Ceres

116

"I will teach you the art of killing."

The man smiled but he was emitting a cold aura which brought chills to the cold-hearted Ceres.

Ceres furrowed her brows.

"You have already taught me---"

"Yes, I have. But, you clearly didn't understand."

The man suddenly snapped his fingers and Ceres felt something hit her. Then, she suddenly knelt on the ground while blood spurted out of her mouth.

"This..."

"My new invention. The newest and deadliest poison right now."

Ceres' vision started to blur. She should have been dead because it was really the most potent poison ever made at that time yet, she was able to hold on to her consciousness. She tried to speak; questioning this act by the person she was most loyal to.

"Fa...Ther...Wha.."

But before she could finish her sentence, she felt something heavy in her chest. The poison apparently acted on her heart. But, it wasn't the pain from the poison that's really hurting her.

"My child... I have loved you as my own. I am only teaching you the art of killing. Successfully molding you and imparting to you everything I know and in the end, it was all just for this moment."

The man looked disappointed but Ceres didn't see it clearly as her mind was clouded already with questions and her breathing slowing down.

Ceres couldn't take it. The poison was acting fast on her body. She suddenly lost the strength in her knees and then, fell on the ground. She was lying while clutching the clothes in front of her chest.

When she tried to look ahead, she saw a blurred pair of feet. Her eyes are starting to betray her and she can't seem to keep her consciousness. On the other hand, that pair of feet stopped in front of her and the person knelt and lifted up her head. Even though she was losing her sight, she can clearly make out the features of the person in front of her. It was the man she called as 'father'.

She wanted to ask him what's the meaning of everything. She wanted to ask how 'they' could do this to her. But, she was losing everything she was holding onto. A tear fell from one of her eyes as she asked in her mind, 'Why'.

It wasn't how she died but right at the moment, she already felt dead inside.

The person she knew as her father betrayed her and tried to kill her. This was the last piece of straw that she was holding on and it only made everything worst. And, she wasn't even able to ask why. Until her very last moment on that world, she never knew why things turned out that way.

On that moment, right after Ceres finally lost her consciousness, someone approached the 'father and daughter'.

"Why did you kill her?"

Just as the man known as 'father' was about to look at the person who spoke, he felt a gust of wind passed by him and he was knocked back several meters away from Ceres. Right then, a shadow appeared in front of his 'daughter'.

The shadow lifted up his 'daughter's' body.

"...Late again."

Then, both of them disappeared leaving behind the man known as 'father'.

Even though the man known as 'father' looked so calm, if one looked closely at his eyes, one could see the deep sadness he was feeling at the moment.

"I raised her to not express anything, to not know of emotions and feelings. But, I have failed."

The man known as 'father' suddenly spurted blood from his mouth. He tightly clenched the cloth on his chest area. It looks like the something was acting up on his heart, too.

"Failing is not an option when her life depends on it."

The man known as 'father' closed his eyes as tears ran down on his cheeks.

"Forgive me, child. I failed as your father and now the cycle begins once again. I hope you will find a much better and meaningful life on the next one."

He looked like he died peacefully but only he knew how painful this ending of his life is...

---

The man I recognized as my father and sole family in that world killed me.

Ceres looked towards the path they were treading but her eyes were focused on something else.

My memories and emotions from that world still lingered on this one.

Would I be repeating the same mistakes on this world?

Just as Ceres was contemplating, she suddenly stopped. Gil was surprised by her actions, particularly that blank stare.

"Princess?"

Ceres was brought back to reality by Gil's voice. She looked at Gil and asked,

"If your master left you, what will you do, Gil?"

Gil immediately answered.

"I would look for him. I will do everything to come back to his side. Even if he's not in this world, I would still do everything to find him."

"What if he kills you?"

"Accept it. And in my next life, if there will be another one, I would still search for him and follow him."

"You're good, Gil. But, the world isn't as good as you."

"I don't care, princess. It's not the world who saved me. It was master anyway. I swore to serve him all my life."

Gil was puzzled by Ceres' series of questions.

"What happened, princess?"

Ceres looked ahead once more.

"A distant past that suddenly flashed."

And then, she ordered her horse to gallop. She was getting farther and farther away from Gil.

"Someone betrayed the princess? I guess master already obliterated that person."

Gil then, followed Ceres and now, they're truly heading towards thenorthernmost place of Winsterein kingdom; to pay the Haletin clan a visit. 

---

A/N:   Hello! I am still alive. Thank you for waiting. :')