Cecil froze, paralysed, staring wide-eyed at the sharp tips of the javelins that aimed at her.

Though, she wasn't the only one they were aiming at.

The tip glinted dangerously in the light, and Cecil slowly raised her hands up in surrender, kicking her legs in the water to make her float.

She couldn't even form any words in her mind, she had escaped from a near-death experience only to meet one again.

The royal spring pool was befitting of its distinguished status. Its pristine, smooth tiles and stone fences and pillars, along with a small fountain in the centre of the pool, it was a sight to behold. There were even decorative rocks carefully placed around the pool.

The waters was extremely clear, one could even see all the way to the bottom, where not even a speck of dirt was found in the pool. A refreshing scent, like aftermath of a rainy day, wafted past Cecil's nose.

Alas, the three of them seemed out of place in this pool, especially with the soldiers surrounding them.

Xue narrowed his eyes, and Zasiok eyed the soldiers, clicking his tongue.

"Get out of the water, Zasiok."

Cecil recognised that voice, it belonged to the king.

"Why are you pointing those weapons at the two of us?" Xue questioned coldly, not bothering to address the king.

The king glanced nonchalantly at Cecil and Xue, sneering.

"Oh, pardon my rudeness, I didn't realise you were the queen's invited guests from afar," he apologised indifferently. "Guards, withdraw your weapons, and help the esteemed guests."

The guards aided Xue and Cecil, disregarding Zasiok who had to push himself up, his body still covered with injuries of all kind.

At that moment, thunderous footfalls were heard behind the king, followed by the queen reprimanding in an authoritative voice.

"Halt! What do you think you are doing? How dare you point those weapons mindlessly, put them away this instant!"

Zasiok caught a glance of the king clenching his jaw, before plastering an apologetic smile on his face as he moved past the guards. He greeted the queen affectionately, like a husband would, explaining the situation.

"Pardon me, the royal spring pool is a sacred area, with those big splashes, I assumed they were intruders," the king sighed, sounding guilty. "Please forgive my rude manners, I never meant to treat our guests this way."

The queen sighed at his words, immediately fussing over the three of them. "Someone get some blankets, hurry!"

"Right away, Your Majesty!"

Kian, who was standing beside the queen, cast a furtive glance towards Zasiok. He furrowed his eyebrows, biting on his lips, distressed.

He made the entire situation worse for Zasiok.

***

The three of them were covered in blankets, and Cecil marvelled at the smooth material of the blanket. Compared to Cecil and Xue, Zasiok did not receive a rather coarse blanket, though, he remained stoic.

"My dearest, I'm sure you have received the information by now." The king stated, standing beside the queen.

"I...did..." the queen furrowed her eyebrows. "Have you really found conclusive proof?"

"Yes, I have. Even witnesses."

Cecil wore her haughty mien, observing the king and queen, her thoughts wandering about inside her mind. She wondered if the name for the queen and the king would ever be revealed.

Do I have to keep hearing them address Your Majesty, queen or king?

...unless, the author never gave them a name at all. That's really...the author is really too lazy.

Cecil was confused how her mind was still wandering in this situation.

"Bring them out."

Three soldiers marched out, holding different objects. One held a bloodied shirt meant for an adult, and the other held a bloodied shirt meant for a child. The last one held a porcelain bowl, with a stark white powdery substance in it.

Its texture seemed particularly fine.

The queen assessed the soldiers, and the contents of the bowl. She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Shape-shifting powder? Those...those powders are rare and difficult to refine, how did you..."

Cecil also frowned upon peeking at the contents of the bowl. Including being notoriously difficult to make, this powder was little in demand, even for royalty, getting their hands on this powder isn't cheap in any manner.

"I traded with the alchemist, but no matter," the king waved it off. "My queen, observe how the powder moves."

The king scooped a generous portion of powder, pouring it onto the shirt meant for a child. Almost instantly, the powder quivered before shooting up into the air, hovering, forming two lines.

The powdery lines converged, twisting and meandering like a vine coiling its way up a tree. Eventually, they fused together to form a distinct symbol of fire, and the original white powder had become a fiery red.

"This was the last element detected on...the prince. He doesn't belong to a fire element."

The queen's regal posture faltered, the pain visible on her face as she listened to the king.

The king proceeded to pour the powder onto the next shirt. It behaved the same way, forming a shape and colour identical to the fire symbol.

"The powder is rare, is because of one particular trait it has. It is capable of identifying the original source."

The powders combined together, forming a big lump of red powder before making a line towards a direction, and the eyes of the crowd followed it. However, before they had even finished trailing the line of red powder, someone had already stepped up and the powder rushed straight at them.

"Enough, there isn't any need to show any further."

Zasiok conjured his flames, hitting the powder aside as if he was swatting a fly. The red powder lost its lustre, turning to a dull black and collapsing to the ground, scattering.

The queen, upon seeing this, stumbled back in disbelief and Kian hurried to support her.

