Apologies for the repeated delays. Chapter 157 is finally finished….
Chapter 157:
Beginning of Reckoning
The sound of the door to the shop opening caught Charlotte and Philomena off guard, causing them to hide in the back storage room with baited breath. The sounds of footsteps towards the door was heavy, but they were surprised by the long silence, with no sound from Basch in the shopfront. After a moment, they resumed hearing the loud thudding of footsteps moving towards the middle of the room, seeming as though the stranger was attempting to confront Basch.
“I-Is he okay? Should I get Theo?” Philomena whispered, her eyes full of anxiety.
Charlotte held Philomena’s hand lightly, attempting to keep her calm. “Wait a moment. We’re not sure what’s happening yet.” She pulled her friend the best she could to the side, attempting to keep them both out of harm’s way as Basch took care of whatever it was.
There was only a moment of silence before there was another sound, this time an echoing smash, resembling the sound of a sword smashing armor. Philomena, brave yet impulsive, grabbed a heavy brass candle holder from nearby and quickly ran into the storefront, running out of Charlotte’s view in nearly a moment.
“Philomena!” Charlotte yelled in a whisper, attempting to stop her foolish friend before she hurt herself.
Outside the backroom, a surprising scene filled Philomena’s vision, so much so she abruptly stopped in her tracks and dropped the heavy brass candle holder to the ground with a thunderous thud. This led Charlotte, who began to chase after her, to smash into the young woman, causing them both to stumble and nearly fall over if they had not held the wall. As they looked forward, they were surprised by the warm scene ahead of them.
Two men stood hugging in the main store area, both men nearly towering tall, their bodies built with muscles on top of muscles. Their heavy weapons, however, were still sheathed as the two girls stared forward, two pairs of arms wrapped around each other in a friendly manner as they patted each other’s shoulders, smiles on their faces.
One of the figures in the room was familiar to Charlotte, partially so. The man’s face, while expressionless, was at least two parts similar to one of her own comrades, so much so that her gaze fell on his face and stopped, as if trying to figure out the man.
A voice cut through the silence, filling the room with warmth once again. “Basch, how have you been?” Vaan spoke more than he had in years at that very moment, a smile rested on his face that felt foreign to those around him. “It’s been nearly a decade. You look old.”
Even more surprisingly, Basch smiled back, ruffling the fellow giant’s hair with his hand, seemingly out of character for his equally-icy demeanor. “So do you, little brother.”
Philomena’s mouth was gaping open, “Wait, Sir Basch, this man is-?”
“This is my little brother, Vaan.” Basch stated, looking towards the princesses with respect. “Vaan, this is Lady Charlotte and Lady Philomena. I’m sure you know who they are.”
“Introductions right off the bat?” The door had already long since shut, but the faint cough of another character filled the room, causing those present to fall into a momentary silence as Jasmine stepped forward, a set of letters in her hand. “While I’m happy you can reunite with your brother, Vaan, there’s something I need to give to the princesses. Where’s Theo?”
I didn’t even see her. The princess thought with some anxiety as she spoke. “We’re right here.” Charlotte stepped forward, speaking directly to the confident-looking woman as she held the letter in her hand, the tips of her fingers trembling. “Who are you?”
“Me?” Jasmine pointed at her chest, still holding the batch of letters in her free hand. “I’m Jasmine, one of Eva’s soldiers. Like Basch said, the one over there hugging your night is Vaan. Vaan, you never told me you had a brother!” Her tone was nearly sarcastic, as if it were something she already knew.
Vaan, standing next to Basch, frowned as he responded with a trace of annoyance. “We’ll talk later. Tell them why we’re here, Jasmine.”
“Eva sent us here to give you some letters, things about the kingdom as a whole. Here, read them so we can burn them.” Jasmine said, waving the letters in a dismissive fashion in her hands. “We’re on a short timeline anyway.”
Philomena stared at the batch of letters as Charlotte asked, “What’s the state of the palace? And what about Clarence? Is he still alive?”
Jasmine laughed, “Clarence? There’s not much to say beyond he’s cooperating with the rebels.” She passed over a large letter unceremoniously, nodding her head. “Everything you need to know as of now is in that letter. Open it.”
