"Hello, stranger," Owen greeted as he delivered a punch to the man's face. The entire hall turned their attention to them, and time seemed to stand still.
Unfortunately, the blow landed on the Man's hand as he tenderly clasped Owen's right hand, causing a murmur in the hallway.
"Did Prince Owen just attack the King?"
"And, the King isn't doing anything, should we make this weak brat know that he attacked the king."
"We should." The voices whispered, but as the owner of the voices met King Zephyris' eyes, they remained silent, saying nothing and leaving.
At the moment, King Zephyris was dressed more like a typical prince who had been invited to the ball than the king.
"Punching your fellow prince in front of so many people without a good reason is extremely wrong." Zephyris grinned and said.
"You're the stranger from that night," Prince Owen began, but before he could finish his sentence, he was whisked away from the palace to a secluded room filled with paintings.
Owen found himself captivated by the artwork, momentarily forgetting the events of the palace.
Zephyris observed Owen with a smile, licking his lips as he approached. "
You have a fondness for paintings, don't you?" Zephyris stood behind Owen, grinning broadly.
"Do you appreciate what you see?" His question snapped Owen back to reality, and he turned to face the man before him.
"Who are you? And why did you send these clothes? Are you playing with me?" Owen asked.
"I'm Zephyris, your soon-to-be husband," he answered with a smirk.
Owen stepped back, trying to process the man's words. 'This is the plot changing again,' he thought to himself, unsure of what to do.
Before he could react, Zephyris had him pinned against the wall, his legs between Owen's as he pulled his face closer. It seemed like he was about to kiss Owen, but instead, he planted a kiss on his forehead.
"You should know that you are mine, a precious gift your father offered in place of his beloved daughter if you agree to be mine. How sweet is that?" Zephyris whispered into Owen's ear.
Owen was stunned, unsure if this was a joke. The King, his so-father, had given him to Zephyris to save his spoiled daughter.
It seemed that Lyra was unaware of this arrangement, leaving Owen feeling frustrated. It felt like a double betrayal, but it was nothing new compared to his experiences on Earth.
He suppressed his anger as he met Zephyris's gaze, feeling like he was staring into a bottomless pit. In this moment, the hunter had become the hunted.
"If I survive this, that old man will pay," he thought to himself as he attempted to evade the imposing figure in front of him.
"Now that you've seen your husband, won't you show him some affection? A kiss, a hug, anything?" Zephyris whispered, his breath tickling his ear and causing a flush to spread across his neck.
"You're not!" Owen shouted, attempting to push the man away, but he couldn't budge him and ended up shocking himself. It felt like trying to move a mountain that had been there for ages. "How is this guy so strong?" Owen wondered, struggling to push him away. Frustration set in as he started to sweat.
"Indigo, wherever you are, now would be a good time to help me out," he thought desperately, but no sign of the fairy.
"I guess your father didn't fill you in on the details," the man said, stepping back to give Owen some breathing room. "You're a gift from your father to me, a way to make up for his mistakes. He owes me a lot."
Zephyris grinned as he touched Owen's long braided white hair, bringing it close to his nose to sniff. "Lilies, you smell just like lilies. The urge to claim you is trying to take control of me," he said.
"You drive me crazy, from the first time we met," Zephyris groaned.
"Bastard, it's my first time seeing you in the woods," Owen blurted out.
"Exactly, I knew you wouldn't remember. Then I won't be too nice to you until you do," Zephyris said before leaving Owen to himself.
Owen touched his chest, feeling his heart beating faster than before. If he claimed he wasn't scared just now, it would be a lie. He was certain that this man knew something he didn't.
He quickly wiped the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead.
'But, I can't recall Owen ever encountering a stranger,' he pondered to himself. As he delved into his memories, he suddenly froze, his eyes widening in alarm.
"I remember rushing through the novel because I kept feeling sleepy at the beginning, so I ended up skipping many chapters before finally finishing it. I had planned to read it again, but fate and death had other plans for me."
He muttered to himself and closed his eyes, now juggling three thoughts in his mind: figuring out the task at hand, ensuring his safety, and trying to recall when the previous host had encountered this stranger.
