18 I Missed You

From what I can tell, the oldest girl here should be around 13 or 14. They're really only being used as messengers for their families. I understand why it is easier to relay orders and information this way, but that puts all these girls in danger of being attacked and tortured if they make one wrong move. That dumb queen probably has a way to keep them from divulging secrets besides the Alm oath. A curse maybe?

"I hope you can adjust to the environment that surrounds your title soon, Lady Zara." The barbaric brunette from earlier is still glaring at me and didn't even return my greeting. This snarky girl can use lighting and extend it like a sword. She looks like she's 12 or 13. Then again… I can't really tell. I got my own age wrong along with Cera's.

"Yes, I hope you girls will get along. I won't hold anyone accountable for their actions as long as it stays within this room and I am present. Please relax and enjoy the tea party." This dumb queen just gave permission to kill.

"Thank you, your highness." As soon as the dumb brunette replied with glee, she launched herself at me and I put up another thin wall of ice. Shielding the queen from the debris of the breaking table, cups, plates, chairs, and to prevent the blood from reaching her.

I jumped back from where I was sitting and created a few droplets of ice that looked like floating blood. She launched another lighting attack and dispersed half of my droplets. The other half were able to get through her attack and hit her attacking arm head on, puncturing dozens of holes in her arm and splattering blood all over the broken table and her body.

"You bitch!!" She's so resilient. I didn't think she'd be willing to sacrifice her arm to avoid my attack. She might be a good sparring partner.

I dashed forward and circled around her before she could attack me again, controlled my Alm, and only put enough power to ragdoll her across the room. I saw her smash into the wall, but it was more like the wall smashed into her. A loud bang resonated in the room, but the wall looked perfectly fine. What the hell is the wall made of? I thought that was marble.

The bloodlust in the room disappeared and the other girls simply looked at me in shock. I created more droplets in their confusion and decorated their bodies with gushing polka dots. I was unable to block blood from getting on my dress and face. As I heard the bodies fall on the ground, the brunette from earlier gasped at the mess I made while she was trying her best to get on her knees. I slowly approached her and I could see her emotions tensing up, her pupils shaking, her body shivering, and her lips moving with fury.

"Monster." I stopped at her word and sent her broken body pillaring into the ceiling with an icicle that stabbed through her stomach. I looked up at her and watched as the life in her eyes faded with resentment.

I lost my cool. I shouldn't have done that.

"My, my, little Zara, you sure made a mess of my dining room. How am I supposed to explain this to their parents? They'll be terribly heartbroken." I could hear the queen mockingly smiling without turning around. Right, this woman is dangerous. I can't let her know Cera changed the contract and I have to protect her like I did earlier so she doesn't get suspicious.

I turned around and walked on the incoming blood puddle coming from the rest of the girls, grabbed one of the remaining chairs, and dragged it back to where I was sitting earlier.

"Sorry about that. The cookies and mini cakes looked delicious. I wanted to take some home too." I smiled and sat while crossing my arms and removing the ice wall I placed in front of her.

"Stark, prepare a few boxes of cookies and cakes for little Zara to take home." The queen suddenly spoke out loud and a smoky fire next to her started to take the shape of a man with a golden blue knight uniform.

"At your will." I was blinking at his slowly forming body. That is an extremely powerful person. I didn't sense him, and I still can't sense his presence. Our eyes met and I squinted at his inspecting eyes. I don't think he likes me…

"Here, little Zara. Here's the money promised from our agreement and your marriage documents with my personal signature and seal of the kingdom." Celest smiled warmly and handed me two rolled up documents. My heart started beating faster at the thought that even though we haven't and won't get formally married for at least another eight years, we are now considered married and a family of two.

"Thank you very much, your highness!" I couldn't hold my excitement and stood up while bowing deeply at her. Her warm tone made her seem like a reliable big sister that I almost forgot she was the cunning queen of the kingdom.

