Chapter 77

𝕾𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖔: 𝖂𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖔𝖜 𝖇𝖞 𝕿𝖆𝖞𝖑𝖔𝖗 𝕾𝖜𝖎𝖋𝖙

***

The voice of that once light that captured the pristine jewel I've been holding for my dear life, a grasp of that invisible string, and a sight to behold that wasn't mine, to begin with, sounded like a snapping of a fine thread, I lost my way through that road never looking back at what was happening around me.

The grasp that I've held dear as if one day, would become my hope, turned to be the crimson orb that caused my own air to be one with the scarlet liquid of my own veins spilled on that cold empty, barren place of the abyss.

And now, just as soft as the sun's rays in the very first moment of the golden might bringing its own shine, a voice that reminded me of that tragedy and a voice that would only ask for a name different than mine, was already in my ears.

It caressed a part of that frozen time, where I knew I could never feel anything again, that's why falling in love made me feel afraid that if someday, I would have the face the same emotions again, I would create magic to seal this.

Because I couldn't make any mistake when I knew that love would also cause destruction, a sentence I avoided talking to Lady Grenda about because I didn't want to see her soul that was shining so hard fade when I would crush her hopes.

Not to her, and my precious friends.

"I didn't know you would come by here, it must have been a journey," he said, and then I found myself staying in that position with hands over my back as they got intertwined with the corners of my lips curling up like my eyes.

"Well, I never expected to see you here as well, Caliere," I said and heard him chuckle. In the blink of an eye, he was already near me and I could feel his silhouette looming over my figure.

Then I never expected the way his hand would brush at the end of my cheeks, and it landed on the edges of my golden locks.

"Why did you suddenly come here alone without anyone? This might also be the first time I saw you in that kind of clothing," I looked at him with wide eyes because indeed, South Lake was far from the market but I managed to come to this place because of my magic.

How Oratio was able to teach me until on my current level.

But this can never be let out, even to my friends, not when I'm not yet fully awakened.

When I looked at my clothes, it changed from my cloak to having simple plain ones like those of ordinary people.

"I just felt like I wanted to come in here for a while since it's the place I came with my friends..."

"You mean those young men?"

Caliere must have known who my friends were but I only chuckled when he never knew the other.

"Also with a young lady named Celna, Caliere," I said but then his hand that was twirling my locks ended up in my chin and I couldn't avert my eyes even if I wanted to as that golden orb-like the sun already had my sight set.

His hand felt like a soft bubble that I could never have felt in the past, when all of his body, heart, and soul only belonged to the only lady that he had never seen before, only to Liana, and yet why do I felt like I was in his sight for now? No, it must have been something else, I need to remind myself.

To never repeat the same mistakes.

I don't know why he kept doing these things, but the love I held for him had been completely sealed because of the bigger frame that I've set my eyes on this lifetime.

"Oh, I guess I must have completely forgotten that one," I heard him chuckle, and the scenario with the shining lake beside us shone like never before.

From the reflection of the blue sky to the rays of the golden sun everything, his warm soft laughter invaded the surroundings, and all I could see were different lights with his hair being combed by the chilly wind.

"Here," When his chuckles finally faded, and the warmth from my chin finally received that longing coldness, I felt a mighty wind swirled over my place and when I opened my eyes, I felt warmth from my back.

"Just return it to me after you leave my palace later on, all right?"

Before opening my mouth to ask him again I felt his intoxicating forest mint trying to halt the air from within my body and instead, my eyes widened when I thought that my ears got wet with the way his lips caressed mine

"Don't forget, because today, you just earned yourself my free time, as I have a lot to discuss with you," when he whispered those words, the hair from my body immediately rose and without anything to respond than a gasp, I heard his soft laughter again.

But this time, it became so direct to my ears that I nearly lost sense of hearing other than his gentle side.

This time, I felt that something within me was starting to crack as my chest felt heavier with the accompanying sweat that I never managed to see.

"So would it be all right if I tour you around then?" I looked into my reflection from his deep soul that was too vague to be understood, and yet, I heard someone's voice from behind him.

