The Kingmaker System-Chapter 94 - 93. Promises To Keep (2)

"So, what are we going to do now?" Lady Dahlia asked.

"Plan B." I announced.

"You all take positions, I will go and see the Beast myself."

"All right, I’ll go inform the troops." Hael quickly left with Eikir in tow.

I stayed back in the room with Lady Dahlia feeling my guilt still poking at my conscience. I should have investigated thoroughly and looked everywhere else as well. Alarice must be alive so, I would have sensed his Aura somewhere around the palace.

"What are you thinking?" Lady Dahlia asked.

"I should have looked at other places too, I’m sorry... I was too arrogant, I’m still weak." I admitted and she patted my head.

"Don’t worry, I’m happy that you stayed by my son’s side and gave him hope. Now that he’s here, I’m dying to see him." She smiled with her eyes glistening making me feel even more guilty.

"I will find His Grace at all costs," I said.

"He must be there somewhere, Salem wouldn’t have... done something with him just yet. Even the members of Revolutionary Army were alive even when they were badly tortured. His Grace must be alive just..." I looked at her as I added my further words with a little caution, "just in a lot of pain."

I saw her jaw clenching before she closed her eyes and then slowly relaxed and looked at me.

"Then, find him and keep the promise that you made to me and even to my son." She said and I nodded.

[Goddess of Wisdom has assigned you a task.

{Defeat the Tyrant of Mordino.}

[Rewards: Friendly relations with the rightful monarch of Mordino.

Failure: Destruction of Mordino.]

Lady Dahlia patted my shoulder again in a reassuring manner pulling my attention to her.

"I’ll make sure the Beast pays for his crimes." I spoke and felt her squeezing my shoulder.

"I’m sure you will."

The remaining members including Doctor who was at the HQ of RA gathered in that small room and as soon as Doctor saw me he pounced on me crying.

"Master! You’re alive! Oh God, we thought we were orphaned all over again!"

"It’s fine, we can do this later, Doctor. We have a war at hands." I said patting his back.

He pulled back and cleared his throat wiping his face.

"Yes, Master."

"You really seem like a Monster now." Faim who was present said.

Arkan was currently leading his troops and fighting with the Tyrant’s army while Ruba was doing her assigned task of sabotaging the army that was fighting Sestian army.

It left Hael and Faim who were now present in front of me.

"Is everyone here?" I asked.

"No, wait." Eikir said and a person walked in.

The Captains, Lady Dahlia and Eikir and Varuq bowed along with me to the little girl who walked inside and stood at the head of the table.

"Please start the meeting," she said and her eyes briefly met mine, her dark orbs carried the hint of relief and hope.

"First of all, what’s the current status of the war?"

"Sestian army’s numbers are surprisingly less than we assumed." Hael answered.

"I had thought so," I mumbled.

"They are still keeping up because of the person leading them. From the reports, it seems like he is massacring people as if he’s possessed. The Beast’s army won’t last long because of his rampage and Captain Ruba is pulling the strings from behind the scenes." Faim explained and I nodded.

"Where’s my team?" I asked looking at Doctor.

"We were greatly disheartened because of the news of your death so, they decided to carry out your last order, we have our targets in the place where you wanted them to be and now..."

"And now?"

"Swordsman is still at the palace and the others had also decided to join him to avenge you." He added hesitantly.

"I decided to stay back with you so, I didn’t go."

I sighed, I had told them to wait for the troops of Sestian army to appear before kidnapping their targets and bringing them to a decided location. It was supposed to be this morning, currently it was close to noon so, I could assume that it wasn’t long till they had left for the palace.

I calculated everything before I looked at the assembled team.

"Put Plan B in action." I announced making Faim and Hael exchange looks.

"You nearly died when you were at that place, you know?" Faim reminded and I shook my head.

"It was because I had to cast the healing spell on large scale. It put my heart at risk that’s why I was in that state."

"So, you’re saying you didn’t die?"

"Apparently."

"Wait, you didn’t even fight anyone?"

"I mentioned that I would avoid a fight at all costs, right?" I reminded and Faim sighed shaking his head.

"This is our trump card? He nearly died while casting a healing spell, how is he going to fight the Beast? He won’t even last five minutes." Faim snapped.

My already sour mood grew worse and I let my Dragon’s Presence whip out making the ones present to gasp for air and grip the table to keep themselves upright.

"It will be better if you don’t piss me off any more than I already am, Captain Faim." I warned.

"You-"

I increased the pressure on him making him sink to his knees gripping his chest.

"Please, stop." I heard a familiar voice and noticed the little girl who was standing in her place without any pressure as I had made sure to keep her out of the loop.

She looked at me with wide, pleading eyes and I sighed lifting the spell making Faim gasp loudly before he staggered to his feet.

"I will go to the palace, I will need to retrieve my team along with the one I was here for. I will also take care of the Beast so, you all can focus on your task." I spoke and everyone agreed without any word of resistance.

