In the imperial palace, the air was filled with a sense of anticipation and buzzed with activity as the servants hurried to prepare for the visit of the grand duke of Brosethorn. The grand duke's impending arrival had set the palace into a flurry of activity, with everyone making sure that every detail was perfect for his short visit. The grand duke was no ordinary guest; he was also the father of the empress, and this visit was an important opportunity for the family to come together.Inside the grand hall, the emperor himself was preparing for the momentous occasion. It had been years since he had last seen the grand duke, and as he readied himself, he couldn't help but reflect on how much everything had changed. Leonel Brosethorn, as the grand duke was known, was once an ally. But as time passed and circumstances shifted, their relationship had become strained."Is everything okay, Your Majesty?" a concerned aide asked as he entered the room."Yes, everything is going smoothly," th
After the sumptuous meal in the grand hall, the emperor excused himself to attend to other matters. Meanwhile, the empress and the Grand Duke of Brosethorn made their way to the empress's chamber for a private conversation. Prince Addison, feeling the weight of the evening's events, decided to retire to his own chambers for some peace and quiet.As the empress and the Grand Duke settled into the comfortable chairs in the lavishly decorated chamber, the tension in the room was palpable. The Grand Duke of Brosethorn, a man of power and influence, spoke first, his voice laced with frustration. "How dare he challenge me like this?" he exclaimed, his brow furrowed in anger.Regina, the empress, poured her father a cup of steaming tea and took a seat across from him. She spoke calmly, her voice tinged with understanding. "I have been telling you, father, that Felipe has changed. He is not the man he once was," she said, handing him the tea.The Grand Duke of Brosethorn took a sip of the t
The next day, Addison was feeling excited and a bit nervous about the upcoming spar with his grandfather. The old man had been the one to teach him the ways of combat when he was just a six years old, but then he had suddenly left the capital without any explanation, leaving Addison to train on his own.As Addison got ready for the spar, he couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. He missed his grandfather and was eager to show him how much he had improved since they last trained together. His aid, a loyal servant who had been by his side for years, was there to help him prepare."Is everything okay?" Addison asked his aid, a hint of worry in his voice."Yes, your highness," the aid replied with a reassuring smile. "But after your spar with the grand duke, we need to attend the meeting with the sons of other nobles, and then you have your classes to attend."Addison let out a small sigh. "Why is my schedule always so packed?" he muttered to himself as he adjusted his training gear. B
As Lucas' classes progressed each new day, the improvement in his swordsmanship became more evident to everyone, especially to his mentor, Alfred. Even Alfred was amazed at how quickly Lucas was advancing, reaching a level where he could soon challenge Alfred himself in a real sword fight."Lucas, have you been training on your own?" Alfred inquired, watching Lucas as he performed his daily exercises on the training grounds."Every day, I make sure to do some stretching and running," Lucas replied, catching his breath after a round of running. It had been two weeks since he started his classes and training, and he could already feel his body becoming more agile and nimble than before."I can see the dedication in your training," Alfred remarked, his eyes fixed on Lucas. "Would you like to spar with me today?"Lucas, thrilled and a bit nervous at the thought of testing his newfound skills, eagerly agreed to Alfred's proposal. It had only been two weeks since he started learning the art
Days passed quickly, and a month had already gone by since Lucas and his mother were kidnapped. Lucas had been studying diligently, and his swordsmanship had shown significant improvement. He could now spar with Alfred using a real sword. Additionally, he had been learning various military strategies, the history of Evreux, and different languages spoken in the empire. As Lucas rested on his bed, a knight suddenly barged into his room."Someone is waiting for you," the knight said, looking at Lucas. This was the first time Lucas had encountered this particular knight, as he was very familiar with the knights living in the castle."Who?" Lucas asked, but the knight remained silent and turned his back to him, signaling for Lucas to follow.As Lucas followed him, he realized they were headed outside the castle. This was only the second time he had been outside since he was not allowed to leave. In the distance, he saw a carriage from the imperial family, but he was certain it wasn't the
Escaping from the imperial knight was really hard for Lucas but then he found a cave near the border and stayed there for a few nights. One night, he felt a strong, strange power rushing through his body, making him feel a lot of pain. Although he wanted to give up, Lucas managed to endure the pain for a few minutes before finally falling asleep.The next morning, he woke up to find himself transformed into an animal. It was hard for him to believe that he wasn't in his human form anymore. Instead, he was now an animal with paws. Letting out a loud growl, he wondered, "Am I a werewolf?" The memory of his mother's words about a "silver werewolf" crossed his mind.The realization hit him hard - he had indeed transformed into a silver werewolf. Lucas had always thought his mom was joking when she told him he was a werewolf as a kid. Now, facing the truth, he found a bit of comfort in knowing that, for now, the Grand Duke of Brosethorn and the Empress wouldn't be able to find him.Trying t
