Inside the throne room were pillars that supported the heavy ceiling with intricate carvings and exquisite design, befitting of royalty. There, the nobles, officials, knights, and guards lined up respectively. The higher your status is, the more you stand near the platform where the throne was placed.
Of course, the guards are just there for the door and the knights to show might while the nobles were there for attendance, to appease the royal family while maintaining their influence by giving advice whenever possible. The officials who were mostly composed of the elderly were the ones who were necessarily there. They are the advisers of the king.
From the giant metal double-door with golden rimming, there was a wide red carpet that was placed from the entrance extending to the throne on the platform.
The man in the black robe was the only one who was on the red carpet, half-kneeling. Rays from the dimming sunlight passed through the window panes on top of the walls, illuminating the room, reddish. When it was soon dark enough, the guards set up stones that lit up light upon receiving raw energy from them.
These stones were of a high standard than the other stones a commoner could buy. So they shone brightly and only a few of them were enough to completely illuminate the room when the sun hid behind the horizon.
"Dear, let him finish." a feminine voice resounded, like a ray of sunlight in the middle of the storm, the man in the black robe was slowly calming down from the grunt of the King earlier.
The King didn't say anything but the Queen ordered, "Continue..."
The man reporting then respectfully nodded and said;
"... That man was ordered to be captured since he was seen as a hazard to the princess and since he lied about his status being a farmer, however, none could capture him since he had an ability that could somehow teleport him in a short distance according to the witnesses... He couldn't be captured but because of his mystery, the princess invited him for a tea."
"Hngh!" the King grunted, scaring the man reporting once more.
"Dear, please, let him finish, I want to know what happened to Alisera... sorry, please continue."
Like earlier, the man nodded respectfully before continuing, "... But the man refused."
"What!?" the King's voice suddenly roared like thunder that shook the room. Anyone who wasn't an Elementalist in that room slowly fell on their knees.
But even the Elementalists' hearts shook when they heard their King's angry voice. Since the princess went to the Trading-Hills Capital, leaving the king and queen there, there was never a moment when the king wasn't angry or that the room wasn't tense.
The man in the black robes waited for the healing voice of the queen to reprimand the king but it never happened. Being curious, not just the man, but even the guards, knights, nobles, and officials in that room peeked a glance at the queen.
With short pink hair, the queen greatly resembled the princess if not for the few wrinkles on her face due to her age. But even so, it was hard to find another woman who could battle her hourglass figure.
But when they peeked, they almost ignored her beauty because her face had an ugly expression. Her mouth wide open as well as her eyes. She just couldn't believe that a man refused an invitation of tea from the princess.
Actually, thinking about it, it is pretty shocking!
No matter the standing of this man, he shouldn't declined the offer of a princess. First of all, the invitation was harmless; secondly, the princess is so pretty, why would you decline her? Lastly, the faces of royalties are more valuable than gold. By inviting this man for a tea, the princess already humbled herself. However, if she was declined, it was a great slap on the face!
This is the same as offending the royal family, offending the ruler of a whole nation!
If this sounds exaggerating, then think about it. A ruler needs to have a strong image for the people to follow them. But if the people saw that these rulers can be just declined, wouldn't they think that the royalties aren't so tough?
People are greedy and foul in nature. They are envious of the royalties, having so much comfort in life while the commoners will have to sacrifice their everything just to have food on their table. If they thought that the royalties aren't as tough as they look. a rebellious mentality will unknowingly form all around the kingdom, eventually, a rebellion will form and will try to overthrow their rulers.
At this point, the internal strife is too heavy and this will become the downfall of a kingdom!
That is why treason has heavy penalties and royalties having a grandiose image, or else, the dogs will just bite their owner's hand that feeds and leashed them.
"Who is this fool that declined an invitation from our beautiful daughter?! Doesn't he know that just being with the presence of our daughter is a heaven's gift to him!? Unbelievable!" the Queen ranted.
'Wait, she's shocked about that?' the people there thought, bewildered.
"The audacity of this man, speak of his name." the King almost stuttered as he ordered to of anger.
"A-Avion Teller, Your Royal Highness."
"I don't know of such name..." the King commented while the queen frowned, "Continue," he ordered again.
"Yes, Your Royal Highness, the reason for the man to decline the offer of the princess was that... he doesn't like tea but likes hot chocolate instead."
"...." the people between the pillars looked at each with a raised eyebrow. That was comical but why? Why would you do that? They asked using their eyes.
"Heh..." a light laughed came out of the King's mouth but later clicked his tongue, "Tsk!", however, his broad chest seemed to be slightly jerking from time to time, seemingly holding laughter.
If only it was not his daughter that experienced this, both he and the Queen would've found this entertaining, but that was why it made them so irritated that they found their princess being shamed funny. What about the others then? Are they laughing at their princess too right now?
"Hehe..he... Ehem!" the King was trying to stop his laughter since he wanted to hold it back so he coughed it out, "He.." but it was ineffective.
Sitting on the adjacent throne, the Queen held her fan in front of her, hiding her face. Only the King could hear her restrained laughter which sounded like a mouse squeaking.