Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

A sound played at Kirche's ears. It was soft, barely noticeable even. She probably wouldn't have heard it normally were it not for the lack of other noises around her.

She couldn't identify what the sound was, though it seemed vaguely familiar. Part of her was tempted to just ignore it, but as the sound continued, her natural curiosity caused the rest of her body to act in order to discover what was making it. Her face scrunched up as her eyes, which felt unusually heavy for some reason, cracked open for the first time in days, letting her vision return.

The room she found herself in was small and square in shape, with minor pieces of furniture scattered about it. She was currently occupying a large bed and had several light blankets covering her. To her right, the redhead located the source of her curiosity and why it was familiar. It was the sound of pages being turned in a book, and the one turning them was Tabitha, who was sitting in a chair next to the bed and reading until she noticed Kirche's movements.

"You're up," Tabitha said stoically.

"...Looks like it," Kirche replied as her first choice of dialogue. That she could even say it in a joking manner was impressive given how her throat felt extremely parched, making speech rather difficult.

Tabitha seemed to pick up on this immediately and put her book to the side. She got up and walked to a nearby table where a pitcher of water and a glass cup laid atop of. She poured the water into the cup and walked back to Kirche with it in hand, being careful not to let any of the contents spill out.

"Drink," Tabitha ordered, holding the cup to Kirche's lips.

The Germanian wasted no time in obeying the command. The cooling liquid helped ease her soreness and felt incredibly refreshing, but she still had enough sense to not greedily gulp it down and instead took her time between each sip. Once she finished she pulled back and gave a big sigh of relief. "Hah… Thanks for that, Tabitha."

The bookworm nodded and put the glass down. "Remember what happened?"

Kirche took a second to ponder before nodding back. How could she forget? She finally managed to track down Ryoga when all of a sudden that annoying Fouquet showed up and trapped them in some floating dome of magic. She remembered attempting to attack the thief, but was caught off guard when her spell spun back around on her.

"Guess I must have passed out," she said more as a statement to herself than actually asking.

"Correct," Tabitha said. "Memory fine. Condition?"

Kirche wondered that herself. She went to sit up, but found the task rather difficult, as her limbs and body felt heavy, like they were made out of stone or something. Nevertheless she managed to do so and started checking herself out. Her uniform was nowhere to be found, instead replaced with a white gown she recognized for females in medical care. Bandage wrapping covered both her arms, and she could feel more along her stomach and legs.

Raising a hand to her face, she found smaller bandages along her cheeks. She was about to think on it further, but froze at the sight of the locks of her hair. They looked shorter than usual, as if having been recently cut. Panic set in at the idea of losing one of her most luscious features and she rapidly felt around for it, only to quickly relax once she found the majority of her hair still remained.

That was good to know, but why was it cut in the first-

"Ah!"

Right, that would be the reason, wouldn't it? She was attacked by her own spell. Her hair being cut was most likely a result of it getting burnt alongside the rest of her.

Normally, a mage who specialized in fire magic wouldn't have batted an eyelash at that kind of attack. It could still hurt them, obviously, but that was simply the understanding that came from trying to command such an element. A proper mage learned to adapt to its uncontrollable nature, share its licks and touches, and inevitably embrace it. And one like her - a prodigy in the art - had become so fluent with the flame that its heat barely affected her anymore, and only the strongest of fire magics would do any actual harm.

Only it wasn't any old fire magic that attacked her. It was her own.

And yet it wasn't.

Kirche stiffened in remembrance. When the flames surrounded her, the pain she experienced was indescribable. It was like she wasn't only being burnt physically, but also spiritually, as if her very soul was being swallowed by the swirling inferno.

That wasn't right. She knew her own strength when it came to fire magic, having even tested some spells on herself just to see how much she could endure. In that moment however, inside that "Sphere Field" thing, something changed about the fire. It felt twisted somehow, silly as that sounded. Nobody could just "twist" fire after all. But there was no better way to define it.

Never before had she felt a flame like that. One that was so...wrong.

"Still, I've never thought that I would be showered by my own fire." Kirche chuckled while she played with her locks. "It's become curly now, hasn't it?"

While a bit troubling to know Fouquet did something to her magic, she wasn't one to let such problems hang over her head for extensive periods, preferring to take the information in stride. The important thing in all of this was that she was still alive. Obviously that meant her darling Ryoga defeated the old hag and rescued her. The picture of that happening brought a different kind of warmth to her bosom.

"Hopefully the burns on my skin are not so bad," she thought absent-mindedly. Her hair was just one part of her appearance after all, and she'd hate to have any marks that disrupted those features. Hopefully whoever took care of her used good water magic. "Speaking of which…" She turned to Tabitha, who was still waiting for an answer. Putting on her best smile she lifted her hand and patted her friend's head. "I'm fine. You know something this small won't keep me down."

No visual change was seen on Tabitha, yet it felt like she was pouting, as if annoyed by the head pat. She made no move to pull away though. Kirche giggled, finding the reaction cute.

"So, mind telling me where I am?" She asked.

"Clinic in La Rochelle," Tabitha informed.

"Hmm, I see. And how long was I sleeping for?"

"Four days."

Kirche flinched. The time frame wasn't a big deal, and it gave her a better idea on how badly she was injured, but she and Tabitha did kind of sneak out of the school to go chasing Ryoga without letting the professors or Old Osmond know. The chance of them getting away without punishment was unlikely, especially the longer she ended up stuck here.

"Guess it can't be helped," she mumbled as she pulled her hand back and laid on the bed. "Hey, where is darling anyway? If I've been out for that long then that probably means he went to Albion already, right?"

Tabitha nodded.

"Figured as much. Then has he gotten back yet? Did he and Louise manage to succeed in whatever mission they were supposed to accomplish? Oh, and I guess it would be nice to know if they managed to make up yet."

Tabitha shook her head. "Complicated."

Kirche's brow arched up. "The mission or the making up?"

"Wardes was a traitor."

"...Eh!?" The redhead shot back up, immediately wincing from the pain in doing so. "Ack! Ow, ow!"

"Careful. Still recovering."

"Who cares about that!?" Kirche winced again, this time from her yell hurting her throat, but refused to let it stop her. "You said Wardes didn't you? You mean that really handsome guy who was engaged to Louise? He was a traitor!?"

"Yes."

"Tell me everything!"

Tabitha complied. She told about the mercenaries that attacked the inn after Kirche split off from them. How Wardes ran away with Louise, claiming it was to help complete the mission. How she, Katie, and Guiche found Ryoga fighting Fouquet and then defeated her, only for someone else to rescue the thief. And how after Ryoga woke up, he explained his reasoning on Wardes' possible status as a traitor and went after him and Louise.

She then told how Ryoga and Louise returned, both looking roughed up. After getting checked on by the doctors, the two told the others what happened on both their sides. Everyone was stunned to hear how not only was the prince of Albion slain, but that Ryoga was right in Wardes being a traitor, with the noble being the one to commit the treasonous act.

"Complicated indeed," Kirche said, her tone low and nonchalant after listening to it all. "The prince is dead and the viscount was a traitor, how very shocking."

Again, she wasn't one to let problems hang over her head, but this was certainly one she couldn't ignore. This "Reconquista" group Ryoga and Louise told the others about, the name of the aristocrats who rebelled against the royal family, had managed to kill the prince and take over. She could only picture how the other kingdoms will react once word spreads of this outcome, if it hadn't already.

"Still, that my darling managed to defeat him and save Louise is quite an achievement!"

Honestly, every time she'd think she'd seen it all he would prove her wrong and cause her heart to swoon more. At the rate he was going she really wouldn't mind falling for him. Maybe she'll even do something drastic like kidnap him and take him back home. Wouldn't that be a fun little adventure? Especially if Louise chased after them.

"I'm just glad he got his act back together." Kirche's lips curled upward, feeling pleased that her talk with him before Fouquet appeared knocked the boy back into the form she admired. "So, where are darling and Louise now?" She asked Tabitha. "Are they still recovering themselves after what happened?"

The bluenette shook her head. "Left this morning to return to the capital. Deliver news. Guiche and Katie went with them."

Kirche pouted. "Well that's a shame. I was hoping darling would come in and check up on me. Guess I'll have to wait on that." Her eyes gained a glint. "Unless you want to chase after them on Sylphid and drag him back here for me."

"No," Tabitha shot down immediately. "You're injured. Won't leave your side. Couldn't chase them anyways."

Kirche looked surprised before smiling once more, happy to have such a caring friend. As she moved to sit in a more relaxed position, she suddenly realized something. "Wait, what do you mean you couldn't chase them?" She asked confused.

"Lent them Sylphid," Tabitha told her.

Kirche blinked. "You lent them your familiar?"

Tabitha stared forward at the Germanian before shifting her eyes to the left. "Ryoga promised to feed her."

Kirche didn't care if it hurt her throat. She laughed as hard as she could.

Members of the Mage Guards patrolled the area in front of Tristain's Royal Palace gates atop their magical steeds. The rumor that war was looming had begun spreading through the town about two or three days ago. It was said that Reconquista, the aristocrat faction that had managed to defeat and conquer Albion, was now poised to invade Tristain.

As a result, the mood in the capital city grew immensely tense for both commoners and nobles alike. The soldiers who guarded the surroundings were the only ones allowed in the skies so they could watch the palace from above. Any and all other forms of magical beasts and ships were banned from flying, and people who passed the gates were thoroughly checked. Even tailors, confectionery shop employers, and traders were stopped and inspected thoroughly in order to prevent mages disguised through illusion or people under the control of charming magic from getting through.

So one would imagine that a wind dragon and flying feline-fish creature appearing in the skies above the palace without warning would alarm the garrison.

While the guards were composed of three corps, only one guarded the palace at a time, leaving the other two to either rest or train. Today, the Manticore Corps was on duty. Riding atop their manticores, the nobles flew up and made their way towards the wind dragon that had appeared. As they approached, they saw four figures riding on the wind dragon's back, as well as a huge earth mole that was held in between the dragon's mouth. The hybrid creature next to it was also carrying some kind of chest between its front fins.

"You there! This area has become a prohibited flight zone! Turn back now!" One of the guards warned.

The wind dragon ignored the warning and descended down until it landed in the palace courtyards. It dropped the mole on the ground, making the critter whine and try to wipe off the saliva from its coat. The flying cat creature landed next to the mole, placing the chest down and flopping on top of it in exhaustion.

Alarm grew in the manticore guardsmen as the air units landed beside the ground units and quickly surrounded the three beasts, each one drawing out their rapier-shaped wands and assuming a stance with spells at the ready. From the group, a strongly-built and rough-mustached commander stepped forward, raising his own wand at the suspicious intruders.

"Drop your wands!" He bellowed out in warning.

The guards watched as from atop the dragon three of the figures, a beautiful blondish pink-haired girl, a young brunette girl, and a blond boy, grew nervous at the hostility. Before they could make any sort of action, the fourth figure, a boy in purple clothes with equally colored hair and a sword tied at his waist, raised his hand to them.

"Calm down. This is only expected given our appearance. Just do what they say."

The others calmed down at the sword wielder's words. Reluctantly they did as ordered and tossed down their wands. Seeing this, the commander approached them, his wand still raised just in case.

"Flying above the Royal Palace is currently prohibited. Didn't you know that?" He questioned.

The boy with the sword nudged the girl with blondish pink hair and muttered something. She said something back and the two of them jumped off the dragon. The girl straightened herself out before speaking in a firm voice. "I am Duke of La Valliere's third daughter, Louise Francoise, not someone of suspicion. I request an audience with her Highness, the princess."

The commander lowered his wand and twisted his mustache as he watched the girl intently. He knew about the Valliere Duchy. After all, they were a very renowned noble family.

"You are Duke of La Valliere's third daughter?" He asked for confirmation.

"Indeed," Louise said, raising herself up higher to stare straight into the commander's eyes. He examined her for a bit before nodding.

"I see... You certainly have your mother's eyes." He would know that color all too well. The girl quite resembled the elder Valliere. "Well, what is your purpose here?"

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you. It's a secret."

"Then I'll have to deny your request," the commander replied sternly. "I cannot grant you an audience with her Highness without knowing your purpose. I could lose my head over something like that!"

Louise frowned. "I understand that, but I must insist you let us speak with her. It is a matter of urgency."

