Infinite Arrow-Chapter 54 - 52: Important Mission (1)

He expected to see Esther and Enrid beside him but what he didn’t expect is that he’d woken up in a very luxurious room with a maid. What’s baffling about it is that the maid has her eyes closed, just like how certain media depict most maids.

"Um..." Cliff had no words to utter, he didn’t even know what to say to the maid. He looked at his allies, but it seemed like they were deeply asleep. He wouldn’t want to wake them up just because he did.

"Dear guest, please do not be alarmed by my presence. Feel free to ask and I shall do my purpose as your temporary assistance." Her voice was monotone, it didn’t go up or down an octave, and it remained on a single note the entire time. What startled him was how she noticed his discomfort without opening her eyes.

"O-oh... Uh– If you say so then... Where am I?" Like how any person would say, he asked the first thing a person would want to ask after waking up in an unfamiliar room.

"You are inside one of the guest rooms of the House of Valkoinen, also known as the Palace of the Royal Family." She calmly yet sternly answered his question without wasting any time. So fast that Cliff thought that she had that answer prepared, but then again, it’s a question everybody would ask, not surprising.

"Huh– I see. I’m at the house of the king." Cliff blankly stared at the maid, his color fading as he slowly comprehended the information she gave him. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"WHAT?!" Cliff shouted in shock, so loud that it reverberated throughout the entire room but somehow didn’t wake up the adults inside the room.

"Please do not disturb our other guests, they’ve endured the entire journey here making sure you and the princess were safe and sound." The maid strictly asked the teenager to turn his voice down for the sake of others. Cliff looked at his friends and found their faces filled with eyebags.

"S-sorry, I was just surprised–"

"It’s fine, dear guest. Once you are done recuperating, please follow me outside the room. The king wants to an audience with you."

After telling Cliff everything that needed to be said, the maid opened the door and left the room quietly without making any noise.

What have I gotten myself into? I thought we were just supposed to escort the princess in Ordelia, why am I in the palace?!

Smack!

Cliff slapped both of his cheeks, hoping that it would wake him up but unfortunately, it was not a dream he could escape. He sighed out of frustration before leaving the soft bed he was sleeping in to stand up and stretch his body.

Crik- Crack- Crack-!

A little twist on his upper body and cracking noises were produced for three seconds straight. His eyes widened, it was unexpected to hear that much noise.

"Augh–! D-damn, have I been sleeping that long...???" After stretching, he looked at his sleeping allies. They all look so vulnerable and soft when sleeping, but he’s sure they’d wake up when there’s real danger approaching.

Cliff breathed deeply before facing the door that leads to the hallways of the palace. Mentally preparing himself, he pumped himself by lifting his head high and properly fixed his posture, then... he twisted the knob and pushed it.

It led to the hallways where there was a red rug with golden patterns and a pale white wall decorated with red paintings and small furniture like a table for a vase and many more "W-well, I should’ve expected this. I am in a royalty’s house after all– r-right?"

Despite being informed by the maid, he still can’t believe that he is inside the House of Valkoinen. Only those with high authority could enter, a simple noble like him wouldn’t even dare go 1 kilometer near it or else he’d be questioned by the elite guards.

After walking a few steps, he found the maid who informed him to meet the king of the central kingdom. Her ears twitched as she faced the direction where Cliff was coming from, he immediately noticed and found it odd. Is she blind? He raised his brow before shaking his head from being distracted and immediately went towards her "Miss, I am ready."

"Perfect. But before you meet the king, I want you to be as respectful as possible. Do not raise your voice, do not disrespect the king even if it was unintentional so mind your manners, and lastly... you will not share everything that has happened inside the king’s room." Each instruction is very strict, stiff, and inflexible. If she had eyes, she’d be glaring daggers at him. Even though she’s already doing it with her eyes closed, which is impressive but terrifying at the same time.

"W-will do, ma’am. Is he..." Cliff would then look behind the maid only to see a worn wooden door, unmaintained and old. Despite that, its worn-down marvelous design still looks great.

"Behind this door?" Cliff curiously but cautiously asked a question. The maid took a while to answer before turning her back and opening the door for him, the other side is nothing but pitch black, the only light present inside is the sun going through the clear window. The maid raised her arm and permitted the teenager to enter the room.

Cliff gulped "Uh..." Uncertain, he hesitated to enter the room but gathered his courage to continue onward. After all, he wouldn’t want the king waiting for him. He stepped inside and found himself inside of a bedroom, somehow maintained but the bed itself is covered with black see-through cloth. He could see the shadow of a person, sitting on the bed.

Immediately, Cliff recognized his presence and knelt in front of his bed, lowering his head in the process to show respect. He doesn’t even know how he did this, it was as if his body reacted on its own.

"S-Sir Cliff Carmesi, a disowned child of the Carmesi Family, an outcast amongst a family of mages." His private credentials must’ve been leaked, normal people can’t gather this private information.

However, the king is not ordinary by any means. He’s the all-seeing eye and the grand protector of the kingdom.

Ahem-!

The king coughed, covering his mouth with his palm before calming down and speaking again.

"A-allow me to offer my thanks to you for saving my daughter from the hands of evil. I couldn’t do anything because of my...current state, as you can see." The king lightly chuckled before coughing once more, it seemed that he was genuine when he was saying his thanks but belittling his current condition.

"For Her Highness and His Majesty, it’s what anyone would have done for the sake of the kingdom." Cliff remained calm despite being in the presence of the king of the central kingdom, but he didn’t expect the response that the king gave to him.

"I-I know that you dislike the kingdom, so don’t worry about the formalities... War is brewing in our dear kingdom and we can’t do anything to stop it..." Cliff’s eyes widened, he didn’t expect that bomb dropped on him that early. He already knew it from the merchant but hearing it from the king confirmed it.

"Anyway... I know that to escort my daughter, you had to forsake your original goal to attend Aria Academy, yes?" At this point, there is nothing to hide. If he were to continue doing so, he might get executed for consecutive lying. Not an actual law by the way, but it’s the king– he can enforce any law at any moment in private and nobody would notice.

"Y-yes, but I was the one who decided to forsake it. I have... no regrets." There’s no point in thinking what-ifs now. As long as he is still alive, he won’t stop pursuing the truth and a way to get rid of his curse.

"I see. In that case, I shall give you both a reward and a mission. Would you accept it?" The king’s voice is becoming clearer with a less rough tone, it seems that he has managed to overcome his cough at least. Cliff expected a reward, but a brand new mission? Is the king going to send him inside a battlefield or make him a spy? He wanted to refuse but he couldn’t bring himself to say "no" out of fear.

"I would like to know more about the mission." First, be humble. Going straight for the reward would be the unwise thing to do in this current scenario. Second, be respectful about your words even if the words are questioning or condescending.

"I would like you to protect Taylor Valkoinen, my second son and the second prince of the kingdom... for four years."

I see. So just because I protected their daughter, I got appointed to be their family bodyguard. Not surprising but it pisses me off.

Cliff’s expression turned sour and frowned, however he didn’t show it at all. He looked at the ground to hide his disappointment and the fact that he was being used... It’s annoying him.

Cool it, Cliff. That just means you’re very reliable and could be trusted, it should be considered high praise if it came from the king itself!

That’s what he kept telling himself inside his mind but he couldn’t help but feel used by the royal family. Especially for four years, it’s technically four years of straight-up being a sacrifice so that the prince would be safe.

"I see. May I ask what my reward is?" Cliff wished it was a divine artifact that could make his life easier, but this world has given him nothing but bad luck and life-and-death situations. He sighed and prepared for a disappointing reward.

"You will be his classmate."

"I will be his– what?"