"Welco, Sir Ethan."
"It's so nice to see you, my lord."
"Are you free after the summit?"
The entrance of the main hall was crowded with the nobles of the Pargoina Empire.
Their pleasantry voices echoed in the boy's ears, with brown hair and grey eyes.
He had strikingly good facial features which complented his slightly dark grey formal suit.
"Could you please give us so space?" Ethan said, his voice soft yet firm as he placed his hand around the waist of the girl beside him.
Ruby turned to look at him, a small blush on her face.
She wore a one-piece dress that covered till her knees, her long chocolate-colored hair tied down.
"Sure, sir."
They quietly moved aside, still smiling at him, and Ethan walked further inside the main hall.
They halted at a quiet place as Ethan looked around and noticed how everyone looked at him with warm gazes.
"Are you prepared?" Ruby asked softly, leaning closer to him.
"I don't have to do much," Ethan replied, gently moving in front of her. "All I need to do is go on the stage—."
"Not that," she cut in with a light chuckle, "About the offer from the Emperor."
"...Oh."
Ethan nodded his head gently.
A few weeks prior, the Emperor of Pargoina, Quinton, visited him to talk about the summit.
On that day, he proposed an idea to Ethan:
...To marry his eldest daughter.
It wasn't hard for Ethan to see through his motives.
'He just wants to tie down with the empire.'
And even though a part of him wanted to marry Sylvania, he refused and instead he chose sothing else.
'...I would rather be an adoptive son.'
By doing so, he could have a chance to marry so high-ranking noble from another empire.
At that thought, his gaze moved towards Ruby, who looked at him, blinking.
"What?" she asked.
He sighed. "I am sorry, but to gain power, I have to marry soone else—."
"It's fine," she replied with a bright smile, "I know my limits, and I would always welco soone who can support you."
Ethan smiled lightly, his eyes looking at her lovingly. "Thank you."
Ruby nodded as her gaze shifted around and imdiately she noticed soone.
She waved towards him, "Father!"
The middle-aged man who resembled her glanced up, his lips curled up as he walked towards her.
"My daughter, how have you been?" Regan, her father, said with a bright smile as he patted her back.
"I am fine," Ruby replied as she pushed Ethan forward.
"Father-in-law," Ethan said with a bright smile as he extended his hand.
Regan's chest swelled up as he shook his head, his laughter echoed, "Hahaha, how have you been, son-in-law!"
Tens of jealous looks imdiately turned towards him.
The nobles, no matter the rank, cursed the absurd luck of Regan.
The man who was nothing just a while ago now had turned into soone who couldn't be ignored, even by the Emperor.
"How is everything going?" Ethan asked as he looked at him.
"By the grace of God, everything is great," Regan replied, his smile never wavering, "Soon our family will be back to its past glory."
"Why just past glory?" Ethan asked, a confident look on his face. "Don't worry, I will ask the Emperor to give you a higher rank."
Regan turned silent for a while before he laughed heartily, patting Ethan's arm. "Good, good."
"Pardon my intrusion," a man walked towards them, his accent and the way he presented himself clearly showing he wasn't from the sa empire. "Does sire have ti to talk with us?"
Ethan looked back and noticed a group of people waiting to et with him, along with beautiful ladies around his age.
He turned towards Ruby, "I will be right back."
Ruby nodded, "Alright."
Ethan walked towards the nobles from the Mizraim Empire.
Even though he knew they wanted to hook him with their daughters, he wasn't opposed to the idea.
After Esray killed him twice, he had beco paranoid, but at the sa ti, he had also beco soone who wanted to experience life more.
And for him, the best way to do so was to engulf himself in pleasure.
'Hm?'
But his steps halted as he found a boy with white hair standing alone in a corner.
'...Azariah.'
A sense of satisfaction filled his mind as he looked at him, alone without anyone.
'That's how it should have been.'
He thought, resuming his steps.
'...Remain alone until the day you die.'
***
'The hell was he looking at?'
Azariah thought, looking at Ethan, who pleasantly talked with so ladies.
'Fucking idiot.'
He thought, taking a sip of the wine.
The people around him kept their distance while he stood alone.
"Hm?"
He turned to his side as he noticed soone walking closer.
"Tiffany?"
Azariah mumbled, looking at the black-haired girl standing beside him, Ashlyn's sister.
"...Noah?" she ekly called him as if trying to confirm.
"...Do you need sothing?" Azariah asked, looking around but couldn't find Ashlyn.
"Can we talk?" she asked, her voice low.