"Should I go along?" Lady Dahlia asked and I shook my head.

"No, please stay with the troops. His Grace should be able to see you sooner if you are out."

Her eyes glistened as I reminded her of Davian and she nodded.

"All right."

"Captain! Commander!" A person suddenly came running in the room, it was Ciro.

His eyes nearly turned to saucers as he saw me.

"He-He’s alive!" He squeaked.

"What’s wrong?" Hael asked making Ciro snap back to his senses.

"Ah, yes! That-" he looked at me as he said.

"Your team is fighting the guards in the Beast’s palace. I-If we don’t send reinforcements then they will die."

"Thanks for the intel." I said and he nodded before he kept staring at me and I turned to the others.

"Let’s get to work now. It’s time that Mordino liberates from that Tyrant’s hands." I announced.

"Yes!"

Hael, Ciro and Faim left the room first and I looked at my clean clothes and adjusted my earstud wondering if even in my "dead" state I was still in my disguise. Still, I must have made Lyall and everyone worry a lot, I had promised them world yet, I failed to know my own limits.

"I inadvertently made everyone worry." I mumbled but then frowned.

If my heart had stopped then how was I able to stay alive for more than 24 hours.

I frowned slightly as I kept thinking about it and asked my Patrons for an explanation.

[Goddess of Wisdom says she will explain everything to you later.]

[Defender of Divine Glory asks you to focus on the war at hands.]

"Right, right."

They had done the same thing when the unknown entity had assigned me the task of taking the elves and dwarves under my wing and now they were still using the ’will explain later’ tactic again.

"Master Ocean?" Lady Dahlia called and I flinched a little.

It felt weird to hear her address me as "Master".

"Yes, My Lady?"

She then turned to the little girl and then at me with a question, "You know her, don’t you?"

I faced Miri who stood dressed in a white dress looking up at me.

"I... didn’t know who you were when we first met, Your Highness. Please forgive my ignorance." I bowed slightly making her bring her hands up.

"No, I purposely approached you and didn’t tell you about my identity." She said and then looked at Lady Dahlia.

"I’ll take my leave then." She announced and turned to leave before placing her hand on my shoulder.

"Don’t blame yourself and do what you came here for. I and my son will wait for you and Alarice."

She walked away and I scratched the back of my head slightly at the aspect of seeing Davian again.

"Um..." I turned my attention to Miri.

"Yes?"

She clenched her little fists before she looked at me, "Y-You made us all worry!"

I was slightly taken aback as she shouted and I apologised, "I’m sorry."

She shook her head, "I don’t want your apology."

Her eyes looked really strained as she continued, "You... gave us all hope that we would see the liberated Mordino and you suddenly... come back in half dead state with your heart stopped, do you know how we felt when we saw you in that state?"

Her tears started streaming down her face.

"Y-You did what I have been trying to do for years!" She sniffled.

"I was trying to build the morale of these people who look up to me as their future ruler but unlike the brave and courageous person like you, I... I was nothing but a weakling who... who only gained this spot because I was born in the royal family. I-I wished to be like you but you..."

She started wiping her face as she continued crying and speaking, "I wished I was a man like you, tall, strong and someone who could use Mana to help and protect the people who relief on you. I wished... I wished I was as strong as you are!"

I looked down at her watching the normal 13 year old having a mental breakdown, she was normal for feeling the pressure. The whole Army was depending on her and in the midst of that she couldn’t show her tears or weakness to anyone. She had been swallowing her fears and tears while keeping a strong face for her people.

"I’m not a man." I spoke up as I stepped closer to her and removed the earstud from my ear reverting myself back to my original body making her gasp and stumble back.

"You!"

"I’m... just a normal girl like you." I said and she stared at me.

"It’s just that, like you even I was given a task without any choice." I admitted.

[Goddess of Wisdom warns you about the leak of classified information.]

[Defender of Divine Glory warns that you will be punished if you mention anything about the future or your quest.]

"Yes?" Miri gasped.

"I can’t say much but, we’re not in completely different situations. It’s just that your war will end sooner than mine."

Miri stared at me with wide eyes, "Is-Is this your true form?"

I smiled, "Yes and apart from my family, it’s only you who knows of this form so, I guess, I can ask you for a favor of keeping this a secret for me."

"Please tell me your name. My real name is Miera."

I curtsied in front of her, "Reina Aurelius, daughter of Duke Arthur Aurelius of Sestian kingdom greets Your Highness Miera."

She looked at me with wide, glowing eyes.

"For now, I will have to leave so, I’ll see you once I complete my mission."

I put on my earstud going back to my Ocean’s form and she stared at me with awe filled eyes. I smiled as I placed my hand over her head again ruffling her hair.

"And don’t worry, you will grow stronger at your pace. So, trust yourself, do you understand, Miri?"

"Yes!"