Chapter 19

Prince Aiden was waiting patiently inside the palace. He heard from Zen that the Knight's Selection Exam has ended so he has been watching at his studies' window. It was past dinner time and he hasn't eaten yet, Zen was behind him.

"Your Highness, you should eat your dinner already" he pleaded

"I'll eat together with father and Catori"

Zen sighed but he could not blame the boy. His father never paid attention to him and dinner time was the only time they can see each other even if they're not talking. For the past months, his majesty even distances himself from the prince by eating at his library.

"Ah! I see them Zen! Father's carriage!" He points to a carriage going directly to the palace. The young prince rushes to go down and meet them at the entrance.

[Finally! Catori's here!]

When he reached the entrance he saw an unfamiliar face. A beautiful purple-haired boy with blue eyes goes down the carriage together with the coachman and opened the door. King Ryu comes out as well, Prince Aiden was ecstatic seeing his father and goes to him.

"Ah! Prince Aiden don't run!" Zen followed.

"Father! Father!"

King Ryu looked at him with an uninterested face "You're not asleep yet?"

The Prince shakes his head "I was waiting for you to arrive so we can have dinner together!"

"Prince Aiden?" Catori says his name and the Prince looks at the back of the carriage

"Catori! Catori! You're finally here!!!" The young boy jumps towards her and gave her a tight hug.

Zen was displeased when he saw Catori and was even more displeased when he saw Gin "Who are you?" He asked

"Oh, My name is Gin. I'm a new knight his majesty chose along with Catori" Gin replied.

"Sigh. It's already in the middle of the night and you're all noisy" King Ryu spoke

He watched Prince Aiden and Catori "I'm not hungry...Catori, please eat with him"

"But, I want to eat with you father..." The prince insisted.

"No, Zen accompany me to my room. You can leave Aiden with them."

Zen straighten his back "Y-yes! Your majesty, may I asked where Leon is?"

"He'll be back soon"

The King goes inside the palace leaving the three behind.

Still hugging Catori, Prince Aiden was a bit disappointed. He thought his father would dine together with them like the time he saved Catori.

"Prince Aiden?" Catori asked she noticed the young boy was sad by his father's rejection.

"We'll accompany you," Gin comes closer to them and kneeled in front of the prince.

"Your Highness, my name is Gin Ward and I'm a new knight. It is an honor to be of service to you, the future sun of Etilania"

Aiden gave him a smile "I'm happy Catori met a friend. Please take care of me" and the three of them went inside the palace.

---

Already dressed in his sleeping robe King Ryu was disturbed by Leon who just arrived.

"Did you finished what I asked you to do?"

Leon was hiding near his door that only half of his face was illuminated by the moonlight.

"Of course your Majesty"

"Then please report"

Leon explained what Royce confessed before his death that he did everything with Albert to fail Catori and Gin. Leon also spoke of his last words how he used the palace money for himself.

"I see"

"I heard you got ambushed by bandits along the way," said Leon

"Yeah but everything was settled because of those two"

"Well, that makes me happy as their senior" Leon smiled

King Ryu was looking distant while Leon looks at him worried.

"Please tell that Ward boy to meet me first thing in the morning... " the King ordered

Leon gave him a slight nod and left the room. The King gave off a sigh, he knew when he visited Corhall before the goblin's siege the place was not maintained well. The arena was the only place he finds supported but the people who lived there including the knights were living in difficulty. He was glad the head knight's dead and decided to handle Corhall into his own hands. He cannot help but Catori's words suddenly popped into his head.

'I won't betray you, your majesty'

The words were repeating that he can't help but smile.

"If you try to betray me white hair, I would not hesitate to kill you by my own hands" he uttered.

---

Morning came, Prince Aiden got up in bed early in the morning. He enjoyed his dinner with Catori and Gin last night and wants to see them work today. So when he finished his breakfast before going to his studies he passed by the Knight's training grounds and finds Catori.

"Catorrrrriiii!" He happily called her

Catori was already wearing the royal knights uniform-clad in blue and red silk. Her long hair was tied in a high ponytail, this was the first time Prince Aiden saw her dressed well and could not deny she looked beautiful.

"Wow. Look at you! You look so good in a knights uniform!"

Catori flushed of embarrassment that everyone around her heard the young prince.

"P-prince! Don't say such things in front of all these people..." She slowly crouches her head.

"But I'm only telling the truth! Where's Sir Gin?"

"Ah, he's been summoned by your father. He'll be coming here shortly"

When Zen arrived at the training grounds following the young prince, he too was awestruck when he sees Catori. As soon as their eyes met he suddenly flinched and grabs the young prince.

"It's so early in the morning your making me run around the palace again! Your tutor is already waiting inside your studies!" He scolded

"Tsk! I thought you'll be arriving a few minutes late.." Prince Aiden pouted and he was dragged by Zen back to the palace.

Catori was happily waving at them when she felt dozens of negative eyes looking at her among her co-knights.

[I guess here and the Corhall camp are no different either huh] she looked to them worriedly.

