Work Text:
Tesilid was back in the Vinchester Kingdom, this time with an official delegation for the upcoming week-long celebration of the kingdom’s Founding Festival. His past experiences with the princes had taught him not to expect anything good, but he still had hope that perhaps he could stay far enough under the radar that he could get out unscathed.
Perhaps that was why he ended up in the barracks, far away from where the princes were likely to wander. They were in the midst of training, knights and miscellaneous guards alike, and Tesilid waited on the sidelines, trying to blend in with the elaborate tapestries hanging from the wall.
At least, until he caught a flash of pink out of the corner of his eye.
Tesilid’s heart nearly stuttered to a stop. He knew it couldn’t be who he thought, but nevertheless his feet began moving in that direction.
Soon, he found the source: a young man with pink hair wearing the knight academy’s uniform, engaged in a sparring match with someone in the royal knight’s uniform.
Tesilid stifled the familiar swell of disappointment, reminding himself that he already knew that Ailette Rodeline didn’t exist in this Loop; the Knights of the Temple were on the search for sacred relics, after all, not the saintess.
He should have been used to this by now. Ever since his Loops began, Ailette had ceased to exist. He hadn’t forgotten the final words she’d said to him—that she would find him one day—and he still trusted that he would come across her in one of his loops. But every time he saw something reminiscent of pink hair or even heard the word “saintess,” his mind stumbled back to a field painted red and a whip sword arching across a darkened sky.
That was where his mind was now as he looked at the pink-haired young man. The cogs in his mind were whirring away. Pink hair was rare, but not unheard of—he had met a few others with a pinkish or strawberry blond hue in his travels. However, this was only the second time he’d seen a shade so strikingly similar to Ailette’s—and the first was when he had met her mother, Elthea Rodeline.
As soon as the pink-haired graduate’s sparring session came to an end, Tesilid approached. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until he was right in front of the knight graduate that he realized he didn’t have anything to say. He certainly couldn’t ask him if had a sister—he’d already learned such questions only led to embarrassment and awkward silences.
He stalled for time by introducing himself first. “I offer you my humblest greetings. I am Tesilid Argente, Master of the Holy Sword. I am here with the Holy Kingdom of Elfenheim’s delegation.”
The pink-haired man seemed startled, but quickly recovered. “I greet you as well, Sir Tesilid. I am Prinz Rodeline, a graduate of the 117th class of the Knight Academy. Though I’m still in the middle of my training journey, the royal family has graciously hired me as a temporary guard for the Founding Festival.”
Rodeline. Does Ailette have a brother? No, don’t jump to conclusions. There could be other Rodelines in the world—but he also didn’t want to let this chance to learn more slip away. On impulse, he said, “If you would not mind, I had been hoping to engage in a sparring match. Might I be your next opponent?”
Though caught off guard, Prinz agreed readily enough, raising a wooden practice sword and getting back into position in the sparring circle. Tesilid, meanwhile, borrowed a wooden sword from a nearby rack and followed suit.
The two locked gazes for a moment before Tesilid made the first move, bringing his sword down in a slashing motion. Prinz parried, twisting to the side before swinging his blade up. Tesilid met the strike readily before pushing away and returning for another strike, and another.
Neither used aura for such a simple training match, so Tesilid couldn’t properly gauge the full extent of the academy graduate’s strength. However, he could easily see Prinz’s competence in his smooth style of swordsmanship and the physical power of his strikes belying his years.
Even so, they were not at the same level, and it wasn’t too long before Tesilid gained the upper hand and disarmed the pink-haired trainee.
Both had worked up a decent sweat. Tesilid set his sword aside and offered the trainee a friendly shake.
Prinz smiled a bit ruefully and accepted it. “I haven’t been trounced like that in a match since…” A strange look came over his face, but he shook his head and the easy smile returned. “In any case, thank you for the match. I’d heard you were a skilled swordsman, but the rumors don’t do you justice, Master of the Holy Sword.”
