12. Heirloom and legacies

On the road to Denmark, I rolled with Aster, Cécile and Josephine. They were grateful to me for choosing them, even if we would sort this side of our problem as quickly as could be.

J - You made the right choice Siline...

S - I know.

Over the sea to Sweden, I was at the same time sailing with Felicia, Dominika and Orea. They were grateful to me for choosing them, even if we would sort this side of our problem as quickly as could be.

D - You made the right choice lady Siline...

RN0001 - I know.

O - ...

They had suspicions already. But the cover wasn't blown immediately. The replicant was doing her best and calling me for advice when in big doubt. Unfortunately, she was asking her local group of nanites instead for small doubts.

N - They seem to suspect something. Say something inconspicuous.

RN0001 - I love you guys! I'm happy you are my friends!

N - Perfect.

O - Even now... It's embarrassing lady Siline.

They were all acting fidgety then, which for the nanites meant they had done well imitating me.

Goodness...

Well, all they had to do was sneak in my domain, beat down a few guards and bring the criminal bunch of my family to the police with some evidence of the wrongdoings.

Okay, that might have been a lot of difficult things, but I believed in their success sincerely. At worse, the replicant would brute force the success. And at the worse of the worse, I would come to turn things around as soon as I would be done on this side.

We reached the county of Murgarden in Denmark, where the family reunion would be tense.

White knights, meaning skilled magicians, were there as witnesses, and bodyguards so we wouldn't try anything funny, probably.

They held swords for ceremony, as part of their uniform. Aster was probably the only one still believing that knights should use these antiquated things. Furthermore when we had magic to help.

But I liked her free spirit, and if she wanted to be free, if she wanted to carve her own path away from the norm her father wanted to enforce...

If Aster wanted to find her own road in life, I would support her entirely.

S - Worst case, you'll turn into a criminal on the run, just like me.

A - I would like to be recognised as a knight though... Not to cut ties with my family.

J - We'll reason him.

And so we entered the not so humble abode.

~

The man was maybe just a count, but he was something else.

I mean my father had been a count, and all I rarely saw was a government official wearing a suit and working in a city office.

The count of Murgarden, or because it was a different culture and kingdom, didn't look the same.

It was a castle main hall, and he looked more like a king or an emperor to me. He was intimidating. And who but him would wear a cape these days? Ok it looked cool. Now I wanted one too.

R - Thank you for looking after my daughter, adventurers. You may leave. I will return your assets, with appropriate compensation for your duty. Aster, you may return to your quarters.

A - Father... No. I want to be a knight. I will make you proud!

He probably had heard that line one too many times already, because anger immediately spoke out of him.

R - Your selfishness ends now! You will never be a knight because you're a woman! It's unbecoming of a lady meant to marry and rule! And you will stop adventuring because you are my child! You are worth better than this barbaric fodder job!

A - ... But I am worthy! I want to prove it! I will never rule anyone without knowing what it means to be an underdog and rise from my own merit, not my name!

R - Do not insult our name anymore!

The man stood with abrupt energy, threatening.

It was a dead end, and I might not make things easier, but I was annoyed.

S - Are you perhaps just afraid Aster might already be a better knight than you are, sir?

C - Siline!

Now his fists were clenching. And I rarely saw so much aggressiveness in one's gaze.

S - I challenge you to a duel, count of Murgarden. For Aster's liberty.

A - I...

R - Who the fuck are you! You’re the one with a fake name!

S - I'm the countess Silvia Opgaendsol of Blekinge, from the Kingdom of Sweden.

J - Siline!

Okay I was getting a bit ahead of myself.

S - Aster has shown in battle and at work she is sound of body and mind, with all the aptitudes to be great a knight. If you don't want her in the order of the Dannebrog... I'm pretty sure King Leopold V will welcome her in the order of the Seraphim instead. He will soon owe some honour to me. And I owe a lot to Aster. So she will become a knight someday, regardless of your choice today. The only question is from which Kingdom would you prefer it to be?

I was getting a lot ahead of myself, my friends gawking at me in shock even more than the count himself. We hadn't discussed this far prior.

I was pissed.

He made a face that was odd.

He dropped the cape, and the jacket. He made a sign and someone brought him a sword. Nevermind that I looked like a teenage girl, at least he was taking me for my word. Perhaps a bit too seriously even.

R - I accept your duel countess. If I win, she stays and you leave. If you win, I will consent that she stays a little longer with you. At sword loss.

Everything in his attitude screamed he was going to wreck me mercilessly. He was red in anger, but he looked steady and ready to defend his honour.

But I was smiling.

Because now all was going to end well! What he consented was good enough for me.

And he wasn't wrathful enough to offer me to surrender my title or anything like that. So my standing opened a possibility he thankfully recognised.

A - Please don't hurt him...

S - I'll be careful.

He didn't wait as much as a gentleman should have, but the nanites made me as heavy and steady as he could ever be.

He put all his weight and momentum in a devastating blow over my head. Which I blocked easily, holding my own shabby sword above my head.

Still, he knew how to fasten his movements and increase the weight of his blows. I would have been crushed or sent flying if it weren't for my nanoscopic friends.

