Chapter 43

 

 

 

Chapter 43

 

DASHING out of the clinic was all fine and dandy, but Yuki hadn’t a clue about what she should do next. She smiled dryly at her impulsiveness and squinted at the sun blaring down on her from the center of the blue sky.

“All right…where to go from here?”

Heaviness weighed down her body and her legs didn’t move as she willed them. The seasons had changed again, because the brush of a gentle breeze sent shivers through her even though the sun was still high in the sky.

Neither time nor information was on her side. Her deteriorating health didn’t help either. Still, for some unknown reason, her mind was in a tranquil state.

“I’ll start with the bars. Luca always said bars are the best place to obtain information.”

Yuki worried whether the bars would be open during the day, but if they were closed she would just get some food and wait until they opened.

I’ll ask about where to find a horse and the fastest way back to Fol. I’ll keep my promise with Vigo and return to Fol and seek out Rhad’s help. I don’t know if he’ll believe me or if he’s trustworthy. Yuki shook her head. No, I have to trust him first for him to believe me. With her newfound determination, she glowered at the capital’s streets brimming with people going about their daily lives.

***

Since the day Luca saved her in the spring, Yuki had been blessed by the people she met. Dropped into a world she knew nothing about, she fell right in front of a powerful nation’s prince. Or rather, she drowned in front of him.

Had she been unlucky, she could have been picked up by a poor family and lived out the rest of her days in slavery and prostitution. The uniqueness of her eyes would have gotten her sold off. Some twisted sicko could have fallen in love with her eyes, removed them from their sockets, and left her to die on the side of the road never seeing the light of day again.

When she considered the alternatives of who could have found her she was convinced she had been blessed. Perhaps a better word than blessed would be fortunate. Yuki reflected on her amazing good luck inside Selena’s tight embrace.

“Aaah, sheesh, Yuki! You’re a bit slow when it comes to noticing things, but you’re a clever girl! As ashamed as I am to admit it, I lost sight of you. But I was certain you would come to the tavern! I’ve been waiting here for three days and my efforts have finally paid off!”

The second Yuki stepped inside the tavern she spotted Selena dressed not in her Knight armor, but wearing a navy dress. Selena leapt for her from the other side of the tavern and scooped her up in her arms.

“After you left for the capital, Vigo sent me after you because he thought it’d be dangerous for you alone. But you’re a speed demon, Yuki! I wasn’t able to catch up to you in time! It’s all Vigo’s fault for keeping me at Fol Castle for so long after you left!”

“S-Selena! I-I understand how you feel, but you’re hurting me! I’m suffocating!” Yuki coughed out.

Selena’s arms squeezed her with the strength of a Knight and her voluptuous chest cut off her airflow. Several pops and snaps came from Yuki’s back as her bones struggled under the pressure. She sucked in a deep breath when Selena loosened her grip.

“So, how did it go? Did you find your Knight?” Selena asked, patting Yuki on the head. Yuki shook her head.

“I was just puzzling through what to do because everyone has different information on what Luca is doing right now.”

Selena watched Yuki force a smile with compassion. “I see.”

“Yeah.”

Undoubtedly, Selena saw the spasm in her cheek as her smile faltered. She was grateful she didn’t press for more information.

“At any rate, your ten days will be up soon. Why don’t we head back to Fol for now?”

“…All right.”

Head back to Fol for now. Those words meant she could return to the capital again. Yuki clenched her right hand. The sooner she returned the better.

“Let’s go back soon,” she insisted. Selena smiled.

“I love your impatience. But that Adolunde Knight came here with me. Sounded like he has something to do here. Let’s depart as soon as he returns. More importantly,” Selena paused and pinched the tip of Yuki’s nose, “Have you been eating? You look whiter than a cloud.” She forced the tavern menu into Yuki’s hands.

***

SELENA ordered more food than the two-seater table could hold and pestered Yuki to eat it. By the time they finished their meal—most of which Selena ate—Rhad entered the tavern, his copper ponytail swaying behind him. The long ponytail hung loosely at the middle of his back.

