Reynald. The healer kept his silence for the moment, while the knight simply shrugged, clueless.

"Some prodigy you are, Pascal; half a day goes by and you can't even tell basic biology," Ariadne complained as she knelt down besides Kaede.

With her back already bent over her stomach, Kaede banged her head into the table as she realized exactly what the noblewoman meant.

"Kaede you must be on your cycle... or whatever your people call a menstrual period."

Thanks to the translation magic integrated into her familiar bond, Kaede herself had no problem understanding Ariadne's terminology. The contents themselves, however, were far too appalling to think about.

"But... b-but I'm not bleeding," came her voiced thoughts. Even ''she'' would recognize the most obvious sign of a feminine body entering 'that time of the month'.

"If your undergarments are appropriately enchanted," Ariadne explained as she rubbed Kaede's lower back, "they'll clean it before it can even stain."

Variations of two thoughts filled Kaede's mind as their numbers multiplied explosively, quickly drowning out every other line of reason:

''I should have known...''

''This can't be happening to me...''

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

Kaede spent all of Sunday afternoon in bed, feeling almost as miserable for herself as the day she first came to this world. She was certain her hormones were to blame for that, but the knowledge itself didn't raise her mood any higher.

She had to deal with this ''every month'' for the foreseeable future...

Her stomach pains and cramps had not alleviated any since morning, and her one hope of relief was dashed as soon as it came. Ariadne was quick to point out that there was a spell for mostly suppressing the discomfort during a period. But Parzifal had to remind her that the magic involved direct manipulation of the nerve-conduits, which limited its use to the caster herself. It was why no male healer ever learned the spell for helping another through particularly painful cycles.

''Meaning I can't use the blessing that's the privilege of ''noble'' ladies'', Kaede reflected irritatingly. ''I have to suffer like the ''commoner'' girls do.''

''Screw this society.''

It didn't stop Sir 'I am a prodigy' Pascal from trying... and failing spectacularly. He somehow managed to loosen his own lower controls, which resulted in soiling himself.

Parzifal said that he got lucky. The last male healer who tried to invent a fix for his commoner wife ended up with a painful, week-long erection. After that, nobody wanted to attempt again.

So they returned to the tried and true method: apply direct heating to relax the muscles and soothe the discomfort.

That proved simple. Her undergarments had it built in. Parzifal also managed to attain a few rubber hot-water pads which Pascal enchanted with ''Heat'' spells. These she laid on top of to apply warm pressure from underneath.

This was how Kaede spent her last few hours: not moving, not occupying her mind with books, just laying there face-down, groaning and feeling sorry for herself.

Even Pascal looked like he felt bad for her.

"I have never apologized for pulling you into my world, have I?" He spoke from the work desk, his closed eyes facing a written report, as Kaede whimpered from her latest cramp.

"No. It's why I still hate you," she retorted grumpily.

In hindsight, nothing from her came nicely today.

"Well, I am sorry."

"Better late than never. Next time, you try being the one to menstruate!"

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| Back to [[Daybreak:Volume_1_Chapter_11|Chapter 11]]
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| Forward to [[Daybreak:Volume_1_Chapter_13|Chapter 13]]
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</noinclude>

Daybreak:Volume 1 Chapter 12

2014-05-13T03:33:55Z

104.2.164.230: /* Chapter 12 - Better Late Than Never */

===Chapter 12 - Better Late Than Never===

Kaede jolted upright on her cold and squishy seat, the shivering aftereffects of a light shock still coursing through her body. Her eyes snapped open, meeting the glow of a dozen bright white lights that floated overhead. Meanwhile, two blurry figures before her solidified into appearances she knew and could trust.

Night had already fallen, lit by stars and the indigo planet stretching across the horizon.

"That's what a ''Rejuvenate'' spell actually feels like," the crouching Parzifal gave her a gentle smile, his eyes still closed as the soothing warmth from his glove coursed through her right shoulder. "Heal plus shock; bit contradictory, but effective."

Pascal, on the other hand, wasn't smiling at all. The frown under his golden soft curls was halfway between worried and stern:

"How long did that arrow stay in you?"

"I don't know; maybe five minutes?" She almost shrugged but caught herself in time. "Counting time isn't the best way of trying to stay conscious while pretending to be the opposite."

Examining her situation, Kaede found herself laying on Parzifal's giant tofu, its top in the form of a memory-foam lounge chair. Her shoulder was no longer hurting. Instead, it felt as though submerged in hot springs, muscles relaxing and tension fading away.

"Well, I guess passing off as dead was your safest option at the time. Just try not to jump off any buildings again," Pascal scowled and shook his head.

"Give me a break! That was my second time using...!"

"--And thank you," Pascal headed off her retort, his head nodding with gratitude. "Because if you did not lure them in, there was no way our enforcers could have caught an Imperial Mantis Blade squad. Sooner or later, one of their plans would have succeeded in catching me off guard, instead of finding themselves baited into a trap."

Kaede felt that something was off about Pascal. It lay in his expression, intoning his firm voice. This was still him, yet ''different''... or perhaps unusual was a better term. But her still-fuzzy mind could neither identify or explain her intuitive sense.

So she turned towards the other puzzling topic: ''I thought they were from Rhin-Lotharingie,'' before she realized that Marina had no reason to tell her the truth.

She really needed to stop underestimating those tears from the un-spy-like maid.

"Well, you're all set now," Parzifal patted her shoulder before standing back up, leaving a lingering warmth on the smooth skin where her wound used to be. "I left an ''Invigorate'' spell that should tie up any loose ends over the course of the night."

"Thank you so much," Kaede bowed from her seat before grinning back. "For this and for saving my life back there," she patted the giant tofu before standing up from it.

"Don't mention it," he waved it off with a friendly smile. "I'm just glad Putty got there in time."

''Talk about a fitting name...''

Kaede sent the white pudding familiar a grin as well, and could have sworn it bounced with joy. Her eyes then passed beyond the giant tofu, and she bowed at the tired but otherwise healed Ariadne and Reynald.

The flame-colored leather armor reinforced by steel plates -- cuirass, spaulders, bracers, and greaves -- that they wore during battle had already vanished without a trace. The two of them nodded back in their Knight Phantom uniforms, beaming, while their gloves continued to shed the light of healing. Laying between them was the pegasus Edelweiss, who still nursed a bandaged wing but appeared mostly healthy.

"And I must thank you all as well," Pascal nodded towards the others.

Parzifal's and Reynald's change in attitude was nearly instantaneous as their smiles flipped upside down, but Pascal nevertheless pressed on:

"I know none of you three wish to hear it from me, or did it for my sake. But that only makes it more important that I ''must'' convey my utmost gratitude. You were all willing to overlook our past... differences, for the sake of the country, putting your lives in danger against the best assassins in Hyperion. You have chosen to save my life for the noblest of reasons, and I swear now that House von Moltewitz will not forget this debt, nor fail to honor and repay it."

Pascal bowed -- an emissary's courtesy to match perfection -- before turning around without any expectations.

"Come on Kaede," he said as his legs took the first steps of departure.

His words were lonely and spoken in melancholy. His tone gave a regretful air that reminded Kaede of a conversation on her first day in this world, during their first meal, when he begrudgingly admitted his past faults against the admirable Ariadne. It was clear that he now held a great deal of respect for all three of them, even if he did not before tonight. Even more apparent was his wish that things had turned out differently, before it became too late.

Glancing around the three of them, Kaede found the trio just as taken back. They may not be astounded to the point of dropping jaws, but it was clear that not one of them had expected such words from the prodigious and prideful ''Runelord''.

It was as good an opportunity as anyone could hope for.

She turned to Pascal's departing back -- just another step away from the stairwell doors -- and shouted after him:

"How long are you going to keep regretting the past instead of facing the present!?"

Pascal spun around to glare at her, but Kaede had no intention of keeping this conversation private... not yet:

"I stand by what I told you two weeks ago: it's not always enough, but it's never too late!"

His legs stood stiff and his body still. But his eyes wavered, caught amid hesitation and resentment, uncertain between a chance to seek the unpleasant light, or returning to the familiar yet cold shadows.

But Kaede knew that Pascal would not be Pascal without his will to follow rational judgment in his own way. After a silent minute and a profound sigh, his feet turned themselves around, cautiously stepping back towards Kaede as her lips unwittingly lit up a welcoming smile.

"You said you will not fail to honor and repay the debt. Then why not start now with everything you have? Better than your half-way apologies that do nothing but tarnish your word."

"Apologies could use more efficiency and less self-injury..." his complaint was bitter.

Kaede's hands propped against her waist as she goaded Pascal with the one line he could not possibly ignore:

"Yes, 'efficient' in how you keep spending little effort for no gain; the rest of us have a word for it: 'cowardice', you gutless wonder. Seriously, how many years will you keep accumulating interest? There are things you can't fix with magic or genius Pascal... you have to do it the old fashioned way."

"...Fine." He finally agreed just before reaching the trio as his irritated thoughts silently met her challenge: "since I am going to do it anyway, I will show you exactly how proper of an apology I can accomplish.

Now meeting them eye to eye, Pascal took a deep breath before he began in a deep and sincere voice:

"Kaede is correct. I know that you have no reason to grant me any favors, but I ask for only a moment of your time. I realized all too late that in my foolish immaturity of years past, I have committed inexcusable acts of rudeness against the two of you, Parzifal and Ariadne, and that I owe each of you a most sincere apology."

Even Kaede stood stunned at the depth of Pascal's remorse, which sounded even more genuine than she expected. But what followed completely eclipsed even her impression of just how long and deeply Pascal must have considered his past mistakes:

"Parzifal," spoke Pascal, turning towards the lean healer with crossed arms and meeting his aquamarine gaze. "I only wish I could take back the childish words I used that day to stab your most painful spot. I knew, even back then, that you hated your magical affinity and held a crisis of confidence. It was dirty and despicable of me, and probably done because even then, I knew your generosity towards a girl you barely knew made my rudeness look more intolerable by comparison. I am glad that you received the gratitude and the beautiful girl you deserved, and that Ariadne helped build your confidence to the capable man you are today..."

Whether it was because of unpreparedness or due to Pascal's thoroughly uncharacteristic behavior, Parzifal and his two friends were stunned flat by the prodigy's admission of guilt. Their poker faces -- or Ariadne's once-serene smile -- were left agape, their eyes blinking in disbelief amidst the dying flames of residue anger.

It wasn't exactly very encouraging for the person actually trying to apologize.

"You can do this, Pascal."

