Chapter VIII: The Ruler is a Traitor of the Empire
Nimbostratus clouds loomed over the abandoned kingdom of Clovisto, as the once serene place was filled with people busy preparing for the ritual to bring back the hope that had been gone for a long time.
Inside the temple, Khalid can be seen peeking outside the window, wearing a white, long, traditional-looking dress that made him look as pretty as a picture.
"What the hell am I even doing here?"
He asked himself as he lay on the bed while his thoughts were filled with cumbersome scenarios from the previous day.
****************************
People smile with hope lit in their eyes as they kneel in front of a little boy with such surreal beauty.
Everyone greeted him politely, but it just made him feel like he was an elephant in the room.
"We welcomed the Goddess Iris to our kingdom!"
The people shouted.
The two knights look at each other with a confused expression but soon persuade Khalid to follow along as they stare at his face. Looking at him, he was like a spitting image of the Goddess that people worshipped in this kingdom long ago, but after the war breakthrough, the great God of spring, Zephyros, disappeared because he had longed for the Goddess, which brought despair to the Clovisto kingdom after her presence disappeared.
People look for help from other neighboring empires, but no one dares lend a hand and put a blind eye to their situation, which causes the kingdom to fall into ruin.
"Milord, the choice is on you."
Reinhardt stated as he looked him in the eyes.
They were sitting inside the temple that can still be used as a shelter for the people. It was said that the Clovisto kingdom was rich and a paradise for some, but because no one tended to help, it lost its hope and beauty as kids and elders fell ill and became malnourished. Many people had died, and the temple had a hard time burying all the corpses, making the kingdom turn into a graveyard.
"Then I guess I would not care."
He responded, covering the entire place in silence that even the priest himself was left speechless.
It made him smile awkwardly, sweating like a bullet, as Khalid stared at him as if he were throwing daggers.
Looking at the priest, he looks rather young compared to his age, but even though he was devastated by their situation, what he did next shocked his two knights but left Khalid not surprised.
He doesn't even react when the priest kneels on the ground as he pleads with Khalid to be the next ruler and the Goddess of the kingdom.
"I beg you for the sake of the people of this land!"
The two look at him before Erwin begins to speak.
"Humans are cruel. I know, they aren't even trustworthy nor are strangers but still, the people in this land seek your salvation. Think of it as if you're grateful for helping us in the past, Your Highness!"
Erwin pleaded as he called him out with his title, making him remember that he was still part of the royal family no matter what the situation.
"Your Highness, in exchange, we would swear an oath to bless you with protection."
The priest looks at him in the eyes with confidence, he even smiles brightly as he greets Khalid politely.
Instead of blaming him for the fall and the breakout of the war for being the traitor of the Ammyrs empire, he was rather glad to see his well-being.
"Fine."
"Does that mean you agreed, Milord?!"
Erwin's eyes glistened.
Damn it! What am I getting myself into?
He thought as he hardly smacked his face.
Soon, he was persuaded by his two knights that even though Khalid doesn't like to act like a hero for a fallen land, he nevertheless agreed to follow along according to the priest request, as he looks indeed trustworthy for not leaving the people behind and sharing the sorrow and hardships all together without leaving anyone.
I'm going to kick the bucket anyway, so what's the point of being stubborn?
He sighed as he looked at the image of a beautiful lady hanging in his room.
Her hair was painted in a silvery ash that was gleaming in the dark spacious room. Khalid touched the painting as if he were seeing his reflection in the mirror, except for the beaming silver-ish-colored eyes of the goddess that look like glass.
It was well maintained, even though the kingdom was going through hardships.
Khalid then walked straight out of his room as he saw Reinhardt talking to the deacon.
The two bowed, looking at him with surprise, as if they were standing before the young Goddess Iris.
Khalid tapped Reinhardt on the shoulder, making a hand sign to inform him that he planned to get out. However, he was harshly rejected, as Reinhardt did not permit him to do so. But before Reinhardt could take him back to his room, Khalid swiftly ran off without looking back.
He managed to escape and looked around the town while seeing how countless people were busy preparing for the ritual.
As he took a stroll in the town, he stopped when he heard the voice of a child talking to his mother.
"Will we ever have food to eat?"
The child asked, staring at his mother as she embraced him while they both sat on the ground.
"Yes, dear. Only if the God of Spring accepts the new Goddess of this land."
The mother replied.
Khalid then took out a piece of bread and gave it to both of them.
I might disappoint them later...
He thought as the child thanked him, though Khalid just looked at them and didn't say a single word, as he was not permitted to speak after the end of the ritual.
Everyone's attention was then caught when a passel of men wearing the skin of a beast and armored entered and started a riot with the people who were busy sweeping the ground while wearing a mischievous grin painted on their faces as if they owned the land.
All the people cower and don't dare to look them straight in the eye, and as they pass through the civilians, they destroy all the decorations and beat up the people as if they were just mere insects.
"Tsk! What are you looking at?!"
After they finished hitting people, they continued to march, bumping into Khalid who's wearing a beautiful white traditional dress, making the big guy break into a terrifying smile.
"Well, well, well if you look at this. We can sell this girl for a high price."
The guy laughs as he tightly holds Khalid's hands.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"
All of them then start to laugh but soon stop when they see how his expression doesn't change at all. Seeing it, the guy seemed to be annoyed and firmly held it two times tighter than before, waiting for his plea, but still, he just stared at them blankly.
Who is this daft-looking man?! Tryna acts like what he looks like.
He thought as he stared at them with rather soulless eyes, which made the bandit furious, fuming like a raging bull.
He then took out the knife and was about to rip off Khalid's arm when a guy suddenly jumped from behind and attacked the bandits.
"Oof!"
