ORDINARY VISAGE - 22

Am I the Goddess of the North in question, Ruel?

Ruel frowned. He said sure again. "Northern Goddess? There is no Northern Goddess in Orpheus."

I doubted hearing Ruel's narrative. "Then all this time, what did you get as a spy?"

"My powers are limited outside the Red Territory, Your Majesty. I can only transform into a human at night outside of this place," said Ruel. I wonder what shapeshifting has to do with being a good spy, when both cats and humans have ears. "Most likely, my strength is blocked by Samu's."

I massaged my chin gently. I can pretty much trust his words, at least for now. I still have a mission to meet Kaltain just to smack his head, because I was just abandoned. "Then we have to get more power to be able to fight against Samu's power, right?"

Ruel nodded. "Only Venerable Mauve's pure strength can rival Samu's."

"I don't have any power, Ruel. That's why I'm confused as to why you call me Your Highness."

"His Majesty's power is sealed in Prayer Mountain. Only King Samu has the key," Ruel said which made me a bit surprised. "All along he's been waiting to awaken His Majesty's power for himself. He wants to rule the Orpheus World."

I pensive. This feels annoying. I have to think more than before. How could everything be complicated like this when all I want to live is relaxing with a smartphone that Shiloh pawned. I remember that King Samu didn't allow everyone who took part in the power-raising not to go outside first because he thought that it seemed that the power of the Northern Goddess did not enter his body, but mine. I had an assumption that King Samu couldn't read my aura or maybe he even knew that I was the Goddess of the North or the Goddess of the Phoenix. Let's just say so.

"Apparently, I pocketed quite a bit of that power, Ruel."

Ruel nodded. "I expected it to be so, Your Majesty. We must get the key and head to the Prayer Mountain."

I agreed with that, but I remembered that it was King Samu who held the key to the Prayer Mountain. "That time you reminded me of a dream, right? I seem to believe that he kept it in a red petaled flower."

Ruel was silent, he thought for a while before continuing the conversation. "Of course no one knows where the red petals are besides King Samu, Your Majesty."

"You are right. Like it or not we have to go to King Samu."

"We can't ask him that outright, Your Majesty. Instead," he interrupted, "we must steal Samu's power back to reclaim Your Majesty's pure power."

"How to?" I asked stupidly.

Ruel smiles, he doesn't answer anything, leaving me to sink into my own confusion.

—Ordinary Visage—

To be able to go through this mental and physical war, of course I have to equip myself with practice. It's been more than a month since I've trained with Kaltain, nor have I returned to the sickening Kingdom of Samu. I learned to strategize with the extraordinarily intelligent Ruel. He taught me all kinds of tricks and how to play war instruments. I suspected that maybe I was actually the one who fell into his trap, considering that he is an expert at strategizing.

"We will decide to go out tomorrow, Your Majesty." Ruel rolled up the parchment paper he had written with ink on, then put it into the bottle. "We must move quickly."

"The North Goddess' awakening is just around the corner. I want to see Kaltain," I said, "I owe him a promise to cancel the awakening."

"Your Highness doesn't need to keep that person's promise. There are important things that Your Highness must do."

"He made that pact with fire, Ruel." I speak quickly. "I could burn to death for breaking the agreement."

"Your Highness is part of the fire itself, it's impossible for Your Highness to die," he said, "after all Your Highness's life is eternal."

"Your words sound tantalizing but I choose not to believe it, Ruel."

"Your Majesty, I served you hundreds of years ago. You'd better trust me."

"Precisely because you were with me hundreds of years ago means you know my strengths and weaknesses, right?"

Ruel was stunned. He shook his head. "I absolutely do not dare to know about it, Your Majesty."

"Up to you."

There was no more conversation between us. Ruel fell silent with his gaze fixated on the stagnant lake. I leaned against the tree trunk with my arms crossed, watching Ruel who was silent as if thinking about something. I'm a little curious as long as the Phoenix Goddess who is considered her Master, how she lives. "By the way, you don't want to tell me how your life was in my absence?"

Ruel gasped. He looked down. "Of course every day is empty, Your Majesty. I have trouble sleeping and sometimes lose my will to live."

I nod at that. Sounds cliche and boring. I want another answer. "Why are you having trouble sleeping and losing your zest for life?"

"Because I missed Your Majesty."

I'm laughing. If indeed I am His Highness, then I am the most arbitrary Lord. "What if you never met me, Ruel? Would you still be like that?"

"I told Your Highness, that I only want to be with Your Highness."

"That's too expensive a request, Ruel. Even the Gods of Olympus have trouble granting it," I said, "live happily. You don't have to wait for anyone including me. You are a free spirit to determine your life goals."

Ruel shook his head. "I chose my life goal to be with His Majesty."

I'm nervous. I felt a warm feeling creeping up my chest for some reason. I've never felt this feeling before. I held my left chest, slowly the warmth turned into very hot. I endured the pain, bent over and propped up against the tree trunk while Ruel supported me frantically. I felt a sting of heat burning every vein and vein, flowing through the blood. I bit my lower lip, my whole body felt hot, until finally I pushed Ruel's body away.

"Your Highness, what—"

Ruel doesn't have time to finish his words as I lean my body closer to the lake and dip myself in the shallow area. I feel stung. Pain all over the body. My whole vision blurred, until I closed my eyes and endured the pain. Ruel came up to me, he told me to leave but I quickly brushed it off. The sound of sprinkling and the smell of burning wafted in my nose. I opened my eyes, my gaze grew sharper and more intense. I saw several trees engulfed in flames, devoured until they reached the base of their trunks. I looked down at my hands, they were kindling soft flames that slowly felt soothingly warm. I sighed.

"Your Highness, your strength has returned a bit," he said. I didn't answer. I tried to neutralize my breath, lay down on the green grass and felt my body begin to feel cold and relax.

"Looks like, I'm ready to reclaim my power, Ruel." []