"don't you think it's weird?" Wren glanced over at Yessenia and gave her a quizzing look.
Today is unusually hot and the castle is now back to its normal days. Which is the twins pranks, Astreia and Azi's bickering somethimes Yessenia joining them.
Their parents will be back by today or tomorrow, if they will finish early. Caesar sent them a letter about yesterday and everyone could tell that Mavis is mad. Her reply was sent in hurry and the content were as expected.
She's so mad that she's ready to kill the Marchioness with her own hands. It is understandable because she left Euphrasia at the castle and the maid assigned to her was dead.
"What is?" Wren asked, "The part where they left us. They didn't even bat an eye when they saw us!"
Why is she being angry? Isn't that a great thing that those kidnappers didn't care about them? Then why is she giving me a scowl? —is what Wren's thoughts are and it was evident in her face.
But she's not the only one there that looks confused at her. In fact, she and her spirits along with Astreia were the only ones with the same look.
"You have a point, sister. Does that mean that Lane is more valuable to them than me?" Azi asks
It was a dumb question. Even the twins and the spirits were staring at his dumb question. Unfortunately, even all the time he spent reading he's still dumb.
"You... Want to be kidnapped?" Adara asked which she didn't have to because the answers were already written all over their faces.
Lexus sighs and a wicked grin flashes under his hood.
"If you want to be kidnapped, I can do it. Coincidentally I need someone to help me with my experiments."
Undoubtedly, they all felt shivers as his gaze fell upon Azi and Yessenia. What's scarier than the kidnappers? It would be their cousin, Lexus.
"T-that's not what I meant!"
It looks like she's scared, but the thing is Lexus seems to be serious about making the two of them as one of his helpers—guinea pigs, maybe.
"What a shame. It will be the first time that I'll have a valuable experiment."
Luckily, Yessenia and Azi didn't hear him or else they may reconsider his offer and there's no one that guarantee that it will not end well for the two of them. There are already different kinds of rumors circulating around the castle and one of them was about Lexus how he works at the Laboratory.
Many know that when it comes to his experiments, he was like a madman. Him and Prince Asterion were alike. Maybe the reason why they were candidates for the position of archmage.
"I was kidnapped because my mother finally decided to kill me. Should we switch moms?"
Wren was surprised at Lane's words and couldn't discern whether he was joking or serious about it.
"No thanks. I'd rather be an orphan."
"Just kill me if that happens."
Azi and Yessenia said while their faces were full of disgust and soon replaced with surprise. Yessenia slammed the marbled table and shouted, "Your mother wants to kill you?!"
Lane gulped down the food and stared at the two expresionless, "Yes."
He didn't bother himself explaining to Yessenia and Wren sighed in resignation as she put down the cup. She also doesn't want to explain because another question will follow and it will never end.
"Don't worry, Lane. Your mother will die before she could kill you." Caesar spoke and behind him were the two princes.
"I think you shouldn't tell them about it," Prince Cannon says and looked at everyone and his gaze locked with Aria, "they were only kids." He added which made Caesar grinned and Lexus to drop the cup, shattered to ground.
This was the first time they heard something like that. It totally took them off. Their parents never tried to hide everything to them especially when it comes about killing. They even sent them away for missions as young as seven years old, the very reason why their sons were like this.
Prince Cannon noticed their peculiar reaction and he has no idea why, "Brother, the only thing you shouldn't let them hear is about Wren and–uummpphh?"
All of the sudden Prince Asterion's mouth is sealed shut and Caesar had a wide grin, however, he also has an unreadable expression; which the spirits can understand.
"Why did he brought up my name?" And as usual, Wren is oblivious about it, "Because he remembered that you will going to the academy next year--"
"You're going?" Zairon cut off Caesar and before they could answer him Lane opened his mouth, "In honesty, the Prince said that because of you and Prince Zairon, Wren."
They all looked at Lane then back to Zairon and Wren. He shouldn't know about it, but how did he end up learning about it?
