Chapter 180 - Vivid (3)

Somewhere in an academy, inside one of the dormitories.

Christian let out a groan filled with annoyance as he walked towards a door leading to a room. It wasn't his room rather it was Gilbert's room. He let out a sigh not knowing what to do, he was already wearing his school uniform. He was wearing a black blazer with the academy's crest found on its chest and underneath it, he was wearing a white long-sleeved polo with a necktie tied around the collar of the shirt, it wasn't that tight nor was it that loose. Paired with it were dark-colored pants and black shoes. His silver hair was combed neatly and nicely enough to make him look a responsible and diligent student.

However, he was troubled about something. He was staring at Gilbert's door. Gilbert still hasn't wake up and no matter how many times I tried to knock on the door, I heard nothing inside, not even a small grunt as a response. He sealed the knob with some sort of spell to prevent others from opening it. I can't even use a spell just to break that seal, if this goes on, he—no, we would be late for our classes. If only there was a way to enter his room, he let out a sigh once again. Gilbert was hard to wake up. Not even his personal knight who was standing behind him can wake him up, he doesn't know how to break that seal as Gilbert used a complicated spell. The same goes for his personal knight who was just quietly standing behind him.

Even when they banged the door multiple times, no response. Just how hard is he to wake up? I'm thankful that he was my roommate but he was always hard to wake up that's why sometimes, I would get late. This was one of those times where he was extremely difficult to wake up and they would get late. They were princes, it is unlikely and bad for them to be always late. Bringing up his hand that was balled in a fist, he knocked on the door once again. "Brother Gilbert, you need to wake up now or else we would be late!"

He couldn't just leave him behind because if he did, he might go back to sleep and skip out class. I wonder if father knew about this.

This kind of thing happens almost every day and Christian told him to not seal the knob many times already yet Gilbert still does it. It either he forgot or he didn't listen to what he said, nevertheless, they would still be stuck in the same situation no matter what the reason was. I don't know what I should do to lure him out of that place surrounded by 4 walls and a roof on top, he thought to himself. "Gabriel, what time is it?" Christian asked as he continued to knock on the door.

"45 minutes before classes begin," Gabriel responded in a monotonous voice. This is bad, Gabriel always takes an hour or two just to prepare. He is like a slug when he eats, so slow and is always taking his time. Christian was in a dilemma, stuck and doesn't know what to do. If they would remain here any longer, Gabriel has to go to the academy without eating and worse, without taking a bath. This is bad, this is really bad.

"What should we do now, Sir Philip?" Christian called out to his personal knight. Unlike his personal knight who was always calm and composed, Philip was panicking and nervous. He would be the one who will be put into blame in case if they get late. This is bad, this is bad, if a savior comes, I would gladly become their servant even if I am a prince, Christian thought to himself and said goodbye to his luxurious life.

Then as if on cue, the door was abruptly swung open, emitting a loud bang as it did. Their attentions were grabbed and they turned their head towards the direction of the door and they saw 2 people enter, wearing the same uniform and having the same color of hair as well as eyes but just different hues. "Brother Calixander! Chandler!" Christian doesn't call Chandler brother even though he did before, they were always arguing and bickering that it seems like they were enemies instead of brothers.

Ah, it seems like my saviors arrived and I won't become a servant, he thought to himself, thankful. They probably noticed that Christian and Gilbert still haven't come out of their dormitory yet and they still heard some voices inside.

"Has Gilbert wake up yet?"

"No, not yet. He sealed the doorknob again and even though no matter how many times we knock on the door and call out to him, there was still no response. The spell was hard to break, it seems like Brother Gilbert used a complicated one this time."

"Move, I'll try to break it."

Christian stepped along with their personal knights and he stood in front of the door, placing his hand in front of the knob and said some things, probably the chant to activate the spell that he was going to use, a magic circle with bright red outlines that seems like it was glowing. It was similar to that magic circle that appeared when he used the powerful spell, 'Explosion', but this was smaller and looked safer. The magic circle disappeared after a few seconds and Calixander let out a groan as if to show that he didn't succeed.

"Nothing happened, it just nullified the spell."

"Shouldn't we just break the door?"

"I could use the 'Explosion' spell but it's consuming too much mana."

Ah, so you're thinking about how much mana it will consume instead of the damage that will be done, somehow, I lost all my hope and strength, Christian said and felt himself ascend.

"Shouldn't we just break the wall?" Chandler suddenly said and touched the wall beside the door. Since the knob and the door was the only one sealed and prevented to be opened or break down, the wall wasn't. The room wasn't surrounded by a barrier.

"What do you mean?" Calixander asked in his usual tone of voice but his interest was piqued when he heard what Chandler suggested.

"Like a punch, a hole in it then enter his room through it?" Christian said and Chandler turned his head towards his direction, showing him a wide grin. Christian eyes widened as he realized what he is about to do. "As expected of Christian, you were able to guess it correctly!"

