Dedicated to: Michaela (Thank you so much for attending our TOS meet and greet event! )

Chapter 39: The Identity

The owner of the House of Pleasure harshly pushed me inside the room with the women waiting for me to assist. Sa lakas ng pagkakatulak niya ay napasalampak akong muli sa sahig. Bagaman hinaplos na ni Kreios ang pisngi ko ramdam ko pa rin ang kirot niyon at ang muling paglandas ng dugo ko.

Wala sa sarili kong pinunasan ng likuran ng kamay ko ang sarili kong dugo.

"Hindi ko alam kung ano ang mayroon sa 'yo! Simula nang dumating ka ay sunod-sunod na ang problema ko!" sigaw nito bago sinalubong ang mga mata ng mga kababaihang nasa likuran ko.

"Make her more beautiful! She should look expensive! We will sell her with a greater price for making this commotion."

"Y-Yes, My Lord."

Nang sandaling ibagsak ng lalaking may-ari ng bahay ng aliw ang pinto ay sabay-sabay dumalo sa akin ang tatlong babae nak ilala ako bilang reyna.

Hindi agad ako nagsalita sa kanila. Sa halip ay mariin akong pumikit dahil sa sinabi sa akin ni Kreios. He was serious about it. At alam kong wala na siyang pakialam kung malaman ng lahat na narito ang hari't reyna.

Could we possibly handle all of these creatures from different houses of pleasure who had hatred towards him?

"Y-Your Majesty..."

"Do what he wanted and tell me what is this game all about." Sabay yumuko ang tatlong babae.

Dinala muna nila ako sa paliguan at doon ay sinagot nila ang aking mga katanungan. I knew that we should be looking for the clue about the Holy Land, yet here we are, trapped in a game I wasn't even aware of.

"Hindi ka naman bago sa kaalaman na ang Mudelior ang emperyo na may pinakamalalaking bahay ng aliw. Hindi ba, Mahal na Reyna?"

Tumango ako.

"With the two aisles of houses of pleasures, everything is a competition. Walang magkakaibigan sa bawat may-ari ng bahay ng aliw— sa halip ay ilang taon silang magkakatunggali."

"Is it a friendly competition?"

"It is a passed down generation of competition."

"Ano ang koneksyon nito sa laro na nais ng lalaking iyon?"

"It's the traditional game of each house. Ginagawa iyon bago matapos ang taon, sa huling bilog na buwan ng taon."

Hinayaan kong magpatuloy sila sa pagpapaliwanag. Pansin ko na nagkakatitigan ang tatlo at nakikita ko ang takot sa kanilang mga mata.

"Continue."

"They say that this place... this huge place that covered the house of pleasures needed to have a living sacrifice— a life of a beating heart just like how each grain of sand in this place has been nourished, from blood, sweat, and tears of thousands of generations of warriors."

Hindi ako nagulat na maaari ngang ilang sagupaan na ang nasaksihan ng lugar na ito sa paglipas ng panahon bago ito naging malaking lugar na napupuno ng bahay ng aliw.

We had so much history way beyond the high thrones and given the enormous land of Mudelior—this could be a place where battalions of warriors clashed.

"The grains of sand in this place are the witness of wars, deaths, and sacrifice until years passed and it became a place for a treaty. They said that it started with a friendly game— a game that would fix a relationship between two empires— in this very land. A border that they thought could be a connection and path to peace, yet the game turned into betrayal— gambling of life."

My brows were creased as I stared at the woman with ginger hair who started to narrate this unknown story. If this story was way beyond the seven high thrones, how could this woman possibly know about it?

"Now this certain place in Mudelior— the place of the numerous houses of pleasures has been following this tradition, sacrificing a maiden from the loser house each year. An offer. A living sacrifice that would be buried alive— in the center of the aisle."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at napatayo na ako sa pagkakalubog ko sa tubig. Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagbubukas ng isipan ko upang kausapin si Kreios.

Ilang daang babae na ang nailibing nang buhay sa ilalim ng mga buhanging ito dahil lang sa tradisyong iyon?

"What the fuck is this, Kreios?! Alam mo ba ito?!"

Hindi ako nakarinig ng sagot kay Kreios dahil tila sarado ang koneksyon namin. Kumuyom ang mga kamay ko habang habol ko ang aking paghinga.

"M-Mahal na reyna..."

"Matagal na ba ito?"

Kapwa sila tumango sa akin. "I don't understand. I thought Mudelior held the biggest house of pleasure because it was the biggest empire. This place is also difficult to reach or monitor that's why every house of pleasure has the confidence to operate and even practice violence..."

