Marieflorine Corasell
Despite being burdened with my presence, Sir Estoff remained true to his promise of keeping me safe. We found ourselves aboard the S.S. Maryjane, a luxurious private airship docked at the terminal typically used for descending from the flying continent known as Guardian's Haven. Here I sat, comfortably nestled in a VIP room reminiscent of a five-star hotel, while the relentless assault of cannonballs launched by soldiers, led by the relentless Rudolf Azregon, bombarded our refuge.
Fate had conspired against us when the siege by the new Pentagram Knight unfolded, leading Sir Estoff to make the crucial decision to escape with me in tow. It was imperative for my name to remain untarnished, as being caught in the raid would undoubtedly arouse suspicion of my involvement with Arcadia. Rudolf Azregon, an adversary skilled in exploiting every available advantage, had already succeeded in capturing Amphere Harrison, dealing a significant blow to our team. The extent of their knowledge concerning Arcadia hung ominously over our heads, a chilling uncertainty that filled us all with dread.
We had anticipated such a turn of events, but the swiftness with which it unfolded caught us off guard, leaving us grappling with the repercussions sooner than we had anticipated.
A sense of anticipation filled the air as three distinct knocks resounded on my door. Despite having recently teetered on the brink of death, I eagerly bounded across the wooden floor, my heart racing, hoping that Sir Estoff would be on the other side. His presence had always brought me a profound sense of calm, even in the face of countless enemies. Though I knew his heart belonged to Elumina, I couldn't help but yearn for someone equally valiant, someone I could one day marry.
Alas, it was not Sir Estoff who stood before me. Instead, it was Duke Dragunov, a fellow individual who had been caught up in this intricate web of chaos. My initial excitement faltered, and I returned to my bed, my disappointment etched on my face.
"I apologize if I am not the person you wished to see," Duke Dragunov chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood. "I am here to inform you that we are now in a place of complete safety. Estoff managed to elude our pursuers, and we have successfully escaped from the floating continent, finding ourselves now hovering above the ruins of Vanilla City."
A sigh of relief escaped my lips. "Thank goodness," I murmured, grateful for the reprieve from immediate danger.
However, the atmosphere quickly shifted as Duke Dragunov's demeanor turned ominous. He reached into the recesses of his sleeves, and my eyes widened in shock as he revealed a revolver. My heart pounded in my chest, and confusion swept over me. Why was he pointing a gun at me? Was the Duke now changing sides as well? Uncertainty gnawed at my core, leaving me utterly bewildered and fearful.
"The Arcadia has no need for you now, Duchess Marieflorine Corasell!" The duke's smile revealed a hint of genuine satisfaction. "With Amphere Harrison turning against us, there will be no one left to support the Dragonoid Rights Bill. The once cherished dream, penned by your parents, has now become nothing more than a wistful illusion."
Suppressing the welling tears, I summoned all my courage and attempted to engage in a valiant argument. "Estoff would never allow me to meet my demise!"
"Oh, Estoff, where is he now?" Duke Dragunov's smile widened, evoking the mischievous grin of a Cheshire cat. "He is preoccupied, diligently charting our course to ensure our evasion. You cannot summon your hero at this moment."
"But..." I could no longer hold back my tears.
There was nowhere to escape, no refuge to seek solace. Within the confines of this room, it was just the two of us, trapped in a cruel dance of fate. Slowly, deliberately, the duke advanced towards me, closing the gap with each measured step until the barrel of the gun was a mere two inches from my trembling forehead. I was immobilized, aware that any attempt to flee would be futile at such a dangerously close range.
"Ah, memories of the past resurface," he mused, his tone laced with a chilling nostalgia. "Your mother, too, had those brave yet glistening eyes when I aimed this very revolver at her chest."
An avalanche of emotions surged within me as I grappled with the weight of his revelations. Fear and vulnerability mingled with newfound determination and seething anger, conflicting forces warring within my heart. "Y-You took the lives of my parents..."
"Oh, indeed," he sneered. "I skillfully painted their deaths as mere accidents, but the truth is far more exhilarating. Your mother and father departed this world with a symphony of exquisite screams, a haunting melody that intertwined with the thunderous symphony of my glorious gun."
"You monstrous fiend!" I cried out, my voice quivering with a mix of rage and sorrow. "You are more despicable than even the most deranged general!"
"Well, perhaps we are cut from the same cloth," he remarked with an eerie calmness. "Now, it is time for your demise."
Just as the trigger ominously clicked, a resounding clang shattered the air! In the nick of time, the revolver was sent hurtling through the room, its bullet finding an unintended target in the window beside me. I barely managed to evade the projectile, my heart pounding with gratitude for the precious gift of continued life.
"What the-" the duke's voice faltered, his surprise mirroring my own.
