“I don’t understand,” I ask Lord Valentine. We’re now sitting in Jade Garden again waiting for the arrival of Prince Lance. Cordelia hugely endorse on the food in Jade Garden even though it’s extremely expensive.
“About what?” Lord Valentine smiles warmly and places a steamed bun in my bowl.
“About what Carl said yesterday. Not meddling is talking about me. He asked you to go back to your world which I understand. What about the curse part?”
Lord Valentine pats me on my head gently and says, “Don’t worry. Carl always talks in a cryptic manner. Remember what I told you yesterday about the wizards in our world?”
“Yes. Harry Potter is your kind.” I take a bite of the steamed bun. It’s delicious no wonder Cordelia falls under the spell of this restaurant.
“Some wizards are immortal. When the mortal wizards accumulate their power to a certain extent, some might become immortal. Carl is one of those. He looks more deeply and farther than most of us.”
“How about you? Are you an immortal wizard too? You talk cryptically enough.”
“No,” he gives a light laugh. His eyes line with mirth like how he usually looks when he smiles, but I sense a hint of sadness in his laugh. Why?
“I still don’t understand,” I mutter between mouthful of steamed buns.
“I have no idea you have such a large curiosity, Ianthe.” Lord Valentine feeds me a spoonful of pudding.
“I see that the two of you are lovey dovey again. Urgh my eyes. How I hate being the third wheel,” Cordelia says in a singsong voice.
My face turns red at her teasing. I don’t know why but I guess I decided to call a truce between Lord Valentine and I for now after yesterday adventure in dream.
“You won’t have to be a third wheel for long,” Lord Valentine chimes in. He fills my cup with tea.
Oh? Does that mean Prince Lance is arriving?
And at that moment, a gang of people rush into the restaurant. We’re on the second floor, looking down from the balcony, as expected it’s Prince Lance and his servants.
“Ah ha,” Cordelia laughs evilly. She stands up and waves the handkerchief she bought yesterday. “Hello, loser.”
I kind of pity Prince Lance. Can he even escape Cordelia for the rest of his life? Wait… Cordelia is next to immortal, she is a mermaid and has a ridiculously long life. Prince Lance is mortal. But if I remember correctly, this story has a happy ever after ending. And what consists of a happily ever after ending? The main couple stays together forever. If one dies first, readers will riot. Then how does Prince Lance turn immortal?
And when does Cordelia and Prince Lance turn into a couple? Because that is when I need to be careful. When they get together, that must be nearly the end of the story and I have to avoid losing my life in that assassination.
I try to rack my brain for info while I munch on my food. Cordelia and Prince Lance go into a zone on their own once they meet each other. I don’t even have to care about them.
“Now remember your promise, loser. I get to order you around today hahaha. First come and carry me down the stairs.” Cordelia laughs like a villain in a story. I can’t believe she is the protagonist of a story.
Prince Lance lets out a sigh and walks up the stairs. He gives us a nod and carries Cordelia in bridal style. Is Cordelia blushing?
A scene flashes in my mind. So they get together after today! One mystery solved. Now I just have to be careful. It’s the only life I have left after all.
“Don’t worry, Ianthe. Nothing will hurt you.” Lord Valentine says solemnly.
Does that mean Lord Valentine follow me and remain in this world to protect me? Protect me from the assassination that will kill me? When that assassination is over, will Lord Valentine return to his original world? Of course he will. He has nothing here, all his family and friends are over in his world, the world that was mine once. As his mother said, he has more than compensated me.
Not much time is left. It is not that unreasonable to try to capture as much light and warmth before the inevitable, is it? I can live on with the memories. Right? Right.
“Lord Valentine, let’s go shopping.” I smile with the brightest smile I had.
“As you wish.” He replies with a dazzling smile.
