Chapter 6
When Wakako awoke again, she was no longer in the Eagle Kingdom’s royal palace, but in an unfamiliar environment.
The house was plainly decorated, with slightly damp wallpaper in the corner and a faint musty smell lingered in the air. Compared to the grandeur of the palace, it felt incredibly dilapidated.
A steaming bowl of vegetable soup sat on the bedside table. “Eat,” a voice said curtly.
Wakako looked up and saw several familiar faces.
“Master,” she called out instinctively.
If the Eagle Kingdom’s royal guards were to storm this inconspicuous, rundown shack, they would succeed in uprooting a significant portion of their most hated enemies. For at this very moment, the entire Alpha squad of the Royal Mercenaries was gathered here, not a single member missing.
Their numbers weren’t large, just four women and two men, including Wakako.
The woman sitting by the bed was exceptionally tall, with striking features, blonde hair, and blue eyes. She handed Wakako the bowl. “Eat first, then we’ll talk.”
Wakako’s stomach had been growling for hours. She took the soup and finished it in a few quick gulps.
A pleased expression spread across the blonde woman’s face as she brought her three or four more bowls. “Has my cooking improved?”
Wakako wiped her mouth and answered honestly, “No, it’s still terrible.”
The blonde woman’s face visibly fell. “I was planning on making lunch for everyone.”
“I’ll do it,” Wakako said, getting out of bed. She deliberately avoided everyone’s gaze as she gathered the ingredients they had prepared earlier and went into the kitchen.
She wasn’t ready to face them yet.
What happened in the Eagle Kingdom’s palace felt like a dream. Amidst the intertwining scents of cherry and sunflower, Wakako had accepted Miki’s punishment, then took the pheromone-suppressing drug again.
She knew by the smell that the drug had another effect: short-term sedation. But anything Miki fed her by mouth, she would swallow unconditionally.
Later, Wakako found herself waking up in the wilderness. She used mercenary methods to signal Lin Lin and rushed to their pre-arranged emergency meeting point.
Then she discovered the entire squad was already there.
In the kitchen, Wakako skillfully chopped vegetables and meat, her movements as deft as any palace chef.
For the Miki of secrecy, despite their high status, the mercenaries had no servants. They took care of everything themselves.
Before she joined the team, it was the blonde woman, Carol, who had taken an interest in cooking. Unfortunately, her culinary skills left much to be desired, often resulting in the team suffering from food poisoning.
After Wakako arrived, she took over this responsibility. During her years at the Saionji clan estate, she had learned a great deal from the chefs who catered to the nobility. While not a culinary genius, she could prepare a decent meal.
Of course, her clumsy self wouldn’t have acquired such skills without Miki.
Serving the Saint was an incredibly demanding task, with countless rules and regulations governing every aspect of her life. When the other servants realized Wakako’s willingness to work hard and endure hardship, they assigned her the most tiring chores.
For instance, night watch. The Saint was a light sleeper, often plagued by nightmares or sudden awakenings. At such times, Wakako would gently wipe the cold sweat from Miki’s forehead with a white silk cloth and tuck her back in.
Occasionally, when Miki woke, she would want a snack. According to the rules, the Saint’s food had to be freshly prepared, never leftovers. Wakako would then go to the kitchen, find the chef on night duty, wait patiently, and bring the snack back.
The Saint often lacked the strength to lift her arms, so Wakako would bring the snack to her lips, supporting her hand to prevent it from falling onto the bed.
The first time she fed Miki a snack this way, still naive and clueless, she asked, “Why don’t you lick my fingers?”
Miki looked puzzled. “Why would I do that?”
Wakako was about to explain when she belatedly realized she had embarrassed herself again. As a street urchin, she had often gone hungry, and she would lick her fingers clean after every meal, a habit she couldn’t shake even now that she had enough to eat.
Of course, the Saint wouldn’t need to do such a thing.
Wakako felt deeply embarrassed.
But then she felt a sensation on her fingertip. Miki extended her tongue, tentatively tracing the crumbs left on Wakako’s finger, slowly drawing them into her mouth.
After a moment, the Saint said, “Sweet.”
Miki was always sensitive to cold. Sometimes, when Wakako touched her hand, she felt as if she were touching ice. Her lips and tongue were equally cool, colder than well water left overnight.
Yet, Wakako felt the spot where Miki had licked burning, as if scorched by flames, so hot that she almost wanted to rub that area thoroughly.
As Wakako took on more night shifts, Miki noticed it was always the same person and one night tugged at Wakako’s sleeve, asking, “Where are the others?”
Wakako couldn’t lie. “They asked me to take their place.”
“Do they find it troublesome?” Her expression remained calm.
“Yes.”
“And you? You can’t sleep all night, you constantly wipe my sweat, and you feed me…” Miki said softly, “Don’t you find it bothersome?”
Wakako was taken aback. “Not at all. If you hadn’t saved me, I would have died long ago. How could I find it troublesome?”
“Saving you didn’t take much effort,” Miki said softly, “but doing all those little tasks surely requires more care.”
Wakako looked up and said without hesitation, “Doing these things for you is nothing to me.”
She saw Miki smile, the faint sadness that usually clouded her brow lifting, her beauty so dazzling that Wakako’s gaze lingered.
