Once back at the Purple Walnut after admitting Colonel Slater at the hospital, Lydia wasted no time. She immediately sent a message through her telelink messenger, which functioned like a telegram, to Prince Clay’s office.
“To Prince Clay,” she began, tapping out the message clearly into the device, “There was an intense fight between Hikaru and a colonel from the Elvira Kingdom named Melvin Slater. The enemy colonel is the one who was in charge of overseeing all of Kaito’s subordinates, including Hikaru. He was injured after the fight but is already being treated in the hospital. I’m worried about what will happen when he wakes up, so I request that Your Highness station some of your men at the hospital to keep an eye on him and ensure he doesn’t cause any trouble. Sincerely, Lydia.”
Her message was swiftly transmitted to Prince Clay’s men, who relayed it to the prince. She knew it would take some time, but she trusted that Prince Clay would respond quickly.
While waiting for a response, Lydia glanced out the window, the moonlight casting a soft glow over the city. She hoped that this would be the end of the troubles, at least for now.
A few hours later, a return message arrived through the telelink messenger. Lydia eagerly read it:
“Lydia, I’ve dispatched my men to the hospital. They’ll ensure Colonel Slater doesn’t cause any problems. Please report to my office tomorrow morning. Prince Clay.”
Feeling a sense of relief, Lydia finally allowed herself to relax. She hoped that with the prince’s men watching over the colonel, there would be no further complications.
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The next morning, the first light of dawn filtered through the windows of the Purple Walnut, gently waking Hikaru. He stretched and got out of bed, feeling a slight pain from the light wounds he had sustained from Colonel Slater’s thorn attack. Determined to start his day on a positive note, he decided to stick to his usual routine.
After getting dressed, he made his way downstairs to the dining area where a warm breakfast was waiting. Lydia, already seated at the table, greeted him with a smile.
“Good morning, Hikaru. Did you sleep well?” Lydia asked.
“Well enough, considering what happened last night,” Hikaru replied, taking a seat and starting on his meal. “And thanks for everything yesterday.”
“Don’t mention it. We’re all in this together,” Lydia said reassuringly. “By the way, I already reported to the prince about what happened last night. He has stationed some of his men at the hospital.”
Hikaru sighed in relief. “Thanks a lot. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
After breakfast, Hikaru and Lydia headed to their usual training hall for their morning physical training. The fresh morning air invigorated them as they began their exercises. Hikaru went through a series of warm-ups, followed by more intense drills. An hour later, they finished their training. Hikaru looked at Lydia with curiosity.
“What are your plans for today, Lydia?” Hikaru asked.
Lydia wiped sweat from her forehead and took a deep breath. “I’ve got to head to the palace and fill the prince in on everything. How about you?”
Hikaru thought to himself, ‘Looks like Lydia’s been called in by the prince.’
“I was thinking of checking in on Colonel Slater at the hospital,” Hikaru said.
“Oh, don’t do that just yet. The guards there aren’t letting anyone in right now. Just trust us—His Highness has got it covered,” Lydia said.
“Alright, then I’ll probably just work on my magic skills at home,” Hikaru replied.
The morning sun climbed higher in the sky, casting a golden glow on the training hall. With their session concluded, Hikaru and Lydia parted ways. Lydia made her way to the palace to report to Prince Clay, while Hikaru headed back to the Purple Walnut to focus on his magic training.
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Inside the hospital room, Colonel Slater slowly opened his eyes while lying in an unfamiliar bed.
“Where am I?” he muttered to himself, pushing himself up and glancing around the room.
As the memories of his battle with Hikaru flooded back, he frowned in disbelief.
Stolen story; please report.
‘I can’t believe a former military trainee managed to put me in this state!’ he thought, still trying to process the defeat. ‘Was it Hikaru who brought me here after the fight?’
The colonel noticed he was wearing a hospital gown and quickly changed back into his clothes. Determined to find out more, he walked to the door and tried to leave the room. As he reached for the handle, the door opened slightly, revealing two guards stationed outside.
“Sir, you need to stay put,” one of the guards said firmly. “You’re not allowed to leave this room.”
Colonel Slater’s eyes narrowed. “On whose authority?”
“Our instructions are to keep you here until we receive further commands,” the guard replied, avoiding specifics.
Slater clenched his fists, frustration boiling inside him. “I need answers. Why am I being held here?”
“For your own safety and the safety of others, you must remain here until further notice. Please cooperate, Colonel,” the guard insisted.
Realizing he had no other option, the colonel stepped back and let the door close. He returned to the bed, sitting on the edge, his mind racing with questions. ‘Why would Bailey Military want to keep me here? And who is this Hikaru? Is he some sort of super spy planted by one of Bailey’s nobles? Did he pretend to be a military trainee just to be recruited by Kaito? That would explain why Bailey Military sent such a young and capable person to Elvira after they raided Kaito’s hideout. But now, after his employer got in contact with him, they pulled some strings to cover up for him!’
As he sat there, he couldn’t shake the feeling that his situation was far more complicated than he initially thought.
Soon, Clay and Lydia arrived at the hospital. They made their way to the room where Colonel Melvin Slater was being held. Lydia had already briefed Clay on the details of Colonel Slater’s situation earlier that morning.
