Chapter 195: The Moonless Night
Back at the Rosemount Hotel, the students had been sent back safely to rest, with the explanation that the queen needed to discuss something with the professors and a few students who remained at the castle. Although many wondered what could have prompted such a sudden change, some didn’t pay much attention to it, assuming it must be something important, and went back to their own activities.
However, there were others who definitely sensed something was off. It all felt a little too suspicious, especially knowing their professors would never leave them alone like this, not with the Darkrots threat looming over them.
In the dining hall of the Rosemount Hotel, as everyone ate their meals, one person in particular was staring down at his food with a deep frown on his handsome face. The man was none other than Oliver.
Currently lost in thought, he couldn’t shake off how suspicious everything felt. Knowing the real reason they had all come to this kingdom in the first place, he found it far too strange that all his friends had left the dining hall in the palace one by one, followed by both professors soon after. He had grown increasingly worried when none of them returned. His mind was spiraling with all sorts of possibilities about what might have happened.
His suspicions only solidified when even the professors failed to come back. Instead, a guard had appeared later, informing them that their professors had instructed the students to return to the hotel because they were in an important meeting with the queen.
What could they possibly need to discuss that required them to stay back in the castle? Anyone else might have believed the explanation, but not Oliver. He knew everything surrounding Evelyn’s betrothal, Ivan’s reason for entering the Vault of Ages...things were far from simple. A restless unease churned in his stomach as his worry for them grew with each passing second.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice someone had approached his table. The person cleared his throat deliberately louder than necessary to catch his attention.
Oliver snapped his head up, and his brows lifted when he saw who it was: the human prince, Aden Blackwell.
Aden looked a little embarrassed to be the one initiating a conversation. His pride as a prince still made him believe people should approach him, not the other way around. But after some internal debating, he had decided that the matter was important enough for him to be "benevolent" and make the first move for a good cause, of course.
When Oliver didn’t speak and simply stared at him with those calm brown eyes that silently asked, ’What do you want?’, Aden straightened his back and cleared his throat.
"Ahem, well, Lord Oliver...I see that you are having your meal," Aden began, his eyes drifting from Oliver to the untouched plate in front of him. He awkwardly cleared his throat again before muttering under his breath, "Or should I say pretending to..."
Oliver let go of his cutlery with a sigh and straightened. "Is there something you would like to say to me, Prince Aden?" He was in no mood for unnecessary chit-chat when his mind was already so strained with worry over his friends, so he cut straight to the point.
Prince Aden looked at Oliver for a moment, as if assessing whether he should speak further. He remained silent, studying the young heir of the Lumen Duke and contemplating whether he should take the risk. Then his eyes drifted around the dining hall, taking in the other students, and he realised he really didn’t have any other option.
Taking a sharp breath, Aden asked, "Lord Oliver....you are friends with Princess Evelyn, aren’t you?"
Oliver’s brows knit together slightly as he wondered what this man was getting at. "Yes, you could say that...why?"
"Well..." Aden began, feeling sweat gather at the back of his neck under Oliver’s watchful gaze. He cleared his throat again, then leaned slightly forward and spoke in a low tone, "I need to discuss something with you."
Oliver continued to observe the prince’s bizarre behaviour and replied flatly, "Go on then." He gestured toward the empty seat beside him for Aden to sit.
Aden looked at the chair, then back at Oliver with a conflicted expression. "Not here, Lord Oliver. You see...it...it is-" He glanced nervously around at the surrounding students, then leaned in even closer to whisper, "It’s sensitive in nature."
Oliver’s expression was now filled with confusion. He looked Aden straight in the eye and said, "I hope you aren’t under any kind of influence and doing all of this just to drag me into some dark corner and end me." His eyes narrowed dangerously in silent warning. "I hope you remember I am from a stronger Lumen bloodline." It wasn’t a boast but more a reminder to the human prince that if he had any tricks up his sleeve, Oliver was more than capable of handling him.
Although Oliver sensed no malice from Aden, he still found it extremely odd that the prince would seek him out like this, requesting a private conversation.
Aden gulped softly at the young duke’s subtle threat before rolling his eyes. "I assure you, I’m completely normal, and I would gain absolutely nothing by hurting you. I am a prince, after all. What could I possibly gain by harming you?" he said, arrogance slipping into his tone, as if reminding himself and Oliver that he was royalty people far too often forgot to treat as such.
"You couldn’t even if you tried," Oliver replied confidently.
Aden stared at him for a moment before sighing. "Look, I have something to tell you, but if you’re not interested, we’ll just leave it at that. I don’t want to waste my time any further." With that, he turned and began walking away.
He had taken barely three steps when he abruptly stopped, spun around, and came back to Oliver, sounding almost desperate. "Please, just come with me, will you!"
Oliver gave him a slow once-over and saw how the human prince looked ready to burst into tears if he refused. Releasing a tired breath, Oliver rose from his seat, standing to his full height that easily towered over Aden and said, "Fine. Let’s go to my room."
Aden nodded frantically and followed Oliver like a lost puppy.
...
Back in the silent chamber of the castle, Eve sat on the windowsill, staring out at the dark sky, trying to spot the moon...but the night remained pitch-black, with no moon in sight, much like her life at that moment. She had no particular thought in mind when she heard a knock at her door.
She didn’t bother to turn or reply, continuing to sit there, staring blankly ahead.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
It came louder this time, yet she still stubbornly refused to answer. When no response came, the person quietly turned the doorknob and stepped inside.
"Ah... you are in here, Princess Evelyn," a deep voice resonated through the silent room, finally making Evelyn turn toward the person standing by the door.
Prince Valen gave her a cocky smirk, and Eve narrowed her cold eyes at him. "Yet you entered the room without my consent. Is this the royal etiquette befitting a prince?"
Valen burst into a chuckle as though she had said something hilarious. His eyes held a barely concealed obsession as he looked at her, grinning from ear to ear. "How cold, princess. That’s no way to speak to your husband-to-be, is it?" he said, stepping further into the room.
Eve’s gaze hardened at his words. Never in her life had she felt so repulsed by the word "husband."
Eve gracefully stepped down from the windowsill, standing tall as she faced him. "You are not my husband-to-be yet. Not until I accept it in public," she said in an icy voice. "And I will remind you to respect my boundaries as the Princess of Luminear."
Her fierce gaze did not waver as she added, "And even if you were, you still would not be allowed to enter my chambers until we are married. I hope His Highness can understand this perfectly."
Valen was practically titillated to see her talk back so fiercely, something no woman had ever dared to do. His gaze raked over her slowly, his mind drifting into a euphoric haze as his mother’s words echoed repeatedly about the deal she had made with this little princess. As his sickening stare travelled lower, his pale green eyes caught the golden bracelet on her delicate wrist. He knew she wouldn’t be able to use her powers now, even if she wanted to. In his mind, she had become nothing more than an ordinary woman, just like all the others he had violated in the past.
His throat went dry at the thought of finally having her sooner than expected, now that the prince was essentially dead and out of the way. Oh, how he couldn’t wait to hear her screams echo through every chamber of this palace. He yearned for it! The very idea was so maddening for him that he felt his pants tightening below.
