818Sup y'all, my ass is back with another chap for y'all~! Holy shit did I not mean to take so long, but you know how life can be. There have been a lot of unexpected hiccups with these chaps but nevertheless I hope you all enjoy~! For those who are reading Bad Business For The Hometown Girl and Of Violence & Theft: How I Became A Violent Conqueror, not to worry I have not forgotten about those fics either and will be updated as soon as I am finished with their chapters.
Chapter 16: A Man & His Memoirs
Feeling a little dazed by the sheer static vision forced upon me for a good couple of seconds, I feel a headache coming in and am left wondering if some of my perks are currently wonky since I am once again able to feel pain.
Hah… it's whatever at this point.
Getting up from the throne chair, I stagger for a moment before readjusting myself and walking out of the room. Once heading out, I walk through the corridors towards my room and notice Tsukushi and Dorothea making their way out of it. Did the time really just fly by that fast? Checking my internal clock I am surprised to see that it in fact has, and the two of them seem to have noticed me heading their way. Dorothea looks peeved and still has a hint of blush on her face while Tsukushi looks as lively as ever, running towards me and glomping my face with her massive mounds as she jumps to hug me.
…My mind is telling me to stop her, but my body is telling me to escalate.
Unfortunately for my body, my mind reigns supreme.
Letting her have her fun for a good three seconds, I grab her from the waist and gently let her down, looking at her with a raised brow. "I know what you're trying to do Tsukushi, it ain't gonna work."
Tsukushi pouts at my words. "But mine are bigger aren't they?" She states, crossing her arms under her breasts and pushing them up.
"That's not the issue here. Look… just gimme some time and let me talk to Leone okay? With you and Dorothea teasing her she may not be in the best of moods, and I certainly don't need her mood to sour even further when she gets here." I chastise, giving her a pat on the head before making my way towards the main building/entrance of my base.
I have been neglecting my garden and I need to make sure my robots have been maintaining it well.
With Dorothea…
Watching Faust leave, I can't help but feel peeved at what he did to me.
Sure, what I did no doubt was wrong of me to do, but it was all in good fun! Faust did not need to put me on… whatever that damned thing is. And this cow of a girl acted as if nothing happened afterward! Does she think that just because she has bigger breasts than me or wider curves that she is above what happened!?
Oh… just you wait, child… I got something in store for you!
…
In fact…
"Hey, Tsukushi right?" I call out to Tsukushi, who looks like she was daydreaming, probably something involving Faust. "Do you mind coming with me for just a bit? I could use an extra set of hands for a little… experiment of mine."
Tsukushi, retaining her bubbly personality, gives me a smile so sweet I'm surprised she hasn't gotten cavities yet, and walks forward to me and nods excitedly. "Of course! I may not know much of what either you or Faust do, but I am always willing to learn to help better!"
On the outside, I meet her smile with my own reserved one, but internally I can't help but cackle at just how gullible she is. I place a hand over her shoulder and look her straight in the eyes. "Oh trust me, I think you'll be interested in what I'm planning on making."
Back With Faust…
When I made it to my garden, there were some things I was planning to find. Maybe all my plants died, perhaps some of my robots are tending to them, or there is that miniscule chance that even one of my own decided to take a knack at it. Instead, I found a small group of five people waiting for me just right out of the main entrance to my base.
"Greetings Faust… may I have a word with you?" The one leading the group asks, walking forward before taking his mask shaped like a deer's skull off, showing his very effeminate face to me.
Getting a good look at the pretty boy who could pass as a Targaryen, I decide to humor him a bit. "Depends, who are you?"
He smiles a smile that while at first glance appears genuine, I know for a fact it's as fake as my former government's so-called democracy. "You may simply call me The Lord-"
"I ain't gonna do that. What's your name?" I interrupt him. Despite my recent discoveries, I am still only calling one being Lord and it ain't him.
One of the people beside this so-called lord didn't take too kindly to my words, seeing as he is flushing red in the face with anger. "You dare insult our lord in such a manner you heathen!?" This zealous follower roars in anger, reaching for something behind his back, more than likely a weapon.
Yeah, ain't dealing with that today.
Before I can do anything though, their head honcho stops him from doing anything rash, throwing his arm in front of his follower to stop him. "Enough! Now's not the time for any foolishness!" He rebukes his follower, who grits his teeth before looking away in shame. The leader then turns to face me once more. "Well… if you wish to learn my name, so be it. My name is Libra Sleipnir, and I am the head of Path of Peace. I merely wish to talk to you about something that will catch your interest."
Well, I don't have anything planned for today so might as well see where this goes. "Alright… if you're that insistent then might as well. Come, I'd rather be sitting down and getting comfortable."
With Libra…
This man is dangerous.
That's the very thought that has kept repeating throughout my mind since last week. Ever since I was blessed with a vision of what will befall upon this land, I have made a beeline to meet the man who goes by the name Faust. Now that we're here though, I find myself pausing for a moment the very instant I am face to face with the man at the forefront of my vision.
He has this presence to him that I haven't felt with any other person I have met, his life force shining vibrantly among all the surrounding greenery.
And yet…
The images won't stop flooding my mind with what will be the outcome for this man should he continue on this path.
A world entirely asunder razed and burned to ashes… many beasts and demons dead by his hand… the sky now left abysmally dark as the stars have ceased to be during his final battle against his owner, with only the broken moon's core bringing light to the sky…
And it ends with Faust, his body slumped and on his knees gazing down towards the ground, his face and chest entirely burned away…
So far my visions have never strayed me from the truth and the reality of future events, so with that in mind I must ensure that that future does not take place no matter what.
Peace is all that matters in the world, and each of us need to take great lengths into achieving it.
"Alright… if you're that insistent then might as well. Come, I'd rather be sitting down and getting comfortable." Faust says, walking into his home and waving for us to follow him.
