Chapter 41: After the Trials

At the edge of the moonlit clearing stood two enigmatic figures that seemed as if plucked from a fairytale. Unlike before, when they first met King and Princess, they appeared different here in this grove.

The first, a small boy, was clad in an ensemble of deep black, making him appear as a shadow against the night. His attire was meticulously crafted, with intricate patterns of silver thread that mimicked the stars above, giving him an ethereal presence. His face was hidden behind a wooden mask, expertly carved with the visage of a rabbit, complete with discerning eyes and twitching whiskers. The mask lent him an air of mystique. At the same time, his posture and the deliberate, measured way he held himself betrayed a gravity and maturity that seemed far beyond his tender years.