NoGift

Chapter 42: entering the capital

ONCE up on a tree, Argent pressed the diamond shaped stud on her earlobe to turn on her light brain. This light brain almost has the same functions as the light brain commonly used in her original world. The one she made here can act as a communication device. She can also access [SkyNet] through it. But the most important function it has was that it can directly connect her to Black and White.

A pair of holographic glasses appeared on her face. She connected to Black. "Black, open the door of the car. I'm coming back."

"Yes, Master!" Black's excited voice replied back to her.

Argent turned off the light brain after that, holographic glasses vanishing at the same time.

In Argent's arms, Flora witnessed everything. That was the first time she saw something like that. And then there was that sword that suddenly turned into a bracelet. She wondered if those were made by some famous alchemist. She wanted to ask, but then she's afraid that this man might just throw her if she so much as speak. He certainly looked like he would. Flora couldn't even complain that he was holding her too close. Because it would feel like she was suggesting that he has perverted thoughts towards her. Then he would probably not only throw her but he might also hack her into pieces. So she just wisely shut her mouth and wait until this guy brought her to her brother.

Argent finally saw the flying car - well, technically she just saw Black seemingly dangling on top of a tree since the car was still in stealth mode. Black was probably too excited when he learned that she was coming back. The kid probably couldn't wait to welcome her back. Argent increased her speed. When she reached the tree where the car was hovering, she immediately pushed the girl she was holding in the opened door of the back seat. Then she pushed Black - who was still trying to hug her - next. She closed the door and opened the door of the driver's seat. She went in, sat down, and closed the door.

Flora wanted to scream when she was suddenly pushed. She thought the guy was trying to throw her. Then she entered some kind of contraption and the first thing she saw was her brother's face. All her complaints were suddenly lodged in her throat and all she could do was hug the brother she hadn't seen for the past two years. "Brother..."

Truthfully, she was still skeptical that that guy was really sent by her brother to save her. Until now, she was still thinking of ways to escape. Good thing she didn't. If not then she wouldn't be able to see her brother now.

Clay hugged his sister tightly. The fear and worry he felt finally subsided. He really didn't know what he would do if Flora was sent to the capital. He knew what the Temple was capable of. Once Flora was under their control, he might never be able to see her again. Having his sister here, safe and unharm, was all thanks to Silver.

He turned to the young man and was planning to thank him, but then immediately stopped when he saw a stranger's face. From the way Gold and Black was acting, it was clear that they didn't find anything weird. Which meant this guy was Silver - only with a different face. He quickly adjusted his mentality and accepted the situation. Silver was probably just using a magic tool or a human skin, whatever it was, it wouldn't change the fact that he saved Flora.

"Thank you," Clay said, full of sincerity.

Flora also turned to Argent. "Thank you and sorry for the way I acted earlier," she sincerely said.

Argent only nodded and started the car.

Aurum then noticed the ruined trench coat and shirt that her brother was wearing, exposing the delicate white skin of the crook of her neck. "Brother, your clothes..."

"Don't mind it. I'll change later," Argent just said and started driving towards the direction where Clay and his gang of friends were keeping base.

They already discussed earlier that after saving Clay's sister, they would go to the place in the mountain where he and his friends were staying. Clay would temporarily leave his sister there and then he would go with Argent and the others to the capital. Because they couldn't possibly bring the girl with them. That would only complicate things, considering how the new Bishop personally chose her to be brought to the capital.

Flora glanced at the other three people inside this weird flying contraption, the guy who saved her, the golden haired girl beside him, and the kid on her right. She whispered to Clay, "Brother, who are these people?"

"The guy is Silver, the girl is his sister Gold, and the kid sitting beside you is their servant, Black," her brother introduced the three, whispering back to her. "I met them earlier and made a deal with them so Silver could save you."

Flora was shocked by the last thing Clay said. She thought the three were companions her brother met during the last two years he was away from the village. "What kind of deal did you make with them?" she asked worriedly.

"I'll tell you later," Clay said, he started to feel squemish again. And because he's not worrying about his sister anymore, the feeling of wanting to puke had become more intense. "Let me close my eyes for a second."

But that second lasted hours until they finally reached their destination.

Argent stopped the car on top of a big tree. She couldn't park it down because the forest was just too lush. She knew that not far from here was a hidden cave where Clay's friends and the other three who were sent out of the village today were currently staying.

