Chapter 140: Caught and the conclusion

Zigmund and Embody finally reached their reasonable conclusions. Although it was by no means an agreement on Zigmund's part. He was still questioning whether he did a good thing or not. So far, he was trying to get some sense out of this situation, and Tricloud was a complicated place. There was a simple room for more discussions, and that will come later in time. Embody was at least a man who had some understanding of the bigger picture, unlike Dias.

This little subordinate of Embody listened to their discussion in silence, since he couldn't move or do anything in such a conversation. In fact, he was surprised he was even allowed to listen upon discovering the case of this mission. It was straight-up recruitment, but for what, or with whom? Zigmund Troutman was the reason, and Dias couldn't shake the feeling that something wrong was with this situation. From the time he wanted to speak up, but he couldn't force anything out.

What went through their conversations were by no means answers to what he wanted to find out about. They, regardless of his unwillingness, significantly broadened his horizons of the Tricloud influence. Many words that Embody said were things that he had not a single clue about.

This man before him was, in fact, a member of the past Tricloud Alliance and acted on the behalf of previous iterations of the Alliance in itself. That or the Tricluod schools in themselves were involved? That, Dias didn't know, since he wasn't that interested in old history. The present was more important to him, and so was the future.

The past of the Tricloud Alliance was not well known to any foreign organization around, since this Alliance in itself acts more internally than externally. After all, the neutral standing of the Tricloud Region was rather peaceful for a long time, so the Alliance had very few conflicts with the outside. But it wasn't all that good either. Conflicts of politics and power were apparent even in the Tricloud region and they all occurred inside, and not outside.

Everything that went on in the past was usually self-contained problems that never left the stage where they began. That was what remained in the Tricloud Region usually stayed there, and no one would talk about it, nor question it.

Unfortunately, in today's age, there was no good way to tell that. The invasion of the Timeless Kingdom had begun, and who knew who else was involved? Since the time of the Tricloud Alliance ascension, many things changed in the world. New rulers, nations, or kingdoms were raised over many years, so it was doubtful for this war to be a doing of the Timeless Kingdom alone. As for the others, no one knew or dared to point fingers at potential betrayals of the past or present.

Dias found out about some things he never knew, but most were still hard for him to understand. At the end of Zigmund's conversation, Embody pointed his voice to him.

“Dias, it's your turn now. The time you spent out on this mission was quite long, and a few days passed and more will go by before your return. So, with that said, it is time for your squad to come back. Consider making a detailed report about this mission or whatever occurred. Make it directly to me, of course.”

“Of course, sir.” Dias quickly answered after being talked to. “But… Sir, about this mission…”

“It's an important mission and I truth you, but regardless of that, this will be a confidential matter of the highest caliber. No one should know too much about what occurred this day, and it better stay this way. Am I right, Troutman?” Embody said, pointing his speech to still-sitting Zigmund.

“I don't care either way.” He shut Embody down.

Chuckling, Embody couldn't fault him for that. “Right. I figured.”

“Sir, shouldn't this matter be unrelated to me?”

“You are excluded, Dias. I have high trust in you. That was the reason I made you do this mission with your long-lasting squad. As for the reasoning behind this mission, or whatever is in your mind, I will tell you more information in person, since this discussion was more between me and the person before you.”

“Alright… Understood, sir. I won't stick my head where it doesn't belong.” Dias resolutely confirmed, not wanting to talk back, nor question Embody who he trusted with his life.

“Good. Good.” Zigmund lay on his chair in a better mood.

He was listening to this small conversation between a general and his subordinate. It left him in a nostalgic mood that he swore he would never think about, but here he was, the world was forcing him to the past he had long left behind his back. Still, those memories still resurfaced in his mind as there was nothing he could have done about it. It was his life and the past, and it was by no means fault or manufactured memories. Zigmund was never one to lie to himself.

“Time and life will never go in a direction that one wants…Is this what is everything in life?” Zigmund thought and was lost in himself for a bit until he noticed a receding dust that was falling apart. The appearance of Embody was fading away, revealing the time limiter that was much higher than the one Dias had later today.

“Oh, is it the end?” Zigmund mumbled as he noticed the ending words of Embody, who faded to nothingness.

“I will see you soon, Troutman.”

“It is the end at last,” Dias said as he got up. He was somewhat calmer than before since he was glad this mission went in the right direction. Even though it wasn't by his decision or cause, when it comes to his general, he would never question a thing.

“It was an interesting conversation, sir.” Dias turned his gaze to Zigmund's. “I still think a lot about the things that had to resolve. Those are nightmares that are happening in the current state of the region. Unlike you who had seen the past, I am in no way responsible for what you know, but I know the present and future is always more important than some troubles from the past. The current state of Tricloud Regions is falling apart and going to hell because of the push of the Timeless Kingdom.”

“What are you trying to say?” Zigmund asked in a dismissive manner.

“Region needs a protector, and people need good leadership.”

