Arya was surprised to hear the question from Dewi Purbalara that he had never expected, in his heart he thought how did the White Crocodile Demon Queen know that he was trying to influence the soldiers and palace guards and who had reported him.

"Influencing the soldiers and palace guards? What do you mean Dewi? I really don't understand."

Dewi Purbalara did not show the slightest suspicious attitude, especially since Arya asked her back like that.

"Hmmm, I'm just asking Arya. Someone reported to me that you were often seen talking to the soldiers and guards, and that made her suspicious that you were influencing them for something bad in this palace."

Arya scratched his head while showing that he really did not understand what Dewi Purbalara meant.

"Who reported that to you Dewi? It's impossible for me to do something I shouldn't do, let alone influence the soldiers and guards for something bad for this palace."

Dewi Purbalara smiled again and acted as if she didn't believe Arya would act like that.

“I also don’t believe what she said, never mind, we don’t need to discuss it.”

Arya was actually very curious because Dewi Purbalara didn’t want to say who had given her the report, but to avoid suspicion and changes that could arise from the White Crocodile Queen’s trust in him, he held back and didn’t continue discussing it.

“Oh yeah Arya, don’t you feel that I really care more about you than the others?”

Dewi Purbalara asked again and made Arya not understand what she said.

“What do you mean Dewi? I also don’t understand what you said.”

The shame in Dewi Purbalara’s heart was apparently defeated by her admiration for the warrior, until she was no longer able to hide her feelings.

“Actually, since I saw you on the edge of the pool, I have been amazed and liked you. As I once said, if you want, this palace can also be yours, as long as you are willing to be my lover.”

Arya was very surprised, it was obvious that he was shocked from his seat when he heard the words spoken by Dewi Purbalara.

“What are you talking about, Dewi? How can someone like me be your lover, you are a Queen while I..”

Dewi Purbalara suddenly put her index finger on Arya’s lips, so that the warrior couldn’t continue his sentence.

“Don’t talk like that, for me you are indeed very different compared to the others. Honestly, I deliberately asked Gento Ireng to come to this palace not to make me a soldier or a bodyguard, but because I really like you.”

Arya seemed to scratch his head again, it seemed that he found it very difficult to be faced with something that involved feelings like what Dewi Purbalara felt for him.

For him, it was more difficult to be in an atmosphere like that compared to being in the battle arena against the enemy.

“I don’t know what to answer Dewi, I really didn’t expect this.”

Dewi Purbalara gently touched Arya’s guard with her fingers, her gaze was so charming along with a sweet smile at the warrior.

“You don’t need to answer if you can’t answer it now, I told you all that because I really couldn’t hold it back. For me, it is enough of a relief and pleasure to convey what I feel, so that it does not make me feel anxious anymore.”

Arya smiled back but did not return the stroke of Dewi Purbalara’s slender fingers on his arm, he just let the beautiful woman’s fingers stay there for a while.

“I really don’t know what to say, to be honest, this is the first time I’ve been liked by a woman. I also don’t know how to respond, I just feel that I don’t deserve to be liked by you.”

Dewi Purbalara who understood and did not want to force Arya to respond according to her wishes, smiled sweetly again and the attitude she showed this time was more intimate by leaning her head on Arya’s shoulder with a sad gaze full of happiness.

*******

 

Arya, who usually was outside every night while in the palace with the soldiers and guards who were on guard duty all night, this time did not leave his room which Dewi Purbalara had prepared for him since his arrival at the palace.

 

Even though he was in his room at night which was getting late, he could hardly close his eyes. Various things came into his mind that made him lost in his reverie, on the one hand in a few days he had to carry out his plan to free the palace residents from Dewi Purbalara's influence on the other hand his mind was also confused by the White Crocodile Demon Queen's frankness about her feelings for him.

 

"I never expected that Dewi invited me to this palace based on her liking for me, I thought it was the same as the villagers who Gento Ireng invited to this palace to be his followers. Apparently not at all," Arya muttered while staring blankly at the ceiling of the room.

 

Arya suddenly got up from his bed and walked towards the window, he opened the window so that the fresh wind from outside seeped in, hitting his face and tousling his long hair.

"I must not be influenced by the feelings of the White Crocodile Demon Queen, I must keep my mind focused on the plan to free all of Dewi Purbalara's followers and take them out of this palace. In two days I must realize the plan according to what I told Ki Darmo," Arya muttered again in his heart.

Arya stared blankly out the window, a shadow flashed faintly in the darkness of the night making Arya surprised.

"Hey, who are you......!"