So, it is true then, that the people of Eleanor turned their back against to their monarch. It is a rare case. It is so hard to persuade the nobles to collaborate against their kingdom. But the ratio of those who did and didn't actually scary. Out of one hundred percent, eight percent only those who remained loyal and the rest collaborated with each other to bring down the whole monarch. Scary. It is very scary. If this happens to any kingdom, I can foretell that kingdom will surely fall into ruins.
I wanted to know more what happened to Eleanor. How can a kingdom as theirs with a known strong dignity, fall into the schemes of those nobles? I know that the Azure family will not move against a country that didn't even harm their nearby towns. Knowing them in such a short time, is already enough to justify that they didn't intend to conquer Eleanor. Except if its an order from the king.
After hearing and learning what indeed truly happened, we left the tavern and we went back to the marquis's mansion. The captain was waiting for us and behind him is the count's daughter. I looked at her with a sharp look. This gotta be good or else I wouldn't hesitate to beat that brat to death. After all this news we heard and the heat adding to it, makes me want to really deal with a person whom I absolutely dislike.
"Are you going to give us our payment or you want to deal this small thing in my way." I threatened the count's daughter. She raised her chin as if she can stand against me.
"I will only give the other half when you are going to accompany me back to Seraphina." She said with arrogance.
"Tsk! It looks like I have to deal with you in my own way." I drew my sword out and use my mana to petrified the captain. I don't want to hurt him as much as possible, but if he will protect that brat, I don't have a choice but to deal with him first.
"How dare you raise your sword against me!" She shouted.
"I have the very dare to draw my sword against you. Your father and I agreed on twenty gold coins just to escort you to come here and we didn't agree on to escort you back. Since you cut in half our pay and your action force us to spend two gold coins just by waiting for your nonsense, you don't owe us ten gold coins but twelve." I said with a very oppressing voice.
"You will not get away from this. I am daughter of a count and you are just a commoner!" She yelled.
The fuck! Is she now using her noble status? Did she think that I am going to get scared because of that? Stupid girl. She is just a daughter of a countryside count and I am a daughter of a main house duke. She should be grateful that I am personally escorting her.
I drew my sword nearer to her neck and glared at her.
"Do you think that I care or even consider your status? I am an adventurer, and currently I am in a neutral side! We did your father's request and you arrived in this kingdom safely. Technically, our job is done but you still haven't pay us in full. So, if I kill you now, I can just make it look like this marquis's house murder you. Obviously, it will create a huge dilemma between the two kingdoms and it might lead to war in which your small town will be destroyed. While us, we can just move to another kingdom like nothing happened. Is that what you want?" I threatened her.
She couldn't answer and her eyes are starting to tear. I drew my sword back and she knelled in front of me. That's right, you just have to kneel you bitch. She then stood up and hugged Cayden and begging him to protect her and even promised him that she will pay him even greater. But she got shock when Cayden suddenly pushed her with full force that causes her to tumble on the ground. While the captain couldn't move at all, watching his lady being wounded. Oh wait, I have an idea. I went closer to her and I beat her so bad that she couldn't stand up properly. Obviously, she screamed in pain but no one will ever hear her. I already cast a barrier around us just before she started to blurted out nonsense.
It is her unlucky day, why does she have to annoy me in this time of the day? Out of concern that I might kill her, probably will, I didn't use my full force to punch and kick her. She really has a gut to put a tantrum in front of me, while I am in not a good mood.
When she is about to faint, I quickly healed her wounds as if I didn't beat her up. Cayden, was just staring and although he wanted me to stop but I didn't let him to hinder me. It is freaking hot day and this stupid brat making me even angrier. After healing her, I started to beat her up again. If people can see me right now, they will label me as a mad sadistic dog. The captain just closed his eyes and he is trying to avoid to see what I am doing it to his lady.
When she is about to faint again, I started to heal her up and when she is healed again. She raised her hand for me to stop. She handed me her sachet of gold coins. She knelled in front of me and begged me to stop. I just took exactly twelve coins out of her sachet and tossed the sachet back to her. I am not a robber so I will take what is rightfully mine.
"I don't take what is more than a person owe me. You see, I wouldn't have done that to you if you just handed me our exact payment. It is getting dark, if you didn't consume our time then we would have left this kingdom already hours ago. Now, you have to pay our food tonight. Don't you know how expensive the prices in this kingdom?" I said while still threatening her.
