The task felt grueling and overwhelming. Especially at the beginning there were just too many possibilities and the material you had to work with seemed frustratingly spotty. Although whoever penned the tome made no effort to obfuscate names or references, the time and holy war that took place between then and now did a lot of the work for him. Even as you forced yourself to parse what little you had available, you could not get rid of a nagging worry that there's too much for you to overlook.

How could you believe in success of your endeavour?

What hope could you possibly have?

The beast's voice may have departed, but that made such doubts only bite harder as you couldn't shift the blame on the malicious presence.

Instead, you took a brief break from reading and looked around at your companions, each focused on their own task. Klaus and Claudia debating over a map. Kaguya and Olaf the dwarven scholar having an agitated exchange in front of a black board they had dragged from somewhere, Phineous and Chloe each submerged in their own lecture, look of resolve chiseled in their faces. Each of them took your quest on as their own. Each of them was counting on you and each other to carry this through.

That made your heart swell, and you resumed your work with renewed vigour.

"Leader?" Diana attracted your attention.

"Yes, here." You give her another sheet of notes to check after you and Smutkin. At some point you decided to get the golems involved so they wouldn't just waste time guarding the door. The alabaster woman took the parchment and took a tome from the pile to run it against, easing part of your worries, for now.

The labour, as intellectual as it was, dragged on - something you were actually thankful for, as it felt as if you got more done than you had any right of achieving in these late morning hours. After some time you switched roles with Smutkin, taking the tome from him to read with a fresh perspective and make new set of notes and insights for him to reference.

Taking care not to displace the bard's bookmark you forced yourself to chew through the story. You found Smutkin's earlier characterisation of it rather on point, if perhaps too generous in his polite phrasing. Writing style gave you impression that the author must have been extremely fond of hearing sound of his own voice and although the protagonist was repeatedly described as a handsome man, you could not help yourself but visualise him as someone reminiscent of Alicia's treacherous minister, especially when you came across one of many prideful monologues.

Still, you force yourself to digest the tale, sifting it for references to places and names you could work with, or circumstances that could lead you towards either.

As the day progresses and the morning light grows into midday blaze pouring in through mixture of clear and stained glass windows above the shelves you see your effort at least partly vindicated a few times when your fellow researcher acknowledges that you noticed a few references he missed, and with Diana and Minerva's support your stack of clues grew, alongside number of tokens on the map of the realm laid out on the next table. You couldn't say there were any breakthroughs, but you felt like you made some solid progress. And you'd be right back on following through on it if not for Klaus speaking up.

"Ahem. I've been- ouch. I mean, it seems we've worked well into the midday and should take a break and get something to eat. Mind requires nourishment rest it grows dull, after all."

"Splendid idea, young lord Levantine. Hayato?" Kaguya says. Next to her, Olaf is hunched over a stack of parchment, scribbling furiously, paying no attention to the discussion.

"My lady." The bodyguard materialized at the priestess's side.

"Oh, I thought we could go together." Claudia says. "There's a refectory nearby we've made good use of before."

"Certainly, that sounds delightful." Kaguya looks towards the dwarf. "Master Shaper?" she asked, to no avail.

"Ahm. I think I've heard about this." Phineous says. "It's a kind of trance dwarves have. It's probably best not to disturb him. He won't interact with people until he's done with whatever it is he's doing."

"Is that so?" Kaguya doesn't look convinced.

"I can corroborate that." Klaus said. "I believe I read about it as well... in fact, weren't you reading that exact same tome, back in our library?"

"That's very possible." The sophisticated orc nods.

"Well, I suppose he's not coming with us then." Claudia concludes. "What about you, Mouse? Mr. Smutkin? Miss Chloe?"

The bard and the half-elf give you a querying look.

>The couple has a point, join them for the lunch, then you can get back to work afterwards.
>It's true that you were getting hungry... but you'll head to the guest wing to have your meal, perhaps you could also check on your other companions.
>Maybe you could take a page off Olaf's book... figuratively. You'll stay here and keep working.
>other plan

>>5655505
>It's true that you were getting hungry... but you'll head to the guest wing to have your meal, perhaps you could also check on your other companions.

>>5655505
>>The couple has a point, join them for the lunch, then you can get back to work afterwards.

>>5655505
>The couple has a point, join them for the lunch, then you can get back to work afterwards.

>>5655505
>The couple has a point, join them for the lunch, then you can get back to work afterwards.

It could not be denied that Claudia's proposal was pitched in a very convincing tone. Although you were accustomed to finding grub when opportunity arose, the occasional regular meals you've recently enjoyed thanks to hospitality of the princesses were quite a pleasant experience, and as with previous times when you were researching matters in Klaus's library, it took you slightly by surprise just how much one can get hungry just by sitting around and frowning at letters.

And so your group picks itself up and leaves the reading room, with exception of the single dwarf who seemed quite content in his own inner world. Of the others, only Chloe spent a moment hesitating before ultimately stowing her book and notes away and joining you as you headed out of the hall.

Claudia took point in navigating the corridors and quickly proved her earlier words as she pushed open a robust door leading to another sizeable vaulted hall.

This one was less visually imposing, both in size and in decoration; none of you particularly cared, as your senses were richly compensated through warm, mouth watering scent of food, with background noise of muffled conversation that momentarily stopped into dead silence when the dining monks noticed the group, both eclectic and illustrious, head towards the tables where space became a scarce resource.

"Aha, your highnesses! You brought friends this time, I see!" A rotund man cheerily greeted you, breaking the silence and prompting the conversations to restart, albeit perhaps in many cases with new topic.

"Of course, brother Angus. I would never pass the chance to take you up on your offer." Claudia responded.

"We hope we are not imposing too much." Klaus said.

"Hah, hah! Don't worry, we're stocked well enough, I dare say! Although I haven't had to feed an ogre before. Even though I imagine friar Jones probably comes close."

That last remark elicited a brief chuckle from some of the diners.

With that the monk took out several bowls and began filling them with today's meal - porridge with meat and bread, it looked like, simple, filling and relatively expensive as mess halls went, yet still something that presumably could be afforded even to the ascetics in this seat of power. Then you followed Klaus and the princesses further down the hall where several kegs were laid out, one of them tapped, to draw some ale to finally find yourself a place at the table.

Before long you were digging in, alongside the nobles and some of your companions. It seemed everyone was eager to eat their fill and return to work so conversation was scarce, at least amidst your group. The monks on the other hand seemed rather talkative, and although you could not make out much that would rise above the noise, the occasional word you caught suggested at least one of the topics was you and your companions - for apparently helping or alternatively having been redeemed by the reincarnation herself - while the other was the ceremonial service due to take place the next day.

When you went to collect your second refill, you did manage to overhear a brief exchange that caught your interest.

"Brother Angus will be on the crew to prepare food for the feast, right?"
"That's right. But only some of it. The nobles are getting some special catering provided by the guild."
"Hah, serve them right, more good stuff for us."
"You joke, but apparently someone was real insistent that the refined palates take extra attention. Pretentious bunch."
"Well, it's just how it goes. Although I don't recall guild helping organize religious affairs in such a hands on manner."

It may have been nothing. After all, Celestine said that she asked Lucian to assist her with the feast, perhaps that was a natural consequence. But even so, could the guilds have been planning something with this? You take note of the encounter for future reference and go back to your place with your extra helping of porridge.

As you do you find your friends were mostly finishing their meals, with exception of Claudia who also was devouring an extra portion. That woman was proving to be a demon not just with a sword. Klaus was idly leafing through some small tome he brought with him, waiting for his wife to finish. Chloe was discussing something in hushed tones with Smutkin, while Phineous seemed engaged in conversation with Kaguya and her bodyguard. In fact, you're pretty sure you saw the two easterners chuckle at something he said, so it seemed he was rather successful in his networking.

You turn your attention back to your dish and finish it up before it grows cold.

