Memories: My Kingdom

Chapter 39: Collapse

“LEUI!!!” Mhir cried and jumped on him after she opened the door for him.

“Ack!” Leui cried when his soul almost left him after Mhir hugged him tight with her monstrous strength. “Not… too… tight…” he told her in between his breaths.

“Oops. Sorry!” Mhir apologized and immediately let go of him. “How are you? Were you injured? Are you hungry? Or do you need to take a bath and then rest first?” she asked worriedly. Her eyes were filled with concern as she looked at him.

Leui smiled and patted her head. “I am fine. That knight saved me.” He told her.

“The knight…” Mhir muttered as she lowered her head. He really saved Leui? She thought, then suddenly felt ashamed for doubting Fedrich.

“Mn.” Leui nodded and then turned when he heard footsteps. “Hello. Good morning.” He greeted when he saw the wagon driver’s wife.

The wagon driver’s wife smiled and nodded. “Are you hungry? I’m going to cook our breakfast today.” She told him as she walked towards the kitchen.

“I already did… you can cook for your family and Mhir first. Thank you.” Leui said as he went inside the house.

Mhir closed the door. “Leui…” she called.

“Right, Mhir.” Leui turned to her. “They asked me if we are going to the Capital. They can give us a ride.” He told her.

Mhir’s eyes widened and she smiled. “Yes!” she answered.

“I also asked them if they know a doctor and if we could take us the wagon driver’s family to the Capital to see the doctor for her to be cured.” Leui said. “They said they will.” He told her.

Her eyes sparkled in delight. Her smile is filled with hope. “That’s great!” she said.

“Yes.” Leui smiled and patted her head. “You go tell the wagon driver’s wife. I’ll get some rest first.” He told her.

“Okay!” Mhir said and went to the kitchen, looking very excited to break the news. The wagon driver doesn’t need to look for a doctor himself! He can just focus on his job and take care of his family!

…

“If things go our way, we can go back to the Capital earlier and make it in time for the last day of the Peace Festival.” Melton said as they looked at the map.

With Fedrich’s money bribing the thieves, they managed to know the number of their group and their hideout. But, they will still bring them to the Capital with them and send them to jail.

“Festival, huh…” Fedrich muttered. “So, it’s already been a year.” He said.

Melton didn’t answer and just studied the terrain in the map. “Their hideout is near the Forbidden Forest… are they not afraid? Have they lost their mind?” he asked.

There are many beasts in the Forbidden Forest. To say, the Forbidden Forest is like the miniature version of the Other Shore.

“The most dangerous place is the safest place.” Fedrich spoke. “No one would think at first that they are hiding there. And no one would think for a second of going there.” he raised his head. “It’s not insanity. They are just daring.” He told them.

“Yes.” Melton and the other knights agreed.

“Ask the nearest stations if there are a new batch of tourists and merchants that are going here. The thieves will definitely ambush them, and we’ll ambush the thieves when they make their move.” Fedrich spoke.

“Oh! Not only will we catch the thieves, we can also save the tourists and merchants!” one of the knights said.

“Striking two birds with one stone!” another one said.

“It will work, if this stone isn’t easy to break.” Fedrich woke them up. “Make sure you stay on guard and won’t drop the ball.” He told them.

“Yes!” they answered.

“Melton. Go ask the nearest stations.” Fedrich spoke.

“Yes.” Melton nodded and then left.

The door closed and Fedrich saw his subordinates were looking at it. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“The vice-captain is working too hard.” One of them answered.

“Then, you should also work hard.” Fedrich told them as he sat on his seat.

“That’s not it, captain.” They said.

Fedrich looked at them.

