Holy Templar Sanctum (Aincrad)

[Apollymi]

As time passed, Charles seemed to be more and more agreeable to the entire arrangement that Angelica had proposed. Perhaps he was simply struggling the way humans tended to do. She couldn't really wrap her head around it completely, but she ended up dressed. "Um-hm, now come on Charlie~" she said seeming to be impatient about having the sort of fun she'd come here for. Of course, the lad eventually ran off seeming to think the better of stripping in front of her.

That was strange to Angelica. Was he ashamed of himself even though she'd shown him herself that there was nothing to being naked in front of someone? Was it some kind of strange human hang up about the nature of their bodies she simply would never understand? Whatever the case, she did understand something. The lad had run off to change and with that she took a seat on the couch and waited for his return. But while he was gone she heard lots of noise and his mumbles. She worried about him for a few seconds especially after the knocking around stopped and then a rather loud knocking sound look place. "Charlie, are you okay?" she asked aloud wondering of the lad needed help, Perhaps he'd hurt himself, she could help but she would leave him the privacy he apparently wanted for a while if he needed it. Navigating human emotions was a lot more difficult than Angelica expected, but all awkwardness tended to fade away between the two of them, she had no reason to assume this one would be long lasting.

[Bloodedge]

Charlemagne banged himself up a bit, he stumbled, and he swore. The situation he found himself in presently was far from ideal. One silver lining was that though Angelica heard all the commotion, she hadn't come bursting into the room for one of many nightmare scenarios. Had that happened, he'd have probably taken ages to recover. She did call out to him however, wondering if he was alright. "No!" he shouted back without hesitation.

That wasn't entirely true. In truth, he was more than alright. Charlemagne at the time was desperately trying to push down his own erection, desperately trying to get the images out of his head. He should never have tried either of those things consciously. In trying to remove the mental images, they were becoming even more vibrant─ evolving from what he'd seen to things he could almost feel, and scenes that could have been acted out right there in the sitting room. In trying to push down his erection while having those mental images, he was only feeling... more pleasant than he should have. "I mean... yes~♥" he said moments after claiming the opposite. Nothing was going his way today, though apparently everything actually was. Regardless, he had to free himself of one hand to fish out a red pair of swim trunks. He could get one leg into them easily, but what was he to do about the current situation? He very well couldn't finish putting them on just to walk out in a flimsy pair of trunks with their own active support beam underneath; he had to silence his mind somehow. . .

[Apollymi]

Angelica didn't seem to have much a problem with what was going on here. It seemed that Charles was just fumbling about in his room probably searching for clothing. That was her own assumption. She'd been known to toss about things while looking for something in particular, it wasn't all that odd. Though when she asked if he was alright he initially said no. This, of course made her perk up a bit and she opened her mouth to ask if he needed help only for his tone to change completely. How strange. Obviously, he'd found what he was looking for then, right? "Well, if you're sure... Don't take too long~" she mused picking up her oversized hat and placing it in her lap. She could wait patiently for his return, it wasn't as if she was in any particular rush to leave his company or anything like that.

Maybe while she was here, she'd find the lack of mana density and the quiet of the floor enough to do something about that nagging sensation trying to reach out to her? Yeah, that seemed like an alright use of time. She kept an ear open for Charles but allowed her eyes to close for a few moments. Just the same she couldn't really clear her mind. It was a busy day after all, and she was pretty excited she'd managed to get Charles to agree even tentatively to marry her. He was also really cute while trying to do the right thing and be nice. She wondered if it was a good that he seemed to flustered around her all the time? What would Jeanne have said if she asked her? Ugh, nothing going on right now was good for her concentration either.

[Bloodedge]

Speaking of concentration, Charlemagne's had reached the highest level it had ever been to. Sadly, he was concentrating on all the wrong things. It wasn't as if he'd never seen a naked woman before, but for some reason or another, the image of Angelica seemed permanently etched into his memory. He could tell as much even though it had been seen only moments ago. "Yeah, on the way in a sec!" he said when told not to take too long.

