Chapter Twenty-Two: Valerie's Freewill

They all looked at him and Apollo nodded. "Well said brother, so you must settle your differences—" then he looked at Lukas and smiled. "You as well, Lukas."

Lukas glares and gives a cold shoulder. "I don't need that, I am not a God, I can do whatever I want."

Apollo shook his head and breathed out. "You know that isn't what I mean, you and Max are like monsters on the loose, even the academy is tired of your old damn thing, you need to settle your differences now."

"Talk to that damn hot blooded beast, he started that fight, shouldn't he underestimate me, we won't argue and fight every single day," said Lukas. 

It seems he can't argue with this man's way of thinking. Stubborn and hard to convince, Caleb thought and looked at Apollo's trouble gaze. Lukas of the Abalina Royal Family is a young genius who's generations were from the lowest. 

Unlike the Royal Family of Thiliria who believe that a single wife is more significant than a mistress in bed. It's against their saying that a king shouldn't take another mistress unless the wife is alive. One woman is enough for them, mistresses will only tarnish the great God of War's pride. 

In Lukas' family, they believe in a multiple wife in a bed with one king. This gives a light to royal mistress cups, or something that separates the original from the mistress. Although it has boundaries, the husband—a king must see his mistresses and bring forth many children. 

Those childs will become prince and princess. Lukas was a lower prince from the 10th children of the mistresses, and that Lukas was a fruit of adultery between woman and man which is one thing not allowed in that place. 

The difference between woman and man is highly racist, because the moment the king picks up a law, all favors will only bring benefits in a man's perspective, a woman has no rights to talk. 

If a man can marry a multiple woman, a woman can't do that and marry a multiple man. That's a passed down law of their adultery act, which is why Lukas was a fruit of his mother's adultery.

His a bastard son, one that tarnishes the name of the Abalina Royal Family. 

He had a lot going on since growing up in an unhealthy environment. During his days as the lowest prince, he we're being bullied by his cousins. He has seen cruelty inside his home, his mother was brutally beaten up by his abnormal step-father and his grandfather would make his life more miserable.

A fruit like him was a small insect in the royal palace, he had nothing but his tarnished origin. His mother did everything to get him out of that kingdom but was only killed because she was framed for conspiracy against the king. 

Had it not been for their stupidity of a kingdom, they wouldn't suffer from his wrath. Once the hope of his life dies, even that fruit will be bound to rot and lose its shape. 

He had awakened his Aria and was at the point of murdering the entire Abalina Royal Family. If Ares didn't stop him, he would literally murder that whole family to the ground. 

Ares took him away—because before his mother died, he prayed to a wrong God, the God of War of all God's. Although it was an accident and her prayers went to a wrong God, he accepted it and raised the child as per the mother's wish. 

Lukas chooses to become his disciple to train hard and become a strong Aisha. Ares then gives him a chance to enter a school, we're that school was a place Aisha or demigods go. 

"Although Lukas has his different views, I think that he knows well his faults, he's been with us and would often fight with Valerie as well but I can guarantee that he can let go of his personal problems when a bigger one approaches," said Caleb. 

This made Apollo rather puzzled but seeing the young Mortal's fate on this kid, it made Apollo accept it and he nodded to relay that message. He admits that Lukas can take things seriously if things are serious, he won't risk his personal feelings for a matter that needs to be settled.

"I have no objections if that's your insight," said Apollo then he paused and then thought. "Why not let Valerie stay in Lukas' dorm in the academy so she will have him when things go wrong?"

Ares looks at him. "Lady Camille suggested that also, but I am worried he would refuse."

They look at Lukas and watch as he reacts. However, his eyes were looking at Valerie who was silent the whole conversation. She seemed to fit the attire of a noble woman, it brought her beauty out. 

Her usual military attire was something she wasn't aware about but it doesn't show her beauty at all but her coolness and calmness outshines her beauty when using military uniform. However, using different clothes—it definitely brought something out. 

Even her complexion and her facial expression had changed.

"Lukas?"

He then heard his name and made him look at Apollo as he noticed everyone was looking at him except Valerie. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"We are asking for your permission, if it's okay for you if we can arrange that Valerie can stay in your dorm in the academy? We can't be sure about anything there yet," said Ares. 

His eyes widened. "It's fine but my dorm is a ranking dorm, you can't just arrange it—the headmistress has a strict law about the ranks."

Apollo and Ares look down. "Surely, she's the headmistress after all."

"Why not once she gets in as a student, arrange a mock battle to steal a rankers title so that she could stay with Lukas?" Camille suggested but her eyes shifted on Valerie. "Although he agrees, what about Valerie? Is she comfortable with it? You aren't even asking for her opinion."

True, Valerie was silently listening but not saying anything. She's very observant and doesn't mind people or God who think or decide on her behalf. It supposed to be her decision but look at this old man, no she thought God's, deciding for her sake. 

It's just like they are controlling her own decision. Caleb must have noticed that too but couldn't say anything.

"Is that so?" They asked and looked at Valerie next. "What do you think Valerie?"

Caleb stood up. "Valerie has always been independent in our army, she's not a person who wants her decision to be taken care of, even if she did take orders seriously, she still has a say about it."

It's unlikely Valerie will stay silent as well. She's no wonder the bravest soldier in Caleb's army, and she's a person who does something specifically and answers to the best of her ability.

Being controlled? Yes, it's most likely but she wouldn't do it if being controlled can take away her decision as an individual. Her perspective is different here and there, he wonders why she's been quiet all this time. 

Valarie opens her eyes and looks at them. "If it's an order, I will gladly obey it, if it's a mission, I will gladly accept it. No matter how harsh, did I not complain, my say? There's nothing much to say, after all what can a tool say at this moment?"

In that time, they were certainly given goosebumps, what she said to them was one that strikes them in the back. It's a word that has meaning and it does make sense. 

She's always branded herself a tool, because she either gets ordered by or given a mission as one. It's the harsh reality, it must be one thing they forgot. Valerie is either a demigod, and a puppet. 

No one can understand her way of views. It's not something normal for young generations to say, it's like—Apollo looked at his brother. "It's like you?" he said uncertainty. 

"Valerie, listen if you don't want it, we can stop. So just tell us what you want, okay?"

Ares must not be aware much of her past, she had suffer a child abuse and was brutally being guarded as a tool. They made her repeat the same word "I am a puppet" so she will think less of her value.

Even if he asks her what she wants, she doesn't yet know how her life has any value, it will be a useless approach. 

"Ares," Caleb mumbled to take his attention away from Valerie. "I haven't told you this but her mental state had been affected after her long years being part of that facility, the way she sees herself as a 'puppet' is one of those things that had kept her away from recovering. It's best to use the step by step approach, she will never open up if we continue like this."

Of course she knew. Yet, her options were free, it was hard for Valerie to recover, it's still stuck with her the thoughts of being a tool. It's not something that can heal in a few years, it's not something that she can be forgotten as easily as they thought.

Her mental problem? May have been resolved but her perspective self is not. She will always think less of her value as much as others are. 

She can't argue with that and if it's a decision made by her father, she doesn't have anything but to accept it. Maybe as time passes, she'll become more expressive than her usual cold gaze. 

"Let's settle for today then, why not go help Lyrica already?"

She nodded and stood up. "I will excuse myself then."

"Let Lukas help as well!"