Download App
43.19% A Nascent Kaleidoscope. / Chapter 254: Chapter 239

Chapter 254: Chapter 239

Winter Schnee POV

"That's not an answer!" I grounded out, focusing fully on this…..woman who had barged into our fight. Not that I was not extremely grateful for the assistance, but she was infuriatingly dismissive of my questions.

"I stabbed it with my spear, what more do you need to know?" She looked at me like I was a child. "Pointy end goes into soft flesh." She gestured to her….creepy looking spear. "Even Setanta could figure that out after telling him once."

I didn't know who this 'Setanta' is, but I felt like it was an insult.

I had merely wanted to know about the other Mutant Grimm she had fought and how she defeated it. By the sound of it, it seemed to have been some cross between a Alpha Beowolf and an Ursa.

And I had no idea what Dust she used to give the spear that….aura that surrounded it. I could feel the hairs on my arms stands up when I gazed at it. I was an expert on the subject of Dust, but I was coming up empty.

"How did you perform that attack with your spear? Was it some combination of Dust, or Aura Manipulation?" I was duty bound to ask questions regarding this unknown woman. The General would want to know everything about her, or as much as I could get.

Her spear, while exotic, looked to be just a plain spear, I was doubtful it had any hidden mechashift weapons, so perhaps Dust was not a likely method answer to her attack.

"Semblance." She said simply.

"Then how were you able to move that fast!?" I replied.

"Semblance."

I felt my eye twitch. "And that kind of strength or ability to jump so high?"

"Semblance."

I rubbed the bridge of my nose, realizing this was going nowhere. I instead made a mental note of every detail about her. I made sure to retain my composure, I was a Specialist of the Atlas Military, I would not get irritated by a….civilian who had just helped us.

Who had just so happen to have slain one of the biggest Nuckleavee I'd ever seen in addition to it being experimented on by that Merlot bastard.

"And you claim to have no formal training." I said dryly.

"I confessed to being no Huntress. I have never stated to having no training. I have trained and trained many others in my long years."

A recluse then? That wasn't….impossible. The General had told me a few times about some reclusive people who cleared certain areas of Grimm around their homes. They generally wanted nothing to do with the kingdoms and are content to live outside the walls.

"You said your name was Sca –" I paused, trying to recall it.

"Scáthach." She finished. "I suppose the naming conventions of my people are different than what you are used to." She laughed.

"And your last name?" It would help in finding any information on this woman.

"I do not have one." She replied, rather nonchalantly.

That could have a number of reasons behind it. I didn't know if the reason was one brought about by a bad experience, so I decided not to push it. It was just another note to file away for the General.

I looked around at the other members of my team. They were receiving field aid, and it appeared that none would die. I hated to admit it, but we had been taken completely by surprise. Our intel said the nearby base was abandoned, but that was far from the case.

No, if this woman hadn't shown up, I feared the majority of my team would not have made it back. I had already spent a considerable amount of Aura before that Nuckelavee appeared. Merlot had some other….test subjects within the lab, hidden away. It took us by surprise when we returned to the surface from his underground lab, to find that monster waiting for us.

It was by chance that we had even discovered Merlot in the first place a few weeks ago. Amid our hunt for that thief that the General seemed so set on, we stumbled upon one of Merlot's research facilities. Since then we had been scouring specific locations for his other labs.

Mutant Grimm.

To think that someone had been making these right under our noses.

Who knew what sort of damage he could have caused had he built up his disgusting armies and unleashed them upon us without warning.

"Are your men going to be okay?" I was broken from my thoughts as the strange woman asked about my team.

"Y-yes, thank you. If not for your help….." I sighed, not wanting to speak the thought out loud. None of us were unaccustomed to losing teammates – friends, in this line of work, but it wasn't something we liked to speak about.

"It was no trouble." She let out a small laugh. "You are a group of brave warriors, battling that creature in the hopes of preventing harm to the innocent. It was my pleasure to lend a hand."

Despite the way she phrased it, it was nice to hear. We rarely received recognition from civilians.

Still, I couldn't let my personal feelings get in the way of my duty. We had secured the objective, and we had the coordinates. It was time to regroup back at Argus where the remainder of our forces were still set up. The General would want to know everything, especially about the method this Merlot devised to block Scroll signals from leaving the area.

"You never said what you were doing this far out in the wilderness." It was….convenient that she appeared when she did. I didn't want to think the worse, but we were taught to always be cautious.

