I opened my eyes and saw that there was already light outside the window. It was still early in the morning and there was still not much sound heard from the outside. Regaleon was still sleeping beside me, his breathing calm.
I slowly got up from bed, being careful not to wake Regaleon up. I know that he is as tired as everybody else from the journey, but he still needs to think of work. And the count’s business here in Tarmac is also weighing in his mind.
I put a robe around my body and walked towards the large windows. Light was seeping from the small opening of the curtains. I opened the curtains a little and took a peak outside. It was still a little dim outside and the sun had not yet risen. I can see the courtyard of the manor from where I was standing. The road going out of the manor is quite visible.
From a distance, I can see a lone rider on his horse riding towards the manor. Once it was near, I recognized the rider as Raymond, the eldest son of Count Forger. He got down from his hose when he arrived near the entrance of the manor. The butler of the Forger family came out to meet him. They conversed for quite a bit. The butler bowed and Raymond went inside the manor.
Not long, I saw horses being lined up and taken out of the manor by the manor’s workers.
“Where are they taking that many horses?” I asked myself.
I was then surprised when arms suddenly wrapped around my waist from the back.
“Oh my!” I silently shrieked. “L-Leon.” I identified him as soon as I turned around.
“You woke up earlier than I thought.” Regaleon said with a playful smile. “After what we have done last night.” He planted a kiss on my nape that tickled me.
“L-Leon…” I felt shy remembering what we have done last night.
Regaleon and I continued the thing we did before dinner. Last night was long and not to mention tiring. He was insatiable and we have gone for a couple of rounds before we went to sleep.pᴀɴᴅᴀ-ɴ0ᴠᴇʟ.ᴄᴏᴍ
“It looks like there is something happening outside.” Regaleon’s playful look turned serious when he saw the horses in the manor’s stable is being sent out. “They are moving the horses this early in the morning. What could be the count’s and Raymond’s business that needs these many horses?”
“That was what I was thinking as well.” I replied.
“We will know later.” Regaleon said. “Let us get ready for the day first and see if the twins are up.” He planted a kiss on my forehead.
“Okay.” I nodded in agreement. “Why don’t we eat at breakfast at the twin’s room.”
“Hmm, sounds good.” Regaleon replied.
**
The sun had now risen, and light washed inside the room of the twins. Alphonse and Aerith were already up and were playing with their toys on the carpeted floor.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
“Your breakfast is here, your majesties.” I maid’s voice said outside the door.
Tricia opened the door and let the maid in. She was pushing a cart with our breakfast. The food today looked more well prepared. Bacons, sausages, eggs and toasted bread with butter were on the plates and are neatly placed. There was also a jar of milk and fruit juice. A cup of coffee is also prepared for Regaleon. pᴀɴᴅᴀ ɴ0ᴠᴇʟ
“Thank you so much.” I said to the maid. “You may leave.”
“Thank you, your majesty.” The maid bowed and exited the room.
Tricia placed our food in the small table found inside the room. She served the coffee to Regaleon and fill my glass with fruit juice.
“Thank you, Tricia.” I said with a smile. “You can also take your breakfast with the others in the servant’s dining hall.”
“Thank you, your majesty.” Tricia bowed. “Just call for me if you need me.” She said and excused herself.
Regaleon started to sip coffee from his cup while reading the daily newspaper brought for us. I started to put some eggs on the toasted bread and feed the twins. They love their egg sandwiches. I also poured some milk inside their sippy cups.
“What is in the news today?” I started idle talk.
“Nothing much.” Regaleon replied. “It is the same as usual.”
“The same is good, right?” I asked.
“Yes, but I feel our normal daily lives will not be for long.” Regaleon remarked. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀ ꪶ
Regaleon and I finished our food and the twins were done as well. I asked the guards outside to call for Tricia and when she came back, I asked her to take the twins for a walk at the manor’s grounds for their daily morning exercise.
Once Regaleon and I were alone, we went back to our own room and closed the door behind us.
“Have you gotten some information?” Regaleon asked. He was asking not me but the shadow guard from last night.
From the shadow emerged the young man cloaked in black from last night.
“Greetings, your majesties.” The man cloaked in black greeted bent on one knee. “The man I had tasked to follow the count and his son had come back at dawn. He had reported that only the son Raymond left the manor last night discreetly in horseback.”
“Where did he go?” Regaleon asked.
“The son rode north to the forest that borders Grandcrest and Alvannia, your majesty.” The man cloaked in black replied. “He entered a gated facility that was guarded heavily with men that looked like unidentified mercenaries.”
“The count is hiring mercenaries?” Regaleon asked.
“That does not sound good?” I replied.
Nowadays where we are living in peace, mercenaries are seldom sought for. A ‘Guild of Mercenaries’ was created by Jack who knew how mercenaries are being used. He made sure that mercenary groups are properly registered to the guild, that way their jobs are tracked properly and to make sure they are not doing anything unlawful.
“Some unregistered mercenary groups have been emerging lately.” Regaleon said. “It would be good to inform Jack about this.”
“Yes, he should know.” I replied. “It is his job to know these kind of things.”
Jack has been given this kind of job by Regaleon as one of the people in his inner circle. Because Jack has connection being the leader of the Crimson Bandits which is now renames as Crimson Mercenary Group. He handles the information network in the continent and also news that comes from the eastern countries across the sea.
“I am sure he has caught news about these mercenaries, he just needs to have evidence of their shady businesses.” Regaleon defended.
“You are defending him?” I giggled. “And I thought you are always strict to all your subordinates. Are you playing favorites because he is your cousin in law?” I teased.
“I do not play favorites when it comes to my subordinates. You know that.” Regaleon replied. “I just know how he works, and he has been a valuable asset to the empire.”
“Anyway, what else did you find out about the facility in the forest?” Regaleon asked the shadow guard.
pᴀɴᴅᴀ-ɴ0ᴠᴇʟ “He was able to enter the premise, but he was not able to enter the warehouses.” The man in black replied. “But he noted that he heard strange sounds inside.”
“Strange sounds?” I asked. “What kind of strange sounds?” I asked curiously.
“He said it sounded like animal sounds, your majesty.” The man cloaked in black replied to me. “But he said he did not know what kind of animal made such sound.”
“Leon, the forest he is speaking of.” I remembered something. “Is it the same forest we traveled in before. The forest where we first met the sirens.”
Regaleon was deep in thought before replying. “Now that you mention it, yes. I believe it is the same forest.”
“Do you think that the animal that is making those strange sounds are beasts from the ancient times?” I asked. “Maybe it is the same as the wargs that we encountered in the Lycan settlement.”
“I think you have a point, Lili.” Regaleon replied. “Have more men watch the facility. Tell me at once if there is something that changes.” He ordered the shadow guard.
“At once, your majesty.” The man cloaked in black replied and disappeared into the shadow.
“Do you think that Count Forger and his son is breeding beasts from ancient times?” I asked.
“There is a possibility. But the question is why are they breeding them?” Regaleon asked. “And if the creatures in the facility are as ferocious as the wargs we encountered, then they can be dangerous if they go to the wrong hands.”
“Then we have to find evidence about the count’s shady business.” I said. “We cannot let them go on like this.”
“Definitely not.” Regaleon replied. “We need to find evidence before we can accuse the count of any crime done. It would be best to catch them red handed, especially when the emperor is present to bear witness.”
“Then we have to find something before we depart tomorrow.” I said.
