One more day passed with Vienna Mareyi sticking right next to Commander Iria. Though the guest room was prepared for her with Rion keeping guard on her, the Prime Minister's daughter preferred to be with the Masked Commander.
She considered Iria as a friend but... they will part in 2 days. With conflicts that would soon rise between their two kingdoms, they might not even have the chance to meet again. So, she wanted to spend time with her while she had the chance.
It was morning when a guard came to Iria who was sitting in a pavilion. He informed her that Captain Klaus Ermias came to meet her and to let him in, they need her approval. Iria Alewine gave a quick thought and told the guard to let him in. Then the guard bowed and returned to the gate of the Crown Prince Palace to comply with her order.
Soon enough, Klaus Ermias made his way to the pavilion and bowed. "How have you been, Your Highness?" he asked Iria with his usual little smile on his face.
"I'm doing fine. It's been a while, Captain Klaus," Iria responded and added, "Have a seat."
Klaus Ermias took a seat opposite Iria and looked at her. "I heard about what happened during the hunting competition. I always wish to come and visit you but... I was out of the capital. I only returned three days ago."
"You must also be busy with a war ahead of us. I understand," Iria Alewine said and observed him. "Seems like you recover well. I'm glad."
"You too, Your Highness. I'm glad that you're fine now," Klaus Ermias promptly replied.
Commander Iria recalled how he told her about his strange illness that night. Even during the past days, she was often reminded about it.
Just what did he experience to develop such a strange illness?
"A war is coming soon. So, I think you should be careful. If you happen to have a serious injury, it will be hard for you," she calmly said to the Captain.
Klaus Ermias slightly smiled when he heard her. "You still remember," he muttered and added, "I will be fine, Your Highness. You are the one who should be more careful. You already suffered two assassination attempts since you came here."
The Captain put on a calm facade to hide his concern.
What if his uncle plans something again?
When it comes to his uncle, he can't do anything to stop him. He was always powerless whenever he faced him.
"Alright," Iria Alewine replied. "You took that arrow for me that day. If there is anything I can do to repay you, tell me. I will do it as long as it falls under my ability."
"Are you granting me a wish?" the Captain mused.
Iria Alewine gave a quick thought and nodded. "Sort of."
Klaus Ermias chuckled at her reply. "Then I think I should save it for later," he jokingly said.
Later. It was the word the Commander hated the most, for now!
In her current situation, 'later' won't come but still, she had no choice but to nod. "Fine then."
"Don't regret later, Your Highness. I won't forget this wish," Klaus Ermias dryly said and Iria nodded with a smile.
"Don't worry. I'm not the type to go back on my word."
The Captain left the palace after a while and Vienna Mareyi quickly came to Iria.
"You know each other with Captain Klaus?" she asked Iria with a flustered face.
The Commander nodded. "He saved my life once while we were in the Garetth Forest."
"Really?" Vienna Mareyi said as she took a seat. "Captain Klaus is never sociable. He is rather reserved and aloof. I never see him smiling like that."
Iria Alewine was quite surprised but she didn't show it much.
Maybe his illness made him behave like that.
"You seems to know him well," she remarked, glancing at Lady Vienna with a little smile.
Vienna Mareyi shook her head. "Not that well, but in the Royal Army, he is like the right-hand man of General Hanson. He is capable and General Hanson also trusts him a lot." She made a deliberate paused and said, "He even came to visit you. That's the complete opposite of Captain Klaus I used to know."
Iria Alewine simply smiled as she didn't think much about what Lady Vienna was saying. Nothing really matters now. Two days and everyone from here will be gone from her life forever.
* * *
It was evening and Crown Prince Arin was in his tent with Prime Minister Casar. The latter did some digging on what the Crown Prince told him the day before yesterday and he came to tell him the result of his digging.
"I look up some records since yesterday, Your Highness. I even talked with Minister Kilian who is in charge of the records," Prime Minister Casar started. "Many of the officials of Nardodia died when we take over their kingdom. Some were still in prison while some continued living as commoners.
"I talked with Minister Juan who is in charge of looking over the activities in the part of the land that used to belong to Nardodia. He said that though he keeps an eye on the former officials, there is nothing suspicious on their movement."
"Then what about the royals?" Crown Prince Arin promptly asked. "The report I received was that they all died."
"That's what bothers me, Your Highness," Casar Mareyi quickly said. "The report stated that they all died but when I dig deeper, there was a report that said someone saw the Duke of Borland two months after the war was concluded."
"The Duke of Borland?" Arin raised a brow and said, "Wasn't he the younger brother of the late king of Nardodia?"
"Yes. The report said that he was spotted in a market on the former land of Nardodia but he was already recorded as dead during that time. Though they still held an investigation, it was soon closed due to lack of leads," Prime Minister Casar replied.
"Why don't I hear anything about this?" the Crown Prince asked.
Someone spotted the member of the Nardodian royal family who was already proclaimed as dead but... he knew nothing?
"At that time, it's only been two months since you defeated Nardodia but you were already busy attempting to fend off the Jerivians in the east border. Besides, there was nothing to prove that the Duke of Borland is still alive. It was believed that the informant saw it wrong."
The Duke of Borland. Somehow it bothered Arin Helev. He had a bad feeling about this matter.
What if the informant was right?
If the Duke was still alive... he will surely be capable of doing many things as there would be no one to keep an eye on him.
A rebellion was also possible.
"You know the face of the Duke of Borland, right?" he asked the Prime Minister and when the latter nodded, he said, "Then help me draw his picture. I want to make sure that the report wasn't true."
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