"Y-You're leaving the Capital City?" A shrill voice blurted out in the middle of the city.
Daphnne never thought that she'd see the day where one of her best friends would leave. There was a grand wooden carriage, embellished in golden carvings and extravagant polish. The wheels were well-kept and stabilized, while a richly designed red curtain swiped on the windowsill.
"I want to experience how it feels to live outside of the city," Lucilline off-handedly remarked.
Daphnne's face wore concern. She turned to look at the maidservant, then carefully asked, "You're leaving too?"
Willow was unfazed. She nodded simply. "As long as Young Master is going, I must follow."
The heroine lowered her gaze in disappointment. She fiddled with her fingers, and her gentle locks of chestnut brown hair had softened her contours. Daphnne appeared quite soft and innocent, resembling a white bunny hiding in its pair of droopy ears.
The maidservant couldn't help but falter.
Lucilline gestured her a motion.
Willow gently coughed, "Don't be sad. Young Master and I aren't leaving forever." She wanted to pat the heroine's shoulder, but decided against it. "We'll be back in no time."
Lucilline looked away and added, "Who knows. Maybe I like the rural area more than the city. Maybe I decide to never come back..."
"No!" Daphnne cried. "Lucilline, you've got to come back! We'll miss you so much!" Especially Az. She couldn't help but think in her head.
The mentioned young man was pitifully looking at Lucilline, his amethyst purple eyes radiating off waves of sadness. His brows subconsciously furrowed, and his lips couldn't help but curve downwards. There was a look of ambiguity yet sorrow in his figure.
His soft locks of white hair brushed before his forehead, drooping like the ears of a disappointed puppy.
Lucilline couldn't help but pause.
He had the strong urge to just fondle those locks of soft white hair. Unlike her young brother, Willow's hair was not as soft or feathery to the touch. Rather, her years of harsh experience had toughened her scalp, including the hardening of her hair.
But... Lucilline really didn't dare to touch Azalea's hair...!
He still couldn't get over how he sucked the poison out of his blood last night. It was embarrassing... shameful... and... complicated.
There was no way he'd dare to touch him again...!
"Wow, your hair is indeed very soft." Ten seconds of struggling later, Lucilline abandoned his morals, reaching out to feel the strands of silky white hair. He lightly pet them at the tip of his fingers, with the soft hair as gentle as a swan's creamy milk feathers.
The sensation of satisfaction quickly dominated his heart.
Unbeknownst to Lucilline (who was busy petting away), Azalea's pair of ears had scorched red.
"...that's enough," Azalea had finally had enough. He couldn't stand being adorned like a pet anymore. Though he did enjoy the attention, he couldn't let anyone know this!
Willow and Daphnne in the back: ...We already know.
The white-haired teenage boy coughed. "Sorry for taking up your time, Lucy. I will let you go on ahead now." A layer of blush fell onto his cheeks, plunging him into a flustered mess of shame. The dark colour of cocktail red made him appear drunk, as if having taken several shots of alcohol.
Lucilline nodded. He nudged towards Willow, "Then we'll head out now."
The black-haired nobleman elegantly climbed inside his carriage. Willow had bid the two protagonists farewell, while the latter two watched with sad puppy eyes. The wheels of the carriages rolled across the paved roads, the cobblestone stable and sturdy underneath their weight, and the cerulean blue skies spread before the line of the horizon.
Inside the carriage was Augustine.
The butler was still dressed in his formal clothes, his raven black hair combed back handsomely. His sharp cheekbones were revealed in the outer cold, while some beams of light would regularly drop onto his skin, softening his grim contours.
"Hah," Willow sighed. "I still can't believe we're heading out to the countryside. Young Master, you didn't even consider what the Eldest and Second Eldest Young Masters would think."
After declaring that he would leave for the countryside, the two most shocked individuals were Scarletta and Zephyratt.
The two Rubius siblings had just arrived back home. They didn't even spend time with their beloved little brother, when the latter ruthlessly decided to leave.
