The Center of Cosmos

CHAPTER FIVE

Chapter Five

Two days have passed since the incident. The weather was humid and Mathew was sipping his coffee as he stared at his opened window while watching the waves. As he remembered the events in Deborus island there was a sudden flashback bump in his thoughts.

‘That starry night became colder and cloudy as they were wrapped with a deafening silence.

All of them were trying to process what she said despite their messed-up minds.

“The cursed from the seal was too powerful for the island to handle, that is why it got collapsed and erased from the maps,” Celine continued.

“Then why did you make such an illusion?” Allen questioned.

“I am not the one who made you look like a fool,” she calmly answered.

“Then who?” Casis asks.

“It was Omega.”

They were speechless again.

“And I have no clue why omega did that,” Celine added.

“Did you know that it was all an illusion?” Mathew intervened.

“The moment I step outside my cage, I noticed,” She answered.

“I was put into a deep sleep that is why I do not know anything. However, even if I was awake at that very moment, there is nothing I can do but to watch. Your gods are superior to me,” she explained with no worries reflected in her voice.’

That was the most he can remember from that day. Mathew let out a sigh of frustration as he massage his temple.

As of the moment, they were voyaging back to Asmeira and they have already started the plan to prepare for the coming disaster.

A sudden knock was heard on his door.

“Come in,” Mathew responded.

“Greetings your majesty,” Lucas said as he entered the room.

“Lucas, why are you here?”

“Your majesty I have come here to inform you about the captain’s message. He said that the number of days for coming back to Asmeira will be five or more days,” He announced.

‘Five or more days? That is too much,’ he thought as his eyebrows began to furrow.

“That’s reasonable,” he manages to say as he breathes out a sigh of disappointment.

“And breakfast is ready your majesty,” Lucas added.

“Okay, I’ll be there in a minute,” He responded.

His migraine is starting to worsen as his hand automatically massages his temple again. To his surprise, Celine was already standing beside Lucas.

“Good morning,” She greeted plainly without even smiling.

Because of the sudden presence, Lucas jumps out of surprise.

“My lady? How did you—”

“Magic,” she answered Lucas without glancing at him.

“Why are you here?” Mathew asks.

“Just to check on you,” she replied as she walks closer to him.

Lucas was silent for a moment and was honestly astonished by the way the lady spoke to the emperor.

“And why?” Mathew uttered and lean his back to his chair.

“Do I need to have a reason to see you?” she said as she shrugs her shoulder.

“Do you have a crush on me now?” Mathew said as he chuckle.

Lucas cleared his throat.

“Your majesty if you don’t need anything else, then I’ll excuse myself.”

“Yes you may,” Mathew replied as Lucas bowed his head again and exited the room.

The two of them were left in the room, then he looked back at her.

“I don’t find you interesting master,” she said bluntly without any second thoughts.

He cracked a laugh of amusement when he heard her response.

“You can sit on that chair,” He said as he pointed to the vacant seat directly opposite to his chair.

She nod at him and took the vacant seat.

“Why did you come here?” He asks again.

“I have come here to ask if you needed something, master.”

“As of now there is none so you may leave,” He answered still massaging his temple.

“Then, I’ll be leaving you, but before that,” she replied as she stood up and walk towards him.

She was wearing his plain white polo with a sleeve that looks oversized for her. Her hair is a little messy and she was barefooted.

She poke his forehead gently and all of a sudden his migraine was gone.

“Why are you barefooted?” He asks confused at her.

“The shoes were too big and heavy for me to walk,” she said.

“I’ll buy you some when we get back.”

“No thanks, after all, I can fly.”

“I insist,” he said followed by a smile.

“If you do not wish to look like a fool, then I advised you not to flirt on me master. If you do not need anything then I’ll be taking my leave,” she uttered as she walks away from him while she heard his laugh.

“Wait,” he called.

“Yes, master?”

“Did you have your breakfast already?”

“Not yet, but I’m not starving.”

“But you still need to eat, would you like to have breakfast with us?”

