Chapter Text
The leaves rustled as the strong yet delicate breeze brought the grass and branches dancing along with it. The moon was up high on the limitless dark sky, full and bright. It was as if the moon was trying to get rid of the darkness that was threatening the cast sky. The moon was not alone. It was accompanied by a few little bright stars, spread across the spaciousness. Some of it near the bright sphere while others are far away from it.
A hand had interrupted the great panoramic view. The owner of the hand covered half of the moon from the balcony, spreading his fingers as he tried to cover the whole moon. The owner of the hand gave up, clenched his hand into a tight fist and slowly brought it away from the vastness, revealing the bright sphere trying to get rid of the darkness. The owner of the hand, a double black, was staring at the bright sphere.
"Shibuya." A familiar voice interrupted the King's only relaxation time of the day. The 27th King turned his head but not entirely, to welcome his friend.
Nimble footsteps were heard louder as the spectacled sage went towards his old classmate, but his best friend.
"I knew you would be here." Murata said, almost whispering once he stood beside Yuuri.
"Why am I not surprised, Murata. And how do you know I might be here, in the throne room's balcony?" Yuuri asked his former classmate, almost sounding as if he was challenging him. Yuuri saw Murata's spectacles gleamed from the moonlight, his expression hard to read.
"Firstly, you did not go back to your room after dinner. Second, I knew you have finished your paperwork for today and lastly, I have always known that you would always come here when something's troubling the Great 27th King of The Demon Kingdom." Murata replied as he gave Yuri a playful smile. Yuuri could not help but reply with a small but sad smile. Murata turned his eyes back to the full moon and opened his mouth to ask,
"Lord Von Bielefeld, skipped dinner for a reason didn't he?"
Yuuri turned to face Murata at that question, but eventually his eyes drifted towards his own feet. Wolfram had not come for their usual dinner time after Yuuri had finished his bath. When Yuuri asked Conrad, his godfather told him that Wolfram would be having his dinner in his room. Yuuri saw Gwendal's aquamarine eyes glaring at him, obviously suspecting that Wolfram absence was caused by Yuuri himself. After knowing the reason for Wolfram's absence, Yuuri decided to excuse himself, not finishing his scrumptious yet empty dinner.
"He was avoiding me." Yuuri finally murmured but Murata heard his friend's little thought. Murata pushed his spectacles back to his nose bridge and sighed.
"Maybe not. It's not the first time he's having dinner in his room, but today you're being much more concerned huh?"
Yuuri shook his head a little while biting onto his lips and replied,
"It's different! Wolfram won't tell me what's going on."
"What's what going on?"
"I don't know! I saw his body earlier, back when I was in the baths. Wolfram was there, staring into space. When he noticed I was there, he stood up, ready to leave. Just then, I saw his body covered with fresh scars and he told me those scars were from his battle with the bandits he mentioned to me three months ago."
A pregnant pause befalls on the two double blacks after Yuuri's sentence. Murata was about to speak up his mind but he decided not to, knowing that Yuuri had not finished explaining. Yuuri clenched his fist tightly, almost wanting to punch the pillars of the balcony they are in. But instead, he released his fist and continued,
"Come on Murata! I'm not that stupid! If those scars were from those bandits, it should have been half healed by now!" Yuuri almost shouted but he managed to control himself. His hands were clenching the stoned yet beautifully carved balcony pillars.
Murata turned his gaze back to the moon, his spectacles gleaming by the moonlight.
"I know something's going on in the castle-"
"Shibuya, I believe you should put on more trust to your comrades." Murata interrupted before Yuuri finished his sentence. Yuuri's onyx orbs widened at that as he remembered the many situations he had misunderstood, that had brought him and his friends in danger. Simply because he didn’t trust his subordinates as much as he should have.
Yuuri knew that no one had told him what have been going on because they do not wish to make him worry.
"Trust them, Shibuya. They will tell you when they feel that they need the King's help. Don't underestimate them." Murata broke the awkward silence with his usual "Murata" tone.
"I know, I know, but Wolfram's case was different. He lied to me. Wolfram can choose not tell me but he lied to me instead." Yuuri sighed as he gazed at the moon.
"But Shibuya, how can you be so sure that your fiancé had lied to you?"
