V2 Chapter 3

Sitana saw Cian’s shaken expression and she couldn’t help but smile gently but in her heart, she was extremely cold and full of murderous intent—Oh Goddess, Night… what have you done to my child…?! She was boiling in rage, madness, and fury. For Aanuel to doubt himself and suspected his identity and status, Night must have done something in the poor child’s mind—that’s what Sitana believes!

She never once had doubts the current Cian was the Second Prince. She, as his mother would know it if Aanuel was replaced by someone other than himself, even if that was done by the Gods themselves!

It was not by logic nor proven by facts but—Instinct and Intuition!

A Mother’s and a Woman’s…!

How could she mistake her own son for someone else…?

Just because he was doing better, completely different from before, with powers, character, behavior, and intelligence that was far above the masses--is that enough for her to doubt her own son? That's nothing but nonsensical idiocracies...! Having a split personality or any other sorts of thing, is not uncommon in this world. Much more, this is the land of Demons...!

Many things in this world can cause a sudden change to a person--much more if it was a work of a God...!

…But why is her son claiming he wasn’t the one…? This is surely Night’s fault, along with the Second Prince entire transformation!

What is she planning now…?

That damn Goddess...?! If she involved her son in this stupidity she was playing, Sitana vowed she would curse her and fight her even if it means sacrificing her life just to kill all the Gods including her...!! Sitana grated herself in fury and extreme anger! If she dares play his son's life, she wouldn't mind destroying this world, including the heavens above...!!

After giving Cian one last kiss on the lips, Sitana turned around and left. She was yet to be relieved on her duties after all—besides, it’s best to leave Cian for a while. His doubts and confusion, he was the only one who can clear it. She couldn't do it, nor anyone else...

And besides, she believes in him--that her beloved son would surely snap out of his own issues and problems by himself and move on. He was strong!

"... ..." Cian stared at Sitana’s back, feeling complicated. Whether Sitana doesn’t believe it or not, he must cling on his life as Cian Cahlo and would never doubt it. Because, if he did, he might also doubt his entire life…!

As well as the people he once thought as important…!

*** ***

The day had started out nice and cool—a slight breeze wafted through the quiet afternoon with the sun still climbing the clear skies, soon bathing the earth in its warmth. However, even though this wonderful day weather, one can still see the world being covered by a veil of misty fog that covered the entirety of the kingdom.

All through year round, the entire Demon Empire was covered by this thin fog—when in the morning, it was like clouds of dust of diamonds floating in the air, thick fog that turned thin and thin as the sun rises. And eventually, it would be so thin and it was almost unnoticeable at the peak of the day. but it was there... no one doubts it!

It was beautiful, though the inhabitants of this world have no sense of beauty to stop and savor it, even for a moment. Or perhaps, they had been gotten used to it and that they had already ignored it? Well, I guess it’s the latter, seeing they are Demons who doesn’t seem to possess melancholic sides…

Fog of Mana—is what others people call it.

A Mana that was so potent and dense that they seemed to have crystallized, being seen in the naked eye. If humans lived in this kind of circumstances, either they would mutate and become extremely powerful, possessing a large amount of magic power or worst, they would explode from absorbing too much magic power that their bodies couldn’t contain.

Human Beings are not a creature made of magic and they have smaller capacities than any races. Furthermore, magic circuits within the body of human beings are not as flexible as those from magic races that they can absorb magic power from the outside as easily as breathing and release the excess magic power that might damage and harm the body as easily as well.

In this cases, Monsters who were born in magic power such as the Demons are the only capable of living in this kind of wondrous lands—probably the reason why Demons and such monsters have much stronger physique and physical prowess compared to humans, because their bodies have been nurtured and tempered in their daily basis, that their mana capacity slowly increased in size every passing day even without doing anything, unlike humans who go arduous training or boring long time of cultivating just to achieve it.

Totally unfair…

However, this is only the way of life…

There is no such thing as fair in this world.

