The Book Of Flowers
Lied
--- Night, Miralius ---
...
'All the things I will entrust to you, Veskal...'
How she wished, that sentence came from her two friends...
But fateful. People who believe in themselves are fellow traitors who have their own thoughts. And what Frank said about his goal of doing all of that is still ringing in Veskal's head
As she lay on the bed in her room, she could only remember everything that had happened during these 24 hours
"I'm not sure doing that would make Verdea happy at all..."
But he did not refuse, that it would greatly help them all in the future. He could see the image Frank saw, and he should try to follow the same path he thought
The perfect picture...
That's how Veskal felt, when he listened to Frank's goal for all of us
...
...
...
"Come in. I know you're at the door, whoever it is" he suddenly said
His sentence somehow invited a surprised reaction from the person he was referring to. And hesitantly, the person knocked on the door first, so Veskal who had been lying down quietly began to sigh
He woke up sitting on the side of the mattress feeling forced to welcome the guests who came, and how surprised he saw the figure he did not expect it
Natasha walked into her room with clothes that had not been changed at all since this morning. The only person Veskal wants to avoid for a whole day
But because she had nothing she needed to do today other than sleep, she accepted Natasha's presence and shifted her body slightly to the side of the foot of the mattress
The young woman looked a little hesitant, but did not stop moving at all until she sat down beside Veskal in silence
"I can't offer you any snacks. Verdea ate it all today without Vainzel's knowledge" he said, scratching his head in discomfort
"no need. I also came here because I wanted to see your face" Natasha assured
"... Is that all?"
"... To be honest... Yeah"
...
He wanted to drive Natasha out, but could not bear to hear that he had been looking for himself all day after the execution. So he just rubbed his face with resignation, while Natasha seemed worried that he had disturbed Veskal by being present without an invitation
"You haven't changed at all, Tasya... Not at all..." Veskal said
Natasha was just listening to that. He understood what Veskal meant, because he did not change
Veskal also did not change by complaining like that...
...
Natasha was so happy to know that...
"I remember when I always followed your every step first. Like a duck to its mother" he said. "But you usually throw me out first"
"I only did that the first month we were friends. You should know that I'm too used to your current behavior" Veskal said, simultaneously clucking
Natasha spontaneously laughed hearing that
"Even the way you ticked has not changed at all!" he cried out in the middle of his laughter
Veskal silently smiled at the laughter, as he kept glancing at Natasha
His laughter stopped slowly. Silence then came, as the two smiled with their heads bowed, trying to find another conversation to fill the time
...
"Pulse... Would you like to take a walk with me?" Natasha also offered
Veskal turned to respond. But nevertheless...
"It's almost curfew. I was worried that we'd be back past that hour later" Veskal replied
"How long will it be until curfew?"
"Until the moon can be seen completely from our window"
"Hm... It's almost..."
Already half of the moon was already visible from the Veskal window, leaving Natasha a little disappointed. It was clearly stated that they did not have too much time to spend the night around
"... But we can still return quickly" Natasha suddenly spoke again
Veskal also understood that his friend wanted to come out, and that also made him grumble. He's still not sure if coming out now won't give him a sanction
And even if he did get punished from me, he wasn't sure if it would be troublesome or not
...
"Ah, whatever it is" Veskal scratched his head
He no longer cared what the problem was. There's something he has to do
"What matters isn't too far, right?" he said again
Natasha looked happy. Especially when Veskal started reaching out to ask her to go out through the window. He happily received the hand, and hurriedly the two ran out, disappearing into the darkness of the night
......................
...
"Vescal"
They had walked for quite a while from the starting point, but the two had not spoken too much during that time
"I wonder what your life in Hortensia has been like?" he asked, opening up their little conversation
"There is sweetness and bitterness. If you ask me about my life in Hortensia, I'll only tell you stories when I'm in the shade of Verdea and Vainzel..." Veskal casually replied
"I thought you were sold to the church at the time? Or did I hear wrong?"
"I was sold to their church as a shadow of Rosalia. But, the bishops of the country have no power over the royal family. In the end, my fate was entirely in Rosalia's hands, before falling into both of them's hands"
Natasha nodded in understanding
"Even my first impression of the two of them was not good at all! That's how far you know, right?"
"I know"
"In that case, I'll continue from there"
Veskal was silent for a moment. The wide smile that was previously on his face faded, changing with an impression of warmth. One memory on the same day he was fully on our side began to be implied back
"On that first day, Vainzel spoke to me after Verdea and I had a fight. I still remember when I went up on the roof to distance myself, but that damn Elf didn't want to leave me alone. In the end, I just cried in front of him..."
"... Why?"
"... Because he understood how heavy the burden I was carrying at that moment was"
Veskal began to look at his own hands
"She said that I tried hard while stroking my head. And the next moment I knew, it made me feel light, as my heart said 'Ah, finally someone understood.' to myself.
