CHAPTER 169: CHAPTER 169 - A KINGDOM’S SUMMONS

Tave settled into the sofa across from the Imperial Knight, Elincia. He forced himself to sit upright and appear as calm as possible. She had made it clear—he was in danger. And yes... Tave had a feeling he knew exactly where that warning was coming from.

This time, he chose to stay silent, letting Elincia elaborate on her own terms.

"Whatever the reason behind the pact..." she began.

It was clear she had already heard everything from Vanya. How much detail Vanya had shared. How deep she’d gone into the reasons behind the situation. Tave couldn’t be sure.

But he trusted the crowned princess. In this matter, entirely. Because if there was one thing she wasn’t, it was foolish.

"You’ve clearly done something that won’t be forgiven easily," Elincia continued. "Not for the rest of your life."

"Lady Elincia," Tave started, trying to insert some explanation, anything to defend himself. "Is this because I’m human?"

Elincia gave a thin, knowing smile. "I assume you have enough sense and knowledge to read the situation for what it is."

She paused, then continued. "I won’t go into too much detail. That would overstep my authority. I serve under Her Highness, Princess Vanya. If she gives an order, I carry it out. Beyond that, the only authority I answer to is the king himself."

Tave went quiet at that.

Because he knew, at this point, it all rested on the Vensalor King’s judgment. A ruler who, by reputation, was wise and measured. But still... would he truly approve of what had happened if he knew the full truth?

There was, after all, a way to cancel the pact. A loophole of sorts. Only if the male party chose to break it. But it wasn’t simple. The contract couldn’t be broken under pressure. It had to be a willful decision. And even then, there would be a cost, something that had to be paid by the side that forced the agreement into being.

And now... now Tave felt cornered. Trapped by a rule he himself had created. And somehow, he had become the one at risk of being crushed by it.

And in that moment, a new thought crept into his mind. One far more unsettling than the rest.

Maybe the greatest threat didn’t come from the king himself. No... it came from someone else within the Vensalor Kingdom. Someone far more immediate.

The strongest Imperial Knight. The second most powerful figure in the kingdom. A person not just unmatched in strength, but brilliant in mind and mercilessly strategic.

Tave went still, his mind already spinning through possibilities. At least, he had the sense to identify this looming danger before it actually arrived.

He returned his focus to Elincia, just as the door on the far side of the room opened. And there she was. Vanya.

Elincia immediately rose to her feet and gave the princess a formal, respectful bow. Vanya, in contrast, entered with her usual calm presence, her soft smile aimed at Tave as she waved casually. Her hair was still dyed blonde, part of the disguise she wore since they’d left the rift.

She joined them, gracefully settling into the sofa beside Elincia.

"Elincia... What did you say to him? Why does Tave look so pale?" she asked, glancing between them.

"Your Highness," Elincia replied, "I only repeated what I had already told you."

Vanya smiled again, then turned her attention fully to Tave. "How was your rest?"

Tave lifted his gaze to meet hers. And for a brief moment, he wasn’t sure how to answer. He’d just spent the last hour dragging himself through dark hypotheticals, tangling himself in fears about kings, contracts, and war.

"Well," he managed finally, "better than how I felt after we got out of the rift."

Vanya then turned back to Elincia with a knowing look.

"You really do know when to say just enough, and exactly when to say it, don’t you, Elincia?"

Elincia bowed her head again. "Your Highness, time is short. You need to return to Vensalor Island soon."

She then turned her eyes back to Tave. "Which means... you’ll be joining her on that journey."

"Heading to Vensalor Island?" Tave echoed the words, his brows pulling together.

Vanya stepped in smoothly to take over the conversation. "Tave, I’m sorry if this feels sudden," she said gently. "But the kingdom has summoned me back to Vensalor Island. And that means... you’ll have to come with me."

Tave’s expression shifted into one of questioning uncertainty. Who else knew about this? How far had the news spread?

"Uhm..." Vanya hesitated for a moment, then continued, "As for our pact, the only ones who know about it right now are Elincia, Elowen, the king... and the communicator stationed in the palace."

So the king did know. Which meant... the strongest Imperial Knight, the very person Tave had been worrying about, might not know yet. Or, depending on the king’s judgment, maybe he did.

"And..." Vanya added, her voice softening. "You don’t need to worry."

She smiled, genuinely. Calmly.

"Nothing will happen to you. I’ll explain everything. I’m confident we can help the king understand the full situation. Okay?"

Tave didn’t answer right away. Her optimism, spoken so clearly, gave him pause.

Sometimes, someone like Vanya, someone who thought and acted with their heart, couldn’t be expected to see things through a strictly rational lens.

But that was the difference between them, wasn’t it?

Her words were meant both as reassurance and a promise. A quiet vow that she would

make sure everything turned out fine.

And yes... Tave believed her.

That was the advantage of knowing exactly what kind of person you were dealing with. Wasn’t it?

Elincia stepped in again, her tone brisk and resolute. "The journey will begin soon. You, Tave, will be on the same ship heading to Vensalor Island."

But... There was still one thing left Tave needed to deal with.

"When exactly is that scheduled to happen?" he asked.

"In two days," Elincia replied without hesitation.

Two days? Tave’s mind immediately raced, and he voiced the concern before it could fester.

"Lady Elincia, has Princess Vanya informed you about the demons possibly roaming this region? There’s a Named Demon among them. And I’m certain I need to be here, to make sure they’re found and dealt with before they cause more destruction."

He turned to Vanya as he spoke, and she gave a small nod, confirming that yes, she had meant to bring that up.

But of course, since the order came from the king, there was no room for negotiation. Not even from Vanya herself.

"Two days," Elincia repeated, her expression unreadable. "Can you find them in that time?"

She paused, then added, "Find them. And I’ll kill them for you."

Two days. Could he really locate those demons in just two days?

"We cannot delay the departure," Elincia said, her voice now firmer. "I will ensure you arrive at Vensalor Island on time, one way or another. Even if I have to force you onto that ship."

Two days. That wasn’t much. And without his weapons yet restored, doing this alone would be reckless at best.

Then Elincia offered him a sliver of hope.

"Take Vellion and Elowen with you. I’ll make sure you have whatever you need to carry out the mission."

She looked him straight in the eye.

"What do you think?"