Chapter Text
The elevator dinged and the doors slid open, creaking heavily from stress. An overarching sense of deadness lazily enveloped the palace, a complete flip of character from before Komugi passed out. It was silent, the floor covered in pebbles and dirt, the air filled with dust. The only thing not still was the presence she felt beside her, Meruem.
They had played gungi for hours, pieces clicking away on the board game after game. Eventually, Meruem grew tired and insisted that he would rest a while, begging Komugi to stay by his side until he woke up. Komugi obliged him, of course. Her heart wrenching at the thought that for the first time in her life she was needed, wanted. Something at that moment changed him, she could tell. Like a cat that would hide away knowing it would pass soon, so that their loved ones wouldn’t worry, Meruem closed his eyes and asked Komugi to say his name one last time. They both knew they would pass soon.
Time passed, and eventually Komugi awakened to Meruem holding her just as she did when they fell asleep, her head resting on his knees. She jolted up, panicked. “A-Ah, Meruem-sama!” Placing both hands on the floor, she bowed. “Please forgive me! You couldn’t wake up with me ready at your side!” She quivered, ready for an outlash. Meruem simply cocked an eye at her, paying no mind to the display in front of him. She felt him stand up, and she flinched out of habit.
“We are still here.” He pointed out, as if expecting something different. Komugi loosened up slightly. Oh, she thought, we really are still here. With that realization, she sniffled, body shaking again. They really were still here, living, breathing, existing. “Why are you shaking so much? Are you sickly?” He snapped her out of her thoughts. She snapped up. Inhaling a calming breath, she decided to pocket these overwhelming emotions for later.
“It’s n-nothing, Meruem-sama.” She sheepishly responded. If he found out that she was excited to play more gungi matches with him, would he be upset? Selfish thoughts never brought about prosperity, she thought, remembering the harsh lessons her family would beat into her. It may be selfish, but if she could allow herself one thing, it would be for them to keep playing gungi. She slapped her reddening cheeks to make the color she knew was there fade away.
Her head spun with many unanswered questions, but at this point she was used to being in the dark, both figurative and literal, trusting the man who has been with her for the past couple weeks. Her heart panged for just a moment, a deep sense of comfort overcoming her. Never in her life has someone taken the time to reach out, to want to be with her. She was undesirable, ugly, unwanted, a good for nothing. Certainly the opposite of someone of such high status. But even so, a giddy sensation developed in her gut. Did he feel this way too?
Meruem never tore his eyes away from her, watching the girl stammer away. “Come. We need to assess the damages.” After he said that, his face scrunched up. We? He felt torn by the way that word easily stumbled out of him, yet it felt natural. He scoffed. Judging by how quiet the surface sounded, it really may just be the two of them.
Komugi stood up, brushing the dirt and dust off of her dress. The pair made their way to the elevator that led to the palace, Komugi following the sound of Meruem’s silent but ever present footsteps. Her mind had a gentle buzz of happiness in the background, and she was quietly relieved they were still together.
Meruem led her down the familiar corridors of the palace, occasionally warning her to step over a pile of collapsed ceiling. She followed suit, lost in her own thoughts about what exactly happened here. She perked up, remembered getting injured. Placing a hand over her stomach however, revealed that there was no sign an injury even took place. Was this Doctor Blythe’s doing? She did recall a doctor by that name that healed Meruem-sama’s arm rather miraculously. He knew the strangest of people.
After a while of wandering around, Meruem stopped, placing a hand on his chin. His walk around the grounds confirmed his suspicions. All his allies either ran away or died, and his enemies did the same. A realization dawned on him, like a physical burden lifting off his shoulders. He was free. No longer chained with the responsibility of ruling over humans, he burst out laughing. Of course, he no longer had his royal guards, no longer had an army of humans waiting to be eaten outside his front doors, and the utter sense of his self purpose cracked and shattered. He landed on a thought and spun around to face Komugi.
“Didn’t you say you had a family?”
…
“Eehhhhhh?!?!” Family? Why did he want to know about that? “W-Well yes, but--”
She was silenced by this new manic side of Meruem she had never seen. “Take me to them.” He commanded. She couldn’t see his eyes, but she felt a blazing heat bare into her, knowing he was staring right into her soul.
She swallowed, anxiety swirling in her stomach. Before she stumbled into Meruem’s life, all she knew was her family and the small village she lived in, and gungi. Gungi was all that connected her life together, gave her purpose. Deep down, she didn’t want to merge those two harshly contrasting aspects. She hadn’t thought about ever returning to them since she started playing it with Meruem. She realized she liked the company they shared.
“I’m not sure they’d—“ she started.
“Do not deny me.” He snapped, gaze still sharply trained on to Komugi, a smirk playing on the corner of his mouth. Komugi shot her arms up, waving them frantically.
O-Of course not!!” she stammered, “I just think they would not be happy to see me. That’s all.” She played with the ends of her hair, expecting another harsh quip. Meruem spoke with clarity and assurance.
“I have lost those that were close to me, but in return I am freer than ever.” He took a step towards her. “I wish to return the favor. I am not one to be generous, and I will not repeat myself.”
Confused, Komugi’s head spun. Return the favor? “But! I am not worthy!” She declared. The king doing something for her, on his behalf? Her thoughts scrambled trying to find a reason as to why he would do such a thing for someone so undeserving. His gaze narrowed and his slitted eyes burned into her. He was serious, she swallowed. “Y-Yes, I understand.” She felt him relax, no longer staring at her so intensely.
“Good. I will take you to the front gates. From there you will take the lead.” He stated, and started walking again. Komugi, left in the dark as always, could do nothing but still blindly trust the man who saved her life, literally and figuratively.
...What in the world was going on?