Project Schemer - Salvatore Trilogy: Prelude

Arc 1 - Chapter 3: Kindness.

"You really need to be honest with me, in all three houses of noble of Soleil i must say i am the most merciful, imagine what will Giselbert and Naudé do to you to get all of those information." (Siorre)

"I don't think a bandit can be this loyal. These must be something making he does that, hostage or blackmail. Look, we are your only chance you must understand that."

The bandit we caught don't understand his situation, he don't have any other choice, if he decline our suggestion, he will face something much more terrify. But I think i still want to help this bandit, there is nothing can be much more precious then freedom and blackmailed someone isn't true freedom. Maybe someone he cares so much for is kept by those noble. But if he refuse to talk then i don't have any other way to make him speak. 

"If you don't fight then who will help you, if you don't forge your own fate then who can do that for you ? I am not as strong as you and i can't understand the pain of seeing someone you love taken from you while you can't do anything. But i won't let anyone stop my movement."

"Then can i trust you ?"

"I want to try my best, this world is beautiful and inspire me and in a beautiful world like this, i don't want anyone to suffer unjust. Tell me, do you want to sit back and watch those people torment your life or you want to stand on your own feet and punish them for their crime."

"I don't want to give in, in my heart, i want them to pay for their crime but they, they still kept someone dearing to me. My brother, i don't want him to get hurt."

"We understand."

The bandit we caught is actually just a normal soldier, but a normal soldier have their own story, everyone have their own story. With the life as orphans, the only way for them to live is working as noble guard, the noble exploiting people with their taxes, during the night, they command the guard to act as bandit and robbing people in the night. Luckily this is Siorre and not Libitina or Kuoni, according to her, Libitina and Kuoni is not merciful, Libitina consider all sinner carry the same weight and suffer the same punishment, Kuoni on the other hand will be more judging than Libitina but the punishment is still severe. But one day, this soldier - Lugur, he doesn't want to do this anymore, he doesn't want more people to suffer like him and his brother. So he decided, he will tell the Allmighty Eveningstar and the Brilliant Morningstar everything.

"So of course, they took my brother as hostage and force everything to continue. I don't want to do this but i don't want my brother to get hurt."

"It's alright, i will save your brother, i swore on my name as the blade of kindness - Siorre Hardelbert."

"Do you want we to help, Higeki ?" (Sousuke.)

"How about you decide it this time, Sou. I always talk so this time i want you to decide our movement this time, i am a conductor but sometime the performer must decide their own movement, breaking from old and outdated structure."

"I say, we help this man, afterall, Voll helped us for no reason right ? Then we can help other without any reason."

"Thank you, Sou."

We headed toward the mansion of Marquis Alvuzt, compare our force with him, we can be easily outnumbered. The only way to save Lugur's brother is to be stealthy and sneaking into the mansion, before that we have to collect information about the about the place he keeps the children. This is not only for Lugur and his brother but i like children in general, they are really cute and sweet. If everyone can be like Devaro, that is really great.

"Don't worry, Sou. I will be fine on my own."

"I am really worried for you, are you sure you have every powder with you ?"

"Yes, don't worry."

We all agree with the decision for me to disguise as a wandering musician in order to learned about the location of the children. Using powder to assassinate the Marquis should be the last choice, our first step is to make the marquis paid me some attention. The marquis usually arrive back to his mansion at the dusk, i will play the violin on his way back, if the plan go smooth, the Marquis will be interested with the muse. And the plan go smooth.

"Guard, stop, i want to have a word with that musician. Who are you ?"

"My lord, i am Klazt, as you see, i am a wandering musician, am i caught your interest my lord ?"

"Well behaved, very good, i want you to go with me and perform to me. And that instrument you have, i may not understand its structure but i will find all the best magician to give you a new one."

"You are so kind to me, my lord."

So I started to live with Marquis Alvuzt, watching his movement, most of my song are fake and carry no emotion. But all people who sit on throne and carrying silver spoon don't care much about that, everything they care about is the muse soothing their ears. But Marquis Alvuzt is much more interested in the fact that i am a child, maybe he cares for children or maybe something darker. I want to look for further information. 

"You never tell me about your instrument is that something special ?"

"Yes my lord, it is a promise."

"Even more than my authority ?"

"Yes my lord, it is a promise i made with my friend, a pinky promise that i am not allowed to tell the secret about my instrument. I am not allowed to ask you but can i ask you something my lord ?"

"After all the muse you made then your permission is granted."

"Then excuse me my lord, but can you allow me to travel with you, since when the sun rise i am alone in your mansion. Traveling with you would be a great pleasure."

"A simple request like that, if i decline to you then how could i call myself Marquis Alvuzt. You can come with me tomorrow. We will start our journey at the dawn, i hope that can suit your schedule."

