Chapter 55

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As Gus and Cyan made their way to the queen's bedroom, they entered a large, luxurious corridor that stretched as far as the eye could see. The hallway was adorned with portraits, tapestries, and ornate furniture, with the floor being carpeted, and the walls were decorated with vibrant colors.

The aroma of fragrant oils and incense filled the air, and the soft candlelight illuminated the space. The windows are arched and framed with delicate stained glass, giving the space an ethereal atmosphere. Every corner of the hallway was lined with lavish statues, exquisite artwork, and priceless artifacts, as its ceiling was high enough to allow the sunlight to shine through.

As they passed through the halls together, with echoes of their footsteps bouncing off the walls, their silence in the air was palpable. Even though neither are truly friends, he is by no means an evil man for being uncomfortable with having to hurt an ally of his superior, especially when Cyan is a child.

There is a limit to committing atrocities in the name of the Empire, which includes hurting children or frail elderly people, regardless of how it would affect the people who committed these heinous deeds. Although Gus is nonetheless aware of how hypocritical he sounds when he is fine with allowing his fellow comrades to do as they please,.

But it doesn't imply he feels satisfied with what they do. Just the part about the hurting child or frail old lady is enough for him to not take part in doing it himself. However, as Gus gazed upon the girl's face, he noted how professionally and composedly she carried herself despite the situation they were in.

"Are you alright there, kid?" He kindly asked, attempting to break the tense, awkward silence between them. "It has been a while since we last met," hoping it will make their walk more bearable. "How have you been, anyway?" Gus added when he received no answer.

When she finally took her time in replying, "fine," she responded dryly, barely even looking at the tall knight, "just the usual, eating and then reading books to pass the time. Nothing that you would be interested in," casually and briefly as her eyes wandered around the corridor.

"Reading is good for someone like your age," she said, smiling gently at the girl. "What kind of books do you read?" Normal conversations with a little girl shouldn't be that hard for him when he dealt with numerous, random travelers and travelers that tried to kill him.

Turning her head to the side, Cyan answered, "History books mostly; some of them are mythological tales told from different people and cultures," as her eyes lit up in the memories of reading the most fantastic stories that made her imagination run wild in those days.

"That sounds like fun," he remarked as his smile broadened into a grin of fascination. "What's the most favorite story that you've enjoyed so far?" Interested in what type of book a kid like her reads, Gus leaned in closer with anticipation for her response alone.

Almost immediately, she answered with confidence in her voice, "Aside from history, I would say magic is the most enjoyable topic. One book I enjoy is that it explains how words are the basis of spells as they have meaning and power," a soft chuckle escaped her lips, "but aside from that, they also talk about other forms of spells, which I find very intriguing."

The knight tilted his head with a bemused expression and said, "Really now? That's fascinating. I never knew much about magicians in the first place; can you tell me more?" Curiosity seeped through his being, wondering what kinds of things those spellcasters could do.

Cyan paused for a second, mulling it over in her mind. "Well, I suppose I could tell you a little bit more about it," she began, glancing at the armored man. "Magic comes in many forms; some people can manipulate elements, some people can summon objects, and some people can teleport. There are many different types of it, and it all depends on the spell they have learned," the girl explained as her excitement grew more apparent.

She took a breath before continuing, "Now, with these spells, it's important to remember that there are always limitations. You have to speak in order to activate them, and learning the meaning of a spell isn't just speaking out loud; you need to understand what that word or sentence means in order for it to activate. Do you get what I'm saying?"

Gus was getting lost in thought, expressing boredom at her explanation alone as he let out a yawn, "Mhmm. Mhmm. Yeah, sure," he mumbled as he stifled another yawn. "That's cool, I guess." Uninterested with whatever she's talking about, his disheartened sigh did not go unnoticed by the magician.

His reactions sparked a small bit of disheartening from the girl as her cheeks puffed in disapproval. "You're not even trying to listen to me, are you?" She huffed in slight annoyance, making a subtle pout at this brute's lack of manners in response to her lecture: "This is important stuff, and you're not even paying attention to it!"

Giving her a tired shrug, I said, "Sorry, kiddo. Magic has never been my thing. I prefer maces and swords," he replied, offering the girl a sheepish smile before averting his gaze in the opposite direction. "I've never been good with this kind of thing, but I did enjoy seeing you come out more often." The last sentence greatly caught her attention.

Confused by this, she inquired at what his implication was: "What do you mean by that?" In truth, she has no idea what Gus meant in that last phrase and why it came out of his mouth in the first place: "that I don't come out of the library." Placing her fingers under her chin in contemplation, it's difficult to know what's running inside that big head of his.

Nodding, he calmly replies, "Definitely, I barely see you outside of that damn library; do you even have friends, kid?" Gus mused with a smile as the little girl stopped walking, letting out a gasp upon realizing the statement her comrade had just made.

Stopping his stride, he turned to face her with his hands resting on his hips; a soft smile graced his features. "Come on, I'm just joking. You know I wouldn't judge someone like that," the knight stated as she turned to look at him, her cheeks reddening slightly at the man's teasing tone.

She found herself unable to respond, as if the words stuck in her throat. How strange that a single comment from an adult could cause such a reaction in her. Why would she be bothered by what he had said? She doesn't need people in her life.

All she wanted were the books that would expand her knowledge and bring her to greater heights; the companionship of books was enough for her, not the friendship of those around her. It was a foolish thing to think of trying to befriend anyone at this point, as they all want something from her and only want to use her for personal gain.

