Crimson Paladin

Blades of Iron Roses: A fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

"Thing on my back? What are you talking about?" Fleuri asked, perplexed at Klaus' words. He had not felt or noticed anything, due to the near impossibility of feeling such a miniscule impact upon his armor. Since Klaus didn't seem interested in removing it, he'd have to do it himself. Without making any sudden movements to startle the puppy, he pulled off his right gauntlet and reached back, awkwardly feeling his backplate until his hand found the piece of paper.

"Congratulations," he read aloud, confirming Klaus' observation. "Is this some sort of game?" Had this all been some sort of game of hide-and-seek for a child's amusement? He had not noticed anyone placing this on his back- was it someone at the tavern, or had that child snuck up on him? Either way he was somewhat uncomfortable with having been tricked into playing a game.

"Klaus," he said, turning back to his fellow knight and holding up the piece of paper, "How long has this thing been stuck on my back?"

@Noodles

Fallout: A World Set on Fire

Commonwealth Minutemen Expeditionary Force

Name: Commonwealth Minutemen Expeditionary Force

Flag:

Flag

Location(s): Region around Canterbury Commons.

History: As far north as the Commonwealth, rumors had begun to spread of the terrible events that had spread across the Capital Wasteland, spread from traders and wastelanders that had fled the region. When these rumors reached the ears of General Becker and the Commonwealth Minutemen, a few brave souls volunteered to investigate these rumors. The first expedition was a scouting mission, where a few veteran Minutermen sailed by boat to investigate. Only two of them made it back, bringing with them extensive intel about the layout and dangers of the wasteland, such as its poisoned waters, its slaver gangs, and Super Mutant presence.

One Minutemen officer, Colonel Hotchkiss, volunteered to lead an expeditionary force to the Capital Wasteland and set up a branch of the militia. Many suspected his motivations were more political than humanitarian, as internal tensions were at an all time high, but General Becker gave them permission to set out to the ruins of DC. Two tugboats in Boston Harbor were repaired and used as transports to ferry the expeditionary force south along the coast, then up the Potomac where they would dock near Wilhelm's Wharf. As per Hotchkiss's plans, they made their way northwest to Canterbury Commons where they set up in a deserted Robco repair center on a hill, and in an abandoned farm to the north of the town. They re-purposed the Yankee Bravo radio tower to coordinate their forces and spread word of their goal- to organize a militia of volunteers to keep the people safe at a minute's notice.

Canterbury Commons was initially highly suspicious of these new armed arrivals, thinking them just another gang of raiders or mercenaries or worse, costumed weirdos. That changed when, following a raider attack, Colonel Hotchkiss gathered his Minutemen and attacked the raider outposts at Wheaton Armory and the Bethesda ruins, wiping out every raider gang in the region. Several Minutemen perished in the attacks, but they were hailed as heroes. They became welcome in Canterbury and began to ply their trades, selling water and salvage in exchange for food and ammunition, and soon more men and women were flocking to join them.

Leadership: The leader of the expedition is Colonel Hotchkiss. Below him are three captains who coordinate Minutemen garrisons at Canterbury Commons, the RobCo Repair Center, and the Hilltop Farm. Beneath them are the sergeants who drill recruits, lead squads, and maintain discipline. Technically Colonel Hotchkiss answers to General Becker, but it is unlikely that they will receive any orders this far from Boston.

Economy: The Minutemen have occupied an abandoned farm north of Canterbury Commons where they have rigged up a water purifier to the water tower, selling surplus water to the traders. So far the water has been devoid of whatever poison is contaminating the river. Other Minutemen bring in caps by escorting the trade caravans or by scavenging whatever they can't use in the Robco Repair Center.

Technology: The Minutemen are not technologically advanced, but they have in their numbers a few technicians to maintain machinery such as power generators and water purifiers, and with the technology left behind at the RobCo Repair Center, they've even been able to get a few robots up and running. Many among them have a farming background and thus have some knowledge in agriculture and animal husbandry. Their most iconic technology, however, is their crank-loaded laser muskets, energy weapons that can be modified to serve in a variety of functions from anti-materiel rifles to automatic squad support weapons.

Military: The Minutmen Expeditionary Force consists of over thirty regulars- full-time volunteers from Boston- as well as a number of local recruits from Canterbury and the surrounding areas. Several of the regulars serve as officers to groups of local conscripts, while the rest form a small but comparatively elite platoon commanded by the Colonel himself. Hotchkiss' typical strategy is to use conscripts as guerillas, laying mines and springing ambushes in terrain familiar to them, then taking the fight to the enemy with his own
well-drilled troops when the opportune moment presents itself.