I got off after Luna and Ordelia made sure I was okay. And what I didn't expect when I returned to the main room of Thyme's castle was that Verdea would apologize to me. He looks reluctant, but he's still apologizing..."
Then he explained what he heard from me the night after. How was Verdea's life before the two of us came. How his family behaved to him. How could he feel what Verdea felt
These three people are from different sides of the world, and are able to feel what each other is feeling
"I also don't know if they're going to throw myself away like Rosalia did. I was afraid, even though I was preparing to let them go. But even until now, they had not given up on me at all
When I was kidnapped by Xiang and held captive, I trusted them even more when I saw the faces of Vainzel and Verdea inside that prison. My heart is happy, and I don't need anything more than that"
...
But he immediately lowered his head. And in the end...
The smile faded completely. Simultaneously, the light in Veskal's eyes was extinguished...
"... But I have to make them let go of me now..."
Natasha gasped at Veskal. And when he turned his head after being stunned for a while, he realized what kind of expression was implied on his friend's face
Dim without the luster of warm taste. Like a shell does not contain
"... You did something behind their back..." Natasha also came to a conclusion
Veskal did not confirm or deny it in any way. The answer itself was a confirmation to Natasha's question
"Kamu perlu... Melakukan hal itu?"
"I don't know. I just got the picture, and I thought about taking shelter before it rains" Veskal replied
It's just a picture. But if you think realistically, you can understand...
We had absolutely no chance of winning against Rosalia. Even if the Orion messenger's prophecy applies to Verdea
"I know Rosalia as well as I know my palms. That woman always had a tool that she hid in all corners of this world. All I don't know is how he got those tools
Even if we don't meet on that day, Tasya, I'm sure the four of you will be exhausted in his hands compared to ours"
"... How sure?"
"Fully sure"
The answer came out without any hesitation
"You don't understand one thing. He let you live all this time just because he still thinks you're useful. You guys are the ones who helped him do Blood Sabbath aren't you?" Veskal asked
"Indeed right. But, he didn't fulfill the contract between the two parties, and we inevitably had to hunt him down"
"He can finish you off right then and there. He's got more than enough power to do that, even if not personally"
Natasha again flinched. "What are you talking about...?" she asked
Veskal lowered his head. The second step stopped, as the pressing atmosphere did not lighten the throat of the two. Even when a cool wind passes
"He's been thinking about everything, Natasha. But there was one anomaly that he did not expect would appear at all. And that guy is Vainzel
When Vainzel came out and traveled for 20 years all over Vitario to his arrival in Hortensia, he had already messed up his whole plan, so he began to design something more bold"
So that's the reason...
"The Elf Kingdom is the only threat to him, and he wants your side to suppress that threat as best as possible"
...
They don't believe. That's what Natasha did at the time. But he didn't need to question Veskal anymore
As long as he left with this old friend, things had become clear
"But, what kind of pressing...?"
"He wants to make sure we have false hopes in every victory that comes. And when the devil worshipers have lost later... I can bet a million gold and my own life, that he's going to launch his final plan"
"And that's why you're doing something behind their back..."
"To give hope. Had Verdea and Vainzel been able to see Rosalia's thoughts, I wouldn't have had to do anything at all, following their tempo from behind alone"
"Then why don't you tell them both this?"
"Even if they knew, Rosalia would still succeed"
Veskal was wrong. Natasha understood very well with the weight of each sentence
Veskal suddenly gave a small laugh...
"That's why I'm grateful they weren't wary of Rosalia's intentions...! At least we can finally have hope of winning...!"
He smiled broadly, as if it was a good thing. Natasha trembled with worry, and her curiosity grew bigger. Till...
He asked a question he feared the answer to...
"What are you doing behind those two...?"
...
...
...
Veskal did not answer. The silence between the two was replaced by the roar of the passing wind, waving their hair in the air...
Veskal's eyes now were piercing Natasha's heart. Clearly, the eye said, 'That answer you must seek for yourself'
Natasha is upset. But he knows he has no right to be upset. Because, after all the forgiveness we gave him...
He's still someone we can't trust...
...
"And... Even the curfew has arrived"
Veskal doesn't want any more pleasantries. So with that, he immediately took the silent hand of Natasha, then took the young lady back in his arms
Natasha walked in bowed, silenced with a poignant sense of her awareness of the situation itself...
...
"... You won't be able to help even if you want to, Tasya..."
"... I get it"
"... And honestly, Tasya...
I want you to be away from our problems. This is so much bigger than you think. I don't want to put you in danger that's out of control"
"... I get it"
"Good..."
...
Their conversation ended there. The two did not even look each other in the eye during that quiet return trip. Their hands were indeed joined together, but the two of them could not feel each other. Just the cold of the night touched their skin
The boundary between the two is widening from the one before. And Natasha felt sick, realizing that
But anyway...
He had already lost Veskal long before that day came...
...
"But, if I'd like to, Veskal...
I'll help you a little"
