It was now two years since Miko was forcibly brought to the Primus Domain.

“So you’re telling me you have no intention of training ever again?”

Momo was standing before a 12-year-old Miko. Before him were stacks of novels and comic books.

“Yeah. I just want to laze around and read my favorite books.”

“Are you mad?”

Momo snatched a comic out of his hands.

“I left you alone because you were recuperating and I didn’t want to reawaken your rage, but you can’t just stop training. Did you forget? You’re the target of a lot resentment and fear. Once you leave here, your life will constantly be targeted. I can’t allow you to be idle knowing that.”

“Resentment huh?”

Miko showed a slight grin. Momo’s eyes narrowed. She watched as Miko’s grin slowly disappeared.

“As for resentment, I’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

“…How?”

“Don’t know. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.”

“……..”

Momo silently stared at Miko.

“…Alright. Let’s leave it at that for now.”

She threw the book back at Miko.

“I’ll give you more time, but I’ll definitely get you to train again.”

Momo glanced over at Nina standing by the door.

(I thought he overcame his rage, but when he smirked it was overflowing with bloodlust. He definitely has better control over himself, but the chance of him snapping again is still there….Maybe it’s better for him to laze around as he said…At least for now.)

Momo walked up to Nina. She leaned over and whispered in her ear.

“I don’t know what Gramps ordered you to do, but be careful. He’s hard to control.”

She stepped back.

“Oh, yeah. Two years ago you could tell what I was thinking and would come to me before I asked, but you haven’t done that for a while…Why is that, Nina?”

“….There’s no special reason.”

Momo silently stared at her and smiled.

“Lately, it’s easier to tell what you’re thinking, Nina.”

Momo patted Nina’s shoulder.

“Like I said, be careful.”

She walked out of the door, yet Nina could still hear her voice.

“If it becomes too much for you, I’m always willing to help.”

“Nina.”

She turned towards Miko.

“Yes.”

Miko patted the bed.

“Come sit with me.”

“….Okay.”

She walked up to Miko’s bed and sit beside him. He leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder. He didn’t take his eyes off the comic he’s reading.

“Is that comic interesting?”

“Yeah. It follows a young boy who one day discovered he was actually a demon adopted by his human parents. The discovery caused his world to crumble around him. He’s trying to discover who he really is.”

(Another series about self-discovery…)

Nina nodded.

“It sounds interesting. May I borrow it when you’re done?”

“……..”

Miko remained silent for a bit causing Nina to look down. Her eyes met with Miko’s. They locked on her with great intensity. It was as if they were staring into her soul.

“………”

It was only after some time did Miko turned back to the comic.

“…You can have it when I’m finished.”

“….Thank you.”

Several months later, Miko had received a new guest, Kirika. She arrived with Momo and they met inside the palace library.

“You’re telling me, he spends all his time reading?”

“Pretty much. He and his servant Nina.”

Momo pointed at Miko and Nina sitting around a table surrounded by stacks of books.

“….Servant? His family isn’t allowed to meet him but a servant is? What’s the deal with that?”

“Nero-style counseling I guess.”

Momo shrugged.

“Do you want to meet him?”

“………”

Kirika watched as Miko shared a book with his servant. There a slight smile on the servant’s face, but Miko was deadpan. He looked up from the comic a bit and glanced at Kirika. Without a change in expression, he looked back at the book.

“….I think I’ll pass. I came here to scold him, but my instincts are telling me that would have a negative effect. However, I would like it if you could tell me more about that servant. I’m interested in what kind of existence she is to Miko.”

Momo smiled.

“I knew you would be interested in her.”

Later that night, Miko was at a table drinking tea as he watched Nina laying in his bed. She was sleeping while holding a book.

“…….”

He sipped his tea as his eyes landed on the smile on her face. He then glanced at his reflection in the tea. He curled his lips to form a smile. The smile vanished as quickly as it came.

“I see….So this is how it feels.”

A few days later, Miko was resting his head on Nina’s lap with his eyes closed while she was reading.

“Nina, how did you come to love reading so much?”

“Why the sudden question?”

“…In the past, you would answer without batting an eye. Now you openingly questioned my words and some times ignores them.”

He slowly opened his eyes.

“You’re not much of a robot as you were when we met.”

“…Lady Momo said the same thing.”

