/I could never bring myself to harm someone the way I was harmed but, if I don't at least try to put myself in that other person's shoes, I'll never solve the mystery of who killed me and framed that man. I know it wasn't King Lanzhil. Which means, it has to be someone who's able to leave and return to the castle without raising suspicion./
It's still difficult to think that anyone in the castle would want to harm me, but when I think about it, it's the only thing that makes sense. Dorcascos, a soldier who typically assists Lord von Kleist, Gunter, recently requested some time off. Something about sorting out some things with an ex-wife. His request was granted and shortly after he left, Lord von Voltaire, Gwendal and Lord von Kleist, Gunter immediately began interviewing potential candidates to fill in for him while he was away.
/If I'm remember correctly, that person was a young boy, roughly the same age I was when I became king, but bearing a slight resemblance to Conrad. I remember, too, now, when I asked Conrad about it, he adamantly denied that there was any chance of the boy being his. I'm still not entirely convinced, but, I don't have time to concern myself with that now. Right now, I have a mystery to solve!/
I float through the castle corridors in search of the person I've dubbed "Conrad's Younger Twin," though I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when I find him. Contrary to popular belief, spirits can't really do anything other than follow those still among the living around and observe them quietly from the shadows.
/Man, being a spirit sucks! Err, well, at least, it's not like I'm hungry or have to stop to use the men's room. So it isn't all bad... I guess. Still, I'm gonna miss playing base... ball... huh?/
The sound of a child playing happily nearby catches my ear and I pause. /Greta?/
I float to the end of the corridor, then turn left, onto an outer corridor that faces the rear courtyard and look out over the railing. In the center of the rear courtyard, more or less, a beautiful little girl with auburn colored curls and amethyst colored eyes is playing near a flower bed of brightly colored flowers.
/Greta. In a way, it hurts to know that she's moved on so quickly. On the other hand, it's good to hear my little girl so happy. I guess, that's the way it should be, right? I might be gone, but Greta is still alive. Why shouldn't she be happy?/
Without stopping to think, I fold my arms and move to rest them on the railing; only to feel my spirit start to fall forward. /Oh! I forgot! Ghosts can't lean like that, ahahah!/
I unfold my arms and straighten and observe my precious daughter playing from afar. Her warm smile and beautiful laugh makes my heart happy. It isn't long, however, before someone from the other side of the rear courtyard calls out to her, referring to her as "princess," and I squint slightly to see who it is.
A short few months after I arrived at the castle, a kawaii young girl claiming to be my illegitimate daughter arrived at the castle. When I went to meet her, she attacked me and tried to kill me, but Conrad stopped her. She was captured immediately and locked in the dungeon while the others and I discussed how to punish her. Since I had scheduled a trip to some hot springs to help my injured ankle heal, I decided to take her with me, much to other's disapproval.
The trip quickly changed from one thing to another, but ended happily with me adopting Greta as my daughter, making her a princess. Later, we met Greta's maternal grandfather, Mau, and learned from him that Greta's mother was actually the queen of a country that had, unfortunately, fell in a war. In other words, Greta really was a real princess! However, with the exception of a select few, hardly anyone ever refers to Greta by her title.
Which is why I'm curious as to who called out to her just now.
A figure emerges from the shadows and steps into view. The person is a slender young man with short brown hair and small, either hazel or brown colored, eyes and I gasp sharply.
/Ah! It's him! Conrad's younger twin! But... why is he approaching Greta? He's just saying 'hello,' right? Hmm. I have a bad feeling about this.../
XXXXXXXXXX
"Greta."
The young girl stops playing and looks up. "Oh! It's you... uhm..."
It seems she's forgotten the young man's name.
"Aiden."
"Ai-den... right. Gomen. I forgot."
"It's alright."
Conrad's younger twin, also known as Aiden, glances briefly at the flowers blowing effortlessly in the cool afternoon breeze before looking back at the young auburn colored haired girl and smiling pleasantly at her. "You were admiring the flowers just now, weren't you, princess?
Greta follows the young man's gaze and stares intently at the brightly colored flowers. "I was just remembering what father told me, about how flowers are living things that need to be cared for properly or else they'll die and then no one can enjoy them. I... I miss him, so much!"
Hearing the tears in her voice, Aiden kneels next to Greta and puts an arm around her shoulders. "I understand, but you know, he's in a better place now. He's in a place where nobody can get to him and hurt him; a place where his soul is at rest and is happy. As for what he said about the flowers... He was right, you know? If a flower grows too close to another flower, its roots can kill the other flower, so it's important to spread the flowers and separate them every now and then."
