III. End of a Journey

The feeling of anxiety still lingered within the party consisting of Fred, Dax and Ricardo. They were still travelling back to the demon capital. They were already out of the Gargantua Forest but they still could not shake off the feeling they had when they left. Nobody could try to lighten up the mood, telling jokes or telling stories just to keep the conversation up. These three were silent.

Like when Fred and Morgianna travelled heading towards the Gargantua forest, the three of them did the same but with a reverse route. They stop at village inns during night to rest, and travel vast fields during day. At night they drink at the bar to drown themselves with alcohol and try to forget the bad news that they arrived at them back at the forest.

Unlike at Earth, Mytherion didn’t know of age restrictions with items like alcohol, smoking and other similar products. One could try but it should be on their own discretion, pros and cons considered.

But drinking wasn’t enough. Alcohol could give one a bit of self-satisfaction for a brief amount of time. They were just diverting their attention to something different than the scenario that they will arrive at when they arrive at the demon capital.

Ricardo and Fred were responsible drinkers but Dax could not hold off his own. Dax had a reason to get himself drunk all over. With the news regarding Mae Militum, of course he was the one who was most impacted among them. Fred may have a reason, but he tried to remain composed, just as Ricardo. Ricardo was the eldest amongst them and the most experienced one. He didn’t want to add to Ricardo’s worries by acting like Dax does.

Both of them always ended up as support for carrying the drunk Dax up to the room they have rented for the night.

“Come on Lord Dax, a little push.”

“God Dax for somebody your age, you’re really heavy.”

Complained the two as they support Dax on both sides.

The same routine went for a few more days until they finally reached the demon capital.

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The three were walking at a bridge towards the entrance gate at the west side of the main city. They are far yet there had been a convoy waiting at the entrance. It was a carriage from the royal palace. The elegant looking carriage painted in black was incomparable to the ones the demi-human convoy were using at their travels.

The exquisite black finish with golden paint at the edges had a glossy shine. The golden plates are attached at its body which distinguished the placement of the door. The door which was with another jet-black coating, now more emphasized compared to the body painting finish. The clear glass window, which never had any scratch in it shows a clear view of the white woven silk curtains inside. These curtains must prevent VIPs from being seen inside while travelling. The rim was gold-plated too. The only material that was common within normal carriages was the rubber-ish material that encircles the rim of the wheels.

The carriage overall looked very well properly maintained. Any commoner would ask how much income does the royal palace produce within a quarter of a year to produce such exquisite-looking means of transportation. Even the horses looked well-nourished creatures covered in fine-looing leather harness.

There were a few guards, in plate armor.

Supposedly with the Maou and a VIP Patron of the demi-humans arriving, the demon capital should welcome them with full security but they chose not to. The only reason was because each of the guard can handle high level threats on their very own.

Think of how powerful each of them was. One can guess only by looking at their armors: they could slay mythical dragons.

Besides the carriage and the guards waiting, a female wearing normal polo clothing with tight skirt and wearing a glasses could be seen too. She was Fred’s tutor. Fred turned pale when he saw her. Fred only thought of two things seeing her: she would welcome him from a long journey that he could not attend her classes, or, she would welcome him just to scold him because he could not attend her classes for long.

Also, behind her tutor was Morgianna.

The feeble body looked pale in color. Morgianna seemed like someone who pushed herself to get up from the hospital bed just to greet her master arriving from a long journey hello. She looked weak. The strong Morgianna who could battle up to middle-tier creatures now looked so weak that she can’t even face her arriving master properly.

But that was due to her taking the weight of responsibility herself due to what happened back at the forest. Now she’s ashamed so much that she couldn’t face her own master.

Also, as she stood there still, Fred can see her left side, lacking an arm.

“So what was written in the report was real.” –Fred assumed.

But Fred did not notice his body was already moving.

At first he was walking, then he was walking fast, then he was running already.

He reached out to Morgianna and embraced her while crying.

“I’m sorry Morgianna. It was all due to my miscalculations. I was so naïve.”

“I was the one who should be sorry master. I tried my best to defend them, but still… still… an attack passed thrugh me and pierced Mae. I’m sorry master… it was because I am so weak.”

“Don’t be. I’m glad there were no fatalities from those whom you defended. You’ve done a great job. If there was someone to blame it should be me.”

“Yes Fred this should be on you. But there’s nothing we can do to change what’s happened.” –Said his tutor while patting their heads.

Ricardo was shocked. He knew already that Fred must have been affected greatly due to having his servant: who he never treated as one but as a real family, injured to that extent too. Still he never expected that this was the extent of his worry. He realized that deep inside, they were still kids who could be compared to kids having seen their parents after being lost at a place full of people. They were crying, but it should be okay, they encountered several dangerous situation and survived. Who knew how exhausted they were.

Fred was just as exhausted and was worried as Dax. But now that he saw Morgianna in a better condition, it should lessen his anxiety a little. The only one remaining in an indescribable situation was Dax.

Ricardo looked at him.

He looked as mad as an envying demon trying to grab an opportunity to make himself happy from those who currently are.

He had all the reason to be angry at Morgianna, at the guards defending Mae, but it will be a very nonsense response. They have tried their best to keep Mae alive. A single opening lead to a grave injury that Mae received that battle they had. But still, the efforts weren’t in vain. Mae is currently recuperating at the palace.