“That’s because you’re obviously changing. Before, I thought you didn’t have emotions, but it seems you merely closed them off. You killed off your heart and turned into a machine that would carry out any order.”

Miko poked the book in Nina’s hand.

“You were like those characters in the novels we read.”

Nina closed the book.

“…When I was younger I was deemed a failure by my parents because I didn’t show any special abilities. They had always wished for a higher standing in the clan, but had failed to climb up with their own strength. So they pinned all their hopes on their child.”

“So when you turned out to ordinary, they grew to despise you? Characters like those actually hated themselves more than anybody else, and choose to take out their frustrations on those close to them.”

Nina nodded.

“I was taught to be the perfect servant. A heartless machine that would carry out any mission without fear for their own well-being. This was my parents last ditched effort to climb up the social ladder.”

“And they planned on using their child as a stepping stone, huh?”

Miko lifted his hand and placed it on Nina’s cheek.

“So time away from them has made you regain your heart.”

He smirked.

“Sounds like something straight out of a young adult novel.”

“…Is it a problem if I become more expressive.”

He gently brought her face down to his.

“There’s nothing wrong with it. You shouldn’t feel the need to kill your heart for anyone’s sake. You should just do whatever makes you happy.”

He smiled as his image reflected Nina’s watery eyes.

“It’s your life, live it as you wish. After all, free will is a privilege some aren’t born with.”

He wiped the tears gathering her eyes and spoke with a smile.

“Hey, how about we go out tomorrow?”

The next day.

“I’m surprised you finally got to leave the palace.”

Momo walked with Nina and Miko through a meadow.

“I had Nina asked the old man, he said as long as you were with me there wasn’t a problem.”

“I see, but why do you suddenly wanted to go out?”

Miko pointed in front of him. Nina was walking ahead without pause. She looked around with sparkling eyes.

“Other than when she and the old man came to capture me at the capital, Nina has never left the palace grounds before.”

Momo’s eyes widened.

“Shocking, isn’t it? That’s how much of her life her parents held control over.”

“So you wanted her to see the rest of the Primus Domain? It’s nice, but why would you do that?”

“Who knows. Maybe I just wanted her to be free of all her troubles?”

“….What about you? Are you finally free?”

“……..”

Miko watched as Nina ran to the top of a hill. She looked down the hill and waved at him and Momo. He smiled and slowly waved back.

“Yeah, I’m finally free.”

He turned at Momo and smiled.

“I finally know what I must do.”

Momo’s chest tightened. She placed her hand over her heart. Miko looked away and started walking towards Nina.

“…What is this bad feeling?”

Some time later, Miko was sitting across a table with Nina.

“….It’s been three years since I came here.”

“It has? Should we celebrate?”

“Celebrate my confinement?”

“No, we’ll celebrate the anniversary of us meeting.”

Miko’s eyes widened. Nina lowered her book slowly.

“…You don’t want to?”

Miko smiled and placed his hand Nina’s face.

“Nina.”

“Yes?”

Her image reflected in his eyes and his in hers.

“I‘ve decided to kill myself.”

“………….Eh?”

He took his hand off her cheek. Her lips trembled and her eyes quivered.

“W-What did you say?”

Miko placed his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands.

“I’m planning to commit suicide.”

“W-Why?!”

Nina banged the table as she stood up.

“Why? I just acknowledge that you were right. My family would reject me if I try to destroy everything.”

“B-But that was—”

“It was just you trying to break my spirit as my grandfather ordered.”

Nina’s eyes widened while Miko kept the smile on his face.

“I always knew what you were doing from the start. You made me consume stories where characters had similar views as me and ended up living lives of solitude. Sometimes they were the villain, the supporting cast, or even the protagonist.”

“If you knew then—”

“I shouldn’t take it seriously? I suppose I shouldn’t.”

Miko chuckled a bit.

“But you know, Nina. Even though I knew what you were doing it doesn’t change the fact you were merely showing me the truth.”

He spread his arms.

“My desires are twisted, cruel, disgusting, and intolerable. If I was to follow my heart that was devoured by rage and destroy everyone who wronged me and my family, I would end up becoming the enemy of the world. I would end up alone, feared, and even hated by those I loved more than anything in this world. There would definitely come a time when I’ll be forced to kill the ones I fought to protect in the first place.”

