Chapter 5: The Tension of Betrayal
Eric woke up before dawn. The silence in the castle room was not comforting. In the silence, only the sound of his heartbeat could be heard clearly. His tired face stared blankly at the ceiling. The thought of what he found in the basement last night continued to haunt him.
He knew that the longer he ignored this reality, the greater the threat would be. The plan that Lady Seraphina and Leon had put together was so well thought out—more well thought out than Eric could have ever imagined. He was starting to feel like everyone around him had their agenda.
Celeste knocked on her bedroom door, her voice hesitant.
"Eric? Are you okay?" Celeste asked from outside, worried about her brother.
Eric sighed softly before opening the door.
Celeste's worried face made him smile slightly, though the anxiety in his heart couldn't be easily removed. "I'm fine," he replied, trying to sound calm. But the uncertainty was getting more pressing.
"They're getting bolder," Celeste said in a low voice. "I feel like something is being prepared. It looks like everything is about to explode."
Eric nodded slowly, his eyes staring out the window. "We have no choice but to face it. Dad needs to know more about what's going on in our family."
However, when they stepped outside, the atmosphere of the castle felt even more gloomy than before. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but behind the calm, there was a large shadow hanging over them. Eric could feel every eye on him, every step calculated.
---
In the Family Dining Room
In the dining room, Duke Alaric seemed quieter than usual, his voice hoarse as he spoke to Leon and Lady Seraphina.
"What's the situation outside?" Duke Alaric asked, his voice full of caution.
Leon, who was sitting upright at the head of the table, bowed slightly. "Everything is going according to plan, father. In the South, everything is calm, but we still have to watch our step."
Seraphina nodded slowly. "We can't let our guard down. If Eric finds out about this, we could lose everything. This plan must remain a secret."
Eric held his breath. Every word they spoke felt like a stone being dropped into a still pond. He knew full well that this conversation was about more than just the kingdom. This was about a betrayal that had been planted deep in their family.
"I know, Seraphina," Duke Alaric said, his hands balled into fists on the table. "Eric must remain in the dark. We must finish this first, then we can decide what to do next."
Eric felt his stomach drop. They were talking about him like he wasn't part of the family. Like he wasn't there.
"Is there anything else I should know?" Eric asked in a calm voice, trying to hide his nervousness. All eyes at the table turned to him, and for the first time, he felt as if the whole world was judging his move.
Lady Seraphina smiled faintly. "There's nothing to worry about, Eric. Everything is going smoothly."
But Eric could see through the lie. And that was when he realized—he had to act faster. Much further.
---
Back to the Closed Room
After eating, Eric and Celeste returned to a safe place, away from the eyes that were watching them. They knew that in this castle, anyone could be an enemy. There was no one they could trust completely anymore. Only Celeste, who was now the only person he truly trusted.
"This is getting too dangerous," Celeste said, her eyes averted to the floor. "What do we do next?"
Eric clasped his hands together, his eyes gleaming. "I'm going to find out what they're planning. I can't wait any longer."
However, before they could speak further, the door to the hidden room opened. A family servant, with a worried face, came in and approached. "Mr. Eric, there is someone who wants to see you."
Eric frowned. "Who is he?"
The maid just shook her head. "I don't know, sir. But she said she had important information to convey."
Eric felt his heart beat faster. Who could have come so suddenly? And what did he know about all this?
---
Eric stared hard at the servant who had delivered the message. "Where is he now?" he asked, his voice low but firm.
"He is waiting in the small garden behind the castle, sir," the maid replied, still with a worried face.
Celeste looked at Eric with a frown. "Are you sure you want to meet him? This could be a trap."
Eric nodded slowly. "I have no choice. If it's a trap, I'll deal with it. But if it's important information, I can't ignore it."
Celeste took a deep breath, then grabbed Eric's arm. "Then, I'll come with you. I won't let you face this alone."
Eric smiled faintly, gratitude shining on his face. "Alright. But stay alert."
