The Protagonist System

55 The Plot Unravels

After being sworn into the personal service of the Princess of Tristain, Foquet was a fount of forbidden knowledge about the terrorist organization called the Reconquista. The looks on the faces of everyone in the meeting room as she named names and revealed schemes, let me know that there were a lot more betrayals and backroom deals that had gone down than any of them realized.

One of the worst members named was the man that was betrothed to Louise, Viscount Jean-Jacques Francis de Wardes. He was the captain of the Tristain country's Griffon Knights and also one of the top people running the terrorist organization. They wanted to destroy every country's leadership and plunge the world into war for their boss Oliver Cromwell to take over.

Louise was devastated and cried on my shoulder at the betrayal to her and her family. Her parents had engaged her and Wardes when she was just a child and he was 10 years her senior, making him 26 years old right now.

Princess Henrietta nodded at the scribe that had written everything down. “Make several copies of that. Give one to Headmaster Osmand, one to my new personal guard, one to me, and one to Saito Hiraga. I will issue a recall of those that are members of my kingdom and they will be dealt with.”

The scribe quickly did so with magic and we put the lists away.

“Saito, you and Louise will accompany my personage back to the castle.” Princess Henrietta ordered.

“Princess, what about school?” Louise asked.

“You are excused for the next few weeks as we deal with this crisis and then summer vacation is starting. You would be leaving then anyway.” The princess said.

“I will have your exams brought to you by a professor when it is time, Miss La Vallière.” The headmaster promised. “You won't suffer for doing your duty to the princess.”

Louise sighed and nodded in agreement. “When do we leave?”

“Pack your things and we will leave right after.” Princess Henrietta told her.

“Ten minutes.” I said and the princess smiled at me. “Louise, hold on.”

“EEP!” Louise let out as I scooped her up into my arms and dove out the window. “SAAIIITOOO!”

I heard them laughing behind us as I landed and then I ran at my best safe speed while carrying a passenger. Louise clung to my neck as if her life depended on it. I brought her to the dorm room and came to a stop just outside the door.

“I am going to kill you.” Louise growled in my ear.

I set her on her feet and pet her head. “I wanted to give them something to laugh at after all those horrible revelations.”

Louise looked up into my eyes and sighed. She had her own horrible revelation and nodded.

“Grab your personal things to put on your bed while I make you a nice bag to carry everything in.” I said and took off my backpack and pulled out some of the supplies I had bought. Since I had altered several of them before and rebuilt Lili's backpack, I knew exactly the best way to construct a smaller personal bag that looked like a large woman's purse.

I used leather as a base and lined it with metal strips, enchanted it to expand inside, and added the charms for packing and retrieval. I went to Louise's freestanding clothing cabinet and shocked the girl by tossing the whole thing in instead of emptying it. I put her enlarged bed in next with all her personal effects on it and Louise stared at me.

I chuckled and opened the bag to show her both things were safe at the bottom and nothing was damaged, then closed it and handed it to her. “It's all fine, Louise. Let's go.”

Louise hugged the bag and let me scoop her up into my arms and I stepped out of the room with her. I locked and charmed the door, then ran out of the dorms to go to the teacher's rooms. I put Louise down and knocked on Cybil's door. She opened it and saw me, saw Louise, and sighed.

“I can't stay. The princess has requested myself and my partner to accompany her back to the capital.” I explained and Cybil nodded. I took out the other mirror and unwrapped it, went into the woman's bedroom, and enlarged it to attach it to the ceiling.

“Be careful at the castle. Danger can be anywhere.” Cybil warned Louise when I left the bedroom.

“Don't worry, Cybil. I won't let any harm come to her.” I promised.

The teacher gave Louise a glance, smiled, and pulled me in for a kiss on the lips. “Hurry back.”

“It's going to be a few weeks at least.” I told her.

“I'll let Chevreuse know.” Cybil said.

“Thank you.” I said and hugged her. “If you need me for an emergency, you know how to contact me.”

Cybil nodded and let me go. “Good luck in the snake pit.”

I chuckled and stepped out of her room. I waved to her and scooped Louise up in my arms as the door shut. Louise didn't say anything until I ran out of the building and over to where the horse and carriage waited. It would take us all to the capital.

“You really did sign a mistress contract with them.” Louise said, her voice soft.

“It was their idea.” I said and she gave me raised eyebrows. “That's how I found out about contracts.”

“That was how...” Louise stopped and blushed. “You asked me right away.”