It is difficult to gauge how many Minutemen can be called on at any time, and there is no guarantee that every conscript will answer the call when it goes out. On the other side of the coin, however, one can never be sure who is and isn't a Minuteman ready to carry out an ambush at a minute's notice or an informant funneling intel to the Colonel. The conscripts are minimally trained and disciplined, but life in the Capital Wasteland has made them experienced with firearms- typically hunting rifles, cheap handguns, and break action shotguns- and familiar with the local terrain. By contrast, the Regulars are extensively disciplined, able enter a battlefield, form ranks and lay down constant volleys of rotating fire from their laser muskets, and withdrawing as quickly as they had appeared.

In addition to their volunteers and regulars, the Minutemen have also repaired a few robots at the RobCo center to provide additional defense, although Canterbury Commons has been strangely insistent that they be kept away from the town.

Blades of Iron Roses: A fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

After some searching without any results other than some odd stares from bystanders, Fleuri noticed small gap underneath the deck at the tavern. It was easily overlooked, and it was only after meticulously searching around the tavern that he managed to discern it. The knight knelt down, further dirtying his red attire, peering under the deck, still calling the puppy's name.

This time, his call was answered- while his eyes could not perceive anything in the darkness, he could hear what sounded like a small dog under the deck. Fleuri breathed a sigh of relief, both pleased at the seeming success, and content that he didn't make himself look like a fool for nothing. The space was too cramped for Fleuri to squeeze in, so he would have to get the puppy to come out.

"Ennifer, come her girl," he softly called into the darkness and beckoning with his armored hand, hoping that it would be enough to coax it to him. He was unsure if it would come to a stranger like himself, but if it hesitated he could always step into the tavern and fetch some food to ease it out.

Blades of Iron Roses: A fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

Fleuri was a bit bewildered that the girl would bother to come here to deliver a note. Why isn't she looking for the puppy herself, if she can come over here? He didn't have too much time to think about it, however- once Klaus was done with her meal, she headed back, intent on speaking with the children again. The fact that Klaus did not finish her meal indicated how worried she was about this whole witchcraft thing. Fleuri rose from his own seat without ordering anything and followed her out, glancing one last time at the note as they left.

"You go on ahead, I'll catch up," he told her as they stepped out of the tavern. "I'm going to search a bit around here for a bit." It might have been unwise to let Klaus go off on her own as worried as she seemed to be, but he didn't want to disappoint the child either. Listen to myself, he thought, treating this silly puppy errand as some sworn quest.

Fleuri circled around the tavern, looking closely to see if there were any holes or nooks that a puppy could've gotten to.

"Ennifer, Ennifer," he spoke, hoping that if it was around here, it'd respond to its name.

@Noodles

Fallout: A World Set on Fire

Commonwealth Minutemen Expeditionary Force

Name: Commonwealth Minutemen Expeditionary Force

Flag:

Flag

Location(s): Region around Canterbury Commons.

History: As far north as the Commonwealth, rumors had begun to spread of the terrible events that had spread across the Capital Wasteland, spread from traders and wastelanders that had fled the region. When these rumors reached the ears of General Becker and the Commonwealth Minutemen, a few brave souls volunteered to investigate these rumors. The first expedition was a scouting mission, where a few veteran Minutermen sailed by boat to investigate. Only two of them made it back, bringing with them extensive intel about the layout and dangers of the wasteland, such as its poisoned waters, its slaver gangs, and Super Mutant presence.

One Minutemen officer, Colonel Hotchkiss, volunteered to lead an expeditionary force to the Capital Wasteland and set up a branch of the militia. Many suspected his motivations were more political than humanitarian, as internal tensions were at an all time high, but General Becker gave them permission to set out to the ruins of DC. Two tugboats in Boston Harbor were repaired and used as transports to ferry the expeditionary force south along the coast, then up the Potomac where they would dock near Wilhelm's Wharf. As per Hotchkiss's plans, they made their way northwest to Canterbury Commons where they set up in a deserted Robco repair center on a hill, and in an abandoned farm to the north of the town. They re-purposed the Yankee Bravo radio tower to coordinate their forces and spread word of their goal- to organize a militia of volunteers to keep the people safe at a minute's notice.

