"Miss Amelia, is it true that Goddess Gauri picked you up as her avatar on the day of your awakening just like how Nyx picked your brother?"

"Yes."

"Are Nyx and Kali really friends now? They've been hating each other for over a thousand years?"

"Correction. They never hated each other. They just fought to prove their superiority."

"But since your brother is practically, well _ undefeatable, by you I mean _ does that mean Nyx is stronger?"

"Who said I can't beat my brother. I can punch him now, and let's see if he dares to fight back."

"Jokes aside, what is your stance on the bounty order posted by Ruin Palace? Will house Blake declare war on them too? Or will we see …"

"You'd better ask my parents this question. I don't know much." Amy replied, cutting off the interviewer. "But I can tell you that I'm not afraid of them. If they want me, they can come find me at Zenith."

"Wait, you'll still be joining the academy? Even after all this."

"Ofcourse." Amy replied in confidence, "As I said, I'm not afraid, so why would I run, or hide."

"Miss Amy, can you tell us something about this villa?" A woman suddenly asked, "We thought with the thousands of guests coming, we'll have separate halls, different levels of decorations, or an open ground, but somehow this opulence spreads everywhere equally. How much did all this cost?"

"I don't know, my pocket money's still the same, so…" Amy replied with a joke, cheekily signaling how all this spending probably didn't even leave a dent.

"As for this mansion, well, as several reports said a few days ago, mother gave this to me years ago." Amy explained, "As you know, this island is near the edge of Arcadia as we know it, so it's quite special for me."

"Miss Amy, is it true that behind this island and the foggy forest, lies domains we haven't explored yet? Possibly even different continents or constellations?"

"I don't know. Maybe. My father said, there's a boundary blocking everything, and right now, no one's been able to break that, so who knows?" Amy replied, explaining what she heard from her parents, "Maybe there really are different lands we haven't explored out there."

"Miss Amy, talking about rumors, is it true that there'll be an announcement about yours and Prince Alfred's engagement tonight?"

"Yes, is it true that Prince Alfred proposed to you on his knees in the academy?"

"Some people saw king Maximus visiting Damascus a few days ago, was that a meeting to discuss this marriage?"

"...."

Instantly as if everyone's soul of gossip had awakened , or someone stuffed chicken blood in their veins, all the reporters started jumping around, restlessly asking these questions without any hesitation.

But before Amy could respond politely with answers she prepared, refuting all these claims publicly, Alfred jumped out from somewhere.

Standing beside Amy with a natural smile, "Aiyah, why are you all so impatient." He said, maintaining his handsome profile, "Don't just believe everything you hear, if there is something between us, we'll let you know, right Amy?"

"...." Amy glanced at Alfred who was looking at her 'lovingly' , acting like a concerned boyfriend coming forward to protect their privacy _ and suppressed the urge to slap the shit out of his cheeky face.

But before she had the time to protest, Rio's laugh sounded behind them.

"Hahaha ahaha. .. Alfred is right." He said with a smile, forcing his way between the duo, while pushing Alfred out of frame by his hands.

"You shouldn't listen to rumors. My sister has nothing to do with him."

Alfred looked at Rio's hand still pressed against his chest, after pushing him back, when he heard those words and raised his eyes in disbelief.

He never thought house Blake would dare to refuse 'him' so blatantly.

Last time, Artemis mocked him saying he wasn't worthy of her daughter, before slapping him for having false ideas _ it was personal and private. Behind closed doors. And mainly because in flow he mentioned the accident two decades ago by mistake, angering Artemis further.

But with his father behind him, mediating this marriage, he never doubted that 'this' would be the result.

"Alfred did propose this marriage, but it wasn't on his knees in the academy with romantic songs in the background, _ he did this after learning Amy's avatar status a few days ago." Rio spoke, spilling all the beans for the world to eat.

"We however refused."

The scene suddenly became quiet, and even the oldies busy making business deals and forming friends or fawning with other oldies - while secretly paying attention here _ became numb hearing everything.