"I was merely wandering. I heard the sounds of fighting and saw what was occurring. Had it appeared that your group were able to handle the beast without much risk, I would have not revealed myself."

I couldn't help but furrow my brow. Another noncommittal answer from her. She was good at answering questions without actually giving an answer.

"Without any supplies?" I questioned again, noticing her severe lack of food, water, or anything other than her spear. That suit of hers didn't lend itself to concealing anything either…

She just twirled her spear with a chuckle. "I have my spear, there is nothing else I require. There is food if you know how to hunt, there is water if you know how to read the land. And shelter is a matter of working with my hands."

I…..didn't know how to respond to that. Even the most seasoned Huntsman wouldn't dare go into the wilds without enough preparation. It made me wonder if she's just taking me for a fool. Yet…..I also saw her combat ability. There was absolutely no denying that she was strong and experienced.

"We have our Bullhead nearby." I spoke up. "If you want, we have enough room to give you a ride over to Argus?"

She looked like she was considering it. "I've never been to this Argus." She hummed. "Perhaps I shall see it then."

Good. It would give me more time to get some information out of her. And if possible, we may be able to get her to stick around once she saw our base in person. Someone of her talents, I didn't think the General would be against extending an invitation.

***

Scáthach POV

Flying on this metal contraption was an experience worth having. I was hesitant to follow along as they wished to return to a city of some sort, but I had no destination in mind. The whims of fate led me to them in the first place, so exploring a town or city for a day would not be remiss to me.

And I would admit, it was fun watching this young girl try to gleam secrets from my words. I feigned ignorance of her attempts just out of the enjoyment I received from her continued disgruntled looks she made when she thought I wasn't looking.

As this machine began its decent onto a cleared area amongst the bustling civilization, I briefly wondered if I could ask my man to procure me such a vessel for my own enjoyment. I did believe I would quite like taking to the skies in one of these – bullheads.

As we landed, I casted a simple illusion over myself. It appeared as though I stood off to the side when we walked off, but I was actually already leaving the area and was walking towards the the center of city. My illusion would later take the opportunity to disperse when no one was looking.

Perhaps it was a bit cruel of me, but I did not wish to spend too much time meeting the people that woman answered to.

The sights were….interesting. They were similar, yet different enough to hold their own charm along with the uniqueness present. I could recognize some of the architecture that could be compared to that of earth. Some Greek designs coupled with some Eastern designs here or there.

Without any true destination in mind, I decided to follow the flow of the crowds. The large gathering of people seemed to be moving with a purpose in a certain direction.

I appreciated that no one batted an eye due to the fact that I carried my spear so openly. No, it seemed I was not the only one as many others carried weapons freely around the city. A culture of warriors that were respected and acknowledged.

"Is she here?"

"I heard she's inside."

"Who?"

"The invincible girl, man! She won the regional tournament four times in a row!"

"Is she gonna sign autographs?"

I listened in on the conversations to figure out what was gong on. It appeared that they were all trying to glimpse at a local celebrity. If the large poster that sprawled alongside the side of the nearby building was anything to go by, she was a young women with red hair that reminded me of Wilhelm.

Hmm, well it was none of my business and it held no interest of mine.

While I was here, perhaps I should find an establishment for good food and drink? It would not be an adventure without sampling the local delicacies.

Though, I would have no idea where to start looking. This city was sprawling and had all manner of shops and taverns. I'm sure I would be able to find something, but the quality was left up to chance.

Hmm.

"Elder." I approached an older women sweeping outside of what appeared to be a flower shop.

She perked up, giving me a gentle smile. "Well, hello there, young lady. Are you looking for something?"

"Elder, may I ask for directions to a shop providing good food and drink? I'm new in town and wish to quench my thirst and fill my belly." How humorous that I was actually many times older than this woman who had a head full of white hair.

"So polite." She continued to smile warmly. She slowly lifted her hand, pointing down the street. "If you head that way, take a right at the corner, then cut through the park, there's a good restaurant that my husband used to take me to."

"Thank you, Elder." I bowed my head respectfully. Regardless of how old I was, it was polite to respect a kind elder.

Let's see, she said right at the corner after walking down the street. Ah, there was the 'park' she mentioned. How quaint, there were lots of different foliage that I was unused to. Should I take samples back as Wilhelm has a habit of doing so.

