The Book Of Flowers
When They Are Together
...
"Claudia..."
"Yes, I'm here"
The woman greeted her hand gently, and placed it on her teary cheek
"Oh..... Claudia's... L'm... Can't do... Seeing you..."
"no need. Just touch me like this, until we're apart..."
"... Why would... We have to separate...?
Don't tell... You don't want to... With me again...?"
"No, no...!"
Claudia shook her head weakly, looking at Darwin's already increasingly limp face
"I will always be with you. I've been waiting for you in a faraway place"
"... Why...? You talk... As if we would... Die..."
"... Right too"
Claudia smiled in the middle of her cries, slowly dipping Darwin's palm gently
"We will never die. If we wake up in the same place later, I'll be with you until the end"
"... Where's the... That place...?"
"Either...
I only know that it's a far off place, where no living thing can reach it"
"You mean... Miralius...? That place is a grave for me... But it can never... Kumasuki..."
Claudia laughed wryly, with a body that started to shake and tears that were getting louder
In his heart he knew that he was just a clone of the late Claudia. But, inheriting the whole thing from the real Claudia, she could feel a deep pain. A second pain Claudia was able to feel in this situation
"Hey, hey-! You remember how we met the first time-?" Claudia asked
"Ah... That time... Who's that... Can you imagine that...?"
"really right? To be honest-I thought that I would-be dead at that time!"
"Your face is beautiful... Like moon... That month..."
Claudia continued to nod, as Darwin pointed towards the moon above them
"It was also my first mission - the failed one -"
But it was a sweet failure...
......................
hundreds of years ago, in an old kingdom----
...
"Huh? This intruder is a woman??"
The young man thrust out his face to take a closer look at the face of the woman held back by his troops
*Puh!*
...
"And she was a presumptuous woman, without manners. You can spit on a prince like me"
Spit on, he took out his handkerchief and wiped the spit marks off his face, as the woman snorted in annoyance
"Just calm. You're not a prince anymore"
...
The man fell silent, then started laughing to even make the two soldiers and the person they were holding look confused
He picked up a dagger lying on the floor right behind him. The tip of the dagger began to be thrust slightly into the tip of his finger, to ensure the sharpness of the object
After that, he turned around with a cynical smile
"I know"
And when everyone realized it, the dagger split the neck of one of his soldiers. It didn't take long for the second soldier to have a torn neck as well
The two fell to the floor, leaving the woman shocked by what had happened
He was silent and his body was frozen. Not one bit he thought, that the prince of the kingdom would kill his own soldiers. But it had just happened before him, and that was what made him freeze
Before he came to his senses, the prince surprised him by raising his face until their eyes met. The face that still had blood on its cheek, made the woman shocked half to death
And he smiled very widely, as if not the slightest bit of regret was visible on his face. A very wide grin, as if the person referred to as the prince was a demon who came straight from hell
Afraid, the woman closed her eyes, setting herself up when the knife would stab her as well
...
A few seconds had passed, and the knife did not touch his skin at all
Precisely, when he opened his eyes, the prince's face still looked smiling
Not long after, he felt his body lift up. It was the prince who lifted him into his arms, then began to walk between the hallways of his palace
He was still silent, without any clue about the puzzling situation
"Why? I'm saving you loh~"
...
"Of course I'm confused! Release!!"
But he had not yet made a move, the prince cut off his actions with a voice telling him to be silent
"Go to my room. And there, turn a picture of a queen on the wall until they're upside down. The secret path will open later, and go through it. You can do that, right?"
...
Doubt still lingered in his heart. But...
The woman also wants to stay alive. So, he had to find whatever way it was to get out
He nodded, responding to the prince who started smiling again with the reply
"May I ask your name?"
"... Claudia's. Just Claudia"
"What a good name. Similar to the name of a queen in the past of this kingdom"
The woman was slowly lowered, and she could immediately feel a pain in her leg from fighting with the soldiers
"My room is at the end of this hallway, then turn right. The biggest door on your left is the entrance"
"... Prince"
"Hm? Why?"
"Why do you want to save me? I killed your parents, you know?"
...
...
The prince turned a little. And his lost smile was replaced by that furious expression, leaving the woman shocked
He did not expect at all, a riled face full of sadness could be stuck on the face of the sadistic-looking person
"... I've paid you to kill them"
He was shocked to hear the prince's words, to reflexively take a step back
"... Never mind. Go and keep living"
Without another word, the prince handed the dagger in his hand to the woman, then turned around without a word
The woman took a moment. But after a while...
"Prince!"
...
The call for him made him look back at the woman who now looked confused
"... What's yourname?"
...
It was the first time he asked someone's name. It was the first time he cared about someone to the point of making him curious. It was the first time he had thought about something outside of his job
But...
He laughed at her, making her feel stupid
"Geez! You should have known! Who could try not to know the name of the successor of a kingdom!"
Although the prince's laughter began to hold, the woman felt a sense of shame she had never felt before
His embarrassment this time peaked, so he did not know what else to do and just wanted to disappear
"Alright, that's enough to seduce you...
I'm hm...? My name is Darwin"
He raised his head to hear the answer, until his eyes began to shine
"Just be married?"
