Oathtaker | Chapter 10 - Changing Winds

  Mark can feel the stares from their classmates as he walks into the hallways, earning a few whispers which somewhat concerns him knowing a lot has happened in the past after all:

  He was caught “fooling” around with Shizuki Marraine de Revalante, the closest thing the City has for a Princess.

  He is exposed as an Illegal Entrant.

  There will most likely be rumors on his possible affiliations to the Eastern Imperial Army.

  So it is no shock that he will likely be the subject of rumors and many other, chances are people will use that as ammunition against him as well. He glanced up as he climbed the steps of a hallway to find Zeno–no she goes by Xeon Petros now, standing at the top of the staircase with her arms crossed as she leaned by the wall looking at her nails as though she recently polished them and wasn’t even looking at him.

  'This can’t be good, if she’s nearby then Clint also.’ He thought and he was not in the mood of dealing with that trio especially with how things are going right about now.

  “Are you and Lady Shizuki a couple now?” She said the moment he walked past her as he stopped in his tracks with a sigh.

  “And pray tell what made you of all people ask?” Mark said, giving her a glance.

  “Curiosity, I'm not saying it's strange, I just think it's a bit too fast.” Xeon responded with a shrug.

  “So you can use that as ammunition against me?” He said, narrowing his eyes at her only for her to look away as she shifted her feet.

  “I just think it's a bit too fast even for you to be doing such things in a relationship.” She glanced at him once more.

  “And who are you to ask that? As far as I know we're strangers after all.” Mark said with a glare causing her to flinch as she knew what he was talking about, Mark then let out a sigh as he rubbed his eyelids.

  “I’d drop it now and fly back to Clint.” Mark said and yet despite his words, they lacked any sense of venom to it as he doesn’t feel any hate or negative emotions. Having those feelings meant that he cared or valued it and that he would still harbor a strong emotion for them, but she, among many other people in his life, meant nothing to him and he felt absolutely nothing for them.

  ‘Though maybe if I was a lot more open and trusting to her…’ He thought as he glanced down. Looking back, he and Xeon were close enough that he could consider her as a childhood friend but thanks to still adjusting to that he is on his past life still adjusting to the fact that he has untreated trauma from his past, so he was very on guard especially when the young Vulture Beastwoman was very genuine on trying to befriend him. There are times he did consider it, that maybe it would play out differently unlike the last time he had a childhood friend.

  ‘Come to think of it, Makoto was around 12 years old when he went through that with her.’ Mark thought bitterly remembering that time at 12 years old, then quietly scoffed as he realized he was quietly yearning. ‘Well childhood friend romances never end well, usually one of them will cheat and it only leads to a bad ending altogether so I guess I spared myself from that fate twice.’

  He kept walking down the hallways, but he heard the sound of multiple footsteps heading for his location as he turned around and found an arm wrapped around his shoulder as he found Cal smiling at him.

  “Welcome back Mark!” The Human grinned as he ruffled his hair affectionately while he felt another figure tackle him as he looked down. It was Neri who tackled him into a hug while he looked up as Sierra landed behind as though she was sprinting with Magic.

  “We were worried after you disappeared,” Neri said, taking a step back. “The rumors don't help either.”

  “It's fine, I've been through worse.” Mark said reassuringly. ‘Far worse.’

  “Though I heard those rumors, strange but nothing new.” Mark said with a shrug as he buried his hands in his pockets.

  “Even the ones involving Lady Shizuki?” Sierra asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Especially the ones involving Lady Shizuki,” Mark said with a sigh. “I know that Lady Shizuki is a bit eccentric but there is no way in Hell she'd give me the time of day.”

  The three have rather unsure looks on their faces, as though Mark had said something that is very worth large amounts of doubt. And it was that moment, Mark knew she had done something unpredictable once more.

  “What happened while I was gone?” Mark said, getting worried.

  “I–well–” Sierra said, unsure to explain and was almost uncomfortable.

  “She…you…well–” Neri said who wanted to explain but whatever it was made her somewhat flustered that her face went red.

