Chapter 8
"Soil That Painted Green"
From behind the giant grassy hill, green in color and full of wind. Adrian and Allie stood tall, watching carefully at the enchanting scene. Their eyes firmly locked to birds that were flying, too their eyes were tied to flowers on the land.
The wind tenderly blew Adrian's hair, also with Allie who was trying to hold her paper bag mask. The two were amazed by how beautiful the world is, and so, Allie gently muttered….
"I-it's so beautiful… it even looks like heaven…."
Adrian's golden-eyes were fixed on the blue heavens, its color looks like the ocean. The warm heat of the sun and the light that pierced both of his eyes, making Adrian try to block it with his right arm. While Adrian was focused on his own matter, Allie then continued her ramblings.
"I-I've never left the Afflueth Kingdom and saw this… it's so m-magnificent."
Afflueth Kingdom? What is that? I think it's the name of the kingdom where I live, cool. Adrian was only looking and smiling at Allie, she was too fascinated by what she saw.
Adrian could only nod his head, while slowly turned back and saw the Afflueth Kingdom that was so prosperous.
Without realizing it, tears began to fall from his eyes, quietly as he continued to gaze at the blue skies.
But before he was able to speak, his attention was caught by swarms of gelatinous creatures. They were marching, and their color was red. They happily jumped while slowly following the line.
"What's that?" Adrian murmured to Allie, followed with her turned her gaze at the swarms.
"Allie, how about we go there?" Adrian added.
The shy girl was looking at Adrian in worry, from behind the paper bag. She gently replied, "B-but we've gone too far from the kingdom, I'm afraid my parents will search for me…."
"Don't worry about that, let's go, don't be timid!" Adrian gently pulled Allie's right hand.
"C-Cadeyrn! W-wait!" She muttered.
…
Upon arrival, the two closely watched the creatures in a daze. They jumped and happily followed the line, as the two were baffled by the creatures.
Adrian then crouched down and attentively glanced at the marching group, followed by Allie as she looked at the creatures astonished.
These creatures are so cute, they're so flexible and colored red? They look like slime in those fantasy books. Adrian mumbled to himself, a faint smile plastered over his face while he was looking at the swarms dazzled.
The creatures are indeed friendly, and their appearances were so endearing. In the line, there was a slime whose size was large amidst the other slimes—and was at the front of the march.
"I think that giant slime might be their mother?" Adrian looked at Allie, his face full of questions.
Allie nervously glanced at Adrian, she looked back at the swarms and gently replied. "I think it is… a-and they are adorable!"
As the line began to end, and in the last row of the line—there was a slime in one different color. A pale-blue gelatinous thing that cheerfully followed the line, an aberration!
As the creature continued to follow its fellow, it suddenly stopped in front of Adrian and Allie. The creature slowly turned its gaze to Adrian, it looked like it was hesitated.
Before the creature, there was a flower—yellow in color. Unexpectedly, the cute thing slowly opened its mouth widely, swallowing the flower whole. The flower can be seen inside its semi-transparent body.
The lovely creature then turned back its gaze at the line, it then continued to follow and delightfully jumped as it slowly approached its kind.
Adrian raised his eyebrows, and looked at the creature as it slowly got far in confusion.
"Huh?...."
He then stood up, looking at the swarms slowly getting far. Allie too was baffled by what she had seen.
…
Rosey, who was watching from the balcony of the Afflueth Kingdom's palace, looked around in worry. She once had thought that Cadeyrn was slowly changing, yet he continued to wander and keep his habits.
It slowly faltered the idea, however, she tried to preserve it as possible. Rosey sighed, fixing her glasses until she heard the sound of the door opening.
She immediately turned back and saw Ludwig who was holding a fruit in his right hand while slowly walking toward herself.
"Um… Ludwig, have you seen Cadeyrn?" She asked softly, as Ludwig calmly bit the fruit in his hand.
Ludwig glanced at her, before gently replied, "Hm? Wasn't he in the library earlier?"
The gentle woman thought for a moment, she looked at Ludwig with a baffled face.
Hm? Cadeyrn went to the library? How's that possible, I've never seen him go to that place.
Ludwig looked down with the feeling of worry, he then bit the fruit once again.
I knew it! Cadeyrn would never change! Huh, I think I must find that naughty boy. I'm fed up! Ludwig then turned his gaze to Rosey before eventually finishing his fruit.
"Alright, I'll look for him." Ludwig rolled his golden-eyes, when Rosey showed him sparkle in her eyes.
"R-really!? Thank you, Ludwig!" The tender woman then embraced Ludwig in cheerful feeling.
Ludwig only looked at her in shame. Before he coldly said, "Okay?... That's too much, can you knock it off?"
…
After the shameful scene, Ludwig then walked toward the gate in a charismatic way, as his golden-hair was swaying while he was walking. He asked the guards of the palace one after another, until he asked the guards that allowed Cadeyrn to leave the grand palace.
