Queen Of Adis

Haru was inside the royal study while holding different reports about Pier with her trembling hands. Some doc.u.ments even had gruesome sketches that made her want to hurl her guts out. "This is... outrageous. H-how can that be? Pier... he can't do such things. I know him! I-I thought... I know him."

Adis took her in the royal study to show her some proofs of Pier's atrocities. He knew it was cruel of him but she had to face the truth, one way or another.

Aquarius and Zen had a sympathetic look in their eyes. They knew how close Haru and Pier were. Their sister-in-law was really not lucky when it came to making friends as she always ended up being betrayed. Fortunately, Adis was always there for her.

"Our suspicions of Pier's true color started when Elder Moregard and the noble house of Challace combined forces to create an uproar and condemn the royal family of embezzlement of the citizens' money. It was due to the sudden additional tax that was approved by us," Aquarius carefully explained.

Haru scowled at the mention of the additional tax. "Is this about my implementation of sin tax?"

Aquarius and Zen awkwardly nodded while Adis was just silently c.a.r.e.s.sing her hand.

A year ago, the Queen of Umbra proposed a levy called, sin tax. It's a tax for specific goods that considered harmful to the society and individuals which were often used by nobles and some commoners such as, alcohol, tobacco, brothels, gambling, and weapons. The purpose of such a tax was to increase the price in order to lower the usage, which also earned numerous criticism from the public, especially from the nobles.

"B-but the revenue yielded from sin taxes were used to build more orphanages and centers for abused women. We have all the necessary papers as evidence," Haru reasoned out.

Zen place his hands on his h.i.p.s and shook his head. "Well, a certain noble secretly gave an enormous amount of fortune to some elders, nobles and several citizens to not see any reasons. The chief priest, Damien, and his cohorts even fanned out the issue and we lost the majority of the citizen's trust. To regain the people's trust, we had to agree with the announcement of the new oracle."

"This... certain noble that you're talking about is... Pier?" Although her heart already knew the answer, she still probed, hoping that it was just a hoax.

Zen's sad smile confirmed the truth she couldn't escape.

"My own people failed to inform me such incident," Haru softly exclaimed as she slowly looked at her side and stared at the red-slit demon eyes that she loved too much. "Is this your doing? To hide the truth from me."

Adis met her intent gaze and tightened his grip on her hand as his confirmation.

Haru shut her eyes tight and gritted her teeth. She was exasperated by his continuous secrecy. "Do you really think that I'm that weak? Did I not proven myself worthy of your trust?"

Adis was unusually calm when he answered her. "You know that I trust you more than I trust myself, so trust is out of the question. If I told you the truth, what would you do? With your impulsiveness, you would definitely confront him. But did you not realize that it's a trap to lure you to him? Are you confident that you can get out of his grip once you fall to his trap? This is also not about being weak or strong. If I can't even catch him, what makes you think you can? Are you relying on a friendship that's filled with lies?" His words were softly spoken, yet the coldness and the reprimand in his voice could never be taken lightly. "If I had to do it all over again just to keep you safe, I will do so without any regret.

Haru sobbed as her tears rolled on her cheeks. Her small hands framed his face and pulled it closer to rain kisses on his lips. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to accuse you of anything." She whispered against his lips.

Adis sighed as he lifted her up and cradled her on his l.a.p. He continued as he wiped her tears away. "I am not sorry that I hide the truth from you. I am only sorry that you have to face this cruel reality. Do you hate Adis for being strict and overbearing?" When Haru shook her head vehemently, he finally gave him a tender smile. "To be honest, I know that even if I did not mention Pier in my letter, I knew you would keep your promise to me. That's how much I trust you."

He grabbed the back of her head as his cold lips lapped her trembling ones and his tongue rudely invaded the crevices of her sweet mouth, s.u.c.k.i.n.g and drinking everything that she had. He only released her lips when she whimpered due to the lack of oxygen.

Zen awkwardly cleared his throat and tilted his head. "Uh, should we continue this conversation or should we leave and give you some privacy?

Adis dangerously narrowed his eyes to his stupid brother. "What do you think?" he snarled.

"I want to know everything, up to the last detail," Haru resolutely declared. "I know he's beyond help, but I wish to stop him from having more victims. What else in the report?"

Zen checked the timeline of their investigation in his hand as he muttered. "Let's see... Well, just so you know he's the menace behind your attempted kidnapping in Umbra and in Lumine. The several efforts of poisoning you was also his doing, but of course, big brother was able to prevent that. The most recent was during your breakfast today. The cook who made your meal was one of the shapeshifters that Pier contracted. Your personal cook was found dead just now. Good thing our little devil protected you from consuming it by triggering your nausea."

"What?!" Haru's eyes widened and mouth gaped open as she instinctively touched her belly in bewilderment.

