Price of Freedom (2)

Arthur and I stood before the giant hole at the center of Alexandria. Sprouting from within was the gigantic Yggdrasil, seeping away chunks of magical energy from its roots toward its trunk, producing light that cast over the shadow. Below it was the notorious Hexagon, the sole prison in Alexandria.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" suddenly we were approached by an unfriendly man in a black coat. He wore the same emblem as Arthur, a silver shaped-eagle on their chest. Perhaps he was also a member of the Black Company.

Arthur showed his emblem and explained, "I heard two weeks ago, The Company apprehended one of the Order's high-ranking officers. I would like to have a word with her."

The man crossed his arm, "Oh, you are Sir Arthur, right? Our Lady's favorite. Hmm, I thought you were tasked to use Greyhounds to track down The Order…," He seemed confused but then his expression changed into disgust when he saw my Aobana Curse,

"Oh yeah, you already did. Anyway, Sir, if you want to enter, you have to show me your Golden Decree. Do you have it?"

"C'mon now. The Mahamagi send me here on short notice, so I don't have the Decree with me," Arthur patted his shoulder and continued,

"But this is just between you and me, right? If you let me in, I could say something good about you to Our Lady. It's a deal?"

The man was shocked, "O-Oh, no Sir. Without a Decree, I can't let you inside. That's Our Lady's order… Though, it is like her to forget things like this, hah…" He let out a sigh before saluting Arthur,

"My apologies Sir, but I don't have the guts to disobey order! But, on my break… if someone comes in, I may not notice it. Hahaha, my bad," he continued.

Arthur shrugged and salute him back, "Thanks. I'll make sure you get promoted soon."

U-Uwah, this city reeks of corruption and nepotism. Is this city gonna be okay?

Until the guard's break, we waited in the small restaurant. The homey and tidy environment won my heart over. Though the food was nothing special, it had such warmness that melted my heart. Looking at the happy married couple who opened the restaurant made me wonder, was this what love tastes like?

"Hey, don't you have any questions?" Arthur asked.

Munching the noodle and gulping it with iced coffee, I replied, "Like what?"

"You know, like, why you were in this situation in the first place? Or what happens around you."

Hmm, now that he mentioned it, we were here because of the condition that Ayunda proposed. In exchange for the information of Kiara's whereabouts, she requested us to take a vial of blood from a certain prisoner. A witch that was imprisoned two weeks ago. It was a peculiar request but who am I to question one's hobby?

"I only know how to get the job done, not how to ask questions," I said with a watery mouth looking at the steam bun in front of me. But I watched in horror as Arthur devoured my steam bun. I glared at him, but he daringly took another bite.

"You know how to ruin a good thing, don't you?" I grumbled, grabbing another bun before it was too late. Maybe because we got along better, the gentleman side of Arthur disappeared overnight. Or perhaps, he treat me like his little sister. Either, I kind of enjoyed our dynamics.

"What can I say? I couldn't resist," Arthur said right after he finished the bun. After that, he cleared his throat and said,

"What you've said is perfect for a Greyhound… But listen to me, Princess. If you want to survive in this world, you need more than strength and loyalty." He scolded me and flicked my forehead for the second time this day,

"You need to be clever, know how to read the room, and most importantly know how to avoid troubles. If you keep that mindset of yours, sooner or later you would get killed. Like any other Greyhounds."

Hmm, Greyhound... perhaps it was the term used for someone like me. A prisoner on probation, forced to follow the whim of The Company because of the Aobana Curse.

Looking at the ever-serious Arthur, I knew it was not the best time to argue with him. Guess I have to play along then.

"Okay, I'll try. Umm, for a starter... Can we truly trust Ayunda? What if she's just using us, Arthur? What if she has her agenda and we're just pawns in her game? You're risking so much for her request," I whispered while leaning toward him,

"You may be one of The Company right now, but the past is still haunting you. What if they found out that you, an Ex-White Order, snooping around in Hexagon?"

