After solving other matters on hand, Eric proceed his way to his study room. His personal assistant patiently following him from behind.
"Your Highness, you have a meeting you will need to attend in two hours. It's the meeting about the alliance with Seline Kingdom. After that, You'll have a private meeting with Orale Kingdom about the taxes they need to pay. Right after you have your evening tea, you are asked by the ambassadors of Kenith to spend time with Her Grace and Princess Amelia for the entire evening. They've been keeping an eye on you and decide Her Grace and your dearest Princess need some bonding time with you. The Elders of Kenith going to come and check around to make sure you have that loving family vibe."
That's it. That's the real point. The bonding time is just to please the eyes from Kenith. Just like how they have Amelia either. To please the court. That's how the royalty is. He seriously wonder how his parents manage to hold on. They said love come after marriage, but he just can't fall in love with Sophie.
"What do I have for the night? And what's Amelia doing right now?" His assistant slowed down the pace when Eric walked slower. "You are free after dinner and Princess Amelia is currently in her private library, reading book....again." He said with a sigh. Amelia is always the one that loves books.
Eric glance at his assistant. He have to hire a male assistant to prevent more wild rumors. But what they don't know is, He like guys. He just swings that way. So hiring a good looking male assistant is not exactly a brilliant idea.
He have always liked both women and men.
When Lucas asked 'you don't know?' to him, Neil's adrenaline ran faster than it should. "Know what? did something happened?" he asked desperately. Lucas looked at him with pure shock, surprised with his friend's lack of information. "There are rumors that is spreading like wildfire. It's been said that the king-"
Without hearing the rest, Neil's world engulfed in darkness. The light, however come back when his eyes shot open over a very cold sensation all over his body. He sprung up from bed and looked around. "What the hell?!" he half-yelled when he realize that his whole body is drenched and his bed is wet. "Oh, Hell is right in front of you, son." A voice of a woman reached his ears.
He looked over to his right and saw his mother. "MOM!" He screamed looking at his mother who hold an empty bucket. She frowned. "Yes son, me. Don't you think you have to get up now? It's 7.45 already." With that, every drop of his blood drained from his face.
" I'M LATE!!!"
Neil dropped himself on his chair. Fortunately, the first period isn't over yet and apparently the teachers have an emergency meeting. That was the second time he dressed up that fast. The first time was when his mom told him they were going to fetch his late father from the airport.
"Bruh, you're late. What the hell did you do last night?" The question brought upon him send him back to what Lucas tried to say. 'What rumor exactly? me and the King? what about it? UURGHHH...IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THIS! cutting the link off each time it come to the important part.' Neil grumbled under his breath and frowned.
His friend that sit in front of him raised and eyebrow. "Hello?? earth to Neil? is whatever happen to you that bad? I won't ask then..." Rick said before turn back around and finish his undone homework.
Neil snapped back to reality and check his timetable. "And my next period is....Math, great." the tune of his voice got slower and slower to the point when he said the subject name, it's only a light whisper.
He could feel the headache coming already. 'If only i can be as smart as I am in Arkivia...' He sighed at the thought. If his general or teacher find out how bad he is at math here.... He could see how his freedom would be flying away. Not to count if the King find out, he would be laughing his ass off. "That prick is ten time better than modern me when it comes to Math. Not to count the subjects that's being teach there is surprisingly and weirdly aligned with the subjects here.
Just in time, the bell rang. Time for the murder of his brain.
Neil walked inside his classroom approximately 5 second before the teacher did and he's very grateful for that. But his mind couldn't brush off the fact that there's something happening between him and the King and everybody knew about it. Except him, which is ridiculous cause it's about him. It's bothering him for his whole entire day.
And apparently he is not that lucky today, cause he have a shit tons of homework waiting in line. Which mean no sleep. And no sleep means no dream which also mean no answer as to what kind of rumor did Lucas talked about.
Neil walked home, completely drained out of energy mentally and physically. As he step inside, a very delicious aroma filled his two lungs and a huge load of energy busted to him. Tossing away his bag, he run to the kitchen. Standing there, is his mom.
his mom is at home. and cooking his very much favorite lunch.
"Is that steamed chicken I smell?" Neil asked rather excitedly. His dearest mother turn around with a warm smile. "Welcome home~" Neil laughed happily and proceed to hug his mom tight. Without anyone having to tell him, He grabbed his bag and run upstairs to wash up.
After cleaning himself and dressed up, Neil walk to the kitchen to see the ready-to-eat dinner. But something is wrong... The amount of dish is too much for two person, which lead to only one thing. "Mom, I really hope that I'm wrong but is there any guest coming over?" Looking at his mother's widen smile, Neil groaned. "Yup." He sighed. "does this mean I have to share?"
"Yes!"
"No!"
".....Neil."
"I don't want to.."
"Neil, for god sake, You are literally 17.."
