Confrontation (End)

".. This building.. It feels a bit weird, don't you think so?"

I exclaimed with a sweatdrop.

My sight was still focusing on the large building behind us.

I sniff then my eyes widen in regards to a change scent that is different from when I was in the carriage.

I gulped as the scent was something familiar.

Something rotten, it's like the smell of...

Blood.

".. Let's get out of here, Cristo."

Out of instinct, I grabbed his hand and pulled it towards me.

I started walking at a fast pace and didn't pay much attention to my surroundings while reaching through the door to exit the place.

When we made it outside, I unintentionally turned my head and caught a glimpse of the Âme flowers.

My vision around me is soon becoming hazy.

I use both of my hands to cover my mouth as I feel the urge to vomit the disgusting feeling out.

".. Master?"

Cristo asked with a raised eyebrow as he looked at me.

I stared back at him and saw that his expression was confused and slightly worried.

'... Please... Don't.'

All of a sudden, memories of the people who were burned appear inside my head.

I thought of them in horror when I watched their flesh turn into ashes.

'.. This place is sickening. I don't like it one bit.'

I gasped for air as I tried to keep myself down.

I stared at Cristo's back slightly out of breath and put on a reassuring expression as I didn't want him to worry about me.

"I'm alright. Let's go to the castle."

I exclaimed.

Cristo was looking quite doubtful about my reasoning before, but he later nodded.

After that, we made our way towards our carriage along with the knights inspecting our belongings once more before leaving.

After we entered the carriage, Cristo sat across me.

He was quiet and was looking at me with his usual expressionless face.

'... I'm curious about his behavior.'

Since I met him, I have always wondered what is going on inside his head or what he is thinking about.

'... But perhaps I know something right now.'

The experience back then was similar to someone freeing a bird from its cages but soon were captured again by another person in the wild.

He was locked in the basement for almost all of his life.

He got the chance of being free from a tight space but was almost locked again that could trigger some discomfort.

"... Cristo, I apologize that I broke our promise and that was completely my fault."

I reached out for his hand slowly and slightly pulled him closer towards me.

Soon, his figure was shadowing over me as our forehead touched each other.

"I won't make any promises from now on. But I will try my best to show you what it is like to live on the surface. At least from now on, it's not suffocating, right?"

I smiled tenderly as our faces were nearly close to each other.

"Thank you, I was blessed to have you as my both underling and family-like."

His emerald eyes that stared at me slightly widened as I looked at him.

"It's like having a family by my side. It's reassuring to know that I'm not alone in this."

I try to make him understand how much he meant to me and how much I cared for him.

'... He's so much older than me.. But, it feels like I have a little brother on my side.'

When I'm thinking about all of the things, I asked myself about one thing that I was always curious about.

'What is the purpose of me being reincarnated in this cruel world?'

I keep asking myself ever since I was made that I reincarnated into this world.

I'm sure it wasn't and that my death had nothing to do with it.

Then there is a glimpse of thought coming towards me.

'Is it because of my sins from my previous life?'

-

"Is it delicious?"

I asked Cristo as he carefully slices and eats one of the meat on display in front of him.

We decided to have a dinner together after this tiring day.

I take my glass of water and try to hydrate my throat after the food I ate.

Cristo looked at me before glancing down at his plate of food.

"... It's not my favorite, but it's good."

He slowly exclaimed truthfully.

I almost choked on my drink when I heard his answer.

'.. Does he not like meat?'

I dabbed my mouth with a handkerchief as I started clearing my throat after the short choke I experienced.

"If that's the case, then what would you like to eat instead?"

I asked with a raised eyebrow as I waited for his answer.

He tilted his head upwards afterward, thinking for a moment.

He looked at me straight in the eyes as he opened his mouth to answer,

".. I like sweets."

I was taken aback by his answer as my eyes widened since I did not expect him to have a sweet tooth.

I smiled and slightly chuckled.

"Sweets huh? I like sweets too. We'll have it as soon as we finish this. What do you want? Pudding? Cake?"

I asked him happily while looking at him across the table as he just simply nodded.

"Let's have morning tea tomorrow. How does that sound? Along with cookies or macaroons?"

I playfully offered as I sighed happily when I could see the sparkle in his eyes.

'Ooh, he is excited about the event. He is somehow easy to read in some situations.'

I chuckled at the thought before facing Cristo.

"Let's have it tomorrow."

I smiled satisfyingly at him.

Suddenly, Cristo looked a bit bothered and his expression slowly became slightly fearful.

My smile slowly faded away when I notice the changed behavior.

He looked around and quietly exclaimed,

".. Master."

"Yes? What is it, Cristo?"

I asked as I put my full attention towards him.

"When I'm inside the cell, a strange knight visited me..."

He quietly explained.

The moment he mentioned a knight, I could feel my heart suddenly stop beating.

'.. A knight?'

I thought horrifyingly about the chances of the referred knight as one of the Directive Special Knight.

"What kind of knight?"

"Well, he-"

Before Cristo could finish his lines, a familiar voice called out to me, interrupting our ongoing conversation.

I looked to my side and saw the head butler standing beside me.

"Your Highness."

He greeted me politely as he put his left hand behind his back and bend his arm at the elbow, and rest his hand hold on a tray with a single letter.

"The Duke of Revanche has sent you a letter."

He informed.

My calm expression turned into a serious one when I think about Azrael's condition.

'Azrael already recover? That took a while enough but I'm glad."

I received the letter and thanked the Head Butler as he slightly bowed as he left the room.

I continue to observe the letter at hand.

'.. The Directive Knights must have inspected this letter. So I'm sure that Azrael chooses his words carefully.'

I thought as I looked at my food with Cristo sitting across the table from me.

I decided to focus on dinner with Cristo and later discuss with Azrael about Cristo's matter in the basement.

"Let's finish our food now. After all, it is getting cold."

I exclaimed while Cristo nodded.

After finishing my dinner with Cristo, I stood up from my seat and headed towards my office where I manage the payment and the castle work as well actually studying to become the Queen.

When I sat down on my seat, I put the letter on the desk as I slowly open it and read the context.

'.. He asked me to go to have lunch at some restaurant?'

I looked at the letter as I raised an eyebrow, confused until I read the next paragraph.

He also asks me to bring Cristo along to have a friendly chat, the three of us, at a restaurant called Sucrée.

'Oh.. I'm sure that he wants to talk about witchcraft.'

However, there's a part of me that is still worried about his current health.

And considering that I know his secret details of him as a demon, I can't just ask him to rest without reason just because he's tired of using his power.

'And also, he's asking Cristo to come with us. I don't really know his reason and I don't want to know either. Well, let's just see tomorrow.'

I put the letter inside my desk and start to see the data of this castle in case there are any problems within the stock or payment.

I never got any problems such as a fight or anything.

Maybe that's because the citizens truly follow the Directive Order.

And that's quite troublesome but also peaceful, I guess?

When I'm just thinking about something peaceful and planning to go outside tomorrow, a sudden realization hit right through my memories.

"... Edward Agersia First Order.."

I muttered out the name quietly as I realized who is he.

The one who currently controls the Directive Order.

.

.

.