"We do not have a few days," Clarissa points out. "In any case, would not all of this fuss have alerted the spellcaster about the failure of their plans? I cannot imagine they do not already have some means of knowing what goes on here, considering the sheer effort expended so far in this endeavour."

Elise shrugs. "The cube conduit is one-way, as far as I know. I think it might be capable of two-way information flow, but it's not being used for that. I have no idea why."

Meaning the spellcaster has no way of knowing what the results of their magical efforts might be, or you just haven't figured out the means by which the unseen enemy receives their intelligence. You're not even sure such a thing exists, but you are far too sleepy at the moment to attempt proving a negative.

What was usual method for testing hypotheses? Change only one variable at a time.

"Better the enemy we know," you suggest. "We still have Orby to mitigate the effects, right?"

"I might be able to improve Orby's effectiveness, given what we know now," Elise says. "It'll probably take some time, though."

Clarissa does not look happy, but she is resigned to her continued status as a target. "Thank you once again for your help, Elise."

"Not at all, dear Captain!" Elise darts in for another quick hug, which Clarissa stoically accepts. "Your well-being is my top priority."

"Take care not to neglect your own," Clarissa says.

"Of course," Elise says. You suspect she's saying it more for Clarissa's sake than any real sincerity.

"What's going to happen to all of, well." You indicate the vast expanse of symbols and runes across the training courtyard.

"I'll relocate to somewhere more out-of-the-way," Elise says. "The orc can have his training grounds back. I'll maintain a smaller area to limit the damage the spell can do. It shouldn't alert the culprit more than they already have been."

>[2/3]

"I apologize for wasting all your efforts in-" Clarissa begins.

"Hush, hush! Didn't I say we shall not speak of apologies? I would do all this and more, if it would be of even the smallest assistance, my dear Captain." Elise smiles brightly, if a bit glassily through her lack of sleep. "Besides, the mere process of creating these wards has taught me quite a bit about how to contain the cube more efficiently. So it is in no way any kind of waste, dear Captain; put that thought out of your head."

Elise's devotion to Clarissa is commendable, but rather disturbing at times. "Do you need any help?" you offer. Not that you're able to assist in any meaningful manner in arcane matters, or reveal your ability to do so even if you could.

Elise eyes you with some amused concern. "Why don't you get some sleep, Nicole? I can handle everything here. And I'm sure our dear Captain will obey the Duke's orders, won't you?"

Clarissa reverts to silently impassive non-commitance.

As Elise busies herself with rearranging the universe in general and the wards in the courtyard in specific to her satisfaction, you turn to Clarissa. "Was there any other place you'd like to go, Captain?"

Clarissa sighs. "Since I doubt you are allowed to take me to my office, I suppose it is up to you."

> "The library should be nice and quiet and peaceful. A good place to relax."
> "Do you want to talk to Victor, Captain?"
> "We could go visit the city. You could introduce me to some of the places you've been to."
> "Could we go to the chapel and see Sister Simone? I'm afraid I might not last very much longer."

>>36218039
> "The library should be nice and quiet and peaceful. A good place to relax."

Welcome back man

>>36218039
>> "The library should be nice and quiet and peaceful. A good place to relax."

>>36218039
>"The library should be nice and quiet and peaceful. A good place to relax."
Oh boy! My favourite time of the day!

>>36218039
> "The library should be nice and quiet and peaceful. A good place to relax."

>>36218039
> "We could go visit the city. You could introduce me to some of the places you've been to."

>>36218039
> Stay, listen. You’re curious, just a little bit curious

I'm probably mistaken but wasn't Nicole dead on her feet last thread?

>>36218039

> "The library should be nice and quiet and peaceful. A good place to relax."

Good to see you back damp.

"The library should be nice and quiet and peaceful," you say. You like quiet and peaceful places, especially now. "A good place to relax."

Clarissa raises an eyebrow. "And a good place to take a nap?"

You can't deny that.

"It is as good a place as any," Clarissa relents. "And you look like you could use the rest, Nicole."

"Sorry about this, Captain," you say.

"I should be the one apologizing, but Elise has prohibited me from doing so." Clarissa leads the way towards the library, glancing at you occasionally. "At least now I know how you feel for your probation. It is rather stifling, is it not?"

In a manner of speaking. You've never been actively followed like you are currently doing to Clarissa, but your probation does feel like the collar it is meant to be: ever-present, always reminding you of its presence, even when it does not physically restrict your movements. And when you slip out of it, there is the constant feeling of guilt at such delinquent behaviour, even for a good cause.

You wonder if Simone will keep her own counsel on your unauthorized presence in Victor's room last night.

"It has been a while since I've read anything for leisure," Clarissa muses. "Mostly I just browse through reports. It is remarkable how much paperwork a single palace can generate, much less the entire city of Alvar."

"And it all goes through your desk?" you ask. No wonder Clarissa gets a reputation for being a workaholic.

Clarissa looks mildly embarrassed. "I like to keep abreast of developments."

In other words, Clarissa doesn't technically have to take the entire city's burdens upon herself. She just does it anyway. "What sort of books do you like to read, Captain?"

>[1/2]

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269 KB JPG

"I am not sure," Clarissa says. "I used to like reading stories about great men and women of history. It was rather disappointing to learn that some of these titans of legend are not so large after all, when you dig deeper into their foibles and follies. Still, a lesson may be learned that they are all the more greater for their flaws. It does not take much for a perfect person to succeed in their task, but for an imperfect person to do so is worthy of respect."

You wonder how much of this lesson Clarissa herself had taken to heart. Did she see herself as the perfect Knight Captain to whom success must be a guarantee, or an imperfect one who must strive for that fleeting respect?

The path to the library is rather more winding than the one you usually take; Clarissa exits the palace building proper, and circles the grounds to the library's main entrance. Apparently you are the only person who bothers taking the direct route from inside the palace.

Katherine looks up at your entrance, and then does a double-take at Clarissa.

"Clarissa," she greets in her quiet voice, surreptitiously pushing aside her ever-present sewing.

"Katherine," Clarissa replies. "How was your day off yesterday?"

"Acceptable," Katherine says, not inviting further comment. Given the library was open on the first day of your knight-apprenticeship, Katherine does not always take the rest day with the other members of the palace staff. You wonder what was so different about yesterday.

> "Do you have anything you could recommend the Captain?"
> "What did you do on your day off, out of curiosity?"
> Yawn

>>36218706
>Yawn
We sleepytimes

>>36218706

> Yawn

>>36218706
>Yawn

>>36218706
> "Do you have anything you could recommend the Captain?"

>>36218706
> "Do you have anything you could recommend the Captain?"
> Yawn

Was one of the strange things about Nicole she could go for a long time without sleeping or am I misremembering?

>>36218706
>"What did you do on your day off, out of curiosity?"

>>36218826
Not sure. She is running on fumes though. She didn't sleep much the night before and then skipped a night to watch over the Captain.

>>36218706
> Yawn

>>36218706
> "Do you have anything you could recommend the Captain?"
>try not to yawn
>yawn anyway

You've gone without sleep for extended periods of time before, but you've never enjoyed the experience. This time is no different; every second ticks by with agonizing slowness, particularly when you don't have any prospect of a nap to look forward to.

Well, there's nothing actually stopping you from taking a nap, apart from your solemn duty to watch over Clarissa and make sure she doesn't get it in her head to go back to her workaholic or self-destructive habits. Which should be motivation enough to keep awake, assuming your brain can convince your body about this self-evident truth.

"I'm sorry," Katherine's voice pierces through your musings, "am I boring you?"

"Be nice, Katherine," Clarissa says. "Nicole did not get much sleep last night. For my sake."

"Yes, I heard about the commotion," Katherine says. "It's all over the palace. Has interesting effects on gossip and morale."

You quickly shut your mouth from mid-yawn. "It's not the Captain's fault," you say.

Katherine holds up a hand. "I don't care about fault or magic or whatever. As long as my books are safe, it doesn't matter to me."

You briefly ponder on whether Anders shares Elise and Katherine's penchants for monomania, and what form his might take. Administration and bureaucracy, possibly. Lily seems normal enough, though. "Do you have any books you could recommend to the Captain?" you ask.

"Apply to the court wizard for books on resisting magical assaults," Katherine mutters.

>[1/2]

Clarissa's only reaction is a slight tensing; she's either used to Katherine's lack of social graces, or she's far too professional to let her irritation show. "I will be content with something light," she says. "Preferably with some sort of self-improvement. I might try picking up a new skill."

You get the impression Clarissa has some trouble with the concept of relaxation.

"And a quiet spot for Nicole," Clarissa adds. "The poor girl needs a nap."

"The library is not a nursery," Katherine growls.

> "I'm all right, Captain. Really."
> "A nap sounds nice, if it's not too much trouble, Katherine."
> "Katherine, would you mind watching over the Captain for me?"

