"Yeah, sure. Aurora and I talked, and it's helpful for her if we stay engaged. So, we will." Grey said with a slight blush, although he kept his voice flat.
"I... see." The King replied, still confused. "Shall we go to another room? I'm sure our researchers are dying to get in the Dungeon."
"Of course." Grey nodded.
With that, they left the throne room and entered the hall. There stood several reporters, all trying to pry information from the teenage duo, however, their protective parents stopped any of that before it could start.
"Leave. Grey and Aurora will be giving statements tomorrow, as right now they need rest." The King ordered in an authoritative tone. As an SSS- Rank individual, he was extremely strong, and his mere emotions had a palpable change in the atmosphere. The air grew heavy, and everyone outside of the King's area felt a need to follow the order.
Dispersing, the crowd quickly disappeared. They continued onward, heading to a secluded room. Anette appeared from nowhere, opening the door for them.
They entered, and she closed the door behind them, guarding it from the inside.
"So, the engagement won't be canceled?" Queen Tyana asked for clarification.
"Yes, I won't be breaking it off. I've learned it's helpful to Aurora." Grey replied.
'Perfect.' Queen Tyana would have smiled, but that would have given her away. 'They can get close with that as an excuse.'
"Pardon me, but what do you mean 'engagement'? I was under the impression they were dating?" Samantha suddenly spoke up, causing two people to blush furiously.
"No, Mom! We're not. I won the Royal Duels, giving me the right to have Aurora's hand in marriage if she agrees." Grey quickly explained, eager to solve the misunderstanding.
"I see... No, I don't! I'm still confused!" Samantha cried. Why was Grey even there in the first place?
Seeing this, Grey explained the entire situation, leaving Kim Jaehyun's identity anonymous.
Lucas nodded along the entire time, but Samantha struggled to understand.
"So, someone told you that there would be a problem here, and to test their validity, you came, causing you to get trapped in a Dungeon. And you did it so your friends wouldn't have to?" She summarized the whole situation, looking at Grey for confirmation.
He nodded his head once and left her to digest.
"So, are there any proceedings that we need to go through?" Grey asked the King.
"We need to redo the ceremony, but that's it. There's nothing else." King Matteo informed him.
"I see. Is that so? Well then, when can we do it? I'm eager to start training again. I want to learn the axe."
"We can do it the day after tomorrow. The researchers need to access the portal, and the ceremony has to be in the throne room. It's tradition, after all."
"It seems we'll be in your care for a few days then." Grey smiled.
"Of course." Queen Tyana agreed instantly. 'And you can spend tomorrow with Aurora.'
"May we stay?" Lucas spoke up. "I haven't slept in a castle before."
"Of course. Whilst it might be nominal, you are technically soon-to-be in-laws. And, you have to accommodate in-laws." The Queen replied instantly.
Lucas fist-pumped and then laid back on his chair. He dove into his imagination, and both Grey and Samantha knew he was thinking about food. Or, he was thinking about fighting. One or the other, or maybe both.
Grey, who had been sitting between Samantha and Aurora, leaned over to talk to his fiancée.
"Warn your parents, my Dad might want to fight them." He whispered.
She nodded at that, making a mental note.
"Well then, shall we eat dinner?" At that moment, it was late at night, and a perfect time to eat.
"Of course, what is it?"
"Of course, what is it?"
Both Grey and Lucas responded immediately.
---
That night, they enjoyed a lovely meal consisting of ribs, Aurora's favorite food, and food both Fallen Star and Grey loved. Lucas ate with enthusiasm, remarking on the intricacies of the meat. He was enraptured by it.
After that, they all went to sleep, enjoying their beds. That was especially true for Grey and Aurora, and even more so for Lucas and Samantha.
When Grey woke up that morning, a knock on the door alerted him. He reached for a weapon under the bed, before realizing that he was not at home. He was in the Royal castle of the Elven Domain.
Sluggish, he got up and opened the door. An elf identical to Anette entered, although her hair was much longer. She wore a maid uniform, and she spoke eloquently and respectfully.
