Suddenly, Dhein felt as though a massive weight had just been lifted off his shoulders. He never once imagined he would tell soone the secret he had been protecting all his life, who knew it would feel this... liberating?
Not even his parents or own sister knew of this, and he couldn’t see himself telling them.
Dramatic as it may sound, it was like being reborn. The thought of soone knowing his deepest secret and still accepting him despite that, was probably the highest form of human connection he had ever felt in his life.
Co to think of it, he was pretty isolated growing up. Even though he had a lot of people surrounding him and supporting him, they really didn’t know his true self. What they saw was a constructed version of himself. He was a pretender and he had never been able to show the real him to anyone, and it made Dhein feel lonely sotis. What the people loved was the mask he put on, and not him.
"That doesn’t change how I feel about you, Dheinyrus," Shina mumbled, her hands sliding down from his face to his shoulders.
Then, the girl separated from him and took a couple of steps backwards to give him space.
"Will you accept my feelings now?" she softly asked, her expression hopeful.
Dhein had expected his life to end in the capital when he attended the grand tournant. He never thought he would actually win and reach this possibility.
’Marry Shina...’ he mused.
It was sothing he could never have imagined.
And truthfully, he couldn’t see himself turning her down now, not after everything they have shared.
He smiled warmly and then responded.
"Thank you for confessing your feelings to , Shina. I humbly accept you as my wife."
He could have sworn he saw sparkles glowing in her sapphire eyes. They glead elegantly under the moonlight as a genuine, happy smile crossed her doll-like face.
"The honor is mine, Dheinyrus."
She stepped closer and took his hands. Her face was full of sincerity.
"You might not understand love right now, but I will make you understand. I will drown you with my love until you do," she declared.
Slightly embarrassed, she turned away and then added:
"I know it kinda defeats the whole "you should only marry a person you love," thing, but I just... want you to be mine as soon as possible."
Without much thinking, Dhein blurted out:
"I can’t let anyone else take you from either."
Shina imdiately whipped her blushing face towards him, her eyes widening.
Only then did Dhein realize how it sounded.
He cleared his throat.
"W—What I ant to say was... Should we go back and announce it to everyone?"
After a couple of seconds, a serious, sort of solemn expression returned to her face.
"Can we stay here a little longer? I want to talk to you a bit more."
Dhein thought about it for a mont before eventually agreeing.
"I know a place," he said.
And with that, the two began walking further into the woods.
They walked towards the heart of the silent forest. Beyond the trees and bushes, a large body of water could be seen. Its surface glistened under the starry night sky and as they got closer, its stunning beauty had beco even more pronounced.
Dhein guided Shina into the opening. In front of them was a very wide lake, its the waters reflected the silhouette of the mountains on the other side of the forest. Illuminated by the bright moon, the lake beca a breathtakingly beautiful mirror of the millions of stars in the sky.
"Wow..." she muttered in amazent.
The two stood silently for a mont, admiring the beauty of nature.
Then, Shina turned to him and spoke.
"Do you co here often?"
He nodded.
"When I was younger. I ca here to train, too."
"What do you train?" she asked.
After a mont of thinking, he answered.
"All sorts of martial arts. Since I can’t use any magic or divine abilities, I had to at least learn how to fight."
He sighed.
"But I didn’t have a master or even a trainer. Since everyone thinks I’m the strongest human alive, I can’t just suddenly ask for martial arts lessons. So I learned all of it on my own. Fortunately, I never had to use it."
A proud smile tugged at Shina’s lips. Using her thumb, she pointed at her chest.
"Luckily for you, your wife right here has one of the best skills in martial arts. I can teach you as much as you like."
Dhein chuckled.
"I’m looking forward to that."
Shina joined in with his laughter until everything fell silent once again.
They were both facing the magnificent view. After a few monts, Shina spoke.
"Though I must say, what you have just revealed to is probably the most shocking thing I have ever heard."
Dhein replied.
"I agree. No one else in the world knows this except you and... Cyreth. The fallen god who made his vessel."
Suddenly, a spark of curiosity appeared in her eyes.
"You really have a god inside you? Dheinyrus... you really are full of surprises."
He let out a sigh.
"Not the kind that I would be proud sharing, though. At least he’s useful sotis."
Shina then asked:
"But if you’re possessed by a god, how co I’m still able to talk to you? And you also ntioned that... you don’t have a soul. What do you an by that?"
Dhein shrugged.
"I also don’t know why, but I am sohow able to control when to let the god take over. He’s also the one who told that I have no soul. It’s the reason why I can’t connect to the divine and how he easily possessed my body."
A minute had passed with Dhein telling Shina all kinds of things he had experienced. How the teor saved him and his sister, how he found the dead dragon, how he staged the battle with the behemoth, and how he killed a serpent by tricking it into drinking its own poison.
Instead of being put off, she found his stories rather impressive.
"You’re a really good fraud," she remarked.
"I know. Been doing it for nineteen years."
She laughed and then said:
"From now on, you no longer have to do it alone. I’ll help you with your lies. Let’s trick the world together."
With an absent-minded smile, Dhein turned to look at her.
’She really is the one,’ he thought to himself.
***
By the ti they got back to the Grand Theocheirós Manor, it was already eight thirty in the evening. The Divinity Clan had hosted a feast at the yard as though they already knew the wedding would be set for sure.
Lights were everywhere, guests were dining in delicious als, and a lovely music was being played.
As the two entered the gate, all eyes turned towards them once again.
Everything fell silent, waiting for their words.
And so, Dheinyrus Theocheirós declared:
"I have decided. The imperial princess will be my bride."
.
.
.
Volu 1—— Lies Eternal:(Completed)
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