Naell and Owly were so physically and mentally exhausted that at the end of the day they asked for an inn.
The past week had been filled to the brim with acts and events for Naell and Owly to be in, from subjugations, to gatherings and of course the staged hangouts with the prince outdoors. It was impossible for them to feel anything but tired by the time the weekend arrived.
Ever since they first arrived they had been freeloading at the prince's abode. That was why some got curious as to why they wanted to suddenly stay at a different place.
It even came out of nowhere that Naell and Owly thought their host would question them, but they never were as it seems that Enitma felt their troubled minds.
"Of course. I recommend this place, and trust me, even the howling of the desert wind would not reach you there." With a smile said the prince.
Naell managed to chuckle while Owly responded they'd be back soon. That made everyone at ease seeing that the duo's reason to leave was not because of Enitma.
It was an inside joke in the Republic that anywhere you went, the wind of the desert would eventually find you. Yet true to the prince's words, the inn was indeed a safe haven from even the most prying ears.
After settling in, both immediately laid on the bed and breathed a sigh of relief. Not even the coffee and food that was served at their table enticed them to stay up.
Yet that particular day managed to be longer than the others, leading to both of them becoming far more physically tired than before.
In fact, Naell and Owly had to prepare early before the sun even rose because that was the day in which they had to meet the royal family.
From what they had gathered, it was the king who asked for their presence. And although the country is not run by the king anymore, his authority came only second to the parliament.
Therefore both of them accepted the invitation without much resistance. Not to mention, it wouldn't bring them any harm (though their energy would undoubtedly be drained).
Rejecting the royal invitation could also put Enitma on a tight spot. That would be catastrophic as Naell knew the prince would not let both of them off the hook.
The meeting that started as early as the morning ended hours after dusk. Althoug1h one might call it a simple gathering, Naell knew it was not at all such, as esteemed nobles of the Republic were also their audience.
And surely, at noon it turned into a royal party hosted by the 1st princess of Summer. The parliaments were invited as well and one could see the good relations they had with the king.
Yet the tense atmosphere between the nobles and the parliament was noticeable as well. Most people of Mundo, especially the nobles, would have a hard time accepting non-monarchical governance.
Even now, in that very country, without the royal family the two powers would surely clash. Nobles would try to take what they deem was rightfully theirs, while the parliament would defend what they were given.
That in itself, Naell had no care for it. In the first place, he had lived in a country where the state was similar to that of the Republic. Therefore he had built his own aversion in regards with their system of governance.
However, it did not mean he will openly support the parliament. The same went with not antagonizing the nobles.
Enitma also seemed to catch onto his neutral stance, and with much class, chose to respect him in that regard.
That confused Naell as he assumed the prince also intended to sway him into their party all the while using him for fame.
Yet at that time, Enitma humored his neutrality. It was odd, and with his volatile stance Naell feared what really lied beyond his real purpose.
Still Naell could only sigh recollecting all of that. It was not because of the power struggle nor Enitma's still unverified scheme, but it was because it seems there was indeed a chance the Republic of Summer's government was in cahoots with the pieces of Lucile.
He had his hunch ever since they didn't take part in the alliance between nations. Although they were also ambushed when the delegation from the Autumn Kingdom came, that was not enough to erase Naell's suspicions against them.
In fact, both he and Owly believed that the attack was meant to justify that they were in fact not allied with the enemy. It was also for the Republic to gain their people's trust and sympathy.
And in turn, make certain that no living being inside their country's borders would dare oppose the parliament's decision to not join the war.
"It was never because the country was neutral, HOOT."
Upon hearing Owly, Naell could only sigh further. It had been a while since he last found himself staring at the ceiling, unable to really collect his thoughts.
After a moment of silence, he then looked at Owly and in response said, "What to do, what to do..."
That was the main reason for both's mental fatigue. Not their facade, nor the social gathering. But right at that moment, they were inside what was either one of the bases of Lucile, or more likely, deep within the enemy's hidden territory.
Nonetheless by going there they had already braced themselves. Yet upon staying for weeks already, and getting acquainted with the culture as well as the people of their country, both Naell and Owly felt somewhat betrayed. But more so, they felt heart broken as aside from where they hailed, the Republic of Summer was a very warm place for them.
Generally, the people there were kinder and less prejudiced than most of the places they had been. In fact, both of them enjoyed the company of Enitma.
Various events had already happened that made their supposed fake friendship into a real one.
"But, HOOT..."
Naell waited for Owly's inquiry yet as the night deepened, the question never came to pass. And somehow, the withheld question made their night less dreary.