Steel Eyed Faker

Chapter 14: Save the Evil

Beta read by Shigiya and Paragon of Awesomeness

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-The Capital-

(Two Years Earlier)

It was happening. The reality he’d been fearing would one day come had arrived, and done so much earlier than he anticipated. It was not a mystery, nor an unforeseeable chain of events that came out of nowhere, for the signs were there from the beginning. It was the very reason he always kept a knife on hand and regularly  sure both Najenda and her father did the same, at least before the latter became bedridden and now dead. This coupled with the state of affairs of the Empire and the shift within the royal court’s perspective of their house was plain to see long before this day. 

In other words, they were no longer welcome in the Capital, and with Nagumo’s death, they had perhaps just a few weeks — possibly only days — before they would all be declared traitors before being rounded up and executed by Honest. 

Even so…

“You are taking a major risk.” He had to raise this question once more. Not because he was hoping she would change her mind, but rather to see whether or not the girl was truly ready for this. Both siblings were at the stables, the eldest preparing her horse and the youngest standing in the corner with his arms crossed over his chest. The atmosphere was different on this particular day, no sign of calm or nonchalance was to be found. Things were tense, with not even a single sound coming from outside the stable and the entire manor being empty.

"This is not just a small operation you are planning. We are talking about moving hundreds if not thousands of troops outside the Capital. Someone will find out and they will do their best to stop us before we can make our way to the edge of the capital. They’ll never just stand back and allow this many soldiers to just desert, much less defect to the Revolutionaries." There were plenty of loyal soldiers who’d served Najenda and her father for years and were willing to sacrifice themselves, but this situation did not require them to go that far. They’d do plenty to show their loyalty by just staying quiet and keeping their mouths shut.

Najenda’s hands came to a halt as she was in the middle of patting her horse, staring at him with an unreadable expression. 

Then she smirked. "You worry too much, I’ve already had this planned out with Father for quite a while. The route we will take has a good chance of keeping us hidden long enough. Those old roads leading to the outside have barely been used by anyone for years, and the only soldiers who are supposed to ever patrol that area are men who answer to me. I doubt the news will be reaching Honest anytime soon, so instead worry more about yourself and get ready. You are supposed to be the main guide, after all. " 

It wasn’t exactly a role he’d jumped to volunteer for, but in the end, he took up the task of guiding the troops to a safer area with Najenda guarding the rear against any possible attacks. Regardless, he did not like this plan one bit. 

"One wrong move and we'll have the entire Capital's army breathing down our necks. And Honest…" He paused, his jaw tightening. "That jovial act he puts on? Don't let it fool you. Behind that facade is nothing but a monster who'd do anything for power." The Prime Minister's public persona — the witty, carefree politician — was just that: an act. Like father like son, both were ruthless to their core. It wasn't lost on anyone how convenient the deaths of the young Emperor's parents had been for Honest's swift rise to power, though such whispers never dared rise above hushed tones within the Capital's walls.

"I do understand what we are trying to accomplish here can be seen as suicide. But if we remain here then we'll end up dying nonetheless. Especially you. Syura has already posted a standing bounty on you, and you can’t even retaliate since the little shit went into hiding right after that night.”