Companion From The Past 1

"Anyway, sir Blanc, may I ask you something?"

The man who spoke was Arnold. The one I met earlier. While walking at the same pace as mine, he lightly glanced at my direction and once again asked.

"Sir Blanc, may I ask you a question?"

"Ah!?"

As if noticing his presence, I scratched my neck on the back before I answered, "Yes...?" With a surprised look.

Letting out a fake cough, he said, "Can you help us guide his Highness back to the palace?"

After he said that, he kept staying silent. Though, I knew from his expression that he was quietly observing what I was about to say next.

But right were I was about to answer, one of the soldiers named 'Jack', placed his hands onto my shoulder.

"Don't worry, after we reached the palace, we may ask his Majesty for your reward."

Well, since my plan was to make connections with the prince in the first place anyway, I can't just let go of this opportunity so I decided to reply.

"Guess that's fine with me."

Hearing this, Jack's expression suddenly brightened as he began to mess with my hair with a cheerful smile.

Arnold's brows furrowed. Walking up to us, he smacked Jack's head with his fist.

"That's not how you thank your savior, you idiot." Arnold said with a serious expression, as he pulled Jack from the back of his collar away from me.

With watery eyes, Jack covered his head with both of his hands because of the pain he felt.

"Okay, father..."

"Father?" I accidentally muttered out loud. At first, I was a bit surprised when he said that, but after a few seconds, I realized that they somehow do look alike if you thought of it that way.

"keumm.... keumm.... Yes. The guy over there is apparently my idiotic son who decided to become a soldier just to give me a huge headache here."

While saying that, Arnold expression frowned when he saw Jack stuck out his tongue, as he also pinched the middle of his brows annoyingly.

"I see..."

I guess that I'm not the only one who was having trouble dealing with their family... And somehow, this made me feel strangely happy.

"Anyways, sir Blanc, can I ask you what you did when you suddenly disappeared and reappeared as if you teleported in front of him.? It is also fine if you refused to tell me, it's fine because I'm not trying to force you or anyth- Oww!"

Before Jack could even finish his last sentence, Arnold stopped him by smacking his head once more that was clearly more stronger than the last one.

"Didn't I said that shouldn't ask some unnecessary question?" Arnold said with a serious expression. "I apologize once again for my son's behavior, sir Blanc." With a clear and embarrassed that could be seen from his expression, he stopped walking before bowing his head apologetically.

"No. It's fine... Rather, the answer for that question was quite simple..." I stopped walking and lightly turned my head to the side. Touching my mask on the side, I firmly answered.

"It was all because of my regular training."

***

After we a few minutes of walking, we finally reached my carriage. Hopping to the driver's seat, I decided to let the two of them rest inside while I drive my way back to where the prince are.

Of course. I don't want to feel bad for letting them walk again for another thirty-minutes. Even though I can reach this area without even breaking into sweat a minute at most if I'm alone, I can't just let them wander through the forest without knowing where they were heading to.

It didn't take us five minutes to reach them. And when we did, the carriage of where the prince and princess at began to move, following my carriage on the back.

A few hours later, we finally reached the Imperial Kingdom.

"We're here." I said as I began to look around the surroundings for a bit. Turning my carriage to face the other side of the road, we went ahead and departed. With them returning his Highness back to the palace while I continue searching around for something.

I stopped my carriage at the side of the road nearby. Hopping down to the carriage, I walked towards the direction of a certain man with a top-hat at the dark alley that could be seen within the distance.

Leaning my back to the wall where he was a couple of meters away from me, I heard a familiar puffing noice on my side.

Not long after I leaned my back to the wall, the man in the top-hat began to speak.

"You damned, witty brat. Because of you I have so much work to do." The man said as he continues to puff his cigarette. "But you know, the work they gave me was enough to satisfy me after all... So I'll let this off the hook for now."

Placing the briefcase on the ground from his right side, he finally walked out of the alley. Giving me a side glance, I saw his lips curved slightly into a smile.

"Puff... Don't disappoint me, brat." He said as he once again let out a puff for the last time before continuing to leave.

After he left, I turns and walks towards the briefcase to pick it up.

"Oho...." Smiling inwardly, I took out the artifact and glanced at the papers inside the briefcase before muttering to myself, "Prime Minister Mason, huh..."

***

"Here we are." Arnold said as he led me through the castle's hallway. "The castle is a bit huge. So be careful not to get lost." He continued before stopping when we reached the fairly-large, secured door in front of us.

Giving a quick to the guards, they nodded.

Slowly, the huge door in front of us opened. Fixing my posture appropriately, my expression inside my mask became serious after both of us went inside.

Arnold, Jack and I stopped walking, and knelt down after we reached a couple of meters away from the stairs that leads to the throne above us.

One of the guards I saved back at the forest walked carefully, whispering to His Majesty's ear.

After a couple of seconds, the King finally announced, "You may raise your head." with a calm and melodious voice.

When the three of us heard this, we raised our heads up as we slowly stood up from our knees and took a proper posture.

Taking a glance to the King, I saw that his hair has the same aurburn color as William but had a tint of grey on it. With a sharp and sword-shaped eyebrows, his eyes looked directly at my mask as if he already know what I looked like.

Knowing this, I slightly tilted my head up and looked directly to his eyes.

"It seems that you've helped my son back there. I am indebted to you, sir Blanc." Slowly after he said that, he smiled while looking at me as if he was carefully observing what I was about to do next.

"There is no need for his Majesty to thank me. I am merely doing what anybody would do when they're placed in the same situation as I am." I replied in the most formal and dignified manner.

The King let out a chuckle when I finished speaking before gesturing his hands to the guard by his side.

After whispering something for a couple of seconds, the man on his side's expression turned into surprised.

"But your Majesty, my King. Isn't it too much give him such reward?" The man said as he took a quick glance at me. "I mean look at him. Although he look strong, we don't know for sure that he is not a spy from the other Kingdom."

Frowning, he glared at the guy like daggers, making him back away a couple of steps.

"You dare question your King's decision?"

Opening and closing his mouth for a couple of times, the man tried to say something but decided to keep the words to himself, as he looked down before saying.

"I apologize..."

"Good..." The King said before turning his head back to look at my direction. "Now, then. Sir Blanc, there's something I would like to ask you about."

When I saw his charming smile, I suddenly felt cold chills back in my spines.... And, I somehow had a bad feeling about this.

Gesturing his hands one more time, Arnold, Jack and all the people inside nodded then left, leaving only the two of us alone.

"Keuum... keuum..." Clearing his throat, the King let out an all-knowing smile. This actions made me startled a bit, but the next thing he said made my expression turned into confusion.

"How's your father doing, Athan?"

"Father? No. Anyway, how did you know my name?" I looked at him wearily, with a slight of confusion that could be seen from my expression.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning to say anything ro anybody... But, anyway!" Sighing exasperatedly, he pinched the middle of his brows in contempt. "I see that nobody bothered telling you anything about your father." He said as he rested his cheeks to his palm, while it was on the armchair.

"....." Speechless, I stayed silent for a couple of seconds before finally deciding to speak.

"You know my father?" I asked, having no signs of hiding my curiosity. "But, how?"

Letting out a chuckle after seeing my expression, his expression turned into a proud smug before finally deciding to answer my question.

"You see, your father is a fellow companion of mine from the past."