Suddenly, someone knocked loudly on the VIP room door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Zero immediately looked at Kaelith.
"Kaelith, return to the shadow," he commanded calmly. Kaelith quickly melted back into the dark pool of shadow without a word, hiding herself completely.
Lilia took a deep breath, keeping her voice perfectly calm and professional. "Who is it?"
A guard's voice answered from the hallway. His tone was full of arrogance. "I am a Royal Guard of Oakhaven. Crown Prince Caspian Aldric has summoned Lord Zero immediately"
The way the guard spoke made it clear this was an absolute order, not a polite request.
Lilia did not like the guard's arrogant attitude at all. She felt a flash of anger and stepped forward to scold him, but Zero raised his heavy, armored hand to stop her.
"Wait outside. I am coming," Zero said calmly to the guard through the closed door.
The guard replied rudely, "You must come right now! This is the Crown Prince's order, it is not a request!"
The glowing red eyes behind Zero's mask darkened with annoyance. He stepped closer to the door and spoke in his deep, terrifying voice.
"Tell your Prince to know his limits," Zero warned coldly. "And do not forget that Caspian is not the only candidate for the crown. If I decide to support his sister, Princess Seraphina, she could easily be chosen to take the throne instead. Then your Prince would have absolutely nothing"
Outside the door, there was instant, dead silence. The guard was completely shocked and terrified. He never imagined that an unknown man would dare to threaten to replace the Crown Prince with the Princess. Without saying another word, the panicked guard ran down the hall to report back to Caspian.
After the guard ran away, Zero turned back to Lilia. "Lilia, I am going to deal with the Prince now. I will meet you at your estate later tonight"
Lilia looked slightly confused. "But Zero, how will you know where my home is? You are new to this Kingdom"
A low, dark chuckle came from behind Zero's iron mask. "I will simply ask anyone on the street. Who in this Kingdom does not know who the great Alchemist Elara Valmont is, or where she lives"
Hearing this genuine compliment, a truly beautiful, warm smile bloomed on Lilia's face. Zero just stood there quietly, staring at her stunning smile for a moment. It was a very special, peaceful moment between the two of them.
Ahem! Ahem!
Suddenly, Brielle Ironheart let out a loud, fake cough to break their focus. The tall knight folded her arms and stared pointedly at Zero.
"Lord Zero..." Brielle said with a dry tone. "I think you are running late to meet the Prince"
Zero snapped his attention back to reality. He gave Lilia one last nod before opening the door and walking out of the room, heading off to face Caspian.
As the heavy door clicked shut behind Zero, Lilia let out a soft, dreamy sigh. She turned to leave the room, ready to head back to her estate.
"Wait just two minutes," Brielle's stern voice echoed in the quiet room. "I need to talk to you"
Lilia stopped and turned around. "What is it, Brielle?"
Brielle clenched her fists, her face showing a mix of hurt and intense confusion. "You never let me call you by that name. Never. I am your childhood friend. I am the closest person in the world to you! I have protected you my entire life. Yet, you just met Zero today... and you instantly gave him the right to call you Lilia?!"
Brielle stared at her friend, her mind racing as she tried to understand. Suddenly, a shocking realization hit her. Her eyes went wide.
"El... are you in love with him?" Brielle asked, her voice dropping to a whisper of disbelief. "How is that even possible? You have always absolutely despised men! Because of how your father treated your mother, you hated the entire male gender. You feel disgust just standing near them. But when you look at Zero... there is no disgust in your eyes at all!"
Lilia did not look away. Instead, a confident, beautiful smile spread across her face.
"You are right, Brielle," Lilia admitted openly, her new magical aura giving her a breathtaking glow. "I think I have fallen in love"
Brielle gasped, but Lilia raised a hand to stop her from interrupting.
