Knock~ Knock~
A gentle knock echoed to the previous silent bed chamber.
My eyelids quivered and slowly opened like a curtain. The soulless eyes revealed itself slowly, but not before it was blinded by the sunlight.
A groan escaped my mouth.
Despite the sunlight not hitting me, just its existence alone is so vexing.
Sure, there were no mosquitoes bothering me to the point of waking up, but the existence of the sunlight alone was much more than a bother.
Hence, turning my body to face my back against the sunlight, I shouted in a gentle tone, "Sophie, please close the window."
"Yes, Your Highness."
By the time she finished her sentence, it already echoed as she opened the door in a hasty yet careful manner and paced towards the window.
The window was massive, as the light it produced from the outside, originating from the sunlight, was sufficient to cover the whole bed chamber.
Unsurprisingly, the limit of the sunlight or moonlight could never reach the bed.
As soon as Sophie arrived, it did not even take a sweat for her to move two massive objects with her bare feminine body and eventually close the window.
The light dimmed, and Sophie needed to take some time to adjust her vision.
Just like yesterday night, the bedchamber became dark again… just not so dark compared to before.
The door she came from was wide open, so the light still managed to slither and expose its presence inside.
Still, that is already acceptable to me.
I'm only adjusting from the sunlight today… that is, after all, the downside of having Heliophobia.
I was about to be lost in my own thoughts when Sophie's steps echoed, gaining my attention.
I have yet to thank her again.
However, before that, she beats me into starting the conversation.
"Are you ready now, Your Highness?"
Ah, right. It was this day.
Today was supposed to be an exciting day for her and me as well.
After all, we will be going to the Church to receive our blessing.
And finally, those less than five days of preparations just for this day have arrived…
Not even being aware of my lips curving into a smirk, I replied,
"Just like you."
Sophie was taken aback and heaved a sigh of relief.
The conversation she had with her Young Highness materialized in her mind.
She asked her Young Highness if she was looking forward to today's event, yet he instantly replied, "No" in an indifferent tone.
Now, he responded differently.
However, Sophie did not bother much about it.
After all, seeing her Young Highness suddenly have a change of heart, seemingly in a positive tone, has also affected her.
She couldn't be more elated than this.
Hence, with the brightest smile – a pity that I didn't manage to see – she opened her mouth and replied in a joyful tone, "Is that so? Then, I will better leave now and prepare as well. If you have something to order along the way, please do so, Your Highness!"
I wasn't surprised by her enthusiastic behavior.
She has always been like this.
I couldn't be more jealous of it.
Why?
I mean, I don't even understand myself.
Due to these character traits, I changed constantly.
If it wasn't because I repeatedly reminded myself of the supposed behavior of this last villain – being kind to closer to him and acting enigmatic and aloof to the stranger – I would just act whatever I wanted.
After all, I can change my emotions, behavior, and actions.
That is how powerful the deceptive trait is!
"Then, before you leave, I want to ask if my father has already returned."
Sophie's hazel eyes sparkled and nodded repeatedly in excitement.
"Yes, yes. He just arrived before the sun rose. We welcomed him, and since it was abrupt, I didn't even manage to wake you up on time, Your Highness. I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
Sophie heaved a sigh of relief and continued,
"Then, he asked me about yours, and I reported everything. He said not to disturb you and only wake you up at the usual time. He also told me that he would wait at the dining table so he could have breakfast with you."
I slowly sat up, bending my knee upward while letting the other straight to take a rest and place my arm atop the bending knee, and nodded.
"Thank you, Sophie. You may go now," I said while facing her and giving her the brightest smile I could form.
That was the smile I learned from her.
The smile I always saw from her, and thus copied it.
Yet, as always, she would be taken aback and smiled as well, feeling emotionally touched inside.
She seemed to have concluded that that was the purest and brightest smile she ever received…
Without knowing that I was deceiving her as I was also deceiving myself.
It's so funny, isn't it?
I could only shake my head internally as I watched her leave but didn't bother to close the door.
She knew I didn't like light, but it didn't mean I disliked it in the place of darkness.
After all, there is a difference between shadow and darkness.
Shadow clings to the light to live… while darkness… darkness is an absence of light.
So, without light, so is the shadow.
Even though I don't have a phobia of darkness, it isn't necessary to include it.
It is already given that I'm more scared of darkness than the sunlight.
However, darkness is pretty rare…
Unless I force myself to be in that place.
After all, even at night, there is moonlight.
And since the world setting was based on the Victorian Age, there is already light created through the early stages of technology.
Hence, darkness is no more…
Not on the dark forces though…
'I'm lost in another dimension again.'
I tittered and sighed after noticing that I really loved to waste my time overthinking.
Well, that is already a trait of mine… As an Eddie Hamilton, not Luke EmberHeart.
So, without further ado, I headed towards the shower to prepare a meeting with my father… or this body's father.
'This is nerve-wracking.'
I couldn't help but think anxiously.
After all, this is the first time I will be meeting him…