Amelia Thornheart

Chapter 113: Clarification

“Ah, if you drip-fed me this, I could work forever,” Finella muttered before taking a sip of delicious Jimari coffee. Rich fragrance filled the bridge as flavour burst in her mouth, leaving a satisfying bitterness that was somehow pleasant and smooth. “I could live forever if I had enough of this.” She gave the man she’d been working with for a while now a wink.

“Planning on sharing your elixir of immortality with the rest of us?” Aiden asked. “Or planning to hoard it all to yourself? Come on...” He reached over, playfully trying to take the drink.

“No, no,” Finella shook her head, twisting in her chair so the black gold was out of his reach. “Miss Liona gave it to me, and then she won a bunch of it back, so I need to make it last!” At her words, the bridge erupted into a litany of complaints.

“Share the good stuff, Officer Bright!”

“Aren’t we all equals here, huh?”

“What happened to the famous Northern kindness!?”

“I bet she’s lying about losing it gambling!”

“Fine!” Finella shouted, narrowing her eyes at her colleagues. “One sip each, no more! If it’s empty when I get it back, then I’ll never bring any on the bridge ever again!” Finella turned back to Aiden, and, with tremendous effort, handed him the large mug of steaming Jimari coffee.

“Ah...” Aiden mumbled as he savoured his single sip. “It’s good. I wonder what it’ll pair best with? A stout maybe...?” He passed the mug on and fished out a notebook from his pocket.

By now, Finella was well aware of the Intelligence officer’s hobby as a drinking enthusiast and his plans to produce the most comprehensive book on alcohol in the Empire. Although it was a little weird, she knew she couldn’t complain too much. After all, she lived for Jimari coffee herself.

As Aiden flipped through his notes, Finella tried not to focus on her rapidly diminishing quantity of coffee as it was passed through the bridge. In an attempt to distract herself from such a painful sight, she recounted her favourite Jimari facts to him.hing she did was that she, uh, she changed how she viewed herself.”

Sorry, Big Sister, Finella thought. I need to use your story to save future Finella!

“You call it your disposition,” Finella continued, “and Olivia referred to it in the same way at first, but she eventually looked for other words, saying that she would no longer describe that part of herself as if she had some kind of illness or wrongness. ‘Disposition’... sounds quite clinical, doesn’t it?”

Serena remained quiet. In fact, her eyes had slightly unfocused.

Had Finella stumbled across some of the captain’s deeply held concerns?

“Continue,” Serena said quietly.

“Yes,” Finella said with a nod. “She looked for other words, for example, homosexual. It—” She was cut off as the captain clicked her tongue.

“Homosexuality is frowned upon across the Empire, Officer Bright,” Serena said, her voice laced with annoyance. “It’s still criminal in the South, if I recall. Should I just skip a step and start announcing myself as a criminal now, so they can arrest me when we make port? Ha!” The captain snorted, her sword hand moving to the hilt of her sword. “I’d like to see them try.”

“W-well, it depends on the definition, doesn’t it?” Finella said quickly. “I’ve read the wording myself. Often, it only mentions men, which is where Olivia found the word she settled on in the end. She, uh”—Finella cleared her throat—“started to call herself gay

.”

“Gay?” Serena frowned, looking upwards with a tilt of her head. “As in... happy?”

“It’s not just her,” Finella continued, her voice growing with confidence. “It originated in Centralis, so men of that certain, uh, persuasion, could discreetly find like-minded individuals while avoiding hostility.”

“I don’t need to find like-minded individuals,” Serena muttered, turning her head to look out the window. “I’ve already found the only one I need.”

Finella swallowed as her heart jumped in her chest.

This was the same Serena as before, right?

The same captain?

She could barely believe the thought that ran through her mind, but... the captain actually looked cute for a moment.

No, no, she shouldn’t think such things! Finella had just escaped being poked full of holes by the tips of her horns, and thoughts like that would be a one-way trip to not only that terrible fate, but also having all her Jimari coffee being taken from her!

