Chapter 62 - 『Unto the Lap』

Arche let out a heavy sigh, she felt his chest against her back and his chin on her head. Her brilliant blue-hued eyes rested on his Highness at the other end of the table. Taken from the dancing, and the music, the crowd that had resumed its activities... Jack's arms were around her waist, the back of her body matched up against the front of his.

Her eyes slowly shifted to the side as she could see her teacher, a man who shared the same talent as herself. All of them could see the shaken expression on her face, one which still hadn't lost the fear of being touched by another man other than the one who now held her.

She was sure if the Emperor wasn't here, Jack would've slaughtered the boys without a second thought. Not only that, but she was sure he was fuming behind that fake smile that now adorned his face. One that tried to throw off the Emperor's worried expression which continuously plagued him as they talked on and on.

Arche listened to the calming tune of the violins, the flutes, and the cellos. The world itself was at calm, at least within the room. Free from worry is something she wished she could be, but that sadly was not the case.

They had thought she was a slave. They had thought she was nothing more than a piece that belonged to a powerful lord. Her lower lip quivered at the thought of what might've happened if she had not been seen and saved by the one she had come to love.

Her eyes then trailed over towards Momon and Nabe, the two who had defended her against the boys when she finally decided to fight back. Though when Nabe noticed her gaze, Arche snapped her head to the side to avert her gaze, albeit, shyly as she did so.

"You seem to be unable to control your nobles... Or the impulses of their children, even after purging those who didn't contribute to your... Prospering society." Jack was outright when he said this, bluntly and powerfully. He wasn't afraid to speak his mind towards the ruler of the Empire, but there was a reason behind that. No matter what the Emperor did to him, it wouldn't be enough to put him down or let alone destroy him. Even if they tried to seal him away, they were all too weak in his eyes to actually be a threat.

On top of that, there was more than one person here at his level, and he was on his side.

A light grin formed over the fake smile as he thought of this.

The Emperor slowly nodded, rather disappointed in his own countrymen and infinitely embarrassed by the fact that his own people had turned upon the man's lover.

"The three will be punished accordingly, I assure you, Jack-dono." The Emperor gestured towards the man with a smile, the corner of his mouth twitching nervously. How was he to use this man if he now looked down on him so!?

"I look forward to it," Jack uttered under his breath as he could see family members of the respective houses that had disrespected him, being escorted out of the room.

The way he said it, made Jircniv shiver in his seat. It was as if he was ready to see three teenagers be tortured to death. Though not exact, it felt like Jack was ready to even resurrect and kill them over and over again.

The very idea shook the Emperor should the young man be capable of such things. He was of course more powerful and versatile than any man he had ever come across.

His eyes closed partially before looking to Fluder who was silently eating his steak, humming ever so slightly, as he was thinking of nothing more than the items Jack had given him to tinker with.

"Gramps..." The Emperor huffed to himself, before looking at his own plate. It was filled with a large variety of foods with intoxicating aromas that were enough to persuade just about anyone to keep eating should they be full.

Fluder, of course, didn't hear him over the music and was taken by his thoughts for the most part. His eyes though slowly lifted to find that Arche was staring right through him, shifting on her lover's lap. A small chuckle left the old man's lips, it was as if he was looking at a grandchild in their parent's lap due to the size comparison.

His gaze then found itself resting on his Emperor, causing him to blink a few times. "What is on your mind, your Majesty? You don't look well..." Up until now, the Court Wizard had been rather ignorant of the emperor's current mental state after the incident.

"Old man," he shook his head with a flavorful smile across his lips, his violet eyes reflected the man's gaze right back at him. "Have you made any breakthroughs with the undead labor plans?"

"Ah! Yes, Jack and his workers have been a great help in collecting Undead, as expected of one considered to have been my protege," he gave a smug look as he pointed his finger towards Arche, closing one eye before going back to eating his steak.

