Chapter 9: Into Darkness
"What do we know about Christina Hope?" Iris doesn't bother beating around the bush.
"She's the only daughter of Duke Hope and currently stands to succeed him," Zenon answers curtly. "She's studious, and many students have nothing but good things to say about her. The only thing that stands out is that she's rather confrontational. There's at least three incidents involving her and some students from prominent families, though at this stage, we're not sure for the exact reason."
"If I recall, the Hope family is said to have ties to the Thirteen Night Swords?"
"According to rumors." The blonde knight frowns. "You think it could be their doing?"
Iris doesn't answer, her mind too consumed by the dark thoughts swirling in her head.
It happened again.
Her hands ball into tight fists, frustration and self-loathing writhing in her chest. Just like what happened with her former sword instructor, someone had the gall to kidnap her family. Worse, it happened just as she returned. Someone took Alexia the very day she came back to the capital. At first she thought she was just acting her age and staying out late, but it's been two days since she disappeared. There's been no sign of her at all. No letters, nothing to indicate she was safe.
An investigation began almost immediately. Zenon was the first to find a potential suspect, that being Christina Hope. The school nurse reported how Alexia brought Christina into the infirmary for treatment, having apparently gone too far in a spar. It was as good a motive as any, but something wasn't adding up. There was something missing here, something she couldn't see.
"If I may," Olga speaks up. "I don't believe this is the work of the Thirteen Night Swords." Iris looks at her friend and lieutenant sharply, demanding an explanation. "The Thirteen Night Swords is currently the biggest criminal organization in the kingdom. Much of their activities focus here in the capital. While they have kidnapped nobles of influential families before in the past, this is far too risky for them. It is one thing to kidnap nobility, but a member of the royal family? It would bring them far too much attention. There's a reason why neither the Scarlet nor the Dark Knights have routed them from the kingdom."
"There's no denying that," Zenon agrees with her. "However, they have been getting bolder as of late. Maybe they decided to step up their game?"
Iris quietly exhales through her nostrils. She speaks not as a woman worried for the safety of her sister, but as the crown princess of Midgar. "Whatever the case may be, the Thirteen Night Swords and Christina Hope are our only suspects. If the Thirteen Night Swords are responsible, we will bring the full wrath of the kingdom down upon them." She turns back to Olga. "What about Duke Hope? Has he said anything since we brought his daughter in for questioning?"
"He was quite panicked to hear that his daughter is a suspect in Alexia's kidnapping, but he's agreed to cooperate with us," the dark-skinned elf replies with a frown. "Personally speaking, I think he's more concerned about his reputation than his daughter."
"Then we'll just have to twist his arm a little," Zenon says. "I'll see what I can do on my end."
"Thank you, Sir Griffey."
"Of course, Your Highness. If you'll excuse me." He bows and turns to leave. Just as he opens the door, a familiar head of black hair appears in front of him. "Prince Cid, what a surprise."
"Am I interrupting anything?"
"We just finished," Iris says. As always, Claire stands beside her cousin like a loyal shadow, though she also spots two others with him, a boy with glasses and his fiancé, Rose Oriana. Zenon steps around them while flashing a smile as he leaves, closing the door behind them. The woman knows why they're here. "There's still no word about Alexia's whereabouts."
Cid frowns. It's no surprise why he's so troubled. Due to her duties as the leader of the Scarlet Knights and as crown princess, she rarely has time to be with her sister and cousin. Alexia was the closest to him in terms of age and frequently sought him out, despite his best attempts to hide from her. No doubt he's just as worried for her as she is.
"Iris," Rose begins. "Is it true Christina Hope is a suspect?"
"She was the last person to see Alexia. She apparently brought her to the nurse's office covered in bruises."
"She's innocent!" Iris is startled by the passionate declaration from the bespectacled boy beside Cid. "Your Highness, please believe me! Christina isn't someone who would do such a thing!"
"I'm sorry, but who are you?"
"This is Suzuki Hope," Claire tells her. "He's a member of one of House Hope's branch families and Christina's cousin."
Iris' expression softens as she looks more closely at the boy. Desperation etches across every muscle in his face. It's a hint of the bond shared between family, a bond she understands all too well. Even so, she must harden her heart. She must carry out her duty as a servant and princess of the kingdom.
Just as she opens her mouth, Rose speaks up with equal desperation. "Suzuki is right, Iris. I spoke with Christina myself the day before Alexia disappeared."
"…do you think she would be capable of this?" Iris asks carefully. Rose shakes her head. The red-haired princess carefully considers her fellow royal's words before turning to Cid. "You are friends with Christina, Cid. What's your opinion?"
