That is one of a surprise: these kinds of meetings are nothing formal and only take place between the guards of Slayer's faction, and yet, the King has come. Right on a day when Slayer has to search for information without him knowing, it's not the guard's lucky day.
- "Come sit next to me, I got you a chair !" says the king.
- "Your Majesty Arthur," Slayer answers, trying to hide his frustration. "It is nice to see you again."
- "It's true that it has been a long time! I sure hope you are taking great care of Mirai!"
To say that Slayer has made himself a serious and upright image of the king, now the latter is a lot more laid back and a less imposing than he should be, he lets himself go. The guard is exasperated to see his superior and sovereign behave in this way. But that's not the biggest problem.
Indeed, if the King can hear every conversation going on here, Slayer needs to be extra careful with his investigations. If Arthur understands what Slayer is trying to do, the guard's whole plan will collapse, not to mention Mirai who is probably at risk a lot more. However, there might be someone who can help.
- "And then I said to him "You shouldn't have pissed Green Science, my boy"! Ha! Nice one !"
A few chairs away, Winston is drinking, as usual, next to Shino, looking even more frustrated from the meeting than Slayer. Maybe these two can provide Slayer with what he's looking for.
- "You seem to be bored, Shino," says the knight, taking a chair next to the wizard.
- "Don't tell me about it," said the latter. "I would rather practice my fire spells than stay with his immense majesty, oh so extraordinary, who stinks of red wine and speaks of his thousand exploits which consist in remaining seated on a large chair."
- "It's not wine, it's rum!" launches Winston, who strangely still seems sober. "I might have had a drink, but I can tell the difference!"
- "You're supposed to use your scientific knowledge to protect your master, not to differentiate drinks," Shino says before sighing.
- "Stop being a killjoy and toast with us, instead!"
- "With you, you mean. I remind you that Slayer is not taking anything."
- "It's okay," says Slayer. "But, to be honest, I really do wonder how you can work out when drinking so often, Winston."
- "Even I don't know," the latter replies casually, but seeming to look away.
First disappointment for Slayer, Winston avoided his question. Shino may be able to shed some light on him, even though he doesn't use any weapons.
- "And you, Shino, is it not too annoying to use only fire?"
- "It is enough not to aim at the combustibles," answers the wizard. "But it is true that sometimes it is complicated."
- "And your master, has he seen you train before?"
- "Never. I don't take any risk."
Second disappointment. He couldn't find anything with Shino. But a new idea comes to Slayer: some guards have been in this faction for a shorter time than others, maybe they can enlighten Slayer.
The latter goes to a table where some guards are talking. Luckily, they talk about the different categories of weapons and how to use them. Eager to be able to bring this information back to Mirai, he hurries up, but barely has he greeted the other guards and put a hand on the chair, a voice calls out to him from afar.
- "Hey, Slayer! Come to my table for a chat!"
The voice belongs to the king, raising his glass to Slayer. The latter sighs: another opportunity escapes him, certainly the last he had left. All that remains is to listen to the king talk about his life, how he created this faction of guards, and all that for several hours.
Exasperated, Slayer sits down at the king's table, the king serving a glass of rum to the young guards sitting beside him.
And lo and behold, for half an hour, the exact scenario that Slayer predicted occurs: the king unwraps his exploits over and over and over and over again, stories he's already heard dozens of times and, for what is from Mirai, probably hundreds. The rest of the night is going to be boring if he doesn't change tables quickly.
- "Tell me, Slayer," asks the Sovereign, "has my daughter told you about her new hobby?"
- "Nothing like this comes to my mind," Slayer replies. "What are you talking about ?"
- "She wants to write her own book! She told me about it before this afternoon, she wants to write a book about the history of this faction! I can guess you inspired her!"
- "It is true that we've been going to the library a lot lately," Slayer says without paying much attention to the discussion. "She should follow her ambitions without listening to others."
- "Well said! I did well to hire you as Mirai's guard!" launches the king before taking a sip of rum again.
Looks like Mirai has found a perfect excuse to protect the anonymity of her real project. It must be said that, although she does not see her father often and does not always get along with him, she remains her father and trusts him. However, that same father is of no use to Slayer, torn between his admiration for Mirai and his exasperation at seeing his sovereign get drinks after drinks.
As the guard thinks his news gathering project doomed, he feels a hand rest on his left shoulder, at least the part of his armor that protects it.
Behind him is a young guard, who was sitting at the table that Slayer wanted to join a few minutes ago. This young guard seems slightly embarrassed.
- "Is there anything I can do to help you?" Slayer asks.
