“So what are we to do next, Sir?” asked Alissa when she and her party were invited to an informal meeting with Sir DelVillar in what used to be the residence of Arh-Getlam’s mayor after a couple days of rest. The manor house was in good shape, as the demon commanders had appropriated it for their own use as well and as such it was well-maintained throughout the years.
The manor hour itself was a rather simple and tasteful one, comfortable and pleasant to live in without being opulent or excessive. Sir DelVillar had appropriated it to use as his command post and temporary abode since he was the commander in charge of the army, which also made it a convenient spot for informal meetings like the one he invited Alissa and the rest of her party to.
They had a meeting a bit over lunch time, so Sir DelVillar asked for some of the support staff that helped take care of the manor on his behalf to set up a spread for tea. By the time Alissa’s party arrived, they were welcomed with cups of hot, freshly brewed tea as well as pastries and other finger foods as were available.
Fortunately the army was not lacking in food as the demons prioritized evacuating their people and not their supplies, so the army captured the majority of the supplies left behind. Most things eaten by the demons were just as edible for humans, so it was not even an issue to subsist on the captured supplies for a good while.
Of course, given the size of the base, they also captured some luxuries which were mostly used to reward the victorious soldiers in feasts and parties once the fighting came to an end.
Naturally the officers kept a portion of the luxury foods for their own use, as was evident by the spread on the table offered by Sir DelVillar by the time Alissa’s party arrived. Things that were typically reserved for celebrations and festivals like sweets were abundant, and perhaps owing to the cultural differences, extended to the cold cuts of meat as well. The slices of what looked like ham and smoked meats on the table had an unusually sweet taste to them, likely having been infused with honey or the like.
“For now, Miss O’Connor, we will take a short rest in Arh-Getlam,” replied Sir DelVillar to Alissa’s question while elegantly sipping from his cup of tea. While the old knight was a career soldier and used to the gruff realities of the frontline, he was the descendant of a minor noble – and is the current holder of the title himself – after all, and it still showed in his demeanor at times. “The injured will be sent back to Fort Abernal to rest and recuperate in safety once their condition stabilizes enough to make transportation possible, while the bulk of the army will garrison Arh-Getlam and convert it into a base for our perusal.”
Alissa nodded silently while she took a sip from her own tea. The tea was a good one, with strong bitterness cut by some fruitiness and a generous amount of honey mixed in, and a thoroughly refreshing fragrance to boot. That said, Alissa remained somewhat guarded, as Nadine had reminded her long ago that informal meetings such as these tended to be what nobles do when they were looking for favors from others.
It was not like she enjoyed guarding against the old knight, but better to be safe than sorry.
“I see that you are rather guarded. That is a good habit to have indeed. Safe to say, when anyone with even a modicum of power and authority in this Kingdom invites you to an informal meeting, it is usually because they have something in mind other than socializing,” stated Sir DelVillar openly with a smile, as if he read through Alissa’s thoughts. “That said, my intention for inviting your party today is for something else entirely.”
“This victory is one that the Kingdom will appreciate, sure, but in the greater picture it is nowhere near as important nor as impactful as the victory at Fort Silvia. Arh-Getlam is an inconvenience when the demons hold it, and a convenience now that we have taken it over, but little more. It is by no means a strategic juncture or part of a crucial route,” explained the old knight. “That said, while the Kingdom itself might not value this victory as much, it is a different case for those of us who were born and raised here.”
“You mean…” Nadine muttered from behind, as she was seated close enough to have heard the conversation. The Temple Guards were seated further away as they kept themselves away from politics other than where the Temple involved itself, so they probably hadn’t paid as much attention to Alissa’s talk with the old knight.
“Yes, Your Highness,” said Sir DelVillar with a nod to Nadine, who was after all still the Fifth Princess of the Kingdom. The old knight then stood up from his seat, straightened his shirt, then bowed deeply from the waist towards Alissa and the rest of her party. “I hereby represent my fellows who were born and raised here in Arh-Getlam, before it fell into demon hands in the previous war, to offer our most sincere gratitude to the [Hero] and her party for having lent us a helping hand while we reclaim our home.”
“Should the [Hero] ever have need of our help in the future, you need but call for us, and we shall be there, so long as we still linger in this mortal coil, no matter what you need us for, this we swear,” added the old knight as he intoned what was obviously an oath. “A helping hand in the time of need shall be repaid in kind, else we shall forever be known as craven oathbreakers and worthless curs.”
“That’s a serious oath and they mean it,” whispered Nadine with a grave tone from behind Alissa. “Knowing how they are, I think even if you ask them to kill off my father, they’ll happily do it to repay the favor, even if it means laying down their lives in the process. Ah, mind you, I used my royal father as an example as he’s never been exactly popular with them either.”