I put her down on her feet and motioned to the coachman to open the door. “Of course I did.”

The woman with short blonde hair gave us squinted looks before she opened the door and set the small stairs for us to use. Louise kept blushing as she climbed in and greeted the princess. I stepped in and bowed to the princess and nodded to Foquet. Louise and I sat on the backwards-facing seat and the carriage took off at a fast trot.

“Saito, tell me all about yourself.” Princess Henrietta ordered.

I refrained from insulting her to her face for such a loaded order, especially since I wasn't her subject. “You know all you need to know already.”

Both Louise and Foquet gasped at the rebuff.

“Saito!” Louise said and smacked my armored arm, then she hissed and hugged her hurt hand.

“You need to stop lashing out like that.” I said and cast specific healing on her.

Louise pouted at me and crossed her arms before she looked out the carriage window. “You should take off that silly armor and I wouldn't hurt myself when I'm trying to discipline you.”

“Silly armor? Really?” I asked and took off the helmet to put into my backpack.

“It makes you stand out too much.” Louise said without looking at me.

“That was kind of the point.” I said and didn't elaborate about wanting to spread the Hestia Familia's influence.

“What is that symbol on your chest?” Foquet asked.

“It's my wife's emblem. It symbolizes family, hearth and home. It's an eternal fire that you can always warm yourself against.” I said and lightly touched the edge of the flames. “I will find my way back to her someday.”

Quiet seemed to settle in the compartment after that and no one said anything for a while.

*

That night, the carriage stopped at a secluded inn to let the horses rest and for the passengers to get something to eat. Louise kept quiet as she ate and her eyes kept darting to the dark haired young man at her side. He had finally changed out of his armor and she had to admit that he looked very nice wearing noble clothing. She also had a moral quandry.

Louise knew that her betrothed was going to be executed for treason. She also knew that Saito was married. Or kind of married. He also desired her. Her mind kept repeating the moment when he asked her if she would sign a mistress contract, even if it was an extreme insult to propose such a thing to a high class noble.

It just wasn't done for a noble of her pedigree to reduce herself to that of a commoner or a maid to become a mistress to another noble. Her thoughts went to both Professor Chevreuse and Professor Cybil and that they had willingly signed mistress contracts, so Saito already had two dependants to take care of financially.

Louise sighed and finished her food. “I'm heading to bed.”

“That's a good idea. If we leave early enough, we can reach the capital by noon.” Agnes said and stood. She was the coachman and was also the captain of the Tristain Musketeer Knights. “I'll make sure the driver and the horses are fed and will see you in the morning.”

Louise and Saito watched her walk away with a determined stride.

“I wonder if she would let me borrow her pistol for a while?” Saito asked and stood as well.

“Why?” Louise asked.

“Curiosity. I knew there was gunpowder here and wondered how the old weapon handled it.”

“Old? It was commissioned and constructed barely a month ago.” Princess Henrietta said.

Saito looked surprised by that. “Are you sure? It looked worn and well used for years.”

The princess smiled. “Agnes practises constantly and she is very good with it.”

Saito smiled back. “Then I'll ask her tomorrow to show off a little.” He said and bowed to her. “Shall Louise and I escort you to your room, your highness?”

The princess stood and shook her head. “I fully trust my guards after their new vows. Thank you for the offer.”

Saito nodded and took Louise's hand. “Goodnight, your highness.”

“Goodnight, Saito. Louise.” Princess Henrietta said and hugged Louise. “Sleep well.”

“You, too.” Louise said and watched the guards lead the princess across the room and up the stairs. “You're following her with your magic?”

Saito nodded and motioned to follow behind them. They crossed the room and went up the stairs to their own room. Louise had refused the offer of joining rooms for them and said it was a waste of money, since they normally shared a bed anyway. The wide eyes of the princess let Saito know that wasn't a normal thing.

They entered the rented room and Louise pointed to the side of the room as she handed Saito her bag. He accepted it and walked over to the wall and pulled out her standing cabinet of clothing. She walked over to it and waved at the small bed. He chuckled and put the bed in her bag and pulled hers out to replace it. She quickly changed and then put her personal items back in the bag.

Saito stripped off and hung his backpack on one of the posts of the four poster and climbed into bed. Louise climbed in beside him and hugged him closely as she sighed.

“What is it?” Saito asked.

“My life is a mess.” Louise said and held back her tears. “With the betrothal ending...”

“Your personal feelings are more dangerous without the safety net?” Saito asked and she nodded.

