Hmm… 3?
2 seems the safest, 4 and 5 mean and kyaa, but 3 is somewhere in between earnest and test.
…2 is smarter, but.
Interesting background teasing here too. o.o
Hmm… 3?
2 seems the safest, 4 and 5 mean and kyaa, but 3 is somewhere in between earnest and test.
…2 is smarter, but.
Interesting background teasing here too. o.o
3, it's the sincerest answer
3
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed.
Coffee would be nice, though.
[Collection of my Servant Sheets]
Now Revamped!
Vox Populi, Vox Dei.
3.
Day 01
Tsukumihara Academy
Church of Tsukumihara
After some careful thought, I manage to come up with something to ask for.
“Then… in that case, could you spare me a glass of water?” I ask, deciding to go with a simple errand.
“Water?” Sister Charity repeated inquisitively, though no surprise showed on her face.
“Yeah. You mentioned earlier having water or something. Well, I’ve been walking out in the sun today and it’s a little hot. Oh, if you also have a towel to wipe my sweat too, that’d be great.”
I really thought about it a lot, but this was the only thing I could come up with. I don’t really have anything to ask for and I don’t want to ask for anything outrageous, so in the end, the only thing left was something trivial like this.
Even though I ask it casually, though, Sister Charity answers it as if it were a formal request.
“Very well. Please wait here.”
Coolly and calmly, she nods before heading further into the Church.
A few minutes later, she indeed returns with what I had requested. She hands me the towel so I can clean up and holds the glass of water until my hands are free. As cold as she is, it reminds me of the mannerisms of a maid or something along those lines. Is this what it means to be a Sister? I wasn’t really surprised at this point, but a part of me was still stunned about the details of this supposed faith.
“Was that to your satisfaction?” Sister Charity asks once I finish downing the glass.
“Ah, yeah, thanks a lot. I guess you really are serious about this Church thing.” I admit. “Thanks.”
“You are welcome, but if you must thank anyone, please give your prayers to the Lord instead. I am but his humble servant.” She states.
“I see… then thanks, Lord, for the towel and water…” I awkwardly force out the words, mentally taking note of how weird it felt to say.
I’ve never really been a religious person, so this all seems sort of out there for me. Especially for this religion that’s already dead.
“Well, then, I don’t have any other requests so… I guess I’ll get going. Thanks a lot for your help. If I ever need anything else, I’ll come and visit.” I bid my farewell, after handing the towel and glass back to Sister Charity, and head for the door.
“… Hold on.” Sister Charity abruptly calls out.
“Yes?” I stop in my tracks and turn around.
“Here, you can have this.”
She grabs something from the altar and hands it over to me. It’s a book. A thick one with old, yellowed pages. The hardback cover has a distinct leathery texture to it.
“What is this?”
“It’s called a Bible.” She responds curtly, with no additional explanation.
“I see… and what I am supposed to with it?” I hesitantly ask in fear of sounding rude.
“Read it. If you have the time. If you don’t, you can just throw it away or use it as a coaster or something.” She shrugs.
Despite her blasé attitude, there’s a serious glint in her eyes, telling me that this isn’t a joke. This book must hold a lot of meaning, not just to her but to something greater. All the more reason why I don’t know why she’s giving it to me.
“Are you sure? It looks important.” I tell her honestly.
“It’s fine.” She emotionlessly affirms. “Not all old things are important and not all rare things are valuable. In the end, it’s just a book. And a book belongs in the hands of people. At the very least, I think it’ll help you more than what I can do with it.”
“Well, okay, then. In that case, I’ll take it.”
The Bible enters my hand and I take a few moments to observe it, spinning it around in my hands to look at it from every angle. It felt surprisingly light until I realized that it has been a long, long time since I’d actually held a physical book in my hands. Which leads me to ask,
“By the way, do you have a digital copy…? Cause hardcovers are a bit…”
“…”
Sister Charity does not look amused. Her silence carries more meaning than this book.
“O-okay, sorry. Dumb question. I’ll leave. Bye.”
A little bit afraid, I quickly shuffle out of the Church, leaving behind the strange and anachronistic building to return to campus once again.
Day 01
Tsukumihara Academy
Campus Road
After leaving the Church, I wander around the campus without any real purpose, now that I’ve finished exploring everything.
Instead, my mind is preoccupied with recounting the knowledge that I had just gained from that ancient building.
“A religion from 1000 years ago…”
For some reason, something about that thought fills me with a sense of melancholy.
The present is but a bubble, fragile and ephemeral. The cruel passage of time is but a fact of life. Sooner or later, everything we know will disappear and be forgotten. Even the world itself is transient; humans have long since moved on from the Earth and forgotten their old home. All that is left now are records that no one will read. Even if you say that the knowledge remains, is there even any point if no one cares enough to learn it? No matter how much we evolve, the irrelevance of the distant past will never change.
