“I... I’m afraid I can’t choose right now...” he told them.

“I would need to consult my father about that first. He would know what is best for me and the kingdom.”

“Can you at least tell us who like best?” Princess Fay pouted at him cutely.

“Fay, can’t you see that you are troubling his highness Prince Simon?” her sister scolded her.

Fay gave a bubbly laugh.

“I merely wanted to know who among the four of us is most likely to win the Hero’s heart!” she said playfully. “Don’t you feel the same, Lady June?”

“Speak for yourself.”

The three looked at June.

She was staring at Simon, her eyes full of disgust.

“If you can’t make decisions on your own, then you don’t deserve any concubines.”

Princess Tina gasped.

“Are you saying that Prince Simon does not deserve to be a King? Since only the King can keep concubines?!”

“Stop putting words inside my mouth, Princess,” Lady June coldly replied. “Don’t worry, I’ll make the choice easier by backing out of the race,” she continued. “I have no plans of binding myself to a man who can’t think for himself.”

That night, Simon couldn’t help but think of what Lady June told them.

“Am I really a man who can’t think for himself?” he asked the darkness that filled his spacey new bedroom.

He had these thoughts in mind until he fell asleep and was woken quite early the next day for their luncheon with the West Twin’s Royalties.

“Nell! I am ready for my healing session now,” he greeted the healer as soon as he entered his room. “How do you like the new room I gave you? I asked the servants to prepare the room right next to mine, did you sleep well?”

Nell nodded at him.

“Were the clothes I gave you still okay?” he asked as he sat on his bed. Nell sat on a chair in front of him, clasping his left hand as the healing session began.

“I hope the clothes are still fine, I’ll buy you better ones when we get to the capital!”

Nell’s head slightly tilted.

“I hope you haven’t placed the clothes inside your dresser yet, since we’ll be leaving for the capital later this afternoon.” he continued excitedly. “My father had decided to send me to the Royal Maralict Imperial University, but before that, I would need to greet his Imperial Highness, Emperor Jonas Maralict of the Holy Maralict Empire first.”

Nell’s head suddenly rose to stare at Simon.

Simon saw a glimpse of his honey brown eyes beneath his mask. They were wide open, while his pink lips, formed a small ‘o’ of surprise.

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“Are you excited as well?” he asked his friend. “I have always wanted to study in a proper school, but to think that Father would enroll me to the Royal Maralict Imperial University! It is a dream come true for me! In fact, I’m still worried that I might suddenly wake up and find out that I’ve only been dreaming!”

Nell watched Simon laugh gleefully.

He gave a sigh and shook his head.

“Is there something wrong, Nell?” Simon asked him.

Nell lifted his right hand and waved at him.

“Why are you waving?” Simon asked, his head tilted. “Are you waving goodbye?”

Nell let go of his hand all together.

He pointed at Simon, then raised both arms to flex his muscles.

“Are you saying that I am already strong to leave on my own?”

Nell nodded, then waved goodbye once again.

“Then, do you mean, that I don’t need you anymore?”

Nell gave him another nod.

Simon suddenly felt agitated.

“But... Nell, I need you!” he said, his eyes filling with tears. “You are the first friend I have ever made, in fact, you are my only friend! What would happen of I get hurt again? What if I get bullied? Who can I turn to, then?”

Nell sighed and was about to shake his head again, when Simon held his shoulders tightly, his tears in torrents.

“Please, Nell, don’t leave me! Didn’t the high priest tell you to stay with me for a year? You can’t just leave me now!”

Nell’s veiled face stared at Simon for a long time, then he shook his head once more, this time, harder.

“Can’t I... can’t I change your mind anymore?” he asked one last time.

Again, Nell shook his head, before touching Simon’s hand more to continue their healing session.

“I guess this is the last time I get healed by you, then?” Simon asked sadly.

Nell reached out a hand to path his left shoulder.

“Then... I should and shall thank you with all my heart.”

Simon tried his best to show his best smile, but ended up with a grimace instead.

“Thank you for everything, Nell,” he told the novice priest. “I shall tell the servants to pack all my gifts for you. You may leave anytime you choose.”

The Hero’s entourage left the Twin Kingdoms that afternoon, just as the sun was traversing down the horizon.

Simon and his brother Juno visited the kingdom of the West Twin earlier, but they didn’t stay long.

King Morel Jacob Krems and his eldest sons, Prince Hayle and Prince June, wanted to have a small hunting game with him, but he declined the offer.

He couldn't wait to visit the capital, after all.

Besides, he has never gone hunting before. Only his majesties, the Kings of the Twin Kingdoms, and their two first born sons were allowed to participate in such events.

He was also scared to use the crossbow they were so proud of, when all he had ever handled before, was a simple composite bow and arrow.

Soon, the procession of carriages and knights on horseback reached past the Twin Kingdom’s borders and entered the East Rim of the vast Twilight Forest.

Simon was starting to get sleepy, when the carriage they were riding suddenly came to a halt, hurling him towards the empty seat in front of him.

He heard a sharp yelp as he fell.

“Ouch! What was that?” he mumbled as he rubbed the carpet burn near his right elbow.

Simon looked out of the carriage windows and saw two knights at either side of their vehicle.

“What seems to be the problem?” Simon asked the knight to his right.

“There’s a stalled cart in the middle of the road,” said the knight, “it seems to have broken it’s axle. You may step out of your carriage if you wish, since this might take some time.”

“Oh, if you say so, it would be nice to have a good stretch for a bit,” said Simon. “Since the sun is about to go down, why don’t we ask the wagoner to share some supper with us?” he added.

Simon was about to open the carriage door, when he noticed the seat in front of him rise slightly.

“What the...”

Simon looked at it closer.

He was about to lift the cushion up, when the left carriage door suddenly flung open!

He was surprised to see a bearded knight enter the carriage with a sword in his hand!

“W-what are you doing?!” Simon fell back on his seat and tried to move away from the armed knight.

He was even more surprised when the seat in front of him suddenly burst open, revealing a cloaked person from inside!

The knight’s gaze fell on the cloaked image, then at the door opposite that flew open.

Simon threw his arms over his head as the bearded knight raised his sword.

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Go to Part 40

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