《Between Two Souls (A Low Fantasy Medieval and Futuristic Post-Apocalypse Hybrid)》


 Prologue

    Between Two Souls: Prologue


    Mother Earth is healing herself. In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the World was engulfed in two major wars between mankind. The two wars are very different, one uses very sophisticated tools, the other uses ancient items. The war shed a lot of blood. But man, man never learns. After the war the world became chaotic due to nuclear waste, many areas of the earth were unlivable.


    Human survivors migrated massively to war-free places, but the impact of war was so great that it was felt there. Mother Earth protects itself from human threats again, creating bacteria, viruses and radiation. Forcing creatures like humans and animals to evolve terribly.


    Therefore many countries around the world protect their cities with the Dome. A dome shaped half ball that can fortify them from threats from the outside, whether it is visible like a mutant monsters or not.


    Human, human never learns. In it there is a government that regulates to corporations. Human, human never learns. What is shown outside is just a use to cover up human stinginess. They will do anything to profit and win. They get rid of the weak, who do not want to pay "taxes".


    Those who were eliminated created their own groups, forming tribes, factions, and corporations. But man, man never learns. Some of them settled down and tried to prosper their group to survive, some lived nonmaden to trade or even plunder. Some are expanding their territories and spreading their own ideas and ideologies. There are also those who make magnificent cities under corporate auspices rival those in the dome. However, science continues to develop, although on a smaller scale. Especially in the space sector, because Earth humans hope to find connections in outer space and habitable planets.


    .......................


    In 2291 a scientific society based on a space station headed by six people, consisting of three jinns, two humans, and one human from afar. They discovered a planet similar to the earth. They discover that the planet is inhabited by humans as well, and are interested in communicating and visiting them. That goal resulted in a device called SOULS, this tool can connect one human soul with another human being to the intended planet randomly, they can communicate under their consciousness and exchange ideas. With that goal they also built a spaceship to get there, and two intergalactic portals. Unfortunately, due to limited knowledge, one of the portals had to be built there to connect.


    Tragically, they were invaded by a group of people. The intruder came in a spaceship, and then broke into the station. Investigators rushed to the rescue pod, the security guards helpless against the attacker. They kidnapped as many researchers as possible.


    "Go! Take our intergalactic ship and its portals to a new planet! I''m here to destroy souls and smuggle another portal and evacuate, hurry up!" Said a chief scientist from Earth


    "I hope we meet again," another chief scientist from far away, parted ways with his friend.


    He ran with all his might towards the Space ship and immediately brought several important members on board. Fortunately, the ship was ready to fly with surplus equipment . They set off directly.


    "CURSED I AM! I should have prepared a way to destroy souls! We don''t bring any explosives. Hurry up and bring me gas and then burn Souls! Others move the portal to the rescue pod!". The station guards hurriedly sprinkled gasoline. Other staff carry portal components to the pod. But.....


    BAAAM!!


    The door of the room was broken into, bullets and lasers were slashed. Bloodshed is inevitable!


    "Take care of your shots! We need scientists and tools intact!" The attacking commander shouted to his troops.


    The lighter he used to smoke flashed, "I''m sorry" he threw the lighter on gasoline, exploding to burn almost the entire room. The invaders who came were shocked and slammed. The remaining scientists and guards went straight into the pod, fleeing. Seen from afar, ships and pods away from the space station.


    The commander of the attacker was silent, looking angry and annoyed. "You pick up whatever you have left, and track down those bastards!" the commander ordered irritably.


    -----------


    On the other side of the earth, on the planet that earth people yearn for. It turns out that there is already a human civilization that is more diverse than the earth. Locals call the planet Valkan. It is filled with many continents and civilizations. The largest continent is called Utomo Continent where each region has its name.


    A few places was already known like Sharqiyy, the western region around the desert. Hanzi, the region in the middle is a steppe. Gahat, which is in the south of the forests and mountains of Servet, is a forested and cold north. Finally, Nuswantoro, an area some distance to the southeast in the form of rainforests and islands.


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    Blocked by mountains beside the Utomo Continent is Aristera which is notoriously cold and all four seasons. There is a very dominant Kingdom called Arestiana.


    Arestiana, a kingdom with a long history. With their most loved founding father Ares and his sister Adrestia. Its territory spanned almost all of Aristera, with its capital named Adrestia. The 800-year-old kingdom dates back to 552 of the local calendar. The Adrestian family is the supreme power holder. They are descendants of the first king''s younger sister, King Ares, named Adrestia. Whoever becomes king, must have Adrestian blood or marry an Adrestia.


    The clink of steel buzzed, squashed and clashed. Two people can be seen training in the barracks of a fortress. One blonde hair, and one brown hair. The blonde looks young and 18 years old, with the valiant brown one a knight. The blonde was apparently the only son of Adrestia''s family at this time. Yes, he is Prince Adrien Adrestia, along with a top military general and mentor named Vernus.


    "AKH! I failed again" Adrien fell failed to parry. "Sorry Vernus, I''m not focused"


    Vernus came to lend a hand. "Yes, but you''re better now than you were yesterday."


    When the Prince was 17 years old, he practiced war with his mentor Vernus. He''s a unique person. Adrien actually doesn''t like royal life, he prefers to spend his time escaping from the castle and mingling with the common people, or reading books in the library, or secluding himself and painting to his favorite places. He doesn''t like the hustle and bustle of the kingdom because people around him have excessive expectations of him,


    He was rejected several times in art school, either because of his lack of talent or forbidden by his parents. He had felt a sense of emptiness in him, aimlessly. He often went to the cliff beach in the north, where there were waterfalls and large tree. Often he spoke to the tree about his fate. But in the end the prince resigned and followed their will. Even so, he did not give up hope and learned to hone his skills on his own.


    "Vernus, I''m ready once again. My spirit is still burning." Adrien stood up and raised his sword.


    "Haha, I like your spirit. I hope you keep up that spirit of yours. This time attack, and then try to fend off my attack perfectly!" Vernus accepted the invitation.


    The two prepared. Adrien takes the easel, attacking from above he launches. Vernus parried easily. It''s Adrien''s turn to be attacked, a quick attack will be launched but...


    "Excuse me, Vernus, have you seen my son hiding here?" Adrien immediately fell silent, he was surprised, seeing a blonde figure in a cool but elegant green casual dress with a face that would not sing for him. Yes, it''s his mother.


    "Sorry Queen Sophie, I didn''t know your majesty was looking for the prince." Vernus replied politely. She knew that the prince had actually run away, and the queen knew she would let the prince. The queen knows by heart some of the places and people her son could potentially visit.


    "Owh it turns out you''re here, you''re trying to run away from me again huh sweetie?" Queen Sophie approached holding her son''s shoulders. Behind the queen are three men in black armor with closed helmets and blue manes, walking behind the queen. The one in the middle looks young.


    Oh yes Vernus, don''t forget to attend the ball dance party! Deimos, please give Vernus the invitation!" The young man in the middle came forward to give an invitation. When the invitation had been given, Vernus took the young man by the shoulders.


    "Wait a minute, young man, you seem to be a new person. I don''t want any strangers in this fortress. Introduce yourself!"


    "My name is Deimos master. I am a cavalry officer under the orders of Lieutenant Phobos. I''ve only graduated from the military academy for a few months."


    "Ahhhhh...... I just remember now, you''re the youngest graduate there. I''m sorry I couldn''t make it to your graduation ceremony"


    "No need to apologize master. Excuse me, I have another task to complete." Deimos excused himself to retreat again following Queen Sophie who left.


    Vernus sighed because he thought he would be punished for letting the prince escape. But instantly his mind turned in awe of Deimos. "Hmmph, 20 years well, I didn''t expect him to graduate so quickly. Im Amazed." His head rose to the sky.


    "He''s just like you, isn''t he Spectre?" Vernus looked at the roof, there''s a women in black clothes, light lamellar armour, and his head covered with a black turban.


    "He sucks like the rest of your people. He didn''t even realize I was here." Spectre is her nickname. This woman is a mercenary.


    "He probably saw you, because I trained him just like you." Vernus feels proud of him, because unlike Spectre who became a mercenary.


    "Oho, you have another disciple that you taught in secret. Did you train him with a mask too? What are the advantages?'' Spectre asked arrogantly.


    "You''re an arrogant woman, yes, he''s better because he listens to me. Now give me the intel from the eastern border that I told you to! Don''t forget,. you''ve been paid by me.".


    "Yes Master!" Spectre threw down the scroll of the report and left quickly. Despite her disobedience, she still has respect for Vernus.


    Vernus captures the scroll. He grasped it while muttering, "It''s been a very long time since I received a report from the eastern border."


    The scroll was opened, Vernus''s eyes widened. He was surprised to learn the contents of the letter. Vernus Squeezing the letter: "Sorry, my friend, tomorrow I will retire as a general. I''m not strong anymore"


    He put away the letter, looked up to heaven and sighed deeply. "May this Kingdom be okay without me."


    He went and said to himself, "How bad would it be without me? I believe my deputy Phobos will be able to take the lead later."


    ---------


    30 years ago. There was a massive expansion of the empire of Zelestria. This invasion occurred because of a deep grudge against Arestiana. But Prince Adrien''s grandfather, Henry the Great, made an invisible attack and took over the capital Zelestria.


    Its soldiers disguised themselves as refugees and traders. Then they came to Zelestria''s capital, Kushrow. This was possible because Zelestria took pity on refugees, especially war refugees.


    Once upon a time Zelestria was a small Kingdom. They became a dumping ground for poor Arestiana citizens. Yes, Arestiana discards those who cannot afford to pay taxes. Zelestria united the refugees, suddenly their strength rise. Zelestria turned into an empire.


    Long story short, King Henry the Great managed to destroy the capital of Zelestria and forced them to sign a peace treaty in the Republic of Roum, a republic near the border of the two factions. The treaty contained the return of Part of the territory taken by Zelestria and the partial annexation of Zelestria. Then the Republic of Roum took a small part of the territory in their middle straight into the sea, and then they would build a very long fortress. This is useful as a buffer zone so that they do not return to war. The brand also established trade cooperation to restore the economy of each faction


    This proved effective, because traders came from anywhere, there was no discrimination.


    ---------


    Zelestria, 29 years after the event. In the center of the castle throne room is very magnificent. The room was filled with soldiers lined up on the edge of the red carpet, with religious leaders at the end close to the throne seat. The imperial crown is held by him. Someone walked in. They are inaugurating a new emperor, no, this time the new president is elected. The president who can be seen from his eyes is full of scheming and resentment. A person who thirsts for power, who waits for the right time.


    .................To Be Continued................

 Prince? Where are You?

    Between Two Souls, Chapter: One


    A fireball ignited in the orbit of Valkan "Handle! We''re going down!" The Spacecraft went into orbit. Those in it stretched their lives. Someone squeaked it in the darkness of the night. Like a fairy tale, he saw a shooting star hit the ground, and directly chased after him. Then.......


    "Uwaaah!!'' A person wakes up from his sleep.


    "Face the nightmare again, I have to fix my sleep schedule" She took the hair tie and got out of the mattress. Yes, it was my mother in her room. Queen Sophie slowly walked to the balcony of her room. The room is spacious, cool, and beautiful in royal blue.


    The queen opened the balcony door, the entire view of the city of Adrestia was visible from the height of the bedroom in the castle tower. My mother stretches while breathing in the cool morning air. The queen saw a white dove coming to her, "Wow, it looks like someone brought news!"


    The pigeon was none other than the queen''s pet, her name was Merry. She was the prelude to the Royal letter.


    "Hello Merry! You are seen carrying a letter at your feet," Merry landed in the queen''s arms. She gave her a small snack. The queen took the letter and opened it. Merry adorably rose on top of the queen''s head.


    "Hmmm....wow, this is a congratulations from the Celje Family. I forgot that in four days the ball party will held for the prince''s 20th birthday as well as to find our future prince''s wife, Merry!. Then this castle must be prepared for my son''s important event."


    The queen took the letter into the room and rolled it up. She walked to the door of the room to tell someone to look for Prince Adrien. The queen opened the door and looked left and right, and Deimos happened to pass by the room.


    "Wait Deimos, do you mind if I give you a job?"


    "Of course your majesty. Did you tell me to send the letter?"


    "Yes, of course, give it to my son"


    "Are you sure your majesty? It is possible that the prince will make a plan to escape before the event starts, or perhaps he will run away first."


    "Ah no, it won''t happen I''m sure. You''re over-worried. Tell him it''s the king''s order," the Queen laughed hesitantly.


    "Alright, Your Majesty, I will escort him. Let me excuse you first." Deimos clasped his right hand on his chest and bowed respectfully, then left.


    "Thank you Deimos, don''t forget to bring the prince here! Whatever happens!" Deimos went to deliver the letter and looked for the Prince. As soon as Deimos moved away, the Queen looked lethargic and worried. He hoped that the prince would comply.


    The queen sighed deeply, she said to herself


    "Adrien my son, I''m curious why and where you fled the kingdom. I just hope you learn and make a lot of friends. Because a strong and wise leader cannot stand alone." The queen muttered to herself.


    "----------"


    Deimos exit the castle. He walked to his horse parked in the palace courtyard. The large, muscular brown horse that almost black. Aristera''s warhorse was very large, compared the other horses who looked small. He mounted the horse, galloping it out of the gate. The people there looked amazed.


    Deimos spurred the horse, passing through the busy streets of the busy city of Arestiana. Caravans and patrol soldiers passed by Lalang. The traders offered their trade to anyone who passed by. Children play happily with their parents. Deimos rode towards a sizable building. The building was a large area, and became the center of science of the Kingdom of Adrestia. The state library is one of the prince''s favorite places. Deimos wanted to find information on the location of the prince there.


    Deimos entered through the large library gate, walking through the rows of bookshelves in a spacious and tall room. The second floor of the library can be seen from below. Even above, rows of shelves full of books filled the floor. The students passed by carrying books. Some sat relaxed and read books, some were discussing. Deimos continued to walk to the elite place of the library, a place where information was only accessible to a few people.


    The place was quiet and quiet. In the middle of the room was the special guard desk, the table was circular in a semicircle with a bookshelf towering behind it and the emblem of the Kingdom of Arestiana. There was a guard who was reading a book, Deimos approached the man.


    "Excuse me, can I ask for a moment?" The guard man turned his head, Deimos was surprised to see who the guard was.


    "Aren''t you Felix Loisel? From the Loisel family, the family of the Royal bankers and the prince''s cousin? Why are you working here?" Deimos asked in astonishment.


    "Yes, I''m here to find another job, I''m bored taking care of my money. You can just relax, you don''t have to be very polite." Felix replied blushing in embarrassment.


    Deimos immediately asked about the whereabouts of the prince. "Do you see the Prince here? I heard this is one of his favorite places."


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    Felix reluctantly replied. "Yes, actually the prince came here to take some things and books, but yes I failed to catch him."


    Deimos thought something strange, "Wait, didn''t you get this invitation letter this morning as well? You forgot the order that every time there is an event, the prince must be forced to stay in the palace? You forgot, huh? Or are you a conspirator?"


    "Ah no" Felix immediately brushed it off even though his face blushed in embarrassment while scratching his head. "The prince is indeed very good at sneaking, I am so confused about how he do it."


    "So it''s true, huh? The prince is indeed good at coming and going, he is also difficult to predict." Deimos reconsiders his favorite place, whether there is another place he doesn''t know.


    Deimos was then distracted by a group of people entering. They are the elite knights of the Adrestia family who are escorting four people in dark suits with crow masks. They walked to the bookshelf which turned out to be a secret door. One by one they entered.


    "Since when have they been here? Is it licensed?" Deimos asked Felix.


    "It''s been a long time since they''ve been here, I guess so"


    The knights of the king''s guard then left the room.


    "Oh yes, I have an idea for Deimos. Usually after the queen receives the letter, Merry will be released and usually she will go to look for the prince. If you''re lucky, he''ll fly around the city. You can come with him." Felix said while tilting his head and smiling sweetly.


    Deimos left "Alright, I will accept your proposal, if you see the prince again, report immediately."


    "Okay!" Felix replied. Deimos left the room.


    Felix said happily. "Thank you, I really hope you come back next time"


    "............"


    Deimos came out of the library and returned to his horse, he exited the library yard and then went to the market then to the city center. As if he did not believe Felix''s words, he questioned the local residents.


    "Excuse me, miss, did you see Prince Adrien around here?" Deimos asked the fruit seller''s madame.


    "No, I''m sorry..."


    Deimos continued to question people one by one, but the result was the same. Deimos rode his horse again, walking through the wide city streets. He pondered whether his mission had failed. Instantly........


    "Merry?" Deimos saw Merry flying, it was the white dove that would uncover the prince''s secret.


    Deimos immediately spurred his horse in pursuit. "Merry, take me to the prince!"


    "..........."


    A white pigeon with a blue ring in its feet flies through, Deimos passes through a field of erika flowers. The field of purple flowers was waving in the wind. There was a beautiful woman with Medium hair slightly curly and blonde wearing a white blouse with tight black pants. The woman greeted and waved at Deimos.


    Erika Heidekraut, she is the prince''s favorite. He made Deimos even more convinced that this direction would lead him to the prince.


    Merry continued to pull Deimos to Lake Ares, where the first king of Arestiana named Ares was born. King Ares spent his childhood here. This lake is considered sacred by Arestiana, therefore only the Adrestia family is allowed to enter. Because they are only descendants of Adrestia, namely the younger sister of King Ares. It is a pity that King Ares did not get married during his lifetime.


    "Maybe in this place?" Deimos thought, he was not sure whether he had to violate the order to carry out the other orders.


    Deimos finally sent to go look for it, he thought of coming and leaving quickly before anyone knew.


    "..........."


    Merry flew through the trees, from the cliff to the lake. He saw someone waving at him, that person reached out and landed there.


    "Merry you''re back! You must have finished delivering official letters, right? Fortunately, I knew first"


    The faint footsteps of horses began to be heard from a distance. "Merry! You apparently followed someone! I have to hide."


    The footsteps were getting louder. Deimos reached Lake Ares, but he was confused to find a wooden cabin there. Who allowed building here? There are three cabins facing each other there, one looks like a horse stall next to the main house with a potato field and beautiful flowers around it.


    Deimos tied his horse. But.....


    Deimos felt like peeing. It turns to look for the nearest bush. Without realizing it, a pair of eyes were peeking at him.


    Deimos entered the bush and prepared to take off his pants to pee. Without realizing it, right below him there was someone disguised as grass.


    "I''ve never peed outside before. Fortunately, I still remember how." Said Deimos sable to take off his belt.


    "What? ?" The person realizes something and.....


    SRAAAK! BAMM!


    Deimos reflexively kicked the standing grass.


    "DEIMOS!! YOU!!" The grass took off its mask, it turned out to be Prince Adrien, the person Deimos was looking for.


    "I''m sorry, my majesty, I didn''t think you were down there," Deimos bowed his head in salute. Adrien looked still angry.


    "I am ready to accept the consequences from you at any time..."


    Adrien was silent, he began to feel pain in his head...


