>"...Remind me to throw that little annoyance as far as I can after all this, would you? I daresay it would be quite cathartic. Not to say that punishing Pride won't be either though. Well, let's continue inward, yes?"
>Let's keep going on in with the rest, but cut the aura to a mere ten percent.
>"Oh, she's all right." Shou says pleasantly. "But more to the point, if she's in that kind of mood, and Reimu's in there, that means the fighting's over, at least as far as Reimu's concerned."
>"That would be disappointing." Honoka says. "Challenging her again would be a wonderful thing."
>"Perhaps you and Merlin could fight her together." Lunasa drones as she moves past the two of them, walking into the throne room next to you.
>As far as throne rooms go, this has got to be about the most understated one you've ever seen in your life. It's a big room, certainly, but it has almost none of the opulence one would expect from a throne room. The walls and ceiling are a mixture of grey and white, the mortar inlaid painted a light blue. The 'throne' is more of a 'chair', and it rests upon the floor, rather than on a raised pedestal as you've seen elsewhere. The walls are supported by white marble columns, each with detailed carvings upon them. The room is brightly lit by lamps hanging from the columns and overhanging chandeliers, all well made, but nowhere near as expensive as the ones you've seen before. The room is partly covered by a large circular carpet, cobalt blue, centered around the chair serving as a throne, with a path leading to the door you entered from.
>There is another door on the back wall, to your left, and large windows on the right side of the room, each drawn with a cranberry red shade. Two more astonishingly life-like statues stand on the inside of the doors as well, similarly cut from white and black stone. The one on your right, the white statue, is a gorgeous female warrior, armored with a midriff-exposing set of half-plate and carrying a halberd, the butt of which rests upon the floor. To your left is a handsome male clad in full plate, resting his hands on a broadsword that has the tip resting on the floor, his cape in mid-billow.
>Twenty feet in front of you, on your left, is a simple wooden table, with three wood chairs, two of which are occupied. Reimu sits with her back to you, and Kogasa stands next to her, evidently quite happy at, in her mind, surprising the lot of you. But it is the one sitting across from her that you focus on. This is clearly the Cobalt Countess. Her longish brown hair is drawn up in an old style bun at the back of her head, and her face has the bearing of nobility. And yet, it is a muted nobility, an echo of a life that she hasn't known for a very long time. Her clothing is likewise understated, a respectable blue jacket with puffed out shoulders, her emblem stitched over her left breast. She compliments this with a long old-fashioned yet respectable skirt, colored white and grey, dark blue running down the left and right side with yellow flowers running up and down these stripes and across the hemline. Her one concession to wealth is a gold necklace, with three large gemstones at even intervals, a pair of dark green jewels flanking a black stone.
>"My lady." Celes announces as she enters before you, announcing the presence of new guests, as it proper.
>Or at least, you suspect she would, if the Countess had not held up her hand to silence her, her eyes locking with yours. There is no challenge, no contest of will, in her gaze. "Is this the Scarlet Devil?" she asks.
>"Yes, my lady." Celes answers, barely missing a beat.
>The Countess nods, and rises to her feet. She walks around the table and comes to stand 6 feet in front of you. Despite the lack of aggression or challenge in her gait, you tense. You're still not quite sure what to expect from her at this point. So it is to your genuine surprise when she folds her hands in front of her skirt, and lowers her head. "I humbly apologize to you, and your friends. I accept full responsibility for the Sin Spirits escaping, and all that they have done. And especially for what they have done to your servant, I deeply apologize."
