Beauty and Monster

Chapter 6: The Wedding

“The King announced the challenged of whoever will take the stone on the bottom of the volcano will be my husband.

“I was not mindful of it. I thought that the challenged was great, and a brave man deserved my love.

“However, a seer foretold that a man will succeed on the challenge and he will truly be my lover. But, his success will be the destruction and salvation of the East Gorteau in the future.

“Albeit the foreseen Kingdom’s destruction, suitors did their best to get the stone underneath. Several were melted in the magma but one man succeeds…and I instantly fell in love with him.

“He is muscular and handsome. Every girl would want to have him but I’m sorry he was in love to the East Gorteau’s future queen.

“He walked gracefully in my father’s presence, toward the princess with the golden eyes. He bowed with his one knee when he was in front of her and the princess offered her hand which he took and kissed.

“Then he faced the king. He bowed in him and he showed him the stone he took underneath the volcano. How did he do that? We have no idea…and little did I care about how. The important matter is it’s him.

“The King was glad about the man’s success and he didn’t hesitate to give me to him, so do I.

Even before the coming of our wedding, I already gave myself to him.

“But in the middle of the night, he transformed. His gorgeous appearance changed into a monstrous form and I was afraid and I ran from him.

“I told to it to my father. I don’t want to marry him anymore because he is a monster; and my father understands. However, his seed was already planted in me and he was alive; moving in my stomach.

“We let him born in hope that he would be look like a human but we failed. He is green. His skin is as hard as a shell and he has a long deadly tail.

“My father wants to kill him for he is a monster, but I stopped him. He was still my son. Instead of killing him, we left him in a far mountain where people won’t see him.

“The King died shortly and the crown was passed unto me. I was known to be the virgin queen, which is not true for I have a son, living far away.

“I missed him a lot, so I visit him on that mountain after three years. There, he accidentally ate my guard in defense. As a mother, I am thinking of his need. I thought that he loves eating people that’s why I keep on sending people on the same quest: get the buruberu on that mountain; when my real intention was to feed them to him.

“Now you do understand that it is not him who killed your love ones. It’s not him who the monster is; rather is the beautiful queen who you thought was good and innocent.”

The people were dumbfounded. The queen they’re admiring most now confessed the greatest murder ever done in the kingdom.

“Komugi is right. He’d never been a monster. I just failed to take care of him…” She looks at Meruem and their eyes meet again. This time full of shocking revelations, confusions, and unknown emotions. “I failed to love your father. I just look him on the outward appearance and never tried to look at his heart. Never once. Why does he want to win my heart after all? Why did he do the quest even if it’s dangerous? Because he loves me; but I was so blind I failed to see his heart. I am very sorry Meruem.”

“That was you…the woman who brings me in the cave…” is what Meruem can response. He then remembered her lips as she said that she was grateful to have him but she can’t keep him, and then her eyes. Her eyes that are golden.