Aragons (TO BE REWRITTEN SOON)

Chapter Twenty Four

"It seems like the Order is full of silly people," Raia mutters, remembering her master.

Raiden frowns. "H-hey! Are you saying I'm also silly?"

Raia ignores him. She walks over to the other pillar and leans back, her gaze fixed on the crowd. A booming voice reverberates throughout the hall, capturing everyone's attention.

"Make way for His Majesty, King Alexander II, and Her Royal Highness, Princess Hadley!"

The people gathered in the center move aside to make room, gaping at the two elegant people stepping down the marble stairs.

Sunshine and Raiden's expressions mirror the crowd's, who are equally taken aback by the presence of the two royals. The King wears a red tunic adorned with jewelry and a ruby mantle lined with fur. The Panacea royal crest brooch with a golden chain is attached to his suit. His blonde hair is cut short and gleams in the light of the chandelier. His face is shaved clean, giving him the appearance of a young man in his twenties.

The princess is stunning from head to toe. Her skin is porcelain white, resembling that of a doll. She's dressed in a corseted bodice and a scarlet bell-shaped skirt. She has gleaming blonde hair that cascades down her hips like a waterfall, and a red fascinator sits atop her head. She looks young, probably around Nathan's age, and is undeniably beautiful, possibly the most beautiful girl in their country.

Raiden and Sunshine join in the applause, enthralled, while Nathan simply observes the scene with folded arms and a frown on his face.

Hadley greets the guests with a smile and a curtsy. To the delight of the crowd, the King extends his hand and requests a dance from his daughter. Her cheeks flush and she smiles sheepishly as she places her white-gloved hand on her father's extended one.

Applause echoes around the hall as the celebrant and her father dance gracefully in the center. Every pair of eyes is riveted on the magnificent view, and the dance only lasts one song. Guests are soon busy eating and drinking teas, while others dance and enjoy the music.

The Aragons keep their gaze fixed on the King. They will scrutinize every guest from time to time, looking for signs of imposters - demons with human appearances.

The King, as expected, is ignoring their presence. He did, however, look at them once, and his upper lip curled in scorn. He's never looked at them since.

"Do you think there's really an Outcast here? Or a Cimmerian?" Sunshine asks.

"We're not sure, so we'll have to keep an eye on things," Raiden says, his eyes darting around.

"Perhaps we should reveal them ourselves?" Nathan suggests in a jest, eliciting a look from his comrades.

Raia places her hand on her chest, trying to feel something. If there is an enemy nearby, her newly acquired skill may activate again. But she can't sense anything right now. Maybe there isn't a demon, or maybe that experience was just a fluke. Can she call it a good thing or a bad thing?

"Ah, look who's here, the renegade," a sardonic voice says.

Their eyes widen with surprise as they see Hadley approaching. Her piercing blue eyes are fixed on Nathan, and she has a bitter smile on her face. "The only son of Sir Harence who betrayed the clan only to join a cult. Nathan Farquharson, who chose such an absurd organization over his own family."

Nathan clenches his fists at his sides, but instead of retorting, he leans out from the pillar and faces her.

"Your Highness," he says, emphasizing each word. "It's such an honor for someone like you to approach a mere person like me."