The Kingmaker System

On the beach with the jagged black rocks behind them stood a child, but they weren’t a boy.

Davian stared in stunned silence at the young child who looked no older than 5 or maybe 6 years of age. The small and slender figure of a little girl dressed in deep emerald green dress which had the patterns of waves and silver embroidery. Her long snow-white hair cascaded down her shoulders. Her face was almost like that of an angelic child which would be described in holy scriptures but for some reason, the expression of the child seemed tense. Her eyes framed with the thick white lashes were blue resembling the frozen deep blue lakes.

But it wasn’t the presence of the child that made Davian freeze, it was the resemblance which somewhere collided in his head but he shook it away.

"Um..."

The girl had no presence beyond that of an ordinary human child, but for some reason, Davian knew his eyes and senses weren’t matching here. The mana presence that he was feeling from the child was unmistakably of Ocean but the child was definitely not looking like Ocean.

"Is this a new disguise, Ocean?" Davian asked, feeling his heart beats growing louder.

The child lifted her head slightly, meeting his gaze and her small mouth moved.

"It’s me, Davian. No disguise."

Davian chuckled, shaking his head, his words failing him, "What? I mean... You... You’re not..."

The surprised, fragmented chuckle escaped Davian as he stood in his spot unmoving.

"I’m sorry for keeping this from you until now, Davian." The girl spoke as she took a few steps ahead.

She stopped just a foot away from him and looked at his eyes, her pupils quivered by the slightest fraction betraying the anxiety and nervousness she desperately concealed behind the mask of a blank face.

"I’m... Reina Aurelius..." She spoke, "Ocean and I... we’re the same."

Davian stared at the girl in front of him, his heart pounded so hard in his chest that he was starting to feel the ache beneath his ribs. Moreover, his vision swam a little as if he was lightheaded.

He slowly got down to his knees facing the girl at her eye level and his words came out as whisper as he couldn’t bring himself to put any energy in his voice.

"What did you just say?"

The girl swallowed, meeting his gaze firmly before repeating, "I’m Reina Minerva Aurelius... I... am the real face behind Ocean Ryujin."

Davian reached out and gripped her arms, his eyes turned wide and frantic.

"What do you mean?" He frowned and then looked around, "Is this a prank? It’s a very bad prank, Ocean step out now!"

Reina placed her little hand over his trembling yet, vice grip, it hurt but she tried her best to not let it show on her face.

"It’s the truth that I wanted to tell you."

Davian met her eyes again, the mad fervor swirling in them.

"Ocean... is a part of me that stays before the world... In reality, it’s just me."

Davian was at a loss for words as his arms trembled, without knowing his grip tightened around Reina’s frail arms. Since she didn’t have her Dragon’s strength anymore so, her body was just like a weak human child and despite her trying to conceal her pain it blossomed through her eyes in the form of tears.

Davian froze for a moment watching the tears slipping down her face and he quickly let go of her arms. She hastily wiped them away and he just kneeled there watching.

Reina sniffled, wiping away the tears and stood before him with a straight posture again. But all of her neutral expression from earlier had crumbled away leaving behind her flushed cheeks, red-rimmed eyes and slightly trembling arms which were developing the bright red finger marks right under the flimsy sleeves of the green dress.

"I-I’m sorry... " Davian spoke and she shook her head.

But before she could say anything Davian rose to his feet and then turned and walked away.

Reina stood in her place watching him leave before she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment pressing her temples that ached.

The sky above started to darken quickly and the winds picked the pace. The gentle waves slowly started rushing towards the land with a greater speed and one stronger after the other.

Reina inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly, she repeated the process to keep the World Tree from starting a storm over her crying.

"I’m fine, it’s fine." She repeated in her mind again and again.

"No need to summon a storm, I’m fine."

Davian staggered into the forest, thousands of thoughts running in his head.

It was Reina all along.

There had never been a man named Ocean.

Then what about his feelings?

Who were they for?

At first he had been confused between Reina and Ocean, but as he decided that his feelings were rather stronger for Ocean he had even gone ahead and started thinking of their future together and ways to convince his parents in case they would have any problem.

Moreover, Reina knew all along about his feelings both for her and for Ocean and yet, she never let it show. She juggled between both her identities to keep the facade and kept him in the dark.

Davian couldn’t keep up with how fast his thoughts ran, he knew Reina was never at any social function apart from some rare ones where she was accompanied by her father or brother. The reason for her absence was her frail health always but then again, with Ocean around it was almost a laughable excuse.