Slowly nodding at the very little his surrogate parent had responded with and simply shook his head. Leaning back in his seat, his eyes rested on the selection on his plate before his eyes rested on Arche. "I am sorry for the way you were treated, they will be punished as the law sees fit. It is a heinous crime to attack the very hostess and even insult her at that." He took up his chalice and raised it to the girl who blinked at him in response.

"Of-of... course, your Majesty." Shakily she forced herself to smile after her teeth caught her bottom lip when she tried to speak aloud. She was going to remain rather jumpy, she couldn't change that after what had just happened. Everything was just way too fast for her. "Thank you for your consideration..." Her head bowed towards him, her blonde locks falling forward and covering her face with shadows, hiding it from view.

A few wet spots appeared on her dress, her gaze fogging up. It wasn't long before her eyes were beginning to burn, forcing her to blink.

For some reason expecting the boys to come back after her. She had never had someone blatantly try to do that while she was in a vulnerable dress, one in which had been designed for this very occasion.

She wanted to cry, but Arche didn't want to appear weak, definitely not in front of Jack, not any more than she had already done... Closing her eyes, she rested her head back against his chest, her hands reaching over and grasping at his, keeping them folded over his lap.

Blue hues seemed to glow in contrast to the surrounding crimson red bloodshot sclera, her eyes flickering away from the Emperor. It was clear now how hard she was trying not to breakdown.

One of Jack's hands reached up, escaping from her hold and lightly moving to cover her eyes and tilt her head back slightly in the process of doing so. His fingers and even his palm were so cold, it felt good on her eyes that felt as if they were on fire.

"If you don't mind us, we'll be excusing ourselves early. If anything is needed," Jack pried his other hand from her hold and pointed it to the elf who was standing by the door to the kitchen, "Inform her immediately and she will fetch us."

Blinking at the man's words, the Emperor Jircniv could only agree to his words as he watched Jack stand from the table... Shifting the young woman in his arms like she were a doll before carrying her like a bride in a loving embrace.

It was clear this beast of a man cared for the young woman, he treated his slaves well as seen by their clothes and the skills he passed unto them. It surprised him that the slaves were the ones who had cooked all of this food.

Jircniv frowned though as he looked to his Court Wizard, seeing as he was still absorbed with his food, his gaze then moved to the two members of his personal Imperial Knights.

Many of the people who were paying attention to what was going on, whether or not just curious or completely politically motivated, watched as Jack left the ballroom. Their eyes almost immediately turning to look at the Emperor before going back to their personal business.

As his two Knights returned, they stood before him.

"Your Majesty, the three boys have been loaded into a carriage, a number of guards are bringing them back to the detention center," the two of them reported to their Emperor, quick to given the details as such was their duty. "How would you like them charged?"

Jircniv looked over his underlings as he thought to himself, crossing one leg over the other as he stayed seated at the table before the food. He obviously wasn't all that hungry considering what had transpired. "Attempted sexual assault of a Lord's fiancée with simple assault with intent to harm," his eyes fixed on them, "insulting the Emperor and his Host, and disturbing of the peace."

These charges were all true, and in no case changed to fit his own wrath. Though he was not aware of Jack's desire to bring justice upon the boys or let alone his nation, he wished to correct this but he needed to figure out how to get back into the man's better graces.

Jack was already wealthy, he was already influential and his name was already common as it were. A man who suddenly showed up in Arwintar, bought a house that was home to cultists, and later found that the Nobles of Re-Estize were on the lookout for him.

It was clear that this man in himself was a treasure for country alone, and he wanted it to be the Baharuth Empire and no other.

Thinking to himself, he could only wonder, how and why things had gone so downhill. Had someone planned this? Had someone planted an event to destroy the reputation of the Empire?

Jircniv wanted answers, he wanted to figure out what the boys knew if they even knew anything at all. Clenching his jaw, his paranoid thoughts were starting to get the better of him, despite the fact that many a times his suspicions bared fruit.