Ishihara // ATEEZ ✔

8 Tour

"I think that's enough chit-chatting between the two of you for today." The atmosphere was intense that both of them did not realize that San has approached them, wearing a fresh set of clothes. Wooyoung has mentioned about him being a servant, but the clothes he wears does not dictate his position at all. In fact, his clothes look even better than the commoners in her kingdom. "Let's go and look around the palace." San grabs her arm lightly, as if trying to pry her away from Seonghwa. The two men exchange wordless glances, with Seonghwa sighing and turning around to tend to his other plants.

With that, San brings her to leave the garden and as soon as he is sure Seonghwa is out of earshot, he turns to look at her. "I'm really sorry for how he is. He's not really comfortable with outsiders and considering that he spends most of his time with animals and plants, he doesn't exactly have the best social skills."

"It's fine." She has had worse enemies anyway, someone who would love to take her life away, that someone as mild as Seonghwa doesn't scare her. However, she does feel that he starts treating her that way when she lays her question about the Shadow King. Why is he so defensive anyway? Could it be that he is the king? "I understand why he behaves like that and I understand that the ways of our kingdoms are worlds apart. I am actually more than grateful the palace is willing to accept a lowly ambassador like me."

San peeks at her. "You are far from lowly-"

"This is exactly what I'm saying. You don't treat anyone according to their blood. That is not natural in my kingdom."

He smiles. "And that is exactly why you're here, aren't you? To learn about the ways of our kingdom. To observe about how things are managed here in Nyla. Every kingdom has their own ways to rule their kingdom. Nyla has their own, your kingdom has its own, and the same goes for Estar and Fyrae. We cannot dictate what each other does. That is the famous unwritten rule. Though we might not agree on some aspects, we cannot do anything about it. I'm sorry if we have made you feel awkward ever since you arrived here. I was worried because I am aware of the difference in our beliefs, and I am sure that my worry is not far-fetched. You are welcome to leave anytime you want if you do feel uncomfortable with the way we run things here."

No, she cannot do that before she finds out who the real king is. "Do not worry about me. Yes, I do admit that I feel a little bit off but I will try my very best as an ambassador. I cannot disappoint my queen when she has entrusted me with this duty."

"Very well, then."

They arrive at the entrance of the palace, which Akira did not even have the chance to see because she was carried through it unconscious when she first arrived. Bearing a rusty signage and with two guards flanking the stone arch, the entrance look like it's leading into an abandoned cemetery instead of the house of a kingdom's ruler. Not wanting to point it out, she pretends to be interested on the inscription scribbled all over the stone walls encircling the palace. As she picks them out one by one, she notices that they are words of loyalty towards the Shadow King. Some mentioned about the people of Nyla who wouldn't want to trade the king with anyone else, some professed their undying love towards the king while others did mention about wanting the king to live a long and healthy life despite not knowing the king's face. For as many as she can read, she realizes that none wished ill of the king - the people seemed to bear a lot of loyalty towards the king despite him not revealing his true self. She comes to a realization - the people of Nyla respected the king because he deserved it - like Seonghwa mentioned before to her, they have been living well under the king's ruling.

Back in Lucida, people respected Queen Emira because they feared her as the power that she holds surpass anyone's in the whole kingdom. Deep down, Akira always tries to deny it. She knows she is loyal to the queen, but at what cost? She wants to say that it is not true, but the only reason she is loyal to the queen is because she does not have a choice. That is also why Akira's job is the most important one - she needs to protect the queen - because there are actually a lot of people who wish to see the queen soaked in her own blood, lifeless. When Emira ascended the throne, everyone looked up to her because she is the only heir that holds the highest power in the kingdom. However, soon after that it turned to fear. People are treated worse than animals because the rule is that your worth is as much as the colour of your blood. They know that the only way to escape the fear is to stand at the same position beside the queen, hence why there is a lot of people putting up hopes they could take the queen's hand in marriage.