The Flower of Separation

To stay by her side forever, huh? 'When I realized I had feelings for her, I knew I could never leave. I have to see the end of her goals, and then- then what happens next?'

At the end of Lillian's goal is her death. She talks about traveling and leaving the Empire once everything is over. But Lucas understood better than anybody that she wouldn't do that. Lillian will resort to drastic measures to take those people down, even if it means ending her life alongside theirs.

'I am a villain, Lucas. I do not deserve a happy ending.' But even villains deserve second chances, Lillian.

....

It took quite some time, but eventually, he managed to get his insignia onto Sen and cast a spell. He only managed to get rid of the monster side; the other half of his face looked like charcoal.

"Just cope with it until I find your other half of your soul."

"Yes, thank you, sir Lucas."

The Empress rushed over with a handkerchief as she wiped the blood from Sen's face.

"Miss Empress?"

"Are you alright?"

'What a stupid question; how can anybody be okay after that?' But Sen smiled and responded to the Empress like it was normal.

Lucas exhaled deeply; they were currently outside in the courtyard. It was difficult fighting in the confined space of the tower, so he brought the fight outside.

"You should have stayed inside." Lucas turned to Zushi with a scowl. "If you are out here, you are exposed to more enemies."

"But you are strong, aren't you, sir Lucas?"

He is strong, but he can easily abandon her. 'Lillian wouldn't like that, though.' Nothing can happen to the Empress until Lillian says so.

"Sen, tell me how you got like this?" Lucas asked. "I am aware of the situation in the North, but surely somebody as strong as you can avoid it?"

"Indeed, it was not an easy battle. However, it caught me off guard and managed to take over my body at the end. I did learn, however, that it only posses those who lose a fight."

'That explains why half those guys who got sent up there ended up in that state.'

The ones who end up sent to the North tend to be exiled individuals, in other words, the so-called weak individuals. Individuals who do not have talent end up being a hindrance to their families. But there are the rare few like Sen who are sent there as punishment.

No normal person would send one of their best fighters away to their death. Other noble families would have found a way to keep him, even if it meant locking him up in a dungeon for the rest of his life. But as expected of Lillian's father, that man is a monster in human skin.

"Did you find the Empress sister?"

"Miss Astra?" Sen nodded. "I found her. I did not think it was wise to send her off to the imperial castle, so I dropped her off in the lakeside village. I believe Miss Lillian should be making her trip there soon, so I figured this arrangement was for the best."

A relieved sigh passed Zushi's lips.

"He said he found her, but he didn't even say if she is okay."

"It is enough that she is alive," Zushi muttered. "But I didn't think Miss Lillian would help my sister."

"Isn't it because she knows you will break down if something happens to that woman?"

Zushi's sweat fell. "Sir Lucas, you can be very blunt."

"Your lucky Lillian didn't say it, anyhow, Sen you-" His sentence fell short when they heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Sen immediately got into a defensive stance but ended up tackled onto the ground.

The person who tackled Sen was a young girl with black colored hair wearing a blue colored dress.

"Sen!"

"Miss Natalia-"

"Dummy! Dummy!" Natalia cried. "I was so worried."

"Um, miss, I appreciate your concern, but you are hugging me too tightly-"

Lucas turned to see Ramon alongside the Empress's son, but there was something wrong with the boy. Large amounts of black mana poured out of his body. He frowned and walked over.

"You can't even take care of a child now?"

"The other one took all my strength to watch." Ramon sighed.

Lucas extended his hand out, about to get rid of the mana, when the Empress dashed over and picked up the boy. "I can deal with it."

'It's only going to take a second though, is she that overprotective? Well, no matter, I can conserve my strength.'

"Is Lillian not with you?" Lucas asked, "You were supposed to come with her."

Then again, Lillian randomly changed the plans, so this sight did not surprise him.

"She is taking care of Miss Bridget."

At those words, Lucas exhaled deeply. So the one who caused Lillian to set this place on fire was her? No, with Lillian's personality, normally, she would ignore that woman.

"Did Lillian seem strange when you saw her?"

Ramon's expression darkened. "What strange are you referring to? She has been strange for quite some time now."

"You know, I mean, did you sense something different?"

He turned quiet for a moment and nodded. "I thought I detected his mana around her, it was faint, but it was there."

'So that guy is truly alive, and as I predicted, he went to Lillian first instead of meeting up with his sister.'

Then again, he suspected as much. He is a loyal guy who has liked Lillian for the last twelve years, he sounds like a saint, and normal people would find it sweet. But as for him?

'I resent that guy more than anything. Where was he when Lillian was suffering the most? Where was that guy when she was on the brink of life and death?'

Just thinking of what happened back then bothered him greatly. If this girl already has a fiance, then why is she still taking on the burden and fighting alone? Why is she still doing everything by herself when she supposedly has people who love her?

Ramon sighed and patted his shoulders. "Your irritation is obvious, sir Lucas."

"Quiet, I don't like the idea that guy is alive." He trailed off. "I am surprised you can handle it."

"Unlike you, I used to see them together, so I am numb to the pain now."

Lucas rolled his eyes at that comment when he saw Ramon bending down and drawing circles on the ground with a stick.

"Numb to the pain? Then what are you doing now?"

"It's not like that. I get that she liked him, but-"

Lucas frowned at those words. It was hard for him to imagine Lillian liking anybody; then again, he said the same thing about her having a fiance. It is not like that girl to get dragged into a political marriage. Was it because she was young back then and could not refuse?

No, it seemed like her father treated her well when she was younger. The neglect and life-threatening stuff happened after her fiance and real brother disappeared after the monastery incident. What happened during that time frame?

A deep sigh passed his lips as his gaze fell onto the pitch-black sky.

'Lillian, what are you planning?'