Without wasting much time, having eaten your full (and thanking brother Angus for the hospitality) your group makes it back to the reading hall in good mood and eager to continue, with possible exception of Chloe, who as usual masks her emotion under a cautious scowl, and yourself thinking back to the conversation you've overheard. Preparations for the ceremonial service Celestine had planned, with input from you and the others, must have been quite frantic given the restricted timeframe. That may make it difficult for the cultists/mercenaries to organize some sort of move, but certainly not impossible. Was there something you could do to mitigate such risks? After all you were still a strange ogre in a human city, even with all the friends you've made, there are probably better suited agents to take care of that...

"Sample."

You're broken out of your reverie by a dwarf's voice. Shaper Olaf was fixing you with a serious glare, at first you could not tell if he's still in his trance, but the dwarf followed up articulate enough.

"Mr. Mouse. I've thought up a number of hypotheses, but scant few of them are actionable and even those that are require more information."

"Hypotheses? About what?"

"About evil. Or the Taint as you call it. Its physical manifestation. Its vectors of influence. Its origins and means to combat it."

"You figured all of that out?" Smutkin asks, and his voice sounds to you perhaps most astonished that you've heard the bard in your time knowing him.

"No, of course not. I said, I need to know more before I can claim that. All I've got is some theories and ideas. But..." The dwarf hesitates. "I have also some idea how to learn more. I need sample. Sample of the physical evil."

The relic, you realize. That would most certainly be something like what the dwarf described. It was useless now, though... or was it? You take the damaged casing out to look at it. Dwarf caught on immediately.

"Is that...?"

"I'm afraid it's no longer what you require. Although I'm not sure if I'd be ready to pass it on if it still were, it was dangerous."

"I'm used to handling dangerous material, lad."

"Not dangerous as molten magma." You shake your head. "Rather dangerous as a soothing lie concealing a dagger at your throat, or as honeyed words given alongside a chalice of venom."

"Very poetic, mr Mouse, but those are risks I'd find my way around as well." The dwarf seems confident. "Regardless, what happened?"

"IT seems to have been exorcised. Or maybe exorcised itself by accident."

"Can I see it?"

Not seeing the harm you pass the item over, under concerned glare from Chloe. The dwarf turns it around, looks through the cracked glass, then holds it against the sun and shifts it around.

"Hmm... I think... there's some fine dust left in..." He mumbles. "By the stars and the stones, it's not much, but it will have to do. May I?"

>Allow it. It should be safe now, and the dwarf may be able to figure out something valuable.
>Allow it, but only if you (or someone you appoint?) can be nearby
>No, it's your responsibility to ensure the relic is secured, you can't let it go.
>other idea

And with that question resolved, you...
>...get back to work with Smutkin. Between what you've done in the morning and others' work, you may just be able to get at some concrete results if you put yourself to it!
>...decide to check on your other companions, the twin scouts, Elle may have returned as well, and Sparky
>...decide to track down Alicia. She went to seek out presumably loyal military commanders, maybe she could use help, or the company?
>...wonder whether you should go and scout out preparations for the ceremonial feast yourself
>...had other plans (what?)

>>5661125
>>Allow it. It should be safe now, and the dwarf may be able to figure out something valuable.
>...get back to work with Smutkin. Between what you've done in the morning and others' work, you may just be able to get at some concrete results if you put yourself to it!

>>5661125
>Allow it, but only if you (or someone you appoint?) can be nearby
>...wonder whether you should go and scout out preparations for the ceremonial feast yourself

>>5661125
>Allow it, but only if you (or someone you appoint?) can be nearby

>...get back to work with Smutkin. Between what you've done in the morning and others' work, you may just be able to get at some concrete results if you put yourself to it!

>>5661125
>Allow it, but only if you (or someone you appoint?) can be nearby
>...get back to work with Smutkin. Between what you've done in the morning and others' work, you may just be able to get at some concrete results if you put yourself to it!
Though we should mention what we heard to Claudia.

>>5661161
>+1

After a moment of hesitation, you nod.

"Certainly. However, I'm going to require to be present at all times. That item is my responsibility."

The dwarf gives you a serious look before nodding in return. "Aye, I can respect that. Then let's go and find a workshop."

A thought strikes you as Olaf looks ready to go immediately. "One moment, before we go." He pauses and you take the chance to turn to the Levantine couple. "Claudia, Klaus. I'm not sure what you know of arrangements lady Celestine made for tomorrow, but I overheard something concerning." You say and when you're certain you have their attention, relay to them content of the exchange you had overheard during lunch.

The two nobles exchange concerned frowns. "You think the guild men could... poison the food?" Klaus asks.

"I don't know what they could be up to, but if they take part in the preparations, if the corrupt or cultists are among them, who knows what they may be up to?"

"We really don't know who to trust, do we?" Klaudia grimaces bitterly. "Well, I'm not knowledgeable about such things, but wouldn't it be obvious if they tried to poison the amount of food we're talking about here?"

"Some dangerous substances are extremely potent so that might not be that much of an issue." Klaus rubbed his chin. "But it would be quite a drastic move, probably not something to be done in isolation. Besides, I believe lady Celestine and the temple healers are capable of curing most such ailments with holy magic if applied quickly enough, and there will be a lot of those in attendance."

"Hmm..." Claudia says. "I think I'd better look for Alicia and make sure she's careful."

"Alright, let's."

"Are you sure? I could handle that on my own."

"No, love, I'm not letting go. Besides, I think I could use a break from this as well."

As the couple seem to have made a decision you turned back to the dwarf, who was eagerly waiting you at the door. Now wanting to make him wait any longer you gave parting nod to Smutkin, gestured for the golems to stay with him to help, and headed out, taking note that Chloe noticed you leaving and moved to join you as well.

And so the three of you made your way through the corridors. You wondered at first if the dwarf had already found where a suitable workshop would be in the vicinity, until the diminutive elder came to a stop before a rather large door. Sounds of metal striking metal could be faintly heard from the other side, but the rhythm didn't seem like one of methodical work. Rather it was...

Olaf opened the door and walked in. Following his lead you found yourself in a spacious hall, which was quickly identified by several fixtures, some familiar to you, some less so (if considerably less robust than ones you knew) as a gymnasium. There were several people present, most of them youth clad in simple, easy to move in clothes, presumably designed for exercise. Those were spread in a vaguely circular pattern around an area highlighted with colorful patterns on the wooden floor where, in the center of attention, two energetic princesses faced off against one another, with the older knight Charlotte watching from the side.

"Not bad, not bad, come one, try that again!" the dwarven princess goaded Prim who stood across, with determined expression on her face. The pink haired human didn't take much convincing before stepping forward and going at her sparring partner with slashes that looked quite powerful for someone of her stature. Nevertheless, Lulu batted them away without visible problems.

"Good, good! You're getting better Prim! I can tell you want to grow!" The halfling says cheerfully.

"Well duh." Prim says. "I want Alicia to be able to count on me."

"That's the spirit. But we should probably take a break. You won't get stronger by just exhausting yourself."

"Alright. Thanks, Lu. Oh, hey mr. Mouse! Miss Chloe, Mr. Olaf!"

"Uncle! You done with the books yet?" Lulu turns to the shaper.

"For now, perhaps. I need to do some tinkering and examination."

"Ooooh! You remembered! Yay! Alright, let's go! Sorry, Prim, guess that's it for our spars for now. Unless you want to come with?"

"Thank you, Lu, but no. I'm supposed to go meet up with Alicia soon."

"In that case you may meet with Claudia and Klaus, they will be looking for her as well." You volunteer the information.

"Oh? That's neat. We can go together then."

"Alright, until later then." The halfling princess says and your group gains another member as you give a parting nod to Charlotte and the few spectating... initiates?... that are not busy already gossiping about the scene, and make your exit.

This time it's the halfling princess who takes the lead, and she seems to know where she is going as you navigate deeper into the compound, even taking some stairs to descend a story or two and the finish of the corridors turned simpler and more coarse. You passed some doors behind which sound of labour could be heard before you stopped behind one that was currently silent. Lulu tried to open them.

"Locked. Wait a minute."

She bolted off and vanished behind a corner before you thought to follow her. Olaf seemed unperturbed, though, and so you decided to follow suit and wait.

