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Chapter 16 - (16) The Truth and Nothing but The Truth

"... an heir to the throne? The little boy we saved is really..." I nodded my head slowly, sipping a cup of tea. "The palace maids words make sense."

"Really?" Daniel poured me another cup. "How so?"

We were sat inside a simple restaurant located far away from the palace, where few people knew what I truly looked like.

He had tracked me down once again as done in the ice cavern, we quickly found an inn to stay the night.

In the morning, I updated him on all the information I found.

I had changed my clothes into a green Hanfu, my hair tied back. I just looked like another martial artist in a small town flooded with them.

"The princess is smart. After I returned... she needed to be sure the throne would not end up in anyone else's hands. Except hers. She plans to make all her brothers unfit for the throne. Leaving just her behind."

"Woah... then, the bandits were sent by- the Princess?"

"No. They were sent by the second prince- under the influence of the Princess."

Daniel nodded slowly, understanding.

"Then in that case... the little boy is- heir?"

I nodded my head, sighing.

"Regardless. The boy is safe now. We need to focus on the mysterious paper weights. There is still no lead on what on earth they are the key for."

Daniel smiled, shaking his head confidently. "I might be able to help with that."

"Oh?"

He raised his palm. In it, a light blue sphere appeared. He motioned towards me. "Pass me the paper weight."

"Oh?"

With a wave of my hand, it appeared. I passed it towards him. "This was the technique I used to find you earlier, Elodie."

"You should call me Victoria in public." I quickly corrected him. "Even if no one is near us."

"Alright... nearly done..." The paper weight in his hands slowly was consumed by the blue light. I looked up at him.

"A tracking technique?"

"We'll be able to find the other keys with this. Perhaps we won't know what it unlocks until... they all come together.." Daniel suggested.

I shook my head. "That doesn't seem right." With a sigh, I stood up. "Regardless. Let's get going-"

The door to the Inn was opened abruptly. In walked several men. They scanned the room, their faces gruff, and mean looking.

"... quickly stand. Let's leave." Daniel rushed to say, becoming skittish in a blink of an eye.

He followed behind me. We reached in front of the men, politely bowing before walking past.

"Wait. You there, the girl."

He came forward. I quickly turned around. "Is everything alright, sir?"

"... heh." He grabbed my arm, tugging me towards him. "Get a room with me."

I grimaced, pulling my hand back with very little force. "I am quite alright. Good day, sir-"

"You don't get it. Little lady- I wasn't askin'."

The men around him joined in a laughed. I only scoffed. "You... hurry up and let go. Do not hold me responsible for what happens."

"Huh??" He laughed, coming closer to me. "What? Are you going to try and-"

"-That's enough."

We all turned to the source of the voice. It was the man in blue from the forest. My eyebrow raised with interest. "It's, you?"

"Lady Victoria. It's nice to see you again." He bowed. "Is this man bothering you?"

"A lady?"

"She's from a noble family?"

"That explains her attitude... tch!"

The man holding my arm let go, his eyes angry.

"... let's go."

His men followed him, leaving me alone.

I brushed my arm, slightly disgusted from the man who held me, fixing my robes. "Ah, Sir Shane. I wonder- what you are doing this far out?"

He smiled. "My hometown is only a couple walks away. I am visiting my tribe leaders after a year of travel."

"Travel, you say?"

He nodded. "For the past year, I've been all throughout he Solaria kingdom, helping keep bandits and thieves at bay."

"Oh? Then, you work for the royal-"

"No." He quickly interrupted me. "I don't."

I paused. Slowly, a smile formed. "I see. Then, my companion and I will be leaving, now."

"Oh? What happened to Sir Adam, may I ask?"

I smiled. "He is a diligent worker in the royal military and their armed forces." I laughed. "He doesn't have time to adventure with me."

The man nodded, looking towards Daniel. "And, this is?"

Daniel smiled chirpy, coming forward with a bow. "Nice to meet you sir! My name is Daniel!"

"Ah, Daniel. Nice to meet you as well." Sir Shane smiled.

"Then, allow me to walk you two to your destination, so that you do not encounter those people again."

I nodded, smiling. "That would be so kind of you, thank you."

"Shall we?" Shane asked. We both nodded, following behind him.

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"So," Sir Shane spoke up as we walked the wide roads. "Where are you two headed?"

I glanced at Daniel who quickly spoke up. "R-Responding to Sir Shane! We are actually headed east of here."

"East?" He turned towards us, confused. "You mean, towards the royal palace? Things are becoming hectic there. With the reappearance of the Evil Witch."

I smiled nodding. "You are right. But Adam has been sure to tell soldiers of our return. We will be let into the city without problem."

