"Are you looking for me?" Lara exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with curiosity. She gestured animatedly to herself while her gaze remained fixated on Bener. "Why?"
Bener hesitated, his gaze darting to the ground. "Asael asked me to find you," he said, the words tumbling out too quickly. He clung to his brother’s name like a lifeline, using it as a convenient excuse—a scapegoat.
Lara’s playful expression faded. "Is something wrong with Asael?" Her brow knit with concern, her voice softening.
"No, it’s not that..." Bener shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. "It’s just... it’s better if you come along." His eyes met hers, uncertain, almost pleading.
Lara studied him for a moment, unease flickering across her face. Worry for Asael tightened in her chest, and without another word, she fell into step beside Bener.
"We can go together," Prince Alaric interjected smoothly, his voice low and composed. "It’s getting late, and I was heading back myself." Without waiting for a reply, he turned and began walking toward the mayor’s mansion, his presence commanding even in silence.
Lara blinked, momentarily surprised. She had almost forgotten the prince was staying at the mayor’s residence. As they neared the grand stone mansion, the guards standing watch outside dipped into respectful bows, their heads lowering with unwavering deference.
Lara’s eyebrows lifted slightly. The people of this era are really loyal... they bow so easily as if it’s second nature. The Royals are lucky to get this level of respect. She glanced at Alaric out of the corner of her eye. His expression remained unreadable, his gaze fixed ahead.
Bener led her through the grand staircase, then through the dimly lit hallway, their footsteps echoing against polished marble floors. The mansion’s northern wing stretched into shadows, the flickering torchlight casting elongated silhouettes across the stone walls. Lara’s pulse quickened as they neared the room at the very end. She had a feeling she was being taken to the mayor’s study.
Yet what unsettled her more was the commanding presence behind them. Prince Alaric continued to follow, his stride unhurried.
The powerful presence of Prince Alaric made Bener’s shoulders stiffen. Every step he took felt heavier under the weight of the prince’s silent scrutiny.
Bener’s mind raced. Why was he following us? Did he intend to come inside, too? The thought sent a ripple of unease through him. He had to think fast. As they passed one of the ornate wooden doors, Bener slowed to a stop.
"Excuse me, Your Highness," he murmured, stepping aside to buy himself a moment. He was gathering the courage to tell the prince he needed not come.
Lara turned to him, eyes narrowing. "You don’t want him to come? Am I right?" Her voice was low, curious but probing.
Bener hesitated, glancing toward Alaric, who stood a few paces behind them, silent and watchful. Bener shifted closer to Lara, lowering his voice. "It’s... something private. Prince Alaric’s presence isn’t necessary." He stole a quick glance at her from beneath his lashes, his heart thudding uncomfortably in his chest.
Lara frowned but said nothing, her gaze flickering toward the prince, who met her eyes with a faint, unreadable smirk. The tension in the corridor thickened, hanging heavy between them like an unspoken secret.
Bener swallowed hard. The night felt colder now, shadows pressing closer.
Then Prince Alaric excused himself. He said that he needed to retire to his bedroom.
With a careful hand, Bener grasped the ornate handle of the final door in the northern wing. As he pushed it open, a deep, resonant creak echoed through the corridor, revealing how formidable the door was.
Lara’s eyes narrowed. Inside the study were six impeccably handsome men. She had already encountered General Odin, with his rugged charm, Asael, whose laughter danced like sunlight, and Gideon, whose quiet intensity was palpable. Now, her eyes settled on two unfamiliar figures, exuding a magnetic allure that intrigued her. Each held an intense gaze that left her uncomfortable.
"This is Galahad, and that one is Percival. That man standing behind the mahogany table is our father.
"I have already crossed paths with everyone, save for Galahad and Percival," Lara remarked, her gaze drifting nonchalantly over the group, lingering briefly on each face before shifting away, a hint of curiosity dancing in her eyes.
Galahad bore an uncanny resemblance to General Odin, his features mirroring those of the esteemed general so closely that it seemed as if they were two peas in a pod. Every line of his face, every fierce glint in his eye, whispered of Odin’s commanding presence. In contrast, Percival shared a likeness that was a shade less striking—perhaps seventy percent of the same essence—his visage hinting at the general but still holding a distinct character of its own.
Galahad stepped in front of Lara and looked down at her condescendingly. Even his bearing was similar to General Odin.
"What is your purpose of getting close to Asael? Who sent you?" Galahad’s interrogatory remarks confused Lara. She thought for a moment that she was there to be welcomed as a family. Was she wrong?
"Asael was seriously injured, and I am a doctor, so naturally, I approached him so I could tend to his injuries and take care of his wounds." She paused and looked at Galahad with clear eyes. "What kind of question is that?"
Galahad was silenced by Lara’s reply. He frowned. She doesn’t seem like the sister that he remembered. Even though she resembled Asael, but her demeanor was different. He was even more convinced that the Lara before him was an impostor, a spy sent by the enemy.
"Who sent you?" Galahad asked directly.
Lara, who was initially confused, started to realize what was happening. Was he doubting me? Her eyes dimmed.
"It was General Alaric Kromwel who sent me to bring a message to General Odin at Camp Hainai." Lara spoke calmly without emotion, but a flicker of coldness crossed her eyes.
Galahad felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest.
Asael, who was silent, caught a glimpse of the coldness in Lara’s eyes, and his heart missed a beat. He felt the shift in her aura and it scared him.
"What are you doing, interrogating her like an enemy, Galahad? She is our sister, Lara."