As we enter I am surprised by how comfortable it feels here. While it isn't the most spacious place I have been to, there is a sense of tranquility that I can't help but relax in. Walking through the hallway, we walk past many rooms before Faust opens one of the doors and motions us to walk in. We find ourselves in a dining room and Faust motions for us to take a seat while he takes one himself.
"So, what is it that you want to talk about?" Faust inquires, staring at me with a pointed look.
Taking in a breath, I prepare for what I am about to say because I don't know how he will react. "I beseech you to stop your plans into overthrowing the Prime Minister and the Emperor."
With those words spoken I wait for a response from Faust, but he just stares at me in bewilderment. As the seconds tick by I can feel the silence becoming more and more palpable, and I soon begin to worry that my life may be coming to an end soon.
Though that fear is waved off as Faust begins laughing. Hard. His uproarious fit of laughter echoes throughout the room, and I can't help but feel a bit confused as to why he thinks such an idea is hilarious. There were moments in which he tried to control his laughter and try to talk but all it accomplished was make him laugh even harder than before. Next thing I know he's on his knees gasping for breath and his laughter is finally subsiding.
"Whah… whoooh… oh man… it's been a while since I laughed like that… thanks, I needed that." Faust breathes out, getting up from the floor and sitting back down. "Now, may you explain to me not only how you know that and my name, but why should I not go on any further with my plans?" Faust presses on, his face showing how amused he is by my proclamation.
Pressing forward, I continue on. "So many lives will be lost if you keep going along the path you are walking. There are many alternatives that provide just as bountiful rewards, if not more so if you were to change your plans." I start off, waiting to see if Faust is going to interject. After waiting for a moment and ensuring he isn't, I press on with convincing him to change. "For example, while they are still growing and not entirely on the Empire's radar, the Revolutionary Army is filled with many people capable of bringing this country towards a more peaceful era. One where it is a democracy run by the people for the people; to benefit its citizens instead of a corrupt figurehead. A man as smart as you should see the benefits of such a system in place instead of this false aristocracy filled with corruption."
Faust remains silent, and I truly hope that I have convinced him to see the more righteous side of things or at the very least begin to doubt his motives. "You raise some good points there Libra. It's true that a democracy is ideally one of the best methods of instilling a new form of government, especially after all of the hardships the citizens of this country have gone through. Also, I do know of some people who are a part of the Revolutionary Army who I know have more good in their hearts than I do."
Good… this is good! While I didn't think it would've been that easy I am glad that Faust is beginning to see the right path to ta-!
"But that still doesn't give me a reason why I should stop when I have achieved so much already. What's the real reason why you don't want me to become Emperor? And don't give me that spiel about the loss of life that will happen when I claim the throne. If people die while in my way, then more than likely they deserved it. What's the real reason you don't want me to overthrow the two?" Faust questions, his face morphing to show how serious he is.
…
Fine.
"You wish to know the truth? I have seen your future. I know what awaits not just for us, but for the entire world should you become Emperor. Everyone will die, if not by your hands then by the hands of your enemies. This world will be bathed in fire so strong the likes of which no one has ever seen before throughout history. The sky will rain fire coming from the moon itself, and all the stars will have long since disappeared during the final moments of your reign. And in the middle of it all will be you, dead and having accomplished nothing but cause misery to those under you!" I proclaim, subconsciously standing up from my seat, all the while Faust remains seated and stares at me with an impassive gaze.
Faust lets out a sigh and slouches in his chair. He remains silent for a moment before speaking up once again."That's a load of bullshit."
Before I can even explain to Faust the authenticity of my abilities, my followers shout at him in outrage. "You godless heathen think yourself superior!? Our Lord has seen through many tragedies before they even happened and steered us away from them! You should be bowing to his magnificence like the worm you are!"
Faust doesn't say anything, but the look in his eyes tells me he is completely unamused by my follower's outburst. "Are ya done? If so, please wait outside. I need to speak to your leader alone."
My followers sputter, ready to proclaim that they wouldn't be leaving, but before they even can shout, the audible noise of guns being cocked echo within the room. Turning around I see the air shimmer from behind my followers and soon some dark, egg-shaped, metallic creatures appear before my vision, each of them aiming their weapon at the back of each of my followers' heads. Turning back to Faust, he still retains his serious visage and for a moment I catch a glimpse of one of his veins bulging from his forehead.
It looks like he didn't take too kindly to my followers' words.
"You four, leave us be. If he truly wanted us dead we would've been already." I state, and despite the brief hesitation they comply and leave without saying a word.
Once the four of them leave, Faust straightens from his seat and begins to talk once more."Not everything is set in stone you know? Things such as fate and destiny are concepts that I find… abhorrent. You say that I will lead this world to ruin. Y'know what I think? I think you're wrong. Besides, if I truly wanted to let this world fall into such disarray I would simply let Honest continue on as he is, corrupting that child he has set as the figurehead for his Empire while he lives a life of sin and debauchery." Faust's eyes glow for an instant, and I feel a pit grow in my stomach when his eyes pierce into me with that horrifying visage of his. "Then there's the fact that you want me to simply let not only give up on overthrowing Honest and his corrupt regime, but to put it in the hands of people I don't even know and blindly trust them to do the right thing? How unbearably naive of you."
I remain steadfast in my position and defend my belief. "They are people who have seen the evils of the Empire and will work together to make it into a better place-!"
"But are you completely sure of that?" Faust interrupts me, his hands clasping one another as he lays them over the table. "Can you tell me with one hundred percent certainty that there will be no corruption once this democracy has cemented itself should the Revolutionary Army be the ones to overthrow the current regime?