I knelt down to smell the scent of a flower I hadn't recognized. It seemed to be a cross between a rose and a lily.

Would Wilhelm get me flowers if I asked? The thought was….enticing. I stood back up, about to leave, but I once more heard the sounds of a weapon cutting through the air. Of movement and shouts of effort as someone was certainly swinging something about.

Curiosity took me again as I followed the noise to see who was causing such a ruckus in such a public place.

I was mildly surprised as I walked past a few trees and bushes to find a young woman swinging her weapon about, stabbing into the air, moving around as to practice and train herself. I was surprised because she matched the girl in the images I saw earlier.

I leaned up against a nearby tree as I watched, her movements were natural and she had not taken notice of my presence.

She leapt through the air, spinning and slashing about. The shield on her arm swung with a noticeable practiced consistency to it. I nodded as she seemed to engage her whole body into her motions, not just focusing on only her weapon or shield as she went through her movements.

She let out a long breath, her chest moving up and down at the intensity of her actions. She finally stood straight up, letting her arms drop to her side. She turned slightly and turned stiff upon noticing me, her eyes snapping to me. "Ehhh!?" She let out a noise of surprise. "W-who are you!?" She exclaimed.

"Just a passerby who noticed you training." I shrugged. "I was amused so I decided to watch for a moment."

She opened her mouth and closed it again. "D-do you want an autograph or something?"

I blinked at that. "Child, why would I want your 'autograph'?"

"W-well...so you don't tell everyone where I am?" She said meekly.

"Why would I tell anyone where you are? I do not even know your name." What a strange child.

"You don't…?" She tilted her head, seemingly shocked at my words. "O-oh...this is awkward."

I couldn't help but laugh at her expression. "I see, you are the girl who has her face on the pictures I have seen. There was a large crowd gathered around a building down the street. Are they perhaps waiting for you?"

"Erm...yes…" She turned a little red. "Someone leaked where I was training, and they all suddenly showed up. So I just…..slipped away and came here."

"Your dedication to your training is praiseworthy. It is indeed a good thought to focus more on it as you should work on fixing those bad habits you have developed." My hands felt a little itchy after watching her.

"B-bad habits!?" She squeaked out.

"Mmm, even without the preponderance of your face plastered everywhere, I can guess that you are a famous combatant. No, you are used to that fake fighting that happens infront of crowds, yes?"

"Fake fight!?" She frowned. "Those are meant for the best of our age group. The best of Remnant comes here to compete and it's a tough competition."

"If this is the threshold of 'the best' then I have overestimated many people." I quirked a smile, intentionally riling her up.

"You take that back." She frowned deeper, gripping her weapon. "Every person I fought in the finals had put everything they had into winning. They bled and sweat to get to where they were."

"What If I refuse to recant my words, Child?" I raised an eyebrow, pushing off the tree I was leaning against. With my spear in hand, I took a few steps. "Shall you test your blade against mine? If you have enough fortune on your side, perhaps you can force me to apologize with your skill."

I had no intention of taking anymore students for the time being, but I was more than happy to teach a few lessons. My hands have become quite itchy recently.

This young girl was talented, even if she was more used to the playing they did in her arena. Well, I had time to spare and I was in no hurry.

She took a stance, seemingly accepting my provocation for a bout.

Let's see if I could remove those bad habits before they become detrimental for your growth.

***

Wilhelm POV

"I don't know how you were able to convince me of following through on such a ridiculous endeavor." Salem scoffed.

"It's not your fault. Not many can resist my dashing good looks and my roguish smile."

Well, we played around with Runes a little bit, but then I suggested a stroll through Vale. I didn't think she'd been out of her castle or its surroundings in a long time. Figured some 'fresh air' would be good for her.

"Yes, I'm sure that's the answer." She drawled. "This is not the first time I've done this, I suppose I shall prepare an illusion."

"An illusion, why?" I questioned.

"Do you think it wise for me to walk around amongst those humans looking as I do?" She quirked an eyebrow. "My curse is obvious to any who can see."

"Would you be offended if I said I found you beautiful regardless?" I asked.

"...your compliment is….welcome." She said evenly. "However, you wished for a stroll, and such, my current looks would draw far too much attention." She waived her arms, and the Magical Energy swirled around her body.

Gone was her pale skin, red marks, and white hair. She now had golden locks flowing down her shoulders, and unblemished milky skin. She put her hands on her hips, swaying them slightly from side to side, a smirk on her face. "This is how I looked many years ago."

