Chapter 44

I never realised how close I had gotten to Vincent till today. Once he was my enemy that I had to use for intelligence. Now he has become my assistant that I can use to my own advantage. I still feel closer to Felix but Vincent is someone I cannot overlook.

As we walked home together he told me about an invitation he got from Alyssa, someone I had forgotten existed. He was invited to the party as well on behalf of Alyssa. I felt glad that she would invite him so that he could come with me.

We walked into the palace and kept talking with each other. Kathlyn seemed to have grown a closer relationship with Vincent's wife whom I still hadn't learnt the names of. Kathlyn still felt anxious when entering and held on tightly to my arm.

"It's… been so long…" Kathlyn whispered which I caught onto. "Welcome back! I hope that you feel at home like before." I told her with a happy smile.

"I still remember when we used to play in the courtyard and backyard! It still hasn't changed much here has it?"

"Y-yeah… It still stayed the same."

I don't know! Stop putting me on the spot!

"Oh, What was the history between you two?" Vincent's wife asked me. "We were childhood friends. It's only recently that we met again."

"I tried to hide from him because I felt embarrassed to even face him again. I thought he forgot about me!" Kathlyn admitted shamefully.

"Hey! What's there to be ashamed of!" I exclaimed.

Everyone laughed it off while Kathlyn just stuck her tongue out. "Don't act as you forgot me!"

"I hadn't! I just thought you would be uncomfortable if I started acting as I knew you! Especially at a graveyard after like fifteen years!"

"W-well! You have a point but it hurts to think you forgot me!"

We playfully quarrelled as we walked down the pathway to the foyer of the palace. By the time we made it to the foyer Vincent and his family were nearly on the ground from laughing as we quarrelled.

The double doors slowly swung open as we walked up the small flight of stairs to the foyer. Felix stood right in front of us as the doors slowly opened.

"Good evening, Artorius." He greeted me as he saw us enter.

I couldn't handle my smile as he greeted me. "Good evening. It's been a while since we talked. Take these bags and keep them in her room." I told him as I put forward my arm to give him the bags.

Felix comes forward to take the bags from both Vincent and me. He realised Kathlyn was with me and greeted her formally.

"It's been a while, Uncle Felix," Kathlyn said, taking me and Amelia by surprise.

"U-uncle!?" Felix exclaimed. "Am I that old now!?" He said as he scratched his head.

Kathlyn gently held her hand over her mouth in embarrassment. "S-sorry! I didn't mean it like that! I always called you uncle when I used to come over. Force of habit!"

"Haha! It's fine. It's nice to have you visiting us again, Miss Kathlyn."

Vincent takes his leave with his family to freshen up again. Kathlyn followed Felix to her room while I went my own way, to my room.

I felt tired and so did Amelia. She lay flat on my head, half asleep and nearly falling off. I grabbed her down and held her in my arms while walking to the room, letting her be more comfortable.

She made some noises and she slept in my arms, squealing in a high-pitched tone like a fox would. I smiled at her adorable actions and kept walking to my room.

My work for today was finished. Tomorrow I just have to pick up the dress and a few books. Most importantly, I need to pick up the secret ring that I hid away from everyone. I don't plan on telling anyone, not even Felix about it. Not until the time comes.

I pushed the doors open with my arms and walked over to the bed, gently putting Amelia on it and walking back to close the door.

As I closed the door I laid back on it, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes. "What happened today…"

I had never felt something like this in my life. Every time I looked at Kathlyn I felt relaxed and comfortable. Seeing her smile and being so… happy, made me happy in return.

The ring that I had bought was a bold move. I wasn't thinking straight and I agreed to keep the ring in reserve. I had made some bold moves like this.

Slowly I sank lower and lower, sliding down the door till I was on the floor. I covered my face with my right hand and took a few deep breaths.

"Whatever… Let's just see where this goes."

ZENITH'S POV

"Hey, Zenith! Come over here! I need help carrying a few logs."

After the last exploration, all of us took a day to rest and repair our tools. Swordsmen had their swords sharpened or shields repaired while mages got their staff's power level reset with more mana crystals.

The sun was setting on the camp as we set up more tents for more soldiers. We had more coming because of the dangers that come with going lower and lower into the cave. We couldn't take any chances which is why King Alaric sent more troops.