  “She said you're her boyfriend now and the reason you two were missing for hours is because you rawdogged her for several hours.” Kal said bluntly with a smirk, causing the two girls to look at him like he just murdered someone.

  “...what?” Mark asked genuinely flabbergasted.

  “K-K-Kal!!” Neri said extremely scandalised as her face went bright red from his explanation.

  “As tactless as what he had said…” Sierra said, giving him a disapproving look. “He's unfortunately right.”

  “That explains the looks I’m getting,” He said recalling those instances where he’s being stared at by their classmates which appears less hostile and more like a mix of awe and curiosity.

  “So what exactly happened?” Kal asked he had a serious look on his face, as though clearly referring not to the whole rumor mill about him and Shizuki but rather why he was missing for hours. “Cause I don't think you seem the type that sneaks off to fool around.”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Mark hesitated, he wanted to tell them the truth but at the same time he can’t just blatantly tell them the truth, especially the conversation he had with Freia the night before. That for now this is an issue between them and will have to wait for Cromwell to return so they can have an audience with La Signora Cordelia on their next steps forward.

  Cause if people were to find out that a Rogue Imperial Army that was partly responsible for the Orthros Citadel’s fall and by extension the finishing blow that ended the Noxsolis Empire in the first place was just under their literal noses then panic would ensue, especially since in the last five years Revalante has become the strongest Nation within the Sentralis Continent and if word got out that its defenses are compromised then things will spiral out of hand.

  Mark wanted to tell them and wanted to trust them but one of his worries is that there could be a spy in their midst and he was not willing to take the risk. And more importantly the three of them knowing would no doubt put them at risk as well.

  “I can’t…not yet.” Mark said in a low voice almost with a hint of resignation in it as he looked down almost ashamed.

  “We won’t force you but if it’s time, we’re right here.” Sierra said, placing a hand on his shoulder with Mark nodding solemnly.

  [The Reluctant Reincarnation]

  An announcement was made later that day, that the Kristoph Ranger College will expedite their training and will be receiving faculty from the Western Imperial Army to help them with their training overall. Many of the students were shocked to learn of this, but Mark quietly knew as he stood there in the main hall as Headmistress Freia Robin went on regarding this recent change. He knows that as Scout Rangers they are supposed to be an elite force that is far more elite than the Imperial Army itself, so naturally they need to be properly equipped and trained for this.

  A fact that a lot of his classmates seem to forget given the horrified reactions they all had as though they signed up for something entirely different.

  “--as such each class regardless of year is structured into a Platoon you and will assist and aid the Revalante Constabulary as per part of training procedure regarding this matter.” Freia said over the main hall as the other Students have uneasy looks on thor faces as they heard this, Mark can’t help but scoff at the idea of working with the Constabulary, especially after last time. That no doubt will end well in that regard.

  “How do you think they’ll structure this?” Sierra whispered to him as the other students whispered amongst themselves.

  “Given the Scout Rangers are a former unit within the Noxsolis Imperial Army, I’d say they’ll structure it using the Noxsolis Model.” Mark answered, or so he theorizes. But still, expediting the training and putting them on active combat roles now means that things are worse than it seems.

  ‘Mark, meet me in my office now. You will meet La Signora Cordelia Marraine as well so be on your best behavior.’ Freia told him in his mind as they were dispersed and sent to their respective classes, as the other students expressed uneasy concerns. Mark slipped away without them noticing and hurried his way to the office of Headmaster. Before this, Mark had met La Signora Cordelia in the past, having visited the Citadel more than once and had heard she mentored Ioshua in the past as well. In a sense, this meant that she was a family friend and a Noxsolis by association.

  Though interestingly he had never heard of a Shizuki Marraine though, so this meant her adoption was very much recent, likely after the Citadel fell five years ago.

  Mark arrived at the Office without anyone spotting him, allowing him to for a moment take a breath and look at the door before entering to find Freia and La Signora Cordelia sitting on one of the sofas like she was relaxing.