“It’s that serious?” whispered Alissa back with some incredulity in her voice. “But we only helped them because we happened to be sent to Fort Abernal, no?”
“You forgot that Sir DelVillar asked for volunteers to join the assault team, and we went along with them. They’d likely still succeed without us, but it would have likely cost them many more people in the process,” replied Nadine quietly. “We didn’t have to do that. We chose to help them, and that pretty much counts as a favor for knights like him. A helping hand in the time of need, if you prefer his phrasing.”
“As such, he’s practically honor-bound to return the favor, hence the oath. This is different than back in Fort Silvia. Back there, we were still subordinated to Sir Marsten, and joined the fight as ordered. We’ve gained a good bit more leeway and autonomy here, and it was our choice whether to join a fight or not. That’s what makes all the difference, in their eyes. I know it might be a bit hard for someone from another world to digest, but that’s how things go with them.”
“I see,” noted Alissa with a slight nod. She then turned back to the still-bowing old knight and replied to him in equal solemnity. “I thank you for this boon, Sir DelVillar, and promise that I shall not misuse it, and that should I call upon it in the future, it shall be for something I truly believe to be worth doing with all my heart and soul.”
None of the others likely noticed that Alissa had worded it that she might call in the favor even in case Esperanza convinced her to side against Ephemera as a whole in the future. Something she did on purpose as she had no true attachments to the Kingdom, and also partly to hedge her bets and to prepare herself for every possible scenario.
Other than that solemn moment, the informal meeting mostly proceeded on a happy note, with everyone enjoying their time chatting and nibbling on the good food, itself a rarity under wartime conditions, especially in the front lines like they were. Even the more ascetic-leaning members of the Temple Guards appreciated the chance to unwind and enjoy themselves, since they too knew that such chances would be rare in the days to come.
At first, the plan went smoothly. After a week of rest, the injured were sent back to Fort Abernal for further recuperation and treatment, while engineers were sent to Arh-Getlam to reinforce the defenses and turn the place into a more suitable frontline fortification. The demons never improved the base’s defenses in the decades they occupied it due to their predilection against the usage of fortifications, so it was rather outdated.
Alissa and the rest of her party stayed in Arh-Getlam and once again pitched in to help with the reconstruction and rebuilding as much as they could. If there was one common quality to the party, it was that most of them – Ormont being the exception – were the sort that felt uncomfortable when there was nothing to do and preferred to spend their time working.
The reconstruction proceeded rapidly, as the engineers for the task had already been present in Fort Abernal before the attack was even launched and swiftly made their way to Arh-Getlam after the victory. While the army rested, those engineers were hard at work as they surveyed the old town’s defenses and drew up plans on where things could be improved and where it was better to dismantle and rebuild.
As such, once the army finished their rest, the plans were already prepared and the first batch of construction material were already delivered from Fort Abernal, allowing them to begin with Arh-Getlam’s renovation immediately. The presence of the [Heroes]’ party and their participation in the construction work also boosted morale amongst the soldiers, as some considered such work to not be what they signed up for. With Alissa and the rest of her party setting an example, however, complaints were kept to a minimum as everyone worked together.
Soon they learned that it was a good thing that they put the town’s reconstruction going so quickly, as barely a week into the reconstruction, they received urgent reports from their scouts that a demon army was already marching towards Arh-Getlam from the south-west. The scouts reported that the demons had roughly as many troops as Arh-Getlam possessed in garrison, but with the reconstruction ongoing, the town’s defenses were compromised and rendered useless in many places.
As such, Sir DelVillar made the decision to march the army out to intercept the demons before they could reach Arh-Getlam, in order to buy time for the engineers and construction crew that remained in town to finish up as much of the defenses as they could. Should the army manage to beat the demons back, then all was good, but even in case they failed, they should have bought enough time for some makeshift defenses to be set up where there were gaps, so they could return to Arh-Getlam and fight the demons from there instead.
Alissa and the other members of her party were naturally included in the army that sortied out to meet the demons. At the time, they had thought it would just be another typical battle, though there were many questions being asked amongst the commanders as to the origins of the unexpected demon army. They received no reports of a demon army in such close proximity so as to be able to reach them at that point of time, when they set out to attack Arh-Getlam.
It was only later that they learned of the nature of the demon army they faced, which would also mark the first time Alissa’s party fought head-on against yet another of the Demon [Grand Champions], if rather unexpectedly.
Avitue
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“So what are we to do next, Sir?” asked Alissa when she and her party were invited to an informal meeting with Sir DelVillar in what used to be the residence of Arh-Getlam’s mayor after a couple days of rest. The manor house was in good shape, as the demon commanders had appropriated it for their own use as well and as such it was well-maintained throughout the years.
