"Neville, are you feeling better somehow?"
"Yes, thanks to you."
"I'm glad." The heroine sigh as she rest.
'He's lying. I'm pretty sure he's trying to hide his sorrow for me. He surely looks after me.'
"Come to think of it, did you saw Knile during the funeral?" The prince stopped writing and glanced at the heroine who was drinking her tea.
"No, why?"
She manages to hide her skepticism as jealousy started bothering her.
(The empire is in chaos and y'all flirting-)
"I see.."
'Eh? Why is he thinking about Knile?'
She furrowed her brows and pout. Nothing is going on between them, right?
"Neville-"
She couldn't manage to speak to him when someone abruptly entered the room. They both turn around and saw the priest, out of breath. Dark bags surrounded his eyes and he was immensely shaken.
Annoyed, the prince throws a glare at him while the heroine immediately ran to meet the man.
"Priest, do you need something?" The prince asks, trying to hide his irritation because he was someone the heroine respected.
"Why did you suddenly came??" The heroine then casts a spell so that the priest can calm down.
"Your highness, we need your light magic to heal the children!"
"What?!" Neville abruptly shouted which frighten the priest. He was glaring at the priest, ready to kill him.
Even with the dirty look, he's receiving, he didn't give a damn since lives were at stake.
"Please your highness! The children are dying!"
He pleaded and kneeled, making the heroine gasp.
'No... She's my tool and I'm the only one who can use her.' The prince gritted his teeth and look away. He was trying to hide the murderous glint. 'I don't want filthy peasants touching and using Astaria. I'm the only one who can use her.'
"Please I beg of you! It won't drain her vastly!"
'I'm the crown princess I shouldn't leave my people alone.' She looks at the prince and saw the distress.
'But I shouldn't also make him sad, I promise to make him happy...'
Her sunset eyes narrowed as she glanced back at the priest who was begging.
'Shouldn't there be a solution where both sides don't suffer? There's probably a way to make Neville and the children happy...'
"I beg of you!" The priest was now crying. Astaria felt the ashame of herself as she looks down.
'What do I do? If I go I will make him sad and if I don't, children will suffer and die.' She bit her lip and glance at the priest.
'This is the same feeling I face before deciding to end Knile... I don't want to decide something like this again....'
"Please your highness!" The priest sobbing loudly annoyed the prince more.
'Then let them die! Children are a nuisance and aren't useful.' He wanted to say that but the expression of Astaria stopped him. Her eyes were filled with compassion and her lips were shivering.
'She looks troubled... This expression suits her the best..' He thought as his glare vanish. 'I wonder, what you will choose...'
He smirks, finally knowing the answer.
'She'll probably choose me-"
"Don't worry I'll go." She responded as she smiled sweetly while the priest felt hope. The prince widens his eyes and his smirk gradually faded.
'Ah, you're always so kind.' He thought. 'You're so easy to be persuaded..'
"What do you think prince? Am I allowed to go??"
She glances at him and he nodded.
"Be careful." The prince mumbled and the priest immediately bowed her head.
"Long live his highness! Long live her highness!" He praised as he stops crying.
'Ah, I don't have anything to benefit from this but at least it'll create more good images and a respected reputation for Astaria. This will stop nobles from disturbing and producing rumors.'
He was deep in thoughts and didn't expect the sudden kiss from the heroine. His eyes widen in astonishment while the heroine kindly stares.
"Thank you!"
'There was a solution that favored both sides after all!'
'Ah, she's naive indeed. No wonder Knile can take advantage of her... I really should start constructing a cage for her. It'll protect her from greedy people who want to use her.'
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Soon, the heroine happily arrived and the saddening atmosphere met her. The priest glanced at her and saw how terrified she was at the sight of people suffering. Some of them were declared dead and because of the lack of manpower, they left them there to decay.
Sweats, blood, and the smell of death greeted her.
The heroine instantly covered her nose. A disgusted and miserable look appeared on her face.
'I never thought it was this bad... The prince told me the infected decreases and the magicians can handle the healing. He was lying... He risks the lives of many for me... He did change!'
"I apologize your highness! I didn't think you will be disgusted by the sight!"
He was now terrified at the thought of the saint leaving the children to die because of the sight. She was a prominent lady after all.
"No it's ok," the heroine reassured and he sighs in relief.
"Well then please, follow me."
She continued to look around. Even though it was a nightmare she proceeded to observe. A few magicians look drained and the patients were breathing heavily. Some were crying while looking at their loved ones. The heroine felt pity as she blamed the natural phenomenon that was giving rise to suffering.
'There's a lot of people dead in just one place... What about the whole empire?? I guess thousands are already dead... This is sickening...'
"We've arrived.." The priest sadly stated while looking at the children. The heroine notices the lack of parents besides the children.
"Are they orphans?" She asks as she closes her eyes, trying to feel the mana surrounding them.
"Yes, they are."
Her breath came to stop as soon as she heard him.
'They have suffered alone...'
She grew up in a happy family so she didn't know what it feels like to be lonely.
She chanted the spell and orange particles started appearing. It was now spreading and entering each of the children, making them be in peace.
(I almost wrote rest in peace-)
The priest exclaimed at the miracle and started thanking the goddess.
Soon, the children started rising and she smiled at them.
They all perceive her as a saint, a savior. If it wasn't for her they must've been dead, but unbeknownst to them, the plague wouldn't even appear if she wasn't born.
The story wouldn't even start.
The fight between hope and despair wouldn't even happen.
(Team hospair of danganronpa where you at??)
The distress in their eyes vanish and they all started thanking the heroine.
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I also get annoyed that the heroine is poorly written so I'ma stop-it here.
And yes, I get enough sleep... Actually, my sleep always gets interrupted by my brother who has insomnia.