Chapter 97 – Anger

Omm stayed in that position for a long while, trying to hide his grateful smile so as not to look suspicious.

Then his lips twitched, remembering the reason he was here in the first place. His smile turned wry, yet that softness remained.

’Oh Lord, I knew finding a job would be hard,’ he thought quietly, scratching the back of his head, ’but I didn’t expect this much. What should I do? Should I lower my expectations and try a lower-class bank first?’

He was reconsidering his position. Not out of discouragement; he had no time for that, knowing how much his parents had sacrificed to heal him and give him an education.

Even if that education was self-taught and severely limited, Omm Min Jambar was grateful. He knew many in his village didn’t even have that much.

He sighed softly, deciding in his heart to wait a couple more days at Tycoon’s Château before looking elsewhere.

’I will find a job. I know I will.’ He tried to convince himself. ’I just need to keep looking. Still, I need it sooner rather than later. I have to pay the entrance exam fee to secure a scholarship for the Academy.’

Thinking that, he realised he also needed time to study and train for the test itself. Rather than curse or complain about his situation, Omm managed a smile.

’The Lord does not burden a soul more than it can bear, Omm.’ He repeated his father’s words. ’Don’t forget—!’ 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"You."

Omm’s thoughts halted instantly. A voice, close to him, sudden and unexpected, echoed.

He slowly lifted his head, and almost jumped in pure shock when his eyes settled on the pink-glassed gaze of Meadow Wealth looking directly at him.

He took a quick breath, only then realising the hall was still unsettlingly silent, even with Desdemona gone.

’Argh. My bad habit again!’ He berated himself for losing awareness of his surroundings.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he bowed immediately toward Meadow.

"I apologise, Miss Meadow." He said. "Were you calling me?"

"The papers you are holding to your chest," Meadow said directly, with no interest in wasting time, "are you looking for a job?"

Omm’s heart began to race, a light of hope kindling in his steady hazel eyes. "Yes, Miss."

"What is your educational background?"

He smiled wryly. "None, Miss, I confess. But I have read many books about commerce, money and people. I..." he paused, then continued, "I believe I could be of some help, Miss."

Meadow looked at him with puzzled eyes, as if unable to understand how someone dared to apply for a job on the basis of reading a handful of books.

Omm became immediately embarrassed under her gaze, scratching the back of his head nervously.

He expected her to dismiss him outright. He would have understood, and he wouldn’t have held any resentment about it.

Yet for reasons he couldn’t begin to explain, Meadow clicked her tongue in reluctance and continued questioning him anyway.

Around them, people watched with quiet puzzlement and surprise, wondering what could possibly be special about a young man who was so clearly from a village outside the cities’ sphere.

"What kind of job are you looking for?" She asked.

"I like commerce." Omm said. "So I would be grateful for any role you believe would help me develop my skills, Miss."

"Oh?" Meadow’s face remained flat. "What if I told you to scrub the floors?"

"I would do it, Miss."

Meadow raised an eyebrow, her eyes lighting as she noticed the White Light of Truth surrounding Omm.

’He actually would.’ She mused. ’Is this desperation?’

She didn’t know. But in any case, she had promised Cassius she would look into this young man’s candidature.

However, no matter how she considered it, he was far too inexperienced to be trusted with any real position.

So, in the quiet goodness of her heart, Meadow made a decision.

"You are from outside the cities, aren’t you?"

"Yes, Miss."

"What was your profession back home...if you had one?"

"I was a shepherd, Miss."

Meadow nodded once. "Then it’s perfect." She said, puzzling the poor Omm entirely. "I have a small hidden realm where I nurture flowers and some untainted sheep obtained from the Desert of Dune."

She paused, watching him slowly realise where this was going. She said it anyway, thinking inwardly how Cassius would be impressed by her genuine kindness compared to his theatrical version of it.

"I will hire you as my shepherd." She decided, then with an almost amused tone, "Congratulations. You have a job. Tell me your name, and we will get started on the contract. Through Clara, I should mention."

It was not the job he had been looking for. Yet Omm felt an immense wave of gratitude wash over him as he looked at Meadow. He finally had a way to take care of his parents and pay the exam fee for the Academy entrance test, two weeks before the official date.

Realising that, he bowed deeply — ninety degrees — his voice edged with emotion few could fully understand.

"Please accept my deepest thanks!" He said. "As for my name, Miss, I am Omm."

He lifted his head slightly, locking eyes with Meadow.

"Omm Min Jambar. Son of Ali and Maryam Jambar of Khushu."

Meadow nodded simply, inwardly satisfied by his gratefulness.

"Take the contract, go home and deliver the good news to your family." She said, turning and walking toward her room-library at the top of the building, already eager to write.

"You start tomorrow, Shepherd."

Omm smiled at the title, oddly satisfied by it, and bowed deeper.

"I will be there on time, Miss Wealth."

...

The day passed quickly, and soon enough the sun was no longer visible. Only a dark, starless sky blanketed Vorn City like the embrace of a mother.

Inside the Royal Palace, pacing softly around her purple room riddled with oversized cat plushies, was Anesthesia Amaris, wearing tight black shorts and a white top that barely reached her bellybutton.

Her long black hair was tied into a ponytail, showing clearly the slight distress on her face, her phone pressed to her ear.

"I am truly sorry." She said with regret, lips pressed into a line. "I should have been there for you, Em. I am really sorry."

