Chapter 35
Escape
Jenkyl’s POV
“The fourth king, The King of Clover, is none other than you, Terrence.”
Natuon ang buong atensyon namin kay Terrence na noo’y kalmadong nakaupo. He remained emotionless na parang walang epekto sa kanya ang pagkakareveal sa kanyang tunay na pagkatao. Bakit ganun? Bakit hindi niya agad sinabi?
“You probably want to know why,” nanatili lang kaming tahimik. “Seriously, it’s just simple as this..”
“..I don’t trust you.”
I could see the pain in their faces. Not trusted by someone you care so much is such an unbearable feeling.
Magsasalita na sana si Neo pero inunahan agad siya ni Terrence. “At first. Let me finish, please. I guess, it really takes time to earn someone’s trust. And you proved to me that you could be trusted. I was going to tell you anyway, after the dinner we’re having that night but then there’s this accident involving Skye so I haven’t had the chance to reveal it. Good thing I finally said it right now. And don’t worry, I don’t have any other intentions. Alam naman siguro nina Ace at Zeke ang hirap ng pagiging hari.”
Neo looked satisfied by his answer. Kung sabagay, mahirap talagang maging hari. Palagi ka na lang hahabulin ng mga dark forces para kuhain ka o kaya naman ang kapangyarihan mo. Your life would always be in danger, whenever, wherever. Kaya mahirap magtiwala.
“Kung ikaw ang King of Clover, sino ang Guardian mo?,” Ayame asked. Every king should have their own guardian to protect them. Just like Zeke and Ace with the Kagame siblings and Eros with Xander.
“I don’t have one. I walk alone. I fight alone. Mahirap, yes. But I can manage.”
Nagkaroon ulit ng katahimikan sa buong lugar. Hindi ko alam kung naaawa ba sila kay Terrence pero ako, I don’t know why but I was actually amazed. Mahirap mabuhay ng walang Guardian. You could die there unexpectedly. To think that he is still breathing right now, he must be really powerful.
“Let’s go back to our business, shall we? Mas marami pang magandang pag-usapan kesa sa buhay ko,” natatawang sabi ni Terrence. Secretary Reodica cleared her throat at inutusan ang grupo nina Neo na magreport tungkol sa misyon nila.
After Neo explained how he found out Terrence’s real identity, it was Shikuri’s turn to talk. Kanina ko pa napapansin na sa buong meeting, both Shikuri and Yuuki didn’t say even a single word. Ngayon pa lang. They looked so upset and disappointed.
“We failed,” simpleng sabi ni Shikuri. Parang tumigil ang mundo ko nang marinig ko yung sinabi niya. Mission failed? Imposible!
“We didn’t expect it to happen. I didn’t expect him to be a traitor. I’m sorry. It’s my fault,” napatakip na lang si Shikuri sa mukha niya habang niyakap naman siya ni Yuuki. I heard quiet sobs coming from her. Oh Shikuri!
“Mga onee-chan at onii-san, gomene. Hindi namin inakala na traitor si Lance-bakemono (monster). We thought everything’s going according to Shikuri’s plan pero naloko kami ni Lance. And he even force Ice-neechan to join Sirenade Empire’s forces! That stupid bastard! I hate him!,” galit na sabi ni Yuuki.
Pero anong meron kay Ice? Anong nangyari? Sino si Lance?
Pinahid na ni Shikuri ang luha niya at nagkwento. Si Lance pala ay isang prinsipe at kasama nila sa misyon. It turned out that he was brainwashed by Ayesha’s forces kaya sumama siya dito. He was a spy and helped the Sirenade Empire to steal the Dark reapers’ corpses habang isinasagawa ang pagtratransfer ng location nito. Napagalaman din niya na si Ice ay isa sa mga guardians that’s why he asked her to join them by making her choose, to marry him or to kill Yuuki and Shikuri by which at that time, nahuli sila. Ice took the first choice at ngayon nandoon sa Sirenade Kingdom.
