Fire Emblem Protagonist 21

"You think she's gonna dump you, cousin?"

Heitor's eye twitched. "Don't sound so excited over the prospect. That aside... how would she go about dumping me anyways? We got married and signed a bunch of papers and everything." He was curious about how marriage worked in this world.

Though his lack of knowledge in this subject just showed how sudden his marriage was.

Al hummed. "If she appeals to the crown... to the Council, they could break off the marriage. It's a messy process that has to pass through the Church of the Divine Dragon first, but it's possible. And considering as a candidate she's not even supposed to get married, I'd bet the Council would be happy to do it."

He continued. "Or she could dump you... the princess way. If you know what I'm saying." He made a slashing motion across his throat using his hand. The implication was clear.

Priscilla wouldn't waste time going through the normal process, she would just live up to her title as the Bloody Bride.

Heitor blanched. "That's... I'll keep that in mind." He sighed. "I'll make sure to sincerely apologize in the morning. Hopefully that will calm me down." Even if that made him feel like those scummy men who cheated and then came crawling back, hoping for forgiveness.

Al shrugged. "Do whatever you gotta do. Gotta say though, hoping it doesn't work..." Oi! "My personal feelings aside, what possessed you to ask for... that? Don't tell me you think this is some power fantasy where you can get a harem..."

Considering Heitor had in a few days become strong and fast enough to take on magic users, this sure felt like a power fantasy. Though admittedly he didn't know about the harem part...

"It's just that my power made it pretty clear that I should go for it." Or at least his knowledge of Fire Emblem did. "I have a feeling something bad will happen if I don't... No, a feeling that something bad will happen, and I won't be able to stop it."

As an example, some evil dragon showing up, that needs a Love Serenade from all five candidates to be stopped. Or in other words, the power of the complete Fire Emblem.

Al clicked his tongue. "Cousin, let me give you a tip. That power of yours, don't trust it, and certainly don't follow its orders. If I'm right, that thing is an Authority, not something that you should follow blindly or—."

He cut him off. "My power is not like yours or Petelgeuse's." Or at least it didn't seem to be. "So don't worry about that... though maybe I really shouldn't take its word as gospel."

Al froze. "You know my power...?"

Heitor raised an eyebrow. "Yup... Didn't you put two and two together by now? I can see people's abilities." He put a hand on his chin. "Though I guess you did miss the undead stuff..." That's when it had become truly obvious.

Al tilted his head. "If you can see my ability then... then why trust me?"

Heitor was surprised for a moment, but he eventually shrugged. "Eh, why not. I mean, you haven't been acting super evil or anything." Although he could be the generic Fire Emblem traitor...

He could hear confusion in the gladiator's voice. "But... that's not the problem here. How can you even talk with someone like me? At this very moment I could be—."

Heitor cut him off. "Manipulating me? People don't need time powers to do that... And hey, I'm pretty sure Priscilla knows about your power too, she's super perceptive after all, and yet you're still here." He honestly thought it wasn't even a secret.

Though now he was sure it made part of Al's dark backstory.

Al sighed. "Damn it, hearing that is gonna make me blush." He scratched the cheek of his helmet. "How embarrassing... Well, let's hope you don't regret making a plan to put me down." How is one even supposed to put a time looper down?

You have triggered a Support Event.

Oh!? This!? He had seriously forgot all about it with all the action he experienced recently!

Al clenched his fists. "You know what cousin? I think it's about time I show you something. It might... teach you a lesson, since you're taking things so lightly."

Heitor immediately summoned his Rapier. "Al, are you seriously going to fight me?" That's the conclusion he had reached due to the gladiator's body movements.

But Al actually shook his head. "No... Sorry if I scared you, but the truth is that I am the one scared here." Ah, he was clenching his fists out of fear. "I'm terrified even. Not that it's surprising, coward that I am."

Heitor put the Rapier back into his inventory. "I don't think a man who fended of a squad of assassins can be called a coward."

Al snorted. "If willingness to kill other people was a measure for bravery, this world would be filled with superheroes left and right." Wasn't it already?

He put a hand on his helmet. "Instead, the world is filled with scum like me... Get ready." He slowly took it off. It was a difficult process with only one hand, but he was most likely used to it.

Heitor knew he shouldn't flinch. He knew he shouldn't react to it, but he couldn't help it, the moment he saw Al's face he felt a ugly feeling running through his body.

Calling the gladiator disgured was a understatement. He almost looked inhuman, with all types of scars over his face, from normal ones, to burn ones... Heitor couldn't even imagine how he had lived through the wounds that caused that damage.

Heitor couldn't help it, he was horrified. "Al...!"

Al grinned. "You're disgusted, aren't you?" Heitor recoiled. "Don't worry, I don't blame you. Everyone always is... Well, the princess didn't care, but she's the princess. Reacting like you are is normal."

