CHAPTER 20: THEIR WORRIES

"Your Highness!" Ashla rushed into Stiria's room.

Stiria, who was reading her book, looked up at her. When she saw Ashla's expression, she felt something bad had happened.

"Ashla, what is it?" She stood up from her lazy chair.

Ashla took a deep breath before she told Stiria about what happened in the throne hall. Stiria's eyes widened before she ran out of her room with Ashla and her maidservants following behind.

A moment later, they arrived in the infirmary building and went straight to the emergency room. Outside the room, she saw her brothers and friends. Their expressions looked very gloomy and miserable.

"Brother!" She called and stopped beside them.

"Stiria..." Xcerox turned his head to her. The hands that were folded released down.

"It seems you already know..." Miulwess guessed from her expression.

Stiria nodded and turned her head to the emergency door.

"How is Zeliker now?" She asked with worry.

Xcerox brushes his hair back. "He's fine. They're checking on his body right now, ensuring that he had no other complication."

"I see. I hope everything is alright..." Her heart was beating anxiously and finally, calm down a little.

He's strong. Yes, don't forget he is also a royal demon, Stiria…

She thought quietly.

"Gizelis, calm down. He's safe now." Nish patted Gizelis back when he saw Gizelis sniffed with red eyes.

"I know... It's just... I felt so awful for allowing it to happen again."

Silvert beside him with his back to the wall and folded hands, closed his eyes that showed the same one as Gizelis. He breathes in and out calmly. But, he couldn't help remembering the situation in the throne hall. He snapped open his eyes when the emergency door also opened.

Zeliker, who was no longer wearing an oxygen mask and lay on the stretcher, was pulled out by the nurse. However, his neck was bandaged and an IV bag was connected to his right arm.

Bekura and a doctor were seen coming out too and everyone gathered around them while looking at Zeliker.

"He'll be up soon enough. He is after all a royal rank demon. You should be glad that he's not like a normal demon. Otherwise..." Bekura didn't continue and they all understood her.

Finally, a relieved look was on their faces.

"How long before he wakes up?" Xcerox asked.

"Well, maybe about one to two weeks."

"What?!" Everyone there was shocked.

"Alright, I'll need to bring him to a ward and Your Highnesses and everyone can see him later after half an hour."

Zekies, the doctor told them and later ordered some nurse to push the stretcher away. They all looked at Zeliker until he was gone.

"Alright, I'm going back to the technician building. I have a lot of work to be done."

Bekura left them with Dian following. Dian had waited outside with Xcerox and others before.

"Hm... You know, Zeliker did faint for a week after he was brought here..." Gizelis suddenly remembered something a long time ago.

"Now that you mention it, it does happen. But I thought a royal demon who was injured so badly would be up and in vigour again within four days. For the royal demon, they only took two days to recover. How come Zeliker took a long time?" Frix was confused.

They all turn their heads toward Silvert.

"Zeliker... He is different. His injuries since he was born really took a long time to recover. Although he was strong, his body was easily injured. Even a tiny scratch would recover very slowly."

Everyone's eyes widened after they heard it. No wonder they were confused when they saw Zeliker was still wearing a bandage around his injured left eye and body three months ago.

He had a slow recovery!

"My god... Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Xcerox asked him.

If he knew earlier he would have accompanied Zeliker to their dimension and hid him there instead of moving to the throne hall. With Zeliker's personality, he would have guessed Zeliker's next action but it was too late to stop it. And he really regretted it.

Such a self-sacrifice bastard was hard to take care of!

Silvert shrugged. "He doesn't want to make you worry about him so he hides it."

"It doesn't seem to me he cares about it now after exposing his other weakness. When did you find out that Zeliker can't drink human blood?" Frix turned his head to Silvert.

"A day after I arrive here. Zeliker told me about it."

"So, you didn't know about it before?" Ashla looked stunned.

Zeliker seems to have a lot of hidden secrets for them to discover later.

Silvert shook his head. "I only thought he was kind when he let go of his human slaves. That's why I try my best to take care of him. His kindness wasn't seen on any other royal demon and I feel glad if he stays like that forever." He gave a small smile.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"It's almost half an hour. Let's go check on him now." Miulwess told them.

They move to where Zeliker's ward was assigned.

A week later...

"The wound on his neck has fully recovered. But, I advise that you always watch over him. Doing such an action, it could lead to death someday."

Zekiez told Silvert and Gizelis who were around in Zeliker's ward. He already found out about Zeliker's slow recovery which was not that slow like a human but still slow for a demon.

