"Wait for me. I"ll be back quickly."
Squeezing the hand of the closest companion she had made during all of the days that she had had to spend like a barbarian, Joselyn tried to put on a small smile, so that she could set his heart at ease.
She had found him lost and alone, abandoned by those who couldn"t afford to heal him of the sudden sickness that had almost killed him.
She didn"t even know why she had chosen to help him. But she had known that it would be hard, yet she chose to do it anyway.
This was still during the early months when she was learning that all of her confidence meant nothing in the face of the ruthlessness of the bandits. She had still not disguised her gender, or her agenda, as she had simply thought that all of the bandits could be conquered using force, or if not, poison.
While protecting herself, she had had to care for him, too, but she did it to the best of her ability. In doing so, she found a life-long friend, and may be someone who was even more. He taught her about the darkness present in the hearts of all men. He taught her to be cold. Emotionless. Logical. And he was the one who had helped her the most to become…Bandit Queen.
She had always heard her mother say that life wasn"t worth living if there was no one to share one"s excitement with, and in this special juncture, she found that she was right.
"Don"t try smiling. It"s been far too long, so it looks like you "re grimacing, or getting ready to eat me."
Somehow, this jewel of a man had retained his sense of humor through all of the blood and guts that they had had to swim through together.
Noticing that it might be one of the reasons why she had been able to keep her sanity and integrity through this journey, Joselyn laughed and then nodded before proceeding according to the directions of those sent down by the king.
Initially, after sending the message, she had gotten the reply that she had to a.s.semble at this place, on this day.
After arriving, she, along with all of the bandits who followed her, and all those who were disabled due to the poison and were being carted around like livestock, had no choice but to stand and stare agape at a sight unheard of in many, many years.
Millions of people, together, with no animosities, and no violence.
Lanthanorians and Black Ravens. Black Ravens and Arafellians. a.s.sa.s.sins of the Hidden Kill Sect and Lanthanorians. All of these individuals who were supposed to have rivalries that spanned generations were all sitting and laughing together, as if there were something that united them all, and seeing them, Joselyn once again understood that the decision she had made was right.
The King of Lanthanor…was definitely a worthy man to be followed.
After stopping at the patch of land she had been a.s.signed, Joselyn had been told that she had an interview with the king.
If any of the bandits saw that the Bandit Queen"s eyes had s.h.i.+fted around nervously while her heartbeat sped up due to the very thought of meeting that man whom she had seen all those years ago, they would definitely have been struck dumb, as they could never have thought that any man could elicit this kind of reaction from the Queen who many believed was made of ice.
Such was the height of respect that could be achieved by those who could not only dream lofty dreams, but also achieve them.
After nodding in farewell, Joselyn felt herself being teleported away, and a few moments later, she was among the clouds.
She had reached the surface of the Heavenly City which was still causing many discussions and exciting rumors to float around the large, large campsite where almost all of Angaria had gathered. Looking around, she saw many people bustling around here and there, but in her mind, someone told her that she just had to keep walking forward.
Hearing that voice, she did so, and soon, she came upon a round building which he entered without any hesitation.
Lo and behold, there he was. Sitting on a majestic, Dragon-entwined throne so naturally that it seemed as if he had been born on one, the King was gazing between ten display trinkets while also sending messages through a communication trinket in his hand.
Seeing her arrive, his eyebrows rose, and a gentle smile came on his face.
She had read somewhere that the smile of a ruler should have the power to uplift the moods, and even fates of thousands.
Now, she believed that to be true, as she suddenly found herself being relieved of all of the burdens she was carrying.
Caught in his spell in this way, she did not even notice the significance of him standing up on her arrival.
By the time she did, she had already been seated on a smaller throne he had created beside him, so it was with embarra.s.sment that Joselyn would later remember that the first words she uttered didn"t make much sense, at all.
"Y-you… Stood for me…?"
The king blinked with surprise for a moment, but then, he laughed and said, "Of course, Joselyn. What you have accomplished is no small thing. In fact, I can even say that you have not put in any less effort than the rest of his. You deserve the throne you are sitting on, and soon, I will make it official. But for now… I need a favor from you, and that is why I called you here at this crucial time. Will you do something for me, Joselyn?"
It was at this point that all of the instincts she had gained over all these years finally kicked in, allowing her to calm herself and understand exactly what the king had said.