Rimelion: The Exploiter

78. Mage and Flag-Bearer

The man was the symbol of no-nonsense.

"Hi, Katherine!" I said, grinning at her as I turned back to Mila. "So, Mila, about the teleport—unfortunately, it's extremely limited. No military application. Sorry." I gestured toward Lisa and Katherine, who had finally stopped moving long enough to take in the room. "But these two are the ones I mentioned earlier. One's my court mage, and the other..." I let the words hang dramatically before smiling. "My court flag-bearer."

Katherine blinked, looking utterly lost. "Wut?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion. Her armor—if you could call it that—was as impractical as ever. It clung to her like a second skin, leaving very little to the imagination. "Wat's a flag-bearer? Wat flag?"

[Player Lisa is now your court mage.]

Before I could respond, the attaché took it upon himself to educate her, stepping forward with all the self-importance of a lecturer addressing a classroom. "The flag-bearer," he began, his voice practically oozing reverence, "is a very important position. A valiant warrior who bears the flag into battle. They are the first to meet the enemy and plant the flag, boldly inviting them to engage in honorable combat."

It wasn't exactly accurate. Okay, it wasn't accurate at all. But as Katherine's face lit up with excitement, I decided to let him have this one. Why ruin her mood?

[Player Katherine is now your flag-bearer.]

"Beautifully said, attaché," I lied, giving him a polite nod. "Katherine, you'll need my banner attached to something, but don't worry—I've already prepared a letter for the quartermaster. Just show it to him, and he should help you." I stressed the should because, knowing my luck, the quartermaster would be just as passionate as the rest of the fort's staff.

"Thanks! Yar awesome!" Katherine exclaimed, her enthusiasm practically radiating from her as she sprinted toward me. Before I could react, she wrapped me in a hug so tight it could've qualified as a grapple.

"Heey!" Lisa chimed in. She followed suit, throwing her arms around me in a hug of her own. "And me?"

Pinned between them, I was officially under siege. I raised my hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, enough!" I laughed, extracting myself with as much dignity as I could muster. "Lisa, you'll get your class tomorrow. Now, both of you, listen up."

They stepped back, and somehow they calmed down their antics.

"Commander Mila is in charge of the fort's defenses," I said, gesturing toward him. "You'll report to him. He knows the layout and can tell you where you'll be most effective in leading other players during the defense. Got it?"

Lisa and Katherine nodded in unison, their excitement palpable. "Got it! Flag!" Katherine said, practically bouncing on her heels.

Mila looked less thrilled but nodded curtly, his gaze shifting to the two women as he folded his arms. "Follow me. I'll show you the positions and outline the strategy," he said, his tone clipped but professional. "If that's all, Lady?"

I nodded at him, and he left with a bow. As they followed Mila out, Lisa shot me a thumbs-up and a grin. "Thanks, Princess!" she called over her shoulder.

"Ya, thanks!" Katherine added, and took out her enormous sword, imagining waving a flag.

I turned to the attaché, forcing a polite smile onto my face. "Thank you for attending this meeting. It was..." I paused, glancing toward the door where Lisa and Katherine had just exited, leaving a trail of chaos in their wake. "...not exactly what I imagined, but I hope we can work together."