Grigori ignored both of them and returned her gaze forward. She nodded after a few more seconds of silence and Naur continued with the next record.
<Chapter 488: Peeling layer after layer (5)>
"...Bud is being held hostage by the dethroned princess?"
- That is correct, young master-nim.
Ron's benign smile didn't register correctly in Cale's mind. Alberu started to speak toward Cale who seemed to be deep in thought.
"Elisneh the First, the current monarch of the Molden Kingdom, rose to the throne in her early thirties. She is said to have used her amazing leadership to turn the Molden Kingdom into the strong kingdom it is today."
- That is correct, your highness.
Ron respectfully agreed with Alberu. Alberu leaned on the wall as he continued to speak.
TBOAH!Litana sat still, this was information she had already known about her 'friend', so she was almost desperate to see where the discrepancy in the Elisneh she knew and the one they all held a grudge against lay.
"Originally, there were two monarch candidates who fought viciously for the Molden Kingdom's throne."
- It wasn't much of a fight because Elisneh the First was superior in every category.
"Correct."
Intelligence, strength, background of maternal relatives, number of followers, and capital. Elisneh was superior in every category.
"Elisneh the First from the beginning to the end... Showed superiority in all aspects and ascended to the throne. However, there was a moment when her younger sister, Princess Jopis, threatened Elisneh the First's hold on the throne."
"...Jopis." Cale mumbled that name.
"Yes. Princess Jopis. Unlike the others, she aggressively tried to defeat Elisneh the First. However, she is said to be living quietly after losing the battle. Well, she can only live quietly as she has been exiled."
TCF!Jopis and TBOAH!Jopis both nodded their head, even while inwardly they were cursing up a storm in their minds, their outward appearance oozed elegant sophistication and poised grace. They both eyed the Palantír with curiosity - after all this was not information they were privy to - especially TCF!Jopis who at the time of this scene had not known who the Mercenary King's Master was and had tried to drag him around using the Mercenary King as leverage. She did not dare to share these thoughts aloud, but she knew her counterpart - being as smart as her - would have already figured out what TCF!Jopis' line of thinking had been when she'd captured TCF!Bud as her hostage.
Unless the heir to the throne is determined early as it was with Alberu, there were only two options left for the others who fought until the end. Death or exile. Should they choose exile, they had to live the rest of their lives as quiet as a rat under surveillance.
TCF!Zed made no reaction, even while TBOAH!Alberu flinched - even if his siblings had wanted his seat, the war had completely ruined them all and they were unable to match him. TBOAH!Alberu glanced toward TCF!Alberu who was having such thoughts so casually upon the Palantír and felt the desire to know what was so different about the two of them stir like a brewing monsoon within him.
"...Honestly speaking, I still don't know why Jopis tried to go up against Elisneh the First." This was because Elisneh the First's victory was almost guaranteed.
"Furthermore, the two of them are blood-related siblings. They aren't even half-siblings."
"Siblings?"
"Yes, that is why Jopis couldn't even get support from her maternal relatives. They all supported Elisneh."
Alberu tilted his head to the side. He had been gathering information about the Molden Kingdom after Cale told him about the Molden Kingdom and the Illusionist last time.
TBOAH!Jopis blinked and corked her head, wondering if the TBOAH!Alberu would have done the same in their timeline if he'd known in advance like in the TCF!World about Elisneh being an Illusionist. She swallowed thickly thinking of her family who had needlessly died to fulfil Elisneh's bottomless greed.
"Furthermore, the two of them were said to have a very good relationship with each other until Jopis suddenly started to fight for the throne. Jopis and Elisneh's maternal relatives still don't know why Jopis suddenly started to rebel against her older sister."
"...Really?"
Cale's eyes clouded over. Alberu looked toward Cale and responded.
"I guess you felt the same thing I felt while telling you about it."
Alberu looked toward Cale, Raon, and Ron as he continued to speak.
"Doesn't it feel odd?"
"That does seem to be the case."
TBOAH!Jopis blinked feeling amazed as she witnessed for herself how these two sworn brothers began to piece together the mystery of the relationship between her and Elisneh all on their own. Watching the pair of them was fascinating - they both worked incredibly well together. She wondered perhaps if it was because their minds worked similarly.
