Chapter 37: Cristo Agersia (1)
"--brother."
Azrael exclaimed with his smile slightly, turning into a half-twisted one.
Edward's froze on his spot at the mention of 'brother'
The forbidden word has caused him to remember their rocky and tragic relations from the long past.
Edward's expression was no longer neutral as his eyes slightly narrowed in disgust with his lips pressed together.
"... Don't ever say that word again. It's disgusting."
He exclaimed with a threatening tone.
Azrael just lazily nodded whatsoever at Edward's statement easily while lifting both of his shoulders in a half-shrugged as he didn't actually care about the pathetic meaning behind the word.
"I don't actually care anyway."
He only turned back around while walking away as he exits the room.
Because of the meeting with Edward, he didn't go out empty-handed as he had thought of a new plan in mind that came across.
Edward didn't move at all as he could only stare at Azrael's back as the latter exited the room.
Azrael's words and statements make him remember something that he had already buried deep down inside his heart.
".. Brother.. huh?"
He murmured silently under his breath with his right hand placed above his chest as he sighed heavily.
He turned back as he walked back to his desk as he took a chair and sat back down quietly.
He rested both his arm on his desk with eyes staring into his documents and slightly raised an eyebrow when his eyes caught something interesting inside the documents.
"... Dorothy.. Lucretia... O'bell."
He grabs the stack of paper close to him and covers his mouth calmly while holding the paper with Dorothy's name in front of his blindfolded eyes that narrowed with the thought of the past.
"... Even the names are similar."
He sighed deeply while putting the paperback on the desk and bitterly laughed.
"How ironic."
-
--Meanwhile,
Cristo had escaped from his prison because of the help from Althea and the mana he had left.
With his skills, he successfully escaped from the Central Directive and was heading towards Gray Oswald's household where the basement is the most familiar place for him.
"My sign..."
He narrowed his eyes while muttering with a slightly bitter tone at the end when he noticed the sign on his wrist had already changed into '2'
"... Damn it."
He ran hastily and didn't care if the distance between the building as far as his life depends on it.
He knows that he has to hurry to arrive in the basement if he doesn't want Dorothy's life to abruptly end on 10 April.
-
[15 October 724/Backstory]
The woman carried the baby gently as she was looking at a tall man in front of her.
She slightly bowed while showing him her newborn baby.
"... This is my son. His name is Cristo Agersia."
The man had his hand made contact with his chin as he took a closer look at the baby.
"Hmm? From the Agersia Clan?"
The woman quickly nodded.
".. Yes. Also, I need him to enter Lucretia."
The woman exclaimed her urgent need with a desperate expression.
The man only looked at her in disbelief like she was becoming insane to request such a thing.
"... Are you crazy!? Lucretia vanished 70 years ago. Everything in Lucretia doesn't exist anymore."
The woman shook her head and continued to plead.
"... I know how to send Cristo there! Please help me!"
".. Are you telling me to send your son that you just gave birth to that nonexistent kingdom?"
The man was losing his patience.
He narrowed his eyes with his nose crinkle while turning his eyes away from the sight of the woman.
"... I need him to grow and survive there. There's something that he should do."
The woman bowed desperately with her arm hugging tighter with her baby.
The man didn't look convinced.
".. Crazy woman."
He muttered as he turned around and walked away from the woman.
The woman widened her eyes when the man tried to leave her.
She kneeled down on her feet while looking at the sight of dirt as she yelled at the man.
"Please! He's also my only hope to bring someone inside Lucretia to this outside world!"
The man turned back and was surprised that the woman would lower down her dignity for taking her baby to a kingdom that no longer exists.
"..."
He could only stay silent while the woman was still begging.
"Lucretia still exists somewhere!"
"..."
"Please!"
Knowing that this was enough, the man stared back at the woman and exclaimed.
".. Alright, alright!"
The woman smiled happily at the answer that the man gave her.
She stood up as she bowed while carrying the baby in her arms.
