-~*~-
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Irene is walking around the marketplace, looking through the grocery list. If all goes well, the problem should be fixed by tonight. By that right, Yanyi and Eker must be coming back home for dinner.
True she might not be able to cook, but she can make the best beverages for them. As celebration. And of course run the errands for a while. She didn't have much to do anyway.
Her internship term is coming to an end and she won't be leaving anytime soon. Not unless Yanyi is also leaving. So she figures that she'll just do all the household chores for the time being.
She was passing the streets to her home when she almost walked past the police station. She saw the many officers and militants gathering and dealing with the aftermath. Cars and trucks are all over the streets. But something is wrong.
She didn't see Kazuto's car anywhere.
Heck, she didn't see Yanyi or Kazuto anywhere in the crowd of authorities.
Curiosity overtook her, she stepped into the premises and was face to face with Max, the right hand man of both Yanyi and Luyao. He was concerned with the clipboard in his hand that he had almost collided with Irene if it weren't for her warning.
"Careful." The sudden voice brought Max to a panic halt and saw that it was just Irene. A sigh of relief passed through him and he greeted the young lady. Irene gave him a warm smile to show her gratitude.
Her eyes then start to wander around the premises. Everyone is running around but there's no sign of Yanyi. "Where are Yanyi and Kazuto? Didn't they also come with you guys?" Max scratched the back of his neck, and eventually explained the whole thing to Irene.
Apparently Yanyi and Kazuto had left the Red Leaves Town really early and had left everything to Max and the rest of the lieutenant to handle it. They had followed the procedure in securing the surroundings and had done testing and brought back some tests for Daniel and Andrew to research.
Irene — "Left early? I didn't see them anywhere near our home. Where did they go exactly?"
Max — "They said that something urgent is happening at the Marquess manor and had to rush over quickly."
Irene — "What matters?"
Max — "Not sure. But it happens right after they encounter two graves with the name 'Zheng' on them. I didn't do further research as it might go against privacy policy."
"Zheng? Are you sure?" Max nodded. Irene realised that whatever is unfolding, it can't be a good one. She then thanks Max quickly before rushing out of the gate and straight to her home.
She will either find Yanyi back at home with severe depression or a certain midnight hair male. One that can't return home due to the current circumstances.
Her bet holds true in the end.
She found the latter to be correct.
There in front of their apartment gate, Luyao sat with his knees up to his shoulder. He seems to be more interested in looking at the floor than the surroundings. He looks…
Lost…
Irene didn't know exactly how to approach him. So she turned to the place where all secrets are kept. Their apartment.
Irene entered the apartment and in the span of 5 minutes she had come out and sat beside Luyao. The man didn't flinch, didn't respond. He didn't even bother to give Irene a glance. Irene also didn't speak much.
She then proceeds to slide a book and a device on the floor beside Luyao. Hoping that he would be able to see what she is handing him. And it works. Luyao notices the old tattered diary.
Without a word, he took the book and flipped it through. Inside is a bunch of weird lines and notes. All align in a very messy way yet with him, it is easy to read. It was messy and had irrelevant information in the beginning but slowly it started to be more… professional.
"That's her training journal. Before she came here." Irene said as she saw how Luyao is immersing himself in reading the old journal. It was as if he was reading a mystery novel. Like he is seeing the progress of her work.
That is when reality clicks to him in an instant. He didn't realize it until just now that he had been too immersed in Yanyi's chaotic writing. "Why did you give me this?"
"Look at the last case of the book. You'll understand why things need to happen this way. Or in a more honest way, why did they wait this long."
Luyao flipped to the back of the book and read the final case entry. It was about the 6th founding father. He had heard of that mystery but never thought that it was important and only regarded it as a myth.
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He realized it now. The only one who truly knew about the whole thing is the Emperor Dylan. And it wasn't out of spite for his family. It was to protect him.
The whole empire knew the consequences of betrayal to the crown, especially for the founding fathers. They would either be eradicated from the history of Volenix as a whole or be demoted into a normal house. Based on the emperor's judgement.
If it was revealed that the myth of the 6th founders were true, then every political figure would try and fetch him and become his puppeteer. Eventually manipulating him.
If he succeeds in their deeds then, corruption would run wild. If he failed, well the blame would be dragged around his family's name once again. And this time, he would be eradicated for good.
The emperor had just recently told Yanyi and she had just recently told the rest of the family.
'That butler also must not have been on their radar until just today.'
"There's also that device. If you want to know what truly happened 20 years ago." Irene pointed out. Luyao took the device and played it.
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Right before him is a projection of the LCTV inside of the throne room. There stood two figures clearly in distress. They are the Emperor Dylan who was pacing back and forth and the Empress Marriane, holding onto a child who seems to be sleeping in her embrace.