Willow still remembered their ridiculous expressions, and how they bawled on the floor, hugging onto Lucilline's thighs and begging him not to leave.
Too bad that Young Master is firm on this decision.
"Willow," Lucilline drawled his voice lazily. "Won't you miss your brother?"
The maidservant paused. A flicker of emotions passed through her light purple eyes, revealing a gleam of hesitance.
She quickly laughed, "I haven't seen him for so long. This short separation doesn't mean much."
Lucilline turned his head away to look at the window. The curtain were fondled by the wind's cool breeze, the wisps of whispers scraping by the carriage's walls.
The black-haired nobleman's delicate eyes drooped.
"Or is it that... you miss Daphnne more than your brother?"
Willow almost dropped dead to the floor of the carriage. She shockingly faced her Young Master, her eyes wide from disbelief. "ARE YOU JOKING, YOUNG MASTER!?!" Her limbs felt as if they were squeezed heavily by an outside force. She felt her arms turn jelly, "What makes you think such a thing?"
She was responded by a mundane expression.
Lucilline just gave an unconvinced, "Oh."
Willow: !!! It's over. Her Young Master must be misunderstanding something,
"Are you lying? There is no way you won't miss the heroine." Augustine opened his sharp eyes, the silver irises drawing everything to a cold temperature.
Willow felt the urge to beat up a certain butler. "N-No! What are you going on about!" Her face turned red from fury.
Augustine gave two monotonous laughs. "Ha ha."
In an instant, the temperature in the carriage had dropped drastically. Even a mere plant by the road would shrivel up from fear. The sudden change resembled a mage casting a freeze spell, rather than the drastic mood of an angered maidservant.
Willow was ready to whip out her dagger hidden underneath her dress—
But she suddenly withdrew.
"Young Master... fell asleep?" The temperature returned to normal, as if the cold was merely an illusion. Willow and Augustine stopped fighting, their attention grasped by the asleep Young Master.
The black-haired nobleman was pretty docile when out. His pale and delicate face softened, and his curtain of eyelashes quivered. Subconsciously, his mouth opened slightly. Occasionally, his chest would fall up and down. The fragrance of a gentle vanilla scent flowed from his slender figure.
Although he was asleep, Lucilline slept perfectly while sitting.
He sat in the middle of the carriage, with Augustine on his left and Willow on right. The two servants immediately fell silent.
Neither of them ever ventured in Lucilline's bedroom while he was asleep. Thus, it was especially rare to catch him taking a rest.
"...be quiet." Augustine muttered lowly.
"I know that." Willow retorted, her voice lowered to a whisper.
The carriage experienced a steady ride with no bumps. A few minutes passed, with the scenery changing along to the passage of time.
Lucilline's body wavered to the carriage.
He subconsciously leaned towards the right, his head merely inches away before falling onto Willow's shoulder—
All of a sudden, a gentle yet warm arm pulled the black-haired nobleman to the left. Lucilline plopped his head onto Augustine's shoulder, his long locks of calligraphy-like ink hair scattering in multiple directions, resembling pigments dissolving into water.
"...you...!" Willow glowered.
Augustine just arched an eyebrow, as if he didn't know what the maidservant was mad about. He responded bluntly, "Your shoulder is too short and boney. Lucilline might even get head trauma after leaning on it. Who knows, his neck might also snap from the angle."
Willow: ^-^
She gritted her teeth. The only reason why I am short and boney is because of the drugs!
She convinced herself to ignore the insult. After all, her Young Master is still asleep...! She mustn't disturb his rest...!
Fortunately, Augustine stopped provoking her.
The handsome butler withdrew his gaze, taking a meaningful glance at Lucilline's sleeping face. Silently, in his head, Augustine couldn't help but think that the great villain deserved a rest.
*****
Lucilline woke up a few hours later.
