The sun had set, leaving the palace eerily silent. Zeek stood by the window, his mind drifting as he looked over to Tera, who had settled into a peaceful slumber on the bed. 

After hours of conversation about their homeworlds and abilities, Zeek's agitation had begun to dissipate, and he felt he had grown a bit closer to her.

Footsteps in the hallway reverberated through the room, growing more and more audible as they approached the door to Zeek's room.

He turned towards the doorway, anticipation radiating from his stance, and the door slid open.

Hand in hand, Lydia and Angela stepped in. Their smudged eye makeup was evidence of the tears they had shed together.

Zeek studied their faces intently, then asked, "Everything Okay?"

Both the girls walked over and sat on the bed.

"Yeah," Angela replied, smiling sadly at Lydia. "Father told me about his relationship with Lydia's mother. It was so heartbreaking to hear the things he had done. I rushed to find Lydia as soon as he was finished.”

Angela gave Lydia's hand a reassuring squeeze and continued,” Even in the midst of all that sadness, I couldn't help but feel joy knowing I had a sister who was my age. It's like our shared love for you was meant to be."

Lydia's voice was strained as she spoke, "Thank you, Zeek, for getting angry on my behalf. Even after you said those things at my mother's grave, I thought I had moved on. But now, knowing I have family, I know I can really do it.”

Lydia furrowed her brows and changed to a more serious tone as she added,” As heartbreaking as it was to discover Jora had betrayed my mother, I can understand he did all he could; she was quite stubborn, after all. But That doesn't mean I forgive him, though. If he had just been honest with our mothers, I'm sure things would have gone differently."

Zeek trudged over, sinking into the space between them.

"Don't thank me," he muttered, voice low and tense. "I let my anger get the best of me. I couldn't let him talk about your mothers in such an arrogant, condescending way." He paused, looking between them. "But... what do you mean by being honest with your mothers?"

Lydia's face lit up with a warm smile, her eyes twinkling. "Well, Angela and I are willing to share you since you are so open about how you feel about us. I’m certain our mothers would have been able to work something out if Jora was more honest like you."

Angela nodded in agreement, her beaming smile matching Lydia's. "Even if you do tend to show more affection for one of us at times, it's understandable since you spend more time with Lydia."

Angela and Lydia placed their hands on Zeek's thighs, their eyes filled with reassuring concern.

"But Did father really say those terrible things about our mothers?" Angela asked, her voice tinged with anger.

Lydia studied Zeek intently, wanting to know why the King had been so callous.

Zeek's forehead creased as rage bubbled within him. His fingers tightened into a ball as he recalled the King's words. His voice trembled as he recounted the incident to Lydia and Angela, word for word.

The two women looked appalled and angry at the thought of King Jora speaking ill of their mothers. An icy chill descended upon the room, and the air seemed to thicken with tension. Lydia and Angela radiated fury.

"How dare he!" Angela exclaimed, jolting Tera out of her slumber.

Angela spun around, her eyes widening in surprise. "Sorry, Godmother," she stammered, "I didn't mean to wake you."

Stifling a yawn, Tera slowly sat up, her unkempt hair sticking out in all directions. She stretched like a content cat, her body arching seductively, before turning her gaze towards Angela.
"You're fine," she murmured. "I was half-listening to you guys talk while I slept."

Tera shuffled closer, her arms encircling Zeek from behind. "Jora got what he deserved today," she murmured, her breath tickling the back of his neck. 

"Don't blame yourself for losing your temper. I'm just as mad as you are that he would say such cruel things about Angelica, but that's his way. He's a fragile coward who got lucky and inherited the throne."

Tera's lips curled up into a smirk as she glanced over to Lydia and Angela, her voice dripping with malice, "How about we kill him and make Zeek the new king?"

The mere suggestion sent shockwaves through Lydia and Angela, their eyes widening in disbelief.

Angela stood, her mouth agape in horror, "GODMOTHER, NO!"

The corners of Tera's mouth twitched with amusement, "Relax, relax. I was just joking… kinda."

