A Blinding Flash…
A rush of wind…
And then—
BWHAM!
They were back.
But not where they expected.
Instead, Noel and Aaron crashed straight onto the summoning platform in the royal palace.
Right in front of an entire crowd.
Everyone: 😶
Queen Elda: 😶🔥
Ashley: 😶🔥
Queen Ether: 😶 (…My son… is attracting MORE partners?)
Minister 3: 😶 (…A third one?? WOW…)
Guards: 😶😶😶
Servants: 😶😶😶
The entire palace fell silent.
Not a single person dared to move.
Why?
Because even though Aaron had spent an entire day in Noel's world…
Only ONE HOUR had passed in his kingdom.
For the past hour, the royal family, ministers, and guards had been frantically searching for their missing king.
They had checked his chambers.
The gardens.
The training grounds.
Even the kitchen.
Someone had suggested that perhaps the king had secretly gone out for a midnight snack.
Unfortunately, nobody had found him.
And just when they were about to summon every available royal mage to locate him—
THE KING REAPPEARED!
With a woman.
On top of him.
In front of EVERYONE.
And their position?
OH. THEIR. POSITION.
THE SCENE
Aaron lay flat on his back in the middle of the summoning platform.
Noel was sprawled directly on top of him.
Her right hand rested on Aaron's hip.
Her left hand was pressed against his chest.
Their faces were dangerously close.
They were in EXACTLY THE SAME POSITION they'd fallen into at the abandoned palace in the future.
Except this time…
THE ENTIRE ROYAL COURT WAS WATCHING.
Nobody breathed.
Nobody blinked.
Nobody wanted to be the first person to comment.
Then—
Queen Elda's expression darkened.
Elda:
"…MY KING… ANOTHER WOMAN??? 🔥"
The temperature in the room seemed to rise.
Ashley looked ready to set the entire palace on fire.
Ashley:
"HOW DARE YOU— THAT'S MY MATE!! 🔥"
Queen Ether, meanwhile, stared at Noel with an entirely different expression.
Queen Ether (thought):
(My son… another cute partner… he's so lucky. 😎)
Minister 3 slowly counted on his fingers.
Minister 3 (thought):
(Two women already… now a third? King Aaron is truly legendary…) 😶
One of the guards quietly leaned toward another.
Guard 1 (whispering):
"Should we help the king?"
Guard 2 (whispering):
"Are you insane? Look at the queens!"
Guard 1:
"…Good point." 😶
Meanwhile, Aaron had yet to move.
His mind had completely stopped functioning.
He could feel Noel's hand on his chest.
Her other hand was resting on his hip.
And her face—
WAY. TOO. CLOSE.
Aaron's cheeks slowly turned red.
Aaron (thought):
(What the—her hands' placement…)
He swallowed.
(Why does this position actually feel… nice?) 😶
His eyes widened.
WAIT.
WHAT AM I THINKING?!
He stared at Noel, his face growing redder by the second.
Unfortunately, Noel was experiencing her own personal mental catastrophe.
She slowly looked around.
First, she noticed the enormous summoning chamber.
Then the royal guards.
Then the ministers.
Then the two furious women glaring at her as though they were deciding which part of her to bury first.
Finally, she looked down.
At Aaron.
At her hands.
At their position.
Her brain began connecting the dots.
One dot.
Two dots.
Three dots.
CONNECTION ESTABLISHED.
Noel's eyes widened.
Noel:
"…Wait."
She looked at Aaron.
Then at the crowd.
Then back at Aaron.
Noel:
"Why is this— why does this look—" 😶
Her face went pale.
And then—
Noel:
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" 😱
She shot backward like a rocket.
Unfortunately, she forgot one tiny detail.
THEY WERE STILL ON THE SUMMONING PLATFORM.
WHAM!
Noel fell straight off the platform and landed firmly on her butt.
Noel:
"Ouch…" 😶
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Every single person in the room stared at her.
Noel sat on the floor, clutching her backside, desperately wishing the earth would open up and swallow her whole.
I WANT TO GO HOME.
I WANT TO GO BACK TO MY WORLD.
I WANT TO ERASE THE LAST FIVE MINUTES OF MY LIFE!
WHY DID I HAVE TO LAND ON THE KING?!
AND WHY WERE HIS WIVES WATCHING?!
She slowly raised her head.
Elda was still glaring.
Ashley was still burning with rage.
Queen Ether looked delighted.
Minister 3 looked as though he had just witnessed the greatest historical event of his lifetime.
And the guards?
They were trying VERY hard not to laugh.
Meanwhile…
Aaron was still lying on the summoning platform.
His face was bright red.
His eyes remained fixed on Noel.
He hadn't even realized that she had fallen.
He simply stared at her like a man who had just woken up from a dream and discovered that his entire life had changed.
Aaron (thought):
…Who is this woman?
And why do I feel like my peaceful life is officially over?
Then Elda took one step forward.
Elda:
"MY KING."
Aaron's soul nearly left his body.
Aaron:
"…Yes, my queen?" 😶
Elda smiled.
It was not a comforting smile.
Elda:
"Would you care to explain?"
Ashley cracked her knuckles.
Ashley:
"YES. PLEASE EXPLAIN." 🔥
Queen Ether folded her arms, grinning.
Queen Ether:
"Oh, I'm interested too, dear son." 😎
Aaron looked at the three women.
Then at Noel.
Then back at the three women.
For the first time in his royal life…
King Aaron genuinely wished he could disappear again.
To be continued...