His delicate golden eyes were still tainted by residual dew. No matter how much he blinked, he couldn't wash away the sleepiness. Lucilline yawned lazily, a few tears spilling from his eyes, hanging onto his soft threads of eyelashes.
Augustine noticed this.
He lowered his head. For once, his stern silver eyes contained a soft light.
The butler took off his gloves, then wiped the tears off from the eyelashes. Lucilline couldn't help but close his eyes, feeling the warm and thickly calloused hands touch him. The pulsing temperature seemed to render him weak to the warmth.
Augustine was done, wearing his gloves back on.
"...ah... how long was I asleep for?" Lucilline lifted his head off of the shoulder. He tucked a few strands of silky black hair behind an ear.
"Only five hours, Young Master." Willow reported. Despite seething from jealou—envy of having her job snatched away, the maidservant still informed precisely. "There will be another three hours before we arrive at the location you've chosen, Young Master—"
All of a sudden, she was interrupted by a loud BANG!
The carriage shook, and a few wails cried out from the horses.
"DEMONS!!!" A loud cry erupted from the coachman. Augustine's brows furrowed, as he grabbed a dagger from his waist pocket. Willow prepared herself one as well, both protecting their Young Master.
Lucilline sat there, unmoving.
He had no weapon and had to rely on his two servants for protection. There was no point in him running out the carriage. "Go help the coachman." Lucilline ordered.
Augustine and Willow nodded.
They rushed out of their carriage, armed with their two daggers. The clouds seemed to gather heavily at one spot, darkening the surroundings and overshadowing the lands.
"...this is..." Willow frowned.
Puddles of dark slush had swelled on the pavement, the mucous and mucky liquid squelched, making grovelling noises that made all creatures revel in disgust. The liquid extended upwards, defying gravity. It gradually took shape, forming into solidity.
The demons took firm steps on the land, with some muck splashing onto the pavement.
Instantly, a sharp blade slashed into its brain—
"What the fuck!" Willow cursed loudly to herself. Buckets of dark shadows had spilled out of its head, as if it was brain matter instead of mere disillusions. She tried to cut her dagger deeper into the demon, but something within its body had compelled her blade out.
Even Willow—the strongest in physical strength—was unable to directly decapitate the demon!
Lucilline lifted the curtain. He analyzed those demons, his delicate golden eyes thinning in observation. "Swamp demons." These creatures were a subdivision of the demon kind. There were many kinds of demons; such as Royal demons, Dream demons, and Shadow demons.
Royal demons were of the highest hierarchy, who have strength capable of cutting through mountains.
Dream demons were like the kind that plagued Lucilline's dreams. They feed off of their target's nightmares, fear, and negative emotions. The more negativity in the dreams, the more power these demons gain. As they gain more power, they are even able to control their target's mind.
Shadow demons were the kind that invaded the Holy Church. They lurk in the shadows and can pop out at any moment they please. Due to this, Shadow demons were known to be more sensitive to the light.
Lucilline pursed his lips. Swamp demons often inhabited in wetlands. Their bodies are firm as the viscous and muddy waters, and their shadowy figures can bend in multiple directions, yet not fall apart.
"MONSTERS!! AHH!!" The coachman feared of the demons.
He raced away in the opposite direction.
"...WAIT!!!" Augustine had meant to grab onto the back of his collar, but the coachman had long disappeared.
A puddle formed beneath the coachman's feet—plummeting him into a realm of swamp water.
"Anyone that enters the Swamp demon's territory is done for sure." Lucilline sensed that the situation was horrible. If they were trapped in the Swamp demon's underground swamp, then not even Willow could climb herself out of there.
"Useless boy, aren't you going to rescue the coachman? You were able to save him... stop him from running around... stop him from seeking his death..."
The Dream demon buzzed in his head.
Lucilline huffed angrily. Shut up, he retorted in his head.
A gleeful laugh sounded in his mind. The Dream demon had fed on enough of his nightmares. Thus, it gained the ability to communicate to him even outside of dreams.
