Those words from the Musician was still a mystery to the Lunar Prince. He sacrificed his freedom for his people. He shook his head, still confused how did Naib do that and why would he do that? Maharlika Kingdom is a powerful kingdom already. Eli studied their culture and livelihood, they are rich in agriculture and have lots of wise scholars plus their military was their strongest card, how come he needed to sacrifice his freedom for his kingdom and to whom did he sacrifice it too? What was Naib thinking? Eli can't help but to feel perplexed and asked the Exorcist for his assistance

"Sacrificing someone's freedom?" The Exorcist tilted his head in confusion, why would the Lunar Prince be interested in such, his actions are already restricted by the Duke. Don't he want to be free from the chains of captivity? or maybe he has a vile intention against the Duke---No---that can't be, the Lunar Prince is a kind soul, he would not do such a thing,"I know nothing of it." He replied bluntly, It is true, he didn't know anything about it or if it's possible it must have something to do with a greater power.

"I see... Do you think some ancient text might give us some answers?" The Lunar Prince continued to seek an answer. He remembered reading the letter that Naib gave him, through his pet owl, Luz.

To My Dearest Lunar Prince,

Forgive me that I could not attend your wedding or any moment after that, I am restricted inside the Kingdom of Maharlika, I do not know if I will be able to visit you in Lumina someday but you are welcome in my kingdom anytime you want, I wish to see you once more.

I regret the day that I did not have the power to save you and even promised you that I will save you but look at me now, I still am powerless to do so, I do hope that you will forgive me someday, I wanted to be with you, to embrace you in my arms, to love you properly and forever more. You may not believe my words but there is not a day I do not think of you... I cannot say much but I do hope that you find the happiness that you seek and I pray to the goddess that we will be reunited someday and perhaps if that day will come, I will take you somewhere far away from here, away from all our worries and fears.

Take care, Eli. I'm always here for you, watching and thinking of you

From your beloved old friend, Naib Subedar

The Lunar Prince was still confused by the feelings the Pharaoh had for him but he sensed great sadness in his letter. I do pray for the same, Naib. The Exorcist noticed the mournful expression in the presence of the Prince, when the prince took notice of the exorcist concern, he smiled at him, It signaled the Exorcist not to bother asking what he was thinking and changed the subject.

"The library does have a context that may help you find the answers that you seek, shall we visit once again?" To be honest the Exorcist is quite curious about the Lunar Prince's intention that is why he tends to cautiously follow him instead of asking him.

Once again, they both headed to the library looking for books that might give them an intel about the Pharaoh's sacrifice, the Lunar Prince stumbled in one of the ancient books, the lore of their world Anima. The story of how the goddess blessed mankind with the power of the crystals, unfortunately for Eli, he knew it existed but he never saw it once, he only knew that their Kingdom protects the Sun Crystal and that's it, The origin and the power it holds was not something they have taught him. Upon reading more about it, He was quite surprised of what the Sun Crystal could do

"I didn't know the Sun Crystal can bless people" The Lunar Prince was very intrigued in reading the crystal's context, The Exorcist on the other hand was surprised, the Lunar Prince was living in Lumina for his entire life yet he do not know such a thing, Is he really that ignorant of his Kingdom's secrets. How pitiful. Even if Aesop grew up at small countryside, Yuma, of the Kingdom of Entity, he at least knows about their political affairs, origin, the Star Crystal's power and many more about his kingdom and for this Lunar Prince to know nothing about Lumina made him curious, Why would the Lunar Royal did not teach the Lunar Prince about their origin?

"Look at this Aesop." The Lunar Prince pointed at the Sky Crystal's origin,"There was a fourth kingdom and a Sky crystal but it didn't exist? Why is that?"

"Well, Eli, the context says that they are hidden for some valuable reason." The Exorcist explained while he sat down next to the Lunar Prince

"But the book said it's a myth, they shouldn't write these things if it doesn't exist, It'll confuse a lot of people or make them believe in something that's imaginary." The Lunar Prince replied, he does have a point, people of Anima do love mysteries and thus sharing such would brought curiosity to their people, even if some of it are make-believe, one can agree it is truly interesting to debunk

"I believe that they exist. Humans are greedy and selfish, Eli, you should know that by now, So, when they know something of great importance they will take it for themselves. Greed is distasteful, a lot of people kill for it" The Exorcist said bitterly

"I know but I still want to be friends with those mysterious beings, Don't you?" The Lunar Prince replied innocently

"Why do you love making friends? It doesn't benefit you, not at all." The Exorcist's brow knitted perfectly, It was quite odd for this little prince to be this friendly with everyone and upon observation, he's even kind to the people of Entity Kingdom that served him,

What kind of being who would have this pure heart?

"It doesn't matter if I benefit from being friends with someone, that doesn't even cross my mind at all. All I ever wanted was to be someone's friend because I want them to feel loved and cherished." The Lunar Prince smiled gleefully, his words were genuine, there was no hint of sarcasm or negativity in it. He really is a kind soul

The Exorcist still didn't agree to his ideals,"That won't do you any good, attachment will be your downfall, believe me I know." he encrypted, he did feel a little bit darkened by his own words but it's because of his experiences with the people he met, even the man he loved turned cruel and heartless, How would he even believe in true love now, right?

"Then you are not valuing the right people Aesop but I hope your bad experience would not make you bitter, let your bad experiences be your driving force to become someone's light." The Lunar Prince still insist to lighten up their conversation with his words

"You sure are innocent. This world is not as kind as you think. It's sad, cruel and cold, No one have that kind of pure heart like yours, It will always turn to greed and hatred, you should keep that in mind"

"But that doesn't mean you have to be cruel like everybody else, even one spark of kindness will change someone's heart, My mother and father always tells me, never let love be your last option but your only option."

"Why? That's crazy."

"Maybe. But..." The Lunar Prince looked to the distance, smiling sadly, even with that golden locks in his eyes, his sapphire orbs showed great sorrow and compassion,"...It's like this Aesop, when you want to hurt someone so bad because they did something awful to you, never ever think revenge is the best option to heal your wounds and broken wings, no matter how hard it is, forgive, love and give them a chance but be wiser enough to let it go and let them repent on their own. You may have the right to take their lives because of what they have done to you or someone you love but it will only create a cycle of violence and hatred."

"Eli, thats..."

"It's okay Aesop. I'm not forcing my ideals on you, I just remembered what my family taught me. It was always about love, maybe that is why I'm always hopeful."

"It is a beautiful ideal though. We have a lot of differences but I'm glad I listen to you, your kindness is truly an amazing thing."

"Thank you, Aesop, I believe that every mankind that the goddess has blessed, has the seed of kindness in them, no matter how bad they are."

