A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.1
****
"Happy birthday to the beholder of my heart and soul who will always remember you."
Watts Xirquit placed the bouquet of Pastel Glass Lotus by the foot of her monument. The highest monument in the world, surpassing the Matriarch's, standing in the land he bought in Sacremore Empire, now known as the Republic of Aspera.
Aspera is the first god from Sacremore Empire. It was his father's idea to use his name. After all, God Aspera is just during his reign, notably known for his wisdom and purity. He took no wife and fathered no child.
A year has passed and so much has happened. He did it. He trashed the monarchy system of Sacremore Empire and Devereux Empire and made both the first democratic nations. Of course, it was tough work. He got a lot on his plate and his family were there to support and help him. His father guided Aspera's first elected President and his mother did the same to Yatren's (formerly Devereux Empire) first elected President.
He gave their Princes a chance to show themselves and claim their rights before it's too late, but they never show up. He honestly told their people the theory of them, alive, and it shook the world upside down. After all, they believed that their royals were purged completely. They witnessed the purged and they couldn't forget it. They passed the stories of how the aliens beheaded their cruel masters like it was the will of their Deities. They can, up to this day, still vividly remember how the alien King strike his sword down to each of them like the a judge's gavel and how their bodies exploded into twinkling dusts to return to the heavens.
Time didn't helped him at all. Instead, his longing for her grew. He yearn for her so much more than one can imagine. Each day, he's waiting for something magical to happen. He let him influence his mind and beliefs when they said that she might still be alive. Every day, every night, he's waiting for her to come back. Every day, every night, he's falling for her more. Madly. Deeply.
For a year, nobody heard a word about the Warlocks. They closed their empire the moment they left with King Liorei. They moved him to Vernignac Empire. Princess Lorreign purchased a small town. She built an estate for her family. A new environment is what her father needed. She stayed by his side, never left, looking after him every day, every night---with Solana.
Skadi Eira strongly refused to take responsibility if she will do it alone. The good thing is she pay her daughter a visit just to make her cry and piss her off.
That said, the rest of the world never saw even the shadow of a Warlock again for a whole year. Dragunovvs, yes. But their descendants only because they've been the people of society since their arrival to their new world. Helping the world embrace progression, implementing the changes ordered by the Supreme God, conduction worldwide researches, and more.
But before they secluded themselves, Prince Izaac penned a letter calling for cease fire to Watts, saying that he, too, wants to find the truth as well.
Watts Xirquit exercised his power and influence so well that the Academia kept its doors closed for a year, too. He call for the curriculums to be revised for he just opened the gates for the Technological Era. For the whole year, the Headmaster, faculties, executives, and directors worked their bodies to death to carry out Watts Xirquit's goals and aims.
He was so busy that he didn't had the chance to pay Axeore Empire a visit. But there's still a chance, to. Someday. Sooner.
On the other hand, Azarese finally gave up. She can't do it. Her son...was never brought back to life.
She accepted it as it is. There's no point in sulking or getting depressed. Her life's has always been depressing and helplessly pathetic. She tried a hundred times and it never worked. And now, she regret wasting her time.
"I should've worked on unleashing my power," she murmured to herself, voice cracking between every word.
She closed her eyes and her tears fell. She turn to her side, clutching her aching chest.
"Good morning, Lord Watts!"
"Good day, Lord Watts!"
"Mom, it's Lord Watts!"
Watts gave the child who pointed him a small smile. He's casually striding around the town, seeing the progressions they have made himself. Though he promised Yatren and Aspera modernization, it doesn't mean that he will give everything all at once. The plans he laid out for the beginning of the new age is ideal and people praised him for that. People of Yatren and Aspera took their time, giving him their trust was the hardest part. For them, he's one of the 'aliens' who put their lives through hell. The truth is, they're the ones who did and their 'masters' who sold them. The Earthlings were partially to blame, but some are slowly beginning to admit their wrongs---that what the Earthlings did for them was mercy, a chance for them to redeem themselves, but they wished they did the same thing to their 'masters' in other ways.
In every faces he passes by, he's searching for her. What if she was reincarnated? Even if she's in a new vessel, just one look and he will know. He will look in their eyes, give them a simple smile, and then realize that none of them hides 'her' inside them.
