I Promise, I'll Leave! But, With No Regrets!!

Chapter 02

♦Chapter 02: Contract♦

As the clouds gathered, covering the night sky in whole, it was raining cats and dogs in the town of Rutherglen.

Soon enough, the wind blew harder than how it used to. Then, a lightning stroke on one tall tree, in the nearby mountains.

The lightning was followed by a loud boom of thunder. And as I heard that sound, my grip tightened while I held my precious toy in my embrace.

"Claire..... when will mom come home...?", I whispered with fear to the stuffed animal in my grasp.

And just when I phrased those words, someone suddenly opened the nearby door with brute force. I quickly shifted my gaze to where the person intruded.

It was the auntie from next door, Rosalind. She was a kindhearted person that supported me and my mother's hectic daily life. And she usually gives off a happy-go-lucky impression to the two of us everyday. But today, she had a different demeanor.

The aunt had a dreadful expression written on her face. She also acted so desperate, as if she was urging to tell me something.

Looking at the way she behaved, I could foretell that something bad happened. Something really unfavorable.

At first, I had a really bad feeling about it, hence I inwardly declined to perceive what she was about to say. But it wasn't that easy to seal that lip of hers with a simple refusal. And so, I had no choice but to hear her out that time.

"Lissa...!", shouting my pet name, she continued.

"Your mother has-!!"

Gasp?!

The view that first came into my sight was an opposite seat of a closed carriage.

It seems that I had a nightmare while I accidentally doze off in the middle of the journey to get to the Imperial Palace.

I slowly moved away my head that leaned on the side and carefully adjusted to a proper composure.

Thereafter, I noticed the rowdiness that came from the outside and decided to take a short peak by one of the carriage's windows.

I felt amazement from what I saw.

The setting was filled with assemblage of people, bustling around the place in accord to their own purpose.

The buildings were no different from the ones back from our territory, but the numerous shops with different brand names were sort of amazing if I were to compare it to what we have.

On top of that, there were more of those crested, nobles' transportation vehicles which made me have a refreshing feeling.

"As expected of the Imperial Capital.", I proudly uttered as I nodded my head twice.

I might've been anticipating that it would result of such sight for the late Emperor did his best to prosper the Empire.

I simply hope that the current Emperor could keep this stable. After all...

"It's unpredictable of what might happen in the near future...", I whispered to myself while unconsciously blurting out my thoughts.

♣♠♦♥

I stared at the enormous entrance, leading to the guest room of the Imperial Palace, for a while.

And after waiting momentarily with my patience, the attendant finally went out of the room in front of me, saying that the Emperor granted me permission to have an audience with him privately.