Chapter 22
"Eren." She called him, stepping inside his library, she immediately saw him in his study reading some documents and complaints from the nobles. She watch as he sigh and his eyes downcast to those documents, she watch as his expression changes by everything he reads. She could see his displeasure and when he didn't notice her, Mikasa slowly taps on the door again and this time he finally looks up. With a small smile, he greeted her as he watch her approach him.
" I didn't know you were so busy."
"There are so many complains ," He answered, still smiling despite the stress that he was feeling. " .. but I'm good, we are already trying to find answers."
".. about the tree?" She glanced outside. Her dreams had stop, her nightmares that hunted her through the night had finally reduced until they were completely gone. However, she was still worried. It has to mean something, those dreams shouldn't appear so often if they weren't for nothing. She firmly believes that all dreams have meaning and therefore she should know.
"It continue to grow worst." It was hopeless, she bit her lip not to tell him how she feels but she knows that he also at some point thought the same as her. The blood tree is hopeless and they will soon be eradicated.
"What if it's not meant to be solved, Eren?"
"I don't know," He still smiled at her. " Then, we should just live our moments happily."
" You know, I saw a family the other day, their child is sick and the only thing that could relieve her is the fruit of that tree, something that attacks the nervous system they say. " That caught his full attention.
" What did the doctor say?"
" The child needs a lot of blood from that tree." Eren, despite being a good leader, find the situation absurd. He thinks that she is being fooled by the locals because she does not know a lot in the world of vampires. Vampires couldn't get sick, they were built like that and their almost immortality that allows them to live for more that thousands of years.
"Mikasa, I think you were being fooled. "
" What , how? "
" Vampires couldn't get sick, we only die when our heart is badly pierced by a silver dagger which we wouldn't really find anywhere in this world. "
" So, you're saying that they fooled me!? "
" Well, yeah. " He replied but still smiled reassuringly. " Don't worry, we understand your compassion and your care for others. Don't feel bad that you are fooled. "
" How could I not? " She scoffs,
" I was just trying to help them. "
"Should I punish them?"
" Please, do so." She quickly replied.
______
" Eren! " She yells when she found something on the book she was currently reading. They were in the library with the other scholars trying to find answers for the blood tree. Mikasa stumbled on an old dusty book with strange language that she couldn't comprehend, however despite the cover being in a strange language, the content itself wasn't made of an ancient language. The words were easily understandable. Eren was quick to left his area and run towards her, worried if she was hurt yet he found her sitting on the floor while reading a book. His worried face soon calmed down and he smiled.
" I thought something had happened to you, I was so worried. "
" I'm sorry, I found a book. The cover was in a strange language but the contents weren't, I thought it might help. " She explained while showing him the book.
Eren shook his head before he smiled, sitting down beside her.
" You have no right to make me that worried of you. "
" I'm sorry, " she turns to lean on his shoulder once he was seated. "I didn't mean to, I know how stressed you are this days and also you've been having strange habits for a while now."
"What strange habits?" He turns his head towards her. " Like, I sometimes feel like I'm not talking to you when I am talking to you, it sounded strange doesn't it? Never mind that, I think I'm just imagining things. "
She reassured him but it doesn't seem to reassure him as he began to ponder. " Does it hurt you? "
" No? " She answered unsure and Eren sighs after seeing her expression. " If it hurts you, then fight me. "
" What? " She was puzzled, she doesn't know what the is talking about but she could feel that he wasn't bluffing . He was serious so Mikasa nods her head even though she was confused. " Sure, I promise. "
After hearing that, Eren once again smiled before he finally stood up from the floor and offer his hand for her to take. Mikasa didn't hesitate to take it and after a while, he pushes her up. Eren took the book from her hand.
" Everyone, let's study this book. Does any of you knows the ancient language? "
" That's hard to decipher." One of scholars replied. " But we will try. "
He was one of those who is expert when it comes to languages so Eren didn't hesitate to give the book to the scholar.
" We will help you with this but I only have limited knowledge of the ancient language."
"That's fine, your Majesty." The scholar quickly replied, smiling.
" I will try with the best of my ability. "
" Allow us to help you " Eren replied.
" Gladly. " The scholars bow before leaving the two of them alone. Once all of the scholars were gone and the library was closed, Mikasa turns to him.
