Catch-all: Estelle

[ercnerd]

Comments

[mustbepurged]

That's true! A good shield bash can disarm an opponent, or knock them off balance... My swordmaster taught me a lot of useful techniques like that.

[ercnerd]

You had a good teacher.

Can you wield anything else?

[mustbepurged]

Sometimes I carry a wand instead of a sword... Something that's good for amplifying magic artes.

[ercnerd]

Oh, you're a magic swordsman? You're part of a rarer breed.

[mustbepurged]

I don't know that it's that impressive... I mostly use healing and protective artes.

[ercnerd]

Even someone like me, who doesn't need healing, knows how valuable healers are. Be proud of what you have.

[mustbepurged]

I'll do my best.

What kind of fighting style do you use, Sieghart?

[ercnerd]

Heh. What don't I use? I'm a master of weapons. I can wield anything if I put my mind to it!

[mustbepurged]

Wow... I don't know if I could ever master so many, even if I had 600 years to practice.

[ercnerd]

It comes naturally to a genius like me. But if I had to describe my style in a word, I'd say . . . berserk?

[mustbepurged]

Berserk?

[???]

[ercnerd]

It means I use my rage to cut down anything in my path.

[mustbepurged]

Rage...?

So you get really angry when you fight?

[ercnerd]

Well, more or less. There's nothing more exhilarating than the thrill of a good fight. I can't help getting excited.

[mustbepurged]

Are excitement and anger similar...?

[ercnerd]

They're more alike than you think. Anger is just a form of excitement; some will say that it clouds your performance in battle, but it's the opposite for me.

[mustbepurged]

I can't imagine what that's like. I don't think I like fighting enough to keep up that kind of tension for long... and I'd probably just make lots of mistakes if I didn't stay calm.

[ercnerd]

Then you and I are built differently. You're a leader, aren't you? I can do many things, but leadership isn't something I have.

[mustbepurged]

I'm not much of a leader. I can barely make my own decisions, much less decisions for other people.

[ercnerd]

So I've heard . . . But aren't you a vice-emperor?

[mustbepurged]

Oh... that, well... it's just a temporary appointment... though it's true that the title carries a level of authority close to the emperor...

My cousin is about to be crowned emperor, and he said he wanted me to have the position. Just so I could advise him of the things I've seen on my travels, because there's only so much you can see from the confines of the castle... That's something we both learned.

So it's not that I'll be ordering people around, or anything quite like that...

[ercnerd]

Being a leader is more than issuing orders. Your cousin must have understood that if he asked you to advise him . . . [He shrugs.] Not that I'm an expert.

Do you enjoy it?

[mustbepurged]

[She thinks about it.] ... Yes, I think so.

I'm glad I can finally help people in a meaningful way.

[ercnerd]

[He nods. Good for her.]

But it's temporary. What are you going to do once your appointment ends?

[mustbepurged]

Well... I'd like to try writing books.