The Demon King's Beloved Daughter

29

Arche with his expression solemn, leaned against the wall as he quietly listened to the scolding from his brother. Andrew sighed when he saw Arche's stubborn furrowed brows.

"Freya's a bright child, I'm sure she'll understand. You can't keep it from her forever. It has already been a month since her birthday."

"I can." Arche refuted immediately. "What if she remembers everything? Do you know how painful her death was?"

Andrew went silent. He hadn't been there in time, when he arrived, only his niece's limp and icy corpse greeted him. Her complexion was as pale as snow paired with her bloodless lips.

He remembered how his little brother held his daughter's remains in his arms for dear life, how Arche looked no better than the dead Freya. The heart-wrenching scream that came out from him made Andrew's heart tremble.

"Freya could see the future, she knew her time was up." Andrew exhaled a long breath.

The fact that she knew her time was ending was the most miserable part, the moment of death was never the scariest part. It was when one knew their death would come but could do nothing about it, that was the real torture.

It's been a century but Arche could vividly remember the last week they spent together, the day she left him. Every single detail engraved itself into his mind, making it a never-ending nightmare until Freya returned to him.

Blood poured out from her lips that were turning purple, mouthful after mouthful, yet her eyes were still as bright as ever. Freya's gentle gaze fell on him, her smile was sweet, "Daddy...don't be sad."

Freya put all of her strength into that smile, her eyes slowly dimmed, her shaky hand that was touching Arche's cheek dropped. Her weak and faint heartbeat finally...stopped.

The fireworks set off, lighting up the whole sky with radiant colors. They were like giant flowers blooming in the sky, their petals scattering into the abyss. It was a beautiful sight, but Arche could only curse while shaking Freya desperately. The brilliant light signaled a new day as well as her final breath.

Freya died the moment she turned sixteen. Her only regret was that she didn't get the chance to enjoy the spectacle her father prepared for her sixteenth birthday.

Arche wailed, that was his little princess, his only daughter, the child he loved the most didn't get the chance to grow up, she didn't even make it past her sixteenth birthday.

Did she know? She must've known. Arche recalled the memories of that day. She was unusually energetic.

The moment she woke up, she told him she was extremely hungry. At breakfast, she ate three bowls of noodles. Arche was glad that his daughter was eating more, she was too skinny. But usually, she only ate a piece of toast. Arche couldn't help the trepidation he felt in his heart.

It was the same for lunch and dinner. During the day, she kept on reminiscing, she laughed, she smiled, she cheered. She said, "If only, time would stop."

Arche felt bewildered, as demons, they had all the time they want. Freya only smiled and nodded. The child dragged him to the market, to go boating, to take a walk.

He followed, it was her birthday the next day, he could spoil his daughter a little. Maybe Freya was feeling uneasy that she'll be embracing adulthood soon.

He never knew it was the last day...he never knew that her actions were because...she was going to die. Like flames that gave the last bit of radiance it had, before fading out and becoming smoke.

He pulled her closer, letting out a wretched scream, like a wounded beast. He begged her to come back, but she never answered, she never will again.

Arche didn't know how he got past those few days, as though an empty shell without a soul, he buried himself in work. Making sure he had no time to think, but it never worked. His tears would fall every time she appeared in his mind.

Every corner in the palace, traces of her remained. It would be like a dull knife, slicing at him but never drawing any blood.

Every time someone opened his office's door, he would subconsciously hope that Freya was back. That frame of mind made him mad. He knew...he knew his daughter was gone...

He remembered Freya leaving a letter for him, but he had forgotten its contents. When he searched high and low for it, he never found it. As if it was all his own hopeful imagination.

Arche's brows furrowed, the pain he felt flashed through his eyes. He didn't like this topic at all.

"...she could've avoided that. We both know how strong she is. There must be a reason, she's the only one who knows of it." Andrew tried to convince his brother. His niece was one of the smartest people he knew, whether it was in her past life or now.

Arche remained silent. He knew it was inevitable, Freya would find out soon. But ignorance is bliss.

He didn't want her to remember the fear of waiting to die, he didn't want her to remember the pain of being bitten to death. That was his precious baby, he couldn't bear to let her suffer any grievance.

"...I'll let you think about it alone." Andrew patted Arche's shoulder.

He knew it wasn't an easy decision for his brother. Honestly, he also doesn't want Freya to be reminded of the past, the way she died was grotesque and cruel.

But, what if she goes through the same thing...would there be any important information she left for herself? She wasn't a simple person. 

Andrew walked out of the office with his thoughts in a muddle. But something glistening caught his eyes. What he saw made his footsteps halt, his eyes widened as he picked it up.

The strand of cherry blossom hair sat in his hands, he felt his heartbeat running wild. Was she here all along? Did she hear everything? He didn't want Freya to hear it like that...

He reopened the door after snapping out from his daze. Arche looked up and was met with his brother's troubled face, he raised his brow to signal his inquiry.

"Arche, we have a problem." Andrew paused, "I think she heard everything."

Arche's pupils constricted, he rushed out of the office to find Freya. She wasn't in the library so she must be in her room. He knocked on the door, his voice was barely audible, "Baby, I...We need to talk."

No one responded. It was unusually quiet in there.

*Thud*

The noise of something falling followed by glass breaking made Arche jolt.

"Freya?" Arche banged the door hastily, yet there was no response.

He exerted some strength and pulled the door out from its frame easily. His eyes widened when he saw the state Freya was in. She had all fours on the ground, the broken vase's shards were all over the place, her eyes were coated with tears. What scared him the most was the blood staining her lips. 

She looked like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out of her throat except a mouthful of blood.

"Freya!" Arche rushed over and got her into his embrace, "Baby, what's wrong? Don't scare me like this."

His hands trembled when he saw how pale she was. His scalp and back went numb.

"What happened?"

When he saw his brother, Arche yelled, "Call the doctor!"

He held her hands, "Don't close your eyes. Stay awake! Please...stay awake. You can't leave me again."

"Dad...don't be s-scared." Freya choked out. 

Her words frightened Ache, even more. He felt a dangerous sense of déjà vu.

Freya closed her tired eyes with a weak smile. Ah, she really reached her limit.