In the midst of the crowd, there were mixed faces. Amber wore a smile that reflected the excitement of the moment, her face brightened with joy. On the other hand, Henry and Prince Sam's faces were filled with anger and disgust, seemingly disturbed by the situation.
Silence still prevailed among the crowd. As people waited with curiosity and concern, Prince Sam was the first to break the silence.
Sam's inner world was filled with complex emotions. Amber's happiness had deeply unsettled him. Because this joy had caused even more uncertainty about Sam's own future. Until Stephen was found, Amber, as the heir to the throne, would be the future queen of Rivelia. However, Amber's reluctance to take on this role pleased Sam.
Amber's unwillingness to become queen stirred up complex emotions within Sam. His niece's reluctance to such an important role created a balance between jealousy and the love and respect he felt for her.
Sam knew that if Amber became queen, she would have to give up her dreams of becoming a sorceress. He could use this to take the heirship, but he knew his brother Edward would oppose it no matter what.
With Stephen's discovery, Amber's dreams were one step closer to realization, stirring up both envy and concern within Sam. These thoughts, filled with complex emotions, raged within Sam like a storm.
Silence filled the room, and Amber carefully studied her brother. His deep blue eyes held many mysteries within them. His facial features were stern, but the dimples that appeared when he smiled softened his countenance. Amber also bore a resemblance to her brother, especially with her slightly full lips.
As Amber sat beside her brother, she drifted into thought. We really do look a lot like twins, she thought. This thought both evoked a sense of connection and heightened her curiosity. Her heart raced with excitement at the prospect of speaking to her brother for the first time.
"At last, we could meet, brother."
When Stephen came face to face with his sister after years, his emotions were like a mixture; joy, concern, and perhaps a bit of fear. He contented himself with just watching her, feeling a surge of mixed emotions within. He couldn't decide what to say. "Please rise. We need to introduce you to their majesties," Albert's voice startled him, an unexpected moment was approaching. In that moment, the atmosphere in the room changed; excitement and tension lingered in the air. Stephen stood up, unsure of what to do, his heart beating rapidly. As he awaited the opportunity to meet their majesties, countless thoughts and emotions swirled in his mind.
Accompanied by the guards, Stephen opened the door of the castle and stepped inside. His footsteps echoed along the corridor, and he beheld the magnificent view that filled his eyes. As he proceeded down the corridor, his gaze caught on several portraits. In one portrait, King Edward and the late Queen Layla stood side by side, reflecting the grandeur of the past. While examining the portrait, Albert called out again, and Stephen stopped looking at the painting and continued to follow him.
Finally, when they reached the throne room, King Edward was seated on his throne, watching them. The guards silently left the room, and everyone bowed respectfully before the king. Stephen, still confused, became the last one to bow. The king noticed this, and the fact that this boy was dressed as nobility caught his attention even more.
Turning to the king with a smiling expression, Albert said, "Yes, indeed, Your Majesty. There is something important I need to inform you about." Though initially apprehensive, the king felt somewhat relieved when he saw Albert's smiling face. His gaze immediately shifted to Stephen. It was not hard to see that Stephen was stressed; he was fidgeting with his hands out of excitement. The king tried to suppress his curiosity about who the boy was, but he didn't want to interrupt Albert.
Though Albert whispered to Stephen from behind, he didn't get a response. Stephen seemed lost in thought. So, Albert took hold of his arm and pulled him forward. "He, meaning Stephen, is the heir to this great kingdom, Rivelia," he said, and his words echoed in the room. These words did not surprise anyone in the room; except for the king.
The king couldn't believe what he heard. He thought the boy might be one of those fake heirs brought in just for money. However, the resemblance between them was undeniable. It was as if his youth from the past had come alive before him, standing there. Even his name was the same as his lost son's.
"Is this true? No, it cannot be. He must be one of those fake children," he thought.
But Albert responded firmly, "No, Your Excellency, he is not fake. He even has a birthmark resembling a sword on his arm, and he can wield the Justice Blade."
For a moment, the king fell silent, examining the young man with a pensive expression. Was he really his son? Or just a look-alike? These questions caused all eyes in the room to focus on Stephen.
Edward still couldn't believe it. He had been deceived so many times that he struggled to accept the consequences. He ordered Albert to have Stephen roll up his left sleeve. Stepping down from his throne, he approached Stephen slowly. When Albert revealed the birthmark resembling a sword on the young man's arm, the king saw it. "My son..." he said, but couldn't continue the sentence. He was emotional, his face filled with mixed emotions. "Your eyes, they're just like your mother's..."
These words brought tears to everyone in the room. The king's emotional reaction intensified the atmosphere in the room. Stephen, on the other hand, seemed to experience an emotional collapse in this moment. Perhaps he had found the acceptance and love he had been searching for all these years.
And suddenly, the king hugged Stephen tightly. The young man was shocked by this unexpected embrace. When he felt his shoulder getting wet, he froze for a moment in astonishment. Is he crying? he thought. He had never imagined the king could be so emotional. The mighty king embracing me and crying... Though to me, he's not just a king, but also my biological father...
Amber noticed this emotional moment and approached them, joining the embrace. The trio's hug created a tableau that captured the attention of everyone in the room. Albert, however, was not surprised by this situation. He had always been this emotional.
