CHAPTER 067
A small figure stood in the middle of a vast lake covered in thick fog.
The warm spring water rippled gently, tickling her feet. The sound of a friendly breeze brushed past her skin, bringing with it a familiar yet unfamiliar, gentle, and purifying scent. It was the long-forgotten scent of her mother's skin.
Unable to call out the name that lingered on the tip of her tongue, her round eyes darted around frantically.
“Arabelle…”
As the dark fog before her lifted, the long-missed figure of a woman slowly approached Arabelle.
“Mom…?”
As soon as she managed to call out to her mother with trembling lips, she closed her mouth.
Every time she met her mother in her dreams and called out to her, she would wake up. She couldn't bring herself to call out properly, wanting to see her mother just a little longer.
Tears welled up and blurred her vision, but she didn't dare wipe them away, fearing her mother might disappear like in the previous dreams.
“Arabelle, my dear…”
Her mother, looking exactly as she did when she left Arabelle and their family nine years ago, glided towards her and reached out. Her hand was very cold, but it didn't matter. It was warmer and softer than anything else.
Tears streamed down Arabelle's cheeks as she nuzzled her face into her mother's palm.
“I'm sorry, my dear. I'm sorry I left you. But we'll be together again soon. It won't be long.”
Her mother's voice, filled with longing, echoed softly through the mist.
“Will we really meet? Is mom really coming back? Really…?”
Her voice trembled with joy. Gathering courage, she placed her hand over her mother's, which was caressing her cheek. Realizing that her mother wouldn't disappear like in her dreams, Arabelle cautiously embraced her mother.
“Sob…”
Arabelle burst into tears as her mother gently patted her thin back.
“It won't be long now, the day you'll come to us. I've lived just waiting for that day.”
Hearing her mother's words like a lullaby, Arabelle looked up at her.
“Where are you? Can't I come to you now?”
Her mother shook her head slightly and answered softly.
“Unfortunately, not yet. But it won't be long. When you come to us…”
As her mother released her embrace and leaned back, Arabelle's view widened instantly.
Her eyes, as wide as they could get in disbelief, took in the many animals before her.
A red phoenix flew through the sky, scattering golden dust from its tail; a white spotted lion walking slowly on the lake; a Pegasus gliding low with its wings spread wide; and dozens of other mythical creatures surrounded Arabelle and her mother.
“You must bring all of them with you. The children who have been hiding in the human world, waiting for the last Lumen Savior. Only you can do it, Arabelle.”
A snow leopard, the size of a cat, emerged from behind a hybrid of a wolf and a fox and nuzzled its nose into Arabelle's hand, purring. Arabelle, finding it cute, petted its ear, when…
Boom, boom, boom!
Suddenly, a massive earthquake shook the once-calm waters as if a volcano had erupted beneath the lake. The mythical creatures and her mother, who were surrounding Arabelle, began to be swept into the swirling vortex.
“Mom!”
Frightened, Arabelle grabbed her mother's wrist, trying not to let go.
“Arabelle! Let go of that hand right now!”
A silver-haired man appeared from the sky, shouting as he grabbed Arabelle's hand and pulled her out of the lake.
Following him, a lavender-haired boy swiftly drew a large circle on the water's surface with a bronze sword, enclosing the mythical creatures and Arabelle's mother.
As the boy leaped up and plunged the sword into the water, a woman's piercing scream and the cries of animals were sealed away in an instant.
The lake returned to its peaceful state as if nothing had happened.
“Let go of me! My mom…! I have to save her!”
Arabelle cried out in despair as strong arms held her shoulders, preventing her from diving back into the lake.
“That wasn't your mom, Arabelle. It wasn't your mom.”
A dry yet gentle voice spoke above her head.
Arabelle's tear-streaked face turned back, her eyes widening in disbelief.
“M-master?”
Then,
“It seems they have finally realized that Arabelle is the Lumen Savior.”
The lavender-haired boy, who had swiftly crossed the lake, spoke, and Arabelle shouted.
“Beryl?”
Beryl nodded towards Arabelle and spoke with a furrowed brow.
“I told you we had to leave quickly. Otherwise, you’d be in danger.”
As Arabelle stared blankly at Esferel and Beryl, Beryl grumbled.
“Now, not just the snow leopard, but others will be after you too. We’re struggling to maintain the crumbling barrier, so we can't help you. Even now, Master has used tremendous energy to appear in your dream.”
“Beryl.”
“Yes…”
At Esferel's stern voice, Beryl bowed his head and fell silent.
Esferel's transparent glassy eyes reassured Arabelle's trembling light brown ones, as he placed a long index finger on her forehead.
Drawing a clover mark on her forehead, Esferel whispered softly.
“To enter a dream certainly possesses great energy. This will prevent it from intruding into your dream again. But Beryl is right about you being in grave danger.”
“Wasn't that my mom? It was definitely my mom, Master.”
Arabelle shook her head, her voice trembling as she sobbed with her head lowered.
Esferel patted Arabelle's shaking shoulder and replied.
“It appeared in your mother's form because it had her shadow. We don't have much time. As Beryl told you before, leave the palace and find the antique shop.”
Arabelle lifted her head and looked directly at her master.
“I am very safe. The Emperor is by my side. I have many good people around me.”
Beryl, listening next to them, sighed in frustration and interrupted loudly.
“That person next to you is the most dangerous to you!”
“No, Beryl. The Emperor might seem scary at first, but he is not a scary person at all. You'll understand once you meet him.”
Arabelle insisted, even flaring her nostrils.
Esferel spoke in a calm tone, unwavering in its tranquility.
