Chapter 223: "You do realise he is my responsibility, right?"
King Luo lay beside Qie Xieling, his heart heavy with love he had never imagined he could feel. The icy facade he had maintained for years now seemed shattered, replaced by a longing that defied logic.
Love had always been a foreign concept to him, a force that had ruthlessly torn his world apart. His parents had been taken from him because of love. Their obsession with each other blinded them so much that they chose to follow each other and left him behind.
The consequences had been devastating, leaving King Luo scarred and bitter. His mother at least showed some affection, his father however only held him once and had eyes only for his mother.
With this painful memory etched into his soul, he had sworn to never let love enter his life neither did he care for it. The duty of a king would be his sole purpose, and he would marry whomever his mother had chosen, even if his heart remained cold and unyielding. He would probably have one child for the sake of the throne. Yunning would have been a queen for show but he would never have any love for her.
But fate had a way of weaving its own tapestry. As he watched Qie Xieling lying motionless before him, King Luo’s heart further descended into chaos.
He had never wanted this feeling, this vulnerability. Yet, in the face of losing Qie Xieling, it was love that consumed him.
Desperate to buy more time for his lover, King Luo placed his trembling hand on Qie Xieling’s chest, channelling his own life force into him. His magic coursed through his fingertips, fighting to restrict the poison that threatened to spread further, leaving no room for doubt or hesitance.
Unbeknownst to him, a gentle knock echoed from the door. But King Luo’s focus remained solely on the man lying beside him. Just like his father all he could see was Qie Xieling. The outside world became a distant murmur.
As tears streamed down King Luo’s face, his heart cried out for Qie Xieling to awaken. The realisation that he might not be able to survive without this person meant he couldn’t bear to let go. There was a good chance he was going to follow him if Qie Xieling dared to leave him. Now he understood how his father felt.
The door remained unanswered and Jolie was getting a little anxious. "Hey, your kingliness, if you don’t answer the door I will break it down," she yelled but there wasn’t any response. With a big sigh, she paced up and down the doorway trying to figure out which spell she could use to break down the door.
The door was suddenly swung open and King Luo appeared his face as fierce as a dog ready to tear an intruder apart.
Jolie, "???"
"You do realise he is my responsibility, right? I have to know everything about him," she said and King Luo calmed down a little.
He rubbed his throbbing forehead feeling a little frustrated. He explained everything and Jolie’s face didn’t look right at all. She was so mad at him, mad at Yunning and that idiot Leong Jinn that she wanted to hit somebody.
"So let me get this straight. Your ex fiancé poisoned him right under your nose and there is no cure? Are you fuckin kidding me right now?... They are going to kill me... they are all going to kill me," said Jolie with the latter sentences a murmur.
King Luo was a little confused. His brow arched he asked, "Who is going to kill you?"
Jolie abruptly raised her head and said, "No one. Just um... just do whatever it takes to buy time. I will try and fix it."
King Luo still wanted to know what she meant but Jolie was gone. There had to be something she could do to fix this otherwise she might as well delete herself.
King Luo was about to close the door when Boran showed up out of nowhere. He still didn’t like Eling but he had to admit what he did for King Luo kinda of wrote off some of his wrongs. Boran didn’t want him to die especially when he could see how much he meant to King Luo. Out of pure concern, he asked, "How is he?"
King Luo was always the type to keep things to himself but he suddenly felt vulnerable. He wanted to say something to him but even then he didn’t know how to say it. The weight of his emotions, the vulnerability he had never known, settled upon him like a heavy crown. At that moment, he was no longer just a king burdened by his duties. He was a broken man, ready to wade through the depths of his own heart to keep love alive.
"It’s not looking good. Just make sure that those two girls get the absolute worst treatment. I will deal with them personally," he said his tone stern and tyrannical.
"Your Majesty... even the princess?" he asked and King Luo gave him an icy glare that made him shut his mouth immediately.
He didn’t know what Yunning did but he wouldn’t be surprised that King Luo was upset with her. Ever since King Luo started paying more attention to Eling she had been acting funny.
"Yes your majesty," he responded before scurrying away just in case he redirected her anger towards her to him.
After he left King Luo closed the door and looked at the floating curtain where his sweetheart lay silently. With heavy steps, he walked back to the bed and pulled the curtain away slowly. Qie Xieling was still lying there the very same way he left him in a peaceful slumber.
King Luo walked over to him and pulled the quilt before laying by his side. As they lay together side by side he placed his arm across Qie Xieling’s chest and whispered into his ear.
"Why won’t you wake up? If you don’t wake up I will join you," his fingers curling grasping the fabric of Qie Xieling’s clothes.
As he curled his fingers he suddenly recalled the ring on his pinky finger. It was the ring that his mother forged to protect him against Loviator. He didn’t have a ring to give him now but this would have to do for the time being.