"Well, there would no doubt be instances of corruption no matter who or what kind of system is set in place, but I believe that humanity can move past the evils of the few and persevere for the greater good!" I argue, but all it seems to have done is made Faust angry.
Faust's brow furrows and the glow in his eyes intensifies. "Now see, that's your problem right there: you are working on outdated and false information. Do you truly believe that humanity is naturally good? Once upon a time maybe, but let me tell you something to get through that optimistic mind of yours before that naivety gets you killed: Humans are selfish, opportunistic bastards who are naturally predisposed to commit acts of evil. If humanity was truly as you say it is, then we wouldn't be having this conversation, nevermind this internal strife within the empire, and everything would be fine and dandy." Faust snarls out, his voice sounding angrier and angrier for each sentence he spoke. "And a democracy? Let me tell you something, a democracy may work at first, but once corruption has been set in stone thanks to the way many politicians word things solely for their benefit, you'll find yourself in a much more difficult position to overthrow them. And trust me when I say this, but overthrowing a democracy is way harder than it is overthrowing an aristocracy. With an aristocracy, your targets are pretty much set in stone for you: the reigning royalty, the nobles, maybe some of the generals of their army, the royalty's inner circle… the targets are already laid bare for you to see who you need to kill in order to overthrow a tyrant, as is the case with Honest and what he has set up. Now, if this were a democracy in place… I will be straight with you it will be many times more difficult to get rid of when it becomes corrupt. They have plenty of years and decades to pander to the public, do elections and whatnot under the guise of a "legitimate" democracy but that is nothing but a farce to allow them to push their agendas and to pass laws that favor them, no matter how said laws are worded."
Now this is getting ridiculous, there's no way he can truly believe that the people can be that ignorant of the injustices that happen before them.
The raised eyebrow he is giving me alludes to him suspecting me to say something along those lines because he presses on. "Let me tell you something, and make sure that if you learn anything from our meeting today, it is this: a person is smart but people are dumb, and politicians use that one little fact to their utmost advantage to milk whatever worth the people have and said people will be happy to be treated in such a way thanks to the vile tricks they use against their feeble little minds."
"And what makes you so sure about that?" I couldn't help but ask, both curious and worried as to how he has received such a thought process.
"Because I've seen it happen before my very eyes."
The seriousness of how he said that single sentence made me pause. No… it wasn't just that. For a moment there was this haunted look in his eyes like he had seen some things that left him traumatized for life. Whatever it is he has seen, there's a large part of me that wants to know, but a tiny bit of me wants to refrain from asking as it feels like crossing some dangerous territory right now. But even with feeling of foreboding in mind, I decide to continue the conversation. "What did you see?"
"…My country was once ruled over by a king many in those times considered a tyrant, throughout the course of many years the constant abuse they were dealt because of this tyrant soon accumulated to a revolution the likes of which haven't been seen in those lands. The war between both sides lasted many years but in the end, my country won its freedom. Like with what the Revolutionary Army is trying to do they established a democracy, the first of its kind in fact. Sure, it was pretty bare-bones to start but it was the very foundation of what our country stood for, allowing people the right to bear arms and freedom of speech." Faust speaks wistfully, the look on his face matching the tone of his voice. Seconds later though that gave turns grim. "Though after two and a half centuries have passed such foundations were beyond the point of breaking. Little by little corruption began to grow rampant within our country. Corruption will always be a part of a government, but it never reached the point it did until it was too late. Corruption was so deeply entrenched within the system that the only way to get rid of it was to destroy the system altogether. The way these politicians placed new laws and worded them in such a way that made it sound good to the people when in reality it was the opposite. You give them an inch, they take a mile, and before you know it the rights that were once given to you for your own protection have now been replaced by a set of rules you must abide by else you'd find your livelihood torn to shreds by the sheep who blindly follow the governments will simply because they pander to them."
Faust then gets up from his seat and walks towards one of the cabinets behind him and when he opens one a wave of cool air passes through me, and I can't help but feel relief when it does. "Do you want anything to drink? I got water, juices, alcohol if you're into that sort of thing, and soda." Faust offers as he looks into the cabinet and grabs a glass bottle filled with water.
"I'll… take the water if you don't mind." I concede, and Faust hums before reaching back in the cabinet and pulls out an identical bottle to the one in his hands already. With the two refreshments in his hands, Faust closes the door to the cooling cabinet and walks back to his seat, setting the drinks down once he sits down and slides one of the bottles towards me. Uncorking the bottle, I take a small sip and find myself relaxing as my body cools itself thanks to the drink.
"It's always good to have a drink ready when having a discussion. Can't have your voice dry and crack while talking, am I right?" Faust muses as he takes a swig from his own drink.
That in turn confused me. I have never felt parched after preaching to my followers. "Uh… I don't follow. Does your voice crack after speaking for a while unless you regularly hydrate?" I ask, and this time I am met by a look of confusion from him.
"Wait… you can't be serious. Have you never once in your life felt thirsty after talking for a good amount of time? You don't feel your mouth dry or your throat feeling scratchy?" Faust questions, genuinely dumbfounded for the oddest thing.
It isn't weird… is it?
"Nevermind that though, we're getting off-topic." I restart the conversation, and Faust nods while taking another swig of his water bottle. "So, going by what you have stated previously I hazard a guess that you have lost your faith and developed a severe dislike in not only such a form of government, but towards humanity as a whole, am I correct on this?" I ask.
Faust nods at this and corks his bottle before putting it aside. "That's right."
"So, with that in mind, why do you want to become Emperor over a group of people that you have previously stated to be predisposed to commit evil?" I can't help but wonder. Throughout our time trying to dissuade him from what he is trying to accomplish, I am also trying to get a read on the type of person he is, and all signs are pointing to him being quite the distrustful and hate-filled individual, and yet something tells me that that is not the entire truth when it comes to Faust.
