Absolute Loyalty

"You!... " red hair grabbed his sword and stepped forward toward Itami.

"Hey hey calm down! It is not what you think it is"

"Even if you are blessed one I shall not tolerate such actions! How dare you!" He drew his sword and charged towards Itami with much more speed than Jagun he fought yesterday.

Itami gritted his teeth and g.r.o.a.n.e.d "Not this again" in his head. C'mon I really don't want to be sent flying again, not to mention I don't have my Katana with me... I will be sliced into two...

When red hair slashed at him Itami blocked with armor he was holding and sent flying backwards, hit the thin wall of the tent and somehow managed to stop himself.

When he saw the huge dent and crack on his armor he gulped down his saliva and when he looked at red hair, he was charging at him again.

Sighing at his helplessness he muttered "Cass please"

"Sure, Just watch and learn!"

Cass stood up and focused on red hair, when he slashed with sword Cass clasped his hands loudly, and sword was stuck between his hands.

But because he let go armor he was holding, heavy iron plate dropped down at his toe pinkie with merciless angle.

Cass's face went pale while red hair was dumbstruck how easily other party managed to stop his strike.

"Hahaha Cass nice one, hahaha"

"Shut up Itami! Or else deal with him on your own"

"Hahaha, fine I will deal with them, at least they will listen now.. probably"

Itami let go of sword an stared at frozen red hair directly and said "Yo red hair, You seem to have quite an imagination. At least listen people before you attack"

"..."

"Ahh my toe... damn it hurts"

"Good morning, Sir Kael" Princess greeted him while doing her best to not to laugh.

"Good morning little one, So what are you two doing here?" Itami went to center of the tent where he placed his blanket(on floor to sleep) then sat down. "Anyway sit down" he gestured them to sit on his blanket.

"Thank you" said princess and sat down at one corner.

"Princess..." troubled by how this guy is treating Her Highness, Arminel wanted to hit the guy but seeing princess sitting at one corner of the blanket happily he sheated his sword and stood behind her silently.

"Well? " Itami directed them a questioning look.

"I just wanted to confirm something.. but it seems no longer necessary. You see yesterday someone killed two Jaguns and five soldiers then burnt down their corpses along with their tents"

"Is that so..." cold sweat run down from his temples.

"Also we searched every single tent for murderer and we ended up finding nothing. And because we deployed more guards for fear of assassination half of the camp is asleep now."

"I see..."

"So Sir Kael please tell me how did you spend your night yesterday? To have such beautiful lady accompany you, surely it was hmm.. more exciting than usual no?"

"...Oh yes it was little one, You see yesterday night I couldn't sleep so I went for little night walk. And I happened to see few rats going for the cheese when cat is away, so I decided to act as dog and I tore them down to pieces then took the cheese for myself... and indeed it was very exciting night"

"Oh my, I figured as much, but I hope you tell me after the... action. Dogs and cats can get along surprisingly well you know"

"I will keep that in my mind, By the way little one is there any doctor in this camp? Also I need some... women's clothes. It seems you are about same size... Can you give me some of yours? Of course I will not take them for free I will pay!"

Lips of Princess twitched, What do you mean by not taking free? You were floating down the river buck n.a.k.e.d just a few days ago, it is obvious you looted poor soldiers yesterday.. and now paying me with coins from my own purse? Well at least it is not my soldiers... Thank god I didn't bring Foulque here.

She forced herself to smile and said

"Of course, Don't worry about payment. I will send someone to take care of it"

"Really? Thank you! You are so kind little one... Also as much as I hate to mention it but just a few moments ago my one and only the precious armor passed down to me by my ancestors generation by generation is ruined by Red hair over there"

"Is.. is t-that so? I am sure Sir Arminel will compensate you.."

"Really? Great! By the way little one when are we moving? We should be close to them now right?"

"Yes we are pretty close, In fact this morning we got more refugees coming. It seems they attacked nearest town from here and it is only one and half day from here... so even if we don't move we might crash against them tomorrow or maybe even tonight"

"Right, Did you get news of this so called 'White devil' ? "

"Oh my, is sir aiming for bounty on his head?"

