"A dinner invitation?" Mindy blinked.

"Oh, yes. We are not barbarians." That was said with a giggle that left one somewhat in doubt. "Despite everything Sir Fate might claim."

"Really? I have to say I wasn't expecting… dinner."

"No, you were expecting dungeons, chains and whipping, weren't you?" Another giggle left one even more in doubt.

"Uh… anyway! I'm hungry! Let's go eat!" Having missed lunch, Mindy decided to go along with the dinner plan.

Fel, it turned out, cleaned up rather nicely once she took off her armor. Under her helmet, she had a tanned, narrow face and a short ponytail. Tonight she wore a white ceremonial military uniform, complete with coat and pants. Rather than beautiful, one might be more accurate to call her handsome-looking.

Actually, the roast chicken on the table looked better-looking than the lady preparing to eat it.

"Lady Mindy." Fel greeted her.

"Um… your knighted ladyness…?" Mindy wasn't sure what to call her.

"Please. Just call me Fel, or Sira Fel, if you must."

"Sira…?"

"Sir for knights, Sira for lady knights." Fel explained. "I coined the term myself."

"Did you?" Mindy was yet even more doubtful.

"Oh yes. You might as well get used to it." Fel said, sitting down presumptuously. "I believe you will be in our company for a very long time."

"I'm not so sure." Mindy said tartly.

"You expect to be rescued?" Fel raised an eyebrow. "By that motley crew of corvettes?"

"What?" Mindy blinked.

"We detected a fleet of patchwork-cla.s.s airs.h.i.+ps coming in fast from the north. I believe you call them… corvettes?"

"Really? I mean… are you sure?" Mindy had enough doubtfulness at this point to let it all show on her face.

" I took a look with a telescope myself." Fel a.s.sured her. "Your friend George is on one."

"George? He's coming here to rescue me with a bunch of Corvettes?!" Mindy couldn't believe it. "But that's suicide! We're in a military-grade Galleon!"

"I actually agree." Fel nodded amiably. "So let us dine and wine as we enjoy tonight's fireworks…"

Mindy grimaced, suddenly losing her appet.i.te at the thought of such fireworks. "Surely there's no need for that. He's just a boy. He's just worried about me."

"But he looks rather aggressive. They're using Jet Boosters, you know. The disposable kind." Fel added. "Plus they're mounting some homemade sort of rocket launchers, practically bundles of fireworks with added powder for increased explosiveness. They look desperate and crazy enough to actually try something, and Sir Fate would not risk harm on his beloved airs.h.i.+p."

Mindy laid her head in both hands and groaned. "George…"

Psionically, she sent him a message, a wordless, questioning, angry blare.

[Hang on, Mindy! I'm coming to save you!] came his earnest reply.

[You shouldn't have come here!]

[I'll do whatever it takes…!]

[Don't! I can handle it!]

[You haven't been handling anything since you met Sir Jared.]

[Just trust me, and back off! I have everything under control! Don't mess things up!]

[But…!]

[No buts! You're going to get killed for nothing! Stop! Don't do it! It's suicide!]

[I can't just leave you here like this!]

[Like what?!]

[Kidnapped!]

[I can break out at any time!] Mindy refuted. [I'm just waiting for the right time! If you make a move, what's going to happen to KarGoth?]

[Remian says we're already in a state of war.]

[Remian? You went and got Remian involved, now?!] Mindy half-cried. [Why didn't you just leave him peacefully in retirement? I can handle this without him! I don't need him to keep saving me all the time!]

[But here we are! We've already come so far! You can't just ask us to leave now!]

[You have to! Even if you tried, your nine patchwork-grade corvettes are no match for a military-grade fleet of Galleons and Frigates!]

[Our airs.h.i.+ps are industrial-grade, not patchwork-grade!]

[Only in your eyes! In the eyes of the Temple Knights, you're barely above junk!]

[And in yours?]

Mindy fell silent. [It doesn't matter. If you attack the knights' fleet with them, they're all going to turn into wreckage.]

[Ah, but we have our secret weapon, you know.]

[I don't know! What sort of secret weapon is a bundle of amped-up fireworks?]

[Oh, that? That's just for fun. Our real secret weapon is Remian.]

[You brought Remian on this mad hunt?!] Mindy almost swore.

[What else could I do!?] George half-exploded in return. [They'd kidnapped you, and like you said, nine corvettes are nothing against airs.h.i.+ps with that kind of power! We'd be like throwing eggs against rocks, attacking dogs using roast venison! We'd get chomped up in no time! We all know it! But if we had Remian, then…]

[Then all bets are off.] Mindy considered it briefly. [But at what cost? How much of his lifespan would be shortened because of this?]

[How much of yours would be shortened if we didn't?]

[George…] Mindy sighed, exasperated. [I've been in contact with the Flame Emperor this whole time. We've already made arrangements. Please steer clear. I'm afraid you'd get caught in the crossfire.]

[Oh. So those dragons are hers?]

Mindy blinked. [What dragons?]

Then, from hundreds of meters almost directly below her, Mindy heard a Psionic shout. [ATTACK!!]

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Mindy's jaw dropped. "What the…?"

That was Darian!

The airs.h.i.+p shook from a sudden impact.

"Red Alert! All hands, Battle Stations! The dragons are attacking!" Someone screamed from above.

Accompanied with that yell were more impacts, and a heavy swerve that sent the chicken literally flying off the dinner table, plate, gravy and all.

[The chicken!!!] Mindy only had a moment for heartfelt regret.

[What chicken?] George was still linked up with her telepathically and was quite confused.

But Fel suddenly leapt out and made a heroic grab at the plate. Gravy spewed, but her hands caught on firmly. "Saved!"

"Great!" Mindy exulted.

Meanwhile, the escort airs.h.i.+p off to their starboard exploded in flames as streams of fire crisscrossed the sky while the airs.h.i.+ps swerved and dodged as best they could.

Fel grimaced. "Not so great…"

Whatever! Before anything else could happen, Mindy hastily grabbed a drumstick and took a bite.