Simon was lying in his bed, with fever and his eyes closed, his tiny body was shivering and his head well it felt like it could split anytime.

But he didn't care in the last life he has been through a lot of pain, so he eventually got used to it.

But he has no idea for how long this tiny body of his can it.

He might be strong and might have experience but his body was that of a child's and if he is not healed fast then this body could perish.

Nancy was by his side this whole time and suddenly a maid came in to tell something to Nancy," so Marchioness is here?"

When he heard this Simon forcefully opened his eyes, "Mar...chioness.?"

Nancy and the maid looked at him and nancy smiled, "Yes Marchioness Xiao Yanli is here young master, now your dad can hand over the responsibility to her and then go with you."

As Simon thought about the gentle, kind, and ruthless woman a smile crept on his face, "I want to meet her."

~~~
Yibo was in his office when the guard had told him that the marchioness was here, "Call her in."

After the guard went out a woman beautiful woman, in a black uniform walked in, she had an enigmatic smile on her face, as she entered, "Greetings duke,"

Yibo looked at the woman, and gently nodded, "Have a seat Marchioness Yanli"

He said and Yanli sat on the chair, "So to what I owe this pleasure?"

Yibo closed his file and spoke, "My son is sick."

Yanli nodded and let him continue, "And I have to take him with me, in disguise no one can know that my son is sick or the fact that I have left the residence."

Yanli nodded, "Can I ask you, something Duke?"

Yibo nodded, "Where are you taking young master Simon?"

Yibo took a deep breath and thought about it a little before speaking, "I am taking him to the temple of Nirvana."

Yanli didn't say anything after that, she took a deep breath and said, "Rest assured and have a safe journey I will handle everything...here."

Yibo turned to her, " If somehow the news that I am not here is reached to the royals or the temple,"

"Have faith in me I will handle everything."

Yibo nodded, he trusted her she was one of the very few people that he trusted in this empire and the world of deceit.

"But I must warn you, duke the route to the temple of Nirvana will not be easy..."

"I know." Yibo said, "it's going to be tough."

Yanli thought about something for a while before she spoke, "Duke...General is going to come soon, would you like me to ask him to come with you?"

Yibo didn't say anything but Yanli could see something flashing in his eyes something...warm and nostalgia. There was longing in his eyes.

But in the end, he sighed, "Marchioness, the general is coming back after a long war, let him rest and let him spend some time with his family. Simon is my son, and I will take care of him." 

Yanli nodded and a few minutes later Haoxuan came in as well, "Duke the preparations have been done...we are ready to leave."

"We'll leave at night..." Yibo said and then looked at Yanli, "Marchioness, I hope no one knows that you are here..."

"I came in secretly duke, no one knows about this meeting."

~~~~

When the night finally came Yibo quietly went to his son's room and gently changed his clothes to that of a commoner, Nancy was there to help him.

Simon was awake the whole time but he pretended to be asleep, it felt so embarrassing to be half-naked, he was okay in front of his father but not in front of Nancy, whatever he was a tiny child right now.

So he has to deal with it.

Yibo then wrapped him up in a warm blanket and gently picked him up.

"Have a safe journey duke and please come back soon..." she said and gently patted Simon's back.

"Bye nancy. Bye Marchioness" Simon said and Nancy nodded, "Bye young master," while Yanli gently held his hand and kissed it, "You will be okay."

Simon smiled and blew a kiss to her making her smile.

Yibo tighter his arms around his son, while Simon had his tiny arms around Yibo's neck his head rested on his shoulder as he fell asleep in the safest place in the world.

"Let's go," Yibo said to Haoxuan who nodded, and soon they went to Yibo's study room and opened the secret passage, and quietly walked out from there.

Nancy was there till everybody left and so was Yanli and once they were out of sight the door was closed.

Yibo walked with Simon in his arms and Haoxuan was with him, together they walked till they were out of the mansion.

They were wearing the clothes of that of a commoner, and they had makeup on their face to make them look like laborers.

Once they were out of the mansion they reached the town.

"Duke we will have to go further before we get horses."

It's not like Yibo didn't have his own horse but the horses used by nobility and royal were far superior to those used by the commoners so anyone could tell the quality of the horse.

Simon slowly opened his eyes and looked around, the people were walking here and there the town was lively and prosperous, but if you look closer there was more than what meets the eye.

Simon's eyes wandered towards Alley from where he could see little children peeking their heads and looking at him.

He was just like them a child but he was receiving a different treatment.

A few minutes later Haoxuan brought the horse and then they started their journey on the horse.

While walking through the rode Simon saw the town again and the people.

At first glance, anyone could see that people are happy and they are but then Simon tore his eyes away from the glamour and looked at the cruelty.

