True Feelings

King Rexus was sitting upon his throne with his fingers over his eyes. ‘How could I let this happen?’ he asked himself regretfully. It all happened so fast and he was powerless to stop the momentum. He had never experienced a stronger self-loathing than this very moment in his life.

During the morning before the battle between Tatsuya and Shen was scheduled to resume, Duke Kors Khyber and Minister Dex Lector requested an audience with the king. King Rexus met them for breakfast without the knowledge of his wife or son. He had assumed that he could get this meeting finished with quickly and without any trouble at all. Oh, how he was sorely mistaken.

Once the food arrived for them, Dex Lector was the first to speak. “My King, have you thought about the duke’s offer?” he asked with twinkling eyes.

“I’m sorry, but Aika’s hand in marriage had already been promised to the Dragonborn,” stated the king firmly.

“But that’s only a child’s promise, is it not?” reasoned the minister.

“It has been sealed with the sanctity of Amora,” said the king. “Now, enough about this. If this is all you want to discuss, then I have no more words for you. Let us enjoy our breakfast and get on with the day.”

“My King!” exclaimed the duke anxiously. Sweat was already beginning to pour down his face upon hearing the king’s last statement. King Rexus threw the duke an authoritative glare, silencing him. Dex lightly jabbed the duke in the ribs with his elbow and gestured for him to speak. The duke gulped and regained his arrogant composure once more. “T-There’s more!” he announced.

“More?” asked the king with a raised eyebrow.

“It is imperative for us to strengthen our tribe’s influence,” said the duke. “In times of war, strong leaders are needed to instill hope and courage unto the people. My son is a powerful member of the tribe and he can—.”

“Enough!” ordered the king furiously. “Is this all you can offer?! How despicable! Love is a sacred virtue and you dare to besmirch it with your mad ramblings full of greed and pride!”

The duke’s body shook in fear in response to the king’s admonishment. He quickly grew quiet and meekly sat back down. His face had become like a red cherry tomato, filled with shame and anger.

“My King,” said Dex, “I had originally planned to sway you with words, but I would only be digging my own grave. Of course you already know of the duke’s son’s passionate love for your daughter, as well as the benefit this will bring to the tribe as a whole. There is nothing more to discuss on that end. I would question the Dragonborn’s own love for your daughter, but it seems that you are certain of their love for each other. I cannot judge that myself for I am but a mortal and not some blessed sage.” He paused and watched as the king’s expression softened a bit. “However,” continued the minister, “allow me to bring up this one point.”

“What point is that?” asked the king.

The minister’s smile grew wide until all of his fanged teeth were displayed. “Ouroboros.”

“What do those heretics have to do with this?” asked the king with a scowl.

“Everything,” said the minister. “My King, I have heard on the lips of many nobles that the organization have learned of our conflict with the Okami tribe. It is obvious that those who sympathize with the heretical organization view this as an opportunity to destroy both tribes and advance their goals.”

“Isn’t the duke not one of these sympathizers?” argued the king.

“I believe in the superiority of the dragon race, but I will never do anything to bring destruction to my tribe!” announced the duke confidently. “I am loyal to you, my King, and to our tribe and our Father Draco. My ideals may be heretical as you say but I am not foolish enough to wish the decimation of my own flesh and blood!” His words were passionate and full of fire that the king’s heart was subtly moved by them.

“We understand that the princess is intent on marrying the Dragonborn, but that will be the demise of our tribe,” continued Dex. “If the heretics are already planning to take advantage of our vulnerability once we engage in conflict, we must do everything in our power to stop it. And I fear that the princess’ marriage to the Dragonborn will only fuel their hatred even more and hasten our demise.”

“Are you suggesting that we can quell them if Aika marries Ralus?” asked the king.

“The Khyber family are well known sympathizers and perhaps even the most influential of them all among the Draco tribe,” reasoned Dex. “If they see that one of their own has ascended to a higher standing, then it will surely give them enough false hope and security to subside their evil plans until the future.”

“But—,” began the king.

“Having Ralus will also give you more influence and control over the heretics too!” quickly added Dex.

“My King, it is impertinent of me to request that you work with us heretics, but I assure you that I and my family and followers will forever be under your rule and never betray the tribe,” said the duke with a humble bow of his head.

