Passing the illusion of the lake, this time a green wheat field appeared. As I stepped into the wheat field, the memories of my previous life came.
***
It is a fresh green wheat field, but it was not beautiful. When the monsters came in the northern region, the emperor ordered Prince Rakshul, the best swordsman of the Zelcan Empire, to subdue the monster. Me as the wizard of light, Rakshul and the knights headed to the place. The monsters didnât only attack human beings but also destroy some places, like this wheat field.
âLaontelâŚâ
When I heard the manâs voice, I turned my head.
âRakshulâŚâ
Laontel said while trembling.
I was also surprised when I saw him, his face is exactly like Blake when his curse was lifted and grown up. He once appeared in my dream.
At that time, I wonder why his hair is black, but the man I saw at my dream is Rakshul, not Blake.
I felt Blakeâs soul in Rakshul, just like when I felt Phillip in Richard,
âWhy are you using healing magic in such a place?â âItâs an important food. Without wheat, people will be hungry and canât even pay taxes. Even if we defeat all of the monsters, there will be another pain awaits them.â
âYou have been treating villagers and knights. Even if youâre a genius, itâs dangerous to use your mana like this.â
âItâs alright.â
âSer, my friend, gave me the blessing of light. So I could use my power without any restrictions.â
âDonât overdo it.â
âItâs really alright.â
âSometimes I would like you to rely on me.â
âHuh?â
âWhen will you see me as a man?â
Rakshulâs crimson eyes gleamed coquettishly. I wanted to ask what he meant by that, but I couldnât open my mouth.
I was afraid that I might misheard it and might not hear the answer I want.
âLady Laontel! Thereâs a wounded man here!â
âIâm coming!â
I ended up running away.
***
With Rakshul and the knights, we managed to wipe out the monster that infested the north.
We are all in a joyful mood while returning to the capital.
âNow that you have beat all the monsters in the north, you will be Crown Prince, right?
âYou think so? If so he shouldâve done it earlier.â
The emperor had many children. Although Rakshulâs capability is recognized by the emperor and the people, the emperor wanted to pass on the throne to the son of the seventh empress, whom he loved.
However, he was very stupid, and overtime, his love for the seventh empress also faded.
Now that even the northern monsters were subdued, it was determined already that Rakshul would become the crown prince.
Everyone is happy, and I should be like that, but I felt depressed for some reason.
I walked out of my tent and walked through the lonely forest path.
âLaontel!â
But I ran into the person I didnât want to run into as he called my name.
âWhy did you come out?â
âTo get some air.â
âItâs dangerous to walk alone.â
âAll the monsters are wiped out, itâs alright.â
I tried hard to smile and walk away.
But Rakshul didnât leave me and started to walk next to me, his high nose, elegant yet sharp jawline, face, and brilliant eyes looked magnificent in the moonlight.
He grew up to be a great man.
Rakshul then looked at me, but I turned my head away.
I was embarrassed to face him.
âLaontel, look at me.â
ââŚâŚâ
He turned my head with his hands.
The crimson eyes, which I wanted to avoid, was staring at me.
âWhy are you avoiding me?â
âWhen did I?â
Will he really become the crown prince now?
Congratulations, I guess.
The emperor always neglected his political affair and always searched for pleasures.
The people of the empire are suffering from the rising taxes and droughts.
Rakshul tried to overcome the situation but there was not much he could do, as he is only one of the prince.
He had always wanted to become the crown prince.
But if he became the crown prince, he will have to marry someone above the Count title or someone of a pure Roum blood.
I wanted to make Rakshul dreams came true.
So I become a wizard at the imperial palace, and even participated in battles alongside him.
But when he was about to marry someone else, I was overcome with sadness.
As I dropped my head I could hear Rakshulâs voice.
âLaontel, youâre pissing me off.â
âHuh?â
âDo I need to propose to make you understand?â
ââŚ..â
His face grew closer and closer. Reflectively, I turned my head awal again but he lifted my chin and stopped me from moving.
âI love you.â
ââŚâŚâ
âI like you since the first time I saw you.â
His lips kissed mine before I realized what he was talking about.
Me and Rakshul confirmed it that day.
***
Rakshul, I loved him.
I loved Rakshul and I love Blake, whom I met again a thousan years later.
My hand went up to my mouth, my lips are all dry.
I walked alongside the Maculs.
Many Macul had already disappeared and now there is only one left that guide me.
Did the Macul had a hard time too?
Or is it lost in the dark?
The heat got worsen and it became harder for me to open my eyes.
I was sweating more and more as I walked.
But I have to save Ser.
I kept walking with the Macul. Then the last Macul stood still.
Are we here?
But there was nothing to be seem only the darkness.
âMacul, why did you stop? Whereâs Ser?â
The Macul shook his head and circled around me.
âYou donât know?â
The Macul stopped but I couldnât understand what it meant.
âDo we need to move more?â
The Macul didnât react.
But one thing was certain.
I couldnât get any more help from the Macul.
I must find Ser myself in this endless darkness. I walked forward recklesslu.
The Macul stood there and shook his body, as if to cheer myself up who had to go alone.
I kept walking forward, leaving the Macul behind.
The light flowing from the Maculâs body gradually became smaller as darkness came.
Fear came upon me. It was so dark, I couldnât even see my body.
I was afraid of not finding Ser, rather than the fear of being trapped here.
If I didnât move forward, the pain of Ser and Blake will never end.
âI must save her. I have to.â
I gritted my teeth.
In the darkness, memories from a thousand years ago came into mind again.
***
I got engaged to Rakshul. As expected Rakshul was given the Crown Prince title as soon as we returned to the capital.
The emperor wanted to marry Rakshul to a partner worthy of the Crown Prince title.
But he made a statement that he didnât want to get married to anyone other than me.
The emperor could no longer oppose him and allowed us to get engaged. He had already sent my family a letter of proposal in the name of the imperial family.
As soon as my engagement was confirmed, I told Ser th new first.
âCongratulations.â
âThank you, turns out Rakshul like me since a long time ago too.â
âHmm.â
But somehow she didnât look surprised.
âArenât you surprised?â
âI expected it.â
âHow? You have never even spoken to Rakshul.â
She hid herself whenever Rakshul came.
âYou know you always talk to me since youâre a child. And itâs really obvious from your stories that he likes you.â
âReally?â
âYes, youâre the only one who didnât notice it.â
She grinned.
âI didnât even realize anything until I kissed himâŚâ
âLaontel.â
She called my name.
Ser have been calling me Laon since we became friends.
Why does she calls me that now?
Is she mad at me?
âI have something to say too.â
âYes, say it.â
âI want to become a human.â
âWhat?â
âI decided to marry Phillip.â
Ser has many worries about her relationship with Phillip.
She is a goddess and Phillip is a human. There was a insurmountable difference between those two.
In the end she abandoned the power God gave her and chose love.
âWonât you regret it?â
âIâll regret it if I didnât get married with Phillip.â