I Was Not Meant To Exist

Footsteps could be heard heading somewhere, and one of those footsteps belonged to Alex.

His steps stopped when he saw the hall in front of him. A chandelier shone beautifully with its classic ornamental style. Dozens of people dressed in black moved about inside the hall, most of them heading toward one side of the wall.

Because there, a large table stood majestically, and on top of it were neatly arranged dozens of photos of the servants who had become victims. Incense smoke perfumed anyone who approached, its scent mixing with the fresh aroma of hundreds of white chrysanthemum stalks.

Alex massaged his neck, which still felt sore. The bandages were still visible beneath his black shirt, and his black coat swayed as he moved.

A woman dressed in black approached him, her voice soft amid the crowd as she extended her hand.

"Sir Alex... let me take your coat. His Majesty the King and Queen are also waiting."

Alex nodded, removed his black coat, and handed it to the maid.

"Thank you..."

The maid nodded and showed Alex the way, but Alex’s gaze was still fixed on the table full of white chrysanthemums.

Alex looked at the maid’s face.

"May I place the flowers first...?"

The maid glanced toward the mourning table, smiled faintly, and nodded.

"Of course, Sir Alex. I will wait here."

Alex gave a short nod and walked toward the mourning table. He lined up with the others. His black eyes traced the photos of the servants there. He sighed and closed his eyes. His mind replayed memories of that night’s battle—the battle they fought atop the servants’ corpses.

The line in front of Alex slowly moved, and he followed it until he reached the table of white chrysanthemums. He took one stalk, its fresh and slightly sharp scent filling his nose.

He slowly stepped forward to take his turn placing the flower in front of the servants’ photos. Once again, he looked at their faces before placing it among the pile of flowers.

’I don’t know you... but I know you all fought to survive that night. May you all rest in peace.’

Alex slowly walked away and returned to the maid who had been waiting for him.

The maid then guided Alex forward. They entered an empty elevator, which carried them up to the floor they intended to reach.

The door opened, and the maid once again led the way while Alex followed behind. The corridor was very quiet and bright. Several times, Alex shifted his gaze toward the paintings or vases decorating the hallway.

Not long after, they arrived at one of the doors in the corridor. The door was guarded by two people—Black and Maya.

The maid slowly stepped back while holding Alex’s coat, while Black gently knocked on the door.

"Your Majesty... Alex Sander has arrived."

A woman’s voice came from inside the room—it was the Queen’s voice.

"Let him enter..."

Black nodded and opened one of the doors for Alex to enter. Alex’s black eyes caught a glimpse of the room, and he let out a breath. His heart was beating fast.

But he still stepped inside. The moment he entered the room, the aroma of tea immediately spread.

Alex turned to the left. There, the Queen was sitting on a long sofa, wearing a black dress, while the King, also dressed in black, was still standing with his back to Alex at the desk behind the sofa.

The Queen gestured for Alex to come closer. Alex followed her direction, and once he reached the sofa in front of the Queen.

The King turned his body. His face was reflected in Alex’s black eyes. The King’s face that he saw made Alex freeze. Alex’s black eyes were also focused on two small black objects attached to both of the King’s ears.

The King, who saw Alex frozen, immediately placed his hand on his chin, his voice sounding hoarse.

"Am I that handsome, that you are mesmerized, Alex Sander?"

The Queen chuckled. She leaned her body back and looked at Alex who was still frozen.

"He is not mesmerized. He is just surprised to see the King’s battered face and wearing hearing aids..."

The King chuckled. He slowly approached the sofa and sat beside the Queen. On his face, there were indeed several small wounds.

"These are just minor injuries..."

One of Alex’s eyebrows lifted upon hearing the human King speak so casually.

’Minor injuries?! What kind of monster could make the strongest human lose his hearing?!’ Alex said in his mind. Krystal, who saw that, also agreed.

The King sighed. He looked at Alex who was still standing frozen staring at him.

"Sit... or do you prefer that we talk while standing?"

"Uh... I prefer to sit, Your Majesty." Alex slowly regained his senses and sat on the comfortable sofa in front of the King and Queen.

The Queen slowly poured tea into Alex’s cup. Alex nodded and thanked her.

The King, who saw that, smiled slightly. He crossed his arms and looked at Alex.

"You keep looking at me. Do you want me to tell you about my battle in the north? You know, it was very difficult..."

Alex’s lips twitched. His black eyes widened. He wanted to nod to hear a story directly from the King that was unknown to the public, but something stopped him.

Alex saw the Queen pinch the King’s thigh.

