Chapter 172 - And it suddenly happened (3)

"She just caught a cold, I can't heal her fully and just lessened the effect or the symptoms with my magic. Don't worry, since the young miss is healthy, the cold won't last that long. She will be fine after a few days of rest," Rowan said after she examined Alexandra. Right after she woke up earlier after she got saved, she said some things to Calixander before going back to sleep again. That's where they called Rowan, the talented palace healer who was on a break during that time and was just wandering around the place. When he heard about the state that Alexandra was in, he immediately told them to bring Alexandra to one of the rooms in this palace instead of hers because that would take so much time and it would be easier that way.

Since she was asleep during that time, they just teleported and entered an empty guest room. But Carlos has to change his clothes as well as Calixander so they have to go back to their rooms. Carlos lives in the Wistalia Palace instead of one of the mansions here in this palace, so he told Diana about what happened to Alexandra and asked for some clothes that the young miss could change in since her clothes were drenched in water before he goes back to the palace.

Alexander hummed as a response and Rowan bowed his head, "Blessings and Glory for the Queenilia Empire," Was what he said before he lifted his head and walked towards the door of the room, Diana and Rowan's gaze met and they smiled at each other. Since Diana worked in this palace previously, they know each other. Rowan opened the door of the room and left, closing the door behind him. Diana let out a small sigh before she took a step forward and spoke.

"Pardon me but I'm going to change the young miss' clothes, so could all of you please leave the room?" Was what Diana said as she held the spare clothes that she got in her arms. Hoping that they would listen and follow her request.

"Why? She's our sister anyways," She heard Calixander said. He already finished changing into dry clothes and just arrived inside the room a few minutes ago. Diana's gentle expression changed into a serious one, "The young miss isn't used with other people inside the room as she is being changed even though she is asleep, but if she learned about it, she would get uncomfortable and awkward. Aside from that, she is also a girl and all of you are males," Diana said. Well, that is true, since Diana was always the one who would change her clothes and bathe her, she figured that Alexandra wasn't that used at other people seeing her body. Aside from that, there is no bathroom in this guest room. She couldn't just go out with Alexandra whose clothes are drenched and has a cold just to go to the bathroom at the end of the hallway.

"It's fine. I have to talk with Calixander about something, Carlos will guard the room outside," Alexander said before he turned around and walked towards the door of the room, Calixander also turned around and followed their father as he walked. He already knows what they were going to talk about. "M-May the Blessings and Glory of the Queenilia Empire be with you," Diana said with her eyes closed as she bowed before they opened the door and left the room, leaving Diana, Carlos, and a sleeping Alexandra inside. Diana's features softened as she slowly fluttered her eyes open. Her lips pursed into a thin line after she spoke.

Silence surrounded them as they left.

Diana raised her head and she let out a sigh once again before she spoke in a gentle tone of voice, "Why are you still here?" Diana asked him, Carlos, who was still standing beside her. Even though the emperor along with the prince already left the room, Carlos still hasn't. He was supposed to guard outside the room just like what the emperor said yet why is he still here? She asked herself.

Carlos hummed before he responded, "I apologize," Was what he said, making Diana's eyebrows furrow in confusion as she turned her head to the side and look at him. There was a look of regret plastered on his face, his posture stiff, and his hands balled into a fist. Was it because of what happened to the young miss? She asked herself once again.

"Why?" She asked still looking at his direction.

"Because of my carelessness, I put my guard down, and the result was this. If I was being careful during that time, this wouldn't happen. Even though I already told you that I wouldn't take my eyes off the young miss and make sure that she is safe all the time when she is with me. The young miss almost d-died. I failed my duty as her personal knight, I deeply and sincerely apologize for that," Carlos said and he looked down on the ground, his expression became more crumpled as he spoke. If he didn't dive in the water immediately, if he was still shocked and processing what happened, if it wasn't for his reflexes and guts telling him to move, the young miss could have been eaten by that monster and die because of it. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into the skin of his palm, he was sure that it would leave a small wound because of how deep it dug. It hurts, it stings, yet he didn't mind.

The pain that he was feeling right now couldn't amount to what the young miss felt during that time. I'm sure she was scared, she was still young yet she almost died because of me, he thought to himself and he gritted his teeth.

Diana let out a sigh once again after she heard what he said. "I forgive you," She said and looked ahead of her. "I know you don't," Carlos replied and Diana knitted her eyebrows before she closed her eyes, recalling that one memory years ago.

"The young miss almost died before."

"Huh?"

"Right after she was born, it was probably a few days before that. The young miss almost died by her father's hand, if I didn't arrive on time."

