A Pleasant Surprise.
I get up as usual, but this time it feels like the sheets are weighing me down so much that I don't want to get up at all. The work has been monumental; we announced the cult's attack on the Marquess's territories. With that, the news that the cult had acted again spread like wildfire, thanks to us.
The nobles began buying supplies on a large scale to avoid being targeted next, causing prices to skyrocket.
We immediately exercised our options, and Otto Suwen expertly maintained order. We invested over a thousand holy coins per area, and with the price hikes and the reduction in our payment for the purchase of options, we tripled our profits while keeping fresh products.
Now, not only did we profit, but we also possess resources to continue working; of course, we could make more if we sold everything, but that's not the plan.
The market is moving rapidly, which kept me sleepless for days making decisions. We needed to hire people capable of protecting our businesses in our name. Things that my knights usually handled, but it's not enough precaution.
The idea was to create an army for this purpose, but its reduction after the cult's attack was a harsh blow. Marco Luz barely survived, and although I was worried about him, Wilhelm told me he's in better shape now.
The elections are in a week, and I truly don't know how the world will change in the future. Now that the cult has been revealed to the world, the birth of a potential hero is going to capture people's hearts. What we must do now is prepare for the flow of trade in the capital.
Many people will come to invest in the capital, but what interests me is not that. The letter Marco sent me outlines a strategy I was already planning to implement.
"Investment Congress of the Karsten House." We'll hold a congress highlighting products we haven't launched on the market yet, as well as products we're going to improve. Marco Luz's inventions will be presented to attract investors, with the intention of spreading his name.
If everyone starts to see the potential, more people will come. We can protect our inventions and profit from the investments, using them to conduct the projects while concentrating our assets on acquiring products and buying more options.
But for that, Marco needed to make a name for himself, something that would happen during the royal selection. I'll present him to the world properly, and we can finally enter the political arena, forming an alliance with Emilia's faction and creating secure business partners.
I get up, feeling my body heavy as if I were carrying buckets of iron on my shoulders. It's been a month since I last saw him; I really don't know when he'll be back, but it's already been too long. I need his help to move forward.
Otto Suwen is traveling all over Lugunica to make more option purchases, so I can't get his help right now.
I even discovered there were spies in the mansion, so I had to remove many people, though I also kept some who will now serve as double agents. They're not high-ranking individuals, but I can use them for now.
I need to uncover all our enemies, but I need to do it subtly. That's why I don't want to trust the Karsten house's affairs to many people. The assassination of Miklotov's nephew caught me by surprise; I really didn't expect him to be declared a member of the cult, especially with Miklotov not having a say in it.
It has tarnished his reputation a bit, and slowly I see that he is really clean. 'Perhaps I should consider him an ally.'
I bathe, change, and head to my office. Today I'm not very busy, but I want to be free before the elections, where new problems are going to start. I've been gathering power to also hire mercenaries, as well as to produce magical cannons and Marco's.
The knights are ready too, and soon we will move towards our second major achievement. The future dictates it, as it tells us what is going to happen: The White Whale will appear at Flugel's tree, two days after the elections.
We have prepared our entire arsenal, but it's still better to be over-prepared. Marco Luz said that since we're facing such a powerful opponent, we should suggest an alliance with Anastasia, who currently has the best commercial guild.
'For now.'
"With anti-mana crystals, we could avoid the fog, fight, and use the cannons to destroy that monster completely," I mutter, hand on my chin, as I calmly open the door to my office.
Looking down, I notice a familiar scent. I look up and see that Felix has returned from his mission.
"Lady Crusch!" Felix exclaims, his mouth full as he rushes over to hug me. I smile, warmly accepting his embrace. It had been a while since I last saw him; I missed having him around.
Although, somehow, it felt like he wasn't quite the person I expected.
"It's good to see you; I've missed your cheerfulness around here." Upon hearing this, Felix's eyes widen in surprise, showing a sad expression, almost teary-eyed. Felix clutches his skirt and looks at me with his big, round eyes.
