Chapter 14

After a few hour of fly on a helicopter, I could finally see Windsor Castle closing in and…that very excessively bright limo that has ‘HER’ picture printed on the roof.

It’s Percival.

Oh man, she’s not going to stop bugging me until I actually gave her a good reason for diching her at the airport.

Seeing the big letter H beside the castle’s garden, we slowly descend to the ground.

Next to the landing point are two people I instantly recognized.

One of them is of course the singing sensation who I escaped from and the other is a white haired and bearded old man.

But even though I said that, he is not like the typical frail geezer. With a well-built body, he stood straight like a steel pole and wears a very fancy looking black business suit.

Just seeing him stand like this gives him the atmosphere of a true leader and a powerful worrier.

Like a lion standing proud, the man who is waiting for us to land is no other than the Leader of the Knights himself, Barnaby Collins or also known as, Arthur.

But honestly though, the woman next to Arthur is the one I need to think about right now.

She’s staring up towards us with a pouting look.

I haven’t landed yet and she’s already giving me the guilt trip. I need to make a peace offering, or she’ll keep complaining to me.

That’s it, these cookies. No all I need is a plastic bag or anything to put some in.

As I look around, I quickly notice some plastic bags on a small cabinet. I put 6…no let’s make it 8, eight cookies in the bag.

Now if I’m going to make it look like a present I’m going to need a red ribbon…but where am I going to…ah!

[James] “Hey Nicolas, can I see your Tie for a second?”

[Nicolas] “Sure, but why?”

As soon as he hands it to me, I took out Nanashi and unsheathe an inch of the blade.

[James] (Make it a clean cut Nanashi.)

[Nanashi] (By your command, Aruji.)

[Nicolas] “Ah, my Tie!”

Sorry Nicolas, but this is for my counter attack against Percy, so please understand.

After a few seconds more, the helicopter finally lands and the door slides open.

Arthur then walks closer to us, waving his hands while showing a smile. Percy on the other hand is still pouting with her arms crossed.

[Arthur] “It’s good to see you in good health. But then again, I’ve never seen get sick before.”

[James] “I see that you’re still alive and kicking.”

Well, one of the reason why you never seen me get sick before is because I’ve never did, even since my abnormal childhood.

Thinking about it now, I should have gotten sick a lot back then but I didn’t……well, I did have the chickenpox before, but that didn’t stop my Mom from giving me intense training.

[Arthur] “Now then, the queen wants to—“

[Percival] “Wait, I think James still need to do something, before he goes meets her Highness.”

[Arthur] “He does?”

I knew it.

Arthur was just about to lead me to the Queen, but Percy stops me by blocking my path with her right arm.

[Percival] “Don’t you have anything to say to me, hmm?”

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[James] “Uhh…”

Crap, what should I say!?

I wasn’t sure for how long I’ve been standing in front of Percy, but Lancelot must have noticed it, so she walks closer to Percy.

[Lancelot] “Hello Lady Percival, it’s good to see you healthy.”

[Percival] “Ah, Vistela! What are you doing with James? Did you guys go to a mission together?”

[Lancelot] “No, I was to be his escort, but due to James’ feeble and non-responsive walnut he calls a brain, we got lost.”

[Percival] “Really? It must have been hard.”

After hearing Lancelot’s (LIE) words, Percy peeks above her shoulder and said…

[Percival] “James, you shouldn’t cause Vistela so much trouble, we’re here for an important mission after all.”

[James] “OK, sorry…”

What else could I say in this situation!?    

[Lancelot] “It was horrid just walking beside him, but please don’t blame James for his lack of apprehending the moment of a crucial time. His brain thinks like a gorilla in heat after all, it cannot be helped.”

Look like Percy is biting Lancelot’s lie.

I know Lancelot is doing this for me and all, but why is she badmouthing me again?

Oh well, since her Percy’s mood became better, I might as well seal the deal and keep that way.

[James] “Hey Percy?”

[Percival] “Yeah? What is it?”

Yup, her mood changed for the better. She’s showing me a big smile right now.

[James] “Here, sorry about what I did on the airport.”

[Percival] “Hmm? Ah~ wow, cookies! Thanks James!”

Sometimes her Airheaded-ness is a blessing for me. It rarely happens though, most of the time she gets me into trouble.

By successfully making Percy forget about me diching her, Arthur calls out to me again and we then walk towards the castle’s back entrance.

After passing a very wide, fancy and expensive looking hallway, we stop in front of a huge white door, covered in golden decors.

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Nicolas isn’t with us since he said he need to do something at the ground floor of the castle, so the one who are with me right now are Lancelot, Percival and Arthur.

Maybe because I got used to live alone for years, I wasn’t able to notice Arthur about to knock on the door and I just barged in without saying anything.

Even when Reshulla and the rest started living with me, I sometimes open the Comfort room’s door without knocking and accidentally bump into the girls.