Now that he recollected every memory of the social function or every meeting then it was mostly only Ocean and almost never Reina, even if her whole family was present. It had almost become common that Reina would only be present in the necessary functions and Ocean would be conveniently absent since he already had the reputation for not attending balls or functions.

Even for Kai’s birthday, Reina was not there but Ocean was present.

The uncanny element had always been there but Davian never questioned it because he always looked for Ocean there.

Davian kept trudging along the forest path until he reached near a clearing and then sat down on a flat stone just watching the wildflowers blowing with the wind.

How happy he had been at the aspect of knowing that Ocean’s feelings were mutual?

Now he wondered if it was even true or not...

"What are you doing here?"

Davian turned his dazed gaze and spotted the same teenager Elf from earlier.

Davian didn’t say anything but just turned his gaze downward.

Fior had left the beach after showing Davian the way and then lingered in the forest since he didn’t want to go to the Elf palace without the Dragon.

He thought the two would talk for a bit that’s why he was taking a stroll hoping to see his friends but he didn’t expect to see the human man whom he had guided to the beach back in the forest staring at the wildflowers so dejectedly.

Did they have a fight? He wondered.

"Um..." He approached the young man, "Did you get lost?"

Davian chuckled bitterly, "Yes..."

Fior scratched the back of his head before he glanced back at the direction which would lead to the beach.

"I’m sorry, if it was confusing." Fior spoke awkwardly, "I... She told me that she will be right by the rocks so, I should just show you the path. Did you not see the Guardian Dragon?"

"It’s a girl." Davian spoke.

Fior tilted his head, confused, "Uh... Yes, she is now in a little girl’s form but... I think she’s older."

"How old?" Davian muttered.

"Huh?" Fior gave it a thought, "I don’t really know, Dragons are usually hundreds of years old... I’m 200 myself so, I’m pretty young to know."

Despite Fior speaking, Davian wasn’t listening to him at all.

He was tracing his memories back to his childhood when he met Ocean who was clearly an adult man or rather a woman? If she was an adult back then then was her age originally as a Dragon’s would be?

That also made another memory click, it was only brief but he had seen a woman who resembled the adult Reina he saw years ago in Mordino beside Princess Miera. She was clearly an adult even back then.

Davian could clearly sense Ocean’s mana from the woman yet he was confused and left quickly because he wanted to see his parents.

"Let’s go. I’ll show you again." Fior spoke.

Davian lifted his head and looked at Fior.

"Yes, but not to the beach." He said, "I need a drink."

Fior was taken aback as the young man rose to his feet.

"Hah? Wait, drink?" Fior asked and Davian nodded.

Fior wondered if the human before him was in his right mind or not but then he just felt like he heard the faint whisper in his ear as the breeze passed through.

Fior was perplexed but then he shrugged, "All right... I was going to go see my friends anyways... You can get a drink there."

Davian nodded and Fior once again led the way for this human man.

What the hell happened on that beach?

Fior’s predicament almost doubled as he led Davian to one of his friends’s uncle’s tavern. The young human stood out like a sore thumb for being an aura user which instantly made every Dark Elf around stare at him. Fior himself was self-conscious because he was basically exiled but having a human man tagging along was a whole another level of pressure.

"An aura user?"

"Is he from Nelius?"

"He came with Fior."

"Fior’s here too."

The whispers of those whom they crossed paths with were loud enough but the human seemed uncaring. The only goal in his mind was alcohol.

Fior had purposely chosen the entrance which had less amount of people travelling and being day time there wouldn’t be many Elves in the tavern but it had all been in vain. The aura user’s presence was highlighted across the colony as soon as he set a foot inside.

Fior kept his head down and reached at the tavern, followed by Davian.

The bartender, his friend’s uncle who was setting the alcohol bottles behind the counter suddenly paused feeling the presence of the aura user swelling behind him and he turned finding the aura user human and also the troublemaker of Dark Elves.

Fior quickly cleared his throat and announced, "H-He’s Guardian Dragon’s guest."

The whispering people all fell silent staring at Davian for a moment before the whispers grew urgent, some of the ones whom had seen the duo outside had followed them up to the tavern’s entrance to see who this human was.

The bartender named Varek looked at Davian up and down before he leaned over the wooden bar counter.

"What will you have?" He asked.

Davian placed his hand on the counter as he took a seat on the stool, eyes blazing violet.

"The strongest drink you have."

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