The Two Empresses
Information and Heart Contents

Saciel opened his eyes again, but this time he regained his senses from his long sleep. Phillip who happened to enter was surprised and approached him.

"Saciel?"

"Ngh, where am I?" tanyanya.

"You're in the treatment room. Did you forget you fainted yesterday?" ask Phillip. Saciel was silent for a moment and sighed. "And some of your ribs were broken through your heart. Fortunately you survived."

"Haha, I don't think the afterlife intends to accept me" Saciel quipped. "What about the others?"

"Being resting in the inn. If I don't move them, they'll make a mess I think."

"yes too. How long have I been asleep?" ask Saciel.

"Er...after you've been possessed by will-o'-the-wisp, I think it's been almost 2 weeks?" philip replied doubtfully.

"Over, too" he lamented. "Is there a problem as long as I'm unconscious?"

"In addition to that demi-human family, not much has changed. And strangely none of the royal soldiers came to arrest us."

"Squeaky. Erika has seen us" Saciel murmured. "Why didn't they send..."

"Here, rest there. You're as if you're healthy" Phillip cut. "Tomorrow we shall discuss this again."

"Alright, I don't want to bother you anyway. Oh, don't tell anyone else about this, will you?"

"effort to. You know how troublesome it is to take care of Kezia when she whines like a 7-year-old. He misses you" Phillip said.

"Ah, so? Just don't tell him, okay?"

"understand. Then I'll go first" Phillip said. He walks out of the clinic and finds Max standing under a tree in a cool style.

"Do you want what?" ask Phillip.

"I'm curious about that bitch" Max replied casually.

'I just want you to know how things are, ' Phillip said inwardly. "He's fine."

"You know that's not the question" Max replied. "He's conscious?"

"Come on, I don't know."

"Is that?"

"Just tell me the truth, Phillip. I don't like liars" Julian said, holding a poisoned knife to his back.

"When have you been here?" ask Phillip coldly. "Do you intend to drag him home?"

"Don't be so stiff. I have no intention of doing that. I'm here to share information."

"Well! No one believes your word, asshole" Phillip said. Julian frowned, then regained his senses and kept his knife under his cloak.

"So what information do you have?" ask Max coldly. "If I find any falsehood in your infom, I'll rip you apart."

"Woah, relax first dong. You know, right now the temple is in chaos as the word of God Oorun comes down. Cerlina is now under the watchful eye of the elders."

"Cerlina? What happened to her?" ask Phillip to panic.

"Sabda said Cerlina even provoked conflict in Careol City, even the elders were overwhelmed to overcome the people who protested about it."

"What is the word you mean?" ask Max.

"The kingdom will rise again and the elders will lose the power to lead this country" Julian said with a sly smile.

"So, I don't really understand that. But clearly, Cerlina was in a disadvantageous situation for him. They'll keep an eye on him until no information is left unturned" Julian replied.

"Is the info right out of the lips er...who was it?" ask Max.

"Oh, Cerlina's the twin sister of Saciel. And well, what the Great Priestess said was always right," Julian replied casually. Max backed away after hearing his answer.

"Twin brother you say? Don't tell me there's 2 crazy people in that family."

"Your brain is shortcut? This one's not as bad as Saciel okay? So please choose words that are quite pleasant to hear" Phillip replied.

"Whatever" Max replied.

"So, why didn't anyone come to arrest you because the situation at Careol was so hot and the soldiers couldn't just leave the post. Thank you to Cerlina" Julian said.

"Heh, interesting," said Max.

"Hmph, if your business is done, go there. You just interrupt here" Phillip kicked out.

"Sadly. But true are your words. I'm leaving first" said Julian. He turned and disappeared from before them. Before Phillip stepped his foot, Max's voice stopped him.

"So.what lies are you telling me huh?" ask Max coldly.

"...he was conscious, but still too weak to talk to. Satisfied?" philip replied while glancing at him.

"Hm, appreciable. Then what if you accompany me for a drink? I heard elves have good beer in the country."

"Not bad. Let's go" Phillip agreed. The two walked to a pub not far from the clinic. Everyone who saw Max was out of sorts, occasionally shuffling to leave the pub.

"I don't think I'm welcome here" Max said.

"Who cares? As long as you have money, they won't dare to kick you out" replied Phillip calmly. "Bartender! Two big glasses of the best beer you've got!"

The bartender quickly poured the beer into a large glass and took it to Phillip's table in fear that he could not hide. He let out a small scream as Max grabbed a glass and drank it with a few gulps.

"Take it again" Max said, giving the bartender an empty glass. After the bartender left, Phillip immediately downed the contents of his glass in just a few gulps.

"God! You're drinking strong?"

"Did my young master's image wear off after I drank?" ask Phillip.

"Well, 'cause you're too stiff to drink this, '" Max replied. Phillip just chuckled and asked the bartender to refill his glass.

"What made you help us? I'm sure you just want to accompany that bitch, right?"

"I told you to fix your words, but you did. I just don't want to see him suffer anymore. I've been close to Saciel and Cerlina since childhood, so I know everything about her. She was separated from her sister when she was a child because well, you've heard from Julian. I don't want to leave him alone."

"Last I saw him on the battlefield, he was devastated after the death of his friends and family. Pathetic."

"Didn't you kill him?" ask Phillip sharply. Max was silent, his hand was just playing his glass. "My answer."

"...you're right. I killed him, "Max said. Phillip was silent and sipped his beer. "But.ah no, it's okay."

"You seem to be hiding something" Phillip said.

"Everybody has their own secrets, right? You, me and them are the same. Ahh I'm hungry. Hey bartender! Bring me your best food!"

"Heh, you're right. There is no one who has no secrets" muttered Phillip wistfully. He finished his beer and patted Max on the shoulder. "I'm first."

"Hey, who paid for all this?" ask Max to panic. Phillip sighed and gave a sum of money that was more than enough to buy a bar to the bartender.

"Serve this man well. Understand right?" threaten Phillip cold. The bartender just nodded in fear. Phillip quickly walks out leaving Max still engrossed in his alcohol.