Age of Adventure

CHANCELLOR RESIDENCE

Aero enter Helena room and then told her what happened in the Palace.

"Why did you tell him that?!" Helena face is red with anger.

She is throwing the nearest flower vase around her at Aero. Aero smiles and skillfully caught it with his hand

"Whoa, that’s expensive, Helen" Aero put the vase at the nearby table.

Helena just heard the story that Aero told the King and learned of the content of the letter Aero sent to James.

She looks at Aero like she was betrayed. But Aero innocent expression that he put on right now is really disarming

"Tell him what? Who?" Aero tries to pretend ignorance. And Helena shakes her head and then she spread the letter on the table.

Aero approached her and then look at the letter

"This" Helena said, pointing at the letter on the table. But instead of being flustered, Aero only look like he is amused.

’Oh, this letter. I thought I already sent it. I guess I have to send it again’ he said it like it was nothing which makes Helena wanted to grab the vase and throw it once again to Aero

The letter is as follows

To: Prince James A. Vanheim, Ruler of Gold Rock, and Crown Prince of Vanheim

From: The humble servant of Vanheim, Chancellor Aero, and General Who Pacified the North.

I have saved Helena from the assassins, Prince James. I know what is it you’re planning and I want to be a part of it.

Know that Aero of the East gives your support for your plan. Do not worry. Princess Helena knows nothing of your machination. I will help frame the Niovarians as the sole perpetrator for this attempted murder.

It would also help if you do not send more assassins to kill Helena for she is in my residence and that would cast suspicion on me. Though if you really decide to frame me this time, I will not just sit still. This could be a beautiful friendship or a bitter rivalry.

The choice is up to you, honorable Prince.

Sincerely

Chancellor of Vanheim, General Who Pacified the North,

Aero of the East

’Explain!’ she roared. Aero closed his ears for a moment before opening it back up and then he said

"Oh, that"

This time Helena started throwing the chair. Aero laughed.

’Ok, now, she moved to household furniture’ Aero said to himself.

This needs to stop before she decides to mess this room any further.

Aero grabbed the chair flying at him, slowly put it down and said

"Why don’t you hear what I have to say first?" Helena crossed her arms together and pout her lips and then said

Aero smiles looking at Helena behavior.

"Fine. Give your excuse"

Aero then explains

"First of all, I couldn’t stop the war anymore even if I wanted to. It is just not possible at this point of time. Blood has been spilled and they have already began battling. Even if we unveiled the true perpetrator do you think King Daryl of Niovar will just laugh it off and say "Oh, so you misunderstood us and launched a surprise attack killing ten of thousand of our soldiers and now you want peace. Alright, I would like that too" You think that prideful King who is always boasting of his nation superiority will say that?"

Hearing this Helena nodded but she said

"Well, no but—"

Aero only smirks and intercepted what she is about to say 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"No. That would be his answer. And instead of us attacking, he would be the one attacking" Aero explained to Helena.

"Alright. That I understand. But why tell James that I know nothing?" Aero look at Helena and shakes his head.

She is brave, stubborn, strong and beautiful. Yet, at the same time she is innocent...no to be more apt, she is naïve.

"Helen. Do you think war is only waged on battlefield? That only in that way people fight and win and shed blood? No.... sometimes words are more powerful than a sword. Right now, there is a war in the Court. Secret wars. Secret alliances. And it is targeting you. At least in the battlefield, it is more honest. You know who is killing you and why he is killing you. It is simple. Barbaric and simple, yes, but honest. But in the Court, the killing is more subtle and more dangerous’

Aero then sighed and said

’There is as much of faction who wants you dead as much as the faction who wants you alive in the Court of Vanheim. I do not need to survey them to know that."

Then Aero continued before Helena even had the chance to say. Because he could guess what Helena is trying to say. So, he is going to give it to her straight

She needs to know what she is fighting and what she is fighting for.

"And if you think the faction who wants you alive is nobler than the other, you thought wrong. They want you alive for their gains. For their own selfish needs. You are a tool. Something they could use. You are useful and still have value so they will keep protecting you. They don’t want a smart Princess. They want a Princess they could use. In their eyes, you are nothing more but something that could be invested and nurtured. They want tame little Princess who could be ordered and controlled. And I don’t think, you like being such things, am I right?"

Helena nodded and she was silenced for a while. Then she looks at Aero and said

"Is this true?" Helena asked. Aero only chuckles. Everything he said is for the sake of here. He is telling the truth. The unaltered truth and reality of her situations

A truth that he thinks Helena is sheltered from.

And it is not weird when he thinks of it from her perspective and her background. Helena might be strong, stubborn and headstrong but she is still a Princess.

Probably because she is a Princess, that is why she is so stubborn and headstrong.

She lived in the Holy Lands with Oracles of the Temples that would not lie to her, with people as pious as the angels.

Everyone pampered her and everyone loved her. She has no reason to distrust people and she was exposed to the beauty of people.

Vanheim is not like that. As there is people with good hearts, there is more people with darkness in their hearts.

Especially when it is about the people of the court. In the court however, it is not so easy to differentiate between good and evil.

Most of the times, the minister, courtiers all acts in somewhat kind of a gray areas of morality.

No powerful nation is like those people in the Holy Lands. Deceit and betrayals color their history.

Some are only better at hiding it.

Aero then come closer to Helena

"You think Prince James is alone in his plot? A lot of people worked in the background to make sure you use that route instead of travelling by sea which is faster than riding carriage where you need to traverse mountains and dangerous forest. Think back to your experience and you could see the trails" Aero lectured while Helena face turned pale

She remembered. The faces of the drivers, the faces of the people she encountered along the way, all of it now seems blurry but at the same time fills her with fear.

Could it be since the day she departed everything was planned? That her movement, her life was already decided the moment she left the gates of Duvar?

That is a terrible thought to have. But it is the truth the more she thinks about it

For one brief moment, she felt powerless.

If not for Aero that comes to her rescues, she would no doubt get buried under the ground or maybe her corpse would be eaten by some monsters or wild beast that roam the forest

***************************************************************************************

Next Chapter right? You want next Chapter right? Hehehe. Anyya, hope you will vote for thsi stroy next month because I might not update it that much next month since I will be busy with uploading and posting AGe of Heroes. Arial is coming to Webnovel