"Really?" he asks, and I hug him back.
"You're my knight, after all." Felix hugs me tighter, and Wilhelm enters, bowing and smiling slightly at seeing Felix clinging to me.
Then, I hear other footsteps, and I see Felix slipping out of my arms, looking for a place to hide, eventually ducking behind the furniture. Without much thought, I see his silhouette entering after such a long time.
"FELIX!" he shouts, looking around until he spots Felix's tail sticking out from behind the furniture.
He's more muscular now, and his mana seems smooth and controlled, with an energy that's calmer, and somehow, he appears to have more mana than before. He's wearing a military uniform similar to the design he showed me, a uniform that resembles the one I'm wearing now.
"I told you to wait until we were all here!" He grabs Felix by the arm as Felix tries to escape, but Marco lifts him up.
"Nya!? You said it was for eating." Felix looks at Marco, annoyed, while Marco points at the tray.
"You're such a glutton!" Marco exclaims, and Felix looks at him arrogantly.
Felix puffs out his chest, tilts his head, and closes one eye, as if he were the most important person in the world at that moment.
"I saved your life, and this is how you repay me?" Felix tilts his head in disapproval, but Marco doesn't seem satisfied with that.
He tilts his head, and for the first time in months, our eyes meet. But despite this, I can see how his eyes devour me, a darkness so great it makes my heart ache.
'What happened during all that time?' My heart races, and even though I'm happy to see him, I can't fully rejoice.
After eating, he starts working, a reflection of the Marco I saw back then, only now with a perfect expression, as if nothing is happening. After a day of the same, trying to bring an aura of joy and life, I can see how his body withers.
His eyes seem heavy, and his mind must be at its limit.
I don't know what could have happened, but I know I want to do something to help him.
I look at my wardrobe, making an immediate decision.
I walk toward his room, where he must be working right now. It's getting late, but I don't mind staying up. Once at his door, I take a deep breath, straighten my dress, and open the door.
Upon opening it, I see everything that's happening. Marco is sitting at his desk, writing and writing, surrounded by an infinite pile of papers. His room is tidy, trying to say that nothing is happening.
He's fitting in perfectly, but at this moment, I can't see the Marco who once held my hands so calmly.
Marco turns around, looking at me with surprise. His lips tremble, and his face quickly turns cheerful, with a forced smile that makes my blood boil.
"How do you always manage to look so good with everything?" he asks, avoiding any comment that might reveal the lies.
I close my eyes for a second, then look at him with determination.
"Would you like to go out?" I ask, feeling a mix of emotions I can't quite put into words. Fear, disbelief, anger, joy. I can't describe what I'm feeling right now.
My stomach churns, my hands are tense, but my heart is beating happily. I can't say it exactly.
What I do know is that the look I'm giving him comes with all my determination.
Marco looks at me, gets up, and says without looking at me, "Sure, let me change." He heads to his wardrobe quickly, as if rejecting my words were impossible for him. He just follows my words, flowing without showing what he feels inside.
He's clearly exhausted, not to mention busy, yet he doesn't seem inclined to turn me away.
"Don't worry, you're fine as you are," I reply, crossing my arms.
Marco nods, walking towards me with a dreadful smile. It seems his mind has taken a severe blow, so, in order to survive, he's pretending to be okay. Maybe no one will notice. Or maybe to deceive himself, avoiding a tragic end.
I asked Wilhelm, but he only told me that the war was harder than expected. Marco Light suddenly appeared with the position of where the fingers were to kill them prematurely, as well as appearing in the best positions to finish them off.
"During the battle against the Archbishop of Sloth, he could predict its attack pattern, but after being possessed, he had to cast a spell I don't know." The secrets of what he did are still there, which is why I need to know. "The great spirit that accompanies Miss Emilia, as well as the great spirit of the mansion, used their power to help him, containing and destroying the archbishop's soul."
