ARCLAND: The Messiah

"General, the emperor is at the royal villa." One of the imperial knights reported to the general of the royal army respectfully. "Mm." He responded. He looked at the brightly lit and overly luxurious villa on his right and scoffed in his head. Royal villa ... That disgusting being is at it again. He thought referring to the emperor's hobby of taking young ladies of every noble family and forcing them into his harem. Another knight approached and bowed his head in fear, "My L-Lord, the gate is o-o-opened like what you ordered me to do." He stuttered while holding on to his tiny hope of saving his life by taking the enemy's side, but his heart immediately sank after hearing the general's cold words.  "One word and you're trembling? If I keep you and someone told you to do the same while you're serving me ... will you also sell me off?" "N-No, My Lord! No! I would never! P-please spare my life!" H

"Ssh!" Simon hushes Lara while they're hiding behind the bushes. He made this big pile of bushes so that he could hide whenever runaway soldiers or rebels entered the forest, but now, two of them are actually using this. "S-Simon ... I-I ... Hmmp!" "W-what?! What's happening?!" Simon instantly panicked after seeing how pale Lara's face is. "Aaaa ... AaaaahhHHH!" Her groans of pain suddenly caught the attention of the seven rebels, they immediately traced where the voice came from and found two people coming out of the bushes. One was a man, and the other one was a pregnant woman who's about to give birth. "Man, this is troublesome! Two people saw our faces ..." One of the men with a cigarette in his mouth said while unsheathing his sword. His allies seemed to already agree to what the man said, they looked like they were ready to fight at any moment. Or more

"You, did you take off your mask outside?" Carzus' mother, Lara, asked with a cold voice. She overheard some of her neighbors fawning about Carzus' appearance that morning, so the anger she held for long grew bigger and bigger as the painful memory of her past haunt her again. Carzus felt his body trembled in fear, 'Will I get hit again? Will mother disown me again?' are what going through inside his head. He took a deep breath and finally uttered, "Yes." Lara's brows knitted, she approached her son and gave him a slap. "How many times should I tell you that you mustn't take it off?!" "I'm sorry, mother." Carzus ignored the stinging pain on his face and stood at the door like a statue. His mother made him a mask to cover his face when he turned three, and the only time he can take it off is when he's taking a bath, that means even at home, he has to hide his face especially in front of his mother who

"Y-Your Majesty, the lady doesn't want to ... ugh ... I think she doesn't want anyone to see her while she's sick." Chiara's personal maid, who was assigned by the palace, said with hesitation. 'She doesn't want me to see how she looks like when she's sick? It's not like she's wearing makeup or a fancy dress when I met her at the pond. But I should be considerate when she's being shy .... Mm! Let's be a man.' is what running through Carzus' head at this moment. "I understand. The doctor will be here soon, I shall come back when she gets better." "I apologize, Your Majesty." Seviere's eyebrows twitched 'The only time he asks for permission is when he's talking with the previous emperor, he even barged in one of the ducal houses and talked to their head while he was taking a bath! But what I'm seeing right now is ... is impossible! Just who are you, possessing His Majesty's body?!' 

A few days have passed since Chiara visited Triton palace and it's just another normal day, at least for her. "Today, the Emperor will announce the result of the selection process. Are you excited, My Lady?" Shiela asked while preparing the lady's breakfast. Chiara was busy at her table, making sketches of different dresses and suits when she remembered something. "I didn't participate at the selection ceremony, so I won't receive any letter today." She said with overflowing confidence while wearing a relief expression on her face. 'What is she being relieved about?' *Sigh* Shiela smiled awkwardly. "And if ever I received one today, then you wouldn't have to serve me anymore." The lady continued as she thought of the other possibility. "Wouldn't have to serve you anymore? But, why?" Her maid asked as she put down the last dish on the table. "Because we will b