ALGTS: 6

After the short meeting, Celestria took her leave. She walked down the hall and out the front door and climbed into the waiting carriage. And then she collapsed. All the tension he had had to hold inside and carefully stem was finally released, and now she was shivering and heating up all at the same time. For the first time, she was wondering what it is she got herself into.⁣

⁣

Once home, she immediately climbed into bed and attempted to sleep. But it was impossible. The meeting with Lord had shaken her much more than she had initially thought. She could only hope that he did not see any slip in the facade. After all, she didn’t know what he would do should he spot a weakness.⁣

⁣

“Where is my big sister?” Hae asked, his face sunken with worry. The Knight that stood beside him felt his heart tug. “She’s still resting from her meeting with the King.” His voice strained at the last word. The little boy nodded, then sat silently on his haunches. He had many thoughts running through his mind as of now. His precious older sister... had gone to meet that scary person. Just the thought made him shiver. He didn’t want that. Not now, not ever. But he remained silent, and waited patiently for his sister to wake up so he could confirm with his own eyes that she was alright.⁣

⁣

“I don’t think you should do this ever again, Lessie.” The duke’s voice was very soft and sad as he spoke to his oldest daughter. But her face was calm and composed as ever. “If not me, then who else?”⁣

“There are plenty ministers that can do what you want to do at the palace. Please.” Once she had woken up, she had told her father everything that had happened in the meeting. He was appalled at the information. Celestria smiled dryly. “The ministers... if only they could.”⁣

“Why can’t they?”⁣

At this, Celestria was silent for a while. She recalled the final bit of the conversation she had had with the Lord of Demons. The parting words he had gifted her with that same enigmatic smile that was always on his face, and her own turned bitter.⁣

⁣

“Because no human has ever been able to speak directly to the King in the millennia he has been alive. No human, except me.”