>>36219150
>"A nap sounds nice, if it's not too much trouble, Katherine."
We cannot stray too far from our Captain but a nap would really do wonders...

>>36219150
> "I'm all right, Captain. Really."

>>36219150
> "A nap sounds nice, if it's not too much trouble, Katherine."
> "Katherine, would you mind watching over the Captain for me?"
and if she bitches, we get a bunch of old and valuable books, open them, lay them page down, and form a mattress with them to sleep on

>>36219150
>> "I'm all right, Captain. Really."

>>36219150
>"I'm all right, Captain. Really."

>>36219150
>> "I'm all right, Captain. Really."

>>36219150
> "A nap sounds nice, if it's not too much trouble, Katherine."

>>36219150
> "I'm all right, Captain. Really."
>fall asleep anyway
>Hug the captain/hold her hand while sleeping to ensure that Clarissa doesn't get away to do work

>>36219150

>>36219202 This is me. swapping to

>>36219224

>>36219224
I too swap from >>36219160 to >>36219224

>>36219150
>>36219224
Seconded

>>36219150
> "A nap sounds nice, if it's not too much trouble, Katherine."
>"Sorry."

>>36219150
swapping >>36219276 for >>36219224

>>36219150
>>36219224
This

>>36219150
changing from >>36219178 to >>36219224

It's getting harder to think properly through the haze of sleep deprivation. You've heard stories of people who can last a week without sleep; you are clearly not one of them.

Even so, you promised to keep watch over Clarissa, and that is what you will do.

"I'm all right, Captain," you insist. "Really."

"And so am I," Clarissa responds. "I am not made of fragile spun glass, Nicole. I am a Knight Captain, and this will not kill me. Everyone's efforts, Elise and yours in particular, have seen to that. I am grateful, but all of this fuss is simply not necessary."

"If this heartwarming interlude is quite done," Katherine says, "I wish to reiterate that the library is not a place to nap in. However," she adds sharply, "I am willing to ignore a little bending of the rules. Assuming you don't snore."

You look questioningly at Clarissa.

"You do not snore, Nicole," Clarissa assures you. "In fact, you sleep like the dead. It was a little unsettling, the first time I woke before you did."

An apt descriptor; you feel a little unsettled too. Still, nobody can help how they sleep. "It doesn't matter, Captain. I'm not going to take a nap here."

Clarissa covers her mouth with a hand. You're too tired to feel offended at being laughed at. "Whatever you say, Nicole." She reaches out to steady you on your feet.

You take the opportunity to grab Clarissa's hand in yours, on the basis that this would prevent any escape should you fall asleep anyway. You can feel Clarissa flinch slightly at the unexpectedly forward gesture, but she does not withdraw her hand. She does move a little more stiffly, which means this is as awkward for her as it is for you.

>[1/2]

"So, some sort of book on non-specific self-improvement for Clarissa," Katherine says, standing. "What about you, Nicole? You still have those two books checked out, so you can't borrow any more, but you could always read in the library."

After the events of the past few days, you've been curious about the Ridelhams and why some of their number would wish to target another one of their own with nightmares. However, you're not sure you should research such things so openly in front of Clarissa. Some subtlety might be necessary.

You're too tired for subtlety.

You're also too tired to figure out why you're not tired anymore, or why your field of vision now consists of the other side of the front desk of the library. Katherine is sitting in front of you, her back to you. You are seated in a surprisingly comfortable if simple chair, clutching a soft shawl around yourself. There are ducks on the shawl.

"Good morning, Nicole," Katherine says, without turning around, but with a careful measure of irony. "Or rather, good afternoon. You've missed lunch."

> "How long was I asleep?"
> "Where's the Captain?"
> Panic

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64 KB JPG

>>36219480
>sleep like the dead
>An apt descriptor

>>36219493
> "Where's the Captain?"

>>36219493
> "Where's the Captain?"

>>36219493
> "Where's the Captain?"

>>36219493
> Try not to panic
> Panic a lot
> "Where's the Captain?"

>>36219480
>you sleep like the dead. It was a little unsettling, the first time I woke before you did.
>An apt descriptor
I'm probably reading too much into it, but speculating is fun!

>>36219493
Panic

>>36219493
>"Did you make this?"

>>36219493
> "How long was I asleep?"
> Panic
> "Where's the Captain?"

>>36219493
>>36219530
seconded

>>36219493
> "Where's the Captain?"
> Panic
Where the heck did she go!

>>36219531
That's why we'll keep doing it. It's a shame damp already confirmed that one of our theories was close. Limits the possible options slightly.

>>36219579
Which one sleeps like the dead and has strange ears and possibly claws?

>>36219493
>> "Where's the Captain?"
>> Panic

>>36219610
Vampire-elf?
Claw-golem? (Golem's don't sleep like the living, right?)

>>36219610
An odd golem? A dragon? A brown elf?

>>36219610
What else but a succubus would walk around as a brown elf?

>>36219654
Golems shouldn't sleep. But maybe that's magical recharge time? Vampire... how do we do the whole daytime thing? We also don't eat people.

>>36219658
>Dragon
That would be Awesome.

But we had a fear of something that would disrupt summoned creatures...

I'm thinking homunculus/Golem

>>36219678
We haven't fucked anything. Your logic is flawed.

>>36219683
>Summoned

It may have just been that it would drain whatever we had powering our illusion spell.

With a great restraint that you feel proud of yourself for, you manage to keep your voice to a minimum of panicky squeak. "Where's the Captain?"

"She's fine," Katherine says. "She was picked up. By Sir W-william."

Katherine still hasn't turned to face you. She looks busy with more needlework, and studiously apathetic to the distressing lack of Knight Captains in the vicinity. "Picked up? Where to?"

"How should I know? Sir W-william didn't say anything. I didn't ask him. It's none of my business, right?"

You take a moment to calm your nerves by carefully folding the fluffy shawl. The ducks scattered across the light blue background are really very cute. The shawl looks hand-made, which it probably is. Maybe Katherine's hobby is to include cute animals onto her knitting and sewing.

"If you're going to panic, please do it outside," Katherine adds. "Hyperventilating gets rather noisy, and we must maintain silence in the library."

You clutch the shawl to your face and breathe through it for a while, which helps. "Did Sir William tell you anything else?"

"Only to let you rest for now. Clarissa agreed. So they left you here."

Now that you're not as sleep-deprived, you should have known that simply holding Clarissa's hand is nowhere near enough to prevent her from gently disengaging and wandering off. But William is more than capable of making sure Clarissa kept to her orders of having a day off, which is apparently more than can be said for yourself.

>[1/2]

Maybe you can catch up to Clarissa if you make a move now. Besides, while you're not that hungry, you missed lunch, and it's important to have three full meals a day, whatever the portion size. You could scrounge something up from the kitchens, and then start exploring.

William might be back in Clarissa's office, having passed Clarissa off to someone else. Which would probably be Simone, given that everyone else would just remind Clarissa of her work.

"Well?" Katherine demands. "Are you going to sit there forever?"

> "No, I'll be going now. Thank you for your hospitality, Katherine."
> "Actually, I'd like to read up on something I've been wondering about for a while. Do you have any books about the Ridelhams?"
> "Katherine, please say 'Sir William' one more time."

>>36219747
> "Katherine, please say 'Sir William' one more time."
> "No, I'll be going now. Thank you for your hospitality, Katherine."

>>36219747
>> "No, I'll be going now. Thank you for your hospitality, Katherine."

>>36219747
> "Katherine, please say 'Sir William' one more time."
> "No, I'll be going now. Thank you for your hospitality, Katherine."

>>36219747
> "No, I'll be going now. Thank you for your hospitality, Katherine."

>>36218009
Good to have you back, damp, can't contribute because I'm at work but good luck

She has failed to comply with an order. Clearly defective.

>>36219747
> "Katherine, please say 'Sir William' one more time."

>>36219747
>"No, I'll be going now. Thank you for your hospitality, Katherine."
Back to bed?

>>36219747
> "Katherine, please say 'Sir William' one more time."
I'm curious about the stuttering.
> "No, I'll be going now. Thank you for your hospitality, Katherine."

>>36219785
Where's the closest MRO facility for defective models? Might have to do a factory reset.

>>36219849
Oh.. hell I've forgotten.. it's in a ruinous state now anyway.

Katherine seems rather more short-tempered than usual, and certainly more so than this morning. Something had happened to change her mood, and given her odd speech mannerisms, you have a fairly good idea about what.

"I'll be going now," you say, rising from your seat. You hand the shawl back to Katherine. "Thank you for your hospitality, Katherine."

"Yes, fine," Katherine says, still without facing you. "Just go."

You make sure to edge out of Katherine's reach before broaching the next sentence. "Katherine?"

"What?"

"Please say 'Sir William' one more time."

Now Katherine looks at you, holding the shawl to her own face. Despite that, you can see the deep red flush on her cheeks.