King Rexus became silent as he let the idea sink in. This new addition to their proposition only made the decision even harder to oppose now. He cared very much for his daughter’s happiness, but the happiness of his citizens were at stake too. In his heart, he knew that he needed to support his daughter, his own flesh and blood. But in his mind, he knew that his people comes first and he must do what is needed as king. It was a battle between the heart and the mind.

After giving it some more thought and weighing the options as astutely as he could, the king had made his decision. “I understand,” he simply told the other two men with a grim expression. And this answer became the catalyst for everything else that followed. He knew the consequences and still moved forward with it anyway. It was his duty as a king of the people.

King Rexus scowled at the memory. But hate it as he did, he knew that it was the right decision. He never liked making hard decisions, but he had grown to accept it upon becoming king of his tribe. ‘I hope you can forgive me, Ashira,’ he prayed, ‘It’s for the good of the people, and for you, too.’

“How long has it been since you last prayed this seriously?” asked a friendly voice. King Rexus raised his head and saw, standing before him, the person whom he considers a very close friend. Despite their respective statuses, these two men possessed a very deep friendship that goes all the way back to the king’s days as a soldier. King Rexus immediately got up and began to kneel down before him. “Why are you doing that now? There’s no one here but us,” said the man.

“Oh, right,” said the king with a sheepish laugh. He got back up and held out his hands. “It’s good to see you again, old friend.”

“Same to you,” said the man. “How’s my son?” he asked.

“He’s a very interesting boy,” noted the king with a chuckle.

“Didn’t I tell you?” agreed the man with a laugh. This man was none other than Owatatsumi Ryujin, who, while in the dragon realm, goes by the name Kuzuryu. “How’s things?” he asked the king. “I heard that there’s trouble brewing between the Draco and Okami tribes. How long has it been since the last conflict?”

“17,500 years ago,” said the king.

“Seems like only yesterday you were the feared ‘Crimson Demon’, master general of the Draco tribe!” said Ryujin nostalgically.

“Holding on to the glories of the past will not do us mortals any good except for quickening our date with Death,” said the king in a semi-joking manner. He sighed and wore a depressed expression on his face. “My friend, I believe I have made a mistake,” he revealed.

“Mistake?” asked Ryujin.

“It is a mistake of the heart,” clarified the king.

“You’ve already been married to her for 15,500 years already and you’re just now having second thoughts? What about your two children?!” exclaimed Ryujin.

“That’s not the problem!” snapped the king. “I would never have second thoughts about Liana!”

“I know,” revealed Ryujin matter-of-factly. He then laughed heartily at his own joke. “Of course I knew that that wasn’t the problem you had,” he said in between laughter. “It was just too good of a joke to pass up!”

“Geez,” said the king with a groan. “I can never tell when you’re joking.”

“You’re worried about your promise to me, right?” said Ryujin after having calmed down. King Rexus answered with a nod. Ryujin shook his head and said, “I know everything. You don’t have to worry about breaking your promise to me.”

“But—,” protested the king.

“He’ll pull through,” said the Celestial Dragon king. “Trust in him. He won’t back down without a fight.” King Rexus said nothing and nodded. Hearing the god’s reassuring words really made him feel at ease. Ryujin then turned to the king with a knowing smile and added, “He is my son, after all.”

“What is her problem?!” raged Ralus. He was steaming and stomping while pacing back and forth in his room. His servants stood near the door with their heads down. “That little bitch doesn’t feel grateful at all to be able to marry someone like me! Do you know how many girls wish they could marry someone of my status?! I’ve met airheads, bores, delusional heiresses, whores, but I’ve never met a bitch like her!” In his rage, he summoned strong flames and encased his fists in them before striking the nearby wall and boring a huge hole the size of a cannonball. The servants shivered and shook in fear like meek little mice before the rage of their master.

Ralus’s body shook violently. He let out a sizzling sigh and the flame extinguished from his fists. “I’ve been in love with her ever since our days together at the Royal Academy,” he pined. “What is wrong with me?!” he asked his servants dramatically. Of course, he wasn’t expecting back an answer at all. And his servants knew full well that if they did try to answer, they would be resigning themselves to a fate worse than death.

