CHAPTER 87: CHAPTER 87: WAITING

Not far away, Cyruz crossed his arms tightly, watching the interaction with a frown on his face, clearly annoyed that Axelius was being noticed. A few of Cyruz’s friends leaned toward him and whispered something that made him narrow his eyes and tighten his jaw, but he didn’t respond—his glare was already saying enough.

Then, without warning, the crowd’s murmurs slowly faded as a presence entered the space near the front table where the elders were seated.

Elder Mairead, the only female among the four, stood from her chair. She didn’t speak, not yet, but she looked toward Axelius again—just like she did earlier during the ceremony—and this time, her stare lasted longer.

Axelius felt it again.

A strange weight in the air. Not like before, when she looked at him with killing intent, but something heavier, colder, yet almost... curious. Her golden eyes stared deep into him, like she was trying to pull his soul out with just a glance, and although Axelius kept a neutral face, something inside him shivered for just a second.

Owen noticed and glanced sideways at him from his bowl. "She’s looking again," Owen said, his voice lower this time.

"I know," Axelius replied, blinking slowly.

Elder Mairead tilted her head slightly, as if she’d confirmed something. Then, slowly, without a word, she looked away and picked up her tea. But there was a smile now—small, brief, but real—and that made Axelius frown again.

"What the hell that old hag want?" he muttered under his breath, narrowing his eyes.

A few nobles closer to him heard it and gasped slightly, turning their heads in his direction, and one of the older Dravenhart uncles, sitting nearby, clicked his tongue and gave him a sharp look.

"Watch your mouth, kid" the man said sternly. "You carry our name."

Axelius didn’t even blink. He just leaned back further, threw his arms behind his head, and said in a quiet, dry voice, "Yeah, and it gets heavier every time someone like you opens their mouth."

Owen stifled a laugh. "You’re gonna get hit by a chair one day, Axel."

"I’ll dodge it," he said with a grin.

"I’ll told you to stop cussing especially near my princess Ellory."

"Princess your face! Go drink and stop talking!" Axelius grab owen and put him in a cup of tea. Ellory hearing it, giggled.

Ellory then gently moved her chair closer to Axelius, Her butler, always attentive, stepped forward without needing to be asked and politely adjusted her seat.

"When we went in earlier," she said softly, brushing her hair behind her ear, "it wasn’t that hard. We just had to run straight most of the time, maybe dodge a few traps. They weren’t even that dangerous. Some nets, a few ropes that tried to trip you. I just kept running, and I passed with plenty of time left."

She smiled again, looking proud but not bragging. Her voice was calm and a little dreamy, as if she had enjoyed the whole thing like a fun run.

Axelius glanced at her, smirking. "So you got the easy part, huh?"

Ellory giggled. "I guess I’m lucky."

"Or maybe they just didn’t want to hurt a princess," Owen said in a grumble, popping his gooey head up from Axelius’s shoulder. "I swear, your trial was a game, while his was war."

Meanwhile, Cyruz was watching everything. His hand clenched at his side, fingers curling into a tight fist. Seeing his precious little sister sit so close to Axelius, smiling and talking like that—he hated it. His teeth were grinding together, and his eyes were dark with jealousy.

Axelius noticed him, of course. So he decided to make it worse.

He leaned a little closer to Ellory and said, "You look tired. Want some fruit?" Without waiting, he picked up a small slice and held it out in front of her.

Ellory blinked in surprise, but then smiled and leaned forward, taking the fruit gently from his fingers. "Thank you, brother," she said sweetly.

Cyruz’s knuckles turned white as he clenched harder. He looked like he was about to explode.

Cedric then noticed his twin’s rage boiling again. He followed Cyruz’s eyes to where Axelius and Ellory sat together. He let out a deep sigh and shook his head.

He said to Axelius with an annoyed tone, "Can you stop acting like a baby?"

Axelius tilted his head and gave a small, fake-innocent smile. "What did I do?" he asked as he chuckled, clearly knowing what he was doing.

Just then, Cyruz stormed toward the table, looking for something to do—something to ruin the moment. His eyes landed on a small cup sitting near them. He didn’t know that Owen had jumped inside it earlier to relax.

Without a second thought, Cyruz grabbed the cup and took a deep drink. The moment the tea hit his mouth, Owen popped out like a soaked jelly.

"ARGHHH!" the slime shouted. "That was my tea!"

Ellory covered her mouth and laughed. Axelius leaned back and nearly fell over laughing, holding his stomach.

"What’s so funny?!" Cyruz barked, wiping his mouth. "Who are you laughing at?!"

"You, of course," Owen said grumpily, hopping back onto Axelius’s shoulder, dripping wet.

"Oops," Axelius said with a smirk, still chuckling. "Didn’t anyone tell you? Some cups aren’t for drinking."

"Did you put something here?!"

Ellory was giggling too hard to speak, her shoulders shaking.

"Disgusting," Cyruz muttered, leaving the table.

As things calmed down, Axelius leaned back again with a sigh, glancing up at the sky showing between the trees. "Three hours is going to be long," he said lazily.

_____

Then the Grand Duke and Duchess Eloween standing with her usual grace, her hands resting gently in her lap, a soft smile on her lips as she listened to the people around her speak. The two were surrounded by quiet attendants and noble guests who had come to witness the trials.

A moment later, Elder Cassiel appeared. His robes swayed as he walked, and his sharp eyes sparkled like he was hiding some playful secret. He raised his hand in greeting and spoke in a cheerful tone.