"I can't cut its head off!" Willow complained.
Augustine dodged a Swamp demon's attack. If the supernatural maidservant wasn't able to send them off, then he likely wouldn't be able to either.
"Preserve your strength," Augustine deadpanned. "Prepare to flee with the carriage."
Willow nodded solemnly.
It was extremely difficult to escape from a Swamp demon's vision. They lurked in anywhere that was wet, including the underground sewers or wetlands. However, they rarely ever made an appearance in Lydia Kingdom.
After all, all demons follow the instructions of the Royal demons.
Additionally, after the war, there should be no more Royal demons... right?
Lucilline bit his lips.
"You must be wondering how to survive from the Swamp demons, right boy?" The Dream demon spoke. "Well, I have a method to scare them off."
Lucilline's eyebrows arched up in surprise. Tell me.
"Pfft, no way. I am not so gullible to just do what you tell me to do." As expected, the Dream demon was toying with him. It was trying to get him to fall into despair. "There is no way that an esteemed demon like me would ever tell you the secrets of the Swamp demons."
Lucilline subconsciously rolled his eyes.
He ignored the Dream demon, blocking out its voice from his head.
All of a sudden, a disgusted scream rang in the atmosphere. Willow was gradually being pulled into a puddle of swamp water. Her leg had sunk in the puddle, an invisible force dragging her inside. At that point, her black and white dress had also sunken.
Augustine quickly grabbed onto her hand, trying to drag her out.
However, the suction was too tight. Even the butler was unable to drag the maidservant out. "Just leave me behind and escape with Young Master—" Willow attempted to negotiate, but was cut off, as her other hand was dragged by another force.
"Young Master!" She was shocked.
Lucilline had climbed out of the carriage, rapidly pulling at her hand. He attempted to drag Willow out, but all was for naught.
The maidservant continued to sink... her entire two legs already within...
"Get out of the way." All of a sudden, a familiar voice outstretched from the distance. Subconsciously, Lucilline and Augustine followed the order.
A soft swoosh slipped through the air—then slammed violently downwards at the ground...! An insanely loud sound cracked through the atmosphere, forcing the pavement to separate into multiple cracks. Immediately, the Swamp demons paused in their attacks. Within the middle of the cracked ground was a sword... the Sword of Gravity!
At the same time, the puddle stopped pulling Willow in!
The maidservant quickly leaped out of the puddle, landing onto clean ground.
The Swamp demons fell silent, looking at the golden sword. For some odd reason, the look on their face was pure fear... Only a few seconds passed, then they immediately fled inside their puddles.
Their puddles faded away quickly as well.
Their escape was successful.
"...what was that," Willow gasped. Lucilline, Augustine, and she turned their heads towards the Sword of Gravity.
A few enriching footsteps rolled slowly on the pavement.
"I never thought I'd see Young Master Rubius out here." A voice of surprise spoke out. Soft locks of short blonde hair whistled in the wind. Dimitri—the Crown Prince—fixed the tie on his endearing white suit. His handsome and fragrant collarbones were revealed to the cold air, as the Crown Prince easily whipped the Sword of Gravity out from the ground.
It seemed that he became more proficient with the artifact.
"Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince," Lucilline blinked in surprise. "Do you have no guards?"
Indeed, there was nobody behind Dimitri.
The Crown Prince laughed, waving gentlemanly, "No. I was in a bad mood and left the Royal Palace on my own."
Lucilline's eyes fell to the ground, where residual swamp water remained.
"...Why did those Swamp demons flee...?" Was it perhaps that they were afraid of something? They couldn't possibly be afraid of Lucilline, Augustine, or Willow. It must be the Crown Prince, but even Dimitri was just a human being. What could possibly scare those pack of Swamp demons...
Dimitri coughed.
His lips curved in a gentle smile. "Maybe because I have this." He raised his arm. In his hand was the Book of Revelation.