The Queen whispered, and the whisper could still be heard by Alex.

"That can be done later... we still have to appear for the public."

The King scratched his dark red hair. He chuckled, then shifted his gaze to Alex. His blue eyes seemed to pierce through anything, making Alex even more nervous.

"So, let us begin by seeing the holy energy that you possess."

Alex nodded in understanding. He raised his right hand and opened his palm.

Krystal also did her part. She flowed holy energy into Alex’s body, which then made Alex’s palm shine gold. The golden light illuminated every corner of the room that was already bright, while grains of golden dust also came out along with the golden light.

The King’s blue eyes widened. He also looked at the golden dust and golden light toward the ceiling of the room. His eyes sparkled and a smile formed on his face.

The Queen, who had already seen it before, still felt amazed, because the golden light came not from Saint Azara’s hand.

The King, who was looking at the ceiling of the room, began to look back toward Alex who was sweating cold.

"Do you know what the uniqueness of your holy energy is?..."

Alex tilted his head slightly. His expression became confused.

"The uniqueness of holy energy? What is that?..."

The King, who saw Alex confused, immediately shifted his eyes toward the Queen beside him, while the Queen raised her shoulders.

"He cannot even direct its flow properly when there is a clash with demonic energy..."

While the King and Queen were talking, Alex was also talking with Krystal in his mind. He stopped the display of his holy energy.

’What other uniqueness of holy energy is that?’

Krystal, who was watching Alex, immediately shook her head. She clicked her tongue.

’No info...’

Alex laughed crazily in his mind. The veins on his forehead bulged. He held himself back from shouting at himself.

’No info?! How can there be no info?! Damn it... you said you guide me, but I feel not guided!’

Krystal spoke as if she could not believe what Alex said. She immediately replied to Alex’s insult.

’Wow... this bastard is ungrateful apparently!! I have saved you many times, you bastard!! There is a girl who likes you after you used my holy energy!! You should kneel and thank me!!’

Alex’s face turned red. He gritted his teeth as if he could crush them right then.

’Do not go off topic, bastard!’

Krystal mocked Alex by making strange noises in his head. She clicked her tongue.

’Do not blame me for lack of information. If you cannot level up quickly, then focus on leveling up, bastard! And train diligently!’

Alex held his forehead and shook his head as if it would explode, while an exhausted sigh came from him.

The King’s voice brought him back to reality. He looked at the King, while the King spoke.

"What is wrong? You look strange..."

Alex shook his head. He did not want to look strange in front of the King, especially until it was known that he was talking with a strange voice in his head. A wide smile formed on his face.

"I am fine, Your Majesty..."

The King and Queen, who saw the unnatural smile, sighed together. The Queen now asked Alex.

"Yes... the matter of the uniqueness of your holy energy will be discussed later with an expert. Did you truly just use your holy energy during the battle at the palace?"

Alex tilted his face. He was confused by the words indicating an expert of holy energy, while the sound of Krystal clicking her tongue was heard.

’Ahhh we will meet that golden tiger again....’

After Krystal’s words, pain spread across Alex’s forehead, but he still answered the Queen’s question first.

"Yes... Your Majesty. I only used it at that time..."

The Queen drank her tea and spoke again to Alex.

"Do your parents know? Or is there anyone else who knows?"

Alex was silent for a moment. His brows became sharper.

"My parents do not know... the ones who know are only Katarina and Mira who were there... and..."

The King, who heard Alex’s words, immediately concluded who the last one was. He pointed at Alex to guess it.

"That golden cat, right?! She knows, right?! That damn golden cat did not tell us anything!"

Alex’s expression became strange when hearing Saint Azara referred to as a golden cat, but he immediately nodded in agreement.

"Yes... Saint Azara knows. That is why I could live again after returning from the golden desert..."

The King and Queen began to understand.

They nodded, while Alex drank the tea provided by the Queen. The taste felt sweet and bitter at the same time, which made Alex look into his reflection in the tea cup.

Alex shifted his gaze to the King who was holding his forehead. A sigh came from him.

"That damn cat, she pretended not to know apparently..."

The King looked back at Alex who had just put down his tea cup. He warned Alex.

"Alex... do not be carried away by that golden cat. If not, you will stand on the front line of the coast to fight the dark side..."

The hair on the back of Alex’s neck stood up hearing the King’s words, while he shook his head.

"Of course I will not be carried away..."

’Damn... I do not want to return to the battlefield quickly...’ a sigh came from Alex. His brow twitched as he remembered something.

"But Your Majesty, the enemy who controlled Mira’s father’s body also knows. He said he will kill me at the next meeting..."

