CHAPTER 357: COME BACK, I NEED YOU THIS TIME

[TAMIKO]

As Sanji prepared for the weaponry and whatever the fuck Tamiko was roping him into, he couldn’t help but see that the young prince was a tad disturbed. It wasn’t like him, and Sanji had gotten to learn to deal with Tamiko like any other Lycan out there.

The only problem was that this time it seemed like the prince was going off on a mission that wouldn’t make sense to anyone who didn’t truly understand him. It was complicated no doubt but damn was it something that scared the shit out of Sanji.

Maybe he was thinking too much about this, but what else was there for the man who had been branded a traitor by the very people he had lived beside for so long?

"You look disturbed, Tamiko. Did you fight with Father Dearest?" Sanji asked.

He was alright, and for a moment, Tamiko wondered what it was that was so powerful that could have had Sanji turning his back on the people he had lived with for the longest time.

It didn’t make any sense whatsoever, and all of this wasn’t comforting in the least bit.

Someone had to answer for a lot of things, and yet somehow, in the middle of the craziest battles out there, Sanjiro proudly stood despite all the wounds he had garnered over the past few days.

He was crazy for this, and Sanji knew that too, but perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to get to have all the answers at the same time, right?

"Should I take that as a concern for you? I didn’t take you for the sentimental one, Sanjiro. Come along, we have a place to be," Tamiko said, and Sanji just stood there, watching the young prince walk away.

For a moment, it felt like they were about to commit the worst of atrocities in the realm, and yet somehow, this time it seemed like something that Tamiko wasn’t opposed to in any way. If anything, it was like the kid had the lead on the craziest of missions.

But was that what this was? A defiance against the mad king who had done everything to get his son back? Was this the result of bringing Tamiko into a home that had accepted him and treated him as one of their own?

"And yet I didn’t take you as someone who would collude with a traitor. You do realize that by arming me in front of the ministers, you just declared a state of emergency, one that will have the king running meetings?

"Do you know that they will wonder if you are the real son of the king? Perhaps associating with me wasn’t the brightest idea in your head, young Lycan. Your father will probably hang you for this," Sanji said.

Even then, there was no denying that a part of him was even more curious about the choice that Tamiko had made. He had seen the way the kid had been loyal to Kawai even before Kawai had officially accepted him as one of their own.

Sanji had seen the kid do whatever it took to keep Kawai safe and monitor anything and everything that related to Kawai.

He had seen Tamiko make decisions that made Kawai better, which was why he didn’t understand what the fuck this was and where the hell the Lycan Chief was.

Kosta was known to shadow Tamiko in almost everything, so it made no sense that he wasn’t here, and even worse, the fact that the newly turned Lycan Lord that the realm knew was loyal to Tamiko and only Tamiko wasn’t a part of all this.

Everything simply pointed to the young prince betraying his people, but Sanji wanted to know more. Surely Tamiko had to have understood the repercussions of the choice he had just made, right?

It couldn’t be as crazy and yet it was the craziest shit that he had ever seen the kid do in Kawai.

"I’m looking for Yilena," Tamiko said when he noticed Sanji standing still.

He could see that even the traitor had his limits, which was interesting for someone whose identity had revolved around crippling the kingdom and making sure the king lost everything that could make him a trustworthy man.

All of this was insane, and Sanji understood it a little too well. But even then, there was always going to be more to the lives they lived. More to the chaos that they had all subscribed to by letting themselves be a part of a kingdom so chaotic.

"I am Sanji, kid. Not Yilena. Or did you assume that the traitor had to have known whatever Yilena you are looking for?" Sanji asked amusedly, and Tamiko stared at him boredly.

He had seen the way Sanji’s eyes twitched when the young prince dropped that name. He was certain that Sanji knew which Yilena Tamiko was talking about. The traitor seemed to be buying time into something that he didn’t quite understand just yet.

Maybe he was worried that the young prince was the most dangerous person in the realm, but even if that was true, who was to ask the right questions at the moment then?

Who the fuck was supposed to explain this kind of shit to a people who didn’t truly understand the dynamics of what life was needed to be lived along the way then?

Then again, what logic had sent the prince to this rampage that never made any sense? If anything, it seemed like hell was finally blown over, and Tamiko was right in the middle of it.

But was it what he needed at the moment?

"Yilena Sidorova," Tamiko said, and Sanji just laughed like it was the saddest thing he had ever heard.

Perhaps he had finally gone insane from all the things he had been doing against his nation because there was just no way he was alright with all the shit that was happening.

Someone had to have reached out to him, but what were the odds of all that at this time, then? What about the lives they had struggled to live over the years?

"Yilena Sidorova? Kid, you’re in over your head. I know I said I was a traitor and shit, but even death itself is scared of that crazy old bat," Sanji sighed as he stared at Tamiko.

He looked like this was the kind of shit he hadn’t wanted to subscribe to but now this had Tamiko’s attention. He had never thought that Sanji would come out of his comfort zone to be scared of anyone.

It was a tad hilarious, though, how in two years commanding the Kawai army alongside his father, Tamiko never heard of the name that had been terrorizing his mate. It was crazy, truly and he needed to get a handle on that shit.

Perhaps he had to hope and pray that the world wasn’t the worst thing that he had ever been forced to be a part of, because at the end of the day, someone had to pay the price for all that they had to do.

"Where can I find her? And what about her? I need to know all there is to that woman, and I know you are the best person to give me that information. Surely you must have crossed paths with her, haven’t you?" Tamiko asked.

Sanji chuckled almost sadly.

"I suppose whoever sent you after her told you not to inform the king and Sadako, no?"