Chapter 17

Nash went to Barcley's Diner solely to give Katherine the bracelet she purchased when the Squad 15 went to the knight market.

"Here is a letter for you," Duke Barcley gave Nash a letter. Nash took it and began reading it.

'It's from my mother.'

//

Dear Nash,

Here's your weekly allowance. Make sure to eat properly every day, okay? I'm always wondering if you're really eating well. Please be safe always and come back if you have time.

I love you, my princess.

Mom

//

She burned the letter after reading it. She hid the pouch of money in her dress.

"Is Katherine here, uncle?"

"She's upstairs, I think she's still asleep. She had just returned from a mission and she looked drained."

Nash went upstairs to Katherine's room and opened it. She saw Katherine sleeping peacefully.

She didn't want to wake her up, so she just wrote a note and placed it in her palm, along with the bracelet on her wrist.

Her Aunt Terry's healing gemstone is hidden inside the bracelet. She has also given her squad members the bracelet she purchased last night after breaking the gemstone and inserting it into the bracelets.

"I'll be leaving now, uncle,"

"Alright, Take care."

...

She was walking through town when she noticed a bunch of knights riding a horse that was running in the middle of the road, so she moved away so she wouldn't be stampeded by the knights.

"Move!"

Nash's eyes widened as she noticed a child going to cross the road and get run over by the horses. Nash rushed as fast as she could, jumped to hold the child, and then rolled to the other side of the road.

"Are you alright?!" The child seems startled.

"Ahhhhh!" The kid cried from shock. Nash attempted to calm the child.

"Shh... it's all right. You must have been scared."

"My baby!" A mother in her late 30s ran towards Nash and hugged the kid. "I'm sorry! You must've been scared."

She looked at Nash with tears in her eyes. Nash's heart shattered.

'This must be how my mother felt when I left home.'

Nash smiled. "Please look after him the next time you go out. It will be dangerous for him to be all by himself."

"Thank you, young lady! Thank you so much!"

"It's my pleasure,"

Nash approached the child and patted his head. "Please don't leave your mother's side the next time, okay? Look at her crying; she must have been heartbroken that her son had left her. You should protect your mother and be brave."

The kid nodded. "Thank you, sister! I promise I'll never leave mama."

Nash glanced at the child and the mother's retreating figure. Her smile fades as she feels guilty.

"I really said that, huh?" She laughed sarcastically.

A guy on the other side of the road glanced at her in astonishment. "What a brave girl."

It was Owen, son of Duke Eiler. He is always assigned with inspecting the trading that takes place in each town.

"My Lord, what are you waiting for?" A guard inquired.

"I just witnessed a brave rescue," he said with a grin.

'Who are you?'

"Do you want me to find out who that girl is?" Owen shook his head.

"There is no need."

'If we're meant to meet, then we'll meet.'

...

[Imperial Palace]

"Did the guards you assigned left already?" Lawrence nodded. "That was fast."

"You said 'as soon as possible'. I just did what you said," he stated as he sat on the chair in front of Roven..

"Today's the Squad Training, aren't you going to see your Nashtassia?" He read through Roven's paperwork, checking the status of every assignment that took place that week. "Their training is from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., just in case you're interested."

"I'm busy,"

"Of course you are," Lawrence said.

*knock knock*

"It's me, Vernon, Your Majesty,"

"Come in,"

Vernon came in and bowed to Lawrence. Lawrence just raised his hand and waved.

"What is it?" Roven asked.

"More paperworks, Your Majesty." Vernon stacked the papers on top of the files on Roven's desk. The paper work just kept piling up.

"Tsk." Roven looked at his brother, "Aren't you leaving?"

"I'm free today,"

Roven grinned, "You are?"

"I mean, no. I have to play with my kids today, so bye!" Before Lawrence held the door, Lawrence was captured by Roven's shadow threads and tied to the chair.

"These are files on the Imperial Knights and the squads. I'm not sure why it's here when you're supposed to be checking these things."

"Because your consent is required." Lawrence said as he struggled to escape Roven's shadow.

"Yours as well, so you might as well approve it all at once. Don't try to escape; you won't be able to leave until half of these files are completed."

"What?!"

"You're lucky I only said half of these documents."

...

"It's almost 7 o'clock, where are those two?" Outside the training grounds, Yjhan and the others are waiting.

They arrived 20 minutes early for training to wait for the other members who had left. It has been almost 15 minutes, but the two who went out have not yet arrived.

"Leader!" Nash was spotted sprinting towards her friends.

Yjhan grasped Nash's head as soon as she stood in front of him.

"Didn't you say you'd be back in the afternoon?" Yjhan questioned, irritated.

"Oh! I had fun wandering around town. I also bought items and returned to our inn to change clothes, but you were no longer there anymore. That's why it's taken me this long to arrive here." Jaxael handed her sword. "Thanks."

"Bring your sword the next time you go out. Don't you realize how dangerous the world is?" Yjhan removed his grip on Nash's head and crossed his arms.

Nash drew the dagger from her sleeves.

"I'm always ready," she smirked, then put the dagger back inside her sleeves. "So where's Aidan?"

"I'm here, young lady," Nash smiled when she saw him and ran towards him.

"Look at this," she said, pointing to a pouch.

"What's that?"

"Take a closer look, you can only see it in the dark." Nash squeezed the pouch, releasing a foul-smelling substance as Aidan got closer.

"Shit! What the hell?!" Aidan steps away from Nash and removes the powder from his face. "What the hell is this?"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA" Nash kept laughing till she couldn't breathe anymore. "Can't breathe!"

"Ew! You stink." Idris says as he approaches Aidan. Without his awareness, Aidan hugged Idris and wiped his face on his clothes. "Ahhh! Get away from me!"

"Hah! You stink too," Aidan glares at Nash, who is now cowering behind Jaxael and Kane. "You're next."

With his arms wide, he rushes towards Nash, attempting to hug her in order to pass the stench of the Cumin powder.

"Ahhh! Leader! HAHAHA."

"These young people are constantly having fun," Aeries muttered as she watched the two rush around.

"We, too, are still young. You simply act as if you are old." Yjhan stated. They are only 17, a year older than Nash, and almost the same age as the other juniors.

"You two! Stop that! The other squad will be out in a while. Fix yourselves."

"But Aidan stinks!" Nash laughed, hysterically.

"One!"

Before Yjhan announced the next number, Aidan and Nash both stood in front of Yjhan bowing their heads.

"Sorry," Nash apologized, holding back her laughs.

"Why am I being scolded, too?! It's her fault!"

Because of that, Nash burst out her laughter and laughed hysterically. Leaving Yjhan with a heavy sigh.

"Quiet!" Yjhan flicked two's foreheads, causing them to grip their foreheads in anguish.

As Squad 14 was leaving the training grounds, they noticed Yjhan scolding Nash and Aidan.

"Yjhan!" Grin, Squad 14's leader, yelled. Yjhan turned to face Grin as he approached them. "You have some amusing members, huh?"