The Fake Queen Bee

"Does he love me? Does he love me that much? Who? I... What?" Ru's voice, a confused murmur, echoed through the room, a stark contrast to the chaotic whirlwind of emotions churning within him. His cheeks flushed a vibrant crimson, a telltale sign of his burgeoning joy, a joy so misplaced it bordered on delirium. He clutched a pillow to his chest, burying his face in its softness, and rolled around on the bed, a series of giddy, almost childlike giggles escaping his lips.

Meanwhile, in the shadowed corner of the room, two figures observed Ru's erratic behavior. Amunet's posture was rigid, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her expression a mask of barely concealed irritation. Claude, on the other hand, shifted nervously, his apprehension deepening with each passing moment.

"What's wrong with Lirui?" Claude asked, his voice laced with worry. "How did it get this bad? Did you give him something?" He gestured towards Ru, who was now kicking his feet in the air, a wide, almost manic grin plastered on his face.

"It's nothing! Just his stupidity," Amunet snapped, her voice sharp and dismissive. She turned away, her gaze fixed on the wall, as if trying to distance herself from the unsettling scene.

"What did he do?" Claude pressed, his eyes darting between Amunet and Ru. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

"He trusted Heise and asked for his help," Amunet scoffed. She turned back to Claude, her eyes narrowed. "Foolish."

"For what? And what did Heise do to him? And who is Heise?" Claude asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Ru's laughter, now tinged with a strange, almost unsettling joy, filled the silence.

"You should know Heise better than anyone else, actually," Amunet muttered, her cheeks puffing out in exasperated boredom.

"But I don't know him. In fact, this is the first time I've even heard his name," Claude said, his voice laced with genuine confusion.

"So you forgot your immortal love," Amunet said, her tone deceptively casual as if discussing the weather.

Claude's eyes widened. "I don't understand anything you're saying," he stammered, adjusting his glasses nervously.

"Because of your choices, of course," Amunet retorted, her tone laced with a hint of accusation.

"I only care about Lirui," Claude said, his rainbow eyes with a quiet intensity.

"Everyone's only concern is Lirui. Not just mine," Amunet said with a strange bitterness.

"I don't understand," Claude repeated, his confusion deepening.

"He is a queen bee, but male," Amunet explained, her tone laced with a hint of dark amusement.

"You're very revealing, really," Claude said dryly, a flicker of sarcasm in his eyes.

"So Ru is the invader in the hive. He's the fake queen bee. He's mesmerizing you all," Amunet continued, her eyes gleaming with a strange intensity.

"Okay, he's guilty of petty theft, but I still don't think he can do magic," Claude said. The lines of caution had been added to his face, which was always smooth with innocence.

"I'm the one who understands magic, not you," Amunet said with a hint of superiority.

"Maybe I knew spells too, but I forgot," Claude said, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.

"I hope you remember it in the game. Otherwise, it's hard for the other players. Or Ru's hard. The pheromone he unknowingly emits could be his downfall," Amunet said.

"Was I too strong?" Claude asked with anxiety.

"The strongest," Amunet said without hesitation. "At least in my opinion," she added, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Claude. "Frankly, the only person I have to fear is you."

"You've managed to scare me of myself," Claude said in a half-joking tone.

Amunet did not answer. Instead, she turned back to the window, her gaze fixed on the vast, tranquil valley that stretched beyond the manor's manicured gardens. The setting sun cast long, golden shadows across the landscape, painting the rolling hills in hues of amber and rose. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the ancient trees, whispering secrets that only the wind could understand. Amunet's face remained impassive, but something akin to longing flickered in her eyes as she gazed at the endless expanse, a silent contemplation of the past, present, and uncertain future.

"I hope Heise didn't harm Lirui," Claude said, smiling wryly. "He seems... oddly happy."

"Nonsense," Amunet huffed, moving away from the window and pacing the room.

"Why are you angry?" Claude asked, gently pulling the blanket over Ru, who was still writhing on the bed like a child lost in delirium.

"Because our young lord has requested special protection," Amunet said gloomily, her pacing growing more restless.

