Although I didn’t buy what he said, I tried to recall the events. Everything started when I tried to help Shin… no, they insulted me first and tried to abduct me after they killed Shin.
I felt great confusion here, when did this situation become this complicated?
“No, they tried to abduct me and hurt me back then.”
Respon face changed color as he asked:
“Are you sure, my love? If they did so to my future queen, then I will destroy them.”
I didn’t feel any seriousness in his words, and this way of soft words didn’t really work with me. i looked him in the eye while saying:
“Yes, what they said and tried to do was the reason for me to stand against them.”
Respon showed an angry expression as if he was insulted by what they tried to do to me. I stood in my place watching his pitiful act as he swore:
“I swore to kill them all to avenge you.”
I didn’t believe his words as I mocked him:
“Oh, like what you did to those who tried to assassinate you, right?”
Respon eyes twitched for a second, while I added:
“Who do you think I am, Respon? A little sweet 12 years girl that you can trick easily?
Tell me, the one who claims to love me, who were those assassins? Who sent the quest for my head? What did you do to those assassins who tried to kill you?”
Respon didn’t hesitate to reply in obvious impulse:
“I don’t know who they are, but I won’t let them escape with their actions. I pr…”
I interrupted his meaningless promises as I said with obvious discontent:
“I don’t believe you. If you are sincere, then you would know the culprit behind the scenes. Of course if this culprit is you, then you don’t need to seek anyone, right?”
Respon nearly cried as he tried to convince me by his pleading and swearing again as he said:
“I’m not the culprit, I won’t ever hurt you. You are my love, my future queen. How can I hurt my future queen and why?
I swear I’m not the one who did this to you. Tell me what you want me to do and I will do it. I’m not the one who tried to assassinate you.”
I kept staring at him, if he was really sincere about his claims then I have a way to know how sincere he was.
“Fine, I want you to find out who sent the quest of killing me, and why. Don’t give me some hilarious reason like I stood against their attempts to kill Shin.
I want real reasons with hard evidence. If you believe in your innocence, then prove it to me.
Also, if any aristocratic family stood in my way, I will see it as an act of defiance against the future queen of the empire. All of their members will be executed without exception.”
Respon misunderstood my words as his face expressed how excited he was.
“I will punish any future act of defiance against you, my love.”
I pointed out with my fingers straight in his face as I corrected him:
“No, you are wrong. I want this action against that aristocratic family who tried to assassinate me.”
Respon face turned immediately ashen, as he muttered with doubt:
“You mean the Godenal guild members?”
“No, I meant the real family behind these members.”
Respon tried to be reasonable with me, as he said:
“But I can’t punish one whole aristocratic family just for the misdoings of some members. I can kill all these members if you liked.”
I sighed as I said with impatience:
“Your contradictions make me doubt you, Respon. Didn’t you just swear to kill all the families that try to stand in my way?”
Before Respon could defend himself again, I asked with seriousness:
“What do you want from me, Respon?”
Respon looked straight into my eyes as he said:
“I want you to be safe and sound, my love.”
“Liar, just tell me what you really want.”
Respon sighed as he was disappointed and sad. I looked at his pitiful looks and wondered, was he really innocent? If he was innocent, then who hired those assassins to kill me?
What if he was really innocent and there was someone lurking in the shadows? I thought deeply about all of this so hard that my head felt pain.
“Respon, I have to go now. When you find the people who issued that kill quest for my head, and knew about their reasons to do so, call me. You can now call me in the game, so I will wait for your answer.”
I then moved to close the chat with shouting words from Respon trying to make me wait and talk with him more. After I closed the video chat, I felt a tremble all over my body. My legs couldn’t hold me as I laid on the ground.
‘Why the hell everything got this complicated!’
It was an intense meeting, but I had to face him. This snake tried to escape from his crimes by sweet words. I was mad at him, but I tried to think again about his claims rationally.
I also recalled Shin words and compared both with each other. Both had a point here, and both were contradicting each other. I felt a headache from thinking about this dilemma, why is it so hard to find my enemy here?
In war, I could easily recognize my enemy even from a thousand miles, but here I was confused. Who was my enemy, and who was my friend?
‘The only link between both views is the motive to kill me. Shin’s motive is simple, but Respon doesn’t know the motive yet. I should hold and not rush in taking any decision until I hear Respon out.’
That was an escape from this dilemma, but I didn’t have any other option. I wasn’t that good at diplomacy, my father was. I was so good at solving my problems with my spells. I sighed as I moved from the ground.
I put all that behind my back and thought in line with Shin’s theory. Even if he was crazy, I wouldn’t lose anything from taking his words seriously.
If I was deceived by this act from Respon, and Shin turned out to be the wise person here, I would lose my life then. The only way to secure me was to get stronger faster.
I moved back with hesitant steps, as my mind was heavy with all scenarios and schemes that I might face.
It was really confusing to deal with two young men, especially when they were enemies… especially if my life was at risk.