The King leaned his back on the sofa. He stroked his chin.

"That envy, huh?... they must be discussing it now."

The Queen looked at the King who was sitting beside her thinking, then she shifted her gaze to Alex.

"How about you stay here? Mira is also staying here after that incident. She will also be targeted because she is the discoverer of that potion."

The King, who heard that, nodded and looked at Alex, while Alex slightly turned his face away.

’That is good, but I am also tired of the capital and this palace. Damn... it seems there is no safe place anywhere anymore.’

Alex turned his face and pretended to cough awkwardly.

"That is a good offer, Your Majesty. But I think I will return to my city first...." Alex immediately continued his words so there would be no misunderstanding.

"...of course I really like the palace, but it seems I need to calm myself first... you both know, I was attacked from here and there in a short time..."

Alex began to count how many times he had fainted, but he himself forgot. Even Krystal did not remember it. Alex chuckled because he did not remember it.

"I even forgot how many times I got beaten up..."

The King chuckled hearing Alex’s complaint, while the Queen elbowed his stomach which made the King squirm in pain.

The Queen looked at Alex. She was silent for a moment.

"But you must move as soon as something happens. Your family must also move for their safety..."

The King nodded in agreement with his Queen’s advice. He looked at Alex.

"Yes... you and your family will be welcomed with open arms here. Captain Sander can also work in this palace... I think he will be happy."

The Queen glanced at the King. She whispered to him.

"They are guests, how can you offer a job..."

The King raised both his hands as an apology.

"I thought it was an opportunity. You know, it is very difficult to persuade my mother to send Captain Sander..."

The King and Queen talked briefly. Alex observed them with his eyes while drinking his tea.

After a while, the King looked back at Alex. He tapped the armrest of the sofa beside him.

"I think our conversation keeps getting off track, so now let us talk about how you could obtain that holy energy. Because that has never happened before, and of course you are the first in history...."

Alex put down his tea cup. He was silent for a moment while trying to arrange his words. He took a breath and released it.

He began to tell his story. Of course, not the real story. He mixed truth and lies in front of the King and Queen.

He said that he met Goddess Athika when he was dying after the train incident he experienced. He also said that he did not remember the face of the Goddess.

The King and Queen who listened remained calm without interrupting Alex.

Their reaction made Alex slightly worried, but in the end he managed to speak without his tongue slipping even once.

The King and Queen nodded. The King spoke first after Alex finished telling his story.

"So that is how it is... you met Goddess Athika directly? That is very great." The King was silent for a moment before his blue eyes widened. He remembered something interesting. He immediately slammed the table which made Alex and the Queen startled.

The King shouted without realizing at Alex.

"You met Goddess Athika?! That is something extraordinary!! Even a Saint cannot meet her!! Even the Dragon King might have forgotten her real face!!"

The Queen, who felt annoyed because her husband shouted at a teenager, immediately pinched the King’s thigh which made him in pain and sit back calmly.

Alex, who saw that, immediately swallowed his saliva. He slightly massaged his forehead.

’Did I go a bit too far? Ah... it seems not.’

The Queen, after calming the King, looked at Alex. She smiled faintly.

"That is something amazing, Alex."

Alex nodded, accepting the praise. The Queen spoke again.

"Is that all?..."

Alex nodded again. He looked at the King and Queen with confidence.

"Yes... that is all."

The Queen nodded. She was silent for a moment.

"Then you may leave. Of course that does not mean we will not call you again. We still have to discuss it with the other leaders and also the Dragon King."

Alex nodded and immediately stood up. He slightly bowed his head as a farewell to the King and Queen. He left the room with cold sweat running down his back.

When the door closed, the Queen immediately stood slightly and looked at the tea that Alex drank.

Her blue eyes twitched when she saw the cloudy tea color turn gray. She sat back down and sighed.

"He was not completely lying, but he was not completely telling the truth either...."

The King rubbed his thigh that had been pinched. He leaned back on the sofa.

"That is a good sign, right? Yes... maybe there are some things he cannot share. So that is good because he did not open himself completely. He knows how the world works."

The King looked at the Queen from the side. He saw the clear line of the Queen’s face.

"What do you think was true and not from what he said?"

The Queen leaned back on the sofa. She looked at the King. Her blue eyes looked thoughtful.

"I think he was honest about meeting Goddess Athika. The holy energy is strong evidence. While maybe he lied about how he met Goddess Athika..."

The King nodded in agreement. He combed his dark red hair.

"I think the meeting of the leaders later will be very interesting...."

