Chapter 78 : The Unexpected Reunion (Part 1)

Six months had passed...seasons came by and left without notice. This time the weather was great, and the sun was shining brightly at the sky.

Right on the Welford manor's garden, a young girl was spotted sitting on her usual spot, having cold ice tea provided by her personal maid, Silvi who also stood on her left and her hardworking personal guard, Harson standing by next to her seat on her other side.

The young lady was wearing her beautiful blue dress, and a black glove on her left hand. She has black hair, paired with her beautiful sky blue eyes.

She was Iris May Welford, the one and only daughter of the Welford family.

Iris sighed upon drinking the ice tea right before her.

"Haaaa~ nothing can beat drinking something cold in this hot season~"

"Indeed~" Silvi replied while standing there beside her with a smile.

It was a bright day like she said. To top it off, she's sitting inside the gazebo with her maid who served her cold drinks, surrounded with a beautiful garden around her, together with...

Several Nobles kneeling down on the ground on the side of the gazebo.

"Haaa~ what a beautiful day~"

Iris sighed in pleasure after taking another sip of her glass. Meanwhile, those Nobles still kept their heads down, shivering in fear while their face drenched in sweat.

Their difference was like hell and heaven, the kneeling Noble and the little girl who enjoyed her tea with joy.

"Beautiful day my ass."

Sitting across her was as a young man with slightly uncomfortable look on his face. He has slit eyes, like a snake and green hair. He's the Former Dark Guild Master and the Captain of espionage squad personally created for Iris, William.

Meanwhile the girl just smiled innocently at him, "Hmm?~"

"Could you stop with that creepy smile! In this kind of situation!" William shouted.

"Why are you complaining so much, William~ what's so different about this day than our usual?" Iris replied.

"No, this is not, they're waiting for your response while kneeling directly under the damn sun." William huffed, annoyed.

"Ara~ Why would I need to gave them a response? They were the one who did it themselves, or you could say...~"

"They reap what they sow~" Iris tone suddenly become cold but her innocent smile remained.

William saw it and immediately deflated, looking serious. "Well, yeah."

Iris giggled and smiled, "Wasn't this your goal from the beginning when you created the Dark Guild? William~"

William chuckled a bit, "Yeah...but I never thought this could be done that easily."

"Well, since you are working under me the least I can give you is the authority to do this kind of job~" Iris said so casually, taking a sip of her tea.

"True...but isn't capturing 20 Nobles a bit too much." William commented.

"Well, I'm just doing what I need to do for that favor I am asking." Iris replied.

"That favor...is it from the King himself?"

"Correct~ we had a deal long ago. If I managed to get at least 5 corrupt nobles in this kingdom and sent it to the authorities of the royalty, I can get one favor from the king himself~" Iris explained excitedly.

"And yet, you caught more than 5."

"Well, it's all because you did a good job on this work~" Iris complimented.

William sighed, "Yeah...you ordered us to gather an info and their bad deeds, but the question is...why didn't you send in those document to the authorities? And instead of that, you're showing them to these people."

"Do you not know, they might be planning to leave this Kingdom after knowing they broke the law?" William asked.

"Hmmmm~ let's see, the reason is pretty simple. William, what do you think about me?" Iris asked him.

"Huh?? The hell does that even mean" William asked her quizzically.

"Just say it, physically and from my personality~"

"Hmmmm...you have the appearance of a beautiful little girl, and your personality is somewhat twisted."

"Mhm~ Mhm~ but when you first met me, what's the first thing that pops out of your mind."

"Hmm?? [Why would like a little girl like you to be here?] Wait...don't tell me."

"Yepp~ The reason why I bother to let them knew, and why they didn't left this kingdom...because they were understimating me, because they think i'm just a child~"

"Not only that, these people were absent on that day where I took down Baron Allura in front of the King himself, therefore they didn't know of my existence and only heard about me from rumors.

"Rumor is just a rumor, no one knows whether it's the truth or not...but it'll all lead to one thing, [there's no way a little girl who have that kind of power exists]~" Iris explained while drinking her tea again.

William was left dumbfounded the moment she finished talking, but he can understand the logic behind what she's talking about.

A little girl who's barely 10 years old managed to take down a Noble who was older and much more experienced than them.

'So they would understimate her and lead them here...to ask for forgiveness since they thought she is just a [naive little girl].' William thought while looking at the those pitiful nobles.

'I sometimes tend to forget...what kind of person she is.' William shifted his eyes at her.

"So, they got here and fell on your trap."