- "Oh, actually, me and my friends saw that you wanted to join us. And, if you don't mind, we would like to ask you some questions ..."
- "I'm okay with that," answers Slayer, getting up from his chair. "Take me to your table."
Slayer hides his relief: finally, he will be able to inquire in peace. He is also free from the alcoholic crown, and therefore from his usually fine ear, especially with regard to his daughter.
He sits down at the table of the young guards, all of them staring at him.
- "Would I be more popular than I think?" Slayer says, laughing.
- "Well, actually, we'd like to know how you got so much power," asks one of the guards. "After all, you were hired by the king himself."
- "Thank you for the compliment," Slayer answers. "I don't know what made the king notice me, to be honest, but I practice weapons every day. I never take my eyes off my master, except on such occasions."
The other guards now have their eyes full of admiration for Slayer, astonished at this reaction: this small talk is nothing too impressive, and yet it seems sufficient for his fellow faction mates. Maybe it's because he's been a part of it much longer than them.
In any case, a new door seems to be opening: these young men are still naive, no need to take too great precautions with them. It might even make Slayer suspicious.
- "And you," says Slayer, "how do you train? You must gain in strength to protect your masters!"
- "Oh, it's very simple," answers the guard wearing a green cape. "We found a small abandoned building in the neighboring village. Since nobody uses it, we allowed ourselves to arrange it, everyone has their place and their equipment."
- "I see," observes Slayer. "And where is it, so that I can come see you at work some day?"
- "Oh, no need to do us this honor!" throws the cloak guard, embarrassed.
- "I insist ! I have to see how my successors come out."
That little flattery is enough to embarrass the whole table, while Slayer is amazed at how much effect it is. While watching the young guards training might be fun, the real reason Slayer wants to do it is to spot other similar buildings nearby. If they are abandoned, no risk of being caught out there, so this is the perfect place.
- "Well," the caped guard replied, "if you want to, it's two blocks East from here."
The place doesn't seem far away, and if Slayer's memory is correct, few people walk around these streets. Just cover Mirai's face and be discreet, and voila.
This meeting serves Slayer far more than he thought when he first arrived. In the end, it didn't take long for him to gather the information he needed. It remains to be seen if he will find an abandoned building to train Mirai there.
After a few minutes of irrelevant conversation, time passes without anyone noticing, and Slayer decides to go back to his friends.
- "Sorry to cut our conversation short," he says, standing up. "I must admit that I had a lot of fun."
- "See you later !" throws the guards, still impressed by their elder.
Slayer sighs in relief. He finally has what he came for, so he can relax before leaving. His master is certainly waiting for him with a good book, maybe an adventure book, she who wants it so much.
As he sits down at Shino and Winston's table, he notices that the latter's glass has not moved: strangely enough, not a drop is missing since Slayer left.
- "Did you stop drinking so early?" asks the armored guard. "It's surprising."
- "Gh… shut up…" says Winston, hiding his eyes with his hands, even though his face is already covered with his usual gas mask.
- "Why is he so tense, Shino?" Slayer asks his wizard friend.
- "We bet ten coins he couldn't stop drinking."
- "You seem to care about your money, Winston."
- "Do not interrupt my concentration, I can hold out a little longer ..." says the scientist, restraining himself with all his might from giving in to temptation.
- "Well, you'll keep me posted," Slayer says, standing up. "I am going home."
- "Goodbye," Shino calls him, "and don't forget to say goodbye to the king."
It is true, as a good guard of the sovereign's daughter, he must be polite to him before leaving. So, he goes back to the crown's table, the latter seeming to get slightly bored.
- "Your Majesty," says the guard, "I am going home. It was a pleasure to chat with you."
- "Likewise. And hurry on the path," says the king, "I wouldn't want you to keep Mirai waiting."
- "I won't allow myself. Have a good evening."
About a meter further, there it is: Slayer walks through the door, he is finally released from this evening. Plus, he can bring good news to Mirai: they may have a place to train out of sight, but some equipment remains to be found.
If usually, he is discreet when he walks, he is too satisfied to pay attention to it today: he cannot wait to announce all this to his mistress, who must surely have been waiting for him for a while now.
He's so deep in thought that he arrives at the mansion in much less time than he thought he would take. Looking up, he can see light coming out of Mirai's bedroom window. It must be said that it is getting dark, and when the two young people are not together, she locks herself in her quarters to read.
This is one of the qualities Slayer admires in Mirai - it takes very little to satisfy her. She settles for nothing, all she needs is a book, tea and stories to tell to have a good day. But, lately, she dreams bigger, much bigger, and Slayer thinks hard, he sees no particular reason why Mirai would want to be a guard.
