Chapter 184: Mandatory School Duty
Reimi's perspective
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"Uhhhhh?" - I was a bit sleepy so I accidentally slept while standing but now I had woken up
After waking up, my mind started reminding me about what I had to do according to my today's duty, then I slowly realized John's status. Yeah...because I was relieved a bit so I took a little nap, this time was noon already and...my lover had already woken up in the morning when the time was about 8:00 AM.
But...what should I explain now? Because John after facing a coma and waking up was good news to us but...now he considered us as nothing but strangers, he forgot us. As if his previous dangerous fall had caused John to lose his memory or something, now he was looking at us as strangers, losing his memory entirely, today was a very bad day.
As I could remember earlier, the military parade which was held by Hatano had ended, it was supposed to happen in the morning but we stopped that cunning doing that. Until...John woke up and approved Hatano to hold the parade though we quarreled with that woman for hours, prohibiting her to hold the parade but John approved her so we ended up arguing.
After waking up, John lost his memory and saw us as strangers, he wanted to go around but we stopped him because he might have regained his memory if he rested more but he didn't willing to do that. He also asked us about our identities that he used to know before losing his memory in case he could regain his memory when he was pronouncing and memorizing our names in his mind...but failed.
Later was our argument with the cunning woman Hatano, Her Highness and I had quarreled with her too loudly that we were about to lose our tempers to beat her roughly. About Lady Sarah, she was very confused, didn't know which side she should protect so she stayed inside to look after John while explaining, asking him to calm down and rest.
At the time when John knew about his relationship with Sarah and Hatano thanks to Sarah briefed him, he let Hatano handle everything without having any conditions for her. Because John knew that he was both of them's Commander but now he was incapable and lost his memory while Hatano had assisted him for a long time...so he decided to put everything on Hatano.
That was why she could make out that expensive military parade though John was thinking about making something entertaining on the first Four of July in this world - his homeland's national day. According to my analysis after too much time thinking, because of the incoming war so John didn't want to hold a military parade on this Fourth of July to avoid leaking intel.
Maybe that theory was obvious since Attenta and its vassal states could send their spies into our Kingdom to watch the parade and then fuss the intel to their military generals. Even though John had woken up but he had lost his memory so we could not question him about the details of the war, Shera had sent a demand letter to His Majesty a few hours ago but hadn't received his reply...sigh!
Now I was staying outside the room to guard but I was worried about John, just like his wife and Sarah so I slowly opened the door to peek inside to see his current situation. John was on the bed as I could see, he was looking around the room while his below body was covered with a bedsheet while his upper body was naked to make him comfortable.
About John's head, it was covered with a dense of white bandages, those bandages had been changed to the new ones 4 hours ago since the previous bandages were full of dried blood of him, quite bloody. John's head was supposed to have a hole due to his fall from the well but thanks to the healing from the elves, my love oned had been healed and was safe...only losing his memory.
"John...please eat and have a rest, I'm very worried about you, you know?" - Shera was asking John to eat some soup before sleeping, she had taken a few minutes nap earlier but she needs to rest now
"Commander, please don't be strange to us...come on, eat something." - Sarah was sitting beside Shera, she was trying to convince John to eat the soup without agitating him
My feet suddenly walked inside without control because I was very worried about John, I later closed the door and came closer to John when he was staring at my appearance. Maybe I could do something to help him because Shera was trying to soften her voice to ask John to eat while he was staring at his wife full of cautiousness, he did not trust us.
"John...please eat."
"I want to be alone, Lady...do not disturb me, I will eat later if I get hungry." - John said to Shera in his cautious voice while staring at the soup
"But...you would be hungry if you don't eat anything, John...please."
"Commander, eat something." - Sarah was quite impatient but she kept calming down to ask John to eat
"Get out...do not let me get mad or I won't eat or rest or anything else." - John was quite cold to us...what should I do to help his wife and Sarah now?
