CHAPTER 70 #6
No matter how hard he tried, Lurtheron could never seem to become the child his father was proudest of.
Lurtheron believed it was because he was not Shanaya Quin Vacardi's son.
Tahimik na tinitigan ni Athena ang mala-anghel ngunit blankong ekspresyon ni Lurtheron habang nakatingin ito sa kaniyang tiyan. There was something unreadable in his eyes, something that made Athena wonder what was truly going through his mind.
Sa kabilang bahagi ng hardin, napansin niyang dumaan si Hera sa kabilang hallway kasama ang kaniyang tiyuhin, ang bagong Pope na si Roque.
Biglang napahinto si Hera nang mapansin sina Lurtheron at Athena.
Her gaze immediately fell toward Lurtheron's hand resting gently on Athena's stomach. She then looked at Lurtheron's face and noticed the softness in his usually emotionless gaze.
Bahagyang napabuka ang kaniyang mga labi at napakurap.
Napansin naman iyon ni Pope Roque. Tumingin siya kay Hera at bahagyang sinenyasan ito na magpatuloy sa paglalakad.
Hera hesitated for a moment before finally following him.
Samantala, nanatili lamang si Athena sa tabi ni Lurtheron.
"You know what, Your Majesty?" mahinang sambit niya. "I used to think that Rassia had already caught your heart."
Bahagyang napatingin si Lurtheron sa kaniya at tuluyan nang binitawan ang tiyan ni Athena.
"Ever since her birthday banquet... you danced with her, didn't you?"
sandaling natahimik si Athena bago bahagyang napangiti.
"But if she truly had your heart... then you wouldn't have let her suffer. You wouldn't have revealed to her that she had a demon inside of her and then simply watched what happened afterward."
Bahagya siyang napatingin kay Lurtheron.
"Perhaps whatever you felt for her was never love to begin with. I knew you liked her in some way, is it not, Your Majesty?"
Bumuntong-hininga si Lurtheron at napatingin sa mga pulang rosas na namumukadkad sa hardin.
"I don't know what I feel about her, honestly... I suppose I admired her boldness. The way she questioned the Great Goddess without hesitation... it was something I had never seen before."
Bahagya siyang napangiti, ngunit agad ding nawala iyon.
"And perhaps I was curious."
"Curious?"
"About what it felt like..." bahagya siyang tumingin kay Athena. "To be looked at by someone like her."
"I wanted to understand what Vincenzo felt whenever she looked at him... Perhaps I wasn't falling in love with her. Perhaps I was simply curious about the feeling she was able to awaken in my brother."
My brother is a cold-hearted man. He is cold as ice.
Ngunit sa babaeng iyon... tila ang lambot-lambot niya.
Since we were young, he never looked at me or Cayena the way he looked at her.
He was always distant, always uninterested, as if nothing around him could truly reach him.
But whenever Rassia was around, something about him changed.
His eyes became softer, his expression less guarded, and for once, he actually seemed to care about someone.
I used to wonder what she had that made him look at her that way.
Perhaps that was what made me curious about her in the first place.
I wanted to understand what Vincenzo saw in her...
and perhaps, for a brief moment, I wanted to know what it felt like to be looked at the way he looked at her.
How does it feel... to be looked at by my brother with such gentleness in his eyes?
Ngumiti at napailing si Athena.
"You're wrong, Your Majesty. You're simply blind to what's happening around you."
"... Hera, your friend... I knew she liked you, but you never noticed it. Because you were always too occupied with your devotion to the Great Goddess. You spent so much time praying, studying, and serving the Holy Cathedral that you never stopped to notice how the people around you truly felt."
Bahagya siyang napangiti.
"Sometimes, Your Majesty, you don't need to look far to find someone who cares about you. You just need to look around."
Napakurap si Lurtheron sa kaniyang narinig.
"Hera? Impossible... she is my friend," aniya, tila hindi makapaniwala.
"Oh, is she?" napatawa si Athena.
"Hindi ako bulag, Your Majesty. Every time she's around you, I can see the way she looks at you. The way she tries to stay near you, the way her expression changes whenever you speak to her... those things are not difficult to notice."
"... you simply never noticed because you never bothered to look."
Tahimik na umalis si Athena, iniwan si Lurtheron sa gitna ng hardin. Nanatili siyang nakatayo roon, tila hindi pa rin maalis sa isip ang mga sinabi nito.
Napalunok si Lurtheron habang marahang umihip ang malamig na hangin sa buong hardin.
Hera Hope... I wanted her to be my Empress and become the mother of my child because... she is my friend... Ngunit dahil sa sumpa ng magaling kong kapatid, hindi namin magawang mahawakan ang isa't isa. My holy power will only weaken her... so the least we could do now is talk.