    "Akhhh..... My head. Auuuuch" Adrien as he came out of the bush.


    "Are you not what is noble? I can bring you a masseuse later." Deimos followed the prince from behind.


    "Plus the Queen has also prepared a good dinner." Deimos tries to persuade Adrien to go home.


    "No need Deimos, my waffles are enough to eat"


    "And the queen makes waffles with your favorite flavors"


    "NO! I want to go back to the palace, I also ask you to increase the expression on your face. You''re so stiff!" Adrien was still rishi with Deimos who seemed to be emotionless on his face.


    "I apologize for the inconvenience. Since this is the King''s command, you must return, subtly....."


    Deimos approached and grabbed the prince''s shoulders. The prince was shocked, Deimos whispered "or forcibly....."


    "GET AWAY YOU!" Adrien forced Deimos to take off the handle and ran away.


    "I''m sorry Deimos. You won''t understand....." In his heart, Adrien felt guilty because he might be punished later while continuing to run.


    But.....


    Deimos glanced at him, his body immediately darted to chase after Adrien.


    "WHAT????" Adrien, who was shocked, immediately accelerated his run.


    Deimos, who is physically extraordinary, quickly chases after Adrien...


    "HE''S FAST MEIN GOTT!!" Adrien reaching his top speed


    "So that''s the prince''s trick to run, his feet are like springs in every step. But no more..." Deimos that is right behind the exhibition.


    "aaAAAAA!!!!"


    Deimos jumped to knock Adrien down. He was scared to death.


    Adrien, who fell down, was immediately crushed by Deimos. Deimos pulled out the rope.


    "Wait, where is that rope from? DEIMOS DON''T! I dont want to go back there. ple... please."


    From behind them, the sound of horse footsteps approaching. They both turned their heads, and saw two women riding horses. The two people were cabin occupants who returned after hunting. They are Amelia, Deimos'' mother, and Queen Sophie.


    "My my my, look at who this is...." Amelia smiled.


    "My my Adrien, it looks like your hiding place is huh.... Okay, im fine." The Queen said with a disappointed smile.


    The queen dismounted from her horse with an angry face, she came to Adrien. Adrien swallowed his saliva, his face frightened preparing to receive punishment.


    ------CONTINUED----

 Weird Dream

    Between Two Souls, Chapter: Two


    The Queen stopped her steps right in front of Adrien. Adrien crawled back, his face terrified. He sighed, soothing his anger.


    "I''ll forgive you if you can show me the results of what you''ve learned outside!"


    The Queen really hopes that Adrien will learn something new, something that did not exist at her school before.


    "Okay, then mama, I''ll show you. I won''t disappoint you!"


    Adrien immediately went to a wooden cabin that looked smaller. It turned out that the place was his laboratory. He took a bag of fertilizer.


    "Tadaaa!! Here is a fertilizer that can accelerate plant growth! If you don''t believe it, look at the potatoes in this field." Adrien said proudly while squatting near his field.


    "Potatoes usually grow for about 12 to 20 weeks. But with this fertilizer it can grow large and fast in just 8 to 14 weeks. What do you think? Great, right?"


    The queen smiled with a slight laugh and sarcasm. "Yes, alright. That''s good. But can you show me the results?"


    "Yes" Adrien confidently uprooted one of the plants. But the strange tone with the potatoes....


    "A-what?? What is this??" See a box-shaped object that can ignite in the root of the potato. Unconsciously, Adrien''s brain translates it as a cellphone out of nowhere. As if he couldn''t believe it, Adrien rubbed his eyes.


    "Wow, the potatoes are big and numerous. You''re indeed great Adrien!" Amelia approached.


    Adrien''s gaze instantly returned to normal. He didn''t see the foreign object anymore, but he still felt strange.


    "It''s good if it works. Now..." Sophie held Amelia''s upper arm from behind, her face turning sinister "My best friend Amelia, try to explain why you smuggled my son into the house you built with my permission?" Sophie said with a sinister smile.


    "Eeeh... So, Sophie, I forgot to bring our deer hehe. Dear oh deer. I''ll take it first, well, ehehe. We need to hurry up, is bout to rain" Amelia hurried on her horse and went to the forest to retrieve her game. Sophie, who knew that her best friend only diverted the question, could only sigh to forgive Amelia.


    "Deimos, come with me with the deer. Adrien, feed the livestock and then go into the cabin and prepare cooking utensils. And don''t run away!" The queen''s orders were stern


    "Okay mama!" "As you wish Your Majesty!"


    They carried out their respective orders. But in the distance in the bush there was a pair of red eyes that were watching them, as if waiting for the time to attack.


    "................"


    The sky began to darken, clouds covered the sun''s rays. From the sky began to fall, water began to fall. Soon the rain fell from the sky. Sophie, Amelia, and Deimos hurriedly secure their fugitives. They put the deer behind the saddle of their horses. The rain was getting heavier, they immediately raced to the cabin.


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    "Phew... Fortunately, I still have time. Deimos my son, can you take this deer to the kitchen to be skinned and cut? Will you take care of the horse in the cage for a while?"


    "Okay, ma''am" With a face still flat, Deimos obeyed his mother''s orders.


    Even though Amelia was disappointed at her child, she still loved Deimos, but she was still unwilling for her child to lose his emotions. This feeling made Amelia think back to her husband which caused Deimos to grow up unlike other children. But she soon dismissed the thought, trying to forget it.


    "................"


    Night came. The fragrant smell of cooking fills the whole room. Dishes ranging from soup to steak are on the dinner table. Rain is still pouring down the lake. They all ate the dishes there. The dinner was passed with laughter and jokes.


    Bedtime finally arrived.


    "Adrien, Deimos, you guys sleep in the upper room!" Amelia closed the door and went to sleep.


    "Come on Kika, let''s sleep!" While holding his cat, Adrien went up to the room. The three-colored cat with dense fur is always pampered by the Prince.


    Deimos and Adrien slept next to each other. Adrien is actually a bit uneasy with Deimos because of his large body. But he still tried to sleep. It faintly sounded like someone was singing a sleep song for him. Adrien suddenly felt very sleepy, his body weighed down, and then.......


    "-----Z------"


    Patient Zero regained consciousness, iniciating the scene.....


    "Honey, honey, let''s wake up at breakfast time" A beautifull woman woke me up, her black hair was a little blue short on the left and wearing a delicate sweater. He smiled broadly full of love and affection.


    I woke up, sitting on the mattress. The woman then pulled my arm gently. But it felt strange, my mind seemed to be randomized by something.


    "Who are you? Who am I?" I tried to straighten things out.


    "Are you forgetful? Or you try to tease me? I''m your wife Rose, you''re xxxxx. Come on honey wake up, don''t waste any more time, let''s have breakfast."


    Rose? It seems familiar, yet my name? The name Rose told me was strange, feels like not me. But for some reason I said yes.


    I got out of bed, followed Rose out of the room, and then down the stairs. In the dining room There were two cheerful children with a delicious breakfast.


    Like a piercing arrow, they are my dear childern. My first son is named Liam. He is a boy who likes engineering, he is 17 years old. And her sister Margaret, even though she was a shy child at school, was the most cheerful child in the house. Margaret was a nerd, the shelves in her bedroom didn''t even fit her books.


    We ate the breakfast voraciously. Our two children each exchanged stories before they left for school.


    The school bus came to pick me up. They waved at me and Rose. After the bus left, I took the time to greet the neighbors. The beauty of the environment of this house. I feel happy.


    Just me staying with Rose at home, Rose will go to work. However, we still had time to spend time in the room. I hugged Rose from behind in front of the wide mirror.


    "You turn out to be quite muscular, Rose." It can be seen from the curves of his body that he looks strong.


    "Ah honey, you''re still strong too." Rose while stroking my hand.


    "Yes yes, but im sorry it''s time for me to leave.


    Rose let go of my hand. She put on his suit, carried his bag, and kissed me on the cheek.


    ""Baby, take care of the house! Have a great holiday!" Rose set off in her car.


    I went back into the house, I felt so happy. It feels like relaxing in the living room is good. Near the tv there is a fairly large mirror. But when I was about to see my own face, it looked blurry. Ah, probably nothing.


    I sat on the sofa, wow this sofa is so comfortable. I feel very happy. My life is perfect. I went to the sky before......


    I see....


    Lights on the TV table.....


    It looks very strange .....


    Why..... Visible..... Bad?.......


    "......A........"


    "Prince! Wake up! Your Majesty" There was a commotion below, Deimos continued to try to wake Adrien up.


    "LEAVE MY HOUSE MONSTER!" Amelia screamed in fear below.


    Deimos then took three of his weapons and ran down......


    BAAAMMM!!!


    ------CONTINUED-----

 Unknown Demon

    Between Two Souls, Chapter: Three


    BAAMMMM!!


    The wooden beams of the wall flew to create a puff of smoke. A large hole is visible in the wooden wall of the cabin. Red eyes with a long-snouted mouth were visible behind the smoke. They get closer and closer showing their true form,


    "WHAT? Werewolf? What is this? A Fairytale?" Amelia and Sophie simultaneously fired their arrows at them.


    "Damn, these arrows don''t work!" Sophie retreats in search of her spear.


    One of the werewolves ran to attack, and immediately Deimos came with his axe.


    SRAAAKKK!!


    Once the axe slash on the head succeeded in overthrowing the werewolf.


    "DEIMOS HELP ME!!" Amelia held the mouth of one of the werewolves with a bow.


    Instantly the axe quickly flew into the monster''s head, saving Amelia. Deimos took out two swords from the scabbard, and came forward to grab the incoming monsters. He nimbly parried while counterattacking, even spinning like a top.


    WUUSSH!


    Deimos reflexively dodged the spear that Sophie fired. The spear stuck in the chest of one of the monsters was immediately pulled out by Deimos and then given again to Sophie. Monsters kept coming in quickly. Deimos took back his axe, subverting all the monsters that came. The cavalry lieutenant really brought out all his abilities.


    Deimos defeated the last moster. But suddenly, the cabin became silent. The attack subsided. Suddenly....


    BAMMM!!! BAMMM!!!


    The sound of a breach was heard from the second floor


    "Deimos went to the second floor and secured the prince. My mother and I will keep them here." Deimos immediately obeyed the queen''s orders, as soon as he ascended.


    It turned out that they were trying to break into the second floor.


    BAMM!!


    Deimos quickly pulled the prince away before the wall broke. The sleeping prince immediately woke up, he was confused about what was happening. Two monsters appeared directly attacking, Deimos quickly knocked them down.


    "What? ..... What happened?" Adrien began to come to his senses.


    Deimos took the prince downstairs and locked the door. But strangely, for the second time the monsters stopped attacking.


    "Have they left already?"


    "Amelia, are you okay?" Sophie lowered her weapon.


    Even though they felt awkward, they felt relieved. Sophie immediately examined Amelia''s wounds. However, the smog filled the room and the smell of smoke was smelled.....


    "THEY BURNED THE CABIN!"


    Everyone immediately exited the cabin. Unfortunately the monsters escaped. Everyone began to scatter to take water from the toilet outside.


    The gallop of rapidly coming horse''s footsteps rang out from a distance. It turned out to be Erika who heard the commotion from a distance. Erika, who arrived at the cabin yard, immediately stopped her horse. His eyes seemed to disbelieve what he saw.


    "What???"


    "ERIKA, HELP QUICKLY!" Adrien shouted while handing over a bucket


    Erika immediately dismounts from her horse to help extinguish the fire.


    "NO!! MY HOUSE!!" Amelia ran back and forth to fetch water from her bucket.


    They pass by Lalang to the well or toilet, all the water sources they use. Even though the house was damaged, fortunately the fire was still extinguished.


    "................"


    Amelia sat sadly looking at her ruined house. The woman''s dream of being calm without distraction vanished once again. He had already fallen in love with this place, but he had to find a place to move temporarily while repairing this house.


    Others also mourned the incident in Mala. Especially Sophie who looked at the house with blank eyes. He seems to be counting his sins, are there other demons that are nesting in his kingdom?


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    "eeeeeh, we''re not going to wake up until morning, right?" Adrien''s question broke the silence.


    "I brought two folding tents. We can build a temporary camp. But one camp is only enough for two people." Fortunately, Erika packed her camp before coming here.


    "It''s okay Miss Erika, I can sleep outside. Watch when the monsters come back," Deimos offered.


    The three of them agreed to build a camp. Sophie stumbled over and grabbed Amelia''s shoulder who was still sitting. He sighed and gestured to end his sadness. Although it felt heavy, Amelia finally stood up to help the others.


    The bonfire was lit, warming the tents around it. Amelia, and Sophie who were in one tent fell asleep from exhaustion. In the other tent there are Erika and Adrien. Erika is asleep, but Adrien is still awake. The young prince still imagined today''s events.


    "First potatoes, second strange dreams, third attacked by monsters. Crazy potatoes so what? So what dream just now? Crazy, That''s a real monster right? Aaaah, I feel dizzy..." He keep thinking as he lay down and stroked his cat that was sleeping on his chest.


    Deimos was still awake outside. While cleaning his weapons, he watched the surroundings. Who knew the monsters attacked again.


    ".................."


    The sun began to shine on the sky. The birds chirping began to be heard and the night began to change day. They packed up to help Amelia move house. From goods to livestock, they are preparing to move.


    "Crazy, how we want to move with so many things?" Adrien was astonished to see that many items had not yet been transported to the horse cart, even though the cart was full.


    Amelia brought an animal with her. The animal is taller than humans, but not as tall as horses. Dense hairy brownish-gray krill from the legs to its head. His ears are long downwards with a snout as if smiling widely. Don''t forget the small horn on it like a crown


    "He was the one who brought" Amelia showed Adrien''s animal it.


    "Wait, isn''t that Bob? My pet lampaca? But, how did you get him here?"


    Adrien was surprised to see his usual pet in the palace suddenly here. The palace''s elite guards would usually not let noble pets leave the palace without permission.


    "I brought him here," Sophie answered Adrien''s question.


    "Oh...... that makes sense"


    "Allright, let''s lift this baggage"


    "..............."


    They had already packed up and were on their way. They went through the same route, passing through Erika''s flower field. Arriving there....


    "Excuse me, Your Majesty the Queen. May I ask a permission to leave? I want to visit my parents'' graves." Erika approached the Queen who was riding a horse-drawn carriage in front.


    "Yes, you can, please convey my prayers to your parents so that they can rest in peace."


    "I want to come along!!.." Adrien immediately joined.


    "Deimos, come with the prince. I want him to return to the palace at noon. If he doesn''t want to, just drag him there." The Queen allows Adrien to follow Erika on a condition.


    Deimos bowed respectfully to say goodbye to escorting the prince. Adrien, who thought he could get out again, could only pout. But he did not fight, because he had enough trouble yesterday. He wants a quiet day.


    The three of them went to a large tree that was in a field of purple flowers. There also rested Erika''s parents. The three of them dismounted from their horses. Although Adrien was happy that this was his favorite place, he still restrained himself as long as Erika sat down to mourn and pray for her parents.


    After a while, Erika stood up.


    "Erik..... Huh?" Suddenly Erika hugged Adrien.


    "Adrien, I miss you so much. You don''t have to be as good?"


    "I.. yes, me too" Adrien hugged Erika back. In his mind he said, "Fine, I''m not gonna tell my weird dream. Besides it''s just an ordinary strange dream."


    At first, Adrien wanted to tell her strange dream, but it didn''t happen. Because his lover wanted to let go of his longing after going for more than a year to a distant place.


    "So, how is your trip to Nuswantoro? What did you learn, Erika? It seems to be fun there."


    "I learned a lot, I will find out later. Hello Deimos! Long time no see!" Erika while stretching out her hand, shook hands with Deimos.


    "Miss Erika" Deimos shook hands with Erika.


    "I brought a lot of souvenirs, I''ll take it from my horse bag."


    Erika, who had just returned home, immediately uncovered the picnic carpet, and opened all her souvenirs from Nuswantoro. However, something stuck in Adrien''s mind.....


    "Wait a minute, Erika. Where is your brother Eric?"


    Suddenly a black shadow appeared from behind, Adrien noticed it and then looked back and....


    "Now this is my buddy Eric. Hahaha."


    "You ain''t dead yet?" Eric immediately shook hands with his best friend from school.


    "Nope.."


    The two humans immediately exchanged stories, like the world belonged to the two of them. Time after time passed. The picnic was spent with laughter and excitement. The sun is right overhead, indicating the time of day. As promised, they packed up to go to the palace.


    Eric said goodbye, parting ways with the three of them to take care of the house. Adrien, who was still thinking about the night monsters, was worried that they would attack again. Fortunately, nothing happened.


    "..................."


    The vibration of horse racing can be heard approaching the gates of the palace in Adrestia. They finally arrived. One by one, the gates to the palace on the hill were opened. They finally reached the top. The three of them Dismount their horse.


    Someone suddenly grabbed Adrien''s arm.


    "Prince Adrien, Prince Adrien. I have been waiting for your coming. Come on, it''s time for your majesty to get ready." The butler Caroline came directly and pulled Adrien''s hand.


    "Eeh eeeh, why am I pulled like this?"


    "Ah, it turns out that there is Miss Erika too, Miss should also hurry up and get ready. Because surely the lady was chosen as the prince''s bride Hihihi. Yes, I said goodbye..."


    Caroline is the palace''s butler as well as Queen Sophie''s assistant.


    "Wait a minute, Caroline, wait." Erika stops Caroline who pulls the prince.


    "What''s wrong Miss Erika?"


    "I want to talk to the Prince in private"


    "Owh, eeeh. It''s okay, but hurry, miss."


    Erika took Adrien''s hand, bringing her to a place where only the two of them would have heard.


    "Hmmphh younglings, a little time away and they immediately do romance things. Hummpff I really wonder when I getting married?"


    "...................."


    In a quiet room in the palace that was dimly lit by candles. There is a couple of lovers who one of them will say something surprising.


    "Adrien is here. I want to say something" Erika pulled Adrien''s body closer.


    "Eeeh, yes? What''s wrong?" Nervously, he obeyed his estimate.


    "Look, I know you chose me for the ball party tonight, and I want to choose you too. But I...." Erika lowered her head close to Adrien as if she was in doubt.


    "Yes????"


    "I want you to choose someone else...."


    "What? ........wait wha? WHAT?????"

 I Hate Ball Party

    Between Two Souls, Chapter 4


    "Listen first. I know you''re confused, but this is the only way to save my best friend." Erika with a blank face pleaded to Adrien


    "Bu-, but it''s impossible. We will all get married tonight. That''s impossible!" Adrien was shocked when he heard it.


    "Yes, I know, but this is the only way to free her without violence." Erika came closer again.


    Erika touch the cheek of her lover, "I''m sorry, but I feel so sorry for her. Originally I wanted to pull him out by force, but it would harm you later. They can rebel. After all, I okay to be the second to marry you."


    Adrien was stunned, and thought. He held Erika''s delicate white hand. He sighed deeply, finally he made this difficult decision.


    Adrien was silent for a long time..............................


    "Adrien?"


    "Who is your best friend?"


