The garden remained tranquil, the golden fur of Lionara gleaming under the fading sunlight as Alex continued to sit beside Zyrrak. The lioness purred contentedly, seemingly unaffected by the tension lingering in the air.
Zyrrak kept thinking about the events that took place and about what Alex had done before, thinking about the consequences. He had never thought that things would turn out this way. He had thought that the student council had abandoned him just like those two teachers had said before.
But he had accepted his fate. He wasn't even expecting anything, yet this happened. Alex, whom he thought of as a big brother, had planned all of this in order to save him.
'He even brought another golden goblin—' But just as he was going through his thoughts, something hit him.
Zyrrak froze, his body stiffening. One of the biggest things he had missed suddenly became a scary realization. "W-Wait. Did you...? Did you kill someone of my race for this plan...?"
It was something Zyrrak couldn't accept; there was no way he would. He, who was ready for punishment, wouldn't want another innocent goblin to be killed in his place.
Alex, looking at his expression filled with nothing but panic, just let out a light chuckle, shaking his head. "No, why would I kill someone of your race?" Still caressing Lionara's fur, he continued, "I simply retrieved the body of one of the young buried members of your clan."
Zyrrak's eyes widened in disbelief, his voice rising. "What?! How did you get that?!"
Before that—how did he even know that? Zyrrak was sure that the information about golden goblins burying the dead and offering them to nature wasn't known to the others. To others, it was shown that they burned the dead. So how did Alex know?! Even if he somehow knew, how could he get that body??
Alex's smile turned sly, his gaze sharp. "Who other than the Emperor could make that possible?"
Zyrrak's breath caught, and his voice faltered. "...I-It was Father..?"
Although he didn't behave like one, Zyrrak was the future Emperor of the gold goblin race—the only son of the Emperor. That was why he was having a hard time believing that his father would do something like digging a grave of the dead—which was considered an evil practice in the Golden Goblin empire.
The gold goblins are made of gold, and not just any gold; the blood running in their veins is divine gold—the reason for them to be hunted like they are.
The only reason they are able to live without fearing themselves being hunted is because they use the bodies of their dead as an offering to the earth goddess, who in turn gives them protection by making a place that is invisible to others.
So, the fact that his father, the Emperor, did something like dig out one of such bodies wasn't something he could believe, but just then...
A flash of sunlight brightened his mind as the scene of his father standing in front of him, his body large and golden, unlike his own average-sized body, covering the sunlight. It was the time right before Zyrrak had left for the academy, and his father had said nothing more than a single sentence that day.
"Son, if you ever have a problem you can't overcome or are in a situation where you can't do anything, just turn to me. I will do whatever I can in order to help you out."
Yes, if it was his father, then he wouldn't hesitate to dig out a grave if it could save him.
"Yes, your father provided me with the body. He understood the stakes and knew it was necessary," replied Alex with a nod, his eyes momentarily flashing with a strange light as he saw Zyrrak's expression shift for a second before returning to normal.
The revelation left Zyrrak reeling. "So... my father knows everything that's happening?" He questioned, even though he already knew the answer to it.
"Hmm..." Alex hummed with a thoughtful expression before he smiled, "Yes, I had to contact him using my sources. Why else do you think I didn't visit you for the past two days?"
Zyrrak lowered his head, guilt flashing across his face. His thoughts swirled with emotions he couldn't voice. 'I thought you had abandoned me...'
Alex raised an eyebrow, his tone teasing yet firm. "Hm? Say something. Did you think I abandoned you or something like that?"
Zyrrak flinched, quickly stammering. "H-Huh? W-Why would I think that? I-I was the one in the wrong anyway, so I wouldn't have minded whatever punishment you would've given me..."
A sigh escaped Alex's lips, and he placed a hand on Zyrrak's shoulder, his tone soft yet firm. "Why would I punish you, Zyrrak? You're a part of my family. There's no way I would ever want to abandon you."
Zyrrak froze for a second; his expression stilled before his eyes turned watery, filled with tears, and his voice broke. "Sniff... W-Why did you go so far... Sniff... for me?"
Alex chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Didn't I already say it? Because I consider you family."
Zyrrak's shoulders trembled, and so did his eyes. He couldn't hold it in any longer. He had always thought of the student council members as friends, just next to his own family, but he never thought that any of them would go this far.
Sob-Sob!
Tears streamed down his cheeks as he broke into quiet sobs.
For a while, all that was heard was the silent sobs of Zyrrak, which slowly started to mix with the gentle rustling of the leaves in the surroundings, blending in the atmosphere, and although he was crying, it didn't make the atmosphere feel sad; it was rather filled with relief and lightness.
Alex, on the other hand, was now back to enjoying the soft fur of Lionara when he suddenly turned toward the sobbing Zyrrak and spoke again, his tone shifting to something sharper, more probing. "Why don't you let go of your act now, Zyrrak?" A sharp light flashed past his eyes as he added, "You know you can't fool me, right?"
The moment that question was asked, Zyrrak's body stopped trembling, and his sobs seized. The atmosphere shifted instantly as his tears stopped. His head raised, looking up at Alex with his now-hollow expression. His gaze was still filled with respect and gratitude, but there was a coldness now—something darker lurking beneath the surface.
The shift in his demeanor didn't surprise Alex. He had seen it coming.
After a moment of silence, Zyrrak finally spoke, his voice low and emotionless. "...When did you realize it?"
Alex leaned back slightly, pressing his body on Lionara, his piercing gaze locking onto Zyrrak's. "What do you think?" He smirked, making Zyrrak frown a bit, but the guy didn't say anything.
Even Lionara's purring had stopped, as she had sensed the tension in the air. Her golden eyes gleamed with ferocity as she stared at Zyrrak, ready for any attack that might come from Zyrrak because...
'Master, he seems unpredictable now...' Lionara warned Alex with a growl, but Alex just patted her head, making her relax. How could he not know what was going on and why it had happened? He was the one responsible for it after all.