It didn't take long for the tiny princess to return, carrying a large keyring. Without hesitation or wasting any more time she picked one of the keys on it and let the rest of you into what turned out to be a rather well equipped workshop, initially only dimly illuminated from narrow slits in the roof, though that quickly changed when Lulu vigorously turned a crank in the wall, in response to which a section of the roof moved to let in bright daylight, presumably with help of some mirrors unless your sense of orientation hadn't entirely abandoned you.

"Thank you." Olaf said as he made straight for the work table directly underneath the skylight. "Please, be very quiet."

"Sure, sure." Lulu says as she nimbly climbs on some piece of complex furniture or machinery next to the table, settling herself in so she can observe the old dwarf comfortably. You likewise take a position to the side so you can watch, and you're unable to tell where Chloe had gone, as if she melded with the shadow lingering around edges of the workshop. In either case, soon the only sound that could be heard was that of your breaths as you watched the old shaper work.

The dwarf first scurried around the workshop, picking up several items and instruments, placing them on the table to work with. He laid out a clear white mat on the table and placed the relic casing on top of it, then you got to watch him carefully study the item with help of the tools he collected - various magnifying glasses, some fixtures allowing him to position the studied item without needing to hold it, and ultimately a few glass containers where he carefully moved something from inside the relic vessel, then slot them into the largest of the devices.

During each step the old dwarf would spend a few moments just standing and examining, then he'd make a few notes in his notebook before moving to the next observation.

Occasionally the dwarf himself would break the silence to give you a question regarding the relic's previous look. You answered them as best you could, Olaf would acknowledge that with a nod and silence would settle in once more.

You're not sure how long this went on, and you did find your mind drifting back to the task you've been going through with Smutkin, mentally revisiting some of the snippets you've learned and considerations you've made, but assuming the light above was today's sunlight, it was probably not very long, or far into the afternoon.

On that note, you found yourself slightly surprised at the halfling princess patience - she gave rather energetic impression earlier, but it seemed watching her uncle work really did capture her attention.

Be that as it may, eventually the dwarven scholar, after having retrieved the sample from his instrument, rather than reaching for a new one put it back into the relic casing, carefully looked the item over and stood up, turning to you.

"I'm done. At least, for now." He announced.

"What did you find, Shaper Olaf?" You ask.

"Not as much as I had hoped." The dwarf sighed. "The residue left in the relic seems perfectly mundane. Although my senses may not be of much use to tell otherwise, I'm extremely confident that whatever substance it originally held had disappeared without a trace."

Was it just a waste of time, then?

"However!" As if reading your thoughts, the scholar raises a finger. "From the shape and fractures I'm able to make some inferences regarding physical properties of what was previously there. It may not be much, but I believe with what I learned today I may be capable of piecing together protective gear that should at least make it safe for a person to approach this substance without being immediately exposed to it. In fact, it's something I'd like to spend some time doing tonight."

"Oh yeah!" Lulu pumps her fist from her perch on the cabinet.

"Of course I'll need your help for that, little Lu." Olaf tells the grinning halfling. "Yours, if you pardon the bluntness, not so much." He hands you over the relic. "Thank you for allowing me to study this item. I regret not being able to discern more, but for now this will have to do."

"What are you saying, Shaper Olaf? To be able to devise a countermeasure just from examining traces such as this seems nothing short of amazing." You tell the dwarf.

"Thank you for your assessment, sir Mouse, but I do hold myself to higher standard than just some 'hopefuls' and 'maybes'. I'm not looking forward to hazards associated with testing it, but I must acknowledge that desperate resorts are called for. In any event, don't let me keep you from your own pursuits any longer. There is still much to be done."

You could not argue with this dismissal and so with a polite bow you took your leave, quietly trusting Chloe to follow you. The question was, where would you go next?

>Back to the reading room, catch up with Smutkin and see if you can make a breakthrough in your research tonight.
>You could take this chance to check on your suites, see what your other companions have been up to.
>Maybe you could try to track down Alicia and the others and see how their outreach to the military has been going.
>other idea...

>>5664649
>>Back to the reading room, catch up with Smutkin and see if you can make a breakthrough in your research tonight.
What if the guild has something that can make people be act more wild or corrupted instead of a simple mass poisoning?

>>5664649
>>You could take this chance to check on your suites, see what your other companions have been up to.

>>5664649
>Back to the reading room, catch up with Smutkin and see if you can make a breakthrough in your research tonight.

>>5664656
>>5664649
Exactly! What if they have some of that mysterious substance, which Olaf talked about? We should ask him if there are ways to detect traces of it. Learn about the method, false positives etc.

>Back to the reading room, catch up with Smutkin and see if you can make a breakthrough in your research tonight.

>>5664649
>Back to the reading room, catch up with Smutkin and see if you can make a breakthrough in your research tonight.

At first you hesitate, thinking back to the possibility of the Guilds planning something for Celestine's tomorrow's ceremony. Could they have already gotten their hands on something like that... condensed Taint... from your relic? If so, wouldn't they have already used it elsewhere? Would they be able to bring it for such an abruptly planned event?

Ultimately you sideline those concerns - you've at least brought the possibility up to Klaus and the princesses, hopefully they'll be in better position to find out more than you would. For now, it would be probably best if you returned to the task you've set for yourself in the first place.

"Let's return to the library and pick up where we left." You decide.

"Alright." Chloe acknowledges in a neutral tone and you set out to retrace the path you took, navigating the corridors in silence.

After a few moments you decide to break it.

"Chloe, how is your... research, going?" You ask softly.

The elf takes a while to respond. Until she does, you briefly worry if you maybe shouldn't have asked.

"Slowly." She responds. After a pause, she adds: "It's not a pleasant work, but it does serve to reinforce my... motivation."

"Chloe..."

"Don't worry about me, Mouse. I'd think you'd know me better than to consider me some fragile waif that is going to break down in tears over some ugly words."

Her response, if anything, told you that as taxing as the task she's taken upon herself may have been, she was not overwhelmed. If you were on worse terms with the half elven champion, you imagine she'd give you a curt response or a sneer.

You appreciated that she was willing to tell you that much.

"That's fair. I trust you, Chloe."

She didn't reply, and when you turned to look, you caught a flicker of a smile before she mustered her serious expression. "Hey. Pay attention. Don't forget, we must remain vigilant in here, whatever friends you may have made."

She had a point at that, and so you went back to focusing on finding your way back to the library, without falling into trouble on the way.

In this you're successful. In the reading hall you found Smutkin, Phineous and the golems at work, bent over their respective volumes or stacks of papers. Receding light was beginning to cast increasingly elongated shadows, soon having to rely on (very carefully shielded) firelight would make further work somewhat less comfortable.

Not that you'd allow that to deter you.

Your companions acknowledge your arrival with nods or salutes and without further ceremony you take your place close to Smutkin's workplace and pick up where you left, accepting from Phineous a respectably thick pile of notes that were made in your absence.

Without allowing yourself to be distracted by the occasional shifts in penmanship and writing style - you are confident in your ability to tell apart Smutkin's whimsical cursive from Phineous somewhat pretentious handwriting, and although it's quite clear which sections were penned by Diana and Minerva, it's probably impossible to distinguish between these two - you set your mind back on the task of trying to figure out location of the mythical Atlassia.

Once again you immerse yourself in the task and lose track of time, for good or ill. Struggling with your brow furrowed as you digest the information and clues, many of them too vague to be of apparent use, other seeming contradictory, part of which you reconcile by going back on your earlier assumptions and looking for possibilities previously overlooked.

There are times that frustrations grows to the point you need to put the papers away for a few moment and collect your thoughts, reminding yourself why you're doing this. When that happens, you see Smutkin and Phineous similarly focused on their work and catch yourself wondering, if they feel similarly.

Once, Smutkin catches your glance and gives you a bitter, knowing smile along with a nod.

Presumably in this, as in other things, you're in the same boat.

As previously, you pick up the notes and resume your work.