"Yes, commander. Please give them to me." I told the commander. "C-careful! These are really heavy."

I picked up the logs that were on the ground with ease and put them onto my shoulders. "I'm fine. They're quite light." I said while carrying three logs on my shoulder.

The commander was frightened by my strength and made a bewildered expression. "O-oh, alright. Take it over to the tents over there." He said as he pointed to an empty spot next to a few tents.

"On it!"

"Hey! Look at Zenith! Now that's strength right there!"

The camp noticed me carrying the three logs single-handedly and were astonished. To me, it was moderate weight but to most, even a single log can be really difficult.

"He can fight, he can carry heavyweight and he is good-looking! What more can you ask from him!"

"One of a kind!"

Their compliments were becoming baseless and overdone. Every single camp I've stayed at always compliments me. It was becoming tiring to hear.

I gently place the logs down on the ground and crack my neck. My shoulders were stiff but I moved them a bit, unlocking them and getting rid of the stiff feeling.

"Hey, Zenith! Can we have a duel? Not with real swords but with wooden ones!" One of the soldiers shouted, surrounded by his comrades around a campfire.

I stared at him emotionlessly and thought for a moment. "Sure if they are wooden swords."

There were no risks involved. I had to stay out of danger till the 40th. But still, I was sent out for missions. Though I had to entertain the camp somehow and the only way I knew was to fight.

"Alright~! Let's get it!" The soldier shouted in excitement. He was tall and had a really well-built physique. Compared to me who was just eighteen and scrawny compared to the man. I still had an impressive physique nonetheless from all the sword-fighting.

He picked up a wooden greatsword while I took one of the smaller one-handed ones. He seemed excited to be able to fight me. His comrades cheered him on as he slowly stepped forward into an open area.

Just then the commander showed up to spectate the match. "I will intervene if it gets too serious. We cannot have anyone injured. Zenith has an important mission he has to attend to tomorrow."

"That's fine! But I won't hold back." He said with an arrogant grin on his face, revealing his jagged teeth.

I took my stance and so did he. Everyone around the camp gathered around but kept their distance from us, giving us a huge area to fight in.

"Alright. Make sure to control both of your swords and not injure one another. Also no use of elements. If you agree then we can start the duel." The commander said, going over the normal rules of duels in the camp.

"We get it. Let's begin!"

"Go Zenith! Get Big Wilfred!"

"Get him, Big Will!"

Huh, Big Will. Seems like he is notorious in the camp.

"Start!" The commander shouted out.

Wilfred sped towards me with his greatsword, ready to strike me as soon as he reached a respectable distance from me.

I looked at his footwork and predicted when he would attack. In a matter of seconds, I predicted that he would swing from the right side.

"Take this!" He shouted out as he swung from the right-hand side.

As expected, I predicted his move and dodged it. I stepped aside from his range and he missed completely.

Without wasting another second I go in for the stab. But to my surprise, he was quick enough to turn around and swing his sword at me once more. He nearly had me there but I changed my trajectory and rolled away from him.

"Woah! Zenith is quick!"

"Will almost had him! Damn that was close!"

I stood back up and took my stance. This time I would go in for the attack as I did not want to drag out the battle.

"Oi, oi. Come on! Don't dodge that much!" Wilfred taunted me.

I dashed at him as fast as possible hearing his words. In an instant, I was close enough to slice through his body but due to this being a duel, I couldn't. I stopped my blade right as I was about to hit him. The force created by my slash knocked the wind away and Wilfred's face turned into an expression of horror.

"That's it! The duel is over. The clear winner of the duel is Zenith!" The commander announced, ending the duel.

The crowd erupted into a roar of cheers. The duel was over as quickly as I wanted it to be and my work for entertaining the camp was also complete.

Wilfred put his hands forward for a handshake. "I expected to lose faster. I surprised myself with being able to catch you off guard that one time. You really are the greatest, Zenith."

My expression did not change but I shook his hand. "You were great. I expected you to be slow but your speed is extraordinary for your size. You had me for a moment there."

We shook hands in good sportsmanship and called it quits. He walked back to the fireplace where his buddies were while I went back to keep the sword.

The commander walked up to me as I was keeping the sword on the ground. He had a big smile on his face, happy for a reason I didn't know.