Canterbury Commons was initially highly suspicious of these new armed arrivals, thinking them just another gang of raiders or mercenaries or worse, costumed weirdos. That changed when, following a raider attack, Colonel Hotchkiss gathered his Minutemen and attacked the raider outposts at Wheaton Armory and the Bethesda ruins, wiping out every raider gang in the region. Several Minutemen perished in the attacks, but they were hailed as heroes. They became welcome in Canterbury and began to ply their trades, selling water and salvage in exchange for food and ammunition, and soon more men and women were flocking to join them.

Leadership: The leader of the expedition is Colonel Hotchkiss. Below him are three captains who coordinate Minutemen garrisons at Canterbury Commons, the RobCo Repair Center, and the Hilltop Farm. Beneath them are the sergeants who drill recruits, lead squads, and maintain discipline. Technically Colonel Hotchkiss answers to General Becker, but it is unlikely that they will receive any orders from Boston.

Economy: The Minutemen have occupied an abandoned farm north of Canterbury Commons where they have rigged up a water purifier to the water tower, selling surplus water to the traders. So far the water has been devoid of whatever poison is contaminating the river. Other Minutemen bring in caps by escorting the trade caravans or by scavenging whatever they can't use in the Robco Repair Center.

Technology: The Minutemen are not technologically advanced, but they have in their numbers a few technicians to maintain machinery such as power generators and water purifiers, and with the technology left behind at the RobCo Repair Center, they've even been able to get a few robots up and running. Many among them have a farming background and thus have some knowledge in agriculture and animal husbandry. Their most iconic technology, however, is their crank-loaded laser muskets, energy weapons that can be modified to serve in a variety of functions from anti-materiel rifles to automatic squad support weapons.

Military: The Minutmen Expeditionary Force consists of approximately thirty surviving full-time volunteers from Boston, as well as a number of local recruits from Canterbury and the surrounding areas. It is difficult to gauge how many Minutemen there are because many are not full-time soldiers and instead simply go about their daily lives until mustered for action or training, and there is no guarantee that every Minuteman will answer the call. As expected for a largely volunteer force that has only recently arrived, many are poorly trained, although the rigors and dangers of wasteland life in DC and Boston means that most have pre-existing experience with firearms, and as time passes, the training and discipline of the local recruits will rise as they continue to be drilled.

In addition to their volunteers and regulars, the Minutemen have also repaired a few robots at the RobCo center to provide additional defense, although Canterbury Commons has been strangely insistent that they be kept away from the town.

War Never Changes

Pontiff Cromwell- Megaton, Cathedral of Atom

Within the Pontiff's quarters, Cromwell and an acolyte stood in front of a weathered two-way radio. Among the holy relics in the quarters, this represented pre-war reverence of Atom, as indicated by the faintly still legible "Radiation King" engraving upon its frame. And as the Pontiff later learned, once properly repaired and hooked up to an antenna that adorned the cathedral rooftop, it allowed him to communicate with his flock from within the cathedral.

"According to the Grand Zealot, this signal should allow us to communicate with Raven Rock," the acolyte explained, adjusting the knob.

"Excellent. But why have we never contacted them before?" Cromwell asked, curious.

"We never knew the frequency, or the encryption they used, your holiness" answered the acolyte, still fiddling with the radio. "Fortunately, the Enclave left behind all that information in Raven Rock. And...there we go. All you need to do is hold the button and talk into the microphone, and if I did everything right, it should work."

"Fine work, my child," Cromwell praised the acolyte. He took the microphone in his hand and held the button down.

"This is Pontiff Cromwell to Raven Rock. Do you hear me?" He looked at the acolyte, a bit confused.

The acolyte whispered to him. "Try asking it a few times. The message may not have gotten through, or they may have missed it."

The Pontiff cleared his throat and spoke again "This is Pontiff Cromwell of the Children of Atom to Raven Rock.
I must speak to Sarah Lyons. I repeat, this is Pontiff Cromwell of the Children of Atom. I must speak to Sarah Lyons of the Brotherhood of Steel."

---

Inquisitor Tektus- Potomac River Docks

The Inquisitor, flanked by two masked underlings, made his way to the docks south of Rivet City, where the Vessel awaited. He made his way up the pier and into the interior of the submarine. A wetsuit-clad Children of Atom mariner greeted him as he stepped inside.

"Inquisitor, I received word of your arrival. What are your instructions?"