Silvert nodded. "We understand, doctor. Thank you."

"Well, I'm going to take a look at other patients. Excuse me." Zekiez left the room while bringing his examining tools.

Gizelis sighed and Silvert looked at him.

"He'd better be obedient after this. I really don't want to get through another attempt suicide scene."

Silvert chuckled. "If you can stop him, I will give you a diamond sword."

"Really?!" Gizelis's smile widened.

"Of course." Silvert gave him a grin.

"Huh? Wait. You're going to give me a copy-made one, huh?" Gizelis just remembered Silvert's ability.

"No, no, this time it's real. If you can stop Zeliker next time, I'll give you the sword instantly."

Gizelis stared at Silvert like it was hard to believe him. They have accompanied each other for a week without Zeliker, and so, these two Zeliker fans have been exchanging their stories about Zeliker which was their favourite topic to talk about. It was impossible to speak it in front of Zeliker.

If Zeliker knew it, he would dump these two idiots in the lake garden until they died in the water. However, Zeliker did sometimes have a scrunch expression like he was dreaming of something bad. No one knew what he dreamed of and it coincidentally happens when these two idiots talk about him.

"By the way, King Elamos is asking for his presence in Drick. Do you think he would agree to go?"

Elamos, Zelfon and their guards have returned to their kingdom and were preparing to release the demons in their custody to Eskimos. But, Elamos wanted Zeliker to be one of the people who came to take the demons.

Silvert shrugged. "I don't know but… Do you think he will go or not? Let's bet." He feels mischievous right now.

"What? It's no fun betting with just the two of us…" Gizelis rolled his eyes.

"So, we must ensure everyone has a bet on it too." He continued with a smirk.

"Agree."

Unbeknownst to them, Zeliker just woke up and heard their discussion. He really wanted to avoid these two idiots. And had to fake sleeping again.

"Oh, you guys are here early. How is Zeliker?"

Stiria with her maid, Kiara, comes to visit Zeliker again. She has been doing that every day.

She brought pick up fresh flowers in her hands. As for Kiara, she moved around to the other side of Zeliker's bed and took the vase situated on a small cabinet near the bed. Then, she threw away the wilted flowers and prepared new fresh water in it. Stiria came closer to her and put the fresh flowers in the vase.

"His neck has already recovered. So, Your Highness doesn't need to be anxious anymore." Gizelis told her.

Stiria looked relieved. "Thank goodness. I can finally calm my heart."

"I hope he doesn't do that again. Silvert, please explain to him after he wakes up. His action of injuring his neck worried us all and made us couldn't sleep for the entire week. We are his friend, he should have considered our feelings too before he did it. I really don't want to see him doing that anymore…" Stiria's eyes reddened.

She understands why Zeliker did that. It was so Elamos could let the demon in his custody go but…

Why can't he decide on something else instead of slitting his throat?

Zeliker, who heard her sentences, was shocked.

They are worried about me? Is this what it means to have friends? Damn! I didn't consider their feelings at that time!

Zeliker scolded himself. Before he came here, he was always alone even with Silvert around. Doing such a thing has become a habit to ensure something follows his way. It was his plan and he didn't mean to make his new friends worry.

Since he started befriending them, he knows he can't die anymore. If he died, he would lose the light that brightened his lonely life. Dying would make him alone again in the death realm.

So, he doesn't want that and desires to keep living. It's just… He was tricking Elamos to agree. It's not like he was killing himself but only that way will make Elamos trust and believe that he had allied himself with humans. And it seems, Elamos did believe him.

Only, to make it more believable, he had to slit his throat to show his sincerity. So, from this moment on, he will try his best not to slit his throat again. He hopes he can keep it though…

"Mm…" He slowly showed them he finally regained consciousness.

"Zeliker!" Everyone gathered near him.

"Thank god, you've finally woken up! We are very worried, you know! So, don't do that self-sacrifice thing anymore or I would really tie you up!" GizeIs scold angrily.

Zeliker stared at him and slowly nodded. His replies stun Gizelis and Silvert.

Huh? Did Zeliker really agree?

"What?" Zeliker looked annoyed at these two so he turned his head to Stiria.

His eyes widened when he saw her expression. Tears were falling to her cheeks while she brushed them away.

"I'm glad… That you woke up now, Zeliker. Please… Please promise you won't do something bizarre like that again."

Her sorrowful voice reached deep into his heart. Somehow, her expression makes him feel so guilty.

Only she can do this to him? Why is that? Truly, his feelings for her are so confusing. What exactly is she to him?