"But...John, please..."
"I said get out, woman! Do not make me mad...just put those shit on the table and get out, I will eat later!" - John loudly said to us as if he was very aggressive when we didn't listen to him
"I'm sorry...but please eat fast because I don't want you to taste bad, John...this soup would get cold soon, I'm sorry for disturbing you." - Shera slowly put the soup bowl on the table
"Let's go...Sarah, Reimi...my husband wants to be alone, don't disturb him." - Shera asked us to go with her outside to let John have free space to rest, I hope he would regain his memory and be normal again
"I will go now, Commander...please be safe." - Sarah nodded to Shera and then bye John
"Please rest well, Lord Rigen...don't let yourself starved."
The three of us later intended to get out of the room but Shera kept staring at John's Advisor as if she was thinking should she grab him outside with the three of us or not. After thinking for a few seconds, Shera ignored Advisor and slowly walked outside with the two of us and opened the door, we got out but she kept staring at John non-stop.
"Please...rest well after eating, John, if you feel hungry after eating and please ask me to tell Ilis to make more meals for you."
"I said get out, woman! Don't fucking disturb me anymore! I will eat so get the fuck out!" - John was quite mad to look at us caring about him
"I'm sorry..." - Shera apologized to her husband once again and closed the door to let him have free space to rest
"Sigh...sigh....sigh..." - After closing the door, the three of us looked at each other and then sighed, what should we do to cure John now?
After sighing, we went silent and kept standing at the door because no one of us wanted to leave the place, Her Highness was opening a bit angle of the door to peek inside. Everything was very bad for us now, John lost his memory and let his untrustworthy subordinate have the right to rule the region while we were struggling to regain our relationship with him, what should we do?
Also, except John and His Majesty, all of us were mostly blind about the incoming war, without any intel or clues to find for our investigation, no one knows how to prepare for it. Shera kept peeking inside the room as if she was watching if her husband was eating the soup or not, she made that good soup for him to eat but he was very cold to her.
"I will speak to my sis to ask her to stop doing anything further...please rest a bit, Princess, Reimi - chan." - Sarah spoke to us while looking at the hallway as if she was intending to get out of Lord's zone
"Please invite me to go in if you two want to visit John shortly, I will talk to my sis now..." - She later saluted us and walked to the hallway
This time only the two of us were outside of the room, Shera kept peeking at John, didn't say anything but expressed her sadness for John.
"I said get out...do not disturb me." - John said to us with a low but threatening voice as he realized we were watching him
Her Highness later closed the door and I hugged her tightly to comfort her, it was very bad to see her husband be cold to her, especially in this sensitive time, please help us. Please help us, you Goddess...we were told to worship you, our lowly humans were now begging you for helping us, please cure John Rigen.
"Don't worry, Reimi...I'm not crying, John has been eating a bit now, I'm glad." - Shera was very sad but she tapped my right shoulder a few times to pretend that she was fine
After hugging Her Highness for a few seconds, I stopped and Shera started looking at the door again as if she was thinking about how to peek at John without being caught up, so tired. But before we could do that, I heard footsteps coming behind us so I looked behind and saw Ilis - John's private maid, she approached us slowly with her nervous face.
"Your Highness, Lady Reimi, Lord Hatano had just let 3 outsiders come inside the castle."
"What?!" - I was surprised and Shera was making a question face
"Tell me further, Ilis."
"Yes, my Highness! As I can see that two people from the group are your acquaintances but the last other is a strange old man, he wants to meet you."
"An old man?" - I asked Ilis...who was that old man?
"Yes."
"Hmmmm...where are they right now?" - Shera asked Ilis
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"They are now in the workroom to wait for you two to come out."
"Uhhh...why don't you go out to check on those strangers, Reimi? I will stay here to look after my husband." - Shera covered her head for a few seconds and ordered me to go outside
"Understood, my Highness."
