Chapter 13: Voices of Glory (Part 9)

I saw Sierra with her beautiful princess gown walked towards me. She was all smile as she extended both of her hands at me.

“Claude, please. Take my hand and join me.”

Sierra looked at me longingly.

I took her hand and pulled her closer. She did not offer any resistance at all. As I traced my hand on her soft cheeks, I could hear her soft and irresistible voice calling for my name.

“Claude… what are you doing?”

I kept quiet as I smiled but I did not stop. I continued to caress her cheeks.

“Your face is as soft as silk, Sierra.”

“Claude?”

“Yeah? I’m here, babe.”

“Wake up!”

“H-Huh?”

“Wake up, Claude!!!”

I was taken back to reality. Someone was holding my hand and gave me a good shake. That took my dream world away harshly. I wanted more of my blue-haired princess. When was the last time I dreamt of Sierra? That was a good dream just as I wished it would last longer though.

As I rubbed my eyes and with a big yawn, I tried to see what was happening in front of me. Although it was still blurry, I could see an unfamiliar face near mine. And on the face, was my hand.

“Looks like the rumours were true. We have a playboy in our squad!”

As my vision become clearer, so too did my mind. And I was surprised with what was happening. Well, being surprised was an understatement. I was totally shell-shocked. You could say that my face was devoid of any blood.

Both of my hands were on a girl’s cheek as her face was just an inch away from mine. I could feel her breath on my face. That was proximity of our distance. And she was holding my hand that was on her cheek. But, instead of a frown, she was all smile.

With a smile, she turned her face to her side. And then she burst out laughing as she talked to the person behind her.

“Hihi. Did you see that? She called me Sierra and caressed my cheeks nonstop. It’s lovely but ain’t he a player, Rizzou?”

Huh, what? Captain Rizzou was here?

I immediately sat up straight. And true to the words, he was standing at the door, but his hand was covering his whole face while he shook his head in disbelief.

“C-C-Captain Rizzou?”

“Claude, are you back to your senses now?”

The girl whose face was just in front of me was kneeling and as she looked at me, she couldn’t help but continue to giggle. Her cheeks were very soft and she smelled so intoxicating and alluring indeed.

“So, are you still going to caress my cheeks and called me Sierra or are you going to let go of your hands and caress the real Sierra instead?”

Realizing that my hand was still on her cheeks, I immediately withdrew my hand away. She was all smiles as she stood up.

“Well, that’s one way of an introduction. When was the last time a guy caressed my cheeks like that? Like a L-O-V-E-R?”

The girl in front of me suddenly erupted into another fit of laughter.

“Please, Selina. Don’t harass him anymore. Look at him. He is all red like a boiled prawn. He might be a player, but he sure can’t take it when a woman teases him it seems.”

Captain Rizzou then approached next to Selina.

“Well, Claude. I trust you had a good sleep, hearing how much you enjoy being with the Princess.”

I got all nervous. My stomach was tightening. I’m doomed. Coupled with the teasing from these two people, my secret’s look bleak of being safe.

“No worries, your secret is safe with us, Claude.”

Captain Rizzou reassured me that what happened in the room just now, stay in the room. The girl beside him nodded but I could see a mischievous smile was forming on her face.

I know it. I’m surely doomed now. Goodbye, my sweet dreams. Goodbye, Sierra. Well, the saving grace was that I still have Sehanie and Nelia anyway. I still could dream about them. I couldn’t help but give a dry and bitter smile.

Now that my eyes and my senses were back to reality, I could see the girl in front of me more clearly. The girl was a brunette and as she stood beside Captain Rizzou, she seemed as tall as him. Her personality seemed to be mischievous like an elven brat I know. She looks charming but what’s more striking about her was the way how composed and calm she was. She has that certain aura that would make others felt confident and instiled a certain can-do attitude.

“Well, Claude. I brought you your Squadron Captain like I promised.”

Captain Rizzou words suddenly strike fear into me.

“S-S-Squadron C-C-Captain?!”

