Nobleman: Halkeginia

(9) La Rochelle Evac

The same night, the six are drinking at the hotel, while Alexander and Wardes are discussing combat moves— Alexander is not a mage, which he already stated a couple of times, and so the two are discussing simple close quarter combat maneuvers and moves by merely words.

However, a commotion can be heard at the door, and a group of mercenaries barged in, pointing their weapons towards them. Without a beat, Alex throw his mug towards the gangs, and push the table to shield themselves against the mercenaries.

"Man these guys are prepared!" The mercenaries armed themselves with armor and crossbows, but Alexander looked over to Wardes.

"Viscount, think you can buy me some times to get out there?" "We can't risk it. It looks like the entire town are against us." "Damn!" Alexander cursed at his own helplessness.

"Well, that certainly leaves our only objective to evacuation." "Hm... everyone," Wardes caught their attention, "will we be able to get at least half of our people to Albion?"

Then Tabitha did what everyone unexpected: She point to herself, Kirche, and Guiche: "Bait." Then to the rest of the three, "Harbor."

"Well, damn." Alexander was the first to disagree. "I can't risk seeing you three harmed." 

This irriated the mage Viscount. "If you got any better idea, speak up!" " Okay! Fine! WE'll go with Tabitha's plan— You take the lead, I guard the flank and the rear."

"Right, on my mark—" The two unsheathed their weapons. "Go!" Wardes and Louise dashed to the backdoor, and arrows flew across the table, but are blocked by Tabitha's magic or Alexander's Derflinger two-handed sword.

—

With explosions can be heard from behind, the trio reached the base of the airport, which is basically a massive tree, with the tallest place as the hangar, one can even see the flying boat dwindle on the hangar like a fruit grow on a tree.

The inside is hollow and empty, just like a waiting lobby. Alex took a deep breath  as he withness the numerous steps leading towards the top floor.

"There is a rest stop in the middle, you can catch some breath up there if everything goes well." "I see it." A dim lightstand was dangling, brighten a particular place.

"This is a long damn trip ahead of us..."

As they climb the stairs, a masked figure run towards them. Alexander readied his sword and cried out "contact" in instinct, drawing the attention of the two behind him.

Alex take a middle stance with his blade, and prepare for an attack. However, the masked man pay no attention to him, and leap over Alexander for Louise, who was pushed behind Wardes.

However, Alex was quick to grab him by the foot, and the two felled to the floor by the momentum.

Alex raised his head, and face the man with white mask, prying off his hand by stomping. The Grant smirked, seeing Wardes chant a spell— the same one set him flying across the practice ground this morning— smashed the masked further into the ground, leaving him unconscious.

Alex release his grip and stood up, dusting himself off. "I think we should hurry." wardes simply nodded at Alexander, and the trio picked up their pace to the top, where thwy will greeted by a group of drunken crew, or sailor.

"Get lost! Come tomorrow, will ya?" "How about fetching us your captain, huh?" "He's sleeping, get out of here, we'll talk tomorrow." Alexander turned to Wardes and shrugged.

The mage sighed, and draw out his wand. "Do not make a noble reapeat himself twice. Get us, the captain." The crew became sober, and some rushed into the captain's quarter, bringing out a sleepy man in his 50s.

"Something's wrong?"

"Leader of Her Majesty's Mage Guard, Viscount Wardes."

The captain hastily kneel to the ground. "Mi-milord! What can our ship be of service to you?" "Take us to Albion, now." "B-but sir!"

He raised his head in pledge, but meet with Wardes' emotionless stare. "We are working under Her Majesty's direct order, are you going to decline our request?"

"But sir, this is not our fault to blame! Our ship only carry enough stones for the shortest trip sail towards Albion from La Rochelle!" Windstones, to be exact, are magic stones that used to propell these airship to travel from the windstone-propelled floating nation of Albion to any "air" port in the continent.

"Sorry," Alexander piped in with a incrediblous expression, "are you trying to tell us that you always load the bare minumum, instead of carry some extras just in case?"

"It's fine." Wardes raised his hand, stopping Alex's rambles. "I will make up for the lacking amount— I am a Square Wind mage."

"... Now the supplies is out of the questions, the fee, however..." "Does the ship contain any cargo?" "Why, indeed— sulphurs. Theses are as valuables as gold in Albion these days, sir. For the sake of security, the nobles raised the price of gunpower and elements of fire." The word 'gunpower' caught Alexander's attention.

"Then I will take them all with the same price." Alexander was in a deep thoughts, but then he was shoved onboard of the airship.

"I am glad that we have strike a deal." The captain smirked, then turned to the crew with a straight face. "Departure! Raise the anchors! Sail out!"

The sailors grumbled, yet their action still remain well-trained.

—

The trio gathered around the map of Albion and the two male do the talkings.

"The captain said the Loyalist are surrounded at Newcastle, under sieged I assume." "Well if you insist on mission, our first priority is Prince Wales— hm?" "His status is unclear, but it was said that he is still alive."

"If they are cornored, then how are we get to them?" "Breakthroughs. The ship 's destination is Scarborough." Wardes pointed at the location of Scarborough and Newcastle. "It would take at least one day even on horseback."

"What, we just sneak past their weak spots and pray to, uh, Founder Brimir, that they wouldn't attack us?" However, the Viscount sighed. "I'm afraid we can only rely on such a daring maneuver— but we have to stay wary of the night."

"Yeah... I need a rest from all the chaos... we going to take turns in case of more unexpected?" "Hm. I am going to confirm— just the two of us?" "Absolutely." "I see." He nodded, and Alexnader immediately slump agaist the wooden wall of their room, and quickly dazed off to sleep. "Night."