49. Dream Under the Maple Tree

Xavier walked slowly towards Aliciaa's figure who was standing under the maple tree as if she was waiting for Xavier to approach her. 

With every step towards the maple tree. Xavier's confused thoughts had now disappeared. He felt happiness that he wanted to explode immediately, but at the same time Xavier also felt afraid. In his head the question kept floating around "it's not an illusion, right?" And "it's really Aliciaa and this is real, right?. 

Don't I need to look for it again?. Don't I need to take care of that letter from Axel anymore?. Am I really seeing her again now?. 

All these questions were finally answered after Xavier had achieved his goal. 

"A-Aliciaa ..." 

"Is that really you, darling?" 

Xavier asked with trembling lips. 

Aliciaa held Xavier's hand so he knew that Aliciaa was real. The figure of the woman in front of him really existed and was not an illusion that Xavier had created because of his previous confused thoughts. 

Even though he was desperate and didn't know what to do. But suddenly the figure who caused all the chaos within Xavier now appeared in front of him and held his hand. 

Xavier could feel Aliciaa's hand which he missed so much. He recognized the shape of that hand, those fingers, and the coldness they conveyed. He knew that Aliciaa was quite different. 

While other people's hands would feel warm, Aliciaa's hands actually gave off a cold feeling like morning dew in spring. 

That grip always made Xavier feel calm. Even when he was going through many problems in his life, when Aliciaa held his hand, he knew that all of those problems would definitely be resolved. He just needs calm to finish it. 

"Aliciaa ..." 

Without asking how the woman suddenly came home, or what her condition had been like, Xavier chose to ignore these questions and immediately hugged Aliciaa very tightly. 

The feeling of longing that he had suppressed for so long finally broke out and overwhelmed him. Xavier almost cried, but as a man he chose to hold back his tears. He didn't want to appear weak, even though in fact the man was quite fragile when the woman he loved left his life. 

"I miss you, Aliciaa. I'm grateful. You're still alive..." Xavier whispered. 

Meanwhile, Aliciaa was silent. She didn't say a word, maybe she also chose to ignore what was in her head like Xavier. She thought that her own tears were enough to express her feelings that she also really missed the man who was hugging her tightly. 

Slowly, Aliciaa returned Xavier's hug and cried, even though she had been trying to hold back her tears so they wouldn't spill too much. 

"I've been looking for you all this time and almost gave up. Everyone says you're... gone. I thought I would never be able to meet you again. But! I believe you are alive and now you are here. You're back, honey," said Xavier. He said it quite quietly and then kissed Aliciaa. The kiss was very soft and filled with emotion because both of their lips were shaking. 

After a long time of hugging and kissing, Xavier was filled with happiness. Somehow this feeling of happiness just came, even though previously he was very, very hopeless. He never imagined he would meet Aliciaa so soon. 

Xavier was curious, but he wanted to enjoy the moment more and spend as much time as possible with him. But when he remembered Cellia, he felt it was unfair if he enjoyed it alone. The daughter also has to meet her mommy and they have to enjoy this happy moment together. 

"Honey, you must be tired. Cellia also misses you a lot and wants to meet you, so let's go inside and--" 

Xavier's words stopped because he tried to pull Aliciaa's hand to take her inside, but Aliciaa seemed reluctant to follow him in. Aliciaa chose to remain silent in place with her face lowered. 

"Darling?. What is it?. Does your leg hurt?" Xavier said. He almost wanted to carry Aliciaa. His memory flew back to the time when they had just met. At that time he also carried Aliciaa for the first time, although for quite a ridiculous reason. 

"Stop Xavier..." Aliciaa whispered. She prevented Xavier from carrying her and slowly released her grip from Xavier's hand. 

"Aliciaa?" Xavier looked confused by Aliciaa's behavior. He even became worried when Aliciaa let go of his hand and started walking back away from him. 

"I'm sorry Xavier. I can't go back. Please forget me and please take care of Cellia. I love you ..." said Aliciaa after she was far enough away from Xavier. 

"W-what do you mean, Aliciaa?. Why can't you come back?. What keeps you from coming back? Aliciaa..." 

"Sorry. I'm sorry Xavier. I'm glad we can meet again, even for a moment... goodbye," said Aliciaa and then she just disappeared from Xavier's sight. It's possible that Aliciaa used teleportation magic to go somewhere. 

"Aliciaa?!" 

"Aliciaa!!!" 

Late. Xavier couldn't catch up to she and grabbed her. He lost the figure of his wife again. 

Click! 

Xavier opened his eyes wide and felt dazed before finally realizing that he had fallen asleep under the big maple tree. He saw his hand stretched forward as if he was trying to reach for something, but all that was in his hand was a fallen maple leaf. 

