31 Get Some Res (1/2)
Deltan couldn't deny that he was getting worried about Nine. It even seemed more like he was the one taking it easy even though he was about to fall into eternal sleep soon. Three months had already passed, and it felt like with each passing day, his younger brother would seemingly spend more and more hours in the library.
He didn't know why either. From what he had observed, his younger brother already knew every book like the back of his own hand, so if nothing had popped up by now, surely, he should move onto another source?
It wasn't like his brother was ignoring every other part of his life either. He was going to classes, teaching fantastically, sparring with him enthusiastically and still somehow managing to take care of his daily necessities.
But there was a strange feeling inside Deltan that told him Nine was under a lot of stress. There wasn't really a basis for such a feeling. He couldn't tell from the actions the other was taking, nor could he tell from the state of his face. It was just that something inside him was screaming.
As he looked in the mirror, it felt like he was looking at someone else, and that scared him. The him from three months ago and the face that appeared in the mirror now was still the same, but it felt like someone had taken a brush and wiped out all his characteristics that had been there for years and years and it just –
Shuddering, Deltan put away all extraneous thoughts. Sometimes, a very real fear crept up on him when he was trying to sleep. It felt like he would go to sleep one day and never wake up again, and he wouldn't even know beforehand.
By now, he should have been suffering from the sleepless nights, but his face still looked at stunning as ever. It never changed no matter what happened, and that scared him more than anything else.
A sudden surge of anger welled up within him at the thought that he was living life like a plaything to someone else. In the midst of his anger, he smashed the mirror within him, shattering the cold reflection before him.
Deltan withdrew his fist, and the shards that should have stabbed him and made him bleed fell to the ground, piercing the skin shallowly before all traces were wiped away.
He looked at his flawless hands with hollow eyes. He was slowly becoming more and more like a Vampire with each passing day. Was it strange that the one thing he looked forward to everyday was the sparring he had with his younger brother? The pain made him feel like he was still alive. The pain was still the same from before.
It was laughable. He was terrified of his unchanging yet changing appearance, but he also depended on the pain Nine inflicted on him.
Taking a deep breath, Deltan looked at the fallen shards with blank eyes before leaving to find Nine. Even if he couldn't find a solution, he could still accompany his brother who was working so hard for himself.
The eldest prince sat down across his brother, who was lost deep in thought. He could almost see the gears in the other's mind frantically spinning and working. Nine had tried some things on him already, but it didn't seem to be having much effect.
Somehow, he could still feel that the time limit was ticking closer. When he fell into eternal sleep, the Vampire who had placed the Red Spider Lily on him would come knocking on their doors, and that wasn't something that Deltan was willing to see.