.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
" Who's Lady Diana ? "
Arius asked , his tone laced with curiosity as he anticipated a response but the reaction he received from them was something he didn't expect at all .
Athanasia had dropped her fork which she was about to eat from , Felix stared at him with a slightly appalled look.
Arius now grew worried at how Claude would react.
' did I say a taboo word ? Is she a . . . . . witch ? '
Arius pondered over the countless possibilities.
' it can't be a witch , I would've known it in my previous if there was a witch like her '
Claude kept his cup down and stood up , Arius felt as if his heart had just taken a huge leap .
' . .. . Oh no . . . . . Is he going to kill me now ? . . . . . . Was her name a curse ? But Felix said it and he wasn't
killed ?! '
Arius panicked slightly , his muscles tensed as he prepared himself to run if Claude raised his hand or even his finger.
Claude stared at Arius for a bit longer and left without speaking a word. Arius released his breath , he had been holding .
He turned his head towards Athanasia who look at him with a slightly saddened look. Arius grew only more confused when Felix sighed heavily . Felix opened his mouth to speak but paused not knowing how to phrase it for Arius.
" Lady Diana . . . . Well. . . .. she's your mother , your highness. "
Felix spoke. Arius stared at Felix a bit stunned and then turned his attention towards his cold meal .
' Diana. . . . .so that's my mother's name '
Arius thought , feeling a slight sense of warmth creep into his heart .
'' I know her name now ''
Arius thought , with a slight smile , looking quite accomplished and happy at the fact he finally knew his mother's name.
' see. . . . I'm not that clueless of who my mother is '
Arius thought to himself , as he remembered the day Fred had taunted him with the fact that he didn't even know his mother's name.
The day he killed Fred , Arius was glad he was the one who did it.
Without much realization, Arius had said it out loud that he now finally knew his mother's name.
' after eighteen years. . . . .. . I finally know your name mother . . . . . . .I know it '
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Athanasia was being carried to the ruby palace by Felix who had a gentle yet firm grip on her to make sure she didn't fall.
As they walked in silence , one thought still plagued their mind . Arius .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
" I know her name now "
Arius said with a sense of contentment , a small curve on the corner of his lips .
Athanasia didn't know what to say , her cheerful cute persona she usually kept up vanished for that moment . A sharp ache crept it's way to her lungs , preventing her from taking a lungful of breath.
It felt as if breath was stuck inside her chest.
' oh Arius. '
Athanasia sighed , not knowing what she was feeling at the moment as she watched Arius smile slightly as he ate his food .
Was it sadness ?
Was it pity ?
Was it anger towards claude for keeping Arius away from any information on his mother ?
Was it frustration for not being able truly help him ?
Athanasia didn't what it was , all she knew was that she wanted to make sure Arius knew he was loved . That she loved him more than he knew .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Athanasia snapped out of her thoughts when Felix asked her a question.
" Princess , how did you know about lady Diana ?"
Felix asked , his eyes focused on the path before him.
" Lily always talks about mama and how she was pretty like a fairy "
Athanasia replied , tightening her hold on Felix . She couldn't help but keep on thinking about her brother , Arius .
'. . . . . I was too naive. . . . . I couldn't recognize how much Arius truly suffered in the novel. . . .in his childhood . . . . . Now '
She snuggled her head on the crook of Felix's nape .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Arius had walked inside the training room with a cheerful smile no one in the Sapphire Palace had ever seen.
" Oh cheerful today ? "
Fred snickered . Arius turned his attention towards his trainer , his smile dropped at the mere sight of this man.
" Well ? Anything good going on except the morning tea with the emperor "
Fred asked , he threw a wooden sword towards Arius who caught it swiftly out of instinct.
" It doesn't matter to you "
Arius replied with a slight glare. Fred raised his eyebrows at that , the corners of his lip tugged upwards .
" Oh ? Where'd that attitude come from ? "
Fred swung his sword harshly towards Arius who stepped back using his little body as a advantage.
" I'm in a good mood today . . . . . . . I don't plan to dying today "
Arius spoke , his tone cold and detached as he dodged every hit from Fred . His little limbs got tired as this little spar continued on , his arms grew weary from the heavy wooden sword he used to deflect Fred's attack whenever it got close.
' should I kill him again ?'
Arius frowned , taking a step back as he huffed tiredly .
Just as Arius was about to block another attack from Fred , a thought popped inside his mind.
' why am I fighting back'
Fred's attack neared closer and closer as each second passed by , Arius's eyes easily following his movements.
' I dont plan on dying today but. . . Does that mean I don't wish to die tomorrow too ?
Oh God. . . . . . Do I . . . .do I want to live now ? '
Arius clenched his eyes shut , his wooden sword raised above him to hold off Fred's attack . The only thing he could do with this current body was to run and escape , he had no strength left in his arms after hours of sparring.
Arius grip loosened and the edge of Fred's wooden sword hit his collar bone on the left side , his knees buckled down as the weight of Fred's attack forced him to kneel.
Arius gasped for breath as he clenched his shoulder , his body shook with pain .
