"And just like that, I am thrown into a crowd of strangers when I am no longer of use to you. I can only say thank you for all you have done for me, my two handsome and intelligent older brothers" [Diana].
"It's perverse and weird" [Linda].
"But they're the best brothers I could have ever asked for" [Diana].
"DIANA!" [Nar, Sas]
"Brother!" [Diana]
Nar and Sas are about to enter the meeting room with others, and asked me to stand next to the receptionist, which of course led Linda to ask me to say the line just now. I don't know why she called Nar a pervert and Sas a weirdo, and I couldn't possibly say that to them, unless they start bullying me, in which case I'll open my dictionary and say even more horrible things.
"Linda, you're dead to us from now on" [Nar].
"Begone" [Sas]
"And the tyranny of the heroes began" [Linda].
______________________________________________
[Inside the meeting room]
[Nar point of view]
The meeting room is the same as the one I remember. Nothing has really changed, which makes sense, since it hasn't been long since we retired as adventurers and took up our positions as special knights of Amleth. The steel table with the comfortable cushion, the pile of paperwork on Guild Master Akela's desk. The special kaleidoscope that Sas built for long-distance communication is still in the same place as I remember it.
We all take our seats and, of course, Guild Master Akela greets us as usual. She's from a special fox-beast race known for mystical arts, and I've heard that she's particularly talented, though the officials in her homeland despise her, which has led Queen Amleth to snatch the talent they don't appreciate from them and give it to us.
"I hope it isn't another long meeting" [Randy]
The red-haired berserker, with his usual laid-back attitude, said the line every time there was a meeting. Of course, Guild Master Akela always replies the same way
"It wouldn't" [Akela].
"It's become a tradition, hasn't it?" [Linda]
It looks like the kaleidoscope is turning on, and the image it is projecting is none other than
"Greetings to all of you, I must apologize for not coming to the meeting in person, as I have a tight schedule for today" [Amleth].
"We all understand perfectly. Besides, it's an honor to be able to have a meeting without those ministers" [Akela].
"Exactly" [Sas]
"How rare it is that we agree on something" [Linda]
"Sigh... please mind your manners, all of you" [Jean]
"Miss Jean speaks the truth. I apologize for their behavior" [Elegast].
The former noble of the elves, the middle-aged gentleman Elegast, whose etiquette is even better than Mahsuri and Ledang, who are here with us today, agrees with what Jean just mentioned. However, as always, the once homeless, long bearded dwarf next to him will say
"Don't worry. We all understood that perfectly, you strict guy" [Oreforged].
And before they start arguing with each other, Savel, of the ice dragon beast race, will deliberately cough, which by now, like a dog hearing a bell for its food, will instantly silence them.
Just as we are about to start the meeting
"I'm sorry to intrude on this occasion" [?]
"Who's there?" [Savel]
"Show yourself!" [Oreforged]
"An enemy?" [Elegast]
"No... That voice..." [Amleth]
"That familiar mana..." [Nar, Sas]
An adult-sized marionette appears, wearing a black dress and a witch hat, and without warning, a chair appears at her side as well. This puppet is well done, almost, almost feels like it's alive. It's a masterpiece in its own right, and honestly, a little creepy. Diana told me about it before, though, and she said it's pretty and she loves it.
"Greetings to all of you, for those who have never met me before, I am just an ordinary, humble witch named Merlin. For those who already know, I'd appreciate it if you didn't reveal any more about me" [Merlin].
"It's been a while, Master Merlin" [Amleth].
"I see. You're the one Young Lady Diana once spoke of" [Mahsuri].
"More like a slip of the tongue during that time" [Ledang]
"Oh, so it's that little pipsqueak master as well" [Randy]
"Merlin!? As in THAT LEGENDARY MERLIN!" [Oreforged]
The meeting is in a bit of an uproar, but Merlin assures us that this is not her intention. She said that she could simply eavesdrop on the meeting, but she decided against it, feeling that open communication would be even more beneficial in the future. I'm not sure how she managed to infiltrate the magically guarded meeting, which was arranged by Sas, Akela, Elegast, and Queen Amleth themselves, but that speaks volumes about the legendary witch's power.
"I can attest that Master Merlin meant no harm" [Amleth].
"Well, if that's what Your Highness said, then I am more than assure" (at least for now) [Akela].
"Nothing to lose, I suppose" [Savel].
And with that
"To begin the meeting, Nar, would you mind telling us everything you have learned so far?" [Amleth]
"Understood" [Nar].
