BXBX NOVEL Chapter 52: March.
"Rested and ready, sir!"
"Good," Morn nodded. "While we wait, let is go over the new course I prepared," He folded his arms as she turned to him attentively.
"It's good to see Usami in high spirits again..." Arla stared at Usami speaking to Morn Castillon, though her face shared everything except a smile.
"She's always been a bit lively, but after yesterday I never thought she'd recover that quickly, Sir Castillon must have put in some serious effort to cheer her up," Dina replied with a small smile to what she thought was a shared sentiment.
"Cheered her up hm?" Arla narrowed her eyes. "That old pervert probably has the poor girl around his thumb already, I can practically see the pheromones," She grunted, but Idria still heard her from the other side of the massive courtyard and looked in their direction, and then at Morn and Usami.
"If he proves to be an inadequate teacher I will personally intervene and dismiss him." Idria answerwd Arla's whispered comment and the two of them shared private glances; it seemed Morn had a reputation amongst his peers.
"It was forbidden that we the captains and leaders have such relations with the Heroes, it is both forbidden in text and orally by her majesty, who looks down on such unprofessionalism, not to mention he is a married man with over a dozen concubines, how dare-"
"You're mumbling again," Eris leaned her head to get her teacher's attention after she suddenly looked away and started mumbling.
"Sorry, what were you saying?" Idria chuckled sheepishly while Arla stopped listening.
"Some interesting things are happening again," Sol daintily sat with his legs crossed and sipped green tea with Ikaris standing on his right in a maid outfit and a small teapot in her possession, and Sara on his left with her hands clasped before her with a passive and relaxed smile.
"Indeed, Master." Ikaris nodded, both hers and Sara's eyes were closed, but while Ikaris was always aware of the people in her surrounding, Sara knew everyone's business, and had magic dedicated to scrying, so she too had heard and seen it all so she nodded wordlessly, of course she already knew about Usami and Morn, but it was not her place to speak on the matter, she was after all; just a maid.
"Um..." One of the other maids approached Ikaris nervously. "Lady Ikaris, the princess is requesting your presence for a brief moment..." The woman stared at Ikaris's attire strangely.
"Eh?" Ikaris opened her eyes, annoyed at the woman for interrupting her peaceful service to her master. "Now?"
"Yes, milady," The maid gave her a bow and gestured in the direction of the princess.
"Preparations are almost complete," Sara walked over to Ikaris and took the teapot from her, turning to Sol and pouring another round while he smiled and paid nothing heed. "Please make haste, lady Ikaris."
Ikaris groaned in protest, but stomped off nonetheless, and Sara watched fascinated as her maid outfit underwent change and became her usual getup.
"She is getting along with everyone now it seems," Sol smiled as he watched her leave.
"Yes, she seems to have adjusted nicely," Sara agreed, but then stood at attention and bowed when she noticed Han approaching.
"Vestic," The taller man came and stood before him, and Sol lowered his cup with a somewhat troubled smile staring up at him.
"Do you need something, hero?"
"I..." Han looked away with visible embrassment but went through with it nonetheless and lowered his head before Sol. "Yesterday, it was brief, but I managed to gain a lot from that challenge, I doubted you at first, but I was wrong, thank you," Han clenched his fists and then raised his head with a genuine smile, the first one Sol had ever seen on him.
"I'm sure the others feel the same too." He commented, not even realising that the other heroes from their respective positions across the courtyard had followed his example and paid their respects in the same manner.
"I must say it makes me feel as if I have failed you seeing you thank another for teachings," Arla ground her teeth as she stared at Dina who was raising her head from a bow.
"Don't worry about it, I need you more than I need anyone else, right now you're the best teacher I could ever have!" Dina grinned at Arla, taking her hand and pulling her in the direction of the others.
"Ugh, here she comes," Bruce's teacher, Kris Ravenmar groaned and dragged his hand through his hair upon noticing Arla's approach.
"Lady Arla isn't that bad," Bruce watched the half-elf's approach, completely ignoring Dina's exiatence as his eyes locked on to her soft physique, her bouncing breasts and her swaying hips. "Man... she's hot," Bruce blushed and covered his ears.
"Hot?" Kris looked at him. "Is that a term from your homeworld?"
"Ah-yes, it means one is.... Uh..." Bruce cleared his throat and turned to the approaching women, ignoring Kris's raised brow at his unfinished sentence.
"How are you, Bruce?" Dina asked him smiling, but saw his stare focused on her teacher and snapped her fingers before him. "Oi, eyes on me!"
"Oho?" Arla laughed at Bruce's clear infatuation and gave him a teasing smile.
"Yeah, I'm all recovered," Bruce flexed his muscles and clapped his shield. "I also gained a new skill yesterday so, despite everything I still benefited." He admitted, and Dina nodded in agreement.
"It is a pity," Arla sighed, looking over at Sol who was now dressed as nobility and eating cake served by Sara while everyone else worked around him.
"Pity?" Dina asked.
"Aye, Despite his clearly being stronger than the rest of us Sol Vestic holds no fealty to the queen or kingdom that calls and ridicules him as an imposter, he has openly stated that he will not raise a finger in the service of her majesty, he refuses to fight the demon horde." Kris answered shaking his head.
"Well, the first thing they tried doing when he just got here was execute him as an omen," Dina placed her hand over her heart upon reliving that moment and how terrified she was. "If that happened to me and I lived, I would never help the people who wanted me dead."
"True," Arla admitted. "However, even though Master Vestic seems to dislike demons more than the rest of us by the way he speaks of them, he seems to just genuinely not have any interest in them, we have seen him raise his hand against even allies, and those who threatened Ikaris, it is only demons he refuses to fight."
"He's odd, isn't he?" Dina asked, staring at Sol who was now playing extreme table tennis with Sara but paused to look at them, causing the ball to whisk pass him and Sara to jump in victory. "He's..." Dina blushed and looked away. "Cool." She mumbled to herself.
Upon the convergence of all the heroes and the assembly of the entire advance regeme of the demon subjugation army, a the temple bells across Argom started donging, and the head of the army spoke for the first time since their arrival.
"Advance!" General Grim's voice echoed across buildings and through the streets, and the army began their silent march.
"Do your best," An old lady from the silent crowds raised her voice, causing the general to look her way while he continued marching on his steed. "Give it your everything son, kill them all, kill those demon bastards!"
Grim knew this woman from his days as a foot soldier in the army, one who has always supported him, every time he went out she would cheer the loudest, and that stood true even now when everyone else doubted him, even though her son had died in battle years ago, her spirit never dwindled, she was a fighter.
"HAAAAAH!!" General Grim raised his voice in a mighty war cry, and the army feeling the effect of his buffs roared as well.
"Fight and take back our lands!" She screamed.
"HAAAAAH!" The army responded to the old woman's cries.
"Avenge our fallen comrades and our long lost Arkadian brethren!" She screamed again, causing cheers and cries to erupt in the crowds around her.
"HAAAAAH!!"
"For Arkadia!!" The old lady gave it her all.
"HAAAAAH!!!"
"My brothers and sisters, we march!!" Grim shouted, and the silent steps of the soldiers turned into a thunderous synchrony that shook the ground, a true march.