Presage

Chapter 14.1 ♚ Do Not Enter! Dragons Inside!

A/N: Photo of the previous King of Lumiresia, Algerone Ludivic.

***

In some ways, the cold water from the shower cleared her thoughts. Zoe was contemplating all throughout her rubbing session, wrapping her mind around everything that happened. Of all the things she had neglected, she forgot to ask the mysterious woman's name. She didn't even know how she could talk to her again, not that she wanted to, but only for the sake of gathering information. 

Although she was already aware that there were people after her neck, she hadn't realized the gravity of the situation until one from the enemies' side asked for her help. Yet no matter how deeper she thinks, she could never figure her real enemies. However, she managed to come up with a small list, mainly composed of Darcy's own family, including Arlette. But what bothered her the most was the previous King's words.

"I don't consider a murderer as my son," he said back then.

Could it be the reason why Darcy said not to trust even him?

Then her theories dangerously wandered to the darker side.

How long was Darcy looking for the Lost Heroine?

Was she the first one?

If there were others before her, where are they now?

And an idea hit her, a conjecture so dark that it burned her mind.

Maybe he killed them once they were deemed useless, faulty, or a mistake?

Her stomach churned uncomfortably, unsure if she wanted to vomit or was horribly hungry. Visions of Darcy flashed in her mind, his actions implied the simplest thing. All those times, he was protecting her and stood for her right to be the Heroine.

All for his own good, she thought.

Nevertheless, she couldn't judge him without asking him directly. It was pointless trying to find logic merely based on his actions and her assumptions.

But what if her theories were right?

"Thank you."

His words echoed in her mind, and although the water was cold, she could feel the heat in her cheeks.

Why was she even blushing at the mere thought of him?

It was not like she found him attractive. Maybe a little, but she knew better. It was obvious that he was only making a fool out of her.

After taking a shower, Zoe slipped into the clothes prepared in the bathroom. She figured it was done by Krista, seeing the resemblance from her previous attire. Compared to the clothes Krista lent her, these ones didn't have the scent of citrus. Instead, it smells new with no lingering fragrance aside from the hint of being dried under the sun. Even her black leather boots seemed new since they were tight and she found no sign of dirt on their sole.

"Maybe they bought this while I'm asleep," she said to herself, twirling in front of the full-length mirror.

She scanned her pure black attire, from the fitted pants to her tank top, and grinned, satisfied with her look. The sorceress had a good taste in choosing her kind of outfit. She had done numerous cosplay before, but being able to wear this type of fashion without anyone thinking she was out of place made her feel a bit better.

She stared at the girl in the mirror, trying to find a hint of gold in her eyes or a single strand of white hair, and yet, there was none. She was simply back to being the normal Zoe. A lot of things occurred in a small span of time and she found herself at a dead end. She didn't know where to start, there were simply too many questions.