"How could I not?" Lilia asked softly. "He is not just a man. He is a walking miracle. He took a useless cripple like me and gave me the magic I dreamed of since I was a little girl. And did you hear what he said about Seraphina Valerius? She was a pathetic Rank F girl, and he easily gave her an SS-Rank potential bloodline! He holds the power of the Gods in his hands"
Lilia stepped closer to her knight, her eyes burning with fierce ambition.
"Do you really think a young, broken girl like Seraphina won't fall madly in love with the man who saved her and gave her absolute power?" Lilia stated. "Zero is going to attract so many women. And do you think I am the only Alchemist in the world? There are many others. If I just act like a normal business partner, I will eventually be pushed to the side. I will not let that happen. I am going to make a permanent place in his heart. I will be his favorite woman"
Brielle's face turned red with protective anger. "So what? You are just going to be his mistress?!" Brielle scolded her. "El, he is offering god-like power! Do you really think a man like that will only keep one woman? A massive crowd of beautiful women will throw themselves at him. Are you willing to lower your pride just to be part of his harem?"
"Who said I will be his mistress?" Lilia countered sharply, her noble pride flaring up. "I will be his wife"
Lilia crossed her arms, her confidence radiating through the room.
"Do not forget who I am, Brielle," Lilia said proudly. "Even the King of this Kingdom is crazy about my body. The King and I are the same age, but he looks like a wrinkled old man, while my alchemy keeps me looking like a beautiful, young woman in her prime. In my youth, the Valerius Dukedom and countless other powerful families begged to marry me. I rejected them all because I hated men and had no interest in being a trophy"
She looked toward the door where Zero had left.
"But now... I have finally found the man," Lilia smiled warmly. "I will charm him. I will make him obsessed with this 'old' woman"
Lilia then turned her gaze back to her angry knight. A playful, teasing smirk appeared on Lilia's lips.
"Besides, Brielle," Lilia teased, looking her friend up and down. "You are getting older too, you know. You cannot just swing a sword for the rest of your life. Do not worry... once I secure my place by his side, I will tell Zero to make you his second wife"
Brielle's angry expression instantly vanished. Her tough, knightly face turned completely bright red.
"I— What?! I am a knight! I don't— He wouldn't—" Brielle stammered helplessly, her mind completely short-circuiting at the thought of the terrifying, towering titan being her husband.
Unable to form a proper sentence, Brielle tightly shut her mouth. She looked away, her face burning with a massive blush, and stayed completely silent.
Lilia just laughed softly, a beautiful and carefree sound, as she walked out of the VIP room to prepare her estate for Zero's arrival.
Inside the luxurious VIP room, Crown Prince Caspian Aldric was pacing angrily. The Royal Guard had just returned, trembling, and repeated Zero's exact words.
"He said... he could support Princess Seraphina and make her the ruler instead of you, Your Highness," the guard had stammered.
Caspian's face had turned purple with rage. He glared at his sister, Seraphina, who was sitting quietly on the left sofa. The thought of this unknown man threatening his crown made Caspian furious, but it also made him desperate. He needed Zero's power, no matter what it cost.
A few moments later, heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. Zero had arrived.
"Come in, Zero," Caspian called out from inside, trying to sound arrogant and in control. "If you walk away now, you will never get another chance to meet me no matter how much you beg"
The heavy mahogany doors opened. Zero stepped inside.
The VIP room was incredibly luxurious, filled with gold decorations and velvet carpets. Caspian was sitting comfortably on the center sofa. Princess Seraphina sat on the left sofa, looking down at her hands. Two heavily armored Royal Knights stood completely still on either side of the room.
Zero looked around the room, completely unimpressed. He stared at the Prince.
"Tell me, Prince, what exactly do you want from me?" Zero asked calmly. "By the way... what is your name again? I forgot"
The two Royal Knights immediately pulled their swords out halfway, their faces red with anger.
"How dare you speak to the Crown Prince like that?!" one of the knights shouted in strict English. "Bow your head immediately and speak with respect!"
Zero let out a slow, dark chuckle that vibrated through his iron mask. "A good joke," he mocked.