The prince shook his head
"Darwin von Ziegler. Remember that and don't forget it"
......................
the next day, in a tavern----
"Hey Claudia!!"
"Wah-!!! What???"
"Heh~? Pensively alone since last~ Must be thinking of a man"
"A-It's none of your business, Gerta! Keep your nose out of my business" Claudia replied, plus a face turned away
The woman who was bothering him was sitting next to him, as Claudia drank down the glass of warm milk she had bought
"It's actually pretty good if you think like a normal woman. I meani... I know you since childhood"
"Why does a shitty woman like you have to train me to try?"
"Hey~! I can hear that murmur loh~"
Claudia snorted in annoyance, as long as Gerta just chuckled
...
"I knew losing your parents and being forced to sail all the way here was hard. But, I'll just say that you shouldn't lose your youth as well" Gerta said, sipping her beer mug
"... This is enough. I also have no other purpose in my life than to follow a mission..."
"Then, why are you pensive like that and just sitting here?"
Claudia's out of her mind. He only realized that all these things he did not usually do when all his friends were still together. He just sat at the table when all his friends were gone, accompanied only by a glass of warm milk and the owner of the shop
Come to think of it, it was rare for him to talk to Gerta in this 'normal' atmosphere. He did not think that the normal word would cross his head again
"So, can you tell me what you think~ is?"
"No. I don't want to"
Claudia distanced Gerta's face from nearby, then shifted herself a little further away from Gerta
"Colah~"
But Gerta did not give up and continued to approach him until Claudia fell
"What's wrong with you, woman??" Claudia shouted
"You're a woman too, aren't you? Anyway, I'll still insist on finding out"
Claudia was shocked to hear that
"Tu-wait! Better not!"
He knew very well that if Gerta wanted to find out something, she would have someone to tell her. And who knows, that person will spread what he knows with others
"A-I'll tell you later. It's privacy!"
Gerta smiled at the sign of winning
"Received~"
Claudia sighed, between feeling relieved and feeling riled up. Maybe both
...
"I have to admit, your story's a little funny and cute"
"I thought you would say that!!"
A frustrated Claudia immediately threw her knife against the wall, right about the head of Gerta's image that looked nothing like the original because she made a streak of the image herself
"Why? That's a compliment loh~?"
"You said my story was funny!!"
"After all, who tries who doesn't know"
Gerta continued with a small laugh looking at Claudia's expression, then began to lie down on Claudia's bed
"... Then, what are you going to do about that prince?" Gerta asked too
...
Claudia silently did not know what to respond to
He had never thought of anything that far, except regarding the exit and exit path from where he had infiltrated. That's why he's confused now
"What do you think I should do?" Claudia asked
"Entah~ Find out for yourself there!" Gerta answered, turning her body
"You like to piss me off!!!"
Gerta smiled, looking at Claudia who was crouching to the floor. He slowly got up and sat back down in front of the girl
"What does your heart say?"
...
Claudia was just silent, unable to answer with anything in her head
But if Gerta suggested what was in her heart...
"... I want to see him again. I'm still curious about him"
Claudia opens herself up to Gerta. It was the first time he was honest with himself
Gerta nodded with a smile full of sadness
"Then, go. Make sure if you come back, your body is still intact"
......................
a few days later ---
...
...
"Hello"
"... I'm sure I didn't drink alcohol last night..."
"It's the real me, so stop thinking of others"
Darwin saw the figure he had met and disappeared that night once more before him. Now, Claudia was in front of him, dressed as a servant
He did not believe it so he began to try to look at each end of Claudia's body from the top of her mattress
...
"You're beautiful in that outfit"
"It's a pity that compliments won't work on me. Wake up, your majesty!"
Claudia grabbed Darwin's blanket and began folding it, as Darwin got down from there with a face still filled with questions
His head was empty because he did not expect it to happen. He once again looked at Claudia who was still trying to fold her quilt, then turned away with a face that did not diminish his confusion
...
"So why did you call me here? All the servants even said that I might get you the death penalty"
"yeah. Someone who suddenly entered the king's room of this kingdom and woke him up in the morning blind, then acted as if this was his house would certainly invite gossip right?"
"That's detailed. You're pretty smart, even though my first impressions of you were 'brutal' and 'blood thirst'"
Darwin just chuckled as he continued walking beside Claudia
...
"... I invited you here because I wanted to ask" Darwin said
"What am I here about? It's because I snuck in"
"Then... Why did you sneak in here?"
"Because I'm curious about you. Watching yourself now is a 'mission' to me"
"So you're a spy?"
"Not exactly right. I was just observing for myself. I'm a client of myself"
...
Darwin realized one thing about Claudia's way of speaking, which was also shown by her attitude that could mimic the behavior of a servant
"You talk as if life is just full of missions"
Claudia turned to Darwin, then sighed
"This time it's not. This is the first mission I made, but it also cannot be called a mission" Claudia replied, with her head bowed
"Your words are contradictory"
"Then how should I describe it other than that?"
Darwin was silent not knowing what to answer
Then, in their silence, a messenger came before Darwin, carrying a message with a breath of breath
"Your highness...! Your majesty...! I'm getting word..."