"Of course my lord, that would be my pleasure."

"I always wondering one thing, who taught you your behaviour, Klazt, normal people don't act like that, they are much more casual."

"It is a common knowledge, sir. Behave is a part of showing knowledge, but it is a part of me, i want my muse to be beautiful."

But what Marquis Alvuzt behaviour is different from what Lugur told us, he didn't say Alvuzt is a prideful person orr something like that, there must be a reason for taxes and his soldier doesn't rob from people in his territory, they target traveller instead. I must know what is happening, there must be something else i don't know, everyone have their own stories.

The next day we heading toward a building that look like a school, it seem like a lot of children stay here, but why, what is the reason for this school. I don't understand him at all.

"I know you have many question, i know you are not follow me to play music but to finding the info about the children. We have time so i can answer everything to you, and you too, Lady Siorre, the Blade of Kindness. There is no need for you to hide."

"They say your power worth the title, Marquis Alvuzt and you know why i am here."

"Yes, Lady Siorre, i am fully aware of that. Before arrest me or announce execution i can answer everything to you, and don't worry, i won't lie."

"Then the first question from me. Why are you doing this ? Not joining other noble or help the king, you choose to stay here but abducting children."

"I know that will be your first question. Then let me tell you something first, i am not my father, i don't want to goes the same way as the way he act, i know a war is coming. Yet i am powerless, i can't stop that war, so what can i do, the only thing i can do is protect those children."

"So you build this school ?"

"Not just build this school, i want to teach the children a way to protect themselves when the war swept through our place. The guard attack traveller is one of the way to funding the children, the grown up learn how to defend themselves but the children must learn that too. I am not as powerful as Giselbert or Naudé, my wealth is limited. But i must do everything to keep everyone safe."

"But you can join us, we can help you."

"After what my father done to this place, the children, his policy, his plan and most of all, his allies. My father death and all the sin lay on my back, my father is a traitor and i must bear that sin but i don't mind. As long as i can save the children, i will carry anything on me. And because of my father, i know i can't trust anyone. I have to do everything on my own."

I know everyone have their own pain, Lord Alvuzt have the right to think and act if he think he is right. His decision and his action, all of those things are his choices, he wanted to close his heart and protect everything dearing to him. Then i guess Lugur misunderstood Marquis Alvuzt, Lugur acting as a bandit is not used to give Alvuzt riches, he is helping his brother. 

"My lord, they are here again."

"Lady Siorre, Klazt, will you give me a few moment, i will confront them on my own like everytime so don't worry."

We go to the backyard but in the backyard we can still hear the conversation, the person Alvuzt is talking with seem to be another leader of the noble family. That family is the Tyreios family, they seem to be the leader of rebel faction, so they decided to make their movement. Fast and piercing, but it can't convince Lord Alvuzt, his determination to stay neutral is far more powerful than anything. Lugur listen the conversation with us, compare to what he is doing, Alvuzt is carrying more burden than anyone here. The sin of his father, the way soldier looking at him, the action he needs to take to maintain the safety of everyone.

"I understand now, our action is not meaningless, we are just helping our lord but there must be a way for us to stop this, we don't don't want to rob other anymore."

"Maybe there is another way, i can ask my father and the king to provide support. But the longer this state of cold war last, the weaker we become. I don't want a war, i disagree with Libitina and Kuoni but they are right, everything must end."

"We are done, you may return. So we all lie to each other, i lied to everyone and acting like a tyrant, i create a fearful atmosphere to push other away. And you don't even give me your real name, your song only use to praise me and it has no emotion."

"Yes, my lord."

"Can you give me a blessing, give me a song with your true emotion. This is not a command, this is just my humble request, i do not wish to know your real name if you don't want to tell me."

"No, until the war end i will give you the song you want so for now, you only need to survive and protect the children."

"Then i will try my best. It has been so long since i can be honest, i felt so relieve."

"Sometime you need to relax, i know you carry burdens but sometime if you share those burdens, the burden on your back will be less heavy. But i must go now, i don't know if you change your decision but i want to see you in the future."

We say goodbye to Marquis Alvuzt and travel to the capitol of Soleil, our journey is great, the nature is beautiful and i can't wait to see more things in the capitol. I am filled with excitement, two mysterious families, the general and the king, they all sound so magnificent. After one day we arrive to the gate, everything look like it come out of a fantasy novel, everything is so magnificent. We do have a little bit trouble when we walk past the gate because Sou and I don't have rule or magic so they don't know anything about us. But Siorre is there so everything goes smooth.

"I can't wait to see a new place, this is so exciting."

"I know you are, but just calm down, the guard are watching."

Siorre and Sousuke shake their heads but i don't care, everything is so different even this is a city. This world is so enticing.

"Just a little bit more... wait for me a little bit more. I want to meet you so much." (???)