Against the World II: Transgression
Chapter 23: The Laugh of the King, part 5
...—Royal Palace—...
“Welcome, Mr. Azet, please follow me. His Majesty Minner has been waiting, he was already there more than fifteen minutes ago.”
Xavier nodded and followed the lady in maid uniform. He took her through the side hall of the palace. It was an open hallway, in contrast to the passageway in the Imperial Palace let alone in the Royal Tree. Even when compared to the two palaces, the palace of the warebeast ruler was clearly less artistic. The first impression that one has when looking at the palace of the Warebeast Great Kingdom is not much different from when one visits a fortress.
Before long, Xavier was directed into a spacious room at the end of which were dozens of bookshelves. Between the two bookshelves was a half-open two-leaf door.
“Please Mr. Azet enter the room, Your Majesty is already inside. Now I beg you to withdraw.”
When Xavier entered the room that turned out to be the training ground, Minner was already sitting on the pottery with both legs crossed. The king's eyes closed, he seemed to be sitting very quietly. Either he meditated while waiting for her either way, but calmness emanated clearly from his motionless body.
A thirty centi oval-shaped table was already before the king. On the table was delicious food and drinks. The food is only divided into fruit and meat, while the drink there is water and fermented wine. The smell of all the food is really tempting.
Did he want to see if he would take off the mask and accept the banquet?
It was a normal question that popped into the head when a masked person was confronted in this kind of state.
“It's no surprise you recognize me, Minner Ertharossa.” Xavier said as he sat in the opposite direction to Minner—ia sitting without being told, not caring if he was in the presence of a king. “So, what do you want?”
“Oh, you don't want to stand up and make excuses if you're not El?” Minner opened his eyes, one of his legs changing position to stand in a bending position. “Can't tell me I'm surprised. Why don't we enjoy this dish before I say what I want?”
“Heh,” entertained Xavier. “You are also curious about my true identity?” Xavier didn't wait for Minner's response. “Vermyna has defeated me,” she said in a voice she tightened. “He wants to take over the New World Order and for me to be his subordinate. I-i refused. We fought, and he was incredibly strong. He's my natural enemy of magic. That's why I left the New World Order. Does this answer your concerns?”
“From all my assumptions.your answer is the last assumption,” Minner's response is accompanied by a breath.
“I never imagined that Vermyna Hermythys was not Vermyna's true self,” honestly Xavier while grabbing a glass of wine with her right hand, , while the left hand slightly raised the mask position to show the mouth and a little nose. “I think I'm strong, but that woman is really something else.” Xavier gulped down the purple liquid elegantly.
“Vermyna Hellvarossa..I can't even compreferenced how strong she is.” Minner shook his head slowly ‒ he who incidentally had known Vermyna for a long time did not even know that Vermyna Hellvarossa was the true identity of Vermyna Hermythys.
“By the way,” continued Minner along with Xavier who put a glass filled with purple wine, “Qibtya refused to believe Vermyna's claim that you were snuffed out by Twelfth Commander. He had rejected Vermyna's leadership, even threatening to remove the Desert Kingdom from the New World Order. If not for Evillia's persuasion, maybe now Desert Kingdom is no longer a member of NWO.”
Ah, Qibtya, that girl….
Although he was intelligent, his nature was the opposite of Artemys. She was more energetic than Monica when she was a child. Qibtya is too active. Dealing with him makes himself tired: he always has things to say, always has topics to talk about, and he always takes advantage of the opportunity to paint the reality that they are for each other. The girl even claimed she was his wife.
“It seems like he's feeling very lost by the disappearance of you; you better see him. If you dare to make her like you, it is appropriate that you take responsibility to reciprocate that feeling.” Minner grabbed the glass filled with wine, gulped it down violently. “I don't know how old you are, but I'm very old. Seeing Qibtya was like seeing a talented grandson. She is not strong, but as an individual she is attractive.”
“It looks like it's impossible, Minner Ertharossa.” Xavier removed his mask before Minner could ask why it was impossible. “Knowing this face is quite popular after all the football strikes, I suggest you know this face, am I wrong?”
The king's laughter filled a room that was as vast as the floor of the arena where he had fought Alice.
“Say, Commander Xavier, do Evillia and Vermyna know this? Moni, Zie, and Menez..do they also know?”
Xavier nodded, his hand moving to pick up the blood red apple present. “They all know. Menez and Moni leave Deus Chaperon. They followed me to the empire.”
“So, that's why Vermyna said that El had died at the hands of Twelfth Commander, that Evillia refused to give a clear answer when I asked.” Minner nodded in understanding. “Lantas, how about Zie? I knew that Zie was dead; all the members of Deus Guardian knew when the other members were killed. What happened exactly?”
“Ask that to Vermyna. That's if he wants to answer.” Xavier put his shoulders down and picked up another apple. “You have any other questions?”
Minner changed his seat again. His legs returned cross-legged, while both arms had folded on his chest. “If Vermyna hides your status as El even though the empire wants El's death, can I assume you plan to destroy the empire from da—ah, from your actions as the Twelfth Commander so far, do you want to take over the empire?”
“That's an interesting thing to do. After losing the New World Order to Vermyna, making the empire a pawn to bestow is a good idea.” Xavier let himself smile, before then continuing, “Unfortunately not so. I don't know which way Vermyna's going to take the NWO, but I do believe you and Evillia won't be quiet if the NWO's direction goes far from the direction I set. I will only see in which direction Islan will step from my position as commander.
“With the upcoming war, it is likely that Vermyna and Fie will kill each other. With both of them dead, the center of power will return to my hands. At that time I could determine: Whether I would continue the New World Order, or even help Kanna el Vermillion bring the Islan under the imperial flag. What is clear, my desire to make Islan a place filled with peace is still not gone.”
Minner closed his eyes, thinking seriously. Xavier had no interest in assuming what was filling the king's head, his hand reaching back for the delicious blood-red apple. Satisfying yourself with the food provided.
“So apparently. I-i understand. I wanted to ask why Vermyna didn't finish you knowing she could guess your plan, but I guess it would be better if I asked her directly.” Minner nodded to himself, then his eyes looked intensely at Xavier. “Last question,” the door.
“Please,” response Xavier—his hand took three apples, two he put in a cloak pocket. “I'll entertain you by answering any question it is.”
“Why did you open your identity in front of me? What if I told Nueva this?”
This time Xavier laughed. He even choked a little. And after sipping a delicious purple wine, then he gave an answer: “Nueva also knows my identity as El. And why do I show you this face? It is so that later when I come bring the imperial flag here, you are not surprised. Thanks for the food, Minner Ertharossa, we will probably meet again on the battlefield.”
And Xavier disappeared from his seat just like that, the air of his existence vanished without a trace.
Minner scrunched his forehead. The thing that he could not have thought of before, now entered his head: Is it possible that Nueva actually gave orders to El to establish NWO? Is it possible that Nueva has toyed with everything inside her palm?
Or perhaps, Xavier was only bluffing that Nueva knew of his identity as El?
The main question is, is it true that it is the only reason that makes El show Xavier von Hernandez face to him?
“Then I have to make sure the Warebeast Great Kingdom doesn't send a lot of troops to the battlefield,” Minner muttered in the end. “The upcoming battle is not the final, but the battle after it will be the decisive one where this Islan steps. Ah...Aren't I too old to handle this?”
...»»» End of Chapter 23 «««...