n

n

n

"Priestess, you look so pretty~

"

n

"Aww, thank you.

" she replied in a polite manner and set off with Herod to visit duke Jellal who was in the 'hospital'.

nThey walked on the side of the road, not in the fancy carriage or anything but with only a simple dress down to her knee in the color of the light blue sky, she attracted all eyes to her.

nBut with Herod's glare, those crowd didn't dare to approach the top-notch beauty, Irene.

n

"I told you to change your clothes, didn't I??

"

n

"I did.

"

n

"Why did you dress like that??

"

n

"But this is the only cloth I have.

"

n

"Only?? How poor are you?? I really can't relate to that.

" even though he said that, he took Irene to the store he once knew in the past.

nHe was in shock of knowing that the store still existed, there were some slight changes here and there, it was the store he used to visit when he was in his prime.

n

"Pick what you like.

"

n

"I don't have the time to waste on something like this.

" Herod sighed wondering who she looked in those people's eyes, in his eyes, she looked really old-fashioned and kinda plain. Even though he was a woman, he still knew more about fashion than the country bumpkin like Irene.

n

"Don't worry, it won't take too much time. Pick the things you like, I'll pay.

"

n

"With what??

"

n

"Stop asking and just pick. Urgh...how bothersome.

" Herod waved his hand in the air ditching Irene to the shop assistant while he sat on the couch with a little bit terrible manner.

nHe sat like a man.

n

"How can a woman sit like that--

"

n

"Haaa???!!! There're a lot of flies here in the shop.

"

nThey all vanished.

n'Those people really don't know how to talk behind people's back. Tsk.'

nHe clicked his tongue and continued sitting with a comfortable posture since it helped him a little bit dealing with the period.

nSomething caught his eyes, it was pure white with many dazzling and sparkling gems embedded on it. It was none other than the wedding dress.

nHe felt a little bit jealous of how people in the present of how they could get to have a formal wedding, not like him who only married for the political power in the past without any formal marriage.

nHe pulled out the paper from his purse staring at it, his eyes were hurting from trying to solve the puzzles on that piece of paper on how to locate his target, Jessica Mortel.

nHe had the clue that Jessica is in the capital but as the capital kept expanding, finding a person would be much difficult.

n

"Miss, this looks good on you too~

"

n

"Kyaaa!!! How can you look so perfect??

"

n'What's with the noisy sound over there?' Herod glanced at the voice of the shop assistant prasing the woman in the bright pinky dress.

nHe rolled his eyes and walked outside for a bit for some fresh air tired of hearing the lies of those people.

n

"Can I get a coffee please??

"

nHe sipped his coffee sitting outside of the shop since it will take a long time till Irene decided to buy which dress she wanted.

nThe long strand of hair kept interrupting him from having a peaceful moment, he almost pulled it and cut it right away if it wasn't for the kid falling beside him.

nThud!!!

nEveryone was staring at Herod expecting him to bring that child up but he only stared at the kid's teary eyes as if he was telling that kid to stand up for themselves.

n

"Weak.

"

n

"Wahhhhhhhhhh!!!

" that whining sound really annoyed the heck out of Herod, he stood up from the bench ignoring the kid pleading for help with the bleeding wound on the knees.

n

"Wahhhhhh.

"

nHe sighed bending his knees to the kid's eye levels, he muttered glancing at those people who were afraid of the kid with the slave mark on his neck since those types of kids were rumored to bring disease to people they touched,

"Why are you crying??

"

nThe kid sniffled wiping its snort turning its head down and murmured in the hoarse voice,

"It hurt...

"

n

"I don't expect you to cry for something like that.

" he picked the kid up in his arm and patted its back to calm it down.

n

"Miss, you'll get--

"

n

"You're strong to live with the disease, what's with crying because of the little pain??

"

n

"Because...because...I'm used to my disease...

" Herod chuckles carrying the kid gently to the lake nearby.

nIrene saw the whole thing was emotionally moved by Herod, but she didn't realize she didn't have a single penny on her at the moment, and the person who said to pay her had already left the store.

n

"Miss, aren't you afraid of getting my disease??

"

n

"Shut up, I really hate kids. Let me see your knees.

"

n

"You're mean...

"

n

"Well, I am.

" Herod poured the water on the wound then summoned the rose petal with the ointment on it and then rubbed it on the kid's knee.

n

"It hurt--

"

n

"Well, of course, it does.

"

n

"Do it gentler please.

"

n

"This is the gentlest I could do.

"

n

"Hmmmph...

" the kid bit its lip enduring the pain until Herod finished fixing the wound.

nHe sat beside the kid as it couldn't move yet at that lake enjoying the view of the lake while the kid was amazed by the rose Herod gave to it.

n

"Can I get one more??

"

n

"No.

"

n

"Ehhh??? Why???

"

n

"No reason.

"

n

"Miss, I'm hungry...

" the kid almost swallowed the rose it Herod didn't stop it on time. In the end, the kid got to eat the strawberry tard.

n

"Is that all?? I have to go now.

" Herod got up brushing off the dirt and the grass off his dress but a small hand grabbed his end of dress from behind.

nHe turned back crossing his arm looking down at the kid making the kid feel scared but the kid knew Herod was kind besides his scary look. So it decided to...

n

"I don't have a place to stay...

"

n

"Is that so?? I don't have one too. I lived in the tombstone for many thousands of years.

"

n

"!!???

" the kid was frightened couldn't know if it was a joke by the look from Herod's expression.

n

"Lady Herod!!!

