"What are you planning to do, Your Highness? Napakadaming lugar na pwede mong tuluyan pero residence pa namin ang napili mo." Emy asked Sebastian coldly as they walked beside each other.
"I am planning nothing."
Emy just looked at him conveying that she would never believe that words of him.
Napahinga ng malalim si Sebastian saka napangiti.
Ibang iba talaga siya kesa kapag may sakit siya. But then again, if she is normally that kind of nice and sweet lady, baka hindi niya makukuha ng ganito ang attention niya.
"Emy, how are you here in Ming?"
"I am doing good, your highness."
"You seem to have changed a lot within half a year. What exactly have you been doing in here?"
Emy just remained quiet and continued walking.
Then Sebastian held her hand to stop her from walking.
"Miss Hans, you are walking too fast. Walk slowly."
"Your highness, it's not like you haven't been in this place before. I even wonder why are you asking now for a tour."
Sebastian's lips curled up saka siya naglean down sa dalaga leaving few space between their faces.
"Of course, I would. Before, I strolled here for different purpose. But now, my sole reason is to walk beside you slowly and cherish it habang nakatingin sa atin ang lahat ng naririto just to let everyone aware that you are already mine."
Napahinga ng malalim si Emy. It's true. Their small parade are already getting the attention of the crowd. Bakit naman hindi? Sebastian is the Fifth Prince after all.
"I see you still haven't changed. You are still shameless as ever, your highness."
Sebastian smiled and then tapped her head.
"I am glad you realize that already."
Saka nag-umpisa na ulit maglakad.
Napailing na lang si Emy. But that smile of his... why does it look nice?
"Where do you want to go?"
"Let's go first at the Chief's house. I need to pay respect to him."
"You should have done that before anything else."
"My priority is not the same as yours. I would always put you first before anything else."
Emy rolled her eyes. Compared the last time, this prince's words are getting more and more cringy.
***
True to his words, Sebastian really took his time with her.
In fact, nasa may training ground na sila but the prince suddenly stopped walking.
"Tell me, did you learn these three within six months?" He asked pertaining to the three classes na nagaganap ngayon sa training ground. Martial arts, sword fighting and Archery.
"Just the archery. Franco already taught me the other two nung nasa Grey palang ako."
"And who taught you archery?"
"Still Franco, of course."
"That cousin of yours is really lucky to be always close to you."
"I don't know what you mean, your highness."
Maglalakad na sana ulit siya pero pinigilan siya ni Sebastian while holding her hand. His eyebrows are knitted together as if something pissed him.
"Anyway, what have you really been doing here in Ming? Kanina pa ako nakakahalata eh. We have passed by several men at kahit alam nilang prinsipe ako, they keep on giving me a glare."
He sounded really irritated. Emy curiousky looked around look for those men na sinasabi ni Sebastian but he immediately grabbed her waist and pulled her closer.
She quickly put her hands on his chest upang wag silang tuluyan na magdikit.
"Don't even think about looking at other guys while I am here."
"You're not being funny anymore."
"I am not trying to be one though." He is still pissed. "Those men, I swear, kung hindi lang ako prinsipe, I would have brandished my swords against them for even thinking of looking at you."
Emy tried to let herself go but the prince was holding her firmly.
"You're sounding more and more stupid, your highness."
"Tch."
"Let me go."
"Make me."
"Your highness, I can make you let go of me, of course. I can simply kick you down there and I am sure bibitiw ka sa akin. But I don't want to ruin your princely reputation and so I won't do that. But please don't try my patience."
For a moment, hindi makapaniwala sa narinig niya si Sebastian. Nang mahimasmasan siya ay saka siya tumawa ng malakas. She's more fearless than before.
When he laughed, binitawan na niya si Emy. Kaya naman inayos ng dalaga ang damit niya. People are looking at them at naiinis na siya dahil sa ginagawa ng binata.
Kung noon nga na sila Liu Fu at Choi Kang ang palagi niyang kasama ay kung ano ano na ang usapan nila tungkol sa kanya, ngayon pa kaya na si Sebastian ang kasama niya.
Malamang sa malamang ay kung ano ano na naman ang itatawag sa kanya ng mga ito. Not that she cared but her family does. Lalo na si Feng. Minsan na itong napaaway dahil sa kanya. Emy doesn't want that to happen again.
***
The Chief and Haow had been standing at the entrance of the Temple at kanina pa nila pinagmamasdan ang dalawa.
Haow gripped his hands tightly ng higitin ni Sebastian si Emy palapit sa kanya.
Hindi niya mapigilan ang mainis dito. How can he be this bold towards a girl?
But it wasn't just simply like that.
His chest is aching... So much he can't bear anymore to watch.
"Miss Hans' future is still unknown. She is unusual like that. Why don't you try pursuing her?"
The chief asked him.
Natigilan siya dahil doon. What could he meant by that?
The old man smiled at him knowingly. "You are not an idiot of your own feelings. And I am telling you, you have enough reasons to feel that way."
Napailing na lang si Haow. The chief is always speaking in riddles. Sometimes, naiisip niya if he could really see beyond what normal people could.
