"Uncle?" David's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"You know me?" Vancouver asked, equally stunned.
Star's four soldiers were also confused, their eyes darting between Star and the man who had saved them.
Star stood frozen, her fists clenched, the words she'd heard long ago replaying in her mind.
["We just got the news, Lord Vancouver of the Star Nation and the only uncle to the former King was killed in a bombing... But no funeral was held, because they suspect him of being a traitor to the nation."]
Star remembered those words perfectly. Lord Vancouver had been like a second father to her, and the shock of seeing him alive was what had caused her to slip up.
*******
[Star Nation.]
The morning sun cast a golden glow over the courtyard. Two hundred young, beautiful ladies from all walks of life stood at attention, their gazes fixed on the man before them. He was the oldest butler of the nation's imperial family, his hardened expression intimidating most of the girls. Still, they remained resolute. Being chosen as an imperial maid of the royal family was a rare honor. It could elevate their families and, most importantly, the pay was beyond generous.
Some of the ladies, however, were not after such things as money and power. These young women were already the daughters of powerful noble families. Their goals were to secure one of two titles: the Queen's personal maid or the Crown Prince's personal maid. Either of these titles would make them one of the most influential maids in the castle and earn them respect outside the castle walls, as they would have the backing of the royal family.
All their previous tests and training had led them to this moment, their final assessment. Of the two hundred present, only fifty would be chosen. Within that group, ten would become the Queen's personal maids and five would be the Crown Prince's. The chance to be close to the future emperor was a massive opportunity, offering the hope of one day becoming a Queen themselves. This was their ultimate goal.
Among the two hundred, Bella stood perfectly still, her back ramrod straight, her head held high, a look of fierce determination on her face.
A ripple of movement from the upper balcony of the castle caught everyone's attention. All the ladies looked up to see the King, the Queen, and the young prince, who looked no older than sixteen, staring down at them.
"Greetings to the Imperial family!!" they all chorused, bowing in unison. The King and Queen acknowledged their greeting with a slight nod.
"That's the Prince."
"Wow... So handsome."
"He's just my age, what a handsome young man."
"I can't wait to be his personal maid."
"You? I will be."
A low murmur of conversation erupted among the ladies, their eyes glued to the royal family.
"Silence!!" the butler's sharp voice instantly cut through the noise. The ladies quieted down and listened intently.
"All of you have made it this far because of your heart, talent, hard work, and most importantly, personality!" The butler's voice boomed. He held up a notebook. "The names of those who will be taken are all written here! So stay quiet and listen for your names!" He opened the book.
'The noble families' misses have already taken ten slots, so no matter what, the main goal is to get one of the remaining forty slots,' Bella thought to herself.
"Miss Matilda of the Fearless family!!" the butler's voice rang out, and everyone gasped in shock.
'Miss Fearless? In all our tests, she took the first position in everything... But why is she among us? As a childhood friend of the Crown Prince, why go through the hustle to become his maid? Not only does she have that advantage, but her father is also a good friend of the Emperor. She has all the keys to a good life, so why become a maid?' Bella wondered, watching as Matilda stepped forward.
"Second! Miss Olivia of the Falcon family!!"
Bella listened as the names were called, one after another. Thirty people had been called so far.
"So crowded here," a voice said from behind the royal family.
The King and Queen looked over their shoulders as Vancouver, a handsome young man and Sunny's favorite uncle, walked towards them.
"Uncle!" Sunny cried, running from his parents and into his uncle's arms.
"Hahaha! My good child! I hope you're not troubling your parents?" Vancouver asked with a laugh.
"Trouble us? I don't think he has the chance to," the Queen said with a smile.
"Why are you here, elder brother?" the King asked, looking confused.
"Come now, I can't miss such an event," Vancouver said, holding Sunny's hand and walking toward the balcony, where he stared down at the ladies gathered below.
"Only that? Or are you here for something else?" the King asked, a frown on his face.
"Calm down, younger brother... The investigation is still ongoing. But, are you sure the Wendigos are attacking?" he asked.
"Yes. They are... As the current commander, you should know what to do."
Vancouver nodded, quickly changing the topic. "So Sunny... Do you like any of them down there?"
Sunny looked at the group below and asked in confusion, "Why is Matilda there?"
"I don't know, but maybe she likes you and wants to be close," Vancouver said with a smirk.
"She... likes me?" Sunny was stunned.
The Queen looked at her husband with a worried expression, but he slowly shook his head.
"Okay... What about the investigation into the Fearless family?" the King asked.
"This isn't the time for that," Vancouver said, looking at him over his shoulder. "For now, just relax and enjoy the day." He added, turning his gaze back to the courtyard, his eyes locking on a blonde-haired elf before he turned back to Sunny.
"You haven't answered my question."
Sunny looked up at him, then at the girls. "I don't know them, so I don't have the answer."
"What if we find out?" Vancouver said with a mischievous smile.
"How?" Sunny looked up at him, ready for a plan.
"Hey you two... What are you going to do?" The Queen said quickly, a worried look on her face.
"Calm down, sister-in-law... I won't do anything that'll hurt my nephew... Besides, we just want to know who among them is fit to be his maid," Vancouver said with a smirk.
At that moment, the butler called out the fiftieth name:
"Bella Jones! The rest can please leave the castle, and thank you again for participating... Don't worry, you will be given 5,000 galaxy crystals on your way out! Thank you again!"