Bodyguard's Love

Chapter 20

The days passed. Arthur began to recover and feel better. Luana often accompanied him for walks in the rose garden to breathe fresh air and to get used to walking again.

Once fully healed, he decided to reunite his faithful servants in the great hall.

He was sitting at the end of the big table. Sitting to his left were Luana, Azusa, Rachel, Mina and her mother. And sitting to his right were Angus, Lucas, Eric, Matthew and Edgar.

"My dear friends, I've gathered you together today to thank you for your hard work at managing the palace in my absence. I'm very proud and grateful to have you," Arthur said, a soft smile on his lips.

"We've only done our duties, Your Majesty," Angus replied.

"It's always a pleasure to serve you, Your Majesty," added Edgar.

The emperor nodded.

"As all of you know, we are far from having finished with the danger. Very far even. We must stay awake because the enemy will try to do everything to get to us. We all know that after trying to kill me, they wanted us to believe that Duke Lobelia was a traitor."

"What ?!" Azusa exclaimed in shock.

"Calm down, Darling," Rachel whispered.

"B-but... When did that happen ?! Why didn't anyone tell me ?!"

"We didn't mean to alarm you, Azusa. But it's okay now. Sir Carter has interrogated the bandits' leader and it turns out that an imposter has pretended to be me," Angus replied.

"An impostor ?" Luana asked, confused.

"Yes. And we still haven't discovered his identity," Arthur replied.

"All we know is that he's a young man with white hair and red eyes," Matthew said.

"I don't remember having met anyone with these characteristics," retorted the emperor.

"We think that he may be a foreigner. After all, the bandit group is. It's very likely that they are from the same kingdom," Eric remarked.

"It's very possible, yeah," Matthew added.

Arthur sighed heavily.

"For now, that's not our priority. We'll find him sooner or later."

"Yeah, that's true."

"Okay. Back to the most important thing. I decided to organise a ball where I will invite all the noble families of the empire. It's a way of showing the enemy that their plan has failed and that the emperor is still alive."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," said Angus.

"For the event, we will have to strengthen the surveillance. We never know if the enemy decides to attack again. So, stay vigilant."

"Understood, Your Majesty," they replied in unison.

"Good. With that, I declare this meeting over. Thank you for coming."

The emperor got up from his seat.

"Sir Koraxos and Luana," he called out.

"Yes, Your Majesty ?" asked the young captain.

"Meet me at my office. I need you both," he ordered.

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

With that, Arthur left the great hall.

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Arrived at his office, the emperor asked the princess and her bodyguard to sit on the armchairs in front of him to talk.