A Shadow of an Illusion

Chapter 16

Days gone by and the time that Elysium and I would meet already came. Umaga ngayon at kagaya ng lagi kong nakikita sa loob ng palasyo na ‘to, ang mga tao ay laging may ginagawa o hindi kaya ay naglalakad sa mga hallway ng palasyo.

And as usual, I was just roaming around the palace without nothing to do, and it really bores me even if I should have grown accustomed by it now. I mean, oo lagi akong naghahanap ng paraan para makakuha ng impormasyon pero may mga oras talaga na wala akong magawa kung hindi ang maglakad-lakad sa loob ng palasyo.

Hemera, together with Fawn and Helios, are still helping me to get information that I needed inside, as well as outside of the palace. Hemera was the one who told me everything about the information that they gathered because she was the one who can get close to me without anyone being suspiscious of her moves, dahil siya lang naman ang pinayagan ni Erebus na maka-lapit sa akin.

Naglakad-lakad muli ako at ngayon, parang feeling ko ay may mali sa paligid ko. Napa-tigil ako para tignan ang mga tauhan ni Erebus sa paligid ko at ngayon ko lang napansin na parang may mali sa kanila.

Right. Hindi sila tumitigil ngayon para yumuko sa akin bilang tanda ng paggalang nila. They were just looking straigth ahead with an expression that I could not tell, but I guess that some of them were somewhat tense? And furious?

Tinignan ko pang muli ang iba pang naglalakad sa hallway na ‘yon, at pare-parehas lang ang expression ng mga mukha nila. And some were even look so terrified over something, which is really not normal inside this palace.

Para mas masigurado kong may mali nga sa loob ng palasyong ito, naglakad ako papunta sa iba pang mga hallway at kagaya ng hallway na iyon, ang mga tao rito ay ganoon rin ang ekspresiyon sa kanilang mga mukha.

Maybe I shoudl investigate first before I go out of the palace to meet Elysium. Yes, Erebus already allowed me to go out of his palace as long as I want but in one condition, I have to bring someone with me that I immediately agreed to.

Dahil sa isip ko, hindi ko na ulit mapapapayag pang muli si Erebus na palabasin ako ng palasyo kung palalagpasin ko pa ang pagkakataong nasa harapan ko na.

Though Grim was the one who told me that, because after the talk we had a week ago, Erebus seems like he distanced himself to me, which is somewhat I am thankful for and at the same time, it felt like something was wrong with me, though I did not bother to think of that anymore. After all, pinayagan naman niya na akong lumabas ng palasyo na ‘to, at wala na rin naman kaming malagang pag-uusapan kaya sa tingin ko, mas okay na rin na ganitong hindi niya ako pinapansin.

I continued to walk in that hallway, and I thought of the talk that Elysium and I will have today as I continued to observe the people inside the palace. Pero naputol iyon no‘ng makita ko si Grim na papalapit sa akin.

I stopped on my tracks again as I looked at him with a stoic expression on my face. At kagaya nga expression niya sa tuwing makikita niya ako, naka-ngiti siya ngayon na para bang siyang-siya siya na makita ako.

“What do you want now?” I asked and my voice was so cold.

He let out an ‘ooh’ as if he was teasing me. “Why so cold now, milady? Aren’t you happy that I approached you?” tanong niya sa akin at mas lalong lumapad ang ngiti niya na para bang inaasar niya ako.

“Wala ako sa mood para makipag-lokohan sa‘yo ngayon,” sabi ko sa kaniya at pinigilan ko ang pag-irap ko.

“Now, now, milady,” sabi niya habang naroroon pa rin ang ngisi sa mga labi niya. His voice turned cold after that as he said, “Don’t be so mean to me, alright? You might regret it soon.”

I scoffed because of what he said. “I believe that I don’t regret my choices,” sabi ko sa kaniya habang naka-tingin nang diretso sa mga mata niya.

Tumawa siya sa pagkaka-taong iyon na para bang may katawa-tawa sa mga sinabi ko. “Oh really?” he asked as he looked at me curiosly and I nodded my head as I stood my ground. “Then we should see if you are right or wrong.” He even laughed after that.

