Rules of One's Soul

Ch23 The Duke's Return P3

Warning: Rouxls has a slight break down and faints



Well his visit with Seam left him feeling just the teeniest bit worried about Jevil's now high feelings of love and the intencity it now presented, but he had other worries to take care of now. He followed Seam's directions and made his way towards the Field of Hopes and Dreams. As he walked he came by a couple, they were giggling and who he guessed must've been a lady by the hathy's surprised girly squeal when the Rudinn presented a small looking diamond to her and she responded by wrapping her tentacles around the smaller guy and easily lifting him off the ground with a smile and laugh. Hugging him against her body as her mouth peppered him with kisses. The Rudinn giving a goofy smile and melting into puddy in the grip....Despite himself he smiled and shook his head before continuing. Not even the actual holiday and already everyone was treating it like it was. Oh well, he guessed it wasn't his place to judge anyone else on their love life when his was so crooked it made Jevil almost look sane....Almost..What was he even saying? This didn't even count as a love life if these two were seeing this whole thing as a game to win him. What's going to happen after that? He was supposed to live happily ever after with the winner? They would go back to everything being the same before it all happened and they wouldn't even care about him? ....A pang of sadness came from his soul at the thought suddenly. Would he be...really be left alone again?....Maybe it was for the best, he rationalized. After all he didn't need any romance in his life. He had probably the best paying job in the entire Card Kingdom, gorgeous looks, a wonderful son, fancy items, servents at his beck n call, the pleasure of working under the kindest kings, and plenty of admirers he could every want the attention of. ...Still won't be the same- Quiet you!!

Once across the giant field, it was easy to find the bakery at the beginning of the Rudinn Village. Just as Seam had told him. Once he walked through the door his nose was hit with the sweet smells of baked goods, and he had to blink when he saw it. The whole store front was littered with shelves, and on those shelves were ALL kinds of goods. Bread in different shapes and sizes were lined up piled in baskets on one wall while the one across from that displayed sweets like pies, and....was that double fudge moose?! His stomach gave off a grumble at the mere sight and smell of it all. The place was also very clean, and the counter tops shined almost as much as his. And...oh sweet mother of light that was a huge cake. The other side of the store had different cooked foods. Such as jerky, handmade wines, roasts, but most were cakes. Beautifully decorated cakes that looked more sweet than the small one Jevil had cooked him. But he wasn't staring at them. He was staring past the counter into the back room. A cone looking man was humming and twirling around the massive back room, dancing around a massive white cake that glimmered in the light and the smell of vanilla waved over him like a refreshing breeze...Now he usually despised sweet things so much, but his mouth watered at the sight of it. It must've tasted fantastic...Oh, wait. His eyes blinked back to the man who looked like he was making some kind of detail on the very bottem of one of the layers...before nodding his head and putting the tool down.

He crossed his arms and nodded again with a bigger smile. "Perfecto! Another wonderful masterpiece." He spoke with a strange accent. Rouxls stood there quietly for a moment before clearing his throat. Making the man jump and drop what detailing tool he was holding. "MARGA RIBA!! Don't-a scare me like that!!"

Rouxls blinked but held up a hand. "Oh. Mine apologies. Alloweth me to introduce mineself." He bowed. "I amst Rouxls Kaard, Duke of Puzzles and royal advisor to thine kings. I came by because I haveth a job for thou."

At Kings the man's eyes lit up and with a spin he came towards the door and stopped right behind the counter. "Mon amiga!! A job for the kings!? But of course! What is it?!"

Without another word, Rouxls pulled out the scroll and let it unroll in his hand, the man blinking and reaching for it. "Mine kings requests all this food. Enough for their ...eh...impressive size plus another expected ...hundred or more so guests."

The man stared, obviously reading over the list the duke presented and blinked back to him with a surprised look. "A feast you say? Tell me, what is-a your due date for all this?"

Well he should've expected that. And he didn't even hesitate. "Three days. Including today."

