The Lady Of The Future - Chapter 4
Early morning, before the sun-blessed the clouds with light, Alfina already finished packing her stuff. After opening the door out to her lab, a bunch maid of Enclave was waiting outside. Alfina’s eyes visibly widen at the sight of them.
“Wha-”
The head maid came in front and said, “We ask the princess to let us follow to your journey.” As she deeply vowed.
Alfina thought of this before too, but then she thought that it would just be a burden to her. In actuality, Alfina just seeks whole independence, just her alone. So…
“I refuse.”
When she said this, the maids face dimmed. The head maid was also confused. It was apparent that they weren’t lacking in anything or had made a mistake before that displease their master. Also, in general, nobles especially the royals should have at least one or 2 maids with them. They shouldn’t be left alone. When the head maid was about the say something, Alfina answered…
“I cannot bring any of you. I had been given complete freedom from my parents. Meaning, I shall be responsible to myself like that of a commoner. The difference between a commoner and me was the fact that I was born royalty and that won’t change. Another one was that I am being sponsored by the whole Azure Realm citizens to be alive and to save them from the present situations.” Alfina stopped for the moment before continuing.
“Given the title that was awarded to me, Azure Realm’s Inventor-Scientist, I have the responsibility to seek knowledge. In order to attain that knowledge, I have to spread my wings out there and see them for myself. I have to see the world in order to save it.”
After a bit of silence, Alfina bitterly said, “…I know you’re worried about me. But this is the only condition that I asked for my parents, to the world for me to save them. This is the only thing I desire for throughout the years I’ve lived. It’s unreasonable and selfish, but that’s how my mind works. I just hope you understand that.”
After saying a lot, the head maid seemed to respect my wishes and said, “We understood princess. We shall no longer delay you on your journey. May you be blessed by the lord, health and safety. We will pray for you.”
Alfina just nodded to them and walk out of the mansion. After reaching the gates, she made one final look at the mansion. After all, she spent at least 2 years inside there and made a lot of difference. From making it easy to live into making it aesthetically beautiful. The plain but majestic blue mansion turned into a lively mansion where you could relax your mind and be at peace, a total sanctuary.
She just walked while her Cloud Storage was floating beside her, following her. Though she had an option to use a Cloud Car, she insisted on walking through roads where she could see the corners of places she hasn’t usually visit apart from the palace.
It may look like to others that she’s being sentimental but for Alfina she just wanted to memorize the image of this place for one last time. Why? Because she didn’t know when she could even come back to this place, maybe she won’t ever again in her lifetime? Who knows? That’s why, though she couldn’t feel it, she could at least treasure the image of the memories.
Even for the last time, Her Royal Mother refused to meet her. Her whole family already bid her farewell in advance but not even that. It might be unscientific but Alfina somehow believed in mother-child connection. Maybe she couldn’t understand its feeling but she could understand what it means. Her mother already predicted this the moment she came out of her womb. She did her best to restrain her, to teach her. But it was useless. She cannot change another’s fate. It’s inevitable. It’s no use crying over spilled milk, but she cannot get over it fast like her Royal Father.
And just like that, Alfina left the Empyrean Royal Family. Not even a word, nor a letter.
From one of the towers at Empyrean Palace, the Empyrean Royal Family was watching Alfina’s movements form the moment she left her mansion till she left the Palace.
“It’s kinda dumb to do this mother,” Elvin commented.
“What do you know? Can’t I feel upset?” the queen replied.
“That’s right brother, you don’t know anything. I really wonder where that monster inherited her genes!” Louis immediately sided their mother.
“It’s probably from our Ancestor.”
“Oh your finally here.” The queen sarcastically said, “Why didn’t you send off your beloved daughter?”
“Our great ancestor was said to have this kind of personality. So it’s not that surprising.” The king said. “Your getting out of hand, Lily.”
“Yeah right, you clearly know that my predictions are always on point and will happen anytime if the person was still alive, but you still let her out at this young age. Why can’t I throw a fit ha, George?!” Queen Lily said scowling.
King George cannot help but scratch his head. “You also predicted that your life will be less than 100 years. Why don’t you let go of that stress and spend it in happiness and not fear?”
“My point was that you let her start her journey too young! She’s just less than 15 years old. You let your little daughter face the dangerous world without hesitation. Is she really our child?!”
“She’s also my daughter. I’m also the person closest to her this whole time, her only savior, her breathing place when she’s being suppressed by you. So, don’t question my means as I let you have your way for less than 15 years of her life already!” King George seriously said.