“Oh, you’re back pretty quick. I thought you said you wouldn’t be back until just before noon,” Selena said, waving in greeting.

“I had a hard time trying to get in touch with the person I came to meet. He was in a sour mood when I finally did get my hands on him, which made a mess of things.” Rhad deliberately shrugged and turned serious when he spotted Yuki. “By the way, I need to ask her something.”

“Who? M-Me?” Yuki asked, shrinking back in her chair. She hadn’t spoken to Rhad since their fight about Luca. Baffled by his absolute contempt for her, she kept her distance.

“Then ask?” Selena gestured to an empty chair at another table.

“The topic is something I prefer to keep between us, ma’am.”

“Did you forget Yuki is in our care and not yours?”

“It is in your best interest not to refuse me. Who knows, I may have a slip of the tongue and reveal Rvydom’s infamous Mad Dog Selena Beautante has infiltrated the capital.”

Yuki nervously watched them argue with perfect smiles on their faces until Selena raised her hands in defeat.

“Okay, okay. I’ll throw in the towel. Sheesh, you’re such a weasel.” Selena hopped out of her chair and smiled at Yuki. “I’ll be waiting right outside, Yuki. Come out once you finish here. Yell at the top of your lungs if he tries anything funny. I’ll take care of him for you.”

“Selena!”

Selena strut out of the tavern laughing. Left in her wake were piles of empty dishes and the tense air between Yuki and Rhad. Uneasy, Yuki’s eyes darted toward every shadow in the tavern, a sense of unease creeping within her while Rhad calmly took Selena’s empty seat opposite of her.

“Don’t be so uneasy with me. You’re making me uneasy just looking at you.”

“Ah, I’m sorry…”

“Apologizing makes me uneasy too. I’m the one who wanted to apologize here too.”

“You did?” Yuki stopped looking around the room and looked at him. There was pensiveness to his smile.

“Sorry about the other day. You caught me in a foul mood. I said some terrible things to you.”

Yuki shook her head and folded her hands on her lap. “I think what you said was the typical conclusion most people would come to.”

The memory of the day stabbed at her, but she offered a cordial smile.

“No, I truly am sorry. I had a breakdown because my fiancée passed away. I said things I didn’t really mean.”

My fiancée passed away. The young man who said those words was smiling in front of her. Did the Ten Day Fever take her? Or had she been a victim of the war? Yuki’s heart broke for the stouthearted Rhad who didn’t even have the time to lose himself in mourning for his deceased love.

“Umm…”

What was the correct thing to say to someone at a time like this? Having never lost anyone close to her before, Yuki could only think of clichéd words of comfort. Was it not ruder to act funny because of knowing? Yuki mulled and pondered over how to speak to him, when her thoughts were broken by a burst of laughter across from her. Surprised, she looked up to find Rhad laughing.

“I never thought you’d actually believe me.”

“Did you just trick me?! I can’t believe you would joke about someone dying!” she exploded. The daunted look on her face only got him to casually wave his hand.

“It’s an effective method in getting someone to feel for you emotionally. Especially when it comes to men and women,” he added.

“…I can’t believe you’d stoop so low.”

“That’s right, doll. You’d do best not to trust me,” he said in a sweet tenor that cut through the buzzing chatter of other patrons.

“What are you getting at?”

Rhad only ever joked around, making his thoughts and what he said hard to follow. Not understanding him frustrated her.

“You can’t trust me, sweetheart. I can’t trust you. We’re of equal status in this regard, no?”

She opened her mouth to tell him that’s not what she meant, but the lack of smile reaching his eyes had her obediently keep her mouth shut.

“Let me be frank. I want to know the relationship between you and Prince Lucat,” he said in a harsh tone. She flinched.

“Excuse me?”

“You ran into Revent, didn’t you?”

Revent. Yuki frowned at the unfamiliar name.

“Ain Revent,” Rhad supplied.

“If you are talking about the same Ain then…yes, I saw him.”