Such somber thoughts fill my heart. The Earth. Seraph. Transience. History. Time. Memory. Importance. Meaning. Purpose. The Past. They weigh down heavily on me, each one like a raindrop onto a boat, filling it until it becomes too heavy to float.
But most of all, I think back to that dead religion.
I think of the followers and how they would feel knowing that their faith was no more.
I think of the God of that religion and wonder how he feels without any worshippers.
I wonder if he has a home anymore.
I wonder… if he’s lonely.
“… what am I talking about?”
I snort and quickly shake off those silly thoughts. Such things are already far in the past. There’s no meaning to dwelling on them any further.
“All right, where was I? Right, I guess I’m done my little tour of the school for now. In that case, it’s about time for supper. Let’s head back to the dorm to drop off this Bible thing and then have some food.”
With that said, I trod back to the dormitories. Considering the fact that I skipped lunch today, I’m hungry enough to make a direct beeline for the dorms without any more sightseeing.
The dormitories at Tsukumihara are separated between the three Houses. While all in the same direction, all three have their own individual areas separated from the others. The buildings themselves are also greatly different between the three houses, primarily in terms of design.
The Crimson Rose Dorms are heavily based on Roman architecture. Made from concrete, it features the usual marks of Roman architecture, such as domes and arches are used to give it a very solid and sturdy feeling. The interior is said to be decked out with very luscious furniture that give off the image of wealth and exuberance. The highlight of the dormitory is apparently its giant roman bath.
Meanwhile, the Blue Orchid Dorms are Hinomto-inspired. Paper walls and tatami floors cover the almost all wood building. The area itself is enclosed in a bamboo forest and a rock garden adorns the front entrance. All together it gives off an air of subdued peace and elegance. Apparently, this dorm also has a built-in hot spring.
Both of these two dorms are designed after the architecture of the nation where most of their students come from. In the case of the Silver Star Dorms, however, the nation of Origia does not have a unified architecture-style due to its unique blend of individuality. Instead, the best way to describe the style of the Silver Star Dormitory is simply “rustic”.
The building is basically an extended and enlarged log cabin, or perhaps calling it a resort lodge would be more accurate. Everything about the building was built out of wood and stone, as deliberately showing off how natural it was. Simply nearing the area around the dorm building is a little jarring when compared to the hi-tech atmosphere of the school buildings. While there were plenty of cutting-edge devices inside the building itself, the décor was committed enough to sell that sense of wilderness and simplicity that it was going for.
To be honest, although I find it a little charming, I can’t say it’s my ideal design for a dormitory. The thought that I might have to live here for the rest of my student life is a little disheartening, though I try to remain optimistic about the possibility of me warming up to it.
“Ah, right, I have to live with the rest of my classmates too… I hope that turns out well…”
Thinking back to my lackluster entry into the classroom this morning, I reach the door to the dorm and open it slowly—
“““Surprise!!!”””
“Eh?”
My entrance is abruptly adorned with a flurry of popping sounds and the sight of confetti falling to the ground.
When my mind finally recovers from the shock, I find a number of students – most of them I recognize from class – standing in the dorm entrance with streamers in their hands and big grins on their faces. Behind them, hanging from the banister, there’s a banner that reads ‘Welcome Party for Chrono’.
While I’m still stunned from the unexpected scene, the students take a collective breath before shouting again in coordinated unison.
“Ready? One, two—”
“““Welcome to the Silver Star House!!!”””
This time, their joint welcome is a mess of unharmonized voices, barely in sync. Nevertheless, even before I can react, they all seem quite pleased with the result.
“Yosha! We did it! We finally managed to all say it at once!”
“I knew we could do it. I had said that twelfth time’s the charm.”
“Tada! Were you surprised, transfer student? Did we do it right?”
The students’ formation quickly collapses, and the various students all started doing their own thing, many running towards me to gauge my reaction.
“E-eh? Wh-what is all this? Is this for me?” I manage to finally choke out in response.
“That’s right. We prepared this welcome party for you.”
“We have a new friend today, so of course we need to celebrate!”
“Come on, don’t just stand there, slacked-jaw. Say something. Or just come on in already.”
Despite their urging, I still feel completely speechless at this turn of events. I had not expected something like this at all.
A welcome party for me…? They really went out of their way to prepare all this for a stranger like me? That’s… I don’t even know how to feel about that.
“Hey, how did it go? Did we surprise him?”
“Uwaaah!”
I nearly jump out of my skin as a presence and voice suddenly appears from behind me.
I quickly turn around to find Rina standing in the doorway right behind me with an innocent expression.
“Wh-where did you come from!?”
“Ah, sorry, did I scare you? Sorry.” She apologizes. “I was actually hiding behind that big tree just out front. I was on watch duty so I could tell everyone when you’d arrive so that we could time the surprise properly.”
