Chapter 25: Monster Subjugation (XVIII).
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Military Camp: 06:00 AM
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"Soldiers of the Alarie family!"
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
Olivia Charlotte Alarie was already up and ready to command her battalion, given by her father. Two days had passed, they were already behind schedule. "You… are all the Alarie family's strength. It is an honor to have all of you by my side, our mission is to destroy the nest of monsters ruining the city's crops and threatening the safety of civilians!"
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
"Bring in the pigs!"
A few soldiers bring in the pigs and place explosives inside its stomach before bringing it into the forest, they all wait and track inside.
Inside the camp, Olivia Charlotte Alarie did her best to boost the morale of her soldiers.
"Do not underestimate your enemy, we are fighting goblins- small as they might be, they are vicious and will not leave any mercy- no conscience of man to even think of leaving you alive! They will eat every flesh out of your body and use your bones as accessories for their homes!"
The soldiers stood straight, holding their shield and sword. They began thumping and hitting it on the side to create a rhythm as the young lady led her small army.
"Are you men or are you soldiers?!" She stomped on the ground, leaning in on one soldier and looking him in the eye. "You-! Are you afraid?"
The soldier swallows a lump on his throat before responding. "No, milady!"
"As you should be!" (Olivia) grins, taking her sword and unsheating it, the sharp blade hits the light of the sun everyone can see it. "The only thing you should be afraid of is dishonoring the Alarie name! My family name!"
Commander Lenof gave a sigh, her voice was so loud that it gave him shivers. She really is Duke Owyn's daughter, she resembled her father when he was young… back in his prime.
He wasn't soft… he was a coldblooded murderer who didn't care for shit.
Not until he met his wife anyway, now he became something else.
"My name shall be remembered. I am Olivia Charlotte Alarie, daughter of the great Duke Owyn Alarie and Duchess Melinna Alarie! I will fight by your side in this mission!" She shapes her hand into a fist before placing it into her chest. "And you are Alarie soldiers! My soldiers! Whatever you do today will reflect upon my honor."
"Protect your wife! Protect your child! Kill all you have to kill- protect your people!" She raises her sword into the air. "Do not waver!"
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Their swords kept banging on the shield.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Let me ask you-! Are you afraid?!"
"No!"
"What soldiers are you?!"
"Soldiers of the Alarie family!" Everyone's morale were throught he roof, they all yelled so loud that the whole ground shook. "YEAHHHH!!!"
Sebastian proudly smirks seeing the whole battalion being so motivated, oh well not everyone can pull it off but the young lady certainly has improved in everything over these past few months.
"All hail Lady Alarie!"
"Hail! Hail! Hail!"
"Hmph." (Olivia) lowers her sword down, placing it back into her sheath. "Good my soldiers, we shall wait for our scout's news! Once they come back and confirm the true location of the nest we shall prepare ourselves for battle!"
All of the Alarie soldiers nodded, looking at her in admiration and with a big smile on their faces.
Their opinions and minds about her changed, it has been a while since a woman had commanded their battalion. Even if she is a woman… an Alarie is still an Alarie. Her charm and attention for command is unmatched.
The Commander was even surprised at how the usual rioting lot was so well behaved.
'So… she must've done that duel on purpose to gain not only my soldier's respect but also fear.' (Commander Lenof) couldn't help but finally completely see the woman that is Olivia Charlotte Alarie.
With no fear of blood… it feels as if she wanted to- she can also take out his tongue with one command and no one will bat an eye.
He knows that he really needs to get on her good side for future promotion.
"Disperse!" (Commander Lenof) turns towards the men who salute before their young lady.
"Sir, yes sir!"
The soldiers chorused in unison before scattering to carry out their respective duties.
Only when the last of them had disappeared from sight did Olivia finally release the breath she had been holding for the past hour. Her shoulders slumped, and she let out a long, exhausted sigh.
