Chapter 202: Valflame Palace

Giliath demands your power stones! It's a new week so lets' keep trying to get over 500!

*

December.  Year 1199.

"Ding! We are soon approaching the terminus of today's ride, Heimdallr. Please make sure your belongings are secure before departing. I repeat...", An intercom's voice suddenly called out inside the first class cabin.

Before long, an orbal train entered the Central Station, arriving into Platform Four. After the train came to a stop, the doors of the several cabins automatically opened. Several people began to embark, only to fill the station either to merge onto another platform, or exit Central Station to take the trams that was connected throughout the capital.

Closer toward the front of the train, the first class cabin also opened. A few nobles aside from Naoto's group exited the cabin, going about their daily lives. They were momentarily stunned seeing a couple RMP Officers standing off to the side, but they could only wonder that some big shot was inside the cabin.

They could only ignore the couple of RMP Officers, only to exit the station themselves.

Among the RMP Officers was an icy blue haired woman currently in her uniform and a gray cap. Seeing the RMP off to the side, they soon saw a group of five depart the cabin.

The moment Claire saw a violet haired boy step out of the cabin decked out in his Phoenix robe, together with four other figures, Claire immediately saluted him.

"It looks like you had a safe journey. Welcome to Heimdallr, Your Highness.", Claire said, saluting the violet haired boy who was currently wearing a long fancy one piece robe.

Seeing a familiar face before me, I couldn't help but grin.

"Looks like you were sent after all. Seems you currently have a lull in your studies for you to have time to come to Heimdallr. It's nice to see you again, Claire.", I said, seeing Claire before me.

"Yes. It has been over a year since we have last seen each other, Your Highness. It does me well to see you in good health.", Claire said as she smiled back at me. She then looked at the people beside me, only to have her eyes land on the brown haired man beside me, dressed in a soldier's uniform.

"I didn't expect to see Captain Vander to be with you.", Claire continued to say, greeting Mueller, despite him currently be on leave with the military to help settle his brother here in Heimdallr for the time being.

"Well, some things have taken for a turn. His Highness is now under the care of the Vander School for the next three months. On top of bringing my younger brother to our main dojo, Lady Aurier has permitted entry for His Highness as well.", Mueller said, explaining the situation from his hand. He didn't go into detail, but provided enough information to explain the situation to Claire.

"So that was the case for your visit to Heimdallr then.", Claire responded, looking back my way.

"Yes. For the time being, I'll be staying here in Heimdallr.", I said, assuring Claire's words with a nod of my head.

"Perhaps that is for the best.", Claire continued to say, which drew our interest.

"Haha, I think you coming here wasn't just out of goodwill. With Mueller here, he would be enough of an escort, no?", I responded with a laugh.

"True. The RMP doesn't operate for no reason.", Mueller said, also nodding his head at my words.

"Haha, quick to catch on. Yes, we have come here for a reason. Your friends are welcome join as well.", Claire began to say. "His Excellency has invited you all to Valflame Palace. If there is no further delay, we will depart at once.", Claire declared, causing me blink me to stare at her in surprise.

"P-Pardon?", I couldn't help but ask, only to see Claire smile back at me as she saw my surprise.

"So we're heading inside that giant crimson castle huh? Neat.", Fie said with a hint of interest in her eyes while they remained deadpanned as we talked for a bit.

"Fie...", Emma uttered, shaking her head as she shook her head, letting out a sigh.

Claire was first distracted with me and Mueller coming out of the cabin first, but she soon saw the plum haired and white haired girl follow behind us. The shock of the RMP inviting us to Valflame Palace still remained in my eyes, but seeing the two girls behind us, Claire smiled and started to greet the two.

Up until now, Claire had met Emma a couple times, with Fie only having met once. Similar to how Lechter and and Rufus ventured with me to Nemeth Island, Claire joined our venture to North Ambria to ensure Sara's adoptive father wouldn't perish to a stupid ploy at the hand of his own organization, the Northern Jaegers. This time around though, it appeared both Zephyr and the Red Constellation caught wind of it, and Zephyr joined hands with the Northern Jaegers while the Red Constellation joined Nidhoggr, making the fighting much more grand.

The result was still the Northern Jaegers victory, and Sara's adoptive father didn't perish. Yet it was mostly thanks to the one squad I had personally met up with, and Zephyr doing most of the dirty work. I am not sure it that squad is still in operation with the Northern Jaegers, but as a result of the Northern Jaeger's inadequacy and on top of catching a whiff of an assassination plot, Colonel Valestein retired shortly after, and it went even as far as one of the couple of vice-commanders retiring from her position, all the while internal conflicts started to rise up one after another.

That vice-commander was Jayna, to which she had offered herself to become a worker inside Liberl Castle. She did have an idea of when to venture over there after meeting me in Leiston Fortress,, but at this time, I hadn't known that Jayna had already arrived at the castle and was already in her training period together with the other maids. And unbeknownst to me, from having Colonel Valestein live, he was able to persuade his daughter, Sara Valestein, to make a tough decision in joining the Bracer Guild in Calvard over starting her journey back in Liberl. And at the same time, she decided to take Ravi in hopes of her becoming a Bracer over a Jaeger as well.

I am interested in trying to meet up with Sara again before Class VII is formed at Thors in five years. Things are going to start catching up to me before I know it so I have to make the best use of this remaining time I have before school life begins.

But with those thoughts, along my momentary stupor from hearing Claire's invitation for us to follow her back to Valflame Palace, I saw Claire continue to talk to Emma and Fie.

"It is nice to see you again, you two.", Claire said with a smile.

"Sure is. That handiwork with the skills you've displayed with your orbal gun is no joke.", Fie responded, nodding her head at Claire.

"Likewise. It is nice to see you again.", Emma also happily said with a smile seeing Claire. Thankfully we were no longer posing as military students, causing Emma and Fie to change back into their normal outfits, minus the cloaks. Fie wasn't used to wearing skirts, so she was just wearing short pants. It was the first time Claire saw both Emma and Fie without their Jaeger armor though, so it took her a moment to realize it was them. As for Claire, her gaze was soon drawn toward two smaller creatures down to where our feet were.

"...Is that a cat? And what creature is this?", Claire mused, seeing Celine and Tamamo with us this time. I was surprised that Mueller nor Kurt asked about the two, but it appeared they just went with the flow.

"Meow.", Celine responded, letting out a meow.

"Kyuu?", Tamamo also replied as she tilted her small head a bit. It was the first time the two had met Claire, seeing as they weren't taken with us when we participated in that war. Seeing as my initial shock was over now, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Haha, that's Tama. They're kind of like our pets, so they'll be joining us. I guess we are going to Valflame Palace after all. Thankfully we don't have anything immediately planned. Do you want to come along, Mueller, Kurt?", I said, asking the two if they were interested.

"I don't see an issue. Father knows we will be arriving but there isn't a set time. I don't see a reason to hurry.", Mueller said, shaking his head.

"Nor do I see one either. Brother has taken me inside of Valflame Palace to meet His Highness's siblings once or twice, but this will be my first time visiting it in a while. I am curious to see if anything has changed.", Kurt said with interest.

"It sounds like there isn't anything pressing to attend to. His Excellency is quite a busy man. And with the deployment of the railway cannons at Garrelia Fortress, he can only spare so much. We should make haste.", Claire declared, only to start walking to where the exit of the station was with us following her...