"Mhm, I never thought they'd got caught this easily. It makes me wonder how did they manage to be a Noble up until now." Iris commented.

Suddenly Iris stood up and took her umbrella that was placed beside the table. She opened it up as she walked towards those Nobles who still knelt down on the ground.

Those Nobles looked at her in shock, especially after they listened to what Iris was talking about. Just like she said, they understimated her...

They didn't took her seriously and instead of fleeing this Kingdom they rather hold their ground and fought against her, thinking they could win against her who are much younger than them.

But...unfortunately, because they lack information and never trusted the rumors around them...

They fell into her trap, like a butterfly that got caught by spider web.

And she is...the spider.

Iris smiled upon them under the umbrella she was holding.

"Now then~ do you understand~" Iris spoke while leaning down her head while those Nobles who shivered in fear, looked up towards her.

"From the beginning...there's no negotiation between me and you all~"

She showed them her innocent smile but the venom in her eyes twisted that nice little girl image. She's the perfect mix of beauty and evil.

Just like the Villainess she was supposed to be.

"B-but...n-no one would believe you! Even our King! His majesty wouldn't believe anything coming from you!!" One of the Nobles spoke in desperation, he was kneeling on the back line of the other nobles.

An old man on his 40s, with mustache. He remained strong, as shown in the light on his eyes. As if he hasn't given up yet.

He still didn't believe that the little girl in front of him, was tasked by the King himself.

But upon hearing those words, Iris smiled bit then he looked at him in disinterest.

"I see. So?~ did you hear that...your highness~"

He was taken off guard, and he turned his attention to Silvi who walked towards her with some sort of crystal ball on her hand.

An Orb.

Then...a voice came out from it.

"I see...since when my subject dare to talk back when I am the one who tasked her to do it."

A familiar voice, and the voice belong to someone of a much higher status than all of them.

[The King of the Luxion Kingdom, Bradley August Alfredssons].

'How can the voice of our King to be here!'

'This is impossible!'

'Is this some sort of sorcery!'

The nobles were shaken to their core when they recognized their king's voice through that small orb.

"Are you happy with the gift, your highness~" Iris spoke through that orb.

"Indeed...I never knew there was such a thing like this in the first place. A magic item that allows you to communicate from a far without using any bird mail or things like that."

"This is pretty convenient!" Bradley praised.

"As like you said your highness, this is the magic item that I invented myself. It can let you talk through this thing with someone far away."

"And how did you managed to do it?"

"We just simply use magic wavelength to match with these orbs and it will allow you to talk to someone in a designated point~ I can send you the blueprint for it and the formula to create this magic item~" Iris explained.

"Hahaha! That is great! I'll send you some money for it and as for the task you have done...you did a great job, Iris May Welford."

"Thank you for your kind words your highness...I'm just doing this for the greatness of our Kingdom."

"Such a humble words coming from a little girl like you."

"Well I am a little girl~"

"Hahaha!! True true!!" Bradley laughed.

"Fufufu~ Indeed~" Iris giggled.

The sight of these two conversing so casually like that was something that was utterly unimaginable for those Nobles. Their face become much paler as their cold sweat drenching their whole face and body.

"Now then let's speak business...I want to hear what kind of punishment befit them."

"Since you were the one who caught those bastards, i'll leave the choice to you."

"Why do you feel the need to ask me Your Highness? Didn't I send you all the proof and the documents of them? So it should be public execution."

"Hmmm...a quick execution, I see."

Iris giggles for a moment, "Fufufu~ Of course not, if we gave them quick execution that wouldn't be fun right?~" Iris' eyes shifted at them for a moment.

Giving them the chills because of her gaze and smile.

"These people had no problem on punishing their people that have been assigned by you, Your Highness."

"The document already spoke itself, these people have done so many crimes that our law forbids, from kidnapping, fraud, raping, human trafick, forging documents, high taxes and even more." Iris explained throughly.

"So before I send these people to you, your highness, I shall clean them up a bit~"

"Huh?? Clean them up?"

"Yes~ by torturing them."

Bradley widened his eyes the moment he heard that.

"Torturing them?"

"Hmmmm, we will give them enough pain and suffering...if possible we would destroy what's left of their pride then their psyche bit by bit, leaving them with despair and finally, we send it to you to execute them~"

She talked about it so casually with an innocent smile, as if that didn't have any weight whatsoever. As if she has no empathy to give to these people, of course...this kind of change matured over time since that incident.

'Giving them a quick death...won't appease the many death that they have caused...so I will make sure, and throughly...destroy their mind so the only thing they can think of...

