Chapter 203 - Hello Again, Young General (Part 1)

The Left Minister had been staying in Prazia for more than a week, and he still did not receive any news from Azer. He wanted to meet the Dark Magic Lord, but no one knew where he went. Azer was there and the presence of the Dark magic Lord was not really necessary.

The Left Minister came to the secret base to find Azer when he could no longer wait.

"How long should I wait to get some answers? I have been here for a long time now. Where is your master?" The anger in the Left Minister's voice was obvious.

Azer knew that his master had important matters to take care of first, and he was too lazy to explain it all to the Left Minister. He also knew that the Left Minister would only ask more questions when he tried to explain.

"Left Minister, we are already doing the best we can. Rest assured that my master is on top of things."

"Humph."

The Left Minister knew that Azer was not fond of him. But, he had no other choice.

'It looks like I will be stuck here for a while. It's a good thing that Vaughn and his wife are not in Tissuria right now.'

* * * * *

Higgs sent a message to the Anisen Manor, and Renaria received it. She creased her brows when she read it.

'What do these kids take me for? This reason is obviously fabricated and they knew that they wouldn't be able to escape from me.'

Renaria shook her head and smirked. She summoned for the head guard and told him to deliver a message to Higgs.

"Tell Higgs to come here, I want to speak to him. He must not dare give me excuses just to avoid me."

"Y-Yes, Madam."

The head guard did not waste a single minute and went to inform Higgs himself. Most of them, including the head guard of the Anisen manor, knew that the Commander had already left on the day that Zekiah and Ruvin had departed the Anisen Manor.

Higgs bit his lip when he received the message. He hoped that what he was about to tell Renaria would bring her joy. He stood up and ordered someone to prepare his horse. He should not waste time and make haste. He knew Renaria's temper and just hoped that she would spare him from any punishment.

'Commander, please don't blame me. You know how your mother is.'

Renaria did not wait long. In fact, she was surprised by Higgs' promptness. She was sitting in the garden enjoying her tea. Ovid was supervising Zenia's private army at the time. He had decided to do it himself when he learned that Zander went to take care of some business. He did not tell Renaria and just pretended that he knew nothing. He took over the training so he could deploy the soldiers at an earlier time.

"You're here! You're fast."

"Good day, Madam," Higgs was so nervous that he felt like peeing his pants.

"Don't be so nervous. He might be your Commander, but I am the woman who gave birth to him. If I tell him not to beat you, he won't even touch a strand of your hair. Now, speak. Where is your Commander?"

Higgs spilled everything to Renaria. Renaria would nod her head every now and then with her eyes closed. She would sometimes grin and chuckle a little.

"That's it, Madam. Commander had assigned someone to track the whereabouts of that person, and we only got a lead only now. The Commander wanted to confirm it himself."

"The vague description of the lady matches well with the description of Odessa that Zenzen gave me," Renaria murmured.

"What is it, Madam?"

Renaria simply looked at Higgs and laughed so hard. Her laughter sent shivers to Higgs.

'That foolish son of mine. He must've sensed that Zenzen and I were planning to get him a wife and did not know how to refuse when he already got a woman in mind. Zenzen is really like a good luck charm. She found the woman that her Big Brother is aiming for. Imagine that…'

"Higgs, stay for lunch. I prepared something good."

Higgs' face brightened when Renaria invited him for lunch. He had sampled Madam Anisen's dishes, and they were all good. The heavens must be looking out for him.

"Yes, Madam." He followed Renaria inside the Main House, and his anxiousness completely disappeared.

* * * * * 

"Big Brother how come you're here already? I thought you will arrive at least a week after." Zekiah was really surprised at Zander's sudden appearance.

"I rode a fast horse and you're traveling by carriage. Naturally, I will arrive sooner than you."

Zekiah looked suspiciously at his Big Brother.

"When did you arrive?"

"I arrived yesterday. I am looking for someone, and the inn manager told me that I might see that person here."

Zekiah could tell that Zander had just fabricated a story. It was obvious that he was there for Odessa. When did they meet? Was the ribbon hers?