"Urgent or not, I need at least some idea on your reason for being here. Otherwise what am I to tell her Highness? Am I to risk her life just because you claim whatever news you have to be urgent?"

"But I have to-!"

"It's about Albion," came a sudden interjection from the boy with the sword, making all heads turn on him.

"Ryoga!" Louise spoke the boy's name in surprise.

"What did you say?" The commander asked.

"The news we bring is in regards to the situation at Albion. We have something we need to report from there," Ryoga told the man.

The commander glanced over the boy. He had a young face, with eyes as blue as the sea. He stood about as tall as the Valliere daughter and wore clothes the commander had never seen before, along with a strange shield attached to his left arm. While it wasn't clear what country the boy was from, one thing was certain; he wasn't a noble.

Or at least he shouldn't be. Yet something about the boy told otherwise. From the way he stood to his piercing gaze, he had a presence that felt very noble in nature. How did that make any sense?

The commander tossed away the ridiculous notions in favor of the declaration made. "If your news is about Albion preparing an invasion then I'm afraid you're late on the delivery. The whole city knows about it. We've been tightening up security and trying to handle the panic for the last few days, and your appearance isn't helping matters."

"I get that, but Louise is right about us needing to speak with Henrietta urgently," Ryoga said. "If you can't take us to her, could you at least inform her we are here now? Tell her we would like to speak with her as soon as possible."

The commander grunted, disliking the boy's tone and how casually he addressed her Highness by name. He still gave the request some consideration. "I suppose I could do that. However, her Highness is extremely busy at the moment. I cannot give you a guarantee on when you will be able to see her next."

"That's unacceptable!" Louise protested loudly. "If what we have to say is urgent then she should be informed right away about it, regardless of anything else!"

"And I told you that isn't happening! I've given you my answer, so either take it and leave the premise or I'll have you arrested! This is your last warning!"

The Mage Guards were ready to act, making the other riders and the three creatures tense up. Louise grew angrier at the disdainful attitude being displayed, while Ryoga's eyes narrowed and his hand inched near Derflinger.

"Louise!"

Suddenly at the palace gates, the very subject of discussion appeared. Henrietta, who had come over due to hearing all the commotion and picking up on the voice of her best friend, saw said friend surrounded by the Mage Guards and began frantically running over.

"Princess!" Louise's face shined like a rose at seeing Henrietta.

Under the gazes of everyone, the two embraced one another in a hug. It dumbfounded the guards and commander, and caused them to quickly lower their wands, none daring to point their magic at the princess.

"Ah, you came back safely," Henrietta said in delight. "I'm glad. I'm so very glad, Louise. My dear Louise Francoise…"

"Princess..." Louise's eyes began watering with tears.

"Mrrow mrrow!" The feline creature flew forward at the duo before any of the Mage Guards could protest. They immediately readied their wands to start casting, but stopped when the princess went from hugging Louise to rubbing the creature's head affectionately.

"It's always wonderful to see you too, Cat Shark," Henrietta said in delight.

"Mrrow!" The Xyz let out a sound of agreement and licked her cheek, producing a giggle.

"Princess, we...we managed to succeed." Louise said. Reaching into her breast pocket, she gently pulled out the letter given by Wales. "The letter… It is safe."

Henrietta's teal eyes locked onto the letter. She slowly moved to firmly grasp it in her hands, before doing the same with Louise's hands. "I knew you would do it! You really are my best friend."

"Your words are too kind, Princess."

Henrietta smiled, however her smile slowly degraded as she looked around. Her gaze went up to the dragon and its passengers, whom she remembered to be the Gramont and Brandam heirs that volunteered to help. Yet they weren't who she was looking for, and upon not finding that person anywhere, her expression became somber.

"As I thought... Prince Wales sacrificed himself for his kingdom," she spoke quietly.

Louise closed her eyes and nodded quietly.

Henrietta let out a shaky breath and struggled to contain her uneasy heart. "I see… But what about Viscount Wardes? I don't see him, did he take another route?" She rubbed her hands nervously. "Or did he...perhaps...fall by the hands of the enemy? But if it was the Viscount, he shouldn't have..."

Louise's face turned grim, uncertain how to speak of what she knew.

"Perhaps we should take this discussion elsewhere?" Ryoga offered, deciding to step in before things got complicated. "Our current setting isn't the most private right now."

Henrietta quickly understood, realizing the scene she was putting on under the intense stares of her guards. She turned to the commander and explained the situation. "They are my guests, commander. I have been awaiting their arrival, and I apologize for forgetting to tell you. Note for the future that they have my permission to come and go as they please."

"As you wish," the commander immediately complied. With a wave of his hand all the Mage Guards stood down and started withdrawing from the area. The commander followed them after giving a bow to the princess.

Once they were gone Henrietta turned back to Ryoga and Louise. "Anyway, let's withdraw to my room before we continue." She looked up to Katie and Guiche. "The two of you, please get some rest in the other rooms. I'll have some servants escort you and tend to your needs."

"Y-Yes, Your Highness!" Guiche said in delight.

"O-Of course! Thank you!" Katie humbly accepted.

After leaving Katie and Guiche in a waiting room and Cat Shark and the familiars outside, Henrietta brought Ryoga and Louise to her own room. Ryoga brought along with him the chest Cat Shark carried there, telling Henrietta it was important for what they had to discuss. After sitting down in a small and delicate chair the princess propped her elbows upon a desk and asked them about what exactly happened on their trip.

And so they told her.

Louise went first. She explained how Kirche and Tabitha joined them en route. How she was forced to leave everyone behind and took a ship with Wardes to Albion, only to be subsequently attacked by pirates. How she found out that the pirate leader was Crown Prince Wales, who told her about Reconquista, their strange power, and their vast ambitions of uniting all of Halkeginia, to the grand goal of liberating the Holy Lands. And she told how he refused to escape, even when he had the chance.

She continued on with how she was nearly wed to Wardes, only to refuse him and suddenly have Wardes show his true colors. How the man killed Prince Wales and tried snatching the letter from Louise's hands, only for Cat Shark to keep him at bay until Ryoga arrived, where she fell unconscious. She then told how she briefly woke up and tried to help Ryoga, but was knocked out again shortly after.

Ryoga took the conversation from there. On his side of the story he explained how during the bandit ambush one of the bandits acted strange and specifically targeted him. How then during the attack in La Rochelle he was confronted by Fouquet, who was revealed to be the one behind the bandits. How she was keeping him occupied until Louise and Wardes got away. How he defeated her, only for her to be rescued by a cloaked individual.

He then went on about what happened after he woke up. How he put the pieces together and decided to chase after Louise and Wardes. How he confronted Wardes and defeated him, only for the man to slip away despite the victory. Finally, he told of their return to La Rochelle for recovery and to inform the others of the situation, before making their way back to the capital once they were able.

It took several hours before explanations were done, and during it all Henrietta's expression was grim. Even with the mission being a success and the alliance between Tristain and Germania now secure, she still mourned.

"The Viscount was a traitor… How can that be?" Henrietta gazed at the letter on the table. The letter she herself wrote to Wales. Tears built up and streamed down her cheeks. "To have a traitor within the midst of the Mage Guards..."

"Princess…" Louise moved closer and held Henrietta's hands, trying to provide what comfort she could.

"It was I who took away Prince Wales' life," the princess muttered. "No matter how you look at it, it was I who chose the traitor to be the messenger…"

"Don't be ridiculous," Ryoga said. "From what Louise described, Wales was already planning on staying in his kingdom. Whether it had been Wardes or somebody else who killed him, he decided what his future was going to be. That's no fault of yours."

"Maybe… But even so I…" Henrietta looked to her friend. "Louise...did he, at the very least, read my letter?"

"Yes. Prince Wales read Your Highness's letter," Louise confirmed.

"...So then...Prince Wales didn't love me."

Hearing that caused Louise to stiffen. "Princess…are you saying you urged the prince to escape in your letter?"

Henrietta nodded while still gazing at the letter in sorrow.

Louise looked down to it as well. She recalled Wales' words. How he stubbornly told her that Henrietta didn't tell him to escape, saying it was something that would ruin her reputation and bring trouble to Tristain. He swore by it on his honor.

And it was a lie...

"Ahh… With your death, there is no longer any hope," Henrietta mumbled softly in her daze. "What about me, my lost love? Was honor more important than I?"

Louise had no answer. Just like back in Albion, she couldn't fathom the mind of the prince. He lied about Henrietta's letter. About her asking him to return to her. He even used his own honor as a way to keep up the deceit.

Why? She didn't understand at all what he was thinking. How could he- how could anyone think to give up their own happiness and life, just to die? Did he truly believe that leaving Henrietta behind like this - distraught and in mourning - the right thing to do?

"That's not it."

The two girls lifted their heads toward Ryoga.

"He didn't do it for something as stupid as honor. He did it because he thought it was the only way to protect you."

"...To protect me?" Henrietta asked blankly.

The former Barian nodded. "I didn't get to meet Wales myself, so I can only speculate based on what Louise described of him. However, from the sounds of it, Tristain would have had a lot bigger problems to deal with if he tried to flee. The rumor is that Albion's planning an invasion. If Wales did like you asked and came here, they probably would have invaded already to get to him. But by letting himself stay behind he kept their attention off of you."

The eyes of the royal lost some of their blankness. "He stayed behind...for me?"

"That's at least how I see it. Without a reason to invade, Albion can't openly declare war or else they'll be put in an even worse light. They could still try, but that would make it harder to justify themselves to any potential allies. I think Wales knew that, so at the cost of his life he tried to prevent the rise of an even greater war and keep what peace could remain. And not just with Albion, but also the alliance you're trying to make with Germania. He didn't want to bring that kind of burden on you and risk putting you in more danger. That's why he chose to stay and fight."

"...So even then, he still didn't want to give me trouble..." Henrietta, sighing deeply, walked over to the window and looked outwards at her kingdom. "...How foolish…"

"Idiotic is more like it," Ryoga agreed with a light scoff. "Although, I can't say his decision was the wrong one."

Louise's hands tightened. She thought it all to be stupid. It should be so easy to pick the person you love over surrendering your life. Yet when trying to picture herself in the shoes of Prince Wales and having to pick whether to stay or flee for someone she loved, she started to see the turmoil such a choice would bring, even if she couldn't agree with it.

It didn't help that for all her disagreements, she honestly wouldn't know what choice she would make.

"To protect the people you love… To keep them safe… A person will do just about anything." Ryoga's expression carried a mixture of recollection and regret. "You'll walk into the depths of hell to pull them out. You'll give up your own morals and ideology to avenge the ones who fell. You'll make yourself a martyr just so they don't have to endure the burden." His fingers moved up and touched the Barian pendant. "Even if it means you have to suffer, to be the one who dies in their place. To you, nothing else matters. You would be willing to be called evil itself and let the rest of the world burn to ashes...so long as their world was the only one that remained."

"...You've lost someone too, haven't you?" Henrietta asked.

Ryoga gripped the pendant. "And been the one to be lost for others. Both more times than any person has a right to."

"Ryoga…" Louise looked at him shocked.

Henrietta turned around with a cheerless smile. Coming from someone who was said to be beautiful as a delicate rose, it was a sight that could ache the strongest of hearts.

"May I ask you a question then?" She asked Ryoga softly.

"I won't stop you."

Henrietta hung her head as sadness showed itself openly over her. "You say that for someone like you and Prince Wales, letting the world burn for your loved ones is acceptable. Maybe you think that way because that's your privilege as men." The air around her started to grow heavier. "But what of myself? What of those who are left behind? Are we to just accept that answer? Am I? Just what are we who have lost our loved ones supposed to do?"

"Live."

Her head shot up. "What?"

"You live," Ryoga repeated with an unwavering tone. "It'll hurt you. It'll eat at you every day for the rest of your life. You'll wake up screaming from nightmares, finding corners to cry in grief, and curse everything and everyone for not making things different." His eyes grew firmer with each word spoken. "That's why the only thing you can do in the end is keep living, despite the pain. Because if for one second you let your life go to waste, then what was the point of the sacrifice?"

Henrietta grew confused. "The point?"

"Wales gave his life up so you could continue to live yours. A life he could not have. That means it's now your duty to live that life as best you can. Because the memory of who Wales was, what he represented, the actions he took, continue to exist in you here." Ryoga jabbed a thumb at his own heart. "If you let that go to waste, what will that mean for Wales? How is he to feel, watching you now from wherever he is? Do you think he'd be okay seeing you do nothing but mourn? Would you wish the same on him if you were the one to die instead? Is that the kind of memory you want to leave him?"

