Bidding Goodbye With A Delicate Smile

“Pardon me, Your Grace but two humans of gold-breed types, monarchs from Feyline wished to confront you.” The message from the knights in charge of guarding the entrance drew in my attention.

Predominantly was because most common human won't effortlessly able to locate the floating magical land of Swancia unless they were some terrific magic wielder or they used to reach once.

“What are they up to?” Monarchs from Feyline would be the current 169th emperor, Julius the third, Julius Sebastian Frederic de Feyline. His empress would be the past little girl, without a speck of doubt.

“It appears that their only prince was in a sickly state and wished to know his sickness, also ways to treat him.”

“Hmm...A foreign sickness? Allow them in.” I resolutely decided to get my head around the problem. The truth was that it had been dar away in the time since I engaged with anything associated with the land of the habitation.

My tendencies in dismissing pleas ceased that very noon.

Two particularly imperial figure stepped in with a young boy clasping the hand of the empress.

“We humbly greet the greatest archmage of Swancia, Your Honourable Grace. Please, we beg of you to take a look at our dear prince ailment.”

“Your Majesties, the sovereign of Feyline... Is the fragile prince here your true breed?” My first question can be interpreted as rude as of raising a question regarding the prince origin.

Regardless, it was a crucial key to his sickness factors.

“Yes, Your Grace.” Emperor Julius bobbed his head vertically, consenting to my question.

“Claude, let Her Grace discern your face.” Empress Julianne gently lifted her prince's head's that kept facing the floor, almost as if he was lightly bowing the whole time.

“Hmm...? That's strange...” My eyes won't shift it gazes was from his pale white face... His empty eyes seemed absolutely lifeless, without a clear reflection. I wasn't able to define his iris colour, as his eyes which depicted a blue day don't seem to store any.

He appeared so thin, powerless and worn-out even with a tiny smile on his chapped faint lips that supposed to convince otherwise.

“Is it some serious matter?”

“Arielle, escorted the emperor and the empress to the majestic garden for some moments.” Gazing towards the boy widen my interest in comprehending more insight.

I'll be requiring some of the so-called heart-to-heart talks with the young prince that spent his entire while staring at the clear floor.

“I abide by your wishes, Your Grace.” Arielle abjectly obeyed to my request, hurriedly accomplishing the task given to her.

“What's wrong, Your Grace?” The emperor question remained unanswered as he was escorted outside. I would rather reply to that later after I testified something.

“Did something happened?” Empress Julianne concerns nonetheless were extra focused on his prince, as if she had figured something out already by my simple orders.

“Your Majesties, I suggest you wait a while until Her Grace request for your presence.” Arielle interrupted theirs denies, before escorting them out to the garden, sparing me times to have a so-called heart from heart talk.

“Your Grace, miss archmage, are you trying to heal me? If so, please don't, because there had been a lot of people who tried to but they weren't able to. I can't have you to waste your precious time on me.”

Claude enunciated his abundantly depressing thoughts to a fault that heeding it was enough for me to pull a full stop.

“What an unfortunate life you had been through to even had such a depressing thought...” I commented before concluding on the fairest decision possible for the current predicament.

“Ease up, little prince 'cause you're not sick. It's pretty natural for the chosen one to be going through this initially.” I made light statements that weren't sufficient as a brief explanation to him.

Out of the blue, I'm quite worried that he would have the idea that his life equal to burdens to others...that was a red flag, a very alarming sign.

“I-I'm not sick? What do you mean by that, miss archmage?” Claude stuttered his words, apparently was shocked by the sudden-like proclamation.

“Exactly as I said. You aren't unhealthy though usually, a hybrid won't go through the pain like this but you are a nascent lord, a hybrid called lord of underwater, born between a majestic serpent and a seawater dragon.”

I made my words distinctly clear by clarifying it properly to the prince that wore a perplexed look on his face.

“I actually am not sick? Is that even possible, miss archmage?” He questioned for the second time. Somehow, it's quite saddening how he assumed that no cure would be available for him.

“Well, to the least, you won't pass away or fall sick with my help. The worse possibility is that it won't be an ordinary life for you the whole period of your growth.” My remarks sound heartless but the more convinced he was, the easier he was to accept my proposal.

*snap *

I snapped my fingers once.

In a blink of one's eye, the emperor and empress including Arielle were instantly teleported into the throne room. The finger-snapping did nothing but it was Arielle who listened to it when I summoned her with that snap and teleported.

The throne room or the Instance Demise which was anointed by those who entered the room.

Regularly, it was attended by the grand chancellors, the head of the heavenly division's council, the twelve chief-inlead of departments, the two main elder nobilities and the four golden disciples for the daily summit conference.

“Do you find anything out of him, Your Grace?” Empress Julianne hastily rushed to her prince and spun his weak body, inspecting him from top to bottom.

That left me unsatisfied by that reaction that noted as if I've done anything weird to him.

“Your crown prince is completely normal but he won't be able to last long without the essences of Majeswans,” I answered back short without further rationales.

Well, I used to shed some light on it to some as enlightenment but it only has an unpleasant reaction. Either they blanked in puzzlement or doubtful and refused to believe in my words.

I even acquired to be labelled as an archmages con artist though it was in the past.

