Chapter 5

Once Wolfram started his training, he could forget about anything. The rush of blood through his veins just made him feel alive and he was almost addicted to the feeling.

With a few swift moves, several dummies fell, either being burnt to ash or sliced into multiple pieces before they hit the ground. Some of them managed to make some nasty moaning sounds or a horrified look of pain when they were vanishing in thin air.

It was the idea of Anissina, who happened to have the hobby of torturing or tormenting people, to invent these maryoku or sword practising "machines". She called them something like scream-before-they-die-and-your-skills-are-improved-kun.

But well, whatever, I don't care as long as I have something to burn or slash.

That was what popped up in Wolfram's mind as he destroyed a couple of hideous, zombie-like moving robots, using the new sword he had just been conferred, along with the title of the royal knight, from the accolade. It was made of steel; the hilt was slightly round and the pommel appeared as a malachite.

He examined it after the last screaming dummy was mute by his furious flame. On the guard of the weapon, there was an exquisite piece of emerald jewel planted. He wondered if Yuuri was the one who had chosen the sword for him. That's quite possible since the king paid him compliments about the colour of his eyes from time to time.

Wolf, your eyes are like... the bottom of a tranquil lake.

The blonde stroked the jewel. He then heard the king's voice again in his head.

Huh? Nothing, I was just looking at your eyes. They're so beautiful.

And he remembered himself blushing while returning the compliment, saying "your eyes are beautiful too". A face with a bright, easy-going smile appeared in his mind. That was the smile that once stole his heart, the boyish, sunshine-like smile he loved the most.

Wolfram closed his eyes and beamed. He decided to protect that smile with all of his own life.

A sudden sense of danger caught his attention; he turned and found four or five dummies moving swiftly towards him. Frowning, he was sure that he finished them all a moment ago. He dodged and shifted quickly away from the attacks, cleaving the strange things with some other few elegant moves. The sharp claws of one of the robots almost cut his right cheek if he didn't step away fast enough from it.

These things aren't supposed to move this fast!

He thought. Then a half sliced robot's arm suddenly flew towards him. He turned in time and burnt the part into ash. It emitted a shrill cry before it disappeared. The blonde sweat-dropped once again at the disgusting taste of the mad female scientist.

"Wow... how strong have you grown, my dearest Wolfram," a melodious, girlish voice said from the above.

The young soldier lifted his chin and saw a vague figure sitting on the nearest tree. He squinted, trying to figure out who it was. The voice sounded familiar. It was like the voice of a certain someone whom he sometimes could hear at the back of his mind when he wanted to get more strength.

"I promised you that I would be back one day, didn't I? " the sweet, singsong voice said.

With a brisk leap, she landed on the spot a few feet away from the blonde. Slowly, she strolled out of the shadow, revealing her face. It was a teenage girl with a pink, long twintail. Her ruby-like eyes were shining in the dark; there was a mysterious wave of light rippling through the orbs. This somehow made people tempted to stare at them. A playful curve clung on her lips.

Wolfram's eyes widened, he didn't expect to see her after so many years. He thought she had just disappeared or decided to start another life.

"Moni…" he muttered, putting his sword back to the sheath. "Why in the world are you here?""

"What? That's the only thing I get from you?" the girl named Moni asked in a dramatic way. "Do you know how long I've travelled just to come back and see you?"

Wolfram twisted his lips, annoyed. Moni walked a few steps ahead but he stepped back to keep the distance.

"Hey, why? Wolfram, are you mad at me?" she tilted her head, causing the pink braids to fall onto one side. "I came back for you as I promised. I don't see why you're so irritated."

Wolfram looked up and glared at her. "Of course I'm irritated! If you can kindly recall, you, have abandoned me for nearly fifty years!" For a moment, his emerald eyes were overwhelmed with a wave of light. Noticing this, a crooked smile appeared on Moni's face.

"Ah, it seems I've come back at the right time." she uttered quietly. "Wolfram, I couldn't teach you anything even if I stayed. Your Maryoku wasn't mature enough at the time that I left."

"That's just an excuse!" he yelled furiously, hands balled into fists. He hadn't felt this angry since a long time ago. "My Maryoku has been at a very high level when I reached forty. Anissina's crazy machine had proven it."

She shook her head while sighing, "That's maturity that I'm talking about, not quantity, density or whatever." to be more persuasive, she added. "Have you noticed that your fire has become much stronger after you've reached eighty-five?"

That's true. He still wanted to argue but he bit his lower lip instead. Moni's expression softened at the gesture. In her memory, Wolfram was always a stubborn child who kept trying to prove his own point all the time, regardless of whether his point was legitimate or not.

Well, he has finally improved a bit, in terms of controlling his own temper.

