"Do you know who's responsible?" Kael mumbles the question as he slumps into a chair, his expression weary yet expectant.
"Hmm..." Ayla taps her chin thoughtfully, swirling the wine in her glass before taking a sip. "It's likely a royal; a noble wouldn't dare interfere with the ceremony," she conjectures with a casual shrug.
"As you know, there are four main royal branches: Caelithrien, Thalanoril, Elerondar, and Mythrendir. You're from the Mythrendir family, and Lúthien is from the Caelithrien family," Kael adds, piecing together the political puzzle that surrounds them.
"Yup, that sounds about right. With the constant disagreements the Caelithrien and the Thalanoril keep having, both families want a marriage ceremony. Lúthien has to fight both her family and the Thalanoril family," Ayla explains, stretching comfortably as she contemplates the complexities of their aristocratic entanglements. "Thankfully, she entered the academy before they could force her into anything."
"Yeah, she's being pulled by both families, getting constantly bothered, telling her to drop out," Kael observes, his gaze drifting out the window to where Lúthien now sleeps peacefully on a bench outside. "The fact that she's still here shows her beliefs."
"Come on, that's a bit of a stretch. How can her being here show her beliefs?" Ayla questions skeptically, standing to join him at the window. Her gaze falls on the sleeping figure of Lúthien, her mind whirling with mixed feelings. 'Hmm... I don't see it, just why is this guy praising that kid over me?' she wonders, her irritation bubbling up as she takes another drink.
"She's going to end up like you," Kael states simply, a hint of boredom in his voice as he stretches.
"By the way, I'm going to take a walk outside the academy; that shouldn't be a problem, right?" Kael asks, pausing by the door.
"Pfff, as if. You realize most of these kids can't keep their mouths shut. The rumors of the 'human boy who managed to use our martial arts, then beat the star. The boy in love who managed to harmonize with Lúthien.' You should be able to walk out without an issue," Ayla says, a playful smirk playing on her lips as she dramatically conceals a chuckle.
"Ugh... is that really how they view me?" Kael asks with a sigh. 'Hmm... why do Elves love drama?'
"See ya," Kael mumbles as he closes the door behind him, exhaling heavily as he steps into the night. The sky above him is a canvas of stars, each one shimmering with vibrant colors that only the magic-infused atmosphere could produce. 'It's nice...' he thinks, letting the tranquility of the evening sink in.
"Oi, oi, oi, wake up," he says, prodding Lúthien's shoulder gently yet persistently. "Hmm... what's..." Lúthien mumbles, her voice groggy as she rubs her eyes, slowly coming to terms with her surroundings. She blinks a few times, noticing Kael standing next to her. 'Mmm... V? Why are you here...' Her thoughts momentarily confuse the tranquility of the night with a dream. Then, realizing her mistake, she slaps her face lightly, "Ugh... how long have I been sleeping?" She springs up, checking the time on a device strapped to her wrist. 'Oh no, she's going to get mad at me, dammit I'm never late, why did I have to fall asleep?' she frets internally, starting to jog away. "Sorry V, I have to go. Goodnight!" she calls over her shoulder, sprinting towards the building.
"And she's gone..." Kael murmurs to himself, pulling out some dried mango from his pocket and munching thoughtfully. 'You still owe me. It's about time you pay up,' he thinks with a smirk, his plans for the evening just beginning to take shape.
[...]
[Save Kaida]-[Collecting results...]
[Analyzing data...]
[Congratulations!]
[You successfully saved Kaida. Even though you did nothing yourself, I am unfortunately obligated to pay you.]
'Hahahaha, that's right. Cry about it, you shitty system.'
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
"Hmhmhmhm, what's with the face?" Liam calmly laughs, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he sips from his glass of wine. Across from him, Aira fixes him with a cold yet calm stare, her patience clearly thinning.
"Don't act stupid, Liam," she slaps the table with her palm, her voice firm and commanding. "We had an agreement to stop this until we return to the empire." Her fist clenches slightly, a subtle display of her brewing frustration.
"Hmhmhmhm, well technically I didn't break the agreement, the array broke before I could do anything," Liam shrugs nonchalantly, cutting into his steak with a practiced ease that belied the tension at the table. 'Tsk, he's right. Still, how dare he. I saw him once running through the forest like an idiot. It wasn't hard to piece it together, this bastard was gathering criminals to attack me,' Aira muses internally, her eyes narrowing slightly even as she forces a smile.
"Dear brother, stop messing around. This isn't our home, you can't run around like a moron, you're no longer a child," she says, standing up to assert her point more emphatically. Her tone is a mix of admonishment and weary resignation, treating Liam not just as a sibling, but as a reckless charge she must somehow rein in.
"Have a good night, dear sister," Liam replies, his tone emotionless and detached as he continues to cut his steak, seemingly unaffected by her words.
As the door closes behind Aira, Isabella stands in the hallway, flipping through a notebook with a skeptical expression. "I told you it's a waste of time," she mumbles under her breath, her focus not leaving the pages even as she speaks.
"Tsk, I know. But I had to try. I don't want a bad relationship with the elves," Aira says, scratching her neck, a hint of real concern flickering across her face for a moment. "By the way, is V back? I want to pay him for a meal," she adds, licking her lips.
