After leaving the prince's office, Lekan walked quietly beside Rowan through the winding halls of the estate. The air felt heavy not just from the recent events, but from something lingering… something unseen.
As they neared Lekan's room, he glanced at Rowan.
"Hey… since I can't train for a few days, do you think you could teach me how to read?"
Rowan looked surprised, but then gave a small smile. "Of course. That's a smart idea. You'll learn a lot about this world through books—and it's better than lying in bed staring at the ceiling."
Lekan nodded, already imagining the kind of knowledge he could uncover. Gods, magic, this kingdom—everything was still so new to him.
The next three days passed slowly but productively. With Rowan's help, Lekan learned the alphabet of Elyrasul—the name of the continent he'd been summoned to. The letters were different from anything on Earth, flowing with elegant curves and sharp angles, almost like magical symbols themselves.
By the fourth day, Lekan felt rested enough to resume training. Bella, of course, didn't go easy on him.
From sunrise to dinner, she pushed him hard—mostly running laps, just like before. He grumbled at first but quickly fell into the rhythm of training.
After dinner, Lekan would meet with Rowan in his room for more reading lessons. Each night, his understanding grew, and his curiosity deepened. This world was vast. Dangerous. Beautiful. And gods… it was strange.
One evening, after finishing his usual lesson, Rowan handed him a white leather-bound book.
"This," Rowan said, placing it gently into Lekan's hands, "is a prayerbook. Inside are dozens of divine chants and healing rituals. Studying this will help you learn to use divine power more effectively."
Lekan's eyes widened. "Really? Thank you."
He clutched the book tightly, already flipping through the delicate pages. Each prayer was written in the ancient tongue of Elyrasul, but translations were scribbled neatly in the margins clearly Rowan's handwriting.
As he read through the pages that night, Lekan thought to himself, When Bella starts teaching me these, she's going to be shocked at how many I already know.
Two more days passed in that same routine: training with Bella from dawn till dusk, then diving into the prayerbook late into the night. Lekan's endurance improved by leaps and bounds. He could now run twenty-seven laps around the track at full speed without collapsing. Even more impressive, he had mastered praying while moving healing on the go without stopping.
Bella didn't say much, but the flicker of surprise in her eyes said it all.
The next morning, he stood before Bella, flushed from warm-up laps and panting only slightly. "Hey, when are you actually gonna teach me how to use a weapon?"
Bella looked at him, arms crossed. "Not yet."
Lekan frowned. "We've been doing this for weeks. All I ever do is run."
"Exactly," she said, already turning away. "Run."
Irritated, Lekan muttered under his breath, "Demon…"
Her ears twitched. "What was that?"
"N-Nothing."
Bella spun on her heel and pointed toward the palace. "Then run the full perimeter of the prince's estate. Don't stop until dinner."
Frustrated but obedient, Lekan took off. As he ran around the vast grounds, passing elegant towers and lush courtyards, boredom began to creep in. His legs moved on their own now; he barely had to think about it.
Out of habit, he started listening to the passing conversations. Most were harmless: gossip from the maids, arguments over meal prep, the usual palace chatter.
But then… he heard something.
Two guards stood just around the corner near a back corridor, speaking in low voices. Lekan slowed his pace and slipped behind a tall potted plant to listen.
"…I'm telling you, the prince's getting close," one of them whispered.
"We burn the records tonight, then lay low. No traces left," said the other.
Lekan's breath caught.
"Shut up!" hissed the first guard. "You want someone to hear us?"
The second one fell silent. Then slowly, his eyes scanned the hallway, drifting dangerously close to Lekan's hiding spot.
He started walking in that direction, hand drifting toward the sword on his hip.
Lekan was already gone.
He sprinted straight to the training grounds, where Bella stood waiting with arms crossed.
"Why are you not running?" she snapped.
Lekan bent over, panting hard. "I have news."
Bella raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
"I overheard two guards. They said they're going to destroy records in the south wing tonight."
For a moment, her face froze, then twisted into a mix of rage and something far colder. "Are you sure?"
Lekan nodded.
Bella stepped in close, voice low. "Don't tell anyone. Not even the prince. If that kind of info gets leaked, they might escape."
Her eyes darkened beneath her bangs. "We'll handle it tonight. You and me."
"Me?" Lekan blinked.
"Tonight," she repeated, "you'll see what a real battle looks like."
That night, after dinner, Lekan dressed in dark clothes. Bella appeared at his door clad in full armor beneath a long, hooded cloak. She handed him a short sword.
It was old. Worn. But it was real steel.
"This is just for emergencies. Stay close, stay quiet."
He nodded, heart pounding in his chest.
Together, they stepped into the south wing, cloaked by shadow and silence. The only sound was the soft tap of their boots against marble.
Somewhere in this palace, traitors were hiding.
And tonight, they'd be caught.