The manor hour itself was a rather simple and tasteful one, comfortable and pleasant to live in without being opulent or excessive. Sir DelVillar had appropriated it to use as his command post and temporary abode since he was the commander in charge of the army, which also made it a convenient spot for informal meetings like the one he invited Alissa and the rest of her party to.
They had a meeting a bit over lunch time, so Sir DelVillar asked for some of the support staff that helped take care of the manor on his behalf to set up a spread for tea. By the time Alissa’s party arrived, they were welcomed with cups of hot, freshly brewed tea as well as pastries and other finger foods as were available.
Fortunately the army was not lacking in food as the demons prioritized evacuating their people and not their supplies, so the army captured the majority of the supplies left behind. Most things eaten by the demons were just as edible for humans, so it was not even an issue to subsist on the captured supplies for a good while.
Of course, given the size of the base, they also captured some luxuries which were mostly used to reward the victorious soldiers in feasts and parties once the fighting came to an end.
Naturally the officers kept a portion of the luxury foods for their own use, as was evident by the spread on the table offered by Sir DelVillar by the time Alissa’s party arrived. Things that were typically reserved for celebrations and festivals like sweets were abundant, and perhaps owing to the cultural differences, extended to the cold cuts of meat as well. The slices of what looked like ham and smoked meats on the table had an unusually sweet taste to them, likely having been infused with honey or the like.
“For now, Miss O’Connor, we will take a short rest in Arh-Getlam,” replied Sir DelVillar to Alissa’s question while elegantly sipping from his cup of tea. While the old knight was a career soldier and used to the gruff realities of the frontline, he was the descendant of a minor noble – and is the current holder of the title himself – after all, and it still showed in his demeanor at times. “The injured will be sent back to Fort Abernal to rest and recuperate in safety once their condition stabilizes enough to make transportation possible, while the bulk of the army will garrison Arh-Getlam and convert it into a base for our perusal.”
Alissa nodded silently while she took a sip from her own tea. The tea was a good one, with strong bitterness cut by some fruitiness and a generous amount of honey mixed in, and a thoroughly refreshing fragrance to boot. That said, Alissa remained somewhat guarded, as Nadine had reminded her long ago that informal meetings such as these tended to be what nobles do when they were looking for favors from others.
It was not like she enjoyed guarding against the old knight, but better to be safe than sorry.
“I see that you are rather guarded. That is a good habit to have indeed. Safe to say, when anyone with even a modicum of power and authority in this Kingdom invites you to an informal meeting, it is usually because they have something in mind other than socializing,” stated Sir DelVillar openly with a smile, as if he read through Alissa’s thoughts. “That said, my intention for inviting your party today is for something else entirely.”
“This victory is one that the Kingdom will appreciate, sure, but in the greater picture it is nowhere near as important nor as impactful as the victory at Fort Silvia. Arh-Getlam is an inconvenience when the demons hold it, and a convenience now that we have taken it over, but little more. It is by no means a strategic juncture or part of a crucial route,” explained the old knight. “That said, while the Kingdom itself might not value this victory as much, it is a different case for those of us who were born and raised here.”
“You mean…” Nadine muttered from behind, as she was seated close enough to have heard the conversation. The Temple Guards were seated further away as they kept themselves away from politics other than where the Temple involved itself, so they probably hadn’t paid as much attention to Alissa’s talk with the old knight.
“Yes, Your Highness,” said Sir DelVillar with a nod to Nadine, who was after all still the Fifth Princess of the Kingdom. The old knight then stood up from his seat, straightened his shirt, then bowed deeply from the waist towards Alissa and the rest of her party. “I hereby represent my fellows who were born and raised here in Arh-Getlam, before it fell into demon hands in the previous war, to offer our most sincere gratitude to the [Hero] and her party for having lent us a helping hand while we reclaim our home.”
“Should the [Hero] ever have need of our help in the future, you need but call for us, and we shall be there, so long as we still linger in this mortal coil, no matter what you need us for, this we swear,” added the old knight as he intoned what was obviously an oath. “A helping hand in the time of need shall be repaid in kind, else we shall forever be known as craven oathbreakers and worthless curs.”
“That’s a serious oath and they mean it,” whispered Nadine with a grave tone from behind Alissa. “Knowing how they are, I think even if you ask them to kill off my father, they’ll happily do it to repay the favor, even if it means laying down their lives in the process. Ah, mind you, I used my royal father as an example as he’s never been exactly popular with them either.”
“It’s that serious?” whispered Alissa back with some incredulity in her voice. “But we only helped them because we happened to be sent to Fort Abernal, no?”