Every alleyway was dark and full of rats and rotting humans, the shop was well decorated and lit up but Simon saw the workers, he saw the workers. getting beaten or verbally abused by their shop owners.

And some even beat the workers mercilessly treating them like property because they were not workers....they were slaves.

Slaves from the neighboring countries, war prisoners...and some minorities.

Over the years the Gealach empire has conquered other nations and performed massacred, they have forcefully converted the people of different religions to follow the religion that is followed them to worship goddess Duat and Ankh.

The ones who rebelled were mercilessly killed, and their families were taken as slaves.

The empire's own people weren't safe, a bad word against the temple or the royalty is enough for the annihilation of the family.

Moreover, there was a power imbalance between the temple and the royalty both wanted to rule, both wanted to conquer both wanted the end of the other.

And they didn't even spare their own people, The gealach empire was founded after the Akkarian empire and the Sumerian empire were destroyed, and the founder was Akkarian  Sean and the first ruler was Akkarian as well.

Hence there was discrimination was between the people who were originally from Akkarian and Sumedian respectfully.

Usually, the highest was the Akkarian empire, and then came the sumedians and this has been the cause of many riots.

Sumedians thought that their treatment of them was unfair.

This kingdom was corrupt to its core, the nobles, the royalty, and the temple everyone was corrupt and no one can be trusted.

But the people were suffering, and he will not let his people suffer anymore, these were his people the citizen of his country, and Simon will protect them.

"Duke..." Haoxuan said, "We can encounter bandits on our way."

Yibo looked straight with his poker face, "I assume that you can handle them."

"Yes my lord, I just want to warn you though...in this empire, everyone is after you duke..."

Yibo didn't need to be told how difficult it is to be neutral in this empire, Yibo has neither supported the royalty nor the Temple made both sections to be wary of him.

Moreover, he didn't engage with other nobles, he didn't support them as well he was loyal to his people and his country and that made the nobility to wary of him as well.

And because of Simon his paranoia and fear had grown tremendously.

Until and unless Simion grows old enough to protect himself Yibo cannot afford to die or get injured.

The night passed soon and the morning came as well, Yibo and Haoxuan had to stop when they had reached the end of the town and the guards stopped them for the verification and also to see their faces...Haoxuan did the talking most of the time.

While Yibo checked on Simon who was asleep seeing his pale face and sweaty forehead made Yibo a little scared so he lightly patted his face, took woke him up, "Simon...son."

Thankfully after Yibo called him a few more times Simon woke up and when he woke up Yibo sighed with relief, "father...my head."

No sooner than he said that blood came out of his nose and mouth Yibo panicked again and he felt that his heart stopped when he saw his son in pain and like this, he hated seeing him like this.

He prayed to God to give him the pain instead of Simon.

Yibo wiped his blood and then hugged him again and then turned to look back to see that Haoxuan was done with the verification.

But when Simon opened his eyes, he vaguely saw someone...someone that made his eyes widen.

It's him.

Simon can never ever forget him the same sharp face beautiful eyes and tall stature.

"Father, father put me down father please please put me down." Simon suddenly started to struggle and Yibo tried to calm him down

"No Simon stay put you are not well,"

"Father please, please put me down." he started to struggle really hard and after some time, Yibo did put him down but before Yibo could say anything Simon ran towards the crowd and Yibo ran behind him, "Simon!"

But Simon's small stature was easily able to pass through the crowd however Yibo had to struggle to get pass thought the crowd there were so many people on his busy street and even worse he bumped into a pregnant woman.

Who nearly fell, but somehow managed Yibo wanted to run after his son but the woman and her husband stopped him even Haoxuan who was with him had lost Simon's sight."Move!"

Yibo growled the husband yelled, "How dare you push my wife, don't you have manners what kind of a man you are."

The wife then saw a necklace the mostly the sumedians wear it was some sort of religious thing related to duat, "He is a sumeidan bloody rat!"

The husband and the crowd also gathered over there, "Sumedians always jealous of us akkarians."

"You lower caste people are really nauseating and disgusting."

"SHUT UP!" Yibo yelled, "MY SON IS OVER THERE AND WHOEVER STOPS ME FROM GOING AFTER SON WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH CONSEQUENCE!"

Yibo and this time he didn't show any mercy and pushed the crowd and ran forward, while Hoaxiuan was already looking for Simon, "Where is he Haoxuan?"

Yibo asked but Haoxuan, shook his head, "we lost him..." Yibo felt like his world collapsed, "FIND HIM!"

"SIMON!" Yibo yelled and ran frantically. It's all his fault he shouldn't have put him down, it's all his fault he had no idea that Simon would run away not after how sick he was.

Fuck now where should he find him?

Author's note: who is ready to meet the general?