CHAPTER 112: QUIET BEFORE THE STORM

This was bad! Really, really bad!

"Shiao, do you know how worried I was while you were sneaking around the castle? Do you understand how I felt? Shiao Yi..."

—Dominic! Dominic, please calm down! ...

He’s not even listening! Dominicaah! Aaahhh...!

...

"Aaron met with the High Priest at the temple and explained the matter of the ancient magic circle. Apparently, the High Priests didn’t know about it and now they’re getting ready to question the Dalmasca Kingdom directly," Dominic explained in a calm voice.

He was reporting the current situation to Shiao Yi—while they were both lying naked in bed.

Shiao Yi let himself sink into the warmth of his relaxed weak body. He pressed his cheek against Dominic’s strong chest and nuzzling gently.

—It’s fine. Even if important updates are delivered like this. Dominic smells really nice and being wrapped in his big arms like this makes Shiao Yi feel so safe.

"Lord Quintus is also expected to use the teleportation circle to move to the temple tomorrow. The Second Division is arriving in Rabanastre bit by bit. But we must avoid drawing too much attention to Rosaria’s involvement."

Dominic continued speaking.

It seemed that Count Dunrossil’s private army and the knight order would also gather at the Rabanastre gate tomorrow and Rosaria’s knights would slip in among them.

The plan was to maintain the appearance of simply offering support.

Rex and Amal were also scheduled to arrive in Rabanastre tonight.

The city’s knights, royal guards, and gatekeepers had all been infiltrated by a significant number of warriors and knights provided by Count Chelmsford.

The key locations were now all under silent control. Their twenty years of quiet preparation hadn’t gone to waste—everything was in place.

"The knights and soldiers originally swore loyalty to the country. It’s not like they’re personally devoted to the current leaders. They’ve followed them simply out of patriotism, because those leaders are at the top of the military. But those fools got drunk on power and forgot that truth. They let their own desires take over, ignored policy, and as a result, they’re not respected—they’re despised. No one follows a commander they can’t look up to. Once this starts, it will end quickly," Dominic said.

Then Dominic turned and looked straight at Shiao Yi. No matter when or where—he really was a stunningly handsome man.

"Even so, the Royalist faction couldn’t make a move until now. The only royal they could support was imprisoned, his life held in someone else’s hands. But Shiao, you can free him. With you here, things can finally begin to move."

Dominic wrapped his arms tightly around Shiao Yi, holding him close.

Shiao Yi could feel his heartbeat pounding with unease.

Why was Dominic so worried? What had made him so anxious that he needed to hold him like this?

"I’ve put such a heavy burden on your shoulders. I want to stay by your side, but I can’t. That kills me."

"It’s okay, Dominic. I’m just going to jump over there and bring him back," Shiao Yi replied with a small smile.

"Tonight, during dinner, a doctor will visit the castle. His name is Argyll. Go with him to visit Jircniv. We need to make sure they lower their guard around you."

"Got it."

"The actual mission will probably take place tomorrow. We likely won’t see each other again tonight. I’ll be busy too."

"Dominic. Don’t get hurt."

"Shiao Yi. You be careful too."

Shiao Yi picked up the wrinkled maid outfit and looked at it with concern. It was stained in various places. Did he still have a spare? And even if he did, how was he supposed to explain why he needed a new one? That would be way too embarrassing.

Just then, Dominic quietly muttered something and held his hand over the outfit.

A ring of light appeared for a moment, wrapping around the clothes—and in the next instant, all the dirt and stains had vanished completely.

Then, Dominic sprayed a light mist of water over it and followed it with a dry, hot gust of wind, shaking the garment gently.

The wrinkles disappeared perfectly, leaving the outfit looking like it had just come back from the cleaners.

It was like using a steam dryer.

"Magic is really convenient," Shiao Yi murmured.

With this kind of magic, who needs appliances? Maybe this was why science and technology hadn’t really taken off in this world.

...

Darkness slowly spread through the already dim room.

In winter, the sun set early.

Jircniv left the window and walked to the small table in the center of the room.

There was only one chair and he sat down quietly.

It was about time for dinner to be brought in.

When that happened, someone would also light the candle and start the fire in the room’s fireplace.

The stone walls of the castle made the rooms cold.

This room was located on the north side. It was especially cold—at night, it felt like sitting inside a block of ice.

Thanks to the constant complaints from Argyll, Jircniv was at least guaranteed the minimum conditions needed to maintain his health.

The candles were also provided daily because of Argyll.

When a caretaker once said, "A blind man doesn’t need light," Argyll strongly argued back, insisting that being able to sense light was important for eye treatment.

Eventually, they agreed.

Today, too, it seemed like Jircniv would get through the day safely. Grateful to the gods, he waited quietly. If he wasn’t already seated at the table when the man in charge of serving meals came, that man would get irritated.

Jircniv wanted to avoid being shouted at or hit for no reason.

Knock knock.

There was a knock on the door.

Jircniv lifted his head, a smile forming on his face.

That knock—it was Argyll.

It was rare for him to come at this hour, but Jircniv was happy.

Argyll was the only person Jircniv could truly trust, someone who brought in the scent of the outside world and had once been his teacher.