"When you fully recover, you may leave but I'll take you to a friend of mine maybe tomorrow morning," she said while preparing breakfast.
The raids and the restrictions are all lessened through some parts of the empire which means businesses and transportation are back. Hidelga received a letter a few weeks ago requesting her to go back to duty.
"I..." She was abrupt while she was explaining it all to Leon. He holds her just to make her stop moving around back and forth from both sides of the kitchen while they are still talking to each other.
"Where are you going?" he asked her pulling all her attention to him.
"Working," she answered, and through this, all his suspicion that she is after a reward or his wealth turns into an absurd idea.
She smiled and said, "I am a theatrical actress."
"you don't need to worry about your meal. I'll cook before leaving. You are in a much better state and I know you can do things independently now," she said.
She chuckled, saying, "I'll be back later, before sunset." she said.
"You say the restriction will be lessened and the transportation will be accessible again?" he asked.
"Yes but..." She said. "Wait! Why did you ask? Are you going to leave now?" She asked.
Leon looked at her and said, " Yes and I was planning to take you with me"
"What? Oh, I..." her surprised reaction. "Right... Well... I... I can't go with you."
She met his gaze and said, "I am not a slave anymore, which means I have my own life and I am not worried about anyone bullying or mistreating me. If I go with you, I will be tied up again and I don't want to be bound and have someone controlling my life again."
"So that's why I can't go," she said slowly and softly.
Her sweet smile turns confused when she notices a little unusual reaction from Leon. It makes the atmosphere around them different. However, she is in a haste right now. She's going to be late. So rather than asking 'why' she left him with unanswered questions.
"Oh, and if you have any concerns, you can go and look for me at the Yellow Aisle Theater at the borderline," she said instead, then smiled and left.
Meanwhile, Leon, who was left alone, went down into the forest to train himself.
He started training his body days ago and regained his strength using his sacred weapon, which almost kills him every time.
The last combat he dealt with was not with his older half-brother but with an eternal threader that the first prince managed to bring up against him. Prince Howard searched the documents their researcher father had left, way back when the late emperor was still establishing his empire. He encounters some of the fierce legendary eternal threaders.
However, the duel is left undone because he cannot manage to cope with his sacred weapon's power. He was left defeated and almost dead, not only because of the injuries but because of his frightening weapon, which makes him feel more resentful.
After a certain stunt, a shadow came towards him. "My emperor, I found you," Alas said.
"Report," Leon said.
"The first prince lifts all the raids and restrictions away," he said.
"The first prince has a fanciful way of toying with your subordinate, my Emperor," he said.
"Lastly, some of those eternal threaders and his loyal butler Jonathan stayed at the castle most of the time to guard, which is the main reason why we cannot penetrate any further," he finished.
"Is that so?" Evan said.
Alas stares at him and looks down after, with a feeling of disappointment. "I..." He hesitates to speak. "I beg your majesty pardon. You can't expect much from me, my Lord," he said.
Leon chuckled. "Seriously? I don't blame you," he said in a familiar tone.
Alas is an orphan he took in as his own.
"You never fail me almost every time," the emperor said. "I know that what resides inside the castle is not a mere joke. I do not expect you to be able to counter eternal threaders."
"I also heard from the woman who took me in that there have been lighter waves (lessen restrictions) now. However, it doesn't mean that my brother is now assured that I am terminated. He might remove the clog so he might see the problem in the current. In short, he is just waiting for me to appear rather than putting much effort into looking for me," he said.
"Maintain your ground and distance yourself from the castle; that insane guy has the falcon eyes. It will be dangerous if you attempt to look inside the castle any further."
"Yes, sire," he said.
"Also, I need you to do something," he said.
"Your servant is all ears," Alas answered.
"From the 58th troop assigned in the West wing of the 9th border of the empire. From 10,000 assigned soldiers ranking from the middle class down. Search for a man with a tribal origin and ask him to give me a personal belonging. If he objects, tell him it's the emperor's orders. I'll borrow it and return it with a reward," he said.
Alas was thinking, tracing the words he uttered.
"Is it that man? Oran," he asked.
The emperor nodded and left. Alas accepted the task and leave as well.