"Out of my library," she hisses, albeit without much heat. "And don't you dare tell anyone else about this. Do you understand?"

You hold your hands up hastily in acquiesance. "Yes, Katherine. I promise." There must be something in the water around Alvar. You may well need a chart of some sort to keep track of all of this.

Katherine ducks her head once again, hiding her blush, and you make your escape from the library.

Back in the palace proper, you pause for a moment to take stock of your options. You have no idea where Clarissa went, but given the much-publicized nature of the incident, you should be able to ask around. The trail would have gone rather cold by now, though; it might be easier to simply head to where Clarissa is likely to be right now.

And then there's the matter of lunch. You could grab a quick bite before starting your search; it would not take very long.

Coincidentally, you spot Lily heading to the kitchens as well. She looks moderately tired, but not as sleepless as you or Elise had been.

> Head to Clarissa's office to find William
> Head to the chapel to find Simone
> Head to the courtyard to see if Elise is still there
> Head to the kitchens and talk to Lily
> Head to the kitchens and straight back out with a minimum of conversation

>>36219926
> Head to the kitchens and straight back out with a minimum of conversation
then
> Head to Clarissa's office to find William

>>36219926
>Head to the kitchens and talk to Lily
Gotta ask the spy what's news on the grapevine whilst she's not on top of her game due to sleeploss

>>36219926

> Head to the kitchens and straight back out with a minimum of conversation

>>36219926
>> Head to the kitchens and talk to Lily

Food and gossip.

I'm curious about last night's gossip.

> You hold your hands up hastily in acquiesance. "Yes, Katherine. I promise."
> Agreeing without prompt

RAILROADING!

>blackmail when?

>>36219926
> Head to Clarissa's office to find William

>>36219926
> Head to the kitchens and talk to Lily

>>36219926
>> Head to the kitchens and talk to Lily

>>36219926
>> Head to the kitchens and talk to Lily

>>36219926
> Head to Clarissa's office to find William

>OHSHITWELOSTTHECAPTAIN!

>Heads off to gossip.

You are a shit knight.

>>36219926
>> Head to the kitchens and talk to Lily

>>36219969
We can break promises if we need to, it's fine. Just keep collecting all of the secrets.

>>36219998
William's got it covered, we're hungry and knackered and Lily knows things worth knowing.

>>36219926
> Head to the kitchens and straight back out with a minimum of conversation

Disregard gossip, acquire captains.

>>36220008
I'm probably shadow running but I don't trust William at all. I'd also be greatly disturbed if we headed to the office and he said something along the lines of, "I.. thought you were with the Captain? I haven't spoken to her since this morning."

>>36220008
good spies need to know things

>>36219998
Knight-apprentice.

This is intel gathering, plus a knight-apprentice that hasn't eaten is not a good knight apprentice. So we're still doing our job, nominally.

>>36220008
I'd rather be secure in the knowledge that she's fine. Then go on the poor me I'm tired and hungry bent.

>>36220014
yep, you're shadow running pretty hard. So far almost everything is turning out more mundane and innocent than we think.

>>36220030
Yes the death cube and midnight magical attacks are very mundane.

>>36220034
More mundane than suspected, not completely.

>>36220053
Yeah I'll quit whining. I'm just thinking if our shadow assassin or whatever wanted to get her. Playing as William would throw the Librarian for a loop because she's apparently smitten and offering the Captain a chance at work with lower her guard.

>>36220069
work would* lower her guard.

>>36220069
But if they had that option, they've been seriously beating around the bush so far with that magic cube business. It doesn't seem likely.

Lessons in Knighthood: Love-Love Kingdom

I am ready!

>>36220069
so you're saying that if William seems less punchable than normal, we should punch him harder?
yeah I could get behind that.

>>36220119
the only quest where the npcs are waifuing harder than the players

File: You robbed the wrong hous(...).webm (2.79 MB, 480x362)

2.79 MB WEBM

>>36220130
We don't have time to waifu, we're shadowrunners

>>36220130
Clarissa x work?

>>36220163
Clarrisa x The Best Kinght-Apprentice

>>36220173
>The Best Kinght-Apprentice
Why not Nicole?

>>36220130
I Just Wanted To Apply As A Knight In A Foreign Land And Act Suspicious But Everyone Is In Love With Each Other?! Quest

>>36220163

Lily x cake OTP

>>36220181
Sounds like a Light Novel title.

You haven't talked to Lily in a day or so, which feels like much longer based on the sheer pace of events in the palace so far. Maybe Lily will have some further insights into the gossip going on about Clarissa.

Upon entering the kitchens, you can see Lily converse with one of the kitchen maids, who seems more worried about Lily herself, gesticulating with some frantic animation. Lily politely cuts the kitchen maid off, and the kitchen maid departs, looking back over her shoulder with concern at Lily's condition.

Before you can decide whether to quietly remove yourself from this scene, Lily spots you, and waves you over.

"Hi, Nicole," she greets you. "Haven't had lunch yet either?"

"Not yet," you say. "I've been following the Captain around, but, er." You fell asleep, which means missing lunch is all on you. "It was my fault. I hope there's still some food left." Not that you're hungry, but it's not healthy to skip meals.

"Only leftovers, I'm afraid."

"That's all right." You're not especially picky, even if you don't eat much. "Is there usually a lot of leftovers?"

Lily cracks a smile as she takes a seat; you join her at the same table. "Not with Knight Captain Clarissa around. And especially not if Sir Donovan is also here."

You indicate the cooking area, where the kitchen maid had disappeared into. "Did something happen?"

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing." Lily rubs the bridge of her nose. "The seneschal called me to his office for a private interview. Well, more like an interrogation. Completely polite and professional, of course; you know how Anders is."

You do indeed. Never improper or rude, and the very soul of civility, and yet all the more intimidating for it. "What was it about?"

>[1/2]

"That break-in at the vault. I don't know why Anders called me up for questioning; I wasn't on duty." Lily sounds genuinely puzzled and irritated by what seems like an unfair prejudice against elf maids, viz herself. "I was studying by myself, in fact. Not that I could provide an alibi, though."

The servants share quarters in large rooms, you recall. "You weren't in your room?"

"No, I was..." Lily hesitates. "Well, I was somewhere else. Someplace quiet."

Strangely evasive, especially for someone under suspicion. Not like you can criticize, mind.

A different kitchen maid from before emerges from the cooking area, bringing forth a plate of something vaguely re-fried. Upon spotting you, she does an about-face back into the cooking area, and returns a moment later with another plate. More than you'd normally eat, but maybe you can push the rest onto Lily's plate.

Lily accepts the plate with a smile of thanks. You copy her display of gratitude, which passes muster. "How's Knight Captain Clarissa?" Lily asks. "We've only heard bits and pieces of rumours, below-stairs. Hard to believe her family would do something like that."

> "She's feeling much better now. She's not supposed to be working, though. She's having some problems with that."
> "Have you seen the Captain around? I, er, kind of lost track."
> "What are the rumours you've heard?"
> "Do you know about the Captain's family?"

>>36220293
> "What are the rumours you've heard?"

Incidentally, one-hour warning before I have to AFK for about two to three hours (or more, if I'm unlucky) due to visiting relatives.

Not sure if this thread will be around when I return; if it is, I'll continue. Otherwise, it'll be a short thread, sorry.

>>36220293
> "Have you seen the Captain around? I, er, kind of lost track."

>>36220293
> "She's feeling much better now.
> "What are the rumours you've heard?"
> "Have you seen the Captain around? I, er, kind of lost track."

>>36220293
> "Have you seen the Captain around? I, er, kind of lost track."
> "What are the rumours you've heard?"

>>36220293
> "Have you seen the Captain around? I, er, kind of lost track."
> "What are the rumours you've heard?"
> "Do you know about the Captain's family?"

>>36220293
>> "She's feeling much better now. She's not supposed to be working, though. She's having some problems with that."
>> "What are the rumours you've heard?"

>>36220293
Seriously, who leaked this information? There were no guards around, right? Suspicious!

> "What are the rumours you've heard?"
> "She's feeling much better now. She's not supposed to be working, though. She's having some problems with that."
> "Have you seen the Captain around? I, er, kind of lost track."

In that order-

>>36220293
>> "What are the rumours you've heard?"

>>36220319
We'll keep around, don't you worry.

>>36220356
> She's not supposed to be working, though. She's having some problems with that

> Seriously, who leaked this information? There were no guards around, right? Suspicious!

Gee. I wonder.

>>36220375
Nooo! I mean leaked the cube incident. Nicole didn't do that.

Maybe it was W-w-william!

>>36220356
>Hard to believe her family would do something like that.

You start on your late lunch. "Have you seen the Captain around?" you say, as conversationally as you can manage. "I, er." No getting around the embarrassment. "I kind of lost track."

