章 97: Escort Date (1)
"Haa.. Haa… That was difficult."
"You're too damn strong!"
Willow retorted.
Sebastian had knocked them all down. Though it did take a few minutes, he wasn't using a weapon. If this were a match with weapons, the three of them had no doubt Sebastian would be able to deal with all of them easily.
Willow's flames that wouldn't disappear couldn't get close once Sebastian wrapped himself in flames. Because of the heat, the mist also began rising up and fading while Freddie's metal rods were blasted far away with explosions.
"We're only one or two ranks different, how come you're so good?!"
Freddie shouted back in disbelief.
"Experience." James was the one to answer the other two's question.
"He's right. The difference between us isn't our powers, but experience. I've fought many battles, and not just against beasts, but humans too."
They were Sebastian's friends, he earnestly wanted them to achieve what they wished for, to become stronger.
"Do you guys want to become mercenaries?"
Sebastian gave them a smile, but they could only see it as ominous.
…
In the end, Sebastian stayed at the dorms until the end of the year. After marking the dates of his exams and other events he needed to attend, he left.
"Wisteria, you needed me for something?"
On the day Sebastian left the dorms, he received a message from Wisteria to meet her on the first day of the year.
"Yes, an escort mission came up."
"An escort mission, you say…"
It had been a while since he last received one.
"So, who am I escorting?"
"Me."
"...what?"
"You're escorting me, Wisteria Anthine Luther, the princess of a distant kingdom. You see, I wanted to go out in public but it's a little dangerous."
As if Sebastian would believe that sort of lie. If it was dangerous for her, what would Sebastian be able to do? She was the most dangerous woman he had ever met.
"Though I call it an escort mission, it's closer to a date."
"While I appreciate your feelings, I cannot reciprocate them. I already have another woman in my heart."
"I'll hit you."
Sebastian stopped his act immediately. If she really did hit him, he would wake up the next day.
"Anyway, I heard that there were people planning to kidnap me and hold me ransom. All you have to do is wait until then and let me get captured after viciously struggling to keep them at bay."
"And the point of all this is…?"
"They're related to the foreign assassin organization we took care of a while back. It seems the ransom they're demanding for me, a princess, is quite the sum."
Princess? Her? She had already told him of her origins before, how would a street urchin become a princess?
Even if she were adopted, her family was only a very rich aristocratic family. Why did people think of her as a princess?
"Just play along and call me princess tomorrow. Don't worry, the reward isn't cheap."
"Haa…"
She really know how to bait him.
"Alright. Do I have to wear a disguise?"
"No, you will go as Sebastian Sol."
"Then, when do we meet up?"
"Come to this address before dawn."
Wisteria handed Sebastian a slip of paper and sent him away.
A few minutes later, Hound walked in.
"Wisteria, why did you give him that sort of mission?"
Hound asked her with knit brows. She had taken off her mask the moment she entered.
"Is it bad to protect my subordinate?"
"Wouldn't you be exposing your identity to the Sage?"
"It's already known. Sebastian isn't capable of detecting the spy's presence and seeing how many times he's already come here, it's definitely known."
Hound sighed and sat down on a chair.
"Well, Your Highness Wisteria, how do you intend to answer the stir your presence is going to cause tomorrow?"
"Teehee."
Hound felt a headche sinking in at Wisteria's mischievous face. Having another nation's royalty come inside the city without a formal greeting? Hound didn't know what she was going to do to appease the people and nobles.
…
"Balanos."
—What is it?
"What do you think the being meant?"
—Didn't that being tell you that all will be revealed in time? If so, then there's no use brooding about it.
Though Balanos answered like she couldn't care any less, she actually felt the opposite.
'What does that being want with Sebastian? To strike down the eight suns and the one above them?'
As far as Balanos knew, there was only one sun in the sky, and there was nothing else above it.
Though it's true that she had been guarding Sebastian because of the deal with his grandparents, she couldn't deny that to her, Sebastian was no longer just someone she needed to protect.
She would even gladly lay down her life for him.
"Nnggg…"
Sebastian let out a frustrated groan and laid down on his bed. Though it was only midday, he was already lazing around. However, Balanos didn't think of him as lazy at all.
He was one of the hardest working humans she had ever met.
"So, what about your tree?"
Though he was troubled by his own matter, he prioritized her first. She didn't whether to call him kind or foolish.
—I can't fix it on my own. You have to learn an ability related to nature and revive the tree for me.
That way, she would be able to regain her energy and protect him. Right now, all she could do to offer her assistance is with knowledge and Soul Weaving.
—There's also the option of taking a seed from my tree and planting it elsewhere. Though, this would take a long time lest you learn how to accelerate its growth.
Though there certainly were abilities that could do so, Sebastian didn't know where to begin looking.