"I see... then, if that is where you are headed," He pointed, a dirt path along the woods. "This is the path you should take. You will reach back to the capital by nightfall."

"I see," I bowed respectfully, remaining down.

Daniel copied me. "Thank you, Good sir!"

There was a brush of wind. Slowly I stood up while allowing a wide smile to appear on my face. Daniel exclaimed, worried.

"M-Miss!!"

I raised my hand, stopping him. Sir Shane pointed his sword at me, his face serious.

"I didn't know you caught on so quickly." I announced.

"How could I not? Evil Witch."

I laughed, nodding. "I must ask you, what gave it away?"

"The man you were with before is Military Official Adam Adamandi. Despite this... he was last seen with the Evil Witch. Hours before I saw you in that forest. And- your powers," He shook his head. "There is no one strong enough aside from the Evil Witch to control plant life at such a rate."

With a nod, I looked at him. "News travels fast throughout the country it seems,"

I spun away from him. But he dared to push his sword closer to me, grazing the hair tie holding my hair up.

In the few seconds of contact the hair tie was ripped, allowing my hair to flow freely behind my back. My disguise unfolding quickly.

"Dark hair. Dark skin, Dark eyes." He clenched his jaw. "It's- really is you, then."

"M-Miss!" Daniel was going to come forward, but I stopped him.

"Calm down, Daniel," I smiled. "If he was going to try and kill me... he would've attempted by now."

"What did you do to the woman and child from the forest?"

"Oh?" I looked at him. "They are alive and well, of course."

He tilted his sword, still pointing it at me. "You parade around... pretending to be a regular person when really... tsk."

"Parade around?" I shook my head. "I prefer to stroll."

His eyes narrowed. "You have taken so many lives already. Do you plan on hurting more people?"

His words left distaste in my mouth. I waved my hands. In seconds, the wind carried his sword away. He looked at it, startled.

"Let's get one thing straight, Sir Shane." I placed a hand on my chest, walking closer to him. "The only people I hurt are the ones who deserve it."

"Y-You!" He backed away.

My smile no had vanished along with his weapon. "You hold a grudge against the royal military. Why?"

"I won't tell you anything."

"You know very well what I am capable of. You should hurry and speak if you want to be left unharmed."

He grimaced, looking at me. "The new tax and trade policy made three years ago."

"Oh?" I looked at Daniel. "Quickly tell me about this."

He nodded. "Three years after the battle, there was a drastic change made to the trade and shipment policy. To summarize, the bigger benefactor of the new tax raise was-"

"The royal family... Hmph!" I laughed, looking back at Sir Shane. "Now, you guys can't possibly blame such an event on me, can you?"

His eyes glared at me. "The war costed much to the royal family. With military expenses and rebuilding the-"

"It shouldn't be possible!" I scoffed. Turning my back in amazement.

"I was dead. Well- "dead" for six years! And during that time, what has this, pitiful country been doing??" I laughed, staring at him. "Blaming me for their increase in tax brackets?? Astounding! Absolutely astounding!"

"... there are people that say what happened at the battlefield... what the royal family says happened at the battle field, isn't true." Sir Shane spoke up slowly.

I scoffed, looking away. "You should keep up Shane. That is old news-"

"They tell the truth? Then, the assassination of the queen was-"

Immediately my hands tightened, anger flickering up my eyes. "Be quiet."

He quickly stopped talking. The wind howled.

Daniel cleared his throat. "Elodie. Your powers are..."

"Relax. I'm fine." I looked at Shane. "You haven't been of much help. But we must be going."

"Are you going to hurt people?"

"Only if they deserve it."

"The Prince of Love was a good man."

I sneered. "A lustful man who put his bed warming skills above his country. A sinister man who tried to kill his own son. Tell me, are those traits what makes a man good?"

"..." Sir Shane had no response for me. Or perhaps he was too scared to admit it. It made me feel, disappointed?

"It's quite interesting to watch, though." Men like you call themselves noble warriors. Men who fight for good and yet- you are not willing to face the truth of a royal family failing to do their jobs."

"!!" He looked at me, prepared to object.

"Goodbye, Sir Shane." I smiled. "I hope by our next visit, your eyes would've been opened to see the truth."

I tapped his forehead. In seconds, green light surrounded him.

He disappeared into the evening sky.

"Where did you send him?" Daniel spoke up slowly, as if to not anger me.

"To see with his own two eyes the woman and child that we saved." I sighed. "He will not believe that they are alive until he's seen them."

"Ah, that's quite smart-"

"Let's keep going back towards the palace."

'It seems I have a lot of people to convince.'

"I have an idea where the Third Prince's paper weight may be."

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