“Not at all,” Tesilid replied. “It’s a pleasure to engage with someone so talented.” He hesitated a moment, and then said, “If you don’t mind… I was curious about something. You mentioned your last name was Rodeline. You wouldn’t happen to know the alchemist, Leonard Rodeline?”
“Ah… yes, I would. He’s my father.” He laughed, his expression turning somewhat bashful. “I suppose you’ve heard of him. He’s behind the famous Rodel potions.”
Something in Tesilid’s chest squeezed, as it always did when he found something in this world that connected back to Ailette. He kept his face neutral, but found himself saying more than he normally would. “I’d actually met him once, in my previous travels. His wife, Elthea, as well.” To be accurate, it had been a previous loop—but no need to mention that. “I had been grievously injured, but she fought off my attackers, and his potions saved my life.”
“Wow… I’m glad that my family could have been of some help to you, Sir Tesilid.”
More than you’ll ever know. He wanted to keep the conversation going, but was having difficulty coming up with something more to say.
Fortunately, he caught a rare break when someone—this one wearing the official royal knight’s uniform—clapped a hand to Prinz’s shoulder. “Prinz! You should show Sir Tesilid around the west hall. He’s a guest here, after all.” Then he leaned in close and murmured the next part under his breath—though Tesilid, with his keen senses, was able to make out the words. “Sir Wallenstein spotted the first prince heading toward the barracks. Best make yourself scarce before he gets here.”
These were words that alarmed Prinz almost as much as they alarmed Tesilid, but the pink-haired trainee managed to mask his disquiet well enough. Prinz addressed his next words to the holy knight. “This must be your first time in Vinchester Castle. Please allow me the honor of showing you around.”
* * *
Of course, it turned out to not be as lucky a break as Tesilid thought—something he should have expected by this point, given how much the world seemed to delight in making him suffer. He and Prinz had only spent a few scarce minutes in polite conversation about trivial matters when they crossed paths with the third prince, who had apparently been looking for Prinz in his ongoing attempts to persuade him to become his knight.
The atmosphere soured quickly from there. The prince bristled with hostility towards the Master of the Holy Sword as he not-so-subtly made up an excuse for Prinz to go with him. He dismissed Tesilid with a, “Doesn’t a knight of the so-called ‘holy’ kingdom have better things to do?”
Something else from the third prince’s words hinted at a scheme—and judging from past Loops, Tesilid had a feeling it would be targeting him, and possibly Elfenheim as a whole. In hopes of avoiding such an outcome, Tesilid began investigating as discreetly as he could.
If there was one positive thing that came out of this, it was that he had further chances to interact with Prinz, who confided in him that he was also concerned about the third prince’s schemes.
“Truth be told,” he said, “I’ve been offered a position as an official knight by both princes… but I’ve been doing my best to avoid them.” Then he hastened to add, “Of course, it’s an honor to be given such an opportunity, but… well…”
Tesilid thought of a tactful out for the struggling knight-to-be. “I understand the political situation in Vinchester is very volatile right now, even without the third prince’s scheming. It can’t be an easy choice.”
“Yes, exactly.” Prinz let out a sigh. “I feel as though I’m caught in between the two, and to be honest, I can’t see any good in serving either prince.”
After that, the conversation switched back to figuring out what, exactly, the third prince’s plans were, and how to best go about putting a stop to them.
* * *
From there, Prinz became something of his partner-in-crime during his stay at Vinchester Castle.
Late at night, while keeping surveillance on a side entrance, Prinz offered Tesilid a chocolate-flavored potion. He explained that his father had sent him a batch, and that it was good for staying alert.
Tesilid looked down at the potion in his hand with a smile, thinking of another pink-haired Rodeline who always seemed to be handing him something to eat or drink. “This is nostalgic.”
“Funny, I was thinking the same thing.” Prinz tipped his potion back. “I remember as a kid, I used to share half with—” He stopped abruptly, and a strange look came over the trainee’s face—not for the first time, Tesilid realized.
