The Clueless Prince

Chapter 33: Farwell

I looked up at the bright blue sky, as the warm sunlight shined down, warming everything in its presence. Truly, it was the perfect weather to hang out with friends, host tea parties, or enjoy a nice walk around Lore.

And yet, I found myself in a place I never thought I'd visit during my stay at Lore Academy. Not even the warmth of the sun could pierce through the gloomy nature of the graveyard, nor the dark yet remorseful expression on the priest's face as he spoke.

"We have gathered here today to celebrate the life of Kieran Delover, who has now returned home to the Lord's Kingdom. He lived a life of kindness and brought joy to others. Though he was taken far too soon, The God of Life will surely bless him in another life and grace him, as they have graced us today. But today isn't just a day for a kind soul who's found peace in the Lord's benevolence, but it is also a day for the living who have been led astray and unable to move on." He raised a hand, and it began to light up as he clasped his hands together in prayer. "Do not fret, for this is the plan that the Lord who rules over fate itself has set in motion."

When he opened his hands, his eyes seemed to shine with light as the dark expression began to disappear. "By the grace of the God of Luck, heal the pain and the darkness that comes from those who grieve. May your blessing help mend those whose hearts are filled with doubt and anger." He finished, only pausing for a brief moment to look around. When his eyes met mine, I felt my heart skip a beat. The light in his eyes looked to have brightened even more, almost as radiant as the sun right above us. It was a familiar feeling... like when the demigod from the fountain had laid their eyes on me.

But right as I was beginning to speculate, he looked away, the light disappearing and the surroundings returning to normal.

But it wasn't as gloomy anymore. I stared at the priest, still feeling a bit spooked from what had happened, but he ignored me, closing his eyes and clasping his hands together. I thought about walking up to him and asking him a few questions—

But I stopped when I saw Jake walk forward, standing right where the priest had been standing just a moment prior. His face was pale, and his eyes were reddened as if he hadn't slept for days. Yet, with a shaking demeanor, he raised the paper in his hand and took a shaky breath.

"I... was Kieran's best friend. W-we've been friends ever since we shared a course last year, and without him, I probably wouldn't have passed my finals." He spoke, his voice faltering as he tried to make a joke, but failed to even smile. He kept his eyes glued on the paper, as if afraid to make eye contact with anyone.

"I found him obnoxious at first, as he constantly nagged at me to do my homework, even though he never did his. He was such a foodie, he'd steal a fourth of my meals and say it was compensation for bearing with me. Not to mention, he had this annoying habit of always trying to matchmake me—but it usually failed." Jake's shaky voice began to grow more calm, and his gaze turned hazy as if he was reminiscing about a time that had already passed.

"Honestly, at times I have a hard time believing he's truly gone. It feels like he's playing a cruel game of hide and seek and he's too stubborn to call it quits, wanting to stay hidden a little while longer. Honestly, it's something that Kieran would do." He chuckled to himself, along with a few others who seemed to agree with that sentiment. "Has it really been a week? It felt like it was only yesterday when I sat down and shared a large-sized pizza with him, stuffing ourselves until we could roll ourselves out of the kitchen." He laughed again, this time to himself. But his smile faltered as he began to close his eyes.

"It's only dawning now that... this is it. My best friend is gone. There's no one to steal my food or wake me up at obscene hours of the night just for the fun of it. There's no one to pat me encouragingly whenever I fail my test and then offer to drop out and become mercenaries. There's no one... who can stand by my side and laugh with me as I read this aloud. If he heard this, he would've laughed himself sick... He..." Jake spoke, as he finally raised his head, as tears began to well up in his eyes. He opened his mouth, trying to finish his sentence—