"By the gods… I hope that's enough to boost their morale." She stretched her neck and held her throat feeling a little sore. After all that yelling, she needs to drink some water to recover.
"[Inventorium]. Well done, milady." (Sebastian) takes a flask of water out of his inventory before giving it to her. "You have earned a drink."
Olivia accepted the flask, inspecting it briefly before turning her gaze toward him.
"Is that rum, Sebastian?" she teased.
"My apologies, milady. I'm afraid it contains nothing but water. I'm sorry to disappoint you but I won't let you run around ordering commands drunk and on duty." (Sebastian) was very serious about his words.
He too also drinks, but not excessively.
"Hmph, good enough." She uncorked the flask and took several measured sips, allowing the cool liquid to soothe her throat before closing it again. "Water is all I need for the day but right after this I might go for a drink… that woman is not here to torment me anyways."
She murmured the last part rather low so Sebastian wouldn't hear.
Sebastian observed the training grounds full of excited and confident soldiers with a faint smile, seeing the young lady growing at such a great pace she'll be ready to become a suitable heiress. "I must say, you have managed to earn the fear and respect of an entire battalion in a matter of days. At this rate, you will soon be ready to inherit everything."
Olivia offered the flask back to him in an annoyed mood. "You're jesting too much, Sebastian. Before I inherit everything first I must graduate at the royal academy for nobility."
Sebastian offered no immediate response.
Olivia had never been one to mistake confidence in her abilities for a guarantee of success. It was really hard coming into this world and adapting into the persona of a rich noblewoman. There were expectations attached to the Alarie name, and she intended to meet them through her own efforts.
"If it is you, milady then I have no doubt that you will graduate. You are Grand Duke Owyn's daughter after all."
Olivia scoffs at not being interested in being an heiress, but if the heroine finds her love interest and she still doesn't get home then at least sticking with this rottenly rich and powerful family of the Alaries is not a bad choice.
"Father might have been the true heir of the main branch of the Alarie family… but it doesn't mean what he did before was forgotten." (Olivia) recalls the reason why she was even in the 'lower branch' of the family anyway.
The Alarie family tree extends all the way to different branches.
There's the main branch-
With the current Regal Duke… the man who stands above all is Thomas Stuart Alarie.
His wife being his distant cousin Elaine Alarie.
Then his sons.
The first born Owyn James Alarie and the second born son Vernon Kane Alarie.
Those from the lower branch are the sons and daughters of the siblings of Thomas Stuart Alarie. They are still powerful compared to other prominent families… An example of this is the Avalon family.
Close allies and on good terms.
Olivia's father was supposed to be the next head of the family… back in their prime he was the heir and Duke Vernon was groomed to be the next general for the Alarie military.
They were brothers, yet they had been raised as rivals.
Owyn, as the eldest, was expected to inherit the dukedom and shoulder the responsibilities that came with it. Vernon, meanwhile, was trained to command the Alarie forces, his future shaped around military discipline and the art of war.
Their paths had been decided long before either boy was old enough to understand what those expectations truly meant.
And their personalities could hardly have been more different.
From a young age, Owyn had displayed a cold and calculating disposition. He possessed a sharp mind, an exceptional ability to read people, and a ruthless streak that made him particularly difficult to handle. He was not the sort of boy who needed to raise his voice to make others obey. More often than not, he preferred to manipulate a situation until the outcome favored him, leaving his opponents to realize their mistakes only after it was too late.
Vernon, on the other hand, was far less restrained.
He was headstrong, forceful, and notoriously impatient whenever things failed to go his way. He had little tolerance for being denied what he wanted, and his temper often made itself known long before he considered the consequences of his actions.
Where Owyn preferred to pull strings from the shadows, Vernon was more inclined to confront a problem head-on.
Neither was particularly easy to manage.
And their father expected excellence from both.
By the time the brothers had entered their adolescent years, their futures had already begun to take shape beyond the confines of their household.
