*** Craftsmen Guild - Residential Quarters: Guildmaster’s Room ***
"Ugh, it felt like I just got blackout drunk..."
Justinian woke up with a terrifying headache, the world around him pulsing in strange colors, his enhanced senses being assaulted by the sound of celebration from the outside. It was hell on earth for him.
"F-fuck, did I overdo it?"
Justinian tried to roll over, trying to get a grasp of things, but he was immediately stopped, Feryll beside him stopping him from nearly falling over.
"Don’t move, idiot, you’re burning up."
Her vague silhouette was enough to calm Justinian; it meant that he was in a safe location, and better yet.
Just by the side of the room were crates filled with ore, their mission successful.
"I’m gonna get beheaded for this..."
Feryll swore, long realizing that the adventurer he had hired was no other than the duke himself, her face filled with concern and fear.
He just endangered their ruler, threatened him even.
"How long has it been...?"
Justinian laughed, brushing off her comment. He was the duke; he wouldn’t let her pay the price of his own actions.
"It’s been two days, my lord..."
Feryll spoke, emphasizing the last words as she continued to wipe Justinian’s forehead with a warm cloth, taking care of him.
She’d rather personally attend to him than hand him back to the palace at that state; her death was guaranteed before Justinian could even wake up and explain the situation.
"Two days...?"
Justinian tried sitting up, his entire body feeling like concrete.
Even just moving it feels painful; he had a terrible fever.
"Two days...? Are the celebrations still ongoing?"
Justinian muttered weakly, grasping his forehead as another surge of pain spiked, causing him to wince loudly as he collapsed back on the bed.
"N-no, my lord..."
Feryll looked at the fireplace just in the middle of the room, the sound of the fire likely being mistaken for the sounds of celebration.
Justinian was in an even worse state than she thought.
"I can’t believe this... we could have just run, you know? no need to put your life in danger..."
After she finished wiping Justinian’s body, it was time for him to get his sustenance, a bowl of porridge, leftovers from the celebrations.
This was her routine ever since Justinian passed out, a routine she made sure she perfected.
"I didn’t really expect this to happen, you know?"
Justinian laughed weakly, subtly opening his mouth as Feryll fed him some porridge, his weakened body struggling to even swallow it.
"I’m sure this is a bad time to ask..."
She said, halfway through grabbing another spoonful.
"But... what was that?"
Referring to how he manifested armor out of nowhere, even casually destroying a rallied bandit army, he was even stronger than both Lucan and Cassia.
A feat that would grant him a position in the royal court of the king himself when revealed.
"Think of it as magic..."
Justinian replied with a smile, still joking despite his condition.
"Sigh... even while disoriented, you still have a mind to keep secrets?"
She fed Justinian again, still absolutely befuddled about how things ended up this way.
"I guess Arethrus really is watching over you."
KNOCK. KNOCK.
Their silent moment of conversation was abruptly cut as a sound rang out from the outside, it was a blacksmith.
"Boss! We’ve got a problem!"
"What is it!?"
"I-its... Lady Cassia, boss..."
Feryll’s eyes widened at the mention, Cassia? The rumoured sworn second of the duke himself, now finding herself here?
"S-shit..."
Justinian sensed the tension; if Cassia misunderstood the situation, it would only lead to a mindless bloodbath.
"I-ill come with you."
He tried moving, but Feryll quickly stopped him, more concerned about his health than anything.
"If you try to move too much, I’m not even sure you’ll survive."
She reprimanded, quickly leaving the room and leaving Justinian alone to his own devices.
BANG!
Justinian forcefully rolled over, causing him to land directly on the floor. He needed to explain the situation.
As of now, all signs pointed to Feryll being the cause of the duke’s disappearance.
A hooded figure leaving the palace? heading out with her? and returning to the craftsmen guild with her?
All evidence pointed to her as guilty. If this were modern day, Justinian didn’t have to worry, but with how medieval politics work, it’s her words against the entire palace.
"Just a little more... and I can explain the situation."
Justinian stood up from the ground, using the walls for support as he slowly slid up from his prone position, sliding across the walls as he moved forward.
"L-lady Cassia, let me explain the situation!"
Feryll’s voice was heard clearly outside, the conversation clearly going south.
"If you were innocent, guildmaster, you would not bar my path."
Cassia’s voice was enraged; she was Justinian’s sworn second, yet she allowed him to escape from her protection.
To her, she was as guilty as the guildmaster who caused the disappearance of their duke.
BANG!
She kicked open the door to Feryll’s room, a sight that caused her already pale face to grow even paler, seeing Justinian’s face wincing in pain. His entire condition was in complete disarray.
Justinian tried to speak, to say one word to calm her, but his earlier actions were already enough to tire him drastically.
Only causing him to cough instead of speak, which made the situation even worse.
Cassia narrowed her eyes, biting her lip as she unsheathed her sword, pointing it directly at Feryll from outside the room, away from Justinian’s sight.
"Explain this!"
The bickering sounds of the two women were overwhelming for Justinian, the screaming piercing his ears as he tried to cover them.
"G-goddammit!"
Justinian muttered with a laugh. Even with the situation being dire, he couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
’This is nothing... I’ve had worse fevers in the past.’
Justinian used up all his remaining energy, opening his jaw and unleashing a command.
"Everyone in this building is under my protection... stop!"
He barked.
And blacked out right after, now completely spent.