“You forgot that Sir DelVillar asked for volunteers to join the assault team, and we went along with them. They’d likely still succeed without us, but it would have likely cost them many more people in the process,” replied Nadine quietly. “We didn’t have to do that. We chose to help them, and that pretty much counts as a favor for knights like him. A helping hand in the time of need, if you prefer his phrasing.”
“As such, he’s practically honor-bound to return the favor, hence the oath. This is different than back in Fort Silvia. Back there, we were still subordinated to Sir Marsten, and joined the fight as ordered. We’ve gained a good bit more leeway and autonomy here, and it was our choice whether to join a fight or not. That’s what makes all the difference, in their eyes. I know it might be a bit hard for someone from another world to digest, but that’s how things go with them.”
“I see,” noted Alissa with a slight nod. She then turned back to the still-bowing old knight and replied to him in equal solemnity. “I thank you for this boon, Sir DelVillar, and promise that I shall not misuse it, and that should I call upon it in the future, it shall be for something I truly believe to be worth doing with all my heart and soul.”
None of the others likely noticed that Alissa had worded it that she might call in the favor even in case Esperanza convinced her to side against Ephemera as a whole in the future. Something she did on purpose as she had no true attachments to the Kingdom, and also partly to hedge her bets and to prepare herself for every possible scenario.
Other than that solemn moment, the informal meeting mostly proceeded on a happy note, with everyone enjoying their time chatting and nibbling on the good food, itself a rarity under wartime conditions, especially in the front lines like they were. Even the more ascetic-leaning members of the Temple Guards appreciated the chance to unwind and enjoy themselves, since they too knew that such chances would be rare in the days to come.
At first, the plan went smoothly. After a week of rest, the injured were sent back to Fort Abernal for further recuperation and treatment, while engineers were sent to Arh-Getlam to reinforce the defenses and turn the place into a more suitable frontline fortification. The demons never improved the base’s defenses in the decades they occupied it due to their predilection against the usage of fortifications, so it was rather outdated.
Alissa and the rest of her party stayed in Arh-Getlam and once again pitched in to help with the reconstruction and rebuilding as much as they could. If there was one common quality to the party, it was that most of them – Ormont being the exception – were the sort that felt uncomfortable when there was nothing to do and preferred to spend their time working.
The reconstruction proceeded rapidly, as the engineers for the task had already been present in Fort Abernal before the attack was even launched and swiftly made their way to Arh-Getlam after the victory. While the army rested, those engineers were hard at work as they surveyed the old town’s defenses and drew up plans on where things could be improved and where it was better to dismantle and rebuild.
As such, once the army finished their rest, the plans were already prepared and the first batch of construction material were already delivered from Fort Abernal, allowing them to begin with Arh-Getlam’s renovation immediately. The presence of the [Heroes]’ party and their participation in the construction work also boosted morale amongst the soldiers, as some considered such work to not be what they signed up for. With Alissa and the rest of her party setting an example, however, complaints were kept to a minimum as everyone worked together.
Soon they learned that it was a good thing that they put the town’s reconstruction going so quickly, as barely a week into the reconstruction, they received urgent reports from their scouts that a demon army was already marching towards Arh-Getlam from the south-west. The scouts reported that the demons had roughly as many troops as Arh-Getlam possessed in garrison, but with the reconstruction ongoing, the town’s defenses were compromised and rendered useless in many places.
As such, Sir DelVillar made the decision to march the army out to intercept the demons before they could reach Arh-Getlam, in order to buy time for the engineers and construction crew that remained in town to finish up as much of the defenses as they could. Should the army manage to beat the demons back, then all was good, but even in case they failed, they should have bought enough time for some makeshift defenses to be set up where there were gaps, so they could return to Arh-Getlam and fight the demons from there instead.
Alissa and the other members of her party were naturally included in the army that sortied out to meet the demons. At the time, they had thought it would just be another typical battle, though there were many questions being asked amongst the commanders as to the origins of the unexpected demon army. They received no reports of a demon army in such close proximity so as to be able to reach them at that point of time, when they set out to attack Arh-Getlam.
It was only later that they learned of the nature of the demon army they faced, which would also mark the first time Alissa’s party fought head-on against yet another of the Demon [Grand Champions], if rather unexpectedly.
Avitue
If you enjoy this story, please consider leaving a rating or review to help it gain more exposure, thank you! Or help support the author by leaving a tip!
Read ahead on my Patreon! For 5$ a month patrons will gain early access of a week's worth of chapters ahead (3 chapters), or for 10$ a month, gain early access to ALL the available Advance Chapters! (as of the moment of this writing: 25 Chapters ahead.)
Or you can subscribe to all my stories and get a discount on the price!
Join the Discord for silly stuff and chat with us!