“You don't say, but considering you… You know very little about it. Especially if you talk to me, boy.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not so much as you would assume.”

“Nice joke… I can't be bothered. Protectors are just excuses for powerful people in charge. Maybe even in the name of three schools… That's how laughable that is since it is no different from anything in other places.” Zigmund said, with some sense of knowing more than he let out. It left Dias frowning.

“Whatever your truth is, my view isn't lacking behind. My mission is done, so let the past be passed since I have a place to go and live for others.” Dias said, walking walked out of the office.

“Heh… At least he has some resolve. People like him are good, but considering this situation…” Zigmund thought, leaning on his chair. “What in the world did the Tricloud Alliance even think? If they believe I will even consider their so-called empty promises or words, they are more naïve than I ever thought. Well… But… Since I am at it and Embody was at least listening, I may as well get some nice stuff from them in return. Heheheh.” Zigmund laughed out loud.

Outside of the house, the situation was the same or close to it than before. The pair of brothers were listening to Roseanne and waited with her and Rengiward, right across the main door.

Not so far away, the eyes were still watching everything with wonder and questions.

Sarey noticed their disappearance, but they soon returned in a couple of minutes. During this time, she kept hiding with Allan further in the bushes, since he had no way to do anything himself. All she could do was describe everything to him, albeit quietly.

Soon enough, from their whispering and movements, the situation changed. The sudden gaze of one figure among the 4 noticed something from the distant bushes.

Roseanne stepped forward right in the direction of Sarey, who was shocked that she has been found out.

It was way too late to do anything, and Roseanne creased her spear across the bushes where Sarey was kneeling. It went right above her head, but she managed to push Allan far from her area of influence.

“What do we have here? A little watcher? You think I wouldn't notice that there was a pair of eyes watching us?” She said, looking at Sarey, who was a little apprehensive.

“I thought my cover was good enough, but you didn't notice me until just recently. I bet on that!” Sarey responded while getting up.

Roseanne discovered the fresh familiarity with this girl, that still wore the hood around her head. “You? Why are you here and what do you have? Have you yet to forget about Pier's appetite and want to get back to him for what he did?” Roseanne jokingly asked.

“I don't care about that… I was just walking by and noticed some strange movement of soldiers who are armed to the teeth. It is more than normal for a kid to wonder about these things, you know?” Sarey talked back with the reason she found sufficient.

“You did? Really?”

“Of course, I am not kidding. Timeless Kingdom assault is always possible when one least expects it, so the people are always looking for any kind of strange movement. Especially soldiers. That makes sense, doesn't it?” She tried to reason with Roseanne, who folded her hands around her chest armor after stabbing the spear to the ground.

“How clever then. What did you expect to see from us then? We don't want to be seen, so you better go back home before our leader comes back. You don't want to wait for that, don't you?”

“Your leader? What is even a Tricloud Alliance doing in this city? Are you not aware of its history or what?”

“I know. I know. Get lost, alright? I have no time to waste on your case.” Roseanne lost a little bit of patience with her since Sarey constantly asked with curiosity what was naked to an eye.

“This is my home! You move out!” Sarey said resolutely.

“Listen, girl with unreasonable curiosity. It's true that we are from the Alliance, but we have a mission to do, and it's not something normal. I don't want to include civilians in this mess at all costs. Is it enough of a reason for you to get out of this place?”

“Maybe… How about telling me more and then I will leave?”

“You… are unreasonable,” Roseanne said, picking her spear back into her grasp and looking around. “Where is that blind boy who was with you? Is he hiding away, or are you spies sent by the Timeless or others? It's the second time we meet, so don't have any wrong ideas!” Roseanne uttered these words with utter intent unkept for such a lady. She also noticed something odd, and that was this girl wasn't alone for sure.

“Him?” Sarey panicked, as she knew Allan was not that far away.

Behind Roseanne's back, Peon, one of the brothers who had a bald head with an equally wide and strong body as his brother, walked toward Roseanne.

“What is it, vice-boss?” He asked loudly.

“I've noticed some watchers in our little mission. What should we do with them?”

“Oy! Pier! Look what we got here.” Peon shouted and got his brother to come here.

“Oh, if it isn't a friend of a friend?!” Pier shouted, looking around to see a boy who gave him a few pieces of absolute bliss.

Sarey couldn't help but helplessly smile at the inability to get out of this situation.

To her lack of surprise, she noticed a familiar figure of a chubby man who had nowhere to hide. He put his pointer finger to his mouth, indicating for her to be quiet about him.

She complied with more questions in her mind, but soon, she was met with a hand around her shoulder. It was Allan who noticed that she was exposed.

“Please, don't take any offense, lady knight. We were truthfully taking a stroll in this forest after our time in the not-so-distant town.” Allan tried to defuse the situation since he heard all of their previous words as well as Roseanne's intent.

