Chapter 307: The Varkhalis Enigma
Aden had seen how strong and capable Oliver was, especially in the way he fought in Dartmouth, doing everything he could to protect others. The fact that Oliver had gone as far as seeking out his brother Lucian, a High Council member, to help his friends only deepened that admiration. Aden could not help but respect him for going so far out of his way.
It gave Aden the courage to push himself further, hoping that one day he might be of some use to Oliver and become a man even remotely close to him. From that day onward, he began following Oliver around like a shadow. Of course, he met some resistance at first, but eventually Oliver relented and, in his own way, took him under his wing, realising that Aden harboured no ulterior motives.
In the end, it became routine for them to share their meals together, as neither of them had anyone else to spend their time with.
Clearing his throat as if he were about to impart the wisdom of the centuries, Aden leaned in. "Well....of course I know who they’re talking about. I know everything that happens in this place, after all," he boasted.
When Oliver met him with a deadpan stare, Aden straightened up and finally spilled the tea. "I heard he arrived late last night, well after curfew. The only people who saw him were those rooming near his appointed quarters. I don’t have many details yet, but the consensus is that he’s a Lumen."
His voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "I also overheard Professor Lupin telling someone that he’s apparently from a kingdom closely tied to Luminear and Roseville..."
"And which kingdom is that?" Oliver probed, his brows furrowed in thought.
"The Kingdom of Varkhalis," Aden replied swiftly.
Oliver’s eyes narrowed as he echoed the name. "Varkhalis....isn’t that the one with the crippled monarch?"
"Yes....the King of that realm is practically tyrannical, and the royal family has been at each other’s throats for the crown for as long as anyone can remember. It’s downright chaotic, to say the least," Aden scoffed, looking as though he were thanking the stars he hadn’t been born into such a mess.
"I’ve heard the Mad King is obsessed with power," Oliver mused. "That’s why he established ties with Luminear and Roseville.....to sell the precious minerals his kingdom produces. They have the highest production in the world because of all those active volcanoes."
"That’s correct. And if I’m not mistaken, much like Roseville, where your current Queen Elara hails from.....the Kingdom of Varkhalis is populated by both Lumens and humans."
Oliver fell silent for a moment, his mind working through the implications. "So, this new student....is he royalty?"
Aden let out a heavy sigh, looking as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "That, I was unable to find out, sadly. He hasn’t interacted with anyone yet, and none of the professors have breathed a word about his status."
Oliver pondered the kind of connection this new arrival might have with Luminear and Roseville. Yet it was not that which troubled him most, but the fact that the man had been allowed to join so late into an academic term that was already nearing its end.
He was still lost in thought when a sudden commotion rippled through the bustling dining hall. As he turned his gaze towards the entrance, his brown eyes widened at the sight of the newcomer stepping inside.
A wide, cocky grin was plastered across Damien’s face. His crimson eyes scanned the familiar faces at the tables, all of which were fixed solely on him, as if the students couldn’t believe he had actually shown up.
Those crimson eyes finally landed on Oliver’s, and his grin widened even further.
"Stop blocking the way, Damien. There’s no need to be so flashy with your entrance every single time," a female voice rang out from behind him. Cece sounded as though she were rolling her eyes at her brother’s predictable antics.
A light, masculine chuckle followed, "Let him have his moment, Cece. I’m sure he missed the attention."
"Fine, Cece. I’ll give you this one," Damien finally drawled, his stride resuming as he moved into the room.
By now, a wide smile had spread across Oliver’s face as he rose from his seat while Damien, Cece, and Edward made their way towards him.
"I am glad to see you all back," Oliver said warmly, the smile only adding to his already handsome features.
"Good to see you doing well, Lord Oliver," Damien replied, while Edward and Cece offered matching smiles and nods.
Oliver’s brown eyes shifted behind them, clearly searching for someone else.
As if reading the unspoken question, Damien chuckled and added, "Ah, the one you are looking for is..."
He glanced over his shoulder, pausing as though he had just heard two familiar sets of footsteps.
"There is your answer," Damien finished, his grin widening.
Moments later, another pair stepped through the entrance, and the reaction was immediate. Students froze, their jaws practically hitting the floor at the sight of the breathtaking prince who had been missing for far too long. They stared openly, as though committing every angelic feature of his face to memory, grateful simply to be blessed with the sight.
But their collective awe turned into outright breathlessness when their gazes shifted to the ethereal beauty walking beside him, the very woman who had been the source of relentless gossip throughout the academy for the past week.
But there she was, her beautiful, curvy yet slender form radiant, a warm smile spread across her face as her blue eyes shone while she took in the crowd.
One of her hands was held snugly by the prince beside her, and she leaned in to murmur, "I cannot deny that I missed this place. Did you not?"
Her lovely eyes searched his face expectantly, and he did not disappoint. "Hm....only when you are here with me," he replied, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
She beamed at him before turning her attention to the room, her gaze finally settling on Oliver and the others.
Together, they walked towards them with effortless grace, fully aware of the stunned stares following their every step. By now, however, they were more than accustomed to such attention and paid it no mind.
"Lord Oliver! It’s so wonderful to see you after so long!" Eve exclaimed, her voice bright with excitement as she offered him a radiant smile.
Oliver was momentarily bedazzled by the warmth she threw his way. However, the second he felt a bone-chilling glare from the "Dark Lord" standing beside her, he quickly averted his eyes and cleared his throat.
"I am well, Princess. I hope you have returned to good health?" he asked her, his smile now a bit more guarded.
"I have!" she replied cheerfully.
Oliver finally dared to meet Ivan’s gaze and gave him a respectful nod. "Your Highness, I’m glad to see you back in good health as well."
Though Oliver didn’t say it aloud, Ivan knew exactly what he meant. The man was referencing the state he had been in back in Dartmouth when he was on the verge of a total collapse.
Ivan acknowledged the sentiment with a wordless, solemn nod.
Damien suddenly broke the tension, declaring that he was famished and would very much like to eat before grueling classes occupied the rest of his day.
Agreeing with him, the group claimed the empty seats around Oliver and began gathering their breakfast. Once they were settled, Oliver took the opportunity to introduce Prince Aden to everyone once again.
Damien and Cece fought back smiles, remembering that this was the same man who had once dared to make a move on Evelyn, only for Ivan to crush him brutally.
Aden flushed at the memory but managed to keep his expression composed. He had no desire to embarrass himself in front of Evelyn, while Ivan continued to ignore him as if he had wiped the entire incident from his memory.
However, after Oliver recounted Aden’s bravery back in Dartmouth, Evelyn felt a surge of gratitude and thanked him warmly.
As breakfast continued, the group could feel the weight of everyone’s gazes on them, but they ignored the attention as if it were nothing more than background.
In the middle of the meal, Eve suddenly remembered something. "Prince Aden, since you are from the Kingdom of Sunfire, I wanted to ask....are you well-versed in the ancient languages yourself?"
Aden, who had been stuffing food into his mouth to cope with the nerves of being in such close proximity to Ivan, choked at the sound of his name on Evelyn’s lips. He coughed violently, pounding his chest as he unceremoniously gulped down his water to clear his throat.
Releasing a shaky sigh of relief, he looked up to find the entire table staring at him with concern. "Are you alright?" Eve asked.
"Y-yes... ahem... my apologies for that unsightly moment," Aden replied, smoothing out his voice and straightening his posture as if nothing had happened.
