(Regaleon's POV)

Alicia was asleep instantly by the time she laid down in bed. I can hear her peaceful breathing while her chest made up and down motions. I looked at my sleeping wife who was now deep in sleep.

'She looked so tired today.' I recalled the events today.

Alicia was not riding with me, safely in my arms. I was secretly relieved now that she was riding with me. I can keep calm and do not have unnecessary worries about her wellbeing.

'I am happy that she thought of going back to Grandcrest after this.' I thought.

Back at the border village, I was initially planning on going back with her to Grandcrest and let Dimitri accompany George in search of the key fragments and the retrieving of the forbidden magic in the depths of the eastern sea. But when I heard that she would like to partake on this mission, I had no choice but to comply to her wishes.

'I am really weak if it comes to you.' I sighed and smiled, looking at the beautiful sleeping features of my wife.

I tucked away a hair strand that has fallen on her face. Her smooth milky white skin was something to behold. I brushed her cheeks lightly with my finger.

"My beautiful wife." I whispered to her.

Her long platinum blonde hair, nearly silver in color, was silky soft. Her long eye lashes accented her eyes beautifully. Her plump pinkish lips were something I would like to trace with my own lips, feeling its softness. My heart was thumping hard just by watching my wife sleep peacefully before me.

"I love you so much." I whispered to my lovely wife.

Alicia was sleeping peacefully and looking at her made something down there quite hard. I sighed in regret, knowing how much my body yearned for her but she needs to rest after the whole day of travelling.

"Let's take a walk outside to cool off." I told myself.

I planted a light kiss on my wife's forehead and tucked her gently under the blanket. I quietly went out of the room, careful not to wake Alicia.

Once outside, some of my men where walking along the corridors.

"Young master." My men quietly greeted me once they saw me. I nodded as a reply.

We were still traveling incognito in a disguise of a young noble couple traveling across the country.

"Where is Chris at?" I asked them.

"The vice captain is in the stables to check on the horsed, young master." One of my men replied.

"I see." I replied. "Thank you."

I decided to head where Chris was. I need to do something because if not, I am afraid I will pounce on my wife while she was sleeping.

I headed to where the stables were, right beside the inn. I saw our horses safely stations there with ample food and water. I saw Chris giving them hey to eat.

"Why are you the one doing these things?" I asked. "Is there no stable boy here to attend to the horses?"

"Your ma… I mean young master." Chris was caught of guard that he nearly called me 'his majesty'. "I just want to make sure that the horses are carefully taken care off. It will be best to be cautious than to be careless."566

Chris was Dimitri's vice captain and right hand man in handling his elite troops. He was also an orphaned Atlantian that was able to escape the destruction of Atlantia. I remember the first time I met Chris, it was Dimitri who introduced him to me when I was still a prince fighting to survive in the royal family of Grandcrest.

As I remember, it was Dimitri who found mostly all of the Atlantians under me. He had scouted them out and earned their loyalty and trust, and I am thankful for the fact that Dimitri has always been by my side supporting me. If not for him, I might not be here in my position, the king of Grandcrest.

"You have caught Dimitri's overly cautious behavior, I see." I said as a compliment. Chris was surprised by my words and looked happy to be said something like that.

"Captain Dimitri is someone I look up to." Chris said with a smile. "I am happy that I followed him, that I followed your leadership. I am greatly honored to serve you as your right hand in this mission, in Dimitri's place."

"I am also lucky to have you as one of my subordinates." I said and patted his shoulder. "Once we go back to Grandcrest, I am sure to give you a promotion that you deserve. How about a noble status, maybe a baron would suffice?"

The Atlantians under my leadership where given knightage. But only a handful of those worthy were given noble titles and lands in Grandcrest. I have given Dimitri a viscount tile after I ascended the throne and a land that he could call his own and look after.

"Y-Young master…" Chris was surprised. "That is too much."

"It is not too much." I said with a smile. "You have served me well, and of course I expect you will also do so in the future."

Chris' face looked bright and proud. "Of course, young master. My loyalty will be with you forever." He clasped his hand into a fist and put it on his heart, a gesture of an oath.

"I am happy to hear that." I replied curtly.

When I was tending to Midnight inside the stables, I heard a familiar sound from the sky, it was Tempest. I walked out and looked up the sky that is not getting dark.

'Leon.' Tempest called me telepathically.

'What is it, Tempest?' I replied also via telepath.

'I saw some shady men beyond the north east of the village's vicinity.' Tempest replied.

'Shady men?' I asked and was in thought. I remembered Brad's story about the notorious bandits preying around the southern woods. 'Is it those shady men?'

The north eastern part of the village was the main entrance where Brad is stationed to stand and keep watch for the night.

'These bandits are full of themselves to march in directly at the entrance.' I said.

'Well this village is not really something that the bandits would worry about.' Tempest replied. 'They would not know that the villagers have hired mercenaries to guard them from these bad men.'

'They also picked the wrong village to raid tonight.' I said with clenched fists. 'Our group is here to rest, and they just find the right time to attack.'

I felt anger that my wife might be in danger once more. I promised myself that I will not let what happened in the lake happened again. I will not let Alicia be in danger once more.

'How far are these shady men? Show me.' I ordered Tempest.

My eyes were linked with Tempest in no time. I saw men shuffling under the trees, lurking in the dark. They were still quiet, not yet making any actions.

'It looks like they are wary of Brad and his men.' I said.

Brad and some of his men are seen stationed in the entrance of the village. By the looks of it, they are fully armed and guarding the entrance.

'They will not attack just yet. We still have time.' I concluded. 'Tempest, stay there and report to me every move they make.'

'Okay.' Tempest replied.

After our connection was severed, I quickly walked towards Chris.

"Chris, we have a problem." I said to him with a serious face. He was taken aback with my change of attitude.

"What is it, young master?" Chris replied.

"It looks like there is trouble lurking at the north eastern part of the village." I said. "The bandits that the mercenaries were talking about just a while ago are planning to raid this village."

Chris' face changed from a peaceful one into a surprised one in an instant. But then, he regained his composure and stood up in attention.

"What are your orders, young master?" Chris asked in an attentive voice.

"Gather the men, we will hold a briefing." I ordered. "Do it in haste. I am afraid they are planning to attack when the night has come."

"Yes, young master." Chris bowed and called for the men to assemble in haste.

We have to be prepared before these notorious bandits started their attack. I am planning to end them while my wife is still taking her nap.

"How dare they attack so boldly." I seethed my anger. "They picked the wrong village to raid tonight."

I can feel anger rising inside of me. Just thinking that my wife is again in the vicinity of danger because of these notorious bandits.

"I am surely going to wipe these bandits off the face of this continent." I clenched my fists hard. "They will know how the 'Black Devil' inflicts fear on the people that goes against him."

edited by: nalyn

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