He quickly put the helmet on again. "Sorry that I had to show you that. A point had to be made though... Shit like this is what happens to fools who go around with dreams of harems, and to fools who trust unconditionally."

He walked closer to Heitor, and poked him on the chest. "It's what happens to people like us."

Heitor, still trying to recompose himself, looked at the ground. "Al, how did you... Is that from your gladiator days?"

Aldebaran scoffed. "Hah! Nah. Lost my arm there, but my face..." He trembled for a moment. "If I got these scars from combat, they would have been a little more spread out over my body, don't you think cousin?"

That's true. Which meant... it meant whoever inflicted those scars meant to do so.

Heitor got mad just thinking about it. "Al, who did that to you?" There was no sugarcoating it, he wanted to make someone pay for it.

Al wasn't his closest friend or anything of the sort, in fact he was a traitor, but... He was still a man from Earth, just like Heitor. And so, the idea that their places could have been switched came far too easy into his mind.

But Al waved him off. "Me, I did it. I can make excuses and point fingers at someone else... but even if it was their hands, their tools, it was me who caused this horrible face. Saying anything else would be just delusional..."

Al looked at his own hand. "Because I didn't understand how things worked, because I ended up playing hero... I did this to myself. This face of mine is just the outside matching the inside, really."

He took a deep breath. "So do try to not become like me, don't take the mantle of a hero. Just... devote yourself. Devote yourself wholeheartedly to someone."

He continued. "It can be the princess since you are already married, but it doesn't need to be her... you can even pick Emilia. Just make sure they are your only important thing... it becomes easier to throw away everything else then."

Heitor gulped. "Al... there's no way I could ever do that."

The gladiator sighed. "You say that right now, but—."

Heitor cut him off. "Don't get me wrong, I understand your thought process, but when I hear your story, that doesn't make me want to stop the path I'm trying to walk."

He put a hand on Al's shoulder. "It makes me sad I wasn't there for you. It makes me angry that I wasn't there to help you. You... you don't deserve whatever happened to you."

If anything, this just strengthened Heitor's resolve. He wouldn't let other people experience what Al had.

Frustration through Al's voice, as he slapped Heitor's hand away. "If you don't get it, I guess you don't get it. If you stay in the middle of the road, it's only natural to get hit by a car... But whatever, some people only learn fire burns when they get burned themselves."

Heitor smiled. "The car won't be hitting me, I'll be hitting the car." With the power of song, apparently. "But Al, about your face... I don't want to sound insensitive, but maybe Sir Ferris could fix it..."

"Probably, but there's no point." Al looked away. "Fixing the outside, won't fix the inside."

Support Event over. Aldebaran's B-Rank Support Achieved!

That was... depressing to say the least. Heitor actually wanted to continue the conversation to comfort Al, Supports be damned, but before he could do so...

A voice rang out behind him. "Piggy, what are you doing here...?" It was Priscilla, yawning and scratching her eye... Basically, showing weakness. A rare sight.

Heitor awkwardly tilted his head. "I-I'm here because you kicked me out...? Remember...?" Hopefully she was sleepy enough to not admonish his stuttering.

She squinted her eyes. "Oh..." And then walked closer and grabbed hold of his arm. "You were supposed to come back and apologize. Stupid. Now let's go, I can't sleep without mine piggy..."

Her words sounded super slurred, so she was definitely still in dreamland. Which meant there was a decent chance of her getting mad at him again once she woke and realized he was by her side, but... He had grown used to sleeping by her side, so taking advantage of this opportunity couldn't be helped.

Still, he would have the decency to apology. "I'm sorry then, Lady Priscilla." Though apologizing for something he intended to repeat was definitely wrong too...

She started pulling him along. "It's fine..." She just wanted to go already.

But before he could leave, he gave a goodbye wave to Aldebaran. Though maybe he should have just silently left, Heitor doubted the greatest simp in the planet wanted to see this.

Aldebaran just pointed at Priscilla and whispered. "Pick her, and only her. Above all else." Ah... picking her was only natural since Priscilla was his wife.

That didn't mean he would leave everyone and everything else behind however. Including Al.



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"Aldebaran, take care of mine husband. Failure to accomplish that will result in your demise."

Al gave her a thumbs up. "Got it princess, but please don't call me by full name." She always seemed to ignore that request of his whenever she pleased.

Priscilla crossed her arms. "I call you by your full name to show you how serious the situation is."

Slowly Aldebaran nodded. "Fair enough. I'd still prefer if you didn't do it though."

Heitor didn't know how to feel about this level of babying. Not only was he going to be escorted by Aldebaran, but he would also have several soldier of the Crimson Battlefront following him. He was also going to be moving around in a carriage instead of walking... which would be useful to carry the amount of clothes he was supposed to buy.