Still they didn’t know what the extent of the grave injury was. So the anxiety still lingered towards Dax.

“We’ll get by, you will see Lady Mae very soon.” –Ricardo patted Dax’s shoulder to calm him down.

But first, they needed to wait the two, Fred and Morgianna, who were having a heartfelt reunion, meeting up after a seemingly long time away with each other.

“Okay, you may continue that inside the carriage, but please let us proceed to our next destination. It seemed that our little Patron here needed to see the current state of our patent.” –Told the tutor as she clapped her hands.

After a very long exhausting and morbid journey back towards the demon capital, the three entered the carriage which will lead them to their last destination: The Demon Palace.

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There were multiple magic-imbued life support capsules besides the bed where Mae Militum laid. Her body that was usually healthy was now looking like it was barely hanging onto a thread.

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Upon reaching the castle, Dax’s fear grew more and more. All of that what if’s had been clouding up his mind. The people from the carriage noticed it as Dax’s feet stomping at the floor of the carriage grew stronger.

“Come now Dax…, you’re making us all uneasy here.” –Fred asked Dax to stop indirectly.

Fred then looked at Morgianna, who had said nothing when they started riding towards the castle. She had been feeling responsible already for the incompetence she had shown during the last battle. Yet seeing Dax on his state had made her more afraid than she already was. She clung more onto Fred, asking for help.

In response to his little sister-acting slave (but not really treated as a slave), Fred gave Dax a strong glare with a “What do you think you are doing to my little sister” message.

Being aware of his own fault, Dax tried to hide his mixed emotions as much as he could.

Fred’s tutor who was riding in front of the carriage besides the guard driver was aware of the situation inside. Before the carriage started moving, she warned the three of them, especially Dax with regards to the current situation at the palace.

The elites among the civilians within their convoy that chose to stay within the ‘Militum Faction’ have been all over the places panicking after knowing the state of their leader’s wellbeing. It had been like that during the situation at the Gargantua Forest too. It seems that the people following Mae are absolute followers. They are the types of people who loses everything if they lose their leader. This would only mean that the contrary could be said with Irish Dux’s followers. They could do anything they want to do even if they lose Irish. They were far too free and liberated.

Being told that put everyone to an even heavier atmosphere. The mood inside the carriage never did any better. Perhaps that was the right decision. Fred’s tutor / now adviser too, chose tell them straight right away. The three of them better be prepared to see than cling on to false hopes which will not do any better when they arrive at the place where Mae was being treated.

“Come on Dax, we’ve apologized on our end already. Us two here really hoped for the best on Mae’s recovery. You might want to put a little more trust on her.”

“I’m sorry if I’ve caused a misunderstanding. In fact I’ve wanted to thank Morgianna for doing her best. But I don’t know how. I’m just really out of the right way of thinking right now due to what happened. I’m sorry for that too.”

“We can only pray for her full recovery.”

Not much time after that and the carriage arrived at the Demon Palace.

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The guards opened the huge doors of the castle to make way for the VIPs, including Fred the Maou himself. Dax had been welcomed by the remaining followers of the ‘Militum Faction’. But instead of a warm welcome. Questions have barraged him due to the incident that happened hile he was gone.

“Where have you been?”

“What have you found out with the Maou at the ancient ruins?”

“What have you been doing all this time while Princess Militum had been in danger?”

“How irresponsible of a Patron could you be?”

These questions were half-meant and half-due-to-the-situation. It was like a press-con or ambush interview where the primary point of interest could not answer any of the questions being asked in front of him. A part of him wanted to answer but a question answered will branch out to another set of questions. Everything will be endless if he paid them attention.

“Now now everyone, Lord Dax have been exhausted from a long journey. All of your concerns should be addressed after he takes a rest. But first thing’s first, we will need to visit Lady Mae’s room.”

“Preposterous. How could you even try to see Lady Mae after all the time you were not with us?” –An elite said behing the background, who knows who?

Everybody went silent. The main hall was filled with an awkwardness. The elite had a point. Most of them could not put their full trust with Dax, the Patron yet. He had yet to establish the trust which Mae Militum had. But it should not be something to be said at that situation and must have been kept on his own.

Fred was the one to break the silence. It was his castle after all.

“If any of you could’ve said that, I guess you lot could’ve taken a better course of action to prevent what happened. Yet, you still chose to cower in fear while those who chose to remain silent battled the opposing force.”

Fred had been offended too. Looking at Morgianna’s state, anyone with an affinity with magic could’ve helped at the skirmish. It could’ve changed the outcome of the battle too. But everyone who are not assigned as a guard chose not to. They let only those ordered to guard them drive the opponents away. As a result, Morgianna had to sacrifice her left arm. It was a great loss, and no technology yet, nor magic could restore a part of a living individual’s body, nor replace it with an artificial one. It was yet to be discovered a few more decades in the near future.

Morgianna had been cowering behind Fred. She must’ve been ashamed to show herself from the ones she have failed to protect.

But could anyone really say Morgianna had failed to protect them?

Without any more argument went after Fred’s statement, the four of them, led by Fred’s Tutor / Adviser went to the room Mae Militum is being confined.

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