CHAPTER 68 #5
Pumasok sila sa isang maliit na kainan at pumili ng isang mesa sa pinakasulok. Tahimik silang naupo habang pinag-uusapan ang susunod nilang hakbang. Alam ni Rassia na hindi magtatagal bago malaman ng mga opisyal ang nangyari sa outer wall.
"In a moment, the officials will know what happened at the outer wall. They'll come looking for us," ani Rassia habang maingat na pinag-iisipan ang kanilang gagawin.
Tahimik na nakatingin sa kaniya ang Six Azure Blades.
"But we won't fight them."
Napatingin si Zen sa kaniya. "Then what are we going to do, my lady?"
Bahagyang ngumisi si Rassia.
"We'll make this look like a business matter. I will offer them gold. Enough gold to make surrendering more profitable than fighting us. I want the ruler of this city to understand that we are not here to take their land by force. We are here to negotiate."
Napatingin si Lazlo sa kaniya.
"And what exactly are you going to offer them, my lady?"
"Gold, diamonds, resources, and a proper trade agreement," sagot ni Rassia. "If their ruler agrees to surrender peacefully and allows us to take control of the soldiers being held here, I will make sure they are compensated. No unnecessary bloodshed. No destruction of their city."
Sandali siyang tumingin sa mga mamamayan sa labas.
"They have suffered enough... I don't want to conquer Mysarea by killing everyone who stands in our way. I want them to surrender because they understand that cooperating with us will give them something better than whatever their current ruler has given them."
Huminga nang malalim si Rassia bago muling nagsalita.
"If they accept my offer, they keep their lives, their city, and their dignity. In return, they surrender their authority and allow us to take responsibility for the people they have failed to protect."
Her eyes hardened.
"And if gold is what it takes to make them listen... then I'll give them gold."
"And what if they ask for something more and don't accept your offer?" tanong ni Lucy Pearl, bahagyang nakasandal sa kaniyang upuan habang seryoso siyang nakatingin kay Rassia.
"I know exactly what I'll do," ani Rassia.
"I'll give them one chance to accept my offer. If they ask for more, then I'll make it clear that I'm not here to beg for their surrender."
Tahimik na nagkatinginan ang kaniyang mga kasama.
"I came here offering peace. I will not let anyone mistake that kindness for weakness."
"But, Master, if we fight them here, the people will suffer even more," ani Anastacio habang seryoso niyang tinitingnan si Rassia.
"Mysarea is already in a terrible condition. One wrong move from us could turn this entire city into a battlefield. If the ruler sends his soldiers against us, we may be able to defeat them, but the people caught in the middle will be the ones who suffer."
Tahimik na nakinig si Rassia.
"We shouldn't give them a reason to use the citizens against us," dagdag ni Lazlo. "If they realize that you care about these people, they might try to use them as leverage."
Tumango si Rassia.
"Exactly. That's why we won't give them that opportunity."
She slowly looked around the small restaurant.
"We'll keep this peaceful for as long as possible. We present ourselves as merchants. We offer gold and diamonds. We tell them we're willing to negotiate a surrender and provide them with enough resources to rebuild."
"And if they refuse?" tanong ni Raja.
"Then we don't attack immediately," sagot ni Rassia. "We observe. We learn who gives the orders, where their forces are stationed, and who actually controls the city."
Bahagya siyang yumuko sa mesa.
"We don't need to defeat the entire city. We only need to reach the person controlling it. If we can make the ruler surrender without a battle, we save thousands of lives."
"... but if they choose violence after we've offered them peace..."
She slowly looked at each of them.
"Then we'll make sure the fight stays away from the civilians."
Anastacio nodded. "Understood, Master."
Rassia leaned back in her chair.
"This isn't about proving that we're stronger."
Her voice remained calm. "It's about taking control of Mysarea without destroying the people we're trying to save."
"I already sensed their presence. Palapit na sila," ani Lucy Pearl.
Tahimik lamang silang naghintay habang unti-unting lumalapit ang presensya ng mga kawal.
Makalipas ang ilang sandali, nagsidatingan ang mga chained knights sa kainan. Karamihan sa kanila ay may mga kadena sa kanilang mga bibig, ngunit may isang kawal na namumukod-tangi sa lahat.
He appeared to be their commander.
Wala siyang kadena sa kaniyang bibig, ngunit nanatili siyang seryoso habang nakatingin kay Rassia at sa kaniyang mga kasama.
"You have trespassed into the city of Mysarea without permission," malamig ngunit pormal na sambit ng commander.
"You breached the outer gates, entered our territory without authorization, and caused the death of the two guardians stationed there. By the authority entrusted to me, I demand that you state your purpose for entering Mysarea."
Nanatiling blangko ang kaniyang mukha habang nakatingin kay Rassia. But deep inside, he was silently hoping that they had come for them.
Lubos kong ipinagdarasal sa Dakilang Diyosa na sana ay hindi sila katulad ng mga taong nauna nang dumating dito.
