V2 Chapter 93

According to the paper, Ezra Redhawk had already prepared everything for his arrival; identity, settlement, valuable information and many more. It seems like she was even more thorough than he had expected. Cian nodded his head. She did well. Though, it's not like Cian would go there immediately.

This one-month journey would just be something akin to a trip, with no apparent destination.

Even still, he might need them in the future. Let her be then...

Ezra Redhawk, the youngest Sword Saint of Humanity. Although there was an ambiguous relationship between them Cian actually didn’t pass through the critical point yet with her. It’s not because he didn’t like her but because, at this moment, Ezra Redhawk was completely different from the people on his side.

Unlike his people, there was no slave bug or enslavement curse placed on her, and so he didn’t have a clear connection with her. Only a mutual agreement, which Ezra Redhawk thought she was helping Cian for the betterment of the world—co-existence and the war-free world she desired.

Well, if Cian managed to subdue everything, it’s not as if what she desires wouldn’t come true at all. Just a bit different than what she was expecting.

As for why Cian didn’t place any enslavement curse on her, was because Ezra Redhawk is much more useful if she was completely allying herself on him and was doing it independently. It was a gamble in Cian’s part. A reckless gamble.

However, Cian was not the least bit worried she would go against him. He had already placed a ‘curse’ on her.

A very different curse that can never be a disadvantage for him as long as he plays his card right.

Many people say that many men died for love, but doesn’t it go also for women?

In fact, women have a large tendency to die for their own belief and love, whether it was a romantic one or not as they easily become silly because of it. Juliet Capulet, of Romeo and Juliet, Queen Boudicca for her motherland, Florence Nightingale for her belief and many more women in the long history of Earth had given up their life for something they wanted and believed.

Although he felt he was a scumbag for taking advantage of her affection but that doesn’t matter. What matters for Cian was the outcome. As long as she was happy, why bother caring about any guilt…?

Furthermore, it’s not like his affection for her is not genuine either. The moment all of this ended, Cian was prepared to take her in as well. Just that, at this moment, what he needed was a realistic approach for everything… especially on his relationship.

Of course, if fate thinks otherwise, then Cian can only accept.

... But that is for the future.

Cian never likes to worry about something called 'the future' which was still far away from the present.

What he needed to face right now, is the thing that is right in front of him…

Let the future be dealt with by the future me...!

"This picture is?" Cian took out a drawn portrait from the papers in his hand as he felt the face looked familiar.

Drawn in an artistic sketch was a woman who has a mouth slightly large, and nose upturned.

She could be anywhere from twenty to thirty of age, possessing small and delicate features. And her eyes peer out through a wild tangle of hair like those of a cornered animal. Defiant and intense, but seemed to be skittering around looking for an escape at the same time.

Pretty in a flawed, accessible way. Comparing to other women in her age, she was the type of those that don’t stop the party when she walks in like Sibylla or his Sister Oriel, but you’d still like to get to know her.

Hm? Wait...

Suddenly recalled that he saw this person one time at the Imperial Capital—her name should be…

“Hakalava Sohor,” Decimo answered Cian’s question.

Hakalava Sohor…?

Cian frowned. If he was not mistaken, her name should be Hakalava Foredite, one of his mother’s servants. Is it a coincidence?

“Tell me about her,”

“Hakalava Sohor, adopted daughter of the Sohor Family of Haaravar Empire. One of the hailed students of the Central Noble Academy—a large Academy that serve the five Great Kingdoms, located at the Central Hope Valley. She graduated there and work as an Imperial Guard for the Haaravar Empire; well-known to be swift, smart, master of magic, she was promoted after two battles, both victory and became a Captain well-known as the {Iron Swallow}."

"Starting there, she walks up into the upper hierarchy in just short three years, with only two losses among eight battles she commanded. Right now, she is working as one of the three Vice Commander of the Haaravar Military force, the Vice Commander of the Frost Riders.”

The Vice-Commander?

Just a look alike?