The two of them moved with careful steps toward the small park in question. The cold morning air felt piercing, but the tension hanging in the air was far more pressing than the temperature.
In the small park, a man stood under the shade of a large tree. His face was hidden by the hood of a black coat. His hand was seen holding a roll of paper as if protecting him from the blowing wind.
Eric and Celeste stopped a few steps away from him. Eric studied the man carefully before finally speaking. "Who are you, and what do you want to say?"
The man raised his face slightly, revealing a pair of eyes filled with caution. "The name is not important, Mr. Eric. What is important is this information."
He held out the scroll to Eric. "This is a document I obtained from a place that no ordinary person should know about. It shows Lady Seraphina and Duke Alaric's plans. If you read it, you will know what is going on behind the scenes."
Eric took the roll of paper carefully, his eyes still focused on the man. "Why are you helping me? What's in it for you?"
The man smiled faintly, but his smile was full of bitterness. "Let's just say, I don't want the Everia family to fall into the wrong hands."
Celeste stepped forward, her voice full of suspicion. "What makes us believe you? What if this is all a trick?"
The man stared at Celeste coldly. "You don't have to believe me. But trust the document. All the evidence is there."
Eric unrolled the paper just enough to see the familiar red seal—his father's seal. His face hardened. "If this is fake, I will make sure you pay dearly," he threatened.
The man nodded as if accepting the threat without fear. "You will know the truth, Mr. Eric. But be careful. You don't have much time."
Before Eric could ask further, the man stepped back and then disappeared into the darkness of the park.
---
Back to the Secret Room
Eric and Celeste soon returned to their secret room. Eric unrolled the paper completely, his eyes moving quickly to read each line of words written.
Celeste sat beside him, waiting anxiously. "What's in it?"
Eric gritted his teeth, anger starting to burn inside him. "This… this is proof that Seraphina and Leon are working together with someone from outside the castle. They are planning something much bigger than just taking the title of Duke. They want to destroy the entire structure of the Everia family to gain complete power in the Kingdom of Ferothar."
Celeste's eyes widened. "How could Dad not know about this?!"
Eric sighed deeply, his hands clenching the rolled-up paper. "Because he chose not to see it. Or maybe... he was part of the plan too."
Celeste fell silent, fear beginning to creep into her. "So, what do we do now?"
Eric looked at his brother with determination.
"We're going to gather more evidence. If I just go to them with this, they'll deny everything. I need something they can't deny."
"But it's dangerous, Eric," Celeste whispered.
Eric nodded. "I know. But this is the only way to save our family. And if I fail…" He paused, his eyes glinting sharply. "I will make sure they never have the chance to destroy this family."
Celeste held Eric's hand tightly as if to give him strength. "I will support you, no matter what happens."
Eric nodded, then looked down at the roll of paper in his hand. In his mind, there was only one goal—to expose this betrayal before it was too late.
---
The night wore on, but the air inside the castle felt colder than ever. In their secret chamber, Eric clutched the scroll the mysterious man had given him. Every word he read intensified the anxiety within him. He knew that what he was reading was not just about family politics, but a greater threat—a threat to everything he had ever thought safe.
"Celeste, we have to act immediately," Eric said hoarsely. "It's worse than we thought."
Celeste sat beside him, her eyes full of worry.
"What should we do? We have to tell Dad, right?"
Eric was silent for a moment, thinking hard.
"Father… it might be too late to tell him. I'm not sure he'll believe us now. If this gets out, it'll be dangerous. They won't just want power, they'll destroy everything in their path to get it."
Celeste bit her lower lip, trying to process what Eric had just said. "So, what's your plan? What can we do besides revealing this?"
Eric looked at him with determination. "I have to find out who is collaborating with them from outside the castle. This is all centered around them. Lady Seraphina and Leon may have already prepared big moves that we don't know about yet. If we don't act now, we will lose everything."