"That's not something to joke about!" Angela screeched. Her fists balled up, her face twisted into a scowl. "I'm angry with him too, but I'd never wish for his death."

Lydia nodded in agreement, "I'd also hate to see something happen to my father, regardless of what he's done. But having Zeek as King wouldn't be a bad idea. I think he could really make Estaria a better place."

Zeek chuckled, an idea sparking in his mind. "Well, I did plan on conquering this world. If I could just get King Jora to step down after I win the tournament and marry Angela…" His thoughts trailed off, a plan slowly forming in his head.

Zeek took a deep breath, clearing his mind of all the anger and worry he had about the King Mora situation.

He leaned back, allowing Tera to support him as she sat behind him on the bed. His tense muscles gradually relaxed as he felt her delicate arms wrap around him and her gentle breath on his neck. 

"So I guess we just go about everything as normal until the end of the tournament," he murmured, his voice relaxed.

Tera placed a tender kiss on his cheek before tightening her embrace. "Pretty much," she replied warmly. "I can continue to help you with your training since I don't need to go back to the empire."

Lydia watched in contentment as Tera and Zeek snuggled close to each other. She was pleased to see that Tera had taken an interest in Zeek and that, as long as he loved her, she was okay with it.

Angela's expression shifted into a slight frown, though it wasn't of disapproval but of envy. She longed to be the one he was leaning on, the one he was showering with affection.

Angela nestled her head into Zeek's warm chest, feeling the rhythmic thud of his heartbeat. He tenderly ran his fingers through her hair, attempting to calm her frazzled nerves. 

Her lips parted, and she spoke, "Yes, even if I'm mad at Father, things will still go on as usual. I need to touch base with Ariel and Lora tomorrow to fill them in as well. But aside from that, I'd like to chat with the Farmers and see what crops they plan on producing this season. With the twins' help, we should be able to cultivate enough to sell on our new trading routes."

" Oh, that's a good idea, Angela," Zeek stated.

Zeeks' gaze lingered on Lydia, who was perched at the edge of the bed. She had just found out that her father was the King and, with that, she was now royalty.

His voice was filled with admiration and sadness as he asked, "Are you going to stop being my maid now that you're basically royalty, Lydia?"

A rosy hue spread across Lydia's cheeks as she tilted her head, her glossy lips curving into a tender smile.
She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss on his lips, before murmuring, "No. I'd like to keep things as they are. Being by your side is more important than a title."

Zeek gave a warm smile. Being surrounded by women who were so affectionate was truly blissful.

But in the back of his mind, Anissa's threats to his peaceful life lingered.

Zeek's voice remained steady and calm as he questioned, "Hey, Tera, do you know any magic?"

Tera gave a dismissive wave of her hand, "What use would I have for magic?" she asked.

"I figured I'd ask for the hell of it. Angela, could you teach me?"

Angela giggled, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she said, "I doubt you can learn anything powerful since you don't have the mana gene, but I can show you some simple body reinforcement spells."

Zeek's eyebrows rose expectantly, "Regardless, I'd still like to try." he urged. He then turned teasingly to Lydia, asking, "And Lydia, maybe sometime soon we can practice that healing magic you did earlier?"

Lydia flushed, her cheeks puffing out with a combination of embarrassment and shyness. "No," she replied in a soft voice, "I don't like how that felt." 

She could feel the tingling sensation spread throughout her body, the butterflies in her stomach fluttering at the thought of the intense feeling of lust that had seized her while using her magic.

Angela lifted her head from Zeek's chest, a curious expression on her face. "What magic is he talking about, Lydia?"

Tera noticed Lydia's flustered demeanor and chimed in, "Yes, please tell us."

Lydia reluctantly replied, "I transferred some of my mana into his body while healing him, and now I can control his body to a certain degree."

Tera's face lit up with excitement, her voice full of wonder, "Oh? Control how?"

"I can immobilize him," Lydia replied, her fingers fidgeting nervously as she added, "But when I used the spell, I could feel Zeek's consciousness moving inside of me, and when it grabbed the source of my mana-" 

She shivered, her lips trembling as she recalled the moment. Her gaze went distant as she was swept away in her memory before she shook it away.