Kung tunay silang mga merchant at investors, sana ay mayroon silang sapat na kapangyarihan at impluwensya upang baguhin ang kalagayan ng Mysarea. Sana ay hindi lamang sila naparito upang samantalahin ang aming kahinaan.
Nagsimula nang hawakan ng mga kawal sina Rassia at ang kaniyang mga kasama. Ngunit hindi sila nanlaban. Nanatili lamang silang kalmado habang hinahayaan ang mga kawal na gawin ang kanilang trabaho.
Rassia slowly looked at the commander, her expression firm.
"Those bastards were standing in my way, and my patience was already running thin," ani Rassia. "I came here for business. I had no intention of causing trouble, but they refused to let us pass even after I made my purpose clear."
Bahagya siyang napabuntong-hininga.
"I offered them a chance to step aside. They chose to challenge me instead. So, yeah..." nagkibit balikat si Rassia.
Nanatili lamang blangko ang ekspresyon ng commander habang nakatingin kay Rassia. Wala siyang ipinakitang galit o takot, ngunit tila maingat niyang sinusuri ang bawat salita nito.
Rassia stared at him for a while.
He looks around the same age as Agostin, Owen, Finn, and Valentino... his presence reminds me of them...
Saglit natahimik ang commander bago bahagyang tumango.
"Kung gayon, sumama kayo sa amin. Nais kayong makausap ng aming mga pinuno tungkol sa inyong pagpasok at sa ginawa ninyong kalapastanganan sa aming tarangkahan."
Bahagya ngumiti si Rassia.
"Fine. Lead the way."
Walang pagtutol na sumunod si Rassia, kasama ang kaniyang mga tauhan, habang patuloy namang nakasunod sa kanila ang mga chained knights.
Ang ibang chained knights at mga mamamayan ay minsang napapatingin kay Lucy Pearl habang naglalakad sila sa mga lansangan ng Mysarea. Hindi nila maiwasang mapansin ang suot nitong black sun glasses na kakaiba sa lahat ng bagay na karaniwang nakikita sa kanilang lungsod.
Wala silang ideya kung ano iyon o kung saan ito nanggaling, ngunit halatang bago at kakaiba sa kanilang paningin. Some of them would quietly stare at her for a few seconds before quickly looking away.
Gayunpaman, hindi lamang kay Lucy Pearl napapatingin ang ilang mamamayan.
May ilan ding tahimik na sumusulyap kay Rassia at Anastacio habang naglalakad sila kasama ng mga kawal.
Hindi nila maiwasang mapansin ang kanilang pananamit, postura, at kakaibang aura na ibang-iba sa karaniwang nakikita nila sa Mysarea.
"Ang ganda ng binibini..." mahinang bulong ng isang babae habang sinusundan ng kaniyang mga mata si Rassia. "Mukhang maharlika... tingnan mo naman ang kaniyang kilos at pananamit..."
"Napakakisig ng lalaking iyon..." mahinang sambit ng isang batang babae habang palihim na nakatingin kay Anastacio. "Ramdam ko rin ang malakas na mana na nagmumula sa kaniya. Mukhang maharlika nga talaga sila, ate... nakakainggit..."
Rassia walked confidently while the knights held her arms, ngunit napapalunok ang dalawang kawal habang pilit nilang pinananatili ang kanilang pagkakahawak sa kaniya.
Ramdam nila ang kakaibang init na nagmumula sa balat ni Rassia, almost as if they were holding someone whose body was naturally burning.
They tried not to show their discomfort, but every few steps, their expressions would briefly tighten as they endured the heat.
Samantala, nanatiling kalmado si Rassia habang naglalakad. She wasn't worried about the chains or the knights surrounding them. Her mind was already working, carefully planning the possible outcomes once they finally met the ruler of Mysarea.
They finally entered the palace of Mysarea.
Maging ang mga maidservant ay may mga kadena sa kanilang mga leeg habang tahimik na nagsisilbi sa loob ng palasyo.
Some of them were kneeling on the floor while cleaning, habang ang iba naman ay mabilis na napapatingin sa grupo bago muling yumuko at ipagpatuloy ang kanilang ginagawa.
Sandaling napatigil si Rassia sa paglalakad at pinagmasdan ang kabuuan ng Mysarea mula sa loob ng palasyo. Mula roon ay tanaw niya ang malawak na lungsod, ang matataas na gusali na tila itinayo upang harangan ang init ng disyerto, at ang napakalawak na lupang napapalibutan ng buhangin.
This city is beautiful... but because of the way it is being ruled, all of that beauty has been buried...
The people could have been living peacefully here...
They could have built something great. But instead, they are chained.
What kind of ruler turns a beautiful city into a place where even the people serving inside the palace are treated like prisoners?
She simply continued walking, but the longer she looked around, the more determined she became to find the person responsible for everything she had seen.