Chapter 59

59 We can talk about her

There’s tension coming from chief Carla and Justice, both of them looking like they’re going to start a war anytime soon. The two of them still looking at each other, hardly moving or even blinking. The other chief looked at them, trying so hard to ease the tension.

“Maybe we need to be explained to the crown prince clearer this time, chief Carla?” Said, chief Hale. He was so fed up with how judgemental chief Carla can be.

Justice’s attention finally went to chief Hale. “What do you mean?” Said Justice to chief Hale.

“You heard her, she said might be, so the answer is not definitive,” Chief Hale explained the situation more clearly for Justice, “Our evaluation will go through another group of high-ranking healers, they will reassess and re-evaluate everything, and then it will determine the final score for the second exam.”

“So... that’s mean...”

“River Anne still needs to be evaluated, just like the rest of them.” Said Chief Hale, his eyes glancing shortly at chief Carla. He didn’t like how she remained quiet in her seat. “Am I right, chief Carla?”

Chief Carla let out a sigh and finally agreed with chief Hale, “Yes, she... like the rest of them still going to be judged by the other high-ranking healers,” Her eyes goes to Justice, trying so hard to question his authority inside the main hospital, “You see, your majesty, a certified healer is a prestige that is not for everyone could achieve, especially for a person who thinks that she could use any way to become one.”

A rage came into Justice. chief Carla was not just questioning Anne’s motive, she also undermining his authority, his hand trembling, not from fear but from a fuming rage that came from inside of him. A smirk was visible on chief Carla’s face. She was trying to provoke Justice, thankfully the crown prince saw her mischievous way.

He masked the rage that came by laughing as hard as he can, making the three chiefs astonished by his sudden change of mood.

.....

“You’re an amusing person, chief Carla, I was so entertained by your humor.” Said Justice while he wiped a tear from his face.

Chief Carla’s face becomes grim all of a sudden. She glared at him, voicing her opinion. “I don’t see any words that I have spoken as humor, your majesty?”

“It is, for me.” Said Justice, challenging chief Carla, “You see, chief, when you’re questioning River Anne’s ability as a healer, you’re also questioning me as her sponsor. Did you question my intention as her sponsor, chief Carla?” Justice’s ruby-red eyes were flaring with anger. His face was smiling, but not in his eyes.

The atmosphere inside the lounge room becomes unbearable to the others, while chief Carla and Justice stare at each other. Chief Hale tried to be in the middle of the confrontation. He cleared his throat and attempted to speak to Justice.

“I must say, your majesty, chief Carla never meant to undermine your motive or your authority, her words sometimes brazen but it wasn’t with ill intention.”

Looking at the good intention coming from chief Hale, Justice finally gives in. he stands up from his seat and excuses himself.

“As for how eloquent your words are trying to defend your colleague, I will leave this matter as it is,” said Justice, smiling at chief Hale, and then his eyes goes to chief Carla, “For now.”

He step outside of the lounge room as soon as he gave the indirect warning to chief Carla. Bernard already waiting for him in the hallway, with documents in his hands.

“That was all?” Asked Justice to his chief guard.

“In their defense, the investigation is still ongoing, your majesty.”

Justice scoffed, expressing his dissatisfaction. “Ugh, fine. You go ahead to the carriage and wait for me.”

Bernard was surprised. He tried to chase Justice, “Your majesty... Her majesty the empress already waiting for you.”

“I will be quick. Just wait for me, and don’t you dare to follow me!”

Leaving his chief guard behind, Justice fastens his walk and goes to the inner side of the main hospital. Meanwhile, in the lounge room, chief Hale has a heated debate with chief Carla. The other chief already excuses himself away from all the negativity. For chief Hale, the one that was oozing negativity was chief Carla.

“You know Carla, what exactly is your problem with the crown prince?” Asked chief Hale, he tap his fingers on his cheek, while his eyes gaze into chief Carla, curiosity blended with annoyance came into him, “You basically questioning your majesty’s motive and also mocking the most brilliant young girl that we ever saw, just because the crown prince is her sponsor.”

