While Darell and Emma enjoyed their time together, Eric and Ariel were also taking a break from their studying and training in the capital city.

 

They decided to relax and watch a play at the grand cinema hall known as The Luxons.

 

They had a perfect view of the stage since they were sitting in the exclusive VIP room at the topmost section of the audience.

 

Eric had styled his brown hair, with both sides trimmed and the rest artistically cut.

 

His straight thick eyebrows and cyan eyes added to his strikingly handsome appearance.

 

He wore black boots and his black and white attire, along with his intricately embroidered gold robes, gave him a princely aura.

 

His well-built physique, sculpted through rigorous training, complemented his clothes.

 

Ariel sat to his right, her blue hair elegantly styled with one side pinned back.

 

She wore a dark blue dress adorned with golden patterns, and her smooth white legs were accentuated by black stockings.

 

A touch of makeup enhanced her feminine charm.

 

Her fingers remained intertwined with Eric's as they settled in to watch the play.

 

The storyline of the play began, by depicting an encounter between a young princess and a poor boy begging on the streets.

 

Moved by his impoverished state, the princess gives him a gold coin, and he promises to return it once he has achieved success and recognition.

 

The boy, actually, hails from a knight family, but the ravages of war had left him orphaned and forced to beg.

 

Through hard work, he secures a job and dedicates his nights to sword training.

 

As he grows older, his hard work pays off as he successfully passes the test to become a royal knight.

 

Through his dedication and achievements, he gains fame.

 

One day, he receives an invitation to the royal banquet and encounters the same princess, now a grown and elegant lady.

 

True to his promise, he returns the gold coin to her, leaving her astonished by his transformation.

 

She grows curious at how he managed to do it.

 

And, she listened to his story for hours.

 

Every day, both of them would meet and talk with each other.

 

She thought that she met him because his story made her curious and it was nothing more than that.

 

But, she didn't realize that her heart was slowly falling in love with him day by day.

 

She realized that she had fallen in love with him when one day, she received the news that somebody had ambushed the royal knights.

 

Her heart sprang up to her throat when the news relayed the sad message that all of the royal knights involved in the ambush had died.

 

She felt as if her world broke apart.

 

She cried, cried, and cried for hours.

 

She wouldn't eat or drink.

 

She would silently gaze at the moon at night while thinking, 'I was such a fool! Such a coward! Why didn't I accept my feelings? Why didn't I acknowledge it? Maybe...just maybe... if I had done that, he would be here... by my side.'

 

After several days, her father, the King, ordered her to come to his office.

 

Even though she didn't want to get out of her room, she forced herself to keep a straight face and entered his office.

 

But, what she saw upon entering shocked her.

 

The boy, the knight...Her knight was standing right in front of her with a sheepish smile on his face.

 

Tears welled up in her eyes and she ran up to him and clung to him tightly.

 

She cried for a few minutes and looked him in the eyes and confessed to him.

 

She didn't see who was in the office nor did she care.

 

Surprisingly, he had the same feelings for her and he explained that when he was training to be a knight, he made her his goal, his destination, and he worked hard.

 

However, after he became a royal knight and met her, he realized that she was much more than a goal for him. She was... the love of his life.

 

Years later, she became the queen.

 

Now, nobody could object to her decision.

 

So, she happily married her love... Her knight, completing their love story.

 

The audience clapped vigorously as the play reached it's conclusion.

 

Some laughed and some were moved by the feelings between the princess and the knight in the play.

 

Eric also clapped and exclaimed, "Wow! This was such a good story!"

 

"Isn't it right, Ariel?", he turned to her and asked.

 

Ariel, on the other hand, came close to him and whispered seductively in his ear, "I am waiting for you, my knight~~"

 

Seeing him blush heavily, Ariel giggled mischievously and she said, "You look so cute when you blush! I can't help but tease you!"

 

Then, they decided to explore the famous landmarks of the capital, continuing their romantic outing.

 

They began their sightseeing by visiting the majestic bronze statue of the phoenix king, standing tall at 30 feet.

 

A captivating mural beneath the statue depicted the king's remarkable accomplishments and heroic deeds.

 

Next, they made their way to the race tracks, where they tried their luck with bets on some of the racers, only to face embarrassing losses.

 

Undeterred, they laughed it off and proceeded to explore an antique shop, playfully critiquing the prices and eccentric items, eventually being asked to leave by the old shopkeeper.

 

As they strolled along the streets, they indulged in various delectable street foods, engaging in conversation and observing the diverse people visiting the food stalls.

 

To conclude their day, they entered a fine dining restaurant and took their seats opposite each other, savoring different types of cuisine.

 

Eric couldn't help but notice the clipper in Ariel's hair and a warm smile crossed his face.

 

Ariel noticed him and asked, "Why are you smiling?"

 

Eric replied, "I noticed the clipper from your eighth birthday that I gave you. It's broken now. Let me buy you a new one."

 

Ariel shook her head and replied, "Some things can't be replaced."

 

Locking eyes with Eric, she continued, "Like you."

 

Eric blushed, his shyness evident as he responded, "L-Like you too."

 

He let out a sigh and confessed, "Emma feels the same way about Darell, and I can sense that she has become somewhat paranoid after the incident."

 

Ariel sighed in understanding and said, "She has every reason to be. Without Darell, she might have been forced into a loveless marriage with some pompous noble."

 

"Indeed, even Lilith's significance and connections have made her a potential pawn in political schemes.", he nodded and replied.

 

Ariel took Eric's hand in hers and earnestly pleaded, "Promise me that you won't do anything reckless like that."

 

Eric nodded sincerely, "I promise."

 

Moved by their deep affection, Ariel leaned forward and passionately kissed him, her hands caressing his face.

 

After a long minute, she released him, licking her lips mischievously, "Delicious~~"

 

---

 

Meanwhile,

 

* CRACK *

 

"AHHH!"

 

* CRACK *

 

"AHHHH!"

 

* CRACK *

 

"AHHHHH! PLEASE!"

 

* CRACK *

 

Four individuals were lying naked on the cold floor.

 

They were surrounded by a pool of blood.

 

There were fours other who were huddled in the corners with their eyes tightly shut.

 

Their bodies were trembling in fear.

 

A man was sitting on an ornate chair at the center of the room.

 

He gazed at the bloodied individuals lying on the floor without any emotion on his face.

 

He cracked the whip in his hand in the air and smiled slightly at the sight of them cowering in fear.

 

He shouted angrily, "You worthless dogs! This...This is your last chance for redemption. Fail again, and..."

 

A wicked smile curled on his lips as he continued, "You might as well take your own lives because if I catch you, death will be the least of your concerns."

 

The four individuals on the floor trembled as they looked at his wicked smile.

 

The man took out a map and threw it on the floor.

 

Among the four, the one who picked up the map was none other than Abel.

 

He glanced at the map and then, at the man who ordered, "This map details the dungeon assigned to the first-year students. Set traps in rooms 29, 30, and 53. I will provide you with artifacts and weapons to aid in your task. I want you to complete the task this time. Did you hear me? I want you to end it once and for all. Now, get the fuck out of here!!"

 

Abel and his subordinates hurriedly got up from the floor.

 

They picked up their torn clothes and left.

 

'I will kill Eric. I will kill Darell. Ariel will be mine. Only mine. Nobody would stop me this time. Emma and Lilith? The others can use them however they like. I don't care. This time, I will surely succeed.', Abel thought while clenching his fists in rage as he ran to his room.