The Flower Of Eternity
Chapter 40: Lust, Love and Loneliness

Leon could not calm down during the trip to the Suri's study. The Queen Mother obviously would not take her to dinner considering that it was almost midnight. Nor must it be to talk about the details of the Palace's magician's work, since there is certainly still tomorrow for it. But while his mind is busy thinking about what he will face later, as much as possible Leon displays the calm and calm figure of Ren.

The Queen Mother's room they were referring to was located deep in the left wing of the Palace, in a part of the Palace that Leon had never passed before. Of course there were many parts of the Sun Palace that Leon had never crossed given that the Palace was so vast. But the further they walked, the more unpleasant the feeling became. If only Leon had brought his sword back then, he might have already fought all the surrounding bodyguards and fled. No, even without a sword, because now that Leon has mastered magic, he can still fight them all. Even though Leon doesn't need to fight them all, Leon only needs to teleport to escape. But if Leon ran away now, he would never have the chance to get closer to Reina and gain her trust.

They continued to walk through the park after the park, hallway after hall, and many doors were closed to the rooms that Leon did not know. The atmosphere of the night was so calm and peaceful, only the sound of their footsteps, the fountain in the middle of the garden and the sound of night insects. Leon tries to memorize the paths they pass, looking for all the special features of each turn to remember if he is about to escape. Anything that could have been a road marker he passed, brightly colored flowers in front of a door, chipped paint, a slightly faded wooden floor, and a few other small details. But there were too many similar turns that they passed. The Sun Palace was like a dizzying labyrinth to him.

Leon had already completely given up on trying to find a way to escape when they stopped in front of a door. And only then did Leon realize that he misinterpreted Orient language 'working space' with 'room'. What they mean is 'Mother Suri awaits your arrival in her room'. In room. Not a room or a work space.

Damnit.

The door was wide open for him. And even though he didn't want to, Leon still stepped foot into the Queen Mother's room. After he entered, the door behind him was tightly shut.

"You really came." Reina looked surprised.

Reina was sitting on her bed. She was wearing a thin nightgown that made Leon question what the outfit really did. But of course he just kept quiet and lowered his gaze politely. He no longer needed to wonder what his purpose was to invite Leon. The answer is very clear.

There was no one but the two of them in the room. In Leon's heart pity the real Eri—Eri. Though he doesn't really know her, Leon and the Wolves surround him to take him to Noord, Leon can see Eri's hateful gaze towards all of them—against Leon and the members of the Wolf army who are all men. Leon had misinterpreted the hateful gaze, Eri was too often let down by the men so that the woman did not trust any man. Because all his lovers were fooled by the Queen Mother or rather all his former lovers could not escape from the Queen Mother.

But Leon wasn't fooled by the Queen Mother. Leon could also escape from that place right now. Even then, his brain was already full of various ways to kill the Queen Mother with her magic and escape from the Palace with Anna. Even so, Leon remained on his knees before Reina.

"Because His Majesty called me. Am I wrong?" The answer is in Ren's voice.

"No. Of course not." Reina. He then hinted Leon to stand up. Leon complied too. Reina stepped slowly towards him. His hand began to wander from Ren's shoulder, then down to his chest. Leon clenched his hand, refraining from directly breaking the hand bone of the Queen Mother. Reina was unaware of that, and in a sensual and seductive voice she added, "But it's already night. And I'm asking you to come to my room. Don't you understand what that means?"

Leon smiled—Ren's smile, "I'm sure that means Your Majesty needs me."

Reina pecked for a moment when she saw Ren's smile. In a few short seconds he was like looking back at Qin in youth. He immediately lowered his hand that he had wanted to touch Ren's face and teased him. As Ren smiled, Reina thought back to her youth with Qin. Who after years of living with her, has now forgotten all the sweetness in their relationship.

Reina took a few steps back from him, "Right. I can't sleep and need a chatter buddy. We haven't talked much today. You're getting married to one of the people I trust the most so I need to get to know you." Reina. She then put on an outer garment that covered her dreamy nightwear, then allowed Ren to sit down with her and pour some wine for her. Leon accepted it, but did not drink it. He recalled Anna's warning to be careful of all food and drink.

"Say, Ren, what do you like about Eri? I mean, I know she's beautiful and young. But there are so many beautiful young girls in this empire. So what makes you want to marry him?" Ask Reina. He also did not drink his wine. Making Leon even more sure not to drink the wine poured for him.

