Chapter 61 - The Original Crown

Run. Just keep running even if there is nowhere to go. Emelia ran with all her might and felt exhausted after running without taking a break, "I'm never going back to that tower. Never again," She yelled at the man who chased her into the deep forest.

The light was nowhere to be seen, and only darkness surfaces the woods. Her footsteps, along with her breathing, are the only sounds that surfaced around her.​​

"Even if you run. You can't escape," Yelled the man back, chasing her while holding a sword.

Emelia kept running and sees an old tower built out of stones. At first, she didn't understand why she saw the tower when she just had escape from that place.

This wasn't the time for her to think. She ran in the direction of the tower and climb the stairs up. It's a good thing the man was a slow runner. If not, she wouldn't be able to hide.

Emelia climbs to the tower's highest floor, and there sat a box, big enough for her to hide in.

Emelia covered her mouth not, making a single noise despite having a hard time breathing. Luckily the boxes had holes for oxygen to enter. She sighed out of relief and jumped when she heard the wolf howling.

Emelia rested her head on the box and closed her eyes for a while. Good, the man had stopped chasing her. She opened her eyes back, looks down at her hands, and sees two small hands. Why? were her hands small? As much she wanted to panic, but couldn't.

But it wasn't time for her to panic when she heard footsteps going in her direction then it turned silent again. Emelia felt her hands trembling in fear. It's happening again. When she had thought this horror will never appear again.

"Die for me, would you ?" The man smirked as Emelia got out of the box to run away, but she was too late. As she stood on the box, she felt a stinging pain in her back. She felt heavy, and before she knew it, her consciousness had faded.

Emelia opened her eyes, yelling to see the familiar ceiling. She sat up from the couch and looks around the room, which she recognizes as Elliot's office. Emelia jumped when she heard Elliot's voice, "Are you alright? I wondered who was begging for help, and it was coming from you. A bad dream?"

She looked at her trembling hands and hugged herself. It was all a dream, Not just any dream, but it actually happened when she was a small child. Elliot removed his coat and lays it over Emelia's shoulder. Then places his hand on her forehead, which made Emelia wonder what he was doing to her.

"You look pale. I just thought you might be sick after having a nightmare," He said as he removed his hand from her forehead. "You should go get some rest. I can handle this on my own," Said Elliot, but Emelia refused. She stood up, shaking her head, then said, "I'm alright. It's just a bad dream. It's nothing to worry about."

Even if she said it that way, Elliot didn't take it. But because Emelia looked persistent in continuing on their work, he let her be. "Just say it if you're not feeling well. We have others who can continue this plan."

Even if there are others, Emelia didn't want to burden her. It was her first time working with others, after all. "No, I'm the only one who knows where the original crown is. I even know where it is hidden."

As much she didn't want to remember where the original crown is she had to keep it in her memory forever. She had no choice if she didn't want the casualties from the war to be big. The Vivan Empire had announced to the people they were fighting the enemy by the border.

It isn't much of a big deal yet. The only time it starts to become a big deal is if the enemy had broken down the walls.

If Emelia obtains the original crown, the war will stop, and peace will come again. "Though I still don't understand why the princess needs the original crown," Enoch entered the office muttering to himself and did not notice the other two.

"Enoch, we've just talked about this earlier. Listen to others when they speak, would you?" Air nagged as he too entered the office. He sees Elliot and Emelia having a serious expression on. He felt he was interrupting their space.

"Oh, I didn't see the both of you," Enoch bowed his head, saying, "I greet His Imperial Majesty and the Princess." Enoch then notices Emelia wearing the same dress the other night. He waved his hand at Emelia, asking, "You're still wearing the same dress?" Air, who stood beside him, sighed out of secondhand embarrassment and went to apologize to Emelia.

"That's right. There is someone I would like you to meet. The last member of my loyal servant, Tanya," When Elliot mentioned her name, she walked in wearing an old, dirty black cape. She gave Emelia a smile but did not speak but instead brought a paper with the alphabet out of her brown sling bag.

"Tanya is mute. That is why I made her this table for her to communicate with others. Though the problem is not everyone can read or write," Elliot said, patting Tanya's head. At first glance, anyone could tell Tanya is a child. But she's different from the others.

"How old is she?" Emelia asked as she watched Tanya sneaking snacks into her bag. Though it was alright for her to just eat it on the spot. "Barely fifteen," Elliot answered as he then told Tanya to just eat the biscuits now.

Fifteen, if a young girl is part of Elliot's so-called, 'loyal servants.' Then what is her position here? Emelia has heard her name a few times from Elliot but didn't expect it to be a small girl.

"She's our assassin. Tanya may not look like it, but she was raised by assassins. Since her parents are. She wouldn't be here if Elliot didn't save her," Air answer Emelia's questioned. She thanked him by nodding her head. What happened to her parents? Did they perhaps die?

"As I said earlier, Tanya's parents are assassins. Rather she used to live in a town where assassins are grown. The nobles who grew in fear of them burnt their village down and killed everyone. I think that is when Tanya lost her voice. She was traumatized very much," Air answers Emelia's questions once again, which made her think if he's a better mind reader than Elliot.

Tanya tripped in front of Emelia, falling flat on her face. Usually, a child would cry after tripping, but Tanya didn't. She stood back up as if it didn't hurt at all. Is this a trait of an assassin? Emelia asked herself. Tanya looked too adorable to be one.

"Just don't underestimate her. She can outrun anyone and act," Elliot said, reading her mind after Air did. What are they both mind readers? How can they tell what she thought in her head? He continues, "It becomes obvious as we spend more time together. Oh, by the way, I taught Air how to read your mind," He smiled proudly like a father.

"Disgusting…" Emelia told Elliot then walked towards Tanya. She offered a hand and awkwardly introduces herself, "Hi, my name is Emelia. It's nice to meet you."

When Tanya looks up at Emelia, her eyes sparkled, seeing a beautiful lady wanting to shake hands with her. Since Tanya had always been around men, she recently started to act like one, which Elliot thinks it's wrong. So bringing Tanya to meet Emelia was the right decision. As for Ayfara, Tanya sees her as a tomboy.

Tanya looks at Elliot with her eyes, asking if it was alright to play with Emelia. Elliot had no problems with this. Rather he wanted Tanya to spend more time with girls.

"That's right. Emelia, can you come here for a while. There is something I want to confirm about," Elliot said, making his way to the table that laid out a map of the Redodel Empire. When Emelia arrived, he pointed his finger then said, "This might be the place you are looking for. I had asked Alan to check the other night."

No one knows this, but then there are two replicas of the original crown. Both crowns are hidden well, but only one crown is the real one. And that is the reason why the royal family called it "The Original Crown."

The original crown is hidden in the deep woods located in the Redodel Empire. In that deep wood, there is a tower. The tower Emelia had just dreamt of. The truth is Emelia didn't exactly know where it was located but knew the name of the forest. But thanks to an old map that Argus held on to, they were able to find it.

In that tower, Emelia had a secret that she still hasn't told anyone. The dream she had were all true. This is the reason why she doesn't allow Vanessa to bathe her. That's because she has a horrible scar on her back. Anyone would freak out if they saw it.