Who is Alaric?

"Alaric."

Abel narrowed his eyes and glanced down at Aries. The smile he had previously disappeared without a trace. Alaric? Did she mistake him for a person named Alaric while being too snugly? Hah... not that he was particularly angry or sad about it.

In fact, Abel had long forgotten what happiness, sadness, guilt, anger, and those emotions felt like. He couldn't even recall the last time he felt those types of emotions. But... one thing was for sure. Being mistaken by someone else was unpleasant.

"I'm not Alaric," he said coldly, letting out a shallow breath as he carefully snaked his arms around her waist. "Abel. That is the name you lived for, remember? Darling?"

Without a second hesitation, Abel sat her up and slightly made her brows furrow. The abrupt movement made her crack her eyes open and hum. She felt dizzy as the movements continued because Abel cradled her in his arms and carried her out of the bed.

Abel then sauntered towards the window and opened it, ignoring the slight movements she was making.

"Hmm?" Aries tried to open her eyes, clutching his shoulder on instinct. What was going on? She wondered before she felt the night breeze caress her face.

"Darling, you should wake up before I throw you out of the window." His distant voice hummed in her ear, confusing her to hear Abel's voice when he shouldn't be in the empire. "Who is Alaric?"

Aries's already knitted brows wrinkled even more as she forced her eyes to open. When her vision grew clearer after a few blinks, her eyes dilated seeing Abel's poker face. She looked behind, gazing down on instinct, only to see the overwhelming height from the window to the ground.

That very second, it was as if someone slapped her awake as she instantly got a hold of her consciousness.

"Your Majesty!" she clutched his sleeve and looked back at him, wide-eyed. What does he want this time? Yesterday, he wanted to kill her with a sword and now, he was throwing her out of the window?! No. That wasn't important, nor it was surprising. What was Abel doing in her room?!

"I will only repeat my question once. Who is Alaric?" her entire body stiffened at his sudden query. His eyes were glinting menacingly, and she knew right there and then he wasn't joking. He would throw her out of this window if her answer wasn't satisfactory.

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish, staring into his unaffectionate eyes. She wanted to answer, but she couldn't find her voice to speak. How could she? On top of her fever, she was confused, shocked, and terrified at the nightmare she woke up to. Had he gone mad?! No — he was already crazy.

"Very well. It was fun. Goodbye." Just as Abel was about to let her go, Aries's grip tightened as she hollered.

"My sister!" she panted, holding on to him as if she was holding on to dear life. "A — Alaric... is my sister. My younger sister!"

Abel quirked a brow. "Sister?"

"Yes!" she nodded profusely, hoping he would believe her.

"Hmm... do I look like your younger sister?"

"Huh?"

"You called me Alaric, embraced me, thinking I was that person and said you miss me. Darling, can't you make up a better lie than that?" Abel cocked his head to the side, blinking blankly, unmoved by the fear dominating her face. "I hate liars."

"But I'm not lying!" she yelled through her gritted teeth. Aries didn't know where she got the courage to raise her voice, but she didn't care. Was it because she wasn't feeling well? Or just her desperation to live? Either way, she held onto him while staring into his eyes without faltering.

"You can check if you look into the fallen royal family of the ruined Rikhill," she added in the same urgent tone. "Your —" Aries bit her tongue as he narrowed his eyes, so she corrected. "Abel, please... kill me if you didn't see Alaric's name in my family records."

Abel hummed, pondering about her words before his lips parted. "Who do you like better? Alaric or me? Don't lie."

His tricky question caused her brain to stop momentarily. How was she supposed to answer that? The answer was obvious. But even though she wanted to lie, she couldn't! If she answered honestly, he would throw her out of this window. It was the same if she lied.

Aries finally looked down, breaking her eye contact with him. "Abel... why are you doing this to me? Alaric is dead, she was hanged right in front of me. And I'm... I'm trying my best to like you... but why do you have to make it so hard?" — she was dead, either way.

But, if this was the last time she could speak, she wanted to be honest with him. It may not move him, but at least she could express herself for the last time.

She looked up, loosening her grip on his shoulder as she had enough of him. She had enough of this damn, cruel world that kept punishing her for the crime she didn't know what.

"Alaric was young and full of dreams, but her life was cut short cruelly." Aries took a deep breath, surprised at herself that she felt rather at peace as she slowly acknowledge death. She only lived two more years than her family, and now she would reunite with them.

The side of her lips curled up mockingly. "A word of advice. The next time you take in a pet, make sure they were just as mad as you. So they won't have any attachment to their family." As soon as those words left her lips, Aries pushed him and jumped out of the window.

It was over, she thought. It was a tiring two years, and it was such a shame that after all that struggle, she gave up trying. While free-falling, a subtle smile appeared on her lips. She caught Abel looking out of the window with no change of expression, but that didn't matter as she closed her eyes.

Meanwhile, Abel frowned while watching her figure fall down. "Well, how sad she just lived this long." He shrugged and turned around to walk away. But just as he took three steps, he halted and let out a deep breath.

"What a piece of work," came out a mutter as he sauntered back to the window, planting his palm on the windowsill and hopping out without a second hesitation. "You should've lied just like what everybody does."