"Wipe that smile off your face Paris."
"Ahem! Forgive me, Your Majesty." Paris had one hand placed on his own lap, while the other hand curled up into a fist, covering his mouth. His grinning face soon changed to a serious expression.
"Paris. Even though you have been at my side for so long. Even though you have been my advisor for so long. I still do not know your goal. Your ideas. Your purpose in serving me."
"My purpose in serving you? Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that my king."
"Ah...I did not think you would. After all, everybody has their secrets. Enough chattering on, tell me why you let the monster escape."
"Yes, my king! However, first I don't think the term 'monster' is suitable."
"And why is that?"
"It seems Shun isn't just some blood-thirsty beast filled with nothing but anger and rage. Unfortunately, he has a 'heart'. Somewhere deep inside. He didn't eat that wolf-boy and went a step further to escape with him."
"Paris...why do you think he did such a thing?"
"It's only a guess but...I believe he feels a sense of kindred between himself and that scared, frightened wolf-boy. That is my theory."
"I see..." The king of Coldera sat up from his bed and started to violently cough blood, and then he began gasping for air.
"My king!" Paris had a worried expression on his face. He immediately got up and began to fetch some water.
"Haaah haaaah....my death is sure to come soon." The king had managed to regain his breath.
Paris ran hurriedly back to the king with a cup filled with water and handed it to him. "My king, please drink."
"Haaah haaaah. ...Thank you Paris...." The king began sipping from the cup slowly, taking each sip with care and consideration. His hand was unsteady and after he had finished his drink, he placed the cup by his bedside. He then looked at Paris. "So, why did you decide to free Shun?"
"I believe freeing him was the best course of action in his development. It seems there is something out there that will help him grow and he's been trying to get to it ever since he was a kid."
The king of Coldera looked perplexed. His perplexion soon turned into an angry frown, his forehead had wrinkled. "I do not know how you have such a great understanding of Shun. However, how will you bring him back? How will you keep him under control and make him fight for us? For this country! Haaah...haaah...tell me how?" The king's voice started to weaken.
"..." Paris was silent. He could not reply to the king.
"Paris...this is the first time you have no answer. A king who has questions with an advisor who has no answers. This country is practically destined to fail." The king looked at Paris.
Silence had filled the room. A few moments later, a slight chuckle had sounded from Paris's mouth. Soon the room was filled with laughter from the king and his advisor.
"Hahahaahaa!"
"Hah haahah!!"
"I am sorry my king...I cannot answer."
"It is fine Paris...laughter is much better to have than answers, don't you think so?"
"I do," Paris smirked a little.
"You may leave now, my trusted advisor."
Paris left the room, shutting the door behind him, allowing the king to rest once more.
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Arthur had gone out to hunt, in just a short time, he had gone from Kagekawa's house to the forest. Typically, it would take an average person an hour or so by walking to traverse such a distance. However, through the use of enchanting his feet with wind, Arthur only took fifteen minutes to get to the forest.
"Now what to hunt?" Arthur thought to himself.
He started to walk into the forest at a normal walking pace, completely lost in thought.
"....GAHHHHH!!! I really want to be with Amygdala! Why did I even leave?" Arthur sat down beneath a sturdy oak tree. It covered the sunlight with its glistening leaves, making a nice, cooling shade. Arthur rested his back against the rough bark of the trunk. He then closed his eyes.
"I wonder if...'Next time it'll be on your lips'...AGHHHH! Why did I say that?!" Arthur was completely embarrassed and cringing at himself. "What did she even think?" Arthur started frantically scratching his head.
After a few more minutes of thought and being protected from the sun's rays by resting underneath this formidable tree, Arthur got up and began walking to find something to hunt and eat.
"Ah...there's no use in worrying about it now!" Arthur took both his hands and patted the cheeks on his face in an attempt to clear his mind and focus. "Come on Arthur! Let's focus! I want to get to Amygdala soon!" He encouragingly said to himself as he stretched out both his arms towards the skies.
Arthur walked and walked, looking for tracks of any animals. Soon, he found boar tracks; he crouched down to inspect them.
Imprinted on the ground were four hoove prints, symmetrically grouped. Two hoove prints on the rear and two at the front. It was easy to tell that an animal had been here recently as the tracks were much firmer and left an impression on the dirt. Further up ahead, the ends of the grass were nipped off.
"The hooves are far apart, separated; it shows that the boar was moving at a quick pace." Arthur thought to himself
"It was running but from what?" Arthur questioned.
In the corner of his eyes, he could see droplets of blood, leading deeper into the forest. Not only just drops of blood but tracks. Not from any animal he'd ever seen, but it was deep, it was wide and trench-like. Seemingly, man-made as if someone had taken a plough and started to furrow the ground.
"What could have possibly made these tracks?" Arthur went deeper into the forest, following the trail.