Spear Of Retribution

"Your majesty, I'll present to you, Alexjin from the South."

The Emperor's butler announced when Alexjin arrived in front of the Emperor.

"Your majesty," Alexjin said as he kneeled on one knee and bowed his head in respect.

The Emperor observed him for a bit, "Take off your helmet, I want to see the face of a commoner who won the game."

Alexjin was hesitant to take off his helmet but he can't do anything as it's the request from the Emperor and disobeying his orders might lead to his death. He slowly pulls the helmet upwards, careful enough not to remove the black wig he's wearing.

"Stand up," The Emperor said as he gestured for him to stand up with his hands which Alexjin followed.

His eyes remained on the floor while waiting for the Emperor to speak.

"Congratulations for entertaining me today young man. So let's finish this, what wish do you want to be granted?" The Emperor asks but in his mind, Alexjin wanted money, status, or any kind of riches as he's a commoner and for him, everybody wants to live with their stomach full.

Alexjin opened his mouth to speak but close it back. He doesn't really think of what prize he will ask for as he only wants to win the competition and makes his mother and master proud but a thought flashed into his mind.

"The great Emperor of this abundant Rakkaegia Empire, I have decided what I wished for. I don't want riches or status but there's one thing that I wanted to have," Alexjin paused as he took a peek at the Emperor.

"Tell me what is it and it will be yours."

"Your majesty, my master is practicing her healing magic by collecting medicinal plants. So I just wished to be rewarded by rare herbal plants," Alexjin bowed down as he waited for the Emperor to agree.

"That's it? You don't want anything else? How about money? You can be one of my knights as well as I've seen that you have strong potential to be great with proper training," The Emperor was surprised that his intuition is wrong and he never expected that Alexjin asks for a plant instead.

"I have no other wishes, your majesty, that's all I wanted," He said with sincerity.

"All right, your wish will be granted. I will send the rarest herbal plants to your hotel tomorrow, so expect the delivery until late in the afternoon," The Emperor looked at Alexjin's eyes which are similar to him, electric blue eyes.

"Thank you, your majesty."

**

"Wow brother, I never expected you to be beaten by that commoner! What should we do now?" Gavriel said as he paces back and forth in their residence in the North, "There must be something going on, that commoner must have cheated huh!"

"Gavriel, shut your mouth," Gael whispered harshly as he looked over to the window.

After he loses the fight, their family immediately went home and didn't attend the after-party as their father Duke Gauthier is so disappointed with the result of the competition, making Gael feel so bad and hated himself for not pushing his limits in training.

"But brother, will you accept that you lost? Geez, we don't even know what he even wished for, tsk, for sure it's money," Gavriel said while biting his nails.

They just finished having breakfast and their father didn't say a single word towards them, clearly showing how disappointed he is towards Gael.

"I said, SHUT YOUR MOUTH GAVRIEL!" Gael couldn't help but yell at his brother. He's been stressing since the time he lost then he needs to think about how to prove to his father that he is worthy to be the next Duke of the North and he didn't need the additional stress Gavriel is giving him.

"Okay, okay," Gavriel rolled his eyes and sits down on the sofa and the room became silent. Even the servants could feel the tension inside the house and were afraid to even approached one of them and make a small mistake as it might cost them their jobs and even their lives.

As for Geraldine, she's currently in her room and checked the things she packed to be brought back to Bagyoo town, she needed to be there before Alexjin arrived so that they won't suspect a thing.

A smile crept into her lips as she remembered their disappointed faces especially her 'great' father. She could also sense the tension in the house but she didn't really care and all she thinks is how proud she is of Alexjin's win.

She is proud that her efforts in getting him on her side and wasting her energy teaching him how to fight are worth it.

"My plan is really working," She whispered and laid on her bed one last time and scream on her pillow.

After that, she changed her clothes into a regular ones and wear her black cloak as she went out with a big suitcase in hand. As her room has a different door from the house, she can easily go outside without needing to see their faces. 

As she passes by, some knights greeted her with a look of curiosity and surprise. It is because it's the first time they saw her wearing dark-colored clothes as before, she used to wear all sorts of bright colors just to be seen as a jolly person even though what she's feeling is the opposite.

"Young lady," A voice called her from behind and saw the family's butler approaching her.

"Jerome," She looked at him with a small smile and waited for him to say what he wants to her.

"May I ask, where's young lady is going to?" Jerome asks while looking over at her clothes and the suitcase behind her back.

"Hmm, I thought father already told you that I'll be leaving soon … to continue learning my own powers even though it's deemed useless in this Empire," She said softly, still holding the innocent look on her face but her eyes speak the opposite.

"Yes, Duke Gauthier informed me earlier, will you be leaving today? If so, I'll prepare you a carriage," Jerome asked and went to grab the suitcase.

"I'll be leaving today so that I won't be able to burden them any longer," She looked away and rolled her eyes as she said those lying sentences.

"Young miss, you're not a burden to the family," Jerome tried to cheer Geraldine a bit but he knows how her family treated her that's why he understands why the only lady in the family decided to live far away in such a young age.

"Jerome, you don't need to add flavor to your words. I know my status here in the residence. It's fine to me as long as they don't stop me from doing what I want," Geraldine chuckled as they reached the gate.

"Also Jerome, please get me a normal carriage instead of the lavished one as I have somewhere to go and I don't want my identity to be known," She added.

"Yes, young lady," Jerome bowed and went to find a carriage that Geraldine requested. After a while, the carriage arrived with Jerome.

"I already paid the coachman for your travel. Have a safe trip young lady and we hope to see you again," Jerome helped Geraldine to get on the carriage and waved her goodbye.

"To you as well Jerome," Geraldine waved back as the carriage started to go, "Coachman, go the market first."

"Yes, young lady."

Geraldine opened her bag and took out the blank cheque and a pen, "Hmm, this should be enough," she muttered with a smirk and put back the cheque safely in her bag.

When they arrived at the market, she asked the coachman to wait for him as she needed to buy something but she actually went to the bank and withdraw money from the cheque her father gave her.

After all the processes are done, she was about to go outside when she saw Alexjin coming inside, still wearing the black wig she gave him.

"Oh sh*t!" She whispered as she hid on the pillar and waited for Alexjin to pass by and instantly ran outside, "Ugh, why did I wear the same cloak."

She hurriedly went back to the carriage and enter inside, "To Bagyoo Town please."

"Yes, young lady."

Geraldine sigh in relief as she looked at the side while pulling her hood down then her eyes went to the coachman.

*Having a young lady travel alone without any knights to protect her, Jerome do you really care for me, or do you have other intentions?*

She chuckled sarcastically at the thought she had, "Hmm, guess I'll find it out soon," She murmured while making herself comfortable in the sit. She isn't afraid knowing that she had a weapon with her.

Geraldine raised her index finger and called a butterfly using her mind and instantly a single blue butterfly appear and feeds on her blood.

"You dear will be my defense."