I watched as doubt flickered in Arthur's eyes. "I can't deny the possibility," he admitted. "But I choose to believe her."

Oh, that's a nice reaction. Maybe I should tease him a little bit.

I smirked. "Oh, aren't you a little too sweet, Arthur? Trusting a woman even when she could lead you to your death?"

Arthur scowled at me, "I don't know a thing about being sweet, but I knew Ayunda since she was a child. She was an honest person, a little timid and too serious, but overall a good girl. So, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt."

I shrugged, still teasing him. "Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see if your trust pays off. But just remember, if things go south, I told you so." I ordered my dessert from the married couple and continued,

"But Arthur, why did she ask for a blood vial? What goods it would bring from Ayunda? I don't understand." I asked.

Arthur brushed his chin, "Hmm, Kiara did say you're unfamiliar with the world. I guess you don't know that there is a technique to extract memories from blood?"

My eyes widened, "What, really? That's neat!"

Arthur nodded, "Yes, but only The Order could use it. The Order used blood all the time to communicate with each other in secrecy. Till this day, I don't know how it works actually."

I replied, "So Ayunda needs the prisoner's memory.… Hey, what if we just bring the prisoner to her instead of the blood vial?"

Arthur shook his head, his expression serious. "That would be a terrible idea. If the prisoner escaped, it could mean trouble for all of us. The Company would stop at nothing to track them down, even if it meant eliminating all the collaborators."

I gulped, "Right, I see your point."

Arthur fell into deep thought, his brow furrowed. "Hmmm, all of these questions made me wonder. If you were in my position, what would you do then, Princess?"

I smiled, "I'll make her tell me unconditionally."

"You mean by using force?"

"No, torture only works for people who value his life. But, people like Ayunda, who, like you say, a good person, she values her friends so much… There is a better way," I said while enjoying the view of a lovey-dovey married couple in the kitchen,

"I use her friend to make her talk. And after we got what I wanted… I'd make them regret trying to use me. Perhaps I crippled one or two of their legs, or took their vision and tongue, or infect their brain with mutated cells, controlling them from afar. Either way, I'll make sure they are not a threat to me again. That's an easy and efficient way, leaving no room for betrayal. 

Won't you agree, Arthur?"

Arthur dropped his chopstick, looking at me in disbelief, "That's pure evil. How can you say that with a smile?"

... Ups. I was too honest. Quickly I brushed my hair, "Just kidding! Geez, you're so serious, Arthur. Relax and enjoy life more. Since last night, you never smiled honestly even once, I'm worried you know," I chuckled as I flicked his forehead,

"That kind of attitude would get you killed, Arthur. Don't worry too much, we'll save Kiara for sure," I scolded him back playfully before enjoying my dessert. A slime pudding. Yum!

Arthur shrugged, "Hah, should've known it. I take you too seriously. But being lectured by a goddess... if Kiara found it, she would laugh out loud for sure," he said before stealing my pudding.

As I watched Arthur devour my slime pudding, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance.

"Arthur, seriously? That's my pudding!" I protested.

He looked up at me, a smug grin on his face. "You eat too much," he teased and finished the pudding in one go.

I rolled my eyes, trying not to let his antics get to me. "You know, for someone who is supposed to be a high-ranking member of The Company, you sure act like a child sometimes."

Arthur shrugged, not bothering to hide his grin. "You said yourself, I have to have some fun once in a while, right?"

"Fine, you win this time," I conceded. "But let's get back to our mission. We need to figure out how to get that blood vial from Hexagon without raising any suspicions. For our sake and Kiara's."

As we continued to discuss our plan, I couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with Arthur. Though I had promised to help him, I hid my true motive. Perhaps, I just want to see at the end of his journey, his hard work would pay off. Perhaps what I truly wanted was to witness the love that comes to fruition. Perhaps I just want to know the answer when I face Milli soon.