As the light from Rubitrill's glowing stones lost its glow in every corner of the vast hideout region, Rudra stepped out to witness the bustling activity. People were hurriedly carrying countless crates into the shelter, and his curiosity led him to voice his wonder as to the source of this influx.
"What's going on here? Why all these supplies?"
"These are supplies brought back from Arnold's recent mission."
A young woman, with light brown hair and crystal blue eyes, approached the knight Rudra.
"..."
"Oh, I beg your pardon for introducing myself to you in this manner, knight."
"My name is Phione of Ellid, I am a resident of this bunker."
Rudra's surprise increased when she revealed herself to be Phione of the Ellid family, nobles of Lisithea. Examining the Ellid crest of silver and gold, adorned with an elaborate feather quilt, Rudra questioned her presence in a bunker such as theirs.
"Phione, of the Ellid family? Nobility of Lisithea in a place like this? What brought you here?" Rudra asked.
Phione shared a harrowing story of her family's fate - victims of a bomb attack that killed her mother and left her father dead before her eyes.
Her enslaved brothers succumbed to the burdens of captivity, leaving her the sole survivor, discovered by Arnold and taken to the safety of the bunker. Rudra expressed condolences, and Phione, resilient, said she had moved on from the tragedy.
"I faced the darkness and now I find the strength to help others. Arnold and his knights saved me."
As they talked, she spoke of the admiration the children had for the expedition group of FIDELIUS, Leslie and Arnold, aspiring to follow in their footsteps.
In a touching moment, Phione revealed her role in the bunker, caring for the children and overseeing the kitchen. Rudra, intrigued, asked about the dark purple-haired girl who had been caring for him while he was unconscious.
Phione introduced Lonia, another war orphan, now in charge of the infirmary alongside novices and chapel sisters. Lonia, too, had been separated from her mother by the ravages of war.
"...I will thank you for taking care of me another time…"
The distant cheers of the celebrating soldiers echoed, marking the arrival of wine, drinks and bread, bringing a barely noticeable smile to Rudra's face.
"Ha- you smiled, didn't you?" Phione asked, who noticed the subtlety in his reaction.
"S–smile? What is the meaning of that?" Rudra replied, confused by what he felt.
"They always rejoice when supplies from outside arrive, so it's normal to feel that way… Even if you're a retired Aleonia knight."
However, as Rudra talked to Phione, mild headaches began to attack him. Phione, concerned, asked about his well-being, and Rudra assured him that he was fine.
The conversation ended when a child summoned Phione, pulling her to attend to the young people and kitchen chores. Rudra watched Phione take her leave, led by the child's hands.
As Phione said goodbye to Rudra, she felt the presence of a heavy hand approaching her left shoulder.
"!" – Rudra quickly turns his body back.
"Whoa…"
Looking back, Rudra finds himself with Arnold, who was about to get his attention, and soon the knight lets his guard down.
"Sorry to scare you, Sir Rudra."
"...So this is the special knight that Magnusson raised as a member of the FIDELIUS…"
Rudra soon looks to the side, and notices the large boxes entering the bunker.
"Well… the boxes keep coming in, and that makes me very happy."
"People will be able to support themselves for a long period of time."
"Even though this season is turbulent, we still had a good harvest."
Arnold entered into a warm conversation, even though he knew little about Rudra's character.
"Do you want to take a walk while we talk, or am I in your way?" Arnold asked.
"No… it's okay, let's go."
Rudra and Arnold walked through the vast corners of the bunker, while discussing general matters within everyday life. Arnold was constantly greeted warmly by the civilians and children, proving to be an influential and well-regarded figure in the eyes of the people, the opposite of Rudra.
"Yeah… I know. Everyone greets me and welcomes me, like I'm some kind of hero." Arnold declared.
"But… in the beginning, it wasn't like that, our attitudes are what shape our image."
"I have also received disdain from the people, for the same reason as you."
"To be a knight." – replied Rudra.
"Yes. The knights of Aleonia, no matter what region they are from, are frowned upon by all the people." – Arnold reintroduced.
"Bloodthirsty men, with no will of their own… created only to kill whatever stands in their way."
"But just like you, I have also found a new purpose here."
