Chapter 66 - 066 : Promise

When Arthur came to his sense he finds Emilia collapsed in the back of the room. He runs over, her silver hair and pale skin standing out in the darkness, and Arthur feels some relief—until he notices her expression.

"...hk. ...n, no... to..."

Her face is twisted in agony, and sweat has risen on her forehead. But her arms and legs are rigid, perhaps to stop her from moving about in distress, so only her face clearly shows her suffering, Emilia looks about to start crying.

Arthur takes Emilia to his embrace and holds her tightly, Emilia's past is not something she can overcome easily.

"Be strong, you must face it, you must accept it"

Emilia entered the tomb over 30 minutes before he did. And the fact that he is finished first, that means she can't overcome it.

He knows a rough idea about what Emilia sees in her illusion. Hundred years ago Emilia lived with her aunt, Fortuna. Back then for reasons not known to her she was considered a rather special child spent most of her days isolated from even other villagers in a place called the "Princess Room" with only Fortuna, her doll and spirits whom she could not understand yet for the company.

While she normally obeyed her aunt and loved her, deep down a part of Emilia resent her and the village for stripping her of freedom, constantly hiding things from her. Eventually, a young Emilia's frustrations reached a boiling point and in an act of defiance to Fortuna she break her promise to not leave her room in order to gain her freedom.

Free to do what she wanted and not hold obligations that were never explained to her, Emilia would sneak out on many occasions while hiding the fact, do everything from exploring to behaving mischievously as these were the times she would not have played the obedient "good girl" which helped in relieving her of loneliness.

But the happiness never lasts forever, One day, Pandora and Regulus Corneas attacked Elior Forest to open the Seal within the deepest part of Elior Forest, that leads into the death of Fortuna.

Emilia enraged when she saw the corpse of Fortuna who was killed by Pandora's powers and froze the whole forest, along with the citizens and Emilia herself.

And several years ago she is unfrozen by Puck and some of her memories are sealed because it was tempered by Pandora.

She is lost her memories about the incident, but there is still something that leaves a deep impression for her, one of it is a promise thing. She is put promise as the most important thing that needs to be fulfilled, she didn't know why but she hates and very disappointed when someone can't fulfill their promise.

Several minutes is passed and there is a sign of Emilia come consciousness

"Ar...thur" Emilia mind is still not in the right place and she murmuring Arthur name "It's not me..."

"That's you..." Arthur knows it was very cruel of him but he needs to do it

"But-"

"It's you, Emilia... but that's not entirely your fault, the one who killed your aunt, Fortuna, is pandora.. not you"

When the name of Fortuna is said tears flowing from her eyes to her cheek and she is screaming whatever inside her mind, and Arthur just embraced her tighter.

Sometimes later Emilia is calm down and Arthur stroke her hair and wipe her tears gently.

"Are you feeling all of this happened because of you?"

"I'm..."

"Emilia... all of the people have something they regret, including me. But you must still go on with life, at least you still have a chance to fix it. They're still waiting for you, sleeping there because of your protection"

"Me... protect them?"

"Yes, you're. If you didn't use your power to froze the entire forest they will be a victim to Pandora and Regulus , but because of you, they're safe even if they're being froze. What you need to do now is living happily because that's the reason why Fortuna protect you from them and you also need to work hard freeing your tribe and make Elior forest became a beautiful forest like when you're still a child"

Emilia closed her eyes and heard carefully about what Arthur said

"Can I... achieve it?"

"If you think you can't achieve it alone, didn't you still have me?" Arthur smile and grasp her hand and kiss her hand "as I said, I was your ally, I will always standing beside you, I will always with you in the past, present and future, I was your ally"

Arthur look at her eyes where he can see his own reflection there

"I'm not the best knight, and I didn't follow the chivalry code, and I also didn't know many things about etiquette. But I will be there when you need me, I will try using all of my best efforts to help make your dreams come true, it was my promise"

"Thank you... really... thank you"

Finally, a smile is blooming on her face and her eyes close slowly... maybe all of this thing put really a great burden on her mind and drain all of her energy, Arthur bends down and kisses her temple.

"Sleep my lady... have a good dream this time, and don't be worry because I will be there when you wake up"

Arthur carried her to the place where she sleeps in the sanctuary and watching over her sleeping face, after some time pass Arthur touch Emilia crystal and channel his mana.

"You heard me, Puck"

"Well, for something like this I can't surprise if it was you. What do you need?"

"How about her mental state?"

"Thanks to you it's very safe and balance, there is nothing wrong"

"Can you repair the memories that tempered by Pandora?"

"unfortunately that is not my forte, the best thing i can do is seald it"

"What is the thing that Pandora plant?"

"Something to do with Satela, maybe the preparations for her descending to this world again"

"It's very dangerous then... and I didn't have the strength to protect her if the one who got involved is Satela in her full power. Well, that's didn't matter, I just need becomes stronger than the current me"

"Arthur.... you seem to know a lot of things, about the past and future" Puck looks at Arthur and his eyes are staring straight to Arthur's eyes as if he can detect if Arthur is honest or not.

"If you think I was the same with the members of the cult or the clown. Then you're wrong, but I can't answer you why I know a lot of things"

".... fine, as long as you didn't do any harm to Lia"

Arthur and Puck discuss several things before Arthur cut off the connection and just sit there looking at Emilia who is sleeping and use his hand to cover her cheek as if she was afraid the warm she feels from his hand will disappear if she releases the hand.

"Regret...right"

As like what he said, everyone has a regret. Including himself.

Something he lost, something he holds dear in his heart, and something he needs to release from his hand...

The only regret he has for his life... is just her.

"Maybe... I just know how much I love her when I let her go"