Crux Findel

**Crux Findel** is the personal bodyguard of Princess Spica Nerius. He is learning swordsmanship from the Nerius family.

## Story

**SPOILER WARNING:** Plot and/or ending details follow.
Spica introduces Crux to the invited adventurer and Crux briefly explains his role in the Nerius family.

Crux meets the invited adventurer again at the royal banquet for the heroes that defeated Surt. Spica tells the adventurer that they didn't realize that he/she was one of the heroes that the banquet was being held for. This excited Skia, as it meant the adventurer could hang out with them anytime he/she wanted. The adventurer is embarrassed by the revelation and wishes the two sisters would not mention it again. Spica promises to not bring it up again and points out to Crux that her dear sister wants to hang around quietly for the adventurer's sake. When Crux is unsure of what she meant by that, Spica then playfully accuses Crux of spying on the sisters for their mother. The poor knight becomes flabbergasted as Skia joins in on the banter. Crux tries to defend himself when he spots Nihil approaching them. Skia sees him as well and calls him over to Nihil's embarrassment. Nihil sees that the invited adventurer was with them as well and he starts to regret approaching the Nerius sisters. Meanwhile, Spica is curious as to why her sister and a member of the Heine family are on first-name terms and Skia explains that they met in the hallway since the Heine residential villa is next to that of the Nerius'. Nihil expresses his thanks for the encounter and turns to the adventurer to apologize for his behavior while he/she was visiting the Heine villa.

Just then, a drunken woman comes up to the group and blabbers about how she wasn't surprised that Nihil lost his candidacy for the throne. She then notices the Nerius sisters and accuses Nihil of leaving the Heine family to join the Nerius family. Nihil orders her to stop with the vitriol, but the woman continues her tirade anyways. Crux threatens the woman to stop insulting the Nerius family as he had enough of her blabbering. Spica tells Crux to stand down as she has no desire to hold a grudge against the Heine family for the woman's outburst, identifying the drunk woman as Violetta Collette Heine. She warns Violetta that should she continue her tirade and drag the Nerius family into the drama, she will bring shame to the Heine family. Nihil adds that he will make sure Violetta gets punished as she is a collateral relative. This makes Violetta leave, but not without one last insult to the Heine prince. Skia is curious as to the story behind all that and Nihil apologizes for his cousin's behavior. Skia points out that he doesn't need to say sorry since he's done nothing wrong. Spica clarifies that whether or not Nihil did anything wrong, he is still responsible for any member of the Heine family as he is a head of the family. However, she was surprised that Nihil was being treated badly even though he was a head of the Heine family.

Just then, a banquet attendant comes up and offers some light champagne to the group. Nihil and Skia both take a glass and Nihil takes a sip out of his. He excuses himself from the group and hopes that they can hang out again. Spica offers to officially invite him should there be another opportunity to meet up. As Nihil takes his leave, Spica notices something odd and asks her sister if she could look at the glass of champagne she got. She then sends Crux to track down the attendant that offered them the drinks. Crux tries to find the attendant to no avail and returns to the group. Spica and Skia then see that Nihil was becoming unstable in his step and Crux realizes why Spica sent him to find the attendant. Spica determines that there was no way Nihil could be that drunk since the champagne was light. She asks the adventurer if something is about to happen and decides to go back to the Nerius villa with Crux. Skia doesn't want to leave Nihil alone and Spica gives her permission to do what she will without her.

Crux encounters the adventurer again at the Nerius villa while accompanying Spica. She apologizes for the adventurer getting dragged into the mess with the Ymir's Heart and the royal families. Spica expresses that she's not doing well herself either, as the royal family is focusing on finding out who is behind the Ritual of Blessing intrusion. So far they've managed to filter out those involved in the intrusion, but it was better than nothing. The adventurer inquires as to Skia's whereabouts and Spica answers that her sister has gone to hang out with Nihil. She's rather confused as to what Skia could possibly see in what amounts to a pretty face with nothing of value. She turns to Crux and wonders if her sister has been charmed by Nihil's looks, to which Crux responds that it's possible. He adds that Nihil is not supposed to leave his room while he is under house arrest. Spica affirms that she did mention that her sister went to visit Nihil and seemed perturbed by it. Crux warns the adventurer to take his/her leave before Spica's head explodes.

Crux continues on the investigation that he and Spica started during the banquet and managed to find out that the attendant that served the drugged champagne to Nihil was given the drink by a suspicious chamberlain. They discover that the chamberlain had come from Schwarzwald and so Spica sends Crux to track him down there. As he traveled, he regularly keeps Spica up to date on his progress.

## References

1. ↑ Invitation to the Royal Banquet
2. ↑ Invitation to the Royal Banquet
3. ↑ Participating in the Banquet
4. ↑ To the Past
5. ↑ Covert Operation