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28.61% Unbound Familiar / Chapter 204: Private Humiliation

Chapter 204: Private Humiliation

*Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock!*

"What do you want woman!?" Ralf exclaims as he kicks the door open with an aggrieved expression on his face, "I have no business with the Princess! Nor do I want any! Just leave me alone for Brimir's sake!"

Matilda holds up her hands placatingly and continues to press despite Ralf's words, "The Princess only wishes to ask you a few questions, you will be richly rewarded and pardoned for any crimes you committed while in the service of the False-Familiar." she explains, only causing the man to scowl.

"I have told you, I want nothing to do with you, Michael, or the Princess. I only wish to be left alone... Will you allow me this wish?" he asks after a moment, scanning the trees for where the hidden soldiers would be.

Matilda shakes her head, "I'm afraid that is not an option, Ralf Kaliker."

...

Ralf lets out a long sigh, his shoulders slumping. "Fine. Allow me to gather my things and we can go."

Matilda nods, suppressing a victorious smirk, "As you will."

Thirty minutes later, Ralf was standing next to Matilda's mounted encourage, a large sack of his personal effects and items attached to his back.

"Will you need a horse, sir?" a soldier asks, presenting a free saddle to Ralf, but he just shakes his head, "I am not a Dragon Knight for nothing, boy."

Ralf whistles and his dragon descends from the sky a minute or so later, allowing Ralf to hop onto its back. "Lead on." he grouses, still looking upset at being forced along.

Matilda nods, having her horse start moving as she loses herself in thought not long after... Soon enough though, she feels someone shaking her side and looks over at said soldier, "What is it?" she questions, only to see the man staring at something behind her.

"Lady Matilda... Our target is going in the opposite direction..." he mutters, and Matilda turns to finally see Ralf's dragon running away from them, building up speed and leaping in the air to fly away...

"W-wait! STOP HIM!" she shouts, but unfortunately, Ralf was already too far out of their reach, allowing him to easily fly away...

...

"Lady, what should we-"

"BE QUIET! NONE OF YOU WILL SPEAK OF THIS, WE DID NOT FIND RALF KALIKER!" she commands, hand on her wand, causing the soldiers to quickly nod their heads in subservience.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Matilda returns to the royal palace, she reports that Ralf Kaliker was nowhere to be seen... But is reprimanded when Henrietta reveals that some soldier's under her command had already explained the situation.

Henrietta might not be able to punish her, as Matilda wasn't technically her subject, but the hit to Matilda's pride was big enough to put her in a terribly foul mood.

The woman marches down to the kitchens and scavenges herself three bottles of cheap wine that's usually saved for the guards before sitting down at one end of the room.

Three glasses passed, Matilda makes small talk with the servants who were going about their duties.

Six glasses passed, Matilda began telling stories of the 'Unnamed Thief'.

Eight glasses passed, Matilda begins complaining that life isn't fair, and that everything just seems to be out to get her.

Once Matilda reaches ten... Or maybe more glasses of wine, she begins to accidentally let slip information about her woes. Speaking of the False-Familiar, and his wish to spite her by taking her charge somewhere she couldn't reach, leaving her bound eternally to oaths she couldn't complete.

Not long after this, the thoroughly sloshed Matilda passes out, and one servant quickly leaves the kitchens to go relay this information to her benefactor, Chevallier Loutiel.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Loutiel thanks the kitchen wench for the information and sends her away, a small frown making its way onto his face once he's alone. "So, you wish to leave, Gandalfr? And without paying your dues? How unfortunate." he mutters, standing and taking a book from his bookshelf.

"Hmph, if you won't do the deed, then perhaps your usefulness has served its purpose. Perhaps another Gandalfr would be more amenable." he remarks to himself, skimming the information on Void Familiars, until his eyes latch onto a specific line.

"Should the Familiar fall, the Master will be able to summon another after some time... Why, that is quite intriguing, one might question whether Brimir himself had to do this." he mutters.

Two hours later, Loutiel knocks on Princess Henrietta's door, walking inside with a smile on his face, "Princess." he offers while kneeling.

"Loutiel. What is it?" she asks, knowing that he wouldn't be here if he didn't have something important to say.

He raises his head, "I have discovered means to track the False-Familiar. I was wondering if such a thing would be interesting you?"

Henrietta perks up at this, but manages to keep her neutral expression, "Yes, I would be... What is it you wish for in return for this?" she asks, not sure how to reward him for this rather abrupt boon.

Loutiel smiles, "I wish to accompany whoever is sent to capture the False-Familiar. I believe it is time for me to extend my services to Tristain once more."

Henrietta nods in understanding, so it's a raise in status he wants? So be it, if he can capture Michael and retrieve the Prayer Book, she'd happily raise him to the rank of Baron, or maybe perhaps higher. "Very well. Your presence would reassure me that this will be completed efficiently. I thank you, you will receive orders soon, be ready when they come." she states, gesturing to the door, the conversation done.

Loutiel stands and bows, "As you wish, your Majesty."


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Niggross Niggross

Hope you bois liked the chap, if I missed anything please let me know. Thanks!