As soon as I open the door, I quickly sense 2 men standing on both sides of the door.

As I walk in the room, the two points their pistol to my head.

But due to my instinct to counter, right before they even point their guns towards me, I effortlessly took out their magazines and put their pistols on ‘Lock’.

The 2 agents then panicked when I showed them their magazines are in my hands.

While the two bodyguards look in shock, I continue to walk towards the veranda where a woman who is calmly drinking tea while seating elegantly.

The woman then slowly puts down her teacup and faces me with a gentle smile, fit for a caring mother.

[???] “It’s good to see you again James.”

[James] “Likewise, I guess.”

This woman who is elegantly seating in front of me is Ortesa, the Queen of England herself.

She has long flowing golden hair, that sways along the wind and she also wears a pure white dress.

One wouldn’t think that she is a mother of a working adult and a daughter who is in middles school since she looks like she is only in her 30s.

Hmm…this feels a lot different from before.

Back then, I only though of her of the scheming type and I kept myself cautious, but now I actually find her beautiful.

If she did open her mouth to talk to me a while ago, I would have mistakenly thought I was looking at a painting of a pro.

She then beckons me to sit in front of her while still remaining elegant.

Since I have no reason to refuse and we also have something to talk about, I sat in front of her.

And of course she also invited her knights to the table…not the round table, but the tea table, don’t get it wrong now.

But then again, the tea table is round…

[Ortesa] “Now then, I know we are supposed to talk about that threat, but why don’t we relax for a minute and then talk.”

Taking our seats, she then slowly reaches to a small golden bell, placed right next to her teacup and rings it.

After a minute or so, the door opens and a slim tailcoat wearing old man pushing a stroller enters the room, carrying some extra teacups, napkins and cake…strawberry short cake.

[???] “Here you are your Ladyship, as per requested…Oh, James.”

[James] “Hey Pops.”

[???] “Hohoho, you are the only person who calls me that, I truly do miss it. So…”

Cutting his sentence short, the old man properly places the teacups to our table, along with the cakes.

He then finishes his words.

[???] “Since you were gone for so long, have you met some women with beautiful and bountiful breasts? If so, please enlighten this old man.”

This geezer who just said something pervy so openly in front of the Queen herself is the only royal butler as well as one of the Knights of the Roundtable, Sir Hector.

Coincidentally, his true name is also Hector, so calling him which won’t be a problem for anyone.

Besides for me though, I just call him Pops.

[Ortesia] “Fufufu, now, now, Hector, you can have you conversation later, for now let us talk about the matter at hand.”

[Hector] “Why of course your Ladyship.”

With Pops giving the queen a respectful and perfect bow, the Queen sips from her teacup again and then speaks.

[Ortesa] “I’m sure my son and the rest of my Knights have told you what is happening to our country and I was hoping that you could help us.

I know asking for your help is unreasonable even though you no longer work for me, but my other knights are too busy while my Son, Arthur and Hector will be staying beside me to be my bodyguard.

And let’s not forget that three seats of my Roundtable are still empty.”

They still are? I thought she would find at least one who is worthy enough to be in the seat.

[Ortesa] “So how about you take one of them?”

[James] “No thanks.”

[Ortesa] “You once again gave me a quick reply.”

That’s because I don’t want to be part of any organization, be it royalty or any other Political groups.

[Ortesa] “Well, let’s just forget that and start…”

I already refused her offer twice but it seems like she doesn’t mind it at all, I’m honestly happy with that.

I wouldn’t want someone to keep pestering me like a door to door newspaper subscriber.

[Ortesa] “Since you are here James, can you please tell us on what you think is happening?”

[James] “Didn’t the video say it already? He said he wants to take your position.”

[Ortesa] “Yes, but why in such a roundabout method, isn’t attacking me upfront be faster?”

[James] “It’s because Hyde wants not only your position but also the power of the Kingdom. But he knows that taking your spot from the get go is the wrong way to go.

I mean, even if that guy did take over the Queen’s seat, there will still be people who would try to stop him.

That is why we want to take the second or third spot before you.”

[Arthur] “OK, so why choose to target the lower positioned People?”

[James] “That’s because they are closer to the people than the Queens herself.”

As I explain my theory, they quickly got the idea on what I’m saying.

Yup, even Percy gets it. She might not act like it, but she is the Roundtable’s best information analysist.

[Lancelot] “So once the People gets taken over…”

[Hector] “So would the Kingdom.”

[Percival] “And the sit for King will be easy picking…or maybe Queen, Hyde is a guy right, could it be that he’s a Homo?”

Well, at least she got the important part.

[Arthur] “So you got all that from just watching one video?”

[James] “Hmm…yeah, pretty much.”

[Hector] “Hohoho, the way you deduct things truly amazes me.”