"I'm starting to think your ideals are better than mine" The Exorcist chuckled lightly

"It is!" The Lunar Prince chuckled with his friend,"Say, Aesop, why does the Duke call you The Exorcist, aren't you a physician? And what is an Exorcist anyways?"

"Oh that." The Exorcist fluttered his eyes at the Lunar Prince's question, he did not expect he would show interest in that matter, then again this is the Lunar Prince we're talking about, always the curious cat,"I'll show you."

The Exorcist stood up, scanning the bookshelves and grabbed a dusty old book, he returned to the Lunar Prince and sat beside him once again, flipping the pages revealing, a beautiful art and a story written in it,"Let me tell you a story, a tale of a god, called Desiderio Dei Mors"

"Wha?! Another weird language" The Lunar Prince exclaimed

The Exorcist only laughed softly at this remark,"It means The Wish of the Death in latin starian. In any case, let's begin the story"

[Desiderio Dei Mors]

After the creation of Anima, the Goddess needed someone who could balance the light and darkness she casted around the realms, since the Creation could not exist without its counterpart, the Destruction, she seek help from the deities who will do this important task for her, but the Goddess wasn't sure of who could be the one in charge of that duty.

Until everyone's eyes were fixed on that one Lonely God.

The God, knowing his destiny, accepted the task, and he was named as the God of the Death, and such, they sent him to the cold Underworld, all alone for eternity.

Soon after, the God became tired of that loneliness, that feeling made him ignorant of his original task, to keep the balance and with his power he thought maybe the souls could be his company, to release him from his impending sadness. He used his powers to reunite them and commanded them with all of his needs, without knowing the consequences of his decisions, he turned the souls into his puppets. In his eyes, he wasn't cruel, but because of his actions, the world of the living was submitted into swirling chaos, death and suffering. The people of Anima have been damned.

When the people of Anima passed away, their souls turned into beautiful flowers inside that cold abyss, the cries of the people who have suffered fall deaf in his ears, he could not understand what they were praying for, he wanted to understand what it was, he kept trying and trying until he got tired and gave up. The Underworld became a beautiful garden of the dead, a prison of the God.

After all of what he has done, that loneliness began to eat him once again,

'What's the point of having this power if I am condemned by my loneliness?'

He asked to himself every single day without a proper answer, until one day he thought,

'Maybe I can be free if I die. But who can kill a God?'

Another century had passed, he met a particular human who refused to die even when he was on the verge of death.

"You come for me?" The human asked the god, with his sunken eyes yet full of hope, breathing heavily and clutching onto his bleeding chest tightly

'No if you accept my proposition. '

"A proposition? What kind of proposition?" The human asked once again, he was quite perplexed as to why the god would ask a dying person for a favor

'If you want to live, you should accept a fragment of my power, and with it, murder me.'

The God spoke firmly, waiting for the answer from the man, he was confused by the god's request but he had no choice, he wanted to live so badly and with a grim smile, he replied,"I accept your offer."

The man stood up as the god extended his hand to shake the other, thus transferring a small fragment of his divine power that would be enough to kill a God. The man recovered from his wounds and took the knife that the god had offered him, but instead of ending his life, he ran away, stealing that power he received.

The God looked disappointed as the thief ran away with his last hope, although he did not want to take that man's life, he believed that someday he would come back and do his task as a part of their deal.

The Goddess took that action as an unforgivable rebellion, giving a mortal the power to kill a God was a sin, he was punished gravely and was sealed without any way out, at the bottom of the underworld, without even being able to collect the souls himself, he can only lament in the form of songs. The goddess was still kind to him and told the lonely god that the only method of obtaining absolute forgiveness from his sins is to...

To learn to value the lives of the mortals, both in life and in death.

During his imprisonment for centuries. The king of the sands was able to break the seal with a ritual, managing to summon a god, using the Moon Crystal's power.

'Oh, God of Death, he who brings the calm end, Please keep us safe and give us your wisdom. In return, I, and my people will offer you anything you ask. '

With those words, a light shine upon the underworld, opening the gates to free the lonely god and serve the people who have summoned him

'Teach me to value the mortals lives and in return I will take care and guide you and your people'

The king of sands looked at him in confusion, how could a divine being make such a request? He decided not to question the god any further and accept his plea. The King gladly offered the god any position within the court, but he flatly refused and decided to stay in the shadows, being a mere observer.

But to this day, no one knows for sure if the God of Death walks between the streets of Maharlika or not and as for the descendants of the Thief, they are mostly known as the Exorcists, but by now, most of them had forgotten their original debt with the God of Death.

[END]

"The God of death can also see flowers of the living and the dead, for example, read this Eli." The Exorcist handed the Lunar Prince a scroll

New borns: Daffodil (new beginning)
Children: Primrose (childhood)
Teens: Mimosa (sensitivity) and Bouvardia (enthusiasm)
Adulthood: Pomegranate blossom (Mature and elegance)
Mid Life: White Monte Casino (Patience)
Senior life: Sage (Good health and long life)
Near death: Camellia (My destiny is in your hands)
Death: Marigold (grief)
Tragic death with revenge: Basil (Hate)
Peaceful death: Bellflower (Gratitude)

"Wow. that's an amazing story! I want to be an exorcist now but... I don't want to kill the God of death" The Lunar Prince happily rocked his head from side to side

"Then what are you going to do with that power???" The Exorcist asked with his arms crossed

"Spread love of course!" The Lunar Prince declared shamelessly, how stupid can he get right? That is not the real purpose of its power, not at all

"Is your head that full of rainbows and unicorns?" The Exorcist rolled his eyes at The Lunar Prince, he was a little bit sincere though and he is the type do such a thing

"Maybe." Eli chuckled,"Isn't it impossible to kill a god, I mean he's death himself so where do he go if he dies? Back to the underworld too right? So, he can't die... hm... I'm not sure? I'm confused or there's some kind of magical mumbo jumbos in it?"

"To be honest, I have no intel about that but I believed once the deities die they vanish forever"

"How sad... At least when we die, our souls will travel to Devas right---I mean the underworld, Devas is how the Lunarian's called the farplane when we passed away" The Lunar Prince explained, they are taught that when you die of goodwill Devas was the land of the goddess where your soul can lived peacefully without any darkness that harbour inside your heart only pure light, the underworld would beg to differ though, it's divided into two places, one was named Dilim, the land of the souls who died a long time ago and will be reincarnated after centuries, residing in the underworld and the other one was named Liwanag, a place where they will watch over their love ones until they are forgotten."Poor God, do you really have to kill the god?"

"It's my duty and the God of Death's wish, so why wouldn't I kill him?" The Exorcist replied without any hesitation

"What if he said he dont wanna die anymore"

"I'll still kill him"

"That's bad, Even if he begs or tells you he loves you?"