Or did mother plant a rat on the Haaravar Empire…?

Wait, if she really is what I think she was then, how did she do it? How did she manage to fool everyone and pose as a human…? This is impossible…

Am I overthinking things…?

“…Master, this woman is deemed dangerous by the Knight. According to the report, she would be leading an army through the Icicle Forest and will stop to make camp at the Valley of Frost Bears to take back the trading City that her highness managed to steal. Should we…”

“No, let her be.” Cian cut her off as the papers in his hand burned.

In just a few seconds, it turned into ashes, carried by the wind.

This picture is dangerous...

“But master, this woman might pose a problem to master. This could be a good opportu—”

“Do I make myself clear, Decimo?” Cian narrowed his gaze and stared at Decimo coldly.

Decimo shivered and hurriedly shut her mouth, “I’m sorry, master... I understand,” she muttered with a pale expression.

She suddenly felt a while ago that if she said something wrong, her head will fall off from her neck.

That image of death she just had was too vivid, her body felt cold.

Biting her lips, and calming her madly beating heart, she looked at Cian in deep thought and waited for his order.

Cian averted his eyes and turned back, walking towards the training dummy. “As for Elder Sister, send her a note of the upcoming enemies and give her a warning…just like the usual, anonymously. Make sure she would be the one to receive it. She would decide what to do next. As for this Hakalava Sohor… for now, don’t make any aggressive movements and just stare at her quietly. Everything about her, from the sole of her feet to every strand of her hair, digs it up and gives it to me… as soon as possible.”

“As you wish, master…” Decimo nodded her head.

“Ah,” As she was about to leave, Cian suddenly called out again. “... Give this task to Terzo,”

“Yes?” Decimo turned confused.

Cian looks at her, “Drop it and go to your new mission. I need you to keep an eye on an idiot who seemed to have forgotten to tuck its tail properly. Loren Vortan. You don’t need to ‘solve’ him now, just keep an eye on him and report back if you find anything. Although I don’t like dealing with fools, they are still troublesome. Who knows what they are up to. They are nothing but lunatics, unpredictable and messy. Clear?”

“Yes, master!” Decimo sigh in relief after hearing Cian’s words. She thought she messed up and was dismissed in her mission. Thank god, it’s not that.

When Decimo disappeared, Cian’s brows furrowed. Hakala Sohor. Was this Mother’s plan…?

Is Mother planning something…?

… …

In a certain room inside the Winter Palace.

Within the large room, one could see a mountain of paper piled up at the top of a table in a round-conference style room.

The documents were piled up high in a heap, all but overflowing from a large desk that can seem to fit two grown men lying down. That was not all. Looking around there were several bureaucrats on other long tables fighting hard before similar bundles of paper. However, it was actually quite heated than a normal debate. It’s all about the topic of the captured human trading city and as to what it would become.

It was too close to the human kingdom’s border and so the security for it was extremely unstable at the moment.

After a few hours of not agreeing in the same matter, the figure behind the mountain of paper frowned and couldn’t help but heave a sigh.

It was none other than Oriel Heretarium Vorn Stormfury, the first princess of the Dreadstorm Empire.

“Let’s talk about this later,” with that said, Oriel, tired and exhausted by their fighting and arguing chased all the people out of the room.

The City and Military Officials battling with each other were not uncommon occurrences but whenever it happened, it was always annoying—Oriel couldn’t help but thought as she massaged her temple.

She was feeling already unwell about these matters, wishing for all of this nonsense to stop, especially the war, but that is something completely impossible unless one side surrenders, or be annihilated.

If they didn’t want to be routed out, then they can only fight and stand for hegemony. If the latter happens, then it would be despair not only for her but also for the people she vowed to protect and loved. That is something she couldn’t let to happen. So here she is, fighting till the brink of exhaustion even she didn’t like it.

She sighs.

Though, this troublesome matter is not the reason why she was feeling sick all of a sudden.

