[Fiore's Castle - Infirmary]
"What the heck happened?!" Mary asked anxiously when she saw the two - Beck, who was still unconscious, and Damian, who was awake, but in a bad shape.
"Shh." Lavi shushed her, "Emily's not here, right? We don't want her to see this."
"Yeah, oops." Mary replied as she covered her mouth. "I'll call the queen, you two, get them inside."
Just before she go, Damian suggested, "You should get the queen to treat the fire demo-- I mean, Beck first. I should be able to hold up for a little while." Just as he said that, he began to cough out black blood once again.
Wow, real convincing.
She grimaced at the state that his was but she did when with his suggestion. She gave him a nod and left rushingly.
Both Ben and Lavi did what they were told, leaving the two guys with the other medics and went over to meet with Anna and Yukiko.
*****
"So, Emily is safe I presume?" Lavi asked as he lifted his arms to stretch a little.
"...Yeah, she is. Jai is keeping her busy." Anna replied as calm as always.
"Ah, I see." He then turned to look at Ben, who had been unusually quiet. Swinging his arm over his friend's neck, he comforted, "Relax Ben, Beck is going to be alright. Let's be honest, if he's dea-- I mean, not alright. This place would be destroyed long ago, no?"
It took a few seconds for his words to sink in, but he did understand where Lavi was coming from. grateful for his gesture, he let out a laugh and asked, "By any chance, you think I'm... worried?"
"Well, aren't you?"
He was, but he did not want to show it. He hated when people see him at his weakest.
Despite all the killings he did in Phantom, he still had a couple of weak spots.
"Not really. I'm just thinking about what should I do to the culprit of all this."
"Sure." Yukiko replied sarcastically, "Of course. After all you were just a heartless maniac."
"Hey, you're the one to talk, Miss assassin." Ben shot back with a forced grin.
"Don't you dare call me that." She warned with a hint of anger, glaring at him as if he be in trouble if he said some more.
"Hey, I was joking." Ben apologised as he raised his hands as if to surrender.
"Yeah, you better be." She snarled before stomping off.
"Hey, you pissed her off again." Lavi stated, "You know that's a taboo subject, right?"
Sighing to himself, he dropped his head in his hand, "Yeah, it just slipped out."
"You can't call her an assassin anymore though. She had left her family long ago." Lavi reminded in a much serious tone, but he did also killed the tension just when his stomach rumbled, "Man, I'm hungry. Anna, did you prepare anything?"
"No, but I can do it now." She answered calmly.
"Yeah, that will be great! I'll follow you to the kitchen then." He cheered with a huge smile spread across his face as he skipped behind Anna.
However, he did come to a halt, when he remembered that Ben has not eaten anything since morning. So, turning his head around, he asked, "I'll come back after I get some food. Oh yeah, do you want anything?"
"No, I'm good." Ben replied with a plastered smile, which Lavi noted and went with Anna.
Honestly, how can he eat normally when his brother is on the verge of death?
There is just no way.
*****
[Fiore's castle, studyroom]
"So I just need to write a 'thank you' letter to them?" Emily asked as she picked up an unusual looking instrument from a family, who she was unfamiliar with.
"Yes, just that will be fine." Jai smiled as he stood right next to her.
"Wait, what was the name of this family again?" She asked once more.
"The Brooks family."
"Thanks." She then picked up the quill that was already dipped in ink and started writing. After struggling for twenty minutes or so, she was finally done. Her words were not perfect, but she had improved since the first time she used a quill.
She stretched herself, so as to prepare for the next one. Just then, she turned and looked at Jai who stood right next to her all these time, "Hey, you can sit down, you know?"
"It's fine, I'm used to it. Besides, it's my duty to watch over you."
Afterwards, he grabbed a fresh piece of paper and placed on her desk, "This is next one is from the Scarlet family, the--"
Upon hearing the name of that, her heart just sank. "S-Scar...let family."
"What's wrong, Emily?" Jai asked with concern, "Are you alright?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." She stuttered as she tried to composed herself. However, she could not help that her mind was running wild. "I saw this family in Damian's book, is this a coincidence? Or something else...?"
"Is this an assassin family?" She questioned, but her mind already know what answer she hope for. "Please say no. Please say no. Please say no..."
"Yes, it is."
"Shit."
She shook her head her head and took a deep breath, "Relax Emily, it's just a coincidence. Yeah, that must be it. Don't overthink it."
"Emily? Are you sure you're alright?" Jai tilted his head slightly to take a look at Emily who had her eyes clamped shut.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She lied. "Jai, when will Yukiko be back?" She asked suddenly, in attempt to shift her mind away from her paranoia.
"Yukiko? She's probably back by now. Why did you asked?"
"Nothing much, I just wanted to train with her more often." She explained.
"You don't have to do that, you're the princess. You should be the one protected, not the one protecting. Besides, your arm haven't fully healed yet. Training with that arm, wouldn't be a wise idea."
She raised an eyebrow and doubted, "Really? But I'm sure you guys will still train even if you have an arm like mine."
"Well..." He considered for a while and realised what she was trying to say, "We would, but that's because we are different from you."
"Different? I see no differences. Look, I just want to be strong enough to protect my friends like you guys. Yesterday, when both Hailey and myself got in some trouble with those thugs, we almost died. If Damian did not show up, the two of us wouldn't be alive right now. If that even happen, it will be my fault for being weak and honestly, I will be mad. Not because of letting myself die, it doesn't matter if I die, but I just won't forgive myself for letting Hailey die."
"...And Hailey won't forgive herself for letting you die." Jai added on with a hint of sadness in his tone, "Don't take your life lightly, princess. I'm sure we will be sad if that happens. So, don't let that happen, alright?"
She need blinked for a couple times to process what he said. She never thought she would hear that from someone else other that Hailey, Damian or Patricia. Because of that, she could not help, but feel a sense of happiness, knowing that someone have treated her as someone of importance.
"...Got it."