Princess – Part 08
Cecily jumped awake.
“What hap—ow, ow, ow!” She groaned, clutching her arms as pain pulsed through her. Every part of her ached. Her chest and shoulder guards had been removed, and her body showed signs of recent treatment.
Aria placed a hand on her back, gently rubbing it. “Don’t push yourself. You need to rest.”
“Th-Thanks. Where am I?”
“The government office in the Third District. Hannibal brought you here.”
“He did?”
Aria quickly filled her in. After Cecily lost consciousness, Luke had subdued Doris, and soon after, the Knight Guards from the Third District arrived. They had been alerted by the battle but weren’t able to intervene earlier because of the clashing Infernal Blades. Only when Captain Hannibal Quasar joined them could they step in. Thankfully, despite the damage to the buildings, no civilians were seriously hurt. Cecily was then brought to the infirmary of the government office for treatment.
The guards apprehended the three women and one more, confiscating a total of four Infernal Blades. They were currently being interrogated.
“Four Infernal Blades? There was one more wielder?”
“Yeah, they went after Luke. And about that girl’s Infernal Blade…” Aria trailed off, biting her lip, her gaze dropping. “Anyway…”
“Hmm? What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”
Aria lowered her head in shame. Sitting on the chair beside the bed, she shrank, fists clenched on her lap. Startled, Cecily reached over and placed a hand on hers.
“I’m your partner, your comrade, but I couldn’t do anything.”
“That’s not true. You did great.”
It was true. Without Aria’s wind, Cecily could’ve suffered far worse injuries.
Aria shook her head. “They were after me. If I hadn’t been there, you wouldn’t have been hurt.”
“Aria! Don’t say that—”
“I know, I know. It doesn’t change anything. So, I won’t let it happen again.” Aria lifted her gaze. Her eyes were red and swollen. “Next time, I’ll protect you. Even if my sword breaks, even if the wind dies, I’ll risk my life to keep you safe. So please, don’t do that again, okay?”
“Do what?”
“When they tried to take me, you held on so desperately. It made me very happy, but please never do that again. I thought they would kill you,” she said in a hoarse whisper.
Tears streamed down her face. She grabbed Cecily’s right hand and pressed it to her chest. Cecily’s scarred, burned hand sank into Aria’s soft skin.
“I don’t want to lose you, Cecily.”
The warmth of Aria’s hand sent a pang through Cecily’s heart.
Aria was an enigma. At times, she felt like a child, at others, like an old soul. Always elusive, yet in moments like this, Cecily felt so close to her.
Aria was precious to her. Cecily gently pulled her head closer.
“I’m not dying. Not with you here.”
“Mhm.” Aria nodded, resting her cheek against Cecily’s shoulder.
“But if something like today happens again, I’ll do the same thing.”
“You can’t.”
“Listen. I couldn’t protect you either. If Luke hadn’t shown up, you wouldn’t be here. You would’ve been taken. So, we’re even.” Cecily stroked Aria’s hair. “Let’s let go of the regrets and move forward. Next time, I’ll protect you. I won’t let go.”
“Mhm…”
“Let’s make a vow again, together.”
Cecily locked eyes with Aria. Her eyes were still wet with tears, but she nodded, albeit a little awkwardly.
“Don’t let go.”
“I won’t. And neither will you.”
They wiped their tears, smiled at each other, and clenched their fists.
“All right, then. I need your help straight away,” Cecily said.
“Huh? For what?”
“We’re paying a visit to those who did this to us.”
Independent Trade City, Third District.
The government office stood as one of the larger facilities in the city. Though its plain wooden architecture gave it a somewhat run-down feel, lacking any sense of grandeur both inside and out. Years of renovations had turned it a mismatched collection of structures, devoid of majesty, despite being the workplace of the mayor and city officials.
The building bustled with not only the Knight Guards but also non-combat officials, filling it to capacity. In the aftermath of the recent skirmish, the officials hurried about, the wooden floors creaking beneath their feet.
Cecily leaned against Aria for support as they navigated the crowd. Voices called out to her, some expressing concern for her injuries, others inquiring about the recent event. She deftly avoided the questions until they finally reached their destination—the mayor’s office.
“Interrogation in the mayor’s office?”
Cecily was surprised at the choice of location. It felt like an odd place to question the apprehended individuals. Perplexed, she knocked for permission before opening the door.
