NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12: Prelude to the Battle
"What do you mean you're taking Larc with you?!!"
The angry voice of a young woman reverberated throughout the spacious room, silencing all but one of the attendees.
"I don't care if you don't have enough men! We came here in order to spend time together, if you think that you're going to take that from me, then you're gravely mistaken, Jorgé-nii!"
Not minding her surroundings, Juliette lashed out and spat downright venomous words towards her brother, much to the dismay of Larc.
[My ladyyyyy, please don't say such words!!] Cringing inside his head, the person in question held his head in embarrassment. Fortunately enough, the people present were all already aware of the young Lady's feelings.
The cause of the current disturbance was Jorgé's sudden and almost baseless request for Larc to join them in their investigation of the Misty Forest, a preposition of which Juliette greatly denied.
"Juliette please hear me out for now--"
"No!!"
[[!!]]
As if in response to Juliette's words and mood, the atmosphere suddenly changed as the moisture started to condense around her, startling the people present.
[Oh no! At this rate, My lady will throw a fit!]
Feeling the sudden change, Larc scrambled to his feet to try and calm the young lady down. But just as fast as the moisture condensed did it also disperse into nothingness.
"?! Jorgé-nii!!!" Exclaimed Juliette as she felt her mana dissipate.
I'm an effort to diffuse the growing tension inside the room, Jorgé stood up and walked towards the door of an adjacent room to where they were in.
"Sister, would you please come in here for a second?"
Juliette, hearing her brother's tone suddenly turn serious, stood up and followed after him, albeit in displeasure.
As the two siblings disappeared behind the door, silence crept back into the room. An awkward atmosphere developed as the three remaining people faced each other.
Larc knew that both Danari and Lennox were higher than him in position, so he could not just recklessly initiate a conversation. As a result, he stood there in silence just as a servant should.
Danari on the other hand looked at him with sharp, discerning eyes, as if trying to look through him, a fact of which greatly irked Lennox.
"Please don't scare Larc, Danari." He said in a low tone as he loomed over the sitting Elf.
In response, the Danari merely scoffed and looked away from the head guard.
"Please do not speak to me so carelessly." She remarked under her breath in an indifferent tone, common from eleves.
"Ghh! You damned elf--"
*Knock knock knock*
As if on queue, the sound of knocking entered everyone's ears, just as Lennox moved in, in an attempt to grab Danari's shoulder.
"Apologies, sir Lennox, mistress Danari, but I've brought the tea."
An old man with gray hair peeked through the door. Grun entered the room followed by two maids pushing a cart with tea and sweets on top of it.
Looking at the two, the old butler accurately discerned what was about to happen as he lightly shook his head.
"I would implore for the two of you to please get along while the master is not around" He remarked as he set up the table.
"Grhh.." Lennox groaned as he went back to his place and crossed his arms.
In response, Danari merely scoffed and turn her head away.
Just as Grunn finished setting up the table, Jorgé and Juliette emerged from the other room. Larc could see from Juliette's face that she was troubled but holding back, sending a bad feeling to him.
[I don't like where this is going] He thought to himself as he watched Grun bow and exit the room.
Sitting down, a huge grin plastered across Jorgé's face as he looked at Larc. Juliette on the other hand went back to her original seat and grumbled in silence.
"It's decided then, Larc. You will join us in our exposition tomorrow."
The silver blonde haired man said as he took a cup of tea.
In response, Juliette merely looked down dejectedly while Larc pulled his hair inside his head and cursed. [I fucking knew it! A troublesome thing has made it's way towards me again!]
"We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning, get your things ready by then, Larc. Lennox here will provide you with arms and armour." The silver haired man said as he leaned back on the sofa and cupped his chin.
"I cannot, however, just leave the estate unguarded, so I'll be leaving Lennox here." He continued.
"But master!"
"It's final, Lennox."
Under his lord's authority, the head guard could only nod silently. Meanwhile, a certain elf showed a mocking grin, greatly infuriating him.
Trying to further the conversation, Jorge moved towards the center table and laid out another map.
"Tomorrow I'll be taking Danari, Larc and Cobalt with me, as well as 10 guards under my personal army."
"Danari will take point, we will enter through this path right here." He said as he pointed at the map.
"This village was the latest to report an attack, so we'll start from here. Get your things ready by tomorrow, we'll move out as soon as the sun rises."
Everyone nodded in acknowledgement of the lord's orders.
+++
Juliette walked the halls of the estate in relative silence, greatly concerning her personal handmaiden, Milin.
"Just what have you done this time, you brat?!" Whispered the maid towards her colleague as they trailed behind their charge.
"Why would you automatically assume that it's my fault??"
"Why? Isn't it you who's always causing the young lady trouble?!"
[Ghh! You've got it backwards you know??] Larc wanted to retort, but seeing that the young lady was already feeling down, he chose instead to keep it to himself.
"Just so you know, lord Jorgé's the one to blame this time."
"As if I could do that!"
