Chapter 10: The Royal Elite Knights (Part 2)

I just finished getting dressed when the door to my room was kicked open. The loud bang caused me to grab my sword as fast as I could. I unsheathed it as I prepared for an enemy attack.

“Hey, shorty! Wake up already!!”

I could see Ilvean standing in the doorway. Man, she sure nearly gave me a heart attack early in the morning. Despite that, I could not help but to smile a little.

“Pretty lively as always, ehh Ilvean?”

I teased at her while sheathing my sword.

“Hurry up getting your ass moving! I don’t have all day. I want to finish up whatever Father ordered me to do for you already. Another second with you makes me want to puke!!”

“That makes two of us.”

I smirked at her.

“Was that how your Father taught you to treat your clan’s esteemed guest? Chief Bannen must be really sad to hear what I have to say about your attitude towards your guest.”

“Hey… don’t you dare do that! I-I-I’ll…”

“Yah, yah. No worries. I’m not like you. My mouth can keep itself shut, for now. Besides, I have more class than a brat who stole my money pouch and now punished for being disobedient.”

I walked past Ilvean. I looked at her and gestured to her cheeks.

“There’s something on stuck your cheeks.”

I pointed out to her. Ilvean immediately wiped both cheeks with her sleeves.

“How was Reena’s stew? Amazing right? “

She must have taken the breakfast before coming up and get me.

“Yeah, pretty good I guess. But how did she know I was coming here?”

I never gave her the answer. I just smiled as I proceeded to descend the stairs and walked to the door. Reena was already waiting for me with a big smile.

“Master, thank you for everything!”

“You are welcome, Reena.”

“A-about what we talked earlier…”

“No worries, Reena. In due time.”

She nodded. Reena seems to be a little more cheerful than I first met her early in the morning. Perhaps what we talked about have given her something to think about.

“Do keep the house safe for me alright. Who knows when I’ll be back.”

I smiled and patted her head. She tied her scarf a little different now as I can see her ears more clearly. I caressed her cat-like ears and she gave some sort of a purr.

“Hey, Ilvean. Are we going or what?!”

“Coming!!!”Ilvean ran down the stairs, stood next to me and then looked up at me as if she was not happy with what I had said to her. But I just ignored her and continued with my words.

“What takes you so long?! I thought we were going, already. You are the one who wants to get things done as quickly as possible.”

“I-I-I was making sure nothing was missing in the room! That’s all there is.”

“Hey! I’m no thief like you. Now, hurry up and lead the way.”

With that, I exited the house with Ilvean tugging behind. She was supposed to be my guide but yet I was walking in front of her. Reena waved goodbye to me, as I proceeded to walk outside the courtyard and to the main road. I waved back at her.

“You seem pretty close to our maid, don’t you shorty?!”

“Stop calling me shorty! Don’t you ever have a mirror at home?”

“I have, but you are still short no matter what. Anyway, what are you trying to do to our maid?!”

“Nothing that you need to know. Mind your business. Besides, aren’t you forgetting something?”

“Hmmpph!”

Ilvean snorted at me. She must have hated me but I don’t give a rat ass about what she felt anyway. She deserved what was getting now and I have more important things to do rather than entertaining some kid’s rebellious attitude.

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“So, are you going to follow me or are you going to guide me as what the Chief ordered you to do? “

I reminded Ilvean of her reason for being with me this morning.

“Shut up and follow me already!”

And then she started to run.

“And, if you can’t catch up with me, that’s your fault. Don’t come and blame me if you ever get lost, shorty!!”

“Heh! Looks who’s talking. Alright, kid. Lead the way. I’m not going to fall behind to some thieving punk who was just caught by me yesterday.”

“You were just lucky!” Ilvean stuck her tongue out as she ran along the road on a chilly morning.

Ilvean ran as fast as she could, dodging and avoiding peoples and obstacles alike. From the main road, she took an exit to a back alley, then before long, we returned back to the main road and then yet again to back alleys. She looked at me while she was running. I was not that far behind her. Perhaps around 10 to 15 paces.

“You are not bad, ehh shorty! That you can keep up with me even though I’m running at full speed.” Ilvean smiled at me.

“You call this full speed? This is nothing, kid. I still haven’t gone into my own full speed yet. If this is what your top speed is like, no wonder you got caught by me. “

I lied.

I barely able to catch up with her but then again I couldn’t let her gain one up over me. She needed to know that I’m much more capable than she realized or else she would start treating me as like I’m some sort of useless fool.

“Can you go any faster? I need to reach my destination fast, wherever it may be.”

“Blehh…” Ilvean stuck out her tongue again to me. However, this time she smiled as she pointed our next exit.

“There. Once we reach the end of that exit, we will arrive at our destination.”

“Alright. Lead the way, then.”

Soon, we have reached our destination. We stopped at a massive gate which was stationed by no less than four guards, two of each side of the gate.

