"Ehem!" Count Azifirat entered the tent and looked at Gerrod's naked upper half, "We have pressing matters to attend to, so if you will."
Gerrod felt a hint of shame but at the same time he didn't. After all he now knew that Avizasi is just a year younger than him and so didn't care as much.
He stood up. Luckily his lower half was still clothed.
He reached for the other half of his butler outfit on the nightstand and quickly put it on.
For him, after all this time the outfit had become like a second set of skin. He wore it none stop for nearly a month after all.
Avizasi gave Gerrod the rundown as they left the tent.
In essence, Maali had become aggressive. They were moving troops up to the border of Shokan by the northern pass some two days ride from Nazland.
The south from the capital to the port had been subjugated. Baron Gascomer Jr was beheaded by her personally.
Baron Laffite and Baron Junkir who have territories right beside each other are still desperately resisting by putting up a united front but their supply routes are blockaded and soon their people will either starve or revolt.
The Tenli lords are being summoned to the capital for the declaration of loyalty and official declaration of subjugation.
Also, a great fire has appeared in the far north past Maali and at the edge of the small Sarif peninsula.
News arrived from Shokans external affairs department via Medallion that around two months ago a great Aura Master was born in Willowsigh Kingdom, surrounded by patches of mountains they only have two territories but have been quickly expanding like wildfire.
Prince Kaldan, his aura is said to be like the sun. None can escape it's gaze.
Maali is preparing for war in the north with Willowsigh, so too is Daray so the pressure on Shokan has lessened greatly.
But Maali is still putting on some light pressure for the marriage contract between herself and Prince Jichem.
It also appears that Gerrod's legend had taken off with the Tenli lords and farming clans causing a popular nickname to start making it's rounds.
'The Undead Nightmare.' No one knows how it came to be. But in just a few days it spread across the kingdom.
Gerrod laughed when he heard it, 'Men, no matter the world are all the same putting labels on people at the first chance. I was once known as the Fist God because I dominated the underground since I was fifteen, and now I am known as undead and a nightmare because I survived an arrow?'
"It's not funny! Many Tenli lords want to swear their allegiance to both of us!" Avizasi said with a heavy sigh, "They say that they are in debt with both myself for saving their people, and with you, for saving their children, one even wholly refuses to swear fealty to me! That Count Locost has caused a massive headache because of it!"
Gerrod laughed some more, "Count Locost is a good man. He helped me send letters out and gave me the information and chance to save those children and get Tenli on our side. Let me talk to him."
Avizasi sighed, "You know, you don't at all seem like that violent monster from when we first met."
"Oh? What, am I a gentle monster now?" Gerrod snickered with a laugh.
Avizasi laughed a bit too but turned slightly serious at the thought of that day near Morgam Ravine, "Compared to what you were then ...gentle is a good word for it."
Gerrod wanted to counter but when he saw her trembling and trying so hard to hide it he decided to say nothing.
The two arrived down Nazland and at a long caravan of carriages. There Redhead, Blackhair, Shakylegs, and Weirdiris stood patiently waiting.
They each had different expressions. Some were embarrassed when they looked at the two like Redhead.
Some were intrigued like Weirdiris.
Somewhere confused like Shakylegs.
Some looked like a know it all, like Blackhair.
Gerrod smiled and approached them.
"Master.. are... are you.. ACK!" Redhead got a chop right down the middle of his head, "Why only me?!"
"You're the big brother." Gerrod shrugged, "Where is Servi anyway?"
"Tsss... he's up in Linshir, he got swamped by work and trade deals with Pollux and the Ler Clan." Redhead rubbed his head doubtfully, 'I'm going to grow an extra head with how many boils I get from him at this rate..!'
"Savior!!" Suddenly, Redhead felt death over his head.
WHACK!
"That's for not judging your situation properly." Gerrod looked over at Servi who had healed considerably well. He was riding down.
"What? What didn't I-"
WHACK!
"Next time, don't speak of something you aren't certain about. A great man's words bear heavyweight because others know everything he says has been filtered through an equally great mind." Gerrod rubbed his hand, 'His head keeps getting thicker.'
"Savior! Please don't hit big brother!" Servi dismounted and looked up at Gerrod with puppy dog eyes.
Blackhair almost burst out laughing right then and there. He held his nose and mouth closed causing his eyes to go red.
"Second brother! Are you okay?!" Servi noticed and instantly rushed over to see him.
Weirdiris held his hand on his hips and looked at the ground with a laugh threatening to burst through his smile.
Shakylegs looked past Blackhair focusing on a particularly interesting branch. While Shakylegs had many expressions, when it came to humor, his face never betrayed him, but his eyes did. He looked like if they could speak they'd be bawling laughing at that very moment.
"Brothers...?" Servi noticed something with wrong and came to them.
Gerrod saw their faces cramp up and couldn't help but smile.
His shoulders started shaking slightly. Avizasi's eyes went wide behind him. Redhead noticed something too.