Greta pauses and looks up at him, tears staining her large, amethyst colored eyes.
Aiden reaches out and plucks a bright yellow flower and smiling, offers it to Greta. "Now, his former majesty, King Yuuri, will always be with you."
Greta trails her gaze over to the flower, Yuuri's Naivety, her brows furrowed in thought as she mulls over Aiden's words. /He's right. I've heard Gunter and the gardener talking about separating flowers before, but... a flower without its roots, even if it's put in a vase full of water, eventually, the flower will wilt and die. If this flower is Yuuri, then, Yuuri won't always be with me. Aiden... is a liar./
The expression on the young girl's face changes and she looks like she's about to burst into tears. Sensing the change in her mood, Aden pulls his arm away from Greta and stands up. He places his hands on his hips and stares ahead, smiling happily. "You probably want to be alone with your thoughts now, huh, Princess Greta? It's just as well. Lords von Voltaire and Kleist are - !"
"AIDEN!"
Even though only Aiden's name was called, both he and Greta flinch and pull their arms closer to their bodies and look around for the person who called out to Aiden just now.
"Aiden! What are you doing, playing around, when I told you to come straight back? Get up here right now!"
Aiden lifts his gaze and looks up and smiles and waves apologetically when he sees Lord von Kleist, Gunter, glaring down at him from a second story window. "Gomen! I'll be there!"
Gunter huffs angrily and pulls his head back inside before slamming the window shut, the noise echoing loudly throughout the grounds.
Aiden sighs heavily and stops waving and lowers his hand and smiles apologetically at Greta. "I'll see you around, Princess."now?"
He walks away, completely smitten by the sound of Lord von Kleist, Gunter's, voice. /Ah, even if he is angry, his voice is just so~!/
Greta lets out a sigh of relief when Aiden is called away by Gunter and looks down at the brightly colored flower in her hands. With a heavy heart and tears welling in her eyes and rolling down her pale-rose colored cheeks, she turns slightly and runs across the courtyard, opposite the way Aiden went, and heads straight for Wolfram's room.
XXXXXXXXX
I watch the interaction between the young man and my little girl and frown when he kneels next to her and wraps an arm around her and offers her a flower - a Yuuri's Naivity - from Celi Sama's flower bed, I noticed. /What the hell is he doing?! Is he flirting with her?!/
In any case, Greta doesn't appear to appreciate the young man's apparent advances. Nor is she smiling or laughing like she was before either. Which angers me. I ball my hands into fists at my sides and glare darkly at him.
Spirits can't really do anything in the physical sense, but that doesn't mean they're completely helpless. Spirits can still hover around and make bone chilling noises that would scare the wits out of most people. Well, at least, people who are afraid of ghosts. Such antics would never frightened ghost enthusiasts, however.
Since I don't really know the young man, I don't know which of the two categories he falls under, but I'll be damned if I'm going to just stand by and do nothing while he takes advantage of my little girl's vulnerability and hurt her feelings!
/I'll teach him the meaning of respect!/
Angry, I float through the railing and start across the courtyard. A familiar voice suddenly calls out to the young man, referring to him as Aiden, and I stop in my tracks and look up.
/Ah, Gunter. Thank goodness! You don't realize it, but, you just spared Aiden my wrath./
I mentally thank the man with his pale-lilac colored hair sticking out from a second story window and sigh heavily. I look back at Aiden and watch as he makes his way back inside the castle, going back the way he came.
/Greta's safe, for now, but I have to find a way to make sure he never bothers her again!/
I turn to face my little girl, but she's nowhere to be seen.
/Greta? Maybe she went and locked herself in her room? I want to check on her and make sure she's alright, but I also want to learn more about this Aiden person and his role in all of this. Forgive me, Greta, but papa has some work to do. Please, be alright until I can get to you./
With that little prayer, I float across the other half of the courtyard and go inside and make my way to the office.
A/N: Even if he might have come off a little... creepy?... I hope you enjoyed meeting Aiden. I really wanted to spell his name without the "i," but the person's whose name is spelled "A-d-e-n" is very different from the person's whose name is spelled "A-i-d-e-n," lol.
I would now like to thank everyone who has stuck with me since the beginning and who has added "Death of The Demon King" to their favorites list. I would also like to thank everyone who has taken the time to leave a review: KuroCiel, AkuaTheDragonLookout, BlackNoblesse, Kazeninatte07, Natsuyuuki, CocoBe78, Trazedone, 3UKzW, 1Rt8v, and all of my other guests. Thank you! : )
Lastly, no matter how long it might take, I intend to see this story through to the end. Stay tuned!