Jens : "Roswaal! You fucking clown! Don't tell me..."
Jens stood up and pointed towards Roswaal with his fists. Angry, screaming those words and ignoring everything else in the room.
Emilia : "Calm down Jens, Roswaal-sama, what is going on?"
Roswaal : "You stupid kids, you don't realize that this was part of the trials, do you?"
Ram : "Trials?!"
Beatrice : "Roswaal? Don't tell me this was part of your plan, I suppose. In fact, don't tell me that you hired Raven and that man?"
??? : "Who are all these guys? R~ooswaal? Why am I here?"
The young man with the trembling questioning voice has gray hair that is mentioned to be as long as a gal game protagonist. He wears a green outfit with unique patterns and dark blue eyes.
Roswaal : "Everyone... this is Otto Suwen! He is said to be somewhat handsome if he has a serious expression. However, he is usually either retorting, shouting, or panicking, ruining his looks. He has a medium build, but has trained himself since he used to work as a merchant."
Otto : "Roswaaal! Tha~aat is not nice to say at all!"
??? : "Rosi! Why am I here?"
Roswaal : "Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha."
Jens : "I'm done with this. What the fuck is going on?"
Roswaal : "Ah... Jens, Emilia, Nathan, Otto, you see, the actions of today was all because of me. However, It wasn't for nothing."
Beatrice : "Are you crazy? Why did you do that? How did you came in contact with Raven and Masquerade?"
Roswaal : "Hmm? You see, I never hired Raven. I would rather kill her than give her money to do this. I hired Lucius von Rosewald to do this."
Elis : "Who may that be?"
Roswaal : "Lucius? Ahh, that's a slave trader from the southern empire, the Volakia Empire. He was well known as a slave trader, also being a member of the Rosewald family which is a distant family of the Mathers family."
Nathan : "Roswaal... That wasn't fucking Lucius!"
Roswaal : "Hmm? You foolish little boy, what do you say?"
Nathan : "This... Masked man... He's the one that stole Melissa from me, he's the one that killed his own team mate, but I'm not sure how I remember all of that, but I know it. Me and Melissa Lestrange got attacked by some people and he... turned out to be someone else than we thought."
Roswaal : "What? But that's impossible, when--"
Emilia : "He's speaking the truth. He's also the one that killed Uta Pallas, our contractor of the Royal Election and our Head Internal Affairs Official."
Roswaal : "M... My My... My apologies you all, I didn't know any of this..."
Rem : "Roswaal-sama... I know you are our master, but these actions are..."
Nathan : "You fucking moron! What were you thinking?"
Jens : "I... I can't believe this... All the shit I went through... All you say is a sorry?"
Roswaal : "You don't get it... Nobody died and you trained. Also, I assume you already unlocked your Semblance?"
Jens : "My... My Semblance?"
Roswaal : "You stupid little idiot. You have the Shadow Reality Semblance, it's a rare one. I remember reading about it when I was younger. It's the only Semblance that passes down to random hosts."
??? : "Rosi?"
Nathan : "Roswaal, who is this little girl?"
Meili : "My name is Meili Portroute! But I'm not sure why I'm here, I remember getting possessed and running into the forest, after that... everything became black."
Elis : "You... You threw a rock at me!"
Meili : "Ahh! I'm so sorry! I... couldn't do..."
Nathan : "That means that Masquerade has ties with Elsa Granhiert and her organization..."
Elis : "Is Elsa the Blood Hunter? The woman we just saw? How could she be able to control the Guiltylowe? That thing is one of the most powerful Demon Beasts!"
Roswaal : "Guys... stay with the main idea of this conversation."
Jens : "But Roswaal... Why the hell are we here? Why did you teleport us all to this place?"
Roswaal : "Not only to reveal my true intentions, but I also want to talk about the Royal Election which is coming and all your rules during the Ceremony and the Election."
Beatrice : "You psychopath. Talking this over like nothing happened."
Jens : "Well... let's be glad we're alive... I guess. But one more question, what does my Semblance do?"
Roswaal : "The Shadow Reality Semblance? It's the Semblance which allows someone to completely ignore the attack and absorb it into Aura, healing you completely."
Jens : "I see... Well, Roswaal-sama couldn't know about Masquerade I guess... I forgive him, Rosi, talk."
Roswaal : "Rosi, nice nickname. Well, most of you are familiar with everyone here, except Meili and Otto."
Otto : "I... I'm quite Nee~ervous... What's going on?"