"Ugh. Lyra's marriage was just a ploy to lure me out of the palace. My so-called father disgusts me. All I want is..."
Before he could finish his thought, he heard Lyra's voice from behind the door. "Owen," she called out as she entered the room.
" I can't believe you laid your hands on another prince without a good reason. Now everyone is talking about it," she said quickly, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I have my reasons, and his handsome face didn't get hurt," Owen sighed, his thoughts drifting back to the way Zephyris smiled at him. He pushed the thoughts aside.
As he watched his sister, Owen wondered if he had misjudged her. He knew she caused trouble for the former host, who often had to clean up, but he also realized that they rarely spent quality time together. The only time they could freely talk was in the carriage.
Owen embraced his worried sister, feeling grateful for having a sibling, even if their relationship was complicated. He smiled as Lyra hugged him tightly.
"I'm going to talk to the King. I'll tell him I'm not marrying him," she sobbed.
"I promise I'll support you," Owen said with a sincere smile. "But if he refuses, don't be upset because I'll leave with Aaron." Lyra chuckled, wiping away her tears before placing a hand on her stomach.
"You're going to be an uncle soon, Owen," Lyra happily announced as she pulled away from the hug. Owen was taken aback, his jaw dropping in surprise.
"Are you saying..."
"Yes, I'm pregnant," she interjected, beaming. It was the first time Owen had seen Lyra genuinely smile without any pretense. She gently rubbed her stomach, a look of contentment on her face.
Owen thought that this was good news at the wrong time and in the wrong situation as he looked at his sister, who was already smiling with life in her eyes.
"The main reason I refused this marriage is because I want to spend my life with my child and my husband, the person I love. Yes, Aaron and I got married. Father knows nothing about it, and if he did, he would surely kill Aaron and my baby," she whimpered.
"Now I understand everything. Are you sure no one else knows about your child except for you and me? Aaron must have figured it out, which is why you're fleeing," Owen said softly as he bit his lips and clenched his hands.
Owen was always angered by his so-called father's behavior, but he felt powerless to do anything about it. He moved closer to Lyra and held her hands tightly.
"I'll ensure your safety and that of your baby, Lyra. I respect whatever decision you make," Owen reassured her. "We need to speak with the King in private; perhaps he will reconsider."
Lyra, relieved, nodded in agreement. "I was afraid you would be angry with me for keeping this from you," she admitted tearfully.
"Stop crying, we have a plan. Let's head to the ballroom and await the King's arrival to request an audience," Owen suggested.
Lyra wiped her tears and followed her brother to the ballroom. Just then, the Herald stepped forward and cleared his throat to announce the King's arrival. "Attention, please!"
His voice echoed through the ballroom, capturing everyone's attention and halting Owen and Lyra in their tracks.
"We are pleased to announce the arrival of His Majesty, King Zephyris, the ruler of the Demon Realm!"
The room erupted in applause as Helard stepped aside, revealing a grand procession emerging from the shadows. King Zephyris, an enigmatic figure, led the way with confidence, his face concealed by a delicate black silk veil that cascaded down to his shoulders.
The veil was adorned with intricate golden thread designs that glistened in the light, adding to his aura of mystery.
His deep red robe, secured at the waist by the Jin Dai (Golden Belt), flowed behind him like a dark cloud, while his intense crimson eyes shone like beacons above the veil.
A retinue of demonic nobles and guards followed behind him, their faces stern and their eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
The room was charged with an otherworldly energy as King Zephyris made his way to the center of the stage.
As he raised his hands, the applause faded, and the room fell silent, eager to hear his words and uncover the mystery behind the veil that concealed his face.
Rumors persisted that the King never revealed his face to anyone except his most trusted advisors.
The idea of being ruled by a faceless demon king had endured and continued to intrigue.
Owen's heart raced as he locked eyes with the King, a figure both distant and near, shrouded in mystery.
A strange sense of familiarity washed over him.
"Is it possible that the man before me is the same as the one I encountered earlier? The resemblance is uncanny, from the veil to the dark locks. And to add to the intrigue, they share the same name," he whispered to himself.
A sly grin crept across his face. "What if they are one and the same? Oh, the tangled web fate weaves."