Chapter 24: For Our Hero Part 1: The Royal Sword
[Location: Northwest area of the City of Andacia - Kingdom of Tevell]
[2 week and 3 days have passed]
We headed north in search of the palace envoy, which little by little the road became more difficult to travel through the rocky areas that exist, on the way we dealt with a few monsters and go through some complicated slopes but there were no traces of the envoy .
-Leah: By the way, why would an envoy from the palace go astray to fight monsters?
-Celes: The only reason I can think of is that the envoy is a high-ranking Knight.
-Mei: It means that he must be someone strong, well, if he doesn't want to help us, I could use my Sexy Pose again hehe.
-Aeryn: Y-You should be careful with using that ability Mei, you'll never know what can happen.
After a long walk we reached an area with several tall rock formations and among them we heard the noises of a battle that was taking place not far from where we were.
-Celes: Do you hear that?
-Leah: Yes, there is no doubt, someone is fighting, come on!
We ran between the rock formations, following the noise of the battle that grew louder until between them, we saw a group of feral lizards surrounding an armored woman who was facing them and an armored horse and from the look of her It seems that she had been fighting for quite a while.
-Celes: Aeryn help her!
-Aeryn: Y-Yes, I had waited for the opportunity to use this new spell.
As Aeryn prepared her spell, the rest of us rushed to help the armored woman and her horse.
-Aeryn: *Gentle breeze of light, wrap my ally in your shimmering veil and heal his wounds* [Healing Flash!]
A golden breeze began to surround the woman who was exhausted and with some injuries began to recover and her wounds to heal quickly thanks to Aeryn's new spell, the woman realizing what was happening looked everywhere until she saw us arrive.
-????: Well, I didn't expect reinforcements.
We help the woman to finish off the rest of the group of feral lizards and save her horse, it only took us a few minutes to finish off all of them and after finishing we regrouped with the woman.
-????: (Sigh of relief) I appreciate it, when those guards at the checkpoint asked me for help, I didn't expect so many enemies, I could even swear they sent me into a trap.
-Leah: It's funny that you say that.
We explained to the woman the reason why we were here and why we were looking for her, she did not show any sign of surprise at what we revealed to her.
-????: I suppose I should have expected that from Count Belin's guards, but it wasn't something I could avoid either, my honor prevented me from ignoring a request for help.
-Celes: I imagined that you are a Knight of Tevell.
-????: Well, I'm something else, my name is Jeane Belsant and I'm the Captain of the Royal Guard.of Tevell, nice to meet you all.
(Jeane Belsant -Royal Guard Captain of Tevell- 31 Years)
We were all surprised to learn that the envoy from the palace turned out to be the Royal Guard Captain, a woman in elegant armor, a red cape, and brown hair with a ponytail.
-Leah: We didn't expect someone of such high rank to come from so far as an envoy from the palace.
-Jeane: Well, actually I'm also Princess Marina's most trusted person and she personally asked me to come.
-Aeryn: The princess? why would she do something like that?
The captain approached her horse and prepared to mount it while she stroked her head.
-Jeane: Well, it's not something I can reveal so lightly to civilians, but I'm on a special assignment to help an acquaintance of the princess.
Once on her horse, the captain circled around to see if hers had no pain and then she got ready to leave.
-Jeane: Well, I appreciate everyone's help but I have to leave now, I've been too late because of this detour.
-Celes: Wait!
Before the captain rode away from her on her horse, Celes caught her attention by running after her.
-Jeane: What's up, do you need something?
-Celes: By some chance this acquaintance of the princess, perhaps his name is Zy... I mean Masato Ryugo?
-Jeane: Huh? how do you know that?
The captain turned her horse around upon hearing Celes mention Zyrus' real name, then Celes proceeded to tell her the same story of how they met up to the point where he was imprisoned.
-Jeane: Wow, that boy has been busy since he left the palace.
-Mei: Do you know him?
-Jeane: I didn't have the pleasure, I was on a mission outside the palace when that event happened, the princess told me everything when I got back.
-Aeryn: B-But if the princess sent you, then you can help him out of the Count's mansion, right?
-Jeane: Technically I could, but Count Belin is known to be a complete jerk, he won't give in to his plans to expand his influence so easily.
-Leah: What do you mean by that?
-Jeane: My main order was to cancel the order for his capture in all the towns and cities on the east side of the capital but since he is already in the custody of the Count, he will not release him so easily and with his skillful eloquence he will use any excuse for not being obliged to release him.
We were caught in a problem that even with Captain Jeane's help, freeing Zyrus from Count Belin's hands would not be easy. we decided to return to the city while we devised a plan that would allow us to help him and not affect us in return.
"I'm sure Zyrus would know what to do, even Celes is conflicted with this problem, what can I do?"
