017 ※ Oops, Sorry We're Late—Too Busy Drinking and Unveiling Royal Secrets!

"I'm sorry for the delay, we were drinking at the pub," said a woman with a casual yet amused tone, as she leaned against the doorframe. Her long, straight white hair flowed like a silk waterfall down her back, catching the light with each subtle movement. Her striking red eyes gleamed, full of life, and her lips, painted a bold shade of crimson, added to her already commanding presence. Her skin was as pale as snow, giving her an ethereal look that contrasted sharply with the dark night around us. She stood a little taller than me, and even more so than Maelli, her height making her seem like someone who didn't need to demand attention—she simply had it.

As my gaze moved over her features, I couldn't help but notice the shape of her ears. They were different from a fae's. That small detail caught my attention immediately, adding layers to my curiosity. There was no denying that she wasn't a fae, but what, exactly, she was, remained a mystery for now.

"We got excited and ended up drinking a little too much," explained a fae male who stood just a bit behind her. He was tall, with light blue straight hair that fell neatly around his shoulders, contrasting against his pale white skin. His amber eyes glinted with mischief and amusement, a playfulness in his tone that spoke of someone who was far too carefree. His expression said he wasn't exactly fazed by anything, the kind of person who lived in the moment, unfazed by the passage of time.

"I did only go with them for the food," chimed in a fae female who stood beside the blue-haired guy. She was shorter than me, with short blonde hair that framed her face and golden skin that glowed in the soft light. Her silver eyes scanned the room, and it was clear from the way she observed everything around her that she was more attuned to her surroundings than she let on.

"Oh, she's already here, and she's hot. Thank gods, now there are two witches in this place," the white-haired woman said, her voice practically bubbling with excitement. A broad smile stretched across her lips, the kind of smile that was welcoming but also carried a triumphant edge, as if she had just won a game. It was clear she was pleased by my arrival, and for reasons I didn't quite understand, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was a bigger deal than I had initially realized.

"I'm Samantha," she added, her confidence radiating as she introduced herself, as if she had nothing to prove to anyone.

"I like her," the blonde girl said, her words carrying warmth and a touch of admiration. "She's beautiful, has a savage aura, and smells different from the other witches. And she's shorter than all of you, but taller than me. I'm still the shorter one, I love that," she said, a playful hint in her tone as if she found some twisted joy in comparing heights. It was almost like a game to her—one I wasn't sure I wanted to play. But her words carried an unmistakable admiration, a lightheartedness that made it clear she didn't mean any harm.

"I'm Naomi, by the way," she said, offering a smile that was just as genuine as her words, her eyes full of warmth. She seemed friendly, but there was something about her quiet intensity that gave away that she wasn't as simple as she appeared.

"I'll pray you're into boys, because damn, you're a masterpiece. I like witches, even if Samantha doesn't give a fuck about me in that way," the male fae with the light blue hair said, a playful edge in his voice, but with an undercurrent of longing. He seemed both confident and smitten. "My name's Koji, by the way. It's a pleasure to meet you, sweetheart." His voice was smooth, teasing, but there was a sense of genuine warmth behind it.

"Sweetheart," I muttered under my breath, the word slipping out before I could think twice. There was something oddly endearing about the way it sounded.

"Damn, I like the sound of sweetheart," I said, a little too casually, my voice betraying me before I even realized it.

"What?" Kai exclaimed, his tone sharp with confusion, and I could feel everyone's eyes on me. They exchanged looks, their gazes questioning as they tried to decipher my words.

"What, what?" I asked, furrowing my brow as I tried to make sense of their reactions. "I like the sound of 'sweetheart.' It didn't trigger me like 'darling,' and it's way sweeter than 'dear.' I'm just being honest," I added, shrugging a little, feeling a bit defensive.

"Shit, I already like you," Samantha said with a broad grin, clearly amused by my blunt honesty. "I love honest people," she added, her voice filled with approval, though I could sense the playful challenge underneath.

Unfortunately, I wasn't as honest as they might have thought. There were parts of myself I had yet to reveal—things I couldn't, not yet anyway. I kept that thought buried deep inside, knowing it was best to remain guarded for now.

"Witches must walk with witches. We're better than them," Samantha continued, her smile never wavering as she spoke. There was pride in her voice, a mixture of superiority and camaraderie that made it clear she valued her kind above all else. The words hung in the air like an unspoken rule, and I couldn't quite tell if she was joking or not.

"Don't listen to what she says, she's drunk," Kai quickly interjected, his tone cutting through the moment before things could spiral. He seemed to want to diffuse the tension, but Samantha wasn't done.

"I'm not drunk yet, golden boy," Samantha shot back, clearly unfazed by Kai's attempt to brush her off. "I'm just happy she's a witch," she continued, her voice lifting in excitement. "By the way, I can sense who your parents and grandparents are if I ever meet them. You're a rare piece of cake, aren't you?"

Her words felt loaded with something more than just casual conversation. She seemed to be probing, testing the waters in a way that made my skin tingle uncomfortably. It wasn't just curiosity in her eyes—it was something deeper, something far more dangerous.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied, my voice steady even though there was a growing unease deep in my gut. I wasn't sure what she knew or how much she could sense, but I had the feeling she was more than capable of seeing things others couldn't.

"You're good," Samantha said, narrowing her eyes as she studied me intently. "I can't read your thoughts or control your mind, right? But I can still sense the smell of a lie, even if it's coming from you, little one," she added, her voice dropping to a whisper as her gaze seemed to pierce right through me. There was no malice in her words, but they were full of an unsettling kind of power.

I met her intense gaze, refusing to back down, even though my heart was pounding and my skin was covered in goosebumps. I wasn't going to show weakness. Not here, not now.

"You're indeed ridiculously powerful, I can sense it," Samantha continued, her voice lowering to a hushed tone. "But you must know that I'm more powerful than the precious golden boy here." She flashed me a knowing smile, one that carried a hint of a challenge, daring me to disagree with her.

"Golden boy?" I repeated, genuinely confused. "Why are you guys calling Kai 'golden boy'?"

Before Kai could say anything, Samantha stepped forward, clearly eager to take control of the situation.

"Are you dumb or something?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief, as though it should have been obvious. "He's the king, after all!"

She said it like it was the simplest thing in the world, as if everyone should have already known. I stood there, my mind racing to process the revelation. I had no idea the bastard was the fucking king.