Naturally, Charlemagne could be ready in a few short moments. His swim trunks were half-equipped already. If only he could do away with that one blaring issue, he could finish pulling up the other leg. Ah, there was a trick for that, wasn't there? A bit of pacing around the bedroom would surely set him right, so he spent a minute or so doing that. Much to his satisfaction, the plan worked out perfectly! Charlemagne was able to slip into his swim trunks and grab a lightweight grey jacket to tie around his neck. A pair of flipflops were on the floor, so he stepped into them on his way out to the sitting room. Once there, Charlemagne made a beeline for the stack of rods to pick out two. "Alright... crisis averted. So, we can start a fire, go fishing, and do a little swimming while they cook. Sound good?" he asked for general purposes. If nothing else, talking about upcoming events could help keep his mind off... everything he'd seen and thought recently.

[Apollymi]

Some more words from Charles, he'd be out in a minute. Apparently, Angelica chose odd times for her supposed concentration, but that was fine too. She'd already realized that sort of deep thought wasn't going to happen without a few set up moments ahead of time. So she'd make sure she gave it her all the next time she reached her observatory. Beyond that though there was a bit more to do, and she would soon see Charles emerging from the room and grabbing up fishing rods.

He seemed no worse for wear than he had before and even came with something of a plan to get them started on the day. A fire set up, fishing for food and then... while their meal cooked they could, swim for fun? That seemed appropriate. Especially since swimming wasn't something she wanted to do on a full stomach anyways. "That sounds fine~" she said standing and stretching. She took a moment to appreciate his change in attire. Finding the look to be different from the norm, but not strange. Was this what it meant to be 'cool' she supposed she'd be figuring that out along the way. Just the same she'd give was likely very obvious appreciation to the lad's physical form before they made their way outside and to the gorgeous lake he'd set his house upon.

[Bloodedge]

Fine. Good. Excellent. The plan he had for their time together this day was a functional one, so they could move on without a hitch, right? That should have been the case. Why then, did Charlemagne have a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach? He didn't look Angelica's way, knowing how dangerous swimsuits were─ especially a two-piece. He couldn't look. Well, it wasn't like he needed to anyway; the visual was still right there on the inside of his eyelids every time they closed.

So, what would Charlemagne do about the issue? He'd keep moving. Picking out a net and the sturdiest pair of fishing rods he had, he gestured toward the rear door. There was a cutting between the trees behind Charlemagne's cottage, leaving room for a patio just over the flowing river. A few steps down, and they would be on a walkway headed upstream to the west. It was only a simple path of sand with embedded stones throughout, and a line of those same stones along the river's edge. Though things felt strange on this floor now, the smell of that river was something that could never go away. Charlemagne inhaled deeply as he walked along, looking ahead to the lake glistening in the afternoon sun. "Ahh! I missed this place!" he mused while holding out one of the fishing rods.

[Apollymi]

And then they were moving on, Charles hadn't given the girl a solid look since he returned but she assumed he was doing that thing he tended to do where he hyper focused on the task at hand. That was a bit cute of him, so she let it go. As they walked about she followed him out of the backdoor and up the path. Her feet were bare, assuming a swim would be happening soon, and by virtue of this she was able to feel the sensation of this new sort of nature against her feet. The sand was such a strangely new sensation she couldn't help but comment on it. "Ah? It's kind of grainy, what a strange thing...." she said of sand, dusting off the bottom of one foot and being sure she'd never felt anything like it before.

"Still, I can see why you missed this place, it's a very nice set of views and has a kind of calming aura around it~" she said having taken in the scenery as well. Maybe she should add more water features to her own castle. She only really had the one fountain. And the material under her feet, not the stones but the grains, perhaps she'd make some of that too for the next water feature. "So, is there some sort of weird trick to fishing?" she asked wondering exactly what that particular leg of her activity would be like. She enjoyed learning new things and this rod in her hand was a rather interesting tool. She couldn't say she'd seen one like it before and thus her curiosity was becoming higher by the second.

[Bloodedge]

While they walked along the riverside path, Angelica commented in a way Charlemagne hadn't been expecting. Something was grainy, she said. Despite his attempts to avoid looking at her directly, he did so just to see what she was talking about. Bad idea. The moment he looked her way, everything came flooding right back over the course of several seconds. On the other hand, a quick look down let him know exactly what she was getting at. Angelica hadn't brought, or at least hadn't put on, any form of footwear. Sand tended to feel strange in one's first experience with it, he supposed. "Uh─... ahem. New to sand? Careful; it gets in uh... a lot of places," Charlemagne claimed as he registered his own lingering gaze and looked away again.

