Lord Shadow

Chapter 1360 The Night in Arturia The question seems to hang in the air. Katarina look at Azief waiting for him to answer him. The moment passes.

Azief did not answer her question instead he looks up and Katarina understand what he means. Before, the Heavenly Will probably could not spy on Azief. 

But Azief had just strengthen the Heavenly Will. 

Maybe, that immunity had also worn off so she shut her mouth, not wanting to say anything that could give anything away. 

Katarina is trying to think why completing the Heavenly Will would be beneficial for Azief. She could not think of such reason. 

Azief look at the sky above and said

ʼThis world is getting bigger and the people inside it become even more stronger. There needs to be a warden for this world to restrict it being destroyed by maniacʼ

He paused for a second and then he said 

ʼI have felt the Heavenly Will is growingʼ

ʼIf itʼs in the past, it is like a child just leaning to crawl, whose action is very instinctive, the current Heavenly Will had attained consciousness and began learning from the living beings that exist in this Earthʼ

ʼThis Heavenly Will is the Earth, Heavenly Will is the Milky Way and its objective is very simple. To surviveʼ 

Azief was about to say something more but then he stopped. He seems to think better of it and stop talking about the Heavenly Will

It seems there is something more that he wanted to say about the current Heavenly Will. Katarina knows why he stopped talking So she simply said

ʼitʼs fine. You donʼt have to share it with me. I trust youʼ Azief look at Katarina and there is a grateful smile on his face

ʼThe more I know you, the more I think I donʼt deserve youʼ Katarina smiles and shakes her head.

ʼNever think like that. Letʼs promise each other that. We saw each other and we fell in love. Maybe I am just naïve...but I think that is enoughʼ

Azief kiss her forehead.

Katarina smiles and ask

ʼWhatʼs that for?ʼ

ʼFor being so lovableʼ She look at Azief face. He is smiling. Then she kissed his open lips. Azief laughed

ʼAnd whatʼs that for?ʼ

ʼFor making me so happyʼ she said

Azief was puzzled

ʼI didnʼt do anythingʼ

ʼYou donʼt have to. Just looking at you made me happyʼ Azief chuckles and Katarina laughed

They both stopped talking and enjoy the night. Azief smiles and he was relaxed. This is what he wants. 

Right now sitting on the roof, Katarina head on his shoulders, her hands on his, feeling her scent, her beside him, looking at the twinkling stars in the sky…. how can he describe this feeling of euphoria that is part serenity and calmness? 

Is there a word for such feelings?

If there is, he doesnʼt know what it is called. A feeling that he could not describe in words but only could feel in his heart.

But, it is beautiful and it is peaceful. It is all of this and more

The sky, the wind, the stars and the moon all of it seems beautiful to him this night. It is the same sky he had seen, it is the same star and the same moon but why is it agonizingly beautiful?

This moment is simple. 

It might even be called boring. 

But he cherishes it. His mind has always even thinking about the next move. His feet had never stopped walking forward. 

His heart was always anxious. 

When he saw the future, a version of the future of himself, he had always trying to find a way to stop that vision from happening. Each time he makes a move, he questioned himself. He examined himself.

Is this the action that would lead me to becoming ”that?” 

Is this the choice that would shape his future?

What happens that would make that vision a reality

And how to stop it. 

So, he becomes very cautious. He had to think on his every action and every choice he made and that is a terrible pressure to put on anyone

When you see yourself become the Destroyers of Worlds, when you saw yourself killing people, becoming something that you do not want to become, becoming a monster like that…...you could only imagine the pressure of every choice, of every decision

When he could be merciful, he would be merciful. When he could exercise restraint, he exercises it

Because each time, he fears that any of his actions could push him toward that terrible future. And these are the thoughts that keep swirling in his mind.

But now, seeing that same star, that same Moon, with Katarina beside him, he could not help but form a smile on his face and close his eyes, enjoying every moment of every second of this

Of a moment where everything simply fades away and all that is in his mind is holding her hands and feeling this fluffy feeling in his heart.

Of a perfect moment in a perfect night seeing the most perfect scenery with the most perfect person. 

They must have even sitting there for hours. 

Not saying anything. Just there, enjoying each other presence. 

And then near dawn, they look at the sun rising and then finally they go to their rooms. 

Azief walk to his room.

He walks the hallways sometimes looking out at the open window when he passed a corner of the hallways

He sighed. he could always just teleport himself bit he wanted to take a walk. To clear his mind a bit and thought of the next move. 

ʼI wonder what she would chooseʼ he mutters as he keeps walking in the dark of night toward his room. His mind is full of complicated thoughts

Azief and Katarina did not stay in the same room. It might not be weird when they are in the Seresian world but Azief do this out of respect for Boris. 

Later, they will meet Boris and explain the matter to him. And there is also the fact that an official relationship with Katarina would change a lot of things in the world

Azief and Katarina on Earth are not just your ordinary leveler. Katarina is still the High Chancellor of the Republic. 