  “You called me Headmaster?” Mark said with a nervous look on his face.

  “You can drop the facade Marcus, you and I both know that Mark Grauwolfe isn’t your real name.” Cordelia said not even bothering to glance at him as Mark can’t help but scoff. She had always been a horrifyingly perceptive woman, being able to see past whatever lie he and his family had done. It was honestly impressive, this meant that her years had refined her skills that it was almost impossible to lie.

  “I expected no less from the Iron Lady of Revalante,” Mark said, taking a seat across from her while Freia watched in silence trying to assess the situation.

  “And your lack of elegance has never changed,” She responded, glancing at him as he chuckled nervously. “Though I will admit, it is a relief to see you alive and well. I long to see you and your siblings whole once more.”

  “At least smile about that, I bet men would have clamoured for you more if you smiled like that.” Mark joked earning a scoff from the older woman.

  “I most certainly hope that you’re not using the same pathetic level of seduction on my granddaughter, you are aware that is the level of seduction he used on me and my daughter years ago when he courted us right?”

  “Ah so you heard,” Mark said in a low voice.

  “Well I am not here to admonish you on that, especially since I know for a fact that unlike your Father and Lucas you are least interested in relationships and so do not believe that you laid your hands on Shizuki.” She said as she looked at Freia as she pulled out a tablet that showed the entire area within Revalante is within.

  “You mentioned you saw the battle maps of the Rogue Army when you wandered into their camp, correct? Can you mark it down based on what you know?”

  Mark nodded as he moved the tablet closer and began to trace and encircle various areas across Revalante, at first it was small camps in suitable flanking and ambush positions, then it would be followed by locations that serve as vital bottlenecks for supplies and resources, some are massive bridges that connect the islands together.

  As he does all that, he can notice Cordelia and Freia’s reactions grow darker by the minute until Mark finally looks at what he has done.

  It wasn’t just the Eastern Imperial Army being near and past the blockade at Erdheim, it’s the fact that not only had they managed to go past it and envelop the entire region that Revalante is within.

  “We need to send a message to Lord-Commander Himmelstadt to immediately recall his troops and rally at Revalante!” Cordelia stood up as saw the wider scale of the map. “Abandon Erdheim if needed as it doesn’t matter.”

  “Erdheim was the only route that leads to Revalante, how they managed to find a way around it would be a concerning thing to hear.” Freia said in a low voice.

  “Two possible ways for this to go, either they navigated through the Minos Forest which is infested with Chimeras and is the second place in the continent that is infested, first being the Bloodlands.” Mark explained as he glanced at the map. “Or they used something else entirely unnatural.”

  “Are you suggesting they used supernatural means to get through the blockade?” Freia asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “The Dagger I was found with, that was no ordinary Dagger. It managed to react and repulse against my Gestalt.” Mark explained recalling the dagger he managed to get from Selenike when he killed her and escaped the Camp with Shizuki in tow, as well as mentioning that they no longer follow under Dorn but someone known as The Firstborn.

  “I tried to get further information but it seems only the upper ranks know who this firstborn is, but if The Firstborn was able to organize a route that surpasses the blockage then this means they know something we don’t.” Mark further explained, recalling that Selenike had told him. “Does the words ‘May the Moon forever watch over us’ mean anything to you two? It’s the first I’ve heard of all things considered.”

  “Not at the moment, no,” Cordelia said, shaking her head. “So you mean to tell me that the Firstborn not only overthrew Dorn but also outmaneuvered Himmelstadt’s tactics?”

  “That’s right, maybe also familiar with a few other things about Magic given that Selenike seems to intend to use the dagger for sacrificial purposes.” Mark answered with a nod. For a moment the two older women went silent, trying to make sense with all the information they had just learned, that was until Freia glanced at the clock nearby and let out a defeated sigh.

  “That’s enough for today Mark, for now return to class while Cordelia and I figure this out.”

  Mark reluctantly nodded as he left the office all the while looking at the two women who were now discussing the next stages that could help determine the defense of Revalante very soon.

  What do you think of the new addition?