Looking ahead was essentially the only way he could keep himself stable at present. It was going to take quite some time to get over the current situation, but he'd overcome it just like anything else. Angelica took the fishing rod while he kept his gaze literally anywhere else, and she wondered aloud if there were any nuances to fishing. They quickly approached the lake, and he gave a few moments of consideration to her query. "No, not really. If there's any sort of trick, it's patience. You cast your line, you wait until it bites, and you pull it up. Here's a good place to set things up," he stated. Right away, Charlemagne lodged his fishing rod between two rocks at the lake's edge. There was still the matter of firewood, but there seemed to be a pit and camp setup only a few meters away from where they stood. "Though there is the matter of bait. That's what this is for~" With that said, Charlemagne flung the net he'd been carrying into the water before pinning one end of it under rock as well. "Now we let that fill up and do something about a fire!"

[Apollymi]

According to Charles sand could get into a lot of places. He mentioned this after questioning if she was new to the substance. "Yes, there aren't any large standing bodies of water on my floor like this. I was thinking it might be good for the balance of things if I made a bigger feature like this," she said seemingly amused by the thought. If she had any residual thoughts about Charles obvious avoidance, she wasn't registering them currently. No she was too busy thinking, about sand, fishing and new things. This lad could stand to be a bit more carefree but someone like Angelica would never understand his current hang ups.

Moving on, the act of fishing was described as apparently simple. It would take only a few simple steps including that net he'd brought along. She still didn't really understand that either, but she supposed she would in a bit. Bait in this context was a bit unknown to her. "Okay, that doesn't sound too complex. Starting a fire, are we doing that the magical way or some other way?" she found herself questioning. It would be rather easy for her to start a fire, but... perhaps there was some other method which would lead to a richer experience.

[Bloodedge]

"Huh, you're right. Your floor is really green with a good atmosphere though, so it'd really be finished off by some freshwater features. Besides, what's the point of having a bathing suit if you don't have a place to swim? Unless you've got an indoor pool in that new palace," Charlemagne mused. He wasn't sure what her declaration had to do with sand specifically, but sand and water often went hand-in-hand, so he figured there was a connection somewhere in Angelica's head.

Now that the net was prepared, the method of their fire creation was brought into question. Charlemagne did offer this as an experience of living off the land, so there was only one real way to go. "Non-magical. The hardest quests anyone can ever go on are ones that end up in non-magical zones, whether they're made by an enemy or caused by some weird situation in the world. In those cases, you have to rely on the basics. There are even a few spots in the Labyrinth like that," he explained. "So, we'll need sticks. Thick and dry is the way to go. That's most of what we'll find around here, but we'll want to go a bit farther out from the lake to get it."

[Apollymi]

Freshwater features to be included in the nature of her place. That was definitely something Angelica could manage. It wouldn't even be very difficult. Of the things she found herself capable of making and manipulating with her mana, water was among the easier to control. She gave a gentle nod of understanding while she imagined some different ways to put in a feature or two that would help her feel more at home in her own space. "I don't have a pool, just a really big bath. I only have a swimsuit because it was one of the things that someone told me I might need, so I made it..." she claimed which was the truth. Jeanne had been very good for giving such advice and claiming that they could be used in public places if she found herself in need of a swim. Jeanne always spoke like some grand adventure was ahead of Angelica even though when they met she was just a girl locked into a singular floor of this place.

While she gave thought to such things the nature of the fire they were creating came up. According to Charles, making fires in non-magical ways was an important skill. He claimed that the most challenging things were places without magic usage. Hm, she hadn't really ever considered that could be a problem. But preparing for multiple eventualities was something she saw as a specialty of those like Charles who were good at adventuring. "I see. Dry, thick... sticks then? I'll go find some..." she said seeming to take the full brunt of a new adventure onto herself. So rare was it that she got to do anything she could easily go and explore the woods a little ways out to find these sort of sticks and the like. All the while she considered it rather exciting to actually put forth some effort into doing something. And so, she went poking about in the woods a bit, leaving Charles to accompany her or think on his own whichever he preferred.

[Bloodedge]

Angelica claimed she didn't have a pool, but did have a really big bath. Something about that made it sound as if the two things were synonymous, though Charlemagne couldn't question it without proper context. He did wonder why she was once told she'd need a bathing suit, however. Had someone foreseen this event? Did Father An once look into the future to see Charlemagne taking his daughter swimming? Had that been the reason this engagement truly kicked off? Oh... had he seen Charlemagne ogling his naked daughter as well?! Maybe he did, and maybe the engagement was a setup to leave Charlemagne in a vulnerable state for execution!

