Small talk my ass!

Small talk doesn’t involve pointing swords, throwing dreadful hostility, and raging magical power rising all around, all inside the royal chamber of the Astlan Castle. Not only that, knights and soldiers alike are pondering themselves of the situation if they will make a move or not.

In hindsight, this is an unusual situation where no normal person can interfere.

Genius and talented alike can rise with their potential and skills alone and if further honed, they will become a champion that everyone can look up to. However, even those said genius and talented can reach a limitation called a transience.

We are an existence as fragile as glass and can break every time if we become careless.

People who reached their peak will find a way to further increase their potential but that’s all there is to it, like the woman called Milin, the one who taught me about the spear.

But there are people who are both talented and genius and at the same time, blessed by fate or cursed by karma to carry a power incomprehensible. These people are those who exceeded the limitation the natural order implemented.

They are, without a doubt, charmingly dangerous with charisma to pull powerful people alike to themselves.

It’s something abound to happen, I know that. Alstroemeria is pulled to these people…

An imminent danger presented by their readiness in battle alone wards off the weak-willed and pulls the strong. I am no exception from the weak-willed, as can be seen in their perspective.

That’s right.

I want to run away with all my might.

Bravery is an only trait for those who have the strength to carry it. Being an adventurer in constant danger, we are taught that safety of our own hide is the best possible thing we can offer to ourselves. Involving in a battle of this scale is foolery.

I want to run and that’s not cowardice, it’s the knowledge to comprehend the mountain of difference between our abilities.

But deep inside me, I want to witness, how these people who broke the norm, converse with each other. What problems will they discuss? At what magnitude will they go further? And most of all, their exact limitations, both in terms of power and charisma.

How complicated…

I want to run but the curiosity overwhelms me and I want to see the scale of their prowess. My gaits are trembling and I can feel my face turning pale but at the same time, the thumping of my heart says otherwise of this cold feeling creeping at my toes.

At this moment, the man called Nil stood side by side with Miss Asagao in front of King Ashfon Astlan Lionheart. Before we entered the warp, Hydrangea handed Alstroemeria to me so right now, I am holding onto her in my arms.

Miss Daisy immediately retreated from the Royal Chamber but sooner, she returned with a girl called Lady Topaz and Lady Mimi in tow and they watched altogether at the entrance of this place.

Lady Violetta stood away from Nil and Hydrangea with seething anger as her magical energy warps the room into a torrent of suffocating pressure.

“It’s a surprise that you agreed to come here.”

“Hehe, I believe there will be no harm in doing so. In fact, I know I won’t be harmed.”

“I’ll say it only once, get away from Asagao.”

“Not even gonna offer some tea and cake and talk this out, huh?”

“All things considered, I don’t plan on attacking you. It is as you said, you won’t be harmed. That’s only the truth as long as you don’t leave the safe premises.”

“I’m moved to tears! The man who possesses the Astlan Ira is restraining himself!”

“I will murder you once you step out of this city.”

“Oh? Scary!~”

“Now—“

“Asagao chooses to be here beside me.”

As if his temperament reaches its peak, King Ashfon walks closer to Nil with resounding footsteps that carries weary pressure that I felt in my core.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“It is as Nil said, I chose to be beside him. Fonfon, I know you and Violetta have all the reason to attack him but…”

Miss Asagao tried to appeal to King Ashfon but was ignored as King Ashfon himself continued walking straight towards Nil.

Hydrangea was about to make a move to defend Nil, however, Lady Violetta is a step ahead and constrained her with magic stealthily. It was no case for Hydrangea as she only sighed at her predicament.

“You stay put there, Fairy. I shall not bring you harm if you behave yourself.”

“Haughty for words for a youngling. Regaining back the full power of your Arcana Magic does not equate to being a stronger, witch.”

“If you were not Ashfon’s heartfelt sweetheart, I would have hacked your body into two. Ancient magic of the dragons is not to be made fun of.”

“So is Fairy magic, is what I’d like to say but, I am a Ki master of the Brahman Path and the wielder of the Arcana of Wrath. Half-baked knowledge of the detestable Dragon kin and your Arcana of Domination shall do no threat to me.”

“Says by one who is bound with this mere ancient magic.”

“It’s as loose as your feeble mouth, witch. Your binding that is.”

“Oh?”

“Ohh?”

Women are scary…

Wait…

I’m a woman too, but these two gives off a completely different level of their feminity. Too extreme and yet, they still manage to let out a smile, albeit, a smile that would make anyone tremble in fear.

Bloodlust afloat in the air between them until a girl came running to Hydrangea and hugged her.

It was Lady Topaz.

