The Royal Magistrate Academy.

Chapter 13.

"Dorian, please stop fooling around," Naomi scolded Dorian, who sheepishly set down the rusty instrument he was blowing into.

It seemed that the gang had momentarily forgotten the purpose of their presence in the facility. Instead of strategizing for their next step, they each became distracted by the priceless antiques in the room.

Nickolas immediately set off, attempting to break a glass case containing a reddish greatsword that he claimed was the love of his life. Julius, on the other hand, developed a strange fondness for obsidian mosaics scattered on the ground.

In the left corner, Naomi and Dorian were engrossed in trying to pick the lock of an enclosed chest with a bobby pin. Nearby, Tristan was shoving odd baubles down his pants after receiving an appraisal of their worth from Levy.

Meanwhile, Lambert paid no mind to the distractions, focusing on finding a way forward with Elizabeth's assistance. The two searched together, enjoying each other's company along the way.

Two minutes later, Elizabeth burst into laughter as Lambert regaled her with a story from his adolescence. It turned out that his mother had dressed him up as a girl so he could play the lead role in the musical Annie.

" 'Oh yeah, they used to call me Reba after that damn play,' Lambert chuckled."

"Elizabeth couldn't control her laughter and it only intensified as she asked, 'Pwahahaha...Like the country singer? Oh gawd, I can't breathe.'"

As Elizabeth laughed joyfully, her fits of laughter made Lambert's cheeks flush. It reminded him of a moment when they were alone in his room, causing a sudden surge of warmth to engulf his body, as if he had been out in the cold for too long and finally found solace in a cozy coat.

"Let's focus on the task at hand; we may have missed something important," Lambert said, attempting to shift the conversation back to their mission. Elizabeth felt a tinge of disappointment and concern but understood the gravity of their situation. She joined Lambert in search of crucial clues.

Lambert had to be careful not to appear rude. The truth was that he enjoyed Elizabeth's company more than he would ever admit. Making her laugh boosted his ego and pride, giving him a rare sense of confidence. It was one of his guilty pleasures in life.

However, reality rudely intruded as a childhood memory of his father's funeral crept into his mind. Standing over his father's empty coffin, Lambert remained stoic and devoid of emotion while comforting his weeping and depressed mother on the floor. That was the day he vowed to bring closure to his mother by uncovering the truth about his father. He had sworn to let nothing and no one stop or delay his mission.

...
Even amidst the chaos of students vandalizing and rummaging, the entire chamber began to tremble, sending panic and fear through the group. Girly screams and desperate prayers filled the air.

Amidst the commotion, Lambert heard Julius shouting about mistaking something for a puzzle. Whatever Julius had done, it seemed to have granted them their escape from the room, even if it was due to sheer luck.

One of the dusty bookshelves abruptly shifted to reveal a hidden pathway. The walls lit up with green-colored flames from torches, beckoning them to enter and explore.

"Alright, everyone, move carefully and stay close. Be ready for anything, have your spells at the ready," Lambert instructed. He quickly added, "I said spells, Naomi, not makeup!"

"Listen, Red, if shit goes south and they find our corpses, I want to look glamorous so that people know I was the hot one in the group," Naomi defended herself while applying her expensive lip gloss. Her response earned her a scoff from Julius, to which she responded by flipping him the middle finger.