>>38794468
You step out of the truck for a moment to unlock and open the front gate so you can bring your team in. As you park the trucks, an old man walks out of the mansion to greet you.

"Welcome home, young master," he says. "I trust everything is to your satisfaction?"

"As well as can be expected, Dezra," you say. "I suppose everyone else is gone?"

"They have joined the master and the mistress at Randgriz, or else they have joined the army," the butler says. "I'm afraid I'm the only servant left at the moment."

Hardly fair of everyone to leave a man of Dezra's age here alone, but Gallia needs soldier and more than a few of the servants are former members of the military who worked in administrative positions. Your father probably needs their services more than the grounds do.

Your subordinates disembark and line up informally, waiting for your instructions.

>"Let's see the rooms first. We need to get changed and clean up a bit."
>"Let's eat first. I'd rather not think on an empty stomach."

>>38794479
>"Let's see the rooms first. We need to get changed and clean up a bit."

>>38794479
>"Let's see the rooms first. We need to get changed and clean up a bit."

>>38794479

>"Let's see the rooms first. We need to get changed and clean up a bit."

We'd also clean ourselves after the road.

>>38794479
>>"Let's eat first. I'd rather not think on an empty stomach."

>>38794479
>>"Let's see the rooms first. We need to get changed and clean up a bit."
We can eat after we've washed off the blood and dirt.

File: 8cqnu.jpg (89 KB, 1280x720)

89 KB JPG

>>38794479
"Everyone, this is Dezra. Dezra, this is Vanessa, Nina, Jetje, Karl, Roberta and William." Various polite greetings are exchanged and you sling your bag over your shoulder. "Let's see the rooms first. We need to get changed and clean up a bit."

"Of course, young master," Dezra says. "Everyone, please follow me. I will show you to the guest rooms."

The guess rooms are on the second floor. They all have their own bathroom and there are some clothes stored in the closet just in case, so no one will be stuck wearing whatever they happened to have stuffed in their bag. Vanessa and Karl are the most awed by the place. Everyone else seems bored, except for Roberta, who's probably just used to these places.

"You can leave your laundry off to the side," Dezra says. "I assure you, I'll treat it with the utmost delicacy."

"And to think I was just looking forward to cleaning my uniform with water and soap," Nina says. "Getting to skip chores on top of that is everything I ever dreamed up."

"Make sure you don't get rusty," William says. "You'll be back to boiling bandages in a few weeks."

"Don't ruin the moment, Willie."

>(1/2)

>>38795216
"Young master," Dezra says. "Please follow me. The master insisted that you be given the master bedroom upon your return."

"That's odd. Did follow know I would return?"

"I wouldn't know," Dezra says. "However, I believe he wishes to stay in Randgriz for the foreseeable future, and I don't think he wishes to stay in the mansion much longer. He has been looking forward to passing on his responsibilities to you."

"If only the circumstances were better. Please, lead the way."

Dezra takes you to the master bedroom, which takes up half the floor all by itself. It comes with a large bath, a balcony, very impressive stained glass windows and more wardrobes than you could possibly need. The bed alone is larger than any of the rooms you've been in since you joined the military.

You take a quick bath and freshen up your shave. Dezra has already taken the liberty of bringing some of your clothes here, so you're not stuck with your military uniform.

>Dress casual. The Feast is tomorrow and you don't want to stifle the atmosphere.
>Dress sporting. Your hunting clothes fit most occasions.
>Dress formal. You need to set a good example for everyone.
>Put on a uniform anyway. You're on duty until the war's over.

>>38795243
>>Dress casual. The Feast is tomorrow and you don't want to stifle the atmosphere.

>>38795243
>Dress casual. The Feast is tomorrow and you don't want to stifle the atmosphere.
Our troops came here to relax let's give them a break.

>Dress casual. The Feast is tomorrow and you don't want to stifle the atmosphere.

Hopefully, we're not getting jumped by a squad of imperial saboteurs, who were hiding under the bed in the said master bedroom.

>>38795243
>>Dress sporting. Your hunting clothes fit most occasions.

>>38795243
>Dress casual. The Feast is tomorrow and you don't want to stifle the atmosphere.

>>38795243
>>Dress casual. The Feast is tomorrow and you don't want to stifle the atmosphere.

