Reincarnated As The Heroine?! I refuse!

99: False Treason

« Eden Kingdom »

As soon as Seth and Kiel arrived in the Eden Kingdom, they were met with numerous soldiers ready to take their arrest. Kiel was very much surprised and none voiced out to stop the commotion. Neither the Patterson household, nor his family that was a close aide to the royalty.

It only meant one thing. Whatever news the King has received from his informant involved the ruin of the Fang household despite their many years of service.

"Seize your movements! What right have you to arrest a son of Fang??" He exclaimed, causing a few of the soldiers to move in reluctance.

"Men! Move this Fang boy with his brothers in the prison. Tomorrow, he will be hanged together with everyone of his conspirators."

The familiar voice deafened Kiel. It was none other than the friend of his father, General Sling.

Kiel frowned. "What are you doing, Sir Sling?! What about father??"

General Sling snorted with his eyes like a snake's. "Him?? That traitor.... He has risked the King's life by running off to another nation when the King clearly wanted him to remain to be the support of our Kingdom that might be ran over by our worst enemy, Drakon!" He hissed. Then he glared at Kiel hard. "You must be part of his plans.... All of you! Spies of the enemies! Men! MOVE!!"

Kiel decided not to resist anymore after seeing General Sling's outrage. He was feeling confused.

'Fatima stopped sending me anything 3 weeks ago. Father was gone for almost a month. What has happened...?' He thought to himself.

All around him as he was being hauled by the soldiers of Eden, the people's eyes bore him with hatred and contempt. Fang was a military household that was the most loyal weapon of Eden Kingdom. The news that they were conspirators of Drakon, a nation who has been a long time aggressor on their nation, have caused everyone's favors on the Fang household turn around.

From admiration to hate in an instant. Their dislike for the other nation was deep, and even Kiel was surprised to witness how everyone was easily persuaded. Unless someone had been pulling the strings.

With one last glare at the Royal Castle, Kiel was forcefully dragged towards the famous prison for national treason. Based on what he had heard, the rest of his family would be there as well. What of his family's servants?

With every cell Kiel passed by, he could hear howls and cheers from the criminals. They were obviously pleased that a noble has been captured and locked up just like them. He did not mind their reactions, but he did feel anxious for what was to come.

When he came to, Seth and the mute capture were gone. Him alone was dragged from the entrance of the city to the infamous prison for criminals. He briefly glanced at General Sling, but the face of the senior was now unreadable. Kiel could not gather anymore information. He gripped his palms cold; he was feeling useless against the might of Eden's cavalry.

He was unable to do anything for the citizens of Sabio as well, and he found nothing concrete when they visited Drakon first and foremost. The enemies remain in the shadow, powerful and influential. Then he thought of his father, and speculated he must have intended to save him when he was in trouble in Sabio. But whatever had happened to him caused him prolonged delay.

The soldiers accompanying him abruptly stopped in front of an iron clad door. With a click of a key, it creaked open, revealing Kiel's worn out mother, as well as his two brothers. He could not find one of the three.

His expression grew soft at their sight, and when the youngest saw him, he helplessly dashed towards him and hugged him with his 13 years old arms. "Brother.... Father.. He!"

"Shhhh...." Kiel hushed the young one. He then turned his soft gaze on his mother who appeared to be dehydrated and callous. She must have been kept in prison for a much longer time than a week. "Mother..."

She glanced towards her son, who she and her husband happened to adopt, then she smiled sweetly like nothing has happened to her. She opened her arms for Kiel, and without delay, Kiel swiftly went into her embrace. "It'll be alright now, Mother. Dad will come and serve us justice."

She frowned and pulled away her son. "Whatever do you mean, Kiel?" Her emerald eyes appeared beautiful and brilliant as the first time Kiel met them. He smiled amiably.

"Help will be coming."

One of his brothers expressed his confusion blatantly. "They say they will execute us tomorrow, brother... They were only waiting for your return while slowly starving us to death.... Can anyone still save us?"

Kiel nodded his head, but within him, he hoped for his wishful words to come true. He was simply giving false hope to his family who seemed to have given up all hope to survive by the morrow.

He patted his mother's head like she was a young girl and expressed a confident smile on his face. "We will see our family complete again. Trust me."

Kiel may not have chosen a path that would benefit their family greatly, but all of them knew how talented he was at almost anything but magic. He was their reliable brother despite being adopted. They accepted him for his diligent personality and warmth.

They looked at him with faint hope, but that was all they could do, as the past several days, they've been hearing prisoners one by one praying for their life only to never be heard of once again after their appointed death. It was sad and scary.

'The King waited for my return to simply execute us family in one swoop. What for?' He queried to himself, speculating the next move of the King and whoever was behind their family's downfall. His father's runaway would normally not cause such a prestigious family such as their's to be put in prison. And he has yet to hear of the Patterson household.

"What about Fatima?"

His mother looked horrified, and his brothers paled. His chest almost froze and he could feel his hands cold. "What happened to her??!"

His voice was unusually loud, causing his mother to quiver in fright. And so he changed his stance. "I'm sorry, mother. I didn't mean to scare you. But... please... tell me.."

He almost appeared pleading. And so she opened her mouth. "They...."

One of his brothers held their mother's hand. "Mother, let me."

His brother who was at a marriageable age looked at Kiel sternly. "They were sent to the gallows, only yesterday... But..!" He could not finish his words as Kiel collapse on the stone floor.

"Wait... Brother.. They have yet been killed!"

Kiel looked up, his eyes glistened. ".....So the King is that cruel to display such a noble family for shame?!"

His brothers fell silent, and his mother hid away her face. For all they know, the King could kill them by the morrow and replace the bodies with theirs. "He can't do this...!"

Despite his protest, nobody who can do anything heard his plea. Except one.

["Brother... Listen to me."]

And hope dawned on him as he widened his eyes.