The Real Lovely Princess || 𝖶𝖬𝖬𝖠𝖯

ath. thirteen

┌──────═━┈┈━═──────┐

Chapter Thirteen

└──────═━┈┈━═──────┘

  ❝ Last Hope ❞

⋆┈┈｡ﾟ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ❁ུ۪ ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ﾟ｡┈┈⋆

"What do you mean Athanasia's the only one that can save herself?" Claude questioned the magician infront of him as he gave him a piercing glare. His jeweled-eyes glimmering as he pull out his sword from his hand. "Elaborate, magician." he said in a stern tone.

Lucas, who remained to have a straight face while looking at Claude, answered. "She's the only one who can change her fate." said Lucas in a low voice while his arms are crossed. 'He's really strong, i'm not going to deny that.' "Unless the one who're against that fate work with us."

'What?' Claude raised his eyebrow at Lucas. "That brat?"

"Your brother, Your Majesty." Lucas corrected the emperor. He noticed Claude's eyebrows furrow even more as he looked at him confused. Lucas can't blame him, it's confusing for him at first. "Former Emperor Anastacius, is what i've already told you, the vassal of your ancestor Aeternitas."

"Continue," Claude's face turned back to its usual expression.

"I believe Aeternitas can move his memories from a world to another when failed or succeeded." Lucas explained as he had this grim expression at his face. "It's... It was all my fault."

Claude was... unmoved. He was just staring at Lucas with a look that says, ‘I know’. Which makes Lucas confused. "Alright, i get it now. For the mean time, guard Athanasia."

"That's the reason i'm here, Your Majesty," Lucas suddenly retorted as he looked at Claude straight in his eyes. "I still can't protect her at my fullest because my mana depleted." Claude was about to say something when Lucas interrupted him, which is not new to the blonde. "However, i will do my best to do so."

"I know you would," Claude said as he finally stood up and left the magician all alone.

In all honesty, Lucas was lying about the 'mana depleted' part. He already obtained the fruit of the World Tree and had eaten one, he's just waiting for a right moment to give some to Athanasia and the people she cherished. As it was already stated that, the fruit can prolong one's life. He was just testing if Claude would still trust him even when he's powerless, because he really thought that he won't.

'Seems like I was wrong.' Lucas thought as he scratched his nape, chuckling at the similarities of the father-daughter duo. 'Claude must've trusted me that much. That's to be expected, i broke a universal law for his daughter.'

Lucas was right. Even if Claude himself won't admit it, he already trusted Lucas from the beginning. Although, the man's identity was suspicious, Claude dismissed the idea. As long as Athanasia was happy, Claude won't mind.

'To go through travelling dimensions to question her odd curiosity... No normal man would do that at all.' Claude thought as he crossed his left leg to his right, while his hands are on his lap. Although he was silent, Claude's keeping an eye on the toddler Athanasia. The little princess is currently sitting at a soft blanket, laid in the grassy land as she picked flowers to make flower crowns. 'Anastacius...'

"Claude. Let's play hooky together."

'You're such a troublesome problem 'til the end.' Claude had his eyelids half-hooded as he tilted his head a bit.

"Your brother's our last hope in this dimension to save Athanasia, not you, not me... Him."