Reisa just finished her bride lesson as marriage candidate for the first prince, but even before she have time to relax, a Butler came and told her to have private audiance with the queen.
'what in the world? it didn't happen before!'
At the moment Reisa have private dinner with the queen. The Queen's eyes feel like stabbing her.
"Take a seat, I have especially prepared your local cuisine."
"Thank you for your Grace, Your Majesty."
Then the silence dinner began.
"What do you think?"
"It is delicious your Majesty."
It really feel awkward for Reisa, she didn't know how to start a conversation and the possibility of accidently offending the queen is severe. Especially after she taste the power or mana from the magic staff, she can't image how powerfull a real mage like queen if she unleash her full power.
Queen Nissa took a sip of her tea, she looked at the nervous girl in front of her, signed.
"Let get to the point, How close are you with the first prince?"
Reisa stunned, 'how did she know?' then again it is the Queen we talked about.
"I just meet once with his highness...as your Majesty know, his highness first prince is free man. I am just one of the lucky girl to be able to date him for one day."
"Hmm, You're indeed lucky to meet him once you got to the capital. It quite romantic if I must say. Then again, let me change the question. How sure you can be choosen as his bride?"
"That...is not my decision, Your Majesty."
-clack
Just the sound of putting the cup make Reisa shudder.
"To be honest I am quite hopefull, that boy had been gone in seclusion for half a year and rejected every girl attempt, unlike his usual self. You know, as mother I am worried especially when he said he is after a man."
The queen took an handicraft with the gesture of wiping tear but dhe end up using it to wipe her lip as napkin. She just unable to feel sad for that boy anymore, because... that exsistance must be erased.
"...and then you come, he is likely to choose you as his wife even if its out of impulse. He is just like that."
It is kinda ironic that the queen is the one that understand the first prince most. Well, The queen once read a quote from Orson book that said :
'In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves. And then, in that very moment when I love them.... I destroy them.'
'Hmm... in the end I must destroy him.' though the Queen.
While Reisa felt her heart is squished, to say that choosing her is just his impulse but the most frustation thing is that she can't deny it.
To be honest, she had been questioning the reason she turn back Time while she is unable to change anything. Yup, she return at the time she become marriage candidate and running mean Lèse majesté. Before she know she is already falling in the deeper pit.
'Why did she fall in love with the same man?!'
'So what is the difference between my current and past life? Right now, I just holding in the future when he will love me, hold me... so, I must protect him!'
The Queen look at the girl's changing expression, the light in the girl eyes now reaemble that woman, the queen just barely holding herself to frown.
"Look like you already found the answer. Don't forget we are on the same side. Inform me if there is something or someone unsual around him. Off course, it is to make sure he didn't take the wrong path, you understand?"
"I understand, your Majesty."
...
After meeting with the queen, Reisa just zooning out in the one of the palace garden. She need to cool her head, she looked at the bright fullmoon. clapped her hand on prayer.
"Dear Goddess Selena, you shine your light on midnight traveler, the sleepless lover, the wakeful child. Wise Goddess friend to whom live by night, friend of the lonely, the waiting, the lost, Good Selene. I honor you please shine the darkness, let this child to the path of light."
Reisa feel better, right now she didn't want to go back to the dorm. She missed her father so she took a carriage back to villa. As a Noble and marriage candidate for imperial family they have many privilage, the palace will provide everything but most high ranking noble prefer to use their own wealth so they stayed on their manor or villa near palace. Unlike Reisa who come from border, her villa is in outer of aristocrat distric, so she also need to go pass few high end shop.
The carriage walk slowly, she look out at the street. There is few Noble that choose to walk over using carriage. Suddenly she feel like one of pedestarian look familiar. Good looking, slender, Black haired man waearing black turtleneck and suit. She rummaged her memmory.
'Ahh, that is my husband right hand man! what is his name again? something like dust...Ash!'
Reisa keep looking at that man until her vision distorted and she arrived in the destroyed palace. In the wreckaged of the palace stood a man, no... he is floating in the air, his skin is pale white, goat horn protuding from his black hair and sharp bat like wing in his back. The same face as the man she just say, it just his golden slit eyes look threatening.
'Demon!'
What the demon facing is the crown prince holding his Legendary Sword, and beside him is his friends from the academy. One of his friend, a girl with fluffy blonde hair stood in the front holding staff emitting light.
'This is?'
Reisa eyes come back looking at the demon, and she gasped once she saw the face of the lifeless body underneath the demon. When she tried to reach out that lifeless body, the scenary changed. She no longer looking at the face of the man named Ash but a desolate street.