Clank~
Dang~
In an opulent hall, or… maybe not so opulent. The throne hall was in a very… delicate state. It was completely devastated by the exchange between Liam and Gerald.
The once grand marble flooring was now shattered and cracked, spiderwebbing across the surface. Craters appeared here and there, and dust, dirt, and soot covered the formerly pristine floor.
The pillars, made of metal on the inside for sturdiness, were coated with stones, concrete, and various decorative elements. Although bent and destroyed, the metal framework still held, albeit in unnatural ways.
On the throne sat an aged man, wrinkles adorning his face and hands, hair turned grey, but his eyes shone with vitality, burning with desire and ambition.
Sigh~
He let out a quiet sigh and leaned back in his chair. He felt a whirlwind of emotions. It had been less than a day since he had regained control of his body.
He had been trapped in his own body for who knows how long; every day felt agonising, his mind was hazy― not able to distinguish anything, and he couldn't even speak of his own free will. He was just a puppet; strings attached to his whole body, not even sparing his mind.
Another thought and another sigh escaped from his lips; he was not even able to think properly with all the noise in the background. People were working on the reconstruction of the hall. They were full of vigour and enthusiasm― after all, it was not every day that they got the chance to work in a castle.
The pay was high, but of course, they needed to be thorough with their work, or else they would be punished for lacklustre work.
Sigh~
Zzzzz~
Clank~
Another sigh escaped Edward's mouth. He felt a pang of pain in his heart, and his brows creased a little as he saw the construction. It was not because he had an ailment or the side effect of the spell, or he was unsatisfied with the people and the noise.
No…
Far from it.
He never felt as energised as he felt now, and the spell never had any side effects. Plus, the workers were diligent, and the noise didn't bother him much either.
'…How much money will be used?'
Yeah… money. It was not like their treasury was suffering, but… it still left a bitter taste in his mouth, and the damage done to the hall was not meagre, it was catastrophic―and the amount for the repairs was just as catastrophic. Besides, he had to give a lot of answers to a lot of people.
'Just why?'
It was a big headache, just as he regained his bearings and all the dramas that happened last night, he hoped to have a good rest, but no…
'Did I just change my prison cell?'
…For Edward, the trouble had only started.
He had to reconstruct the hall, take a funeral, and the most annoying part…
Sigh~
'…I have to deal with the nobles and ministers who have been causing trouble.'
The pending work, which had been held back for years, was unleashed like a broken dam, taking the poor Edward with its current and drowning him in it.
Reeling in his thoughts, Edward was jolted awake by the sharp noise of the opening door― not from the construction but from the door. Walking with a serious face, one hand on the hilt of his sword, Anton accompanied Liam.
Though…
'…He didn't say a word, and he looked displeased.'
He was having his own internal feuds, with Liam naturally having a stoic face and his quiet nature made Anton think that he had done something wrong, and Liam was discontent.
Giving a furtive glance to the side…
He hoped. Really hoped he wouldn't see the same indifferent face.
But…
Yup, he is not satisfied.
Edward lifted his head, looking at the two. A small smile found its way to his lips as the sides curled up slightly. He straightens his posture a bit and waits for the two to strode toward the dais.
'So… that's the human boy.'
***
'They won't fine me for the damage, right?'
Stepping into the ruined hall, Liam felt… guilt and fear.
Guilt because he knew rebuilding the hall and bringing its former grandeur would cost a pretty penny, and because…
'She won't force me into paying for it, right?'
Right.
…A certain someone knew the face behind the mask. It would be completely justifiable to make the culprit pay for the damages, but the culprit himself had no money.
To add salt to the injury, they were on a whole other continent, and besides, the currency used by mutants is completely different.
Mutants didn't use the same currency as humans― they were banished from their lands long ago. The little coins Liam has stored in his pocket as a family heirloom won't even be able to buy a candy.
Stareee~
The workers' gazes moved in the direction of Anton and Liam, the pair looked quite amazing― one green while the other purple, but of course, for mutants, it was not a rare sight. What caught their attention was that they learned a piece of news that is probably most significant to Liora right now.
"Hey, is that the boy?"
"The princess's child."
Murmurs and whispers inevitably spread among them like a wildfire caught in the forest. Some even stopped in their work just to stare at the two― utterly oblivious to his surroundings, Liam was lost in his own thoughts.
'…Yeah, she will probably not file a complaint about me to her father.'
While Anton shot them a glare that could have killed them on the spot if looks could kill. Seeing the glare, the workers averted their sight and continued their unfinished work.
Soon after, the pair reached the steps. Anton, the ever-loyal servant, kneeled on one knee and bowed as naturally as breathing air, paying his respects to the king.
"I greet your majesty."
"Stand…
***
"Sit."
A calm yet cold voice reverberated through the confines of a small chamber. The owner of the voice sat at the head of an oval-shaped table― his face hidden beneath a golden mask in the shape of a Lion.
Creak~
Hearing the voice, figures in crisp suits with different animal masks in gold sat down on the chairs.
The lion swept his gaze over the other animals. He didn't say anything― he studied them for a while before speaking,
"The princess has come…"
The other animals didn't say anything because they all had heard the news. How could they not, when each and every one of them is a distinguished figure?
"…we need to proceed with the plan."