Song recommendation: No Care (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZCZG5pwQGk&list=RDiTuYunp4a3Y&index=5)
Albaric had been searching the palace since discovering the infirmary abandoned. The meeting with the Emperor's court had dragged on longer than he expected. He was relieved when it ended. It was a full-court today. Even the grand wizard was there, looking as displeased as the Emperor's gaze would allow.
Even then, as soon as the interval arrived, the wizard had disappeared and not returned. Typical. Albaric played with the idea of leaving himself but his presence would inevitably be noticed. It didn't matter anyway.
This time the final decision had been made.
Albaric's first thought was to tell Ace and try to get a handle on the situation that had unravelled over the past few days. However, the room was empty, the windows flung open. He had checked the courtyard and even found signs of a scuffle but none of the knights apparently saw anything. How lax the palace's security had become.
If Ace had left, he would be on foot. He couldn't have gotten far. Albaric rushed back to grab his things before leaving the palace. He hadn't figured out what he ought to say yet so he used the time to think about it.
When he took Ace from Clover, he knew he would have his work cut out for him. At first, Albaric had assumed that Ace's quietness was just shyness, but he soon learned it hid a blunt and sometimes unpredictable young man.
Albaric could admit that the idea the wizard would solve his problems had appealed. After all, the role of teacher had been thrust on him unexpectedly. To tell the truth, It didn't suit his nature.
Now he regretted it. He should have guessed that the wizard wouldn't keep his promise. Albaric had hoped to bring the truth up gently when the time seemed right. For all the wizard's accomplishments, he always lacked tact. Always going straight for the knife.
Albaric sighed heavily as he arrived in his room. He was so flustered gathering his things, he almost didn't notice Ace's door cracked slightly open. He knew it hadn't been left that way as he had brought Ace's clothes to the infirmary the day before.
Albaric pushed the door open. Ace was sitting on his bed leaning back against the wall with a big tomb in hand to his surprise. He glanced up as Albaric entered with a blank expression. He didn't seem surprised as he met Albaric's eyes.
"I've been looking for you everywhere," Albaric sighed. He threw down his bag in annoyance and pinched the bridge of his nose. He took a moment to collect his thoughts. He seemed to reprimand himself as he turned back, repentant for what he had just done and took a deep inhale.
"It doesn't matter," he said half to himself, "I need to talk to you,"
Ace closed the book and placed it on the desk. He seemed completely composed in comparison to the night before. Albaric didn't know whether it was a good or a bad sign. He entered the room hesitantly, still expecting there might be some protest but there was none. Ace simply stared back at him without saying anything.
"Look, I wanted to say I'm really sorry for what happened. I didn't mean for you to find out like that," Albaric started.
"You would have had to tell me eventually. It's better I know," Ace replied in a low voice.
"So, you're not angry anymore?"
Ace didn't answer. There was a moment of silence. Albaric shifted uncomfortably and pressed on.
"Well, anyway. I want to make it up to you. I thought about it and I think the best thing to do is that we leave the capital. I can continue to train you and it will be like before,"
"Leave the capital and go where?" Ace returned, with less of a reaction than Albaric had expected.
"The North," Albaric replied airily.
"Why the North?" Ace seemed to mull over the words.
"Well, the Emperor made a formal request for me to go and check it out. Since I'm not actually a knight anymore, they have to hire me. It will just be another job. I'll have the contract tomorrow,"
"Go and check out what?" Ace asked in the same low and sceptical voice.
"Just...just you know, some temples have been raided..."
"By demons," Ace interrupted.
"Who told you that?" Albaric frowned, "It's supposed to be off-record. Who did you hear about it from?"
Ace didn't answer. He picked himself up from the bed and leant back on the desk. He skimmed a finger over the leather-bound book seemingly enthralled by its groves. Albaric waited for a moment then conceded.
"Well whatever," he sighed, feeling that his question wasn't going to be answered now, "But this has to stay between us. Yes, we're going to investigate a possible demon attack,"
Ace's eyes flickered up. They were an intense sable and his expression was strained. The suddenly serious glare took Albaric by surprise.
"Are they sending you to kill Lord Clover?" Ace asked point-blank.
Albaric's whole body stiffened. His lips flatten to a straight line.
"You think I would really bring you along if that was the case?!" he snapped, "I know I fucked up, but we just spent the last three months together. Is that really what you think of me? That's who you think I am?!"