"Bounty?"

"Yes.. Foulque, me and Sir Arminel set bounty on his head together and it reached 1200 gold. Also there is one for their alpha which is 1400 gold and every beta head we are offering 20 gold coins"

"Ohh, such a good offer! How many nights is 1200 gold? We will definitely get you two heads hahaha"

"Nights?" Princess tilted her head.

"Nothing.. just a nonsense. So did you hear about location of White devil?"

"Umm no.. but he will definitely be present when two armies clash against each other"

"I see... I will definitely get White devil and if possible Alpha too. Right can you send one more bed to me as well? As you can see sitting and sleeping on floor is not really comfortable"

"Hehe, Of course sir, Well to me sitting here was very enjoyable experience. Alright we will take our leave then.. I will send doctor and clothes as well as a bed to you soon."

"Haha thank you, But please make sure red hair doesn't forget my family heirloom as well. Well I will see you off then"

The trio went out of the tent.

*****

Jina couldn't really sleep during all night. It seems because she went under intense emotions constantly last few days her body functions are showing some symptoms such as unable to sleep, fast heartbeat, red eyes, hands shaking whenever she tries to hold something, sweating nonstop, no appetite for foods etc.

It is fear she thought, she is started to being afraid from almost everything.. Every single person pass by her are only threats for her now. Will he/she just walk past me, or attack me from behind?

Just a look from others are started to frighten her. Why is he looking at me? What is he thinking? These kind of thoughts started to push her frail mind to its break.

If it continues I will end up as crazy.. I can't handle it. Why am I so afraid? Right because I am weak I am getting scared to death like this.

I can't even sleep because I feel like I will be kidnapped again...

I just don't want to die... how does weak survive anyway? Right first option is to run and hide but I can't run from my own insanity...

Second option is to become strong but I am here because I can't...

Last option is to rely on strong. Right, it is the only way left for me. So who can I rely on? Him, yes I need to find him and beg him to take me as his servant. I don't care what he does or make me do, at least I will be alive with no worries for my life. Besides I got no money.. even if Princess sends us refugees to nearest town it will only be matter of time we get rounded up by slave merchants or p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e houses.

It is decided then, I will go look for him. Jina got up and left her tent.

After searching for a while she finally saw him near center of the camp. He was walking alone without armor and sword he had yesterday. He didn't even have any boots on... and it seems like his feet got hurt because of it. He stops every now and then, and stares at his feet then moves it a little.

Although most of ground around camp is grass because soldiers constructed tents there are plenty of sharp edged wooden ch.i.p.s lying around. It is obvious he will get his feet hurt like that. Why is he not wearing any boots anyway?

Wait it is no time to be thinking about it, I need to.. she ran towards him and knelt before him.

"Sir thank you so much for saving me yesterday. My name is Jina, I am one of the refugees who came here yesterday."

"Oh right, you are welcome. Think nothing of it" after saying this he tried to leave but Jina quickly blocked him. "..? "

"Sir please hire me as your servant. I don't need any pay just let me serve you! I will do everything, everything you order to the best of my abilities. Please sir, I beg of you!" Jina pleaded with tears in her eyes.

"Hire you as servant with no pay? Why? " it seems like working without pay is puzzled him. Well everyone will be suspicious...

"Yes as long as I get to eat a bit of food it will be more than enough my lord.. If I were to remain alone I fear I cannot last long out there. Please let me work for you" Jina knelt down again.

".... "

In fear of being rejected Jina's body shook and tears streamed down from her eyes. After thinking for a while man before her spoke

"Sure I will hire you then. But remember you cannot betray me.. well that aside you are actually right on time! Follow me"

"Thank you my lord!" Jina hurriedly got up and followed him. They arrived at a tent and he entered it gesturing her to follow him in. When she entered she saw tables and chairs in the tent messed up, a blanket placed on floor and there were bloody armor pieces here and there. Also she found girl she saw yesterday, almost in same condition too. Wrapped in bloody gory looking blanket she looked like one of victims after wolfman attack.

"Ahem, You see I need little bit of help with these"

"Yes..."