The Center of Cosmos

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Chapter Forty-Three

It was already morning and he was already wearing his formal attire. Suddenly, he heard a knock on his door.

“Come in,” Mathew responded.

Lucas steps inside his room and bowed his head.

“Good morning your majesty,” he greeted.

“Good morning,” Mathew answered and smiled at him.

“I’m glad that you look better today your majesty,” Lucas uttered and smiled back.

“I’m glad as well,” he replied, “Lucas what’s my schedule for today?” Mathew asks as he fixed his cravat.

“There’s a lot in your list, your majesty, would you like to hear it this instance?” Lucas responded.

“Discuss it in my office, I need to have some breakfast first, did you have breakfast, Lucas?” Mathew asks.

“I already have your majesty,” Lucas answered.

“Oh, that’s good to hear,” he replied, “Let’s be on our way now,” Mathew announced.

“Yes your majesty, but, are you heading directly to your office?” Lucas asks.

“No, I’m going first to the dining room, didn’t I say I need to have breakfast?” Mathew said.

Lucas was speechless and look at him with eyes wide open.

Mathew laugh.

“Why are you giving me that look? Am I not allowed to the dining room now?” he asks.

“It’s not like that your majesty… I’m just quite shocked and worried at the same time. Sir Vrontier and everyone is currently at the dining room and as well as your father, your majesty,” he uttered.

“Don’t worry about me Lucas,” Mathew said and smiled, “Now let’s be on our way,” he added.

“Yes your majesty,” Lucas answered.

As they reach their destination, the knights guarding the door, as they normally do, they opened the door for him.

Everyone’s attention went to Mathew when he entered the dining room.

The three kings automatically stood up, glance at him reflecting gladness in their eyes as they bowed their heads to him, Milan and his son did the same despite being disturbed by his sudden appearance.

“I’m glad that you’re here, my son,” his father uttered.

“Of course father, where would I be?” Mathew replied as he eyed everyone, “Please take your seat,” he announced and sits on his chair.

Everyone started to eat in silence.

“It’s good to see you eating with us once again your majesty,” Nathan said with a bright smile.

“Oh yes, I’m glad as well,” Mathew answered.

“We understand since you were busy,” Milan commented as he mocking smile.

“Yes, I’m very busy sir that I almost forgot your existence, and, shouldn’t you address me properly? We didn’t see each other for just days and you already forgot who I am here?” Mathew replied as his hazel eyes glimmered from the rays of sun coming from the opened window.

Milan flinch and swallowed the food in his mouth.

“…I apologize, your majesty,” he uttered and bowed his head.

“No, that’s fine. Believe me sir Vrontier, I understand,” Mathew answered with a cryptic smile while emphasizing the last words of his sentence.

A crease formed in between Milan’s eyebrows.

“With all due respect your majesty, isn’t it rude to treat my father like that?” Brinton defended.

“Where’s the disrespect in my statement, sir?” Mathew asks.

Brinton didn’t respond.

“I’ll accept your silence as your response,” Mathew uttered, “Please continue to eat your food,” he added.

The breakfast was finished following Mathew’s advantage. Strolling through the hallway with his aide, he roamed his eyes to the imperial knights training contiguously.

“Lucas,” he called.

“Yes, your majesty?” Lucas replied.

“Do the knights have time to rest in between their training?” he asks.

“I believe they don’t have your majesty?” Lucas answered.

Mathew halted and faced them.

“Why? Who’s order is that from?” he asks.

“It’s sir Vrontier’s command your majesty, that is also the reason why King Rion and King Rubia argued with the dwarves yesterday,” Lucas uttered.

“How come no one informed me?” Mathew questioned.

“It’s because… everyone doesn’t want to put too much burden on your shoulders, your majesty. But, the kings commanded the knight commanders to make sure they put some rest in between their training your majesty, they have clearly instructed them that if the dwarves won’t let them rest, they have to respond that it’s the kings’ command,” Lucas explained.

Mathew nods his head as a response. Soon they have reached his office.

He sat on his chair and landed his gaze back on Lucas.

“Please discuss my schedule with me,” he uttered.

“Your majesty, based on your schedule today, you have to visit the training grounds and inspect the well-being of the knights, check the imperial weapons and there is a meeting between you and the three kings this afternoon. Your majesty and the three kings have to meet once again to prepare for your destined visit to the elves,” Lucas announced.

“I see, please make sure the dwarves will attend the session this afternoon,” he said.

“But your majesty, the dwarves might cause some arguments and ruckus during the meeting?” Lucas replied.

