As everyone stared at one another in confusion, Adam suddenly clutched his right side.
Adam: 🤕
"Man… it hurts… Ahh…"
Noel: 😱
"OH—ARE YOU OKAY?!"
Adam: 🤕
"It's just a little pain…"
Noel: 😱
"A LITTLE?! Come on! You're going to a room to rest. NOW!"
She immediately grabbed his arm, ready to drag him away.
Aaron: 😐
"And which room exactly are you planning to drag him to?"
Noel froze.
Slowly, she turned toward the group, looking like a lost puppy that had accidentally wandered into a royal meeting.
Noel: 😅
"Um… any free rooms?"
Elda: 😐
"I've already prepared one."
Noel: 😁
"Perfect! Adam, go rest there!"
Before anyone could react, Aaron suddenly caught Noel's hand.
The moment their hands touched—
Aaron froze. 😶
Aaron's Thoughts:
(…Wait.)
(Why am I not getting shocked?)
(No lightning… no blue sparks…)
(Even when she fell on top of me earlier, nothing happened.)
His eyes slowly widened.
(What's going on?)
Noel: 😅
"Uh… Your Majesty? Why are you holding my hand?"
Aaron immediately snapped out of his thoughts.
Aaron: 😐
"I'll help you."
He raised his free hand.
Adam:
"Wait, what—"
POOF!
Adam vanished into thin air.
Noel: 😱
"WHAT THE—?!"
She stared at the empty space where Adam had been standing.
Then she looked at Aaron.
Then back at the empty space.
Noel:
"YOU JUST DELETED HIM?!"
Elda: 😐
"Relax. It's normal."
Ashley: 😤
"Yeah! A king has that kind of power, you know!"
Noel:
"THEN WHY DIDN'T ANYONE WARN ME BEFORE HE TURNED INTO PARTICLES?!"
Aaron: 😐
"I just made him sleep."
Noel: 😶
"…Oh."
A brief silence followed.
Noel: 😁
"Oh, cool! Thanks!"
Elda:
(How did she go from panicking to accepting it in three seconds?) 😑
Aaron released Noel's hand and turned toward the corridor.
Aaron: 😐
"We need to talk."
Ashley immediately stepped forward.
Ashley:
"Then we—"
Aaron: 😐
"All three of you. Together."
Ashley: 😶
"…Oh."
Elda exchanged a glance with Ashley.
Noel blinked.
Noel:
"Wait, all three of us?"
Aaron:
"Yes."
Noel:
"Am I in trouble?"
Aaron: 😐
"That depends."
Noel: 😭
"THAT'S THE WORST POSSIBLE ANSWER!"
Aaron started walking.
The three women followed awkwardly behind him.
For approximately five seconds, everyone remained quiet.
Then—
Noel: 😁
"Hey, sis!"
Elda & Ashley: 😱
"WHO?!"
Noel pointed at Elda.
Noel:
"You, Elda! You look older than me, so to avoid confusion, I'll call you sis!"
Elda: 😐
"…I see."
Ashley: 😤
"Okay, THEN WHAT ABOUT ME?!"
Noel studied Ashley's face for a moment.
Noel: 😁
"I'll just call you by your name. You look about the same age as me!"
Ashley: 😶
One second passed.
Two seconds passed.
Then—
Ashley: 😤
"WHAT?!"
She pointed accusingly at Noel.
Ashley:
"YOU'RE YOUNGER THAN US, AND SHE GETS TO BE 'SIS'?!"
Noel: 😊
"Yep!"
Ashley:
"THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!"
Noel cheerfully ignored her and continued walking.
Ashley: 😤
"HELLO?! I'M TALKING!"
No response.
Ashley:
"WHY IS EVERYONE IGNORING ME TODAY?!"
She stomped after them, looking like an offended cat whose favourite human had dared to pet another cat.
Elda: 😑
"Can you stop shouting? We're in the palace."
Ashley:
"AND?!"
Elda:
"…Nothing."
---
A Few Minutes Later…
The group continued down the corridor.
Elda glanced at Noel, who was walking beside her with a suspiciously curious expression.
Elda:
"What's wrong with you?"
Noel: 😅
"Nothing! I'm just curious."
Elda:
"About what?"
Noel leaned closer and whispered—
Noel:
"When did you two get so close?"
Elda paused.
Then she glanced at Ashley, who was still pouting behind them.
Ashley: 😤
(Nobody appreciates me in this kingdom.)
Elda's expression softened slightly.
Elda: 😊
"We made a promise."
Noel:
"A promise?"
Elda:
"That no matter what happens, we'd protect Aaron."
Ashley stopped pouting for a moment.
She looked toward Aaron, who was walking a little ahead of them.
Ashley:
"We might disagree about a lot of things, but that's something we both decided long ago."
Elda nodded.
Elda:
"Whatever happens, we won't let him face everything alone."
For once, Ashley didn't argue.
Noel stared at them, visibly moved.
Noel: 😮
"Ooooh…"
Then her eyes suddenly sparkled.
Noel's Thoughts: 😤
(Wait a minute…)
(Two powerful women… a promise to protect the same king… emotional tension…)
(CAN I SHIP THEM?!) 👀
She glanced at Elda.
Then Ashley.
Then Elda again.
Noel's Thoughts:
(But they're both Alphas…)
(Hmm…)
(THIS IS COMPLICATED!) 😭
Noel: 😅
"That's… really nice!"
Elda raised an eyebrow.
Elda:
"Why do you look like you're planning something?"
Noel: 😇
"Me? Never!"
Ashley:
"That smile is suspicious."
Noel:
"What smile?"
Ashley:
"THAT ONE!"
Noel immediately turned away, trying to hide her grin.
Meanwhile, a little farther ahead, Aaron had heard their conversation.
He didn't turn around, but his expression gradually softened.
Aaron's Thoughts: ❤️
(Why does everything feel so different…?)
He glanced at Elda.
She wasn't as cold and distant as he remembered.
Then he looked at Ashley.
For once, she wasn't arguing with him or desperately trying to get his attention.
And Noel…
(She's turned into a mischievous toddler.) 😑
Behind him, Noel suddenly burst into laughter at something Ashley said.
Elda sighed.
Ashley complained.
Noel laughed even harder.
The palace corridor, which had once felt unbearably quiet, was now filled with their voices.
Aaron listened to them for a moment.
A small smile appeared on his face.
Aaron's Thoughts: ❤️
(…Why does this feel kind of nice, though?)
For the first time in what felt like forever, the future didn't seem quite so terrifying.
Perhaps changing history wouldn't be as impossible as he'd thought.
Especially with these three walking behind him.
Although…
Aaron's Thoughts: 😐
(I should probably prepare myself for whatever Noel is planning.)
Behind him—
Noel: 😁
"HEY, ASHLEY! DO YOU THINK ELDA LOOKS LIKE A STRICT BIG SISTER?"
Elda: 😐
"Noel."
Noel:
"YES, SIS?"
Elda:
"Run."
Noel: 😱
"WHY?!"
Ashley: 😂
"BECAUSE I'M NOT SAVING YOU!"
And just like that, the peaceful atmosphere disappeared.
To be continued…