Chapter 39: "The King might not have a rightful heir."

Alaric's eyebrows furrowed. "Wait… how is that possible?"

Selene had not had time to answer before the sound of footsteps coming towards them made them all tense.

A maid came into the hallway.

Everyone was silent immediately. The maid stood there for a moment, sensing the tense atmosphere. Sensing that she had interrupted something important, she bowed hastily and hurried away without saying a word.

Magnus sighed. "When we discuss these kinds of things, we need to be in a private place."

Selene nodded in agreement. If anyone finds out I have knowledge of the future, I'd be in serious danger.

Magnus ran his hand through his hair. "Let's delay this conversation until later. We'll talk in my office."

That decided they resumed their path to the dining hall.

As they strolled, Alaric muttered, "If only there were a way to talk about this in public without anyone overhearing…" He trailed off, his eyes suddenly lighting up.

Reaching into a small pouch at his waist, he pulled out three tiny devices—each no larger than a hearing aid.

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

Alaric smirked. "A solution."

Selene and Magnus exchanged puzzled looks.

Alaric held up the small devices. "I've been thinking of situations like this one—where Selene would have to share critical information, but we're out in public." His eyes shone with excitement. "So I've had a friend create these—communications devices that allow us to speak telepathically to each other."

Magnus's eyes grew wide. "Wait… You mean these things allow us to hear each other's thoughts?"

Alaric nodded. "Only when we want to. The connection is controlled by intent, so we will not be getting random thoughts. I modeled them after those… what do they call them? Earpod things from Earth."

Selene hesitantly reached out and took one of the devices, her hand trembling slightly. She stared at it, too stunned to speak.

Magnus scowled. "Do they even work?"

Alaric shrugged. "I don't know for sure, but my friend swore they do."

Magnus took one of the tiny devices, examined it closely, then placed it on his ear. Selene and Alaric did the same.

Selene frowned. "How do we turn it on?"

"Channel mana into it," Alaric said.

They did, and a slight hum resonated in their minds within moments. Alaric tested the link, communicating through it.

Can you hear me?

Magnus and Selene nodded.

Satisfied that it did, they kept moving.

Magnus' voice echoed in Selene's mind. Continue.

Selene blinked. Continue what?

Alaric smirked. Tell us about only two of King Roland's children being his.

Selene halted in her tracks. She turned to the two men, scandalized. "Are you seriously telling me that grown men are this interested in gossip?"

Alaric stiffened slightly, but Magnus—his features fixed in their usual impenetrable mask—replied mildly, "There's nothing wrong with men valuing good information. So tell us."

Selene grumbled under her breath but capitulated. "Fine."

She took a breath and began. "As you all already know, when the king was young, he was a planderer. Any beautiful woman he chanced upon, he took to his bed—willing or not."

Magnus' expression darkened, and Alaric nods his head in agreement.

Selene continued, "Some of those women were slaves, prostitutes, commoners, or daughters of merchants. But you both know how people are—if a woman has the chance rise in status, many will take it."

She sighed and went on. "Of his eleven wives, one was a prostitute, two were former slaves, one was a commoner, two were daughters of merchants, one was a foreign princess, and the rest were of noble birth."

Magnus let out a low whistle. "Color me surprised. I did not know about this."

"Meeither. I thought... well heard that they all were from noble birth," Alaric said, astonished.

Selene smirked. "Oh, it gets better."

She inclined a little further forward. "In short—excepted Queen Isolde and the King's fifth wife —most of these women were already pregnant before they ever lay with King Roland."

Silence.

Alaric was the first to get his wits back. "Wait, you're saying—"

Selene nodded. "They blamed the babies on him. And the ones who weren't getting pregnant? They merely took lovers in secret and still blamed the children on him."

There was another silence between them.

Then Selene went on, nearly with relish, "So, yeah. King Roland has twelve children, but only two of them are actually his."

As they walked, Magnus suddenly slowed down.

"Wait," he said, his brow creased. "King Roland's fifth wife, Mckiehlia, has no children. So out of the remaining eleven children… which one is actually his?"

Selene continued. "The second princess, Amelia. She's from Concubine Camilia."

Both Magnus and Alaric hissed.

Selene's frowned. "What? What is it?"

Magnus rubbed his temple, his face twisted in pain. "If Prince Aldric is, in fact, female… it would mean the King might not have a rightful heir."

Selene took a step back in shock.

Her mind dashed through the repercussions. If Aldric were truly a girl, he would not be able to father children. And if King Roland didn't have a true-born son before he died… his lineage would have ended with him.

She winced at the thought. And then, she froze for a moment.

Wait… if Aldric is actually a girl… does that mean he— could get pregnant?

Her face turned red as her mind betrayed her, remembering all the smutty Omegaverse and mpreg manhwa she had read on Earth.

And, to the great misfortune of Magnus and Alaric, the mental image she just conjured was transmitted directly into their minds through the telepathic link.

The moment they saw a heavily pregnant, older Aldric in their heads—

SMACK!

Magnus yanked the device from his ear and whacked Selene on the head.

"Ow! What was that for?!" she protested, clutching her head.

Magnus glared at her and pointed to the earpiece. "Purge that filthy mind of yours, girl!"

Meanwhile, Alaric was frozen, his eyes glazed over in a thousand-yard stare. In a weak voice, he spoke, "That bastard never told me the device could do that… It's gonna take a while to unsee that…"

Selene apologized under her breath.

By the time they reached the doors to the dining hall, Magnus let out a sigh and reluctantly placed the device on again.

"I am going to eat my dinner," he stated firmly. "And I do not want to see anything disgusting appearing in my head."

Selene nodded hastily.

They went in.

Queen Isolde, Aldric, Damion, and Evangeline were already at the dinner table.

And the very instant Selene laid eyes on Aldric—

The blasted mental image of pregnant Aldric reappeared.

Magnus and Alaric quickly ripped the devices from their ears.