"Oh, wow." I didn't even try to hide my stare.

"Don't worry, I made sure the illusion was...accurate." She smirked, spinning around, swaying her butt just a little bit for me to see.

It took all of my self-control not to truly test that.

"Hmm, I should weave an illusion around myself as well. I am a wanted man afterall."

"Yes, your 'Youthful indiscretion'" She snorted, a faint look of amusement on her face.

"Yeah, yes." I didn't believe she would let that one go. "Lets see…..how about black hair?" I snapped my fingers, watching an overlay of my hair turn black.

She gave me a once over. "Acceptable." She nodded.

"So, you like it?" I asked.

"It is acceptable." She crossed her arms, reiterating.

"I'll take that as you like it." I grinned.

"Take it however you want." She rolled her eyes. "I care not for the fake appearance you wrap yourself in."

"That's true, you already said I was handsome as I was before."

She let out a huff, hands resting on her hips. "Are you finished? You spoke of a stroll, this is anything but."

I quickly changed a few more things. My facial structure and some features before nodded to myself. With a wave of my hand, opening a portal to vale.

Salem looked impressed as she eyed it.

"Shall we?" I offered my arm again.

"Very well, I shall accompany you." She took my arm again as we walked through the portal.

***

Salem POV

This was the city that Ozma currently resided in. I had no intentions of coming here so soon, yet, it appeared that this man was capable of convincing me. It would be amusing if he caught sight of me walking around his 'territory' without a care in the world. He would surely run himself ragged trying to find out how I just appeared without any warning.

Regardless, I went along with this foolishness purely to gain more information from him. I most certainly had no other intentions when I accepted his proposal for a stroll through Vale. I had initially been content for just a mutual debate on magic, however, plans seemed to change. I don't know what came over me to allow a man to touch me in such an 'intimate' way as it had not happened in many -- many years.

But it worked for my benefit.

He was young, it was easy to use certain….assets to loosen his lips. His eyes were unable to leave my rear. Not that he made any effort to hide his lecherous gaze…..

It was strange how forthcoming he was with his own acknowledgement of such a thing. I remembered men seemed to be shyer about their proclivities before.

I leaned into his grasp as I began my inquires. "I have some questions you have yet to answer.

"Questions? Sure, hit me."

Easy.

"You said your grandfather taught you magic, yes?" That portal he made, it was something I was unable to mimic. Teleportation, to be anywhere at any time, it was something in the realm of the Gods and not available to mortals, yet he so easily broke that sentiment.

"Sorta." He shrugged. "He taught me some things, but I picked up a lot from other people."

Hmm, he mentioned 'others' but no other mentions of actual people or places. It was astonishing to think that a whole society thrived in secret after humanity was wiped out. I thought Magic truly was gone from the world, yet here was an example of another.

It made me…..reconsider certain plans I had. If Magic truly still existed, did I not have a duty to make it flourish? To bring about true humanity back to the world?

We had no destination in mind as we walked the streets of this city, as the insects scurried about their daily lives, not knowing that their most hateful enemy walked among them. How they would cower and run in fear if they knew that the Queen of the Grimm was but in speaking distance.

Should I ask about the Relics as well? He had two of them ,and it would take time to acquire the other two. No, I should approach this slowly. If I immediately ask about the Relics, it may tip my hand too soon. I had a flurry of questions I wanted to ask, but I dared not scare him away this soon.

"You never did say why you approached me in the first place." His motives were still a mystery to me. I should start from the beginning, and see what more secrets I could unveil.

"I think I said the reason?" He tilted his head, looking thoughtful. "I said I used the Relic of Knowledge to learn about the Grimm, which showed me you. I was curious so I wanted to meet you, and here I am." He smiled.

"You approached the Queen of the Grimm…..on a whim?" It sounded…incredulous. I believe I do recall him mentioning this before, but I believed I was understandably distracted by several other revelations at the time.

"Well, I do have some confidence in myself."

"Hmph, you think me weak or someone not to be feared?" How arrogant. To think he had no stipulations about walking into my domain and confronting me.

"You're looking at it the wrong way."

"And what way should I interpret your words?"

"I walked into the Grimm Lands, I stepped into your place of power." He reiterated. "All so I could just meet you. I wanted to meet Salem, the Grimm Queen enough to potentially be swarmed by unending grimm and beset by all manner of nasties that hid in your realm."