"It’s fine." Emrys’s soft voice came through. "I don’t blame you. It’s the first time you weren’t with me, I know it wasn’t your choice."

He paused. Then slowly, his voice heavier, "But I want to know why you weren’t even answering my messages, Thesia. Did Desdemona do something to you?"

"That annoying bastard absolutely did something." She growled, still pacing. "The very first thing he did was cause trouble, telling Raven about the fact we saw each other in Storm City."

"...what is the problem with that?" His voice was confused.

"You don’t see the problem, Em?" She asked incredulously, halting abruptly. "I need the unshakable support of the Prince of Hood — the Heir of Death — to integrate the Deathless Crusaders without difficulty, Em."

Emrys said nothing, only listening.

"And you know, Em...you know he loves me. So getting his support won’t be difficult. But that’s only possible on the basis that he believes you and I are simply very close childhood friends. Which is exactly what I told him."

"Do you think he believed you?" He asked unsteadily, then seemed to decide the question was pointless and moved to another. "No, tell me instead, are you actually hiding our relationship?" Emrys asked with unconcealed disbelief. "This is not what you told me, Thesia. And why are you even doing this? You don’t need Raven’s support! Aren’t you confident in your own strength?"

"Em, please understand me." Anesthesia said softly, almost tenderly. "My strength is not like yours. I am not a fighter. I want every possible advantage on my side before I make a move."

Emrys began to speak, but Anesthesia pressed on before he could.

"And don’t forget this is not only for me." She added, her tone firming. "You will need the Prince’s support in many of your own matters, Em. You know that. No matter how strong you are, Raven is the Prince of this Kingdom. Please, Em...can you not see the sacrifice I am making?"

"A sacrifice I never asked of you, Thesia." Emrys answered with a coldness he hadn’t intended, his emotions unravelling after the meeting with his mother. "And I, Emrys Stormblessed, do not need anyone in my affairs. Not even the Prince."

’Yet you need me to face your mother.’ Anesthesia thought, clenching her teeth, and decided once more to keep it to herself.

She understood Emrys was unsettled and unstable from the visit with his mother. Whenever he was in that state, she knew well, he said things he would regret not long after.

So she chose to be understanding. But Emrys was in a particularly foul mood tonight.

"I want you to stop all of this, Thesia." He said with authority. "You don’t need him. I am more than enough. The Stormblessed will protect you, no one will dare touch you."

"You don’t understand, do you?" She sighed wearily. "But truly, how could you, Emrys? You are not the one living here, surrounded by people who wield death like a natural extension of themselves, people who can kill you at any moment they choose!"

She lost her temper, stopping in front of her mirror, her stunning face twisting into a scowl.

"You are safe in your home, Emrys! Safe! But I am not! I am an intruder here, and I can be killed — or worse — if I dare to overstep!"

The memory of Cassius and the Head Maid flashed through her mind, fuelling her anger like wind feeding fire.

"So don’t say things you can’t understand. If I were openly backed by the Stormblessed and officially acknowledged our relationship, Raven would make my life a Vorn-cursed hell for treating him like a fool!"

"We are the Stormblessed. No one—!"

"Don’t be a fool!" She shouted. "Do you think you can go against both the Hood and the Desdemona at the same time?"

Emrys’s voice went colder. "Don’t underestimate us, Anesthesia. You have no idea what we are capable of."

"Oh, really?" She sneered almost instinctively. "Then all the more reason for me to use the information I have to decide my next actions." She answered with matching coldness. "And right now, I need Raven. I am sorry, Emrys, truly. But trust me. You need to trust me when I tell you I am yours and yours alone. Whatever I do is only for our future."

She paused, her anger gradually settling. "Right now the situation has reached a point of deep instability. The Prince is acting strangely because of Cassius’s presence. He is not as cooperative as before. Which is why I need to tell you, at the Event..."

She swallowed softly, knowing the risk, and took it anyway.

"...I will be Raven’s chosen companion."

She couldn’t see it, but she knew Emrys’s face was falling apart.

She bit her lip harder and continued, heart racing. "I need him to believe I care for him. So choose someone else at the Event. Choose one of the girls I introduced you to — for example Love de Bayard — trusting that you love me above all of them."

He chuckled hollowly. His voice came out hoarse. "...don’t tell me you are using that to justify your actions?"

Anesthesia said nothing.

After a moment, Emrys laughed, humorless and harsh.

"Good night, Anesthesia."

He hung up immediately, leaving the Chosen Heiress drowning in sudden silence.

She sighed, threw her phone onto the bed in anger, and sank to the floor, knees pulled to her chest, face buried in them, arms wrapped around herself like a shield against something suffocating.

"It’s all for our future." She whispered, fighting off tears. "I am doing all of this for us, Em. But also...but also I am doing all of this..."

The room tightened with an unnamed tension.

"...for my own future. And for my family’s."

’So forgive me, Em. But I need the Prince. And I will do anything to make him mine.’

With those thoughts, Anesthesia got up, picked up her phone, and sent two messages.

One for Emrys:

<I am sorry, Em. I just lost my temper. I am truly sorry. Don’t be angry with me. You are the only one I love. My heart is yours and yours alone.

I love you. You are my everything.>

And the other one for...

<My Prince... I miss you and I can’t sleep. Can I call you?>

...Raven Hood himself.

—End of Chapter 97—