คืนค่าการตั้งค่าทั้งหมด
คุณแน่ใจว่าต้องการคืนค่าการตั้งค่าทั้งหมด ?
ลำดับตอนที่ #14 : Chapter 14: Negotiations (บทที่ 14 เจรจา)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: NEGOTIATIONS
Foulmouthed but kind. Cold on the outside, but a warm person at heart.
There may be truth in that, after all. Astonishing as it may seem.
“Does it hurt still?” asked the Prince of Kanoval in his deep voice as he handed her a black goblet filled with cure. Vivien found his question amusing somehow.
“I'm afraid you'll have to put up with this. It’s quite bitter, but it promotes healing. We're always on the move. And that's not exactly a flesh wound we're dealing with.”
“You seem used to treating injuries, Prince Kalo.” For the first time, Vivien began as if to engage him in conversation. He glanced her way with bright blue eyes, then nodded slightly.
“Your sister has a knack for getting herself injuries. Guess it can't be helped.”
Vivien stifled her laughter at his quip, for his tone was both tender and annoyed when talking about her sister.
Was this the Prince of Kanoval, the Land of Warriors? The same one who was demonlike when he wielded the Wand of Demos, who was terrifyingly powerful that night?
A moment of silence stretched between them as Vivien drank up the cure.
“About the conflict between Kanoval and Venol, princess, have you ever considered selling your iron mines?”
Vivien glanced up from her cup. It was a question and offer she'd never expected to hear.
Sister’s right. He’d been finding a way for her...
“Venol’s mining industry is dedicated only to gemstones, despite having numerous other profitable lodes. Kanoval needs iron, but we don’t have the lode. If Venol let Kanoval invest in their iron mines, there may be no need for war.”
The prince said airily as though discussing the weather as he traded plain water for her empty goblet of cure.
“But Venol has only gemstone lodes,” said the princess.
The prince's face remained as cold as ever.
“You don’t even know your own resources. Is it any wonder you’re cornered?”
His seemingly mocking words grated in her ears, boiling Vivien's calm. She retorted in kind,
“How can you know better about Venol’s resources than a Venolite?”
“Let’s just say we know.” He cut it short, then his eyes softened somewhat, “Let’s just say I have shown you the way. Soon as you’re back in Venol, try sending an envoy to negotiate with Kanoval. Don’t ever mind where those iron lodes are. Our men will negotiate with your envoy once they're there.”
“But—” The princess sounded hesitant. For the first time, her question was tinged with insecurity, “Vivien heard Kanoval's picky about who they negotiate with, and they're difficult—”
As her confidence failed, she succumbed to force of habit and reverted to illeism. It was too late to take back, but it was the slip that softened the prince's perpetually icy facade to gentle and kind.
“Warriors are men of their word. Kanovalites are warriors. Since one of us gave his word that he will handle the matter for you, he will see that it is done. So please, do not worry. And have a good rest.”
*
They all boarded the wagon again once the sun had set. The horses galloped through the dense forest. Beastly wails pierced the silence, joined by flapping noises, before a hoard of some creatures pounced onto the roof, sending the passengers jumping in alarm.
“Again!?” Felin was the first to protest, for Vivien had dropped her scared little fairytale princess act long since. “Keep it coming. It's not as if I'll drop dead in fright someday.”
Kee! Kee!
The creatures screeched as they battled Rowen and Arthur. All through the din of vicious fighting, the wagon rumbled on at full tilt.
“What are they?”
Felin wondered. The instant she pushed aside the curtain to find out, in barged a humanoid face covered in tangled hair, sporting enormous, lantern-like yellowish eyes and long fangs protruding from its mouth.
Kalo yanked the trouble-seeker out of harm’s way as Kil sank his sword into the monster’s face, drawing out an earsplitting, bloodcurdling scream that sounded unmistakably human.
Felin paled. Gulping with difficulty, she repeated,
“What kind of human is that?”
“ —Not human, Sister. They’re Lekoos of the Forgotten Forest. They look like monkeys but with long, sharp fangs and large yellow eyes. They live together in herds of two to three hundred. They're too much for us. Nothing for it but run as fast as we can.”
Two to three hundred!?
Felin shuddered in terror at the notion.
“What about Rowen and Arthur, then? Won't they be monkey chow by now?”
She'd barely finished when Rowen ducked inside. His presence was a source of tremendous discomfort for the Princess of Venol, and so she edged away to huddle silently in a corner. But why did it still hurt when it should have gone numb?
“Always blessings from your mouth, eh, Felin?” Felin simpered at Rowen's spite, “I really should send you out there for a taste of being monkey chow.”
“I was just joking! My meat's not tasty!”
Felin pleaded for dear life, sending the three men laughing. Even Vivien hid a smile.
“Those monkeys can’t come in here because of the enchantments. It’s quite rough out there, but it’s Arthur’s shift at the reins. Can't be helped.” Rowen explained with a gentle smile. Felin snickered sheepishly.
“But will he go around telling people how Knight Fortress bullied the Noble Castle Head Boy?”
Rowen appeared troubled by the poke, then he answered matter-of-factly.