" How could you be so sure? You should have allowed them to still search, who knows that that title says, do you really have to know the title's meaning? "
" Yes, ofcourse, aside from reading it's content. The tile gives the idea of what you will read next. " Mikasa sighs involuntarily. " I wish we could really solve this, I don't want my nightmares to come true. "
" They won't. "
" We aren't sure, " She spoke in a low voice. Once again, she look at his eyes but his eyes glint strangely upon looking at it, Mikasa's eyes shook upon the realization. It was like the same thing she encountered back in the human world when she entered his apartment but this time the force were stronger.
" Why are you trying to find solution? " Eren asks in a voice that made her shudder. " It's useless to try so why are you desperately trying to find ways? "
" What? " She asks despite the fear she was feeling. " What are you talking about? "
The books around them fell on the floor with a loud thud , Mikasa glares at him.
"What do you want?"
The shadow seem pleased upon her question, it smirk.
"This boy knows yet it was taking him so long to do what I want. "
" What did you two talk about? " Eren leans forward to whisper something in her ears that made her eyes widen before she glares at him again.
" You tricked him. "
" No, I didn't trick him. He knows that I ask for during the first time he summoned me and he agreed to it but he hasn't given it to me, it's been so long and my hands is beginning to feel itchy. "
Despite her fear, she began to speak.
" What do you want? "
," Oh, are you planning to make a contract with me? "
" No, I'm not. " She soon replied, holding her breath.
His expression turned puzzled as the darkness soon envelope the whole library.
"However, I must ask you to leave that body. You useless–" She didn't continue what she was about to say, even if she wanted to insult him so badly. Mikasa but her lip, trying to suppress the insults she wants to throw.
" What? Please continue what you're about to say. "
" I hate you, " She soon said as she felt her chest tightening. The shodow seems angry.
" Do you wanna know why I wanted to achieve what I ask him for?" He taunts. "it's because, I wanted to see an exhibition."
"So are you telling me that you are so miserable?" She ponders.
" What?"
" How poor! I've never seen anything like it.. no, I actually did, back in the human world. The people who derived happiness from other's pain. Those people must've been so miserable."
"Miserable?" The shadow ask as he laugh. " How laughable. "
The glint in Eren's eyes disappeared as he soon stumbled to the floor, unconscious, Mikasa was so surprised that she was unable to catch him as fell with a loud thud. Mikasa inwadly sigh, feeling the need to reveal the situation to the mother Queen. Eren couldn't hide it anymore and she could tell that Eren won't tell the Queen in his own so she had to do it. Feeling a headache, she soon sat beside him waiting for him to wake up. She didn't bother to call a maid as she knows that if she did, the nobles will know and their opposition will be much more stronger, Mikasa wouldn't want Eren to suffer so bad. So she waits for him to wake up, holding his head in her lap. A few moments later, she soon find him moving so she looks down with a smile on her face.
"You're awake?"
"Mikasa?" He sounds confused.
" How did I fall asleep in your lap? I was–" he soon look at her with wide eyes as if he just realized something. " Did it appear? Did it hurt you? "
" It did not, but we have to get rid of it, his energy felt vengeful and also to tell the mother Queen. How long have you been hiding that? "
" You can't tell mother, " He sounded worried.
" I won't, you'll be the one to tell her. Eren, it's not good to hide it. You two had a deal… " She click her tongue, as if slowly collecting herself. " Tell me the truth, if you love me as you did in my first life and if you still do, you would tell me that whatever he say was only a lie. I would believe you. "
Eren blinks, dumbfounded, he couldn't find a word to reassure the woman infront of him. She had the same expression she gave so long ago, engraved in his mind because he knows what will happen next if she gave him that expression. He cannot lie to her again, lying only causes them pain and he learned that long ago however he couldn't bring himself to tell the whole truth before- but this time he will, for the goodness of everyone.
" It's true." Once he answered, he look at her to observe her reaction. Her disappointment is so loud as her shoulders slumps.
" What?" She whispered in disbelief. " Shit!" She closed her eyes. " What have you done?"
"I was fooled," he didn't seem like he was blaming the creature instead of himself.
"Clearly." She answered back but she couldn't stay angry with him, she took a deep breath and walk closer to hug him just like what she did centuries ago.
"We'll make a plan to get rid of it. There had to be a solution." He sinks his head on her shoulder.