Second Arc (His Art of War) - 131. Strange Country Girl I
"Nggghhh ..." A grunt came out of the boy's mouth as Angel pulled back his dark aura. The boy opened his eyes and woke up in surprise. His eyes immediately shifted to his father who was lying on the bed and quickly got out of his chair to approach his unconscious father.
"Father!" The boy shook his father's body.
"Your father is fine. He just needs to take some rest," Angel's voice came from his side.
The boy turned to Angel who was sitting on the other chair with his legs crossed.
"Really?" asked the boy in disbelief. His face was pale and his worry was visible on his face.
"Her Highness has healed him. You just need to wait for him to wake up," replied Angel.
The boy turned to his father, his hands touched his father's body and his eyes observed his father's face, making sure he was all right. Then the boy turned to Angel again.
"Thank you for saving my father, sir," he said with a bow.
"It's Her Highness, not me," replied Angel.
The boy raised his head and looked at him gratefully.
"But you saved us from those bad guys."
"I just do what I should do," said Angel.
"I saw how you fight earlier. Are you a royal soldier? Did the king send you?" asked the boy curiously. His eyes stared at Angel in wonder.
"It's not your king who sent me." Angel showed the armband with the crown of Euphorion crest on his arm which was previously covered by his hood.
"I'm from Euphorion. It's my general who sent me here."
"Euphorion?" The boy frowned in confusion.
"Why are you here?"
Angel guessed that the boy didn't know anything about the war between Euphorion, Asteria and Zephyrus, so he decided to give a brief explanation.
"For some reason, your king must give his authority to my king. But we mean no harm." Angel knew that the boy had just been traumatized by seeing the rebels torturing his father, so he couldn't tell the truth. After all, Angel didn't want to create a panic.
Even though the boy still looked confused, he finally nodded his head. Then he turned to his father again and adjusted the blanket. A relieved smile on his lips.
"Where is your mother?" asked Angel.
The boy turned to Angel.
"Father said my mother went to the sky after giving birth to me," he replied innocently.
'He's the same as me.' The difference was that the boy was luckier than Angel since his father survived.
"Then you have to take good care of your father."
The boy nodded and smiled.
"Of course, I will take care of him, sir."
Angel got up from his seat.
"I'm going to take a walk around here. If anything happens to your father go to the next house to find Her Highness or call me." He decided to check the village situation and make sure that no large monster approached the walls.
"What's your name, sir?"
"Just call me, Rai," he replied.
After Angel answered him, the knocking sounds came.
"Excuse me, sir," a woman's voice came followed by a woman with long green hair with black eyes carrying a sword who entered the room. Angel quickly recognized that the sword was his since Euphorion's sword had a unique handle.
"What brings you here, Miss Jyne?" said the boy.
Jyne walked over to them in hesitation. Her eyes were watching Angel.
"Levi, how is your father?"
"My father is fine now. Sir Rai said he just needs some rest," Levi explained with an innocent smile.
"Sir Rai?" Jyne turned to Angel and looked at him for a few moments.
"Do you want to return my sword?" asked Angel without further ado. Even though the woman's question was about the boy's father, her eyes kept watching Angel with hesitation.
"Yes, sir." She handed the sword in her hand to Angel.
"Thank you for saving me, sir."
"You are welcome." Angel took his sword nonchalantly and sheathed it. Then he returned his gaze to the woman since she kept watching him.
"Is there something wrong?"
"You are a Euphorion soldier, right? Why are you with Her Highness?" she asked in hesitation.
"My general gave me the mission to take care of the rebels and I met her by chance on my way here," Angel explained briefly.
"Is that so ..." she muttered. After that, she was silent, while her eyes were still on Angel.
Seeing her keep watching him, Angel's suspicions grew.
'Is she one of the rebels?' Even though the rebels had pulled her earlier, she could have just pretended. After all, though she dressed like an ordinary country girl, it was clear from her face that she was not just an ordinary girl. Although her clothes were dirty, she looked much better groomed than any of the villagers here. As his worry kept rising, he thought of Rose.
'I have to check her out immediately.'
"Your name is Jyne, right? Do you mind accompanying me for a short walk?" he asked. If this woman was a rebel, Angel would have to take her away from the boy. But somehow Angel guessed something else. Either way, he needed to find out more about her.
She looked surprised at a moment.
"With pleasure, sir," she replied with a smile.
Without saying anything else, Angel walked towards the exit, followed by Jyne.