CHAPTER 548: A GOLETER AND A FAIRY

"Where did you go?" The garden fairy asked Richard who was busy washing the utensils that Heiren and Quizen used to prepare snacks that might comfort Coco.

Heiren and Quizen excused themselves from Lala and Richard once they were done, telling them that they come down once they go up to Coco’s room because they wanted to focus on making her feel better.

Lala was glad that the mediators were there to take care of her favorite human, but setting that aside, they unintentionally gave Lala a chance to interrogate Richard.

The garden fairy got answered with Richard’s silence, the kind of response that she hates.

"I’m asking you a question." Lala stated bluntly, her red eyes narrowing into a glare as she crossed her arms, situating herself on the vine that sprouted from the soil outside of the kitchen’s window.

She refused to sit on Richard’s shoulder after what he did.

If only the king beast grabbed her earlier when he noticed that something was wrong, Coco wouldn’t have to go through something traumatic! But no! Richard just had to do it alone!

Not to mention, when did Richard have the ability to disguise himself into a human? He has been walking around the house with his miniature version for days!

"I’m asking you a question, Richard! Where did you go?!" Lala repeated her question and in the burst of her anger, the vine she was sitting at sprouted another vine and shot out to grab Richard away from the sink.

The vine held him tightly by his ankle and held him upside down on the ceiling.

"Have you lost your mind?!" Richard hissed, his hands covered with bubbles. "I could have dropped that puny human’s favorite mug!"

Lala flinched and quickly glanced over to the sink, her eyes wide in horror.

The person Richard was talking about was Coco and Coco’s favorite mug is the one she usually uses in the morning that Heiren bought for her— Heiren used a different mug for Coco’s hot cocoa tonight because the mug was dirty.

The fact that Lala almost made Richard drop Coco’s favorite mug made her heart jump anxiously inside her chest.

"And why should I tell you where I went? You’re neither my master nor boss!" The goleter growled out, his crimson eyes glaring daggers at the garden fairy’s way. "You were annoying before, but you’re extra annoying now."

"I might not be one of those, but I’m one of your creators!" Lala screeched, stomping her foot on the vine beneath her.

"And? That should affect me in what way? I could care less about that." Richard retorted, crossing his arms and brushing off the fact that his hands are lathered with dishwashing soap.

"You’re so rude! I only wanted to know why you left me here when you sensed that Coco was in danger!" Lala screamed, her eyes welling up with tears. "If you brought me with you, I would have been able to protect her from whatever made her cry!"

Richard chuckled darkly, then he scowled at Lala. "You don’t even want to go with her in the first place, so I’m sure you won’t protect her—"

"I promised that I will be by her side whenever she needs me, but she needs me to protect her husbands!" Lala screamed, the tears falling from her eyes. "You think I wanted to be here?! I’m only staying with them because Coco asked me to!"

Richard was about to growl out another snarky remark, but he stopped when he saw the tears on Lala’s cheeks.

"If I could, I would have begged Coco to bring me with her whenever she goes!" Lala continued to scream, her fists shaking.

"BUT SHE DON’T WANT THAT!"

Silence.

It became so quiet that the two of them could hear footsteps from upstairs.

"She already suffered enough.." Lala mumbled, her voice now soft and quiet. "I already did a lot of bad things that made her sad.. That’s why, I don’t want her to be put in any situation that will make her remember them again."

"Them?" Richard couldn’t help, but ask.

"Them." Lala affirmed and wiped her tears. "The family she had before she got sent here."

The goleter grew silent and could only stare at Lala’s tearful eyes, his lips forming a straight line and scowled again.

"Did you have to cry?" Richard grunted out, shifting his gaze away from the fairy.

Lala’s eyebrows furrowed and she deliberately wiped her tears again, but they continued to fall. "I couldn’t help it.. Coco said that it’s better to cry it out rather than keep it in."

"How old are you?" Richard asked, keeping his eyes on the wall.

"It’s rude to ask a lady for her age." Lala muttered, feeling strangely calm after she screamed her feelings out towards the goleter. "Just because I’m as big as the sponge you use to wash the dishes, doesn’t mean I’m a baby."

"I’m pretty sure only newborn beings could only cry like that." Richard retorted, the corner of his lips twitching upwards.

Richard has lived in seclusion for centuries since the day he was created.

He never visited his brother who was created a century after he was created and he didn’t bother to visit his younger siblings who were created after.

He didn’t like the fact that he was a king of the beasts that was created to feed humans.

He also didn’t like the fact that he can’t go on a rampage, kill them in one flick of his wrist, and end humanity.

He never liked fairies— the beings that created this world and every being inside it.

He loathed every single one of them, but the one who has him on her precious vine because she was upset with him?

He couldn’t find it in himself to keep poking her, to make her mad because he knew that if he continued to do so, Lala would only cry again and he doesn’t want that.