His piercing-stare quivered the guards, he then immediately inquired where Cadeyrn went.
"Have any of you seen Cadeyrn?"
One of the guards responded to the question in worry both with fear, "Sir Ludwig, we indeed have seen Cadeyrn. He goes that way, the Hylor Street, too we have refused his urge.
"Yet, Cadeyrn forced us to open the gate in the most exaggerated way. Forgive us for letting him leave the palace."
Yey! Another problem! If I manage to find him, I'll land a punch on his face, for sure! Ludwig fixed his eyes on the Hylor Street, his stare was unwavering.
"Well then, prepare a horse for me. Don't waste time." He said, as his words left the air coldly.
One of the guards nodded, he immediately ran toward the backyard of the palace. After a few moments, he came back while riding a horse.
A mighty horse, the horse hair color is grayish as silver. The muscles in its legs are strong enough to run as fast as possible, swiftly piercing through the crowds!
As the rider came down, he carefully checked the saddle's safety. Ludwig then got on the horse, the iron gate slowly opened as the brave prince's stare pierced through the Hylor Street.
Without hesitation, Ludwig then shackled the saddle's handle, the horse immediately reared high and neighed loudly as it went to the Hylor Street.
...
As he went through Hylor Street, the crowds suddenly looked at him in amazement. Few even cheered at the prince. Ludwig attentively looked at his surroundings, observing each detail and never missed it.
He eventually reached the great walls of the Afflueth Kingdom, with sheer luck. His attention immediately caught by the guards who were guarding the gate, he then rode the horse toward them.
With golden-eyes that ablaze, Ludwig then immediately threw a few questions to the mighty guards. The anxious faces can be seen and displayed over their faces.
"Have any of the gentlemen here seen Cadeyrn?" Ludwig asked.
One of the guards answered the question carefully, and not to ignite the anger of the prince, "Sir Cadeyrn goes outside, he leaves this kingdom with a girl. I think they are not far from here…."
With worry, Ludwig looked at the guard with a deep stare. He coldly pressed, "How can you let him leave this kingdom?"
"Forgive us for letting him go, Sir Ludwig…." The guard stammered, afraid of losing his job.
"He forced us to open and let him go outside, or we will lose this job because denied his wish," he added.
That kid goes outside this kingdom!? This is too much! Ludwig glared at the guard with his golden-eyes deeply.
"Well then, open the gate for me." Ludwig, straightaway, commanded the guard.
Instantly, a noisy rumble sound echoed near the giant walls. With the door opened, Ludwig, right away, continued his seeking once more.
As he slowly rode the horse and left the kingdom, his silver horse left dust trails behind—while gusts continuously blew his wavy, golden hair.
…
While the young pair sharply glared at the swarms that slowly got far, they deeply sighed and too experienced unique contact.
"They've left us. Now what?" Adrian questioned in boredom.
Allie thought for a moment, she then replied nervously, "H-how about we go back home?"
Adrian exhaled serenely, he looked down for a while before he glanced back at Allie and landed a smile on her. A pure smile, also tender.
"Well then, let's go back!" He shouted excitedly.
But before he was able to turn back, a loud sound was calling his name from a distance. Adrian immediately looked back, and saw… Ludwig, riding a grayish-colored horse.
"CADEYRN!" Ludwig yelled loudly, his voice instantly pierced Adrian's ears.
I'm so dead. Adrian swallowed hard, he shuddered in anxiety.
As Ludwig slowly approached, Adrian stepped aback while Allie silently looked at the oldest prince. Afterwards, Ludwig instantly yelled at Cadeyrn in a vexing feeling.
"Well, well, well. Who's gonna get a punch?" Ludwig grinned at Adrian, teasing with the question.
"Uh… what-" without hesitation, Ludwig immediately slapped Adrian's head in peevish.
THWACK!
"Cruel!" Adrian gently stroked his hair, while looking at Ludwig in confusion with the sudden slap.
"Rosey is looking for you. Now, let's get home." Ludwig uttered at Adrian.
Until his attention was caught by a girl who was with Cadeyrn, a strange girl who was using a paper bag as a mask. Eventually, they then went home in harmony, after a tough search for a naughty boy.
Truly a sweet bond between those two.
…
A construction manager was talking to Mr. Ulinon. He informed about the progress of observation facilities development, a few laughs can be heard through their conversation.
"How is the progress?" Mr. Ulinon gently questioned, his deep voice echoed through the conversation.
The construction manager immediately replied, "It probably would take two to three months for the project to accomplish with our current technologies."
The construction manager nervously asked at Mr. Ulinon, "Mr. Ulinon, would you like to attend and see the development?"
The question lingered for a moment in Mr. Ulinon's mind, he then lightly responded with a calm voice.
"Maybe next time."