    "Vino Celje"


    "Huh? Vino Celje? That same elf from our school used to be?" Adrien was astonished.


    "Yes, that one."


    "What happened to her?"


    "You remember when we were in school? The school feels like hell to us, but to make it heaven. At home, Vino is bullied constantly by his half-sisters and stepmother. Only her stepfather cared about her. At school, there are indeed harsh bullies, but we are always by her side." Erika tries to convince Adrien.


    Hearing that, Adrien felt sorry, but did he have to sacrifice his marriage to Erika?


    "Yesterday I heard that his stepfather died a month ago. She has lost the only hope."


    "Shouldn''t we negotiate with them?"


    "Do you think I''ve never tried it? They are stone heads. Once you become a member of the royal family, you won''t be able to get out."


    .......................


    Adrien was silent for a long time thinking about this.....


    "Alright, I''ll save your best friend."


    Erika smiled broadly at that. She hugged Adrien while shedding tears. Finally, violence was not used.


    "Thank you"


    They hugged for quite a long time.


    "Once again, forgive me. Let''s go out and prepare for the night"


    "..........................."


    The rays of the sun began to disappear. The birds stopped chirping for a moment to silence the atmosphere. Darkness began to envelop Adrestia. But on the palace hill, a swarm of light was visible from afar. It was the Arestiana royal family entourage who came for the dance party as well as the wedding.


    Seven royal families will be present, each of which has a major role in the kingdom. They were greeted warmly by the palace servants.


    Prince Adrien with a lazy face stood in the ballroom. He is rare and lazy to get along with the Royal family. Fortunately, there was Erika beside him who could motivate him a little to greet the guests.


    "Ugh, I hate ball parties. I always being a political subject"


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    ..........................


    Two men came to the prince. Both of them are neatly dressed with blowback hairstyles. Some have a banjang mustache and look older than 57 years old and the other has a smooth face like a 20-year-old youth.


    The two of them walked closer to the prince who was near the wide staircase. With confidence, the young man walked stylishly approaching Adrien.


    "HOLAAA AMIGOOO!!!" The young man shouted while raising his hand.


    "HUH?" Adrien turned his head in disbelief, who knew that the person was wrong? "Who are you? Who is Amigo?"


    "EH??????"


    The young man became awkward with his greeting. He tried to get along but he thought he was doing something disrespectful. The older guest approached put his arm around his son''s shoulder and smiled.


    "Good evening Prince and Miss Erika, forgive me if my son is disrespectful. Allow us to Introduce ourselves as Rodrigo Hidalgo, and this is my only son Raphael Hidalgo. Our family has been the admiral of the Arestiana ocean guard for generations."


    The two of them bowed respectfully to the prince, then shook hands.


    "Oh, so that''s the language used by Hesperos, right? The westernmost region of Aristera. I''m sorry I didn''t recognize it." Said the prince while scratching his head.


    "It''s okay prince, even though we came from there we have sworn allegiance to Arestiana. Excuse me prince, I don''t mean to underestimate you. Since your highness is rarely gets along with the royal family, will the prince come with me to get acquainted with the other families?


    "Hmmmm, sure"


    Adrien and Rodrigo approached the rest of the family group. Among them are officials in Arestiana who are usually surnamed Vickers. There are several people he knows and is friends with Adrien are Thomas Vickers and Idriss Vickers.


    Without suspected, a woman jumped and hugged Adrien from behind.


    "HELLO MY PRINCE! IT''S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE MET!!"


    Adrien and Erika were surprised. It turned out to be Bridgette Vickers, a childhood friend and a big fan of the prince.


    "Eh, Erika is her too. I know you''ll be the one who gets elected, so take care of him for me!" She said it with a sweet big smile.


    Erika replied with a frowning face. "Very confident women, she hugged her from behind," he said to himself.


    ............................


    They also met with the Loisel family, the family of financial regulators Arestiana. Adrien was happy to welcome Felix and his parents, Benjamin Loisel and Beatrice Loisel.


    There are also families that produce weapons, clothes, and armor that nobles, soldiers, and commoners usually wear are the work of the Hermann Family. And lastly, is a family that upholds tradition and often becomes teachers, namely the Driva Family.


    Professor of Arestina, as well as Adrien''s favorite teacher, was present at the ball party. Stoick the Silverback, that''s how it is called. It is nicknamed the silverback because it walks hunched over and on its back there is a towering silver dorsal. Adrien greeted him and talked to him for a while.


    However, the most awaited guest has just arrived. They entered through the magnificent front door.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the long-awaited guest of honor has arrived. They are a family endowed with extraordinary beauty and are often the son-in-law of the prince and a symbol of Arestiana''s goodness. Welcome to the CELJE family!"


    The audience applauded loudly, this family does have many fans. Only Adrien and Erika are not impressed, because they know their true nature.


    Six young girls aged 18-25 years old entered in their elegant dresses and masks and greeted the guests respectfully. The girls came to the prince to say hello, but something was strange....


    "Why is there one girl who is badly dressed? The mask is also strange. Doesn''t he want to marry the prince?" The guests whispered to each other about the awkwardness of one of the girls.


    They bowed respectfully to greet the prince. The prince also paid his respects again. They stood up and then almost simultaneously gave a cynical look to Erika who was not far from the prince.


    Suddenly they opened their dresses a little.


    "Oh prince, let me serve you completely. You need someone who understands very well what a king wants later." Gently, Lola, the oldest girl who is 25 years old tries to seduce Adrien.


    "We are the Celje family, trained to serve the kings of Arestiana. Your Majesty would be wise to choose us over one with no experience at all." Said Mika, the 22-year-old girl while smiling sarcastically at Erika.


    Erika returned the cynical gaze.


    "Eh yeah, thank you for coming" Adrien was confused about what to say.


    "Whore" Erika said to herself.


    Their mother, Chiara, was also present at the dance party. He covered his face with a folding fan. The woman looked very ambitious.


    A servant approached the prince "Excuse me, prince, it''s time for you to prepare with the King and Queen" The servant immediately took the prince away, leaving Erika alone.


    "You won''t win Erika. A foreign girl like you has no right in the kingdom." Mika insulting Erika.


    "Hmph, the important thing is that I didn''t be a whore to get a man" Erika replied.


    "HUH? WHORE? Didn''t you do it when you were poor and lived under the bridge?" Lola in an upset tone slandered Erika"


    "Just look at yourself! You can''t tell the difference between an official event dress and a slut''s dress at the bar!"


    "HAHAHAAHAAHAAA!!!!!" They laughed at Erika in unison.


    Only one of them didn''t laugh. The shabby girl had glanced sadly at Erika. Her face was like a deathly pale unlike a human skin.


    Erika clutched the hilt of her sword, she promised to get her out of this hell....


    .............. To Be Continued.............

 Out of Hell

    Between Two Souls, Chapter 5


    The dance hall went silent. All invited guests face the wide and circular staircase, allowing the wide middle one to be the exclusive dance venue for the prince and his attendants to dance.


    A waiter came beside the stairs.


    "Gentlemen and Madams. In the name of the great king Ares, the sacred dance that became a tradition began. Welcome to the honorable kings and queens of Arestiana, King Arthur and Queen Sophie!"


    The trumpets were blown to make the atmosphere even more magnificent. The Giant Door opened. Fragrant flowers were thrown to greet them. They began to descend the stairs slowly to the rhythm.


    They stopped in the middle of the stairs. Queen Sophie removed her hand from the king. All the guests there were fascinated by the king''s gallantry. King Arthur came forward to start the event.


    "My brothers and sisters of the royal family. The family on the sacred promise of our great king, King Ares. A family that has always been by my side. This special night will begin with the prince choosing his partner to the dance party."


    Prince Adrien walked out of the magnificent door. A majestic trumpet was once again sounded to welcome him. But this time is different. One room became silent, until only the prince''s footsteps were heard. He walked slowly down the stairs.


    Adrien looked around, looking for his friend from that school.


    "Vino, where are you?" Adrien only saw Erika. Erika nodded in a gesture to Adrien.


    ...........................


    Adrien continued to go down the stairs, he looked around but did not find Vino. Almost to the bottom, Adrien looked at the shabby dressed girl. The girl kept looking down. Adrien who felt strange slowly approached him.


    Adrien continued to walk past the girls in front of him one by one. They regret that a was not chosen. After arriving, all the guests there were surprised. The prince chooses the one with the worst clothes.


    "Hello, excuse me, girl. Why are you so shy?" Adrien asked while holding the girl''s shoulder.


    The girl was just silent......


    Adrien saw in the place that the girl''s face was not covered with dried animal feces. "Something is wrong with you, come with me"


    Adrien took the girl to the park. He immediately looked for a water source to clean the girl. Until they are in the garden pool. Adrien immediately washed the girl, cleaning the dirt off her face.


    The girl''s face was clean. The girl took off the rope that tied her ears. With embarrassment, the girl turned to Adrien''s face. It looks like a cute face with bright skin with big green eyes with long ears. It was Vino, the elf who became Adrien''s friend during school.


    "What?... Vino??? What happened to you?"


    Vino just kept quiet.


    "I mistook this for a trivial thing, it turned out to be worse. Are you okay Vino?" Adrien became very worried, maybe what Erika said was only a small part of Vino''s suffering.


    "Come with me to your family, there is something to explain!"


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ...........................


    Adrien held Vino''s hand. With an angry face he was ready to face anyone in the room, even if it was the royal family. Adrien headed to the middle of the room.


    "No way!"


    "That''s an elf? The prince wants to marry that thing?"


    "What the hell is this? Many people died because of the poison they carried, but my future royal family married him instead?


    All the guests there were surprised. They whispered because the prince chose an elf Adrien to come before the Celje family.


    "You guys. You guys made me vomit. HOW CAN YOU HAVE THE HEART TO DO THIS TO YOUR OWN FAMILY! Don''t you guys have any shame?"


    Chiara Celje, the mother of five siblings, immediately stepped forward


    "What? Your Majesty wants to marry ELF? You''re crazy, huh? They still have problems with Arestiana. Did you forget? They poisoned many residents with their ingredients."


    "But he''s your family, FAMILY! Did this girl commit such a crime?"


    "We will hear from Driva''s family. You rarely go to the palace and learn manners and traditions. I have lost respect for you, you are not worthy of being called a prince."


    The Driva family who saw it directly was stunned, they were surprised that the prince wanted to marry a girl from the elven race who had been ostracized for over 200 years.


    One of the youngest Driva families came forward to give her opinion. The prince smiled, it turned out to be the teacher who often defended him when he was at school. Thedore Driva.


    "Actually, what the prince did was not wrong, a prince had the right to choose his own wife. It doesn''t matter what the background is."


    Although still relatively young, namely 30 years old, Theodore Driva''s wisdom and intelligence are recognized by all circles.


    Someone patted Theodore on the shoulder. "But Theodore, the elves are our enemy. This action is a great insult to the government. Many of our residents have died because of the herbs they sell. They''re just a bunch of liars and witches!"


    It was Ega Driva. The oldest member is 133 years old. Believe it or not, he was still in the early stages of old age. The average Valkan human lives to be 183 years old.


    "Mr. Ega, I know how you feel. I also felt that. But did you see the prince being bewitched? Isn''t it? After all, the prince didn''t break anything. She can choose whoever to be her wife."


    The guests there were stunned. Some are still whispering, whether it is defending or denouncing the prince''s choice.


    King Arthur and Queen Sophie descended the stairs, breaking up the atmosphere.


    "The absolute decision has been made! My son, Prince Adrien has chosen his partner. The dance party and the marriage contract are about to start!" King Arthur surprisingly approved his son''s decision.


    The guests who attended were even more astonished. How could a king allow his son to marry an enemy of the kingdom?


    "What? That''s right! This is not fair! I''M UPSET!" The other Celje girls were furious. Especially Chiara who was secretly with a flat face holding a grudge.


    From the crowd, it can be seen that Erika is smiling happily because her best friend was rescued from hell.


    Queen Sophie approaches Adrien and Vino.


    "Are you ready to dance? Eh, Vino, you can dance, right?"


    Vino just bowed embarrassedly and didn''t answer. But Adrien grabbed his shoulders, trying to calm him down.


    "It''s okay, you just need to follow my steps. Don''t be embarrassed" Adrien hugged Vino, once again trying to calm him down.


    Adrien held Vino''s hand to the center of the room. Vino slowly dismissed his doubts, steadied his heart. Adrien began to hold both of Vino''s hands gently.


    Smooth music began to sing.


    "Vino, I believe in you"


    Vino looked at Adrien''s face, she nodded confidently. Adrien smiles, he is sure Vino knows how to dance.


    They beautifully started dancing. Slowly they stepped right and left. The guests there could only be surprised that the girl could dance. Chiara there gaped, seeing that her adopted Elf girl was proficient in dancing.


    "That elf can dance?"


    "I''m more afraid that our kingdom will fall into the hands of the enemy."


    "What if she actually bewitches the prince? That elf could be a WITCH!"


    Whispers of gossip began to spread here and there among the palace elite. The mouths spreading slander began to take action. Especially Chiara and her five children. Even so, they both enjoyed dancing to the delicate and beautiful music.


    "I didn''t know you could dance Vino. Hten, It''s time"


    Vino who heard that could only smile blushed in embarrassment. After a few moments they stopped. A religious leader came forward, preparing to marry them. They both stopped, then lowered their heads until their foreheads touched.


    The atmosphere instantly became silent, and the sacred contract began.


    "In the name and with God''s permission, I will unite two human beings as a legitimate husband and wife! Prince, you are now can kiss your wife''s forehead."


    The prince slowly kissed his new wife''s forehead.


    A grain of marble debris fell from the sky. Adrien saw that and.............


    ..............To Be Continued...............

 Bloody Night

    Between Two Souls, Chapter 6


    A lot of marble debris falling from the sky


    "VINO, WATCH OUT!" Adrien pushed Vino away to the side.


    BAAMMMMM!!!!


    The marble ceiling was shattered, huge marble debris hit the ground. The magnificent hanging candle lamp also fell and smashed, making part of the room dark. A puff of smoke immediately enveloped the room. A faint shadow of a large creature appeared.


    "THOSE WEREWOLF AGAIN???"


    The monster roared loudly. They all came down from the top, terrorizing all the guests there. Everyone ran and scattered to save themselves.


    "HURRY TO THE EXIT!" The guests immediately ran towards it, however.....


    SRAAK!


    Several werewolves instantly intercepted at the gate, killing the guards who were there.


    "Aaah! HEEEEELLP!"


    The monsters attacked the guests mercilessly, one by one they were killed.


    "FACE ME UNKNOWN DEMON!" Adrien drew his sword, protecting Vino behind him.


    A werewolf runs to attack Adrien, Adrien with his horses preparing to attack from below. The monster''s claws attacked from the top left, quickly bending over dodging with the lower left shoulder. Adrien''s sword slashed the mustard from the bottom left.


    RRAAAAAARGGGH!!!


    The moster fell with a deep slash, its contents coming out.


    "ALL OF YOU! GET OUT THROUGH HERE!" King Arthur with his gallant voice protected all the guests.


    The monsters continued to attack. King Arthur, Queen Sophie, along with Adrestia''s elite troops, tried to protect the guests as hard as possible.


    "MY CHILDRENS!! NO!!" Chiara screamed as hard as she could.


    "Mrs. Chiara, don''t!"


    The monsters killed their four children before their own eyes. The soldiers there try to stop Chiara who wants to save her child. It''s a pity that it''s too late. Now only Lola herself is left to be hugged by Chiara.


    Adrien takes Vino to safety


    "Vino, go Hide! I''m going to face these monsters."


    Vino nodded, she immediately looked for a safe place.


    Adrien comes out of hiding, he is immediately surprised by the Loisel family who are being chased. Felix managed to save himself because he was pushed by his father. However, both of his parents paid the price. The two of them were immediately devoured by the two monster.


    Felix, who witnessed the horror, could only sit down with his eyes wide open. He was petrified there.


    "FELIX! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! HURRY UP AND RUN TO SAFETY!" Adrien pulled Felix''s body, regained him and immediately Felix ran away.


    "Oh God, what kind of devil are you?"


    He putting up the stance and prepares to face two monsters at once.


    SRAAAKKKK!!!! Suddenly one of them had its skull pierced from behind. The monster immediately collapsed. It turned out that Erika climbed onto the monster''s back, stabbing it from behind. Adrien immediately ran to attack while the other monster was distracted.


    But he quickly reversed course. Erika also did not stay silent.


    SRRIIIIIINGK!!!


    The monster was attacked from two directions. His right and left abdomen were cut deep enough through his organs. The monster also fell.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "What are these people really?" Adrien went forward to make a front and back formation so that they protected each other.


    "How do I know?" Erika replied.


    They both returned to alert. This time a swarm of monsters came. Without hesitation the two of them attacked. Adrien attacked from below, while Erika attacked from above. One by one, the monsters fell.


    ..............................


    BAAM! BAMM! A crashing sound from the entrance was heard.


    "Your Majesty the king, reinforcements cannot enter. They barricaded the gate." General Phobos came and bowed his head to report to the King.


    "Damn it! Phobos! Take over this unit and protect the guests. And Stoick! follow me to the gate!"


    Stoick nodded. The two of them went straight to the entrance. The king with his longsword pierced through the rows of monsters. With its strength, the weight of the sword was nothing.


    "RAAAAGHH!!!"


    King Arthur came forward to pierce the mustard from below. He quickly pulled his sword out of the monster''s belly, spinning quickly slashing at the nape of the monster''s neck. King Arthur continued to advance through the ranks of monsters.


    Stoick, the king''s advisor who walked bowing, turned out to be very agile when fighting. His old age is not a problem for him.


    Adrien and Erika, who saw it, went straight there to help.


    "Adrien, Erika, Stoick! Protect me while I open the gates"


    The order was immediately obeyed. The three of them protect the King. With all his might, the King threw one by one the rubble of buildings and objects blocking the gate.


    "Get out of the way, the gates will open!"


    BAMMM!


    The gate was open.


    "CHAAARGE! HAIL ARES!"


    Reinforcements came. They were a group of speared cavalry led by Deimos. Followed by heavy infantry.


    Everyone immediately rushed in, hunting down the monsters there. One by one, the plasterers were pierced, but some managed to dodge and counterattack.


    Deimos brutally managed to stab two monsters at once. He threw away the iotu spear and immediately replaced it with his axe. Slashing at those monsters hard. The monsters began to give up. One by one, they began to flee through the roof.


    Finally the terrible night ended.


    ...............................


    The rubble of the marble ceiling fell, destroying the beautiful dance floor. The scars of battle enveloped the entire room. Although many people who cried lost their lives, they were lucky to be able to finish them all.


    The night was spent with bloodshed. Many of the members of the royal family have died. Both those who died during the fight, and those who were unlucky did not have time to escape.


    Adrien and Erika walked in the midst of the horror. Adrien''s disgusted face could not be lost. The two of them walked towards Felix who was grieving. Adrien knelt behind Felix.


    "My parents, Thomas and Beatrice, I will always pray that you both have peace in the other side" Felix prayed in a quiet voice with tears in his eyes.