Azief got the information that even after Jean had broken through to Divine Comprehension level, he did not stage a coup or try to usurp the authority of the High Chancellor.

So, even though Katarina was absent, she is still the High Chancellor. But there has been a conflict in the Republic.

And Azief knows that his matter is not as simple as it seems. 

Azief did not ask Katarina anything about this matter because he knows this is her choice. And she is also making him to choose.

Azief knows that if he meddles in this matter, this would cause a precedent for future conflict between the world powers and other factions of the world so he needs to take this very seriously

From the moment a formal establishment of the Seven Great Powers, any of the Great Powers have agreed with each other that they would not meddle in each other internal problem

This is to prevent a world war between the great powers. At that time, each of the great powers control one of the seven continents of the world.

The Republic, The World Government and Pandemonium stand aloof since they have already stabilized the region under their control

But now, something had happened in the Republic. It would not have mattered if its Katarina is fighting for her seat

But if Azief interferes, then this internal matter would be escalated. It might even lead to a war between the great powers. 

Earth had just suffered a great war. A great many people have perished and many more are injured. And while most of the world had recovered, more are still in shambles and in pieces. 

Katarina is still probably thinking on how to handle the matters. So, Azief could only let her sort her thought. 

Will it be a reconciliation with the factions in the Republic? Or will Katarina exact revenge and create a n environment for a civil war?

Or will she ask for his help and escalate this matter to the global level? This is why they decided to sleep on different rooms.

So that the rumors would die down a bit. 

Azief is the ruler of Pandemonium, the head honcho of the Seven Great Powers.

Before, even though there were rumors between him and Katarina, everyone knows that Azief is with Sofia.

And the matter is very vague. But the announcement that he and Katarina is official, would makes waves all over the world as people would think about the factions that they rule. 

Because of that Azief is very cautious about this. he could not be as free as he was when he was in Seresian world.

In the Seresian world, there is only one person he needs to protect and care about. But on Earth, he has many people that he needs to protect and care about

He felt responsibility for the lives of people that have believed in him and fought for him, die for him

He would not be like some kings or politicians that simply take the sacrifice of these people for granted.

He notices that. When politicians and kings and queens, these powerful people send their people to war, they really do not care whether these people die or not

That these people are someone brothers, someone fathers, someone sons…. all they care about is their interest. 

If they win, the Kings and the Presidents, the politicians, the lobbyist, the merchants of war profited. 

If they lose, they lose profit but still retain their powers…and even if they are not, they would flee and be spared the desolation of war and the death of their loved ones. 

But in any of these scenarios whether the war is lost or win, the one losing is always the people

In victory, they are honored and respected, but even these honor and respect is simply a superficial honor and respect.

The profit that the war brings the Kings and the politicians and the lobbyist would not flow to the very people that sacrifices their life.

It is the same story every time. 

Azief hated that and he promises that no matter how far he goes, he would never take the lives of the people who had sacrificed for him for granted. 

He felt that if he forgets that, he would become like those people. 

So, he and Katarina both agree that they need to wait for the right moment to come out with the news

And Azief also have certain things that he himself wanted to do, something that he wanted to do alone. 

There were many things that he delayed to save Katarina. If Katarina was not kidnapped, he would probably right now in Pandemonium studying on how to break through to Essence Creation, finding a method on to quickly gain energy to break through

Of course that is redundant now as the world is full of energy but his pursuit of power is still very much valid. 

And he had also prepared many things in the event that he could not survive the Seresian world. 

But now that he survived some of the plans that he has made needs to be revised and modified. 

Azief then stopped walking. All along the way he is thinking about all of this. And now, he is front of his room. 

Azief saw that it is biometric.

ʼHah. Quite an ingenious designʼ Azief exclaimed seeing this. 

So, he put his finger on the thumbprint scanner and the door knobs seems to turn by itself as a creaking sound fills the hallways and the door slowly opens. 

Azief found it a little bit funny. 

The door itself is wooden but to judge anything by its appearance on this residence is a foolʼs errand.

It just looks like wood but who knows what it truly is made. Not to mention that Azief could tell that the wooden door seems to be reinforced by some kind of array formation that is embedded into the door itself

If this was any other day, Azief would very much be interested in looking at these weird array formations that he had senses. But right now, he really could not care less. 

He walks into his room and he was quite surprised. 

Like some of the places in this residence, this place is also embedded with Space Laws. From outside the room would look like a small room but when he enters the room he was greeted by the scene of a vast room with a king bed 

The design is of that of Renaissance era design which makes it looks grand and majestic. The decoration is also grand by design.

Azief however ignores all of this. 

He had no desire to admire this right now. 

Instead he takes a bath and after that he lay down on the bed, closing his eyes but not sleeping, his mind thinking and modifying the plans that he had laid down. 

In his mind right now, there is the memory of his future self and all the plans that he is laying down right now all seems to be connected with that memory. 

The night ended peacefully in Arturia. 

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