Chapter 211 - Please, Help Us! (1/2)

(Tom's PoV)

I looked at the man Siji brought into the house. I didn't bother to hide my displeasure as I sat on the chair like a boss with my eyes shooting chilly gaze. Sitting beside me was Jane, fully dressed and if she were so passionate about getting pummeled just several minutes ago, she didn't show it. Her face returned to the serious mask she would put on every time she would deal with something important.

Damn! Right in a crucial time, Siji told her that he got some lead about the army from before.

Therefore, she requested to help her got dressed and refused any advancement towards her. I nearly broke the bed in my frustration. Since I couldn't get anything, I might as well follow her and listen to the 'lead' Siji got for her.

The man was not a human. I wasn't surprised at that fact. However, the way he carried himself was so full of dignity that I was wondering how Siji could ask him to come here.

”Young woman, I see that you've met the Cloud Army.” The old man smiled.

My eyebrows arched in instant I heard that name. Cloud Army? I glanced at her and found her frowning and falling into contemplation.

”Tell me about it.” Jane said with cold eyes. ”Why could that man command some of the men?”

”It's because they are related by blood. Compared to White Army who only obeyed one Master, Cloud Army is more like a Kingdom. Once the old Master retires, his or her children or even grandchildren will have the same opportunity to fight for the position.” The man explained patiently.

I had no idea such rule applied in that Cloud Army. It was totally different with how White Army chose their Master randomly. Honestly, I still had no idea what was the criterion to be Master of White Army.

”However, the current Master is not the rightful heir. The one who's supposed to be the rightful Master is his nephew, the little brother of the man who provoked you. It's just too bad that he is still young and easily manipulated so he let his uncle to manage the army.” The old man spoke again.

That answered why they couldn't use the ability of Cloud Army to the fullest.

This man knew much. Who was he, actually? I guessed that he was an important figure in the Cloud Army. But, how could Sanji bring him here? He said that he would go out to scout some information, who told him to abduct someone here? Even though this old man was only a ghost –or soul, whatever –I didn't think it was appropriate to abduct one.

”Where is he?” Jane asked. There was no ripple in her cold eyes hearing about that. Well, the matter related to Cloud Army was not any of our business so it was just right that she didn't care about it.

”Playing with his friends.” The old man replied.

I frowned as I heard him. How old was the Master, actually?

”How old is he?” I asked. Somehow I had an inkling that this supposed-to-be-the real Master of Cloud Army was even younger than Jane who was only in her teens.

Well, she was not a young girl, but a girl who had turned into a young fine woman. Even her way of thinking was different with the girls around her age. When girls at her age were busy with their love life and got into trouble with their parents at their backs scolding them, Jane was busy planning about her father's rescue.

When some girls out there were playing with fire; dating two men at the same time but failed to hide it or even worse, created a whole new trouble for themselves, Jane had already got two men in her hands. Two men who loved her enough to share her with each other but would drown themselves in vinegar when other men tried to get close to her.

As one of the man, I could say that I was proud to be her man. No complain needed.

So, I couldn't really take Jane as a mere teenager in her late teen age. After all, she was an abnormal compared to the others.

Heh, I even forgot that she was still a teenager. It was because she had a mature body; a perfect combination of her mother who was a foreigner and her father who was taller than the average Indonesians. Many would envy her figure if only she would stop wearing loose t-shirt or baggy pants. She hid her curves really well.

I was sure the real Master of Cloud Army was someone really younger than Jane to be able to let others take care of the army while he was having fun out there.

”He is twenty years old.” The old man said calmly.

I frowned, an attempt to hide the shock I felt inside. Twenty years old? Ah, see? My Jane was still the best, after all.

I didn't notice a smirk crept on my face after frowning. Later, I learned from Siji that I looked practically menacing that way. The old man thought that I was feeling displeasure with the age of the real Master and had been mocking him inside my head. He also thought that I was probably thinking about how to eradicate that foolish master of him, that I thought his presence as the real Master of a mystical army was a disgrace.

The old man was seriously having fun in imagining things! He should be a novelist or a movie director if he had that great of imagination running wild in his head.

After hearing the master's real age, Jane put her head on her hand helplessly. She had a hopeless look on her face and she sighed softly.

”Don't think about it that much.” I said to her.

”With the meeting coming up, I can't help but feel nervous. Since they want to have a grand meeting, the problem must be pretty serious, too. I'm just afraid that our force will be reduced greatly if Cloud Army couldn't use its full power later.” Jane explained her worries.

”Young woman, I'm willingly come to see you in hope that you can persuade the Master to take over the control of the army. Honestly, our current Master has been abusing his authority over the army. As the Guardian of Cloud Army, I couldn't let him continue his wrongdoings anymore. Please, help us.” The old man's gaze changed into something more serious as he spoke. He even lowered his head to plead to Jane.

My eyes widened in surprise at the identity of the old man. So, turn out he was The Guardian of Cloud Army! No wonder he knew much about Cloud Army but at the same time he restricted an amount of information from us.

Well, never mind. As long as he didn't plan something bad for us, I didn't mind him asking for help. However, all the decision was still in Jane's hand.