“Royal Princess . ”

Nier dismounted at the stables and handed the stableman the reins . Just when she went to leave the stables, something caught her cloak . She turned around to see the White Deer King’s eyes . It spat her cloak out of its mouth . The White Deer King irritably stomped the ground . Nier bitterly grinned . Voice soft, she said, “Are you waiting for His Majesty? Troy… might not come back again…”

The White Deer King froze . It blankly looked at Nier with a somewhat complex gaze . The White Deer King was an incredibly proud animal . A King rode it nowadays, but it still considered itself a King; it, therefore, expected Troy to treat it on equal terms . It ignored everybody but Troy, including Nier . After hearing it might not see Troy again, it looked at Nier without the proud aura in its gaze for the first time . Its complex gaze made Nier feel uncomfortable . Nier touched its face: “I’m going to go search for him . I must go search for him . I must go search for him whether or not I can find him . I must search for him even if I find his corpse or end up a corpse myself!”

The White Deer King hesitated for a moment then slowly raised its head to run its eyes over Nier . A short moment after, it snorted and leisurely went to lie down on the hay . It buried its head deep down and went silent . It was the first time the White Deer King didn’t mind the environment and went silent . In a quiet voice, Nier asked, “Do you want to come with me?”

The White Deer King raised its head after a moment of hesitation . Its eyes sparkled . Although they had the chance to meet daily, it was the first time the White Deer King actually gave her time of the day . Nier met its eyes without s.h.i.+fting her gaze away . The two looked slightly foolish making eye contact, but their gazes seemed to reach to the heart of the other .

A second later, the White Deer King stopped staring at Nier . It faced her and lowered his head the same way bowed to Troy . This time, it bowed its head to Nier . Nier reached her hand out and touched its horn . The White Deer King lifted its head and shook it out before lying back down . It truly was a proud deer, but Nier could tell it did have a conscience . Not to mention it was much more useful than Lucia .

Nier returned to the palace . A maid hastily approached to take Nier’s cloak and coat . Next to her ear, she whispered, “Royal Princess, Her Majesty has woken . ”

Surprised, Nier excitedly commanded, “Really? Hurry and lead me there . ”

The maid nodded and led Nier to Elizabeth’s room . Nier knocked, and then pushed the door open . Relieved to see Nier enter, the maid attending to Elizabeth stood up . Nier gave the maid a nod: “You can all leave . I’ll stay alone with Her Majesty for a while . ”

“Yes, Royal Princess . ”

The maids bowed to Nier and then left . Nier closed the door . Elizabeth silently lay on her bed as if she was deep asleep . The dim candle on the wall by the side extended Elizabeth’s shadow . She was so quiet and still that not even the shadow of her eyelashes budged . She appeared as though she was dead; she looked ghastly pale . Elizabeth’s state rendered Nier distraught . Elizabeth had never been heavily injured in her presence during her time serving as a Valkyrie on duty .

Nier surveyed the room . Her enhanced senses as a Valkyrie allowed her to notice there were missing things in the room . She deciphered that Elizabeth must’ve thrown a fit . Nier walked up to Elizabeth and sat down . Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked toward Nier .

“Your Majesty, how are you feeling?”

“I messed up, again,” Elizabeth said .

Elizabeth didn’t seem to hear Nier’s question . Nier realised how empty Elizabeth’s eyes were when she saw them . Her usual imposing black eyes were akin to a dark cave without light . In fact, not even the candle could s.h.i.+ne through .   Elizabeth continued in a soft voice, “I messed up again, Nier . I messed up, again . Ten years . It’s been ten years already, yet I haven’t improved at all . I abandoned my son ten years ago, and I abandoned him again this time… again… again… It’s been ten years . I thought I couldn’t protect my family without strength, but now I’ve discovered that I don’t deserve to have family . I let her s.n.a.t.c.h my son away when he was right by my side . I’m useless waste! My son trusted me and loved me, yet I couldn’t save him or even stop him! I don’t deserve to be a mother!!”