Just like how the fish was given gills to live within the ocean or bird possessing wings and feathers to fly in the sky, magic races are such similar creatures that undergo evolution and adaptation to living in specific places.

Furthermore, there are other uses for the Fog of Mana that circulate within the lands of the Demon Empire that cause it to be the favorite place for magic races such as Demons… and that is, the natural barrier!

Because of the Fog of Mana, races that couldn’t live under the sun like the infamous Vampire Race was able to live under it because of it. The Fog of Mana covered the entire ground, even if the density of the mana slowly diminishes as the sun rose up in the sky. It emitted a thin layer, like a fiber or a glass that protected the land from the UV rays of the sun, and only allowing light to pass through it. Thus, it created a natural barrier to those who could not live under the sun, giving them the ability to be able to now live with it.

Fog of Mana, a very wonderful yet mysterious phenomenon of nature—

Though such places are rare and probably only one or two in this entire world...!

*** ***

The petals of the Orakai blossoming trees standing within the courtyard of the Imperial Palace fluttered through the air, twirling about in the wind like a final dance nearing the end of their existence.

Such a small and lovely thing to behold in one's hand, the Orakai petal resembles a certain tree back in Earth; The Cherry Blossoms, or in native; Sakura, only the color of the petals was a mysterious oceanic blue with a purple hue and the shape was like the petals of a clover.

Studying about it, it truly resembles the Sakura tree—born beautifully into the world, gently growing and blossoming to its full potential, but eventually, death comes to all, however short and unexpected. Every sixth full moon, the Orakai blossoms and will die out after the eight to eleven days after its blossoming period.

Truly, a beauty in fleeting moments…

In this lonely and quiet palace, the Orakai found in the palace courtyard was Cian’s favorite. Memories and life are the same as this tree—delicate and fleeting.

“Beautiful, aren’t they?” As Cian lied on the shade beneath the tree, savoring a moment of peace and tranquility, a graceful voice rang out, like the chorus of graceful angels, it echoed in the solemn and silent beautiful world with utmost beauty and wonder.

“Orakai trees can only be found in the Demon Land, where magic power overflows and as dense as clouds. Seeing it blossoming like this, one can’t help but thought, how mysterious the world is that even in this ugly country of Demons hated by the world and despised by all races, a beautiful being exists as well, giving colors in this despised land…” The voice continued.

“…beautiful…indeed, a perfect personification of a man’s life, isn’t it?” Cian muttered as he responded without turning to check who it was he already knows it is just from the voice. Cian smiled faintly as he stared at the beautiful blue petals slowly falling on the ground, like pieces of the sky falling, it was mesmerizing.

Back on Earth, people often believed that a particular tree, Sakura also symbolized the life of a person—“…beautiful yet fleeting.” he muttered with a melancholic sigh. “It completely represents the fragility and the beauty of life. It's a reminder that life is almost overwhelmingly beautiful but that it is also tragically short. Just like how this beautiful scene would end several days after reaching the peak of its beauty…pitiful but its reality…” He sighs as he extended his hand and tried to reach one of the falling petals as if trying to catch the pieces of the sky that fell.

“…never thought you can be so poetic—nah, I think you are at least capable of that. After all, you are a smooth talker that even women with hearts of ice would surely melt upon hearing your words,” A playful response appeared and with a thud, a slender figure sat beside Cian, just beside his head.

“Really? Then, are you finally smitten by me…?” Cian asked with a smile as he lightly raised his head towards the slender form. “…my dear, fiancée…?”

“Only your glib lips that is…” Sybilla muttered with a shy expression. “…though, if you really want me to be smitten by you, you should have come and seen me, that would make me feel loved and adored, even if it’s false sincerity at the very least. I feel so disappointed. I thought that if you really care for me then, you should be wanting to see me. You should know that I had made myself at home in your mansion…”

Cian shrugged. “It’s not my mansion anymore, I believe. It’s yours now, Sybilla.”

“…even if you say that. I won’t accept it. It’s yours—though even if I say that, when we get married, that would also be mine as much as yours, isn’t that right? So what’s the distinction of who owns it between you and me?”

