Zasiok looked at Cecil, and noticing her shocked expression, he realised Cecil didn't know either.
The hidden message.
Zasiok looked at the guards who were still outside the cell, and they weren't even paying attention to him.
Cecil somehow found herself instinctively shifting, providing a cover for Zasiok, to read the message.
Zasiok raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"If I got caught lying, it would be bad for me as well," Cecil remarked, impassive. "Hurry and read it."
He opened the tube and hitting it lightly against this palm. A rolled up paper dropped onto his palm and Zasiok unravelled it. He read it quietly, and the guards glanced over them, unconcerned as they turned back.
Zasiok shot his head up after reading it, his eyes wide and he stared at Cecil, not speaking a word. Cecil soon grew uncomfortable under his wide, violet eyes.
"...?"
"...why are you looking at me like that? I didn't know there was a letter hidden there." Cecil whispered.
Zasiok read the letter once again, and he looked back at Cecil, running his hand through his mulberry-coloured hair.
"You never told me your name."
"Cecil Lan."
Zasiok stopped his hand, bringing it down and he suddenly smirked. That smirk made his solemn countenance appear roguish.
Uhh...somehow this serious-looking man just smirking like that...makes me uneasy. Even if he is the protagonist, something is telling me to...back off.
Zasiok hastily shoved the paper back into the tube, clutching the chopsticks in his hand. Packing up the lunchboxes and stacking them neatly, he passed them to Cecil.
"You want me to hold it?"
"What else am I passing it to you for?"
Cecil frowned, holding the empty lunchboxes to her chest, and she glanced up...only to see Zasiok lunging for her.
Cecil gasped, her eyes growing wide as she flinched back.
"Wha--"
"Sorry, Cecil. Just cooperate with me for a moment."
The next thing Cecil knew, his arms were coiled around her neck and his enclosed fist hid the tube within them. His other hand clutched the chopsticks, hovering it above the veins of her pale neck.
"..."
Cecil was speechless.
The guards spun around when they heard Cecil gasping. At that moment, they saw Zasiok holding Cecil in such a manner, instantly panicking.
"Zasiok! What do you think you are doing?! Release the honoured guest right now!"
"If you do not want her to die, let me go."
"Yo-you bastard! As if killing the prince isn't enough, you dare to lay your hands on the queen's invited guest!"
The guards drew their swords, aiming them at Zasiok. He only strode forward, holding Cecil hostage and the guards backed away as they continued hurling insults at Zasiok.
He did not bother about their pointless barking.
The commotion attracted a few prisoners, and the two people hidden in the empty cell rushed out.
Hearing footsteps behind, Zasiok spun around, his eyes alert and he came face to face with Hana and Xue.
"Ce-Cecil?!" Hana exclaimed in horror.
"...?!" Xue was shocked at the sight of Cecil being held hostage.
Cecil, who was still holding the lunchboxes, seemed indifferent. Though, she herself was the one who received the biggest shock.
She didn't even know what expression to show.
...why am I...being held hostage...?
This...this is just...
Am I really being held hostage by the alter of the great lord protagonist...?
...what did I even do...
Cecil was flummoxed.
Zasiok, seeing Xue and Hana, winced visibly and he spun back around, forcefully making his way past the flustered guards.
"Re-release her! Zasiok!"
Xue and Hana were stunned.
"Xue...I think--" Hana started to say, only to stop when she noticed Xue scowling.
She could feel an oppressive aura around him, and it sent chills down her spine.
Xue moved and Hana ran after him, panicking. By this time, Zasiok had turned the corner.
The two guards swallowed nervously, glancing at one another, still waving their swords around.
"Wh-what should we do?"
"You are asking me? You are the one who let him go in the first place!"
"You let him go too, you ass!"
The two guards sighed, barking at each other they ran side by side. They needed to assist the guards at the entrance now.
***
The lanterns were still affecting Cecil, even though they were at the top of the stairs. Cecil had recovered from her shock of being used as a hostage, but she was still indifferent and composed as she held the lunchboxes.
The guards slowly backed away as Zasiok neared them. They eyed Zasiok, equipping their swords and more guards streamed in from behind.
"How long do I have to cooperate for?" Cecil asked lowly.
"Until I say so."
That response made Cecil's indifferent expression twist.
"...are you saying it could be days?"
"Depends on them." Zasiok nudged his head at the guards who were increasing in numbers.
"Zasiok! Give up, being a fugitive doesn't make a difference!" one of them barked Zasiok.
The "fugitive" only kicked behind him when the guard tried to sneak up on him. The guard barely avoided his swift attack, staggering back and bumping into another guard. Alas, since they were on the stairs, a few guards lost their balance and fell, dragging the other guards along with them.
Cecil was quiet.
...I guess being held as a hostage is a reason to stay here now.
