When Stephen entered the training area, he saw all the Chosen members gathered there. However, unexpectedly, there was one person who shouldn't have been there: Amber. Stephen wondered how she had gotten there and what excuse she had used. He quickly sat next to her, ready to bombard her with questions.
Amber sensed Stephen's approach and carefully lifted her gaze. The calm expression on her face couldn't fully hide the excitement and unpreparedness she was feeling. The tension of being among the other Chosen members was evident in her posture. Her eyes met Stephen's curious look, ready for his questions.
Stephen sat down beside Amber and approached her with questions. "How did you manage to get here again?" he asked, frowning.
Feeling the sharp tone in Stephen's voice, Amber tensed slightly. She looked straight into Stephen's eyes and replied, "Our instructors are the same. Did you forget? My training time conflicted with this meeting, so I used that."
Stephen still looked at her with suspicion. "But you won't be doing any training. Your only goal is to prove yourself again."
Amber smiled in response to his criticism. "You've come to know your sister very well in such a short time."
Meanwhile, the other Chosen members were carefully watching this dialogue. Just as the siblings were about to continue their conversation, Albert stepped into the center of the room and began to speak to the Chosen with a serious expression. As he was being observed attentively from the other side, Maria impatiently asked a question.
"Mr. Albert, why are we here today?" she asked, her voice echoing with both curiosity and impatience.
Albert, maintaining his seriousness, replied, "Do you know why the Chosen were re-established?"
Amber quickly responded, "The prophecy of the White and Gray heir?" However, this answer did not calm Albert but rather angered him and raised suspicion. Amber's response filled the room with tension.
Albert stepped towards Amber to calm the atmosphere and spoke with a serious expression. "Your Majesty, can you stay here for an additional hour after training today?" he asked, trying to maintain calm in his voice while also sounding somewhat irritated. This request made Amber uneasy. Knowing the power and influence of the organization, she understood the seriousness of Albert's request and became worried. The more she thought about the organization's power, the faster her heart beat, and the tension in the room increased. Amber knew very well that the organization could dethrone kings if they wanted to. It wasn't something they hadn't done before.
Albert, with a worried look, turned to Amber and asked, "Why do I need to stay?" Albert watched her with a serious expression, took a deep breath, and answered, "We will discuss this with you then. For now, let's return to our topic." When his eyes turned to the others, a silent moment ensued, and the tension in the room increased. Albert broke the silence and continued, "The Chosen were first established when the Dark Lord was about to invade the entire Magical World, which meant the dominance of darkness and evil. This is why the Chosen were formed," he said with a focused expression. When he turned his eyes to Stephen and Amber, he looked at them with an understanding gaze. "Your grandfather, Peter Peterson, was the first member of the Chosen. And he was also the first wielder of the Sword of Justice." With these words, everyone's attention in the room was focused on Albert.
Amber considered sharing some information about Peter Peterson to prove herself, but Albert's worried look and the tension in the room stopped her. She feared something might happen to her. Silently, she experienced an inner conflict. Noticing this silence, Stephen saw an opportunity and thought it was a suitable moment to ask Albert a question. The atmosphere in the room was tense, and everyone's attention was on the question Stephen was about to ask.
"Is the threat of the Dark Lord re-emerging?"
The others were alarmed by this question, and a brief silence fell. Everyone waited anxiously for the answer.
"We are not entirely sure, but the fact that the Sword of Justice has found a new owner suggests that a great danger is approaching," Albert said, trying to maintain his seriousness. His seriousness emphasized the magnitude and severity of the danger.
"If you don't yet know what the danger is, how are we supposed to stop it then?"
"Right now, the threat seems to be those demons, and we have no idea how they are appearing."
God, this boy's questions never end, do they?
"Do you have any other questions on your mind, Your Majesty?" he asked with a sincere smile, though he inadvertently revealed his frustration with the questions. Stephen still had questions, but he decided not to ask them anymore.
"No, I don't. Thank you," he said, nodding gratefully to Albert.
Thank heavens!
"You're welcome, sir."
⚔️⚔️⚔️
As Alicia swiftly opened the door and entered, the atmosphere of the room changed. Her excitement and happiness were palpable. The smile on her face did not go unnoticed by Sarah. Curiously, Sarah turned to Alicia, wanting to ask what had happened. Alicia's cheerful demeanor only heightened Sarah's curiosity.
Sarah, with a curious tone, asked, "You look happy. What happened? Did Stephen come back?"
"No, he hasn't come back, but I met him anyway," Alicia replied shyly. Her face turned red once again. These words made the atmosphere in the room even more intriguing.
With a confident and somewhat indifferent tone, Sarah said, "Oh, so he's working at the castle too." But when she heard Alicia's response, she was shocked and asked angrily, "What did you say? What prince? How could someone like him be a prince?"
Alicia, with a trembling voice, explained, "He really is a prince, aunt. He told me he's from the Peterson lineage and that he left home to find his real family."
Sarah couldn't hide her astonishment at this information. "That's impossible! Even if it were true, wouldn't Dean recognize him?" she asked, skeptical. With these words, a sense of uncertainty and anxiety began to fill the room.
"My father last saw Stephen when he was 12 years old, aunt. And I owe you no lies!"
"Alicia, let's say he is a prince, but isn't that even worse? Do you know how much criticism and backlash the king faced for marrying Layla? You're just a normal servant," Sarah said, approaching Alicia with a worried expression. The tension in the room grew as Sarah's voice trembled.
Alicia, with courage, replied, "But in the end, he did marry Layla, and Layla did become queen," though her face showed signs of worry and hesitation.
