chapter 27
GRAND HALL
Princess: "I wanted to carry my traditions."
The prince turned sharply toward her.
His expression tightened instantly—like her words had disrupted something carefully controlled.
But before he could respond—
A guard near the side of the hall shifted slightly.
Just a small movement.
Barely noticeable.
A glance across the hall.
His eyes met Guinevere's for only a fraction of a second.
And then—
A subtle nod.
Almost invisible.
But understood completely.
Guinevere's expression did not change.
Not even slightly.
Guinevere (thinking): Marco is here.
Her fingers tightened faintly at her side.
But outwardly—calm. Controlled. Silent.
The hall remained unaware.
---
THE UNDERGROUND PASSAGE
Stone scraped under boots as the group moved quickly through the narrow tunnel.
The air was damp.
Heavy.
Each sound echoed too clearly.
John led at the front.
Marco followed just behind him.
Chris moved between them like a shifting shadow—restless, unpredictable, almost amused by the tension.
And behind Marco—
Kayem was dragged forward, weak but conscious, forced to keep pace.
Marco: "Move."
Kayem stumbled but obeyed unwillingly, breathing heavily, unable to resist.
John glanced back briefly.
John: "He's slowing us down."
Chris walked backward for a moment, grinning.
Chris: "Relax. If he dies, he dies. If he lives, maybe useful. Either way, entertaining."
Kayem didn't respond.
His silence felt… unnatural.
Intentional.
Like he was listening more than suffering.
The tunnel widened ahead.
And then—
They stopped.
A single figure stood in the center of the passage.
Still.
Waiting.
Unmoving.
Massive build.
Heavy presence.
It wasn't just someone blocking the path.
It felt like the tunnel itself ended there.
The man tilted his head slowly.
Bkka: "Finally."
A faint crack of his neck echoed.
Bkka: "I was starting to wonder how long it would take."
A slow, dangerous smile formed.
Bkka: "Guess the captain wasn't enough to stop you."
John's hand tightened on his blade.
Marco's eyes sharpened instantly.
Chris, on the other hand—
looked almost delighted.
Bkka stepped forward slightly.
Bkka: "I came under direct order."
His gaze swept over them.
Cold.
Evaluating.
Bkka: "My name is Bkka."
A pause.
Bkka: "The king will not allow any of you to leave this place alive."
Silence deepened.
Then he tilted his weapon slightly.
Bkka: "So… let's begin."
A smirk formed again.
Bkka: "Or perhaps… I can be generous. A few pretty women might change my mind."
No reaction.
Just silence.
Then—
The atmosphere snapped.
---
THE FIGHT BEGINS
John moved first.
Fast.
Clean.
A direct strike aimed at breaking the man's guard.
CLANG!
Steel collided violently.
The sound echoed through the tunnel.
But—
Bkka didn't move back.
Not even an inch.
John's eyes narrowed instantly.
Marco: "Don't clash head-on!"
Bkka smirked faintly.
Bkka: "Smart commander."
Chris suddenly appeared from the side—too fast to track clearly.
He struck.
But Bkka blocked it effortlessly without even fully turning.
Chris blinked once.
Chris: "Oh?"
Then—
Bkka elbowed him back.
Chris slid across the stone floor, laughing.
Chris: "Okay… okay. Strong guy. I like it."
Marco's eyes moved rapidly, analyzing every motion.
Marco: "John—right side! His defense pattern weakens there!"
John reacted instantly.
Another strike.
More precise this time.
A gap appeared—
But Bkka adjusted instantly and blocked again.
Bkka: "Good observation."
Pressure increased.
Chris rushed again—faster now, more serious.
But every strike was still neutralized.
John's eyes sharpened further.
John (thinking): He's reading us…
Then—
Something clicked.
John (thinking): No… he's not adapting.
John's gaze narrowed.
John (thinking): He's repeating.
John stepped forward.
John: "…I see."
Marco: "What do you see?"
John didn't answer.
Bkka tilted his head.
Bkka: "You again?"
John raised his blade slowly.
John: "You're strong."
A pause.
John: "But predictable."
Silence fell.
Then—
John moved.
Not faster.
Not stronger.
Smarter.
He shifted the rhythm.
Waited half a beat longer.
Then struck—
between expectation.
CLANG!
A clean hit landed.
Then another.
For the first time—
Bkka's expression changed slightly.
John: "…Too simple."
A final strike—
precise, decisive—
BROKE the rhythm entirely.
Bkka staggered half a step.
A rare hesitation.
Bkka (low): "…I see."
A faint smile returned.
Bkka: "…So that's how it is."
Then—
His body dropped to one knee.
Silence.
Chris blinked.
Chris: "…Wait. That's it?"
Marco exhaled slowly.
Marco: "It was never about strength. It was timing."
Chris tilted his head.
Chris: "Is he dead?"
Marco: "No."
A pause.
Marco: "But we don't have time to confirm it."
John lowered his blade.
John: "…Let's move."
---
GRAND HALL
The prince stood beside the princess, gripping her hand tightly.
Too tightly.
Prince: "We will proceed with the marriage now."
The princess tried to pull away.
His grip tightened immediately.
Princess: "You dare—"
Prince (cold): "Enough."
His voice dropped.
Prince: "You had your chances. Now you follow tradition."
Guinevere stepped forward immediately.
Her hand moved closer to her sword.
Guinevere: "My prince… I must ask you to stop."
Prince: "You have no right to interfere."
Guinevere: "This concerns the Lumivales princess. That alone gives me the right."
A beat.
Her voice sharpened slightly.
Guinevere: "And this is not how a prince should act."
The prince's eyes darkened.
Prince: "You dare lecture me?"
Princess: "You cannot force this."
Prince: "I already am."
The hall tensed.
Every noble held their breath.
The pressure peaked—
Then—
A voice cut through the entire hall.
John: "That's enough."
...CHAPTER 27 ENDS...