"Not yet."
Anna didn’t produce any good results, her words still spoke of a being that felt more like a red herring than reality. Created in an attempt to distract them from what actually mattered.
It was no secret among the higher-ups that the assassination of Ikaros Yethel was led by Cynark’s special ops, including the leaders of the Republic of Yethel who chose to not speak of their suspicions and remain silent.
A good choice from their side, but a frustrating one on Cynarks end. If Yethel had tried to claim it was Cynark’s doing, Cynark Empire would have earned one more reason to attack Yethel due to apparent Defamation.
But as if expecting such a move, Yethel had remained silent and chosen to negotiate under the table.
It was also when he t the widow of Ikaros Yethel, a noble from the Radville family, whose roots existed in Cynark long ago, but had relocated to Sarvilla for so unknown reason that the Duke didn’t care about.
A beautiful woman of noble birth and if not for her family’s support of Ikaros, the Republic of Yethel might still be called Sarvilla to this day.
"Anna, you have to look at reality, the real enemy of our nation. And it’s not so ghost that exists in dreams." Prince was not a kind person by nature, and there is a reason that the current Emperor of Cynark still bows in fear, when in front of him.
But that fear-inducing Duke had a kind tone at the mont. For he had finally understood why Anna was misled so easily.
So he spoke of Orvilia Gladeston Radville, the widow of Ikaros Yethel and the true enemy of Cynark that had been making a fool out of them for decades.
*****
"Did it work?" The body of Kassandra Materialized in the room, as Anna ca back with a confused face, who then shook her head in response. "Duke doesn’t believe that he exists." She answered.
If there could have been so input from the church of Red Sun in this matter, things would have turned much easier. But as the facts stand, a church would never dare to publicize their failures, nor were they able to fully explain why they were after this Jester.
Even among the church of Red Sun, few believed in Jester’s existence and hence the force that Kassandra could command was limited to a single regint of Dusk Knights made up of Adepts, with a leading Master at the helm.
A little force in the church’s perspective, which Kassandra shared.
"What about the man we captured? Executed or more experints?" There was little hope that the Duke would ever believe her words and Kassandra was already expecting such a result. But to satiate Anna’s curiosity, she let her experience what it feels like when people don’t believe your warnings.
So she focused on soone else, soone who had intrigued her since the start. The man who broke through her illusion and was capable of fooling Anna’s summons while making his escape.
But Anna’s subsequent answer surprised her."The palace mage requested for him on account of the curses his body held."
Hearing such words, Kassandra didn’t know what to do at this point."You know, he was our only clue."
"A mindless one, whatever Jester had planted in his head, worked. There is nothing left there besides the curses." This was a fact that Kassandra knew all too well, she had tried to enter his mind, which was originally the reason why he turned into an animal. It was her actions that caused Carp to lose his mind.
But she just couldn’t help it, she needed to know what Jester was planning all this while and what was his endga.
An action that ca to bite her back spectacularly.
"Nothing could be done besides going to..." Suddenly, the eyes of Anna and Kassandra turned toward the door, surprised at first, but never slow.
The magic brewed around their bodies, ready to face the opponent.
"There is no need for war, I believe we both are after the sa thing."
It was Remira, who had been keeping an eye on them for a while now.
Originally after sending Sheva to Bothal under the protection of the Chapter leader of Radiant Knights, Remira had picked up the coin and the hair she had kept hidden on her body all this ti.
A hair belonging to Carp when she had initially captured him. Making it easier for her to follow these two who seemingly worked with the Dusk Knights from Church of Red Sun. But they split apart the mont they entered Durum.
As she was not too close nor aware of their true strength, she had considered them to be part of Jester’s group, but the closer she got the more magical aura she felt, along with so familiar slls. She knew it was much different than she expected.
But then again, there were a total of two Tower Masters of Mage College that had defected to Jester’s side, wilfully becoming his pawn. So she can’t trust them, not now, not until she makes sure that these two are on her side.
And with Anna visiting the Duke with Carp as proof, she was sure of it.
’They are on my side... Even that Illusionist.’
"Both on the sa side? You say that after walking to our door unannounced?" Ignoring the absurdity of the situation where Remira was able to overco the thods that Anna and Kassandra had employed in order to not be followed. The fact that a Knight like Remira had been able to co this close to them without any of the two ever noticing was telling of Remira’s abilities.
’A re Master level knight.’ She was just a level below her, But Anna could feel that none of her summons were a match for Remira.
As for Kassandra, she knew that the simple illusion she had cast in the room, which hid her true position was easily broken through by Remira, as for how, she can’t tell.
"I had no other choice than to do this. If you wish for it, I am even ready to abandon my weapons at the heel of your door before a dialog."
And it was then that Remira had made so new friends. Or one should say co-conspirators.
Otherwise, wouldn’t it be too foolish to enter the land of the dragon without any contingency in place?
Anna was that backup in her mind, soone who could trail and deal with Jester’s little orphanages while being strong enough to escape from Yethel’s retaliation.
It was why Remira, knowing that she might have been stuck in a quagmire, had to let those two know of her current status and how Jester is completely useless.
He won’t be able to do a thing as long as he is busy here, giving those two free reign to destroy whatever he plans and rescue Farhad in the process.
*****
I love this world. I had said these words so many tis that I had lost count.
Though this world probably doesn’t love back.
"What.. are you doing.. Henry?" I asked Herny who seed to barely handle my weight on his back.
Was I just that fat? I an, I was a dwarf and it was common for us to have denser bones and healthy muscle mass, making all of us potbellied. But even that would be sothing easy for Henry to carry.
"Taking you to the hospital."
"At this hour? Police will catch you." I said before suddenly finding that the surroundings were too quiet. "Whe.. where are they?" I asked at that very mont, finding the empty roads a bit eerie.
"I don’t know... all I know is that we need to get you help as fast as possible." He seed tired. Tiredness not of the body, but of the soul.
It was then I recalled that Henry had followed Rashid to that woman’s stay and what happened there was still a mystery to .
But I couldn’t ask more than expected of , and there was still an act to keep up. "Sto Stop Henry, put down." He was in no shape or state to be carrying .
His wobbly feet that struggled to move and the dead eyes that stared ahead on the road, it all felt hollow, it was as if a huge part of what made "Henry" was dead, or asleep at the mont.
No, it should be fear, he had experienced fear the kind of which he can’t fathom and the only reason he was able to move forward like this was due to .
In his mind, his concern for overpowered his fear. So holding his balling eyes and stabilizing his breath, he maintained a singular pace, wishing to reach the hospital as fast as possible.
"I can’t... you are too injured." He spoke to , holding his tears with each syllable. I could see the weak boy that wished to be free and cry his emotions out, but he can’t. He was acting like a grownup at this mont, even though he was not one.
"You carrying is killing ... put my feet on the dirt, its how I can survive." I had to stop him in any way possible so a mixture of lies and truth were needed in this specific situation.
And as if suddenly recalling how he might have found , he stopped. "What... what do you an?’ His voice turned high pitched with those words, it was turning harder and harder for him to hold it in for him.
"Ground is my source of strength, the more I am in contact with it,... th.. the healthier I get."
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