Chapter 23 First Hug

They walked slowly towards the empress villa and entered their room.

She supported him to sit on the king-sized bed and sat beside him.

"What are you worrying about?" Her sweet voice sounded beside him.

"I killed someone. I'm a murderer." Rio, who didn't reply to the emperor, spoke for the first time after killing the prisoner in a sorrowful voice.

Tears dropped from his eyes like a little child.

Lia caressed his head and asked, "if you were given a chance to turn back time, would you spare him and let him attack me?"

She blew a landmine in his thought process as he started looking at her with astonished wet eyes.

"Tell me. would you spare him, Rio?" Lia asked again with a sweet voice as if a mother was telling her little child not to cry for his broken toys.

He shook his head while gazing at her loving expression towards him.

"Then calm down. Tears don't suit you." She said as she wiped his tears from his wet face with her fingers stroking his cheeks.

"But It's not easy. I killed him." He looked dazed and sorrowful.

"In this world, and I believe even in your world they kill each other. Some kill others for greed, ego, blinding in power and for many bad reasons which is a sinful act. However, there are those like you who wield a weapon to save the innocents and people they love. It's not wrong to kill someone for saving someone you care about." Lia spoke with a sweet voice to lower his guilt.

He blinked at her continuously and felt the knot of guilt getting loose when she twisted words to make him realize he wasn't entirely wrong.

He dropped down his face as the flashback of killing the human came back to his mind.

At the same time, he felt a soft hand wrapped around his back. A flowery scent invaded his nostril and his face was buried in her soft bosom. He enjoyed his face on her featherly warm chest.

An electric shock made the hair of his pores stand up from such actions but it wasn't from his lustful thoughts. It was because of her lovingly caring nature towards him to make him feel better.

Instinctively, his hands also wrapped around her back. She caressed the back of his head and he relaxed in her loving embrace.

A boy who grew up alone without any love. A boy who had no family and loved ones. For this boy, this was his first hug he could ever remember.

His heart tickled and felt the warmth of love for the first time in many years. He felt as if he was in heaven, he forgot all his mental tiredness and the agony of guilt. He relaxed in her loving embrace.

"Thank you" He mumbled in her thoughts.

"Why thank you?" She asked back in his thoughts.

"For being nice to me" He replied.

"Shouldn't I be nice to my innocent husband who just killed someone for saving me?" She giggled.

"Don't remind me," He retorted.

Lia supported him to lay down on bed and slept while Lia kept him in her embrace.

She kept ruffling his hair as if he was a little child.

"Those nightmares that the eyes of destiny gave me changed since our soul linked by heaven's blessing. Last defense in my heart against you was shattered when I saw that killing intent in your eyes to protect me. You change my fate or not, I won't treat you unfairly." She spoke in her heart.

Stars glimmered around the moon as if celebrating the beautiful night and two souls of two different worlds accepting each other in their hearts.

***

Lia woke up to the sensation of something pressing against her chest.

​ When she opened her eyes, she saw a crimson haired boy's head was snuggling to her bosom, his hands wrapped around her like hugging a pillow.

Her face flushed red but then she remembered what happened last night and how she comforted him.

She calmed down and gently rolled Rio off her body.

She sighed in relief when she saw that he was still sleeping.

She stood up and started getting ready to go to the castle.

***

In a room, a middle aged man with white hair was sitting on a couch. He was having his tea while reading the reports of the activities happening recently.

He heard light footsteps approaching his door. The person didn't even ask for permission and slammed open the door.

"Why did you do this?" A chilly atmosphere enveloped the room as Lia coldly glared at the Emperor Dylan.

"What do you mean, Lia?" He tried to hide his nervousness. He knew this would eventually happen but he didn't know it would happen this early.

"Don't pretend to not know anything. You know what I'm talking about. Why did you plan this behind my back to test Rio?" She fiercely stared at him.

"Oh… you're talking about last night. The guards were drunk last night and they mistakenly left the keys inside. I already ordered those guards to be executed for making such a mess." Emperor Dylan said with a bittersweet smile.

"I already saw you and Yami to plan about it in my destiny vision. You don't have to fabricate more lies." She berated him.

He started avoiding his gaze from her as he heard he was caught red handed.

"Answer me. Why did you do this without my permission?" Her domineering voice was sounding in the room.

"He would be leaving for his school. I needed to test him before he left. If he can't even go against one human, how will he face the whole of humanity for you?" Emperor Dylan said while his eyebrows scrunched.

"You can't just treat him like he is your experimental rat. Don't forget he is my husband." She said with a threatening tone.

"I don't have much time left, Lia." A saddened voice came from the Emperor Dylan. His voice halted as he recollected an upcoming grave problem.