"W-what?" Lavernus's eyes bulged, unable to believe what he heard. His hand clenched tightly on the hilt of his sword, which now felt like an extension of his soul. The cold iron of the hilt was rough and uncomfortable in his sweat-dampened palm. "Why? Why should I be punished, Your Highness?" His voice was choked between humiliation and protest.
Hearing the defiant question, Stella's eyes immediately narrowed and her eyebrows furrowed sharply, signaling the limit of her patience. She walked with an elegant yet measured stride toward Lavernus. Her white knight armor flashed brightly, reflecting the sunlight—a glare that seemed to cut Lavernus's vision, amplifying her unreachable aura of justice.
"Do you still not understand?" She stopped right in front of him, the distance between them now barely an arm's length. Lavernus could smell the faint aroma of roses and clean linen from Stella's clothes, a stark contrast to the scent of dust and battle sweat clinging to him. "This is the umpteenth time I have reprimanded you for the arrogance and chaos you create. This time, I must punish you, Lavernus. For the sake of Citywon's order."
Behind Stella, the bustling sounds of the market, which had momentarily ceased, slowly began to be heard again—whispers, laughter, and the clicking of shoes—as if the world had moved on, while he, Lavernus, was suspended in humiliation. Lavernus's eyes widened and his mouth fell open, but no words could escape. In the end, he could only bow his head, staring at the dusty street beneath his feet. His strength and his pride shattered under the gaze of the Princess.
"Very well, Your Highness." Lavernus paused for a moment, swallowing his dry saliva forcibly. "What's the punishment?"
"You're forbidden from roaming outside the White Church area for an indefinite period of time," Stella stated, her voice firm, allowing no compromise.
"Understood." Lavernus replied faintly.
"Oh, and one more thing: I'll confiscate all your combat gear. From your armor to your sword," Stella continued.
Stella's explanation made Lavernus's hand, clenched tightly on the sword hilt, tremble violently. The shaking was felt not just in his hand, but vibrated all the way to his shoulders and chest. This was an excruciatingly complex and painful matter for an elite soldier like him. The sword had become a close companion, a symbol of honor, and was even regarded as his soul and a symbol of his life. Losing his sword meant losing everything.
"Very well, Your Highness," Lavernus answered, his voice now a barely audible whisper.
Seeing Lavernus's obedience, Stella's face softened. Her eyes returned to normal and her brows relaxed. Her lips curved into a sweet smile, a sharp contrast to the cruelty of her sentence.
"Good. Now, get into the carriage," Stella said, giving her final command.
Lavernus stood silent, without objection, and obeyed her order. As he walked disconsolately toward the carriage, his boots dragged on the street dust, leaving two long, embarrassing scratch marks on the dusty road. He took a moment to look over his shoulder at Otto, staring at him intently. The expression of annoyance and humiliation on his face vanished as quickly as he entered the carriage.
After Lavernus left, Stella approached Garron, her guard. "Garron, take Lavernus to the Church of Light and explain the situation to the high officials. Hand over his sword and armor to them."
"Yes, Your Highness." As he was about to mount his horse, he looked back. "Forgive me for asking, but are you not coming?"
"No." Stella then turned to Otto, her smile now more mysterious. "I have something I want to ask him."
"Very well. Please be vigilant regarding that stranger, Your Highness. His appearance is suspicious."
"Rest assured." Stella began to walk toward Otto. "He's intriguing."
Seeing Stella so easily captivated by the rabbit-masked man, Garron let out a long sigh, shaking his head slightly. He then began to drive the horse carriage, leaving Stella and Otto alone in the middle of the street which was slowly beginning to bustle again.
"So?" Otto asked, his voice slightly tense. He felt a little nervous under the Princess's calm yet authoritative gaze.
"So, would you care to explain to me: why are you wearing a mask?"
"Well, that's not really a—" Suddenly, Otto fell silent. He just remembered the main reason he fought Lavernus. The stuffy air around him suddenly felt thick, weighing down his lungs. "Wait a moment…"
Otto sprinted toward the black horse tavern. He rushed past the fragments of the broken wooden door caused by him. Every step triggered the glass shards on the floor to scrape and shift, creating a tense, rustling sound that proclaimed his presence. Upon arriving inside, his eyes scanned the entire place frantically. There were only broken glasses on the floor, and the owner of the place was crouching, sweeping them up. The bunny-masked man approached him.
"Where is the old man?" Otto asked, his tone urgent.
"Oh, you." The owner glanced at him briefly before refocusing on the glass shards. The sharp scent of stale alcohol and dust filled the air in the messy tavern. "He left right after you fought the elite soldier. He seemed fine, lad."
"And what about Lavernus's friends?"
"The same. They didn't seem to want to get further involved after the Princess arrived."
Not long after, the sound of very soft footsteps, almost like the friction of silk cloth, was heard slowly from behind. Hearing it, Otto immediately turned around. It was Stella Valemira. A thin smile was etched on her face and her blonde hair fluttered in the gentle breeze coming from the broken doorway, adding to her elegant impression.
"What do you need, Your Highness?" Otto asked. He bowed slightly, giving a salute.
"Yeah, I want you to explain everything to me. Including your mask, Steve."
Otto took the deepest breath possible before exhaling, realizing he could no longer avoid it. "Very well, Your Highness. But I believe this is not the place."
"You're right." Not long after, Stella turned and walked toward the door. "Follow me. I have a good place to talk."
Otto stared at the Princess's straight, unwavering back, the shoulders of her white armor reflecting the dazzling sunlight. A good place to talk. The veiled threat made him feel like a mouse invited to a cat's party. "Damn it," Otto muttered softly before being forced to follow her, his actual mission now feeling far more complicated than just a simple fight.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, in the busy corners of Citywon, Eldric, Eliana, and the other subordinates continued to search for Iago. They searched for him in narrow alleys smelling of urine and wet trash, bustling food and drink stalls loud with deafening chatter, and various hidden inns.
"Damn it! Where the hell is Master Iago?!" Eldric said in a loud, frustrated tone. His eyes narrowed and his eyebrows furrowed sharply. Both his hands were now clenched tightly, his thick-skinned fists pounding the stone wall beside him, creating a muffled thud, as if the wall was absorbing the explosion of his emotions.
Hearing the emotional outburst, Eliana merely stood silent and averted her gaze, staring into the distance. Her eyes tracked past the mossy tile roofs and the tangled overhead wires. For now, she didn't know what to do other than obey Eldric's increasingly desperate commands. The black-haired girl also started thinking about Otto.
Is that annoying man causing chaos? Eliana sighed. Ah, right. What if he ran into one of those elite soldiers like Lavernus? If that happened, Master Iago's plan all this time would be a complete failure. Wait… does he even know the way back?
After pondering all of this, Eliana gently scratched her head, though it didn't itch. The sun was rising higher in the sky, its rays warm but not comforting. The wind blowing did not bring coolness, but only carried rough street dust onto her face, rustling the green canopy of trees and her hair.
Damn it… What should I do? Eliana muttered to herself, feeling the burden of duty and worry settle upon her as heavily as the hot air in Citywon's bustling crowd.