There was nothing to worry about in the castle after all.
When I met those two on the way, as expected; they just said...
"Hey, what's up?"
Then impulsively mentioned...
"Hey, you know what? There was a card game going on there. Why don't you come with us? Come on, let's kill some time. It is so good, isn't it, Arzi?"
With a scowl...
"I don't know about that. You are probably just using it as an opportunity to see those wild women there. I would like to hardly say no, but... Indeed it is not that bad to pass our time."
Right. These two didn't even notice that I wasn't around for a month.
"Ah... Ahaha... No, thanks."
I just immediately cut them off after confirming there was no potential problem.
...
Having a grasp of the knight charade life situation, I finally could just let out a breath of relief. My mind was refreshingly lightened after clearing up the potential issues that could occur for me here in this castle.
I was now leaning on the battlements relishing the cold breeze and sensation of the night atmosphere.
With the vast area of the castle ground, the sight of my eyes could just get relaxing as it was being fed with the vast refined horizon.
"Well, then... "
Readying myself for going to the dungeon, I uttered with a soothing breath.
My magnificent attire was still in the dorm so I moved to prepare myself.
Upon turning...
...
"...!"
...
I was surprised.
"Uhm... Kiezy?"
Looking aimlessly on the ground, her eyes reacted upon hearing my voice.
"Ah, uhm... Yo! Haha... "
Raising her hand, she said her hi with a weary smile.
'Since when has she been there? What, was she just standing there all this time?'
"Uhm... "
Didn't know how to react, I just let out a murmur.
Kiezy walked straight by me then headed straight to the battlement, leaned her arms on it, and held her cheeks with both hands.
I could just turn and look back at her.
'What's going on?' - I wondered.
"Say... "
In a flash of a moment under the light of the large bright blue moon, Kiezy uttered and it got sent to me accompanied by the night's cool fresh air. With a livening slight blow of the wind, her utterance has reached me.
Seeing her mightily standing on her ground with herself relaxedly relishing over the beautiful night sky, leaning on the battlements as if she didn't care about anything, I could just get struck with awe.
"...Where have you been... In these past days?"
...
Whoosh...
...
As if the time had paused, I could just get myself out of word.
Totally sudden. Totally unexpected question. Coming from the person I was evading the most.
"Uhm... I, ah... What...?"
"It seems you were not around these past days. So it made me think. I wonder where you have been?"
"..."
...
"Then..."
Turning to me...
"Where were you these past days, Mr. Yui?"
"..."
As if she had lost hope of the world, Kiezy was looking at me with her once bright clear blue eyes that were now deep in dark blue.
'What's with her question? And her look? What, she was like going to end me in this very moment depending on the answer!'
"Eh!? Where was I? Uhm, I was just in the dungeon. There was nothing on where I was worth mentioning, really."
"Hmmm... "
Letting out a doubtful murmur, she just continued uninterested in the answer.
"Then, what do you think of Hara?"
"Eh!? Huh? Well, uhm... Of what?"
"I mean, of what she has done."
"Huh!? Do you still think about that? It has been months, you know? Seriously please just don't think about it, okay? So that we can all just be safe."
About her question, she was still feeling sorry for what Hara had done. To reassure her that it no longer matters, I answered in deep surprise indicating that I wasn't thinking about it anymore. Well, it wasn't like as if I just acted I was surprised. I was totally were. However, it appears she didn't take it either way.
She just kept looking at me with the same eyes without giving a care about my expression.
'Ahahaha... ' - I could just laugh in pain.
'This turns out to be a serious matter here.' - I thought to myself.
By my last sentence, I meant to say that there would be no trouble for any of us. Thinking of each other's matters can be troublesome after all. Exactly such as now.
"What do you think of Hara?"
...
"Gulp."
...
I could just swallow.
Second question. The same question.
'The heck...?'
Hara was questioning me nonstop that time but I didn't care. But with Kiezy asking even just this once, I was like, cannot afford to let it go unanswered?
"What do you think of Hara regarding what she has done, Mr. Yui?"
"...!"
'What answer would satisfy her? I already told her I didn't care, didn't I?'
I was like panicking.
'You are not telling me I will have to cross swords with her for this, right?' - Was what I've thought.
"Eh...!? I wasn't really... "
Kiezy glared at me. She was serious. I mean, really serious at that.
Looking at her now, it would seem Hara wasn't even that serious about killing me after all.
"Why... What are you asking about? Why do you want to dig it up so much? What I thought...?"
I can tell. At that time, Hara was just intimidating me. Forcing me to spout out what it was I could be hiding. She wasn't serious about taking my life at all. However...
Kiezy was now asking; with her eyes fed up with the idea I was already dead. She no longer considers me alive. She wasn't interested in whether I was telling the truth or not. She was just hoping for me to give a genuine answer.
Depending on where the answer led though, I might still get annihilated.
I could just have my brows twitching with my face grimacing as I was facing her rather irreconcilable glare.
"..."
"..."
We just gazed at each other.
...
Whoosh...
...
Conceding I no longer have a way to escape, I just let out a breath.
"Sigh... "
I then just walked then leaned my arms on the battlement, relaxedly taking my stead beside her.
"...!?"
Surprised, Kiezy's brows twisted in wonder.
...
"Say, Kiezy... "
"...!"
Her eyes fluttered upon hearing my rather serious out-of-the-topic tone. It was so direct and deep that one could wonder how my mood ended up like that.
Well, what would you expect? If Kiezy was this being serious about their matters in which I absolutely have nothing to do with, then would I not, that above all, it was probably I who had the most noble reason to get serious?
Why was Kiezy acting like this? Actually, it bothers me at first too. After she learned I was searching for a thousand-year-old history, she felt a bit frightened. Or taken aback at least.
Right now, I was in my authority (With that mindset). I was with Kiezy with my disposition that of a king. An individual who seeks the truth in the depths of the dungeon. A person who requires peace and clarity. Right now, I was attending with her with my title... Intangible ruler.
What would someone expect? I was a royal blood. I was once a king myself. Of course, I know how to act as one. I can't let a mere elite knight force themselves on me with their not-so-serious matters. I have troubles to take care of. Yeah. That of a global scale.
With my tone, Kiezy probably felt surprised.
I wasn't just an elite knight. When I say intangible ruler, I was serious.
I am a king.
I am not someone who has no responsibility.
Making myself concealed, it couldn't just be as time-consuming and demanding.
'I have no time for this.'
...
With my sight having the pleasure of gazing at the peaceful brilliant glow of the vast mesmerising night sky, as if absorbing the whole presence of the environment, I continued with no caution of words.
"...Why are you people so different compared to other elite knights?"
"...!?"
Without doubt, Kiezy's eyes widened in surprise.
It was a direct question which totally aligned with what she was looking for. The answer to her question that 'What do you think of Hara?' Though she didn't expect that I would speak of that rather this bluntly.
Her suspicions were met. I indeed did think of Hara as a suspicious individual. And not just her. I pointed out the three of them.
Well, it's not like they are that different. I just want them to stop bothering me.
So, realising Kiezy might be being so disturbed by what I've thought of them, or Hara at least, I just feigned I was interested. Though I indeed was even just a little.
'So, I wonder what would be your reaction?'
My irises shifted to the corner of my eyes.
In response to my question, Kiezy who was already serious, could just look at me more seriously.
"What makes you think of that?"
She asked, ready for hearing and receiving more explanation.