Episode(38): A talk with Elaine, Its love dear sister!
SOVEREIGN OF DEATH~(38)
Royal banquet hall, on the second floor.
The halls on the second floor were busy, either with nobles coming and going or servants quickly trying to get to their next scheduled job.
The banquet hall had a total of two stories altogether.
Although it sounded like a small building through word of mouth. The actual building itself was as tall if not taller than a five story building and it towered in the air like a looming giant.
It was built in a circular design, almost like a huge dome. From the outside it might even look like a fancy colosseum..
At the center most part, there was only a single floor where the banquet was currently being held. A glass ceiling firmly stood over head transparently guiding all eyes towards the sparkling stars in the sky.
It was a wonderful sight, especially since 'zoom' was applied and the stars seemed closer than ever.
It was like the entire galaxy was over their heads and just reaching out they could touch the stars themselves.
The spherical outer layer made of the best quality jade and stones closely wrapped around the glass dome at the center. It stood tall with two different stories like a great wall.
Walking through the circular designed outer layer of the banquet hall, several dozen rooms were at either side of each wall.
Nobles that had no mood to party and just wanted to relax could reserve a room for themselves.
They didn't have to go through the annoying greetings and conversations that had nothing to do with them. Instead, they could just waste away time until the party came to an end.
At this moment, most of the rooms were reserved.
Many nobles still flocked the banquet however those that knew how splendid the rooms of the banquet hall were had long booked a room the moment they arrived in the venue!
Could you imagine, one room was so big that even if you placed 40 people inside it still would have space for more!
What was more, there were various magic items that could keep you comfortable and at home. These items were namely a magic water dispenser, a button for room service and several more.
There was even the newest magical radio transmitting device so they could listen to news across the continent. They weren't worried about being bored in the slightest.
If one were entirely honest, this place was like the best resort in the entire kingdom and many nobles didn't want to miss the chance to enjoy this luxury.
At that time, inside one of the larger rooms. Two girls sat before each other both with different expressions plastered on their faces.
Below them, comfortable white couches that sank and rose like the clouds cushioned their alluring figures.
On one hand was the smiling Maria, while on the other, Elaine was seated with grace and unmistakable poise.
No matter who it was that saw her, the moment they did they would definitely know she was royalty.
They might even mistake her for the empress herself.
As she sat there enjoying the comfort of the couch, her eyes were partially closed and her hands crossed over each other. With a posture as straight as an arrow she seemed as comfortable as they came.
[So]
Maria frowned.
Tired of the silence, she breached the tension directly and spoke out.
Although the atmosphere was tense and slightly awkward due to this, she couldn't help it at all. Was she suppose to sit there all day carving her sister's image into her mind?
It wasn't like she didn't want to but now was not the time or place for this at all.
Right, she had to get Elaine to open up or else they might just sit there without progress for the entire night.
She sighed.
Maria felt sorry but as an older sister that cared deeply for her younger sister what else could she do?
[Then, my cute little sister...do you mind informing your worried elder sister how 'that' happened now?]
She knew that forcing things wasn't a good tactic at all.
Instead she had to slowly broach the topic so she didn't come off as controlling and obsessive in her sister's eyes.
If it seemed like she was accusing Elaine of something, then their good relationship might very well become estranged all because of one man.
They were extremely close sisters and she didn't want their close bond to shatter like this.
Amongst royalty, such a situation where siblings could be become close buddies was an unprecedentedly rare case that barely happened throughout any royal family at all.
No matter what history book you checked it was always brother against brother. Sister against sister and brother against sister and the vice versa.
In short, it was a complete dog fight when it came to royal siblings.
It was especially so in a case where both parties had the rights to the throne.
Normally they would be at each others throats with countless evil and deadly schemes behind their every action.
Although royalty seemed like a glamorous life it wasn't a bed of roses for the parties actually involved.
The tradition for royalty was to see each and every other person sharing your bloodline as a prospective competitor.
Even a useless dog would be a threat you had to guard and scheme against so it wasn't all flowers and sunshine in the world of royals.
A daily meal for a royal was plotting and scheming. In short, it wouldn't have been strange if Maria and Elaine saw each other as enemies.
However this wasn't the case at all.
Both girls grew up with different mothers, but these mothers didn't give a damn about them simply because they were girls.
They could only fend for themselves and the similar conditions naturally caused the two to gravitate towards each other overtime.
Although they had other sisters, those sisters were ruthless and cold-blooded.
They were the type not to shy away from poisoning the other just because they got one point more on an exam paper or did better at dance recitals.
If Maria and Elaine didn't have each other, they would have had to prepared their coffins long ago.
But even through this cold and dark place, they survived and not only that but they gained rights to succeed the king through their abilities.
It was amazing.
And it was because they had been through so much that Maria vowed to always protect her little sister.
With squinting eyes, she looked at Elaine sadly.
But after thinking about how her sisters future was already ruined because of her recent actions, the hint of sadness in her gaze quickly turned into coldness and she emanated a faint pressure.
She sat back.
At the same time she crossed her legs and stared deeply at Elaine and it was like she could see through the very depths of her soul.
Receiving such a gaze, Elaine smiled slightly. She didn't even let her sister's pressure get to her or stir her up in any way at all.
[How did what happen, dear sister?]
Ignorance was written all over her face. It was like she really didn't know anything at all.
However Maria wasn't an idiot and she knew that Elaine was just playing a fool.
This made her angry to the point of clenching her fist and wanting to slap the table into oblivion.
She had to take a deep breath while massaging her temples before she asked in an irritated tone.
[Are you playing dumb?!]