It was a difficult battle, but thanks to Marco's strategy, it was easier than expected.
The problem was what he told me in his letters.
"As time went on, his face grew darker and darker, as if he were seeing a different world." Wilhelm's words stick in my mind; I really don't know what could have happened. "It was as if his mind were living an infinite number of tragedies."
The lives he saved thanks to his decisions are numerous; with his information from the future, he was able to prevent the destruction of many towns, as well as kill an Archbishop of Sin.
I know Marco had killed before, but perhaps it's affected him greatly.
"Marco is definitely a warrior, but something seems to be destroying his mind."
I don't know what I can do to help him, but my heart urges me to. Not as a duchess, but as the woman Crusch Karsten is. I clench my hands, trying to calm the heavy feeling in my body.
Marco gets up, puts on his boots, and prepares. He looks at me curiously, while I look at him seriously.
I really don't want to go somewhere fancy; I'm not even dressed for it. I'm just wearing a black lace dress and pants. Marco isn't dressed formally either; I just want to leave, to get him out of here. I feel like if he stays any longer, he'll collapse.
We get into the carriage, and I ask the driver to take us to the central city. The driver nods, and we quickly move forward. Marco looks out the window for a few seconds, while I just watch him, wondering if there's anything I can do.
"The divine blessing of the wind is certainly impressive," he remarks, sticking his hand out the window a little. "If it could be applied to a motor vehicle, it would be really incredible. It's a shame it only works on ground dragons."
He sighs and then looks at me.
"Have you found out anything about the potential cultists in the kingdom?" he asks, but I remain silent. I don't want him to talk about that; right now, I need him to forget about it.
'How do you forget your responsibility?' I really don't know; I can talk, motivate him with words, but Marco isn't someone who gets motivated by words. I can point out a possible path, but Marco won't see it.
At this moment, the crisis in his head is at its limit. He thinks no one has noticed, but it's so obvious that I really don't know how people can't see it.
"Did you ask about the coffee?" My question makes Marco shake his head in negation.
"He didn't recognize the grain," he sighs, shrugging. "The coff is just a copy; it doesn't have the same effects."
Coffee, as he describes it, sounds like a really delicious and incredible drink. 'A drink that could give you energy is something I'd love to have every morning.' I keep looking at him, wondering what else I could say.
It's actually difficult; I usually talk about duty, about responsibilities, or have trivial conversations about political topics. Now that I have to show interest, I don't know what to say.
It's not like talking to a noble; I can't ask about his family, much less about his past. Every time he looks back, those shattered eyes appear.
It's really hard.
'What can I ask him?' I don't want to talk about the book; I want to talk about that later. There must be something, something to talk about that will distract him.
Marco has nothing but his duty; in this world, everything he does is related to his duty. He has no hobby besides casual reading. He only lives to do it, but that's not right.
Even if it sounds hypocritical for me to say it.
"Have you prepared a new dessert?" I asked, and he rubbed his chin, thinking deeply.
Right now, I am Crusch Karsten, and even though I am still a duchess, I must be an individual beyond my responsibilities. 'I will help him.'
"Yes!" He looked at me, recalling something and smiling broadly. "I made a cheesecake with whipped cream and strawberries. It turned out so, so delicious..."
Marco gazed into the distance, then clenched his hands.
"Felix ate it before I even noticed."
I stifled a laugh, seeing that it genuinely bothered him.
"We'll make another one, and I'll make sure to protect it for you." I looked at Marco, and he slightly opened his eyes, then closed them and nodded with a smile.
There's something holding him back, something that seems to be consuming him and preventing him from being himself. I can see it shine briefly and then fade away. He's forcing himself, believing that being like this is the only way to survive.
I recognize that well.
"Today, someone proposed to me..." I said unexpectedly, waiting for his reaction.
I actually receive proposals daily from different noble houses or city lords like those in Costuul. Of course, I reject them all, but I don't like to talk about it.
