Chapter 85 - Empress Farwell

Excuse...me..? Can...anyone help me..?" Irene said as she shivered.

"Lady winter what's wrong?" Alan asked as he came near her.

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"That...there.. there.... is something in my leg..." She said while stuttering.

"Something on your leg?" Alan asked as he tilted his head. Not sure about what to do? 

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" Your highness let me take a look at it," Molly said as she rose from her seat and went towards Irene.

"Uh...sure." He said as he went backwards.

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"Irene show me your feet," Molly said in a calm voice.

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"Okay..." Irene said as she slowly forwarded her left leg and as soon as she saw what the thing was on her feet. Molly screamed and then jumped back to her own seat.

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"THAT'S A LEECH!!!" She said at the top of her lungs.

"A leech??" The princes and the others said as it was their first time hearing about something like that.

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" Yes a leech...that sucks your blood with its sharp jaws and is impossible to remove once it gets attached to your skin," Molly said with a scary face. Making everyone nervous.

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Meanwhile, Irene has broken all her contact with the world and is numb not feeling any emotions. Just listening to the description of the leech gave her a shock. And little does anyone know that leech us her biggest fear.

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"Tch Tch...*sigh* it's just a small thing. Why make a fuzz out of it?" Ash said as he came forward kneeled and gently touched Irene's feet.

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"Sister don't look down. Or else you will get more scared." Ash said as he smiled and those words rang a memory of her past life up.

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Past life Memory

"Brother look there are so many flowers here!" Lilly ( Irene past life name.) As she ran towards the field and started picking up the flowers when she suddenly felt something in her leg.

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She bent down to look at the thing only to let out a scream.

"Ahhhhhh!!!" She screamed as she jumped around.

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"It's a leech!! It's sucking my blood someone take it away!!!" She said while jumping around until falling down on the ground with a thud.

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"Ouch! This leech is still here *sniff*" She said as she touched the area she got scratched because of the fall.

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"Sister I was searching for you everywhere and here you are!" A boy said as he looked at her with annoyed eyes.

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"Brother help me!!" She said to the little boy infront of her as she pointed at the leech.

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"Huh, a leech? *sigh* no wonder I was able to hear your voice so clearly." He said as she kneeled down and touched her feet with his small hands.

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"It's so scary!!" She said as she looked at the leech.

"Hah, don't look downward or else you will feel more scared." He said as he looked at her timid face.

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"Okay.." She said as she looked up at the blue sky with the gentle air blowing by.

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Back To Present

"Okay done! Yet I can't believe that you are still scared of...sister.." Ash said as he looked at Irene as a tear rolled down her left eye.

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"Sister, what's wrong?" Ash asked as he panicked seeing her crying like that.

"Irene are you sacred?" Molly asked as she comforted her.

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"Irene say something?" Kelly said with a worried look on her face.

"Lady winter?" Both the princes said as they glanced at each other not knowing what to do in such a situation.

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"Give her some space she must have been shocked," Rose said as she came towards Irene and patted her back.

"Here have some water," Violet said as she handed her a glass of water.

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"Please dry your tears," Harris said as he gave her a handkerchief.

The empress who was looking at them smiled and said, "Everyone calm down." 

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"Her Majesty, we are sorry for the sudden commotion..." Violet said as she glanced at Irene, who seemed to have came back to her senses.

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"There is no need to be sorry and it feels good to see how everyone is concerned about lady winter. Those worried looks on everyone faces clearly stated how much she means to you all." The empress said with her enchanting smile.

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Irene who was listening to all this felt a sudden sensation in her body she looked around and everyone looked as same as her they were all dazed. 

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"Sorry to say this but helping the one in need is human nature....so why helping her is counted as special?" Rose said as she looked coldly towards Irene with a denial of what the empress said written straight in her face.

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"Hmm, you are right but for lady Wilson to raise her voice in a panic tone is not something you would do just for a passing by person? Will you?" The empress said as Rose's eyes twitched.

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"That is a natural reflex to the alarming situation," Rose said in a calm voice which made the empress laugh even more.

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"I see then does that mean lady Willson isn't concerned about lady Winter?" The empress asked as she sipped her tea.

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Rose gulped as she looked at Irene who had no idea why they are even having such a conversation.

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"I...I am concerned about her....but that doesn't mean we are close." Rose said as she rose from her seat, "...Please excuse me." She said as she went left the room leaving everyone there in an awkward situation.

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"Haha, sister will be back in a few please continue," Harris said as he smiled. 

Kelly who felt bad for his position patted his shoulders.

"Poor you.." She said as she sighed.

"Are you making fun of me now?" Harris asked to which Keely shrugged making Harris clench his teeth.

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"Sister, are you okay?" Ash asked as he looked at her eyes which looked like they were about avoiding him.

"Yes, I am.." She said while looking at her feet which didn't have any type of make in it.

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"Looks like the leech didn't suck my blood." Irene said while looking at her feet.

"Huh that's weird it was stucked to you for so long...so how come it didn't suck even a little bit of your blood?" Ash asked as he looked at the leech which was lying far form them on the grass.

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"That's because the leeches of this garden don't suck blood." The empress said as a ladybug sat on her hands.

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Everyone looked at the empress with a dumfounded expression.

"So we caused all this fuzz for nothing!!!!" Molly asked as she smiled.

"Uh-huh," The empress said as she looked at Molly who's the face turned into a deep red shade.

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"I am so sorry for scaring everyone." Molly said as she giggled awkwardly.

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"Well it wasn't just you, everyone panicked on their own so don't apologise," Alfred said as he smiled towards her. To which Molly nodded her head.

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"But mother why do we have those in our garden when everything here can just run from the divine power?" Alan asked as he touched the ladybug gently.

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"Because it's the rule of nature. Do you think just because we have divine powers, we don't need oxygen?" The empress asked as she looked at the princes.

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"Or because you are all nobles, does that mean you don't need to work hard?" The empress asked as she looked at the noble kids.

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"No." Everyone replied as they shook their head.

"Just like that even though these bugs might bite you and eat the fruits and dig holes on the ground. They are all a part of nature and without them, even this garden won't be able to exist.

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And it is the same with humans, you might not realise it now but everyone has a different way of living but that doesn't mean they are bad, it just means that you need to wider your views on the world." The empress said as she looked at the sky which had almost turned orange.

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Looks like my time is up...and there has begun. The empress thought as she looked at the kids with a smile on her face.

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"So remember everyone has their own reason." The empress said as she rose from her seat, flowed by everyone else.

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"Then thank you for joining me today, I had a lot of fun thanks to all of you." The empress said with a smile.

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"Your Majesty! If you don't mind can we have a group hug?" Irene said as she looked into her red eyes which understood that she once again failed to fool her.

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"Sure!" She said as she smiled, as soon as she said that she felt a warm embrace under her waist.

She looked down and it was Irene followed by everyone else, both of the princes stood there looking at them.

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"Brother...so it was a good farewell...right..?" Alfred asked as he looked at the crowd in front of him.

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"Right...." Alan said while smiling at Alfred who was about to cry.