"V... Dammit, I hate that man!" Isabella grumbles, slamming her notebook shut and rubbing her forehead in frustration. 'He does this every time, every damn time...'
"Hmm? Really?" Aira tilts her head, her expression shifting to a playful smirk. "You know, it's hard to believe you when you're always trying to get him to join you," she teases as they walk along the dimly lit building.
"Tsk, stop being annoying. You know why, and I also paid him to help me, but he never does. He scammed me," Isabella retorts, her teeth gritted in annoyance.
"Maybe if you're a bit nicer, he'll join you more often," Aira suggests with a light exhale.
"No way," Isabella counters defiantly, crossing her arms as she lets herself fall onto a couch. "I'm not nice, especially to people like him," she asserts, her voice tinged with stubborn pride. Suddenly, her stomach growls loudly, betraying her outward composure.
"Hehehe, I told you to eat," Aira teases, barely containing her laughter. "You were hoping he would cook for everyone, right?"
"S-shut up, it's not like that," Isabella coughs, clearing her throat in an attempt to regain her composure. She quickly changes the subject. "By the way, are you sure it was her?" she asks, her tone turning serious.
"Without a doubt. Can you believe it? She went completely insane," Aira responds with a heavy exhale, her thoughts drifting to the complexities of the political intrigue they were embroiled in. 'I wonder what happened? From what she said, it looks like King Mark either fell for a ploy or made an agreement with the republic. Still, it's weird... why mess up his daughter to such a degree?'
"I refuse to accept it... My oldest sister knew her. And if my sister acknowledged her, it means she was similar in strength," Isabella adds, seeking some validation for her disbelief.
"True, if it were the 'princess', she would have killed us with ease. The princess was known as the honorable knight, and she was rumored to be a sword master," Aira muses, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "But still... it was definitely her, maybe she got weaker?"
"Pfff, who cares?" Biana scoffs as she strides out of her room, yawning and stretching languidly. Under her breath, she mutters a curse directed at V, 'Why aren't you here yet? I'm starving.'
Her irritation barely settles when Isabella confronts her with an annoyed exhale. "Ugh... it's you. Why do you always cause a scene?"
"Me? Bitch, I just wanna sleep. Is it that hard to understand?" Biana retorts, flopping down onto a nearby couch. She gestures broadly as she speaks, "I sleep, that's all I do, right? And you? You're the annoying girl who can't stop rubbing in the fact that she's a noble."
She rolls her eyes dramatically, then smirks as she delivers her next jab. "Why do you think V likes me over you? It's because I don't need to constantly tell him I'm better, he already knows," she says with such certainty that it sounds almost factual.
Isabella breathes out slowly, muttering under her breath in an attempt to summon divine patience. "Oh goddess, give me patience."
Before anyone can retort, Biana cuts in, "Before you say anything, I want to remind you he always helps me whenever I ask him."
"Doesn't he always curse at your existence?" Aira interjects calmly, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"Ugh... that's a small price to pay for his food," Biana declares confidently, her smirk widening. "I can eat it all the timeee," she covers her mouth as she laughs somewhat maliciously. "I don't have to pay him or beg him for food, I can just take his and he'll make more. He loves to cook, so I don't see the issue."
At her audacious claim, Aira and Isabella click their tongues in unison.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The setting is breathtaking—an elven mansion sculpted from polished white stone, framed with innumerable vines from a rich variety of plants. Crimson red vines laced with blood red roses cascade elegantly through the expansive garden, creating a stark contrast against the pristine architecture. The mansion exudes an air of ancient grandeur, the atmosphere serene yet distinctly alive with the subtle rustle of leaves and the gentle whisper of the wind.
Amidst this tranquility, a man's frustration shatters the calm. "Shit, shit, shit! Dammit!" He slams his arm down on a stone table, his fury palpable. "How did they just vanish? Useless fucking criminals!" His voice echoes across the garden as he kicks a rock into dust, his agitation growing. "All you had to do was kill the human, how hard is it to kill one man!?" he bellows, pacing back and forth, his steps heavy and resentful.
"It was the perfect opportunity, what a waste!" His outburst disrupts the peaceful environment as the wind gently brushes the grass, carrying with it a voice that seems to come from everywhere yet nowhere.
"Indeed, you wasted such a great opportunity," the voice chimes in, its tone soothing yet mocking.
"I know! I know! Shit! Don't worry, I'm still going to make it happen, that won't change," the man snaps back, his frustration not abating. He clicks his tongue in irritation, barely noticing as his own shadow, cast by the dim evening light, shifts subtly.
"Are you afraid?" the voice probes, its smooth tone wrapping around the man like a cloak.
Before he can respond, two dark, shadowy hands cover his eyes and whisper directly into his mind, "There's no reason to be afraid, all you have to do is trap the king."
"I know, I'm not stupid. When the time comes, I'll trap the king, and like you promised, you'll deal with him," the man states firmly, pushing the shadowy hands away—only for them to vanish into the air.
"Stay out of our family's issues, the girl has nothing to do with our agreement," he continues, starting to jot notes down, his mind racing through the intricate web of his plans.
"You're right, however, you've lost focus due to her," the voice remarks coolly as shadows around him stir, a subtle reminder of the presence that surrounds him.
"Shut up, I can do both. I need to get that girl married to my son before I make a move. I need to secure my son gets the wife he wants before it's no longer an option."