11 Ch. 9

Robert sat next to Stephen while Karol sat opposite to them as they started to the food but there was an awkward silence present between them as they eat the food. Suddenly Stephen coughed as the kids look at him, he said, "So, kids what are your plans after this ceremony." "I will stay with mom for few days and then try to enrol into Berth Academy," Karol replied with a calm face. "Me too, I am also planning to enrol into that academy." Robert followed up. "That's great then as both you will there and can help each other out," Stephen said cheerfulness. "That's right," Karol said smiling while Robert just nodded his head with a strange expression.

But the atmosphere once again becomes silent as they continued eating. "You kids are really lucky that you are born in this time," Stephen said laughing. To which Karol just nodded his head while Robert looked at him with a confused face and asked, "What do you mean by that?" "Oh! You wouldn't have known about the war 13 years ago, Karol do you also don't know about it?" Stephen asked looking at him to which Karol just nodded his head.

"From what I have learned from the book, there was war 13 years ago between the Empire and the rebels but even though Empire won the war they suffer great consequences after that such as losing their many powerful warriors and many citizens but what it's had to do with the academy," Karol asked with a confused face. "Do you kids know why many adults before the war didn't attend the academy," Stephen asked smiling. "Because they didn't have enough money," Karol replied as Robert also nodded his head. "No that's not the reason, many adults didn't attend the academy because they choose not to but because they couldn't," Stephen said as he looks up to the roof while the kids were confused.

"13 years ago, the academy was only for the nobles but that changed as the rebels use normal citizens who were well trained against us and the empire was barely was able to win and after that, they opened the academy for normal citizens too," Stephen said with a strange face. "So, basically they opened the academy for us because likes of us proved to be useful for the enemies," Karol said with a cold face. Suddenly Stephen laughed loudly and said, "You could also say that." "Do you kids want to know something special about the war while I was in it?" Stephen asked with an excited face.

Suddenly, Karol expression changed into an odd one after hearing he was in the war while Robert just nodded his head. "Well in the war, it wasn't the King that led the empire to victory but was a mysterious man that led us to victory and he was even stronger than the King and he even killed the leader of the Rebels in one his and I witness it happen right in front of my eyes." Stephen narrates to them with an excited face. "Huh! So, who was that and where is he now?" Robert and Karol asked with at the same time. "Well I don't know who he was and he mysteriously disappeared after the war never to be heard again," Stephen said with an awkward smile while both their excitement died down.

Suddenly a cough was heard near the door and at the door, Rebecca can be seen standing there with a blank face. "Stephen come with me and also take some food for Karen and ourselves and kids wait here as we adult have something important to discuss," Rebecca said with a gentle smile. Stephen nodded his and walked out of the room with Rebecca while holding the food. "And why are so loud there? Don't you know there was someone injured in the house." Rebecca said with an angry face as they walked away a little. "I was just trying to lighten up the mood of the kids," Stephen said as he laughed awkwardly. "With what? Your made-up stories." "It is a real one." "Yeah, Yeah, like how some that famous disappeared from the world." "Uh…" Stephen didn't know said anything and just walked.

Both Karol and Robert were laughing in the Room as they heard their conversation but stopped laughing after a while and just ate their food. "Karol, I wanted to say something." Robert suddenly said with a serious face. "Huh, what is it?" Karol asked with a confused face. "I am sorry as I wasn't able to help at the town hall," Robert said with a serious face. "Ah! It's okay" Karol said with a smile. "No it's not as I didn't even move to helped you, even as he was about to kill you I didn't move, as for the second time in my life I felt so weak and only if I had done something it would have never happened," Robert said and then sighed loudly. Karol could only eat his food silently as he didn't know what to say as he knows his dream.

A few minutes later.

After a while, both of them finished their food but they didn't talk with each other. Suddenly the door opened and Stephen enter the room and said, "Kids get ready as we three will be going to the festival." "I am sorry but I wouldn't be able to come as I am very tired right now," Karol said with an apologetic face. "Ah! It's okay, you would be tired right now after all of what happened today." Then Robert and Stephen walked towards the main door. "Ah! I almost forget, Karol there is something from your mother in your room." Stephen said as just he was about to leave. "Thanks for telling and have fun at the festival," Karol said and closed the main door as both of them left.

Karol entered his room to see a box on his bed but he ignored it and walked towards the window as he looks at the sky while clenching his fist. Suddenly, a noise was heard and the night sky was lightened up with the fireworks, Karol and Robert both looked at the same time and said, "Am I weak…" "I am weak…" And looked towards the sky and said, "But Will I be strong." "But I will be strong."