He brought his hands to the side. The smile slowly faded and his eyes narrowed.

“For me, such a future is no different than hell. If I was to carry out my desires knowing the fate that awaits me, then it would only mean I’m no longer myself. It would mean that I’m too far gone and beyond saving. If such time should come, I would wish for those I love to kill me before I come to harm them.”

He looked at Nina.

“It’s because I don’t want to burden them with such a task why I wish to die before it happen.”

“C-Can’t you just give up your desires?! Can’t you just live idly like we’ve been doing these three years?! Can’t you just stay by my side forever?!”

Miko didn’t answer. He just stared at her with dull eyes.

“?!”

Nina placed her hand over chest. She dug her nails into her skin as she gritted her teeth.

“This is my fault….It’s because I carried out my orders without thinking. It’s because I’m just a heartless woman!”

“You’re wrong, Nina.”

Miko stretched his hand wiped the tears flowing from her eyes.

“I’m just broken. I’ve always been broken and will remain broken until the day I die.”

He smiled.

“You on the other hand are kind and deserve to be happy.”

Nina grabbed his hand.

“I’m broken too. We’re broken together.”

“…You’re not making sense.”

Nina looked him in the eyes and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and slowly reopened after a long time. When she opened them, her eyes were dull and lifeless. The atmosphere around her had completely changed.

“Nina….”

“Young Master, I am your servant. My life belongs to you. It ends when yours ends. So please use it as you wish.”

“………”

Miko looked at her in silence before sighing.

“Fine, then how about this? We will live as we please until my 15th birthday and I complete my coming of age ceremony. I doubt Tiamat will choose me to be her Proxy, so if by then neither of us found a reason to live on, we’ll commit double suicide.”

(This is two years from now, by then Nina should find a reason to live on.)

“And if one of us finds a reason to live and the other hasn’t?”

Miko paused after Nina’s question.

“Then, the one who has found a reason will put the other out of their misery.”

Nina squeezed his hand.

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Nina lips formed a smile.

“Then, we should make the little time we have together as enjoyable as possible.”

Nina climbed on the table and crawled over to Miko. Before he could pull away, she kissed him on the lips. Miko’s body stiffened up. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her body against him. They crashed on the ground. Miko looked up at Nina saddling him with a flushed face. She opened her blouse and grabbed Miko’s hand. She placed it on her chest while looking him in the eyes.

“…….”

“……..”

Without saying a word, Miko and Nina leaned in for a kiss. That night, the two’s relationship changed forever.

“Your mission is accomplished?”

The next day, Nina was kneeling before Nero’s throne.

“Yes, the Young Master has abandoned his desire for revenge. His spirit is broken but I believe it will be healed over time.”

“By you?”

Nina slowly shook her head.

“It has recently come to my attention that I’m incapable of healing the Young Master’s heart. I’m just not that type of person. I will only bring him pain.”

“….Then, I suppose you think he should be reunited with his family?”

“Yes.”

“………”

Nero silently stared at the kneeling Nina.

“Your demeanor has returned to what it was originally. Why?”

“I believe this is the true me, I believe everyone would be happier this way.”

(The old you wouldn’t use emotions as a reason for doing something…)

Nero smiled.

“You’ve become a worse actress than when we first met.”

“……..”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Since you think your mission is over, I’ll take your word for it. Miko will be allowed to return to his family. As for you, I take it you wish to remain at his side?”

“Only if you permit it, My Lord.”

“I do. Since it’s came so far I wish to see how the story of the two of you will play out.”

Nero flicked his wrist and a glass of wine appeared in his hand. He rose the glass.

“To your future, Nina Dragna. I wish for it to be filled with the happiness you deserve.”

“……….”

Nina slowly opened her eyes. She found herself staring at a unfamiliar ceiling. She tried to lift her hands but couldn’t. She looked down and saw her limbs bind with shackles and chains. She stared at the chains for a while before looking back at the ceiling.

“I see, we lost.”

She didn’t know why but she couldn’t stop smiling.

“Nina Dragna.”

Her cell room door opened and Royal guards walked.

“You’ve been summoned.”

Her smile grew wider.

“I guess it’s time to keep our promise, Miko.”

A single tear fell flowed down her cheek.

“Our story has reached its climax.”