Henrietta had no response to that. Even Louise was rendered mute.

"I won't justify the pain. There's no way to. Someone else would probably put it kinder than I and say it was a tragedy that should never have happened." Ryoga closed his eyes and sighed. "But the reality is...it did happen. It won't be something you ever forget, no matter how much time passes. And for that reason you need to use it as a way to push forward. Not to move on from Wales, but to move on for him, no matter how big the burden may be." His eyes opened back up and shifted to Louise. "After all...you're not the only one who was burdened by the loss, and sometimes those burdens are better carried together than alone."

Henrietta gasped, her eyes widening and looking toward her friend, as if properly seeing her for the first time. "Louise…"

Louise froze, as if caught red-handed. She was trying not to make it known so the princess wouldn't worry. But of course, Ryoga knew. Somehow, he always knew what she was truly feeling.

"Princess, I…" She glanced over to Ryoga, allowing his words to play again in her head. After a moment her fingers clenched and she fell to a knee with her head bowed, letting her hair cover her face. "I…I'm sorry, Princess. I am the one responsible for this all. I can only apologize for not being strong enough. Prince Wales was assassinated in front of me, yet I was powerless to stop it." Her voice started quivering as her body shook. "If only I had seen through Wardes' mask… If I just tried harder to convince Prince Wales, then maybe..."

Henrietta was stunned. Slowly she kneeled down in front of the pink-haired girl and placed her hands on her shoulders. "You've been holding this in, haven't you, Louise?"

"Yes," Louise replied quietly.

"You were with Prince Wales at the end. You felt Wardes' betrayal directly."

"Yes."

"...Please, lift your head, Louise Francoise."

Louise did, showing tears running down her cheeks. They mirrored those on the princess.

"It's all right, Louise. Thank you for splendidly accomplishing your mission by retrieving the letter, and for telling me the final moments of Prince Wales. You should not have to be worried about anything else because I didn't ask you to tell him to escape." Henrietta laughed with a smile. "Honestly, I think I already knew what he would say. I was just fooling myself into believing otherwise."

The words were spoken cheerfully as possible.

They might as well have been scratches down a chalkboard.

"Princess…"

The two girls pulled each other into a hug and cried. How long they stayed that way would be anyone's guess, but for the only other occupant in the room, it wasn't a bother. Ryoga simply stayed silent, knowing exactly the ordeal they were going through. He had multiple lives to fall back on and knew how to endure. They didn't. Even with Henrietta having lost her father, comparing that to this was completely different.

Eventually Louise and Henrietta broke apart, having spent all the tears they could produce.

"Thank you, Louise," Henrietta spoke first, her voice slightly lifted after letting herself loose.

"Of course, Princess," Louise returned equally.

The two looked like a mess after all the crying, and upon seeing each other's condition they let out soft giggles. Saying they were okay was a stretch. Like Ryoga stated, the loss of Wales was something they would never truly get over. But the burden was somehow made easier knowing there was someone who understood, and who they could find comfort with.

"Ryoga," Henrietta called out to the purple teen. "If it is not too painful...may I ask who you lost?"

The Duelist said nothing at first, leading her to believe he wouldn't answer. Then his head dipped as his eyes gained a forlorn look. "Everyone."

A gasp escaped Louise.

"Everyone…?" Henrietta whispered in shock. Even she wasn't expecting that kind of response. Yet she could tell it wasn't a lie, making her head lower in shame. "So that's why… The way you were speaking, as if you knew exactly what I was feeling…"

"It's fine. It was a long time ago," Ryoga waved off the sympathy. Not to be cruel, but to not let those memories take hold now. The atmosphere was depressing enough that he didn't need to add onto it. "Besides, my loss is no greater than yours, nor is it any less. Everyone loses something they care for, and they all have their own way of grieving. I just handled mine already."

Henrietta looked saddened hearing that. "I see… Still, I am sorry for your loss, and I apologize for how harsh I acted earlier. For me to complain in such a manner when you…"

"Don't worry about it. Let's just move on."

The Tristainian royal agreed, deciding it best to not push further on the topic. After standing up with Louise and taking a minute to compose herself, she bowed to her friend and Ryoga. "With the obstacle that could have broken the marriage now removed, our country will be able to step into the alliance with Germania safely. In such a situation, Albion will not be able to invade us easily. The crisis has passed thanks to you both. Thank you, Louise Francoise, Kamishiro Ryoga."

Louise bowed back while Ryoga gave a simple nod. As Louise rose up she caught sight of the Water Ruby still on her hand. She kept forgetting she was wearing it.

"Princess, here. I should return this to you." She removed the ring and held it out.

Henrietta shook her head. "Please hold on to it. It's the least I can do to express my gratitude."

"I cannot dare to accept such a treasure."

"For such loyalty, an appropriate reward should be bestowed. It is all right, put it on."

Louise felt unsure about keeping a valuable item of the royal family, let alone as a reward for a tragic outcome. Regardless, she accepted the gift and slid the ring back on.

"If you won't take that ring, maybe you will this one," Ryoga said, pulling something out from his pocket and showing it. Henrietta gasped in astonishment.

"That's…!"

"The Wind Ruby!" Louise shouted.

The ring that once belonged to Wales and was nearly identical to the one Louise wore now rested flat in the former Barian's palm. Henrietta shakily reached out and took it, tenderly playing with it between her fingers.

"Did you get this from Prince Wales?" Henrietta inquired. She didn't sound upset or angry, merely curious.

"I did," Ryoga admitted.

"Ryoga!" Louise was appalled. She knew the ring was still on Wales when Wardes killed him, meaning Ryoga had to have taken it off his body! "How could you...!? Why would you-!?"

"Because everyone should have a keepsake to hold on to when they lose someone they love. Just like I did."

The anger was instantly smothered, replaced with sadness as Louise's pink orbs watched her childhood friend.

Henrietta slowly put the Wind Ruby on her left ring finger. Because it was for Wales, the ring was too large for her fingers. She quietly muttered a spell, causing the ring to become narrower and narrower until it fit the finger snugly.

"Thank you, Ryoga," the princess mumbled as she lovingly stroked the Wind Ruby. She gave a sad smile, filled with grief, yet also gratefulness. Such was the nobility of the smile that anyone would be dumbstruck by its beauty.

Ryoga could only see the pain.

"That man… He died bravely. Is that right?" Henrietta asked.

"Yes, Princess. It was so," Louise spoke.

"Then I…I will live bravely as well," Henrietta declared softly, whilst still staring at the shining Wind Ruby. She inhaled shakily, then exhaled as she forced her gaze back up. She walked past Ryoga and Louise and stopped before the chest that was brought from Albion. "...May I?"

"Go ahead," Ryoga said.

Without further delay Henrietta opened the chest. Her eyes widened at the contents before growing a tad cold. Carefully she reached inside and pulled out one of the blank cards, holding it between her fingers.

"So...this is the power Reconquista uses? 'Duel Monsters', was it?"

"Yes, Princess," Louise answered, Ryoga and her sharing a look. Once she started talking about the information Wales had on Reconquista's power, they both knew where it would lead.

To say the former king was floored by the knowledge was hugely undermining it. He already had some speculations because of his battles with Fouquet and Wardes, and the chest only supported his ideas. Louise simply filled in the remaining pieces.

He knew Duel Monsters somehow existed in this world, but to hear the same group that Fouquet and Wardes were working for - that were able to conquer Albion - had not just complete access to them, but to an entire army that could use the cards went far beyond anything he was expecting. Hell, they literally were calling themselves "The Duelists of Reconquista!"

How and where did Reconquista obtain those cards? Who was providing the cards to them along with the Duel Disks? Was it the same person who taught Fouquet and Wardes, and gave Fouquet a Sphere Field and Duel Anchor? Did they also teach all of Reconquista? And why did the cards start off blank but then take form with certain individuals, while the Duel Disks corrupted people?

This endless cycle of answers and questions was really pissing him off!

Of course, this led to the biggest hurdle: revealing Duel Monsters to Henrietta. Ryoga reluctantly took over that role, being the only one with precise knowledge about the cards and being directly tied to their power. Using the same explanation he gave Louise, Siesta, and Tabitha, he told the royal noble everything he could about the game, the kinds of dangers it could bring, and how it worked in his homeland, how it wasn't the magic from Halkeginia, while making sure like always not to reveal the topic of being from another world.

Henrietta intently listened to his every word, interrupting only when she had questions that would help her understand or clarify things better. Like the others, she found it startling that anybody could use these "Duel Monsters" regardless of magical inheritance, but did not seem to disbelieve it. By the end of the explanation, she had a much firmer grasp on the kind of threat Reconquista was, and fully believed Ryoga about not being from Halkeginia.

Strangely enough, that latter part caught Ryoga's curiosity. It was like Henrietta didn't hold much doubt on him coming from another land to begin with. Perhaps it was because he was being backed by Wales' interaction with Louise. Who could say?

Actually, Louise never once tried to call him out on anything in his explanation, or start accusing him of lying. She became meek as a kitten during the talk.

It was...strange.

"Prince Wales requested that you bring me these cards so Tristain could better understand them. That is correct?" Henrietta inquired, still keeping her attention on the card she held.

"Yes," Louise confirmed.

"...How odd." Henrietta twirled the card around, as if searching for something. Of course with it being blank there was nothing to find. "To think something so small and delicate could bring so much suffering."

"Anything can become a weapon in the right hands," Ryoga commented.

"I suppose you are correct. The same could be said of any wand. Break it in two, or give it to someone without magic, and it becomes a useless stick. But in a mage's hands, it is both a useful tool and a powerful weapon. And if these cards are a new weapon for Albion, I will have to learn all I can about them." Henrietta placed the card back inside the chest and closed it. She then faced the ocean-eyed teen. "Ryoga, you are the one who knows this power best. Can I count on your aid in this?"

"Like you needed to ask," he responded back sternly. "I have every intention of finding out why Duel Monsters are being used and how they came to this land. You couldn't keep me away even if you tried."

Henrietta was glad to hear that. "Good. Can you show me then?"

The water user blinked. "Huh?"

"I would like to see the power of Duel Monsters. Right now, if you please."

Ryoga's eyes widened.

"What!?" Louise screeched. "P-Princess, what are you saying!?"

"It is as I worded it," Henrietta said calmly. "If I am to know the strength of my enemy, I need to experience it first-hand. Therefore, Ryoga, I ask you to demonstrate precisely that which I must be made aware of."

"B-But to fight against Ryoga is too much! You would both be putting yourselves in danger!"

"Fight him? When did I say that?" Henrietta's question put a halt to Louise's protest.

"Huh?"

"She's not asking me to fight," Ryoga stated. "She's asking for a preview, to see what I can do."

"Exactly," Henrietta concurred. "All I wish from Ryoga is to see how these monsters are summoned and how some of these cards are used. With that, I can better prepare my forces and make better plans for the future against them. I never intended to fight with your familiar, Louise."

"O-Oh…" Louise blushed in embarrassment.

"Overreaction aside, I get why you're asking this," Ryoga commented. Being told about an enemy was different from a head-on encounter. Information was always key, and seeing exactly how your enemy fought was one of the biggest sources of information one could obtain. It's what helped him win many Duels, and what's kept him alive against the mages of this world. "Still, you sure you want this demonstration now? I'd get it if you need some time to take everything in, and to...well...to grieve."

Henrietta peeked down to the Wind Ruby, fiddling with it as she answered. "Yes. If it can be done now, I'd like it so. It is either this or when the enemy is right before me. I think it is clear which is preferable."

Ryoga considered the proposal a bit more before eventually nodding. "Fair enough. If you're sure about it, then fine. Should we at least take this elsewhere?"

"No, anywhere else will have the guards and other nobles running in a panic. The last thing I want is to cause them more trouble. And I have given orders not to be disturbed in my quarters. Nobody should come by so long as nothing drastic happens."

"Got it. Louise, stay close to her."

"I don't need you to tell me that!" Louise threw Ryoga an annoyed look, but seeing this was going to happen she pulled Henrietta back and stood beside her.