“Nobles make a habit of bullying commoners. Perhaps it’s fine if we knights avenge them every now and then.”
Felin blinked, unable to tell whether he was serious. Had Rowen known beforehand when they would come across these tiresome monkeys, and planned it so that Arthur would fall into this shift?
“When will we get out of this forest?” Kalo asked. Rowen met his gaze then calculated silently,
“If all goes well, we’ll be clear of the Forgotten Forest in two days, but things usually go wrong.”
He left off cryptically, yet no-one questioned him further. Until...
“How?” Felin asked, curious.
“The Forgotten Forest is plagued by the Dark Elves' Illusion Labyrinth. It would send us running around in circles, never finding the way out, but let’s worry about it when we meet it.”
“Let’s talk about something else,” Felin changed the topic.
“Who was it that spread the news about the Wand, exactly? Vivien said she learned of it from Baramos's newsletter. But actually, the thing about the broken wand and my true identity should've been secrets, right? The news shouldn't have leaked out, then how come…?”
“Baramos's newsletter is the newsletter issued from the Council of the High King, which consists of around thirty representatives sent from each of the twenty-four countries. Anyone in the council can issue a newsletter. And everyone who is in on this matter is equally suspicious.”
Rowen explained, glancing at his listeners in turn.
“Starting from the High King himself, the Great Philosopher Lemothy, Lecturer Prince Shamal, Lawen the Knight, Godome Komus, Prince Arthur of Zares, Prince Rowen of Gemini, Prince Kalo of Kanoval, Kil Fylmus, the Killer of Zares, or even yourself, Felin.”
Felin smiled weakly as she met eyes with everyone else in the wagon, then sighed heavily.
“You want us to suspect each other? Just kill me.” She slumped wearily against the wall.
“If you’re asking for serious, then of course I'll answer for serious as I just did. Forget about gain. Everyone will benefit in some way if anything becomes of the Princess Feliona in Demos.”
“Even the High King? My own grandfather?”
“Should the Princess of Baramos come to any harm in Demos, it would never be easier to spark a war between Eden and Demos. And don’t you go forgetting Demos owes Baramos her life.”
“Not good enough. Who’d want a war?” Felin retorted with a shrug.
“It is possible.” Rowen insisted. “Baramos of the present is virtually powerless. The High King holds almost no importance, but if war breaks out with Demos, he will become the center of power.”
Silence descended for a long moment.
“Then how am I suspicious?” Felin bared her teeth, by now quite disgruntled.
“There’s only one reason in your case.” Rowen smiled slightly, “That is—you’re not the true Princess of Demos and Baramos, but a mere puppet controlled by some mastermind from the shadows.”
His simple theory left them all speechless. Felin heaved a sigh then threw up her hands in surrender.
“Right, just turn all your suspicions to me. I’m scheming to start a war between Demos and Eden. Now that that’s settled, you can throw away all your other theories.”
Rowen chuckled softly, whereas Kalo and Kil remained silent. He then rewarded the girl who had confessed to being the mastermind with a clap on the shoulder.
“You’re just as interesting as I’ve thought, Felin. Relax, I was just joking.”
Joking?
Felin froze in shock, then swore feverishly in a most unprincesslike manner.
What a wicked joke, Master Left-Wing General! If she had to make enemies of everyone in the whole dang world, this man would certainly be one she’d never pick a fight with!
Kil and Kalo sighed in unison, then shared a look of resignation, at a loss of how to handle their miraculously nonchalant General. Rowen chuckled softly as he gazed fondly at his three juniors.
“Lighten up. You’re first-years. A prank like this from seniors is nothing. Trust me, I had it a lot worse back when I was a first-year," said Rowen laughingly. The intriguing prologue had the three curious first-years leaning in for details, but Rowen simply left it there then returned to the topic at hand,
“There are many possible masterminds, but at least we can cross out the six of us in this wagon.”
“So, you no longer suspect Prince Arthur, Prince Rowen, Prince Kalo, Kil Fylmus or Felin Debereaux?” asked Felin. Rowen laughed.
“I'll just skip right over you three. Let’s just say I know that Kanoval will never betray the Princess Feliona. That Kil isn’t thinking of killing his best friend just yet. As for me—”
Rowen smiled.
“So long as the three of you and I are knights of our same fortress, I’m bound by oath to protect you.”
“Wait...so this means...once you graduated...”
Rowen smiled at Felin in amusement.
“We’ll see about that when the time comes.”
“And Prince Arthur?” Kalo swiftly steered the topic. Rowen laughed.
“If he'd wanted to kill us, we probably wouldn’t be sitting here.” He declared, brusque and clear.
“Prince Arthur’s not that good.” Everyone turned around at Princess Viviennaniya’s voice, including Rowen.
“You'd do better not to be so quick to dismiss Prince Arthur,” Rowen argued. “Here and here. These are what earned him the title Leonard, the lionhearted prince."
Rowen pointed to his head and heart.
“Don’t forget—He is the only one. The only one for centuries who dared to lead an army into Demos, such that has never been attempted before. I'm warning you: Don't ever underestimate Prince Arthur."
ความคิดเห็น