The first person to greet them was Hugo Housman.
“Cecily, are you able to walk already?” he asked.
Housman was dressed in formal attire. Though he was in his late thirties, he appeared much younger, sporting a mustache and slightly unruly hair. As the elected mayor, he was required to adopt the family name “Housman,” regardless of his lineage.
“Take it easy, all right?”
A man with a brawny physique that belied his sixty years placed a massive hand on Cecily’s shoulder, a hand that could very well crush rocks. He was tall, with a brownish complexion, a flattened nose, and a cross-shaped scar that stretched from his cheek to the base of his neck. A large sword hung at his side, the kind you’d sheathe in a horse saddle.
“I’m fine. Thank you for your concern,” Cecily replied, offering a slight bow to both men.
She glanced around the office. The room was fairly spacious, furnished only with the bare necessities, but it was unusually crowded at the moment.
Luke and Lisa were leaning against the wall. The master of Atelier Liza yawned lazily, while his assistant seemed uncomfortable, hunching her shoulders.
“Luke, Lisa, thanks for the help,” Cecily said.
Luke shrugged. He could learn a thing or two from Lisa’s warm smile.
Doris, Margot, and Penelope were jostling each other on the guest couch, all wearing sour expressions. Though their Infernal Blades had been confiscated, they weren’t being restrained. Cecily frowned at their treatment.
In addition to the trio, a girl she didn’t recognize sat stiffly in a tall chair, her eyes locked on Cecily with an intensity that made her feel uneasy. Could she be the other Infernal Blade wielder?
The room felt cramped with ten people present.
“What happened?” Cecily asked Hannibal, seeking an explanation.
The captain let out a bitter chuckle while Housman’s expression turned grave.
“Things have gotten a little more complicated,” Hannibal said.
“Allow me to explain,” the unfamiliar girl interjected. “My name is Charlotte E. Firobisher. Those three over there are my personal guards.”
Cecily had never heard that name before, but the initial “E” was intriguing.
Sensing Cecily’s confusion, Charlotte grinned. “I am royalty. I carry the name of ‘E,’ a descendant of the imperial bloodline.”
In other words, a princess. Cecily was taken aback by the unexpected presence of someone so significant. Charlotte threw out her chest, pleased with Cecily’s reaction.
“Why is an imperial princess here in this city?” Cecily managed to ask.
“I came to negotiate the transfer of that Infernal Blade over there,” Charlotte said, pointing. Aria flinched. “And also to summon the blacksmith to the empire.”
Blacksmith? Cecily had never heard of the term before. She exchanged puzzled glances with Aria. Their confusion was not shared by the others.
Housman furrowed his brow. “As I mentioned earlier, the Independent Trade City cannot comply with your request.”
“I know. You already said that,” Charlotte replied wearily. “But I can’t return empty-handed. While I understand the issue with the blacksmith, surely the Infernal Blade would be acceptable? I’ll pay a fair amount for it, of course.”
Housman pressed his hand to his forehead. The weary atmosphere in the room suggested that this back-and-forth had been going on for some time.
“Just name your price. The Empire places great value on Infernal Blades.”
“Our answer is the same for the Infernal Blade. I don’t know why you’re collecting them, but the real issue is the Empire attempting secret negotiations with our city. In fact, this discussion alone is dangerous.”
“As long as it’s a business transaction, I don’t see the problem. So what’s the issue?”
“You are clearly out of touch with the current international climate. Invoking the Empire’s name is not something to be taken lightly.”
“Is the city that prides itself on free trade afraid of another nation’s name?”
“What’s with that attitude?” Cecily’s voice cut through the rising tension, drawing all eyes to her.
“Are you talking to me?” Charlotte asked.
“Who else?”
Cecily strode up to Charlotte, puffing out her chest, refusing to be outdone by the princess’s arrogance. Charlotte flinched. She pulled her face back from the approaching pair of curves.
“I don’t know all the details, but I can tell your story is pure rubbish.”
“Rubbish?”
“Negotiate, my foot.” Cecily pointed toward the three women crammed together on the couch. “Those people tried to take Aria by force. That’s not a negotiation. It’s just plain robbery!”
“…”
“If Luke hadn’t shown up when he did, they would’ve kidnapped her and vanished without a trace. We wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”
The women glared at Cecily, but offered no rebuttal.
Comment (0)