“After we returned to the Rainbow Village and sent the people back to their homes safely, the vice-captain immediately returned to the Dream Weaver’s domain to find you. But, he can’t find you.” Someone spoke. “The captain waited for more than half a day without blinking an eye, afraid that he’d miss to see any changes and would lose you. He also had us bring many books related to the Dream Weavers and he didn’t even eat a single grain of rice nor drank a drop of water just to study the Dream Weaver’s characteristics, hoping he can find something to bring you back. He didn’t sleep all night and insisted on waiting for you.” He explained.

“… so?” Fedrich asked.

“So, the vice-captain still hasn’t a wink of sleep. I am afraid…” the knight didn’t manage to continue what he was saying when they heard a loud noise outside.

They immediately ran out and saw Melton had collapsed on the road and was almost hit by a wagon.

“Vice-captain!” they cried and immediately went to pick up the unconscious Melton.

“… why didn’t you tell me anything?” Fedrich asked the nearest knight. His face is very dark.

“W-we thought that the vice-captain was asleep this whole morning. We didn’t know…” that he actually continued to serve you. The knight continued in his mind.

Fedrich frowned and walked towards them. “Give them compensation. The others, go to the nearest station.” He told them.

“Yes!” the knights answered, taking their vice-captain’s task.

“Captain. How about the vice-captain…?” someone asked. The captain won’t beat up the vice-captain, right? They worriedly thought.

Fedrich picked up Melton from the ground. “How can I beat a sick person?” he snapped at them.

They shut up.

“Go.” Fedrich told them. “I’ll take care of him.” he said and left without looking back while carrying Melton in his arms.

The knights immediately did as they were told. Meanwhile, Fedrich placed Melton who is now sleeping down on his bed. He removed the eyeglasses he was wearing and stared at his sleeping face for a while before he sighed.

“So worrisome.” He muttered before he placed Melton’s eyeglasses on the bedside table and then left.

…

“Really?! That's great news!” the wagon driver exclaimed after he heard what Mhir told him as they were having their breakfast. His eyes reddened and he immediately wiped his tears.

“Yes!” Mhir nodded, obviously very happy. “They are knights. I think the doctor they will find will be very reliable!” she said.

The wagon driver smiled. “Thank you very much. No matter how much the medical fee, I will pay it.” he said.

“No way! We already said that we’ll pay for it!” Mhir pouted.

The wagon driver looked at them with his eyes filled with gratitude. “Thank you… thank you very much!” he said as he cried.

The wagon driver’s wife is suppressing her emotions. “Here, have some more.” She told them as she pushed the dishes towards Mhir and Leui.

“Then, I won’t hold back!” Mhir said and picked up more dishes.

The wagon driver’s children were puzzled why their parents were crying but looked very happy. Seeing that Mhir took more dishes, they beat her to it.

“Ah! That’s mine!” Mhir said.

“No! It’s mine!” one of the children said.

The wagon driver and his wife smiled at their antics while Leui silently drank his water. There was a faint smile on his lips as he placed his cup down on the table.

Near the Forbidden Forest, thieves’ hideout.

“Damn it! These nosy knights!” one of them hit the table because of anger.

“I heard they are from the Capital but chose to work in the rural areas.” Someone said.

“Who do they think they are?! Some nobles?!” their leader exclaimed.

“They think they are good Samaritans.” Someone sneered.

“Hey. Those two didn’t expose us, right?” one of them asked.

“They dare?! We’ll kill their wives and children if they do!” the leader said. The two are those who wanted to leave their group after they saved enough fortune.

“Hey… you’re going too far!” someone said.

“It’s just a threat!” the leader denied.

“Even if we are thieves, it is money we are taking and not lives.” Someone spoke.

“Don’t talk as if you are clean! Your hands are already dirty after you’ve stolen from others!” someone told him.

“You bastard!” the other one said and punched him.

The leader’s face is dark. There is already an internal conflict going on between them every time they are distributing their loot. It is inevitable, but if they can avoid it, then they will. But, two of them suddenly wanted to break off from their group. That acted as a catalyst for their infighting. Added to the fact that the knights managed to corner them, their current situation isn’t good.