Within a Small Room- Valefor

Within a small room, without any sort of decoration, sat a lone woman by the mirror.

Even though I had entered her room without permission, she did not look at me.

“You have arrived,” the priestess said, without turning away from her mirror, “my awaited end.”

“You had already known?” I asked, closing the door behind me. 

“The mercilessly cold night that will consume the bright sun,” she muttered, “who will reap the consequence of a past endeavor, and the flower that lives for the sun will wither from the night’s gentle breeze. I had not expected the night to be you, my lord.”

The priestess finally turned around and looked at me.

Even though she knew she would die, her eyes did not betray how calm she was.

In fact, there was a gentle smile on her face.  

Feeling that the situation has become rather strange, I sheathed my sword and asked, “did you not tell your lord of your eminent death?”

“We are mere messengers of the Goddess of Darkness,” the priestess replied, “no being can escape their fate, and no fate is worse than death, except for ours. It would simply cloud my master’s judgement. And, even if he knew, it would do nothing for him.”

“Do you wish to live?” I asked, extending my hand out.

If she swore loyalty to me, then I would be able to use her. She would not have to die.

She would not have the tragedy of living a life absent of joy, of happiness, and dying pointlessly.

There was no reason for her to refuse.

The life of a priestess is the worst that could be imagined.

“Thank you, my lord,” the priestess said, shaking her head, “you are as Gwendolyn described. A gentle heart swallowed by the shadow of the past.”

“Take my hand and I shall give you a new life.” Gritting my teeth, I muttered, holding back the anger that I felt, “You will not have to serve me, you will not have to serve anyone, you can be free.”

Why can’t you accept my offer?! Why can’t you be happy?

Why… why must you remind me of her?

I wanted to scream at her. I wanted to take her hand and force her to come with me.

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But, when I saw her expression, all my thoughts melted away like snow.

“As much as I wish to accept your kind offer, I must wholeheartedly refuse,” she replied adamantly, “I do not wish to live any longer than I must. I have come to accept my death a long time ago.”

“…” My hand slipped down to my side, “you are as foolish as the rest.”

Our eyes were locked together.

“Our life is not our own, my lord. We are accursed beings. Only death will release us from our fate,” she replied, smiling gently at me, “we, who are born to be nothing more than an accessory for another, who will never be able to live for ourselves, gladly welcomes our death. Even Gwendolyn is no exception. While hers is a dream-like wonder, she is shackled by the chains that is your existence my lord. Do not hesitate my lord, by taking our lives, you are simply freeing us of our shackles.”

A tragic fate.

“I see.”

“I have a request, my lord,” she thought after a while and asked, “if you could, I ask that you free my sisters.”

“… Is that all?”

My body began to tremble lightly.

How could she be so selfless… I thought, biting down on my lips.

‘Why did she have to say such words!’ I cursed at her.

I did not want to kill her.

In order to get my revenge, if I had to kill such beautiful, innocent life, could I truly do it? For the first time since I made my resolve, I felt weak and pathetic.

It would not end with just her death, but rather many more will end up dead if I continued my path.

For my happiness, innocent lives would have to suffer. I knew that since the beginning. But, words and reality are two different things.

Once the demon lord dies, his loyal servants and the peaceful territories that he governs would fall into pandemonium. Many would lose their life, and many more will suffer.

My arms felt heavy and tired.

Drawing forth my sword, I held the blade parallel to my chest and readied myself to plunge my sword through her and pierce her heart.

As she laid on the floor with a peaceful smile on her face, I felt a trace of pain as blood trickled down from my palm.

Opening my hand, I noticed how my hands were trembling.