"...I know a place I can plant you. Somewhere the Sage wouldn't be able to go to easily. Though, it's the same for me."
—The distance doesn't matter. Once I regain my full strength, I will have the ability to traverse between countries in an instant.
"Wha-? Teach me!"
—It's a skill limited to dryads. We go through the earth and emerge from a tree similar to our own.
"Eh…"
Sebastian felt dejected after being shot down so quickly.
"Then, why haven't you used it before?"
—Truth be told, my tree was already weak. With Ptelea's passing, some of her energy returned to nature and to us hamadryads. With her energy, I was able to use that ability once more.
"I see."
Balanos didn't like talking, or rather, she felt that it was a waste of energy. But, ever since she met Sebastian, she began talking more and more. Now, she could only feel talking as something natural.
"What kind of ability would help me…?"
—What are you looking for?
"Something like your ability to go from tree to tree. I realized it before but the world really is vast."
Even if Sebastian is fast, it's not like he could traverse dozens of kilometers in an instant. Traveling took time, one he lacked.
—If it's an ability like that, then I know of a few. Though, all of them except a few are extinct. The ones who used those abilities were the first ones killed in the war.
"Really? What are the abilities?"
—One ability allows you to cut through space. It's like folding a map to get through the other place faster. However, I know not of the bloodline's whereabouts.
"Ugh…"
That would've been a great ability to have.
—While there are a few more, the closest I know of is shadows.
"Shadows?"
—Yes, I recall seeing it in the war. They sank into the shadows and emerged someplace else. They could also create shadows and take their positions. Though, it isn't as efficient as manipulating space as it only covers a certain distance.
"Where do I find it?!"
Sebastian stood up and looked at nowhere in particular. If Balanos were standing in the room, he felt like she would be there.
—In this city, I've felt the presence of the bloodline.
…
"My, you look dashing."
"..."
If it wasn't Wisteria, maybe he would've thanked her for the compliment. Sebastian felt like instead of being praised, he was being mocked.
"We'll be going around until the afternoon so don't get too worked up yet."
"Ha?"
Sebastian resigned himself and hopped into the carriage with Wisteria. They would depart in a few minutes to go outside the gate and go back inside after a short while. While he didn't know of the purpose behind doing it, Wisteria wasn't one to joke around during a mission.
—Does she typically act like this?
Sebastian shook his head. He couldn't just answer Balanos with his voice, Wisteria was in front of him.
—Then, shouldn't you be on your guard?
Balanos hadn't personally met with Wisteria before. The only time she had was when he accepted the mission just yesterday.
Though Sebastian typically listened to everything Balanos had to say, even if they were inconsequential. However, Sebastian decided to ignore her this one time.
Sebastian has only known Wisteria for a little less than a year but he felt that he knew her fairly well.
If he had to use one word to describe her, it would be 'free'. She liked to do whatever she wanted. But, if what she wanted to do would endanger the organization or its members, she would refrain from doing so even with the proper authority to enforce it.
The assassin that Sebastian had killed in the past was a special case. Apparently, Wisteria didn't think too fondly of him for going against orders and accepting jobs without any consent from his superiors.
Once Sebastian and Wisteria were out of the gates in their carriage, they waited. For at least a quarter of an hour, the two of them silently sat in the carriage.
"It amazes me how you've yet to comment about me being in a dress."
Wisteria suddenly spoke up.
"Didn't I already see you wearing one when you picked me up from the airship?"
"And you didn't comment on it that time either."
Sebastian shrugged. Though he didn't usually see Wisteria in anything other than shorts and jackets covered by a cloak or a robe, a dress was oddly fitting.
"Looks like it's our turn to go in."
"Eh…"
Entry to the town was forbidden from near midnight to early morning. Sebastian remembered the time the gates open is seven in the morning. Though they did manage to leave, will they still be allowed inside?
"Don't worry about it."
Wisteria covered the bottom half of her face with a fan that she pulled out from who knows where and chuckled. He still didn't get why they had to do this complicated procedure, they could've strolled around the city normally.
As the carriage moved to enter the gates, Sebastian heard trumpets.
"Welcome the crown princess of Typhonia, Wisteria Antine Luther!"
"..."
Sebastian looked at Wisteria and she looked back. She lowered her fan and stuck out her tongue with a mischievous smile.
Sebastian felt a headache ensue as the carriage passed through the gates while many citizens looked out of their porches and windows to catch a glimpse of them.
"I should have listened to Balanos…"
Sebastian's tearful woe wasn't heard by anyone, not even Wisteria who was in front of him.
—Hmph.
Only Balanos managed to hear him and snorted in response.
'This is what you get."
クリエイターの想い 
SeverTheHeavens
SeverTheHeavens Start of the mass release for the day. I will release around five chapters with a three hour interval for each one. After that, chapters will be regular again.
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