As they approached the door, Lydia glanced at Clay, who gave a subtle nod in response. Lydia knocked softly before pushing the door open. Colonel Slater, lost in thought, looked up as they entered.
“Colonel Slater, I’m Prince Clay of Bailey,” Clay said, his voice steady and authoritative. “This is Lydia, one of my trusted aides. We’re here to talk about the situation that brought you here.”
Colonel Slater’s eyes widened slightly at the revelation. ‘So Hikaru’s employer is the prince himself. That explains a lot…’ He straightened up in bed, his expression guarded. “What do you want from me?” he asked, his tone cautious.
“We’re not here to threaten you,” Lydia said soothingly. “We simply want to ask you to cease your pursuit of Hikaru, one of our own.”
Clay stepped closer, his gaze steady and firm. “We need to resolve this matter carefully, Colonel. How about a mutual cooperation that will benefit us both? Have you reported Hikaru’s whereabouts to anyone else? Is there anyone else pursuing him?”
The colonel’s gaze hardened. “And what if I refuse to cooperate? Even if you’re a prince, you’re not my prince. My people will investigate if I disappear. Last time, your kingdom appeased us with the Aran mine. What will you offer if my kingdom takes offense?”
Clay calmly withdrew a platinum coin, rolling it thoughtfully between his fingers. “I believe we can reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After all, we’re civilized people.”
‘This Hikaru must be important,’ the colonel thought, watching Clay’s actions with growing curiosity. ‘The prince is even willing to offer a platinum coin to keep this under wraps.’
The colonel’s expression hardened. “Is that really enough? Hikaru destroyed my steel bracers, which were enchanted with an icicle spell. If I hadn’t used them, I might have lost my hands—or worse!”
Clay nodded, unfazed. He handed over the coin and then produced another platinum coin. “This additional coin is for the damage to your bracers. Does this make things right?”
The colonel’s mind raced. ‘The prince is offering two platinum coins for this Hikaru. If he’s willing to pay so much, refusing his terms might not end well for me.’
After a moment of contemplation, the colonel sighed and said, “Alright, Prince, you can rest assured. In light of your generosity, I will answer all your questions. I stumbled upon Hikaru only by accident while investigating Kaito’s funding sources. Since my mission requires a certain degree of discretion, I came here alone, so Hikaru probably won’t encounter any of my subordinates. For now, I will also cease my pursuit, as he was never a high priority for us in the first place. However, if he’s found to be actively aiding Kaito or concealing the Orb Converter, our deal will be null and void. I trust the Prince understands my position,” he added, his tone firm and resolute.
Their negotiation was brief but productive. After concluding the discussion with Colonel Slater, Clay allowed the colonel to leave the hospital and instructed the guards to stand down. Clay then headed back to the palace, while Lydia made her way to the Purple Walnut.
As Clay’s carriage rolled along the streets towards the palace, it passed over a stone bridge. Through the carriage window, Clay noticed a group of workers busy repairing the bridge. Among them, Clay spotted Masaki, Hikaru’s cousin, hard at work.
Curious, Clay turned to his aide and asked, “Are these bridge workers from the palace?”
His aide responded, “No, Your Highness. Only the supervisor is from the palace. The rest are adventurers who’ve taken on an E-rank quest.”
Clay’s gaze lingered on Masaki as the carriage moved along the bridge. He sighed, thoughts swirling. ‘So, you turned down my offer to be my royal guard just to tackle an E-rank quest like repairing a bridge? What a waste of potential.’
Masaki, along with his companions Mina and Ullot, was diligently working on the bridge as part of their E-rank quest. The sight of them focused on their task made Clay reflect on the diverse paths people choose and the varied motivations driving them.
The carriage rolled on, leaving the bridge and its workers behind. Clay pondered, ‘Perhaps I should arrange for an enticing E-rank quest through Bailey Adventure Guild for chores around the palace.’ He mused further, ‘I’ll request the guild master to ensure only Masaki or her party can take on the mission. This will give me a chance to ask her about Hikaru and learn more about him.’
As the carriage continued its journey back to the palace, Clay’s mind was already formulating his plan. The wheels of the carriage echoed his determination, setting the stage for his next scheme.
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Meanwhile, inside his room, Hikaru focused on the dispelling spell Loyd had taught him. Each attempt brought a sense of progress, though he knew it would take time to master. Eventually, he grew bored and decided to replenish his mana by meditating.
Settling into a comfortable position, Hikaru closed his eyes and let the ambient aether flow into him. Once his mana reserve was fully charged, he grabbed the soulstone he bought yesterday and concentrated on switching in the L1 Wind Sovereign skill. Hours passed as he focused on his soul space.
‘It’s weird,’ he thought, ‘I can feel the essence inside the orb, but I can’t move it!’
Despite his efforts, he remained unable to switch in the skill. Frustrated but determined, Hikaru continued trying until evening. Finally, utterly exhausted and stumped, he decided to take a break. He headed downstairs to the dining room, where the comforting aromas of dinner greeted him. Loyd and Lydia were bustling about, nearly finished with their preparations. Hikaru helped them a bit by setting the table.
As he set the final piece of cutlery in place, Hikaru couldn’t shake the feeling that the answers he sought were just out of reach, waiting to be discovered.