Later, in the King's study—
Reginald sat across from a woman, watching as she read through the papers he had asked to be drafted earlier that morning.
She was no longer in the breathtaking ensemble she had worn at the ball. Instead, she now wore a casual polo-neck blouse with jeans and sneakers, her wavy black hair tied into a lazy ponytail. She looked rowdy yet decent—and undeniably alluring.
Regret stirred in him. Deep down, he wished he were still young enough to court her, to make her his. But alas… all he could do was burn silently with desire, hoping the heat wouldn't consume him from within.
He shook his head, cleared his throat, and forced composure into his voice.
"Mmm… mmm. So, what do you think? Is it satisfying enough for you? I made two copies—one for you and one for me—so you can feel secure that I won't back away from my word or twist it."
Ariel lifted her gaze from the document, glanced briefly at Reginald, then closed it and placed it on the desk.
"It is good. All the terms are clear, and there don't seem to be any hidden clauses… so yes, it's fine," she said.
Reginald smiled. "Alright… shall we sign it now and agree that we have a deal?"
Ariel smiled back. "Yes, Your Majesty. After you." She pushed the documents toward him.
Reginald smirked, took the documents, and signed his name with deliberate flourish.
"Now it's your turn," he said, sliding the documents back to Ariel.
Ariel smiled, took the documents, and signed her signature.
"Now for the final process…" she said, returning the documents to Reginald.
"You're so eager for that, aren't you?" Reginald asked, his tone half-amused.
Ariel didn't reply—she only smiled.
Reginald shook his head, reached into his drawer, and pulled out a red-and-gold box engraved with a lion and a dragon.
He opened it, produced a seal molded into the kingdom's crest, dipped it into golden-red ink, and stamped the documents with deliberate precision.
"Mmm… there. Are you satisfied now?" Reginald asked.
Ariel smiled, reaching for her copy of the agreement. "Thank you so much, Your Majesty. I'll hold onto it until the deal is done."
Reginald nodded. "Mmm… good. I can already see you've made progress. Well done. I hope you'll create more merits during the competition. And perhaps… perhaps I might decide to lend you a hand for quicker success."
"Mmm… thank you, Your Majesty, for the offer. But I'd rather win with my own capabilities. I assure you… you won't be disappointed," Ariel replied firmly.
"Mmm… I hope so. Because I don't tolerate incompetent people. But you don't seem like that type, so I'll put a little faith in you, mmm..." Reginald said.
Ariel smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I'll try not to waste your faith. Now, if you'll excuse me… I need to rest. Tomorrow will be a long day, so with your permission, I'd like to bid you farewell and goodnight."
Reginald simply nodded and extended his hand.
Ariel smiled and rose from her chair. "Goodnight, Your Majesty." She bowed her head before walking out of the room.
Outside, she took a deep breath and glanced down at the document in her hands.
A smile etched across her face as she stared at the glowing stamp of the royal seal.
She folded the document carefully and walked away.
Unbeknownst to her, a shadowy figure dressed in black and gold blended into the darkness, watching her closely—before slipping into step, following at a distance.
....
"This is perfect!" exclaimed Raymond as he stared at the royal seal on the document Ariel had brought to his room after leaving the King's study.
"We can definitely use this for our plans. I'll make sure he won't see it coming. He's in for a big surprise if he thinks he has the advantage over you. This will aid his downfall."
"Mmm… of course," Ariel replied, standing at the window, her face turned toward the star-strewn sky. Her expression was gloomy, shadowed by unspoken thoughts.
Raymond noticed. He gently placed the document on the table and moved to stand beside her.
They stood side by side in silence for a while, until—
"Mmm… I take it that the lady you bumped into earlier was… your best friend from the past, wasn't she?" Raymond asked quietly.
Ariel did not reply. She only sighed and continued gazing out the window.
"Huh… I believe it must be hard on you. Do you think… she is one of the traitors?" Raymond asked.
Ariel sighed again. "I don't know… Father. I don't know. For the first time in my life, after everything that happened… I've never felt so lost, so confused." She paused, her voice trembling. "A part of me wants to believe she wasn't involved—that she doesn't know the truth. About how horrible and monstrous her brother and her parents are. That she is innocent in all of this. But… I just can't. I can't believe that. Of all the betrayals… hers would be the most painful, the most horrifying of them all."
