Chapter 154: Chapter 154
In his awe, Zeleskiaz watched her reach for a new sheet at his desk to write her response.
With bigger letters, the Lady wrote a sentence that was filled with the intention that moved her actions towards a future. Big enough for the Prince to discern them with ease from his height once it was slid through his desk towards him
[ Some things are meant to be said with spoken words. ]
The girl victoriously smiled on the inside.
She had decided from the moment she learn her situation that the truth Marianne has been living deserved to be told with the revival of her lost sound.
’It’s only fair... They robbed it, so with it, I should also rob them of everything.’
Through her mind, recollections of what the real child had shown her, along with ones only she possessed, we’re recalled quickly like thunder. And so, Elizabeth passively declared.
Although she was adamant about maintaining the source of Marianne’s circumstances a secret for as long as she could, intending to protect the wish the innocent child had for her Father’s happiness, Elizabeth was set on dismissing her wish if the future awaiting her required it.
— Scars are left, yet the wounds heal. —
The words she once was told echoed in her soul as guiding support to continue enduring the secrecy... As it was also the appeasing phrase that calmed the guilt of harming Marianne’s beloveds.
’... That is the only thing I can say I find useful from him... Because those wounds he used to inflict on me every minute of the day did heal to some extent...’
A hated devil from her past had uttered those words while he had the foreign soul in his possession. Hatred was mixed in the remembrance, yet she was thankful... For it was only with the repetition of those words that her days in captivity acquired hope again.
’So... Prince...’ — Returning to the present, the foreign soul lifted her gaze from the sheet and told the quiet man by her side. — ’The things we mean to say properly, although it hurts now, will heal all of Marianne’s wounds... I just know it.’
The two souls shared a warm bond. Elizabeth had said this so the true resident of this realm could hear, pushing into the child seeds to grow her courage further. And as meshed as they had managed to become to this moment, the two pleasantly smiled convinced that the statement was genuine.
Zeleskiaz met her determined eyes, entranced by the strong beauty they naturally portrayed after conveying her reasons.
In the echoing caves of his psyche, her written sentence was heard with the sonorous sound of her soft voice, sending an expectant thrill along his wide torso.
Swallowing the thirst her outstanding elegance mischievously invoked, he replied.
"Indeed... Words hold great power..."
’Yet yours ought to be enticingly dangerous, My Lady Marianne...’
The works of his unplanned illusion had selfishly ignited a fire within him. Giving start to a new torture Zeleskiaz himself had come up with, his mind imagined the woman’s sound... Desperately holding it from venturing into assigning words that deep down he desired to hear from her.
*******
"Lady Marianne, I shall abstain from prodding further into your motives. I will assist you as best I can... so these practices become unnecessary promptly."
Gallantly grinning to the prominent woman, Zeleskiaz promised, greatly thrilled in expectation by the illusions of hearing her soothing sound speak out her enchanting character.
"..." — ’Aren’t you nice?... I’ll also do my best so that happens... Autumn will arrive soon... I need to talk a bit by then.’
Pleased by his kindness, the Lady thought, aware that the visions of what was to happen once the story in the scripts she read began to develop... would not only be different by her presence but for the truth, she is slowly discovering professed.
"Would it be too much of me to ask if the Lady can... Show me these practices you wrote down?"
’Uh?... Umm... Y– yes, I guess that’s alright....’
The girl brought her hand to her throat, a tad surprised at his sudden request.
"... If the Lady is still hurting... There is no need to overwork yourself..." — Noticing her ponder on the matter the Prince added, concerned at the idea that her pain could last this long.
"!?" — ’No! It doesn’t hurt! Don’t be ridiculous, I can do that much!!’
Her pain had subsided long ago. Hence, his concern was unnecessary.
Shaking her head, the Duke’s daughter expressed her disposition to demonstrate her exercises, and, following her desires, the Crown Prince smirked, entertained by her energy. Drawing away from her side, he walked with long strides to his bureau’s doors and ordered the awaiting servant.
