It had been a week since Ariel's fateful news. Her plan was to wait for the week leading up to the ceremony, a time frame that offered the perfect window to assassinate Darius and make our escape. This week had been a relentless grind. The Water God had summoned me repeatedly, and her training had grown increasingly rigorous, bordering on hellish. Eris, meanwhile, had spent the week tirelessly fighting the disciples in the dojo, sometimes even managing last a little with Isolte when she accepted a duel request.
Eris's progress, according to Sylphie, was noteworthy. She had bested some of the other disciples, either by intimidating them so thoroughly they were too scared to attack or simply overpowering them with brute strength. Her growing reputation made some disciples too afraid to challenge her, while others saw her as a prize to be conquered. This, of course, only fueled Eris's competitive fire; true to her nature, she never turned down a single challenger even when defeated.
My own training under the Water God was a humbling experience. Before coming here, I had foolishly believed myself to be at the Saint level, but I was sorely mistaken. My inflated sense of power stemmed from a lack of true peers in the Water God style. Unconsciously, I had incorporated techniques from the Sword God style into my water magic[1], causing my Water God proficiency to stagnate. When I was forced to use pure Water God techniques, I felt exposed and vulnerable, and had to consciously resist the urge to blend the two styles.
Reida's training regimen was a series of bizarre and overly cruel tasks, which, in her words, "only I could complete." I took this to mean she simply enjoyed tormenting me for her own amusement, but I didn't dare speak up. To do so would surely have increased the already heavy burden I was carrying. I dutifully followed every command, from fighting two disciples blindfolded without being able to attack, to dodging every one of her attacks, lest I be subjected to the bone-crushing pain of her sword strike.
In the end, she declared my Water God skills to be merely at the Advanced level. While she acknowledged her own proficiency in the Sword God style the ability to perform the Long Sword of Light she cryptically told me I wasn't suited for it, stating, "Your sword will be too dull the way you are now." I could only guess at her meaning.
Regardless, the day of the ceremony was upon us. I had met with Ariel a few more times during the week to finalize our plans and add some crucial contingencies. Our plan was as follows: Ghislaine and I would infiltrate Darius's mansion undetected during the ceremony. Simultaneously, Sylphie and Eris would barge through the front gates, creating a diversion that would draw the guards away and give Ghislaine and me the time we needed to dispatch Darius. Sylphie and Eris should be more than enough to handle the distraction; if she truly wanted to, Sylphie could level the entire building herself. And while Eris was still approaching the Intermediate level where most people stagnate she was still formidable and capable of dealing with more than a few foes with Sylphie help.
Our biggest concern was the Water God, Reida. Ariel speculated it would take ten minutes for her to receive word of the attack and three minutes to arrive. That left us with thirteen minutes at most, a tight deadline that meant we had to be ruthlessly efficient.
"Rudeus, today's the day, isn't it?" Eris strode into my line of sight, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. Of everyone, she was the most thrilled by the plan, which boiled down to her favorite activity: fighting.
"Yes, it is," I said with a grim smile. "The day we finally kill that bastard Darius."
My gesture seemed to ignite her excitement even further. She smiled eagerly, clenching her fists. "I'll take down anyone in my way," she declared with a newfound confidence. "Nobody will be able to stop me." Her confidence, a product of her recent progress in training with Ghislaine.
Sylphie appeared next, her expression a mix of fear and worry. "Rudeus, are you sure we should do this?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. Every day, she had tended to my bruises from Reida's brutal training, and her concern for me had deepened her fear of the Water God. The prospect of fighting Reida made her more nervous and meek.
"We have to," I replied firmly, my tone leaving no room for argument. "I've told you what he's done to girls like you and Eris. The world doesn't need people like him. So we must be the judge, jury, and executioner." While I despised Darius, my reasons for wanting him gone were not purely personal. He was a key obstacle to Ariel's rise to the throne, and removing him early would ensure a smoother transition of power, potentially preventing the conflict that might otherwise force her to leave. It would also weaken the Greyrat faction in the capital, possibly saving Sorous from his future tragedy.
Finally, Ghislaine entered the room. She offered a simple, wordless nod, which I returned. She had been present for my meetings with Ariel and was fully briefed on the plan, without any reservations.
I looked at the three girls who had followed me here. In the worst-case scenario, we would be forced to retreat, leaving Darius alive. While that would be infuriating, at least no one would die. We had decided that avoiding the Water God was paramount, as confronting her was effectively a death sentence.
