In the kingdom of Arcis-Mundi...

Julian walked through the kingdom with Millie and Natalie, their personalities clearly visible in the way they walked, Natalie skipping down the sidewalk with a dazzling smile, Millie walking elegantly, her high heels clicking on the ground, Julian walking in a standard way, between the two.

Julian: So... What are we going to do today?

Natalie: I have no idea, I figured you two would be the guides

Millie: Do you plan a date where you don't know what you're going to do on it?

Natalie: That's right!

Julian: Oh my... I hope to someday reach that level of planning {ironic tone}

Millie: {sigh of laughter} me too

Julian: Geez, you laugh? You always have that stoic expression

Millie: there's no reason to smile all the time

Natalie: but you're also exaggerating, you have that serious face almost all the time, try smiling {grabs Millie's cheeks and stretches them into a smile}

Millie: what are you doing? {holds Natalie's arms}

Natalie: come on! Smile!

Millie: you can't force me to smile! Say something funny and maybe I'll laugh!

Natalie: that's right, right? That's how it works

Julian: hey! {points to a coffee shop} why don't we come in here and chat for a bit, while we have a drink?

The three of them enter the coffee shop, they go to an empty table and sit down, Natalie and Millie side by side, opposite Julian.

Natalie: let's see, what coffee would you recommend, ma'am? {ironic tone}

Millie: I would recommend... This one {points to the cheapest product}

Natalie: Hey! What are you implying with that?!

Millie: {tries to contain her laughter}

Natalie: {sighs and sneers} You're laughing, aren't you?... Well, at least that, anyway, I'm going to order this one

Julian: Why?

Natalie: Because, yes, it's the first one I saw and it looks nice

Julian: I see, I'm going to order this one

Natalie: Why?

Julian: Because, yes, I also found this one nice

Millie: Are you ordering it just for that?

Julian: we don't understand much about this

Millie: I see, anyway, I've made my choice

The three of them place their respective orders with the waiter and take advantage of the waiting time to talk

Julian: so, let's take advantage of the time alone and talk a little, get to know each other better

Natalie: what could we talk about?

Julian: any funny stories we had?

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Millie: let's see, normally, it's really hard to remember a story when necessary, these things happen spontaneously, you know?

Julian: I know, but what if it worked this time, it doesn't hurt to try

Millie: I know, you're the one responsible for that accident two months ago, right?

Natalie: Oh! What accident?!

Millie: rumors about how the king was attacked by someone who broke into the castle

Julian: why am I being considered a suspect?

Millie: Because you are the son of Jonathan, the man who was wrongly sentenced to death by the king

Julian: I don't like to remember this, but if you want to know...

2 months ago...

The young man disembarks from the Cruise with Joana and Olivia, he looks around, remembering the place where he spent his childhood, the place where he lived with his parents, now dead.

Julian: I couldn't... Not even say goodbye to them, not in a proper way

Olivia: Don't think about it too much, it will destroy you

Joana: Olivia is right, Julian. If you think about it too much you may end up having thoughts or doing reckless things

Julian: I know, but... {clenches his fists tightly}

Olivia: Julian... Don't even think about it

Julian: I was thinking about nothing {opens his hand}

Joana: How about we go for a walk? Julian: There’s a place I want to go, can you wait for me a bit?

Joana: Of course!

He walks through the kingdom towards the castle where Alexander was, his expression completely serious, he invades the place ignoring the guards and going straight to a specific room. The young man enters the throne room, pushing the doors hard, he looks emotionlessly at the King before him, his apathetic expression soon transforms into one of pure anger, veins becoming more evident, Julian holds the sheath of his katana and brandishes it, he breathes deeply.

Alexander: what are you doing?

Julian: my parents, they died because of your decisions

Alexander: I'm sorry, but... I know you'll refuse simple apologies

Julian: no really, so... all you have to say is mere apologies?

Alexander: I'm sorry, but... Yes, you know my reasons, what really happened for all that-

Julian: terrorism... You said my parents were dangerous

Alexander: that's not the truth, I already said I was threatened

Julian: now it's going to be real terrorism, I'm going to kill you!!! You miserable piece of shit

The boy advances against the King, his blade engulfs in fire and he launches cuts at the man, who brandishes his sword and uses it as a shield for Julian's cuts, Alexander just focuses on defending himself, with no desire to retaliate against the attacks he receives, while Julian continues with great fervent attacking without stopping, the walls being cut by the deflected cuts. Alexander from a certain point on starts to be hit sequentially, without being able to defend himself properly.