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Faruk Ereng

Chapter 205: Amp-Bush

It was a new day, and the group had just set up a new campsite after having another couple of close calls with some Gallian scouts. Illococoo and Charlotte were watching Tiffania practise her Void Magic, which was progressing at a good rate, especially Charlotte's presence to provide some advice on things. She might not be a Void Mage, but Charlotte was a genius at all things magical regardless.

Her mother was resting in a nearby tent, the woman had spent the entire night awake and watching the tent entrance for any intruders, thinking someone would send an assassin for her... Truly, it was an unsettling and morose situation. Michael genuinely hoped they could help her, despite the little time he'd known her.

Charlotte's stories of the woman made her out to be one of the kindest people around. Even in madness the woman attempted to keep her child safe, even if said child was just a doll.

As for what Michael was doing? Well, he was upside down, doing situps from a nearby tree branch. Yeah, pretty boring, but with Ralf gone, he needed to remind himself to keep up his training and exercises. He was honestly running himself ragged, with little to no time to himself lately..

He'd train himself to exhaustion in the day, occasionally hunting to prolong their supplies. In the afternoon he'd spend his free three hours in the Book of Heroes... Well, more like two hours and two minutes... He still didn't last very long against Slark.

With him both physically and mentally exhausted after that, he was the first to watch the camp while everyone was asleep... Compared to his old world where the toughest thing he had to do was go to school, this would be compared to a man having almost two full-time jobs...

Despite it all though, Michael felt satisfied with the way things were going... For now at least. He was still incredibly tense, feeling as if something was going to happen to stop the group from leaving this world. But this feeling was slowly calming down the closer Tiffania got to learning the World Gate spell.

Letting out a huff, Michael does one more upside down sit up before dropping to her feet. Stretching himself out and wiping sweat from his forehead. He was about to pull out a change of clothes from his inventory when he feels something... Off.

He squints and looks around but doesn't find anything out of the ordinary, but still, the feeling remains.

He anxiously wets his lips and gestures at Derflinger which had been stabbed into the dirt not far away, casting Shackles and using the ephemeral orange ropes to pull the sword into his hand. Though, he has to make sure only to grasp the handle with the spell, as the blade would absorb it.

Derflinger gives a slight yelp as he flies through the air and into Michael's hand, the sword clacking its makeshift-mouth in annoyance, "What was that for!?"

"Quiet, sword." Michael whispers as he begins walking towards the others, "Hey guys, I think we should probably-*BANG!*" his voice is silenced as a gunshot goes off, unfamiliar pain ripping through his body.

He tries to speak but all that comes out is, "KKkahhkk..." his hand reaches for his throat and immediately feels the wetness... Blood was spewing from the huge hole in his neck.

"MICHAEL!" Tiffania screams in terror, the girl not able to do anything else but sprint towards him. Illococoo was locked in place, unable to pull her eyes away from the torrent of blood now streaming down Michael's body.

Charlotte managed to keep her senses however, her past experiences with life and death battles allowed her to ignore the fact that Michael had just received an obviously fatal wound. She twirls her staff in her hands and slams it onto the ground, causing a circle of wind surrounding the campsite to explode outwards,

"AAARGGFFFGHH!" a couple unseen men scream as the heavy winds blow them off of their feet. The other's who'd managed to keep their footing is also affected however, their enchanted cloaks blowing off of them and revealing the line of musket man surrounding the treeline.

From the treeline, Loutiel steps out with his wand-sword in hand, a small smile on his face as he looks from Michael and towards the others, "Surrender and you will be unharmed. You have my word on this. This is an order from Princess Henrietta herself, please do not force my hand." he explains, sounding rather arrogant. Probably believing that this fight was already over.

Michael himself was struggling to remain conscious, his mind in overdrive as his survival instincts scream for him to do something, his thought process was so messed up that he didn't even remember to use the skills that would save him. Fortunately, the shock of Loutiel revealing himself swaps his panicked adrenaline to quiet rage.

"Ghkklllll..." he just to name the piece of shit who betrayed them, but blood is all that comes out. When Tiffania finally reaches him, he uses the last of his bodies strength to throw her to the side, allowing him to sacrifice some blood to Dark Pact and activate Shadow Dance without fear of hurting her.

Loutiel and his soldiers look at Michael in surprise as thick, heavy-looking shadows envelop him, leaving only his glowing eyes visible. "Hmph, so you can survive that, then? Let's see if you can survive without a head." he casually remarks while pointing his blade at Michael. "Men, capture the others." he commands as he awaits Michael's attack, his blade becoming surrounded with visible Wind Elemental Energy.

Michael spits out the bullet that was lodged in his throat as Shadow Dance gets to work on healing him. "Lou-tiel..." he rasps out, his throat pulsing with pain as he growls the name.

Loutiel smirks as he hears it, "What, Michael!? Are you so afraid of me?" he invites his enemy forward, his off-hand making a 'come-hither' gesture that only makes Michael angrier.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Niggross Niggross

Hope you bois liked the chap, if I missed anything please let me know. Thanks!

Also, thanks to my patrons for their support :

ShinAmazake

Kingsprovince

JayJonnaJamison

Jack Allen

Faruk Ereng

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