Kaede noted that his eyes had slid back down to stare upon a faraway battlement. His shoulders were slumping more by the second, his will wavering on the precipice of yet another plunge from pride.

''I know this can't be easy on you, but...''

She decided it was time to inject some real motivation again:

"You've told me that you didn't want to owe Ariadne anything else, but what about your debts now...? You know this is the right thing to do."

Pascal sent her another glare, and a reassured -- also slightly amused -- Kaede returned her encouraging smile.

"And Ariadne," he took a deep breath before he focused onto the lady's meadow-green eyes. "When I discovered our differences in approach to life, I tried to break up with you by pressing all the blame onto you. It was low, and immoral, and cowardly of me, all the more so when I humiliated you by doing it in public instead of at least having a basic sense of decency. I cannot apologize enough for my past actions, and if I do not get the chance again, I wish you happiness with Parzifal, for he is a far better man than I was."

And that took almost every ounce of will, every strand of self-discipline that Pascal had.

His gaze lingered for but a second before he spun around and strode straight towards the rooftop door. He had just shredded his pride and thrown them out with a chamber pot of filth before the presence of four others. His soul lay bared naked to the critiquing eyes of his peers, and he could not withstand it for another moment longer.

"I am so going to kill you for that," the prodigy's ego lashed out in an attempt to regain itself, to rebuild its protective shell.

"You're welcome," Kaede simply smiled back, having never felt true pride before now for the man who called her into this alien world.

She then turned towards the three still hanging onto stunned expressions, curtsied as graciously as she could, before rushing off after Pascal.

The only one she heard recovering before her departure was Reynald, although his utterance still came loaded with disbelief:

"''THE Runelord apologizing?'' You've got to be shitting me..."

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

Pascal had told Kaede that while she was still unconscious, Professor Sir von Kirchner flew to the roof and questioned the four before leaving to assess the situation around the castle.

They saw no reason to wake her up for that unpleasant session.

Kaede was grateful, but it also didn't leave her much time to wrap up loose ends.

"Why do you even care about this? Just let the guards and enforcers deal with that maid," Pascal asked as he followed Kaede down the dining hall, where servants and mages alike were cleaning up the mess left by collateral damage from the battle.

"Because she offered me a life option, in her own way. I intend to return the favor," Kaede answered.

"Let me restate: you are trying to help a maid that worked with assassins who ''just tried to kill you''."

"Yes, because the best assassins of your world are so incompetent their arrow struck just above my lungs from a flat trajectory shot."

"Well fine, they tried to kill me," Pascal relented, but only slightly. "This is a terrible idea."

"I know it's a terrible idea..." Kaede spun her heels around, her eyes filled with a painful need as she gazed back at Pascal: "look, I really, really wanted her to be my friend. I thought she ''was'' the first friend I made in this world. Okay? So, just let me extend her this one help to get it off my conscience... please?" she begged.

Pascal stared back, met and tested her with turquoise eyes, before he sighed audibly.

"Fine, I will lend you one favor this time. According to Reynald, the seven members we killed were a full Imperial Mantis Blade operation squad. Any helpers they managed to recruit along the way will not yield us any useful information. This maid has already been here for two years; definitely not specific to this mission. If I had to guess, she is eyes and ears for some Imperial Governor who the Mantis Blades tapped into, probably near the northern border of the Imperium. Any executive intelligence organization certainly has the jurisdiction."

"Then... how many favors do you owe me for saving your life?"

"None. You are my familiar."

Kaede sighed. She was starting to recognize the tone that signaled one of Pascal's off-putting and inappropriately-timed jokes.

They soon arrived outside the servant's room Marina lived in, its door flanked by two armored guards.

"I am Sir Pascal Kay Lennart von Moltewitz," he moved up to introduce himself. "We wish to speak with the prisoner."

"Sir von Moltewitz, this case is currently pending investigations by Professor Sir..." The soldier replied before Pascal cut him off with a glare cold enough to freeze air:

"May I remind you that I am a Captain in His Majesty's service and a feudal lord by right of succession, who happens to be the target of this attack. I also have no doubt that my father, Field Marshal von Moltewitz, will be maddened by this unprovoked treachery. Now, do you ''seriously'' intend to keep me from getting the answers that I rightfully and lawfully deserve, soldier?"

"No Sir!" The guard raised his head up high, eyes glancing at the other side's walls before stepping aside.

''So many privileges it's not even fair,'' Kaede suppressed a grin as Pascal opened the door and lead her inside.

The room was exactly as she last remembered it -- two bunk beds and a table with clothes hanging everywhere. The only difference was that a screen of shimmering violet magic laid over the window, sealing it completely. If Kaede had to guess, there were probably also guards on the other side.

The brown-haired petite maid was lying in her bed, her hands behind her back and her wet eyes uncaring to the new guests.

"C-congratulations, Kaede," Marina sniffed. "I guess you deserve the faithful familiar award after all."

Pascal finished twirling his hand about in mostly the same motions as Ariadne's ''Sanctum Veil'' spell earlier today. He then presented a 'your turn' gesture before leaning back against the other bunk bed.

"I didn't come here to be spiteful or interrogate you, Marina," Kaede spoke dryly as she met the maid's glassy sea-green eyes. "I don't want things to end this way between us, but there wasn't much of a choice before now."

"Of course... you have y-your master, and I have mine."

"You owe him for your upbringing and your life. I respect that allegiance, I really do. But can't you see that he's also using you, and ordering you to throw your life away for him in these missions... isn't once enough to repay that? How many..."

"I-if... if you think I'm going to talk just because my fate is already sealed, then you can leave now." The maid retorted, her defiant words completely contradictory to her teary gaze.

Pascal gave off an almost snort-like sound before interjecting with a contemptuous sneer:

"Do not flatter yourself. If we really think you had anything of value, there are ways to rip it out of your mind. It is below proper nobility to use such hideous enchantment magic, but there are matters of national importance that outweighs the honor of nobles... for me, at least, and I am certain the King's Black Eagles would agree. Not that there would be anything left of your psyche afterwards to speak of what happened, I am sure you can imagine."

Marina began to sob again, and Kaede sent an exasperated look towards Pascal:

"You're not helping."

"I said ''we'' are not interrogating you, and I meant it," Kaede continued. "Obviously, I can't speak for the other involved parties, but that's also why I'm here. If I can find you a chance out of this -- and I'm not promising, because I honestly don't know -- then will you take it?"

The maid whimpered once more:

"W-why are you doing this?"

"Because if you didn't actually ask the assassins to keep me alive, I'm certain I'd be dead by now regardless of how successful Pascal and the rest were."

"E-except I asked you to help kill him..." Marina nodded towards Pascal. "W-what's the catch now?"

Kaede hadn't really thought this part through. She looked towards Pascal, hoping for an inspiration on the legal side of affairs.

"How much do you think you can trust her?" he asked silently.

"She would rather die painfully for the one who raised her than give up any information to ease her passing. What does that tell you about her sense of loyalty?"

Pascal sighed and shook his head before answering:

"''If'' I can get them to agree, it will be to release you into my jurisdiction, as I am entitled to compensation as the directly wronged party. You can work on my estate as an indentured servant, but it will be under the condition that you accept a binding magical contract to never willingly send any information or contribute to any action that you believe may harm any state of my family's sworn allegiances."

''Indentured... servant.''

"You're asking her to be a slave!?" Kaede glared at him. "Shouldn't that be illegal or something!?"

"Why? It is a perfectly practical form of punishment. Not like we are bartering them as trade goods as the Holy Imperium does," Pascal answered stiffly. "And she did help them in trying to kill me. Fair is fair."

"But...!"

"There is also no way the higher ups will accept handing her over if I did not give her at least this much punishment. At least sixteen people ''died'' in this attack Kaede, including one professor, and I am not willing to indulge ''your'' sense of ethics so much to lose my own, understand?"

Kaede didn't say another word. His accusation that she was pushing her cultural morals onto him had stung. She knew perfectly well that it was one of the biggest 'don't dos' in cross-cultural relations.

"What is your response," Pascal intoned, sternly.

"Like I have any real choice," Marina looked towards Kaede, who shrugged with her 'sorry, best I can do' expression.

Meanwhile, Pascal looked contemplative for as though still trying to decide something.

Nearly two minutes passed, and Kaede began to wonder if he was silently accessing some memory storage device to check legality. Then:

"It is settled. Pack your essentials. You will leave tonight, before any unpleasant circumstances change things. I will arrange for someone to bring you to Nordkreuz. Once you reach my family's estate, the Majordomo will arrange for the binding magical contract."

"But we don't even..." Kaede blurted out.

Just as the door swung open, and in walked Pascal's advisor, Professor Albert.

"I believe your familiar thinks me a fool, that you can just sneak in under my nose without notice," the balding professor scathed, his eyes glancing over Kaede with disdain before locked sight with Pascal.

"Not a chance of it, Professor Sir," Pascal replied as he stood upright into military posture, hands back and chest high.

"See to it then. I want the maid gone before morning."

Professor Albert tugged on his well-trimmed mustache once before leaving the room, his striding steps now echoing up the hallway.

It took a moment before Kaede recovered and figured out what just happened. Being an old-styled frame with a cheap lock, the door had a see-through keyhole, which was just in line to cast a ''Telepathy'' spell on Pascal's position.

"How long had he been there?"

She felt like she just made a complete fool of herself.

"Around when I first spoke," Pascal shrugged, his eyes still examining Marina. "Using ''Detect'' spells from that ring of yours would be a little obvious, so I did not bother to add it -- a poor judgment in hindsight that I intend to fix as soon as I can. Furthermore, since you are a familiar, we really should work on your magic sensitivity. The hallway had at least three layers of Professor Albert's ''Alarm'' wards. The third was extremely subtle, but the first two were glaringly obvious."

Without waiting for a response, Pascal took Kaede's wrist and dragged her back down the hallway.

"Wait a minute..." She called as her thin legs scurried along, trying to keep up with his stride.

"You two can talk later when she is one, no longer at the scene of her crime, and two, had some time to cool her head and rethink what happened. I doubt any conversation now will be to your advantage. As for the rest of tonight, I want you back in bed and resting. Two brushes with death is enough for one day when you are clearly running low on beginner's luck."

...

Despite being forced to rest early, Kaede did not sleep well overnight. With Pascal's room wrecked and repairs delayed in an attempt to collect evidence, they had to relocate to a different one. A slightly altered atmosphere plus anxieties facing the trio's responses tomorrow easily kept her up late.

There was also something wrong with her stomach...

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

After finishing his usual weekend morning workout, Parzifal refreshed himself before heading to the main keep for brunch. His walk across the grounds was quiet, with Ariadne hand-in-hand and Reynald yawning just a step ahead.