Leon doesn't know Eri at all. She had no idea what made her lovers fall in love with her. So that question, even though Leon knew that Reina didn't really want to hear the answer, was a difficult one for him to answer. So instead of answering her while thinking about what she knew about Eri, Leon answered her based on what Reina wanted to hear from a man.

It was clear that Reina was a smart and strong woman. The woman in power surpasses any man in this empire, surpassing even an Emperor. And he wants to be recognized for his power. So with that assessment, Leon found out what he was going to say.

While showing off Ren's smile that could make Reina flinch, Leon replied, "He's smart and determined. He is also very dedicated to his work. I like women like that. Not just because of her beauty." As he said it, Leon deliberately used a soft tone of speech and—hampir like— seduce, while continuing to look into the eyes of the Queen Mother. The act should have been categorized as a presumptuous act against the Emperor's family and could have been sentenced to death if not for Reina who did like it.

Again Leon managed to make Reina speechless with that smile and with his answer. Reina hurriedly recovered herself from Ren's charm, she seemed to blush as if Ren had just been praising her. "Well, it's rare for a man to appreciate a woman's intelligence." His comments.

Knowing she was starting to succeed, Leon resumed his words, "In my opinion, a woman cannot be judged only by her beauty. Women are not just beautiful jewelry. They, like men, are created with perfect reason, equipped with hearts full of tenderness and affection and perfected with graceful and charming behavior. Women like Eri, and like you, are amazing women."

"You're good at praising." Reina said while still blushing. He then drank his wine, conscious or not. Leon was convinced that the wine contained nothing but alcohol. Reina just wanted to get him drunk. But it looks like the Queen Mother herself will get drunk. Reina drank once more and three more glasses before finally adding, "Eri is very lucky to get you."

"No, Sire. I am the one who feels lucky. I'm just expressing my opinion, Sire."

For some time that felt very long to Leon, Reina just stared at him. Reina then started holding Leon's hand. Leon must refrain from immediately teleporting away from the room, or even crush the hand of Reina who was touching it. Thousands of ways to kill the Queen Mother right then came to her mind but none of them did because Leon knew it wasn't yet. But the longer, Reina becomes bolder as Leon stays still in his place. He leaned over her body and brought her face closer to Leon, touched her face, and almost kissed her lips if only then had Leon not immediately said anything.

"You seem a little drunk, Sire." Leon said directly, which managed to stop Reina's actions. He smiled back at Reina. Inwardly he wished to have the eyes of Amethyst belonging to the Navarro Clan so that he could annihilate Reina directly with his gaze. "Do you want to take a walk outside? There's a beautiful place I want to show you."

Even if Reina wanted to reject him, Reina seemed to have been too fascinated by him so that she could not refuse his invitation. They also teleported to the back garden of the Palace.

There's a reason why Leon took her there. According to information from Anna—who also knew it from Eri, the back garden of the Palace is the place used by Yi-Zhuo and Prince Yuza to meet secretly if the Prince is in the Sun Palace. Although Leon was not sure whether Prince Yuza was in the Sun Palace or at his residence that night, he still invited Reina to go there rather than continue to be in Reina's room. The night air would keep Reina conscious and the atmosphere outside would make Reina stop trying to approach her. And Leon will have more space to avoid Reina's touch. And if Leon is lucky, they might catch Yi-Zhuo who is having sex with one of Reina's sons.

But Leon finds out why the place was chosen by the Prince and the Dragon Tracker to meet. The view from the back garden is beautiful at night. A row of silhouettes of Shina hill that can be seen from there, the stars and moon that illuminate above it, as well as hundreds of lights that come from the lights of the houses in the valley below, making the night view in that place tens of times more beautiful than the view when the sky was still bright. As well as the smell of flowers blooming in the garden makes the atmosphere very romantic. That sight and atmosphere can make anyone fall in love.

"Yi-Zhuo.." sighed someone. Leon and Reina both stiffened upon hearing that voice. "I've missed you so much."

Leon then follows Reina to find the source of the voice. Both of their footsteps were so quiet. And there, under the tree, Yi-Zhuo and Prince Yuza were making out.

"Don't be here, prince. Let's go somewhere quieter."

"Where, sweetie? Just here. There won't be anyone here but us."

