"Is this true?" Max read the report with narrowed brows.
Hugo shrugged and writing something in the paper. "Yes. That crown prince is really something else."
"I didn't expect him to do this. Spreading the rumor to the citizen, supplying countless weapon to perform a coup, and secretly help their rebellion. He's just like his tyrant father."
"You have the same father with him."
"But I'm never doing something underhanded like this."
Hugo snickered. "Really?"
"If I became Duke Lancia, I'll be angry. I mean, his original plan was to avoid the bloodshed, right?"
"Actually, Duke was angry. But, it is because of someone meddling in his business. However, the Emperor already summoned him to the palace because Cadia is already conquered." Hugo said with a faint smile.
Max massaging his temple as if he got a headache."I think our not-lovely Emperor will do something bad to the Cadia's nobles who already ran away. Instead of killing them, perhaps, they will be able returning to their homeland after paying some money as the protection fees."
"Most likely. I hope they don't know the truth. For seeking a protection from the people who destroyed their house... Such an irony." Hugo shrugged as he continues to write the report. "Meanwhile, Hambbel focus to cure the pandemic. The Crown Prince will be controlling the Cadia and all the mines.
Perhaps, the Emperor will give the Duke a badge of honor, since he was the one who made that plan. Happy ending for everyone. Yeay."
"Do you think so?" Max squinted and can't ignore his anxiousness.
"Talk about a happy ending. Did you break up with Miss Lancia? I never see her anymore."
Max blinked twice. "What do you mean? How come we broke up? We are not dating… yet."
"Yet?" Hugo can't help but laughed harder. "Oh, I think I know what happened. Miss Lancia must be notice this, so she's trying to avoid you."
"What!?" Max's jaw dropped.
"Well, I am older than you, Boss. Not to mention, I have a lot of experience about love." He said with a sly smile. Although Hugo never dating anyone, many people asking a love advice from him.
"I can't believe you said it in front of me, Hugo."
He put his palm under the chin and gave a confident smile to his employer, "Aside of Miss Lancia refused to go out with you, she must be avoiding to make any eye contact with you. Hmm, with her personality, she must be feeling discomfort just to see your presence around. Am I right?"
Max throw his gaze to the windows. The sky was dark and Cecilia must be already asleep. Even after watched her all day, he's still missing her.
The distance she made was far and unreachable. He wants to hold her hand and see her smile. But recently, Cecilia was busy with Grant for build those buildings.
In the other side, he feels grateful because everything was according to her plan. Slowly, South Island become more comfortable to stay in.
"I wonder if we can meet again after you finished this quest. I missed you, Chili." He whispered to the window's glass. Even Hugo can't hear him.
"Boss, have you heard about Flowers Festival in Hagrav? Maybe, you can ask her to go for a date."
Max smile sourly, "I think I should go back."
"Eh? Really? Then, can you give this to the Young Miss? I need her sign as an approval for borrowing her building. And this is the proposal of the expenses for school appliances and teacher's salary."
"Who do you think I am? An errand boy?" Max look gloomy but he still takes the papers.
"Why did you make me feel guilty, Boss? You can ask her to go on a date while you give those papers."
Max rolled his eyes and disappear without even replying to his underling.
--
"Eh, you didn't cook, Niece?" Grant asked when they are in the library.
"No, but I bring this." Cecilia put a small bag of chocolate cookies on the table. "It was in my room and I found no notes here."
Grant snickered, "Mister Max might be the one who sent this. He is such a good man. But, why I rarely see him around?"
"I don't know." She shrugged and take a bite of the cookies. It was too sweet and Cecilia feel a bit dizzy.
"What if you summoned him now? We can eat cookies together."
Cecilia let out a heavy sigh, "Fineeee. Max? Are you here?
A second later, Max appeared with a wide smile, "You called?"
"Yes, thank you for the cookies."
"Cookies?" Max scratching his scalp. "I didn't send you any. Anyway, Hugo ask you to sign this."
She accepts those paper and read it thoroughly. Cecilia still feeling a bit awkward when he was around.
"How are you, Mister Max?" Grant greets him with a sparkling eyes. Now, he looks calmer and stop stuttering.
"I'm doing fine, Sir. And you?"
"Why did you call me like that? Grant is fine."
"You know, I can't do that. Eh? Chili? Are you okay?"
Cecilia's forehead wet because of the sweats. Her head spinning like wheels and she failed to sign the paper because her hand was shaking so bad.
"What happened, Niece?" Grant looks so worried.
Suddenly, all of the bad memories from her past as Ji Eun, flooded in her mind.
She can hear his father voice clearly. "Stupid girl! Why don't you just die?!"
Cecilia trembling and covering her ears. Tears falling down from that eyes, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
But her father voiced echoed in her mind, "You are a mistake! I should've got rid of you from the moment you were born."
Cecilia whimpering like small puppies and start crying so badly when his father hit her with a brown leather belt.
The pain in her back ramped up the from stiffness all the way to searing, blinding agony faster than she could blink.
"I hate you. Stupid ugly pig!"
Cecilia's leg wobbling. She can't feel anything except that her skin was tearing apart.
"Chili, what happened?" Max hugged her so tightly. But, that girl can't notice him at all.
"This is bad, Mister Max. There is some nasty poison in these cookies." Grant said after he took a tiny bit of it. "Only herb magician know the elixir."
"Then let's go!" Max got panicked when Cecilia start murmuring something in foreign language. She look so pale.
"But, the only one I knew was Kaleela and I don't know where she is!"
Max carrying her in his arms. Grant approached them with worried face.
"Hold on, Chili."
After that, the three of them disappear into the mist.