Nana's on the case!

[Nana's Pov]

"Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I am sorry for being so forceful, but you are the only ones who seem to know anything about the man named Jack."

Sitting in one of the taverns in Kuul, I had finally found a lead on where my brother could be, or at least what could have happened to him...

Sitting on the other side of the table, a human named Peter and a bunny girl named Julie were the ones who supposedly had last seen Jack. Taking a big swig of his beer, Peter spoke in his raspy voice, "No worries. I promised Jack when I saw him last to buy him a drink, but as you seem to know him, I'll just see this as repaying my debts. After all, we haven't seen him since that one time anyway, it's like he's gone up in smoke or something."

"Thank you... Now, could you please tell me about the meeting with him and my brother? I think it coincides pretty well with when they left Trill."

Somehow, I wasn't met by the reaction I expected, with Julie squirming a bit and Peter's eyes turning sad. "You know, that's the part I don't quite understand. Because when we met him, he was alone."

Dark thoughts quickly started swarming my mind, making my heart heavier by the second. "What do you mean...?"

"Unfortunately, I meant exactly what I said. Tigress..."

"Please call me Nana. But carry on."

"Okay, Nana. Your brother wasn't with him. So if the timing really is aligned to when he left Trill, your brother had already gone missing. However, there is an interesting rumor going around right now, created by the fact that troops from Mensch got permission to enter Kurat. Seems like they are searching for something or someone."

"Are they searching for Jack? But why?"

Taking another mouthful of his drink to gain some confidence, the man looked like he was just about to say something that I might not want to hear. "The man we know as Jack isn't actually named Jack. After thinking things were strange, I tried my best to find some information about what could have happened in Mensch."

"What did you find?"

"A man named James Jackson was supposedly sentenced to death, but somehow resurrected after getting decapitated. Somehow, he was reborn as a demon and from the description, he is the same being you are looking for. I'm sorry Nana, but I think..."

*Bam!*

Slamming my fist into the table, I didn't want him to finish his sentence. No, I couldn't let him finish it. Even if I already knew what he was about to say, a part of me felt like everything would be alright as long as no one vocalized, as if it would somehow make it part of reality.

"I get it. Thank you for your time..."

Standing up, I readied myself to leave, now finding another clue about what was going on. However, something caught the sleeve of my top before I could go. Turning around, I was met by the cute eyes of the small bunny girl, wearing a complicated expression.

"Nana... I'm not sure if I should say this... But I don't think he is a demon. He saved me and Peter when we met him, not asking for anything but directions to the capital. So, would you please talk to him before you do anything? Maybe there is another part to the story that we don't know."

Unable to come up with an answer, I gently took her hand off my sleeve and left, my head more confused than ever before.

[Sarah's Pov]

The words of Sophie during our meeting were still endlessly going through my head, her answer not being what I had assumed her to give. "-What I would do to be together with Arthur? I would do everything as long as I could feel that he gave everything to be with me. A relationship isn't based on the commitment of one person, it's based on the reunion of two independent individuals."

Her words reminded me of something that I had completely forgotten, something that should have been obvious from the start. Even if I gave up on being the royal heir to Mensch just to be with James, was he in a position to do the same for me? Would he even want to do so?

In the end, I knew that no matter what choice I would do in the future, I had to stop trying to convince myself that he was now working with the demons, or at least try and see a world where he didn't.

'But isn't that the same as turning my back on my country? On my citizens?'

If I was anyone else than the princess of Mensch, this wouldn't have been a problem. However for a princess to doubt the words of her father, the king, I would have to turn my back on all the principles that I had been taught when I was just a child.

The kingdom comes first. Putting my own desires over the kingdom would inevitably lead to its ruin, and by extension, the citizens would suffer.

Letting myself fall backward on my bed, I stared at the ceiling that I had looked at so many times now while trying to figure out my thoughts. In the end, there was only one thing I felt I could do. "I need to know what actually happened... I need to talk to my father... No, I need to talk to the king."

==========

*Knock, knock!*

Knocking on the door to my father's office, it didn't take long until a servant opened the door, letting me see my father trying his best to work through the usual paperwork without hands. Even without arms, he was still working hard for his country.

The solution he had found was to have one servant write and sort out documents for him while he was making all the decisions. Looking up, I was met by the same gentle smile as always, "Oh, Sarah? Come in! Servants, could you please leave us for a moment?"

Just like always, he spoke politely to our employees, making them give us a moment for ourselves. As they were exiting the room, I took my seat on the other side of the big desk, trying my best to keep my nervousness down.

Sadly, it didn't go unnoticed by my father, "Hmm? My dear daughter, is there something weighing on your mind? You look a bit pale."

Steeling my heart, I knew that if I faltered here, I would never find the courage to ask the question I had to ask him. "Father... No. King of Mensch, I need to know what actually happened with James. Did he truly kill Ms. Gray?"

Somehow, I felt like I could read the emotions on his face as hesitation, a desire to not have to speak about the man who robbed him of his arms. With hardened eyes, he finally spoke. "Sarah, I have no idea what you are thinking or why you are asking this, but I can tell you right now that yes, he did kill Samantha Gray."

While my mind was still working through all the possibilities, the king stood up and came to my side. In some weird way, I could almost feel him putting his hand on my shoulder, "Sarah, as the King of Mensch I will never doubt the fact that the man once known as James Jackson is now a demon, or at least working with them. However, as your father I want you to know that no matter what conclusions you make or how you view the world, I will always love you."

Unable to hold back, I felt my tears starting to roll down my cheeks, both in frustration, sadness, and happiness. I leaned my body onto his legs, feeling the warmth of my father spread across my body.

"Father... No, Dad. That video of James... It was faked, right? And about Samantha... That was your order, wasn't it?"

"It was, and yes, I did order her to attack James knowing he would take her life."

With a lump in my throat, there was just one more question I needed to ask. "Dad... That... It was for the sake of our country, right? Can you at least promise me that what you did was for our citizens?"

Simulating a hug by putting his head on mine, he spoke with the softest tone I had heard him use ever since I was little, at a time when my mother was still alive. "It was. Everything I do is always for the country. No, not quite. Everything I do is always for you, you who will someday have to bear the weight of our nation on your shoulders. I'm sorry, Sarah..."

A part of me always knew that this was the truth, a part that I had actively tried to repress to the best of my abilities in order to keep my sanity. Now, all I felt was regret.