Criminal X : Epitome Of Evil

"What can a man do to marry you?"

This bastard did it.

Pablo smacked his head.

He is dead.

Draxus shook his head.

Rest in peace.

Young joined his palms.

That's my son.

Gerald felt proud.

Flashy found the courage and in front of all the soldiers, he asked it.

He asked the Admiral what a man could do to marry her. He technically asked for Harlia's hand for marriage.

Pablo knew that Harlia had a husband but he died and he also knew that Flashy was way too young for Harlia. If anything, he should ask for adoption from her. Gerald should ask for Harlia's hand. But Flashy was Flashy, so Pablo let the man be.

The ball was now on Harlia's court and she definitely wasn't expecting this.

At most, she expected that this soldier would ask for money, for a leave, for a promotion, but not this.

However, she liked one thing.

"Why didn't you simply ask me to marry you?" She asked.

Flashy smiled. "I am not deserving enough to ask that from you, ma'am. Sir."

"So you know you are not enough for me?"

"Yes. That's why I asked you what a man can do for you to become worthy of you. For you to accept him as your life partner."

"Are you not scared to ask me this?"

"I am. I am trembling inside my heart. I know you can kill me right now. But I fought my fear and came to you. I felt if I lost this chance, I won't be able to do this again. One look of your essence, of your face, turned me into a madman, madam. I have become yours."

This was what Harlia liked.

The man didn't directly propose to her. He knew he wasn't deserving enough for that. But he fought his fear and asked her what he could do to become deserving enough.

She had heard many proposals from many men over the course of years and no one had ever asked her what this man asked. Those men already believed that Harlia should come to them, but this man accepted his lowly position and simply asked what he could do to have her.

Flashy kept his eyes on her face and Harlia showed no expressions. She also stared at Flashy and she stared long enough for Flashy to avert his eyes.

Harlia frowned at that. "Why did you look away?"

Flashy calmed his heart. "I am sorry, ma'am. But if you look at me with those ruby eyes of yours for too long, I won't be able to survive. My heart would stop. And not to mention, your open long hair. You are emanating beauty which is not safe for my stone eyes. I have only seen a person like you in dreams or in stories. Still, I am sorry for averting my eyes, ma'am."

Alright. Where did he learn all this? Did he read poetry books in his free time? No one praises a woman like that. And no woman would possibly get impressed by all that. No woman at al—

"Call me Harlia from now on."

GASP!

Everyone again gasped.

This time, even Pablo found his mouth open.

He was just saying that no woman would be impressed by all that. But right now, in front of his eyes…

Harlia had a thin smile on her face and she just allowed a mere soldier to call her by her name!

Did Flashy hit a jackpot or something?

Pablo had no idea what kind of face he should make and not only him, all the other soldiers were out of their wits as well. Mostly Draxus.

I can't believe a day has come when I am jealous of him.

When he saw the smile of Harlia, he felt that Flashy had done something worthy. He felt Flashy did the right thing to speak his heart.

Well, God bless him.

Draxus didn't fret over it for too long.

Gerald, however, was now more proud of his son.

I gave birth to a man brave for romance.

He was satisfied.

After Harlia said that, Flashy jerked his head at her again and Harlia quickly hid her smile.

But Flashy saw it. He got a glimpse of it. And he fell in love all over again.

"Ahem." Harlia cleared her throat. "You have to do a lot more things to become a worthy man, soldier. Prove your worth to me in what I am here to announce, and you shall get an answer from me. I like your courage and self-awareness. Keep it up."

Flashy smiled. "My name is Flashy, ma'am. Harlia ma'am."

Harlia nodded.

"Alright, Flashy. Now go and stand where you were standing. We have a lot of work to do."

"As you say."

Harlia walked past the kneeling Flashy and her fragrance welcomed his soul as she walked past him.

I am dead. I think she can have me by my throat and I would still admire the colour of her eyes.

Flashy stood up from his kneeling position and walked proudly like a man who defeated hundred lions barehanded.

He stood back to where he was standing and beside him was a slave of Pablo.

He was Brownie and his nose was twisted. Brock had roughed the boy pretty bad.

Flashy told Brownie to go to a certain soldier who was a healer and the slave instantly went to him who stood at the back of some file.

Harlia had already reached the stage by now and stood beside Pablo.

She then faced the soldiers while looking around the ground.

She saw corpses littered around but she paid them no mind.

Also, Pablo was nervous as Harlia had only told him to go to Hollow to gather information, but he was planning to wage war. He was nervous that Harlia might punish him for it. Of course, he wasn't afraid of her but it would be annoying to kill an Admiral.

Nevertheless, he was also kind of relieved because Harlia herself, just after landing on the ground, had announced.

And on the stage, she announced the same thing once more.

"We are going to commence the War today itself, soldiers. I don't like to repeat but I'll say it again…"

Harlia took in the serious gazes of all the soldiers and in her booming voice, she hollered:

"The Gong has been rung."