Faust smiles, and I can tell it isn't one filled with joy. "Because I don't trust them to not fuck things up once again. Contrary to what you may think I am not heartless, I do have people I love and care about. I know I'm pretty messed up in the mind, but I like to think that I am at least decent enough to have empathy for those that truly matter." Faust dryly remarks, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket as he cleans himself of the vapor coating his hands as I notice some strange orange glow envelop his hands, instantly evaporating the water droplets on them. "I don't want to become Emperor just to sate an overinflated ego, I ain't overcompensating for anything, nor am I doing this for something noble like I am solely doing it for the benefit of the people, I am too much of a selfish bastard to do something as cliche like that."
"So then why try to rule over them?" I ask again.
Faust lets out a small chuckle and looks at me with a raised brow. "Isn't it obvious? I don't trust these fools to not fuck it up for everybody. If I can't trust them from doing some of the most basic shit for me, then why would I ever trust them with ruling over a massive country? And before you say anything else, I am gonna be dealing with a bunch of logistical nightmares from the simple fact that I am gonna have to overview a bunch of Honest's decisions and find ways to unfuck everything he has done, it's not something even I wanna deal with." Faust then pauses, seemingly collecting his thoughts for a moment considering the breath he exhales before looking at me once again. "But despite all that, I am willing to put myself through that if it means that those I care about can live an easier life."
For the first time since I have met Faust he showed something I honestly didn't think he had.
Compassion.
It may not be directed to humanity as a whole, but as he previously stated he does have people he cares about and he is willing to inconvenience himself for them, if him wanting to become Emperor just so his loved ones can live at peace can be taken at face value.
Well, isn't this quite the predicament… here I am thinking that I am about to come face-to-face with a ruthless mass murderer and yet he has been nothing but cordial and willing to answer all of my questions.
Then again… this could be nothing but a ploy to get my favor.
Faust lets out a chuckle suddenly, and I look at him curiously. "What is it you find humorous, Faust?" I inquire.
Faust slightly shakes his head and waves his hand. "Nothing, nothing… it's just… you are the first person I have told that I actually don't want to become Emperor. Just find it funny and slightly relieving to get it off my chest. Though it appears that we have nothing else to speak about I think we should cut this chat short don't you think?" Faust says, getting up from his chair and finishing his drink before tossing the now empty bottle into a nearby bin.
"Thank you for your time Faust. While I may have not convinced you to stop becoming Emperor, your reasonings for wanting such a position are better than what I thought prior to our meeting. I will take my leave now, but do be prepared for when I come back. You may be set in your ways now, but we all are human and as you and I know, humanity is prone to making mistakes." I respond, getting up as well ready to collect my followers and head back to our temple.
"Ah, before you head out… You do know that one of your followers is a spy for the Prime Minister right?" Faust suddenly calls out, and for a moment I just stand there completely befuddled by what I just heard.
"I beg your pardon, but care to repeat that?" I inquire, not believing the words he has said.
"It's as I said. Your brown-haired fella, the one with the growing beard and ready to defend you at any slight made to you. I'll have you know that I have made some expeditions within The Capital's information network and I have gained some very important insights as to what the Empire has been up to. Granted these reports are now outdated by a little over a month, but they were enough for me to do some good old intervention work." Faust explains easily, but even with that said I can't believe him.
Bolic has been nothing but a benefit for our cause and has been going beyond what is asked of him for the good of us all.
Faust gives me a deadpan stare and let's out a sigh. He reaches under the table and soon a three dimensional image appears in the middle of the table. "Bring up everything we know of the spy named Bolic." Faust calls out, and soon semi-transparent images and documents begin appearing left and right before my very eyes, showing me the very man I thought could be trusted doing many sinister things before he had ever joined my cau-
…
No…
He truly didn't…!
In the influx of all this damning evidence, there laid a picture that stood out to me far more than the others. Said picture shows Bolic getting with some of the female members and doing sexually deviant things with them.
"Oh you think that's bad, I haven't even pressed play yet." Faust comments, and soon the picture starts becoming animated and sounds appear to come from it.
"-and as the scriptures of The Lord states, they who obey shall be rewarded with paradise. You all have much to give, and as such I give to you as you each give to me. May we all be united in a union so as to bring upon ourselves salvation from the evils of this world. Obeying me is as obeying The Lord, for his words are righteous and therefore we are!" Bolic preaches, the women laying themselves bare before Bolic walks up to each of them and-!
"Turn it off!" I shout, unable to bear watching this anymore and veer my eyes away from the sight before me. He… he perverted my teachings… he used them for his own sinful benefits…!
Why? Just why!?
"As I have mentioned before, this man is nothing but a spy for Honest and his regime. He never truly cared about your cause, he is solely there not only to report what your sect does and their secrets, but to also corrupt it from the inside out. That's how they usually work." Faust explains, before hitting a button on the table below. "Hey, bring Bolic in why don't you?" Faust calls through the mic. He then turns to me. "I would stand back if I were you."
Moments later the door opens and Bolic walks in with the egg-shaped metal creature still aiming its weapon at him. Before this would've upset me but now I feel nothing but shame for allowing this man to be so close to me and to give him free reign while under me. Subconsciously I take a step backward, and next thing I now Bolic's head has been blown off his neck, the remains of it splattering all over his general area.
I now understand why Faust told me to take a step back, seeing as even though I did some of Bolic's matter splattered all over the lower parts of my robes. Turning to Faust, I see he has his fist extended forward, and there is a hint of steam emanating from said appendage. "Was that really necessary?" I couldn't help but ask.
Faust shrugs in return. "Honestly I was gonna have you confront him about all his bullshit but the moment I saw his really punchable face I couldn't help myself in cutting that plan short." Faust explains, giving me a shrug before glancing at the metal egg creature. "Eve, please take care of this mess if you don't mind?" He requests of the creature who is named Eve.
