Ariaster

"Bebe?" asked Lucifer. The two of them were walking through the gardens of Cecilia's Palace towards the garden between the two palaces.

Roxus, who was holding the flower bouquet Cecilia made for her while taking Lucifer's arm, smiled softly. "Cece used to be able to run around when she was little. She was one of the people who accompanied me when I first learned to walk. I used to be a baby, so Cece called me Bebe. When I was five years old and Cece was 10, suddenly Cece fell ill and when we met again six years later, Cece was already sitting in a wheelchair," Roxus looks sad.

Today, she looked upset not because of what she thought about the current events. She was annoyed that after secretly examining Cecilia's body with her Magic power, she didn't find anything strange. So what kept Cecilia from walking? Was Cecilia deliberately hiding that she was able to walk? Had Cecilia been fighting alone against the Crown Prince all this time until she was killed one day?

"Now you are so worried about the Princess. Do you mean to protect her this time too?" asked Lucifer.

"Of course, I will protect her," said Roxus. "Right now, I'm glad that Cece isn't completely disabled. But the fact that she had to hide it made me feel sad. There's a chance that Cece doesn't even fully trust me and the King..."

"Are you disappointed?" asked Lucifer.

Roxus shook her head. "I feel guilty. I am one of her closest people, but I didn't even realize what she's been through all this time," she sighed.

Lucifer lowered his eyelids and stared warmly at Roxus. A woman who can be a merciless person, but also a woman who loves the people closest to her so far.

"Lucifer," called Roxus.

"Yes?" Lucifer turned to Roxus.

"Before becoming a devil, you said that you were once human too," said Roxus.

"And?"

"If you are willing, I would like to hear a story about your life as a human, and why you want to kill the gods," Roxus replied. "Of course, that is if you want to tell me."

"Roxe," Lucifer faced Roxus. "Roxe, I've even forgotten most of my life as a human. What I can tell you isn't as much as the stories I experienced as a devil."

Roxus smiled. "Even so, I hope you tell stories a lot more often," Roxus said softly.

Lucifer hugged Roxus's body softly. The two of them immediately felt the presence of someone approaching. So the two of them gently let go of each other's embrace and still looked at each other affectionately. "By the way, you look beautiful in your short hair," said Lucifer softly.

And at the same time, Hamlet Ariaster appeared from within the labyrinth garden. "Is it true? As I thought you prefer girls with short hair," said Roxus with a sweet seductive tone. The smiles of the two lovebirds made Hamlet wince.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat quickly, causing Roxus to quickly turn in his direction, and Lucifer turned his head away with an unconcealed irritation so that Hamlet could see it.

"Lord Ariaster," Roxus greeted gently.

"Good evening, Lady Croix," said Hamlet. "Can we talk?" asked the man.

"Of course, we can talk now," said Roxus.

"I ask for your time to talk alone," said Hamlet then.

Roxus looked doubtful, especially after seeing Lucifer look completely displeased. "Master Luc... are you willing to wait for me at the palace gate?" Roxus asked.

"Can't I wait around here?" asked Lucifer.

"I promise we won't be long. And... let's have dinner together today, Master Luc. I want to take you to the restaurant Cece mentioned earlier," Roxus said softly. Lucifer sighed.

"I'll be waiting for you, Roxe."

The man then left. Now that there are only Roxus and Hamlet, Hamlet can see Roxus' appearance. That woman was no longer an innocent, dull-looking young woman. She currently looks so radiant and charming. Roxus clumsily touched the hair on the nape of her neck which was so short. "Luc said I look beautiful. I think my decision to cut my hair was the right decision," Roxus said quietly.

Hamlet fell silent.

"It feels really good, looking beautiful for the one you love. Now I understand why girls are so charming when they fall in love," Roxus said softly. "I think... Miss Daisy looks charming too because she loves you—"

"Lady Croix," Hamlet interrupted Roxus's words quickly.

The two of them stared at each other for a moment.

"Your father doesn't want to cancel our engagement," said Hamlet.

"Huh?" Roxus looked at Hamlet in surprise. "...but...?"

"He knew about my relationship with Daisy, and said that I had to cut my relationship with her and drive her away from the capital," Hamlet explained.

"Oh," Roxus looked at Hamlet with an expression that gradually turned sore. The woman looked speechless. "Then?" she asked.

"My relationship with Daisy... at this time, for a while I will send Daisy away from the capital and we can make up until your father calms down..."

Tears rolled down Roxus's cheeks. "Cece is right. I shouldn't easily forgive you," said Roxus.

Hamlet flinched.

"Even though I said that I do not care about the relationship between you and Miss Daisy... even though I said that I forgive you after I found out that you cheated—I...!"

It's quiet.

Roxus could feel the presence of a man standing behind the labyrinth wall across. He seemed to have just arrived.

"Don't you expect things to return to how they used to be?" asked Hamlet in an unreadable tone.

Roxus gasped. Her poignant lavender eyes reflected the purplish sky just as the sun was starting to set.

"Return? Lord Ariaster, it looks like you misunderstood. Even if I was reborn, or even though I returned to the past, the fact that you betrayed me will remain in my memory forever."

"But it was your father who refused to cancel our engagement."

"You know the reason!" Roxus exclaimed.

"It's because I loved you!"

If Ariaster still doesn't understand, then he might just be a stupid man. Roxus spoke like this because she still had feelings for him. And Ariaster destroyed that feeling in an instant.

"To be honest I would be happier if you did not give up on your relationship with Miss Daisy and freely express your feelings to my father. That way my father and everyone who knows after your decision will hate you as much as I hate you now!" Roxus's eyes were red from her crying, but also because she was angry.

"But if I want to do that, I will tell Father about your affair and beg him to cancel our engagement," Roxus said in a cold tone. "I'm not saying you have to scratch your reputation by declaring Daisy as an affair that you want to marry, but I want you to at least get away from me and not appear in front of me until my love for you has completely disappeared from my heart."

Hearing Roxus's words, the bitterness in Hamlet's gut grew even more. And all of that is Hamlet's fault.

Roxus let out a loud sigh. "In the end, I have to take care of all of this myself. I'll talk to my Father."

Roxus walked quickly past Hamlet and disappeared into the labyrinth. The flower bouquet that she had brought was left there, and seeing the red and gold colours in the flower arrangement, somehow reminded him of someone. Daisy.