Elliot and Maxwell were preparing to depart in two days for their academy, prompting Elliot to suggest they go hunting near the borderline that day since they had already cleared the area and no monsters were in sight."Ellie, are you ready?" Elliot called out, rapping on Elen's door."Yes, brother!" Elen responded, glancing at herself in the mirror. She was dressed in a gentle pink attire, a ribbon neatly tied in her hair."Where's brother Max?" Elen inquired, noticing Maxwell's absence."Oh, Max is still in conversation with Father," Elliot explained, his smile warm. He wore a blue suit with a sword hanging from his waist."Brother, I thought we were going hunting?" Elen questioned."Yes, we are!" Elliot confirmed."Why do you have a sword?" Elen asked with curiosity."Just for safety!" Elliot chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement."Elliot, Ellie!" Maxwell called from outside the door, "Let's go!""Coming!" Elen responded, and they both headed outside to where Max was waiting,
The hunting trip with Elen and the twins turned out to be a lot of fun. Elen caught a plump pheasant, while the twins successfully caught a bear in the forest. They all enjoyed a picnic in the afternoon, sharing sandwiches and snacks with the knights. As the sun began to set, they made the decision to head back home.After a long journey, they finally arrived at their house. To their surprise, they were greeted by an unexpected visitor. It turned out to be Chandler, the grand duke's eldest son from Adelstein."Hey, brother?" Elliot spoke up as he eyed Chandler curiously."When did you get back?" Maxwell inquired, a hint of surprise in his voice. "Did you tell father you were coming?""Yeah, father and I already had a talked about it," Chandler replied casually.Elen couldn't help but feel intrigued by the presence of the grand duke's eldest son. She couldn't deny the striking resemblance between Chandler and his father. They both had a serious and stern look, giving off an intimidatin
In the afternoon, the grand duke was engrossed in his office tasks, finalizing documents to be sent to the palace in advance. Meanwhile, the monster egg remained hidden from all, especially the imperial family. A knock interrupted his work."Who?" the grand duke called out, still signing a document."Grand duke, it's me, Elen," came the voice outside his door, seeking permission to enter."Come in," the grand duke granted, awaiting Elen's presence. "What is it?" he inquired as she entered."Can I visit the boy?" Elen asked, her gaze averted, not meeting the grand duke's eyes."Why?" the grand duke questioned, his brow furrowing in curiosity."I just want to say thank you," Elen replied softly."Your servants can convey your gratitude to him," the grand duke suggested."But I want to thank him personally," Elen insisted. "He saved me.""And?" the grand duke prodded further, wary of involving Elen with the imperial family dynamics, given Lucas's status as the emperor's illegitimate son.
Three days had passed since Elen had awoken from her deep slumber, and the next day they were due to travel back to Evreux. The air was filled with the hustle and bustle of preparation as everyone busied themselves with getting ready for the journey. Meanwhile, Elen sat on her bed, observing Rami and Rora as they carefully packed her belongings."Can I help?" Elen inquired, her eyes hopeful as she gazed at them.Rami shook her head gently, "No, my lady. The doctor advised that you need rest."Elen's expression fell, a hint of boredom evident on her face. It had been three days since she had woken up, and she was beginning to feel cooped up from the constant vigilance everyone held over her activities.Rami let out a soft chuckle at Elen's eagerness and continued with the packing, making sure everything was neatly organized. She made a mental note to include a supply of medicine for Elen, anticipating the possibility of motion sickness during their journey back to Evreux.Elen's curios
The Grand Duke left Elen's room, feeling relieved that she had woken up from her deep slumber. He made his way to his temporary office, intending to catch up on his duties."Grand Duke," Theron greeted as he entered, placing a stack of documents on the table. "The boy who helped the lady wishes to see you.""The boy?" the Grand Duke inquired, his attention divided between the papers in front of him and Theron's words."Yes, the one who came to the lady's aid," Theron clarified."Very well," the Grand Duke replied, intrigued by the idea of meeting this young man who had displayed impressive combat skills at the marketplace. While not extraordinary, the boy's potential had caught the Grand Duke's attention."I will arrange for an appointment later," Theron informed him before bowing respectfully and exiting the room, leaving the Grand Duke to ponder the upcoming meeting with the mysterious boy.The Grand Duke sat in his office, reflecting on the mysterious young man who had caught his a
As the sun began to rise in Asteria, casting its gentle light into the room where Elen lay in deep slumber, a sense of urgency gripped the hearts of those gathered around her. The doctor, beads of sweat forming on his brow, had tried everything within his power to rouse Elen from her unconscious state, but her body remained unresponsive.The tension in the room was palpable as the grand duke, a grave expression etched on his face, questioned the doctor about Elen's condition. "When will she wake up?" the grand duke inquired, his voice tinged with concern."It seems that the medicine has not taken effect on the lady's body," the doctor responded, his own anxiety evident in his voice.A heavy silence hung in the air as all eyes turned to Elen, her face pale and serene in her slumber. The implications of her continued unconsciousness weighed heavily on the doctor, knowing the gravity of the situation.The grand duke's next words sent a shiver down the doctor's spine, his tone carrying a
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."
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
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 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 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.