To my surprise, the creature responds despite having no mouth of which I can see. "Affirmative." Eve said as she picked up the Bolic's dead body and threw him into a hole of sorts that opened up in the wall.
As she proceeded to then begin the clean up of the remains of Bolic's head, Faust guided me out the room where I see my remaining disciples looking over me worryingly before rushing to me and clamoring about my safety. Looking at Faust, I give him a subtle nod before leaving his home and going down the mountain, my thoughts about what he has told me in our conversation echoing in my mind.
I… try my best to avoid all the evilness of this world, trying to be the best person I can for those who look for guidance, whether it be with their body or their soul. I just… wish people wouldn't be so cruel to one another, it's so unnecessary and does nothing but incite conflict with each other.
And with what happened with Bolic, it shames me to admit this but I have to be more careful from now on. I don't know whether any new followers are coming with genuine or false intentions, so I must be ready for when such trials come to pass.
And with that in mind, descending down the mountain we were left ignored by the wildlife living here, though on occasion I noticed that there was something watching over us, though I felt no malicious intent.
Strange…
Much Later With Faust…
After waving off Libra and his remaining three followers, I press on with what I came up here to originally do.
Garden.
Fortunately for me, some of my enforcers took it upon themselves to actually take care of the garden while I was out in the capital or doing other stuff that required my attention.
Man, I love robots.
Even so, I did spend about half an hour inspecting my plants and making sure they are all healthy and growing well as well as ensuring they don't have any pests on them.
Once that was done, I decided to head back to my workshop to do something I really should've done since I've obtained them from the start.
Pulling out the two Home Gems from my pocket, I can't help but hesitate on using them. I… I know from the bottom of my heart I so desperately wanna use them here and now, but I don't wanna get my hopes up.
For all I know it could be something as trivial as my video game collection or even one of my dad's tools. But even with that in mind… I have to stop hesitating!
Taking one of the gems, and with a deep breath I crush it in my hands, a whitish glow coming from the remnants of the gem before turning into a near blinding light that flows out of my hands and towards the empty area before me.
Flinching for a moment before turning away from the light, once I see that the brightness has dimmed significantly I turn back to take a loo-!?
…
What?
No… nonononono… it can't be…
And yet the truth lies before my eyes.
From the broken glass, the mangled parts, the flat tires, and the number of bullet holes riddling the front of it…
There's no mistaking it.
It's my brother's car.
It's Jose's car.
The very same car he took when those fucking savages kidnapped our sister.
Walking up towards it, I can't even will myself to get close enough, let alone try to touch it. This car was my brother's dream car, he only enjoyed it for a good three months before that unfortunate moment befell our family, but the moments we shared together joyriding it along the highway are among my most treasured memories.
…
Hah…
I feel a lump grow in my neck, but I forcefully swallow it down and take a step forward before realizing I still have something in my hand. Opening it I see the keys to said car in my palm, and with a deep breath I gingerly press the unlock button.
The room echoes with the sound of the car's locks shooting up with a click and unlocking the doors, for the first time in a long time. Opening the door, I get in and take a seat on the driver's side, just… taking it all in. putting my hands on the steering wheel I take care not to grip them too tightly, considering how strong I am now I don't want to damage this car any more than it already is. Glancing at the cassette player I take note that it still has one of those modern cassettes that has an aux cord connected to it so you can connect your phone to blast some music. Turning my attention to the car's glove compartment I remember putting some of my older brother Jose's things in there, so I decide to open it to refresh my memory.
Looking in, I notice that there are a bunch of papers in there, but I do see that my brother Jose's phone is in here, the latest iPhone at the time too. Pressing the power button I find myself surprised to see it still has some charge left to it, about forty-seven percent to be more exact. Swiping the screen to open it gives a notice to input the password first. Mulling in my thoughts for a bit, I remember the password and put it in. Heh, while I love my brother he did have a bad habit of creating really easy passwords.
Man it feels so weird having this phone in my hands… it's so surreal. With some hesitation I press on the gallery app and while it painstakingly takes a couple of seconds to load up it finally does and-
"Faust are you in here!?"
Shit!
The suddenness of Arthur's voice suddenly sounding out in the room catches me by surprise and the phone springs out of my hands, making me fumble for it before catching it at the cost of falling out of the driver's seat.
"What in the…? Faust, what on earth are you doing this time?" Arthur's voice calls out, and I hear his footsteps getting louder and louder as he walks closer before making his appearance from behind the Slave I. "Uh, Faust? What… are ya doing?"
Realizing I am still on the ground I got up as quickly as I could before dusting myself off. "Oh! Nothing! nothing… just… reminiscing is all." I play off, though Arthur's gaze turns scrutinizing before turning his attention to the car.
"What is that? It has four wheels like a wagon but it looks anything but." Arthur inquires, looking with great interest at my brother Jose's car.
"Well, it's a nineteen-ninety-seven Honda NSX Type-S Zero, made in the country of Japan and is considered one of Japan's most iconic cars out there. This one… isn't mine, it's my brother's car. He bought it after saving up enough money for it. It cost him a fortune but the look of joy he had on his face when it came from the docks was more than worth the price." I speak, feeling proud of my brother for being able to accomplish one of his dreams before his untimely death.
There was a small silence before I hear yet another familiar voice chime in. "It sounds like you highly value it." Turning my attention away from the NSX I look up at Leone who is sitting on top of my starfighter. Seeing as she has my attention she hops off and lands gracefully on the floor beside Arthur with a carefully neutral gaze. "You okay Faust?" She asks me suddenly, catching me off-guard.
"Yeah, yeah… I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" I ask in return, slightly confused while I pocket the phone.