File: Vanessa4.jpg (6 KB, 300x168)

6 KB JPG

>>38795243
You dry yourself off and pick out some casual clothes. For you, that's a white shirt and black pants. But it looks really casual when you leave your shirt's top few buttons undone. You check to make sure that you are completely presentable and head down to the dining room, where your team is waiting along with some tea and snacks. Nina is lounging on the couch, but everyone else is enjoying the food.

"Are you sure it's alright for us to borrow your clothes?" Vanessa asks. "They look… nicer than what I'm used to."

"It's fine," you say. "They're there for the guests to use anyway. It's fine as long as they don't get ripped or anything."

"Do clothes get ripped off often around here?" Karl smirks and swallows a tiny sandwich.

"You'll never know, so enjoy your fantasies." You pour yourself a cup of tea and put a few slices of cheese on a plate. "Anyway, we should probably talk about what we're going to do during the Feast."

>(1/2)

File: Karl3.jpg (87 KB, 750x500)

87 KB JPG

>>38795902
"Boss, if you try to plan the festival like its another goddamn military operation, I will shoot you," Nina says.

"Relax," you say. "I just want to make sure you don't visit the wrong stand. You'll be sick in bed for days if you try out old man Francis' moonshine."

"Honestly, that doesn't sound so bad," William says.

"It'll feel bad," you say. "The food stands are usually decent - there aren't any local delicacies, but the produce is fresh and people know how to cook creatively with not much. The problem is that they open up early, so if we want breakfast, we'll have to wake up at the crack of dawn."

"People wake up at dawn for a festival?" Jetje asks. "I don't know anyone who takes the Feast that seriously back home."

"Velde is still mostly rural, so people keep a farmer's schedule," you say. "If you all want to sleep in, we can just eat here and give the carnival games a try. If you want to be really lazy, we can just watch the buskers and the amateur theatre troops. There should be a few stages set up around the city. I think Brightward followed us here, so she might take part."

"It all sounds good to me," Karl says. Everyone else just shrugs. "I guess it's your call."

>"We'll wake up early for the food stands."
>"Sleep in a bit. We'll visit the games."
>"Let's just relax and watch the entertainment. Other people can work for a change."

>>38795930
>>"Sleep in a bit. We'll visit the games."

>>38795930
>"We'll wake up early for the food stands."
Let's introduce them to the local cuisine.

>>38795930
>>"We'll wake up early for the food stands."

Q: How do you write a cute Vanessa?
A: Vánessa. That's Vanessa with acute.

>>38795930
>"We'll wake up early for the food stands."

>>38795930
>"We'll wake up early for the food stands."

File: Jetje1.jpg (7 KB, 217x232)

7 KB JPG

>>38795930
"We'll wake up early for the food stands," you say. "Hilda should be around with her raspberry waffles. Best way to start off a day."

"Okay, that does sound worth waking up at an ungodly hour for," Nina says as she sits up. "And at least we'll be able to avoid the lines."

"It didn't look like there were many people around," Karl says. "What with the war going on…"

"We're on break and others aren't," Jetje says. "I thought about that a few times, but it's not like it's our call anyway. We did our share and we'll head back when we're needed."

"Technically, we headed back when we weren't needed," Nina says. "That thing with the Valkyrur temple was all volunteer work, even if we ended up getting paid for it." She pauses. "We did get paid for it, right?"

"All the paperwork is confirmed," you say. "We'll have plenty to grease Bernard with once we need him again."

After your meal, you retire to your father's office - your office, now that he's taken everything he needs away anyway. There are some matters that need to be dealt with concerning the Velde's administration, mostly things that came up after your father left, like roads that needed sudden repairs and business licenses for a few women who decided to work out of their homes for extra income while their husbands were out fighting the war. Everything predictable like lease renewals has already been arranged.

You sign off on the last piece of paper and stretch your fingers to get the cramps out of your hands. It doesn't help much.

It's late, but you're not that tired and it has been a while since you've been here. It might be nice to go for a midnight stroll.

>Just go to bed.
>Go out and see the city.

>>38796507
>Go out and see the city.

>>38796507
>>Go out and see the city.

>>38796507
>Go out and see the city.

>>38796507
>>Go out and see the city.

lets hit the town

>>38796507
>Go out and see the city.

File: Renard1.jpg (28 KB, 225x350)

28 KB JPG

>>38796507
You decide to head out. The celebrations officially start tomorrow, but they tend to start early and since people have the day off, they're more likely to stay up late. Most of the restaurants and bars should still be open, and you might be needed to help with the last-minute preparations. Or maybe you'll just enjoy the town.

