Chapter 166 - 165: After Chaos

Meanwhile, back in the royal palace, chaos filled the halls. The once peaceful castle now echoed with hurried footsteps, the clatter of armor, and the loud commands of knights.

"Don’t stop until you find my daughter!" the king roared, his voice filled with rage and desperation. His fists slammed against the armrest of his throne, the sound echoing through the chamber.

Dozens of knights knelt before him, trembling under the weight of his fury. At the front of the line stood Tiana, her armor scorched and scratched from the night’s attack. She lowered her head deeply.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," Tiana said, her voice trembling. "I failed to protect Princess Sylfia."

The queen stepped forward before the king could speak. Her face was pale, but her eyes were calm. She gently placed a hand on Tiana’s shoulder. "No, my dear... it’s not your fault. You did your best."

Tiana’s lips trembled, guilt filling her heart. "But I—"

The queen stopped her with a soft shake of her head and a warm, motherly smile. "I believe my daughter is still alive and well. Sylfia is strong."

The king’s anger slowly faded as he looked at his wife. He clenched his fists tightly, his voice lower but firm. "She must be... she has to be."

The queen stepped closer to him and whispered, "We will find her. Have faith."

The king took a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly. Then he raised his voice again, strong and commanding, "Send out every knight we have! Search every forest, every town bring my daughter home!"

The knights responded in unison, "Yes, Your Majesty!" before storming out of the throne room.

As the doors closed, the queen gently held the king’s hand, "She’s out there," she said softly. "I can feel it."

The king nodded, staring toward the open window where the faint morning light began to shine. "Then we’ll bring her back... no matter what it takes."

**********

Axelius sat quietly for a moment as Crow landed beside him, the bird’s eyes glowing faintly with blue light. A small wisp of energy escaped its beak, forming into a glowing sigil before fading.

His expression turned serious as he read the mana imprint. "Dravenhart is looking for me..."

He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Of course. They always pick the worst timing."

He stood up and went looking for Sylfia, following the faint sound of water until he reached the fountain in the middle of his garden. The moonlight shimmered on the water’s surface, and Sylfia sat quietly by its edge.

"Sylfia," Axelius called, his tone softer than usual. She turned her head slightly but didn’t speak. "I need to go back to Dravenhart."

"You can go," Sylfia replied, her voice even. "You don’t have to tell it to me."

Axelius blinked, a bit surprised by her cold tone. He scratched his neck and gave a small, crooked smile. "Don’t worry. They’ll guard you while I’m gone. Besides..." He gestured around them. "No one can enter my domain without my permission."

Sylfia didn’t respond right away, only giving a small nod before turning her gaze back to the water.

Axelius sighed quietly, realizing her silence said more than words. He turned to Crow, who lowered its body to the ground.

As he climbed onto the bird’s back, he glanced at her one last time. "Seems like I messed things up," he muttered under his breath.

Crow spread its dark wings, and with a single strong beat, they lifted off the ground. The gust of wind ruffled Sylfia’s hair, and she looked up briefly, watching as Axelius and Crow disappeared into the clouds above.

"Oh Well playtime is over, Time to get serious"

Axelius landed quietly at the back of the Dravenhart estate, the sound of Crow’s wings fading as the bird vanished into dark mist.

He sighed. "Home sweet headache," he muttered, brushing off the dust from his clothes as he entered through the back door.

The halls were quiet, only the distant echo of servants moving about could be heard. Axelius went straight to his room, stretching his shoulders as fatigue started to sink in. Just as he was about to sit, a knock echoed from the door.

Knock, knock.

He groaned. "Already?"

Opening the door, he saw one of the maids standing there, her head slightly bowed. "Young master, the Duke requests your presence in the main hall."

"I know, I know," Axelius said with a tired wave of his hand. "I’ll be there soon."

The maid bowed again and left. Axelius shut the door, letting out a quiet sigh. "Can’t even breathe for a second."

