The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 27: Our People

Chapter 27: Our People

When Dimitri was given a bath, the maids noticed his condition. So many wounds, scratches and bruises. When Adeline heard about it, she couldn’t help but cry.

Her body was that of a five-year-old’s, it gave an immediate reaction to the harrowing information she had just learnt. No child should ever experience that, and as someone who is privileged, she decided to make things right.

Being a bystander to all this would just be wrong of her. She might not be able to help everyone but she might be able to help some.

She placed her hands on her hips and smiled confidently, "We won’t be saving one or two Dimitri... We will be saving all of them!"

When Dimitri heard that she would help them he couldn’t help but be overjoyed. He was young and hadn’t seen much of the world but from what he had seen he never met someone who would genuinely help his kind.

The fact that two people approached him in the span of one day was suspicious but the latter seemed more genuine.

When he talked to Annora, all she talked about was her being a Saintess and how she was here to save him from all the suffering. Maybe if it weren’t for the circumstances he wouldn’t have followed Adeline either, but he was glad it happened this way.

For Adeline, it wasn’t much of a task. She simply assigned the task to the Captain. She wanted him to gather up all the refugees he could in their area, those who were fit could join the knights, the elderly would be rehabilitated and the children would be provided with education.

When he first heard of her orders, he was hesitant. The stigma around refugees was far too great, even someone like him was influenced.

The Captain tried to be gentle but he couldn’t. He was too used to being straight with his students, especially Aaron, and Adeline was his sister... He couldn’t help it! It was his nature!

"My lady, they... I think it’s very kind of you to help but I do not think they should be allowed to join the knights. They are from fallen kingdoms, some of which were conquered by our great Empire. We can’t say for certain they’d be loyal to us. At any given chance they could betray us and endanger the reputation of the House of Kendrick."

He laid out the stakes to Adeline, he didn’t hold back just because she was a child. As one of the heirs to the Duchy, she must be made aware of the potential threats. They had a duty to the people they swore to protect and the Royal family.

If these refugees were given the chance to gain power, who knows what they could do? There are definitely many who held grudges, some were used to a life of crime too. The Captain wanted to teach her about her duties in the best way he could.

Adeline wasn’t without worry either. She too considered these issues. When Dimitri asked her to save those two kids, she thought of only the children.

Helping children and steering them in the right direction would be easier since they were still young. All the other points he raised were valid. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. This was something she decided to do, she would do her best.

"I understand what you mean, uncle. But I also know you have a knack for judging someone’s character. They are part of the people we must protect, they are a part of our Duchy they are our people. Since they are our people, we must protect them. Since they are our people we must discipline them, those who have committed crimes will be dealt with according to our Empire’s laws. Won’t this make it a much safer place for everyone?"

She added in a little bit of flattery hoping to get the Captain on his side but what she said after was something she truly meant. She poured her heart out.

It won’t be easy, and it won’t be accomplished in a day. But it had to be done, she was too preoccupied with the task at hand when she sought Dimitri she didn’t process the sorry state of affairs that place was in.

Those visuals were enough motivation for her to do something. It wasn’t ’help’, it was her duty. It was her duty as one of the heirs to the duchy, it was her duty as a human being.

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"This is what happens to bad children, children who don’t listen to elders."

Edward was beaten until he was covered with bruises, he took most of the blame for their disappearance. He couldn’t let her precious body get hurt one bit. It was perfection, and it had to stay that way.

So what if he got hurt? Not a single mark would be left behind, he counted on her healing. No one noticed the smirk on his face.

The intended effect had been achieved. Annora ran to him bawling her eyes out, she immediately mustered up healing powers to get rid of the bruises as fast as she could.

Edward waited patiently, the worry in her eyes made him feel satisfied, he wanted her to owe him, he wanted her to feel sorry for him. He wanted her to carve this image of him into her memory.

Annora had a complicated expression on her face. There was worry but also a hint of hesitation. She stared at Edward’s back lost in thought as she healed him.

’It’s taking a while to heal his bruises... I knew this would happen, just the consequences... I can’t stay here any longer, I just can’t!’

"Ah!" Edward let out a light yelp.

"Sorry!"

She didn’t realise she accidentally hurt him.

"You shouldn’t do this for me, Edward." She pleaded... She didn’t want... She didn’t want certain things to repeat.

"We’re friends Nora..." He turned to her and smiled. His eyes were watery, but the tears never left his eyes.

’That is not what you think of me, Edward...’ If he was facing her he would’ve seen resentment clearly written on her face.