    Adrien bowed his head, he joined in praying for Felix''s parents. After praying, Felix, who was still on his knees, turned to Adrien.


    "Adrien"


    ............................. Adrien remain silent, because it seemed like Felix wanted to say something serious.


    "Adrien. When I die, will you inherit my property and my family?"


    Adrien who heard that became confused. "What do you mean, Felix? You''re not going to kill yourself, are you?"


    Felix stood up and faced Adrien.


    "Don''t you see? Loisel is the newest member of the royal family. Only three generations exist. They have a tradition of having only one child. And it seems like Loisel''s generation ended with me."


    "What? What do you mean?"


    "The two of us are not much different from Adrien. We both want to give up on royal life."


    Adrien walked up to Felix, he held his shoulders.


    "Oh you. If you don''t have a partner yet, it doesn''t mean that your family ends with you. I can help you find a partner."


    "That''s not so."


    "Then what? When I told you that I wanted to give up, you were the one who encouraged me the most. What really happened? Are you hiding something?"


    Felix turned silent for a moment....................


    "So you''re not willing to?"


    Adrien became confused. Felix then left. Erika who was there was also confused. She approach Adrien.


    "It looks like your cousin is burying a big trouble."


    "He looks like have one yea. It seems he doesn''t want any help. Fine then, come on Erika, we have to clean up this mess."


    They both helped the other.


    ......................


    While others are still cleaning. King Arthur, along with Stoick and the Driva family, conducted an investigation into the mastermind of this attack, and who these monsters were.


    "Stoick! Come here!" The king called his adviser.


    " your majesty?"


    "We have to talk one-on-one."


    "Yes sir."


    King Arthur and Stoick went to the meeting room. The room was immediately locked from the inside and guarded tightly by the guards.


    Driva''s family, who were still on the dance floor, investigated the corpses one by one. They cut up the carcass to dig inside, find out what this werewolf creature really was.


    "Mr. Ega, come here! I found something!"


    Ega who heard that immediately came. How surprised he was to see something that was so important to him.


    "Thi.... This necklace is........."


    "............................"


    Midnight arrived. Adrien decides to go to his room to sleep after getting tired of fighting. He went to bed. But......


    Tok Tok Tok


    Someone knocked on the door of his room. Adrien wondered, who visited so late. He got off the mattress and opened the door.


    "Vi..... Vino? What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"


    Vino lowered his head in embarrassment. "I''m sorry prince, but I can''t go back to my family''s house anymore. The Queen said, I can stay here."


    "Uh oh yea. I forgot hehe. Im sorry, I forgot you''re my wife now. Come in Vino"


    Adrien opened the door wider, allowing Vino to enter. Vino was still hesitant and embarrassed. The elf girl stepped in, she suddenly fell stumbling on her own feet and landed in the prince''s arms. Their faces were very close to each other...........


    ..................To Be Continued....................

 First Night? Weird Night!

    Between Two Souls, Chapter 7


    The two of them were silent for a moment. Vino sat on Adrien''s lap. Adrien reflexively catched, his hands wrapped around Vino''s stomach. The two of them looked at each other. Vino felt something. Vino''s face turned red.


    "Owh ehh, sorry Vino"


    Adrien tries to lift Vino back to her feet, however.......


    "Ahh" Vino felt something.


    "Eh, him sorry," he said.


    "ye....yes"


    "Next time you don''t have to be shy. You''re my wife now."


    Vino tried to strengthen himself, that in front of him this was not a prince but someone she had known for a long time. Her trauma towards the royal family made her extremely shy like this.


    "Yes, Prince."


    "Okay, stop calling me prince. Just Adrien is fine."


    "Yes, king. I mean prince. No, I mean Adrien" Vino''s face turned red once again.


    The elf girl covered her face which was getting redder. Adrien, who heard that, also blushed in embarrassment.


    Vino tried to calm down. The elf looked around Adrien''s room, how amazed she was to see his paintings on display.


    "Wow. Prince, uh, I mean Adrien. You still like to paint, wow! Your paintings are improving and getting prettier!"


    Adrien was surprised to see Vino whose feelings changed drastically. But she is grateful that Vino can look happy again.


    "Of course, you want to take a look?"


    Vino was enthusiastic to see Adrien''s works.


    "Wow...... Is that Erika? She looks beautifull in this painting, its as beautifull as the real person." Vino with her big eyes admired Adrien''s painting.


    <figure>


    <em style="font-family: "book antiqua", palatino; text-align: center">Erika Heidekraut


    </figure>


    Adrien starts smiling.


    "By the way, Adrien, why didn''t you just choose Erika at the dance party earlier? Is she fine with it? I mean, you two are very close."


    Adrien scratched his head, he wasn''t sure how to explain.


    "Actually, Erika also wants to. But she wants to keep you away from the Celje family. That''s why she asked me to marry you first."


    "Erika? Leaving you, just for me?"


    "Yes, she doesn''t mind being the second to marry me. After all, nobles have no limit to the number of couples."


    Vino was silent for a moment. She wanted to see her best friend immediately, but unfortunately it was late at night. Vino looked back at her husband''s painting. Her long ears move up and down, indicating that an elf was feeling happy.


    "Adrien, may I take a look at the others?" Vino hung the painting back on the wall. He immediately went to see the others


    "Of course, you can enjoy it for as long as you want."


    "Is that a painting of myself? I look so beautiful!"


    <figure>


    </figure>


    Vino Celje


    "Ehe yes, it''s a pity that I haven''t finished it yet. It still looks ordinary. I have not clarified the shadow and details. And there''s no background there."


    "It''s okay prince, I mean Adrien. Just like this, it''s beautiful!" Vino turned his attention to the other paintings.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    While Vino was looking at his paintings. Adrien began to feel sleepy again. Even so, he felt happy to see his elf friend who was now his wife happy. Slowly he walked onto the mattress.


    "Vino, you can see or read any work here. The important thing is that you return it when it''s done, okay? Hoaaammmm, I''m sleepy."


    "Sir yes sir!"


    Vino was more and more active in looking here and there, her enthusiasm was unstoppable. He hadn''t felt anything like this for a long time.


    "Is that Sir Stoick''s painting?"


    <figure>


    </figure>


    Stoick The Silverback


    Vino saw another painting that caught his eye.


    "Wow, there''s a painting of Miss Amelia, Caroline, and Queen Sophie in one painting! They look so beautiful together!"


    <figure>


    </figure>


    Amelia (Left), Caroline (Middle), Queen Sophie (Right)


    Vino opened the drawer which looked beautifully decorated. Adrien''s doodle books can be seen. The book is full of Illustrations until the front cover of the book is drawn by him.


    "Wow, this collection of sketches with small boundaries and arranged into a story is very unique! This seems like your story, Adrien?"


    Vino turned to her husband. She saw her husband lying fast asleep. Vino smiled and immediately returned all of Adrien''s works to their original place. The elf girl immediately obeyed her instincts to make her new husband happy.


    "Ehh?" Adrien checked under the blanket.


    Head Vino came out of the blanket, it turned out that his new wife was in his arms. Adrien''s smile reappeared, even though he closed his eyes. Vino''s ears moved up and down again.


    "Hamm!" Adrien''s lips caught Vino''s soft ears.


    "Ahhh don''t, hehemph"


    Adrien''s hug grew tighter.


    Midnight passed. Even so, there was still a commotion in the dance room. The very noisy debate sounded closer and closer. The debate between King Arthur and Stoick and the Driva family was already heard at the door of Adrien''s room.


    Even though they had passed the door of the prince''s room, the debate was still audible. Because the King and Queen''s rooms are adjacent to the prince''s room. Adrien had heard a little bit of their argument.....


    "But Your Majesty, this is a provocation. Don''t you see this bend?" Ega urged King Arthur.


    "Mr. Ega I know that. However, can we continue this debate tomorrow? Aren''t you tired?"


    "But your majesty, it''s a matter of royal honor!"


    "Mr. Ega I know you''re angry. But King Arthur was tired. Can''t you just continue tomorrow? You can cool your head first" Stoick tried to calm Ega and his family.


    "Alright. Tomorrow we will hold an emergency meeting."


    With a feeling of annoyance, Mr. Ega and his family group left the hallway. Stoick also said goodbye to resign to rest at his home.


    Adrien was relieved that they finally stopped making a fuss. He closed his eyes and fell asleep until.........


    "............ Z............"


    Patient Zero regained consciousness, iniciating the scene.....


    "Good morning Honey! Get up. It''s time for breakfast"


    It turned out to be my wife Rose. He touched my hand gently. I woke up and sat down on the bed. Rose looked at me lovingly. The beautiful woman was about to kiss me on the cheek, but......


    "Aaarghhhh!!!" My head suddenly hurt.


    "Honey, what''s wrong with you???"


    Brain damage detected. Injecting higher dosis....


    Patient Zero regained consciousness, re-iniciating the scene......


    I woke up shaken by someone.


    "Honey, honey. Wake up! I was late, so I just had breakfast at the dinner table. Okay? I love you! Byee!"


    I tried to open my eyes. It turned out to be Rose. I got up and sat on the bed. I had seen him waving at the door outside the bedroom. I got off the bed. Then stretched my body.


    A: "Auch, my back"


    Strangely, in this house it seems like I''m the only one. Maybe it''s just the voice of my thoughts. I came out of the bedroom, then went down the stairs for breakfast.


    A delicious breakfast is waiting on the plate. Rose turned out to be considerate enough to prepare breakfast for me. I took the food on the table and went to sit on the sofa in front of the television in the living room.


    I turned on the television. I ate the food. I ate my wife''s delicious breakfast. It turns out that this house feels very comfortable.


    A:"Breakfast is really good"


    I looked back, to see if there was anyone. It seems like it''s just my thoughts. I continued to eat that delicious breakfast. I turned on the television and watched my favorite comedy show. The show was so funny that I didn''t realize that my breakfast was gone.


    I got up from the sofa, then washed the dishes. Oh my gosh, I smell so bad. I went back upstairs to take a shower. I took a towel and went to the bathroom. I took the time to look in the mirror.


    I looked at my face for a moment. My eyes looked at this face as usual. But my brain said there was something else from this face. Like opacity.


    A: "My face looks handsome"


    I looked around again, looking for where the sound came from. It doesn''t seem like a person. I heard it wrong again. I had to stay up late until late at night, it must have been what messed up my mind.


    I took off my clothes and immediately went to the bathroom. I washed my whole body. Then shampoo with a very refreshing shampoo.


    A: "Wow, how fresh........"


    I looked around again.


    "Who are you? Where? Show yourself?" I looked around. Going around looking for that person.


    A: "What? Why am I moving on my own? Wait, where is this? I shouldn''t be here!"


    AARGH, MY HEAD FEELS DIZZY. WHO ARE YOU???


    "Me? IM ADRIEN!"


    AARRRGH IT HURTS


    Brain damage detected, general anesthesia iniciated.....................


    "................ A................"


    "ADRIEN! ADRIEN WAKE UP"


    Adrien was surprised. He immediately sat down on his bed. His eyes were wide. His heart was pounding uncontrollably.


    "E...... Erika?? What happened?"


    ..................To Be Continued................

 Echoes of War

    Between Two Souls, Chapter 8


    Adrien looked around the room. He saw Erika beside him, trying to wake him up, and Vino behind her, looking worried and scared. Adrien sat up in bed.


    "It seems like you had a bad dream, Adrien. A really bad one. Even Vino got scared," Erika said as she stroked Adrien''s back.


    "I... I had a strange dream. Really strange. It felt so real."


    "What do you mean?" she asked.


    "I was in a strange place, a place that seemed like it didn''t exist in this world."


    "Huh?" Erika looked confused.


    "I was in a weird house. The rooms there were lit by magical glowing balls, and they could be turned on with a switch. Then I went to a place that looked like a kitchen. There was a very cold cabinet there. The stove turned on without firewood."


    "Adrien, maybe you''re just too stressed about..."


    "No, Erika! Listen to me first! There was also something like a board that emitted light and pictures. Then I bathed in a bathroom with water gushing out like a fountain."


    "Okay, Adrien, calm down. Take it slow."


    "The dream ended with me meeting someone. That person told me to leave, and then my head started hurting. Erika, I feel like the things I experienced before are connected to this series of dreams."


    "Wait, you''ve had similar dreams before?"


    "OF COURSE! I even saw something strange, like my potato suddenly turning into something called a ''handphone.'' I don¡¯t know what that thing is, or where the name ''handphone'' comes from."


    Erika and Vino turned to look at each other, confused about what Adrien was talking about. Erika got off the bed and stepped away. She seemed to be deep in thought. With determination, Erika was about to reveal something she had been holding back.


    "Turns out, they were right," Erika muttered.


    Erika turned to face Adrien.


    "The Ancestor Order wants to meet you, but before that, there''s an emergency meeting you need to attend."


    "What? The Ancestor Order? Who are they?" Adrien looked at Vino in confusion. Vino also appeared puzzled.


    "I¡¯ll explain it to you later. But right now, there¡¯s a heated debate you need to attend," Erika said, grabbing Adrien¡¯s hand and urging him to hurry.


    "Uh, wait! Let me change clothes first."


    "Alright, but be quick. I¡¯ll wait for you outside the room."


    Erika walked out, leaving Adrien and Vino alone. Adrien quickly changed with Vino¡¯s help.


    Adrien glanced at the mirror, looking at his body from top to bottom, wondering if his fate was about to change. Vino handed him his coat, helping him dress.


    "Vino, can I ask you something? It¡¯s quite serious."


    Vino stood silently, staring at her husband¡¯s reflection in the mirror for a moment, then nodded.


    "Are you ready if the worst happens to me?"


    The elf went quiet, as if the question weighed heavily on her. Adrien turned around and noticed the burden his wife was carrying. His heart stirred, and he hugged her.


    "Oh, I¡¯m sorry, Vino. I shouldn¡¯t have put this pressure on you on your first day."


    Vino sighed. "It¡¯s alright, Prince. I should be the one apologizing for not being ready to be your wife. I know your days are getting harder."


    Adrien tried to ease the tension for Vino.


    "By the way, why is your name Vino? Isn¡¯t that a man¡¯s name?"


    "Ah, well, my father hoped the Celje family would have a son through me. The Celje family has always given birth to daughters."


    Adrien smiled. "Well, let¡¯s hope your father¡¯s wish through your name comes true."


    Vino smiled along with him. Adrien kissed Vino¡¯s neck, their bond growing deeper. But then¡­


    KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!


    "Hey, lovebirds! You can be romantic later. We¡¯ve got business to attend to. Hurry up!" Erika knocked loudly, having waited long enough.


    "Uh, yeah, sorry, Erika. Hehe."


    Adrien and Vino ended their tender moment and quickly got ready to leave.


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    "Oh, come on now! Let¡¯s get to the meeting!" Erika urged.


    The three of them hurried downstairs, rushing to attend the meeting.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    On this cool morning, a room was heating up. Not because of the weather, but due to the heated debate taking place inside. It was the palace¡¯s council chamber.


    The room was grand, with a high ceiling of white marble and a spacious center. The seating was arranged in a circular, tiered fashion, resembling a stadium. It was here that the nobles usually gathered to discuss critical matters of the kingdom.


    Much like the previous ball, all noble families were present. But unlike before, when they sought a prince, now they sought war!


    Adrien, Erika, and Vino entered the room. They were immediately guided by the king¡¯s servants to their respective seats. Adrien and Vino sat next to Adrien¡¯s father, while Erika sat farther away.


    "Goodness, this debate is really heated. Even this cool morning can¡¯t calm them down."


    The debate had split the nobles into two factions. Some families, like the Driva, Hidalgo, and Celje families, had formed a pro-war faction, fueling the intensity. They sat across from King Arthur, appearing the most agitated.


    "YOUR MAJESTY! Our old enemy, our arch-nemesis, has insulted and trampled on the peace treaty! This cannot be tolerated!" Lord Ega shouted with burning fury.


    "If His Majesty does not desire war with Zelestria, then you are a TRAITOR!" Chiara added, fuming with a desire to avenge her children, who had died in horrible ways.


    The discovery of the massacre the night before had shaken all of Arestiana. Among one of the werewolf creatures, they found a necklace and the corpse of a Zelestrian. The necklace bore the religious symbol of Zelestria¡ªa red gem in the shape of a dragon.


    "Calm down, gentlemen and ladies!" Stoick tried to soothe the war-hungry crowd.


    King Arthur sat on his grand throne, flanked by his advisors and ministers. He was trying to think clearly about the matter, continuously discussing it with them, especially with Stoick. Queen Sophie, who sat beside him, remained silent, her face full of worry.


    "You¡¯re just making things worse! We should be strengthening our defenses and hunting down those monsters!" Bridgette voiced her opinion.


    "Lady Bridgette, have you forgotten? Many Vickers family members were slaughtered! Don¡¯t you want to avenge their deaths?"


    "What do you know about defense? You¡¯re just a woman who¡¯s lucky to bear the Vickers name. GO BACK TO THE KITCHEN!"


    "Yes! You¡¯re responsible because you made the prince weak by teaching him how to cook!"


    The Driva family hurled insults at Bridgette, who was furious beyond measure. Adrien, overhearing this, felt equally uncomfortable.


    "YOU BOSSY OLD FARTS!" Bridgette shouted.


    "HOW DARE YOU! WATCH YOUR MOUTH!"


    Unlike other families like the Celje family, who governed entire territories named after themselves, Bridgette wasn¡¯t a landowner. She was merely a restaurant and bar owner. It was Bridgette who had taught the prince how to cook when they were children.


    "Calm down! Lady Bridgette¡¯s words have some truth to them. We can¡¯t let Arestiana¡¯s defenses weaken. Besides, are you sure Arestiana is ready for war again?" Theodore¡¯s calm voice cut through the heated tension.


    "Theodore! Why do you always oppose us, the teachers? Do you doubt the strength of our kingdom?" a voice from his own family retorted angrily.


    Once again, Theodore was at odds with his own relatives. Adrien, sensing the gravity of the debate, stood up and boldly supported Theodore¡¯s argument.


    "Lord Ega, Theodore isn¡¯t doubting our kingdom¡¯s strength. War carries great risks. Is Arestiana ready for those risks? Or worse, ready for additional dangers like plagues and other threats?" Adrien¡¯s tone was measured but firm.


    "What do you know, you brat! Arestiana¡¯s soldiers and people are ready for any risk!" Lord Ega shot back.


    "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE?!" Adrien suddenly shouted, his voice reverberating through the chamber.


    His outburst caused the entire room to fall silent.


    "I know the people far better than you, who live in luxury!" Adrien¡¯s words hit the pro-war faction like a heavy blow.


    The entire faction of war supporters fell into a stunned silence.


    "Do you know why I rarely associate with nobles? Do you know why I hate these fancy dances? Do you know why I chose to befriend a village girl who raised her status to sit with us? Why I married an Elf? Why I prefer cooking over attending grand balls?" Adrien''s voice was steady as he walked to the center of the room, facing the war-hungry faction.