“I can't stop thinking about your insult about the mistress contract.” Louise admitted.

Saito chuckled. “I can't decide if I respect Chevreuse and Cybil more for signing right away or admire them for taking the personal insult without even thinking about what it could mean.”

Louise sighed. “They are either secure in their own worth or they could care less about not being respected for their lowered nobility.”

“They are both fairly powerful magically.” Saito said. Especially after I took down that giant golem. He thought. He didn't tell Louise that, though. For some reason, the double bond didn't let her gain anything. Maybe the sharing is two way and I gave her experience and she gave it back? What was the condition needed to activate it? Karma points? She had to attack it herself because we're partners?

No answer came from the system, so Saito closed his eyes and held Louise close.

“Do you want me to do that?” Louise asked in a whisper.

“Do what?” Saito asked back. There were a lot of things he would like for her to do.

“Lower my social and political standing to that of a commoner.” Louise said.

Saito thought about that. “No, I don't. Who you are is a part of you. Your family, your status, your magic. It all depends on your own perception of yourself.” He kissed the top of her head. “Don't compromise yourself or sacrifice everything else you have in your life, just for a fantastic time in bed.”

Louise huffed. “You're pretty confident about that.”

“Darling, I can get you off by just using my tongue and that makes you pass out eventually. Believe me, that's barely the start of the things I can do.”

Louise took a deep breath and let it out. “That's not helping me stay neutral, you know.”

Saito chuckled. “I'm supposed to be the same, Louise. I'm married and yet I'm snuggled up to someone that almost has my ideal female form.”

“Only almost?” Louise asked and felt a little insulted.

“Yes, because I'm not allowed to fold you in half and pound you into the mattress, despite how beautiful, sexy, and tasty you are.” Saito said and kissed the top of her head again. “If you doubt that, reach down and feel the rock-hard proof.”

Louise didn't hesitate and did that. She caught her breath, because she hadn't done anything to warrant him getting hard for her. “How? Why?”

Saito chuckled. “You are Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, a powerful mage, and I'm not an idiot. Why wouldn't I be excited to be near you?”

Louise blushed and her hand pulled on him a few times, then she moved her hand up to hug his chest. “Saito, I... I... I want to. I do.”

“I know.” Saito said and pet her hair. “There's nothing to be done about it, though.”

Louise sighed and nodded. “It would destroy both of our lives if we did it.”

“Unfortunately.” Saito said. “We shouldn't do anything else while we're in the capital, either.”

Louise nodded again. “Then tonight will be the last time for a while.”

“Well, if this is going to be the last time... maybe...” Saito paused and moved down slightly to whisper his idea into her ear.

Louise gasped. “Really? We can do something like that?”

“We've done them individually, so why not together at the same time?” Saito asked.

Louise looked thoughtful. “Well, since it is the last time... I think we can give it a try.”

Saito moved back up and Louise pushed off the blanket as she turned around to put her feet up by the headboard. He grabbed her legs and pulled, earning an 'eep' from Louise, and drove his tongue into her damp slit to lick and suck on her.

Louise moaned and writhed on top of him for several seconds, realized she really was at the right spot to do what he suggested, and put her hand on his rock-hard member as she slipped her mouth over the tip and started to suck. She would never admit that her first and only experience doing a '69' was the most wonderful thing she had ever experienced in her life.

*

The looks the princess and Foquet gave Louise and I the next morning at breakfast were filled with envy and more than a little jealousy. They had the rooms next to ours and had heard everything, as I intended. I wasn't going to waste my magic casting and holding a silence spell for hours. It would also give Louise and the princess something to talk about in private later.

The trip to the castle was fairly quick and we arrived just after noon. We were greeted by a lot of staff, some of which were on our lists, and Princess Henrietta gave nothing away as she invited them to dine with us for lunch in a private dining room. The traitors were placated by this and let their guard down, which was exactly what the princess wanted.

After the meal, they were arrested and taken into custody, I cast the truth spell on them, and they were interrogated by Agnes and the head of the guards. A few more names were added to the list and a few were removed, as were their heads. Princess Henrietta could be vicious if you pissed her off or betrayed her, which explained why she and Louise got along so well as children.

Princess Henrietta sent out the private missives to have the other traitors brought to the castle for their rewards, using the names of the already executed traitors, and they eagerly flocked to the castle. They were interrogated under my truth spells and were beheaded as well.

Louise cried again at the loss as her ex-fiance's head was removed by royal decree.