The grand hall was silent say for my quiet sighs filling the air.
It was nearly evening. She hadn't shown up.
Sitting at steps, a sudden crack of the door jolted me as I sat up straight. But seeing the king's face, my excitement dwindled,"Ah...Artemis, was it?"
"Your majesty, why have you sought me out?"
"Listen lass, I came here on behalf of my daughter."
"Charlie? What did she say?"
"She will not marry you."
Five words crashed down on me, each one weighed more on my soul than an asteroid as the king continued on,"She says she—"
I shook my head, standing up with a bitter grin,"No need to continue, your majesty. I'll take my leave now. I see that she doesn't wish to even see me seeing as she sent your majesty."
What could I say?
Make a scene and run to her begging her to say yes?
I'd rather respect her decision,"Then please convey to her that I wish her the utmost happiness in life and will no longer bother her in the foreseeable future."
Briskly walking to take my leave, I felt a warm hand on my shoulder,"Artemis, though I haven't known you well, I truly wish the best in your future endeavours. And, if there is anything I can do for you to make this easier, please, do not hesitate to state your request."
"Conveying that message is all that is ask. Thank you for your utmost hospitality, your majesty but I'm afraid this place isn't for me. Do not worry about me, I am merely one person. Please, there is no need to waste time you could spend running the kingdom on me."
"Then, I wish you all the best. May you live a life of joy."
"Thank you, your highness." I left the room, wiping away the tears welling at the corners of my eyes.
Putting on a weak smile, I let out a breath,"What bullshit. Third time's a charm? Ah fuck, it stings." At this point, I was very disappointed with myself.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me thrice, let's just face it, you're jerk, fate and I'm a gullible idiot.
This ending, I suppose it was expected.
I suppose all my sins came biting back.
Who would want to marry someone like me?
Swiftly flying from the capital, a sense of blankness hit me. What would I do from now on?
It seemed as if...I had no purpose.
I couldn't go back—Earth had been destroyed.
I was lost.
There was a pang in my chest, more painful than any stab of a sword. I slid down, leaning on a tree for support.
There it was again, that feeling I detested to my very core.
Helplessness.
Once more, no matter how much power I garnered, it was never enough. I was always powerless in the end, like Sisyphus, pushing up that stone only for it to roll down for all eternity.
Then, the inquirer's voice sounded.
[Artemis, do you wish to forget?]
"Forget? This might be my darkest hour but I won't spend it at a tavern drinking my sorrows away."
[No, I meant that I am able to erase your memories. Perhaps that would be for the better?]
"Erase my memories?"
[I can wipe away everything. Every moment of sorrow, happiness, anger, fear and joy you've felt in these two lifetimes. Though, the only caveat is that if you ever see them again, you will once again be reminded of your memories.]
"So all my life's experiences, they'll be gone?"
[There are select things that cannot totally be erased. For one, your unique style of fighting and spell castings can only be partially erased. But everything else is...Doable.]
"Do it then. I want to forget." Perhaps it was the weight of my previous life that held me back.
Sometimes, it was better to let go of the past and move on, right? Why dwell on something which brought you pain?
However flawed my thinking to some might seem, I didn't care. Perhaps this would be a new beginning for me.
A restart, just like when I first came to this world.
[I've to warn you, the process will potentially cause a temporary loss of control over power.]
"Whatever. Just do it."
———
"GIVE IT UP FOR CRIMSON BEAST!"
The crowd was deafening, as I stabbed the sword deep into the man's heart,"Weak." I spat out cruelly, a mild wave ridding the sword of the blood.
"Oi, stop joking around. We're here to investigate the Crylit Sapphire, not fight." Doomsberry called out to me telepathically.
"Tsk." I walked off the arena, ignoring the shouts and hollers to continue, joining back up with him after claiming the prize of a paltry sum of six mana gems.
Before me, a man with three heads greeted me,"Don't give me that annoyed face Reikon, I'm only here because boss asked me to come and make sure you don't end up levelling a building again."
They wore absurdly long hats, each one outfitted with skulls, the one in the middle having the tallest hat out of all three. Four arms poked out from their dark blue coat which was covered in buttons, most of which were purely decorative.
His skin was a rotted green, eyes hidden beneath thick glasses I couldn't see through—Not that I wanted to anyway. Four feet stuck out from beneath the coat, making me wonder who controlled the fourth one.
Though the man looked extremely peculiar, I had to acknowledge that his skill in the Mutation Path was unrivalled, allowing him to fight people on his path which were two ranks above him.
Just then, I felt a huge disturbance southwest of here. Turning to Doomsberry, he nodded silently,"I suppose we ought to check it out. Who knows, it might even coincide with our mission and we'll get to go home earlier than expected."
"If only it were that easy. I doubt it'll be related. Probably just an orthic thrall stampede again."
It was the a resplendent light blinded me momentarily as a powerful aura hit me.
My eyes narrowed as I instantly recognised that archaic aura,"Autarch Dragon!"