My Raphtalia, My Queen (Raphtalia x male reader)

Chapter 34: Mr Augustus

The air was calm. Some noise, sure, but nothing too bad. Just the rustle and bustle of a quarry. Birds flew in bliss. Squirrels collected nuts and acorns to store for the next winter. Frogs and fish rested peacefully in little ponds.  

That was until an unholy, demonic scream crackled across the sky. The fish shook in their ponds, the squirrels barricaded their trees and the birds fell out of the sky. The animals knew this sound. It was the sound of crystal-cutting.

Even before dawn broke, the miners were already hard at work. Slicing through magenta crystal like it was hot butter. The sound of these machines would have a regular person writhing in pain, but not to these folk. No, these miners had heard the worst. Their eardrums were adapted to the terror these metallic blades caused. A piece finally fell off and crashed to the floor, causing cheers to erupt from the tired miners.

Back inside the main cabin, the Foreman sat motionless, reading through their budget once more. He chugged at his whiskey bottle, only to find it was as dry as a desert. He threw it atop the pile in annoyance and reached for his special flask.

"What's got you so worked up?" asked Wolf, exiting the chaos of sound and sight outside.

"Oh, nothing much, just the fact that we don't have enough to cover wages"

"Again?"

"Look, as I've said that asshole doesn't pay us!" The Foreman threw his arms out widely and angrily. Spreadsheets and documents spat out onto the ground, melting into alcohol or other stacks of paper.

"Well...I do have ONE idea that's been floating around in my head lately" Wolf pulled up a chair and got to eye level with his boss

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"Sell pieces to the Three Heroes Church"

The Foreman stared at his compatriot. He did a mental note to check in with the local village's doctor tomorrow. "Wolf...are you a moron?"

"Now just listen-"

"Just LISTEN?! You saw we they did with the Briar Boys, and a demi only helped them with transportation. ONE DEMI. And their camp was erased to the fucking ground! But please, tell how we can sell to them when HALF OF OUR CAMP OUR DEMI'S!"

"Ok Ok! Just listen to what I have to say first. So I went to Faubley last week to try and secure more funding right? Well, I met a trader while we were there. His specialty was being a middle-man from manufacturer to consumer. So...perhaps he could be of use to us."

"Is he a Demi?"

"How stupid do you think I am?"

"From the sound of this plan, pretty fucking stupid my friend"

The two grinned at each other, both in delight of playful banter and due to the same lightbulb popping into their heads. "You're plan is...it could actually work. Now all I gotta worry about is-"

A knock came from the door. Gazef walked in, his face looking sullen and defeated. "Sir...Mr Augustus has arrived."

The Foreman huffed and rubbed his eyes. "Speak of the devil" he muttered while trudging through the endless sea of papers. "You coming?"

"I really wish I didn't have to, but I can't let you have all the fun" joked Wolf, a slight smirk ending his sentence. "Let's just get this over with."

The Foreman nodded, and exited the cabin. The sounds of hell stood frozen in silence, as a demon stood before the meek and mortal workers. His coat stretched out like black wings. His pale skin made him seem like a vengeful spirit back from the dead. Matched with his blonde hair and fiery orange eyes, it gave a stature that shook the bones of all that stook in his wake.