The red powder would only react in this manner if it touched the original source of the elemental energy.

"Your Majesty!"

"Ki-Kian...tell me, how am I supposed to see this? How am I supposed to deal with this? I...I...I trusted Zasiok, he was a dear friend to me and you...and..."

"Your Majesty..."

"Are you saying, it was all really true? And his parents, his parents that I have never seen before, even dared to show up on that day to--"

The queen squeezed her eyes close, shaking her head.

Zasiok turned to the queen, wearing a solemn mask on his face. Zasiok glanced to Kian, and Kian furrowed his eyebrows at Zasiok, helpless.

"What now?"

Kian mouthed to Zasiok.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. Your Highness."

Zasiok mouthed back, and Kian looked down, terribly upset.

Sighing, Zasiok spun around, his violet eyes narrowing at the king, and he begun marching towards him. The same king couldn't help but flinch back, and a few soldiers rushed up, assuming defensive positions.

"How dare you behave in such a manner, especially as a criminal! A murderer--"

"Where are my parents?" Zasiok interrupted the king, sounding calm albeit his eyes were ablaze.

He did not even bother to address the king.

Cecil watched the scene unfolding right before her, uneasy. Xue just scanned his surroundings, clearly uninterested at the events, and Hana blinked curiously at everyone.

"Insolence--"

"Where. Are. They." Zasiok enunciated, still remaining composed.

The king gritted his teeth. "Fine, I'll show you," the king then smirked, before demanding the guard beside him. "Bring them here."

Hearing those words, Zasiok's composed facade slipped, breaking apart slightly.

He...he brought my parents...here? Along with all these evidences...

Why now? And why did they not hide, like I told them too?

Zasiok grew apprehensive, something stabbed at his gut. He knew that the situation would only go downhill from here.

An elderly couple was instantly dragged out and tossed mercilessly to the gravel path. Zasiok couldn't hide his fury now and charged forward.

"You dare to treat my parents--"

Three guards moved swiftly, conjuring three pillars from beneath the earth, and trapping Zasiok in place. They collided with him hard enough, to cause Zasiok to cough up blood.

His body was already battered, and he only managed to keep himself up due to adrenaline and sheer willpower.

His elderly parents, upon seeing their son cough up blood, exclaimed both in pain and concern.

"Your son has committed murder and treason, and in the worst manner. Just him alone wouldn't be enough to pay the price," the king announced, unsheathing his sword and pointing it at Zasiok. "The entire family will pay for the price, with their life."

Zasiok stilled.

Kian blanched, still holding the queen in his arms. "Yo-Your Majesty, the king, he is going to execute them on the spot!"

Kian looked at the queen, who was distraught, mumbling to herself.

"They-they all told me it couldn't be him, even I did so...I believed. I believed and believed, and--"

"Your Majesty!"

The queen looked up, her once regal and beautiful image gone. She pointed blankly at Zasiok and his parents, her smile crooked.

"He killed my son. They killed my son. Our son, Kian."

"Bu-but he--"

"Kian, our son..."

Kian glanced back and forth between a struggling Zasiok and his distraught, beloved queen.

The king smirked wider as he uttered the next few words. "You'll accompany your parents soon enough, Zasiok."

A group of guards restrained his parents, and two of them holding the spears in their hands, assuming an attacking stance.

"I'll kill you, I'll fucking kill you!" Zasiok roared, his blood pumping through his veins and his chest undulating rapidly.

"Zasiok, Zasiok, my dear son!"

The guards holding Zasiok back could feel him breaking through with sheer strength. More of them came in to hold Zasiok down, and the king felt a chill run down his spine at Zasiok's outbursts.

Even with his battered body, he could still resist in such a manner. The king had no doubt that Zasiok will kill him, thus, he had to do finish this quick.

"Do it!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Cecil watched on in horror, the situation had escalated so quickly, that she couldn't even comprehend it properly. She glanced at Xue, who didn't even care, in fact, he looked like he'll walk away at any moment.

Just then, Cecil heard a chime within her mind, it was none other than AI500. She then looked away from Xue, whose grey eyes strayed towards her.

Cecil skimmed the floating messages sprawled before her eyes, and she hurried to move. However, before she even took a step, someone grabbed at her wrist.

"What are you planning to do now?"

She recognised that silvery voice immediately, turning around. "Xue?"

How is he suddenly beside me? Wasn't he just there a second ago?

Cecil furrowed her eyebrows at Xue's question, glancing at his hand on her wrist. "I apologise Xue, but I need to--"

Xue proceeded to tug at her wrist, closing their distance as she gasped.

"Are you trying to get involved with another one of "me" again? Even after all that happened?"

That question left Cecil speechless, and she gazed at Xue, his eyes stormy and gloomy.

***

《 start 》

Once again, you are voluntarily getting yourself involved with "me". Even after everything you have been through.

Why are you going that far for them?

...why...why can't you just stay by my side?

《 stop 》