Owyn had been promised to a princess from a powerful tribe in the northern reaches of the kingdom. Though the territory itself was little more than a small island, it was rich in culture, tradition, and resources. An alliance through marriage would have strengthened the Alarie family's political influence while securing valuable ties with a foreign power.
It was, by every measure, an advantageous arrangement.
Vernon, meanwhile, had also been promised to a woman of considerable standing, one whose background and connections would have complemented his future position within the military.
Neither marriage had been arranged for the sake of love.
They were simply the natural consequences of being born into a family like the Alaries.
And Owyn, in particular, had never found a reason to object.
He had never even bothered to meet the princess he was supposed to marry.
Why would he?
To him, she was nothing more than a name attached to a political arrangement, a stranger he would eventually be expected to call his wife. Whether she was beautiful, intelligent, or kind mattered little to him. So long as the marriage fulfilled its purpose, her personal qualities were of no consequence.
Instead, Owyn occupied himself with pursuits that offered considerably more amusement.
He found a peculiar sort of satisfaction in testing the limits of those beneath him, particularly the knights assigned to his service. New recruits were subjected to punishing exercises, their endurance pushed until their bodies could no longer keep up with his demands. Even experienced knights were not spared when they failed to meet his expectations.
However, everything changed when he met a woman in the royal academy.
Her name was Melinna… Melinna Grace.
A commoner from no proper noble title, she was a wildcard- a woman who had no fear for someone like Owyn Alarie.
Their first meeting consisted of seeing the commoner girl reaching for a cat in a tree in the academy, Owyn saw the beauty one coudn't resist and a passionate personality to match. He knew that day- he had to marry that woman.
After their graduation from the royal academy he broke his engagement with the princess of a foreign land… begged his father to have their marriage approved. For Melinna to become an Alarie and to live with them as a family, to have their own beautiful child.
Owyn changed so much… for an Alarie to find love is one in a million.
Their father Thomas was infuriated.
He decided to punish him, at first… but- after hearing that Melinna Grace was with child… the old man softened.
He could never turn away family with his own blood.
He might be crazy but not that crazy.
Olivia grew up with a doting father and a caring mother… but when Melinna Alarie died all that was left was a broken shell of a family. His father bought things impulsively, anything that could remind him of his late wife.
Leading to their bankruptcy in the original lore.
Young Olivia, losing her mother, decided to develop violent tendencies due to unresolved anger, no one taught or even gave time to properly mourn and grieve, she turned it all to hate and fury.
Now that she's six months clean after her body being occupied by an unknown otherworlder she's been making some good progress fixing a few things in the family. The Regal Duke took notice and with the current messups of Grand Duke Vernon Alarie things are not looking good.
Olivia was older so everyone was hoping to favor her instead of Duke Vernon's daughter.
Evelyn Alarie.
"Indeed. His decision caused quite the commotion among the nobility. His marriage to a princess had already been arranged, after all."
"And he abandoned that arrangement for Mother."
"He did."
Olivia lowered her eyes toward the flask in her hands. "From a political standpoint, it was an impractical decision. A marriage to the royal family would have strengthened the Alaries' influence considerably. Giving up such an opportunity for love was hardly the sort of decision our relatives would have approved of."
"The late Duchess Melinna Alarie was a kind soul… someone strong and fearless enough to tame an Alarie man." His expression softened at the recollection as Sebastian took back the flash in his hand, putting it inside his inventory. "I have served your family since your grandfather's time. I've been close friends with him, and I know that bloodlust runs in your family's blood. Both the young masters have shown that trait but I never knew all it takes was one woman to change everything."
She was a wonder… that Duchess Melinna.
"Your father gave up his right to be the heir to the main branch of the family just to be with your mother." His old bones chuckles recalling those days, you don't see many men choosing love over their duty.
"Good for father then." Olivia's reply was immediate, though her brows drew together ever so slightly.
For reasons she couldn't quite explain, the subject left her feeling strangely uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the thought of her father surrendering something so valuable for another person, or perhaps it was the unfamiliar notion that someone could willingly place another's happiness above their own future.