Her voice broke as tears welled up. "I trusted and loved Monica like a sister—a sister I never had. You have no idea how my heart feels, like it's being ripped to shreds all over again at the thought… the thought that she might have been involved too. If this is the torture the Heavens chose to punish me with, for defying their will for death… then this truly is the worst."
She sniffled, tears spilling freely.
Raymond stepped closer and drew her into his embrace.
"There, there, my dear. Cry all you want. Shh… go ahead. It's okay." He rubbed her back as she buried her head against his chest, shaking with quiet sobs. "Shh… I know it's not easy to learn that your loved ones betrayed you. Believe me, I know. I experienced the same thing myself. But don't worry—justice will be served. Right now, we must show them that we are unshakable, unbreakable. We will rise again and bring them all to justice. Trust me, they will get what they deserve. We will stop at nothing until they do. Mmm… okay?"
Ariel lifted her tearful gaze to Raymond. "Okay. Thank you."
Raymond smiled and gently wiped away her tears with his thumbs. "It's alright. I'm right here to anchor you whenever you need me. Trust me."
Ariel smiled faintly. "Thank you, Father."
They hugged for a while before finally disengaging.
"Well… I'd better go and get some rest now. I'll see you tomorrow," Ariel said.
"It's alright, Ariel. I'll hold onto the document and use it when the time comes," Raymond replied.
"Okay, Father. Well… goodnight." Ariel leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
"Goodnight, Ariel," Raymond said with a warm smile.
Ariel nodded before turning and walking out of the room.
As soon as Ariel left, Raymond walked to the table, picked up the document, and dialed a number on his phone.
"Yes, it's me."
"The King didn't back away from his word. He actually drafted, signed the document, and even stamped it with his royal seal."
"Yes… it seems he truly is interested in Ariel."
"Don't worry. I'll make good use of the document when the time comes."
"Agreed."
He ended the call.
Raymond's gaze lingered on the document—more specifically, on the seal. Its ink glowed in his eyes.
His lips stretched into a smile.
A sinister smile.
.....
Meanwhile—
Ariel walked down the empty, dimly lit hallway of the east wing, making her way toward her bedroom on the far side.
As she passed the intersection leading to another corridor, she paused.
A small gust of cold wind brushed against her ear, and her heart began to race.
It was a feeling she had never experienced before.
She turned her head toward the other hallway, then closed her eyes as a strange voice echoed inside her mind.
"Ana…"
The voice was soft. Melodic.
"Ana… come… come… I am here… come…"
Ariel opened her eyes slightly and felt a burning sensation around her neck. The pain intensified with each step she took toward the other hallway.
"Ana… come… come and find me…"
The voice echoed again, soft and melodic, pulling at her mind.
Ariel began to move, her body caught in a trance, following the sound and the relentless burn.
She walked down the other hallway, drawn by the voice and the strange sensation that compelled her forward.
She walked for a while until she reached a pair of double doors. The voice now sounded as though it was coming from behind them, and the burning sensation on her neck grew stronger.
"Ana… I am in here… come…"
The voice echoed again.
Without caution or hesitation, Ariel pushed the doors open and stepped into the dimly lit room.
She moved toward a desk where a red velvet chair sat stationed, her steps slow and entranced.
Closer and closer she walked, caught in the pull of the voice. She reached the desk and was about to turn toward the drawer when—
"What the fuck are you doing in my room?"
A deep, husky voice thundered behind her.
"Aaah!" Ariel cried out, startled, tumbling backward—
Only to be caught by strong, glistening wet arms before she hit the floor.
She had closed her eyes, bracing for the inevitable, but the fall never came.
Slowly, she opened her eyes, confusion and bewilderment clouding her gaze.
Her body was locked in a firm hold. She turned her head, and her eyes widened in disbelief as they traced the contours of a glistening, wet, muscle-packed torso. Her gaze followed the bulging biceps of the arms restraining her, before lifting upward—only to be caught in the monstrous glare of glowing red eyes.
"Hugh!" Ariel gasped in panic, struggling to free herself, but the iron grip held her fast. Just her blimey luck.
"Where do you think you're going?" Daniel growled, his voice deep and menacing. "You're in some serious trouble."
'Crap! Not again!' Ariel cursed inwardly.