His Contractual Mistress

Listening to the side, the five shamans shared a knowing look at each other. Then, they approached Lady Isabella and made a vow. "We promised to guard the box until the alignment of the nine planets twenty-seven years later."     

"I'm going with you," Liam announced out of the blue.      

"Are you certain about that?" Klein queried Liam. He and Levi were approaching them. "Shun is no longer locking you back in Italy. You are a free man now."      

Liam nodded calmly. "Yes, I am certain. After all, even if I have my freedom, I cannot change what people have heard about me. And even if Master Shun plans to lock me up again, I refuse to return because I will beg him to let me watch the box."     

"But, Prince Liam…" a man in uniform attempted to raise a protest. However, Liam stopped him before he could speak further.     

"I will watch this box with my whole life." Liam made a vow as he stared at the box before him.      

Isabella and the others exchange glances. She pondered and then agreed afterward. "I'm certain that Shun would support your idea. Besides, you were more familiar with how the seal works."     

Liam nodded.     

~~~     

Lamandi Palace, V Country     

Liam was standing in the middle of the Throne Hall, sweeping his gaze throughout the room.     

"Prince Liam..." At the door, a man in uniform appeared, greeting him politely.     

Liam turned around and smiled at the older man.     

"Come in, General Handayani…" Liam invited him to join him inside. He met him halfway, and when the man had attempted to bow to him, he stopped him; instead, he told him, "You don't need to do that, teacher."     

"Your Highness…." An inexplicable feeling overwhelmed the older man's chest. When the news of Liam reached him, he was in disbelief. He didn't believe Liam could do such a thing of his own will.     

"You can quit addressing me that way… I am no longer the crowned prince of V Country nor the future king of this kingdom."     

Shocks appeared on General Hayandani's face, and sadness flashed in his eyes. "What will happen to us, your highness?"     

"You will be fine, Prime Minister," Liam smiled.     

"Prince Liam, you can't do this!" The older man was surprised again. He was in disbelief when the prince assigned him an even higher position in the Monarchy.     

Liam patted the older man's shoulder. He then conveyed his gratitude. "Thank you for watching over the country all these years, Teacher. I know you have faced difficulties dealing with my affairs after I became someone's puppet."     

"Don't mention it, Your Highness. But, Your Highness, are you certain to leave the throne empty?" Prime Minister Hayandani asked this question out of concern when the people demanded a new king on the throne.     

Liam stared at the general, pondering. After a brief silence, he extended his hand and patted the older man's shoulder one more time.      

"Please, as I said earlier, you can stop addressing me this way. From here on, you are this country's Prime Minister and I am only an ordinary citizen of V Country. Let's say that even if I am not myself, and I only have an important mission during that time, the crime I committed is not forgivable. Therefore, I deserve to be punished for the innocent lives that died because of me."      

"But, Your Highness, I mean, Liam… As you said, you were not yourself. Then? Who will inherit the throne? There is no direct line to sit on the throne. Unless…" The new Prime Minister trailed off his last words.     

Liam need not guess what the older man was trying to tell him. He immediately understood who he was referring to.     

"That is why I wanted to speak with you, Prime Minister Handayani. There is another favor I will ask from you."     

"As long as it is beyond my capability," Prime Minister Handayani said.      

Liam let out a long breath. "It was just recently that I regained my memories. So I only remembered that I have a daughter. If I am not mistaken, she's five years old now. I have yet to meet her. But I can't introduce myself to her."     

"Why not Liam? You are her father!"     

"But I am afraid that with the crime I committed, she would feel ashamed of me and would not forgive me once she learns the truth." He was indeed afraid to be rejected by his daughter in the future.     

"Liam, I know the princess will forgive you once she hears the truth."     

"I don't want the world to judge her because of me. I don't want her to experience such criticism. All I want is for her to grow up with a happy and peaceful life." Liam paused a moment and looked outside the window when the first ray of the sun was about to appear. "This is my request. Please protect her and treat her like your real granddaughter. When she comes of age and is a perfect time, and she is ready for her responsibility, please announce that she is the lost queen of Lamandi Kingdom."     

Prime Minister Handayani was stunned. "Don't tell me you were firm with your decision of not introducing yourself and revealing you were her father?"      

Liam nodded and replied, "It is better this way. She doesn't need to carry such a burden of the truth that her father is an infamous criminal."      

"But, Liam…. Isn't it better when she grows up knowing how great her father was? When the right time comes, you can tell her the truth that she is the heir to the Lamandi Throne." The prime minister disagreed with Liam's plans, so he went on.     

"She deserves to grow up with her father. She had already lost her mother. You cannot deprive her of the opportunity to be with his father. Raising her in the Shaman Village can help you make things easier for you to confess the truth. I am certain she will readily accept the truth of why you committed the crime in the past."     

The older man added, "Listen to me, Liam. I am sure the princess would not judge you. She will only hate you if you remove her chance to be with her father. Do you think she would forgive you for that? Is it that she would hate you because you become a coward to be a wonderful father to her?"     

Liam could not argue with the older man. Everything he said made sense.     

"General Hayandani is correct." Suddenly, Isabella appeared at the door. She entered the hall, walked toward the throne, and halted by the king's platform. She turned around and faced Liam, who was standing by the window. "Don't worry, Liam. In the future, I will help you enlighten her. You can send her to me and teach her everything she needs to know about this world."     

"Lady Isabella…" Liam has no words to describe the emotion that surged in his chest. He was grateful that things weren't the end yet for him.     

"Now, are you ready to meet her?" Prime Minister Hayandani queried Liam. On his face plastered a warm smile.     

Liam nodded, and it made the older man thrilled. He immediately phoned his wife and quickly explained. Two hours later, Liam was seated on a couch inside the palace salon, waiting for his daughter to meet her for the first time.      

"Nervous?" Seated across from Liam are the couple, Levi and Madison.      

"Hmm…" Liam did not deny it. He constantly breathes in to relax his nerves. Then, he held his breath when the door opened, and Prime Minister Hayandani entered the room, holding a five-year-old girl in hand.      

"There... Go and greet your Papa."