Our classmates returned by around 6 p.m. that evening, four hours before their scenario’s deadline. Godolphen wasn’t with them, which I assumed meant there was some kind of temporary facility nearby where he’d gone instead.
The geezer probably needed a nap or something...
“Welcome back, everyone! You made good time, hey?” I said, grinning.
“Well, that’s only because you let me take nearly everyone with me, Allen...” Char replied awkwardly. “I hope we didn’t make things here too hard for you.”
“No, it’s because you were so incredible, Char,” Pisces interjected, frowning. “I don’t think Master Godolphen expected you’d be able to scream like that when he came up with this scenario.”
Char immediately turned bright red, eliciting a few chuckles from my other classmates.
Er... What’s this about her screaming? I feel like I’m missing out on an inside joke or something here...
“I didn’t expect it either! I mean, Char usually barely says a word in class, but it turns out she’s got a good set of lungs on her! Screaming all night like that... I still can’t believe how effective it was. I’m definitely gonna go to the next festival in your domain, Char. Even knowing where the screaming’s coming from, I reckon I’ll still freak myself out thinking a holy beast is about to appear!” Al added, grinning.
Al, you unspecific bastard... It’s like you’re rubbing it in on purpose...
“What’s the situation here, Allen? It doesn’t look like you’ve made any changes since we left, apart from stockpiling some food and materials... And where’s Vesta?” Leo asked, regarding me (or perhaps the violently green soup I was currently stirring) with clear suspicion.
“Oh, Vesta got really tired after dinner, so he’s sleeping like death inside,” I replied, jerking my chin toward the ruins. “But don’t worry, there’s plenty left for you all too! Who’s hungry— Hey, don’t look at me like that! Vesta hasn’t slept since you guys left yesterday, all right?! He’s worked himself to the bone coming up with the plans for our stronghold! And Reed gave this recipe of mine five stars, I’ll have you know!”
Reed’s (alleged) praise of my soup was enough to convince everyone to grab a bowl, with the general verdict being something along the lines of “not inedible, but tastes more like medicine than food,” which wasn’t too surprising; I hadn’t brought any seasoning except for salt, and since the main ingredients were herbs with stamina- and mana-recovering properties, it was basically medicine.
“I’m still surprised, though... To be honest, I didn’t think you’d put so much thought into planning. A few minutes maybe, but definitely not half the allotted time. I didn’t realize there could be so much to consider when the stronghold is this small,” Leo muttered, frowning, and a few of the others nodded in agreement.
I sniffed indignantly. “You didn’t realize? That’s because an amateur like you doesn’t know anything compared to Vesta von Stocklode, the Bulwark of the Royal Academy! You’ll all be speechless once you take a look at the plans he’s come up with,” I said, unfurling the masterpiece for all to see. As I’d predicted, every last one of them was rendered speechless.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Oh, everyone’s back. Sorry, I just needed a nap...” Vesta said, stifling a yawn as he came outside.
“Good morning, Vesta,” Fey replied, grinning. “I must say, I really misjudged you. When we left you here with Allen, I didn’t think we’d be coming back to discover you’d spent nearly half the scenario time just drawing up a plan, especially not one as outrageous as this... How many soldiers do you think we’ll be going up against, Bulwark? With a plan like this, I’m assuming at least ten thousand?”
After flashing me a resentful glare, Vesta sighed. “This is just the ideal plan—essentially, it’s the design I think would give Yugria the best chance at victory against an invasion coming from the direction of Mount Rodria. Obviously, we’re not going to be able to construct an entire mountain fortress”—he paused, glaring at me again—“in such a short time. However, we also won’t need to. Allen thinks our final scenario will be a defensive battle, and I agree. If we can, we need to figure out what the specifics of that battle will be, and prioritize the aspects of the plan which will benefit us most,” Vesta explained, before going on to describe the various aspects of his design in more detail.
“Hmm... What if the enemy comes from here instead, though?” Coco asked, pointing, and thereby setting off a series of similar questions from my clever classmates. Vesta answered each and every one with ease.
“Well, it looks good to me,” Dan said eventually, putting down his bowl. “Honestly, if we were actually building your fortress for real, I don’t think they’d be able to take us down even if there were fifty thousand of them.” He grinned at Vesta. “I definitely wouldn’t want to be on their side.”
With their appetites and curiosity now fully sated, the third scenario team headed inside for a well-deserved nap while Vesta and I kept watch.