Here goes
"And just like that, I am thrown into a crowd of strangers when I am no longer of use to you. I can only say thank you for all you have done for me, my two handsome and intelligent older brothers" [Diana].
"It's perverse and weird" [Linda].
"But they're the best brothers I could have ever asked for" [Diana].
"DIANA!" [Nar, Sas]
"Brother!" [Diana]
Nar and Sas are about to enter the meeting room with others, and asked me to stand next to the receptionist, which of course led Linda to ask me to say the line just now. I don't know why she called Nar a pervert and Sas a weirdo, and I couldn't possibly say that to them, unless they start bullying me, in which case I'll open my dictionary and say even more horrible things.
"Linda, you're dead to us from now on" [Nar].
"Begone" [Sas]
"And the tyranny of the heroes began" [Linda].
______________________________________________
[Inside the meeting room]
[Nar point of view]
The meeting room is the same as the one I remember. Nothing has really changed, which makes sense, since it hasn't been long since we retired as adventurers and took up our positions as special knights of Amleth. The steel table with the comfortable cushion, the pile of paperwork on Guild Master Akela's desk. The special kaleidoscope that Sas built for long-distance communication is still in the same place as I remember it.
We all take our seats and, of course, Guild Master Akela greets us as usual. She's from a special fox-beast race known for mystical arts, and I've heard that she's particularly talented, though the officials in her homeland despise her, which has led Queen Amleth to snatch the talent they don't appreciate from them and give it to us.
"I hope it isn't another long meeting" [Randy]
The red-haired berserker, with his usual laid-back attitude, said the line every time there was a meeting. Of course, Guild Master Akela always replies the same way
"It wouldn't" [Akela].
"It's become a tradition, hasn't it?" [Linda]
It looks like the kaleidoscope is turning on, and the image it is projecting is none other than
"Greetings to all of you, I must apologize for not coming to the meeting in person, as I have a tight schedule for today" [Amleth].
"We all understand perfectly. Besides, it's an honor to be able to have a meeting without those ministers" [Akela].
"Exactly" [Sas]
"How rare it is that we agree on something" [Linda]
"Sigh... please mind your manners, all of you" [Jean]
"Miss Jean speaks the truth. I apologize for their behavior" [Elegast].
The former noble of the elves, the middle-aged gentleman Elegast, whose etiquette is even better than Mahsuri and Ledang, who are here with us today, agrees with what Jean just mentioned. However, as always, the once homeless, long bearded dwarf next to him will say
"Don't worry. We all understood that perfectly, you strict guy" [Oreforged].
And before they start arguing with each other, Savel, of the ice dragon beast race, will deliberately cough, which by now, like a dog hearing a bell for its food, will instantly silence them.
Just as we are about to start the meeting
"I'm sorry to intrude on this occasion" [?]
"Who's there?" [Savel]
"Show yourself!" [Oreforged]
"An enemy?" [Elegast]
"No... That voice..." [Amleth]
"That familiar mana..." [Nar, Sas]
An adult-sized marionette appears, wearing a black dress and a witch hat, and without warning, a chair appears at her side as well. This puppet is well done, almost, almost feels like it's alive. It's a masterpiece in its own right, and honestly, a little creepy. Diana told me about it before, though, and she said it's pretty and she loves it.
"Greetings to all of you, for those who have never met me before, I am just an ordinary, humble witch named Merlin. For those who already know, I'd appreciate it if you didn't reveal any more about me" [Merlin].
"It's been a while, Master Merlin" [Amleth].
"I see. You're the one Young Lady Diana once spoke of" [Mahsuri].
"More like a slip of the tongue during that time" [Ledang]
"Oh, so it's that little pipsqueak master as well" [Randy]
"Merlin!? As in THAT LEGENDARY MERLIN!" [Oreforged]
The meeting is in a bit of an uproar, but Merlin assures us that this is not her intention. She said that she could simply eavesdrop on the meeting, but she decided against it, feeling that open communication would be even more beneficial in the future. I'm not sure how she managed to infiltrate the magically guarded meeting, which was arranged by Sas, Akela, Elegast, and Queen Amleth themselves, but that speaks volumes about the legendary witch's power.
"I can attest that Master Merlin meant no harm" [Amleth].
"Well, if that's what Your Highness said, then I am more than assure" (at least for now) [Akela].
"Nothing to lose, I suppose" [Savel].
And with that
"To begin the meeting, Nar, would you mind telling us everything you have learned so far?" [Amleth]
"Understood" [Nar].
Here goes