You grab your keys and put on a coat. It's a fair walk to the city proper, but it doesn't take that long and it's downhill for now. The return trip will be a pain in the ass, but you'll deal with that later.

The ragnite lamps and the near-full moon illuminate the roads and prevent you from getting lost while you recover your bearings. You know this place like the back of your hand, but it's still been a while and the lord of the city getting lost would be embarrassing for everyone involved.

There are still plenty of people around despite the late hour. The work isn't over and the night air is pleasantly cool. A few people recognize you and wave cheerfully. You greet them back and continue walking. As you near the main festival grounds, there are fewer people working on the stands, but the pubs and bars are packed. Most of the labour here is done with and people are enjoying a little extra time off.

>Hit the bar!
>Hit the pub!
>Sit down somewhere and enjoy the quiet.

>>38797074
Goddamn it, I keep forgetting to put my trip back up.

>>38797074
>Sit down somewhere and enjoy the quiet.

>>38797074
>>Hit the pub!
to the second home

>>38797074
>>Hit the pub!

>>38797074
>Sit down somewhere and enjoy the quiet.

>>38797074
>>Hit the pub!

File: Captain Elsa DuLac.png (958 KB, 1360x768)

958 KB PNG

>>38797074
You decide to try the pub. Sitting alone in a bar this late at night a day before the Feast of All Spirits would just be sad. You pick the nearest one and push the door open to be greeted by cheers. Sadly, the cheers are not for you, but for Captain DuLac, who's sitting at a table in the middle of the room, arm wrestling with anyone who dares to challenge. Judging by the pile of ducats sitting in front of her, there are a lot of challengers and none of them are very good. Probably because most of the able-bodied men are on the front lines.

You've got your pick of tables if you want to drink a few beers until closing times; there are a few musicians at the back to provide entertainment, so it's not as lonely as drinking at a bar. You could also challenge DuLac to a round of arm wrestling. Just because it's been going well for her doesn't mean you won't get lucky. Even though you're a sniper, you're still a Gallian soldier. You do have some confidence in your skills and the pot is looking good.

>Have a few beers and enjoy the music.
>Give arm wrestling a shot.

>>38797520
>>Have a few beers and enjoy the music.
i like having a not broken arm

>>38797520
>>Give arm wrestling a shot.

>>38797520
>Give arm wrestling a shot.

Arm wrestling it is.

I need 4d6.

>>38797520
>Have a few beers and enjoy the music.

Rolled 3, 3, 6, 5 = 17 (4d6)

>>38797789
no broken arms

>>38797789
Dang it she's gonna take our jewgolds!

Rolled 4, 4, 6, 6 = 20 (4d6)

>>38797789

Rolled 6, 6, 2, 6 = 20 (4d6)

>>38797789

i think we rekt the good captain.

>>38797977
> Not a single roll better than 6.
Yeah I think not.

>>38798013
ummmmm you should look at what we were rolling

>>38798013
Yeah not rolling 7s or 8s on a d6 is just not going to cut it.

Aww shite I'm too used to d20 quest standard.

>>38797520
You walk up to DuLac's table and hold up your wallet.

"Evening, Captain. What's the buy-in?"

"Fifty ducats," she says. "And you get the whole pot if you win."

"Sounds fair." You put your money down and take the challenger's seat.

DuLac's grip is like a steel vice - it feels like she could easily break every bone in your hand if she wanted to. Still, you do your best to push back a little and force her arm down while the crowd watches and cheers.

As it turns out, your tiny sniper arms are no match for someone who swings a heavy metal sword around. Your defeat is slow, but it is steady. Despite your valiant struggle, DuLac pushes your arm down until it hits the table. That puts you down 50 ducats. Oh well, it's not like anyone will notice.

"And that's one more win for me." DuLac stands up and pats you on the shoulder. "Still, I'll take some pity on you. The Feast of All Spirits is a holiday for couples, you know. If you asked Ernestine out, she'd probably be very, very interested, if you know what I mean."

"I'll keep that in mind." You stand up and stand back a little as DuLac collects her winnings. "Although I'm not sure I want dating advice from a woman who needs to put a collar on her boyfriend."

