227 Creating Trouble for Ourselves

Dragon Clouds City, within a secluded room in Bright Moon Temple.

Putray could not help but heave a long sigh as he stared at the soldiers of Constellation nearby, who were busying themselves.

He was not without failure during the first half of his life. In fact, he had experienced more terrifying failures where he had to pay a bigger price for.

Like that one twelve years ago.

But now...

The tobacco pipe in Putray's hand suddenly felt very heavy. He even lost the desire to smoke.

This was very rare for him as he was extremely addicted to smoking.

'King Kessel tried to prevent war by making his own son a pawn. It was supposed to be a generous and sincere move that all kingdoms would sing praises of.

'But it turned out to be a disaster.

'The prince was drawn into the problem of the King of Eckstedt's death, causing the worst case scenario that was supposed to be avoided at all costs to happen.

'Even worse, the Jadestar Royal Family's reputation will suffer a huge blow once again.

'After going back to Constellation, that child has to face…' Recalling Thales' dejected face, Putray's mood sank.

He extended his hand quietly and knocked off the burning portion of the tobacco in his pipe.

'Sorry, Gilbert.

'I don't know what else to do apart from bringing him to safety.

'This is just like the time I watched His Highness die that year.

'I have disappointed you, old friend, again.'

While Putray was absorbed in the past, Willow, the new recruit jolted him out of his thoughts.

"Your Excellency!"

"What's the matter?" Putray raised his eyebrows.

"Please go to the back hall, the hall we went to when we first came here." Willow did not seem to know what was going on either. However, he still faithfully carried out the order. "This is Prince Thales' order!"

Putray's expression changed.

…..

After he was done packing his luggage, Kohen checked his weapons for the last time.

"Are you not going to ask Raphael again?"

From afar, the police officer looked at Putray, who was saying something to the soldiers of Constellation. He sighed, turned and spoke to Miranda.

"You know, about the Disaster Swords, the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department and his hand… "

When he said this, he recalled what his best friend went through: a swordsman who once had his hands destroyed and then had them turned into such a monster. Kohen could not help but grit his teeth.

'What on earth did he go through?'

Miranda, who was leaning against a wooden crate slowly opened her eyes, waking up from her catnap.

Her gaze was serene, and her expression was natural.

But her voice was slightly hoarse.

"There's no need for that. He has already decided," the swordswoman said softly. "There's no use in asking certain things."

Kohen stared at Miranda's expressionless face and wanted to say something. But in the end, he only shrugged and lowered his head to adjust his sword belt.

A few seconds later, the police officer spoke in a deep voice.

"Then, what do we report to the tower?

"Tell them that we met three Disaster Swords in Dragon Clouds City, and one of them is… unidentified?"

Miranda's gaze flickered.

"What would you report?" she said flatly.

Kohen was taken aback.

"If it was up to me…"

The police officer exhaled loudly and his gaze became firm.

He looked like he had decided on something.

"To hell with the Tower of Eradication. After all, it's been such a long time since we left that place." Kohen shook his head and snorted softly. "I never saw any Disaster Sword. Everything was Kaslan's conspiracy. End of report."

Miranda gave him a flat smile.

"Guru Zedi will be so angry if he finds out the truth."

"Hence, this is for his own good." Kohen raised his brows. "His most outstanding students made up their minds to let him worry a little less because they were concerned about his mood."

Miranda raised her brows before she shut her eyes to rest once again.

After quite some time, Kohen spoke again in a downcast tone.

"Miranda, it's only been three years," the police officer said dejectedly. "How can a person change so much?"

Miranda opened her eyes once again. This time, her gaze was complicated.

"I'm not just talking about Raphael." Kohen placed his longsword back into its sheath. He looked worried. "There's also Kroesch."

"I still remember the time I was punished with her. We had to do a full knee bend with a sword between our teeth. That tomboy's favorite past time was to scold me," he said, feeling annoyed.

The corners of Miranda's lips curled up.

'That's because she liked you, but didn't dare tell you.'

Miranda rolled her eyes as her mood sank.

'It's not just you, Kohen.

'Not just you.

'I learned together with her too. I slept in the same room as her. We practiced together in harsh conditions and studied together late into the night.

'That young woman was cheerful, optimistic and stubborn.

'Kroesch.'

"Perhaps both of them never changed." Miranda furrowed her brow a little. Her voice was hazy and seemingly profound. "It's just that we accidentally unearthed another side of them."

Kohen snorted softly.

"What sort of 'other side' would steer one towards betrayal and lies?" he said in resignation.