Lily shakes her head. "I've been stuck with Anders for most of the morning, sorry. I can't imagine how I'll catch up to my work. At least the Matron seems pretty understanding."

And her fellow maids are concerned about her. Lily has friends who are willing to look out for her, which is not a bad idea to emulate.

"I could ask around for you," Lily offers. "Just, uh, after lunch. I'm pretty famished," she admits.

"That would be a great help, thanks." Speaking of which. "What are the rumours about the Captain that you've heard?" You're not sure what sort of information would have been leaked from the incident at the vault. The guards who discovered the break-in were under no obligation to secrecy, but they would not have been privy to the cube reacting to Clarissa's presence. The court wizard carrying the cube out into the training courtyard and erecting wards all around it is definitely public knowledge. And it's quite likely that someone spotted Roderick carrying the unconscious Clarissa up to your room.

Partial information may be more dangerous than full disclosure, especially when wild speculation enters the mix.

Lily frowns in recollection. "Well, there's the one everyone knows, which is that there's this weird cube artifact from the vault that's doing something to the Knight Captain. That one is pretty obvious; we've all seen the thing in the courtyard. There's something about how Clarissa rescued you, or you rescued her, or something like that. I'm not very clear on the details, though."

Accurate enough thus far. Considering both you and Clarissa entered the basement, and you were the one who exited conscious in good graces with the Duke, it was not a huge leap of reasoning.

[1/3]

"The cube is dangerous only to Clarissa," Lily continues. "Since Elise and Anders were working on it last night. It's very dangerous, though, since it knocked the Knight Captain out in one go."

Technically it was the Duke's wine which did that, but the general gist is still there.

"So everyone's avoiding the cube," Lily says. "And Clarissa is still in danger, but recovering. But we don't know how it all works; the cube is just a thing, so it can't be casting the bad spells, and there's some other spellcaster around, somewhere. Everything else is speculation, like why the spellcaster is targeting the Knight Captain and not the Duke. They say the spell might just be a trial, and the Duke is still in danger."

A fair assessment, and possibly even true, given the unknown motives of the equally unknown spellcaster. "How did you know it was the Captain's family?" you ask.

Lily blinks. "What?"

"How did you know it was the Captain's family who was responsible?" you persist. "You said that it was hard to believe that the Captain's family would do something like that. But you didn't say anything about any rumours about that."

"Didn't I?" Lily laughs, short and dismissive and rather desperate. "It must have slipped my mind. Something I just heard, without any proof. Can't accuse the nobility without any evidence, after all, especially the Ridelhams."

Again with the mention of the Ridelham nobility, and their purported importance above and beyond other nobility.

"I should be going now," Lily says, standing quickly. She hasn't finished her lunch yet, but she collects her plate. "I'll pass the word along to you about the Knight Captain's whereabouts."

She flits away with surprising speed. You're not sure you can follow her, given that she will probably be able to hide behind a protective wall of fellow servants.

>[2/3]

While Lily's behaviour is rather suspicious, something about it feels odd, beyond the simple suspicious nature itself. It's almost as though Lily is trying just a little too hard to be just a little too suspicious. She had waited for your reaction just a tad longer than strictly necessary when she mentioned Clarissa's family.

A message of sorts, then. You would wish for a more straightforward method of communication, but you can understand wanting to communicate some secrets while keeping others close.

You should probably make a move as well. If nothing else, the terms of your own probation would require you to make a report.

> Check if William is in Clarissa's office
> Maybe Clarissa is at the chapel with Simone
> Anders might know something
> Elise could still be at the courtyard
> Go chase after Lily anyway

Last post before I AFK. Sorry for the interruption.

>>36220179
>>>
meanwhile, on Knight Captain Quest by QM dry...
"Nicole best waifu"

>>36220617
>Panic

>>36220617

> Go chase after Lily anyway

>>36220617
> Anders might know something
> Tell a servant around that we're going to see Anders so they can find us when they know where Clarissa is

>>36220617
> Go chase after Lily anyway
too suspicious. that's supposed to be us. get answers.

>>36220659
>>36220669
> QM not so subtly tells us to not bother doing something
> ???
> Failure

>>36220687
Then I guess we'll just fuck around blindly rather than go after the one person that's being obviously suspicious.

>>36220712
> Did you do thing
> N-No
> Are you sure?
> Y-Yes
> Admit it, you did thing!
> P-prove it
> ...

versus

> Anders gib info pls
> exposition.txt

>>36220617
> Go chase after Lily anyway

>>36220617
>> Anders might know something

>>36220617
>> Anders might know something

>>36220617
>> Anders might know something

>>36220738
why would anders know about her family messing with her when Lily just said gave up that she knew?

>>36220659
Changing my vote to >>36220767

>>36220850
Why wouldn't Anders know about the Ridelhams if he's worked here forever and seems to have a good working relation with Clarissa? He's the seneschal so he would've been filled in by now. That wasn't even the point to begin with though, Lily was already suspect of being a spy so asking Anders who just finished interrogating her would be far more useful for getting ourselves up to date instead of bumbling after Lily to get her to confess without more evidence.

>>36221079
of course he'd know general details about her family, but I'm more interested in how and why Lily knows about her families attempts on her life

a general history won't give us that, Lily clearly gave up that bit of info for a reason

>>36220617
>Go get Victor and see if he's free to help Elise.

I hoped she would turn out to be a fey or demon or something. This implication that she's undead is turning me off.

>>36221472
who says she's undead?

sleeping like the dead is a phrase

>>36221478
But the phrase being an apt descriptor creates an implication.

>>36221486
And many things are capable of sleeping like a corpse

>>36221472
Demon and golem are still my top two theories.

>>36221472
I don't even care what she is. All this secrecy about it is starting to get irritating.

>>36221493
I'm hoping for dragon-something

I honestly hope we never find out and we just stay as weird and slightly deceptive and secretive

>>36221472
sleeping like the dead implies undead OR golem/homunculus.

If you count elementals as non-living, Nicole could also be some strange summoned being.

>>36221495
For me it's one of the most interesting aspects of the quest.

>>36221519
I got to agree with you here. I'm eager as fuck to know all the secrets RIGHT NOW but that would kill a lot of the fun for me.

It's also pretty interesting how Nicole herself knows (most of) her secrets while the players don't.

Am I the only one who thinks that any kind of dramatic 'reveal' that she's a golem/undead/dragon or something would turn off a lot of players and that most don't really care and like her as she is?

>>36221554
I don't think this question really needs to be answered. Really, it's just a prompt to keep this thread bumped and discuss how Nicole's interactions taking her origins into account is more interesting than her actual origins.

>>36221554
If players don't care what Nicole is they wouldn't be turned off the quest just because her race is revealed. If they want her to be a normal human they should have stopped reading ages ago because it's been blatantly stated she is not.
I'd prefer OP to just keep dropping hints until players figure it out by themselves.

>>36221593
>>36221554
>>36221586

The most important thing here is that Nicole has delicious brown skin.

>>36221519
Meh. Different strokes and all that. I just don't find it that interesting of a question.

>>36221593
>it's been blatantly stated she is not.
jeez anon can't you read, the's been blatantly stated to be 100% LEGITIMATE HUMAN TOTALLY, I don't know how you got the opposite message from that

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>>36221618

>>36221618
>Skin.

While Lily is certainly more than she seems, you're not sure how much more. With the amount of interest Anders has shown in her, though, he might have some further insights into the mystery of the maid.

The trade-off is, of course, having to deal with Anders yourself.

You reflect that Anders is likely a perfectly benign person, as long as your paperwork is in order. He does not seem the violent sort, although given his authorization as one of the people you are to report to for your probation, he can well handle himself should it come to that. You recall that he had helped Elise contain the mysterious conduit cube, although you had not witnessed this personally.

All in all, there are many reasons to be wary of Anders, especially considering your own unique position. But it is very likely that of anyone in the palace, Anders will know what is going on.

Whether he imparts this information to you is another matter, but it couldn't hurt to ask. As a knight-apprentice of Alvar, you are technically accorded certain rights and privileges, including the one not to be summarily arrested and dissected on the say-so of anyone below the rank of your liege lord, even the palace seneschal.

You just have to be careful enough not to provide Anders with enough evidence to bring to the Duke himself that such a course of action becomes reasonable.

You bring your plate to the washing-up area, where a scullery maid is waiting and giving you a suspicious glare. Clearly Lily has told them not to let you question her further, although given the flinty look, you suspect her explanations might have been a little abbreviated.

"Could you please tell Lily to pass on any information on the Knight Captain's whereabouts to me?" you request politely. "I'll be going to meet Anders for now."

The scullery maid continues her suspicious glare, but acknowledges the request.

>[1/2]

As you make your way to Anders's office, you question the guards you pass along the way about Clarissa's current location. Unfortunately you've also slept through the mid-day shift change, so most of them have not seen the Knight Captain either. They do show some concern over Clarissa's condition, which you do your best to alleviate in a non-committally vague way.

