school: mandricardo

[shaft]

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[shaft]

[ Claude's going to take his arm to guide him to sit down. ]

And what would you have rather been?

[duranduel]

H-Hey...

[Pouting! Don't tug!]

That's...a complicated question. In my life, I left the throne for...certain things and became an adventurer. And even then I was...well. My mishaps were many.

I don't know. I don't think I could...go back and fix things by simply changing who I was. I liked being an adventurer, though.

[shaft]

You were a king? [ wait, he didn't mention that? ] And you left the throne... that was before your death, wasn't it?

[duranduel]

...

[haha! surprise! the timid worrywart was leader of a nation the entire time!]

Yeah. I was a king. I guess...I still am a king, in a way. Even when I left the throne in my life, I was still referred to as such.

[shaft]

... Your Majesty Mandricardo.

[duranduel]

[D8<]

You are like the third person to do this! S-Stop!

[shaft]

You don't like it?

[duranduel]

[Kind of an indignant blush over here.]

I-It's just...I left the throne, so it feels like it's too much. I didn't do much as a king, just see me as an adventurer.

[shaft]

Why did you leave, anyway?

[duranduel]

...

[He turns his gaze to the table.]

My father was killed.

[shaft]

... I'm sorry to hear that.

[ squeezes his shoulder. ]

[duranduel]

It was a long time ago.

[And he glances back to Claude, his face blank, but look clearly appreciative.]

...Y'know. I think he'd deserve it way more to be in my place. He's a true hero. I kinda just messed things up after him.

[shaft]

[ Still. Claude frowns, but doesn't immediately protest. ]

How is it that you ended up on the throne while he was still alive?

[duranduel]

Oh, no. He died in a battle, and upon word, I ascended to the throne. But I...lost myself in my grief. I ruled viciously, with no mercy.

[A frown.]

And then I was told who, exactly, was responsible for my father's death. So I turned my sights elsewhere.

[shaft]

So you weren't adventuring as much as you were avenging?

[ He's frowning though, sad to hear about Mandricardo's father. ]

[duranduel]

[He sighs.]

Well, both. You see, I wanted to avenge, but I also wanted to collect the arms of a certain grand hero of history, a set that would make me invulnerable. So...part of my travels involved hunting those down.

[shaft]

That's quite the journey. [ gives him a lil pat! ] I'm starting to see why you're put out that there isn't more written about you.

[duranduel]

...

[Yeah. Yeah...]

But at the same time...I'm not surprised.

[shaft]

Perhaps you should write your own tales? A firsthand account of all your adventures.

[duranduel]

I'm no writer. And even if I could write worth a damn, who would read it?

[shaft]

[ Claude looks up at the ceiling. ]

Viola, probably.

[duranduel]

...

[That is not an answer he is expecting, and his face flushes.]

Eh?

[shaft]

Oh?

[ hehe ]

Has she caught your eye?

[duranduel]

No? I mean...I just don't get why you're bringing her up all of a sudden?

[shaft]

Well, you asked me who...?