Chapter 22 -- That Dad, Claude (5)

Birds chirped outside his window. Lifting his head, the emperor could see sunlight filtering through his window. It was a sharp contrast to his eyes, darkened shadows.

Felix seemed to have given up after days of banging outside his door. The knight had been quiet for the past day. For the first time, Claude was able to think clearly. The throbbing headache that had been tormenting him had disappeared. But, in contrast to his mood, the emperor himself looked pale and listless.

Yes. Now that my condition has improved, I will get rid of the source of these headaches. Once and for all, I will end this war of attrition.

Claude stormed toward the Emerald Palace. Strangely, he knew where the girl named "Athanasia" would be. When the emperor saw her in the middle of the rose garden, golden hair dancing in the wind, he felt a pang of yearning. But today, he would not let himself be swayed by that feeling. Collecting all of his murderous intent in his hand, he reached for the face in front of him without a bit of hesitation.

They were surrounded by rose petals and the ear-shattering sound of magic clashing against magic.

The girl must have known that he was trying to kill her. But she did not take a single step away from him. Was her body frozen in fear, perhaps? Or maybe she believed he would not be able to kill her. Whatever the reason, she was a fool. The wiser choice would have been to run away. Claude pretended not to notice how a part of him wished that she would do just that.

He was the one that had placed the protective magic on her, yet he was destroying it with his own two hands.

How absurd.

He chuckled dryly. Tens of tight layers of magic barriers had been placed on her.

Isn't this almost obsessive? It's as though the magic cast on her would not allow her to suffer so much as a single papercut.

Slowly, a question bloomed inside him. Pieces of shattered magic scattered in the air. Was this really what he wanted? When it was over, would he regret it? Despite these thoughts, Claude clenched his teeth and forced himself to continue.

Of course. This is why I came to this garden. But if so...why does it feel as though I'm dying?

The mere idea of her dying frightened and horrified Claude.

Another layer of protection magic broke. Now there was only one layer left. Finally, his hand wrapped around the girl's throat. Her beating pulse vibrated against his palm. Unconsciously, he loosened his grip ever so slightly.

Suddenly, a wave of white light danced before his eyes. Something else mingled with the light. Initially, Claude thought that it was merely the residue of broken magic. He was wrong.

In the next moment in time, a wave of white light danced before his eyes. Then suddenly, something else that was white mixed with the petals and whirled their surroundings. He initially thought they were residues of broken magic, but he was wrong.

They were blindingly clear bubbles. The form of the person before him was disappearing along with them. His eyes widened. Everything was dizzyingly bright. Was it reality or a dream? Claude stood with his hand hanging absentmindedly at his side. Her body was dissipating into the air. He reached for her again. Only, this time, it was not with the intent of killing her.

Everything was dizzily white. The emperor couldn't differentiate if he was standing in a dream or reality. As Claude absentmindedly stood with his hand fallen by his side, the girl's body was turning into bubbles and scattering in the air. He immediately reached for her again. But this time, he did not extend his arm to kill her.

No. Don't go.

Just as he had in his dream, the desperate emperor called out. But his hand could grab at anything but those bubbles.

"Bye, Dad."

In the middle of a blinding light was the girl, tears pooling in her eyes. She gave him a small, sad smile. Then, she whispered what felt like her last goodbye.

He had never experienced that kind of horror.

Amid the heavy silence that followed, the devastated Claude stood in the rose garden, alone. The root of his madness and confusion had disappeared, but the pain he felt now was hundreds of times worse than before. Despite not knowing what it was that he'd lost, the sense that everything he had was gone strangled him.

"YOUR MAJESTY!"

Claude hadn't moved an inch when Felix and the other palace servants came running up to him.

"Your Majesty, what happened?"

"Princess Athanasia. Where is Princess Athanasia???"

The chaotic magic had made it impossible to approach the garden. Now that it was gone, they charged in. The faces of Felix and the maids of the Emerald Palace were pale.

"She disappeared." He uttered. His low voice was rumbling in his ears.

They looked momentarily relieved that he had not killed the princess. However, Claude could not accept that the girl had vanished right in front of him.

She escaped before my very eyes. She dared to leave uttering those words.

He clenched his teeth.

Something like that… I can never accept it. Never!

A single rose sat on the ground in the same spot that the girl had disappeared. Its stem was coated in drops of bright, red blood. The sight of it stung Claude's eyes.