"Why would a god tell me he loves me? Thats so weird"

"I don't know~ I just thought it'll be a cute concept for a fairy tale fiction?"

"You are so weird, life is not a fairy tale"

"Yeah, yeah, it's cruel. It's cold. It's sad and it's grumpy like you."

"Are you trying to get on my bad side now, Eli?"

"That was a JOKE!"

"Whatever, let's clean this up, we still need to bid the Duke farewell."

"Yeah..." The Lunar Prince followed the Exorcist's lead

After they bid the Duke farewell, the Duke traveled to the Kingdom of Entity for a business meeting with the High Council, these group of people are tasked to balance the power of the Kingdoms of Anima, they lived in Dragoon, where the powerful flying beast called the Dragon's protected them.

"Goodness, Joseph, I've heard you have a new toy" The man with a fearsome smile remarked, taking a glass of wine

"Such a cruel man indeed, right smiley? letting the two kingdoms dance in the palm of his hand" A man with a large built and enamored with a soldier's tunic remarked

"He is a cruel man, Hell Ember. So, long as you don't destroy Anima, Joseph then your expedition serves no malice to us" The man with a head of a deer replied with a deadpan expression

"He IS destroying the balance of Anima, what NO malice, are you guys blind?" The Lizard man retorted at the three council's praise

"As long as his actions does not anger the goddess" Another one of the council with a long neck, wearing a dark nun's attire spoke

"So, we're just going to wait until he angers the goddess then?" A beautiful lady in gold giggled, sharpening her blade, looking at the crowd

"I still do not believe in the goddess" The nyartholep replied with conviction to their ideals

"Yeah, yeah you believe in the power of the nature, what a weird religion, but I have my own unique belief as well, I believed in the power of our celestial calculations" The man with a metal spine and a crooked eyed rolled his eyes at the council beside him

"We should all learn to respect different race and religion everyone, be civilized this meeting serve as a guidance, yet the Pharaoh of Maharlika did not attend and only Duke of Entity is present on behalf of the two kingdoms" A tall man whose face was half painted black and white stated

"I have no interest in the Duke but I am interested in his new little toy, care to tell us what he's like" A man with a sinister smile that hid behind his mask had his eyes fixed on the Duke

"Hm~ if you insist, he's like a little scared puppy if you asked me, If only that ridiculous tradition did not hinder me, I would have removed his blindfold off, It's quite irritating to be honest, I want to see more of that fear in his eyes whenever I touch him" The Duke replied, shaking his head in disappointment

"You touch him, how nasty, how much damage did you do" Another amused reply from the raven haired man behind his mask

"Just a little, Jack. I still need some energy for this meeting, I don't want to drain myself for being consumed by my own lust. I can't resist how pure he still is after we have done it, the Lunar Royals sure are special, they still look like virgins even after any sexual activity, it makes me want to see what will happen if I break him even more"

"Now, that is what I want to see, I've heard the Maharlikans are wild in bed"

"So, is your target to mate the Pharaoh now, you should be thankful, I did make him single after all"

"Who knows right~ I might take an interest in him, if you will be so kind to give me tips on how you make your little Lunar Prince submit to you"

"I can let you watch us when we do it for intensity---"

"Silence, you barbarians! We are here to discuss Political affairs, Not---that! It is inappropriate to discuss such a personal matter, you shameless beings." A beautiful lady, slammed her fan aggressively on the table, glaring at the Duke and the raven haired man

"Forgive us m'lady, we were rude" The two replied in unison

"As long as you understand." The lady put her fan down and sighed,"Let us begin, as we all know, the natural disasters are looming around Anima as of late, I am grateful for the Duke's Star crystal to control any living creatures to protect all of us as much as possible, although it pains me to sacrifice the majestic animals and some on the verge of extinction for the sake of saving ourselves but I believe it is for the best"

"The goddess might be punishing us..." The boy with a sack said sadly

"I have my doubts, the shrine of the goddess have its fire almost extinct, the Maidens are doing their best to keep it alive, that's the proof the goddess power is depleting" The Lady replied as she covered half of her face with her fan

"I wondered what could have happened, it is unlikely for the goddess to bring her defenses down, someone or some greater power must have caused a great chaos upon her" A woman with a blindfold on her eyes and half of her body had a snake tail foretell

"That I cannot answer, with or without the goddess protection, we must do what it takes to protect Anima, we still have the power of her crystals, The Pharaoh have the Moon crystal, while you Joseph have the Star and the Sun then---" The Lady was halted with the Duke's next statement

"Forgive me M'lady I do not have the Sun crystal"

"How is that possible, Duke!" The woman with the spider body retorted to the Duke's proclamation

"His little wifey don't give him the sun crystal, that's why~" The man named Jack teased the Duke, earning a sharp glare from him

"The Lunar Royals do not tell me anything about it and it's whereabouts and I do not wish to forced them to do so"

"Scared?" Smiley raised a brow at him

"No, do you know of the curse of the crystals? It is said that the goddess give the crystals to specific kingdoms and the protector must be willing to give you their crystal because if you forced them to give it you, you will suffer gravely for your actions"

"I see. It is alright as long as the Sun Crystal is under their protection and in return protect the Lunar Royal's well." The Lady only nodded at his story

"I believe the Lunar Queen knew of its whereabouts, that is why I'm keeping her captive, as for the Lunar Prince, I doubt he knows something about it." Another information from the Duke he shared amongst the members

"Very well then, this meeting is adjourned, we will continue tomorrow. Thank you for your time."

With that final account the High Council left the premises.

*****

Tomorrow morning, the visitors from Maharlika Kingdom left Lumina. The trip to their homeland was calm and without complications besides a small sandstorm that forced them to stop for an hour before continuing their journey to their Kingdom.

The Principal Adviser of the Pharaoh gave him the news and discussed private matters until the Pharaoh was left alone again, he sighed and summoned the musician after his talk. Even if the Pharaoh and the Musician have a special bond, the Musician prohibited the Pharaoh to enter his quarters, no one has ever dared to step foot inside the Royal Musician's room.

"So how was he!?" Naib asked impatiently, walking back and forth in his room, he desperately needed to have any information regarding the Lunar Prince's state. Norton just watched him worriedly

"Woah! Calm yourself a bit, Naib." Norton motioned him to relax, he was a little bit surprised he was this anxious and eager about the news, he let out a breath as soon as his friend calmed down,"To be honest he seemed quite well, but kinda sad, you did hurt him after all, like BAD hurt. He thinks that you don't love or care for him... at all"

The Pharaoh's hazel eyes turned agape upon hearing the musician's story, his words pierce in his heart,"He... he didn't read my letter?"