But that doesn't matter. Once she is, all their problems will be settled: Mirai will have proven her strength and willpower to the king, she will have the adventures she seeks, and Slayer can finally open up.
The guard enters the mansion, greeted by a servant who approaches him.
- "Good evening, Silver Slayer!" says the servant.
- "Good evening," Slayer answers.
- "Miss Mirai is in her room, if you are looking for her. But, you shouldn't go in right away."
- "Why is that ?"
- "Well, she's in a book again. You know her, she doesn't like to be pulled out of her story."
- "It's true. But, I should still join her."
Slayer walks up the stairs before entering the hallway that leads to the bedrooms, including Mirai's. She is easy to spot, as the door is lined with a colorful poster painted by her brother, already very gifted for his age. It seems that every part of the royal family has an artistic side.
Slayer spots the painting and knocks on the door, gently opening to a tired Mirai.
- "Oh, it's you," says Mirai. "I expected you to come back later."
- "Well, here I am," Slayer says happily. "Besides, I bring you some good news!"
- "Oh, come in, then."
Mirai lets Slayer in and closes the door behind him. They sit together at the small table in the corner of the room. The young girl looks at her guard without realizing the joy he cannot hide.
- "Wow, that looks like really good news," she says.
- "It is !" Slayer says. "I spoke with new guards in my faction, and although it seemed hopeless, I was able to get our information!"
Mirai's gaze is now also lit up.
- "For real ?"
- "Yes ! These guards told me that they are training in an abandoned building not far from the room where the guard meeting took place. We could go there and look for another building like this! It will suffice to cover you on the way!"
- "I love this idea!" says Mirai.
Without warning, the latter suddenly gets up from her chair and throws herself into the arms of Slayer, as happy as him.
- "I must have loose clothes in my closet," says Mirai, letting go of Slayer and walking towards it, "give me a moment!"
- "This is a bad idea, some people may recognize you if you have worn them before. We need new ones, or pieces often worn in the streets ..."
- "Hold on. There is an even more important detail."
- "What is it, mademoiselle?"
Mirai walks over to Slayer again, then, once up to him, rests her finger on her guard's breastplate, at heart level, looking very serious.
- "You," she says. "You are supposed to be either alone or with me. If people see you with a complete stranger, it'll look suspicious."
- "You are right. But, in this case, how do you keep yourself undercover?"
- "We have to go through the alleys with as few people as possible. I come back to my idea of loose clothing. I must have common clothes somewhere ..."
And there goes Mirai back into her closet, looking for the clothing that will hide her identity. While searching, she keeps talking to Slayer.
- "So, how are those parties with the guards ?"
- "Boring enough, most of the time, this is why I usually don't go to them."
- "I hope I will get invited to one of these parties, one day."
- "This would make them way less boring," throws Slayer while laughing.
Mirai gets a bunch of clothes out of her closet and leaves them on the bed, looking at them with Slayer. These clothes are simple, loose, commonly worn by local people : it is a perfect choice. The only thing left is to cover Mirai's face.
- "Mademoiselle, do you have any clothing with a hood ?" asks Slayer.
- "I think I have a light coat," replies Mirai.
- "That should do."
The two young people look at each other in the eyes. Their plan is progressing more and more, but they must watch out.
- "Let's go tomorrow at first hour," suggests Slayer. "I will show you the path."
- "I'm counting on you, Silver Slayer !" throws Mirai.
- "You can always, mademoiselle."
Meanwhile, a few blocks from here, in an old building whose floorboards creak and the wooden planks on the ceiling are cracked, two capped individuals, their faces covered in shadow by their hoods, are talking together...
- "You idiot ! Couldn't you be more discreet ?"
- "It's not my fault, mister I'm-always-complaining !"
- "It's not my fault either if you bugged in the middle of the party !"
- "What does "bugged" mean, again ?"
- "I swear, out of sight, you're only useful to my research."
- "Hey, slow down, fella, just because I'm paid to protect you doesn't mean I can't just walk away with the money!"
- "Well, in fact, you can't."
The last to speak, having a deeper voice than his companion, seizes the latter by the neck.
- "You may be forgetting the bit of magic that connects you to this body and that I can break at any moment."
- "How could I forget? Let me go now."
The one who was holding his comrade by the neck lets go of him, and turns towards the window covered with planks nonchalantly nailed to the wall.
- "Next time, follow him. We still don't know where this damn manor is."
- "Follow who?"
- "Who do you think, moron?"
The person watching the window turns back to his comrade.
- "I'm talking about Silver Slayer!"