His redheaded best friend had stayed up late last night, boasting of his martial exploits to impress guys and girls alike as their classmates requested the details of what happened.

Parzifal didn't mind. His friend deserved the spotlight, plus Reynald was already giving Parzifal more credit than he would like. He was still coming to terms with not only the fact he killed someone, but the gruesome way his creativity accomplished it. Worse yet was the sense of ''satisfaction'' a part of him felt when the muffled assassin vanished under the brambles.

He prayed long and hard to the Holy Father last night for his soul to be cleansed of its sinful taint.

But that wasn't the only thing on his mind.

Before yesterday, if someone had told him that the arrogant, condescending, judgmental, obstinate, intolerant -- he could go on for a while -- ''Runelord'' Pascal would apologize to him over the source of their enmity from two years ago, Parzifal would have responded that Celestial enlightenment was more likely to sweep across the Abyss first.

Maybe it did. Part of him wondered what other miracles the Holy Father orchestrated last night.

But that left him the dilemma of how to respond.

Year-long grudges did not disappear over a single apology, no matter how thorough and sincere it was. Parzifal certainly did not forget how hurtful it was back then, when a younger him was convinced, utterly certain, that his incompetence with most fields of magic meant his dreams would never amount to anything, that he would remain insignificant and uselessly boring throughout his life.

He could never thank his friends enough for giving him the self-respect to hold his head high over the course of two years. That was especially true for Ariadne, the most beautiful and popular girl in the academy who sat beside him, listening to his pessimistic complaints and encouraging him with saintly patience.

Parzifal prayed to the Holy Father every night for sending the angel that changed his life.

But if the warm, welcoming embrace of friendship could bless his life, why should this divine grace not be extended toward others?

Unlike Ariadne who turned it into yet another self-motivator, Parzifal had done his best to isolate his dislike for Pascal and keep it buried. Hatred was sinful. He may not have the compassion to simply forgive, but he would not allow his life to be ruled by dark emotions either.

...Except they still clouded his judgment, until Reynald opened his eyes to the grander picture yesterday.

For him to still hold onto that grudge after Pascal showed the deepest remorse... it would be immature, childish even. Not only did it go against the teachings of the Founder, but it also represented the intolerance that he so hated in Pascal.

Parzifal knew that man was doomed to hypocrisy, but he would strive his best to escape it.

Engrossed in his thoughts, Parzifal had unknowingly walked into the great dining hall. Now, seeing the lonely figures of Pascal and Kaede near a far-side corner, he knew that there was only one true choice -- only one act the Holy Father would approve of.

A healer's task did not end with merely physical wounds, but troubles of the mind, heart, and soul as well.

"Come on," Parzifal beckoned to Reynald, before his feet turned and his hand lead Ariadne down the long table.

"Oh you've ''got'' to be kidding me," Reynald complained, but he followed nonetheless.

It was time to extend an olive branch to the man both admired and scorned as the ''Runelord'', and appeal to the soul of the boy that lived within.

As he pulled out the next seat and sat down, Parzifal wondered if Pascal's agape expression mirrored his own the previous night.

"Thought you might appreciate some company after yesterday."

...

Of course, Parzifal never heard the telepathic exchange between Reynald and Ariadne as they sat down:

"Are you okay with this, Ariadne?" The best friend asked, worried.

"Of course I'm ''not'' okay with just this!"

"I'm sorry. Parzifal is just getting carried away again. I'm sure he didn't mean to..."

"Oh don't worry about that," the girl reassured. "His headstrong sense of ethics is part of why I love him."

It reminded Reynald of why everyone else, Parzifal especially, thought Ariadne was 'the perfect girl'.

"It's that prick who better prepare himself!"

...Even if she wasn't actually perfect.

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

Kaede knew that nothing ended that easily.

Parzifal kept the banter focused over the course of brunch, discussing mostly the events of last night and the academy's turmoil that followed. Reynald soon pitched in with tactical analysis made using his knowledge of Mantis Blade modus operandi, spoken in-between flirtatious words that continued to address Kaede as 'muffin'.

She didn't hit him this time, partly because the men didn't need any sparks of hostility, and partly due to her cramping and aching stomach sapping all her energy.

According to Pascal, he had never personally wronged Reynald over the years. Furthermore, the shorter redhead took every opportunities to mock him, not to mention handing him one humiliating defeat after another in their ''Advanced Spellsword Combat'' class.

Therefore it was not surprising that Reynald followed his best friend's lead as soon as he fulfilled his quota of evil glares.

Ariadne, however, was a different case entirely. She still wore her angelic smile through all of brunch, still lovingly offered food to Parzifal through raised forks. But she did not, even once, speak a single word to Pascal.

Until they all stood up to leave.

"I believe I still owe you something, you self-centered prick," Ariadne spoke as she closed the distance between them to arm's length.

Just as when Parzifal first walked up to Pascal, a wave of silence rippled outwards through the hall. Within seconds, every moving body stilled as their eyes gazed upon the noble lady facing the Runelord.

Meanwhile, Pascal's puzzled expression didn't have a clue of what Ariadne was talking about...

Until her right hand drew a wide arc upwards as though drawing a sword, before meeting his right cheeks in a slap that resounded through the dining hall.

Several of Pascal's 'fangirls' squeaked, but none dared to challenge the noble lady.

Kaede was certain Ariadne's glove was glowing. There was simply no way someone could ''slap'' that hard without magic, regardless of how big a sword they twirled around every day.

The force of the impact lifted Pascal's feet off the ground and threw him backwards like a rag doll, before the Runelord crashed into the ground several paces away on his back. A red handprint now adorned the right side of his face, his skin rapidly bruising with internal bleeding under the partial cover of his soft golden curls.

"Owww," Pascal remarked as he sat back up, his hand rushing to cradle his swelling cheek. "I do rot rememper drawing plood with mere words."

Sure enough, a small stream of red dripped down from the corner of his mouth before his other hand wiped it off.

"Consider it interest, Pascal, and I reserve the right to slap you again whenever your ''prick'' self surfaces."

A dozen or two people in the hall even clapped and cheered.

But for Kaede, it was the first time she ever heard Ariadne use his name.

Shaking his head with a chuckle, Parzifal then leaned over to offer Pascal a hand back up.

Which the latter took with a firm grip and a muttered, embarrassed "thanks".

Still sitting on the other side of the table, Kaede tried to smile as she watched the bonding moment that would hopefully, with time, develop into something far more. But all she managed was a wry smirk that seemed more like a grimace.

Her stomach pains were growing worse.

As chatter returned across the dining hall, Ariadne was the first to notice the problem:

"Kaede what's wrong?"

"My stomach..."

"She's been having pains in her lower abdominal region all morning, and apparently last night as well," Pascal filled in for her, his right hand now rubbing the swollen left cheek while his turquoise ring glowed.

Parzifal leaned over the table to take a look before swiftly pulling back upright. He then glanced at Ariadne while his finger tapped in the air towards Kaede.

"Oh dear," his beloved muttered, her rushed steps already on its way around the long table.

Pascal's confusion returned as he looked between Parzifal and Reynald. The healer kept his silence for the moment, while the knight simply shrugged, clueless.

"Some prodigy you are, Pascal; half a day goes by and you can't even tell basic biology," Ariadne complained as she knelt down besides Kaede.

With her back already bent over her stomach, Kaede banged her head into the table as she realized exactly what the noblewoman meant.

"Kaede you must be on your cycle... or whatever your people call a menstrual period."

Thanks to the translation magic integrated into her familiar bond, Kaede herself had no problem understanding Ariadne's terminology. The contents themselves, however, were far too appalling to think about.

"But... b-but I'm not bleeding," came her voiced thoughts. Even ''she'' would recognize the most obvious sign of a feminine body entering 'that time of the month'.

"If your undergarments are appropriately enchanted," Ariadne explained as she rubbed Kaede's lower back, "they'll clean it before it can even stain."

Variations of two thoughts filled Kaede's mind as their numbers multiplied explosively, quickly drowning out every other line of reason:

''I should have known...''

''This can't be happening to me...''

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

Kaede spent all of Sunday afternoon in bed, feeling almost as miserable for herself as the day she first came to this world. She was certain her hormones were to blame for that, but the knowledge itself didn't raise her mood any higher.

She had to deal with this ''every month'' for the foreseeable future...

Her stomach pains and cramps had not alleviated any since morning, and her one hope of relief was dashed as soon as it came. Ariadne was quick to point out that there was a spell for mostly suppressing the discomfort during a period. But Parzifal had to remind her that the magic involved direct manipulation of the nerve-conduits, which limited its use to the caster herself. It was why no male healer ever learned the spell for helping another through particularly painful cycles.

''Meaning I can't use the blessing that's the privilege of ''noble'' ladies'', Kaede reflected irritatingly. ''I have to suffer like the ''commoner'' girls do.''

''Screw this society.''

It didn't stop Sir 'I am a prodigy' Pascal from trying... and failing spectacularly. He somehow managed to loosen his own lower controls, which resulted in soiling himself.

Parzifal said that he got lucky. The last male healer who tried to invent a fix for his commoner wife ended up with a painful, week-long erection. After that, nobody wanted to attempt again.

So they returned to the tried and true method: apply direct heating to relax the muscles and soothe the discomfort.

That proved simple. Her undergarments had it built in. Parzifal also managed to attain a few rubber hot-water pads which Pascal enchanted with ''Heat'' spells. These she laid on top of to apply warm pressure from underneath.

This was how Kaede spent her last few hours: not moving, not occupying her mind with books, just laying there face-down, groaning and feeling sorry for herself.

Even Pascal looked like he felt bad for her.

"I have never apologized for pulling you into my world, have I?" He spoke from the work desk, his closed eyes facing a written report, as Kaede whimpered from her latest cramp.

"No. It's why I still hate you," she retorted grumpily.

In hindsight, nothing from her came nicely today.

"Well, I am sorry."

"Better late than never. Next time, you try being the one to menstruate!"

<noinclude>
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| Back to [[Daybreak:Volume_1_Chapter_11|Chapter 11]]
| Return to [[Daybreak_on_Hyperion|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Daybreak:Volume_1_Chapter_13|Chapter 13]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Daybreak:Volume 1 Chapter 3

2014-05-12T00:47:29Z

104.2.164.230: /* Chapter 3 - Master and Familiar */

===Chapter 3 - Master and Familiar===

True to his word, Pascal kept his hands to himself that night. Even with their close proximity, he never touched Kaede once. But despite the awkward situation, a far greater concern occupied her thoughts: his words kept replaying in her mind, forcing her to accept the grim new reality.