"First, my child," Tektus began, "What is the status of the Vessel?"

"Engines and ballast are fully functional," the crewman answered as they descended. "We are nearly fully fueled, and the remaining missiles and torpedoes are ready to fire at your command. A few lights have been malfunctioning, but nothing more serious than that."

They finally reached Tektus' quarters where his throne stood, awaiting the vessel's master. Tektus sat down and sighed, pleased to be back in his seat. "Set a course for the Island. We depart immediately."

"Yes, Inquisitor." The crewman hurried off to relay Tektus' orders. A a few minutes later, the Vessel stirred. The engines fired up, and Tektus could feel it pulling away from the dock.

"We're off, Inquisitor. Setting a course to the Island," spoke the voice on a grainy intercom. There was nothing quite like the feeling of this metallic leviathan bring brought to life by Atom's power. And through the Vessel, there would be nothing quite like what Atom's power would bring to His enemies.

Blades of Iron Roses: A fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

Fleuri averted his gaze from the arriving knight, having been taken off-guard by his boisterous enthusiasm. While he had seen plenty of knights and fairies today, he did not recognize these two. Was this fellow an independent knight-errant? He certainly didn't lack for enthusiasm.

"We're not exactly vagabonds," he responded as he sat down at a stool at the bar. We are both of the Iron Rose Knights, having come to break the Orcish siege," the knight explained. "And...erm...yes, we're currently looking for a child's lost puppy." There was no proper way to properly explain that part, that they had gone from slaying orcs and trolls to looking for a little girl's pet. If it weren't for the fact that they had recently saved the town from a besieging army, Fleuri and Klaus would no doubt be the laughingstock of the tavern. And they still might be, depending how deep in their cups the patrons were.

"And who might you be, good sir? Are you of our order, or a wandering knight-errant who was caught in the siege?" Halfway through asking his question, Fleuri realized that he was going to get an earful.

@Foolish Errant

Bellum Numquam Mutat (B.N.M.)

Legio Orientis

Name: Legio Orientis (informally "Eastern Legion")
Flag:

Hider

Population: 350,000 (according to most recent census)
Territory: New Mexico and Colorado, minus the southeastern quadrant.

History:

When Caesar's forces triumphed at the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, it marked the start of the Legion's focus on the west, in both military and civil matters. New Vegas was Caesar's Rome, and the NCR was to be the Legion's next conquest. Legionaries and resources were diverted from the Legion's eastern holdings to fuel these ambitions, leaving behind minimal garrisons to maintain order and keep their borders secure against the Brotherhood of Steel.

The ranking official in charge of the eastern holdings, the Praetor of Denver, sought to mitigate Caesar's neglect by spearheading his own efforts to build up the east in military, civil, and economic matters. Able-bodied men were conscripted from settlements to build up the Legion's forces, while militias of both men and women were organized to maintain order in towns. The Followers of the Apocalypse, no longer welcome in the Legion's western territories, were invited and allowed to ply their services in exchange for assistance in agricultural assistance. Protection was offered to any Brotherhood Scribes who agreed to defect. Educated slaves from as far away as Nova Roma were purchased at a premium.

The next few years were difficult due to the lack of available resources, but the Praetor's efforts to bring needed talent to the east bore fruit. Food production grew, order was maintained, and trade routes remained safe. Cities began to be built up and an uneasy armistice with the Brotherhood of Steel was maintained. At the same time, however, loyalty to Caesar diminished and his influence began to fade, as many in the east felt neglected by his all-encompassing focus on the west. Rumors of Caesar's origin as not the Son of Mars, but a Follower of the Apocalypse began to spread.

When Caesar died, all pretenses ceased, and the Praetor made his move. Renaming himself Constantine, he implemented a number of policies that flew directly in the face of Caesar's old regime- persecution of New Canaanites and their allies was outlawed, the Cult of Mars was replaced by Christianity as the state religion, and Joshua Graham was venerated as a saint. The Praetor was determined to see his nation survive the second Fall of Rome, just as the Eastern Roman Empire outlived the west.

Government: The Eastern Legion is currently an autocracy, led by Praetor Constantine. Beneath him are the civil leaders presiding over Denver, and the Legate and Centurions presiding over the military. The Legion is additionally in the process of organizing its new state religion, the leaders of which will be expected to wield a degree of power.

