As Everly avoided stepping on the lines and hopped from a brick to another she suddenly realized something.
' where am I? '
Not long ago she was standing next to her brother who was having fun bullying an imperial prince, when her brain uselessly challenged her to walk without touching some stupid brick lines. However, at the moment she was lost somewhere that looks like the yard of a fancy inn or something.
" YOU THINK I WOULD LEAVE HIM WITH HORNY BEASTS LIKE YOU!!!! "
Hearing the shouts of a woman, Everly followed the source of the voice to find two groups of people having a serious argument with a familiar face standing in between them.
" HE IS A MAN! AND MEN SHOULD STAY IN THEIR OWN DORMS!!! "
" YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE HIM YOUR DAMN MAID!!!! "
" AND YOU JUST WANT TO MAKE HIM YOUR FUCKING PET!!!! "
" g, guys, Come on. Let's calm down, don't yell "
Kai Montfort, a member of Everly's {carry me} collection, watered his heart with tears and hopelessly tried to separate the group of women and men away from each. However, things got even more messed up when both sides started forcefully pulling him.
" LET GO YOU ASSHOLE!! HE IS COMING TO THE FEMALES DORM !! "
" BITCH!! YOU LET GO! LIKE HELL I WILL ALLOW THAT!!! "
Seeing Kai being tortured by some scary adults, Everly hesitated at first, but then quickly dashed between the two groups and clung to Kai's slim waist. With a tear hanging at the corner of her eyes, Everly exclaimed broken heartedly.
"NO!! Don't bully pretty Kai!! "
Silence.....
While everyone was busy being struck by lightning from a clear sky, Kai was the only one who acted normal. Although he was a bit startled at first, Kai delightedly held Everly up with a bright smile on his face.
"Milady!! It's been a while, What are you doing here? "
" I came with brother Ba, but got lost "
" oow~ want me to take back to the general? "
Although not many knew about it, Kai heard from Oliver who heard from Lennox that Everly was actually Bernard's sister, not the Emperor's daughter.
With puffed cheeks, Everly nodded slowly a couple of times before resting her head on Kai's chest.
" Alright, let's go "
.
.
.
A few minutes later.
Gasp!!
" an angel!!!"
"NO, A GODDESS "
" What the heck was that funny fluffy thing?!!!!"
" Is it even legal to look like that!!! "
Chaos has hit the imperial knights.
*****
" This is way too unfair "
It was a little past midnight, the imperial knights' practice field that is usually empty at this time, now has few people in it.
" what's so unfair? You deserve this "
" then why I am the only one getting punished?!!! what about the dumbass Everly?!!!!"
Facing the small desk in the middle of the training ground, Lennox knelt on both knees holding three heavy metal bars.
" well, I would never punish my baby girl for such a trivial mistake. Plus, this is your father, the Emperor's command, I have no saying in it"
" oh yeah? Then why do you look like you are over the moon about it?"
Indeed, Bernard has been overjoyed from the moment he received the order to supervise Lennox's punishment. The man really wanted to beat some manners into this rude sly brat, but how would he do that? Lennox wasn't just any imperial member, he was the crown prince, the future Emperor, he can't randomly beat the living daylight out of him.
Above all, Jennings plays the biggest obstacle between Bernard's fist and Lennox. He is too overprotective when it comes to his children, he would panic over the slightest scratch. That's why, even though Lennox did all the impossible crap, he rarely ever gets punished.
the boy got a supreme dad there.
" am I? Not at all, your highness must be delusional"
Seeing Bernard's wide mockery grin, veins popped on Lennoxs' forehead. He was debating whether a finger or an eye would satisfy him, when Bernard started talking business.
" excuse my rudeness your highness but..."
' if you know that you are about to talk shit, THEN SHUT YOUR TRAP!! '
" Are you perhaps using my baby girl to keep me in check? If so, then I would like to tell you that such acts will only bring backfired results "
Bernard had a question floating on his head whenever Everly would start blabbing about the crown prince and how they went to beat people and stir troubles frequently.
Why would the emotionless tyrant suddenly have interest in a nameless cutie-pie?
" Wow! what a classless act. Believe me or not, I had no such intention "
" then why would a busy person like your highness be entertaining a little kid? "
In exchange for Bernard's serious expression, Lennox faced him with a flawless mockery smirk that was squeezed despite his trembling arms that were suffering from carrying those heavy bars.
