Chapter 222 - Why are you here, your majesty

Sheila got a bad feeling about this.

The king, who was supposed to be with her, disappeared without a trace. Sheila wanted to banter, but she remained her composure.

"Do you want kebab, Miss?"

Sheila turned to the source of the voice. Given she was blind, she couldn't see the person's face, but she was able to construct the spirit with her mana.

"Oh my. Thank you, but I'll pass."

She and the king were glamoured under an undercover investigation. The king, who had just finished his expedition on the dungeon, gave what he retrieved to Sheila.

And Sheila, who was delaying the cure of the vice captain…

Decided they would need to go to Magierstadt first.

Sheila knew that her plan hangs only by a thread. One, wrong move could send her into jail. The ninth king, despite his seemingly gentle appearance, still belonged to the Feuerkrieger line. He was still the descent of the first king, Octavius. And Sheila knew how merciless Octavius was.

The only thing that stops Octavius from harming Sheila is the Ortfalcon's loyalty to the first king for many generations. That servant and master relationship was strong enough to spare Sheila, even with her inability to kill the Vice captain.

'Make sure you do it as soon as possible.' 

'There is no room for mistake, Sheilalev.'

Although Sheila could delay the king from finding out, she knows that the more she ponders, the more he would suspect. But if she would kill Abe too soon, then she might be beheaded hereinafter. She had to think this through. 

If only she killed him sooner…

Sheila clenched her fist. She cast the strongest glamour over herself, while the king conjured a concealing magic to himself using the Opus. Sheila assumed the face of a country noble who was touring around the place. She didn't glamour herself too flashy, given it would only attract attention. Though Magierstadt's security system is strong, Sheila had intel on the inside of the academy. But her intel could only have the system overlook their entry and exit, nothing more.

They still have to remain vigilant.

THAT is what Sheila said to the king.

"So he ran off, huh…" Sheila then bit on the kebab the man persisted to give her. 

"Hm?" Sheila chewed. What's this? "It's a perfect meat."

It wasn't just a compliment.

The meat seemed to be tender and with high nutritional value. Even Sheila, who was a high priestess, could appraise this. There is something in the meat.

"So it's true, huh." 

Although Sheila used the 'undercover investigation' as a cover for her delay in 'curing' Abe, the Vice-captain, there was still truth to her words. The undercover investigation is something that the king and his closest allies have planned, even before Faustina entered the picture. The plan is to be conducted after the king was able to sustain his life—but all plan seemed to have revised. The king chose to let the girl live, instead of having her lifespan to sustain his. 

It was a move Sheila hated.

The decision the king made—made matters more complicated. Of course, the two couldn't simply rely on Faustina for all the information. They need to act themselves. 

And now, the king disappeared.

"Just what the hell is happening to him?" Sheila exclaimed as she looked around. The king was good in concealing himself. Sheila, after all, couldn't detect an ounce of his presence. 

Where in the world did he go?

She just left him for a second, and now he disappeared right after. Sheila sighed. 

"Maybe I need to contact Mister Lotheringwood."

**

Faustina couldn't believe who she was staring at.

Is she… dreaming?

They stared at each other's eyes, unsure of what to say. And for a few moment it persisted. 

It was the king who first averted his gaze.

Faustina blinked, seeing how he was red on the cheeks, which had spread into his ears. 

"Y-your majesty!" Faustina immediately stood up and bowed down. "I'm sorry for my insolence—um—what—what are you doing here?"

This was the first time Faustina had seen the king ever since she departed from the palace. 

Or so she thinks.

Somehow… Faustina feels like this wasn't the first time.

Faustina shook her head. Of course, THIS is the first time she had seen him for a while! She was always in a trance-like state lately, so perhaps she got mixed up the dreams from reality.

The king was still staring at Faustina with sheer disbelief, confusion, and an emotion Faustina couldn't distinguish. His sapphire, blue eyes were glimmering against the dark, like a pair of jewels in the night. The king looked the same, but there was a hint of change in his air. Faustina couldn't quite describe it, but she was feeling it.

