Chapter XII: The contract between the Raksha and the Princess.
(Grand hall)
"His Majesty, The King has arrived."
One of the Ministers announced the arrival of the King who ordered a gathering in the Grand hall. Everyone is chattering about the sudden gathering, looking frightened of what could be the problem.
The King expressionlessly entered the Grand hall, as his ministers laid their heads down to present their respect to their King.
When the King sat on the throne, he gave a sign to his loyal knight to announce the royal order.
*October 23, the year 1876.
"Hybrids, or what we call Demi-humans in this era, have started disappearing without reason. Their loving family is very worried about how they just disappear without any hint or trace. It is a great loss for our Kingdom, the laborers are decreasing leading to the low exchanging rate of our economy. Not only that is the matter, but even the supplies in the royal fund are also being used without any particular receipt."
As the conversation continued, the ministers were very worried for a particular reason.
"Your Majesty, what is this supposed to mean? The royal fund is being used by whom…?"
One of the ministers started asking an absurd question to the King.
"I'm pleased that you, yourself Minister of finance, don't know what is happening to your own department. Fine. I will explain this matter just for all of you."
The King isn't showing any expression but deep inside him, he was very angry that he wants to kick all of his ministers at once.
"I investigated the illegal syndicates who sell demi-humans to the rich people in other kingdoms."
When everyone heard the first sentence that the King had said, everyone fell into deep chaos.
"Your Majesty! Investigated?!" one of the ministers in the east faction confusedly asked.
"Yes, why? Don't you know the meaning of investigated? Do you want me to define it for you. Minister?"
The grand hall was in deep chaos as the discussion continued. The King ordered his loyal knight to bring evidence they got in the illegal syndicates.
"Do you know what these are?" As the king raised the papers in the mid-air, he continued to explain everything to his ministers.
"These are the evidence I got when I raided the hideout of these heartless people. The names of the demi-humans are already registered to the other kingdom. And the name of the person who is in charge selling them off to get a lot of wealth. Am I right, Minister of finance. Huang Jin. Corrupting your own people for wealth, do you have any objection?"
Huang Jin, who is head of the finance department went into the center of the minister as he kneels down and started to beg.
"Your Majesty! That is a false accusation! Corrupting our people⸺I would never do that! This is a misunderstanding!" he said however the King doesn't have any glimpse of pity for the man who lied to him.
"So, are you trying to say this allegation to you is nothing but a lie? This evidence I am holding right now are nothing but a bluff?" The King glared at his subject annoyed of how Huang Jin delivered his words only made everything worse.
"No, Your Majesty, however. There is no enough proof that I am the one who is in charge of them. This must be a work of the opposite faction! Your Majesty, I would never let our Kingdom get involved in this kind of matter!" Huang Jin kept on denying but the King's trump card isn't the papers themselves.
"I see. You keep on denying it. Then how would you go to react if I tell you that one of the illegal syndicates is being held in the torture room and being questioned? Will you still be going to derive your crime to the other people?"
The Ministers cannot say anything. Their mouths are shut tightly, even Huang Jin can no longer deny his crime in front of the King.
"From today onward, I will strip the position of our Minister of Finance's Huang Jin. He will be sentenced to death by beheading for the lives that the innocent demi-humans lost from the illegal syndicates he's in charge of. His underlings under his command will get expelled from service and no longer needed by the Kingdom. As the department of finance doesn't have any in charge, I will appoint Lee Rim of the north faction as the new in-charge of the department."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Liam marveled at his King.
"No, Your Majesty⸺Please trust me! I would never do that to our Kingdom!" Huang Jin was dragged outside without the King's care. He then left the grand hall without any more words after the discussion.
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(Alice's POV)
The dolls are laughing ministerially at me. Listening to them is like they're going to drive me crazy, is this one of creepy girl's magic?
I covered my ears but did that alone.
"Hahaha! That is your punishment for disrespecting me! I only want you to serve you tea but all you did is to stare at it! I won't forgive you!"
"But I didn't do anything to anger you, how can I even take tea with a poison," I uttered, however, the girl was bewildered even more.
"What did you say!?"
The strange laughter from the doll strongly became more ears destructive! Ugh, I can't hold it anymore.
At this rate, I will lose track here.
'⸺Call my name…' and those words run again inside my thoughts. I held my breath and shouted loudly his name.
"Raksha who was born and left the place you once called home, come and heed my words⸺Protect me from the looming danger! Syaoran, the unknown one. Save me!"