Napa-kunot ang noo ko sa kaniya at sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. “Are you here just to tease me?” I asked him.

Kung nandito lang siya para makipaglokohan sa akin, I think I am out of this. May kailangan pa akong puntahan, at kailangan ko ring malaman kung bakit ganito ang atmosphere sa loob ng palasyo. In short, marami akong kailangang gawin at wala akong oras para sakyan ang mga kalokohan niya at ang mga joke niya na hindi naman talaga nakakatuwa.

Napatigil siya sa pagtawa nang marinig niya ang sinabi ko. Napalitan na ang nakaka-inis niyang ngiti ng seryosong expression at mukhang naalala na niya kung ano ang sasabihin niya sa akin.

“Right,” he said with a cold voice. Gone that teasing tone on his voice earlier. “The Emperor wanted to talk to you on his office.”

Napa-tigil naman ako dahil sa sinabi niya. Erebus wanted to talk to me? For what? Bakit ngayon pa? At bakit ngayon lang niya naisipang kausapin ako kung okay naman kami nitong mga naka-raang araw na hindi nag-uusap.

What is this? For a change? Or for another reason? Pero ano namang ‘reason’ iyon? I mean okay naman na talaga kaming hindi na mag-usap pa. Ang totoo nga na‘n, mas pabor pa sa aming dalawa ‘yon dahil hindi na namin magtalo pa sa mga bagay na pag-uusapan namin. Sigurado naman kasi akong walang patutunguhan na maganda ang usapan na ‘to.

“You have no choice, milady,” sabi ni Grim at alam kong nahalata niya na ayokong pumunta sa kung nasaan man si Erebus. “And I suggest that you should get going now because the Emperor is really impatient right now.”

I took a deep breath because I really have no choice right now. Kailan ba ako nagkaroon simula no‘ng mapunta ako rito? Hindi ko na matandaan pa, o baka naman kasi hindi naman talaga niya ako binigyan pa ng choice para sa mga desisyon niyang siya lang naman ang nasusunod.

“Where is he?” tanong ko kay Grim.

Nakita ko ang pagngiti niya dahil sa tanong ko at sinabing, “I will lead the way so please follow me, milady.”

Tumango na lang ako sa kaniya at hindi na nagsalita pa pagkatapos no‘n. Tahimik ko lang siyang sinundan si Grim habang naka-tingin sa likuran niya. Wala akong idea kung nasaan ba talaga si Erebus ngayon kaya naman mas mabuti nang sundan na lang si Grim nang walang reklamo.

Ilang minuto pa kaming naglakad at lumiko-liko hanggang sa tumigil si Grim sa pamilyar na pinto kaya naman napa-tigil din ako. Tumingin ako sa pintuang nasa harapan namin ngayon at hinding-hindi ako nagkaka-mali.

This is...

“This is the Emperor’s office inside the palace,” pagpapaliwanag ni Grim sa akin na nakapag-kumpirma ng hinala ko.

Ito ang kwarto na unang hinanap ko sa palasyo noon. At kung iisipin ko, nakalimutan ko na ring tignan ang nasa loob nito at hindi na rin sumagi sa utak ko na kailangan kong malaman ang nasa loob no‘n at kung bakit may barrier pa ito.

Well, I guess that I do not have to think of a thourough plan anymore to get inside of his office, because I think that Erebus wanted to talk inside of his office.

And my guess got confirmed when Grim said, “The Emperor was inside and he wanted to talk to you in his office so I guess that you should already get inside now or he might get really impatient,” he warned and I just nodded my head at him.

Grim knocked once, before he opened the door of Erebus’ office. I’m expecting of some kind of surprise once Grim opened the door, but to my disappointment, Erebus’ office is just like the normal one.

May desktop table at chair sa dulo no‘n, at mga single sofa sa gilid na may coffee table sa gitna para siguro sa mga bisita niya. May mga shelf din sa loob nito at punung-puno iyon ng iba’t-ibang klase ng libro.

I turned to look at the large window behind the desktop table that I saw and that is where I saw Erebus looking outside of the window, as he think deeply. Mukhang napansin niya na may ibang tao sa loob ng opisina niya dahil tumingin ito sa gawi namin ni Grim.

