Inside a dimly lit room, a young woman with crimson hairs sat cross legged on the bed, she was wearing a cream-colored silk robe. She looked towards a black haired child who was sitting in 'seiza' position on the ground, in front of her.
"what were you doing here?, you do know what you did right?" Artoria asked, she was grinning while seeing the child in front of her sweating buckets, her tone was mischievous, but her expression was stiff.
"I, ... I … just wanted to show Auntie my new cloak." Elijah muttered while glancing at his knees.
"Is that so, and when exactly were you planning to show yourself. After a few days?" Artoria asked with a sarcastic and teasing tone. "and why are you sitting like that?" She continued.
"It's just, …." Elijah was thinking about his next action, but couldn't come up with anything that could help him.
"What?" Artoria found his actions to be amusing, she was not angry at him. But, she wanted to tease him more as his reactions were weirdly funny for an eight year old.
Bam!
Elijah's head hit the floor as he performed his first dogeza in this life,
"I, I'm sorry for seeing you in such condition, I was just waiting for an appropriate moment to surprise you. I .. I didn't mean to peep, I just couldn't move when you started taking off your robe and then it was too late to reveal myself." Elijah blurted out whatever excuse he could think of while remaining in dogeza.
"Oh."….. "hahaha, you're so funny hahaha. You act like a grown up with that serious face of yours. Hahaha" Artoria laughed slamming her hand on Elijah's back continuously.
Elijah's barrier rings started activating with each slam on his back as he started to worry about his life.
After hearing her words Elijah started sweating more profusely,
'' well, I am an adult as you said'' Elijah blurted out subconsciously.
Artoria stopped laughing for a second and observed Elijah, who was covering his face with his hand.
"You really are funny." She continued laughing, Elijah raised his head and sat there on the floor, maintaining his poker face while sweat forming continuously on his forehead.
' Japanese dogeza is definitely the best way to apologise' Elijah remarked in his head.
"And, I will be taking that cloak." Artoria stopped laughing and stated in a serious tone.
"No! ... Sure, ma'am" Elijah, noticing her serious tone, promptly took off his cloak and handed it to her.
"You know, you have to attend Royal Academy starting this spring." Artoria, took the cloak from Elijah.
"I know that, but…." Elijah replied while being in a depressed state, his eyes glued the cloak.
"What, don't tell me you were planning on using this cloak in academy."
'Well, duh, isn't that obvious ?' Elijah retorted in his head.
"You know, I can't form my mana core and can only perform limited magic by using this pendant." Elijah caressed the phoenix pendant on his chest, red stone eyes were glowing with faint light.
" Magic artifacts are the only way for me to use magic." Elijah's eyes were still glued to the cloak.
"Even then, I'm not giving this back to you, not anytime soon." Artoria stood up and placed the cloak inside her wardrobe.
"Now, go get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day."
.....
Arthur Fenice was sitting on a luxurious high back chair, his green eyes were focused on a letter in his hand.
He tore open the letter and looked at it's contents, his expression remained unchanged. An everlasting melancholy filled his eyes, his crimson hairs were all slicked back.
With a flick of his forefinger the letter burst into flames and turned to ash. Arthur's gaze shifted towards Sebastian, who was standing on the other side of a large wooden table, filled with scrolls and documents, in front of him.
"Third princess is quite delusional, if she thinks I would back her." Arthur said in an emotionless tone.
"She's quite young, her vassals must have persuaded her." Sebastian said in his usual stoic voice.
"She's better than her brothers, if she is capable of having such vassals" Arthur lit a gold tipped cigarette and took a deep drag.
"Sebastian, it's bothering me, Elijah and the royal capital. I'll have you accompany him, he will need someone to protect him and…. refill his magical artifacts." Arthur looked into Sebastian's eyes.
Sebastian raised his brows slightly,
"I am quite aware of the fact, and I don't propose to discuss our relationship. Also, find out more about this." Arthur handed a scroll to Sebastian before he could reply to him.
"Yes, my lord." An archaic pentagram symbol was drawn on the scroll, runic characters and animal figures were drawn in a form of circle around the pentagram.
Sebastian kept the scroll in his pocket,
There has been various things which Arthur didn't know in his boyhood, which he understood now. There were existence unknown to him in this world and he now knew the precise moment to lay low, while building up his strength.
At this moment the most primal fear, the fear of unknown was haunting him. He had an ominous feeling, just like when his wife was assassinated and he knew he was standing alone at the forefront.
"Sebastian, I'll trust him to you." Arthur took another drag from his cigarette.
Sebastian bowed and left the room.
Arthur finished his cigarette and lit another. He took out a family portrait from the drawer, the same portrait which was placed in Alina's room and caressed the picture of twins, then moving his gaze towards the deceased mother of the twins.
Taking another deep drag from his cigarette he placed the portrait back into the drawer.
He stood up from his chair and moved towards the man sized mirror , which was placed along the right wall of the room.
Standing in front of the mirror, Arthur unbuttoned his shirt, revealing chiseled muscles and pale skin underneath.
Arthur frowned while staring at his own body, the same ominous symbol which was present on Artoria's body was emitting dark purple light , right in the middle of Arthur's chest. Purple veins were forming around the symbol which looked quite grotesque.
" I won't let it happen again."