school: mandricardo

[shaft]

Comments

[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...?

[duranduel]

Y-Yeah, but why her? Has she, like, told you she's interested in me or something?

[shaft]

[ ... HELP ]

Are you hoping I'll say yes? I could ask her.

[duranduel]

...

[He frowns.]

Claude...did you just pick a name out of thin air for that answer?

[shaft]

[ He laughs. ]

No! I picked Viola because it seems like she enjoys reading about history. And this would qualify, don't you think?