“No! Your Majesty, it was not your fault! You did your best . I believe His Majesty understands . It was not your fault . It was betrayal! Betrayal!! However, you need not fret, Your Majesty . I am His Majesty’s wife . I will not give up! I will not spare anybody who s.n.a.t.c.hes my husband from me no matter who it is! That is not to mention the fact she wounded you! I will not forgive that b.i.t.c.h! Your Majesty, I will definitely find my husband . I will definitely bring your son, my husband, back!”

Elizabeth lips gently budged, and then she looked up at the ceiling . She quietly responded, “You know, Nier, I’m glad my son insisted on marrying you back then . If it was Karana, she would have given up in this situation . ”

Nier raised her head with pride, “I am His Majesty’s wife . In regards to my love for His Majesty, I am very confident in myself . I deeply love His Majesty . I will be by his side no matter what, for I am his wife!”

“You won’t stand a chance against Vyvyan . ”

“Whether or not I can defeat Vyvyan is a question of my abilities, but whether or not I search for my husband is a question of my obligation as my husband’s wife . How can I not be by my husband’s side when I am his wife?!”

Elizabeth looked at Nier’s resolute eyes . She softly responded, “I believe in you, Nier . You have never let me down, and I trust that you won’t let me down this time, either . Go and find my son . If it was not for my condition, I would definitely go with you . There are only a few places that Vyvyan could go . She won’t go to the Imperial Capital of the elves; hence, the only other place she could’ve gone is the Galadriel Tribe’s villa and a small house in the forest . The small house is very close to our border . You can see our village and wheat fields from there . ”

Nier blankly looked at Elizabeth . Elizabeth nodded then closed her eyes in an exhausted manner . She softly added, “I can’t face my son . Twice . I’ve abandoned my son twice now when I’m his mother . Just bring my son back . I shall return to Hilles City . I’m not worthy of being a mother, so I don’t deserve to stay by his side . I don’t deserve his respect and love . I should just wither and die alone in that palace . I will never forgive myself . I lost my son… twice!”

Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh: “You can leave now, Nier . Let me be alone for a while . Let me reflect… alone for a bit…”

“Yes, Your Majesty . I understand…”

“Royal Princess . ”.

Nier dismounted at the stables and handed the stableman the reins . Just when she went to leave the stables, something caught her cloak . She turned around to see the White Deer King’s eyes . It spat her cloak out of its mouth . The White Deer King irritably stomped the ground . Nier bitterly grinned . Voice soft, she said, “Are you waiting for His Majesty? Troy… might not come back again…”.

The White Deer King froze . It blankly looked at Nier with a somewhat complex gaze . The White Deer King was an incredibly proud animal . A King rode it nowadays, but it still considered itself a King; it, therefore, expected Troy to treat it on equal terms . It ignored everybody but Troy, including Nier . After hearing it might not see Troy again, it looked at Nier without the proud aura in its gaze for the first time . Its complex gaze made Nier feel uncomfortable . Nier touched its face: “I’m going to go search for him . I must go search for him . I must go search for him whether or not I can find him . I must search for him even if I find his corpse or end up a corpse myself!”.

The White Deer King hesitated for a moment then slowly raised its head to run its eyes over Nier . A short moment after, it snorted and leisurely went to lie down on the hay . It buried its head deep down and went silent . It was the first time the White Deer King didn’t mind the environment and went silent . In a quiet voice, Nier asked, “Do you want to come with me?”.

The White Deer King raised its head after a moment of hesitation . Its eyes sparkled . Although they had the chance to meet daily, it was the first time the White Deer King actually gave her time of the day . Nier met its eyes without s.h.i.+fting her gaze away . The two looked slightly foolish making eye contact, but their gazes seemed to reach to the heart of the other

A second later, the White Deer King stopped staring at Nier . It faced her and lowered his head the same way bowed to Troy . This time, it bowed its head to Nier . Nier reached her hand out and touched its horn . The White Deer King lifted its head and shook it out before lying back down . It truly was a proud deer, but Nier could tell it did have a conscience . Not to mention it was much more useful than Lucia

Nier returned to the palace . A maid hastily approached to take Nier’s cloak and coat . Next to her ear, she whispered, “Royal Princess, Her Majesty has woken . ”.