"A much more vivid purpose than I had years ago, when I came here."
"Since then, my new purpose has been based on saving lives, and providing escort for supplies to come in and out."
"That girl, did you save her too?" – asks Rudra.
"Ah… you mean Phione?"
"She is an excellent person, always helping with what she can here at the hideout."
"Her story was disturbing… when she came here, she was bloodied and traumatized."
"We put her in our carriage and brought her here."
"At first, she didn't say a word, to put it roughly. This war was too much for her."
"And look how she looks today."
Both knights decided to stop at a place to rest after circling the surroundings for a while.
"Sir Rudra–", Arnold is interrupted by the knight.
"You can just call me Rudra." replied Rudra.
" *Huff*... Alright, Rudra." – after a light, relaxed sigh, Arnold responds with a slight smile.
"Despite everything that happened here, I never stopped thinking about what would happen if we stopped everything."
"I mean, with our stealth advances."
"I pray every day, as soon as I wake up, that this humble place will be discovered."
Arnold turns to Rudra, and reintroduces his thoughts.
"When I first saw him in Magni's room I thought: Maybe Magnusson has gone completely mad to let someone like him into this place. "
"But… after all this time, I admit I was wrong."
"What I mean is, I want you to give Magnusson, and this place, a chance."
"I believe Magni must have had an excellent reason for welcoming you."
"..." – Rudra remains in contemplative silence.
Suddenly, a distant male voice catches Arnold's attention, causing him to abruptly say goodbye to Rudra.
"Sir Rudra, my companions are calling me, so I will have to go for now."
"Right." – replied Rudra.
"..." – Sitting on a wooden chair, in a wide area, Rudra remains thoughtful about Arnold's recent statements.
"What I mean is, I want you to give Magnusson, and this place, a chance."
"A chance…"
"A chance was what I got, the day I was saved…"
Later, Rudra visited the blacksmith, Enkos, to inquire about the condition of his sword. Enkos candidly described the blade's sorry state, comparing it to Rudra's condition upon arrival – handle misaligned, blade dulled and rusted through.
"Kid, I gotta tell you, that sword has been through a lot, hasn't it?"
"..." – Rudra observes the deplorable state of his sword, bringing back memories of a bloody and violent past.
"Yes… I apologize for that."
"Do not ask me for forgiveness. A blade should never be disrespected in such a way as this."
"Look at this damage, rust everywhere. I'll have a huge amount of work to do on the restoration side."
Suddenly, the knight found himself being scolded by the blacksmith Enkos on every aspect of his blade.
" *Huff* There's no way, take it."
The blacksmith threw Rudra a spare sword forged by Enkos himself.
"This is one of my most sophisticated works."
"Steel blade, sturdy handle plated in Pinosa tree wood, with a good grip."
"It should be more than enough for your trip."
"I hope she's good enough for you, knight."
Enkos, skilled in his craft, produced his sharpening stone and handed the revitalized sword to Rudra. Testing its sharpness, Rudra expressed gratitude and asked about the cost.
"How much do I owe you for this, Master?" Rudra asked, intent on paying for a job well done.
Enkos, appreciating the trust reposed in him by Bonnofal, insisted on giving it over to the household, warning Rudra to exercise it wisely.
"Don't worry about it, kid. This one's on the house."
"Just don't you dare damage it, this is one of my best works."
"It will take some time to repair your blade. These Aleonia swords are tricky to repair."
Thanking Enkos, Rudra joined his fellow FIDELIUS, in a meeting arranged in a room authorized by Magnusson, and led by Leslie Westellis, to engage in discussions about their impending mission.
"Knight, good to see you. Did Enkos provide you with a blade?"
"Yes. I will make good use of it."
"Great, we need to plan our next move. The mission awaits."
GLOSSARY:
Pinosa Tree: A vegetative group of trees derived from Rista. Its rigid and healthy wood provides structures for buildings and high-efficiency equipment.
Ellid Family: Distant relatives of the Nostruvitch family, from the court of Aleonia, and natives of Lisithea. The Ellids were exiled due to their lack of loyalty to the crown of Aleonia, and their names were forgotten from the royal lineage map.