"Your Highness, I think we still need to see the Viscount for today, he seemed to be eagerly awaiting our arrival"

"Then let Viscount Theodore Vermille know that I won't be able to come today. Just speak that I have a prior engagement"

"But we were already near his place before you said you wanted to take a tour within the South Lake"

"I guess taking the tour within made me have a better plan, right Blake?" Then Caliere looked at him as if his caresses weren't enough and his eyes started to do so.

I then looked at Blake and I could see him wiping his forehead while having both of his hands put together with his eyebrows rising and mouth that seemed to mimic something.

"I guess what you should postpone for today was your unexpected invitation to me, Caliere, you know that we both didn't know we would be crashing on each other here," as I said those words, I gently put my hands on his chest and managed to take in a gap between our bodies.

I saw how Caliere's eyes looked into mine deeper than before and when he finally decided to turn and look at Blake once more, I could see how his eyes narrowed with the corners of his mouth immediately put down.

"Didn't I say to you Blake, or should I repeat what I've said?" When he said those words, Blake immediately knelt with both of his knees and put both of his hands down on the ground.

"P-Please Your Highness, this is an important event, it's about Viscount Theodore's participation in your plans to the Belfore East, and if he wasn't able to sign the—"

"Then let's make it like this, how about that you should go there instead of bringing me, besides, I couldn't leave my fiance here all alone, right? Do you even remember I'm talking to the future empress of this empire today?"

When he said those words, I could see Blake immediately utter apologies not only to Caliere but also to me to which I could only calm him down but I couldn't even get away from Caliere even if I wanted to.

In reality, I wouldn't be the empress, not when the time Liana would appear, and Caliere's attention would shift from mine to her.

Then I wouldn't regret filling up that position until the lady from a foreign time and place arrived.

"Y-Yes as you've mentioned, Your Highness," Blake immediately moved while leaving us within the center of the South Lake.

As if time moved slowly, I could feel how his gaze lingered on my soul a bit more than usual.

"Besides, don't you think that you have some story to tell me? I heard that the young daughter of Count Henderson invited you to her birthday and also a little later than that, she even managed to work at Lady Agnes' clinic, at the Tree clinic, would you call that coincidence?"

I knew what he wanted to tell me but just as I said before when he said about a lady having the same silver eyes as I have, I could only sigh.

"I don't know what you're talking about Caliere, but that doesn't make sense, right? Besides, you said you'd tour me around and now we're currently stuck in the middle"

I heard him chuckle and saw his shoulders move.

"I guess I just like the chase and the game of it." When he said those words, I felt like his gaze pierced my soul for that second before finally holding my hands and intertwining them with his.

"But I wouldn't back away from my words to my fiance," he managed to tour me around and we saw a lot of things.

He would sometimes, chuckle, and say some weird words and I would laugh at those, but then he immediately asked me to which made my eyes widen.

"Can I ask where you put the necklace I gave you that day?" Was it the reason why he suddenly halted his plans for the Viscount?

But then Blake said about the Belfore East and so he must have something to do with it. I guess I have to make Lexus investigate that matter then.

With my hands twirling within my dress, the sprinkles of magic overflew within my covered neck and after a few more blinks, I managed to show him.

"It's here," then I show him the wooden necklace he managed to give.

He sighed and chuckled after a few more while caressing the wood.

He never said anything but he just looked at it a few more times before curling his lips up to me.

"So shall we head to the palace instead?"

***

"Verfeil, are you all right?" When I asked him, he wasn't able to respond, instead, he curled into the floor his breathing becoming rigid as time passed by.

I could even see the smoke from the cold season approaching.

"Verfeil? Verfeil?" No this isn't good if Caliere and the others were to happen to see us in this, he would immediately investigate the matter and find that Verfeil had trouble breathing.

Wouldn't that be a good thing? I tried to ask myself but then, Verfeil's words kept coming to my mind.

"I wouldn't lie to my friends especially to you, Vestia..."

Then I also wouldn't be able to break my promise, sorry Caliere.

"I guess I have no choice, Oratio..."