Huff... Huff...
Sasha reached the Queen's palace at breakneck speed, her chest heaving with exertion. Sweat dampened her forehead as she fought to catch her breath. As she slowed to a stop, she spotted one of the Queen's expert guards standing near the entrance. The woman stood perfectly still like a statue, her eyes holding that same emotionless, unreadable expression they always did.
"Is there any news about Zack?" Sasha asked breathlessly, struggling to steady her racing heart. "And what about Sio and that maid, Gracie Maher? Are they hurt?"
Miss Expert Sister's gaze flickered for a brief moment. "Miss Sasha, Sio and Gracie successfully brought back the information. They aren't injured, at least not physically." She paused, her expression remaining neutral. "As for Master Zack... he still hasn't returned. I'm waiting for further updates."
She then explained what had happened during Sio and Gracie's mission. As Sasha listened carefully, her expression darkened, anger simmering beneath the surface.
They spoke for a while longer. Then, after some time had passed, a messenger arrived with fragmentary news about Zack and the others. At once, worry tightened everyone's expressions. Miss Expert Sister listened carefully before turning and ordering the doctors to be on standby.
Sasha could do nothing but pace back and forth, her nerves stretched thin as she waited anxiously for Zack.
More time passed, slow and agonizing, until finally someone announced the arrival of the Queen's carriage.
Sasha's eyes darted to the carriage, then she looked behind her seeing all doctors coming up.
Sigh... "Can't this guy give me peace of mind for once?" she muttered worriedly, already running forward before the carriage had fully stopped.
The moment the carriage door opened, Zack emerged with the support of two women. One stood on each side, holding him steady. His face was alarmingly pale, drained of color, but somehow, he still managed to smile when he saw Sasha approaching.
"ZACK!" Sasha called out, her voice cracking slightly as she rushed to his side.
She reached him in seconds, her hands immediately moving to his bloodied attire. Gently, carefully, she peeled back the fabric to examine his wounds. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of the injuries.
"Tsk! Who did this to you?" she demanded, glaring up at him with a mixture of fury and concern burning in her eyes.
Zack slowly released his hold on the two women supporting him. Despite his obvious pain, he wrapped his arms around Sasha in a weak but warm embrace. He leaned down close to her ear, his voice soft and slightly strained. "Hehe, Big Sister... we found the list of names. Isn't your brother amazing?" He pulled back just enough to touch her cheek tenderly with his fingertips, his smile never wavering. "Sorry to make you worry, don't make that face otherwise you will get wrinkles, hehe"
"Geez, don't try to sugar-coat things with me," Sasha pouted angrily, though her voice had softened considerably. She gently took his arm and began guiding him toward the palace entrance. "Let's go. I'll heal you properly."
She turned to look at Subordinate Woman and Rugged Woman, who had been fidgeting nervously while both of them were sporting their own injuries. Sasha bowed deeply before them, her gratitude genuine and heartfelt. "Thank you both for taking care of my brother while he was out there. I heard you helped him tremendously. You're both hurt as well. Please, come with us. I'll treat you too."
"Ah! No, ma'am, please raise your head!" Subordinate Woman fidgeted nervously, clearly uncomfortable with such respect being shown to her. "Boss helped us just as much! We were only returning the favor."
"Yeah!" Rugged Woman chimed in with a laugh, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. "If Boss hadn't made us his underlings, we'd probably be getting played around and beaten to death by now! Hehe!"
Zack turned slightly, wincing at the movement, and signalled to Subordinate Woman. "First, why don't you give that book to this lady?"
Subordinate Woman nodded quickly, carefully handing the book to Miss Expert Sister.
Zack's expression grew more serious as he addressed everyone present. "In truth, the one who contributed the most was this woman right here." He gestured toward Subordinate Woman; his voice filled with genuine appreciation. "If she hadn't found that hidden tunnel route and run with the book secured so carefully, we wouldn't have gotten anything at all. I hope you all remember her contribution."
