Chapter 7 (royal gratitude)

At the King's chamber, two guards are

standing, each holding a spear, guarding

the door to the King's room.

Isabella approaches them gently, "Inform

my father about my arrival."Placing her

hand sideways.

"Yes, your highness." One of the guards

turns slightly towards the door. "Your

majesty, the princess, requests an

audience."

"Ah,ha, hum. Let her in." His majesty

replied. The door to his room slowly

opens, and Isabella enters.

A man in his early forties, with dark

circles under his eyes, sitting on his bed

with his weak body.

"Greetings, Father,"' she says, prostrate

before him. "Ah,  hum." The king

coughed,

"You don't need to be formal, as my

daughter; we are not in an official

meeting." Isabella strands up and walks

closer to her father's bed. "Father, how is

your health?" She asked, rubbing her

hands on his back.

"Though there is no improvement, it's

still manageable." He replied, adjusting

his body slightly to the right, looking into

his daughter's eyes. "I heard about you

going out to train, so how was it?"

Isabella sits beside him and says, "The

training started well, until five Frost Lions

appear and try to attack us, but

fortunately, a young guy comes to our

aid. His name is Alexandra Drake." Axel

comforts his daughter by stroking her

head. "You don't need to feel

disappointed in yourself, and also, did

you appreciate him for his help?" Both

locks gaze at each other. "Humm, not

really, but he's in the palace right now.

But dad, I heard about the reason behind

your command to fasten the main gate."

She looks at her father apprehensively.

"You don't need to feel concerned about

that. He turns, holding her daughter's

hands.

"As you know, I have two generals at my

disposal." Everywhere becomes silent

for a bit. "Okay, if you say so." She hugs

her father and stands to leave.

"Okay, I won't disturb your rest any

longer; let's continue our discussion at

the family dining room." Isabella said,

walking towards the door. "Okay, don't

forget to invite him over. Ah, ha, hum,"

Axel replied, as he coughs. Isabella

leaves her father's room.

Meanwhile, Drake is already in the guest

room provided for him, trys to digest

everything he has experienced, from his

summoning to his journey down to the

Kaldris kingdom.

But his major concern is how he was

able to cast spells and use mana since

he had never done that before.

"Everything I've experienced so far, all

pointed at her." He muttered, rolling from

side to side on the bed. " Humm." He

breathes heavily, "I need to stop thinking

about her." He sits back on the bed,

pulling his bag and opening it.

"I need to check what's in here."He

Turned the bag upside down, making

everything inside fall out.

"Hum, a map, a compass, a set of

clothes." He notices a small sack, he

picked it up, untying it. He sees some

gold coins sparkling inside. "What? Is

this what they spend here, or did she just

give me this gold?" He counts the coins:

"500 pieces of gold." He muttered to

himself when he hears a sound.

"Knock, knock, knock." Someone

knocks on his door. "Who is there?"

Drake inquired, in a hurry, as he packed

his things back into his bag.

"It's Mun, the 6th palace maid, the voice

behind the door replied. "Okay, please

come in." Drake gives his permission.

The door gently opens, and a young lady

with dark hair wearing a white and black

gown comes in.

"From his majesty, I was asked to bring

you to the dining table." She says.

Hearing that, Drake climbs down from

his bed.

"Please lead the way," he said. The maid

turns, leading him to the dining room.

Drake, still admiring the palace interior,

followed the maid.

After entering several doors, they finally

stop in front of a large door. The maid

turned to him and said, "Please go in."

She said , Gently opening the door for

him. Drake enters and the door closes.

Drake looks around, seeing a large table

surrounded by twelve chairs and four

maids arranging the foods on the table.

King Axel and his daughter Isabella are

already seated.

Drake moves closer to them, "Greeting,

your Majesty." He postures. King Axel

gestured at him to stand, "Please have a

seat; you don't need to be nervous. You

are the first friend my daughter has ever

had, not to mention we owe you for

saving her. Ah, ha." He said, coughing.

One of the maids pulls a seat for him to

sit in.

"You don't need to owe me anything. It is

my responsibility as a human to another

human." Drake replies as he sits.

"You are too kind. My daughter is so

lucky to have you as his friend. I hope

you are not offended that I didn't meet

you on time." King Axel said.

"Not at all; you have your own

difficulties." Drake responded, picking up

cutlery to start eating when the king

coughs loudly.

"Huk, ah, ha." King Axel pulls out his

handkerchief, cleaning blood from his

mouth. "I am sorry for showing this

embarrassing side of mine."

Drake, looking startled, said, "Not at all."

He replied. "But may I ask what the

course of your illness is?" He inquired.

"There's a mountain at the north, 32

meters away from Kaldris kingdom.

inhabited by a group of bandits called

'The cold-blooded bandit'. These bandits

are no threat to us in terms of numbers

and strengths, so we gave them less

concern. But everything changed a year

ago when my generals and I went on a

royal stag hunt. We were ambushed. Not

only that, they raised a false flag,

deceiving my general, leaving me

vulnerable. I tried to fight back, but I

never expected them to coat one of their

weapons with poison. It pierced through

my skin, polluting my blood. Huk, ah,ha."

He wipes out the blood from his mouth.

Drake has been listening to his story,

"Can I ask about the symptoms of the

poison?" He asked.

Isabella, who remains silent throughout

their meal, jumps up. "Don't you see him

coughing up blood? Stop questioning

him and eat." Isabella angrily interrupted.

King Axel waves at her to sit down.

"Isabela, you don't want to get worked

up." He turns back to Drake and says,

"About the symptoms, I haven't been

able to channel mana into my heart. Not

only that, I am a seven-circle mage, but

three of my mama circles are broken,

and I can feel the fourth circle cracking."

This gives Drake a gut feeling: "These

symptoms are all similar to Lena's

symptoms. What's the relationship

between those who were poisoned, the

bandit and the poison?"

Drake, who's having a brief thought, gets

distracted by Kings Axel, "Drake before I

forget." He said, raising both hands and

clapping.

A maid carrying a glass tray approaches

Drake, "Do you know about the Diamond

Mage Academy?" Drake noded

negatively.

"It is an academy where young stars are

trained to become fully fledged mages.

We have two badge slots, and you can

have one." He gestured to the maid to

pass him the badge.

"Truthfully, I want the badge, but this

favor is too much for me to receive."

Drake tries to reject the present.

"You don't need to feel pressured. Just

see it as someone who values his

daughter's life, gifting it to you." King

Axel said, attempting to confuse him into

taking the gift. Drake takes a deep

breath, stands, and receives the gift.

"Okay, thanks for your present." He said,

picking up the badge from the glass tray.

After their dinner, everyone returned to

their respective rooms.