CHAPTER 74: QUEEN OF MOKO KINGDOM

***

The next day.

Gideon opened his eyes and realized he was not in the Baron’s residence. He tried to get up while still feeling a heavy headache early that morning.

"Where am I?" Gideon asked weakly.

Faintly, he seemed to remember what had happened last night. But for some reason, it was hard for him to recall the details.

He only remembered being carried by some people into this room. This was still inside the village tavern. Lena had also stayed by his side to help him recover from his anxiety.

"Lena?"

He turned to the side and clearly saw Lena sleeping on a long sofa without a warm blanket. Still clutching his head, Gideon stood up and walked over to check on her condition.

Lena was fine, though her body felt colder than usual because she had slept without a blanket. Gideon took the initiative to pull the blanket from the bed and cover her body, letting her sleep peacefully.

The noise outside was gone, a sign that the tavern guests had left and gone to work. Even so, Gideon felt hungry and exhausted without knowing exactly why.

The door opened, and Gideon slowly stepped down the wooden stairs until he reached the tavern’s first floor.

There, a sturdy man was busy cleaning mugs, a chore he usually did when no customers were around.

"You... Lena’s husband?" Gideon asked softly.

The man turned and smiled. His wife had told him everything that morning about Gideon. He had no problem letting Gideon stay one night in one of the empty rooms.

"Are you feeling better? Sit down," the man said.

He turned around, opened a wooden cabinet, and took out a bottle of fresh milk for Gideon. A glass was set down, and the milk was poured. Gideon chuckled at the sight of such a different drink compared to last night.

"I won’t give you beer until you’re fully recovered," the man said.

"What do you take me for? A baby?" Gideon asked.

He grabbed the glass and gulped it quickly. It wasn’t sweet or flavored, just pure milk collected from fresh cows. But his body felt much more comfortable afterward.

"Thank you."

"Lena went out. She told me to refuse any money you give," the man explained, taking Gideon’s glass and washing it again.

"She’s a good woman. You’re lucky, Mr. "

"Call me Gord."

"Mr. Gord," Gideon greeted.

"Thank you for the drink," he added.

Gord didn’t mind at all. As long as the drink helped restore Baron Gideon’s condition, he would gladly give it.

After all, Gideon’s tax reduction policy had greatly helped people like him. Workers could save money, trade was running smoothly, and public consumption increased.

All of that was the effect of Gideon’s decision to lower tax rates significantly.

The room door opened again. Lena came down with a sleepy face and messy hair. She walked down the stairs and sat at the bar counter next to Gideon.

"You look a mess, Lena," Gideon said.

"I couldn’t sleep."

"Why?"

Lena went silent. That’s right! Last night’s event had been wild and completely unexpected. With boldness, Lena had kissed Gideon as a form of therapy to help him fight his anxiety.

At first, she was afraid Gideon might remember it. She kept staring at him, her cheeks glowing red with embarrassment. Gideon looked at her, sensing something different about her.

"You... are you running a fever?" Gideon asked.

What? Could it be that he doesn’t remember last night?

Gideon reached out, checking Lena’s temperature by touching her cheek and forehead. Lena quickly pushed his hand away, insisting that she was the doctor, she knew better if she was sick or not.

Thank God he doesn’t remember.

Gord served a second glass of milk for Lena. She smiled, thanked him, and enjoyed the fresh drink that morning. Gord was happy to be of help to Gideon and his friend.

"Tell Lena my thanks. I’ll invite you both to dinner with me later," Gideon said, after hearing from Lena what had happened the night before.

"No need to be so formal. You’re our chief. Of course we must help you," Gord explained.

Gideon nodded. After Lena finished her drink, the two of them said goodbye and left the tavern. They stepped out onto the main road, heading toward the Baron’s residence, which wasn’t far from there.

"I forgot my medic last night," Gideon admitted, realizing his PTSD symptoms had flared up.

Lena understood, remembering it had been a while since his symptoms had returned. This time, she would give him the same medication as before, hoping Gideon could eventually handle his trauma on his own.

"I’ll give you more. Make sure you always keep it in your pocket!" Lena said firmly.

"O-of course. I promise."

Their steps stopped as they approached the Baron’s residence. Not because of any chaos, but because Gideon and Lena clearly saw many carriages parked in the front yard, all of them luxurious.

"What’s going on?" Lena asked.

Gideon shook his head. Not only had the carriages arrived, but he also noticed several soldiers in red armor stationed around the area. Their focus was sharp as they guarded the surroundings from any potential threat.

"Lord Baron," the gate guard greeted.

"What’s happening?" Gideon asked, glancing at his friend.

"The royal family has come to take Princess Alanar home. Viscount Duncan and Earl Ashfield are here as well," the guard answered.

The royal family? Could it be that one of the princes came to take his sister home?

Curious, Gideon and Lena walked past the yard until they reached the front door. When he opened it, everyone was already gathered in the lounge room.

Norton, Liam, Viviene, Luke, and Lyra were also there. Their attention shifted as they saw Gideon and Lena arriving that morning.

"Captain."

"Captain Gideon."

"Lord Gideon."

A woman in a beautiful red gown with dark auburn hair turned her head. Her face looked young, maybe in her thirties. She was sitting beside Princess Alanar, who was clinging tightly to her.

"So, you are the leader of the team that saved my daughter?" the woman asked, standing up.

Her five attendants stood at full alert. They wore thick armor with shining swords. A 9mm bullet would not be able to pierce through armor that thick.

"Who are you?" Gideon asked.

"You’re a noble, yet you don’t recognize Her Majesty the Queen?" one of the Queen’s attendants asked.

"I’ve already heard much about you, Baron Gideon. You and your team skills are truly remarkable. You were able to defeat us, and you also saved us," the woman added.

Jewelry glittered on her, and a soft elegant perfume radiated from her body and gown. Her makeup was simple, showing the natural beauty of a noblewoman and royal. Perfect manners, polite speech. At a glance, the Queen of Moko Kingdom seemed the very image of a flawless woman.

"Allow me to introduce myself."

"I’m Anastasya. Queen of the Moko Kingdom. Mother of Princess Alanar."

"I’m Gideon. Baron of the Southern Border. Captain, Special Operations Forces, US Army!"

"US? I’ve never heard of such a kingdom before," Anastasya said.

"Better not. If you knew of it, you’d feel very far behind."

"You?!" some of the attendants shouted, but Queen Anastasya stopped them.

"You dare speak so boldly because you have the power to fight against a kingdom. Am I right?" Anastasya asked, staring seriously at Gideon.

"Not only beautiful and charming, it seems Her Majesty the Queen also understands human psychology very well," Gideon replied.

"That’s enough to prove that Queen Anastasya truly is intelligent."

Anastasya smiled and laughed. Many nobles always praised her beauty, charm, and grace, but rarely—almost never—did anyone praise her intelligence.

To the people of this world, a clever woman was seen as undesirable. They preferred obedience over wit.

But what they failed to understand was that intelligence meant being skilled in something others could not master. For Anastasya, her intelligence lay in understanding psychology and human emotion.

She’s a dangerous woman. I need to be careful.