Could she really have feelings for me?
Why?
Is there something... likeable about me?
Napahawak si Lurtheron sa kaniyang dibdib, bahagyang naguguluhan sa sariling nararamdaman.
Why...?
Why is my heart... beating so fast?
No... the Great Goddess would never allow me to be distracted by something like this.
Napatingala siya sa kalangitan.
My life belongs to the Great Goddess. My devotion belongs to her. I was chosen to serve her, and I will not allow something as insignificant as my feelings to interfere with my duty.
So why...
Napahawak siya sa kaniyang dibdib.
Why does my heart keep beating like this whenever I think about Hera?
And why... do I feel so bad... knowing that I didn't have a child with her?
Agad niyang ipinikit ang kaniyang mga mata.
No... It can't be.
Muling napahawak si Lurtheron sa kaniyang dibdib habang unti-unting bumibigat ang kaniyang paghinga.
Mabilis na yumuko ang Commander ng Imperial Knights sa kaniyang likuran.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?"
Agad na inayos ni Lurtheron ang kaniyang ekspresyon. Tumikhim siya at bahagyang bumuntong-hininga bago muling naging malamig at kalmado ang kaniyang mukha.
"Report."
"The second squad of the Empire's Guardians has already been formed. Ngunit kailangan mong malaman kung sino ang napagpasyahan nilang maging captain..."
Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ni Lurtheron.
"Who?"
Saglit na nag-atubili ang commander bago sumagot.
"They chose someone you may not expect, Your Majesty."
Each squad had been given the freedom to choose their own captain. Once all five had selected their leaders, the Empire's Guardians would finally have their complete command structure.
The first squad was known as The 13 Guardians, an elite group entrusted with protecting the most important figures and territories of the empire.
The second squad was known as The Crimson Vanguard, specializing in frontline combat and battlefield assaults.
The third squad was called The Silver Sentinels, tasked with guarding important cities, fortresses, and strategic locations.
The fourth squad was known as The Arcane Wardens, composed primarily of powerful mages who specialized in defensive magic and magical support.
The fifth squad was called The Imperial Blades, a group of highly skilled swordsmen and close-combat warriors.
The sixth squad was known as The Storm Riders, specializing in mobility, reconnaissance, and rapid-response missions.
Together, these six squads formed the core of the Empire's Guardians, each possessing a different purpose but serving under the same imperial banner.
Nakahilera ang una at pangalawang squad sa loob ng throne hall habang naghihintay sa pagdating ng Emperor. They were wearing their respective assigned armor, each design bearing the distinct colors and insignia of their squad.
Sila lamang ang naroroon dahil sila pa lamang ang may napiling captain. The remaining squads were still in the process of choosing their own leaders.
Tahimik silang nakatayo sa magkabilang panig ng malawak na bulwagan, maintaining their formation as they waited.
Mabilis na nagbigay-pugay ang mga kawal nang dumating si Lurtheron kasama ang Commander ng Imperial Knights. Umalingawngaw ang tunog ng kanilang mga armor habang sabay-sabay silang yumuko sa harapan ng Emperor.
"Your Majesty..." ani Caspian.
As the captain of the 13 Guardians, he stood at the front of the first squad, his posture straight and his expression serious.
Lurtheron stopped before them and quietly examined the two squads.
"Captain Caspian."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"You are the first captain to be appointed among the Empire's Guardians. I expect you to set the standard for the others."
Caspian lowered his head slightly.
"I will not disappoint you, Your Majesty."
Bahagyang tumango si Lurtheron.
"And who is your lieutenant, Captain Caspian?"
Tumikhim ang pigurang nakatayo sa tabi ni Caspian bago yumuko.
"I am Dazro, his lieutenant, Your Majesty."
Bahagyang tumaas ang kilay ni Lurtheron.
Mukhang bata pa nga talaga ang binatang nakatayo sa kaniyang harapan.
He personally selected Dazro for the position after learning that he was ranked first in the academy.
Ayaw niyang masayang ang ganoong talento sa loob lamang ng akademya, especially when the empire was preparing for an unknown threat.
Tahimik na yumuko si Dazro at pinanatiling kalmado ang kaniyang ekspresyon.
Even if I hate this man because of what he did to Lady Rassia...
I still want to prove myself. I want to show that I am capable of protecting this empire.
Alam ko rin na ito ang nais niyang gawin ko kung nabubuhay pa siya.
She wanted me beside her and protect this empire...
but now that she's gone, I have to carry out that wish on my own...
"You are nineteen and already a lieutenant. Then you must have excellent capabilities and abilities, Dazro," puri ni Lurtheron.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," magalang na sagot ni Dazro.
Tumango lamang si Lurtheron bago tuluyang nagpatuloy sa ikalawang squad.