.

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is their death~' Iris thought while keeping her eyes at those Nobles.

They became deathly quiet and that includes the King himself who was talking behind that orb.

"I-i see, I understand." Bradley reply, 'Somehow I can see her smile through here.' he thought.

"Then you can proceed with the torture and we will announce their execution the next day."

"Fufufu~ that's great! And so, William~" Iris looked at the green haired man who's enjoying his cold drink at the gazebo and listening in to their conversation.

"Hmm?" William responded.

"It's time for your work~" Iris smiled and pointed her finger to the Nobles.

William smiled back at her and nodded, "Understood, Ojou-sama." without a doubt, he is enjoying this job despite finding it to be very questionable at times.

Without further ado, William and several soldiers who were stationed here, started to escort those Nobles to their basement to receive their deserved punishment.

Iris sighed a bit as if something heavy was lifted from her chest after finishing this task she was assigned. Maybe it's guilt and anger that has been swelling inside her since that day.

But she wasn't given a time to breathe because the communication between her and the King wasn't over yet.

"And so, let's talk about the favor you ask, since I know you called me out here this early was just for that reason." Bradley continued to spoke.

Iris smiled upon hearing his words. 'His highness is quick to understand~'

"Yes, indeed. It is my intention to do so~"

"Heh, as expected...so? what kind of favor? Don't tell me is it about marri–"

"I don't plan to get married yet and especially betrothed with your son, your highness~" Iris quickly cut him off right before he even finished his words.

Bradley clicked his tongue, "Tsk...and here I was expecting you to change your mind."

"Fufufu~ like I told you, your highness, I'm not interested at the throne and the prince~"

"And why so? You will have the power and the money you want."

"Because I already had enough of both." Iris replied to him.

Bradley rubbed his beard, and nodded, "Mm...that is true."

And then he sighed, "Well? just tell me what do you want."

Iris smiled, "Well then I won't beat around the bushes...I want you to let me handle the alliance with the Elf."

"Huh? Wait–what?! Where did you hear that from?"

"Did you not know that I have someone who can gather that much information~?"

"[The Dark Guild]." Bradley sighed, "I see...so the rumors they work under you now are true."

"Didn't I told you before your highness, rumors are just rumors~ whether you wanted to believe it or not, it's your choice to know if its the truth or fake~"

Bradley sighed, "Haaa...yes that might be so. But this is serious matter. It's too dangerous, since you don't know what you are dealing with."

"Do you think I am suggesting it without knowing what could possibly go wrong with this alliance?"

"Then go on, explain it."

Iris sighed, "The reason why our alliance haven't been formed yet...is because they don't trust us. Furthermore, there's some humans that have been kidnapping their brethren and enslaves them."

"Exactly."

"They were threatened by both monsters that reside within their forest and humans that have been kidnapping them. That's why you the King of those humans have been stressing about how to tackle this problem."

"Since the Elves doesn't want to trust us humana, because of what some of us had done to them." Iris explained.

"That's right...that's why I am not allowing my friend's daughter to get roped in to this mess."

"But the question...I am curious, why do you want to deal with those kind of things? You know I can send someone more capable than you."

"Indeed, that is true...but I cannot tell you the reason."

"And why is that?"

"Because this is is a matter of our future."

"Our future? You spoke as if you know the future well."

"Believe me or not, I don't think it's a good idea to tell you now."

"Is it something you need to keep it secret from me, the King?"

"Yes your highness."

"Hmmmm....fine, I let this one slide for now."

"Thank you, your highness...the only thing I could tell you...is that I don't want to feel any regret for not using my power when I could help someone." Iris spoke with serious looks on her face.

Bradley on the other side, chuckled upon hearing her reason. "Heh, what a surprise a Villainess-like child like you would spoke something like that."

"I take that as a compliment~"

"I am not complimenting you, goodness...I feel like talking to an adult instead of 8 years old." Bradely sighed and then tapped his own finger on the handle of his seat.

"Hmmmmm...this is quite risky and dangerous, but since you've already done a great job on taking care of those bastards, I allow you to handle the alliance with the Elves."

Iris smiled and gently bowed her head, "Thank you, your highness–"

"But on one condition."

"Hm??–" Iris quickly raised her head when she heard him.

Bradley grinned widely, "I want you to recruit some people from the Adventurer Guild."

Iris knitted her brows, "Recruit?"

"Yeah, a bodyguard for sure...I know you have your own soldiers but they are probably not capable on fighting within the forest." Bradley explained based on his own experience.