"Is your young lord Lirui?" Claude asked, adjusting his glasses.

"Unfortunately, yes," Amunet said, stopping in front of the bookshelf. She grabbed a random book and began flipping through its pages. "He's forged an undying bond with Lady Moni."

"Lady Moni? Who's that?" Claude asked, taking off his glasses and blinking in confusion.

Amunet said, "The twin sister of Lord Dekaris Zharqasti," with a sly smile playing on her lips as she turned back to the bookshelf.

"Don't fall, Lirui..." Claude caught Ru as he was about to fall and put him in the middle of the bed.

"She'll be the bride in The House," Amunet smiled.

Claude muttered, "Will it be Lirui and Moni's interdimensional wedding?"

"Yes. They've established an unbreakable bond of blood," Amunet said with delight. When she turned eagerly to see Claude's disappointment, she couldn't find him out of place. He was faced with the moment when the door closed silently.

"Hooray for unhappy lovers," she said mockingly, and then she was trying to refocus on the book.

A sudden, loud 'thud' startled her. When she looked at where the voice was coming from, she saw an empty bed and a Ru lying on the floor.

"Idiot," Amunet growled under her breath.

"It's you," came a soft meow.

Amunet glanced at the gap in the bathroom door and was irritated. "I'll chase you away, cat; be quiet."

Kaero, the ginger cat, hopped onto Ru's head and sat, yawning lazily.

"What are you trying to do?" Amunet asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I sit," Kaero meowed, eyes half-closed.

"Be careful, don't take his breath away," Amunet warned, her voice laced with amusement as she watched the cat perched precariously on Ru's face.

Kaero busied himself licking his paw.

"That would be wonderful," Amunet mused darkly, then returned to the book.

In his dream, Ru was drowning in a lake surrounded by red roses; the water pulled him down.

"But I can't let you choke him. Not yet," Amunet muttered, snapping her fingers.

The coat rack's shadow materialized, reaching out to seize Kaero by the nape of his neck. The shadow carried him to the door and tossed him out.

Ru suddenly woke up while struggling in the water. He found himself in the room. As he tried to relax by taking quick breaths, his body felt heavy, and he realized he was lying on the floor instead of the bed.

"Good morning," Amunet said indifferently, turning the pages.

Ru blinked, feeling around to check if he was still in his dream. His pajamas were dry, and he was in the room, but he didn't know why he was on the floor. "I..."

"What's up?" Amunet asked without looking up.

"Why am I here?" Ru asked, his voice tinged with sadness.

"Ask yourself," Amunet said with a shrug.

"Oh, well then," Ru sighed. His limbs were tingling. He tensed and tried to stretch his body. He sat up with difficulty and sat on the bed. Once there, he caught his breath, his gaze locking onto Amunet's cold expression. "What happened to me?"

"You can ask Heise about what happened to you," Amunet said, turning the pages of the book.

“I think I remember,” Ru began, but Amunet interrupted.

"I took your blood and gave it to Lord Dekaris."

"What? By what right!" Ru shouted, rising suddenly from the bed. For doing so, he got dizzy.

"Sit down, or you'll fall," Amunet growled.

Ru tried to do otherwise, but exhaustion overcame him, and he collapsed onto the bed.

"I hate you all," he said, his tone mixed with angry and upset.

"I'm glad you share the same feeling with me," Amunet murmured, her eyes finally lifted from the pages. "By the way, your contract is on your desk. I expect you to sign it as soon as possible."

“I don’t want to play that stupid game of yours anymore,” Ru said, his voice trembling.

Amunet said, "I don't care," before closing the book.

"What have you guys done to me?" Ru asked. Then he added with a high-pitched voice, "I'm no different than a stupid fairy tale princess. "

"Then don't act like a stupid princess," Amunet said with a bored tone.

"You've been very helpful," Ru said sarcastically. Then she straightened up and gestured toward the door. "You may leave."

Amunet sighed, stating, "I am so eager to go." She stood and strode over to him, gripping his chin between her fingers and forcing him to look into her eyes. "Sign the contract and get rid of me."