Royal Inquiry

High above the arena, in the royal box, the King and Queen watched the unfolding events with growing disbelief and alarm. They had arrived expecting a display of their sons' power, a reaffirmation of the royal house's dominance. Instead, they had witnessed a spectacle that defied all logic, a defeat so swift and complete it shook the very foundations of their authority.

The King, a man of stern countenance and unwavering confidence, was visibly shaken. He rose from his throne, his face flushed with a mixture of anger and confusion. "This… this is impossible!" he exclaimed, his voice booming across the royal box. "We hired the best masters in the kingdom to unlock our princes' cores, to train them in the most advanced Astra techniques. They should be the strongest Astra wielders in the kingdom! How could this… this child defeat them so easily?"

The Queen, usually a picture of serene composure, was equally disturbed. She placed a hand on the King's arm, her voice low and urgent. "Calm yourself, my love," she said, though her own eyes betrayed her anxiety. "We must… we must understand what is happening. Who is this boy?"

The King turned to the captain of the royal guard, his voice sharp and demanding. "Investigate him! Find out everything you can about him! His origins, his family, his purpose here. I want answers, and I want them now!"

The guards, sensing the King's fury, moved swiftly, disappearing into the crowd to carry out his orders.

Meanwhile, Kurt, still masked, stood in the center of the arena, the silence of the crowd slowly giving way to a low murmur of awe and speculation. He had defeated two princes, but he knew the true test was yet to come.

The King, his face still flushed, addressed Kurt from the royal box, his voice amplified by magic to reach every corner of the arena. "You," he said, his tone imperious. "You have shown… remarkable skill. Unprecedented power. I will, of course, honor the ancient tradition. You have earned the right to rule."

He paused, a flicker of suspicion crossing his face. "But you are clearly not of age. You cannot rule a kingdom at your current state. You will assume your position… after you turn fifteen years of age."

Kurt inclined his head, his voice polite but firm. "I understand, Your Majesty. I am grateful for your generosity and adherence to tradition."

The King descended from the royal box, his gaze fixed on Kurt, his expression a mixture of grudging admiration and deep unease. "You have defeated my sons," he said, his voice low and intense. "You have earned a kingdom. But I still do not know who you are. What is your name? What family do you belong to?"

Before Kurt could answer, the captain of the royal guard returned, his face grim. He approached the King and whispered in his ear, his words barely audible to the crowd but clearly audible to Kurt. "Your Majesty… we have searched. We can find no record of him. No family, no lineage, no known connection to any noble house in the kingdom… or any other."

The King's eyes narrowed, his suspicion hardening into a cold certainty. He stepped closer to Kurt, his voice low and dangerous. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Are you a noble from a rival kingdom, sent here to… to undermine us? And are you the one responsible for the devastation, the wasteland, that appeared a few days ago? The damage that scholars say would require the combined might of five hundred Astra users?"