Kabanata xxi
Power

***

CLEOBELLE / SINCLAIR

Mula nang magising ako ay hindi na umuwi pa si Aslan. 

He spent his whole time killing monsters near the dukedom and is purposedly avoiding me. 

Siguro ay mas mabuti nang ganito na lamang kami. Nang sa ganoon ay madali kong magawa ang pakay ko. Kailangan ko lamang alisin ang kanyang sumpa at pagkatapos noon ay hindi na sana magtagpo pa kahit kailan ang aming mga landas.

It seems like I need to find my real father to do that. 

Paano ko gagawin iyon gayong hindi sinabi sa akin ni Vespera kung sino siya at kung papaano ko siya mahahanap?! Patay na siya't lahat ay bobo pa din!

Sa tuwing naaalala ko ang huling pag-uusap namin ni Vespera ay gusto ko siyang hilain mula sa impyerno para paslangin siyang uli.

'My King,' one of my spirit summons, Anna, called my attention. 'Unfortunately, we can't find any clues about who could be your father. We already asked other spirits, but it seems like whoever he is, he's really good at hiding himself,' she aded.

Mariin akong napapikit doon habang binabaybay ang nagyeyelong kabundukan ng Glacialis.

Being inside the house for too long suffocates me so I'm currently in my witch form, killing some fungus to kill some time.

'Do whatever it takes to find him. I need to lift Aslan's curse so I can finally be free,' I hissed at her.

'Yes, my liege—' She didn't finish her sentence when she suddenly collapsed and fell on my palm.

My guard immediately went up and helped her while observing our surroundings.

"What's wrong?" I asked her while she's trying not to lose her consciousness.

'I don't know, my King, I suddenly felt so weak. It's like my life force is draining. . . ' She stated. 

'Go back to the spirit world,' I commanded in a serious tone while looking around.

'Yes, my liege.' Anna then teleported with her remaining strength, back to their world.

Anna is one of the strongest Generals of the Ice Spirit Queen's kingdom. It's strange that she'd suddenly lose her strength who whatever is coming in our direction.

Wala na akong sinayang pang oras at agad na inilabas ang halberd ko at itinaas iyon. Kasabay nito ang paglabas ng mga magic circles sa aking likuran at mabilis na bumulusok patungo sa kakaibang nilalang na palapit sa akin.

My attack then created a huge explosion in the mountain where I'm at. As the mist from that explosion slowly faded, a tall man's figure slowly emerged.

"State your name," I uttered coldly while pointing my halberd in his direction.

"Titus . . ." I heard his voice. "Titus is my name," he added.

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko roon. 

His name have never been mentioned in the book before. 

I couldn't feel any bad intentions coming from this man, but my guard remained up while observing his every move.

I spinned my halberd in fast a fast motion and forcefully dropped it on the ground, while still holding it. That action have blown away all the mist surrounding us, allowing me to have a good look on his face.

A man in all white, seeming like he's beeming with light. The same man who showed up that time when monsters attacked in the hunting competition.

"You seem cold," he said as he handed me a white cloak. 

Hindi ko tinanggap iyon at hinayaang mahulog sa lupa.

"You. . . What are you?" I asked with a grim expression on my face.

The man just smiled and vanished like a ghost, causing me to halt. 

Right after he left, I suddenly heard a loud ting in my head, while my chest started tightening.

Mariin akong napahawak sa aking ulo at sinusubukang patigilin ang misteryosong ingay na aking naririnig. 

Para akong mababaliw sa lakas nitong tila ba ay pinupunit ang utak ko. 

Napaluhod ako roon kasabay ng pagpatak ng dugo sa aking palad. And dugong iyon ay gumuhit ng kakaibang anyo sa aking pulso na agad ding nawala.

Pagkawala ng bagay na gumuhit sa pulso ko ay nawala din ang maingay na tunog dahilan upang pabagsak akong mapaupo sa malamig na niyebe.

Hindi ko alam kung sino ang lalaking iyon ngunit hindi ko siya gusto. 

I an feel how dangerous and powerful he is. Whoever that man, I pray that I'd never see him again or else I'd have to kill him myself.

Matapos kong kumalma ay nagpasya akong umuwi na sa Dukedom. Mula sa gate ay naabutan ko pa si Aslan na tila ba ay mayroong hinihintay.

Tinanguan ko lamang siya bilang pagbati at akmang lalagpasan na ito nang bigla na lamang niyang hawakan ang pulsuhan ko.

Nakaramdam ako ng kakaibang init mula sa kanyang pagkakahawak sa akin.

"May kailangan ka ba sa akin Duke Aslan?" kalmadong tanong ko.

"Who's cloak is that? That's too big for you." He commented with a dark expression on his face.

Ah right, I strangely felt chills after what happened earlier, so I took the cloak the strange man have given me.

"I felt cold and saw this lying around," I answered, but he didn't seem convinced.

Not that I should care about that. It's not like this marriage is gonna last anyways.

"Anything else you need, my Duke?" I asked.

Napatiim bagang siya doon at marahang binitawan ang pulsuhan ko. 

"You can go inside, it's cold," he uttered coldly.

I don't know if I just got used to him being softer in this life that I felt my chest tightened due to his cold treatment.

Well it's not like I'm any different. I've been treating him coldly too.

Tumango lamang ako saka nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad papasok sa mahabang bulwagan hanggang sa makarating ako sa aking silid.

'Sino ka?' Boses iyon ni Elsa na tila ba ay may kausap sa loob. 

Natigilan ako roon. Walang dapat na nakakakita kay Elsa at sa iba ko pang summons kung hindi ako lamang.

Kung ganoon ay sino ang kausap niya?

Dahan dahan kong binuksan ang pintuan at sinilip sila doon. 

'Butler Righour?' I asked myself.

He can see and talk to Elsa which is strange. 

Thinking about it, he is the oldest worker here, the closest to Aslan, but he never died despite Aslan's curse.

Akmang papasok na sana ako nang makarinig ng malakas na sigawan sa labas. 

Sumilip ako sa bintana at napansin ang napakaraming fungus na pumalibot sa buong Dukedom.

This day is strange. The scene in front of me has never happened before as the dukedom have a spell that fungus are afraid of.

That's why they can only cause chaos outside. 

I closed my eyes and tried sensing the spell surrounding the Dukedom. However, I couln't sense it anymore. As if it was suddenly broken. 

Naramdaman ko ang pag-iinit ng aking pulso at ganoon na lamang ang pagkagulat nang makakita ng nagliliwanag na mata roon. 

The eyes on my wrists have white lashes, and it's pupil is as clear as crystal; As if it could see through everything.

Nanayo ang mga balahibo ko roon.

Nagkasalubong pa ang tingin namin nito kasabay ng bigla na lamang nang kusang paggalaw ng aking mga kamay at paglabas ng isang nakabubulag na liwanag.

Ang liwanag na iyon ang siyang tumapos sa lahat ng fungus na nakapalibot sa dukedom at ni abo nila ay walang natira.

Nakita kong maging ang mga kasambahay ay nawalan ng malay. . . Bukod kay Aslan.

***

A/N: Sorry for the super late update! My hands is full most of the time and can only do tasks one at the time. Thank you so much for all your support despite this!