'Mhm, that is true...though I planned to go with only Silvi and Harson.' Iris thought. 'But Adventurer huh? In the game...since it's RPG type, we have that kind of setting where the MC play as an Adventurer herself.'

'But this also might be the first time I will be meeting those kind of people.' Iris was in deep thought when Bradley continue with his words.

"So, I suggest you to recruit some Adventurer because they are more experienced on dealing these kinds of trouble." Bradley suggested.

"What do you think?"

Of course, Iris have also been thinking about recruiting some Adventurers to escort her to the Elf nation with her subordinate before so this should be fine.

"Well if that's your only condition, then I accept it."

Bradley clapped his hand, "Hah, that's more like it! Then I will send you a letter signed by me. There's an old friend of mine in the Adventurer Guild."

"An old friend?"

"Yes...he is currently working as the Adventurer Guild Master, and he is also a former comrade of mine...Rowan and also Matilda."

"There's someone like that?!"

"He is the man who tanked all kinds of attack coming our way, [The Fortress] himself."

Iris widened her eyes upon hearing that name, 'I never thought there is someone like that from the Adventurer Guild! How come I never heard of it, is this a new kind of setting that I didn't know about?'

'Though either way...this is a good information, even though I played the game, I never met this Guild Master in person, since they only letting me see the letter from him.'

'What kind of person is he...' Iris was deep in her thought once again.

Bradley on the other hand chuckled, "Heh, I guess this is very shocking to you huh."

Iris blinked, snapping herself out of it, "A-ah! Y-yes, this is very suprising for me...since I never met [The Fortress] myself, and according to the record, they don't have his name so I am quite curious."

"Mm...yes, but nevertheless you will meet him soon."

"Thank you, your highness, for giving me such an opportunity like this." Iris bowed her head once again.

Bradley nodded, "Mhm, but before you close this...I have something to tell you before you go to that town."

"Do you ever heard about...a certain rumor from the Aven Town." Bradley asked.

Iris shook her head. "A rumor? Not exactly, since I have been focusing at the Nobles."

"I see I see...then perhaps I shall tell you about this rumor, so listen carefully."

"Okay." Iris nodded.

"There's a rumor about a certain new Adventurer joining the Guild...6 months ago."

'A new Adventurer?' Iris thought.

"This new Adventurer, is quite an odd person. When he came into the guild, that guy were clad with black armor, and wearing a weird helmet, along with a red scarf hanging on his neck."

"Without identity...and without a past, that guy always hides his face with his helmet and never shown it to no one."

"He was assigned as an E-class Adventurer in that guild that day, but of course everyone would have the same rank when they first came into the Guild."

"When you hear that, there's nothing wrong with him right?"

Iris nodded, 'That is true...his characteristics is a bit odd but there's nothing weird about how his class was assigned, but...'

"But only if he was just an ordinary guy, that is~"

Iris gulped after hearing those words.

******

Iris retreated to her room when the night comes. She's not asleep yet and currently sitting on her chair at the balcony of her room.

She was watching the moon above her head, in this beautiful starry night sky along with Silvi who stayed by her side, serving her a warm tea before getting into sleep.

Iris sighed a bit after remembering those words that the King Bradley left for her.

"A mysterious Adventurer huh." Iris mumbled.

"Does that rumor still worries you, Ojou-sama?" Silvi asked.

"Yeah but...this rumor sounds like an exaggeration."

"Indeed, but rumor is just a rumor Ojou-sama, just like you said...whether we want to believe or not, it's up to ourselves." Silvi commented.

"I know I know...*sigh* it's still quite unbelievable to hear." Iris rested her back at her seat.

Then she took out her rapier from her [Inventory]. She looked the rapier, gently brushing her fingers on top of the sheath.

Iris smiled when she admired her weapon, it reminded her of someone.

"It's been 6 months since he first sent this rapier to me." Iris mumbled.

"Is it about that boy, Ojou-sama." Silvi asked.

"Yeah...it's thanks to his creation that I was able to sit here talking to you after that day." Iris spoke while gently unsheated her rapier and showing its beautiful blue color from the blade.

When her eyes stared at the blade, she could see the reflection of her own eyes.

"It's beautiful no matter how many times I pulled it out." Iris commented and slowly close her eyes.

'But now...I need to focus on the upcoming event since this is very crucial for the future.'

While she rested the back of her hand on her face,

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Her eyes glinted into red for a moment.

"I really miss you...

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Rei-kun/Ray-sama~"

When she spoke his name, it was as if...it mixed with another voice. Finally...she drifted into sleep.

To be continue....