For all that Clarissa has a reputation for terrifying the regular staff, she does inspire them to a strong bond of loyalty and concern. A peculiar ability.

Arriving at Anders's office, you find the door slightly ajar, and the murmur of conversation inside. Based on the words you can make out, Anders is conferring with his clerks on the entirely mundane affair of running the duchy of Alvar, and the palace in particular.

You're not here to eavesdrop.

"Come in," Anders calls out, to your polite knock on the door.

Only one clerk is present today, seated at his desk. At an almost imperceptible tilt of the head from Anders, the clerk discreetly exits the office, leaving you alone with Anders and his disconcertingly penetrating stare. A private audience, it seems. You have to wonder why.

"How may I help you, Nicole?" Anders says. "I believe you were told to keep watch over Clarissa, were you not?"

> "Do you happen to know where the Captain is now?"
> "Has there been any other developments on where that cube came from?"
> "Out of curiosity, why Lily?"

File: The BBEG was your horse.gif (2 MB, 310x320)

2 MB GIF

>>36221639
Nicole is without a doubt, 100% genuine human. Born and bred in the countryside by two loving and caring completely normal human parents.

>>36221687
> "Do you happen to know where the Captain is now?"

I.. fell asleep.

>>36221687

> "Do you happen to know where the Captain is now?"
Fidget

>>36221690
Replace human with elf, and I'm in 100% agreement
>>36221687
> "Do you happen to know where the Captain is now?"
She lied about staying near me

>>36221687
> "She left with sir William."
> "Do you happen to know where the Captain is now?"
> "Out of curiosity, why Lily?"

>>36221734
sounds good.

>>36221687
> "Do you happen to know where the Captain is now?"
> "Out of curiosity, why Lily?"

>>36221687
>>36221734
Supporting this.

>>36221734
Thirded.

>>36221687
> "Do you happen to know where the Captain is now?"
> "Out of curiosity, why Lily?"

>>36221687
>"Has there been any other developments on where that cube came from?"

>>36221687
> "Do you happen to know where the Captain is now?"
I fall asleep. Good that sir William took care of Clarissa. Well, that's what I've been told.
Any way I could help my Captain, your definitively not disturbingly-staring highness ?

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407 KB JPG

You clear your throat nervously. "I accompanied the Captain to the library. From there, uh." You can't quite bring yourself to say that you fell asleep; not in front of that stare.

Anders waves a hand reassuringly. "I am not accusing you of dereliction in your duties," he says. "I am well aware of your vigil over Clarissa last night. You certainly deserved some rest."

Oh. "Sir William arrived when I was, um, indisposed. I think the Captain followed him. Do you happen to know where the Captain is now?"

Anders steeples his fingers. "She hasn't left the palace, that much I know. That limits the places she could be, especially since despite her grumblings, I do not think Clarissa will directly disobey the Duke's orders. She might try to find a way around it, but that is for your own ingenuity to solve."

Your ingenuity has not had a stellar track record thus far.

"But I do not think you are here to ask about Clarissa's whereabouts," Anders says. "You are well aware that she is not likely to meet me, since that would violate her orders not to involve herself in work. And my relationship with Clarissa is almost entirely based on work. So. What other questions do you have of me?"

You fidget nervously, before forcing yourself to calm down.

"Feel free to speak plainly," Anders says, amusement draped over his tone.

"Why Lily?" you blurt out. "Out of curiosity, I mean. I, uh, heard you were questioning her for some time."

Anders focuses his gaze on you even more intensely, which you had not thought possible before. "And in what capacity are you asking, Nicole? As a concerned knight-apprentice, or as Lily's friend?"

> "A friend. Lily may have her own secrets, but she hasn't hurt anyone."
> "As a knight-apprentice. It pains me to say it, but Lily has been acting oddly."
> "Why not both?"

>>36221687
> "Do you happen to know where the Captain is now?"
> "Has there been any other developments on where that cube came from?"
> "Out of curiosity, why Lily?"

>>36222016

> "Why not both?"

>>36222016
> "Why not both?"

>>36222016
>> "Why not both?"

>>36222016
> "A friend. Lily may have her own secrets, but she hasn't hurt anyone."
She's worried, but I doubt she's dangerous. However, too many weird things are going on to avoid the subject, and she won't speak to me-so I go to the person with the pointy ear to the floor

>>36222016

> "As a knight-apprentice. It pains me to say it, but Lily has been acting oddly."

>>36222016
>"As a knight-apprentice overstepping her bounderies. I'm curious. About BOTH of you."

>>36222016
> "Why not both?"

>>36222016
>> "Why not both?"

>>36222016
> "A friend. Lily may have her own secrets, but she hasn't hurt anyone."

So, speculation time. Nicole can't be a golem, she still has organic needs. Sleep, food, etc. You could say she needs food as a fuel source, but that doesn't explain why her reaction to sleep is nearly passing out over, say, reacting to it like a device would to a low battery. So that makes her organic.

That narrows things down a bit. She isn't used to normal humor or mannerisms in the slightest, meaning that she can't be anything you'd ordinarily find in common civilized cities. Elves, Orcs, etc, are right out.

One of our previous theories has been said to be correct, which narrows it down even further. Early speculation includes; dragon, golem, homunculus and some others I might be forgetting.

Dragons were mentioned off-hand in the story not to exist. This might mean that, as this is fantasy, that dragons are hiding amongst the common populace much like you'd expect with a conspiracy theory.

Golems wouldn't be susceptible to the same things Nicole is.

Homonculi are made to mimic existing forms of life, and anything on the glamor so far has been vague, aside from a mention of the ears in the first thread if I'm not mistaken. That could mean we're a homunculus with an elf as base life form.

Since we know nothing about dragons (and aren't even certain if they even exist or not), that leaves us with dragon and homunculus.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

>>36222093
>Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
yes. shut up and wait until something more significant happens before bringing this up.

>>36222093
>Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
Yes, stop shadowrunning.

>>36222093
If it is to be revealed, and I hope it never is, I would want us to be a dragon not some homocumfaget shitty creation

>>36222093
Why not just an anti-social human/humanoid speicies? Just because she isn't used to humor and/or other social graces doesn't mean she's instantly not an elf/orc/etc.

>>36222093
Could be an experimental golem. Batteries are charged through biological processes or through magic shenanigans. All we really know that she has some unique connection to the magical world.

I wouldn't read too deeply into her odd humour. As I see it, the whole thing might be because of Anon(s).

Homunculus Nicole would be pretty cool, I think.

>>36222150
yeah, pretty much everything can be said to be because she's from a far away country where things are different

>>36222093
Also forgot the possibility of us being either an angel or demon of some sort. It'd give us an interesest in ruins, knowledge of old sayings of wisdom and explain why we're shy around people.

>>36222154
I think her being any kind of 'creation' would be the very opposite of cool.

>>36222150

Elves, judging by the reactions to Lily, might be a little uncommon but far from anti-social. On top of that, Nicole's full name is fairly intricate, which isn't something you'd expect on, say, an Orc, Dwarf, Halfling, or God knows what else is in the setting. So then you're looking at elf (not exactly likely, due to elves being common enough that it wouldn't be a glamor-worthy problem to apply for a job here), Homunculus (anyone who would actually make one would be the kind of mad scientist who'd want his creations to have stupidly intricate naming schemes to fully show off their genius work) or Dragon (pretty self-explanatory).

Or well, that's just theorizing.

>>36222170
> It'd give us
Says who? You the anon, or the QM who built the setting?

>>36222158
I'd like to return to my previous theory, which everyone discounted because of 'MUH MAGUKAL ORORJIN' of her being an orphan who was taken in and trained by a master thief, but lost her cool on her first job and killed the mob boss that had her parents whacked.

>>36222182
You're grouping the race. You want her to be a normal member of something extraordinary, I want her to be an extraordinary member of something normal.

>>36222183
It'd explain why we're interested in them, trying to find other old beings like us who survived or maybe explaining our past.

>>36222171
Subjective, I guess - and could also depend how Damp plays it. Why do you think it isn't cool though? Too close to "being a unique flower among thousands of unique flowers" kind of deal?

>>36222203
Anon, I'm a regular 100% normal boring human and I'm interested in ruins, so go blow steam out your arse elsewhere.

>>36222202

It's more that if she was something normal, why bother with a glamor in a castle with a royal mage? That has more chance of raising suspicion than a slightly exotic race applying for a job. The problem is that the race cannot be something normal or well-known, or a glamor wouldn't be necessary.

As for me wanting her to be anything, I'm more interested in trying to deduct or reason the secret to its conclusion with the clues we've been given than assigning her to be anything. If I had a preference, maybe dragon? I do kind of like those, but that's a complete shot in the dark until we learn if they conclusively exist or not, be it IC or OOC.

