"Is there still no news on the Crown Prince?" Aryan Tripas asked the Captain of the Royal Guards who was standing a few steps away on his right.
It had been a few days and the King had started to grow anxious.
"The guards look for him in the Vale Province, Your Majesty," the Captain replied. "But there is no news yet. Please give us some more time."
"If you don't find him, things will go out of hand soon," the King said in a firm tone. "Find him alive no matter what."
With that said, the Captain bowed and walked out of the King's chamber.
"Your Majesty, do you think His Highness leave the Vale Province?" Colson Leland who was standing on the King's left asked.
As the right-hand man of the King for years now, he was promoted to an official position when Aryan Tripas retrieved the throne of Nardodia.
"What do you mean?" the King asked as he shifted his gaze to his right-hand man.
"Vale Province is located near our border with Qalagon," Colson Leland explained. "What if His Highness escaped to Qalagon? Maybe the assassins were after him and he had no choice."
"Qalagon," Aryan Tripas muttered as he turned back to the opened window. "Did he go to Arin Helev?"
"It's obvious that His Highness has a lot of trust in the King of Qalagon," Colson Leland stated. "He might surely be injured due to the attack and considering his connection to the Qalagon King, there is a high chance for him to seek refuge there."
When Aryan Tripas realized that there was a high possibility for Emor to do that, he shut his eyes.
He told him many times to cut ties with Arin Helev. Why did he never listen?
"Send some spies to Qalagon to know if Emor is there," he said to Colson Leland who bowed his head. "Make sure to not create rumors. If our guesses are wrong, it will only alert the assassins."
* * *
When Iria entered Emor Tripas's chamber, the Crown Prince was standing near the window. He quietly stared at the outdoors with a face that was just blank. It made the Queen wonder what was going on in his mind.
Finally, Emor Tripas turned around to look at the one who entered his chamber. "It's you," he muttered. "What's the matter?"
"I came to check on you," Iria said as she walked closer to him. "You're doing more fine than I thought."
"It's all thanks to you," Crown Prince Emor muttered and turned back to the windows. "If I have to treat the wounds myself, it will take me a long time to recover," he added.
The Qalagon Queen stood still for a while before she resumed her steps and stood beside Emor. "What are you thinking of?" she asked.
"I wonder what would be the situation in Nardodia," Emor Tripas replied with his gaze still fixated on the outdoors. "They might look for me everywhere now."
"You don't want to send a letter?"
Narrowing his eyes, Emor Tripas shook his head. "Though I doubt that my uncle is behind the assassination attempt, I can't be so sure. I can't make up my mind for now." He took a deep breath and lifted his gaze again. "If Theo is perhaps back to the palace, then my uncle might send soldiers here."
Iria thought about it and nodded. "Do you think Theo will tell him that you enter our kingdom?"
"Theo is always cautious," Emor Tripas said. "So, he might have his suspicions. There is a chance for him not to tell my uncle."
"You were attacked in the Vale Province and that's right near the border," the Queen stated. "Aryan Tripas might also suspect that you enter Qalagon. So, he might send spies here." Pausing, she gave a quick thought and added, "I will order to tighten the security of the palace."
"No need," Emor Tripas promptly said. "I want to know the truth anyway. Once my uncle finds out that I'm here, I want to know what he will do." He briefly glanced at Iria and muttered, "I really hope that he's not the one behind this. After all, he's my only blood-related family."
Emor Tripas shifted his gaze back to the outdoors while Iria stood still with her gaze on him.
He was a year younger than her, but... his life was even more complicated than hers. However, he coped with it very well. It made her look back at herself.
She should try harder.
* * *
In the Royal Army Camp of Qalagon, Arin Helev was inside his tent with Hanson Lorin.
Though the General worked hard like always, he rarely met the King these days.
Putting aside the fact that they were both busy, Arin felt like Hanson was avoiding him.
The General was his best friend and he hated this kind of atmosphere between them.
Even now, despite sitting opposite to each other, Hanson Lorin didn't say anything. All he did was sit still while narrowing his eyes the whole time.
"It's very hard to see you these days," Arin Helev pointed out. "Are you doing well? I also heard that Vienna will give birth soon."
Hanson Lorin nodded. "I'm doing fine, Your Majesty."
"Hanson, what will we do to turn things back to normal?" the King muttered. "You're my best friend. You know I don't want to lose you."
When his father's crime crossed the General's mind, he ended up squeezing his clothes. "I'm not so sure anymore," he said. "I don't know what to do."
When the King quietly looked at his friend, Hanson spoke up again, but...
"Arin, can you relieve me of my duties too? I think that it will be better for me to retire."
What Hanson just said was beyond the King's imagination! As such, his eyes grew wide in shock!
"What are you saying?!" he snapped.
"I feel too ashamed to even face you anymore," Hanson Lorin said in a low voice. "It feels too suffocated to live this way.. I don't think I can keep going on."
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