Chapter 63: The Sand and the Steel

Leo stepped quietly toward the wall, inspecting the narrow service opening Eleanor had used. He turned himself back around, his eyes locking dead onto Eleanor with an intense, unyielding focus.

"I'm not waiting around," Leo said, his deep voice dropping into a sharp, determined whisper. "If you are truly serious about offering me a formal apology for this whole disaster, Eleanor, then you need to prove it right now. Show me the way of these servants' passages and help me sneak out of this palace before the morning."

Eleanor shook her head, her face turning a deep, panicked shade of pink as she quickly reached out to grab his sleeve. "Are you completely insane, Leo? Please, you must have patience! Even if you successfully break past the courtyard soldiers, look out the window, there is nothing but a massive, endless ocean in every single direction! Where could a commoner possibly run? You will be caught and executed within ten minutes."

Leo tightened his jaw, an irritated sigh escaping his lips as he looked out at the rolling blue waves crashing against the island cliffs.

"Just wait until tonight," Eleanor pleaded softly, her violet eyes glistening with absolute sincerity as she stepped closer to his chest. "I swear I will do something to help you escape the kingdom safely under the cover of darkness. But for now, you must stay inside this room."

Leo wanted to refuse her, but the sheer reality of the island geography made it impossible to argue. He let out a low breath, reluctantly nodding his head. "Fine. Tonight. But if you double-cross me, I will tear this palace apart myself." Eleanor offered a relieved nod, pulling her black hood back over her hair before slipping quietly back into the shadows of the wall passage.

.....

Stella stood right in the center of her living room, her small fists clenched tightly at her sides as she glared at the figure of Professor Julia. The silence between them was thick with pure hatred, but Stella finally forced her voice into a cold, flat rumble. "Fine. I don't have a single transport or a way to cross the ocean on my own. I have no choice but to work with you. So what is the plan, Julia?"

Julia let out a deeply amused chuckle, a dark smirk tracing her lips as she turned her body toward the exit door. "A very intelligent choice, little one. Meet me at the base of the city mountain tomorrow morning at dawn. I will keep every single variable in check for our departure."

Without offering another word, the professor smoothly opened the front door and walked out into the corridor, leaving the room in total silence.

The moment the deadbolt clicked shut, Stella violently kicked a study chair in absolute, furious rage. "That absolute monster..."

Yawn...

A soft, sleepy groan cut through her anger as the bedroom door slid open. Lunaria walked out into the room, rubbing her eyes lazily with a thoroughly confused expression, her long midnight-blue hair slightly messy. "Stella...? Did something happen?"

Stella turned around, her face pale as she let out an exhausted sigh. "Julia was just standing right inside our home, Lunaria. She knows Leo was kidnapped. She is completely toying with us, and we have to step into her trap tomorrow morning just to get him back."

.....

The next morning, the grand royal arena of Zhelora was packed with an absolute sea of roaring citizens. The circular stone stadium was completely alive with high-society energy, the crowd shouting and waving gold banners under the blazing hot sun.

High up on the topmost royal balcony, the King and Queen sat proudly on their grand red chairs. Standing right beside them, Alistair Roslav rested his hands on the marble railing with a cold, mocking grin, while Eleanor stood just a step behind them, her face completely pale and her violet eyes filled with deep, silent guilt as she stared down at the dirt floor of the stadium.

Down on the arena sands, Prince Felipe stood tall in the center, his platinum-silver hair catching the bright sun. He wore a flawless, white military vest, his striking blue eyes carrying a highly confident, egoist smirk as the entire crowd cheered his name in a massive roar.

CREAK.

The heavy iron gates at the far side of the stadium slowly ground open.

Leo walked out into the open air, his athletic frame moving smoothly across the dirt. The exact microsecond he became visible, a massive wave of pure booing and angry jeering detonated from thousands of voices in the crowd, screaming insults at the commoner who dared to touch their princess.

Prince Felipe offered a welcoming, high-and-mighty wave of his hand as Leo closed the distance. He reached down to a nearby weapon rack, lifting a beautifully crafted, heavy steel broadsword and tossing it straight toward Leo’s chest.

Leo caught the hilt effortlessly, his large fingers locking tightly around the leather grip as he balanced the weight.

"Listen to the crowd, commoner," Prince Felipe mocked loudly, drawing his own glowing rapier with absolute, high-society elegance. Her blue eyes flashed with pure, competitive pride. "Today, you are going to understand exactly what it means to lay your filthy hands on royal gold. I will dismantle you in front of the entire kingdom."

Leo didn't answer with words. He simply tightened his grip on the steel sword, his eyes narrowing as he locked his gaze onto the prince's body.

"Haaah!" Felipe roared out, making the first move with flash-speed. He lunged forward across the sand, his rapier driving straight toward Leo’s shoulder in a fast, blinding strike that the entire crowd assumed would end the fight in a single second.

But Leo didn't even blink. Moving with an effortless, absolute fluidity unlocked by his hidden attributes, he casually tilted his upper torso sideways. The glowing blade missed his skin by a mere fraction of an inch. Before Felipe could even think what happened, Leo flawlessly spun past his guard, stepping smoothly right behind the prince's completely exposed back.

Leo stood tall on the sand, his steel sword resting casually over his broad shoulder. A slow, thoroughly amused, and confident smirk slowly traced his sharp jawline as he looked down at the prince's rigid spine. Wow, Leo thought to himself, his mind completely relaxed. This guy is incredibly slow. Fighting this proud prince is a hell of a lot easier than dealing with those weird monsters.

He raised his blade, completely ready to beat the prince to a pulp.