On the lower ground, two figures kneeled down in front of the Imperial couple. One was a woman with straight, long, midnight hair. The other is a man with crimson blood eyes.
He was wondering who they were when the next voice startled him. "Are you insane, Earl Zheng!?" The Emperor yelled in anger. To which the Empress covered the young child's ears.
??? — "Our spies have been collecting intel in Anderil for months, Your Majesties. A war will ensue in the next few months. This is no false news."
Emperor — "That I understand, and I am grateful for your quick action. But what do you mean by this proposal?! Going into the enemies territory and infiltrating the encampment to get close up intel nearing a war!? This is suicidal, Zheng Yingjian!!"
Empress — "Lydin Zheng, please tell me that this is not your true intention? It would be a death call to even go there right now."
Lydin — "Forgive this subject refusal of order, Your Majesties. Not only are the people of Kinsel would be in danger, but the innocent in the coastal village or Rhiovuile will also be inflicted."
Yingjian — "The coastal village is where Lydin is from your Majesties. Although she is now the Lady of house Zheng, her duty as the fighter of Rhiovuile still stands. We just wish to help in any way to protect the empire and the innocents."
What follows is another 3 minutes of silence with continuous pacing from the Emperor. He seemed so restless that he didn't want to approve of such a mission. However, the consequences of not knowing their enemy's plan would be further detrimental to the empire.
Eventually the emperor stops his pacing and wipes his sweat away from his face. "It seems like I have no choice." The Empress doesn't seem to agree with what the Emperor had internally decided. "Your Majesty!"
"Thousands of innocent people will seize to live if we don't take the risk, my Empress."
"..."
"Even I wish to never have this occur."
"..."
The Empress Marriane knew what would come next as sat back down onto her throne. Bracing herself with whatever the love of her life had chosen.
The Emperor then faced the two kneeling figures and spoke with a voice of command laced with a tinge of unwillingness. "Rise, Earl Zheng Yingjian, Lady Lydin Zheng." The two kneeling figures did as was commanded and stared right before the throne.
They are awaiting their order.
Their commands.
"We, as the ruler of the Volenix Empire, shall hereby approve of your request. You shall go to the coastal village of Rhiovuile and infiltrate their military encampment. Searching for strategies and tactics for which they wish to use."
"..."
"You shall then rely all of those messages discreetly to the Kinsel military encampment. I shall grant you the order to keep Lady Zheng's village safe."
"..."
"However! If such a circumstance occurs of which neither of you can further handle, then at my command, leave the area at ONCE! Seek safety in the encampment. I forbid you to further endanger yourself."
"..."
"Let this be the command to grant back your honour. Earl Zheng, Lady Zheng."
"Yes, Your Majesties!"
They both said in unison. Their heart lace with loyalty and honour. Seeking to save and fix the broken name. The Imperial couple. They knew full well that there's a high chance of never seeing them again.
Before they walked out of the gate, Empress Marriane cannot withhold a question that she had wished to be told. "If I may ask, what is the name you pick for your son, Lydin?" Lady Zheng realized that such moments no longer needed formality.
With her midnight eyes narrowing in a smile. Her voice lace with nothing but pride. The gentleness of a mother. "Luyao, Marriane. We named him Zheng Luyao! Our sole warrior!"
A single tear trickled down Marriane's cheek. Her smile was laced with pride and a silent despair. "Zheng Luyao. The sole warrior. With your midnight locks and Yingjian's crimson eyes…"
"The perfect name."
"Congrats, Ying, Lydin."
"Thank you, Dylan, Marianne."
"Hope to us reuniting!"
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The video ends there.
Luyao had simultaneously flipped to the end of the book. There laid a single photo of the last family portrait of the house Zheng.
His mother, Lydin Zheng sitting on the chair, holding onto him who is barely a year old.
His father, with ice cold glare yet warmth laced within, standing by her mother, ready to protect the family.
Never and I said never. Had Luyao once laced tears in his life. He had been keeping the cold glare and face for as long as he can remember. Even when seeing a person die he never felt like shedding tears.
Plop!
A single tear stain falls onto the empty space beside the photo. Luyao shed tears for the first time. Tears that he had never felt before.
He didn't know how to stop it.
He didn't want to stop it.
He knew he had to stop it.
He can't.
Slowly, the once cold and calculated Inspector is now nothing but a child missing his family. Yearning for the truth. And he got them. But the pressure is too much for him to bear alone.
Irene who has been sitting by his side this whole entire time did nothing. She merely stared into the sky that has now started to turn into amber orange. The sky is turning dark sooner or later.
She herself didn't know about anyone who is more experienced in emotion aside from her. "Go to her."
Luyao — "..."