Her cousin shrugs. "We haven't been friends for very long, so I can't really say. Still, she didn't strike me as the type who'd do this sort of thing, much less to Alexia. They looked like they get along, all things considered." He suddenly purses his lips in thought. "Christina is the only suspect you have, right? What about Zenon?"
"What do you mean?" Iris is genuinely confused. Zenon is a well-respected knight of the kingdom, as well as a popular choice for Alexia's suitor. Truthfully, she's not keen on marrying off her sister to someone she knows only by reputation alone, but her few interactions with Zenon told her he is a man of honor.
"The last time we talked with Alexia, she said she didn't trust him. That his smile reminded her of Sir Adist."
Iris' eyes widen in surprise. "She said that?" Cid nods. Hearing this, Iris frowns and dips her head in thought.
In the past, Iris used to look past her former sword instructor's attitude out of courtesy and respect for his abilities. She didn't agree with everything he said, much less where Cid was concerned, but she thought he was the sort of person who would put duty before personal feelings. It came as a great surprise that her beliefs were ultimately proven wrong when it was discovered Adist kidnapped her cousin for as-of-yet unknown reasons and inflicted bodily harm to him. What was once respect turned to grief and anger as Iris vowed to bring the man to justice for his crimes when she finally catches him.
Iris always considered Alexia a good judge of character, though it pained her to know that Alexia was only good at reading people because of life in the royal palace. While not politically savvy as some of her friends and fellow knights, Iris would have to be blind to not see the blatant corruption and prejudice of the arch nobles who sit in the royal court. There had been many in her youth who tried to curry favor with her solely to manipulate and use her for personal gain.
Is Zenon really like Adist, Iris thinks. She finds it hard to believe that someone like Zenon could hide such darkness. He's a model knight with a good reputation, the exact opposite of what Adist was.
…but she thought Adist was a good man, hadn't she?
"Olga," she says after careful consideration. "Pick two knights you trust and have them shadow Zenon. If he goes anywhere suspicious, report back to me immediately."
Olga narrows her eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Like I said earlier, we should consider every possibility, no matter how miniscule."
I'll find you, Alexia. I swear.
X x X x X x X x X
Zenon arrives at the facility housing Alexia to find a most auspicious guest. "Lord Petos," he greets with a bow. "What a surprise to see you here."
"Is it not surprising that I am here to oversee my investment?" Petos inquires with a wry smile.
Ever since Zenon proved his usefulness to the Cult of Diabolos, Petos became a sponsor of sorts, even involving him in some of the Cult's more auspicious projects. It is thanks to Petos that Zenon became a candidate for a seat at the Round Table in the first place. That is not to say Zenon is loyal to Petos. The knight knows the man simply sees him as a useful tool and means to an end to further his position and standing.
Zenon is smiling, but internally, he sweats at the possibility that Petos may finally decide he's outlived his usefulness and has come to personally end him.
Petos ignores Zenon for the time being and instead brings his attention to the sleeping form of the Midgar Kingdom's second princess. The girl sleeps peacefully, her wrists bound to armrests with special manacles designed from a metal that seals magic. Aside from minor injuries, the girl is unharmed.
"You've done better than I could have anticipated," Petos compliments him. "With this, we can get started almost immediately." He briefly glances at the malformed Possessed in the corner of the room. "Would that happen to be the test subject?"
Zenon nods. "She's proven to have good compatibility, but to be perfectly honest, I don't have high hopes for her. Still, if nothing else, she'll prove to be a good test run."
"See to it you don't push her too hard. While a corpse isn't entirely worthless, a living specimen is far more valuable." The Tenth Seat turns his attention back to Zenon and narrows his eyes. "Have you ensured this facility's security thoroughly?"
"We've taken ample precautions," Zenon assures him. "If the knights or Shadow Garden stumbles upon this place, we'll be ready for them."
"I see." It's clear to Zenon that his benefactor isn't entirely convinced. "Still, just to be safe, I'll have Yoru stationed nearby. I trust that won't be a problem?"
"None, sir."
Zenon grits his teeth behind his easy-going smile. The thought of being near that thing brings shivers down his spine. He'd sooner swallow his pride and ask for Sir Gaunt's assistance instead, but as this was a direct order from a superior, he had no choice in the matter. He doesn't think Yoru's assistance will be necessary, however. As skillful as Shadow Garden has proven themselves, there's no doubt in his mind their success came from their leader and the traitor, assuming the popular theory that "Shadow" is a former member of the Cult is indeed true.
Why someone would turn traitor when they have the world in the palm of their hands is beyond me.
The Cult of Diabolos has controlled the world for countless centuries, if not thousands of years. Their influence extends even to the unmapped continents, including that land of pagans in the south. They have everything you could ever want; status, wealth, power…
Zenon shakes his head. It's pointless trying to figure out the mind of a fool.
