The silence didn't break.
It tightened.
Aarav could feel it pressing in from all sides as the crowd's whispers sharpened—curiosity turning into unease.
"…Why him?"
"…What did that boy do?"
"…Lord Aris himself stepped in…"
Aarav swallowed.
*This is bad.*
---
Aris Valen stood still, his gaze fixed—unmoving, unreadable.
Then, as if deciding something, he raised his hand slightly.
"Bring them."
That was all.
The Royal Knights moved instantly.
"Yes, my lord."
Their formation shifted, tightening around Aarav and the others before opening a path toward the carriage.
"Move."
The command was quiet—but absolute.
---
Aarav felt a hand rest on his shoulder.
Not rough.
But impossible to ignore.
Controlled. Directed.
Rian grabbed Meera's arm.
"M-Meera…"
"It's okay," she whispered.
But her voice wasn't steady.
Daren stepped closer to Aarav—subtle, but protective.
Behind them, Kael and Lyra exchanged a glance.
No panic.
Just calculation.
---
Within seconds—
They were inside the carriage.
The door shut.
And just like that—
The noise of the world disappeared.
---
### Inside the Carriage
Silence filled the space.
Heavy.
Even breathing felt louder than it should.
The carriage began to move—slow, steady, unavoidable.
Aarav sat still.
But his thoughts weren't.
*What is happening…*
*Does he know?*
*No… that's impossible… right?*
Across from him, Aris sat with quiet composure.
Not tense.
Not aggressive.
Just watching.
Then he spoke.
"Explain yourself."
---
Aarav blinked.
"I—"
He stopped.
*Think. Don't mess this up.*
"I don't really understand what you think I did," he said carefully.
His voice held—barely.
"I just… ended up here."
A small pause.
"And I haven't done anything wrong."
---
Silence.
Then Aarav exhaled slightly.
"…Honestly, I don't even know how I got here."
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
*How could I even do anything…*
*I don't even have any power…*
---
The carriage slowed.
Then stopped.
---
### Outside — A Controlled Silence
The door opened.
Cool air rushed in—different from before.
Quieter.
Cleaner.
Controlled.
Knights stepped out first.
"Perimeter clear."
"Understood."
---
Daren moved immediately, voice firm and unwavering.
"Lord Aris… this has gone far enough."
No response.
Not yet.
Aris stepped out.
The others followed.
Aarav's feet touched the ground—
But the pressure didn't leave.
It changed.
Sharper.
Focused.
---
Aris turned slightly.
"Then explain."
A pause.
"How you found him."
---
Daren frowned.
"…We found him near the forest. Injured. Barely conscious."
Meera stepped forward.
"He would've died if we hadn't brought him back."
There it was again—
That quiet defiance.
---
Aris listened.
No interruption.
No reaction.
Then his gaze returned to Aarav.
"Is this true?"
Aarav met his eyes.
"…Yeah."
A breath.
"That's the truth."
Then, unable to hold it back—
"…What exactly do you want from me?"
The words came out sharper than intended.
But he didn't take them back.
---
Aris stepped closer.
Measured.
Controlled.
Aarav's body tensed.
*What is he doing…*
Step.
Step.
Then he stopped—
Right in front of him.
---
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then Aris raised his hand.
Aarav flinched.
"Hey—what—"
Contact.
---
A faint glow appeared.
Barely visible—
But unmistakable.
Something reacted.
---
Aarav felt it.
Not pain.
Not exactly.
Something deeper.
Like something inside him—
Had been touched.
Pulled.
Recognized.
---
The glow intensified—
For just a second.
Then stopped.
But something remained.
A mark.
Faint—
But clear.
A symbol.
Elegant.
Ancient.
Royal.
---
"…What is that…?" Meera whispered.
Daren's eyes widened.
"…No…"
Even the knights shifted.
Murmurs spread.
"That crest…"
"It can't be…"
---
Aris's expression didn't change much.
But his gaze sharpened.
"…This crest," he said quietly,
"…belongs only to the royal bloodline."
---
Silence.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
Daren shook his head.
"That's not possible."
"The kingdom only has two princes—"
---
Aris looked at him.
Calm.
Certain.
"That… is what the kingdom believes."
---
The air froze.
"…What?" Rian whispered.
Aris's voice lowered.
"…There was a third."
---
Everything stopped.
Aarav blinked.
"…Wait."
He stepped back.
"…No."
A small laugh escaped him—uneven, disbelieving.
"You've got the wrong person."
---
His heart raced.
Too fast.
*This is insane.*
*There's no way—*
---
Aris didn't move.
Didn't hesitate.
"No," he said.
"…I don't think I do."
---
The words landed heavier than anything before them.
Aarav stared at him.
Confusion.
Doubt.
And something else—
Something he couldn't name.
---
Behind them—
Kael's expression shifted.
"…A hidden royal…" he muttered.
Lyra didn't speak.
But her eyes sharpened.
"…So that's why…"
---
Aris straightened.
His presence returned fully—commanding, absolute.
"You're coming with me."
---
No debate.
No hesitation.
Just a decision.
---
Aarav stood still.
Caught between disbelief—
And something far more dangerous.
For the first time since arriving in this world—
It didn't feel like things were getting clearer.
It felt like they were slipping out of his control.
---
End of Chapter 14