He bowed respectfully toward Subordinate Woman. The others followed his lead. Sasha, Rugged Woman, and even the stoic Miss Expert Sister all bowed in unison.
"THANK YOU, MISS!" they said together, their voices echoing across the palace courtyard.
Subordinate Woman stood frozen, completely unable to process what was happening. For the first time in her entire life, someone was truly grateful to her. Not just using her, not just barking orders, but genuinely thanking her. Her eyes welled up with tears that she couldn't hold back. They streamed down her cheeks as she bowed deeply in return.
"THANK YOU!" she shouted back, her voice trembling with emotion. "Thank you so much!"
Zack nodded, satisfied, then turned his attention to Miss Expert Sister. His tone became more businesslike. "Miss Expert, there are some important things you need to note."
He paused, gathering his strength to continue. "I found out that the people who've been taking these weird energies... they're not really bad people…... If I have to say they're more like broken people. Of course, that doesn't mean some of them haven't committed crimes, but before making any decisions, please tell Nat to be lenient. Don't make a big fuss about these names and just find about them first before doing anything. And one particular name which has been cut, Miss Phoebe, should not be named in front of others in any circumstances as she helped us tremendously. She was also the one who was effected by these weird energies...…I treated her and I can tell that the concentration is very low on them, so these people are not really any problem to us. Keep that in mind!"
His breathing was becoming more labored, but he pushed through. "I think they're being treated as nothing more than test subjects. I fought one particularly strong person who had a similar type of dark, cold energy inside him but with higher concentration. My guess is that what these people were taking is just residue, leftovers from the real energy source. That probably means there are more of them hidden somewhere in this city, which would explain why the names are so carelessly written in just a normal book. The people behind all this probably don't care about these test subjects at all. They're hiding something much more dangerous."
Zack swayed slightly, his strength failing. He leaned heavily against Sasha for support. Subordinate Woman quickly moved to his other side, helping to steady him.
"Tell Leader Mikaela to be more cautious," Zack continued, his voice barely above a whisper now. "We can only hope the others find something more substantial."
"Yes, Master Zack!" Miss Expert Sister nodded firmly in confirmation. She immediately climbed into the same carriage they'd arrived in. As it pulled away, she was already flipping through the pages of the book, her expression intense with concentration.
"Let's go," Sasha said gently, her arm secure around Zack's waist. "Everyone get inside. We need to get you all treated."
.
.
After receiving treatment, Zack lay in one of the palace's guest rooms. His upper body was completely bare except for the numerous bandages wrapped around his torso, arms, and shoulders. A warm, soft blanket had been draped over his lower half. After getting treated, he looked surprisingly peaceful lying there.
Queen Mother sat on the edge of his bed, her eyes filled with concern. "Son, you've done far too much for us. I don't know how I can ever repay you."
"Big Brother Zack! Big Brother Zack!" Sio bounced excitedly on the other side of the bed, her small hands gesturing wildly. "How did you defeat that man? Tell me! Tell me everything!"
Zack grinned. "Just go whoosh, then bam, then kick him really hard, and boom! He's dead! Hehe."
"Mooo, don't be like that!" Sio pouted adorably, her cheeks puffing out in frustration.
"Hehe..." Zack chuckled, then turned his attention back to Queen Mother. His expression softened. "Queen Mother, don't sweat the small details. If you want to repay me.....Why don't you bring something warm to eat for your son? Made by you, of course. "
"Ara, sure, why not!" Queen Mother smiled warmly and began to stand.
Before she could move away, Zack reached out and gently took her hand. His voice dropped to something more serious, more sincere. "Queen Mother... don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."
Hearing those words, Queen Mother's eyes shimmered with emotion. She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, then pulled back with a teasing smile playing on her lips. "Are you confessing your love to me?"
"Haha, why not?" Zack shot back playfully. "Between us, I think you're more beautiful than Nat."