On the first night of Kaede's new life, she silently cried herself to sleep... yet even merciful unconsciousness lasted all of three hours.

By the time the first rays of light cracked through the curtains, she was tired of lying about. Taking care not to wake him up, she pulled on her windbreaker jacket and grabbed her archery bag. Quietly slipping out of the room, she made her way towards the roof for a breather.

Königsfeld Academy's 'dormitory' turned out to be more of an opulently furnished keep. Intricate rugs of rich wool lined the stone hallways, while bright crystal chandeliers lit every intersection. Gold-framed portraits and ornate medieval weapons decorated the spiraling tower staircase. Even the heating and insulation of its stone construction proved superior to Earth equivalents, as Kaede opened the thick wooden door to the roof and was promptly chilled to the bone by the cold air of an early winter morning.

She had left behind her sweatpants as their now-oversized waist refused to stay up. Now, even with barely a breeze on the stone roof, the biting cold kept her keenly aware that she wore nothing more than a flimsy skirt and satin stockings under her large windbreaker jacket. Yet even that paled in comparison compared to her first sight of the new world.

The red sun was still pulling itself onto the eastern sky, but its size seemed tiny compared to the giant moon... no, more like an indigo planet floating just beyond the horizon. The cotton clouds, even bathed by the orange light of daybreak, betrayed a tinge of blue.

''It really is a whole different world.''

Surveying the surroundings, Kaede realized that the dormitory was but one of many stone keeps in a massive fortress complex. Built upon a sloped hill, it had two curtain walls. Each was steeply slanted, similar to Japanese castle bulwarks but with Eurasia-styled battlements, holding up the raised courtyards like a fortified agricultural terrace. The entire fortification stood amidst a vast, flat countryside dotted by patches of woods and clustered farmhouses. Soldiers in partial plate armor guarded the outer wall towers, while the paved road leaving the gatehouse stood as the only highway in sight.

Laying down the archery bag that was bigger than her, Kaede pulled out a three-fingered glove, a set of blunt practice arrows, and her Yumi-Daikyu -- a greatbow of Japanese tradition that stood over two meters (6') tall.

Japanese archery, known as Kyudo, sought moral and spiritual enhancement alongside marksmanship improvement. With the motto of 'correct shooting is correct hitting', its practice emphasized form, purpose, and clarity of mind. For Kaede's often-bloated thoughts, it was a hobby that brought her inner peace and serenity.

Both of which were desperately needed.

The leather glove proved as ill-fitting as her jacket, but Kaede paid it no heed as she slowly transitioned from loading into the firing stance, drawing the arrow back as she went. Her eyes never left a block of stone that she chose as her target, located on the far side battlements. The familiar motions helped to clear her thoughts, transfix her focus on the target, and transform her mind into the arrow... or at least tried to.

Her fingers loosened, but her arrow missed the target by three stone blocks.

''Again'', her thoughts rang out, struggling to suppress her rising disappointment alongside waves of other anxieties.

But it was easier said than done.

''Will I ever see my friends and family again?''

Her third shot bounced off the wrong stone block with a resounding denial.

''What about college? After working so hard and finally receiving my first-choice acceptance letter.''

The fifth arrow overshot the battlements altogether, its momentum wasted as it fell through thin air towards the grounds below.

''How will I survive in this world, without even a line of work?''

Seventh proved to be her worst, striking ground before even reaching the parapet.

By the time she entered the firing stance for her eighth arrow, she heard the sound of soft footsteps approaching from behind.

"How did you know I was here?" Kaede asked in her wispy voice.

"You are my familiar, remember?" came Pascal's response, clear and revitalized. "I can see what you see just by focusing."

Her stomach tightened as she felt the illusion she called 'privacy' shatter into a million pieces.

"And just what else does our bond include?"

"Well, shared sensory for starters," he began. "I can tap your senses -- visual, audio, and empathic. Then there is the..."

"Wait," Kaede finally pulled out of her stance and turned to face him. "You can ''feel'' my emotions!?"

"Not yet. That one is a passive link, so it takes longer to connect."

Standing proudly in his immaculate crimson-on-black military uniform, Pascal wore his black Knight's Cross medal under the stiff folded collars that held his silver insignias. His perfectly groomed soft golden curls hanged just long enough to drape over both ears, framing lean cheeks colored a healthy pink by the cold air. With a thoughtful smile, his clear aqua-blue eyes shone with admiring intrigue before changing into one of concerned examination.

"You look terrible," he noted her countenance while taking a step forward to touch her cheek with his fingers.

"Gee, thanks, I wonder whose fault it is," she retorted.

He didn't show the slightest hint of guilt.

"I have a spell for that actually; half-cosmetic and half-healing."

With a few muttered words, Pascal slowly waved his right hand across Kaede's face. His turquoise ring glowed with brilliance, and she felt a soothing warmth spread across her.

"I mostly use this in the field," he explained in rather stiff words. "Officers must always look awake and confident, even if I only caught three hours of sleep. Guess I will need to check you in the mornings. We nobles do have an image to maintain."

"Yes, of course." Kaede was feeling unusually sarcastic this morning. "Can't let your mistress play-toy look ashen-faced with bloodshot eyes, can we?"

"While I recognize that many nobles have a taste for that, I have no such need. You are my familiar companion," Pascal warned with completely seriousness. "Please do not sully that bond."

''Then how do you explain my appearance now...?''

Sighing, Kaede decided to let the matter go, for now.

"As I was saying, a familiar also serves as an eldritch proxy for the master. The arcane conduit between us allows me to cast spells on you, as well as through you, as long as you are within a kilopace of me, give or take depending on the mana saturation of the region. Being supplied by my ether also grants you some of the basic resistance mages have against foreign ether -- so any alchemy or enchantment, spells that shape either the physical or the mind, as long as they do not come from me."

"Terrific, so I'm a water hose now," her response was deadpan. Then more seriously: "does that at least mean I can learn to cast spells using your ether... mana... whatever?"

Pascal smiled at her question:

"Mana is freely available spiritual power, scattered into the environment by all living beings. Ether is mana after being absorbed and transferred by magically conductive nerves, then refined by the soul. Spells are crafted from ether by using one's magical nerve conduits to form an internalized spell array, which are drilled into muscle memory through thousands of repetitions and then called upon by mnemonics -- those are the incantations, the exact words being merely a matter of common choice. But unfortunately, you do not have the magic conduits to learn spellcraft. However, you should be able to power and activate magical equipment using my ether."

''Well, at least I get ''something'' for all this inconvenience...''

"The familiar bond also includes a telepathic channel that functions even better than the spell, which..."

Pascal suddenly stopped. His eyes refocused on Kaede with its piercing turquoise gaze, and his voice resounded from within her own mind:

"Is this working yet?"

Her bulging eyes gave an obvious response.

"You can use this also, just concentrate."

Closing her eyes and imagining a microphone, Kaede channeled her thoughts: "You're an idiot."

"And you would be if you do not see the value in such a reliable form of private communications."

"You're not going to read my mind through this are you?" She asked, worried.

"No, only the thoughts you will to others are sent through the channel," he spoke with utmost sincerity. "Of course, there is a mind-reading spell, but since being caught performing thought voyeurism may lead to espionage charges and other devastating consequences, it is considered below proper nobility to use such magic. The same goes to charms, compulsions, and other mind-altering enchantments, which may be charged with crimes ranging from larceny and extortion to rape if one is found using them without consent."

Her eyes narrowed:

"You haven't actually said that you don't use them yet."

After a split-second sneer, Pascal continued his serious approach:

"As I have said, it is ''below proper nobility''."

"Then, how do you enforce the loyalty of normal familiars?"

"While the summoning compels the familiar to go through the ceremony, familiar bonds do not rely on compulsion magic. Instead it links two beings through the arcane conduit. Obedience is achieved through a contest of will, which is why familiars are usually a good measurement of the master's capabilities."

"Alright," Kaede relaxed, suppressing the urge to poke out those increasingly downcast eyes. "What else?"

"The last function of a normal familiar bond is auto-translation magic for both the master and familiar, so they may understand each other."

"So that's how I can understand you. But why am I speaking your language?"

"Because ''I'' inserted two additional functions into the bond," Pascal took the credit with majestic pride, his irritatingly aristocrat drawl returning. "The auto-translation magic I gave you functions both ways, modifying both your understanding and your speech by tapping into my linguistics knowledge. Good thing too, because otherwise you would only be able to talk to me."

Despite his attitude, for the first time Kaede felt ''glad'' about something Pascal did. The alternative was just too horrifying. Except...

"And the other?"

"I am getting there... Since I am born of high nobility, we can never know if there may be treachery underfoot. So I thought ahead and specified the contract to give you a magic reservoir, in the form of a permanent set of spell-storing glyphs on your forearms."

After setting her bow down in a rush, Kaede quickly stripped the white satin glove off her right arm. Just as he claimed, there was now eight runes etched in a row on the underside of her forearm. Each shedding a faint, turquoise-blue glow, the runes gave off a subtle warmth, which spread evenly in her still-gloved left arm.

"I'm not a battery!" She stared back at him with incensed eyes. Never a fan of tattoos to begin with, she couldn't believe he already had her permanently marked.

"Of course not, I would never ask you to serve for artillery," he replied with slight confusion.

"No, I meant... a battery is a device for storing electricity, lightning-power, from my world."

"Indeed," he nodded with interest. "Well, being a user of both gem and runic magic, reserve capacity is not one of my problems. Those glyphs are capable of storing pre-crafted spells. I transfered over two full arrays of defensive spells before you woke up yesterday, which you can activate just by pressing down on the runes. I also hope that, since your body is not a network of magic conduits like mine, you may be able to absorb foreign spells using those... we will have to experiment with that one."

By now, her shoulders were starting to tremble...

''Excuse me!? Experiment? Haven't you had enough fun with my body?''

After suppressing all her irritation, frustration, and anger for so long, Kaede's taut emotional strings finally snapped. She stabbed two of her fingers into the runes and activated the entire set on her right arm. Eight glyphs pulsed with magical power, their brilliance and warmth intensifying with a prickling sensation until another pulse discharged their spells less than a second later.

''...I'd like to show you some 'treachery underfoot' right now!''

Although there was no visual cue, Kaede could feel her skin hardening. Her body became feather light, while her bones grew as sturdy as steel. Best of all, her strength not merely returned to that of her former self, but multiplied yet further.