These people don't care about her, nor do they care if she lives or dies. They only care about her ability to see the future and what she can give them. They'll toss her aside once they're done with her if they find out she has become useless to continue being their fortune teller.

Suddenly, a gentle hand touched her hat. "Brighten up a little! It's fine if you have no friends or people to hang with, but that doesn't mean you have to hide in those books  forever."With that, he ruffled the girl's pointy hat as she felt as though the weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"You do have friends, kid. Solana and I are your friends." The answer sent her emotions into a whirlwind; a wave of relief washed over her when she heard those comforting words from him. It eased the worries that plagued her mind at the thought that she wasn't alone.

"I'm your friend?" Cyan asked shyly as she shifted uncomfortably on her feet, her gaze cast down at the floor, unable to look him in the eye, "We don't share the same interests; how can we be friends?" Her words caused him to raise an eyebrow in bewilderment upon hearing them.

Giving her a quizzical look, "Even though we may not be close, I still care for you as my superior's ally," he assured her as she turned to look at him with a sullen expression on her face. The knight merely smiled warmly at her, causing her chest to tighten as tears dripped down from her own cheeks.

Quickly hugging him tightly while sobbing on his armor, it's unknown whether Gus is just dense or oblivious. He was startled by the girl's actions and didn't know how to react, as it had been so long since he had to comfort someone in need.

Usually, he always sees how people become broken, weak, and miserable just by looking at them. They cried themselves out and became quiet; they would then turn around to cry again. This is how he became accustomed to killing them.

Slowly, he hugged back, gently wrapping his arms around her smaller frame as if she'd break if he squeezed her too hard. He stood there in silence as she continued to cry onto his armor, allowing the poor girl to let out her pent-up frustration on him.

"My, am I interrupting something?"

A voice of alluring and seductive tone broke their shared moment as they hastily detached themselves and spin around to see the daughter of the queen. Her smiling face held no trace of anger or irritation, only curiosity and mild interest in the scene before her.

Fear sprung onto both of them, their faces filled with dread upon realizing that they had encountered a monstrous young woman who was infamous for kidnapping innocent people to devour their flesh, having bloody orgies, and forcing others to die out of her own amusement.

Lady Kayo stood in front of them with an umbrella covering her back and said, "Silent, are you two? Bit rude to not greet a gorgeous woman in person," she lightly scolded before raining a hand on her own cheek with false embarrassment. "Ah, I seem to forget myself. How uncouth of me! I am Lady Kayo, the Queen's daughter. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she gracefully said to the horrified duo.

The two stood without uttering a word, unable to respond due to fear coursing through their veins, while the princess took pleasure in observing them with glee. "I don't believe I met such a cutie before," she said, creepily taking a step toward the girl. She only moved away in fear, as if Kayo's mere presence had terrified her.

"Oh, so shy! There's no need for you to be afraid, sweetie. We are all friends here after all, right?" Kayo reached out, ready to pat the girl's head, before Gus suddenly interjected by standing in between them. His posture was tense, and his eyes were narrowed slightly, staring directly at the person.

He gulped nervously, feeling beads of sweat form on his forehead as his pulse quickened, while Kayo smirked at the sight of this. "I think it's best you stay away from her. She is allergic to..." Frantically landing his eyes onto her fox hands, "fur," he said slowly and carefully choosing his words, mentally screaming in how lame it sounded. "Yes, fur! Very bad allergy," he exclaimed confidently, nodding his head multiple times.

Taking a step back, she playfully taps on her chin and says, "Allergy? How unfortunate! It is a shame we cannot get closer; she looked adorable too. A cute girl like her, so tiny and frail, must have a lot of admirers." A sickening smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"You know, I am starting to like you." Kayo turned her attention back to the knight, who tensed up in return. His whole body began to tremble with trepidation as her eyes gleamed mischievously. "How about I tell you a little secret?" In a flash, she touched his balls while her own head rested over his shoulder. "Your penis is already stiff, Mr. Soldier," her whisper sent shivers through his spine.

Gus found himself paralyzed on the spot, unable to move or respond to her advances, no matter how hard he tried. It was like he was being held in place by some invisible force, and he couldn't help but start to both panic and blush in embarrassment.

"Maybe another time~"

Kayo then chuckled and stepped away from him. As soon as she released the hold on his manhood, Gus gasped and dropped to the ground, clutching at his crotch to show how painful it felt; his face contorted with agony despite how good it was. He groaned in pain as Kayo merely watched him with a malicious smile spreading across her lips.

"Toodles!" She politely said before walking away with an elegant stride, leaving them alone in their thoughts as Gus blinked dumbfoundedly at what transpired before them, "And also, Gus?" Stopping in tracks, the princess turned her head to glance over her shoulder and said, "Your kidneys smell delicious; better be careful out there. Your scent is attracting all sorts of nasty beasts from miles away~" Winking at the fallen soldier, she gave a small giggle and walked away.

"Gus!" Cyan ran over to his side, worried as she tried to pull him up. "Are you okay?!" Her efforts to lift him proved futile, though it didn't discourage her from helping him up. "Say something!" Panicked when she couldn't hear a sound coming from the man, she shook him in hopes of bringing him to his senses.

In one swift motion, Gus slowly stood up while breathing heavily with sweat running down his forehead and neck. "I'm alive" was the only thing he said before letting out a raspy cough, his expression still distorted in discomfort that she was unable to read.

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