The Sword and The Shadow

Successor

After Leguna disembarked from the carriage, he covered his face and walked nonstop, much to the surprise of the coachman. "Is Miss Annie really that amazing? She sent Sir Leguna scurrying away in tears! Tsktsktsk… I never would've imagined…"

Without waiting for the coachman to finish, Annelotte also left the carriage and shot him a cold glance. The poor fellow felt that he was tossed into an ice pit of eternal cold.

"Don't let your imagination run wild and spread nonsense. Otherwise…"

Before she finished, the coachman said, "I don't know anything! I didn't see anything! What are you talking about, Miss Annie?"

"That's better," she said with a satisfied nod before leaving.

……

"Ouch…" Leguna lightly touched his swollen eye and gasped.

"Why's Annie still so violent…" he couldn't help but sigh.

"Instead of complaining about me, why don't you watch your stinking mouth?!" She appeared out of nowhere.

"Yes, yes, alright!" He stood at attention in a panic. Even though he knew that he would get beaten for saying certain things, he just couldn't help himself sometimes.

Annelotte looked at him like he was a pig that didn't look the slightest bit afraid even though he was going to be dumped into boiling water and cooked. She sighed powerlessly and thought, Whatever… It's not like he'll really get better even if I bother to teach him a lesson… I really don't know how his mind works… Why's his skin so thick?

"When are you leaving, Annie?" Leguna asked after a moment of silence.

She stopped walking and said, "It depends on when His Imperial Majesty gets the laboratory ready. I also won't be able to achieve it with only help from Perelia. I have to ask a few alchemists in the association for help too."

"Then that means it's soon, right?" He forced a smile. "The sooner the magic cannons can be deployed in combat, the sooner our empire's situation will change for the better. I bet the emperor can't wait for you to start your research. Apart from that, being able to replicate those cannons would definitely be a huge deal. I bet the people at the association would answer your call easily."

"That should be the case," she said with a nod.

"Back when you left, I had to struggle so much before finding you again. Now, Eirinn's gone, so are boss and Sis Vera. And now, you're going to leave again… I feel that you guys are leaving me further and further away…"

While he didn't sound too serious when he said that, Annelotte could detect the hint of grief in his eyes as he said so. Though he tried his best to hide it, it still showed.

"You're still a child…" she said with a sudden smile.

"Huh?"

Annelotte stroked Leguna's head. Though he was much taller than her, her movement seemed all too natural. She looked like a mature older sister trying to console her little brother.

It was rare for her to speak so gently and encouraging to him. "We are always by your side, I, Eirinn, boss and Sis Vera… We're all here with you, just like how you're there with us. Don't forget how you traveled all that way just because of one letter from boss. So, I believe that they'll come to you right away if you would only ask. We're always with you."

"What about you?" Leguna asked. Annelotte no longer looked cold and aloof to him like she did before. She had melted and was as gentle as flowing water. It was the first time he saw her so accommodating that he was a little dumbstruck.

"Me?" A hint of mischievousness flashed across her face. She giggled and said, "You don't have to ask about me."

He began to look anxious. "Why? I…"

She tapped her lips with her index finger and lightly tapped his chest. Beyond his clothes, she felt the egg-shaped object in front of Leguna's chest. With a hint of joy in her eyes, she said, "Because there's this. I can locate you and go to you at any time as long as you wear this."

He chuckled like a lovestruck fool.

"Take it out."

"Why? You're gonna confiscate it?" Though he was nervous, he still took the spatial gem out.

She didn't reply and only received it, before infusing some of her mana into the stone.

"It's done." She looked much weaker after doing so.

"What did you…"

"I engraved a single-use magic formation inside," she explained as she wiped her sweat away, "It will be destroyed once it's used. You can send a flux of impetus into it and it'll be directed at me. In other words, you can signal me and I'll be able to locate you with the mental link I have with the spatial stone. Use it if there's any emergency. I'll definitely rush to your side immediately."

"Isn't this more or less like a contact crystal?" He looked at the new engravings on the stone in his hand. They looked like cracks on the egg-shaped object.

"But it can only be used once," she emphasized, "That's why, don't use it unless it's an absolute emergency. I'll rush to your side immediately after you do. What you have to do after that is to hold on until I reach you."

"Got it." Even though relying on a charm given to him by a woman wasn't something he was exactly proud of, he couldn't refuse her kind gesture.

"Alright, that's all. I still have to hand over some things I'm working on in the bureau, so I'll have to go."

"Okay," he said with a meek nod.

……

"You're finally back." Arikos said teasingly. He knew that the brat hated those councils the most. Arikos himself didn't fancy them either.

"Yeah…" He didn't say anything else.

"Speak up if you have something to say," he said after taking a sip of coffee.

"Annie's leaving,."

"Oh."

"You don't seem surprised at all." Leguna thought Arikos would have a bigger reaction than that.

"Given her attitude, isn't that only expected?" Arikos stretched himself. "Ah, that brief respite was hard to come by! It'll get far busier this afternoon!"

Leguna was kind of speechless. Though he wasn't there to empty his worries on Arikos, he didn't think he would take it so easily. Begrudgingly, he said, "So, after Annie leaves, you'll have to take over her duties."

"Hmph! Kid, I knew you were waiting for that!" He rolled his eyes and said, "I don't care. I don't have that much time. I won't be able to do it!"

"I'll go to Wayerliss then!"

Anxious, Arikos called out, "Wait, come back! Are you going to threaten me with the chairman for life?"

"Well, I'll use it as long as it works." Leguna wouldn't lose to anyone in terms of pettiness. Hmph, I deal with Mistress Annie day in and out! You think you can hold a candle against me? Nobody would be able to withstand that kind of abuse!

"You…" Arikos's rage touched his eyes. But he knew it was helpless. "It's always a losing deal when you're involved, huh?"

"Who asked you to always act so sneakily?" Leguna lazily said and rolled his eyes.

"Fine! I have a way. You can decide whether to use it."

"Let's hear it."

"Why can't you just pick another helper?"

"Well, you have any candidates?"

Arikos sighed and said, "Xeno, come here!"

"Sir Leguna, Sir Arikos," greeted Xeno.

"It's you? I haven't seen you much this past half year and almost forgot that you were working with Arikos!"

"Sir Leguna, you're swamped with your own work. It's only normal that you forgot," he said with a lowered head. Even though it had only been half a year, he appeared much more matured after being trained by Arikos.

"Uncle, you're talking about him?"

"That's right. This kid is rather decent. he's reliable and sharp, too. I think he can take over Annie's duties."

Leguna didn't object. Since Xeno worked under Arikos for so long, he must've been capable.

"Why don't you let him try for a day or two? You can always change your mind if it doesn't work out," Arikos suggested.

Why does it feel like the bureau doesn't have any rules of protocols? Everyone's just doing what they want! thought Leguna. But since Arikos had made the recommendation, there had to be a reason for it. He hesitatingly nodded. "Alright, we'll let him try then!"