"Was that a coincidence..? Or are you just too sharp?" - Which earned him a raised brow from the young man.
"See this.. don't you think it is a bit odd that.. Commander Hamilvan..conveniently found you during that time..?" - Bakzeu stated, causing Calestro to pause.
"..Are you perhaps suggesting that.."
- Bakzeu smiled and nodded.
"Both events are connected."
————
The young man froze upon hearing Bakzeu's revelation; his mind flooding with recollections of the previous occurences that transpired in just the span of more than sixty hours.
His face became a breeding ground of sweat.
"My belt..was tampered with..?"
"why..?"
"That..that noble did it..!?"
"for..for what reason even..!?"
Calestro inquired to himself as dozens of notions circled throughout his mind, resembling a tornado of needles; all desperately seeking an answer yet no sufficient response was granted, in fact,
The more answers the Third Commander Presented, the more questions materialized in the head of the already, sleep-deprived young man.
"I..i don't understand.." - Calestro's downcasted, widened eyes darted around the floor before he tilted his head upwards to face a knowing Bakzeu.
"why..why would...Sanum..place a tracker on my belt..?" - Calestro shakily inquired, earning him a slight chuckle from the casual commander and a response—
"Have you already forgotten your..'interrogation'? And here I thought.." - Which ended in a sigh.
The reply made the young man pause for a second before abruptly remembering the distinct interaction with the Noble.
—
"See. Ever since you went unconscious, a few.. hours ago I had; My top craftsmen and blacksmiths beginning to grind the cogs of their brains just figuring out how this works, and what was their answer?
We.. We don't know anything about this sire.. We never seen it before.
Interesting isn't it?"
—
"My..!" - Calestro exclaimed, which made Bakzeu's smile proliferate in proudness; "Bingo."
"He wishes to..know more about my technology right..?" - Calestro's face drops a little; which gained him a shoulder shrug.
"I suppose he does. Sanum is a power hungry man, for someone as sharp as you; surely you already picked that up by now."
"But if he..wants my tech, it makes no..sense to place a tracker, what's the..point?" - Calestro scratched his head, before slightly furrowing his eyebrows in absolute confusion then glancing back at the commander;
—
"..." - Bakzeu sustained the gaze with his unfaltering smile.
"..." - Calestro did so as well, a sweat sliding down his cheek as he anticipated a reply.
"..." - Bakzeu remained there, as if mimicking a softly smiling statue.
"erm.." - Calestro winced, which made Bakzeu jump and shout;
"Oh come on!" - Gaining him a flinch from the young man.
—
"..erm..uh..oh?" - He raised a brow towards the Bakzeu who exasperatedly scoffed.
"So much for your sharpness..!" - He scratched his head in mock disappointment, causing the young man's gaze to falter.
"I'm..sor—"
"Nuh Uh!" - Bakzeu then flashed him a raised index finger before tutting. -
"Only apologize when you did something wrong."
"But..I guessed incor—!"
"Nope. There is a difference in failing and in trying okay? You didn't do it incorrectly because you didn't even try.." - Bakzeu's face dropped in mock sadness, which resulted in the widening of the young man's eyes as he subconsciously felt a switch flip inside the deepest annals of his brain.
"oh..ohkay.." - He then nasally whispered.
"Anyways! Remember when Hamilvan..'just happened' to find you in a section of the forest that spans over a hundred kilometers?"
"...!!!"
"That wasn't a mere coincidence, rather;
He was told,
To find you."
"...That..that doesn't explain why he would attack me..out of nowhere...!!"
"I did say; 'he was told'
Now, who is it that you suppose to have informed Hamilvan?"
"..Sa-Sanum..of-of course..!"
"Fifty-points for you. Very Good."
"...He..he ordered Hamilvan..to attack me..?"
"..." - Bakzeu paused, eyes darting away for a second;
"It's weird isn't it..? Even I find it strange."
Bakzeu began to gnaw on his nails, which upon closer inspection; showed the tips of his fingers to be of bite marks and softly torn skin.
"Hamilvan..is a Military Commander.. and Sanum is the Highest Ranking Military Overseer in Azulunu..They know about the Imperial Codex."
"..Imp..Imperial..Codex..? Isn't that.."
"Constitution, also contains regulations for managing a territory my friend."
"So..if commanders know it.. surely you.. too..?"
"Yes.. and that's exactly why I'm super lost here.
Hamilvan broke multiple codes in regards to fugitive safety, he even went as far as to break a few of Azulunu's as well."
"..The Empire is known for their absolute court proceedings right..?"
"Absolute is an understatement, what they say is irrevocable in any shape or form.
Therefore if Hamilvan was to be trialed there, and be found guilty of multiple offences;
Forget Perpetia Sentencia.. he could be court martialed."
"Per-perperia sentencia..!? He could be incarcerated forever..!?"
"Yes. Unfortunately."
- Calestro stood up.
"The-then Azulunu..must act about it..!"
"Too late, the Empire has their eyes everywhere.
I won't be surprised if they have some..informers here as well."
Calestro paused, before he felt the pressure once again rising up from his nape before rendering him with a painful migraine.
"Ow..I..I need to sit.."
- He then leaned back again, head not only aching from the ailments but also from the conversation just now.
"..." - Bakzeu paused, glancing at the leaned back Calestro with a curious expression before it darted towards the heads of the bears that remained resting on the table.
"Hey.. just a question..but where are the bodies of these auto..matons..?" - Bakzeu inquired, causing Calestro to sigh before opening his exhausted eyes.
"..We-well..I-I was assured by some people.. that they will recovered individually."
Bakzeu's eyes narrowed, his chest slowly proliferating with doubt.
"..Recovered..? Supervised by who?"
"..I-i don't know.."
Bakzeu's eyes widened, before his core became a breeding ground of a horrific realization that was only silenced by a quick inhale and a heave of a deep exhale.
"..It's in Sanum's hands now."
His response made Calestro shoot up from his seat.
"Wha..what..!? N-no..!! I cannot let that....ow.."
"..!"
Calestro wobbled and fell before he was captured by Bakzeu and then was assisted back to his chair.
"...You're surely in no shape to worry about that right now.." - Bakzeu's face solemnified as he rose up, making sure the young man was placed comfortably.
"...p..ple..ase...do..don't..le-let..ot..get..it.."
- Calestro's hand softly tugged on Bakzeu's sleeve before the young man weakly muttered as his voice slowly dissipated away, and so did his consciousness;
Such a response made Bakzeu's eyes narrow a little in seriousness, the scene causing a faint memory to flash inside of his head that depicted a faceless, smiling young boy.
"Worry not..
Trust me for now.."
Bakzeu then straightened his posture before fixing his crimson-coloured robe, him beginning to step towards the doorless doorway.
"To be frank..I am not interested in your tech." - Bakzeu whispered as he raised his index finger before an array of red-coloured circular apparitions emanated from it that cloaked the unconscious young man before quickly vanishing.
"I just..—"
- He stepped outside of the doorway, face filled with solemnity as his eyes were glazed as if remembering a bygone memory;
Which consisted of the same, faceless young boy running happily in the meadows.
"to..fulfill my promise."
-
"—..Want Azulunu to be Saved."
————
ACT 40 — FIN