One More Day

Chapter 31: Acceptance

JUST WHO WAS AVEN MAXWELL? What was his role? Who was he in the Church? How come he never once appeared in the novel just like the other characters? Just what was this world anyway?

Indie had always questioned herself ever since she had arrived. She lived in constant fear for almost a month. She was overwhelmed and intimidated by the plot and her fated death.

Why was Aven in the town that she had lived in as an agent before traveling to the Capital? Was he a spy like her? Did he approach her on purpose?

Was he testing her?

"–We will delay the travel to Leiden and leave after a day or two." The Captain had finalized his decision for leaving for Leiden.

"It is for the safety of our Eminences."

***

A Night had passed in the Camp, where before the sun could rise, Indie stepped out of the tent to see the still tight security around the tents. It seems like they were always on guard. Was it the bandits?

"Greetings Priestess~!" A soldier bowed at the sight of her. Indie looked embarrassed to have been walking around without much to do. She felt that being a Priestess was just an empty yet dangerous title.

"Priestess, is there a problem?" The soldiers asked.

"No, not at all, I couldn't fall asleep so I wanted to walk outside."

"Allow us to escort you, your holiness."

"...no, I'm fine thank you." She replied subtly.

"Your Holiness, wandering alone is dangerous." The guards insisted.

It seems that she misunderstood. The security inside the Camp was much heavier than the Church itself, was it because of the recent Bandit attack?

"What seems to be the commotion?" A voice behind her said. Indie flinched and turned around to face golden cat-like eyes staring back at her.

"O-oh! Whitechapel Minister?!" The guards exclaimed, "what are you doing, wandering alone in the night, sire? Is there something that you need?"

"Oh." Aven replied with a small friendly smile on his face, "I seem to have trouble sleeping, so I decided to walk around."

"By yourself, sire?!"

"Yes, why not?" He replied in a questionable gaze, tilting his head slightly. Indie was amused by his skills. 

"Sire, it is dangerous to walk outside without an escort in the middle of the night!" The guards cried. "At least, inform us!"

"My bad, however, I was only walking inside the camp, not outside." He replied. "I was within the guard's watch range of 20 feet distance ."

"Sire, the mountain ranges are a dangerous place for the bandits and rebels to be around; you shouldn't be walking around freely."

"Are you saying that the Pope had requested for his guests to rest in such a dangerous place, without knowing his consequences?" Aven said tilting his head with a friendly smile. The guards had the words at the back of their throats. Even Indie was surprised.

"N-no... Sire."

"Besides, I'm just within the camp's range. I am not interested in dying alone in the snow." He smiled, "however, thank you for worrying about me."

Then he turned around and faced Indie instead and asked her: "Is the Priestess also in the mood for walking around the camp? If your holiness insists, I can take you on a tour around this place," he bowed, his cat-like eyes twinkling.