A bit more conversation went on to explain how reckless Bud had not listened to Glenn and made trouble for not only himself but for Cale as well. Those who knew Cale knew him well enough to know that while he would not express his frustrations, he would also not deny its existence.
"Hmmm, Cale-nim... shall I begin taking Bud out with me when I patrol the backyard?"
Several people of the TBOAH!World wondered which backyard TCF!Choi Han was talking about and why it needed patrolling. However, a sly and fox-like grin appeared across Cale's features, as he turned and responded to TCF!Choi Han.
"You know what Choi Han, that's a fantastic idea!" Cale readily agreed, ignoring the groans and sobbing pleas for mercy that were coming from TCF!Bud's direction.
"Just put me out of my misery right now! This bastard is too embarrassing! How can he be me?!" TBOAH!Bud snarled angrily. TBOAH!Glenn scoffed.
"He is definitely you!" TBOAH!Glenn insisted firmly and gave TBOAH!Bud a look that shut him up immediately.
- Glenn Poeff apparently got a call on his video communication device at that moment.
"Was it Bud's video communication device?"
- Yes, sir. The calling video communication device was Bud's, so Glenn Poeff immediately accepted it.
Alberu interjected. "And that was when he confirmed that the Mercenary King was taken hostage?"
- That is correct, your highness.
Ron motioned to someone. Glenn Poeff walked over with an awkward smile on his face and bowed toward Cale and Alberu.
TBOAH!Glenn was surprised to see himself upon the Palantír - he didn't look at all like someone who was on the run from White Star or like he was in hiding. He was surprised by how well-kept TCF!Glenn appeared on the Palantír. He glanced toward his counterpart with a curiosity that tickled something in his chest - the fear he'd felt toward Arm and the White Star diminished when he saw TCF!Glenn doing so well in the TCF!World.
He then immediately activated a video recording device as he started to speak.
- I recorded the contents of the call I received and you should be able to understand the situation after taking a look.
The video recording device soon shined as the saved recording started to play.
"Human, it's Bud!"
'It sure is.'
It was Bud, but... Cale started to frown while looking at the screen.
- Mmph, mmph!
TBOAH!Bud covered his face with his hands and then shook his head. TCF!Bud slouched in his seat, trying to make himself as small as possible in order to avoid the looks of reproach he was receiving from all corners of the room - especially from TCF!Basen and TCF!Lily who felt the reason their big brother had to work even harder was because of his recklessness. The younger Henituse siblings were scheming ways to deal with this nuisance called 'Bud' while intermittently watching the record on the Palantír.
He could see a simple and neat room. It was much smaller than what he expected for the residence of a former princess who fought for the throne. He heard Alberu's voice behind him.
"I guess there's no way they would give a dethroned princess in exile a nice residence."
He was calling it simple to be nice; the room they were looking at was old and shabby. There were a few bookcases and an old but clean bed in the room, and those bookcases were full of books that seemed to have been read a lot.
TCF!Jopis held her posture, sitting proudly, carrying herself with dignity and the same sassy elegance as always. TBOAH!Jopis was past the point of caring for such material things and merely ignored the scene of her abode as it was shown to everyone by the Goddess. Her counterpart had avenged her, she did not need to feel embarrassed or ashamed anymore.
- Mmph, mmph!
And on top of that old but clean bed...
- Mmph, mmph!
Bud was flailing around.
The theatrical performance TCF!Bud was putting on was both entertaining and humiliating.
"I think he's even weirder than King Fredo..." TCF!Lily grumbled quietly and TCF!Fredo's gaze left the Palantír to smile widely at his counterpart, he leaned forward in his seat, placing his elbows on the table - effectively blocking TCF!Lily's view of TBOAH!Fredo. So that she would not see the sharp glare TBOAH!Fredo sent her way. TCF!Fredo practically smiled TBOAH!Fredo into lowering his gaze and turning his attention way from Cale's youngest sibling.
A tall bottle of an excellent vintage of wine appeared in front of TCF!Fredo out of thin air and he smiled and hummed appreciatively while accepting it. TBOAH!Fredo decided to bid his time and then corner his counterpart at the earliest opportunity and demand to know why the little Henituse girl was calling him 'King'.