He looked at me for a moment, then sighed and shrugged.
"Anyway, you're not interested in that, right?" His question came with a smile, but I winked at him playfully.
"Maybe I'll accept one. It wouldn't be a bad idea if I want to be queen." One of the most important aspects of taking the throne is assuring the population of the possibility of an heir.
It's always been that way; that's why aristocrats seek prospects.
The same will happen with Priscilla or Anastasia.
With Emilia and Felt, I doubt it will happen, as most aristocrats would refuse to associate with their camps. At least intentionally, the only way would be if they had a compelling reason for interest.
It's a pity, really.
"If you do choose one, at least make sure he's rich—filthy rich. But you're getting richer every day, so I don't know what man could satisfy you." He smiled, looking at me intently.
Even at this very moment, we're amassing great wealth. I really don't know if there will be anyone in the future with such a flow of money, aside from the kingdom itself. If we keep going like this, who knows where we'll end up.
'He doesn't seem affected.'
The carriage stopped, and we went out to walk. It's already nighttime, but the streets are still alive, with absolutely beautiful splendor. All the streets are lit up with lagmite crystals, making them safer.
People walk calmly, heading to their homes.
Couples holding hands, drunken friends supporting each other, lonely people with tired appearances. In these streets illuminated by lagmite crystals, everyone has their own life, their own destiny.
"Do you think we should start working on a piping system?" he asked, but I didn't see the need.
Even the waste is carbonized by the Lamicta crystals; there's really no need for it. I understand that Marco probably wants to prepare for the possibility of needing to transport something, but I don't think it's worth the rush.
"What do you have in mind?" I asked, genuinely intrigued.
"Electric wires, future electrical systems." His words surprised me, but I really didn't know what to say.
If I think about everything he's said, electricity is a very distant future step. I know Marco likes to be cautious, but we don't know how electricity will be conceived in this world.
"Have you discovered something?" I asked, looking ahead.
Someday, these streets will be renewed; I'll see a new world. Someday, homes will have all kinds of elements to make life easier. Someday, everyone will have access to simple technologies.
If the lagmite aren't infinite, it means we need to find a way to use them efficiently.
"I think electricity might be possible using light magic, but I don't know how to regulate it. We could easily have electricity, but not at a level that complements magic." The reason Marco isn't extremely interested in bringing electricity the same way as in his world is simple:
"It doesn't make sense to bring something you don't know how to measure and consequently control." There's no need, and it makes more sense to control it with magic.
"Maybe we could look for information in my parents' library at my other house," I say, glancing at him as he nods with a smile.
We continue walking as he observes the houses and restaurants. For a moment, I catch sight of him again, but he quickly fades into the shadows.
"It would be incredible to see people start inventing their own things. I'd love to set up an academy, make this state a hub of research."
We've been so focused on accumulating wealth, but it's true—if I want to create the world I dream of, everyone needs to support it. A society must have enough knowledge to sustain itself as a population.
My duty as a queen is to guide the population along the path I propose.
"It's just..." Marco looks at me with a smile, watching the mist begin to dissipate. "Imagine!"
I squint my eyes, seeing the excitement in him. 'He loves talking about people.'
"Just thinking about seeing people in this world designing things, seeing people with their incredible minds developing knowledge, understanding." He looks towards the streets, appreciating the night view of the state city Karsten. He points to a man who, realizing he's been noticed, turns his back to us. "That man could be thinking of a way to invent, to discover."
Marco sighs, holding his chest and gazing toward the horizon, where each house holds life and opportunities.
"I really love seeing humanity use its mind to invent and create things others can use. Or even when they discover parts of understanding." He raises his hand to the sky, looking at it longingly and clenching his fist. "I yearn for the day when humanity realizes what it's capable of, without only seeing the bad."
I close my eyes, nodding at his words.
"Indeed, I would love to see something like the stories you've told me here."