“O-oh, I guess that makes sense.”
So, she was hiding behind me, huh? Man, I didn’t even sense her at all. I guess I must’ve been pretty distracted to let her sneak up to me. Still, going so far in order to pull of this surprise, at least I have to commend their planning.
“Hey, new kid!”
“Huh? Yes?”
I respond to a suddenly loud voice coming from inside. When I turn back to the dorm, I see the crowd of students part a little to make way for one person to step to the front.
He is a glamorous-looking person decked out in flashy clothes. The gold around his headband and bracelets sparkle as he steps into the sunlight from the door. Although he’s a little short for a guy, he carries a big presence.
“My name’s Saleem Al-Mira. I’m the House Leader for the Silver Star House.” He declares with a bold smirk.
“I see. Nice to meet you.” I parrot out automatically.
“Right. I’m happy to welcome you today to our beloved House. But before that, I have a few things I want to say to you.”
With a dramatic point towards me, Saleem starts in a semi-serious tone.
“You may have noticed but we’re not the most organized bunch around these parts. We’re not like the other Houses; everyone here just sort of does whatever they want. We don’t really have any strict rules here and you don’t need to conform to our way of doings things. But there is one thing you absolutely have to keep in mind.”
He walks up to me with a stern swagger until we’re looking at each other directly, his eyes emanating his will straight into me, his voice filled with an unwavering declaration.
“All of our students come from different cities, different tribes, different cultures, and some even from different nations. To put it bluntly, none of us really see eye-to-eye on anything, and that’s fine. But while you’re here, none of that shit matters. It doesn’t matter where you’re form or who you are. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or you’re poor. It doesn’t matter if you’re a noble or a commoner. It doesn’t matter if you’re a genius or talentless. There’s only one thing that matters here.”
In a final move, he clenches his fist and lightly bumps it into my chest to impart his true message.
“From now on, you’re a Silver Star. You’re one of us!”
Ah… I see. So that’s how it is.
A breath escapes my throat and with it floats away a weight I didn’t know I had been carrying.
For some reason, when I hear those words, I feel something within me wash away. That languid, melancholic feeling that had lingered over me ever since the church is cleared out like sewer waste. After that, all that is left is a clear image of the world around me.
So, my past doesn’t matter, huh…
“Hey, Saleem, the transfer student is shaking.” One of the students whispers while watching me.
“Ah, idiot, I told you to go easy on him. Now he’s gonna think we’re not nice people.” Another student shouts, quickly pulling Saleem into a headlock.
“Guh, shut up, you guys. It had to be said to knock any cockiness out of him. We can’t have people coming in thinking they’re hot shit cause of their upbringing. It was necessary!”
“Are you okay, Chrono?” Rina asks, taking a careful look at my expression.
“Huh? Ah, yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, I was just thinking of what to say.” I manage to reply once I snap out of my temporary daze.
I look out at the small group of students now all packed into the dormitory entrance and make a lackadaisical stance as I address them formally.
“I appreciate you guys throwing this party for me, but I don’t really know how to introduce myself into the House or anything. I’m not good with words, and I don’t really understand what you guys are looking for in me. So, there’s just one thing I have to say.”
I place my arms to my sides and bow as deeply as I can as I grant them the most sincere greeting that I can.
“Thank you for having me!”
Immediately, warm smiles break out on every person’s face. And before long, Saleem grinned and raised his hand to signal to everyone that the time for formalities had ended.
“Alright, then, let’s get this welcome party started!”
“““Yeah!!!”””
And just like that, I became a member of the Silver Star House.
Now then, what should I do during the party?
1. Be an actually socially acceptable human being and get to know your classmates
2. Become the life of the party and go wild, you party animal
3. Do that thing where you stand in the corner with a red cup and quietly watch the party unfold
4. Cling to the only person here you really know, Rina, like a social parasite awaiting adoption from an extrovert
5. Write-In
References
1
3
You can discussThe OG RequiemConQUEST and other Quests in Discord (disc is much more active here).
Click the image to ConQUEST
3 follows his FC’s roots and also he did admit he doesn’t quite know what to say.
…also curious to see who approaches him or doesn’t.
patpat fellow introvert.
3
The Act of dozing off in the afternoon is a luxury indeed.
Coffee would be nice, though.
[Collection of my Servant Sheets]
Now Revamped!
1
1
Day 01
Tsukumihara Academy
Silver Star Dormitory
The Silver Star Dormitory was alive with festivity.
The so-called welcome party quickly forgot about who it was supposed to be welcoming as the members of the Silver Star House started partying like there was no tomorrow. It was a full-blown festival contained entirely in the dorms as the students spread out and had fun at every corner of the building.