"….what foolish sentiment. False flatter to hide your true intentions, I'm sure." I huffed.

"Uh, huh."

"Stop smiling." I scowled.

"Stop being cute." He said with a cheeky look.

Cute!?

He dared call the Queen of the Grimm Cute!?

T-this man!

How insulting, I cannot allow this to abide. I was still debating if I should pry his secrets or let it be, to make inroads instead. I had decided to take everything of value from him. To ruthlessly pluck every secret and piece of information from his mind.

…..I shall endeavor to win his trust. Even if I must spend extended lengths of time with him, I would bear with it and continue down this path. And I would certainly not enjoy it, nor look forward to such occasions.

A ridiculous notion.

It's all for the sake of my plans, nothing more.

***

And I'm back. Still really exhausted by my move, but i'm here again. Couple more chapters of RWBY and then we're back to DxD

If you want to read 7 chapters ahead or support me, visit my pat.reon.com/astoryforone


next chapter

Chapter 255: Chapter 240

Scáthach POV

I took slow steps towards the Red-Haired girl. She looked tense, ready to fight. I admired her quick battle stance, I could only find a few faults in it and they were ones that could be worked out over time.

I allowed my Blood Lust to leak out to better project my presence. I wished her to take this fight seriously, to instinctively be on guard.

She did not freeze up in my presence, which was a good sign. It showed dedication to her training and combat ability to not lose her composure even if she was rather young.

She spun the sword in her hand, it shifted in strange ways, something I was still not too familiar with. She held it up, a barrel pointed towards me.

It was a gun now, how quaint.

I was aware that the people here used weapons that shifted into various forms. It was not my place to dispute their methods, but I could not see myself adopting such a thing.

The weapon flashed, projectiles coming towards me. I took a step forward and swayed to the side, my eyes never leaving hers as the bullets flew past me.

"Y-you dodged my bullets!?" She exclaimed.

"You showed me where you intended to shoot." I said simply. "If I could not see the path you aimed down and the movement of your fingers to pull the trigger, my years of hardship would have been a waste." Guns are a modern weapon, but their mechanisms were rather obvious to deduce at a glance. Well, dodging the bullet itself would be no trouble, but I do not believe that a proper lesson to teach her at her current level.

With that, I kicked off the ground, launching myself towards her. My spear struck out, going straight for her mid-section. She pulled her shield up to block, letting out a pained noise as she was knocked back. She did not dwell on it as her weapon shifted once more, taking the form of a spear – or rather a javelin.

I raised an eyebrow as she brought her shield up to block my vision of her spear, stepping back into range with her weapon.

I gave her a chance to make a move, her spear striking out with a fairly decent speed. I would acknowledge that she was physically capable for a human of her age. This Aura of hers was certainly doing much to enhance her abilities.

Her strikes were precise and quick, aiming for any perceived openings. But there was still an air of amateurishness to them, making them rather easy to predict even if I hadn't been far beyond her in physical ability or experience.

I merely tapped her spear to the side with the shaft of my own, letting it sail past me harmlessly.

She saw it was a futile effort and changed her stance once more. Her weapon shifted again, changing into a sword this time as she swung it towards me.

It was the smart decision to switch her technique up after seeing how little she was able to do to me previously.

I watched each of her movements, each time her sword flashed out at me, each time her other arm – her shield was swung as well. It made me briefly consider going back on my word and maybe taking another student just to see what she could achieve.

I kept my speed low enough for her to follow, each step I took to dodge was well within her ability to counteract. However, I would only smile as I noticed her attacks changing patterns slightly as I continued to weave around her weapons. She was starting to predict me and try to anticipate my movements.

Amusing.

Flicking the butt of my spear, it lashed out, hitting her on the side, or rather her Aura. It didn't matter that she hadn't taken any real damage; it had thrown off her rhythm completely, having struck in a minute opening she revealed. She stuttered, falling to a knee for a brief moment before quickly scrambling back to her feet, returning to her stance once more.

Good tenacity.

I leveled my spear with a mocking smile, hoping to ignite her fighting spirit a bit more.

Based on the expressions she made, I believe I fulfilled my objective.

"Haaah!" She let out a shout as she spun her body and threw her shield at me.

I merely tilted my head out of the way as she came running at me.

Childish.