Eventually, when you look up to rest your eyes as well as your taxed mind, you note that the light of day is gone, the windows opaque with the darkness beyond. You were not sure how far it was into the night, but it was clear enough that even this manner of exertion was taking its toll. Smutkin looked as focused as ever, but Phineous, for all his effort in putting up a strong front, seemed to be nodding off. Perhaps it was time to call it for today.

You looked back at your papers with a disappointed frown. You were holding in your hands a sketch vaguely depicting geographical layout of the region. You made a few others, but had to gradually discard them when growing number of clues invalidated some previous assumptions and the sheets became too crowded with irrelevant information to be useful. This one would probably follow suit eventually, but for now it was your most up to date summary of your work up to this point, with several features highlighted as candidates for relevancy.

There was still way too much for you to be able to commit to a particular location, and that was even before taking into account that you may have still been overlooking something crucial. You had hoped you'd be able to reach some sort of breakthrough tonight, but it appeared that was not meant to be.

Unless...

Your frown deepens as a nagging thought pushes itself forward. It was insane, but... perhaps you could try to recall the landscape from your dreams?

No, this was insane for sure. You wouldn't be able to recall graphic details even if you had eidetic memory. That was not how dreams worked, there likely was never any detail for you to work with, the landscape just needed to convince you of its... landscapeness. This was nonsense.

Or was it?

Looking over the patterns of the ridges and mountains, shapes of valleys and placement of towns... Could it be that one of them would fit the shape of black against black from your dreams?

After a few moment of staring you find yourself staring dumbly on a particular valley, your mind wandering again. You shake your head, in effort to chase the tiredness away. No, this was probably not a good idea. But it did give rise to another one.

"Leader?" Smutkin notices you standing up. "Calling it for tonight?"

"Hm?" You remember you're not alone. "Oh, yes, we probably should. We can continue tomorrow, hopefully. But first, there's just something I wanted to check..."

You move over to where Klaus and Claudia left the actual map with the tokens and scan it against the notes you and the others have collected over the course of day. It gives you some small measure of satisfaction that at least you remembered the geography well enough as you surveyed the various features.

The satisfaction quickly wanes when you're unable to immediately discern any particularly helpful pattern. If one should eventually emerge, it would probably be only after you collected more...

...information...

Your eyes narrow as you zero in on the same valley you were previously staring on your own sketch. There was nothing of interest about it. Very thoroughly so, in fact. Towns not too far away from it tended to, for the most part, be highlighted by one or another token placed previously by your noble allies. The lone settlement near the mouth of the valley was entirely unmarked. Furthermore, the area was distincly deserted of human presence, despite geography looking rather hospitable.

Perhaps you were reading too much into it, but it still looked strange. And absence of information could be an information in itself...

Perhaps it was just your eagerness to see some concrete results, but you had a gut feeling you were onto something.

But that would have to wait. Or wouldn't it? You could try to look up more by yourself, you had entire library for yourself, mostly, but perhaps it would be more efficient to ask one of the princesses instead... tomorrow would quite possibly be a busy day and it might take a while before your companions are able to return to this research. But by the same token, perhaps it would be better to rest up properly in case the cultists chose to make some sort of move tomorrow. Decisions, decisions...

>Today was already exhausting enough. Head straight to sleep so you can tackle the tomorrow as fresh as possible.
>You've done enough for today. But perhaps you should check on your other companions in your suites before retiring.
>Tired or not, you've caught wind of something, you'll see it through even if it took you all night. Exhaustion is not something you're unfamiliar with, you can push through now as well.
>You've spent entire day indoors. Perhaps you could clear your head some by going for a walk now.
>other idea

>>5670026
>>You've spent entire day indoors. Perhaps you could clear your head some by going for a walk now.

>>5670026
>You've spent entire day indoors. Perhaps you could clear your head some by going for a walk now.

>>5670026
>You've spent entire day indoors. Perhaps you could clear your head some by going for a walk now.

>>5670026
>You've done enough for today. But perhaps you should check on your other companions in your suites before retiring.

>>5670026
>You've spent entire day indoors. Perhaps you could clear your head some by going for a walk now.

"Let's call it for today." You decide. "Tomorrow may get eventful, so we'd better ensure we're ready to tackle it." You look at Phineous and Smutkin.

"Aye, boss."

"Yes, leader."

With that the three of you finish up what you had in hand and put the mess of parchments and notes in order. As you go over your notes you absently recall that you've spent entire day inside the cathedral compound. Not that something similar hadn't happened before - especially during early training, even after you were judged reliable enough to be allowed freedom within certain sections of the dark citadel, you wouldn't see the outside unless it was for an assignment. But today, your mind burdened with the daunting task ahead in general and search for the cultist seat of power in particular, you felt like you could really use some fresh air, or at least as fresh as the city allowed.

"Take care of things here. I'll go for a walk before retiring." You announce. Fixing your gaze on the golems you command them: "Help them." Then you turn back to Smutkin. "I don't intend to go far or into mercenary enclaves, but even so have Tithe look my way when you get back to the suites."

"Certainly." The bard nods, his features somewhat relieved.

"Alright. We'll reconvene after dawn to decide on a plan. Until then, good night and rest up."

"Will do."

With that you leave your companions and head out. With best effort from your sense of direction you head towards the nearest exit from the compound, intending to make the trip towards the guest accommodations through the streets of the city - it should be a relatively safe affair as if you recall the city layout correctly it should be just some middle class housing and some craftsman and artisan dwellings on this side of the merchant district. The mercenaries were unlikely to have a presence there at this time, especially if they were busy organizing themselves for whatever they had planned for tomorrow.

Still, you knew better than to let your guard down just because of that. And that's why you were able to notice Chloe following you. Although if you were to be honest with yourself, you had to admit she was not really trying to keep herself hidden from you.

It was sort of funny, but presence of her majesty's Shadow, a dark elven assassin, was actually a source of comfort. Even though she had previously been distant and aloof, you got a feeling that you've achieved a measure of trust with the half-elf. No, you were certain of it, especially in the light of what she was willing to talk to you about. She may have been harsh in her words and deeds, but you could confidently tell she had a good heart, even if it was wrapped in armour of scar. It was no wonder her majesty asked you to take good care of her, and that concern in turn served to remind you that there was more than just callous power to your dark queen.

To the extent it was possible without compromising your vigilance, you let your mind wander as you emerged from a portal with a mildly nervous guard that you're almost certain was dozing off as you approached her station; your assumption proved correct as you stepped outside into a peaceful, calm neighbourhood of silent workshops and houses, their occupants already asleep or spending remnants of the late evening on leisure or preparation for the next day.

You caught yourself wondering, how many people in these houses have already lost someone to the war with monsters? And aside from that, how have their lives been affected by the Taint? Would they be victims, perpetrators, or both? You have felt the Taint manifest quite tangibly through the now neutralized relic, but how does it work in the everyday life of the non-monsterfolk? By preying on their avarice, lust or wrath, or any other emotion that could drive one to inflict suffering, or to treat one's companion as a thing for own satisfaction?

The city you currently navigated was supposed to be a focal point of the alliance that stood opposed to the concept that Taint represented. You've already met the corruption here, even fought it, its presence here a reminder how deeply your adversary is ingrained in the very fabric of reality.

But at the same time, there were rays of sunlight.

There were your parents. Until they were taken from you, they defied the Taint.

There were your friends and companions. Whichever the force that brought you together, they had yet to let you down.

Was their choice alone enough?

Was it even possible to learn more?

Well, it would be up to you and your friends to figure that out. So far, you have-

"Someone's following us." You hear Chloe whisper. "Well, you." You can almost hear the smug, although you certainly can well enough imagine it.

You nod and continue nonchalantly onwards. You were not particularly paying attention to time, but if Smutkin and others hadn't reached the suites by now, it shouldn't take longer, so you could be reasonably sure help would be on the way should you need it.

"Do you want me to take care of him?"

Of course, you have quite a competent help right here with you.

However, this circumstance could also create an opportunity. Although it would be probably trivial for Chloe to take out your tail, it would be excessively sloppy on his part if he had any valuable clues on his person. If you instead could somehow make use of him to bait the mercenaries into making a move...

