CHAPTER 506: 505. SOMETHING BAD (5)

After explaining plan A and B, Ocean asked everyone to leave except for her family and Lyall.

"Are you going to explain Plan C?" Arian asked while still being seated in his chair. Watching him Eric and Davian also stayed back.

Ocean sighed lowkey glaring at Davian because of whom she now had to explain her family why Reina was in Denril.

"No, it’s a different matter," Ocean said.

"About this Miss Reina you were talking about earlier?" Arian asked sounding interested, "Who is she anyways?"

Rune’s defenses kicked in, "It’s not something Your Highness should be curious about."

Arian’s eyes drifted over to Rune before he looked back at Ocean, not moving an inch without getting an answer.

Duke Aurelius who was seeing his daughter caught up in a pinch sighed and said, "Reina is my daughter, Your Highness. Now, if that satisfies your curiosity, it’s late you should head back to sleep."

Ocean looked at Duke Aurelius with gratefulness making him give him a subtle nod with a smile.

Arian hummed, before he stood up, "All right, let me know if you have any other plan besides what you explained. I don’t want to be left out of the loop regarding the safety of my own kingdom, Marquis Ocean Ryujin of Sestia."

Arian placed his hand firmly on Ocean’s shoulder making Ocean’s eyes to sharply fix on him, Arian felt the chill run down his spine but he didn’t back off as he kept his hand there for a moment before he walked off.

"He’s pretty audacious, I’ll give him that." Davian commented once Arian had left.

Ocean was tempted to say that Davian himself wasn’t any less audacious but he sighed.

"He’s the Crown Prince of this kingdom after all, he needs to be." Eric muttered subconsciously responding to Davian’s comment.

The two young men looked at each other before they averted their gazes.

"Then, I’ll take my leave now, Master. I’ll see you tomorrow." Davian said before he turned and left.

"I’ll leave too, have a good night, Master and everyone." Eric said before he too walked out.

Ocean didn’t even want to think let alone comment over the air of awkwardness between them. He simply walked over and slumped on the armchair while the remaining men looked at him.

"I’m sorry," Ocean said before he sat up straight and looked at Rune and Duke Aurelius.

He pursed his lips for a moment before he ran a hand through his hair, "Prince Davian... saw me when we were together, father,"

Duke Aurelius flinched making Rune and Marquis Fairisles look at him.

"When?" Rune asked.

"Well..." Ocean explained to them about the part of Davian seeing them but conveniently kept out the part about Davian’s feelings and their date.

Rune sighed, "He’s too nosey in other people’s business for his own good."

Ocean couldn’t deny that.

The three remained quiet while Sol yawned widely making Ocean look at him. He stood up and walked up to Sol before plucking him up from the chair where Davian was sitting earlier.

"What are you doing?" Sol asked drowsily as Ocean held him up, Sol’s cheek rested over Ocean’s shoulder.

"It’s fine, just sleep, it’s way past your bedtime." Ocean patted his back gently before walking towards the bed.

"Don’t treat me... like a child."

Sol dozed off and Ocean gently lay him on the bed before covering him with the blanket and then walked back to the men of Reina’s family and Lyall.

He sat back down on the chair and looked at the chess board. There was a Plan C and even Plan D in his head. But Plan C wouldn’t include the current people, it was for the others whom Ocean would meet before the ball. And Plan D was for the unforseen emergency and only for himself so, he wasn’t planning on discussing it with others apart from Lyall.

"That’s all there was to it, you should all head back to your rooms now as well. I’m sorry that I had to get you all so urgently in the middle of the night."

"It’s fine, Reina, it was an emergency after all." Duke Aurelius said before he approached Ocean and placed his hand over his head with a smile.

"And, I’m glad you decided to rely on us instead of trying to do everything on your own."

"Yes, at least she’s learned her lesson now." Rune commented with a smile.

Ocean’s eyes widened a bit before he chuckled and then looked at Marquis Fairisles who had a small, satisfied smile on his face.

Lyall stood in the back looking relieved as well.

"Let’s head back now, even Reina needs some sleep and if you can’t get proper sleep then you might not be able to fulfill the responsibility my granddaughter placed on you well." Marquis Fairisles commented.

This hit the mark for both Rune and Duke Aurelius who flinched while Marquis Fairisles looked at Ocean.

"Good night, Reina. Sleep well."

Ocean smiled, "Good night, Grandfather. You sleep well too."

Rune and Duke Aurelius also started leaving followed by Lyall but Ocean gestured for Lyall to stay behind.

Lyall understood and stood back while Duke Aurelius turned slightly noticing that Lyall wasn’t going along.

"I have some instructions to give to Lyall so, you can go ahead, father, good night. You too, brother, good night." Ocean said and both the men nodded.