"Today is a day of great importance, as you all know," I began, rising to my feet to command their full attention. "We are about to undertake something that has never been done successfully before, an act that could make our names legendary for generations. It is a challenge so daring that it could cost us our lives in an instant. But despite the risks, we stand united, ready to face whatever comes with everything on the line: our lives, the lives of those we love, and our pride. We came here knowing the danger and the possibility of death. Yet, that knowledge only fuels our resolve. We won't go down without a fight. We are a team, a true unit. When one of us stumbles, we lift them up. We are their strength. This is how we will win. This is how we will succeed."
After I finished, I looked at everyone. They all appeared mesmerized, their gazes fixed intently on me. Each face was etched with determination and a newfound fighting spirit. I was taken aback; it seemed they had truly absorbed every word I said. I had spoken from the heart, never expecting my speech to so effectively catch their attention. The embarrassment of my unexpected eloquence warmed my cheeks.
I looked at the three girls that came here with me. In the worst case scenario we will have to flee early and Darius will be alive. Which is infuriating but at least nobody will die, we've decided that we will avoid the water god at all cost since facing her basically means death.
When I stopped my speech I looked at everyone, they all looked mesmerized and everyone looked attentive. All of their gazes were focused on me and each one of them had a face of resoluteness and fighting spirit. I was kind of taken aback it seemed they had taken everything I said to heart and they paid full attention to everything I said. I was just speaking from my heart and I didn't think it would get their full potential im kind of embarrassed.
"Rudeus, you're an unexpectedly good speaker," Ghislaine said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. A chorus of nods followed from the others, and even Sylphie looked fearless, her earlier anxiety seemingly forgotten.
"Alright, let's get ready," I said, a new resolve hardening my voice. "The ceremony will start soon."
"Princess Ariel, you've been requested to attend the ceremony," Derrick Redbat announced as he entered Ariel's room. Ariel had been sitting on her balcony, her gaze fixed on the Boreas household where Rudeus was staying, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.
She felt a faint thrill of excitement. This whole scheme, this great gamble, had been lingering on her mind. She had been anticipating this day with a feverish energy the day that would mark the start of her new life, her ascent to the throne. The thought of being a part of the biggest scandal in the country's history thrilled her to no end, echoing the heroic tales she had heard as a child.
With a graceful turn, she offered Derrick a composed smile. She had chosen not to inform him of the plan, knowing he would vehemently oppose it, despite his lifelong dedication to seeing her on the throne. "Yes, Derrick, I'm prepared," she said smoothly. "Shall we?" With a final, graceful smile, she left with him.
She, Luke, and Derrick rode in a carriage toward the ceremony. "The Water God should already be there," she murmured under her breath. "What did you say, Princess?" Derrick asked, ever the vigilant guard, ready to address any concern she might have.
She simply shook her head. "Oh, it was nothing but a nonsensical ramble." With that, the rest of the journey passed in a tense, anticipatory silence.
After the ride, she walked toward the location where it was being held. They had built a grand platform, and a large crowd had already gathered. This was one of the most anticipated events of the year, and many people had come to witness it. Even at this early hour, she ascended the platform and made her way to the back, where she saw many important figures her brothers and their guards, her father, and most importantly, Reida. However, Isolte was nowhere to be seen.
Usually, Isolte attended because she was expected to succeed Reida, so observing her and gaining experience was essential. Her absence was unusual and immediately caught Ariel's attention. Being perceptive, Ariel knew Reida was very clever; she could even pick up on subtle clues like this.
A strange, uneasy feeling crept over her. She approached the Water God, Reida, who, upon noticing her, bowed respectfully. "Princess Ariel, it's wonderful to see you still as beautiful as ever," Reida greeted with a warm smile. Ariel returned the smile and nodded politely. "Thank you, Reida. It's always a pleasure to see you. But I was wondering why isn't Isolte with you?" She put on her most innocent, confused expression, hoping to elicit a straightforward answer.
Reida's smile turned devilish. "Oh, it's nothing much. I had a bad feeling in my stomach this morning, so I told her to stay back and watch the dojo for me," she replied sweetly.
That answer only heightened Ariel's worry. Carefully controlling her expression, she nodded. "I see." Reida took a step closer, lowering her voice. "Ariel, I can see the ambition in your eyes the ambition of a king." She chuckled softly at that remark and, with a teasing smile, turned and walked away, leaving Ariel in shock.
Ariel already suspected that the Water God knew about Rudeus's desire to kill Darius, a man Reida had a connection to. But what truly unsettled her was that Reida seemed to know about their entire scheme her words implied she was aware of everything.
A cold realization hit her. Wait… that means I have to warn Rudeus.
A/N: Is there anything any of you would like to see if so say it here i will seriously considere anything you say I have my plans for what to do after this arc there is a timeskip in coming and big events about to happen. this is probably going to be the biggest turning point in the story.
[1] I dont remember if I wrote that he did this on purpose or not so forgive me if this is a retcon