She thought as she moved forward. This time he didn't step back. When she finally stood in front of him, she realized that the young Mazoku was much taller and bigger than she last saw him.

"If I stayed here, you'd become more and more frustrated," she raised her hand and stroked his hair fondly. "you'd keep trying because you don't want to disappoint me. You'd keep failing because your power wasn't mature enough. That's why I needed to leave. I was trying to give you time to grow up. So... forgive me?"

Seeing the girl's gentle smile, feeling her tender touch, Wolfram suddenly felt nostalgic. When was the last time she talked to him like this? He nodded tentatively and gently pulled her into a hug.

"I missed you, Moni."

"Unfair, unfair, that's unfair!"

The dark-hair king kept complaining under his breath while storming through the hallway, marching down the endless stairs. The maids and servants all scurried away as soon as they caught the sight of the now pissed-off demon king. It was unusual to see the well-tempered king to be so annoyed. If he was unhappy, everyone would be unhappy. All of them took a mental note : an irritated king was a scary king. Never anger him.

He swung the fifth double door forcefully, still couldn't find his newly conferred knight. Giving a cluck of impatience, he turned and continued his search.

He had to give his knight a piece of his mind for leaving him alone to deal with all those sticky, super noisy nobles, noblewomen and their daughters. At first, he had no idea why so many people would bother and come to a knighting ceremony. He thought maybe they were curious. Well, it turned out that he was being naïve again. He gritted his teeth at the thought. All those people came here because of him! Or, to be precise, because of the vacancy of the position of the queen! For god's sake, who's going to find another partner right after the moment the engagement ended, in front of the eyes of his ex-fiancé? Well, maybe Celi-sama might do that. But definitely, not him!

It disgusted him when those women surrounded him and started flirting with him.

Who did they think he was? Some flippant guy who would flirt shamelessly with some women whom he had just met in a single night?

The heat inside was intensified when he recalled Wolfram's reaction. He expected to get at least a glare when those breast-showing ladies circled him at the corner. Instead, he got nothing ! Not even a glance! When he struggled to see the blonde, he could only find him chatting with the soldiers in his team, exchanging a few words with his brothers and leaving the room. He wanted to call him over but he was too far away. When he tried to walk, there wasn't any way out at all!

And he swore that he would protect me！

He grumbled ironically in his mind and he deflated a little when the thought of Wolfram didn't care anymore even if he openly flirts with these women, or worse, he would push him towards them.

And there was the choking feeling of pain in his heart again. He got that a lot recently, since the day Wolfram told him that he wanted to be his knight.

He shook his head fiercely, attempting to get rid of the frustration. Walking along the maze-like corridor, Yuuri wondered which way he should go. Randomly, he took a direction that hopefully would bring him to Wolfram.

He remembered the calm look on the knight's face during the ceremony, when he knelt, lowered his head and listened to the king's speech. There was an instant when his emerald eyes looked up, glittering with mischievousness. Yuuri couldn't help but stared back while continuing his scripted speech. Then, there was Wolfram, mouthing the word "wimp" and smirked at him like he always did.

That was the moment when Yuuri was sure that he was in love with Wolfram.

It was the sounds of the bugs at night that reminded him that he was now outside the castle. He had no idea where he was as he walked aimlessly. He turned at the corner of the tower and heard something falling heavily on the ground. There were some weird-looking dummies on the floor, some were making creepy screams...

The young Mazoku was standing in the middle of the backyard, slightly panting because of the training. Yuuri wanted to call his name but stopped when someone jumped down from a tree.

It was a girl.

He didn't recognize this person but Wolfram seemed to know her since he had withdrawn his sword. Then, they started talking or rather, arguing...

Maybe it isn't the right time... it's rude to interrupt...

The double black had thought of leaving but his feet just didn't move from the spot. For some reason, the annoyance returned to him when he saw Wolfram was with a girl instead of him.

So...that's how jealousy feels like...

He pondered, still observing the exchange between the girl and his ex-fiancé.

They're just talking. I can handle this. Maybe they're old friends.

He actually wanted to know what they were saying but it was just too far away. He waited and hoped the girl would go away. However, the reality just went against his wish. He frowned as the girl was walking closer to Wolfram.

Something unexpected happened. The girl started stroking his golden locks near his cheek, like a caring girlfriend. The strange thing was, he didn't snap her hand away...

Yuuri suddenly felt the hurt in his hands. He looked down and found his hands bleeding as he clenched them so tightly that his nails bit into his palms.

But he didn't care.

And he felt something in his mind cracked after what he had witnessed ...

Wolfram was embracing the girl , burying his head into the notch of her neck, whispering something in her ears.

Then, Yuuri heard the sound of a snap in his mind.

To be continued