>>36222208
The very idea of being a creation a play thing of someone pulling the strings is utterly anathema to me.

>>36222234
>The problem is that the race cannot be something normal or well-known, or a glamor wouldn't be necessary.
Mr Ass, meet Mr Umption

>>36222234
Prove to me she's using a Glamor. She could easily be an elf if you do't think of elves as all having the same personality.

>>36222236
Rogue creation.
Bam, solved.
Explains shady stuff, since being used in shady deals by creator. Who probably got shanked later on.

>>36222247
>>36222253
Are you two retarded, it's been stated many times that there's magical glamor going on.

>>36222268
She has, once, reached up and touched her ears to make sure they're still human-looking, in the first or second post of the quest.

>>36222253

In the opening post of the very first thread. There is at least some disguise work going on where Nicole tries to make sure she looks properly human. So we know she isn't that, that's what triggered this whole mess. She was also very uncomfortable with the idea of touching the magic orb that absorbs other magic, which lends credence to the disguise being magical in nature. Hence; a glamor.

Reasons as to why she would need a glamor are simple. She wouldn't be something you'd ordinarily find in a city. This rules out elves, dwarves, orcs, etc, simply because it would just be drawing undue suspicion to someone trying their best to blend in (and fail).

>>36222297
Yep, retarded.

>>36222299
I explained all of that in my Thief Apprentice theory, as learning glamours to help disguise yourself would be part and parcel to being an excellent thief.

>>36222268
No it hasn't, stop believing your own lies.

>>36222297
That is the entire extent of it

>>36222315

I haven't exactly seen your theory, where did you post it? Maybe it'll solve my following issue with what you've said;

That wouldn't lend any credence as to why she'd need to put one on to land the job in the first place. Why not use their natural face rather than risk glamor issues and undue suspicion, wouldn't it have been more efficient to instead only use glamors in a situation where one wouldn't want to be recognized? If she's building, say, a new life, then why build it with a fake face that could fuck up at any given moment when the court wizard does WIZARD! things and ruin everything?

Jesus fucking Christ people, what is this, MGNQ? Stop dealing with ammo and backs to corners and enjoy the bloody mystery

>>36222236
Ah, yeah, I get that. I have to admit, I don't like being a puppet either.

Guess I'm just a sucker for "I MAKE MY OWN DESTINY!" kind of deal where SHEER WILLPOWER breaks the strings of fate and so forth.

It's going to be a mystery that was created just to remain a mystery.

>>36222299
But that would mean she's not deliciously brown skinned.

The quest would not survive such a revelation.

>>36222358
The brown skin doesn't have to be glamour.

>>36222344
I think it was...two threads ago? It was the same thread where Damp confirmed we'd guessed it right at least once.

It took alotta flak because there wasn't enough magic in it.

>>36222348
I know right, why does everyone have to shit the place up with stupid shadowruns?

I hope we never find out and its a source of constant harmless mystery

>>36222093
Nicole is a literal waifu. A construct of flesh imbued with an artificial soul, shaped specifically by a very lonely wizard desiring very specific trais in a companion such as shyness, loyalty, intelligence, and of course brown.

>>36222378
A little speculation is fine, posting practically the character limit is too over-the-top for a fun, happy quest. Part of the allure is the mystery, stop second guessing and enjoy the suspense

>>36222392
But what the suspense is killing me?

>>36222376
The problem with it is not the lack of basic, but that it does not explain why we are under glamour. You do not apply for a long term job under glamour, and a trained thief would seek to mitigate unnecessary risks.

>>36222409
But what if*

Goddamnit fuck ruined forever

>>36222415
She's not a trained thief. She's a thief apprentice who botched her first job and has little understanding of any social norms. Maybe she just wanted to fit in in a human nation, so she glamoured herself.

>>36222421
It was still a shitty pun

You like to think of Lily as your friend. One of your very few friends, and someone you trust enough to talk to on a regular basis. She even treated you to chocolate cake, once.

But you cannot deny that Lily is acting suspiciously, and intentionally so; she is broadcasting her suspicious behaviour to everyone looking for anything remotely irregular, and drawing attention to herself in the process. To what end, you do not know, but it is clearly important enough for her to go through all the effort to make you notice.

Bringing up the question of why you. As far as Lily should know, you're just a new knight-apprentice with just over a week on the job, about half of which was spent unconscious.

"Why not both?" you say mildly. "Lily is my friend. But she's also acting oddly. I cannot deny either aspect. I don't want to have to pry into Lily's personal secrets, but..." But Lily has been going out of her way to expose the existence of those secrets. "But sometimes what I want has nothing to do with it," you finish.

Anders does not seem perturbed by this challenge, although he does raise an eyebrow by a marginal fraction. "Then should you not be eager to join in the questioning? Revealing all the secrets of your alleged friend, whom you know nothing about?"

Because if Lily's secrets are all revealed, that would leave no more excuses for your own. "Lily has yet to do anything wrong," you say slowly. "Um. Actually, I should rephrase: Lily has not been shown to have done anything wrong. She shouldn't be questioned without cause. I don't know much about Lily's past, it's true, but that shouldn't matter. She's still my friend, and I'll defend her if necessary." You are faintly proud of yourself for keeping the tremor out of your voice.

Anders answers your speech with a long, slow smile. "Finally," he murmurs.

You blink.

>[1/3]

>>36222460
You just don't understand the height of my comedic genius!

>>36222439

Then how does that explain the black-out issue on the stairs where we, apparently, automatically attacked Clarissa? There were a lot of fear-inducing wardings here, so it could be a dragon or other sentient mystical beast with those sorts of instincts, a golem or a homunculus with an automated self-defense routine, or something else that naturally lends itself to attacking humans.

"You are a knight-apprentice, Nicole," Anders explains, no doubt to your obviously confused expression. "You should not be so meek all the time. Yes, it is a risk to question those in authority, but only the mediocre spend their lives safe in certainty. The trick is to know which situation warrants which action. Occasionally you will get it wrong, and that is when you should accept the consequences. But occasionally, you will get it right."

You harness as much willpower as you can gather to keep standing, and not sag at the knees in sheer relief. "Did I, uh, get it right?"

Anders waggles a hand. "Partly. Your concern is noted, Nicole, but I should say that I did not pry into Lily's past during our interview. This is mainly because I already know it."

After your pretty little speech, you sense that it would not do to ask about Lily's background, despite your curiosity. "So what did you ask her?"

"Lily is, shall we say, rather more observant than the average maid. I was merely ascertaining whether she had spotted anyone suspicious in the vault area last night. Her observational skills are a little rusty, which explains the lengthy duration of the interview. I suspect Lily was not aware of the purpose of the questioning, although that may be from wilful denial rather than ignorance."

Lily had certainly seemed puzzled by Anders's interest in her. "And did she see anyone?"

Anders lids his eyes. "Enquiries are proceeding," he says. "Pray do not ask me for any more details, as I can only provide speculation. And I abhor unsupported speculation. For whatever topic of investigation." This last was aimed directly at you, with his piercing stare back in full force.

>[2/3]

This would probably be an excellent time to depart. "Uh, thank you for your time, Anders."

"Of course, Nicole. And do give my well-wishes to Clarissa, should you see her later. I look forward to her full recovery."

As you shut the door to Anders's office behind you, you wonder why an innocent remark from Anders sounds so very intimidating. Maybe it's just the way he is.

> Visit Simone in the chapel
> William is probably in Clarissa's office
> Elise might be back in her tower
> That cube still worries you

>>36222486

> That cube still worries you

>>36222486
>Visit Simone in the chapel

>>36222473
Who the hell knows what happened there?

>>36222486
> William is probably in Clarissa's office

>>36222486
> William is probably in Clarissa's office
We need to find Clarissa and make sure she's not sneaking any work in.

>>36222486
>William is probably in Clarissa's office

>>36222486
> That cube still worries you

Maybe Clarissa was foolish enough to go watch over it or something.

>>36222486

> That cube still worries you

>>36222486
> William is probably in Clarissa's office

nooooo working

>>36222486
> William is probably in Clarissa's office

We know that feel, damp. Do you have a set amount of time you allow for votes?

>>36222816
The jungle has done weird things to him.

All I want is Damp and Soma to collaborate on a jungle warfare quest, from the perspective of the crazy native cannibals who figured out how guns work.

Given your original orders from this morning, your priority right now should be to find Clarissa. Given that your last lead is William, it stands to reason that you should be able to work your way to Clarissa from there.

You arrive at the door to Clarissa's office, knock smartly, and are moderately surprised to hear Victor's voice instead. "Come on in."

William is indeed in the office, seated on the schooldesk beside Clarissa's desk, still as neat as she had left it. He gives you a fixed smile as you enter, which is likely due to the stacks of paperwork piled up around him. "Good afternoon, Nicole. I thought you'd have come by earlier."