Notable People:

Praetor Constantine

The Praetor of Denver, the Centurion who would later become Constantine was a veteran Decanus who distinguished himself during the Second Battle for Hoover Dam and was promoted to Centurion under the former Courier's command. The two became friends throughout Caesar's campaigns, and the Courier even confided in his underling the truth of Caesar's origin- that he was not the Son of Mars, but a Follower of the Apocalypse who had based his society around an ancient empire.

As time went by, however, they grew apart. The Courier delved more deeply into the luxuries and debaucheries of life in Nova Roma, while the Centurion rejected such pleasures, instead yearning for spirituality to fill the void left by the truth of the Cult of Mars. As their purposes grew further apart, the Courier had the Centurion "kicked upstairs" and promoted as the Legate of Denver, out of the way but far from the bloody front lines of Caesar's war of conquest in the west. Intended to be effectively a backwater assignment, the Legate found himself fighting a number of skirmishes with the Brotherhood of Steel,

During this period of peace, the Legate was promoted to Praetor and tasked with building up Denver with what little he was provided with. He made an effort to bring in educated men and women to help modernize, from Brotherhood defectors to enslaved Followers of the Apocalypse. He also sought out the history of the empire that Caesar had emulated, seeking to draw inspiration from it himself. What stuck with him, however, was not the military genius of Marius or Caesar, but rather the rise of Christianity, the faith of the disgraced Malpais Legate and his people. This became an obsession, one he relentlessly pursued behind Caesar's back, to the point of seeking out those who had preserved the faith, not to martyr them, but to learn from them.

When Caesar passed away, any semblence of loyalty to the man's vision disappeared. Renaming himself Constantine, he instituted a number of radical reforms, ending the persecution of New Caananites and promising legal protection to them, declaring Joshua Graham a saint, adopting the symbol of the Chi Rho in place of the Legion Bull, and replacing the Praetorian Guard with power armored Palatini. While some opposed his reforms, the East had by this time grown distant from the West and Caesar's cult of personality had long faded.

Economy: In most of the Eastern Legion's holdings, the economy is centered around agriculture. The exception is Denver, which is a major trading hub, linking the Legion's western holdings with the lands to the east.

Culture: Under the direction of its leader and far from the conflicts in the west, the Eastern Legion has grown less militaristic and more focused on civil, artistic, and philosophical development, with the intention of emulating the Roman society that Caesar idolized- a project that has been simultaneously accelerated and derailed by the revelation of Caesar's inspiration and Constantine's insertion of elements of later Roman society. Their society is more puritanical than that of the western Legion, due to both the rise of Christianity and the lack of influence from havens of debauchery in the west such as New Reno or Nova Roma, but crucifixion is banned as sacrilege.

Religion: With the diminishing of Caesar's influence in eastern lands and Constantine's reforms, Christianity has replaced the Cult of Mars as the dominant religion in Constantine's territories. Surviving New Canaanites and their converted followers have established a presence in Denver, while Constantine has funded the rebuilding of the Cathedral Basilica. Outside of Denver, tribal paganism is still common among more primitive settlements, and despite Constantine's efforts to phase it out, the Cult of Mars retains some presence.

Technology: WIP

Military: The Legio Orientis was undermanned for many years as a result of most of Caesar's forces being diverted to California, and much of its armed forces were built up by Constantine as a result. Composition is similar to that of Caesar's model, and relative peace in the east has resulted in them being well-supplied but poorly experienced compared to those in the west. One aspect that has not suffered, however, is their mongrels; because of Denver's role in the breeding and training of the Legion's war dogs, the Legio Orientis has ample access to some of the Legion's best mongrel stock. Beyond this, there exist a few key differences in the form of troops that do not exists elsewhere in Caesar's lands:

Scholae Palatinae- Based on the military unit created by the Praetor's namesake, the Scholae Palatinae serve as Constantine's bodyguards as well as his most elite shock troops. Recruited primarily from the Legion's best and most loyal veterans and based on the Brotherhood of Steel's Paladins (and further inspired by the fact that the term Paladin was derived from the Roman Palatine), the Palatini wear power armor and carry the best weapons that the Legio Orientis has access to. On the battlefield, they serve as the tip of the spear.

Militia- The Legio Orientis maintains state-sponsored militia in many of its settlements rather than waste manpower garrisoning them with Legionaries. Militias are composed of local volunteers trained and equipped by the Legion, and while they lack the combat ability of proper Legionaries, they have proven sufficient for maintaining order. Unlike the Legion's regular forces, women and mutants can join the militia.

