"Hmm..." Veronica groaned as time passed by but saw no signs of Henry anywhere.
It has been almost an hour since Henry went away with that tribe girl and yet she has no idea where the girl had taken him or for what reason.
Veronica wasn’t a person of doubt but when the circumstance was so mysterious, even she couldn’t help but think of unscrupulous things.
’Did something happen to them on the way?’
She looked at the forestry as her visions got clouded by the infinite number of trees. Veronica tried to find the large familiar figure but it ended in vain.
Veronica sighed again before looking up and moving forward.
"Yes, my lady." Seman turned to Veronica. She saw how pale the man was, he really needed some rest. But it could also be contribution of what’s happening right now.
"About Henry... was it really okay for him to go alone?"
"Yes, it is." He said with a strained voice, "The people he’s about to meet may feel uncultured, but they occasionally stayed behaved."
That’s all she could ask of him. Anymore would seem like she was trying to enter into their personal affairs.
"If you say so." Veronica said and turned to leave disappointed when she heard a yell.
"I think I see someone!" A soldier said as he peered into the forest.
"Yes! It’s Lord Tax, he’s coming."
When she heard those words, Veronica turned her head so fast, it should have cracked. Her eyes looking at the place the soldiers were pointing.
From the deep forest, Henry’s figure slowly merged out as Reverence slowly walked out. He went to greet Seman and talked about their matters.
A sweet smile spread on Veronica’s face as she felt a burden inside her lift.
"Praise the Goddess, He returned safely." She clasped her hands together and prayed quietly.
"Did it go smoothly?" Seman asked with a weary look.
"It was a bit edgy at one point... but it went okay in the end."
Seman sighed, "Good, a burdensome problem lifts for now." Then his eyes curved as he asked, "Did they perhaps..."
I shook my head, "No, there was no compromises. The old man was quite persuasive but I made sure not to give him anything."
"You can rest easy, my lord. The deal would continue forward as it has been for all these years."
An audible smile came on to Seman’s face.
"That’s great... hehe." He sighed, "Sarah will let me sleep in the bed this time."
"...You didn’t hear that."
"Hear what?" I say blankly as Reverence backs away, creating an awkward distance among us.
Then I hear a voice that made all the awkwardness go away, "Henry"
I turn around to see the MILF I’ll definitely fuck at one point, "Veronica"
"I hope the matter with the girl went well."
I jump down the horse and face her with a smile, "It did go well, thanks for asking. I’m sorry for making you wait so long for me."
Veronica shook her head, "It’s alright, I was sitting in the carriage for a long time, my back really needed a walk. Haha, look at me, talking about my old age."
"Old?" I shook my head roughly, "If anything, you are in your prime, Veronica."
Veronica touched her right cheek with a small blush, "Don’t say it like that, it makes it weird."
"Haha..." I laugh and it comes out dryly as I see a pair of eyes intensely stare at me and I stare back.
Veronica seeing my change, turned around as she pointed, "Ah, Aria, stop doing that. That’s not nice of you."
Aria, the tall swordswoman who was just staring at me so intensely, immediately turned warm as she looked at Veronica with fault, "Oh! I’m sorry, my lady. That was not my intention."
’You sure about that? A moment ago you looked like you really wanted to skewer me.’
Veronica turned to me with an apologetic look, "I’m sorry for her behavior, Henry. Aria may have seemed a bit out right now, but she’s just concerned for me."
"Of course, I understand that. We’re not just talking about any woman right now, but the most beautiful one in the kingdom, she should be cautious of male leaches everywhere."
I said it with such seriousness that neither Veronica nor Aria knew what to make out of it.
"So, you got yourself a bodyguard."
"I didn’t see her back at the field." I point back to the imaginary battlefield.
"Aria was there but well..." Veronica came close and whispered to me, "She’s a bit nauseous around injuries so she stayed in the tent all day."
I look up and Aria looked away as if she didn’t hear it.
"Is that so... well, it doesn’t matter. You have a good bodyguard and that’s good enough." I say and turn around, "I’m sorry for the delay but we’ll start moving so please get in your carriage."
Veronica nodded and got in as I went to Seman.
"What’s all the whispering about?" Seman asked, his eyes narrowing at me.
"Just about the nice guard she has."
"Really?... you seemed quite comfy with Lady Nobliesse there." Seman said, "No matter." Then it became an awkward silence.
"Why don’t we leave... It’s not polite to keep Lady Veronica so occupied because of our matters anymore." I break the silence.
"Exactly what I was thinking... let’s go everyone." Seman turned around and gave the order to go.
Despite with how Seman acted just now, I knew it was nothing. Sure, he had his little crush on her, but the guy was knowledgeable enough to know when to stop pursuing something impossible.
I on the other hand was young and impressionable.
So I made sure to use every reasonable excuse to spend some time with Veronica, no matter how much that irked... almost everyone.
The journey came to a pleasant end... for me, as we came before the door to the city of Whitedon, where it changed.
The large strong door mechanically opened up and we rode in as the peculiar atmosphere only made it more strange for us.
There wasn’t any riot or anything bad about the city. It was just too... quiet.
As if a machine lying dormant even through the engine is turned on. This content belongs to novel{f}ire.net
"Is it just me or..." Nance murmured as Seman slowly nodded.
"Henry, do you know what it is?"
"Can’t say." I looked around the normal quiet city, "It wasn’t back when I left."
"So something happened after you left." Seman said and called out a passerby, "You, come here for a moment."
The guy, already fearful for no reason came with a shaking body, "Ye- yes, my lord. I- I haven’t done anything wrong, did I?"
"Wrong? That’s not why I called you. Can you tell me if something happened in the city?" Seman asked, "Why does my city feel so calm and the residents the same?"
He couldn’t understand what happened, they had just come home. The city should have been waiting to bring a party to them.
"O- Oh, you don’t know my lord?" The guy’s eyes went wide, "It would be better if you went to the city center." And left quickly.
Seman looked at me and Nance but found the same look. We did the only thing we could and went to the City Center as told, but what we found, definitely shook everyone.
My mouth widens into a great smirk as my eyes turn from the front to Seman. Who had a look of both shock and fright.
Seman uttered through difficulty at the horrible sight in front of him.