“I’ve grown tired of these snacks. Learn to make something new,” the Saint said.
For this single request, the clumsy Wakako spent days in the kitchen, practicing tirelessly, accumulating countless scars on her fingers.
Sometimes she felt frustrated, wondering why she couldn’t improve. But remembering Miki’s smile, she persevered without hesitation.
Now, every time she entered the kitchen, Wakako would remember those memories.
As she looked at the simmering soup in the pot, it was completely different from what she had intended to make. Even after all these years, without realizing it, she had made Miki’s favorite dish.
But perhaps that person no longer needed these things.
***
The mercenary squad crowded around the table, digging into Wakako’s cooking like they hadn’t eaten in days. Without exaggeration, the combined appetite of six Alphas could form a mountain of food.
However, after the meal, the atmosphere shifted.
A handsome, black-haired man named Hua Yumu gently tapped his finger on the table. “Let’s talk business.”
Despite his slim build and non-aggressive appearance, Hua Yumu was the most experienced among them and served as their team leader. He was also Wakako’s master.
As soon as the captain spoke, the others put down their bowls.
Hua Yumu paused for a moment. “Lin Lin.”
“Yes, captain.”
“You performed well this time. You retreated promptly when the situation changed and quickly relayed the information. You’ll be rewarded when we return.”
Lin Lin silently accepted the praise.
“Kitagawa Wakako.”
Hua Yumu rarely addressed her by full name. Even though his tone remained neutral, Wakako recognized the gravity of the situation. She knew she had gone too far this time.
She spoke up, “Master, I’m willing to accept any punishment.”
But to her surprise, Hua Yumu said, “No, I won’t punish you.”
Wakako looked up in astonishment.
“You’re the apprentice I personally trained, and you’ve been in the squad for five years. If I had to say who I trust the most among all of you, it would be you. You’re stubborn, and no matter the danger, you always execute orders without fail.”
Hua Yumu’s tone remained calm. “This is the first and only incident with you. I suspect it’s because of the Saint, isn’t it?”
Wakako’s breath quickened momentarily.
“Yes.”
“I don’t blame you. In fact, this is the reason why all seven of us are gathered here – we have a very important mission.”
Everyone focused their attention, waiting for him to continue.
“Five years ago, the Saint disappeared. We searched the entire kingdom but found no trace of her. To avoid widespread panic, the Queen decided to seal the news and announce that the Saint had passed away. Only the Queen and I know the truth.”
Beyond her prophetic abilities, the Saint’s existence itself sustained the people’s faith. Her disappearance was almost certainly the enemy’s doing, and if word spread, it would greatly shake public morale.
The Saint was born with a frail constitution. Historically, previous Saints had also died young from sudden illnesses, so the public wouldn’t find it unusual.
Abducting the Saint was not a glorious act, and the Eagle Kingdom had also kept it quiet.
“The Eagle Kingdom has hidden the Saint well. We’ve been searching for years without any leads, until recently. The reason we suddenly ordered you to approach Minister Camus was because he might have some clues.” Hua Yumu glanced at Wakako. “We didn’t expect you to encounter her so soon.”
“The Queen is now aware of everything that happened. Her orders are to rescue the Saint at any cost. For the foreseeable future – possibly months or even a year – we will be fully dedicated to this mission, gathering information, formulating plans, and making arrangements.”
“There is only one exception: you, Wakako.”
Hua Yumu looked at her calmly. “You are not permitted to participate in this mission.”
Wakako’s breath caught. “I…”
“You were once the Saint’s guard, and your bond with her is deep, to the point where you disobeyed orders and acted on your own. You know as well as I do that a similar situation could easily occur again, and we cannot afford the consequences.”
Wakako’s palms were trembling slightly. Just as her master had said, when it came to Miki, she would lose her reason. She couldn’t bear the thought of staying in Mios, doing nothing.
She was more desperate than anyone to see Miki again.
She knew she had to convince Hua Yumu.
“The Saint is currently in the royal palace.”
All eyes turned to her.
Wakako steadied herself. “I left a note, and the Saint recognized my handwriting.”
She recounted the events that transpired in the Eagle Kingdom’s royal palace in more detail, omitting Miki’s “punishment,” of course.
“If I act as bait, the Saint will definitely come to see me.” Wakako said.
“Also, I’ve been to her room. Even blindfolded, I memorized the general layout of the Eagle Kingdom’s royal palace.”
Hua Yumu asked, “Can you accurately draw a map?”
Wakako nodded. “Yes.”
Everyone fell into deep thought. After a while, Hua Yumu said, “Let’s take a vote. Those in favor of Wakako participating in the mission, raise your hands.”
Wakako was the first to raise her hand.
The second was Lin Lin, albeit with slight hesitation.
Wakako looked at her junior apprentice with surprise and gratitude.
The other three – Carol, Liu Siruo, and Albert – also raised their hands one after another.
Hua Yumu tapped his left index finger on the table again. “Alright.” He pondered for a moment. “Then we won’t completely exclude you from the mission for now.”
“However,” the cautious captain emphasized, “you must obey orders completely, or I will send you back to Mios immediately. Do you understand?”
“I understand.”
“I need you to swear an oath.”
Wakako placed her hand over her heart.
“I swear in the name of the Saint that I will obey all commands,” she said.
