Her Blade

HB 06

"Of course, I'm joking with you! As if you'll throw away your oath and loyalty, right?" He laughed. I smiled awkwardly and asked, "Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Tumawa naman ito at umayos ng upo sa study table ni Gedion. "You're already asking, pero ano ba 'yang gusto mong itanong?"

"What do you want from the Einarian Empire?"

"Oh. Hindi mo pala alam 'yan. Well, simple lang naman ang gusto namin. That is for the white mana stone to return to its respective owner, which is the Aphelian Empire's imperial family. Matagal na kasing hinahanap ang batong iyon, and unlucky the Einarian found and claimed it as their own."

No one ever mentioned that to me, including Kristov. I wonder if alam niya rin ang tungkol dito kasi halatang hindi niya ginusto na magkaroon ng gera. "We didn't mean to wage war, but your empire holds the most important imperial treasure of the Aphelian," he explained. "Bakit 'to nawala kung ganong kaimportante pala iyon sa inyo?"

"The most loyal knight of Aphelian who's guarding the imperial treasure at that moment committed treason by selling it off. Matapos no'n ay kung saan-saan na namin ito pinaghahahanap ngunit wala talaga kaming pagkakitaan. Until one day, the rumor about a stone from Einarian reached us. We secretly held a thorough investigation and turns out that it is the stone we've been looking for all these years."

"I understand," I muttered after he explained it all to me. "But in that war, we healed everyone we could ever heal. If ever a loved one of yours died, I'm deeply sorry," he sincerely apologized.

Looking at the two crown princes of both empires, masasabi kong magiging maganda ang relasyon ng dalawa kung magkakasundo ang dalawang imperyo. They both have a heart for their people.

"Okay, change topic. Why wouldn't you come with Ryl and have a tour of his duchy?" He offered, but I immediately refused. I'm still uncomfortable around him. "You seem to be distant from Ryl, did something happen?" I shook my head, "Nothing happened, Your Highness. Thank you for showing your hospitality towards a hostage."

He chuckled, "That sounds a little bit off, don't you think? Treat yourself as the Duke's guest. I kinda took a liking of you. I look forward on seeing you visit the imperial palace with Ryl." Kumuha ito ng scroll mula sa kanyang bulsa at kumaway sa amin, "Before I forgot, please do introduce yourself using your real name to any nobles." Matapos n'on ay tuluyan na nga siyang naglaho.

Teleportation Scrolls.

Narinig kong umubo si Gedion sanhi para mapatingin ako rito. "May gusto ka bang puntahan o gawin?" tanong nito sa 'kin. "Wala. Thanks for asking, Your Grace." I bowed down and looked away once again. "Mind if I tour you around the duchy?" He offered once again and still turned him down, "Aren't you busy after coming back from the war? You can do that first. There's no need for you to waste your time on me."

"I see. Please do ask the servants for assistance if you need anything." Tuluyan na itong umalis sa silid at iniwan na lamang akong mag-isa. My ties around my wrist suddenly loosened dahilan para malaya ko na itong maigalaw.

His presence infuriates me. This feeling wasn't here before, but his existence now pierces me to the brim of my patience. I don't like how he sharpens his tongue. Hindi maganda ang pagkakatabas, o hindi kaya'y iba talaga ang pag-uugali ng mga taga-rito kumpara sa Einarian. At least sa amin, hari lang ang basura. Dito, ang tao naman.