The Goddess and the Cursed Prince

24. Painting

Year after year Chriss passed by without Ijima, taking care of his son alone. However, Chriss's violent nature re-emerged, he always snapped, hit and injured Alchlys as Chriss stared at his son's two eyeballs.

The shadow of Ijima always haunted him, after the abdication of that time, within a period of two days Chriss visited the kingdom of Asteria with the aim of bringing Ijima back. Once there he did not find Ijima, King Oda said the woman went into seclusion without telling him where she was going.

It made him even more frustrated, he needed Ijima, so upset because he could not find the offspring of the goddess, Chriss vent his anger on the Alchlys. Chriss was afraid of hurting his son even further so he chose to distance himself from the little boy who was now ten years old.

Alchlys right hand is injured by challenging his own father, Alchlys can not use the art of war anymore so he further strengthens his magic.

"Uncle, father hasn't come to see me yet?" asked the little silver-haired boy to Sam who was finished writing the letter.

Sam stopped his activities, his eyes now focused on Alchlys with a cut on his cheek, the wound was Chriss two days ago.

Sam got up from his chair and knelt to the height of his nephew, "Not yet, do you want to be close to your father?"

"Of course!" answer Alchlys enthusiastically.

"Be strong, make Chriss acknowledge your strength."

Little Alchlys looked snorted, "I'm tired of practicing, Uncle. I don't know why you always hurt me when I ask you about your mother."

"You asked again?"

"Yes! I envy my fellow academics who always tell me about their mothers, I want to be like them, too" Alchlys complained.

Sam understood, Chriss was sensitive when it came to Ijima, Sam took a key from his locker.

"Follow uncle."

Like a baby duck following its mother, Alchlys follows where Sam goes, they both stop in front of a large door. Alchlys always wondered what was behind that door so his father wouldn't let anyone enter it.

"Sstt—this is both of us's secrets."

As soon as the door opened, Alchlys was stunned to see the many beautiful paintings inside, the man's eyes locked onto the largest of them. There was a woman who was hugging her stomach.

"Uncle, who is he? Why is it so similar to me?" alchlys asked without turning his eyes away. Iris moonstone the woman had captivated him.

Sam approached his nephew and stroked the Alchlys' silver hair, "Do you think?"

"Uncle, this is not the time to play guessing," lamented Archlys waving his lips which of course invited his uncle's laughter.

"Your mother, she is Ijima Ryoika."

Alchlys looked at his uncle as if in disbelief, "She's the mother?"

"Yes, the woman who made your father crazy."

Sam shook his head not knowing, "He disappeared as if swallowed by the earth, Chriss had tried to find it but the result was nil."

"Didn't my mother love my father? So he left the kingdom without taking me?" ask Alchlys with a sad look.

"Let me tell you a secret, Ijima and Chriss got married because of an arranged marriage made by King Oda and King Kodama, they didn't love each other at first, after you were born that feeling changed. Ijima left Chriss and you because you had to keep a promise with someone."

"Why should my mother go? Don't you know here Dad's fucked up without him."

"No, because Ijima was convinced that Chriss could start living with the woman of his choice."

👑

Sam enters Chriss's study to check on his sister, as usual Chriss's tired-looking irises and blackened eye bags. Since that incident Chriss's sleeping hours have gone awry.

"Rest for a while, your body needs a pause, Chriss," Sam advised countless times. As usual Chriss did not heed his words.

"I can rest if Ijima comes back to me" Chriss replied.

Sam leaned against a wall not far from Chriss, "Until when are you like that? Find another woman. Alchlys needs a mother figure."

Chriss stared at Sam as a hawk ready to pounce on his prey, "Sister said that because now you have a partner. Maki Nura, you're in a relationship with her, aren't you?"

King Kodama's eldest son looked up, "Do you know where it came from?"

Chriss said, "It's easy, you always exchange letters with the Helios, it's not uncommon for me to see the mailmen at the royal gate and you to meet her secretly without my knowledge."

Sam didn't expect Chriss to find out so soon, "I intend to marry her, are you okay?"

"I don't love her anymore, who you're married to is none of my business."

👑

Chriss entered his room, he wanted to cool his mind, the man faced the mirror without his upper clothes, Chriss wondered why there was a magic mark on his chest. He also could no longer communicate with Monster Geni.

"Where did the monstrous monster go, did he find a new container?" monologue Chriss.

His body also did not feel the pain as before, Chriss's gaze turned on the small box made of webbing.

Opening the box, there was a slightly crushed lotus seed doll. When the explosive landed, Chriss hid the doll in his robe, lucky that the ladies did not throw it away so Chriss could remember his lady.

"Until when do you keep hiding? I'll try harder to force you back at me" Chriss said, tightening his grip on the box.