Though the new King seemed like the complete opposite of his father, the Master Enaerion just realized that they had many things in common.
"I understand what you mean, Your Majesty," he spoke up. "As the Master Enaerion, I can assure you that the devotion of the Enaerions will be even deeper than you could imagine. Each one of us will gladly lay down our lives for you and your goals. So, even if you don't explain yourself, nothing will change. We will always have faith in you."
"Is it possible for you to trust me to that extent?" Arin Helev quickly asked. "You don't even know me well."
"You might not know this but... we already watch over you even when you were the Crown Prince, Your Majesty," the Master Enaerion confessed. "Your father always had plans to abdicate. So, he ordered us to try to know you before the time comes. It had been two years since then."
His father did that? Arin Helev had no idea. When he thought about it, it turned out that things went smooth for him, all thanks to the path that his father paved for him. His father was well prepared for this time.
"You have never told me your name," he pointed out, looking at the Master Enaerion. This man had only told him that he was the Master Enaerion and that's how everyone addressed him too.
"I'm Luca Agnelo, Your Majesty," the young Master Enaerion replied to the King. He had never felt the need to say his name. After all, he and 999 others lived like a shadow under one name 'the Enaerions.'
* * *
It was morning and Iria Alewine was in King Tobias's chamber, sitting opposite the King. Almost a week had passed since that incident and King Tobias only summoned her now. It made the Masked Commander wondered why he took so long.
Was he still upset with that plan?
Even now, the King hasn't spoken up at all and she already sat there for more than a minute. It became pretty hard to be still but... she finally heard the King's voice.
"What happened to the traitor?"
Iria Alewine recalled what happened and believed that it would be best to not be too detailed. "She's dead," she replied to the King and added, "I sent her body to her family."
She thought that King Tobias would be disappointed but... he didn't comment at all. This wasn't like the King she used to know.
"Your Majesty, are you still disappointed because of that plan?" she asked, cautiously. "I don't -"
"Do you think I'm okay with seeing you like that?" the King snapped, making her fell silent. "Some officials can't wait to get rid of you and they practically wait for you to make a mistake. You know that very well, Iria."
Letting out a sigh, the King added, "Do you even know how hard it was for me to maintain my cool when Minister Julian taunted you? It wasn't easy for me to lock you up in that cell and ordered the soldiers to search your mansion." Making a deliberate pause, he looked at Iria and asked, "Must you always chose the hard way?"
"I'm sorry for making you do that," Iria Alewine apologized. "Alewine Army is all I have, Your Majesty. Ever since my father's death, my three Generals became a family for me. So... I cannot accept easily when I saw how one of them betrayed me. I thought that she might change her mind and that's why I gave her time but... I was wrong. Please forgive me."
Hearing her mentioning her father's death, his argument with his second son echoed in the King's ears once again. As such, he tightly squeezed the armrest of the couch where he sat.
Commander Iria stared at the King who narrowed his eyes and maintained his silence. She didn't know what was going on with him. Somehow, he acted quite strange.
"Iria... " the King called her name in a low voice and lifted his gaze to meet hers. "If you ever meet the one who killed your father, what would you do?"
Iria Alewine raised a brow at the sudden yet strange question. He had never asked her that before! Why now?
"Any sane person will want to kill that person to avenge their fathers," she said and added, "But you always told me to think before I act, Your Majesty. I won't be reckless but... if I get the chance, I won't miss it."
What if the mastermind behind that assassination was a royal from some enemy kingdoms? Her rash action will bring no good to her kingdom! That's what Iria Alewine thought.
Her response made the King narrowed his eyes again. He didn't say anything just like before and stunned the Masked Commander once more.
"Is something wrong, Your Majesty?" she asked. Her confusion was quite evident on her face.
Finally, the King get a grip of himself and looked at her again. Then he forced a smile. "No, everything's fine." He made a deliberate paused and said, "I thought that Minister Julian should learn to behave, so I take away some of his lands and stripped him of some titles as a punishment. I bet he will lay low from now on."
Iria Alewine only nodded. She wasn't that interested in court affairs.
"You don't have to worry, Iria," King Tobias calmly said. "If any officials dare to openly challenge you again, I won't spare them anymore. I spare Minister Julian because he was just a pawn in King Aryan's plan but what I did to him will be enough to keep the officials in check."
"Then what about our relationship with Nardodia?" the Commander quickly asked.
"That's obvious," the King said. "We are done with them."
Just when Iria tried to speak up, she heard the sound of the knocking on the door and when the King responded, Captain Callan walked inside and bowed.
"Greetings, Your Majesty." He turned to her and bowed his head. "Commander Iria."
"What's the matter?" the King asked and the Captain of the Royal Guards quickly turned his attention back to the King.
"I receive an information just now, Your Majesty," Captain Callan started and continued by saying, "Minister Julian was assassinated last night and the assassin is still unidentified."
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