“But I want you to have it…” Cian insisted.

“…???”

“Heaven’s fall… do you know what it means?” Cian pondered for a bit and then suddenly muttered with a mischievous smile.

“Falling of the Heavens—it was a very important Mansion within the Demon Empire, so of course I had known of it. Because it was created by the fourth Demon Emperor before he went and almost conquered the entire world. He named it Heaven’s Fall--because he wanted to express that under his hands, even the world could be conquered and the heavens could fall—the Demon’s greatest pride and honor, the founding of the Empire and the one that symbolizes the great age of the Demon Empire! That is also why I can’t accept it…” Sybilla said as she shrugged.

However, her face wasn’t showing any bitterness or regret. She was not one who cared for fancy dresses and sparkling trinkets. Jewels and golden accessories are just material things that are not useful in life. “…even if you gave it to me, it only will arouse jealousy and hate, in which I’m not rather fond of having. I rather have a small hut than have that kind of worthless treasure, that would only trigger endless troubles…I rather have you…actually,”

“…Did you really fall for me?” Cian smiled, unmeant. “Though, this might be a bit narcissistic in my part by saying it. Still, judging from my previous offenses, and usual scheming character, even if I have a pretty face only a foolish woman would fall for me. Especially, if we only, really and literally, met for one day for the very first time…never thought I had such powerful charm,”

“…I guess I’m one of those foolish women then,” Sibylla honestly declared, causing a shock even to Cian. Seeing Cian’s expression, Sibylla felt pleasant emotion coursing through him—finally, she finally saw him another expression that is completely different from an expression that seems to always show that everything is going according to his plan. A raw emotion that she realized not disliking seeing it…

In fact, she wanted to see more—that is Cian’s real true face…!

A face and a character that was far different from the Prince the world knows...!

“…though you can also see it as me surrendering to my fate.” She added with a sigh.

“… …”

“Didn’t you say it yourself that night? If years later, you are destined to be my husband, I might as well exercise my rights earlier. Am I right?” Sibylla grinned playfully. Her beautiful face blossomed like Orakai around them. With the background of falling petals, she looked like an immortal celestial fallen from the heavens and descended onto earth. She was breathtakingly beautiful...

She stared down at Cian, but her eyes weren’t the least bit condescending. Her gaze was tender, like the gentle caress of the sea waves landing on Cian’s face—or probably this was just her natural bearing. Cian liked looking at her face that was completely different from his mother—mature, sexy and the beauty that can evoke lust in others whatever their genders, race, or age were.

Hers was like that of an innocent Virgin Goddess that made men hesitates to even taint it, much less defiles it.

Unlike his mother, the Demon Empress beauty, she was like a snow lotus high in the sky, only to be seen from afar, but impossible to approach. Even if they could approach her, they did not dare to have any other disrespectful thoughts.

A divine beauty—so to speak…

“Surrendering, huh…” Cian smiled faintly as his mind processed the image of her, starting with her long, shimmering, emerald hair billowing in the breeze, a few petals caught in the silky strands, and she didn't seem to mind, her eyes focused on him.

“…However, even though you said that you are going to marry me, even if it’s false and you are just intending to use me, I still pathetically cling on the hope that you are going to notice of me, that you will fall for me as well. I waited for you in the Mansion, thinking of knowing you slowly by staying beside you—that’s what my mother said, though…” She said bitterly.

“… I’m sorry, I was busy these past few days…” Cian honestly apologizes to the woman throwing all her frustrations and displeasure towards him. Her expression looking like that of a young newlywed wife being bullied.

“Busy going to brothels…?” A bitterness and sourness akin to that of a vinegar that can even be smelled from a hundred meters away can be noticed in her voice and tone—though whether she did it intentionally or not, still yet to be clear. But probably judging from her current actions and behavior, it should be the latter…

"If you are busy because of it, I really apologize for rudely wasting your time then. It must have been excruciating and exhausting for you...!"

What a very cute girl…