MASKS TO UNVEIL! CHAPTER 4: Helplessness
Sencha grabbed her skirt and stood up, yelling,
"Is this why you called us all here?!" She felt that everyone here, excluding Xian, doesn't even care even if she was to die after marrying the known 'Paralyzed crown prince'. What was she expecting from her father? She knew that after she was born and was known to not have the Lavender power, her father had always detested her. He wanted her out of his sight, that's why he is arranging her to be married to someone similar to her.
Her father put the fork down, upset by her unruly manner and scolded her. "Why are you making a fuss over such a very important thing? The eunuch will give you the edict later on, so you better prepare yourself rather than destroying the family's reputation."
But Sencha didn't give up and defended herself. "But, father…. The crown prince is a paralyzed person! How am I… supposed to marry him….?" She weakly asked and her father looked at her annoyingly.
"You should be even more grateful that the emperor chose you! You'd be the crown princess, why, you want Xian to take your place? Your younger sister likes the Duke Mothelm!"
"But father, what about me?"
Sencha looked hurt. Even when she was young, her father didn't care about her, but her younger sister who was always better than her in many ways.
"What about you? The same people should flock together! You brat! You are not a Lavender owner and that is enough to ruin my reputation and also the family's influence on people. And now you're complaining when you only have to marry the crown prince and make us proud?!"
Her father yelled, and even his brows were frowned, while looking at her.
"Father—"
"This is the only thing you can do as the daughter of me!" Her father squinted his eyes and continued his hateful words, "And you can't even do it?! Then what's the use of you here?!"
Her father finally said what he had in his mind and she almost stumbled. Kijhy caught her behind and sadly looked at Sencha, who was insulted right before her eyes. Seeing her master feeling down and low, she didn't know what to do. Sencha's father is a very strong man that a flick of finger can make one end his life.
Sencha laughed hysterically while looking at her father and her father was stunned to see her acting insane. He pressed his temples and flicked his hand. She fell on the ground and her knee started pouring out blood. She looked at her wounded knee and she trembled. It was because of her father who wounded her knee, without any guilt.
"… All… along… Even when I had accomplished the Blue Level, you still looked down on me. Why father?"
Her father pointed his finger to her and answered her in a malicious way that she imagined. "Because you! You are not a Lavender owner, if you are, then I would have loved you like I love Xian."
Sencha stood up as Kijhy helped her, smiling crookedly, "Ah, yes. Your love for your daughter is not unconditional, but a love that is under a condition that I must pass."
Her father was surprised to see her being so direct and unstoppable. She was always shy and timid, what has happened to her?
She lifted her head and healed herself using her powers.
Her father shockingly looked at her and froze on his spot. She wiped her tears and gulped her dry saliva. Lucy widened her eyes after seeing the magical thing and Xian was the only one who clapped in a very intimidating situation after seeing how cool Sencha was. But she coquettishly put her hands down when everyone was very serious.
Sencha scoffed, "Thank you father."
"F-for what?" It was his first time to see her healing herself without any difficulty and it truly gave him shock. He looked down on her healed knee and frowned.
"For making me feel bad. It wasn't my intention on being born and what I did just now, for healing myself, was nothing a but a Blue leveled person could do. I know that Xian can do much more than that, besides she's your lovely, sweet, and only one daughter, father."
She then turned around, while wiping her tears that didn't seem to go away. Kijhy held her left hand to help her out of the suffocating meal with her family, while biting her lips, couldn't do anything that was useful to her Master.
Sencha went to the garden and closed her eyes. Kijhy handed her a handkerchief, with roses sewn on it and she bitterly smiled.
"Thank you, Kijhy."
"It's nothing, Miss."
Sencha looked at the roses, beautifully plastered on the handkerchief and sneered.
"Roses are overrated when they only smell bad."
"No, Miss. It has a good scent!"
Kijhy said enthusiastically. Sencha smiled weakly and used the handkerchief to wipe her snot and tears away.