“What?” Charlotte and Philomena shouted in unison, their surprise unhidden as they stared down at the letter, unhesitatingly opening it with a rip of the seal, the two of them nearly butting heads as they leaned down to read the scrawled, printed letters on the page. Their eyes were immediately drawn to a short passage near the bottom, detailing Clarence’s location before their attention was torn away by another question.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The Yursear Palace has since fallen to the rebels. The war has been quelled for now, and Eva is arranging a cabinet to take over palace affairs with the disappearance of the royal family. Clarence has been found, and his family’s location is known. He has been ordered back to the palace, but we are waiting for orders before anything further happens. His convoy will take over for now.
“You said you found Clarence. Where is he?” Charlotte asked hurriedly, “And what about the rest of the royal family?”When I escaped from Malcolm, I thought Clarence would abandon any hope he had of returning to the castle. I never thought I’d be wrong… Charlotte’s mind raced, her hands trembling. If he goes back now, like this, they’ll execute him!
“All I can say is that the rest of the family escaped and they’re in hiding, like you all. As for Clarence, he’ll be fine.” Jasmine looked to the side for a moment, “Now that we know you’re still safe and secure, I can get this information to the palace.” Stepping back, the letters no longer in her grasp, Jasmine let out a light chuckle, unexpectedly stepping on a landmine. I thought she only married Clarence for political reasons. Maybe that wasn’t the case for her. Unexpectedly, even the Bethellian princess was a romantic at heart. Too bad that place has been taken by someone else.
Ktfgf kjr j mgfjxlcu rbecv ogbw atf rajlgr, j qjlg bo obbarafqr fmtblcu vbkcrajlgr jr akb cfk oluegfr rafqqfv vbkcrajlgr lcab atf wjlc jgfj. Ycf’r ojmf kjr oeii bo regqglrf, ktlif atf batfg tjv j ojmf bo jcalmlqjalbc, jr lo atfs tjv fzqfmafv atflg uefrar. “P vlvc’a fzqfma sbe akb ab jgglnf rb fjgis. Glv sbe ulnf atfw atf ifaafg jigfjvs?” Ktfb jrxfv Ajrwlcf, rafqqlcu obgkjgv klat Cisklc ja tlr rlvf. “P kjca ab gfjv la abb.”
The letter was not long, but the main points of the letter were nearly glaring off the page. The letter’s length was longer than expected, but a few short lines were enough to update them. The letter made its rounds around the room, finally landing in Basch’s hands before it was promptly burned by a nearby candle, the burnt parchment tinging the room with the smell of burning. Their expressions varied, particularly Alywin, who carried a tinge of unhidden grief in his expression. Theo held his hand, speaking quietly as he whispered, “He’s safe. Don’t worry.”
After reading the letter, Philomena tried her best to hold her composure, but the more she tried, her lips began to quiver, and tears fell down her cheeks. She cried quietly into her handkerchief, all decorum thrown aside as she openly expressed her grief, having lost the place she had come to know with Charlotte.
“My God, it’s really fallen.” Like Philomena, even Charlotte found herself distraught as the words of the letter sunk in, nearly unable to comprehend the speed the rebels had infiltrated the palace. She cried aloud, tears brimming in the corner of her eyes as Theo and Alywin read it together, their expressions shifting as their eyes traveled down the page. “W-what’s going to happen now…”
“For now, most of the nobles have abandoned the kingdom and fled. I don’t even know if my father is still in the kingdom.” Alywin held the edge of the fabric on his vest, toying with a button, his face full of anxiety. “The three of us were able to escape the palace unscathed, but what about Clarence? I can’t believe he’s foolish enough to go back there. None of us are.”
“They’ll never accept me back if I go home now, too.” Charlotte muttered, staring off through the large window pane with a trace of sadness in her face. “Staying here is the only option I have.”
“I’m not going home until Charlotte is safe, even if that means bringing her back to Lambros Country with me when the borders are safe.” Philomena declared, hugging her friend with a declarative pout, wiping the stray tears from her face. “I’ll go wherever she goes.”
“It would still be unwise to attempt to travel outside the kingdom.” Basch stood by Charlotte’s side, passing her a handkerchief with a frown. “That is why, regardless of the Bethellian Kingdom’s opinion, I will protect you and Lady Philomena. The situation in the palace is irrelevant to your safety.”