She turned to Clay who was still as white as paper. "Come back quickly. We need to get to the capital before the sun set down."

"I know," Clay said before opening the door of the back seat. He hugged his sister and jumped off the car. He was glad that he could finally get off that blasted contraption even if it's just for a few minutes.

Clay landed swiftly on the ground. Then he put down his sister and steered her towards the direction of the cave.

"Brother, where are we going?" Flora asked while walking.

"There's a cave near here. The others are there."

"The others? You mean those who were supposed to be sent out of our village today?" Flora's voice got a bit excited. She was closed to those people. Maybe because they were all troublemakers and had the same age. She was supposed to be with them. But because of that... that foul pig, she was forcefully dragged to the capital.

"Not only them."

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"You'll know once we get there. The people there will explain everything to you."

"Why can't you just explain it to me now?"

"Because there's no time. I have to leave immediately after I send you safely to the cave."

"Because you need to go back to those three," Flora said, quite sure that that was the reason. "Brother, what exactly did you promise Silver?"

"We made a deal that if he save you, then I'll do anything he asked of me."

Flora was shocked again. She looked at her brother incredulously. "Brother, how could you promise that to someone you just met? What if he asked you to do something bad?"

"Because that's the only way I could think of to save you. And he did save you. So I have to honor my words. Besides, even if he asked me to do something bad, if I could bring any kind of harm to the Temple, then I'm willing to do even worse."

"So they're enemies with the Temple?" She remembered the way that Silver fought with that knight. He certainly didn't show any kind of fear. As if injuring a knight of the Temple was not such a big deal.

"It seems that way."

"Brother, if you're doing this just because he saved me then--"

"No, Flora. I must do this."

Flora stared at her brother. When she saw the determination in the eyes so similar to her own, she just sighed. "I understand. But please, please be careful, Brother. We just reunited and then you have to go off to do this thing. I don't know what I will do if something happens to you."

Clay smiled. "I will be careful," he said while stroking his sister's head. "Now, tell me exactly how you suddenly attracted the attention of the new Bishop?"

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Argent changed her upper clothes right after the two siblings left. She also changed her face back to the plain one she originally used. She checked the map of Shandra again. Even though the topography might not be that accurate, but she could at least rely on the land area. She calculated the distance between the place where they were now up to the capital and the speed needed to reach it before sunset.

"Brother, are you really alright? You really didn't suffer any injury?" Aurum asked again, probably for the tenth time.

"I'm fine, Aurum. I made sure to finish the fight before I could suffer one."

"Aurum, why don't you believe Master? She's been telling you she's alright for quite a number of times now. Or are you just annoying her?" Black said.

"Oh shut up, you brat," Aurum said flicking Black's forehead before turning back to Argent. "Brother, are we really going to bring that Clay with us?"

"Yes. I think he might prove himself useful," Argent simply said.

They didn't wait long before Clay came back. The moment he sat back on the back seat of the car, Argent immediately drove the car up.

"Wait- can you perhaps make me unconcious? I don't think I my stomach can last until we reach the capital without puking in here," Clay suddenly said.

Aurum looked at him in disgust.

Argent didn't have much of a reaction. "Black, do what he said."

"Yes, Master!"

Black turned to Clay then hit the back of his head without any warning. Clay's body languidly fell sideways - a clear sign that he already fainted.

Without the possibility of a certain someone puking inside the car, Argent no longer hesitated to increase the speed of the car to the maximum. Which made their travelling time much faster. At four in the afternoon, they reached the forest nearest to the capital. Argent chose to land on the very edge of the forest where people rarely passed by. After Aurum made sure that there was no one around, they immediately went down one by one.

Clay regained conciousness at this point and was the first one to go down. Followed by Black, then Aurum. Argent was the last one because she still needed to turn the flying car to its capsule mode. Which she did immediatelty once she came down the car.

"I think you hit me too hard," Clay complained to Black while touching the back of his head, feeling the unmistakable huge bump there.

"Hey, don't blame Black. You're the one who wanted to lose conciousness. How can you faint if Black didn't hit you hard?" Black said, pouting.

Aurum sneered. "Don't tell me you can't even take a single hit from a kid?"

Clay frowned and just chose to shut his mouth. Nothing good would come out if he started a verbal argument with these two.

Argent jumped down from the tree. "Let's go."

And the four started walking towards the capital - Kaurr.