And with that, you exit the pub at a fast pace, which turns into a full run the minute the door closes behind you. DuLac probably wouldn't take offense at your comment about her apparent fetish, but better safe than sorry.

You're soaked in sweat by the time you make it back to your mansion and you end up having to take another bath. The upside is that you're so tired that you fall asleep as soon as you slip into bed.

>(1/2)

File: Nina4.jpg (8 KB, 299x168)

8 KB JPG

>>38798237
You wake up the next morning when Dezra knocks on your door just before dawn. You have no idea how he woke up this early, but he's always punctual when it comes to his job.

"Young master, it's time for you to leave if you wish to enjoy the festival," he says.

"I'll be right out."

You change into another set of casual clothes - this time, you roll up your sleeves in addition to leaving your shirt slightly unbuttoned - and walk down to the first floor. Everyone is waiting for you, although Roberta, Jetje and Karl are the only ones who look awake.

"Good morning," Jetje says.

"You look better than I expected," you say.

"I usually wake up a little earlier than this for my morning exercises," she says. "So what's on the menu first?"

"Whatever it is, it had better be good," Nina says. "This doesn't seem quite as fun as it did yesterday."

"I think it's exciting," Vanessa says. "If the festival starts really early, that means everyone can enjoy it longer."

>"Tea and coffee first. We need to wake up properly."
>"Let's find the waffles."
>"I know a guy who does great sausages."

>>38798254
>>"Let's find the waffles."

>>38798254
>>"Let's find the waffles."
Only right answer

>>38798254
>>"Let's find the waffles."

>>38798254
>>"Let's find the waffles."
"Do you like waffles?"

>>38798254
>>"Let's find the waffles."
Mmm, waffles.

>>38798254
>"Let's find the waffles."

>>38798254
>>"Tea and coffee first. We need to wake up properly."

Not a soldier in the world who doesn't start their morning without coffee if it is available. Especially if it doesn't taste like shit.

>>38798254
"Let's find the waffles," you say. "I don't want to walk around hungry."

"Waffles sound great," Vanessa says. "They're really versatile if you know what you're doing."

You build up an appetite walking to the festival grounds. By the time you get there, the sun is up and there's already a fairly significant crowd, even if it's not as big as it was in previous years. However, people do look happy about the way the festival is turning out. Even if they are just pretending, it's fine if they can forget about the war for a bit.

"There's the waffle cart." You point to a food stand under the care of a middle-aged woman. She waves you over when she sees you.

"Welcome back, young master," she says. "I heard rumours you'd returned."

"It's just for a short while, Hilda." You take out some cash. "Can you get us some waffles?"

"Sure thing." She starts pouring batter into the waffle irons and wraps the waffles in paper towels before handing them to you so you don't burn your hands. These things are really hot when they're fresh. "I have the usual batters, and a special one for you."

You sniff a bit at the last waffle she gives you, but it doesn't smell anything. You bite into it. It's warm, fluffy and slightly sweet, but there are bits of something else in there. Something salty and crunchy.

>(1/2)

File: Vanessa2.jpg (8 KB, 180x280)

8 KB JPG

>>38798860
"You made bacon waffles?"

"That's right," Hilda says. "It took me a while to figure out how to properly smoke and cook the bacon so the taste didn't clash and the waffle didn't turn out greasy. It took me months to get it just right."

"It was worth it," you say. "You guys have to try these things."

You order a round of bacon waffles and pass them out.

"These are really good," Jetje says. "It's like having a whole breakfast in your hand. These would be great on the front lines."

"I doubt we'd get cooking equipment like this on the front lines," Vanessa says. "We should enjoy it while we can."

"Speaking of the war," Hilda says. "If you don't mind my asking, young master, how have you been? It's not too dangerous, is it?"

>"It's completely fine."
>"There have been a few close calls."
>"I try not to think about it much."

>>38798888
>>"There have been a few close calls."

>>38798888
I've only been shot once

>>38798888
>>"There have been a few close calls."

Don't sugar coat it but certainly don't go into any details. There may have been some close calls but we are still standing and we are winning. Be a good officer, flash a smile and keep winning the hearts and minds of the people.

>>38798888
>>"There have been a few close calls."
But I have my team with me.

>>38798888
>>"There have been a few close calls."

quad 8's

>>38798888
>>>"There have been a few close calls."

File: Renard.jpg (58 KB, 1024x576)

58 KB JPG

>>38798888
"There have been a few close calls," you say. "Still, I managed to survive. That's more than a lot of people can say."