"Apparently no. So, I sang your feelings for him." Norton smiled and in an instant his eyes turned serious,"But seriously Naib, he's deeply hurt and he missed you so much."

Naib hung his head low, he missed Eli so much too, if it wasn't for this damned curse he would be able to see him again,"...Did he tell you something about his relationship with the Duke?"

Norton shook his head and spoke,"But he did have someone who was guarding his every action, a personal guard from Entity Kingdom."

"What!? Why would Joseph assign someone to guard him at all times?!"

"Naib, calmate. I doubt that the guard would do anything bad to the Prince, he is cunning but he looked like he cared for the prince deeply."

(Naib, calm down)

Naib grabbed his hair out of frustration, he really hated the fact that he's cursed for the rest of his life, he wanted to leave so bad. I want to see and save you Eli as soon as I can! He groaned, he was anxious once again

"Not everything is lost, Naib. Have some faith, I'm sure that you will be with him someday. The goddess grants blessings to those who believe in genuine love and great sacrifice, all efforts are not deemed worthless, when the time comes you will be rewarded by your heart's desire and more than you ever asked for, just take one step at a time." The Musician spoke with wisdom, even if he was a little mischievous, Norton was someone with an incredible knowledge, Naib knows that.

******

Meanwhile, In Lumina's Royal Palace, Aesop was preparing himself for another day at work. He was almost ready, he just needed the insignia of the Royal Guards of Entity to wear it in his uniform, when he grabbed it, he accidentally threw down a black tie that he used to keep his hair at its place

This was a gift from the Duke for me years ago...

He kneeled down and took it, reminiscing their first meeting, in that one cold winter at the small town in the borders of Entity Kingdom, Yuma, Aesop's birthplace.

Back then, his house didn't really appeal to him as a home, in fact it's almost abandoned and if he wasn't living there anymore, it would be a grave of the dead. Deprived of any warmth and comfort ever since his parents passed away when he was only fourteen, leaving him to take care of himself at a very young age, luckily for Aesop, his family is wealthy that supported him as he walk his path alone

When he turned seventeen, he studied to be a Rorschach Physician, the kind of wizard who could be an efficient medic and at the same time, an expert illusionist and a hypnotist. To be honest, it wasn't his dream job to be one but it was a practical option to support his financial needs and since he was born and raised in Yuma, his relationship with magic was natural and also because of his lineage, The Exorcist, The ones that are blessed with the touch of Death itself

As for Aesop, that was just a farce, it meant nothing to him not until the new Duke of entity had his eyes on him

"Even if you do not believe such, you are gifted, beyond any Animan's comprehension" The Duke spoke with a soft and gentle smile on his face

"What's so special about that? I'm just a physician, that's not something to fuss about."

"Your lineage says so otherwise, Monsieur Exorcist"

"Pardon?"

"Oh, Have you heard about the story of Desiderio Dei Mors? The legend that tells the story of your lineage, the Exorcist, those who are blessed by the God of death himself."

"I... I have read about it a couple of times, I never even once thought it was real."

"Tell me, Aesop, have you sensed someone's death before or perhaps seen someone's life when they are nearing death? They say those who are blessed with that power can see beautiful and sorrowful flowers amongst humans, both the living and dead. It's a symbolism of one's life." The young physician nodded and waited as the Duke continued to talk,"That is your gift, the exorcist blood runs deep in your veins, If you come with me, I will give you the best trainer, enhance your skills to your fullest capacity, you can live in a much better place and I will give you a higher position with any of your desire, What do you say, Aesop?"

Joseph's voice was calming and reassuring as he extended his hand towards the Physician with a gentle smile.

It was the first time anyone was so kind to me, who saw my potential and valued me.

"I... I accept, My Lord." The Physician took his hand in agreement

The Duke waited outside while he prepared his things, just a small suitcase with his parents portrait, clothing and his valuables, after one last breath, he closed the door and followed the Duke towards the carriage. He felt needed and important, his life at Entity Kingdom changed for the better, growing closer to the Duke, having his attention and favoritism. Aesop fell deeply in love with Joseph

I will do whatever it takes to protect you, serve you and offer you my life.

That was what he thought he could do or say back then, he sighed at those memories, now that kind and gentle smile of the man he loved was distorted. That man who ordered him to support him to conquer Lumina, torture their people or anyone who opposed his authority, an accomplice to violate the Lunar Prince and the Lunar Royals. And now every time the Duke showed his gentle smile, the Exorcist felt a shiver down his spine

Where was the man I fell in love with years ago...?

He tried to wash those thoughts away and tied his hair up and left the room to meet with the Lunar Prince, It was a chilly morning as he gently knocked on the Lunar Prince's room to checked if he was awake

"Luna---I mean Eli, Are you awake?" The Exorcist is still not used to call him by his name, especially in public, he didn't want some issues regarding his addressee and close relationship with the Prince to be discovered, that would be quite troublesome

"Aesop? Come in." A soft voice echoed on the other side of the door. With that signal, the Exorcist entered the room, he was greeted by a gleeful smile from the Lunar Prince. He seemed quite jolly today, I wondered if something good happened recently. He slowly walked up to the Prince and curtsy,"Aesop! I want to travel to Maharlika while the Duke's not here."

The Lunar Prince exclaimed even with those golden locks, his sapphire eyes gleamed brightly and so is his smile towards the Exorcist, a surprised expression was plastered in Aesop's face

"Wait, Are you sure Eli? What if someone comes looking for us?"

"I have that covered, you can talk to the Captain of the Entity Guards, he's a good friend of yours, correct? He can cover for us!" The Exorcist only sighed at the Lunar Prince request, he did have a good relationship with the Captain, Kevin Alonzo but he can't help but to get worried, it was a risky move. He expressed a great discomfort until he fixed his gaze to this little prince, that innocent smile, full of gentleness and light and to be honest the Exorcist doesn't even have the heart to defy his wishes.

"Alright, but we have another problem, Eli. we can't just barge in Maharlika Kingdom's Castle without any invitation, do you have anyone we can count on there, at least a place to stay, we can't stay in any locals inn, we might get in trouble"

"Of course I have! Naib and I's old friend Kurt live there, I assure you that he will welcome us!"

"Fine then, if you'll excuse me, I will have a word with Captain Alonzo." With a bright smile, Eli run to Aesop and gave him a tight embrace

"Thank you, Aesop. You're a great friend." The Exorcist didn't return the hug but smiled a little

"It's not much. I need to go now." Eli released him and watched him, his heart was full of happiness, the idea of visiting Maharlika excites him, even just for a day, he wanted to see Naib, talk to him and hug him. Oh, how he misses him so much. The thought of his beloved Pharaoh made his heart filled with hope and love.