"Wait! No, don—"

They heard a loud sound of what seems like an explosion and walls crumbling down, dust covered the room and rose, and covering the whole place like it was mist. It was too late, Chandler didn't listen to him. Christian's soul left his body and his complexion was pale. Chandler coughed and fanned the dust away, hoping that it would disappear. That idiot! He thought to himself. Aside from the wall being broken down by him, their uniforms might be covered with dust. Oh wait, it wasn't.

Calixander was fast enough to react and was able to surround them with a barrier except for Chandler, he would break the barrier instead of the wall so Calixander didn't surround him with one. Then the dust settled down and covered the whole place. Just how much damage did he do just to have that amount of dust to cover the whole room?

There was a large hole on the wall able to fit three of them at once, they saw Gilbert laying and sleeping peacefully in his bed as if he didn't hear the loud sound of an explosion. Since they occupied the whole floor of this dormitory and their rooms were big, obviously because they were the princes of this empire, nobody was around them except for them. If somebody from downstairs heard the loud sound, they would probably just mistook it and thought that Chandler and I fought again with the use of spells and destroyed the room. Nobody would be able to stop them except for their eldest brother, so they just let them be.

"Brother Gilbert!! Wake uuuuuup!!" Chandler entered the whole room and Calixander followed, Philip also went inside as if he wasn't shocked or bothered by what happened. If they haven't arrived, Philip would be the one who will make a hole on that wall but it isn't that large. Well, whatever, as long as we can bring Prince Gilbert to the academy, was what Philip thought inside his head.

They were late for 30 minutes as they have to repair the wall and drag Gilbert out of the bed, make him eat and take a bath. Christian was relieved that Gilbert didn't go to the academy without taking a bath and not eating.

Having them as your brothers is exhausting.

--

Back to Alexandra.

"I am planning to let everyone know about you. Your existence."

Eh? What did he say?

Alexandra felt like her ears became deaf as soon as she heard those words, her surroundings were silent and she blinked multiple times. She was neither shock nor confused, she was in a state where she doesn't know if she was in a dream or reality. Despite being speechless, she opened her mouth to speak, wanting to ask him many questions on why he suddenly said that but only one word slipped past through her lips.

"Pardon?"

"I am going to announce your existence to everyone on Calixander's 18th Birthday, in the ball. You will be going to attend that ball, your maids already taught you the basic manners and such except for dancing, am I right?"

"Yes."

"That's good."

"But why so suddenly?"

Alexander stiffened from his seat and let out a sigh, his features softened and relaxed as he did as if he expected that she would ask him that. He leaned back on his seat and crossed his legs before he opened his mouth to respond to her, "Your maid, Diana, told me that you wanted to try to attend balls and such. You were always confined in this room when such an event happens just like the ball to celebrate the Winter Star or when it is one of your brother's birthday. We would have to celebrate it all together a day after their birthday. Christian also sent me a letter telling me almost the same thing as Diana told me. If I don't agree, Calixander might also send me a letter telling me to announce your existence already but it's not like I won't agree in the first place."

Alexandra remained silent and still like a statue as if she doesn't know what to respond to her father. She clutched her dress and gulped, somehow, she felt excitement rush through her and her heart was thumping fast and loud. It wasn't the same feeling as before when her father told her that he needs to tell her something so she has to meet him in the office after she eats. It was completely different, instead of anxiety and fear, it was excitement and joy.

"Aside from that, not only you want to attend balls and social gatherings, you also want to go out freely. I was also looking for the right time and correct place to do it, I thought that I should take advantage of that ball. I still haven't told anybody about this except for you. Is that fine with you? To announce your existence in the ball or would you rather just conceal it first, for the time being, either choice is fine with me," Her father continued and his eyes narrowed, a serious expression on his face. Alexandra smiled brightly and widely, the expression on her face filled with joy. Just one look at her face tells them what was inside her head.

"Of course, I am really happy that you will, daddy! But what about the public opinion? What if the people caused an uproar and hated the royal family or something like that, what if they thought of me like a curse or a bad omen?"

"No, they wouldn't. If they opposed, they are not only just against me but also against the Elders and the church. You know that the Elders manage not only the church but also the Empire, right? Their authority is almost as equal as mine especially Sir Friyedor, he was the most powerful one of them all."

Ah, so that's why her father just let Sir Friyedor be and doesn't care if he acts like that. No thoughts, head empty, just me, filled with happiness and joy after hearing him said that.

"This is the last thing that I could do as your father."

The last thing that he could do as my father? Is it because of how he treated me in the past? But I moved on and forget about it, he already bought me so many things and started to care and love for me as a father should. My brothers also got along with me and I am already fine with that. He did so many things just for me and he would try his best to spend time with me, there were multiple thoughts running inside Alexandra's head which she just shook off and smiled at her father.

"Thank you, you really are the best, daddy!"

Alexandra was having this light feeling and her heart was beating loudly against her chest. No words could describe how happy she is currently.