The King looked at the ceiling of the room. He slowly opened his mouth to call someone.

"White..."

After the name was called, a gust of wind swept the room. White immediately appeared and knelt beside the King.

The King turned to him. He spoke calmly.

"Follow and protect Alex Sander and also his family. Remember it well, White. Protect him and his family."

White nodded hearing the King’s order. He immediately left after the order was given.

The King stood up, followed by the Queen.

They would now go and appear in public for the first time after the northern incident.

Meanwhile, Alex was now walking in the corridor to leave the palace. He had already put his black coat back on. He scratched his head that was not itchy.

’Damn... is meeting Goddess Athika really that special? I thought a Saint could communicate with her....’

Alex bit his fingernails without realizing it. He was so focused on his thoughts that he did not notice the sound of someone’s footsteps approaching.

Alex’s back felt a touch. He immediately reacted and turned around excessively. His black eyes widened when he saw the person who touched his back. He gritted his teeth.

"Damn... why did you startle me?!" Katarina was there. She wore a black dress complete with black heels. Her face looked natural without makeup. Her expression turned surprised.

"I only touched you a little. Why are you startled? Did you say something wrong when meeting the King and Queen?"

Alex sighed. He continued walking again. Katarina followed beside him. They now walked together in the corridor.

"I said I met Goddess Athika...."

Katarina looked at Alex. She was silent for a moment while still walking.

"Wow... that part will cause a bit of a commotion...."

Alex clicked his tongue. He looked at Katarina. They looked at each other.

"You never warned me, damn it..."

Katarina chuckled. She raised her shoulders.

"You never asked...."

Alex scratched his head again. They slowly entered the elevator to go down. When the elevator door closed, Alex asked Katarina.

"By the way, I am not trying to insult or mock...." One of Katarina’s eyebrows raised.

Alex continued what he wanted to say.

"But your father was really beaten badly. Isn’t your father the strongest human right now? Damn... what could make him like that?"

Katarina chuckled while covering her mouth. She tapped Alex’s shoulder.

"You know? If someone hears what you said, you will be hanged immediately..."

Alex puffed out his chest in response.

"Impossible... how could they hang the second person who has holy energy...."

Katarina tilted her head looking at Alex. Her hand was still holding Alex’s shoulder.

"You already realize how important you are, huh?" Alex nodded proudly.

The elevator door slowly opened, but they did not go out immediately. Katarina spoke.

"Yes... the problem of the monster that attacked the north will become one of our problems in the near future."

Alex’s eyebrow twitched. He looked at Katarina.

"What?! Our problem?! No, no... I have already been beaten badly many times in a short time and I still have to fight someone who can injure the strongest human?" Alex crossed his arms.

He stepped out of the elevator first. Katarina followed.

"You just said that you are a holy energy user and very important."

Alex shook his head, trying to erase his arrogance. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"I do not remember... I do not remember."

Veins bulged on Katarina’s forehead. She pinched Alex’s arm, making him groan in pain.

"Just see if you do not help..."

Alex rubbed his arm. He chuckled seeing Katarina’s expression.

"I was just joking..."

They walked together until they reached the main lobby of the palace. A car was already waiting for Alex to board.

Katarina, seeing that, sighed. She looked at Alex.

"Do you really have to return? You could stay here and be safer."

Alex raised his index finger and moved it.

"No, no... I am already tired of the capital and this palace. Of course I am not insulting...." Alex looked at the palace building.

"...I like the palace. But I need to return to my city. Besides, the academy will start soon, right?"

Katarina sighed and nodded. A faint smile formed on her face. She touched her lips with her index finger.

"But, I predict you will return here in the near future."

Katarina’s words made Alex freeze. He stopped right as he was about to open the car door. He looked back at Katarina.

"Damn... watch your words, words like that can bring bad luck..."

Katarina chuckled while covering her mouth.

Alex looked at her for a moment. He leaned on the car.

His right hand slowly extended, making Katarina stop laughing.

"I am leaving first... yes, I do not want to come back too soon. But, it was nice meeting you. Of course, the real you."

Katarina looked at Alex seriously. She smiled faintly and held Alex’s extended hand.

"I am also glad to meet the real you..."

Alex chuckled softly. He smiled at Katarina.

"See you, partner..."

Katarina nodded. Alex released her hand and entered the magical car that would take him away.

Katarina could only sigh as she watched the car carrying Alex leave. She stood still for a moment.

Without Katarina realizing it, someone was watching her farewell with Alex.

That person was Mira. She tilted her head, her expression showing confusion.

"I just found out the two of them are that close..."