Chapter 108

108 Separation anxiety

The whole room went quiet, just as much as Anne, the others were anxious about the other information regarding her result.

“So, what happened with my exam result?” Asked Anne to the crown prince.

“Don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with it. The result will be announced in three days. That was it.” Justice smirked at her. “Did I get you?”

Gasping at Justice’s tease, she punched softly at his arm, “Oh God! I was so worried. How dare you!”

With excitement, and a naughty smile, Justice was chuckling after receiving a punch from Anne, “I’m sorry, but joking aside, you need to go back as soon as possible, Anne.”

“Justice was right. In order for you to arrive in time for the announcement, you need to go from Wolgala right now.” Said Vale, holding into Anne’s shoulder.

“But... But I want to help all of you...” Anne meekly looked at the four of them.

Henry steps in front of her and smiles while his finger touched her chin. “You already helped us enough,” Henry said with his soft voice and his charming smile, trying to convince the purple hair girl to stay away from the battle.

“No... What about the orphanage children?” Said Anne, shaking her head.

.....

Justice then had an idea, “The orphanage children, that’s it, you could go back to the capital with the injured orphanage children, they will be taken care of effectively and the alchemist at the capital will have enough time to run their test.” He excitedly looks at Anne, “You need to go, bring those injured and ill children, please Anne.”

She look around the room where all their eyes were on her. Anne let out a sigh and said, “Alright, but you need to give me time to pack and prepare some medicine for all of you.”

Henry smiled at her, he brushes her purple hair with a smirk on his face. “Yes, of course, and don’t worry, I’ll be coming with you. Someone needs to protect you and the children on the road.”

“Finally, you talk some sense. Just tell us that you’re bored and don’t like to dirty your set of a good shirt.” Xavier’s chuckled, teasing Henry on the side.

“Shut up! And by the way, this is the finest silk. I wear cotton to a fight.” Henry winked at Xavier, reciprocating his teasing.

All of them laughed at the banter, as much as Anne wanted to help them here, they were right, it would be dangerous for her to be closer to the lycans, especially now, that she had a bunch of orphanage children that need to be treated intensively. She excuses herself from the four of them, and begin to walk outside the inn, Vale was following her.

“What are you doing here? Vale? I was just going to pick some herbs and flowers.” Said Anne, happily waving her sickle. Chikara was prancing beside her, happy that his owner now had some time with him.

“Let me join you. I’m not going to be a hinder, just trying to protect you.” Vale says it to Anne while he matches her steps into the valley of the flowers near the inn.

Anne put her medicine bag on the ground. She begins to search and digs on the ground, while Vale tries to play with Chikara. His attempt was admirable, although Anne familiar only loves his master. Chikara hissed all the time as Vale tried to shower it with flower petals. The magi captain loves teasing the demon kitten. While Justice was irked by Chikara’s presence, Xavier tried to befriend him, and Henry wanted to avoid the demon kitten.

“Do you like to anger my familiar that much? Seriously Vale?” Said Anne without even looking at what Vale was doing beside her.

Vale, looking at Anne, loves to see the tingles in her eyes whenever she gathered the herbs, makes medicine, or treats her patient. Anne’s face is the best on his mind in every situation. “Yes, I love to see his small body hissing at me so much.”

“You do realize, soon that tiny body will change into a proper demon cat.” Muttered Anne, feeling a bit silly about Vale’s teasing.

“I was waiting for it, of course.” Said, Vale. He was lying on the ground with his two hands folded as his pillow. “When that happens, he will be able to protect you properly.”

“He was already saving me, a tiny body of his, my salvation because of how I was taking some part of his mother being killed,” Anne said once again to Vale, she will be remembered how Chikara’s mother died by Horden with her help. Chikara, being her familiar, has the ironic end to the sad adventure of her and Horden back then.

Vale could see how she harbor guilt inside of her, he gets up and sit beside Anne. “Anne, you tried to defend yourself from the wild demon cat. It needs to be done. It wasn’t your fault.”

Looking at how patient and careful he was, Anne found a warmness in every word that he said. She nodded her head and smile at the sky above. “Thank you, Vale, I was promising Chikara’s mother. I will be taking good care of her son.”

For almost two hours she collected and mixed the herbs in the valley, while Vale was sleeping beside her. She brews some tonic for the three gentlemen who stayed behind and makes some salves for cuts and bruises. She also makes something unthinkable for Vale. A white liquid potion with a bitter aroma and with a cold fragrance to entice the nose.

“What’s that?” Asked Vale.

“Ether, it is good for anyone that is being poisoned, or dropping in health.” Anne said to Vale, while she meticulously measured the liquid into small vials, “I’ll make as many as I could, but you couldn’t drink this more than two vials a day.”

“You don’t have to work so hard, Anne. Justice asked for healers to come with the troops, so you don’t have to be worried.” Vale said to the nervous Anne.

“I know, Vale, I just... I just don’t want to leave all of you empty-handed, that’s all.” Anne blurted out, but then stop for a moment before talking again, “No... I was lying, I don’t want you to depend on other healers, I... I don’t know why I feel this way.”

Chuckling after hearing Anne’s confession, Vale knew exactly what happened to the girl. “Oh my darling Anne, are you feeling jealous?”

The blurted answer from Vale, probably confirming her feeling, Anne flustered and never answered him back. They go back to the inn where the old man was already waiting for her in the inn’s lobby.

“I’ve heard from the crown prince, you’re getting back to the capital today.” Said the old man.

Anne nodded her head. “Yes, I need to be there for my exam results, and probably it will be for the best if I take the ill and wounded orphanage children with me.”

“Is it wise, though? they only will slow you down.” Said the old man again.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already installed the biggest carriage with four of the fastest horses for her,” Justice said to the old man, he also pointed at Henry who was already prepared for the journey, “The knight captain will be joining her also.”

The old man looking at Justice, “Wait! That means we are going to be short on soldiers?”

“Not like Henry will make a difference, though.” Whispered Xavier at Justice and Vale.

Both of them snorted, but trying so hard to control their expression, Justice went to the old man and said, “I have a plan that I couldn’t give to you right now. Please be patient.”

“Fine! I do hope this is a good plan,” Scoffed the old man. He looks directly at Anne, “Promise me one thing, as soon as you saw that they have the lycans inside of their body, you must kill them.”

“What?! that would be...” Anne was devastated after hearing the old man.

“Then you can’t take them with you.” The old man said to Anne with a firm voice.

Anne tried to protest, “But!” Another hand grips into hers. It was Henry.

“Alright, I’ll do it myself. You have my word. If they have the lycans trace inside of their body, I will kill them.” Said Henry to the old man.

“Henry! How could you?” Anne whispered frantically at the knight’s captain.

“We need to do something fast!” Whispered Henry back to her. He then gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I trust you. There will be no victim here.”

“Fine, I trust you.” Whispered Anne to him. “I’ll go prepare for the journey now. We meet here in one hour.”

When she packed her belonging, a knock came on her door, she open the door and saw Xavier standing awkwardly in front of her.

“Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?”

Smiling at Xavier, she asked him to go inside the room, “So, what happened?” Asked Anne while she close the door, but when she turned around, Xavier presented her with a surprise in his hand.

“Xavier, what is this?” Asked Anne with her eyes staring at the items in front of her.