Mas yumuko ang isa sa kanila. "Ano ang magagawa ng simpleng pagbisita ng mga tagasunod ng hari sa lugar na ito, Mahal na Reyna? They couldn't just let his servants stay here and monitor everything because Mudelior is too huge. And this is the farthest from the castle... no matter how powerful he could be, his creatures can do illegal things behind his back."

Hindi ko na sila hinintay na sabihin na tapos na akong maligo dahil umalis na ako sa paliguan. Mabilis naman silang humabol sa akin at sinimulan nila akong punasan.

"That's why... we're all confused, Your Majesty. You have been curious about this water... this could be just a rumor because there's no way this place can hold such a thing as miracle water... this place holds darkness, sacrifice... death, tears, and blood. Wala sa lugar na ito ang hinahanap mo," dagdag ng isa sa kanila.

But the red-haired woman smirked. I saw how she lowered her face to hide it. Who the fuck is this woman?

Is this why Father purposely spread rumors that there could be magical water in this place so he could confuse the other creatures when finding it?

Habang pinupunasan nila ang katawan ko ay napahilamos na ako sa sarili ko. This doesn't make sense... my father wouldn't just dump an information like that.

Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko at marahas akong lumapit sa babaeng may pulang buhok. Nangangatal ang kamay kong nagtungo sa kasuotan niya at mariin ko siyang hinila papalapit sa akin.

I ignored my nakedness in front of them.

"Who. Are. You?"

"I am no one, Y-Your Majesty." She replied. She didn't even look scared.

If she wasn't the woman who purposely pushed me, she could be her accomplice.

"Hindi ako nakikipagbiruan. Sino ka?!"

Lumapit na ang dalawang babae sa akin at kapwa nila hinawakan ang mga braso ko. "Mahal na Reyna, isa lang siya sa mga babaeng nagsisilbi katulad namin—"

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko. "I can't remember someone who had a red hair before. Who are you?"

Ngunit sa halip na sumagot sa akin ay nakipagtitigan lang siya. Nawala ang atensyon ko sa kanya nang may marinig kaming boses sa labas ng paliguan. Boses iyon ng babae na pinagmamadali kami.

Marahas kong binitawan ang kasuotan niya ngunit higit na naging matalim ang mga mata ko sa kanya. Nang nagtungo na kami sa silid at bihisan ako ng mga babae ay nagpaalam na ang babaeng may pulang buhok dahil ipinatatawag na daw siya.

Kasasarado niya pa lang ng pinto ay napasigaw na ako sa galit at naihampas ko na ang mga kamao ko sa lamesa. Dahil... kung tama ang hinala ko na ang babaeng nagtulak sa akin kanina ay isa sa mga babaeng pinili ni ama... ang mga babaeng sumumpang bubuhay muli ang pitong trono. Who is this ginger haired woman if that cloaked woman was the angel? Ressa, the white werewolf is already dead, Harper is now trying to reach me, and now this woman... which clan?

And the way that red-haired woman looked at me was the same as Harper did the first time—a look of contempt and hatred—because I resembled my mother, Queen Talisha, who had destroyed all their beautiful plans that they promised to fulfill with Father and Danna.

Bakit bigla silang naglabasan matapos nilang manahimik nang ilang daang panahon? Why now that I was alone— without any other Gazellian?

The angels participated during Queen Leticia's journey, and it was expected that Queen Leticia had been destined to rewrite the awful history of the past. But why again? These women did not even slip my mind now that my purpose was to discover the water that might help my brother.

Tinabig ko na ang mga kamay ng mga babaeng nagpapahid ng kung ano-ano sa mukha ko at itinuon ko ang noo ko sa lamesa.

Ramdam ko ang pagkirot ng dibdib ko at ang pag-iinit ng sulok ng mga mata ko. I spent days in this place without progress and it was frustrating... and now these women... confusing me, or probably making things worst.

May rason ba sila para tulungan ang prinsesa— ang anak ng hari na hindi tumupad sa kanyang pangako? Even with our conversation with Harper during Queen Leticia's journey it didn't guarantee that she was on my side. She was there to help Queen Leticia— she aided us because of the queen. These two... Harper and the red-haired were betrayed, left hanging...

According to her memories... Father was looking for the Holy Land too. Narating ba iyon ni ama bago ito mawala sa mundong ito? Narating ba nila iyon ni Danna? Did they solve the puzzle about it? Did the Holy Land find them?