"Young Master Grey, I've brought you a change of clothes. Princess Aurora told me about what you would like, so I hope I have done well. The bathroom is over there, and if you need anything, I will be just outside."
She handed him a box with a tree symbol on it and pointed to the far corner of the room where a door lay.
Grey knew about the bath but had been too tired to take one.
"Thank you." He accepted the box with a smile and closed the door.
---
Grey exited his bathroom, smelling of roses and wearing garments so soft he questioned if they were clothes or just an Illusion.
He wore a white silk T-shirt that fit his form perfectly, accentuating the muscles he had honed over 14 years of constant training. He wore ripped black jeans made of 100% cotton, that hugged his legs.
For shoes, he wore simple black sneakers that clung to his feet and automatically tightened around them, eliminating the need for laces.
Also, all of the clothes were treated with a fire-proof coating, preventing them from catching on fire.
'This is truly fit for Royalty... But how did she know my measurements?' Grey was a little creeped out, but Fallen Star put a stop to it with words of measurement.
- Don't worry, no one entered your room last night. I felt no Mana signatures. -
'That's a load off my shoulders then.' Grey sighed in relief. 'To breakfast then.'
He exited the bedroom, finding the girl who looked identical to Anette standing in front of him.
"Follow me, Young Master. I will lead you to the dining room." She turned around, leading him through the winding halls of the castle.
"Why are you calling me 'Young Master'?" He asked. It felt weird to be referred to as that.
"It is because you are engaged to Princess Aurora. If you wish, Young Master, I can refer to you as something else." She replied.
"Yes, please. Just call me Grey. And you are?"
"Anise, Grey. My older sister is Anette."
"I see. Well, it's nice to meet you."
"Thank you, Grey. We're here." Anise stopped before a door, the same door as last night. She opened it, revealing Lucas, Samantha, King Matteo, and Queen Tyana. Aurora had yet to arrive.
"Grey! You look great!" His mother stood up, coming to check him and his clothing out. "How are you? Any residual pain?" She touched his shoulder, making sure no pain remained.
"Yes, I'm fine Mom. The potion worked wonders."
"That's great. Come then, sit." She moved back to her chair, gesturing for him to sit next to him.
He immediately went to the chair there, sitting down and nodding deeply toward the King and Queen.
"Grey, please. For now, at least, we're family. Treat us as such." Queen Tyana spoke softly.
"Of course..." Grey stumbled, unaware of how to call her.
"Call me Tyana, please. Just Tyana."
"Of course, Tyana. Thank you for having us." Grey replied.
"No problem. Aurora will be here soon, so we'll be able to dig in."
In front of them, on the table, lay several enticing dishes. Sausages, eggs, potatoes, vegetables, you name it, it was there. A large spread for breakfast that would be devoured by the ones at the table.
Especially Lucas. He was looking forward to it.
Just as Queen Tyana said, Aurora arrived five minutes later, guided by Anette, who was in her formal uniform.
It consisted of a green and white tabard, with a matching beret and outfit. She had a medal on her chest, and a gold insignia on her beret that marked her as commander.
However, it was Aurora that captured everyone's attention.
She wore a green and white sundress with a marbled design, and ornate branch outlines that topped the marbling. The branches seemed to be a common motif for the Royals. Underneath she wore black tights, covering her long legs, and she wore matching black heels, with a 2.5-inch heel.
Her hair was braided like Queen Tyana's in a crown braid and was adorned with purple hydrangeas, violet roses, and red carnations.
All the flowers had deep meanings and were chosen specifically by Queen Tyana, in case Grey had any knowledge about flowers. He didn't but she didn't know that.
A little makeup settled on her face, brightening her cheeks, and drawing Grey's attention to her lips, which were painted a deep red.
'Beautiful.' Grey thought.
- You say that a lot. Are you sure you don't like her? - Fallen Star teased.
'Yes, I'm sure! I think. I honestly don't know.' Grey revealed in a moment of preoccupation.
- Good to know. - Fallen Star laughed.
Grey ignored It, focusing on Aurora.
"Let's eat!" She said with a smile.