Xavier looked at a maple leaf with three branches and for some reason it made him think about his little family which consisted of himself, Aliciaa, his beloved wife, and Cellia, his little daughter whom he loved. But unfortunately, one of the branches looked torn and had holes in it because of the insects that had eaten it. 

"Aliciaa..." Xavier muttered. 

He got up and tried to look for the figure of the woman with that name around the maple tree but didn't find anything so he finally realized one more thing. 

"A-Dream?" He whispered. 

Again Xavier could only clench his hands which felt cold, but it was cold from his shivering body temperature, not from Aliciaa's hands which always made him calm and comfortable. 

Even though it was short, it was the most beautiful dream he had ever had. Since the incident of Aliciaa being kidnapped by a dragon, Xavuer has always had nightmares about Aliciaa. 

But that dream felt so real that Xavier didn't want to call it a dream. He wanted to think that the dream was real and that he had really met Aliciaa. 

But, dreams are still dreams. Only sleeping flowers are not real and are present because our subconscious creates them to realize what can never happen or be achieved in our lives ... 

*** 

With teleport magic, Doctor Vania took His Highness Yvone to the castle on the edge of the lake. Of course I also came because she wanted to hear my story about His Highness Yvone. She wanted to know the reason why His Highness Yvone was able to lose so much mana when he had already reached her mana core limit. 

If he used his core too it would be the same as committing suicide or losing the ability to use magic. But in His Highness case it was different because he had the cursed dragon's blessing 

So if he uses his core mana, he will die. For some reason, whatever His Highness Yvone does seems to always lead to death. 

"Thankfully, his condition can be recovered..." muttered doctor Vania. She sighed with relief after giving first aid to His Highness Yvone, after which she continued by doing something for him so that His Highness could truly get out of his life-threatening condition. 

While she was doing that. Instead, I sat on the sofa and remained silent in the corner of the room. While waiting for Doctor Vania to finish, I pondered while remembering the incident. When Doctor Vania and I passed through the corridor we were about to go to my room. 

I don't know why Cemille actually brought His Highness to my room. But because it was my room, and it was also guarded by a baskerville, so no one dared to enter carelessly so I wasn't too worried. 

But that wasn't what made me think, but rather the sight I saw when passing through the corridor. 

"The one who left earlier was mommy?" I muttered. I couldn't believe what I saw. It was too surprising. 

That moment was a moment that passed quickly enough that my shock remained even after my mother left. 

And finally I could only see my mommy leaving. 

Meanwhile, daddy, he looked more frustrated and could only hit the branch of the maple tree with his fist and then slumped down because he couldn't catch up with mommy. 

We lost she again. 

"But that wasn't my imagination or illusion, right?. It was really mother and I saw that she was fine. But why are you leaving again?. Where are you going?" 

Of all these questions, I was more curious about why mommy suddenly came to see daddy and then left again as if she just wanted to say goodbye to us forever. 

Then what about the black dragon that kidnapped mommy?. 

I don't understand what happened. I also couldn't connect various events into one because it felt like I still needed a lot of missing puzzle pieces. 

There are many things I still don't know in detail about this world; Great wizards, dark wizards, dragons, sacred animals, demons and so on whose truths may be hidden. 

Seperti kebenaran tentang perayaan festival waktu itu. 

Like the truth about the festival celebrations at that time. The festival was intended to celebrate humanity's victory in defeating the dragon, but when I arrived at the temple I actually saw a ritual that looked like making offerings to the dragon. Aren't those two things contradictory?. 

I don't know what the true purpose of the Festival is?. To celebrate the victory of mankind against dragons or is it actually a day of ritual offerings to dragons whose meaning has changed over time? 

In my previous life there were various forms of festivals which were actually ritual offerings, but as time goes by and times change, these rituals just become a culture that must be remembered and continued to be preserved by holding festivals so that people don't forget them even if they don't. still know the meaning of the festival celebration. 

It feels like you don't need to know the names of the heroes who protected your country and died on the battlefield. You just need to remember the services of those who have fought. 

"Young Lady, sorry for making you wait so long..." said Doctor Vania. It seemed like she had finished taking care of His Highness Yvone. 

Doctor Vania walked towards me carrying a tray containing two cups and snacks then she placed them on the table in front of me. 

"Is His Highness okay?" 

"Yes, he is fine and thank you for your help because you have kept things related to My Highness' condition a secret, Young Lady..." said Doctor Vania sincerely and wholeheartedly. And it seems like the action I took was correct, right?. His Highness Yvone's condition must be a secret. 

"All right, young lady. I will tell you about the dragon of the cursed blessing that you asked about before..." she said again. She really kept her promise after I told her about the incident in my yard earlier.