Doomsday (n.) - the last day of the world's existence.
Chapter 14: The Doomsday
Fairash, Center Town
"Andrew..." nag-aalalang tawag ko sakanya. I'm not sure if I should call him Yoshiro, but I'm going to stick with Andrew.
"Empress, hold me tight," seryosong sabi nya, but his tensed shoulders say otherwise.
"Why? Anong plano mo?" tanong ko pero ginawa ang sinabi nya at kumapit ng mahigpit sa likod nya. I can feel his muscle underneath those layers of fabric. Omyghod Blair, snapped out of it, he's like twice your age! He can be my daddy at this point no offense.
Hindi nya ako sinagot at walang sabing hinampas ng malakas ang kabayo na sinasakyan namin. The horse cries out in panic at tumakbo ng napakabilis papunta kanila kenji na nakaharang parin sa gate ng village.
Everyone turned their head towards us with a look of shock plastered on their face, hindi nila inaakala na susugod kami straight on kanila kenji, pati ako hindi ko rin alam kung anong iniisip ni Andrew for the moment.
"Hmm, as if I will let you get away, Empress Blair," kenji said, exposing my identity at inihanda ang spear sakanyang harapan, his group of bandits followed his actions at itinutok ang iba't ibang klase ng armas samin. The people along with the general and his knights gasped at this.
"Empress Blair?"
"Why is she here?"
"Balita ko inimbita sya ni Emperor Axel."
"Kaya pala nandito si Emperor Axel."
How? Papano nalaman ni kenji ang tunay na pagkatao ko? wait scratch that, how did he even know what do I look like? Never ko pa nakita si Kenji sa Verona Kingdom kaya papano nya nalaman ang itsura ko? And how can he tell I am the Empress despite my disguise. As far as I know, Lucy is not that famous around the Izu country, maybe because of some rumors? Ang layo naman narating ng rumors na yan.
Kahit man inilabas ng mga bandits ang kanilang mga armas to threaten us, hindi parin nagpatinag si Andrew, hindi rin sya nagpakita ng mga sign na ititigil nya ang kabayo, in fact masbinilisan nya pa ang pagpapatakbo ng kabayo. I closed my eyes, afraid to witness what will happen next.
"Dear god, naka 98 naman ako sa religious education, sana sapat na ito para patawarin lahat ng kasalanan ko---"
I can feel myself floating instead of being stabbed with a sharp blade. Napakurap ako ng ilang beses hanggang sa makita ko ang mga gulat na bandits sa baba namin. Tumalon ng napaka taas ang kabayong sinasakyan namin over the stunned bandits. How the fuck is that even possible? Posible ba tumalon ng ganyan kataas ang isang kabayo? Hinawakan ko ang hood ng cloak ko dahil sa sobrang lakas ng hangin. I'm surprised hindi nabalian ng buto ang kabayo when it landed on the ground.
Without looking back, Andrew continues to ride the horse towards the gate of Mikawa Kingdom.
I tried to look back at napansin na hindi na sumunod samin sila kenji, nakatingin lang sila samin habang palapit kami ng palapit sa entrance ng mikawa kingdom, General Ash snapped out of his shock at sinubukan lumagpas sa mga nakaharang na mga bandits, but they made no move to let the general follow us.
That's right, paniguradong ayaw ni kenji pumasok dito kaya hindi na sila sumunod samin, Andrew did a great job forming a perfect escape plan. Ginamit nya ang Mikawa kingdom para maiwasan na sumunod sila kenji, bakit hindi nya ginawa ito kanina? Edi sana hindi ako nakilala ni kenji at naexposed kay ash, but we will attract some unwanted attention kaya siguro hindi nya ito ginawa.
Hindi ko namalayan na napatitig na lang ako sa likod ni Andrew. He's acquaintance with the Japanese Emperor and for some reason, may connection din sya kay Ash. It seems I don't know a single thing about him. I considered him as my big brother, but what I am talking about? He's an assassin, they are not meant to be trusted at all.
Andrew, just who are you?
Mikawa, Center Town
"Welcome to Ina Inn!" Isang masayang waitress ang bumati samin pagkapasok namin sa isa sa mga kilalang restaurant sa Mikawa Kingdom. Inn pangalan pero isang restuarant? Weird.