"Thank you!"
She thanked him wholeheartedly as the man let out a long heavy sigh.
"How can I help you to get inside Lucretia?"
"... Please take me to Lucretia land."
The man stared at her confused and with disbelief.
"Lucretia Land? But there are only ruins of buildings and wild trees there! There is no longer the sign of-"
Before the man could even finish his lines, the woman looked at him, determined and impatient to send her son to Lucretia.
He was shocked to find such a woman that was highly determined to achieve something that is nonexistent.
"... Fine. I'll give you a ride there."
The woman let out a light smile of relief.
"... Thank you very much."
The man walked into his house to find his carriage.
The woman glance at his baby and caressed his soft, small cheek.
She whispered.
"... Cristo, please bring someone you trust from inside Lucretia to this outside world."
Unbeknownst to her, tears start to form in her eyes, which gradually dripped into the fabric that covered her child.
The child didn't respond as he was sleeping peacefully.
That woman can only form a forced, small smile as she lifts her head towards the sky.
"... Master-"
She croaked out sadly while remembering her past event with a familiar woman.
"--I'm terribly sorry, but I'm going to put an end to what you've created. What you wished for."
Her expression slowly turned into a determined one as she stared into the bright, blue sky.
"... Hey woman."
The man that left finally came back with his carriage as she turned around to be greeted by him.
"... Yes?"
"What's your name?"
The woman's eyes slightly widened because of the question but her surprised expression turned into a familiar one.
"... Margaret Agersia."
The man chuckled at the mentioned name.
"Ah, also from the same clan. I thought it would be the father. If you're from the Agersia clan, how old are you?"
"... I'm currently 100 years old."
The man nodded impressively.
"That's quite young, from the perspective of Agersia Clan."
The woman can only smile as she slightly shook her head.
"No, I think it's quite long and painful to remember each year."
She smiled wholeheartedly and glance at baby Cristo once again.
"... I'm going to die soon. Or to be precisely--"
She turned her gaze back at the man.
"I'm going to be killed."
"..."
The man couldn't say anything because he already knows that she will get killed.
But he can't do anything about it either.
"... Be careful woman, the place you searched also might be an illusion from fairy tale books."
The woman continues to smile gently as she enters the carriage with her son.
While finding the comfortable way to sit, she peeks out from the carriage window and sighs with relief.
With that, she removes the necklace from her neck and put it gently around Cristo's small neck.
"... I hope you can use this to get out from Lucretia. If you can't figure this out, I'm sure there's someone out there that will figure it out."
She murmured under her breath while looking at her firstborn son who she already love too much.
She sighed tenderly.
"... I'm sorry that I can't give you a parental love. And..."
She bends down and kisses his forehead lovingly.
The baby slightly reacts by his mother'a touch before he continues to be deep in sleep.
"Thank you."
-
Gray Oswald.
The only man that is still on his 20, saw Cristo in the middle forest of Lucretia, is highly surprised.
Along with the sudden rainstorm that never stopped, he uses his umbrella and protects the baby from the heavy rain that is inside a basket.
"... Since when citizens of Lucretia abandon their newborn child? Isn't that violating against the Directive Order?"
Gray asked questioningly as he noticed the necklace around the baby's neck.
He spread his hand to touch the necklace.
"... Hmm? This necklace design is quite unique."
He murmured under his breath and look at the baby emerald eyes that are looking at him.
Gray once again glance at the necklace and found a name that was carved on it.
"Cri..sto? Cristo? Your name is Cristo, huh?"
Gray smiled gently as he stared down at Cristo.
"Geez, where did you came from, Cristo?"
To Gray, that day was full of mysteries.
Along with the rainstorm that didn't stop until the day passed and showed a clear, bright sky.
And the sudden baby that appears at the forest, near the Oswald Household.
That day Gray also didn't notice, the hidden letter on the basket, below Cristo that was slipped inside.
.
.
.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone