[Oracle of Past] [3] [Inës]
"...That was a coincidence, right?"
"...Yeah, no way the son of Lady Esmeray can be 'him.'"
"...But their age—"
"Shhh! He might hear us."
"...Yeah, right."
'I CAN hear you, you fucking idiots.'
I grumbled in my thoughts as I heard the hushed murmurs and conversations of the people at the party.
It's 2 a.m., more than two hours since the princess cut her birthday cake, but the conversation about me is still going on.
'...It's all Adaliah's fault. Why the fuck did she have to stop the car in the middle of nowhere?'
I mused in my thoughts as I stood up from my seat, glancing around the place before making my way towards the wine section.
Most of the people I moved past were only talking about two people: the [Exiled Prince] or Ragnar.
'Ragnar, the child of God.'
[...You know him?]
'...I do.'
He is someone with the highest lineage, bloodline, and talent.
One of the only eight 'Child of Mana' to ever be born in this world.
The one who was 'supposed' to be blessed by the three Gods, but... he rejected them.
And if I had to compare, then all three [protagonists] of the games combined can't match his raw talent.
Heck, even my mother respected him.
[...How do you know so much about him?]
'...Well, because he is the [Protagonist] of the prequel game.'
And he is also one of the reasons the prequel game was made, along with my mother...
He had everything one could ask for...
Fucking monster...
[...That doesn't sound right, coming from your mouth.]
What!?
I am a normal person compared to him... and I am not even being humble here.
[...Right.]
'Anyway, where did the princess go?' I grumbled, looking around.
Inës, unlike any normal princess, had run away from the party and was hiding somewhere...
[...Do you really have to kill her?]
"..."
El... You do know what she can do with her powers, right?
[...Right now all she can do is glimpse into someone's past.]
I'm talking about her peak, what she can do then?
[.... Altering past.]
'Exactly... She is too dangerous to be left alive.'
I replied, ignoring the unknown emotions that were burning in my chest.
[....It's not flawless, Az. She can only—]
'Doesn't matter.... Histeria is already a pain. I can't let Principalities have that power.'
I took a seat on the chair beside the wine counter as I replied.
[... manipulating anything related to time, fate, and destiny comes with unimaginable consequences, Az.]
"One fruit wine," I ordered, looking at the bartender.
[Azar—]
'Why are you fixated on saving her anyway?'
[Because she is like you... She never had a choice in what power she could have and the consequences she had to face.]
"...."
She is nothing like me....
From all the things that I have read about her, she is nothing like me....
She has everything that I always wanted...
A loving mother...
A normal childhood...
A sibling that doesn't hate her....
She has it all...
"Hey there, brat!" I shifted my focus as someone slapped my back, making me wince.
"...Uncle Paul," I grumbled, rubbing my back as I looked at his handsome face that didn't match his age.
"...How have you been?" With a smile, he asked.
"...Alive," I replied, taking a sip of the wine.
...Bland as ever.
"...How is Oliver doing?" he asked, taking a seat beside me.
"...Great, he misses you a lot."
"Is that so?" With a smile, he asked, "What does he say?"
"...'When will my rotten old man return after buying the milk?'" I replied with a grin as his smile started to fade away.
"...That brat." He grumbled, clenching his fist, "...Looks like he needs some beating."
"He deserves it, Uncle," I replied, nodding my head. "...Make sure to beat Aimar as well. He just goes around acting like a puppy for a girl."
"...They both deserve beatings." He nodded, picking up a wine glass. "...And Aimar should learn something from his father."
"...Yeah." I nodded earnestly. "...You literally bagged a rich woman from Akasha."
He looked at me with a blank expression before replying, "....She is my wife."
"...Yeah, sorry."
"....Did Oliver talk about his mother?" he asked softly.
"...He is brave, Uncle," I replied, glancing at his worried face. "...He will come out victorious when the time comes."
"...I see." He nodded softly before standing up. "...Well, I am leaving now... You want to come with me?"
"...No." Shaking my head, I replied, "...I will stay here for a while."
"...Don't drink too much," he instructed before walking away.
"...Sigh." Sighing, I stood up from my seat and walked away from the main hall, deeper inside the palace.
"Hmm?" I halted my steps as I looked back at the small crowd standing in the corner.
[...What happened?]
'...I think I saw someone familiar.'
[....Who?]
'...No, it's impossible for it to be her.'
Shaking my head, I walked past a door, entering a spacious corridor.
The gentle lighting of the chandeliers illuminated the path as I walked aimlessly within the corridor....
I could also see a few cameras here and there...
but they will go offline exactly forty-five minutes from now...
Adaliah will take care of it.
[...Where is that secretary?]
"...She will take care of the Overlord, so most probably outside."
She will handle all the hard stuff....
All I need to do is kill the princess and run away from here...
As I looked around the place, arriving at a turning point, I grumbled, "....But then again, where is the princes—"
"BOO!!"
"....."
And I immediately got an answer as soon as I took a turn.
A girl with a mix of light blue and green hair shouted at me in a miserable attempt to scare me.
"Hey! Don't ignore me!" she exclaimed as I walked past her.
"...I don't know you," I replied, continuing to walk.
"...What!? You're at my birthday party!" Hopping, she arrived close to me.
"...It's the first time I'm talking to you, Princess," I said, halting my steps and looking at her.
She blinked her beautiful green eyes before replying, "....So?"
"...Nothing, just stop bugging me," I grumbled before continuing to walk.
I don't want to have any kind of talk with her, not when I am going to be the one to kill her...
"Hey!" Lifting her gown slightly, she dashed towards me. "...Na-duke."
"....Just say hier of Duke like a normal person."
"Na-duke."
Ahh, this fucking cultures.....
"What?"
"...It's my birthday today. Why are you being so rude?"
"...Why don't you go to your parents?" I asked, glaring at her.
If she only stayed around her family, she might have a higher chance of living...
"....They left an hour ago," she grumbled softly, making me slow down my steps.
"...Why?"
"....Someone unexpected arrived, and they urgently needed to talk with Father," she replied as she walked beside me.
"...I see."
So, she was deliberately separated from her family, huh?
But....
It's not that surprising anyway, as most of the upper echelons of the kingdom work with the Principalities.
"Hey, something is on your cheek," she fussed as she reached out to touch my cheek.
[Azariah, back off.]
"Huh?" She let out a startled voice as I backed away from her.
'What happened, El?'
[...Don't let her touch you. She might glimpse at your past.]
"Let me remove it," she complained, attempting to touch my cheek again.
"No, thank you," I denied, backing off again.
"Let me, please?" she pleaded, looking at me.
"No."
"...What type of stone-hearted person are you?" Taking a step closer, she grumbled, glaring at me.
"...I don't have time for you, brat," I replied as I continued to walk.
"Brat!? We are of the same age!"
"But you are still a brat."
"T-then y-you are...Mama's boy." But my steps halted as I heard her soft voice.
"...What did you say?" I asked calmly, turning to face her.
"Mama's boy!"
And to irritate me further, she said it again.
"...If you ever say that again, I will—."
"Mama's boy."
She interrupted, lifting her gown slightly, smiling at me before she ran away....
"Sigh..."
Sighing, I massaged my temples....
[She is a cute child, don't kill her.]
Eww....
Don't say such disturbing things, creep...
[Wait, that's not wha—]
Creep...
[.....]
"Hmm?"
But as soon as I turned around, a figure stood alone in front of me...
With short black hair combed neatly, he wore a pristine white suit....
....His obsidian black eyes looked at me coldly.