Ace shrugged, "It's hard to say. They say you're a hero, but I don't know. You're strong but it's like you don't want to be. Every contract we took, you never killed anyone. You cut them down but made sure to never hit the vitals. You think I didn't notice but I did. At first, I thought you were just a coward, but that's not it. Everyone loves you. They have this pristine image of you but I think really you resent that. Maybe you just pretend to be nice to people because it's convenient. You get to do a half-assed job because you know they'll look the other way. I was the same, wasn't I? You said 'yes' because you're the sword Saint, not because you wanted to help me."
An incredulous laugh escaped Albaric's lips.
"What am I hearing right now?" Albaric shook his head, "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that to me. You're obviously still upset and..."
Ace cut in again, "You haven't answered my question. Are you going there to kill Lord Clover?"
"What if I was? What will you do?!" Albaric threw up his hands exasperated, " You know who I am. You know where you are, don't you? No one forced you to come with me. I get you're upset but stop acting like this is some conspiracy against you. It's not! We're not going up there to start another war. I'm through with that. We're just going to investigate. That's it! There's no master plan, Ace. All I've done is try to help you,"
"By lying to me?"
"By protecting you!" Albaric smothered his face in his hands, "You know what. You're right, Ace. I'm not perfect. I didn't want to train you. You're right about that. But, I knew, if you stayed with Clover, you would have been killed. I've seen it happen before. I knew it would happen again. So, I put on my big boy face and I said I would take you. I could tell from the start you were planning to go back to Clover. So, I let you think you were a demon because I wanted you to want to be here on your own."
"You didn't think that was something I could decide myself?"
"No offence, Ace. But you're still just a kid. When I was your age, I was already in the army. I had to do things that you can't even imagine. I don't know what experience you had before but you're too hot-headed. You don't think things through when it comes to the demons. Especially, when it comes to Clover. You're way too invested. I mean, how well can you really even know Clover? I get that you're grateful, but the truth is you guys weren't together that long. I just think you're too young to see things for what they really are,"
"Do you know what happened when the Demon Lord of the East was killed by Lord Clover?" Ace's fist trembled. He stared down at his own hand. His whole face grew pale and his eyes drilled into the shaking hand till it grew still.
"What are you talking about?" Albaric scoffed, taken back by the question.
Ace sniffed, "There was a power struggle. All the others were dead so I used the chance to escape. I wandered the desert alone. First, I was attacked by lower-beasts on the plain. Luckily, I was protected by this necklace," he played with the chain.
"But it doesn't work all the time, you know. Eventually, I was ambushed by a gang of lower demons. They had come from the East. They knew that Lord Sol had kept me and all the other...special children in a life of 'luxury' that they could only dream of. They wanted someone to punish, so they did.
I thought it was bad in the palace of cups, but at least then we could imagine freedom. Lower-demons don't usually have the restraint to keep their victims alive but for whatever reason they did. Maybe as some kind of perverse entertainment. Then they were given a title by the Demon King, made into real demons and It only got worse. I was trapped there for years.
I...the life I had there...it was worse than being dead. And then suddenly the Demon King was killed. Those demons that kept me like a dog for years went to challenge Lord Clover with the others. Until then, I thought it was just a rumour that some outsider Demon Lord had killed Terre Sol. Frankly, it seemed unbelievable. That was until I saw Lord Clover's power myself.
I watched them die and I wept tears of joy. For the first time in my life, I felt this sense of relief. Everything became so clear. All I had to do was be by that person's side and I would be happy. Nothing else mattered. Fuck the Demons. Fuck the demon world. I don't actually care about that,"
"What about becoming a Demon Lord?"
"I just wanted enough power to be useful. But then, master abandoned me here. So what should I do, Albaric? No one takes me seriously. Everyone keeps getting in my way. First master, the wizard, now you...You asked what I would do if you were going to kill the master. You think I wouldn't do anything because I'm too weak?"
"That's not what I meant..."
"I'm not as weak as everyone thinks,"
"Of course you're not," Albaric felt a swell of emotion but he held back and instead placed a hand on Ace's shoulder.
"Listen to me..." he began, "I understand now. I get it,"
"What do you get?" Ace shook his hand away, " You think you know me because we spent a few months together, but you don't. If you get in my way, I'll kill you. And it's obvious you don't have what it takes to kill anymore, so I might actually succeed,"