The Curse as a Shield
Hayate and Neshuda left the hidden cavern in Mori no Kage as the sun rose, casting long, suspicious shadows through the dense trees. They moved together, Hayate leaning slightly on Neshuda, the retrieved treasonous documents safely hidden in a waterproof satchel.
The reunion had changed everything. The silence between them was gone, replaced by a constant, humming awareness.
Hayate's body was weak, but his heart felt whole again. The paralyzing agony of absolute abandonment had vanished, replaced by the familiar, powerful sensation of Neshuda's presence—a strong, steady flow of pure-hearted loyalty mixed with fierce, intense caution.
"You're still hurting, Neshuda," Hayate murmured, feeling a dull ache in his own legs.
Neshuda didn't look at him, his dark eyes scanning the tree line. "It's just exhaustion, Hayate. We have to move quickly. Qalvetta's patrols will be sweeping this area."
Hayate felt the reflection of Neshuda's lie—the exhaustion was real, but the true pain was Neshuda's internal guilt over what his exile had forced Hayate to endure.
"Don't lie to me again," Hayate said softly, gripping Neshuda's arm. "We agreed. We trust the pain. It's our shield now. Tell me what you feel, and I will tell you what I feel."
Neshuda sighed, defeated by the King's kind resolve. "I feel fear, Hayate. Not for myself. But a cold, tight knot of terror that you are exposed. That is what you are feeling in your chest."
"Yes," Hayate confirmed, closing his eyes. "It is cold, but it warns me. Let's go. We have to find Captain Torvin before Qalvetta realizes we've reunited."
Running the Forest Gauntlet
Their first goal was to reach Elderbloom Talbore, the small town where Hayate had initially stopped for supplies. He had left a cryptic message there for Captain Torvin, the honest young guard, hoping he would risk everything to follow.
The journey through the woods was a terrifying dance. Neshuda, the master of stealth, moved with silent grace, but his focus was doubled—guarding the King and crushing his own guilt.
The Curse of Reflection became their survival tool.
As they approached a small, winding path, Hayate felt a sudden, cold spike of intense concentration reflected from Neshuda, instantly followed by a metallic scent of stale sweat.
"Patrol, close," Hayate whispered, pulling Neshuda back into a thicket. "Three men, armed, coming up the path from the south."
Neshuda didn't ask how Hayate knew. The King's Angelic senses, magnified by the curse's connection, were working as a perfect threat radar.
They watched from the hidden brush as three of Qalvetta's newly appointed guards—young, arrogant, and wearing the King's seal—marched past, discussing the reward for finding the "traitorous former Guardian and the weak King."
"Qalvetta is using the King's seal to put a bounty on his own head," Neshuda observed, his voice hard. "He wants you dead, but he needs to make it look like an accident caused by bandits."
Hayate felt a flash of deep, righteous anger—the reflection of Neshuda's fury at the blatant disrespect.
They waited until the sound of the guards' footsteps vanished. They continued their journey, moving only when the curse allowed it. The pain, once a crippling weakness, was now a critical warning system, powered by Neshuda's absolute dedication to Hayate's safety.
The Loyal Guard
They reached the outskirts of Elderbloom Talbore as dusk fell. The village was quiet, its people terrified by the new, brutal tax levy and the rumors of the King's 'betrayal.'
Hayate led Neshuda to a small, isolated cabin near the old stone well. It was a place where Hayate used to send supplies to the poor, a location only true allies would know.
They waited in the cabin for two tense hours. Hayate was so exhausted he was practically asleep on his feet, leaning against Neshuda, who stood sentinel by the window.
CLINK-CLANK!
A small stone hit the wooden side of the cabin, the distinct signal Hayate had instructed Torvin to use.
Neshuda vanished into the shadows instantly, his hand resting on the hilt of his concealed blade.
A moment later, he returned, silently pushing a young man into the cabin. It was Captain Torvin, dressed in plain civilian clothes, his face drawn with stress and worry.