It seems like that was the wrong answer as Leone's brow furrows significantly, marring her otherwise beautiful face. "You look like you are in pain right now."
"…" Man, she got me there. Looking away from them, I can't help but feel slight shame for showing weakness in front of these two, but since it already happened there's nothing I can do about that. "Well, this car brings me a lot of memories, both good and bad. I guess you say that is the reason."
"Now that you bring that up, what is a car? I have never heard of such a thing until now." Leone questions, and the thought of her being interested in such a topic brought joy to me as a car guy, so I began preparing what to say to her.
"Well, the automobile, or car as they are more commonly called, are my country's version of wagons though they don't need a horse to make them go. The first actual car was made in eighteen-eighty-six by-"
"Hey Faust! Me and Womyn are gonna borrow your spaceship for a- ugh, what's that hunk of junk?"
…
What?
I felt rage flood within me and it took all of my effort to shut down the instinctive thought to rip her fucking jaw off. Taking many deep breaths, I settle down enough to speak to her even with the weird sensation I feel on my forehead. "Leave."
"Right! Leaving right now! You won't see me for the rest of the-!"
"Now."
Doing my utmost best not to look at her, I wait until the quickened footsteps make their way out of my workshop. Once they are fully out of the workshop I turn my attention towards Arthur and Leone, who are looking at me with wide eyes and an expression of fear plastered on their faces.
"I'm… I'm sorry. Didn't mean to lose it there, just feeling a bit emotional since I got my hands on this. Never thought I would get to see it again." I apologize, the heavy urge to smack myself for losing it against my own side getting more prominent as the seconds tick by.
Arthur is quick to speak up, and actually walks close enough to put a hand on my shoulder. "H-Hey, don't worry about it. I can see that you are going through some things, do you want us to leave? We can wait to talk to you at a later time if need be."
I shake my head, not wanting to waste their time. If they have any problems it's best to solve it sooner rather than later. My own issues can wait. "Nah, nah, it's alright… it's just… I still can't believe that this is before me." I admit, gazing upon what many would consider salvage as something more like a family heirloom.
"What makes it so special to you?" Leone softly inquires, placing her hand on my other shoulder.
Pulling out my brother's phone, I continue on checking his photo gallery. "His name is Jose, and he is my older brother. This car was his before he died. It's one of the few things he left personally to me." I then clicked on one of the pictures which shows a portrait of my entire family, with Jose and I wrapping our arms over each other, with my arm going over his shoulder and him around my waist. "He… was my role model when we were kids. I always wanted to be like him… kind, considerate, willing to overlook people's flaws and see the good in each of them… the only thing I surpassed him in was height and brawn." I then swiped and showed a video of the two of us cruising down the highway, me grinning like a dumbass while my brother glances toward the phone for a moment before focusing back on the road, a smile on his face as well.
"My family is one thing I hold very dear to my heart. And no matter what I will always cherish the times I've spent with them." I pause, noting my hand trembling before gripping it tightly with my other hand to stop it.
"You don't have to continue if you don't want to." Leone speaks up, the action of which makes my gaze turn to her.
Turning off the phone, I put it back in my pocket and wrap my arms around her. "Thank you." Is all I can say, doing my utmost best not to let myself cry right now.
Lord knows how much I want to.
"Though there's one question that I've been meaning to ask you, Faust. You said you never expected to see it again and yet you somehow got your hands on it. How so?" Arthur's question reminds me of the other Home Gem I have in my pocket, and I bring it out to show them.
"This is where I got it from. From what the person who gave this told me, it will bring me one random thing that I held dear. I will be honest with you two I didn't believe him because it felt too good to be true…" I pause and stare at the broken NSX before me. "…but now, I see things differently."
In that moment I crush the other gem, watching as it does the same thing as the last gem and glow brightly before streams of light fly away from my palm before clumping in front of the three of us just as it brightens to unbearable levels, forcing me to look away. Once I note that the light has dimmed down enough I turn around and-!
With Leone…
"Arf!"
Before I can open my eyes, I heard it. The signature barking of a dog. Opening them, I am met with the sight of a big dog with a brown and black coat, with said dog looking confused and surveying the area before locking its vision straight at Faust with a tilt of its head.
"Princesa…? Eres… eres tú?" Faust's voice hitches as he speaks in a language I haven't heard him speak in before, but his tone is more than enough for me to understand.
Turning my attention to Faust I see that tears are streaming down his face, the look of sheer disbelief and pain making my heart clench. I know I have only known him for a couple of weeks now, but in my line of work such relationships are something I hold dear to my heart.
And to see someone as strong as Faust, someone who has been doing some good in the capital, fall to his knees as he beckons for what I know is his dog to come closer…
The pain I feel in my heart is genuine about my feelings for him.
As his dog gets closer, Faust extends his hand out and the dog hesitantly sniffs it, and the increased wagging of tail shows that the dog recognizes his owner.
The dog frolics in joy as it begins yelping, jumping towards Faust and kissing him in the face, and Faust clutches his dog like a lifeline, with the action of her recognizing and greeting her owner being the last crack to break the wall that was holding in Faust's emotions.
"Si eres tú! Estás aquí! Estás aquí! Gracias! Gracias!" Faust's voice gets even more heart wrenching as he continues to hug his dog, his face drenched from his weeping.
I glance at Arthur, who looks slightly uncomfortable with the sight, as if he doesn't know what to do. "Hey ah… I think we should give Faust some space. It's obvious he needs some time alone." Arthur quietly tells me.
I shake my head, disagreeing with him. "No, he needs us right now. If you want to leave, then by all means but I am staying with him." I state back to him.
With that said, I look back at Faust, who is softly weeping as he pets his dog, occasionally blubbering a word in his unknown language. Slowly walking up to him, I tentatively place a hand over his back, and he jolts for a moment, his head rapidly moving upwards in surprise before turning to me.