"Nevermind. He has friends ahead. Be ready." Chloe adds before you're done deciding in your options. You focus your senses as you peer into the shadows ahead and sure enough three figures emerge to face you.

It quickly becomes apparent this is no regular robbery, and indeed those are no ordinary mercenaries. Although the two leather clad men wielding heavy crossbows standing slightly behind the central figure could well fit the bill, their apparent leader was as striking as she was easy to identify. If her outfit, for all its practicality still showing off her bountiful cleavage, was not enough, her short colorful hair were a dead giveaway.

"You are a rather difficult creature to be caught alone, ogre." The princess knight addresses you, her pose confident, hand on hilt of her blade in a leisurely gesture of intimidation.

"Princess Maia. I'm delighted to make your acquaintance." You reply.

"And well articulate, too. Don't think you can trick me, ogre. What did you do to my friends?"

"Your friends?"

"Don't play dumb with me. I know you must have ensorcelled them somehow."

"Maia, this is a waste of time. Let's drop him and be done with it." One of the mercenaries at her side says.

"Sure, if he tries something. But I'm not taking chances that he takes whatever he did to the girls with him to the grave."

"Then we should- Ghm. Suit yourself." The mercenary begins to object, but stops himself.

"Well, ogre, spill, and you may yet get to keep your hide!" Maia raises her voice at you.

Well, you kind of wanted to be able to talk to Maia anyway, suppose now's your chance. But what to say?

>Appeal to reason and authority. You are an ogre and you've met with lady Celestine herself. Was there anyone better suited to see through this hypothetical deception of yours than the clairvoyant idol herself?
>Try to convince her that you've genuinely befriended the princesses and convinced them with your actions of your sincerity
>Strike first instead. She's probably made up her mind already so best put any lingering hesitation to use by neutralizing the threat, then you can convince her from position of strength.
>other

>>5673664
>>Appeal to reason and authority. You are an ogre and you've met with lady Celestine herself. Was there anyone better suited to see through this hypothetical deception of yours than the clairvoyant idol herself?

>>5673664
>Appeal to reason and authority. You are an ogre and you've met with lady Celestine herself. Was there anyone better suited to see through this hypothetical deception of yours than the clairvoyant idol herself?

>>5673682
>>Try to convince her that you've genuinely befriended the princesses and convinced them with your actions of your sincerity
And I'm going to vote for this too.

>>5673664
>Appeal to reason and authority. You are an ogre and you've met with lady Celestine herself. Was there anyone better suited to see through this hypothetical deception of yours than the clairvoyant idol herself ?
If that doesn't prove it, I dunno what could convice her

>>5673664
>Appeal to reason and authority. You are an ogre and you've met with lady Celestine herself. Was there anyone better suited to see through this hypothetical deception of yours than the clairvoyant idol herself?

>let me guess it was one of your mercenary "friends" that convinced you I ensorcelled your friends. Perhaps some black dogs.

>>5673664
>Appeal to reason and authority. You are an ogre and you've met with lady Celestine herself. Was there anyone better suited to see through this hypothetical deception of yours than the clairvoyant idol herself?

Briefly you contemplated if you could somehow convince the tomboy princess that your relationship with her peers is one of genuine trust. But how would you accomplish that? She was naturally predisposed to doubt whatever you said and look for trickery, so appealing to emotion in this way seemed doomed to failure.

And so you opted to resort to reason. You were seen in presence of the princesses repeatedly, even Celestine herself, the reincarnation of the goddess known for her precognitive power and unmatched mastery of light - how could an ogre like you hope to trick or dominate her?

"Princess Maia, thank you for allowing me to talk. But I'm afraid there is no secret for me to reveal - I've been nothing but truthful with your peers and proved my intentions with deeds. I've even brought my case to lady Celestine herself. If I had used any trickery or sorcery, who else but Lady Celestine would see right through them? I'm an ogre, and our kind is not known for magical power, and even those of us who might be, not for its subtlety."

The red haired warrior woman hesitated, but only briefly.

"S-so it's true... even the goddess..." She says, then her expression hardened again. "What did you do to her, Ogre?"

Well that didn't go well. Was it your choice of words, or just her own worries that drove her to interpret your argument to mean... whatever it was she thought it meant.

"I did nothing to her." You defend yourself. "If anything, I was awed by her power when I witnessed her unmaking of depraved experiments wrought by a mercenary magician."

"What? You mean Kin's lab? But... depraved experiments? What experiments?"

"He's trying to slander Kin!" One of the mercenaries next to Maia spoke. "Shut your whore mouth, monster! Master Kin will destroy your kind once and for all!"

The other mercenary growled something you could not understand, and in between the noise you noticed a barely perceptible hiss that likely came from Chloe struggling to keep herself from bursting into combat. You found yourself wondering if there was something you could say to salvage this situation, but Maia recovers initiative.

"Alright, let's try this again. I know you have some dark artifact. Kin told me before his lab was raided..."

Did he, now?

"...a powerful relic from the era of chaos - don't you dare move an inch! Don't think I didn't come prepared!" Maia raises her voice, you must have unconsciously shifted your stance when hearing about the relic. "Kin seemed to think its darkness is powerful to even affect the goddess herself. I though that to be nonsense, but... anyway, what do you have to say for yourself, Ogre? Think carefully about your answer!"

The absurdity, the audacity of the accusation... did she forget what she was retrieving in those ruins, those weeks ago, in the first place...? Hadn't she made the connection?

Under different circumstances, your only choices would be to deny the relic's existence, or revealing it. But now that it has been cleansed, another option was open to you, even though you weren't sure of possible consequences...

>Just laugh in her face. This is ridiculous. She thought you could dominate the goddess and came to confront you with just a few guys?
>Deny that you have such a relic. Technically it's even true. But she seems convinced otherwise and seems likely to resort to violence if you don't convince her otherwise...
>Offer to surrender the relic if she allows you to go. Formally you're still charged with protecting it, but the empty casing is worthless to your enemies in terms of their original intent and the dwarves have already analyzed it... however, what would this gesture tell the cultists?
>Even though she seems to have her mind set, perhaps there's still way to convince her somehow...? (suggestions encouraged)
>Be the first to resort to violence.
>other idea

>>5675908
>A relic? The only one that I know of is the one that was found in the (specify the place we beat then too). Thankfully it has been purified of the taint.
>Turns out the black wolf isn't as powerful as he thinks, just like his cultists.

>>5675908
>Even though she seems to have her mind set, perhaps there's still way to convince her somehow...? (suggestions encouraged)
>The princesses haven't seen hide or hair from you, have you actually spoke to them to confirm these accusations or do you trust these scum more than your so called friends?

>>5675908
>Even though she seems to have her mind set, perhaps there's still way to convince her somehow...? (suggestions encouraged)
>Are you suggesting I have somehow corrupted lady Celestine without anyone noticing? Surely many in the cathedral could sense such a thing.

>>5675958
>+1

>>5675958
>support

Forget the relic for the moment. This woman was supposed to be one of the champions of her people, a supposed equal with the women you've come to appreciate for their own qualities. Was she really so quick to give up on them that she'd bypass them and confront you instead, siding with the mercenaries? Was she so oblivious to what her companions were doing? That Kin, the mercenary mage...

"Princess Maia, your peers haven't seen the hide nor hair from you. Is your faith in them so frail that you never thought to approach them and confirm those accusations with them? Do you trust your mercenary companions that much more?"

You try your best to keep your voice soft and hide the contempt you feel at the idea of someone taking word of someone like Kin over that of their friends. You're not sure how successful you were as Maia's stern expression briefly cracks.

"How dare you?" She shouts and brandishes her blade. "What would a monster know of loyalty of those who bleed and die side by side with you?" She pauses briefly, glowering. "I do care greatly for my princess friends... and the lady Celestine... the idea that I would have to fight them if they were enthralled... that's why I chose to confront you. To free them! And I will!"

"I admire and commend your enthusiasm." You sigh. "But what if you're wrong and they don't really need you to free them from anyone? What did your friends do that you consider them compromised?"

