A building covered in graffiti stood tall in the corner of the city. Although dust lay thick on the floor, the lights still flicked on and faucets were still dripping droplets of water in a rhythm.
Desks scattered messily around the classroom, whiteboards filled with faint marks, and the smell of rust coming from the empty metal locker told the history of this place.
This school might no longer bring a sense of joyful youth, but it left behind a mark in this city.
And it would keep craving new history as it would be used as our new base.
I climbed up to the second floor of this three-story building and walked inside one of the classrooms in quiet steps.
Unlike our previous base, most of the other bases I provided were minimally prepared, with only food, drinks and medical kits to survive. But it was sufficient enough to host eight people.
[Come forth.]
With a wave of my hand, a bright light enveloped the entire room. Humanoid silhouettes merged as the light dimmed.
I quietly observed my members' surprised faces as they glanced around, before gaining their attention with a clap.
"Alright everyone, how are you doing? No injuries?"
Ornil turned to me with a frown, "Yolan… I think you should change the exit of your underground passage…"
"Hm? Is something wrong?"
"Don't people usually not connect their house to the base? Why would you make a decision like that?"
"Haha, it just happens."
The underground passage led to the previous studio I bought and was also the one that Keith barged into. I registered it as my official address while I lived in another house I bought through my channel in the black market.
While I did want to connect the passage to another base, the locations of each base were too far. As I didn't have enough resources and time to build tunnels underground that long, I connected it to the nearest building I owned – my previous house.
I sat down on one of the tables in the room and crossed my legs, "That's why I told you to immediately leave after you find the exit didn't I? I've instructed Cassius before I left. Did he lead you to one of our bases nearby?"
But my question was met with silence.
Azazel came up to me, she narrowed her eyes before putting her palm on my forehead, and then put her other palm on her own.
I glanced at her, confused, "Azazel?"
"I knew it, you've a fever! Cassius told us about your injury and how easily you get sick from it. Why are you acting though when you're this weak?!"
"Huh? What do you mean weak? I'm still alive aren't I?"
"Say that to your immune system! What if you're still alive? If you easily get sick, you'll collapse sooner or later!"
Azazel glared at me like I owed her money before continuing, "You should rely on us more Yolan. There's no need for you to take care of everything yourself and make your body condition worse."
Her gaze softened, "Let us repay you by helping you out."
My mind couldn't form coherent words to fight back at Azazel's sincere gaze. It's not just her, the others in the team also had a similar expression as her. But regardless, a smile bloomed on my face.
'They have finally put all their trust in me.'
To worry about someone, you had to have trust and care for that person, and it seemed like I had left a good impression on their minds to gain such attention.
"Thank you for worrying about me. I'll keep your words in mind."
Azazel smiled in satisfaction at my answer, turning her head to the others with arms on her hips. A silent celebratory look was exchanged from their gaze, which made me chuckle seeing it.
"So, what's our next move? Do we keep our heads low or plan a counterattack?" Baretta asked.
"I would love to counterattack, but the government has caught our tail because of the previous raiding incident, so it's better to lay low first."
"Wait, if the act of War of Throne was so referred, then why should we avoid the eye of government?" Eliot, being the nerd that he was, raised a great question.
I smiled as I answered, "Religion is one of the factors to create law right? With how widespread Uonism are, it becomes the foundation to almost every country in the world."
"But law and religion are different matters, one has the power to physically punish you." I shifted my gaze, watching my members' expressions.
"While War of Throne is referred, no one actually knows the way it's executed, even if we tell the government this is God's verdict, the memory of War of Throne would be wiped from everyone's mind, leaving behind the crime scene. And that left us with no excuse, especially since we couldn't talk much about the war after it ended."
I continued, "Although the government couldn't kill us, we'll be charged a huge amount of fees, that's why it's better to take precautions from now."
This was one of the reason my previous life's War of Throne lasted for years. Other than our enemies, we had to avoid the eye of the government.