Irene — "Might seem crazy, yes. Both of you had a fight and you might say, "What is she going to do to help you.""
Luyao — "..."
Irene — "That whole cold facade that she has been showing to you is just a mask. A mask that she has to build for the future. She was a hothead. Wears her heart on her sleeves. Revealing it only to her closest comrades."
Luyao — "..."
Irene — "She is hurting too."
"What?" Is what Luyao is able to conjure. He was surprised to say the least. If anything in this situation he was supposed to be more hurt then her. So why is she also hurt? "Why is she hurting?"
"Yanyi is very emotionally intelligent. She hates the fact that she can understand anyone easily. For that reason, she didn't like seeing anyone she cared for get hurt. She will feel it too."
"..."
"But more than that, she didn't want to be hated. From the people she cares nonetheless. It brought her to overthink everything about herself, her surroundings and the people. Long story short, she is killing herself inside from severe overthinking."
"..."
"It is a common problem that people have. But considering that she is the Holy Maiden and her job as the guardian of the people, she felt it … 100 times more."
"Has it happened a lot?"
"Yup. Especially during her academy days. Slowly but surely, she shuts herself down from emotions all together. Only wearing a mask through the public and her true self when she is around people she cares for. One of them… is you."
Their conversation didn't continue. Instead the sky continues to turn darker and darker. Eventually the stars align themselves up in the sky. Giving a glimpse of light to those who are lost.
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Tick!
Tock!
Tick!
Tock!
The clock in the living room has been strumming the same notes over and over again. Every minute feels like an hour, every hour feels like a day. They have no clue on what to expect next.
Would Luyao not return at all?
Would he return with hatred?
Would he return with forgiveness?
Would he return with acceptance?
CLAK!
The sound of the main door opening becomes their sound of judgment call. They all waited patiently in the living room. Waiting for their judgement from the one they all had betrayed.
Luyao emerged himself into the living room. His eyes darted to all that was there. Aunt Vaiden, Uncle Ikuto, his brother Kazuto and even Eker are there. Taking a deep breath he said one sentence.
"Forgive me for my outburst."
The three pairs of eyes look over at him in disbelief. They hadn't really caught what was said just now. It's as if they are all hearing a whisper of the wind that had coincidentally entered the house.
Luyao — "Forgive me for my sudden outburst in the training field. I wasn't in my right mind to think rationally and had said some… unforgivable words."
All — "..."
Luyao — "Irene had explained to me the truth and… I am truly grateful that I have been under the care of the Ryuichi's."
All — "..."
Luyao — "Thus, whatever I decide to do in the future, I will be greatly indebted to everyone. Uncle for taking me under your wings. Aunt, for caring for me as a son. Kazu, for being the best brother."
…
Immediately he felt a pair of arms, familiar arms wrapped around his head. He was being embraced just like when he was a child. Vaiden had silently walked up to him and embraced him. "Thank you… Thank you for being our son. Thank you Luyao, for accepting us."
Luyao returned that embrace like how he would when he was a child. He said none but silently nodded into Vaiden's embrace. Despite not being able to feel his birth mother embrace, Vaiden had been his mother figure for as long as his memory serves.
Everyone in the living room had been his family from the beginning. Thus, he will continue to call them family even if he continues the path of his late parents.
When Irene had situated herself by Kazuto's side, Luyao's eyes started to wander around. He didn't see a particular lady before his sight. "Where's Yanyi?" He asks, voice still low from guilt.
"Yanyi is in her room. It's best for her to be alone for the time being." Marquess Ryuichi said with a face laced with a tiny guilt. The same is said to happen to Luyao once he heard the news.
"Luyao, the choice is yours. If you feel it's too heavy, we are here to help you. Irene is here to help Yanyi." Irene, hearing her name, nodded in confidence. She knew her friend the best. Thus, she knew how to comfort her.
Luyao stayed silent for a good minute before turning around and going up the stairs. His footsteps stopped at the second floor of the house. Where all the bedrooms are situated.
Luyao went over to Yanyi's temporary bedroom and slowly knocked on the door. He didn't hear any response and slowly pushed the door open. The only thing he saw was just a figure on the bed, covering herself with a blanket.
Slowly he entered the room and closed the door behind. He wasn't sure whether she was asleep or awake. Whether this is the right time to speak to her. When he got closer, he received an answer for one of the questions.
The blanket is shaking a bit. A sign that she is awake.
But what follows with that is the unwanted sound he didn't want to hear.
Crying.
Silent crying.
Yanyi is silently crying. Her body is shaking from crying.
How long did she cry?
Has it been hours?
Can I talk to her?
Can I console her?
What Irene had warned him about became reality.
She is in pain.
Severe pain.
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-~*~-