" You see, I am a kid too. Thanks to my special condition, my social interactions with fellows my age were lacking. However, I have found someone who can match my pace so I took her in, nothing more, nothing less"
' ah.....was it because of his shitty personality that I have ignored the reality? '
From Bernard's view, Lennox was more of an unfortunate creature than a monstrous devil as others think. He has heard from Jennings what Lennox been through when he was born, aside from the immense pain and physical struggles, Lennox had always been alone.
Not to mention how servants and outsiders avoided him, both Lennox's birth mother and sibling loathed the idea of him being part of the family. If anyone was to count the people who actually cared about him, then one hand would be more than enough to join them all.
' and then there is that assistant, I don't even know his name but he kinda sus '
As Bernard created this dramatic bullshit in his head, Lennox's legs started to hurt from kneeling for an hour. Through that time, Bernard brought some paperwork that has been pilling ever since he left the Empire, to pass the time.
' oddly there isn't much to do.....was it the Emperor who took care of them? but he is already busy enough. humm '
Bernard was trying to figure a few things in his mind when he suddenly realized something. The biggest source of information in this Entire empire if not the continent was kneeling right in front of him.
' I must be some dumb-bitch for not thinking about this before '
.
.
.
" There were some money embezzlement attempts against the Empire's treasury, around three months ago, who was it? "
" count Zachary, with the help of one of the old man's previous assistants "
" and how does your highness know that?"
" you think I will tell you?! "
Bernard, who was effectively taking this rare opportunity to squeeze some information out of Lennox's mouth, had a mockery smile that annoyed Lennox. Bernard gestured to the knight standing by his side.
" add another one "
The knight carried his general's order and added another metal bar to the ones Lennox was already carrying. Watering his heart with tears, the knight internally whined ' your highness!! Please don't kill me later! '
" I will get back at you general, just wait "
Lennox glared at Bernard as his hand shook when the sixth metal bar was added. Bernard was yet to answer when a soft voice called for him.
" good evening, general. I hope you have been in great health "
It was Kai, he slightly bowed towards Bernard, carrying the sleepy Everly on his arms.
" hm, good evening Montfort. I see my baby girl has taken a liking to you "
Kai opened his mouth to respond but no words came out as he finally realized that the dude sitting on the ground carrying some heavy bars was their very much crown prince. Ignoring the panicked Kai, Bernard directed his words to the drowsy Everly.
< little Heaven, I know you like those with pretty faces, but please don't just climb on strangers. Not everyone is nice like Montfort >
Although Bernard subconsciously talked in his motherland language, no one noticed since all of them were either internally crying or panicking except for Lennox who exclaimed in disbelief.
< DID YOU JUST CALL HER HEAVEN?!!!!! >
Seeing Bernard wearing an astonished face while keeping his silence, Lennox continued to express his disappointment.
< HOLY FUCK!!! (EVERLY) STANDS FOR HEAVEN?!!! THIS IS THE CHEESIEST NAME I HAVE EVER HEARD!!! DON'T YOU CRINGE WHEN CALLING HER LIKE THAT!! Bugh! So embarrassing, imma better call her Maitea from now on >
< how?!!!.....>
How could a human child speak the language of the upper regions?
The human world isn't an actual realm, but a place where demonic-energy and mana flows are the lowest, such place is called the Void.
Above it comes the upper regions, seven realms where mana type creatures live, with the divine region at the highest realm, right under the heavens. Going down the Void comes the seven Gates Of Hell, which are realms where demonic-energy type creatures live.
In other words, the human realm is more like a border between the worlds of two opposite life-forms.
After the black snow incident, human realm lost its only connection with the two other worlds. Although many beings were trapped in the Void, few of them were able to speak the original upper region's language, and they probably had died by now.
' master was the last one...'
With his master's guidance (beatings), Bernard and his siblings were assigned (forced) to take the responsibility of preserving the upper regions' ethos for the nonhumans to understand how their homeland was. One of this ethos was of course, the untarnished language of the upper regions.
Back to the real question, why does Lennox know a language that is not even from his world? Well, obviously because he has been to where that language came from.
" how do I know her name? Clearly, Ev- Maitea told me"
" eh?"
Although Bernard's question remained unanswered, what Lennox said still drew his attention.
" she told me about Saka town, your master and many many details. She kept blabbing about everything to the point that I felt bad for getting all this information for free"
Hearing what Lennox said, Bernard immediately turned at Everly who was no more sleepy and was laughing awkwardly.
" ah-ha-ha? We were just chatting"
"...."
Kai, who had no idea what was going on with these people, debated whether to ask or not. But then he decided to just pretend to be empty air.