His arms and legs were tied down and there was a gag in his mouth as well. He failed his body and seemed to be trying to say something as he looked at the video communication device, but the gag made it impossible to understand what he was saying.
TBOAH!Bud had never known such humiliation, he slumped over the table and rolled around like a half-dying fish, whining in protest about his counterpart.
"But Bud... you're behaving the exact same way!"
"Just drive more nails into my coffin, why don't you?! You're supposed to be my friend, Glenn!"
"But you're doing so well of ruining your own reputation without me... I don't want to interfere and spoil your fun." TBOAH!Glenn replied with a blank and clueless expression of innocence.
- Oh my.
He heard a woman's voice in the video at that moment. Other than the bed and the bookcases... There were also an old table and two chairs in the room. The chairs and table were made of old wood. A woman sitting on one of those chairs smiled toward the screen.
- The tea tastes wonderful.
The woman who was drinking tea in a wooden cup was dressed simply but neatly.
- Human! She reminds me of the Duchess!
TBOAH!Violan flinched and goosebumps prickled her skin. Earlier after she and her family had collapsed and the Goddess Grigori had partially healed their dissonance, she'd had the chance to talk to her TCF!World counterpart and found out that indeed their countdom had been raised to a duchy, but to hear the baby Dragon that Cale considered his own child speaking about TCF!Violan in a situation like this made her heart leap in shock.
As Raon mentioned, Cale was reminded of Duchess Violan as he looked at Jopis. Jopis was much younger than her, but the way her hair was tied up without a single stray strand and the noble way she was drinking tea... Even the refined look of grace that came from her expression made him think of Duchess Violan.
Meanwhile, TCF!Violan smiled softly, surprised to hear that someone - a queen of another kingdom - reminded Cale and his baby Dragon of her - it made her heart tickle with fondness. TBOAH!Violan looked between her counterpart and Cale and then toward Kim Rok Soo who was smiling softly and nodding his own agreement toward their assessment of Jopis on the Palantír. Her heart felt strangely heavy in her chest at the sight of Kim Rok Soo agreeing to Cale and Raon's complimentary assessment of her counterpart.
She was wearing old grey clothes because she was living in exile, but she gave off the grace of a woman enjoying a short tea time at the palace office. Her voice as she said the tea was wonderful sounded extremely elegant. She did not look like someone who had lost everything. Honestly speaking, she looked more majestic than Alberu. Cale subconsciously started looked toward Alberu.
"What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Cale slowly turned away as he responded. "She won't be easy to handle."
"...Yes." Alberu agreed with that statement.
TCF!Alberu snickered and raised an eyebrow looking in Cale's direction, but Cale merely shrugged and mouthed an apology. TCF!Alberu decided to let it go because he was a good hyung who was not petty - as long as it wasn't that damn White Radish's cookies.
TCF!Alberu could gracefully allow anything else, but not that. His fists clenched at the mere memory and he made a mental note to start negotiating a 'recipe trade' with King Fredo, once they returned home.
TCF!Fredo raised his gaze off his wine glass, glancing around the room the moment he felt like something good was about to come his way - he didn't know what, but he was pretty sure whatever it was would be something concerning Cale. TCF!Fredo knew that everything good he'd gained was all because of his lovely son. And Cale for his part felt a chill run down his spine and shuddered.
Jopis looked like a difficult opponent. Cale became certain after hearing her next words. She gracefully put the teacup down before starting to speak again. She had an elegant smile on her face as well.
- Mister, tea truly does taste wonderful when you drink it after capturing someone.
"Ah." Cale was certain. She really would not be easy to deal with.
- Human! Bud seems like a stupid idiot who walked into a Dragon's lair alone!
He didn't disagree with Raon.
The people from the TBOAH!World all snuck glances toward the elegant pair from Molden and agreed with the young Dragon too - Jopis, regardless of which timeline she came from, really was dignified and graceful. They all turned away again, afraid that their thoughts would veer in a strange direction if they spied on the Molden Princess of the TBOAH!World and the Molden Queen of the TCF!World for too much longer.
