Second Arc (His Art of War) - 47. An Honest Letter

It was almost dawn, the sun was almost rising. The Eternal Harmony City looked calm as well as the castle. But that was only what was seen on the surface. The real situation was very different. The guards moved back and forth, busy evacuating the rebel bodies from inside the castle to be buried. While the servants were busy cleaning up their battle remnants.

King Angelus' order was clear 'Clear up this rebellion in secret.'

If anyone leaked about it, their heads were at stake. Their mouths were tightly closed while their hands continued to work.

Several guards along with Ilex and Flare entered Ophelia's room. The guards quickly cleared the rebel corpses while Ilex quickly approached his sister who was sleeping in bed.
"Ophelia!"

"Lower your voice. She just fell asleep."

Ilex turned his gaze to Angel who sitting on a chair beside the bed. His hands were busy cleaning the blood on his blade with a piece of cloth.
"What are you have done to her?" asked Ilex curtly.

He placed the cloth on the table and sheathed his sword.
"Are those the first words you have say to your sister's saviour?" he said sarcastically.

"Answer me! What are you have done to her?" repeated Ilex once again in an escalating tone.

"I didn't do anything. She was just a little shocked since I cut off Duke Owen’s head before her eyes."

"Duke Owen?" Ilex turned his gaze to the headless corpse near them with a head still dripping with fresh blood from a clean cut on his neck.
'He beheaded him mercilessly …' thought Ilex as he glanced at Angel.

He realized Ilex's glance and replied with an evil smirk.
"Be careful Prince Ilex. If you do something stupid, maybe your head will be on the floor like him."

Ilex replied with a displeased expression and looked away.

Angel turned his gaze to Flare, ending their quarrel.
"How is the castle now?"

Flare bowed.
"Your Majesty, we have settled all the rebels and the corpses evacuation is underway."

"Where are Frost and King Gervis?"

"Frost is still combing through the entire castle to make sure no rebels are left behind. King Gervis is also with him."

"Very well." He stood up.

"Tell King Gervis that I leave Duke Owen's family's fate to him," he said as he walked out.

-----

The sound of the door closing was heard, the guards had finished evacuating the rebel corpses and the servants had finished cleaning up the room. Ophelia opened her eyes slowly and sat on her bed while hugging her legs that were covered by a blanket. A faint smile formed on her face.

This was the first time she could feel Angel being sincere to her. He held her, gently stroked her hair and carried her to the bed. Something that he never did before.
Even after this, she knew that his cold attitude at her would be the same. She also understood that her request to go with him was impossible but at least she had tried.

She always knew Angel was always like that. Protecting the person he loved in silence, put on his cold face as if he was a heartless person but actually he had a warm heart. It was just that he never opened his heart to anyone. Never let a woman into his life.

Her eyes shifted to a cloth with bloodstains on the table beside her bed. She quickly recognized it, the cloth was the handkerchief that was given to her when he disguised himself as a hunter. She crept up to the table and picked it up, a small letter placed beneath it.

She took the letter and read it.

'Thank you for taking care of me and forgive me for not being able to return your feelings. Ophelia promises me, you must take good care of yourself. You deserve the best man on the Andromeda Continent. From your cousin, Angelus Raizel. '

She hugged the letter tightly to her chest while closing her eyes.
"For me ... the best man on the Andromeda Continent is you ..."