Looking at his puffy, reddened eyes at that very moment, I saw what he was trying to hide from everybody. The sheer vulnerability shown to me just with his gaze is more than enough incentive to wrap my arms around him. "Shhhh… It's okay… You don't have to put a front up for us. It doesn't change who you are, or what you mean to us." I whisper into his ear, doing my best to soothe the pain he feels.
Letting him weep his heart out, I feel his body relax within my grasp, showing not the confident man with a smile worth more than all of the Empire's wealth, but a person who deeply cares for those he loves, whether they are friends or family.
And with the amount of love he has given me, it's only fair for me to return the favor.
Suddenly a hand lands on Faust's back, and glancing up I see Arthur tentatively giving Faust some support himself. Looking down towards us, I see that while Arthur himself is unaccustomed to doing such acts, he is not above doing so.
And so there we stayed, waiting for Faust to let it all out as we remained as his pillars of support.
With Ragiri…
Pledging my support to Faust has been nothing but beneficial.
He has sent more than a hundred of his own men to aid us here in Rakurou, the consequences of which is essentially us thriving more than ever. Thanks to their sheer almost never-ending stamina I have been able to complete multiple tasks that have been on the back burner since I lacked the necessary men to accomplish them.
Now though, thanks to both his aid and the aid coming from the North, we will have stockpiled enough resources to begin spreading our influence to the nearby towns and villages.
There is a knock on my door, bring me out of my thoughts. "Come in." I respond curtly, and the door opens to one of my subordinates, who comes in before closing the door. "So, what is it?"
"Sir! Former Prime Minister Chouri has come seeking a meeting with you." He states, making my eyes widen at the mention of his name.
Chouri was the Prime Minister before Honest took the position and brought the decline of the empire much faster than it would have been. Wanting to spend more time with his daughter, he decided to retire early from his position and the previous Emperor held an election which ended with Honest becoming the next Prime Minister. But even with him no longer being in such a prestigious position, he has a lot of political power underneath his belt thanks to the amount of beneficial things he has done for this country during his term as Prime Minister
"Bring him in." I command my subordinate, who nods and heads out of my office.
Clearing my desk of all the papers in an admittedly rushed fashion, I am barely able to recollect myself when the doors open and I see the aged man come in with the aid of his cane. "Thank you for lending me a bit of your time Ragiri, it has been far too long."
"No problem at all. Please, take a seat." I offer to Chouri, who merely hums and trots toward the nearest seat available. "So, what is it that brings you over here?"
"Oh not much, just going city-to-city to see if there is anything I can help with. Unfortunately my successor has been… quite the disease for this country. Makes me wish I hadn't left my position." He answers despondently, his grip on his cane tightening as his brow furrows.
"Your wife died. There's no shame in doing what you did." I respond, remembering that particular day with scorn. I was a mere secretary, and then someone placed a hit on Chouri's wife and child, but they were only successful in taking out one instead of both. At the time I've been left wondering who would do such a thing to Chouri, but as the years have gone by, I can only think of one bastard who would benefit from it who would have the balls to do such a thing.
But by that point he has already made himself the most powerful man in the country, so I can't do anything about that. However… while I can't do anything about it, I thankfully now know of a particular handsome man who would be more than honored to bring that fat bastard down to his knees.
"I thank you for the kind words Ragiri, but while I have raised my daughter to be responsible, I have unfortunately failed to raise her as a woman." Chouri responds back, shame very evident in his voice.
"Oh come now, it isn't that bad is it?" I can help but chuckle at Chouri's dilemma.
"Forty-nine suitors…" Are the words that come out of his mouth, and I couldn't help but gape at such a number. "Those were the amount of suitors I tried to get my daughter married to, but neither of them met her one rule to be an eligible suitor."
I can't but feel like I have to be careful about my next words, so I just ask the simple question. "What was that one rule?"
Chouri leans his head back onto the chair and lets out a long sigh. "They have to be able to beat her in one-on-one combat. They all got decimated. I am afraid I won't be able to have any grandchildren to dote on if she keeps this up."
"Well that's a shame. Her cousin came by a couple weeks ago with Seika from the North. She's currently partaking in this joint alliance with an up-and-comer who has been secretly making waves both inside and outside the capital." I remark, knowing full well that I may be taking advantage of Chouri at the moment since he looks to be venting his frustrations.
"Oh? Who do you speak of? I have heard many things going on throughout my travels but if you don't mind giving me specifics I would like to know." Chouri asks, intrigued as to who I am talking about.
Pulling out a bottle of wine and two glasses from my cabinet, I place them on my desk and begin pouring. "Well, you are in for quite a tale old friend. It all started with me going on my usual hunts before finding myself surrounded a bunch of armored men, but to my surprise they weren't there to kill me. No, in fact their boss wanted to meet with me." I then pull out the phone given to me by Faust and show Chouri a picture of the man in question. "Let's just say that this very man has a lot in store for us considering how fast he has been making moves all over."
With Dorothea…
"So drinking this will make Faust like me more?" Tsukushi asks, looking at the vial in her hands with wonder.
"Yes, yes it will! I promise you that once you drink this potion of mine, he won't be able to keep his eyes off of you." I replied easily, and man will he not be able to keep his eyes off of her once she drinks it.
For the past couple of hours or so, Tsukushi and I have spent it brewing her a "special" potion that will accentuate her most defined features.
Heh heh heh… my revenge is almost complete! All she has to do now is drink it and- huh?
Wait a second… this is the wrong ingredient… and so is this one! What did she switch these with!? And why are the vanilla beans out!? The potion doesn't require that!