The Exorcist walked through the corridors towards the main hall which was being guarded by Captain Alonzo and his soldiers, when the captain took notice of him a huge grin formed his lips

"Ah, Aesop! What a pleasure to see you!" the bearded captain welcomed him with a smile

"Likewise, Captain Alonzo"

"Please just call me Kevin. What brings you here, child?"

Aesop carefully scanned the surroundings before it was safe to speak,"Can we talk somewhere private, please?"

The Captain only blinked at his request, he knew about the shy nature of the exorcist, he just nodded and walked in front of him while the Exorcist followed his lead, he guided him to an empty room right across the main hall. They both took a seat, parallel to each other. the Captain was still a little bit curious about the Exorcist intention as he wait for him to speak

"The Lunar Prince wishes to travel to Maharlika just for a day, I would like to ask, if you would be so kind as to cover for our absence? I will need to accompany and watch over him, for his safety."

At first, the Captain thought that the exorcist was joking but Aesop wasn't the kind of person who would tell or make a joke in his life, everything for him was a serious matter. Kevin scratched the back of his neck a bit nervous until he gave a resigned smile.

"Okay, I will cover for you two, the little prince deserves a little day off." Aesop sighed in relief and shook the Captain's hand in gratitude

"Thank you, Kevin."

"It's nothing. You should go now and prepare everything you need for your journey, the trip from Lumina to Maharlika is just a few hours away, depending on the climate, it will take up an entire day."

Aesop nodded, bid his farewell and left the room. He headed to the barn of the castle, preparing a simple carriage instead of the elegant royal one, they needed to be discreet for this trip. After he finished, he checked up the Prince who was having his breakfast, on his side, a small suitcase stands

"So, did he accept it?" Eli asked a little bit concerned

"Yes and I have everything ready, are you ready?"

"Yes! I pray that the goddess blesses our trip."

Hoot~ Hoot~

"Even little Luz is praying, come now, we must hurry."

Aesop took Eli's valuables and escorts him through the secret halls of the palace, luckily for him, he memorized the map of the place, to have enough knowledge to cross any hidden corridors, when they finally arrived to the barn, both of them began their travel through the vast desert of Maharlika Kingdom

Thankfully, their prayers have been heard the nature was kind to them, there were no sandstorms or any complications and they arrived there for two hours, Aesop conducted the carriage to the house of Eli and Naib's dear friend, they were both welcomed by a man named Kurt Frank, Eli mentioned he's a kind explorer, an archeologist in Maharlika Kingdom.

The three of them had a couple of drinks and chat, while Kurt prepared for Lunch and dinner, Eli turned to Aesop with a soft smile on his face

"Aesop, you should take a day off~"

"What!? It is my duty to look after you."

"Don't worry Aesop, I will protect him, besides it will be very suspicious if they see him disguised as a commoner but escorted by an Entity Guard, don't you think so?" Kurt implied, the exorcist sighed, the explorer does have a point

*****

During the Exorcist absence, Eli and Kurt devised a plan to sneak inside the Royal Palace, disguising themselves as servants, to their fortune and Kurt's close relationship with the Pharaoh, he was pardoned to enter the Royal Palace without any complication. The Lunar Prince was very excited as he wear what Kurt handed him

"Disguising as servants is brilliant, Kurt." The Lunar Prince adjusted his attire,"But I can't remove my golden locks, what should I do?" The Prince frowned, his friend the explorer knew of the Lunar Royal's tradition, he then handed a fabric blindfold to the prince,"But... It won't be a disguise if I wear this, No servants of the Pharaoh wear any blindfold while cleaning or serving."

"Don't worry it's an invisible fabric." Kurt explained,"The user's eyes will be hidden from the public and as for the person who will see you, they will see a different color and shape of your eyes, depending on how they imagine what features will you look like for them."

"That is so weird and magical." The Lunar Prince chuckled at the silly little contraption he had on his eyes,"What if they see I have big bulgy, Aswang eyes, I will burst out laughing."

"We'll see."

The two searched the castle, while being cautious, to reach the Pharaoh's quarters when they are nearing, Kurt signaled The Lunar Prince to visit him alone and he will watch over in case there are guards who will disturb them, he nodded in approval, on the other hand, Luz popped her head outside The Lunar Prince's garment, which Eli pushed her gently inside, to hide her presence

"Luz, shh! We don't want to be caught don't we? We're going to surprise Naib!" The Lunar Prince said in a low and hushed voice, the owl only wiggled inside his garments to firmly hide herself

Upon entering, the Lunar Prince saw the Pharaoh, he happily tip-toed inside and halted when a silhouette of a beautiful crimson haired maiden sat beside the Pharaoh's bedside, touching his shoulders comfortingly. Due to his curiosity, The Lunar Prince peeked at the two from the pillar

"My dear Pharaoh you looked stressed, please do tell me when something is bothering you."

"Thank you, Martha, I knew I could always count on you but you shouldn't worry so much, I will be fine."

"Of course. Always remember, you always have a place in my heart, My Dear Pharaoh"

The Pharaoh smiled at the woman beside him, those words. You always have a place in my heart. Broke the Lunar Prince's heart, his tears began to run in his cheeks, he kept his gaze at the two, not minding if he's going to be seen or not.

Why am I still hoping for my love to be returned?

Who is this woman beside Naib?

Is she a potential wife for him?

Does Naib really love me?

All these questions swirling inside the Lunar Prince head when all of a sudden the Pharaoh took notice of his presence, the Pharaoh shot up from his seat, that magical fabric from his eyes, made Naib see Eli's beautiful sapphire orbs, he couldn't forget about it, he loved them dearly and it holds Eli's trust and life for him, he took a step closer, only to see Eli crying at the sight of him

"Eli... what are---"

The question was put on hold when Kurt opened the door, a little bit panicked, he was a little surprised that the Pharaoh and the Lunar Prince met already but with Eli having his back on Kurt, the explorer did not notice his tears, Naib only blinked profusely in a perplexed expression, Kurt returned his confusion with a smile,"Your surprise worked Eli!" Kurt exclaimed, unknowingly what happened earlier,"Did you like our surprise, Naib!"

"More like I'm the one who got surprised..." The Lunar Prince replied coldly, turning his heel to the door,"Let's go Kurt."

"What!? But..." Kurt had his eyes widened with the heavy atmosphere around them

"ELI! Wait!" Naib catched Eli's hand before he left,"I'm so happy that you are here and why are you looking sullen all of a sudden, aren't you happy to see me? Kurt even said this was a surprise"

"You should go to your girlfriend, Naib"

"Girl... friend?" The Pharaoh turned to Martha and back to Eli,"She's not my girlfriend, what are you saying?"

"Whatever, she's touching you and comforting you right, shove that in your ugly face!"