The main hub of activity was the lounge where some virtual game systems had been set up. Two different groups were sharing the area, each playing or watching either the racing game or the party game. Besides that though, there were plenty of other bubbles of activity scattered around the dorms, small groups of people chatting or having their own little activities of fun. Just as an example, while walking through, I saw one group having an impromptu arm-wrestling contest and another group laughing while showing off their dance moves.
A feast had also been laid out in the Dining Room which people quickly entered and exited to grab a quick bite or some punch before rejoining the party. And oh god was there a lot of drinking. Perhaps I should’ve expected it, but few people were holding back when it came to wetting their whistle.
All in all, it was just an explosion of fun all around.
As for me, I was content just watching it all happen. Standing in a corner with a cup of punch, I enjoy the atmosphere in my own way without partaking in it.
Others might not understand this, but Mr. Corner and Mr. Shadow are my lifelong childhood friends. It is their company that has gotten me through many a social gathering like this one. Like that one party where I avoided the dance floor like a plague and spent the entire evening admiring the interior decoration; I had never stared harder at a plastic flower than that night. Or that one time I hid in the bathroom all night long and then missed the part when the party actually ended and was chased out by the cleaners instead.
Ah, yes, good times, good times…
“Hey, Chrono. Whatcha up to?”
Just as I was reminiscing on my dark past, a face suddenly enters my view.
It’s Rina, with a cup in hand and a curious smile on her face.
“Yo. Nothing much…” I quietly respond.
“Nothing much? That’s no good. This party’s supposed to be for you!” Rina voices out of concern.
“Well, yeah, sure, but… I’m pretty everyone else has already forgotten about that.”
I point to the crowd of students whose minds were filled with everything but thoughts of the Guest of Honor.
“W-well, that’s, uh, because everyone just doesn’t know you that well yet.” Rina declares optimistically. “I know, we should just take this chance to introduce you to everyone. Here, come on.”
“Eh? Wai- wha—”
Before I can even say anything in my defense, Rina grabs my hand and pulls me along. Wow this girl is fearless!
With a (possibly drunk) smile on her face, she drags me towards the group of students playing games.
Allow me to take this moment to briefly touch on the topic of gaming. In the present, virtual technology is seemingly near perfection. It is possible to create a near-perfection simulation of reality that effects all five senses. In theory, this technology can and has been used to create next-level entertainment, such as 5D Movies or Full Dive games. However, research has found that too much virtual immersion can cause unintended feedback on the body. For example, playing a racing game and crashing your car can cause your body to actually take damage as if it was in a car crash. Because of this, mass-produced consumer entertainment has remained in the realm of screens and controllers for safety reasons.
Anyways, Rina and I approach the group of gamers and the former announces our arrival with a shout and a wave.
“Oh? Hey, you two. Wanna hop in?” Saleem looks up from the screen to greet us, casually holding up his controller as if offering it to me.
“Ah, no, that’s fine. Just watching.” I immediately decline.
Rina, on the other hand, is much more responsive and pushes me closer to the group.
“Chrono here wants to get to know everyone better, so I figured I’d introduce you guys to him.”
Is that so? First, I’ve heard of it.
Nevertheless, Rina’s reasoning seems to work as the group of students pause the game to all look at me expectantly. Rina steps between us and begins introducing me to the Silver Stars.
“First off, you already met Saleem earlier.”
“Yo.”
“As you already know, Saleem’s the House Leader for the Silver Stars. His father is the Sultan of Aghraba. Ah, that’s a city in Origia, by the way. The second largest, I believe?”
“That’s right. And the best too!” Saleem adds with a wink.
At the mere mention of Aghraba, he beams. His ear-to-ear grin speaks volumes of his pride in his city. I suppose that’s what happens when your dad’s the Sultan.
“Aghraba is known as the City of Fortune. It is a very prosperous city despite being in the middle of the Origia desert, serving as the nexus for all trade and travel in the area. I believe there’s a saying that says all roads in Origia lead to Aghraba or something like that.” Rina explains in a fun tone.
“I see… it sounds like an interesting place. Maybe I should visit one day…” I note, doing my best to mentally add it to my to-do list. “Well, once again, nice to meet you, Saleem.”
“Likewise.” He smirks. “How are you enjoying the party?”
“Oh, it’s… great.” I say out of politeness. “Thanks a lot for throwing it for me. It must’ve taken a lot of work.”
“Oh, this is nothing. A cheap party like this was just something that I threw together. No need to get too worked up about it, though I do always accept praise.” He laughs
Before I could reply, a hand suddenly comes down from one of the other students and smacks Saleem in the back of the head.
“Oi, why are you acting like you did all the work? Everyone pitched in for the party.”
“Ow! Hey, it was my idea to hold a welcoming party. And I’m the one who financed everything. So, I basically did everything.”
“That’s not how it works, idiot!”
“Yes, it is!”
Throwing down his controller, Saleem starts arguing with the other students who are calling him out on his BS. Before I know it, a raucous debate starts that is only a spark away from turning into a brawl.