Maia takes a moment to reply, during which you notice a faint movement in the shadows.

"Tithe is in position." Chloe whispers. And if the gargoyle had arrived, that meant rest of the gang would not be far behind.

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Ogre. I-" The redhead princess hesitates, but before she can continue, one of the mercenaries leans towards her. Whatever he told Maia got her to reconsider her next actions as her stance shifted away. "...and that's all I have to say to you."

With that she breaks into a run - away from you, with her mercenary companions in tow. Perhaps you and Chloe were not the only ones who noticed the numbers shifted in your favour.

"At least answer to yourself!" You call out after the fleeing princess, then let out another sigh. She was in too deep, it looked like. All that was left was to hope that your words would somehow find purchase in her heart.

As the footfalls of the antagonistic humans faded into the night, new sets grew closer and resolved themselves into your companions emerging from behind a corner. Phineous, Smutkin, the twin scouts as well as the twin golems, Elle the courier and leathery flapping of Sparky behind them.

"Boss, are we too late?" Phineous asks.

"No, you arrived in good time. Well done, everyone."

"What are you talking about? They're getting away!" Chloe hissed.

"Good point." You say. "Tithe, see if you can track where they go, but don't expose yourself, I don't want us to get drawn into a skirmish if we can avoid it, much less having you risk yourself on what could be a trap."

"As you command." The gargoyle speaks from the darkness, and a swish of the animated stone wing and the displacement of air announced the creature shot up into the sky.

"We're not going after them?" Chloe asks.

"No. I think at this point we'd do more harm than good even if we caught up and engaged them in the streets, especially considering Celestine's upcoming event." You look briefly down the street Maia and her companions took in their flight. "We did what we can, for now."

Chloe, who dropped out of her stealth stance for this occasion, looked less than happy about this state of affairs but offered no further objections. Meanwhile, you began to pick up an odd figure in the dark as some of the more daring citizens ventured out to witness what the spectacle had been about. It was time for you to leave, and so you did, without a further comment. Your companions followed suit and so, under cover of darkness and shroud of silence you made your way all the way back to your suites, the encounter having somewhat soured your experience of the day.

Although, if you counted your blessings, at least you could tell that for now the princess seemed unharmed, if confused. Perhaps her peers would appreciate hearing about that, if not also offer ideas how to wrest her out of the cult clutches before something bad happens to her.

As you enter your suite, the golems having once again taken their posts in the corridor, Elle the courier approaches you.

"Um, leader... I don't think I've had chance to properly thank you for what you've done for me."

"Don't mention it." You shrug. "I'm glad that your friend could be rescued, and additionally we uncovered and foiled a substantial cult operation. If anything, I'm thankful that you brought it to our attention."

The blonde messenger blinks, then shakes her head. "No, no, just let me have this. Sir Mouse, and yes, I believe I ought to call you that. You've shown more nobility in treating your men and friends than many of the people I've been carrying documents for. Most of them, in fact. I just..." She hesitates. "I just wanted to make sure that you know how much I appreciate having met you. For some time now not just because I owe you for having saved me... back then..." Her expression momentarily sours at the recollection, but she quickly regains her composure. "...but because of the chance to participate in your mission." She makes a pause. "I, this may come across as pretentious, it certainly sounded better in my head but..."

The courier stands in attention and salutes.

"My eyes are your sight, my feet are your reach, my blade is your arm."

Her posture relaxes, and when she sees your slightly confounded expression, there's even a hint of a blush. "That's a courier's oath, one we recite when committing to service of a particular noble. Last one I've said these words to was lady Alicia."

"Does she-"

"Yes, she gave me leave, I did tell her of my intention. Today, in fact."

"Well," You say, taken somewhat aback by this abrupt gesture. "Thank you for this commitment. I will be careful to remain worthy of it."

"And that's why I know you will." Elle says with a small smile, which is promptly broken by a suppressed yawn. "Permission to retire for the day?"

"Granted."

She parts with a bow and the smile returned and you find yourself alone in your bedroom (assuming Chloe was not lurking around). And so, before long, you found yourself once again sinking into the softness of the comfortable bed, and shortly afterwards, into the realm of dreams...

You are flying.

You watch the landscape roll below you. Rivers, forests, hills and valleys.

Poking among the green foliage, fractured structures of white stone, like broken bones of some long dead monster picked clean by the scavengers, now serving as landmarks - or warnings.

You don't even think of memorizing the features as they fly past, reveling in the freedom your perspective allows you.

Yet, something seems to poke at you. Like you're forgetting something important, or neglecting something you should be paying attention to.

You begin to descend into the forest below, briefly blinded by the layer of branches and leaves obstructing your senses, only to come to a stop at the edge of the forest. Wall of trees behind you, vast plains ahead. Or perhaps moors? There is a trail ahead. You cannot see it, you just know it is there. Have you been here before? Have you seen it before?

A point in the horizon attracts your attention, as if calling out to you.

Mouse...

Mouse...

"Mouse?"

You open your eyes to meet a pair of crimson ones looking back at you.

"The dawn is breaking. If you want to get anything done before the ceremony starts, we better get busy."

Right, you think to yourself as you pick yourself up and simultaneously attempt to organize your thoughts for today's plans and not let vestiges of the dream slip through your mental fingers. Yes, Celestine's ceremonial feast intended to restore hope, bring about hearts and minds, perhaps even turn some if not all of the mercenaries away from the Beast, you had to decide how to approach what should be the highlight of the day...

>You will take your company to the ceremony grounds early and find a suitable place to watch over the whole thing.
>You will seek out the princesses and coordinate with them.
>Actually, forget the ceremony. You can spend the time with your research.
>Actually, perhaps you could have some of your people do something specific... (what?)
>other idea

>>5677996
>You will seek out the princesses and coordinate with them.
Got to tell them about Maya, how the Black Dogs are in the city and were involved with the mage.
Unless all the mercenaries were part of the same outfit all along.

>>5677996
>>You will take your company to the ceremony grounds early and find a suitable place to watch over the whole thing.
setting watch always paid off for not getting caught off guard

>>5678004
>support

>>5677996
>You will seek out the princesses and coordinate with them.

>>5678004
>+1

>>5677996
>You will take your company to the ceremony grounds early and find a suitable place to watch over the whole thing.

For a while you play around with an idea to settle in the festival grounds early. If you did that, you might have a shot at keeping track of coming and going, and intercepting any mischief, if the mercenaries were making any moves. But in the end, memory of yesterday's encounter wins over. The other princesses should be notified that Maia seems to be convinced they are being brainwashed. Perhaps you should have done that right away, although you doubt there would be much you could have done overnight even had you chosen such a course of action.

In any case, the course seemed clear.

"We're going to link up with the princess knights. We need to be on the same page for this."

"If you think that's for the best." Chloe says.

"Thank you, Chloe."

"Excuse me?"

"For your faith and forbearance." You tell her, and you get a brief flash of a smile for your trouble. "Alright, let's move." You finish picking yourself up and head out. As enjoyable as it would be to just hang out, time was too precious a resource right now.

You leave your suite and barge into the other one.

"Everybody, look alive, and be ready for trouble!" You announce, causing Sparky to emerge from his pillow fort surrounded by an aura of uncanny light, looking around for threats. "Boss? We under attack?" He asks when he can't see any, and the light fades somewhat. Before you reply, Tithe descends through the window and Smutkin steps out of one of the bedrooms, dressed to kill, Phineous similarly emerging moment later.

"Boss?" The orc greets you with a nod.

Looking around you don't see the human teammates. You turn to the golems to have them fetched presumably from one of the other suites in the corridor but that proves unnecessary.

"Sir." Elle enters and salutes, the two scouts behind her follow suit.

"Good, that makes all of us. Alright, people as you know, today is the day lady Celestine is holding her feast and sermon as an effort to gain loyalty of the mercenary armies, which are currently loyal to their commander, Vult. Naturally this is going to result in a large concentration of their men and could be seen as either an opportunity to start something or a threat that needs to be mitigated." You begin with a recap. "That is why I'm going to ask - no remind you to be vigilant, and for today, stick together unless specific task requires to be carried out."