He would know. Just one look and he will know.
But she's never there.
Among the crowd. She was never there.
Because she's locked up in her room, grieving for her failure as a creator and as a mother who couldn't bring her son back to life.
A car stopped in front of him. The convertible roof opened and his friends stand up to meet and greet him.
"Get in, my boy! It's the day!"
On the back seat were their ladies: the Princess of Voxwein, Princess Eowyne, and the independent lady, Miss President, who only came because she wanted to experience riding a luxury car. Dressed in all red like she's allergic to other colors, the pioneer of modern fashion ever since she pursue a fashion designer and stylist career. But it seems like people are not yet ready for that, or maybe they don't really have a 'taste'.
"To where?" Pretty sure he cleared his schedule to be alone. After all, it's her birthday. He's the only one who remembered. But her death anniversary? No. It's been written on history books. Since then, it never left the pages of the newspaper.
Moon became the symbol of how women must be treated, and Watts became the symbol of how to be a gentleman and a man.
His family urged him to publish his self-written book for Moon. Yet he couldn't do it himself, so he left it to his father's care. Voltage Xirquit printed 10 copies of his book. He added news illustrations, kept the original ones.
The pages were bound in the finest leather one could ever imagine, adorned with detailed and intricate patterns of silver and gold filigree that seemed to glimmer the life she had, almost had, and never had. Each stroke of the calligraphic script upon its pages was imbued with a luminescent glow, perfect for reading during the night, as if the words themselves held a whispered promise of enchantment. Its pages, made of a velvety parchment, exuded a faint scent of femininity; not too sweet, but lasting. A scent that seems to be Moon's favorite perfume, one they've never smelled before, one they will only recognize every time they will open the book.
Inked upon its pristine surface are words that dance like poetry, weaving a tapestry of yearning and ardor. Every stroke of the quill speaks of the Lord's undying and everlasting affection for his first and only love, each phrase a testament to the depths of his heart. The pages come alive with vivid illustrations, depicting scenes of romance and devotion that transcend time and space.
The price of the tome was no joke, but it's all worth it, for it was promised that inside the book lies the truest appearance of Moon, the Princess whose identity was stolen by a full impostor---an appearance that challenged that of the Deity of Beauty's, even incomparable.
When it was released, it turned the world upside down. Everyone wanted a copy but it cost more than a spirit's value. Voltage Xirquit secured a copy for his family othen than what his son already possesses. The book became a part of the, to be passed down from generation to generation, a treasure, an heirloom.
Empress Clastigaufeas, out of curiosity, wanted a copy too, so he sent his sons to fight against millions of people to secure hers. They came back with the book that came with its own treasure box, with a Glass Lotus inside, a letter penned by Watts Xirquit, Moon's doll, and of course, the book itself.
Even though he earned quite a fortune, it didn't pleased him but the time when people got to know what it's like to be in love, to fall in love, and what it's like to become Moon. They wanted a copy that some committed the worst crimes. They wanted to know what's inside. They wanted to feel what he felt. They wanted to know what kind of a woman Moon is for the great Watts Xirquit to bend his knees and kiss her feet.
Oh, to be the subject of his love. They could only imagine.
"Amusement Park, duh? Zodiac's amusement park is opening soon. We'll be the first to play inside!"
Ah, he remembered. He built an amusement park in the memory of his son, Zodiac Astrophel Nikolai. Though he's not the first who did it, he didn't do it to become the first at all. He only wanted his son to be known, that he's acknowledging his son who almost lived, that he didn't forget him, that Zodiac is remembered.
The Astrophel Park is only for children, while the very first one was for all ages, built by the first gentleman, the one and only Emperor Maxism.
Speaking of the Emperor, he's doing well. Still in a comatose state, but he's better thanks to the technology that's sustaining his life. It's been a year as well for him, and his people missed him. They never stopped seeking for a cure. They tried many and so many methods, but none of them worked. They even resorted to asking His Equal, only to be taunted and rejected because she didn't liked their offerings to her.
Actually, she did. She even accepted them, but she was not quite as pleased. She called it a 'meh effort'.
