Wreath of Lilies, Cauldron of Poison

Chapter 71

The Al-Khemiya Royal Entourage

Cheats.

Or as the First Heroes say, God’s Blessings.

They were gifts of the Gods. Metaphorical weapons granted only to the Heroes summoned from another world. Given to ensure that the Races might come to be victorious over the Demon Race who possessed superior mana and life force.

No two blessings were the same, and the nature of them were drawn forth from the desires of the Hero who received them.

For good.

Or for bad.

After parting with Connie and Martell, Kasheem swept Kim Sooyoung off her feet and ran towards the compound at the other side of the bridge. After making their way there, Kim Sooyoung and the others took the time to catch their breath under the bridge by the edge of the river.

Klein peeked at the bridge above. He saw no sign of any pursuers and reassured them. “No one’s coming. We’re good,” he said with a weary laugh. “I don’t know how to feel about that to be honest.”

Kasheem grimaced.

“Just count our luck. We are already standing out as it is. A Centaur is not made for discretion,” he paused a bit. “No offense.”

“Don’t mind it,” Akula answered. Not even the least winded from the abrupt run. She used to gallop over many kilometers when she was back in the grasslands in the morning just to warm up.

“I – I’m sorry for making you carry me,” the Kim Sooyoung said while struggling to get down from Kasheem’s arms. “I’m not really made for running.”

The words made Kasheem remember that she had the Hero of Al-Khemiya on her arms. “My pleasure, Maziri Sooyoung.”

“Alright, now that you found your precious hero, it’s time we part.” Klein started.

“Indeed. Thank you for your help, old friend,” Kasheem grasped his shoulder with his powerful arm.

“Thank you for the help, Lord Klein,” Sooyoung bowed slightly as a thankful gesture.

“Anything for Kasheem. I’ll head on out first then.” Klein turned to leave but stopped after a few steps. “Ah, wait. The Centaur over there, where are you staying?”

“I don’t see why I should tell you,” she replied warily at the handsome man’s query.

“I don’t mean anything by it. I just meant that, although Calendia as a whole is not as racist as Vorzenny, Courandhel itself is a mixed bag. And a Centaur is very rare.”

Understanding the meaning behind his warning, Akula snorted. It sounded like a horse’s. “That’s a fine view of your own Capital, Lord Klein.”

“Hey, I’m saying it as I see it. That’s all,” Klein smiled mischievously. “Just bear it in mind. See you at the ceremony, Kasheem. And you too, Hero!”

With those parting words, the handsome Commander jumped up and blended with the night crowd above.

“Klein spoke rightly, Ziri Akula. Do you have anywhere to stay?” Kasheem asked.

“Well, no. I actually intended to rent a stable from an inn,” she answered. “Though that does not seem very likely today.”

“Then you should come with us!” she said with a clasp of her hands. “We are guests in the palace. I’m sure it would be much more comfortable than staying in a stable.”

“Eh? Are you a Princess, benefactor?”

“Sort of. I’m the Hero of Al-Khemiya. And please, call me Kim, Miss Akula.”

“Haha, please do not joke K…kim? Saying that you are a Hero will attract danger to yourself!”

“Ziri Akula spoke the truth, Maziri Sooyoung. You shouldn’t reveal yourself so easily to outsiders,” Kasheem said. He did not complain overmuch as he saw that the Centaur before her was a truthful person. Even under her veil, he could see how expressive she was with her gestures.

“…What? Really?” she looked at Kasheem and the others, who nodded to affirm Kim’s words.

“A bit slow, isn’t she?” one of the guards commented under his breath. Kasheem kicked his shin, annoyed that he would say such thing about Kim Sooyoung’s friend.

“It must be a disappointing to realize that I am a Hero, right?”

“N – no. I mean…it’s just - Well, you see…one of my goals in coming here was actually to see the Heroes,” the female Centaur smoothed her veil thoughtfully. “I just didn’t expect for one of them to be so small.”

“Well, sorry for being so small.”

“It wasn’t my intention to offend.”

Akula did not say anything about her intention of coming to Courandhel. Though she desired to offer her service to one of the Heroes, she did not want to serve one who was so weak and small. One down, two to go.

“Thank you, I’ll intrude on you for one day, then,” she said straightforwardly. She saw no sense in refusing a reward for her deed.

