The Systems Challenge-Chapter 457: Speaking With the King

"I'm sure all of you have heard about the parents of the young men who assisted in the fight when the attempt on my son's life occurred, and further on me, occurred," the king continued once everyone was settled around the campfire, though Elmo was still doing his best to continue sleeping despite the fact that it was a losing battle.

"So, you're here about the kidnapping accusations?" Jonas asked, sounding like he wasn't interested in beating around the bush like Elin suspected Kim would be.

The expression the king's face took said that Jonas' statement was close, but not quite on the mark. That he was there for that very reason, but not in the way that was implied by that statement alone.

"I only promised that if I became aware of any of you in the city that I'd have to hold any and all of you until this matter could get resolved," the king answered. "So, out here, outside the city, I'm under no obligation to do any of that."

"What if we entered the city but left before you became aware of it?" Elin couldn't help but ask. Her curiosity was just brimming with what the answer might be.

"Then, if I became aware of that, then I'd be obligated to take you into custody," the king replied. Then before anyone could say anything else, the king added, "In regards to learning that all of you were out here from Samantha, she had been out for a ride before letting me know, so I have to assume she met all of you outside the city, since I don't have any reason to think otherwise." The king paused again, looking at each of them meaningfully. "As long as I'm not aware of that being a misunderstanding on my part, I'll have to go with that interpretation and go with that explanation."

Elin understood what he was getting at. That if they had gone into the city, he didn't want to know. That he didn't want them to enlighten him about that fact. Which Elin had a feeling she, at least, might have if he hadn't warned them about it.

"Even me?" Elwin asked, baffled.

The king nodded. "Of course. While I may know what your connection to each other is, the parents involved don't and aren't so eager to give you the benefit of the doubt. They're insistent that all of you are either involved directly in the kidnapping or know important information about the matter and need to be questioned about it until they're convinced you don't."

"That's bull," Elwin muttered.

"Maybe, but I'm seeing why their children would want to leave that kind of situation," Owen remarked. "Even though we don't have anything to do with it, my guess is we're friends with the ones who are being blamed, so essentially it's guilty by association."

The king sighed. "I'm glad you understand, but that's largely why I came out here to talk with all of you," the king continued. "Until this is resolved, I'd very much appreciate it if none of you would be seen around here. Even outside the city. I'm sure the parents would still consider this as in the city, but It's hard sometimes to say what they're thinking."

"Shove them out the window then," Kim remarked with a smile. "At least you'll get one last laugh before its over."

The king looked at Elin, as if trying to tell is she was serious or not. Elin couldn't be sure herself, as she wasn't sure where that had come from in the first place.

"Aside from that," the king said, clearly disregarding Kim's comment, though Kim hardly seemed to be bothered by it. "We all will need to pretend this meeting didn't occur. I brought the supplies Samantha had promised and I can tell anyone who asks that I delivered these to Samantha's friends. If they can't make the connection, that'll be their problem. Especially with Samantha's mother."

"Okay, and what's that got to do with us?" Elwin remarked.

"We've already explained that to you, but we can go over in fine detail if you'd like," Owen offered Elwin. "So, if you really want to waste our time with that, we're more than happy to waste yours as well."

Elwin rolled his eyes. "It was just a joke."

"Yeah, but if you have to say that 'it's just a joke,' not only isn't it funny, but I have to wonder if you really meant it as a joke in the first place," Kim said, looking like she was more interested in what Elwin's response from what she'd just said than what he'd said up to this point.

However, Elwin didn't seem to be in the mood to say anything more. Instead, he just started focusing on building a campfire. Likely so they could get breakfast started.

"So, what is the reason for your visit?" Elin asked, hoping to steer the conversation away from where it had been going. Especially since she would rather be detained by the king than listen to that. "I mean, you said that you wanted to let us know about... uh, that thing about us being accused of kidnapping and how we need to stay outside the city, but... uh, was there anything else?"

"He did bring the supplies for Samantha," Elmo said, sounding rather grouchy for not being able to go back to sleep with all the conversation going on around him.

"Well, the only other reason was so that I could see how all of you were doing," the king added. "I consider each of you a friend, and so I wanted to make sure that all of you were well."

"Well, it's good to know that," Jonas said, "We did learn that... you know, I just realized I don't think we even talked to Samantha about selling the flower teeth."

"'Flower teeth?'" the king asked, looking rather puzzled.

"There were some carnivorous flowers that tried to eat us in the mountains we were in, but after we beat them, we took their teeth. They kind of have a paralytic effect, so we thought that a weapon shop might be interested in them," Patricia remarked.

"Yeah, but we were told that you had to approve us selling things like that unless we took it to the black market," Heather added.

The king glanced briefly at Heather, clearly not recognizing her, though Elin couldn't say that she was surprised. After all, he didn't likely have much time for introductions or to get to know her, but she's clearly with them, which indicates she likely has a system of her own. Or at least, that's what Elin's supposition on what the King's thinking of at the moment.

"Give them here, and I'll give you a fair value for them," the king said, holding out his hand.

"No fair!" Samantha exclaimed. "I was going to buy them!"

The king reached out to ruffle Samantha's hair. "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of this and if you want any, I'll make sure that you can have some yourself if you want."

"Uh, I was wondering if I could get permission to have a blade made with them for me to use, since I don't have any combat skills with my system," Heather said.

Everyone but Elin and Elmo looked at Heather. It was clear that they'd been caught off guard by that statement. Though, Elin had a feeling that Kim, Jonas, and Sonya, at least, weren't giving her as reproachful a look as Elwin certainly was. Elin wasn't sure about Owen, Patricia, Patrick, or Bart. Though she also supposed that it wouldn't matter anyway. Not when they were going to be heading out soon enough anyway.

The king, however, saw it differently. "I can ask my smiths to see if they could do something, but if they can't get it done by the end of the day today, I'd suggest you move on before I start hearing about you being in the capital while you're still in your camp," he said gently, Then he turned to Samantha. "I hope you've had a chance to catch up with your friends, because you'll need to head back with me."

Samantha gave the king a crestfallen look, though Elin had a feeling she wanted to argue the matter. Yet, after a minute she sighed. "Alright. I'll go."

The king then looked back at the others. "I wish I had more time, but I really have to get going. I probably stayed too long as it is."

Elin felt like something was off with that statement. When the king arrived, it seemed like he was able to spend as much at as he wanted, but now it felt like he was in a hurry to go. Elin wasn't sure what the issue was, but Kim and Heather approached the king, handing over the bags that they'd stored the flower's teeth in and the King handed Kim a bag that had a metallic clinking sound to it.

"I'm probably spending too much on these, but I'm sure they're not going to be something I'll see again," the king said as he retracted his hand from that bag.

"I certainly don't want to see more of those flowers again," Kim replied, sounding more lighthearted than Elin would have expected.

Shortly after that, with some farewells, the king had left. Though, while breakfast was still being made, Owen turned to Heather.

"So, you wanted a weapon?" he asked, making it clear it wasn't going to be a simple conversation.