Cheater
Jerastus 16, 2196
________________

LUCIFUGE
Lucifuge Rofocale Gwydion

"Hah, buti nalang she didn't recognize you! I think she just wants to bang you, you know," unang sabi niya matapos naming makapasok sa isa sa mga silid dito sa pinakaitaas na palapag.

After the incident, she immediately replaced the servant dolls to another set. I could guess it had drained her or stressed her out, so I just let her drink. It could be a truth vial for her too.

"So you know that there are people from Summer here?" I said as I closed the door and created a barrier for us. I couldn't risk spilling information, knowing there might be spies out there.

"Uh, yeah? You're here. I'm here, so obviously. If you're going to ask me how and why, then don't. I cannot tell you anything. Don't tell me about yours too. Ayaw kong malaman and ayaw kong makisawsaw," sagot niya.

Doon palang, alam ko nang hindi ko na siya dapat tanungin pa. Maybe I could later... if it slips her tongue.

A casual conversation might work.

"You're doing good here?" I asked her as she chugs on her drink.

Inirapan ako ni Heidi at padabog na ibinaba ang kanyang bote. "Obviously," she stated. "But without the help of theeee special FORCES! of Summerland, I won't survive here hee-hee. I'm living a luxurious life but I would probably flop so hard if I'm young, dumb, stupid," she added, dancing to some steps.

What? She's drunk already?

I hesitated to give her a glass of water, since I was waiting for her to spill more of why she's here and who helps her. Suppose it's who she calls the 'special forces' but I know she's just concealing, hiding the name.

"Hey, no! 'Di ako drunk, Crown Prince. This is just me. 'Di mo kasi ako pinapansin kaya 'di mo 'ko nakilala, eh. Pero okay na rin. It'd be a problem if you fall for me," she said when she noticed me handing her over the water.

Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang beses na akong napabuntonghininga ng batang 'to. I need information from her so I can't storm out of here!

"Yeah, sure. Okay, so can you help me with you special forces too?" Halos pabiro kong tanong sa kanya.

Heidi pouted and shrugged. "I dunno. What can you offer in return?" She asked.

Umawang ang bibig ko at sinubukang mag-isip ng posibleng maibigay ko sa kanya. "What do you need?" I asked.

"Hm, magtayo ka ng school of sorcery or for dark arts sa Summer, where people of Summer LIKE MEEE who have dark magic can have the chance to exercise their abilities with ZERO JUDGEMENT. I'm sure you're also being limited for your power. Syempre..."

She went on and on about how good it would be to establish a school for dark magic in the land of Summer. It wasn't impossible, but I would have to pull strings and use my influence- and I have zero idea about the school.

"... You know we could visit the School of Sorcery here in Fall! The kids there are amazing. I'm going to meet someone there too!" Aniya, na sa wakas ay may kabuluhan na ang usapan.

I know she wouldn't spare me the details, and I shouldn't threaten her to say so. But if accompanying her could lead me to some clues, I'll take it.

"When do we go?" I asked her as I grabbed the bottle she's been drinking.

She rolled her eyes at me and crossed her arms. "At the nineteenth. For the time being, you should stay here. You're safest here. I'll provide you your needs and everything. Just make sure you don't leave! Especially with that face of yours!"

She mouthed, 'dangerous,' and I wasn't sure what she was implying.

°°°°°°
Jerastus 19, 2196

Good riddance. I couldn't stay any longer in that brothel. I had not even realized that the place was a brothel.

Nagkataong may ginanap na event doon- no, actually an auction for the women there. Sick to the core. Such acts are forbidden in Summer, but love slaves are existing there- wait. Hindi ba kataka-taka 'yon? Saan nila nakukuha ang mga babae? Knowing that there might be other nobles from Summer here and at that brothel, could it be...?

The people of Summer come clean because they leave the dirt here in Fall.

Mariin akong napapikit dahil malaki ang tyansyang ganoon nga ang nangyayari. And about Heidi, hm, I just know that she's working for someone. She has connections here and there.

Napabalik lang ako sa reyalidad nang pitikin ni Heidi ang noo ko.

"Magiging yellow paper na noo mo sa dami ng linya, Mahal na Prinsipe," asar niya. "Gusto mo pa drawing-an ko 'yong gitna ng kilay mo para magdikit na talaga. Pwede akong make-up artist, you know."

Tinabig ko nalang ang kamay niya't napahalukipkip habang nasa loob ng karwahe. I don't even know where she got this, and she even forced me to wear a face mask.

She smirked and laid back to her chair. I couldn't help but really notice the difference of Heidi and Georgia. Kung nakilala si Heidi ng mga tao sa Summer, hinding-hindi sila maniniwala kung bigla nalang magpanggap si Georgia bilang siya. They do say opposite attracts, but I don't think it works on me. The opposite annoys me.

"Oh, we're here," she sang.

