The grass swayed in the wind. The winds grazed the petals, picking up my cloak and my hair on my forehead. The flower on the mound of dirt containing old memories and a charming smile gently swayed similarly to Lunaâs hair in front of her forehead dancing in the sea of flowers.
It was the same scene I saw when I watched Luna dance here in the past. After all, the flowers were still as bright as they were in the past. I could still see Luna in my mind as though she never left me. I silently sat in front of Lunaâs grave. I didnât cry or say anything. I merely ran my hands along her simple tombstone.
I didnât provide Luna with a perfect grave, nor did I provide her with a perfect life. She shouldâve still been by my side, but she was in her eternal slumber there. It was my mistake. Lunaâs death was my mistake. I shouldnât have been so overconfident. I shouldâve brought my guards. I could argue that Luna died due to my blind confidence and arrogance as opposed to dying to Alice.
I was very calm at the moment. I was very apologetic, but I was heading to the grave soon, too. I didnât need to live on in pain and guilt. I just hoped I could still see Lunaâs smile if I could see her again.
âLong-time no see, Luna.â I choked on my words for a long time before uttering the same words again.
I didnât know what to say. My words dispersed in the winds. Perhaps the winds delivered my words to Luna along with the scent of flowers. Luna shouldâve been in the place brimming with the scent of flowers already.
âI will soon be there to find you.â I looked at Lunaâs grave and extended a finger to draw a shallow white mark on her grave. I slowly crawled over and hugged her tombstone tightly. The ice-cold and hard stone was completely different to Luna. My tears that contained my guilt and pain toward Luna began to course down my face and splash on the flower petals.
âIâm coming to see you. If Alice still dares to bully you over there, Iâll protect you this time. I wonât let you get hurt again. This time, Iâll definitely keep you safe and love you.â
I slowly got to my feet and vigorously wiped my eyes. I completely got to my feet after wiping my tears.
I was eager to face death. In fact, I want to die a little sooner. I mightâve been able to see Luna again. I stopped missing her so much, but I realised just how much I missed her when I stood in front of her grave. Her every smile and every frown appeared before me, so I couldnât help myself from trying to grab her hand and hugging her, only to touch thin air and her tombstone.
âSorry Luna. Iâll soon come for you,â I silently said.
I sat down to one side and took out a map. It was the first time I examined such a complete map. I thought there were only forests in this world when I first arrived. After that, I went to humanityâs lands, then the desert, then Socina and then the North. I discovered that I had virtually left my trails at every corner of this world.
âHave I shed my blood in so many places? So much has happened in this land shaped similarly to an egg. How shall I make this last trip? The only place I havenât been to is where my father passed away. That place is the only question mark left on the map, for nobody knows what the situation there is. Is it the graveyard of elves? Wasnât it the case that the dragon there likes male elves? Iâm about to die anyway, so itâs not too much for me to betray Lucia again, rightâŠ?â I thought to myself.
I drew a path, thinking, âI could hang in there for around half a month with Godâs mana. I planned to visit Luna first and then visit Mera. Next, Iâll return to Troy City; then, Iâll go to Hilles City before returning to the North to see my wives and children, in particular, Ling Yue. Then, Iâll head to the dragonâs place to leave. Thatâll be the plan, then. I might be woken up by that familiar and stuffy voice again⊠I could be revived once, so maybe I could be revived a second time?â
âMiss Freya, an assassin sneaked into the palace to attempt to harm you last night.â
âI already know about it.â
Freya wore a livid expression when she looked at the quivering nobles before her. They were the nobles who supported Troy, so she initially spared them. However, Freyaâs sudden oppression left them panic-stricken. After the assassin sneaked into the imperial household, nothing good was bound to come out of Freya calling them over.
