Matthias and, surprisingly, Princess Raya went to comfort Guin for not being able to go with them. Princess Raya suddenly felt happy inside, as if she suddenly had a complete family.
Guin also felt something odd, with her feeling something that she hadn't felt since she opened her eyes; family.
They then continued upstairs and entered the Throne Room. The important echelons have gathered here to talk about the upcoming battle.
"How many soldiers do we currently have, General Lauerio?" Princess Yuna questioned.
"Now, we currently have a total of 70,000 available elven troops." He answered.
"On the Refuge's side?" General Lauerio looked at Matthias.
"We aren't sure about that. But I estimate that it's about 200,000." He replied. "Once our meeting finishes, I will immediately send my Shadows to the location that Princess Sally gave me of the two other refuge." He added.
Princess Yuna nodded at their answers. She then looked at Matthias and asked, "Can you assist us to Ciandor? With this matter, I also need to talk to Princess Sally."
"I'll also tag along." Princess Raya seconded, but Princess Yuna looked at her and pleaded, "Can you please stay here and lead everyone here?"
She thought and realized that the forest would be missing a leader if the two of them left and couldn't help but sigh. "Right. Okay."
Princess Yuna then implied, "I'll be having General Lauerio, Tarsus, Matthias, and Isabelle tag with us."
"Also that Guin. Bring her along." Yuna added. "Although she is your friend, she is still a mystery and I won't risk someone like that being left inside Ganae."
The others nodded in agreement. "Then, it's decided. We will leave tomorrow at dawn." She declared.
"What's the status of the project?" Matthias suddenly asked. This time, Princess Raya smiled, "The project is a success. Expect them to be utilized once the battle starts.",
"That's great!" He sighed with relief, "All of you have done a great job." He congratulated
"It's nothing, Matthias. You were the one who gave us those kinds of ideas. With that, we could at least fight longer and also possibly, defeat them!" Princess Raya chirped, to which they smiled.
After a couple more discussions, Princess Yuna judged that there's nothing else left to be discussed and dismissed the meeting.
After the meeting, they each went their separate ways. The generals that are coming with Matthias and Princess Yuna prepared the things that they would need to bring, Isabelle went to their sleeping quarters that they were using since they stayed inside the palace to earn the rest that she rightfully deserved, and Matthias descended the stairs to see Guin.
"Mr. Matthias!" She waved her hand and called.
Matthias smiled and walked to her. "Have you been waiting?" He asked.
She shook her head and replied, "No. Not really."
"Let's chat on the way out." Matthias proposed. Thinking that she wouldn't be able to do anything inside the lobby of the palace, Guin nodded and followed him out.
Matthias was saddened by her story and suddenly caressed her hair softly and gently, causing her to flinch. When he saw her jolt, Matthias removed his hand. "Sorry. That was too sudden." He apologized.
"Mhmm." Guin shyly shook her head. "N-No need to say sorry, Mister Matthias." She claimed.
"I actually kind of liked it." She murmured. Matthias heard it even though it was very faint, and smiled amiably. She continued walking while Matthias stopped while looking at her from behind. "Guin!" He called.
Guin turned around, her hair fluttered when she looked at him. Matthias was enchanted by that but shook his head to calm himself down. He smiled at her and walked to her side.
He turned to face her and looked at her eyes that shone with surprise. He extended his hands once more and caressed her head, this time doing it more lovingly and gently.
"Mister–" She gasped. "Shush, Guin. I think you need this. Also, you can just call me Matthias." Matthias leaned down and stopped her from continuing. He looked her at the eye and gazed at it while still caressing her hair.
Guin also returned the gaze, looking at his eyes dazedly. Not knowing what she was doing, she leaned forward and kissed Matthias on his lips, causing him to be in disbelief. She then immediately ran away, and not long after, vanished from his view.
His eyes widened open and stayed like that for an hour, wholly completing his tasks of sending out two shadows of his to the two refuge.
Even after that, he was still thinking about what had happened. After a while, he smiled out of nowhere with no reason at all, bewildering Tuwa that happened to go past him. "What in tarnation's name happened to that man?" She muttered.
When Matthias got over that event, he went back to the palace and checked his things in his room.
"Matthias?" Suddenly, a voice sounded out from behind him. He turned around and saw Isabelle, leaning on the wall while looking at him complicatedly.
Matthias noticed it and walked to her. "What's wrong, Isabelle? Did anything wrong happen?" He asked worriedly.
"Nn. Not really." She shook her head and looked him in the eyes. "Matthias, I want you to be honest with me."
Matthias tilted his head in confusion but still let her talk, "Go on." He said.
"Do you like Guin?" She adjured.
"Isabelle.." He was shocked that she suddenly asked about him and Guin. For ten years, Isabelle hadn't really asked him anything about women that were with him. Even when Matthias and Princess Raya became close nine years ago with their relationship having been going on for more than a month, she still didn't ask anything.
Even when Princess Raya gave birth to a child more than eight and a half years ago, Isabelle has been really cool about it. She didn't ask anything like if he cheated on her or the likes. This was the first time Isabelle really asked him.
"Answer me, Matthias!" She yelled indignantly. Matthias doesn't know what to answer, so the only thing he could respond was, "I-I don't know."
When she heard his answer, she faltered back but regained her standing. Matthias rushed forward to help her but was ultimately stopped by her. "I can handle myself." She stuttered.
She breathed deeply and calmed herself down. She looked at Matthias with a serious face, "Don't let her get away."
"?!" Matthias was shocked speechless. Looking at his face, Isabelle smirked and tittered. "Do you think I'm going to be mad?"
"I–" Matthias couldn't even continue talking. Isabelle laughed and said, "Matthias, you see, the moment I first met you and talked to you, I immediately knew that you were not a simple retired soldier of Qin. Knowing that you aren't a simple person, then the person that you will love would also definitely not be a simple one, or you would definitely have a lot of wives."
"So, I am okay with being one of your many." She smiled sweetly. "Ever since that time a little less than ten years ago, looking at you gaze at the big circle above our sky, I have already decided to be your spouse. I wanted to be beside you, sharing both happiness and sadness, sickness and health, and life and death. With that, I gave birth to our seed, Alexander. I hope you could teach him as his father and teacher, and love him as a father, friend, brother, and student."
"That's my only wish, Matthias. Could you promise me that?" The smile on her face still hadn't changed, but the emotion wasn't that of a happy one and instead, a saddened smile, a melancholic one.
Matthias looked at her and couldn't help but hug her tightly. Feeling his heartfelt hug, Isabelle was overwhelmed and started crying her heart out. He brushed her back while shushing, "Yes. I promise you that. Sorry.." A teardrop streaked down his cheek as he remembered everything that they did.
She often made him breakfast, joined him while eating. She always stopped training when Matthias needed help with something, and even personally taught him everything even though she was exhausted from her training. She took care of Alexander and still had time to chat with him, and even laugh with him even though she was totally tired that day.
Even though Matthias hadn't really given her the love she wanted, she still continued to love him like how a wife loves her husband.
Remembering those, Matthias thought that he was really pathetic. Not knowing that someone was caring deeply for him even though it had been too obvious was ridiculous.
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