He looked at Grim and then at me with that cold expression on his face. And I thought that it’s been a while since I last saw his face in front of me. Parang bigla akong nanibago kahit na ilang araw lang naman kaming hindi nagkita.

“Then I must take my leave now, Emperor and milady,” sabi ni Grim kaya naman napatingin kami sa gawi niya.

Hindi na niya hinintay pa ang sasabihin ni Erebus at tuluyan na siyang umalis ng kwartong iyon. Naiwan akong kasama si Erebus at hindi ko man lang namalayan na nakatitig pala siya sa akin kung hindi ko pa ibinaling ang tingin ko sa kaniya.

I cleared my throat to remove the awkward atmosphere between. Parang naging bago sa aming dalawa itong pag-uusap na mangyayari ngayon dahil na rin siguro sa tagal no‘ng huli naming pag-uusap. At alam ko, kagaya no‘ng mga pag-uusap namin dati, that talk we had a week ago ends up so bad. Though I think that it was more severe than the last one.

That was maybe the reason why we are awkward with one another. At mas lalo pa akong nailang no‘ng makita kong naka-titig pa rin sa akin si Erebus na para bang mine-memorize niya ang mukha ko.

Lumapit ako sa kaniya at umupo sa upuan na malapit sa desktop table niya. I cautiously took a seat on it as I looked at him awkwardly because he was still looking intently at me that made me uncomfortable.

I cleared my throat so he would snap out of his reverie, and it looks like it works because I saw him shook his head as if he was waking himself up. And I thought that it was so out of character for him.

“So what do you want to talk about?” I asked him to remove the awkward atmosphere betweem us.

Umupo muna siya bago siya ulit tumitig sa akin at sinagot ang tanong ko. “I won’t allow you to go out of my palace today,” he said that made me look at him in shock.

“What?” I asked him in disbelief. “Pero pinayagan mo akong lumabas nitong mga nakaraang araw. Bakit hindi mo ako papayagan ngayon?”

Bakit ngayon pa na kailangang-kailangan kong lumabas ng palasyo? Bakit ngayon pa siya nagdesisyon na hindi ako payagang lumabas ng palasyo? Bakit kailangan niyang gawin ito?

Kailangan kong lumabas ngayon dahil iyon lang ang magiging paraan para makausap ko si Elysium. Baka hindi na kami magkaroon pa ng chance muli na mag-usap pagkatapos nito kaya hindi ko siya hahayaang diktahan ako kung ano ang gagawin ko.

“May I ask why?” I said as I tried to stay calm so that he won’t get suspiscious of me. “I mean, pinapayagan mo naman ako nitong mga nakaraang araw, kaya bakit hindi ako pwedeng lumabas ngayon?” dagdag ko pang tanong sa kaniya.

He straightened his back as he told me, “There was an issue lurking around the palace and I don’t want you to get involved by it so I think the best way to do is to not let you out of my palace. Much better if you will stay in your room.”

So that explains why the people inside the palace were so tense, because of some issue and maybe I am the only one who was clueless about that. Wala naman kasing nag-sasabi sa akin at hindi rin nababanggit ni Hemera sa akin na may ganitong issue na pala sa loob ng palasyo.

Pero kailangan ko talagang lumabas ng palasyo para makausap si Elysium. Kailangan kong sabihin sa kaniya ang lahat at kailangan rin naming gumawa ng susunod naming mga hakbang para matupad na ang mga plano namin.

“But...” I was about to complain to him but I stopped when I saw a warning look on his face.

“Menrui, follow me just this once,” sabi niya sa akin.

Kung hindi ko lang siya kilala, iisipin ko na nakikiusap siya na sundin ko na lang siya, pero alam kong suntok sa buwan lang na mangyari ‘yon. I might even give a grand party if I saw him beg for something.

Sinabi pa niya talaga ang pangalan ko. And somehow, I am not used to it. Lagi niya kasi akong tinatawag na ‘woman’ o kung anu-ano pa at hindi ang pangalan ko. I even forgot if he really knows my name or not, but I guess he does because he just called my name now.

