Kill Me Slowly || Tartaglia/Childe

Chapter 26

Your eyes slowly flutter open, awaking to the light that seeped through the small gap between the curtains. You look around and see that you're the only one in the room. You throw the blankets off as you plan to escape despite not knowing what danger lies ahead of the door. Before you could do so, the door opens, revealing a tall woman carrying a tray of food.

"Ah, I see that you're awake." She smiles, closing the door with her heel. You back away, retreating a few steps before hitting the footboard of the bed with nowhere to run.

"Who are you?" You ask the woman. She sets the tray down, moving the bowls onto the table. While she sets the spoon and chopsticks down, she turns to you.

"Come and eat. I'm sure you haven't replenished your energy." She didn't answer your question and the way she grins at you is...quite unsettling although there was a sense of familiarity. You just couldn't pinpoint what made you feel this way towards a stranger. "I-It's alright. I'm not hungry—" Before you could finish your sentence, your stomach growls. "O-Oh," You feel embarrassed, your cheeks flushing pink. "Well? Don't just stare and dig in." She laughs, pulling out a chair for you to sit on.

You trail towards the table and sit on the chair. She eagerly waits for your reaction as you hesitantly lift the spoonful of soup towards your lips. Once you take a small sip, being wary that you are in an unfamiliar place with a stranger, you can tell there wasn't any weird taste or aftereffects to your body. "How was it?"

"It's okay—" Your reply was cut short by a knock on the door. The woman who was expectantly waiting to hear your compliment lets out an angry sigh. "What do you want?" She says angrily. "The emperor from the Kingdom of Jade is here." The voice spoke from behind the door. Your ears perk up at the mention of your father. You're going to be saved, right?

The woman opens the door, revealing a beautiful blonde dressed in a white hanfu. "Please keep her company for a moment. I'll be back." The woman requests the blonde as she exits the door while the blonde enters. "Greetings, Princess (First Name). I'm Lumine and I'll be taking care of you while the Mistress is away to attend to some matters."

Lumine... that name sounds so familiar. Ah, you remember now. Ajax had called out to this name that night when he was drunk. "So this is Lumine..." You mutter under your breath as you glance at her. She has her blonde locks braided into a bun with a flower clip, revealing her flawless face. Oh, her honey-yellow eyes are beautiful. You can't help but feel drawn into them. "It's no wonder why Ajax was attracted to her." You think to yourself. You shake your head, trying to not think about it anymore as you pick up the chopsticks to eat your meal.

Once you were done eating, you let out a small burp. Indeed, the food is truly satisfactory. Lumine smiles as she notices the empty bowls. "How was it?" She asks, stacking the bowls together. "I've never tasted anything like it at all." You reply, pressing a hand onto your full stomach. "Is that good or bad?" She asks further. "Good, of course!" The food could almost compare to Xiangling's. "That's good to hear, Princess. I'm glad you like my cooking."

"Ah." You let out a small smile. Not only is she pretty but she can cook as well— a perfect wife, you deem. Ever since you were brought up as royalty, never once have you set foot in the kitchen. The only way you knew how to cook was through your mother who secretly brought you inside to prepare you a light snack. Though it was only for a few times, you've learned a lot, diligently memorizing the recipe if ever you're able to cook in the future. As Lumine puts the bowls in the tray, there's a knock on the door, and in came two people: your father and the woman from earlier. Lumine takes this as a sign to leave, bringing the tray along with her before shutting the door close behind her.

"My dear." Your father begins.

"Halt." You place your palm out, gesturing him to stop. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Ah." It seems like you've noticed the hand he has on the woman's waist. "I can explain."

You have your brows knitted together with all sorts of emotion swirling around. You feel happy to see your father, relieved that he's here to save you but the emotion that you felt the most is anger— angry that your father hurt Ajax and the thought that he possibly has a lover. Your father heaves a sigh before gesturing his hand towards the woman. "Meet Tsaritsa, your mother."

"Mother? Mother is gone. How could she possibly be my mother?"

"She's your birth mother... you have her nose and lips. If that cannot suffice as proof to you, we could run a blood test."

"Dear," Before Tsaritsa could hold you, you dodge her attempt and fell onto the soft mattress. "Don't come near me! A-All this time... you!" You point at your father, "You lied to me? What about Mother?!"

"Your mother—"

"Not her! I mean my mother who stayed with me back at the palace."

"Calm down, my dear. Let father explain everything to you." Your father takes a seat beside you, the bed dipping down by his weight. You scoot a meter away from him, stopping at the headboard to which your father accepts, considering the fact that he hasn't told you the truth.

It all began when your father turned 18, the ripe age to become the successor— the emperor. It was the peak of his career, he had everything: good looks to the point where several princesses from the neighboring countries would be on the lookout, always rejecting their suitors to catch the bigger fish, good grades to the point where his teachers told his father that he had already mastered everything and that there was nothing else for him to learn, and good behavior to the point where he had left a good impression on anyone who has come across him. With his bright future, everyone believed he would be a great ruler, even he himself thought so, until a certain situation arose— he wasn't careful and got Tsaritsa pregnant.

Yes, Tsaritsa was neither princess nor a concubine but a woman he had met when he had attended the Lantern Festival one night. They eventually fell in love with each other and became a couple although in secret because if his father was to find out, he'd be stripped of his title as heir and that position would be given to his brother who he despises despite being related by blood.

The next month after their encounter, a woman with royal status, Jina was introduced to your father. He had attended gatherings with her with his own father introducing her as his wife-to-be. In the end, he did marry Jina but never loved her because, at that time, Tsaritsa was pregnant with his baby due to his carelessness. Becoming selfish, he could only think of one way to keep Tsaritsa a secret— to let Jina pretend that it was her baby.

From the start, Jina knew it was a loveless marriage. He never treated her with care, only feigning affection whenever there were eyes around. Although Jina held hope that it's possible for him to love her just as she did to him, all of the hope went down the drain when you were born; nevertheless, she took you in and cared for you like you were her daughter. Because of you, she felt loved even if you weren't her own. You were the very reason why she continued to pretend everything was okay, that she was able to stay sane in this cruel world. In the end, Jina couldn't keep it up for long.

Her health deteriorated with each passing year and she wasn't getting any better despite trying all the medicinal herbs that the imperial doctor prescribed to her. In Jina's whole life, she despised her name. 寂 (jì), the first character of her name meant quiet or lonely, the very word that described her life ever since she entered the palace. Even though she wanted to stay a little longer, to spend more time with you, she wasn't able to. When she took her last breath, the last person she was you and she passed away with a smile on her face.

"I believe it's time to reconnect with your real mother." Your father says, scooting close towards you to place a hand over yours.

"D-Don't touch me!" You remove his hand and stood up from the bed, walking far away from him as possible. "I-I'll never forgive you for what you did! Y-You're really pathetic!"

You stormed off, running in a random direction. You needed to be far far away from your dad. You didn't want to see him nor talk to him at all. You swear that if you see him, you don't think you'll be able to control the urge to not slap him.

Your father, being called pathetic twice on the same day, only watches your retreating form in sadness. He could only hope you'll return and somehow he'll make amends to this broken relationship as your father.