Chapter 662 Guard Trio
Nimue got down from Wolfe's arms to enter the dining hall with dignity, and the group found that they were very close to the first ones to arrive.
The only other ones there were the guards keeping an eye on the statues, and a collection of minor nobles at the side tables who always arrived early so that they wouldn't accidentally insult the upper nobles by interrupting them.
"The others will be here in ten or fifteen minutes. There were some issues with the selection for the guard team that will be going with you, Patriarch." One of the guards explained.
"Oh? If it's so challenging to find volunteers, I'm sure we can work something out." Wolfe replied.
"That's not it. They're unhappy with the selection method, and some of the ones who were excluded feel that they should be able to challenge for a spot, which would mean a full on contest, and that would take days at the very least.
The Queen went to sort it out, and everyone else went to spectate."
That actually made more sense than not having enough volunteers among the Wrath Demons. His world was in the middle of a war, and possible a colonization effort by the Demons and the Fae. That was a dream come true for a Wrath Demon, especially one that was living in a nation so powerful that nobody would challenge them.
"So, they want to have a fight about who gets to go as part of the team? How many will be on this team anyhow? The Queen didn't specify, only that she would send bodyguards with me in exchange." Wolfe asked.
"Three, I believe. That way they can take shifts for all-day protection when you're at home, or have one accompany you during the day and have the other two protect you at night in shifts. They're excellent at their jobs, I'm not sure if you learned about Wrath Demon culture." The guard replied.
"A bit. They said that they train for the jobs that they want starting when they are very young, so any Demon that grew up here should be the most qualified that anyone was likely to find."
The guard nodded. "I started training to become a Palace Guard at six years old. I got my first post as a junior guard at forty, and I served on the outer patrol for twenty years before I got a position inside the Palace itself."
Wolfe looked him over. He would have never guessed that the guard was that old. He still looked like a young man in his twenties.
The guard smiled at his confusion. "We don't really age between maturity and old age. At Rank Five, I should live about a thousand years, and I won't start to really show my age until eight hundred. Guards get paid pretty well, though, so I will likely retire much earlier than that. Probably after I have a child who wants to take over my position."
The other guards nodded. Most of the force were the children of the previous generation.
There was some loud banging and shouting coming from outside, which the others were trying to ignore, but there was a lot of power being thrown about. Wrath Demons weren't known for their adept spell craft, but they were excellent at using their magic to enhance their combat skills, and it felt like there were a lot of them facing off in the other room.
"Maybe they didn't manage to avoid the contest after all." Wolfe joked.
"Give them a minute, that's a fairly normal flare up around here. The Queen will step in if it goes overboard. They're competing for a bodyguard job, so if they can't even hold each other off when they're one on one, they're not qualified for the spot."
After a few minutes, things calmed down, and the Royals began to enter the room.
"Ah, Patriarch, Princesses, it's good to see you back. We've got the guard mostly sorted out, there are just a few formalities left to decide after we finish with the statues." Queen Jasmine announced as she walked in, followed by a half dozen Wrath Demons in fancy armour that Wolfe suspected were their equivalent of formal wear.
The Queen continued. "Since it's come up already, let's get to the guardian introductions first, and then we can have lunch and finish the statues.
Wolfe Noxus, Patriarch of the Noxus Magi Clan, may I present to you, your new bodyguard team.
First up, we have Millie and Chloe, twin warriors from the Bloodletter Clan. Both are accomplished assassins and personal guards, and their delicate size was determined to be an advantage in guarding you."
The twins were roughly 170cm tall, slender and athletic with smooth white skin like polished marble and large leathery wings folded behind their backs like a cape. Even their hair was white, and tightly braided to keep it out of their face. Polished golden formal armour over a midnight blue dress gave them an elegant look, while their smiles were pure excitement.
"Then we have the leader of your three-person team, Risa. Even with the stiff competition for the position, she has managed to convince us that she is best suited for the role." Queen Jasmine finished.
Risa waved happily at Wolfe, and he saw hints of blood on her sleeve. In contrast to the twins, her onyx black wings were kept slightly extended to maker her appear larger, making up for the fact that although she towered over Wolfe, she was very short for her clan.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all, and I look forward to getting to know you better." Wolfe greeted them.
"Thank you, Patriarch." They replied in unison, and then took their places against the wall behind his seat.
Lunch was served, and Wolfe pretended not to notice the angry and jealous looks that his new guards were getting from the failed applicants.
King David found the whole situation highly amusing, though.
"They were looking forward to the bond. Personal guards are required to forge some sort of lifelong bond with their patron, and it usually involves some sort of power-sharing. That's the part that we will have to get to after the statues." King David explained quietly.
A lifelong bond that usually involved power-sharing? Perhaps it was time that he took another Pentacle, Wolfe thought. The problem was that there were too many people for a Pentacle when you considered the four Demon girls who were already with him. That left a very good question. Who wouldn't be included?
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