' oh god , it hurts . . .. . . It hurts '
Arius clenched his teeth not wanting Fred to get the satisfaction of seeing him in this pathetic state .
" You were acting cocky just some time ago "
Fred chuckled , swiping his sword sideways .
" You were always obedient , taking the hits like the pain gave you satisfaction , it gave you joy.
You do not wish to live , do you ?
But seeing your reaction today. . . . . . . It seems your desire to live has been awakened "
Fred grinned as he grabbed a fistful of Arius's hair and yanked Arius's head back .
" I don't care if you want to live or die , if I want to kill you you'll die , If I want to continue having a prince as my punching bag you'll live. It's as simple as that . "
Fred raised his free hand , clenching his fist tightly before hitting Arius squarely on his cheek.
Arius groaned in pain as blood dribbled down his nose , his eyes ablaze with a look of anger.
" Feisty look , I like that "
Fred tightened his hold on Arius's hair . Arius gritted his teeth together awaiting another hit but the it never came .
" I'll be awaiting your next visit "
Fred grinned , showcasing his unbrushed teeth that still had the evidence of his morning breakfast.
Arius clenched his teeth as Fred pushed him back towards the wall before leaving . Groaning in pain , Arius sat up , leaning on the wall as he breathed heavily .
' my collar bone is probably shattered now '
Arius thought and sighed at the mess Fred had just made out of him. His sharp senses caught a sight of a barrier that shimmered slightly .
Arius narrowed his eyes focusing little bits of mana on his eyes , studying the barrier closely .
' who made this ? . . . . .it can't be claude. . . . . . It can't be me either. . . . . My magic has not matured yet in this body. . . . . There's only one who can do this '
Arius clenched his teeth as the barrier slowly healed his wounds and broken bones.
' Lucas . .. . The reason the poison hadn't done much major damage even after I drank gallons of it everyday is because of Lucas . . . . That shit '
Arius groaned in frustration at the fast that he had drank so much of the bitter tasting tea only for nothing to happen to him . Arius was sure even his piss had started to turn green due to how much he drank that tea . All that for nothing .
' how did that fucker even cross timelines '
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
' that's it , I want to die now . It's too troublesome having to live .
Oh dear god , I can't believe I wanted to live a hour or so ago !! Why did such a stupid thought even pop in my brain '
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Three days or so had passed , Arius didn't go to have morning breakfast with Athanasia and Claude . His shattered collarbone was still healing , although at a leisure pace.
Arius stared at the barrier that was invisible to naked eye unless focused at with magic enforced eyes. When Arius applied mana to his eyes , he could see the barrier clearly but it strained his eyes so he refrained from using that technique most of the time . And since his magic was still not matured in this age , Arius refrained from using his mana most of the time .
' how did he even come up with this barrier '
Arius thought waving his hand infront of it. He leaned his head on his palm as he sat down on his personal desk .
' . . . . It's a healing and a protective barrier . . . I guess Lucas didn't want me to know of him just yet . . .. . If he placed the barrier then it means he is not in the palace at the moment. . .
The barrier is still newly enchanted. . . .couldn't have been here for longer than. . .. a month '
Everything came together , Arius finally figure it out .
' Lucas was disguised as Lucy , wasn't he ?
That was so obvious ! I should have known sooner , I can't believe I grew dumber after travelling to past '
Arius hit his head on the desk , his cheek was already healed . The punch from Fred hurt a lot but Lucas's barrier made everything heal at quick and natural way.
However his collar bone was still not completely healed , there was a nasty green and blue bruise there . Arius swore he could hear his bone healing when he focused enough.
' that's. . . .. freaky '
Arius thought, trying to move his left arm . As soon as he tried to move his hand up , he felt a sharp pain preventing him from doing so.
' the bone is still healing . . . . . I wonder how long it'll take to heal '
Arius sighed , wondering how he should make a excuse for this injury.
Just as he thought of countless possible, Arius had a horrid expression on his face as a realization settled deep inside the pits of his stomach .
' why am I even worried about excuses ?!!! How am I going to die now that the barrier prevents me from doing so !!! That's the main concern !! '
Arius panicked , brainstorming countless magic books he had read in his past life . Arius was hell bent on removing this barrier or have that Lucas Lucy whoever it is remove it .
' I shouldn't have sent that shit on a vacation. Now he must be somewhere spreading his shittiness around Obelia '
Arius frowned .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
" Achoo !"
Lucy sneezed , looking around as she rubbed her nose. Multiple bags were hooked on her arms .
' who's thinking about me ?
It must be Arius ! He must be dearly missing me now . Be it as Lucas or Lucy , Arius won't stop letting me be his favorite person , will he ?'
Lucy thought with a bright smile , conjuring up countless gold coins on her pouch as she went from shop to shop looking for gifts for Arius .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Arius studied the barrier as he focused mana on his eyes for a short while .
' it's . . .quite. . .more complicated than I expected '
Arius sighed looking at the nook and cranny of the barrier , trying to find a way to break it . His concentration broke when he heard a knock at his door , Arius quickly dispelled the technique and walked towards the door .
