Chapter 530 Grand Reunion (Three)
Listening to the side, the five shamans shared a knowing look at each other. Then, they approached Lady Isabella and made a vow. "We promised to guard the box until the alignment of the nine planets twenty-seven years later."
"I'm going with you," Liam suddenly announced.
"Are you certain about that?" Klein queried Liam. He and Levi were approaching them. He said, "Shun is no longer locking you back in Italy. You are a free man now."
Liam nodded calmly. "Yes, I am certain. After all, even if I have my freedom, I cannot change what people have already heard about me. And if Master Shun plans to lock me up again, I refuse to return because I will beg him to let me watch the box."
"But, Prince Liam..." a man in uniform attempted to raise a protest, but Liam stopped him before he could speak further.
"I've already guarded this box for my entire life." Staring at the box before him, Liam made a vow.
Isabella and the others shared a glance. Then she pondered and agreed afterward. "Shun would concur with your idea. Besides, you were more familiar with how the seal works."
Liam nodded.
~~~
Lamandi Palace, V Country
Liam was standing in the middle of the Throne Hall, sweeping his gaze throughout the room.
"Prince Liam..." At the door, a man in uniform appeared, greeting him politely.
Liam turned around and smiled at the older man.
"Come in, General Handayani..." Liam invited him to enter the hall. He met him halfway, and when the man had attempted to bow to him, he stopped the older man and said instead, "You don't need to do that, teacher."
"Your highness...." An inexplicable feeling overwhelmed the older man's chest. When the news of Liam reached him, he was in disbelief. He didn't believe Liam could do such a thing of his own will.
"You can quit addressing me that way... I am no longer the prince of V Country nor the future king of this kingdom."
Shocks appeared on General Hayandani's face. Sadness glowered in his eyes. "What will happen to us, your highness?"
"You will be fine, Prime Minister," Liam smiled.
"Prince Liam, you can't do this!" The older man was surprised again. He was in disbelief when the prince assigned him an even higher position in Monarchy.
Liam patted the older man's shoulder. He then conveyed his gratitude. "Thank you for watching over the country all these years, Teacher. I know you have faced difficulties dealing with my affairs after I became someone's puppet."
"Don't mention it, Your Highness. But, your highness, are you certain to leave the throne empty?" Prime Minister Hayandani asked this question out of concern when the people demanded a new king on the throne.
Liam stared at the general, pondering. After a brief silence, he extended his hand and patted the older man's shoulder.
"Please, as I said earlier, you can stop addressing me this way, Prime Minister. From here on, I am an ordinary citizen of V Country. Let's say that even if I am not myself during that time and have an important mission. The crime I committed is not forgivable. I deserve to be punished for the innocent lives that died because of me."
"But, Your highness, I mean, Liam... As you said, you were not yourself. Who will inherit the throne? There is no direct line to sit on the throne. Unless..." The new Prime Minister trailed off his last words.
Liam did not need to guess what the older man was trying to tell him. He immediately understood who he was referring to.
"That is why I wanted to speak, Prime Minister Handayani. There is another favor I will ask from you."
"As long as it is beyond my capability."
Liam let out a long breath. "It was just recently that I regained my memories. So I only remembered that I have a daughter. If I am not mistaken, she is five years old now. I have yet to meet her. But I can't introduce myself to her."
"Why not Liam?"
"I am afraid that with the crime I committed, she would feel ashamed of me and would not forgive me once she learns the truth." He was indeed afraid to be rejected in the future.
"Liam, I know the princess will forgive you once she learns the truth."
"I don't want the world to judge her because of me. I don't want her to experience such criticism. But I want her to grow up with a happy and peaceful life." Liam paused and looked outside the window when the first ray of the sun was about to appear. "This is my request, teacher. Please protect her and treat her like your real granddaughter. When she comes of age and is the perfect time to be ready for her responsibility, please announce that she is the lost queen of Lamandi Palace."
Prime Minister Handayani was stunned. "Don't tell me you were firm with your decision of not introducing yourself and admit to her you were her father?"
"It is better this way." Liam nodded. "She doesn't need to carry such a burden of the truth that her father is a famous criminal."
"But, Liam.... Isn't it better when she grows up seeing how great her father was? When the right time comes, you can tell her the truth that she is the heir to the Lamandi Throne." The prime minister disagreed with Liam's plans, so he went on.
"She deserves to grow up with her father. She had already lost her mother. You cannot deprive her of the opportunity to be with his father. Raising her in the Shaman Village can help you make things easier for you to confess the truth. I am certain she will readily accept the truth of why you committed the crime in the past."
The older man went on, "Listen to me, Liam. I am sure the princess would not judge you. She will only hate you if you remove her chance to be with her father. Do you think she would forgive you for that? Is it that she would hate you because you become a coward to be a wonderful father to her?"
Liam could not argue with the older man. Everything he said made sense.
"General Hayandani is correct." Suddenly, Isabella appeared at the door. She entered the hall, walked toward the throne, and halted by the king's platform. She turned around and faced Liam, who was standing by the window. "Don't worry, Liam. In the future, I will help you enlighten her. You can send her to me and teach her everything she needs to know about this world."
"Lady Isabella..." Liam has no words to describe the emotion that surged in his chest. He was grateful that things weren't the end yet for him.
"Now, are you ready to meet her?" Prime Minister Hayandani queried Liam. On his face plastered a warm smile.
Liam nodded, and it made the older man thrilled. He immediately phoned his wife and quickly explained. Two hours later, Liam was seated on a couch inside the palace tea rooms, waiting for his daughter to meet her for the first time.
"Nervous?" Seated across from Liam are the couple, Levi and Madison.
"Hmm..." Liam did not deny it. He constantly breathes in to relax his nerves. Then, he held his breath when the door opened, and Prime Minister Hayandani entered the room, holding a five years old little girl in hand.
"There... Go and greet your Papa."
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