Walking through the streets of Kial, a small-scale city in the Guilvenhall Kingdom, the words 'You are my everything~' flashed through Taylor's mind over and over again.
From what he knew about Eris was that she was rather cold towards other people and she took a while to get closer to them.
She suddenly appeared several months after his father had disappeared, which was years ago. At first, Taylor had ignored her, and Eris hadn't minded that.
Eris followed him but she never really said a word, which was why Taylor thought that she was just his illusion, a creation of his mind because he had felt so lonely.
Only after a whole year had passed did she start talking to him, and he realized that she was not a creation of his mind that only he could see but that he was also able to touch her.
Eris proved to him that she existed by obliterating a bunch of trees in the Everlasting Glacier forest near Kial. She did it with a flick of her wrist as if it was nothing special. At that time, Taylor had still been excited about all kinds of Ancient Powers, which was why he got closer to Eris real quick.
Eris took her time to get closer to people but when she liked someone, she would never let go of them. Taylor understood this quite a bit, especially since both his mother and father had disappeared.
A decade ago, when Taylor had been six years old, his mother disappeared, leaving in the middle of the night. She left only a book in Taylor's bed, the same book that had initiated his awakening.
As for his father, Taylor had no idea what happened to him but he disappeared roughly six years later when Taylor turned 12 years old.
If not for his father's savings, he would have been at the government's mercy, which may or may not be good.
Eris appeared out of nowhere, ending up as the only one, who was the closest to be considered family, even if Taylor never considered her his blood-related family. Their relation was different…yet to be discovered.
He didn't want to lose her as well and he didn't know if bluntly questioning her would cause that.
Taylor ruffled helplessly through his disheveled hair, completely forgetting about his other troubles. Whether he had a place to sleep didn't matter right now.
'I mean, I knew that she had some hidden intention when she appeared in front of me, but I always expected that it was related to my parents…' Taylor thought before another theory flashed through his mind.
'What if I misinterpreted the situation and Eris came for me, to wait until I awoke my Ancient Power?'
Taylor really hated himself for questioning Eris like that. He could see that she was looking at him silently as if she wanted to say something. However, in the end, she remained silent, giving him the time he seemed to need to come to a conclusion…for whatever purpose.
"Argh…how frustrating…" Taylor cursed out loud. A few passersby looked at him weirdly, especially since his clothes showed numerous burn marks. Eris flinched when Taylor cursed out but she remained by his side, still quiet.
He was confused and he felt like he needed to get answers to the doubts that tormented his mind, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to sleep well, let alone focus on the tasks that were of actual importance.
This forced him to overcome his biggest worry, the possibility that Eris might actually leave him.
"Can you tell me why you said that earlier?" He finally asked after several minutes had passed. They had long since left the academy ground, which had been quite easy in the commotion.
Apparently, the Lesser Demons appeared only in the Redwood academy, and they killed only two students without Ancient Powers before they had been exterminated.
"You mean the 'You are my everything'-part?...well…because that's the truth?" Eris sounded both genuinely of the opinion that this was the truth, and hesitant about the answer she gave, but she ended up saying it nonetheless.
However, Taylor didn't buy it. It didn't really make sense, especially because he knew a secret Eris had been hidden from him, for years at that.
"You do realize that I know your identity…your real identity, right?" Taylor asked and he looked at Eris with a weak smile on his face, which he forced on his lips. Eris looked at him in shock, utterly baffled.
"H-how did you find out?" She asked, unable to even try hiding the truth because she was simply too shocked.
Taylor could only fake a laugh when he pointed at her bracelet.
"Let's just say I say you talking with someone through the bracelet," He explained slowly without saying when he figured out her identity or that he was hurt because she lied to him for years.
"So…how about you tell me why one of the four Demon Queens of the Netherworld realm would tell me that I'm her everything, and why she would follow me for six years?
I believe I deserve a few answers, don't you think?" Taylor was not even able to smile anymore when he finished speaking. He didn't know how to feel because he had been questioning her real intentions for a long time.
Until today, he didn't feel that everything he had gotten to know about Eris was pressing enough to start questioning her, but her change of attitude, mostly her sudden intimate behavior, was something that triggered Taylor's danger sense.
If he wanted to keep on trusting Eris, it was necessary for him to get to know a few facts, today!
"Before anything else…please let me tell you something…please!!" Eris first said, sounding desperate as she emerged in front of him. Tears stood in her eyes as she continued to speak,
"Never, not even once, did I lie to you! I might not have told you everything but please believe me when I say that I never lied to you!.... Do you believe me?"
Taylor felt a sting in his heart when he saw Eris like this. He took a look around and found a quiet place near a park, a place where he could speak openly without attracting anyone's attention.
"How about you tell me about the reason you've appeared in my life, and why you suddenly behave so differently from before? I don't believe that there is no reason for either point," Taylor asked coldly, ignoring the sting in his heart, and leaving out the answer to Eris' question, whether he believed her or not.
After all, this was not something he could easily figure out without hearing her answers first.
Eris was not slow-witted and understood Taylor's intention. She sighed deeply and began to speak, revealing everything she could reveal for now.
[Author Note: Please comment how you like/dislike the novel! I accept every type of criticism]