Company
"Move."
"I don't know how to form relationships with people… Indeed, I did want to kill her before since she's the Demon King's daughter. Now, though, after Her Majesty gave her to me, I want to form a friendly relationship with her. Lucia is right. She's just an adorable child. Unfortunately, she doesn't appear she wants to be friendly with me."
"I want to know. Why. You are. Different?"
"Traitor!"
"You're. Already addressing her by her name. And gave her. The ring. So. We have nothing left. To say, then. Thank you. For your help before. I won't need it. From now."
I don't know what happened. All I could tell was my mind resembled a junkyard. I knew that I was seeing countless snapshots in my mind, flashing on and off comparably to a light bulb. I didn't know why or what happened. I wasn't thinking about anything nor did I want to think about anything. No idea what happened to my mind. I didn't want to recall being abandoned.
Veirya rejected me and then completely broke it off with me. We were history. I wanted to run. I didn't want to think about it. I always knew and understood that running away from the problem was fruitless, but that was all I wanted to do. I didn't want to recall the things that transpired. Veirya should've been with me. We were supposed to still be in the North, where I'd get to watch Veirya and Angelina train Leah. That was how it was supposed to be.
I was always of the belief that the one thing I had the most control over was my mind. To my disbelief, however, I couldn't even lie to myself. My heart yelled, "Don't, don't, don't." My mind kept displaying scenes of Veirya for me to see. I never realised that my memory was so superb. I realised that I remembered so much about Veirya for the first time. The things I could recall all pertained to her.
Veirya was also the one who brought me the most pain. That hurt me more and prompted me to be more averse to thinking about it. I desperately tried to sleep it all away. I didn't want to recall it. I wanted to sleep as if I was dead, devoid of all thoughts. That was what I wanted. I couldn't fall. I had no right to fall.
I had no one to rely on. Nobody was ever willing to do something for me. To the contrary, I always had to take care of others. I was always alone.
"If I fall, who would take care of Leah? I also needed to reinstate Queen Sisi and make money to develop the North. Anna was still waiting for me at home. I have to to go back. I have people to take care of. I can't fall or crumble. I just want have some sleep. I just want some sleep… I don't even have the right to be hurt because I have nobody I can depend on.
"Regardless of the situation, please, let me have a sleep. I don't want to think of Veirya again. I don't want to think about her again. Just let me have a sleep. When I wake up, I still have things I must do. I just want to have a sleep for now… Please, don't make me think about her. Don't let me… think about her…" I repeated to lull myself to sleep.
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Current time in the imperial palace.
Sitting by the window, Veirya silently gazed at the ring in her right hand. The tiny, sharp flame split the complete flame into rays of light. The ring with a few leaves wrapped around an inlaid diamond fetched an exorbitant price, particularly thanks to it being a dwarf's masterpiece. The young man asked the best dwarf artisan to make the ring just to please Veirya, a privilege that he never even dared to dream of.
A ring was an object that was meant to be shared between lovers and represented their love for each other. Veirya knew that because Angelina taught her so. She didn't know if Lin Dongqing loved her or not, which was why she wanted him to give her a ring. The ring should've represented his love. If her mother was right, he should've given her the ring as it was a ring that the dwarf gave to him and her to signify their love. However, he gave it to someone else. He gave the ring to another woman, which meant… meant… that he didn't love her.
Veirya always paid particular attention to the ring and looked forward to receiving it. She was certain that he would choose her and give her the ring. She merely wanted a ring to see what it was. That's why she had the young man buy a ring. Nevertheless, she didn't feel anything after wearing it on.
Veirya mulled, "Isn't a ring supposed to represent love? Why do I not feel anything? After seeing him back there, I don't want to touch this ring again. I want to see him. I want to see him right this second… I have never been so eager to do something before. I want to see him, hear him speak and receive a ring from him. It's fine if he doesn't have one. We can buy one together. Then, we can reinstate Queen Sisi."
Veirya didn't want to think about anything or choose anything anymore. All she wanted to do was go to his side. She didn't want to care about anything else around her. He could resolve anything regardless of what she did anyway. She only wanted to be by his side.
Veirya placed down the ring. She stood up and vigorously pulled the door open. Coincidentally, she saw the young man's face when she opened the door.
"… Lord Veirya, are you looking to go somewhere?'
"Move." Veirya paused for a moment then went back inside to grab the ring and put it in the young man's hand: "Here. This. Isn't what I want. But. I now know. What I want. So. I'm going back."
"You… are going to him?"
His hand holding the ring began to shake a little. He thought he had victory in the bag. Never did he think that Veirya didn't care about him. She calmly took his feelings and returned them into his hand. She didn't hesitate, not one bit.
Veirya's gaze was totally different to before. She was emotionless before, but there was an intense flame in her eyes that moment. She slew the Demon King for Queen Sisi. Now, she wanted to do something for herself.
"You cannot go, Lord Veirya. You need to become the Queen. You came here to become a Queen!! The throne is within your grasp now. You will soon be the Queen of this empire. If you leave now, you will be left empty handed!!"
"I. Didn't come here. To become a Queen. I was just. Angry. I won't. Have him. Even if I become Queen. So. It's useless. I'm going back. To find him. I want to know why."
"There is no why!! Why did he not come for you? Why is he with Sisi and not you? That is because he does not love you! He is working for Queen Sisi now! When Queen Sisi becomes Queen again, he will stay here with his beloved Queen! Do you think Queen Sisi would let you stay here, though? If you cannot become Queen, how can you keep him by your side?! You had no way out the moment you came here! If you do not become Queen, you will never be able to keep him!!"
The young man desperately tried to keep a straight face. Veirya wasn't good at reading minds; she was ignorant. As long as he kept a neutral expression, he'd be fine.
After the short silence, Veirya queried, "Is he. All right? When we left. He wasn't. In a very good state."
"He is fine. You do not need to worry. Someone else is taking care of him, you know? Queen Sisi would never let something happen to him. He is her most important chess piece. Furthermore, he does not love you, so how could he be upset? You just need to become Queen, and then he will come back."
"I. See."
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Current time with the succubi…
Queen Sisi gently placed the soup on the table. Then, she pushed aside the letter she wrote. She approached the bed. Sisi had recovered not too long ago and wasn't strong enough. Despite that, she did her best to prop him up. She pulled over a chair and gently opened his mouth. Carefully, she gently fed him spoon by spoon. He subconsciously swallowed the soup. Queen Sisi would wipe the spilt soup every time, and then feed him again.
It took a long time, but Sisi eventually finished feeding him. She then struggled once again to lay him back down. She then returned to her table to finish writing the letter. Once everything was done, she blocked out the chilly night breeze. She placed two chairs together and carefully lied across them. She used his cloak as a blanket and would watch him in silence.
Sisi didn't feel anything because she knew that was her future. It wasn't a moment of impulse. She planned to stay by his side forever until he came to or she went beyond the ether.