X x X x X x X x X
Well, I can't say I expected this turn of events. Alexia getting kidnapped isn't too surprising. I mean, I got kidnapped two years ago, even if it was pretty bland and lacking in style, but I'm royalty regardless. It was only a matter of time before it was Alexia's turn.
Christina getting named a chief suspect, however, is not okay. While we might not be friends on account of her standing out, she's still part of my Council of Mobs by technicality.
"The cult is responsible for Alexia's kidnapping, aren't they." It's not even a question at this point. They're the only criminal organization I know of who are willing to go to extreme lengths.
Beta and Theta nod solemnly. "There's no doubt. The princess' hunch was spot on as well. We've confirmed that Zenon Griffey is a member of the Cult of Diabolos. Furthermore, he's a candidate for the Knights of the Round."
The Knights of the Round, as described by Zeta, are the head honchos of the cult. As its name might imply, they consist of twelve members, though several seats remain unfilled. The twelfth seat, supposedly the most important, hasn't been filled for close to a decade. According to Zeta, the ones in charge of Midgar's cell is somebody called Fenrir, who's supposedly been around for thousands of years.
I'm not going to lie, I'm seriously pumped at the thought of fighting this guy. Who knows what sorts of techniques he has up his sleeve? He has to be the Disc-One Final Boss, the milestone for me to become a true eminence in shadow!
Anyway, learning Zenon is in fact part of the cult doesn't surprise me as much as it should. The trope "Bitch in Sheep's Clothing" exists for a reason. Ooh, wait, maybe he's actually a yandere? Sheesh, now I feel bad for Alexia if that's the case. There really is nothing worse than a pyscho stalker. I bet he has a wedding dress and alter prepped and everything. As annoying as my cousin is, even she doesn't deserve such a fate.
I guess I really do have to save her now, don't I?
"Omega has two knights from Iris' order tailing Zenon whereas Claire's Dark Knights are pinpointing suspected hideouts," Beta says. "The current plan is to attack them simultaneously and leave their forces in disarray. I, Alpha, and Delta shall lead the assault."
I raise an eyebrow. "Alpha I can understand, but Delta? Isn't that a little overkill?"
There's a reason I call that girl the Suicide Weapon. She charges in with reckless abandon and doesn't hold back at all. Wherever she goes, property damage follows.
"Normally I would agree that sending out Delta is a bit much, but Zeta intercepted a report from the cult," Beta continues with a tense expression. "The Tenth Seat has deployed Yoru, an enforcer for the cult, here in the capital."
"Yoru?" While Japanese names aren't uncommon as Suzuki and Kanade can attest, it's still jarring to hear. That's a pretty curious choice of name, too. "The night sky, hm? Awfully presumptuous of them."
"Lord Shadow?" Oh, right. Except for Alpha, none of the girls know Japanese.
I wave my hand in dismissal. "It's nothing. Regarding our assault, how will you go about this?"
"We will deploy one-hundred-and-four Numbers, including Nu and Chi."
"114?"
It still freaks me out how many people we have. Don't get me wrong, Shadow Garden being a legit organization makes me happy, but being a boss of such a large group is equal parts thrilling and daunting. Is this how that skeleton guy from that light novel Nishimura likes to read feels?
If we have over a hundred people participating in the assault, then we should be good. Oh, wait a second.
"How many of them are combat-capable?"
For some reason, Beta is smiling. "Not to worry, Lord Shadow. I personally picked those joining the assault."
I'm still apprehensive of letting them fight, but if Beta is confident, I guess it's okay. Now that I get to thinking about it, since I'm the boss of an actual organization now, I should actually reward my subordinates, right? I'll have to think of a good reward for them.
Knowing Delta, she'll probably want to mate. I really have no idea why she wants to have sex with me so much, much less have kids. Don't get me wrong, Delta is attractive and innocent (for a given value of "innocent"; I swear, that girl likes killing bandits more than I do), but I have no interest in romance or getting into relationships. Not to mention the damage she will no doubt cause in the bedroom. Something tells me she's the type who would wreck the place in the middle of a heated night of passion.
What kind of gift should I give them? More magic power? Been there, done that.
…wait, am I going to have to remember everyone who's not part of the Seven Shadows or actually has a name?
Shit.
X x X x X x X x X
"Hey, wake her up."
Ice-cold water splashes against her face. Christina feels the world slowly come back into focus. Her body aches in pain. For a moment, she doesn't know where she is or who are the people in front of her. Two knights stand in front of her, one looking worried about something while the other glares in contempt.
Then, she remembers why she's here.
The day after their spar, Alexia suddenly disappeared without a trace. The knights searched high and low for her, but their investigation turned up nothing. As the last person who saw her and got into a physical altercation that ended with Christina being beaten to hell and back, she was named the chief suspect. Two knights from a order she didn't recognize were in charge of interrogation.