"Oh, for the love of the goddess above. Why are you so dense!? I just told didn't I, she's not my girlfriend"

"What!?"

"I told you how I felt in my letter, correct? And also through Norton's music, what part of it, do you not get my feelings for you"

"All of it Naib! You ass!"

"Eli where did you learn to use that language!? Why are you shouting and why are you mad too!?"

"I'm NOT shouting!"

"Yes you are! Stop that!"

Martha and Kurt just looked at each other in disbelief, these two are obviously having a lovers quarrel right now, they are not even sure if they will find them cute or just plain stupid, it seemed like that two are not honest with their feelings.

The Lunar Prince swat Naib's hand away and stomped heavily outside his quarters, The Pharaoh still insisted to follow him and bickered all the way. Their fighting had stopped when an old man with a deer head approached the Pharaoh

"Pharaoh, may I have a word with you?" The Deer head asked politely, not minding the person beside the Pharaoh

"Yes, of course." The Pharaoh nodded and turned to the Lunar Prince, the prince only gave him a pouting face which made the Pharaoh sighed exasperatedly, he leaned to the prince's ears,"We'll talk about this matter later." He took Eli's hand and gave him a bronze key and left with the deer man

"What is this key for?" The Lunar Prince scanned the key and found nothing, he shook his head and turn back to Kurt, he didn't follow Naib's orders so instead, they left the castle and went back to Kurt's place with his heart broke in pieces

*****

During Aesop's expedition, he was enthralled by Maharlika's bustling streets, filled with stalls, food and merchandise, one can tell that the place flourished with minerals and goods, Maharlika was known for its finery in mining and their Oasis was filled with natural resources.

He stumbled into one of the marketplace, it was vast and full of life, he can hear the children's laughter playing between the crowd, sellers offering their products with a smile on their faces and much more, The Exorcist hated the crowd but he somehow find the place relaxing

While he was being entranced by the beauty of the place, he didn't notice he got lost and he walked around town for long without finding a way out

Tired and irritated by the heat, he sat down and shook his head. He's not the type to ask for help, he tried to trace back where he went but soon as his attention was fixed in a house close to the flower shop, he listened to a few guitar notes and he heard that foreign language once again

Is that what I think it is....?

"Hoy echo a volar palabras de papel
En el atardecer
Y un árbol se incendia en la noche
Sin saber qué hacer"

(Today, I put flying paper words
In the sunset
And a tree catches fire in the night
Without knowing what to do)

Following his curiosity, Aesop peaked through the window, only to see an old couple, holding hands, with their eyes closed and a smile on their faces, while the Musician sang for them.

"Hoy todos tus besos igual que una flor
Están enterrados en mi corazón.
La lluvia gritando que tu ya no estas
Me tiende el paraguas de la soledad"

(Today all your kisses just like a flower
Buried in my heart
The rain screaming that you are no longer here
The umbrella of loneliness tends over me)

The Musician continued with his song. The rhythm was like a lullaby, the chorus repeats itself until the song was finished

"You are so kind to bless us with your lovely song."

"I hope we can be together in our next life..."

"I am sure, you two will be." The Musician replied softly, the old woman laughed a bit, her eyes began to close as the old man held her hand gently in his, planting a soft kiss in it. The old woman smiled as she drift off to slumber

"Thank you..."

"Nos veremos pronto, Senora"
(We will meet again, Madame)

The Musician left the house of the couple and closed the door, his onyx eyes widened in surprise after seeing that cute little exorcist outside the couple's house

"What are you doing here?" He asked a little bit confused, for all he knows, there was no business meeting or whatsoever regarding Maharlika's affiliations with Lumina and Entity

"Taking a day off... I guess" Aesop played with his hair a bit, he's still not used to this Day Off, The Lunar Prince had mentioned, he have never been a fan of relaxing and always the workaholic type, the Musician noticed his adorable mannerism and smiled brightly

"Then allow me to show you around the city, Querido!" He grabbed the other's hand, dragging him through the marketplace, walking at his hide, still had their hands intact with one another, it was a little bit crowded Norton didn't want to lose Aesop in the crowd.

Aesop kept his eyes fixed on the way the Musician held his hand tight and gentle, he blushed lightly while trying to sway those sweet thoughts away. The way the Musician held his hand didn't last long when the crowd began to disperse, Norton released Aesop's hand away and smiled at him, Aesop's silver eyes showed a little bit of confusion and had his brows crunched, staring at the ground and fiddling with his fingers

Él se ve algo deprimido, ¿por qué será eso?
(He looks kind of sad, Why is that?)

While walking for a short while, the fascination in Aesop's eyes grew and he began to show curiosity, asking Norton the culture that the Maharlikan had, It made Norton happy and he enthusiastically explained their traditions, economy and more

Somehow, Norton was enchanted by the curiosity of the beautiful knight, having those captivating silver eyes fixed on that gorgeous jewelry made with lapis lazuli, sugilite, quarts and other different types of gems

Soon after, they were standing near a stall, where the sweet scent of the desert drew them both in, Norton had his eyes gaze upon what looked like a small cookie with three capes.

"Those are my favorites! Want to try them Aesop!" his lips formed a wide grin and point at the desert while looking at the man beside him

"Ah, sure."

Norton couldn't help but to smile at the sight of silver haired embarrassment, Apparently Aesop did not reveal his love for sweets, he won't let his guard down just like that but his smile and body language can be a dead give away sometimes, no matter how hard he tries to hide it, his love for sweets are way too obvious for the Musician to let it pass. Norton paid for the delicacies he's buying for Aesop, Aesop couldn't refuse the offer so he just let Norton do what he want

The Musician looked at him expectantly, watching the silver haired took a bite of the sweets in front of him, the dough was brittle and it did not avoid scattering a few crumbs on the floor, the stuffing was so sweet, with an overflowing citrus flavor and a slight touch of cinnamon.

Aesop's eyes widened in fascination, it was sweet but when he consumed everything and he felt his throat dry. He coughed in discomfort

"It's... delicious..." Aesop swallowed a bit before continuing,"...It's so dry." he pouted unconsciously and Norton just let out a laugh

"Yes and you took them all in, it goes well with water" Norton snorted and handed Aesop some bottled water, which he drank all in an instant and sighed

"That is why I prefer chami..."

"Chami? What's that?"

"It's a traditional dish in Yuma." Aesop explained,"Chami is made of flat miki noodles stir fried with meat of chicken, shrimp, fish ball carrots, cabbage and other vegetables. It's sweet and spicy, it goes well with Caldo, you pour it in chami, rather than take it as a soup."