Roswaal : "Otto Suwen. You are our new Head Internal Affairs Official. You will be our transport and will be the merchant to help us to get the most legendary artifacts in our reach."
Otto : "I see..."
Meili : "Rosi, what about me?"
Roswaal : "Well... You're a new member for our Camp."
Meili : "Awesome!"
Roswaal : "Now... The ceremony..."
Everyone looked at Roswaal who was sitting at the far end of the table.
Roswaal : "Emilia, you are the one that will be having the speech. Pack, you know your role. Jens, you are from now on... Emilia's official Knight."
Hearing this, Jens' body started to feel warmth. He was incredibly happy and was filled with joy and happiness. Being the one and only Knight that will protect Emilia.
Roswaal : "Beatrice, you'll be the guardian of the mansion. Ram and Rem, you are still maids but from now on I'll send you also on quests for the Election. Otto Suwen, the Head Internal Affairs Official. Nathan, you're the bodyguard of both me, Emilia and Jens. Meili, you'll participate in most of the quests. Is this clear?"
Nathan : "I... guess it's clear, but what about Elis?"
Elis : "Ah sorry sorry, I even forgot to ask my own role!"
Roswaal : "Ah of course, Elis... as our families have a good connection and I don't want you to get hurt, you will not join the Emilia Camp but you're allowed to help us as far as you want to go."
Elis : "Got it! I'll do anything within my powers."
Roswaal : "Then I guess it's done. Everyone... please go to your own room."
While saying that with a huge smile on his face, everyone got teleported to their own room. Jens was back at his big room. Lying in his bed, he opens his eyes and stands up. He immediately noticed that there were two other beds in his room. Both were green and Jens' was blue.
On one bed was Otto Suwen, and on the other was Nathan.
Otto : "Awh! Ahh... I guess the conversation is done?"
Nathan : "That son of a bitch! He almost killed us all."
Jens : "I guess so... Otto, was it? How do you know Roswaal?"
Otto : "Ah... Jens. I'm a merchant, from the Suwen family which residents at the City Picoutatte. Well, my family and the Mathers had some business."
Jens : "Ah I see."
Nathan : "Only a few days off. The Ceremony will start and I'll look up that Noble baster Reinhard and ask where Felt is..."
Otto : "Reinhard? Reinhard van Astrea?"
Jens : "You know him?"
Otto : "Ah yes. I saw him with Felt in the capital."
Nathan : "What?"
Nathan stood up and jumped on Otto's bed where he was sitting. Jens stood up and walked towards Otto's bed and sat down.
Otto : "Nathan-san! Please calm."
Jens : "What does even San and Sama mean? It sounds weirdish?"
Nathan : "Hmm? You... don't know what that means? You truly are silly. San means mister in a friendly way. Sama shows respect towards someone with a higher status above you."
Jens : "Sama..."
Suddenly--
Jens : "Blagh!"
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Jens' vision starts to become darker and darker until he finds himself in a chair. He was tied up with a rope at the chair. This wasn't the reality, but it really did feel real. He was somewhere in a grasslands. The surroundings were beautiful but it was dark, Jens couldn't look that far.
Jens : "Where am I?"
Jens' head is dizzy. Everything looks weird but he can still see and understand what he sees. It isn't a dream. It's a vision. A vision of the past, or perhaps the future. However, the dizzy feeling is unique. Jens doesn't understand it. He doesn't understand the fact that he just got drugged by someone.
??? : "Hmph... Hahahaha..."
Suddenly, Jens hears a mature voice behind him. A man with beautiful red hair walks towards his vision and stares at him.
??? : "Hopeless kid. You fucking rat. Thinking about disobeying me is a true sin. Working against our plan is also a sin. You are a true waste of life."
It was a young man, dressed chique with blood red eyes and beautiful blood red eyes. His appearance and the light in his eyes give one an overpowering dreadful feeling. He's handsome and also has a sword sheet on his clothes.
??? : "Jens... Why don't you talk? Are you already hopeless?"
Jens : "A...Aahh.."
For some reason, Jens couldn't talk. It didn't matter how hard he tried, it just didn't come out of his mouth. The words were deep inside of Jens and they stayed there.
??? : "I guess it was a bad choice to accept you here. I had to listen to Regulus after all."
Jens : "Re... Re... Regu..."
??? : "I guess my friend from Gusteko already dealt with your mind. Your memories will be gone real soon. A broken mind means most of the times to surrender. You're an idiot! I hate you! Die! Die! Die! Die!"