“Just one day? You can stay with us as long as you want, Miss Akula! I’ll let Haynim Abbas know,” Kim said with an imploring look.

“One day is enough, Miss Sooyoung. Anymore would not be proper.”

“Eh?”

“A Tonsulde has their own pride, Maziri Sooyoung. They may take what they can take, but never more than they deserve. It is their way.”

“I – is that so?”

“It is so.”

“That’s too bad. I was very much looking forward to talking with you,” she said with a puppy-dog like expression. The female Centaur called Akula was rather brash and forceful, but she meant well. It reminded Kim of her best friend in her old world. Due to her attacks she was often ostracized by others. Only that girl would accept and guide her.

“Now if we’re all finished the night grows late. We can speak more freely tomorrow in the safety of the compound.”

About a quarter of an hour later, the group arrived at a guest compound to the side of the castle. If people came during the day, they would have marveled at the beauty of the many sculptures and murals that dotted the beautiful manor in the center of the compound and its surroundings. It was a way to show the culture and richness of Calendia to its guests and a way to give pressure to its weaker counterparts.

However, it was late at night and Sooyoung was quickly ushered through the gate where a young maid in simple black and white dress had been waiting.

“Maziri Sooyoung! I’m so glad that you’re back safe,” the maid threw herself at her and hugged her tight.

The hands and the neck of the maid was cold to the touch. “Have you been waiting for me outside all this time, Hirun?”

The round-faced maiden with the beautiful black eyes was Hirun. She was the handmaiden given to her by Prince Abbas. Energetic and ever curious with a good heart. She also happened to be the sister of Kasheem.

“Of course I have!! How can I stay calm when you are out there in the barbarian’s city without an escort?! I even wanted to come with my brother to look for you, but he forbade me!!”

Then, she noticed the tall figure standing beside her brother.

"Oh, and who is this Centaur? A Tonsulde wanting to enter the palace?"

"My name is Akula Altanghazar of the Altankheer. Daughter of the First Warrior Jayug Ganbaatar. You know of Tonsulde, young one?"

"Of course. My brother actually was under the instruction of one," she said off handedly before returning to fuss over Kim Sooyoung. "Maziri Sooyoung! I was worried to death when you didn’t return from the Terbezid! I even made you some herb tea to ease your indigestion!” the maid wiped the tears off the side of her eyes with the back of her palms, relieved that her Lady was safe.

“Forgive me, Hirun. I don’t want to put you into danger like the last time.”

“And you think it’s a good idea to do it by yourself? At the very least, you should have taken me with you.”

Kim Sooyoung noticed that something was odd about the last sentence and thought for a second. “Wait a minute. Did you say indigestion?”

“Yes. You haven’t been to the Terbezid to purge yourself for 2 days so I thought you must be having indigestion.”

Kasheem sighed. Knowing Hirun, the news about the Hero having indigestion would have spread across the whole compound. And boorish though he might be, he was not thickheaded enough to not realize that such thing would embarrass a woman.

To avoid longer embarrassment, he interrupted and said. “Maziri Sooyoung, it best not to leave Haynim Abbas waiting.”

“O – oh, right. Let’s go. I’ll see you later Hirun. Please lead Miss AKula to her room.”

“Of course. Do you still need the tea, Maziri Sooyoung?” the maid asked innocently.

She did not answer and just continued walking to Prince Abbas’s chamber.

Inside the Master Chamber. Prince Abbas and his wife, Azerah were waiting for news about the Hero.

The wife was pacing back and forth with worry. Clothed only in thin silk, her beautiful form could be seen through the see-through fabric. Her long black hair that reached to her waist was tied loosely by a golden thread.

Lounging on top a pile of ornate pillows and blanket, Prince Abbas was picking on some cold mix of young goat cheese and nuts, watching with amusement at his wife’s impatience. His short hair and beard had been cleaned and oiled with a mix of hemp and olive, giving them a nice sheen.

“Calm down, Te Yugnam, Azerah. You remind me of myself when I was waiting for our son’s birth,” the Prince joked.

His wife, however, did not take this well. “Calm down? Calm down?! Haynim Abbas, what I don’t understand is how you can take this so calmly. Our Hero has been missing for a full day and there is no news yet of her!”

“Haha, relax. Nothing will harm her. Our God protects her.”