Zekiah looked at the hilt of Zander's sword, and the ribbon was still there. The color had faded, but it was still wrapped securely around the hilt.

"Excuse us for a minute," Zekiah pulled his Big Brother far away from the group and told him, "I don't believe that you left Ishelon a few days after we departed. You must've left on the same day as us, didn't you?"

"Well, it doesn't matter. Anyway, I'm here now and there's no more reason to hide anything from you. That woman there is the one I have set my eyes to marry. I know that Zenzen talked about meeting someone to mother and wants me to marry that woman. She might hate me if…"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha," Zekiah laughed so hard and got teary-eyed, which annoyed Zander.

Zekiah's laughter caught the attention of others, who only looked at them from afar. Even Ruvin did not dare come near them.

"Why do you have to laugh so hard? Are you already rejoicing that Zenzen might hate me for the rest of her life because I chose Odessa over the woman that she wants me to marry?" Zander walked away from Zekiah.

Zekiah wiped the tears from his eyes and explained, "Big Brother, Sister wants Doctor Odessa to be your wife."

Zander turned his head and could not believe his ears, "Say what? Can you say that again?"

"You must've known that Mother had already prepared the gifts for your bride, and Zenzen will bring them to Doctor Odessa when she returns to Tissuria. She liked Doctor Odessa very much and decided that she will not take no for an answer."

"Zenzen, did that for me? Zenzen is truly this Big Brother's angel." Zander was almost teary-eyed when he said it, which made Zekiah rolled his eyes.

'Well, she did it for herself because she does not want you to bring home some random woman to marry.'

"So what are you going to do now, Big Brother? Should we wait for Zenzen or you want to do it yourself? The gifts are here in the carriage."

Zander was having second thoughts on whether to proceed or not. It was his first time pursuing a woman. Then it struck him.

"Is she still single?"

"I guess. She doesn't wear a ring that tells people she's already married."

"Is she in a relationship right now?"

Zekiah saw the panic in Zander's eyes. He just couldn't let it pass. He must tease him first.

"I think she is." Zekiah lowered his head and made it look like he was sad.

Zander punched the nearby pillar, which almost collapsed. Everyone was stunned at the powerful punch that Zander released. Lewis gasped at the sight of it and was glad that he was not that pillar. He felt sorry for the pillar. Ruvin's eyes shone brightly, and his admiration for Zander had increased even more. Odessa remained indifferent. She already knew that the Young General that she met before would turn into a great man.

"Do you know the man? Is he the one standing with her when we arrived?"

"The Head Pharmacist? What are you going to do with him?"

Zander had a bloodl.u.s.t look when he gazed straight into Zekiah's eyes.

"I'm going to pulverize him."  

Zekiah knew that his teasing went too far.

"Now, now, Big Brother. It is also possible that she is not in a relationship because she's too busy with her work. She's an excellent doctor after all."

"I thought you said she's in a relationship."

"I did not say that she is, but I have a hunch that she might be. Then again, she might not be dating anyone right now."

Zander tried to recall what Zekiah told him, and he realized that Zekiah did not really confirm it. It was he who jumped to conclusions. His mood had lightened. He took a deep breath and calmed down.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Did you also bring Zenzen's private army?"

"No, why?"

"I just have a feeling that something big might happen soon. It is best if the elite soldiers of Zenzen's army are here now. I can't trust the ability of the soldiers in Tissuria."

"Hmm, I agree. They are just about ready. Don't worry, I told Higgs to send me a message once they are ready."

"Higgs? Does mother know that you are here now?"

"No."

Zekiah tapped his forehead and was able to piece the puzzle together, "I think Mother knows it now. I also have a hunch that she already guessed who you wanted to meet."

"Do you really think that Mother already…"

"Yes! She won't be angry that you came here for your wife, but she will surely get angry for keeping her in the dark. She always thought that you have no plan to get married."

Odessa felt uneasy and decided to go where the brothers were.

"Young General, is there any problem? Did something happen to Zenzen?"