[So many views. I'm surprised people are interested in you of all people.]
"Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?!" Alex asked, eyes wide as he stared at the System with suspicion and shock.
("Maybe it's referring to this world being a novel.")
[Yeah, sure. That's what I meant.]
"Do you like being hated?" he asked, returning his focus on buttoning his shirt, preparing himself for the morning meeting.
[Hate me all you want, child, but I'm a lovable being to other people.]
"I'm concerned of the mental state of those individuals."
[Whatever. Any progress on the solution, my little King?]
"I hate studying and being in charge of things by force," he styled his hair back the way Cain approved, looking at his reflection in the mirror, his own appearance slightly blurred in his mind.
[Hmm..... You better go for that meeting now, then you can spiral later.]
"I truly wish other people can you see you."
[Only a handful can see me, like you, His Majesty and your dog.]
"I want to ask why but I don't want to waste my tickets for now," Alex draped the cape over his shoulder and walked out of the bedchamber.
Knights and servants bowed as he walked through the corridors, their posture more respectful than fearful and resentful— a behavior Cain had slowly gotten used to.
The doors of the throne room opened and the chatter inside immediately silenced. The sound of Alex's boots echoing across the walls, feeling a variety of gazed on him on his way to the throne.
Once the greeting procession was over, a tall graceful woman dressed in a modest stormy grey dress stepped forward.
Her neatly styled auburn hair framed her tanned face, her unreadable golden brown eyes gave Alex a strong sense of unease.
'Um..... Who is she?'
("She's Countess Alaina Mills, Count Darwin Mills's second wife and Eleanor's step-grandmother. Their wedding happened two months after the previous Countess passed away two years ago.")
'She looks old enough to be Lady Eleanor's younger aunt than grandmother.'
("Unfortunately, you're right. However, Countess Alaina bore a son for the Count, which wasn't achieved by the late Countess. And she has multiple connections both inside and outside Austinia's social circle, hence a lot of people are unable to speak I'll of her out of fear.")
'Oh....'
("And she doesn't involve herself in political affairs often, hence her presence isn't always a pleasant sight.")
"Good morning, Your Majesty," greeted Countess Alaina, bowing before him. Her gaze increasing its intensity, assessing him, looking directly into his soul.
Alex silently gulped, his throat dry and his hands crampy, nodding his head in acknowledgment.
She stood straight, a small smile that didn't reach her eyes appeared on her face, her bare hands placed elegantly over her stomach. An old long scar stretching from her right palm to her wrist that appeared to have been reopened repeatedly.
"I see that you've been well.... However, you look different from the last time we saw each other."
Alex remained silent, unable to speak as he felt pressure of her presence weighing on not only him, but everyone in the throne room felt it. He sensed a strong herbal scent from her, masking a fading metallic scent of blood that almost made him gag.
Alaina stared at his neutral expression then the pressure from her reduced, he nearly gasped for air but held himself back.
"Your Majesty, I'm sure you're aware of the increase in theft in Gnobilis by the people from Pagus, especially since the arrival of refugees from the sister nation Somibia, where a civil succession war has currently began among the relatives of the late King. Increasing the population from sixty thousand to nearly eighty thousand in just two months."
'I'm feeling dizzy from all this.'
("Shh!")
"Following that report, due to the drought, the water supply in the eastern mountain has began to reduce and many crops are dying. Hence the residents are migrating to Gnobilis as we speak."
Gasps erupted from the crowd, the eyes of the older officials went wide, expressing deep fear and resentment at her words.
"Outrageous!"
"Those Blood Witches are coming here?!"
"We'll burn them at the stake if they dare to come through the gates!"
"Your Majesty, order the knights to block the gates and kill any of those.... things if they try to persist."
"Let them die in their land! It's better they disappear from this kingdom for good."
Alaine's flashed with a murderous glint before it vanished immediately.
Alex clenched his fist, then accidentally hit it on the wooden armrest, creating a loud bang that echoed across the room. Silencing the noise as everyone, including Countess Alaina, flinched as they stood straight, eyes facing the ground.
He exhaled heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose before he sat up, his gaze landing on Countess Alaina, "I'll try to think of a proper solution regarding that matter, Countess."
"What's there to think, sire?" Duke Adomis stepped forward, his gaze disdainful towards her before he faced Alex, "It's either you satisfy the nobles.... or you finally marry my daughter Eleanor."