Cale had no way of knowing how Bud who was a sword master and had an ancient power ended up being captured and tied down by Jopis, a dethroned princess.
"Oh!? He has an ancient power like Oraboni too?!" TBOAH!Lily said in amazement. She'd been interested in his swordmaster title earlier, but after finding out he was a little weird from TCF!Lily's assessment of the spectacled blue-head, she found TBOAH!Hannah and TCF!Hannah, as well as TCF!Choi Han to be better swordmasters to ask advice from.
However - the mention of an ancient power lured her attention back to him once again. Kim Rok Soo in the front row had a bad feeling in his gut and lightly ran a hand through his hair while frowning to himself because he was unable to figure out where the feeling came from.
Especially because Jopis looked elegant without a single drop of sweat on her right now. He heard Glenn respond to her in the recording.
- Shit, you must have accomplices in there with you!
Bud struggled and shook his head. He heard a majestic voice respond.
- Sir, who would assist a dethroned princess that has nothing to offer them? For being the Mercenary King's smart close friend, can't you use your f*cking head?
The unexpected swearing caught everyone by surprise - especially since it was done so naturally that they would have missed it. A handful of people turned bug-eyed in alarm and comical shock.
Cale heard Alberu's voice. "...Wow... I want to learn to speak like her."
'Me too.'
Both TBOAH!Jopis and TCF!Jopis smiled elegantly, they were thoroughly flattered.
Jopis was speaking quite uniquely while sounding elegant in the process.
- I want to learn it as well!
Cale shook his head toward Raon.
'See what happens if you learn to talk like that. No more snacks for you.'
Quiet, yet ominous, laughter came from Sherritt and TCF!Eruhaben, who now knew who the true culprit that sent the message was - however, given the situation, they couldn't really fault her for it. And they all found it rather adorable how Cale tried to correct Raon. They were also willing to admit that TCF!Jopis' way of speaking was indeed elegant, even with her crude language.
He heard Glenn respond to her.
- ...You know who I am?
- Sir, how can I not? The two of you were a famous combination long before I started farming in this remote countryside. I guess you think I have shit for brains?
Her elegant smile made her look as if she was a painting.
"Wow... Young Master-nim... you really were complimenting Queen Jopis a lot back then!" TCF!Lock mumbled harmlessly. Cale looked up and blinked, his face seemed stiff as he shrugged awkwardly to play off the way Kim Rok Soo was trembling beside him while trying to contain his laughter. TCF!Alberu's gaze narrowed ever so slightly, and then he reached out and patted Cale on the head.
"Dongsaeng... why don't you try this?" he offered Cale a rectangular lemon tart dessert from the table that he'd never seen before, but it looked really nice. It also had shaved lemon peels atop the milky white tart. Cale immediately looked like he was being punished, but did not refuse the dessert and quietly sulked while he ate the bitter-yet-savoury pudding slice.
- No, that...
He then heard Glenn's anxious voice.
- Well, anyway, who you are is not important right now, right, sir?
Jopis, who had lived a long time as a princess even if she was dethroned and lived in exile now, had continued to speak respectfully to Glenn. Cale focused his gaze on Jopis in the recording.
Jopis looked straight into the video recording device at that moment and he ended up making eye contact with the Jopis inside the screen. She started to speak.
- Sir, he said that he came to learn the secrets of the Molden royal family.
'Ow! That idiot! He was captured after saying that?!'
"I'll help Master!" TCF!Hannah suddenly announced slapping the table harshly. "We need to make sure the Young Master's secretary's skills don't get rusty!"
"You know... he's actually quite good with paperwork as well!" TCF!Glenn slapped a hand to his forehead as TCF!Rosalyn mentioned that in front of TCF!Alberu.
"Oh really... in that case, you wouldn't mind lending me your secretary, would you Little Brother?"
"What's yours is mine and what's mine is also mine..." Cale mumbled, waving his hand for TCF!Alberu to go right ahead and take him, Cale was still upset about the dessert and didn't even want to look at TCF!Alberu right now.
TCF!Glenn decided that at this point, TCF!Bud would have been better off with his head blown up. He wondered if he should start recruiting or maybe scouting for the new Mercenary King vacancy that would be opening up soon.