"You're mistaken, Mrs. Caztel," Emerald said bluntly, interrupting their smooth conversation. "Men aren't loved unconditionally. There's a need that needs to be met, and I know what that is."
"That's,..." Rubella was left speechless.
"Don't sweat it. Loyalty is your greatest asset, madam. I'm not pitiful enough to make you tell the full story. My mom raised me to be a gentleman, after all," Emerald said with a warm smile.
"You're really mature for your age, do you know that, sir?" Rubella was disarmed by Emerald's gentle act. He had skillfully taken the initiative, allowing Rubella to keep her secret to herself without needing to confess it to him. Rubella truly was a simple soul.
"I'm just an ordinary boy who loves to poke around here and there, that's all there is to it, Mrs. Caztel," Emerald replied, lowering his voice slightly, a touch of shyness coloring his tone.
After a few seconds of silence, Emerald got up. He picked up a sharp stone from the garden, pricked his finger, and showed it to Rubella. "You made a mistake in addressing me. I'm not a vampire, as you can see, I'm a human."
Rubella's face contorted, fear kicking in. "No way, but your blood doesn't smell like one! How's that possible?"
"It's possible, as you can see," Emerald said, a bright, almost triumphant look on his face.
"How does Genna deal with this?" Rubella asked, her mind racing.
"I mean, she knows I'm human." Rubella was genuinely surprised. If Genna knows, why did she bring him here? Why isn't he turned yet? Questions piled up in her head.
"Wait a minute, where did you meet Genna for the first time?" Rubella pressed.
"In my bedroom."
"Bedroom?..."
"Yeah, why? Something wrong with it?"
"If you met her at your home, that means she came looking for you." Rubella paused, brainstorming, then continued after a few seconds. "Aren't you a genius? I mean, you just said your assessment again and again, you were right. Genna wants something, something that only you can do. You're a..." Rubella suddenly went mute, her words caught in her throat, An unseen force acting over her.
"What is it?" Emerald urged, his curiosity piqued.
Rubella's expression turned furious, a deep resentment welling up, directed at Emerald. She saw him as a threat, someone who needed to be destroyed, yet she found herself utterly unable to act. "Your sole existence is a greater threat to us than the entire human race. You have a purpose bestowed by your ancestors way long ago, and you will fulfill it. The reason I can't even move my hand to end your life is proof of that." Tears welled in Rubella's eyes as she spoke.
"I know my purpose, and it's to make Genna happy. I have already seen it, you see, Mrs. Caztel. My dreams have been telling me to go with what Genna says, and I just want it all to end," Emerald muttered, his voice a mix of warmth and solemnity.
"It's not Genna who is waiting for you, it's someone else. It's all your fault to begin with; you chose not to change the path. How childish," Rubella said, a sad smile wiping away her tears. Emerald stood there, utterly bewildered by her words.
Emerald walked closer and asked her a question. "Do you know someone named Alexi Hristolian?"
"No, why?" Rubella was as surprised as Emerald to hear such a name for the first time.
"I thought he was an ancient vampire, someone you people might know."
"I'm sure he doesn't exist. Anyway, where did you hear that name?"
"In a book I read somewhere online, must be some fiction." Emerald then headed back towards Genna.
Rubella stared after Emerald, still unable to move a finger. She felt an urgent, almost primal command to end his life, as if she'd been told to. Suddenly, she began to hear a voice, a soft murmur in her ear: "Don't, let fate decide it, Ruby. You're burdening yourself with excessive work, which, in fact, was not yours to begin with. You know who I am, and you know how to keep things to yourself."
She felt a strange mix of fear and relief. Why does the Emperor want me to stay? This isn't supposed to be like this, she thought, bewildered. Then, for the first time, she felt the blood of the Emperor running through her. Her innate 'Gate of Heaven' opened, and she saw Emerald's heart—what lay hidden there, what he favored, everything. Rubella fell to her knees, muttering to herself, "Such a pitiful life."
(To be continued)