To say there are no inventions would be false, but it's certainly unlikely to come from an ordinary person. Education is a key factor in that. I feel a tingling in my hands, a pang of longing in my heart for the future. The fact that we will pursue our goals, the fact that we will move forward with firm steps.
'It excites me too; it excites me to see how far humanity can reach.'
Marco stumbles, not realizing it as he leans forward, and I grab his hand. He looks into my eyes, and we both smile conspiratorially, eager for a future where humanity rules itself. I hold him firmly, trying to make him feel my determination. 'Just for today, I'll let him scam me.'
"Have you already learned basic statistics?" His question comes with surprised eyes, and I smile in response, puffing out my chest proudly for having accomplished it. It was tough, but it really helped me organize everything more precisely.
"I'm a duchess, after all. If I want to be a queen, it's the minimum," I reply, and Marco continues to look at me in surprise.
When I look ahead, I realize we're at that place again. We've arrived at that bridge once more, and with that, he stops me. He holds my hand firmly and, without looking at me, points to the sky, where the clouds cover it, leaving only a faint trace of the moon.
He does this for a few seconds without saying anything, and before I can speak, he begins.
"Did you notice?" he asks, and I can hear in his words a pain so great, an emptiness so profound that I feel I can't reach it.
"Yes, I noticed the moment I saw you." My words make him startle, then he takes a long sigh and laughs softly. I feel the tremble in his hand, hear his voice break.
"I'm useless..." his gaze lost in the horizon, in an attempt to reach the stars and disappear from this world. His gaze seems to await death, tired of everything. "I really shouldn't have come to this world."
'Stop it.'
I never expected Marco Luz to be like the Lion King. At first glance, you could say his resistance to pain is high, but the Marco Luz I see has as many problems as strengths. Even so, he has the will to endure them with a smile when duty calls.
"Many, many people died that I could have saved if only I weren't so selfish." He lets go of my hand, placing his hands on his face. "I really didn't expect to feel that feeling again."
'Again?'
"It's something to be expected. Even if you have information about the future, you can't make everything happen according to your will. On the contrary, the deaths were fewer thanks to your actions." My words don't reach him, my won't touch him. "You can't change everything; you don't have that power."
These are words he knows are true, but somehow, he feels guilty. He places his hands on the bridge's railing, looking down, watching the water gently flow, reflecting the moon's glow and the stars.
"It's true," he responds dryly, and I open my eyes in surprise, seeing the wind of deceit swirl around his face.
'What exactly did my blessing react to?' Marco gives me a glance, then smiles and sighs.
"Don't ask about it anymore. I'd love to tell you, but I can't, my hands are tied. For both our sakes, it's better if we don't talk about it." A truth, a truth that scares me. "If I trust anyone, it's you."
"Liar!" I shout immediately, clenching my fists and glaring at him. "You don't. You keep everything to yourself, pretending you can build trust, but you don't even see this world as real."
Marco doesn't belong to this world; he's really just trying to fit in, but he still doesn't belong here yet.
"What do you want me to do?" he sighs, staring off into the distance with a neutral expression. "I really have nothing, and before you say anything, you know what our relationship is."
His face shows no emotion; his eyes are dark and empty, not even the moonlight can reach them. His gaze tells me what he's thinking without needing to say a word.
"I..." I try to reach out to him; I want to reach him.
"I don't consider you a friend; we're just using each other. Maybe being together in this makes us closer, but we still have limits."
The wind is turbulent, a cold chill seeking to envelop everything around me.
"I can't reach you, and you can't reach me."
He looks at me, his eyes showing deep hatred, a limitless darkness that absorbs all the light around us.
"I'll fulfill my duty, but for that, you need to stop bothering me."
His smile makes me take a step back, and it feels like my heart has been pierced by a sword. I don't know what I expected, but he's right.
I turn away, realizing he's not even the kind of man I thought he was. I start to walk away from the place. It doesn't matter, it really doesn't. I thought I could help him, but I'm not capable of that.
I thought I was firm, mature, but he has shown me otherwise.