Not long after, the door was knocked two times.

“See? That must be her.”

“Haynim Abbas. I have returned with Maziri Sooyoung!”

Hearing this, Azerah quickly answered.

“Come in, come in. Quickly!” She looked at the smug look of her husband and grimaced. “By Udurr’s Breath, I really hate it when you’re right.”

“Always, my love. Always.”

Kasheem opened the door and in came the Hero of Al-Khemiya.

Azerah threw herself onto the girl and hugged her tightly. The smell of Myrrh and Thyme oil on her body gently took grab of her senses. Kim Sooyoung awkwardly returned the hug. Unsure of how to react.

Kasheem saw Abbas’s gesture to close the door and withdraw outside. He did as he was ordered.

“Oh, you stupid girl! Why did you disappear like that? We spent the whole day looking for you!”

“I – I’m sorry, Maziri Azerah.”

“Didn’t I tell you to dispense the title, dear?” she said as she dragged her by the hands to the pile of pillows in front of Abbas and sat her there. She awkwardly tried to look away from the bare-chested dashing Prince exuding the allure of an adult.

The Prince himself merely looked at the woman with a trace of a knowing smile. “Well now, young lady. You have made us worry.”

“My apologies, Haynim Abbas. It was something I had to do.”

“Is it your compulsion again?” Prince Abbas asked as he stood up and offered a bowl of grape to her. Well-defined abdominal muscles rippling as he bent down.

“Yes,” she refused quickly as she turned her face away. “And, um...c-can you please cover yourself?”

“Oh? Do you not find me pleasing in your eyes, Our Hero?” he asked playfully.

“Cease your prattling and cover yourself, you fool,” Azerah said as she threw a robe at her husband carelessly.

It had been quite some time since she was summoned and yet she was still unable to get used to the married couple. In Al-Khemiya, the culture was more unabashedly intimate and straightforward compared to the more subdued culture of her country in the old world. And the two with all their intimate touches exuded such sexual appeals that she could not help but feel bothered.

“Alright then. Let’s not tease the girl anymore,” Abbas said as he wore her robe and sat in front of them.

At that moment, his languid eyes turned sharp and the careless and joking demeanor he was showing replaced by the stern and quiet assuredness of the Prince Abbas the Far-Seeing Eagle.

“Kim Sooyoung, you must understand. You are no longer a simple person in your old life. But here, you are a Hero,” Prince Abbas said. “You have saved my son and my wife’s heart. And for the months that you have been in Al-Khemiya, you have earned my people’s trust. Theirs and mine. My family is your family.”

“That is why, as both the ruler of the people and someone who is concerned about you, I must warn you to not endanger yourself. Especially not while we are here.”

“But isn’t Calendia our ally?” the young woman asked.

“Yes. But for how long? Our alliance will hold, of course. And the current King is a good friend of my father. However, this trust does not extend to his court.”

He clapped his hands loudly 2 times. Kasheem heard the claps and quickly entered the room and kneeled before the Prince.

“Kasheem. I relieve you of your duty as my personal guard and assign you as hers.”

“As you desire, Haynim Abbas.”

He then turned to look at his Hero. “Kim Sooyoung. You are hereby forbidden to leave this compound until after the Maiden of Water’s Coming of Age Ceremony.”

“But, the missions - !” she cried out in protest.

“Screw the missions! You can do it later, back in our own country. You still have some points leftover, if I am not mistaken,” the man said.

“Y-yeah. Sure,” the girl faltered.

“Good. That is all. Kasheem, escort her to her room. She will have an early day tomorrow.”

“Early day?” the girl asked, uncomprehending.

“Of course, silly. You will have to be fitted into your dress for the ceremony!” The Princess said with a cheerful smile. “Now get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow!”

The only thing Kim Sooyoung could do was give a defeated smile and followed Kasheem outside.

While they were walking along the hallway, she started to speak.

“Kasheem?”

“What is it, Maziri Sooyoung?”

“I have something I need to confide in you. Promise me that you will keep this between us.”

“Yes. Of course,” he answered. His heart swelled with happiness when she said she wanted to confide a secret to him. Then, he heard the next sentence.

“I kind of…spent most of my points when I used an Elixir in the slums.”

“…Oh.”

That short ‘oh’ was the only response Kasheem could think of.