Hindi pa man natigil ang kabayo ay nagmadali na siyang bumaba mula sa karwahe. I almost scolded her, but she giddily hopped towards the tall building.

Fall's school of sorcery was far from what I had imagined. I thought it would be alike to an abandoned house, or a gothic castle. Instead, it was alike to Summerland Academy, as if it's an extension campus of the Academy.

The design and style was too similar. The gold intricate linings that was Summerland Academy's brand. Kung titingnan lang, hindi masyadong mapapansin 'yon dahil sa dilim ng paligid.

Nanliit ang mga mata ko nang makakita mula sa mga bintana ng pagsabog ng apoy sa loob. Mas lalo pa akong nagtaka nang mabasag nang bahagya ang bintana doon, at may mga mabibilis na tumakbo, tila ba hinahabol.

My eyes widened when I saw a familiar figure. Her dark brown hair almost covered her face as she ran, but bits of her features didn't stop me from recognizing her.

Georgia Kaye Alas. Mi amore.

Hindi rin nakatakas mula sa mga mata ko ang kamay na kahawak niya. Sunod na sinundan ng mga mata ko ang lalaking hindi pamilyar sa'kin. Who's this? Her man here in Fall?

Binalik ko naman muli ang mata ko sa kanya, ngunit naalantina nang biglang mag-iba ang kanyang hitsura. A shorter black hair, and sharper features... alike to mine. As I keep staring, I couldn't help but notice but how it resembled both me and Georgia- that if we had a daughter, she would look like that.

Pero saglit, bakit nga ba biglang nag-iba ang hitsura niya... o guni-guni ko lang ba ang kanina, at hindi talaga siya si Georgia?

Nawala naman ako sa lalim ng iniisip nang mapagtantong marami nang mga humahabol sa kanilang dalawa. The man had forced himself to jump out the window, and hug the woman to protect her from the glass shattering and the fall.

Napatayo ako mula sa pagkakaupo ko't akmang lalabas ng karwahe nang bigla akong mahila muli paloob. My eyes widened when I saw red threads keeping me on my seat.

Mabilis kong sinilip si Heidi na ngayo'y nakatapat ang isang kamay sa karwahe, at ang isa sa mga building. She summoned dolls of her creation around the building. The man and woman landed near her. Napansin kong tinanguan ni Heidi ang lalaki at mabilis silang tumakbo patungo sa direksyon ng karwahe na ito.

Soon enough, Heidi also ran towards the carriage but turned one last time to the building and snapped. As she ran towards us, a look of victory flashed on her face and she smiled more upon hearing the loud explosion.

Wala nang nakasunod sa kanya, sa kanila at mabilis na naiwan ang eskwelahan sa mga mata namin. A big shadow also enveloped the carriage, that made it harder for others to pinpoint our direction. I figured that I could help so I formed darkness around us, almost making the carriage invisible.

Mabilis na nakasampa ang tatlo. Ang babae't lalaki, at si Heidi.

My eyes lingered on the lady who resembled us. Napansin ko ang pagkagulat sa kanyang ekspresyon kaya't natigilan siya sa pag-akyat pero mabilis siyang hinila ng lalaki paloob.

Mas lalo pa atang sumama ang timpla ng ekspresyon ko nang halos magtama ang kanilang katawan at nanatili silang magkahawak-kamay. The lady flinched and took her hand away from the man, as if she was cheating.

Nang makarating naman si Heidi sa loob, kumaripas na ng takbo ang kabayo at halos mapasubsob din sa'kin si Heidi. I pushed her fast... as if I was also caught cheating.

Halatang nagtaka si Heidi sa ginawa ko ngunit padabog siyang umupo at suminghal.

"Oh my God, you cheater!" She screamed. The lady and I couldn't help but widen our eyes at her.

"Haden Zorell, what the heck are you doing with another woman?!" Dagdag n'yang sigaw kaya't mas lalo akong natigilan.

Haden Zorell... the one that Georgia mentioned, the knight who framed her and pretended to be murdered in her shop. This bastard!

But, "Heidi, look, she's the one that Master entrusted me to protect. We were caught by-"

"Oh my God, you cheater! You didn't tell me it was a girl! A pretty one!" Gigil pa ni Heidi. So this Haden Zorell is the one that she's going to meet.

"How could I? We were both busy with our duties, Heidi. Look, that's not even her real appearance—" Hindi ko na napakiggan pa ang iba pang sasabihin ng lalaki nang marinig ko ang mga katagang 'yon.

I turned to the woman in front of me, whose red eyes stared directly to mine. Slowly, I saw her despite the different features. Her subtle movements and the way she looked at me... I know it all.

"Mi amore?" I asked through telepathy.

She looked taken aback for a moment but then, she nodded slowly. "Yes, Lucifige."

And that moment, I shut my eyes to thank the Gods that she's safe— with me, but not with these two.

Especially that we don't know what's going on.

Discovering Summerland
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!