" Who is it ? "
Arius asked , as he stared up . Felix stood infront of him with a bright smile with Athanasia secured on his back .
" Greetings , your highness "
Felix smiled brightly , Athanasia gestured Felix to put her down . When her feet touched the ground She quickly made her way towards Arius who was blankly staring at them.
" Brother ! Your palace is so pretty ! "
Athanasia beamed as she held Arius's hand not noticing his slight flinch .
". . . Is that so ? I'm sure Athy's palace is more prettier "
Arius replied , shifting his left side away from her. He held her palm with his right hand to prevent her from touching his injured side again .
" Come , I'll walk you to the palace today . You should walk more to grow more healthy "
Arius smiled gently at his sister , giving her palm a light squeeze. Athanasia enthusiastically nodded her head , squeezing his hand back.
' Oh dear lord , thank you for letting me have a second chance in life !
Now I get to see what it's like having a sibling who always cares about you '
Athanasia cried imaginary tears as she held Arius's hand firmly .
' oh my god , his smile is so cute !! And his hand is so warm !! Arius is the cutest person there is ! Not even Jeanette's cuteness can ever come close to Arius's '
As Athanasia dwelled in her thoughts , she failed to notice the stiff movements of Arius . But Felix who had a sharp eye could easily notice the stiffness of Arius's movements .
Felix decided to keep his concerns silent for now to let the two siblings enjoy their time .
As they neared the throne room , Arius and Athanasia engaged in a playful conversation.
" I think dogs are cuter ! Cats are nice too but dogs seem more nice "
Athanasia supported her point turning her head towards Felix for extra support , Felix simply flashed conflicted smile towards her because he adored both cats and dogs equally .
" Well , I like cats better . They seem quieter and they're also cute "
Arius replied back , enjoying this little banter he had going with Athanasia .
However this lively atmosphere quickly died down when the door to the throne room opened and a man with silver hair walked out .
Arius's eyes narrowed at the sight of the man before him , Roger Alpheus , father to Ijikiel.
Deeply buried frustration creeped onto his heart as he stared at the man , Athanasia also stared at Roger Alpheus with a slightly confused look .
Roger Alpheus, Arius clenched his teeth as he tried to calm his nerves . The man who had raised a child of previous emperor and was brave enough to introduce that child on his sister's debutante .
' this man. . . .if I could I would like to rip him into shreds. . . . . Had he kept Jeanette's existence secret or revealed her without lying , Athanasia wouldn't have had to go through many things. . . . .. .
And He had the audacity to introduce her existence on Athanasia's debutante. . . . . . . . . '
Arius stared at Roger coldly , while his face remained neutral , it was hard to not notice the cold and hostile stare he was giving to Roger Alpheus.
Claude is also at fault for accepting Jeanette without any questions but Roger Alpheus is also at fault for ruining his sister's life , his life .
Their life which were already on the brink of ruins worsened even more after the arrival of Jeanette who was
able to get her way inside Claude's heart as his daughter . Even though Claude knew from the beginning she was not his own , He gave her care and love that he had never bestowed upon his own children.
" Roger Alpheus at your service , may blessings and glory be upon the Obelian Empire "
Roger greeted with a polite bow , a sly smile on his face as he stared at the two royalty before him . His careful gaze nitpicked the two children , his eyes met Athanasia's and he smiled.
' that gaze. . . Is he comparing his card Jeanette to me ? . . . . A five year old ? '
Athanasia smiled back adorably .
Roger then met the eyes of Arius who looked more than ready to murder him right there , a slight chill went down his spine but he dismissed it with a smile .
At that very moment, Roger knew Jeanette won't be able to compare to Arius . Not now , not with how clueless she's at the moment .
Those jeweled blue eyes that were staring at him as if he was the lowest of the lowest scum held a sense of experience and matureness in them
than not even his son had .
" Mr . White ? Who's this doggy Felix ? He looks like a white doggy "
Athanasia spoke with a adorable look on her face as she clung onto Felix for answers .
Roger snapped out of his thoughts when Athanasia called him a doggy.
" Is she talking about me ?"
Roger politely asked , appalled by her words . Arius scoffed slightly at Athanasia's words.
" Of course it's you she's talking about , Duke .
Who do you think looks like a dog among us ? "
Arius replied feigning innocence. Felix bit his lips trying to hold in his laughter as Roger Alpheus grew more appalled .
" Do you want a candy doggy ? It's yummy "
Athanasia teased holding a candy before him only to take it back when Roger stared at it .
" Bad doggy ! Doggy can't eat sweets ! "
She scolded . Arius felt his rage die down as Athanasia's antics humored him more than he expected . Felix coughed trying to hold back his laughter .
' maybe I should stop teasing him
now '
Athanasia thought as she stared up at Roger Alpheus.
" Athy wants to go to papa now "
As they bid goodbye , Arius quickly made his way inside the throne room not wanting to see that dog's face any longer. When he entered the room , he regretted his decision when Claude stared down at him .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
' great . Just great. '
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
( Found this pencil after everyone left the class )
( My line art is horrible and my pen decided it was time to spill ink while doing his hair )
Let me know if there are any typos.