"The way the Fifth Prince paraded around Ming together with Emy only means one thing. He is telling everyone that she is his. How can I compete to that?"
"Why, Haow... I have never thought you can be easily defeated like this. You were once a prince too. Have you forgotten?"
Napahinga ng malalim si Haow. He was indeed. And the Chief knows it.
"It was in the past. How can I reclaim that now with this body?"
Hindi na sumagot ang matanda but he is obviously not satisfied with what he said.
Well, hindi lang naman dahil prinsipe si Sebastian kaya niya pinipigilan ang sarili.
He also felt that he is going to betray Samantha if he did.
Gaano man napalapit sa kanya ng husto si Emy, he still can't let himself like her more than he did towards Samantha. His heart should be hers alone.
Nasa ganoon siyang pag-iisip when he noticed a group of people approaching the temple. May bitbit silang katawan ng tao.
He and the chief immediately went down and met them sa harap nila Emy since Sebastian stopped them on going further.
"What happened?"
"Your highness, we were coming back from Roseteria ng makasalubong namin ang mga taga Jinuan City. They ambushed us. Half of our brothers are dead at siya lang ang naisalba namin kasama ang aming mga sarili." Sabay turo nung lalaki sa kasamahan nilang duguan at walang malay.
Haow remembered their faces. Isa sila sa mga tauhan ni General Lie. They seemed to have a mission to Roseteria. Isa ito sa mga sub-cities ng Grey City at malayo layo iyon sa lugar nila.
"Quick, bring him in the temple." Utos ni Chief Wei.
***
Emy followed behind as the men rushed behind. She is curious.
Alam niyang isa ang Jinuan City sa mga empire na kaaway ng Grey. But it never went far of attacking the main city. Hanggang sa mga sub-cities lang ang pakay nila.
If these people came from Roseteria, then those who ambushed them are probably scouts.
And if Jinuan are scouting, does it mean they are planning an attack?
Nasa ganoon siyang pag-iisip when they finally removed the man's cloth.
Nasa likuran ang source ng pagdurugo nito. And it looked deep.
Nangunot ang noo ng chief.
"I don't know this kind of wound. What exactly had happened to him?"
"The Jinuans has those small things in their hands. When they attacked us, nakarinig na lang kami ng mga putok. That's when they had taken the lives of our brothers." Naikuyom pa nito ang mga kamao. One could felt his anger towards the Jinuan.
Napatingin naman si Chief Wei kay Emy. He knows the capability of the girl, she might be able to help them.
Sebastian caught the Chief's stares towards Emy. Nangunot ang noo niya but he remained quiet.
"Emy, come here."
When the chief called her, everyone was surprised. Sa lahat ng mga naroroon ay siya lang ang babae. And none of them noticed her until the chief called her.
Agad naman siyang lumapit.
The chief gave her way but she only needed a glance to tell what it was. She had seen that kind of wound before.
"It's a gunshot wound. The attacker might have shot from afar. Maswerte pa siya kasi kung nasa malapit lang yung shooter, it would have hit deeper in his body."
Agad namang tumango yung lalaking nagsasalita kanina.
"Miss is correct. Papatakas na kami noon but he was still caught by that."
"You need to remove the bullet in him, clean his wounds thoroughly and stop the bleeding."
"Can you do it then, Miss?" Tanong ng lalaki sa kanya.
Natigilan si Emy for a moment.
She was indeed an expert of science next to Xeno. But extending one's life is not her expertise. In fact, after her latest training, she had mastered the opposite of it.
"I am sorry. I only know the process but I have never done that before. I might just end up killing him myself instead."
"I'll do it then." Sabi ni Sebastian na ikinagulat ng lahat. He was a prince. How can someone ask him to do it for a mere commoner like him?
Kahit pa alam ng lahat na siya at ang Mama niya ang pinakamagaling na manggagamot sa buong Grey City. No one will dare to ask him to save them.
"Y-your highness..."
"I am also curious at this type of wound. So I'd like to treat him myself. But I need your help, Emy."
"I understand. I will prepare everything at once. But while I am doing so, please have someone clean him up first and lay him on bed."
Tumango si Sebastian atsaka tumingin kay Vaughn. He immediately stood up. Ganun din si Haow and they both helped each other to carry the wounded man.
Chief Wei led the way to a room kung saan nila pwedeng ihiga ito.
Emy was about to go out ng salubungin siya nila Liu Fu at Choi Kang na ikinakunot na naman ng noo ni Sebastian.
"Emy, kami na ang hahanap ng mga kailangan mo sa labas." Choi Kang said.
Emy sighed in relief.
"Then I will bother you two. Please get these things as soon as possible."
Agad siyang naglista at inabot iyon sa dalawa.
Mabilis lang din ay umalis na sila.
Naiwan naman silang dalawa doon.
"I didn't expect you to offer." She told Sebastian.
"I already said I am just curious. I have never encountered one before."
Emy looked at him.
"And you might also encounter one in the near future, right?"
"What do you mean?"
Hindi na nakasagot si Emy dahil biglang dumating sila General Lie at Lie Chen.
***