Anyway, yinaya ko si Andrew na kumain muna bago ipagpatuloy ang paglalakabay namin pabalik sa Verona Kingdom. We can exit through the other side of Mikawa Kingdom para makabalik kami sa Verona, but it will take 5 days kaya kailangan namin ng mga supplies at dapat busog kami bago umalis. We want to avoid stopping at a village as much as possible, para limitahan ang chance na makasalubong namin uli ang wild bandit leader.
"One private room please," I said to the lady at the counter at binigyan sya ng limang gold coins. Tumango naman sya sakin at tumawag ng isang waitress para mag assist samin.
After namin makapasok sa Mikawa, napagdesisyonan namin magpalit uli ng anyo dahil nabuking kami nila General Ash at lahat ng tao na nakakita samin. Naisipan namin magpanggap bilang isang mayamang noble from a foreign kingdom. I turned my brown hair into red and my emerald eyes into blue ones with the help of contact lens. I wear an expensive dress with a golden fan para takpan lagi ang kalahati ng mukha ko.
Kay Andrew naman, ginawa nyang brown ang buhok at mata nya, he's also wearing a commoner's clothes para magpanggap as my servant.
Thank God hindi tumingin ang mga tao samin pagkapasok namin, mukhang nasa iba ang atensyon nila at mahinang bumubulong sa isa't isa habang panay tingin sa second floor ng restuarant, kung saan ang vip area.
I can feel the stare of all people at my back the moment na umakyat kaming tatlo ni Andrew at ng waitress sa vip area. Ano naman problema ng mga to? Hindi ko marinig ang pinauusapan nila dahil sobrang tahimik nila magsalit---
I can feel suddenly something is wrong. My mind is telling me to go back, but my stomach says otherwise. Mukhang napansin din ito ni Andrew dahil mas naging alert sya sa paligid.
Napansin ko na wala man lang katao-tao ang vip area pagka-akyat namin. Almost all the private rooms are not occupied. Akala ko ba sikat ang Ina Inn sa mga ranked nobles? Tumingil ang waitress sa isang kwarto malapit sa hagdan.
"I'm sorry milady, you can only use this room near the stairs. Bawal gamitin ang mga room malapit sa last room, dahil nandito ang-----"
Napatingin kami sa kwartong nasa dulo ng hallway nang bigla itong bumukas. I froze when the coldest pair of eyes looked at us. Mas malamig pa ito sa antartica. Lumuhod ang waitress sa harapan namin.
"Emperor Blaze, this servant is sorry for disturbing your meeting." Napatingin ako sa waitress at kay Andrew not knowing what to do. Sumenyas si Andrew na gayahin namin ang waitress at binigyan ako ng tingin na nagsasabi ng 'you have a one goddamn job.'
"This Lady greets the Emperor," I said, trying so hard to hide my nervousness at lumuhod sa harapan emperor, Andrew mirrored my actions.
It's hard not to be scared in front of your killer you know? Knowing this person wanted my head, pano ako hindi kakabahan sa harapan nya?
"What kingdom are you from?" He asked, but more like command. Hindi rin sya nageffort na patayuin man lang kami matapos namin sya batiin. This fuckin dog shit----
"Aray puta," kinurot ni Andrew ang balikat ko. Binigyan ko sya ng masamang tingin bago ibinalik ang atensyon ko sa murder--Emperor.
"Vigan Kingdom your majesty," I said with the girly voice I can muster. I can't say Verona and Mikawa because that's too obvious, tsaka baka maghinala sya. Kiruna is not a good option either and that leaves me with Vigan kahit gusto ko sakalin ang Emperor nila.
"Emperor Adrian, this noble is from your Kingdom," Blaze said with a straight face while still looking at us.
Nawala ang lahat ng dugo sa mukha ko ng lumabas ang nakakairitang mukha ni Adrian sa pinto na binuksan ni Blaze.
"Hmmm?" He seems confused habang nakatingin sakin.
"Milady, please forgive this Emperor, but I've never see you in my kingdom before," Adrian said with a gentle smile, but his eyes are glaring daggers at me.
I screwed up.
•••
Author's note: Sorry kung ngayon lang nakapag update, papatay patay kuryente dito samin -___- nakakawalang gana magsulat kasi ang init na nga tas madilim pa.
Btw, hindi po kasali si Andrew/Yoshiro sa love interests huh, like sure hot sya and cool (hot and cold?!) Kaso matanda na sya guys and I like torturing you a lot hahahahahaha unless gusto nyo gumawa ako ng special chapter para sakanya? Or ur into older men type? Ikaw ah. Pm nyo na lang or comment nyo and I'll consider kung gagawa ako ng special chapter or not.
[Not edited]