ATAPOW Chapter 211

Chapter 211: A state of confusion

A pure and sacred haven untouched by the noise and commotion of the mundane world.

Her birth into this world was heralded by a puerile cry that echoed through a palace, accompanied by a cascade of flawless flower petals.

Amidst a golden era of prosperity and development, she had found herself being surrounded by joy and congratulations.

She did not disappoint the expectations of others, showcasing exceptional talents in her youth and earning the appreciation of many of her elders.

The most remarkable part was her appearance and mannerism at a young age. Unlike girls her age who had just awakened to the idea of love, she possessed a refined and educated air while maintaining a certain level of distance with the opposite sex.

At that moment, she had not yet turned 16.

Her future achievement would be nothing short of extraordinary — This was the evaluation given by those who knew her well.

One only needed a moment to like someone, but to love someone required a long time of companionship.

Perhaps it was the decree of fate for this virtually perfect and desireless princess to be taken captive by the poisons of ‘longing’ and ‘admiration’.

At a gathering of various races aimed at fostering friendly relations, her gaze had once glanced over a certain upright and straightforward figure, rendering her unable to avert her eyes ever since.

Letters became the means for both of them to exchange the emotions in their hearts.

All while the fading light of dusk softened and obscured the faces of the loved ones they had lost.

But her youthful shoulders were burdened with the wellbeing of a kingdom.

This led to exhaustion; Everytime the gentle breeze caressed her hair, it evoked her yearning for him, making it hard for her to find peace in eating or sleeping.

Her pen, which she navigated through political affairs with great authority and skill, came to a halt. Despite filling pages upon pages of words overflowing with her heartfelt emotions and longing, not a single piece of her writing had ever reached his hands.

All had been discarded into the wastepaper bin. It was as if she believed that by doing so, she could forget her troubling emotions altogether.

However, her attempts proved futile.

In the end, the virtually perfect eldest princess succumbed to the temptation of love. She was bewildered to discover that this sentiment had been brewing within her heart for a long time and transformed into something uncontrollable.

That night, she made a decision.

She resolved herself to abandon her lofty identity of a princess, abdicate her post and betray the expectations of her fellow clansmen. She would then set out to find that person, explain her situation to him, and strive to transform the hostile relationship between their races into a lasting friendship.

She yearned to throw herself into his embrace, regardless of what would await her: Her father’s disappointment, the confusion of the common people, or the unabashed infamy of being labeled a wayward individual.

The day where she would see him had finally arrived. She adorned herself in a long flawless white dress in the hopes of showing her most beautiful side to him. However…

Her blood-stained long dress fluttered in the mournful winds. The sea of words, brimming with her yearning for him, were halted in her throat by a sharp longsword.

She lifted her gaze ever so slightly; What met her eyes was the completely emotionless stare from the person she loved the most.

The disbelief in her beautiful eyes eventually transformed into a long sigh as she wiped away the blood flowing out from the corner of her mouth. Yet, her eyes held no trace of blame in them and maintained their tender and gentle qualities, like shimmering water.

She reached out her pale hand and tenderly caressed the cheeks of the person she held most dear for the final time. With a bittersweet sense of contentment, she closed her eyes.

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Those balls of creased and yellowed papers had been salvaged from neglect by later generations.

Despite the ravages of time corroding the papers and humidity turning its pristine-white color yellow, the heartfelt yearnings and emotions inscribed within remained completely untouched.

That form of eternity glistened with brilliance and sparkle, reminiscent of a rare diamond.

Even at this moment, it continued to resonate with one’s soul.

They were the memories of a departed person.

Sincere and radiant emotions manifested into a plethora of sentences, brimming with care and redemption for the person she held dear. Despite emanating boundless selflessness, there was not a trace of resentment within them.

“These are the items we found in Princess Felina’s wastepaper bin while sorting out her belongings. It seems she had intended to write them to someone, but for some reason, they were never sent.” As Nael delved into the events of the past regarding Felina, her furrowed brows reflected an overwhelming sense of reminiscence, accompanied by a tinge of pity. She recounted their origins to the knight before her, who appeared somewhat detached from the present.