There's a murmur of acknowledgment and you carry on.

"Currently we don't have much on possible avenues of attack, so you'll need to be careful in general. One possibility that comes to mind is collaborators from among the guilds' people, so keep those under consideration as well. Of course, at this point we can't really wholly trust anyone, with possible exception of those who have proven themselves to us through actions, which means the princess knights and lady Celestine herself." You look around the attentive faces of your companions. "That's it for now. We're going to seek out the princesses now, they should have better idea of the landscape for this event. Furthermore, we need to update them on yesterday." You make a pause, then conclude. "Everything clear?" Janet raises hand. "Yes, Janet?"

"Sir, should we use lethal force in event of confrontation?"

"Use your discretion depending on severity of the threat to yourself and others. If it's just some rowdy drunk, killing them may be excessive. But if we see organized action from the Black Dog, don't take chances."

"Understood." The boy scout nods.

There were no more questions. You let your men pick up whatever they may have been missing from their equipment and waited in the corridor. Shortly afterwards, your eclectic group was ready to depart.

The only problem was, you were not entirely sure where. After some thinking you decided that the best place to ask would be the guest wing reception nearby, and so that's where you head first. When you arrive you are met with a clerk whose face you don't remember seeing before. The reverse is likely true as well as he seems somewhat taken aback by the monster party walking up to him, though to his credit and probably owing the rumour mill as well he is quick to collect himself and hear your query even while some of the other visitors around were gawking at your group throughout.

"Oh, you're in luck, mr. Ogre. Their highnesses are right over..." The man looks across the hall, then gestures subtly in a general direction. "...at the table over there."

You nod in thanks and follow where you were pointed. Sure enough, the figures sitting around the table resolve quickly into those of your friends. Perhaps you didn't even need to ask, though by the same token you catch yourself slightly concerned that none of them noticed your approach. Possible explanation begins to emerge as they finally do turn to check out the approaching commotion and you see their sullen expressions.

"What happened?" You ask.

"The mage escaped." Klaus says.

"What?" Two voices blurt out incredulously, yours and Chloe's, and you briefly share a worried look with the half elf next to you.

"I'm afraid it's true." Claudia says. "When the guards came to feed him this morning they found the guardsman on duty dead and the prison cell empty, with a circle shaped scorch marking on the floor."

"I still refuse to accept this." Alicia growls, her fair features warped with anger. "The temple guard is supposed to be prepared to handle hostile spellcasters. They should have, I don't know, wards, magical bindings, muzzles, what have you. This... this is terrible."

"Don't sweat it, cuz. At least those girls were freed, right? If he tries it again, Mouse or Frederick will bust him up for good!" Prim consoles her relative, rubbing her back. "Right, Mouse? You beat him once, you can do it again!"

"Hopefully that is so." You grunt. Those were not good news at all. "Although he could be dangerous if he gets a jump on us. We will need to keep an eye out." You turn to Klaus and Claudia. "Do you think he will try something during the event?"

"I don't know." Klaus shook his head. "He was in pretty bad shape, so my guess would be he will spend some time licking his wounds. But I don't know what kind of unholy power he could draw on and I'm not going to rely on that guess if I can help it."

"Indeed we can't let our guard down." Claudia nods. "But there's a different thing I'm worried about. Alicia is right, the cells should have countermeasures against dangerous spellcasters in place. If he was able to escape despite that, it could mean two things, either the powers he commands are beyond that of the temple mages, or..." She trails off.

"...treason." Smutkin finishes. "Did the mage get any visitors? Such as, let's say, legal counsel? Chaplain, perhaps?"

Claudia grimaces at the thought. "No, at least there was not anyone in the records. Of course, a sufficiently high ranking person considered trustworthy by the guard could have simply asked not to be entered into the record. Investigators may be able to figure out if someone of such stature was in the vicinity but that might take a while." The princess sighs. "But there was a different possibility I had in mind, outside help. A skilled enough infiltrator might be able to slip past the guards' security. For all their skill and devotion they are only men, and stretched thin."

"Well, none of these possibilities are good for us." You comment. "But there's more. There's something I wanted to tell you."

With that you tell the princesses of your encounter with their friend.

"Maia..." Alicia covers her face in exasperation.

"I say." Claudia says dryly. "I would have hoped she'd have a bit more faith in our judgment."

"Hmm." Klaus rubs his chin. "Although normally I'd think she can take care of herself, I worry what could happen to her once Vult abandons all pretense. I hope we'll be able to rescue her before that happens."

"But still, why would she trust that scum over us? It's ridiculous." Alicia says.

"It must be love." Prim asserts. "At least that's how usually heroines are tricked by the mysterious villains before their true love saves them."

"I should hope Maia has higher standards than those criminals..." Alicia counters. "...and I think I should take a look at what kind of books you've been reading."

"Ahem." You take the vote sensing there's a risk of digression. "Do you have any ideas how to convince her should we meet again?"

"Honestly, your best chancewould be if one of us is with you when you do, no offence." Claudia says. "That said, I think what you told her will give her something to think about at least. Maybe a little push would be enough to at least allow her to give you a chance to hear you out." The martial princess thinks for a moment. "Maybe you could mention those delicious blueberry cookies Alicia loves so?"

"Why not mention the ones she likes instead? The cheese ones?" Alicia asks.

"Because that would have been obviously something he specifically asked us to reveal so he could manipulate her." Claudia explains.

"Speaking of food, we should probably begin making our way to the festival grounds. Our attendance is expected and we shouldn't arrive late." Klaus speaks up. "Mouse, are you going to be joining us? Your party is quite attention grabbing, but you've absolutely earned your right to attend like a guest of honour."

"Actually, the reason why I wanted to see you in the first place was so that we could figure out most effective way to approach this, in case the mercenaries try something."

"I see. Well, we are going to be in the privileged guest section, that means quite exposed, but also with good view and freedom to act." Klaus says. "The layout of the festival grounds is like this..."

With that Klaus, with some input from the princesses, begins to describe general layout of the area and its access routes, sometimes using the table and items on it as an impromptu model to illustrate. Although he claims he can't confidently describe every detail, by the time he's done you get a general idea of what the place looks like and what your options are...

>go with the princesses, you will be able to act together with them, but you will be exposed and potentially also distracting presence as the ogre guest
>there's an alcove where the grounds end and the district begins from which you could observe the ceremony from relatively sheltered spot; if the trouble originated among the attendees in the back you'd be in best place to intercept, but you'd also be quite far if the nobles or the Celestine required immediate aid
>perhaps with a good word from the princesses and Celestine you could spend the time in the proverbial backstage, in the adjoining cathedral facilities. That would make it very hard for you to respond quickly to anything happening in the back, but you'd remain concealed and be able to show up quickly if the nobles needed immediate support.
>perhaps you could distribute your forces somehow after all (propose how)
>maybe you should try to look for the tomboy princess instead of attending the ceremony, but how to find her?
>maybe you should try to track down the escaped mage, but how to find him?
>other idea

>>5681921
>>there's an alcove where the grounds end and the district begins from which you could observe the ceremony from relatively sheltered spot; if the trouble originated among the attendees in the back you'd be in best place to intercept, but you'd also be quite far if the nobles or the Celestine required immediate aid

>>5681921
>go with the princesses, you will be able to act together with them, but you will be exposed and potentially also distracting presence as the ogre guest

>>5681921
>perhaps you could distribute your forces somehow after all (propose how)
Us, Chloe, Sparky, Phineous in the facilities.
Tithe, Smutkin, Elle, Harriet and Janet in the alcove.
Tithe can fly and is perceptive, and the others are human, so if anything happens, they can move in without causing trouble.
Meanwhile we can be close by if anything happens to the nobles, together with our monster companions.

>>5682004
>support

>>5682004
>+1

>>5682004
Supporting

After some consideration as you weighed your options it became clear that your best bet would be to split your force after all. Especially as having some human subordinates opened up new possibilities...