Translucent magical barriers then encased her body like gleaming armor, while five kite shields of shimmering turquoise energy conjured into existence, rotating protectively around her.

"Well, since you insist on trying it now, what do you think?" Pascal grinned with anticipation.

"Perfect."

Her smile concealed a gleaming dagger as she bridged the gap between them with one stride. Lowering her mass into a fighting stance, she sent her right fist straight into his stomach. His wool-and-cashmere uniform proved a poor defense against the stone-like consistency of her knuckles. His feet left the ground for a brief moment as her low hook punched the air out from his lungs.

"First: no spells!"

Coughing blood into the air, Pascal reached out with both hands, fingers extended. Four pebble-sized runes appeared out of thin air in between the fingers of each glove. But before he could activate them, Kaede sent a kick that sent them flying.

"Second: no tricks!"

With her initial surprise and momentum wearing off, Pascal soon began to block her attacks and even occasionally attempt to counter. But even though both his skills and his reaction speed exceeded hers, his unpreparedness and the injuries he already suffered left a gap too wide to fill. His fleshy limbs matched poorly against the granite-strength of her attacks, while his few counters were painfully blocked by the barriers and shields protecting her.

"Third: take your medicine like a man!"

The one-sided beatdown lasted just over a minute, and Kaede only halted after Pascal stopped struggling. By that point, he was sprawled out on the ground, both cheeks swollen black and blue, with his left hand cradling a broken right side. Pain lit up every part of his body, except at critical places like the neck, eyes, and head.

Despite obviously knowing all the basics and having an overwhelming advantage, Kaede avoided hitting any of the most vulnerable spots.

Alternating between wheezing and hacking, bloody coughs, Pascal managed to gurgle out:

"Wha'... wahe 'at... fo?"

Only then did he notice that the girl who stood over him, arms hanging in dejection, was also crying.

"You!... You!... You pulled me out of a perfectly good life, forced me to abandoned my family and friends, cut short all my effort and dreams, took away everything I know, dragged me into this fucking world, turned me into a girl out of your selfish whims, destroyed any hopes of me ever going back, treats my entire existence like property, and, and, AND YOU DON'T EVEN THINK YOU DESERVED A BEATING!!!?"

Having drained her of what little energy she had, Kaede's violent outburst had opened up the floodgates. All of her doubts, fears, worries, anger, frustrations, and anxieties which escalated over the past twelve hours that changed her life forever poured out like a deluge. As though her strings were suddenly cut, she fell to the ground, slamming her knees into the stone roof before toppling over to one side. Lying parallel to him and on her side, she curled up her legs and began to wail and sob uncontrollably.

It took many minutes before she quieted back down, and even more before either of them found the strength to say anything.

"I fink 'ou brog 'wo 'oohe," he managed to gurgle out from his bloody mouth. "An' 'hree rihs"

"Well good! And I hope you learned a lesson you asshat!" She yelled back.

Turning to his other side, Pascal finally spat out the remaining bloody mess in his mouth. Pointing his left arm toward the sky, he called out a single word in an even weirder language, which Kaede's auto-translation magic recognized as 'Sanctuary'.

Rune-engraved stones flew out of a belt pouch too small to hold them all and formed a large ring around them. A crystal-blue, hemispherical barrier of translucent magic soon slammed into position above them, while the very air inside glowed with a turquoise hue.

"What're you doing?" She sat up, alarmed.

"Area dehence and healing rune sed."

With his eyes closed, Pascal mumbled through his swollen mouth.

Only then did she realize that the pain in her knees was fading away.

Then silence fell between the two of them once more.

Too tired to worry or even contemplate for once, Kaede simply sat there, dazed. The last thought that went through her head was an unfeeling conviction:

''I'm dead.''

She didn't know how long it took before her stomach broke the silence with an angry growl.

"No meals for you today," Pascal answered, more irritated than angry, before glancing at Kaede and eyeing her cross-legged sitting posture. "And can't you sit any more ladylike?"

Noticing that he was still heavily bruised, Kaede satisfied herself by shooting back a glare.

Yet the anger faded away quickly this time, replaced by an overflowing sense of relief.

Sure, starving through the day would just increase her misery. But as much as Kaede hated the thought, she didn't want to be 'disowned'.

She didn't have a clue of where to go, or how to survive in this strange world.

Worse yet, Pascal was the son of a high noble and an important official of the state. Even if he didn't, his father definitely owned at least one castle, and the dungeons that came with it, and the thumbscrews and branding irons and all those other instruments of torture inside that could only be described as 'medieval'.

Engulfed by their own problems, neither of them noticed the pristine white pegasus that's been flying around the castle perimeter for the past hour, nor the beautiful rider atop it.

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

By the time the two of them returned to his dorms, it was almost midday.

The air between them stayed silent and awkward. Pascal seemed to bear a particularly foul mood. The healing left him fully functional, but sore and aching all over. His glamor spells however, did fully concealed the lingering bruises on his face, while the bloodstains on his uniform seemed to have magically evaporated. On the outside, it looked like nothing ever happened.

Part of her was relieved. Most of her thought it was a shame.

But what really bothered Kaede was why Pascal kept everything bottled, instead of lashing out her way. For a moment on the roof she thought he was going to just ignore her and leave, except he ended up waiting, with neither a word nor a glance, until she packed her archery gear and caught up.

Now, as he went through the room in search of something, she felt like she had to say something. In hindsight, beating him to an inch of his life really was too extreme. Certainly, he was responsible for turning her life upside down, but it wasn't like he planned it with malicious intent. The summoning just sort of happened that way, and the result was mostly a side effect of the old saying 'be careful what you wish for'.

It didn't mean she hated it any less, or blamed him any less for it. But accidents caused by selfishness weren't inherently immoral. Violence and murder were.

"I'm sorry."

Her voice was mostly nervous, partly regretful, and more than a hint begrudging. Nevertheless, Pascal froze on the spot.

"I shouldn't have hurt you that badly."

That was the most she was willing to concede. He still deserved ''some'' beating, after all. But at the same time, her pragmatic half knew that mauling him all she wanted wouldn't fix the problem. It didn't even make her feel any better. All it did was make things worse.

After half a minute of silence, he expelled a deep sigh before dodging the topic entirely: "just put your belongings in that corner by the chest."

She walked over and leaned her archery bag at the wall, then paused as she stared down at her jacket.

"Can I get something more proper to wear? Please?"

Wordlessly, Pascal strode over to a large wardrobe. From the side, Kaede could only see a collection of long dresses, or garments so short they should never leave the bedroom. Then, with an ominous chuckle, he pulled out an attire and handed it towards her: "here, this is perfect."

It was a white-on-black dress made clearly based on a maid uniform, except with far more frills, laces, layers of petticoats, and a huge ribbon in the back.

Kaede wrestled with the urge to give him another bruise.

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

For obvious reasons, Kaede was not used to wearing heels, not even two-inch-tall chunky heels with ankle straps. The smooth satin stockings also did not offer the same grip as the cotton socks she was used to. Trying to keep up with Pascal's full stride as he crossed the grounds towards the dining hall only made both worse.

She was also keenly aware that almost every person they came across was staring at her.

Located on the first floor of the massive central keep, the dining hall was large enough to fit a small church. Lit by chandeliers and massive stained-glass windows, it was lined with long dining tables. Over a hundred students and teachers filled the individual chairs, gathered mostly in small clusters. Meanwhile servants in maid and butler outfits traversed up and down the aisles, taking orders and delivering food.

"Hey ''Runelord''," a jeering call came from the far side as a short boy with flaming-red hair stood up. "I heard your familiar girl gave you a thrashing on the roof this morning! How does it feel to take yet another first -- the first to receive a beatdown from a loyal familiar? Honestly, was your performance in bed that abysmal?"

About a third of the hall either chuckled or laughed as the boy sat back down.

Kaede felt her face growing crimson as she lowered her eyes to stare at Pascal's heels.

''This is humiliating!''

Never a fan of the sexual jokes that went around male circles, she found it far worse now that she was 'the girl' used in their crude humor.

"Just ignore them. Mere blithering idiots unworthy of our time," Pascal's stiff voice resounded within her head.

Walking ahead, Pascal never turned back towards her once, and Kaede had a sneaking suspicion that the emotional link he mentioned earlier was starting to work -- possibly a result of her recent outburst. Heat rushed up her cheeks as her realization enhanced her embarrassment with another magnitude of annoyance and discontent.

She followed Pascal to a relatively isolated part of the hall and took a seat next to him. A nearby maid, petite with short brown hair and no older than he was, rushed over to take his order.

But Pascal didn't even look at the servant, or acknowledge her existence in any way, before commanding: "fresh bread and scrambled eggs, triple servings, and small assortments of cheese and sausages."

"Yes sir," the maid gave a faint reply before hesitantly meeting Kaede's eyes, uncertain.

"Nothing for her," Pascal declared, and the maid sent Kaede a look of sympathy before rushing off.

Kaede's stomach grumbled in protest.

Meeting her stare with a satisfied smirk, he relented:

"You can have dinner."

"Gee, thanks, how generous of you ''Sir''!"

Her sarcasm was biting.

"I understand that you are having a tough time, given all the tremendous changes in your life, so I will not hold this morning against you past this."

He seemed actually sincere about it, except...

"That's not much of an apology."

"Who said anything about apologizing?" He glanced away. Then, with a distant gaze: "I do take full responsibility for bringing you into this world, and I promise I will take care of you. Just please, the next time you feel overwhelmed, please speak to me with words instead of with your fists. I assure you though that next time I will not be caught so unprepared by barbaric violence."

Kaede looked back down. Relief washed over her, only to be joined by a sense of shame that she had to rely on someone else, that she had to be taken care of at all in this new world.

All she managed to respond with was a faint "thanks".

When her eyes returned, she found Pascal scowling. Tracing his gaze, she noticed the noblewoman who drew the attention of everybody in the vicinity, carrying a silver tray of food and heading unerringly towards them.

With waist-length cascades of strawberry-blond hair held back by a braided bun, the lady held a breathtaking beauty that radiated confidence and refinement. Her clear, meadow-green eyes seemed to sparkle above the naturally sweet and gentle smile of her cherry lips. Her slender body was athletic yet wrapped by enticing curves, striding forth with firm and elegant steps. Her figure-hugging military uniform was black-bordered and burning red, with a gleaming-black short tie and collars, instead of the crimson-on-black outfit Pascal wore with his Knight's Cross. Accentuated with artistic strokes of orange and yellow, her outfit almost seemed like it was lit alight with flames.

