Huh? What? What am I saying? This is strange; I never said compliments to another girl before. I know she’s a beauty that can’t be compared to anyone, but...

“Uhm... if it’s all right, may I know what your name is?”

The girl introduced her name as the Queen Astarte asked me. “Huh?”

Her servants stands behind, all while looking at me with scrutiny on their gaze. Even the one who wears a brown long sleeve dress and apron on her waist designed perfectly.

“Uh, you said you’re the Queen... right?”

The girl nods. Now, what am I, a plebeian doing here on this place?

“Is something wrong? Don’t you understand me?” her expression turn quizzical right then. I jolt out and stand on the ground.

“I don’t know... I don’t know what I’m doing here, and saying that I’m your King? But since you asked my name, I’m Justine...”

I answered. The girl, who named Astarte nods to me and smiles. “Welcome to the Tophet Kingdom in the Demon Realm, Justine. Just like in my dreams, you are that person who is destined to be my husband...”

Huh? “What?” I asked. Astarte smiles gleefully at me as her face blushes. “I’ve been waiting for this day to meet you, my King.”

She grabbed my hand and firmly holds it. “Huh? I don’t understand—-“

“—-Let’s go get marry.” Eh? What? Before I could continue, she suddenly chides with that thought full of glee.

“Wha—-What the...!? Your Highness!” the woman standing beside her suddenly chides over to stop the prompt mood of the queen. “What’s the matter, Abigor? There’s no time to hesitate; I finally found the person I want to be with...”

She seemed amused from everything happens. I got flushed from the sudden proposal, as the other servants from behind her starts whispering to each other.

“But Your Highness, this is too hasty! You can’t just marry a mortal.” The girl named Abigor objected.

“Huh? But why, I mean... he’s the man for me and all. Fate leads us to see each other so there’s no need to be uncertain for it, right?”

Ah, this girl’s naïve; asking a stranger to marry her just because of fate. Abigor’s look at the Queen turns grim after. She seemed not pleased from the idea at all.

“Uh, I don’t know what circumstances you have here... but I think this isn’t the right time to talk about that...” I suggested. Abigor turns her head to look at me.

“You came from somewhere and taking the hand of the Queen in an instant you meet.” She grunts. I look at our hands connected, and quickly lose.

Astarte got astounded from my action, and her face turns melancholy. “No, I never intend to take the hand of your Queen. I don’t even know why I’m here at the first place. Plus, am I already dead?”

“You’re not dead.” The old man answered. I turn to look at him and see the seriousness on his expression. “One of the mage students I have here is in training to summon a familiar.” He added.

The girl behind him shows despondence after he spoke. “Supposedly, it must be a mythical creature of this world... but it happen that you came out from her summon.”

“So, in other words... I’m a mistaken creature you summoned?” I asked. Botis nods to confirm. “However,” his voice gives off the supremacy to talk.

“I had clairvoyance on the day the Queen Astarte was born. The goddess Lenir, said that a mortal from another world will be summoned to meet the Queen.”

Eh? That’s weird; I got transported to this fantasy world to meet the Queen I’m betrothed to be with?

“And that tells the red string attached to your pinky finger and hers, the Queen to be fated together...”

All in all, from the time I was born, fate has been in motion to meet her in time. Fate has been trying to lure me away from any girls who I encountered.

And that lead me to see death before, and come here. Quite absurd and ridiculous; I never thought that fate plays my life like that.

Everything happens in my life is the whole reason just for this day. All through this time, I’ve been such jerk. The girl who I’ve been treasured with despises me, and even tried to kill me.

And now, this... What could be going wrong with me?

“And that’s the reason you are our King—-“

“I’m King to no one...” I answered. Inside me is the stirring darkness, swirling like tempest. “I don’t know anything about this. All my life I’ve been leading to this encounter, causing pains to those people who I meet...”

My teeth gritted from hatred. Remembering the girls who confessed to me and the face of Catherine... it made my chest clumps tight.

“...I almost died from rejecting the girl who really adores me. This is silly; I can’t stand this...”

My hands clenched tightly from those memories keeping recalled in my mind. I’ve been fooling myself of not loving anyone, knowing that this fate of mine is a mess.

“But it is you who I always been waiting to meet.”

Lenient words heeded coming from her. Astarte walked towards me after and cups my face with her hands. “I’ve always been uncertain, too. All my life, nobles with different status asked me to marry them. I know refusing them is painful to do...”

Looking in her eyes, the sincerity fills my sight. I can’t helped but be captured by its hue.

She really is pretty. “All this time, I’m asking if there’s someone who I can be with... and my mom, the previous Queen says that I must find the person my heart desires.”

She delivered it with compassion. I got swayed from her thoughts right now. “... And now... now that you’re here, I am certain from everything. I want to know and be a part of you.”

Astarte smiles again at me after saying those words.