The double black fell silent, his eyes drifted from Murata to his feet. Murata sighed and turned to leave his friend alone to ponder with his thoughts.
Günter ran towards the infirmary as fast as his slender long legs could carry, his long silver threads of hair overflowing against the wind as the he ran. The advisor had hoped he was not too late; he did not want his daughter to leave before him.
Günter had received a word from one of the castle guards that his daughter, Gisela had collapsed. Without saying a word to the guard, he had abandoned his research on the "History of Plagues in The Demon Kingdom" earlier on.
"Gisela!" The beautiful advisor shouted as he barged into the infirmary. Without bothering about the other patients resting in the room, he went forward to the bed where Gisela's resting. A castle guard, who had been helping Gisela with her job ever since all the other healers had collapsed, was standing beside Gisela's bed. The guard had a face of an average demon, neither pretty nor ugly, with his red hair resting on his broad shoulders. The red head man bowed to Günter as he approached towards his sick daughter.
Gisela's face looked as if she was sleeping, with no signs of the disease what so ever. Unlike the other patients who had caught the disease, their skin was paler as usual, black rings under their eyes and wounds refused to be closed. Günter sighed with relief. Gisela had not caught the disease. Her powerful healing majutsu must have prevented it.
"What happened?" Günter asked the guard in a demanding tone. The red head guard looked up, positioned himself properly and formally.
"Lady Gisela was trying to close a patient's wound when suddenly, her maryoku started to decrease but she refused to stop healing. When the Maryoku has finally disappeared, she collapsed."
Günter's amethyst eyes started to have the pained look, clearly remembering how Suzanna Julia had passed away. His eyes drifted towards his sleeping daughter, placing his palm onto her forehead.
Gizela reacted to the sudden touch. She slowly opened her eyes but not completely. The healer let out a small smile.
"Father…" muttered the Mazoku Healer.
"Shush now. Rest, you have done your best." Günter replied, trying his best to stay calm. Gizela had wanted to protest, but once she saw her father shook his head slightly, she nodded and drifted back to sleep.
Günter closed his eyes for a moment, a dilemma storming in his mind.
Must I report this to His Majesty now? Gizela's at her limit, what are we to do now when all our healers can't find the cause and the antidote to this treacherous plague?
"Your Majesty," Conrad's usual tone echoed as he knocked on his Majesty's Royal Chambers, "It's time for your breakfast."
Inside the chambers, under the covers, Yuuri blinked, rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"Morning already? Oh great! I didn't sleep a wink last night!" Yuuri cried as he jumped out of his covers. He scratched his head while inviting Conrad to come on in.
Conrad stepped into the room, along with one of the castle maids, Effe, behind the brunette pushing a food trolley silently. Yuuri blinked in confusion as Effe greeted the King. Yuuri nodded in reply then glared at his godfather.
"Please let me explain, Your-" Conrad started but Yuuri interrupted him with,
"It's Yuuri, you’re the one who named me after all," Yuuri said him when Conrad nodded.
"Of course, Yuuri. Günter has instructed me to tell you that you're having breakfast on bed today." Conrad finished off his sentence.
"Waah… That really sounds like only the royalties are doing." Yuuri replied in a tone that surprised Conrad. It was sarcastic. The taller man turned to dismiss Effe, who then bowed and exited the chamber. Conrad then turned to face his godson.
"Yuuri, is something the matter?"
"Oh ho you tell me," Yuuri replied, sounding a little pissed off as he slumped on his bed.
Conrad sighed as he patted Yuuri's slight broad shoulders. The double black had certainly grown. Conrad realized that Yuuri had deep dark circles under his eyes, remembering that Yuuri hadn't slept last night.
"Yuuri, mind telling me why are you so upset?" Conrad asked gently, carefully not to mutter the word, 'Your Majesty.' Yuuri shot an angry glance at Conrad.
"You know the answer to that question."
"No, I don't"
Yuuri looked away at that reply and patted the side of the bed where his fiancé used to sleep.
"The bed's cold without Wolfram." Yuuri replied as if avoiding replying his godfather's question.
"Wolfram didn't sleep here last night?"
