Chapter 8. Oaths

The rumour among the servants started spreading after the day the woman who looked exactly like the Lady of the house came to the manor. They were only fueled by the fact the Lord suddenly moved from the master bedroom, and the atmosphere whenever they ate together was rather cold.

‘Lady Chevalier is not the Lord’s true soulmate.’

This was the word of mouth whispered around the Chevalier Manor, until it finally reached the ears of the elders.

The Chevalier Manor was different from all the other facilities owned by Celestial Masters. It was mostly constituted by members of the Chevalier House whose loyalties would never change, many had been serving for decades, even hundreds of years. The manor had belonged to only one family since the beginning of the time, and through generations kept producing many Guardians, given the fact that their heir was blessed with a fated partner through a soulmark. It wasn’t far-fetched to state that the existence of a soulmate was a very sacred gift to which the Chevaliers attributed their power.

When people found out the young Lord’s soulmate was an ordinary human, it had left many perplexed, but Heaven’s Will couldn’t be opposed, and the family was still grateful with the arrival of Lady Lyra.

“My Lord, can you explain to us what this story is about? Is it true?”

Nox, as a Celestial Master, was also the Head of the House, but it didn’t mean he could just avoid answering to Chevalier Guardians who had been serving for much longer than him.

Although in the first moment he had wanted to deny it too, it just wasn’t possible.

“It’s true. Lady Chevalier isn’t my soulmate.”

He sighed and closed his eyes, hearing the men’s uproar.

“Has she fooled us all then?”

“Who’s the Lord’s soulmate? The maids say she has appeared.”

“That woman dared to marry into our house with false pretenses. This marriage is void!”

They were right, of course, and Nox knew it. That was the reason for him to avoid speaking the truth until the moment they came to inquire. Yet he struggled with taking this decision, because even if Lyra had lied to him and he was filled with disappointment and confusion, she was still the woman he’d been living with for more than ten years.

Lyra was also a sick and frail creature, if she were to leave the Chevalier Manor, what would happen with her?

“When I married Lyra, I made an oath to protect her and look after her.”

He spoke in a low voice, but it sufficed to make the other people in the room to stop arguing between them. Although it was mostly because the ground started to tremble, a signal of Nox Chevalier losing his cool.

“She cheated our family, Lord Nox!”

“An oath is still an oath.”

“What about your true soulmate? There is a person that Heaven chose to become the Lady of the Chevalier House.”

What about her? It had become just an impossibility now. Nox laughed at his own young self who believed so blindly in fate.

However, he wasn’t about to say that to the elders. He’d rather save himself some hours of useless discussion.

“I will take care of this matter. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“We understand. But no matter what, that deceitful woman must leave the manor.”

It was their last word before leaving.

***

She’d been sitting in front of her Master for around one hour, just focusing on correctly serving him tea.

It was frustrating.

How was this supposed to help?

As if he could read her thoughts, Ler smiled.

“ Tired?” He asked “Do you want to go and train with Rania?”

Ayla shook her head quickly.

“No, sir.”

“That’s good. Because the others are busy with their missions, you are just going to disturb their work.”

She frowned, even when her Master was just saying the truth. The 10th Manor was the most empty among all the ones in the Cloud City. The Guardians who worked under the previous Master left to serve others when he passed away, and the manor stayed empty for a few years until Master Aldrich took over.

Compared to the 8th Manor, where she’d rarely see Master Rabi and there were more than fifty Guardians living there, she could count herself fortunate as the only new disciple who was taken in the 10th Manor.

However, now this blessing consisted only of serving tea to her master. Wasn’t it ridiculous?

“If you are bored, you can also help me with the paperwork.” Ler said, keeping his impassive expression.

“Paperwork?”

“We have only eleven guardians to take on missions in our assigned area. Sometimes, I also need to do things personally because of this. I’m late with many reports for the next Council meeting.”

He was referring to the monthly meetings held in the Chevalier Manor, where the Masters discussed all the important matters regarding guardians, or the missions on the realm of the living.

“I’ll do it, Master.”

It was still a boring thing, but at least she’d be useful.

He pointed at the desk on the other corner of his studio.

“You can start with that.”

Ayla sighed, and stood up to start her task.

“Do you know why I called you to serve us tea?”

She was confused. Was this some kind of test?

“I don’t know, sir.”

“I hate tea, it’s too bitter.”

Then why…?

Ah, it was so irritating!

“You need to learn patience and control your emotions. Now you were pretending to be fine, but you cannot really calm your frustration. You were an outstanding student in Blue Castle, you know the importance of a calm heart for a Celestial Guardian.” Her eyes fell and she pressed her lips tightly, feeling she was being admonished when he hadn’t even raised his voice. “If you cannot do that, then crafting your sacred weapon will be impossible.”

“I understand.”

Ler also stood up, and walked towards the windows. His green eyes fell on her.

Of course, he knew that feeling of impotence very well. They were here because they had to, even when the reason for their lifelong mission was unclear, they still had to do it because it was the only path ahead for them. So one would strive to become better, and fast, disregarding the most important part.

“I came to Cloud City when I was five years old, you have probably heard the story.”

“Is it true?”

He grinned.

“Of course. Could I become a Master so early if it wasn’t like that?”

She blinked. In part because of his words, but also because Estée’s previous statement was right: Master Aldrich was particularly handsome.

“Master… it turns out you are quite proud.”

“My spiritual power attracted demons and put my family in danger. I had to leave them behind in order to keep them safe.”

It had been fifty years since that, and now his siblings had become old, his mother had passed away, but it didn’t matter that he checked on them from time to time, they already thought him dead.

He still looked the same as he did when he was twenty years old, how could he show up after so long?

“I don’t know much about your life before coming to this city. With the years we all tend to forget our lives as humans, and forget why we make an oath to protect the realm of the living.”

“It’s because the Heavenly Will chose us to do it.”

Ler shook his head.

“It’s because human lives are precious and worth protecting.”

***

Both of them sat on the marble bench in the garden, looking at the butterflies dancing around the roses.

“I knew it would have to be this way.” She spoke quietly “I was just being stubborn, refusing to leave on my own.”

Lyra gave him a little smile, and then glanced at the roses again.

They had been married for more than ten years, it would be a lie to say she didn’t have any affection for him and it was easy to leave. However, she couldn’t make it difficult for him now that the entire family demanded the annulment of their marriage. Truthfully, she was convinced Nox never really loved her, part of her had always known, but it would be hypocritical to resent him for this, when she didn’t love him either.

She had tried, but she couldn’t. There was affection, but not love.

‘I’m going to die anyway’, she thought. It was better if he didn’t see her when her health declined even more.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s me who apologizes again.” Lyra closed her eyes. “I lied to you, and because of that I might have ruined not only your future, but also my sister’s. It wasn’t my intention.”

She had only wanted to be happy. Nox embraced her and gave her a family, thanks to him she was less lonely, but still couldn’t make him happy in return.

“I won’t blame you for it.”

Nox knew he’d also been responsible for the way things turned out. If he’d been less obsessed with the soulmark or Lyra’s appearance, and listened to his own feelings, he would have admitted a long time ago that the feelings weren’t there, as much as he tried, or as much as he cared for her well-being.

“You will live comfortably, I promise this.”

She left the very same day.

Looking back at the majestic Chevalier Manor, her years there seemed to have been a dream, Lyra thought. For so long she wanted to live, although life was something that escaped from her at every passing minute, she desperately wanted to live.

However, now she was alone once more.

‘What am I living for?’