“Topaz, how have you been?”

“I dearly miss you…”

“I said it back then, it’s fine to call me anything you desire.”

“Yes…mama.”

“That’s a good girl.”

Lady Violetta, upon seeing Lady Topaz happily clings to Hydrangea, nonchalantly dispels her bindings.

Her eyes soften momentarily at the sight of Lady Topaz longingly and lovingly hugging Hydrangea. The torrent of unseen magical energy running amok earlier recedes a little.

“My grudges are solely for the man who killed Mrothgir alone, however, I will not pardon you of any sins you have committed so easily but this time, I shall give consideration.”

“You are amusing in a way, witch. Are you giving pity?”

“I find that girl in your cradle to my liking too. I shall not part you and her just because of my mismatched vengeance. Do not be mistaken.”

“Isn’t it that you are showing pity due to your maternal instinct slowly awakening?”

“Whatever.”

Since they softened a little, I return my attention to King Ashfon and Nil but what I find is that their attention is also on the same viewership as me.

“The abomination of Dylan, no, a girl overflowing with succulent emotions. She no longer bears the same characteristics as a normal devil would have. Is it because Nivalis interfered with her very core?”

“Man called Nil, why does Hydrangea take your side? Is it purely for just adjusting and changing the fate of this world like what Asagao said?”

“Don’t kid yourself if you think I do not know the meaning behind your question. Hy is still a virgin, okay?”

“……”

“Oh, my? Did I hit the nail? Well, you have the Blessing that allows you to hear the truth so there’s no point spouting lies here. Hy wouldn’t let me take it—“

“Bastard.”

Like a swift gust, King Ashfon immediately scoop Miss Asagao away from Nil’s side and immediately retreated away with few steps. He now carries Miss Asagao within his cradle, like how a true princess is carried.

The majestic sight of the older brother and sister in a bond like this is something to behold. They who bears a beautiful white hair like a dewdrop from the very spirit of the snow itself and eyes piercing through the blue sky, a gem like cerulean bearings that incites elegance.

“You have done atrocious deeds to my precious Asagao. I could not bear to watch her by your side any longer.”

“Atrocious? Maybe. However, Ashfon, haven’t you done a deed repentance cannot easily be forgiven? Your detestable power, the Astlan Ira that could even kill Asagao, the power that you used to destroy the Dragon Capital Mujinn, aren’t you barking too much crap?”

“I will atone for those sins. I will atone for everything that I have done. Murder, unjust power struggle, and letting Asagao bear so many weights when I promised that I would protect her. However, you and I are fundamentally different.”

“Hahahaha!! Fundamentally different?! That’s a laughable statement coming from you! We are basically reading the same page of a book with just slight revision into it. You were ready to throw away Asagao’s life once and yet, you still have the balls to differentiate yourself from me?”

In an instant, Nil closes the gap between him and King Ashfon and grabs the King’s collar while pulling him closer to his face.

“I dare say, you are the one who is going to destroy Asagao if you cannot contain your own power. A person like you cannot even weigh what’s important to him, a person whose duty as a restrained king or a person that cannot cherish what he has right now.”

“Then, for a person of the same caliber as me, your words weigh nothing. Asagao may forgive you but I will not. Asagao may pity you but I will not. I will only be here to respect her decision but if know that she will dive headfirst into danger, I shall not stop her anymore but instead, will tackle the same problem.”

“A wishful thinking by a man with faults towering his achievements! I hate you, I hate you for being contradictory, for being self-righteous, and most of all, for being with Asagao right now! But I know, in the end, you are going to be chosen!”

“Nil, stop!”

Miss Asagao then broke out the quarrel between King Ashfon and Nil that starting to become a battle if it goes longer.

Ideals of a king, sins, and what he treasured the most.

From that conversation with vague details, I was able to conclude that the story greatly revolves around Miss Asagao.

At the moment where Miss Asagao both halted their seething emotions, she hugs King Ashfon in a tender embrace with her little body followed by a soothing stroke of hand behind his head.

“Fonfon, I think it’s time you put me down.”

“Y-Yeah…”

Regretfully and hesitatingly, King Ashfon parted away from Asagao’s embrace. His dismayed countenance is immediately replaced with a despair.

Miss Asagao once again walks beside Nil and gives him that same tender embrace.

“Asagao…why…?”

With a face in the verge of breaking down from the sight alone, King Ashfon’s trembling voice asked.

“I am going to be with Nil for a while. It is as he said, in the end, I will be with you, as a sister and I will treat you as my brother as usual.”

“Then…”

“For now, I want to be with Nil. Sooner or later, Nil will receive his death by my hands.”