[b][u]Fox at the Throne:[/u][/b]

Hearing Rodias exempt her from any punishment on account of her inability to acquire [i]all[/i] inofrmation, Ashara sighed a slight breath of relief. It was reassuring to know that her Lord was not the type to rule with an iron fist, nor the one to divvy out lashes of the whip when all expectations weren't met. She thus proceeded to listen to his musings and words, particularly about how it would perhaps be beneficial to overthrow the local duke and seize control of Amberden for the Chateau itself. A good enough plan, Ashara assumed, as she could not come up with anything better herself. Not that she particularly cared one way or the other who the village and villagers served - if they were slain, their mines could still be used, and if they were enslaved, they could mine for their new master. Both ends had the same result.

Of course, she knew that Lord Rodias wasn't the type who would just send his cohorts down the mountainside to raise their flag and announce their annexation of the territory, no. He had something far more elaborate and cunning in mind, she was sure of it! Sadly, since the fox wasn't particularly bright, she failed to imagine what possible plans he could be concoctijng within that clever mind of his. This made her smile, and feel assured that her leader was a competent and cunning one, which meant that both she, the others and the Chateau as a whole were in good hands.

His remark about Mars being useful was a bit curious, but given how the man had been a clear exception among a plethora of proverbial insects, Ashara could only reason that Rodias was curious about him [i]because[/i] he was a rarity, rather than anything else. Still, her Lord needed only say the word, and Ashara would dash down the steep rockface and cliffs, snatch that Mars-man and lug him back up the mountain if an audience was desired. Sadly, Rodias made no such request. Instead, he politely thanked them for their service. This made Ashara smile gently and genuinely.

"There is no need to thank me, milord." She said, matching Rodias bow - albeit slightly lower. "If it is for the Chateau, I am more than happy and willing to aid you." She rose from her bow, looking at Rodias with now a rather quirky, carefree expression. "That being said! If there is nothing else, I would like to return to the Shrine. I imagine Mikoto being furious at me, and the young ones will most certainly want to hear about this new strange land." She said, apparently aware that a scolding was awaiting her once she returned, along with a barrage of questions.

After all, she [i]had[/i] left without telling the other Shrine Maidens that she was going away, leaving the Chateau proper. Likely, the golden-haired three-tailed little sister who was a straight-laced and serious type was now absolutely fuming, steam shooting out of her ears in rage at her careless, nonchalant older sibling. The thought made Ashara giggle slightly, as she turned and faced Kath.

"My lady, it was an honor to travel with you." She bowed again. "Once you retrieve your stolen books, please come visit us at the tower some time. I know the little ones would love to have you read to them." She said, offering an invitation to the Shadowtower Shrine - a place where nobody in the Chateau usually went, simply because it served no real purpose or function.

It was Deka_Ribbon's personal sanctuary, her own little toy-box, where her designs and dreams were made manifest for no other reason than to sate the woman's own artistic desires and preferences. But even if nobody else ever visited, even if was just a pretty decoration, it was still Ashara's beloved home, and that was where she was heading now, after this tiresome first trek in an unknown world.

[b][u]The Shrimp, The Midget and The Flustered:[/u][/b]

AT Salem's words of Rodias being the last creator around, and all the others having [i]abandoned[/i]  them, Isolde made no remark. Her perfectly neutral, apathetic expression did not change, nor did she make any sound, movement or give off any kind of indication that his bomb-shell of a revelation had, in the slightest, phased her. [i]However[/i], when it came to the comment about Rodias being allowed to do whatever he so desired, simply because he was the last Sable Lord, Isolde's head turned, with a slight noise of a servo-motor, to look at the levitating puppet.

"Dismissive. Nobody asked for your opinion, Tiny." Although her voice was as flat and unenthused as always, this was perhaps one of the rare occurrences of [b]Isolde[/b] actaully being able to call [i]someone else[/i] tiny... Given her rather diminuitive stature.

Rodias seemed a bit flustered though, removing himself from the tiny Automaton maiden's side in a hurry, then blurting into a whole spiel about his gentlemanly ways and absolute code of cordial conduct, which forbade the deflowering of sleeping beauties. He also stated that the situation was complex and, for whatever reason, he had been having issues trying to re-initiate herself and her floor. At this, Isolde blinked - once - before speaking.

"Understoof." Was her reply.

At this point, the ESPERs turned their heads away from Rodias and Salem, and instead proceeded to stare blankly out over all of the 5th Chapter, their visored hidden eyes likely staring off into space, looking at everything and nothing all at once. The golems below the dais rumbled and groaned as they moved about, heavy metallic thuds and clanks being heard as they worked and labored to fix minor problems or damage that the floor had suffered during its time in disuse.

Isolde also took a look out over the floor, though without moving at all, aside from her eyes that scanned first one way, then the other, before returning to look up at Rodias rather towering self infront of her.

"Informative. Creator Dr.Dnd initiated Sleep-mode approximately 5 years, 9 months and 14 days ago-" For an approximation, it was rather specific... "-in an attempt to rework Creator Ivonbraids' settings for the Chamber. The former however failed to do so, as apparently their way of thinking and reasoning differed significantly." Or, in simpler terms, they wrote code very, very differently. "As such, Creator Dr.Dnd eventually grew frustrated with the Chamber's apparently flawed core design, and seem to have abandoned his efforts in this project. This action has left the Chamber in a state of non-functionality and disrepair for a considerable amount of time. Suggestion. Relocating resources to restore Chapter 5 to fully operational status is advisable." The little doll-like robot-girl stated, deadpan and unacring as always.

Her suggestion was reasonable though. While the COIN [i]was[/i] working at the moment, the transition from YGGDRASIL to this new world had seemingly caused some issues to appear due to the chapter being a state of dormancy at the point of dimesnional shift. If one looked carefully, some of the glyphs and runes along the walls were glitched and not displaying properly, some of the vein-like power-conduits weren't flowing, or were severed in places. The four orbs above the trio were also sparking and fluctuating irregularly - whereas normally they did so in a periodic and somewhat pattern-like way. Of course, the chapter wouldn't collapse or stop working if nothing was done immediately, but using something that had small nicks and dents in it wasn't a good plan long term.

Isolde, however, just kept staring at Rodias. Unblinking. Unflinching. Unmoving. Unwavering.

"Your orders?"