Queen Mother's smirk grew wider, more mischievous. "Then can you say the same thing in front of her?"
"GAH! Queen Mother, don't do that! I love my life!" Zack released her hand dramatically, making her laugh.
She patted his head affectionately, her touch tender and motherly. "Don't worry, my son. Nothing will happen to me."
Her smile was sweet and reassuring as the door to the room suddenly swung open. Subordinate Woman and Rugged Woman entered with Sasha. All three of them were chatting happily amongst themselves. The moment they noticed Queen Mother's presence, both women immediately bowed deeply with respect.
"Greetings, My Queen."
"Hmm, you two must be the girls who helped us." Queen Mother acknowledged them with a gracious nod. "Thank you. I am truly grateful to you both."
Both women beamed with happiness and straightened up.
"And I know that Miss Phoebe has also risked her life for us," Queen Mother continued. "I will call for her as well so I can thank her properly. Because of you all, we finally have some idea of what's been happening inside this city." She bowed slightly toward them, a gesture that clearly caught them off guard.
All three women stood frozen for a moment, then bowed back in unison before straightening with warm smiles on their faces.
"How are your wounds?" Queen Mother asked, stepping closer to examine them with genuine concern.
"Hmm, My Queen, they'll be fine," Rugged Woman said casually. "They're just surface-level wounds. Nothing serious."
"Yes, Queen, we'll be okay," Subordinate Woman added, touching the bandage wrapped around her head self-consciously with her bandaged fingers.
Both women now wore clean, proper casual clothing instead of their torn and bloodied gear from earlier. They stood respectfully before Queen Mother.
"Good," Queen Mother said with satisfaction. "I will take care of your financial compensation, so make sure to collect it when you leave." She patted both of their heads affectionately, as if they were her own daughters. "Now, I'll leave you kids alone. Wait here. I'm going to cook something warm and delicious for all of you."
With that, she swept out of the room, humming softly to herself.
Sasha had already positioned herself beside Zack on the bed, carefully checking his wounds and making sure none of the bandages were too tight.
"GAH!" Sio suddenly exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the two women. "You two are the women who made Big Sister Nat angry! Grr! Stay away from Big Brother Zack!"
Both women exchanged nervous glances, suddenly feeling very self-conscious about their surroundings.
"Hey, don't bully them, Sio. Calm down." Zack reached out and gently pulled Sio closer, making her sit down beside him. As he did, he adjusted his position so he was sitting up more. The blanket fell away slightly to reveal his toned, muscular upper body covered in bandages.
Both women caught sight of this and immediately looked away, their cheeks flushing pink with embarrassment.
Rugged Woman recovered first, stepping forward with her characteristic boldness. "Boss, your name is Zack? If we hadn't come here with you, we wouldn't have even known!" She laughed lightly. "How are you feeling now, Boss?"
"I'm fine, thank you," Zack replied with a warm smile. "But it's not like I know your names either. What are your names?"
Subordinate Woman came forward hesitantly and stood beside the bed, but she didn't answer. She couldn't bring herself to look directly at him. Her face was burning with embarrassment.
"Why do you want to know?" Rugged Woman teased, grinning wickedly. "It's not like you'll accept my love or anything, so maybe you don't deserve to know. At least not now. Hehe!"
"SEE? SEE?!" Sio jumped up, pointing at them accusingly. "THEY'RE FLIRTING WITH HIM! I'M GONNA COMPLAIN TO BIG SISTER NAT WHEN SHE GETS BACK!"
"Hmm, and why can't I flirt with Boss?" Rugged Woman shot back, smirking at the little girl. "I like him, so what if I flirt with him? I have every right to pursue him. There's no law that says two women can't love a single man. Isn't that right, little sister of Boss?"
Sio looked like she was about to explode with anger, ready to launch herself at the woman. But Zack caught her around the waist and pulled her back down beside him, locking her in place with his left arm wrapped securely around her.
