The sounds stopped as he stood still, arriving at the stairs that led to the king's throne.
He looked down at Edward—one of his subjects.
It was a king worthy of his statues, not even the statues could honor his true stature—a man who dwarfed even Edward, not only in height.
It was a man who could hold his own in a fight—a king fitting his reverence.
The true king of Kardiotza,
Aurelius.
As Edward's mantle fluttered about, revealing all he had on him, he bent his knee to his majesty.
"Your highness, you honor me with your appearance." It didn't matter how loud he spoke, for his voice reached every single corner of this empty hall.
"Stand up and speak your mind Edward—for I did not call for your appearance." The king who kept seated spoke, his head leaning on his hand.
Edward stood upright, making sure his gaze was lower than his majesty's,
"Your majesty, I beseech your benevolence."
"I plead for your clearance..." Edward had to take another swallow,
"To search for a seer and allow them in!"
The king took a deep sigh, waiting a moment before responding,
"...Have you heard of the law, Edward?" His gaze matched Edward as he lowered his tone.
"I am sure you did, so tell me—what does it say?"
"The entity called seers are at all times impermissible in the country of Kardiotza, with rights below that of the lowest of humans." He paraphrased the law he had memorized.
"Exactly, so what of this law makes you think I would give you clearance?" He had stopped talking, giving Edward a moment.
"I—"
"This is one of those laws that every country agrees on, and one of those laws that no one will budge on. So tell me, what made you think that?" He gave Edward the illusion of rights before he continued speaking.
"...Forgive my insolence, but whatever the future requires—I have found it. And for this future to continue I need those called seers!"
"Whatever your future needs. No—whatever humanity's future needs is of no consequence to me."
"What I am unable to stop, no one else can—my existence is absolute."
"Or rather—I am absolute." He looked right into Edward's eyes, who wanted to lower his gaze even further, making him look at his weakened legs and trembling arms.
His highness lifted himself off his throne, and took a single step forward.
A pressure came with him, one heavy enough to make Edward wish to moan in pain, but keeping it in—all in front of his highness.
With each step he took down the red carpet covered stairs, the stronger the pressure became.
It felt to Edward as if his very essence was under attack.
With just a few steps left, Edward couldn't take it any longer—he had been forced to both knees.
He couldn't feel his knees anymore—oblivious to what that pain was—when his highness was a step away from Edward.
He reached his hand out towards Edward's head, a slight grin shone through from him.
He had put his hand on Edward's shoulder—the pressure leaving alongside it.
"You are one of my dearest subjects, Edward—so do not dare to show such insolence before me ever again."
Without even waiting for Edward's response, the king had already walked over to the king's chambers that were to Edward's right.
Unsure what it was as even when the door closed behind him, Edward couldn't stand up for a while—kneeling to the empty throne in front of him.
He was left wallowing in his own weakness, one he showed in front of his majesty—only now feeling the itching of the sweat that had formed, from his head all the way to his feet.
I had always known it—but his highness is undoubtedly stronger than me. His fist kept opened, not clenching even when the realization dawned upon him.
After a while he could stand up, walking past the chamberlain whom he didn't even notice, lifting his head as he walked through the entrance hall looking up until his gaze met the statue.
He continued forward with his head lowered.
But soon he realized once again what his given task was, making him raise his head once again,
The king's help is not a necessity to me—I will find the seer.
He mounted the horse and rushed back home, wishing to let them know about the coming plans.
Is that...?
He passed by Mim and Tjer, who were focused on something else—unable to notice him.
"Heh, stupid child..." He was unable to hold his smile back, while slowing his strides down.
When he got back home, he spoke to Katherine who had opened the door.
She told him everything that Ryan had told them.
That was when Tjer walked back in.
"So that is what happened..." He said, drops of blood appearing from where his fingers were pressing into his palms.
How strong is the king if even Edward is unable to hold his own... I didn't dare to ask anything of him, whether it was fear or something else I was unsure of it.
I looked over at Katherine, who bit down her lower lip—her eyes staring at the table in front of her.
"How do you wish to find a seer then?..." It was the one thing that truly mattered.
"Nothing changes. The only difference is the scale of the search, but either way—I will find one." He said, matching my gaze, that woke even Katherine up.
"I'll hel—"
"No. You are unable to help me." Edward cut me off.
"...But I can fight..."
"Sigh... that is not necessarily it... You just lack the right qualification to enter certain places."
My eyes widened as he continued.
"You are neither a knight, nor an apprentice yet."
"And I have other plans for you, so your help is unnecessary."
He pointed his index and middle finger up, and said,
"You are going to train for two years straight."
"Training..." I muttered as my teeth buried into my lower lip.
"Yes, training—and it's not going to be just fighting."
"You need to study as well, learn the ways of this world—Albert will be your tutor for it."
"In those two years you will become strong enough to match Caleb before he expanded his realm—that is the strength of an apprentice."
Even that was too much for me...
"...Can I join you after that?..."
"No. I told you what was going to happen—you will be admitted into an academy."
"To be exact it's the academy."
"The academy?" The way he said it, with a grin on his face made me straighten my back.
"Yes, the one academy that is separate from nations and ranks—one where the person is the only thing that matters."
"A place where you will meet all kinds of people, from swordsmen to everything else there is."
"The only place where even a prince could get rejected if he is unable to meet the requirements. A place reserved for the best—" His arms stretched out to me, almost piercing my eye.
The grin on his face widened, with Katherine staring at me.
"Corvalis—that is where your future is."