[√]Lady of the White Rose

26: Saintess Lesson

VESPER

Aya isn't moving at all. I raise my trembling hands to touch her but stop midway and put it down in the end. Kinakabahan ako sa kung ano'ng nangyari sa kanya.

Bakit naging ganito ang kalagayan niya? Bakit hindi na siya gumagalaw? Bakit nalaglag na lang siya bigla mula sa kisame papunta sa pink na cupcake. Ano, buhay pa ba siya?

At anong nangyari sa kanya?

Pagkarating sa estate ay taranta kong inutusan si Alfonso na tawagin ang family doctor namin. Halos hindi ko na nga masabi ng maayos dahil nagkanda bulol na ako sa taranta. He needed to calm me down first before asking what was wrong.

When the doctor arrived, he immediately check Aya's condition. And when he's about to touch her, Aya suddenly went up abruptly. Sabay kaming napaatras ng doktor dahil sa gulat.

Aya sat up and stretches her body as if nothing happened. I don't know if it's just me or did I just saw her yawn?

Nang mapansin nitong tila maraming tao sa paligid niya ay nagtataka niya kaming tinignan isa-isa. I almost grab her and throw her out of the window - it's a good thing that I manage to stop myself.

In the end I let our family doctor check her condition and when he found nothing wrong, he left leaving an advice that I should take good care of my pet.

"What happened to you?" Tanong ko rito nang kaming dalawa na lamang ang naiwan sa kwarto. "Just briefly explain it since I needed to cath up with my busy schedules."

Aya started talking. According to her, she searched the whole palace looking for any traces of the God she's talking about and the artifact that I don't have a single clue. While she was searching through every nook and cranny, she smelled something awful - like death.

She lost consciousness before she can check what that is and when she woke up, she's already here in the mansion.

"Have some spare time later, I'll start teaching you some basic techniques."

"Sure,"

There's a knock on the door and when it open, Alfonso enter, saying that we should leave since I'm already here. Pumunta kami sa Knight's training ground for inspection. Nag-visit din kami sa market at ibang kalapit na lugar ng Dukedoom. Hindi na muna kami pumunta sa mga liblib at malalayong lugar dahil na rin sa hindi pa ligtas para sa akin.

Sa sumunod na araw, siguro tinablan ako ng hiya sa katawan ay nagpadala ako ng sulat sa reyna kung maaari kaming magkitang dalawa. I will apologize for what happened that day. Tho I can't remember what I said that day, but I can somehow remember the embarrassment I've felt. I feel like I've said something I shouldn't have...

"That shouldn't be something to be embarrassed about, Duchess," the Queen gently said with a warm smile on her lips.

"Thank you for understanding, Your Majesty." We're currently having tea in her private garden near her palace. Kaming dalawa lamang at wala ng iba pang bisita. Kahit ang mga maid nito ay sobrang layo sa gawi namin.

"It must have bothered you a lot, don't worry I'll ask the others not to talk about it." Dagdag pa nito. "Anyway, how's your mother?"

"Hmm?" I tilted my head in confusion until it sink in to me. Namula ang mukha ko. "Ha ha ha, mapag-biro ka pala mahal na reyna,"

Tinignan ako nito ng ilang segundo bago mahinhin na tumawa. Inilapag nito ang tasa ng tsaa na hawak.

"However, may I be presumptuous to ask, how are you faring so far, Duchess?" Pagkaraan ay tanong nito.

"I've been well, thanks to Your Majesty's concern."

"And the investigation regarding your missing father and brother?"

"It's going well,"

"What will you do once you found the culprit?"

Natigilan ako sa tanong nito. "Found the culprit?" Her question linger in my mind and I was left in deep thought. Ngayon ko lang din naisip kung ano nga ba ang gagawin ko sa may sala sa oras na malaman ko kung sino ito.

What punishment should I give? Shoul I barge in into the enemy right after the moment of discovery or should I device a plan first? Should I kill them or should I let them live for a long time to suffer? Or should I torture them first?

And will Aya give her approval with my ideas?

"Be careful who you trust, salt and sugar looks the same, dear." Nabalik ako sa kasalukuya nang magsalita ang reyna. "And sometimes people aren't exactly as they look. Humans can sometimes be more cruel than beast."

I gulp. "Th-thank you for your advice, Your Majesty. I'll keep that in mind."

Ngumiti lamang ito bago muli humigop sa tsaa niya. "It's nothing too great, just some advice I didn't use, so I'm giving it to you. Hope it helps."

Ilang sandali pa kami nag-usap bago ako umuwi. Dahil na rin sa pareho kaming abala ay naging maikli lamang ang pribadong pagkikita namin ng reyna, ngunit sa tingin ko naman ay naging produktibo naman ito.

Ang hindi ko lang maunawaan ay ang binigay nitong advice na tila palaisipan sa akin.

"Don't think too much about that, V. We still haven't started your training yet." Napatingin ako kay Aya na nakaupo sa balikat ko. Gabi na at tulog na ang lahat ng tao sa estate, tamang-tama para sa sekretong pag-eensayong gagawin namin ni Aya.

"Open the window," utos nito na sinunod ko naman. "And jump,"

Alright, open and jump - "The hell?" I exclaim in shock. "What do you mean by jump? Are you out of your mind?"

"Just trust me and jump!" She insisted.

"I have trust issues," giit ko bago umatras sa bintana. Aya roll her eyes heavenwards in frustration.

"Since when?"

"Just now,"

"You're so stubborn. Baka umagahin na tayo rito ay hindi ka pa rin tayo nakakapagsimula." She raise her cute lizard hand and flick it, the next thing I know I was already high up in the sky. My heart jump in surprised as my eyes widen. I even almost scream my lungs out.

"Relax, you won't fall. Don't panic it's organic."

"Shut up! Don't freaking teleport me in the sky without even warning me first hand! My heart almost leap out from my chest!" Hysterical kong singhal dito habang nagpapanik na baka mahulog ako.

Looking down, I'll surely die even before my body reach the ground.

"Masyado kang matatakutin, hindi 'yan bagay sa isang Saintess."

Saint - what? "What are you talking about?"

"You still haven't figure it out? You are my chosen Saintess, my favored one. Now, relax your body and stand straight. You won't fall."

Kahit nakakunot ang noo ko sa kanya at gusto ko pa siyang singhalan ay sinunod ko na lamang ang iniuutos niya. Kinalma ko ang sarili at umayos ng tayo kahit pa wala akong lupa na inaapakan.

Makaraan ang ilang sandali ay namangha ako nang hindi ako nalalaglag at tila naglalakad ako sa hangin.

"Cool," I blurted out. Aya smirk proudly.

"Now, let's begin your Saintess lesson."