Zedd's expression soured as he realized that Luis could still pull pranks on him in this situation. He turned away, choosing to focus on the ongoing fight instead. After a while, they managed to escape the chaos and reached Daniel's hut, catching their breath. Among them, Luis, looking much better, quickly scanned their surroundings."Hmm?"Luis spoke quietly to himself, searching inside the hut. The others perked up, wondering why Luis appeared frantic."What's wrong?""What's going on?"Before Luis finally emerged from the hut and began shouting,"Daniel is gone!"Only then did the others comprehend his words."No way...""Ah..."They quickly searched their surroundings, looking for any trace or sign of human presence. Despite their efforts, there was no clue of Daniel's whereabouts."It seem he's been gone for a few days now.""Since our last meeting?""I think so," Joshua replied."Tch, we're too late."The crown prince clicked his tongue, disappointed by their futile effort."Is
"Well, let's postpone that conversation for another time. I'm in need of some solitude." "Ah, I see. You have to unpack, right?" "Hmm." "I'll take my leave then." As the witch was preparing to depart, Leon suddenly addressed her. "Oh, one more thing." "Hmm?" "This orb... I'd like to transform it into a bracelet, if that's acceptable to you." "A bracelet, you say." Leon nodded, displaying the orb in his open palm. "I don't enjoy always holding it in my hand. But since you need to maintain that appearance, I believe it's better to turn it into something I can wear." The witch emitted an 'ah' of realization, comprehending his purpose. "Then, do as you wish, as long as my core is not destroyed." "Alright, you can go now." Ignoring the witch, Leon turned around, and though she seemed like she wanted to engage in further conversation, she ultimately decided to leave. Leon then focused on the task at hand. ************ A day passed quickly, and in the guest room at Fronti's r
Leon crushed the knife in his hand, his eyes glowing bluish as he rose from his seat.Swoosh*Another knife materialized from his side. He deftly avoided it and seized the hand of the person wielding the blade."Hmm... now they have the audacity to appear in front of me?"Leon was astonished. The realization hit him that the assassin was no longer sneaking but boldly confronting him."Who the hell sent you, I wonder," he mused aloud, not expecting much of an answer from the captive person.Ugghh*The guy struggled, extracting more hidden knives from his clothes and swung them at Leon.Leon's expression turned stoic. He crushed the assassin's hand and captured the other one.Arghh*The assassin's scream echoed in the park."You shouldn't swing these around. It could really hurt someone," Leon remarked nonchalantly. The assassin fell to their knees, groaning, while Leon still held their wrist."Ah, don't worry too much, sir. I won't kill you. But..."He grinned, locking eyes with the as
Leon couldn't recall any instances where he had caused such a mishap, except for the event in the forest. "I've made sure to keep my face unrecognizable to them, ensuring that my identity remains unknown." Even in the woods before this, he made it a daily routine to ensure no hostile forces were spying on him. "So, if I were to conclude that they aren't involved and consider the timing of my departure from the witch's forest..." The challenges he faced and the bounty on his head seem to coincide with the time spent in the witch's forest. "Before that, there was nothing noteworthy happening, except after I left the witch's forest." Therefore, the issues that arose in his path might be linked to "Could it be because of the matters I tried to resolve about her? If so, then my initial thoughts would likely be correct." 'Those' peoples might be the ones who sent people after him. "Haaa... really... I tried to maintain peace." However, someone's behavior had infuriated him. "They
Whispers spread throughout the surroundings as peoples attempted to approach the Prince's entourage. However, Luis' icy demeanor emitted a forbidding aura, deterring anyone from getting too close. Wearing a contented smile, the Prince remarked, "Luis, I'm delighted you're here." "You're merely employing me as a buffer against them," Luis retorted. "Exactly, and it's proven quite useful." "Shall we face the consequences together?" "No—why would you suggest that?" "You know what I'm about to do." The two locked eyes, each conveying their unwavering resolve. Luis desires to feign a friendly demeanor to draw others near, intending to irritate Zedd. Conversely, Zedd wishes for Luis to maintain a cold exterior to repel unwanted attention. Observing both of them, Joshua shook his head and remarked, "I believe it's time for both of you to cease this. His Majesty is about to arrive." The two sighed in agreement, quickly nodding at Joshua before turning their attention to the door. *
While the entire crowd buzzes with excitement at the arrival of the young king, the servants move busily, arranging seats for the royalties and the audience in preparation for the award ceremony. Once that done, the royal couple and Leon gracefully descend the staircase, taking their designated seats at the front. Even the prince took a seat beside Leon. Subsequently, the crowd finally parts and takes their places on the provided chairs. Only after this entire process is completed does the King finally steps forward to make his speech. With the music fades to avoid disrupting him, an orb-like sound amplifier is placed in his hand. With his mischievous demeanor now absent, he begins to speak. "To begin with, it's truly a blessing for all of us to gather at this ceremony today." The remainder of his speech revolves around expressions of gratitude and reflections on the war, among other topics. The speech is notably shorter than usual, possibly indicating an intention to be considerat
In the room just before entering the banquet, Leon made a striking entrance that left the royal couple utterly stunned. It was only when Leon stood before them that they finally snapped out of their daze."Ah, thank you for gracing us with your presence, Your Majesty, the King of the Cloud's Kingdom. I'm Alex Benjamin, the king of this Kingdom, and beside me is my wife, Queen Bilqis Benjamin."Alex extended his hand to the young king, while the queen nodded her head slightly. Leon took his hand and replied, "No, it's me who should be grateful that you both accepted my whimsical message and allowed me to come here, Your Majesty. It's nice to meet both of you. I'm Daniel Ermir, please call me Daniel."His head nodded in a bow towards the queen before Alex spoke, "No, it's okay, Daniel. In fact, we're grateful that you've reached out to us. It's truly nice to meet you here as well. Please have a seat. I think it's better for us to talk while sitting."The three of them shared warm smiles
Leon swiftly grew bored at the banquet. He wasn't the type to enjoy such gatherings, and the absence of his target only heightened his sense of ennui. 'Should I approach them?' he pondered. Contemplating being amicable with those connected to his target, he hesitated. However, the congregation of unsavory individuals in one place dissuaded him. 'Moreover, if I approach them, they'll likely conceal their nefarious side from me.' Opting for a different strategy, he heightened his auditory senses, focusing on their conversations. Many topics circulated within the group, but most seemed trivial to Leon. However, one snippet grabbed his attention: -"Our next meeting is at the usual place. Do not forget to come." -"Yes, sir." -"Yes." These words emanated from a member of the group with a noticeably higher status, capturing Leon's interest. 'One of the five dukedoms...' Sheryl Hillary, a formidable woman in her late 70s, had formerly served as a military strategist but retired due t