That one memory which made her shiver and makes her weak. If she didn't arrive on time, Alexandra wouldn't exist in this world, she wouldn't meet such wonderful people in her life, Diana would probably suffer her whole life if that happens. The promise that she made with the late empress and the late wife of the emperor. Every time she recalled that memory while she is with Alexandra, staring at her, it feels like she wanted to cry. It feels like there was a lump stuck in her throat and if she tried to speak, her voice would crack and tears would threaten to come out. She would always recall that memory when she is with Alexandra even while she was combing her hair or helping her take a bath or when she is telling her a story.

It was too much.

Carlos just remained silent after hearing what Diana said. His grip slowly loosened and his expression slowly relaxed and softened as he let out a sigh. Ah, I have to change the young miss' clothes soon, it would be bad if I did it later than this, she thought to herself and went behind Carlos then pushed his back. "Now, get out. I have no time to recall all of those and cry, I still have to change the young miss' clothes. Besides, I already forgive you even before you apologized to me. You were the one who saved her, right? Along with the prince? I have to thank you for that," Diana said as she pushed Carlos to the door and held the knob.

"But if this happened once again, I would never forgive you. I would pull all of your hair out until you go bald, you don't want that to happen, don't you?" Diana said and she opened the door of the room before giving Carlos one last strong push and he was outside. "Guard the room, okay?" Diana said before closing the door. She didn't even give him a chance to speak.

Now then, I should change the young miss' clothes, she thought to herself and walked towards the bed where the miss was while letting out a sigh.

--

Calixander stood still in front of her father's desk while his father was sitting behind it. Lysander was standing beside the desk while his personal knight was standing beside the door, not far away from him. His legs were crossed as well as his arms. He was inside his father's office and he already knew what they were going to talk about, it was about the dangerous spell that he used to save Carlos and kill that creature who tried to take his sister away and make her its meal. How bold of it to assume that it could do that when I was around, he thought to himself.

He heard his father let out a sigh and grabbed his attention. Right after he sighed, he spoke, "You used that spell again even though I already told you that it's dangerous as it consumes a huge amount of mana and it would take a long time for you to recover it. I have to prevent you from doing anything that consumes your mana even if it is to teleport back to your room," He heard his father said and his eyes widened. "But my room is so far and walking back would take so much time," He said.

"I know that."

"Then—"

"Still a no. I already told you to only use that spell when it is really needed, why could you not think of any other spells to use just to kill that creature?" His father said. "That's the only spell that I can think of. It's the most effective one and it killed that creature in an instant. I can't fight in the water while I am holding Alexandra and Carlos was wrapped like a gift by it," Calixander responded, there was a blank look on his face, and his lips were pursed into a thin line. He looked calm and composed as if they were talking about a small or minor thing.

"This isn't like you."

"What do you mean by that, father?"

"Usually you would think for a long time on what you should do in that situation but to think that you used that spell even though there are plenty other spells that are effective and only consume a low amount of mana."

"Well, my sister's life was in my hand. If I took too long to think, not only Alexandra would die, but also Carlos."

His father could only let out a sigh and he leaned against his seat as he did. "Well, I'm glad that you are starting to think and treat her as your sister unlike before," His father said in a low voice as he leaned back. Calixander was able to hear it clearly but he didn't protest, it was true anyway. As days passed by and with the small conversations that he would make with Alexandra, he learned so many things about her. The same goes for Chandler although he was still being a tsundere around her.

"Father, you changed," He blurted out with a blank look on his face.

"Did I?"

"Yes, you did. It wasn't like you to hold a tea party every afternoon just to spend time with Alexandra, you started to order books and add them to the library. Aside from that, what changed the most, was your expression and how you acted."

"What expression would I always have before? How would I act before?"

"Normally, you would have a serious and cold expression on your face even while you are taking a walk around the courtyard or garden. It's rare for you to speak so much. You would just remain inside your office, doing your work. You rarely go out and sleep. It was like you are a machine or something. But now, how should I say this? You sort of became more human-like. I am not saying that as if you weren't human in the first place, it's just that you became gentler especially when around Alexandra but it's not a bad thing."

When Alexandra was born and his wife, their mother, died. He changed. He became scarier and hard to approach, it was hard to talk to him even though they would always eat together. That's why Chandler and his other brothers have a hard time approaching and getting close to their father. It was like he surrounded himself with a wall that is hard to break or climb up but when he started to interact with Alexandra more, those walls broke down.

"Don't worry, I am only like that when I am around my children, your siblings and you," Alexander said and before Calixander could respond, his father spoke once again. "You may now leave, I still have things to do and finish," His father said and Calixander just nodded his head before he turned around and walked towards the door to leave the room.