The Duelist backed up himself until he had enough space to work with. He then put on his D-Gazer and activated his Duel Disk. The sudden noise and extendable pieces coming from the device caused Henrietta to jump a little, earning a small chuckle out of Ryoga. Despite the circumstance, he never tried of witnessing a noble's reaction when it came to his cards.

BA-BUMP!

"Here I go! Draw!" Ryoga swiftly pulled out the top two cards of his deck. Checking first to make sure they were okay to use, he put them both into action. "Come forth! Killer Rabca! Spear Shark!"

Twin pillars of water appeared in Henrietta's room, making the princess step back surprised. The surprise only increased when the water dispersed and two creatures floated in their place.

Killer Rabca let out a watery hiss as its elongated body twirled. The other creature only gave a low growl. It was an orange shark with metallic fins and silver cybernetic parts near the head. Its emerald eyes gleamed forward behind a giant yellow blade that stuck out from the tip where its nose would be, which was pointed directly at Henrietta.

The purple-haired royal gasped. "These are-!"

"Not yet! Draw!" Ryoga drew three more cards. "I activate the Equip Magic Cards, Sharkize, and Shield Fin!"

The cards spawned in the air and shined. Within Ryoga's hands two glowing aura of energy started to form and take shape. Once the process was done, his right hand was grasping an orange spear with a shark's head for the tip, while his left carried a large blue shield shaped like a tail fin.

He tossed the weapons to Spear Shark, making them transition back into aura and surround the monster. After a flash of light, Spear Shark was transformed, having its tail fin resemble the shield, while its nose was shaped more into the form of the new spear.

"They combined?" Henrietta whispered.

"Magic Card, Fish Spawn!"

Ryoga played his third card, this one having a picture of two purple crustacean-fish with large blue eyes swimming among a bed of fish eggs. The card fired beams of light that made two of said eggs appear. The eggs burst apart and gave birth to twins of the same creature on the card's art, each one giving soft clicking noises.

"One more should do it! Draw!" Ryoga pulled two final cards. "I set one card face-down!" He slid one of them into the Duel Disk, causing the card to appear on the floor with its back facing upright. "Henrietta, I'll need your help with this last one."

"My help?" She repeated.

"When I summon this monster, I want you to attack it." Ryoga received questioning looks from Henrietta and Louise, the latter having a warning glare added with hers. His ocean eyes rolled. "Relax, I don't need a big spell, and my monster won't harm you. This is just for the demonstration. Trust me."

Those last words had a greater impact than he expected on Louise. She flinched and lost all her hostility, turning her head away from his view. Henrietta didn't notice as she agreed and readied her wand. Ryoga focused back on her and played his final card.

"Come, Drill Barnacle!"

One final monster emerged, this one being a collection of sea barnacles gathered together on a large body. Near the bottom was an open area where several long tentacle-like appendages wiggled out. The barnacles on top twitched slightly before slowly opening, showing each one housing a purple drill that was ready to push outward.

The physical appearance of the monster was definitely unpleasant compared to the others, so Henrietta felt only slight remorse for what she was about to do. She chanted her spell and fired a spear of water straight at the creature. Were this actual combat, a water spell against a creature of water would be laughable. Ryoga made no such remarks and instead triggered his set card.

"Upon the summon of Drill Barnacle, I activate the Permanent Trap, Adapt to Adversity!"

The face-down card flipped up, revealing a Trap Card that showed two underwater volcanoes erupting behind a school of fish. Below the school, a pair of blue eyes shined beneath the sand. The card glowed as a barrier of light formed around Drill Barnacle, which the spear of water connected with. When the spell finished, the monster inside was seen unharmed, with the barrier disappearing shortly after.

Ryoga eased his posture. Hopefully that would be more than enough for a demonstration. Anything further like an Xyz Summon or using one of his stronger cards would be too risky to use in the limited space of Henrietta's room. Removing his D-Gazer, he addressed the royal. "There you have it. It's only a fragment of the things I can do, but this is what people who have Duel Monsters are capable of. And let me tell you, if Fouquet and Wardes were anything to go by, you'll need every bit of strength and manpower you can gather to challenge Albion."

Henrietta lowered her wand and stood there, staring at the strange creatures and enlarged cards before her. Only a short time ago her entire world flipped upside down from learning Princes Wales' fate. Now that same world had flipped again.

She just bore witness to multiple familiars- no, Duel Monsters, being summoned in quick succession and ease without the need of any elongated incantation or ritual. She watched two weapons manifest from the air and somehow unite with one of said monsters. And then she saw what she could only assume was some kind of shield form around the monster she tried to attack. She may have cast a weak spell, but for all she knew the shield could withstand greater threats.

All of these acts, while seemingly small, were anything but. A commoner would mistake it easily as being regular magic, but what Henrietta saw defied many of the rules of magic she had come to know.

And from Ryoga's earlier explanation, Duel Monsters wasn't their magic.

Cautiously she approached the creature Ryoga dubbed Spear Shark. Louise called out for her to be careful, but she reached out her hand regardless. She felt along the bladed nose of the creature as it eyed her. The material was hard and cold, yet oddly warm at the same time. She slid her hand further until it touched the creature's head. Its eyes shut as it gave out a low rumbling sound, like it felt at ease by her touch.

"By Brimir…" Henrietta slowly pulled her hand back. She looked around to the other creatures, truly taking them in. "They really are alive… And you can summon these creatures any time you wish?"

"And far more," Ryoga stated. He removed the cards from the Duel Disk, making everything he brought out fade away into light, much to Henrietta's amazement. "But so can Fouquet and Wardes, and the rest of Albion now."

The amazement dropped to horror. That's right, Reconquista had access to this kind of power. Power that would laughably eclipse everything she just saw.

If they truly decided to make Tristain their next target...

"I will send these cards to my best researchers right away," Henrietta suddenly declared, her voice becoming hardened. "I will continue Prince Wales' efforts and find what he could not, and I will send for you both immediately once I do. In the meantime, I will alert my soldiers and guardsmen about this threat, and order them to listen out for any rumors of these cards spreading throughout the kingdom. If Prince Wales believed someone was supplying Reconquista from outside Albion, we must find them and put a stop to it."

Ryoga raised a brow. The princess's entire posture had changed in an instant, something he was sure she didn't realize. No longer was she displaying any fear or hesitation, and instead was carrying a will that burned with absolute determination. One befitting a person destined to take the throne.

"And once more I get a peek at the potential ruler you can be," he thought to himself.

"Ryoga." Henrietta's call grabbed his attention. "I wish to thank you again. Now that I have seen what I needed, I feel confident with my choice on what to do next. Assuming you would be alright with it, of course."

"Why would my opinion matter?" Ryoga wondered.

"Because I wish for you to take some of these cards."

Ryoga and Louise both gave an equal reaction.

"Huh!?"

A frown marred Henrietta's face. "These 'Duel Monsters' as you call them, have allowed the rebels to swiftly destroy the Albion royal family and take over, and can empower individuals like Fouquet and Wardes with strength the likes of which I cannot imagine. Furthermore, Prince Wales and his men, despite their best efforts, were unable to learn much or use that power themselves without risk of being corrupted by it. And as much as I hate saying it, there is no guarantee we will achieve better results."

"...But you think I can?" Ryoga said, already putting the pieces together.

"Yes. Rather, I believe you know you can. Don't you?" The purple teen gave no response, proving Henrietta's prediction. "I thought so. I understand your hesitance given what you have said about these cards not being the same as those from your homeland. However, if they do indeed respond to certain individuals, then it only makes sense that some of them might respond to you. Someone who comes from the same place they originated."

Ryoga groaned. "So there was hidden motive behind wanting to see what I could do."

Henrietta gave a look of guilt. "I'm sorry if I offended you. I did truly wish to know what Albion's capabilities were like. But after listening to your story about Duel Monsters and seeing your abilities with them, I could only feel that placing these cards in your care would be the right decision."

"That's too dangerous!" Louise protested. "Princess, I have to object to this! Don't you remember what Prince Wales told me? He said his people were acting possessed when they tried to use these cards. What if Ryoga ends up the same way!?"

"I believe Prince Wales told you it was the...'Duel Disk', was it?" Henrietta directed her question at Ryoga. He gave her a nod. "Yes, Duel Disk. He said they were the cause of those incidents, not the cards themselves. So it should be fine if that is the case."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Ryoga commented, catching the royal off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"You're on the right track of thought, but so is Louise. Like your magic, Duel Monsters can be used for both good or ill purposes, and that can sometimes affect the power they carry. Fouquet was acting completely different from the times I've dealt with her before, and it was more than just her Duel Disk that was the cause. There was something else, something I'm still not certain of, but the cards she was using had the same kind of feeling. I wouldn't doubt it if they had a hand in whatever was controlling her."

Louise and Henrietta both stilled.

"Are you...saying there's a possibility the cards can have an effect on people?" The princess asked unnerved.

Ryoga's brow furrowed tightly. "Let's just say I've seen cards capable of bringing out the darkness of a person's heart and make them act on their deepest desires."

Henrietta bit her bottom lip, deeply troubled by the new information. After some thinking she let out a heavy sigh. "I see. I will keep that in mind when I instruct my researchers on their assignment. Still, if we do nothing, Tristain will be completely overwhelmed by Albion's forces, even with Germania's alliance."

"I know," Ryoga said. "I wasn't saying that should stop you, and I wasn't disagreeing with your choice about me either."

His words surprised the girls.

"Ryoga?" Louise looked at him confused.

Ryoga went over to the chest and placed his hand on it. "Like I said, this isn't the first time I've dealt with cards that can cause corruption or mind control. You could say I've built something of a tolerance for it. If these cards do try something, I'm probably the best person in the room, heck, the whole country, who can stand up to it."

If that was meant to be reassuring, it wasn't. All it did was make Louise even more uneasy, because it implied Ryoga had personally gone through such a harrowing experience. The thought of that happening to him made her stomach twist.

"Are you certain?" Henrietta asked, now second-guessing her decision. "If I had been aware of this I would not have made such a proposal lightly. You do not have to accept if it troubles you."

"Don't apologize. There's no way you could have known. Honestly, I probably would have asked to take some of the cards anyways. Just wasn't sure if it was appropriate now." Ryoga pulled his hand back and faced the Tristainian royal. "There's one thing I want to be clear on though. That will determine my answer."

"By all means, ask."

"What exactly did you intend for me by giving me these cards? The real reason?"

Henrietta once more lowered her vision to the Wind Ruby. It was an easy question to answer, but made all the more painful because of it.

"Only what I have expected of you since the beginning." Her other hand moved to cover the ring while she stared Ryoga in the eyes. "To continue doing what you believe is right. To act as the wonderful familiar you have been. And to protect everyone you can. Not just for the sake of Tristain, but for keeping Louise, my dearest and best friend, safe. Just like you did at Albion."

Louise's cheeks tinted red. "P-Princess…"

Ryoga examined Henrietta carefully before sighing and scratching the top of his head. "Good grief, you people are so easy to read sometimes," he said with a bland tone of disbelief. It contrasted the small tug at the corners of his mouth. "Fine, I'll do you a favor and take some of these cards off your hands."

Henrietta perked up. "You will?"

"I already said I was going to ask. This just saves me the effort."

The bit of sarcasm did nothing to deter the princess's expression from brightening. "Truly, it is wonderful to know someone like you was summoned by Louise."

"P-Princess!" Louise became redder, earning a giggle from her friend.

"Really though, thank you. Both of you." Henrietta gave a low bow to the Duelist and noble. "It seems like I am always relying on you, Louise, whenever I am in need of help. And you, Ryoga, have continued to support her because of it. Even now, I feel guilty for placing this burden on you, despite knowing you are the only one who understands what is happening better than I."

"Trust me, it's no burden," Ryoga said. "If anything, you can think of this is a benefit for both of us."

"And I will always be ready to serve you, Princess!" Louise declared.

Henrietta smiled. "Truly, I am thankful to have such wonderful people at my side." She glanced down and caressed the Wind Ruby. "I only hope you two can forgive this selfish and immature princess, and continue to support me in this time of crisis. Louise Francoise. Kamishiro Ryoga."

After dividing the cards between Henrietta and Ryoga, he and Louise finally left the Royal Palace. Together with the others they flew back to the Academy of Magic on Sylphid, informing Katie and Guiche of the talk with Henrietta along the way.