"Yuma is your hometown I presumed." Norton smiled,"Maybe one day you should take me on a date there~"

"Shut up, you idiot"

Norton just laughed at the silver haired retaliation. Es hermoso incluso estando molesto (He's beautiful even when he's angry) He thought to himself while smiling, they continued walking around town in silence until the Musician decided to hummed a melody and sang

"Te amo y más de lo que puedes imaginar
Te amo además como nunca nadie jamas lo hara
En esta canción, va mi corazon
Amor más que amor es el nuestro y te lo vengo a dar"

(I love you too much
To live without you loving me back
I love you too much
Heaven's my witness and this is a fact)

"What are you singing this time?" Aesop's eyes fluttered while he listened to Norton's voice

"Hm? Just something I think of~"

Aesop thought twice before responding, obviously he wasn't going to admit that he loved hearing Norton sing, that beautiful melody calmed his mind,"It doesn't bother me too much, continue."

Norton chuckled a bit. He took his guitar that hangs from his back and began playing the rhythm to match his voice

"Te miro y más ... y mas y mas te quiero mirar
Te amo y sabrás puro sentimiento y no hay nada más
Y sueño llegar a tu akna tocar
Amor más que amor es el nuestro y te lo
Vengo a dar"

(I live for your touch
I whisper your name night after night
I love you too much
There's only one feeling and I know it's right
I know I belong
When I sing this song
There's love above love and it's ours
Cause I love you too much)

Aesop didn't notice that he had been wearing a soft smile on his face, somehow, the lyrics and the melody filled his heart with happiness, When he looked at Norton by his side, he noticed a spark in his eyes, that kind of shine of a person who just found his will to live

"Ruego a Dios tenerte a mi lado
Y entonces poderte abrazar
Si no estas aqui algo falta
Yo por ti peleare hasta el final."

(Heaven knows your name, I've been praying
To have you come here by my side
Without you a part of me is missing
Just to make you my whole, I will fight)

Even when the existence of the Exorcist was shrouded in mystery, in Norton's eyes he saw him surrounded by beautiful flowers, he was absolutely delighted by Aesop's presence, he can't help to fall deeply in love with him. Everything about Aesop made Norton longed for that very love he was looking for.

"Y sueño llegar a tu almo tocar
Amor más que amor es el nuestro y te lo vengo a dar
Te amo y mas!
Te amo y sabrás como nadie yo te amara
En estas cancion yo veo quien soy
Amor más que amor es el mio y lo siento
Amor más que amor es el nuestro
Si tu me... lo das"

(I know, I belong, when I sing this song
There's love above love and it's ours
Cause I love you too much!
Heaven's my witness and this is a fact
You live my soul
Your heart is my goal
There's love above love and it's mine cause I love you
There's love above love and it's yours cause I love you
There's love above love and it's ours
If you love me...as much)

The Musician only smiled at him as he finished his song to the last note, somehow he was grateful that the other did not understand his words, expressed in a love song. They walked a bit more until they sat down to rest in a bench in a small garden side, Aesop broke the silence

"Maybe you can teach me a little bit of that strange language of yours?"

Norton blinked at his request and smiled mischievously as he have something in mind

"Is that so. Let's see here... Try saying Te Amo Mucho, Norton~"
(I love you too much, Norton)

"And the meaning is...?"

"It means Norton is an idiot~"

"Pft! I'll keep that in mind."

Realmente se lo creyo...
(He actually believes that...)

Norton had to covered his mouth to mute his incoming laughter, to his fortune, Aesop did not notice his silly expression, he coughed and composed himself but his playful grin did not leave his lips

"Okay, now try it with Norton, es apuesto, y un lindo chico llamado Aesop lo ama."
(Norton is handsome and a pretty boy named Aesop loves him)

"And that is...?"

"Means, Norton is a huge idiot and Aesop is wise~"

"How flattering on your part." Aesop snickered, showing a confident smirk, still believing every word that comes out from Norton's mouth

"Yeah, I know~"

Finally he let out a small laugh, they talked a bit until Norton saw a familiar figure between the crowd, he stood up and wear his usual charming smile

"By the way, I should be going now, the Pharaoh might require my presence."

Aesop also stood up and dusted himself,"I should be going as well, I still need to prepare the things we need to travel back to Lumina, thank you for your time Norton, It was a pleasure." Aesop bid his farewell with a gentle smile as he walked towards Kurt's house, Norton watched him go with a huge grin on his face.

"It's quite peculiar to see you roaming at the outskirts of town, Norton." He was approached by a familiar woman with a dark skin tone and a raven hair dreadlocks

"I could say the same to you, Patricia" Norton followed the woman, they slowly transported themselves into a vast ocean of sand in the middle of the desert, their eyes shine under the moonlight with a mystical colored of purple hue

"I noticed that you are quite close to that Entity Guard, that could be really dangerous but I assumed that you already know that, God of Death."

The God chuckled a bit, still fixing his gaze on the woman in front of him

"You know me so well, Goddess of witchcraft and yes, I know he is an Exorcist."

"That explains all the flowers that swarm around his soul. Edelweiss, red roses baby's breath, hawthorn, yarrow and... Zinnia."

"The flowers that means Noble Courage, Everlasting Love, Hope, Cure for a broken heart and... I mourn for your absence."

The God of Death memorized their meanings ever since the souls prayed when they passed away centuries ago, his sins still lingers around him everytime he remembered that tragic event in his life, he smiled sadly looking at the distance

"I never know that a mortal like him existed. I know mortal's have only one or two flowers that engulf their souls but that mortal is quite interesting." The God of Death complimented

"He truly is a wonder, perhaps he will be the one who will grant your dying wish?" The Goddess teased, the god only raised a brow at her and sigh

"I highly doubt it, all of his ancestors failed to do so and..." The God paused for a moment,"I hope he won't do it"

"Oh, so you don't desire death anymore?"

"Maybe? Who knows~ Only time will tell."

The two deities shared a laugh, the goddess showed her deep concern for her old friend

"But seriously, Norton. Stay away from him, I have a feeling that he will bring suffering to your life, I do not wish to see you get tormented by your foolish actions once again."

"...Tell me something I don't know."

"You hopeless idiot of a god..."

Norton smiled sadly and began to walk to the Royal Castle, leaving the Goddess alone in the middle of the sands of Maharlika, she sighed as she vanished and drifted to the breeze of the wind

He's truly an idiot... to fall in love with a mortal who will probably cause his downfall...

Patricia was preoccupied by that foolish God who guided the souls of the dead with his voice, that one God condemned with loneliness.

*****

In the castle of Maharlika, the Musician entered the Pharaoh's quarters, to his fortune Naib was alone so they can talk in peace, Norton was smiling brightly even after his gloomy conversation with Patricia, he was happy for that little date that he had with the Exorcist

"You seem happy, Norton. Something magical must have happened to you lately?" The Pharaoh asked intrigued, even if Norton was always smiling it's something about his aura today that had his friend got quite a little bit curious about that happiness he's showing, then again no can tell if the god is genuinely happy or not

"Yep! I got to date that cutie guard that the Lunar Prince had~"

"Wait, he actually let you date him?"