Celeste nodded slowly, but her expression remained doubtful. "But we have to be careful. If they find out we know, we could end up the same way as…"
Eric interrupted, his voice full of determination. "I won't let that happen. We have to find more solid evidence, something they can't deny. If we rush things, we'll only make things worse. We have to be patient, but we can't hesitate."
The two of them were silent for a while, thinking about their next move. Suddenly, the door to the secret room opened slowly. Eric turned his head quickly, and a servant walked in quickly.
"Sir Eric," the servant said in a hurried voice, "Duke Alaric wishes to see you. In the study."
Eric felt his heart stop for a moment. This could be a trap. But he also knew that this might be an opportunity to dig deeper into what was going on in his family.
"Thank you," Eric replied shortly, then looked at Celeste. "I'll go see Dad. Get everything ready. If I need help, I'll give a signal."
Celeste nodded, her eyes still filled with worry. "Be careful, Eric. Don't put too much faith in anything he says."
Eric smiled faintly, then left the secret room, walking with sure steps towards Duke Alaric's study.
---
In Duke Alaric's Study
Duke Alaric sat behind a large desk filled with scrolls of papers and maps of the kingdom. The atmosphere in the study was heavy, and there was only the sound of the ticking of a clock ringing softly in the corner of the room. Duke Alaric's face showed no clear expression, but his sharp eyes radiated tension.
Eric entered the room carefully. Each step he took felt like he was carrying a heavier burden. He knew that this meeting could determine the direction of his family's future.
"Dad," Eric started the conversation, his voice firm but cautious. "What do you want to talk about?"
Duke Alaric lifted his face, his eyes staring at Eric with a sharp gaze. "Eric, there is much we need to discuss. Our family is facing a great threat. Not only from the outside but also from within."
Eric felt the tension in the air. "What do you mean, Dad?"
Duke Alaric leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving Eric's face. "I know you've begun to suspect something. And I also know you may have found out more than you should have."
Eric was silent for a moment. "What do you mean by that?"
Duke Alaric took a deep breath, then spoke in a low voice. "I don't want to reveal everything to you, Eric. But I'm afraid if we don't act quickly, we'll lose everything. Leon and Seraphina… they… they have big plans. I'm forced to cooperate with them."
Eric felt his blood boil at his father's words. "What do you mean? Dad... working with them?" His voice sounded almost incredulous.
Duke Alaric raised his hand, calming Eric. "You have to listen to me, Eric. There are a lot of things going on that you can't understand right now. I'm doing this for the future of our family."
Eric felt uneasy. "Is that what our family is?" he asked, his voice full of disappointment. "All this just to maintain power?"
Duke Alaric looked at Eric seriously. "No, Eric. This is to protect the kingdom. We cannot risk everything for the sake of idealism. Sometimes, we have to make difficult choices."
Eric held his breath, his heart pounding. He didn't know what was harder: facing the betrayal of the people he had always considered family, or accepting that perhaps his father was right in his actions.
"What do I do now, Dad?" Eric asked, his voice calmer now but disbelief still gripping him.
Duke Alaric looked at him with a softer gaze. "I want you to work with us, Eric. Be part of this plan. We need to make sure everything goes smoothly before it's too late."
Eric swallowed, his eyes never leaving his father's face. "I can't just go along with this plan, Dad. I need to know more. I want to know what you're planning."
Duke Alaric stared at him intently, then nodded slowly. "If that's what you want, you'll know more. But remember, there's no going back after this, Eric."
Eric felt as if the world around him was turning darker. The path that now lay ahead of him was filled with difficult choices. But one thing was for sure—he would not let this betrayal go unanswered.
End of Chapter
Author's Note:
Thank you so much for reading Return of the Martial King! Your support means the world to me. If you're enjoying the story so far, feel free to leave a comment, a review, or even share your thoughts about Eric's journey.
What do you think Eric will do next? Any theories about the secrets of the Everia family? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Your feedback helps me grow as a writer and motivates me to keep writing.
Stay tuned for the next chapter!