It was a priest, or at least one who was wearing a priest outfit, who walked in the throne room. It looked quite flashy, too white, too much golden tint, too…Bright? The man was slim and tall, the clothes didn't hide his figure at all. His hair was also white and long, held back in a ponytail. He was blinding to look at, but somehow his handsomeness was winning against the actual total brightness of his attire. He had to squint.
Lucian could tell that this man was one of the main interests of the game. Look at him, the definition of appeal and handsomeness to not be a Love interest!
But he wasn't sure, not 100%. Unfortunately, his fried brain couldn't remember anything about that man, his sister's words and eyes were only on the most dislikable and horrible person in the whole game, Ghost.
"And the rest?" The King looked impatient at the Priest.
The Priest only smiled, the brightness somehow doubled, "They don't want to be in the same room as Sir Ghost."
Ouch.
"Ah, that's right, some of them have bad experiences with Ghost. Then, you will do. Please come closer."
Youch.
The Priest walked closer, standing beside him. All calm and quiet, which was weird. Didn't he just tell the King that he had traumatized the people outside the room? He's literally traumatizing and now the Priest is standing beside the traumator like its a normal thing.
Lucian wondered if he should make the first move and scoot away, although this wasn't some sort of school assembly for the Priest to stand beside him like this or him scooting away like a kindergartener.
There was something off about this Priest. Not just because he stood beside him. But Lucian remember the media's treatment of priests, making him squint. The tv Priest either die first or kill everyone in the end.
But… If he was truly weird enough, then his sister should had said something. She likes them weird.
"Then, let us continue what we left off." The King waved, finally relaxing back on his throne. "Ghost, do not kill Priest Arien."
Lucian blinked, realizing he was literally dead staring straight at the priest, urm, well at Arien. Ever since he entered, Lucian had been following him with his gaze. Although Arien didn't seem that bothered, or at least didn't show it. Especially when he hadn't even glanced or even spared any attention towards him. Arien stood like he was standing in front of his death sentence. Even his perfect side profile looked a bit grim.
Oh…
Awkward.
Lucian turned his head back at the King. His gaze almost stuttering. How embarrassing. He might have made the only person here who seems to tolerate him, afraid of him now.
He continued to grip his hands behind him, silently fiddling with his sleeve. It felt like rubbing a branch.
"I have received a letter that tells us that Ghost will join and help us win the war." The King said, a sudden sharp smile formed in his wrinkled face. Lucian could just imagine the future scene. The typical talk of using the evil man but behind the scenes, making the evil man's life a living hell, and in revenge the evil man to go berserk and destroy the kingdom or something.
Sigh. This was exhausting.
"Letter?" Arien said, his gentle smile seemed to turn into a soft, barely noticeable frown in confusion. Somehow not shaking off the sparkles, damn. He looked like he wanted to say more, but held back with fluttering lowered eyes.
Lucian could take a guess. Maybe because Arien wasn't allowed to speak about any unholy thing like Ghost ir perhaps he wanted to say more horrible facts about him that would go agaisnt his beliefs or something.
…That didn't make him feel any better. He shouldn't had guessed.
"Oh yes! Boy, come here, give the Priest the letter!" The boy came back with even more sweat as he neared the blinding priest beside him. Maybe it was the combination of the Priest's total brightness and his total horried, but the boy was shaking when he came near us.
The boy gave the letter to Arien, who gave him a smile. The smile seemed to calm him down a bit until Lucian moved his head to peek at the letter, did the boy squeak and run away.
…Okay?
Lucian turned his face back in front, already ready to zone out on a particular floor spot until he felt the priest suddenly move closer to him. The letter was moved in front of him, as he glanced at him he could see that the priest made no attempts to look at him, his eyes locked on the letter.
Blinking, he decided to just read the letter as well, stop staring like a total weirdo again, and overthink and analyze this interaction later.
It was the exact words the boy said earlier, just missing the dozen or a million doodles of hearts, flowers, kiss marks and cute animals around the paper, contrasted with the formal and neat handwriting.
Lucian could only stare.
…Who was this person? To be able to draw and send such cute images to the King. And who manages to make Ghost willingly go back to this kingdom..
Is he missing something?
Of course he is! What is he thinking, urgh. This makes no sense.
"Lovely Love Heart…" He heard Arien whisper, it was such a contrast to hear the holy man say such words. Lucian would have laughed if his body wasn't completely dead and cold.
"Do you know…" Lucian whispered back, but he quickly cut himself short when he saw Arien's hand flinch slightly against the letter.
Ah…
He should just continue staying quiet.
"King Lotte.. If you may, who might this Lovely Love Heart be?" Arien spoke with such clarity that it made the words sound more like he was citing a poem, and not the words that make Lucian die a little every time he hears it.
The king didn't seem to mind, actually, the opposite happened. It seemed to make him even more happy actually. Oh no. "Ah, my little sweetheart, my loving other half! My cookie dough with-"
Urgh.
Lucian began to subconsciously block out the King's words, zoning out, it almost reminding him of his sister's babble about Ghost. Although this was more horrible because he didn't know this man. Nor did he want to know this much about him.
He couldn't help but glance slightly at Arien. The Priest looked at the King with a calm smile, eyes gentle and definitely, obviously that he was hearing none of the words.
So neither of them wanted to be here. Tough luck.
But.
Well, if he was Ghost, then perhaps he could do something about it. Glancing at Arien's hand, he remembers the earlier flinch.
"Get to the point." Lucian said, his voice was still as harsh as ever, as if actual death was slipping out of his voice. It probably was actually-for realie. The room turned quiet too fast, Lucian almost closed his eyes in shame.
Although that seemed to snap the King out of his delusions, as his face became scrunched up at Lucian's words, a mix of disturbed and disgust. "Ah, my apologies, Priest, it seems like I was ranting. Well, anyways, you, especially someone here, don't need to know who that person is just yet."
… Uh, okay.
All that for nothing? He should have known this would happen.
"But, the reason why I called you down here was for you to have a chance to find use of Ghost in this kingdom." The King said, again ignoring Lucian existance, talking about him like a tool. "I do not trust him, nor will I ever trust him. But if he is fine with the jobs you give him, then I will send him into battle."
Lucian wondered if he could peek at the Priest again, especially after the third or forth time he did so, was it acceptable still? But dammit, he already looked at the man too much for his first meeting.
Wait, a job? To find him a job?
Did his sister ever say anything about Ghost being a law-abiding citizen going into little jobs before? When did Ghost become a person being tossed around doing petty jobs?? Wasn't he the destroyer of the whole planet?
Well, at least it looked like he hadn't gotten any sort of nickname like that yet. Maybe just caused some minor damage in this moment.
Well…
Minor damage as in being kicked out the kingdom, being banned, and traumatizing some people, but it seems like this might be the best situation he could ever imagine having as Ghost.
He hopes.
Lucian's gaze fell to the floor.