The Sword and The Shadow

Annelotte continued to feel her stomach churn and kept on vomiting.

Leguna had lost count of how many times he grimaced. He felt the warm trail of liquids flow from his chest, along his lower abdomen, his thighs and to his feet.

Thankfully, I came out in a rush and didn't put on any expensive clothes… he thought. He hadn't planned to join Annelotte that night, but he wouldn't let her go about the city without a guard either. So, he sent two reliable agents to follow her in case of an emergency.

The two agents then saw her step out of the establishment, swaying unstably. She appeared to be quite drunk.

After some hesitation, the agents decided to report this to Leguna. One of them went to make the report while the other stayed to watch. When Leguna heard that she was drunk and on the streets, he dropped all the work he had and went there with Xeno and some five other agents.

It wasn't that he was trying to make a big deal out of this. Annelotte was someone Geoffrey would consider a target, and he might be tempted to do something to her seeing her drunk and vulnerable like that. While the first prince had been behaving himself in his academy, Leguna worried that he would lash out if given the opportunity.

Not to mention, Alfreid and Geoffrey were growing ever closer. There wasn't a doubt that the old man was guiding him on how to run First Magic Academy. After all, he had been in the Stokian magic academy for a time, so he had quite a lot of ideas he could implement in Geoffrey's academy. Among the changes he instituted were the intensification of their physical education lessons to match up to Second Magic Academy's and the new training session in the wilderness carried out every semester to let the students apply their magic in practical scenarios.

While the young masters and mistresses of the academy complained about the trouble, the effects of the training sessions were painfully visible. At the very least, they could at least fire a magic missile or two when fighting students from the other academy. Back then, all they could do was panic and swing their fists at their opponents.

It came to a point where the folks of Melindor said that the warriors of First Magic Academy got into a fight with the apprentice magi of Second Magic Academy.

Geoffrey was greatly infuriated when he heard it. After giving the lessons a short test run, he saw obvious improvement. So, he decided to ask Alfreid whether they should double down on the practical lessons.

Leguna couldn't be sure what they had planned, but he knew he had to be careful to not let any careless mistake harm Annelotte in any way.

She vomited two more times. She didn't seem to know she was vomiting thanks to the alcohol clouding her mind.

He continued to stand in front of her as he emanated the stench of puke and alcohol. He gave her back light pats in hopes it could soothe her somewhat.

"You'll feel better after letting it out." The first time he got drunk with Kurdak, he puked far worse. He understood how bad it felt to get drunk.

Not long after, she seemed much more aware of her situation. She took out a handkerchief and wiped her mouth clean.

"Come on, let's go back for now." Though he wanted to carry her back, he took a look at himself and found his front to be too dirty. So, he decided to give her a piggy-back ride instead.

Come to think of it, she weighs pretty much the same like before! he thought, as he recalled the time he left Starfall to escape the Eye on Lance with Annelotte and Innilis.

To save Kurdak and the rest, Annelotte had dashed out with a pair of slippers. Her feet were blistered badly, so he had to carry her on his back to keep moving. She used to be so against it then!

The Eye, orcs, Kreighdon and Oljharok… Leguna didn't know how those people were doing. Now, those memories only reminded him of the time he spent with Annelotte.

However…

She doesn't remember any of that anymore… But no matter. At least she got to forget the bad memories as well, right?

"Sir." Xeno had been waiting for him 200 metres away. He was surprised to see Annelotte on Leguna's back. "Do you need a carriage, Sir?"

"No need. I'll carry her back."

"Yes, Sir," Xeno said, unsurprised by the response. "I will clear the way for you."

"It's much appreciated." He was thankful for Xeno's consideration.

Annelotte had a rather cold and invincible reputation in the empire, so it wouldn't bode well for her if she was seen sleeping on the dastardly Dark Requiem's back. While she didn't care about it, he did. He didn't want any bit of negativity to be associated with her.

……

Leguna took her back to Galestorm Manor. Alaine had somehow heard about it and was waiting outside anxiously. The moment she saw her mistress out cold on Leguna's back, she dashed towards him immediately.

"You cursed lecher!" She couldn't care less about whether he was truly the murderous villain Dark Requiem and pinched his ears immediately. "How dare you take Mistress for a drink and get her drunk? Aren't you a sneaky one? Whoa! Why are you so dirty?! Did she barf on you? You deserve it! Tell me, did you do something bad to her? Tell me everything! I'll report it to her tomorrow and get her to deal with you!"

"Ouchouch…" Though his ear was hurting badly, he feared groaning too loudly would startle her awake. "Boss-lady Alaine, let me off this once! I wasn't the one who got Annie drunk! Ask her tomorrow. She's asleep now, so can you let me carry her back first?"

"Hmph…" Alaine wasn't an unreasonable person. She didn't know what had happened, but she decided to not pursue the matter and rolled her eyes. "You say it like you care about my mistress."

"Of course I care! Let me in, please?"

"I have the bed made and ready. It's the same old place! Go there yourself!"

Alaine left as the last words left her mouth.

"Huh?"

"What? Do you want me to serve her when she stinks of alcohol? This will ruin my perfect impression of her!"

"Oh…"

He wondered whether she just came here to give his ear a tug since she didn't do anything. He just couldn't figure her out! He shook his head and entered, Annelotte still on his back.

"Idiot!" Alaine hid in a corner and peeked on the two as tears welled up in her eyes. "You idiot! Why didn't you ask how long I've been waiting for her? All that comes out of your mouth is Annie, Annie, Annie!"

Leguna didn't quite catch her words. He was busy opening the room door and taking Annelotte inside.

"I'm an idiot too .."Alaine said self-mockingly, "I must be blind to have fallen for that lecher!"

Someone quietly approached her from behind and placed a warm arm on her shoulder. Alaine wasn't surprised. She didn't even turn to look. She let her tears flow and rested on the figure's shoulder.

……

"Ugh… I guess even Annie's puke doesn't smell good…" He carefully removed his dirtied clothes. Annelotte was fast asleep on the bed.

To make sure the stench didn't stick, he decided to wash his clothes quickly. He took a bath, then got a pair of long pants from his dimensional pocket to wear before he began washing his clothes in the bathroom.

"Sheesh! Alaine should be the one to do this!" he complained as he washed away. He didn't notice someone behind him due to his rough and loud washing.

Annelotte had woken up not long ago, still seeming a little drunk. She smiled when she saw him and accosted him from behind like a kitten before hitting him.

It was the first time he heard her muffled, drunken rambling. "Angelista was… hic… right… I shouldn't… suppress my feelings… Let's do it! The two of us! Now!"