Because the two were preoccupied with their petty squabbling, they failed to notice that they had arrived at Juliette's room.
"Hey" The young lady remarked in a low, somewhat sad, tone to the two.
"I'll be going inside now. Milin, why don't you fetch me some tea?" She continued as she entered the room.
"Ahh, if I may--"
"No you may not. Just, please get me the tea, Milin."
Milin tried to appeal that it was Larc's job to prepare the tea, but she was cut off before she could finish her sentence.
"O-of course, my lady. I'll get the tea this instance!" She exclaimed while walking hurriedly towards the kitchen.
Larc followed Juliette as she entered the room and sat at the edge of the bed. Her face clearly showed a tinge of sadness, a fact that pulled at the strings of Larc's heart.
"My lady, is something the matter?" He asked as he drew close to her.
In response, Juliette looked at him with moist eyes.
"I'm sorry, Larc.. to have such a troublesome thing pushed on you.."
"Ahh please don't worry about it, my lady."
He tried to reassure her, but contrary to his expectations, that action only further made Juliette feel sad.
"We are alone right now, Larc.." she mumbled in a low voice.
"Ah"
Realizing what Juliette was implying, Larc made a tired smile.
[Jeez, in the end, I'm still weak to this girl.] He thought to himself as he took a seat near the bedside.
"Apologies, Juliette. But you don't have to worry about causing me troubles, it's part of my duties as your personal butler, you know?" The black haired boy continued while showing a genuine, caring smile. "I know that you have your reasons for agreeing to Lord Jorgé's request."
Seeing Larc smiling, Juliette clenched her fists.
[Ahhh.. That face! I love him so much!!] Thought the maiden in love as she struggled to keep herself from pouncing on the young man.
"U-umuu.. t-thank you for understanding, Larc."
[Ahh, he's so cool. I'm so mad at Jorgé-nii for doing this, but it's necessary in order to ensure our future together!]
"I live to serve you, Juliette. Your gratitude is wasted on me.
*Kyuuun*
Juliette felt her heart tighten at the sound of her beloved calling her name once more.
[Ahh, I really do love him] She thought to herself as she looked at Larc with loving eyes.
Like that, the two spent the rest of the day in relative peace.
+++
The day of the departure finally came. Juliette was currently standing near the balcony of the city gates, overseeing the preparing people below. A tall black haired young man stood out in the eyes of the young lady. With his lean and toned body perfectly fitting the iron armour given to him, he locked eyes with the woman he had sworn to protect and offered a slight nod.
"My lady, please get back inside, you might catch a cold with this weather."
Milin expressed her concern for the young lady as she wrapped a sash around her. She had strongly opposed Juliette's decision to venture to the city gates at this early in the morning, but the young Lady's stubbornness was too much for her. In the end, she gave in and chose to accompany her instead.
"Just a little bit more, Milin. I'll just see them off." Juliette answered as she smiled warmly.
"As you wish, my lady."
As the first rays of the morning sun broke through the dark horizon, the subjugation squad started moving outwards. Led by the lord of the Carmine territories, Jorgé and his Elven lover Danari, the 11 men including Larc, rode off atop their war horses towards Baron Savoy's territory with astonishing speed.
"Be safe, Larc" Juliette quietly whispered under her breath as she watched the backs of the men slowly shrink away into the distance.
"Tee hee" A faint chuckle escaped her breath.
[What's up with this, it almost feels like a wife seeing off her husband go to war.] She quietly thought to herself as a smile started appearing in her face. [Haah, I can't wait for the day.]
+++
Because Baron Savoy was notified beforehand of their expedition, the group was able to bypass formalities and head directly towards their destination.
As such, it only took them two hours to get to the village that was attacked from Sundgard. What met their eyes were the distressed and panicked voices of the villagers.
It seemed that they were attacked once again, but this time by a grotesque creature that they had not yet seen before. The villagers explained that the beast that came in the dead of the night, so they were not able to properly identify the creature. Apparently, the creature took some of the villagers with it as it returned back into the forest, so instead of waiting for the knights of Baron Savoy, the village chief decided to assemble a militia and go after it.
"What do you think, Danari?"
Jorgé asked as they listened to the villagers. The dark elf however, merely scoffed and spoke in a low tone.
"I think it was foolish of them. To go after something that's clearly way stronger than them. It'll only lead to their death."
"Hey, Danari, don't speak like that"
"Ahh, apologies, master."
Jorgé tried to reassure the villagers by saying that they will be investigating the forest himself, but that only served to intensify the worries of the people.
"My lord! If something were to happen to you--"
"Do you honestly think that master is so weak that a mere creature such as this would pose a threat to him?! Such impertinence!"
"Danari!"
In response to the elf's angry retort, Jorgé raised his own voice, greatly startling everyone.
"I'm sorry mast--"
"That's enough, please be quiet for now."
Against her masters over bearing voice, Danari could only meekly agree.
"Please lead us to the path the village chief used to enter the forest." He implored to the villagers, to which they meekly abided.