“Is this a command?” she asks all of a sudden.

“No”

Celine just stared at him intently.

“Fine,” she answered.

Mathew was walking ahead of Lucas and Celine as they walk towards the dining room. Lucas suddenly felt an awkward atmosphere between him and Celine remembering that the emperor found her naked on the day he found her.

“It is good that you are comfortable here, my lady,” he began the conversation with a smile.

“Yes. There is nothing to complain about, and you can call me by my name, it's Celine,” she replied.

“Oh, then you can call me Lucas as well,” he smiled.

“Okay.”

Another silence started to develop between them again. He cleared his throat trying to fight the awkward situation.

“I am glad that you did not hold any grudge to King Rion.”

“King…Rion?” she asks.

“Oh, the man with white-grey hair, he is the king of Leberion continent,” he replied trying so hard not to provoke her.

“Ah,” she responded shortly.

They have finally arrived at the dining room, as they walk inside, Mathew saw the three men who stood up and bowed their heads to greet him.

“You can take your seats now,” He said as he sit on his chair.

Celine has no idea what she would do. So she stands beside Lucas who was standing beside Mathew.

Lucas stares at her with questionable eyes.

“Celine, you can sit here,” Mathew uttered as he pointed to the chair on his left.

Without a word, Celine sits on the empty chair.

And once again, the room was filled with an awkward silence.

“Good morning,” she announced to them as she stared at the three men.

Lucas was bewildered by her bold attitude.

“Good morning,” Casis replied with a smile

“Good morning to you too,” Allen followed.

It took seconds for Nathan to do the same but tension started to arouse once again.

Lucas who can read the atmosphere felt sick upon remembering that the king of Leberion and Celine never eat with them for two days.

“I am sorry for the commotion I have caused two days ago,” Nathan suddenly said breaking the deafening silence.

Celine looked at him with a blank expression.

“It's fine, please do not burden yourself with that incident,” she replied without a second thought.

The atmosphere began to get lighter as they started to eat silently.

Mathew looked at Celine and notices that she didn’t touch the food on her plate.

“Why are you not eating? Is the food not to your liking?” He asks.

The three men halted and glance at the strange lady.

“It’s not that I don’t like the food master, it’s because I forgot to use these things,” she answered as she touch the spoon and fork.

Everyone in the room was speechless.

“How long did you stay in that place?” Allen asks.

“I lost count.”

Nathan’s eyes widened in surprise and drank a glass of water.

“You mean all those times you’re in that place, you have never eaten a single food?” Nathan question in surprise.

“Yes.”

Mathew was surprised as well.

‘So that’s why she is very thin,’ his mind commented.

“Then eat as much as you want, you can eat your food according to how you eat it comfortably,” Mathew said still looking at her.

Celine stared at her food and glance back at her master, then to the three men, and finally to Lucas.

“Then please do not mind me,” she said as she snaps her fingers.

The food suddenly float in the air as she took a bite from it.

All of them were shock and somehow felt amuse, they still can’t believe that someone can produce magic within them.

“Tell me, my lady,” Casis began to talk.

“Feel free to call me Celine.”

“Fine, Celine, tell us what did you do the whole time you were in there?”

Celine glance at Mathew asking for approval if she was allowed to answer and Mathew responded to her with a nod.

“I told you, I am asleep.”

“When did you gain consciousness?” Mathew asks.

“When you found me,” Celine answered and gaze at Mathew.

“Why did omega sealed you?” Allen questioned.

“I do not know,” she answered as she shrugs her shoulders.

“You don’t?” Casis asks in disbelief.

Celine did not respond and just took a bite from her food.

“You do not know why you were imprisoned?” Mathew asks.

She glances at them with a blank expression.

“I lied,” she replied.

The men looked at her with a surprised expression.

“The truth is I do not remember why I end up there, as you can see your gods are complicated to understand,” she continued.

‘It might be true but you’re more complicated,’ Mathew thought.

“Then are you born with magic or do they give you the ability to use magic?” Nathan questioned.