"Hi, Nicole," Victor says, from his perch on a chair by the window. He gives you a cheery wave, before returning his attention to the training courtyard outside.

William catches your questioning glance. "Under the circumstances, I would say lessons are cancelled for today. Victor was feeling bored, though, so I offered to let him watch."

"Is paperwork so fascinating?"

"Not me." William indicates the window.

Outside, Clarissa can be seen demolishing her fourth training dummy with a wooden practice lance. Near the armoury, Roderick is staring morosely at the remains of the three stumps that had once been training dummies, as well as a pile of wood and splinters that were what is left of several other training polearms.

Clarissa is drenched with sweat, and breathing heavily. Despite that, she looks almost cheerful.

>[1/2]

"Working off her frustrations," William says. "It's exercise, not work, so I allowed it." He gives the piles of paper around him a sour look. "At times like these, though, I am sorely tempted to bend the rules a bit."

"You're not seated at the Captain's desk," you note. It is far more roomy than the schooldesk that was your own station when you helped Clarissa with her work yesterday, but you suppose the spare space would be filled up with more paper soon enough.

"If I mess up anything on Clarissa's desk, she will kill me," William says. He doesn't sound like he's joking.

> "Has the Captain been at it all day?"
> "How are you doing, Victor? Any progress on the book of magic?"
> "Where's the cube? I can't see it from here."
> "Do you need some help, sir?"

>>36222970
>"Has the Captain been at it all day?"
Focus on the task.

>>36222970
> "Has the Captain been at it all day?"
> "Where's the cube? I can't see it from here."

>>36222970
> "Has the Captain been at it all day?"
> Other: "Thank you, for taking Captain, but you should have woken me."

>>36222970
>>36223012
Seconded

>>36222970
> "Has the Captain been at it all day?"

>>36222970
> "Has the Captain been at it all day?"
> "Where's the cube? I can't see it from here."

>>36222970
>"It's exercise, not work, so I allowed it."
huh. I thought he would specifically forbid her from doing this.

>>36222970
>"How are you doing, Victor? Feel like helping Elise out and getting some real practice?"
>Maybe I should help Roderick out.

>>36223111
speaking of which, why isn't Clarissa trying out those phrases that Roderick's been contemplating?

Victor is engrossed in the sight of Clarissa demonstrating her skills with the lance, so you leave him to it. You're glad that he seems to have gotten over his desire to nobly martyr himself for Clarissa's sake, which just leaves his obvious infatuation with her. You have no experience in these matters, so you'll just assume this is a healthy part of any adolescent male's life until informed otherwise.

"Has the Captain been at it all day?" you ask William.

"Since after lunch," William confirms. "I could see that she was getting rather antsy. Technically I shouldn't let her near anything remotely resembling training or work, but Clarissa looked like she was about to pick you up bodily and start jogging around the palace compound. Or use you as a battering ram into her own office."

You flush slightly, reminded of your unintended nap. "I apologize for not being able to keep watch over the Captain."

"It's not your fault," William says. "Or rather, the only fault is that you didn't tell anyone you needed help. You could have gone to me, or to Simone. If there's anything we've all learned from this little episode, it's that keeping everything bottled up inside is not good."

"Yes, sir," you say contritely.

"Do you feel better now?" William asks.

"Yes, sir." The nap should tide you over until tonight. "What about the Captain?"

William shrugs. "As you see. Clarissa still doesn't want to talk about it, but she doesn't bite my head off when I suggest it anyway. I call that progress."

You peer out the window. "Where's the cube? I can't see it from here."

"Elise shifted it to a corner of the training courtyard," William says. "It's surrounded by bright orange stakes now; everyone's avoiding it. It doesn't look active at the moment, although that may change when night falls."

Or when the unknown spellcaster tries something different. You can only hope that whatever it is, the staff of the palace of Alvar can counter it.

>[1/2]

"Elise went to her tower to get some sleep," Victor reports, still fixed on the view outside the window. "I've been hoping to make some progress with the cube, but..."

Victor did promise to work on the tracking spells only with Elise's help and supervision. One potential crisis averted, at least. "Do you think the Captain can go back to work tomorrow?"

"I certainly hope so," William says fervently. "But it's all up to the Duke. It would be much easier for all of us if Clarissa just told us what is bothering her, but her habit of stoicism is depressingly hard to break." He pushes the papers on his desk away from him. "What about you, Nicole? What are your plans for the immediate future?"

> "If the Captain returns to her duties tomorrow, I think I'll report to the Guard Commander, like I was supposed to."
> "I should really start looking into the Ridelham nobility. I don't know anything about them, but they seem very important."
> "I want to help find out anything I can about that cube, the spells, and how we can stop it."
> "I'll continue to keep watch over the Captain. After I make sure I get enough sleep this time."
> "I'll do what is asked of me."

>>36223506
>> "If the Captain returns to her duties tomorrow, I think I'll report to the Guard Commander, like I was supposed to."
Unless there are further complications tonight, we should start making a name as an honoraburr knight

>>36223506
> "I'll continue to keep watch over the Captain. After I make sure I get enough sleep this time."
> "I should really start looking into the Ridelham nobility. I don't know anything about them, but they seem very important."

>>36223506
> "If the Captain returns to her duties tomorrow, I think I'll report to the Guard Commander, like I was supposed to."

Sq- I mean, Knight-apprentice #1 modo!

>>36223506
> "If the Captain returns to her duties tomorrow, I think I'll report to the Guard Commander, like I was supposed to."

>>36223506
>"If the Captain returns to her duties tomorrow, I think I'll report to the Guard Commander, like I was supposed to."

>>36223506
>"If the Captain returns to her duties tomorrow, I think I'll report to the Guard Commander, like I was supposed to."

>>36223584
Do we know if there are any other knight-apprentices?

Have we found out what the difference between knight-apprentice and squire is?

>>36223506
> "I'll do what is asked of me."

>>36223506
>"If the Captain returns to her duties tomorrow, I think I'll report to the Guard Commander, like I was supposed to."

As far as you can tell, Clarissa has recovered at least somewhat from her black depression last night. You're not sure if she will relapse following another shock, but for now she seems stable enough not to threaten dramatic resignations or assorted inadvisable actions.

"If the Captain returns to her duties tomorrow, I think I'll report to the Guard Commander," you say. "Like I was supposed to."

"Very well. I'd make a note of it, but, well." William gestures wryly at the mess of papers on his desk. "I assure you that I am not normally this bad at bureaucracy. I just have some trouble coping with Clarissa's workload."

Anyone would. You wonder if you should petition the Duke to hire an adjutant for Clarissa. Even Anders has a couple of clerks to help him out.

"Clarissa's done," Victor announces, hopping down from his perch on the chair by the window.

"What's the damage?" William asks.

"Looks like four training dummies and eight practice lances. Roderick is... well, he doesn't seem too mad." Victor hurries to the door. "I'm going to get a towel for Clarissa. And maybe a cool drink."

"I'll prepare some requisition forms for replacement equipment," William says. "Er. That is, if I can find them."

You quietly make your way out of the office as well, leaving William to wrestle with the rest of his inherited workload.

>[1/2]

Heading out to the training courtyard, you do spot the cube, which is indeed surrounded by garish orange stakes. You keep your distance from it; just because you know it reacts to Clarissa does not mean it will not react to you as well.

Clarissa is stiffly and formally apologizing to Roderick for the rather impressive breakage of equipment, while Roderick is making reassuring noises on the lines of people being more important than objects. Both of them brighten noticeably when they see you.

"The words of the populace live forever on the wind," he intones.

> "But the miser counts his coins and is happy."
> "I apologize for abandoning my duty, Captain."
> "Are you feeling better now, Captain?"

>>36223991

> "But the miser counts his coins and is happy."

>>36223991
>that reply
Wow, that's a pretty bleak phrase.

>>36223991
> "But the miser counts his coins and is happy."

>>36223991
> "But the miser counts his coins and is happy."
> "I apologize for abandoning my duty, Captain."

>>36223991
> "But the miser counts his coins and is happy."
> "Are you feeling better now, Captain?"

>>36223991
> "But the miser counts his coins and is happy."
> "Are you feeling better now, Captain?"

>>36223991
> "But the miser counts his coins and is happy."
> "I apologize for abandoning my duty, Captain."

>>36223991
>"I apologize for abandoning my duty, Captain."
Fuck that quote, it's too depressing. We're trying to cheer Clarissa up, not down.

>>36223991
> "But the miser counts his coins and is happy."
> "I apologize for abandoning my duty, Captain."

>>36224266
>Fuck that quote, it's too depressing.
Why do you hate misers?

You are not entirely surprised to see Roderick produce a notebook and pencil when you complete the proverb. "But the miser counts his coins and is happy."

"Good afternoon, Nicole," Clarissa says.

"Captain." You straighten to attention. "I apologize for abandoning my duty."

