CHAPTER 91: STORY OF MARISSE TRYSTGADE

MARISSE TRYSTGADE

ORIGIN

Even though I’m born with royal blood, everything is not easy for me. Being a duchess that inherits the family’s job as the Oracle of Elysia is filled with responsibilities that nobody expected me to succeed. I was born beautiful, smart, talented, and has a natural charisma but my family treats me like shit.

My mother, my father, and even my grandfather in the Trystgade house always scold me for simple things. I was born a klutz who could not carry out simple tasks even though most of the people thought that I’m a perfect being. Ever since I was a child, everything I do is wrong for the eyes of my parents. 

I was forbidden to go with the common folk. I was forbidden to take part in fun school activities. I was forbidden to learn magic other than our heirloom Oracle activities. I was forbidden to hang out with my friends. I was forbidden to love. I was a beautiful bird inside a cage full of ornaments, and I was fed by nutritious food and clean water to drink. My parents gave everything I need, but they never considered what I want. 

If I try to struggle, if I try to break simple rules, I will be punished severely. The strict standards of the Oracle Trystgade house must always be observed, or else a heavy hand from my very own parents would teach me a lesson.

I was so sick of it. I was so tired of it. I don’t want to live like this, like a decorated doll that cannot be moved. The destiny of my bloodline is to serve the royal kings of Elysia, and it has passed through my generations since time immemorial. I hated this fate, and inside my heart, I wished that I could break this chain that has been shackling my fixed future.

Being the next heir to the Oracle, I was segregated from the common folk. All my studies during my grade school up to high school are conducted in a separate room that is only dedicated to me and for other royal blood. I had private tutors teaching me the very same things taught to the common folk. I always wonder why I’m always separated from most people, but all I can do is to comply with my house’s wish.

Ever since grade school, I already had a crush on one person: Prince Michael Eldritch. He is a handsome blonde-haired man of pure elegance and grace, and he’s kind to everyone he meets. He is the future Emperor of Elysia and has a dream of saving the world. He was my first love, but sadly, at that time, my feelings for him were never reciprocated.

Michael Eldritch had a childhood friend whose name was Xenon Wingate. Just like Michael, he is also handsome and had the same heroic ideals. I managed to meet this man when I tried to confess my feelings to Michael, but as it turns out, I was rejected. I ended up giving Xenon my homemade chocolates. Michael rejected my feelings, so my effort of baking chocolates was almost put to waste until this man named Xenon arrived and ate all of it.

“This is delicious! I would like to have more of it next time!” Xenon said to me as she cheered my tearful young self up.

“R-Really!? Then I’ll bake chocolates for you every day!” I answered.

At that moment, I was flabbergasted. I completely fell in love with him the moment he appreciated my effort. Ever since I was born, everything I did was wrong to the eyes of the people. Xenon is the one who made me feel important in this world, so I easily got infatuated with him. 

My love for Michael was immediately transferred to his childhood friend Xenon. No, I think I love Xenon the way he is. He’s so kind and always appreciates all my efforts and hard work. Xenon is one of those people belonging to the common folk, so being with him is a sin for my house. But I do not care. Being with Xenon is what I always prefer to do. He gave me the love I never felt with my parents, so I promised that I will never abandon him no matter what happens.

In the middle of our high school lives, Xenon finally confessed his feelings for me, in which I immediately accepted. We became a secret couple that is hidden to the eyes of my parents, as falling in love is prohibited for me as an Oracle. We always hang out during school days and do our affections there as that is the only time where we can be true to ourselves. But outside the school, we pretend to not know each other at all. 

You see, Xenon Paul is so thoughtful that he does not want my parents to hate me more. He wants to play it safe and considers my happiness at all costs. However, I’m more of an adventurous and courageous type, so I revealed our secret relationship to my house.

“Break up with him! He’s a good-for-nothing!”

“Are you going to destroy our tradition of being an Oracle? Marisse, out of all the wrong things you have done, this is the worst!”

“You’re a very bad girl, Marisse! You should strive for someone better! Someone with royal blood!”