"If they're truly our acquaintances, lead them to the living room and wait for me..."
"Though I don't want to meet them because I must look after John but doing that would be very impolite, now...go get them quickly, Reimi."
"Nod!" - I nodded to Her Highness and Ilis bowed to bye her
"Lead me the way, Ilis."
"Understood." - Ilis slowly lowered her body and raised her hand to the hallway while leading the way to guide me
We later walked in the hallway until we reached the door to exit the Lord's zone, I was wondering who were the people who wanted to meet us, I must be very cautious of them. After reaching the door, Ilis slowly grabbed the door's handle and opened it, in front of me were now the 3 figures who were standing at the door, two ladies and an old man.
"It has been a long time since we haven't met you and Her Highness, Lady Reimi...thanks for meeting us." - Ohhh, I remembered these people
"Good to see you today, Miss Reimi! How about my friend? Is she happy with her husband?"
"Thanks for coming here to visit us, Miss Eris and Lady Raptu." - I bowed to both of them but also be cautious of the strange old man who was standing beside Erissen
"Ilis...go to the living room to prepare things immediately, we have guests." - As long as I was here, no one can hurt my rulers, I would protect them
"Understood, Lady Reimi." - Ilis slowly bowed to me and then fastly walked to the living room
Now I noticed that the old man who followed Shera's friends seemed to be an old Peacekeeper policeman, his appearance was not too bad shape though his left hand was lost. About this man's face, he strapped the metal police helmet to his neck and his face was exposed to me, he was very familiar as if I had known him...my mind suddenly burst.
"Reimi...uhhhh!" - The man was sobbing a bit while calling my name, it was so strange that he knows me
"Lerer Sonne...?" - That thought suddenly crossed my mind, this old man looked like my adopted father, he was still alive?!
"Yes...I am." - That was my father...though I was not too welcoming to reunite with him because my loved one was having a problem
When I was thinking about what should I greet my father when I invite him and Her Highness's friends to the living room, he suddenly pushed Erissen closer to me for no reason.
"Hey, my daughter...I know this is sudden for you but this is yo-"
"Sir Lerer, let's talk later when you come to the living room." - He just had called Erissen his daughter, what was this kind of reunion?
"Uhh...understood, though I want to stay with you two for a long time but I must return to work fast or I would be dismissed." - My father lowered his face as if he was depressed when I didn't welcome his reunion
"What you were trying to say to me earlier, father? Is Reimi your friend or something? You know about her?" - Erissen turned to look at my father and asked him...she and I were sisters or something?
"Let's talk later, my daughter...though I would have to return to my job fast."
"They just have reunited recently after a long time losing contact, please let them be, Miss Reimi." - Raptu patted Erissen's head and then patted her shoulder as if she was congratulating her friend to reunite with her father
"Ummm..." - My father seemed to want to say something but he kept silent, maybe he did not feel free to say in this uncomfortable place
"Let me lead the way...we will continue in the living room." - I asked the three of them to follow me and then I led the way
I led the way while peeking behind and noticed that Lerer was walking beside Erissen while showing his silence as if he was sad but pretended to smile when Erissen looked at him. About Erissen and Raptu, they were having low conversations while walking beside each other, the little girl seemed very happy to reunite with Lerer or something...sigh!
While walking to the living room, I accidentally looked at John's room and realized that Her Highness was nowhere to be found, I thought she was inside to be with her husband. We shortly got to the living room and entered it, the room was well prepared in a short time to greet guests, on the table there was a wooden plate that held cups and a beautiful teapot from Akane's gifts.
Ilis was standing nearby the sofas and bowed to us as she saw us walking inside the room, I stepped to the table and raised my hands to the seats to ask the guests to sit down. The three of them took their seats and sat next to each other and I glanced at Ilis lightly to order her to pour the tea so she carefully grabbed the teapot and filled the teacups.
"You have done your best, Ilis...now get out... remember to call out two other maids to handle the place."