Aware of their concerns, Jasmine spoke up with a light smile. “While staying here’s not bad, I’m sure there are more fitting jobs for the three of you.” Looking over the princesses with a knowing nod, Jasmine continued, “If you’re interested, there is something I can think of the two of you could do.” Jasmine said with a crafty smile, the cogs in her mind turning. “Do you mind stirring up a little trouble? Politically, I mean.”
Theo, staring up from the letter, issued a warning. “Jasmine, don’t start anything.”
Being eyed so heavily by Theo, Jasmine shrugged. “I never said it wasn’t an order from Eva, just saying.” She lifted her hands at her sides, as if making a surrendering gesture. “And Alywin can speak for himself, Theo. Just saying.”
“I would hope not.” Basch replied, “Regardless of her status, I will protect Lady Charlotte until the day I die. I won’t let her get in harm’s way.” His eyes skimmed over Jasmine’s in a way that made even Theo feel a chill in the warm room. “Eva’s orders are not mine.”
“While that’s true,” Vaan stepped forward, speaking for Jasmine. “There is something you three can do, but only if you all agree.”
“What’s that?” Alywin asked, his curiosity piqued.
“If you want to save Clarence, you just have to make him valuable enough to keep alive.” Jasmine began, her words direct as she opened her hands, a map resting in her grasp as she smiled craftily, her intentions yet to be known.
…
“How are you holding up, Clarence?” Silas asked, breaking the silence of the dim air as the three walked through the narrowing forest, their next settlement only a short distance away.
Toying with the purple gem in his fingers, Clarence looked up at Silas, an unconscious smile lifting his face as he spoke. “I feel okay. How are you doing?”
Silas nodded his head in response, adjusting his bag on his shoulder as he stared forward, his eyes scanning over the town they began to approach, their gems hard at work to contain their real appearances as they held the faux city tokens in their pockets, their gazes heavy under their hoods, having to enter a city for the first time in their long journey.
The journey to the palace was strangely quiet for the trio, but as they approached the center of the Yursear Kingdom, approaching the capital, the disarray of the kingdom became apparent.
“Things have become quite a mess since we’ve been gone.” Silas muttered as he adjusted his hood, his gem burning lightly under his cloak as he retained his plain, human-like appearance. Clarence and Maeir’s faces had similar appearances, human-like and boring, easy to forget in the sea of faces near the capital. The grim frowns on their faces, however, lingered, bringing down their group’s atmosphere.
The many stalls that once lined the streets had become few and far between, many protected with mercenaries or threatening stall keepers who attempted to keep their wares out of thieves hands. The previously bustling stores had similar appearances, including many of the stores focused on noble clientele that rested abandoned and emptied. Only the most general and useful stores remained open, unharmed by the unrest in the area.
Some store windows had been smashed in without the guards to intercept, but there was some form of general order in the area by the civilian soldiers, those who had volunteered to protect the city in place of the absent guards. The system worked well enough to keep the general order, so much so that it reminded Silas of their village before the humans had destroyed the forest.
“I never thought the villages would be able to function after the fall of the palace. I guess I was wrong in a way.” Clarence muttered, barely loud enough for Silas to hear. “I thought the nobles would have jumped at the chance to take over more land. Their power only stretched as far as the palace, it seems. How did it ever work before?”
“It would be worth looking into the current systems the rebels put in place to keep order. They might work even better than the governing nobles in their regions and the corruption.” Silas hummed in thought.
“Let’s discuss the ruling styles at our next stop. I would like to bring it up later if I can, if Eva’s group will even listen to a word I say.” Clarence laughed lightly, his words dipping somewhat on the edge, hiding his anxiety only slightly as he continued, “I would be the first to admit my father was too focused on the elves to rule well, and due to his previous influence, I was too. But, now-” Clarence paused, his gaze falling gently over Silas. “I’m far more worried about the stability of the kingdom, and keeping those closest to me safe.”
In particular, the only elf that has kept my eye for the past decade. Once the kingdom is rebuilt, he can live safely at my side, no matter what. The prince thought, his words unspoken as he walked side-by-side with Silas, their hands nearly brushing at their close proximity.
Walking through the streets with caution, Maeir motioned for the two boys to keep moving, her eyes falling over their surroundings unnoticed, like a perched owl in the night. “We aren’t that far from our destination. Let’s keep moving. If we hurry, we can get there today before dark.”
“Sounds good.” Silas responded, hurrying his steps as he adjusted his satchel under his hood, his eyes falling forward on the bustling people, their lives moving forward as if the downfall of the royal family meant nothing to them.