"..."
'Could I sacrifice everything for a person like that too one day?' (Olivia) thought to herself.
Whatever the reason, she found little desire to dwell on it.
Sebastian, however, seemed to notice the subtle change in her expression.
"You know, milady, I sometimes see your father in you."
Olivia turned her attention toward him.
"Do you?"
"Indeed. You have his eyes, his determination, and, unfortunately, a rather similar temperament."
"I'm not sure whether I should consider that a compliment."
"Perhaps not." Sebastian's smile deepened. "You were a rather cruel child, after all. Even at a young age, you had a remarkable talent for making those around you regret crossing your path."
Olivia's expression remained composed.
"And yet, you've changed. You're considerably more restrained these days. I would even go so far as to say you've become stable."
"Because I am exceptional." She delivered the statement without a trace of hesitation. "An exceptional daughter of the Alarie family, naturally."
Sebastian regarded her for a moment before letting out a quiet laugh.
"Of course, milady. How foolish of me to suggest otherwise."
Olivia paid little attention to his remark, already preparing to dismiss the conversation. However, Sebastian's next words gave her pause.
"Tell me, milady. Could it be that you've found someone you love, just as your father did?"
Thump-!
Olivia's hand stilled.
For the briefest moment, something tightened in her chest, an unwelcome sensation that she quickly suppressed. Her expression hardened, and she turned her gaze toward Sebastian with an unmistakable warning in her eyes.
"Love is a waste of time."
The words came out colder than she had intended.
Sebastian merely hummed in response.
"Funny. Your father once said the very same thing."
Olivia said nothing.
"Look at him now."
"..."
The silence stretched between them.
She couldn't deny the truth of his words, nor did she particularly care to entertain the comparison. Her father had made his choice, and whatever happiness or suffering had followed was his to bear.
It had nothing to do with her.
At least, that was what she told herself.
"It's rather inappropriate for you to meddle in a lady's personal affairs, Sebastian."
"My apologies, milady. I merely thought-"
"You thought too much."
The butler bowed his head, though the lingering amusement in his expression suggested his apology was not entirely sincere.
Olivia adjusted her gloves, ensuring that each finger sat properly before continuing.
"Besides, I will be entering an arranged marriage sooner or later. If marrying someone is necessary to secure my position and preserve the interests of the Alarie family, then so be it."
Her voice remained level, devoid of the slightest hint of hesitation.
"I couldn't care less about the man himself. Whoever he is, he will have his own duties, and I will have mine. As long as the arrangement serves its purpose, I see no reason to concern myself with anything beyond that."
Sebastian studied her in silence.
Then, with a small nod, he answered, "Well said, milady. Like a true Alarie."
Olivia gave no response. She simply turned toward the training grounds, where the soldiers were preparing for their next assignment.
Whatever Sebastian thought of her views on love, she had no intention of entertaining the subject any further.
Her future was something she would determine for herself. If an advantageous marriage was part of that future, then she would approach it with the same consideration she would give any other political decision.
There was no need to complicate matters with unnecessary sentiment.
"Lady Alarie!"
A soldier came rushing toward them, his boots kicking up dust as he hurried across the grounds. He stopped before Olivia and bowed hastily.
"We have located several goblins carrying the traps!"
Olivia's attention sharpened at once.
"Good."
The awkwardness of their previous conversation vanished from her mind as she turned toward the waiting soldiers.
"Everyone, retrieve your weapons and mount your horses. We ride out immediately!"
"Yes, milady!"
The soldiers dispersed to gather their equipment, their earlier conversations replaced by the clatter of armor and the hurried footsteps of men preparing for the hunt.
Olivia secured her gloves and made her way toward her horse.
Whatever awaited them beyond the estate could be dealt with accordingly. As for love, marriage, and the strange uneasiness Sebastian had stirred within her- Those matters could wait.
She had far more important things to attend to.