"Understood..." - Ilis bowed to me and walked out of the room to call two other young maids to replace her to do the duty in this room
After ordering Ilis to go outside, everyone was waiting for me to sit so I also chose a sofa opposite them to sit on and stared at my old father. I was supposed to be happy to reunite with my adopted father but now I cared about John more than him, could say that I was quite indifferent to my father, poor him!
"Ummm...may I ask you what is your relationship with my father, Lady Reimi?" - What should I answer to Erissen now?
"Ummm...we are just friends, just friends..." - I must lie to her, because now John was needing to help so I don't want to complicate the situation
"That's so?"
"Nod!" - I nodded and noticed that my father was depressed when I did not willing to recognize him as father
"Papa...how could you have this beautiful friend? My mom would be jealous if you leave her...hmmph!"
"Nothing, my daughter! She's just a long years friend to me..."
"Anyway, Miss Reimi! I didn't see Her Highness anywhere, is she busy or something?" - Raptu asked me when Erissen was turning to her as if this little girl was having something good to confine
"Yeah, Lady Raptu! We were busy and the three of you came here...it's not on the right occasion."
"I see...sorry for wasting your time." - Raptu slowly grabbed the teacup and drank it all after apologizing to me
"Ummm...how's about His Majesty, Reimi? Is he fine now?" - Maybe my father was concerned with the things in the King's court, I didn't care about it much since we moved here to live with John - I only care about him
"I heard that he and the Queen are very happy because they are about to have a child."
"What's about his adopted father? Did he treat His Majesty badly? What he is doing now?" - My father said it straight to the point right away, maybe he was very worried about the country's affairs since the previous King's death
"Though that old man is quite controlling on His Majesty but he is now in Attenta, maybe would take him a long time before going back here because he has a business." - That intel was what His Majesty revealed to me before getting away
"Father, what were you saying?" - Eris after whispering with Raptu for a short time, she noticed that her father was asking me strange questions
"Nothing, Eris...nothing."
I slowly realized that two other maids had finally come inside, they would take care of these three people when I was away, I must check on Shera. Maybe I would ask my father to talk with us on the next occasion, because I reunited with him so now he could help us in the incoming war, also to overthrow the cunning Prime Minister, he might be useful.
"I'm sorry for behaving this disrespectful but now I must check on Her Highness, please enjoy the tea and order the maids if you need anything." - I fastly stood up and bowed to apologize
"Wait, I will have to return to work a few minutes later, I still have more things to ask you and Her Highness, Reimi." - Please wait another time, father
"Please order the maids to give you a note, write the address where you're living and I will keep in touch with you that way." - I didn't want to be far away from my father but I later stepped to the door
"Wait, Reimi! Wait a minute, stay here with me for a bit longer, p-"
"Papa, you haven't told me where you're living too, why don't you move to Keris to live with me and my mom as I always wanted?" - The little girl Erie's social status was quite suspicious as if she was my relative or something
I hope she was just an adopted child like me because it would be very complicated and bloody if she was an illegitimate child of my father and some strange woman, I hope not. Because if she was the one to have the royal bloodline then she would be Her Highness's illegitimate sibling but if that was true, she could be harmed by His Majesty because she could have a position on the throne.
"Remember to serve them well, maids."
"Understood, my Lady! We will take it from here." - The maids bowed to me and approached the guests slowly while I headed out of the room
After heading outside, I walked straight toward John's room because I thought Her Highness was in there, trying to calm down her husband, please save my lover, my Goddess. Little did I know that as I approached the room, Her Highness was standing at the door as if she had just gotten in there or something, as if her husband had done something bad to her.
"Are you alright, my Highness?!" - I was quite shocked when seeing Shera's right cheek seemed to be swollen as if she was slapped very hard by someone, it must have been caused by John, poor her!
