The king... Kieth was shocked.
Veliern smiled and said, "Yeah, no need to bow though. I came really late at night, so don't bother."
The garden returned to its normal state, but the trees and everything else remained cut—just as he had done to the forest.
Veliern stepped closer to Kieth. "So, you're wearing my robe, huh? Well, I barely come here, so I understand. Still, are you someone from Raphenia's family? Nope, don't answer that—you probably aren't."
Before Kieth could respond, they found themselves seated face-to-face on the couches inside the manor.
"So, you barely come here?" Kieth asked.
"Yep," Veliern replied simply.
"Why?"
"My duties as a king," Veliern said with a shrug.
"Then why did you come now?"
"Hey, come on. Can't I miss my wife?" He chuckled. "Besides, since we're going to Thelaria for a festival, my subordinates think I'm in my carriage. I'll be back before they know it."
"How? Like... fast travel?"
"Something like that. I can boost myself through air by temporarily becoming the wind," Veliern said with a smirk.
Kieth was stunned by the revelation. "Oh, wait, I should probably tell you about myself," he began, thinking Veliern might want to know more.
"No need. I've already figured it out," Veliern said casually.
"Huh?"
"Likely, you're from Veil's Grove Forest, where Raphenia probably found you. And judging by the scars you have, it must be related to meeting Aldric."
"Aldric? How did you know?"
"He's quite famous, believe it." He said sounding slightly annoyed.
"But I didn't tell you any of that," Kieth said, perplexed.
Veliern chuckled. "It's easy to piece things together when you have prior knowledge on a small subject."
Kieth thought for a moment but realized how Veliern had made the connections.
"Anyways... who are you?" Veliern asked.
"You just figured out my entire story. Go ahead and figure that out too," Kieth shot back.
"I would, trust me... but you—hey, you have quite the body," Veliern said with a teasing tone.
Kieth glanced at his bandaged and scarred body. "Yeah?"
"Not in that sense. I'm not talking about your wounds... You aren't from this place, are you?"
Kieth froze, shocked that Veliern had figured it out. He had never let even a hint slip, knowing how dangerous that could be.
"H-How?"
Veliern laughed. "God, I love seeing your reactions. But yes, the energy circulating in your body is certainly... amusing. It's like your body is a shell, and your energy has no source of flying out, though I can't fully understand it."
Kieth sat in stunned silence.
"Anyways," Veliern said, interrupting the quiet, "good night. I'll go see my wife before leaving."
And just like that, he vanished into thin air, leaving Kieth alone in the dimly lit room.
Kieth got up and quickly found his room. Inside, he saw Paulina sleeping with Serel. As he stood at the door, a maid bumped into him. She almost screamed, startled, but Kieth quickly muffled her.
"Calm down... it's just me," he whispered.
She nodded slowly, still surprised.
"They're sleeping," Kieth said, gesturing to Paulina and Serel.
The maid glanced into the room before stepping back into the hallway with him.
"Let them sleep. Also... does this manor have a library?" Kieth asked.
The maid nodded and motioned for him to follow. She led him to a room with its doors slightly ajar, light spilling out. As she opened the doors fully, Kieth was greeted by shelves lined with countless books.
"So, there are all sorts of books here?" he asked.
She nodded again.
"Can I have a children's book? You know, for learning the language?"
She gave him a suspicious look, as if thinking he was mocking her.
"No, I really need it for something," Kieth said awkwardly, raising his hands defensively.
The maid sighed, then pulled out several books related to language learning before silently leaving.
"Wow... she's amazing. Not even saying a single word," Kieth muttered.
He sat down at the table and opened the books.
"It's totally different, yet the same... well, guess I'll figure it out."
Over the next two hours, he worked diligently, creating a reference sheet by piecing together the normal alphabets with the new language. Slowly but steadily, he began to understand it better.
Once satisfied, he stood and scanned the shelves for books related to history, magic, and artifacts. Picking out several, he placed them in a neat pile on the table and began reading.
The books painted a vivid picture of the world's history. He discovered it was a supercontinent with seven major kingdoms. His primary focus, however, was on Thelaria and Orynthar.
Orynthar prided itself on magic and had a history of powerful but often terrifying rituals. Conversely, Thelaria championed honor and weaponry, despising magic. The rift between them began with Orynthar's disdain for those without magical talent, which eventually led to a rebellion and the birth of Thelaria.
As he delved deeper, he found tales of royal families. Most were mundane, except for their deaths—nearly every royal member was killed by their siblings, each death explained away as an "accident." Kieth didn't buy it. The detailed descriptions of the "accidents" screamed foul play.
One book stood out, recounting the story of The Hellwalker, a legendary figure from Thelaria. Despite Orynthar's magical superiority, The Hellwalker single-handedly brought the kingdom to its knees. With every step, he left misery and destruction, forcing Orynthar to abandon its pride and accept a treaty.
Kieth wasn't particularly surprised to learn that Raphenia was the daughter of Thelaria's current emperor. The emperor was still alive, and Raphenia was his only daughter, married to Veliern, the youngest of six siblings in Orynthar. Veliern had inherited the throne, but the fates of his siblings were unknown. It was his strength and capabilities that secured his position as king.
"Well, that sums it up," Kieth muttered, leaning back in his chair. "I've got a much better grasp of the situation now."
He grabbed another pair of books, flipping through pages about magic. Most of it was just advice on increasing magical power and becoming stronger. He stared at the text for a moment and scoffed. "Complete bullshit. This feels just like those clickbait articles I used to see online."
