CHAPTER 227: 227: AWKWARD.

Elvis looked up at Eden, who had his back to him now. "You cured her?"

Eden didn’t wish to tell him that there wasn’t a cure to start with. So he basically said, "Yeah, I did. You were obedient, so I figured that you should get that at least."

Eden turned to face him. "So... you should be hopeful at least that this wicked wizard will be setting you free soon. You won’t have to be under my clutches anymore."

"Was I ever under your clutch?" Elvis asked. "Because for someone rumoured to be a wizard of doom, you really are different from the tales."

Eden smiled. "I don’t know if that should be a compliment or what, but I’ll take it as a compliment." He had his hands behind him.

They were quiet as they stared at each other. For the first time, the mood was genuinely awkward for them. Awkward emotions lingered in the air as Eden couldn’t bring himself to play it casual, especially with the thought of his marriage coming up and the fact that Elvis was willingly pushing through with it.

Even though he knew he was probably doing it against his wish, he couldn’t help but think about it.

"Are you okay?" Elvis asked, surprisingly. "The wizard of EL is never always this quiet. What are you up to now?"

Eden smiled as he walked up to him. He placed a can of pills on his table. "Take this, and you should be in good health till your marriage. It’s the least I can do to keep you healthy and keep my own side of the agreement."

Elvis stared at the can and then stared up at him. "Why are you speaking as though you were running away anytime soon?"

Eden smiled. "Should I? I guess that would be iconic. Maybe you’d miss me then and you’d come looking for me."

Elvis stared at him without saying anything.

Eden scoffed. "Maybe I should just run away on the day of the marriage. Maybe you’d be obliged to come and catch me back. That still counts, right?" He smiled as he spoke.

But Eden felt complicated about his words. They seemed to contradict all he wanted to show.

But then Elvis raised his palm and placed it over Eden’s forehead.

"What are you doing?" Eden asked.

"Checking if the wizard of EL is sick," Elvis said.

Eden gently brushed off his hand and then forced a smile. "You should continue with your work. You seem busy. I’ll be off and leave you," he said as he turned and walked away.

Soon, he was out of the room, and Elvis sat there in silence. He stared at the door for a while before he picked up the can and stared at it.

He was confused. Complicated feelings ran through his head while he stared at the can. Elvis brought his hand to feel his chest; he could feel something uneasy over his chest.

He sighed as he shook his head. "What’s wrong? Am I the sick one?" he muttered as he got out a pill. "I should take medications."

---

As soon as Eden got out of his room, he took a deep breath—in and out. He shook his head as he gently slapped his cheeks. "What’s wrong with me?"

"Why was I acting like that..." He sighed as he shook his head again and continued walking. "I have to pull myself together..."

Eden made his way through the hallways, heading back to his room, when he caught sight of something.

Eden saw Queen Elizabeth walking with some of her maids. She was heading to Queen Lea’s chamber.

Eden thought it was strange. Why should she go there when they weren’t even close at all?

But then again, he brushed the thought off. Perhaps he was just overthinking, he told himself as he walked off, heading back to his room.

---

Queen Elizabeth had gotten the news from her lady-in-waiting that Queen Lea had summoned her. Her lady-in-waiting had told her not to go, but she decided to go anyway.

"It’s not the first time, so what’s there to be afraid of?" Queen Elizabeth let out a soft smile as she left.

Soon, she arrived at Queen Lea’s chamber, and the maid knocked.

"Come in," came Queen Lea’s proud voice. The door was open, and so Queen Elizabeth stepped into the chamber to meet Queen Lea, who sat on her side.

She was having tea when Queen Elizabeth walked in and came to stand before her.

"You called for me," Queen Elizabeth said.

Queen Lea stared up at the lady standing before her. "Don’t you think you should at least be more respectful?" she demanded. And Queen Elizabeth could tell what she wanted.

And so she gave a bow.

Queen Lea smiled. "You should go down on your knee as well."

Queen Elizabeth hesitated. Her lady-in-waiting was already feeling terrible.

"What’s with the delay? Go down on your knees. I don’t have all the time to waste," Queen Lea expressed, her teacup in her hands.

Queen Elizabeth hesitated. She took a deep breath in and out and went down on her knees before Queen Lea, who smiled. She was proud. "Good. Now beg for forgiveness from me."

Queen Lea continued, "Your pathetic son keeps getting on my nerves. He keeps messing everything up and has recently picked up some nasty habits. And he thinks he can always keep getting away with it?"

Queen Lea scoffed. "How cocky. He even got rewarded to get married into the Imperial family immediately after ruining the king’s plan? I’m just speechless!"

Queen Elizabeth knelt before her without saying anything. She simply listened.

"Perhaps the king has grown soft and doesn’t know how to run things around here. But I’m not soft at all," she cast her cold eyes on Queen Elizabeth. "And I know how to handle pathetic people very well."

Queen Lea scoffed. "And since your son has made the mess, don’t you think that you, the irresponsible mother, should be punished for his actions?"