"Alright, we're going to do it like this. Smutkin, Elle, Harriet, Janet, I'm going to ask you to take position here in the back." You point towards where Klaus suggested should be the alcove. "Tithe, you will take position above them and watch from there, supporting them or bringing news if necessary."

The bard looks over the team you just assigned him and nods at you in acknowledgment and you carry on.

"Chloe, Phineous, Sparky, you're with me down inside. Our presence could distract the audience, so we're going to keep our heads down unless something forces us into action."

"You got it, boss." Phineous says.

"What about the golems?" Chloe asks. "They shouldn't cause any issues in the open, but they're also quite eye catching."

"Good point. Diana, Minerva, you could take up positions in the front as ceremonial guards."

"It will be done."
"It will be done." The two alabaster women say in unison. Even though through their chosen specialisations it was now easy to tell them apart, they still clearly shared a close bond with each other.

"That will be a welcome addition to the trappings of the occasion, I'm sure." Klaus nods, smiling at the golems. "The art of artifice and animation of temple guardians is closely guarded one, a lot of them have been lost to time." The scholarly prince frowns. "Come to think of it, that tale of how you came across them... I wonder..."

"Did you think of something, love?" Claudia asks.

"Hmm... it may be nothing, but... I think I'll need to check something. But that will have to wait after the feast. I hope you don't mind." The last words were directed at you.

"Not at all. I believe also that we're close to figuring out something relevant." Your memory briefly takes you back to vestiges of what you recall from your dream. Maybe a look at a map will help. But that can wait those few hours.

Your rather sizeable group makes its way through the corridors of the cathedral complex. You meet little traffic on your way, save for a few monks, clerics or lay labourers hurrying past you, perhaps with the same destination but more imminent duties in mind, all too busy to pay you or your company much attention besides making certain to stay courteously out of your way, mostly when they identify the gathering of princess knights leading the way.

Eventually you reach an intersection that's considerably busier, with people walking and carrying things in making last minute preparations and ensuring everything is in place where it should be. There is some exasperation and stress visible on the servants as they scurry around, focused on dealing with a mistake or an accident that a rapidly organized event was likely to precipitate.

It's also the point where your group splits. Your human companions head with Claudia, Klaus and Prim towards the outside, while Alicia guides you up a flight of stairs towards a room guarded by a pair of temple guard knights who look at you uncompromisingly as you approach, but after some arguing from Alicia one of them gives in and enters the room they were guarding.

"The Lady allows you to disturb her meditation. Please, don't take long." The knight says.

Following Alicia in you find yourself in a circular chamber decorated with religious artwork that was being enlivened by a colorful play of light cast by the morning light through an array of stained glass. In the center of that Celestine stood, facing you with a smile.

"Alicia! Mouse! I'm happy that you've come. I hope you will like the sermon. I feel... just right about it. I have a really good feeling."

She radiated such warmth and enthusiasm that it was difficult not to feel some of it for yourself. Out of corner of your eye you even caught Chloe struggle to maintain her unimpressed facade, although perhaps that was just an illusion.

"That's wonderful to hear, lady Celestine." Alicia spoke softly, not even thinking of resisting the elven idol's aura. But luckily that didn't cause her to forget why you approached Celestine at this time and so she, with your input, followed up with your intention to watch over the ceremony from a suitably concealed location, as well as having Diana and Minerva take part as ceremonial guards. Lady Celestine was happy to go along with your plans.

And so as the time drew near for the ceremony to begin you found yourself in a shadowy, elongated room adjoining the terrace from which Celestine was about to deliver her sermon and blessings. The room was dimly lit by row of small windows beneath the ceiling. Due to your size it was comfortable enough for you to use them to overlook portion of the gathering that was gradually collecting itself in the courtyard below. Sparky seated himself into one of the windows and you had to remind him not to poke his head out. Chloe was leaning against a wall with a bored expression while Phineous was carefully examining the few items of note stored in the room. There were some artfully made braziers, some banners with themes both worldly and religious and some pieces of cloth, perhaps intended as protection from elements should it become necessary.

Aside from being able to see, you were also close enough that you got to hear. For now, it's just the background noise of conversations being held among the clusters of people gathered below, too subdued for you to make sense out of any of them, although you do make an attempt to at least visually survey the landscape. Most of the attendees are clad in uniforms, which doesn't come as that much of a surprise as this event has been primarly done for the men (and women) at arms, though there's also a fair amount of citizens that simply showed up for the chance to see the living symbol of their faith.

Your effort to discern individual uniform patterns seem wasteful as you skim over what you can see of the gathered. It seemed likely every house had their own livery, so the only colours you've seen in meaningful numbers were, to some extent, guild guards, but most importantly - the black dog mercenaries. By your estimation, the red and black, additionally distinguished by being likely exclusively male, seemed to roughly match numbers of the other uniforms combined.

Celestine better be right about this good feeling of hers, because if the fight broke out now, it could go either way, and if the house militaries were as disparate, as your earlier conversation with the councillor - that felt like an eternity ago - suggested, mercenaries would likely end up on top.

But would they take the risk? Would they take it today? You'd just have to be on your guard and ready for anything. Despite good mood Celestine had apparently felt, you found yourself rather tense as you watched over the festive gathering under the clear sky.

It didn't take long, only perhaps a few minutes you spent sweeping the area, looking for anomalies, attempting to recognize some of the uniforms - you are reasonably certain you managed to identify Arcturus and Levantine soldiers at least, and you confirmed location of the princess knights in the front, as well as the alcove where your companions watched from, though you couldn't reliably make them out in the shadow - before an abrupt shift in the mood. The noise of casual conversation died down, replaced by a reverential silence. Looking away from the window towards the grounds your attention shifted to the door you kept open that led onto the terrace. Sure enough, Celestine had finally made an appearance, standing regal over the gathered faithful.

"Brothers and sisters, children of the Goddess!" She speaks clearly, yet with softness that makes you wonder if the gathered people can even hear her far in the back. Whichever the case, it is received well with a wave of cheering.

"Praise the lady! Praise the Goddess!" you can make out from the crowd, though it quiets itself quickly enough, allowing Celestine to continue.

"I thank you all for gathering here today, on this meal we would share in special recognition of those among us who take the heaviest, most immediate burden in our struggle against the dark forces. I'm sure none of us needs to be reminded why our Alliance, united in service of the divine light, reached this part of the world to face against the forces of darkness. I'm well aware of the suffering, sacrifices and burdens you bear, and this occasion, this event, is for you to lighten those burdens, by at least a small amount. But before we move to nourishing our bodies, I'd like to share a few words for benefit of all our souls..."

So far it seemed the gathered people were ready to listen to, or at least humour, the elven idol, and you moved back to observing the movements among them. So far you could not discern anything particularly disturbing or threatening, although it did become clear that mercenaries were by and large gathered in clusters of their own, separate from the house militaries. There were some mixed groups, but by and large you could discern mercenary group just by looking for where their livery was most prominent. You pondered whether you could use that to relocate...

>Stay put where you are. You are in the best place to intervene if Celestine were threatened, and she's likely the most obvious possible target.
>Perhaps you could relocate to the lower floor so you are capable of more quickly linking up with the princesses if necessary
>Another option would be slinking out and around the gathering entirely, now that you know where most of the gathered mercenaries are; that would allow you to be at their backs if they tried something, but also isolate you from most friendlies.
>other plan

>>5685313
>Perhaps you could relocate to the lower floor so you are capable of more quickly linking up with the princesses if necessary
Oh yeah, I had forgotten about the golems.

>>5685313
>Stay put where you are. You are in the best place to intervene if Celestine were threatened, and she's likely the most obvious possible target.

>>5685313
>Another option would be slinking out and around the gathering entirely, now that you know where most of the gathered mercenaries are; that would allow you to be at their backs if they tried something, but also isolate you from most friendlies.

>>5685313
>Stay put where you are. You are in the best place to intervene if Celestine were threatened, and she's likely the most obvious possible target.

Hey OP, have you archived it ? since we're about to fall off.

>>5688999
It is done, friend.
Mouse & co will return.