Leon observed Reina who looked very angry looking at the two. But in her heart of gratitude, thanks to Prince Yuza and Yi-Zhuo, Reina forgot what she was about to do to Leon earlier.

"Your wife?" Yi-Zhuo asked between their kisses.

"My wife is in Jungdo."

"And that Palace you promised me?"

"Tomorrow I'll take you there. I-i promise. Now—“

"How dare you seduce my son!" Reina interrupted the two passionate couples. Making Yi-Zhuo hurriedly cover his chest and move away from the Prince. Reina looked at Yi-Zhuo with disdain as if she was staring at a cockroach and added, "From this second on, you are no longer Torakka, Xing Yi-Zhuo! Hurry up and get out of this palace before I sentence you to death and your family!"

"That's not fair, Sire! Prince Yuza is the one who seduced me!" Yi-Zhuo tries to defend herself while justifying her clothes. He then turned his head towards Ren—Leon— who was watching this Imperial family drama while holding a triumphant smile. Yi-Zhuo seems to know who made the Queen Mother know her hiding place with Yuza.

Prince Yuza who was so afraid of his mother immediately refuted him, "Ti-not right, Mother! ****** this is who approached me and dreamed of becoming a Princess to seize your position in the future! He kept influencing me to seize Haru's position so that he would become the Empress! He was so cunning and kept seducing me with his body when he knew I already had a Wife!"

Leon could have sat quietly while watching the entertaining scandal-filled affair drama. He actually did not particularly like the gossip and scandal of honorable nobles but if it could help him save Imperial, then he could watch it continue without getting bored. Yi-Zhuo was obviously looking at him suspiciously, because he was in that place with Reina these nights. But that suspicion will be useless, because now Yi-Zhuo will not be protected by Reina anymore. Leon will be protected by Reina.

Reina, of course, trusted her son more than Yi-Zhuo. Leon immediately volunteered to help Reina by summoning the guards to arrest Yi-Zhuo. In the end, the plan worked. Yi-Zhuo will be fired so Reina will only trust Eri.

***

Because of Leon's actions last night, Reina now makes Eri as her only trusted person and Reina was very flattering Ren who helped her discover the relationship between her son and Yi-Zhuo. The Prince returned to his residence to apologize to his wife and said that he was influenced by Yi-Zhuo. While Yi-Zhuo is locked up in prison on charges of seducing the Prince and plotting a rebellion. Senior Commander Xing who was indeed very loyal to the Queen Mother did nothing to attempt to get her only daughter out of prison while junior Commander Xing, was, brother Yi-Zhuo— does not have enough power to resist the will of the Queen Mother or the hardness of heart of the father.

Arriving there, Anna immediately felt dizzy. Apparently he was still not used to teleportation magic either. It took a while for Anna to be able to steady her feet. But once he set foot in Jungdo, along the streets that are always enlivened by people, inevitably he returned to remember everything that had happened in the Orient Capital.

In this city we are married. There are so many wonderful memories with you in this city, Xavier. And being here now, without you, makes me miss you even more.

Anna holds back her tears as her footsteps somehow bring her to the front of Dong-gung's now-closed gate. He no longer wants to be dissolved in his longing for Xavier, but it is hard not to recall all their good times in the city while he continues down Jungdo town. And as he stepped along Jungdo's streets, he felt as if Xavier was by his side and clasped his hands like he used to.

The porridge shop at the end of the alley next to Dong-gung is where Xavier used to buy their breakfast every morning. Anna remembers how Xavier deliberately woke up earlier than anyone to get the first line number to get the porridge. The porridge was delicious, but because they ate it every day while in Jungdo, Anna was bored and wanted to eat Schiereiland's cooking so Xavier eventually learned to cook for her. Now Anna missed the taste of the porridge and wanted to eat it again. But now the shop is closed. And the flowers that used to bloom by the roadside because Anna grew her flower tree when she was very happy at the beginning of their marriage, are no more. The flower tree is dead.

"It's a porridge shop that's closing, huh?"

Someone said it in the Schiereiland language and from her accent it seemed that the woman was a southerner. So Anna immediately looked back, towards the woman who said earlier. But how surprised Anna when she found that the woman turned out to be an Orient woman whose age was old enough to be called a grandmother. He may be a hundred years old or more. Wrinkles filled his face, and his hair was already whitened completely. Beside the woman, stood a similarly old Orient man, holding the grandmother's hand. Grandpa looked at Anna and smiled.

