Vows and Bullets
Chapter 169 - 4th Week of September (Part 3)

Chapter 169: 4th Week of September (Part 3)

Please DON’T READ this Chapter yet. I will update this 4th week of September!

Good news! My hands have healed now and I’m catching up on writing my missed Chapters. My apologies for all the delays. I will replace this Chapter with the real one soon, don’t worry, and upload a new one for the next day. I really apologize once again.

In the meantime, please enjoy the continuation of the story below titled "The King’s Beloved". This is the revised version I am planning to submit for paperback publication. Hopefully, I get a chance someday.

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(Part 32 - Continuation...)

"What?" Rania replied, baffled. "And... wait a minute—things that happened to me? How did you—"

"I’m not done yet," she hushed her. "There really is a barrier in that pavilion you’re talking about. The Forbidden Chambers, the pavilion and meadow in between, plus half of the Forbidden Forest which is this part where we are right now, have a barrier separating it to the Grand Palace and the rest, that even I or anyone at all, can’t pass. With all honesty, I am surprised, too, why and how you managed to get inside."

Rania’s eyes widened. Realizing the truth in her words, she finally calmed down. Luna was right. She only became angry and short tempered when she realized that the masked man was a Magi. When she thought he was a human at first, she was kind to him, even lending her cloak during the banquet. But after knowing the truth, she suddenly became irritated. Plus the fact that he’s hard to talk to.

"Haaaahhhh," Rania breathed deeply. "Right. I’m so sorry. I was just a bit frustrated. I—haaah, I’m really sorry." She bowed her head and bit her lips.

The masked man didn’t seem to mind it though. Instead, he glided towards Rania again in a flash and wiped the tears from her eyes, gently brushing his fingers to her cheeks, much to her and everyone’s surprise. She gasped in shock, speechless.

"A book I read said, girls look better smiling than crying," he said in a gentle manner. "So don’t cry if you don’t want to be ugly. Beauty is important to girls, right?"

A moment of silence passed by. Until the silence became a series of laughter.

***

Chapter 11 FRIENDS

"Pft! Ha-ha-ha-ha!" everyone burst out laughing.

"Hm? Why are you laughing?" the masked man asked, unable to read the atmosphere.

"That—pft! Beauty is not always what’s important to girls. But yes, smiling is better than crying. Is that your way to comfort me? A Magi comforting a human... that’s new."

"... Not really."

"Then why did you wipe my tears?"

"... I don’t know," he answered as if it was a whole mystery to him as well.

"And you said you didn’t help us earlier. The surroundings will be silent if you let the lupus attack us since we’ll be dead, but you didn’t wait for that to happen. You saved us just in time. Why did you save us? It’s not just because it’s noisy, right?"

Hearing those words, the masked man wondered himself. "Hmm... you’re right. I—I don’t know."

"It felt wrong, didn’t it? Seeing us attacked, and seeing me cry, even if we’re strangers."

"... I guess so."

Rania sighed in relief.

I see. I think I get him a bit now... though it’s still too early to tell. But we’re kinda the same in that area—jumping in to save others before we even think about it. He’s actually kind and he’s too oblivious to know that that’s already the case. What’s worse is that he can’t communicate well. He just asks anything he thinks of, probably—like a child? Maybe Luna is right. Maybe he’s been alone all this time making him like that. If there really is a barrier and they can’t get out of here, then that explains it. Either that, or it’s just really his personality.

"Anyway, can you tell me your name please? How should we address our savior if we don’t know his name?" Rania asked.

The masked man paused before answering. "Since you’re a human, I guess I can say my name. Ducis said not to tell my name to any Magi. He didn’t mention humans."

"Ducis?" she raised her eyebrows.

"My pet."

"Oh, I see. What kin—"

"My name is Elliot. Nice to meet you, Rania," he interrupted and introduced himself, offering his hand for a shake.

Rania was surprised yet again.

Now, this feels weird. Introductions should be first before the talk but, whatever. At least he knows how to properly introduce himself,

Taking Elliot’s hand, she chuckled.

"Nice to meet you, too, Elliot."

"And I’m Luna!" Luna butted in, smiling and flying around them. "Nice to meet the both of you!" The other sprites followed and introduced themselves as well.

After that, Rania decided to go back to the pavilion and stay there for the night. It’s not like she could ask Elliot to let her stay wherever he was staying—they weren’t that close and she still didn’t trust him a hundred percent. Plus the fact that he’s a guy, and his peculiar behavior. Though her instinct kept telling her he’s not a bad guy, still, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious, right?

Elliot and the sprites accompanied Rania to the pavilion. Once they arrived, Luna showed the barrier to Rania which looked like a thick glass covering the whole place when she tapped on it. It was solid and indeed, they couldn’t get through it. But when Rania tried, she easily went through, much to everyone’s amazement.

"Amazing! How can you do that, Rania?" Luna asked with her eyes sparkling in wonder.

"I’m not sure. Maybe the barrier only works for you? Not for a human?"

"But other humans don’t see us."

"We see them all the time, during the day. But they just pass like they don’t see this place."

"Really? That’s weird. I’ve always seen this place."

"That’s why it’s interesting," Elliot interrupted. "I’ve read lots of books but I still don’t have the answer—even books about humans."

"You know about humans?"

"Yeah. Magi would often visit planets in disguise before—mostly for fun or during vacation. Earth is a beautiful planet abundant with spiritual energies humans don’t even use."

"HUH?! Wait a minute—is that why you came here? To get spiritual energies here, whatever that is? Is that why you conquered us?"

Elliot shrugged. "I don’t know. I never talked to other Magi before."

"Oh, of course. I’m so sorry."