His panic-stricken tone, made Darwin's instincts to say that the news would not be good. He asked the messenger to continue his words, holding the man's head before him
"I... I saw Orion's men walking here... To destroy us...
Their numbers are huge! I don't know what else to look at"
Darwin shut that guy's mouth. What he heard was enough
"So so. It is not enough that they deceive history, they also want to annihilate all those who oppose them"
"Certainly so! Because our adoration of Lazarus is compared to Marcellus', they're-!"
"They're stupid to oppose us"
However, from that news only Darwin knew that his opponent was not only Orion. They are not a kingdom that has a large army for now, considering that Lazarus has made a mess there not a few years ago
"That means, they are allied with all countries only to attack and destroy us..."
Darwin was upset at the time
Of all the kingdoms of men who worship Lazarus, only their kingdom remains and still holds fast. If they were destroyed, the entire depiction of Lazarus would be turned completely black
History is written only by the victor, and that is why Darwin did not want to lose, leaving behind a hidden fact that history must know
But, against such an army, he must know each of its members and know their weaknesses. Too bad, the scouts would definitely reject the mission out of fear
"... Who's our best scout? I want the man immediately sent to dig up the troop's information" Darwin said
"good. I will soon deliver this message to him"
Scouts...
The word flashed on Claudia's head, as she consciously raised her hand to attract the attention of the two people who were busy talking from earlier
"I can" He said without a shred of hesitation
Darwin's eyes immediately widened, but slowly showed an interest. He was interested in Claudia's self-applying, and that was why, his smile began to take shape
......................
-- One month later ----
...
...
"We won..."
Darwin sat under the tree, covered his face, and laughed
Claudia who was sitting next to him was just smiling sweetly at how happy the king he was serving was
He continued to tell at length how his army could defeat everyone there, without inflicting a single casualty from their side
How they burned that part of the forest, made a fiery cage that annihilated every enemy of theirs with arrows and stone-throwers
They did not even need to trouble Lazarus who had to deal with his younger brother many times. His supporters will remain in the world, and continue to support Lazarus until his goal is achieved
"Haha...! Wish you could see their frightened faces..." Darwin told Claudia
"no need. From your happy face I know what they look like"
"Rubber! But, what makes me so happy right now is that we can win against that many troops!"
"Hm hm~ you're very happy, and I'm also happy because of that"
...
Darwin was stunned to see Claudia who was busy preparing tea. He slowly sat up straight from where he was leaning, staring at Claudia with a curious face
...
"Claudia, you know? Only you call me, a king of this kingdom, by the word 'You'" Darwin said
Claudia was also flinched
"Oh, sorry. Did that offend you?"
"Either you intend to do it again, or it's a habit..."
Claudia looked down in embarrassment, hearing Darwin's response. She slowly plays her hair as she normally would when she is nervous
Seeing Claudia's behavior, Darwin immediately got an impression of a cute woman from him. And because of that, she took Claudia's hair on the other side, then dyed it slowly
Claudia was certainly surprised by the sudden movement, and reflexively took a step away, seeing Darwin who immediately laughed a little because of it
"I cannot be offended by the man who helped this country win. Besides, I didn't expect you to be loyal to my orders" Darwin replied
His smile changed at that moment. The width was the same, but the effect changed in Claudia's eyes
The smile was not as sadistic as usual. The face showed that he was just happy, like an ordinary person
A warm smile sign of joy
...
"You can also smile like that...?" Claudia muttered with a smile that followed Darwin
"Oh? Why why?"
"none. It seems... I don't know all the sides of you yet..."
Darwin just shook his head, then brought their faces closer to each other while holding Claudia's hand
"Then I give you a challenge
Unload my heart, mistress intruder"
...
Claudia smiled faintly at Darwin, and said "I accept, sadistic master"
They laugh with each other, while spending time drinking the prepared tea
......................
back to the present ---
"And I won... I made it..." Claudia whispered
Darwin only laughed softly to respond, with a big smile on his face
Love stories are boring in the eyes of others. Something they can usually hear on stage every day now
It's just, it's the love story of both of them, and it certainly stuck in the hearts of both of them until now
"I can even remember... How worried I was when you... Go on a mission..."
"People say that you sometimes cry all night out of fear"
...
"You melt my heart... I paid you to kill my parents... Because I don't like their decisions...
And who would have thought... Madam intruder will... It made me fall in love... Even until I... Gave him a new name"
Dolores. That was the name of the nobleman given to Claudia by Darwin...
"... Even bravely, he's holding your hand, isn't he?"
"Haha... I remember... With the jealous face of my foster mother... To you..."
"Ahaha... Correct
She thought I had completely taken your heart for me, and let her feel neglected..."
"But in the end... He's the first time... Approved our engagement..."
"... She's a good mother too. You're lucky she's been a mother to you"
"Daradly so... He should see us both... To be something he could never have imagined..."
...
...
Darwin's face turned sour as he lamented something
Something memory that he did not want to remember, slowly flashed in his head when the topic of the engagement he recalled
"But... On that day..."