"Just holding the end of my contract. Also, I told you to call me Celest." She reprimanded in her gentle tone and was unable hide her greedy, calculative eyes from me.

I sat back down, created a small ice box and placed the documents inside.

"Are you sure it was okay to kill all of these girls?" I asked her, placing the box on my lap and resting my hands on it.

"If they got along with their siblings, some of them might go bother you. Their parents don't care though. As you know, every family has their own share of problems. Some of their siblings might even thank you for getting rid of another rival." The queen stood up and wiped some blood off my face with one of her handkerchiefs before leaving.

"I'll introduce you to my daughter next time you come and tell little Cera I said hello." She smiled and left through one of the backdoors of the room.

I squeezed the box on my chest and looked around the room. This was much more violent than last time. I didn't mean to kill that brunette girl. Would have been nice to spar with her from time to time but I ended up losing myself in my emotions. I got angry and feel no sympathy for killing all these girls. Is this because of the demon or is it the thought that if they showed this type of hostility toward Cera, I would kill them without batting an eye?

I stood up and walked across the puddle of blood. The smell of metal in the room felt as normal as the air outside. I walked out of the room and walked down the hallway I came from.

The guard from earlier was waiting for me with a blue bag in hand near the entrance of the palace.

"These are the pastries you requested, Lady Zara." He looked at me and politely handed me the bag. He looks at me the same way Chloe looks at me. Is this a personal guard type of duty?

"Thanks." I let him open the door and walked across the garden. When I reached the gate, I turned around to see a trail of bloody footsteps. Seeing that even the two butlers from earlier didn't say anything, this type of thing must've happened before.

"My lady!" Noire came rushing out of the carriage and patted my shoulders and arms with worry.

"It's not my blood." She looked at me with an even more nervous expression.

"It's fine, let's go home. I miss Cera." I brushed her off and walked into the carriage.

The ride back felt much faster than the ride to the palace. I don't feel guilty for killing those girls and it's stifling my thoughts. Shouldn't I at least care? I know this world is a dog-eat-dog world. I know this hierarchical kingdom is fundamentally incorrect. They forgive killing based off rank and throw people around like they're nothing but disposable tools. Am I putting Cera in danger for following the nature of this world? Should I be more careful instead of eliminating potential threats? Celest mentioned that some of their siblings might attack me. Would they come to the house? I'll need to be more cautious. I'm still not strong enough to protect Cera. With Celest's protection, we'll be okay for a while, but it wont last forever. I want to break off the business relationship and have nothing to do with her as soon as possible.

Noire didn't say anything the whole trip back and simply helped me get out of the carriage. I handed her the bag of pastries and walked along the front yard and into the house.

I saw her sitting on the living room couch reading and a stack of books on the coffee table. She turned her head and inspected my bloodied dress and shoes with her eyes. I walked toward her and threw myself into her busy arms, leaving the ice box next to her.

"I missed you." I let myself be comforted by her warmth.

She carefully combed my disheveled hair with her fingers and kissed the top of my head.

"I told you not to cause any trouble." Her soft, caring voice soothed me.

"Sorry." I hugged her a bit tighter and closed my eyes.

"I brought you some cookies and cakes. I didn't get to try them either, but they looked delicious. Some crazy girl attacked me before I could even try any of the pastries." She moved me up on the couch, laid my legs out and kept holding my head by her chest.

"Do you remember her name?" Her question made me realize that they never introduced themselves to me.

"I didn't. I killed all of them before they could introduce themselves because they were all picking a fight with me from the moment I sat down." I could feel Cera gently running her fingers down face.

"Next time, make sure to ask for their names." She kept combing my hair and eventually, I fell asleep in her embrace.

***Cera's point of view***

"Noire." I called out Noire, who was waiting outside the living room and walked in with a bag in hand.

"Find out the names of all the girls who attended the tea party and family connections. Leave the list inside my desk and don't let Zara know." I continued passing my fingers through her hair.

"Yes, my lady." Noire left the room after putting the bag on the coffee table.