They knew Lyall was an important ally for Ocean and while Ocean could keep secrets from the world, he would share all of his plans with Lyall. It made them slightly envious but this wasn’t Reina that stepped ahead at times, they had accepted the other side of Reina a long time ago. Ocean Ryujin was a part of Reina that was beyond them. The cold and calculative person who saw everyone as pawns and was solely devoted to his plans and motives.

The current and biggest motive was to make Prince Eric the King, they often asked Reina why she wanted to do that. But since childhood she had taken a route that was hard for them to understand. She had been involved so deeply in a lot of dangerous things that most experienced nobles would avoid at any costs.

But after hearing that she had the Dragon’s Mana Heart, they could only wonder just how much of a burden would be on her shoulders. Living a dual life, having so many people to care for, having so many enemies and such a huge responsibility.

The "why" became at times so insignificant that they couldn’t even think of why they were making the enemies out of the Golden Serpent or getting involved in the throne battle. But since Reina was sitting there, moving the chess pieces, they could only stand by her so that she wouldn’t have to do it on her own.

After all, family was the one that stood by your side when everyone turned their backs.

Blood would always be thicker than water.

Back in the room, Ocean turned to Lyall who waited patiently for his Master’s further instructions.

"Plan C," Ocean said as he moved towards the chessboard taking a seat on the chair.

"I’ll meet the others tomorrow but as of now, listen carefully on what happens if both Plan A and B fail. Take a seat."

Lyall nodded before he walked over and sat down facing Ocean and the chessboard.

Ocean started explaining by arranging the chess pieces accordingly, Lyall frowned a bit hearing the Plan C. He nodded acccordingly where necessary and then Ocean tapped the chess board with his finger as he finished.

"That’s all for Plan C, now it’s Plan D." Ocean spoke and Lyall nodded.

"This one is for the very last resort so, listen carefully." Ocean sighed, Lyall leaned ahead.

He knew what last resort meant and as the further words came forth, he knew that Ocean Ryujin would go to that length if things went that bad.

"Master, at least-"

"No," Ocean said firmly, "I’ll handle it so, you do what I tell you to do. My family is the most important one."

Lyall nodded, resigning, "Yes, I understand, Master."

"Good, now go and catch some sleep." Ocean said before he looked at the chess board where the only remaining pawns were the black ones, all of them down.

Lyall nodded, "Good night, Master."

He walked towards the door and Ocean responded, "Hm, good night."

Lyall lingered only for a moment before he stepped out and walked away.

Ocean made his way to the balcony instead of the bed looking out at the cloudy sky that had concealed the stars and the moon plunging the above into black nothingness. Beneath the scene was completely opposite as the pure white snow blanketed possibly everything in sight.

Ocean brought up quest that was lined up for the present and which had tensed him up so much.

[The Preserver has assigned you a quest.]

[Protect your candidate and the royal family of Denril from the massacre on the last day of the peace treaty ball.

Reward: Gaining a weapon from The Preserver’s collection.

Penalty: Death of Reina’s family and your candidate.]

The grim words hung over the air before Ocean’s face. The penalty was large enough for him to wonder just what kind of an attack was coming. In a game this kind of a quest would probably be an A, if not S level difficulty. Not that Ocean had had the luxury to play any games in his past life.

[The Preserver asks if you’re nervous or scared.]

Ocean sighed, "I’m fine, you should be worried about those who would be caught. I’ll make sure you’ll have nightmares after seeing their condition once I’m done with them."

[The Preserver chuckles.]

[The Preserver says that he awaits it.]

Ocean pondered over it for a moment before eyeing the reward section and asked, "And what’s your collection of weapons anyway? You said you’ll give me one weapon, what weapons do you have?"

[The Preserver says that you will figure out the number of weapons when you figure out his identity.]

Ocean frowned a bit but then shrugged, "Leave it, you’re around only for one week now. And when I see your weapons I might have a clue so, it’s fine keep it a suspense."

[The Preserver asks if you haven’t thought about being in contact with him after your previous Patrons have returned.]

Ocean blinked, he had thought about it in the past but then he just dropped the thought. He thought again in present and answered.

"Let me see your weapons collection, then I’ll decide if I want to be friends or not."

[The Preserver smiles.]

"Besides, what of the other Patron? He’s only namesake Patron or what?"

[The Preserver corrects it by saying that the next task will come from him so you should wait.]

"Uh huh... Okay, then." Ocean nodded.

[The Preserver asks you to have some rest now.]

Ocean rubbed his neck watching the first rays of light seeping through the horizon blocked by the expanse of human civilization.

"It’s fine, I have a lot of stuff to do and it’s already morning. I’ll snag the most powerful weapon from your collection so, just wait." Ocean smirked.

The Preserver chuckled lightly hearing that before he said:

[The Preserver awaits.]