And the Empress? No, the Empress Dowager? She's been laying low, getting the most extra care for her pregnancy always put them to an edge. The child she's carrying still is taking its time to grow, probably because it's conceived through Blending. Her conception became the hottest research topic in the world, but only Watts Xirquit is allowed to see her up close. He's not yet done even though he's been observing her for a year. After all, everything they ever knew about Blending changed when she conceived the Emperor's child, a human by flesh.
Their firstborn son succeeded the throne just recently. The toughest decision he ever made was his breakup with Duchess Selene, because his mother strongly disapproved their relationship since. Unless things will get better, they can't continue their romance or marry each other. Still, they see each other, acting like friends. But behind their backs, a forbidden love unfolds, walking on eggshells every time to not get caught.
Emperor Claxiord couldn't wait for the time his father wakes up and tell him everything his mother has done. He will surely scold their mother for forbidding his love. His brother, on the other hand, is having it easy nowadays. The Empress Dowager frequently asks for Princess Eowyne's visit. There were rumors that she liked her already before the 'incident', but disliked her when the 'incident' happened, and liked her again out of the blue. They said that the Princess is one of the Empress Dowager's gestational cravings other than mangoes and cats. No, she don't eat cats. She liked holding and petting cats.
Speaking of cats, they acquired three after a thorough and long process from the Axeore Empire. Three, for the Empress Dowager is conceiving her third child. One for the first, another is for the middle child, then the current one.
Going back, Watts Xirquit got into the car, sitting beside Miss President who scoot to the middle to give him a space. Only five people got to acquire a car.
First was Prince Maxigaufeas who did the craziest protest, that if he failed to get one, he promised he will become a 'bad person'. Second was his family. Then his eldest brother, Ohms. Fourth, his godmother Chancellor Titania, and lastly, King Liorei.
The competition is no joke. The richest among the people tried to get themselves one, but against such pillars? They admitted defeat.
"Pretty sure I made it clear that it's for children," Watts sighed.
"Are we not!?" Lord Thirdy laughed and raised his hands, enjoying the moment.
"You're the only one," Miss President hissed and adjusted her red sunglasses.
Princess Eowyne held on tight on her seatbelt. She's still not used to the car's speed, but who is she to scold the Prince? He's enjoying and she is too as long as she's with him.
When they arrived, they posed before Zodiac's statue first for a picture. The mascots led them inside. The mascots aren't robots but people. It was one of the things Watts Xirquit promised: that robots someday will be of use, but will never replace a man's power to do labor.
When he got home, his mother is waiting for him. She cooked his favorite dishes. After his warm meal, he thanked his mother and went straight to his room. After his routines, he laid down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking of what could have been once again if he's done something to save her.
When the clock chimed, it became a trigger for his tears to fall. One more night and it's her first death anniversary. If only he could forget it all. If only he could rewrite everything that has happened. If only he could stop his heart from hurting... If only he was a better man back then.
"Please... Please, return her to me. Please... I miss her so much," he prayed, almost every night. He closed his eyes, hoping, wishing, praying that when he opened them again, it's her face he will see next.
The Matriarch who's watching over him from her constellation could only sigh.
"What great love. I like this child."
She tap her foot and an angel popped out of nowhere.
"Send the child a prophecy."
Her direct descendant, sitting with her and having tea, gave her a look to not do what she just said.
"This is not the will of the Deities. This is the will of mine, child. Sit back and watch. I like this child a lot,"
Then a vicious smirk was formed in her lips, and she can't help but shake her head, knowing that neither the Matriarch nor His Equal is in the right state of mind.
She can't see what's about to happen anymore, now that the Matriarch has decided to meddle.
All because she liked Watts Xirquit.
Zodiac, on the other hand, is pleased, and drink his fill. He's in his grown for, a man of blissful beauty.
"Kindly include that I'm grateful for his efforts. I liked my amusement park very much. He loves me so much, didn't he?"
The Matriarch opened her arms, and he immediately transferred from his seat to her arms.
"Of course, my child. As you wish. What do you like? Is the tea to your liking? Do you want to play? Who's a good boy?"
The woman they're with shook her head once again.
Then she looked at the crystal ball in front of them. She feels so sorry for Watts.
I guess it will never hurt to send him one?