Once they landed in academy grounds, Ryoga split off from the others to grab some food for Sylphid. He did make a promise to Tabitha. Meanwhile, Louise, Katie, and Guiche went up to the headmaster's office to inform Osmond of their return and report about the journey. Since Louise had heard Ryoga's side of things twice now, she could easily relate that to Osmond.

Sylphid happily munched on the meal provided before taking flight again to return to La Rochelle. This left the former Barian on his own, so he decided to head to Louise's room with the cards and wait for her to get back.

"I'll probably need a lock for this or something," Ryoga muttered to himself. Sitting in the middle of the room, he was currently examining the new card container Henrietta provided him.

It was another chest, smaller than the one from before. It could easily be carried with one arm, but was still big enough to be decently weighted. Its top was open right now, revealing the layout of blank cards inside. While the majority were given to Henrietta, he was still leftover with several hundred. It went to show how hard Wales fought to interfere with Reconquista's supply line.

"Mrrow." Cat Shark hovered next to its master, staring at the cards curiously and occasionally poking them.

"Can't you use one of your own cards to lock it?" Derflinger asked at his side. The sentient sword had been silent till now due to knowing how the conversation with Henrietta would play out. Even he wasn't dumb enough to make jokes or snide comments during something like that.

"Pretty sure I don't have a card that can do that," Ryoga remarked.

"Then just turn one of these cards into one. That's what you're going to do with them anyhow, right?"

The former king grunted. "If only it were that easy."

Despite being told what the cards were supposed to do, Ryoga wasn't entirely sure how to proceed with making it happen. Well, that wasn't true. He had a theory, but was cautious on actually trying it.

Some would think the obvious answer would be to touch a card and it'll change. Those people would be stupid. Louise already confirmed that Wales and his men touched the cards many times to no avail. And Henrietta held one earlier without producing a reaction. No, the answer wouldn't be that simple, and Ryoga knew it.

"After all…" He held his hand over the cards and closed his eyes. Earlier when he was telling Louise and Henrietta about his dealings with mind control, he had placed his hand on the chest. It was so he could secretly use the power of Chaos to try and get a feel for the essence of the cards inside.

And checking again now...

BA-BUMP!

"I knew it." Ryoga's eyes reopened and narrowed. He sensed it back at the church in Albion but hadn't tried to double-check until today. "These cards...are hollow."

Duel Monsters cards may occupy the space of the chest, but not one of those cards felt alive. Only empty. As if being deprived of a purpose erased their existence. The closest comparison he could make to this was the state some Numbers cards took before finding a wielder whose desires shaped their form. Like Numbers 17 had with him.

On one hand, this was good news. Far as he could tell this emptiness meant there should also be no corruption among the cards. They were literal blank slates. It explained why Wales' researchers were never in any danger when trying to study or experiment with them. That should also apply to Henrietta's researchers so long as they did nothing stupid.

Contrary to that, it implied a lot of things. Being a blank slate and without purpose meant a new purpose could be placed into the cards, like a canvas waiting to be painted. And Wales said anyone who put on one of Reconquista's Duel Disk started acting possessed. So theoretically, if someone gave the cards form while wearing the Reconquista Duel Disk, the corruptive power of that Duel Disk could seep into the cards, which would then corrupt them and heighten the effects on the user. It would explain the radical shifts in Fouquet's personality and why her cards felt off at times.

It reminded Ryoga too much of the early days of Numbers. The reason they were so dangerous in the beginning was because they removed the limiters on a person's reasoning. Whatever wish, dream, or desire the person had, they started chasing without hesitation - regardless if it was something good or bad - and let nothing stand in their way. The Numbers then used that desire to shape themselves into a fitting form. Depending on the specific Numbers, their strength could allow further corruption, and grant the Xyz abilities to influence or take direct control of their wielder.

"And Reconquista has a similar power, and an entire army of people like that."

Fouquet was difficult enough to handle, but multiply her by a hundred, or a thousand? Tens of thousands even? How many of those soldiers were aware of what was happening to them? Did they know and volunteer anyway? It was a disturbing and horrific idea to consider.

"But I don't think it's perfect," Ryoga considered, watching Cat Shark take hold of one of the cards and play with it. "If it was, there wouldn't be any blank cards at all, and everyone in the Albion army would use them. But they don't."

According to Louise, Wales said only half the army used Duel Monsters. Meaning the other half were regular people or mages. It could be a tactical maneuver for diversity, but Ryoga didn't think so. And it stemmed back to making these blank cards awaken.

If they were indeed a canvas for painting, then not just anybody could paint them. That there was no reaction with Wales, his men, or Henrietta, meant there was a factor missing. Something none of them had.

But he might.

"And if that's true, then what is-"

The door suddenly opened. Ryoga looked over and tensed when he saw Louise step inside the room. She froze at noticing the purple-haired boy.

"R-Ryoga!"

"...Louise."

The two stared at one another in silence.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark dropped the card it was playing with and flew at Louise.

"H-Hey!" The pinkette yelped as the Xyz spirit started flying around and nuzzling her. "Yes, yes, I'm back! Calm down will you? You just saw me a little while ago!"

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark refused and kept nuzzling. While annoyed by it, Louise slowly started to develop a smile and eventually began rubbing the feline-fish's head. Seeing the display of affection broke the tenseness on Ryoga as well, eliciting a small smirk out of him.

"Welcome back," he greeted.

Louise looked at him surprised before quickly turning away. "Y-Yeah…"

"...Right, still awkward on that front." Ryoga's smirk vanished as he mentally sighed. It couldn't be helped. In spite of everything over the past few days they still hadn't resolved the issue of his true identity being exposed. He may not be on the receiving end of her anger anymore, but these weren't the conditions he wanted to cause it.

Louise was adamant on how much she hated him for breaking her trust and lying to her, and only kept those emotions contained because of how important their mission was. Then Albion happened, and she had to go through both Wales' death and Wardes' betrayal, having her trust broken for a second time. Ryoga could only imagine what sort of conflict was going on inside of her because of that, especially when looking at him.

He originally hoped by the time they finished their mission she would have calmed down enough to the point they could talk. His chats with Katie and Kirche even helped him with accepting his mistakes and knowing what he would say to Louise. Now it seemed like that wouldn't happen, at least not yet, and definitely not on Louise's end. And with the weight of Reconquista on their shoulders and a possible war on the horizon, there was no telling when that time would be.

Hell, he would be surprised if he and Louise could even talk to one another normally, though the chances of that happening were-

"I didn't think you'd be here," Louise spoke, her voice coming out in its usual tone of nobility and minor arrogance. "I expected you to be at the servants quarters with that maid again. Or with the other familiars somewhere."

It took Ryoga a second to realize Louise spoke. Then a second more to register that she was the one initiating a conversation. All while acting like her usual self.

"W-What's with that stupid look?" Louise questioned, noticing the way Ryoga was staring and feeling awkward from it.

"It's nothing," the Duelist quickly replied after getting over the shock. Apparently the chances were higher than expected. "And why would you think that?"

Louise frowned. "Don't you remember what I-?" She cut off mid-sentence and looked away. "Nevermind. It's nothing important."

If he didn't remember then...maybe it was better that way.

Ryoga felt he was missing something but chose to ignore it. He was treading on thin ice as it was. Instead he considered Louise. Was she trying to pretend things were normal as a way of coping? He had done similar in the past, but with how bad the girl was at hiding her emotions, he was surprised she could even put on such a mask right now.

Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, he decided to see where this led. "So...how did the talk with the old man go?" He was partially curious to know, but also hoping to keep the normalcy going.

"It went as could be expected," Louise answered while opening her dresser. She removed her dirty cloak and grabbed a fresh one to replace it. "Old Osmond will be sending a letter to the princess later to discuss the situation further. I've been granted a few days off from classes to recover."

"Did Katie get the same?"

"Yeah, so did Guiche. Kirche and Tabitha though will be receiving a punishment once they return."

"Not surprising. They did sneak off to chase us, even if that was all Kirche's fault."

A pained expression flashed across Louise's face. Hearing what happened to the Germanian and seeing the state she was in was difficult to grasp. Kirche was her hated rival, and the most annoying person she's had the displeasure of dealing with, but that didn't mean Louise wanted her hurt...most of the time.

What made it worse was learning from Katie that Kirche got hurt because of Fouquet, and was only dragged into that mess because she kept searching for Ryoga even when the others couldn't find him after his duel with Wardes. A duel Louise felt she caused. Even if she wasn't the one to set it up, it was her troubled feelings toward Ryoga that gave Wardes an opportunity to take advantage of the situation. To take advantage of her.

Even the attempted "kidnapping" at the harbor was another trick of Wardes. Ryoga revealed that the masked individual who attacked her also appeared with Fouquet, and that Wardes confirmed the figure was a wind double of himself, like the ones at the church. It was another way for Wardes to further ensure Louise would rely on him, so she wouldn't see his true intentions.

"I'm the one who was really stupid," the pink-haired noble thought ashamed. Katie said she shouldn't blame herself because they were all deceived, but that didn't change how she made things worse.

"Louise."

"Huh?" She turned to Ryoga, who was looking at her with concern. "S-Sorry, did you say something?"

The boy's brow furrowed slightly before relaxing. "I was saying not to worry. Kirche may be a pain, but she's also tough. She'll be back before we know it." He let out a grunt. "Though if she were to start acting a bit tamer after this, you won't hear me complain."

"I-I wasn't worried!" Louise vividly denied. Liked she'd ever worry over that redheaded show-off! She'd rather die than-!

"HELP ME, RYOGA!"

...That's right. She did almost die. By Wardes hands.

It made Louise sick. All this time the man she thought she knew, that she once admired and held affection for, was nothing but a madman who desired power. And he tried to take that power out of her with some Duel Monsters card when she refused to join him.

Goosebumps ran down her back and arms as she recalled the vile, invasive presence of whatever that card was. How it seeped under her skin like some sort of parasite. She hadn't told that part to Henrietta or Ryoga because, frankly, she wished to shut those memories away and forget it ever happened.

Except, there was one thing during that nightmare that stuck out to her. A part she honestly didn't know what to make of.

Growling, the griffin captain kneeled down and grabbed Louise by her collar. "Where is it!? Where is the power of Void!?"

Void. The fifth element of magic. The lost element that belonged solely to Founder Brimir.

Wardes wasn't just seeking power, but a legend, and somehow he came to believe Louise was connected to that legend. Her, the mage who couldn't cast a normal spell right! How ridiculous was that!? Nobody could use the power of Void, it was lost for a reason. But that didn't stop Wardes from thinking otherwise.

"All of this...Wardes joining Reconquista, killing Prince Wales, tricking me into wanting to marry him...was because he believed I was special? That I was part of some lost legend?"

Louise closed her dresser with a tad more force than necessary, trying steadily to keep herself from breaking down. She felt so miserable, so angry even. She wanted to point her wand at something and make it blow up! If it hadn't been for Ryoga saving her, she...she…

"Ryoga…" She tilted her head to peek at the water user. His attention was back on the chest of cards, while occasionally scratching Cat Shark's ears as the spirit laid next to him.

If her feelings were a mess before Wardes' betrayal, they had fallen into complete disarray after returning from Albion. All she could think about since then was Ryoga and what he did for her. How he sent Cat Shark to watch over her when they separated. How he traveled all the way to Albion and appeared at the church to save her. How he battled against Wardes, shouting at her former fiance that he would never abandon her, and still considered her to be his friend.

Louise was at a complete loss. Just what was she supposed to think after all that?

She already acknowledged how her anger toward Ryoga's lies was misguided by fear of him not needing or trusting her. She tried to hate him for it, but couldn't commit fully to the act, and instead found herself constantly worried over him. Albion was where those emotions accumulated. The meeting with Prince Wales and discovering what fate awaited him and his men ended up being too much, with the stress and pressure of it all resulting in her breakdown.

It was a manner unbefitting of a noble, but she was so alone and unclear of anything that she didn't care. The one thing that kept her together were her thoughts of the ocean-eyed boy who confused her to no end. She was able to admit how stupid she had been about Ryoga's secrets, and how desperately she wanted to see him again and ask for forgiveness. Those were her true feelings.

Now here he was and those feelings were firing off inside her like dragonfire.

"After everything I've done to him, he still felt that way and protected me." The noble's cheeks dyed with pink as her heart beat rapidly. "That morning, when running away from Albion, Ryoga held me close in his arms. That time I was pretending to be asleep. But why? Why was I pretending to be asleep?"