After arriving in the city, Captain Jeane took us to the Guard Station and where, upon entering, all her guards, including the station captain, were surprised to see her.
-Guard Captain: L-Lady Jeane!? what are you doing here!?
-Jeane: I am the envoy of the princess and I have been informed that the person who was wanted was captured by Count Belin's guard, right?
-Guard Captain: Y-Yes! from what we have been informed, an escort from the capital is now coming to transport the prisoner.
-Jeane: Just as the Princess imagined.
-Leah: What did she think?
-Jeane: The princess had her suspicions that Count Belin and Chancellor Edmond were working together and knowing him I wouldn't be surprised if the Chancellor would have promised him some reward for his help.
The atmosphere became heavy while we all thought about what to do and even more knowing that the chancellor was behind all this, it was a frustrating feeling not being able to help the person who has helped us so much in the past.
-Mei: I have an idea.
-Aeryn: Mei? what idea?
We all looked at Mei who seemed somewhat different from her usual cheerful and explosive personality, she was now more quiet and reserved.
-Mei: There are rumors that Count Belin has dealings with a merchant who traffics materials that come from the other side of the world, many of these materials are obtained and brought to this continent in illegal ways.
-Jeane: Now that you mention it, I had heard of those rumors, according to the laws of the merchant guild, all material brought out of the continent must be checked and registered but according to the reports no material has been registered in the name of Count Belin.
-Celes: So, are you saying that if we find that merchant and make him talk, we will have proof of the Count's illegal acts and therefore he will have no choice but to release My Lord?
-Jeane: That's right, now, if we only knew...
Jeane thought for a few moments until the Guard Captain approached her.
-Guard Captain: Lady Jeane, if you allow me, my men have informed me about a merchant who had arrived yesterday at the Count's mansion and today stopped at the Count's personal cellars.
-Jeane: Excellent, Captain, gather your best men, we will go to pay a little visit to this merchant.
As Captain Jeane and the guards prepared to go out and search for that merchant, we stared at each other, not knowing what to do now.
-Leah: And what will we do?
-Jeane: You have already done enough, it's already getting dark so you should go to rest, if everything goes well your friend will be free and it will be the Count who will be taken by the escort back to the capital.
I couldn't accept it, I didn't want to stay without doing anything again and let others take risks, especially if it's to save someone I care about.
-Leah: Captain Jeane, at least allow me to accompany you.
-Mei: Leah!
-Aeryn: What are you saying?
Both the captain and my friends looked at me by surprise before my request but it was something I couldn't afford.
-Jeane: (Giggles) Is that boy so important to you to ask me that?
-Leah: (Blushing) W-What?...well...no...I just...
-Celes: Captain Jeane, if it's not too much trouble I would like to accompany you too, that person also happens to be someone important to me.
The captain looked at us while Mei and Aeryn also looked at her wanting to accompany the guard on this mission, then the captain put her hands on her waist and put a smile on her face.
-Jeane: Very well, I suppose that all of you will come anyway even if I say no, I agree but be prepared, you never know what may be waiting for us in the cellars, especially at this hour.
We all nodded determinedly since by carrying out this mission Zyrus could go free and we wanted to be a part of this. After finishing preparing Captain Jeane together with the Guard Captain and several guard soldiers we headed towards the cellar area, it had already gotten dark by then and the streets were almost empty and dark.
-Jeane: Remember to stay alert, a merchant who works illegally will always be prepared for anything and most likely he already knows that we are going for him.
Illuminated by the torches carried by the guards, we entered the area of warehouses where several were already closed but the Count's personal warehouse was in the depths, little by little we managed to see some lights in one of the warehouses until we finally made out several individuals loading boxes on a large cart next to a carriage from which a well-dressed man was giving them orders.
-Fancy Merchant: Huh? what is the meaning of all this?
-Jeane: I'm sorry my lord, but we have reports that you are taking unregistered foreign merchandise to nearby towns.
-Fancy Merchant: What!? How stupid, don't you know who I work for, girl?
-Jeane: Whoever you work for is irrelevant, if you are carrying out illegal acts it is our duty to put an end to it.
-Fancy Merchant: Foolish girl, sometimes you should ignore certain things if you want to keep your head on your shoulders.
In that the merchant snaps his fingers and the men who were carrying the boxes stopped, took some weapons and approached us in a very threatening way and then the guard and we took out our weapons to defend ourselves.
-Mei: Ha! Do you think those muscle heads could protect you?
-Fancy Merchant: To silence idiots, yes, but to deal with so many, well, let's say that my good friend the Count gave me extra security hehehe.
In a matter of seconds several footsteps were heard around us and from the shadows of the night several armed guys appeared with a very bad face, smiling very confident and ready to fight.
-Guard Captain: Mercenaries!?
-Mercenary Leader: The good Count knew that he would need an extra hand, you all chose the wrong night to bother one of his friends.