While screaming that, the man grabbed his sword and started to swung with his sword and cut him open. The chairs falls and Jens looks at the starry sky.
Jens : "It's... beautiful..."
Jens knew that it was all fake. But it feels so realistic. The burning feeling of being cut open truly hurt. Jens kept looking at the beautiful sky. Until...
Jens : "I see... Does anyone hear me?"
??? : "You're still alive?"
Jens : "Don't... kill me yet..."
??? : "What is it?"
Jens : "Why... is Masquerade... standing there?"
Jens didn't understand what was happening at all. Suddenly, while looking at the sky. Masquerade appeared. A clown. A clown was laughing while doing the peace sign with his hands.
??? (2) : "My my... he's still alive?"
??? : "JUST DIE! DIE YOU FUCKING SON OF THE DEVIL!"
That was the moment, the man sliced Jens' head of his head and Jens tragically lost his life. However, this wasn't real. Jens immediately woke up back in the Roswaal Mansion.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Jens : "AAWGHH!!"
Otto : "JENS-SAAN! Are you okay? Do you feel sick?"
Nathan : "What's wrong?!"
Jens : "I... I saw... Uhh..."
"This cannot be coincidence. This man... Masquerade is speaking the truth. He really is the one that erased my memories. It's not any kind of temporary memory loss... Masquerade did something to my brain... But that vision... I don't see any connection between Masquerade and Satella... I mean, he did say that I was chosen over him... What does this all mean--"
Otto : "Jens? Are you here?"
Otto removed his hat and placed it on the bed, as it was quite hot outside. Nathan was still looking at Jens nervously and---
Jens : "I... I think..."
Nathan : "Jens, what are you thinking about? What's wrong?"
Otto : "Should I get Beatrice or someone else?"
Nathan : "N--No..."
Jens : "I... I'm seeing things again."
Otto : "Seeing things? What kind of blessing is that?"
Jens : "It's not a blessing, nor a Divine Protection or a spell... I can see fragments... of my past."
Nathan : "BEATRICE! LIA! PACK!"
Suddenly, Beatrice, Pack and Emilia appeared at the door of the room. This was some kind of magic that alerts them of when something important happends.
Emilia : "Jens? Otto? Nathan? What's wrong?"
Pack yawned.
Pack : "Aahh... What's going on?"
Beatrice : "I was in the middle of my book... what kind of foolish and reckless summoning is this?"
Jens : "I... I can see the future... or the past... I just saw a fragment of me being drugged by Masquerade... I'm sure... yes... I'm sure Masquerade is the cause of my Amnesia."
Beatrice : "What fools these mortals be... Making jokes like that isn't---"
Pack : "Beatrice... He isn't joking, the Aura around Jens isn't changing at all!"
Beatrice : "Pack, this idiot is probably affiliated with Hector or even worse! I do not trust him. A true weakling."
Pack jumped on Beatrice's shoulder and looked angry at her.
Pack : "Him being affiliated with Hector would make no sense at all. It's false. He's the one he says he is."
Beatrice : "Pfff! I go back to the library, I suppose. In fact, I'm gonna finish my book. Don't you dare to summon me again because of this fool."
Jens : "What's... wrong with her?"
Beatrice : "You're better of dead, I suppose. I don't see anything good in having you here."
She swung her hand and she disappeared.
Emilia : "Oh my god Jens. Don't listen to Beatrice-sama... That's horrible! What did you see exactly?"
Jens sighed, he wiped the sweat away from his forehead with the sleeve of his clothes.
Jens : "I... Everything was dizzy. I was under some kind of drug. I was stuck in a chair and couldn't move at all. Suddenly, a man appeared in front of me which looked like a noble to me with red hair and red eyes. He was trying to kill me but I just didn't die, I just didn't bleed to death. He kicked the chair and while I was near dying, I saw Masquerade hanging above me laughing and showing this V sign with his hand."
Jens recreated the "peace" logo with his hand and everyone looked weird at Jens.
Emilia : "What does that sign mean?"
Otto : "Is it some kind of Glyph?"
Jens : "What? No! It means 'Peace', how can't you know that?"
Pack : "Let's talk about this later, we got three days for the Royal Election Ceremony to start. Everyone, please rest."
Otto : "Alright Pack."
Nathan : "Goodnight everyone."
Jens : "I'm... gonna get some fresh hair downstairs. I will be right back."
