As Elen woke up in the early morning, she was greeted by Rami and Rora in her room. They were busy fixing the curtains and setting up a small table for her breakfast."Good morning, lady!" Rora greeted Elen with a warm smile as she approached."Good morning, Rora and Rami!" Elen replied, walking over to join them."How did you sleep, lady?" Rami asked as he adjusted Elen's chair."It was fine," Elen said, taking a bite of her sandwich. "Is the grand duke around?""I saw the grand duke going to his office earlier," Rora said. "Are you meeting him today?""Yes, I am," Elen confirmed. "And we're also planning to travel to Asteria together!""We should start packing your things, lady!" Rora suggested, clapping her hands in excitement."Sure, we can do that later," Elen said, smiling at her two helpful servants.After finishing her breakfast, Elen was swiftly attended to by Rami, who helped her freshen up with a quick bath and a change of clothes. She opted for a bright yellow dress that m
As two days passed since the family dinner, the time had come for the twins to return to their academy. In their room, Max and Elliot were busy packing their belongings when a knock sounded on the door."Brother," Elen's voice called out as she knocked on the door."Ellie?" Elliot responded, opening the door to find Elen standing there with two mini bags in her hands."Why are you here?" Max asked, curious as he continued to pack."I baked these cookies and bread for you to eat during your journey," Elen explained, holding out the mini bags to them."Wow, thank you, Ellie!" Elliot exclaimed, taking one of the bags from Elen with gratitude. Max smiled in acknowledgment of Elen's thoughtful gesture, appreciating the effort she had made to send them off with a homemade treat."Are you going to send us off?" Maxwell asked, smiling warmly at Elen."Can I?" Elen inquired, her eyes filled with sincerity."Of course!" Elliot replied eagerly. "We'll leave at 10 am.""Alright, brothers!" Elen s
The morning sun painted the sky in soft hues of pink and orange as the knights of Adelstein bustled around the courtyard, preparing for their journey. Horses neighed and stamped their hooves impatiently, eager to hit the road. Theron, a sturdy man with a serious expression, oversaw the final preparations with a keen eye, his team moving with practiced efficiency."Elen, are you ready?" the Grand Duke, a regal figure in his polished armor, inquired as he adjusted his gloves."Yes, Grand Duke," Elen chirped, her voice filled with a mix of excitement and nerves. "Rami and Rora double-checked everything.""Good to hear," the Grand Duke nodded approvingly. "We're looking at a 2-3 day journey to Asteria. Are you fine with that?"Elen beamed at the prospect of the upcoming trip. "Yes, Grand Duke! I can't wait."As the Grand Duke and Elen conversed, Theron approached with purpose in his stride. A man of few words, his presence commanded respect.
The grand duke and Theron carefully surveyed the village, their eyes scanning every corner for any signs of danger. With Elen in their midst, safety was their top priority, especially with the looming threat of a potential monster egg hidden somewhere nearby."Grand duke," Theron reported, "my knights haven't spotted any suspicious eggs in this area."The grand duke nodded, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings as they continued their search. Hours passed with no sign of the monster's egg."Should we head back?" Theron inquired, concern evident in his voice as he observed the grand duke's thoughtful expression."Are there any bakeries nearby?" the grand duke suddenly questioned, a knowing look in his eyes as he considered Elen's well-being without directly addressing it."Huh?" Theron was caught off guard by the unexpected question."Don't make me repeat myself," the grand duke's tone was firm as he awaited an answer.
The next day, Elen felt her body was light and full of energy. She thought it was because of the good rest she had the previous night, along with the pastries the grand duke had brought for her. She planned to go to the market, eager to taste the delicious food Asteria had to offer."Good morning, lady!" Rora greeted as she entered the room."Good morning, Rora!" Elen replied with a wave."What would you like to eat, lady?" Rami asked while fixing the curtains."I'll just have the pastries today," Elen decided. "Uh, can we go to the market place?""I'm not sure, lady," Rami replied. "We should ask for permission from the grand duke.""Okay," Elen agreed, though she knew the grand duke might not allow them to visit the market.Rami quickly reheated the pastries for Elen to eat, and then they helped Elen dress herself. Considering the sunny weather in Asteria, Rami chose a light pink dress that would suit both Elen and the weather. They styled Elen's hair into two ponytails and paired i
The Grand Duke and Theron were occupied searching for the monster's egg in the mountains when a villager was spotted shouting and running in their direction. The knights immediately intervened to prevent the villagers from getting too close to the Grand Duke."Grand Duke, it's a monster attack!" the villager exclaimed, prompting the Grand Duke to signal for the villagers to approach."Details," the Grand Duke requested, his gaze fixed on the panting villager."A monster has suddenly appeared in the marketplace, and the people there are in chaos," the villager reported between gasps for air."The marketplace?" realization dawned on the Grand Duke as he remembered Elen's whereabouts. Without a moment's hesitation, he swiftly departed, mounting his horse. "Theron, inform the knights and rally them at the marketplace."Racing with urgency towards the marketplace, the Grand Duke regretted not foreseeing the monster's imminent attack there. If he had known, he would have never allowed Elen
The Grand Duke rushed through the marketplace, battling monsters along the way as he desperately searched for Elen. Despite his efforts, he found no trace of her or the group she had been with. The Adelstein knight arrived as well, aiding in the evacuation of civilians and joining the fight against the monsters. They scoured the area, trying to locate Elen and her companions, but they remained elusive."Grand Duke," Theron reported, "this area is clear.""Hmm," the Grand Duke responded, scanning the surroundings. "Find Elen and the group."As the Grand Duke set off once more in search of Elen, he encountered Rami and some knights still locked in combat with monsters, despite their injuries and bloodied appearance. Still, Elen was nowhere to be seen. Without hesitation, the Grand Duke jumped into the fray to assist Rami and the knights in clearing out the remaining monsters.Rami's eyes widened as she spotted the Grand Duke in the midst of the chaos, a mixture of surprise and relief fl
Elen, still feeling groggy from her deep sleep, found herself wandering aimlessly in a never-ending white hallway. The complete lack of doors or exits made her feel trapped, like she was stuck in a never-ending limbo. The silence was deafening, and the sterile white walls seemed to stretch on forever, giving her the eerie sensation of walking towards her demise."Where the heck am I?" Elen mumbled to herself, her voice barely audible, "Am I... dead?"Despite the uncertainty of her situation, Elen pushed forward, determined to find a way out of this strange place. She couldn't shake the worry gnawing at her about the well-being of Rora and Rami."I hope they made it..." Elen thought to herself, a pang of concern tugging at her heartstrings."Child," a voice echoed through the empty white hallway, startling Elen."Who's there?" Elen called out, scanning her surroundings in confusion. But there was no one in sight, just the endless expanse of white that seemed to stretch into infinity."