(Francis POV)
For the longest period of my time, I had never seen a ruler who would order the Witch princess to touch him.
He's not afraid to risk his life nor face his upcoming death.
Why was he so confident? What's the reason does he have? None, in my opinion.
'I don't know why but he's not backing down,' I worried.
But looking at his eyes, he's really determined. He's really into it.
He explicitly demanded her, not a request but an order.
I closed my eyes and recalled a beautiful girl. She was the apple of our eyes. A family-oriented and risk-taker.
Whenever I looked at his eyes, he reminded me of her.
Lord Hadar was like his mother. He's so energetic, industrious, and smartest among his peers from what I observed. But his determination and confidence made him reckless and careless sometimes.
He had the blood of the royal family, but they abandoned him because of the prophecy. That he, Hadar, was a talentless nobody and a son of a commoner would bring a stroke of bad luck because of his dark affinity. He's destined to live like his mother, and then he would die as a nameless royalty.
The whole family ridiculed his existence, and even his father tossed him into the former world, The Earth, just to save his image and reputation.
What a bunch of fools!
They literally wasted a prodigy, and never did they know what kind of child he was. No other children at his age could read books at his age, nor a ruler who still worked out in the middle of his office despite the large gap in his abilities, and he's the only child who truly should be considered as a genius among his peers.
His word was harsh and sharp, but it had a lot of sense.
His body was tiny, but he had a big heart.
That big heart was his big weaknesses. He's too innocent in this universe.
Like the earth, Hadar was left behind in this wasteland. And watching him from afar I could tell he wanted to cure the world.
Looking at his hair and appearance, I could see my niece at him. But remembering the past needed to be folded.
I wanted to salvage what was left to her and saved her from the harsh reality of nobility, but God's presence wasn't on my side when I needed it the most.
I couldn't help but surrender.
My niece fell in love with a scumbag. Women were easy to woe with sweet words by assertive men. Powerful and influential, she's quickly spread her legs to the worse man in the universe.
She's truly believed that a mixed race like her between a noble and commoner would be accepted, but she's wrong. Despite her father was my former lord of this planet, Lord Aurcus, she's treated like nobody.
Lord Aurcus, one of the few kind-hearted lords who treated the commoners, serfs, and slaves equally. The only noble lord volunteered to rule the abandoned and remote planet.
I wanted him back, but he's gone. He would be heartbroken when he learned that his daughter died from giving birth.
'Past is past. But the present is here in front of me. I have to do something before it's too late. I don't want to lose the last existence and the reason for me to live.'
"Oi, carry me. If you don't, I will," Lord Hadar demanded, extended his arms upward.
'He's starting to resemble his grandfather too. He's truly your grandson too, milord. Please help me, sir. Help this innocent child to be enlightened,' I prayed inside my heart.
(Leona POV)
"Lord Hadar, please stop!" Sir Francis begged.
He stepped in and carried him away from me for one meter. Then, he gently placed him down on the floor.
"Milord, please listen to me. You're being too reckless. This is wrong. You must remember your position. If you're gone, I don't know what should I do. Stop being stubborn, please. Once you touch her, you'll gonna die. I don't want to see a dead body of our Lord!" Sir Francis condemned.
"Shut it, old man. Are you dumb? Look at the beautiful girl, she's not a girl who will kill an innocent child like me. Is that the face of a murderer or a cursed maid? No, right. Baseless accusations will result in the true victims fall into miserable status. I will die? You gotta be kiddin' me. Ridiculous. My fate says otherwise. All of those things happened because of a certain reason. More like a logical phenomenon that happened for those people who died. Step aside. Stop blocking my sight, and let me do the rest. Francis, believe it or not, I won't die," Lord Hadar assured, walking forward to my position.
My body kept trembling. I didn't understand what's happening to me. His words made me happy and sad at the same time.
"Milord, this is not a joke. You're facing the most dangerous existence in the world. Are you out of your mind?"
My heart stiffened when he mentioned the word, 'dangerous existence.' I held my tears and turned deaf. I closed my eyes and stepped away again.
'Please stop it, Lord Hadar. Don't come near me. Please,' I prayed.
"I know I'm reckless but I'm not a rebel without a cause. I want to end the misunderstanding here. Right here, right now," Lord Hadar declared, gravely.
"But, milord. Please," he grabbed his shoulders, but the young master punched his stomach.
Sir Francis stepped back in shock.
Despite it was a light assault, his body trembled in pain.
"Those rumors must be a lie or superstitions! You're older than me but you're acting like a child. Stop your racial discrimination, old man. Witch princess or curse maid, is she suitable for the title? The answer is no. I don't care about her past or the stupid rumors you're talking about. All I know that this must be stopped," Lord Hadar badgered.
"Are you really out of your mind, milord?" Francis argued. "No, old man. Maybe, you're the one," Lord Hadar answered abruptly.
All of the servants on the line behind them were surprised.
Lord Hadar noticed it, but instead of stopping his errands, he used this chance to express his opinion.
"Everyone listen here. Look at her. I said, look at this girl. Is she looked like a bad person, a murderer, or a bitch, I mean a witch? No, because in front of me, a beautiful princess is here with us. Do you even ask her how's her life during those times when she's alone? No, because no one ever approaches her. Nobody helped her and comforted her during the time when she needed them the most. She's just like you all people. A human being who seeks help for attention, friendship, and comfort. This is why don't even dare to tell me what to do and what is wrong and what is right. Because I know it from the very start. I know how exactly what she felt when I was in her position," Lord Hadar explicitly exploded.
All of the servants, including Sir Francis, flinched out of guilt. Everyone lowered their head and averted their gaze.