When I'm about to pass out. Someone suddenly caught me from falling to the ground. We met eyes to eyes and as if the burden inside me lifted.
His eyes have a Raksha symbol. White-haired young man, who saved me from danger.
He smiled faintly at me.
"You did it right. Now, let me take over everything and rest to my arms."
I didn't notice that my mouth was slightly opened, his presence himself was glamouring the whole room. As if he was a light in my dark path, "Thank you…" I nearly cried even at this time that I should be happy about it.
"W-who are you? How did you⸺"
Back to the situation, we're in. The girl who is trying to kill me moved backward.
When the Raksha glared at the laughing dolls, they were shut.
"Impressive…" I can't help but get amazed by the power he was showing right now. What kind of magic he held, I couldn't figure it out.
"This is enough. I am here on behalf of the King of the Kingdom. I will bestow your punishment through my judgment. Riku the puppeteer. You no longer have the right to live in this land." Syaoran walked slowly to the puppeteer more frighteningly.
"Behalf of the King?! W-what are you talking about?! How could the King find out this place?! And who are you, how dare you scare me with your mere lies!?" the puppeteer felt fear from the Raksha.
Her enormous black magic kicked out for some reason, I can no longer feel the sinister from it instead. The magic that Raksha holds is rather strong than her.
"I said what've I had to say," he affirmed.
Few more minutes later, the girl started getting a weird mark on her neck. It was like a crack that was burning-red inside flowing upright to her head.
"W-what in the world is that?!" I was confused when I saw that thing in her neck.
"That is the cursed burning mark bestowed for the criminals. That mark will burn their brain until they lose their life."
I was rather haunted by the thing I'm witnessing. As if there were butterflies in my stomach, I couldn't calm myself down.
"Ahhh! It's burning me! Someone help!" the girl is shouting for help.
But I can only watch her suffering.
"You don't have to worry. That curse is only for the criminals. You don't have to feel frightened when you didn't do anything against the kingdom." Syaoran explained in a gentle way.
The way he delivers his words is making me assured that nothing like that will happen to me in the future.
We only watched the girl until she drew her last breath. I tried to control my emotion as I closed my eyes and opened them again.
I noticed the guy approached the doll who was sitting beside me before.
"But I didn't expect that people in wonderland would be able to get here. I know that it was forbidden to travel for both worlds. It was an act for maintaining the balance." I blinked my eyes innocently as I bit my lips nervously.
"Though, I think you must have a reason."
I nodded obediently, "Yes. I have. Please don't let me get caught of any personnel of this King you are talking about. I know that the King knew about this ACT. Spare me, I only want my freedom."
When he touched the doll, if I recall his name is Hanako? He then came back into life.
"...⸺huh..? I-i'm still alive?" he spoke, "Uwah! W-who are you!" the boy asked surprisingly.
Syaoran only turned his back to the boy.
"What about the others? Kai Xinyi! He is in danger too!" I asked him.
He then eventually replied.
"He's already safe. Go outside and you will find him there."
Woah, he works so fast. When he said that the sentence was on behalf of the King, does that mean he is the King's Raksha? Then how come he accepted me as his master too?
I wasn't able to answer that myself because by the time I wanted to ask him. He suddenly disappeared.
When we got outside I saw a lot of humans sparsely breathing. One of them is Kai who is being treated by the royal guards.
"Kai!" I yelled at him cheerfully.
"Ms. Alice!"
We happily greeted each other, "...⸺?!"
But he abruptly glanced like he was amazed at something.
"H-hanako!"
"...?"
My eyes were widened as I switched my stare to my side.
"Does that mean… the friend you were talking about is this guy!?" I yelled abruptly because of surprise.
"Yes! Oh, thank you, Ms. Alice. If it wasn't because of you, I won't be able to retrieve my friend!"
Kai gladly hugged his friend.
Oh, I'm glad to see such a reunion. I can't help but to feel happy for him.
However, I noticed something in Kai's right shoulder.
"What is this?" something is biting his neck but can't he not feel it?
I grasp the monster looking creature out of Kai's shoulder. The creature went into panic for some reason. I felt disgusted for some reason that I wanted to kill it but this creature suddenly took a bite in my wrist.
"...eh..?"
I then released the creature even though I didn't want to.
"What's wrong...⸺Ms. Alice?!"
I'm sure that I'm just fine a while ago but when I saw some blood flowing outside the wound I received. I felt dizziness, "Ms. Alice?!" what is happening to me?
And just like that, I lost my consciousness against my will.
To be continued.