There is one more—an extremely terrible inevitable that she didn’t want to happen but just couldn’t stop it unless she was prepared to break off all the efforts she had made to reach this over-the-cloud relationship that she had longed for a very long time.

Thinking about it crumbling like a sandcastle was like a knife cutting her heart. Much worse is that, that person might end up hating her, which to her, was the worst possible nightmare in the entire world. Therefore, she couldn’t refuse nor object. She could only clench her fist, grit her teeth and let him do what he wanted.

But that is also what’s eating her right at this very moment.

Even though, he has yet to depart, the future without him, unable to touch him, unable to see him… was a nightmare she wanted to wake up as soon as possible.

That’s right.

His beloved little brother that she treasured so much was planning on leaving home. Though, only for a month or so, as he would return for the gathering in the Imperial Capital but a month of not seeing him was like a year of not being with him…suffocating.

He had asked this to her for a very long time already, however, she still managed to postpone it…up until now that is.

This time, she couldn’t do so again.

Is this what mother felt when Aanuel left that time…?

Oriel grasped her aching chest with her hand, and her eyes wavered. She almost felt suffocated, her breath turned ragged and she almost panted. Oriel shook her head. Even if she wanted to stop him and keep him to herself forever, what can she do…?

It’s just a month… let him play as much as he wants.

She brainwashed her mind with such optimism.

Worrying about such things, Oriel closed the door of the room and walked towards the closet wanting to change a new pair of clothes.

Normally, with someone in her status, they would wait for the servants and let them dress her. However, Oriel was different. She was not incapable, or that’s what she says and changes her clothes herself. Of course, with exception when one goes into a formal gathering or a banquet, where she would let other people change her clothes and arrange her appearance and make-up.

She walked towards the table where a basin of warm water was already prepared—then, quickly she took off her outerwear, then taking a towel to wipe off the areas that were drenched in sweat and dirt, she felt much more comfortable.

She always likes to be clean and neat, it makes her feeling refreshed and comfortable. Then, suddenly she noticed a red symbol on her belly, just at the top of her bellybutton.

With a towel, she caressed it gently, a faint smile appearing on her face.

This was a type of sealing magic—they call it Contraception Magic. With this seal on, it can prevent conception after sexual intercourse, making it safer. It has no side effects actually and can be erased whenever she wanted. But she couldn’t.

God knows how much she wanted to do it. To bear a baby, a child of his. A materialization of their union, of their love...how wonderful it would be...?

However, the present circumstances don’t allow it.

When all of this is over… Oriel caressed her flat and somewhat muscle-toned belly with a faint smile, imagining the great future she would have with him by his side as well as their child. Suddenly, as she was imagining the future she would have with her most beloved person, there was an unusual smell that hanged in the air.

Her eyebrows jumped and her expression turned cold. With her magic power ready to burst in a moment’s notice, “Who’s there?!” she turned around and cried out.

Then, she’s was petrified.

She saw Aanuel with his hands inserted in the pocket of his trousers, his slender legs folded as he sat at the edge of the conference table, staring at her with a pair of lazy eyes which contain a hint of teasing.

As usual, he was wearing a casual expression on his face, his leisurely appearance made one think he was on a holiday.

Why can't she feel his presence at all? How strong is his stealth capability?

After being shocked for two seconds, Oriel’s expression softened but her brows are still knitted together. While covering her chest with her clothes, she raised the corner of her eyebrow and questioned him.

“You, what are you doing here?” She slightly blushed, even though she was already used to Aanuel savoring her naked body with his eyes. After all, it’s a bit embarrassing being seen by her lover in her underwear.

“Room inspection.” he grinned.

Please! When would a Prince need to inspect a woman’s room personally? Although this was commonly used as a conference room by the Council, in fact, this was regarded as Oriel’s second personal room.

Since she was always buried in paperwork, she had placed most of her essentials in this room and sleep here if needed. And so, everyone knows that at this hour, it is Oriel’s personal time and cannot be disturbed, since she either sleeps or rests here.

Oriel rolled her eyes.