The Archangel of Death

Chapter 26

The hall was silent. Those who didn't know the reason, were just silent because the elders were silent. They weren't just silent, they were serious.

Asmara looked at her grandfather as he stood in his seat, wide-eyed and petrified. She looked around and saw that most of the dukes and elders were the same.

The first prince and third prince had obvious fear on their faces while the second prince just sat there, looking at Adrian who hadn't stopped walking.

Adrian, on the other hand, didn't care. Dressed in a white suit with a white bowtie, golden studs, and white shoes on his feet, he was just walking to the platform when his gaze landed on Laura and he stopped. 

Laura also looked back at him. Her piercing shining blue eyes peered into his glowing white eyes. He smiled at her and picked up the hints of a smile underneath her veil.

"You're late." Their staring contest was interrupted by Orion who, along with others, had managed to collect himself.

Adrian's attention was caught by Orion's comment so he replied, "Ah yes, Your Majesty. The bath water was too much soothing for me to leave it."

Usually, someone would have admonished Adrian for talking like that but currently, the atmosphere in the hall was quite heavy.

"What happened to your appearance? If you don't mind me asking, young prince" Bayren, standing behind the emperor asked. Ask was the courteous term.

"These are the side effects of my training, Sir," Adrian replied without properly using the title of Bayren.

"You will address the silver commander by his proper title." The first elder quipped, taking the task of reminding Adrian upon himself.

"Forgive me first elder. You may not know but I recently lost my memory." Adrian replied which implied another hidden meaning and if Raphael's harrumph was any indication, the intent was delivered.

"What happened during your training?" Orion asked.

"Too many light particles were attracted to me however my body couldn't absorb them all at once. Until my molecular structure assimilates the prior particles, I only had the option to lose those particles. However, I was able to use external cellular structures with hole modules to store extra light particles which has caused my outer appearance to change a bit."

Orion wasn't able to understand half of what Adrian had said but he still nodded. If someone did understand him completely in the room except for the scientific terms, it was Alicia.

Adrian on the other hand, turned his attention back to Laura after replying. Their eyes met again. Laura felt as if he wasn't looking at her but looking beyond her. She felt as if she had every deepest secret of her exposed right now in front of this boy.

The strange thing was, she was okay with it. She had no problem feeling fully exposed in front of him. As if all her life was laid bare and instead of fear, she felt somewhat happy inside.

"Are you busy?" Orion sarcastically asked. Adrian's head didn't move but his eyes shifted to Orion which was very hardly discernable because of his completely white eyes.

"I can't help but appreciate true beauty." He turned his attention back to Laura and continued further, "It's all in the eyes."

His eyes were still locked with Laura. "Sit down." Came Orion's voice from the side. Adrian broke the eye contact and took his seat on the grand table.

"What present have you got me, Adrian?" Zarden asked Adrian who had just settled in. "Ah, yes. I forgot. It was your birthday, grand elder."

"Though I have already given you your present. Fun!" Adrian cryptically replied and took a piece of the meat in front of him.

Zarden looked at Orion and nodded. Orion nodded back, and stood from his seat, and loudly announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to my brother's 110 birthday ceremony. I am deeply pleased by the respect you hold for my brother that you came here even from faraway lands and nations."

He paused before he continued, "Now, let us not let the speech of this old man stop the festivities any further. Please, enjoy to your heart's content."

There was a loud and long round of applause throughout the hall and with how many people there were, the sound was quite loud.

The clapping soon stopped and the feast began.

"What fruit has your training bore, Adrian?" A brown-haired woman asked with a gentle tone. She was dressed in an elegant blue dress with a corset. Her hair was braided behind her and her piercing black eyes displayed cunning despite her gentle demeanor.

Adrian smiled but chose to keep quiet. He simply kept gobbling food without regard for anyone.

"Your mother has asked you something," Harvey spoke. However, Adrian still kept the same attitude with him this time. Harvey was about to burst when the brown-haired woman, known as Vanessa, stopped him.

Harvey settled back down but the scowl on his face displayed how displeased he was.

Adrian, without any regard, kept gobbling on food with no manner or decorum as if he had starved for days which he had. He turned to Max and said, "Get me something to drink. No alcohol. Something else. Milk if you could."

His voice was low but it was still heard by some on the table. Everyone was estranged by his words but said nothing. 

Max, on the other hand, didn't move. He was very nervous after hearing Adrian's instructions.

"Would you calm down? It would be better if you learn to control that nervousness. You will be dealing with them a lot." Adrian whispered referring to the members of the imperial family.

Someone of Max's level and status shouldn't even be there yet he was and maybe that was making him nervous. However, that was not the case.

"It's not that, Your Highness," Max whispered back. "I just didn't think that I would have to kill someone."

