Chapter 5: Seven
It took her a minute before she opened the door. The moment she caught sight of me standing outside, a seductive grin appeared on her cherry-colored lips. She stepped back and calmly invited me into her house.
"What brought you here at this hour, milord?" she asked.
I turned to her and watched her lock the door. She looked so excited even to notice that I was mad. Or maybe she doesn't simply care. Pagkaharap niya sa akin ay mas lumawak ang ngiti sa kanyang mga labi.
"I'm sure I can offer you anything," she remarked, biting her bottom lip. Sinarado niya ang pagitan namin at pinaragasa sa dibdib ko ang kanyang kamay. "Anything you want, Oscar."
She started unbuttoning my shirt. Mas lalong lumawak ang ngiti sa kanyang labi nung hindi ko siya pinigilan. Hanggang sa tuluyan na niyang nahubad ang damit ko. Sinunod niya ang aking pantalon at nung may makapa sa bulsa no'n ay natigilan siya.
"What is this?" she asked, slowly pulling the object out of my pocket. Her eyes turned red as soon as she realized what it was.
I snatched the dagger from her hand. Napaatras siya sa takot.
"Why do you really want, Lord Oscar?" she asked, stiff and shaking with fear. That's how they used to look at me. But when I began transitioning from a ruthless leader to a leader who can be ruthless, I think they gradually forgot that I was still the leader.
I cannot become someone they want me to be. I cannot be like my father. Tapos na ako sa pagpapanggap. I just want to do what I want. I want to rule without following in anyone's footsteps.
"Do you know that there are different types of dagger?" I asked, showing her the edge of the dagger. "There's a dagger that can turn you into ashes. There's also a dagger that just can paralyze you as you fall into an eternal slumber."
Every time I take a step forward, she will take two. Hanggang sa napasandal na siya sa pinto. Mabilis ang pagtaas-baba ng kanyang mga balikat.
This was the first time I had witnessed her looking so afraid in a very long time. It dawned on me how long I had put up with her behavior before finally taking action. Hindi na dapat kami humantong sa ganito.
"But this dagger won't instantly turn you into ashes or make you fall asleep," I smirked at her. "This will slowly get inside you as you feel the jagged edges cutting through your skin and into your flesh and bones."
"L-Lord Oscar..."
"If I were my father, would you dare touch my things?" I asked rhetorically. "If I were just like my father, would you at least hesitate to invade my space? Would you do things differently if I were anything like my father?"
Humigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa punyal. Lahat ng poot na nararamdaman ko ay napunta sa kamay ko. Halos mabali ko ang punyal sa higpit ng pagkakahawak ko rito.
"You are not like your father," she said. "You don't have to be. But Nightfall Clan lived for centuries under a tyrant leader. Ikaw pa lang ang humawak nito matapos ang iyong ama. You two rule differently, but we both know who ruled better. We just want the best for Nightfall Clan."
Her statements did not sound new to me at all. That is something that has always crossed my mind.
Pero malaking insulto pa rin sa akin na marinig 'yon sa bibig ng iba.
Have I failed to prove myself?
I've been ruling now for a decade. Bakit hanggang ngayon ay tila hindi pa rin nila ako matanggap? Ako rin ang nagsalba sa pangkat na 'to no'ng mga panahon na unti-unting humiwalay sa amin ang mga kaalyansan namin dahil na rin sa pagkawala ni papa.
