Chapter 380 - ALI MINI THEATER Side Story 19

"A long, long, long time ago – a time when there was nothing, a being that was the most powerful created everything that existed. Water, wind, fire, earth, deities, and mortals – everything was his creation. The Supreme Being, Rod, was the true power in all subsistence.  He created life; he created death. He designed heaven; he designed the mortal plane and hell. He fashioned good and evil, as well as the rules of the way of life.

He crafted the cycle as he saw fit and chose his most beloved child to govern them all in his place – the King of Heaven.

Nonetheless, beloved as he might be, no matter how much he reigned supreme above the other creations, the King was the greatest servant of all. He was bound by the rules of Rod – more than any other creations. He could not be like the other deities who were willful. He was compelled to be the dutiful superior – the greatest example to all existence…"

"This is boring," a six-year-old cherub with big silver-grey eyes and hair as dark as ebony complained.

She pouted as she rolled over away from the book her brother was reading to her. The two of them lay under the huge tree in the palace grounds – a usual sight for everyone who worked for the royal family of Ritz.

Alistair Johann de Lancret, Crown Prince of the Royal House of Ritz closed the book he had been reading out loud, sat up, and turned to look at his sulking younger sister. At sixteen years of age, the silver prince had ascended into ȧduŀthood successfully.

"My little one, if you dislike reading then you should at least bear listening to history," the prince rebuked his younger sibling softly.

He placed the book on the grass and leaned forward to pull and gather his sister into his arms and placed her securely on his ŀȧp. Unlike him who had grown over a hundred and ninety centimeters, his sister was a tiny girl he was easily able to cradle as he had been doing since she was born.

"But I don't like this story," Alinea complained with a pout.

She bit her index finger as she looked up to her brother with begging eyes. The usually stoic man, Alistair's face stretched into a small smile as he bent forward so that his nose would touch the tip of hers before planting a small kiss on her forehead. He shifted her on his ŀȧp so they could be face to face.

"Why do you dislike this story?" he asked.

He had always been fascinated by her – and delighted to hear words coming from her heart. His little one, his treasure – each and every moment like this was a gift for himself.

"It's because the King of Heaven's story is sad," she answered without hesitation, surprising him.

He studied her for a moment, his amethyst gaze boring into hers. She had clear eyes that saw beyond what could be seen.

"Why…do you think so?"

He was curious. After all, Alistair was the Returner to Ancestry of the very same King of Heaven in the books his little one disliked to hear. In all of his existence, he had always been hailed as the most beloved one. He was the strongest. He sat at the pinnacle. There was nothing one could ever want that he didn't have – or at least, that's what they said.

Alinea pursed her lips as she thought. "Big brother, you have already told me his story many times. This is why I think it's a sad story."

Huh?

Alistair didn't understand. In the books he read to her, there was never a sad ending. It's always about Perun ascending to heavens once more to his rightful place even after the tragedies that happened around him.

"What do you mean? Shouldn't it be a happy ending for him?" he asked, his curiosity getting bigger and bigger.

Alinea shook her head. "It may seem like that – that being the immortal King of Heaven sounds nice."

"But?" he prompted. His little one sounded as if she didn't believe what was said.

"But isn't it a lonely existence?"

Huh?

Alistair looked at his "sister" who was, in reality, his "daughter" in wonder. She never really ceased to amaze him. She was like her mother, Shitara – she could always see through the surface down to the heart of everything. He didn't have to ask. Alinea told him why on her own in her childlike eagerness.

"The books said Perun has children, but his children left him to be the guardians of the world and became mortals and died. Even if he fulfilled their wishes, in the end, he was still left alone. Then he found a new wife, but she died too."

Hearing this, a sad smile played on his lips. "Such is fate little one. Such is the laws of the world. Humans with their trifling lives – loss is inevitable. Life and death is an endless cycle to those who are not immortals."

"That's why Perun's story is sad," Alinea insisted, surprising Alistair once more. "It's because he loves humans and their trifling lives. He is the King – he knows fate. He can see destinies of those he holds dear but can't prevent them because of Rod's law. Isn't that painful?"

Sharp pain sliced in his heart. He'd never heard words he buried deep in his heart said out loud until now. Moisture filled his eyes, and when he realized it, tears were already making their trail down to his cheeks.  

"Big brother, why are you crying?" Alinea asked in a panic. She'd never seen her brother like that. "You can read to me if you want. I will listen now. I will not complain anymore," she begged, and his tears turned into laughter as he wiped his eyes.

Alistair engulfed her into a tight hug, savoring the feeling of this pure soul in his arms. "There's no need. I will not read you this story anymore."

"Why not? Don't you like the story?"

Alistair smiled. The reason why he kept telling her this story was to let her know how much he loved her. The book was about Perun's love for humanity as well as his children.

"I like the story after that," he said confusing the little girl.

"There's a story after this one?" she asked. "But you still don't have that book?"

He shook his head. "Not yet. But in the future, this story will be written by humans."

"What is it about?" she asked again.

"The book of how Perun finally fulfilled his promises to his child and wife, and they all ascended to the heavens to live together for all eternity…"