“A brilliant girl with a five percent magica? You’re kidding me, Hale.” Carla gave him a look, even scoffed at him, a sign of how low she thought about Anne, “Not to mention her at such a young age, already seducing the crown prince, and I’ve heard not only our crown prince, also his...”

Chef Hale slams the wooden table with his bare hand. “Would you just stop, Carla! Get a hold of yourself!” His expression says it all. He was fed up with her slandering attitude, “Carla, you’re my friend and I respect your ability as one of the best medicinal healers in this kingdom, but your clouded judgment makes you...”

Chief Hale couldn’t even finish his sentence, he walks away from chief Carla and intend to get out of the lounge room.

“I do hope you will change your mind in the final evaluation, Carla...” Said chief Hale, chief Carla still in denial, she sips her caftea and pretend she doesn’t hear any words from chief Hale, “Please, Carla, she is a talented young girl, have a heart, do you want to destroy her dream over some baseless rumor?”

He left the lounge room, where Carla stay behind, alone with her own mind. Chief Hale could never guess what kind of act chief Carla will do at the final evaluation. He prayed Anne will do an excellent score on her third exam.

“Aaah... it is a month from now,” mumbled chief Hale, while his face basked in the sun by the window. “I wish you good luck, girl, with purple hair.”

In the other place of the Valorian kingdom, in the main library, Xavier was in a disarray, his huge figure towering over everyone around. He looks in every section for the tome, but to no avail. Murmuring coming from every corner of the room, Xavier does stand out from the crowd, a black hair with full red lips, and eyes with a color of shimmering gold.

“Excuse me, sir Xavier?”

Someone called for him from behind, Xavier looks up to see a librarian smiling at him.

“Yes? Can I help you?” Asked Xavier, confused to see a librarian calling for him.

“Our chief librarian wishes to see you, sir.” said the librarian to the huntsman captain.

One of his eyebrows raised from this unexpected news, “Your chief librarian? What happened?”

“I think it’s best if you would follow me. I will escort you to our chief office, sir.” The librarian refused to give him the answer.

“Fine, I’ll follow you then. Lead the way.” Xavier finally give in to the request, he rustled his hair and follow the librarian.

The office of the chief librarian was on the third floor of the main library, there was also a lounge room, administrative office, and a place to rest on the third floor, every civil service building always has a lounge room and a place to rest for their civil servants. Every building needs to be kept a close eye for any intruder. That’s why there’s a twenty-hour with three shifts for the civil servants.

The librarian takes him to one of the chief librarian’s offices with the nameplate Rody. He knocked and someone asked them to come inside. Xavier saw an elder gentleman inside, smiling at him.

“Ah, there you are. Thank you so much, Andy, you could go now.” Said the chief librarian to the young librarian, who escorted Xavier to him.

When there’s no one around anymore, Xavier looks at chief Rody with a frown on his face, “I am sorry, but do I know you?”

Chief Rody chuckled at the young man. He then asked him to sit on the chair in front of his desk. Xavier was reluctant at first, but finally sat after much consideration, after all, he could just overpower the elder if he want to do something funny to him, thought Xavier.

“I know that you’re confused about this whole situation, but let me assure you, I wanted to help. Your majesty, the crown prince asked me to assist you to search for a certain tome.”

“D*mn, old man, why don’t you say so?!” Said Xavier, a bit enthusiastically, he then realized that he was cursing in front of a high-rank officer and also an elderly, “My apology, chief, I have a crude way of speaking sometimes.”

The chief librarian raised his hand, “No need to apologize, now, after researching the tome on my own, sadly the tome is no longer here in the main library.”

“Really? What happened to the tome? Was it destroyed in the great fire seven years ago?”

There was a fire that happened in every library in the whole kingdom. Rare manuscripts, tomes, and books were destroyed and become ashes. It takes five years to rebuild everything. They never catch the culprit.

“The copy, yes. But... the original, it survived.” Answered chief Rody to Xavier.

Xavier’s eyes glinted with hope. “Thank Gods! So, where can I find the real deal?”

Smiling at Xavier, chief Rody claps his hands and leans to his chair. “It was located inside a mausoleum, so, hope you’re not afraid of a ghost?”