Julian: is that all you can do? And you're still considered a king... A damn king... Weak, who can't protect his own people and... {his eyes narrow}

Alexander: Julian... Stop... You're not like that, you're losing yourself, attacking me like that... It won't bring them back

Julian: That'll comfort me

Alexander: Stop! Are you listening to yourself?

Julian: {his eyes widen} tsk...

The young man drops the katana, letting it fall to the ground, his lips tremble, as he realizes what he said, and what he's doing, Julian takes a step back while placing his hands over his face, he sits on the ground.

Julian: I... What am I doing? {looks at his hands}

Alexander: you were getting lost, in a fog of revenge, but you haven't done anything wrong yet {holds out his hand} come on... Get up, get out of this pit that's not right for you

Julian: {grabs Alexander's hand} I'm... I'm sorry, I was trying to kill you, I don't deserve this

Alexander: you just had a slip in your self-control, we won't always be able to keep our cool, the important thing is that you're fine now, you're better and free

Julian: {sighs} one way or another, I feel much better now, I was... Very bitter before, I couldn't... Stop thinking about all this while I was coming back here

Alexander: I understand {puts his hand on Julian's shoulder} now, forget about it and... You came back to this planet, right? I sent a hello to Joana and told Olivia not to forget her appointment

Julian: okay {steps away and bows} thanks... For understanding me, I'm going

Alenxader: bye, you're going to give me a hard time hiding your mess here

Julian: sorry {laughs nervously}

The young man runs out of the castle, his smile restored.

Back to the present...

Julian: uh... Well, that was basically it, nothing more

Natalie: Oh... It must have been hard for you

Millie: it must have been

Julian: anyway, it's in the past and today I feel good about it

Millie: great!

Natalie: so you're an only child?

Julian: yes, by the way, what about you? Do you have any sisters?

Natalie: not me, my father died on a mission and I only have my mother

Millie: I'm a triplet

Julian: what?!

Natalie: how can that be?!

Millie: I'm the youngest sister, the oldest is called Tamao and the middle one is called Mayumi

Julian: These names... They're similar to the most recent names adopted

Millie: My parents wanted to follow the trends with them, but when it was my turn, they decided to go with a standard name, they got very creative

Natalie: I see, in the future, almost everyone should have this type of name, right?

Julian: It's quite likely

Millie: But these things happen, people and ideas change, and now, the type of names will change as a standard, so much so that, nowadays we are all much more technologically a dvanced than before

Natalie: That was... Kind of annoying to hear, huh

Julian: uh...

The waiter arrives at the table with the three of them's orders, he puts the food on the table and leaves, Julian and Natalie look at the plate strangely, while Millie is intrigued by the two's reactions.

Millie: what happened? {asks, even though she knows exactly what the problem is}

Julian: the plate...

Natalie: it's completely different from what...

Julian: in the picture...

Millie: it was to be expected, now you're going to have to eat it

Natalie: well, at least it must be good

Julian: it really is

The two of them take their respective plates and start to digest.

Natalie: uh... It's not bad, but it's not good either

Julian: I came out on top, so I at least liked mine a little

Natalie: damn... I'm the only one who lost

Julian: idiot {points finger at Natalie}

Natalie: ah... You brat {grabs Julian's meal and starts devouring it}

Julian: hey! Eat your own food!

Natalie: no way! That's what you get for making fun of me, idiot!

Millie: hey! You guys are making a mess, we're going to get a warning for this!

The two were so wrapped up in their own argument that they ignored Millie's attempts to separate them. The waiter came to the table, also trying to calm them down, but accidentally, a large drop from the plate fell on the waiter's face. Julian and Natalie stopped immediately, looked at each other and then pointed at each other.

Julian: It was her.

Natalie: It was him.

In the end, the three of them ended up being thrown out of the place.

Millie: Why did you kick me out too? I didn't do anything!

Julian: That's complicated, I think we won't be able to get in here for a moment.

Natalie: Captain Obvious.

Julian: {he remains silent for a long moment, while looking at Natalie} Well, out here, no one is going to stop us, so... How about we settle this once and for all.

Millie: Enough! You idiots!!! We were thrown out of a place, all because you acted like annoying, stubborn children!

Julian: We stressed her out, we should apologize

Natalie: She understands us, she'll apologize, she probably isn't that angry

Julian: Really? She seems a little angry

They both look at Millie, who is breathing heavily, the girl takes a deep breath and slowly regains her composure

Julian: Are you calmer now?

Millie: Uh... I am