“As you can see, our House Leader has more wealth than he has sense. But he’s a good guy overall.” Rina giggles.
“I see…”
I’m not sure what to make of it, but I guess it was a pretty nice gesture to throw this party, if it really was his idea. And he financed the whole thing too? That might actually go beyond just niceness.
Perhaps Rina’s right and he is a pretty good guy.
“Now then, next is…” Rina says, recommencing the introductions.
“Ooh, me, me! Hi there, Chrono! I’m Paracelia!” One of the students suddenly explodes with cheer.
The student raising her hand and bouncing up and down was a girl of bright character and appearance. She had a strange mix of pink and light-green highlights in her hair that seemed to just telegraph her eccentric personality.
“Alright, then. This is Paracelia von Blavanka.” Rina adds. “She’s a researcher from Ultus, the City of Old Magic, and a bit of a prodigy too. Even before coming here, she’s apparently made numerous achievements in her field and published several papers that have drawn a lot of attention to her talents.”
“Ultus?” I question.
“Yup, yup, that’s right. Ultus is dedicated to the study of Old Magic – that is to say, magic from Earth. Our mission is to rediscover and revive those magics so that they can be used here in Seraph! What do you think? Are you interested?” Paracelia bubbles excitedly.
“Old magic. The magic of Earth… actually, yeah, I am kind of interested. I would love to learn more.” I nod fervently.
“Oooooohhhh! You’re the first person here to show this much interest. Okay! I’ll be happy to tell you as much as you want later. And if you want, you can help me with my experiments too!”
“Huh? Oh, okay. If it’s alright with you, seeing your experiments up-close does sound pretty cool.” I agree readily.
Earth magic experiments, huh? I’ll be honest, I’m more than interested. I didn’t think there was such a thing, but now that I know about it, I should definitely look into it more. I’m really glad now that one of my classmates is from Ultus. When I get the chance, I should spend some time with Paracelia.
“Uhhh, Chrono? Are you really sure you want to agree to that…?” Rina suddenly interjects with a worried tone.
“Eh? Wh-why?” I question, sensing her concern. But before Rina could even answer, Paracelia leaps to her feet and cheers
“Yahoo! Test subject get!” She jumps into the air and runs off, excitedly running off somewhere.
Oh, shit. I may have just done something really dumb.
Rina soon introduces me to the rest of the students in the lounge and I quickly get overwhelmed by the number of new names. Although I try to remember them all, truthfully, a lot of them end up getting mixed up in my head. Oh well, I guess this is one of those things where I’ll just have to learn them as I go.
After that, Rina and I move on from the lounge to go around the dorm and give our greetings to the other students.
In the Dining Room, we find a student packing her plate full of calories.
“Oh, there you are, Yanna. I was wondering where you were.” Rina says, waving amicably at the student.
The girl named Yanna turns her head to us and quickly replies – so quickly in fact that she does so before chewing the food in her mouth.
“Owh, hwew yoo too, whach chwup?”
“P-please swallow before you speak. You’re a lady.” Rina says.
“Owhkway.”
She instantly gulps down whatever food was in her mouth and then wipes the crumbs off her face with the back of her hand.
“Whew. Now then, did you two have needing for something?” She asks with a confident smirk, as if she hadn’t just shown us a rather sloppy display.
“Well, Yanna, Chrono here just wanted to say hi. We’re going around and introducing everyone to him.” Rina explains.
“Hi there.” I say, waving lightly to her.
“Hello. It is nice meeting you, Chrono. I’m Yanna Windcatcher.” Yanna introduces herself in a confident voice, placing a hand on her hip.
From just my first impression, she seems like a person of strong character. Long, untamed, golden hair cascades down her shoulders, framing her sharp features and deep red eyes. She seems like a mature and classy woman, yet there is unmistakable wildness to her. At some points, I almost feel like I’m staring down a beast instead of a girl.
“Yanna is a member of the Windcatcher tribe. They’re a tribe of nomadic hunters in Origia.” Rina explains once again.
“Nomads? So, you don’t have a home?” I question.
“That is correct. My tribe is one with the land. We live off of its fat and make camp wherever we please. We only visit the cities for the trading of the excesses of our hunt for other goods. Other than that, we live by following the wind and letting it lead us to our next hunt.” She speaks with unmistakable pride.
“Huh. Interesting.”
A nomadic tribe, huh. I didn’t know such people still existed in this day and age, but I guess it is possible. Even now, Origia apparently has a lot of untamed wildernesses that is home to all sorts of wildlife. From the sound of it, Yanna must’ve spent most of her life in those kinds of environments instead of the cities.
That said, I wonder why such a person would come to become a Wizard…
“Yanna is also really fast on her feet. Just today, in fact, she ran into town to buy groceries and supplies for us, and she made it there and back in record time.” Rina abruptly brings up.