Queen Lily couldn’t help but stay silent as all the accusations were true. Now, listening to them, the second prince Louis became confused asking, “What do you guys mean? Isn’t she a monster? Why do you care so much whether she lives or die afterward?”
Queen Lily, King George, and Prince Elvin was shockingly looked at Prince Louis. They looked at each other. Stuttering, Queen Lily approached Prince Louis like a kid.
“Louis, why do you say that your little sister was a monster?”
“Don’t everyone say that she is one? She was even called Witch one time. Even older brother heard of it.” Louis explained while pointing to Elvin. Continuing, he grabbed his mother’s arms while happily saying, “And now, the monster was gone, no one would make mother cry ever again.”
All of them couldn’t look at Louis in disbelief. King George approached Elvin asking, “Did you know anything about this?”
Elvin felt embarrassed answering, “I know that rumors. I also heard of it before with Louis but I never knew Louis carved it in his heart. I failed to address the issue early on.” Then held his forehead like having a headache.
King George also felt like his veins was popping, “Its not all your fault, I was also to blame. Since both you and Alfina was understanding, I unconsciously deemed Louis’s mindset the same as both of you. We neglect that you’re all children.”
“Yeah, you’re also helping your father so it’s just natural. I failed to educate him as a mother.” Queen Lily felt disappointed with herself as she lost herself the moment she learned of Alfina’s ‘Unfeeling’
While listening, Louis felt upset, “Why are you guys blaming yourself because of me? Ain’t that monster already gone? Aren’t you guys happy?”
Queen Lily leveled to Louis’s height, “I failed to make you understand Louis.”
“Why are you guys blaming yourselves?! What should I understand?!” Louis felt irritated just by the slight approach.
“Your sister was sick.” Queen Lily seriously said.
“What?” Louis’s face was dumbfounded and his face was full of disbelief, “How could she be sick? Apart from where she had a poker face and ignoring me, she’s perfectly normal to me.”
“Haaa.” King George took over the talk, “Your sister was diagnosed with ‘Unfeeling’ the moment she was born into this world. It’s natural that you felt like she was just ignoring you or ‘soulless’ when talking to you. That’s precisely her ‘defect’ or ‘sickness’.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“We’re not kidding you.” Elvin seriously reprimanded him.
“Then why can’t she just say something. Isn’t she smarter than anybody?” Louis was being emotional right now. Because he knows better than anybody how bad he had been with his little sister without knowing anything.
Queen Lily felt like her veins were also popping, “That’s precisely why I am irritated. That kid was a genius but also have ‘Unfeeling’. What a great flaw to a perfect vase.”
“What do you mean mother?”
Elvin couldn’t help but bitterly explained to Louis, “Remember the times where Alfina had sparkling eyes?”
“Yeah…”
“In other words, if you can make her eyes sparkle, you could get her attention. Otherwise, she will just ignore you and be ‘understanding’.” Elvin painfully closed his eyes.
“The heck?” Louis was weirded out.
King George interjected to the conversation, “Anyways, according to your little sister’s destiny, she’s bound to do something big. Everything will be for the sake of answering her unanswered questions. I bet she already listed a lot. It may be possible that your sister won’t be back anymore in here.”
After that conversation, Louis felt responsible for not using his brain and just believing everything that he heard. While Alfina on the other hand, arrived at her new place, her territory, named Islet.
Islet was located roughly to the southern end of Azure Realm. It was far away from the ‘Door’ but it was near the trading center of Azure Realm. After going through the long, felt like deserted, road. You would enter the cities. Then the farmlands, cloud mountains, cloud forest…
Finally, she entered the overcrowded central trading. This place was rich in commodities as it was fairly near the southern ‘Door’. The place where you could travel down the realm.
‘Now, time to go north.’
Getting a few pieces of all kinds of commodities and items, Alfina went aboard to a cloud ship. There’s only a few that go aboard on this ship. After all, north to this huge cloud lake was the place deemed as Cloud Side.
Though the lands was fertile. It’s like a sanctuary and few were allowed to live in here. In order to enjoy this place, you’re either elderly or have the approval of every kingdom recognized at Azure Realm. That’s how precious this place was.
‘Now, I’m going to live there’
Alfina couldn’t stop her eyes from sparkling. Life almost stops the moment she was ‘imprisoned’ in the palace. But now she’s free~
