Another Life, Another Me

99. Wedding (Part 2)

"Hah...well, it looks like things are going to start soon...so I'm going to head off to where I am supposed to be...okay?" I said awkwardly to my brother, Ash, as I quickly waved him goodbye.

"Oh? Yeah, sure. It's not like I wanted you here with me anyway," Ash muttered as he shooed me away with his hands.

Ash seemed upset somehow but, since I had an angry Ace behind me, I decided to not worry about it too much.

"I'll see you later then," I nodded as I quickly turned around, grabbed Ace by the hand, and led him away with me.

We walked to an open terrace together, where the afternoon sun could be seen high above the glorious sea of lazy clouds.

I peered my eyes upward a little to see what expression Ace would have on his face and chuckled a little when I noticed that he was pouting adorably with his lips.

"What's wrong, Ace?" I asked as I poked his puffed-out cheeks a little with my finger.

"..."

"Are you mad?"

"...no."

It was such an obvious lie that I giggled a little childishly before giving a deep sigh.

There was a warm feeling that was continually growing somewhere in the depths of my chest.

Waves upon waves of joy were constantly crashing down on one another, especially

Honestly, I almost didn't know how to contain myself anymore.

"Today's finally the day...my father's getting remarried," I murmured as I rested my head against my palm which was positioned on the railing of the terrace.

"..."

"Do you remember my birth mother, Ace?" I asked.

"...I would never forget her."

"She was a bit cruel...in many ways. Just thinking about her makes me sick," I said through slightly gritted teeth.

My birth mother, Amelia de Boren Cyllia, was the one who first taught me how it felt to kill another human being.

Of course, until this day, I have never felt a single ounce of regret or guilt in the fact that I, alone, killed her.

She deserved it all.

"But, in the end, she wasn't even the worst person that I would have the...pleasure...of meeting," I sighed.

Certainly, from then on, I had to learn the hard way that...this world was just full of terrible people.

There were terrible people no matter where I went.

Earth and here.

"...I won't let anyone hurt you, Cordelia. I won't ever hurt you either. I promise," Ace said as he wrapped his arms around me from behind.

"I'm not worried about that though," I laughed as I embraced him as well.

"But, either way, I want you to know...I'll make you happy for the rest of your life," he insisted.

I smiled.

These were such horribly cheesy lines...

Just as expected from an otome game world.

"Thank you. And I'll promise the same as well...that I'll never hurt you," I smiled.

At that moment, the palace's silver bells rung, indicating that it was time for guests to arrive and that the gates would soon open.