The soldiers stood in rows at attention, feigning indifference but secretly eavesdropping, unable to stop their tears. Unlike Rakim, the soldiers did not move. They stood still, letting tears soak their attire and the floor.
Unable to take the scene in anymore, Aladdin stepped forward. "Are you okay?"
"Yes... I'm okay... How lazy of me not to introduce myself?" Rakim responded, wiping off the last drops of tears from his face. He stood in salute and said, "I am General Rakim, Commander General of the Empire's royal army."
"Please follow me so we can continue this conversation in a more private environment."
He turned around and gestured for them to follow him.
Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, and the others followed behind.
The moment they entered the palace, they were amazed by the magnificent decorations of its inner halls.
"It's even more beautiful than the palace of Agrabah," Jasmine commented.
Rakim noticed the flying magic carpet trailing behind the group, but didn't pay it too much attention. Since the Empire also had a few magic carpets produced by a famous weaver. Although he didn't know who made Prince Aladdin's magic carpet, he suspected that its creator was nearly as skilled as the renowned weaver.
Soon, they arrived at a meeting hall.
Rakim directed them to take their seats before taking his own.
"Can you share with me everything that has happened in detail?" Rakim asked, looking at the Genie soldier.
Genie soldier nodded and explained everything that had transpired. Considering that all of this had come to reality due to his wish, then it was nothing but the truth.
"I see. Since that's the case, you did well," Rakim said, nodding in understanding. "As I said before, your efforts will be heavily commended."
"And the Witches of the Sand and the Great Rift? Do you have any information on them?" he asked, turning to the soldier.
This was the most important question at the moment, because it decided whether their empire would stand the test of time or fall and be lost in the annals of history once more.
"The whereabouts of the Witches of the Sand have been unknown for over a millennium. It was said that they had lost a considerable number of forces in the battle against the Empire of Ababwa, causing them to lose control of many of the kingdoms and empires that they had previously conquered by force. However, due to their actions, they had also gained many enemies who laid waste to them one by one," Genie responded.
"The Great Rift has made several appearances, though. No matter how much that thing was sealed or hidden, someone always seemed to find it and unleash catastrophe upon the world."
Rakim unconsciously breathed in relief. For the first time, he believed that their empire was no longer in danger.
"Did you receive any legacy from your parents, Prince Aladdin?" he turned to Aladdin and asked.
"No. My mother was sickly and died a few years after I was born. I never managed to see my father or recognise what he looked like," Aladdin replied.
Rakim nodded silently, not knowing how to respond to such a reply. To think that the royal family of the Empire of Ababwa had fallen into such disgrace. Nothing could wipe it away, not even if he could repay it to the Witches of the Sand a thousand times over.
"Can I see the golden key?" Rakim asked.
Aladdin nodded. He removed the golden necklace holding the key from around his neck and placed it in Rakim's hand.
Rakim tightly gripped the golden key and closed his eyes, trying to sense the familiar magical energy within it, which had been forged by the Grand Magician himself. The key had only one purpose: to take the Royal Family to safety. With this key, one could randomly open a portal to another location within the Seven Deserts.
Since the destination was random, if the location chosen was not suitable, one could simply activate the key again and try another.
Once a place was chosen and marked by the bearer of the golden key, they could automatically open a portal back to the Empire of Ababwa. The farther the distance and the more attempts made, the more magical energy was expended. Because of this, it was bound to the royal bloodline and was capable of sensing them.
That was the foolproof plan created for the royal family to leave the Empire and return safely after the curse was lifted. But in the face of absolute power, all of this had been useless.
Rakim knew that this was what had been used to confirm the bloodline of Prince Aladdin Ababwa.
Unknown to Rakim, due to Genie's tinkering, Aladdin could use the golden key without expending any magical energy. The golden key acted as a reserve, constantly replenishing and storing energy for his use.
"You should keep it. Treasure it like a royal heirloom," Rakim said, handing the golden key back to Aladdin.
Aladdin received it and put it back around his neck.
"Do you want to take a look around the palace? It will be my privilege to show you around," Rakim said, anticipation in his tone and expression.
Since the young man before him had previously been a pauper and was now the only legitimate heir to the throne, he wanted to quickly show him around the palace so he could properly settle in. Then, they could begin to teach him the proper etiquette and essentials it took to become an Emperor.
"Sure," Aladdin replied.
"Let's get going then," Rakim said.
He stood up from his seat and led them out of the meeting hall. He first took them to the portrait hall, showing them the images of the royal family, from the last rulers and their children to the generations before them. All of whom bore a strange resemblance to Aladdin.
He introduced them to Aladdin one by one. As he did so, he recounted the histories he could fit into a short time frame.
/////
So Webnovel declined my contract; they suspected 'overuse of AI content,' which means using AI to write.
You guys read my story and can easily tell whether it's AI or not.
I don't even know what AI detector they're using, but it is what it is.
Nonetheless, I felt too exhausted and didn't write anything for an entire day. But once I recovered, I decided to lock in and write a few chapters to open a Patreon.
I've officially opened a Patreon. If you want to support me and read 5 chapters ahead, you can join for $5. /patreon.com/Stormwill
This is just the beginning. I've got more stories planned, and if you enjoyed this one, I'm certain that you'll enjoy what's coming next as well. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Let's take this step together.