Behind me, a magnificent spectacle unfolded—an array of golden fans, suspended in mid-air. These were no ordinary fans; they were the very same ones I wielded daily, versatile tools under my command. Controlled by the sheer power of my thoughts, they served as both adornments and guardians, ever ready to shield me when all else failed. Though they lacked the capability to unleash deadly laser beams like Amphere's Dynamos, these fans embodied my newfound ability—the manifestation of my Heightened Clearance.
"I never anticipated that the knowledge Amphere imparted to me would prove so invaluable," I murmured to myself, a mix of awe and determination lighting up my eyes. With an unwavering glare, I locked eyes with the duke. "Now, the time has come for me to exact my revenge!"
As if responding to my resolute command, the floating golden fans unveiled their hidden arsenal—razor-sharp blades gleaming at each corner. They surged forward, propelled by a surge of vengeful energy, aimed directly at the duke. He stood defenseless and ill-equipped to evade the deadly assault of my ethereal sentinels. Victory seemed imminent, a satisfying taste within reach. Or so I naively believed...
In a thunderous crash, the wall splintered, shattering my hopes and revealing an unforeseen adversary. A figure emerged—a woman with shimmering silver hair, adorned in an elegant purple princess's dress. She positioned herself protectively in front of the duke, a staunch guardian ready to defend him at any cost. It was none other than...
"Thank you, Emy," Duke Dragunov acknowledged, his voice laced with satisfaction. Seizing the opportunity, he swiftly retrieved the fallen revolver from the floor.
With the arrival of this silver-clad warrior, my chances of defeating them dwindled to nothingness. I hadn't yet mastered the precise control of my fans, leaving me powerless in this dire confrontation.
Emy's hands revealed an arsenal of four stalactite daggers on each palm, poised and ready for deadly strikes. With a swift motion, she launched them toward my position, their icy blades tearing through the fabric of my royal gown. I was left pinned against the wall, my heart racing with fear, yet relieved that I had escaped unscathed. However, I found myself completely incapacitated, unable to mount any form of defense.
Once again, Duke Dragunov closed in on me, drawing near for the final act. With merciless intent, he pressed the gun against my forehead at point-blank range. His words cut through the air like a chilling revelation. "In case you were wondering, I also orchestrated the real Black Phantom's involvement in your demise. It was not at the behest of Leviticus or Alder. It was solely my doing."
Desperation consumed me as I struggled fruitlessly, my body writhing in a futile attempt to break free from my impending demise. Was this the end? Would I meet my demise within these walls?
The room reverberated with a deafening gunshot, piercing the air with its ominous resonance. Yet, to my astonishment, I remained unscathed. It was not my life that hung in the balance. Instead, the bullet had been a blank. Duke Dragunov and Emy exchanged bewildered glances, mirroring my own confusion. How had this twist of fate come to pass?
"The duchess shall not perish as long as I stand by her side!"
A voice, tinged with childlike innocence, echoed through the room. The mad duke and his ninja dragonoid spun around, their eyes widening in surprise as they beheld the source of the proclamation. It was none other than Eva, the twelve-year-old girl who perpetually donned the guise of a magical girl—a familiar face from Reina Fleuret's past, the former dragonoid herself.
Eva, defying all expectations, extended her palm, revealing a single bullet held within her grasp. "Through street magic, I swapped your bullet with a blank one," she declared, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes.
Reacting swiftly, Emy, the silver-clad ninja, conjured a barrage of ice daggers and launched them toward Eva. However, the young girl's agility surpassed all expectations. In a breathtaking display of supernatural prowess, Eva summoned her fairy wings and shrank to the size of a tiny cockroach, effortlessly evading every deadly projectile. She fluttered through the air, leaving behind a trail of sparkling glitters akin to a radiant moth.
Finally reaching me, Eva touched my chest with her minuscule hand and spoke the following words with unwavering determination:
"I wish to become Marieflorine Corasell's shield, To be the guardian of my knight, To be her guiding light, In her darkest night, To be the proof of her kindness and might!"
"Activating Vesryn Pulse"
The room erupted in a cataclysmic explosion, and when my eyes fluttered open, I found myself soaring through the vast expanse of the stratosphere. Perched atop the majestic head of a blue Fairy Dragon—none other than Eva, as I surmised—I marveled at the scene unfolding below. The S.S. Maryjane, reduced to the size of a basketball, trailed behind us. In this moment, it was evident that I had managed to escape the clutches of the murderous Duke Dragunov.
"I apologize, Duchess," Eva's voice resonated within my mind. "I had to 'kidnap' you from the Arcadia to ensure your safety. Please don't worry about Estoff; Dragunov will neither harm nor betray him. Estoff and the Arcadia are vital to Dragunov's sinister machinations. My top priority is to keep you out of harm's way."
There was an inherent logic in Eva's words, an undeniable wisdom that dictated our actions. As I prepared to voice my inquiries, the answers were already being conveyed to me.
"Amphere Harrison's orders," Eva supplemented, her voice tinged with a hint of respect and trust in the absent figure.