"The more a person fights their own demons, the more they seek the light's help to escape." That phrase crosses my mind, a teaching from my beloved mother that my father always told me.
Even though she's not with us, her teachings will live on in me.
I clench my hands and feel two tears travel down my cheeks. I've always considered myself mature enough to talk about what I feel. When I saw his behavior, which was similar to mine, I thought we could connect.
I never imagined he would make me feel this way.
I never thought that seeing someone act like me would make me question my own behavior.
I try to hold back my trembling lips, but I really don't know what to do. I don't like weakness; I don't like seeing people weak. Marco Luz is someone I considered very strong, despite not being like the Lion King. But why do I feel I should be in his weakness?
'Am I really that twofaced?'
To begin with, I don't even know why I'm doing this. I really want to know; I want to think there's something more. My heart feels lighter, weaker. Somehow, I guess I relaxed too much, letting Crusch Karsten be a bit freer. I'm still me, but those attitudes and emotions I kept hidden are surfacing with force.
I don't even know how I could be this way.
If someone saw the Duchess of the Karsten family cry, they would laugh out loud, it would be a mockery of my entire family. If they realized I'm just another person, suffering and lamenting in silence.
'I'm a fool...'
I get up, rubbing my eyes, and look in the direction where I left him. I really thought we had things in common, I let myself be consumed by his poison, by his smooth talk.
'I am Crusch Karsten, I must stand firm.'
Maybe having a secret to keep, a mutual goal to achieve, I gave myself the luxury of being myself. Maybe in the end, I'm the one being weak, I should have just let him fulfill his duty and that's it.
'Who is Marco Luz?' That's the first question I must answer.
From what I've seen, maybe it's all an act, but there are times when I can see his true self.
A self-hidden in time.
I can see the passion he puts into his projects, his inventions. When he explains, when he shares his knowledge. The trauma Marco Luz has must be driven by his closed-off nature. I understand why he doesn't trust us, but something is consuming him.
To be a light, to be a light is the meaning of being a king.
'I must be my own king to help others.'
I must be the one to lead Crusch Karsten and the Duchess Karsten.
I start running, heading towards that bridge. I've been through a lot myself, and I've faced moments of weakness. Thinking that people are weak just because they trust in something else is wrong too.
I need to change; I need to change if I want to become the best version of myself.
'I want to know him more.'
I quicken my pace, getting closer to the bridge. I don't know if he's there, but I really need to do this, I need to be who I want to be.
I run with all my strength, turning to see the bridge.
I open my eyes wide, seeing he's still there, staring into the void. His body starts to glow, and I realize what he's trying to do.
"Marco!" I shout, running towards him and using my magic to speed up the wind at my back. In an instant, I stretch out my arms, and we both roll on the ground until I end up on top of him.
He looks at me in surprise, but his eyes still hold only darkness.
"TELL ME!" I shout, grabbing him by the jacket. "What pain is so strong that you want to die?"
He looks away, but in that instant, I take his cheeks in my hands, making him only able to see me. I glare at him, holding back the tears of anger on my face.
"I'm not like the others; I'm not like the one who narrates those books of the future." His lips tremble, his gaze lost in my eyes. With a destroyed and exhausted tone, as if the world had already ended, he continues, "I'm not that strong; I can't endure this, this pain, this suffering."
The battle must have been hard for him; it must have been truly painful. Marco is strong, even in the face of pain. He's broken his arm or burned his body while training, and thanks to Felix, who heals him, I've realized his pain threshold is even wider than mine.
For him to react like this; what he suffered must be on a scale I can't imagine.
"You can do it," I say, looking at him intently, trying to convey my determination.
I'm not bothered by showing affection; in fact, I consider myself quite honest when I feel something. Even so, somehow, he's been making me uncomfortable. Today, I took his hand, and I'm holding it to help him.
My tears fall onto his cheeks, sliding down to the ground.