“…” Despite appearing to listen attentively, none of her words seemed to truly register with him. The gaze radiating through the seams of his helmet was fixed upon the papers that had once been crumpled into balls, as he fell into deep contemplation.

Her beautiful and delicate handwriting, infused with the unspoken messages behind each sentence she wrote, made him feel as if the girl was standing right before him, bashfully hesitant to express her feelings in words.

She would blurt out words in a panic, only to quickly cover her mouth and blush with embarrassment before reorganizing her thoughts once more.

In his mind, the girl’s appearance was vivid and lifelike. All of a sudden, he felt as if he was holding the bloodstained sword in his hand.

In that instant, the image in his mind swiftly shifted to that of the blood-stained long dress. The incomparably poignant expression on her face carried neither blame nor resentment.

Other than a flawless purity, there was only a forbearance as vast and boundless as the ocean and an eternal, unwavering adoration…

‘Contracts, treaties, and even crests can be fabricated. Only this tender and gentle handwriting of hers is something that cannot be forged…’

“These manuscripts had Her Highness Felina’s handwriting on them, and they are all half-finished works that were discarded before completion. Since they were once Her Highness Felina’s belongings, I thought it would be a shame to discard them all and decided to preserve them,” Nael explained with a deep sigh.

At the end of the day, the possessions of the deceased were lifeless objects; they serve as a conduit for living beings to leave their remembrance for the departed.

She wasn’t sure why she had shared so much with a complete stranger from a different race… After all, since Ji Bai would not recognize Princess Felina’s handwriting, he might perceive these items as a forgery.

“…Do you have a rough idea of when she wrote these manuscripts?” Ji Bai’s gaze remained fixated on those slips of paper for a long period, as he fell into a deep silence. After a while, he let out a long breath, unable to quell the emotions within him.

“A long time ago, before the conflict between the factions escalated. Princess Felina had already made the decision to abdicate her position. For fear of disappointing his Majesty, she hesitated and delayed submitting her abdication letter.”

“T-Then why did the Asiatic Cat Army attack Border Passing?…” Ji Bai’s breath became slightly labored as he spoke. The stale air in the basement gave him the feeling of asphyxiation.

“In the wake of His Majesty’s prolonged absence, a minority faction within the Asiatic Cat Race, notably militant zealots, grew concerned about the king’s well-being. They sent troops to the human federation, demanding the return of their king. However, before they could even explain their intentions, the human army charged at them and launched an attack…”

“At the end, Princess Felina wrote a letter to the representative of the militant faction, commanding them to swiftly withdraw their troops, or they would be dealt with by military law if they failed to comply. However, during their retreat, they were pursued by the human federation, resulting in significant casualties among their forces… I still have that letter written by Princess Felina. If Mr. Ji Bai has any doubts about its authenticity and would like to examine it, you’re welcome to do so…”

“Y-YOU DON’T NEED TO! DON’T SHOW IT TO ME!” Ji Bai started to howl out in a low tone.

Ji Bai’s sudden and agitated actions startled both Lil’ Sha and Nael, who were standing by his side.

“Uhm, Obscene Middle-aged man? Are you alright? Is something making you uncomfortable?”

“I-It’s fine, I’m alright, alright…” Ji Bai squatted down, his mouth prattling the same words incessantly as if he was possessed.

At the same time, a scary truth gradually unfolded in his mind…

“No, no! It can’t be… The priest didn’t deceive me! The priest would never deceive me! They were all my comrades, the ones I spend all my time with. There’s no way, no way… No… Aaaah!!”

The blood-stained smile of the girl refused to fade away in Ji Bai’s mind. It lingered like a curse, relentlessly tormenting his nerves.

“Uaaaaah!…” Ji Bai clutched his head as he incessantly let out a series of painful beast-like roars.

“Are you really okay, obscene middle-aged man? …Hmmm?” Lil’ Sha was slightly taken aback as she approached Ji Bai.

Why did a strand of white hair suddenly appear behind the seams of his helmet?

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