“Huhh… Huhh… Huhh… Here we are, at last…” Ilvean was trying to catch her breath. She held her knees while breathing heavily. Perhaps playing run and chase like this early in the morning was new to her. Or perhaps she never met anyone who could run as fast, or even faster than her.

I was also barely able to catch my breath as I fall down on my ass beside her. The guards were looking at us like we were some sort of kids playing catch. They showed no interest at all with their poker face.

“You… you... are really… not bad at all. I… I… need to change my opinion about you already.” Ilvean continued to speak.

“Took you some time to realize that, don’t you Ilvean. But thanks, anyway. You are not bad yourself.”

“Hmmphh. Being praised by the likes of you won’t make me happy at the very least!” Ilvean turned her back towards me. I smiled at her as I stood up. I patted her back.

“Anyway, thanks again for guiding me here. Your mission is over. So, get rid yourself of me.”

I told her as I proceed towards the main gate.

“Wait. One more thing.” Ilvean beckoned me to stop.

“What is it?”

“Father… Father wanted me to give you this.”

She handed me an envelope with a seal on it.

“Something for me. What’s inside?”

“How would I know? I was only told to give to you this sealed envelope when we arrive here. Besides, I can’t even open the letter even if I wanted to. It’s sealed with our clan’s crest.”

“Your clan’s crested seal?”

Ilvean nodded.

“Yah, our clan’s crested seal. When it’s sealed that way with our crest, no one can open it except for the intended recipient. Others who tried to open it will destroy both the envelope and everything that was contained inside. Not to mention that it will explode right in front of your face too.”

Some sort of magic seal it seems. Wonder what Bannen tried to give to me in this envelope?

“Well, looks like I’m done. Phew. No more babysitting a shorty like you!” Ilvean quickly ran past me.

“Alright. Thanks for your effort then.”

“Till next time, shorty!”

Until next time, ehh. So, we shall meet again then, even though you said any second longer being with me, you would puke. After seeing Ilvean left the place, I opened the enveloped. In it was a letter from Bannen Quiksilver, the Chief of the Quick Silver clan.

Date: 4009 AD, Day 25th of the month of May.

Claude,

I trust that you have a good night rest at our clan’s guest house. Keep in mind that the house is now for you to use as you see fit. Since the house had been empty for quite some time, perhaps a new house master would make it more cheerful and lively. The keys are with you, so feel free treat it like your own house.

But, this is not the reason why I write you this letter. By the time you read this letter, I’m sure Ilvean has done what I had told her to do and you are now in front of the main gate to the Knights District.

Knights District is the place where you will need to go to complete your journey. Meet up with Captain Forgante, a squad leader who also happens to be a personal friend of mine. Talk to him and mention my name and that I had sent you to him. He will guide you from there.

All the best Ser Claude, future Royal Elite Knights of Elsigardia. I will look forward to our growing relationships now and in the future.

Regards,

Bannen Quiksilver

PS: If you are wondering why I go to such extent of hospitality to you, consider it a forward payment. I’ll ask for your help soon.

PPS: By the way, if you ever met Reena, the maid at your new house now, be sure to treat her kindly. Her people have seen suffering enough. I trust that even without I telling you this personally, you will know what to do. I treat Reena as one of my own children. In case your Brotherhood ethos comes calling, you will know how to find me.

PPPS: Do check your money pouch. See if it still there if Ilvean ever runs past you. You can’t be too careful especially with your money if Ilvean is around.

The last PPPS really struck me instantly. I checked my belt whether my money pouch was still there.

Nothing.

My belt felt light. I remembered that I put my money pouch in my belt. Looks like Ilvean stole my money pouch again, for the second time.

“Hahahaha!!”I gave out a loud laugh.

Well. What else can I do? She was still a thief in nature. But, as the old idiom goes, “Steal from me once, shame on me. Steal from me twice, shame on you…. cause you only get pebbles.”

Hahahaha.

I knew that Ilvean will try something like this. So, I have prepared in advance. I collected some pebbles, roughly the same weight as my gold and silver coins and placed in the money pouch. The real gold and silver coins, I kept it in a cloth that I placed inside both of my boots. That’s the reason why I did not run at full speed earlier.

Sucks to be you Ilvean. Hahahaha.

Do enjoy spending your hard earn pebbles. I laughed out loud imagining how Ilvean’s face would look like when she finally opened and found out what was inside of the money pouch. Perhaps she will do it in front of her friends, which would make it even more hilarious. Ilvean, the pebbles thief.

Hahahaha.

As I placed the letter back in the envelope, suddenly it caught on fire. The letter was destroyed. I looked at it and I thought to myself, perhaps this was how information brokers work. Everything was kept in secrecy and any evidence of communication will get destroyed unless it was wanted otherwise. They were professional alright. I could use their help or two in my forthcoming missions.