“Who cares about that little brother?” Pier shouted and moved past Roseanne in the way. “It is good to see you again after not so long.” Pier laughed and acted all so familiar with a person he shared a single meal with. It was as natural to him as he always did this sort of thing since he grew up.

“Stop it, Pier! We are on a mission.” Roseanne sternly said, picking up his shoulder with her grip.

“Oh! Right! Ehm… What were you doing here!?” Pier changed his stance amid the pain and fear coming behind him. Talking in a faked stern voice, but there was no fierceness or seriousness in his expression.

“You are really bad at this brother. Let me give it a try!” Peon said back as he couldn't watch his brother act like that any longer.

“Why so persistent? We will simply leave.” Allan replied, as he also didn't know what he should do. These people were not bad people in his mind, but this situation was somewhat problematic, as they told him. A mission revolving around Zigmund by the mention of the Tricloud Alliance? That was 100times bigger than Sarey and Allan considered.

Allan knew these people were doing what they thought was right, or not really. They could be mercenaries or soldiers that had no way to refuse the mission. He met plenty of such people in his young life, and it all seemed normal to him. Being right for oneself was by no means wrong or right in this situation. Everyone had their definition of truth, and Allan was no different from this group.

“Leave?” Pier asked.

“Yes, or you can leave instead?” Allan said and involuntarily uttered the same thing as Sarey.

“Alright then. I have had enough of this. Are you citizens of Griontesse city or what?” Roseanne asked after being done with the brothers and this talk in itself.

“We don't have to say anything to you,” Sarey said.

“But you should! I am running out of patience.” Roseanne insisted.

“You should know more about it, if you are a proper knight, that is.” Sarey returned with a counter.

“You!” Roseanne lifted her spear and placed it right across the pair herself.

Unfortunately, it was met with a sturdier force of a staff which pushed the spear from her hands, surprising her.

“Intimidation is not a good way to act in this situation. Let us go then and no amount of issue should further make things difficult for you.” Allan uttered, grabbing his staff, and pulling Sarey with his other arm, leaving deeper into the forest.

Roseanne speechlessly looked at the pair. She never had the intention to attack them, of course. It was a simple and small technique of intimidation, as Allan stated.

She watched in unwillingness as they left with no further talk. Both for them and herself. She picked up her spear, noticing a robust crack and chipped part around her edge. She gulped down, not willing to believe this attack was anything but normal.

At almost the exact time as everything was over here, Dias came back. Appearing from the wide-open main entrance, he walked back to his group. Seeing his colleagues, apart from Rengiward, surrounding a distant bush, he frowned and walked there as well.

“What is going on here?” He asked.

“AH! Leader! It is good to see you back safely. How did it go? You have 4 limbs, which is great!” Both brothers cried out at the same time as they turned around.

“Save my ass. What went behind that door is hardly anything better than that.” Dias sighed and signaled everyone to move on out of this place without having the patience to ask what was wrong. He had no intentions of doing anything else but move one.

Walking first towards the road outside, Dias had no mood to wonder. His future missions should be better from this moment since the war was going on, and they shall return to the Alliance for the sake of it.

It was hardly better news for some folks in this group, but neither of them had a place for complaints. Anything about the war would mean more trouble, but as with everything, they will live through this.

“When troubles go, more troubles will show up later,” Dias uttered a saying of General Embody whenever he went to war himself. Dias had plenty of inner war experiences and being a part of a few skirmishes in his name was about it. As for the war for the sake of the Region? That wasn't something he experienced, but he knew plenty of experiences will come his way.

Still, some experiences were better left alone, rather than met head-on. Rengiward was of this belief and nothing will ever change that.

The group moved outside of this region since their goal was done. Few met not much satisfaction in their hearts as everything ended with no high notes, but Dias was their leader, so that was it.

No questions asked.

Back in the place of the open main entrance.

Sarey had seen no one there after some time of waiting in the deeper parts of the forest.

“I think they left.” She said to Allan, who was close to her.

“Then let's go back. It is getting late already, isn't it?” Allan insisted.

“Alright.”

Walking through the main entrance, which was now without doors, Sarey noticed quite a few destroyed things. The most obvious was the door on the ground, which should be a headache to fix.

“What a mess… They sure had some issues with my father going inside in such a fashion and even causing these sorts of damages… I am getting angry…” She uttered and checked every single room apart from Zigmund's office.

“Since they were soldiers of the Tricloud Alliance, anything would be possible. Your father never said much to you about his past in the army, and all sorts of things could happen. Maybe he had some issues which led to this situation, but nothing wrong happened with that. Am I wrong?” Allan tried to calm Sarey down, but it was to no avail.

“That could be it, but they could also be assassins. What if my father is laying in his office chair headless? Wouldn't it mean something bad?” Sarey uttered these words with complete disinterest, stopping even Allan, who didn't expect such choices of words. “Let's meet the main course of these troubles, then.” Sarey decided and went straight to Zigmund's office, which had intact doors, but they were wide open.