"Brothers? What's wrong? Do you need help? I can get you help!" Servi turned around and looked up at Gerrod with puppy dog eyes, "C-can... can you help my big brothers... p-please..."
Gerrod looked at them for a moment with eyes so stoic you'd think he was a statue. And then, like a flower in full bloom he grew a thick smile on his face.
"Keh... keh... ha...ahahahahahaha!!! HAHAHA!!!" He threw his head back and began belching the most boisterous. Loudest. Most infectious laugh any of them had ever heard.
"Oh no! Savior is hurt too?!" Servi looked like he was about to cry.
The four couldn't take it anymore and broke into a chorus of hearty laughter.
Weirdiris had to take a knee he was laughing so hard.
Shakylegs turned around and held onto the carriage for support, he felt like his vocal cords were going to wear out.
Redhead who was already on the ground started bawling laughing and hitting the ground as he howled.
Blackhair laughed so hard he folded himself and had to take sit down before he fell down.
Avizasi and Count Azifirat watched all of this happen with stunned amazement.
'Is this the same person?' Count Azifirat though suspiciously as he looked at Gerrod, 'Could he have been switched out? That monster that shocked elite troops and with his gaze alone turned the Princess stiff in her tracks?'
Avizasi however, was shocked for a completely different reason, 'How can someone look so handsome while laughing? Wait- handsome? No. No. No. Absolutely not. He is the monster man with a heart only a monster could love... maybe...?'
"Highness, lords. The carriages are ready." An older woman appeared in a pristine maid outfit.
"Ah!" Avizasi shook her head strongly and nodded, "Thank you, Angelica. Everyone, let's get going!"
Gerrod laughed a little more before going completely emotionless once more. At least on the outside.
WHACK! WHACK! "Ah no-!" WHACK WHACK!
Redhead, Blackhair, Weirdiris and Shakylegs who were still laughing each got whacked.
They stood up shakily. Except for Redhead who was ready for the whacking and only teetered a little.
"Who might these rascals be?" Avizasi asked curiously eyeing the four who were now hanging their heads with barely concealed smiles while eyeing each other.
"They're my big brothers! This ones Redhead! He's strong and smart! This ones Weirdiris he's smart and curious! This ones Shakylegs! His legs might shake a lot but he's really brave! And this is Blackhair, he's cold but kind inside!" Sevri's childish voice cut in happily giving away all of his older brother's secrets innocently.
None of the four could say anything because of how accurate it was and instead just got embarrassed completely.
"Muffins..." She looked at them with a half-smile, "What about Gerrod? What do you think of him?"
Servi paused and looked up at Gerrod. His little eyes looked like they were swirling with all kinds of thoughts.
"Savior is very cruel. Very cold. But. But. it's different! He's only cruel and cold to bad people! He's actually very lov-!" Servi had some trouble but soon started smiling as his little eyes stopped spinning.
"That's enough of that." Gerrod covered his mouth and picked him up, "You came to see us off, right?"
Servi shook his head. But then nodded. Then tilted his head cutely, "Both!"
"Both? Both of what?" Gerrod's eyebrow scrunched up and his head titled very slightly.
"I came to see you off! But also didn't! Let Servi down!" Servi tapped on Gerrod's shoulder until he let him down.
"What do you want to do?" Gerrod's eyes only got cloudier he couldn't understand what Servi, whose at the height of his hip and half his age could want to do.
Servi smiled from ear to ear. The kind of smile only a child could show.
"Servi Linshir! That's me! I swear uhm... I swear um, loyalty! I swear loyalty to Gerrod T. Dradir! I will always be here for savior!" Servi smiled grandly with shining eyes, "Servi won't ever abandon you!"
Gerrod's eyes widened. His chest felt heavy. His eyes felt wet. A kind of feeling that one could only get from the words of an innocent child.
He engaged his aura and suddenly everyone was looking at a nightmarish shadow with pure red eyes and teeth of sharpened steel.
All except for little Servi who was smiling even more.
Gerrod took a knee dropping to eye level with Servi.
He stopped smiling and touched Gerrod's face to everyone anxiety, "Why are you cr-"
Servi suddenly stopped talking. Gerrod whispered in his ear, "Servi Linshir. I will never abandon you either. So if you ever need me. Just call me. If you are ever so desperate that it feels like the world will crush you. Just call out my name with all your heart. I will come and crush the world for you."
Gerrod reached up to his necklace and a tiny burning star appeared in his palm. Though to everyone else it looked like a black mass of fire.
"What's that?" Servi wondered with wide eyes as he looked at the condensed remains of Nol's aura.
"It's a gift to keep you warm even in the worst of times. If you break it, I will know and come for you." Gerrod put it in his hand and stood up.
What little marks were left on his cheeks became nothing but smoke due to the embers of Nol's aura.
He disengaged his aura and looked around with a genuine smile, "Let's go then. Time waits for no one."