DAHLIA:
After Kaist had left that morning, Tristan bid me good bye as well since his presence in the council was needed that afternoon.
After purchasing a fallen nobleman’s title, he had instantly become the lord of Crohmwall District, one of the places that were continuously damaged by the countless rogue and vampire invasion.
Although it would be the first time he would join the council, he didn’t seem quite nervous at all. He just smiled warmly towards me as he kissed the top of my head before he boarded the carriage.
Imagine my surprise then when several carriages came in front of the house shortly thereafter, demanding my attention.
“Countess Abell,” Lina said, sounding alarmed. “There’s a commotion outside! I think you need to see it.”
I got up from the bed and wrapped a shawl around my shoulders. I haven’t been feeling too well yet, but if it’s just outside the gates, I don’t
DAHLIA:“Papa, why? What’s the matter?”My papa never cried, at least not in front of my eyes. They were times he would cry in secret when he was drunk, especially when my mother’s death anniversary was near. Yet, here he was, crying his eyes out in front of me.“That man is a complete monster, Dahlly! He is an absolute monster!”I couldn’t quite look my father in the eyes, remembering the recent incident between Tristan and I, but I was deathly curious why he was saying it so.I reached for the pitcher of lukewarm water beside me that Lina had prepared earlier. I really wanted some cold water, but Lina insisted I drink this while trying to recuperate.“Here papa,” I offered the glass to him. “Please don’t cry. You’re making me worried… Are you hurt anywhere?”I stopped as I remembered that my father absolutely hated it when I had to use my powers on
DAHLIA:I paced the room back and forth, trying to think carefully of what my father had told me before I sent him secretly away through the giant window that gave a direct access to the garden. He really said there were no such letters, right? My papa didn’t receive my letters, save but one…“Here, Dahlly,” he said as he produced a parchment from inside his vest. “This is the letter I received from you. The one and only letter I have ever received for the two months you have been away...”I unfolded the parchment my papa handed to me. It did look like the parchments I have used when I was writing those letters to him.The first few lines of the letter had caught my eyes suspiciously. It wasn’t like any of the letters I had written to papa before. It read:Father,I’ll go straight to the point. I do not wish to see you. Please stop trying to get into the district and
TRISTAN:Twilight came, but thankfully, I was back in the villa before darkness has already fully consumed the light in the sky.I had an action-packed afternoon. It was good to see the whole council tumble into chaos. It must be like that every time a peace talk was being held, but it was nice to see the prince’s reaction to it. It seemed that, just like me, it was his first time to see such a ruckus.However, unlike that boy Kaist, I was part of those who created the ruckus, so I half-expected that circus to have happened…Despite all the glee of seeing Count Jeteris humiliate himself, my heart was still feeling weak, and there was only one solution for it.It felt like a long day… I had to see Dahlia.This morning, I stayed away from her because I knew that the blasted ex-lover of hers will come to visit, and then in the afternoon, I had to part with her for the council meeting. Goddess, those were all awfully long hou
TRISTAN:“The men who had wronged your family – is there any chance that my father had something to do with that? Could it be the actual reason why you hated him?”Dahlia’s eyes were looking straight at me, not evading it, not blinking at all. She wore a serious look in her face that it made my heart quiver.‘Idiot, just tell her the truth… How can you avoid such a direct question now,’ Arthur murmured in our shared consciousness.‘But our mate would get hurt… She definitely won’t forgive us then,’ Albus whimpered.For the first time in my life, I wanted to run away from Dahlia’s sight. I wanted to hide and evade her questions. I didn’t want to see her face at all.I had lied a million times before to survive and to get nearer to the ending I’ve envisioned, so why?... Why was it so hard to lie to her now?...“Dahlia, if I suspected Duke Hurst,
DAHLIA:“A banquet - what for,” I asked, looking at Tristan’s reflection on the drawer mirror.He was sitting on the bed, reading a book. He was wearing his reading spectacles, which made him look like a different person than the one I knew.“Well, we never had a proper wedding banquet, and you’re starting your study in three weeks. I think it’ll be the perfect time for us to celebrate these milestones.”“These milestones,” I said, my eyebrows shooting upward, “didn’t we agree I’d take private lessons at home? What’s with this sudden display of achievements?”Honestly, I didn’t get his idea. He was the one who suggested that I take the lessons at home from a private professor sponsored by the university for the time being. He didn’t want me to feel too overwhelmed with all the changes since my powers have been revealed to the capital. The last thing I ne
DAHLIA:I brushed my thoughts aside. I must have seen it wrongly.“Lady Livia, it’s an honor to meet you for the first time.”She gave me a displeased and slightly irritated sideway glance once more, but she did not say anything.I didn’t know what to make out of it. Confirming that I did see what I saw earlier made me speechless.“My wife and I are happy that you can make it,” Tristan said, repeating part of what I had said. Surprisingly, the girl’s face broke into a smile.“I am glad to meet you here too. Thank you for inviting me.”“I heard it’s also your nineteenth birthday today, congratulations,” Tristan said.It was astonishing to see Tristan pay attention to someone else’s birthday. Was my first impression true? Were the two of them close?“Indeed, I have more than one reason to celebrate because of that, and since you broug
DAHLIA: I stood frozen on the spot. I should have moved away, but I can’t… It was as if my whole body was paralyzed. Tristan lightly tapped the lady’s hands that were coiled around his body. “You know I can’t do that…” “Why? Is it because you are mates? A fated mate’s bond can be undone, you know. If either of you reject it, it can be undone” she said. “Livia, why don’t you just be a good girl and not think of such things, hmm?…” “We’ll I’m being a good girl that’s why I am saying this,” Count Jeteris’ daughter exclaimed. “You can’t possibly be happy with her.” “Don’t say that, alright. And please don’t make Dahlia’s life miserable. I saw how you acted on her earlier.” “Serves her right for charming you…” “Livia!...” “Alright, alright… I’ll play my part as long as she keeps herself away from my business… Gosh!” It has been a while since I had discovered this ugly bit of exchange. I wanted to burst
KAIST:I can’t believe that stupid man made my Dahlia cry. He didn’t deserve her. He had never deserved her from the very start!Honestly, I was hesitant to go to that banquet. Despite the cordial invitation that I had received, I never wanted to come to a party celebrating Dahlly’s marriage with another man. Despite Dahlly’s unawareness that I have feelings for her other than friendship, I don’t think that it was appropriate for me to come and cheer her either.However, this morning, I received some rather curious letters that made me go back on my earlier resolve.“My prince, some letters came in for you while you were sleeping,” Pelle said, handing me two strange notes as soon as I woke up from an afternoon slumber.I frowned at the sight of these strange letters. I thought now that I am almost of age, I wouldn’t possibly receive them.When I turned thirteen, I started receiving an anonymous