16 Purple Rose

It was already two in the morning when Ivar went out of Gwen's room. He made sure that she was asleep before he silently went out.

Ivar was smiling like a fool the moment he stepped out of her room in silence. He missed her so much after not seeing her for 18 years!

Finally seeing her like this rather than talking with her through social media, made their meeting now seem special. He also realized that he owed it to social media that they talk since before, they couldn't even get a hold of each other.

"Where were you when I needed you?"

"Aiya!"

Ivar jumped feeling surprised when he heard a familiar voice. He shot his best friend slash master a glare that if looks could kill, their master might've been dead already.

"Don't surprise me like that," he said then he looked over at Devin's shoulder. "Gwen's mother is just across Gwen's room. She might get suspicious," he added and the Soul Eater raised a brow at him.

"Aren't you going to tell her that you're dating her daughter?"

Ivar sighed. "I talked to Gwen about it... she isn't comfortable telling it to her yet..."

It was difficult for Ivar and Gwen to open up their relationship to Gwen's parents. Ivar's parents, too. Ivar is a few ranks higher than Gwen's and in their realm, they found ranks important when it comes to finding suitable partners.

But to the both of them, they loved each other to this extent, that it didn't even matter.

"Come to my room."

Devin completely ignored the conversation and walked towards his room. His personal servant rolled his eyes at him but still followed.

"Come on... aren't you going to listen to your best friend?"

Devin opened the door to his room then the two entered.

'He's really ignoring me... this stupid Devin,' Ivar thought as he closed the door behind them.

The soul eater's room was big and very dark. The king sized bed was in the middle and the windows were completely covered by his black curtains. He had three couches in the room, with an expensive marble coffee table in the middle of the room.

"So, what is it," his servant asked then Devin waved his hand on the coffee table to reveal something.

It was a purple rose, well protected by a glass. It looked like the replica of a rose from the fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast.

"Look at it," Devin ordered his personal servant and Ivar did as he was told. The moment his eyes looked closely on the rose, his eyes widened.

"This..."

Inside the glass, a few of its petals already fell and there were a few thorns around the glass. To them, it looked different from the last time they checked it.

Since they came here in the human world, they have been looking at the purple rose from time to time. It was hinted by Devin's mother that the purple rose is the symbolism of Devin's curse.

They noticed that once the rose started to look as if it is withering, it would mean that their master's life is in danger. Seeing the change in the rose the moment they came home, means that it meant something...

But what?

"Last time I looked at it, the glass was surrounded with thorns. When I woke up after resting, I saw that the thorns were reduced," Devin said and Ivar looked at him.

"What does that mean? When did you last check the rose," his personal servant asked then Devin sat down on the couch as he looked at the glass in front of him.

"Yesterday night... before we came here," he answered and Ivar furrowed his brows.

"The glass was completely covered with thorns and the rose was not even visible. Why would the thorns be gone now," he mumbled to himself but it was enough for Devin to hear.

"I think it has something to do with the girl," Devin commented and Ivar sat on the couch opposite the Soul Eater.

"I have that speculation, too. I mean... you were okay when you entered but when you were beside her, suddenly..."

He didn't finish what he said but Devin already understood what he meant. He stood up then walked to the window then drew his curtains, making the moonlight enter his room.

"She must've done something."

Ivar looked at his master from afar.

"You mean your mother, Heraleen, our next in line to the Almighty, did some twist on the curse?"

Devin looked at his best friend again the moment he said his mother's name.

"Who else? She was the only one who put the curse on me. No one knew how to put a stop to this curse," the Soul Eater answered and Ivar gave a deep sigh.

"Why can't you just ask your mother to undo the curse?"

Devin glared at his personal servant then gave him a sneer.

"Are you stupid? You think my mother would do that so simply? She gave this to me as a punishment!"

Ivar shrugged his shoulders, finding his moodiness unreasonable when they were too desperate to look for answers on how to control or even stop the curse.

"What do you suggest we do? The only clue she gave you was that the answer to stop the curse is in the human world. We've been out for more than a hundred of years! We could be this world's history teacher!"

Devin rolled his eyes at him. "Let's head out again then."

Ivar scoffed, finding his suggestion unreasonable then he stood up and walked to his master's side.

"You're not getting this, do you? We've been out for 18 years. We came home now, and something unexpected happened even though you tried to satisfy your hunger with human blood."

Devin kept quiet as he turned his back to face Ivar.

"We don't have to go away from this house. I think the curse has something to do with that human girl you saved."

The moment Ivar said this, Devin looked at him, not saying a word.

He realized that, too. He reacted differently in her presence but deep down, he somehow wished that Angeal shouldn't be involved in his curse.

Devin wished and felt deeply that the innocent human girl shouldn't be involved with the curse.

"What if that happens again?"

Ivar looked at his master, who seemed to be unsure of what's happening. Knowing Devin for so long since their childhood, he knew that deep down, Devin also has a vulnerable side that he rarely shows.

The Soul Eater's personal servant gave him a smile as he punched Devin's left shoulder slightly.

"You got us here for a reason. Trust us," Ivar said and Devin looked at him, not knowing what to say.

Ever since Devin was young, he always had Ivar by his side. He was his only friend... he was the only person who completely understood him.

Now that he followed him on Earth as he was being punished by his mother, he was thankful that Ivar unconditionally followed him, without having any single complaint.

"Now rest. We have some fixing up to do and other stuffs to handle," Ivar said, distracting Devin from his thoughts. He then bowed to his master before he left him alone in the room.

The moment Devin was left alone inside the room, he sighed, then he sat down on the bed, in a daze.

Devin held his chest with his right hand then closed his eyes. He recalled the incident he had with Angeal a while ago. For a moment before he almost lost control, he felt different.

He felt lighter, as if a lot of his burdens were lifted... when his eyes met hers.