Her smile beacons me, as like the girl who I’ve seen in my dream. The smile basking under the sunbeam that makes my heart quiver completely.

Quite odd and ridiculous; there are no words could interject through it.

However... my feelings do seem uncertain. Addled, it seems... there’s a swirling emotion I want to know fully before saying anything to her.

There are sort of process for this; for that, I can’t fully answer her at all. I heave a small sigh and look at her in the eyes.

“...Though you said you’re certain to me, but I’m not.” I leave those words to her. Astarte shunned from the words I said.

“What do you mean?” her hand loose to my face and ask that question. Even Abigor show astonishment from my words said just now. “Even if you said you want to be with me, my feelings aren’t stirred like yours.”

I then avert off from her and look at everyone. “My life has been uncertain to everyone’s feelings. I can be happy with anyone; I can make emotional attachment to somebody... but... loving someone deeply that a lover can do, is impossible to me.”

Everyone’s faces turn grim from my words.

“I happen to meet girls in my world, make friends with them and without me realizing that I make them fall for me.”

I scoffed in deprecation after speaking. “... You can’t just guarantee me to be the person you’re dreaming with.”

My eyes then look at Astarte, and stunned from what she does. Her expression softens and grabbed my hand once more.

“I do. I do, even if what you have said is something absurd. I don’t fully understand at all what those girls mean to you, but the thing I have is the assurance you’re the only one for me...”

What...? What’s this girl saying?

“I believed our fates entwined because of the red strings attached at the end of our fingers.”

She says it like it was really a natural occurrence. “I’ve been in certain whenever I dream about you, that you are the only man for me and I’m the only girl for you—-“

“—-But I said that this can’t show any guarantee.”

Chiding over the words she speaks, I hastily replied. “Nothing shows guarantee between us, and fate that binds us...”

“Then, why don’t you try?” in the midst of my contemplation, another one speaks. “Why don’t you give it a try, to be perfectly compatible with our Queen...?”

Stepping forward, Abigor stands beside Astarte and looks at me in the eyes.

Everyone stunned from what she did, as I flinched over to see her crimson eyes. “... You said that there’s no guarantee; our Queen is uncertain to you as well.”

“Abigor, I didn’t tell that—-“

“Your Highness, with all due respect, I can tell that you’re also having doubts about this.” Her conviction shows firm and gaze with squint on Astarte.

“You being the Queen are a big responsibility. I’ve been with you all this time... I know you’re making façade over this matter.” She continued.

“But... but I didn’t say about getting doubt.” Astarte frets out and her voice quiver after leaving that word out from her mouth. “I am certain that this person will help me to my main goal in this Kingdom.”

“Your Highness—-“

“I appreciate your concern towards me, Abigor. I’m glad you are willing to stand in my stead and protect me.”

Astarte let out a sincere smile towards the servant. Abigor then averts her eyes off from the Queen and heaves a long, exasperated sigh.

“..... I’m glad you feel that way about me, Your Highness. Protecting you is my topmost priority as your personal attendant.”

“Yeah, I know. And that’s why; I want to handle this on my own.”

Abigor seemed reluctant to the words the Queen have said, yet, her words show firm and justification.

“All right; I will leave this matter to you, milady...” she replied timidly and stepped back reluctantly.

“Thank you...” Astarte utters and nods to her. Now what? How should we settle to this matter?

“.....” I didn’t say any words, my eyes only focus on the Queen as she take a step forward to me.

“My King,” she called as our eyes meet. I twitched out of surprise as our distance gets close. “Huh? I said I’m no King to anyone—-“

Before my words could complete further, her face leans forward. In a blink, everything turns vague.

No, that’s not the proper description to say at all. It’s something I haven’t realized before.

In a sudden happening, I felt her lips forward mine. Her sweet scent wafting under my nostrils; her warmth wrapped over my body. It was a shocking moment; now I realized we’re kissing.

And before I know it, a loud clamor heeded from the surroundings. Their loud scream and yell heard throughout; causing my eardrums to explode.

Yet, everything went mushy and in slow; seems like we’re the only people in this place.

In turn, Astarte then loses her lips on mine and look directly into my eyes. It sparked like a gem; its emerald hue captive my feelings further than before.

My chest feels the warmth surging in; I can’t stop my heart from beating fast while looking at her. “... It’s my first kiss, and I gave it to the person I love...”

She speaks softly, and filled with compassion in every word while looking in my eyes.

“Huh...?” I’ve lost track to the sudden thing she does. All that I said is that word. Astarte then grabbed both of my hands and firmly holds it.

At the basking sun, her fair, pearl-white skin taints with pinkish hue; her lips glimmer in fuchsia color beckons me to kiss it once more.

Her golden hair sparks as it sways gently in the caress of wind blowing between us.

But what made me addled further are the words she said that certain moment, all while firmly holding me...

“I think I’m falling in love with you...”