[Ongoing]
"Why is being myself harder than anything?"
Qing Lin closed her eyes. A girl whose smile gave off the effulgence which seemed to light the diminished world around her. A girl who held such purity in a world surrounded by happiness. A girl...
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Chapter 38- A Gamble (1)
Four months later.
Esperanza's eyebrows furrowed as she slowly opened them. The blazing sunlight hit her, and she squinted her eyes as she covered them with the palm of her hand. Indeed, darkness was meant to be her world and the light would be always like this; ethereal, but tormenting, a phantom she couldn't grasp. But did she care? She has stopped chasing after the tormenting light and embraced the darkness that dawns upon her. The pungent fragrance of the eucalyptus soothed her as she withdrew back her hand and closed her eyes again.
This was the best part of this academy- the large courtyard of eucalyptus right behind her dormitory. Her worries would inculcate with its soothing fragrance and then sink into a part of her soul she would never remember.
She had already planned on her revenge- and, subsequentially, had sent a letter to her father. A letter with a request.
A request of----
"An engagement?" The Duke blinked his eyes as if trying to believe his vision. He read the letter again, perhaps it was already the fourth time.
Dear father, I've been doing well and I hope you are as well. I'll get straight- I want an engagement. I'm already fourteen, and it's common for girls of my age to get engaged, so please do not question much. Rather, this engagement, I'm sure will benefit you. I want to be engaged with the young duke, Lev Letale Obscurite. I hope you'll settle this small favor for me. I hope you do because this is the first time I'm asking you for something in the fourteen years of my existence. Your daughter, Esperanza.
"With him?" He muttered. His grip on the letter tightened, threatening to crumble it. He could still remember that face- that vivid face as it smiled and whispered those words and he sank, oppressed with the acceptance of reality.
He was still paralyzed, ineffectual, and incompetent, yet again. The blowing wind took speed. His sword was suddenly in front of him. He stared at it for a moment and laughed- a mocking, desperate laugh. What was the use of this sword, when he couldn't wield it when he desired the most? He looked up. The parchment was still there.
Maybe... Maybe...
With trembling hands, he started writing on the parchment. When it was finished, his trembling hand crashed with the ink pot, and the ink spilled all over.
This is the final time, the final time.
...
The news spread in no time.
Young Duke Lev Letale Obscurite and Young Lady Esperanza were engaged.
As midnight loomed near, after ensuring that her roommate was fast asleep, Esperanza tied a black hood and covered her face with a silver mask, with a blue streak across it. She took her transportation scroll and tore them as she muttered her destination under her breath. "The Crescent Paradise Bar."
Crescent Paradise Bar.
It was crowded, filled with overly-ardent people, who danced, talked, and sang at the top of their voices. Esperanza felt the heavy smell of liquor and couldn't help but grunt. She would've never entered such a place- if, it wasn't for the fact that vengeance weighed more than her honor. She walked in, pushed her way through, and reached the counter, where the drinks were served. She spotted him there- the one she had come for through all this trouble.
A boy, his face covered in a black mask, with ordinary black hair was sipping leisurely on a colorful mocktail, watching the men who were gambling, with amusement. She sat beside him as she ordered a mocktail for herself. One of his eyebrows arched as he looked at her.
"Miss, I don't think this is a place suitable for you." He said as the bartender served her the mocktail. "You look quite young to be in a place like this." She turned to look at him with a smile.
"Don't judge me on my looks, I'm already reaching fifteen." She said as she stirred her drink with the straw. The boy laughed.
"And you think fifteen is the right age to be at a bar? For a girl?" He asked.
"Well, there is no law as such that it is not permitted." She shrugged. She sipped on her mocktail and was surprised at its beautiful taste. It was the first time she ever drank something as delicious as that in her life. The place was indeed worthy of its reputation as one of the best servers of drinks. The boy placed his empty glass on the table and continued to stare at her.
"Why're you looking at me? Fallen for me?" She said through a smirk. He laughed again and shook his head.
"I'll probably never fall for someone." He said nonchalantly.
"Even if that person might be the most beautiful person in this empire?" She wondered, and yet again he shook his head as he looked at the gamblers who were playing, placing bets again and again.
"Honestly, I've recently been engaged to someone. And she's quite beautiful. But even though she's beautiful, truth is, I'll never fall for her or anyone in my life."
"Then why did you get engaged with her in the first place?" She asked, although she already knew the answer.
"Me? No way, I never asked for this engagement even though it's lucrative to my side. She's the one who promptly arranged for it." He sighed with a smile and pointed at the gamblers. "You know, just like that, all the decisions are a gamble. Some we may win. some we may lose. But sometimes..." The men on one side howled with happiness as one of them won a great bet. "Sometimes, we may hit the jackpot. She's realized that herself and took part in this gamble. She's waiting, and I know, she'll do anything to hit the jackpot for which she made this great bet." He smiled wittingly.
