school: rupert

[shaft]

aaaaa

Comments

[heartlands]

[he gives a little snort.]

...Maybe. But I've never been very good at that, I guess.

[shaft]

It's hard to be patient when people's lives are on the line.

[ sighs ]

Are you... used to this sort of thing?

[heartlands]

[he shakes his head.]

No. Not at all. Even in the worst situation I've had to deal with, nobody was hurt too badly. So this happening every week is...

[shaft]

It must be a lot for you to take in. I hope you have someone to lean on.

[heartlands]

...You don't need to worry. I'm pretty tough.

[...]

What about you? Are you going to be okay?

[shaft]

[ Well, he's gotta be if he's not sulking around like Claude. ]

I'll be all right. I think today's verdict just hit a little too close to home. It's not any one person's fault but it's hard not to feel guilty.

[heartlands]

[with frustration in his voice:]

Well... It's somebody's fault, right?

[shaft]

[ he feels you bro ]

Yes. I'd say it's the fault of whoever forces us to decide on a criminal without sufficient evidence in the span of 9 hours.

[heartlands]

...Yeah.

[after a breath:]

When we find whoever or whatever's doing this - none of us are going to let this go.

[shaft]

You're right.

[ He shakes his head a moment before glancing at Rupert. ]

Were you ever pitted against villains like this before coming here?

[heartlands]

Villains... I mean, I guess there was my father, but I never actually had to fight him, and if I had, I could have at least seen and touched him.

[the lore..... but he glances towards claude.]

What about you?

[shaft]

[ THIS LORE ]

Sort of. Everyone is a villain to someone in war, and as the head of a nation at battle, I'm sure there are plenty of people who make me the villain in their narrative.

It sucks, but when you have the safety of an entire country to protect, you can't really care how history will paint you.

[ That's more than he usually talks, hm. ]

I don't think this situation is as grey though.

[heartlands]

[he takes that in for a moment, frowning, but after his moment of thought:]

Can I ask... what was the war over?

[shaft]

A disagreement over how much authority the Church had over the land. Which, by the way, I didn't necessarily disagree with.

But I don't think war and conquest is the best way open other people's minds to your ideas.

[heartlands]

Wait, but... If you don't agree with it, why are you involved?

[shaft]

I'm the head of one of the countries she invaded.

[heartlands]

Oh, oof. Yeah, that'd do it.

[after a moment:]

...I would hope nobody paints you as a villain just because you got swept up in this after an invasion.