    "Because you¡¯re all too busy scrambling for more power! And using me as a tool for your political agendas. I¡¯d rather stay far away than be tainted by your dirty hands!" Adrien¡¯s voice grew sharper with each word, cutting through the room''s tension.


    Whispers started to ripple through the pro-war faction, murmurs of doubt spreading.


    "If you were truly wise, you¡¯d investigate this matter more thoroughly. There could easily be a third party using the Zelestrian people as scapegoats!" Adrien warned.


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    The sound of a staff hitting the ground echoed, silencing the room. It was General Phobos.


    "Quiet, everyone! The King wishes to speak!"


    After a long debate, the King finally stood up. "Very well, if you all demand war, then so be it. However, I must clarify this incident with Zelestria. I will travel to the Republic of Roum to resolve this matter."


    Many in the room were shocked by the King¡¯s decision.


    "You can either stay here or come with me, but you must strengthen the kingdom¡¯s defenses and send bounty hunters to deal with these monsters. There might be a third party behind this," the King added.


    The King¡¯s decision only heated up the pro-war faction further.


    "Why the hassle? Just attack them!"


    "The King has lost his mind!"


    "Arestiana will be ruined."


    The debate ended with the King''s decision to travel to the long-walled country that separates Arestiana from Zelestria to demand an explanation from Zelestria regarding the matter.


    Adrien and Vino left the room and found Felix, Bridgette, and Erika gathered in one of the palace¡¯s garden corridors.


    "Erika! Felix! Bridgette!" Adrien greeted, waving his hand.


    "Adrien!" Felix responded.


    Adrien approached, feeling sorry for Bridgette, who looked dejected from the earlier insults.


    "Oh my. The Driva family is indeed ruthless; they can¡¯t control their mouths. I¡¯m sorry, Bridgette."


    "You don¡¯t need to apologize for someone else¡¯s actions, Prince," Bridgette replied.


    "So, it looks like we¡¯re likely heading to war, huh? Hummph, I¡¯m getting more worried. Adrien, are you really not going to inherit my fortune?"


    "Felix, why are you so worried? Relax, you¡¯ll find a partner eventually. Your fortune will be just fine."


    Adrien glanced at Bridgette. "Why don¡¯t you marry Bridgette, Felix? You two are quite close."


    Felix immediately looked dejected at Adrien¡¯s question.


    "I was going to, but Bridgette has already been betrothed to someone else."


    Adrien was surprised by this. He regretted Bridgette¡¯s decision, given their close relationship. Bridgette remained silent, not wishing to discuss it further.


    "Oh, Erika, you mentioned The Ancestor Order earlier. What is that?"


    Erika¡¯s expression became serious. The determined woman looked around, checking if anyone else was nearby.


    "Alright, since I¡¯ve known you for a long time, you have the right to know. Follow me if you want to find out. If not, then don¡¯t."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.To Be Continued¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­

 The Ancestor Order

    Between Two Souls, Chapter 9


    ¡°This sounds interesting, but¡­¡± Bridgette stood up.


    ¡°Sorry Erika, I have to take care of something at my restaurant. I¡¯ll be going now! Adrien, stay strong! You were so brave during the debate! Bye!¡± Bridgette excused herself and left the garden.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going too, Erika. I have something I need to finish. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll join you next time. I¡¯m curious too.¡±


    Felix followed, taking his leave.


    ¡°Well, looks like it¡¯s just you and Vino. Alright, follow me,¡± Erika said.


    ¡°To where?¡± Adrien asked, intrigued.


    ¡°Just follow me.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡­


    The sun was directly overhead as Adrien and Vino were led by Erika out of the palace. They mounted their horses and headed toward the city, traveling through the residential areas. They took a turn onto a narrowing road and arrived at a run-down part of Adrestia. Adrien, puzzled, couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Does the Ancestor Order have a base here? What exactly is this Order¡¯s purpose?¡± His curiosity was piqued.


    ¡°Be patient, you¡¯ll find out soon,¡± Erika replied as she dismounted her horse.


    Both Adrien and Vino following Erika. They navigated through the gloomy, dilapidated streets.


    ¡°Good grief, it really smells here,¡± Adrien said instinctively, covering his nose.


    The place was indeed dreary, yet there were still children playing happily in the streets, and cats busily keeping the rat population under control.


    As they walked through narrow alleys, Adrien happened to spot a familiar face¡ªan old friend whom he once helped escape hardship.


    ¡°Blake?¡±


    The person who heard his name turned around. After bidding farewell to an elderly lady he had just assisted, he made his way toward Adrien.


    ¡°Adrien? Wow! Hello, my old friend! Great to see you again.¡±


    ¡°Blake! How have you been? It¡¯s been four months since we last saw each other.¡±


    Adrien stepped forward to shake hands with his old friend, both laughing happily. Blake, Adrien''s old friend, was a dark-skinned man with brown hair, formerly a slave who Adrien had bought and freed.


    "Are you alone, Blake? Where''s everyone else?" Adrien asked.


    "The others either left to chase their dreams or returned to the orphanage to care for the freed slaves. The orphanage is doing well. Everyone is grateful to you."


    "You deserve to lead that orphanage, Blake. Thank you."


    "No, it''s all thanks to your initiative and funding. I owe you a great debt. Because of you, many freed slaves now have the knowledge to live their lives. Next time, I¡¯ll take you to visit them."


    ¡°Haha, no need.¡±


    Many of Adrien¡¯s friends were once disadvantaged people, unfortunate souls, but Adrien helped them. Initially, they were suspicious of Adrien, but his sincerity won their loyalty over time.


    "Ahem..."


    Blake glanced toward Erika.


    "Oh, right. Sorry. Come with me..."


    "Wait, Blake, are you part of this Order?" Adrien asked, surprised.


    "Of course. You¡¯ll understand why I joined soon enough."


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    Blake led the three of them into a shack. They opened the door to the hut. Adrien''s instincts sensed traps within, but he remained calm, assuming it was all part of the Order¡¯s security.


    DANG!!! DANG!!! DANG!!!


    Erika knocked on a round iron door.


    "On the heath, there blooms a little floret..." she said.


    "And it¡¯s called Erika... Welcome, Lady Erika," A voice responded.


    The iron door swung open. Adrien was startled to see no one behind the door in the narrow alleyway. He searched for the source of the man''s voice, assuming Erika¡¯s words were some kind of passcode.


    Adrien and Vino descended the stairs.


    "Blake? You¡¯re not coming?" Adrien asked.


    "No, I¡¯m guarding the entrance."


    Still curious, Adrien continued down the steps and asked again...


    ¡°If you''re a member of this Order, why didn¡¯t you bring me here earlier?¡± Adrien asked.


    ¡°I wanted to, but my superior said Lady Erika would bring you here sooner or later,¡± Blake replied.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    They both descended into a corridor, dimly lit until suddenly a straight line of light illuminated the ceiling of the passage. Adrien and Vino were startled, momentarily blinded by the brightness and instinctively shielding their eyes.


    ¡°Ugh, what is this?¡± Adrien asked as he opened his eyes, now awestruck by the lights. Vino moved closer to the source of the light, observing it curiously.


    ¡°Hey, follow me. You¡¯ll both be even more amazed once we go further,¡± Erika said.


    ¡°Erika, where are we? Is this the future?¡± Adrien asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see soon enough.¡±


    The three of them continued down the hallway until they reached a large round door. Adrien and Vino were amazed again. Erika walked up to the left side of the door, where a blue light scanned her from head to toe.


    ¡°Welcome, Lady Erika.¡±


    The trio entered the room. The space beyond the hallway was vast, leaving Adrien and Vino speechless at the sight of advanced, unfamiliar technology.


    ¡°Woah¡­,¡± Adrien murmured.


    Vino, overcome with excitement, darted around the room, examining the strange devices with fascination. Her elf ears twitched up and down, eager to learn more about these mysterious objects.


    ¡°Welcome, Erika, Prince Adrien, and Vino,¡± a voice greeted.


    ¡°B¡­ Bridgette? I thought you were going to your restaurant. So, you¡¯re part of this Order too?¡± Adrien asked, shocked.


    ¡°Haha, yes. More precisely, I¡¯m Erika¡¯s student.¡±


    ¡°STUDENT?¡± Adrien repeated, stunned.


    ¡°Yep, you know, Erika is a master.¡±


    ¡°O HO HO, okay¡­ Master Erika,¡± Adrien said, teasing.


    Erika shook her head slightly, amused by Adrien¡¯s joke but eager to stay focused.


    ¡°Can we get back to our purpose here? Bridgette, take him to meet John. Vino, do you want to come with us?¡± Erika asked.


    Vino, who had been sitting at the bar, turned around and replied, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine here.¡±


    Erika nodded, agreeing with her friend''s desire to explore the base. She stepped into the room of her superior. Meanwhile, the elf girl, Vino, seemed fascinated by the robotic barista that could serve drinks. Unsure of what to order, Vino observed the robot''s swift movements. Her head tilted from side to side, her eyes widened, and her ears twitched every time she blinked.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The three of them entered the room.


    "Hello, Adrien. I''ve been expecting you. Please, have a seat," John said.


    Adrien sat down in front of John''s desk as Erika and Bridgette excused themselves, giving him space to focus.


    "Prince Adrien of Adrestia. My name is John. You must be quite confused by everything you''ve seen, right?"


    "Yeah. Wow, this chair is really comfortable. It feels just like¡­ uh¡­ wait, do you have a library here? I bet there¡¯s a lot of interesting stuff I could read there,¡± Adrien said, glancing around the room.


    ¡°Of course, Prince. But there''s something more important we need to discuss first," John replied.


    "Okay, I¡¯m listening," Adrien responded, settling in.


    "I¡¯ll give you a brief background on this Order. We are a group of scientists who fled from Earth. One of our creations is something called ''Souls.''"


    ¡°Wait¡­ Earth?¡± Adrien asked, startled.


    ¡°Yes, in short, it¡¯s a planet much like Valkan. You can read about Earth in the library later."


    "Alright, but what are these ¡®Souls¡¯?" Adrien asked, intrigued.


    "That¡¯s the main thing we need to discuss. You''ve been having strange dreams lately, haven''t you?" John inquired.


    "Wait, how do you know? Erika couldn¡¯t have told you. She¡¯s been with me the whole time," Adrien replied, surprised.


    "We already knew. Those are the early symptoms of a Soul Connector."


    ¡°A Soul¡­ Connector? What is that?¡± Adrien asked, confused.


    "Simply put, what you see in your dreams is real. The person you''re controlling¡ªor, more accurately, inhabiting¡ªis someone else on another planet. Your soul is connected to theirs, no matter how far apart you are."


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t understand. Hold on, I¡¯ll try to wrap my head around it,¡± Adrien said, clearly overwhelmed.


    "Yes, it''s a lot to take in," John admitted.


    ¡°So, that person is real?¡± Adrien asked, still looking confused.


    "Haha, you seem bewildered. But save those questions for later. There¡¯s something else you need to know."


    Adrien shifted in his seat, getting more serious.


    "Let me guess. This is about the werewolves, right?"


    "Correct, Prince. But it¡¯s something you likely haven¡¯t considered," John responded gravely.


    "Okay¡­," Adrien braced himself.


    "The werewolves are only targeting nobles. And they weren¡¯t created by magic. They were created in a lab. In short, they are a product of science."


    "Huh? Can science do that? You¡¯re saying you can create creatures with science?" Adrien asked, astonished.


    "Yes. It appears someone is using these creatures to target nobles like you specifically."


    "What? How?"


    "Well, let me explain¡­"


    ¡­ To Be Continued ¡­

 Underground Conflict

    Between Two Souls, Chapter 10


    "So, here''s the situation. The werewolves were created from modified humans. Right now, they only transform into wolves at night, but soon, they will be permanently werewolves."


    "So, we need to hunt them down?" Adrien asked.


    "Correct, Prince. You read my mind. They must be hunted, or all the nobles, including yourself, will be killed by them."


    "But how? You don¡¯t expect me to do it, do you?" Adrien asked, somewhat incredulously.


    "Of course not, Prince. I actually suggest you stay safe. Stick close to Erika, Deimos, or anyone else you can trust," John advised.


    "Wait, Deimos¡ªhe''s part of this Order too?" Adrien asked, surprised.


    "No, but he can call upon the Knights of St. Ares to help hunt the werewolves. Those knights trained him," John explained.


    "Oh, that explains why he''s so skilled. Wait, aren¡¯t they already hunting the werewolves?" Adrien inquired.


    "Yes, but what they¡¯re doing isn¡¯t effective. We know the location of their lair. Destroying it could wipe out a significant portion of their population," John explained further.


    "Why not all of them?" Adrien asked.


    "I can''t guarantee that, because the person who created them hasn¡¯t been captured yet," John replied.


    "Huff, science can be so strange¡­," Adrien sighed, leaning back in his chair, lost in thought for a moment.


    "Alright. What about the person I¡¯m connected to? Can I see him now?" Adrien asked, sitting up with excitement.


    "Unfortunately, not yet, Prince. He hasn¡¯t awakened, and we still haven¡¯t confirmed his identity," John said, causing Adrien''s excitement to fade into disappointment.


    "Wait, not awakened? Is there a way to wake him up?" Adrien asked, intrigued once again.


    "Ah, yes! Of course! When you dream next time, try to rebel. It will cause your partner pain and may wake him up. It sounds easy, but your partner will definitely resist," John explained.


    "Okay. So, once I succeed, I should report back to you?" Adrien asked.


    "Ah, yes, I almost forgot¡­," John said, reaching into his desk drawer. Adrien leaned in, trying to catch a glimpse of what he was retrieving, curiosity piqued. John pulled out a map of the werewolf lair and a strange, small white crown that looked quite peculiar.


    John handed the ¡°crown¡± to Adrien. Adrien turned the object over in his hands, inspecting it with curiosity.


    "Mind telling me what this is?" Adrien asked.


    ¡°That Mind Crown device will connect you to a place called the Soul Tree, where both soul connectors can meet. You need to wear it while sleeping, and it¡¯s recommended to sleep in a sitting position,¡± John explained.


    ¡°Sitting? Are you out of your mind?¡± Adrien replied, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult at first. But if you manage to wake him up and tell him to use the Mind Crown as well, you¡¯ll meet at the Soul Tree. After that, you won¡¯t need the Mind Crown anymore¡ªyou¡¯ll be permanently connected,¡± John reassured him.


    Adrien placed the Mind Crown and the werewolf lair map into his small satchel. ¡°Alright. Anything else I should know?¡±


    ¡°No, but our library might answer your questions about Earth,¡± John suggested.


    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll stop by.¡± Adrien got up and walked toward the door.


    ¡°Prince, wait¡­¡±


    Adrien paused and turned around.


    ¡°A great war is coming, but an underground war has already begun. Stay safe, Prince,¡± John warned.


    Adrien nodded and left the room. John remained inside, quietly worrying about the path he had chosen, deeply concerned about the consequences if their enemy prevailed.


    ......................................


    Adrien exited the room and returned to the main hall. He glanced around and spotted Erika, Vino, and Bridgette seated at the bar, sipping drinks atop round, rotating stools. An android bartender was preparing drinks nearby.


    Vino, filled with excitement, slowly spun on her stool, clearly enjoying herself.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Adrien! Over here, this is your drink!¡± Vino hopped off her stool and approached Adrien, handing him a glass filled with a light brown beverage.


    ¡°Oh, this is cold. What is it? There¡¯s a fluffy cloud on top,¡± Adrien asked, eyeing the drink with interest.


    ¡°The bartender called it a chocolate milkshake. Try it! You have to sip it through that long thing,¡± Vino pointed to the straw.


    ¡°Sip through here?¡± Adrien asked, before taking a drink through the straw. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really sweet but delicious.¡±


    "Yeah, I¡¯m lucky I¡¯ve gotten used to flavorful foods and drinks¡­ you know why," Vino replied with a grin. "Most elves can¡¯t handle anything like this. Even a bit of spice could make them sick, or worse."


    "Hahaha, well, at least you get to enjoy something like this," Adrien laughed as he slung an arm around Vino¡¯s shoulder, who happily sipped her chocolate milkshake. The two walked over to the bar, and Adrien couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the android bartender alongside Vino.


    Adrien took a seat next to Erika on his left, with Vino settling in on his right.


    "So, Adrien, what did you and John talk about in there?" Erika asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.


    "Well, he asked me to give this map to the Knights of St. Ares. They¡¯ll help hunt the werewolves. He also told me to watch my back," Adrien replied, showing the map to Erika.


    "And what about your partner on Earth?" Erika continued.


    "John gave me this Mind Crown," Adrien said, holding up the peculiar object.


    "Alright then. Do you want to head out now, or would you prefer to relax here for a bit? You could try something called a ''computer'' in the library," Erika suggested with a smile.


    "Yeah, I¡¯ll give it a shot. I¡¯d like to enjoy this place a little longer first."


    Sluuuurrrpppp Adrien took another slow sip of his milkshake, savoring the sweetness. "Erika, I¡¯m going to check out the library," he said, hopping down from his stool. "You¡¯re pretty impressive, teaching someone four years older than you, huh? Heh, Master Erika," Adrien teased, his tone playful.


    "Ugh, stop it¡­" Erika laughed softly, knowing it was true. Bridgette, at 26, had become Erika¡¯s student despite Erika being only 22. Erika had earned the title of "Master" when her own mentor retired early.


    ..................................


    Adrien entered the library through an automatic door, still in awe and curious about how it worked. However, he remained focused on finding what he came for.


    He spotted the librarian seated near the entrance, absorbed in a book.


    "Hello, excuse me. Could you show me how to use a computer?" Adrien asked politely.


    The librarian, exuding an air of superiority, barely glanced up from the book. "Hmpfh, yeah. Follow me," he grumbled, reluctantly rising from his chair.


    The librarian led Adrien to the computer station. He sat down at the desk, asking for guidance on how to use the computer. Although irritated, the librarian still complied with his request.


    ......................................


    Adrien spent quite a long time in the library, exploring who knows what. Meanwhile, Bridgette and Erika seemed to be having a serious discussion. Vino, on the other hand, was still enjoying her milkshake¡ªalready on her tenth glass.


    "Yeah, now there¡¯s no word from him. Erika, I¡¯m scared. What if he¡¯s seeing another woman?"


    "Hmm... yeah, you might be right. I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t really help with that."


    "Hmpfh, yeah, no need to apologize. I¡¯ll deal with this on my own."


    Erika glanced over at Vino, noticing how much her friend was enjoying the milkshakes. "Hey, Vino, how long are you going to keep drinking that? It¡¯s not good for your health."


    "Ehehe... alright, alright. This will be my last one."


    Suddenly...


    "WAAAH!!! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?!?"


    The three of them were startled, hearing Adrien¡¯s loud shout from inside the library.


    A few moments later, Adrien emerged from the library, looking gloomy while holding a sheet of paper. Vino, curious, quickly hopped off her barstool and approached her husband.


    "What happened? You screamed so loudly earlier..."


    "Uhh, I saw something I shouldn¡¯t have. But I printed this picture of myself, drawn by someone on this thing called the internet. Here¡¯s the picture..." Adrien showed them a digitally drawn portrait of himself.


