BXBX NOVEL Chapter 121: New Mission.
"Why is everything so difficult…" His tired murmur showed that his emotional state was compromised. At least he didn't want to deal with more of this crap. "I don't know why that old man called me, but… why did it feel like a farewell?" Strax started walking through the mansion's corridors calmly.
The atmosphere seemed gloomy, and he couldn't see any staff working; it was as if they were on vacation. As he turned the corner, he encountered Diana, leaning against a pillar with her arms crossed as if she had been waiting for him. Seeing him approach, she turned around.
"How was it?" she asked, seeing that he looked very tired. Tired was an understatement. After suffering a spiritual attack of that magnitude… well, he was alive, right? So, he was okay…
"Besides being hit with a spiritual attack and him telling me I have a big target on my head, I'm alive, aren't I?" he said, sounding quite sarcastic, but she noticed he wasn't doing too well with it. "Did he tell you about Scathach?" Diana asked, and Strax nodded, pondering some important things before deciding to ask something… "Did you know her?"
Diana's face darkened as she looked down as if something came to her mind, a distant memory she didn't like… The silence became somewhat uncomfortable, and Strax just commented, "Seems like you don't have good memories, well, I don't have many either," and continued, "You don't have to answer, it's okay."
"It's not that I don't want to… it's just that I don't like remembering that scary woman…" Diana said as if she were… afraid? She really didn't want to remember the woman who was Strax's mother…
"Are you okay?" he asked, seeing her hand give small spasms and tremors. "Y-yes… I just remembered something bad." Diana said, trying to compose herself. "How strange… I thought my mother was kind and cute." Strax said, and Diana almost fell backward at the declaration…
"K-kind? C-cute? Boy… I recommend you do some research on who your mother was twenty years ago…" she stammered and continued firmly, "But this is not the time for that. I have a mission for you." Diana said, and Strax's attention was completely captured. After all, he really needed to complete missions to get out of this hellish Duchy and go after what really mattered…
"Good… now I just need it to be far away," he thought. He still needed to find an elf and a dwarf skilled enough to make homunculi for Ouroboros, Tiamat, and Xyn. "What do I have to do?" he asked, somewhat excited.
"All in good time. Your father just asked me to alert you about this, but I forgot because of my anger… In a few days, a messenger will come to your house to inform you about the mission." Diana said, and Strax's face looked lifeless. "What's wrong?" she asked, trying to understand his reaction.
"Hey, you idiot, you could have said this earlier! Now it makes sense why he was warning me about leaving the Duchy and that I had a big target on my back! It was because I was leaving! You idiot!" Strax said, leaving Diana without a reaction, after all… it was her fault.
"D-Don't blame me! I was angry!" She said, reacting with… "cute…" Strax murmured to himself. "Damn, I want her for myself," he concluded and turned away, walking without saying anything more.
"H-Hey, where are you going?!" she asked.
"Home. I need to inform the girls about what happened here today and prepare to leave. My assassin is looking for something for me, and I need her back. I'm not leaving this place without concerns, especially knowing I'm a huge target." He said, giving a small wave back.
"Your hair looks like cherry blossoms, keep taking good care of it, it's charming, and I want it for myself in a few months," Strax said, leaving the woman completely embarrassed.
"Y-You! What are you saying!" She roared, embarrassed like a little girl… after all… she hadn't received compliments in a long time, but that wasn't the point! "Shameless man! Brazen!" She roared, and Strax just smiled as he continued walking without looking back.
Strax walked down the corridor, the echoes of his footsteps reverberating off the mansion walls. He was eager to get out of that place and move on with his mission, but Diana's words still echoed in his mind. His mother, a frightening figure? That didn't fit with the few memories he had of her.
As Strax exited the mansion, the sunlight seemed brighter than usual, almost like a promise of hope. He knew he couldn't get distracted now. He had to prepare and inform the girls about the impending mission.
When Strax reached his mare, who was waiting for him, he saw a serious look on the animal's face… What happened there? She seemed to ask with her gaze, her eyes full of concern.
"It's nothing I can't handle, girl," he replied, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "But we have to prepare for a mission. A messenger will come to inform us of more details in a few days, so I want you to be ready for anything."
"Hiiin hiiin-hin," Apocalipse whinnied, nodding, and Strax mounted her.
Strax rode towards his house, the wind blowing against his face, clearing his turbulent thoughts a little. He resolved to focus on the real world and not on his disturbing thoughts that could haunt him. Now, every detail would be crucial for the preparation for the mission Diana mentioned.
When he arrived home, he dismounted Apocalipse and entered, finding Monica and the other girls gathered in the main room. Their eyes immediately turned to him, as the house seemed to come alive whenever he arrived, but his expression caught them off guard.
"Darling, what happened?" Beatrice was the first to speak, her tone firm but concerned upon seeing his expression.
He took a deep breath before responding. "My father summoned me and talked about some things… I think it's better if you hear it from me, so sit down." Strax said, and they followed, the three of them sitting on one side and Strax on the other.
"So, first. Let's start with the fact that I am a huge target," Strax said, and the women's eyes widened in surprise.
"W-What do you mean by that?" Beatrice asked, and Strax began to explain calmly, of course, without mentioning Monica's part for now.
"But being a target of the Samira Family is that serious?" Beatrice asked, but Monica beside her already looked at Strax a bit upset… She had already understood what he meant, how could she not?
"Tsk… that crap," Samira muttered. "Blaze is considered one of the biggest producers of Mages and Swordsmen after Vorah, besides… there's my sister… Damn it." She muttered furiously. Samira's words went over Beatrice's question, and Strax took advantage of that to shift the focus.
"Besides, we have a mission soon, and we need to prepare," he breathed deeply. "Many problems ahead."
"What kind of mission?" asked Samira, the elf, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of anxiety and desire… Well, she couldn't stand being stuck in that place anymore, especially when she felt like she was being held captive; she loved exploring new places!
"I don't know all the details yet," admitted Strax. "A messenger will come in a few days to inform us more. But one thing is certain: we need to be ready to leave the Duchy and face whatever comes."
"Additionally," he continued, "we need to locate a skilled elf and dwarf to create homunculi for Ouroboros, Tiamat, and Xyn. This will be an extra task of this mission; if they informed us about our names, it means this mission is outside the walls." He said, turning around. "And now, we have a name to use." Strax said, placing the pocket watch on the table.
"Isn't this the…" Monica murmured, after all… She had seen that woman before, and although she didn't know her… she had seen her many times before… "That crazy woman." Monica said, catching Strax's attention.
"You knew her?" He asked, after all…
"Who is she to you, Darling?" Monica asked… after all, none of them knew Strax's mother, how could they? His mother had been sick since his birth and was always "hidden" from others…
"She's my mother, before the illness." Strax's words hit Monica's ears like a flaming arrow.
"Ah, damn it… of course, you're strong… you're the son of that monster." Monica said as if she were frustrated with something… "How did I not think of that? Of course, that was it." She said as if a memory passed through her mind.