Freya spoke in a frigid tone: âYou all heard about it. The imperial familyâs palace is His Majestyâs territory. Not even you can enter that zone, let alone assassins. Further, assassins entered Luciaâs room. My brotherâs three girls are there. What do you want? I donât have much to say if you want to kill me. I didnât want to live after my brotherâs departure, but you want to kill my brotherâs children? What did you send assassins there for?â
Freya vigorously swung her hand. She didnât let them argue. Instead, she went on, âYour family is here. If you want to kill my brotherâs children, then I shall kill your children. Starting from this moment, you best hurry up and own up if you sent assassins; otherwise, I will strangle a kid every ten minutes. As for who the child belongs to, I couldnât care less. Now, begin.â
Freya turned around. The nobles behind her desperately called her to stay, but she ignored them. She went straight to the door and slammed it shut.
Gerald looked at the children in front of him. The children looked back at him feeling puzzled. They didnât know the reason they were called there. Gerald was holding a noose. The children looked at him with their clear and bright eyes. One of the girls softly asked, âBig Brother⊠Why do we have to stay in this roomâŠ? Why canât we leaveâŠ? We want to play in the Imperial PalaceâŠâ
Gerald revealed a bitter smile and, in a soft voice, replied, âSorry, Miss. There is an important discussion going on in the palace at the moment, so you canât run around.â
The young girl showed disappointment: âReallyâŠ? Big Brother, can you bring us some water, then? Weâre a little thirsty.â
Gerald nodded. He then pulled the door open and exited. He bumped into Freya, who looked furious. She coldly asked, âWhat do you want?â
âUmm⊠the children are thirsty.â
Tone frigid, Freya replied, âDo the dead need to drink? Ten minutes are up. Bring one out. Choose whoever you want.â
Gerald blankly looked at Freya. She was still a kid. She wasnât much older than the children behind him, yet she was casually asked for their lives. He could accept it if the children had done something wrong, but they were innocent!
Gerald looked at Freya and firmly shook his head, âI wonât.â
âI wonât,â repeated Gerald, looking sad. âMiss Freya, please come to your senses. His Majesty will not be back. Please, return to your usual calm and composed self, my Miss Freya. This is not what you should do. What wrongs have these children committed? These children havenât done anything wrong, so why do you want to kill them? You should not be doing this!â
Gunfire echoed in the corridor.
Freya indifferent watched Gerald drop to the ground, and then stepped over his corpse. She walked toward the room and coldly said, âI knew it. Nobody likes me besides my brother, be it Lucia, NIer, Elizabeth or Vyvyan. They all consider me a contemptible girl, whoâs leveraging my brotherâs power. Only my brother understands me. Only my brother treats me kindly and gently. This world doesnât love me, and that includes you, Gerald. You betrayed me, so I should personally off you.â
âPlease wait a moment, Miss Freya.â
Freya turned around in the direction of the voice. Alex looked at Freya and took in a deep breath. In a slightly tense voice, he said, âPrincess, I did it. It was all me. I planned it, sent the assassin and everything else. It was all me; therefore, kill just me. Please do not hurt the children. Do you still not understand? Do you still not realise how crazy you are acting? Do you really still not know? Calm down. Calm down. Killing me could scare these people, right? Kill me, then. Spare those children. Do not hurt them.â
Without uttering a word, Freya responded with a gunshot.
Another body dropped onto the floor in the corridor. The bright golden corridor was immediately dyed red. The air was filled with a suffocating stench of blood. Freya glanced over to the maids quivering by the side and snickered: âPut His Majestyâs gun away properly. Bury these two, and call guards over. Throw all the nobles and children into the prison. Since they donât want me to kill, I wonât kill. Itâs not my fault if they starve to death, though. Do that. I want this corridor back to normal in ten minutes, or Iâll be killing you lot next, understood?â
âY-YesâŠâ responded the maids.
The maids quickly walked over to the corpses. They put up with the disgusting corpses as they dragged them off. Gerald was still moaning, albeit weakly. However, there was a long trail of blood in the corridor. Freya heartlessly watched the maids drag them off. She emphasised all of her next words: âI wonât allow anyone to betray me. Nobody. If you betray me and deny me, then go die! As I thought, my brother is the only one in this world who loves me!!â