Oblivion Of The Heart

Chapter 10 - A Friend's Arrival (2)

Chapter 10 - A Friend's Arrival (2)

Under the pink-orange light as the sunset, stood a girl. Her silvery-white hair danced along with the wind, the pink-orange light hitting on her. Her white upper top was covered with a royal blue coat that reached to her waist. Her white skirt was sheer white, almost flawless, and reached to her legs. She tucked a few strands of her hair behind her eye with her fair-skinned hand. The flowing hair that had been covering her face finally revealed it. Pink, cherry-like lips, white crystal earrings hanging from the ear. With dazzling blue eyes and the picture could have been considered a realistic painting. However, if only the blue eyes held some happiness could it have been complete.

The sound of wheels approached the gates of the Ilamas Duchy. Esperanza stood by the gate and a few servants to welcome their guests. A carriage came into their sight- A black one with a red snake, the sign of the demon clan. The carriage stopped and the door flew open, revealing a girl with ebony hair as she was about to accept the extended hand from the carriage driver.

A noble lady, especially an imperial princess, to accept the hand of a commoner carriage driver instead of a knight was shocking. But what could the girl do, when she didn't even have a single knight along with her.

'Accidentally', the coachman withdrew his hand, causing the princess to stumble. But Esperanza knew well enough that it was done deliberately, by noticing the smug smile on the coachman's face. Before anything could happen, Esperanza ran forward and managed to catch the girl just in time. When the girl looked at her straight, she could see the crimson red eyes, filled with the depth of void. Esperanza retracted her hand when she helped the princess to stand up, and bowed with the form of curtesy.

"Esperanza Ilamas Distruzione greets the Imperial Princess of the Demon Clan. It is my once-in-a-lifetime honor to meet you."

"Hmm." The princess simply nodded her head and introduced herself, "Athlos Hiver greets the Young Lady of the Ilamas Duchy."

Esperanza welcomed the imperial princess in the guest hall and served a few marzipans. Athlos's expression softened at the sight of it, but no one rather than Esperanza noticed the change. Marzipan was the only food Athlos truly liked. How did she know? The memory of the original body owner.

Guiding the princess to her Villa, Esperanza bid her farewell, leaving the princess alone with the few servants that the empress of the demon clan had sent for accompanying her.

While it was nighttime, a certain someone couldn't sleep. Again, the girl was looking out of the window, at the moon. She buried her head in her knees, her body shivering. Ever since she had entered this body, she realized that even though the body held no disease, it was naturally weak. And now, with the poison spreading inside her, it was turning weak. Her body now was unable to handle the cold wind. But it didn't matter to her whether she froze to death or not.

"Even if I am alive," She whispered, "What would be left of me? Living in an empty mansion while fighting against my feelings?"

But, that is already predestined.

An alluring voice echoed in the room. Esperanza laughed when she heard that voice, that familiar voice again.

"That is why I gave up on myself years ago, didn't I?" She said to the voice. A momentary silence and the voice spoke again.

So stop resisting it.

"I have no mind left to resist it." She said with a smile on her face.

Then why did you let that poison spread in your body? Do you think I'm a fool?

"What could I do about the schemes planned by someone else? I didn't have the energy to resist, nor did I have the energy to cure it." She replied. There was no response, and Esperanza figured that the voice was too impatient to argue her further.

Why did you accept her?

"I thought you were gone?"

Stop ignoring the question. Why did you accept her?

"Do you think I did it out of my free will?" Esperanza gave a smile again, but it seemed scarily soft. "My father didn't give me a choice. No, to be more precise, that girl didn't give me a choice. After all, she said that the princess has an important choice to make, and without me, the fate would take a drastic turn."

Fool.

"I already know that," Esperanza said with an unreadable expression and smile as her voice softened. "From the very beginning, I was an absolute fool...."