Though it would be more accurate to call this "torture" than "interrogation".
"Ready for another round, girl?" the knight on the left asks malevolently. "Your reprieve is over. I'd grit my teeth if I were you."
To call this man a knight is laughable. He's corrupt to his bones, abusing his position to inflict pain with impunity under the guise of getting information. The only positive thing Christina has to say about him is that, unlike the nobles she knows, the knight doesn't bother pretending to be anything other than scum.
"Hey, don't go overboard," his partner tells him. "If we go too far, the princess will start asking questions. We just need to get a confession out of here."
The knight laughs. "What's the harm? Her father pretty much gave us the green light to do whatever we want with her. You know, I feel kind of sorry for you, kid. I don't think I've ever met such a yellow-bellied coward like that in all my life. He strikes me as the type who'd sell off his own daughter to a psycho if it meant he'd live longer."
The girl takes a deep breath, trying her hardest not to lash out at the knight. She cannot deny the truth in his words. She knows her father is a coward, more concerned with his personal affairs and the house than his life as a family man. That attitude isn't uncommon with nobles, but even then, those nobles usually care about their children in some way. Maybe Duke Hope does love her in some manner, but his cowardice will always trump that love. Christina knows this. It's one of the reasons she wants to be stronger, why she wants to put people like this knight in his place.
How long has she been here? A day? A week? She can't tell. The cell is dark with the only source of illumination being the lantern hanging on the wall. The only sounds she hears are their voices bouncing off the walls and the rattling of chains whenever she moves her manacles.
"Still," the knight continues. "It doesn't change the fact that daddy dearest sold you out. If you think you can try and use your noble title to help you here, think again. You're going to learn that everyone has to own up to the consequences of their actions."
The pink-haired girl wants to laugh. She can't help but agree.
"…do you have my wine?" she asks, forcing a grin to her face.
The knight frowns. "Excuse me?"
"I already told you bastards… I want wine…and maybe a cute boy to keep me company…" She musters her defiance while looking the knight dead in the eye. "Otherwise… You can kiss my ass."
Her defiance briefly surprises the knight, but only for a moment. His smile takes on a sadistic glint as he clenches an armored fist and rears his arm back. Christina braces herself—
"Enough."
A woman speaks with the voice of iron-clad authority. The air grows heavy and thick with tension. Instantly, the knight's bravado is replaced by a look of apprehension and fear. An elf with dusk-colored skin and mismatched eyes steps out of the darkness of the dungeon and approaches the pair. The red cape on her shoulder identifies her as a member of the Order of Scarlet Knights, the order founded by Crown Princess Iris Midgar.
"L-Lady Olga," the knight's companion swallows. "What are you doing here?"
"Currently, I'm tempted to behead you both for a gross breach in conduct," the elf replies scornfully. "This is supposed to be an interrogation, not torture. Why are her arms bound and her wounds not tended to?"
"S-she's a criminal!" the knight shouts. "We know she kidnapped the princess!"
"Do you? And how do you know that?" Olga challenges. "Did she tell you that herself?"
"Well, no, but it's only a matter of time before she—"
"So you came to that conclusion with no evidence." The knight's mouth clamps shut. An oppressive aura fills the cell. Christina realizes the elf's hand is on the pommel of her sword. "I was not aware the renowned Order of Iron Fangs was filled with such incompetence. In case you need to be reminded, Christina Hope is a suspect, not a criminal. Her father and his relationship with the Thirteen Night Swords is irrelevant unless we know otherwise. Please refrain from making such accusations without sufficient evidence."
The knight, chastised, turns away with a scowl. His companion audibly swallows the lump in his throat. "Lady Olga, surely, you understand the severity of the situation. Princess Alexia is missing. For all we know, Christina Hope is—"
"A suspect. No more, no less." Olga glares at the two. "I have been tasked with relocating Christina Hope to a more secure location. You two are henceforth relieved of your duty. If you have any problems with this order, take them up with Princess Iris."
The knight opens his mouth to argue, but his companion stops him. It's amusing to see. "Fucking elf bitch," Christina hears the knight mutter angrily as he stomps away, his companion stumbling after him.
Olga watches the two go before drawing her sword. Christina briefly expects her to cut her down, only for the sword to cut through her chains. She starts falling to her knees until Olga catches her. Her hold is surprisingly gentle and warm. Up close, Christina realizes how beautiful she looks, though this is hardly a surprise. Almost every elf she's run into at this point has been a knockout to the point she's starting to become self-conscious of her own figure.
"They did a number on you," Olga observes with a sympathetic look. "It seems His Highness was right. You are stronger than you appear. Don't worry, you're safe now."
Cid…?
"W-who are you?"
The elf smiles. "A friend. My name is Olga. Please, call me Omega."