"A duty you tried to fulfil to the best of your ability," Clarissa reminds you. "One cannot ask for more than that."

Which sounds like the sort of platitude used to excuse failure, but you shouldn't quibble. You're supposed to keep Clarissa cheerful.

Clarissa stretches her arms. "I think I shall take a shower before dinner," she announces to nobody in particular. "It is always nice to have a good workout now and again."

You eye the ruins of the training dummies. You had been considering offering yourself as a sparring partner, but you suspect this would have been a terrible idea.

Victor finally arrives, with the promised towel and pitcher of water, which he presents to Clarissa.

"Thank you, Victor." Clarissa accepts the items with a distracted nod; Victor does not seem to mind. "Do you have anything to report, Nicole?"

"Only that you are still not supposed to be working, Captain."

Clarissa stares at you. "My apologies. Force of habit. I suppose it is within the bounds of my probation to ask how William is doing?"

This seems like a fair question. "He is coping," you hedge. "Sort of."

"Mm. Not a promising answer." Clarissa shakes her head. "I will deal with it tomorrow. I mean to cast no aspersions on William's abilities to take over my duties, but I will feel better when I am able to handle my own work."

Clarissa's workaholic nature is certainly not so easily dispelled by one single day of alleged rest. You don't think it's your job to fix that, just as you do not intend to correct William's personality flaws, but it might still be a good idea to mitigate the worst excesses, if only to prevent something like this from happening once again.

>[1/2]

"That was amazing, Clarissa," Victor gushes. "I wish I could be as skilled as you are."

"It just takes some practice," Clarissa says. "If you attend your lessons, I am sure you will be able to accomplish much more."

Only you can see Victor's smile falter for a moment. He rallies quickly enough. "Anyway, I was thinking that I could try to-" Victor stops abruptly, as he stares into the middle distance, across the training courtyard.

In its sullen corner, the cube is glowing quite visibly.

"That seems rather early," Roderick rumbles.

Clarissa takes a deep breath, and deliberately turns away from the cube. "Let's go," she says.

> "Yes, Captain."
> "You go on ahead, Captain. I'd like to take a closer look at the cube."

>>36224530
> "Yes, Captain."

>>36224530
> "Yes, Captain."

I feel that a choice like this could probably be railroaded without too much whining.

>>36224530
> "Yes, Captain."

>>36224530
>> "Yes, Captain."


>>36224551
Probably, but better safe than sorry. Speaking as a QM myself.

>>36224530
>> "Yes, Captain."

>>36222467
Don't get so short.

>>36224530
> "You go on ahead, Captain. I'd like to take a closer look at the cube."

>>36224530

> "Yes, Captain."

Gotta keep an eye out.

You can understand very well why Clarissa would not want to remain in the presence of any reminders about her status as a target. You still can't quite shake the niggling feeling that you've seen those patterns on the cube before, but without further close study, a niggling feeling it shall remain.

And you don't think it's worth bringing down Clarissa's mood yet again just to satisfy your own curiosity.

"Yes, Captain," you say meekly.

Roderick scratches his head, no doubt contemplating the disadvantages of having his living quarters relatively close to an unknown magical artefact currently channeling a hostile spell at one of his friends. He does not say anything further as the rest of the group troops resolutely back into the palace building, however.

He's right. The cube did light up earlier than expected, if it was meant to act as a conduit for a nightmare spell. It is, according to your watch, only late afternoon, just before dinner is first served for those ending their shifts early.

You don't know the significance of this. You don't know quite a lot of things, and it's getting rather frustrating.

The three of you make it to the Great Hall before you are intercepted yet again by another encounter: the Duke of Alvar is bearing down purposefully on your location. Unusually, Anders is nowhere to be seen.

>[1/2]

The Duke nods at each of you in turn. "Clarissa. Victor. Nicole." He observes your expressions for a moment. "Did something happen?"

"No, your Grace," Clarissa says firmly. Victor, who had been about to speak, clams up instead.

The Duke lets this pass for now. "How have you been enjoying your day off, Clarissa?"

"I am refreshed and ready to serve you once again, your Grace," Clarissa recites. "I thank you for giving me this chance to relax and unwind."

The Duke observes Clarissa's tense worry, which is very much not a result of relaxation and unwinding. He suppresses a sigh, and turns to you instead. "Let me rephrase. How has Clarissa been enjoying her day off, Nicole?"

> "The Captain should be ready to get back to work tomorrow, sir."
> "I think we might need a little more time."
> "With all respect, sir, I'd rather not say."

>>36224935
> "The Captain should be ready to get back to work tomorrow, sir."

Yeah, she's still tense, but she's not going to get any better not working. At least shew has had some rest.

>>36224935
> "I think the Captian should get a permanent assistant or two to help lessen her workload. If she where to get that she should be able to start working tomorrow."

>>36224935
>>36224973
This.

ALL of that paperwork is not her job, should not be her job.

A good knight delegates and she clearly doesn't.

>>36224973
Seconding

>>36225009
>>36224973
>>36224935
Adding to these, when other knights can't even figure out where to start with what is on her desk, that's no way to work.

If she gets taken out, hurt, sent on a long mission, there need to be people who can deal with the workload already in place.

>>36224973
You do realize we just nominated ourselves, right?

>>36225076
I don't think so, we're already assigned as a criminal investigator.


What she needs is a dedicated scribe/secretary or two like Anders. Which we are definitely not.

>>36224973
Sure, why not? She's not the captain just because she can stamp papers, she should have someone take care of the trivial tasks so she can focus on important ones.

>>36225076
That's not so bad

>>36225076
I've never heard of a Knight-Secretary, but I'm sure Nicole could make it a thing.

>>36225076
To be honest, our talents are best used elsewhere and the Duke recognises this. I doubt we'd be consigned to scribe duty

>>36224935

> "The Captain should be ready to get back to work tomorrow, sir."

>>36224935
>>36225076

I have absolutely no issue with this and encourage it.

Nicole, the most definitely and not at all suspicious human Knight-Secretary. No guard alive will stop her from delivering paperwork or forcing a mandatory break on her boss.

>>36225076
Maybe short-term, but only until a replacement is found.

>>36225121
That would be like a battle butler or something.

It'd actually be a good thing for someone who had to deal with attacks regularly.

>Private secretary is a Knight.
>Butler is a man at arms.
>Maid is of course a ninja.
>Cook is an alchemist.

etc.

>>36225130
They took Nicole in as Knight-Apprentice. You don't give someone the privileges of a knight of the realm just to make them a secretary. Why not just make everyone a knight, then?

>>36225160
At that point aren't you more accurately described as a bodyguard in disguise?

>>36224935
>>36224973
seconded.

>>36224935
>> "I think the Captian should get a permanent assistant or two to help lessen her workload. If she where to get that she should be able to start working tomorrow."
You have good thoughts, anon.

>>36225185
Combat Maid also knows her maidly duties by heart!

>>36225185
Nope, because you also function perfectly in the role of secretary, maid, butler and cook.

So maybe technically, but it's more like a double functionality.

>>36224973
> permanent assistant.
This.

>>36225170

It'd be a good way to teach us how to do the paperwork that comes with working in the castle, though.

And to browbeat Clarissa into actually delegating something, since she'd have more trust in us than any random new hire.

You carefully keep your eyes focused on the Duke, and not at Clarissa. "I think the Captain needs an assistant, sir," you say.

"I do not-" Clarissa begins, before remembering that an angry outburst is not a sign of a stable and relaxed Knight Captain. She settles for surly silence instead.

The Duke manages to hide a smile. "Elaborate."

"Sir William is coping with the Captain's paperwork," you say, "but only barely. I don't think this is the sort of workload one person can deal with, sir. If we could reduce that to more manageable levels, I think the Captain will be much happier."

"I highly doubt that," Clarissa mutters.

You ignore this. "If the Captain gets an assistant or secretary, I would say she'll be ready to get back to work tomorrow. I know the daily paperwork cannot wait until an assistant is found, but I really don't think we have much choice, sir."

"Are you volunteering?" the Duke asks you.

You hadn't planned on it. It's not the sort of duty you had expected when you applied to be a knight-apprentice, but that was before you learned what Clarissa did every day. "If you want me to, sir."

"I don't," the Duke replies immediately. "Your talents would be wasted at a desk. Just as Clarissa's is. Hang it all, Clarissa, why didn't you- no, never mind. I know exactly why you didn't tell me about this, and it's the exact same reason you're on an enforced break right now."

"I can handle my work, your Grace," Clarissa says.

"I know you can, if you push yourself," the Duke says. "But quite frankly, we've seen the costs. You can't carry on like this, Clarissa."

Clarissa looks helplessly at the Duke.

"I think Nicole's right, too," Victor murmurs.

Clarissa grimaces. "I understand, your Grace. I will need some time to get used to the idea, but I will comply with your orders."

>[1/3]