Ralus turned away from his servants with a hand dramatically positioned against his head. “Who wouldn’t want to marry an elite, sophisticated, passionate, and intelligent man such as I? I’m rich, smart, powerful, resourceful, respected, loved, kind, benevolent, wise, patient, virtuous, humble, just, righteous, pious, gifted, skilled, strong, fast, responsible, and perfect!” He recounted these wonderful characteristics about himself without the least bit of humility at all. He threw his hands into the air and let out a frustrated groan yet again. “What more does she want?!” he shouted to the ceiling above.

The door to his room opened and his father walked in with the Minister of the Interior accompanying him. “Father!” greeted Ralus joyfully. He ran up to him and got down on one knee. “What brings you to my abode?” he asked humbly.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing,” said the duke with a chuckle. “Are you excited about your big day?”

Ralus pouted and said, “Of course I am. The one who should be the most excited isn’t, though. And that just makes me frustrated!”

Dex placed a hand on Ralus’ shoulder and said, “Oh, I think that she’ll come around.” He smiled mischievously with his fangs bared.

“What do you mean?” asked Ralus with a tilt of his head.

“Ralus, you’ll be able to receive her love,” said the duke with nod of his head.

Dex reached into the pocket of his shirt and pulled out a box with a golden necklace inside. The necklace had very lustrous green jewel as a pendant. “Give this to her,” he told the duke’s son. “A present for a lovely lady.”

“Why should I give her anything?” protested Ralus with his hands crossed over his chest. “She clearly doesn’t respect me, so I doubt anything I give her will change her mind about me.”

“If you want her to love you, then you must first show her that you love her,” said Dex. “And the best way to do that is with gifts!”

“I don’t understand,” said Ralus with furrowed brows.

“Have you given the princess anything at all to convey your love?” asked the duke.

Ralus thought for a moment with a finger to his chin as if he was some kind of wise sage deeply pondering life’s greatest questions. He looked back up at his father and shook his head. “Now that I think about it, I didn’t give her anything at all.”

“That’s why she hasn’t warmed up to you!” declared the duke. “My son, haven’t I taught you anything on how to treat a lady?”

“You’re right,” apologized Ralus, hanging his head in shame. “I am ashamed to have embarrassed you, Father!”

“Then there is only way for you to regain back your father’s honor,” said Dex foxily. He handed the son the box. “Show her just how much she means to you,” he said.

Ralus took the box with a smile. “Of course,” he said. And he prepared himself to leave right this instant.

“Wait!” stopped Dex before Ralus took one step out the door. “When you give it to her, tell her how much she means to you.”

“Yes sir,” said Ralus with a nod.

“Most importantly,” continued Dex, “after you have given her the necklace, you must speak following words: ‘Amor aeternus, lux aeterna mea. Meus amor consumat te. Vinculum nostrum sit perpetuum. Amora benedictio accipiatur.’”

“What is that?” asked Ralus.

“Tell her it’s a poem you made for her,” said Dex with a shrug. “Just remember to say those exact words right after you give her that gift.”

Ralus nodded his head in understanding of the command and promptly left to the palace. Once he was gone, Dex and the duke exchanged wicked grins. It seems that their plan was proceeding more smoothly than they had thought. Soon, it would be time for the grand finale.

Aika twirled the keychain doll in her palm. This was the very firs gift she had ever received from Tatsuya and it meant a lot to her. At least they were able to share this memory together. She smiled to herself and swayed her head to and fro like an excited little girl.

Suddenly, a knock came on her door. Aika gestured for Ingrid to answer it. The maid complied and opened the door to greet the guest. The door was immediately swung wide open and the guest forced themselves in. Aika could tell who it was by their voice and her expression quickly soured.

“Guess who’s back?” sang Ralus.

“What are you doing here?” spat Aika venomously.

“Do I need a reason?” came the duke’s son smartly. Aika flashed him a glare and remained scowling at him. However, this time, Ralus wasn’t the least bit afraid. Instead, he approached her with a nonchalance that could be described as foolish. His hands were behind his back and he wore a very large childish smile.

“What?” snapped Aika.

“I got you a gift,” he told her in the same sing-song voice as before.

“I don’t need gifts from the likes of you,” brushed off Aika harshly.

Ralus flinched a little from that comment but he quickly regained his composure. He couldn’t let her words get the best of him. He produced the gift from behind his back and placed the box on the desk in front of her. He then took the necklace and presented it before her eyes. “This is my gift to you,” he said. “It’s a golden draconite necklace.”