Setting the book aside, he turned to another on artifacts. It directly contradicted everything he'd just read about magic. Artifacts, it claimed, were far superior—they boosted magical abilities and could even be used by those without magic. Treasures, rare and priceless. Apparently, artifacts were created by powerful mages who stored their magic into objects, turning them into steady vessels.
But something gnawed at him. "It has to be physical, huh?" he said, his voice low. His mind wandered back to the thing that brought him here. "That... wasn't physical. Not even close."
He sighed, lowering his head to the table.
"Funny, isn't it?" he muttered to himself. "I'm actually interested in these random books I can barely read... but back then, I couldn't care less about my own textbooks."
A bitter chuckle escaped him. "If I was still there… would I be in college? What career would I even be aiming for?"
The thought lingered for a moment, then he shook his head. "No. It's meaningless. I'm not there anymore." He tightened his jaw, shoving the thought away. "There's no point in thinking about it."
His gaze wandered back to the table, his expression troubled. "Still... from what I've figured out, it's all so vague. How am I supposed to leave this place? Should I..." His voice faltered. "Should I leave Serel?"
The thought had been haunting him. Even though he'd promised Evelyn to keep Serel by his side, a part of him hesitated. What if Serel suffered because of him? Every time he saw her sleeping peacefully with Paulina or laughing with Mart, he felt it—people would absolutely love her.
His hands clenched into fists. "But do I love her?"
The words hung in the air, heavy and uncertain. He didn't know. He couldn't know. The answer wasn't clear, and it tore at him.
"I will do my best," he said quietly, clutching his chest. The words were both a promise and a plea, desperate and resolute.
The door creaked open, and Raphenia stepped inside, her expression shifting to surprise when she saw Kieth. "Kieth? What are you doing here this early?"
Kieth turned to her, his gaze calm but thoughtful. "I suppose he met you?"
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she hesitated before replying, "Yes… though he just left. How did you know?"
"Well, I met him—his majesty…" Kieth cut himself off, his thoughts shifting to what Veliern had told him earlier—how Raphenia found him, and her connection to Aldric.
"Hey, Raphenia," Kieth said, his voice low but firm, "did you know Aldric?"
The question seemed to hit her like a thunderclap. Her face went pale as she froze, her wide eyes meeting his.
"So… you were acquainted with him?" Kieth pressed, his tone neutral, though his gaze was sharp.
Raphenia hesitated, visibly nervous, but eventually took a deep breath and admitted, "Yes."
Kieth's expression didn't change, but there was a quiet intensity in his voice as he asked, "Then why did you save me? Did you expect me to know him?"
Her hands trembled slightly, and after a moment's pause, she answered, "Yes… I was hoping you knew where he was."
Kieth's jaw tightened. He couldn't explain it, but something about her answer stirred a frustration he didn't fully understand. "How did you know him?" he asked again, his tone more insistent.
"He was…" she stammered, searching for the right words. "He was… an acquaintance. Someone I couldn't make amends to, and before I realized it, it was too late…"
Silence hung between them for a moment, heavy and tense.
"Is that so?" Kieth finally said, his voice quiet.
Then his gaze sharpened. "What happens if I told you where he was?"
Raphenia's head snapped up, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You… know—no. You met him?"
"Yes," Kieth replied curtly. He paused, then added, "First answer—no… I already know it. You knew I'd met Aldric, didn't you? That's why you kept me here, so eventually, I'd tell you. And now you're pretending to be shocked… You knew."
Her face fell, and she dropped the act, though guilt flickered in her eyes. "Yes," she admitted softly.
Kieth let out a bitter chuckle. "So now what? Have I fulfilled my usefulness? Are you going to throw me back there?"
"Of course not," she said quickly, her voice steady despite the guilt in her tone.
"What if I told you I killed Aldric?" Kieth asked, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. His eyes bore into hers. "What now? I killed your only hope of making amends…"
The words hit her like a blow, and she visibly flinched. Pain flashed across her face, but as she looked into his broken gaze, she understood—perhaps he hadn't wanted to kill Aldric, perhaps he'd had no choice. Either way, she couldn't bring herself to blame him.
"It's… alright…" she murmured, though her voice was weak and her expression betrayed her hurt.
Kieth laughed bitterly. "What? Hate me now? Going to kick me out? Execute me?"
"No," she said firmly, but he cut her off.
"You can't," he said, his voice sharp. "Because it's your fault too."
Her breath caught, and she stared at him, stunned. "My fault…?"
"Didn't take me long to figure it out," Kieth said, his voice turning sharp and accusatory. "Everything's written in the books, even if it's buried under half-truths. Aldric was a criminal, wasn't he? A traitor who killed his father. The hero of Thelaria… Malric. Or as Orynthar calls him, the Hellwalker."
Raphenia's lips parted as if to protest, but no words came.
Kieth pressed on, his tone laced with disdain. "The Hellwalker. The tyrant loyal to the throne. There's no way he betrayed Thelaria. But Aldric could've. Evelyn was from here, wasn't she? She spoke just like everyone here."
He paused, his voice softening, though his gaze remained piercing. "I heard him talk to her like he loved her, even as he became a monster. Those were the last words I heard from him."
Raphenia's shoulders trembled, and she lowered her gaze, unable to meet his eyes.
"I'm sure you were lonely…" Kieth muttered, his tone now heavy with bitterness. "He said it to Evelyn… but it doesn't explain anything to me. So why don't you educate me?"
Raphenia's head snapped up, her expression a mixture of guilt, shock, and pain. She took a shaky breath, and after a long moment, she whispered, "You're right… I… I am the reason Aldric was exiled."
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