"Bring tea with honey for the Lady... The honey... Make sure it’s fresh. Quick."
"!! Ye–Yes! Immediately, Your Highness!!"
The young man answered as he already walked away, turning his back to the Crown Prince only to run and execute his orders, conscious that the word "quick"... meant that no more than five minutes would be forgiven in his delay.
*******
Clank...
"As it is necessary, I have ordered some tea to be brought shortly–..."
’Haaah... Bloody hell... If only I had this sight every time I come into this room...’
The Crown Prince cut his words as he turned to speak to the Lady seating at his desk.
Her figure at his seat felt overly pure and misplaced in his ornamented bureau. Yet, her beaming presence as she played with the quill in her hand appeared fitting of an empress...
’... Empress...’
The idea accelerated his heartbeat erratically as his psyche battled to ascertain the brazen desire rising in him.
"...."
Marianne bowed from her spot, appreciative of his gesture, and gave a quick glance through the place with her sharp eyes.
Deciding to stand from a seat she did not pertain to, Marianne effetely raised from it, dragging her gracious dress’s hem in her steps as she deftly wandered around, admiring the lavish furniture and views the windows granted
Drawn by her serene roaming, Zeleskiaz walked to her side, conscious of the attitude he should adopt, yet unexpectedly calm that he had five forgiven chances for which he needed to craft a wise scheme... So none would go to waste.
"... That is a tribal poniard, My Lady."
"..?!"
The woman was curiously looking at a unique decoration placed on his desk. A weapon he actually used for its real purpose, which was useful for its extraordinary design that, just as it had done with the lovely Lady, deceived his visitors from suspecting its true aim.
Flinching to what he had declared it was, unaware that he had made his way to stand behind her, Marianne took her fingertips away with a delicate lift of her wrist.
’A poniard?? As in a dagger???... Why do you–..... Well, he is indeed who he is.’
"That’s wise, Lady Marianne. The knife is truly sharp, it would be a shame if it were to cut your delicate hands."
’Uh? But it’s sheathed..?!?’
"Don’t, my Lady."
"..."
The woman was still curious and had approached the beautiful weapon again, provoking his honed reflexes to catch her hand before it touched the gorgeous wrapping it was in.
"Your hands... Must not touch a filthy weapon."
"....." — ’... Another worry wart? Really?’
Albeit she found it excessive, Zeleskiaz was serious in his warning.
It was unknown to the foreign child, yet that weapon was not ordinary only because of its origins but for the ritual the Royal’s deity, our unrefined comrade Fenrir had sealed on it.
Regardless, the foreign soul as well as her carcass were not in danger.
The information the Crown Prince was yet to receive from his father, the Emperor, was crucial in this matter... for the Lady had now become a protege of the malicious beast guarding his bloodline as the Ninth.
Taking advantage of the touch, the Prince’s greedy hand pretended to climb her soft one to interlace with it... Yet she had other notions in mind.
’Maybe you are clever enough to know that a lady is also dangerous with a weapon in hand... So don’t make me take it. I was a good cook in my past life, buddy.’
Slipping her slim body away from his, which desired to encircle her in his tough arms, Marianne walked to the luminous windows, leaving his dejected self behind.
Pleased to feel the heat of the sunlight again on her visage, her hand gracefully moved the heavy curtain to see the outside of the Palace’s grounds, finding the wide and lengthy entrance enhanced in its prominence with the light the sun granted in its nature.
She was in awe.
’... The city... I can see it further ahead..... What I only imagined in fantasies, exceeds it in real beauty...’
"..."
’Anne... Should we make a quick escape one of these days?? Although, We will need Pockachin...’
Tilting her head, the woman leaned on the curtain as outrageous plans were suggested to her share.
Her figure was so godlike from the distance... That Zeleskiaz craved the scene in his memories with mesmerising yearning, unable to think of anything now, for nothing could distract him from appreciating her beauty.