"Elder, why do we need to leave them alone?" Keth asked.
A brand new day has already begun and these [Tormentors] have to fetch their Prince and Princess.
An old lady, with two maids behind her, frowned heavily. However, it could be seen in her eyes, she had a very calm disposition.
"We do that so that they hate themselves." she replied.
Shan then followed with a question, "How... would that affect their Karma? Even though they will hate each other that doesn't mean the future ruler will love their partner."
"This is not about romance. Have you got into marriage?" the elder looked at him in the eyes. Shan and Keth shook their heads, so she continued, "It sounds lovely at first. But after a few years, the so-called 'love' will naturally dissipate. The husband and wife will have to endure each other. In front of their children, they have to act. However, deep inside, they are tired. This is a part of their endurance."
"Oh... since they are forced to each other, the first impression is already negative." Shan nodded in understanding, "They have been put to the edge every single day for more than a decade without rest. However, they are too scared of us to retaliate... now that they have found someone with the same standing, they will certainly pour all their hate onto each other..."
"Shan is so smart!" Keth shouted, "However, the Prince is a little different. At least, different from what we were taught. Elder, what do you think?"
The elder then nodded, "I think so too. However, that doesn't change anything. I was the Tormentor last generation too. The Prince and Princess last time almost killed each other." she sinisterly smiled, "Anyway, we're here, open the door."
One of the two girls behind the elder obeyed. Upon opening the door, everyone's eyes widened.
The scene in front of them made them a little bitter inside of them.
The Prince sat under the window sill. His gaze tired but tenderly looked at the Princess peacefully sleeping, her head using his lap as pillows while a blanket was covering her bare body.
From the Princess's expression, it was pure relaxation and ecstasy.
"..." Keth and Shan looked at each other before rolling their eyes to the elder. They gulped when they saw the elder's expression that was about to explode.
"SEPARATE THEM!" the elder's voice suddenly boomed, "Don't let them use their Karma! Every joy they get is a tragedy of a citizen in the next generation!"
The Prince who was about to doze off was startled awake. He then tapped the Princess awake.
"It's time for us to go." he had been expecting this.
The Princess was aware of this too but she was reluctant to go. Seeing this, the Prince pushed her off before their Tormentors were about to do something brutal.
The two maids under the Elder pulled the Princess's hair, dragging her through the mud. However, this was already the normal treatment so she didn't even moan a pain.
The Prince had a worse fate as Keth and Shan used their swords to pierce him and carry him like a dead body.
After torturing this Prince for more than a decade, they knew what could kill him and not.
Seeing this, the silent Princess had her face in strain, thinking how the Prince was treated.
'We'll see each other again.'
Remembering everything the Prince told her last night, she didn't fight back...
'I'm back here again.' the Prince frowned as he was thrown into the torture chamber where most of his life was.
Tears flowed from him while his face expressionless. Tears not from fear but from imagining that the Princess will be treated like this as well.
"You enjoyed your time there, huh!?" Keth shouted as he mercilessly kicked the Prince. However, the latter was unresponsive... as usual.
"I called the Miracle-Worker... we should double the torture from now on..." Shan suggested which Keth immediately agreed.
His skin was ripped, shredded, and burned. But the next day, scars only remained.
He would be hypnotized and do the torture to himself while his true self was conscious, watching it all unfold. Other times, he would be forced to do unimaginable things to the people in dirty white clothes. However, his hands were not that 'dirty' as it was Keth or Shan that took the last hit and killed the people in dirty white clothes.
These people, in turn, will bash him, throw scornful words, and would add to the torture.
This happened every single day. No rest.
'No rest... But my Karma should be astronomical now.' the Prince didn't despair, 'Just a little more and the Princess and I will be set free and have our own normal life.'
But now, once a month, he will see the Princess. Although they are not doing the "act" again, they were able to be together for the night.
They did not know that this was just an arrangement to create hatred between them.
There had been many attempts.
Once, the Prince was drugged to become violent, hoping to beat the Princess. However, the next morning, the same scene repeated.
Every month, the Tormentors would think of something that should discord the two. Brainwashing them with lies. Drugging them. Even using Trinkets, an object that has been [Karma-Engineered] to have a specific effect.
However, the scene just repeated over and over.
"Elder... maybe they are just perfect for each other..." Shan said but was only scolded.
"Idiot, there is no such thing as perfect for each other! Did you forgot that we are in the world where Karma is absolute?!" the elder tapped Shan's head in annoyance, "Everything is equal and fair! There is a price for everything! They have done nothing to be perfect for each other!"
"But elder, for forty-two generations, there has never been this moment, right?" Keth tried to save Shan but didn't use a loud voice.
"I know! There is something wrong, I am sure of it! There is only a year left before the next ruler should be conceived..." the Elder bit her nails, troubled, "We should just do the opposite. Don't let them meet for a whole year. Nothing is better than lessening good Karma!"
.....
I am now twenty years old. Ever since last year, I have not met the Princess again.
However, the day has finally come. This time, we will do it again in the hope to make a child.
Of course, there's a twist to it. They wouldn't let us enjoy ourselves. They just took my seed and put it into her. Just... don't ask how they got it.
At the end of the day, we didn't even see each other. They planted and crushed our hope just like that.
After three months...
I couldn't help but have tears of joy when I heard from Lennie that the Princess was now carrying our child. That was not the best part. The best part was that she is forbidden to go through stress.
In other words, she had overcome the hell part of her life. No forms of torture will be done to her. Then after she bore the child, we will be set-free...
Lennie no longer tucked me to bed since I am already twenty years old. She was just there, listening to my worries. If she was not there, I wouldn't be able to keep my sanity, and my relationship with the Princess would not be like now.
But one morning.
"Prince, you should say your goodbyes to Lennie now..." Shan suddenly dropped a bomb, "You're not going to see her again from now on."
Behind my two Tormentors was Lenni who had a sad smile.
I'm not going to see her again? But they said she will be by my side after this!
No... who am I joking? It is obvious that they just put my hopes up.
Somehow, thinking about that, I felt a shiver. A thought appeared inside my head.
...It was the scariest thing ever...
However, I didn't want to even know what it was so I dismissed it.
More importantly, I have to say goodbye to Lennie now. This is the moment I will tell her about my past life and that maybe, she's my mother!
"Lennie, I want to say something to you."
Lennie stepped forward and faced me. She was already in her forty's. Wrinkles have begun appearing on her face.
"Prince, I have some to tell you too."
Before I nodded, she continued. Her expression suddenly change.
The expression that I was very familiar with. But this expression... have never... shouldn't have appeared on her.
"Prince... I hate you from the very start."
...eh?
"You are the most disgusting thing I have ever seen. Every night after I take care of you, I would wash my body at least three times. My family was oppressed because I was punished to become your caretaker."
She... A Trinket must've been used on her. Yes, that's it!
"My sister, Helena, was bullied to death because I am affiliated with you, the Prince. From now on, I'm going to take revenge."
.....
"Say goodbye to Lennie, Prince! Because from now on, call her your third Tormentor!" Keth laughed loudly.
...
...
...
...
Princess...
I need you right now.