If only I could think the same. Maeir thought to herself, her steps increasing in pace to match her son’s. Through all they had been through, Maeir still did not fully trust the prince, but there was a ray of hope and a desire for change in the young royal, so much so that Maeir hoped if Clarence were to take over the throne again, even in his powerless state, that he would make positive changes to the Yursear Kingdom. That brat has changed a lot since I met him, but there’s still a long way for him to go before I’ll accept him as one of my own, regardless of what Silas thinks of him. Maeir thought, adjusting her cape with her left hand.
Nothing drastic occurred to the group, but the noticeable shift in pace throughout the capital and the nearing areas was enough to keep everyone on edge. There was no sign of any of the rebel forces, most likely having been shuffled around the kingdom’s center in hiding, their heads lowered in waiting, in case the Yursear royal family made an attempt to gain their footing once again.
While there were no noticeable elves in the area, the group was well aware of the numerous purple crystals and mana scarves hidden in a handful of stranger’s collars. It was like a hidden marking, the resurgence of the elves that had once inhabited this place, returning to the place that they once called home.
Once this is over… will the elves be safe in this kingdom again? Silas thought to himself, his gaze moving towards Clarence, who looked towards the hidden elves with a hint of surprise, his mind full of similar thoughts to Silas.
Staring towards Silas, Clarence could only finish his thought aloud as he said, “… if I can, I want to make this kingdom safe for the elves again.” Clarence uttered, his voice barely above a whisper. “Because I-” Because I’m selfish. “-I want to protect those around me.” Because I want to protect you and keep you at my side forever.
“We’ll talk more about your plans later, for now, let’s hurry along-” A chill fell into the air with a sudden ferocity, raising the hairs on the back of the group’s necks as they stared behind them, feeling a sudden, aggressive trace of being watched. Everyone was aware of it, including Clarence, who had reached to hold Silas’s hand, ensuring the man stayed close to him.
Silas turned to the side, his eyes falling on a narrow entrance to a back alley. “We can lose whoever it is here. Come on.” Tugging on Clarence’s hand, Silas pulled him with a hard tug, nearly dragging him out of view of the prying eyes as Maeir followed, her eyes falling on the shadows of a variety of moving figures in the shadows, covered by the abandoned tent of a fruit market.
“If we hurry and climb this wall, we can get around them.” Maeir said without turning her head, her hands resting against the ivy covered brick wall. “Silas, help Clarence get up first. I’ll be right behind you both-”
“Follow me, Clarence.” Silas began, Grabbing a secure part of the wall with his hands. Clarence was quick to follow, hoisting himself up the wall with some awkwardness. Watching Silas climb the wall so deftly, he felt inadequate, but he could only push his thoughts aside as he scaled nearly halfway up the wall with Silas.
“Hurry up!” She barked, watching as the group began to slowly approach the mouth of the alley. She quickly adjusted her sword, keeping it hidden in the sheath. “We can’t wait anymore.” Grabbing the ivy like a lifeline, Maeir knotted her fingers in between the vines and hoisted herself up, climbing twice as fast as Silas in a matter of seconds, nearly scaring Clarence as he turned his head to climb onto the roof of the tall building they scaled.
“Clarence, give me your hand!” Silas yelled, his hand stretched out as he stood on the roof of the building, bracing himself on a stray chimney.
“Got it!” Clarence yelled in response, grabbing Silas hand in his own as he attempted to hoist himself up.
Hearing the voices of their pursuers growing closer and closer, Maeir grew impatient. Her eyes twitched as she stared up, nearly a foot away from Clarence as she watched her son try to hoist the tall prince up. With some annoyance, Maeir wrapped her feet into the ivy and used her right hand to reach out. With Clarence half in the air, pulled by Silas, Maeir’s hand firmly held Clarence’s pants in her hand, her palm pushing his bottom up, nearly throwing him up the wall as she finished her own hurried ascent, vaulting over the edge of the wall onto the roof with Clarence.
“Is everyone okay?” Silas asked, standing up straight as he helped Clarence up.
“I-I’m okay.” Clarence replied, somewhat at a loss. I never expected the first person in years to touch my ass to be my mother-in-law. The prince thought, the edge of his cheeks twinged pink with embarrassment as he steadied himself on the uneven surface of the roof.