All of them, having been in power and high circles of society, could guess the reality, but none thought house Blake would tear their face with the royal family so openly without any regard for politeness.

This wasn't just a slap to Alfred's face, but to king Maximus too, who initiated this proposal.

"Let's go Amy." Rio ignored the shocked eyes of reporters, clamouring to see if they had captured the earlier scene perfectly, before asking him dozens of questions more.

But by then Rio and Amy had already disappeared.

Disappointed, the media houses could only turn their attention back to Alfred, whose face looked ashen with his everlasting smile nowhere to be seen.

"Sorry, I have to _ just need…" Alfred mumbled something under his breath, and simply turned around to leave.

His fists clenched tightly, nails digging into his palms.

How dare this bastard expose him like that? How dare he ruin the romeo image he so hardly built?

And that bitch, why didn't she say something?

Alfred felt so angry inside, cursing the Blake's for their patronage. - that he even looked over the fact that the entire time, Rio called him by his name, and not the title.

But surely some gossip loving media guy would see that angle. And turn it into headline tomorrow.

….

Ignoring the buzz, Rio was still roaming around freely, interacting with people and laughing with 'friends'.

However unlike his carefree and sunny face, his parents always had to maintain the stature stoic environment. Dealing with so many people, all hiding their intentions behind a mask, acting polite, salty, and sour all at once - would surely tire them out tonight.

And in times like these, Rio couldn't help but feel happy that he was still a 'kid'.

"Rio, still remember me?" A middle aged man with a moustache and trench hat and coat stepped in front of him holding a drink.

"Mr Johnson." Rio replied with a smile, stretching his hand to shake, "How could anyone ever forget you."

"Anytime I open my social media, there's always something from you that's trending."

Freddy Johnson - the current spokesperson for the Hall of Secrets.

An organization popular for it's own controversial yet factual expose posted every month.

No one knows which God group backed this team, neither it's origin or owner - all everyone knows is that there seems to be no secrets they cannot find.

On one side, they expose corruption, crimes, cultivation, cover ups _ everything that can make them a target in powerful people's eyes at the beginning of the month– on other hand, they fawn over nobles, royals, elites, guilds, everyone alike at other opportunities the rest of time.

People call it two faced, but that's what makes them unpredictable - today they may be praising you to heavens , licking you like a dog, but for no reason at all, tomorrow's headlines may be your worst scandal exposed in the open. Biting off a piece of flesh.

They have no alliance, no allegiance, and probably no motive at all too – their motto is just publicity. Public service as they call it.

There have been several attempts to ban, discredit, and even destroy this organisation by various powers over the years, but like Hydra, if you cut off their one head, two new heads pop out.

And with how fast social media platforms have taken over this populace, their influence and reach is only growing stronger with each passing day.

As for how Rio met or knew this guy, well, let's just say he had some controversies lying around that needed a stage to shine. And Hall of Secrets had a secret service, different from their expose album, where they agree to be foot soldiers' knives for this type of thing.

They take secrets from your hands and expose them with their stamp. Plenty of businesses and families use this service to defame their rivals.

Of course to maintain their image - those secrets must be true, and not fake.

….

In the novel, Hall of Secrets greatly profited from house Blake's downfall. As they were always the foot soldiers used by every other rival and enemy.

So even when everyone else tore off a piece of flesh from house Blake, and only gave them a bite - they still walked out with a full stomach.

But Rio didn't hate them, blame them, or despise them - to him, everyone had their uses. And until they live out that usefulness, they can live.

Hall of Secrets were just attention whores in his eyes. Strippers, stripping others to satisfy their own 'sexuality'.

And the men in front of him, Freddy Johnson, now he was the horniest of them all.

Freddy craved controversies. To him, if he didn't write something 'spectacular' or juicy, he couldn't sleep at night.

Watching people gossip and fight over his stories - satisfied his vanity.

Fker probably jerked off reading comments and replies late at night.