Knight | Celeste Academy Series BK #1

44th Chapter ♣ Meeting with Royalty

"The power pressure of Valemnia is strong enough to crush a human soul."

♣

Chapter Forty-Three ♣ Meeting with Royalty

There were no fancy carriages of any sort—much to Valeriana's disappointment since she really wanted to ride one. Still, the walk was really short so it was convenient. They went through that door again—the one she took when trying to escape—but it led to another way.

Nevertheless, despite the magic door thingy going on, which she totally didn't understand, they were greeted by a man when they stepped through. He had on a formal aura and was a middle-aged man who grew very little hair on his head, having a big bald spot on top of his skull.

"Whew!" she said, stepping through the doorway and looking back and forth between the room she stood in and back where she came. "I still wonder how this thing happens."

The man cleared his throat.

Valeriana looked towards the man and straightened her spine when she realized how odd she was behaving. "Oh."

"My name is Edeltraud and I shall serve as your guide under the king's request. The palace is a complicated maze, there's a high possibility of you getting lost trying to find your way around."

"That is true. No matter how many times I go here, I am never able to familiarize myself with these twists and turns," Lord Aeron stated in a matter-of-factly tone. "And that is saying a lot, coming from me."

"That is the purpose of this palace's enormous size. Such complexity is something that cannot be mastered in a matter of years."

He seemed proud that he could navigate around this place expertly, and Valeriana herself was impressed. Lord Aeron then waved to the girl, gently steering her to come forward as he gestured to the man.

"Come on now. Introduce yourself."

She stepped forward with a smile. "Is this the part I bow?" she asked her company.

Lord Aeron and Headmaster Kylon simultaneously raised brows.

"Okay, okay." She mustered all the grace in her body before sinking low. "It's a big honor of meeting you."

The man looked her way—finally. "And what is your name, might I ask?"

"I'm Valeriana."

"Well, Miss Valeriana, I assume that you—" He stopped short when he took in her appearance. ". . . are the human."

"That's me!"

He didn't seem to have been able to hide his shock. He visibly held his breath while staring at Valeriana's face as if he just saw a ghost. His body went rigid that it was amusing to see. He was as stiff as a silver spoon.

"I thought that . . ." he trailed off. "Are you really that rumored human who was invited by the king?"

"Yeah."

He then shook his head and began to walk towards a certain direction. "Please follow me."

Although Valeriana was a bit oblivious to what was going on, the Headmaster and the Court Leader caught Edeltraud constantly looking at Valeriana from the corner of his eyes. It seemed that if Valeriana was to dress up formally like a woman, she'd bear a striking resemblance to Valemnia's late queen.

Even the old man was curious about the newcomer who bore Queen Ayslia's features.

Maybe it was a mere coincidence.