CHAPTER 50: AN UNEXPECTED ALLY

Ard and Eva led everyone into the restaurant inside the inn, while Irwin and Patricia went to find out why the imperial knight troops had entered the school town and what their objective was. After sitting down at a table that they had purposely pushed together so they could all sit, they started trying to figure out a way to leave the city without going through the main gate.

"How about we take the dragons?" Beatrice suggested.

"Impossible. The dragon stables are inside the academy. It’s too risky for us to go back there," Geoffrey replied.

"That’s true. Until we know what’s going on right now, it’s better if we avoid the academy," Mirea added.

"We should wait for Irwin and Patricia, who are investigating outside," Ard said.

They went back to thinking and silence. The atmosphere at their table was quiet again; only the sound of many people talking in the restaurant could be heard. Two waiters came to deliver their food order. When asked, the waiters also didn’t know what was happening that caused the imperial troops to come to this town. After the waiters left,

"Could it be that the imperial troops came because they want to investigate the sect at the academy?" Alicia asked.

"If it’s true that the Emperor has been poisoned by the demon essence, as big brother Abel said, it’s unlikely they would come here to investigate. I’m actually worried they came to arrest the person who exposed the sect, on the Emperor’s orders," Ard replied.

"Yep, that would be you and me," Eva replied.

"Now, let’s eat while we wait for information to come in," Claudia said, picking up her utensils.

"Okay, agreed," Geoffrey replied, also picking up his utensils.

They began to eat calmly, although their eyes kept glancing right and left, checking their surroundings. Shortly after, several imperial soldiers were seen entering. They immediately sat down and took off their helmets. Ard saw there were about five of them, and they seemed to be taking a break. A waiter approached them, and they immediately ordered food. When the soldiers entered, the atmosphere inside the restaurant became a little quieter than before, even though the soldiers didn’t ask any strange questions and seemed only intent on resting.

Ard, Eva, and the others just kept their heads down quietly but still watched the five soldiers. The waiter delivered food and drinks to the soldiers, and they immediately chugged their drinks and asked the waiter for refills. After chugging their drinks several times, their mouths started making noise because they were beginning to get drunk, and they laughed loudly. Ard, Eva, and the others continued watching them.

Shortly after, Patricia and Irwin entered the restaurant. They passed the drunk soldiers. Of course, the soldiers saw them, and one of the soldiers grabbed Patricia’s arm as she happened to walk past him.

"Hey, what’s the big idea?" Patricia yelled.

Patricia immediately turned and pulled her arm away. The soldier stood up, then approached Patricia and observed her closely. After that, he also observed Irwin. The soldier looked at both of them from head to toe and then back up.

"Are you two... academy students? But your clothes aren’t like a student’s... hmm," the soldier said, examining them both.

"Hey, sit down! You’re scaring them!" shouted a soldier who was sitting at the table and saw the situation next to him.

"Okay, okay... sorry," said the soldier who was standing in front of Patricia and Irwin.

The soldier turned, then staggered away, and finally sat back down in his chair. Irwin quickly pulled Patricia to join their friends, who were apparently ready with their swords drawn under the table. After Irwin and Patricia sat down, they were immediately handed food and ate together. Then, the two of them began to tell their story. It turned out the troops had come to call back academy students from the Orthus Empire and draft them as knights to help in the war against the Ateras Kingdom.

In addition, their objective was also to escort Prince Edmund and Princess Eva back to the palace because the Empire had declared war on the Ateras Kingdom. After that, the soldiers would be stationed at the port city of Marhama, which is near the academy town, to anticipate an attack from the Ateras Kingdom on the northern continent or to depart and attack there. Hearing this, Ard, Eva, Alicia, Geoffrey, Milia, Ainsley, Beatrice, Rosalind, Mirea, and Claudia were naturally shocked.

"I knew the Ateras Kingdom and the Empire didn’t have good diplomatic relations, but to the point of declaring war? There’s no way father would do that. This is truly strange," Eva said, thinking.