+++
Just from drawing close the forest I could already feel the malicious aura emanating from within.
I could feel my stomach tighten from the pressure and thickness of the mana. It was a wonder to me how everyone else was fine while I was like this.
After the villagers led us to the forest clearing, lord Jorgé immediately asked Miss Danari to begin tracking the creature. Much like the stereotypical elves I remember from the books of one of my past lives, Miss Danari as well wielded a bow and two daggers. She took out an arrow and coated it with her mana before launching it high into the sky.
[So this is how spellswords fight.] I thought to myself as I observed them.
Spellsword was a type of class wherein the combatant would use both weapons and attack magic, usually in unison, to overwhelm their opponents.
"This way." She said while leading the way.
We trekked the forest for a good distance from where we began before my curiosity finally got the best of me. I drew close to the dark elf and tried to ask a question.
"Excuse me, miss Danari. But--"
"Please do not bother me while I'm working."
I was firmly and forcefully shut down. To be perfectly honest, the sharp look she gave me at the time greatly startled me.
"Don't take her too seriously, Larc."
In an attempt to console me, Lord Jorgé tapped my shoulder and smiled.
"She's just like that whenever she focuses."
"Ahh, no need to worry about me, my lord." I tried to reassure him. "I understand the circumstances, it was wrong of me to bother her at this time."
In response to my words, Jorgé smiled and put an arm around me.
"Ahh, no need to be so formal, you know? We're all alone here in this dark misty forest, you know? Or is that thing reserved only for Juliette?"
"?!"
Hearing his words, I was greatly surprised that he knew about that thing that my lady always asks of me when we're alone.
Of course, a servant such as my self calling a noble girl of high society by her first name was a great act of disrespect. I feared that lord Jorgé might be angry or displeased.
[Shit.. am I gonna be in trouble??] I thought to myself as I tried to discern his feelings.
[... I can't read him at all!]
"M-my lord! I'm---"
"Guaaaaaah!"
""?!""
Just as I was speaking, a painful shriek echoed through the forest, alerting everyone to the highest level.
Miss Danari gestured for everyone to crouch down and stay quiet before moving towards the source of the sound.
*Clang*
*Splaat*
"Eeeeek!!"
"AaaaAaaah!!!"
"Help!! Somebody help!!"
As we drew closer, the sound of fighting became clearer and clearer.
*Click click click*
*GROAAAAAH!!*
A roar from an unknown creature suddenly shook the ground. Just hearing that bellowing was enough to send shivers down my spine. It was almost at the same level of intensity as the King's aura.
After creeping for a few more distance, we came across a heart wrenching scene that entranced me.
Mutilated bodies littered the ground, dying the forest floor in a bright shade of red as a huge, slug like creature, that was as black as the night with dozens of arms around it's body squirmed around bisecting even more people with the weapons it wielded
"Somebody help us!!! Pleaa--"
*Swooosh*
A man's head flew clean off from his body after one of the creature's many arms swung a sword at him.
"What the hell is that thing?" One of our vanguards mumbled to himself as we watched more men get mowed down by the creature's numerous arms.
"That, my friend, is a collector."
The one to answer the question was lord Jorgé who crouched beside Danari in the front.
"A collector is an entity born from the amalgamation of negative mana. There are many kinds of collectors based on the body parts they collect and use, this particular one is an arm collector." Followed Danari.
"So this is the thing that's been pushing out the other beasts."
"Guaaaaaah!!"
"Ne-nevermind that! We have to help them!"
Hearing another man get killed suddenly pulled me back to my senses.
"They're gonna get wiped out at this rate, we have to help them now." I continued as I tried to stand up.
I was, however, pulled back down by lord Jorgé. He placed his hand over my mouth and whispered.
"We can't."
Hearing this, anger swelled inside me as the thought of lord Jorgé abandoning those people filled my head.
I struggled with all my might but Jorgé only held me down tighter.
"Listen to me, Larc. Collectors are aggressive creatures that will fight to their last breath if engaged."
"If we were to fight it now, we would be forced to kill it before knowing how it got here. Something as big as that does not randomly appear out of nowhere, especially one that knows how to use weapons." He whispered in a low serious, tone. "Someone's been raising that collector."
Realizing the logic behind his words, I gradually stopped my struggling and started listening. Feeling this, lord Jorgé let go of me.
I drowned out the despaired voices of the dying men and asked.
"What do you propose we do then, lord Jorgé?"
"We wait. That's the only thing we can do for now. A collector will always bring it's kills back to it's lair in order to devour it and "collect" it's chosen body part."
"We have to find out where and why someone's raising a collector here." He continued as he tapped my shoulders once more.
"We cannot risk the whole realm for the sake of a few villagers, Larc. You have to remember that."
"Ghh.."
[I'm sorry, everyone!] I screamed in my head as I clenched my fist and gritted my teeth. In the end, we all just watch as the collector cut down every single one of the militia assembled by the chief.