Pakiramdam ko ay higit na sumakit ang ulo ko. Hindi na ako nagtanong pa sa kanila at hinayaan ko silang ayusan ako hanggang sa lumabas na kami sa silid.

Wala pa rin akong ideya sa larong gagawin namin. Ang tanging alam ko'y ang siyang magiging talunan ay mag-aalay ng buhay. Kung ganoon ay isa ba kina Elena at Catalina ang iaalay sa sandaling matalo sila?

Habang mabagal kaming naglalakad sa palabas ng bahay ng aliw na ngayon ay wala kahit isang nilalang na naroon ay doon ko lang higit na napagmasdan ang kasuotan ko.

Unlike the usual attire I had just like the usual servant in a house of pleasure— I was dressed more extravagantly just like how Kreios would dress himself in disguise as an aristocrat. I had two pieces of clothing covering my chest and lower body— red silk, mesh, and expensive stones. My hands were adorned with jewelry, arms, and even my hair accessories— a complete price of a woman with a typical high price. They placed a thin veil above my head that could reach in front of my eyes, leaving only half of my face exposed in front of the public.

Huminga ako nang malalim at nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad. Even with the veil in front of me, I could see clearly the image of the whole Entertainment District, now huddled around the aisle.

Kapwa nasa labas na ang bawat nilalang sa bawat bahay ng aliw, nagsiksikan sa daan at pilit na nanghahaba ang mga leeg, may ilan na kapwa nakaupo sa may bintana sa matataas na palapag ng kanilang bahay ng aliw, mayroon din na nasa mga bubong, puno, at sa iba't ibang klase ng matataas na posisyon kung saan masasaksihan ang sinasabi nilang laro.

Agad akong sinalubong ng may-ari ng bahay ng aliw at iginiya niya ako patungo sa unahan.

Malakas na tambol ang dumagundong mula sa bahay ng aliw na pinanggalingan ko, bago sunod-sunod na sumali ang bawat bahay ng aliw na nakahilera doon. Agad hinanap ng mga mata ko si Kreios, he was standing behind the crowd with Livius, but both of their eyes turned into crimson red as they spotted me.

Sa gitna ng daan ay naroon nakaupo ang lalaki at si Elena, sa gitna nila ay isang lamesa. Kasabay ng bawat hakbang ko ay katabi ko ang may-ari ng bahay ng aliw ngunit ang higit kong napapansin ay ang patuloy na kirot ng hiwa sa pisngi ko.

This cut should have been healed after a few minutes because it was just a cut from a damn bottle. Pero bakit ganito pa rin ang kirot nito na tila malaking pinsala iyon?

Habang patuloy ako sa paglalakad ay tumama ang aking mga mata sa lalaki na siyang dahilan kung bakit may duwelong ganito. At nang sandaling mapansin niya ang mga mata ko sa kanya'y ngumisi siya sa akin. Nasundan iyon ng kirot sa pisngi ko. Was this cut from him?

Mariin akong pumikit. He cupped my face... and I didn't notice how his nails grazed at me.

Staring at him right now he didn't look like someone who didn't have a choice or someone who was trapped in a situation he wasn't expecting... could he be Atlas' minion?

"Why do I suddenly remember that blasted prince who made a huge commotion before?" iritableng sabi ng may-ari ng bahay ng aliw.

Hindi ko iyon pinansin dahil mas tumindi ang kirot sa pisngi ko. Nang tanggalin ko ang kamay ko at tumungo ako sa palad ko, kaiba na ang kulay ng aking dugo. The same color of my blood drawn from the claw of...

I gasped and looked at the man again, could he be... was he once a...

I took a step back, horror registered in my eyes, my hands trembled as I covered my mouth in disbelief. Shivers ran down my spine as an imaginary shadow of a familiar form of a creature I've grown up with appeared before my eyes.

I felt the cold sweat streaming down my temple as everything dawned on me.

Hindi lang sa lalaking katunggali ni Elena, kundi maging sa lalaking siyang nakapagitan sa lamesa na siyang magiging tagapag-anunsyo ay ngayon ay mariin din nakatitig sa akin.

The man who had left a burning cut on my cheek— the man who made this huge commotion who left the same familiar pain— a kind of pain that I shouldn't be confused... because I had been cut and burned by it as I turned into a princess who learned how to fight in an arena...

Muling nag-angat ang isang kamay ko sa kumikirot na hiwa sa pisngi ko.

I could feel the hair on the back of my neck as my eyes met the same opponent I had since I was young.

Because... that man was once an embargo.