I pulled back my spear to thrust, only to jerk my body to the side as her shield came flying back into her hand, brushing past my hair.

I blinked for a moment, realizing what just happened. One of those Semblances? Some sort of Telekinesis?

How interesting.

I planted my foot firmly, giving her a small window to react as I thrust my spear forward at her. What I did not expect was for her to leap into the air and roll over my spear, trying to counter attack.

I scowled, spinning my spear in hand and slammed the shaft into her side with a little more force than I had used previously.

"I've seen enough." I stated, tapping my spear against my shoulder.

She slowly pulled herself up, gasping slightly as she recovered from the blow.

"You…..I couldn't even land a hit on you." She looked a bit shocked by the revelation of how outclassed she was.

"You are a thousand years too early to think of even being my match, child." I snorted. "If I allowed myself to be struck with such flamboyant movements, it would shame all those who learned under my purview."

"F-flamboyant movements?"

"What else do you call those rolls and jumps? What came over you to leap into the air like you had done? You left yourself wide open for me to strike you when it would have been more efficient to either block with your shield, or deflect my blow and follow up with a straight thrust of your sword."

"I...it seemed like a good idea at the time?" She said meekly.

I shook my head with a sigh. "You are too used to playing to an audience, child. Your movements looked elegant, but you left yourself too open too many times. If I had not wished to see your potential, I would have been able to exploit them even more. You have a problem of telegraphing your moves."

"That's..." She went silent.

I am surprised that no one had pointed this out before. Either her past trainers had been incompetent, or they preferred it in such a way. Fake fight, playing to the cheers of the crowd. There could be no argument that she had developed herself splendidly. She was comparable to some of those people fighting the Nuckelavee Grimm, and they were many years her senior. However, it did instill some bad habits into her movements, which could prove fatal if they were allowed to festered.

And…..she seemed like a nice girl, I didn't mind having some fun and lending a hand.

"Well, are you going to rise up and correct your mistakes?" I twirled my spear once more, giving her a moment to reorientate herself. "You will never land a blow on me, does that shatter your fighting spirit, child? Will you give up, or will you come at me again?"

She stood up a bit straighter, a look of conviction in her eyes. "You said that I'm telegraphing my attacks?"

"Indeed, you are easy to predict, and you make large, unnecessary movements that lead to easily exploitable openings." I nodded.

"Then I just need to fix those." She frowned, taking a stance. She flew at me once more, her weapon shifting into her spear as she stabbed out.

It appeared that she accepted my tutelage for now, I shan't hold back then.

As soon as she entered my range, the butt of my spear met the side of her head. She was knocked off her feet, tumbling to the ground.

"That was merely the most obvious issue with your style of fighting, Child. You have other avenues you need to improve on."

"I didn't even see that…." She breathed out, slowly rising back up, rubbing her head. Her Aura had protected her from the majority of the force, but it was still a swift strike to her head.

"Your instinct needs work." I ignored her comment. "And your weapon – " I raised my spear, pointing at her own.

"W-whats wrong with my weapon?"

"You are using it improperly. You are integrating four different weapons into your combat techniques. Your shield, sword, spear, and gun. Yet, you switch to a single one, and ignore the others for too long. Either choose a weapon to focus on, or make use of the mechanisms behind your weapon. For instance, there is no need to only use the gun when you are at a distance, and you have the ability to retrieve your weapons at will, why are you not utilizing that more effectively?"

"I-I don't like showing off my Semblance, it's…..unfair."

"Unfair?" I snorted at the incredulous statement. "Child, it is an ability manifested from your soul. It is no more unfair than someone having more Aura, or something being born physically stronger. There is no excuse why you hold it back. At the very least, you should use it to disrupt my own momentum, pull at my spear when I'm about to attack and an opening would be perfect for you to exploit."

"Erm…..I tried." She said bashfully. "Is your spear not made of metal?"

I tilted my head. "I see, it's not telekinesis but a type of metal control." That was interesting as well. "Regardless." I slammed my spear onto the ground. "Stand up straight, retake your stance, and try again. I have but a few hours to spare, we shall see if you can learn anything in that time."

***

Wilhelm POV

"Home sweet home I suppose." I stepped out of a portal, Salem still on my arm as we walked onto the stone floor that was her castle.

The illusions around us faded as she finally withdrew herself from me. "I prefer it to the city." She turned her nose up at the notion.