Miranda crossed her arms, enveloping her saber in her bosom once again.

"I don't know," she said absentmindedly, "but it probably isn't something easy."

She thought of the brand on Raphael's hands.

'Kroesch, what did you go through?'

Kohen heaved a long sigh, and like Miranda, leaned on a wooden crate.

"So, is this the end?" Kohen said, whether intentionally or not.

Miranda's expression changed slightly before she came back to her senses. "What's ending?"

Kohen paused for a second. His brows moved as he contemplated.

"Dragon Clouds City," he said quietly. "We came here because of a lie...

"And became the chess pieces of others. We became the scapegoats in a conspiracy, and the chief instigators of the king's assassination.

"We became the cause of a war."

Miranda went silent.

She understood Kohen's personality, and knew what he was about to say.

'But…'

"That's why we are making it right," Miranda said firmly as her gaze became solemn.

"By fleeing this place, by fleeing the enemy's control as soon as possible; by refusing to be their pawns." The speed and strength of the Arunde Family heiress' tone increased, "We'll pretend that we never came to Eckstedt, never came to Dragon Clouds City."

She seemed to leave no room for doubts.

Kohen did not reply immediately. Staying silent for a few seconds, his gaze was focused amid the dim lighting.

"But Miranda..." Kohen finally said softly. His tone seemed to be hesitant and unsettled. "The fact is…

"We came."

Miranda said nothing.

Kohen tapped the wooden crate, nimbly flipped his body over and sat up. Resting his hands on his knees, his expression was stern and unpleasant.

"We not only came, but also became witnesses and part of so many things." He let out a slow sigh and said, "The Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department, calamity, dragon, prince, assassination and all the conspiracies.

"There were people who came and people who left. There were people who died and people who were wounded. In the end, they left behind an awful mess," Kohen said, a little absent-minded.

"It's waiting to be cleaned-up and borne by others.

"And you know what we're leaving behind. You heard what that middle-aged man, Putray said." Kohen stared at the vice diplomat, who was saying something to a soldier wielding twin pikes. "Even if we flee safely, the Northern Territory will face—"

"He also said that there's nothing we can do." Miranda furrowed her brow.

Kohen's expression dimmed. He seemed conflicted.

"Is there really nothing we can do?" Kohen snorted softly and unknowingly clenched his fists tightly. "Or are we doing nothing?"

Miranda did not answer.

"That's your Northern Territory, Miranda. It's the territory that your family has guarded for generations."

The police officer took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. "You witnessed the miserable conditions of the land, which was devoured by war, didn't you? That year, you and Raphael—"

*Bang!*

Miranda used the sheath of her sword and hit one of the wooden crates with random things inside, hard. A loud and dull sound was produced.

"Enough."

The swordswoman's gaze became sharp and scary. Her tone was extremely cold. "It ends here."

But Kohen smiled.

"You know, the young Disaster Swordsman we encountered earlier, who was about your age..." The police officer lowered his head and raised his special silver saber. "He asked me for the name of this sword."

Miranda's gaze froze. 

"'The Load-Bearer.'" Staring at the saber of her friend from the same cohort, she recalled her duels with it during the past few years. She then flatly said, "The treasured sword passed down from generation to generation in the Karabeyan Family."

Kohen nodded. Flexing his arm muscles, he held up his weapon steadily.

The Load-Bearer.

"It's too heavy," Kohen said absentmindedly. He recalled his family's gloomy old castle and the time the old man took the sword out.

"The day before I left for the Tower of Eradication, my father gave it to me.

"I couldn't lift it up, even with both hands. I could only tie a rope to it and drag it." Kohen nodded. Slowly focusing his gaze, he began to recall his past. "But the old man said that…

"There are some weights that we must carry on our shoulders."

His gaze became increasingly lucid and firm. "For some things, we can't just let 'it end here'."

At this moment.

A voice both of them were extremely familiar with sounded.

"You know, seeking trouble for oneself due to pointless insistence usually doesn't end well." Raphael's light and lively voice rang behind both of them.

Miranda turned abruptly, while Kohen turned in surprise.

"Go to the back hall, everyone," the young man from the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department said in a firm tone. His red eyes flickered beneath the dim lighting.

"It's not time yet." Miranda furrowed her brows. "What are we doing at the back hall?"

Raphael sighed. He seemed to be very resigned.

He also appeared to be hesitating.

But after pausing for a second, he raised his gaze and stared at the other two.

"I've told you." Raphael snorted coldly.

"To go creating trouble for ourselves."