Chapter 139 - We Came To See You.

"Ashton, hurry up. The ceremony must have started by now." Raymond wearing a three-piece suit with a long overcoat with a colour of black and purple along with back shoes yelled while looking upstairs with no sign of Ashton coming down anytime soon.

"Ashton!!!" He shouted again and finally footsteps could be heard from upstairs.

"I am coming!" Ashton said while trying his red tie and running down with his hair being all jumpy.

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"Son, you take even much time than ladies to get ready do you know that?" Raymond said as he combed his hair with his fingers and helped him tie his crooked necktie.

"But Father it was you who told me to change clothes at least 5 times!" Ash winced in defence.

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"That was because we are visiting the Palace and your sister is a candidate so, of course, we have to dress well or else people will think lowly of her." Raymond who was well aware of the mouths of the other nobles said as he patted his head and looked at him down head to toe before giving out a satisfied smile.

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"Yeah, but we are late won't this affect her reputation?" Ash asked while walking towards the carriage following Raymond's footsteps.

"Don't worry about that since at the starting they only introduce themselves. And there is a lot of events left so if we leave now we will be able to reach there at a perfect time." Raymond said confidently to which Ashton who never went to such a ceremony just followed suit.

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"(But if we had left early I could have talked with sister for a longer time...but no worries...)" Ash thought as he sat inside the carriage which without any break went straight to the palace.

"But Father are we supposed to bring so many things?" Ash asked as he looked at the junk of things at the back of the carriage

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"Well, I am afraid your sister might need them in the palace so I just bought them along. Don't worry it's not much." 

"Not much....they all are daily suppliers and food items. Father is sister not being well-fed at the palace?" Ash asked as he raised his eyebrows.

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"No I don't mean that but still there she won't be able to have her favourite snacks made by our head chef, so I am just going to give her those," Raymond said as he smiled thinking of Irene's face while receiving the items.

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"(I just hope everything is good there...*touches his heart*...I hope this uneasiness I have been feeling is not related to her at all.)" Ash thought while taking a deep breath and looking at the stars which were as bright as diamonds.

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"But what did you talk with leal? He looked quite stressed." Raymond asked Ashton who looked quite a off guard by the sudden question.

"That we just talked about the training program, since once the exams are done and if I get selected in the Royal Academy, I will directly receive the high-level training. So, before that, I need to master all the basic level training." Ash said as he looked at his shoes while sighing.

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"...I see you are very hardworking and I believe your hard work would surely pay off," Raymond said while patting his head while Ash smiled a bit with a heavy heart as he asked Raymond, 

"But Father if I don't get selected then....won't it mean that...my life...will..." Ash said while clenching his fists.

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Hearing his words Raymond's Hands paused for a second while Ash continued to talk, "End right father?" His voice shaked at the end while he looked at Raymond who was as shaken as him.

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"I will never let such a thing happen." He said while he touched his hands.

"...Even though you don't get admitted I will search for another route but I won't let you die...so trust me." He said while he gently stroked his hair and wiped off the single tear that rolled down Ash's left eye.

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"...I trust you father..." He said half-heartedly while he hugged him and closed his eyes.

"(I trust you but I don't trust myself...what if I don't survive then I won't be able to see you all again...I will be left alone again...And this time I will surely be able to return...)" Ash thought as he opened his eyes and looked straight at the moon.

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"I will survive." He murmered while he broke from the hug and gave a reassuring smile to Raymond who looked worried.

"Master we have reached the palace." 

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"Father, let go sister must be waiting for us," Ash said as he looked at Raymond and then both of them went down the carriage along with the presents they bought and gave them to the maid who sent them to Irene's room.

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"Ash, can you see your sister anywhere?" Raymond who couldn't see her anywhere asked Ash who noticed her at the pedestal looking like an angel.

"Father sister is there." He said while he pulled his brazer slowly while his eyes were fixed at Irene who didn't notice them yet.

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"Irene..." He said while looking at her with teary eyes as he saw the spitting image of Freya( Irene's mother) in her.

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Meanwhile, Irene looked around her feeling a strange feeling around her.

"Lady Coral just now did anyone call me?" She asked to Lady coral behind her who shook her head in disapproval.

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"Weird...I just felt as if someone called my name." She murmered while she lighted her candle and prayed to the Lord to bless her.

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"Now, the candle lighting ceremony is done. Everyone can go and enjoy the banquet now. But remember to return on time." Madam said to them while looking at the ladies who bowed towards her politely and walked down the pedestal.

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And as soon as she reached the down floor, she saw a familiar figure running towards her and giving her a tight hug.

"Ash!" Irene said as she smiled and hugged him back.

"Sister I missed you!" Ash said as he hide his face on her shoulders and stood there motionlessly.

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"I missed you too but why are so late I have been looking for you since the start." She said as she patted his head.

"Well that was because---"

"Of me," Raymond said as he approached them with a proud smile on his face.

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Ash hearing his voice broke from the hug and glared at him, his eyes clearly saying *because of you I am late* making Raymond to sweatdrop.

"Father!" Irene said as she jumped to hug him.

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"How have you been?" He asked while caressing her hair.

"I have been doing fine but father why do you look so thin," Irene asked while touching his face.

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"That's what we should be asking you!" Ash said while he crossed his arms.

"He is right. Look how thin you have become." Raymond said as he touched her seeks that they no longer had that amount of baby fat they had before.

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"Sister, don't you like the food here? You used to love them so much back then." Ash asked as they went to a corner where small rooms were arranged for people to talk.

"It's not like I don't like the food here actually I used to love them back then but...I am tired of them now and I kinda miss the food back home. Maybe I am homesick now." Irene said as she looked quite down.

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"If that's the case then don't worry," Raymond said as he gave her a mysterious smile.

"What does father mean?" A confused Irene asked as she looked at him and then at Ash who was not telling her anything.

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"Ash don't you dare to spill the beans," Raymond said to Ash who just smiled at him but that threat didn't last for long as Raymond was called for a talk with the other nobles. 

And Ash could no longer stop Irene and hence he gave her a small amount of info about the thing they prepared for her.

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"Sister, just wait till the ceremony is over. There is a surprise back at your room." Ash whispered at her ears making Irene smile brightly as she could guess what it was all about.

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"Okay, I understand." She said while giggling.

Looking at her smiling face, Ash felt dang in his heart and was about to say something to her until they heard an uproar in the middle of the hall making everyone turn their attention to there.

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"(Looks like another catfight is about to start there. I remember this is when Violet raises her voice for herself for the first time but unlike what she thinks everyone turns against her more but the crown prince gets more attracted to her and her rise in confidence makes him speak up for her.)"  Irene thought as she sat there and looked at the crowd and then at the Crown Prince who wasn't paying attention to the crowd at all and was instead looking at her.

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"(Why is he looking at me and not her? Seriously! If he keeps sitting there like that I am afraid Viole might get beaten up..)" Irene thinks while clenching her fists and looking at the time.