"Do you really think the crown prince, with all those beautiful and noble girls around, would look at you?" Sarah's voice echoed painfully. With these words, the room's atmosphere became tense, and fear and anxiety appeared on Alicia's face.
"I'll make him fall in love with me, and I'll have both the man I love and a perfect life as queen. Two birds with one stone!" said Alicia, her face a mix of determination and hope.
"Don't be so sure of yourself. Nothing is certain yet," warned Sarah, the worry evident in her voice.
"Just watch and see," Alicia replied with a smile, though she felt a mix of excitement and anxiety inside. With these words, the tension in the room grew, filled with uncertainty and anticipation.
God, this girl has lost her mind!
The other women working in the kitchen were listening to this argument intently. They watched Sarah and Alicia with wide eyes, full of shock and curiosity. Every word heightened the tension in the room, creating a palpable sense of unease. The women exchanged silent, worried glances. Sarah feared her niece's words would become the talk of the town, turning into gossip that everyone would spread. The atmosphere in the room thickened with the impact of Alicia's bold declaration.
"Sarah, why are you so angry? Let the girl be with the one she loves," said Rose, then let out a mocking laugh. Rose's laugh only irritated Sarah further. Her face showed signs of anger and frustration. Her eyes narrowed, and her jaw clenched. The other kitchen workers watched the situation in silence, the tension in the room increasing. Sarah's reaction reflected the anxiety and stress building inside her.
"Do you think being queen is easy!?"
Sarah, despite her flaws, was a woman known for her intelligence and analytical abilities. She had a sharp mind and could deeply understand the people around her. Knowing her niece well helped her decipher Alicia's emotional and personal traits. Sarah saw her niece as a naive girl, one who tired easily, and she believed that a huge responsibility like being a queen was not suitable for her. Sarah's observational skills allowed her to excel in character analysis, making her adept at understanding those around her.
"Yes. They live in riches. It's the dream of many girls and women."
"You have no idea why Layla died!"
"We know. Didn't she die of an illness?"
"No, she was as healthy as a horse. How could she suddenly die from an illness, especially on the day her son disappeared?"
"Are you saying Layla was murdered?"
"Most likely, yes."
As everyone looked at each other in shock, Alicia, who had remained silent, decided to break the silence with a determined tone. Furrowing her brow, she looked around and sharply declared, "Drop this topic already!" Her outburst created tension in the room. Just as the others were ready to accept her request, Sarah's determined voice broke through again: "The others might drop it, but I'll keep pursuing this, just so you know."
Ignoring her aunt's words, Alicia walked away and quietly started washing the dishes. Another girl, about her age, approached her.
The girl's sly smile unsettled Alicia. "You've got a tough job ahead. Good luck," she began, causing Alicia's expression to darken. Her response came in a calm yet tense tone: "Washing dishes isn't that hard, but thanks anyway."
The girl's words carried a hidden message, which only added to Alicia's tension. "I wasn't talking about the dishes. I meant the prince," she said, making Alicia's face tighten. Clenching her fist in frustration, Alicia thought: Won't they ever leave me alone? She was truly fed up. Her eyes showed signs of fatigue and disappointment, reflecting the internal struggle and external pressures she faced.
As she heard the girl's words, Alicia felt a swirl of conflicting emotions. "Why is it hard?" she asked, though she already knew the answer deep down. The girl let out a sly laugh and said, "They say the prince is very handsome. Many girls already want to be his concubine. You have a lot of competition," she added with a mocking tone.
Alicia didn't want to hear this, but she couldn't suppress her feelings of jealousy and worry. At that moment, another girl approached and focused on Alicia's thoughts. "The Petersons are perfect in appearance already. They're great in terms of status and power too. It's like they're blessed by God," she said.
"Exactly," replied the other girl, triggering a wave of jealousy in Alicia. Unable to stand the tension, Alicia quickly left and went outside.
⚔️⚔️⚔️
After leaving the training area, Amber was startled by Albert's unexpected call. Her heart raced, and she quickly snapped out of her daze, turning back swiftly. Albert's calm demeanor gave her a bit of courage to suppress her inner anxiety. As she took a step forward, she knew she had to maintain her composure in the face of the approaching danger. When she slowly sat down, her tension shouldn't be visible. "Yes?" she asked, her voice still trembling slightly.
"Did you read the documents I brought yesterday?"
With Albert's question, Amber's anxiety intensified. Although she had read the documents, the confusion in her mind seemed to vanish suddenly. Taking a deep breath, she needed to choose her words carefully. "No, I didn't read them. I just came across them," she said, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. However, traces of her inner fear were still evident.
When Amber saw Albert take the document back and examine it, she took a deep breath internally. Perhaps she could find a way out. Maintaining the calm expression that masked her face, she looked steadily at Albert. Yet, her inner tension and anxiety continued to grow.
Albert extended the document back to Amber, his gaze meticulously reading her face. After a moment of silence, he spoke again. Amber listened intently to each word Albert said, desperately seeking an escape.
"Although a prophecy is given in that document, it mentions at the end that the heirs are the White and the Gray. This proves you did read it."
Albert's words deeply shook Amber. Bowing her head in shame, she continued to wait in silence. Albert's observation heightened her internal turmoil. Unsure of what to do, she simply waited, resigned to accept Albert's decision.
"You've learned something you weren't supposed to, but please act as if this never happened," Albert's request profoundly affected Amber. At that moment, having to act as if nothing had happened intensified her internal conflict. Keeping her head bowed, she stood silently, struggling to cope with her shame.
Upon hearing this, Amber immediately raised her head and, with a forced smile, said, "Thank you very much."
"You're welcome."
With Albert's polite response, Amber quickly and impatiently left, alone with her complex emotions.