He quickly took a shower, washing off the dirt and smoke from the day’s chaos. The cold water cleared his thoughts a bit. When he was done, he changed into clean clothes, a dark shirt and a long coat marked with the Dravenhart crest on the sleeve.

He stepped out of his room and made his way downstairs, his boots echoing softly on the stone floor. As he reached the bottom of the staircase, he could already sense the tense air coming from the main hall, where his father the Grand Duke was waiting.

Axelius paused as he entered the grand hall. His siblings were already there standing in line before their father, the Grand Duke. The air was heavy, tense. He joined the line quietly, his usual smirk gone.

The Grand Duke’s deep voice broke the silence. "You all know what happened last night at the royal palace." His tone carried both authority and weariness. "An attack on the royal family. It could have been worse if not for the knights’ quick response."

The king, who was seated beside the Duke, turned his sharp gaze toward Axelius. "Axelius Dravenhart," he said slowly. "Where did you go last night after the chaos?"

Axelius straightened, about to answer, but Cyruz cut in before he could open his mouth.

"Right! You went to Princess Tiana, didn’t you?" Cyruz said, folding his arms with a grin that barely hid his curiosity. "Good thing nothing happened to her. But... why did you take her servant?"

Axelius blinked, slightly caught off guard.Whoa, when did Cyruz start using his brain?he thought, keeping his expression calm.

Before he could say anything, Ellory stepped forward. "You’re wrong, Brother Cyruz," she said, her voice firm. "Brother Axel helped me last night. It’s because of him that I was outside and safe."

The room fell silent for a moment. The Grand Duke’s eyes flicked between them, and even the king seemed to reconsider his question. Axelius glanced at Ellory, a small, grateful smile tugging at his lips.

"I see," the Grand Duke finally said, his tone softer now but still stern. "Then, Axelius... tell us your side."

The Grand Duke crossed his arms and looked directly at Axelius. "Then, Axelius, tell us your side of what happened last night."

Axelius straightened, his tone calm and respectful. "If I may, Father," he began, then turned his gaze toward Cyruz. "But first, may I ask? where did you get the idea that I took Princess Tiana’s servant?"

Cyruz froze, his earlier confidence gone. He looked to the side, clearly caught off guard and unable to answer.

Axelius then shifted his attention back to the Grand Duke. "After the chaos began, I was with Ellory," he said evenly. "We got separated for a moment, but I made sure she was safe before leaving the palace."

Ellory quickly nodded beside him. "That’s true, Father. Brother Axel helped me when the tower exploded. I wouldn’t have made it out without him."

The Grand Duchess, who had been quietly listening, added softly, "It’s true. When I returned home, Ellory was already there, sleeping. Perhaps Axelius is telling the truth he must have taken her home himself."

The Grand Duke glanced at the King, who remained silent, simply observing Axelius with unreadable eyes. After a long pause, the King finally spoke. "I see. Then we will let this matter rest for now."

The Duke nodded and turned back to his children. "You’re all dismissed. Get some rest. We have much to prepare in the coming days."

Everyone bowed and started to leave.

As soon as they stepped out of the hall, Ellory suddenly ran toward Axelius and jumped on his back. "Brother!" she giggled, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

Axelius laughed, holding her legs so she wouldn’t fall. "You’re getting heavier," he teased as he started to run outside with her still on his back. Cyruz, who was still standing by the door, frowned in jealousy, muttering something under his breath.

Once they were a bit farther from the main hall, Axelius slowed down and continued walking with a smile. "Thank you for covering me up, Ellory."

Ellory shook her head, smiling brightly. "I wasn’t covering for you, Brother. It’s true! Nyx brought me home and he’s yours, so it’s your deed!"

From their shadow, Nyx appeared for a brief moment and barked happily.

Axelius chuckled and reached down to pat the wolf’s head. "Good job, Nyx."

Nyx wagged his tail proudly before disappearing back into the shadows.