ɪ'ʟʟ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴍʏ ᴅɪsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ, ғᴀʀ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ᴀs ɪ ᴄᴀɴ

24

THIRD POV

Aliciel widen her eyes in realisation as she stood up and look around for Lia. Lia notice Aliciel's presence and smiled warmly.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked softly while looking at her.

"M-my former dress...! Since you changed me, you must know where it is, right!?" she asked as desperation filled her eyes.

Lia give her an apologetic smile. "I'm terribly sorry, but I already throw the dress because you can't use it anymore and it's torn." she explained as Aliciel's eyes widen.

"B-but there's this handkerchief-" before Aliciel could finish her sentence, Lia take out the very familiar handkerchief Aliciel was looking for.

"You're looking for this?" she asked with a small smile plastered on her face as Aliciel take the handkerchief from Lia's hand and tears threatens to fall from her eyes as she received it.

"...t-thank god..." she stuttered out as her voice cracked and hold back her tears.

Lia seems to notice it and pat her shoulder. "It looked very important to you." she said while looking at Aliciel as Aliciel freeze on her spot.

'Important...?' she asked to herself while thinking of Valen, the time when he asked her to make one back at the Academy. Her lips form a smile as she nodded. "Yes... this is important."

-

Aliciel open the door to be greeted by Valen who is checking on his sword. He notice her presence as he put the sword back and smiled at her.

"Hungry?" he asked her as she take a seat beside him.

Valen take out a bread and share it together with her as they eat the shared bread together.

Out of nowhere, Valen chuckle much to Aliciel's confusion. "....I just never thought that we would eat like a commoner and share a bread together." he said with a light smile as Aliciel form a small smile.

"Well, God has a funny way to make us expect the unexpected." Aliciel replied while looking at him.

Valen smiled and sigh afterwards. "If you're not there, I think I'm going to die." he said sincerely, "Thank you for saving me."

Aliciel nod slightly. "If you're not there, falling together with me, I might die and the branches might break my bones." she said sincerely. "Thank you for saving me." she said the same way he thanked her that somehow, warms his heart.

"I'm sorry about the assassin. Vilanc often send them to me." he said as he finished eating the bread.

Aliciel shakes her head. "It's alright. I'm also surprised that he would send someone to assassinate you on that day in the afternoon." she trailed off. "...But why would Vilanc did such things? Why would he go this far to the point sending you assassins?" she asked as a slight sadness and concern filled her eyes.

"...he probably want justice for his mother." he started as Aliciel turned her head towards him questioningly. "His mother is the late Empress. Everyone thought she was sterile so that's why my father married my mother to make a heir." he explained as his eyes directed on the floor.

"Vilanc's mother couldn't stand it but after a year, she finally has Vilanc, her first son. But I was born a year first than him, so father didn't pay any special attention for Vilanc and making me the official heir. The Empress becomes crazy and tried to kill my father including me, but she was executed for that." he explained sadly.

"...I understand that, and I also understand about your mother. You want to become the Emperor and also bring justice for your mother, right?" she asked while looking at Valen in the eyes.