HELLSING: A trip between two worlds

Chapter #19: The Princess Bride II: The ship is sailing with a corpse

Väl Apple here! Enjoy the new extra-long chapter!

A big thank you to my Beta. Check out her AO3 "LittleDesertFlower" for her works. 

BEFORE READING NOTES

· I'll go with the idea that Alucard can remove his gloves at will because the Cromwell pentagrams are actually on his hands and the gloves are just for show or to cover the scars.

· Count Orlok is the vampire from the movie Nosferatu.

· There is a small reference to Twilight in this chapter, but the book didn't come out until 2005, which is a few years after the events of Hellsing Ultimate. So we are going to imagine it was published a bit earlier for context. 

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Two kings, two valets, a table and some refreshments for the illusion of politeness.

Why had she accepted the invitation again? Ah, yes. Because the girl she had adopted for the time being had punched the annoying bishop and, since she was wearing the uniform, the responsibility fell on the organisation and hence on her.

Despite the calm exterior she portrayed in front of said 'holy' man, Integra was beyond furious. Not only was she asked to apologise to the entitled nuisance, which irritated her to no end, she was asked (more like demanded) to part with some information about Alucard and 'the dangerous new recruit'. Had the Iron Maiden known that there would be no consequences for telling the truth, she would have told everything to the smug-looking man. But be as it may, the odd way Maxwell asked about the girl and the slight flinch from the hulking figure beside him when she was named made her pause. They seemed too interested.

"As I have told you previously, I'm only asking for a simple apology from her." Maxwell leaned back with a flippant wave of his gloved hand. "If you could provide us with her whereabouts, we would be on our merry way."

The smirk on his face told Integra otherwise. Why they would have any interest on the girl eluded the knight and it was irritating.

"Understandable, but I'm afraid that she is not available and won't be available for the foreseeable future." She hid her smile behind the cup of tea; two could play this game. "She, along with others, is on a mission as of now. And you cannot possibly expect me to take responsibility for this... act when you were the one to provoke her in the first place. An act of self-defence, as I believe."

There, that should shut him up and make them leave.

"Ah, yes. The mission in South America, I'm aware. Too dangerous for someone that young, don't you agree?" Integra faltered, how did they know? "And shouldn't they be back by now? Maybe they've run into trouble. We are willing to help you in this endeavour, right, Anderson?"

Maxwell turned towards the tall priest, who just scowled and nodded curtly.

Integra shared a glance with her silent butler; this was going to be a long conversation.

And long it was. Some excruciating hours later, Integra grudgedly relented and accepted the offer of help. Maxwell and Anderson took their leave, and the knight went back to her office, lost in thought. As much as she despised the bishop, he was right, and the vampires were taking too long to finish the mission. They both decided that sending the priest was the best option. She just hoped that no chaos ensued, but who was she trying to fool, there would be chaos. Chaos and a lot of messes she would have to clean after.

Smoke filled the room as Integra lighted a much-needed cigarette. She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration and anger. There was no rest for her, her life always filled up with problems. The newest? A problem called Inés. The girl was a trouble magnet and Integra was rethinking her decision about letting her stay. First the Nazis and now Iscariot. She would have to keep a sharper eye on her, but, for now, she had a phone call to make. It seemed her servant had deliberately omitted some things on their last one.