The hall seemed to hush as she walked up to a stop directly behind Pascal. Ignoring him entirely -- just as he turned his back to her -- she locked gazes with Kaede and gave a short but smiling nod:

"Good afternoon, Miss Familiar. My name is Ariadne Charlotte von Zimmer-Manteuffel, daughter to the Margrave of Saale-Holzland. I apologize for the impropriety, but that last time we met you were still unconscious."

Kaede was stunned by the presence of true nobility and grace. With an awkward, twisted bow from her sitting position, she just barely managed to force out:

"I'm Kaede Nika Suvorosky. I'm honored to meet you, uh, milady."

If Ariadne took even the slightest offense to Kaede's bumbling sense of etiquette, she gave no sign of it.

"I apologize for being direct, but hearsay has already circulated the school, and I would like to ask the person in question. But are you, per chance, from the Grand Republic of Samara?"

"No. Not at all. Uh... it would be accurate to say that I'm not of this world at all, and none of the countries I know exists here."

Even with her shocked expression, Ariadne's gentle smile did not falter. But her hesitant tone did betray the strand of disbelief that tugged at her sincerity.

"Wow. That... must be really hard on you. I can't even begin to imagine... If you need help with anything, please do not hesitate to ask me. My beloved and friends are all very generous people."

"Thank you," Kaede gave her most grateful smile.

"I must admit that I saw you two on the roof this morning during my ride. Please, allow me to be the first one to thank you for giving this self-centered prick a much-needed lesson. Knowing him, I thought you might appreciate something to eat today." Ariadne finished by offering her the tray, loaded with slices of bread and cheeses, plus assorted sausages next to a heap of red sauerkraut.

As if on cue, her stomach chimed in with another growl. Kaede then glanced at Pascal, her eyes almost challenging. But he continued to face forward, staring at thin air with a clearly disgruntled look.

"Do what you want," he forced out in monotone.

Kaede grinned back at Ariadne and took her offered plate:

"Thank you so much!"

"Not at all. Well then, good luck, have a pleasant day, and I will see you around!"

Ariadne turned back around and strode off, while the hall seemed to burst back into chatter. Crossing paths with the maid returning to deliver Pascal's meal, Ariadne also gave the petite girl a smiling nod as she went along.

Pascal however, didn't even acknowledge the maid as she served him his food. Feeling improper, Kaede told the the girl "thank you, miss", and received a surprised, almost gaping nod in return.

Slicing off and biting into a sumptuous veal sausage, Kaede decided to prod Pascal's moodiness a bit:

"So what's your problem with her?"

Between Pascal and Ariadne, Kaede harbored no doubts who would be at fault for any conflict.

"Finish swallowing your food before you speak," Pascal sent her a glance. "And close your legs when you sit."

"Why does it matter how I sit? Afraid I might hurt your image?"

"If you want to come off as a one-mark whore desperate for men, be my guest."

Kaede shut her legs instantly, her face glowing with part-embarrassment and part-anger. If she didn't have another forked sausage in hand, she might have hit him.

Perhaps noticing this, Pascal made an off-hand admission:

"And with Ariadne... well, I would be lying to myself if I just shrugged her off as another idiot. She has far too much competence, awareness, and purpose for that."

"So, once again, what's ''your problem'' with her?" She poked the wound.

He grew silent again.

Kaede had almost given up on an answer before he sighed deeply and began with a faraway gaze:

"I courted Ariadne once, back during our first year here. It lasted little more than a week. She couldn't stop complaining about every little detail about her performance that bothered her back then. I ran out of patience quickly and broke off the relationship. She has barely talked to me and only referred to me as 'self-centered prick' ever since."

"Well... you kinda--"

"Eat your food," Pascal ordered.

Which she did, silently, for no more than a minute.

"You regret it, don't you?"

Kaede admitted that at least part of her intrigue lay from a desire to hear him finally concede that he was once an inconsiderate bastard to someone else, one who clearly deserved respect.

But no words left him at all. Pascal kept on eating as if she never said anything.

Then, as he bit into his last piece of bread, she heard his uncharacteristically melancholic tone fill her mind:

"The courtship I do not care so much about. But... Ariadne has matured considerably during the last few years. She turned out to be a beautiful and caring girl, an excellent mage, and a fine example of nobility. She would have made a great friend, if not at least an excellent political ally. I know what I did impacted her significantly, but... I only wished she did not hate me so much."

Contemplative, Kaede thought back to some of the less-than-stellar people choices she made during her own years. Shortsighted, hasty, and hurtful decision making often came as a rite of adolescence, but the important part was that Pascal had awareness of it.

''Okay, he's not the worst person to get dragged into this whole mess by...''

It certainly could have been far worse. At least Pascal seemed to have some half-decency.

"You know," Kaede advised, sincerely: "while it's not always enough, it's never too late to apologize."

He munched through his last bread slice in record time.

"I did not ask the summoning spell for a mother."

With his meal finished, Pascal carefully wiped his mouth with the napkin before pulling out his chair and standing up. "Come on, we are going to the library next. You can learn more about this world and help me with my research there."

Sighing, Kaede looked longingly down at her half-finished plate of aristocratic food.

''Nope, still just a prick.''

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| Back to [[Daybreak:Volume_1_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[Daybreak_on_Hyperion|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Daybreak:Volume_1_Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Daybreak:Volume 1 Chapter 3

2014-05-12T00:29:05Z

104.2.164.230: /* Chapter 3 - Master and Familiar */

===Chapter 3 - Master and Familiar===

True to his word, Pascal kept his hands to himself that night. Even with their close proximity, he never touched Kaede once. But despite the awkward situation, a far greater concern occupied her thoughts: his words kept replaying in her mind, forcing her to accept the grim new reality.

On the first night of Kaede's new life, she silently cried herself to sleep... yet even merciful unconsciousness lasted all of three hours.

By the time the first rays of light cracked through the curtains, she was tired of lying about. Taking care not to wake him up, she pulled on her windbreaker jacket and grabbed her archery bag. Quietly slipping out of the room, she made her way towards the roof for a breather.

Königsfeld Academy's 'dormitory' turned out to be more of an opulently furnished keep. Intricate rugs of rich wool lined the stone hallways, while bright crystal chandeliers lit every intersection. Gold-framed portraits and ornate medieval weapons decorated the spiraling tower staircase. Even the heating and insulation of its stone construction proved superior to Earth equivalents, as Kaede opened the thick wooden door to the roof and was promptly chilled to the bone by the cold air of an early winter morning.

She had left behind her sweatpants as their now-oversized waist refused to stay up. Now, even with barely a breeze on the stone roof, the biting cold kept her keenly aware that she wore nothing more than a flimsy skirt and satin stockings under her large windbreaker jacket. Yet even that paled in comparison compared to her first sight of the new world.

The red sun was still pulling itself onto the eastern sky, but its size seemed tiny compared to the giant moon... no, more like an indigo planet floating just beyond the horizon. The cotton clouds, even bathed by the orange light of daybreak, betrayed a tinge of blue.

''It really is a whole different world.''

Surveying the surroundings, Kaede realized that the dormitory was but one of many stone keeps in a massive fortress complex. Built upon a sloped hill, it had two curtain walls. Each was steeply slanted, similar to Japanese castle bulwarks but with Eurasia-styled battlements, holding up the raised courtyards like a fortified agricultural terrace. The entire fortification stood amidst a vast, flat countryside dotted by patches of woods and clustered farmhouses. Soldiers in partial plate armor guarded the outer wall towers, while the paved road leaving the gatehouse stood as the only highway in sight.

Laying down the archery bag that was bigger than her, Kaede pulled out a three-fingered glove, a set of blunt practice arrows, and her Yumi-Daikyu -- a greatbow of Japanese tradition that stood over two meters (6') tall.

Japanese archery, known as Kyudo, sought moral and spiritual enhancement alongside marksmanship improvement. With the motto of 'correct shooting is correct hitting', its practice emphasized form, purpose, and clarity of mind. For Kaede's often-bloated thoughts, it was a hobby that brought her inner peace and serenity.

Both of which were desperately needed.

The leather glove proved as ill-fitting as her jacket, but Kaede paid it no heed as she slowly transitioned from loading into the firing stance, drawing the arrow back as she went. Her eyes never left a block of stone that she chose as her target, located on the far side battlements. The familiar motions helped to clear her thoughts, transfix her focus on the target, and transform her mind into the arrow... or at least tried to.

Her fingers loosened, but her arrow missed the target by three stone blocks.

''Again'', her thoughts rang out, struggling to suppress her rising disappointment alongside waves of other anxieties.

But it was easier said than done.

''Will I ever see my friends and family again?''

Her third shot bounced off the wrong stone block with a resounding denial.

''What about college? After working so hard and finally receiving my first-choice acceptance letter.''

The fifth arrow overshot the battlements altogether, its momentum wasted as it fell through thin air towards the grounds below.

''How will I survive in this world, without even a line of work?''

Seventh proved to be her worst, striking ground before even reaching the parapet.

By the time she entered the firing stance for her eighth arrow, she heard the sound of soft footsteps approaching from behind.

"How did you know I was here?" Kaede asked in her wispy voice.

"You are my familiar, remember?" came Pascal's response, clear and revitalized. "I can see what you see just by focusing."

Her stomach tightened as she felt the illusion she called 'privacy' shatter into a million pieces.

"And just what else does our bond include?"

"Well, shared sensory for starters," he began. "I can tap your senses -- visual, audio, and empathic. Then there is the..."

"Wait," Kaede finally pulled out of her stance and turned to face him. "You can ''feel'' my emotions!?"

"Not yet. That one is a passive link, so it takes longer to connect."

Standing proudly in his immaculate crimson-on-black military uniform, Pascal wore his black Knight's Cross medal under the stiff folded collars that held his silver insignias. His perfectly groomed soft golden curls hanged just long enough to drape over both ears, framing lean cheeks colored a healthy pink by the cold air. With a thoughtful smile, his clear aqua-blue eyes shone with admiring intrigue before changing into one of concerned examination.

"You look terrible," he noted her countenance while taking a step forward to touch her cheek with his fingers.

"Gee, thanks, I wonder whose fault it is," she retorted.

He didn't show the slightest hint of guilt.

"I have a spell for that actually; half-cosmetic and half-healing."

With a few muttered words, Pascal slowly waved his right hand across Kaede's face. His turquoise ring glowed with brilliance, and she felt a soothing warmth spread across her.

"I mostly use this in the field," he explained in rather stiff words. "Officers must always look awake and confident, even if I only caught three hours of sleep. Guess I will need to check you in the mornings. We nobles do have an image to maintain."

