Chapter 18: The Political Game
When I had a conversation with Juniper after I read some of her articles about the Viardellons, I always knew that something was wrong. Alam ko sa sarili ko na hindi papayag ang mga Viardellon na may mabasang mga ganoong klase ng balita tungkol sa kanila. Pumasok na rin sa isip ko na posibleng isa nga sa Viardellon pero nang sabihin ni Juniper na galing na siya sa Avalon, pero bakit hanggang ngayon ay narito pa siya?
There's no way that any Viardellon would let her go once he felt that Juniper is...
"I don't understand."
Kreios shrugged his shoulders again. He already had an idea, and he was using it to his advantage, but why wasn't the Viardellons moving yet to have her? Bakit siya pinakawalan?
Did Kreios do something?
Kumuha muli siya ng aklat at sinimulan niya iyong buklatin kahit hindi niya naman binabasa.
I never thought he'd be cunning enough to directly attack the Viardellons, and these attacks would only increase his popularity with the success of Ancient Quillper and its high income. And what's more? Despite all those articles, the Viardellons weren't fighting back.
Bigla kong naalala ang mga unang inilabas ng Ancient Quillper— for me, but for his real targets: the Sartorias and Deltora. He was hitting two birds with one stone.
Napatulala na ako kay Kreios habang unti-unting pumapasok sa isip ko ang mga ginawa niya nitong mga nakaraang buwan na akala ko ay parte lang mga pagseselos niya.
When I first saw him after entering this empire, he was that king—the one he tried to depict in this world: the uninterested, lazy king sitting on his throne, yawning, looking bored and disinterested in everything around him—the foolish, idiotic one who only acquired the throne because of his sister. That was his image—his mask.
Hindi na agad ako makapagsalita.
"No. I will not agree, Your Majesty. I just want to write here. I don't want to be your consort or some sort of chess piece in this political game. I don't want to get involved with the story."
My brows creased with Juniper's words. "Story?"
Kreios shrugged his shoulders again.
Mas lalo na akong naiinis sa pagkibit balikat niyang iyan na parang wala kami sa seryosong usapan.
"She is always like that. Telling me that we could be inside a story, she's an outsider and she might ruin the flow of the story if she gets involved."
"What?"
Lumingon na ako kay Juniper. "No. Juniper this is a real world. Some creatures can travel from your world to this world. You're aware of it."
She sighed, "Maybe? Or I am still in a long dream. Actually, ito iyong nauuso ngayon sa mundo ko. I was hit by the truck. Namatay ako sa kaka-overtime ko, sobrang pagod at hindi ko na napansin na may babangga na pala sa akin."
"We're aware of the human world, Juniper. I even tried to visit it. You're not inside a story." Paglilinaw ko.
"See? She's talented but sometimes that's how her brain works. She's still in denial of this world."
Napalingon ako kay Kreios.
"Do not convince me," umiiling na sabi ni Juniper. "I don't want to play a major role, not even a sacrificial lamb who can't even fight. Mamamatay lang din naman ako, mag-o-overtime na lang ako. Bahala na kayong magpatayan diyan, huwag na ninyo akong idamay. Magta-trabaho na lang ako nang marangal."