I didn't know if the war in this life would also last for years, but I would try my best to survive as long as I could. Both for my members' sake and for Haide.
"Let's take a break and continue tomorrow. The air is getting warmer, we could enjoy ourselves in the meantime."
I stood up and went out of the room, ending this conversation. To my surprise, Cassius was trailing behind me, his eyes troubled.
There was something he wanted to say to me.
I signaled him with my eyes and we both went out of the room. We walked down the stairs, got behind the school building, before finally starting our conversation.
"Yolan… It's about the white faction King…"
Cassius trailed off his words, waiting for me to confirm his suspicion.
He had already seen Haide before the war started anyway. Cassius knew who he was and he knew what kind of relationship I had with Haide.
Left with no choice, I nodded.
"He's my lover."
"So it's true… Isn't this just our past life repeating over again?"
I just blankly stared at the ground as Cassius' words entered my ears, not confirming or denying his words.
The moment this crest was embedded on our hands, I knew it was a hopeless case. But I knew we couldn't stay like this, or else neither of us could obtain our happiness.
"Do you remember the scriptures I've shown you in our past lives?"
"Scriptures? Ah, about the power of love from God Uola?"
I nodded, "If the words on those scriptures are true, there might still be a way."
There was once a scripture found in an ancient temple, which, in this timeline, would happen in the near future.
In that scripture, there was a phrase regarding War of Throne : [Those whose fate bound not by will, as long as they can prove their heart is united, they will break through their fate and find solace in the embrace of His arms.]
This scripture's teaching applied to every member bearing the crest, including the King.
I think of it as bullshit back then, thinking it was a senseless false hope given to those who were bound by Uola's whim to participate in a war that they didn't choose to be in.
But after living my life for the second time and finally finding someone who loved me, if there was really a way to break free from the shackles of our fate, I would cling to that empty hope until I could finally obtain it.
And to do that, I would need my precious lover's cooperation.
.
.
I stood quietly in front of a familiar white house as my hand hovered on the bell button. It was a two-story house with a barren yard in front of it – something that was left unattended because the homeowner was too lazy to take care of it.
Staring at the wooden door in front of me, I slowly moved my hand.
DINGDONG!
Finally finding the courage I needed, I pressed the doorbell as I waited for the person inside to come out. We had promised to meet up at his house, and within seconds, I could hear the door clicking open before Haide's handsome face greeted me.
"You're here, come inside."
I stepped inside at his invitation, and he shut the door behind me with a click.
"It's unusual for you to suddenly call me for a visit. Or maybe… You miss me?"
Haide smirked as he teased me, but that expression soon turned into surprise as soon as I yanked his collar and planted a kiss on his lips.
It was light and short, almost like a greeting – invitation to something deeper.
Under my breath, I asked the man in front of me, his face slightly flushed, "What do you think about our relationship? Want to take it further?"
Brushing my face, Haide smiled, "You know I love you, is that even a question? If you're ready, I'm ready."
I smiled, mimicking his expression. Pulling out a small box from my pocket, I opened and showed it to him.
"These are… a pair of rings?"
Regardless of his surprised face, I pulled his hand and took one of the silver rings in the box and put it on him. As expected, the ring was a bit loose on him, I was never good at measuring things like this.
A small chuckle came out of my mouth.
"This is not exactly a proper proposal I have in mind, but because of our member's and Uola's prying eyes, this kind of vow is enough."
I raised my gaze, "Make me your 'mate', Haide. I'll take you as my alpha."
"Haha… Then I'll gladly make you my omega."
Haide put the ring on my finger then kissed my lips, slipping his tongue inside. In return, I hugged him as I welcomed all of his advances. The assurance I got as my body was wrapped in his cradle made me let out a relieved sigh.
Relying on an alpha as an omega.
It was a connection foreign to me in both my lives.
Parting our lips, Haide sighed, "It's a shame we can't bond because of this accursed War of Throne."
Lifting my body up, he walked to the bed and lay me down, a huge grin on his face, "But, instead of that, I'll paint your body with my love marks instead."