A month later after the ball, after Forest left without killing King Sorin, after I dreamt that we were in the human world, I found out King Sorin's plans.
I just finished my practice and had a great result when King Sorin summoned me to his throne room. I can now control my fire, speed, and accuracy. It was an achievement for both me and the kingdom.
He was sitting without any care in the world in his golden throne. Four ladies who were wearing revealing clothes were around him, massaging and flirting with him. Such a disgusting sight to see.
"My lovely Amelia," he called with his soft yet bone-chilling voice with the same disgusting smile on his face, "Come here."
He reached out his hand to me, and I just walked towards the throne but I kept a foot away from him. I curtsied and flashed a pretentious smile at him.
The ladies around him bowed to me and left.
"I heard about your success, my princess. I congratulate you on that," he stood up and went to me.
I still kept my smile. If I can pretend that I wanted to be better in using my powers for Alpha Kingdom's victory, I can pretend that I am under the King's power too.
"Thank you, Uncle," yes I had to call him that because he personally requested that, "They finally labeled my power as an A."
I tried my best to keep my eyes in his face as his hands slowly motioned their way to my cheek, then he softly caressed my face like a delicate little flower. It made my face go numb in terror, but my lips were still curved up. I can't let him see that I am uncomfortable around him.
"Why don't we celebrate, only the two of us?" He whispered.
If I didn't know what may happen, I would have excused myself and made up some reason to say no, but knowing King Sorin, when he celebrates, he really does.
We were in the dining hall, the table was full of delicious and luxurious food, and our glasses were overflowing with wine.
I was sitting beside him while he has his hand wrapped around my shoulder. If I am not wary of his assassins around the castle, I would have burned him down that minute. But I kept my chill and pretended that I was enjoying my time.
"Why do you want to destroy the other kingdoms, uncle?" I asked when I noticed that's he's finally drunk.
Based on my observations whenever he's drunk, he'll be as open as a can. He'll spill out everything, but he's still careful about who's he's talking to. He won't entertain people he doesn't trust.
"Oh," King Sorin smiled at me with his hazy eyes, "My dearest little Amelia..." he rested his chin on his arm and leaned on the table, "You look like our mother."
I was surprised to hear about my grandmother, neither my father nor mother talked about her or about grandfather.
"She was beautiful," he sighed and took a sip of his wine, "She was like you, she's hard-headed and strong. But someone took her away. This world is nothing but a game, my princess. It's either you win or lose."
"Who took her?"
"She said she wasn't happy, and vanished into thin air. My father told me that she left with a man from the Gathrin Kingdom."
I stared at King Sorin who looks completely different from his usual appearance. He looks so weak, fragile, and alone. But that doesn't mean that he's not evil anymore. He's still the same person he is when he's sober.
"Maybe she didn't leave with anyone, uncle? Maybe she just wanted to be happy?"
King Sorin stared at me with a different gaze, one that I have never seen. He will either look at me with lust or amazement, but now, he looks as if he can burn my soul into dust.
"How can you say such a thing? She was found to be living with a man before she died," he grasps his glass too strongly that it broke in between his hand, "I will send an army from every kingdom and destroy Gathrin and after that, I will reign over every kingdom. With your power, we can burn everyone who will be on our way."
I stared at him. His maniacal laugh covered the dining hall in terror. The maids and butlers look away in fear, while the guards smirk in thoughts that they are the ones who will win the game they started.
I left the hall with the knowledge of his plan. It may not be detailed but at least I know what to do.
The day after I talked with my father in secret before Gerald arrives to stick around me, he was in the stables, brushing his horse with Kai.
I told him what King Sorin said, and he gestured Kai to leave and do something. He told me that Kai already has connections in every kingdom. He can send the message to those who are against the plans of their kings.
"Foxtrot and Charlie are secretly against King Sorin's plans, they are just playing around to avoid conflict, but if anything happens, they are our friends. They have nothing to lose but freedom and joy."
Father smiled at me and told me to go to mother.
On my way back to the castle, I saw Gerald. His tall stance and handsome face glimmered when his armor sparked under the sun.
If he's not King Sorin's puppet, he'll be a potential character that I would love to see in an anime series.
"Where did you go?" He asked as he walks beside me, his sword hanging in his side.
"I went to see the horses. I saw father and Kai brushing theirs when I entered the stable."
"Why did you ask the King about his plan on destroying the other kingdoms?"
"Because I'm curious."
"You never got curious about what is happening in this kingdom before," Gerald said and stopped in front of me, "What are you planning?"
"Will you tell that bastard king if I said that I don't like what he's planning?"
I covered my mouth the second I realized what I said. I looked at Gerald with wide eyes and fear. Why did I say those words? I shouldn't have said that. Gerald will definitely tell King Sorin.
"I agree with you that he's a bastard," Gerald whispered, but he kept his cold demeanor, and turned around, "I will not tell him what you said, nor that you are planning something. But I won't let you hurt him."
I watched as he walked away, his back revealing some hidden intent, why would he not tell King Sorin?
I followed him, my heels running above the hard ground, "Why?" I asked.
"Because he saved me from dying in the slums, he took me in and trained me in hopes that I may have an A level power."
"I heard Kai received some special treatments too when he was a kid, but after finding out that he's only a B level, King Sorin treated him like he's just someone he knows."
"Prince Kai is a great archer and runner. He's as fast as Sir Atticus."