In truth, she had an idea why, but like when she was standing at the altar about to be married, she didn't want to admit it.

"There's no way it can be true. I can't be..."

The memory of being in Ryoga's arms and seeing his face up close played in her head. What she felt in that moment when he said he was sorry...

Louise rapidly dismissed those thoughts. Whether things like...that were true or not was not a matter of importance right then.

She may still not know the truth behind who Ryoga was or what secrets he hid, but she was okay with that now. For all her newfound hatred at Wardes, the one thing he did right was help her understand how everybody had secrets. If Ryoga didn't feel comfortable telling anybody the truth, including her, then she'd wait for the day he was ready. And if he never did, that was fine too. It would simply be her punishment.

But first, she had to make sure Ryoga knew this, and the best way to do that was by apologizing for her past behavior. It wouldn't be easy, and she still carried a shred of fear of being rejected, but it was something that she had- no, she needed to do to correct her mistakes and hopefully start over.

Except there was an issue.

"Just talk to him like normal. Say 'I was wrong and acted rash, I'm sorry'. That should be good enough." Louise frowned. "No, if I say it like that he'll think I'm only doing it out of pity. Maybe I should be more aggressive?" She put on a dominant pose. "I'll forgive you, so you better be happy about it!" She stayed that way for a bit before putting a hand to her chin. "Is that too harsh? It feels like I won't seem sincere at all."

Since the return to La Rochelle she had tried multiple times to bring the subject up to Ryoga, and each time she cowered away at the last second. Even making small talk with him like she did a minute ago was alarmingly difficult.

Was it because of shame? Probably, along with guilt. The last time she and Ryoga actually talked was when the princess came to them for help, though calling it a "talk" was greatly dressing it up when it was mostly yelling and shouting, especially on her part. Going back to a normal conversation after that just seemed impossible, let alone trying to make an attempt at an apology.

"I really wish I could take it back." Louise began to feel saddened, only to then swap over to determination. "No, no, no! I can't let myself get down like this!"

If Ryoga could apologize to her - even if he didn't know she was listening at the time - then so could she. She was a Valliere after all! There was no challenge she couldn't handle!

"It'll be fine. He may be a jerk, but he's a kind jerk. He'll forgive me no matter what I say. He'll be stubborn about it, but I'll expect that, so there's nothing to fuss over," Louise encouraged herself. Taking a deep breath, she cleared her throat and made her move. "Ryoga!"

The Duelist paused what he was doing and turned to her, Cat Shark doing the same. "Yeah?"

His gaze was so direct that she could see the emotions in his blue and red eyes.

Louise's face became bright red as the memory overlapped with Ryoga's current expression. Her courage was nearly lost right then and there. "No! I have to do this!" She refused to falter and held firm as she continued. "I-I have something to say, so you better listen!"

Ryoga raised an eyebrow. "Okay, what is it?"

"Give me a second!" Honestly, could he not read the room? It was difficult enough just looking at him. "Ryoga, I… T-That is to say…"

Ryoga's eyes narrowed. Was she…?

"A-About you and me… W-Well more me I suppose..." Louise started fidgeting. This was it. She was going to do it. All she had to do was say the words. "I-I just wanted to tell you that I...I want to..."

"You want to…?" Ryoga repeated.

"I-I w-w-want to…"

Just say it. Say it.

"To apo…to ap..."

Say it!

"I want to appetize!"

…

…

...

"Mrrow?" Cat Shark's head tilted.

Louise burned hot with humiliation. Idiot! What was that supposed to be!? How did it go from "I want to apologize" to "I want to appetize!?" That wasn't anywhere close to what she wanted to say!

Looking at Ryoga, she saw his seriousness had shattered apart like glass, leaving only complete bafflement and utter confusion. "O..kay...?" He spoke very slowly. It sounded like he was disappointed, making the humiliation increase further. "Is that supposed to mean something?"

"No!" The pinkette wanted to scream. Instead she bit back her tongue and shakily nodded. "O-Of course it does! O-O-Obviously it means I'm hungry!"

"...Right." Ryoga's deadpan tone told all it needed. "And you wanted to shout about this in a dramatic fashion...because?"

Desperate to salvage whatever face she had left, the failure of a mage tried turning the situation around. "B-Because you were ignoring me! I said it three times already and you didn't say anything back! You need to pay attention more when someone is speaking!"

That was rich given how she ignored him by accident earlier. Rather than call her out on the lie, the former king just gave a heavy sigh of defeat. "Whatever. If you want to go eat, then go. I'll be here when you get back."

"No!"

He blinked. "No?"

Louise cursed her outburst and hastily recomposed herself. "W-What I mean is…" She got an idea. "I'm going to the dining hall to eat, and you're going to accompany me there!"

There, that was a good enough excuse to cover herself.

"And why would I do that?"

Louise froze. "Well…" She wracked her brain for a reason. Luckily she managed to find one. "B-Because Katie said you haven't eaten much since we got back from Albion!" This time she was telling the truth. The brunette spoke insistently of Ryoga skipping meals, and how she would try baking some treats to help him out. Louise didn't like hearing about it - the idea of Katie and Ryoga spending any amount of time together irritated her for some reason - but it was useful information for the circumstance.

"She told you that, huh?" Ryoga asked, not the least bit surprised Katie would do such a thing.

"That's right! You heard the princess, she's going to be counting on us! And if Albion can use Duel Monsters like you, you'll need all your strength to face them! That means you need to eat properly and keep yourself healthy! Or are you thinking it'll be easy just because you won against Fouquet and Wardes?"

A dark glower fell over Ryoga, making Louise flinch and curse again. That last part was unnecessary. He did an incredible job defeating both mages, especially Wardes. The others said he rushed to save her right after waking up, so he wasn't even at full strength when it happened. Her comment could be seen as dismissing his struggle.

"T-That wasn't what I meant to say!" Louise tried to explain. "Don't misunderstand! I was only trying to-"

"Alright."

Louise stopped. "Huh?"

"Having both you and Katie get on my back with that is too troublesome to deal with. If it'll make things a bit quieter, I'll grab a snack or something." The Duelist got up and headed for the door, Cat Shark following alongside him. He opened the door and allowed the Xyz to fly past him, but didn't walk through himself, instead turning back to Louise. "Well, you coming or what?"

The noble stood there, not understanding what happened. Once her brain was able to start working again she snapped out of her daze and turned beat red. "O-Of course I'm coming! Don't ask something stupid! A-And don't act like it was your idea all of a sudden! I'm the one who asked you!"

"That was supposed to be asking?"

Louise grew redder and stomped past Ryoga. Unbelievable! Not only did her attempt to apologize fail miserably yet again, but somehow it was turned back on her, making her look like a complete idiot!

Honestly, why did she have to lo- care for this stupid jerk so much?

"Louise," Ryoga called out, making her stop and growl.

"What!?"

"When you're ready to talk for real, let me know. I'll be waiting."

The noble stilled. With her back turned, Ryoga couldn't see what emotions she was displaying, but he could tell her hostility faltered. He heard her softly whisper something before she walked down the hallway, making sure not to look back.

Ryoga sighed and shook his head. That girl really was a pain sometimes.

"Hehe," Derflinger chuckled at his side. "'I want to appetize', hah! That was so bad, eh, partner?"

It really was. Even Yuma had better excuses than that. Still, he could see the struggle she was going through, which was why he decided to throw her a bone. Or a liferaft, if he was to use a more fitting comparison for himself. What she did with it was up to her.

Ryoga went to follow his "master", but stopped mid-step when he remembered the chest of cards was still open. He turned back and grabbed the lid to shut it.

Only he didn't.

His hand was ready to bring the lid down, but strangely he found himself stopping. He stared at the pile of cards, their blank faces staring back. His skull rushed with the previous theories and ideas he had about their power, and the future possibilities it could forebode.

Slowly, his free hand reached down to touch the cards.

Several of them started to glow.

BA-BUMP!

Ryoga slammed the lid closed and left the room.

The Fortress of Newcastle, once known as a great stronghold of Albion, was now a tragic ruin. While it had withstood the onslaught of the Reconquista rebel army, it had become a disastrous scene. The castle walls, which were repeatedly attacked by spells, cannon fire, and monstrous creatures, had been reduced into a pile of rubble. Corpses burnt beyond recognition littered the grounds as dried blood caked the continent's soil.

The siege had been short, with the rebels of Reconquista suffering only moderate damage. Even so, it was a battle whose victory was not easily earned. On the frontlines between the royal army and the regular rebel soldiers, for every three hundred royals slain, a thousand rebels were killed, with an additional thousand or more wounded.

Because the fortress was located on the very edge of the floating continent, it was only possible to attack it from one direction. Thus, the Reconquista forces were forced into a path where the royals repeatedly shot at them with magic and cannon fire. Before they could even get past the guards they had already received severe blows from the artillery barrage.

It was a battle of intense valor and bloodshed, with the royals fighting like men possessed. They gave it their all to ensure their enemies would not taste victory without blood.

That was until "The Duelists of Reconquista" came into the fray.

From their power, thousands of monsters spawned forth to fight for the rebels. The monsters swarmed over the royals like a plague of locusts, using their immense strength, sizes, and abilities to slaughter the soldiers without any hint of mercy. The long-ranged cannons and magic that had been helping to hold off Reconquista were rendered useless by several magic shields and barriers to defend against the barrage. The artillery was then cut down by flying beasts that flew high above their range and struck them from behind, producing a wave of explosive results.

This all accumulated to the rebels finally breaching the gates. Once behind the castle walls, the king's defense was fragile. The king's mages were left to guard against the soldiers, but their numbers were incomparable to the Reconquista soldiers and monsters. They were gradually killed off, one by one, until they all fell.

Though the damage dealt to the enemy was great, the price was the annihilation of the king's army, the death of the king himself, and the death of young Prince Wales. It was literal annihilation, because the royalists had fought up to the last soldier.

And so, with the king slain, Reconquista became the new government. The final decisive battle of the civil war in Albion: the siege of Newcastle, where the royalists who were outnumbered two hundred and fifty to one, and inflicted damage worthy of ten armies, had become legend.

Several days after the civil war ended, under the blazing sun and between the corpses and pebbles, a tall aristocrat and a cloaked figure were seen inspecting the old battlefield in Albion.

The first figure was Wardes, his hat pushed to the side and his attire consisting of the uniform of Tristain's Royal Mage Guard, despite his recent departure from their services. The second figure was Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt. She had joined up with Wardes last night at a bar in Londinium, the capital of Albion, and was now following him to Newcastle's battlegrounds.

As they walked, all around them Reconquista soldiers diligently scoured for riches. One mercenary with a pike on his shoulder was turning corpses over, then pushing them into a pile near rubbish as a decoration for the garden. When he found a magic wand, he cried out in joy. Shortly after, a loud cheer came from the treasury nearby. It seemed a band of men had found some riches worth celebrating.

Fouquet, who was watching the scenes disapprovingly, clicked her tongue in disgust.

"What's wrong, Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt?" Wardes asked with a cold laugh. "Aren't these men who are hunting for treasure your colleagues? Robbing nobles of their treasures was part of your job, wasn't it?"

"Do not compare me with them." Fouquet snarled. "I have no interest in the riches of the dead."

"Hahaha, a thief with thief ethics, is it?"

"I'm not interested in that. I only steal valuable treasures because I love to see the frantic expressions of the nobles. But these guys…"

Fouquet caught from the corner of her eye a soldier who approached the corpse of a royalist mage guardian. The soldier grinned and grabbed several items off the body without any kind of respect or care. He then raised his left arm, which was adorned with a Duel Disk, drew a card, and played it. In a flash of light a giant earthworm with multiple teeth and eyes appeared and gave out a fierce hissing sound.

Dungeon Worm. Level 5. EARTH attribute. Insect-Type. Normal Monster. Attack of 1800. Defense of-

"Guh!" Fouquet gripped her head, her skull exploding with pain from the rush of information. "D-Dammit!"

"Hmm? Is something wrong?" Wardes asked.

Before Fouquet could reply a loud wet sound came from the spot where the soldier and monster were. She glanced back and immediately regretted the decision, as she saw the Duel Monster dig down onto the royalist corpse and messily devour it. What made the blatant and frankly horrific act worse was the sadistic smile the soldier wore as he watched his monster work.