"Duke Adomis—"
"Countess Mills, you might be my father-in-law's wife, but this matter is concerning my daughter's dignity in court. Her age of marriage is almost coming to an end and her reputation is tarnished because of that commoner girl he fools around with."
Alex felt a migraine developing. Cursing at Cain and promising to check on Eleanor to honor his deal with Sir Abel, as the meeting went in a gaze with him responding the way Cain introduced.
Once the meeting was over, Alex immediately left the throne room and went to near the stables where the compost heap and wooden flowerbeds filled with growing beans, tomatoes and potatoes.
He took off the cape, jacket and other accessories, tying Cain's handkerchief around half his face and took the gloves hidden underneath.
Then he took the tools he bought from the System and began tending to the plants, with Cain watching in silence.
Humming was heard from behind him— sweet, melodic, playful.... naive.
Then it stopped, followed by the soft sound of light hurried footsteps on the grass approaching until he felt slender arms wrap around him.
A pair of soft pink lips brushed against his ear as the woman laughed cheerfully behind him.
"Cain~ How are you~?"
Alex went rigid for a second then pushed himself away from her, his face flushed with discomfort from her touch.
Ruth's green eyes were filled with hurt and confusion by his reaction as her gaze drifted from her hands to him.
"Cain? Is everything alright?"
Cain looked at her expression with remorse and frustration, noting the child-like bright yellow dress she wore. The dress he told her to keep because "he liked it".
Her eyes glossed over with tears, "Did I do something wrong?"
Alex swallowed his discomfort and shook his head, "N-no... Apologies for offending you. I was merely startled, that's all."
("I don't speak like that.")
'I'm sorry, Your Majesty. For your information, I'm already dealing with the issues in your kingdom, so your relationships aren't my problem, especially this one.'
("You're the one in control of my body—")
'By force! I didn't want to be in this situation!'
("And you think that I wanted this to happen?")
Ruth wiped her tears and shifted closer to him, wrapping her arms around his arm, pressing her body against his side.
Everything about this felt wrong. To Alex, she was three to four years older than him and he wasn't Cain. He didn't want to be Cain.
He shifted away slightly, carefully removing her hands. Once his fingers brushed against her skin, Alex felt as though he was inside her head as different images flashed through his mind.
Images of her childhood.
Images of her mother passing away when she was five.
Images of her with her father.
Images of her with Sir Abel as children.
And finally images of her with Cain.
Compared to other images, the ones containing Cain were shifted between her perspective and his.
An image of Cain watching her in the garden everytime she went with her father was filled with her voice saying;
"Why is he looking at me?"
"Does the King think that I'm... pretty?"
"I heard Madam Lily tell a girl once that a man looking at a woman intensely means he finds her attractive."
To Alex, Cain's gaze was anything but romantic attraction.
The images continued, moving between each interaction.
"I don't like you being around other men."
"I prefer you to Eleanor because you're purer than her. Untainted."
"I'm protective because I love you, Ruth."
"Don't feel ashamed to ask me for anything, my beautiful flower."
And so many other words echoing with Ruth's twisted growing affection and Cain's thoughts of the memories bleeding together—
He said he loves me.
She's like a canary I want to cage, hidden away from the world.
He said that he'll marry me.
She's mine and mine alone.
He didn't like Eleanor.
Her naivety is adorable.
He seems so vulnerable when he's alone.... His fiancee doesn't care about him.
She's only a passing phase.... Nothing serious.
Alex stood instantly, backing away from her. Holding his head as the words continued to echo in his mind, Cain's attempts to snap him out of his daze only fueled Alex's disgust towards him.
He felt his skin crawl as though hundreds on ants were on his skin, especially the places she touched. His heart racing and breathing erratic.
The Ruth's memories mixed with Cain's— the forced touches she interpreted as loving, the changes in her outfits and habits he made and the incidents and lies he created to make her dependant on him.
"Cain?"
Alex suppressed his anger, his gaze on the young woman on the ground, his voice cold, "I apologize for startling you, My Lady. There's something urgent I need to attend to at this moment."
Ruth watched in shock, trying to reach out as he picked out the cape and jacket, then went inside the palace.
She dropped her hand and but her lip, tears streaming down her face.
Eleanor sat on the balcony, watching the scene unfold, calmly sipping her tea in silence.
[Holder Candidate Quest One: Change the plot
•Duration: 320 days
•Reward: 10,000 points
•Failure: Bad luck at love]