12. Lionel's Destiny

The man who had just entered the mystical hermitage through the side door then approached Prince Lionel and lifted his body and carried him into a chest similar to the box used to carry offerings to be given to the ori river. No one thought that they were outsiders trying to take advantage of the current deserted condition of the hermitage. They came out of the mystical hermitage through the same door carrying the body of Prince Lionel to a hermitage where they studied together with a teacher named Anthrophy.

The students of the Valcke hermitage led by Anthrophy brought Prince Lionel's body inside and they were greeted with a happy smile from their teacher. Anthrophy, who had wanted Zephyra's royal relatives to stop at his hermitage, immediately approached the box to make sure that the man brought by his students was Prince Lionel.

He opened the box and was stunned to see the man inside. His eyes bulged when he saw Prince Lionel's physical condition which didn't show that he was the prince of the Zephyra kingdom at all.

"Are you sure that the man you brought here is Prince Lionel, the son of King Gardenio?"

Everyone who heard the teacher's question looked at each other. They didn't understand why Anthrophy asked for confirmation about prince Lionel even though he had seen firsthand the man he currently was and was still wearing the royal uniform of Prince Zephyra.

"Is there anything strange about the body of the noble Prince Lionel? We didn't feel guilty at all because we first entered the mystical Hermitage. We found him sitting in the back garden. All the Mystick students who were making offerings at the Ori river said that in the hermitage there was only one resident who was left behind, namely Prince Lionel because his condition was still unstable after he fainted.

Anthrophy looked at some of his students who were currently adamant that the man under him was Prince Lionel. He then asked his students one by one to approach the box that was still open in front of them to make sure that they had not done anything wrong in kidnapping people.

"Oh my God, have I caught the wrong person? When he sat in the back garden his position was not as disheveled and like a tramp. He was wearing royal clothes and we actually saw a prince sitting in the garden, but why is he changing like this now?"

"Maybe while in the box he used his magic to transform himself. Otherwise I'm sure he'd have been exchanged for another man along the way."

"How is it possible to be exchanged for someone else? I took care of him the whole way. I didn't see anyone coming and opening the chest."

"You sure? Didn't you leave it for five minutes to get a drink?"

"Yeah, but I'm sure that in five minutes I didn't see anyone else between us."

Anthrophy looked at his students with sharp eyes. He never thought his students could do as they pleased. So far they have never failed when getting a certain mission to kidnap someone and now Anthrophy's judgment has changed towards the fruit.

"Don't argue anymore. I really don't like to see debates, especially when he only fights for the truth without admitting to each other's faults. Now I order you to throw this man into the forest and don't let the mystical hermitage possess this man. Whoever he is, he deserves to live in the forest and live away from the surrounding community. The skin disease she has is absolutely disgusting and it can spread everywhere."

"Skin disease? Is the teacher sure that Prince Lionel has a certain skin disease? How could it be? From the very beginning we saw this man as a handsome man who was very authoritative. His good looks are amazing and I'm sure anyone who sees him will be attracted."

"Stop talking and don't judge a prince who is bad in appearance. I just want you to throw him away from our hermitage, if necessary throw him into a forest that is inhabited by wild animals so that they are eaten by them and don't spread the skin disease he suffers from."

Without waiting for the teacher's instructions for the second time, the students of the Valcke hermitage then closed the chest again and they lifted the chest and carried it into the forest. During the journey they do not know that someone has infiltrated the chest and kidnapped Prince Lionel and then taken him away, leaving the students of the Valcke hermitage to a small village and placing Prince Lionel in a simple house belonging to an old widow.

Prince Lionel's appearance has changed since when he was in the hermitage and at the mystical hermitage. He already appeared like a village youth who had nothing. Prince Lionel, who knew his current situation was in a simple house, could only observe the surroundings. He never knew why he was there. He also forgot all the incidents about the kidnappings carried out by Anthrohy's men.

When Lionel was stunned to see a lonely simple house, suddenly an old widow approached him.

" Good morning. Sorry, who are you? Why is it in my house?"

Prince Lionel shook his head. Somehow he looks like someone with amnesia. Some memories he couldn't remember and at this moment somehow he said that he was a village youth who happened to get lost in the old widow's house.

"My name is Leon, Grandma. Where I came from I don't know. What is clear is that I have arrived here after a long journey. I asked grandma to accept me as your son. Whatever I have to do I want as long as I can live here with Grandma. I will help grandma do the daily work.

The old widow in front of Prince Lionel nodded, then she led the man into her house.

"You have eaten? Come have breakfast with me in the kitchen. Even though it's simple, I'm still happy when my current guests want to enjoy my cooking. During this time I always eat alone and never have friends."

Lonel nodded. Somehow the hunger that he had not had since yesterday, now came. He followed in the footsteps of Valery's grandmother, the old widow of the owner of the house.

Several times he was stunned to see the old woman serving his breakfast. She picked up the various menus that were on the dining table near the kitchen and handed them to Lionel.

"Let's eat! I know you must be hungry after a long journey. After eating you can rest in the front room. The room has been empty for a long time since my son disappeared a few years ago."