"MARGA RIBA!! NO, NO, NO!!" He spun a few times before stopping and Rouxls had to blink. What a strange darkner. "For ze Kings' sized and more for guests!?!?....That woulda take too long!! All day and night and their woulda be no gaurentee I would even be done by then." He then twirled until he stopped in a position and pointed both arms to the door and the cake in the back. "I have a wedding cake to finish for a younge-a couple. They are getting married of that special day you know!!"

Well he didn't know until know, but to him 3 giant disappointed kings and queens, one disappointed son, and lots of disappointed guests were a much more scary thought than a younge couple's wedding...But he sighed. "I assure thou willst be able to deliver thine goods, but I needst thee assistance-" He went to speak but Rouxls held up his hand. "I assure thou our giant kitchen staff and kitchen willst be able to helpest thou. I will even makest it up to thee." When a curious look, Topchef watched as Rouxls pulled out a small stack of darke dollars and placed it onto the counter of the chef, who now stared wide eyed at him. "...And this is just a tip. If thou presents greatest skills then I shallst make sure thou is handsomely paid." Either way he was going to be paid a lot for his massive work load and Seam did give him more money than was needed. Good thing he was used to getting a little persuasion to go a long way.

Topchef looked from the cake in the back, to the counter a few times, and with a calm smile Rouxls scooted the money forward- Which was quickly snatched up by the chef and quickly shifted through. Eyes lighting up in a smile as he looked at the money presented plus the promise of more to come. He looked back to the smiling duke...before snatching the list of the ball food from his still outstretched hand. "Oh Marga riba!! I just-a remembered. I can deliver the cake early to them today and they can freeze it or ...something before the wedding."

The duke smiled. "Of courseth. Thou shouldst deliver it soon. Telleth me, how long until I may escortest thou to thine castle?"

He glanced back down to the dark dollars with a smile. "It-a should not take too long."

"I shall waitest for thee right here. Make hast."

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It took around almost an hour for Mr. Topchef to deliver the cake and back and the two began their way back to Rouxls's Hop Shoppe. The closest point he could teleport to and from the Card Castle. The man spinning every so while, obviously happy to do such a honorable job for the kings and earn such rewards. The dark sky was now much darker indicating it was near nighttime, so he hurried as fast as the cone shaped man would follow him right towards the shoppe. He noticed the flap of Seam's Sheap was firmly closed and a small sign pinned to the outside of the flap read: Sorry Friends. Closed. And he chuckled as he walked past with the now tired looking chef behind him. But it didn't take too long to finally come to the Hip Shoppe, opening it and allowing the tired chef to come in. But there was no time to rest...Perhaps he should've gave warning before grabbing the chef's arm and teleporting in his fabulous feeling of bright light and miniture tightness. Before of course relanding back down with a thump to his feet and letting go of the man behind him.

The poor man gave a few spins of dizziness. Not at all used to any kind of teleporting magic. Before falling flat onto his back inside the Duke's office, that didn't look like it had been touched by Jevil's magic at all. He guessed Jevil really was respecting his boundaries or he left it alone because it was already cleaned.

"....M-M-Mama...amiga....W-Warn a humble m-man-a next time."

"*ahem* Mine apologies." He leaned over the groaning darkner and smiled. "Wouldst thou be-est able to start first thing in the morning?" Topchef merely nodded and Rouxls smiled. "Oh good. I shallst escort thee to one of thine guest room before I inform mine kings. He leaned down and grabbed onto the man's arm and pulled the cone man to his feet with a grunt. Topchef grabbing onto his hat to keep it from falling off as he was stood up by the duke. With a smile, Rouxls began marching him towards the door and reached for the doorknob. Once he grabbed it the blue man paused and gave Top chef a dead serious look. "The castle tis currently under....Erm. Severe cleaning renovations. I highly suggest thou stays within mine reach."