Those were the reactions of my relatives coming from the same house. I don't care whatever they say as all the things I have done so far are wrong for them. This is nothing but just a simple small scolding for me that has been going on for my lifetime. Even if against all odds, even if no person accepts, even if fate condemns, I will never leave Xenon. I love him, and he loves me back.

My highschool life continued as a mix of heaven and hell. Whenever I’m with my boyfriend, I’m in heaven. Whenever he’s away and I’m with my parents, it’s hell. Whenever I’m at school or on a date, I’m bathed with sweet words. Whenever I’m at our mansion or events like a family gathering, I’m bathed with sermons. 

There were times that I wanted to give up, telling Xenon that it will not work, but Xenon will comfort me, making my love for him stronger. He always finds ways to make our relationship work out even if it’s tiring him out.

There was one time when I was grounded on my home, Xenon sneakily climbed up to the fourth-floor window just to fetch me. We ran away on the night streets of the capital hand-in-hand and had a fun time together. We watched horror movies, had a fancy candle-night date, and attended the concert of a famous high school idol at our school. Those memories together with him are the things I treasure the most, that I swore to myself that I will remember till the day that I die.

However, my love story with him is not meant to be a happily ever after.

My Oracle powers manifested, giving me the ultimate magic to see the future. I saw the man of my life brutally dying in the thick snow of a foreign country, in which there are a collapsing city and ash-colored snowflakes. Oracle magic is a bloodline spell that gives us the ability to see through the future, so I was terrified for Xenon’s sake.

At first, I was in denial. I did not want to believe it, as Xenon has no plans in visiting a foreign country at all. But then, the news struck me by surprise when I received the information about Xenon getting drafted to the White Ghost during our high school years.

I wanted to stop what he’s planning to do. I don’t want him to become a soldier that risks his life for the people of Elysia. We quarreled about it so many times, but his answer is always like this:

“I will do this for you, Risse. I will work hard and climb the ranks of White Ghosts so that I can be noble on the same standing as you. With those achievements, your parents would be able to accept me to take your hand for marriage.”

Xenon’s intention is good, but that is him burying one of his feet to the grave. I told him that he may die, but he just laughs it off while giving a joke that he’s strong enough to take care of himself. No matter what I try to explain, he will stick to his answer. He said that the only way for our relationship to be accepted by my parents is this path, so he will push on.

When he became a White Ghost, my days became a lot lonelier. Without nothing to do, I went with the flow and continued my training to be the succeeding Oracle of my generation. My mother is the current Oracle of Elysia, so she taught me so many things about my visions.

When I reached eighteen, I finally realized that all the things they forbid me to do are for the sake of myself, my house, and for the country of Elysia. I learned and saw a future of a dark war that will be coming in a decade that involves humans, dragonoids, and a something-or-another. It was a grim fate that the planet will face, and so Oracle’s job is substantial in my case. Being in love with a commoner like Xenon is nothing but a distraction for my destiny.

My mother was right. My father was right. My grandfather was right.  I shouldn’t have made out with the common folk. I shouldn’t have gone against their orders. I shouldn’t have fallen in love.

There is one thing to make everything right, and that is to marry the prince of Elysia. The Oracle’s duty is to serve the emperor in the first place, and I can do better on my job if I cut the ribbons with the heir to the throne.

It was easy for me to grab Micheal Eldritch’s heart. Back when I’m in a relationship with Xenon, I always see Michael’s jealous eyes at me, silently telling me that he deeply regretted his rejection of my confession. Also, as an Oracle, I grew out to be an astoundingly beautiful woman that makes all people heads-over-heels for me. With my stature and natural charm, it is obvious that I’ll be able to steal Michael’s heart.

So I cheated.

I cheated on my most loved one. It is a necessary means to save the world from an oncoming doom. I quickly threw away all my feelings for Xenon and gave back my love to Michael. When Michael proposed to me and asked my hand for marriage, I gave one condition for him to marry me. I also took this opportunity to reduce the complications of my standing as the next Oracle of Elysia.

“I will marry you for one condition: kill your best friend Xenon Paul Animusphere Wingate,” I said.

“I will do everything for you, my love,” Michael answered without hesitation. “I will kill him with my very own hands.”