Both Tera and Angela's minds were filled with lustful ideas of how they'd use the ability to immobilize Zeek, and they figured it must have felt good with the way Lydia was acting.

Angela cleared her throat and stammered," H-how do you use this magic?"

Tera nodded," Yeah, show us how, please?"

Lydia parted her lips to speak, but Zeek covered her mouth with his hand before she said anything," How about we keep this a secret for now? Having just one person who can paralyze me is more than enough."

Zeek sweated a bit. Lydia's ability to immobilize him was something he didn't mind since he trusted her. And it didn't really bother him if Angela was able to learn how to do it either.

It was Tera whom he was really worried about, even if the chances of her being able to use the spell were slim to none.

.....

The following days whizzed by in a blur. Every morning, Zeek and Lydia would join Angela to learn the basics of magic.
Zeek had difficulty mastering the hand signs and chants, while Lydia seemed to pick them up almost instantly.

Angela patiently showed them how to move their fingers in intricate patterns and how to pronounce the guttural syllables of the ancient language. 

Zeek's fingers fumbled, and his voice stuttered, but Lydia could already cast small spells.

Zeek's afternoons were spent at the training grounds, honing his skills alongside Tera. Even though he was a little stronger than her at times, she was leagues ahead in terms of speed and strength when the sun was at its peak. He took full advantage of this, perfecting his defensive techniques.

"We should get someone in to work on your fighting technique," Tera suggested, offering to pull some strings if needed. But it wouldn't be until after the second match that they could get the help they needed.

King Jora had finally recovered from his injuries, and now that his daughters were aware of his true nature, he rarely left his bedroom. Even his absence from the palace did not seem to affect its productivity since he had hardly done anything to begin with.

The palace staff noted the change in Jora’s behavior. He had become more reclusive and withdrawn, always staying in his chamber. 

The room was filled with thick drapes that blocked out the sunlight, and a heavy scent of incense filled the air.

Every few days, a servant would enter the room to deliver meals and collect the dishes, but rarely did Jora speak.

Despite this, the palace continued to thrive. All three princesses proved their worth, managing the day-to-day operations of the royal court. From organizing meetings to ensuring the palace supplies were stocked, they worked diligently and efficiently.

In the evenings, Zeek met with the twins. He had taken it upon himself to implement subtle changes within the palace's work structure, as it seemed to be comprised of nothing but servants and the King's family. 

The goal was to assign positions to manage the more important tasks such as controlling the agriculture, finances, and health of the Capital.

The twins were both incredibly intelligent and well-rounded for only being eighteen. Their ability to understand concepts and take action was almost supernatural.

In the blink of an eye, they had established the best course of action and scheduled meetings with qualified candidates for each position. They worked diligently, discussing and debating the best options.

Zeek would observe the twins with admiration, noting how their minds worked together in perfect harmony. He had a newfound appreciation for their wisdom and insight, and he knew the palace was in good hands.

In the blink of an eye, the two weeks of anticipation and excitement leading up to the tournament matches were up. The final candidates for the palace positions had been selected and were waiting with bated breath for the last word.

Zeek, however, still had trouble casting any sort of magic; the best he could manage was a simple protection spell for his ears since it was the only truly vulnerable part of his body. In stark contrast, Lydia was able to cast powerful medium spells with ease.

As the second match of the tournament approached, the city was alive with anticipation and festivity. Everywhere, people were joyously celebrating, and the palace reverberated with an electric energy as if they were already sure of their victory. Despite the upbeat atmosphere, Zeek couldn't shake the knot of anxiety in his stomach as he contemplated his upcoming rematch with Anissa. 

He wondered if he would have to kill a Vilturmite again, and the thought filled him with dread. He felt like a puppet, controlled by fate and unable to break free of its strings. His heart pounded in his chest, and he was filled with a cold, paralyzing fear. He had to face the inevitable—but would he be able to survive it?