The Choice Of Fate || The Promised Neverland

Chapter 31: Nail Attack

Sistine's POV:

"All this time..." I mutter softly, walking by Genesis' side around the capital. "He knew about the truth...? He had been a perfect-scorer since he started taking tests! He was supposed to stay with me until we both get taken away!"

Genesis stays quiet, listening to me and my whimpering. "He had no choice," he tells me, gently rubbing my back. "That's the rule when the secret is revealed. They have to get shipped out."

"Then why didn't I?" I snap, turning to him in sheer anger and guilt. "Why didn't I get killed? Why didn't I get shipped out? I was close to being of the right age at that time! I knew the secret, and I was a perfect-scorer! Don't entities like those!?"

"Hey..." He stops on his tracks, bends down, and wipes the tears from my eyes. "It's okay... Maybe it was better this way."

I lower my head, uttering, "It just feels so wrong... He didn't deserve that..."

He comes closer and wraps his arms around me, gently rubbing my back. "I know... but we can't really change fate, you know? Unless you make a decision as big as creating peace between THEM and the humans, we can't do anything."

I rest my forehead on his shoulder, asking, "... Do you think Francis would have wanted this?"

"I'm sure he did," he answers, moving away from me. "I'm sure he would have wanted the best for you, away from Grace Field. Heck, I bet he even knew Lew-chan would come for you someday.

He moves away the slightest bit and cups my cheeks, swiping the tears away with his thumb. "So no more crying, okay? Lew-chan might kill me if he sees you crying." I stare at his soft cobalt eyes for a while. He looks back at my own with a gentle smile. "It's okay."

"Yeah..." I nod, reassuring myself. "It's okay..."

As we continue walking again, he inches closer to my side, gently touching the back of my hand. Confused, I look up at him. He uses his other hand to scratch the back of his head, saying, "Uh... You might enter someplace you're not supposed to."

"You wanted to hold my hand...?" I guess with a tilted head, and he nods. "Come on, you know I wouldn't enter a place like tha-! Wait, what's this room?"

Immediately, I rush toward it, making Genesis screech and chase after me. However, I open the door sooner than he could scream "Don't!". I turn to what's within the room, finding a massive throne fit for...

... The Queen.

She turns her head to the side, asking, "Genesis, is that you?"

"Y-Yes, Ma'am," he nervously replies. "Sorry to disturb you." Panicking, he tugs my arm, hissing in a whisper, "Sistine, let's go."

"'Sistine'?" I flinch upon hearing my name. My head turns to the direction of the queen. "So Leuvis really was serious... How strange. What could my brother have possibly seen in you...?"

"Ma'am, is there something wrong?" I ask her, concerned that she might not have agreed with this. Leuvis said that she was informed, but I can't be so sure that she's okay with having me.

"... What are your scores, 82194?" she asks me.

"Uh... 300? I think?" I reply unsurely, immediately defending myself. "B-But my tests were different from my siblings! It wasn't the ones usually given at the House! It isn't really that big of a deal, but-!"

"And you defeated Leuvis?"

"Uhm... yes...?" I squeak. "Why...?"

"Why, indeed..." she utters. All of a sudden, she stands up. "Well, it's easier to see for ourselves, is it not?"

Before I have a chance to react, a giant, sword-like nail zooms in to attack me. A shriek escapes my mouth as I dodge it. So close...

Her swords keep coming, slicing and stabbing. Every nail makes me jump, duck, and dodge, and it's absolutely tiring. I'm slowly getting more and more dizzy, knowing very well that I have massive physical limitations. Eventually, it comes to a point where I couldn't move.

Another nail dashes towards me.

Immediately, someone scoops me up with his arms and runs. The sudden speed sends a numb feeling from the nail coming my way. "We're gonna get going now, my queen! Sorry for the bother!" I hear Genesis squeak, exiting the room before the queen gets a chance to strike again.

He keeps running with me in his arms, until we reach one of the regents' bedrooms. He puts me down on the bed and collapses next to me. His breaths are shaky, but still, he lets out a laugh. "And this..." the boy wheezes, "... is why we don't get near the queen."

"S-Sorry..." I mutter. "Papa never told me that."

"Lew-chan told me, though," he laughs. "He's so gonna kill me if he sees that scar on your face..."

"What scar?" I ask him.

"Your forehead's bleeding. Really badly."

My entire body flinches for a split second. As soon as I can, I reach up to touch my forehead, checking my hand immediately. My palm is stained with liquid red, and I feel the warmth run down my face.

"We really gotta treat that," I hear him comment. He exits the room for a while. "Be right back."

Afraid of using any of the cloth in the room, I use my Grace Field uniform to wipe off the blood. The blood keeps flowing, staining my shirt with red. To my surprise, the design doesn't look so bad.

"I'm ba- HOLY MOTHER OF IVERK!"

I flinch and shyly look at Genesis. His eyes are wide open, while I only give him a sheepish giggle. "Sorry," I utter. "I didn't want to use the cloth here."

He slams a palm at his face, coming closer and picking me up. "Okay. That's it. Let's go."

"Wha- WHERE!?"

"You're taking a bath." He leaves the room and starts walking to who knows where.

"But-!"

"No buts. You're going. Now."

"NOT WHEN YOU'RE WATCHING!" I shriek, hitting his back repeatedly.

He chuckles at my childish behavior, saying, "Okay, okay, I won't. But promise me that you'll take a bath, okay?"

"Mrmmm..."

"Please?"

"... Fine..."

"Good girl." He places a hand on my head, gently petting me. "Now, stay there so I can carry you properly, okay?"

"Okay..."

As he carries me, I hug his neck and nuzzle it. Oddly enough, he smells exactly what I imagined men's perfume to smell like. I still remember when Francis really wanted to try perfume.

Ray wanted it too. He was just too proud or too stubborn to say so. Can't blame him; it's an embarrassing wish. No wonder he kept dodging the question...

... I really miss them.