NOVPUBOnce all the knights and mages had emptied their bottles and tears no longer came out of their eye sockets, the pain, guilt, and suffering lifted off their shoulders. The soldiers felt lighter because they thought they were on their own to deal with those emotions, but they didn't expect everyone to have the same pain as them. They didn't feel alone anymore, and they were seen by their lords, kings, and emperors without any judgment.
Rasmus was sitting at the table with Aris, Lenin, Thalior, Serena, Agnesia, Uriel, Xena, Novia, and Astrea. The table was occupied by the leaders that led thousands of soldiers to victory against the demon army.
Rasmus was the only one who hadn't touched his drink or food because of his condition. His senses had worsened, he couldn't taste, feel, or smell anything, not even pain. Aris knew his condition, but there was nothing she could do since it was the process of awakening. Every stage of the process, there was a chance of failure, and it made her a bit concerned, however, she believed that Rasmus could get through all the process. 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝒃.𝙘𝒐𝒎
Everyone at the table knew about Rasmus's condition to awaken from his bloodline as Orthias. However, the people and all the soldiers only knew that his condition was the result of the war against the demon and the emissaries of evil. It was the scenario that Thalior and Lenin orchestrated to put Rasmus in check, however, it was as Rasmus said, it wasn't a bad idea because if he died, the world would lose its pillar. That orchestrated plan acted as a double-edged sword, but that was worth the risk.
Aris kept her eyes on Rasmus, the food, and drink of his that were untouched. She had the same cold and stoic expression, but underneath it, Rasmus could see the concern in her coldness.
"Count, your question earlier when you asked me was it worth it," Astrea looked at Rasmus, taking everyone's attention to her and Rasmus. "No, it's not worth it at all. It's necessary, just like the way you think," she answered as she stared into Rasmus's eyes.
"Necessary? So dying is necessary? I don't think our way of thinking is the same, Lady Astrea. I prioritized my life over everything, not the other way around," Rasmus responded as he stared back at Astrea. "If you try to think like me, but you still prioritize others, you're only fooling yourself. I don't have a morale compass, but that doesn't mean I don't respect it," he smiled at Astrea.
"So you're an egoist, Count?" Astrea smiled, bantering playfully at Rasmus.
"When it comes to my life, I believe it's not being egoistic, My Lady, it's called self-respect," Rasmus answered with a soft smile on his face. "We can argue as long as we want about this, My Lady. But do you think you want to waste your time on this matter and not the moment?" He asked as he leaned back.
"Fair point, Count..." Astrea chuckled softly.
Everyone looked at Astrea and she had never seen her smile or laugh like that. They had never seen her with a bright face, but somehow Rasmus was the only one who could do it for her even though they had tried to cheer her up.
When everyone was looking at Astrea's bright face, suddenly they heard a commotion in front of them. They saw a little girl with long black hair running toward their table when the mother was trying to call her to come back. Everyone at the table was shocked when the little girl hugged Rasmus's leg.
"Mister!" The little girl said with a huge smile on her face. "My dad said that you saved his life! Is that true?" She asked.
Rasmus looked down at the little girl and immediately put a soft and gentle smile on his face. He gently caressed the girl's hair and without hesitation he went down to his knees and used his cane to support his weight.
"No, little girl. I'm not a hero..." Rasmus shook his head and chuckled softly. "Everyone at the tables are all the heroes here," he pointed at the tables around him.
The little girl was too small to see everyone's faces even though she was doing tiptoes. Seeing how she struggled to look at the soldiers' faces, Rasmus carried her in his left arm so she could see the faces of the soldiers.
The father of the girl was one of the soldiers at the tables. He hurriedly walked toward Rasmus and bowed his head at him repeatedly.
"Count, I apologize for my daughter's rudeness! Please, allow me to bring her back to my wife," the knight said as he kept his head lowered.
The little girl looked confused and worried when she saw how terrified and anxious her father was. She then looked at Rasmus who kept putting a gentle and kind smile.
"Rude? She's not being rude, Sir knight. She's just being a kid, an innocent kid. Let kids be innocent because it's a gift that they will never be able to get again once they reach adulthood," Rasmus answered as he looked at the knight. "Don't take away their childhood, don't let them know about the harsh reality yet. Let them be innocent and become someone that will have a healthy mind that spreads kindness and righteousness later on," he continued as he smiled at the little girl in his left arm.
"Childhood is the only time in a person's life where they are allowed to dream freely without fear or consequence. If we force children to bear the world's cruelty too early, we risk raising not heroes, but hollow beings," Rasmus continued as he stared at the knight with a serious expression. "Treasure her innocence, not change it. Preserve her way of thinking and develop it to the right path, not change it. Once she has reached adulthood, that's when she becomes an amazing child that you can be proud of," he added.
The knight, Thalior, and the others at the table were dumbfounded when Rasmus spat something that not even them could say. They were amazed at how profound his way of thinking was, and they almost forgot that he was a man of wisdom with a dangerous mind.
"Now, go back to your table and enjoy the festival. Let your child stay with us," Rasmus said with a serious expression.
The knight felt honored to allow his daughter to stay with the most amazing and prominent figure in Neva. The knight bowed his head toward Rasmus and everyone at the table, and then walked away to go back to his table.
"I think it's time to let the children join this moment, Your Grace," Rasmus looked at Thalior who was still dumbfounded by Rasmus's words.
Thalior cleared his throat and then looked at Rasmus with a confused look as to why he suddenly suggested letting the children join in the moment. He wanted to question him, but then he noticed how the other children wanted to be there like that little girl. He then looked at his knights and ordered the children to join in the moment, to be with their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, or even to meet their heroes.
Once all the children ran around the tables, at that point everyone realized how innocent children could heal something that no experts or wise people could do toward the broken and pained soldiers. They realized what Rasmus said was right when innocence was a gift, and something that they should preserve, not change. They watched how the soldiers's faces brightened and there wasn't a single pain that lingered in their eyes or faces.
At that moment Thalior and the others began to introspect themselves. They believed to be righteous and upheld it, however, they couldn't even heal the people that followed their leads and views. They might be able to understand their pain, but they couldn't heal the pain, and that made them feel like they weren't as good as they believed they were.
They looked at Rasmus once again and realized if he was ever to think of becoming a righteous, he would be able to lead not only soldiers, but leaders for his cause because he knew what to do. That thought terrified them because the one person that could open their eyes was the same person who didn't feel a thing about death and destruction.
"Ah, am I late for the celebration?" Anastasha said as she casually walked in between the tables. "I apologize, because I had trouble to pick which dress I should wear," she continued as she stared at Thalior and the others.
The knights and the people didn't know who she was, especially with her unusual dress that didn't fit with the South Neva culture. Rasmus and the others realized that she came late on purpose so she could attract more attention.
"Princess Asghar, welcome..." Thalior said as he stood up and pointed at the chair.
The moment her name was heard, a Princess from Asghar family, everyone began to murmur. They heard so many rumors about the Asghar family, both good and bad. Seeing their reactions, it only made Anastasha more confident about the plan that she was about to pull with Rasmus.
"What a lovely festival..." Anastasha smiled as she looked at the little girl in Rasmus's left arm. "And a lovely child as well..." she chuckled softly and gently pinched the little girl's cheek.
"So, Count? Shall we?" Anastasha tilted her head so she could see Rasmus's face behind the little girl.
"Of course," Rasmus nodded and carefully put down the little girl. "We shall..." he continued as he looked at Anastasha.