Aika simply looked away and ignored the majestic piece of jewelry before her. Ralus was starting to get impatient with the princess, but he took a deep breath and continued on with the sales pitch. “I’m not asking for anything in return except for your love. This is a symbol of my love to you. It should convey how much I really do love and treasure you,” he attempted in a suave voice.

“I don’t want it,” she told him adamantly. “Things touched and produced by trash are a bunch of trash too,” she declared.

Ralus simply smiled as he let that painful statement wash over him like a terrible wave of venom. He took a deep breath and walked behind the princess with the necklace still in his hands. “Please accept my gift,” he told her. He then placed the necklace around her neck.

This elicited a strong reaction from Aika and she quickly yelled, “Who said you can put your grubby paws on me?!” She was beyond furious with the audacity of his action and was ready to knock him out.

But Ralus still remained calm and said, “At least humor me. I know that you don’t like me, and I respect your decision. But the least you can do is accept my token of love. Once I leave, you can throw it away or melt it into a pile of goo, I don’t care. Just, at least humor me while I’m here. Please? That’s all I’m asking.”

Aika was a little taken aback by Ralus’ change in attitude and relented. ‘He already knows that I hate him with a passion,’ she thought. ‘I guess I can humor him. What do I got to lose? I’ll just satisfy his ego for now and then tear him up again later.’ She settled down and allowed for him to continue.

Ralus took this cue to clasp the necklace onto the princess. His hand then moved to touch her shoulders. “If you don’t mind, I have a poem that I’ve written for you to go with this gift,” he told her.

“Really? I didn’t know that you were capable of sophisticated art,” snorted Aika. “I guess I’ll hear it.”

Ralus smiled and clearly recounted the exact words that Dex taught him. “Amor aeternus, lux aeterna mea. Meus amor consumat te. Vinculum nostrum sit perpetuum. Amora benedictio accipiatur.” The necklace's pendant glowed a very subtle bright green color. Suddenly, Aika’s body went limp. ‘What’s going on?’ wondered Ralus anxiously. He shook the princess’ shoulders with his brows furrowed in worry. ‘Don’t tell me that I killed the princess!’ he exclaimed. He increased the strength of his shakes. Aika came to and opened her eyes. Ralus let out a sigh of relief. “Are you fine, princess?” he asked her.

“Of course,” she told him. And with a smile, she added in a loving voice, “Darling.”

Kanjomizu stared at the keychain in her hand. It was a memento from the first date she ever had with Tatsuya. But besides being a symbol of their very first date, it was also a sign of her friendship with Aika. At least, that’s what she would also like to believe. And that was what she was thinking about as her eyes traced the keychain.

Yesterday, right after the incident at the party, Kanjomizu and the other princesses discussed the entire incident amongst themselves. It was then that Takara made the bold declaration to use this distance between Aika and Tatsuya to advance her own relationship with the latter. The other princesses, Kanjomizu included, were hesitant to accept it. They discussed it thoroughly and Takara was able to convince the others to use this moment to their advantage. Though they may be friends, they were also rivals for the affections of the same man. It’s only natural for them to take whatever chance they can get to beat the competition.

However, Kanjomizu was still resistant to this line of reasoning. She understood the Lindworm princess’ reasoning; it was logical and the best course of action to take. But Kanjomizu just couldn’t accept it. Something just felt wrong about it.

As she stared at the keychain, it was starting to make sense to her. True, they were all rivals for the same heart, but having one less rival makes the entire competition seem unfair. It was missing the passionate heart of another worthy rival in love. And Kanjomizu knew just how much Aika was passionately in love with Tatsuya too.

Having made up her mind, Kanjomizu gripped tightly onto her keychain and tucked it away. She ran out into the hallway and straight for the courtyard. She remembered seeing Tatsuya sitting there as she passed the courtyard for the dining hall this morning. She had wanted to call out to him and offer some kind of verbal support, but the expression he wore made her decide against it. However, now it was imperative that she must find him. He’s the only one who can put a stop to this mess.

She was getting very near to the courtyard when the other princesses entered the hallway with apparently the same idea as herself. They all stopped and exchanged glances. “You girls,” said Arashi with a small smile.

“It appears that we all have arrived upon the same conclusion,” said Sunaji with a shrug. “It is our duty to forfend our friend from a bad fate.” (“Forfend” = “protect/avert”).

“Aika is one of us,” agreed Shurai with a nod.