She did not respond and just shrug her shoulders.

“That is enough of your curiosity, let her finish her food,” Mathew uttered as he looked at her.

She remained silent and continue to chew the food in her mouth, however, she suddenly stops eating and glance at them all.

“Do not doubt me because of my unknown identity. Just so you know, If I betrayed all of you here it just means that I betrayed my master and I disregard my oath to him,” she announced and then continued to eat.

Their breakfast was finished peacefully and Mathew commanded Lucas to escort Celine back to her room. On their way, Celine suddenly stops at the ship’s circular window.

“What is it, my lady?” He asks.

“I told you, you can call me Celine.”

“Oh, then…Celine is there something wrong?”

“No, it's just that the sky turned grey all of the sudden there must be a coming storm,” she replied without glancing back at him.

“Perhaps” he replied shortly.

Celine remained staring at the small window.

“I understand why you’re angry at this moment because they have doubted you, but please try to understand,” he muttered.

She glance at him as her emerald eyes reflected no emotion at all.

“You must have misunderstood me, Lucas. I am not angry or have felt any type of emotion towards them or anyone. I do not hold any grudges to someone I do not know,” she uttered and returned her gaze to the window.

“Please do remember that I do not have an emotion to give. They can say or do whatever they want, they can even point their swords at me, whatever it may be please remember that none of these concerns me at all,” Celine added.

He was out of words as he only stared at her.

“I apologize for misunderstanding you,” He manages to say as he looked away feeling ashamed of himself.

“It is fine, you do not need to apologize if you know to yourself that you did nothing wrong. You’re just doing your duty as my master’s aide and as his friend,” she said.

He smiled at her words.

“Thank you.”

She didn’t respond anymore.

“Then let us continue our walk, I will escort you to your room,” he uttered as he look at her.

She only nods her head in response.

As they continued to walk the rain started to pour down.

“If you need anything do not hesitate to ask, my room will just be right next to you. And I am sure you already know that his majesty’s room is directly in front of your room right?”

“Yes”

“Then, we're good,” Lucas muttered as he smiled at her.

After a minute of walking, they have reached their destination. He was about to open the door for her but it suddenly open.

He looked at her, surprise.

“I opened it for you,” she said shortly.

“Oh, thank you,” he replied awkwardly.

‘I should be the one who will do it for you, though,’ his mind commented.

“Then I’ll be going inside now. Thank you for bringing me here,” she uttered softly as she walks inside.

“Then I will be taking my leave,” Lucas replied.

“Lucas,” she called.

He gaze back at her and saw her still standing at the doorway.

“Yes? Is there anything you need?”

“How do you see the world?” she asks.

He was confused by her question but somehow compose himself.

“Some people see it as their home and some see it as cruel. But in my case, I see the world as it is,” he simply answered.

“I see.”

“Are you satisfied with my answer?”

“I can’t tell, but thank you.”

“Anytime,” he replied as he smiled at her and walks away.

The rain was falling hard, the sound of thunder echoed the sea, and the lightning flashes through the sky.

Everyone was doing their job seriously and was busy fulfilling their responsibilities.

Celine on the other hand stared at her window. Her hair is messy and her emerald eyes glimmered because of the lightning.

“It’s been so long since I have seen a storm. I even forgot how the rain felt like,” she whispered to herself.

The rain continued to pour down on them and waves soon started to berserk. It became colder as the lightning can still be seen followed by the thunder.

The sailors and knights have been busier than usual due to the abnormal weather.

Meanwhile, on the dark corner of the ship, near the engine room. A small part of the wooden ship started to get weaker from the waves’ strong impact. It started to have cracks and soon got broken into a small hole.

The salty water was slowly going inside the ship. And because everyone is busy doing their jobs they did not notice the small problem.

Mathew continued to do his work while reading a pile of documents, Allen called for his aide for assistance, Casis was reading his book and Nathan was having a conversation with his aide.

All of them are doing what they think they needed to do.

And so, the hole started to get bigger as more water comes inside.