-Jeane: There are many and they have us surrounded.
The guard soldiers began to feel intimidated by the number of enemies that had appeared even when the captain still kept her cool.
-Fancy Merchant: Hahaha, you really thought that we would not be waiting for them, as soon as the Count heard about your arrival girl, he knew that you would come for me so he hired the most bloodthirsty mercenaries in this region.
-Jeane: Tsk, I never thought Count Belin would stoop so low to hire a bunch of pathetic mercenaries.
-Celes: Hmpt, there are a lot of them but they're not a big deal.
-Mercenary Leader: That we are not a big deal? So I'm going to make you eat those words, come on guys, time to earn our pay!
As soon as the leader of the mercenaries gave them the order, they began to approach us slowly and intimidatingly with their weapons in hand.
-Celes: Aeryn!
-Aeryn: Leave it to me! *Sacred mantle of Divinity, please protect my allies with your light* [Protection Veil!]
The moment Aeryn finished casting his spell, it covered all of us including the captain and the guards, at which point the mercenaries stopped in surprise.
-Celes: Leah, Mei, now, just like you practiced!
-Leah: Right away!
-Mei: Of course!
Mei and I raised our weapons forward, remembering the training we had with Celes on the way to the city. she taught us that combat ability would not be enough and that we should expand our arsenals and that is why she taught us both special skills and enchantment magic.
"Thanks to Celes' training, I discovered my affinity for Ice"
-Leah: Spirits of Ice, give me strength and manifest yourself in my weapon! [Frost Weapon!]
After finishing my spell, some blue lights began to surround my spear from which ice began to emanate and began to freeze completely until transforming my spear into an ice trident. Not only was it an ice weapon, but it also released small ice spikes by releasing a bit of my magic power when I waved it.
-Mei: Uncontrollable power of the wind surround me with your overwhelming whirlwinds! [Wind Fury!]
Little by little a wind began to surround Mei until a small whirlwind began to surround her daggers and her arms.
"Just like me, Mei discovered her affinity with the Wind during training with Celes"
-Mei: Hehe, on one occasion Celes told me that I wasn't fast enough, I hope that with this, I'll make her change her mind
The spirits of the guards improved as soon as they saw us cast those spells and thanks to them they were more encouraged and confident to fight.
-Mercenary Leader: Ha! those little tricks are useless!
-Celes: We'll see about that, well let's start at once!
And so we began to fight against the mercenaries and the merchant's bodyguards who did not lose any confidence and savagely fought against the guard soldiers who were protected by Aeryn's spell while me and Mei faced the merchant's men and Celes and the Captain Jeane fought against the leader of the mercenaries.
-Fancy Merchant: What are you waiting for, finish them off at once!
The merchant seemed to lose patience seeing how his lackeys didn't defeat his enemies but we weren't going to let this end here, not until Zyrus was with us again.
-Mercenary Leader: Tsk, that old man only knows how to talk but anyway, money is money.
-Jeane: You speak very confident for someone condemned.
-Mercenary Leader: When you know that you will be paid for the work how not to do it hehe.
-Celes: That is a serious mistake.
While Celes and Captain Jeane dealt with the Mercenary Leader, Mei and I continued our fight against the merchant's bodyguards.
-Mei: These guys aren't such a big deal after all, Leah, let's get this over with quickly and let's help the others.
-Leah: Okay!
Despite being huge, muscular guys, they were nothing compared to the Disaster Beast we faced in the mine and back then we weren't as strong as we are now. so using the power of our enchantment magic. We attacked fiercely, Mei unleashing a flurry of slashes and stabs thanks to her massive speed boost while I, with my ice trident, froze my enemies' weapons upon impact and used the opportunity to land several thrusts.
-Guard Captain: Incredible, those girls are impressive.
-Aeryn: Of course they are, after all they are my best friends.
While we finished with the last men of the merchant, Aeryn was dedicated to healing the wounds of the guards, she also spent her training improving her magic power and learning new advanced holy spells and thanks to that now she had no problem healing several allies at the same time.
-Aeryn: Oh great divinity, please bless this soil and grant us your mercy! [Recovery Field!]
She released her staff which magically hovered in the air as Aeryn knelt in prayer and at the same time a wave of light spread around her creating a holy ground that healed the wounds of injured guards.
-Mercenary Leader: Tsk, hey you! take care of the healer!
-Mercenary Archer: Right away boss.
The archer aimed his bow straight at Aeryn's head who was still concentrating on keeping her spell active so she didn't realize the threat and we who had finally finished off the last of the bodyguards realized it too late to react.
-Mercenary Archer: Good night honey.
-Leah: Huh? Oh no! Watch out Aeryn!
But by the time she heard me, the archer had already shot her arrow and Aeryn just watched as that arrow headed towards her head without her being able to react in time.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone