CHAPTER 43.4Debut PreparationBAGAMAT HINDI INTERESADO si Selene na magpakilala sa lahat lalo na’t noong una ay wala naman talaga siyang plano na mag-ascend sa trono at pamahalaan ang buong kaharian ng Izquierdo, ngayong nagbago ang desisyon ni Selene sa buhay ay hindi na maiiwasan ang pag-de-debut at pagpapakilala sa publiko.“I don’t like the idea of pleasing the noble faction,” was what she told Merlin while they were busy discussing her debut which will happen within two months. “Kung pupwede lang natin silang i-out ay iyon ang iri-request ko sa ‘yo.”Napailing-iling si Merlin sa sinabi niya ngunit mayroong naglalarong ngiti sa mga labi nito. “Alam kong sasabihin mo ‘yan at pinag-iisipan ko na ring i-filter ang mga imbitasyon pero sinabihan akong ‘di pwede. We’re not persuading them that you’re much worthy than the previous royalties that they wanted to pursue. You just needed to let the entire Kingdom know that you’re no fiction.”“Do they still think that I’m fake?”“Some of th
CHAPTER 43.5Troublesome PreparationsLAST WEEK, inanunsyo ni Merlin sa publiko na dalawang buwan mula ngayon ay magaganap ang debut ni Selene sa High Society at sa parehong araw ay kokoronahan ang dalaga bilang ang Crown Princess ng kaharian ng Izquierdo. Nakakagulat dahil mukhang marami ang naghihintay sa kanya at ang selebrasyong inanunsyo ng mahiko ang nagtulak sa lahat na mag-throw ng festival para sa darating na debut niya’t koronasyon.But announcing an important thing comes with a huge responsibility: she and Merlin will be busy planning her debut out and the entire preparation.Mayroon naman silang mga katulong. Tulad na lamang ng pamilyang Valderas na bukod sa pagtuturo sa kanya ng etiquette ay tinuturuan din siya kung paano ba siya magbi-behave habang nagaganap ang selebrasyon. She was also taught how to dance and after thirty minutes, she realized that that was not her strongest asset. Kaya extra-ng atensyon ang ibinubuhos sa kanya dahil bilang Prinsesa ng kaharian, kailan
CelebrationNANG dumating ang araw ng debut ni Selene, marami ang um-attend. Mula kina Reyna Sara at Prinsipe Eustace, sina Haring Alexander at Prinsipe Lucas, pati na rin ang ngayo’y si Haring Zeno.Nagtataka nga si Selene dahil nagkaroon ito ng lakas ng loob na um-attend sa debut ball niya pero ayos lang dahil personal itong humingi ng tawad sa kanya para sa nagawa ng ama nito. The thing was, King Zeno kept mum about his father’s greed until he lost ‘someone’. Palagay niya, si Sir Clyde iyon dahil kalat na kalat ang tsismis.But as long as he apologized, she’s good with it.“Are you good?”Natigilan si Selene nang marinig ang boses ni Merlin. Nang lumingon siya, ‘tsaka niya natagpuan ang mahiko na naglalakad patungo sa kanya. May ngiti sa mga labi nito pero hindi rin naman maikakailang nag-aalala ito.“Nakita mo ba si Lucas?” tanong niya.Ipinilig ng mahiko ang ulo. “Ah... Kailangan mo ba talaga siyang kausapin tungkol doon ngayon?”“Yes. I promised him, remember?”Humigop nang mala
CHAPTER ONE Fall of Izquierdo ㅤTHE air began to stifle and the once harmonious and joyous kingdom became radiant with pure heat – signifying abomination the rebels felt for the vampires who ruled the land. Skycrapers are no longer an eye candy because for the rebels, it was these colossal flames that seemed to reach the heavens. But how could they see it stretch further if smoke covered the skies to obscure the catastrophe in this very ground? “Hide in the forest as we fight against these rebels,” Arthur told her as he cupped her cheeks and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. Her husband’s hands were warm and despite the growing chaos outside the palace, Arthur’s touch brought comfort to her tingling anxiety. It was midnight when a knight announced that there are rebels who are attempting to disrupt the palace’s peace. Everyone was awoken by the abrupt news and it alarmed everyone – from the servants, knights, and them, the king and queen. Women were tasked to leave the kingdom
CHAPTER 2Truth beyond the Mystery ㅤSEVERAL years ago, it is widely known that Izquierdo kingdom was one of the most prosperous, powerful, and peaceful kingdom within Xeofarea. However, an unforeseen revolution occurred which caused the vampires and humans who placed their faith upon the royal family’s extermination. A conflagaration between two races happened due to a rumor wherein the king and queen are using the land along with its people to their delectation. There were no proof shown but the townspeople believed what was told to them and Lucas suspects that they trust that individual a lot that it was easy for whoever it was to manipulate crowd. Moreover, the late king, Arthur Griego along with his loyal subjects were annihilated while defending the castle and the innocuous, while the late queen, Erina Griego died in Rutchill woods with an unknown reason – some suspected that she was also killed while some says that she suicided but there were no concrete evidences to prove the
CHAPTER 3Merlin the Wizard ㅤTO solve a mystery, first, one must find a key. Apparently, it seems like Lucas had been wandering around the puzzle he’s been trying to solve, prancing around without grasping upon an actual reliable source. Until now, he still can’t believe how his mind over-passed such crucial idea. It was as though the thought jumped over his head, never to be found again, until Jonas and the Hymn of the Moon brought it back in front of him. These two led him to Merlin Kreese, one of the survivors of the tragedy in Izquierdo, an escapee who sought refuge within the premises of Vintress kingdom. His title as the greatest wizard of Izquierdo kingdom no longer holds value. With time, it turned black and white – dull and uninteresting. Moreover, he’s currently residing in the farmlands, living his best life as an ordinary resident whose identity became irrelevant. Now, Merlin is probably spending his time by sitting at the terrace of his house every morning with a cup of
CHAPTER 4 Purpose ㅤAS MERLIN debunked the idea that the previous princess of Izquierdo kingdom was only fictional and was only created to spice up the history of Griego family’s tragedy and of her possible death, Lucas discovered that the spell ‘Hymn of the Moon’ may only sound lame in the ears of those who have not paid too much attention to its details. It turns out that it is something more than a boring spell and it actually deserves its seat as one of the forbidden magics out there. The mere fact that it is a protective spell made things bland but with the added reality of its capabilities – which is to surpress one’s identity to hide the object it was casted upon – Lucas understood why the spell requires a heavy sacrifice. Still, processing all these information may have taken a toll in his mind. “That better be not a joke,” Lucas uttered almost breathlessly. Merlin blinked, amused that despite he had laid out what he knew about the lost princess to fill in Lucas’ curiosity,
CHAPTER 5Tightrope ㅤ”THE stance that you’re doing isn’t right! I told you to relax your muscles or you might restrain your own movements, Prince Lucas!” the chief knight scolded him, her voice was deep and strict to the point that Lucas can’t help it but to tense and sweat drop, “fix your stance! That’s not how I taught you!” ‘Ah, fuck.’ Who would have thought that today’s training would be hellish? He certainly did not see this coming. The infuriation that seethed through his trainer’s voice as she watched his every moves felt like she’s trying to burn him alive. Not to mention that he’s standing in the middle of the training ground, under the menacing heat wave, feeling his sweat drip down his body, influencing his patience. Lucas was in the middle of training with the chief knight-slash-his trainer, Reina Lyte – who also happens to be Jonas’ mother and the greatest female knight within Vintress kingdom. Since he was unable to attend his training last week when he decided to meet