My FAIR Lady |FAIRVERSE Book ~ 1|✓

Chapter ♦ 43

REUBEN. [IV]

We made our way towards the inn we were currently lodging with the abbot in tow. He had suggested to take two of his disciples along with him and I didn’t really care to disapprove. It was not like anything much would change if a few of his cohorts tagged along.

We soon reached our said destination and the moment he got off the carriage, a myriad of chaos spread along the street like wildfire. The people who saw him unconsciously scampered away from him in fright, as if they were beasts in a flood scurrying for their lives. The prior unruffled atmosphere suddenly got churned into a hushed upheaval; the people around, acting like they were seeing the devil incarnate himself. All of this happened at such a scale that it was not something that could go unnoticed even if one were to wear blindfolds.

“Oh my, the people around seem to respect you quite a bit, doesn’t it?” I said with a smile.

“Ah! Yes yes, they are too formal. I have told them to treat me as one of their own countless of times now, but it seems it was to no avail. Ahahaha…” The abbot said with a smile returned, not a crack in his composure, as though he was oblivious to my underlying meaning.

I didn’t mind his splendid act of ignorance, it only made things much more interesting. I only beamed lightly at his act for I was in no hurry to smash that hypocritical mask of his. I’d say it was rather amusing to watch this monkey jumping all over the place, if I had more time in my hands, I would have liked to indulge more into his act. But alas, time was of the essence.

We took him and his minions to the quarters where our sick knights were being nursed.

When he saw the haggard conditions of our ladies, he let out a dejected sigh and said, “My Lord, these young knights have long been past any help of mine. I can only help them when they have finally taken their last breaths. I’m really sorry about my incompetence.”

“You’re saying you have no way of curing them of their ailment? But they have been afflicted with the disease hardly a day ago.” Gilbert frowned in grimness.            

“As I have said earlier, I am but just a humble abbot. I have no way of curing the sick from their ailment. I can only truly help them after they had departed this mundane world.” The abbot said with a shake of his head.

“…..Is there really no other way?” I asked with a brow raised. I had clearly noticed how eager he was to come and see my knights. If he really didn’t have any other agenda behind his actions, if he really did not have any way of curing them, why was he so eager to come visit them?

I arched a brow to that. Something smelled really fishy here.

“…..There might be another way. But I’m not so certain about if I should say it out loud.” He spoke with his eyes downcasted, his head bowed low, as though he didn’t dare to say any unnecessary words.

(Chuckle) Here it was. His real agenda behind coming all the way here.

“Speak.” I urged with a word.

“Before I say more, I would like to appeal for the Lord’s forgiveness as what I am about to say next might come off as an insolent statement.” And I insisted him to continue with a go-ahead cue. “Long ago, when this malady first manifested on the face of this land, I had heard a rumour that the nectar of an exotic magical flower called ‘The sprite of ardor’ could be the remedy for this dreadful illness. But coming by a flower like that is very well near an impossibility, not to mention the fact that such a mystical flower only blooms in the lands beyond the cliff of Arcadia. And I do not know the exact location where the plant takes root either. To urge My Lord to go to such a treacherous place is……” I did not need to hear anymore of his insincere nonsense.