Second Arc (His Art of War) - 47. A Honest Letter
It is almost dawn, the sun is almost rising. The Eternal Harmony City looks calm as well as the castle. But that is only what is seen on the surface. The real situation is very different. The guards moved back and forth, busy evacuating the rebel bodies from inside the castle to be buried. While the servants were busy cleaning up their battle remnants.
The orders from His Majesty King Angelus were clear 'Clear up this rebellion in secret.'
If anyone leaks about it, their heads are at stake. Their mouths are tightly closed while their hands continue to work.
Several guards along with Ilex and Flare entered Ophelia's room. The guards quickly cleared the rebel corpses while Ilex immediately approached his sister who was sleeping in bed. "Ophelia!"
"Lower your voice. She just fell asleep."
Ilex turned his gaze to Angel who sitting in a chair beside the bed. His hands were busy cleaning the blood on his sword with a piece of cloth. "What are you have done to her?" asked Ilex curtly.
He placed the cloth on the table and sheathed his sword. "Are those the first words you say to your sister's saviour?" he said sarcastically.
"Answer me! What are you have done to her?" Ilex repeated once again in an escalating tone.
"I didn't do anything. She was just a little shocked since I cut off Duke Owen's head before her eyes."
"Duke Owen?" Ilex turned his gaze to the severed corpse near them with a head still dripping with fresh blood from a clean cut on his neck. 'He beheaded him mercilessly ..' he thought as he glanced at Angel.
He realizes Ilex's glance and replies with an evil smirk. "Be careful Prince Ilex. If you do something stupid, maybe your head will be on the floor like him."
Ilex replied with a displeased expression and looked away.
He turned his gaze to Flare, ending their quarrel. "How is the castle now?"
Flare bowed. "Your Majesty, we have settled all the rebels and the evacuation of the corpses is underway."
"Where are Frost and King Gervis?"
"Frost is still combing through the entire castle to make sure no rebels are left behind. King Gervis is also with him."
"Very well." He stood up. "Tell King Gervis that I leave Duke Owen's family's fate to him," he said as he walked out.
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The sound of the door closing was heard, the guards had finished evacuating the rebel corpses and the servants had finished cleaning up the room. Ophelia opened her eyes slowly and sat on her bed while hugging her legs that were covered by a blanket. A faint smile formed on her face.
This is the first time she can feel Angel being sincere to her. He held her, gently stroked her hair and carried her to the bed. Something that he never did before.
Even after this, she knew that his cold attitude at her would be the same. She also understood that her request to go with him was impossible but at least she had tried.
She always knew Angel was always like that. Protecting the person he loved in silence, put on his cold face as if he was a heartless person but actually he has a warm heart. It's just that he never opened his heart to anyone. Never let a woman into his life.
Her eyes shifted to a cloth with bloodstains on the table beside her bed. She immediately recognized it, the cloth was the handkerchief which was given to her when he disguised himself as a hunter. She crept up to the table and picked it up, a small letter visible beneath it.
She took the letter and read it. 'Thank you for taking care of me and forgive me for not being able to return your feelings. Ophelia promises me, you must take good care of yourself. You deserve the best man on the Andromeda Continent. From your cousin, Angelus Raizel. '
She hugged the letter tightly to her chest while closing her eyes. "For me ... the best man on the Andromeda Continent is you ..."