Pushing the vanilla beans aside, I frantically look over my potion book, I check through the ingredients listed and compare them to the ingredients I had Tsukushi help get for me and I finally notice which ingredients she mistakenly took out instead of the intended ones.
She switched out the water I got from God's Secret Hot Springs and switched out for the Spirit's Water I obtained from the underground caverns in Tenrou along with switching out the Minotaur's Blood with Gugalanna's Tears, which was the only fucking sample in my possession!
"Oh…" my eyes widen as I turn to look at Tsukushi, who is almost done with drinking the entire vial.
As she drops to her knees, letting go of the vial and having it crack as it meets the floor, I can only utter two words as she begins clutching her chest as her face twists in discomfort.
"Oh no…"
Omake: If Faust Used The Home Gems Before Updating His System
As he was heading to one of the hidden troves built in his base, Faust paused suddenly, a random question suddenly popping up in his thoughts.
What if he used these Home Gems with a much higher LCK stat?
His LCK stat has been a great boon to him once it has reached sufficient levels, helping him obtain valuable items through his loot crates for example.
With that in mind, maybe he can shift his luck to be further in his favor if he gives it a little boost.
Dumping four hundred stat points directly into his LCK, Faust heads to one of the many empty storage rooms that have stayed empty due to mainly keeping most of his possessions within his inventory. Standing in the middle of the room, he tentatively pulls out one of the gems and takes a deep breath, a small part of him praying for a miracle, but his bigger, more pessimistic side of him reminds him to not get his hopes up.
After standing for a couple of seconds not doing anything, he finally musters the courage to crack the first gem in his hand, and an ethereal glow emanates and disperses away from Faust's palm, the streams of bright light soon condenses into a massive ball in front of Faust, the size of a work van.
Unknowingly to Faust, in a couple of seconds it turns out to be more literal than he thought, as the light brightens enough for Faust needing to close his eyes from the sheer brightness, he hears the sudden sound of a horn combined with the roaring sound of an engine getting closer by the millisecond instinctively causes Faust to open his eyes and see that an extremely familiar black van is barreling down towards him.
And the one driving said van is none other than his father, with his younger brother riding shotgun with a rifle in his hands.
With familial love overriding whatever self-preservation he has remaining within him, Faust infuses his entire body with Apocalyptic Energy and spreads his arms to catch the van and slow it down safely. The moment Faust feels the van collide with his torso, he lightly runs backwards whilst lifting the van from the ground in an effort to decelerate the vehicle and in turn keep his family safe from harm.
It was only when Faust was a couple meters away from the wall behind him did he finally stop and set the van onto the ground. As he did, he could only stare at his family members, many of them peering over the driver and passenger seat to see what it was that stopped them.
"Papá… Hector…" Faust utters, his eyes filling with tears as his mind catches on to the fact that his very own family is right in front of him, all alive and well.
"Faust…!? Is that you bruh!?" Hector was the first to react, getting out of the van and staring at his older brother with a mixture of shock and wonder. Hector is then met with an engulfing hug from Faust, who is now openly crying at seeing his brother safe and sound. "Bruh…! We thought you were dead!" Hector's voice cracks as he too begin weeping at seeing his older brother alive and well.
Their father is the next to exit the car, his arms trembling at the sight of one of his lost son's alive before him. "Es… Es un milagro! Ari! Mijas! Salgan! Es Faust! Realmente es el!" He cries out, his wrinkled face scrunching with a mixture of emotions as he starts walking up to his two remaining sons.
The van's sliding door opens and a woman with three girls come out, each with varying looks of shock, with the oldest of the four, Faust's mother, slowly walks forward and feels her heart pounding with each step. Her son… her precious son… he's alive! her weak body found strength and she rushes to her second eldest son and hugs him about the same time as her husband reaches him.
By the time everyone has gathered for a family group hug, they all have been reduced to a blubbering mess, with Faust being the most vocal of them all. The sheer metaphorical weight on his shoulders about the safety of his family were lifted and he couldn't feel anything but relief and joy.
Faust, now filled with hope he never thought he would have again, remembers that he has one other Home Gem, and quickly shuffles it out of his pocket. Of course this action brought up some questions from his fellow family members.
"Mijo, para que es eso-!?" Faust's mother Arianne is caught by surprise when Faust gently wriggles his way out of the group hug and crushes the gem in his hands, the dust flowing out of his hands and brightening as it condenses onto the floor of the room.
"Cover your eyes everyone." Faust calls out to his family, and despite the second of hesitation they all do as Faust advises. Faust focuses his Apocalyptic Energy towards his eyes and thanks to that he was actually able to see what was behind the blinding light.
The very sight of which brought him to his knees.
Because before him, was his very own older brother, Jose.
Jose's face scrunches up and lets out a groan, shuffling a bit before waking up with a gasp. He gets up and feels his chest, looking down at it with wonder before turning his attention to his left arm, which he can't help but stare at.
"J-Jose…?" Faust calls out, and Jose's head whirls around and sees not only Faust, but the rest of his family all in an unfamiliar room.
"Faust? Wha-? What's going on? And why does everyone look older?" Jose can't help but inquire, looking more confused than anything. His confusion turns to surprise as he gets pulled up all of a sudden by his younger brother who he has noticed has grown substantially since he has last seen him and gets hugged by him. "Whoa! Faust, are you okay?"
He soon finds himself in the middle of a group hug not unlike Faust a couple moment's prior, looking around to see each and every one of his family members weeping with joy at his presence. Jose lets out a sigh, and just relaxes in their embrace.
Faust, for the first time since his brother's death, has fealt a true tranquility within his heart, and he is eternally grateful for having his family back. 'Thank you game… thank you for everything…'
That's it for now y'all! I know it probably isn't what many were expecting, but nevertheless I hope you have enjoyed this chap!
Sincerely,
Forzarismo
July 9, 2022