Dragon King's Harem Chapter 378. I See You As A Friend
"Yes," I said, the same dry smile still on my face. "We need to keep up appearances, especially if Viperax decides to probe further."
"I understand," Al replied, the grin fading slightly but still present in the corners of his mouth. He gave a small, mock salute, more for effect than anything else. "I will take my leave then," he said, his tone respectful but still carrying that hint of mischief that was so inherently him.
Al was about to step out of the tent when I felt a sudden surge of urgency, something I couldn't let him leave without saying. "Al," I called out, my voice softer than before.
He paused, his hand hovering near the tent flap, and turned back to face me.
"I seriously don't want to lose you," I said, the words coming out with a raw sincerity that I didn't often let show. "You are my servant, yes, but I see you as a friend. Don't throw your life away because of revenge."
For a moment, the tent was filled with a heavy silence.
Al stood there, his usual lighthearted demeanor replaced by something deeper, more introspective. His eyes met mine, and I could see the conflict within him—the struggle between his burning desire for revenge and the loyalty he felt toward me, toward the bond we shared.
A small, melancholic smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I do realize that, Your Majesty," he finally said, his voice steady but carrying the emotions he rarely voiced. "That was the only thing that stopped me from doing something crazy and pulled me from my maddness."
Hearing him say that eased some of the tension in my chest, but the concern still lingered. I knew Al well enough to understand that his need for revenge wasn't something that could be easily quelled. It was a part of him, a driving force that had shaped much of his life. But I needed him to know that he wasn't alone in this, that there were people who cared about him—who needed him to stay alive.
"Good night, Your Majesty," Al said, bowing his head slightly in respect, though the gesture felt more personal than formal.
With that, he turned and finally left the tent, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
As the flap of the tent closed behind him, I let out a slow breath, the tension in my shoulders easing just a fraction.
I followed Al out of the tent. But there was no time to dwell on it now; there was still work to be done, and I needed to ensure our preparations were flawless.
I had assigned Eir to oversee the details of our deception, while Evelina and Jyne tended to the patients. Now it was time to see how everything was coming together.
Once I stepped out of the tent, the first thing I noticed was the smoke rising around the perimeter of the camp. It wasn't inside the camp itself, but just beyond it, thin wisps of smoke curling into the night sky, mingling with the charred ground. The soil was dark and scorched, giving the appearance that a fierce battle had just taken place here. It was exactly the effect I had wanted.
Eir and the soldiers had gone to great lengths to make everything convincing. Their armor was scuffed and dirty, smeared with fake blood and grime, and their faces bore the marks of battle—some with hastily applied makeup to simulate wounds, others with dirt streaked across their skin.
A few monster corpses were scattered strategically around the camp, their bodies charred and mangled as if they had been defeated in a brutal skirmish. The scene was chaotic, but it was exactly what we needed to sell the story.
Most of the soldiers were sitting around, resting against rocks or leaning on their weapons. They weren't laughing or chatting too loudly, just as I had ordered. Their exhaustion was palpable, their postures slumped, and their expressions weary. It was all part of the ruse—to show that our camp had been attacked as well, but unlike Viperax, we had managed to defend ourselves.
I spotted Eir among the soldiers, his appearance as disheveled as the rest. He was covered in dirt, with a large smear of something that looked like ash across half of his face. His armor was battered and dented, with streaks of fake blood running down his arms and chest. It was a bit overboard, but that was Eir—always thorough, always taking every task to the extreme.
He noticed me approaching and straightened up immediately, his posture snapping to attention despite the supposed exhaustion. "Your Majesty," he greeted me, his voice steady and respectful.
I nodded in acknowledgment, letting my gaze sweep over the scene once more. "Everything looks convincing, Eir. You've done well," I said, my tone approving but still focused. There was no room for mistakes, not with Viperax likely to send scouts or spies our way.
Eir gave a small, satisfied smile, though it was quickly hidden beneath his professional demeanor. "Thank you, Your Majesty. We've done our best to make it look as real as possible. The soldiers know their roles, and we've placed the monster corpses where they'd be most visible. If anyone comes to investigate, they'll believe we were attacked as well."
I glanced at the corpses, noting the placement and the level of destruction around them.
Eir followed my gaze, his expression serious. "We took care to ensure that none of the monsters would be recognizable as anything other than wild beasts that happened to be in the area," he said. "Their bodies are too damaged to identify them by species, and any unique markings or traits have been obscured."
I nodded, satisfied with his answer. Eir had always been meticulous, an it was clear that he had thought of every detail.