" a familiar voice called Herod's name from behind, the kid flinched and hid behind Iris when it noticed that voice trembling behind Herod.

n

"Sir Iris?? What brings you here??

"

n

"I noticed you from that place!

" he pointed his finger all the way to the bridge, Herod squinted his eyes in shock standing beside someone with that good eyesight.

n

"What're you doing here, lady Iris??

"

n

"Ahh...I'm helping this kid.

"

n

"Wow, you're so kind--eh??? Isn't that--

"

n

"Greeting sir Iris~

" the kid was drenched in cold sweat waving his hand to Iris.

n

"Do you know this kid??

"

n

"Haa...know, huh?? Did this kid say anything to you??

" Herod was indifferent replying to Iris,

"Nothing much.

"

nIris chuckled in devastation rubbing the brooch on his neck,

"Well, I met this kid once...and I also gave a place for him to stay...and I also lost my brooch the next day...

" he muttered couldn't look at the kid in the eyes because he was suffering from trust issue.

nHerod glanced at the kid a few times but the kid kept avoiding his eye contact.

n

"I just happen to find my brooch at the auction yesterday...hahaha...

"

n

"Kid, do you steal this man's brooch??

"

n

"I--I...

" the kid nodded in guilt.

n

"Don't blame the young child, I already get it back, see??

"

n

"I'm not blaming him though...

"

n

"Miss...

" the kid went teary staring at his savior with the puppy eyes.

n

"Say sorry to Sir Iris. Do you what happen to a thief after they die?? They won't be able to move on to the next life easily.

"

n

"Lady Herod...that...

"

n

"Now apologize.

"

n

"Sorry...sir...I won't steal again.

" the kid sobbed covering its eyes, Herod patted the kid and bowed to Sir Iris taking his leave.

n

"See you next time then, I'll watch over this kid from now on.

"

n

"You will??

"

n

"Ah, yes. This kid is adorable after all.

" Herod picked the kid up in the air with his floating rose petal and left Iris there whose heart was beating till the point it hurt seeing Herod smile at him.

n'She is so pretty when she smiles...my heart--'

n

"Thank you, miss!!

" the kid was so happy sitting on the petal floating off the ground.

n

"Be careful, you might fall.

"

n

"Yes!!!

"

n

"So what's your name???

"

n

"My name...my name is Garu!!!

"

n

"What a funny name.

"

n

"What about yours, my lady??

"

n

"Didn't you already know??? That guy Iris called my name.

"

n

"I thought it was your nickname since Herod sounded like a guy's name.

"

nHerod chuckled listening to the kid until he noticed the woman he left at the store burning in rage.

n

"Lady Herod!!!! We waste so much time, I told you we shouldn't buy the dress...

"

n

"Sorry.

"

n

"I don't need your sorry. Let's just hurry.

" Irene was still wearing the same old clothes, Herod stopped her once again and entered the store that time.

nWithout much delay, he bought all the clothes in the store and whispered to the store owner about the location of the treasure of their ancestor's heirloom.

n

"Thank you so much!!!!

"

nHerod ended up buying the wedding dress. Irene changed into the new clothes and the rest of them were delivered to the church.

n

"Lady Herod, isn't the hospital that way??

"

n

"But that bra--I mean duke Jellal isn't there.

"

n

"But the new said he is there.

"

n

"That's fake news. He must be dying under the mountain of paperwork by now.

"

n

"Wait, so the substitute duke Jellal hire to do the paperwork was himself all along???!!!

"

n

"Yep.

"

nThey arrived at the Mortel's manor which was already fixed by magic, duke Jellal lost a fortune because of fixing Marinette's room.

n

"We can't allow you inside.

" of course, the knight stopped Herod from getting in as usual to avoid attention from the people walking past the manor.

nThey still let him, Irene, and the kid in as they saw the rose emblem in Herod's hand.

nWhile Irene was still staring at the vast interior of the manor, Herod made his way up the stair to the duke with the eyes like a panda.

n

"You brat, you'll die before your deadline doing such works!!! Rest a little!!!!

" none of Herod's yelling got into Jellal's ears as Jellal kept staring at the mountain of works.

n

"Can you quiet down a bit?? I'm working.

"

n

"I came here to give you this.

"

n

"What's it??

"

n

"Read it yourself.

" Herod lay on the couch eating apple with his feet on the table as Jellal opened the letter.

n

"You want me to attend the ceremony at the church tomorrow?

"

n

"Yeah, who else??

"

n

"But I was supposed to stay inside the hospital.

"

n

"I want to find Jessica. And that's the perfect opportunity to use you as bait.

" Jellal gulped hearing Herod was planning to deal with Jessica.

nHerod knew clearly Jellal lied to him about something but he didn't know that Jellal knew about the location of Jessica all along.

n

"I won't go. I'm very busy.

"

n

"Jellal...why are you trying so hard to do all these works?? Even I won't be able to help you in this situation. You will have to give up this dukedom.

"

n

"...

"

n

"Tristan, your heir is going to fight a demon. Your daughter was nowhere to be found, and that fake daughter of yours went missing as well. Just give up.

"

n

"...I trust my children...they will come back.

"

n

"And I also trust you, Jellal. I didn't read your memory all this time because I believe that you won't hide the important things from me. You'd better make up your mind before everything is too late.

"

nCough cough

nBlood came out of Jellal's mouth, it became worse after the explosion.

nHerod sighed and left Jellal alone.

n'I know Marinette would come back...but I don't know about Tristan, Jellal...'

nTo be continued....!

n