When everyone finally reached Noel's room, Aaron stopped outside the door and stared at it thoughtfully.
Then he turned toward Noel.
Elda: 🧐
"Aaron… he looks like him. Is he your lost brother?"
Ashley: 😶
"WAIT—WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY 'LOST BROTHER'?!"
Elda glanced at her.
Elda:
"When Aaron was ten, he had a younger brother. Only a year younger than him. They looked somewhat alike, but hardly anyone knew about him."
Ashley:
"A SECRET BROTHER?! 😱"
Elda: 😔
"One day, their enemies kidnapped him, thinking he was Aaron."
Ashley: 😱
"WHAT IN THE DRAMA—?!"
Noel: 😁
"So, this is like… the LONG-LOST BROTHER REVEAL EPISODE?!"
Elda & Ashley: 😤
"SHUT UP!"
Noel: 😌
"Okay, okay. No need to attack the narrator."
Elda:
"YOU'RE NOT THE NARRATOR!"
Noel:
"Emotionally, I am." 😌✨
Ashley covered her face.
(Why is this woman like this?) 😭
Meanwhile, Aaron was still staring at Noel's room door.
His expression suddenly turned serious.
Aaron: 🙂
"What on earth happened to him?"
Noel's smile faded slightly.
Noel:
"Well… uh…"
She hesitated before explaining everything that had happened at Adam's house—the attack, the injuries, and how she had found him in danger.
As Noel finished, Ashley's jaw practically hit the floor.
Ashley: 😱
"WHAT THE—?!"
Her expression changed from shock to pure anger.
Ashley: 😡
"If an Omega says no, shouldn't you STOP?! NO MEANS NO!"
She clenched her fists.
Ashley:
"Being someone's mate doesn't give them the right to hurt them! What kind of trash behaviour is that?!"
Aaron blinked at her.
For a moment, he simply watched her, surprised by the sincerity of her anger.
Aaron's Thoughts: 😐
(…She's actually not that bad.)
Ashley noticed him looking and immediately straightened up.
Ashley:
"What? Did I say something wrong?"
Aaron:
"No."
Ashley:
"Then why are you looking at me like that?"
Aaron:
"I'm not."
Ashley:
"YOU CLEARLY ARE!"
Elda: 😑
"Can we please return to the actual problem?"
Noel: 😁
"Yes! Which brings me to an important question!"
Everyone looked at her.
Noel:
"Can I stay with Adam?"
Aaron: 😐
"No. Ashley will stay with him."
Noel: 😶
"HUH?! WHY?!"
She pointed at herself indignantly.
Noel:
"I rescued him! I GET FRIENDSHIP RIGHTS!"
Aaron:
"Friendship rights?"
Noel: 😤
"YES! I saved his life! I protected him! I even wrapped him up like a burrito!"
Elda:
"…You did what?"
Noel:
"That's not important!"
She turned back to Aaron.
Noel:
"THE POINT IS, WE'RE FRIENDS NOW!"
Aaron: 😐
"Noel. You start training tomorrow. Don't forget."
Noel: 😨
"WHY ARE YOU CHANGING THE SUBJECT?!"
Aaron:
"Because the subject is settled."
Noel:
"THAT'S NOT HOW DISCUSSIONS WORK!"
Aaron calmly turned toward Elda.
Aaron:
"We'll take care of whoever assigned Ashley to spy on me."
Elda's expression became serious.
Elda:
"Understood. I'll investigate it personally."
Ashley raised her hand.
Ashley: ☺️
"Then I'll stay with Adam! I'll make sure he's safe."
Noel:
"BUT—"
Aaron: 😐
"Good. You start training tomorrow. That's final."
He turned and walked away.
Noel: 😱
"WAIT—YOU CAN'T JUST KEEP ASSIGNING ME THINGS AND WALK AWAY!"
Aaron didn't even look back.
Noel:
"YOUR MAJESTY! I HAVE RIGHTS!"
Elda: 😐
"Apparently, you have a lot of them."
Noel:
"THANK YOU FOR RECOGNISING THAT!"