I stared at Gerald, if what he said was true and he won't be in my way, then he's not as bad as the maids. I hate them. I don't even want to remember their names. They always gossip when I'm not around, and tells me to dress a certain way. They feel like they are better than me just because I'm not from this world.
"Gerald," I called, "If you were born differently, what life would you want to have?"
We entered the hall leading to my room. During this time between afternoon and morning, the maids will be out gossiping with the other maids. That means only I and Gerald will be in the room. I might as well take my time to know the great almighty Gerald.
He looked at me in the corner of his eyes as we pass by the sunlight that lightens the hall through the wide window along the hall.
"I heard humans have a boring yet happy life, don't they?" He looked towards the window, "I guess I'd want to be a human. A powerless creature who has to work their way to live."
"Aren't you working?" I raised my brows at him.
"What we do in this world is not work. It is our way of life. If you're born to be a knight, then you'll live as a knight. It is not a job. It is our life."
I felt my brows furrowed, I don't get it. Don't they get paid? I saw the maids receive their salary last week.
I heard him chuckle softly which put a smile on my face, "What job would you be taking if you're a human?"
"I don't know. I am not acquainted with the knowledge of human careers."
"I wanted to be a literature professor, but I guess I can't now. I'm here in a different world." I sighed, but when I felt Gerald's gaze as we near my room, I raised my head and turned to him, "You look like someone who can work well in security. You can be a guard, a policeman or a soldier. Or maybe who knows, you can be a teacher, or a doctor, an architect or an actor."
He opened the door for me and I entered. I headed to the couch and sat down.
"Is it because I am a knight which leads you to the conclusion that I can be someone who works for people's security?"
"Yes," I smiled and nodded.
He took a glass of water and gave it to me, then he sat down on the other couch.
"I want to be a painter. How do you call a painter in your world?"
"It's the same," I said as I stare at him in awe, a knight wanting to be a painter in another life? "You're amazing, Gerald."
This knight who works for an evil king wants to be a sweet painter who makes marvelous art. I can't believe that he wants that.
"So..." I raised my brows in expecting that Gerald will be a kind painter who wants to help his friend, "What's King Sorin's plan? I'm sure you know."
Gerald who was sitting with his arms folded in front of him looked at me with a low gaze, "Why would I tell you? Because you asked me silly questions and I answered?"
"Yeah, 'cause that would help me. If everything goes well, you can be whoever you want, Gerald. You don't have to be a knight anymore. You can be a painter, and I'm sure everyone will love your art."
He scoffed as he stands up and headed towards the door. I sighed and pouted but surprisingly, he said, "I will but not today. The King remembers what you asked him last night. You should be careful."
And a few seconds after, the maids entered with desserts. It's time for tea. If I continued rambling about King Sorin, the maids would've heard me.
But when they came in, they paused in the doorway and stared at me and Gerald. And before they can even open their mouths, I already know what's going in their tiny minds. They blushed and giggled as they serve me my tea.
Gerald just stood by the door with the same blank face, but I definitely know he knows what these maids have in mind.
"What's so funny?" I asked with my brows arched up, irritating voice, and a forced smile on my face.
The two froze and looked away. Their blushing face suddenly tensed up.
"If you two keep on gossiping around and assuming things, I'd rather have you two outside of my room."
They nodded and walked towards the door and closed it. They just chose to continue gossiping around, didn't they? I rolled my eyes and groaned.
"You do know that you proved their thoughts right when you ordered them to go outside, to leave us alone in the room?"
I just stared at Gerald with a teacup on my mouth. He's right. If the two are thinking that something is going on between me and Gerald, I have just given them another reason to think that way.
"Do you really not remember Prince Forest of Gathrin kingdom, Your highness?"
My hand froze mid-air as I was about to take a bite of a biscuit. Why did he suddenly bring up Forest?
"Everyone already guessed that you'll win the bride candidacy. He was planning to let you win and everyone knows about it. It was obvious."
I looked at Gerald who was staring outside the window, what bride candidacy? I can't remember that. What does that mean? Was I running to be his bride? Was it a game, and I have to win?
I bite the biscuit whole, filling my mouth and puffing up my cheeks, what does bride candidacy mean? This is the moment I hate forgetting about the past.
"I don't remember him at all," I said the moment I finished the biscuit and took the teacup, "What do you mean bride candidacy? What is that?"
Gerald shifted his gaze on me, still with his blank expression, "A hundred ladies were taken to be Prince Forest's bride because the King was afraid that he won't marry. There are trials and those who will fail will be removed. Only you, Princess Tellusia and a few more ladies won the last trial that happened, and then you're brought here.
Now I know why Princess Tellusia was so guilty about bringing me here, we were friends, weren't we? She betrayed a friend that's why she can't even look at me during the ball, and why Prince Forest didn't even talk to her.
"Why are you telling me these, Gerald?" I asked.
"The first time I saw you, I remembered myself. I was brought here, without any knowledge of what happened or what may happen. King Sorin did save me from the slums, but I didn't know why. I was scared and confused until I found out that he did that because of my power."
He sighed and looked down on the floor, "I didn't want you to end up like me, his loyal knight who follows every order. You had a life, and I wanted you to keep it. I may still be working for him, but I am rooting for your success."
I smiled and stood up.
Gerald looked at me with a soft gaze, he's like an older brother I never had. I wish I had one.
"Thank you, Gerald," I whispered and smiled at him.