Earlier...
*SLAM*
Few knights entered Owen's room and they cornered him.
"The empress called for you." One of them announced. He signaled his fellow knights to restrain and take Owen.
"Oh, it's time."
"Again?"
"Don't touch me." Owen uttered in a cold voice. "I'll follow you myself."
Of course, that time has come again.
Once a week, Owen is called by the empress to take care of her 'non-fading' beauty routine- through using Owen's magic.
Two knights covered Owen from behind, one each from left and right and two in front of him. They had to do it for safety measures.
Owen was out of the tower and they were now headed towards the empress's palace.
After a long walk, they finally arrived.
"Your majesty," The knight announced behind the door.
"Let him in." The empress responded as she got the signal.
Maidservants opened the door for Owen and he entered inside.
"I greet the moon of the empire." Owen bowed.
"Rise."
Odette Rai Alexander. Red hair and eyes. The mother and moon of the empire, the empress.
She was a originally a duke's daughter who was set as an empress candidate back in the days. She won the competition and got engaged to the current emperor- which she never set an eye on.
Raphael Dwight. That was the name of the man she yearned for, but never had.
She liked Rina's father in the first place and never wanted to be an empress. She wanted to be a duchess.
But sadly, it was a destiny that's not for her.
"How are you these days?" Odette talked as she looked at the mirror.
If you look at it closely, few wrinkles and blemishes were starting to show up in her face. Ever since she gave birth to the crown prince, she started to age quickly.
And everytime she looks at Carla Dwight, she always wondered what sorcery she used in order to make her beauty remain.
That's when she started getting jealous about Carla's beauty.
So she decided to buy this young slave from an auction since she discovered that Owen possessed great abilities.
"I'm doing fine as always, your majesty." There was no interest in Owen's response.
"Look at that face. It's getting dry and old as time passes by." The empress muttered as she stared closely at herself in the mirror.
"..."
"Well, do your thing now." She ordered.
"Yes, your majesty."
Owen walked towards her and started the ritual.
He made a magic circle right below where the empress was standing and he started chanting the spell.
He poured out his mana in the whole session and it went for about half an hour.
Thirty minutes later, it was finally done.
The empress quickly took her hand mirror and observed her face.
"Ah, this is it. This is my normal face." She caressed her cheek and it was as smooth as a marble. No blemish at all.
Her old wrinkles were like they were never present in the first place.
This is what Owen did ever since he arrived in the palace. For straight six years..
"You've done well, you may now go back-"
"Your majesty, I want to ask for something." Owen knelt down.
The empress stared at him from above with eyes that held power. "Greedy little dog. What is this something you're asking for?"
"...I want to leave the tower."
"What?"
His boldness surprised the empress.
"Ha! Are you in your right mind? Why the hell would you-!"
The empress stopped for a moment. It was like she's pondering about something.
"Leaving the tower huh.." She mumbled and grinned after.
Owen was confused at her action.
The empress walked towards her bookshelf and took out a book. She skimmed through its pages and stopped after she found what she was looking for.
"There's this flower called Blue Dragon's Tears. I heard that if someone drank this flower's nectar, that person wouldn't age and beauty will remain. It's found in the Southern empire, deep within the caves inside the jungle." She stopped, and looked at Owen.
She smiled for a moment and said, "You know that you owe your life to me."
"...Yes, your majesty."
"Then, I order you to go and get this flower. You may leave the palace but you must return whatever the cost. I need the flower."
Hearing this made Owen more confused.
If he leaves to find that flower, wouldn't there be a chance that he can escape whenever?
"You must return no matter what. You know that it's treason if you disobey an imperial edict. If you do escape one day, I'll search you to the depths of the sea. And I may touch your loved ones if you'll disobey."
'Loved ones..'
When mentioning about loved ones, there was one that came to Owen's mind. It was Catherina.
He had no family or relatives to worry about anymore so he didn't feel threatened from the empress's words.
But he was hoping that she won't know about Rina.
"You think I don't know about Rina going in and out of the tower?"
"!!!"
"Oh? What's with the surprise? I have eyes everywhere, Owen. And the tower has magic barrier in the first place. I could feel her pure mana everytime she teleports there. Hahh, such an adorable child."
"She's using Rina as a threat!"
"How dare she-!"
"Evil! Just kill- I mean, just punish the empress already!"
"What do we do, Owen?"
"I see I've hit the nail. Ah, young love.. I treat Rina as my own daughter so don't worry. As long as you do what I say, nothing bad will happen."
"..."
"Leave after three days' time. If you return with the flower, I'll set you free forever. You may go back."
With that, Owen returned to the tower.
He never imagined that the empress would use Rina as his threat.
Present time...
*Creak*
He entered in his room and as soon as he took a step inside, his whole head was pounding.
His body lost strength and he fell to the floor. He felt hot and breathless.
'I used too much mana earlier.'
"Owen!"
Owen was starting to hear things. Maybe he was this desperate to hope that he would see Rina once again.
But then he felt her. She was real.
"Rina? Am I dreaming? Are you real?" He held her cheek to see if it was really her.
"What are you talking about?"
'It's her.'
To think that he'd experience being taken care by Rina personally. It was a precious moment of his life.
He could only stare at her face and do everything she says.
For the first time ever, Owen knew how it felt to be cared by a person you love.
'This is nice.'