"No, I'm fine, Reimi...don't worry about me, that was my fault for coming too close to him, John doesn't want to be disturbed." - Shera smiled at me while getting her hand out of her swollen cheek
"John is about to finish the soup, though he didn't say how was it taste but I hope he enjoyed it." - While talking to me, Her Highness also peeked inside to see her husband
"Yes, I will come in..." - Shera smiled at John as she peeked inside, I wanted to follow her but she closed the door and got inside the room before I could
I powerlessly stood guard at the door while waiting for Her Highness to come out, I only hoped that John would regain his memory soon, he was becoming strange to all of us. After a minute of waiting for Her Highness with my impatient, I saw her walk out with an empty bowl in her right hand, John had eaten all of the soup, what good news.
"Though he is quite aggressive earlier but at least I'm glad that he did not starve anymore...he even ordered more soup..." - Though Her Highness was unhappy but at least she was relieved when her husband was willing to eat
"Please let me ord-"
"No, Reimi...let me do this, you stay here to look after my husband, alright?"
"Understood..." - I nodded to Her Highness
As I nodded, Her Highness walked into the hallway while holding the empty soup bowl and later got out of Lord's zone and I was alone here. When I was intending to peek inside to see John, suddenly the guests came out as if they were about to leave the castle or something.
"Ah, Reimi...sorry when I cannot be with you for a bit longer...here is my living address, I will visit this place in my free time." - My father gave me a fur note which had the address of his living place, good!
"Please tell me more about the things in the court...that cunning Prime Minister must die...protect my nephew and my niece when I was away." - He also whispered to my ears, I would fulfill my duty well, father!
"The two of us will visit here frequently shortly as we finish our second semester, tomorrow we can rest after a long exam now." - Raptu said to me and then bowed to me
"We will come back here maybe tomorrow if we are free, Lady Reimi, see you soon." - Eris also bowed to me
"The three of you please part way safety, come back here soon." - I also bowed to them
The three of them later walked out of the Lord's zone and headed out of the castle, maybe I would stand here to guard the room as Shera ordered. A few minutes later, Shera returned here with another hot soup bowl in her hand, she didn't say a word but grabbed the door's handle to get in.
"I forgot about this a bit...who are the guests that I sent you to meet earlier, Reimi? Are they inside the living room yet?" - Shera asked me while staring at me
"They are just your friends who come to visit you, my Highness! They just have left the place recently."
"Sigh...that's so? Maybe I will invite them to come here again when John has fully recovered."
"I will tell you more details about the guests when you're free, one of them is your relative, my Highness."
"If you say so, Reimi..." - Shera opened the door and headed inside
Shera later closed the door but I held it so half of the door was still opened a bit, so I peeked inside and saw her put the soup bowl on the table nearby the bed while staring at John. Suddenly, when Her Highness had done talking to her husband about something, he roughly grabbed her right hand as if didn't want to let her off, what should I do now?
"John, what happens? Please don't scare me."
"You are my wife, right Shera?" - What John was thinking to ask Her Highness that kind of question?
"Yes...of course."
"I'm bored at eating, now I want you to serve me...until I satisfy, woman." - Maybe...should I close the door to let them have their own privacy?
"Are you fine with it, John? I'm not fine at all, please do it when night comes."
"Hear me..."
"Please be gentle...if I can please you on anything then I will..." - Shera slowly sat on the bed and her husband started touching her breast, maybe I should let them have some privacy
I closed the door and stood guard outside while covering my ears because Her Highness was moaning while doing things with her husband, I hope John would be fine, I hope so. When I was trying to concentrate on my duty, I saw Sarah and Hatano walking in the hallway as if they were heading here, I should make an excuse to ask them to stay away for Her Highness's privacy.
Erissen's perspective
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I just had returned to my school recently and was now inside the Adventurer's Guild to give my mom the extra meals to fill her stomach. Raptu and I had parted ways, I would return to school shortly to join the last day of my semester exam and then go home to rest, that's the plan.