But Aquarius didn't let her react further as he recounted more of Pier's crimes. "So far, the most disturbing crime he did was abducting different maidens from all over the realms. When we checked the guild that was handling missing people, the majority were the women we found in his mansion. The report you were reading just now was about that gruesome incident. According to our men, the women were severely r**ed; fractured bones, multiple lacerations and bruises across their bodies, and their, uhm... private part were brutally destroyed as though the perpetrator really meant to inflict intense pain. When we asked Frost to check the details of the dried s.e.m.e.n and blood in their nether regions using his psychometry, the mad doctor confirmed that it was all done by the same person."

"Another thing to take note of was the ritual circle beneath the corpses," Zen interfered and handed her the sketch of the said circle. He continued as Haru turned the paper upside down and analyzed the drawing. "Well, we just assumed that it was a ritual circle as it was made using the women's blood. In Trium Regum, if an ordinary human would like to conjure a malevolent being, one can summon it using a v.i.r.g.i.n's blood and leave the corpse inside the circle after violating the sacrifice for seven days and seven nights. It's a forbidden ritual that was banned throughout the entire realms due to its horrible way."

Haru looked perplexed, "I am more surprised that this kind of act was even invented. Whatever happened to gender equality and women empowerment?

"You have yet to learn about our ancestors' various unforgivable acts, sister-in-law." Aquarius drawled as he played with his fan. "Regardless of the reason, one thing's for sure... Pier was trying to summon something big and powerful with that amount of sacrifice."

Haru could only agree with a heavy heart. Then she creased her brows as though she was trying to remember something. "This circle looks very familiar. I think I have seen it somewhere. Does it look familiar to you, Adis?" She pivoted her body and glanced over her shoulder. They were practically together all the time so he had also seen the things she saw before.

Adis hugged her body from behind and shook his head. "I have seen this report and even the actual circle in Pier's mansion, but I'm sure this is the first time that I have seen this kind of rune. Ritual circles vary depending on who the summoner wants to call. Frankly, I don't pay too much attention to it as I don't need one to call forth any elements."

Haru didn't wish to give up and stared at the sketch intently. She was sure she had seen it before. But where? Is being pregnant made her forget a lot of things, too?

Adis snatched the sketch from her hands and toss it away. He massaged her temples and straighten out the crease on her forehead. "Enough! If you can't remember, then don't force yourself. Being stress is not good for our little devil. Let us have your evening meal so you can rest early. I know that the incidents today was too much for you."

The two other Kings nodded in agreement and walked towards the dining hall while Adis carried her in his arms as though she weighed nothing.

Upon reaching the dining hall, she saw Vladimir was patiently waiting with Fang and Anais on his side. When the child saw his royal parents, his eyes brightened and a wide smile appeared on his lips. Adis carefully put Haru down and lifted Vladimir in his arms when the boy ran towards them.

"Ah, Vladimir, my good child!" Adis exclaimed as he kissed the child's left cheek while Haru on the right cheek.

Vladimir was really happy to get their attention and would like to get more praise. "Father, Vladimir remembered all your words. I accompanied mother and protected her."

Haru softly chuckled as she ruffled his hair. "That's right. Our Vlad was very courageous and strong, so different from the cry baby and scaredy-cat that he was," she teased.

"Waahh! Mother, please don't! That was a long time ago." The child buried his now red face in his small hands.

After a stressful day, the palace was finally lifted off of its gloomy atmosphere and the dining hall was filled with a burst of good laughter.

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Haru was standing in front of the window and looking at the bright moon in a daze. She had changed into a long nightdress and was about to retire for the day when the huge moon captivated her. It was as big and bright as it was when she first came into this world. A lot of things had happened since then, more importantly, everyone had left and gone except for Adis.

Upon the assault of nostalgia, she suddenly felt melancholic. So much had been said and done in the past just to break her and Adis apart. She thought that after marrying him, they could finally free to live and love as they please. But it was all just her wishful thinking.

She wondered, if she did not accept Adis' feelings nor acknowledge her own feelings at that time, would it all be a different story now? Was their love really not meant to be?

As if on cue, hard and cold arms enveloped her body and she instantly melted from the familiar embrace.

Adis could easily read her thoughts through her face. He gently carried her in his arms and placed her on the soft bed. As he laid on her side, he looked intently in her eyes with great fervor. "If you think that our love is a sin, then let me be a sinner for all time. I shall give you all the happiness and I shall take all the punishment. So long as you are mine, I will not ask for anything more."

"It never entered my thoughts to leave you." Haru started as she pulled his face closer and touched his forehead with hers. "Even if the world condemns us, I will always run to you. Such is the fate of our love story."

Haru smiled and closed her eyes when she felt her beloved kissed her forehead, eyes, nose and lingered on her lips. She basked in the feeling of his strong arms around her. His soothing voice that chanted his undying devotion lulled her to sleep and dreamed of the time where it all started.