Chapter 77 - The General Commands to Kneel (Part 1)
Nathan Evenhart:
“It's all right! I hope our guests aren't being mistreated,” said the queen. “Who wouldn't be upset if someone tried to court their mother?”
She approached the king.
“You're drinking too much and saying foolish things. We'd better wrap this up before I and the other queens have to argue with you,” she said.
“I think you’re right…” the king replied.
I couldn’t think clearly because of the stabbing pain in my head. My vision was darkening, and all I could do was focus on the insolent guard. I barely noticed that the entire royal entourage was leaving because my vision was so blurred.
This king is lucky I’m going blind and deaf!
My aunt said something to me, but I couldn’t hear properly as she pulled me away, realizing I wasn’t well.
Damn headache!
“My son, you didn’t need to act that way. I refused the invitation to dine at their table,” my mother said.
WHO DOES THAT SON OF A BITCH THINK HE IS, TRYING TO INVITE MY MOTHER TO DINNER!
She seemed a bit nervous and tugged at my ear, but this time, I noticed it was gentle and soft.
“If he’s willing to face the king for someone, I pity the person who tries to steal his girlfriend,” my aunt said, laughing at me.
My vision started to return to normal, and for some reason, Chloe was blushing after hearing that.
“What he did was dangerous, and why did that guard draw his sword on him?” my mother asked.
We were moving to a corner since we were allowed to stand and move around the hall again.
“You know how things are, Katie. They think they’re superior in everything!” my aunt said, clenching her fists.
I can barely think straight or understand anything; my head is exploding with pain.
“The grand duke is coming,” Kinue said to us.
Oh, for fuck’s sake… not again.
Kinue moved to stand a little behind us, taking her position as a servant.
I looked in his direction and saw two Ryans, realizing that everything was spinning.
I deserve this…
I leaned against the wall, trying not to lose my balance, and Kinue, noticing my state, tried to help, but I was seeing double as if my two eyes weren’t aligning correctly. I saw two scenarios happening simultaneously from the perspectives of my left and right eyes.
“Are you in pain, Nate? My teacher told me that when it happened to her, it hurt a lot,” she said, trying to comfort me.
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“Just a little,” I tried to smile, but I was seeing crazy scenes as if my vision was like that of a fly.
“My ladies, I apologize for what happened. My cousin has been drinking non-stop for all four days of the festival, and you know how men are…” Ryan said, embarrassed.
My aunt sighed.
“That was disrespectful, and you know it. And I’m also talking about what happened with my nephew,” Aunt Margie said.
Ryan grew even more anxious; it was his duty to serve as the bridge between the two duchies he worked for. If anything went wrong, it would reflect on him. You could say that Ryan's role was akin to that of an ambassador. No duchy could match the power of the Royal Capital, but that didn’t mean they weren’t important. Everything needed to be in harmony, as the economies of all parties depended on one another.
“I apologize. I doubt my cousin is entirely well after all that drinking. Did you see the scene he made with our prince? I know my nephew is talented, but he repeats that in every conversation when he’s drunk.”
My aunt and mother stared at him.
“I was the one who called Queen Agnes to give Charles a scolding when I saw him courting Lady Katherine… and about the guard, it seems he left because he was feeling unwell. In the end, everything was resolved, and he became our hero of the night,” he said, giving me a pat on the shoulder.
Ryan was talking, but his voice faded in and out for me. My hearing was failing due to the mana channel rooting itself through my brain via my eyes. My senses were being affected.
“Do I have the ladies’ forgiveness?” he asked.
“You’re forgiven, but don’t think I’ll forget this,” my mother said, with my aunt agreeing.
Ryan clasped his hands together.
“My ladies, I hope we can maintain our good relations. I have export targets to meet, and the unique resources of your territory supply our markets here…” he said.
“Do you need to work?” Kinue asked.
Ryan let out a laugh.
“Of course. One of my jobs is to manage everything that leaves the Evenhart Duchy and circulates to where it’s needed in the kingdom and beyond. You sell the goods, but I have to handle all the logistics. I may be part of the royal family, but even we have to work, haha,” he said, then looked at my aunt. “Are we back on good terms?”
My aunt looked at my mother.
“What do you say, Katie?”
My mother sighed.
“I didn’t appreciate them drawing a sword on my son.”
Ryan’s smile froze.
“Rest assured, nothing would have been done, and I only didn’t intervene because I had to go to Queen Agnes. If I had seen it, I would’ve reprimanded the guard. The entourage has a habit of being prideful. They spend all day traveling and only go to the best places with the king; if they knew what I had to go through—the piles of paperwork I have to read to make everything run smoothly—they’d appreciate even the ants in the kingdom,” he said, laughing.
“I would’ve taken a head if they’d done that in my territory,” Aunt Margie said.
“You’re welcome to do so,” Ryan joked.
My mother seemed to think for a moment. She was upset, but she understood that it wasn’t worth picking a fight over something the queen herself had already resolved.
“Alright… in the end, no one was hurt.”
Ryan sighed in relief.
“Grand Duke, since things turned out well, could I…” my mother began to speak, but Ryan gestured.
“Just Ryan, please. I dread being called Grand Duke; don’t remind me of my job on my day off, haha.”
Just as I was about to say something about the damn guard, a hand grabbed my neck and pulled me away.
“Darling, come with me for a moment,” my aunt said, laughing and trying to keep things discreet.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Your eyes, my love,” she whispered in my ear as she led me away from Ryan.
“Did something happen?”
"They're crying blood. Find a place to stay until it stops, and don't let anyone see you. Go quickly," she told me.
Damn it!
Chloe tried to approach.
"It'll draw too much attention; let him go alone to a bathroom," Aunt Margie said.
I saw Kinue trying to come over but she stopped after hearing that.
I had to run with my head down. I wiped my face with my hand and saw blood on them.
Oh, crap…
I couldn’t control the blood tears, and sometimes they kept falling for a while. When I mentioned this to Professor Adrihna, she told me that unlike the Mana Gem, which was something spiritual, the eyes were physical, so the symptoms were stranger and more unpredictable.
I had to run, but everywhere I looked, there were people approaching, and I couldn't afford to keep my head up since what I wanted to hide was on my face. I kept my head down as I moved through the place until I realized the situation.
Where’s the bathroom?
"I need to ask someone," I muttered to myself, then started laughing internally.
I can't ask anyone since I can't let anyone see me. I'm screwed if I don't know where the bathroom is.
There was a large open door, but a chain was blocking the way. As I got closer, I saw a wooden sign hanging.
‘Restricted Area of the Garden’ perfect, no one will be there, and I can hide in the bushes.