"Yes! I know one of my important responsibilities as the King is to trust my disciples to handle whatever situation is going on right now but…" Yuuri's sentence trailed when he realized he didn't have any answer to defend himself. Conrad knew that Yuuri had developed feelings towards his baby brother over the years.
Conrad smiled.
"Never mind, I'll have the breakfast and head back to my office after a short soak in the baths." Yuuri muttered as Conrad took the plate and placed it on Yuuri's bed covers.
"Yuuri, I'll take my leave then."
"Sure" Yuuri replied while picking up his spork. Conrad opened the door and almost stepped out of the room when Yuuri suddenly called to him. Conrad stopped and turned.
"Yes, Your Majesty?"
"Thank you. And it's Yuu-ri"
"It's my pleasure, Yuuri."
Conrad rushed as fast as his legs could carry towards his mother's chambers. He had just received the message from one of the castle guards that his mother had returned unconscious, with Greta by her side.
"Please don't let it be true," The brunette murmured before entering the room.
Conrad knocked, opened the door and stepped inside. The room was solemn. In the room stood the body figures of Gwendal, Günter and Greta standing beside the bed. Greta, with her brown curls resting on her shoulders was holding onto his mother's hand, close to tears. Conrad closed his eyes for a moment, trying to accept what he had feared for was true. He walked towards the bed and examined the ex-Maou.
The once beautiful blonde was looking extremely pale, her face wet with sweat. Her left hand that Greta was holding onto was bandaged but there was a tint of blood soaking through it.
"It was just a cut that she got from a ragged wooden chair but it won't stop bleeding!" Greta cried when Conrad was staring at Cheri's hand. Gwendal, with his eyes closed and arms crossed said,
"So, Mother caught it too."
"We can't go on like this. Gizela had collapsed and the disease spreads quickly. We should inform His Majesty Yuuri immediately!" Günter said firmly, almost yelling. Conrad then realized that those two had been fighting over this matter.
"Not until we find the source of this plague. His Highness ordered us not to tell His Majesty until he finds the source of this." Gwendal replied without looking at Günter.
"Is Cheri going to die?" Greta broke the argument with the sad question. Her hazel eyes tearing up and Gwendal patted her head, replying,
"No, we won't allow that to happen." Greta knew he wasn't sure but she gave him a faint smile.
"Come, I'll bring you to visit Anissinna." Gwendal muttered as he held Greta's delicate hand. Greta blinked at that sentence.
"Anissinna fell ill as well?"
"Yes" Gwendal's tone was soft and serious. The trio left the room, including Günter. Conrad turned to face his sick mother.
"Mother, please, don't leave us yet…"
Wolfram walked through the hallways in search for the reason why the castle was strangely quiet. None of Gwendal's, Conrad's and his troops were seen anywhere. Wolfram wandered every section where the troops are supposed to be but to no avail.
What is going on here? I can't find Gizela either.
Wolfram recently found out he could not close his reopened wounds. He wondered why they were opened at the first place. When Wolfram tried to close it with his power, it wasn't there. Wolfram could only manage to bandage the wounds last night.
Something was wrong. The blonde knew that his brothers were keeping the situation from him and Yuuri.
Maybe I should go and see how the wimp's doing…
Running footsteps interrupted his thoughts. Wolfram looked forward and he saw a ravishing purple shone as he ran.
It was Günter.
"Gwendal!" Günter shouted as he barged into Gwendal's room. He dismissed the guards who had brought the collapsed man and brought his palm to the sweating forehead.
"Gyuun…taa.." Gwendal panted without opening his eyes.
"Don't speak, rest." Günter ordered as he tried to feed Gwendal some water. Gwendal managed to take in the liquid and swallowed it painfully.
Günter put away the glass of water and held Gwendal's hand. His skin had turned much paler and rough to Günter's touch. He then heard a faint meow coming from the covers. A small white cat with black patches popped out from the covers. Its half tail drooping and its hazel eyes beamed when he saw Günter. Günter knew this small cat. It had always stayed in Gwendal's room.
"Patches, you're worried aren't you?" Günter asked the cat while stroking its back. The cat let out a soft purr.
"You've got the right to worry, little one. Soon it will be my turn. When that happens, whatever are we going to do?"