"You also want to eat that porridge, huh?" Ask the old man, who surprised Anna even more by using the northman's accent.

Anna just nodded. Not knowing to answer them with Schiereiland or Orient language because they clearly look like Orient people and Anna herself is also disguised as Eri who has a face typical of Orient people.

The grandmother also smiled at Anna, "When we had come all the way to eat porridge here. My husband used to buy me porridge from this shop when we were young and unmarried. But near here is another porridge shop, you want to go there with us?"

At first Anna was about to reject the grandmother's offer politely, because even though she was hungry and had not eaten anything so early, Anna was on a mission to meet Haru. But the couple was very old and the red district of Orient was not a friendly place for old and weak people like them. They could have been cheated by street fraudsters or harmed by drunken people. Anna could not bear to see the old couple, so she also agreed to the grandmother's invitation.

Along the way, Anna keeps a close eye on the surroundings, just in case the couple's grandmother and grandfather are in danger. But they just seemed relaxed and enjoy the atmosphere around him as if they did not know how dangerous the streets in the red district of Jungdo was for them. Along the way the couple seemed to talk in Schiereiland, looking to reminisce about the past. Anna wanted to ask them, but she felt that there was no need to interfere much in the affairs of the person she had just met. It is possible that the grandmother and grandfather had lived for a long time in Schiereiland or Nordhalbinsel so that they are more fluent in the language.

Before long, in accordance with the words of the grandmother, they found a similar porridge shop. The grandmother said that the owner of the porridge shop was the daughter of the owner of the porridge shop that was closing. Although the taste is not the same, but the porridge turns out to be just as delicious and Anna feels her longing for the taste of the porridge can be slightly cured.

After having breakfast with the stranger's old couple, Anna was about to leave, but the grandmother prevented her from rushing away.

"You look lethargic and less happy, son. Has anything been bothering you lately?" asked the grandmother while holding Anna's hand. The hand was already very wrinkled. Anna suddenly thought of what trials the old woman had gone through in her life, eroding her youth and replacing it with experiences and memories. Because all humans must go through different trials. Anna was always amazed by the parents who had made it through whatever trials they had gone through in their long lives. Because now he knows life is not always easy.

The grandfather, who had been watching them since, also clasped Anna's hand. With a soothing smile and an old raucous voice, he said, "You don't have to tell us. I believe whatever you're going through right now, you'll be able to deal with it in your own strength. You have to believe in your own strength." And when the grandfather said that, somehow, there was a warm feeling running through Anna. Although the Orient air was not cold, Anna felt a very familiar warmth surrounding her, like a thick blanket and warm chocolate on a snowy day.

Anna smiled in response, "Thank you very much."

Anna's gaze then turned to those wrinkled hands grasping it. Grandpa and Grandma's hands look just as old. They both wear a ring. Anna refrained from feeling envious of them. Anna once hoped that she and Xavier would age together exactly like the old couple before her. Looking at their wrinkled hands holding each other with a pair of similar rings circling their fingers somehow made his eyes glaze over.

"Oh, jeez! Don't cry, son." Grandma immediately hugged him. And even Anna, though she did not want to, shed her tears. The grandmother let go of her embrace and wiped away the tears on her cheek.

"Sorry..." Said Anna. He then laughed awkwardly. "I don't understand why I'm crying. This may sound strange, but I envy you both. You guys look so happy together. Makes me happy for you, but at the same time envious because I can't be like you."

The grandmother looked at her husband. The grandfather swept his wrinkled finger across the wrinkled face of the grandmother. And Anna observed that the grandmother was shedding tears, but smiling at the grandfather. Seeing the harmony of the old couple made Anna's heart warm.

"Do I now look happy in your eyes?" Ask Grandma about Anna.

Without the slightest hesitation, Anna nodded. "Very happy. Even if your eyes seem to be glazed right now, you seem very happy. Happiness is so radiated that I think you look radiant and very beautiful. And if I were to compare the happiness of others, who may live in the Palace with the abundance of treasures and good food every day, you are much happier than that person." Said Anna. Then he asked what he had been wanting to ask, "May I know why you speak Schiereiland?"

The grandmother seemed surprised by the question for a while, then she replied, "That's because we actually lived in the North a long time when we were young. But after my husband and I retired from our jobs, we went to Orient to enjoy our old age in tranquility on the hill of Shina."