"Such is to be only human," Wardes commented at the sight. That got him a scowl from the green-haired woman.

"Just don't expect me to like it. And don't ever compare me to them, or else," Fouquet warned dangerously. Even when she had to kill to survive or to get out of a jam, she never took that kind of pleasure from it, if any at all. It was simply survival of the fittest. And never did she disgrace the dead afterwards.

Wardes chuckled and raised his hand in surrender. "All right, all right, don't be mad. I only figured you wouldn't care because Albion's royal nobles are your enemies. Haven't you, under the name of the royal family, disgraced your own family?"

Hearing Wardes exaggerated words, Fouquet regained her composure and coldly nodded.

"Oh well. Accidents happen."

A strong breeze blew past the pair, causing Wardes' coat to flutter in the wind and his right sleeve to start flapping. The sleeve that was vacant of an arm to fill its empty space.

"It looks like it was a harsh battle for you too," Fouquet noted.

Wardes twitched ever so slightly and brought his left hand up to grab onto the sleeve. "An arm in exchange for Wales' life, I think, is a rather cheap trade," he replied in an unchanging tone.

"I should consider myself lucky then." Fouquet smirked. "If Ryoga had been as brutal to me as he was you, I doubt I would have survived any of my fights against him."

"I just got careless."

Fouquet snorted. "Don't put it like that. He even defeated me when I was fighting all out." The former secretary's eyes became half-lidded and gained a distant look. Images of the purple-haired boy floated in her thoughts, making her chest ache with an unknown emotion. "That kid...isn't someone to underestimate."

Wardes grunted, refusing to acknowledge her words.

The two reached their destination: the chapel in which Wardes tried to marry Louise, and where Wales lost his life. It was nothing but a pile of rubble now, a result of the fierce battle between the griffin captain and the boy from another world, and then the army coming in to finish off the remains.

"So, Wales is here then?" Fouquet asked as she scanned the mess with a raised brow.

"Yes," Wardes replied coldly.

"And that Valliere lass was here when it happened. She was your former fiancee?"

"Correct."

Fouquet kicked one of the nearby rocks and huffed. "And you tried to kill her? Didn't you love her at all?"

"Loved, loved not, I've already forgotten such sentiments," dismissed Wardes in a neutral voice.

Pulling out his rapier-wand he began chanting a spell. A small tornado formed and scattered the debris to reveal the floor of the chapel. And with it, between a portrait of Founder Brimir and a chair, lay the corpse of Prince Wales.

"Well, there's our dear prince," Fouquet said in an even voice. As an ex-member of Albion's nobles, she remembered Wales' face quite well.

Wardes didn't spare any comments. Instead, he approached the corpse and kneeled down to examine its condition. Even with a lack of color and minute signs of weight loss, the prince looked astoundingly well and unharmed, save for the hole in his chest where Wardes had stabbed him.

While Wardes was busy with that, Fouquet began searching for anything of interest. Sadly, aside from broken furniture and mounds of rubble, the only thing of note was the portrait on the floor.

"Hmm..." She picked up the painting and took a better look. "Oh my! Isn't this George de la Tur's 'Founder Brimir's Visit?'" She felt the painting's frame and materials. "Wait, no. I think it is a reproduction. Come to think of it, this castle's chapel must have been built to worship him."

"You would be correct."

The portrait hit the floor as Fouquet spun around with her wand drawn. She gasped when the wand stopped moving, trapped by a pair of fingers gripping the tip.

"Come now, was that really necessary?" Spoke a dark cloaked figure who was holding the wand. A figure who had certainly not been there a few seconds ago. "Have a little class. You should know all about that, right?"

"You…!" Fouquet grit her teeth, struggling to pull her wand out of the grip of the figure, to no avail. The figure chuckled and released the wand, making her stumble back before catching her balance.

"Temper, my dear thief. You wouldn't want to make any more mistakes. You know my intolerance for them. Plus, if you're going to attack someone, you have a much better tool at your disposal to use now. Don't you agree?"

The underlying tone in the figure's words made Fouquet tremble uncontrollably.

"Hehehe," the figure chuckled as its hood turned in the direction of Wardes. "How is he?

"Rather well, all things considered," Wardes answered calmly.

"Good. That will make things easier for our dear friend." The figure's hood lifted. "Speaking of which…"

"Viscount Wardes!" From a distance, a person appeared. His voice was cheerful and limpid as he called out to the mage. "Have you found the young prince yet? I do hope he is not too badly harmed. Would be quite the shame were he unable to aid us."

The cloaked figure chuckled some more as Wardes shook his head and turned to the man. He was in his mid-thirties at least, wearing a round hat and a green mantle. Anybody who saw him would easily tell that he was a clergyman. However, he also slightly resembled a soldier with his long aquiline nose and intelligent blue eyes. From the edges of his hat, curly blond hair peeked out.

"Your Excellency, the prince is well." Wardes kneeled down, bowing his head.

The man addressed as "Excellency" approached Wardes with a friendly smile and tapped his shoulder. "Excellent, Viscount! You did a remarkable job! Not only did you single-handedly defeat the enemy's brave general, but you've now managed to secure our plans for the future!"

"I still failed in retrieving the letter. It was my mistake. I am deeply regretful for my error. Please, hand me whatever punishment you deem necessary."

"Nonsense! Compared to obstructing the alliance, killing Wales was by far more important. A dream is something that has to be obtained steadily, step-by-step." The man looked over to Wales' corpse and gave a cruel smile. "Ah, and here be our dear Crown Prince Wales. Be proud! You defeated him!"

"Yes, be proud, Wardes," the cloaked figure said. "This was the only fate befitting someone of his station. He would never have surrendered to us willingly, nor agreed to any alliance we would have attempted to make."

"Indeed. Apparently he loathed me deeply." The clergyman briefly scowled before his expression became neutral. "But you know...seeing him like that, I feel a strange sort of kinship to him. I wonder why that is?"

"That's easy. Once dead, everyone becomes a friend."

The man snapped his fingers. "Yes, how right you are, Young Master!"

Wardes' cheeks flinched slightly at the way the two spoke, but quickly regained his composure and masked his emotions.

The man in the green robe then noticed Fouquet, who was watching him and the cloaked figure with suspicion. "Viscount, please introduce this beautiful woman here. Being a priest, it is inconvenient for me to speak with a woman."

Fouquet made a sound of irritation. She didn't know who this newcomer was, but she didn't like him. He had a strange atmosphere surrounding him, with an even more sinister aura radiating from the gaps of his robe.

"That Wardes bows so deeply to him can't mean anything good for me," she thought unnerved. "Especially if he's associated with that thing." Her gaze shifted to the cloaked figure. Though it wasn't looking directly at her, she somehow knew it was aware of her every movement.

Wardes stood back up. "Your Excellency, this is Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, before whom all Tristain nobles shudder."

The clergyman clapped his hands. "Oh! I heard the rumors! I am honored to meet you, Miss Sachsen-Gotha."

Fouquet gasped. For the second time in years, she heard the noble name she abandoned. To be recognized despite hiding it for so long made her nervous, but also a little happy.

"You know who I am? Did Wardes tell you this name?" She asked.

"That's right," the man confirmed. "He knows everything about Albion nobles. Genealogy, coat of arms, property. It is hard for an aging bishop like myself to remember such details." The man paused as his eyes widened. "Oh, but let's not delay my introduction!" He stepped back and placed a hand over his chest. "Reconquista's first general, Oliver Cromwell, at your service."

"First general?" Fouquet repeated. So this was one of the ones in charge of the rebellion.

"Yes. You see, originally, I was just a mere bishop. However, due to the votes of the Baronial Council, I was appointed as the first general, and so I need to give them my best. Though I am a clergyman who serves Founder Brimir, it is alright for me to 'guide' us through the dark times, right? If necessary, using faith and power can be for the betterment of man."

"Your Excellency, you are not a freelance first general anymore," Wardes spoke. "With this victory you have risen above that. You are now Albion's new king."

"Emperor," the cloaked figure corrected. "That is who you address, Viscount. Emperor Cromwell."

The newly crowned emperor laughed, though his eyes did not change in their emotions. "Thank you. It is an honor to receive this title. And certainly, I really wished to prevent Tristain's and Germania's alliance. However, there are more important things. Do you understand me, Viscount?"

"Your Excellency's thoughts are so deep that an ordinary man like me cannot measure them," Wardes responded.

"Unity!" Cromwell raised both arms and shouted with exaggerated gestures. "Unity of steel! Halkeginia is us, a union of chosen nobles that will get back the Holy Land from those menacing elves! It is a mission given to us by Founder Brimir! Unity is our number one duty! Therefore, Viscount, I trust you with whatever tasks you are assigned. There is no blame in such a trifling failure."

The cloaked figure chuckled. "Indeed. Is that not why your 'Founder' has blessed you with power, Cromwell? So that your grand mission may be completed?"

"Power?" Fouquet's eyebrows rose. What kind of power were they talking about? "Do you mean Duel Monsters?" She inquired, recoiling back when the cloaked figure's hood twisted at her.

"Oh no, that is all my goddess' doing. I speak of something else. Cromwell, would you like to inform our dear lady friend about your 'blessing?'"

Cromwell gladly accepted the task, all while caught up in his own theatrics and continuing to speak in a slurred tone. "Do you know about the four great elements of magic, Miss Sachsen-Gotha?"

The thief nodded. Even children knew of such things. Fire, wind, water, and earth. They were the essential tools to magic.

"In addition to the four great elements, there is another magical element. The element that Founder Brimir used, the element of zero. Really, it was the first element of all things."

"Element of zero?" Fouquet muttered confused. Then it hit her, causing her to turn deathly pale. "You mean...Void?"

The lost element. The magic of nothingness. A power so great that, as dark legends say, it disappeared with the death of Brimir. Was this man claiming to know something about the element of zero?

"That is the power that Founder Brimir granted me with! For this reason, the Baronial Council agreed to make me the emperor of Halkeginia." Cromwell locked his attention back to Wales' corpse. "Wardes, I had wanted to make Crown Prince Wales my friend and ally. But alas, in life, he chose to be my greatest adversary. But now in death, he will become a great ally. Do you see anything wrong with that?"

The griffin captain shook his head. "He should have never resisted Your Excellency's decisions."

"Hahahaha, indeed." Cromwell smiled wickedly as he laughed. "Well then, Miss Sachsen-Gotha, please watch carefully. I will show proof of the element of 'Void' to you."

"What is he about to do?" Fouquet breathlessly watched the clergyman's movements, knowing something was about to happen.

Cromwell pulled out a cane that was attached to his waist and began chanting in a low, silent aria. The words that escaped his mouth were strange, and were nothing Fouquet had ever heard before. When the aria was completed, he gently lowered the cane and aimed it at Wales' corpse.

At first nothing happened. There was no flash of light, no big explosion, no symbol that appeared. It seemed like whatever spell was cast failed.

Then...all of a sudden, Wales, whose body was lifeless, opened his eyes.

A cold chill ran down Fouquet's spine.

Wales slowly sat up. His once bloodless face suddenly sprang back to the life it had previously held. Like a withered flower absorbing water, his body gradually imbued itself with essence; color returning where there was none, while muscle loss was replaced.

Once the process was complete, Cromwell had a pleased look. "Good morning, Crown Prince."

The revived Wales returned his greeting with a smile. "It has been a long time, Archbishop."

"How rude, I am an emperor now, my dear Crown Prince."

"Is that so? I apologize for that, Your Excellency." Wales kneeled, taking the posture of a vassal.

"That's better." Cromwell put a finger to his chin. "Let's see, I think I'll make you my personal bodyguard, Wales. I've always wanted one, and who better to have than the boy who was to formerly inherit this land?"

"With pleasure."

"Excellent! Then let us be friends."

"Oh yes," the cloaked figure spoke, its tone heightened with a sense of excitement. "Let's be wonderful friends, my dear prince."

Wales gazed up at the figure. "Any friend of Cromwell is a friend of mine. But I am afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Mr…?"

"You may address me as 'Sensei' for now."

The prince nodded and stood up, placing himself close to Cromwell's side for his new position. Cromwell smirked in delight and turned to the cloaked figure. "Young Master, I believe I will take my new bodyguard for a stroll. Would you like to accompany us?"

"Your offer honors me greatly. But unfortunately, I have matters that need my immediate attention. Perhaps another time?"