The man was clearly confused by the whole thing but Rouxls took a deep breath, and threw open the door- Just as a giant literally dust bunny about the size and wideth of Seam if he was on all fours came waddling by and Topchef gave a loud squeal of fright before hiding behind the Duke as Rouxls lazily watched it past. Despite it being made of literal dust no dirt was left behind by it. He guessed Jevil's magic must make it all stick to them. The giant rabbit waddled past...Still having dust fly into it's body, and rouxls began pulling the frightened man along behind him. As they walked, he took notice that most of the brooms and feathered dusters were now gone as well as most of the mops and scrub brushes that had been scrubbing the floors and walls with soapy water. Now all that remained in the halls was the occasional rag washing the giant windows or polishing any of the suits of armor or random table in the halls. And the occasional giant dust bunny. Topchef jumped behind Rouxls whenever he even heard one coming and was now practically glued to the blue man's back as he continued to walk past the spooked or annoyed looking guards and other castle staff. He passed one giant bunny who was standing in the middle of a separate hallyway and stood completely still as lots of black soot from a few fireplaces were flying into his body. He rose a white brow, quite impressed at that. Jevil was really getting everywhere wasn't he....Wasn't this very tiring for him?

He almost stopped walking at the thought. He never had that thought until now. Did Jevil's magic actually tire him out? It was clear the Kaard mix had an impressive amount of power behind that small frame, and thanks to Seam he knew that his feelings held a tremendous amount of control over those powers. But by the looks of it, he never seemed to run out of energy. All bouncy and full of life even when he was upset....So was something as big as this really gonna put any sort of strain on him? He admitted his copy spell needed a lot of concentration and power-

"DUKE!! DUKE!! MR. KAARD!!" He stopped and gave a hum over his shoulder just as a very scared looking Rudinn was slithering as fast as they could towards him, making him raise a brow. As she didn't stop until she crashed into his leg and she looked up to him hororfied. "G-G-GIANT RABBIT!! C-C-COURTYARD!! S-SCARY!! MAKE IT STOP!!!" Was all she could get out before burrying her face into his pants leg.

Topchef gave an equally terrorfied look and Rouxls sighed, they were getting spooked of a nonliving rabbit made of nothing but dirt and magic. ..But he guessed he would've been scared too if he wasn't so used to Jevil's chaos right now....But then again- He blinked and looked around. Nothing was moving around by magic anymore, everything looked cleaned, covered in shiny pink and red hearts, but otherwise peaceful. ...Where was the giant rabbits and moving objects?? With a curious hum he turned his gaze to the spooked Rudinn clutching his leg and reached down to pat her head.

"I shallest go see what has happened. *sigh* Please escorteth Mr. Topchef here to one of thine guest rooms."

She and Topchef were quick to agree to get away from the apparently crazy thing that was happening now, as she grabbed the cone man's hand and began to lead him away quickly. Rouxls sighed and wondered what exactly it was THIS time, as his legs turned him and he began heading back to the front of the castle to check up on this mysterious new problem. As he passed, he noticed there was still no magical objects or bunnies, which seemed strange. Perhaps Jevil had finished up already...But where were all the red hallway rugs? His mitchmatched eyes looked up and he flinched...before jumping just in time to avoid a long red carprt unrolling under him and his head was really quick to watch as it rolled out all the way until it reached the very end of the hallway. And the connecting hallway having another giant red carpet unfurling as he blinked at the quick rolling blur. He blinked as he turned back up the current hallway just in time for another red blur to roll past....Jevil must've been putting them all back as the floors were finished, but where was the smaller menace. He continued on his way to the front and he noticed a few more red blurs rolling here and there...along with more stunned and shook looking darkners. Oh it couldn't have been that bad? He was sure he's seen the worst of Jevil with being attacked by flying heart attacks. But when he turned the corner he paused.

"Your majesties?"

The kings didn't even react as they along with almost thirty or so staff members were blankly staring out a few gigantic windows at seemingly the ground. Lancer wasn't anywhere among them so he guessed he must've already been put to sleep. With a determined face he carefully stepped over and around the smaller rudinns and hathys until he stood in front of the glass windows. Grumbling and looking down...and absolutely froze at what he saw.

THERE. WAS. A. GIANT. RABBIT IN THE COURTYARD!!!