Surprised, Nier excitedly commanded, “Really? Hurry and lead me there . ”.

The maid nodded and led Nier to Elizabeth’s room . Nier knocked, and then pushed the door open . Relieved to see Nier enter, the maid attending to Elizabeth stood up . Nier gave the maid a nod: “You can all leave . I’ll stay alone with Her Majesty for a while . ”.

“Yes, Royal Princess . ”.

The maids bowed to Nier and then left . Nier closed the door . Elizabeth silently lay on her bed as if she was deep asleep . The dim candle on the wall by the side extended Elizabeth’s shadow . She was so quiet and still that not even the shadow of her eyelashes budged . She appeared as though she was dead; she looked ghastly pale . Elizabeth’s state rendered Nier distraught . Elizabeth had never been heavily injured in her presence during her time serving as a Valkyrie on duty

Nier surveyed the room . Her enhanced senses as a Valkyrie allowed her to notice there were missing things in the room . She deciphered that Elizabeth must’ve thrown a fit . Nier walked up to Elizabeth and sat down . Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked toward Nier

“Your Majesty, how are you feeling?”.

“I messed up, again,” Elizabeth said

Elizabeth didn’t seem to hear Nier’s question . Nier realised how empty Elizabeth’s eyes were when she saw them . Her usual imposing black eyes were akin to a dark cave without light . In fact, not even the candle could s.h.i.+ne through .   Elizabeth continued in a soft voice, “I messed up again, Nier . I messed up, again . Ten years . It’s been ten years already, yet I haven’t improved at all . I abandoned my son ten years ago, and I abandoned him again this time… again… again… It’s been ten years . I thought I couldn’t protect my family without strength, but now I’ve discovered that I don’t deserve to have family . I let her s.n.a.t.c.h my son away when he was right by my side . I’m useless waste! My son trusted me and loved me, yet I couldn’t save him or even stop him! I don’t deserve to be a mother!!”.

“No! Your Majesty, it was not your fault! You did your best . I believe His Majesty understands . It was not your fault . It was betrayal! Betrayal!! However, you need not fret, Your Majesty . I am His Majesty’s wife . I will not give up! I will not spare anybody who s.n.a.t.c.hes my husband from me no matter who it is! That is not to mention the fact she wounded you! I will not forgive that b.i.t.c.h! Your Majesty, I will definitely find my husband . I will definitely bring your son, my husband, back!”.

Elizabeth lips gently budged, and then she looked up at the ceiling . She quietly responded, “You know, Nier, I’m glad my son insisted on marrying you back then . If it was Karana, she would have given up in this situation . ”.

Nier raised her head with pride, “I am His Majesty’s wife . In regards to my love for His Majesty, I am very confident in myself . I deeply love His Majesty . I will be by his side no matter what, for I am his wife!”.

“You won’t stand a chance against Vyvyan . ”.

“Whether or not I can defeat Vyvyan is a question of my abilities, but whether or not I search for my husband is a question of my obligation as my husband’s wife . How can I not be by my husband’s side when I am his wife?!”.

Elizabeth looked at Nier’s resolute eyes . She softly responded, “I believe in you, Nier . You have never let me down, and I trust that you won’t let me down this time, either . Go and find my son . If it was not for my condition, I would definitely go with you . There are only a few places that Vyvyan could go . She won’t go to the Imperial Capital of the elves; hence, the only other place she could’ve gone is the Galadriel Tribe’s villa and a small house in the forest . The small house is very close to our border . You can see our village and wheat fields from there . ”.

Nier blankly looked at Elizabeth . Elizabeth nodded then closed her eyes in an exhausted manner . She softly added, “I can’t face my son . Twice . I’ve abandoned my son twice now when I’m his mother . Just bring my son back . I shall return to Hilles City . I’m not worthy of being a mother, so I don’t deserve to stay by his side . I don’t deserve his respect and love . I should just wither and die alone in that palace . I will never forgive myself . I lost my son… twice!”.

Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh: “You can leave now, Nier . Let me be alone for a while . Let me reflect… alone for a bit…”.

“Yes, Your Majesty . I understand…”.