I was interested in their small enthusiastic talks. My face could already feel numb from smiling too much; even moving an inch of my face was an exercise. My past life would never have any expression like this. In truth, it's foreign. As Gaius, my life is filled with emotionless research, all long gone with my passion for building scientific reasons. And I knew I was wrong to have all my judgment based on calculations and baseless assumptions. If I weren't ahead of myself so much, if only I were cautious with people with my trustโโโmaybe fate would not end like this and not in front of strangers and claiming to be someone I am not.
My finger fiddles on its own, playing with my rings. They were heavy and shining with much grandeur. Attention is locked on Penelope's overbearing enthusiasm, while Calliope is different than her mother. This Child was more reserved and elegant with her poised grace, which intrigued me. As I studied her, I couldn't help but wonder If Calliope is my ๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ญ๐ฅ then should her hair be identical to mine and Penelope's? Blonde hair is a recessive gene that can only inherit if both parents carry the genes of Blondes... my genetics. But I guess we are like a peanut split into two for a reason.
Meanwhile, Penelope keeps feasting a spoonful of cake and conversing with her mouth full of desserts. Her face seemed complete joy to taste such delicacy, but she paused once she could taste the strawberry tart. " Your Majesty, Maybe you have heard... Duke Fyodor detained us from Pearl Hall and forbade us to come to any contact or go out. It has been months, and I keep stressing about what happened to Kashgar Prefecture and you. We were so worried, but it was hopeless to do anything." Penelope woefully expressed, and I'm trying to have her full attention on both ears and eyes.
" I've heard it also. I am sorry, Penelope... As a man with responsibilities, I felt I'm in blameworthy, and to have you and the Child let you detained from such a small palace," I reached out her delicate hands onto mine as my gaze met hers. " Tell me dear, On my slumber and absence of my presence on the throne, have those fools tried to humiliate you? Were they able to satisfy you from their service, or must I punish them for such slander?"
Penelope's eyes widened from the shock, and a soft smile formed in her mouth.
" N-no, they treat me well, but their mouth was sealed shut as if they were manipulated to be, and I know they might have heard the rumors about my background. The cold shoulders I got whenever the servants were in sight were unbearable... However, I can manage them." My eyes squint from her answer. What rumors could that be? Curious.
Argus is my right-hand man; I don't doubt he would act on his accord. Soon I'll get to the bottom of this. I will leave no stone unturned and make myself not a failure again. My lungs suddenly jolt out of my system, and I could feel my lips pursue in the bite. This again... This pain is so unending.
My heart is clutching all for nothing. This crappy body keeps a display of the weak man I am. How the heck am I going to avenge this jerk If this body makes my enemies think the Emperor is finally on Death's doorstep?
She was startled and hurried to my side. " Your Majesty, you must be tired. Your face is pale. We must have tired you out for conversing." She quickly helped me stand up out of concern, and her touch still gave me goosebumps from every inch of my skin. " Father, Please rest," Calliope spoke softly when she gracefully bowed to me as a farewell.
Even so, I was reluctantly putting her hands away from me, but I still managed to do so. "I'll be okay, dear. It's nothing for me. " I quickly stood up and left them an acknowledgeable nod. There was like a knife stuck in my throat; my entire being was pounding from fear. This mind is whirling with sorrows; hands and hearts also shake from guilt. It was such a miserable attempt to wish to have a single ounce of personal space.
I truly realized I was in the deep sea of dangers and uncertainty.
My desires to keep myself reeling in Nature's beauty have extended leave on my mind, while my mind is entangled with wires of memories of Cain and myself. My heart bares a heavy weight of guilt, overflowing with emotions that are deadly to have. The person I am is already shadowed by my new identity. My personality is different from Gaius as I was.
I continued my simple sightseeing around the back entrance of the other side of the Palace. The presence of an intimidating aura felt swelling to the bottom of my feet. " Hear ye, Hear ye, goes the sun blinds us with your stupidity. I would pray to the heavens that a cloud will shadow it. " A child's voice laced with contempt or disgust can be felt piercing. His poetic words would have been hard to understand if they had more meanings.
I slightly jerked my head and let my peripheral vision locate the source of the voice. My gaze fell on a boy standing furiously with a fist clenched. He looks at me like a suspicious stranger. I bored my head to face him, trying to let him see my displeasure from his slander. " Have you forgotten I am the Emperor? I can throw you in a sea of demons as I wanted you to do." I threatened him to intimidate his little soft bones to the core.
This Child has bravery; I commend his bravery at its finest. Too bad he wasted it in such a useless way. His face began to coil more in red. No one knows if he was embarrassed or will the volcano soon erupt in his empty head. His defiance is wavering, and those eyes are firing with so much discontent.
