"Such a crybaby. Anyway, what were you doing there naked?" He moved inside, but this time he didn't go toward those people; instead, he jumped onto the roof of a building.
"Aah." She tried not to shout. "Never thought a Ruler could be dirty-minded." Her voice was fragile.
"What? I asked a simple question. Your mind runs too fast." He jumped across roofs. She clutched tightly to his shirt, the motion was too fast for her newborn body to bear.
"By the way, did you see any slime creature around here?" His gaze scanned the whole area.
"A slime!" She repeated his words. "Was she someone important?" She glanced at him.
"Yep." He stopped upon a building, taking a look at the surroundings. He clenched his teeth.
"I didn't see her, but was she your friend or something?" She played with his buttons.
"You seem very interested in me." He didn't look at her. His eyes were trying to find someone, someone precious.
"I mean, if you are comfortable enough to tell." She lifted her head, her tone didn't change.
You look quite different. So different. Seems like I wasn't seeing the real you through the past, Belly.
Her brown eyes captured his face perfectly.
He jumped countless roofs; minutes passed, but he didn't find the slime.
He turned one last time, his heart raced with tension. His grip tightened on Belly unconsciously.
Where are you?
"I will leave you at Farms Origin. I won't stay, I need to find someone." He crossed Beauty in Hollow's territory. Wind brushed against her, like the wind had pushed her backward intensely. Her heart raced unnaturally fast.
"Slowly. Slowly." Her voice was heavy, she clutched him tightly.
Farms rose ahead. His gaze lingered on a warehouse for a few seconds before his feet touched the ground. Torches lit the area, and the tents were closed.
Denu stepped forward.
There were strange kinds of plants—purpis, golden plants with leaves lights shone from them in the darkness, while others remained out of sight. It was massive, his gaze could barely comprehend it. Apart from the golden plants, and the crops, nothing else was visible
"Seems like they all are asleep," Denu whispered, more to himself than to her.
The uncomfortable silence stretched.
Then she broke the silence.
"What if I say I saw her?"
Her voice was unnaturally calm compared to her previous vulnerability.
Denu's gaze found a lightlinger. He stepped toward him.
"You did?"
"You hate her." She forcefully closed her eyes to hold her tears. She curled further into his embrace. Her hands reached to curl around his wrist.
"You are crying again." He stopped, he didn't approach the lightlinger. He looked down at her, unknown emotions ran through him.
"Right, because you hate me." She opened her watery eyes and met his gaze.
"I don't hate you." His voice was soft, almost calming.
"I am Belly." These words had been stuck in her throat for a long time.
Silence followed those words.
"And why would I believe that?" His voice was distinct—painfully distinct.
His words hit her like knives.
Her grip loosened on his shirt. She didn't cry; even crying couldn't express her pain. She didn't try to convince him.
"Leave me." She just said two cold words. No, even the word "cold" couldn't describe them.
He lowered Belly gently to the ground.
"What happened?" he asked.
"I am telling the truth. It was a letter from Fate that made me like this." Tears rolled down from her chin. Her cheeks had turned darker from constant tears.
"Fate!" His eyes widened.
"You are saying a letter from Fate turned you human." He placed his palm on his forehead, his anxious expressions were crystal clear.
She didn't look at him, her gaze fixed on the ground. The cold air constantly hit her, but she didn't flinch.
From far away, a few lightlingers were heading in their direction while gossiping to each other. There was a star on their outfits, representing them as lightlingers.Their Divine Scars weren't visible.
They recognized Denu.
"My Ruler," one of them said.
They lowered their heads and placed their palms on their chests to show respect.
"What brings you here, My Ruler?"
"Nothing specific." His voice was unusually loud.
The lightlingers flinched at the loud voice from their Ruler.
Denu lowered his voice, realizing he had unintentionally shouted.
"I didn't notice you all," he added. "It's already late, so I thought it would be better if I rest here for a night."
"Denu, do you believe me?" Belly's chest tightened.
"Show some respect."
The lightlinger on the right side corrected her, unaware of the emotional tension between them.
They noticed blood on Denu's fists, but they didn't question it.
"Let us show you the tent." They moved toward a tent that was quite separate from all the others. Light barely reached there.
Belly and Denu followed them.
"She's a friend of mine. It would be good if you can provide one more for her," Denu requested.
Belly quietly stood there beside him.
"Sure." The lightlinger on the right side nodded.
They moved to the right side. Belly followed their pace, one of the lightlingers glanced at her. Her expressions were extremely loose, so that her sadness could be seen with just one glance.
Denu stood there, staring at them.
Why had you not returned? Why were you there?
The sun rose. Denu stepped out of his tent.
"My head." He grabbed his head.
A lightlinger arrived to him, holding Belly in his arms. Anxious. His hands trembled.
"My Ruler, she is unconscious. She isn't waking. I tried to wake her up." His voice was shaken.
Denu lifted Belly in his arms deliberately.
"Isn't there any Star Light?" Denu's forehead veins squeezed.
"No." The lightlinger lowered his head.
Denu didn't waste time. He rushed to the right side.
Is it my fault?
His heartbeat raced. His legs refused to stop.
He stumbled on a stone. He didn't fall. He didn't even acknowledge the stone.
"You eater." He ground his teeth.
"You were eating yourself from inside." His gaze lowered to Belly.
His grip tightened on her. No, overly tightened.
"Don't die on me." His composed face was no longer under his control.
Village of Queens rose in front of him.
His pace increased even more. He covered that long distance instantly—almost in no time.
Before the guards could greet him,
"Open it." He shouted, not from anger but from desperation.