Torvin immediately knelt before Hayate, tears welling in his eyes.
"Your Majesty! You are alive! I feared the worst when Lord Qalvetta issued that heinous decree," Torvin gasped, his voice tight with genuine loyalty. "The Citadel is a prison! Qalvetta has removed every guard who showed an ounce of affection for you. He rules in your name, and he is preparing to seize the throne completely."
Hayate felt the reflection of Torvin's deep, frustrated loyalty—a warm, comforting emotion that felt like coming home.
Hayate quickly explained their mission, presenting the recovered treason documents—the forged seals, the stolen gold, the proof of the Hoshimura fire framing Neshuda.
Torvin gasped, examining the documents. "This is absolute proof! But Qalvetta has corrupted the entire Council! Even if we return with this, he will deny it and claim you fabricated the evidence outside the law!"
The Dire Need for an Army
The three men sat in silence. They had the truth, but no power to use it.
"We are three against the entire Royal Guard," Neshuda stated, his voice flat. "We need a fighting force that is loyal, discreet, and fast."
Hayate looked at the map, his finger tracing the coastline south of Elderbloom Talbore, towards the troubled coast of Hanegawa Village.
"There is only one group outside the Citadel's law that hates the nobility enough to fight Qalvetta," Hayate said slowly, his voice tinged with the cold resolve of a true King. "The coastal pirates of the South Sea. They are fierce, loyal to their own code, and they are tired of the old noble families taxing and abusing them."
Torvin and Neshuda exchanged a look of disbelief.
"Pirates, Your Majesty?" Torvin whispered. "They are criminals! We can't trust them!"
"They are free men, not slaves to the crown," Hayate countered, his charisma beginning to return, fueled by Neshuda's steady presence. "They hate the corruption of the old nobility, which is what Qalvetta represents. If I offer them legitimacy and the freedom to trade without noble taxation, they will fight for my pure-hearted vision of the kingdom."
Neshuda nodded slowly, his pragmatic mind assessing the risk. "Pirates live by loyalty. They may respect a King who honors a bargain. But this is extremely dangerous. They are volatile, brutal, and they know nothing of the curse. If you are hurt there, Hayate, I cannot protect you from hundreds of angry men."
"Then we must secure our alliance quickly," Hayate concluded, his eyes fixed on Neshuda. "We use my Angelic bloodline charm to gain their trust, and your master of sword and stealth training to ensure they don't try to kill us in our sleep. Torvin, you return to the Citadel. Act as Qalvetta's loyal dog. Report only to me, through the old relay points. You are our eyes and ears."
Torvin, looking terrified but resolute, nodded. "I will not fail you, Your Majesty. I will endure the viper's den."
The Coastal Path
As soon as Torvin left, Hayate and Neshuda prepared for the most dangerous journey yet—a trip to the pirate dens near Hanegawa Village.
Hayate was still physically weak, and the reflected fear from Neshuda's intense protective instinct was a constant, sharp companion.
"We have to be careful how we approach them, Neshuda," Hayate said, mounting his horse. "I am giving them power over the sea. They must see that I am strong, not desperate."
Neshuda walked beside the King, his dark eyes fixed on the path ahead. "You are doing this to save the kingdom, Hayate. That makes you the strongest King this land has ever seen. I will be your shadow and your silence. I will ensure no one lays a hand on you."
As they rode out of the quiet village and headed toward the coast, the landscape began to change. The fields turned into rough, rocky cliffs overlooking a vast, cold sea. The air tasted of salt and adventure.
Hayate felt a new emotion reflected from Neshuda—a mix of excitement and adventure. Neshuda, the stray who found home in the wilderness, was finally in his element, fighting for his King outside the suffocating walls of the court.
Hayate smiled, feeling the reflected joy and fierce loyalty wash over him, momentarily pushing back the fear. They were together, fighting a war of survival and truth. The next piece of the puzzle lay across the open, lawless sea.