Chapter 220: Box-2

"You better do a good job and protect your newfound queen. Not many has seen moon, so spin any of the stories about wicked brother, hiding his sister, etc and bring your kingdom back to its rails"

"That's it for the day" He concluded the meeting.

The twelve knights stood up and gave a deep bow to Severus then bent on their knees to pledge their lives for Zhi. She was touched by it and for a good minute, didn't know how to answer them. In the end, she just nodded her head and accepted it.

"Dismiss except miss Zhi"

Desella was visibly upset when he ordered the Zhi to stay but since it was an order, she can't disobey it.

Now it was only Zhi and Severus inside the room. "Miss Zhi, I know all the troubles you had faced in your previous life and also know about your special feelings for your brother. Though I won't comment on your personal life, but you should always remember that the brother you have always looked up to- died the day he stabbed you"

"No matter what the reasons are, once the heart is corrupted, it is as good as dead. I hope you can come out of the shadows of the past and embrace your new future" He sincerely advised her.

Zhi again felt sour in her throat. All the feelings that she had bottled up were forcing their way out. Her eyes turned misty, but she refused to cry.

"I know, Severus" She dis-regarded the formality.

"I know and I am all right. The moment I entered this body, I left the past in the past. As for the sufferings, it was just a lesson for me, and I have learned it. It's true that I loved my brother and always love him as my brother. But that's it. I will not mourn for his death because it was him who brought it upon myself. I don't loathe you or hate you Severus, instead I am grateful that, you listened to me and understood my pain"

"That's enough for me"

"It's good that you are self-aware" He joked with her to which she gave a smile.

"Spill it. I know you didn't ask me to stay just for the sake of some idle -chit when you yourself are short on time"

"Alright, then tell me everything you know about Spring temple of heavenly pavilion"

Zhi was dazed when she heard the name.

SPRING TEMPLE OF HEAVENLY PAVILION.

"As far as I remember, this was a place that my brother wanted to find out. It's more like a myth. Some people say that it does exist while others dis-regards it. Though it is believed that not a single man remained alive that went for its search. It is said that it is a place of maze but the truth is, finding that place itself is a puzzle."

"Didn't my brother tell you anything?" She was puzzled.

Sigh!

"He said he will tell me after I killed the guardian spirit but then things happened one after another and now, I am here" he said dis-spiritedly.

"OH"

She was at loss too. All she knew about that place was due to her brother. When she was small, her brother used to tell her stories about it. Since she was blind and couldn't see his progress, he would always describe it vividly so she could imagine it. They used to share a secret box too that had a carved lock for her so she can open it using the code.

She laughed when she had nostalgia.

"What is it?" Severus didn't expect her to laugh.

"Nothing, I just remembered the box," she said as a matter of fact.

"Box?" He was puzzled.

"Yeah, that box which." she halted.

"Hmm?"

"Oh yes" She shrieked in excitement.

"The box"

"The box?"

"Yeah"

"What?"

"Follow me" she ordered happily.

Severus didn't know why she was so happy but, nevertheless. He still followed her. Soon, she led him to a hidden passage.

"Where are we?" He questioned her.

"I remember my brother used to hide his secret in a box. Only I knew the password for it except my brother. Since I was blind, I was never able to read his secrets anyways, so he told me the code. It was our game when we were little"

"Oh" he replied.

After a little bit of searching, she found the box.

"I hope your brother has not changed it's password," Severus said as a matter of fact. He wasn't too sure about it.

"I hope too"

Soon she adjusted the code in the lock.

"Click"

A soft ticking sound occurred, and the box opened.

Zhi was thrilled while Severus was shocked. Without taking a peek, she handed the small box to him.

"Are you sure?" Severus was skeptical about it. Afterall it was her brother's treasured secret.

"I only want information, so it's better if you read these all" He suggested but she shook her head.

"No. It's fine. It's useless now. You can have his secret and when you are done, please burn them all. I don't want to do anything with it now" she said firmly.

Seeing how persistent she was, he didn't force her, and they parted their ways.

--

Inside Severus' room.

"Bastard. What nonsense is all this?" Severus frowned when he read the letter. Every single letter was dedicated to Zhi. Minya described her sister's everyday activity, recorded her height-weight, nails growth and what not.

"All this was just too complicated. All in all, he had a sister complex." Severus felt so repulsed from the letters. It was good Zhi denied reading the letters or else, she might be experiencing another mental breakdown.

He read every single cringey letter but there was nothing that could make sense. In the end due to frustration, he tossed the box on the ground and the box turned upside down.

Severus hurriedly bent to pick up the box when he found an envelope camouflaged with the box's upper lid. If not for tossing the box, he would have never guessed something like that.

What a fluke.

"Crazy psychopath brother. Didn't even trust his sister fully" Severus disdained. He quickly opened the letter and started reading it. The more he read, the more it made sense to him. In the end, he was shocked.