"Alright. I can't force you if that's what you like. Now, can we at least go back to where my men are? It's not good to make them worry any longer."
I said, my voice tinged with exhaustion.
I didn't know where we were, nor did I particularly care. What mattered was getting back before Sir Arthur and William did something drastic.
Just imagining the chaos they could unleash sent an involuntary shudder down my spine.
Abi, my newly minted brother, obliged gladly. Not that he had a choice on the matter.
I suspected we were in a pocket dimension of his own making, and I was right.
With a mere snap of his fingers, the scenery around us twisted and collapsed like ink washing off a canvas. In the blink of an eye, we were back at the scene of the crime.
And what a crime it was, the abduction of Grand Duke Konstantin.
By whom, you ask?
None other than an unknown entity that had slithered out of an old, trashy lamp. A lamp that had been obtained from a merchant of the North.
If I hadn't returned soon, I could already picture the inevitable fallout. The Boleoti family would be held responsible for this so-called crime based on nothing more than flimsy association.
When, in reality, the true culprit was standing right beside me. This smug, high-and-mighty Jinn now masquerading as my twin.
Abi had meticulously copied my attire down to the last embroidered thread, even the arrangement of my jewelry. It was a commendable effort, but he failed in one glaringly obvious aspect.
He can never match my attractiveness index.
We materialized at the exact spot where I had disappeared. As soon as my feet touched the sand, the tense silence was shattered by a chorus of voices.
"Your Excellency!"
"Lord Skandar!"
My half-assembled knight squadron stood at the ready, their drawn weapons gleaming under the desert sun. I could tell that the other half had been scouring the oasis in search of me.
But what truly caught my attention was the seething expression on William's face. It was as if he had swallowed something unbearably sour.
All of them glared daggers at Abi, their postures taut with hostility. The air between them vibrated with palpable tension. It felt like they will attack him with all their might the moment he so much as breathed in my direction.
It wouldn't take much for things to spiral out of control. A single wrong move from Abi, and I had no doubt my knights would launch themselves at him without hesitation.
Unfortunately, that would be an exercise in futility.
Before things could escalate and also prevent them from dying needlessly, I stepped in and explained the situation.
"I'm alright. No need to fuss," I said, raising a hand to forestall any reckless actions. "It's a long story, but for now, I ask that you refrain from attacking this man. You must treat him with the utmost courtesy."
I inhaled deeply, already feeling more drained than before.
"He is, after all, my brother."
Silence fell over the group.
The dumbfounded expressions of my knights were both expected and, frankly, amusing. It wasn't every day that their master vanished into thin air and returned with a mysterious brother.
If I weren't directly involved in this absurdity, I would be just as baffled as they were.
"Brother?" William finally broke the silence, his brows furrowing deeply. "What is happening here, Your Excellency?"
As someone who had faithfully served House Konstantin for decades, William had every right to question this turn of events. He had practically raised me, after all.
Except this new brother of mine is not ordinary neither is he normal.
How tiring.
Explaining the full extent of the situation right now would be a headache I didn't want to deal with.
"Have you set up our camp? I'm quite famished so why don't we have this conversation over dinner?"
The subtle command in my voice left no room for argument.
William, ever the reliable butler, immediately understood my intent and took charge.
Despite my sudden incident, the camp was fully prepared and the meal was already cooked. It was hung near the fire to keep warm.
The scent of roasted meat wafted through the air, drawing a genuine sigh of appreciation from me.
I glanced at William with approval. His efficiency was truly commendable.
"You've been awfully quiet, Abi," I remarked as we made our way to my designated tent.
Abi, who had been trailing behind me, hummed in response.
"It's nothing," he said, his gaze sweeping across my assembled knights. "You're surrounded by strong people, it seems."
I arched a brow. "You mean Captain Arthur and William?"
Abi shook his head. "Not just those two. Though they are absurdly exceptional. Especially that butler of yours."
His deep purple eyes gleamed with an odd mixture of fascination and appraisal as they flitted across the gathered knights.
"These men," he continued, "are stronger than the average knights I've encountered. They remind me of the warriors of old. The barbarians, to be exact."
He paused, as if realizing something.
"Though, I must admit, it has been decades since I last left the lamp," he murmured. "Even so, their strength is quite… fascinating."
I chuckled, feeling oddly proud.
"The barbarians of old were natives of the Lorillis Desert. Sonomi was their homeland. What you see before you are their descendants."
Abi raised a brow. "I guess that is also to be expected."
As we stepped inside my tent, Arthur and William stood at attention near the entrance, their eyes never leaving Abi.
I ignored their scrutinizing gazes and sat down before the meal that had been laid out on the table. Abi followed, leaning forward with an expression of genuine curiosity.
"I've always wondered if human food is as good as it is rumored to be," he mused, poking at a slice of steak. "I once had a master who wished for the ability to taste every delicacy in the world."
I quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? You had a master like that? What happened to him?"
Abi shrugged. "Yes. He was quite the strange one. Obsessed with food. He died of gluttony."
I snorted, shaking my head.
I watched him fork a slice of steak, sniffed it a little and hesitatingly put it in his mouth.
Abi chewed agonizingly slowly as if he were analyzing every nuance of flavor.
Then his eyes widened, and a spark of delight flickered in them. He looked like he hasn't had a proper meal in ages. I felt amused at the sight.
I smirked. "Good, isn't it?"
Abi swallowed and nodded. "For my first-ever taste of human food, it's not bad."
Being a foodie myself, I felt rather assured of the taste. William's cooking even in this kind of situation is as scrumptious as if it was cooked in the imperial kitchens.
My smirk faltered. "First ever? You've lived this long amongst humans but never tasted our food yet?"
Abi met my gaze and shrugged again. "I wasn't exactly in a state to eat before. And I never found the appeal."
Ah.
I recalled his smoke-like form when he had still been bound to the lamp. That explained a lot.
I shook my head and resumed eating.
William finally spoke up, his voice carefully controlled.
I set my utensils down and met his gaze.
Just as we were about to finish, William finally spoke up, his voice carefully controlled.
"Your Excellency," he began, "what exactly happened? Who is this person?"
Guess he couldn't tolerate putting off the issue anymore.
I set my utensils down and met his gaze.
"I know you've heard our conversation and probably have some inkling. Abi's not exactly human. He's a Jinn." I said in a straightforward tone.
William and Arthur's faces visibly paled the moment I finished my statement. Contrary to other noble houses, those serving the Konstantin are even more knowledgeable of the history of old. Those concerning the circumstances before the start of the Yarina Empire's reign.
Both of them knew exactly the capabilities of the being I now call brother.
"I understand your concerns for your master's welfare," Abi said, speaking for himself this time. "But rest assured, I have no intention of harming him. He is, after all, my benefactor."
I glanced at Abi, mildly surprised by his straightforwardness.
Guess he is reliable too, one way or another. At least now I don't have to wrack my head around the situation.
"Besides," he continued, "we have a soul vow in place. From this day forth, I am part of House Konstantin." He smirked. "And Jinns treasure their family."
I merely nodded in agreement. Not that I could do anything else besides agree.
As for the two people in front of us, they stiffened in place. Probably too flabbergasted to react on time.
I, on the other hand, could no longer be bothered.
I was far too exhausted.