My eyes opened wide when he said it. It started to shed in tears, but I couldn't let my frozen heart melt like this.
'Is this child a son of a noble family? Why he's doing this? I, I'm a commoner and a Witch Princess too. W, why?' I held my tears once more.
"Hold on, before we proceed to my request. Answer this question, are you going to live like this? I don't believe you're a cursed maid, though" asked Lord Hadar as he folded his arms across his chest. "Y, yes, milord. Everything is all true. I'm an immortal witch who will kill every man. You might be confused right now, right? Because of my curse, I stuck in this body and experienced a lot of hardship for a long time. This power rivaled the powers of all great mages in our society. But I ain't confident to tell that this curse could help the others in need. This is why I appreciate your concern, but you don't have to defend this 'witch' from your servants. I'm already used to it," I answered, honestly.
Lord Hadar tilted his head with a curious gaze. Then, he simpered.
"How stupid it was. To think they let your life stayed like this is truly devastating," Lord He raised up his arms, waiting for it to be carried. "Carry me. That's an order," he demanded again.
"Milord, w-w-what are you doing? I already revealed the truth about the consequence. You're going to suffer a lot and I don't want to kill you like the others. Don't you afraid of death, milord? You're too young to die in that age." I shuddered, sincerely waved my hands in rejection.
"C'mon, don't be shy. If you don't like this one, then let me hold your hands," Lord Hadar approached me with a gentle smile.
"Milord, please stay away. You'll get cursed and you will end up dead like the others," I begged, crying.
"Rest assured, I won't die. There's no way I will die for such a little thing like that, though," Lord Hadar confirmed, lips upturned.
'L, little thing? Does the curse cause no threat to your life? U, unbelievable.'
"No, please. Stop joking around. S, Sir Francis, do something," I stepped back for two-step when I sensed something terrible.
"I, I'm sorry, but let him do it," the old butler gave in.
"Please do something. Do you even care about your master?"
"Let me ask you a simple question then, are you going to live like that? Being discriminated against like a criminal and a lost sheep abandoned in the universe? If you don't, I won't push myself. But my beloved courier told me to do so, so if you don't mind, bear with this," said Lord Hadar, smiling. "I'm sorry for this."
"Kyaa, no! ― Ah? Uh, eh, umm?" I screamed after he embraced my legs.
"I knew it. The rumors are a fraud. Hey, open your eyes," he asked.
I opened my eyes and surprised at what I witnessed.
Everyone was lost in words.
"Good grief. Take a look, I'm fine. What kind of bullshit to tell the whole mass about that false information. Cursed? More like a blessing to me. You don't possess that kind of enchantment, to begin with. Maybe, some crazy sluts used this chance to ruin your image from the eyes of their husbands. C'mon, girl. Smile, I'm fine and well. Stop treating your life like nobody. Man, it's time for you to start over," Lord Hadar extended his arms and pointed his index at my face.
"S, start over again?" I startled. "Yes, start over again. I know how you feel. You want to die but you can't. You're scared and scared to death. You want to open up but no one wants to be closed to you. I know, because I already experienced it before. Deep inside of your heart, you want to redo your life. You want your life to exhume," Lord Hadar simpered, spreading his arms like a man with wings.
"E, exhume?" I gulped when he mentioned that word.
'H, how did he know? He's just a kid, but why he talks like an adult who experienced a lot of hardship? Why?'
"And this time, this is the day you've been waiting for. You're not a curse maid or a witch princess anymore. As of today, from this moment, I hereby declare and announce to everyone here. No one shall call her other than her name. Curses are ban especially those titles. No one should ever ridicule my people, my servant, and my family members, as per see. I'll be the one who will face you instead. I will make sure you won't ever see the sunrise again if you even try. Remember this day, people of my planet. This girl is a human and a beautiful woman of the whole galaxy I've ever seen. There's no cursed maid nor a witch in here but a human girl who's looking for a place to call home. The personal aide of mine and her name is Leona. She's my maid princess," Lord Hadar avowed, then he held my hand and kissed it.
'M, maid princess,' my cheeks turned red in embarrassment.
I looked down at my master.
Why did he kiss my hand? This is considered a marriage proposal during the old empire. No, he must be unaware of it, so I must not too bother about it.
He's just a kid but he had a gentleman-like behavior. If he's an adult, I would already fall in love with him.
'Fall in love? R, ridiculous! Stop it, Leona. This is not the time for a stupid dream. You're going to jail if you do that.'
Looking at this child, he's truly different from the other aristocratic children. Honestly, he's the strangest master I've ever seen before.
I couldn't help but smile. I had never thought someone would finally melt this sadness inside my heart.
'H, huh? Why I can't see? Why it's my sight blurred? Is it raining today? But the sun is still there watching us on the surface. Wait, why my face is wet? Don't tell me I'm crying? I'm crying? Really? I'm crying. Oh, my gosh. But the reason for my cry is not the same thing before. It's different today. It's no longer a cry of despair or death, but I'm crying in joy,' I covered my mouth and lifted up my face.
"T, Thank you. Thank you very much, Lord Hadar," I said before my crumbling legs collapsed on the ground thereafter.
I cried nonstop whilst the tiny lord comforted me. The other servants cried too after they witnessed the emotional scene.
'When was the last time I experience this moment? I cannot remember anymore. S, someone comforted me like a normal girl. I already accepted my fate to be treated like an insect, tossable trash, and no one will ever save me from this endless hell. But this man reluctantly wished me to live instead. He opens my eyes that there is someone there who will accept me. He literally makes me my life as a human being. Thank you very much, and thank you for calling me as a fellow human, Lord Hadar!'