Chapter 113 - A Connection

"I- I see..."

Careful not to step over any other boundaries, Lissa tried to be understanding.

Since Rynold had effectively stomped on her pride to the point where it doesn't exist anymore, she could think clearer than before.

However, that didn't stop her stubbornness when it comes to things that she had her heart set on.

"Then, can I stay with you after you finish what you need to do?" Lissa asked eagerly with a somewhat cute look on her face.

Luckily, Rynold looked away at that exact moment to fix his shirt. Otherwise, he would have a harder time outright rejecting her if he managed to see the look on her face.

"Well, shouldn't you be staying with your parents? I assume that you need to be around them in order to consistently get what you want," Rynold responded as he wiped some grime off his shirt.

Rynold knew what would happen if he had come with her. He knew what would happen for a fact because of how Neana felt all this time.

It was in his nature to accidentally get carried away with his work. Much to the point of producing his equipment and gear, Rynold barely has the time to spend with people and loiter.

"Mmm...," Lissa let out a sound as she thought of what Rynold had said, "Well, I'm not really all that close with my parents. They treated me the same way they treated my older brother."

"Okay...," Rynold tried to wrap his head around what Lissa just said. "Why did they even have you guys in the first place? Geez, what the hell are your parents thinking?"

To bring children to life only for them to be consistently ignored is one of the worst things that Rynold could ever think of. It was one of his biggest pet peeves. He couldn't simply fathom why people would do things like that only to just leave them behind without a care in the world.

"Well...," Lissa thought of the words to properly explain their situation.

"Let me guess," Rynold interrupted before Lissa could start explaining things from her perspective.

"No offense, but I don't think your parents wanted to have children. I'm guessing it's all just politics to them. So that when they get old, they'll have you guys to lean on. So that, in the end, they'll live comfortable lives filled with riches and achievements. Most of which will come from both you and your brother."

Rynold's so-called "guess" was as accurate as it could be.

He had perfectly described the situation that Lissa and Leo were in, much to the current King and Queen's convenience.

On the other hand, Lissa was quite stunned that Rynold had thought of it that far. Even her own thoughts won't travel to that point because of how obscene it really was. All she wanted to say was that it was all politics and leave it at that.

"I..."

Lissa was practically speechless. It seems as if that Rynold's casual explanation came as a shock to her. However, Rynold decided that it wasn't best to leave her confused and dumbfounded for long.

"You should know something important, though," Rynold added to his explanation, "Whatever happens, you need to learn how to take responsibility for your own actions.

"From this point onward, you need to know what you want out of life. If that so happens to be completely different from what your parents need you to do then so be it. If it's exactly the same as what other people expect then fine as well.

"But, you need to be comfortable and able to live with the choices you make. It won't matter in the end if you're stuck in the most bizarre way of life without a way out. That's what I learned ever since I started risking everything I have just to keep people safe."

Rynold finished his monologue with a deep sigh as if his heart was burdened with the weight of the world. He never really noticed it, though, because he had been used to it so much that he had become numb to the feeling.

"You know I said all of that," Rynold scoffed and shook his head, "I don't even know your name. I kept babbling on and scolding you without even knowing the young Princess's name."

Lissa scooted over to where Rynold was sitting and tapped him on the shoulder.

Turning his head to look at her, Rynold was greeted by an overwhelmingly adorable smile that had could warm even the coldest of hearts.

"So?" Lissa answered cheerfully, "I don't really know yours and I did the same thing to you."

"It's not exactly the same," Rynold corrected the young Princess, "Technically, I never scolded at you for no good reason. And, technically, I did apologize. So..."

Rynold wanted to continue blabbering on but he could feel the glare coming from the person to his side. That paired with Prominence Alpha's warning gave a clear sign for him to shut up.

"Human, you're really naive when it comes to the matter of the heart, no?" the Spirit of Fire's voice echoed within Rynold's head.

Not daring to look to the side and match Lissa's angry glare, Rynold swore inwardly. 'This damned Spirit. Can't believe it would eavesdrop like that,' Rynold thought as he kept acting casual.

"You better stop talking before I bonk you in the head," Lissa warned while fixating her glare at Rynold's face.

"R-right...," Rynold chuckled to lose some of the tension that was on him. "Anyway, it would probably be better for you to stay here, you know. Just in case things actually go wrong, it's better for you to stay here where it's safe and comfortable."

"Sorry but no," Lissa immediately responded after Rynold made his suggestion.

"Now that I actually know you're planning something, it's better for me to stay with you. Besides, brother's on your side too, right? With that, I'd be better off with you."

'Well, shit.'

Rynold immediately swore at how ineffective his suggestions have become in the face of complete stubbornness. It was as if he dug his own grave with the words of comfort that he had tried to use earlier.

"If you want to stay with me, you need to be useful," Rynold decided to go with it. It was the better alternative than trying to forcefully remove her. Plus, he actually needed information as well. All in all, it was a win for him to keep Lissa by her side.

"Sure, I'll help out," the young Princess was suddenly cooperative, much to Rynold's surprise. "But first... You need to tell me your name."

"Rynold," he announced his name as he stood up and walked towards the tunnel. "Better tell me yours too. Calling you Princess all the time is a pain in the ass."

"Lissa. A pleasure to meet you," the young Princess responded with a light chuckle.

"Alright then," Rynold casually acknowledge her name before getting straight to business. "First things first, I need to understand why the hell don't you guys have no magic. Is there anybody who might be deliberately doing this?"

"I don't think there is. But, if you need to keep your eye on someone, it's our cousin who's the most dangerous," Lissa explained with a serious tone to her voice. "His name is Wilfred. Cunning and clever are the two things that best describe the kid."

"Okay, got it," Rynold nodded as he raised his hand to his chin to think. "Can you tell me who's running the country? No offense, but your parents don't seem like model rulers. But, at the same time, the people don't seem to mind. Nobody's revolting or anything."

"Hmm... Well, that's kind of hard to explain," Lissa answered as she thought how to best describe the situation with the people.

Suffice it to say, she had never really dabbled in overseeing the common folk. More often than not, she was stuck inside the castle, only managing to pick up information from random sources.

"You don't really need to explain it in a super detailed way," Rynold reassured the young Princess. "You can honestly just tell me your opinion on things. I'll just fill in the holes if there are any that pop up."

"Take all the time that you need," Rynold calmly sat back down beside Lissa. There wasn't much to do for the night but to sit still and talk.

"First off," Lissa leaned her head on Rynold's shoulder as soon as Rynold sat down. "The people don't need to revolt because they managed to sustain their own economy. The castle just needed someone to oversee it."

"And who is that?" Rynold couldn't help but leak his curiosity on the subject manner.

"Wilfred's father. The Duke of the kingdom and my uncle," Lissa answered. "In most matters, he was the one who handled everything. Military, laws, and to the farthest reaches of the country. He had a stake in almost everything."

"Then, why is your father still in power?"