Takara had her arms crossed over her shoulder and wore a reluctant frown. “I guess,” she said with a groan. But despite her apparent dislike over the idea, her presence alone was enough to convince the other princesses that she was indeed with them.

Kanjomizu smiled brightly at their cooperation and smiled. “Let’s go save Aika,” she told them confidently.

They walked to the courtyard together and came across Manami and Daiki. Apparently, they were also here to convince Tatsuya to reconsider his decision. Manami didn’t like the duke’s son at all and called him a “self-pretentious prick”. Daiki also expressed displeasure towards Ralus Khyber and wanted Tatsuya to make the right choice before it’s too late. It seems that they were all on the same page and they quickly marched together to find the Dragonborn.

It didn’t take them very long before they bumped into Tatsuya. He was coming back from the pavilion after completing that little trip, courtesy of Amora. Seeing everyone here gathered before him surprised him to say the least. He didn’t know what was going on, but the expression they wore told him that it was something serious.

“What’s going on, guys?” he asked them.

“Tatsu-chin, this is an intervention,” answered Manami seriously.

“Intervention? For what?” Tatsuya was confused at what was going on.

“You need to change your mind,” snapped Sunaji.

“About what?” asked Tatsuya in an almost hysterical manner.

“I guess a plebeian will always be one step behind on the uptake,” insulted Takara snootily.

“Hey, that was uncalled for!” Tatsuya roared.

“Ta-kun,” said Daiki, placing a hand on Tatsuya’s shoulder.

“Just what the hell is going on?!” yelled Tatsuya in frustration.

“My Love,” said Kanjomizu. Her voice drew Tatsuya’s attention to her. “We need to go save Aika.” Her expression was firm and she poured all of her unwavering confidence into those words.

Tatsuya sighed after finally understanding what this was about. He smiled and said, “Actually, I was just thinking the same thing.” Hearing his words brightened the girls’ faces.

“What brought this on?” asked Sunaji.

“Let’s just say that I had a divine vision,” he answered cryptically with an awkward smile.

The group, now with Tatsuya in the forefront, made their way to the palace. They entered the palace and immediately stopped. What they saw then and there shocked them to the core. Tatsuya couldn’t believe his very eyes. Was this even real?!

Ralus Khyber, the pretentious son of the equally pretentious Duke Cors Khyber, was standing in the middle of the hallway with his arm interlocked with Aika’s. She gazed at him lovingly while caressing his face and resting her head on his shoulder. Ralus wore a satisfied expression complete with a smug smile and lecherous eyes.

They were having a moment and apparently ignoring all outside disturbances. Tatsuya didn’t know how to approach them in this situation and froze. The way they were whispering sweet nothings and publicly showcasing their affection for one another made Tatsuya sick to his stomach. He desperately wanted to stop this, but he couldn’t. But just when he thought that he had lost, one word from Aika’s lips melted the hesitation from inside of him and he regained back his determination. It was the one word that he never thought he would ever hear Aika call another.

“I love you, Darling,” she told Ralus.

“Aika!” Tatsuya shouted.

Both Aika and Ralus turned to their new guests. “Oh, you’re here,” said Ralus with a fake smile.

“Ralus, I decided to not give Aika over to you,” Tatsuya told him in a half-snarl. He couldn’t hold back his animosity anymore after hearing Aika call the duke’s son the one word that she had ever used preciously for him alone.

“But you already did,” said Ralus. “Are you telling me that you intend to go back on your word?” He laughed hysterically and added, “What kind of hero does that? You’re really beginning to show your true colors, O Great Dragonborn!” He said that title in an overtly sarcastic voice.

“I know now that I love her,” Tatsuya declared unashamedly. His declaration made the other girls blush, though he was too busy with the duke’s son to notice.

“But you didn’t before!” protested Ralus with a foxlike smile. “She loves me now!” he declared in the most pretentious way possible. He quickly turned to Aika and asked, “Isn’t that right?”

“I love only you, Darling,” confirmed Aika with a love-struck smile.

“Aika!” protested Tatsuya.

Aika fiercely turned to Tatsuya with a dangerous light in her eyes. It the same kind of eyes that one would wear when confronting trash. “Don’t try to act familiar with me,” she snapped back coldly.

This response shook Tatsuya and the others deeply. Tatsuya felt as if he was being pushed over a cliff. Suddenly, the one person who had stood by him for the longest time has betrayed him. He was entering a dark abyss with no light at the very end, a hell full of anguish and mental frustration. ‘Why?’ he asked himself with a pained expression.