I nearly shouted the words out but I covered my mouth just barely in time to avoid my voice being raised high pitch like a girlie scream.

“Please to meet you, young First Lieutenant. I’m Selina Mayfair. But you can call me Captain Selina. Or if you prefer, Selina. But only if there's two of us, alright.”

She winked at me as she introduced herself.

I immediately stood up straight like an earthen magic pillar erupted from the ground as I bowed my head to her.

“I-I-I am C-C-Claude. C-Claude L-L-Leonheart, C-C-Captain S-Selina!”

“How cute. He stammers when he gets all nervous. How could he confess his love to his girl? Or girls?”

Captain Selina continued to tease me as Captain Rizzou shrugged his shoulder.

“Well, Selina. I’ll leave you alone with Claude. Once both of you are ready, meet me at the main courtyard so Claude can take his uniform for tomorrow.”

He took a few step towards the door and as he turned his back, gave out his own version of a mischievous grin.

“And one more thing Selina, please don’t harass him too much alright. He is still a boy without much experience, unlike you.”

Captain Rizzou teased both of us as he walked his way out of the room.

“Hmmphhh… what do you mean by that?”

Captain Selina was protesting to the blonde captain who was now out of the door. But before he could close the door, his final words before strike fear into me.

“Claude, be very careful with your new Captain. I will, if I were you. If you don’t heed my words, you will lose something very important soon.”

Captain Rizzou laughed as he made his way down the hallway.

“Hmmphh… jerk!”

Captain Selina was pouting as she threw a book towards the door.

“That guy doesn’t know what is being romantic is all about unlike you, Claude.”

She turned her face towards me and was smiling. However, it sent shivers through my whole body. And did I saw her licking her lips too?

“Come, Claude. Sit down. Don’t stand there like a statue.”

Captain Selina took the seat next to me.

“Y-Yes Captain Selina!”

“Shhh… when it’s me and you, it’s Selina. Just Selina, alright.”

Captain Selina put her finger to my lips. A cold sweat broke on my forehead as I nodded. Did she just touch my lips with her fingers?

“A-Alright, Capt… uhhh… Selina.”

“That’s better Claude. I like it when people call my name instead of my rank. I don’t feel any intimacy at all. Besides, since you are a daring guy enough to caress his own Captain the first time they met, I could give you a reward or two.”

Selina winked as I replied her a dry laugh.

“So, since you are now part of my squad officially, I would think you have some questions to ask me, don’t you? Well, we have some time before we need to go to the main courtyard, so feel free to ask me anything. But…”

“But…?” I looked at her without blinking my eyes. Suddenly, she touched her chest and then her waist. That was quite awkward and it took me by surprise as I was anticipating something serious.

“But just the thing about the Elites and stuff. Not about my body or my measurement, alright. Maybe next time.”

Selina puckered her lips before she continued to giggle. Looks like someone was having fun.

“And one more thing, Claude. Since we are alone, please don’t take advantage of me alright. I’m weak to guys like you. Good looking but daring, though you are on the shorter side of height.”

“Hey, hey. Leave the height out of the conversation alright. I still have an issue with that.”

I pouted at her.

“Hahaha, Claude. I’m just teasing you. Surely you must be short, but I’ll bet you will be magnificent where it matters. Ahhh… how I envy the Princess now.”

I get the feeling that she was way more mischievous than Sehanie. Was this what the guys call playgirl? The female version of a playboy? She doesn’t look like one though, but looks alone could be deceiving. I bet she had lots of boyfriends.

I swallowed my saliva as I prepared myself to ask her my questions. Questions upon questions and before long, my time with Selina came to an end.

“Claude, looks like it’s time. We need to meet your new comrades if there are any. So, let’s go.”

“Alright, Selina.”

“And please call me Captain Selina alright in front of others. I don’t want people to think that you are rude to me.”

I nodded. From our conversation and questions and answers session, I finally came to the understanding of how Royal Elite Knight works. And perhaps also the personality of my new Captain, Selina.