“Majeswans?! But, how would we be able to find something so invaluable and sacred, Your Grace? They had gone extinct for thousands of years ago...”

“Precisely. That's why leave him to me. Here's the deal.

I will treat him, assure his health before he reaches adulthood but until that times come, he will be staying here in Swancia.” My very first appeal ever to offer the invaluable droplets of Majeswans.

It was so precious that one willingly pay off up to millions just for a drop of it as its usual price would exceed six counts of zeros.

Even the richest royal family would have less than ten bottles of the essences.

“But....will it be fine? Also, regarding Claude...” Those thoughts were quite moderate compared to those who might have to accuse me as a paedophile or even kidnapper.

“He will be fine with me. Regardless of anything you perform, he won't recover easily without my aids and went through an immense unbearable pain soon. Make your decision wisely as to accept it or decline.”

Honestly, my offers were fairly favourable to both sides rather than be rejected. Nevertheless, to separate with their only prince would be relatively overwhelming.

Not in my aspect to the least, but theirs.

“Is there a particular reason for you to want our prince to stay here?”

“You wouldn't be able to infer it even if I do rationalise it. Decides soon, Your Majesties before I take my offer back.” The hesitation they expressed informed me about everything.

If they want him healthy, they had to leave him here but if they declined to, they will have to tolerate him went through an extreme pain which will occur on his first growing phase.

“According to your condition, we will be leaving Claude in your care, Your Grace. Please do take care of him in our stead, if this way he would return to his usual health.”

The small sigh he let out reiterated their reluctance of leaving him till his adulthood which would take a few years that was unmistakably wasn't short-term of time in their opinion.

“Excellent, you made your decision sensibly. Do bid your last goodbyes before parting shortly after. Later, send them back to Feyline, Arielle.” My final strict arrangement had them bewilder by the fact of really leaving.

It would be such a miracle already if they left with no remorse but presently, guilt almost split their mind box open in two.

“I will obey your request, Your Grace.” Arielle who's loyally waiting by my side responded with utmost polite, waiting for them to say goodbyes peacefully.

Honestly, a lot of things could happen in his period of growth to adulthood that one can't even guarantee thee possibilities of monarchs still being alive when they reunited again.

“Claude, my dear child. You need to grow up healthy alright. Forgive us, Claude, because this might be the only way to relieve your sufferings.”

“Its fine, father. I understand that you do this only was for my benefits too.” That kid...was he that emotionless type...those who had a mask of a smile on his face or was that words from him a genuine one?

“ Claude... We are going to be missing you very much so recovered fast and return to us quickly, alright?” Empress Julianne soft voice provided warmth that warmed up for instance before leaving again and again.

Alike some hopeless wishes of mine.

“Yes, mother. Don't worry about me as I'm sure I will be just fine with miss archmage.” The more words spouted out of his mouth, the more impatient I am for his unknown reasoning.

“Please excuse us, Your Grace and we're grateful for the help you offer.” They bid him goodbyes reluctantly, wavering their steps to leave the palace escorted by my attendants.

“Aren’t you tired of holding back your emotions, little prince?” I stated, defined my guess of him, not wording anything.

“It's fine because I am mature enough to understand their motives, miss. Thank you for your concern, I am happy to know that you care.” His smile radiated this luscious light just like the sun, an illusion of a light halo glowed behind him.

This decision of mine keeping him here at first was on a whim thinking of giving the prince essences easier from time to time but remorse stabbed me in the heart thinking separation would be the answer.

“Haha...you sure are mature for a little kid but that's what makes you enthralling, little prince.” I giggled, coating the rift in my sentiments.

“Miss archmage, am I residing here from now on?”

“Correct, Claude Julius Elfrederic de Feyline... I say it correctly...your name didn't I?” He was the only prince of those rulers...they just got united last year if I recollected it correctly.

“That's impressive! How did you know my name, miss archmage?” Excitedly, he requested with a curious face want to be fed with wisdom.

“Little prince, I'm not called greatest archmage for no reason. Anyhow, from today onwards, you will be living with me. Miss archmage is too formal, just call me master casually.”

He's quite young and calling me who's old enough to be his ancestors as ‘miss’ just doesn't sound right.

“If so, may I know master's name?” Claude's word prompted me of my forgetfulness as an old dame who even forgotten to introduce myself.

“Adelaide. It's Adelaide Felicia Elise Swancia.”

“Vowing to those who cure my brief life spans, hereby I pledge on my life upon this fantastic master...Adelaide Felicia Elise Swancia.”

“Claude! Once the pledged upon heart's stops beating, only then so does the pledging one! It's a once in a lifetime life pledge you refined for your vowed spouse.” This cute but daring brat just made a vow which can only be made onetime.

A heart oath was unremovable for a lifetime and when the being a pledge to die, the one who made the vow will also pass away as his heart was given to the spouse which naturally die when his heart was.

Ironically, the partner was called heart possessor.

“And it's yours now.” That lenient answer from Claude had me sighing for the second time.

“Hah... Remarkably, I now know that I took in someone both strange and special...”

“And I'm honoured to be that person, master.” That genuine smile conveyed the true meaning of tenderly sneaky.

By the day, I know that my daily life will have a turnover without even working sweats into seeing into the future.

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