    "Wow its so cute, just like you. Hang on, shouldn¡¯t have seen it? You mean a picture of you?"


    "Yeah, of me."


    "Was it... inappropriate?"


    "Kind of... Eh? Why would you guess that?"


    "Umm... no reason, hehe," Vino¡¯s face flushed red.


    Adrien sighed. "Alright, let¡¯s get out of here. Those werewolves are not waiting for us. Let¡¯s go!"


    Adrien started walking toward the exit. However, Vino moved closer to Erika and whispered to her.


    "Eh, Erika, next time, teach me how to use the computer and access that place called the internet."


    Erika smiled, knowing exactly what her friend was hinting at. "You want to see the drawings of Adrien on there, don¡¯t you? You cheeky girl. But didn¡¯t Adrien already show it to you?"


    "No, he hasn¡¯t."


    "Huh? He hasn¡¯t?" Erika was puzzled.


    "Yeah."


    "Seriously?"


    "Yes, really."


    "Oh my goodness. Have you tried teasing him at night?"


    "Not yet. I don¡¯t know how."


    "Ugh, you. I¡¯ll teach you next time."


    Just as Adrien was about to step out the door, he returned. "Hey, are you two coming or not?"


    "Yeah, we¡¯re coming!" The two hurried to catch up with Adrien.


    "What were you two whispering about?" Adrien asked.


    "Hehe, nothing important."


    The three of them left the branch of The Ancestor Order and headed toward the Knights of St. Ares to seek their help in destroying the werewolf den.


    Meanwhile, back inside the base, John stepped out of his office after being disturbed by Adrien''s earlier scream. He called over the librarian who had been with Adrien.


    "Mark, come here!"


    "Ugh, what now, John?"


    "What happened with Adrien earlier?"


    "Oh, that. He accidentally stumbled upon a fan website and, uh, ended up on that part of it..."


    "Why didn¡¯t you censor it?"


    "Well, you didn¡¯t put that website on the restricted list, so I didn¡¯t censor it. Besides, it¡¯s a site that¡¯s been around for years."


    "Sigh Alright, fine. By the way, have you received any new information from the members on Earth?"


    "No. The last message we got was two years ago when the Order members on Earth reported that they had sent someone to investigate and rescue Adrien''s partner."


    "Oh my goodness. Even satellites take forever to transmit information quickly. I hope with Adrien here, we¡¯ll start receiving information faster. I¡¯m tired of waiting years for just a few sentences, and that¡¯s if they aren¡¯t corrupted."


    John paused, deep in thought.


    "Mark, inform all members in Arestiana, the Alteyr Empire, and Nuswantoro that Adrien is now on our side."


    .................To Be Continued...............

 Into the Wolfs Den

    **Between Two Souls, Chapter 11**


    The sound of footsteps echoed from a palace corridor. Several men appeared, walking together toward the main courtyard of the kingdom, discussing something rather important. As they reached outside, they were greeted by guards prepared to protect the envoy of Arestiana.


    "General Phobos, come here," called the king.


    "Yes, Your Majesty?" Phobos bowed in respect.


    "Give these sheets of questions to Geertruide Hermann, our envoy."


    "As you wish, Your Majesty." Phobos took the sheets of paper with both hands.


    Stoick stepped forward toward the king. "Your Majesty, are you sure you want to send Lady Geertruide as our envoy? That woman is quite arrogant. I''m afraid it might worsen this conflict."


    "Calm down, Stoick. That woman is hard to pressure and a bit sly in negotiations. Besides, your plan has already failed, so now you''ll follow mine."


    "Are you sure? Your plan sounds dreadful."


    King Arthur smiled a little. "Do you have a better plan?"


    The envoy group bowed in farewell, then departed from the palace courtyard. King Arthur and Stoick then went inside.


    "No, but have you considered the casualties from this plan of yours? And Geertruide is a rather controversial woman. Especially with the route to the Roum Republic not yet cleared of rebel elf guerrillas," Stoick continued the discussion inside the palace.


    "I''ve provided Geertruide with extra protection, and I''m confident the Kingdom of Elverind will assist as well. Just like the rebels I''ve crushed before, they¡¯re nothing. Stoick, I am confident in my plan. Every struggle requires sacrifice. Carlene is just a pawn I''ve ordered to move forward, so don¡¯t concern yourself too much with that woman."


    Hearing this, Stoick could only remain silent and hope Arthur¡¯s plan would succeed.


    "By the way, have you seen my son Adrien?"


    "Oh, him. The Prince was last seen around the city. He went into the slums and hasn¡¯t been seen since. He was with Erika and Vino."


    "That boy certainly has unique connections. Stoick, prepare breakfast and summon him to the palace! I want to speak with him."


    "As you wish, Your Majesty."


    Stoick turned, leaving the king, and quickly set out to carry out the king''s order.


    **"¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­."**


    The sound of horse hooves echoed as they headed out of the city. Adrien, Erika, and Vino rode swiftly toward the headquarters of the Knights of St. Ares to request assistance. Although located outside the city, their headquarters wasn¡¯t far from Adrestia. They briefly spotted the envoy group from Arestiana.


    Erika tried to see who Arestiana had sent. She was surprised to realize it was Geertruide.


    Riding beside Erika, Adrien grew curious and asked,


    "Erika, who did you see?"


    "Geertruide. Either they¡¯re crazy, or someone forced that woman to be Arestiana''s envoy."


    "I¡¯ve heard Geertruide is quite a controversial woman. What do you know about her?"


    "Geertruide, a woman whose ambition surpasses even Chiara Celje¡¯s. She makes men bow down at her feet. She seems formidable, but, well, I don¡¯t like her."


    "Why?"


    "She once flirted with me excessively. Very forcefully. And I despise her for it. I even wish her head would be displayed on a traitor''s pike! She nearly harmed Vino as well."


    Adrien glanced back at Vino. "Is that true, Vino?"


    Vino nodded. "Terrible, she¡¯s a very terrible woman."


    "Oh. Uhhh, maybe I won¡¯t bring her up again."


    "Yes, that would be best. It¡¯s one of the worst of many bad experiences I¡¯ve had."


    "Alright then, let¡¯s hurry our horses. Those Werewolves need to be eliminated immediately. Hyaahh!"


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The three of them sped up their horses, heading quickly toward the Knights of St. Ares headquarters.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The three arrived at the knights'' headquarters. However, the place looked quiet, with only a few knights present. Some knights approached Adrien, bowing respectfully.


    "Prince Adrien, it¡¯s been a while since your last visit. How can we assist you?"


    "Of course. I see this place is quiet; are you all out hunting Werewolves?"


    "Yes, Prince. We¡¯ve spread out to various locations. I¡¯m sorry, but I may not be able to assist you at the moment."


    "What? Can¡¯t you spare a few knights to take down the Werewolf nest?"


    The knight stroked his chin, thinking. "Well, it sounds like quite a difficult mission. Do you know where the nest is?"


    Adrien pulled out the map he¡¯d received from The Order. The knight examined it and realized the location was in extremely rugged terrain.


    "A cave on the edge of a cliff? Goodness, that¡¯s very dangerous. But if it could take out many of those beasts, this mission would be well worth it."


    "So, what do you think?" Adrien asked.


    "Hmm¡­ We could assist you with a few of our knights here. Though it might not be enough, given how savage the Werewolves have been lately. Far more brutal than before. We also can¡¯t leave this headquarters entirely unguarded. It¡¯ll take time to summon the rest of our members."


    Erika stepped forward and asked, "More brutal? So, have your elite knights fallen as well?"


    "Yes, they¡¯ve outmatched us and adapt quickly. We have to constantly strategize to counter them. Unfortunately, we were trained to fight humans, not monsters."


    Hearing this, Erika looked disappointed, but Adrien quickly thought of another solution.


    "Hmmm, alright then. Do you still have any carrier pigeons here?"


    "Of course, Prince. Merry, Queen Sophie¡¯s pigeon, is still here."


    "Great."


    Adrien motioned for the others to follow him to the back courtyard of the headquarters, passing a few knights who bowed respectfully. The three of them walked through the hallway until they reached the training courtyard in the back.


    Adrien spotted Merry pecking at some seeds that had just been scattered for her.


    "Merry! There you are! Sweet girl, I need your help!"


    Adrien approached, then lifted Merry gently with both hands. He placed her on his shoulder, then searched for a place to write a letter.


    "Who are you writing to?" Erika peeked over Adrien¡¯s shoulder.


    "I¡¯m asking for help from Blake¡¯s orphanage. Deimos, and¡­ your brother Eric¡¯s gang."


    "Huh? My brother¡¯s gang? Why?"


    "I need more people to set up a checkpoint for when we escape later, to hold off the Werewolf attack. Also, the explosives from your brother¡¯s gang will be very useful for destroying their nest."


    "Oh, that makes sense. So Eric will join us and bring those explosives along."


    "Yes, the plan is for you and me to place the explosives, Eric will set the fuse, and then Vino will detonate them. After that, we¡¯ll make our escape."


    Erika nodded, understanding Adrien¡¯s plan. She took a moment to look around, and approached one of the knights nearby.


    "Excuse me, Sir Knight..."


    "Lady Erika."


    They both bowed respectfully.


    "May I ask you something?"


    "Of course, my lady, I would be happy to assist."


    "Who leads this knight order?"


    "Oh, that would be Lord¡­"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Meanwhile, Adrien finished writing his letter.


    "Finally done. Now to attach this to Merry."


    Vino, curious, asked Adrien, "So, who are you sending the letter to first?"


    "To Eric, then he¡¯ll pass it on to Blake. We need his explosives first."


    Adrien tossed Merry into the air. "Fly, Merry! Deliver my letter!"


    Adrien turned around and noticed Erika standing in thought. He walked over to her.


    "Erika? What are you thinking about?"


    "This Order¡­ it¡¯s currently led by a temporary leader."


    "You mean, the one in charge isn¡¯t the true leader?"


    "Yes, the true leader is Vernus."


    "Vernus? The general who retired two years ago? He was my mentor back then."


    "Yes, he¡¯s also the master of The Ancestor Order who took an early retirement. It seems he¡¯s secretly leading this Order. I¡¯ll visit him later. But for now, let¡¯s go eliminate those Werewolves!"


    "Wait, really? You trained under him too? Wow, no wonder you¡¯re so skilled."


    "Yes. Actually, I¡­ well¡­ never mind, let¡¯s go."


    "Vino, let¡¯s¡­ huh? Vino?"


    Adrien and Erika turned around, searching for Vino. The knight who had been assisting Adrien approached them.


    "Prince, are you looking for your elf wife? She went down to the lab below the tower."


    "Thank you."


    The two of them headed toward the tower¡¯s stairs and descended. They found Vino working on something in the lab. As they made their way down the steps, Erika hesitantly asked Adrien a question.


    "Um, Adrien..."


    "Yes?"


    "Vino cares about you deeply. She really admires you."


    "Yes, I can see that."


    "No, I mean¡­ You¡¯re not planning to divorce her, are you?"


    "No, of course not."


    "Oh, okay, haha."


    They reached the bottom and found Vino there.


    "Vino? We need to leave now."


    Vino was packing the results of her experiment into her satchel.


    "What are you making?" Adrien asked.


    "Uhhh, I haven¡¯t named it yet. I¡¯ll show you later; it¡¯ll be really useful."


    "Alright, let¡¯s go. Eric should be on his way."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The three of them, along with several knights, set out for the Werewolf nest marked on the map. They headed north, passing through forests and swamps, getting closer to the high cliffs of the northern shore. As planned, they met Eric along the way, carrying his explosives. Eric sat atop a cart loaded with barrels of his explosives.


    Seeing them from afar, Eric quickly resumed steering his horse-drawn cart and sped toward their destination. The three of them matched his pace, riding alongside the cart.


    "What an unexpected request, Prince. I hope you¡¯ve prepared payment for these explosive materials," Eric said with a smirk.


    Erika shot him a sharp look, almost as if to threaten.


    "Ahaha¡­ okay, maybe¡­ maybe this time it¡¯s free," he laughed nervously.


    Adrien, noticing the situation, responded, "Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be generous with anyone who helps me."


    "So, Prince, how are you so sure about this plan? Aren¡¯t the Werewolves especially active at night?"


    "Exactly. Since they¡¯re most active at night, they¡¯ll leave their nest to hunt. We can slip in easily. Although I can¡¯t promise it¡¯ll go completely smoothly."


    "Yeah, I see you¡¯ve got a backup plan if things go south. Like those knights behind you," Eric noted.


    They all urged their horses northward as the sun set, hoping to end the threat of these deadly beasts.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­To Be Continued¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­

 Beneath the Beasts Lair

    Between Two Souls, Chapter 12


    The sound of galloping horses echoed as the sun began to set. The silence of the forest could not mute the urgency of the group as they made their way through the woods and past a few villages. Among these were villages of Arestiana''s elven people, who looked on in shock at the sight of Vino riding with the group. Shortly afterward, they stopped not far from the Werewolves'' den.


    The place they had arrived at turned out to be a small village near the cliffs, now burned to the ground. Adrien surveyed the area, grimacing at the sight of countless corpses strewn about. A wave of nausea overtook him as he questioned the knights.


    "My god, they must have been the Werewolves'' first victims. Have any other villages been attacked?" Adrien asked while examining the surroundings.


    "Oddly enough, no, Prince," one of the knights replied. "We initially thought they¡¯d attack other villages, but instead, they went straight for the palace. We burned this village down because so many had died, and we suspected it was a contagious plague. Burning it also served as a warning to others."


    Adrien recalled John''s earlier statement: "They only target nobility. That¡¯s their priority, but they won¡¯t hesitate to kill anyone nearby¡­."


    After a moment of reflection, Adrien refocused on the task at hand.


    "Alright, everyone, start unloading the barrels of explosives. Be cautious; they might still be around," Adrien instructed firmly.


    The knights quickly began distributing the crossbows Eric had brought while unloading the barrels of explosives. They carried them toward the seaside cliffs, carefully lowering them down the slope with pulleys. Meanwhile, a few knights advanced ahead to scout the Werewolves'' den. Adrien¡¯s assumption was correct: after sunset, the den was empty. They wasted no time organizing and setting up the explosives.


    As the team moved about, Vino carefully unraveled the detonation fuse. However, a minor argument broke out between the siblings, Erika and Eric.


    "Eric! What did I say about money? I can pay for these explosives later. It¡¯s a good thing Adrien didn¡¯t take offense," Erika said angrily, still irritated by her brother¡¯s half-hearted support.


    "You¡¯re always like this. These explosives aren¡¯t free¡ªthey¡¯re imported goods! And besides, Adrien didn¡¯t mind paying me," Eric shot back.


    "You¡¯re the one who¡¯s always like this! Have you forgotten how important it is to build connections without strings attached? Especially with powerful allies who share our goals!" Erika countered.


    "And have you forgotten that doing business with powerful people is more profitable and ethical? You¡¯ve said that yourself. Or are you only acting this way because it¡¯s the Prince and your little organization?" Eric retorted, walking off with another barrel of explosives.


    "Hey! That man and his ¡®little organization¡¯ helped us rise out of difficult times! They¡¯re the ones who brought us up to become nobility!" Erika snapped, glaring at Eric.


    Eric shrugged, his tone sharp. "Too bad. Nowadays, if you want to help people, there has to be a price¡ªespecially for something big. You know this will drag the family into it. Your idealism will come back to haunt you someday, and cursed be I if that happens to you."


    Erika¡¯s eyes narrowed. "The era of pragmatism has passed. I once endured the curse of working for despicable people. Now it¡¯s my time¡ªour time¡ªto stand tall with ideas that align with us. Cursed be I if you can¡¯t stand on your own two feet."


    Hearing their escalating argument, Adrien stepped in, raising his voice just enough to command their attention. "Hey, you two, enough already. Calm down! I don¡¯t mind paying for the explosives, so drop it! What if your bickering ends up bringing the Werewolves back? Do you want to deal with that?"


    Both Erika and Eric fell silent, though frustration still lingered in their expressions. Without another word, they picked up the barrels and followed the rest of the group.


    Watching the scene unfold, Vino chuckled softly and nudged Adrien. "Sibling squabbles¡ªthey¡¯re bound to happen. One day, they¡¯ll miss this when they¡¯re apart, won¡¯t they?"


    Adrien smiled faintly. "Maybe. But I wouldn¡¯t know¡ªI don¡¯t have any siblings."


    Vino laughed. "Hahaha, well, lucky you then. Come on, let¡¯s focus on these Werewolves."


    Adrien hesitated for a moment, a fleeting thought crossing his mind. For a second, he felt as though he did have a sibling, though the memory was hazy and distant. Shaking it off, he refocused on the task at hand.


    <hr>


    The group began descending the cliffside, carefully carrying barrels of explosives toward a cave mouth nestled in the cliff wall. Their plan was to seal the cave by collapsing the entrance entirely. The knights positioned themselves¡ªsome keeping watch on the cave entrance, while others placed explosives along the walls and ceiling.


    "Prince Adrien, where are you going?" one of the knights asked as Adrien moved toward the cave.


    "I need to check inside. I want to confirm this really is their den."


    "We¡¯ll come with you!" the knight insisted.


    <hr>


    Adrien, accompanied by three knights, ventured deeper into the den to verify the intel provided by The Ancestor Order. They moved cautiously, step by step, without torches, relying solely on their eyes to pierce the darkness. The foul stench of decay grew stronger as they advanced.


    Adrien¡¯s sharp gaze caught something in the shadows ahead. Slowly but surely, a sinister shape began to emerge in the gloom...


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    Adrien''s eyes widened in shock as he stepped into the cavern''s heart. It was vast, with high ceilings and steep depths, its walls glistening with grotesque red flesh that seemed to pulse faintly. Human bodies were embedded in the fleshy walls, while skeletal remains and rotting carcasses littered the ground.


    He took a cautious step back, realizing he''d seen enough to confirm this was indeed the Werewolves¡¯ den. But before he could retreat further...


    SKRaaaaaat¡­


    A wet, unsettling noise came from behind. Adrien and the knights froze, their hands instinctively moving to their weapons. Slowly, they turned to face the source of the sound.


    The fleshy wall began to bulge and ripple as thick blood oozed out. A figure emerged, peeling away from the grotesque surface. It was a man, his body coated in sticky, raw flesh. Was this the origin of the Werewolves? Adrien squinted, examining the man¡¯s features. He was tall and muscular, with ruddy brown hair and tanned skin.


    ¡°A Zelestrian?¡± Adrien thought, recognizing the distinctive features of the people from the far-off land.


    The man turned toward them, his mouth trembling as though he were in unbearable pain. His voice rasped weakly.


    ¡°Help... me... Ssss...¡±


    But before he could finish, the man¡¯s body stiffened. His eyes shot open, and his face tilted upward as he let out a guttural, animalistic cry, his mouth stretching unnaturally wide.


    SRAAKKK!!!


    One of the knights reacted instantly, slashing the man¡¯s throat. The figure collapsed to the ground, lifeless. But their actions had triggered something far worse. The den¡¯s inhabitants¡ªthe young Werewolves, half-formed beasts, and monstrous hybrids still tethered to the walls¡ªwere now aware of their intruders.