Jens stood up and walked towards the door of the room and immediately turned left. He then kept walking until he saw Elis talking to a small mirror.
Elis : "Ah yes of course!"
Jens walked towards Elis and---
Jens : "Yo Elis."
Elis : "Aah!!! Jens-saan! Don't scare me like that! Jeez!"
Jens : "What kind of thing is that?"
He pointed at the small mirror which Elis was holding.
Elis : "This is a meteor. It enables me to talk to someone without having to see them physically or being near them."
Jens : "Ah... I see--"
Elis : "Would you mind joining me? I want to go have a walk outside."
Jens : "S-Sure. I was also planning to go for a walk."
Elis : "Ah great!"
Elis put his mirror back in his pocket and walked down the stairs along with Jens. They then walked straight towards the entrance doors and opened the doors. Standing in the garden, they just walked towards a wooden bench where they sat down.
Elis : "Oy!"
Elis grabbed a pack of cigarettes out of his pants and opened it. Elis had one cigarette in his mouth and was recommending Jens one.
Jens : "Cigarettes?"
Elis : "Yes. Smoking is pretty normal in Kararagi. I didn't know that its weird here to you."
Jens : "It isn't. I just... Don't remember ever smoking a cigarette."
Elis : "Well, do you want one or not?"
Jens : "Hmm... No thank you."
Elis : "Alright then."
Elis lightened a cigarette with a torch near him and blew out all the smoke right in Jens' face.
Jens : "Tha... stinks!"
Elis : "It's really nice. I can calm down for a second while smoking."
Jens : "You've got a pretty big schedule, I suppose?"
Elis : "I mean. As the head of the Evergarden family, I'm supposed to do a ton of work. My work is going pretty well, so I hope it will turn out well."
Jens : "Ahh... Well, I think I'm going again."
Elis : "What? No please, I just lightened up this one. Please, stay."
Jens : "Hm... Okay then."
Elis : "So... Jens, you've had a tough day, I suppose?"
Jens : "Not only a tough day. My whole life so far is complicated as hell!"
Elis threw away his cigarette and the ash flew away to various directions.
Elis : "I see... Well, keep your head calm, everything is gonna be fine."
Jens : "Yea--"
??? : "Elis, can I talk to Jens for a second?"
Elis and Jens turn around and see Emilia with a sad face.
Elis : "Ah! Of course Emilia-sama."
Elis stood up and ran towards the mansion, entering and without looking back. Emilia sat down at the place where Elis was sitting and now--
Emilia : "I... I don't understand what love is just yet. I'm different from other people. I'm an half elf."
Jens : "I don't care about your race. I love you no matter what."
Emilia : "Jens... That's so nice of you... But---"
Jens : "Lia... please explain me, how are you so old?"
Emilia : "I... I don't understand how it happened. One day, Pack found me in the Elior Forest frozen in a crystal. The whole forest is crystallized and I was one of the people frozen in one of those crystals. Pack found me and took me to the Roswaal mansion... I was frozen for over one hundred years."
Jens : "You don't remember how you were frozen?"
Emilia : "Pack knows it. But it's against his contract. Mentioning it would make him disappear."
Jens : "Ah... I see, well... I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight Lia..."
Emilia : "Jens. I want to learn how to love you."
Jens immediately looked Emilia straight in her eyes, she was tearing up and playing with her own fingers.
Jens : "You... you do?"
Emilia : "I do... but I'm not sure how Love feels. But everyone make love sound like a blessing, a holy something... I lack love..."
Jens : "Emilia... There is nothing wrong with you. You make yourself sound like someone weird."
Emilia : "But I am... If you didn't help me recover my Insignia, you would've been safe without encountering any bad people like Raven or Elsa!"
Emilia looked at the white roses few meters away from them. Jens noticed the sorrow in her eyes and started thinking of something to make her feel better.
Jens : "You... You're the reason why I believe in myself. There is nothing in this world I would fight for except you. After all, you're the one I... I love."
Emilia : "Ah... I don't understand you! Why would you want to be with me!? I never did anything special to you!"
Suddenly, her sad voice changes to an angry one. Immediately noticing that she doesn't understand what love is, Jens backs off.
Jens : "That's what love is... Please don't be angry. You'll learn it one day and I'll be the one to protect you until then."
Emilia : "Ahh... Thank you... Jens."
He calms her down and the sorrow disappears.
Jens : "Everything is gonna be okay. I'll fight until I can't fight anymore, and even then I'll continue."