"Yes, of course." Kaede was feeling unusually sarcastic this morning. "Can't let your mistress play-toy look ashen-faced with bloodshot eyes, can we?"

"While I recognize that many nobles have a taste for that, I have no such need. You are my familiar companion," Pascal warned with completely seriousness. "Please do not sully that bond."

''Then how do you explain my appearance now...?''

Sighing, Kaede decided to let the matter go, for now.

"As I was saying, a familiar also serves as an eldritch proxy for the master. The arcane conduit between us allows me to cast spells on you, as well as through you, as long as you are within a kilopace of me, give or take depending on the mana saturation of the region. Being supplied by my ether also grants you some of the basic resistance mages have against foreign ether -- so any alchemy or enchantment, spells that shape either the physical or the mind, as long as they do not come from me."

"Terrific, so I'm a water hose now," her response was deadpan. Then more seriously: "does that at least mean I can learn to cast spells using you ether... mana... whatever?"

Pascal smiled at her question:

"Mana is freely available spiritual power, scattered into the environment by all living beings. Ether is mana after being absorbed and transferred by magically conductive nerves, then refined by the soul. Spells are crafted from ether by using one's magical nerve conduits to form an internalized spell array, which are drilled into muscle memory through thousands of repetitions and then called upon by mnemonics -- those are the incantations, the exact words being merely a matter of common choice. But unfortunately, you do not have the magic conduits to learn spellcraft. However, you should be able to power and activate magical equipment using my ether."

''Well, at least I get ''something'' for all this inconvenience...''

"The familiar bond also includes a telepathic channel that functions even better than the spell, which..."

Pascal suddenly stopped. His eyes refocused on Kaede with its piercing turquoise gaze, and his voice resounded from within her own mind:

"Is this working yet?"

Her bulging eyes gave an obvious response.

"You can use this also, just concentrate."

Closing her eyes and imagining a microphone, Kaede channeled her thoughts: "You're an idiot."

"And you would be if you do not see the value in such a reliable form of private communications."

"You're not going to read my mind through this are you?" She asked, worried.

"No, only the thoughts you will to others are sent through the channel," he spoke with utmost sincerity. "Of course, there is a mind-reading spell, but since being caught performing thought voyeurism may lead to espionage charges and other devastating consequences, it is considered below proper nobility to use such magic. The same goes to charms, compulsions, and other mind-altering enchantments, which may be charged with crimes ranging from larceny and extortion to rape if one is found using them without consent."

Her eyes narrowed:

"You haven't actually said that you don't use them yet."

After a split-second sneer, Pascal continued his serious approach:

"As I have said, it is ''below proper nobility''."

"Then, how do you enforce the loyalty of normal familiars?"

"While the summoning compels the familiar to go through the ceremony, familiar bonds do not rely on compulsion magic. Instead it links two beings through the arcane conduit. Obedience is achieved through a contest of will, which is why familiars are usually a good measurement of the master's capabilities."

"Alright," Kaede relaxed, suppressing the urge to poke out those increasingly downcast eyes. "What else?"

"The last function of a normal familiar bond is auto-translation magic for both the master and familiar, so they may understand each other."

"So that's how I can understand you. But why am I speaking your language?"

"Because ''I'' inserted two additional functions into the bond," Pascal took the credit with majestic pride, his irritatingly aristocrat drawl returning. "The auto-translation magic I gave you functions both ways, modifying both your understanding and your speech by tapping into my linguistics knowledge. Good thing too, because otherwise you would only be able to talk to me."

Despite his attitude, for the first time Kaede felt ''glad'' about something Pascal did. The alternative was just too horrifying. Except...

"And the other?"

"I am getting there... Since I am born of high nobility, we can never know if there may be treachery underfoot. So I thought ahead and specified the contract to give you a magic reservoir, in the form of a permanent set of spell-storing glyphs on your forearms."

After setting her bow down in a rush, Kaede quickly stripped the white satin glove off her right arm. Just as he claimed, there was now eight runes etched in a row on the underside of her forearm. Each shedding a faint, turquoise-blue glow, the runes gave off a subtle warmth, which spread evenly in her still-gloved left arm.

"I'm not a battery!" She stared back at him with incensed eyes. Never a fan of tattoos to begin with, she couldn't believe he already had her permanently marked.

"Of course not, I would never ask you to serve for artillery," he replied with slight confusion.

"No, I meant... a battery is a device for storing electricity, lightning-power, from my world."

"Indeed," he nodded with interest. "Well, being a user of both gem and runic magic, reserve capacity is not one of my problems. Those glyphs are capable of storing pre-crafted spells. I transfered over two full arrays of defensive spells before you woke up yesterday, which you can activate just by pressing down on the runes. I also hope that, since your body is not a network of magic conduits like mine, you may be able to absorb foreign spells using those... we will have to experiment with that one."

By now, her shoulders were starting to tremble...

''Excuse me!? Experiment? Haven't you had enough fun with my body?''

After suppressing all her irritation, frustration, and anger for so long, Kaede's taut emotional strings finally snapped. She stabbed two of her fingers into the runes and activated the entire set on her right arm. Eight glyphs pulsed with magical power, their brilliance and warmth intensifying with a prickling sensation until another pulse discharged their spells less than a second later.

''...I'd like to show you some 'treachery underfoot' right now!''

Although there was no visual cue, Kaede could feel her skin hardening. Her body became feather light, while her bones grew as sturdy as steel. Best of all, her strength not merely returned to that of her former self, but multiplied yet further.

Translucent magical barriers then encased her body like gleaming armor, while five kite shields of shimmering turquoise energy conjured into existence, rotating protectively around her.

"Well, since you insist on trying it now, what do you think?" Pascal grinned with anticipation.

"Perfect."

Her smile concealed a gleaming dagger as she bridged the gap between them with one stride. Lowering her mass into a fighting stance, she sent her right fist straight into his stomach. His wool-and-cashmere uniform proved a poor defense against the stone-like consistency of her knuckles. His feet left the ground for a brief moment as her low hook punched the air out from his lungs.

"First: no spells!"

Coughing blood into the air, Pascal reached out with both hands, fingers extended. Four pebble-sized runes appeared out of thin air in between the fingers of each glove. But before he could activate them, Kaede sent a kick that sent them flying.

"Second: no tricks!"

With her initial surprise and momentum wearing off, Pascal soon began to block her attacks and even occasionally attempt to counter. But even though both his skills and his reaction speed exceeded hers, his unpreparedness and the injuries he already suffered left a gap too wide to fill. His fleshy limbs matched poorly against the granite-strength of her attacks, while his few counters were painfully blocked by the barriers and shields protecting her.

"Third: take your medicine like a man!"

The one-sided beatdown lasted just over a minute, and Kaede only halted after Pascal stopped struggling. By that point, he was sprawled out on the ground, both cheeks swollen black and blue, with his left hand cradling a broken right side. Pain lit up every part of his body, except at critical places like the neck, eyes, and head.

Despite obviously knowing all the basics and having an overwhelming advantage, Kaede avoided hitting any of the most vulnerable spots.

Alternating between wheezing and hacking, bloody coughs, Pascal managed to gurgle out:

"Wha'... wahe 'at... fo?"

Only then did he notice that the girl who stood over him, arms hanging in dejection, was also crying.

"You!... You!... You pulled me out of a perfectly good life, forced me to abandoned my family and friends, cut short all my effort and dreams, took away everything I know, dragged me into this fucking world, turned me into a girl out of your selfish whims, destroyed any hopes of me ever going back, treats my entire existence like property, and, and, AND YOU DON'T EVEN THINK YOU DESERVED A BEATING!!!?"

Having drained her of what little energy she had, Kaede's violent outburst had opened up the floodgates. All of her doubts, fears, worries, anger, frustrations, and anxieties which escalated over the past twelve hours that changed her life forever poured out like a deluge. As though her strings were suddenly cut, she fell to the ground, slamming her knees into the stone roof before toppling over to one side. Lying parallel to him and on her side, she curled up her legs and began to wail and sob uncontrollably.

It took many minutes before she quieted back down, and even more before either of them found the strength to say anything.

"I fink 'ou brog 'wo 'oohe," he managed to gurgle out from his bloody mouth. "An' 'hree rihs"

"Well good! And I hope you learned a lesson you asshat!" She yelled back.

Turning to his other side, Pascal finally spat out the remaining bloody mess in his mouth. Pointing his left arm toward the sky, he called out a single word in an even weirder language, which Kaede's auto-translation magic recognized as 'Sanctuary'.

Rune-engraved stones flew out of a belt pouch too small to hold them all and formed a large ring around them. A crystal-blue, hemispherical barrier of translucent magic soon slammed into position above them, while the very air inside glowed with a turquoise hue.

"What're you doing?" She sat up, alarmed.

"Area dehence and healing rune sed."

With his eyes closed, Pascal mumbled through his swollen mouth.

Only then did she realize that the pain in her knees was fading away.

Then silence fell between the two of them once more.

Too tired to worry or even contemplate for once, Kaede simply sat there, dazed. The last thought that went through her head was an unfeeling conviction:

''I'm dead.''

She didn't know how long it took before her stomach broke the silence with an angry growl.

"No meals for you today," Pascal answered, more irritated than angry, before glancing at Kaede and eyeing her cross-legged sitting posture. "And can't you sit any more ladylike?"

Noticing that he was still heavily bruised, Kaede satisfied herself by shooting back a glare.

Yet the anger faded away quickly this time, replaced by an overflowing sense of relief.

Sure, starving through the day would just increase her misery. But as much as Kaede hated the thought, she didn't want to be 'disowned'.

She didn't have a clue of where to go, or how to survive in this strange world.

Worse yet, Pascal was the son of a high noble and an important official of the state. Even if he didn't, his father definitely owned at least one castle, and the dungeons that came with it, and the thumbscrews and branding irons and all those other instruments of torture inside that could only be described as 'medieval'.

Engulfed by their own problems, neither of them noticed the pristine white pegasus that's been flying around the castle perimeter for the past hour, nor the beautiful rider atop it.

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

By the time the two of them returned to his dorms, it was almost midday.

The air between them stayed silent and awkward. Pascal seemed to bear a particularly foul mood. The healing left him fully functional, but sore and aching all over. His glamor spells however, did fully concealed the lingering bruises on his face, while the bloodstains on his uniform seemed to have magically evaporated. On the outside, it looked like nothing ever happened.

Part of her was relieved. Most of her thought it was a shame.