Tesilid glanced at the side entrance, wondering momentarily if the pink-haired trainee had seen something—but he had a feeling that wasn’t it. He waited, hoping that Prinz would continue if the silence stretched out.
He didn’t have to wait long.
“That’s odd,” Prinz said, staring at the potion in his hand. “I remember sharing them with someone… but I can’t seem to remember who.” Uncertainty flickered across his face. “It… must have been another servant at Gilette Castle. Maybe the head maid’s… no, that’s not right.” He shook his head. “Never mind, it’s not important.” He turned his attention back to the night around them, but Tesilid’s mind was reeling.
Could he have been remembering something to do with Ailette? He wanted so badly to ask, but then someone crept out of the entrance they’d been monitoring, and there was no time for idle chatter. Tesilid returned his focus to the mission at hand, promising himself that he would get through this so he could find out whether some part of Prinz Rodeline really did remember his sister.
* * *
Things got more hectic from there. Tesilid’s initial hunch proved to be correct, and with Prinz’s help, he was able to uncover evidence of the prince’s plans to raze a village on the border between Vinchester and the Holy Kingdom of Elfenheim while simultaneously framing the Master of the Holy Sword and the rest of the holy kingdom’s delegation for the deed. It was a heinous scheme that would have surely sparked a war between the two nations.
Tesilid brought this scheme to light in a public enough arena that the Queen could not cover it up, nor ignore the damage her son had nearly done to the entire kingdom. Although the prince didn’t end up in a prison cell, his chances of succeeding the throne had been all but snuffed out.
The danger cleared, Tesilid was eager to leave Vinchester before some other disaster struck. His only regret on his last evening before returning to the holy kingdom was that he was never able to find out whether Prinz truly remembered Ailette in some capacity.
Maybe we’ll be able to meet again, under better circumstances. It was entirely possible. From their last conversation, it sounded as though Prinz intended to return to his training journey now that the Founding Festival was over. If he ended up working as a mercenary, they could very well meet again while Tesilid was fulfilling his duties, subjugating dungeons across the continent.
He was taking a walk through the castle gardens to clear his head when a voice called to him.
“Sir Tesilid.” As he turned around, Prinz greeted him with a grin. “I’m glad I ran into you. You’re leaving tomorrow, aren’t you?”
An answering smile spread across Tesilid’s face. Perhaps preventing a war was enough for Strict Order and Goodness to finally grant me a reward. “Yes, that is correct. Thank you for your invaluable contributions, Sir Prinz. Myself and the Holy Kingdom of Elfenheim are indebted to you.”
“No, as I told you, it's just Prinz. I haven't been knighted yet. And I should be the one thanking you, Sir Tesilid. A war with the Vatican would have surely hurt Vinchester as well.”
“Not a knight ‘yet?’ Then… have you decided to accept the first prince’s offer?”
“No, no!” His response was immediate, which made Tesilid relieved. The first prince might have been quiet so far in this Loop, but he was in many ways just as bad as, if not worse than, his brother.
The breeze tickled by, bringing with it a calming scent as the two, by unspoken agreement, walked down the garden path together, away from prying ears. Prinz went on, “The princess said that she needed a guard. Considering what the princes are like… well, she seems the best choice. I may not be able to do much to help her succeed the throne, but if I can help her in some small way as part of her guard, perhaps it might be good for Vinchester as a whole.”
“Ah.” Tesilid offered the other man a gentle, somewhat wistful smile. These Rodelines, really… not just Ailette, but her parents in his tenth Loop, and even Prinz—they all seemed to be the first to leap to someone's rescue. How could he not admire them? “That sounds like a noble, worthy goal. Vinchester Kingdom is fortunate to have you as its knight.”
“While I appreciate your high opinion of me, I’m afraid I don’t deserve it. My reasons for serving the princess are at least half selfish.”