⚔️⚔⚔️
Stephen and Amber were slowly making their way towards the area where they would receive magic training. As they walked down the corridor, there was an atmosphere filled with excitement. Stephen, as usual, was excited; the smile on his face reflected the enthusiasm within him.
"You know you'll be joining the Chosen Ones, right?" Amber asked.
"Yes, I know. Apparently, everyone who owns the Justice Blade has to join," Stephen replied, unable to conceal his excitement in his voice.
"But your knowledge of magic is very limited," Amber continued, with a worried tone.
These words caused the smile to fade momentarily from Stephen's face. However, immediately after, with a determined expression, he said, "It's okay, I'll learn. I want to join the Chosen Ones, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes." Although he wore a determined expression, he was still battling with inner insecurities. "Although I say I'll learn, I still struggle with reading spells aloud," Stephen said, sounding upset. It seemed like people's expectations of him were too high, and he feared he wouldn't be able to meet them. Stephen was aware of the responsibilities he carried; being a wielder, he was also responsible for the safety of this dimension. Therefore, he understood the importance of this training and was ready to do anything to improve himself, but he was still struggling with self-confidence issues.
"I'm sure you'll learn everything one day. You know, the Petersons are very powerful."
"I hope you're right."
"But you almost learned to read in such a short time. Don't forget that."
"Thanks for the motivation, but it's really hard to eliminate the fear inside me... But you're right in a way. I was also surprised at how quickly I could learn to read."
Amber smiled and then drifted into thought. Stephen knew the importance of joining the Chosen Ones. This also increased the possibility of Amber being able to join the Chosen Ones. It was necessary to join the organization and prove oneself as a true mage in order to become a member of the Chosen Ones, and Amber was considering using her brother to achieve this goal.
She wanted to go to the Organization with her brother and prove her magical power by fighting there. Although she thought her brother was powerful, he hadn't received proper training yet. She wanted to make good use of this opportunity.
With a determined expression on her face, Amber voiced her request, "Can you help me with something?"
Stephen turned to her with curiosity. "What kind of help exactly?" he asked.
Amber continued firmly, "Sooner or later, you'll be summoned to the Organization. If you go, can you take me with you?"
Stephen responded positively to Amber's request, "Of course. But I'm not sure if the others would allow it."
"Forget about the others," said Amber, smiling broadly. Then, they opened the door, and Albert welcomed them, "Welcome, your majesties."
With Albert's warm welcome, happiness and excitement appeared on the faces of Stephen and Amber. Despite the challenges they would face ahead, they were filled with the strength of embarking on this journey together.
"Welcome," they both said at the same time, but Stephen's tone was slightly colder. This didn't escape Albert's notice. "I suppose I should explain why I behaved that way towards you earlier,"
Stephen turned to him with curiosity. "That would be good," he said again in a slightly cold tone.
Albert continued sincerely, "That day, I first looked for your birthmark, but I couldn't find it, so I had to do that. I apologize."
"You don't need to apologize, Mr. Albert. I understand," Stephen replied, but Albert could still feel the coldness in his voice. It wasn't hard to notice, even Amber had understood. However, she decided not to push too much for now. I'll find a way to make it up to him later, she thought. So she took a few books on magic from the bookshelf behind her and placed them on the table.
"Sir, why didn't Stephen's birthmark show up when you looked at it?" Amber asked.
Albert answered seriously, "Pure fairies must be interfering again."
Amber looked shocked. "Oh my, is the apocalypse coming?" she asked with concern.
However, since Stephen didn't know what pure fairies meant, he didn't understand why they were so worried. So he decided to ask about this term. "What are pure fairies?" he asked.
At that moment, the seriousness on Albert's face and the worried expression on Amber's face made the atmosphere tense. Stephen was eagerly awaiting the answer.
"We can call them real fairies. Individuals who rule over the elements of magic," Albert replied.
Stephen pondered for a moment. "So, aren't we real fairies?" he asked.
Albert continued to explain, "No, real fairies are pure fairies. According to some, we, wizards and fairies, are just evolved versions of humans adapted to magic and witchcraft. That's why we're referred to as sister races alongside humans."
These explanations raised many question marks in Stephen's mind. Being referred to as sister races alongside humans made him ponder deeply about their existence and nature. His questions weren't over yet.
"So why are there no humans in the Magical World?" Stephen asked, curious.
Albert took a deep breath. "Because years ago, due to the war between magical beings and humans, we had to leave the Earth, which was actually our homeland," he explained. "And all powerful magical beings united to create a magical version of Earth, moved there, and we, magical beings, remained on Earth only as legends."
Stephen felt stunned in the face of this new information. He felt like he was facing a truth he had never heard before. Having such deep knowledge about the existence and history of the Magical World had impressed him.
"He asks so many questions," Albert thought, looking at Stephen's inquisitive nature with a smile. Each new piece of information only fueled Stephen's desire to explore the mysteries of the Magical World even more.
Stephen wanted to ask more questions about Albert's answers. He was pondering why the war broke out, why there were no fairies left on Earth, and many more questions. However, realizing that he didn't want to bother Albert further, he restrained his curiosity and thanked him for his answers, waiting for Albert to move on to the training.
Albert promptly began the training, and Stephen, focusing on this new adventure, set aside his inquisitive nature. Now, he had the opportunity to learn about a new world and acquire new skills. As the training commenced, everyone in the room was focused on exploring the mysterious world of magic. Stephen, eagerly and excitedly ready to learn new information, attentively focused on the training.