This is the second time I've held someone at death's door, while my tears keep flowing.
"We're in this together, I don't care if you're weak, I don't care if you show pain. Marco Luz, I know what you're doing is difficult." I place my head on his chest, trying to hide my embarrassment. "I really can't imagine the pain you're going through, but you can't imagine mine either."
What we need to do as people in the same situation is quite simple, so simple I wonder why I hadn't thought of it before.
"The past is the past; it doesn't have to affect you. I want you to live in the present, the now." I hold him tighter, hoping my words will reach him, help him move forward. If I can be myself, then he can too.
"Marco Luz, you don't even realize it, but you show your emotions all the time. You can fool everyone else, but you've never fooled me." I stand up, looking him straight in the eyes. "You can't use your tactics on me, so if you want to deceive me, you have to be yourself. You think you have to act like others expect, but with me, that doesn't work. The person who belongs here is Marco who smiles when talking about his inventions, when he looks toward a prosperous future."
I don't know what kind of expression I'm making, but I can't stop. Even if I wanted to.
'My emotions have taken control.'
"The one who feels sad seeing the struggles of others, the one who tries to make everyone's life a little brighter, the one who gives his all for the good of everyone. The one who doesn't mind taking on more burden if it means achieving his goal, the one who also needs support to move forward." I close my eyes for a moment, trying to think when I realized all of this. "The one who makes everyone admire him, who earns their trust and seeks their support. The one who tries to improve, who wants to change, and who also wants to belong to this world."
"I..." Marco looks at me with disbelief, his lips trembling and his eyes glistening. "I don't want to keep suffering."
I shake my head, it's not something I can change.
"I can't promise you won't suffer anymore, but I can promise that we can suffer together." I take his hands, conveying my warmth. "I know about the future; I know about you. I know you hide a power you can't talk about, and I won't pry into that. I know you're a liar, I know you're strong, and I know you're weak. You've never fooled me; none of your masks have affected me, Marco Luz. You're like me, just taken to an extreme I will never reach."
Thanks to you, I'll never reach that extreme. Because of you, I see another path that also leads me to my goal.
"To me, you've never been anyone else. You've never been the person you think you're showing."
I smile, narrowing my eyes as I look at him intently. I see the person I've always seen because I've never seen anyone else.
His mood swings, his way of escaping reality.
You're not the Lion King; you're not someone who can do everything on your own, nor someone who keeps a smile on all the time. You're not who you think you can show.
But that's okay, because...
"I've always seen you as Marco Luz."
He twists his lips, but before he can say anything, I slip off him and kneel to lay his head on my lap. I don't let him speak; I don't want him to say anything more. I just want him to feel my presence, to see that he's not alone.
To feel that he belongs to this moment.
"Stay like this, without saying anything." He doesn't need to; I don't need to hear it. All I want is for him to be himself. "You can be yourself, Marco Luz; you can't deceive me, so you can break down your barriers right now."
He hugs me, and I smile in response. I hadn't realized it, but it was in being weak that I found the strength to help him. Maybe I've always been wrong; maybe strength isn't something that can be defined in words.
It's not something that can be stigmatized in such a way.
"Thank you..." I feel his hands holding mine, gripping them tightly. Somehow, I feel something strange, a warm, strong, and direct sensation.
I don't know what it could be, but I really want to stay here.
He doesn't need to say anything; he just needs to release his bad energy. I'm not going to force him, I'll just let him gather strength, let him move forward.
'I never thought I'd find strength in giving strength to someone else.'
That fear I felt about the upcoming election has vanished.
"We're going to make it," he says, pulling away from my embrace and looking at me with determination. "Can I take you out on another date?"
I smile, seeing that he's already trying to deceive me again. I look into his eyes, and the haze I felt earlier slowly dissipates. He's a liar, but when it comes to deceiving me, his eyes change immediately.
I nod, keeping my smile.
'Sometimes, the life of an ordinary person is richer than that of a duchess.'
"Yes."