“Is that true?” I question.
“Indeed. Speed is one of my strong points. But I’m even faster on a horse. It’s only a shame I can’t take those into the city.” Yanna muses.
“Mm, well, it would be a bit scary if someone rode a horse full speed through a busy shopping street. Someone might call the security system.” I comment. “Can’t you just drive a bike or a car around instead?”
“Hm, I’ve tried, but they just don’t feel right. Such cold unfeeling steel never seems to respond the way I want to. But my steed is always in tune with me.”
“Huh, is that so? I guess that makes sense.”
So, she’s the type who actually prefers riding a horse over a bike. Personally, I feel the different way: a bike I can control seems way easier and convenient than having to tame a horse that may buck and kick me in the face. But I suppose for someone like her, dealing with animals is just second nature.
After a bit more getting to know each other, Rina and I eventually let Yanna get back to stuffing herself and we go to find more students to greet.
Next up, we run into a pair of men standing over a counter with large mugs in their hands.
“Oh. Hey, you two. What’s up?”
“Hello, there.”
The two guys greet us in their own way, one more energetically than the other.
“Hi, guys. I’m just showing Chrono around. Do you guys want to introduce yourselves?” Rina explains.
“Oh, of course. I’m Ishmael Herman, but you can call me Ishmael. Welcome aboard!” The lively one shouts, pounding his chest.
“I am Throgard Frostbone. An honor to meet you.” The other guy adds curtly.
“Nice to meet the both of you.” I reply.
Though very different in demeanor, the two of them were similar in stature, both boasting rather large, muscular builds and some impressive facial hair. Where they differed in appearance, of course, was their manner of dress. Ishmael bore a bright white-and-blue striped shirt and a defining navy bandana while Throgard just wore a simple black shirt that seemed way too small for him.
“How are you liking the food tonight, man?” Ishmael asks me.
“Oh, it’s actually really good. I was expecting more junk food for this kind of party, so I was pleasantly surprised to see what a spread you guys had.” I respond.
“Ahaha, that’s good to hear! I wasn’t sure what would suit your tastebuds, so I made sure to go for variety tonight.” Ishmael cackles.
“Oh? Does that mean you cooked everything?” I wonder.
“Damn right. I rarely get to show off my skills, so I went all out for tonight! The only shame was that there weren’t any good fish at the market today or I could’ve pulled out the Ishmael special.” He declares boldly.
“Oh, just so you know, Ishmael is from Conaca. That’s a big port city in Origia known for its seafood. So, you know he’s serious when he brags about his fish dishes.” Rina adds.
“Hey, you make it sound like I spend all my time in the city, but that’s not true at all, princess.” Ishmael interjects. “At heart, I’m a man of the sea. Spent more of my life on water than I have on land. The only time I spend in Conaca is to unload the catch and restock the boat, before it’s back to the ocean.”
A man of the sea, huh. He certainly fits the image.
“What about you, Throgard? Where are you from?” I ask the other gentleman.
“If you must know, I was born in a small village called Rosenheim. Nothing much to speak of; just a farmstead in the countryside. There isn’t much about my background I can brag about.” Throgard states.
“Oh, Throgard, aren’t you being too humble?” Rina remarks. “I know that the Frostbone tribe is famous for its mighty warriors and that you’re no exception. You should be proud of how strong you are. I mean, just today, you lifted all the furniture while we were preparing with no effort.”
Huh, so he’s from a tribe of famous warriors. He does look really… powerful. Heck, his muscles are practically bursting out of his clothes. Perhaps I should make a mental note not to ever get on this one’s bad side.
“Mm, I am indeed proud of my valor and strength, but I thought it was not something that would be interesting to hear about.” Throgard declares.
“W-well, I think it’s pretty cool. You seem like the reliable type, and I can definitely appreciate that.” I comment.
“Is that so? Well, then, I’ll do my best to match those expectations.” He curtly states.
“Oh, uh, okay. Looking forward to it.”
With that, after a few more words, we leave the two to return to their drinks as we continue onwards in search of other students to greet.
Out on the patio beneath the starry sky, we find a lone girl stargazing with a red cup in her hand. The moment we spot her, stars begin to twinkle in Rina’s eyes as well.
“Oh, there she is. Come on, Chrono, let’s say hi. Though I’m sure, you won’t need an introduction for her.” She giggles, pointing at the girl on the patio.
“Eh? Why?” I try to ask but am dragged off before I can.
The two of us stumble onto the patio and quickly approach the seated girl. Even in the darkness outside the dorm, her golden hair seems to shine. A stylish baby blue blouse covers her healthy pale skin and slender frame. There’s a dignified beauty to her that’s hard to describe, but I can’t help but think the starlight suits her.
“Hi there, Ordelia. What are you doing out here by yourself?” Rina asks as we approach.
