I opened the door and found everyone staring at myself.
Duke rushed to me and grabbed my both shoulders.
"H-How... How did it go?" He was tensed up.
Before I answer his question I have an important thing to do.
"Allow me to apologise," as I lowered my head slightly.
"H-Huh? W-What do you mean by that?!"His tension raised.
I could feel is grip stronger on my shoulders.
For some reason everyone's faces turned grave as Duke's wife, that is, Reena's mother approached me.
"W-Why... W-What do mean by that please answer me!" She cried, all teared up.
"I mean exactly what I just said. I am sorry..." I replied as if she couldn't hold back anymore she stumbled on her feet as Lucia hurriedly supported her so she didn't fall.
Lucia tried to console her aunt as she too was in tears but was trying to suppress it as much as one could.
๐ต๐ข๐ก ๐ค๐๐๐ก... ๐โ๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐ก? ๐โ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก โ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐?!
Duke, who was holding upon me us until now, his emotions burst out as he grab me by my collar and yelled.
"You!... You said that you could save Reena! You bragged about how oh-so-mighty you are and now you dare to diliver such words to me!." He was so furious yet in grief that all I could to do is to hope may have peace of mind.
But still, his attitude is now getting on my nerve..
๐๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฎ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฐ๐ถ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ค๐ต ๐ญ๐ช๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต... ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ง๐ฆ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ข๐ค๐ฆ. ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ, ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ช๐ง ๐-
Wait... Now hold on a second... Aaaah, now I get it.
Woah, seems like there is a huge misunderstanding here. I'll just clear it,
"Wait, I think there is a huge misunderstanding,"
"Huh..."
๐ ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ค๐ญ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ข๐บ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐จ๐ถ๐บ ๐ธ๐ช๐ญ๐ญ ๐ฑ๐ข๐ด๐ด ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ช๐ฏ๐ค๐ข๐ฑ๐ข๐ฃ๐ช๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ฃ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ด๐ช๐ต๐ถ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ.
"I think you misunderstood something..."
"What theโ... Don't you dare to think you can slip away like that!"
"I am not going anywhere and just so you know, Reena is safe and sound!"
"What?! You mean she isn't dead!"
"No no, no... not at all! The curse has successfully been lifted andโ"
"Really?! You swear on the name of God! Is she out of danger?! I-I just want to see my little baby safe please, please say that she is fine!" Before I could finish, duchess cut in.
๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ช๐ด ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ ๐ซ๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ด๐ข๐ช๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐บ. ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ'๐ต ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ช๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต!
"I just said that, she is ๐ผ๐ธ now."
Hearing my words made everyone suprise but it didn't take a moment to turn into the peace of their mind.
"Uh,"
"Hmm, what is it Lucia? Don't hold back yourself just go ahead and speak of your mind." Considering how all are reacting there must be something that must have made Lucia worried since she seems to be bothered by something.
"...That... Allan, I wanted to confirm the reason of your apology. Just to make sure that everything is stable now."
๐๐ฉ, ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ช๐ด ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฃ๐ฆ...
"Now that you mentioned it Lucia, what were you apologizing for?" Duke asked curiously.
"Well, I just wanted to apologise for the fact that I made you all wait here at corridor. It's really hot here, isn't it? It would be different if it's a moderate climate but it's not and considering the situation, I thought it would be the best if seek forgiveness for being rude. Actually, I should have thought about this earlier, and should have asked you to rest at a cool place rather then wait outside..."
Considering the fact that air conditioners aren't possibly invented in this era, it is real tough to stay cool in such humidity and hot climate.
Well, I don't particularly have any problem with any kind of environment or climate but I still have to be considerent others, that the basic. It's not rare to loose one's composure when it's hot. Most people get really tensed up and that's all the reason why heat is also the factor that make people violent in an argument.
"...Hmm? Did I said something I shouldn't have?"
Duke, who was so pro-active, was speechless now and was staring straight at me. Not just the Duke but, don't know why, everyone was staring at me.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ฏ'๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ๐ด ๐ธ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐จ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต ๐ข๐ด ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ด๐ฐ ๐ข๐ด๐ต๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ช๐ด๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏ'๐ต ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ท๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐ต ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ!
So I thought, but as I looked at them I noticed the hint of a hopelessness.
"...Youโ I don't even know what to say..." Duke sighed and so did others.
Leon put his hand on my shoulder. I turned back to look at him only to be greeted by a sympathetic gesture as he shook his head.
"Well, as long as Reena's life is out of danger we shouldn't have anymore problem now..." Laren dismissed the awkward silence with his smart tongue.
"Yeah, you're right Laren. I believe we should be at ease now." King replied.
"Yes... Mr. Allanโ"
"Ah, just Allan," Lucia corrected the Duke.
"Yeah, Allan..." Duke took my hand in his owns.
"Thank you. Thank you so much for saving the life of my daughter... I, my whole family, is in great debt of you."
This man, I could feel the pain he suffered all this time being worried about his daughter. The curse must have caused a huge impact on psych of his whole family. As a parent, one always think for the best and the well being of their children. Just how many time does this couple have wished secretly for Reena.
Both of them, Duke and his wife, didn't suffered less from Reena or who knows... maybe even more.
It is really great that I could be a help in some way.
"...So, what's next?" I asked the Duke who was living in the very moment with his wife.
"I think... We will be waiting for Reena to gain consciousness. Yeah, we will stay by her side..."
Duchess nodded in agreement to Duke.
"Whatever you would like to, just remember that she still need plenty of rest."
"Yes, we will keep that in mind. Then, if you excuse us."
With that Duke entered Reena's room with his wife.
"You did a magnificent job, Allan."
King approached me with a relieved smile on his face.
"Well thank you. You're not gonna join them."
"I think it would be better if we let the family some have some time together. There isn't much of our need afterall."
"I guess..."
"That being said, to think you would able to successfully lift the curse which bothered us for years now. You really are an irregular." King was in deep thought as he said those words.
"That's my knight for ya!" While Lucia on other hand was back to her usual self.
"Haha, I'll take it as a complement."
Honestly speaking, from my common sense I don't think I did such great deeds. It's obvious to help those who are in need, isn't it? Or...
There is always a personal motive behind one's help? Does something like a help with any motives really exist? Or there is always a business...
What do you think?
The one I am asking is you obviously, the reader.
I am sure that you are very aware of the answer and as for me...
Where I stand...
The question in itself is irrelevant.
There is always a self-interest backing what one do.
Whether it's right or wrong.
Good or evil.
Sin or virtue.
There is always a self-interest, and regardless of what one do, nor can change it...