Chapter 231: Talk

"It's the best I can get for you here." He squealed. He was ashamed because he knew how in-habitual this place was.

'It's Okay Jeff. You can go and inform us when Parson comes back."

"Alright, sir." He left after a formal bow.

Creek—

The door closed. Arthur immediately put a nice cancellation array after Jeff left.

"Can I?"

"Oh Yes, you can say anything you want now."

"Thank goodness."

"Umm. let me think. Why did you come here?"

"Same reason as you. Parson Norman, he knows something that Vladella doesn't want me to know so I came here to unfold the secret. What about you? Why are you here?"

"Same reasons as you. She doesn't want you to know so I am here, to shut him off."

"Aaah, I see."

"Vladis…I…" Arthur hesitated.

Vladis was visibly surprised when he saw Arthur hesitating. "What is it?"

"The thing, we spoke outside. I know you blame me, and you have every reason to. I failed as a brother. I am sorry" He apologized.

However, Vladis patted his shoulder.

"I can't say I am not sad, but I am not angry either. I don't blame you for what happened Arthur. I have known you since we were in the crib. I know you didn't save Ciel because you loved her but because she had fewer chances to survive. I know you, you don't take action influenced on whim and emotions. You knew it, that Camy may be able to surpass the curse, but Ciel won't, so you helped her."

"I don't agree with how you jeopardize Camy's life, but I understand that it was important. You did what you could to save her."

Arthur felt relieved when he heard everything. He never showed but the bonding between them meant a lot to him. He didn't consider Valdis as his sworn brother but a real one."

"I am glad."

"Don't be. I still have many grievances" He joked making Arthur laugh.

"Oh! Right. You can't trust Vladella."

"I know," Vladis replied.

"…"

"I mean it Vladis."

"You can't."

"I don't"

"…"

"Alright. Let me tell you what actually happened that night".

"Go on."

He was hoping they could go but their expression said otherwise.

"We will wait. We have a very important thing to discuss with him" Valdis said slowly while Arthur just barged inside like it was his home. As he entered, his brows furrowed when he saw the dilapidated condition of the church. It was dusty and didn't look like a place to live.

"Take a seat, I will bring something for you in the meantime."

"Ah…you don't need to " Arthur stopped the boy before he could leave.

"What is your name?"

"It's Jeff sir."

It rang a bell inside Arthur's mind.

"You are Jeff. I see. Rune told me about you" he said nonchalantly, but his casual comment drained the blood out of the boy. His face turned pale while he started to shake in anxiety.

"You…. you know Lord Rune."

"Yes, I do. He told me everything about you and told me you are a good kid so now if you will excuse us by giving us a decent room?"

Jeff, who was paired earlier, felt good after he got to know that Rune said good words for him. Like a kid who got his favorite candy, he was happy. His eyes twinkled in pure excitement.

"Yes…. Sure. Give me a second. Never mind, just follow me."

Valdis was confused but he kept mum. Without any further ado, they both followed Jeff and landed themselves in a decent room.

"It's the best I can get for you here." He squealed. He was ashamed because he knew how in-habitual this place was.

'It's Okay Jeff. You can go and inform us when Parson comes back."

"Alright, sir." He left after a formal bow.

Creek—

The door closed. Arthur immediately put a nice cancellation array after Jeff left.

"Can I?"

"Oh Yes you can say anything you want now."

"Thank goodness."

"Umm. let me think. Why did you come here?"

"Same reason as you. Parson Norman, he knows something that Vladella doesn't want me to know so I came here to unfold the secret. What about you? Why are you here?"

"Same reasons as you. She doesn't want you to know so I am here, to shut him off."

"Aaah, I see."

"Vladis…I…" Arthur hesitated.

Vladis was visibly surprised when he saw Arthur hesitating. "What is it?"

"The thing, we spoke outside. I know you blame me, and you have every reason to. I failed as a brother. I am sorry" He apologized.

However, Vladis patted his shoulder.

"I can't say I am not sad, but I am not angry either. I don't blame you for what happened Arthur. I have known you since we were in the crib. I know you didn't save Ciel because you loved her but because she had less chances to survive. I know you; you don't take action influenced by whim and emotions. You knew it, that Camy may be able to surpass the curse, but Ciel won't, so you helped her."

"I don't agree with how you jeopardize Camy's life, but I understand that it was important. You did what you could to save her."

Arthur felt relieved when he heard everything. He never showed but the bonding between them meant a lot to him. He didn't consider Valdis as his sworn brother but a real one."

"I am glad."

"Don't be. I still have many grievances" He joked making Arthur laugh.

"Oh! Right. You can't trust Vladella."

"I know," Vladis replied.

"…"

"I mean it Vladis."

"You can't."

"I don't"

"…"

"Alright. Let me tell you what actually happened that night".

"Go on."

"That night, before the attack on the castle, I knew they were going to attack. Their plan included either Camy or Ciel, but because Ciel was under the curse at that time, plus I was the one who was guarding her, it was nearly impossible for them to abduct her, thus they went after Camy."

"I remember you asked me to visit dungeons, a day before. Were you aware of their schemes? Was this the reason you asked me to play by the ear?" Vladis made a discovery.

"I only had a hunch. We needed someone to infiltrate the base of enemies and you fit the spot. You were my best bet Vladis. Also, they were going to take Camy with them, I needed to be sure of her safety and so do you...." Arthur didn't continue but Vladis understood it. 

"I see"