"You truly are the greatest swordsman I've ever seen. Thank you for the past few days you spent at the camp. You've taught me and the men a lot and entertained us. It's unfortunate I couldn't have you in my platoon for a longer period of time."

The commander's words had hit me deep. It had been a while since I got complimented like that. Unlike what the camp and the people usually give me, his ones were really coming from the heart, not just from astonishment but also from admiration of my skills.

"I've learnt quite a few things myself spending time with the platoon. I still have some time left and I will cherish the time here as much as possible." I told the commander with a slight smile breaking from my lips.

He smiles back and nods at me. "Good luck on whatever secret mission you have after tomorrow. I wish to meet you again in the near future."

The commander walked past me, leaving me in a daze for a moment. I hadn't really been sent off in such a way in my life. Usually the camp asks me to stay longer when I'm about to leave, but this time the commander formally thanked me and complimented me.

Most people see me as a weapon, a trump card during fights. I'm always their last resort when all else fails. I came to accept it after working under King Alaric for so long. I will only be seen as a weapon. But someone in this world sees me as a human and not a weapon. It was relieving.

KATHLYN'S POV

The sun had slowly set as me and Artorius ate our lunch together. This was the first time I had visited the palace after nearly fifteen years of not talking to him or having any connections to him.

"Lady Kathlyn. Tea is ready. You may come down to the living room and have tea with his majesty." One of the maid's voices rang out from the doorway. "O-oh, Alright!" I replied back to her before getting up and walking over to the door.

I opened the door and found her standing, waiting for me. "Please follow me." She said with a bright smile on her face.

Without thinking twice I followed her through the hallway, the hallway that I was so familiar with so long ago.

Since I came to the palace on short notice I didn't have any clothes to wear after taking a bath. Luckily the palace is always prepared for instances like this and they had brought me clothes to wear. As expected from the royal family, their choice of clothing is far more beautiful than what I became used to.

The long gown that dragged along the floor as I walked was beautiful in its simplicity. It had no design and was just a lush green colour. The fabric used for it was comfortable to wear but I still had to get the maids to help me put on the multiple layers underneath it due to the length.

We walked down a flight of stairs to the first floor. It was still long and broad hallways all the way to the living room. I didn't have the ways memorised and forgot where everything was now, but I was slowly unlocking my memories of this palace again, remembering it like before.

"Ma'am. I heard you came here in the past as a child a lot." The maid spoke out, breaking the silence that we were walking in. "Yes. I did." I simply replied.

"It must be a nostalgia trip walking down these hallways, right?"

"It is. I had forgotten how big it was since I was so small, but I'm slowly learning it."

"I'm glad to be helping you around the palace. King Artorius was really strict when deciding on who guides you around the palace." She said with some emotions.

I chuckled from her explaining to me the behind the scenes and what Artorius did. "Is that so? Sounds just like him!" I said happily.

"Indeed! It took some thinking for him to pick me as the one to navigate you. I'm not one to talk to my masters or guests in the palace as it is prohibited in the palace, but I felt like I needed to talk to you, miss."

"It's fine. I'm not that strict with these kinds of rules. Afterall I'm also a commoner."

She turned towards me in shock and disbelief. "C-commoner? B-but you look like you would be a queen!" She exclaimed.

"Don't flatter me! My family used to be aristocrats but we had some rough times for a while." I admitted to her shamefully.

"I understand. Sorry for talking to you along the way."

"As I said, it's fine." I told her with a softer tone.

We continued walking through the hallways till she turned the corner which led to a vast room. It was the living room where our parents used to lounge while me and Artorius played outside.

There was no one in the room other than me and the maid that I followed here. There was however another servant who was setting up the tea on the table as we entered.

"Good evening, lady Kathlyn. Please take a seat. Lord Artorius will be here any minute." He greeted me with a gentle smile. "Good evening! Thank you for the tea." I said as I took my seat.

The two of them slowly take a leave from the room, leaving me alone in the room waiting for Artorius. For the next few minutes I just marvelled at the room, taking in the familiar sight and smell of tea and cake.

I heard footsteps come from in front of me where another doorway was. It was really light footsteps but the soles were loud enough to be heard. Not long after the person revealed themselves. The same person that brought me here.