"So you didn't enjoy our stroll then?"

"…..I did not say that." She huffed. "It was…. pleasant enough."

"Would you be against me taking you out again sometime?" I asked.

She paused, looking at me for a moment. "I wouldn't be against it." She said quietly.

"And would you be upset if I called it a date?" I quirked a smile.

There was a slight twitch at the corners of her lips as she crossed her arms. "Call it what you want." She said dismissively.

Well, I feel like I made some inroads with her. She was still a little distant, but I guess that's to be expected. I'm fairly sure she'd be very blunt with her refusal if I did something she didn't like or pushed her in a way she wasn't' comfortable, so I felt okay with how things were progressing.

I Should probably bring up the matter of my Harem soon before we went any further. While I had no shame about it, it's also a difficult conversation to have.

"Salem…"

"Yes?" She answered.

"I…..think you're very beautiful." I gave a gentle smile, earning a bemused one from her. "It's rare, but I've enjoyed the few times your sense of humor has come out. I think your laugh is adorable, and I find your elegant demeanor very attractive, and don't get me started about when we begin talking magic. The way you light up when it's mentioned, when we go back and forth about it. I admit, we don't know much about each other yet, so I wanted to say this before things went any further." I took a deep breath as her attention was focused solely on me. "I have….a harem."

She looked stunned into silence. Like she was frozen in place, a blank expression staring back at me. "A harem?" She repeated, finally breaking the silence.

"Yeah, I have multiple –"

"I know what a harem is." She scowled, making me slam my jaw shut.

….yeah. Well, I hate to come clean, it's not like I wanted to string her along until we finally had something to speak of. While I had other secrets, those weren't quite as romantically stifling if they became known. If it ended here, I could only say it wasn't meant to be.

"Why are you telling me this now?" She demanded an answer.

"I've never been coy with my intentions. I didn't want to build any kind of relationship on a lie." I smiled tremulously.

She snorted. "Yes, I believe you made your intentions VERY obvious." She accompanied with an eye roll before letting out a long breath. "You have put me in a position I've never been in before."

"I used the Relic of Knowledge to look into the Grimm, and I happened upon you. I saw some of your life, many things that led up to this point. At first, I was curious, a whim to see you for myself. Admittedly, I was attracted to you at a first look, so I didn't see an issue popping over. After spending some time together, well, I realized there was a little bit more there. And knowing some of the things I knew...I want to see you smile more. I want to make you happy."

I wouldn't argue, beg or anything like that. If it didn't work out, it didn't work out and trying to force anything would only have made things worse. I told her all I had weighing on me, what my feelings were and my intentions, and if she doesn't accept, then I'll say goodbye.

"Make me happy?" She practically snarled at the notion. "How utterly foolish. Your sentiments are naïve and childish. I should have dismissed this entire thing when it first started." She threw her arms about, annoyance clear on her face. "Do you think I would be won over by a few fanciful words? Do you think this Queen is someone who would fall over myself like some love-struck maiden at your confession? How ridiculous I've been to even allow myself to humor these thoughts before."

I let out a sigh as she blew up, not saying anything in my defense. "I won't overstay my welcome then. Goodbye Sal --"

"Did I tell you to leave?" A growl escaped her throat, eyes glaring at me. "You don't get to run away after dropping that on me." She huffed.

"I will be retiring for the evening, to revaluated certain thoughts." She glowered towards me before turning away. She began walking towards the exit.

I was stuck in place, almost frozen on how to act before she stopped and looked back at me. "Your room is available should you desire." She added, in dare I say, a gentle tone, before she disappeared down the hall.

I let out a sigh, though a small smile formed on my face.

Salem sure was hard to read sometimes, but...this isn't a completely bad sign.

***

If you want to read 7 chapters ahead or support me, visit my pat.reon.com/astoryforone


Load failed, please RETRY

Weekly Power Status

Batch unlock chapters

Table of Contents

Display Options

Background

Font

Size

Chapter comments

Write a review Reading Status: C254
Fail to post. Please try again
  • Writing Quality
  • Stability of Updates
  • Story Development
  • Character Design
  • World Background

The total score 0.0

Review posted successfully! Read more reviews
Vote with Power Stone
Rank 200+ Power Ranking
Stone 142 Power Stone
Report inappropriate content
error Tip

Report abuse

Paragraph comments

Login

tip Paragraph comment

Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.

Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.

GOT IT