Delmos kingdom envoy

They reached the town. The streets teemed with sellers, buyers, and bystanders.

The six travelers walked while they held their horses by the reins.

Melovine placed her hand on her stomach and shook her money pouch. "We need food to continue our journey. There's an inn ahead, let's go there."

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The inn was not fancy, but it was crowded with people eating and paying for rooms.

The tables were round. Prince Ivive, Teri, and Mizak sat at one table, while Melovine, Kiera, and Elley sat at another table next to them. They ate their food in silence.

"About the reason why I'm wearing a hat?" Prince Ivive asked Teri in a low voice.

Teri sighed and drank the water from his cup. He dropped the cup on the table and wondered how he would say the words that would come out of his mouth.

He knew that Prince Ivive didn't like his father, but he was still his father.

"Your highness," Teri finally said in a low voice.

"The crown prince is after your life. You are wanted dead or alive and..."

Prince Ivive leaned closer to Teri as he felt pain in his heart. "Why? Why is he after my life? Am I in his way? I left the palace for more than a month, why does he want me dead?" He asked and brushed his hair backward in frustration.

He leaned back and sighed as he laced his hand on the table.

Prince Ivive had stayed away from politics and the imperial palace affairs, but his stepbrother, the crown prince, still wanted him dead.

Prince Ivive heaved a sigh and smirked. "And I am sure my father, the king, knows about it but he is just overlooking.

You see Teri, what did I tell you about that coward of a man that sits on the throne, huh? That..."

Teri cut him off before he could continue. "The king is dead," he finally said and Prince Ivive went quiet as he stared at Teri.

Melovine, Elley, Kiera, Mizak, and Prince Ivive looked at him in shock.

Prince Ivive furrowed his eyebrows. He was angry at the king, but when Teri mentioned that the king was dead, he felt a strange feeling. It was as if his heart sunk.

"How did you know?" Mizak asked curiously.

"Where did you get your information from?" Prince Ivive asked.

"It's no wonder that the crown prince wants you dead," Melovine said.

"Yesterday night. I found out from the old couple. They were about to send you and Mizak to the south provisional lord for a reward. After that, the both of you could have been sent to the imperial palace," Teri said.

"The king began the search for Mizak but as for Prince Ivive, the crown prince searched for him, dead or alive, after the king died. This is my speculation," Elley said.

Melovine patted her head. "It's the same thing your brother said."

"The crown prince will be coronated months later and he will become a vassal to the king of Delmos," Teri said.

"Eh? Is the crown prince trying to turn Alririt into slaves? Let's kill him when we get to the capital."

Prince Ivive was still in thoughts after hearing his father was dead.

"The crown prince is after Prince Ivive, how can we enter the palace now?" Kiera asked.

"Don't worry, Teri always has a plan, right silver hair?" Melovine asked.

Elley shook her head. "Slaves? I don't know, but it seems the king of Delmos wants to become an emperor. I think he is trying to rebuild the Ivive empire."

"That is not the way to do it and he is not the one to rebuild it unless we will really become slaves. And rebuilding the empire without Herl kingdom is not Ivive empire.

He is doing it for his selfish reasons and I am sure he will name the empire Varouge."

"Varouge," Teri mumbled as he tried to remember where he heard the name Varouge.

He finally remembered the night he was able to see a little and he was talking with Prince Ivive and Melovine.

He remembered Prince Ivive saying that ten years ago, Mizak asked him if he knew Apex Varouge.

"Could they be related or they simply have the same name?" Teri thought to himself.

"Varouge, I knew that name was familiar," Melovine said.

"Varouge is the name of the king of Delmos kingdom," Mizak said.

"I know, but do you know the person of Apex Varouge? He is the first son and child of the traitor king of Delmos," Melovine said enthusiastically.

Mizak looked at her. "You... you know Apex Varouge?"

Melovine shook her head. "I do not know him, but he is in the next part of the story that my father told me. Once we find where to settle for the night, I will continue the story."

Teri furrowed his eyebrows as he thought, "Why did Mizak look for Apex Varouge ten years ago? He was a friend of Prince Athelin. Was he also a friend of Apex Varouge? What is the weight of your secret, Mizak?"

"He won't become an emperor while we are still alive," Elley said.

"I knew it! I smelled bad luck. Hey, bad-tempered lady in red!" the innkeeper yelled.

Melovine choked on her water as she turned her head towards the innkeeper. "Didn't I pay for the food and water?" she yelled.

The innkeeper walked closer to Melovine and pointed his finger at her. "You, get out!"

Melovine slammed the table. "Allow me to finish my food! It's not like I caused any trouble, innkeeper!"

"I will return your money, get out!" the innkeeper yelled.

Mizak, who was watching the scene, spoke as he chuckled slightly. "It looks like Lady Melovine has many enemies," he said as he turned his head to Teri, but Teri was silent.

A man stood up. "The bad-tempered lady in red? Rest assured, innkeeper, we will drive her out for you."

Another man ran inside the inn. "Everyone, the Delmos kingdom envoy to Alririt kingdom is coming! Yes, the one that wears a scary mask!" he said as he panted.

The people in the inn trembled as they stood up and walked back to the counter, standing next to each other and hanging their heads low.

The six travelers were still on their table, wondering what was going on.

There were six muscular men with swords that also didn't stand up, looking at least twenty-five years of age, wearing commoner clothes.

"Let's just stand at the back," Mizak said and Melovine, Kiera, Elley, and Prince Ivive walked hurriedly to the back, standing behind people.

Anger filled Teri's heart as soon as he heard the envoy was coming here.

"It is so unwise of you to do this now," Mizak said in a low tone as he held Teri's arm and dragged him to where others were.

With a voice full of rage, Teri said, "I'm going to kill him."

"Trust me when I say it is unwise of you to fight him now," Mizak said as he looked at Teri.