The golden rays of evening sunlight illuminated the large hall, giving it that warm golden sunset vibe. In contrast to the vast expanse of the throneroom, only two lone figures occupied the space.
Sitting on the exquisite looking throne was the great King Elric in his usual majestic demeanor. With his head resting on his chin, his golden irises were dull as if gazing into something far beyond the stone walls.
"I take it he's gone... Right Winston?" Elric asked, directing his question to the only other person in the hall.
"Yes, your highness." Winston answered with a bow.
"Tell me..." Elric began after a short silence. "... You have been training those two these few days haven't you?..."
"Yes..." he answered again. "I have."
"I see..." he paused again while shifting his distance gaze to Winston. "How did it go?"
Although he has already expected this question, he still couldn't figure. Out the right words to describe their progress this far.
"Um... Sire... Those two..." he stuttered before remembering a line Damian said to him before, and spoke up with a soft smile. "...They're strong."
"You don't say... I had a feeling, but ever since I summoned that boy, a felt something odd around him..." Elric remarked with a sly grin, bringing back the silence in the hall once again.
"I'm sure Lyra's power comes mainly from her class, but gir the young master to even be stronger than her..." Winston muttered, breaking the silence.
"Haha, is that so, interesting... But sadly,..." He added while tapping the throne. "...You can't get here with just your fists alone, that's for sure." Elric stated.
'But you already know that, Isn't that right Damian...' he thought with a grin.
"Your highness..."
Elric rose, his cloak trailing as he approached Winston and walked past him with gentle steps.
"I've worn this crown longer than most of them have been alive," he said. "I know what's coming. The question is not if a storm is coming—but who walks out of it."
Winston bowed. "Your highness... Do you think he will win? I mean... It was quite the bet I must say."
Elric paused as he cast Winston a side glance with a smiling scoff.
"…Time will tell," he murmured as he turned and walked away. 'Only time will tell.'
• • •
"So the commoner has finally left the mansion... And to Xander's institute of all places" Lucien whispered as he swirled the wine in his glass with care. 'What are you planning father?'
"Hmph... I guess you didn't hear of the wager he made with father, did you brother." Kaia spoke up with a smile.
"A wager?... What's that about?" Lucien inquired.
"The little brat promised father he'd come home with the title of no. 1 in the entire school." Kai cut in from the side with a smirk. "And what's more, he bet on his right as a prince of the Kingdom haha... Poor kid." he mocked.
"Do he really?... Now that's quite the interesting development... He probably doesn't know how Xander's Institute grades its students huh." Lucien added while standing to his feet.
"Xander's Institute is one of a kind, especially in its ranking system..." Lucien began while looking out of the window onto the castle grounds. "You see, it's possible for you to score above every other person in the school, and come on in top, yes, but according to the schools policy, to attain the position of first, all the way to 5th, you'd have to get above a certain... score limit." He explained.
"A score limit? What's that all about? I always thought that the school was just that impossible to pass." Kai remarked.
"Not exactly..." Lucien continued. "You see, since the school was founded, statistics show that the number of students who graduate with a passing grade are at most,
"That low?!..." Kai exclaimed. "Haha! That little brat won't might not even be among the passing grade to begin with! We might as well forg-"
"I don't think that would be wise big brother..." Aeron blurted out, finally speaking up from the shadows where he stood in silence.
"The hell are you talking about Aeron? Didn't you hear what Lucien said just now?"
"I agree with Aeron." Kaia said with a hand raised.
"Huh?"
"He does have a point" Lucien grinned. "I just can't put my finger on it, but that boy is one of a kind."
"You too big brother?" Kai inquired with a hint of confusion. "How can that little brat possibly be of any threat to our plans?"
With the stupid smirk still plastered on his face, Lucien turned to face his siblings as he took a sip from his glass.
"What can I say?..." he smiled," Only time will tell."
• • •
Somewhere else outside Edelgard, still in the Aureon Kingdom, Arthur Blackthorne sat before his desk, filling some paperwork when a knock came on his door.
"Hey brother..." Marcine called out afyer entering the room.
"What do you want?" Arthur asked calmly, while still focusing on his paperwork.
"Common... Are you pushing me away?" She asked in her cheery but matured voice. "Aren't I your type?" She teased while striking a pose.
In reality, she was actually quite the beauty, Her long curly yellow hair and her perfect body proportions made her a sight to behold.
"Give it a rest Marcine. Why did you come here?" He asked finally looking from his papers.
"Okay... Remember father's 7th child? The new sibling?"
"Yes I do, and?" He asked as he returned back to the papers with that I don't care attitude written all over his face.
"Well an informant told me the kid's going to school today."
"And?" He asked again with that annoying but calm tone, but Marcine didn't mind as her next statement actually made him flinch.
"Care to guess which school father sent him to?" She asked as Arthur paused his writing and looked up at his sister, after which, a momentary short silence followed the conversation.
"You don't say" he whispered with a rather blank expression. "What do you know about the kid?" He inquired out of curiosity.
"Ever heard of Swordmage?"
"Of course I have, it's a normal class afterall..." He sighed before continuing his work.
"Well that's the boy's class." She stated.
"And you're certain father actually sent him to Xander's Institute?" Arthur asked again while Marcine confirmed with a nod.
"What is the old man plotting?..." Arthur asked.
"I have no idea, but it could have something to do with his retainer..." She said as she leaned in for a whisper. "Word is... Her class is the Ice Empress..."
"What?" Arthur blurted out, his tone rising a bit over a whisper.
"Now I see..." Arthur muttered with a grin. Father probably wants to take advantage of him..." Arthur chuckled. "Fret not sister,... he boy is merely a pawn in the grand scheme of things I mean, afterall, he's failure in the academy is already secured." He added while scribbling down on a paper.
'I have a hard time believing that.' Marcine doubted internally as she turned to take her leave.
With her hand on the door knob, she called out to her brother one last time with a serious tone unlike before causing Arthur to look up at her again.
"Arthur... Do you... Think he has what it takes to become king?" asked Marcine.
"Do I?..." He asked while turning to look out of the window before replying. "I guess only time will tel huh... That good enough for you?" He inquired.
"Yeah."