Chapter 77: Crossroads Before the Storm
The sound of rain against the windows echoed softly through the room, a rhythmic tap that matched the slow beat of Volundr's thoughts. The candlelight flickered faintly, casting long shadows on the walls. He sat at his desk, a half-filled cup of tea cooling beside him, his eyes scanning through the latest report from his spies.
The words on the page were more telling than any written accounts of battle: Both Siegfried and Jeanne show signs of unrest.
Volundr's fingers hovered above the parchment, tracing the lines of text as he absorbed the information with a sense of quiet anticipation. For months, he had observed the two knights—Siegfried and Jeanne—like a patient predator, waiting for the right moment to strike. He had seen their strength, their discipline, and their unwavering faith in the Church. But now, something had changed. And it wasn't just the soft flickers of doubt that had begun to shadow their eyes.
The report detailed small but significant shifts in their behavior: Siegfried was becoming more reluctant in his missions, a warrior who questioned the righteousness of his cause. Jeanne, the ever-devout servant of the Church, had begun showing mercy to enemies who didn't deserve it. She hesitated, where before she would have been swift and unyielding. The cracks in their once-solid faith were widening, just enough to be noticed.
Volundr sat back in his chair, folding his hands together as he considered the ramifications of this change. The two of them had been pawns in a much larger game, but now they were straying from their designated path. It was inevitable, he thought. The Church, with all its rot and hypocrisy, was bound to push them to their breaking points.
He leaned forward, pulling a new sheet of paper from his drawer and beginning to draft plans. The words came easily to him, as they always did when he was thinking ahead.
Contingency Plan: Extraction of Siegfried and Jeanne.
Volundr's mind turned cold, calculating. He had always known this moment might come—the moment when their faith would crumble under the weight of the Church's corruption. It was only a matter of time before they realized the truth. That truth would shatter everything they had ever believed in, and it would leave them with nothing but empty promises and broken ideals.
When the cross splinters, they must find a path that isn't vengeance.
Volundr paused, the thought lingering in his mind. He had no interest in turning them into vengeful weapons. No, that would be too easy. Too predictable. The Church had already created so many enemies; their goal should be different—redemption, not revenge. He would need to guide them carefully, ensure they saw the bigger picture.
Jeanne's mercy could be a strength, not a weakness. Siegfried's growing reluctance to follow blind orders might be the catalyst for a deeper understanding of the world around him. If they were to be brought into Volundr's fold, it wouldn't be through manipulation or coercion. It would be through understanding.
Volundr placed the pen down and stared at the paper in front of him. His plan would be delicate. He would need to give them a reason to trust him, to see him as more than just another manipulator.
Outside, the rain grew heavier, but Volundr's thoughts remained sharp, cutting through the fog of uncertainty that had begun to cloud his mind. A sudden, sharp knock on the door broke his concentration.
"Enter," Volundr called without looking up.
The door opened, and Kuroka stepped inside, her eyes bright with curiosity. She had been at his side for some time now, and she had learned to sense when something was weighing on him.
"You've been quiet, Volundr," she said softly, walking toward him. "What's on your mind?"
Volundr glanced at her, his expression unreadable for a moment before he gestured to the parchment on the desk. "It seems the pieces are moving on their own now. Siegfried and Jeanne... they're changing."
Kuroka's gaze shifted to the paper, her sharp eyes catching the details of the plan. "They're starting to see the truth, huh?"
Volundr nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing as he leaned back in his chair. "Yes. They're questioning the Church. The very foundation of everything they've known is cracking. I'll need to be ready when the time comes to act. If they falter... I can give them a new path. But they mustn't lose themselves to vengeance."
Kuroka tilted her head, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "You're thinking of making them yours, aren't you?"
Volundr met her gaze, his expression calm but his eyes intense. "They're more than mere recruits. If they are to join me, they need to understand that it's not about what they've lost, but what they could gain. They need to see the bigger picture. They need to become more than what the Church has made them."
Kuroka walked over and leaned against the desk, looking down at the plans in front of him. "Sounds like a dangerous game. But I suppose that's what you do best."
Volundr didn't smile, but there was a glint of something darker in his eyes. "A game, yes. But it's one I intend to win."
As Kuroka left, Volundr remained at his desk, the room silent once more except for the sound of rain against the windows. He sat in the quiet, contemplating the next steps. Siegfried and Jeanne would have to make their decision soon. The Church was a sinking ship, and those who remained aboard would be dragged down with it. He would give them a lifeline, but only if they were willing to grasp it.
In his mind, he saw them both again—Siegfried, sword raised, standing in the heat of battle, his face marked by doubt; Jeanne, kneeling in the dust, mercy in her eyes as she spared her enemies. Both of them knights, still searching for meaning in a world that had betrayed them.
Volundr's fingers tapped lightly on the desk, his thoughts shifting as he began to plan. He would offer them a path. But that path would not be easy.
And when they did make their choice, it would be a path they walked together, side by side, under the banner of something greater.
End of Chapter 77.