“Aika!” called Kanjomizu. “Please, come back to us! Come back to My Love! Come back to your real Darling!” she pleaded with teary eyes.

Aika flashed her a disgusted glare and declared, “I only have one Darling and it’s him.” She grabbed Ralus by the chin and pulled him in for a kiss on the cheek. This sight was enough to make Kanjomizu faint.

“What the hell are you playing at?” Manami accused the duke’s son. “It’s clear that something’s wrong with the princess. What did you do to her, you bastard?!”

“Shut your mouth you filthy half-blood!” ordered Ralus in a cruel tone. “Never speak to me again with that tainted tongue of yours! Your kind is better off dead. I don’t have to waste my breath answering your questions.”

This flood of insults only fueled Manami’s anger and he was ready to draw out his Dragon Regalia and give the noble a well-deserved beating. But Daiki stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “It’s not worth it,” Daiki told his friend.

Ralus continued to sneer at Manami and said, “Since you are one of the princess’ friends, I decided to invite you to the wedding. But if I had my way, I would’ve had you arrested already for adulterating the pure blood of our great race. Be glad that I let you come attend a celebration in my honor.”

“That’s it!” roared Manami. He pulled out his Dragon Regalia and swung the golden kusarigama blade straight for Ralus’ neck. The noble squealed in fear and tried to block the attack with his arms. Suddenly, the sound of clashing metal and a flash of fire drew everyone’s attention to the air. It all happened so quickly. Manami’s kusarigama fell limp to the ground.

Ralus peeked out from behind his arms and saw Aika guarding him with her Dragon Regalia in hand. She had protected him from dying an unacceptable death! Ralus let out a maniacal laugh that echoed through the chambers. “I’m alive! I’m alive!” he cheered.

Aika then flicked her whip and the weapon curled around Manami’s neck. The whip began to smoke a bit and Manami could feel the skin on his neck burn. “Be grateful that I haven’t ended your paltry life yet,” she told him threateningly.

“Hah! Be grateful!” repeated Ralus triumphantly.

Aika retrieved her whip and Manami was finally free from that torturous prison. He rubbed his neck and could feel the heat rising from his skin. Aika turned her attention back to Ralus and asked worriedly, “Are you alright, Darling?”

“I am, now that you’re here,” he answered back smoothly. He then lifted Aika’s chin and the princess blushed. She turned her eyes away and smiled. “I can’t wait for our wedding,” said Ralus charmingly.

“Aika, why are you doing this?!” yelled out Tatsuya.

The Draco Princess flashed him a glare and, with a flick of her wrist, entangled her whip around his body. “What did I say about acting familiar to me?” she asked him in an almost snarling manner. “You’re not the one I love and you’re not the one whom I have given my heart to! You’re meaningless to me!” She then gripped tightly onto the whip and a burst of flames surrounded Tatsuya’s body, burning him. He writhed in pain and let out intermittent cries. The others couldn't believe their eyes at what was happening and became frozen in fear and disbelief.

“Please…stop…this…,” begged Tatsuya in between screams.

“As you wish,” responded Aika snidely and she retrieved the whip back. “Darling,” she said, turning her attention back to Ralus, “it appears that we have too many people here who opposes our union. If we don’t get married now, they will surely drive us apart. I don’t want that.”

“But our wedding is next week,” said Ralus.

“Why not have it tomorrow?” suggested the Draco Princess.

“T-Tomorrow?!” exclaimed Ralus excitedly.

“I can ask Father to have it arranged,” she told him. “Once we seal our union, no one will be able to drive us apart.”

“You’re right!” agreed Ralus. “Let’s get married tomorrow!” He laughed triumphantly to himself and the couple walked arm-in-arm towards the king’s office.

As they passed by Tatsuya, Aika asked Ralus a question in an almost subdued voice. “Will I always be your number one?” she asked.

“Of course!” answered Ralus. And he continued on laughing as they marched off to tell the king of their marriage plans.

Once they left, Tatsuya slowly turned to face the direction they had gone in. That last question that Aika asked—something felt a little strange about it. He just couldn’t put his finger on it. But despite what he felt about that peculiar moment, there was one thing he knew for certain: he needed to save Aika and prevent their union from happening.