It had been a few days since Kael left the house in the countryside, but he was growing tired of being confined in the palace. The walls felt like they were closing in, and the young boy longed for adventure. Determined to break free, he began hatching a plan to sneak out.
"I want to explore this kingdom," Kael mused to himself, frustration bubbling under the surface. "But they won't even let me out with guards." His eyes suddenly brightened with an idea. "Wait a second, what if I sneak out at night and return before everyone wakes up?" His face lit up with a childish smile. "But how?"
Kael paced towards the window, deep in thought. "I'm on the sixth floor, and there are no water pipes like on Earth. The guards are always at the front door... but what if I use the back door?" His excitement grew. "If I could use invisibility magic... wait, is that even possible? If it is, I'd like to try it, even with low mana."
He continued to think out loud. "I need a solid plan to sneak out. This palace is huge. If I find an empty room at the back, I can use bedsheets to climb down. I'm not that heavy for my age. Lastly, I'll use my breathing technique to conceal my presence. It's a good plan in theory. Let's do it!" Kael thought, brimming with confidence.
[Afternoon Sun at its Peak]
Kael wandered around the palace, searching for a suitable room to execute his plan. The size of the palace was overwhelming.
"This place is huge," he sighed, "but there's not a single room that works for my plan."
Just then, a soft voice called out, "Kael, what are you doing here?" Serene asked, her tone gentle and curious. "Do you need something?"
"No, no," Kael replied nervously, his heart racing. "I'm just roaming around the palace."
"Okay. If you need anything, just ask me or any maid," Serene said, giving him a reassuring smile before walking away.
"That was close," Kael muttered to himself, wiping the sweat from his brow.
[Backside of the Palace]
Kael's persistence paid off when he found a room with a locked door that seemed unused for years. "If I can get into this room, it's perfect for my plan. It's directly opposite the main entrance."
He tried every method he knew to unlock the door but failed. Frustrated, he used force on the rusty lock, and it broke apart. "Maybe I used too much force, or not," he thought, bewildered.
He entered the dark and dusty room, coughing as the air filled with particles. "This place is perfect. I'll come here tonight."
[Nighttime, Everyone Asleep Except...]
"Here I go," Kael whispered to himself, sneaking into the room. "It looks scary at night, but that doesn't matter." He set up the bedsheets, feeling proud of his plan.
Kael climbed down the makeshift rope after locking the door from the inside, successfully sneaking out of the mansion through the back entrance.
After walking for some time, he reached the forest of Vian. "A forest! Okay, let's go inside!" he said, his excitement palpable.
[Mansion's Back Door]
As Kael disappeared into the forest, a low voice emerged from the darkness of the palace grounds. "You never learn, do you, boy?" it whispered ominously, sending a shiver down the spine of anyone who might have heard.
Kael, unaware of the shadow watching him, continued his adventure into the depths of the forest, eager to see what mysteries lay ahead. His heart raced with anticipation and a hint of fear, but his determination to explore kept him moving forward. The forest loomed before him, dark and inviting, promising the adventure he so desperately craved.