"Faustina…" The king muttered. "What are you doing here?"

Faustina blinked.

"I—"

"Your majesty—"

Faustina's eyes widened, hearing a woman's familiar voice.

Before Faustina could utter a word, the king seized Faustina's hand at then began to run towards the alley. Faustina was surprised, and perplexed. But she let the king run and take her with him.

Maybe it was because his hand felt cold yet she was feeling warm inside.

It was an odd feeling, and foreign for her. 

The king ran, as if he knew well where he was going. And soon they reached a place that Faustina never thought she would see in her entire lifetime.

"This…"

It was a view of the city below them. The light from below which was like patches of sunshine underneath the cold, blue moon made Faustina feel as if she was seeing something otherworldly. She turned her head towards the king, who leaned into the railings. 

"That's… Sheila, right?" Faustina asked. 

"Yes,"

"…Why did you run away from her, Your Majesty?"

Why are you here?

Why did you take me?

Why did you hold my hand?

Faustina had more questions, but she knew she couldn't ask all of them to the king. 

She would only need to ask what is rational and logical enough.

Instead of answering her, the king ambled his way towards Faustina.

He then offered a hand to Faustina. "Do you trust me?"

Faustina blinked.

"…I do," Faustina exclaimed, placing her hand to his palms.

He delicately held Faustina's hand, as if it was breakable glass.

"Then," the king smiles gently.

And as he kissed the back of her palm—

Faustina's glamour…

…began to fade.

--

"Wh-what's happening?" Faustina exclaimed as she sees her grey hair turning black. She turned to the king who smiled at her. His gentle smile sent shiver down to Faustina's spine as her heartbeat quickened in pace.

Faustina stared at the king.

"I want to show you something," the king exclaimed. And then, he asked again, "do you trust me?"

Faustina parted her lips, unable to answer him.

Does she trust the king?

That is a question she couldn't answer the second time around. There were just so many things that were drowning her thoughts, making her unable to give an answer.

The king, who realized this, only smiled gently. He held Faustina's hand tentatively.

"I will be gone after a while," the king exclaimed. "Just before then, can you, my fair maiden, pretend to trust me?"

Faustina's heart clenched.

"…Okay."

**

The sea. 

Faustina's brown eyes gleamed as she stares at the vast sea in front of her. The view of the city, the sea, and the moon.

Something that was beyond Magierstadt.

An ethereal experience.

"I found this place before." The king exclaimed, sitting to the rock formations. "When I was investigating the Forsaken."

Faustina blinked, surprised with the king's sudden outburst.

"I found this place when I was younger. I felt remorseful majority of the time as I was looking at this place. This place, where the forsaken grew up before he claimed the lives of my family. But then I found this certain space—and suddenly all my feelings ceased to exist."

The king then turned towards Faustian. "Come."

And Faustina obliged, sitting beside the king.

There were so many question that floods Faustina's mind; questions she wanted to ask. Questions that persisted in her mind the moment she had met his eyes. His sapphire, blue eyes which had a hint of gentleness and cunningness in them.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

Faustina stared at the king who was looking at the vicinity underneath him. The moon was being reflected at the vast oceans. It looked otherworldly, as if it did not belong to Magierstadt itself. Faustina had never seen such beauty in all her life. She, who had never seen the ocean from this distance, and the entire the country for this matter—thought that this was breathtaking.

"It is beautiful…" Faustina exclaimed.

The king then glanced to Faustina's dress. "What happened to your dress?"

"Ah," Faustina blinked, remembering the dress. "I got spilled over."

"Let me fix that." The king, with the flick of his fingers, made the stain disappear.

Faustina stares at the king. 

"What are you doing here, your majesty?" Faustina asked. "Why did you take me in here?"

The king then stares to the vast ocean once more.

His sapphire blue eyes were deep in thought as he glances back to the ocean.

"I wonder why, too,"