War Never Changes

Children of Atom FOB, SE of Washington DC

Southeast of the Capital Wasteland, not far from the Free Commonwealth's forces, stood a hastily constructed outpost of scrap metal, walls engraved with the symbol of atom and lined with charms and fetishes. Within the base was a plethora of Atom's faithful, ranging from volunteers in ragged robes to power armored Zealots. Several power armored figures were currently hoisting a small radio tower, while other men and women worked on the walls with welding torches. A few Brahmin sat in a pen near a few crude wagons formed from automobile chassis, next to a pair of mostly intact military trucks.

When a Vertibird was seen on the horizon, carrying some sort of cargo on a hook underneath, the ranking Zealot barked orders for those within to assemble. With the exception of those working on the radio tower, and those standing guard outside, all within the base dropped what they were doing and scurried to the center of the outpost. By the time the Vertibird had landed, most of the outpost's inhabitants were neatly assembled and awaiting the arrival of the aircraft's passenger- the Grand Zealot himself. It first dropped off its cargo- a wagon covered with a heavy tarp- and then landed next to it. Somewhere in the base, a geiger counter began ticking, indicating the arrival of something steeped in the Glow.

Richter stepped out of the Vertibird and looked over the base and those standing before him. These were merely the vanguard of Atom's forces- more Zealots were mobilizing, and he had no doubt that many fanatics and flagellants of Atom would answer the call to arms as well. The men and women before him were hardly the conquering force needed to liberate the swamps from Ug-Qualtoth's dark influence, but they would form the core of it. He walked to the front of where they stood and removed the helmet of his Hellfire armor.

"Faithful sons and daughters of Atom! We have come here for a purpose- to free the swamps of Point Lookout of the foul Cult, to cleanse this place of their corruption in Atom's holy Glow! I must warn you, however, that this will not be easy, and victory will likely be costly. These lands were not subjected to the Great Division, and as a result, the corruption here is ancient and deeply rooted. The inhabitants within are mutated by Atom's light, changed by His disfavor for their evil ways, and utterly steeped in the ways of the Cult. They are killers and hunters of men, who know these swamps inside and out and will fight to their last breath. This is not a war of conquest, this is a war of cleansing, where the only victory is when the last of the swamp folk breathes no more! The Free Commonwealth stands with us against this foe, but we cannot rely on them for victory- we must do what must be done to scour these lands of corruption, at whatever the cost!"

The assembled Children of Atom cheered vigorously, inspired by the Grand Zealot's words. Richter wasn't much of a speaker, but his words had definitely moved them. After the cheering died down, Richter spoke up again.

"To instill the resolve to carry out Atom's will, we have assembled a standard, built from the blessed material of the power plant that the Free Commonwealth has graciously given us access to." Richter gestured at two Zealots, and they pulled the tarp from the wagon, revealing a standard in the image of the symbol of Atom, rising out of a sculpture of Megaton's bomb.

"This was crafted from the remains of a lesser Division preceding the Great Division. With this standard, you can be assured that we carry out Atom's will and carry His favor with us!" The crowd broke into another cheer. Richter feared that this would be an ugly campaign, and Atom's faithful needed all the inspiration that they could get.

Blades of Iron Roses: A fantasy Knight RP

Fleuri Jodeau

Fleuri followed behind Klaus, content with the child's answer and desiring to take care of this quest, as trivial as it may be compared to their usual duties. Trival to a knight, perhaps, he mused, but not to a little girl that had lost her best friend. If anything, it was a bit of a humbling experience, not only because of how low the task seemed, but in the realization that he lacked the skills to make himself more useful. A trial from Reon, no doubt, and a necessary reminder to keep him from becoming prideful again.

As they proceeded to the tavern, Fleuri took note of Klaus' agitated state. She seemed worried, her suspicions of those girls having grown since they had scurried away, and now she seemed to think the tavern was a trap. He himself wasn't sure what to think- he thought she was acting paranoid, yet Fleuri didn't want to dismiss another knight's instincts. Best case scenario, she'll need a minder. Worst case scenario, she'll needed someone backing her up. Either way there could be trouble.

"Don't worry Klaus. Whatever happens, I've got your back," he reassured her. He was probably being melodramatic, but whether they were stepping into a trap or the much, much more likely case of simply stepping into a potentially embarrassing situation, the Iron Rose Knights stood together.

@Noodles