    The cavern began to echo with howls and growls as the monsters stirred. Adrien¡¯s heart sank.


    ¡°Damn it! RUN!¡± he bellowed.


    The group bolted for the exit, their footsteps pounding against the ground as the cacophony of pursuing beasts grew louder. They scaled the fleshy walls, but even those writhed with unformed creatures emerging to join the chase.


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, outside the cave, Erika, Eric, Vino, and the rest had just finished setting up the explosives. Vino sat on the edge of the cliff, her legs swinging as she savored the cool sea breeze and the serene view of the ocean below.


    ¡°Naa nan naa¡­¡± she hummed softly, her pointed ears perking up suddenly.


    Her sharp hearing caught the distant rumble of footsteps¡ªa monstrous stampede.


    Vino jumped to her feet, her expression alarmed. ¡°Wait¡­ is that¡­?¡±


    The unmistakable growls and howls of a horde were closing in fast. Vino sprinted toward the others, shouting at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°ERIKA! ADRIEN¡¯S IN TROUBLE! The Werewolves are chasing them!¡±


    The rumble of the monstrous horde grew louder, affirming Vino¡¯s warning to everyone.


    The group immediately rushed back to the cliff¡¯s edge. The rope ladder they had used earlier was unrolled once more, and everyone braced themselves, ready to pull their comrades up at a moment¡¯s notice.


    Vino¡¯s ears twitched again, picking up a distant sound.


    ¡°LIGHT THE FUSE!¡± Adrien¡¯s voice bellowed from the depths of the cave. He was running at full speed.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Vino blinked, disbelief flashing across her face.


    ¡°What? What did he say?¡± Erika asked, her tone laced with worry.


    Vino sprang into action. ¡°He said to light the fuse!¡±


    Grabbing a nearby torch from the supply cart, Vino dashed to the end of the fuse. Without hesitation, she set it ablaze. The fuse ignited, the flame traveling surprisingly quickly despite its length.


    The rest of the group stood ready at the cliff¡¯s edge, gripping the ladder ropes tightly. The thundering footsteps and growls of the Werewolves echoed louder and louder, signaling the imminent arrival of Adrien and the knights.


    <hr>


    Inside the cave, Adrien and the three knights sprinted with everything they had, weaving through the narrow passageways. They dodged left and right, clashing with monsters that managed to close in.


    Out of nowhere, the fleshy walls pulsed, spawning more creatures into their path.


    ¡°HYAAAHHH!¡±


    SRAAKKK!


    Adrien swung his sword with precision, slashing down from his left shoulder. The blade carved through the monster¡¯s shoulder, cutting deep into its upper chest. The beast fell to its knees, and Adrien swiftly pulled his sword free.


    With every step, they pushed harder, the glow of torches marking the cave¡¯s exit coming into view.


    ¡°THE LADDER!¡± Adrien shouted to the others, relief tinged with urgency.


    But his relief was short-lived. His eyes caught a flickering light racing along the walls of the cave¡ªthe fuse. The flame was dangerously close to the explosives.


    ¡°RUN FASTER!¡±


    Their pace quickened, desperation fueling their strides. Behind them, the thunderous roar of the pursuing horde grew deafening. The sheer number of monsters was overwhelming, and some were now within striking distance, clawing and snapping at their heels.


    One of the knights spun around mid-sprint, slashing at the nearest beast with a well-timed strike before continuing his escape.


    The exit was now mere meters away. The fuse raced toward its explosive end.


    <hr>


    Vino watched from above, her heart pounding as she saw the glow of the cave¡¯s opening.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡± she shouted to Erika and Eric, who tightened their grip on the ladder ropes.


    Adrien and the knights emerged from the cave¡¯s mouth at full speed, the monsters right on their heels.


    BOOOOOMMMM!!!


    The barrels exploded, obliterating the cave¡¯s walls and ceiling in a thunderous roar. The blast collapsed the only exit, sealing off the monstrous horde inside. Adrien and the knights leaped just in time, grasping the rope ladder and swinging through the chaos to evade the pursuing creatures.


    ¡°HAHA¡­ AHHAAHAH! Feuhh, that was too close! Pull us up!¡± Adrien shouted.


    The group on the cliff heaved with all their strength, pulling Adrien and the others to safety.


    ¡°Are you alright, Prince?¡± one of the knights asked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine,¡± Adrien replied, catching his breath.


    Vino rushed over to Adrien. ¡°Are you okay? What happened down there? It sounded like chaos.¡±


    Adrien, lying exhausted on the ground, explained, ¡°The monsters¡­ Those Werewolves are created from humans. They¡¯re fused with grotesque, fleshy matter, turning them into beasts. At least, that¡¯s what I could gather.¡±


    ¡°The humans being turned were Zelestrian,¡± added one of the knights. ¡°I can¡¯t fathom how they ended up in that cave.¡±


    Erika frowned. ¡°So now, all that¡¯s left is hunting down the ones still roaming outside?¡±


    Adrien nodded uncertainly. ¡°Yes, it seems so. Let¡¯s head back to the castle.¡±


    They began walking toward their horses, but Vino suddenly froze, her ears twitching.


    ¡°Adrien, wait. I hear something¡­¡± She grabbed his arm, her tone urgent.


    Adrien¡¯s face darkened as realization dawned on him. ¡°Everyone, back to your horses! Quickly!¡±


    Without hesitation, they bolted for their mounts. Adrien¡¯s fears were confirmed when distant howls echoed through the air. The furious Werewolves, alerted by the explosion, were on their trail.


    Vino swiftly reached into her satchel, pulling out a small device she had crafted earlier in the laboratory. She hurled the ball behind her, and it burst into a dense cloud of smoke, obscuring the Werewolves¡¯ vision.


    ¡°EVERYONE, RIDE!¡± Vino yelled.


    The group spurred their horses into a gallop. The sound of hooves thundered through the forest as they raced away, the disoriented Werewolves snarling and growling amidst the smoke.


    ¡°Vino, you¡¯re a genius!¡± Adrien praised, glancing back briefly.


    But the respite was short-lived. Emerging from the dissipating smoke, the beasts resumed their relentless pursuit. One particularly large Werewolf bounded forward, leaping from the charred remains of buildings to close the gap.


    ¡°SHOOT!¡± Adrien commanded.


    Crossbows fired, bolts streaking through the air and striking the creatures. Some staggered back with pained howls, but it wasn¡¯t enough to halt their advance.


    The Werewolves surged faster, their agility unmatched. They vaulted from trees to rocks, then onto the smoldering ruins of the village.


    Adrien¡¯s eyes widened as he saw a massive clawed paw swinging toward him, poised to strike¡ª


    To Be Continued¡­

 The Turning Tide

    Between Two Souls, Chapter 13


    CLAANKKKKK!


    In an instant, a figure clad in armor and mounted on a horse leaped into the fray, deflecting the attack and striking back with precision. The swing of his axe tore through the monster¡¯s flesh. Seizing the opportunity, the prince spurred his horse forward, glancing back to see¡­


    ¡°DEIMOS!¡± Adrien shouted.


    The group wasted no time, urging their horses into a gallop, taking full advantage of the opening Deimos had created. Deimos, still on horseback, charged at the oncoming monsters, slashing left and right with deadly efficiency. After clearing a path, he turned to follow the fleeing group toward the trap they had prepared.


    The monsters, enraged by the destruction of their nest, poured forth relentlessly, their howls echoing through the air. They tried to slow Deimos by attacking his horse, but the beast¡¯s armor proved impenetrable. With a powerful kick, Deimos¡¯ steed sent one of the monsters flying.


    Deimos spurred his horse forward again as a pack of wolves emerged to block the group¡¯s path. The riders fired their crossbows, the bolts striking true and slowing the beasts just enough to keep them at bay.


    The prince, however, seemed to be the monsters¡¯ next target. Despite their horses running at full speed, one of the creatures managed to leap toward Adrien. The prince dodged just in time, drawing his sword and slicing through the monster¡¯s body. Another lunged, but Adrien maneuvered swiftly, driving his blade into its chest. Erika, riding ahead of Adrien, twisted in her saddle and fired a crossbow bolt straight into the monster¡¯s skull, killing it instantly.


    With practiced ease, Erika reloaded her crossbow, swinging to the right and firing another bolt that struck a monster square in the head. But it was a diversion¡ªanother creature leaped from the left, aiming for Adrien¡¯s horse. Vino, riding at the front, reacted instantly, hurling a firebomb.


    BAM!


    ¡°AARGGHHHH!!!¡±


    The monster roared in agony as flames engulfed it, but its momentum carried it toward Adrien. The prince yanked on the reins, bringing his horse to an abrupt halt. Just then¡­


    BAMM!


    Deimos charged in on his massive black steed, slamming into the burning monster. The knights escorting Adrien swiftly closed in, cutting down the creature Deimos had struck. Their focus shifted entirely to protecting the prince.


    But in their vigilance, they let their guard down¡­


    SRAAKKKK!


    ¡°AAARRRRGHH!¡±


    The werewolves snatched one of the knights, the monsters tearing into the unfortunate man with savage ferocity. The others wanted to help, but the relentless horde left them no choice¡ªthey had to keep moving.


    The group pressed on, their hearts heavy but their resolve unbroken, as the monsters continued their relentless pursuit.


    ¡°You two, take the front and secure the path! You two, stay in the middle! I¡¯ll guard the rear!¡± Deimos barked, pointing and assigning roles to each member of st. Ares Knight in the group. Without hesitation, they scattered to their positions, following his orders.


    The monsters continued their relentless assault. Exhaustion began to set in¡ªtheir crossbow bolts were nearly spent, Vino¡¯s supply of firebombs was dwindling, and ideas were running thin. Their only hope now was the trap they had prepared, which lay just ahead. It was strategically placed in a narrow pass between steep cliffs, an area impossible for the monsters to climb.


    Deimos swung his axe with all his might, cutting down one monster after another. Finally, a glimmer of hope appeared¡­


    A narrow path appeared, lined with rows of shield-bearing soldiers standing ready in formation, blocking the only way forward.


    ¡°That¡¯s our checkpoint! PREPARE YOURSELVES! We¡¯ll hold our ground there and counterattack!¡± Prince Adrien shouted, urging the others to ride faster.


    ¡°HYAAHHH!¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    WOOSHHHH!!!


    Their horses whinnied as they leaped over the line of soldiers. Prince Adrien turned and yelled¡­


    ¡°NOW!¡±


    From the ground, spiked barricades sprang up, impaling and blocking the monsters in a shocking ambush. Archers stationed atop the cliffs unleashed a hail of arrows, raining death upon the horde. Yet, the monsters refused to yield, pressing forward with savage determination. Then, unexpectedly¡­


    BAAMMM!!!


    Vino hurled the last of his firebombs. The explosion engulfed several monsters, sending them into a frenzied panic. Flames spread rapidly, leaping from one creature to another as their fur caught fire.


    ¡°YAY! IT WORKED!¡± Vino cheered, his face lit with triumph.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down, miss,¡± a armored commander warned, stepping forward to take Vino¡¯s place. He raised his sword, ready to face the remaining monsters.


    A few of the creatures still tried to break through, enduring the flames and the relentless rain of arrows.


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    ¡°SOLDIERS! Form a phalanx and prepare to impale them!¡± the commander ordered.


    ¡°YES, SIR!¡±


    The monsters that managed to breach the barricades were met with a wall of spears, their bodies skewered on the deadly points. Yet, some still leaped over the defenses¡­


    RAAHHHH!!!


    SRANKKKK!!!


    One of the monsters lunged at the commander. With lightning reflexes, he sidestepped the attack and swung his massive two-handed sword in a wide arc, cleanly severing the creature¡¯s head from its body. The head flew through the air, and the monster crumpled to the ground.


    The battle raged on, but the tide was turning. The group, now united with the soldiers, stood their ground, determined to end the monstrous onslaught once and for all.


    ¡°FORWARD! We end their terror tonight!¡± the commander roared.


    With unwavering resolve, the shielded soldiers advanced, spears piercing through every monster that dared approach. The narrow passage between the two cliffs, combined with the relentless rain of arrows from above, gave them the perfect advantage. The creatures were being pushed back, their numbers dwindling rapidly. Each one that charged forward was swiftly impaled by the soldiers'' sharp spears.


    Some tried to scale the cliffs, their claws scraping desperately against the rock¡ªbut it was no use. The walls were too steep, the stone too hard. And the archers above showed no mercy, their arrows turning the climb into a death trap.


    For the first time, the monsters felt fear.


    RAAUUUUUUU!!!!


    A white werewolf threw its head back and howled¡ªa signal to retreat. Their forces had been decimated.


    Seeing this, Deimos spurred his horse into pursuit, his eyes burning with ruthless determination.


    ¡°CHARGE! FINISH THEM OFF!¡±


    A group of cavalry soldiers followed close behind, riding alongside their lieutenant, Deimos.


    As the sun dipped below the horizon, the full moon rose. This night, which should have been the peak of the werewolves¡¯ ferocity, instead marked their downfall. Fear had taken root among them, forcing them to flee and hide from the humans. The night ended with the triumphant cheers of the Arestian soldiers, celebrating their hard-fought victory over the monstrous horde.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The soldiers began gathering the corpses of the monsters, piling them up to be burned. Erika, filled with a mix of awe and curiosity, stepped carefully over the lifeless bodies, making her way toward the commander. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that his voice sounded familiar.


    Approaching from behind, she called out, ¡°Excuse me, sir¡­ who are you? Your voice¡­ it sounds familiar.¡±


    The commander turned, a smile hidden beneath his steel helmet. Slowly, he removed it, revealing a face Erika hadn¡¯t seen in years.


    With a deep, gentle voice, he greeted her. ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s been a long time, Erika Heidekraut.¡±


    Just as Erika had suspected, it was Vernus¡ªher former mentor, the man she thought had retired.


    Erika extended her hand, shaking his firmly. ¡°Is this real? I thought you retired¡­ I thought you were done. You have no idea how relieved I am to see you recovered. I heard you were paralyzed.¡±


    ¡°Haha, it takes more than an arrow to bring me down,¡± Vernus said, clapping Erika on the shoulder.


    ¡°But John said the arrow pierced your spine.¡±


    ¡°It did. My spine was shattered. But The Order managed to reinforce it with metal. Though, I had to rest for over a year. Don¡¯t ask me how they did it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I was so reckless back then. I¡­¡±


    ¡°Don''t be Sorry, You¡¯ve become better,¡± Vernus said, patting Erika¡¯s shoulder with a proud smile. ¡°How¡¯s your student, Bridgette? I hope she¡¯s not as stubborn as you were.¡±


    Erika chuckled, a hint of embarrassment in her voice. ¡°She¡¯s not stubborn, but she does need a bit more pushing to reach her full potential.¡±


    They both turned as Prince Adrien approached, he greets Vernus with a curious expression.


    ¡°Vernus? I thought you retired. What brought you back?¡± the prince asked, extending his hand for a handshake.


    ¡°Blame these monsters. They forced me out of retirement. I couldn¡¯t just sit back while they nearly destroyed my home. Seems like I¡¯ve become a target myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen how they reproduce. It¡¯s horrifying. I watched someone covered in blood and flesh slowly transform into a werewolf. I can¡¯t explain it fully, but perhaps The Order can shed more light on it.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve joined the Ancestor Order. That¡¯s good. Do you understand now why we operate in the shadows, taking on such dangerous tasks?¡± Vernus asked, wanting to ensure the prince could be trusted.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve read about Earth¡¯s history and its people in their library. They¡¯re not so different from us. What I still don¡¯t understand is why the founders of The Order¡ªEarthlings themselves¡ªwould help us against threats from their own kind.¡± The prince folded his arms, his mind racing with the possibility of hidden motives behind the organization he had just joined.


    ¡°Whatever their reasons, I won¡¯t let this world I love fall into the hands of the greedy. At least for now, I don¡¯t sense any ill intent from them, and I hope it stays that way,¡± Vernus declared, his resolve unwavering despite the losses he had endured.


    ¡°So, Vernus, are you rejoining The Order?¡± Erika asked, her voice filled with hope.


    ¡°Of course, hahaha. You seem really eager, Erika.¡±


    Erika¡¯s eyes sparkled at his response. Her hope to atone for her past mistakes, which had left her mentor severely injured, was finally being realized. She let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Prince, some monsters are still lurking out there. I¡¯ve hired mercenaries to hunt them down, but please remain cautious,¡± Vernus warned, acknowledging that the problem had only diminished, not solved.


    A moment later, Deimos, having finished clearing the monster corpses, approached the prince with a message from the king.


    ¡°Excuse me, Your Highness,¡± Deimos said, bowing slightly.


    ¡°Please, just call me Adrien. What is it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been summoned by the king. He requests your presence at the palace for dinner and to discuss some matters.¡±


    Exhausted but resigned, the prince decided to comply, though he was already looking for an excuse to slip away.


    ¡°Alright then. But wait, let me take a bath first.¡±


    "No need for a bath, Prince."


    Adrien frowned. "Can I make a quick stop in Berleene? It¡¯s been a while since I visited the town Eric and Erika built. I have some important matters to handle there."


    Deimos shook his head. "Apologies, Your Highness, but this is a direct order. You may bring your wife with you."


    Adrien groaned. "Ugh, fine¡­ Erika¡ª"


    He stepped toward Erika, expecting a warm embrace¡ªbut to his surprise¡­


    Erika took a step back, clearing her throat. "Ahem. Perhaps we shouldn¡¯t¡­ in front of your wife. Let¡¯s save that for when we actually have time to get married. I mean¡ªafter we¡¯re married."


    Adrien blinked, then chuckled awkwardly. "Ah, right¡­ my apologies, Vino. Let¡¯s head home."


    The three of them mounted their horses once more, riding across the battlefield¡¯s aftermath.


    Adrien had a nagging feeling that his father had something more important to discuss than simply scolding him.


    ¡­¡­To Be Continued¡­¡­

 The Crown I Never Wanted

    Between Two Souls, Chapter 14


    Erika waved her hand at them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Adrien! Even if you come another time, the Town of Berleene will always welcome you warmly!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Thank you!¡±


    Adrien turned to Deimos and Vino.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go, Deimos.¡±


    As dawn faded into night, the full moon cast its glow upon the land. Prince Adrien mounted his horse, leaving behind the remnants of the battlefield alongside Deimos and his wife, Vino. They traveled along a single road carved through the towering cliffs. Long ago, the previous king had split the rocky hills to create a more direct path to the capital, cutting travel time significantly. They had chosen the lowest point of the cliffs and carved through it.


    Deimos lit a torch to illuminate their path. As they passed through the pine forest¡ªa sign that the capital was near¡ªtheir horses slowed to conserve energy.


    Vino looked visibly uneasy. It was her first time attending a royal family dinner.


    Adrien, noticing her nervousness, guided his horse closer to hers.