Nag-iisip pa ako ng paraan para mapapayag ko siya nang biglang bumukas muli ang pinto ng opisina niya. Sabay kaming napa-tingin sa gawi no‘n at hindi na ako nagulat pa nang makita ko si Grim doon.

“We are still talking,” sabi ni Erebus sa kaniya at nakita ko kung paano tumalim ang tingin nito. “What makes you interrupt our talk?” he asked him with his cold voice.

Grim bowed at him as if he was apologizing for interrupting our talk as he said, “My apologies, Emperor.” Then he straightened his back as he looked at Erebus while i am just watching them. “Someone wanted to talk to you about the issue inside the palace.”

Nakita ko kung paan kumunot ang noo ni Erebus nang sabihin iyon ni Grim. Mukhang iniisip niya kung sino ang taong tinutukoy ni Grim.

“Who is it?” tanong niya rito.

Tumingin naman sa akin si Grim bago niya ulit ibinalik ang atensiyon niya kay Erebus. Lumapit ito sa kinaroroon ni Erebus at mukhang hindi niya gustong ipaalam sa akin kung sino ang gustong kumausap sa Emperor dahil ibinulong niya lang ito kay Erebus.

Nakita kung paano nagbago ang expression sa mukha ni Erebus nang matapos ibulong ni Grim ang taong gustong kumausap sa kaniya. Grim just stood straight beside him as he looked at me with his emotionless eyes.

“I will let you go out of the palace now,” he said that made my eyes widen in shock.

Ngayon pinapayagan niya na ako? Ano ba talaga ang nangyayari at bakit parang pabago-bago ang dseisyon ni Erebus ngayon?

Mukhang may kinalaman iyon sa binulong ni Grim sa kaniya at sa taong gustong kumausap sa kaniya. Though I am not complaining because he was doing a favor on my side because I can finally go out of the palace so that I can talk to Elysium.

“Is this for real?” I asked him just to be sure that I did not misheard him.

Tumango lang siya sa akin at sinabing, “Though that man who was always with you cannot accompany you because of the issue lurking around the palace, so I will apoint someone to join you in your walk outside the palace.”

I immediately nodded my head and agreed with him. Kung sino man itong bagong makakasama ko sa paglabas ko ng palasyo, sana ay magawa ko rin sa kaniya ang pag-manipula ko sa utak ng tauhan ni Erebus nitong nakaraan.

“Sino ‘yon?” tanong ko sa kaniya para magka-idea ako kung sino nga ba ang gusto niyang pasamahin sa akin.

He acted as if he was thinking then he said, “It’s the maid that is always preparing your food. Who is it again?” Tinignan niya si Grim na para bang tinatanong niya kung sino iyon.

I, on the other hand, got excited because I have a clue who it is. It’s Hemera! Kung siya nga ang tinutukoy ni Erebus, mas magiging pabor sa akin ‘yon dahil hindi ko na kailangan pang gamitan siya ng magic dahil alam kong hindi siya magsusumbong kay Erebus.

“Her name is Hemera, Emperor,” sabi ni Grim na nakapag-kumpirma sa hinala ko.

“Ah. Yes. That woman,” he said then he turned to look at me again. “She will be the one who will accompany you right now, and I trust you that you will not do something st*pid just because I changed the one who will accompany you.”

I tried to hide my excitement to him as I said, “No, I won’t.”

Bakit naman ako gagawa ng kahit ano, kung si Hemera ang kasama ko? After all, I know that Hemera is on my side so if he will ask her what I did, then she would just simply lie to him. Mas magiging ligtas ang pag-uusap namin ni Elysium kung kasama namin si Hemera. At isa pa, mas makakapag-plano kami kapag kasama namin si Hemera dahil masasabi niya agad ito sa dalawa pa niyang mga kasama, sina Fawn at Helios.

Tumango ulit siya sa aking bago siya tumayo. “Then you should be careful out there,” he said as he turned to leave his office.

Grim bowed to me before he followed Erebus out of the office. And I was left inside, thinking if I heard him right or not.

Did he...

“Did he just told me to be careful out there?”

My mouth gaped because of that as many thoughts started to flood my mind.