Neil fell silent. "Fine.." He muttered. His mother is right. He's 17. And at 'there' , he is 20. Either way, he is still just a normal young human that is just in the beginning of life. The only different between here and Arkivia's life is that he is dumber here and smarter there. He is normal here and mysterious there.
"King and I, huh... Just what in the goddamn world could it be??" He muttered slowly, annoyed that the question popped out again. "What was that, honey?" Neil flinched. "Ah...nothing, mom. Just thinking about a school project." His mom nod, continue to watch a movie from her phone while waiting for the said guest. Another question popped inside Neil's mind. a far more aggressive one.
' If I die there...what happen to me here?'
He never try it. There is this one time when he's severely injured. He literally used every single bit of his energy to not wake up until his body is fully heal. After he recovered, he woke up and found himself in a hospital. His mom said that he have wounds all over his body which he of course know why and a very high fever also he apparently passed out for the whole week.
His mom thought that he was involved in a fight and he didn't denied it. It was a fight anyway and he didn't have any excuse. He ended up receiving a house restriction for two weeks but overall, his secret is still safe. Since then, he'd force himself to wake up when he have heavy wounds so he could tend to it and hides it before his mom know.
The point is ; he's not dead yet at any life.
So what might happen if he does? Would he be stuck in one life only? or would his existence from both world disappear? Nobody knows. And even if he have that thought over and over again, he wouldn't do that. He is very much surprisingly not that crazy.
TING!TONG!
The sound of the doorbell snapped him out of his own thought. He glanced at his mother. As if knowing, His mother looked at him. "Open the door for me, please." Sighing, he walk toward the door.
Neil swing the door open, revealing a man, a woman and a girl that is a bit younger than him. He put on a professional smile. "Welcome to our house! come inside.." He greeted. "Thank you! You must be Lila's son. She talked a lot about you." The lady said.
Neil just smile and make way, instructing them to come in. "My mom is inside", is all he said. After making sure everyone already goes in, he shut the door and locked it. Neil sighed silently. He could hear his mother's and the lady's squeals. And just from there, he knows it.
"It's going to be a very noisy and long evening." He muttered under his breath.
After taking their places at the dining table, all of them started eating. Neil eat half-heartedly even when his mother literally cooked his favorite dish of all time, steamed chicken soup. Lila glanced at her one and only son and mentally sighed. If there's one thing she knew about Neil is he hates sharing his favorite food. Even if he's already 17 years old.
"So Neil, which university you will attend after graduation?" Ask madam Leine, The aunty that Neil figured is his mother's best friend since forever. "I...haven't decide on anything yet." Neil truthfully answered, internally shocked with the sudden question.
"Well, Ruby here is a year younger than you but she already be thinking ahead of time. She want to join the Academy of Art at London. Its a quite famous academy, I must say. But what can I do? She have always love art and very good at it, just like me!" She laughed proudly. Lila also laughed, though Neil can't determine if it's a genuine one.
Neil glanced at the said girl. Black waist-length hair with ribbon holding her hair from falling to the front. Pale blue blouse with aqua blue jeans. From the look of it, she seems like a feminine type of girl. A pretty one that is.
The only thing that stand out is her scar. It went from her forehead, crossing her left eye all the way to the middle of her left cheekbone. Neil figured that the scar was much deeper thanks to his eyes that was so used seeing wounds but it look light. He guessed Ruby put on some make up, like concealer to lighten it. Not like he care.
He just wonder, what could possibly caused a scar that long? anything could, but on a girl in this life? It make him curious. So curious that even his mother's and the other guests' voices slowly blurred away.
"Neil?Neil? Do you want more rice?" He heard his mother said. Snapping out of it, he looked at Lila. "No...no, thanks. Uuurmmm, I need to head first. Got a lot of homework today. Sorry, mum." He said, standing up. He quickly wash his dishes and excused himself.
He needs to sleep, and sleep he does. He flop onto his bed after entering his room and shut his eyes. 'Sleep...' he thought to himself and cleared his own mind. Just like a fairy come and grant his wish, Neil quickly fall asleep.
When he opened his eyes, Luca stand before him. The exact same position before he wakes up. "It's been said that the King choose you to be his personal guard." Neil's eyes widen. He's speechless. He's awestruck.
Him? a young soldier like him? No way.
"What?" The word slip his gaping mouth. "It is what it is. But then again, it's just a rumor. You don't even know about it." Luca said, shrugging his shoulder. Neil narrowed his eyes. The 'just rumor' is serious. Seems like he got himself a date tonight.
Eric is beyond exhaustion. So after a full day of socializing, the blonde haired king finally get to lay his head down his comfy bed and pillows. The King and Queen sleep in different rooms, so Eric have the room and bed all to himself.
Exact two minutes later, a foreign hand touch his shoulder and a voice reach his ears.
"Eric, we need to talk."
Eric sighed, knowing his day is yet to be over. He turn around with a small smile. At least he like the mysterious guy.
"Yes, Neil?"