Late in the afternoon, Siora woke up like a dazed person when she found herself sleeping between the roots of a peach tree. In her silence, the memory of the sad incident came back and made her heartache.
"What should I do? People must be talking about my family right now," said Siora, who felt reluctant to go home but didn't want to worry her mother.
Siora exhaled harshly, adjusted her seat again, and became pensive again. She remembered dreaming of meeting a handsome man who was even more attractive than Aiden.
"It was just a dream, and it was too luxurious for a poor woman like me," Siora chided, "Ah, I have to go home," she continued and started to get up from there. She took the time to look at the lush peach trees, which somehow made her calmer.
***
At night, in the rickety house just waiting for the day to collapse, Solana and her three daughters enjoyed a simple dinner. The four of them were silent, not discussing today's heartbreaking events. They ignored their feelings and tried to focus on the rice and salt on their plates.
"Where's Dad, Mum?" Siora asked about her father, who had not been seen at home since she had returned.
"I don't know. Just leave him alone and eat," Solana coldly replied, as if she didn't want to discuss Cliff, which Siora received with a slow nod.
It was quiet again until dinner ended. Solana and Siora's two younger sisters went to their rooms first, leaving Siora sitting alone in the living room.
"Siora…" a soft call said that woman's name. Siora was even more surprised when she saw a handsome man standing in the corner of the room.
His charming appearance made the man's good looks even more perfect, suddenly making Siora's chest flutter. Of course, it was Axe; who else could it be? He was the handsome man present in Siora's dream.
As if forgetting the purpose of his arrival to the human world, Axe was even more interested in getting to know who Siora really was. Some strange things related to Siora and the sky made Axe want to learn more about the woman, especially since a different vibe made him happy to see Siora, but he didn't know why.
"W-who are you? Where did you come from?" Siora asked stammeringly.
"I can come into this house whenever I want," he replied casually with a smile, "I'm Axe, I followed you all the way here,"
'Follow me? What am I…"
"My house is the peach tree where you were sleeping this afternoon," Axe explained casually, but that explanation made Siora almost faint.
"The tree is your home? That means you're a ghost? Please leave me alone!" pleaded a terrified Siora.
Siora tried to call her mum and two younger siblings, but no one heard her.
"Don't be afraid, Siora. I am not a ghost. I'm a demon who waits for the forest area behind your house," said Axe, trying to calm her down.
Axe smiled at Siora; his smile was so enchanting that it made Siora speechless.
"Meet me tomorrow at the peach tree. I'll wait for you there," Axe said, answered by Siora's nod.
'wosh!!!'
Under her consciousness, Siora was already hypnotized by the gaze of Axe, the White Tiger Demon Clan Chief. In an instant, the man disappeared, accompanied by a gust of wind so cold it pierced Siora's skin.
"Go to sleep, Siora, I'll be waiting for you tomorrow," Axe said without Siora hearing.
Not long after entering her room, Siora stared blankly at the roof of the house. Then, she lay down next to Maylin, who was sleeping soundly.
***
The following day, Siora permitted her mother to go to the forest to calm down. Solana could not forbid her child because she knew very well that Siora's feelings were shaken after her marriage with Aiden was cancelled.
However, Siora's departure did not come to Axe's peach tree; she just stayed at the edge of the forest entrance. As long as there were no people, it would be fine for Siora.
Axe knew that the woman he invited to come didn't even fulfil his invitation. The White Tiger Demon King silently watched Siora, who was sitting, hugging her knees and crying. Siora's tears and sadness moved Axe.
In fact, humans and demons are the same. Both have feelings and reason; the only difference is form. Humans are intact and perfect. Meanwhile, demons are created smoothly and transparently, and their shape is mainly changed to resemble animals according to their birth destiny.
Seeing Siora, emotions arose that had been buried deep in Axe's heart. He was intrigued by the human woman and wanted to get closer to her, but unfortunately, Siora always avoided and seemed to reject the Tiger Demon's invitation.
Out of fear and not wanting to be considered crazy, Siora half-deadly rejected Axe's presence, who was always teasing her like a demon who always lured humans into misguidance.
"Why isn't this one human affected by me? From subtle persuasion to scaring her with a tiger form, she still refused my invitation. My dignity as King is being trampled by a whiny woman like her,' Axe complained, then let out a harsh sigh as he watched Siora walk behind him, leaving him.
A tap on Axe's shoulder startled him instantly. The white tiger demon clan chief immediately looked back, "You? What are you doing here?"
"I'm sorry to have startled you, King Axe," Zaf replied as he bowed in salute, "I've only come here to carry out an assignment from the Supreme King," he continued.
'Wosh!!!'
The dense forest atmosphere was now replaced with a palace environment dominated by the colour silver. The trees that had been green were now silver-white, as per the characteristics of the white tiger demon clan.
"What else does that old fart want with me? About wedding?" Axe said lazily.
"That's right, King Axe, it's about marriage. Supreme King Olmomos is to remind you about the one-year waiting period that has already lasted one month. During this month, the news of King Axe getting married made the main palace get many proposals from the princess of the demon clan kings,"
Zaf explained the topic to Axe in polite and calm language, but the subject of discussion made Axe sick. He didn't hate the Olmomos envoy because Zaf had always been kind to him. It was only because it was about Olmomos. Axe did not like the current Supreme King, whether it was about personal or clan affairs.
"Today, another proposal came from the North Pole Tiger Demon Clan Kingdom. Princess Zeraz delivered the letter to your palace, King Axe, but unfortunately, you weren't there. Instead, you're here…"
"Stalking a woman human," Axe answered briefly, making Zaf nod in understanding. Axe's answer made Zaf confirm his guess.
"Zaf, can you give up your position as the Supreme King's advisor and become my uncle?" Axe asked seriously.
The calm Zaf nodded again. The tiger demon clan's royal fur coat Zaf wore instantly changed into a regular tiger fur coat, indicating that the 5,000-year-old demon had agreed to Axe's request.
At the same time, a semicircular transparent glass shield covered the area where they both stood.
Axe smiled, "Thank you, Uncle," he said.
In fact, besides being the principal advisor of the Tiger Demon Clan Kingdom for a long time, Zaf was Axe's mother's younger brother. Unlike the requirements to become Supreme King or Supreme Queen, becoming an advisor to a demon kingdom can be done from the time the demon enters adulthood, about 1000 years. That means Zaf had been a royal advisor long before Axe was born.
"Now tell me what you are thinking, King Axe. I'm sorry that I seem to have neglected you all this time," Zaf said sadly.
"It doesn't matter; you're like that because your job is hard. I understand that so don't be shy," Axe replied as he patted his uncle's shoulder, "But right now, I need your advice outside of your responsibilities as a royal advisor to the Tiger Demon clan, Uncle,"
"Hmm, let's hear it,' Zaf replied."
"What one sentence did you think of when I asked what if I fell in love with a human child?"
"What the hell, you crazy king!?"
In fact, Axe's strange question got a spontaneous answer that he had already thought of. Yes, Axe may indeed be crazy.