“Oh? Well, hello there, Miss Tohsaka. And Mr. Chrono as well.” The girl named Ordelia replies politely. “I’m not doing much. I just wanted to cool down a little and get some fresh air. I’ll rejoin the party shortly.”
“I see. Well, we were just going around, introducing Chrono to everyone. And I just know that Chrono was looking forward to talking with you. Isn’t that right, Chrono?” Rina smiles.
“Eh? I am?” I gasp blankly.
“… huh? Um, yeah, aren’t you from Britannia?” Rina tilts her head in confusion. “I thought you would be happy to talk with Ordelia.”
Ah, I see. So, this Ordelia is from Britannia as well. I didn’t know that, but looking closely, she does have rather Britannian features.
“Oh. So, you’re from Britannia as well, Mr. Chrono…” Ordelia gasps emotionlessly, slightly widening her eyes for a moment before quickly narrowing them to smile pleasantly. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I hope we can be good friends moving forward.”
“Ah, likewise. It’s, uh, nice to have another Britannian here. I hope to get to know you well in the coming weeks. And I hope you’ll excuse my earlier confusion; I’m still having trouble remembering everyone since there’s so many people here. B-but I’ll try my best to remember you.” I reply and apologize in order to try and make it clear I don’t mean to be rude.
“Eh?”
“Huh?”
For some reason, though, my response seems to surprise both girls. They both freeze and silently gaze at me.
“Huh? Wh-what’s wrong?” I ask.
“Uh, well… n-no way. Chrono, it can’t be but… do you not know who Ordelia is?” Rina blankly wonders.
“Eh? Should I?” I gasp, alarmed.
“Wha— seriously? Wow, that’s surprising. I thought Ordelia was super famous in your nation. In fact, I thought you would be all giddy about meeting her.” Rina states in disbelief.
“Eh, she’s famous? For what?” I wonder, shocked.
All the while, Ordelia keeps silently staring at me with wide-open and blank eyes.
“W-well, I wasn’t expecting to make this introduction but… I guess this is Ordelia Bronx. She’s a knight of Britannia who’s already won numerous jousting and fencing tournaments back home. But most of all, she’s the wielder of the legendary Excalibur!” Rina declares full of hype.
“Eh? Excalibur?” I gasp.
Excalibur as in that mythical sword? I see, so that’s her Noble Phantasm. That is certainly noteworthy. It’s no wonder she’s famous in Britannia if she has that sword.
Wise-up!
“Wow, you really don’t know about her. Even in Antemellum, everyone was talking about her for weeks, if not months, when she was chosen. I even remember watching the knighting ceremony on TV when it happened; it was even more popular than the Olympics.” Rina says, still in utter disbelief.
“I’m surprised as well… I’d understand people from other nations, but I didn’t know there was anyone in Britannia who didn’t know me.” Ordelia contemplates.
Shit, it’s that well-known? Now it looks really suspicious that I don’t know her. Quick, I need to think of an excuse.
“Uh, well, I don’t really pay much attention to news and gossip and that stuff.” I say, technically not lying.
“Really? What kind of rock did you live under?” Rina wonders.
“Umm, a town called Richmond…”
“That’s a major city! Seriously, how did you miss this!?” Rina exclaims incredulously.
At the same time, Ordelia takes the moment to closely observe me with her still-wide-open eyes. It’s impossible to tell what she’s thinking about, but after taking everything in – both my looks and what I was saying – she suddenly smiles brightly.
“Chrono, was it?” She speaks up, making me turn back towards her.
“Yeah?”
What I see when I look at her again, though, is a beautiful smile that seems somehow different from the pleasant one that she had shown me earlier. Somehow, it felt rougher and yet warmer… somewhat reminding me of a brilliant flower in summer.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I hope that we’ll be able to become good friends. I would like to get along with you.” She declares directly.
“Huh? Oh, yeah, me too.” I reply noncommittedly.
“Great!” She beams.
And so, that’s how my first meeting with Ordelia Bronx goes.
After that, Rina continues to show me around and get me to meet the other members of the Silver Star House until the party finally comes to a close…
“Ara, it looks like everyone’s all tired out.”
Late at night, the dorm has finally returned to quiet after several hours of relentless partying. The welcome party had unceremoniously ended as more and more students gradually threw in the towel for the night – either returning to their rooms or just falling unconscious where they stood – until there were only the responsible ones left.
As I walked around the dorm halls, I found nothing but collapsed bodies littering the floor. Some were lucky to have blankets draped over them, but others were just left to drown in their booze-filled drool. Among them, I manage to spot Saleem and Ishmael. I also find Yanna conscious but in no state to stand, having nearly eaten herself into a food coma. Paracelia is nowhere to be seen, but she most likely made it back to her room. Of those who are still in control of their mental and physical faculties, there’s Rina, Ordelia, and Throgard – the latter of which surprised me when I saw how much he had been drinking tonight.