Elda:
"That wasn't a compliment."
Noel: 😌
"I'll take it anyway."
---
The Queen's Whereabouts
Just as Elda was about to leave, Noel suddenly remembered something.
Noel: 😁
"WAIT! By the way, where's the Queen?"
Elda: ☺️
"She went to meet Aaron's cousin."
Noel stopped smiling.
Noel: 😶
"OH—HE HAS A COUSIN?!"
A memory suddenly flashed through her mind.
FLASHBACK
A classroom.
A teacher stood before the students, explaining the history of the royal family.
Teacher: 😐
"King Aaron was the only male child in his generation."
Young Noel's Thoughts: 😤
(So he was super lonely…)
Teacher: 😐
"He was also the only Omega child."
Young Noel's Thoughts:
(WAIT. WHAT?!)
FLASHBACK ENDS.
Noel stared at Elda.
Noel:
"…Then who's this cousin?"
Elda: ☺️
"Family is complicated. You'll understand eventually."
Noel: 😑
"That sounds suspiciously like something people say right before a plot twist."
Elda:
"Perhaps."
Noel: 🧐
(Hmm… something feels suspicious here.)
She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.
(A secret brother… a mysterious cousin… an author who looks like the King…)
(THIS FAMILY TREE NEEDS A POLICE INVESTIGATION!) 😭
Elda:
"And the Queen will be gone for about a week."
Noel: 😶
"A WHOLE WEEK?!"
Elda:
"Yes."
Noel:
"…Interesting."
She smiled innocently.
Elda: 😑
"Why do I feel like you're about to cause trouble?"
Noel: 😇
"Me? Never!"
Elda stared at her.
Elda:
"That's exactly what worries me."
---
Ashley's Revenge
Just as Noel was preparing to leave, Ashley suddenly smirked mischievously.
Ashley: 😏
"Oi, Noel."
Noel: 😎
"What?"
Ashley leaned closer.
Ashley:
"Looks like you can't escape, dear."
Noel: 😶
"Huh?"
Ashley folded her arms, looking far too pleased with herself.
Ashley: 😏
"You're staying here. You're training tomorrow. And now I'm going to be busy looking after Adam."
She tilted her head.
Ashley:
"So, who's going to keep you company, hmm?"
Noel stared at her.
Then her expression slowly changed.
A dangerous smile spread across her face.
Noel: 😏
"Aren't you Mr. King's mate?"
Ashley: 🤔
"Yeah? Why?"
Noel leaned closer.
Noel: 😏
"Same to you."
And with that, she turned around and walked away dramatically.
Ashley: 😶
"…"
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Ashley: 😱
"WAIT—WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!"
Noel waved without turning back.
Noel: 😁
"FIGURE IT OUT!"
Ashley: 😤
"NOEL!"
She stormed into her room and slammed the door.
BANG!
From inside came a muffled scream.
Ashley:
"WHY DOES SHE ALWAYS GET THE LAST WORD?!"
Noel, from the corridor: 😁
"BECAUSE I'M TALENTED!"
Ashley:
"I'M GOING TO—!"
Elda: 😑
"Ashley. Door. Stop shouting."
Silence.
Finally.
Elda stood alone in the corridor, watching Noel disappear around the corner.
A small smile appeared on her face.
Elda's Thoughts: 😊
(Why do I feel… lighter?)
She placed a hand over her chest.
For so long, she'd carried the weight of her duties, her marriage, and the fear of losing Aaron.
But something had changed.
The future still held uncertainties.
The truth behind Aaron's downfall remained hidden.
And whoever had ordered Ashley to spy on the King was still out there.
Yet, somehow, Elda no longer felt as though she had to carry everything alone.
She looked toward the corridor where Aaron had disappeared.
Then she smiled faintly.
(Perhaps… things can still change.)
With that thought, Elda turned and walked away.
And somewhere else in the palace, Noel was already planning how to survive her first day of royal training.
Noel's Thoughts: 😭
(WHY DID I BRING MYSELF INTO THIS HISTORICAL DISASTER?!)
To be continued…