EMPEROR'S GARDEN wwmap

♯ | 003

chapter three
LUCAS

people told me i acted like i had relived death many times, but it truly felt as if it mocked and danced before my eyes.

in my past life, all of my family members vanished.

first, it was my father. he left when i was 8. i don't remember much, other than his warm smile and the packet of chocolate he would bring home every night, when he came from work. i tried hard to convince myself into thinking he had reasons for his betrayal.

i didn't miss him, but my mother did.

she tried her best to be a good parent to me and my younger brother, once our father disappeared, but one can only stay healthy for too long. she grew unstable and fell right into death's bewitching spell.

it was just me and my younger brother left.

i remember hearing his soft sobs, his wish and his hope at midnight.

he tried his best at school so i wouldn't have to worry. he would take care of the chores at home and cook dinner when i was busy at work.

but he left me too, after his school bus crashed, on a rainy monday afternoon.

i hated everything. for a while, it felt as if the world had it in for me.

i usually comforted myself with the fact that i had someone who was there to say that it would be okay, even if it wouldn't.

when i fell sick, i could pay only pay one part of my hospital bills. jihye had to pitch in, even though her financial state wasn't the best either.

the moment i saw my friend on the stretcher, i realised that i never got to repay any of them, even my father, who i barely remember, for their kindness towards me.

maybe if we met once more, i could try harder.

"f/n!" athanasia's call brought you back to your senses.

you saw that ink was spilled all over the table. "oh."

"let me help clean it!" she grabbed a cloth and started to wipe the wood as you packed all the books and parchment away. "by the way, f/n, are you..um..okay?"

you nodded.

"well, you seem tired. what if we make f/n's study fun?" she smiled.

"fun..?"

"then you just sing it!" she tried to make the words into a song. "like that!"

"that's a good way to memorise." you praised.

"right? now let's take a break!"

she got chummy quite quickly.

"okay."

"i know a place!"

'something is different. her way of speaking suddenly got better when the maids left.' you observed her as she dragged you by the hand. 'athanasia, do you also have a secret?'

"look, it's the fountain." she pointed at the extravagant structure with many statues of women decorating the top.

'so the fountain was here.'

you looked down at the water, and caught a glimpse of yourself. you looked exactly the same, except the fact that your eyes were sparkling like jewels and you seemed cuter? no surprise — this body was five years old, after all.

"f/n, listen to me." athanasia held your hand. "i'm escaping this place. you should come with me."

"what?"

"we can't stay here. it's dangerous."

you carefully listened to her plan.

"it's fine."

her worried expression turned into sadness.

you put a hand on her shoulder. "i hope your escape goes well."

'there's a possibility that the person inside athanasia is reincarnated. that might be the reason she's panicking. she must've read the novel.'

"i think you should head back now. lily will worry." you walked away.

"where are you going?!"

"oh. i'm just going to sit by the lake."

athanasia headed back to the ruby palace, but couldn't help but look back few times.

as you got closer to the lake, you started to notice the transparent lotuses beaded all over the surface.

"i've never seen a prettier flower." you sat down to observe it. "maybe..if i reach for it.."

you extended your arm and tried to hold on to the flower. suddenly, it tried to pull you inside the lake, but before you fell in, someone caught you.

"why are you going around, picking up flowers from a lake? it's obviously a trap."

you saw a boy with long, black hair and red eyes. he brushed his hair away, after he sat you down near a tree.

"oh no, my skirt's wet." you brushed over the damp patch.

"you nearly drowned and that's what you're concerned about?"

"thank you for saving me." you walked off.

"hey! come back!" some sort of force pulled you.

'must be magic.' you thought.

"aren't you going to ask why i, a total stranger, saved your life?"

"decency?"

"no. i saved you because i liked your mana energy."

"..okay."

"what— you— hey, answer with more life."

"shall i say thank you?"

"since i like your mana, i will make you my disciple."

"will you teach me magic?"

"hm~ yes, of course. this is a grand opportunity, don't waste it."

you thought it out. "alright. i'll become your disciple."

"my name is lucas. remember that. find me later."

he disappeared.

"he's weird."