Anyways, I’m also one of the students still standing thanks to the fact that I spent the whole party going around and just talking to people. Because of that, I end up helping the others clean up as everyone else sleeps. One such task ends up being to help Throgard move any furniture that got misplaced during the party. But, to no one’s surprise, I end up not being needed very much.
“Careful.”
“Oh, sorry. Let me get out of your way.”
I quickly step to the side as Throgard lifts up one of the tables and casually carries it back to its original placement down the hall. Damn, they weren’t kidding when they said he’s super strong.
Now then, I think the two of us are done, so where can I help out next…?
“I finished picking up the trash.” Rina suddenly announces from the lounge. “Can anyone go throw it out?”
“Oh, I can. I’ll go.” I immediately volunteer, feeling lucky that a new errand came up just when I was looking for one.
“Oh, Chrono, are you sure? It’s your party, so you can take it easy.”
“No need. We’ve already passed that line.” I shrug. “Besides, I’m a member of this House now too, so I need to start pulling my weight.”
“Haha, okay, I get it. Here you go.” Rina nods and hands me the two big bags of trash. “Do you know where to put them?”
“Yeah, I do. Leave it to me.” I confirm and start lugging them out the door.
The place to throw out the trash should be the Incinerator, right? That’s what it’s for, after all. Good thing that I happened to see it today; I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t explored the school.
That said, it is a bit far away, so it’s a little inconvenient to the point that I wonder if we really need to throw out the trash now. But if Rina’s saying we need to, she probably knows better. Maybe normally we wouldn’t, and we’d save it for a weekly trip, but since we made so much trash in one night, we can’t afford to leave it sitting for a whole week. Yeah, that makes sense.
With that in mind, I cut through the dark, silent campus at night towards the Incinerator.
“Oh yeah, I have to pass by the Church on the way there. I wonder if it’s still open. Surely not this late, right?” I ponder as I walk, too much free time to not think about random things.
On the way, I do in fact pass by the Church and note that the lights are in fact off. That does bring some sort of strange relief to my heart knowing that Sister Charity isn’t so devout that she stays in the church 24/7.
But just as I think that, suddenly a loud sound suddenly comes from the campus behind me—
“Intruder!!!”
“Huh?”
A loud, panicked shout that reaches every corner of the campus. Seconds later, I notice all sorts of lights coming from the campus as the school springs back to life. Not much later, an alarm starts to blare.
“Attention to all student and faculty of Tsukumihara Wizard Academy. An unregistered signature has been discovered on campus grounds. Someone from outside the academy has infiltrated the school. All students are to stay in their classrooms or dormitories. If you are not in either, find your nearest shelter as soon as possible. Do not move. You are to prioritize your own safety. All faculty are to be on alert and wait for further instructions.”
That loud monotone voice echoes throughout the entire campus, leaving me stunned silent in shock.
An intruder!? Right now? Right here? What’s happening? Who is it?
No, no, wait, calm down. I don’t know what’s going on, but I was given clear instructions by the announcement. What did it say? Stay in your dorms or classroom… no, I’m outside right now. Which means, I need to find the nearest shelter possible. Where is that? The church? I am right next to it, but it seems locked, so there’s no way to go in. Which means—
“The Incinerator!”
I immediately spring to action and start briskly jogging towards the incinerator just ahead. For some reason, I continue carrying the garbage bags with me, mostly forgetting to let go of them in my panic.
But just as I dive into the forest that leads to the Incinerator, my hands unconsciously let go of what they’re holding. Somehow, despite my burning mind and all the distracting lights and noises coming from the campus, my eyes happen to spot it in the dark forest: a single silhouette of someone lurking in the woods.
Upon closer inspection, the figure is a person in a hooded cloak that completely hides their body. Such a suspicious attire only brings one thing to mind.
It’s the intruder!
Holy shit, what do I do? The intruder is right in front of me. They’re a little deeper in the forest with their back turned to me. Their position is basically perpendicular to my path to the Incinerator and the distance is slightly more.
I don’t know who they are. I don’t know why they infiltrated this academy of all things. But there’s no time to contemplate such things, because they’re here now, right in front of me.
It seems they haven’t noticed me yet, though. Which means I have a chance to make a decision.
What on Seraph do I do!?
1. Attack and capture the intruder by yourself
2. Continue following the plan and sneak into the Incinerator to hide
3. Loudly call out for help to get someone else’s attention
4. Approach the intruder and start up a conversation
5. Help the intruder hide
References
I'll go with 5.
Always be nice to mysterious figures, until you can confirm their identity / goal anyway.
Hmmm...
5.
1.
You can discussThe OG RequiemConQUEST and other Quests in Discord (disc is much more active here).
Click the image to ConQUEST
1. I choose violence !
Changing my vote to 1.
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