Chapter 35
It was the time of the day when the sun shines the brightest.
In a fancy restaurant. On the first floor. Lugh sat at a table for two. Waiting.
A waiter comes and cleared away the empty coffee cup from his table as he sat reading a book.
"Hey there..." a voice came
Aria walked towards him, led by another waiter.
" when I Left you that letter—I didn't think you'd be the one to contact me first" She said taking the seat across him.
Lugh lifted his chin up slowly. Setting aside the book.
Aria glanced around."Don't you think this place isn't suited for what we came here for? I mean it's a restaurant—there's bound to be one or two guests"
"I wouldn't worry about that" Lugh replied.
She tilted her head slightly.
" I reserved the whole restaurant for the day"
"Woah, seriously" aria blinked. Clearly surprised. " How much Lunaris did that cost?"
"Around 800 " said lugh handing her the menu.
"You sure you want me to order?" Asked aria
"Yes" replied lugh
She starts putting her order. The waiter quietly notes it.
All the while lugh looked at her with a straight face
The waiter went away. She faced lugh. Puzzled why he was looking at her, she asked " is there something on my face?"
"No it's not that" he said Leaning forward. Resting his face on his palm. He smiled
"you didn't have to order —only the stuff that i like"
"No!! It's not like that at all!"
She became flustered and tried to deny it.
"It's all the stuff that I like !!"
"Wow, we have so much in common"
Replied lugh playfully.
"Lugh! You are making it sound like its an actual date" she asked in confusion.
"So this isn't an actual date?" Replied lugh visibly disappointed.
She hides her face beneath the table in embarrassment. Seeing which he chuckled.
Flustered aria lifts her head. And slams a folder of documents in front of lugh.
"What is it?" Asked lugh as he took a look.
"Read through it" said aria clearing her throat with a cough.
He began to read through the document.
Slowly his playful expression vanished. It was replaced by a serious and tense face.
"What do you think?" Said Aria. Serious.
"Whats all this" said lugh as He lifted his gaze to meet arias. serious.
" Those are the records for the experiments that the sanctuary has conducted and almost reached success" replied aria. Serious tone.
" even if so, what does that barbarian have to do with all this" asked lugh
"He is in cahoots with the church. Although i don't know why. " replied aria lowering her gaze.
" What I am more interested in is—knowing why the church let him conduct the experiment." Said lugh as he looked at a picture of sreya in a document.
"I believe their objectives must've aligned. That being said—Sreya kerma is crucial for the experiment that is Operation V—OpV for short" said aria.
"What?" His eyes widened.
"Church has been running dozens of experiments and simulations using sanctuary as a front. And this OpV was conducted in collaboration with him" continued aria. Serious.
"I've infiltrated many of their headquarters—but never stumbled upon this Experiment"
Asked lugh.
"It was kept highly confidential. In fact only the popes and archbishop handled these document" answered aria
Silence loomed over him as he quietly listened.
"It all connects back to the Day of Gathering" she said with a serious expression.
Realization struck lugh.
"That meeting only served two purposes for the church. They needed the final expendible test subjects, hence the great sacrifice—and they needed to get their hands on kerma blood. Specifically sreya.
Do you know why they choose only kerma blood?"
"Yes I do" said lugh looking down at the table
"Lugh! Its time for you fill in the gaps. Tell me what's actually going on here." Asked aria as she noticed lughs odd behavior.
"No... its nothi" aria cuts off lugh" dont give me the "i don't know crap! If i couldn't handle the truth then i wouldn't be here"
His mouth trembled slightly. He starts talking
"All that barbarian wants is to resurrect the Goddess of Blood Vecilia DragonHart."
Color faded from her face.
"Resurrect?... he wants to Resurrect her why? Vecilia...DragonHart?....she was a DragonHart? How? wasn't it Virute "
She asked in disbelief.
"Virute is her Maiden name—she married a DragonHart and became one"
Said lugh crossing his arms. Serious.
"No way...lugh.... please tell me"
asked aria, her eybrow curving downward in confusion.
"Just how much do you know about your own lineage. Aria DragonHart"
Said lugh Narrowing his eyes
Aria stood dumbfounded. She had believed she knew everything—she felt as if she was ignorant. She lowers her head in disbelief.
"Raeos Skaradia the hero of calamity left Behind an offspring that rebuilt the kingdom and became the king of new orchania. It was renamed as Archania" Said lugh
Aria slammed her hands on table " that doesn't make sense. First king's name was Leon DragonHart! and he wasn't heros son"
"True. His name was Leon DragonHart"
Replied lugh nonchalantly.
Aria. Confused.
"So he wasn't heros son?"
Lugh
" he was his son"
Aria
"So he wasn't a DragonHart?"
Lugh
"He was a DragonHart "
Aria
"Then he wasn't Skaradia"
Lugh
"He was a Skaradia"
Aria finally at her limit banged her head on the table" I DONT GET IT !"
Lugh sighed.
"Hero Raeos Skaradia was the son of Varnak dragonhart. He used his mothers maiden name Skaradia to protect the dragonhart bloodline —he had a older brother who raised his son, leon—who took the name of his father and became the first king under the name DragonHart. After him the current king is your brother. "
Aria listened in awe. She had known none of this."what about Vecilia. How does she fit in all this" asked aria. Poking her cheek with her finger in confusion
"Oh. Her... she was happily married to that older brother" said lugh
"Now its starting to make sense" said aria
"You asked about kerma blood and why it's special" asked lugh
"Yeah I did... but now I wonder if it's connected to what you've already told me"
Said aria.
"Vecilia was a Vampeera Royalty and from her brother came the household of kerma"
Answered lugh
"I wanted to have my questions be answered but now I have even more" said aria as she sighed.
"Im sorry if I confused you" said lugh apologeticlly
"No it's fine really.." aria noticing the tense atmosphere asked him"what is that book you were reading?"
Their meal arrived. She bagan eating.
"Oh, this? Its called a Fools Regret. I got it to kill time from the restaurant" said lugh. Diverted. Calm
Aria.
"Fools Regret?.. wait.. isn't that the story where a warrior fell in love with a princess. They become one—but the warrior had to leave for a war. Where he died. I think the Fool was the princess who regretted not making more memories. Its written from her pov"
"Do you wanna know what I think" said lugh Leaning forward resting his chin on back of his palms "I believe it's the warrior who's the fool. He regretted ever being a part of her life. Because now she wont ever fell in love like she did with him. If he was going to die alone he should have died without giving her pleasant memories. Truly tragic...."
Aria staired blankly at his face. Trying to understand what he meant.
"You know what, I believe you are the fool here" said aria standing up. Grabbed her bag "thanks for the meal" she walked away.
Her side of the dishes empty. Lughs side remained untouched. He slouched backwards. Leaning on the chair. Gazing up at the ceiling.
"I wonder if I'm the fool"
.
.
.
.
.
He watched the door she exited from. Got up. Lifted the book. Flipped a page—and read aloud.
"She wished he had never touched her heart. From now it wont ever beat the same"