    ¡°Hey, you seem tense. You¡¯re nervous about the dinner, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re just people. My family won¡¯t judge you¡­ They won¡¯t bite, you know.¡±


    Vino let out a small laugh at her husband¡¯s joke.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you last saw my parents. You two only spoke briefly back when we were still studying at that boarding academy¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence¡ª


    SREEKKK!


    A rustling sound came from the bushes.


    Deimos immediately sensed something¡ªor someone¡ªlurking in the shadows.


    He instinctively grabbed the axe hanging from his horse¡¯s saddle and pointed it toward the source of the noise.


    ¡°Show yourself! Don¡¯t make me come and get you!¡±


    At his command, a shadowy figure slowly emerged from the underbrush.


    It was a woman. She was clad in a black headscarf and lightweight armor, her red hair barely visible from beneath the fabric.


    Adrien immediately recognized the design of her clothing, it was from the Syarqiyy region.


    ¡°You¡¯re not from around here, are you?¡± Adrien narrowed his eyes. ¡°Introduce yourself.¡±


    The woman kept her face partially hidden behind her scarf as she bowed respectfully.


    ¡°Forgive my intrusion, Prince Adrien. People call me Spectre. I am one of the mercenaries hired by Lord Vernus.¡±


    ¡°A mercenary, huh? Then tell me, why were you sneaking around like an assassin?¡±


    "Forgive me, Your Highness. I had no intention of harming you. Lord Vernus assigned me to scout your route, as there is still a chance those monsters are hunting you."


    "Thank you for the warning. However, sneaking up behind someone is not the best approach. You should know that..."


    Spectre bowed her head once more in apology. "Understood, Your Highness. Once I have hunted those monsters to extinction, I will no longer have to lurk in the shadows behind you."


    "Very well, do your duty."


    "Yes, Your Highness!"


    With that, Spectre disappeared back into the darkness, resuming her hunt for the remaining monsters.


    Adrien exhaled and turned to Vino. "Now, where were we?"


    They continued their journey toward the castle, chatting along the way. As the night deepened, they got to know each other better, sharing jokes and playful teasing. Meanwhile, Deimos remained vigilant, knowing full well that the threats against the prince were far from over.


    Soon, the dense pine forest thinned, and the warm glow of city lights became visible beyond the fortress walls. The capital, Adrestia, was breathtaking at night. No matter how often people saw it, they never tired of its beauty. Even at this late hour, the city was still alive with activity, its streets bustling with merchants, workers, and travelers.


    As they rode through the grand main road leading to the castle gates, they passed by citizens who offered mixed reactions¡ªsome greeted Adrien with smiles, while others cast him disapproving glances. Adrien returned the friendly greetings and ignored the cold stares, but something felt off.


    He glanced around, searching for the source of his unease. Then, he realized¡ªit wasn''t the city. It was someone right beside him.


    Deimos.


    Adrien had never seen him smile. No matter the situation, his face remained unreadable, devoid of any expression.


    Curious, Adrien guided his horse closer to Deimos. "Deimos... I want to ask you something."


    "Yes, Your Highness?"


    "Why do you always look so... emotionless? I mean, you never show any feelings¡ªnot on your face, not in your voice, nowhere."


    Deimos turned to him and, after a brief pause, attempted a smile.


    "Like this?"


    "Yeah, but... that¡¯s not a real smile."


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    "I am simply following what my mother taught me."


    Adrien raised an eyebrow. "Wait¡ªyou mean, you don''t actually feel anything?"


    "My mother trained me to respond to emotions correctly."


    Adrien sighed, rubbing his temple. "So, you had to be taught how to react to emotions? Uh... sorry, but isn''t that kind of weird?"


    Deimos bowed his head slightly. "Apologies, Your Highness. I will try to be more expressive next time."


    "No need, really. It''s actually better for you to have an intimidating and sharp look. That¡¯s how it should be. Though... I suppose we might have to adjust some security protocols because of your face. You don¡¯t exactly look like me."


    Vino rode closer, aligning her horse with Adrien¡¯s.


    "Your face is too cute, Adrien. No wonder people struggle to imitate you. Hahaha!" she teased, giggling.


    Adrien chuckled, slightly flustered. "Hahaha, you¡¯re unbelievable. I actually wanted a fierce face like my father¡¯s. But, well¡­ fate had other plans."


    They chatted for a few more minutes until they arrived at the gates of Castle Adrestia. The path led them uphill toward the towering structure. As they reached the castle courtyard, a familiar figure was already waiting for them.


    Caroline, looking somewhat frantic, rushed toward the prince. "Your Highness! Apologies for the urgency, but you must hurry! The King and Queen are expecting you for dinner."


    Adrien dismounted, then turned to help Vino down from her horse. Her mount was too large for her small stature¡ªstanding next to Adrien, she barely reached his chest.


    Caroline then addressed Deimos. "Sir Deimos, you may return to the military barracks. I will attend to the prince from here."


    "............................."


    Dinner was about to begin, but as they walked down the corridor toward the dining hall, the distant echoes of another heated argument reached them.


    Stoick and King Arthur.


    Even as Adrien was bathing, he had faintly heard their voices clashing. Now, descending from the castle¡¯s tower, he could hear the tension in their words.


    Stoick, burdened by his aging frame, straightened himself to stand eye-to-eye with the king, determined to make his point.


    "You can''t do this! Trust me, we were so close to success. But someone, some vermin, ruined everything!"


    Arthur¡¯s tone was firm, and his patience was clearly wearing thin. "You led the operation. That means you take responsibility if there was a saboteur. I have given you everything you asked for, yet you failed every time. So don¡¯t try to stop me just because you disagree with my decision."


    Frustrated, Arthur turned sharply and strode toward the dining hall. The guards stationed by the large doors stepped aside, pushing them open.


    Before entering, the king spoke one last time¡ªhis voice laced with finality. "If I must loose, then my enemy must not win. I hope we will never have to discuss this again, Stoick."


    With that, King Arthur stepped inside, leaving Stoick standing there, silent and bitter.


    ...........................


    Inside the dining hall, Queen Sophie was already seated beside the king¡¯s chair. The palace servants moved swiftly, bringing in dishes and setting the table.


    The dining table wasn¡¯t excessively large, but it was grand enough to hold an abundance of food while allowing space for movement. The scent of warm bread, roasted meats, and rich sauces filled the air.


    Meanwhile, Adrien and Vino had just finished getting dressed after their bath. Their formal attire was now in place, and Caroline stood patiently outside their chamber, waiting for them to join the royal meal.


    "Your Highness, my apologies, but could you hurry a little? I fear His Majesty might grow impatient," Caroline called out anxiously from outside the chamber.


    Moments later, Adrien stepped out of the room, his wife, Vino, by his side. Hand in hand, they walked toward the dining hall. The palace staff, having completed their preparations, quietly excused themselves.


    Seated at the grand table, King Arthur looked up as his son entered. A rare smile crossed his face¡ªAdrien seldom stayed at the castle these days.


    "Have you had your fill of adventure, Adrien?" the king asked, pouring himself a drink.


    Adrien made his way to his chair. "Not quite. I¡¯m just tired. I¡¯ll continue another time."


    Queen Sophie took a sip from her cup before speaking. "Good. A true king should never stop¡ªespecially when it comes to exploring new horizons."


    Adrien hesitated at her words. Deep down, he had never longed to be king. He had always dreamed of a peaceful life¡ªpainting without interruption, free from the weight of the throne. But fate had never allowed him that choice.


    He sat down, quietly taking food from the table, using the moment to gather his courage.


    "Vino, come, sit down! Don¡¯t be shy!" Queen Sophie beckoned warmly. "It¡¯s been so long since I last saw you. It¡¯s been even longer since I¡¯ve spoken with a Gnome."


    Adrien furrowed his brow. "Gnome? What do you mean?"


    The queen chuckled. "Adrien, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know? ''Gnome'' is the term for short-statured Elven folk, like Vino. Their ears are slightly longer than those of regular Elves."


    "Ah, right." Adrien nodded, serving himself some food. He also placed a portion on Vino¡¯s plate. "Mother, did you make waffles for me?"


    Sophie grinned. "Of course! Help yourself."


    Adrien¡¯s lips curled into a smile. His favorite dish was right there on the table. Even so, his thoughts remained troubled. He still needed to find the courage to speak about his desire to relinquish his claim to the throne.


    "Honey, I want some waffles too! Could you get me some?" Vino asked playfully.


    Adrien paused for a brief moment, surprised¡ªthen relieved. His wife was completely at ease beside him. A small chuckle escaped his lips, and with a soft, flustered expression, he carefully placed a waffle on her plate.


    "Something wrong, Adrien?" Vino asked, amused.


    "Hahaha, no, it¡¯s nothing."


    Vino knew exactly what he was feeling. She smiled and playfully pinched his arm.


    King Arthur and Queen Sophie watched the exchange between their son and his wife, and for the first time in a long while, they laughed¡ªa true, heartfelt laugh.


    They began eating in silence, the delicious food commanding their full attention. The meal was so satisfying that no one spoke much at all.


    As they neared the end of dinner, Adrien finally gathered the courage to voice his true feelings.


    But before he could, Queen Sophie broke the silence first.


    ¡°I must say, you two make quite a good pair¡ªeven though it was Erika who told you to marry Vino.¡±


    Adrien nearly choked on his drink. ¡°Huh? Mother, you knew that Erika was behind this? How?¡±


    Sophie chuckled. ¡°Oh, Adrien, your mother and Erika are quite close. She came to me, asking for advice on how to free Vino from the Celje family without resorting to violence. And well¡­ marriage was the only way.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ so you¡¯ve met Erika often? What else did you two talk about?¡± Adrien asked, narrowing his eyes.


    Sophie smirked playfully. ¡°Oh, plenty of things. We shared stories, even a few secrets. But those are for women¡¯s ears only.¡±


    King Arthur set down his goblet, dabbing his mouth with a napkin before speaking. ¡°Yes, and because of her, your mother approved of your marriage. She already knew that Vino was intelligent¡ªespecially in the lab. She¡¯s a perfect match for you, considering your love for experiments.¡±


    At that, Adrien and Vino instinctively nodded in unison. They glanced at each other and chuckled, realizing their synchronized reaction.


    ¡°With your combined talents,¡± Arthur continued, ¡°you could lead Arestiana to new heights once you take the throne. Imagine how many people you could help. Your discoveries could even be exported to foreign nations.¡±


    Adrien clenched his fists under the table. This was his chance.


    He took a deep breath, steeling himself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Father¡­ but I have no intention of becoming king.¡±


    The room fell deathly silent.


    A heavy tension filled the air, and everyone seemed unsure of how to react.


    King Arthur exhaled slowly, then rose to his feet.


    ¡°Adrien¡­ come with me.¡±


    Adrien swallowed hard, pushing aside his nerves as he stood up. He followed his father out of the dining hall, his heart pounding. Though he had always been close to Arthur, he had never been able to shake his father¡¯s imposing presence. Even he never raising his hand or using violence, Arthur¡¯s mere firmness was enough to command obedience. Adrien steadied his breathing. If he was going to stand his ground, he needed to be ready for this conversation.


    .......................To Be Continued................................

 Awakening the Beast

    Between Two Souls, Chapter 15


    The door creaked open, and father and son left the dining hall in silence. Queen Sophie and Vino remained at the table, trying to steady their nerves. The once warm atmosphere had turned tense in an instant.


    The flickering candlelight illuminated the marble walls of the castle¡¯s corridor. The full moon cast its silver glow, and the night breeze slipped through the open windows, bringing a chill to the air. But despite the cold, sweat beaded on Adrien¡¯s forehead¡ªhis own words from earlier still weighing heavily on him.


    King Arthur led his son to the castle balcony, where the city of Adrestia stretched out before them, a breathtaking sight even at night. Walking up to the railing, the king placed his hands behind his back and took a deep breath before gesturing for Adrien to step closer.


    ¡°My son, come here.¡±


    Adrien hesitated for a moment before moving beside his father.


    ¡°Look at this city,¡± Arthur said, his voice steady but firm. ¡°It¡¯s bustling, yet peaceful. Orderly, yet alive. You appreciate peace, don¡¯t you, Adrien?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Adrien replied, though his voice wavered.


    ¡°No matter how busy this city is, it remains in harmony. Do you know why?¡±


    Adrien glanced at his father. ¡°Because someone protects it¡­ maintains that order.¡±


    Arthur nodded. ¡°Exactly. And who ensures that order remains?¡±


    Adrien lowered his gaze. ¡°¡­The King.¡±


    ¡°There you have it,¡± Arthur said. ¡°So why refuse to be king? If you were, you wouldn¡¯t just be protecting your own peace¡ªyou¡¯d be ensuring it for everyone.¡±


    Adrien clenched his fists. ¡°But Father, what if I wasn¡¯t meant to be king? What if my true potential lies elsewhere? I want to explore, to learn. I feel like the throne will only chain me down. If I lived alone by the lake, I could study freely, travel without obligations, and return home to peace and solitude.¡±


    Arthur sighed, placing a reassuring hand on Adrien¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I admire your conviction, son. But leaders aren¡¯t born¡ªthey are made. And you, Adrien, have already proven that you are capable of leading.¡±


    ¡°I am not fit to be king, Father,¡± Adrien insisted.


    ¡°You sell yourself short,¡± Arthur countered. ¡°Have faith in yourself! Do you remember your time at Angelo Caduto Academy? You arrived there as a mere boy, and despite your royal blood, no one gave you special treatment. It was a ruthless place. Yet, under your leadership, you transformed that school into the most prestigious institution in all of Arestiana. You were only seventeen then. That was no small feat.¡±


    ¡°But that was only because I was forced to study there. What if I can¡¯t achieve something like that again? It took a long and difficult process.¡±


    ¡°You already proved yourself today,¡± Arthur countered. ¡°You led your soldiers against the werewolves and emerged victorious. Remember this, Adrien¡ªGod never burdens His people with more than they can bear. Have faith in yourself, and He will guide you. Besides, as king, you¡¯d have even greater opportunities to explore and learn. In fact, access to knowledge would be far easier.¡±


    Adrien took a deep breath, trying to absorb his father¡¯s words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Father¡­ I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    Not wanting to dwell any longer on the internal conflict raging inside him, Adrien turned to leave. He needed the solitude of his room.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Arthur said. ¡°Rest for now and reflect on it.¡±


    Just as Adrien was about to walk away, his father placed a firm hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Adrien,¡± Arthur said solemnly. ¡°Know this¡ªif you refuse the throne, then you must be prepared to accept whoever takes it. And if you¡¯re ever unhappy with that decision, you¡¯ll have no one to blame but yourself.¡±


    With that, the king withdrew his hand and turned back to gaze at the city. His words lingered in Adrien¡¯s mind, unsettling him further. He couldn¡¯t deny the logic in his father¡¯s reasoning. His thoughts swirled in turmoil as he walked back toward his chambers, trying to calm himself.


    Just as he was about to leave the balcony, a messenger approached, bowing deeply before the king.


    ¡°Your Majesty, forgive the intrusion, but I bring urgent news.¡±


    "......................................"


    Midnight was fast approaching. The cold night air whispered through the castle walls, though the thick stone kept the chambers warm. Adrien walked through the dimly lit corridors, passing torches that flickered against the marble walls.


    As he neared the dining hall, he glanced inside. It was empty¡ªhis mother and Vino had long since left, and the servants had cleared away the feast. The lively atmosphere from earlier was now nothing more than a memory.


    Sighing, he continued toward his bedroom. Upon reaching his door, he pushed it open, the soft creak echoing in the quiet.


    Hearing the sound, Vino immediately sat up from the bed. Dressed in a white silk nightgown, she welcomed her husband with a warm smile.


    ¡°Adrien, you¡¯re back! ¡­You look troubled. What did your father say?¡±


    Adrien, exhausted, set his satchel down on the table and pulled out the Mind Crown¡ªthe strange artifact he had been carrying. He turned it in his hands, examining its intricate details as if seeking answers within it.


    ¡°Vino, I¡¯m sorry if I disappoint you,¡± he admitted. ¡°I never truly wanted to be king. But after hearing my father¡¯s words¡­ he does have a point.¡±


    Vino, still sitting on the bed, smiled reassuringly.


    ¡°Every path has its challenges and rewards,¡± she said gently. ¡°No matter what you choose, I will always stand by your side.¡±


    Adrien exhaled a small breath of relief. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. But¡­ I still don¡¯t have an answer.¡±


    He continued to turn the Mind Crown in his hands, lost in thought, wondering what visions or truths it might reveal to him when he finally used it.


    "Honestly, I never had any feelings for you before. But my mother once told me that love grows from familiarity.¡±


    Vino didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°¡­Vino?¡± Adrien glanced down and saw that she had already fallen into a deep sleep.


    He smiled softly and gently stroked her hair. Then, he activated the Mind Crown and carefully placed it on his head, making sure it was secure. He hoped that whoever he would meet in his mind tonight could help him find the answers he sought. Taking a slow breath, he finally closed his eyes.


    Adrien drifted into sleep, his arms wrapped around his wife. The two of them rested peacefully on the plush chair, lost in the quiet of the night.


    His brain began connecting to another consciousness¡­


    Midnight had come.


    The night grew deeper.


    "...............Z................¡±


    Patient Zero has regained consciousness¡­


    Failed to initiate the scene¡­


    A cacophony of noise erupted¡ªalarms blared throughout the facility as people stormed into the room in a panic. A critical system error had occurred, triggered by the activation of the Mind Crown on one of the SOULS users.


    Patient Zero was never supposed to regain his original memories.


    The room was stark white, filled with strange medical equipment. On an operating table, Patient Zero lay restrained, his wrists and ankles bound tightly. Electrodes and wires protruded from his head, feeding into an array of monitors. His face was heavily bandaged, concealing his true identity.


    A doctor rushed in, flanked by a team of frantic technicians.


    ¡°Adrien has broken into Patient Zero¡¯s mind! Get the sedation mask on him¡ªNOW! If he wakes up and goes berserk, we¡¯re all dead!¡±


    ¡°Hurry! Shut down the Mind Crown before its intrusion wrecks the SOULS system!¡± a technician yelled.


    But it was already too late.


    Patient Zero had awakened much faster than expected. Though his consciousness wasn¡¯t fully restored, his body began to thrash violently. The restraints groaned under the strain of his inhuman strength¡ªa monstrous result of experimental mutations.


    Sedatives were administered. The Skull Mask, usually used to pacify him, was secured over his face¡ªbut it did nothing. He was beyond control.


    Then, his voice¡ªhoarse and filled with pure rage¡ªpierced the chaos.


    ¡°Adrien, you bastard! I swear, I will kill you and every single one of those damn scientists!¡±


    Dr. Dylan, his face pale with fear, grabbed the emergency intercom.


    ¡°This is Dr. Dylan to Control Room! Why hasn¡¯t the Mind Crown penetration been stopped?! What the hell is happening in there?!¡±


    KRRSSSKKKK!! Static crackled through the radio.


    Then, through the interference, a bloodied voice responded:


    ¡°CODE RED! CODE RED! WE¡¯VE BEEN BREACHED¡ª¡±


    BANG!


    . . ........ To Be Continued¡­.....