“Her home stands outside in the eastern part of the kingdom gates…”
“Thank you…” he smirked. Then he marched to the window at the end of the room.
“No… Lord Kael—”
“I’ll see you at her place!” Kael winked, and he fell backwards. A trail of yellow light followed shallowly as Kael’s feet faded from the window frame.
Lupis’s tongue caught in her throat. Did the young duke just jump out of my window?! She ran to the window and looked.
Kael floated in the air as he ran toward the eastern side of the kingdom gate.
“Why?!” William caterwauled on his knees.
Soon, Kael arrived at the house in the forest, by itself. He looked at the front of the house, then he glanced behind him.
“There’s a burial not too far from here… could that tombstone be Persai’s?” Kael wondered. Then he opened the small gate and walked to the front door. He softly knocked on the door.
He waited.
The leaves scurried behind him as he stood.
“Could she be home?”
William suddenly appeared from afar, dying from exhaustion.
“Lord Kael… let me resign. Please,” William begged as he continued to walk toward Kael.
Kael pondered as he turned to the side.
“Didn’t Dame Lupis say that she just graduated from the Academy yesterday?” Kael recalled.
William panted and nodded.
“Yes… yes, she did…” he exasperated.
Kael nodded, staring at the door.
“Then she will come home soon. The Office of Affairs will be scanning each of them. You’ll wait here,” Kael ordered.
William jolted, pointing at himself.
“What?! Why me?”
Karl smiled, patting William’s shoulder.
“Because… you’re still working under me.”
William seethed as he bit his tongue. This crazy ass heir to a dukedom! Why can’t I just beat you up right now?!
“Curse about me all you want…” Kael said. Then he walked past William. “But you know, no one pays you better than my grandfather.”
William’s eye muscle twitched as he clenched his fists.
“This darn bastard… he’s right about that.”
Kael walked away, leaving William alone in front of the house as he waited.
Meanwhile, Valencia finally stepped inside the laboratory, where the agents checked the Guides’ ranks. Her hands sweated as she avoided eye contact at all times. Evie stared at her.
“Hands up…” Evie demanded.
Valencia flinched as she nodded. She stretched her arms like a cross, shutting her eyes tightly. Please… please fail!
A light shone from above. A yellow gemstone fused with magic, detecting Valencia’s aura as best as possible.
Her heart raced rapidly as she only heard her heartbeat. The voices around her faded as she panted.
“No…” she mumbled. Soon, all she could hear was a distorted and faint laughter. Around her. Her muscles tensed up as she bit her lower lip.
“Oh, Valencia…” the same distorted voice called.
Footsteps thudded closer, and closer, but echoed louder.
Valencia swallowed a lump of fear and anxiety. Please… stop this already!
“Stop!”
Her chest heaved, and for a fleeting moment, her irises flickered violet. A faint ripple of purple aura brushed the gemstone above—so subtle that no one could see it—but the gemstone shivered and cracked with a sharp snap. Her eyes returned to green just as quickly as they changed, and she gasped, heart racing.
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