Claude spent the remaining afternoon with Tayne inside the church after their talk, the kids came with Tseng all a little scared because of him. The two laughed as they can see how worried Tseng was, the guy was really trying to show a happy face but with those black glasses of his, he always appears so serious.
After a few minutes of calming the children, the paints on the benches were already dry and that got them excited. They move the benches at the center of the altar and tries sitting on it, the kids love how colorful it was that they start playing 'pirates'. Claude couldn't help but chuckle watching them.
"Is this what you were doing the last time you were here?" he asked Tayne
"Yep, it's the least I could do for these kids. They've been through a lot"
The statement stuck in Claude's mind, he never really cared much about the people here but looking at those kids playing gives him a little bit of hope in this rundown town.
"Yo! Did you guys made a decision already?" Beck came knocking inside with Gus and his little brother
"Oh, you guys are here" Tayne called
"Look! It's Gus and Deck!" Layla excitedly shouts and runs forward grabbing the two's arms "C'mon join us! Deck will be the hero and Gus can be the villain?"
"E-er... Now, now, children, I'm not in the mood to ---" Gus tried to escape but when he saw Layla got a bit disappointed he couldn't resist
"Whaaaa!!! Okay! I'm the Villain!" he carries her and together with Deck they joined the other kids.
"Eh? For a big scary looking guy he's good with kids?" Asked Beck
"Layla is his adopted" Tayne explained
"Ah, I see, Now back to the topic, have you guys decided?"
"Yes, we're coming with you to Rosei" Claude answered
"Good, we'll be leaving tomorrow via airship, it's much easier"
"But how can we pass security? There are search parties everywhere not to mention if they scan our ID's"
"Don't yah worry, let me handle that problem so as for the remaining time please start preparing but I suggest you guys carry something light" he looks at Tayne "Er---I guess you should have a huge bag for your sword Tayne"
"Yeah, I understand, got it"
"Why not leave it here?" Claude asked her "We can always buy a new one if you want"
"No! I can't, it must be this sword only, I can't use any other weapon"
"O-okay"
"Then that settles, you might want to change your clothes while you guys are here especially you ex-King," said Beck
"Claude, can you just call me Claude, ex-King is a bit ---"
"Hahaha, sorry about that, Tayne and Tseng can still wear a tux if they want to it's kind of common back in Rosei, you, on the other hand, Claude..."
"What?"
"Buy something a bit formal to compliment your two guards?"
"Don't you think I'll catch attention if I do?"
"It's fine, a person with bodyguards is not new anyway, just change your hair color and eyes for a bit when your still here"
"Ah, right"
"Then it's settled let's meet back here tomorrow morning then!" Beck waves his hand as he runs out of the building.
Tayne pats Claude's shoulder "Don't worry, you can rely on him"
Claude nods.
"Okay! Hey Guuusss!!! Come over here!! We need to do a little shopping, can you show us around town!??" Tayne waves her hands calling Gus who was playing with the kids near the altar, the big guy showed them a thumbs up.
"Guess that means yes"
----
Claude came back inside Gus's room to check on his remaining belongings, he still has his tunic with all the medals attached, he might be able to sell the items since they are made of pure white gold, it must cost a lot of Mills. He was searching through its pockets and notice something was bulging inside, it was the pink box his mother gave for Tayne. The box was already destroyed and bloody but the necklace inside was still intact.
(How will this thing cost if I sell it?) He thought
He watches Tayne waiting outside with Tseng, both of them were no longer wearing their black suits, their white sleeves were turned pinkish due to the dry blood.
(Yeah, they were wounded as well)
He clasps the necklace on to his palms and puts it inside one of the pockets of his trousers. He pulls out his two guns, detached all medals, and goes down.
The market in the slums downtown wasn't that fascinating to go shopping, most probably because the majority of their items were either stolen or bought in the black market.
"It's not that pretty to look at considering the kind of place you are used to but we do have items here that you can bring on your travel"
Their first stop; the clothing store, Claude bought Tayne and Tseng new black and white suits, though it looks more downgraded compared to the palace's uniforms the two guards did not complain. As for him, Tayne was the one who chooses his clothes, it was an old red military uniform with golden buttons up to his neckline and a blue scarf around it. She paired it with a blue trouser and black boots, it wasn't his favorite color, he was so used to wearing black and silver that he can't imagine himself with colors that attracts too much.
"Er-- brat, why pick these colors, I believe it attracts too much attention"
"Nonsense, even if you're no longer King at least dress the part for some rich guy or something, we still look like bodyguards you know, and Rosei is a rich kingdom" she fixes his scarf, it wasn't too flashy to look at so Claude did not bother to comment "so we better look the part okay? If you want to become a mercenary there and with your looks, I'm sure we'll get tons of job"
"So If I don't look like this we won't get any?" Curious, Claude ask
Tayne gave him a light chuckle "I don't know"
"Hey, you two lovebirds, better get moving to the next stop!" Gus breaks their chat
Claude immediately steps back when he realized they were too close to each other.