Emilia : "Jens... I'm not too sure what to say."
Jens : "Don't say anything. Let's look at the starry sky together. I'll tell you various tales about the stars."
Emilia : "Stories about stars? Jens, stars don't have names you silly! Hahahaha!"
Jens : "What? Of course they have names. Look--"
Jens points towards the sky while sitting on the bench. Jens points towards a bright star and--
Jens : "That's Regulus. He's the brightest star of the Leo constellation."
Emilia : "Ah! How interesting! How do you remember that?"
Jens : "I'm not sure. I remember someone telling me those stories."
Emilia : "Ah. It's great that I met you."
Jens : "I'm also happy that I met you."
As they sit on the bench. Jens keeps pointing towards the starry night sky and keeps telling various stories about those stars. Mentioning names like Sirius, the Pleiades, Shaula and the Mensa constellation.
In the meantime in the mansion---
It was a dark room where two persons were talking about something. It was a giant room. Probably few times bigger than Jens' room. The giant windows allowed them to see the entire garden.
Roswaal : "So..."
Elis : "What is it Roswaal?"
Roswaal was sitting at his red chair decorated with gold. He was sitting behind a wooden table and in front of him was Elis sitting in a chair.
Roswaal : "What do you want to drink? I've got your favorite, not sure if you want that."
Elis : "Sure."
Roswaal poured the glass full of red wine and handed it to Elis.
Elis : "Ah... Thank you very much. So what's the plan?
Roswaal : "Oh... Please don't think that I don't know what you're planning."
Elis : "Wah! I guess you figured it out after all huh... I thought my plan was great."
Roswaal : "It is great. However, don't you dare to fuck up the Ceremony. If you'll fail your job then, you won't be useful anymore to me."
Elis : "Ah... Of course. I guess you really unraveled the mystery huh... Guess I'm a bad player in this game after all..."
Roswaal : "I'm serious. Don't mess this up. I need to resurrect Echidna. Without her, my plan will only shatter into thousands pieces."
Elis : "Ah... Hahaha... HA!"
While drinking his red wine, he starts laughing. His smug eyes don't lose Roswaal from their sight.
Elis : "You idiot. Are you seriously thinking that I would fail my job?"
Roswaal : "I don't know as good as you know everything... Right,--"
Elis : "Don't even try to say it."
Elis puts his glass on table and stands up.
Elis : "I've to prepare for the Royal Election Ceremony. My job is clear. Roswaal Leonard Mathers, you really underestimate me. Thinking that you're sane? We're both very very crazy--"
Roswaal : "Please... tell me... what do you think about the boy, Jens."
Elis narrows his eyes slightly while looking at Roswaal and starts thinking deeply.
Elis : "If this continues, he'll regain his memories sooner than expected. He's strong willed. Actually thinking that everything will work out. Believing that there won't be a time to say goodbye. He'll meet his demise when it falls. I like him a lot."
The words Elis said were beyond sane. Elis showed his true self and calmly closed his eyes.
Elis : "Leonard, Elsa Granhiert is near... The Witch Cult is approaching... The Cloud will be in Lugnica very soon... I heard that Jens met members of the Warrior Organization from beyond the Great Waterfall... Personally, I don't really care. You see, you are the one that wants Jens. I don't need him. I want my own dream to be fulfilled. Of course, Jens plays a factor in that, but I will triumph what so ever."
Roswaal : "I regret saying your sanity is normal. You're insane."
Roswaal stands up and points his hand towards him. Elis slightly opens his eyes and starts smiling like a joker.
Elis : "You really are an idiot. Thinking that you'll actually succeed in reviving Echidna. It's against the Od Laguna. What if Hector shows up again? You want to die again?"
Roswaal : "Hector and the Od Laguna have nothing to do with my plan. Everything is going so far flawlessly."
Elis : "My My... Some people will never learn."
Elis walks towards the wooden door of Roswaal's personal room. He was about to open the door until--
Roswaal : "Don't do anything stupid. I won't be able to be at the Ceremony."
Elis : "Shut up already. I know what to do. I won't do anything that would ruin your plan. Now, goodnight!"
Elis turns around and smiles at Roswaal before he leaves the room.
Roswaal looks sad at the moon while noticing Jens and Emilia outside in his eyesight. He noticed how Jens made Emilia laugh the whole time and starts thinking of the past.
Roswaal : "Echidna... Even if you don't hear me... Please, know that I will save you no matter the cost."
The End of Arc 2 - "Week of Pain"