I would be mad, too, if it meant I had to see this beautiful face but with a disdainful character. You know, I hate seeing myself have people dislike me with so much hatred and resentment. I'm a people pleaser, not a person who lets people hate me for being such a jerk.
" You ahmak! How are you still alive... I swore to the heavens that your Death will be the merriest day in this Palace!" This Child responded as he threw his hands in the air like an idiot; however, I was taken aback by the vilest words. It's like venom being bitten on my skin, either my heart sunk to see a Child have this unbearable personality. How did they raise this boy under my jurisdiction? Maybe It's solely my fault.
Look at that Child. His physique is so tiny, his cheeks are chubby that I could squish them, his eyes are wide and imbued with a beautiful amber hue, and his cute robe and tunic adorned him. I let out a small laugh, realizing he is just a child after all. My little brother, I wonder where he got that temper.
With a wide grin, I retorted. " Brother Seth. You are so brave that I almost see myself in you. In my absence, it seems this Palace has taken turns of the tide. This is inauspicious." Playfully joking around.
My youngest brother, named Seth Theodore Adamos. He was a miracle born even after the Empress was poisoned slowly for a year. But I guess it was God's will to happen like that.
" Ha! Words coming out of your hypocritical mouth. The only inauspicious is you. And don't you dare group me the likes of you; I am not a crazy man like you are." Seth angrily stomped back from his way and ran away out of fury.
Hot blood really comes from the family. There is no point in provoking. I hope that I will never ever see him again.
I reached another room near the big ballroom, a two-way door opened by guards living over. It was extravagant, all fashioned with the finest wealth the Empire could own. It mesmerized me with the jewels draped in the spacious room with the magnificence of the Upholstered throne, which is like a low couch, yet still, it depicts so much intimidation and the frescoes that adorned every wall. I awkwardly sat on the throne; it was wide for me to leisurely lay my whole body as if I was being served with grapes in my mouth and the orderlies on my side.
This ottoman furniture really felt either comfortable and hard to relax at the same time. I felt nothing could stop me as I lay here on the throne. Is this the reason why ๐๐ is so obsessed with being the Emperor? The pressure ๐๐ had to be the flawless Emperor for the Empire to praise him all gone to naught instead of being lovedโโall there was the deeply rooted hatred.
This is getting annoying. If only my AI assistant would be here to assess these. I can only be dependent enough on my Virtual intelligence. But living without is like a cruel punishment for me to bear. I'm a 30th-century man living with the leisure of flying metals b and talking with inanimate objects, not blinding my eyes with a set of jewels and conversing with living people.
Talking with people is making me feel filthy. I cried one tear, for those thick-faced fools just burned all my precious creations into ashes. A second tear for that stupid scientist from the failure of their attempt at delusional world conquer. And the third is for me falling victim in this world.
Clink.
Clank.
There comes another person that will ruin my day.
The sound of rushing footsteps came closer to the throne hall, and I quickly tried to look as intimidating as possible. My body leaned on the back of the throne, making myself comfortable with all the soft clothes that tingled my skin and the plush pillow with intricate design. I tried to exude an immense power of authority in front of anyone I met.
A little grin escaped my face.
Thus the footsteps grew louder each second, and my eyes fixated on the door. When the door swung open, I felt my heart skipped a beat. A man in front of me dressed in a white robe and adorned with a golden scarf as he caught his breath before me, utterly breathless, and his face full of worries.
"Your Majesty! Thou canst not simply wander with thy condition in this present hour. Thou art still due for examination to ascertain thy current state," He cried. His choice of words got me stuck in my tongue.
What the hell is this guy talking about? Thaw cans? Dye? Art? Is this some kind of Art Museum? I don't know If I could appreciate their way of wording... they sounded like a die-hard devotee; I could swear I'd vomited from their fake faces made of plastic litter.
My brow furrowed in utter confusion. " W-what the hell?" I mutter.
Struck, speechless by his cringy speech, and had nothing to say. But I was, regardless, not surprised that these people here were just out of their minds, not crazy but real psychos that deserved to be locked in the asylum with 100 locks. Cause' I swear this place is fucked up as It is.
" I beg your greatness."
" ...."
I closed my eyes for a minute and thought. This is the High Priest, Son of the Former High Priest, who still had a child who followed in his footsteps. Both of them are just annoying and ever so ๐ณ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ด. And no wonder, for Satan himself, masquerades as an angel of light.
" Your Majesty is harsh. Have you still bear a grudge against the Former High Priest?" He quickly mentioned his sinful Father. Just the mere name of it makes my blood boil.
I just dreamed about this Former Priest; now it's the day's subject. I suddenly urge to throw my hands at him and end him right there. Should I burn his body? Or hang him up? I feel like the Influence of Cain's memories has been jogged up on my personality. I must not be a crazy man.
