Chapter 52
WHAT on Earth did Yuki do wrong? What did she do to deserve being punished by being here?
Surprise flickered through Orga’s jet-black eyes as his hand shot to the hilt of his jewel-encrusted sword.
“You’re…”
“Ah! …Um….” Yuki flinched. Chills ran along her spine and she scooted backward. Her eyes locked with Orga’s. His scowl deepened.
“…I believe I requested you heal Mother? Did I once order you to come to this spring? I did order for everyone to be cleared from this area though.”
Orga unsheathed his sword with a crisp metallic cling. He brandished the sword in his right hand and frostily glared at Yuki. Dumbfounded by the sword pointed at her neck, she scooted another foot back. Her skirt chaffed against the grass.
“Um! You see, I…” her voice quivered.
Panic, shock, and mental exhaustion rendered her brain useless. Not knowing why she was there or where there was, she had no way to answer his question. She scanned the area around her from where she sat.
There were still a few hours left before evening. Soft sunlight warmed the grassy area growing around a spring about two thousand square feet in size. Tall trees breaking through the clouds surrounded the area. The spring faced the castle and its reflection glimmered in the sparkling water’s surface. Yuki remembered this area well—it was where she first fell into Aridol and was rescued by Luca.
“I did order for everyone to be cleared from this area though.”
From what Orga just said…he shouldn’t know about the queen yet. She sat up straight. Trick him. It’s okay. You can fool him. I’ll show I can pull one over him. I have the truth on my side after all.
Tightening her lips in a flat line, she pressed her head against the green grass and prostrated before him.
She said everything at once, “Ah, f-forgive me for such an unsightly display. I finally found you, sire, and in my rush to speak I accidentally tripped! I successfully finished curing the queen and wished to be the first to convey the news to you, Prince Orga. I searched high and low for you and eventually found myself here. Please, please be merciful with me for entering an off-limits area!”
The grass tickled her forehead, causing it to itch. Sudden movement sent her head spinning again. She winced as the throbbing wouldn’t stop even with her eyes closed and waited painfully for his response.
How many minutes flew by? It probably wasn’t more than a minute of silence, but it felt like hours before he answered her.
“…I see. You have my thanks.”
Metal scraped against metal—Orga sheathed his sword. Yuki soundlessly sighed.
But something doesn’t seem right…
A sense of impending doom unsettled her. At first, she chalked it up to her health, but that had been an impending crisis for a while now, so she tossed that conclusion aside and racked her brain for another reason.
“…Your appearance here must be some kind of destined encounter,” Orga said over her, his voice wavering unreliably.
Destined encounter? Yuki fearfully lifted her head—she gasped when she saw his face. Who is this?! Her first impulse was to doubt her eyes. There was no question the man standing over her was Orga. However…
Why is he making that face?
All Yuki ever saw in his features was hatred, contempt, and arrogance. He always exuded an icy aura of command and dominance. Yet the man in front of her had no semblance of the monster in her nightmares as a vague smile touched his lips.
Orga paid her bewilderment no attention as he stuck his hand in his pocket. He held out his hand with whatever he had pulled out and said, “Take it.” When she hesitated to act, he pressed, “I want to see Mother now, so I wish you would hurry.”
Yuki jumped to her feet and approached him. Like a wounded animal, she cautiously put out her hand. He placed something with a trace of warmth on her hand.
A Knight’s Token and a key?
Orga had given Yuki a violet and silver Knight’s Token and a golden key decorated with finely detailed carvings.
“This key goes to the deepest room on the highest floor of this tower…. I want you to cure the child there.”
“…Pardon?”
A Violet Knight’s Token. A room key. And a request to heal someone sick.
He’s talking about…Luca, isn’t he?
“But…why?”
Luca and Orga had shown nothing but mutual contempt for each other. Why then would Orga give Yuki Luca’s Knight Token and orders to heal him?
The corner of Orga’s lips curved. “Why? You ask a strange question, girl. Don’t you possess the power to heal? Isn’t it natural for you to heal a patient should one be set before you?” he replied, misunderstanding the reason for her question. She frowned. “You shouldn’t think about what it means. Taking too much interest in the unrelated leads to destruction. Or are you looking to be destroyed?” he sneered and placed his hand on his sword’s hilt.
Yuki quickly took a step back. “N-N-Not at all! I wouldn’t think of it!”
“Then hurry to your patient,” he said, a self-derisive smile eating away at the effect his menace held. “…I want to know why this happened too.”
“What?”
“I’m not talking to you…. If that child wakes up, can you tell him to do as he pleases?”
“Do as he pleases? Are you—”
“It isn’t of concern to you. Tell him exactly what I said word for word. Understand?”
“Ah, y-yes, sire.” Yuki hugged the Knight’s Token and key to her heart. She turned on her heel and stepped forward in search of the door to the tower.
“One more thing—if anyone stops you, show them the Knight’s Token.”
“Y-Yes, sire.”
She clasped the Knight’s Token in both hands. It’d be a lie if she said she wasn’t curious why Orga acted strangely or why he was talking to himself in front of the spring, but joy over gaining a clue to Luca’s whereabouts beat out all questions. Finally, at long, long last she had a guaranteed path to Luca.
Her health was no better, but there was a hop in her step and enough energy to rush up the tower’s spiraling staircase.