“W-well,” Finella said, trying to keep her voice even. “That’s what Olivia started calling herself. Gay. I think it was uplifting for her, like she found a word that was her own. Well, she and others like her, you know?”

Serena sighed, looking back at her. “Olivia.”

“Yes?”

“How’s she doing?”

“She’s... well. She earned good money constructing fortifications during the war, and now she’s started a construction company.” Finella’s sister was a talented earth mage, and it had been her skills that had caused her to collide with Serena during their academy years.

“And her Salinas efforts? Does she still wish to become an earthlord?”

“I... I believe she stopped trying to commune with him so earnestly, but I don’t know if she’s stopped completely.”

“Hmm...” Serena hummed. “Different paths, is it?”

“Captain?”

“...Nothing.”

Serena suddenly stood up, prompting Finella to once again snap her posture into the perfect image of an Imperial Officer.

Stepping around the desk, Serena faced her and said, “Menes knows.”

“Yes?”

“Menes knows our resident icemage, Lia Liona, is Amelia Thornheart.”

“I thought he followed you. I guess he saw those Marzanna wards?”

“He’s craftier than I thought,” Serena said. “According to Acting-Captain Voss, our Arakian captain has no shortage of intellectual achievements in Ishaq. He’s been playing dumb to keep our guard down. He’s demanding I provide him a full explanation of what we’re really up to.”

“I see.” Finella didn’t quite know what to say. After all, she, along with the other officers, didn’t have the full explanation of what they were up to. They knew their ‘training deployment’ to the South was a cover to search for something, but the captain hadn’t been forthcoming about what exactly they were supposed to be looking for.

And Finella knew better than to ask.

“It’s greatly complicated my task,” Serena said, clicking her tongue. “I should have been more careful. That’s why I want you to keep your eyes and ears sharp, Officer Bright. Not just regarding our Arakian friends, but also the rest of the crew, including your squad.”

“Captain?” Finella questioned.

“Until the Empire decides it’s ready, information regarding Amelia’s true abilities needs to be carefully controlled. Now, of course, in a battle between Intelligence’s counter-intelligence efforts and Amelia’s tendency to get herself into ridiculous situations, I admit I have no confidence in Intelligence’s victory, therefore...” Serena took a breath before continuing, “I want you to keep an eye and ear out. If you think someone might be poking their horns in where they don’t belong, or are entertaining problematic suspicions, then I want to know.”

“Right...” Finella nodded slowly. “Is there anyone in particular you want me to keep track of?”

“Just keep a general look-out. Oh, one thing of note. Officer Mori witnessed Amelia’s Suijin embodiment, but she has no idea of her Asclepius. She’s been sworn to secrecy under Greatlord Oshiro, so I don’t think you have to worry about her, but keep an eye out. Oh, she seems prone to flushing, and I’m wondering if she has a condition Amelia might need to heal.”

Flushing?

“Understood. Anything else?”

Serena shook her head. “No. You’re dis—” the captain suddenly stopped. “One last thing. Is Aiden Adachi settling in well? Is his air sickness still troubling him?”

“...He’s improving, Captain. He rarely throws up these days. It seems Amelia’s frequent healing has helped cure him of his troubles.”

“Good.” Serena nodded. “Good,” she said again. “Now I need to have Anathor fetch me Miss Liona and Sayyid Bastet from the kitchens. You’re dismissed, Officer Bright.”

“Aye, Captain!” Finella saluted earnestly.

She’d survived!

She turned to leave, about to open the door, when Serena called for her once more.

“Yes, Captain?”

“I enjoyed our talk, Officer Bright.” Serena paused momentarily before continuing, “It’s given me much to ruminate on.”

“...I see. You’re welcome.”

With nothing else that needed to be said, Finella opened the door and began her way back to the bridge.

As she walked, she found her mind was filled with complicated thoughts.

Honestly, what mess had she gotten herself into this time?