She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, it seems like she was really fated to complete this mission.
Staying behind for the lunchbox was a bad choice, but not staying behind is a bad choice either.
Cecil sighed in her heart.
Due to the distraction, they managed to exit the dungeon and a guard dashed off, calling for reinforcements. Cecil was speechless, if they didn't dare to approach Zasiok earlier, how is another group of guards going to help?
They will just provoke Zasiok further.
Reaching the entrance of the dungeon, Zasiok stepped out with Cecil. Soon enough, dozens of guards surrounded him as they drew their swords. Zasiok pressed the chopstick onto Cecil's neck, and Cecil began to recall some information about Zasiok in the novel.
The author also briefly described Zasiok's strength, he was the personal bodyguard of the queen's concubine and the author mentioned he was very competent.
Killing me with a chopstick...
Cecil glanced at Zasiok, his battered and skinny body, looking nothing like a bodyguard. However, he still retained his muscle memory and she watched him devour the meal his mother personally made for him, no doubt giving him the energy back to move around.
It might be possible, probably.
"Zasiok! You scum!"
...or he might just break my neck.
"Release the queen's honoured guest!"
The guards were cautious, they weren't doubting the capabilities of Zasiok. Thus, this confirmed Cecil's thoughts, Zasiok could really kill her without any effort.
Zasiok demanded coldly, "Let me see my master."
"You dare mentioned the queen's favoured concubine?! You bastard!"
A guard broke out from the crowd, charging at Zasiok and he immediately applied force on Cecil's neck. Cecil could actually feel the chopstick stabbing into her neck, particularly her vein.
"You really plan to kill me?" Cecil uttered out, wincing. "With a chopstick?"
Zasiok looked down at her, his expression indecipherable and he dug the chopstick even deeper.
"...no, I don't."
Cecil frowned in pain, wanting to cry.
Your action and your words don't match, great lord protagonist!
"There are easier ways to kill you, if I wanted to."
Those words don't help much either, almighty protagonist!
The guard was immediately smacked down by someone, barking at him to stop. They didn't want death of the queen's honoured guest to be on their hands after all.
"You retard! Are you trying to get the guest killed?!"
"I thought I could--"
"You, shut up! Someone inform the queen immediately of the situation!"
"Yes, sir!"
A guard dashed away, and the person who stopped his comrade approached Zasiok, sheathing his sword.
"Zasiok, you will speak directly with the queen."
Zasiok observed the guard, whose uniform seemed different from the others. "That's better."
He loosened the hold on Cecil's neck, and the guards visibly relaxed.
"Cecil!"
Someone hollered, and she saw the same person squeezing through the guards. It was Hana, wearing an apprehensive look on her pretty face.
"Are you okay?" Hana questioned, looking back and forth between Cecil and Zasiok.
Cecil's mouth twitched at that question, she didn't know what to answer. Just then, she could feel the hold on her loosening.
Zasiok is getting affected by Hana.
However, Cecil didn't move, she only forced a smile on her lips.
"I'm fine, Hana. It's okay, you and Xue need to inform Gom--wait, where's Xue?"
Hana widened her eyes, looking around.
"I-I don't know, he disappeared when I looked away for a second!"
Cecil was astonished.
He left Hana's side willingly? This is...unexpected, in fact, it should never even happen. At all.
Zasiok was faltering, and Cecil could feel her elemental energy returning. Now, she could extricate herself from him without breaking a sweat.
Though, she didn't know why, there wasn't the slightest intention to escape in her mind. She only lowered her voice, allowing the two of them to hear her words.
"Zasiok, don't falter. You want me to escape and lose your only opportunity?"
He stiffened and he looked down at the raven-haired woman, regaining his hold on her.
This woman...she can actually escape and she doesn't want to? She's even warning me.
Hana gasped loudly, exclaiming. "Xue?! What are you--"
There was a commotion among the guards now, some of them even scrambling away from their spot.
Cecil's vision suddenly grew dark and she noticed a shadow looming over her. She could make out a silhouette of someone holding a spear in their hands, aiming straight for Zasiok.
***
Pt. 1
《 start 》
Xue is angry. Really, really angry.
It's scary.
Cecil, I have a feeling he is going to murder someone...because of you...
So scary!
Why is Zasiok doing this? And Zasiok...just like Kai...looks so similar to Xue.
Is it...like Kai? Another soul of Xue?
《 stop 》
***
Pt. 2
《 start 》
Why are all of "me" getting involved with that woman, again and again?
The first, the second, the third.
One by one.
It pisses me off.
《 stop 》
***
Author's note: Someone pointed out my calculation for the points is wrong. I have fixed it, don't be surprised if the points are totally different from what you remember. My brain must be dead when I was calculating the points ;_;
Apologies for the confusion T.T
You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net