48 It is not in Your Place to be Selfish

Silence pervaded between Chalice and Luke as they ventured out of the Amaterasu tribe territory. The tense air wrapped around them as they avoided each other's faces.

Chalice peeked through her lashes and gauged Luke's expression. She sighed for another time and then focused her attention on the road.

"You are not a murderer." Luke's voice suddenly rang out and broke the silence. Chalice looked at him, disoriented at his voice.

"Huh? Sorry, what?" She asked. Unsure of what she has heard.

"You are not a murderer, my lady. What you have done does not change how I see you. Or how any of us sees you. You have done nothing wrong. It was either us or them. Our convictions instead were strengthened. This only proved that we have chosen the right master to serve. So we'd rather not have you believe that you are a murderer nor that you are alone in all of this. We are here for you. Do not be scared of losing control, my lady, because I promise to haul you back to sanity."

Chalice looked at him blankly. His words were still trying to register themselves into her mind. She was partly afraid that they will think differently of her. That things will lead her to them feeling awkward around her. She was already used to their usual banters. It would really be unfortunate for that to change.

But Luke's last statement hit home. That was what she feared the most. Her losing control of herself, succumbing to the darkness which was thirsty for blood and laying dormant in her, biding its time.

She smiled bitterly.

"What if you can't bring me back, Luke? What then?" Chalice said in a rueful tone. She saw Luke stop in his tracks and dismount from his horse. She did so, as well. Suddenly, she felt the strong grip of his hands on her shoulders.

Chalice was met with his playful smirk and his intense eyes which held a firm conviction despite the pretend mischief.

"Then I will join you, my lady. We'll both be insane forever. I will stay true to my oath." She blinked as the warmth of his voice tickled her ears. Chalice looked down to hide the smile threatening to break out from her lips.

It was only after a few moments that Luke let go of her, his smirk lost its curves and turned into a straight line. A sense of foreboding washed over Chalice as she watched the drastic change of his demeanor.

Luke's scathing tone made Chalice feel as if she was a child getting reprimanded for not sharing her toys. But she was also aware of why Luke pointed this out for her so harshly. This was a classic scenario of a servant needing to be firm and wise for his master was being completely stupid.

This was a feudalistic world. And she was someone who holds so much power in her hands, as of the moment. Power that was capable of dictating whether people would live or die. She had no time to be wallowing herself into the oblivion of self-despair and fear. Luke was right.

What was she running away from again? This was not her old world. This was a place and time that forced people to kill for justice and for peace. If she couldn't get the redemption she wanted, then she might as well force her way to get it. To get her own version of redemption.

She was no longer that former genius agent with a tragic backstory. She was now the Princess of Amaranth. The daughter of the most powerful duke and Prime Minister of a country. Her fear will always lurk around in her being but Chalice knew this wasn't the time to deal with it. Slowly. She will slowly purge out that fear as she continued on in this world.

Chalice looked at Luke. The light in her eyes shining brighter than ever. That was the light of a ruler and it got Luke lost in its radiance. He nodded indistinctly at this positive change. This was exactly the state he wanted her to be in.

"How is Levi? And the other two?" Chalice finally inquired after a long silence. They resumed their pace and treaded the way back to the Amaranth estate.

"I sent them to Wind Valley before I left to look for you. I think they are also on their way back to the estate. They will be able to recuperate there better." Luke replied with solemnity and a slight trace of self-reproach. This didn't escape her ears. She knew Luke was feeling guilty. He was not able to help them in the fight at all. Chalice knew that he was blaming himself. Even though his incapability of joining the fight was not his fault but hers. She was the one who paralyzed him, after all.

"Luke, why were there bandits at Zeru Mountains? As far as I know, there has never been any who made this place their base ever since my great-grandfather's time." Chalice asked him doubtfully, thinking of diverting him from his guilty thoughts. And to analyze the circumstances with him, as well.

The Zeru Mountains were deemed sacred so few people have the guts to tarnish such a place. Within the whole Amaranthian fief, this area was the most peaceful. It didn't clock in any severe crimes aside from domestic disputes. Aside from that, the mountains itself were teeming with wild and rare ferocious beasts which served as another natural deterrent.

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Thus, it was natural for her to find it strange that bandits would actually have the guts to commit atrocities in this place.

"You are quite right, my lady. Bandits have never been sighted in the area until now. I would love to be able to answer your questions. However, I profusely apologize. I prioritized finding you first before delving into any type of investigations." Luke bowed to her in apology. Chalice shook her head at this.

"It is fine. I am at fault here. How many days will it take us to get back to the estate? We have a lot of things to deal with. Urgently."

Luke tugged at his horse's reins as he glanced at the lady sitting in her majestic black stallion while a humongous lion followed at their back. It might sound comical, but the sight of it was actually intimidating. Chalice, with her tiny frame, was capable of commanding such powerful beasts.

"Around five days if we take the long way. But I know a different route. It will help us reach home in three days." Luke turned to her. Chalice squinted her eyes. Her mind whirred at all the plans and contingencies she was forming. She looked at Luke determinedly. They were now back on track.

"Good. We will take your route. We need to arrive home as soon as possible. I need to root out whatever evil is lurking in my territory. No one undermines my house's authority, slaps it in my face and gets away with it. When we arrive, get me the territory's best shadows. Also, schedule an appointment with the head of the Merchant Guild. I won't let this intervene with our development plans for the fief."