Another World

✨~7~✨

I knew that Sylvia was once Malakai's nanny and the Royal concubine's maid.

"How did you two meet?" I asked when I was done reading the letter.

Romania sat up straight, almost as if she were on a trial and a judge was questioning her. I softened my gaze and reminded myself to be kinder to her because the letter itself seemed legitimate, along with the necklace.

"We met at a job we both had at a commoner's restaurant. At the time, I had met 'Malakai' as well, but not as Royalty. I just knew him as 'Sylvia's younger Brother'." She answered.

I nodded at her reply and took a sip of tea.

After a moment's pause, I asked another question, more serious.

"How did she die?"

As soon as I asked that she looked down at her hands on her lap. Her shoulders slumped down and she bit her lip.

"That...that night, " She began "Sylvia didn't show up for her shift. So I got worried and decided to go check on her because she has been very frail and sickly—since I met her."

She took in a deep breath.

Was it too hard for her to speak about? But I needed to know what happened.

"So, I took the path Sylvia had explained to me to take whenever I wanted to visit her. It was dead quiet and dark since I'd just gotten off at work, which was in the early AMs. But then I suddenly heard crying in an alley up ahead of me, and it turned out to be Malakai; he sat beside Sylvia's slumped-up body with a bloody wound in her abdomen."

She turned away. "I couldn't do anything to help her. Sylvia said that an assassin had attacked them and she managed to retaliate but not without receiving a fatal wound."

She continued looking at her lap and I noticed the edge of her eyes almost tearing up as she recalled the event.

I frowned and slightly panicked. I would have no idea how to comfort her if she began crying. Even though I felt endless gratitude to her for helping Malakai, we were still technically strangers. On that note, why was Malakai so attached to her? They haven't known each other long enough for trust to grow. But regardless, she was someone who Malakai cared about so I'll take care of her for him.

I took out a handkerchief from my pocket. "Here you go." She looked up as I handed her my handkerchief. She looked between my hand and me before smiling softly.

I paused for a moment while she took the handkerchief and dabbed the corner of her eyes. That moment when she smiled at me and when our hands just briefly touched when she took the handkerchief, a strange warm feeling began creeping into my heart.

I leaned back into my seat, taking a sip of tea. But even that couldn't quench an unknowing thirst that seemed to take over my throat.

"I won't be returning it." She said as she pocketed my handkerchief without any shame.

I didn't think much of it before she smiled at me again. "Thank you." She said softly.

I turned away from her as we sat in silence again for a few moments.

"I should be thanking you for taking care of my brother and bringing him here. You have my sincere gratitude." I told her as I bowed my head to her briefly.

I wasn't lying. I missed my brother
more than usual, especially since he left the Royal Palace with his mother, but then I knew that he'd be much safer and happier than here.

Or at least that's what I hoped.

The reason I said I missed him more than usual was because our 'usual' was that we barely and rarely saw each other for multiple reasons when we stayed together, but that didn't stop me from loving him, even though I didn't get a chance to prove it to him. Especially under the watchful gaze of my mother.