Substitute
I returned to Veirya. Angelina sat up. I admit I was very impressed with Angelina. She could still move despite Veirya having broken her ankles. Angelina chuckled in a ridiculing tone: “So, Mr. Hero, what good news to do you have?”
“Knight number one hundred and twenty-seven, correct?” I asked. “I’ve burnt all documents related to knight number one hundred and twenty-seven. Henceforth, Angelina, you never lived with the chapel or fought for them. You never existed before. You’re just a mother; end of story. You don’t exist in the chapel’s records.”
Angelina shut her eyes, seemingly disappointed with me. In a quiet voice, she argued, “You can’t erase everything. If they want to know, they’ll definitely have a way of finding out who is knight number one hundred and twenty-seven. That was pointless.”
“You misunderstood. I’m not trying to stop anyone from investigating; I’m signalling to Queen Sisi. Queen Sisi will know what I did and what I’m thinking when she sees knight number one hundred and twenty-seven missing. She’ll understand… I think. She’s in a very good mood at the moment. I need to go and talk to her as well as clean up. Veirya, take Angelina back to the inn. It’s just over there; see that building? Go there and someone will guide you.”
“Mm…” Veirya kept her usual tone, but she looked slightly angry. She frowned, which was extremely rare, since she rarely shows any expressions. “I came to find you. Yet you keep telling me to leave time and time again. Do you. Not want to see me?”
“No, no, absolutely not!! It’s not that I don’t want to see you… but… but… it’s best if I meet Queen Sisi by myself for this. After all, you have to keep an eye on Angelina, don’t you?”
“Veirya’s angry, because I’m not with her? Is this for real?!” I wondered.
Veirya frigidly responded, “After you came here. You didn’t write any letters, either. I didn’t know. How you were doing. So I. Came here. Once I arrived. You kept. Avoiding me. I want to know. Why.”
“No, no!! I’m not avoiding you… I’m very eager to see you, as well. I’ve always been thinking of you…”
“Then, why. Did you not write a letter? When fighting in a war. You must report to the chief. But. You didn’t say anything. That’s why I rushed here.”
“It was… was… I just didn’t know what to say…”
“Why? Why. Do you not know what to say…?”
“I… I…”
I thought that I had the gift of the gab. At the very least, I was able to feel what love was when I first met Ascilia.
I tried to make sense of everything in my mind: “Why am I speechless in front of Veirya…? Am I really in the wrong…? Should I have written to Veirya? What’s she getting at, though? Is she jealous, because I gave her to cold shoulder?! “No way. No way… What should I do now? How do I get a jealous girl to not be jealous?’ I remember hearing I should hug her in this situation? Do I kiss her after? Veirya usually bashes her teeth against mine anyway. It shouldn’t be a major issue, right…?”
Veirya watched me approach with a puzzled expression. I vigorously pulled her into my embrace. She didn’t resist, but she was confused as to what exactly happened. I pushed her back slightly to look into her eyes. I wasn’t looking at Angelina’s eyes this time. Before me was the authentic Veirya…
“Hug the girl, then kiss her, then tell her that you truly love her…” I told myself.
My heart raced as I looked at Veirya’s face. My mind was totally blank. Every centimetre taken in her direction was an arduous challenge. I couldn’t do anything… Veirya had no idea what I wanted to do. Truth be told, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, either…
“Hug Veirya. Kiss her… I… I… I can’t possibly do that!!!” I tried to convince myself. I covered my face and spun around. My heart felt as though it’d burst. The immense embarrassment and shame tore me apart. I pondered, “It’s no big deal; she wouldn’t know what I want to do, right?”
“He wants you to kiss him.” That was Angelina who said that out of nowhere. She supported her arm and looked at us with a weird smile.
I wanted to blurt, “So out of all times, you choose now to have self-awareness as a mother?!! You’re going to watch your daughter in love with a mischievous smile? It’s easier said than done!!”
“Is that right?” asked Veirya. She was finally composed. She suddenly grabbed me. I couldn’t match her strength. Therefore, all I could do was watch her face swiftly lean in and feel the familiar crash and dizzy sensation that resulted from the collision. Pleased, she leaned back: “Lead the way. To the place you said. As for seeing Queen Sisi. Bring it up later.”
“All right…”
My head spun due to the physical trauma from the collision as well as the sensation on my lip. The familiar feeling nearly brought me to tears. Angelina’s kiss from before felt amazing, but Veirya’s teeth bash was what I missed most… albeit being quite painful…
I genuinely thought I’d lose my teeth at some point if she continued bashing my teeth.
Angelina was astonished. After a short moment of hesitation, she questioned, “Is that how you two always kissed…? Does it not hurt?”
“Isn’t that. How it’s supposed to be?” asked Verya, looking back at me with a bemused look.
Angelina quietly laughed: “Next time, I’ll teach you how to kiss; otherwise, you and him are going to lose your teeth sooner or later. I’ve got nowhere to go now, so I’ll be sticking to you from now, Veirya. You still have a house, don’t you?”
There was a tinge of a plea in Angelina’s tone tone. I didn’t know what she was pleading for.
“Is she pleading her daughter for forgiveness or to take her in?” I wondered.
Veirya turned her head to look at Angelina. Her eyes were void of emotion as usual.She didn’t respond, nevertheless. Instead, she then turned back to face me and timidly asked, “What do you think? Can you accept. What was done to Leah?”
“Mm.” I faced Angelina. While there was a hint of distrust in her eyes, she didn’t comment. She silently waited for me to speak. I solemnly said, “Angelina, you should be aware of your mistake this time. I’m not taking you in this time out of kindness. Needless to say, I definitely am not the type to carry out meaningless vengeances. That said, what I most want you to fill in for is the role of a substitute.”
“A substitute?” asked Angelina, accompanying her question with a soft laugh. “What do you want me to substitute Veirya for? You want me to be your wife, or did you want to seek romance with me seeing as Veirya is clueless?”
“I never even thought about that! I’m thinking that, if there ever comes a day, and I’m saying if that day every comes when Her Majesty wants to harm Veirya and I can’t save her, Angelina, I hope that you’ll be able to take Veirya’s place. That’s when you’ll repay me.”
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