"I'm sorry milady… I wouldn't do it again. I am willing to compensate your meal for tonight." She offered out of fear. She handed me ten gold coins again. Well, it is indeed more than what I am expecting but I really need money now. Besides, she offered it with her own will and I didn't force, did I?
"The next time you waste my time again, I wouldn't hold back my strength disciplining you once again. Just remember this face, if you ever see this face again just run or hide. Understand? I wouldn't be lenient whether you are a noble or not. For your information, I've killed already countless nobles higher than your father's rank. So, I am not scared to kill you and end your bratty attitude." I said. I looked at the captain and release him from being petrified. I looked at her once again. "You should be thankful to your guards' captain, because if it weren't for his kindness back then, I would have amputated your leg or your arm." I warned her.
We left that place and we head back to the tavern. While we are waiting for the night to come, I felt that the temperature of this place is dropping and it is getting colder. We sat in the corner of the tavern. We turned our faces back to our disguises. Suddenly, the whole place is indeed flooding with people. Cayden looked at me as if he is trying to ask me something.
"What you did there, no, what you said back then, are they true?" He asked with hesitation.
"About what?" I wonder.
"About you killing nobles?" He asked.
I looked at him and his eyes are indicating that he really does want to know the truth.
"Yes, I did kill countless of marquises and lower ranking nobles. But I have a good reason why I did that. I am not a mindless person who just good at killing." I answered. He just returned being quiet and suddenly the informant that we have a conversation with earlier, approaches us.
"You two looks like new here, where are you from?" She asked. Right, she doesn't recognize us now.
"We are both from Hana." I lied. Cayden once again looked at me.
"Oh, really… since both of you are new here, I am going make free meals for you." She offered.
"No… you don't have to. Besides we already ordered our meals and it is just a matter of time for our food to arrive. Instead, can I ask information from you." I asked. She looked at me with a serious look. The same look she showed me earlier.
"OK… what information you want to know?" She asked.
"Do you have any news about the royals of the kingdom Eleanor?" I ask straight forwardly . Cayden looked at me and the informant stared at me. She stared at me longer than before, earlier this afternoon.
"Sigh. What's up today." She exclaimed to herself. "Alright, that information is worth of twenty golds you know and it is freaking expensive more than the food. If I can guess it right, both of you are information gatherer, right? You don't have to answer that." She said. She sat closer to us. She seems contradicting herself to tell us what she knows.
"Don't worry, even we are from Hana, we don't intend to leak this information out." I said. Cayden nodded to support my statement.
"Yeah right, as if I believe you…sigh, well, I guess this is the destiny of Eleanor." She went closer. "I heard that not all royals of the fallen Kingdom…" She looks around as if she is being cautious. "You know who." She continued, "… they are not dead. They say that some civilians spotted the crown prince and the young princess running away from the palace the night of the invasion happened."
"Do you know what happened to them?" I asked. But the informant stood up.
"I guess you have to pay for that information. Twenty gold coins." She made an offer. There is no freaking way I am going to pay the rest of our earned money.
"Can you at least maximize the freebie? You see, we only have little money left. How about I can give you an information in exchange?" I bargained.
"Nope." She refused. "There is nothing left for them and they might end up being slaves since there is no where they can run to anyway. You people of Hana should at least give them that little freedom. If you still have conscience." She said. I knew it, she somehow wanted to protect the royals of Eleanor.
"Do you think that they can still comeback? I mean their kingdom." Cayden asked.
"That is impossible. If I were them, they should hide properly and never show themselves. They should not think of any revenge and keep in low. And as for you Hana, leave them alone now since there is no way they can redeem their selves. Put a little pity on them, they deserve it." She said.
Cayden becomes bothered. It is indeed painful to hear something like that, '... they should indeed hide and never show themselves'. As a prince of that kingdom, his pride of being one must be pulverized as he can't even say that he is the prince of that country freely. I don't pity him but I do get his pain.
The atmosphere is so heavy to the extent that I couldn't breathe anymore. I stood up from my chair and headed to the post. Suddenly, someone bumped into me. I fell down and he reach his hand to me. I was so shocked upon seeing him around here in this kingdom.