“It’s fine, I can manage that somehow, they must attend the meeting,” Mathew answered.

“If that is what your majesty wants, then I will write it down to your schedule,” Lucas replied as he scribbled on the paper.

“And,” Mathew began which makes Lucas glance back at him.

“Please write down that I need to visit Celine after my work, write it down as well that, my visit to her is the most important one,” he continued to say as he smiled at him.

“Oh, I understand your majesty,” Lucas responded and continued to write down his schedule on the paper.

“Then, let’s be on our way to the training ground,” Mathew announced and stood up from sitting on the chair.

“Yes we should your majesty,” Lucas agreed and bowed his head.

They were about to walk towards the door when someone knock on it.

They glance at each other.

“Am I expecting a guest?” he asks.

“As what I have known…there’s no one for today, your majesty,” Lucas answered.

Mathew glance back again at the door when he heard another knock again.

“Your majesty?” he heard Monica’s voice from the outside.

Mathew’s expression became cold, it’s been a week since he last saw the lady. It’s hard to accept for him that because of Monica everything went messed up, he cannot avoid being annoyed but it’s not a reason to wash his hand to feel clean.

He knows, above everyone, he should be the one to blame for failing to tell his father as earlier as he could.

“May I come in?” Monica uttered behind the door.

“Yes you may,” Mathew responded as he walks back to his chair and sits back on it.

The door opened as his childhood friend stepped inside.

“What brings you here Lady Monica?” he asks and forced himself to smile, “Please have a seat,” he uttered.

Monica stared at him but immediately sits on the empty couch, she then glance back at him.

“I would like to have a conversation with you your majesty,” she said and eyed Lucas then back to him, “just the two of us,” she added.

Mathew gazes at Lucas and gestured him to exit the office which he did.

“Thank you, your majesty,” he heard her say.

“What’s your business with me Lady Monica? Is there anything I could help you with?” Mathew asks again.

There was a moment of silence for a while as their eyes met.

“…Are you upset with me, your majesty?” she asks.

“May I ask my lady what would you like my response to be?” Mathew asks her back.

The lady’s facial expression was bewildered and hurt.

“Please answer me truthfully your majesty,” she replied.

“Is that what you want?” he asks.

“…Yes your majesty,” she replied.

Mathew sigh.

“I think we should dismiss this, I have a lot on my hands today my lady,” he said.

“Your majesty—”

“I need to go,” he said and stood up but she suddenly grabbed his wrist.

“…Mathew,” she finally said his name.

“My lady please let go of my hand,” Mathew uttered.

“Mathew, do you hate me now?” She asks.

“…No,” he answered.

“Then why? Why did you suddenly change Mathew? You don’t treat me the same anymore,” Monica said as her voice cracked.

“What do you mean?” he asks and faced her once again.

“Mathew you’ve changed!” she said as her tears run down her cheeks.

“I don’t understand you, why are you behaving like this?” Mathew asks as his eyebrows furrowed.

“Liar! You're always like that, you always throw my feelings away that easily Mathew, you knew that I loved you for so long, and yet when she came, you suddenly forgot me like I’m nothing but your childhood friend!” she said as her hands wipe down her tears.

“I was with you Mathew, until now, but you never saw me! You never appreciated me, you just used me,” she added and sob.

“You’re wrong, I didn’t take you for granted, not even once…Monica,” he answered as his gaze started to get colder.

Upon hearing him call her name again, her heart leaped with joy and shivered with nervousness.

“Didn’t I answer your feelings before? Didn’t I clarify everything to you?” Mathew continued to say.

Her hope suddenly faded as she remembered what happened between them five years ago. She can still clearly remember his words.

‘Please don’t say it… please,’ her mind pleaded.

“I only see you as my younger sister and a good friend, Monica,” Mathew said the exact words he said to her back then.

“I never insisted you to give me your whole efforts, it’s your decision and the only thing I did was to accept that because you’re like a family to me,” he added, “I guess it’s all my fault why you’re hurt like this, I should have cut the strings long time ago, I apologize, it’s okay if you can’t forgive me,” Mathew continued to say.

Tears run down from her cheeks once again.

“Yes, I should hate you,” she replied and walk past him, “I hate you because no matter what I do, I cannot help but love you, Mathew. Why must you be so kind? You could just tell me it’s all my fault and not yours but you never did, you took all the blame to yourself like you always do, I hate you, Mathew, I hate you,” she whispered as she continued to walk and exited his office leaving him behind.