After thinking for a minute, the Queen then asks me another question.

[Ortesa] “Then what about the second video?”

[James] “Well, the people wouldn’t want to have a King looking like that, now would they?”

[Arthur] “So what we need to do is stop Hyde’s automatons from invading our government and stop his plan to make the citizens looking like him.”

[James] “Actually, there is one more thing we need to do.”

[Ortesa] “And that is?”

[James] “Finding the ones that got replaced, what else?”

As soon as I finish my words, they all look at me with their eyes wide open and their mouths gaping open.

[Ortesa] “You mean they are still alive?”

[James] “I’m not saying I’m completely sure of it, I’m just saying there is a possibility.”

[Arthur] “What makes you say that?”

[James] “Well, those Automatons needed to act and speak like the originals right? Especially is those things are confronted by someone the original has a close relation to; the Automatons will also need their memories.”

[Lancelot] “I see, but what if they went to a more morbid way, like putting the original’s brain inside them?”

[James] “That won’t work ether. Back when an Automaton tried to take Percy’s identity, I noticed its body was too…umm…shallow? What I mean is, it doesn’t have anything to keep the brain fresh and prevent it from rotting.”

[Hector] “Hmm, now that you mentioned it, the other imposters we have caught doesn’t have them ether.”

[Ortesa] “So in other words, the originals’ bodies are kept alive, while the Automatons use their memories for their own advantage.”

[Arthur] “Again, you thought of that just by seeing one Automaton?”

[James] “I guess.”

Is it that surprising for me to find those things out? I only thought of the most possible thing, it isn’t really that special.

[Lancelot] “Then I guess we will need to split into teams, we have a lot to cover after all, including the location of the mastermind.”

[Percival] “Oh, can I be on James’ Team, it’s been a while since we did a mission together.”

Oh no, I’m starting to see my past mission with her again! All those times we almost failed our mission.

I know she only wanted to help, but she just made our entire missions tougher.

But if I play my cards right, I might be able to avoid teaming up with her.

[James] “Actually, we don’t need to divide into multiple teams we just need a team to protect her Highness, while I go out and get the information I need.”

[Ortesa] “Fufufu, I knew asking for your help was the best move.”

[James] “Well, I’ll need a lot of things before I go though. Hey Pops, do you some pen and paper?”

As I say those words to them, Pops gave me what I asked for and I started writing.

[Arthur] “Things, what kind? Since it’ll be for preventing Hyde’s plan, the Roundtable will take care of the cost.”

[James] “Hmm……done. Here you go.”

[Arthur] “This much? This is like the things needed of a Relief Team.”

[James] “Is it alright?”

[Arthur] “Don’t worry its fine, but if we’re going to gather this much, then we will need at least 1 or 2 days to get all of these, is that fine?”

[James] “That’s’ cool, I can wait for it.”

Now then, I need to be discrete about this. I need to get Percy into the bodyguard team without hurting her feelings.

But the question is, HOW? I honestly have no idea.

It’s not like I hate her or anything, I’m only worried she might do something that might make my job harder.

[Ortesa] “Now that we know what needs to be done, James…”

[James] “Hmm, what is it?”

[Ortesa] “Why done you, Lancelot and Percival go out and have fun.”

[James] “I don’t really mind, but why?”

[Ortesa] “You three will be a team after all, you all will need to catch up and get to know each other more.”

[James] “………………………………………………”

Ah~ I see, I never got the chance to change our teams to begin with. It was already set in stone.

Feeling a little bit down, I walk the Castle hallways alone.

The reason why I’m alone is because everyone else had things to do.

Pops stayed with the Queen as her Bodyguard, Arthur left to prepare all the things I wrote down, while Lancelot took Percy somewhere to talk in private.

Well, we decided to go out tomorrow, since a lot happened today. That is why Lancelot said I should rest.

Honestly though, I’m not rally that tired.

I’m supposed to be resting in my given room, but I decided to kill some time walking around the castle.

But after making a good round, I walk down the stairs that leads towards the Knights and their Subordinates’ underground training hall.

As I recall, Nicolas is supposed to be here.

[???] “Hmm? Who in the world are you? How did you get in here?”

As soon as I step in the training ground, a guy with long, brown and curly hair stands before me.

Hmm, never met this guy before, he must be someone new.

[James] “Oh, sorry, I’m only here to watch.”

[???] “The way those eyes look, what are you planning?”

I already said my purpose of being here, were you not listening!? And leave my eyes out of this!

[???] “I have no idea who you are or how you got in here Ruffian, but if you don’t leave now, I’m going to have to use force, I’ll leave you black and blue.”

[James] “Ho~ is that so?”

I guess I couldn’t blame Percy for every trouble I get in. After all, my looks do it for me.

But still, this guy is too proud of himself, he’ll make a good dummy to kill sometime on.