"Nope! I showed him around the city, eat together and taught him a few words from the ancient tongue and I consider THAT as our first date~"

Naib looked at Norton, doubtful about what he taught the guard

"Please, tell me you didn't cheat and taught him how to say I love you, Norton"

"I..." Norton paused,"actually did that~" he hummed happily, a wide grin formed his lips, Naib just slapped his hand on his face in disbelief

"Sometimes, I doubt the great goddess' judgment, you are more of a God of mischief than the God of death to me."

"You flatter me~" Norton snorted, the cheerfulness he had faded when he saw Naib's sober expression,"You looked down, Naib. Did something awful happen?" Norton asked worriedly

Naib ran his fingers through his hair and slumped in his own bed,"Well... Eli came to see me. It was supposed to be an emotional and loving reunion but we have a huge misunderstanding and knowing Eli... he goes hysterical and... you can tell what happened next." the Pharaoh groaned in frustration

The Musician sat down by the Pharaoh's side and place a hand on his shoulder comfortingly

"It's going to be okay, Naib. I can assure you, this problem of yours will be solved soon, Eli loves you with all his heart and soul and he's a good person, he harbours no hatred towards you. Deities and Mortals are somehow alike, when they're mad, sad or stress they make bad choices, their path leading astray but the difference is that, Mortal are given more than one chance, that is why your kind, when you die you get reincarnated and live a new life again unlike the deities, when we sinned we are punished gravely and when we die we vanished forever." Norton spoke sadly, the Pharaoh sensed a great sadness in his words,"Just clear things up with him, it's never too late to start again, Naib."

Naib let out a breath and nodded, he really is blessed greatly for having a wonderful friend like Norton, he should at least try his best to rewrite his mistake. Norton was right. It's never too late to start again.

On the other hand, in the house of the explorer, things were different. Aesop was hugging Eli while he sobbed uncontrollably, sharing the unfortunate event of his reunion with the Pharaoh. Aesop waited till Eli calmed down a bit and let him rest a little

"So... how was your day, Aesop?" The Lunar Prince asked curiously, the Exorcist was quite surprised about his question

"For the Goddess sake Eli, you have your heart broken yet you asked how my day was?" The Exorcist shook his head

"Yes, you are my friend, I care about you. I was wondering how did you enjoy your day off" Eli sniffed between his cries while rubbing his tear stained eyes

"It was fine... I almost fainted from the heat, I got lost along the way and I spent my whole day with that dummy musician."

Eli smiled seeing Aesop looked like he enjoyed today. Did he say he spent his time with the Musician? The Lunar Prince did not know why but for some reason he can sense the Musician's genuine love for his friend, even if he just met the Musician once.

"You should give him a chance, if he likes you. He seemed like a great guy and he treated you well, didn't he?"

"What!? No, I don't even like him like that, he's a huge idiot."

"Aww~ really? Nothing nice to say about him at least?"

Aesop averted his gaze as he bit his lips and began speaking,"Well.. H-he is ha-handsome.. And.. and his voice is c-charming? And.. and.. t-that---I mean his messy hair is kind of uhm.. Cute.. h-his eyes.. Er.. are b-b-beautiful.. His.. his accent when he s-speak.. In that lang-language of his.. Is very.. Very Sexy, I g-guess?"

Eli can't help but to laugh at Aesop's stutters and nervousness, the sadness he felt a while ago drained in an instant seeing Aesop become a little bit cheerful describing that oh so handsome Musician in his eyes

"You are hopeless, Aesop~" The Lunar Prince teased

"W-what are you saying!?" Aesop retaliated, his face was so flushed and he made that same pouty face Eli used to do, he didn't expect Aesop to have this cute side in him, perhaps this is why the Musician took an interest in him. How adorable, I hope they become a couple someday~

"Anyways we should return to Lumina"

"Yeah, I agree"

After having a small dinner with Kurt, they bid him farewell and left Maharlika that night. While Eli was looking at the night sky, thinking about his beloved Pharaoh, how he kept hurting his feelings, he wondered if there is really no hope for their love to bloom and he and Naib could have a happy ever after. Wishful thinking... Aesop on the other hand was conducting the carriage and had his eyes fixed at the stars, he unconsciously hummed the song that Norton sang for him earlier through the streets of Maharlika.

"What a beautiful melody, Aesop..." The Exorcist flinched by the sound of the Prince poking his head on the window, listening to his humming,"Where did you learn that?" the Prince asked with curiosity, It was the first time he heard Aesop's melody, it was peaceful and gentle too

"I... I heard it in the marketplace." Eli snorted, he didn't asked any further and continued to listen to his friend

You heard it from Norton, I am sure of it.

Eli said to himself, sometimes Aesop is terrible at hiding his true feelings.

*****

It was quite unusual that the Pharaoh's Royal Advisor assigned someone to watch over him. Why does he need to assign a Royal Guard for me? He was stuck inside the walls of his kingdom, one where he can never get out, then again he rarely questioned his Royal Advisor's authority, whatever Jose Baden did was for the good of the Kingdom, he was not his uncle's advisor for nothing after all. They have waited for this mysterious person who will be his Royal Guard, the highest of the knights for the Pharaoh of Maharlika and a cover as a subsidiary Pharaoh

Waiting in the throne room, the door's have opened wide, As a tall raven haired man with a white masked approached the Pharaoh, bowing on one knee and smiled mysteriously, the Pharaoh's brows knitted perfectly, this man in front of him, his presence doesn't feel so comfortable at all

"Greetings my beloved Pharaoh, I am Count Jack of the High Council and I will be your Royal Guard, your sword and your shield during your reign, I hope to serve you well, blood and soul." The Raven haired man proclaimed with confidence

Blood and soul huh? Naib muttered behind his thoughts, he stared at the Royal Guard's mysterious crimson eyes, it was quite strange, It was like sucking him in, like a trance of some sort.

What is it with this guy?

The Raven haired man only smiled at him, having his gaze directly staring at the Pharaoh. Jack snapped his fingers and his mysterious smile turned sinister

"Thank you, Jack. I do hope you serve me well." The Pharaoh replied without any conviction, It felt like his mind was being muddled up by a greater force. He couldn't think straight anymore and just went blank, staring back at the raven haired man who removed his mask in front of him, his eyes glowed in bright crimson.

Well~ Well~ Well~ Checkmate.

The Pharaoh's last thoughts were that name of his beloved Lunar Prince

Norton, Take Care of Eli for me.

[END OF CHAPTER]