A blinding light greets them as soon as they enter the grand hall of Arcelio Palace. Their jaws drop as they scan the dazzling interior, which features pristine white walls and gold-gilded furniture. Whitestone pillars run in rows along the hall between stained-glass windows. The floor is embellished with red carpet and a crystal chandelier hangs from a beautifully carved domed ceiling, illuminating the whole place.
Nobles swarm the magnificent hall, men in suits and women in elaborate gowns and fascinator hats chatting and drinking teas. Dozens of white-clothed tables sit in the area, each holding a platter of foods. Facing them from a distance is a sweeping grand staircase lined with historic portraits of royal family members.
A soft melody is playing in the background, synchronizing with the merry chatters and laughter that fills the place. Elegant aromas waft through the hall, blending with the cold air.
Raia scans the area, looking for a specific person, but she can't find him, so she takes in her surroundings instead. She's never been in a place like this before, and she's never even met or seen the ruler of her home country. But Raia doesn't feel at ease in this place; she feels exposed as if she's standing naked in front of so many people. One of them may no longer be a human and is only pretending to be one. The mere thought of it reminds her that she should never trust anyone, stranger or not.
"I can't believe we're inside the Arcelio Palace, home of the Panacea King," Sunshine says as she looks around, her face as bright as the chandelier.
Nathan stifles a sneeze but fails to do so.
"Bless you," Raiden and Sunshine speak in unison.
Nathan places his hands on his hips. "All right, let's hide in the corner and become invisible."
The guests cast a glance at the Aragons and never look back. The king appears to have already ordered the people to ignore their presence.
"It really feels so good to be ignored," Nathan says, leaning against a pillar with a bitter smile on his face.
Raia eyes Nathan with curiosity. The man is behaving strangely. He's always that bubbly person, but it appears that he's faking it today, as he comes out sulky.
"Don't say or do anything stupid to them, or you can just go back to the headquarters," Sunshine says, a note of firmness in her voice.
"Don't worry, I won't. I just want to see their reactions when they see me," Nathan responds with a shrug. "And I know you'll need my strength to fight demons."
"Nah, we don't need your power. I'm even stronger than you."
Nathan snorts. "Let's just ask Raia who's stronger after we finish this mission."
Sunshine grins. "By all means."
Raiden shoots Raia an apologetic look. "I'm sorry you have to get involved in their antics. They're always like this."
"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."
Hadley purses her lips. "Cocky as ever."
He smiles at her and extends his hand in such a graceful way that Raia starts to question his identity.
"May I have the pleasure of dancing with you?" Nathan asks, one corner of his mouth curling up.
Hadley arches an eyebrow at him, eyeing his uniform in disdain. "Your eerie appearance makes you look more like a suspicious person than the hero you claim to be."
Nathan shrugs, unconcerned by her remark. "If that's what makes you happy, Your Highness, then suit yourself."
Hadley gives him a death glare, but she accepts his extended hand anyway, and Nathan escorts her onto the dance floor. The crowd appears befuddled at first, but they soon begin cheering and clearing the way for them.
Raia looks around at her comrades, a frown on her face. "Is that guy related to the royal family in any way?"
Raiden and Sunshine nod to her.
"The Farquharson," Sunshine says in a quiet voice, "is one of Panacea's loyal clans that has supported the Royal Family for the past five hundred years. Every member is obligated to serve the royalty. Furthermore, Nathan's father is the chief of the clan as well as the Earl of Saragael, making Nathan the apparent heir."
"Nathan's family, like the royal family, does not believe that demons coexist with us," Raiden explains. "So, when Nathan became an Elysian and revealed the existence of demons to them, they expelled him from the family."
Sunshine nods. "At first, they asked him to choose between staying in the family and joining the organization, but he chose to join, letting his family despise him. He chose to follow Azarios." A rueful smile curls the edges of her mouth. "I was actually the one who found him. He looked so lost and devastated at that time, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him."
"It's not surprising that his family didn't show up for the ceremony. They must have guessed that we'd be here as well," Raiden observes, a frown on his face.
Sunshine looks at Nathan and Hadley, who are dancing on the dance floor. "I know he expected to see them here, even if he tried to hide it. Despite his hatred for them, he yearned to see them."
A long minute passes in silence. Raia's gaze wanders around the hall until she spots a young gentleman with sparkling silver hair standing in a corner. He's clothed in a pale blue tailcoat with gold trim and a pair of trousers. His chest is embroidered with the royal crest. He has his sights set on Hadley, and he doesn't seem pleased to see his sister dancing with Nathan, based on the expression on his face.
The Crown Prince of Panacea, Ian Johan Grimaldi.
Raia starts to walk, but Raiden grabs her wrist. She raises an inquisitive brow at him.
"Wait, where are you going? We're not supposed to draw any attention," Raiden says, his eyebrows knitted together. Then he casts an awkward glance at his redheaded companion. "Well, with the exception of that."
Raia scrunches up her eyebrows and snatches her hand away. "I know what I'm doing."
Raiden clamps his jaw shut and watches her walk away.
As Raia walks down the hall, she grabs an apple from a table and bites it as she approaches the silver-haired man.
He's a few inches taller than she is, and he smells of expensive perfume. He appears older than Raia would expect from someone younger than the princess, or perhaps it's just the way he carries himself. She can say he's attractive, on par with the king and his sister, and truly deserving of the title of the crown prince. But despite his title and superiority, he appears completely benign and harmless, someone Raia finds easy to control.
Raia remains silent for a minute before speaking in a low voice. "Your mother didn't actually leave, does she?"
Ian takes a step back, startled, and looks at her. His sky blue eyes furrow as he scans her features. "W-who are you? Your appearance and thick accent indicate that you are not a local."
Raia takes another bite of the apple and looks him in the eyes. "Obviously. So . . . how long, Your Highness, will you remain ignorant?"
Ian's eyes widen, but he quickly replaces his surprised expression with a scowl. "Who are you? Are you a member of that weird cult? Why can't you just leave me alone?" Despite the frown on his face, Ian's demeanor remains calm and gentle, and his voice has a softness to it.
"Your Highness," Raia drawls, her voice as deep as it has ever been. "I know the truth about your mother. She became one of the demons known as Outcasts. Your belief was changed the moment she attempted to attack you. And it was at that time that an angel heard you and chose you."
Raia's eyes grow colder as she stares into his. "You freed her."
Ian stiffens, taken aback by how much the girl knows. But then his face turns red and his blue eyes flare.
"I freed her? Nonsense. I killed her!" Ian hisses. "Her body disappeared right before my very eyes! I felt sick the moment I . . . slashed that weapon." His fists tremble at his sides. "The Light that I saw was cruel. Everything about it is cruel. Your organization is nonsense. Nothing about that is holy."
Raia presses her lips into a thin line, a scowl on her face. When she opens her mouth to speak, something heavy and cold embraces her heart. She drops the half-eaten apple and clutches her chest, as if in pain. Her face contorts as threatening despair encircles her insides, her chest tightening into a knot.
Ian frowns at her abrupt change of behavior. "What's wrong?"
When Raia remains unresponsive, a look of worry crosses his face. He rests his hands on her shoulders and looks her in the eyes. "Lady, are you all right?"
Raia strokes her silver cross pendant as she scans the people gathered in the hall. "It's here."
"What?" Ian blurts out, puzzled.
Raia returns her gaze to him, a hard look on her face. "There's a demon inside the palace."
Ian's face pales and his eyes widen in horror. He looks at Hadley, who is now chatting with the guests, and then at his father, who is drinking tea with them. Fear grips his features. His family is surrounded by people who could turn into strangers in the blink of an eye.