"My sword is one inch away from slicing your neck. My victory is one inch away, yet why can't I do it, Althea? What kind of spell have you cast on me to have me thinking about you all day?!"
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Byeol meets a tragic death at age nineteen...
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The crying ceased after a while, but the burn on my flesh lingered even after the emperor took his last breath. His blood stained my dress and my gloves as I tried to wipe it off.
"Althea..." Aias' voice invaded my ears. I looked up, tears in my eyes, to see him staring back at me with wide eyes.
To my surprise, he didn't acknowledge his father's body. He didn't even look at him. He knelt down next to me and shook my shoulders. "Are you hurt?"
I stared at him dumbfounded, wondering why he isn't mad. Why he isn't seething with anger just by looking at me. I mean, I knew he wasn't exactly fond of his father's body, but...
"...I'm fine." I muttered after a few moments.
"Shit, Althea, snap out of it." He shook my shoulders again, but I wasn't zoned out. I understood the reality of the situation.
"I killed him." I voiced it out, just incase I was seeing things. To make sure the voice coming out of me was indeed mine, and I wasn't dreaming.
"I know."
"Aias, I killed him." I repeated my words. He wasn't phased by it. His father's death had no impact on him. "But you don't understand, I had to."
"...Lady Asten." A second voice interrupted, and I looked up, seeing Count Victor with his daughter, both their faces twisted in fear. Eris feared me. Me! As if she had a reason to fear me!
"Lady Asten, what happened here?"
Lady Althea... what... happend? Walden's words sounded in my brain, the situation seeming all too familiar.
"Can't you fucking see, old man?" Aias spoke for me, the sharpness in his tone making even the Count flinch. "The emperor is dead. Inform the nobles."
Victor's glare stayed on me for a moment more, before pulling his daughter out the room and leaving us alone again.
"What am I gonna do... they will lock me up and then execute me!" I exclaimed in fear as I stared at the emperor's unmoving body.
I felt Aias strong arms wrap around my body, pulling me in as I buried my face in the crook of his neck. "I won't let anything happen to you." He said, and I trusted him. I fully trusted that this time, he would try.
But Aias doesn't have the full power. Not yet. He's going to be crowned emperor sooner now, yes, but until then, my survival isn't guaranteed.
I felt Aias' hands fall from my body, as he stood up beside me, offering me his hand.
"What now?" I asked, taking his hand and using it to help me stand up too.
"I'll be crowned emperor, I guess..." he paused for a second. "I won't be able to help you with the finding the spirit." His eyes searched mine, but I looked away before he could see the fear in them.