... No, all of that was beyond ludicrous. He was just letting his mind crowd itself with unnecessary thoughts again, when he should have been focusing on the upcoming journey for firewood. Angelica herself seemed raring to go. With that in mind, it was only right that he join the movement properly... extended silence aside. "Dry, thick sticks, yep! I'll grab some too," he said while following along. It wouldn't be until they were deep enough into the wooded area that Charlemagne took on a different path. He didn't have to do so, but... walking behind Angelica in a swimsuit was not the best idea, he quickly realized. The type of dress she wore did a very specific job of covering the curvature found underneath. Wait... bad thought. It was definitely for the best that he collect wood elsewhere, lest he have a different sort of wood to deal with in a few short moments. "I-I'll check this way. Shout if you need me over there!" he said, splitting their otherwise shared path to veer off in another direction.

[Apollymi]

Ah there were points of curiosity unexplored. Perhaps they'd come up later. In the meantime, Angelica started looking around for sticks finding a few and testing them for dryness and thickness she collected a couple by herself. Only after a moment or two of such walking, did Charles state he'd be off to look in another direction and to holler if she needed him. "Okay~" she chimed. It was very interesting. One of the things she enjoyed most about the lad is that he didn't seem to fuss over her or follow her around too much. She enjoyed the minute independence she had with someone reliable nearby. She had no reason to think anything lesser or sinister of him.

As she collected she wondered if this sort of thing would be appropriate for honeymooning? Perhaps they could go on a real adventure. She never got out much but she was sure Charles didn't intend to keep her locked up on her own floor. She could explore a bit and maybe have a look around. She did this now, looking at the trees and little spots of sun shining through foliage. She picked up an armful of sticks while admiring the scenery before she was thinking she may have had enough. "Oh, Charlie, I have like an armful is that enough?" she asked wondering if she should pick up some more. Of course, by armful, she meant she had an entire collection tucked under her arm, of about 15 to 20 thick, dry and sturdy sticks. Ah, yes, she'd turn herself around and begin walking towards Charles, having senses advanced enough to know where he was in relation to herself even with her eyes closed in a space so lacking in mana as this.

[Bloodedge]

Perfect! For at least a short while, Charlemagne could consider himself safe while using most of his brainpower to will away encroaching erection. He'd sinned more than enough with his mind alone. Judging by earlier interactions with Angelica, he feared her reaction to catching him... pitching a tent as it were. She was so casual about things like that, he expected something along the lines of "oh, so you want a mana transfer?" He could see it so clearly, it was... enticing. Wait, no! It was frightening! More terrifying still was his own reaction. If he said no, wouldn't he be doing himself a disservice in addition to shirking the quality of Angelica's mana? Surely he would. No, these weren't things to think about!

Charlemagne spent some time mentally beating himself over the head, all while gathering wood of one variety and badly fending off wood of another. Eventually, he heard the call of Angelica claiming she had an armful and asking if it was sufficient. "Yeah, that should be plenty," he called back. It would be sufficient if they each brought back an armful or so. Sadly, Charlemagne realized he didn't have nearly enough on his own person. Damn all those distractions in his mind! What could he do? Well, there was nothing he could do except bend at the waist and keep his eyes glued to the ground while snatching up every stick in sight. So, he'd begin doing just that. . .

[Apollymi]

Charles was having such a hard time, and Angelica wouldn't be making it any easier. True to his thoughts if she'd noticed such a thing she likely would have asked him about it in such a way. It seemed to her the completely normal way to address such a situation. She understood enough of human anatomy to know that this was to be considered a good thing since he was her chosen man. Still, there were some complexities in the way humans were being taught by Father An and the way that she'd had information explained to her. Strangely though, even thoughts like this were completely abstract to Angelica. She was excitedly focusing on her adventures, like learning to build a fire by hand! She'd never done anything like that before. Her life was truly becoming more adventurous over time. If only...

Whatever. Charles claimed she had enough and as such she began to move towards him. She found him, bent over picking up all sorts of sticks some that didn't fit the rule he'd given her. Perhaps there was something to this method she didn't understand. She'd likely question it later. "You're really picking up a lot. I could get some more you know... you don't have to stress yourself out about it~" she mused seeming to find his actions strange but not for any particular reasons.