We were stood on the roof of a very large building in the Palace. By the time the party was reaching a close, Alicia had sought me out, even with my efforts to avoid her, and had got me to come with her to the roof of a building. It was already near dawn by now and all we had done so far was sit and have tea as she stared me down for over an hour.
"You are an interesting one, Jason." She said, finally breaking the silence. "I even had to remember your name, see. Not a lot of people get that privilege. Certainly not a lot of males, either."
'Should I be glad just because you know my name?' This was the thought that came to my head immediately after, but I made sure not to voice it lest I lose my head. Standing to the left of Her Majesty was a maid, who was attending to all her needs, including the tea we had been drinking for a while now.
To her right was a fairly young man about the same age as Father, who I thought to be her personal guard. He held a short staff and had a sword sheathed at his waist.
'Must be one of those Warrior Mages I hear so much about.' I looked back at the princess, choosing my next words carefully. It wasn't that I was afraid of her. With Eron's help, I was sure I could wipe out at least half the occupants of this castle and successfully flee. However, I didn't wish to be a fugitive like the last time, so I would have to watch myself this time.
"You flatter me, Majesty. There is truly no need to remember my name. I am but a lowly servant of yours, ready to become an instrument for your greatness." I said, seemingly sucking up to her, but not actually meaning anything I said except wanting her to forget my name.
"Oh, and the way you are so modest when you address me. Alright then, you say you are ready to become an instrument for my elevation to greatness, no?" She asked.
"Um... " I stammered, never really expecting she would want to use my own words against me. I was becoming too careless, forgetting I was dealing with someone who jad studied this negotiation type of psychology all her life.
"Relax, I'm just teasing." She laughed, covering her mouth with her right hand.
"Oh." I joined in the laughing, so as not to anger the little lass that what she said wasn't funny. You know nobles, always so fragile. Could get you in trouble just for looking at them.
Just then, in the middle of my thoughts, Eron interrupted me.
Little human, something is wrong.
'What is it?'
I can feel your soul is... souls?! You have two souls?!
He sounded stunned. Even I was. What did he mean by having two souls. No one could have two souls in them, else they would be two different people living in one body, which is unnatural.
'What do you mean?' He didn't get a chance to answer my question before my vision was blocked by error messages from the system. I started to panick. 'What if he was right? What if it was this other soul that had offered to help me afore? That would make sense as to why they would be eager for my soul. Oh, what have I done?' I began to lament in my mind, but there was no medicine for regret. What was done, was done.
Error.
Error. Error.
Error. Error. Error. Error.
Error. Error. Error. Error. Error. Error. Error. Error.
The error messages began to multiply at an alarming rate, until I saw my vision portraying my conscious as it was propelled into a dark world, though I managed to see the system screen clearly for but a moment.
New User detected.
User: Hekate.
Age: ...
I was just unable to read enough of what I saw before I fell unconscious. I had no idea how long I spent in that dark world before I felt my conscious being once again pulled out. I was drawn to the light at the end of the tunnel and I could not resist it.
The intensity of the light was too blinding for me, perhaps due to the fact I may have spent too long in that dark place but the scenery I came to find as I opened my once closed eyes did surprise even me.
I was still on that rooftop, standing though I was at this moment. And not just standing was I, but standing right above that proud and arrogant princess, holding her by the neck.
I could feel something wet on my hand and lo, when I looked, there were tears. What could have made even this proud princess cry so in front of me?
Regaining my mental faculties, I quickly withdrew my handand rubbed it with the other, looking around confused.
"Thank you! Thank you!" The Princess cried as she fell on her knees and kowtowed continuously. The scene was a truly strange sight, though it would be a lie to say I didn't get even the slightest joy seeing it happen.
At the time I took a glance around earlier, I jad noticed that the guard who had been by her side earlier had been impaled by his own staff while his sword was already halfway through his skull as he lay on the floor. Really bloody, I must say.
The maid, however, was seen cowering at one corner, definitely scared. I was afraid to ask the Princess all that had transpired in the case of anything unexpected happening, so I walked up to this lovely maid.
As soon as she saw me begin my approach, she too began to cry. And out loud, too. Who would've thought that by merely walking I would cause someone at least seventeen years old to begin crying?
When I got to her, she was muttering silent pleas and prayers. Though, all this I paid not much attention to. I softly asked a question that made her look to me like a crazed being superior to the world who at the moment felt like playing a game with the lives of everyone in the world.
"What happened here?"
The only thing was that, she never answered me. Eron saved her the trouble.
"You happened here. Or should I say, He happened here."