But what really bothered Kaede was why Pascal kept everything bottled, instead of lashing out her way. For a moment on the roof she thought he was going to just ignore her and leave, except he ended up waiting, with neither a word nor a glance, until she packed her archery gear and caught up.

Now, as he went through the room in search of something, she felt like she had to say something. In hindsight, beating him to an inch of his life really was too extreme. Certainly, he was responsible for turning her life upside down, but it wasn't like he planned it with malicious intent. The summoning just sort of happened that way, and the result was mostly a side effect of the old saying 'be careful what you wish for'.

It didn't mean she hated it any less, or blamed him any less for it. But accidents caused by selfishness weren't inherently immoral. Violence and murder were.

"I'm sorry."

Her voice was mostly nervous, partly regretful, and more than a hint begrudging. Nevertheless, Pascal froze on the spot.

"I shouldn't have hurt you that badly."

That was the most she was willing to concede. He still deserved ''some'' beating, after all. But at the same time, her pragmatic half knew that mauling him all she wanted wouldn't fix the problem. It didn't even make her feel any better. All it did was make things worse.

After half a minute of silence, he expelled a deep sigh before dodging the topic entirely: "just put your belongings in that corner by the chest."

She walked over and leaned her archery bag at the wall, then paused as she stared down at her jacket.

"Can I get something more proper to wear? Please?"

Wordlessly, Pascal strode over to a large wardrobe. From the side, Kaede could only see a collection of long dresses, or garments so short they should never leave the bedroom. Then, with an ominous chuckle, he pulled out an attire and handed it towards her: "here, this is perfect."

It was a white-on-black dress made clearly based on a maid uniform, except with far more frills, laces, layers of petticoats, and a huge ribbon in the back.

Kaede wrestled with the urge to give him another bruise.

<nowiki>----- * * * -----</nowiki>

For obvious reasons, Kaede was not used to wearing heels, not even two-inch-tall chunky heels with ankle straps. The smooth satin stockings also did not offer the same grip as the cotton socks she was used to. Trying to keep up with Pascal's full stride as he crossed the grounds towards the dining hall only made both worse.

She was also keenly aware that almost every person they came across was staring at her.

Located on the first floor of the massive central keep, the dining hall was large enough to fit a small church. Lit by chandeliers and massive stained-glass windows, it was lined with long dining tables. Over a hundred students and teachers filled the individual chairs, gathered mostly in small clusters. Meanwhile servants in maid and butler outfits traversed up and down the aisles, taking orders and delivering food.

"Hey ''Runelord''," a jeering call came from the far side as a short boy with flaming-red hair stood up. "I heard your familiar girl gave you a thrashing on the roof this morning! How does it feel to take yet another first -- the first to receive a beatdown from a loyal familiar? Honestly, was your performance in bed that abysmal?"

About a third of the hall either chuckled or laughed as the boy sat back down.

Kaede felt her face growing crimson as she lowered her eyes to stare at Pascal's heels.

''This is humiliating!''

Never a fan of the sexual jokes that went around male circles, she found it far worse now that she was 'the girl' used in their crude humor.

"Just ignore them. Mere blithering idiots unworthy of our time," Pascal's stiff voice resounded within her head.

Walking ahead, Pascal never turned back towards her once, and Kaede had a sneaking suspicion that the emotional link he mentioned earlier was starting to work -- possibly a result of her recent outburst. Heat rushed up her cheeks as her realization enhanced her embarrassment with another magnitude of annoyance and discontent.

She followed Pascal to a relatively isolated part of the hall and took a seat next to him. A nearby maid, petite with short brown hair and no older than he was, rushed over to take his order.

But Pascal didn't even look at the servant, or acknowledge her existence in any way, before commanding: "fresh bread and scrambled eggs, triple servings, and small assortments of cheese and sausages."

"Yes sir," the maid gave a faint reply before hesitantly meeting Kaede's eyes, uncertain.

"Nothing for her," Pascal declared, and the maid sent Kaede a look of sympathy before rushing off.

Kaede's stomach grumbled in protest.

Meeting her stare with a satisfied smirk, he relented:

"You can have dinner."

"Gee, thanks, how generous of you ''Sir''!"

Her sarcasm was biting.

"I understand that you are having a tough time, given all the tremendous changes in your life, so I will not hold this morning against you past this."

He seemed actually sincere about it, except...

"That's not much of an apology."

"Who said anything about apologizing?" He glanced away. Then, with a distant gaze: "I do take full responsibility for bringing you into this world, and I promise I will take care of you. Just please, the next time you feel overwhelmed, please speak to me with words instead of with your fists. I assure you though that next time I will not be caught so unprepared by barbaric violence."

Kaede looked back down. Relief washed over her, only to be joined by a sense of shame that she had to rely on someone else, that she had to be taken care of at all in this new world.

All she managed to respond with was a faint "thanks".

When her eyes returned, she found Pascal scowling. Tracing his gaze, she noticed the noblewoman who drew the attention of everybody in the vicinity, carrying a silver tray of food and heading unerringly towards them.

With waist-length cascades of strawberry-blond hair held back by a braided bun, the lady held a breathtaking beauty that radiated confidence and refinement. Her clear, meadow-green eyes seemed to sparkle above the naturally sweet and gentle smile of her cherry lips. Her slender body was athletic yet wrapped by enticing curves, striding forth with firm and elegant steps. Her figure-hugging military uniform was black-bordered and burning red, with a gleaming-black short tie and collars, instead of the crimson-on-black outfit Pascal wore with his Knight's Cross. Accentuated with artistic strokes of orange and yellow, her outfit almost seemed like it was lit alight with flames.

The hall seemed to hush as she walked up to a stop directly behind Pascal. Ignoring him entirely -- just as he turned his back to her -- she locked gazes with Kaede and gave a short but smiling nod:

"Good afternoon, Miss Familiar. My name is Ariadne Charlotte von Zimmer-Manteuffel, daughter to the Margrave of Saale-Holzland. I apologize for the impropriety, but that last time we met you were still unconscious."

Kaede was stunned by the presence of true nobility and grace. With an awkward, twisted bow from her sitting position, she just barely managed to force out:

"I'm Kaede Nika Suvorosky. I'm honored to meet you, uh, milady."

If Ariadne took even the slightest offense to Kaede's bumbling sense of etiquette, she gave no sign of it.

"I apologize for being direct, but hearsay has already circulated the school, and I would like to ask the person in question. But are you, per chance, from the Grand Republic of Samara?"

"No. Not at all. Uh... it would be accurate to say that I'm not of this world at all, and none of the countries I know exists here."

Even with her shocked expression, Ariadne's gentle smile did not falter. But her hesitant tone did betray the strand of disbelief that tugged at her sincerity.

"Wow. That... must be really hard on you. I can't even begin to imagine... If you need help with anything, please do not hesitate to ask me. My beloved and friends are all very generous people."

"Thank you," Kaede gave her most grateful smile.

"I must admit that I saw you two on the roof this morning during my ride. Please, allow me to be the first one to thank you for giving this self-centered prick a much-needed lesson. Knowing him, I thought you might appreciate something to eat today." Ariadne finished by offering her the tray, loaded with slices of bread and cheeses, plus assorted sausages next to a heap of red sauerkraut.

As if on cue, her stomach chimed in with another growl. Kaede then glanced at Pascal, her eyes almost challenging. But he continued to face forward, staring at thin air with a clearly disgruntled look.

"Do what you want," he forced out in monotone.

Kaede grinned back at Ariadne and took her offered plate:

"Thank you so much!"

"Not at all. Well then, good luck, have a pleasant day, and I will see you around!"

Ariadne turned back around and strode off, while the hall seemed to burst back into chatter. Crossing paths with the maid returning to deliver Pascal's meal, Ariadne also gave the petite girl a smiling nod as she went along.

Pascal however, didn't even acknowledge the maid as she served him his food. Feeling improper, Kaede told the the girl "thank you, miss", and received a surprised, almost gaping nod in return.

Slicing off and biting into a sumptuous veal sausage, Kaede decided to prod Pascal's moodiness a bit:

"So what's your problem with her?"

Between Pascal and Ariadne, Kaede harbored no doubts who would be at fault for any conflict.

"Finish swallowing your food before you speak," Pascal sent her a glance. "And close your legs when you sit."

"Why does it matter how I sit? Afraid I might hurt your image?"

"If you want to come off as a one-mark whore desperate for men, be my guest."

Kaede shut her legs instantly, her face glowing with part-embarrassment and part-anger. If she didn't have another forked sausage in hand, she might have hit him.

Perhaps noticing this, Pascal made an off-hand admission:

"And with Ariadne... well, I would be lying to myself if I just shrugged her off as another idiot. She has far too much competence, awareness, and purpose for that."

"So, once again, what's ''your problem'' with her?" She poked the wound.

He grew silent again.

Kaede had almost given up on an answer before he sighed deeply and began with a faraway gaze:

"I courted Ariadne once, back during our first year here. It lasted little more than a week. She couldn't stop complaining about every little detail about her performance that bothered her back then. I ran out of patience quickly and broke off the relationship. She has barely talked to me and only referred to me as 'self-centered prick' ever since."

"Well... you kinda--"

"Eat your food," Pascal ordered.

Which she did, silently, for no more than a minute.

"You regret it, don't you?"

Kaede admitted that at least part of her intrigue lay from a desire to hear him finally concede that he was once an inconsiderate bastard to someone else, one who clearly deserved respect.

But no words left him at all. Pascal kept on eating as if she never said anything.

Then, as he bit into his last piece of bread, she heard his uncharacteristically melancholic tone fill her mind:

"The courtship I do not care so much about. But... Ariadne has matured considerably during the last few years. She turned out to be a beautiful and caring girl, an excellent mage, and a fine example of nobility. She would have made a great friend, if not at least an excellent political ally. I know what I did impacted her significantly, but... I only wished she did not hate me so much."

Contemplative, Kaede thought back to some of the less-than-stellar people choices she made during her own years. Shortsighted, hasty, and hurtful decision making often came as a rite of adolescence, but the important part was that Pascal had awareness of it.

''Okay, he's not the worst person to get dragged into this whole mess by...''

It certainly could have been far worse. At least Pascal seemed to have some half-decency.

"You know," Kaede advised, sincerely: "while it's not always enough, it's never too late to apologize."

He munched through his last bread slice in record time.

"I did not ask the summoning spell for a mother."

With his meal finished, Pascal carefully wiped his mouth with the napkin before pulling out his chair and standing up. "Come on, we are going to the library next. You can learn more about this world and help me with my research there."

Sighing, Kaede looked longingly down at her half-finished plate of aristocratic food.

''Nope, still just a prick.''

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