I was reminded of Quinn teaching me to fence against his will. At this moment, I could tell a younger Aster had been bugging and forcing her father to do the same.

I recognised some of her style in his.

He was turning out of breath as we fenced for maybe a few dozens of seconds. Every blow was like a car hit, but my little friends protected me well. I had absurd strength and sufficient speed to match him.

When he showed a moment of concern and unsteady doubt, I struck.

I put almost the maximum of our strength in an upward momentum. The sword seemed to roar, and he lost the grip as he himself was made to jump a bit under the impact.

His sword flew away. The witnesses were a bit shocked.

I couldn't sheathe myself yet, my hands hurting and stuck clenching. I was trembling too.

I bowed to him as if I recognised his victory.

S - Thank you for your promise, count. When Aster returns to be sacred a knight, she will be mightier in battle than me.

R - ...

Some of the anger was cooling down, a bit.

Humility, hopefully?

R - Are you learning from her, Aster?

A - Father... Well yes.

The count and I exchanged a silent gaze. It lasted for a long time...

Oh no, he wouldn't offer me his hand or one of his sons, would he? I began blushing uncontrollably.

R - And how are you with magic?

S - Better than I am with a sword.

So edgy!

I was proud of myself.

For the first time, he sighed, and I perhaps imagined that beginning of a smile beneath his moustache and beard?

R - Aster, is that really what you want?

A - Yes!

No doubt from her. Not a hint in sight...

She wanted to continue our travelling adventure, and earn her reputation appropriately. He looked beside, as if considering wider implications of things.

R - Alright...I will discuss with the King. And I will allow you to continue for one year. And then we will convene again, countess.

A - Father... Thank you!

Ronald left without looking back at us. I think he didn't want us to see his tearful face.

He had refused to concede on everything, but accepted his defeat and to step back this time. It was more than we had hoped for realistically.

The white knights were petrified. One of them whispered his wonder as to whether all knights from Sweden were this spooky.

Hey!

Well, perhaps only me.

S - Alright. Now we just have to make sure I do inherit my claim as countess and we'll be good.

We heard a yell from the other room.

R - What did she just say!?

S - Crap, I thought he couldn't hear. Scram it!

The exit was a bit less elegant than the entry as we all rushed outside.

But all and all, that was still a good victory for our friend’s future liberty.

~

S - How is it going on your end, Nanites?

N - The replicant is doing very well.

S - Somehow that doesn't reassure me as much as I thought it would. What's up?

RS0001 - We've successfully apprehended the culprits, and turned them with full confession of wrongdoings to the King. The EU troops are retreating.

S - What, to the king, directly? I've never met him...

If only that had been all they had to say that evening...

I might have spent another night in blissful ignorance.

RN0001 - Also the manor of Blekinge will require repairs.

S - What kind of repairs? And what did you mean by ''retreating''. Weren't they supposed to leave after we rescinded the signed treaties?

RN0001 - The manor walls are all in need of rebuilding from the ground up. The Empire battalion retreated after the warning shots.

S - Wait... What? You blew up my house entirely? As a warning shot!?

RN0001 - Oh no there’s a misunderstanding. The manor orbital strike was the warning shot inciting the culprits to confess. There were thirteen warning shots along the coastline to incite the military to leave the county. They retreated hastily. There are no known casualties. So it all worked perfectly!

I felt tired suddenly.

The next morning, we began hearing some noises of a diplomatic incident.

They were exaggerated in the press obviously. They were, right?

J - The dark countess and her witches chose to turn her own land to cinders and ashes, rather than to suffer one more day the stain of the foreign presence. The county manor and city hall have turned to sinkholes. The shoreline was evacuated and people are still not allowed to return to their home, as the rubbles are being cleared from the road. King Leopold V formally apologised to the fist consul of the EU Empire for the incident, which caused multiple nervous breakdowns suffered by the peace-keeping officers. Man this is wild...

C - I'm not sure you will be able to ask for a request of knighthood from him anymore lady Siline. But that means your Trinity friends did all this on their own? What friends they are... They ravaged your county.

S - Ah ah ah... Yes, on their own. Yes. Totally not my fault...

A - You know the King could decide to strip you of your title lady Siline. Even if you weren't there.

S - Hm... He probably wouldn't though, because he could be next otherwise?

I was just thinking aloud.

My friends looked agape and scared for some reason though.

S - Come on, you know usurping a kingdom by force isn't something I would ever do.

C - Hm... Yes! You're right! Silly us!

Why were they all looking elsewhere like this was embarrassing to reply?

S - I wouldn't! Okay!

A - Hm sure, we believe you Siline... It's just... The media won't now.

The replicant had acted like a ruthless conqueror that's for sure...

Hey don't go make a coup d'état with my face and name!

We could see the billowing smokes coming out from the ruins that once had been my home...

Sorry dad... I hope you will forgive me. My name was mentioned, but it was unclear if Interpol and the king were looking after me to throw me in jail or put me back on my county duty...

S - Hm... I should probably call Dominika and explain...

My friends continued eating their breakfast at that inn where we stayed.

I peacefully walked to the corner and then ran in momentary panic.

What did you dooooo!

~