The bandits groan in pain.
He then let go of Khalid's arms, which seemed to have left a mark and with a serious expression on his face, the man's long blond hair, that was styled in a long, lower ponytail sways as he moves around.
He didn't use any weapons as he fought the bandits with his bare hands. They charged toward him, and he simply knocked them down with the force of his two long fingers and palm, attacking them behind the nape that was enough to make them fall unconscious to the ground, defeating all of them without even breaking a sweat.
This is going to be troublesome.
Khalid thought as he saw his two knights running in his direction, who seemed to be stuck in the crowd as they were blocked by the people who hurriedly gathered around to fight back against the bandits. With all their weapons and feet, they steeped and threw things at them, which became a way for Khalid to escape from the scene without noticing that the guy had followed him from behind.
"Greetings, my lady."
The guy greeted Khalid politely as he stole a kiss on Khalid's hair, looking at him with a captivating look in his aquatic eyes that were deep like an ocean, but instead of being mesmerized by his beauty, Khalid just stared at him with an annoyed expression while frowning his brows.
Tssk! Now who is this perverted bastard?!
He asked himself as the guy held his chin and put him close to his face. Seeing him smile, the rantipole beast carved into his mind has changed into a sweet-looking, flowery guy.
"Pretty indeed."
The guy whispered, which made his eyes widen.
His smile was bright, but his eyes told the opposite. He could not even move an inch, being wrapped around his arms as if he were being held by death itself.
Crap! This guy is dangerous!
Khalid slapped his hands as he gave him a death glare.
Instead of fearing his expression, he was rather dauntless and calm, as he was left in shock when the guy purposely emitted a black-purple-ish deadly aura that couldn't be compared to Reinhardt and Erwin.
"Oh, so you tend to be in an effeminate mood."
He claimed, as he let out a chuckle.
If Khalid could just fight back right now, he would gladly end him without mercy, but then he was prohibited from tainting his hands after the ritual ended, which made him feel annoyed, especially when others treated him like a girl.
"MILORD KHALID!"
Reinhardt's voice echoed in his ears as they ran towards him with all their weapons prepared in their hands, shouting his name.
Erwin immediately takes Khalid away from the guy as he unsheathes his sword towards him while Reinhardt points his ax at his neck, already planning to cut it in half.
Watching them grit their teeth made him smile even more , which crept Khalid out.
Let's just go.
Khalid then made a sign where both of them stepped back, looking at him with a vicious glare in their eyes.
"Consider yourself lucky."
Erwin sneered as he drew back his sword, which made Khalid shake his head in disapproval.
No, Erwin, you are stating the opposite.
They walked back as he dusted off himself.
The guy left a smirk on his face as he saw Khalid's bruises disappear right before his eyes.
"Ah~ Milord~"
He whispered, giving off a tingling sensation in his ears.
.
.
.
After that day, the wedding ritual successfully took place in the middle of the town, where all the people had gathered to witness the God of Spring form a bond with his beloved Iris.
All the people, including the priest, had sung a mellifluous canticle to start the ceremony. They were all left in joy when the God of Spring, Zephyrus, showed up in front of them, walking from the sky as he was floating in front of Khalid with a galad smile.
He had the sweetest and most innocent appearance that you could immediately feel by just seeing his face.
Zephyrus then cradled Khalid's cheek and kissed him on the forehead, leaving him rather speechless.
"Iris..."
He called before he vanished right before his eyes, leaving him with floating petals dancing in the middle of the air.
Just then, the sky that had been covered in smog and the parched wells were soon filled with sparkling water. And as the sky became clear, it gives a petrichor scent to the ground, showering people with serein blessings from above that even the trees became aplenty of fruits, and the withered roses surprisingly came back to life in the blink of an eye.
Khalid walked out of the altar, watching as people danced and sang in joy, embracing the rain falling from the sky.
"I made it! Reinhardt, Erwin, I made it rain!"
Khalid exclaimed in joy.
The two knights look at him and smile as they both stand beside him, watching all the fun together.
Khalid then let the rain pour into his hands as he looked at the sky....
...When suddenly a voice came ringing in his ears.
You are just an impudent child who knows nothing! You will never make anyone happy!
It sent a sudden chill through Khalid as his eyes widened and trembled when he heard a deep, masculine voice whisper in his ear.
He wants to cover up his ears, but his hands won't move as if he were meant to hear everything.
"No, none of it was real."
He mumbled as he looked down and stared at his reflection in the puddle.
Looking at it, Khalid was petrified to see not his own face, but Khalid's soulless, bloody face staring back at him.
HA—Isn't it just an illusion?!
Khalid tried to persuade himself while knocking his head with his fists.
Everything you touch will fall into great despair. You are the one who caused everything, Hyun.
As the voice continues to ring in his ears, his luciform smile disappears while his face begins to gloom, facing the ground.
Erwin's smile faded as he looked at Khalid with worry. His expression turned dark as if he were eaten by silence while keeping his eyes locked up on the ground.
"A fool."
He mumbled to himself.
He was consumed by his thoughts, unaware of the Roman symbol that suddenly appeared on his hand as it quickly vanished, emitting a ray of light from the back of his palm.
Khalid De'l Urchtdorf, you have been given a blessing from the Goddess Iris.
A sweet, feminine voice whispered, but it wasn't enough for Khalid to get his attention.
[You have been given the blessing of Gale. Your sorrow will gladly be acknowledged by the sky.]
"Milord!"
"Khalid!"
The two called out to him in worry, but he didn't respond. His face was just marked by a deep crestfallen despair, like a forlorn wolf left whimpering in the dark winter night without anyone by its side, making his eyes appeared much colder and dead, as if he had been cursed from the start.