First of all, The Elites were divided into four main battalions. The First Battalion was called the Magma, the Second was called the Gaia, the Third Battalion was called the Tempest and the Fourth Battalion was called the Blitz. Each of the Battalion had very different characteristics and functions too.

The Magma Battalion strength lies in its attack power, both physical and magical and they were mostly deployed when launching an offensive battle. In the whole Kingdom of Elsigardia, the most powerful fighter and magic users were from the Magma Elites. The Gaia Battalion meanwhile had been designated as the protector. They specialized in the defensive aspect of battles. Many of them carry massive shields and greatsword. Their attack power, although a little limited, but their defensive capabilities were very well known. It was said that a single titled ranked Gaia Elite can defend a whole battalion of the army by himself.

The Tempests were responsible for support. These were the Elites that specialized in healing and support abilities especially buffs and debuffs. These three; the Magma, Gaia and Tempest when combined in battle were an extremely powerful force for any enemies of the Kingdom. Thus, it was no wonder that the Elites were famed throughout the whole land, not just in Elsigardia. In most missions, the Elites from these three battalions would be used together, in a team of no less than two or three, one from each of the Battalion. Each one of them offset the other weakness, if there were any at all and enhanced each other fighting and battling capabilities.

What about the Blitz Battalion?

Well, in one word, it was special. The Blitz Elites were not used for direct combats. They were used as the first or the last solution to any conflict. Part of the Blitz Battalion missions and jobs include reconnaissance, espionage, spying, missions or jobs that involved extreme secrecy or haste or both and but not least, information gathering. If Elsigardia needed to cut off or destroy an enemy, the Blitz Elites will sever it from within its root. In one way or another, the Blitz Elites were the most exclusive, elusive and feared. Not to mention the most dangerous too, as most often we work as a solo unit. One Blitz, one mission.

And I happened to end up becoming a Blitz Elite, serving under my new Captain, Ser Selina Mayfair from the 1st Squadron of the Third Battalion. The Blitz Battalion consisted of First Battalion to Third Battalion with the totals members of 35, which also happened to be the smallest battalion in the whole Royal Elite Knights which number around 3000 plus members. The Magma consisted 15 Battalions, while both Gaia and Tempest had 7 Battalions each.

The ranking of Elites were as follows.

Ser Siegmund Godfrey is our Lord General of the Elites. Under him was the four Lord Knights, each in control of the four types of Battalions. Lord General and Lord Knights both served on the Council of Knights. The Battalion leaders were all ranked First Captain, and each Battalion has a few Squadron headed by a Captain. First Lieutenant will be acting as the Captain’s main person in a squadron. And a Squadron could have any number of members ranked Lieutenant and below, depending on the size of the whole Battalion. And depending on the size too, a squadron can have a few First Lieutenants and many more Lieutenants and non-ranked members. Since the Blitz Battalion has around 35 members in total, we were divided into three Battalions and each battalion has 2 Squadron with a total of six squadrons.

Currently, in my squadron, we have only Captain Selina and myself. The other member, unfortunately, was killed on duty. And because of that, perhaps today might be a very important day too for Captain Selina as she could recruit new members to join her squadron. Having two people in a squadron was kind of sad. What’s more, prior to me joining her, she was all alone in her own squadron. I guessed that’s why she was being way too friendly with me. Maybe she was too happy to finally get one new member after the previous one who had been killed so long ago.

Thus, that was my immediate understanding of how Elites work as a whole unit.

As I see my Captain walked in front of me with all the grace and charm of a Captain, I get the feeling that I wanted to help her. She cried when she told me about the other member who was killed on duty. Not only she lost a friend and a team member, but she was the only one left in her squadron. Hoping that she could save the squadron from being disbanded due to the insufficient member, she begged and pleaded the First Captain and to the Council for any new members of the Blitz Battalion among this year recruits to be put under her. According to her, not many Elites would be chosen as a Blitz. And based on today’s test, she wondered how many more would have joined her.