Wait. He couldn't possibly mean…
Fortunately, Tesilid’s initial impression was wrong. “You see…” Prinz coughed a bit in embarrassment. “One of the princess's attendants is someone I've known for a long time… and I was, well, hoping that if I served under the princess, I might be able to stay by her side, as well.” As he spoke, a blush gradually crept up the knight-in-training's neck, visible even in the fading light.
Even though he seemed embarrassed to admit his goals deviated from that of a pure, ideal knight, Tesilid felt a sudden surge of camaraderie for the young man. Yes, he wanted to say. I too know what it's like to want to stay by someone’s side, no matter how foolish that hope is, or whether duty tells me otherwise. But he pressed his lips together to keep the words to himself. He knew if he said it aloud, he would feel the Commandments scoring into his skin for committing the sin of greed for voicing such a selfish wish, and for lacking charity for not wanting to endlessly sacrifice himself for the world.
It was times like these that he longed even more for the one person he could be honest with.
Perhaps it was the quiet of the oncoming night, or the wall of trees muffling outside sound, but Prinz seemed inclined to let his thoughts spill out a bit more. “Truth be told, when I was younger, I never would have dreamed I could become strong enough to stay by her side, or to protect anyone, even. In fact, I only ever thought I might be able to do it because…”
Because?
When Tesilid looked back, he realized that Prinz had stopped walking. “Prinz?” he said as the pause dragged on, the chirping of insects nearby muted by the suddenly heavy atmosphere. “Is something wrong?”
Prinz turned to him, his brows drawn into a somber look, and asked hesitatingly, “Sir Tesilid, have… have you ever felt someone was missing?”
Tesilid’s heart almost leapt right out of his chest, but he kept his face carefully blank. “What do you mean?”
“I’m sorry. I know it's a strange question. Please forget—”
“No, I have.” Prinz’s eyes widened at Tesilid’s blatant, honest admission, but Tesilid couldn’t let this go. “Actually, there was someone I used to know… but they went missing, and now… it’s like they never even existed, and I'm the only one who remembers.”
He shouldn’t be saying so much. He must sound completely insane. What did he know about Prinz, really? By blurting out his real thoughts like this, Tesilid was opening himself up to yet another tragic ending in this Loop. But he couldn’t help himself, not when it seemed like there might be someone else in this world who might remember Ailette’s existence.
And Prinz didn’t seem to think he was crazy. Instead, he seriously considered his words. “It’s strange… It's almost the opposite for me. I feel like there’s someone who should be there, but when I try to think of who or how, I come up blank.” He looked away, his gaze far off. “I’ll remember playing with dolls or sharing a potion, but when I stop to think about it, I'm not sure if it was really a memory or just a dream. I remember my dad giving me the first samples of his flavored potions and supplements, but when I mentioned it to him, he said he never tested them on me, and I wonder if it was someone else instead…” He drifted off.
Tesilid could only stare, barely able to breathe.
After a long pause, the knight-in-training let out a self-deprecating chuckle. “Well, maybe it’s just because I’ve always wanted a little brother or sister.”
Tesilid felt like he'd been kicked in the chest, but he didn’t know whether the pain came from hope or a crushing despair. It was the first time since his Loops began that he’d had even the smallest confirmation of Ailette’s existence from another living, breathing human being.
Yet it was also more proof of how the world seemed determined to erase her existence. Even her own brother, who clearly held on to something —albeit only the ghost of a memory—couldn’t recall her in any meaningful way.
Tesilid thought, not for the first time, that he should forget about Ailette Rodeline. What good did it do him to cling to the memory of someone who didn't exist? Who might never exist again?
And yet.
Prinz shook off his lingering wistfulness and offered a smile at once bittersweet and resigned. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ramble on like that.”
“Not at all,” he managed to choke out. “It’s difficult for me to explain, but… I can’t express in words how grateful I am.”
Prinz looked puzzled by his response, but he let it pass. Before long, they came to the edge of the garden and bade one another good night.
Taking in one last draught of the fresh, spring air, Tesilid went his separate way. He pressed a hand against the lingering pain in his chest, as if hoping to hold onto it for just a little longer.