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Chapter 17: Death of a Legend.
"My mother hid me in a small secret compartment big enough for one person to hide."
"..."
"I was na?ve back then. I followed whatever my mother asked me to do."
"Hiding inside, I saw those men appear as my mother faced them."
"She fought against them. But she was weakened, and they were strong. Finally, she was overwhelmed, and a sword pierced her heart." Tears started coming out of her eyes as she recalled everything.
*Sniff*
"Without caring about anything. I ran out of the hiding place towards my mother. I cried a lot as I held her dead body in my arms." Alicia raised both her arms as if she still remembers that feeling and continued while tears fell from her eyes. "I thought everything was an Illusion but when I held her lifeless body, I lost all my senses and just wanted to kill them and take revenge."
"I thought even if I die. I will die fighting."
"I was prepared to end my life there. But you know what they did." She looked at Luis and asked aggrievedly.
"They left me alive." She was barely catching her breath as she said.
"They let me live as the only survivor of that incident." She shouted, showing her anguish.
"Since then, I have tried everything possible to search for the culprit behind it."
"All these years I found no clue." Then she looked at Luis and said.
"But all those assassins had one thing in common."
Luis knew, but he waited for her to say it.
"They all had the dragon tattoos exposed in different parts of their bodies."
As she finished her story, tears kept falling down her eyes. Luis just gave her a handkerchief and silently sat there, letting her calm down.
A few minutes later, when Alicia calmed down, she asked.
"Now I finally got a lead. That's why I want to help in your investigation and find the culprit."
"I see." It was a short reply from Luis, which didn't answer whether he accepted her proposal or not.
Alicia looked at him with a small frown and asked.
"... You don't think it's right for me to take revenge?"
Luis shook his head and said. "Of course not."
"Who am I to judge that? I also experienced something similar and, of course, I want revenge."
"Then.." Hearing Luis' words, Alicia looked at him in anticipation.
"But I want to ask you something first."
"Ask something?" Alicia frowned and looked at him in confusion wondering, what he wants to ask now.
Luis took a deep breath and looked at Alicia while thinking of her fate as per the game's story.
Alicia Raven was the most beautiful heroine of the Holy Dragon Knight game. But she was also the most unfortunate one. In Alicia's route, no matter the choices Protagonist makes, there will be no happy ending for her.
(Note:- Alicia's happy ending doesn't mean the game's happy ending. It's the ending of Alicia Raven's conquest route.)
Either she dies or commits suicide because she couldn't take revenge for her mother and lost all hope or the protagonist makes her choose between friendship and revenge. That counts as the completion of her route, but in either case, Alicia wasn't happy. Because she was forced to choose between friendship and her revenge.
As for the option of taking revenge. It was not possible. Because Alicia's enemy is an important part of the main game story and for the development of the protagonist. So the protagonist won't kill him if he wants to get stronger. But that is not the case for Luis, since he doesn't care.
"What do you want to do after you accomplish your revenge?"
This question was unexpected for Alicia.
"What do you mean?"
Luis took a deep look at her and said, "Since your mother's death, you have been living for the sake of revenge."
Alicia didn't say anything and waited for him to continue since she agreed with his words and didn't understand what he wanted to say.
"For all these years, you have been searching for your enemies in your desire for revenge."
"Don't you also want revenge for what happened to you?" She asked, looking into his eyes.
"Of course I want revenge." He replied without hesitation.
"So-" she wanted to say something but was cut off.
"But I don't want to lose myself in the process of revenge."
"..."
"In the process of searching for your mother's enemies, you stopped living the life which your mother lost her life to protect."
"I agree with your desire for revenge. But this revenge should just be a part of your life, not your life's goal. Because once you complete your revenge, you will be left with nothing."
"I don't want my life to end up like that," Luis said as he looked at Alicia. His words struck her deeply.
Seeing that Alicia was silent and thinking his words seriously, Luis suddenly asked with a small smile.
"Miss Alicia, didn't you say you find yourself very attached to a white rose?"
Alicia didn't understand why he asked this, but she replied with a nod.
"Then do you know? The white rose is not just a symbol of sadness and sorrow. It is also a classic symbol of beauty and purity, often used to represent love and new beginnings."
Alicia didn't know what to say at this moment. So she asked in a low voice. "Then what do you want me to do?"
He gently got close to her and placed his hand on her cheek. She didn't resist his actions, but her body stiffened a bit. Luis gave a charming smile and, while wiping her tears, he said. "I also think you are similar to a white rose."
Alicia looked into his deep gray eyes, which were directly looking at her affectionately. He continued speaking in a gentle voice.
"I don't want you to succumb to sadness and sorrow. I want you to have a new beginning in your life and your desire for revenge to be just a part of your life. I want you to live your life to the fullest from now on. Not just make revenge your life's goal. Maybe even fall in love. I'll be happy to be with you, who are just as pure and beautiful as a white rose."
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A.N. - Was that a confession? Tell me guys how will Alicia react?
1) She slaps him and they treat it like nothing happened.
2) She will throw him in the pond.
3) She will hug him and accept.
4) She will cancel the engagement.
5) None of the above.
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