He walked into the room with the same confident walk he always did. Hands in pocket, leaning back slightly and chest pumped up. It radiated an aura of power and authority everywhere he went.

"O-oh, I didn't expect you to have come down already." He said as he entered the room. His voice sounded sweeter than usual and much softer.

"I only sat down for a minute maybe. I wasn't waiting that long." I replied back to him with a smile.

Amelia jumped down from his shoulder and rushed towards me at lightning speeds. She jumped onto my lap and curled up like a fox. I smiled seeing her again and gently caressed her as she rested soundly on my lap.

"She seems to be getting more and more comfortable with you. I guess I'm just going to be a nobody to her at some point." He said seeing the affection Amelia gives me.

I softly laughed at his sarcasm and repositioned my posture. "Seems like she is my daughter now!" I said jokingly.

"Our daughter."

"Huh!?" I blurted out of shock.

What did he mean by that!? What did he mean by "our"!? Did he not realise what he just said?

He looked at me with an emotionless expression while taking his seat as I hid my face away from embarrassment. I could feel my face becoming red as I blushed more and moree.

"W-what is it? Did I say something wrong?" He said, clueless of what his words meant.

ARTORIUS' POV

What did I say this time…?

"Try saying it in your mind really~ slowly." Amelia said in a disappointed tone.

"Our- oh."

Realising what I just said, I panicked and facepalmed out of shame and embarrassment.

"S-sorry… That's not what I meant…" I said, shameful of my words. Kathlyn still hid her face away from me but she was laughing hysterically behind her hands.

"A-are you alright?" I asked her. She composed herself and finally faced me, her face being bright red from blushing. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. It was just… strange that you would say that."

"I really didn't mean it like that! I meant it as a joke!" I tried to explain to her. She chuckled in response, taking my explanation lightly. "Yeah yeah, sure." She said in a sarcastic tone.

It hadn't even been a minute since I sat down to talk with her and I already embarrassed myself. I was supposed to talk to her about something important but I just messed it all up!

"Well, anyway. I needed to talk to you about something important. It's not too important but I just need you to know and hear your opinion." I told her as I laid back on the sofa, resting my face on my right arm.

She repositioned herself and continued stroking Amelia's furry body while listening to me. "Hm? What may it be?" She asked curiously.

"It's about the party. There's a bit of danger during the party, which is why I was arguing with myself and Felix on if I should take you."

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused and rightfully frightened.

"I'll be spied on. The only reason I'm taking you is to make sure the spies realise that I'm not a danger."

She felt uneasy hearing me explain the situation. Sweat formed on my forehead as I became more and more nervous explaining to her. She thought about it deeply while I awaited her answer.

"I-it's fine! You don't need to worry about me at the party. Being a king is hard work I'm sure and I don't want to be a burden to you and make you anxious about my wellbeing. I'm sure you can handle your business while I can handle myself at the party."

Just what I needed to hear.

I smiled as a burden was lifted off my shoulders. A sense of relief and reassurance came, knowing that Kathlyn wouldn't be in any danger.

"Great! Just know that people might approach us to try to get information of some sorts. Try to say everything truthfully but twist your words." I explained to her. She nodded in agreement and smiled happily.

I continued explaining to her about the party and some things she might need to know. She listened thoroughly and kept everything in her mind. Amelia slowly fell asleep as she wasn't interested in our conversation.

We talked till the sun went down and the sky became dark. I had lost myself in the conversation and hadn't seen the time till Felix had come inside the room to check on us.

He just checked on us and smiled before leaving quickly, leaving the two of us alone as usual. Though our talk wouldn't stay any longer as what I wanted to discuss was over, the rest was just idle chatter since she wanted to talk.

"I suppose that's all I wanted to talk about. We also finished all the tea." I said, breaking off the conversation after an hour. Kathlyn looked at the cups and was astonished. "I hadn't realised! I lost myself in the conversation!" She exclaimed.

"Well, I'll see you at dinner I suppose. I have to work on something." I told her before getting up to take my leave. "Oh, Amelia can stay with you if you want."

"O-oh! Well she is asleep. I suppose I'll sit here and cater to her for a bit longer." She replied back as she picked her up in her arms. "Don't worry about her!"

A gentle smile broke from my lips as Kathlyn took care of Amelia like a child. There was nothing to worry about and I could continue with my work that I neglected for the day.