First Arc (King of Euphorion) – 10. I’m Just Curious

He pulled the horse reins and they started walking down the road.

She kept staring at him. While he walked in front of her horse.
'He is a commoner but he acted like a nobleman... If he is a real noble, I don't mind marrying him instead of King Xenos.' She knew it was just her desperate thoughts since she was already frustrated. She looked down as her mind drowned in her thoughts. The king began to like her when she attended his last birthday party. He already proposed to her and promised to make her his queen once they get married. But who wanted to marry a cruel and womanizer king like him? Though she was loathing for him, she couldn't do anything to reject him. Her father could only make the king wait for her to be old enough to get married. The age of marriage according to the law was twenty-one years old, now she was sixteen years old, she only had five years left. After a deep sigh, her thoughts returned to Angel.
'Actually ... It doesn't matter anymore. Even if he is a nobleman, Xenos is the king. Which nobleman would dare to defy his orders? '

His voice broke the silence between them.
"What's your name, my lady?"

"My name is Belle Felica Moonspark. What's your name, sir?"

He turned his gaze to her and gave her a slight smile.
"Nice to meet you, Lady Belle. You can call me Zel."

"Just Zel? Don't you have a family name?" she asked curiously.

"No," he replied.

She fell silent as she gazed at him.
'Did all of his family members die, so he threw away his family name?'

"This is my first time going to the capital, can you give me some information about it?" he asked.

She burst out small laughter.
'He never going to the capital? Here I am, thinking he is a nobleman but he is actually just a villager.'

He looked confused with her laughter.
"Did I say something funny?"

She stopped her laughter and smiled at him.
"Of course not. I will tell you about it. Luminus City is a big city that is different from other cities. The security is very tight and the city is quite lively. But if you want to find some work, you must have good skills, because Luminus is not a friendly city for useless people. "

"I will keep that in mind. How about the king and the castle? Can you tell me about it?"

Her expression turned sour as he asked about the king.
"Why do you ask me about the king?" she said with an unfriendly tone.

"Is that weird if I am curious about our king?"

"You already know about it, don't you? He didn't come from the royal family. He took the throne eight years ago after defeating the four elemental spirits at the castle's main tower. Everyone welcomed him happily at first, but after what he did all this time..." she paused as she couldn't continue her words. Insulting the king was a serious crime with the death penalty as its punishment.

"What is his real name?"

She frowned with a puzzled expression.
"You even don't know his real name? Which village are you from?"

He gave her a forced smile.
"I come from a remote village, I didn't know anything before leaving from there."

'That's even worse than a normal villager!' She sighed, her feelings completely mixed. On one hand, she felt sorry for him because he didn't know anything, but also jealous because didn't know anything was not a bad thing either. With the current Euphorion's messy state, she didn't mind living in a remote village.
"His real name is Xenos Tristian Ranulph. He is the eldest son of Ranulph Family, a famous magic user."

"Where's his family now?" he kept asking her.

"He was orphaned after his parents died due to being attacked by monsters, since then he was obsessed with learning the magic spell. He had the talent of magic from birth, so he became an expert magic user in a short time."

"How about the four elemental spirits? What are they?"

"They previously served the late king but now they're serving King Xenos. Each spirit has taken a human form and has magic power based on its element. Frost is water, Flare is fire, Gale is wind, Gaia is Earth."

He paused as he deep in thought. Magic users were weak at close combat battle since they needed casting time before they could attack. In Asteria, magic users were usually placed in the defence division whereas the offensive division was dominated by swordsmen and archers. But with the four elemental spirits guarding the king, he had a good defence and offence. It could be said that he was invincible.
'This four elemental spirits are bad news...'

Her voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Instead of being a hunter, how about working for the Moonspark Family?" she asked.

He refused her request politely.
"Thank you for your offer, but I must decline since I already have some plans."

"Is that so? It's a pity then," she said in disappointment.
'Well, although he's not noble. If he works in our house at least I can see him every day, but it seems he's not interested in it,' she thought.

He took a glance at her and noticed her disappointment.
'She's a high noble lady, actually, it will be good if I can work for her family to take some information about the king and the castle. But if I do it, her family will get involved with me. I will think of some other way to get some information about it.'