Don't forget to drop those power stones and add to your collection!
*
"The Treasury door actually opened...Impossible!", General Morgan exclaimed in shock. General Morgan, who always appeared calm and serious when he was with others, now had his mouth agape, gobsmacked.
Yet for Queen Alicia, she reacted very differently. Tears started to form in her eyes.
"You really are Aurora's child...", Queen Alicia spoke softly. After she did, she gave me a tight hug, letting her tears drop as she did.
"Don't tell me...Her Highness Aurora? But didn't she vanish from the castle a few years ago? We had presumed she was dead...", General Morgan responded still in shock.
Taking this time, Queen Alicia wiped her tears while I stayed silent. It was rare for her to break down like this, seeing another one of her family members still alive, especially after what had just happened to her son. I was basically akin to another son to her, despite being the child of her sister.
"We officially declared my sister to be dead in secret due to our lack of our information network. It took an intensive investigation behind the scenes by Colonel Bright, but by the time his investigation was done, General Osborne was already on his way here with young Naoto here. I feel a lack in competence as a ruler to protect what is dear to me.", Queen Alicia said, consoling herself while wiping her tears away.
Hearing that, General Morgan frowned.
"Liberl has long entered a period of peace. With its past rulers, our Intelligence Division became a thing of the past. You are not at fault Your Majesty. If there is anyone to blame, it is my own incompetence for letting someone slip past the Royal Army. You just need to say the word, and I'll establish the Intelligence Division once more.", General Morgan said with a suggestion.
Yet this time, Queen Alicia shook her head.
"A big structural change in our government cannot be changed with mere words overnight, General Morgan. You will continue to do your duty as you always have. I apologize for getting emotional there for a brief moment.", Queen Alicia responded to General Morgan. She then continued to ask him a question seeing the door to the Treasury wide open now.
"Do you still require additional proof of Naoto here, General Morgan? He is without a doubt, the son to Aurora von Auslese. My dearest little sister.", Queen Alicia said with a firm tone, which brought a smile to my face. It was always refreshing to see such a high ranking soldier getting berated like that by the Queen.
Enough to the point where his previous stupor was quickly shaken away with a quick shake of his head. Surprisingly I actually saw General Morgan kneel down onto one of his knees with a bow, and issued an apology.
"No I do not, Your Majesty. Please forgive my earlier impudence, Your Highness. It is of great pleasure to see a member of Her Majesty's family still alive and well.", General Morgan said, greeting me with a bow. Seeing this, Queen Alicia placed me back on the ground, allowing me to walk up to him.
"You needn't do this, Mister Morgan. If anyone is still trying to grasp a hold of this situation, it would ought to be me. Father rarely spoke of mother, if at all even. I had no idea I was related to this place up to a short while ago.", I said explaining
Hearing that, Queen Alicia frowned this time.
"It sounds like General Osborne is trying to keep this under wraps. While that is good to hear, at the same time, it pains me to hear this.", Queen Alicia said while frowning. She then approached me, only to rub me on the head.
"Father didn't even mention Mother's name to me. You said it was Miss Aurora right?", I decide d to ask Queen Alicia. She nodded with a smile.
"Yes. Your mother Aurora was a very kind and gentle woman, Naoto. She did not dive into governmental affairs as much as I did, but she still helped out our townspeople in any way she could. But in the end, it was I who succeeded the throne. It hadn't been long for ,my son Judis to inherit it either, but alas, I had to reinstate my position. But knowing the outcome now, it brings me great to joy to see my sister's life had not gone to waste, even if it was meant getting together with your father.", (A/N It can't be Trails without a dead mother now can it? xD)
"According to Father, it seemed Mother couldn't survive giving birth to me. But that doesn't mean I'm alone either. I'm enjoying the family I'm currently spending with.", I responded with a smile, trying to console Queen Alicia. In turn, she smiled back at me.
"Is that so? General Osborne is a very stern man, but you will do well to be raised under him. I will not drag you away from your current life, Naoto, you have my promise as Queen. Our line is far from over. Currently, I will eventually pass the throne to my granddaughter. Should you want to be part of this, you only need to say the word. For now, we will not reveal your status to Liberl."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I currently do not wish to part with my current family either. It seems Father is trying to conceal my background as well."
"Good. This goes for you as well, General Morgan. I will separately address this with Colonel Bright.", Queen Alicia stated.
"I will take this secret to my grave, Your Majesty. I will make sure His Highness's status does not get leaked. I do have one question though, Your Majesty is hosting a banquet tonight before we send off the Crown Prince tomorrow right?"
"Hmm, that is true. I invited many influential figures to attend tonight's banquet should they arrive tonight.", Queen Alicia. I then saw her look at me. "I apologize beforehand, Naoto, but may I ask you to sit with your father during the banquet? Doing this will ease suspicion.", Queen Alicia asked of me.