Azariah thought for a mont before he nodded.
She hesitatingly grabbed his hand before leading him away, curious gazes on them.
They walked through the crowd before reaching a quiet place—a guest room that was opened for the nobles.
"..."
Azariah silently stood at the entrance of the door, his gaze on the girl who stood inside.
"A-Az," Ashlyn whispered, her lips trembled as she tried to smile.
She wore a golden-colored gown that had beautiful patterns carved on it.
Her golden hair, with strands of platinum in it, was tied neatly behind her back.
Azariah's gaze turned towards Tiffany.
"...Please," Tiffany whispered with a tired smile.
He sighed as he walked in, looking around the simple room.
Tiffany guided him to sit down on the sofa while both sisters stood in front of him.
"...So," Azariah whispered, looking at them with a light smile, "It's been a long ti, hasn't it?"
Tiffany nodded her head vigorously, her lips trembled as she whispered, "...Why didn't you co to visit us?"
"...It's complicated," Azariah replied, trying to keep his smile. "I would have if I had—."
"No," Tiffany shook her head in response, "You could have visited us if you wanted to, but you didn't."
"Like I said, Tiffy," Azariah smiled, patting her head, "...My condition wasn't good for to visit you guys."
"...Why?" Ashlyn, who stood quietly until now, interjected. "What happened to you after that festival?"
"....Nothing much," Azariah replied, glancing at her, "I was, uh, let's just say I wasn't in the condition to et with you guys."
"Then why did you hide it for so long?" Tiffany asked, tears pooling around her eyes, "...Did you think of us as a burden—."
"No," Azariah cut in, his voice firm. "I never thought about you both as burdens."
"Then why?" Tiffany asked, wiping her tears, "All I wanted was to see you again."
"....."
Azariah gently patted her head without replying.
He couldn't say he did all that to protect them because he didn't want them to feel like burdens.
He just kept on rubbing her head without saying anything.
"Are you going to stay away from us?" Tiffany asked, looking up at him.
Azariah drew in a deep breath as he smiled at her, "...I promise, I will try to visit you regularly from tomorrow onwards."
Tiffany's mood brightened up a little as she gently nodded her head.
Taking a step back, she bowed deeply, "...Thank you for all the things you did for us."
"Don't worry about it," Azariah replied, rubbing her head with a smile, "I did it because I wanted to."
Tiffany nodded as she turned towards the door, "Then I will leave you both alone."
"Hey—."
His words died down as Tiffany quickly closed the door.
Azariah ntally sighed as he looked at Ashlyn.
A soft smile filled with sadness adorned her lips.
"....."
Azariah quietly looked at her as she walked closer before kneeling in front of him.
"...Your dress—."
"I don't care about that," she replied as she looked up at him, her hands extended, grabbing his, "...Can we talk, please?"
Azariah gently nodded his head in response.
"Did I do sothing that upset you?" she asked, a sense of uneasiness clear in her voice.
"...No," Azariah replied, shaking his head.
"Then why are you ignoring ?" she asked, her voice cracking.
"I am not ignoring—."
"I am not stupid, Azariah," she cut him off, a tear trickled down her eyes, "...For months you have been avoiding at any cost."
"..."
"Why?" she asked, squeezing his hands, looking up at him, "...Have I hurt you in so way?"
"It's not about that," Azariah breathed, his voice tired, "I just don't know how to deal with all this."
Sowhere in the corner of his mind, Azariah hadn't forgotten the thoughts he had about her.
How he always planned to use her as soone who would be his shield.
Soone who would protect him in danger.
But...
As ti passed, he realized how
ssed up his thoughts were.
'I took her life for granted.'
He sighed as he took out a letter from his bracelet.
"What is this?" Ashlyn asked as he passed it to her.
"...Your mother's last words," he replied, making her flinch.
"...I see." Ashlyn quietly nodded as she stood up.
"Please stand up," she said, gently looking at him.
Azariah got up from the sofa as he towered in front of her.
"...We should hug," she said, cocking her head to look up at him.
"What?"
"I an, we can... keep talking," she whispered, trying to find the right words, "...But I think we both need a hug."
Azariah looked at her for a while before he gently nodded. "Fine."
She stretched her arms wide, embracing him while Azariah did the sa.
Ashlyn tiptoed, placing her head on his shoulder as she hugged him tightly.
'...You will be mine.'
Her thoughts started to run wild as she lted in his embrace.
'...No matter what happens, I will make you mine.'
She thought, gently kissing his neck.
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