Although Ain refused to acknowledge Yuki as Yuki.

“Revent was all shaken up because you mentioned the Liberat siblings. And by the fact you knew Prince Lucat’s Master’s name when it’s classified information.”

Rhad was trying to learn what Yuki knew. Once he learned it, she wasn’t sure how he would react.

I want him to believe me. Believe what I say…and who I am.

Was her knowledge something she should share with Rhad? Yuki didn’t have the appropriate information to make that judgment. Rhad claimed he was Luca’s subordinate. But she couldn’t shake the idea he might be a spy. The thought crossed her mind he might be someone set in place by Orga.

But Ain opened up to him. If Ain tells him things, then it’s a safe bet I can tell him.

Yuki took a deep breath and looked straight at Rhad. “You probably won’t believe me, but I am Luca’s Master.”

Rhad didn’t move an inch. His expression didn’t falter. He carefully studied Yuki’s face as if to ascertain he didn’t miss a single tell from her.

“We contracted and immediately headed for Fol. We subjugated Fol Castle and captured Isis. Next, we went to Cele and rescued Dante,” Yuki summarized.

She debated whether she should tell him the rest. What was going through Rhad’s head as he watched her? Without realizing it, she was gripping her right hand to her chest.

“…On our way back to Adolunde…I was captured by Orga.” Rhad’s eyebrow twitched. “They decided to execute me as the Legendary Witch. Ain was captured and brought to the execution site to watch me burn,” she spoke the facts, her tongue feeling like lead.

The sheer memory of those days brought the searing pain back. The mob’s hate-filled eyes and the cloying scent of flowers were burned into her brain and wouldn’t go away.

“It was there Ain and I were saved by a Witch. And the Witch changed my appearance. She said it’s a game. She’ll turn me back to normal if I find Luca. After that I just wandered around until I found my way to Adolunde,” she explained. Rhad snorted.

“…That’s a tasteless work of fiction. But if it’s true, you’ve got quite the absurd story.”

“It’s not fiction! Although I truly wish it were…”

All of it was true. How wonderful would it have been if it could all be chalked up to a fictional imagining? Irritation over him not believing her and depression over being laughed at, dropped like a weight to the pit of her stomach.

“All of it’s the truth…”

“…I was present during Luca’s contract bonding. I don’t mind believing your story if you can tell me what happened then.”

“What?”

“There were no servants present or a chance for anyone else to come onto the scene. If you can still explain the events of that day to me, I’ll believe what you said is true.”

Yuki stared at Rhad. What was his game? What he said changed by the minute, leaving her in the dust over what he wanted to say. Was he really going to believe her? Wouldn’t he just snort at her again? She had little choice but to explain the events of that day if she wanted a chance of him believing her.

“I had the appearance of a ten-year-old with violet eyes…and I was wearing red heelless shoes. I had on a pinkish gown and Ain led me into a ginormous hall.”

She knew even less back then than she did now. Knowing neither her left from her right, she was dazzled by the glamour of the royal castle. To better remember the details she closed her eyes. The day nostalgically unfolded in her memories.

“When I arrived on the stairs, Orga sat on the landing behind me and Luca was several stairs below… Luca came up and knelt before me. From there I did as he instructed and took his sword—”

“I’ve heard enough.” Yuki’s eyes snapped open—Rhad’s expression held the same gentleness it had the first time they met. “Revent should have heard you out… Well, I guess we can’t blame him too much when you brought up Liberat.”

Yuki sighed with relief. Joy, reassurance, and hope filled her when she realized he believed her.

“Anyway, you found yourself in a living hell, huh?”

Yuki’s heart throbbed at his soft, gorgeous smile. “Ah, yeah…”

“Please allow me to confirm one final thing with you,” he said with a new formality.

“What is it?”

Rhad continued with a smile, “What do you think about Prince Orga?”

The abruptness of his question took her by surprise, but she answered him with a soured expression and bitterness on her tongue, “Orga is a psychopath.”

Rhad laughed.