"No... it’s not strange. In my previous lives, the war between the Ateras Kingdom and the Orthus Empire always happened. Like I said, I was killed in the barbarian tribal region twice. That’s because the Empire and the Ateras Kingdom were at war at the time, and the barbarian tribes sided with the Ateras Kingdom. Only the timeline is different. This war should have happened when you became Empress and were 29 years old," Ard replied, whispering to Eva.

"Yeah, I know about that, but I’m not my father, and as far as I know, my father isn’t like me. That’s why it’s strange if he’s starting a war," Eva replied, turning to look at Ard.

"It’s not strange if he isn’t himself now," Ard replied.

"You’re right," Eva replied.

"The soldiers will be stationed here for a week, then they’ll move to the city of Marhama," Irwin added.

"We can’t wait a week to leave here," Geoffrey replied.

"That’s not what’s worrying. They are looking for Princess Eva because they were tasked with bringing Princess Eva back to the palace. Plus, we both know Prince Edmund was captured by Fredonia. They probably won’t just be here for a week because they’ll definitely investigate," Patricia replied.

"That’s true. We have to leave here as soon as possible. Their goal is to bring Princess Eva back to the palace, right?" Ainsley added.

"Are you okay, Ainsley? Your kingdom is going to war, right?" Milia asked.

"It doesn’t matter. I don’t really care about my kingdom," Ainsley replied, adjusting his glasses.

"But Ainsley and Claudia should be careful. Even though you’re here, you’re from there. You could be arrested and considered spies," Rosalind said.

"She’s right. You shouldn’t stand out for now," Mirea added.

"I understand," Claudia replied.

"So now, how can we get out of here?" Beatrice asked.

"For that, maybe I can help,"

Ard, Eva, and the others were immediately startled when they heard a man’s voice behind Ard and Eva. Someone immediately grabbed Ard’s shoulder from behind, and everyone turned to look behind Ard and Eva, including Ard and Eva themselves. Ard’s eyes immediately widened because he saw Reese, wearing a hood and cloak, standing behind him, smiling, and winking at him.

"Huh? It’s Mr. Cain! How long have you been listening to our conversation?" Ard asked.

"Since all of you came in, sat down, pondered, ate, and talked. You didn’t realize I’ve been sitting at the table next to you the whole time. I can help get all of you out of this city. For now, all of you come with me first, to my traveling shop," Reese said, sitting next to Ard and joining them.

"But aren’t you from Ateras?" Ard asked.

"I am a merchant. A merchant is not bound by their kingdom. They can be anywhere. If my kingdom is at war and I happen to be in the enemy kingdom, as a merchant, I’m allowed to travel back to my kingdom before the war starts. That’s an unwritten rule in every kingdom because no kingdom is harsh on merchants," Reese replied.

Then Reese glanced at Claudia and smiled, winking. Claudia returned his smile and gave a thumbs-up.

"In that case, what’s the plan?" Ard asked.

"Good. Your destination is the Rellios Kingdom, right? Of course, you can’t take a ship from the port city of Marhama, so you’ll come with me to the port city in the north called Vernice. From there, we’ll cross to the northern continent, then cross to the eastern continent, the Rellios Kingdom," Reese replied.

"Why not go through Durnhill in the south?" Milia asked.

"The Durnhill Kingdom sides with the Empire. Too risky," Reese replied.

"Oh... I see," Milia muttered, looking down.

"Hah... so our kingdom sides with the Empire, Milia. That’s pathetic," Geoffrey added, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It seems there’s no other way. Thank you, Mr. Reese, for helping us," Eva said.

"Hey... call me Cain. Never call me Reese again, understand, Princess?" Reese asked.

"Oh, sorry. Thank you, Mr. Cain," Eva replied.

"Hey, Ard, did you tell the princess?" Reese asked, annoyed, looking at Ard as if to say, "You didn’t tell her I’m a secret agent, did you?"

"Ah... yeah, sorry, hahaha, but only the name," Ard replied, joking. "Wait... I never told Eva that the merchant from Ateras named Cain is actually named Reese and is a secret agent of the Ateras Kingdom... How does Eva know? Was Reese also in her nine past lives?" Ard wondered in his heart.

"Alright, so here’s the plan," Reese said.

Everyone leaned forward, listening to the plan Reese presented to them, nodding as they heard his explanation.