Still, usefulness aside, this was a bit too much. He didn't expect it from Priscilla of all people.

And ignoring the matter of his own safety, there was her safety to consider. "Priscilla... are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" She would be guarded by member of the Crimson Battlefront too, but he couldn't help but worry nonetheless.

She rolled her eyes. "I am. Go get a job." Ouch. She was definitely still mad about yesterday.

Emilia shyly raised a hand. "Um... are you looking for work, Heitor?"

He nodded. "I guess I am." After doing some shopping he would try to think of something.

It would be hard though. Priscilla told him he had to find something worthy of his station, so most jobs were out... She would definitely kill him if she caught him selling appas in the street.

The half-elf smiled. "Then... after the meeting with the Council of Wise Men is over, me and you..."

Priscilla slapped the hand she raised. "I don't know what work you wish to offer, but could you even pay mine husband? You are in just as much need of funds as he is." That's right, Emilia was broke too.

The girl pouted. "I could pay him eventually..." Wow, the mark of a horrible boss showed up! "I just wanted Heitor to help me a little bit... I have some people I want to meet and talk to, so I can start building up a base of support..." So she was going to start being more active huh?

That was good to hear.

Sadly... "Lady Emilia, I don't think I can help with that stuff even if you could pay me. I am married to another candidate after all." Which just made his search for a job even harder.

He couldn't just go to Crusch and beg for some job, it would bring troubles to the Priscilla camp.

To his surprise, Priscilla waved him. "You may, actually. I care not for whoever you help... just as I did not care when you took the stray half-skank. Although you should not think for a second that this is me giving you endorsement to your... shameful proposal."

Oh? That was... surprisingly nice of her, even if he bet that was just her usual arrogance showing. Welp, Heitor would try to bring some credit to the Priscilla camp with whatever he did anyways.

Emilia got some of her resolve back. "So if I can make some money, then I can hire Heitor... But what is a skank anyways?" Nobody would answer that last part.

Priscilla glared at her. "You still cannot touch him." Even that comment was not enough to slow down the Emilia, who seemed to be pumping herself up.

Heitor chuckled. "Lady Emilia, even if you still can't pay me, I would be more than willing to help you. I am your friend after all." Even if he would make sure to put them far apart in the coming battles.

He would only start to aim for multiple S-Ranks when he got Priscilla's permission to do so... And then he would need to get everyone's else permission too... It was gonna be a mess, that was for sure.

Emilia clasped her hands together. "Rea~lly? That would be wonderful! Though I'd still like to pay you eventually..."

"Well, I would never say no to money. So feel free to do so whenever you can." Even if he hoped that at that point he would already have found a job of some sort.

She nodded. "Okay then! Let's meet up after the Council meeting then... or tomorrow! Whichever works best." That was settled then.

He would help Emilia build some sort of support base for her campaign. It would be good for the girl to make some extra friends anyways.



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"You looking to replace that rapier, cousin?" Al questioned him as they entered a forgery.

Heitor shook his head. "No way. If you're my cousin, then my rapier is my brother." He and that weapon had gone through way too much at this point! He couldn't just abandon it.

He was here... for other reasons. Maybe he would buy an extra sword though, just in case the rapier broke, or if he wanted to dual wield.

The clerk, upon seeing him froze up for a second, and then approached him. "Hello milord, may I ask what you need?" So the man confused him for a noble huh...?

That shouldn't have surprised Heitor. He had already purchased clothing that Priscilla would deem acceptable, mostly white and blue to spite her, so right now he really did look like a noble of some sort.

Not to mention how the clerk could definitely see the Crimson Battlefront through the window. At this point they had for long enough in the city for people to recognize them as the army of one of the candidates.

Heitor chuckled. "At ease sir. I just need to see the worse lances you have." He put a hand to his chin. "And the most middle of the ground swords that you have too..."

The clerk didn't seem to understand at him first. "U-um... we only sell high quality work here, milord!"

Heitor put a hand on his shoulder. "I know, friend. But true high quality work leaves scraps, and it's the scraps I want." Though from what he could see hanging on the walls, there wasn't any magical blade here.

Magical weapons seemed pretty rare in this Fire Emblem world though. Outside of Priscilla's and Reinhard's weapons, he had seen none. Even the Finest Knight carried only a fine, but non-magical sword.

The man awkwardly nodded. "V-very well...? I'll try to find what you're looking for, milord."

"You have my thanks." It was time to finally spend his salary! He would just need to be careful to not use it all. Priscilla had paid him handsomely both for his work as a butler, and his work as a hired sword, but...

He still had to buy jewelry for Priscilla after this!

Inventory:
Rapier - E, Lords Only
Killer Lance - C
Steel Sword - C
Rusted Lance - E
Javelin - D