Wild Young Princess: Mister, let’s sleep? - Chapter 195

A long time ago, way back when gods still descend in the land and join humans, there lived a child who was born from the woe of the world. She had carried the underlying sad and dark side of the world. And yet, she was kind, unsuspecting, and innocent.

The goddess who watched over this child looked at her in pity, witnessing the miserable life she led, was leading, and would lead. Shunned by everyone, the lonely child looked up and prayed to her, asking for a friend. So the goddess who pitied this innocent soul gave her wisdom.

But the wisdom that was supposed to tell the child that the goddess would always be with her was perceived as something else. Instead, the child took a weapon and split herself in half so she would always have a friend. Disheartened by the death of the young child, the goddess descended to cradle her.

As she cradled the foolish little girl, the goddess’s heart ached for her. The more she thought about it, the more she pitied her. So, with the child’s soul that was split in half, the goddess smiled and blew on it. But since the child was the fruit of the negativity of the world, only half of her soul was purified.

It became a soul with two different colors: white that was brighter than the sun and black that was darker than the void. They interconnected into one like a puzzle piece that suits each other perfectly. The goddess smiled as she stared at the white and black soul, noticing that in light, there was small darkness and the dark also had a white part in it.

The goddess reached out her hand as the ball of white and black soul hovered over her palm. “My child, your fate is a rough path, but I wish you will find each other once again.” She blew on the soul, the black separating from the white part until they were two small souls in front of her.

“In the dark, you find the light and in light, she will seek darkness,” said the goddess to the black part and smiled gently. “Once you’ve paid the price of the sin you never committed, you will get pardoned and become one again.”

As the goddess said those, she kissed each soul before the dark one disappeared. This was all she could do to this little child. She was born from the dark side of this world, hence, the goddess couldn’t interfere as much as she wanted to. All she could do for her was to lessen her sufferings by tossing her other soul to bear the same fate as the other.

“My child, just be patient. Someday, Yin will come back and you two will become one again.” She gazed at the white soul with small darkness in it. “Until then, do not get blind in your own light and darkness.”

And with that, both souls lived separately, yet the same miserable life over, and over, and over, with a little of goodness in between.

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“So that’s the story of Yin and Yang, huh?” the reaper stood in the corner of the mausoleum, arms crossed while staring at Lin Devon and the Princess kissing her forehead. “After being a reaper for quite some time now, I always get amazed with the story of your clients.”

He glanced at the lady beside her. She was clad in white, the same color as her hair and eyes, like snow. A subtle smile appeared on her lips.

“You can say they were just the pitiful souls who innocently bore the mistakes of the gods,” she said, eyes on Devon as gentleness flickered across her eyes. “And the gods were trying to correct their wrongs — other gods correcting other gods. This is why I liked Hell better. We just party without all these complicated matters of heaven and earth.”

“If you like it that much, why are you trying to redeem yourself to become an angel?” the reaper cocked his head to her, brushing his arm against hers. “Just admit it, Al. Seeing that these innocent souls who had carried the sins they never committed get free from their shackles is… satisfying.”

“Well, who knows?” the little freelance angel grinned, casting the reaper a wink. “Our job is done here.”

The reaper rocked his head. “The earth number ten is a good place.”

“Gahh… I will miss Marl and the free drinks! I don’t like our next destination!” The reaper chuckled at her complaints, shaking his head as she was always like this. “As if I had a choice, though. At least, this story isn’t that complicated as the previous ones.”

“If you look closely, it is complicated.”

“Don’t!” she glared at him. “Don’t break my bubble.”

“En…” he shook his head before setting his eyes back to Devon. Alvah also gazed at her and let out a sigh of relief.

“It was a good story, albeit short,” she murmured while the reaper hummed a low tune. “So long, Devon. I hope you will be happy from now on.”

“She will be… because the story didn’t start with just her, but them.”

And the two of them slowly vanished into thin air with a smile.

******

“I am one of them, Lin Devon. I love you, for I am you and you are me.”

Devon’s eyes slowly dilated when she felt the softness of the Princess’s lips. But what came right after made her freeze. The memories, or what she believed were, of the Princess when she was inside this body all surged in her mind and heart.

Everything.

From the moment the Princess woke up in this body until the time she was forced out of her body and sucked her own soul. The memories in her life, filling the gaps in her memory lane, fusing them within as if they were her own. Her thoughts, her heart, everything to complete her.

“I’ll keep the bad ones to myself, Devon,” the Princess whispered, but even so, Devon got a grasp of the individuality of the princess.

Slowly, Devon opened her eyes, and she was gone. Her eyes softened, gazing down at her grandfather’s portrait, smiling.

“Papa,” she called under her breath. “This feels strange…”

How was it not? Just moments ago, she was experiencing an existential crisis. But now, she felt like life was bad, but there was this small hope in her heart there was good in it. Whatever the good in it, Devon was unsure. But she wanted to know what it was.

“I doubt these feelings were mine,” she whispered, letting out a shallow breath. “But it feels as though they were and not at the same time.”

Even when the Princess ‘surrendered’ the life she had as Devon or what she believed she did, Devon was Devon. She would still doubt those kinds of things, but she was more accepting than before.

“Papa, I will visit you again.” Devon wiped her cheeks and forced a smile, putting back the portrait in its original spot. “I missed you, Papa. But I am alright now after crying so much. My husband will get worried. I’ll let you meet him next time.”

Devon stared at him for a moment with a smile and puffy eyes. After letting out deep breaths, she wheeled herself out, only to see Lewis leaning on the wall outside with his head tilted back. For some reason, her heart warmed up with just the sight of him, as if relieved to see him waiting for her.

Before she could call, Lewis already sensed her presence. He slowly set his eyes on her and immediately noticed her swollen eyes. He had been hearing her muffled cries, so he wasn’t surprised.

“You’re back?” he asked, trudging towards her and stopping in front of her. He gazed down while she looked up, sighing as soon as their eyes met once again.

“Your eyes were swollen,” came out a deep voice, wiping the corner of her eyes that still had lingering tears on them.

“I’m fi… ne.” Devon furrowed her brows as he breathed out heavily, squatting down in front of her with his hands on her knees. Lewis rested his forehead on the back of his hand, taking deep breaths and releasing them slowly.

“Husband?” she called in confusion, but he didn’t reply immediately. “What’s wrong?”

“Stop saying you’re fine, wife.” Lewis raised his head, unable to conceal the concern on his face. “Just say you still feel shitty or whatever, I prefer hearing that instead of hearing a fake ‘I’m fine.’ I will not get tired of hearing how you feel and wait until you can say you are fine genuinely.”

Her mouth opened and closed, seeing that his eyes sweltered with different emotions in his heart all at once. Lewis exhaled through his mouth, lifting his arm to cup her cheek.

“Please, my wife? For me… can you wish to live?” he asked in a shaking voice, afraid to lose her too as she undoubtedly occupied a special place in his heart. While waiting for her, Lewis ruminated about it. Although she was not the person he had fallen in love with, Devon had always been an important person in his life.

Devon weakly smiled, holding the hand on her cheek as she leaned over it with eyes closed.. “Warm… so warm, Lu, it’s calming.”