That's because of the three spirits chatting at the garden when the princes arrived and he heard them about Wren. The first thing he can say when he heard about it was how stupid Wren is.
Yessenia expected that Wren will be flustered, however, "Why?"
She showed a clueless face as she glanced over Zairon and everyone on the table were dumbstruck at the realization.
She's slow.
"Ha... good thing you were stupid." Eventhough he lowered his voice, Wren couldn't help but to feel annoyed.
Meanwhile, in the palace, the room wherein the Duke and Duchess were freezingly cold. The Emperor slouched in his seat and his aide beside him sighed in resignation.
"Like I said, the kids didn't die nor harmed. Surely they can manage themselves for a week alone." Says the Duke then the Duchess nods in agreement as she drank her tea in silence.
After she saw that scene she were convinced that her children will be fine. Eventhough she saw Wren in bloody mess.
"That isn't the point..." the emperor says and Duke Vacarella signed another paper and said, "Right. Your three sons are there and you're worried they may die. Don't worry I think the Princess can handle the Empire when you passed on."
His brows twitch as he leaned over the table, "They aren't that weak! I'm worried about what will they do and please don't say something like that,"
In all his years this is the first time he felt that he has a short life.
"Given that your nephews are there, there will be a high chance they will do something foolish especially the First Prince." Marquis Bright chimed in.
They weren't wrong, currently Prince Asterion and the twins were already planning to release the dragon at the garden to tame it.
"I won't call them foolish," the Duchess then sets down her cup, "they were stupid." She corrected the Marquis.
They were too stunned to reply and were unable to notice that Duke Aurea had entered the room with documents in hand.
"Whatever happened here?"
They all turned around and they let out another exasperated sigh, "You were late, Duke Aurea."
"I had... An unfortunate accident," It was an obvious lie and her own sister knows it, "Anyway, I heard Marchioness Farlon begged in front of your gate."
"She was taken care of."
Duke Aurea shrugged and passed some papers to the Duke, "She's constantly meeting with different kinds of dark wizards lately."
Dark Wizards, as the name implies, they were solely focused on black magic, witchcraft and demons. Most of them were trying to revive the demon lord, the reason why they were feared and hunted.
"For a child she seeked dark wizards?" Marquis Bright asked while his gaze focused reviewing the papers that the Emperor had read.
"Unlikely, She must have another reason,"says the Duchess and she already has a guess, "that reason..." He hesitated for a moment and turned to his sister.
It was somehow suffocating, "Her target is one of your children."
He finally said it and it is different from what he's expecting. He expected some curse words, continuous questions and well, maybe, just maybe a gloomier atmosphere than earlier?
"... Did you hear what I just said?"
The four of them nodded and sighed, "They already did, yesterday."
"What? Then why are you still here?"
"That's because they handled it well. We should gather more solid evidence that she's the mastermind of it," The Duke answered his brother-in-law when the Duchess said, "The Emperor is here. He's enough to give punishment to the Marchioness."
At this point, Mave Vacarella finally learned where Wren takes after. To be exact, Wren is a mix of her parents and he doesn't want to admit it.
The Emperor gestures to her to glance over at him but he fails, "You can't seriously drag, his Imperial Majesty? You have to find concrete evidence!" Of course Marquis Bright is against her idea.
"Well, what value does he have if we can't drag him?" Normally, they can't talk like that in front of the emperor and they may be sentenced to death.
However, these high-ranking people are like these ever since they were young. "Mave you can't ask him like that."
"Thank you, Duchess." Relief flashes over his face
"What if he doesn't know his value?"
... He finally surrendered to the couple and looked at Galan as he gestured for him to continue, forgetting the couple who have their own world.
"As I was saying, the Marchioness has her eyes on the children. To be exact, Wren."
That name alone made everyone stop and there were finally some curse words from the Duke.
"She really did lose her mind," Carina says and what she saw last time is some kind of premonition. Though, she thought that her reason is because she finally decided to get rid of her.
"That's not all. It seems like she's desperate to get his son back and he has something she needs."