Max's words were barely audible but the truly powerful were able to hear him. Adrian turned to look at him and whispered, "First, you have already done it and second, it's not murder but getting rid of bad guys."

"By murdering them!" Max whispered a little sternly.

"Grow up!" Adrian whispered again, "Look at Rose, she is so calm right now."

Max turned to look at Rose who was equally sweating like him. Max turned his gaze back at Adrian as if saying, 'Calm.'

Adrian coughed lightly and returned to gobbling food while Max left to get milk and water since his master wasn't very helpful to him.

"You calm down too." Adrian turned to look at Rose and held her hand. She stopped trembling at his soft but firm grasp. She nodded at him and Adrian smiled in return.

Rose, exhaled and tried her best to calm her beating fast heart.

========

[Doing it subtly would have been better]

Allison spoke. I disagreed with her point of view since making an impact was important or people would doubt you.

'For a good deed to be acknowledged, you have to announce it while doing so. Otherwise, how would they know?'

[Wouldn't it be better to keep a low profile?]

'Why?'

[You are not a resident of this world]

'Possibly, but from the logical point of view, even if they are suspicious of me, it will take them quite some time to act on it without a just cause. That will be enough time for me.'

[And what will you do if she doesn't listen to you?]

'Oh, she will.'

[How can you be so sure?]

'Her eyes gave me all the surety I needed.' I turned to look at a blue-eyed girl who was eating elegantly from under her veil.

[Women can be unpredictable]

'No argument there but she will listen to me.' I replied and got back to eating my food. Max returned with a glass of milk and water.

I gulped them down and settled back in my seat. I wasn't interested in talking to anyone here and now that my hunger was sated, I had no reason to be here.

But Allison had given me a reason to.

=====

The feast had ended and the emperor clapped his hand and soft music began to play. "Now a little enjoyment for everyone."

The emperor spoke and I saw many guys ask girls for their hand to dance. The first and second princes both tried Alicia and Asmara but were turned down by excuses. It was quite an amusing sight to see.

From the imperial side, when the daughters of the third prince were asked for a dance, they outright refused. The younger one even insulted the poor guy behind hidden words.

The elder one insulted a man with clear precise words. It was quite hilarious. However, what I loved was how Laura had turned town all of the princes, from other nations and of the imperial family. She simply didn't reply. She remained quiet.

Of course, anyone would be insulted by that but she knew and also everyone else that they didn't hold any power above Laura. And the emperor wouldn't back his grandchildren if they tried to make a scene.

Once all those who could find a partner were on the dance floor slowly waving at the soft music, I stood up and straightened my suit and pressed my bowtie.

[Why bowtie?]

'Because they are easier to handle and have always been my choice.'

I made my way to the Ravenknight's acting queen and stood in front of her, with only her table blocking us.

I said nothing and just kept staring into her blue eyes. There was something in her eyes that made me want to keep looking as if they were a deep pit that I would keep falling into, with no ground in sight.

"Is there something on my face?" She asked in her sweet voice. However, I didn't miss that slight quiver in her voice. Not a quiver of fear. No. The quiver of excitement.

Looks like I wasn't the only one lost. "A veil blocking your beauty," I replied with a smile.

She didn't reply but I could tell there was a smile underneath her veil. Since I knew the story of the veil, I wasn't just spouting bullshit. I was sincere. She was very beautiful.

"You wouldn't say so once you saw my face." She replied. Makes sense. What woman wouldn't be self-conscious of her shortcomings?

But I wasn't the narrow-minded man she thought I was. Sure the problem of her face was the reason for becoming a villain in the novel, but that didn't matter to me.

Since the moment I saw her, I was bothered by those eyes. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, knowing that something could unsettle me.

To me, this whole situation was a game. I know that even if I died, it wouldn't matter. So since the beginning, I wasn't taking anything seriously. That was why I am not afraid that someone might come to know of my secret.

The threat of a divine rank awakened or a major organization didn't unsettle me but those eyes were doing that. The more I would look into those, the more unsettled I would feel.

It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling. It was just unknown. And in the end, I am a human. Humans are afraid of the unknown. And so am I right now.

This powerless girl is making me afraid. Afraid of something I don't know.

[And you don't like being afraid?]

'Which human does? But being afraid is part of life.'

I turned my attention to Laura and replied to her earlier question, "Why are you so sure of my reaction?"

"Because many before you made the same claims." She swiftly but calmly replied.

Makes sense. Many would say that they would do anything for her but the moment she would take her veil off, fear and disgust, that was the only thing left in them even though they weren't left to tell the tale.

"Then I am not going to say that I can take it because I'm sure you must have heard this before as well." Cheesy lines of not leaving. Many heroes make them but that only goes in films. Men like beauty. And when that beauty is marred, they are quick to break all their promises.

[You are a man]

'I'm an exception.'