At first, her desire was to approach this matter gently, but at the same time she could see how difficult that was going to be.
It was like trying to find one grain of wheat in a bucket of white rice.
There was indeed hope of finding it, but how long would it take?
Even if Maria knew that pressing the issue too hard would just drive a rift between them. She rather this than just leaving the paper completely blank.
She gritted her teeth and sighed in resolve.
'If that's the case....then lets drop the pretense and ask directly'
She really didn't want to play this game of round and round any longer at all. Instead, she looked directly into her sister's eyes and asked.
[How did you and the hero get together? What is it going on between the two of you? Do you truly have a fondness towards that man?]
Maria was quiet agitate so when she spoke she really couldn't help the barrage of questions that followed.
But she realized that these were all the things she wanted to know so she didn't stop herself from asking in rapid fire.
The swirling mass of emotion hovering in her heart made her feel like her teenage daughter that just entered high-school found a lover and became pregnant so early in the game.
It was extremely hard to handle.
Even more frustrating, Elaine's attitude to the whole situation was to be deliberately oblivious and ignore all consequences.
'Do you know what a mess you're about to cause?'
In her heart, Maria suddenly felt a feeling she had never felt towards her sister before. It was resentment.
Even if she knew that it wasn't her sister's fault but that damned hero that caused it, seeing her genius sister act like such a fool made anger bubble up inside her.
Never had Maria seen Elaine act with such a lack of awareness in all her years!
Just look at how bad it already was. She was barely 15 yet she was already pregnant with someone's child!
This alone was enough to scar a princess's honor for the rest of her life. It didn't matter what type of beauty you were, what man would want used goods?
Worse was the fact that Renji didn't even seem to care about her sister at all! It was like he had already gotten tired of her and no longer cared about her in the slightest.
If the hero was willing to take responsibility then despite her deep hatred, Maria really wouldn't mind handing Elaine over.
However this was where things got difficult.
If the hero didn't want Elaine and the baby in his life then all sorts of troubles would follow just from the fact that it was the 'Hero's child'.
Holding her head helplessly in her hands, Maria couldn't help but release a powerless sigh.
She was at a complete loss and didn't know what to do or say to get through to this sister of hers.
She looked up hoping to find some change in her sister, but unfortunately her sister had the same blissful look just the same as when she had entered.
[I'm disappointed, if this really is you then you truly have let me down]
Sigh*
This wasn't the Elaine she knew and grew up with at all. The person before her was like a completely different persona altogether.
[Where was the aspiration of a princess you used to talk about with much fervor? What about the dreams that you wanted to accomplish...all of that, did you give up on that for a boy you barely met three weeks ago?]
Maria gritted her teeth again.
She had no idea how many times she had clenched her fist and gritted her teeth in frustration. But the powerless feeling gushing through her made her really too lazy to think about it at all.
'What's worse…. It was with that guy….'
She wondered why him but as per her previous guess she was almost 90% sure why this had happened.
[There is no way you fell for him normally…he must have used a scheme and I wont just let him get away with it!-]
[Sister!]
Elaine sat up.
Hearing her sister's demeaning words she could no longer just keep quiet and listen as her sister vilified her lover.
It made her extremely mad and she raised her voice unlike herself.
[How can you speak so badly about sir Renji when you haven't even given him the time of day!?]
Maria was shocked because Elaine wasn't the type to shout at other people.
However the next moment she scoffed when she heard the words that her baby sister said.
Give him the time of day?
Unless she had a full proof way not to become a fanatic demon the moment she saw him there was no way she would share the same space as that guy.
Just the thought of losing control of herself sanity involuntarily and becoming some stupid slave to love made shivers run down her spine.
Just look at Elaine?
Even if you gave her all the proof in the world she would never believe that such a love was natural. How could love change one person so much that it seemed that they were an entirely different person?
Such a thing was too unbelievable.
Even during the ball, though Maria had been far away from Renji, she could slightly feel a rising feeling of affection trying to take over her mind and body.
If not for the extreme hatred and loathing she already had for the guy, who knew what could have happened to her. She might have already thrown herself into his arms long ago.
Seeing her sister's frowning face, Elaine sighed and spoke in a sad tone.
[Sister, I'm not sure what happened but you surely misunderstood the hero!]
[Oh really?]
Sarcasm was laced in her words but Elaine was too caught up in the the blissful flower field that she didn't register this at all.
Instead, she nodded fervently.
[Sir Renji is a kind and gentle man, he is considerate and almost like a prince in fairytales! I'm sure sister would instantly fall in love if she were to just have a chat with him as well]
'Yep, I've met the guy'
Maria didn't deny her words because she knew that if she were to have a chat with Renji she would literally become a love crazy fool.
But such a fabricated love felt horrifying instead of reassuring.
Even she at first thought that he was an incredibly handsome and promising hero. However she was quickly proven wrong after everything she went through.
[I just don't understand it...]
She shook her head then placed her hand at her soft cheek. The beautiful oceanic blue eyes met her sister's pale purple eyes.
[Just what would make you do this? What does he have, aside from being a hero, he's probably even worse than the nobles that approach us with evil intentions]
At least the other nobles had the decency to hide their evil intentions.
On the other hand Renji was too much of an open book.
He didn't even spend the effort to hide his lewd expressions. He wore them proudly and boldly instead which baffled Maria.
If not for the phenomenon that made women unconditionally fall for him he might have already become a most wanted criminal by now.
Elaine smiled with an expression filled with love.
It was as if love were flowers were constantly blooming in her mind and she cared about nothing but enjoying the scene of these flowers.
She placed her clasped hands over her chest and whispered softly.
[It's love dear sister!]