#$@! ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, @*#(!#((**&$^#@!#&*#, !@#*(!#$()!#((#&$@&^*# !!
I sighed. Smiled forcibly at the Priest. My eyes are already twitching from the fury dwelling on me. He should be thankful enough that his face is handsome; it would be a shame to the Deity to have their representative get their face beaten up to a pulp.
I held back from getting mad. " One more word, and I'll let your tongue chopped off, and the God of your Temple will once cry in blood." I chuckled. I remember that dream vividly, the ugly scene of the statue crying in blood. It was not good to mention that, but who cares? I am the Emperor.
My mind felt it was going to burst in anger. What is this people's deal for getting on my nerves? Cain, How did you even live this life? If I were you, I do anything to have their heads not intact.
The Priest only chuckled. Seemingly, he was amused. " You spoke blasphemous words. You are too brave to speak in front of the spokesperson of the Deity. Are you not afraid of karma befall over you? Pardon if I offend you, Your Majesty. This is better for your regency. I am speaking on behalf of our concerns. "
" .... You are lucky. You are a Priest. "
Solomon Augustine, I don't know if he should call me my confidant or an enemy.
" I always thanked God that fate led me to the Path of Holiness." Solomon smiled, thinking of it as a self-proclaimed sadist, some may say. Using the word of Deity whispering right in his ear was a big hoax only a fool would fall for.
I don't like him, though. I'd instead choose Argus over this man.
My eye rolled in annoyance. Trying to act myself, I am already too familiar with these people, which I am not. But I could thank this memory, and this subtle personality of the bastard still has remained deep inside his veins. " Oh God, What do you want? It's just my second day... wakin' up, and everyone here is getting more annoying." Grumbling under my breath.
How funny. I had heard that old man of mine had said the same to me when the Scientists scouted me from the landfill. Can't deny the fact, though, I've become unlawful, too, like them.
My mind wandered to the Priest. He looked intimidating. Should people worship the Deity or him instead? I sighed and gave up fighting back with him, tired of today's handling affair of many idiots. The doubts and speculations I had back then finally reached their conclusion of the day.
I slowly stood up, still feeling reluctant to do so. The feeling of the throne in every back of my bones felt weirdly comforting yet dangerous at the same time. " Fine. I'll go with you. Seeing so many troublesome people today isn't appetizing at all. In addition to your course."
"Troublesome people? What may?" The Priest answers back, still smiling suspiciously. He might have thought I'll be referring him, so he could pressure me more.
" Am I obligated to tell you so?" I looked down at him as I carefully strode down the stairs. " Yeah? I am a friend, too; much said, I am a confidant. And I am not A priest for nothing." Solomon said as he bowed and led me outside.
The word "Confidant" made me chuckle mentally. A Priest can lie eventually. " More like someone who cheers for my downfall and prays for it," I confessed. " I saved you. Is this Im being repaid at?" Solomon says.
" Might give it a thought."
" Your Majesty, I have something to tell you." He said as the atmosphere turned into serious conversation. I did not like the change. " What is it?" I pry on him, nervously asking and wondering if he catches on. The Emperor before him is no longer the "Emperor" he used to know. He is a Priest, after all, right? Maybe God was whispering in his ear, telling me I was not the actual Cain. But I hope it was not. Coz' Come on, I just woke up as a piece of shit.
As we quietly walked. Solomon signed for a moment.
" I almost lost my wits when I saw your lifeless body thoroughly soaked with blood... But it's unbelievable seeing you so well and alive is taking me too much to take it. " He shrugs in worry. I do remember how this body felt and what it looked like before.
Well, I have news for you. The actual owner of this body sent me here for no essential purpose. That bastard left you. Priest, I don't believe in God, but today I am thanking him for the chances and making you ignorant.
" Maybe God is with youโโโwhat if they do not hate you, Your Majesty." He confidently said.
We were again in front of my room. Solomon looks into me, eyes full of brimming hope. So then I smiled, thinking of the possible answer. I could think of, " God? Who knows pure luck or miracle. No matter what it is, It doesn't change."
I opened the door and shut it immediately. I am sure the Priest's face sulking for a moment; however, there was no room for me to sympathize. Back again with this ol' room that is too fancy for my liking, I sat on the couch and thought for a moment.
Emperor Cain, who are you exactly? You were dead from assassination, and then you picked up a random man to be your stand-in. Just what exactly are you? You bear so much hatred, and even people hate you.
Ugh. Cain's memories aren't complete; everything is like missing puzzle pieces for me to fit in. I swear, tomorrow, Cain, I will not disappoint you even though you are a jerk. I will be a better person than you could ever imagine.