Sasha just smiled at the entire scene, finding it endearing and amusing. She quietly sat on Zack's right side and began playing with his hair, running her fingers through the dark strands gently.
"Come here. Sit, both of you," Zack said softly, his voice calm and inviting.
The two women hesitated for only a moment before sitting on the edge of the bed. Zack slid forward slightly and sat with his legs crossed. He reached out and took both of their hands in his, holding them tenderly.
His expression became serious, filled with genuine regret and sincerity. "I'm sorry to both of you. You gave me everything. Your trust, your loyalty, your feelings, your strength. But I can't give you those feelings back. You're both truly wonderful women...…. I won't tell you to forget about me because that's your decision to make, not mine. I can only hope that in the future, you both meet wonderful men who can take care of you and love you the way you deserve to be loved, the way you love me."
He paused, then lifted their hands gently and pressed a soft kiss to the front of each of their palms. "I'm sorry."
Puff!!!
Both women's faces turned bright red, practically smoking with embarrassment. They tried to pull away instinctively, but at the same time, they didn't want to let go of his hands.
"KYAAA! BOSS, I DIDN'T SAY I... I... I LOVE YOU!" Subordinate Woman stammered, completely flustered.
"Hehe, do I have to hear you say it?" Zack teased gently. "Your eyes say it all. Or am I wrong?"
Subordinate Woman shook her head vigorously. "No, Boss! I... I... I LOVE YOU!" she finally shouted. The words burst out of her like they'd been trapped inside for far too long. As she said them, she felt an incredible weight lift from her shoulders. "I only love you, Boss. I've never loved any man before. You acknowledged me. You saw me as a person. So I want to give my life to you. My decision is to love you until the end no matter where my life takes me!!!! I LOVE YOU BOSS!!!!"
She spoke with newfound courage, looking directly into his eyes with confidence she'd never possessed before. Her chest moved up and down heavily with all the nervous breath she has been taking in.
"Hmm, I heard you, like I said it's your life to choose whom to love" Zack said seriously, his tone gentle but firm. "But you have to live your life for yourself, not for me. Promise me you'll live a life that you'll be proud of later on."
"YES!" she agreed without hesitation, nodding enthusiastically.
"Hehe, Boss, aren't you quite the charmer?" Rugged Woman laughed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Telling us not to love you while hitting us with all your charm at the same time. I like it. Hehe!"
She looked like she wanted to hug him desperately but managed to control herself.
Zack released their hands and settled back against the headboard, pulling the blanket up over himself again. "Now, what are your plans going forward?" he asked while absentmindedly patting Sio's head to calm her down from her earlier outburst.
"Um... I have to go back to my house and send them the money," Subordinate Woman said sadly, her fingers clenching together nervously.
"Me too," Rugged Woman added, though she didn't seem nearly as worried about it.
"Hmm, good," Zack nodded approvingly.
They continued talking for a while. The conversation flowed easily between them all. Stories of the mission, jokes, and gentle teasing filled the room. After some time, Queen Mother returned carrying a large tray laden with steaming bowls of warm soup and plates of delicious-smelling food.
Everyone gathered around eagerly. They ate together, enjoying the warmth of the meal and each other's company. The room was filled with the sounds of laughter, playful bickering, and the comfortable noise of people who had been through something difficult together and come out the other side.
For now, at least, they were all safe. And that was enough.
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END OF CHAPTER
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AUTHOR BLABBERING
Just take a jump, buddy. You will fall many times, that's normal. But you only have to cross that cliff once. The moment you do, you're already way ahead of 90 percent of people who never even dared to step near the edge.
Most people spend their whole lives standing safely behind the line, thinking, planning, overthinking… but never jumping. Failure scares them more than regret.
So take the jump. Fall, get up, try again. Every fall is just another step closer to the other side.
Live a life for yourself, buddy........... not one designed by fear or by other people's expectations.
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