---

Meanwhile, at the throne room Gin was greeted by the presence of the King himself along with Leon.

"Blessings to the Sun of Etilania" he raises his right arm on his chest and slightly bows.

King Ryu already seated on his throne as usual head on his hand and crosses his legs. Instead of looking bored, he was giving a rather serious look.

"This is where I announced your father's treason," he said

Gin cringed by his sudden statement.

"He died in prison without even meeting his family"

King Ryu was expecting Gin to give him an angry look but the boy only looks at him with a sincere expression.

"I am not my father, your majesty," he said

"So are you telling us you chose the King not out of revenge?" Leon clarifies

"No! I don't know how I can prove it to you but I chose his majesty out of good intention so I may be able to give my sister proper medication"

"What is your sister's illness?" The King asked

"She has a heart problem, your majesty, as you can see I did not inherit my father's title, my family lost everything including all our lands the only one left was our home back in Grias"

"I see..." The king strokes his chin "I have a proposition for you that I'm sure you can never turn down"

The King places both his hands in a triangular thinking position looking a bit intimidating.

"I will give your sister the best medication there is across my kingdom and your family a monthly stipend for food and such separate from your salary as a knight"

King Ryu saw how Gin's jaw dropped and his eyes got wider.

"Under one condition"

Gin's face turned serious "What condition?"

"I heard that you're a genius, that's how you manage to do those tricks because you use this..." King Ryu taps his head.

"How's that related to your condition, your majesty?"

"I noticed on our way back here you have been looking inside my carriage especially at the seat in front of me"

King Ryu notices the change in Gin's expression. "You saw him right?"

Gin nodded. Leon was astounded when Gin confirmed, "How?" He suddenly asked

"I- I don't know... Catori told me about him, at first I was hesitant to believe her but then he started appearing every time we're in battle, he was blurry the first time but after the dungeon test, the shadow became clearer and clearer and I saw him again sitting in front of his majesty on our way here to the palace" Gin explained

"I see, then have you heard about a group who call themselves the 'Creed'?"

Gin nodded again this time getting excited "Oh yes! My sister loves their fairytales! But what's the connection?"

"Catori's shadow named Ciar, I believe his one of them... I'll give you what you need in return you give me new information about them. That's all"

Gin was dumbfounded when he heard that the King believed in a child's fairytale but at the same time the scholar in him began to sparked interest. Indeed, there was no loss in the King's condition.

"I don't need your trust but I expect results," the King said

Gin kneels in front of him and with a loud cry he said "You have my loyalty, your majesty, you can use me as you please, I will never betray you unlike my father"

Pleased by Gin's reply the only words the King can only say to him were...

"Good. So be it"

---

After he met with the King Gin went to the Knight's training ground and saw Catori all alone while the other knights were in groups.

[That looks familiar] he thought. Of course, knights will treat her differently because she's a known killer who killed the Marquis of Luwan.

"Hey, you look good in your knight's uniform" he approached her. It was clear that Catori was relieved when she saw Gin arrived.

"How was the meeting with the King? " she asked.

"Hmmm... It was okay, he just asked me if I can see Ciar"

Catori was a bit surprised "You can see him?"

"He was blurry at first but now he looks clearer now, though, he's still a shadow" Gin explained

"Well, I'm glad you can see him too," said Catori

"Where is he?"

"I believe his with the young prince"

"Hey! Newbies!" A knight calls out to them

"Please clean the grounds after training"

"Yes, Sir!"

The Knights training was no different than how Catori trained in Corhall. Gin was happy that he followed her regimen or else he will fall behind.

When afternoon came the other knights went to their barracks leaving Gin and Catori to clean up their mess. They polish their swords individually and return their dummies to the storage.

Catori doesn't seem to have a problem doing this kind of thing. Gin was a bit curious about her for a while now that maybe this might be a good time to ask her.

"Catori, can I asked something?"

"Hmm? Yeah, Sure"

"This might make you angry...but I just want to know and I don't have any judgment towards you or anything"

Catori gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's okay"

---

At this time of the night, Leon and Zen met each other while patrolling the palace.

"How's the Prince?" Leon asked Zen

"He's been lively I tell you ever since that killer came back"

"Hahaha, you still don't like her but you have no problem accepting Sir Gin"

"I- I don't have a problem with him since it was his father who betrayed the King. You know how I stand against killers and to have one as a knight, what does his majesty thinking? I don't care about her shadow or whatever, a murderer will always be a murderer!"

When they arrived at the training grounds they saw the two new knights and overheard what they're talking.

"Why did you kill the Marquis of Luwan?" They heard Gin asked

Leon and Zen stopped their tracks and can't help to eavesdrop.

---

Catori was not surprised by Gin's question, somehow she predicted this and she has to explain her side of the story. She stopped polishing and with a dejected look starts talking.

"I woke up naked with the Marquis on top of me"

Gin gasped "Wh-what?"

"I know the Marquis is known to be kind and generous but that night was different"

"D-did he--"

"Rape me? Yes"

--- End.