"So you guys live in Shina?"

This time, my grandfather answered. "In a simple, cozy house on the quiet and peaceful hills of Shina. A place I've wanted to stay with my wife for a long time since we were young." The grandfather glanced at his wife and smiled.

"We lived alone there since our seven children were quite mature and lived in their homes in the city. They are so busy that they rarely visit us, of course, because now they also have a family. Sometimes they visit and bring our grandchildren for picnics together in our spacious yard. Some of our children live in Noord, some live in Schere and Westeria. The eldest, the busiest, often travels with her husband who is a sailor. While the youngest stayed in the Orient, and he was the one who visited us the most. But we're rarely home. We dated outside more often and took walks to places we didn't have time to visit because we were too busy with our work. We've been together seventy years, but there's still a lot of places we haven't been to because of our busy youth." Said the grandmother. He paused for a moment and smiled at Anna, "When you go to Shina, come by our house."

And after the conversation, the grandfather and grandmother assured Anna that they would linger in the tavern and allow Anna to leave first to finish her affairs.

Before leaving, the grandmother and grandfather couple hugged him warmly. And when it was her turn to embrace her, Anna felt a familiar warmth. The grandfather said slowly to him, "Whatever difficulties you encounter in the present or the future, be sure that you will be able to get through them well. Rest assured that there will always be ease after difficulties. There will always be a sunny day after a storm cloud. You'll get through it all and in the end you'll be happy."

Anna nodded, "Thank you very much. You two are really very good. I will pray for your happiness always."

Long ago the grandfather only looked at Anna with a strange look that looked heartbreaking. Like looking at a piece of the past. Anna assumed she might be—in the form of Eri—reminds the grandfather of one of their daughters.

"Xav—my darling... You must let this young lady go. He's probably very busy with his business." The grandmother said to her husband.

After the farewell, Anna left the porridge shop with a lighter heart. Although Anna is not sure she will meet them again, in her heart she wants the couple to be together and happy.

***

Anna continued her journey by returning through the same streets. His meeting with the old couple made him miss Xavier even more and regret the togetherness of himself and Xavier were so short when compared to the couple togetherness. They have been together for seventy years! Anna has only been with Xavier for one year. How unfair the world is to him. Even in her past life Anna did not have much time with Xavier. Their togetherness was too short compared to the thousand years they had to go through to be able to meet again.

It was getting late by the time Anna saw an empty house around the street, where she and Xavier once hid from Elias and Yeon-Hwa for wanting to spend time alone and kissing there all afternoon. The house was still there, and still empty but filled with street children playing in his yard. How all things still looked the same at once was very different because Anna no longer saw everything with a flowery heart. Because the absence of one of the most valuable people in his life, it can turn his whole world darker and gloomier.

The street was still as crowded as ever, enlivened by drunkards, gamblers and striped-nosed men who had just visited or were about to visit the brothels that were around there. Some stray tourists seemed confused as they stepped foot in Jungdo's red district. All sorts of people filled the streets, but Anna felt very lonely as if there was no one there.

I haven't heard your voice in a long time. Did you really leave me in the end?

Just a few steps away Anna steps off the main street where Dong-gung is, into a quiet little alley and no one walks by. At that moment he felt all the sadness he had been pending all this time reappeared. Anna sat on the side of the road and covered her face. Her tears flowed without being held back.

There hasn't been a year, just a few months ago when she was on that street with Xavier beside her and felt her life was perfect and very happy. How much he thought that everything would be fine because Xavier would always be there for him. He thought that their togetherness would last a long time. And now he's on the same path, but without Xavier, neither his body nor his voice, and Anna is devastated. So she just cried there all by herself, no matter if anyone went through that path and looked at her in wonder.

I've been trying, Xavier. I've been trying to get this far without you. I know you want me to move on with my life and keep fighting for the people. I understand what you expect of me. You want me to live without you. You want me to move on with my life. The life you have left behind. But it's not as easy as you think, Xavier. I can't do it. It's too hard for me. Wherever I go, no matter what I do, I always remember you and think about the fact that you are gone now. I want to surrender, but I know the fate of millions of Imperial citizens is in my hands. They believe me when I don't really know if I deserve their trust. They pinned their fate on a weak leader like me. Tell me how I can survive without you? Why did you stop talking to me? Please, come back to me. I really can't live my life without you.

"Darling..." Call someone with a northern accent.

***