The group began their run. Clarence, while trained in battle, was not accustomed to the strange terrain of the roof, but Silas helped accommodate him, keeping their pace ahead of their pursuers. Any time Clarence’s foot threatened to slip, Silas grabbed his waist, keeping him close to his side as he whispered in his ear. “It’s okay. Just stay close to me.”
During that time, Clarence felt himself growing unsteady, but he held onto Silas, savoring the closeness even in the dangerous atmosphere.
As they jumped roof to roof, dodging holes and other obstacles along the way, there was a shiny light that attracted Clarence’s attention momentarily to the left side, the opposite direction of their pursuers. With a single glance, Clarence’s eyes grew wide, and he hurried to grab Silas’s head with his palm.
“Duck!” Clarence yelled, pushing Silas’s head down as an arrow flew past his head, coming from the left of the roof they stood on. Seeing the arrow whiz by, Clarence gritted his teeth in anger, thinking to himself. If that arrow were to hit him, I’d tear that archer’s hand off.
On the other side, Maeir dodged a hole in the roof they ran on, cursing under her breath. “Those damn bastards. They’re trying to close us off! Over here! We can lose them this way.”
The chase was difficult, stunted by the uneven terrain. As fast as they ran, the worry of being seen by others was enough to force them down to the ground once again using a rickety ladder left by a stray villager. Finally, they back into the shadows and out of view of the vigilantes chasing them.
This did not last for long, however. Even at their fast pace, they were caught in a trap and forced to a stop near the end of a market, having been funneled into a dead end corner of a broad alley.
There was a small group in front of them, their expressions fixated, nearly blank, as if they had locked onto their target and no longer needed to hide their intentions. A tall human man stood in the middle, his clothing simple, but his weapon noticeably sturdy in its sheath. “We’re here for him, the royal scum.” The tallest man said, pointing his finger towards Clarence with a flat expression, his voice low. “You two do not need to follow us any longer.”
…
“Finally, we’re here.” A weary voice said, panting between words as they lifted their heavy head, their red hair tied behind their back in a simple braid.
A figure stood next to the woman with the braided hair, a water canteen in their hand as they spoke. “Take a sip of water.”
“Thank you, Kivah.” The woman sighed, taking the canteen in her hand as she drank it as if it were her own.
The pair stood outside, their heavy jackets keeping out the cold winds of the approaching autumn weather. In the Vartien Kingdom, the leaves had already changed color and began to fall, dancing around their tired frames as they planned their next steps, their satchels full enough to keep them fed until their next destination. Even though their shoes were worn, their sore feet stayed on the trail, nearing the end of their journey.
“Cordelia,” Standing to the side of the empty passage, Kivah suddenly asked, “Once we reach your family’s mansion, what do you want to do next? What will we do if they turn you away?”
“It’s about time I find my family. Even if they refuse to take me back, the information I have on the Yursear family is too important to ignore.” Cordelia huffed, wiping the trailing water from her chin with the back of her hand. “I’m their only child. Whatever happened in that hellish kingdom is behind us, for now.” She spoke heavily, her eyes narrowing in frustration and fatigue.
Hearing such bitterness in her words, Kivah frowned. “Once we find your family, let’s take a long rest. After that, we can discuss our next steps in more detail.”
“I’d like that, Kivah.” Cordelia smiled, her eyes still tinged with lingering bitter thoughts. “I’d really like that.”
…
So much to tackle, and so little chapters left to do so if I want to hit my ending timeline. I wish I could do more for YMtK at this point, but I don’t have the time or funds to invest in an editor, so it’s going to end with just me ;n; Please go easy on me in the meantime…
While I disappeared, Hunny and I had our businesses interviewed by the news for a very large event she hosted, so I’ve barely had enough time to sleep outside of day work due to an increase in engagement. I’ve also been having people coming into my studio and insulting the art/ trying to test my Japanese ability now they know my studio exists! Like, what the hell y’all?? I did receive a really lovely drawing from my Tuesday Japanese tutorees that lifted my spirts a little though >y<
I’ll be cockroach scuttling around until the next deadline. If I disappear again, it’s due to either day work or store work. No rest of the wicked. See you all again (hopefully) soon =u=; 絶対に休みたい。大変疲れたよ。
Thanks for the upload.
What is this? Kidnapping our hunky prince? Separating him from his elven lover… boyfriend. We’ll see what happens next!