“We don't have much time to stay in your dream. One thing to remember is never to help the snow leopard again. Understand?”
Despite his soft tone, his voice carried an undeniable gentle charisma.
Arabelle looked around urgently and spoke hastily.
“The Emperor is nearby too. If Master meets him, you will be assured. Please meet him. Yes, Master?”
She pointed towards the tent and pleaded, but Esferel's voice began to fade.
"Remember this, Arabelle. When the black moon eclipses the white moon next time, you must not help the black panther."
As Espearel and Beryl’s figures faded into the thickening mist, Arabelle was left standing alone.
“...”
“...rabelle…”
“Arabelle.”
Long eyelashes lifted from her cheeks, revealing soft brown eyes. As if still in a dream, Arabelle’s round eyes took in the sight of the ruby-red eyes in front of her.
A small hand gently touched the emperor’s rough cheek.
“Are you alright, Your Majesty? Are you no longer in pain?”
She asked with concern, and the emperor took her hand and kissed her palm.
In a voice as steady as he could manage, he replied, “Thanks to you, I feel no pain at all.”
“That’s a relief. Truly.”
Arabelle, with a faint smile, snuggled into the emperor’s arms and drifted back into a deep sleep, forgetting the dream she had just had, comforted by the emperor’s safety.
The emperor, cloaking Arabelle from head to toe with his mantle, mounted his black steed with ease. His red eyes, full of indescribable emotions, lingered on her pale face as he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
As the black steed emerged from the pine forest, three knights waiting for the emperor quickly approached.
Raising an eyebrow, the emperor looked down at them. Sir Jacob glanced at Sir Corald before speaking.
“We discovered intruders in this area last night. However…”
As the emperor silently observed the three knights, Sir Jacob continued.
“They vanished before our eyes.”
“Vanished…”
The emperor’s voice was dry as he repeated the words. Sir Corald stepped forward and said,
“They were controlled by sorcery. It seems the force that controlled them took them away. It might be related to the white light that shone last night. May we investigate further?”
The emperor’s hands tightened around the sleeping Arabelle, his red eyes locking onto Sir Corald, who had his head bowed.
After a moment of silence, the emperor spoke with resolve.
“Sir Corald, come to my office this afternoon. I have a special investigation for you.”
Instead of returning to the separate palace by boat, the emperor rode straight to the eastern wing, where his quarters were located.
“Your Majesty, wouldn’t it be better to take Lady Arabelle to the separate palace…?”
“The competition isn’t over yet, so there are many eyes on us.”
“Bringing the lady to your chambers in broad daylight might cause unsavory rumors within and outside the palace.”
The emperor’s secretaries rushed to speak as he walked unhesitatingly through the corridor with Arabelle in his arms.
When the emperor stopped abruptly, the three secretaries let out a small sigh of relief.
“The lady’s maids have been informed and will be here shortly. Why don’t you leave her with the maids waiting here?”
Secretary Kyle pointed to the imperial maids who had been hastily brought in. The emperor looked around slowly, his gaze sweeping over the courtyard.
In the outdoor corridor leading to his quarters, besides his secretaries and about six maids, there were seven or eight guards on duty.
And in the hall on the ground floor, which had a clear view and could hear everything on the second floor, there were more than fifty people, including senior nobles and officials coming out of a meeting.
Though they pretended not to, all eyes were on the emperor and the lady in his arms.
Despite the rumors of the emperor’s favor towards the lady, this was a scandalous situation. Taking the lady who had accompanied him on a boat ride the previous day into his quarters the next day in his arms.
Lady Arabelle was leading the competition, but it was not officially over. Even for the emperor, directly challenging the long-standing imperial marriage customs wasn’t advisable. It would provide the nobles and senior officials a reason to attack him.
The emperor began to speak slowly, meeting the gaze of those who dared to glance at him.
“Am I someone who needs to care about others' opinions?”
His voice, low and chilling, quickly filled the air with tension.
“Am I the type to sit idly by while people gossip about me?”
The red eyes, filled with arrogance and murderous intent, met every curious gaze, forcing them to lower their eyes. Even Kyle, the emperor’s closest aide, found himself unable to speak, frozen by the rare, cruel expression on the emperor’s face.
“I asked if I am a weak, pitiful existence that allows people to speak ill of my betrothed.”
The word from the emperor’s lips made everyone flinch, though no one dared to lift their heads.
He had said “betrothed.” Even before the competition had ended, the emperor had declared his fiancée.
Adjusting his hold on the sleeping Arabelle, the emperor’s cold voice continued.
“Kyle, I thought about this on my way back to the palace. The more I thought about why I tolerated this ridiculous competition, the angrier I became.”
Kyle wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, his lips moving slightly as if to speak, but the emperor continued.
“The imperial marriage customs were made by my predecessors, were they not? None of them were as capable or exceptional as I am. So why should I follow them? I’ve expanded the territory more and made the empire more prosperous. It is insufferable to think of it.”
Lowering his gaze, the emperor looked at the senior nobles who dared to meet his eyes.
“Kyle, prepare to announce the end of the empress competition today. Also, announce my engagement to Lady Arabelle. Anyone who opposes this will face me directly.”
With that, the emperor resumed his stride.
As he tenderly stroked the sleeping Arabelle’s eyebrow with his thumb, he murmured softly.
“Don’t be too upset about me breaking my promise not to interfere with the competition. You first broke our agreement by returning to the black panther.”
The guards at the entrance to the emperor’s chambers bowed their heads respectfully, swinging the doors open wide.
Carrying Arabelle in his arms, the emperor nodded and entered the chambers. The guards swiftly closed the doors behind him.
Comments
Post a Comment