"What is it?"
"The child has absorption magic, like his father."
*****
"Gee, where are they hiding now?" She asks herself as her own spirit had their time to go back at the spirit realm to try the new relaxing hot spa.
The little ones suggested to play a game and the outcome is obvious. Prince Asterion agreed and Wren lose to everyone, making her the it.
"The weird thing is—why did the other two princes join us? I can understand Prince Asterion. Then there's also crown prince constantly staring at Aria. Am I overthinking these?"
She takes her time analyzing the situation and she's unsure whether she should trust her own judgment or not, "It's been two days since all that happened and where are our parents?"
And why are the princes still here and acts like it doesn't matter if they stay here longer. Especially the Crown Prince. As a Crown Prince shouldn't he be studying more and have duties to do at the Palace?
"Right, his knight said he sneaked out to come here."
Aside from wanting to get out of the Palace, he was also curious about Wren and she doesn't have any idea about it. However that curiosity shifted to Aria–whom he concluded that she's afraid of him. Which is correct.
"You're talking to yourself." Her heart almost leapt out from her body. It was Caesar and he also had that grin plastered to his face, delighted at the sight of her sister.
Wren frowned soon after she composed herself, "Brother, you are supposed to hide! Is it because you didn't experience playing with other kids that you don't know the game mechanics?"
She said it without batting an eye to Caesar and that remark of hers hit his sore spot, however, he played some games when he was little.
"Did I say I'll play?" He's trying to salvage his image.
Wren pondered for a minute before agreeing at him. Caesar then chuckled and playfully ruined her hair, "Were those three princes bothering you?"
"Not yet."
"Yet, it means they will in the future," Caesar says and joined Wren looking for everyone, "yes. I believe the princes and the twins share the same brain cells,"
"That's true." Caesar didn't hesitate to confirm her thoughts and she shudderes at the thought.
Meanwhile, at the top of the tree, Prince Zairon watches Wren as she walks past over his place and Caesar being with her looks at him. His gaze is threatening as he keep Wren close to him, someone might mistake him for something else.
Zairon felt nothing but annoyance, "what did I ever do to him?" He asks his knight beside him.
However, his answer was the sound of silence. How could he possibly answer him and say that it may be because of his treatment to Wren after her confession.
It's partially true, but the main reason is that he doesn't like the prince for Wren.
"What? Why aren't you answering my question?"
"Your Highness, It may be better if you ask Master Caesar."
On the other hand, the twins were facing away from each other on the rooftop. While Lexus isn't bothered by what happened between them, Laxus is in a dilemma.
Things between them is awkward, only to Laxus.
"B-Brother..."
"It's not like you to call me brother. If you're feeling guilty about what you did, don't bother." His tone is cold and didn't leave any argument.
Laxus pursed his lips and tried to open it only to close it.
"Young Lady Aria," meanwhile, Aria is stressed out because her hiding spot is the same as Prince Cannon. She didn't know he also chose the maze, "I have a question."
She looked him in the eye and said, "Yes, Your Highness?"
"Do you hate me?"
If only she could answer yes, she will do so.
"No, Your Highness. After all, this is the first time we met. There's no reason for me to hate you."
"Then are you scared of me?" He asks again and this time, her gaze wavered. She could feel her heart thump loudly, "You were trembling at the sight of me like a rabbit."
A... Rabbit?
"..." The two of them were silent and Yessenia could witness this behind the bush. Her eyes were sparkling—almost speaking like she witnessed a romantic scene.
"I just want to know why you're scared of me."
Aria's gaze drops to the ground and says, "Pardon me, Your Highness. It seems like I'm unwell." She curtsied and ran off.
Yessenia then curses out, not noticing the pair looming behind her.
"Found you." The chilling voice made her shout, causing everyone to be alarmed.
"Were you even hiding? Why does it look like you were watching something?"
"First, don't sneak up on me like that!" Yessenia stormed out and the two were confused, "It looks like they weren't playing."
"It seems like it."