"Of course." Cromwell then began to walk away, with Wales seeming to have no trouble keeping pace behind him. Then, as if remembering something, Cromwell halted and turned back around. "Wardes, do not worry. Even if the alliance is formed, it is of no matter. Tristain is still helpless. There is no change in plans."

"Yes, Your Excellency." Wardes bowed.

"There are two ways of diplomacy: the cane and the bread. Let's give warm bread to Tristain and Germania for the time being. After all, Tristain is a necessary area to add to our cause. That royal family has the Founder's Prayer Book. I need to have it in my hands in order to retrieve the Holy Land."

"As you wish."

Cromwell nodded approvingly and took his leave.

Once he and Wales were out of sight, the cloaked figure cut loose a laugh. "Hahahaha, that man always makes things entertaining. I'm glad Sheffield picked someone like him out for me."

Wardes said nothing and merely tilted his hat down. Fouquet meanwhile was finally coming out of her stupefied state and able to open her mouth again.

"That... was the Void?" She shook her head rapidly. "To revive the dead… That's impossible."

"Impossible?" The hood of the cloaked figure tilted. "You've been shown power beyond the four elements, can now summon monsters that surpass any golem you could have created even in your best state, and have been given insight to a world separate from your own reality. And yet the idea of reviving the dead...is impossible?"

Fouquet blinked, only to have her entire body freeze up and her eyes open to full capacity, as the cloaked figure stood right in front of her with its gloved fingers touching her face.

"My dear Crumbling Dirt...if there is one thing I've come to learn from this long life of misery and despair...it is that nothing is impossible."

A pressure fell on Fouquet. She tried to say something, but found her throat choked up. Her chest began tightening, like it was squeezing around her organs, and her limbs locked themselves into place. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe. All she could do was stare into the empty abyss of the cloaked figure's hood and feel...something coming out from it.

Then, as if it never happened, the pressure disappeared and Fouquet found herself able to function normally.

Her body immediately flung itself away from the cloaked figure and tripped backwards, desperate to put as much distance between her and it. Yet it never pursued, only staring at her in silence, causing huge drops of sweat to dribble down her face and neck.

"The Void element manipulates life…" Wardes muttered. "That's what you and his Excellency said to me once. It seems like you were right. Even though I cannot believe it as well, after witnessing this, how could I not?"

The cloaked figure hummed. "A while ago you were acting very similar to this. Perhaps you were affected by the Void magic too?"

Wardes laughed. "Me? No, I am different. This is a result of a sorrowful life that I have led since birth." He looked up at the sky. "However...many lives were sacrificed for the Founder's Holy Land… What if they all will be revived by the element of Void?"

"Now wouldn't that be an interesting idea?"

Hearing such blasphemy made Fouquet even more frightened. She desperately clutched at her chest, feeling the sudden need to confirm that she was still alive. She only calmed down once she felt a light heartbeat.

"Now then, fun as this kind of talk may be, I was telling the truth when I said I have things to take care of. I do not know when I will be back, but until that time, Wardes, you are to follow Cromwell's orders. Make sure the next stage gets done smoothly." The cloaked figure pointed at Fouquet. "Oh, and be sure she accompanies you."

"Understood, Young Master," Wardes said with a full bow. When he lifted back up, the figure was nowhere to be seen.

"Wha-..." Fouquet pushed herself up, staring at the empty spot with incredulousness. "What in Brimir's name is that thing?"

"The same thing that gave you the chance for freedom," Wardes said to her. "You would do well to remember that fact."

Fouquet grit her teeth. She knew that already, but at this point, she wondered if it might have been better to simply be executed.

"Don't look that way. The Young Master has assigned you to me, so as long as you follow my orders you will be fine."

"That doesn't help much after the things you said."

"You mean about reviving people with Void? That was only my imagination. You could even call it my fantasy."

Fouquet glared at him, but could tell he was being serious. Knowing that did help her feel a little relieved, but not by much. "Well, don't make jokes like that again. It was...surprising."

"I'll keep that in mind for the future." Wardes patted the stump where his right arm had once been. "However, I myself also want to know. Is it a mere fantasy? Or reality? The answer lies in the Holy Lands...that's how I feel."

With the soft way he spoke, Fouquet couldn't help but wonder who the real Wardes was, and just what the hell she had gotten herself into.

"She is no longer bound to my web."

Watching Wardes and Fouquet from a far distance, the cloaked figure found itself...puzzled.

Ever since it rescued Fouquet from La Rochelle, it knew something had changed. Upon her awakening, she was far more cautious and watchful of it and Wardes. She became less obedient and more defiant with her actions, even lashing out at the cloaked figure in anger, though she still listened when instructed. She also seemed hesitant to use her Duel Disk and cards during training, and kept making mistakes in Duels when she shouldn't have.

Initially, the cloaked figure didn't notice these changes, having more pressing matters to handle, but the longer it went on the more it became a concern. Eventually the figure decided to use its power to grab hold of the blessing in Fouquet and learn what had changed.

And learn it did...because nothing happened.

The power of the Goddess had disappeared from the Duel Disk and cards of the thief, and in turn, had disappeared from her heart. The cloaked figure's attachment and control over her was severed completely. Fouquet was now her old self, and no longer blessed.

"And I cannot reconnect the blessing to her."

It tried continuously to do so, even now during its interaction with the mages and Cromwell. It called for the Goddess' power to reach out to Fouquet's Duel Monsters and Duel Disk and see if they would answer. But they didn't. They refused to listen or obey, and instead kept their loyalty to the former secretary.

It even tried to return the blessing directly at the end there. A more forceful tactic than it would have liked, but it mattered little in the grand scheme of things. Yet, not even that had worked. It was as though the blessing of the Goddess was being rejected. No, not just rejected. Something foreign was now protecting Fouquet, and no matter how hard the cloaked figure tried, it could not remove or break through that unknown factor.

"This is troubling…"

Fouquet returning to her normal self was not in itself bad. She still understood her position within Reconquista, so the cloaked figure doubted she would try anything drastic. And even if she did and tried to escape, it had many ways of tracking her down and eliminating her if necessary.

The problem came from the fact it happened. The Goddess' blessing was a gift that should not have been possible to remove by any means in this world. It was sacrilege to even think of rejecting such a gift. And yet somehow it still happened.

Having this happen to one individual was not a big deal, but if the process could be repeated on a wider scale, like say the army of Reconquista, then that would become a huge detriment to the cloaked figure's plans.

"And the only outside factor that makes sense to have caused this is…"

The cloaked figure became silent.

"...Heh..."

Then it started laughing.

"Hehehehehe… Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The cloaked figure wrapped its arms around itself as its body tossed and weaved with excitement.

It was him! It had to be him! He did it somehow! It didn't know how, but that was the only explanation! To think he would deny even the will of a goddess!

"Hahaha...ha...hehe… Amazing. I don't remember the last time I felt such joy. That you would still find ways to amaze me, even after so long... Truly, I could not ask for anything better."

The cloaked figure unwrapped its arms and straightened up. If this was to be how things were now, then fine. Let Fouquet be free. Let the possibility of Reconquista losing its greatest weapon exist. That would just make things far more entertaining.

After all, it was so boring when a game became one-sided.

"Make sure you stay alive and keep that from happening, Kamishiro Ryoga."

The figure's voice echoed across the winds and battlefield as it disappeared completely, like it had never been there to begin with.

Hey guys, it's me. Before the events that happened, I was going to use this as a chance to talk about my more proper thoughts on Rush Duels and Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens now that I got to see and learn more of both.

But now with things as they are, I won't do that. This time I want to just talk.

No jokes, no parody opening. Just real talk between you all and I.

The world is a bit of a mess right now, isn't it? When 2020 began, I did not expect the new decade to start with a virus that has spread around the world and is a danger to many lives. I have been fortunate enough to be safe, as well as everyone I know and love. Despite my job being closed till the end of May due to being unessential, I have also been lucky enough to still be recompensed for it, so I do not have to worry so much about my current living conditions.

However, I know there are many who have not been so lucky. That there are those who cannot work, who have lost their jobs...and those whose lives have been lost, and will be missed by others.

Due to this, I know the talks and subject of loss in this chapter may be inappropriate to some, and was not meant to be intended when I first started writing the chapter. The fact it simply matches the timing of events is...well..i'll-fortunate.

Even so, I want to make this clear. While I did not write this chapter's main topics because of what is going on, that doesn't mean the words still don't hold truth, and that the meaning behind them should not be ignored.

If you, or someone you know, has lost someone they loved, whether because of what's happening or another subject, you aren't alone. Be there for them, and they for you. Let everyone know you will do what you can, and provide comfort where it is required. And most important of all...live.

Live not to forget, but to remember and for those who cannot. Live to help those who are still living, and be the pillars of support for yourself, so others can do the same for you.

To quote .Jameson from Marvel's Spiderman game (2018),with a very slight change on my end...

"I know it's hard to trust anyone these days. But you've always been able to trust me to tell it like it is, and I am telling you now: Do not violate the quarantine. Stay in your homes, take care of your families. I'll be right here, facing it with you. We're New Yokers (Human Beings). We can handle anything, and we can sure as hell beat this."

Now for Review Time.

REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER!

Evil-Mech Lord Apex: Thank you for your support like always. Louise and Ryoga still have some issues to work out, but they'll hopefully get there. And whether Ryoga tells the truth or not is up to him, but after what he's experienced, his opinions might change on certain ideas or actions.

In any case, I hope you are safe and well. Do take care and stay healthy.

MAJORMATT1234: Glad you enjoyed my chapter. Who can say when Louise will get to see a duel? Might be sometime soon, might be later, but it will be fun to write. Also...sorry your new deck won't work for Rush Duels. But who can say how long that will last. Stay hopeful, and stay safe.

KolyaIO: Reviews like yours always make my day because it shows how much my efforts have affected the readers and made them happy. I'm glad you've enjoyed my story, and I'm glad to know Zexal is a bit more appreciated because of it. Also an AU of Shark would have been very cool...but given how Arc-V went...I'm GLAD it didn't go through.

I am glad you really like how Ryoga is, and how the Duel was. And while Sevens is still aimed toward children, it's not nearly starting as bad as I expected (Also really like the characters, though the student council president could tone it down a bit. Also Romin is immediately someone I want to see more of). The art style will still take getting used too, but I did the same for Zexal, and Zexal became one of my favorites.

Sad Blue-Eyes though for being used by non-Kaiba.

As for Rush Duels, I haven't played in one yet, but it might not be as bad as I thought with how simple the effects have been and straightforward the gameplay is. Will just have to see where it goes, and if this format holds or falls.

As for your wishes of future chapters… *smiles* … You'll just have to wait and see. And see more reactions of when his secrets start opening up more.

Until then, stay healthy and secure, so you can experience those moments.

Omega Porunga: Glad you enjoyed the fight my friend. Nobody messes with Ryoga's friends or cherished ones without feeling his teeth.

As for kicking off the new year...definitely not as we expected, huh? Even so, stay safe my friend. You're one of my oldest readers and reviewers, and I'd hate for you to disappear. So take care.

Like I said, I hope every one of you stays safe. Make sure you're well supplied, don't go out unless necessary, and watch your health. Let's get through this mess together and live for a better tomorrow.

TrueHeartKnight

*Preview shows Ryoga staring intently at a strange device sitting on a table.*

Louise: Dammit, dammit, dammit! Why couldn't I just say I was sorry!? How could I have screwed up so badly.

*Professor Colbert smiles as he discusses the strange device with fascination and excitement.*

Louise: I mean it's not like I'm mad I got to eat with him. But that should have been the moment! Where am I going to get another chance!?

*Louise blushes madly in her nightgown as she yells at Ryoga and points to her bed, which he responds with a stunned look of confusion.

Louise: I'll just have to try again...later…somewhere private maybe...j-just the two of us…

*Ryoga and Siesta are both seen talking, with Siesta having a bright smile as she moves closer to the Duelist.*

Louise: AHHHHH! WHAT AM I SAYING!?

*Louise blushes bright red and yells insistently while shaking her finger at the screen*

NEXT TIME ON BARIAN OF THE VOID!

LOVE SICKNESS AND PRAYER BOOKS

Louise: This is all that stupid jerks fault! It's his! That...stupid...jerk!

*Louise looks at a small book given to her by Osmond, wondering what it could be for.*