"I was planning on doing that from the beginning, as if this didn't happen. But may I request one favor from you, Your Majesty?", I asked.
"What is it, Naoto?"
"...May I call you Grandmother during times where we are completely alone like this?", I decided to ask. Hearing this brought a big smile to her face.
"Of course you can. Your are my little sister's child. It is more appropriate to call you my nephew, but due to this large age gap, I don't mind you calling me Grandmother. My Granddaughter is already starting to call me so as well."
"Thank you, Grandmother.", I smiled back at her. As for General Morgan, an anger mark appeared on his forehead for a brief moment, but it vanished shortly after. I still caught sight of it though.
However, this peaceful moment became interrupted. Coming from the back, we heard a woman's voice speak out to us, immediately causing our attention to shift to them.
"Now this was an outcome I had not anticipated. What's more, is this THAT War God I see, bowing a at a mere child?", A firm female voice said, reaching our ears. This caused us to look toward the entrance to the Treasury. We soon saw two figures approach us, not too fast. Once they came into view, they appeared to be two nuns.
Except they weren't wearing your typical nun habit. It was almost as if she was dressed more to be an adventurer instead. She was currently wearing a long black-sleeve top with studded leather armor beneath it. Beneath that was your typical skirt nuns wore which flew down in front of her. Except this skirt was different, it revealed her legs, to which she was wearing black leggings.
"Teacher Ein, this definitely seems to be the spot the old master mentioned. And you've come here before? It seems our worry was for naught. This outcome was indeed unexpected, as you said.", The second voice said, which also seemed to belong to a girl, who appeared a few years younger than the first woman. But they both appeared exceptionally young regardless.
"If it wasn't for the fact it was you who just entered, missy, I would have already cleaved your head off for trespassing in Her Majesty's Treasury.", General Morgan retorted with a threat, to which the first nun seemed to brush off.
"Now that's no way to address a proper lady of the Septian Church, even if it is coming from the War God himself.", The first nun said nonchalantly. "Still, this might be a blessing in disguise. We were unsure whether or not Liberl's princess would be able to uphold our sacred Sacrament, but it truly appears the old master's worry was for naught."
"So you two truly do belong to the Septian Church. I had sent them a notice as to what happened, did they personally dispatch some clergymen to check up on it?", Queen Alicia asked the two nuns that appeared. As for me, I kept silent as I observed the two. Inwardly, I was totally not expecting to meet these two this earlier. It was indeed shocking!
"It is as Your Majesty says. Unfortunately the old master is feeling unwell at the moment, so he dispatched me in their place.", The first nun said, responding with a smile. She then bowed at Queen Alicia, in which the second nun beside her followed.
"It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Liberl's current monarch, Queen Alicia the Second. We were tasked to see if the Artifact buried beneath Liberl would be at risk due to the Crown Prince's passing. I am a Trainee to succeed the head of Gralsritter, the First Dominion. You may call me Ein Selnate.", Ein said, introducing herself with a bow.
"And I am Rufina Argent, a Gralsritter Knight to Teacher Ein. I was tasked to protect Teacher Ein should anything pop up on our journey.", The second nun said, introducing herself as Rufina Argent.
I wanted to suck in a cold breath seeing these two nuns appear before us in the Treasury. It did make sense for them to send in some clergymen to check up on the status of the Shining Ring. But to think they would send in these two, even though they were much younger than their counterparts in the games...
The first nun was Ein Selnate. This girl in front of me would eventually become head of the Gralsritter, which were essentially church knights tasked with the retrieval of ancient Artifacts that were left behind by the Goddess Aidios herself. The Dominions had twelve seats in total while they could appoint as many knights and squires as they would like. Ein's powers were not well known as of yet, but one definitely shouldn't underestimate her.
As well as the nun next to her who introduced herself as Rufina Argent. She appeared as a kind and heartfelt young woman right now, but that would drastically change in the upcoming future.
A certain green onion-like haired priest would eventually become an adoptive sibling to Rufina, which would in turn cause a certain chain of events to take place. She wouldn't become as big as a baddie as my father would become, but she still ends up becoming one of the main antagonists in the sky saga. It was that Rufina Argent.
And now, both Ein Selnate and Rufina Argent were standing before us, who introduced themselves as part of the Septian Church. It seems they were tasked to check up on the Shining Ring, as it was one of the Sacraments the monarchy of Liberl shared with the Septian Church. With the Crown Prince's passing, it was definitely a time of uneasiness. I guess the Septian Church can respond to pretty quickly to these types of situations, can't they?
(PS. General Morgan is no longer bowing. His knees have had enough. Haha!)
*
Aurora's an OC based off an unnamed character related to Queen Alicia.
I don't really want to stop Rufina from turning crazy. Is that bad?
By the way, I'm currently playing Kuro with the translated spreadsheet!