Sencha looked up and aimlessly thought, "Why do you think people like roses?"
Kijhy thought meaningfully, but there was only one answer she could think of. She lifted her index finger and proudly said, "It's because it's beautiful, it represents love and desire for your loved one! It's a very lovely flower!"
Sencha glimpsed at Kijhy and lowered the handkerchief she used to wipe her snot and tears away. It was wet because of her.
"Don't you think it might be because of a different reason?" She curiously asked Kijhy and her maid only shrugged her shoulders in response.
"I don't know, it might be because it's beautiful or like…." Kijhy couldn't continue her words as she had no more words to say.
Sencha smiled and said, stroking the wounds she got after getting beaten up by the servants who her stepmom always ordered to beat her up until she vomited blood or faint.
"What if it's because it's a beautiful flower and has its own danger if you won't be careful around its thorns?"
Kijhy was shocked and looked at Sencha, who was deeply indulged in caressing her wounds. What was so precious about those? She frowned and asked.
".. Why did you ask about that flower?"
Sencha breathed out and pressed her lips tightly. "I want to be a rose; beautiful but dangerous."
Kijhy clapped and said, "That's what Sencha stands for! I'll support you~" Kijhy then winked in front of Sencha, and she laughed at how Kijhy was being childish to make her feel better.
Then, as they were playing around, a running footstep were heard and Sencha instinctively looked at the owner of the footsteps only to be shocked that it was Xian, who looked desperate searching for her, and when she was in front of Sencha, Xian was almost crying and embraced her older sister as if she was the most precious gem in the world.
Sencha widened her eyes and patted Xian, who was kneeling while hugging her and was sniffing. Sencha giggled and helped Xian to stand up.
"Why are you crying? What's there to cry over? Hmm?" Sencha wiped Xian's tears and gently asked, whilst smiling. Xian sobbed and was hiccupping.
"It's because *hiccup* father scolded you *hiccup*. I *hiccup* was so hurt *hiccup*. Sister, are you feeling better? No, let's go out to buy some spiritual stones for you, my treat. Hmm?"
Sencha shook her head and patted Xian's head. "I can't go out now. I am waiting for the emperor's eunuch to come. We don't want to destroy our father's hard-earned position and power, right? So, we must stay and wait patiently today."
Xian sat in front of her, while holding her left hand with both of her hands and pouted.
"But the Crown prince… isn't he Paralyzed? H-how about you?" Xian looked so sad, and it was enough for Sencha to be comforted, since at least there was one person from her own family who loved her unconditionally.
Sencha nodded her head as if assuring her and gently spoke.
"I am fine. As an older sister, this is far more than enough than what I should do."
"No, you are more than enough!"
Sencha smiled sweetly, "Xian, sister, is very regretful that I am not talented and gifted like you, if I was that, then you wouldn't have to push yourself to practice the Lavender power every day and every night. But in order to protect me, you pushed yourself too much. But Xian, what am I doing… think of it as my repayment for putting you in such a tight corner. I should have been the one shouldering that."
She apologetically said with a sigh, but Xian shook her head.
"But sister, I did it out of willingness, you don't need to repay me. I did that because as your younger sister, I should protect you and—"
"That's why, Xian, I want to set you free. With me here, you are always pressured to do more because of your useless older sister. Xian, for once let me do you a favor."
Sencha smiled and Xian felt defeated. Xian sobbed and pouted. Sencha giggled and assured her sister, "I am fine, Xian. You don't need to worry, really, seriously, without a doubt, that I am willing to be married to the crown prince."
Xian then clenched her fist and said seriously, "Then, if ever the crown prince hurt you, tell me and I'll teach him a lesson!!"
Kijhy laughed so as Sencha, who nodded.
Then, a voice, who was looking at them, coughed and said in a embarrassed manner,
"*cough*. I am afraid I have to interrupt the sister's conversation. May I?"