95 Conflict as Old as Time (1/2)
”THE High Priest worships our son, Kiho,” Tilly said to Kiho. She should have said this from the start. But there were so many things they had to discuss first so she almost forgot to tell him about the conversation she had with Howard. ”He told me that our son is the Moon Serpent that will swallow the moon someday.”
”The moon represents His Majesty,” Kiho said in surprise. ”Was the High Priest implying that our son would kill the emperor in the future?”
She nodded as confirmation. ”According to him, that's the real prophecy.”
”If that's true, then does it mean that His Majesty knows the truth from the start?”
”That seems to be the case.”
”If His Majesty is waiting for our son to be reborn despite the prophecy, it only means that he needs our son for something important,” Kiho said with a hint of worry in his voice. ”I don't like this. He wants your heart and now, he's aiming for our son who hasn't even been born yet.”
She noticed that Kiho was angry. His golden eyes were gleaming with anger and his jaw was clenching hard. ”Hon, calm down,” she said gently, then she cupped his face between her hands. ”We won't let anyone use or hurt our baby boy. We're here to protect him, right?”
That seemed to calm him down. ”Yes, we will protect our baby.”
She smiled and kissed him on the corner of his mouth.
He returned the favor by kissing her fully on the lips.
Gosh!
”But honey, why do you want the High Priest to join our side?” Kiho asked after the kiss. ”He tried to hurt you. And I don't trust people who worship other people.”
Her husband has a point.
”You're right. The High Priest is supposed to be on the neutral side,” she agreed. ”Whenever there was war between kingdoms, their neutral ground would always be the Holy Land. I can't trust the High Priest for serving two masters. He claims he's a man of god but he follows the emperor's unreasonable requests.” She looked at her palm that Howard cut. The wound was already healed, but she would never forget what he did. ”Kiho, the High Priest tried to take my blood and use it to heal Her Royal Highness.”
He growled angrily. ”God, His Majesty is really making me angry.”
She turned to him and gave him a sympathetic smile. ”His Eminence said that His Majesty told him to use my blood to try and heal Her Royal Highness.”
His brows furrowed in confusion. ”Can your blood do that?”
She shrugged. ”I don't know. I forgot to ask Wixx. But aren't Ancient Beasts considered as gods? A lot of people seem to worship them.”
”Isn't it only because they're old beings?”
She laughed at that. ”That's the only reason why you think the Ancient Beasts are worshipped?”
”I don't know why but I never understood why the Ancient Beasts are worshipped,” he admitted. ”The Blue Dragon is just an extra large snake. The Black Serpent is just a large reptile. The Red Phoenix is just a flaming bird. And the Golden Tiger is just a plump tiger.”
Again, she laughed until her stomach hurt. ”Kiho, you are so rude. If the gods heard you, they would punish you.”
”Wouldn't that be bullying?” he asked in a teasing voice. ”The noblesse oblige teaches the nobles like you that the strong must protect the weak.”
”Your funny side is also sexy,” she said between giggles. ”Gosh, why are you so perfect?”
”I'm just trying to be the best version of myself for you.”
She smiled at that, and then she remembered the memories of her first life.
To be honest, she didn't want to remember them anymore. But she had to because she wanted to somehow use that knowledge to her advantage.
”Kiho?”
”Hmm?”
”If you meet that black-haired lady again, please promise me that you'll tell me.”
He suddenly looked worried. ”Tilly, are you still jealous of her?”
She bit her lip and nodded.
Telling Kiho about her first life was easy. She knew that he'd believe her. But it was choice not to tell him.
She didn't want Kiho to find out about their terrible marriage in the past. And most of all, she didn't want him to know that he had loved another woman in her first life. Heck, she didn't even want him to know Lucina Morganna's name in this lifetime.
”I read in a book that pregnant women are sensitive and they get jealous easily,” Kiho said carefully. ”Even if you have nothing to be jealous about, I understand if you still feel that way. I will never get tired of proving to you that you're the only one for me.”
God, her husband really loved her.
I give up.
”Kiho, you said earlier that you feel like I don't love you enough.”
”I didn't really say that,” he denied gently. ”But I guess that means the same thing.”
She nodded as an agreement. ”You're right, I'm holding back my feelings for you. To be honest, I didn't realize that I was doing that until you pointed it out.” She held his hand and squeezed it. ”So thank you for telling me your honest thoughts.”
”My master taught me that good communication is needed to get along with other people.”
She gasped when she remembered something after he mentioned his master. ”Kiho, Wixx seems to know the Nystrom clan.”
””Clan?”” he asked. ”You mean to say, 'Nystrom' is a first name and not a surname?”
She nodded. ”You didn't know?”