Free Web NovelChapter 194: Masks
In the end, Klento’s political situation worsened far more than expected for a holiday season at the end of the year.
There were hardly any nobles living in Klento, because the nobles hated the presence of pirates and the large movement of carts through the city. Therefore, most of the region’s nobles lived in large mansions and estates scattered around the area surrounding the city, some even had large estates with huge greenhouses and private guards to protect their lands. It was far worse for the merchants of Klento to have a party full of nobles raided than for the nobles themselves.
Luisa seemed to be very stressed by this situation. She, as the owner of one of the city’s main merchant companies, and also a city councillor, would have to explain everything to the royalty and discuss the events, because only the King or the Royal Council could decide what the punishments would be for the invaders and also the methods needed to prevent more attacks like this from happening.
Victor, like a good friend, said:
"I’ll help you with whatever I can."
Luisa walked quickly, the tension in each step reflecting her state of mind. The event, which should have been a peaceful celebration, had turned into a political nightmare. The lights of the oil lanterns swayed in the cold early winter breeze, casting dancing shadows over the worried faces of the dispersing guests.
The conversations were anxious murmurs about what had happened, and the festive atmosphere had been replaced by a heavy air of uncertainty.
Victor followed Luisa closely, his eyes attentive to his surroundings and Luisa’s expression. He knew his friend well and knew that, behind that calm façade, her mind was working at full speed, thinking of solutions and strategies. He hurried to accompany her to the carriage, wanting to offer as much support as possible.
When they reached the carriage, Frugeon, Luisa’s bodyguard, was standing by, vigilant as ever. His eyes scanned the crowd as he held out his hand to help Luisa up.
"Thank you, Frugeon," said Luisa, her voice heavy with fatigue. "Tonight was a complete disaster."
"We’ll do our best to ensure safety, ma’am," replied Frugeon, his tone firm and professional. He then turned to Victor and nodded, acknowledging his presence and support.
Victor held Luisa’s other hand, helping her carefully into the carriage. "Don’t worry, Luisa. We’ll find a way to resolve this. We’re in this together." frёeωebɳovel.com
Before Victor climbed into the carriage, he heard a soft but firm voice calling him. "V-Victor..."
He turned around, his hand still on the carriage support, and saw the masked figure he had been talking to on the balcony earlier. Her orange hair shone in the light of the carriage lanterns, standing out against the darkness of the night.
"I need to talk to you," she said, her eyes shining brightly through the mask. There was an urgency in her voice that Victor couldn’t ignore.
"Luisa, go ahead," he said, looking at his friend. "I’ll catch up with you soon."
Luísa hesitated, but nodded. "Be careful, Victor."
"I will be."
Victor stepped away from the carriage and approached the masked woman. "What’s wrong?" he asked, keeping his voice low. "By the way, are you all right?"
"We need to talk somewhere more private," she said, looking around. "There are things you need to know."
Victor followed the woman down a narrow path that led to a garden at the back of the building where the event had taken place. The leaves of the trees rustled in the wind, and the air was cold, charged with the promise of a long, disturbing night.
Victor kept his gaze fixed on the masked woman as they walked along the narrow path, his boots echoing softly on the stone sidewalk.
The shadows of the trees danced to the rhythm of the wind, creating a dark and mysterious atmosphere. The dim light of the lanterns in the distance cast a faint glow over them, accentuating the tension in the air.
Reaching the large garden at the back of the building, Victor stopped, his eyes scrutinizing the masked face in front of him.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice laden with a mixture of curiosity and caution. "And how do you know what my name is?"
The woman took a deep breath, her gaze meeting Victor’s through the small gaps in the mask. "I heard many people call you by name directly after what happened," she said, her voice firm but soft. "It was impossible not to know. And as for me, I’m..."
Victor frowned, trying to remember where he might know her from, but before she could finish her sentence, she began to remove her mask. Her movements were slow, almost hesitant, as if the act of revealing her face was a moment of great importance.
When the mask finally came off, Victor held his breath. Before him stood a woman he hadn’t seen for twenty years. Her once bright orange hair now had a touch of silver at the temples, but her eyes remained the same - deep, intense blue, capable of capturing your soul with a single glance. How could he not have noticed before?
"Aluella..." he murmured, surprise and emotion mixing in his voice.
Without thinking, he stepped forward and wrapped her in a tight embrace, his arms holding her as if he feared she might disappear at any moment.
He felt the warmth of her body against his and, for a moment, the world around them ceased to exist.
Aluella returned the embrace, her hands trembling slightly as they squeezed Victor’s back. "Victor..." she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "It’s been a long time..."
"Twenty years." he replied, his voice filled with a deep longing. "I thought I’d never see you again."
They stayed like that for a moment, enveloped in the warmth and familiarity of each other’s embrace. Finally, Victor pulled back slightly, his eyes scanning Aluella’s face as if to memorize every line and curve.
"How are you here? What’s happened to you all these years?"
Aluella sighed, her eyes reflecting the pain and memories of two decades past. "It’s a long story, Victor, but I believe you’ve already heard part of it in our conversation on the balcony, when I still didn’t know that masked man was you. There are things you need to know, important things."
Victor nodded, indicating a nearby stone bench where they could sit. The garden around them was quiet, the only interruption being the distant sound of the employees still left at the venue.
"Tell me everything," he said, as they sat down side by side, their hands intertwined instinctively.
"After we split up, my life changed drastically," Aluella began, her voice low and charged with emotion. "With no hope of a better future, I abandoned my name as Aluella and went back to working off the beaten track, I started helping some notorious criminals. I’m not proud of it, but it was the best thing for an archer who no longer wanted to work with monster or animal hunts."
Victor shook her hand, his expression grave. "I sought information about your whereabouts, Aluella. Through every informant I knew. There wasn’t a day when I didn’t think of you."
"I imagined that even if it had been your decision, you would always be watching over me, watching out for me." she said, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "However, after only a few months working for the criminals, Hero Rufie found a job for me in a noblewoman’s house. He didn’t tell the noblewoman that I was a hero, so I had peace there."
Victor remained silent, absorbing Aluella’s words as the cold wind blew around them, making the leaves of the trees whisper like silent witnesses to their reunion. The night around them seemed to become even quieter, as if the world itself was waiting to hear the story Aluella was about to tell.
"As I said, I found some peace in that noble house," Aluella continued, her voice laden with memories. "But it was there that something unexpected happened. Something that changed my life in a way I could never have predicted."
Victor frowned, his eyes fixed on Aluella’s. "What happened?" he asked, his voice full of concern and curiosity.
Aluella took a deep breath, her hands clasping Victor’s as if seeking strength. "It was during a vigil," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "I’d been feeling unwell for a few days, but on that particular night, the pain became unbearable. The house healer was called in to examine me, and that’s when we discovered the truth."
Victor leaned slightly closer, feeling the weight of her words. "What did she find out?"
Aluella closed her eyes for a moment, her memories clearly painful. When she opened them again, her eyes met Victor’s, filled with deep emotion. "I was pregnant, Victor. Eight months."
Victor was stunned, the revelation hitting him like a physical blow. "Eight months?" he repeated, incredulity in his voice. "But... how? I... we..."
"Exactly." replied Aluella, her voice soft but firm. "Eight months was the exact time since we split up because we were told we couldn’t have children."
Victor felt his heart racing, the realization growing in his mind. "So, the child you spoke of earlier... is my son?"
Aluella nodded with tears silently streaming down her face. "Yes, Victor. Our dear, long-awaited son."