About my father, his relationship with Reimi was quite suspicious but I cannot dig too much so I would let it off and would not tell my mother. Luckily that I had a note paper which wrote the address of my father's living place, I would visit his place first to know how was his life looked like before inviting him to my house.
"Thanks for giving me these boxes, Eris! Now you must go, I'm very busy and you must return to school fast to join the exam, do it quickly." - My mom received the wrapped meal boxes and thanked me
"Ah, mom! Please wait for me a bit, don't go yet." - I asked my mom to stay because I wanted to announce to her that I found my father
"Yes, Eris...what's wrong?" - She was about to leave the place but she stopped as I told her to stay
"Ummm...I'm glad that I found my father, he is still alive though be a bit handicapped...what do you think if we return to live in a happy house, mom?"
"Sorry, Eris! You said too small, please speak a bit louder, this place is very crowded."
Now I noticed that the adventurers were quite crowded inside the guild because they had just returned here recently to ask for the rewards for the finished quests, very noisy to me. And we had to meet at the stall area so it was quite inconvenient because that was the place the guild girls were working, not much privacy.
Maybe I would wait till my mom finishes her job and goes home to announce to her this good info at once, now I must part my mom to not disturb her job.
"Sorry for disturbing you, mom! Nothing important, I will tell you later when you go home."
"That's so? I will try to end my work sooner today to return, see you at home, my daughter."
"Goodbye, mom." - I and my mom waved to each other and I managed to head out of the guild after walking through the crowds of adventurers
Alright, I returned to my school shortly after that event and joined my semester exam, the exam was not too hard since I had prepared for it very well, I could jump classes. Today was not like other days because I would have a date with Raptu every time after school, going to a tea shop with her but now I walked home right away after finishing my second-semester exam.
I could rest well now because after finishing the exam, every student would have a week to rest before getting back to school to take the results before having 3 months of autumn holiday to have a full rest. After walking on the streets for a few minutes, I managed to get home and now was standing beside the front door and was about to come in, home sweet home...I missed you!
Anyway, my home was located on the eastern side of the school, quite close to travel from my house to school so I did not have many disadvantages in heading there. Because of some reason, my mother chose this cheap house which was alone and located a bit far compared to other houses, maybe she wanted to keep the distance from the nobles since we were all commoners.
"Uhhhhhhhhhhh!" - I moaned a bit loud while stretching my hands after sitting too much to study, must exercise more in my vacation, hehe
After stretching, I leaned my school bag to my back and was about to head inside but later realized that I hadn't checked my house's wooden letter box, must check fast for sure. My feet moved to the letter box, I opened the cover and leaned my hand inside with the intention to check fast and go inside my house, wait a minute...I grabbed something.
I grabbed out the thing and realized that it was an envelope which seemed to be a letter but...not from the school but from somewhere, the heraldic stamp on it looked weird. This kind of symbol...so familiar, now I realized it came from Spera or something, there was a line of words written above the stamp "Spera", what a weird letter, we had no relationship with anyone in Spera.
But the letter was sent to me, because I was curious about the letter so I opened the envelope's cover and pulled out the fur letter to read its content right away...hmmm. So weird, the sender of the letter was Lord Shizuka Hatano - who had the royal codename "Kuroi Oni", what was this kind of this kinky name?
Dear student Erissen of class I - 12 from Imperial Keris Academy, congratulations because you're one of many students who are chosen to join a mandatory school duty which is a new order from His Majesty. According to the new law, every student who reaches 15 would have to gather at school on the day 11th of the third Summer, 1173 as the order. You're chosen to gather at class B - 12 on the high school floor, do not be late, be on time or would be executed if you reject the duty call.
Gather at your selected class before the 8th-morning bell or would be punished if you're late to school. Dear student Erissen, be careful well.
Lord Shizuka Hatano - Kuroi Oni
Day 4th of the third Summer, 1173