[WMMAP] White Magician

White Magician 2.6

Yearning

A few weeks had passed since he had met the little princess, Athanasia.

From the name, he could tell that she would be the one to inherit the throne. She didn't seem to be on bad terms with Claude either. If anything, they were awkward around each other. Claude did not know how to treat the child and the child was insanely afraid of their father.

Claude was obviously aware that the princess was afraid of him. Opal had heard him be glad that she was brave enough to normally interact with him. Unlike Helios, who also bravely interacted with Claude but only to fight the devil off.

Opal had seen Helios - who was still convinced that Claude was some kind of demon or a vampire - bring up a silver rosario and hurl it at Claude which hit Claude's bare chest before it fell. It was drily comical to see Helios gasp in enlightenment when he saw Claude flinch and hiss.

Vampires burn if silver touches them.

Demons get hurt if rosarios touch them.

What Helios did not get into consideration was how humans also hiss and flinch at pain.

Now Helios believed Claude was a demon AND a vampire.

Opal wondered if a child with him would end up like Helios. When Opal realized his sudden thought, he found it funny because he had no real idea of who this "him" he was referring to. He was yearning for someone and he didn't know who it was.

It was weird.

"Uncle?"

The princess called for him. They as in Claude, Opal, Athanasia, and Helios were currently in the garden having tea except for Opal who was having coffee. Herbs could go die of all he cared for.

"What is the matter princess?"

Opal inquired and Athanasia's eyes just seemed to glow in... was it happiness? The previous master was not sure. Helios made him somewhat happy(?). It was never boring to watch his weird son who took everything Opal said to heart.

"Um... is it okay for Athy to visit Uncle?"

She shyly asked.

Suddenly, Opal was hit with nostalgia.

"You will come again, right uncle?"

A little girl called out. It was a flashback but Opal did not know from where he got that memory. It was gone as soon as it appeared.

Shaking his head he turned his attention to the little princess. She was looking at him in wonder and awe. Opal did not understand why Athanasia kept calling him Uncle but for some reason, he felt like he shouldn't ask.

"Yeah. Whatever the princess wants."

Opal responded absentmindedly.

It was when the princess cheered happily that Opal came back to his senses.

"Opal! Me too!"

Helios rang in to which Opal raised a confused brow.

"You always invite yourself in. Every two hours, if I have to say. Just make yourself comfortable."

Opal huffed in disbelief but Helios looked happy either way and nodded.

"Opal..."

Claude called out and Opal sighed.

"Aren't you busy?"

"I'll make time..."

"Then make sure to invite yourself when I am not sleeping."

To which Claude frowned a little. Was that a pout?? It certainly couldn't. Opal was probably imagining it.

Tired of socializing, Opal stood up.

"I will be taking my leave. These days, I've been awfully tired for no reason."

"Let me escort you to your room."

Claude said as he followed after Opal.

Opal was about to reject the offer but the emperor beat him to it.

"I should be going back to work anyway."

Sighing once again, Opal agreed.

New Friend

As Opal and Claude were gone, Athanasia and Helios looked at each other awkwardly.

Athanasia never read about Opal and Helios. It was weird and confusing but what was more confusing was Opal. Athanasia was so sure that Opal was the uncle that took care of her behind the scenes.

When Athanasia was old enough to leave the orphanage, the uncle had contacted his assistant. His assistant later went to Athanasia and introduced her to a very clean and well cared for and furnished apartment flat. The price was so cheap that Athanasia had signed the contract almost immediately without reading it over.

When she was looking for a job, she had applied to several companies and one of them was one that the uncle owned. She was immediately accepted.

At first, she did not know it was the uncle's doing that she had found a place in society. She would meet him every weekend and she would tell him about her week. She did notice that while the uncle would laugh and smile, his eyes were slowly losing light and he was losing weight.

One day, he just stopped answering the phone.

A month later, a lawyer came to her and handed her some documents while explaining that she had become the owner of the entire apartment and the monthly payment of the apartment flat was saved in another account and given to her.

The lawyer later explained that the uncle was committed suicide before leaving.

Athanasia cried. It was like a part of her was ripped out of her and left her hollow. She had considered the uncle as her uncle, a real family.

She kept working for the company and took on more and more jobs. She tried to keep living like normal but she couldn't. With no one to lean on and the loneliness that was swallowing her up, she slept thinking how disgusting the world was.

Athanasia never expected to wake up in a novel she had read, much less, meet the uncle that took care of her and his son.

Wanting to be friends with her uncle's son, Athanasia shyly smiled.

"Want to see Blacky? He is my pet and super cute!"

Helios shyly looked at her before nodding. Athanasia took Helios's hand and led him deeper in the garden. It didn't take long for them to find the divine beast.

"Blackie!"

Athanasia called but at the sight of them, Blackie ran away.

"Ah! Blackie wait up!"

Athanasia called out and ran after the beast while pulling Helios along with her.

Seeing Blackie's black tail, Helios and Athanasia's eyes twinkled and threw their bodies to grab it.

"GOT YOU!"

"OUCH! Stop pulling on my hair!"

Athanasia and Helios gasped when a man sat up with a very angry face.