"Better than a lot of Imperials, certainly," Karl says. "But enough about that. We're here to have fun!"

"These waffles are really good," Nina says. "I wonder if you could add something on top of the bacon to make it better."

"I doubt it," Hilda says. "Sweet and salty foods are best when they can contrast each other. If they're used together, the effect won't be as good."

"I suppose that's true," Nina says.

You spend the rest of the morning flitting back and forth between food stall. There's an interesting one that sells different blends of tea, another that sells fruit juices with optional alcohol - that one's very popular - and a stand that sells crispy grilled sausages. The higher the sun goes, the more people come over to get their day started, until the festival grounds are filled with people and the early comers like you move on to the games and buskers.

You look around at the people and think about Captain DuLac told you last night. Maybe you should try to get a date before you get shipped off to your next assignment.

>Forget it. Just stick with your team for the day.
>Spend some casual time with one of your teammates. There's no reason to make a big deal out of it.
>Find Ernestine and ask her out. Let's see how interested she really is.

>>38799392
>Find Ernestine and ask her out. Let's see how interested she really is.

>>38799392
>>Spend some casual time with one of your teammates. There's no reason to make a big deal out of it.

>>38799392
>Find Ernestine and ask her out. Let's see how interested she really is.

>>38799392
Begun, the waifu wars have.

>>38799392
>Find Ernestine and ask her out. Let's see how interested she really is

>>38799392
>Find Ernestine and ask her out. Let's see how interested she really is.

>>38799482
Not much of a war if it's this one sided

>>38799392
>>Forget it. Just stick with your team for the day.

>>38799392
>>Find Ernestine and ask her out. Let's see how interested she really is.

>>38799392
>>Find Ernestine and ask her out. Let's see how interested she really is.
Shipping wars is go.

>>38799392
>>Find Ernestine and ask her out. Let's see how interested she really is.

File: Ernestine.jpg (5 KB, 96x202)

5 KB JPG

>>38799392
"I'm going to look for someone," you say. "If you get lost, just ask Vanessa. If she can't find her way back, she's fired."

"Yes, sir." Vanessa snaps to attention and salutes. "Wait, that's a joke, right?"

"If you're lucky, you'll never have to find out."

You step outside the crowd to get a better look at the people. Your arm strength isn't anything to write home about, but you make up for it in another areas, like your eyesight. DuLac's people tend to hang around together, so you look for her first. She's not exactly hard to find, given her sense of style. Once you see DuLac, you quickly spot Ernestine, who's sitting alone on a park bench. You walk through the crowd and head towards her.

>(1/2)

File: Ernestine3.jpg (10 KB, 194x259)

10 KB JPG

>>38799930
"How's the festival?" You ask.

"Same as always," Ernestine says without even looking at you. "Although I must say it's a nice place you have here."

"It's only mine in an administrative sense, really," you say. "The successful nobles sold off their lands and invested in industry a few decades ago. I just represent the Crown when the King's authority is required to deal with matters beneath the his attention."

"That sounds incredibly inconvenient," Ernestine says. "Almost as bad as almost starving to death on a daily basis."

"As a general rule, I don't look down on other people's problems." You sit down next to her. "If you'd like, I can show you the fun parts of the festival. We're going back to the war soon, so you should enjoy yourself while you can."

Ernestine looks at you and narrows her eyes.

"The Captain talked to you didn't she?" She asks. "What did she tell you? I swear it was only that one time and I only did it because I was really bored and I hadn't thought about doing it before then and I certainly didn't do it again afterwards. Ever. Really."

Her face is as red as a tomato and you have no idea why.

"DuLac recommended that I ask you out and show you around," you say. "And if you're just going to sit here on a bench during the Feast of All Saints, I'm inclined to follow her advice. The festival here isn't as big as it is in the capital, but it's still something I take pride in. I can't allow guests to be bored." You stand up and hold out your hand. "So are you coming?"

"No. I mean yes, yes I am. Following you. Around the festival." She takes your hand and you pull her up to her feet. "You know what? Let's just go."

>>38799947
And that's it for today. Next thread will be next Wednesday at around the same time.

As always, thanks for playing and I'll see you then.

>>38799947
> I only did it because I was really bored and
Now I'm curious what she DIDN'T tell us about.

>>38799985
Thanks for running.