"Ummm, Rheannon?"
Rheannon turned and found Axelle standing awkwardly behind her. Yana hastily saluted Axelle.
Seeing Axelle's behavior, Rheannon also asked Yana to leave the two of them. "What is it?" Rheannon asked then.
Axelle was a little surprised to hear that. "You really can't talk nonsense, can you?" he said, amused. "I was just wondering… is there really no other way to do it?"
"About the Demon Messenger?"
"Yes."
"What about that?"
"I thought ... that way is too extreme for a 10-year-old child to do," said Axelle carefully. "I also feel that Marquess Hadrian might think so."
Not "maybe" anymore, but "indeed". Rheannon knew when she read Hadrian's mind earlier. "If Hadrian did mind, he would have told me directly. Since he didn't say anything, that means he already agreed, right?"
"What about Desmond? I mean, he's your son."
"Just now, Hadrian said he would take care of it."
Rheannon had a hard time reading Axelle's thoughts, so she had no idea what the prince was really thinking. Well, Axelle looks worried. But what is there really to worry about? Sooner or later, Desmond had to do it anyway.
"Prince Axelle, I honestly don't understand your and Hadrian's worries," Rheannon admitted bluntly. "All I know is that blood is disgusting to some people. But what else can I do? That's the way it is. And we Whitley counties are used to it."
"Sorry..." Axelle said awkwardly. "It seems I overdid it. Because, after all… drinking blood is unnatural. I was worried if something went wrong."
Rheannon raised her eyebrows. "You don't believe me?"
"I didn't mean to—all right, sorry."
Rheannon let out a long breath. "Naturally. I'm still a demon controller. Is that so, you mean?"
"Rheannon–"
"No problem, I can understand," Rheannon said lightly. "I was just shocked to hear it from you. Even though you have treated me well all this time, it turns out that you are still suspicious of me."
"Not because you're a demon controller. But because of the grudge you might have." Axelle approached Rheannon. "What you're going through…is worse than me. You… lost your homeland because of your husband."
[And now you are standing on the ground of the one who destroyed you. Khekhekhe. No wonder many people are suspicious if you keep the quiet, little girl.]
Rheannon ignored the demon's annoying whispers. "You expect me to burn this residence down?"
"Of course not!" said Axelle hastily. "I'm just wondering why you're so calm. Even though I… several times had bad thoughts on King Rexton V."
[Come on, just say it. Nothing to lose. After all, what you said is the truth.]
For once, Rheannon decided to believe the devil whispering in her head.
She gave Axelle a calculating look before finally saying, "Prince Axelle, you know that controllers have to pay the price to the demons they control?"
"Uh, yeah…"
"You also know for sure if my poor health prevents me from giving my blood as payment?"
"Ah... I... just realized it..." Axelle looked surprised then. "Then what did you give them?"
"One for each of them: my feelings and the child I will one day have."
***
It felt like Axelle had kept a secret that was too big. He wasn't sure he could bear it alone.
"I gave my heart as a price, so I forgot many happy and sad memories with my parents. I also often feel like I don't care, no matter what happens. Then I also promised my child as payment, which means that any babies I carry will never see this world."
Both of them sounded equally terrible to Axelle's ears.
No. Especially that last one.
Axelle knows that the payoff for controlling demons is enormous. But he didn't expect that the payoff would be that big.
That meant Rheannon and Hadrian would never have children.
"I wish you to keep this a secret, Your Highness. You must know, if many people hope for my child someday. "
Marquees Hadrian obviously doesn't know about this, Axelle thought.
"Oh, Your Highness. Sorry, I didn't know you were here," Desmond said. His hands seemed to be carrying something.
Axelle gave him a small smile. "It's okay, this is your house. You could be anywhere here," he said. "What did you bring that?"
"Fish food," Desmond answered. "Would… Your Highness wants to feed the fish with me?"
"Of course."
So they started throwing fish food into the lake. Some fish rise to the surface of the water to eat.
"The fish are big, huh?" Axelle commented. "It seems you took good care of them."
"Isn't the lake in the fish Palace big?" asked Desmond.
"The lake in the Palace has very few fish. But almost the entire surface is covered with lotus flowers," said Axelle.
"Lots of lotus flowers, huh? Wow… I really want to see it…."
Axelle could catch a gentle bright aura around Desmond. It seemed the Gods favored this boy to the point of giving him special protection.
"The lake is indeed a habitat for many creatures," Axelle told him. "Including the demons."
Desmond turned to Axelle. He looked at her in astonishment. "There is a demon living in the lake?"
"Yes." Axelle nodded. "A powerful demon. It's said that no one can control it. Thus, in exchange, it is said that the Whitley family gave the demon a lake as his residence."
"That demon must be powerful…"
"From what I've read, he is a demon who will devour all voids. The lake he was living in now… was a lake in which there was nothing. If something falls into it, he will never come back."
"I… this is the first time I've heard of it," Desmond muttered. "Do you know about the lake?"
"Hmmm, should know. The lake I'm referring to the lake close to the Whitley family residence. Its name is Lake Oligos."