"Ahem, right, let's go buy ourselves some weapons"
As they continued to walk wearing their new clothes, Claude got a lot of attention from the ladies. Gus and Tayne were teasing him from behind and Tseng was his usual quiet self.
They can see a huge crowd near the weapon store, the townspeople were watching the news on a huge tv screen telling about the incident last night.
*Last Night, the current King of Saveria went rogue and massacred his entire family. The previous Duke, Duke Elizar has just confirmed the King's crime for treason. For whatever reason the King did it, no one knows. Search parties are now scattered across the Kingdom in search of him*
Flashes of his picture appear on the screen and the people gathered start looking at them. That's when Claude realize he did not use any holo on his appearance while walking.
"Don't worry about them, let's get inside" Gus slaps his back
The four of them went inside the shop as the people continued to look at the screen.
"They won't tell on you, it's too much of a hassle, I'm sure of that, but just to be sure, you guys better leave tomorrow morning if you want to go out from here"
All three nods in agreement.
"Oh! Gus! Welcome! Welcome!" An old man greets them inside when he sees Claude.
"And you bought the most wanted man in the entire kingdom"
Tseng holds his gun but was blocked by Gus.
"Didn't I tell you it's fine?"
"But--"
"Hohohoho! Ferocious are we now, baldy? But, I could understand, I might get paid if I told the Rogue King is here but, I don't want that, so relax a little jeez" the old man said waving his hand for them to come closer
"Why won't you tell ?"
"Because it will backfire them" Tayne explains
"Backfire?"
"You must have forgotten where we are, Claude, isn't that the reason you got mad at me because I came here without your permission?"
Claude just realized what Tayne was trying to say, these people won't tell he's here because they are all criminals as well and they don't follow the system of the Kingdom.
"Guess you finally realize it, we don't trust those who run the Kingdom, even if we ratted you guys out, what good will it come to us when we're criminals ourselves?" Gus confirmed Claude's thought
"But it won't guarantee you safety, sooner or later they will try to look in the slums that's why we better hurry"
----
Claude bought himself a metal gauntlet to protect his fingers while firing a gun, he also bought one for Tseng but the guy rather choose an ordinary black glove because buying two gauntlets was already expensive.
"Let's not spend too much, Master," said Tseng
He has been calling him Master since Claude told him not to call him your majesty anymore and he wasn't expecting that the guy decided to call him that word instead. He was against it at first because Master is so far fetched for someone like him, Tseng insisted and he never won the argument.
"Ah, your right, hahaha, sorry, then we'll just take these pair of black gloves and metal gauntlets?"
Tseng nods, as Claude was walking to the counter he passed through some swords.
*Claude!*
*Buy that one!*
"What?" He turns around and faces Tayne
"Hmmm? What --- What?"
"Did you just say something right now?"
Tayne got confused "I wasn't talking, right?" she asks Gus who was standing beside her, the big man nods
"Hmmmn" Claude continued walking
*Buy that sword Claude!*
"Sword?"
The old man heard him "You fan of it boy?"
"Not really"
"Hahaha, I'm fond of making swords back in the days and created a few good varieties, if I say so myself, but not many use swords for battle anymore, we already have guns with unlimited bullets now," the old man told Claude with intriguing eyes but got disappointed when he saw Claude already has two guns.
"Well...I guess I should take a look"
"Sure! Please do!" The old man's face lit up
He goes closer to the swords section.
*Claude, that one! I want that one!*
The voice inside him got louder.
(That one? Which one?)
*That one! Oh, C'mon! It's in front of you!*
Somehow Claude felt annoyed, it was a man's voice pretending to be a woman, it was different from the voice he heard in his dream who introduces herself as Victoria, this, this voice was horrible. What's more confusing than the voice playing in his head was Claude listening to it.
"What did that thing mean in front of me?"
"Claude? Are you okay?" Tayne asked him
"I'm fine"
*It's in front of you! In front of you! Dammit, do I have to play a girl's voice again so you'll listen to me?*
Claude was disturbed, in front of him were tons of swords, he couldn't distinguish which one he was talking about so he pulls out one sword at a time until the voice reacts
*That! Pick that!*
It was an average looking long sword it was dull and gray and has an empty hole on the topmost near the hilt, the blades were high flat and rusty.
"Is this even a sword?" he asks himself
"You have a good eye, boy" Claude was shocked to see the old man already beside him
"Geez, old man, you should at least warn me"
"Why did you pick that?"
Claude gave him a doubtful look and looks at the sword closely, that's when he sees the blade has letters imprinted aligning straightly to the tip, he turns the sword around and was even surprised to see a dragon engraved on its hilt, it was embracing it tightly and his tail wraps the hilt till it reaches one-fourth of the blade.
The sword was familiar to him so when he raises it to the light to see it clearer, it suddenly hit him.
"This is - Rosei's"
The old man gave him a cunning smile.
"Your right there lad, it's the Kingdom of Rosei's symbol"
---- End Of The Chapter.