Oblivion Of The Heart

Chapter 61 - Debutante (5)

Chapter 61

The walk to the garden seemed exhausting and longer than before, despite how fast she ran. At one point, she halted, seizing her chest and panting. Her chest seemed to be contracting and her head throbbed while she furiously wiped her tears. She had presumed she was too heartbroken, but no, such searing agony couldn't be a matter of rejection. Forgetting her rejection for a moment, she did a quick playback of everything that happened since the previous evening.

She couldn't be poisoned. She had been extremely cautious and didn't consume anything served to her during the banquet. But then, a far more unsettling thought struck her. Not daring to believe, slowly she raised the sleeve of her arm; on her wrist, a cross mark seemed to be flickering.

"No way..." She muttered, "It cannot be..."

The cross mark on her wrist was evidence of the black magic cast on her the moment she was born; it was a spell that would inhibit any traces of her real gender for as long as the spell-caster was alive and healthy. The cross mark hadn't disappeared but was flickering; which could only mean her spell caster was in jeopardy, but not dead yet. But right now, she was unaware of where her spell caster might be, being so far away from the castle.

But the question was, who would hurt her spell caster? After all, it had been none other than the Empress of the Demon Clan herself to do the honor. Who would dare lay their hands on her?

"Miss?" A male voice spoke from behind, a voice so familiar and unprecedented that caused Athlos Hiver to flinch. Turning around, making sure her back was to him, she did not dare respond.

"Miss?" He repeated, "I apologise if I happened to disturb you while you enjoyed your solitude, however---"

"Since you know you have disturbed me," She said, changing her voice to a deeper note, "I would request you to leave. After all, being found with a man alone would only disgrace my name," The man seemed to have paused for a while, as though contemplating.

"I apologise again for the inconvenience, however, you resemble someone I know, so I would request you to turn around for once?" He said, and Athlos Hiver's heart seemed to come to her mouth while her head throbbed painfully. She couldn't bear being discovered by him right now, at such a time...

"Dear young master," Another voice intervened; and another voice she happened to know. Esperanza stepped up from the trees with a smile, walking and standing beside Athlos.

"I wonder what business would you perhaps have with my lady-in-waiting?" Esperanza smiled, stepping in front of Athlos Hiver.

"And who might you be?" The man asked.

"I would like to ask the same question."

"I don't feel obliged to reveal,"

"And so do I," Esperanza smiled, "It is a small meeting under the waning moonlight with the mellifluous music lingering in the air and the scent of palpable joy. Let us be discreet, not offend anyone, and live up to the harmony of the scenery,"

"I heard the words of the nobles in Serenitas are sharper than their swords," The man laughed, "I conjecture it to be true now,"

"I'm flattered," Esperanza chuckled, "However, we've also been valiant on the battlefield. If you wish to, I might also lay out our merits of the past years. After all, words aren't enough to stabilise an empire, are they?"

"You're right. But I wish to see the face of your lady-in-waiting to confirm my presumption."

"Is that so? Noraida, turn around," Esperanza said. Athlos was perplexed but realised she was addressing her with a fake name. Athlos Hiver remained still.

"Noraida?" Esperanza asked, "Why aren't you heeding my order?" Esperanza walked to Athlos craned her neck to glimpse at her and gasped.

"What happened?" The man asked.

"Oh dear, oh dear, I understand now why you left the hall in such a hurry. There must've been a lot of Marzipans, I bet they served you one by mistake," Esperanza shook her head and turned to the man.